The Bright Spot in My Day!

This has been one of those not good/very bad days for me!

It's been nearly six weeks since my toe surgery and I am still struggling.

I saw the doctor this afternoon - early afternoon as in 1:00.

He said I was improving albeit at a very slow pace. The good news is that it's not worse!

I was at his Arlington office - and we didn't get lost but ONCE this time! - and he ordered some blood work at the hospital here in Irving so as to determine just what kind of infection we are dealing with. He suspects it's an autoimmune situation regarding my body accepting the foreign bone they used in surgery. We drove back to Irving and stopped in at the Goodwill!!!

The highlight of my day!!!!

I could NOT put this canvas in my basket fast enough!!!!!

My problem today probably started because I did NOT make my coffee this morning!!!

I sipped Earl Grey tea in a pretty tea cup instead!

My normally cast iron stomach has been subject to a good bit of queasiness with the strong antibiotics I'm taking so I thought I would try tea!

Now just WHO would get rid of such a great canvas???

It is now my favorite hanging in the kitchen!!

I had to hang it on a cabinet door as there is NO wall space for it and I just didn't think it would look right in the bedroom!

Other finds at Goodwill today include........

I didn't buy ALL they had but if they still have some NEXT Tuesday - I will!!!

If you live in Texas you need citronella candles!

Last year I had a citronella PLANT and it was awesome! It grew quite large and worked great as I had it in a corner inside the gazebo. Too bad that part of the elm tree that fell in the spring hit it on its way down and it failed to recover from the trauma of it all!

I have no earthly idea what this dish says but I thought it was pretty and on the back it says something about art credits and so forth. I MEANT to serve cheese and crackers in it tonight in art class - but art class did not happen!!!

This small plaque now hangs in the dining room with other wine inspired paintings and such.

Not a good pic but this is a sturdy metal basket decorated with grapes and leaves.

Can you see the wine theme in my purchases??

Right now it is holding the plums, peaches, bananas, nectarines and lemons I bought at Aldi - where I went right after Goodwill! I also bought the very last two bottles of my favorite New Zealand white wine! I could make TWO stops because I left Louis Dean (my knight in shining armor!) in line to pay at Goodwill while I rested in the air conditioned car!

This cute outfit will be my attire tomorrow!!

Four place mats that look FALL to me and I plan to use the right after the 4th of July!!!

Speaking of the 4th of July!!!

I went to the hospital for said blood work only to have them tell me at registration that there was not a diagnosis code on the orders. The nurse had given me a Rx for the blood work and I had no clue that I needed anything else! Long story short - the Baylor Angels here in Irving tried their best but could NOT reach the doctor OR the nurse to have the code faxed over. It HAS to be written ON the Rx!

I was in tears off and on all day and the lady at Baylor was so kind. Just before I gave up completely, I called the doctor's office and after waiting on hold for a long time and then pushing all sorts of option buttons pushed the one for 'Make an appointment!' FINALLY, I spoke to a person who was in yet ANOTHER location - not Irving and not Arlington!! I think it was Odessa!! Go figure!

Anyway, she could hear the despair in my voice and took it from there making contact with the nurse in Arlington who told HER to tell ME to give the hospital the Rx because the diagnosis code was ON it!!! NO, it wasn't!!! I finally gave my cell phone to the hospital lady and she told them!

At long last the code AND Rx was faxed, the blood work was done and I finally got to come home.....5 hours later!

The dress above was in the gift shop at the hospital and I bought it to celebrate!!!

We came home and Louis Dean went to pick up KFC since we hadn't eaten all day.

By this time I was not safe to be around people so in order to preserve my relationships, I cancelled the art class I had been looking forward to and went to bed with door CLOSED!!

Louis Dean was relieved!

I'm afraid I had used up all my 'nice!'

I stayed in bed until I had built up a meager supply and came out like my hair was on fire wanting to get something DONE!!!! Louis Dean WISELY let me whirl and I dug up grass and weed in a flower bed like my life depended on it! I planted several more of the plants I bought yesterday slowly saw some progress! I am here to tell you that MULCH covers a multitude of sins - and weeds!!

After I had pulled up the Bermuda grass, LD poured out red cedar mulch and it looks so much better!

Future weeds will be much easier to deal with!!

I hope I haven't been on too much of a rant!

To tell you the truth, I'm not used to feeling this bad this long and it is a challenge to do this with grace. Hopefully I will wake up tomorrow with a kinder more loving attitude.

For now I am going to do what my canvas says.......

I may have missed COFFEE this morning but I am NOT going to miss WINE tonight!!!

