Back on the Ranch!!

 We left Irving shortly after noon heading to the ranch by way of Fort Worth.

Louis Dean took this pic of me and I sent it to Amber telling her I dressed up like a little doily today!!

That's a joke between us but she texted back that I looked very put together! (for a DOILY I thought!)

Louis Dean had loaded lots of landscape stones in that big old white truck and by the time we added a medicine cabinet and light bar that Billy and Brenda had given us, groceries from home to last us 15 day at the ranch, our clothes, books, his music, guitar, tools, laudry we were returning......two pumpkins for the goats and a big vase of roses and flowers from Louis Dean.....we were packed tight!

Amber says the fresh flowers are a nice touch!

In the middle of that bouquet is my little poinsettia from Rayne.

I carry it back and forth with me.

Our first stop was to pick pizzas at Little Caesars on McCart and second stop was Krogers to get some Cream Soda with Dr Pepper......

Third stop was to see Lillian!

First thing she said when we walked in was, "I'm all alone!"

I thinkshe meant that in a good way as she seemsto be happier without a roommate.

I think she looks like Judy Dench in this photo!

She is so beautiful and I think Lillian is, too!

She was as happy to see us as we were to see her!

We missed our January visit due to being busy and then getting Covid.

I forgot to give her the Christmas present in December so it was a nice surprise for her now.

I have tried called her so many times but she never answers. Turned out - her phone was on Silent. It's a flip phone much like Louis Dean and I liked to never have figured out how to change the settings on it!

We changed the ring tone to some heavy metal music and she likes it because she can HEAR it!!!

It was nearly 4:00 when we got on Interstate 35 heading South and our next first stop was Walmart in Hillsboro.......Louis Dean went in to the sporting goods department while I sat in the truck with t he cats. The reason we were there was for Louis Dean  to buy fishing worms. He fully intends to do some fishing while we are at the ranch for these two weeks. Last week while I was working the book fair, he set about making a worm bed. He had worms as thick as his finger and as long as a small snake.

Then he went to get them to take to the ranch and all but three of them were gone! He kept digging and digging but, alas, the birds had been feasting on his worm bed!

Sherry and Dean met us at the Lone Star Cafe in Hillsboro - just across the highway and down the service road from the Walmart.

I love that place!

We all had a nice dinner together and then I rode with Dean and Sherry to our bee meeting and Louis Dean went on to the ranch! It was a Win! WIN!! because he came in and unloaded most of the truck and set about stacking up the stones to use in the garden. Goodness! I am always so impressed with how strong he is at 85 years of age!

I got home around 9:00 or so and we still had lots of the evening to nest and get things cozy.

Christmas is gonefrom even the ranch but I'm still using the Buffalo plaids for another month.

I just love how 'country comfortable' they look.

Samantha is loving being here! She's snifted around every nook and cranny in the place!

Right after I took this photo, I caught a whiff of SKUNK and decided it would be best if I shut the door!

This is the 'pretty'end of the front room.

Louis Dean owns the other end ( and rightly so! He has his tools, music, guitars and clothes packed in tubs!) but tonight he said he was going to clean that up!

If he does, I'll be sure to document it!

These sweet cats are as good as they can be!

They were turned every which way on our trip down here.

Louis Dean pulled out from the nursing home and then saw a car coming and thre on his brakes and the cat carriers went sliding and tilted down - unbeknownest to me until I was checking on them while we were on the Walmart parking lot. I couldn't even FIND Samantha's carrier! It was wedged down between the front driver's seat and the floorboard. They never ONCE howled in complaint during the entire trip to the ranch. We have been hauling them back and forth - here to the ranch and back home again and then over to the Bells and back and forth. They are the very best travelers and are always happy to be wherever we are!

THIS was our 'Boston Legal Moment.'

Did any of y'all watch that?

Our favorite part was the ending where Denny Crane and Alan Shore have a drink on the balcony at the end of the day.

We stayed up until nearly midnight just enjoying our wine and the fact we are HERE!

Louis Dean was up early this morning - as in 7:30 -to take care of his newly purchased worms!

I slept in until well after 9:00....

This is the stack of stones he unloaded last night.

It was windy today and had some weird rain off and on -like a heavy dose of spray so the stack remains until the weather is better.

I'm glad we are here BEFORE the trees start to green up.

I love seeing them day by day adding tiny bits of color.

The sky has changed throughout the day......blue with white clouds and then a dark purple gray and then the clouds would blow past and more blue.

While Louis Dean worked on a project in the main bathroom, I nested and put up the laundry and the groceries, prepared meals and did some writing.

I was asked to write the story of finding my father's name for the Dallas Genealogical Society.

I have been in communication with my Kansas City siblings to make sure they are comfortable with that and they have all been most gracious.

Let me introduce you to my youngest sibling, Lori Gage!

She was born in September 1963 so we share our birthday month.

I 'met' her this afternoon by way of a phone chat and we had the nicest visit.

Lori and Buster

Here's my sister, Rita, and Buster and me in May 2021.

I LOVE this photo and I LOVE my siblings - even though we are new in our relationships.

I mean, who KNEW that I would ever know my father's name much less find three amazing siblings???

Only God can do this!

I will close tonight's journal entry with a photo that Lori sent me this evening.

Mary and Leo Gage.

Mother and father to three beautiful people......

Buster, Rita and Lori.

I am so blessed by all my siblings.......

Deanie born in 1951

Lanita born in 1953

Lonnie born in 1955

Luann born in 1957

Shari born in 1958

Buster born in 1958

Rita born in 1959

Lori born in 1963

And I have two deceased brothers.......Clayton Collins, Jr

from my mother and Raymond from my father,

and one deceased sister....Shirley....who shared the same father as I.

That's 11 half siblings and I am so blessed to know who they are.