Thursday, March 14, 2019

We are Home!! From the Ranch and From the ER!

We all had such a good time at the ranch that Amber and Mike decided to stay an extra day!
That gave us all of Monday to explore and do more things!


The chickens and critters in general seemed to generate more interest for them than anything else.
The first morning they woke up in the tents - the geese were honking and it was only 8:00 - and after a late night - that was TOO early. Apparently the geese knew they were there so they did not come calling nearly as early and it was well after 9:00 when I heard the kids down in the front room. They were very polite and did not come in to wake us up but waited patiently until we emerged with our coffee. They wanted to go off and feed the animals right away. I said, "Coffee first!"


It did my heart good to see them all gallivanting around.
I was 'off duty' but it was still fun to do the chores. I didn't take the goats out, though. We took them some table scraps and fed the corn cobs to the horses, fed and watered most of the chickens, let them out of one hen house and fed and let the ducks out.


Then we explored some in the meadow and the girls looked for four leaf clovers.

Mike made breakfast that Monday morning - tortillas with sausage, cheese and eggs. We also had lots of fruit - watermelon, oranges, strawberries and sliced apples.

Granddad stayed busy in his work room but the rest of us went for a hike to the back of the property.


It didn't rain but there was a heavy mist at times.
We were good with that and enjoyed exploring and looking at the animal tracks, interesting plants and trees.


What a lovely family right here!!!


Jersey Girl loved being in the country!


LOVE this pic!!!
Most of us found a walking stick.
I'm going to ask Louis Dean to sand mine down and maybe stain it for me.
Walking sticks are handy things.


We spied a cage/pen/trap for wild hogs.
It was special to be back there where not many people have walked in a very long time.
The upper right photo in the collage shows a broken down gate with hinges that is just as it fell who knows how long ago. It was between two stretches of fencing so we thought that was the maybe the border to Dean and Sherry's property. It wasn't. Come to find out, we could have walked on and still be on their land.


It was so beautiful back there.
I rode the four wheeler here a couple of years ago in the fall and the whole acreage was covered with the most gorgeous wildflowers! I hope we have a lot of them again this year.
2018 was mostly a year of drought and fire bans.

We got back to the camper and everyone got a bite of lunch before we loaded up to go to 'town.'
I decided Groesbeck might be a better choice than Mart since it's a little bigger and nothing is open in Mart on Monday except the Dollar Store and Read's Grocery.


So that's where we went and discovered that Diamonds and Dust - the place I wanted to take them - is closed on Monday. The quaint cafe where we were going to get pie - closed at 3:00. It was 3:30 when we got there.
So where did we go??

The Dollar store!
While not a normal favorite with Amber and her girls - she was a bit impressed at some of the cool brands they carried.


I so should have purchased this cup instead of just taking a photo of it!
But I have hundreds of cups already! Seriously! Counting tea cups and cups that go with some of my dishes - I have well over 200. So I just left with a photo. And some cool stuff like hair products, facial masks, grilling baskets, and so on and so forth.....

When we got back to the ranch, Mike built a good campfire.
Life is short! Eat dessert first and that's what we did!
Mike manned the fire and the making of S'mores.

Amber and I made dinner.....I fixed the baked beans and had them in the oven when she came in and started the BBQ chicken plus she grilled some chicken breasts so I could take them home and not have to cook the next day. I made a big garden salad - not 'garland' salad like I said in my last post -and garlic bread!


It was a truly delicious meal!
After wards, Amber finished reading The Boxcar Children to us.
What a good book! All four kids said they want more Boxcar Children books!!

We loved every minute of our time with the kids but the most special were the mornings when their parents were still sleeping out in the tent.


There was a time when Granddad could hold all four of them at the same time.
Not anymore!
See where Kailey is snuggled up on Granddad's chest?
That's been her very favorite spot since the first time he held her. Even as a tiny preemie she knew exactly where that sweet spot was and would squirm around until she found it.
Louis Dean has worn overalls for a long long time and back then, he would lay a soft blanket over his chest so it would be more comfortable. It made me smile to see them all cuddled up around him on the camper couch. He's doing his best to hold them all. I love their expressions! From Trystan's happy face to Kailey's contented look to Little Logan clutching her can of Texas Trash - a bonus since we are just about out! - to Harrison's laughing eyes and sweet smile.
That moment - frozen in time by this photo - is what the Spring Break Days were all about to us.
Did I mention this is the third year Amber and Mike have planned, packed, hauled, unpacked, set up, took down, packed again, and loaded and hauled away - hours and hours of hard work - for a few simple days in the country with us?
The perk this year was a little extra time with Uncle Dean and Aunt 'Cherry'.
Kailey is working on her 'S's' in speech therapy - and I for one will be a tiny bit sad when she can say 'Sherry.' They dearly love them and Dean and Sherry spent some good quality time with the kids. We never forget how blessed we are that Dean and Sherry make this possible for all of us.