65 Days and Counting!!

I am counting down the days to my very FAVORITE day of the entire year - September 1st!!!

The temps have not yet reached the 100's but it IS hot in the Dallas/Fort Worth area!!

Several of my plants bit the dust while we were down at the camper. I like to shop Lowes garden section because they always have a 'Reduced Price' section where they sell the tired and somewhat less than perfect plants which I then scarf up!!

I seem to have better luck with these than the full price ones.

Perhaps they are a bit hardier since they were still hanging on when I bought them!

I came out with a couple of small gardenia bushes (which will live in the part sun/part shade under the elm tree), a boxwood (which will live in the otherwise vacant back planter next to the pile of wood LD cut from the section of elm that fell on our gazebo at Easter), 10 containers of marigolds (to replace the mums that roasted),and a couple of begonias and sweet potato vines. I forgot - one Mexican Heather! Only the last three were regular prices!

This was my first time out of the house since Tuesday and I may have been a bit overly ambitious!

I was so ready to get back in the truck under the A/C!!!

We stopped in at Braums to pick up some milk and decided to have a burger and fries while we were there.

Perfect!!!

We drove home, unloaded the plants, watered them and I went straight to bed!

While I am not in bed all day every day, I am still a frequent visitor!

I woke up to the distant sound of thunder and it was getting closer and closer!

Rain!!! FREE water!!!!!

We grabbed a bottle of wine and headed out to the gazebo to celebrate!!!

Louis Dean has been working on the foundation for a storage building and he was pleased as punch that he got the frame down before the rain arrived!

It doesn't rain often in Dallas in the summer so this was a real treat!

We always enjoy watching the geckos stalk their prey! This one got a big catch!!!

Cheap entertainment!!

Yes, we are easily amused!

I think this is a few second video and a photo snapshot - two, I think!

My camera does things I do not understand!!

The rain lasted the better part of an hour!!

We sat and enjoyed every minute of it!

I did a little repair on the handmade table covering.

It is hard to fathom the number of hours someone put into this.

Would you believe I bought it at Goodwill for less than $5?

Some things just cry to be taken home by someone who will cherish them.

After the rain, the ground was soft so what better time to plant our flowers and bushes?

The yellow leaves from the elm tree are scattered all around the gazebo.

Yes, it's summer but I am dreaming of FALL!!

Only 65 more days and a Wake UP!!!

Making my Way Back......

My foot surgery was 39 days ago now and I am still recovering.

Today was the first time I felt like a semblance of my old self in over a week.

I have pretty much been in bed ever since returning from the doctor on Tuesday.

Wednesday Louis Dean went out to do some errands and the car battery had died. Death was final.

There is always ALWAYS something to be thankful for!

For two whole days he walked around saying how grateful he was that the battery hadn't died when we were going over to Quadville Monday night, or as were leaving there to go to the doctor in Arlington the next morning, or when we left the doctor and went out to eat, or at the pharmacy!

God's timing was perfect and sitting in its usual spot on the driveway worked great!

Louis Dean took himself off and bought another one - deal DONE!

So it took 5 doses of the two antibiotics before I began to see some significant improvement on Friday! I was excited!!!

After the sun set behind the house, I went out and pulled a few weeds and then made a small bouquet of honeysuckle and roses for the kitchen.

I had puttered around a little doing what small jobs I could find that didn't require a lot of energy.

One was figuring out how to clean the inside of the washing machine and running a clean cycle.

The interior was beginning to NOT smell very fresh but after cleaning it - now you open the door and it smells like a laundromat!!

I hung the L & L letters on our bedroom door!

That wasn't hard!

Louis Dean decided to celebrate Friday night with pizza from Little Caesars!

I kept hearing these not happy bird sounds and finally walked through the house to see if one had got inside! We do NOT have our doors or windows open in this Texas heat so I was puzzled.

They were mockingbird babies in the honeysuckle bush and their mama or dada was out in the street barking at them! I only ever heard pretty sounds from mockingbirds so this was new!

We enjoyed our pizza WITH Garlic Butter - thanks to my friend, Donna, for reminding me how wonderful that is!!! - and watched Alaskan Bush People.

A good beginning to a good weekend......

except we BOTH woke Saturday morning with a stomach bug!

I didn't even get out of bed until 2:30 and I didn't stay out long!

I was feeling pretty down and out about this time.

By bedtime Saturday night - and bedtime has been coming much earlier than it does when we're well - we were cautiously optimistic that we would be better this morning - and PRAISE God - we ARE!!!

My calendar has been pretty empty lately!

I woke up this morning full of hope and promise!!!

