A Few Sick Days but Getting Better!

 

Louis Dean was sick from Wednesday evening to Friday morning when he started feeling a little bit better - enough to put on a t-shirt and clean overalls.

He said he felt 'tolerable' meaning he could get up but he didn't feel like doing anything.

Tht didn't last long and he was back on the couch or in the bed for another day or two.

I went over to the Bells and picked up our cats to cheer him up.

He told me if I didn't go get them, he was going to have to get another kitty from the shelter!

I just puttered around not doing much all of Thursday and Friday except watching Louis Dean and taking his temperature every time he turned around. Still, he never ran a fever.

Lighting candles, playing music on the stereo, reading and watching a little TV......

....we have been 'laying low.

By Friday evening, I was sick.

We had already cancelled our plans for a Sibling Dinner to celebrate Lonnie's birthday so Saturday was a day of complete bed rest for me and, since Louis Dean was feeling better, it was his turn to hover over me. Amber brought over meds, chicken noodle soup, crackers, oranges, milk, a rotisserie chicken, cough drops, and tissues Saturday night.

Sunday was a day much like Saturday. 

We stayed in bed a lot and watched football in the afternoon.

Every day we are feeling better. Louis Dean is ahead of me since he got sick first.

This morning (Monday) I got up at 8:00 and made up the bed!!

Louis Dean got up an hour later and I made up our bed, too!

We had 10:30 appointments at a drive through Covid testing Center since there was no way of knowing if we had that or plain old colds. There was not one other car in line when we arrived at 10:30!

However, it was not the rapid test where you find out in 15 minutes! It was take 3-5 days.

No worries since we aren't planning on getting out until we are completely well.

Today was pretty weather so Louis Dean said he was going outside to 'play.'

Since it was so pretty, I took our late breakfast out to the deck.

You can see he is looking much like his healthy self!

As am I! We still have a bit of a cough from time to time but nothing like it was.

I had a headache for 3 days and thank goodness THAT'S gone!

Neither one of us has had any fever.

I ordered a rapid test from Amazon and it will be here tomorrow so maybe I will know then if we have Covid or not.

In other news, Sabrina and Rayne are staying with their mom and she is doing better....but she was pretty sick. They only kept her in the hospital for one day. 

Summer has no 'safe place to land' here in Texas with so many of the family sick so she's staying safe in Arkansas at the Bar J Ranch doing some volunteer work.

We are enjoying our kitties and they keep us entertained!

My friend, Brenda, brought over a box of goodies this afternoon and I foolishly opened the door after she had stepped back on the driveway - and Tabitha bolted!!

She did that when Amber came on Saturday night, too.

Silly me!

Both times she was captured quickly!

I am honored that so many friends have been praying for us and it is our honor to pray for YOU!

Lillian called me today and said, "Linda! I have more mail!"

She was excited and I couldn't understand every word she was saying but I did hear that there was a card with a message from Tennessee. She has a new 'person' now. That's what she calls a new roommate. She said, "This is the first one I have LIKED!"

I promised her we would visit as soon as we get well!

We are all doing the very best we can to comfort and pray for one another! That's True Love!

Tuesday Treasures and Wednesday Wonders and Plain Old Thursday.....

 I love a good Tuesday and especially one that includes a hair cut!

Yulisa works at two salons so it was a happy thing that she could cut my hair in Irving that morning.

It was driving me crazy and I told her I needed it to be short again!

I'm always amazed at how good she can make my hair look.

She's a really special lady!

After my hair appointment, I had just enough time to show Family Dollar for Valentines before meeting Brenda at her office for our January lunch date.

We went to Fuzzy Tacos and wondered at first if it was open since there weren't very many cars in the lot. We forgot for a moment that we were eating a late lunch (2:30) since Brenda gets off early

She had been sick during the entire Christmas holidays so I opened my gifts!

I absolutely love this prayer journal and will begin using it in a few months when I have my current journal full. By writing my prayers down or at least the names and requests, I can remember to pray for them regularly. We just had a big answer to prayer this week when our friend Dawn down in Florida was released from the hospital. We were pretty scared for her but she is going to be just 'fine' - as soon as she can regain her strength.

We took our time at lunch and then hit up two thrift stores!

I seemed to hit the jack pot but it was partly due to Brenda finding things for me in the clothing section.

I ended up with 10 really pretty tops!

I love this sign and it is hanging in the hall now right above the clothes hampers.

I couldn't NOT buy this sunflower crock!!

See the tiny bee??

I scored with these Life Stride Velosity 2.0 boots and they fit and were comfortable for both of my feet!

I'm grateful for the toe surgeries I've had but I still have to pay attention to my shoes.

It's best if I don't have to break them in myself.

I'll be glad to have these sandals in a few months and they went right in the washing machine and came out looking like new!

Sue Grafton wrote murder mysteries with titles from A - Y, and she passed away unexpectantly before she got to Z. I love her books.

