Christmas morning arrived and it was a wonderful thing to sleep in.
After spending some time in prayer and reading, I poured myself another cup of coffee and got right back in bed to start this Christmas novel.
It was afternoon by the time I left the bedroom and found Louis Dean in his music room where he stayed all day long. I stayed busy putting the house back to rights while Summer and Macon watched movies in the den. It was a slow day.....
Louis Dean and I got dressed and headed over to Amber's for Christmas Dinner.
I am loving this fragrant perfume gifted to me by Summer.
Dinner table set for 10!
That's two sets of grandparents and four children and Amber and Mike!
Everything looked so beautiful with her special dinnerware and decorations and really good food and excellent wine. I brought the bottle my bother Buster and Anna Marie gave me last month and it was the best I've had in a long time!
The ham was delicious as were all the sides.
Amber and Mike make a great team in the kitchen and in LIFE!
We had a lovely evening and watched Home Alone together!
We are a movie-living family!
And we have a ton of traditions!
As in Independence Day on the 4th of July...among other various and sundry things....
and I love that about us!
The crowning highlight was that I took home the prized ham bone!
I popped it right in the freezer as soon as we got home and will take it to the ranch with us tomorrow along with a bag of dried pinto beans.
The day after Christmas......
Benjamin picked me up and drove us over to visit Kimmy and June.
They love Benjamin and gave him a box of Runts candy - something they brought to him every single Tuesday on art class night for the years he was growing up!
I taught art class here in my dining room on Tuesday nights at 7:00 for years and years!
Kimmy came to the classes in the late 70's through the 80's with June coming from the late 80's through early 2000's. We all have 'history!'
Ben treated me to lunch at Po' Melvin's .....
we split this huge seafood platter and visited.
I love having grown children!
It was the day after Christmas and I normally go shopping for lights for the new year since I use them all year round. White ones only. LED now and WARM white if possible.
Instead, when Ben dropped me off at home - I went straight to bed!
It was a rest and recover mode for the rest of the day and night.
Wednesday morning I was up and ready to shop!
I'm loving the warm and comfy top Summer gave me!
It says, "YES! I'm COLD" Me 24:7
I love it!
First I drove us to Walgreens to pick up medicines and realized the driver side back tire was not right.
I drove slowly home - but - alas the tire is ruined.
We switched to the truck and loaded up at Home Depot!
A late breakfast at IHOP followed and then I went back home and back to bed!
Again!
This Friday evening we sat in the den together and enjoyed the last of our fire logs.
They are so easy to use!
I try my best to find movies and TV programs that both Louis Dean and I would like.
This was a good one.
Today on my phone I found a list of 20 Western movies and I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote them all down. A good western movie is important to Louis Dean as is a good football game.
Since the sports season is nearly over , I needed a list of movies he will love - and I got them.
Today we packed and loaded up the truck for our trip to the ranch.
We will deal with the car tire when we get home.
Keeping it real here - Louis Dean is experiencing limitations in what he can do.
It's a shock to him when he can't figure out what used to be so easy for him.
It's important to concentrate on what one CAN do and that's what I told him.
Every day I give him tasks and chores that he's good at.
He loves repairing stuff and folding and organizing and so many other activities.
I, too, am finding that I can no longer do some of the things that used to be so easy for me.
Still, I have a lot I CAN do.
Nothing stays the same and the only 'constant' is change - and we have to adapt to that.
It's always good to focus on what we can do and not what we can't.
Make the most of what you got and the least of what you not!
Happy New Year from us to YOU!!
16 comments:
What a fun filled, beautiful,truthful post! I am grateful for the things we can still enjoy and do, but realistic about limitations I have from my stroke and aging.
Having Ed and Kristi, David and Kat moving to N.C., (about an hour from us) is a wonderful new year gift to us -- rather than the ten hours they used to live. What a blessing!
Youall have a safe trip and relaxing time at the ranch. It's time the "Queen Bee" gets back to her hive!