Let me tell you, it feels GOOD!!!

To celebrate I made UP the bed!!!!

And what's more - I haven't been back in it, either!!

While I haven't moved mountains or done very much of ANYTHING - I am so much better!!!

Louis Dean went outside to do some of his stuff as in putting a basket on his bicycle for using down at the ranch. He can put his shower stuff in there! He's always doing something!

Today, as of 3:30 this afternoon, Louis Dean and I have been married eleven years!

It's been a story book romance as far as we are concerned.

My entire family loves and adores him!!

The very happiest years of my life have been since I met him!

LD and I met in late April 2005 and married just about two months later!

We are as different as we can be and yet neither one of us set out to change the other.

We just learned to adapt to each other and in the adapting and accepting - we BOTH actually changed! I'm still me and he's still him but together we make a really great couple.

I always thought it was a lot of hokey about being married to your best friend - but it really is true! Or it CAN be! Since we are't back to our normal speed just yet - and since it WAS our anniversary! -

I whipped up a pretty tasty meal with a LOT of help from Trader Joe's!

Next time I'm there - I am definitely going to buy some MORE of this!!!

Tonight we are going to have leftover pizza and a sour cream pound cake I just took out of the oven.

It fell in and sunk around the middle of the bundt pan but I'm pretty sure it will still taste good.

I told my friend, Debbie, the other day, "I kinda miss me being 'ME!'

Well, I am lighting candles and celebrating tonight!

I really think I am BACK!!!

Memories From Four Years Ago......

One of the things I look forward to every morning is see 'My Memories' from Facebook over the past years. The following pics are from the NICU four years ago and seeing them again just made me smile.

The NICU nurses made Name Cards for each baby.

Trystan was a princess then and she is a princess now!

Ah, our Kailey!

Long arms and long legs - then and now!

Just 12 days after Harrison was fighting for his life, he was moved to an open crib!

He is the best natured little boy and has the most grateful heart and spirit that I have ever seen!

I just love this photo!

Then there's Logan! Our little peanut!

The smallest of the four at birth but a mighty spirit!!

Logan has always had such beautiful eyes!

******************************************************************************

I continued to struggle today with my toe and now my stomach. I think the antibiotics are making me feel like I have been kicked hard! Most of the day I have been in bed. Not sleeping because my sleep is all messed up but just in bed because I don't feel like being anywhere else.

Summer had an appointment with Dr. Crawford here in Irving  this afternoon to get injections in her feet.

I am so sorry both my daughters suffer from foot problems just as I do.

She went through the drive through lane at Casa Taco and brought us a late lunch.

She was in such pain that I suggested she take a nap in the guest room before going home.

She said the doctor was hoping I would NOT be in the hospital come Friday.

I hope not, too!!

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

I have so much to be grateful for and I am trying to think on my blessings tonight.

We are Home!

We left the ranch a little after 1:00 yesterday afternoon. There was no way I could hurry the process of packing our things and closing up the camper  for what will more than likely be several months.

I douby we get to go back until fall when the weather cools off. Our routine is that I do the packing and cleaning up and Louis Dean takes it all out to load in the truck. In the heat of a Texas summer - this is quite a chore for an older guy and he had to come in and cool off several times. His son came down and helped us finish the last of it! We brought enough STUFF to stay an entire month!

WHY, oh, WHY do we do this???

Normally my heart is just a touch sad at leaving but this time I was beyond ready!

 We were there 7 days and 5 of them were wonderful so I can't complain that I was in bad shape from Saturday morning on.

I never get tired of looking at the scenery. The horses were meandering around along the side of the road leading up to the gate.

Louis Dean has been my knight in shining armor!

He's been doing all the driving since May 19th! I'm hoping I haven't forgotten how to drive and walk right! Just as we started down the road after closing the gate, we saw a roadrunner. Louis Dean pointed it out to me and then put the truck in reverse and backed up some before rolling down the windows. I asked what he was doing. "I thought you would want to take a picture!" So I did but it wasn't a good one. Still, that just goes to show you what a sweet man he is. It also shows how sick I am to not even think about taking pictures!

I called the doctor when we got to the Interstate and, since he was in surgery all day and since we were still at least 2 hours away. I was given the option of going to the Emergency Room when I got into town or seeing my doctor at 1:00 Tuesday afternoon.

I chose to wait for my doctor. 

It takes both of us to drive when we are in traffic or on the highway.

Traffic was awful and we missed one turn when we were on the edge of town. It was an important turn as we ended up in Dallas! We made the best of it by coming in the back way instead of any highway. Moving is a whole lot better than sitting in traffic even if it is the long way around.

