Change of Plans.....

Sunday was a really GOOD day!

Louis Dean opted to stay home while I went to church.

Brenda and Billy picked me up and that made me feel so special.

The service was excellent - on Shame - and I love how Fellowship Church stays so relevant in teaching from scripture what we all deal with.

The Bells had two early morning hockey games before they came to church at the 11:15 service.

(The girls won their game and Harrison won his!)

We met up with them after the service and visited for a little while before they headed their way and Brenda, Billy and I headed our way.

They treated me to lunch at Jake's BBQ in Grapevine and it was SO good!!!

Brenda retires in March and I can't wait! We have so many plans for our Tuesdays!

Louis Dean had an excellent day while I was gone.

He both answered my call on his landline and then drove up to Little Caesars for Hot Wings and then he called me on the landline to say he was home!

He settled down to eat his wings, drink a beer and watch football!

We both watched the Cowboy game and we all know that didn't go well.

Now I'm rooting for Kansas City in the next go round! 

We were all set to go down to the ranch and had already packed some stuff in the truck - 

when Louis Dean tripped over a basket in front of the couch and fell.

No broken bones and just some aches and pain from the fall, but it was enough of a mishap to warrant staying home on Monday to recover. He has a good bit of neuropathy in his feet and that coupled with his decline in spatial awareness, he is more unsteady now.

I went to bed with a check in my spirit about our planned trip to the ranch.

Come Monday morning I knew it wasn't the right time as this week is going to be cold at night and we all know Louis Dean does NOT do well in the cold.

So we switched gears and are staying home this week.

Louis Dean worked on his music all day Monday and I cleaned, sewed and did some art. 

Tonight I finished the quilt for my sister, Rita's, newest granddaughter!

I probably should have just made the quilt and left it alone - but then I got the bright idea of embellishing it!

I only have one clean room in the house right now - the kitchen.

This morning I finished up the pantry.

I love looking at people's fridges and pantries!

Can you see the 'Slim Jim' hanging on a nail inside the pantry?

My brother worked for Texas Towing for a number of years and he came to our aid when we locked the keys in the car long years ago. He gave me one of his tools of the trade and it has hung right here for so many years! I am a keeper of memories and special things.

The brown bag hanging was Summer's school bag when she was in the 7th grade.

I painted sunflowers on one side and bluebonnets on the other.

That bottle of clear vanilla was given to me by Nita......

I think of her every single day and more so when I bake.

I've been trying to use the things we have in the pantry, fridge and freezer and catch up on my budget by NOT buying groceries for awhile.

Today I made a pasta salad with ham, chopped apples, celery and pecans.

I also made two main dishes with ground beef - ravioli with meat sauce and a beef and rice dish.

Tonight I took a sampling of all of it up to the nursing home for June, Kimmy and Traci.

June is doing well and making progress with her physical therapy.

I decided to call this Wild Horse finished and he is hanging on the living room wall.

All my Santa paintings are still up but they will come down in February.

Which reminds me that Campo Verde leaves their Christmas decorations up through the winter so I am going to make a point of going over there for lunch soon!

I'll close tonight's journal entry with an old photo of myself.

Nita had all of the photos the family had given Mother over the years and Mike boxed them up according to family and returned them to us.

I meant to invite my children and grandchildren to look through them on Christmas Eve but that night was so magical just as it was that I forgot.

I don't remember this picture at all.

I wore my hair long for most of my life and I'm amazed at how much I have here.

On the back it says 06-1978 so I'm  thinking that was when I had this taken.

I would have been 29 at the time.

I think I look like my brother Buster....or he looks like me since I am older than he is!

I am so very grateful I found out who my father is and for my special Kansas City Siblings....

and that in March of 2022 we all spent such a wonderful day TOGETHER!