Tuesday Treasures.....

I was sleeping like a rock this morning!!

Normally I get up multiple times in the night - as in 6 or 7 - and I am not complaining about that because back in my chronic bladder infection years, it was dozens of times and I really mean dozens. I look back and marvel how I kept going. God gives us the strength to do what we have to do.

I celebrated my 65th birthday with my whole heart because that meant I was on Medicare and the insurance companies HAD to write a supplemental policy for me. I had been turned down so many times due to degenerative joint disease. My youngest son, Benjamin, wrote me 'the best policy money could buy' and I still get a thrill when I pull out my insurance cards.

With my recent total left knee replacement - including hospital, doctor, home therapy and two physical therapy sessions - I have not had to pay one single cent. I may still get a bill but if I do, I know it won't be for much.

 I digress......

I did not want to get up this morning but I knew Lillian was looking forward to our day together and I also knew I wanted to get home by 5:00 so I needed to get up and get going.

When I got to the nursing home, parked and walked up to the entrance to her hall, I saw the sign that said all visitors must enter through the main door due to the coronavirus.

I totally understand. This way they can monitor people and make sure no one comes to visit that is coughing and sick.

I checked Lillian out for the afternoon and mentioned I had stopped to see Mark, the social worker for the home. Lillian had a new set of teeth made last year and they were awful. They didn't fit right from the start and it has been a horror story for her. Finally, Mark arranged for her to go and see a different dentist. One of the staff drove her to the appointment and she showed him the new teeth. He said they were not made correctly and that he could make her some new ones. Except that Medicare already paid for new teeth. Never mind that they don't  fit. That other dentist was just taking the $$ from Medicare and the residents got whatever teeth he sent them. 

We were going out for lunch and some shopping.

She chose La Madeleine for lunch!

I always feel like I'm on vacation when I eat there!

And the food is always good!

Lillian ordered Quiche Lorraine and ate every bite!

In the same shopping strip as the restaurant is a Home Goods store.

It's the same one Lillian used to shop at when she had her home so she happily browsed up and down every isle. She found a small hamper for her laundry and I just so happened to find the perfect hampers for ours! Louis Dean was going to make one for me but I noticed he's moved on to other projects. So I bought two! And a few other things.....

Then we drove the short distance to Benbrook to shop the big new Goodwill!

I had a ball!

That top left is a nice little nightgown. I guess it's a nightgown. It has a lining in it.

That Christmas tablecloth is REALLY nice and I will be excited to see it next December.

The 'Go Ahead....knock if you dare' sign may very well hang on Lillian's door come October!

Did you know they come in and flip the light on in her room every morning at 6:30? Or maybe she said 6:00. Why?? She said they do that in every room and she thinks it's because most of the residents can't dress themselves. But she and Maria can dress theselves. ??

Then there's the vegetable basket......onions are now in the top, sweet potatoes in the middle and potatoes in the bottom. This replaced the red wooden one that will be cleaned up and taken to the ranch.

The pumpkin pillow is beautiful!

It features some beading and different fabric textures.

I'll use the burlap ribbon in the fall and I could not pass up that gorgeous sunflower arrangement.

The white daisy like flowers are my first spring decoration in the house this year!

This stack of small clay pots will be put to use tomorrow.

The grand quads are coming and we are going to do some gardening.

It's been awhile since I have done crafts with the kids.

I have a nice white basket with green grass paper. I bought two packages of pretty spring paper napkins at Home Goods and I thought we could decoupage the top printed ply of the napkins to the basket and they can give it to their mama.

These brand new Disney t shirts will be another art project for them to paint.

I was home by 5:00 just as I planned.

Guess what I did as soon as I came in?

Went back to bed for an hour.

I told you I didn't want to get up this morning!

Tonight I worked on Ella......a friend's beloved dog.

I think I am really close to calling it done.

There's a saying that an artist should stop one stroke before they're finished.

Sometimes that one last stroke can really mess you up!

This is the photo I'm working from and I still see a few things I can do.

But I'm going to let her dry and next week I will look at her with fresh eyes.

I packed up the art and restored the dining room table to its normal setting.

Sunday evening on my way to Rowlett, I dropped off a few things at Quadville.

Logan and Trystan were the only two kids home at the time so I asked them what they wanted to do when they came over this week.

Logan said, "Have a tea party?"

Of course, we will!

I bought tea cakes today while I was out and the table setting this month has silver tea sets as a centerpiece. This will be a touch more 'grown up' kind of tea party......