Monday, April 12, 2021

New Fridge, Hockey, Crawfish Boil, Plumbing and a Happy Ending!

Our beautiful new fridge arrived Thursday morning!


I love it! It was so much fun filling the shelves up and getting used to it.
Louis Dean had unloaded the old one and I was still finding butter here and jars of stuff there.
Unfortunately, even jars of pickles when stored in a roaster pan with a lid on sitting in the sun, WILL spoil. I drained some pickles, preserves and sauce jars into the garage disposal. And, of course I stopped it up big time. I KNEW better and yet I did it, anyway! We went to bed thinking we'd get it unstopped with chemicals or something Friday morning. That didn't happen. Louis Dean tried the clean out hole in the sewing room. That used to be the outside wall before my ex husband built a sewing room on. He tried everything and then went out and started taking up the deck in search of the sewer pipe....and I'm not sure what he intended to do when and if he found it.

It just so happened that I had a dinner party planned for that Friday evening.
The menu was going to be Fajita Soup - a recipe Summer got from a friend who made it for her recently. I had bought everything for a Mexican meal! Including some pretty good sangria - if I say so myself. I admit to being stressed out - mainly because of Louis Dean taking the deck up and digging in the dirt. What with all the doctor visits and tests lately and thinking about his heart issues - I was nervous and concerned. When Brenda called to see how it was going, I was a bit teary.
We talked and decided they are more family than friends and if we put off our plans everytime something didn't work out right, we'd seldom see each other!


So we switched gears and Louis Dean picked up a stack of pizzas while Brenda brought a big salad!
The party went on and by the time it was over, I was feeling much better!
You can't play NUTS and spend some time with good friends without laughing and having a good time!

Saturday morning Louis Dean went back to digging while Summer and I headed to Harrison and Logan's hockey game.


Logan is #12.....


Harrison the tall one and #91.


Amber was at another ice rink with Kailey and Trystan. 
She and Mike often have to divide and conquer.

I was so tired and fully intended to go to bed when I got home until Mike's chanpionship hockey game later that evening. Louis Dean was working outside and I was doing a bit of housework before my nap....


when Stephanie came over.
There's a party next door celebrating our favorite neighbor boy's birthday!
I've known him since the day he was born and watched him grow up, play hockey, join the Marines and is now a firefighter. We couldn't miss this party so Louis Dean cleaned up and we walked over.


He had never eaten a crawfish before! 
Stephanie peeled it for him and he DID eat one.
Said it tasted, "Like bad shrimp."


We haven't been to very many crawfish boils and this was as good as they get!
We loved the potatoes and corn on the cob!


And he liked the sangria, too!


We had a great time!


This backyard has been the site of so many celebrations, parties and family get togethers for 39 years this October. The very first party was for their daughter's bithday and Amber was three years old.
Stephanie came over and carried Amber to Caroline's party......and we have been friends ever since.
While I didn't get to attend any of the parties until after I divorced....I did enjoy hearing all the fun and laughter from over the fence back then. Mind you, I was always invited......


Now I celebrate with them every chance I get!
I do love this family!

Summer, Louis Dean and I all went to see Mike play hockey Saturday night!


He's #12 with a blue helmet!


Love this pic of Amber and Harrison cheering him on!


Mike is my very favorite Swamp Donkey!
Can you BELIEVE that's the name of his team??
I used to forget and cheer, "GO, Swanp MONKEY!"


Mike has lots of fans!


But Amber is his #1!

Sunday morning we watched Fellowship Live worship service....
I meant to go watch all four quads play hockey .....but Louis Dean was back to digging and taking up more of the deck.....and I was pretty upset.


I was afraid Louis Dean would work out there until he had a heart attack.
It was maybe an irrational thought for me......but it was totally irrational for him to take up a deck and hunt for a sewer pipe outside - for a stopped up sink in the kitchen!

Since I couldn't get him to see reason and stop digging......


I called my first born son and he dropped everything and came right over.
Starting at square one......he did all the normal things a homeowner does before they call a plumber.


