Another September Weekend!

 The days are passing and I am loving every single one.

I finished embellishing my paper plate pumpkin and I am so glad I'm the Queen of Cover Up because I had a lot cover!

Louis Dean loves Buffalo Hot Wings and I love roasted potatoes!

We save the Spicy Ketchup from Whataburger.....

Here's a happy man!

He was even happier when Kimmy and her sweet dog, Sophie, came to visit!

We talked and laughed and Louis Dean told us all about how he'd been in love with Doris Day since he was a young boy!

I started cleaning my storage building where I store my fall decorations and other things.

It won't be long before I start changing to Christmas. Since I started decorating in late June I will enjoy all things fall until Halloween - of which I gave all my Halloween decorations away - 13 tubs of them!!

This should give me extra storage space for other things.

Ilene joined us for a sandwich supper out on the driveway.

I love weekends like this. Low key, easy going, doing projects and simple meals.

Louis Dean has been working on a fence gate and he slept so long and so hard last night that he was still asleep when I was ready to leave for Trystan's hockey game.

I woke him up to tell him where I was going and he said he would just go back to sleep.

I left the house at 11:50 and didn't return until after 3:00.

I think I will take more small breaks and get out a little more than just on Tuesdays.

After Trystan's game, we walked to the rink on the other side of the building to watch Kailey and Logan practice.

Instead of climbing up stairs, I noticed the penalty box was empty.

Why not??

Best seat in the place!

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon spent with my daughter!

Together time isn't easy to come by as she is busy witih four kids and all are in hockey on three different teams plus school activities as well as band and social engagements, plus I am a 24/7 caregiver - so yeah. Time together is precious.

Here she is later that day with her sweet baby kitty.

He had his first vet check up and weighs 2 lb 8 oz - just 2 oz less than Logan weighed at birth.

Old man Bandit is now Bauer's babysitter. 

He is always watching him and  stays as close as possible.

I can't wait to meet him!

It has taken me a long time to wrtite tonight's journal entry because I found this movie for Louis Dean on Prime and then I started watching it myself! He actually went to sleep on it but I was hooked.

Now I need to get myself in bed.

Louis Dean will sleep in the guest room tonight as the plumber will be here at 7:30 in the morning.

This way LD can sleep in while I will be getting up at 6:00!

It appears I have another water problem and I am hoping this is perhaps an AC condensation problem and not a water leak. 

Goodnight, yall!

Wishing you a good week!

New Water Heater, Tuesday Treasures, Fat Joe's and a Crafty Thursday!

 Monday morning my favorite plumber arrived!

He took out the old water heater....

and installed the new!

He advised us NOT to flush our toilets until he'd turned the water back - so we didn't.

I walked Les, the plumber out to the driveway and said we might not see him again soon.

Alas, when I came in the front door, I could hear Louis Dean yelling about needing a plunger!!!

WHO moved it??? HE didn't! "I would NEVER do that!!"

I went right back out and caught Les before he had even got in his truck!

I said, "Louis Dean's toilet is stopped up!" So in he came and he happened to be in the truck that he had outfitted with every size of augers and usually used this truck for blocked drains.

He said, "This is your lucky day! I have everything I need to deal with this!"

In 5 minutes - he was walking back to his truck and he wouldn't even let me pay for this extra service!

Win! WIN!!

Tuesday was such a better than last Tuesday when I was in bed all day after that panic attack.

I met Brenda at Texas Thrift and my goal was some green tops to wear to the Bell girls' games.

I scored a t-shirt for Louis Dean and two tops for me that will go great with black leggings!

Another Win! WIN!!

And I nearly always find one or two brand new candles.

In other Tuesday news..... Mike had been on a traditional hunting trip with his day and two other brothers.

Look who he brought home!!

A brand new sweet kitty!!

I've been loving the pics and videos from Amber.

We are ALL so excited about him!

And of course his name is Bauer!!

Wednesday afternoon we took the truck up to get the oil changed.

He fussed about it but I put my foot down and insisted!

We love this family owned business and are now their first regular customer.

Ilene told us about them and when I told him who recommended the shop, he said, "YES! She is such a sweet lady!!" We all know that!

