Thursday, July 11, 2019

Thursday With Lillian and Gazebo News.....

Yesterday I woke up feeling like a tank had run over me and this morning I woke up feeling fine!
I turned on the coffee and mixed up a batch of Lemon Poppy seed muffins while it brewed.
Then I took my coffee back to bed for prayer time using my prayer journal while they baked.


I used a recipe from one of Summer's friends mother.
Don't you love recipes with 'history?'


I did add some lemon extract to this and a lemon pudding mix would have made it even better.

I arrived shortly after noon at the nursing home.
Lillian had said she couldn't eat and didn't want to go out to lunch when I talked to her yesterday.
The lunch tray was still on her table when I got there and it looked really good. An enchilada, beans and rice. She said she didn't want it so I took a bite of it and it tasted good. I was all prepared to eat her lunch when she asked. "Are we still going out to eat?"
Yes, we ARE!!! I put my fork down and said I was just sampling the cooking!


Our first stop was to get pedicures.
She said she used to go to a salon on Hulen Street so we started looking for it.
Trail Lake is just off Hulen so it was right there in the neighborhood.
Nothing looked quite familiar so I spied one called Legacy Nail Spa.
I whipped in and called them to see if they could do two pedicures.
No sense getting in and out of the car more than we needed to.
I think she enjoyed it!
I know I did!!
She said it was the first pedicure she's had in years.
It won't be the last!

She had a few things to return to Walmart so that was our next stop.
She got store credit and was able to buy two new tops and a pair of dark denim jeans.


I drove on down Hulen and told her to tell me when she saw a place to eat our late lunch.
I saw Dixie House and she said she had not been there in years and years.......and since she didn't seem too impressed.....I drove on.
We ended up at La Madeleine's again.
Our second visit.
This time she ordered quiche and I had the tomato basil soup.
We lingered long over lunch just eating and visiting.
The waiter guy cleaned off our table while we were still sipping our tea and he chatted with Lillian in French. We couldn't understand him but she had fun 'talking' to him!

She's been a widow for two years. Shortly before Mother moved into Trail Lake Nursing Home as her roommate.  They had been married for 65 years and she has so many good memories.
Her husband was in the Air Force and they had lived in Germany and London.
When she had to show ID at Walmart, the lady spotted her Military ID and it turns out she was from Germany. Her parents live there still and she and her husband go back every 6 months to visit for several weeks. She's a US citizen now and proud of it!


This is Rosemary - Lillian's favorite 'medicine lady.'


We had a good day together.
You can see Lillian is wearing lipstick again and taken an interest in fashion once more.
Getting out and about takes some energy and effort but I think it is so important to connect with others. That's good for all of us. 

I came home and Louis Dean was all excited and said he had something to 'show and tell.'


I took a picture of him and he continued to tell me what he had done to get that piece of the gazebo frame up. I looked at it and admired him and came inside and pulled up some photos on my laptop.
Just as I thought! He had put it up backwards! Poor guy.....I had to tell him.
No way would the rain curtains and the mosquito netting work on the outside of the frame. The flap of the top would cover them up making it a real ordeal to zip and unzip them.


He took it pretty well and I held the frame while he unbolted them and the re bolted them on the correct way. He had the hang of it now.
His motto is - Get organized. Talk to wife. Get Reorganized.


He worked steady and lost two Allen wrenches on that back pole there.
I need to buy him a whole other set!

I left him to it while I went in the storage building and started pulling out some sunflower decorations.


I did my happy dance as I hung this first piece of all things sunflower up on the front door.


I rejoined Louis Dean and we had a glass of wine in the gazebo!
Or at least under the gazebo frame.
First time in a long time.
We sat and reminisced about our 14 years of gazebo times.
I love that we have 'history' now.

Well, I have sat here and written the last of tonight's journal entry while coloring my hair. I have rinsed and conditioned it and now it's time to shower and go to bed. 
Louis Dean said we would meet again for one last glass of wine - but after his hot bath I went in to find him sound asleep in bed. 
I'm sure he will be up in a few hours to raid the refrigerator.....but by that time I will be sound asleep in bed.