On this last morning at the ranch, the kids wanted me to go with them to gather eggs and do Critter Chores. By this time, my legs were tired, my knees and ankles were hurting and my feet were sore.




We compromised by feeding the horses who had been standing watch over the whole taking the tent down process. Of the four of them, Logan has the biggest love for the horses.......


right after her Mama! 
Amber has loved horses all her life!
She spent many a happy afternoon and weekend at Camp El Har in Dallas.
I looked them up and was sad to see the camp is for sale.
It was then that I realized I had been halfway expecting at least one of the quads would follow their mother's passion for horses and her love for the camp.

It's always a wee bit sad to come to the end of such a good time.


They were all loaded up and heading out to Waco where they hit up The Silos and Magnolia Market.....and HEB!!! 


We love the traditional GOODBYE!!!!

Louis Dean and I were in no hurry to leave so we visited with Dean and Sherry.
He had mentioned to Sherry he would love to have some sandy loam soil in front of the deck.


No sooner said than DONE!!!

Looking over the calendar, we had decided that we wouldn't be back until that first weekend in April.
Dean and Sherry have a couple of trips planned that month so this will give us three weeks at home to get some things done before we come back for hopefully three weeks in the country. I'm excited about the bees coming around the 15th! Plus we love to see spring blossom before our very eyes when we are here!
We enjoyed one last meal together and then set about the task of closing up the camper and front room- which the quads call 'downstairs.'  That works. By the way - they LOVED the wooden stairs which replaced the noisy metal camper steps! We do, too!


Louis Dean had the honor of driving us home since I have night blindness which has grown steadily worse as I have aged. It was after midnight when we got home Tuesday.
The only reason we even came home was his stress test was scheduled for Wednesday morning.
I set my alarm and woke him up - and promptly went back to sleep.
I was enormously tired all day Wednesday.
I felt like a lump of grey lead.
Louis Dean was already back from the doctor when I got up and he proceeded to do his music and watch several episodes of The Virginian. Most of you are probably too young to have ever even heard of that old western TV show.....

I spent the day doing laundry and rearranging our bedroom to accommodate the new secretary and chair from Lillian.


I really love the way this looks!


It opened up a bit more floor area.


Moving things around makes everything look new again......


Okay....it was at this point last night....shortly before midnight and I was in a hurry to try and publish before the clock struck 12.....when Louis Dean came in the bedroom ......I was propped up in bed with my laptop and a tacky nightgown on with no makeup and a bad hair day.....and said, "Linda, I need to talk to you about something."


Bottom line, I threw on some clothes and took him to the ER.
We arrived shortly before midnight and stayed for 12 hours.
They did numerous blood tests and EKGs and all is well.
We came home this afternoon and I made breakfast and we went to bed!

Ever since I got up, I have had a compulsive urge to clean and organize.
So..... both bathrooms, the hall linen closet, the guest room and our bedroom are spic and span.
It's a good form of therapy and I needed it today.


I am so grateful to be writing this tonight .....with a very happy heart.....





20 comments:

Bluebird49 said...

I laughed out loud when you said gallivanting around. Ed said Mama and I were the only ones who said that! I use it all the time.😁
What a good thing it is to know Louis is okay!
I wish I felt urged to clean and organized. I missed that gene. 😢

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

A mix of wonderful and worry and wonderful won.
Hugs. Love Joy

Blondie's Journal said...

Times with your daughter and her family are just the best--I love to share those times with my family at the lake. Having the little ones on the beach or looking for frogs in the shrubs, it's their delight and a walk down memory lane for me.

Love your pics...as always, those kiddos are growing so fast!

I get you on needing that sleep. I think our bodies know. There are nights where I get 7 hours. Others, when I'm left alone, I can do 12 hours. Seriously. I think it all accumulates.

Sending love as always, Linda!

Jane x

Susie said...

Linda, You'll have to frame the picture of LD with the grandkids. I loved it. So fun to be helping with the animals and taking adventures into the wild. That's the great part of being a kid. Amber and Mike are wonderful parents.
I think you and LD need some rest. Please take care of one another. Blessings to both of you, love you, xoxo, Susie

Vee said...

Your days are so full! Now your nights, too?! I really hope that you have caught up on that missed sleep. Nights spent in the ER=no sleep.

Oh the joy of spending time at the ranch for the quads! They know how to find fun everywhere. So many precious photos, too. The one of Louis Dean with all of them, and doing a mighty fine job of holding them all, is a delight. And I like the one of the girls looking as if they are pointing to your blog’s name in the grass. That would make a cute header!

Linda Born, one of my blogging buds, shared this scripture recently, which was a delight because I didn’t know it existed. I thought all over again that the Word of God really does contain all of life’s truths.