He spent all afternoon with us and Louis Dean did see reason and stopped digging.
Jesse (my son) was amazing. He calmed me down and put things in perspective......my main objective was to get Louis Dean to stop digging. Jesse instictively knew how to talk to him and my crisis was averted. Jesse advised us to call a plumber and - my good friend Stephanie gave me the name and number of her plumber. It was Sunday but I called anyway and left a message that I wanted to get on the list for a stopped up sink. Amazingly, they called me back in less than an hour and said Kevin would be here at 11:30 Monday morning!


And so he was!
When I took this picture, I said, "My husband HATES plumbing!"
Kevin said, "So do I!!!"
He's a 'Drain Man' only!!
And he's realy good at it!
Been doing it since 1987.


He was such a good sport! 
Summer charged his phone for him and I took pics!
That was a happy moment ....


but my real happiest ending was when we had a tellevisit with Louis Dean's cardiologist this afternoon.
Louis Dean got a good report!
I had read the results from our patient portal before the visit and was relieved to find out it wasn't bad news, after all. I suppose medical jargon all sounds so serious to me.

And sometimes it really is......


A dear blog friend of mine named Mary and I have been talking over email......
she said I could share the following prayer request with you.....

My grandson Devin (17, the youngest twin and on the left) has been diagnosed with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma. He will undergo jaw removal and rebuild on  April 21.
Thank God it is a slow growing cancer - doctors said first benign test was wrong - he’s probably had it since 2018. They will also remove lymph nodes, remove some teeth and rebuild them. Will be on feeding tube and trach and in hospital 7 - 10 days after surgery. Will then have physical therapy on whichever leg is used for bones/veins. Then, about 8 weeks later will start radiation. It has NOT spread from his jaw. He’ll go back to school Wednesday to say bye to friends and teachers. After that, he’s prepping/testing often for surgery. Please continue your prayers. 

Never underestimate the power of prayer!

And finally, after two weeks of being unable to get in touch with Lillian, her granddaughter called me to let me know that Lillian had a stroke - a blood clot in her brain - and has been in the hospital and a recovery place but is now back at Trail Lake Nursing Home. She is doing well and getting better every day. She called me last night and when I answered, she said, "Linda, I need you to come and see me."
I promised I would be there Tuesday and I will.

Tonight I made that Fajita soup and will be taking some over to Brother Lonnie whom I have not seen since he went home from the hospital. I hope to spend the day visiting loved ones, my brother and sister Deanie, and Lillian.

And once again, I thank all of you who have been so sweet to Lillian in sending cards.
Her address is:
Lillian McDowell
Trail Lake Nursing Home 
7100 Trail Lake
Fort Worth, Texas 76123

Have I told you lately how much I love each and every one of you precious people reading my words? Well, I'm telling you now.......




16 comments:

  1. Goodness! Youall have been so busy!
    I'm so thankful for Jesse coming to the rescue until a plumber could get there. Few things are more worrisome than hubby's trying to fix things they can't fix, but kudos to Louis Dean for trying.
    Summer looks so good and so does Amber. You've got 4 beautiful kids.
    I hope this week will be uneventful, unless it has good events!
    <3 <3

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  2. I would love to try a crawfish but once I popped one open, it had green stuff in it so I put it down. I want so see white meat. Maybe I didnt do it right.
    Lisa

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  3. Well you have had some weekend, Linda.So glad Jesse took the reins and called a plumber. I do not allow Marvin to fool with any of our plumbing.lol It is best left to the professionals. So sorry to hear about the young man's cancer. A friend of ours son had something similar although his was benign. He had to have a lot of jaw work done. Then Lillian. I will try to remember to put a card in the mail. So glad LD had a good report from the doctor but I agree with you, time to slow down and take care of himself. Good luck with that one.:)

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  4. You sure have a lot to handle and I'm glad you have a few things fixed and a new fridge to enjoy! I'm keeping everyone you mentioned in my prayers...you too sweet lady! Hugs to you both!