The owner said that once they painted the bathroom door pink - no one ever asked again, "Where is your restroom?"

From there we shopped Home Depot since we were in the truck!

Louis Dean needed more top soil for around his new ponds as well as building up the flower bed along the back fence line. I'm hoping to plant some bushes along there later this fall.

All the long flower bed grows are weeds!

At one end we have trumpet vines and at the other end we have rose bushes. 

Only weeds between the two.....

We bought 28 bags and each bag weighs 40 pounds.

A strong young Home Depot employee loaded it up for us from a pallet lifter but Louis Dean unloaded all of it that afternoon and then wheeled it to the backyard where he again lifted 28 bags to the back yard area. That's a total of 2,240 pounds! 

And he STILL has to lift them again to distribute the soil where he wants it!

Soon to be 89 years old and still a man among men!

I made roasted veggies that night to go with.....

BBQ pork from the boneless pork chops from the other night.

I try to use up every bit of food and not waste much. and even with the waste - I feed it to the possums - so that's one more Win! WIN!!!

Today has been such a special one for me.

I made a good fruit salad using amix of canned diced pears, a jar of peaches from Aldi, some strawberries, a banana, two of those small sweet oranges, frozen pineapple pieces and some chopped pecans from last year's harvest! I did add ahalf package of vanilla instant pudding to the juices from the pears and peaches. It was really good!

Shirley got up early - she's a morning person which I so admire - and made homemade cranberry/walnut muffins and they were delicious!!! A good hearty filling muffin!

After visiting while we had our tea time.......

we had a crafting afternoon!

Shirley found this craft on pinterest  using paper towel rolls, fall designed paper plates, hot glue, a wine cork and embellishments!

Shirley is a perfectionist and it comes easy for her.

Hers was better - a lot better than the one on Pinterest.

Mine still needs help and since I am the Queen of Coverup - I will embellish mine and show you later.

At 3:00 we switched to the other end of the table and worked on Santa paintings in oil.

This was her very first painting on canvas and she did an excellent job!

I knew she would be a natural and so she is!

Three of these I have based in and one is Shirley's.

You cannot paint the same thing every single time.

They end up looking good - but a little different.

Tomorrow I will base in my fourth canvas and I know it will be different from the others!

PS...Shirley's is the one on the far right.

We have scheduled the next 3 art sessions and will finish it in early October!

I'm excited to have a new painting partner and it felt good to be teaching again.

I don't remember how many years it's been since I taught art on Tuesday nights.

Art class is back but this time it is on Thursday.

My heart is heavy with the assination of Charlie Kirk.

I want you to know that I am a Christian Conservative and I support President Trump.

That does not mean I am a hater of those who do not.

Some of my family support Trump and some don't.

We can agree to disagree and we do.

We continue to love and respect each other.

Just because I am convicted of certain things does not mean I hate those who feel differently.

I do not understand how we as Americans have lost our tolereance for a difference of opinion.

I will continue to love my liberal friends and I hope they will continue to love me.

In the end, we are all Americans and want the best for our country.

Children in the Closet....Chapter 28

 Chapter 28

1993 was the last year of my ‘innocence.’ I was happy most of the time and completely devoted to my family. Homeschooling Amber and Benjamin became a lifestyle and I loved doing it as it allowed us a more flexible schedule and worked out well with Amber’s synchronized swimming and Benjamin's Tae Kwon Do sessions.

We had two ski trips that year and many fun field trips and family gatherings. Mother was very much a part of our lives and proved to be a loving grandma – or Granny – as all her other grandchildren called her – and she was a better mother to me and my siblings as adults than she was when we were children. Amber insisted on calling her 'Grandma' and she and Benjamin were the only two who refused to call her Granny.

Holidays were family events and we would go to Mother’s for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve while Mother joined us at church for Mother’s Day and special occasions. 

Jesse and I had our 30th wedding anniversary and our first-born son, Jesse, graduated from college. We spent many a day at Wet ‘N Wild water park that summer and life seemed to be all I had hoped for.

We were involved with missionaries to Brazil and Thailand as they were home on furlough so our lives were rich in all things that matter.