Paperbacks were only $0.75 less the senior discount - which is 30% at Texas Thrift but only 10% at Goodwill now. It used to be 30% too. They have sales on the color of the tags with, say the yellow tags being 50% off and the pink ones 30%. I will have to watch the colors and save that way as even the thrift stores seem to have become more expensive.

This is such a good book!

Amber and Benjamin and I read it back in our homeschooling days and there was a second one as well.

I bought it for my grands and I think they will enjoy it as much as their mommy did.

Rosamunde Pilcher is my all time favorite author and I may have already read this one but I shall read it again! She was a British writer and died at the age of 94 in February 2019.

I couldn't pass up these 5 glasses!

I retired some dime store quality ones and washed these and put them right into the cabinet!

Same thing with the 5 TMD Holdings glasses.

Tall, slim glasses and heavy!

I left the house on Tuesday at noon and didn't get home before dark!

It was a really good day and, to top it off, Summer arrived to spend the night!

Wednesday morning I received a text message from my sister, Luann, asking me if I would like to meet her in South Lake for lunch and a little shopping. I'm not much of a spur of the moment kind of lady and usually plan out my calendar a month at a time and update it week by week. However, I do love my sister and I didn't have my plans set in stone - so I had two days back to back with lunch and shopping!

We chose Corner Cafe and it is always good!

Trader Joe's was our first stop and I loaded up on their frozen orange chicken, vegetable fried rice and other favorites.

Second stop was Central Market!

I dearly love to browse their fruits and vegetables!

Seldon do I buy any of the exotic things I see but it's fun to look!

They had some really fance mushrooms for $100 a pound!!

So I suppose these were relatively reasonable.

Buddha's Hand is in the citrus section.

Someday I may splurge and buy something unusual just for fun!

Summer spend Wednesday night with us and we enjoyed getting to catch up with her.

So many friends and loved ones have been ill with Covid and this afternoon Sabrina's mom was admitted to the hospital with Covid. Sabrina and Rayne will be flying back to Texas from Puerto Rico tomorrow - they just left Saturday - and Sabrina has not recovered all her strength from being sick after Christmas. You know, we are all such needy people and I am so very thankful that we can take all our cares to the Lord. We can hold our loved ones up to the Lord in prayer and that is a very real way to show our love for someone and as well as our confidence in the Lord.

"Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you."

I Peter 5:7

Washing hands and using hand sanitizers has become second nature as well as keeping our distance in stores and staying away from crowds.

Nowadays, every time our throat gets scratchy or we develop a cough, we think - Could this be Covid?? So last night Louis Dean started coughing and choking and hacking. He gets allergy induced asthma from time to time but it's been over 2 or 3 years since he's been sick.

But he was sick today and I have been hovering over him like an old mother hen.

I know he's sick because he's been in bed all day. He got up a time or two and sat in his seat on the couch in the den - which is like a recliner. He's only had some chicken noodle soup and a few crackers to eat all day. I did give him pumpkin spice cheesecake filling - I didn't have things to make acrust - but he only ate a little bit. I have taken his temperature all day long and he hasn't run any fever.

His chest was hurting so he took a nitroglycerine tablet earlier this evening. And he felt like taking a hot bath. He's been chilled all day and is under a heavy fur cover we hardly ever use because it IS so heavy! I really don't think it's Covid.....but it concerns me to see him sick.

When I gave him his medicine tonight he was some better and certainly not any worse.

Still,I shall hover and check on him through the night but I plan on sleeping in the guest room.

A Wonderful Sunday!

We had such a good Sunday starting with being on time for church meeting up with Amber, Mike and the kids, having all arrived at just about the same time! I dearly love worshipping together. 

Pastors Ed and Lisa Young are teaching a series called '7 Senses of Marriage.'

I would say that Louis Dean and I have a great marriage. I could not have found a better husband and he claims he has had two wonderful wives. His beloved Ellen went to heaven in 2000 and we married in 2005 after knowing each other just 2 months. 

The message was titled The Anchor - and that being the anchor in marriage is Jesus Christ. The message spoke to me on a couple of points especially.....

Contempt versus respect. It hit me in my heart that sometimes I act like I am superior or bringing more into the marriage or perhaps am more important to the marriage. Here lately, reminding Louis Dean to take his medicine and going with him to appointments so he won't get lost and ....you know what I mean. Not that I think I have all my wits about me all the time but, still, I feel life changing for us a wee bit and I admit to being a little condescending (having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority) at times.  I have purposed to pay more attention to my attitude and focus on respect. 

I am really happy to be a part of a church like Fellowship and I am so grateful to have Louis Dean as my husband. He is a man among men.

We all sat in church together and then we all went out to eat at Chili's over in Dallas together.

Trystan loves to use the PIP app on my phone when she takes pictures and she taught Kailey how to do it, too.

They had a good time of it!

After lunch we hung out at the Bells for an hour or two. The girls and I colored and played Bingo and even did some yoga together.

Then we went to watch Mike's hockey game!

It was such a fun day!

Mike helps coach the kids' hockey team and enjoys the game himself.

He is a War Hawk now but used to be on a team named the Swamp Donkeys!

No matter the name, I will always yell and cheer for him!

