Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Thursday Things.....

It rained today. And stormed some but not enough to get water in the house. Perhaps because the ditches Louis Dean has dug around here the last week has given all the water a place to go.
The drains are in place and that's encouraging. I'm grateful not to be sucking up water tonight even as I have been concerned about my friends in Oklahoma, Ohio and Indiana have been dealing with dangerous weather. Other states as well.....


Last night we started Tombstone and we finished it just a little while ago.
I remember that was a favorite of Amber and her friends back in the day.
We loved it and I think it was the very first time Louis Dean saw it.


Has anyone seen this series?
We thought it looked good and I love Pierce Brosnan!
I set it to record.
Louis Dean loves westerns and I am trying to find some I will love as well.

In other news......


Louis Dean has been unloading all the pavers our friends, Dee and Gerald, gave us on Sunday.
He decided to weigh one!
25 pounds per stone!!


Then he proceeded to count them! 
At least 150!
That's 3,750 pounds that he has lifted TWICE!!!
Now that's what I call a weight lifting program!

Glad he went out to weigh them before the storms came in.
I went to get my third of four knee injections late this afternoon.


Big Lots is just next door so I stopped there on my way home.
LOVE the Tropical Bungalow fragrance.


I bought another bag of these.
We have had them before and they are so good with coffee.
I saved four for us and will take Lillian and Margaret one tomorrow.


I have everything ready for the luncheon at the nursing home......


These cupcakes are for the staff......
and I have several cold salads for our lunch together.
Potato salad,chicken salad, pasta salad, fluffy salad, and watermelon.
Crackers and tea......
I'm taking back their clean laundry and am looking forward to showing them all my photos.
At the end of every month, I take my laptop with me and show them all my pictures.
That way they get to 'see' our life and I think it makes them happy to get to window watch what's been happening. Plus THEY are featured in OUR life as well!
I'm taking a smaller scale walker to Lillian and we are hoping it will fit under her bed.
It was Reaoma's and I know she would be happy to see someone else get some use from it.
Pam gave it to me along with her wheelchair.
Someday I may need these. You never know.


Tonight's our steak dinner!
They just finished cooking on the ceramic grill.


Baked potatoes are ready!
Corn on the cob is in the microwave waiting for me.
After dinner I have one more thing I want to do before calling it a day.


I'm sewing a denim quilt for Stephanie's oldest daughter, Caroline.
I will be seing a baby quilt next week for her baby boy to be born on September 1st.
I will be so excited if he really does make an entrance on my own personal holiday!
I'm all ready to be his second grandma!!!!


And with this I will bid all a goodnight!



Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Cards and Cucumbers.....and Sandford and Son News.

This has been a stay-at-home day which is one of my favorite kind!


Trystan slipped this note to me while we were in church Sunday.
I think it's the sweetest thing! SHE is the sweetest thing!
Truly! Of all four of the quads - Trystan is the sweetest.
They all have strengths but sweet is hers.
The note has lived on my bedside table since Sunday and I have read it at least once a day since. 
Twice yesterday.


I received a Box of Blessings this morning in the mail!
These hand crafted cards - each one a work of art - are from my long time friend in Florida, Sharon B. Her daughter swam with the Pirouettes of Texas Synchronized Swim Team along with Amber.
I am so proud of these cards! Sharon is a real artist!
I already have one written and addressed with a stamp attached ready to put in the morning mail.


I fixed a patriotic breakfast this morning - red, white and blue!
Cottage cheese with fruit and a blueberry bagel with cream cheese.
This gave us the energy to go out in the backyard and tackle some clean up projects.


Sanford and Son have been 'living' in our back yard ever since we married.
Louis Dean keeps everything. He actually uses a good bit in one project or another but there's so much out there that he can't find the things he needs. He buys tools and such but they are buried under piles of junk. There's no way I would take a real photo of the part of the yard they live in.....
Half of our property back there used to be pretty with gardens and the gazebo and two ponds.
All of the pretty part is a mess due to the ditches Louis Dean has dug for the additional French drains and sump pumps he's putting in. The other half seems to have gotten worse - not better lately.