Still, there were a few things that happened that caused me some concern. One was when Jesse took all my jewelry – diamond rings, ruby rings and a star sapphire and diamond ring that Mother had given me – without asking or telling me – and lost them. He said he was taking them all to be cleaned as a surprise but they must have come out of his pants pocket. This sounded pretty suspicious to me but I tried to believe him.

Another thing that I noticed was his increasingly judgmental attitude. He refused to allow Amber to wear two-piece swimming suits and continued to keep us estranged from Summer. She was gracious about being denied as part of the family and would send gifts to her little sister and brother and she and I would meet in secret from time to time and catch up with one another.

I didn’t know what to do other than pray. When I tried to talk to Jesse, it just made things worse.

Then he started leaving for several hours whenever we were on vacation or trips saying he was checking some things out or going shopping.

I started getting headaches again but not as bad as they had been 10 years ago. More and more often now, Jesse would slip back into his ‘old self’ and I wondered if life would stay good.

During this time Mother had been having seizures. By now she had divorced her sixth and last husband and was living alone. She had long been overweight and had a surgical stomach bypass operation years ago. The doctor who did the procedure was about to retire and when my sister Deanie took her in to see him, he said he needed to undo that surgery as her electrolytes were out of balance. 

The kids and I went over there several times to stay with her and make sure she was okay before the scheduled surgery in March.

Between worrying about Mother, having a heavy heart over not being able to see Summer and a feeling of foreboding about Jesse, I was more than a little stressed and nervous.

February 25th was a Friday and the kids and I had just finished schooling when Jesse returned from doing some errands. He’d only been home a few minutes when police cars pulled up in front of our house and one parked behind his truck in the driveway. It was in the afternoon and all the neighborhood kids were outside playing including ours.

I saw the officers getting out of their squad cars from the den windows so I met them at the door. They asked for Jesse and when he came to the door, they escorted him to the squad car where he sat in the back seat for a long time. The officers talked on their radios and then let Jesse out to stand beside the car while they questioned him.

By this time the neighborhood was alive with excitement and people were standing out in their front yards just watching. What was I doing? Peeking out through the window. Why I never once thought about going out there and demanding to know what was going on didn’t even enter my mind.

It should have. As it was, it would be a good six weeks before I found out what this whole thing was really about!

When Jesse finally came in, he was quiet and subdued. He said he had been turned in for reckless driving. I found that hard to believe on one hand but he did have a tendency to drive in an aggressive manner. When my neighbors, Stephanie and Beth, called and I told them the ‘story’ – they didn’t believe it either.

Jesse was so calm and silent all weekend that it was scary. The kids and I continued on with our normal schedule of Amber doing her Synchronized Swimming practices and Benjamin training for his Brown Belt testing in Tae Kwon Do.

Mother was preparing to have her surgery so the next week I took Amber and Benjamin with me to spend some time with her and help her with her taxes and clean her house up for her.

When we got back home, Jesse was still acting strange but it was a silent kind of behavior that I could work around by just letting him have space. He spent a few days fasting so I assumed he was dealing with a spiritual issue of some kind plus he had been going out in the evenings to attend some ‘meetings.’ It wasn’t church related or I would have known about that but I didn’t feel comfortable in asking him any questions. Plus, Mother was on my mind and taking care of her.

Her surgery was scheduled for Thursday, March 10th so the kids and I went over on the 9th to visit her at the hospital and then spent the night at her house. We arrived at the hospital the next morning at 8:00 just as they were wheeling Mother to the holding area for surgery. She laughed and told the nurses that I homeschooled and made everything a lesson or a field trip. They allowed us to ride down in the elevator with them and kiss Mother goodbye.

We stayed at the hospital all day with Amber and Ben doing their school work and I visited with Lonnie and Lloydine and Lanita as we were all there for Mother. Lonnie was living with her at the time and would be able to take care of her after she was discharged.

The surgery went well and we were all grateful. Amber wrote a beautiful poem about her Grandma’s surgery and how her aunts and uncle and mother was praying and waiting for the doctor to come out and tell us she would be okay. 

