Friday, December 6, 2019

Catching Up......Again.....

I've been home ever since I came back from Campo Verde!
My knee seems to be getting more painful with each passing day making me look forward to January 6th when I will be getting a brand new one!


This chair in the corner of the living room has become my favorite sitting spot - not only a comfy chair but that foot stool is perfect since my knee feels better if I can keep it stretched out straight.
It's also the perfect place to have my coffee and prayer time and write in my Country Diary while listening to instrumental Christmas music on the CD player - piano, guitar, and sax. I have continued to get up before Louis Dean ever since before Thanksgiving and have enjoyed looking at the tree.

Wednesday I had my prayer time and then went back to bed and I pretty much stayed there for most of the day. Louis Dean gets a little lonely when I'm out of commission so I got up and ate crackers and milk with him and we watched a little TV before I went to bed for the night - at 8:00.


I'm loving the topper Trystan made for the kitchen tree on Sunday.
I love the creativity of children.


Our utility room is all clean and decorated AND I am experimenting with a novel idea - flat surfaces!
Can you see a few in this picture.
I know. Tiny steps. Tiny steps.


I could even fold a few clothes on that much space!
Washcloths, mostly.


I have a tiny luttle Christmas tree across from the washer and dryer.


It holds all the metal memory ornaments.....
this was Amber's first Christmas.


Benjamin was such a cute little boy and he grew up to be such a handsome man.
Reminds me of Daniel Craig - my very favorite James Bond!


It's like a small community - this Blog neighborhood of ours.
I was visiting my friend, Arlene from Nanaland......
 she has a set just like these!
They are ceramics and I thought I had made them until I went over to take this picture and realized they were a gift from my ceramic teacher. I never did work this good. As a matter of fact, my teacher came over here to visit one day and noticed my oil paintings. She said, "You could do much better on your pieces!" But I couldn't. I have control over my oil paints. That ceramic art requires so much more. The cleaning of the plaster and painting the green ware and then you can never tell what that glazing will do. I do have several things I made back then - it was 1984 - like the Christmas tree napkin rings.


I have been weraing Chinese medicine patches every day and my various braces.
Now I have added Tylenol. I don't make up the ned anymore since I visit it so often during the day.


Last night - Thursday - I started my Christmas cards and Louis Dean dropped the first batch off  at the post office this afternoon. I was multitasking while the Dallas Cowboys played....we are so disappointed. It seems to me that the team has too many gifted and talented players to not be any better than they are. The talk here is all about getting a new head coach and I think that might be a good idea!

This morning I decided to bite the bullet and finish up the sewing room.


I'd been working on it for awhile.
As I've moved from room to room, the decorations that are left are the ones I have to work with.


I like to use tablecloths on the furniture - makes it more Christmasy to me.


The trees are odd trees out so, since they are all different, I decorated them differently - using what was left.


This one is all memory ornaments of all four of my children.
A few are from Summer and Jesse's school years....a couple are of Benjamin's Tae Kwon Do days.


I think this 'tree' was the top of a whole Christmas tree. I plopped it in a vase and stuck it in a basket with colored lights at the bottom. There's one more tree out in the storage building and I am going to ask Louis Dean to get it out for me tomorrow. I just hope I haven't robbed the top off of it thinking it was a loner!


That third tree will go in the trash after Christmas.
It's a poor straggly thing


This is a 'new' wreath from Goodwill to which I added the penguin ornaments and a nice ribbon bow.


This will be Saturday's project!


Tonight I used my new baking dish for the first time!
Louis Dean dearly loves sweet potato casserole and I baked this just for him.
I like sweet potatoes plain with butter myself.


This was going to be my blogging spot tonight but I am in the den instead.
Louis Dean has already gone to bed. He's worn out trying to solve an electrical problem we're having.


I'm watching an Inspector Morse program. I really like this program.
I'll close this journal entry and probably address a few more Christmas cards before I turn in.
It feels odd to take the card, slip it in the envelope, place a postage stamp and return address label on lay it on the stack. The back of the card is black and has the printed greeting so I can't add a personal note. The address is the only thing I am actually writing.

Well, I shall say Goodnight!


20 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

You have created a perfect fairyland! I think my favorite is the row of trees in the sewing room. What a nifty idea! To cut the top off a tree and put it in a basket! I need to remember that. Your blog background and header are so fancy and festive!

Saimi said...

Oh my heavens, I'm so sorry about your knee and I can't wait for your new one as well. I'm not used to you being so sedentary. You house should be on some Christmas tour of homes. You really went all out and decorated it down to the last nook and cranny.
It is all so wonderfully festive and yet peaceful at the same time. Now let's talk Daniel Craig! He is by far my favorite James Bond, I can't even describe it but I love his rogue attitude not to mention his handsome good looks haha. We are Seahawks fans but we know the Cowboys Offensive coach Kellen Moore. We watched him play football when he was in high school. He's from a small town in Prosser Washington and man did they put out some great football players. Prosser always seemed to beat us so even though we love the Seahawks, we still want Kellen to do well with the Cowboys. I sure hope your knee gets to feeling better. Have a good weekend!
X0X0
Saimi

Saimi said...