Love you, Trudy
Happy New Year to all the family and you and Louis Dean! It was nice seeing all your pictures.
You have a very positive attitude.
Enjoy your time at the ranch, and Happy New Year to you and L.D. as wekk.
So much to be grateful for.
That top looks so comfy!
I really enjoyed The Highwaymen.
Yes, we need to concentrate on what we can do and not what we can't do anymore.
Happy New Year to you both!! :)
Enjoy your time at the ranch -- your happy place. You have such a great outlook on life. I need to be more like you!
Sorry about the tire! And hope you're not coming down with something with wanting to sleep so much...You over-did things, didn't you! lol
Have fun at the ranch!
Happy New Year
hugs
Donna
Great post and great picture of the two of you
I'm so glad you are listening to your body and recharging your "battery". This aging process isn't for the faint of heart. Me 80 yrs. and Dave 82.I do completely understand the limitations.
Your time at the ranch will be just what the doctor ordered and LD is going to shine.
Enjoy and wishing you a prosperous and wonderful new year. Enjoy every day to the fullest.
Sue
I almost bought my mom that same shirt! She’s always cold!
You are making great choices with Louis Dean. Keeping busy with real work but things he can do!
Happy New Year friend!
Hello sweet Linda and Louis Dean. What a lovely Christmas you had with family and friends.
I'm so glad you are pacing yourself and giving yourself permission to slow down and enjoy the simply things. All those busy things can wait.
Amber's table was so lovely and I can just smell the pot of ham hock and beans when you get to the ranch. A skillet of cornbread and Don would be in heaven.
Sometimes simple meals are the best.
We watch a lot of Westerns on the GRIT channel. We are careful with the rating on the movies we watch as so many good ones have language I just don't want to put in my brain! We enjoyed some excellent movies on the POSitive TV channel. And we love documentories.
As we close out 2023 I pray that 2024 will be full of joy and miracles as God is the author of providence! Love and Hug Blessed New Year.
Enjoy your time at the ranch! It looks like you had a lovely Christmas dinner with your beautiful family! Wishing you and Louis Dean a wonderful and blessed New Year, with strength to meet every challenge that comes your way. You are an inspiration!
Judy @ My Front Porch
Linda, You and LD had a beautiful Christmas. Thanks to family and lots of love. Me too. I feel so blessed to have seen and hugged everyone in my family. Except my daughter Kathy,in Washington state, and her son, his wife, and son. But I did get to face time with Kathy. It was five gatherings to get all the hugs. :):) I know you have been on the run since the first of Dec. Now it is time to rest. I am going to start thinking tax papers. Seems we always have something to do. Hold your sweet man tight. Blessings to all, xoxo,love, Susie
Happy Happy New Year to my friend...your husband and family...You are an inspiration to all of us...you are amazing. I enjoy your blog so much...I read few, but I always look forward to yours.
This statement is so true. "Nothing stays the same and the only 'constant' is change - and we have to adapt to that." David sometimes gets mad because he can't lift heavy objects like he used to. He forgets he's not 20 and he's not even 40. One thing I want to do this year is come to the ranch and visit y'all now that my knee is in working order. I might wait for a tad warmer weather though.
That platter of seafood looked really yummy. Pamela and Kaleb gave us the ham bone so David made 15 bean soup today. Okay so it was 16 bean soup... he added black-eyed peas.
Wishing you a blessed and happy new year! Hugs
What a wonderful Christmas! That dinner table with the Christmasware was incredible and the fireplace was the perfect ending to your holidays!
What a wonderful celebration with family and thank you, Linda, for sharing in this post. Knowing our limitations can be hard but you and Louis Dean are managing beautifully and helping each other, which is what being partners and friends is all about. Sending our good wishes to you both for a happy, healthy and living New Year and what a wonderful way to kick it off by a trip to the ranch!
Forgot to add that I really like the last photo of the two of you together♥️
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