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.