Hey, so just read your comment on my blog. No this up coming baby is not our first grandchild but she will be our first GIRL grandchild. Our oldest son has twin boys who just turned 7 so having a new baby and a girl one at that is going to be a whole new ball game!!

Vee said...

Hope that the knee settles down—a month of that kind of discomfort is not good. What does your doc have to say about that?

You do so much in spite of it all. I am always amazed by your creative decorating. You made me chuckle with the “flat surfaces” comment.

Take it easy...

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi LInda. New visitor to your blog. Wow, you have Christmas everywhere in your house! I love it! I can sympathize with your knee issues - I have highly arthritic knees and have been told I need knee replacement, but I am putting it off as long as possible. Hope all goes well for you. You showed a picture of Amber as a baby and I am wondering if Amber is your daughter. My oldest daughter is also Amber. I have always loved that name. I hope you have a good weekend. I will come and visit again. :-)

Bluebird49 said...

I absolutely love all those cute signs in the laundry area! Love them, and the tiny tree!
Girl--that sewing room! You really got a lot done in there and everywhere else, and purging, as well! You remind me of my mom, who went all the time and enjoyed her meetings and lunches and shopping sprees! You and she = the Energizer Bunnies!
I'm not, and have to accept that!
Praying for your knee to hold you up until January 6th. <3

Stacy said...

Ouch! I hope that knee calms down a bit even before the surgery. I absolutely LOVE your decorations. It's so....abundantly Christmassy! It's wonderful!

Arlene G said...

Loved seeing your reindeer Linda!! I think Mama G won these at a luncheon she attended. It was the centerpiece and she was the lucky lady who took it home. It makes me happy we have some of the same Christmas decor. Hope that knee feels better soon. Praying all goes well in your replacement and you will be up and at em in no time.

Bernice said...

Love all your Christmas decorations,your home looks so festive,and Christmasy������
We will be decorating this week,not a lot,just our favorites things will be on display,we have at least 10 bins of Christmas, getting all them up and down the basement stairs is getting to hard at our age.
For the first time in ages we will be getting a actual tree,not manufactured,I am excited about that.
I have been praying that your knee holds out till January, and all goes well with your surgery.

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

So sorry the knee has got you down and out. Best thing you can do is read. Still you ae managing to get things done, just not as fast as usual. Your place is a beatuful welcoming place. And certainly radiates Christmas. I've slimmed down now and make it easy on my self. Less stuff, less work. Getting older is not for sissies.

Teresa P said...

Linda,
Praying the rest will help your knee and relieve you from pain until your scheduled surgery in January. My Moms best friend had knee surgery 4 months ago and has done beautiful! Your home looks so festive and beautiful. I too love to just turn off all the lights and marvel in the beauty of the Christmas tree at night.

MadSnapper said...

your house is now ready for Christmas in every inch. I like the little tree in the laundry room, in the cut pot.... prayers for your surgery and for you to have less pain while waiting. staying in your reading nook and bed is a good idea to get through until the surgery.... I don't know how you did all this with your knee so painful... poor LD on the electrical problem. he is like bob, will not give up

Deanna Rabe said...

Hoping you get some relief for that knee! Thankful the surgery isn’t that far off.

Your home is looking beautiful and if you don’t put that last tree up it’ll be fine! You have the gift of celebrating!

Chatty Crone said...

Okay you have your home decorated so lovely - you worked hard, maybe too hard = with your knee. I have had a knee and hip replacement - I understand the pain. Less than a month! Then you will be running around.

Kathy said...

Even with your bad knee you are way ahead of me in decorating. I still am working on getting the fall items down and put away. Your house is beautiful! Will be praying for relief from the pain you are experiencing.

terre said...

you never cease to amaze me with all you do and get accomplished. its such a joy to know you and get inspiration from your energy. merry christmas, my friend!

Carole said...

Ok, I can't believe you are still sending Christmas cards - I gave up years ago. Next year why don't you just send out an email? Love your increase in flat tops - a little more to go methinks... Cheers

Susie said...

Linda, For me the part of decorating for Christmas , is re-visiting old memories of past Christmases . Seeing ornaments I have had since my first Christmas away from my parents home. I will not get to do that this year , didn't last year because of Ted's cancer fight, now because of my back. Ted never does decor, so it's always been my place.
I loved seeing baby Amber and little boy Ben. I enjoy seeing what others decorate their homes with thru the holidays. I will keep the picture on my phone you sent me and look at it for comfort. :):) I am praying for you. Tell the children Aunt Susie loves them. Blessings to you, LD and the family, xoxo, Susie

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Sorry to read about your constant knee pain, Linda, and you know we will all be hoping for the best pain free results after your Jan surgery. Your holiday decorations, especially the trees, were so beautiful to see and made me miss our not having a large tree anymore due to our smaller apt residence now, but maybe next year and a live one at that. I am also in the midst of card writing, which is one tradition I will always keep doing despite rising postage costs.

Rain said...

Hi Linda :) Your home is enchanting. Very festive and I love every single corner and surface - flat or not lol! :) I'm sorry about your knee pain, you are in great spirits despite that!