Today he was in a get it done mood and I volunteered to help him.
That steel was a Basket Ball stand from my now 52 year old son. It was there a long time looking good on our driveway. Both Jesse, Jr and then 20 years later, Benjamin, used it. Real steel and real heavy. When Louis Dean and I married, he took it down so he could park his truck.
That was 14 years ago next month. It's been in the back yard ever since.
Until today! At first he said, "I can't do it." It was way too heavy for him to lift alone.
Next thing I know he's got a piece of that sewer PVC pipe down and between the two of us - we rolled that sucker out from the far corner of the backyard all the way to the curb - threading it through the narrow space between the house and two storage buildings. Ge also took the old chairs from the gazebo to the curb. I'd had them going on 30 years. Plus various other things!
Praise God!!!

It was hard work but we did it!
Came in and watched the pilot of The Closer.
Of all the TV shows we have watched - this was our favorite.
I fixed a good sandwich lunch and we rested.


Then he was back out there digging up the planter for his cucumber plants.


He started them from seed while we were at the ranch but they were getting so big we needed to get them in the ground. He prepared the soil and I planted them. Plus I cleaned out the garden storage bin that I had used as a toy box for the quads. That was kind of sad to dump nearly all of it in bags to take to the Goodwill. But it was time. They had outgrown most of it, anyway.
I kept the Legos and Matchbox cars, rubber balls and chalk as well as the Play Dough things.
The Legos were Benjamin's as were the cars and I am saving them for when he has children. 
He's only 30 and still single right now.
That left plenty of room for the chair cushions and pillows.
That was another round of hard work but we wanted it done before the storms move in tonight and tomorrow. I was so tired I came in and took a shower and went to bed for awhile.


But I remembered we haven't eaten supper so I am about to fill our favorite bowls with a heart healthy salad and call it a day. Originally I had planned a steak dinner with loaded baked potatoes.
Perhaps tomorrow......
I'm pretty sure we are going to eat and go to bed.
We are NOT passing GO and NOT collecting $200!





Monday, May 27, 2019

First Pool Day of the Year!!

We had such a good time today!
I got out this morning to Goodwill and found Louis Dean a few pair of swimming trucks and some flip flops - which he calls 'motorcycle boots' for some strange reason!


We were going to the swimming pool!!!
Yesterday at church, Amber invited us to meet them at a pool in Plano.
Her dad tried to tell her he had a lot of work to do but she wasn't hearing it.
She pointed her finger and said, "YOU need to go to the swimming pool and spend some time with your grandchildren!"


So that's exactly what he did!!


They were both pleased as punch that he was there!


Here's my Kailey Girl!!
She's growing like a weed! They ALL are!
They will be 7 years old on Friday!!


Back when my kids were still at home, we had regular pool days and season passes to a water park.
I drug out my old luggage cart today and used a bungee cord to strap down the picnic basket and cooler bag. Like old times!


Louis Dean finally took off his overalls and is sporting red swimming trunks.
"You want me to get WET???" he asked.


YUP!!
It wasn't nearly as cold as he thought it would be and we did the Lazy River several times beefore we figured out how to get up to that shallow area with the loungers.


Mike spotted us and snapped these photos.
Proof that Louis Dean was having a good time!
The pool closed shortly before 6:00. We were in Plano and used my navigation app to get us home.
It took us on roads I haven't been on in a long time. Central Expressway was one of them. At times we had no idea where we were! But we didn't get lost and made it home safe and sound.

In news from the ranch.......


Sherry had a visit from her beekeeper mentor and they checked the hives together..


I am totally fascinated!


Dean was so good to take photos to share.


Hives were looking good.


They are making honey!


Busy BUSY Bees!!

We have washed our towels and suits, taken our showers and fixed us something to eat.....
now we are going to sit back and watch a movie.
This one is not a really old one, either!!


We've seen it before but it's worth seeing again!!




Sunday, May 26, 2019

Sunday!

It's been a very good Sunday!
Louis Dean didn't sleep well last night but got up and got ready to go to church anyway.


It's a tradition for Louis Dean to turn on some gospel music by way of You Tube as we have coffee and dress for church. He discovered the music of Jessy Dixon a few months ago and he is our favorite gospel singer! Along with Tennessee Ernie Ford!
Our hearts are all ready for the message by the time we get to Fellowship Church.