17 comments:

  1. Hi Linda - A good day with Lillian (here is an extra hug for her). You had a good day and that gazebo is getting very close to 'covered and mosquito netting. Hugs for LD too!
    Hugs and Love
    Joy

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  2. I have a box full of those tried and true, messy recipe cards! My DIL keeps hers in plastic in an album. Doesn't use them! Lol.
    I didn't know Lillian was that recently widowed! She's doing better than I'd be, I think.
    Maybe Louis should, talk to wife, get organized, retalk to wife, get to WORK!

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  3. Linda, I am so glad you took Lillian out. She needs to avoid getting depressed. I like that she could talk "French". :):) Oh my gosh, LD 's new motto....it's so good and so true. That needs to be on a poster. LOL I am going to be quoting it to Ted. Blessings to all, love you, xoxo, Susie

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  4. You are certainly an angel to visit Lillian and pamper her with a day out and about...hope y'all have a great weekend...going to be a hot one! Dreaming of fall decor aren't you?

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  5. Louis Dean is always such a good sport! He is a remarkable man...but you already know that! I'm glad you were able to take Lillian out. She really did enjoy it...you can tell! Enjoy your day today!

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  6. It does make a difference in all of our lives when we have others that care and do things with us. It' has to be a big change for Lillian being in a nursing home and I'm sure she appreciates you taking her out now and then. Seeing the frame up on the gazebo means it won't be long now for you. We'll hope it's strong enough to survive the storms. Have a fantastic Friday!

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  7. That was so funny when you started to eat Lillian's lunch thinking the two of you weren't going out to lunch! Everyone needs something to look forward to and your outings with her seem to be just the ticket! Tell Louis Dean that once I put the legs on a table backwards and just couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong, I just knew they looked funny! It was good you could come home and be a fresh pair of eyes to spot the problem! Hope you both have a wonderful weekend!!

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  8. Lillian is looking more lovely all the time. Being cared about by others, helps you to care about yourself!

    Good job Louis Dean. He's been working hard, and its to his credit that even with set backs, he doesn't give up on his projects.

    Glad you felt yourself again, too!

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  9. "What a difference a day makes", Glad you were feeling much better and could enjoy a full day with Lillian. I think LD is the hardest working man I know...he is happiest with a project.

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  10. You have brought back the joy in Lillian's life!! How amazing you are!! Isn't it wonderful to find the gift that God has for you, and use it? The picture of you and Lillain is so good! That tree sure is pretty.

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  11. So glad you are feeling better Linda. And how nice that Lilliam got some nice treats away from the nursing home. Poor LD....Husband aliases need to check with wives first. Marvin "helps" me around the house now that he is retired. He emptied the dishwasher but left several things on the counter as he did not know where they went. I need to give him a tour of the kitchen.lol

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  12. Hi Linda :) I'll join you for a glass of wine anytime. :) Under the gazebo frame...sounds so nice! You are so wonderful for spending time with Lillian, I'm sure she treasures you!

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  13. you are such a wonderful woman linda, one of the kindest souls i read about!!!

    the muffins sure do look good, and i do adore recipes like that, water stains and all!! paper, handwritten recipes are becoming a thing of the past with pinterest!!

    you are adding so much love and joy to lillian's life, how very kind of you and ld!!!

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  14. Glad you sorted that gazebo... Cheers

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  15. Lemon Poppy seed muffins sounds refreshing. Something sweet and sourish. I love the sunflower. it's so cheerful

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  16. It's awesome to have "history" together. You and LD are a wonderful pair. I like the way you gently corrected the mistake and he was willing to have a Do Over.
    Your day with Lillian sounds delightful and your encouragement is really perking her back up again.
    Enjoy your weekend.

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  17. P.S. I don't know why I hit the button before I'm finished with my comments.
    Looking at the recipe reminds me so much of my kitchen drawer...My Mom's and Mother in law's recipes are on 3 by 5 cards too...with water spots and general baking splotches on them.
    I cherish every one. Many I make but a lot I don't...I just don't want to get rid of them...they are my "history".
    Thanks for the trot down memory lane.

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