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  5. Linda, I am praying for Lonnie and for that young boy Devin. Please God show mercy. LD is one hard headed working man...you go boy. I think his working helps him. I had a plumber here this week...then I was mad at myself, because what he fixed I could have, if I had not thought the worse from the beginning. LOL It was a hole in the trap...one thing my dad showed me to fix, when I had a house full of girls with long hair. Blessings to everyone there. Love and miss all of you. xoxo, Susie
    p.s. Still dealing with the loss of my sweet Teddy. Some days are worse than others.

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  6. I'm relieved that the plumbing issue is taken care of, I love your new fridge, hurray for fun hockey games (did Mike's team win?), crawfish boils with neighbors! So much goodness. Oh and pizza and nuts with friends!

    Thank you for telling us about Lillian. I'll try to get a card to her today! I'm glad you'll get to see her today! Give her all our love and remind her that she is loved and prayed for!

    So are you!

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  7. i wish everyone everywhere would stop with the "adventures." I have three of my own brewing. Maybe more. 🥴

    Enjoyed seeing the hockey players and the party. So sorry that your dear Lillian has been in the hospital and very glad to know she has been released.

    That's a beautiful fridge!

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  8. The new refrigerator looks great and know you will enjoy it. What a crazy week-end you had and add to it the plumbing trouble. It is true that sometimes our men can be a bit head strong, glad Jesse was able to come and add new perspective to the situation. Sorry to hear about Lillian but glad she is improving and that you will be able to visit.

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  9. I too will keep all those you mentioned in prayer. So sorry to hear Lillian had a stroke. Glad you are able to go see her. I've never had crawfish, but do love most seafood, so I'd probably like it. You do have good neighbors there. Now I know why your grandchildren like hockey so, they take after their dad. It's so nice to be able to visit with friends once again and not be locked down.

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  10. prayers for the twin, breaks my heart to read this. Doctors can do amazing things these days, prayers he will be a miracle. i did not know mike plays hockey and I love the name of the team. i do love donkeys. yay for tht great big frige, mine is way to small. so glad Jessie could calm both of you down and tht the plumber came so quickly. i bet he does a lot of work doing drains only. we have had to call a drain man 4 or 5 times here in 32 years. and one was on the night of a Christmas party. what a mess that was. it was a dinner where each course was at someones house, we had 30 people for apptizers, lucky i had them all ready

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  11. Linda
    I look forward to every post. Been following for some time now. We live in New Jersey and have relatives in Houston but have never been to Texas hopefully some day.
    Praying for the cutie twin. I don't blame you for not partaking in the crawfish. Their looks never appealed to me
    Why waste calories on food we don't like lol. There are so many other things to enjoy.
    It's a good thing to have a list of many plumbers ready
    For when the need arises! Leave it to the professionals. Have a blessed week I will make time to drop a card in the mail for Lilian
    It must lift her spirits to have fan mail.

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  12. And Linda....I so love you too..
    I'm so glad you got the plumbing corrected before LD dug up the entire yard and deck..
    Good news on his cardiologist report.
    You have a real keeper there.
    I love that your house is always party ready and that you have such a zest for life.
    Sue

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  13. I am so glad that Louis Dean got a good cardiology report, that is the best news on this post! and also, that Lillian is back at the home and recovering. So was the sink pipe under the deck? How awful for poor Devin! I have never heard of this.

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  14. Been reading and checking in, put have not commented for a while.
    Your live and adventures are book worthy forsure. So glad LD is OK after the heart report. That is always good news.
    Oh dear, plumming is always bad news. Poor LD and all that digging. So glad you found a good repairman. That's a blessings.
    Yes, you are so wonderful at parties and making everyone else feel so good.
    Will keep Lillian and the young man facing surgery in our prayers.
    Sending love and hugs.

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  15. Wishing a full recovery for LIllian - and for no more plumbing issues! I'm curious as to why you didn't go to the parties but realise you may be saving that up for your book - how is it going? Cheers

    Having a jaw rebuilt sounds like a major - poor lad - wishing him all the best too.

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