This morning Ed Young was preaching the second May Day message from the Florida campus.
We knew we wanted to join the church today and that's exactly what we did and we are so excited about it. I am looking forward to serving there and can't wait to get started.

We ate lunch at King Buffet......


per Louis Dean's request.
It was seriously good and I'm still full over six hours later!

We came home and got the truck to head to Murphy, Texas which is just beyond Plano.


Our friend, Dee, gave us about 150 landscape stones.
Each one weighs around 3 pounds.


My hero!!!

I think his Cherokee blood and working hard must be what keeps Louis Dean so 'young!'


Dee and I visited while LD worked!

I love Dee's home!!
I love to see where people live and all their pretty things!


These 'COW girls' are in her bathroom!


And all these birds houses are along the fence in her back yard!
I wished I had brought her my dentist themed bird house to add to her collection.


Dee scored big time on these bedside water containers.
The cup sits on top.
See the one on the right?
That pretty turquoise one?
She gave that to me!
I already have it in the fridge filled with water to put beside my bed tonight!


This beautiful original painting was a wedding gift when she married Gerald.
It's huge and I love it!


The same artist painted this large painting and it hangs in their bedroom.


Dee grew up in Oregon and this last wall art came from there.
I forgot what kind of tree it is made of but it is beautiful.

What a treat it was to get to visit with her and tour her beautiful home.
All the way home Louis Dean and I were talking about where we will be using the stones they gave us. I got up to take a picture of the back yard where he's been working so you could get an idea of what I'm talking about - but it's already dark!

See y'all tomorrow!!






Saturday, May 25, 2019

Friday With Lillian and Saturday at Home!

I spent nearly every Friday in Fort Worth with Mother for years and years.


Now I still spend nearly every Friday in Fort Worth - with Lillian.
Lillian was so good to Mother - even when Mother was unkind to Lillian.


I love this photo so much!
I took Lillian out for the day.
You can see she's excited. My favorite thing about this picture is that she has her purse!
I don't think she's been outside the nursing home for over a month.
She seldom goes anywhere. There's no one to take her.
She still has one daughter living (her oldest daughter and her only son have already gone to heaven) and three grand daughters. I have only seen one granddaughter ever visit and that was when she was there to take Lillian to see her daughter, Ann, one last time while she was in the hospital.

Also, note the new flooring and the fresh painted walls!
They are going to be painting the rooms and putting the same flooring in them.
Now that is a real spirit booster!!


We went to IHOP for lunch.
That was one of Mother's favorite places.
It warmed my heart when Lillian ordered the fish and she ate all of it!
I helped her finish off the 'potato hash' which was really good but didn't look like hash to me!


I love her so.....

After lunch she wanted to go to a thrift store and so we did.
It didn't take but a few minutes until she found a place to sit.
Lillian has had three back surgeries and walking is painful.
I was so sorry she didn't find a treasure at the thrift store!
She did find one top in a beautiful color - but it had a stain on it and she didn't think we would be able to get it out.


I found a couple of treasures.


This reminded me of what Amber told me once......
"Mom, you dress up just like a little doily!"

I ran into Tuesday Morning to pick up some coffee and tea. Lillian stayed in the car with the AC on.

Our next stop was to see Deanie and Charlie.
It dawned on me the other day that I have not seen a single one of my siblings since January 29....the day of Mother's funeral. We talk nearly daily on a message thread but we have not laid eyes on each other.


Meet Winston!
He is Trish and Andie's sweet doggie and Dean and Charlie's GRAND dog!
They babysit him while Trish is at work and Andie at school.


I think he likes me!


We had the nicest visit!
Deanie and Charlie have both retired now and we sat in their new sitting room - where her office used to be. It is beautiful. Mother moved in with them two weeks after they moved into this house.....what was it? Four years ago? They finally have the time and energy to decorate and add their personality to the rooms. As I went through the kitchen to the bathroom down the hall.....I noticed a note tacked to the pantry door. It said 'This is NOT the refrigerator!'
I laughed and asked if that note was still up after all this time - thinking it had been put there for Mother. They both said, "NO!!! That note is for US!"
At least it's both of then and not just one!


