Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Monday Shopping, Tuesday Treasures and a Walk on Wednesday!

 It was good to be back in church on Sunday!
I attended solo as Louis Dean had a hard time getting to sleep on Saturday night and he was finally getting some deep sound sleep when I got up - so I left him to it!

Ed Young will be wrapping this series up next week.


It's always a good thing to be IN church whenever possible!

I shopped Aldi for a cart load of groceries.
I think we spend more $$$ on groceries than any other budget item!

By the time I had unloaded and put things away and made lunch - it was game time!!

**Source**

I do love my Dallas Cowboys - but I was born in Kansas City and I dearly love the KC Chiefs!
I'm having trouble with Spectrum TV and I could only get 'Live TV' instead of getting Spectrum where I can access the menu and the guide - so we watched the game LIVE with no option to pause or rewind! No problem! We were scurrying around during the commercials and back to the game!
My brother Buster and I texted and I assured him I was cheering them on with all my might!

Louis Dean loves it when I get excited about football!
"GO GO GO GO Baby! GO!!!"
And they did!

We got the regular Spectrum and watched the next game in a more leisurely fashion.

We had planned to shop Walmart Sunday afternoon but once I realized it was a football Sunday to remember - we decided to go Monday instead. 


We didn't need a lot since I had already bought most of what I needed at Aldi.
Louis Dean declares it an EMERGENCY when he runs out of wine!
We ran out at the ranch BUT he had some in his room when we got home.
Still, he was on 'emergency' mode and insisted on getting FOUR boxes!

He's only ever run out of wine twice and the last time was last year and I drove him up to Walgreens so he could get some. I was NOT dressed for public and had NO make up on so I sent him in alone.
I was sitting in the car watching for him when he rolled a buggy out the door chock FULL of WINE boxes!

And not only does he love box wine - but he loves the BOXES and the 'bladders' too!
He saves both and I have to smuggle them out of his room and into a BLACK trash bag before sneaking them out to the curb for trash pickup!

He folds up the bladders now but when the grand quads were young, he would blow them up and give them markers to draw on them.
 The boxes he says makes dandy trash containers and he puts a plastic grocery sack in them after cutting the tops off. There's one beside our bed right now!



I had the idea of buying a microwave for the gazebo and that's what we decided to do for our Valentine gift to each other! We have been having morning coffee and evening wine out there lately and it will be nice to have it to to heat up our coffee without going back in the house.

I have been looking forward to Tuesday and visiting with Brenda!


We met up at Texas Thrift on Beltline shortly before noon.
I chose a BIG buggy while Brenda got one of those stylish smaller ones.
I filled mine UP and used hers for my 'overflow!'

A Wrangler snap shirt for Louis Dean - which he LOVES!
Some Skechers water shoes for him to wear when he just needs to slip something on his feet in a hurry. A set of two nice lamps for the gazebo - just $2 each. Two wooden TV trays for the gazebo.
The wire basket rack will go on the outside kitchen wall with moss and faux flowers in it for spring.
Brenda found the cute denim pants for me and I found the American Eagle shirt in the men's section!

Brenda also found the soft buffalo plaid throw which I am using on our bed.


Place mats and napkins!
I can afford to have a good collection for all the seasons at these prices.
The ones from Williams-Sonoma will go with a set of dinnerware I have and will use it when I take the Christmas out of the dining room.
Yes, I am still decorated and enjoying it as I slowly and methodically take it down a little at a time.


A shelf that Louis Dean will paint and hang under a protective eave to put pots on and hang garden tools from.


I loved  this Paris tower and am using black and white in our bedroom with a French vibe and I am loving it!


I could not help myself when I saw this beautiful throw for just $1.50
Like, REALLY???
The arrow will go in our bedroom - another $1.50 and the spring flower garland was $1.50 also.

Brenda and I ate at Chick Fil-A for a late lunch and visited and caught up on things.
Having a best friend is such a blessing and I love every minute we spend together and I love everything about Brenda!!

I have purposed to use some new recipes and cook better meals.
As much money as we spend on groceries we should be eating very well!!


I came home from thrifting and started cooking and baking.
Nieman Marcus bars, Jalapeno corn bread and Cowboy Beans.
I used a crock pot cookbook and on one page there were FIVE versions of basically the same dish!
I ended up using parts of each one and it turned out delicious.


The cornbread was good, too!

I tasted the Cowboy beans but my dinner was a salad and shrimp cocktail.


While dinner cooked Louis Dean and I sat out in the gazebo with a glass of wine.
Boxed Chillable Red for him and a nice glass of Chianti for me!

See where I used that gorgeous throw? It covers a plain lawn chair and gives it some class!
The green marble lazy Susan was a gift from Brenda and I love the honey bee coasters given to me by a friend. The retro microwave looks cute, doesn't it??

We used to spend part of nearly every day in our gazebo.
Last year - not so much!
I never even got around to decorating it all up for Christmas.
I have a feeling we are BACK!!!

Today (Wednesday) I went over to visit with Kimmy. We talked and laughed and cried.
Louis Dean was busy in his room removing shelves and putting them up somewhere else.
He says he is making his music room more 'usable.'