We made it home by 4:30 and then, once again, Louis Dean did the unloading while I unpack, put the food back in the pantry, fridge and freezer and started the laundry! After the sun went down we both went out to water our scorched flowers and plants. I didn't think about it being full fledged summertime when we left so I didn't get anyone to water for us.

I knew Kailey was going to have to have tubes put in her ears but on the way home I discovered the doctors have pushed this up and it would be the next morning!!

Amber was going to take all four kids with her!

We just wouldn't hear of THAT so after being home 6 whole hours, we packed a bag and went over to Quadville to spend the night and keep the other three while the parents took Kailey.

Since we are not 'morning people' it was a whole lot easier to just go over before bed.

When we arrived Amber had freshened up the guest room, lit a candle and the house was fragrant with the aroma of fresh banana bread still in the oven! She even had a large bottle of flavored water for me all chilled and everything! Everything looked so nice! I took a shower and we went right to bed.

It's a good thing we were there this morning because Logan woke us up telling us Harrison was sitting on the toilet and had thrown up all over himself. Yup! He was sick - again!

So was Trystan. She could barely eat breakfast because her throat was hurting.

Logan is the only one that's NOT sick!

I have to brag a little bit about the kids!

Even sick, they know how to do their morning routine.

They get up, wash their faces, brush their teeth and put on their clothes!

It thrills my heart that Amber and Mike are already teaching them to be responsible!

I did very little this morning other than play Finding Dory with them and propping my foot up while I drank coffee. Granddad found a Bubble Guppy program so he was watching that with them while I was getting dressed to go to MY doctor.

Kailey did fine with getting the tubes in her ears!

Rayne (who is in Puerto Rico for the summer) Facetimed Kailey and assured her that SHE had had the very same thing done and it was going to be fine and then Kailey could hear with no popping noises!! Plus Kailey took her Mommy's Cheap *** Easter Bunny with her. That stuffed animal has sure been around!!!

As soon as Amber and Mike got home, WE left!

Louis Dean stopped to get gas and this is what I saw right in front of me.

It's HOT in Texas, folks, and you use whatever shade you can find!!

These workers seemed pretty cheerful to me as they ate their lunch under the truck!

I'm sure I look funny with my feet up on the dashboard!

That's the way I have been riding ever since May 19th when I had my surgery!

Kailey insisted I take the little stuffed dog they had given her this morning at the hospital with me to my doctor's appointment! Sweet, SWEET girl!!

She told her Mommy as they were coming home, "I can't wait to see my Granddad!"

We made it to the doctor and he was perplexed as to why I would be having an infection NOW - four whole weeks AFTER surgery!!!

The x-rays looked great! You can even see the screws in there!

He could tell by looking at the x-rays that new bone is actually growing.

Bottom line, he gave me two different presciptions for antibiotics and said if I wasn't better in 48 hours I would be admitted to the hospital.

He also drew a line around the infected part and said if it spread outside that line to call him.

He asked me if I had had gout before and I have not.

There's a possibility that's what this is. I hope not.

We were relieved to have a treatment plan so we decided to go out for lunch at one of Louis Dean's favorite places - Golden Corral. Would you believe we got LOST trying to get back to the Interstate??

We were in Arlington but we still shouldn't be getting lost!

We finally made it and it was nice to just sit and visit while we ate.

We left there and got lost AGAIN! These highways are so twisted and convoluted it's a wonder we get around as good as we do!

During this time I got a message from Amber - she had taken Harrison and Trystan to the doctor after we left - that Harrison has strep throat - again!! Trystan running fever. Both on antibiotics! Stronger ones this time. So far Logan is doing well! She's like our sister, Nita! Last one standing!

We are just hoping and praying that Kailey and Logan don't get sick!

We made it home and I went to bed! I will pretty much stay here off and on for the next few days hoping that by Friday morning I will have recovered enough to be back on track in this healing process!

I do love our bedroom and I have books and games so it is easy to stay entertained.

I slept for a few hours and thought I'd sit up and do my journal entry before I go outside and do a little bit of watering.

I really do appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers and the messages and emails.

Our grandson, Robert, called tonight and since we hadn't talked in a long time, I had a lot to tell him!

He could not believe all the things that have happened since that large portion of tree fell on our gazebo months ago! I went down the list of of stuff and he said, "It appears to me that everyone you love and care about has been ill, in the hospital, struggling with health issues or is taking care of someone who is!" Pretty much! EXCEPT for Robert! 

Source

He had only good news and I was so grateful to hear that!

Tonight I am claiming this scripture!

Matthew 11:28

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."