The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,
and your strength will equal your days.
Deuteronomy 33:25 NIV

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

After reading about your wonderful days there and loving all the pictures it was good to know the everything is OK with Louis Dean. And with you too. You did have some very busy days and sounds like you were both tired out. To live is the thing !

MadSnapper said...

I am so glad the quads got to stay and extra day and I loved the stories and photos of their stay... glad LD is home and ok, keep an eye on him. bob went to hospital like LD did and they found nothing. a few weeks later we went back and they found the carotid blocked. the symptoms mean something so keep and eye on him...

Changes in the wind said...

So many great pictures capturing memories but LD holding the four was the best. It is important for young ones to experience country life because it really is the real life that keeps us all going with ranching and farming. Glad all is well with LD and glad that he got checked out.

Chatty Crone said...

I love that picture of Dean with the four lovlies on his lap. Now that is wonderful. Looks like all had a wonderful time. So Amber comes to visit and then who owns the farm? I am so slow...

Arlene G said...

A fun trip with with family but the ER trip was not so fun. I am glad all is well. We will not be back to Grimmwood until the middle of April but son Ben and his family will enjoy it for a few days during their spring break. It is nice to have a place to go where you feel like you are on vacation. But I did wake up in the middle of the night and wondered where I was....Grimmwood or Decatur! :)

Wanda said...

What a great family time at the ranch. Loved all the new pictures of kids and animals. Your bedroom looks lovely and no one likes a trip to the ER...but so thankful it was not so serious that Louis Dean had to be admitted.

Can't believe how big the quads are getting...almost as tall as you...haha.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh MY! When I first saw your post on Facebook with Louis Dean in bed, my heart sank! Praising God that he is alright and home. Did the doctors say what had happened? Did they know? Yes, I remember The Virginian; and I used to watch new episodes of Bonanza. Your family had a PERFECT time at the ranch! I love what you have done to the pictures. Harrison is almost up to your chin! Lillian's desk and chair are gorgeous, and totally matches your bedroom! I love secretary desks, and we have one. Give Louis Dean a big hug and kiss for me. And tell him that though I have never met him, I love him!

The Feminine Energy said...

Ohhhh Linda.... at first I got instant tears from watching the "good-bye video" and then an instant gasp when I read about your late night trip to the ER with Louis Dean. Those trips are always so scary, especially in the darkness of nighttime. I'm praising God along with you that all turned out well. Rest now, dear heart. Rest. Love you, Andrea xoxo

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

So grateful Louis Dean is okay! Love all the fun you had with the quads and Mike and Amber.

Love your new secretary and chair!

Carole said...

So scary but turned out well. Shame it wasn't a garland salad - I looked it up and there is such a thing named after Judy Garland - just salad leaves with a vinaigrette dressing. Things are a bit sad here with having our first ever terrorist attack yesterday. I guess we are part of the world after all.... I'm trying to stay positive so cheers

Sue said...

OH dear Linda, I cried joyful tears, sad tears and then happy thankful tears as I read this. I am so thankful all is well My dh was sick for a day this week, I was so concerned, but he is feeling better.

Aren't grandkids one of God's greatest gifts for us, and look at all your photos where memories were made and captured, and placed in your hearts not only for you as grandparents, but for the grandchildren, Our grandchildren are grown now but still enjoy visiting us at the farm and reminiscing with us. I truly love the quote.
Prayers and much love going your way.
Blessings,
Sue

photowannabe said...

The Ranch is such a magical place for you and that beautiful family of yours. I love the photo of your Honey and the Quads. Frame it!
So glad LD is okay but that has got to be unsettling. Rest, Rest, Rest.both of you.

BeachGypsy said...

Howdy there girlfriend! I sure did love reading this post, felt like I was right there with y'all! Oh my goodness I sure LOVE THAT PICTURE OF YOU WITH THE KIDS all holding your sticks.....that one is a keeper!! You should enlarge that and hang it up somewhere!!! Or PAITN IT!!! Love the pictures of y'all feeding animals and walking out and about, enjoying nature, and I sure see signs of spring there, especially the pretty spring green grass!! Oh yes, your question about the "tater salad".....indeed it WAS ME you had remembered, and yes, I ADORE "tater" salad, always have!! Yes, I always make a huge bowl and we eat on it for a few days, LOL!! Hope Louis Dean is feeling better and getting some rest, that man of yours WORKS HARD AND STAYS BUSY! ha ha LOL and that is good, exercise is good for us. But we need to rest up too. Bout have to hog tie some men DOWN TO GET THEM TO SIT DOWN and rest though, ha ha LOL!! Hope y'all had a a great weekend. Hugs from Charleston!

BeachGypsy said...

paint, not PAITN!! lol

Hootin Anni said...

You BOTH take care!