I promised next week I will bring him with me and we will take dinner in for all of us - including Gretchen who has been living with Kimmy and June for about a year or more now and is the sweetest lady and such a great artist!
Louis Dean will play his guitar for us and we will have a dinner party and talk about all the good times we had with June! Hopefully we will laugh as much as we cry.

It's been an honor to have been loved by June.

Louis Dean and I are going to New Mexico on Spring Break with son Jesse and family and we need to get in condition for the high altitude. SO we walked this afternoon when I got home.
Neither one of us has been getting much exercise lately and it's time to do something about that!

I walked about a mile......he did a quarter of a mile. We ran into our friend, Ilene, and she and I walked on (it's a snake loop) and he walked a block to the next curb to meet us when we came around.


It's a start and something is better than nothing!
I am hoping to ski when we are in New Mexico......
it's on my Bucket List.
Back in the day we skied several times a year and I skied just about all the resorts on Colorado.
I've only ever skied BLACK runs twice - and both were by accident!
Mostly I skied the easier green and blue runs.
While at dinner with Sherry and Rosey a week or two ago - I told them I planned on skiing and they asked if there was an even easier run? I said, "The bunny slope!"

So perhaps that will be what I ski - but I'm okay with that!!



12 comments:

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Linda. I haven't been around to visit for a while, so it was fun to see what you and L.D. are up to. I totally agree with you - it's good to be in church whenever that is possible. You always find such lovely things when you go "thrifting." I love it! I hope that you and L.D. enjoy the rest of the week and have a good weekend. See you again soon!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Really good photos of Louis Dean! I love the aqua throw, it is beautiful. And your use of it is perfect! That toaster looks so much like a microwave, did you get one yet? Love those cool denim pants!! It is good that you are both starting to walk, just as much as you can tolerate. It is the best of all exercises.

Donna said...

I think you mean the microwave...I couldn't find a toaster. I do see a metal headboard though...Is there a bed out there, as well?
Love the throw and all your goodies.
Have a sweet night!
hugs
Donna

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Gosh, there is so much here I don't know where to begin, but to say that I love your finds at the thrift shop and also love that you are enjoying your gazebo again! It looks so comfy. How do you keep it from being damaged by wind and rain? Just wondering. I love that microwave, it is cute. The throw is perfect for that chair and your gazebo. Skiing? Wow! I am impressed! I've never even tried even though we lived in New Hampshire where there were great slopes, but I'm just not that coordinated and didn't want to risk my bones to a fall. I hope you get to go. Sounds like fun. I haven't been keeping up with everything, but did see on Facebook that your friend June had passed. I am sorry to hear and will be praying for you and her loved ones. I never did know what your relationship with her was...but it looked like she was very special to you. Sending (((hugs))). Take care and enjoy being home again. Blessings to you and L.D.

MadSnapper said...

and She's back! back home and thrifting and doing your thing! when you are at your country home, you relax more. then home to the fun of running here and there. the best of both worlds. i have never seen a box or a bladder and now I wonder what they look like.
it is great you are back to the gazebo and the think of June party sounds wonderful. Remembering June Night, enjoy her memory. the microwave is adorable. i saw an aqua one like that at Walmart last year.

Rita said...

So many good thrift finds! Wow! It is priceless to have a great friend like that.
I would be scared of even the Bunny Slope.
A gazebo would be quite a spot to spend time and yours looks very inviting!
Has to be nice to be back in town, even if you love being out in the country. You have the best of both worlds. :)

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You do keep very busy there, but it all sounds like fun! Having a vacation like that would be fun to look forward to. I've never skied, maainly because I don't like to be out in the cold. I like to sit by a fire instead.
Hope you have a great time !

photowannabe said...

I think having a "June" night celebration with family and friends is perfect.
Wow, you sure find the treasures when you thrift. Here things aren't as wonderful.
Love the photos of Louis Dean and all the projects he finds to do.
I guess we are going to be rivals for the Super Bowl. CA 49ers vs the Chiefs. I think it will be a hard fought game.
Sue

Deanna Rabe said...

Good post! Lots of good times and shopping!

Louis Dean is cute as ever!

Carole said...

Good luck with the skiing. You are a brave lady. Now you've reminded me of shrimp cocktail I can see one on my horizon... Cheers

BeachGypsy said...

Linda, I am so sorry to hear of June's passing. I know she was special to you. Sad....but just think of where she is!! loved catching up with you and your Louis Dean, y'all sure stay busy. I love the country posts, but will make do with y'all being home now, ha ha LOL!! Love the thrift store posts, those are fun! I go as often as we can. Always love finding treasures. Hugs! Happy February

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

I know that you and Louis Dean are happy to be back home, Linda, and getting back to your routine of church, thrift store shopping and sitting out on the gazebo. Walking is a great thing and soon you have the New Mexico trip to look forward to and sure you will have just as much fun there. Yes, it is good to have a good friend like Brenda. Your getting together to think of and remember June sounds very special.