  The next week I took the kids on a field trip to Oklahoma City along with Jesse’s sister and her two youngest children. Jesse seemed relieved for us to leave. I had an uneasy feeling but left as planned.

The week after that was a swim meet and I stayed busy with all that was involved in that and then it was Easter.

It was the best Easter we’d had in a long time with lots of family all going to church together. Jesse’s mother and her husband came up from Houston for the weekend in their RV and Mother and my niece Leah came from Fort Worth. Jesse’s sister and her husband and their children were there as well.

We had a wonderful weekend and I started to relax again, thinking whatever was going on with Jesse had worked itself out.

We had a huge Easter dinner packed around the dining room table and dessert and coffee on the back patio. Music was played in the den and we cleaned the table off and set up Chicken Foot for those who wanted to play. For supper, we had steamed hotdogs cooked in a professional steamer Jesse’s mother and her husband brought with them. We all ate outside and when it turned chilly, we gathered in the den and watched the movie ‘Christy’ with a fire log burning in the fireplace. Just a perfect weekend.

Everyone left Monday morning and I had such a happy heart and I decided everything must be okay. I tidied up the house and did a light day of schooling as I prepared for a presentation of Art by Young Scholars at the Homeschool meeting that night which was well received. The kids had gone with me to the meeting and Jesse was already in bed asleep when we came in so I put the kids to bed and stayed up really late preparing lessons and having some quiet time.

Tuesday April 5th - 39 days after the police incident on February 25th, Jesse came home early. A storm was blowing in and I assumed that’s why he was not working. He asked me to get the kids started on their schooling and to meet him in the den. He needed to talk to me about something.

Our First September Weekend of 2025....

 We have had such a good weekend and I am so grateful for that.

It unnerved me having that panic attack even as it was a relief to know it was not a mini stroke.

It confuses me that I would have one when I was relaxed and enjoying visiting with my two oldest children.

Louis Dean and I sat out on the driveway Friday evening and enjoyed seeing the moon!

We loved the gift of a fall day on Saturday. High temp was in the 70's and I opened the house up and turned on the attic fan. Both cats got outside and that was okay. They pretty much stayed in the back yard and wandered back into the house from time to time.

I grilled pecan smoked sausage....

....and fried potatoes and onions.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, Louis Dean greeted me with, "Houston, we have a problem!"

The water heater went out and NO hot water!

I called our wonderful plumber and hopefully they can work us in on Monday.

The water heater is 20 years old and I remember when I had it replaced. It was in early June of 2005 and Louis Dean and I weren't married yet. Nothing last forever so it's time to get a new one.

The ceiling above the water heater has fallen down and the entire closet is a mess.

No worries! I noticed no one was home next door so I called Stephanie to see if I could come over and take a shower! I love having neighbors who are like family!

I try and take Louis Dean and myself out at least once a week to do something fun.

Kailey and Logan played hocket at 1:15 in Frisco and we made an outing of it!

They won and that just made it better!

We love all of our sweet Bells!!

Since we were already out, I was thinking what other fun thing we could do before going home.

We were only 5 miles from one of my favorite stores!

A trip to Trader Joe's on a Sunday in September is like going to a big party!

The store was full of shoppers and we were all in good moods scooping up the seasonal Trader Joe's products!

We absolutely love the Orange Chicken and vegetable fried rice plus the specialty flavored wines for when Ilene and I have our movie nights. Low in alcohol and high in fruity flavors.

By the time we arrived back home, football was on and Louis Dean was a happy man!

While he watched, I prepared a late lunch for us. 

Beans and cornbread, fried potatoes and smoked sausage.

New food and leftovers made for a good dinner!

I close tonight's journal entry with this pic of my first born son, Jesse!

Don't you just love looking at old photos???

He is and has been such a blessing to me and I credit him in leading me out of the co-dependency pit I had been in for most of my life. He was the first one to step out and lead us by example to set our bounderies and own our choices and decisions.

I would not be the woman I am now without his example and influence.

And then Amber stepped up and showed me I was more than I thought I was.

She was brave while I was scared and caused me to step up and make my own decisions.

I was in my 50's before I ever realized I had a choice and no one could make me do what I did not want to do.

