New Fridge, Hockey, Crawfish Boil, Plumbing and a Happy Ending!

Our beautiful new fridge arrived Thursday morning!

I love it! It was so much fun filling the shelves up and getting used to it.

Louis Dean had unloaded the old one and I was still finding butter here and jars of stuff there.

Unfortunately, even jars of pickles when stored in a roaster pan with a lid on sitting in the sun, WILL spoil. I drained some pickles, preserves and sauce jars into the garage disposal. And, of course I stopped it up big time. I KNEW better and yet I did it, anyway! We went to bed thinking we'd get it unstopped with chemicals or something Friday morning. That didn't happen. Louis Dean tried the clean out hole in the sewing room. That used to be the outside wall before my ex husband built a sewing room on. He tried everything and then went out and started taking up the deck in search of the sewer pipe....and I'm not sure what he intended to do when and if he found it.

It just so happened that I had a dinner party planned for that Friday evening.

The menu was going to be Fajita Soup - a recipe Summer got from a friend who made it for her recently. I had bought everything for a Mexican meal! Including some pretty good sangria - if I say so myself. I admit to being stressed out - mainly because of Louis Dean taking the deck up and digging in the dirt. What with all the doctor visits and tests lately and thinking about his heart issues - I was nervous and concerned. When Brenda called to see how it was going, I was a bit teary.

We talked and decided they are more family than friends and if we put off our plans everytime something didn't work out right, we'd seldom see each other!

So we switched gears and Louis Dean picked up a stack of pizzas while Brenda brought a big salad!

The party went on and by the time it was over, I was feeling much better!

You can't play NUTS and spend some time with good friends without laughing and having a good time!

Saturday morning Louis Dean went back to digging while Summer and I headed to Harrison and Logan's hockey game.

Logan is #12.....

Harrison the tall one and #91.

Amber was at another ice rink with Kailey and Trystan. 

She and Mike often have to divide and conquer.

I was so tired and fully intended to go to bed when I got home until Mike's chanpionship hockey game later that evening. Louis Dean was working outside and I was doing a bit of housework before my nap....

when Stephanie came over.

There's a party next door celebrating our favorite neighbor boy's birthday!

I've known him since the day he was born and watched him grow up, play hockey, join the Marines and is now a firefighter. We couldn't miss this party so Louis Dean cleaned up and we walked over.

He had never eaten a crawfish before! 

Stephanie peeled it for him and he DID eat one.

Said it tasted, "Like bad shrimp."

We haven't been to very many crawfish boils and this was as good as they get!

We loved the potatoes and corn on the cob!

And he liked the sangria, too!

We had a great time!

This backyard has been the site of so many celebrations, parties and family get togethers for 39 years this October. The very first party was for their daughter's bithday and Amber was three years old.

Stephanie came over and carried Amber to Caroline's party......and we have been friends ever since.

While I didn't get to attend any of the parties until after I divorced....I did enjoy hearing all the fun and laughter from over the fence back then. Mind you, I was always invited......

Now I celebrate with them every chance I get!

I do love this family!

Summer, Louis Dean and I all went to see Mike play hockey Saturday night!

He's #12 with a blue helmet!

Love this pic of Amber and Harrison cheering him on!

Mike is my very favorite Swamp Donkey!

Can you BELIEVE that's the name of his team??

I used to forget and cheer, "GO, Swanp MONKEY!"

Mike has lots of fans!

But Amber is his #1!

Sunday morning we watched Fellowship Live worship service....

I meant to go watch all four quads play hockey .....but Louis Dean was back to digging and taking up more of the deck.....and I was pretty upset.

I was afraid Louis Dean would work out there until he had a heart attack.

It was maybe an irrational thought for me......but it was totally irrational for him to take up a deck and hunt for a sewer pipe outside - for a stopped up sink in the kitchen!

Since I couldn't get him to see reason and stop digging......

I called my first born son and he dropped everything and came right over.

Starting at square one......he did all the normal things a homeowner does before they call a plumber.

He spent all afternoon with us and Louis Dean did see reason and stopped digging.

Jesse (my son) was amazing. He calmed me down and put things in perspective......my main objective was to get Louis Dean to stop digging. Jesse instictively knew how to talk to him and my crisis was averted. Jesse advised us to call a plumber and - my good friend Stephanie gave me the name and number of her plumber. It was Sunday but I called anyway and left a message that I wanted to get on the list for a stopped up sink. Amazingly, they called me back in less than an hour and said Kevin would be here at 11:30 Monday morning!

And so he was!

When I took this picture, I said, "My husband HATES plumbing!"

Kevin said, "So do I!!!"

He's a 'Drain Man' only!!

And he's realy good at it!

Been doing it since 1987.

He was such a good sport! 

Summer charged his phone for him and I took pics!

That was a happy moment ....

but my real happiest ending was when we had a tellevisit with Louis Dean's cardiologist this afternoon.

Louis Dean got a good report!

I had read the results from our patient portal before the visit and was relieved to find out it wasn't bad news, after all. I suppose medical jargon all sounds so serious to me.

And sometimes it really is......

A dear blog friend of mine named Mary and I have been talking over email......

she said I could share the following prayer request with you.....

My grandson Devin (17, the youngest twin and on the left) has been diagnosed with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma. He will undergo jaw removal and rebuild on  April 21.

Thank God it is a slow growing cancer - doctors said first benign test was wrong - he’s probably had it since 2018. They will also remove lymph nodes, remove some teeth and rebuild them. Will be on feeding tube and trach and in hospital 7 - 10 days after surgery. Will then have physical therapy on whichever leg is used for bones/veins. Then, about 8 weeks later will start radiation. It has NOT spread from his jaw. He’ll go back to school Wednesday to say bye to friends and teachers. After that, he’s prepping/testing often for surgery. Please continue your prayers. 

Never underestimate the power of prayer!

And finally, after two weeks of being unable to get in touch with Lillian, her granddaughter called me to let me know that Lillian had a stroke - a blood clot in her brain - and has been in the hospital and a recovery place but is now back at Trail Lake Nursing Home. She is doing well and getting better every day. She called me last night and when I answered, she said, "Linda, I need you to come and see me."

I promised I would be there Tuesday and I will.

Tonight I made that Fajita soup and will be taking some over to Brother Lonnie whom I have not seen since he went home from the hospital. I hope to spend the day visiting loved ones, my brother and sister Deanie, and Lillian.

And once again, I thank all of you who have been so sweet to Lillian in sending cards.

Her address is:

Lillian McDowell

Trail Lake Nursing Home 

7100 Trail Lake

Fort Worth, Texas 76123

Have I told you lately how much I love each and every one of you precious people reading my words? Well, I'm telling you now.......