Normal Life......

 Life is getting back to normal around here and I am so happy about that!!

Friday the thaw began in earnest and it was amazing how fast this icicle melted!
We have a broken pipe in the back so we've not had cold water in the bathrooms - so flushing the commode has been and continues to be done by hauling water from the kitchen.
Such a minor inconvenience when I hear about all the hardships so many have been going through.

I made homemade banana splits using the snow ice cream I made ealier in the week.
Chocolate for him.....

Caramel for me......

We enjoyed the fireplace on Friday - not because it was so cold - but since I had hauled the wood in, I figured I might as well use it.

I don't normally have the windows uncovered but just look at all that sunshine coming in!

Samantha and Tabitha are loving it!!

BJ noticed the round discs along the upper part of the window wall.

Most of them are round discs of aluminum that a friend in the AC business gave me back in the 1970's.

He cut them out of the material to make AC ducts and he gave me hundreds of them!!

Back then I taught an art class in my home and that's what we would paint on instead of a canvas.

You have to rinse them in vinegar water and then spray a primer on them when they are dry.

We used oils and painted so many I lost count!

My house burned in 1983 and the discs were all marred.

I cleaned them off, flipped them over and painted a scene on the other side.

My friend gave me so many different sizes - some huge ones!

I must not have saved the big ones to reuse.

**Source**

Back then I painted on a lot of saw blades as well, using Dorothy Dent's art books.

That's how I learned to paint - through art books.

**Source**

I started out with Priscilla Hauser's Tole Painting books.

That was a long time ago and both of these  talented artists are still painting and teaching today.

This morning I decided to bake a cake!

I was cleaning out drawers last week when I found this recipe calendar from 1992!

I've kept it because Amber and Benjamin used some of the recipes and signed and dated the pages.

I need to go back and date this one!

It was really good!

Now that we no longer need candles for light, I cleaned the holders and replaced the burned ones with fresh. I did light them all up just to see how pretty they look.

I've been working on the house room by room.
The kitchen, den and now the living room and foyer are back to 'normal.'

I had left the Angels in there and poinsettias but they are all packed away now.

This is one of my favorite rooms.

Foyer is all clean!

I still have to take the gold mesh ribbon and garland from the front porch.

But that will happen later.

Louis Dean has been working outside on the broken pipe....which he discovered is actually TWO broken pipes. He fixed one and we waited over two hours before he turned the water back on - only to discover there was another break he hadn't noticed. 

I really have my heart set on a hot shower tonight!

But I can't complain!

I talked to Lillian today!

She's sick with a cold and was in bed.

Bless her heart, this has been such a hard year for her.

Your cards have made such a huge difference!

She reads them to me on the phone and calls them her friends.

She says she feels close to all who have written - especially the ones she says who....

" put a piece of paper inside the card and write to me - sometimes front and BACK!"

She was going to get her hair cut later in the day when she felt better.

The beauty shop there is open again and the lady who runs it is also the activities director now at Trail Lake. Lillian is still in the quarantine hall alomg with her room mate.

I'm sharing her address again in case someone would like to drop her a line.

It really has made such a difference in her life this past year!

Lillian McDowell

Trail Lake Nursing Home

7100 Trail Lake Drive 

Fort Worth, Texas 76123

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere

without moving anything but your heart!

Phyllis Theroux

PS.....I got my hot shower!!
Louis Dean is my hero!!!