Never underestimate the power of living your life and inspiring others to live theirs.

Our words and actions affect so many others than just ourselves.

Celebrating my 45th September Morn With Neil Diamond....

 

While the song was released in 1979 - it was in December!

So I have been celebrating September Morns since 1980!

I love everything about September!

30 glorious morns!

I changed the calendar the night before I went to bed on August 31st.

I did all my favorite things today!

The first thing I did was spritz myself with Sunflower fragrance.

Then I lit the special pumpkin candle.

My first cup of pumpkin spice coffee.....so good!!!

I put in two sheets of Fruitcake Cookies and then settled down to sip, taste and listen to all my September First traditions.

I had an unexpected delivery from our friend, Rosey!

She absolutely MADE my day!!!

My favorite is the fragrance while Louis Dean has been loving the carmels!

I love them, too, but I'm not eating them by the handful as he is!

We both love the pumpkin spice cookies with our coffee!

I may need to 'hide' these so they will last all fall.

I baked and decorated the gazebo and did all the things I love to do....

....as in art.....not finished yet but only two more sessions to go.

Same with this one.

Both paintings are for my beloved Jutta in Finland!

I'm part Finnish so it's a true bond.

I do love salad suppers!

It was a gentle September First.

Easy going and the weather was wonderful.

I even did some work in the flower beds after I decorated the gazebo.

It was simply a beautiful day and I enjoyed every single minute.

However, in keeping things real, on Sunday late afternoon, I had what I thought was a TIA - mini stroke. I was fine after an hour or so and was perfectly fine on Monday.

But Tuesday I had a kind of meltdown. I was dizzy, wobbly  and disoriented. Every time I tried to stand up I would feel dizzy and faint. I admit to being scared. Louis Dean was scared, too. I pretty well shut down and stayed in bed all day Tuesday. Amber came and checked on us and made us some baked potatoes. I wasn't even able to fix meals that day. I gave LD instructions as to his medicine since I wasn't able to get up and put them in place.

Stephanie picked up my Rx at Walgreens and brought supper to us. And then she shopped Tom Thumb and brought us enough food to get through the next few days.

We had food...but had eaten all the 'easy' meals.

What a blessing family and friends are to me.....to all of us.

Our sweet kitties stayed with me on the bed most of Tuesday.

They seem to know when we are not well......

By Wednesday I was feeling better.....

I'd made an appointment to get the oil changed on our car and decided to get up, get dressed and keep the appointment at Fat Joe's which is right next to Braumn's.

Ilene recommended him and he's now our official auto repair and maintenence place.

We ate lunch and I told Louis Dean I would be bringing the truck in next week for an oil change and check up. The 'check gauges' light has been blinking lately.

He insisted he could change the oil as he has done for years.

However, I drew the line and said NO! I can't allow him to do everything he wants to do anymore.

By 7:45 I was ready for bed!

Today is Thursday and I had a video visit with Dr. Abraham at noon.

I had run out of my Zoloft and some blood pressure medicine for the past week.

After telling her all my symptoms of the Sunday afternoon and Tuesday, and answering 30 minutes of questions....she determined that I had NOT had a TIA but instead it was a panic attack.

Good news!

 Once I get back on top of my meds and make some adjustments, I will be back to my 'normal.'

Whatever that is.

She also suggested I search for opportunities to have some time to myself away from Louis Dean and not be in caretaker mode 24/7

Easier said than done.....

As soon as my video visit was over, I raced over to my appointment with a foot doctor.

See how short my big toes are?

I have metal plates across the joints - and the left one is broken.

That's why that joint moves a little bit.

It's not causing me a problem so no worries.

My ankles have arthritis but the joints look pretty good.

The ankle braces give me some extra support and I am loving them!!

Now I think I am all caught up.

Sorry about missing a chapter of Children in the Closet this week but I will post the next one on Monday.

Stephanie brought in groceries for us - as in easy food - and we are getting our plates ready to eat while we watch the first Cowboys game of the season.

Ilene is on her way to join us for at least some of the game.

She injured her back recently doing a workout and has been in some pain lately.

She has a follow up appointment tomorrow and I hope she is feeling better.