But I DO like War Hawks better!

Credits for the photos go to the Bell Girls!

We came home and watched THE most exciting football game of the year as far as I'm concerned!

It was a nail biter and they were neck and neck nearly the entire game.

Since I was born in Kansas City and since the Dallas Cowboys are out of the running - I am rooting for the Chiefs to go to the Super Bowl - again!!!

Sunday night I noticed we had yet another possum come to dinner.

The food bowls were completely empty this morning so I have added celery and some stale bread to the bowl for their supper tonight.

It's been a wonderful Monday!

I didn't leave the house but I did get dressed and even put on a touch of make up and fixed my hair.

Today I worked in the kitchen - taking down the Christmas things and bringing back what I had stored away during the holidays. I've rearranged soem things and generally had a good time cleaning and nesting. Louis Dean took the car to Walmart to get the oil changed and did a little shopping while he was at it. I'm happy he didn't insist on changing the oil himself as he used to do. Sometimes you have to let someone else do the work. He did shop and bought some of his comfort foods. Those fifty-cent mini pecan pies get him every time and you know he's not supposed to eat much sugar! He ate two that he'd bought on Saturday so I hid these. Shhhhh......don't tell.

I know he will be making spaghetti soon. He bought three HUGE jars of spaghetti sauce!  He enjoys cooking and it makes him happy to do it so I am going to suggest he cook at least once a week. Usually he waits until I am gone....and I don't want him to think that's the only time he can have the kitchen.

January Days.....

 We have spent the last several days resting and recovering.....going to bed early and sleeping late.

It's been cold in Texas and one morning I woke up before Louis Dean - having gone to bed at 9:30 - and I made a good fire in the den and wore my warmest thickest robe.

It's been lovely waking up with no real agenda other than staying at home and taking Christmas down....a little at a time.

Thursday I cleaned our bedroom really well and lit several candles to celebrate!

I took Christmas down in Louis Dean's bathroom and made another sign reminding him to take his medicine! He takes morning and evening meds + daily eye drops.

One day I reminded him to take HIS medicine and I forgot to take MINE!

By Thursday night I had cleaned our bedroom, hall and both bathrooms.

On Friday I finished the guest room and had it all cleana nd fresh for Summer when she returned from the Bar J Ranch in Arkansas where she's been doing some volunteeer work.

Even though we're retired, there's still something special about a Saturday!

I made a good breakfast of sausage, cheesy eggs and toast and we actually ate at the kitchen table!

Together!!! Louis Dean usually eats in the den and I often eat alone in the kitchen with a book, so this was a special treat.

By the time we did our devotions, it was time to get ready to go watch the kids play hockey!

Our traditional selfie on the bleachers!

They are all ready for the game!

And they played so WELL!!

Both teams were evenly matched and they were tied 3 times before we won 5-4.

I enjoyed sitting on the bleachers and watching.

Behind us were parents and grandparents for the other team and yet we all appreciated the way both teams played. 

We lingered long after the game visiting with Amber and Mike and the kids.

I'd brought a tin of pumpkin muffins and everyone was relaxed and we were just catching up.

Mike and I looked over and saw Kailey sitting with her granddad.

I took this picture before walking over to them. Seems she was advising Granddad to get a smart phone and he was telling her he didn't want a phone smarter than he is.

When I was going back over to talk to Amber and Mike, she asked for my phone and I found 'surprise' pictures on it tonight. It's what she's been doing since she was 4 years old.......leaving me pictures of herself!

We made our Sunday plans for church, lunch out and then Mike's hockey game before we parted ways.

The game today was up in McKinney at 2:45 so by the time we were leaving the ice rink, the western sun was shining in my eyes. Since we had to go to the store anyway.......

we decided to go to a Walmart over there before heading home.

Louis Dean takes his tomatoes seriously!

I made stuff peppers, company mashed potatoes and a simple salad for dinner tonight.

As I was working in the kitchen, I glanced out to see a possum eating the taco soup/chili leftovers I'd put in the feeding dish out by the pond.

I'd say this guy was an older 'teenager.'

You can hear the mixer going in the background.

I use the paddle on my Kitchen Aid to mix the meatloaf.

Then a ha;f hour later I saw a different possum out there!

He - or she - was a little smaller than the first one.

You can still hear the mixer, I think. This time it was whipping the potatoes!

I will close tonight's journal entry with a photo my brother Buster posted today on his Facebook page.

Today would be our father's 100th birthday.

Leo Everett Gage

He was born January 22, 1922.

Buster called me while I was fixing supper and we had the nicest visit.

Not only have I discovered who my father was, I am having such a good time getting to know my Kansas City siblings.

They will be coming to Texas at some point this year and I am planning on going back up to see them this fall, taking Louis Dean with me.

Louis Dean and I were talking about some of the vacations we have had and I am grateful for each one.

We've been to New Mexico and Colorado a couple of times, spent a month in Aberdeen, Scotland....

gone to Branson and several trips to Galveston and San Antonio.

Traveled to Florida and back by car and went on an Alaskan cruise.

It's good to do things while we can.