There were lots of hugs all around!
I think Lillian truly had a good time visiting.
We looked at the whole house admiring every room.

We drove back to the nursing home where I changed sheets on both beds and added that mattress pad to Lillian's. Margaret has a hospital bed so pads won't work for her.
I made a Walmart run to pick up groceries for them.
They eat sandwiches and cold cereal plus cottage cheese and fruit to supplement their meals.
Sometimes the food is not fit to eat and then other times it's pretty good.
Friday night their trays had BBQ chicken, rice and steamed broccoli.
Margaret ate hers but Lillian just wanted cottage cheese so I ate her dinner before I took off for Walmart. That's what wore me out - I tried three buggies and none of them pushed right. Finally I found a fourth one that seemed to work better than the others but I was half way through my shopping when I realized how much work it was to push that cart!! My knee started hurting and my ankles, feet and everything else. I'd been there over an hour when Lillian called me to see if I was okay. I had just got to the check out line! While my cart was in line - I went over and found me a decent buggy to take the groceries out to the car. I returned to the line and waited another 20 or more minutes for the one person ahead of me to pay. Her card didn't work and she kept pushing the wrong numbers. Management came over to help - twice. Finally, the lady with her used her credit card to pay and then they s l o w l y moved on out of line. By the time I got the stuff to my car and sorted through to what was ours and what I got got Lillian and Margaret - I was exhausted!!
Drove back to the home and realized I had some heavy stuff to get in. Two 12 can packs of A&W Cream Soda and a big container of Perrier water - plus milk and all the other stuff.
Next week I'm taking an old luggage thing I used to use when I was a team mom for Amber's Synchronized Swim Team. I finally got it all in there and put up and then  had to sit for awhile to rest up before I could go home. They both fussed over me a like couple of mother hens......which made me feel good. Margaret gave me one of her Cokes and we had a nice little time together before I left.
They insisted I call when I got home - even though it was after 10:00!

What Lillian and I learned from this outing was that she can't walk much and she can't shop.
She was really looking forward to shopping.
She told me stories of how she worked downtown at All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth and got off at 2:00 in the afternoon. She would go straight to Dillards or Macy's and shop.
I'm thinking I might can take her to Target where they have the electric shopping carts she can ride in.
Also she loved visiting Deanie and Charlie. And she liked riding around and looking at things.
For our June outing - I am taking her somewhere at least once a month - we are going to Mineral Wells. They have the Crazy Water store there. Lillian doesn't drink much at all. Hardly any water. She doesn't like tea! Imagine that! She only drinks one cup of coffee. And usually one Cream Soda a day. Plus a little milk with her medicine. But she said she likes mineral water. I can work with that.

I drove home, called Lillian, and then sat in the den with Louis Dean and a glass of wine and we told each other all about our day. We ended up talking for over 2 hours!


Saturday morning started off late and with a cup of Texas Pecan coffee, a Moon Pie and a scripture.


Here's the coffee and teas I got at Tuesday Morning.
They have such good prices.
It's been a good Saturday.


I decorated the den all up in red, white and blue!


I decided to just do one room!


I have so many memory treasures.......
this painting Amber did when she was little.
It won a ribbon at the Texas State Fair. The ribbon is still taped to the back.


A few Texas accents......


I realize nearly every photo is so busy looking.
That's the way it is around here.


Once the den was done - I redid the little table in the kitchen.


This is one of my favorite pictures of my son, Jesse, and his family.
It's an old one - the kids are all big now.

Louis Dean has been digging ditches and moving mountains.
Yesterday while I was gone - he fell into the fence behind where the gazebo deck is.
He took a chair with him. While he did not get hurt, it scared him - and it scared me.
That's part of what we talked about last night.
What happened was - he got too tired and wanted to push on to where he had planned a stopping point. The lesson learned is - don't keep working once you are truly tired.
That's when accidents happen.
So today - he stopped at 3:30. Came in and took a nice long hot bath and rested.
We both accomplished what we set out to do today!
And that's a good feeling!!