A Catching Up of Days.....

I don't know how I have let so many days catch up with me lately.

I think my age is beginning to slow me down or something.

We slept late on Tuesday - as we usually do every day - and enjoyed watching our cats play.

I'm loving these 'retirement' days.

I went out on the side deck and saw Louis Dean out by the rose garden and thought to myself, 

"I have arrived. We are now truly living a country life."

I've always been an accomplishment-oriented type of person, but lately I have been doing more 'being' than 'doing.'

The one thing I did do on Tuesday was go down to Sherry's and cook up a big batch of taco soup for our Hill County Beekeepers Fellowship - aka - The Sting of the Bee!

This is such a good soup and the recipe came from Deanie but Nita is the one who wrote it out for me.

I made a copy and took it with me to the ranch - I love seeing her handwriting.

Another member brought this good Mexican dessert, and several other members contributed the sour cream, chips, guacamole, tea and such. 

It was such a good meeting and the fellowship is wonderful!

We watched a program on capturing swarms that was absolutely fascinating.

The beekeeper was from Ohio and in most of the video, he did not wear even a veil!

What we learned is that a swarm of bees is simply that - a swarm.

They have no hive or brood, honey and 'home' to protect - so they don't sting you.

Now, IF they have comb in the tree or wherever, then that's a different story.

Not that we intend to chance it but it's good to know.

Sherry and I always suit up - just in case!

She ended up in the ER once and we are NOT taking chances.

Still, this guy wore those blue plastic gloves and I intend to get me some of these!

It would make working with the bees so much easier than the cumbersome gloves we have.

Monday night I had a bad dream of sorts and I talked to Sherry about it on our way to and from the bee meeting.

In the dream I was overwhelmed by this huge Christmas party that was taking place in a mall.

I lost all my people and wondered how I would ever find them again.

The mall was trashed by the party and children got separated from parents and it was all a big chaotic mess.

What brought this dream on was I had 'forgotten' about Easter.

Not really forgotten but I did forget that I usually host a family gathering on Good Friday and if not then it would be Easter Sunday or the Saturday preceding.

I've been giving this some thought, though, and it is hard to part with traditions and NOT do some of the things you've done for years.

When we got back to the ranch, I sent text messages to my four children telling them I would not be hosting one of my traditional gatherings over the Easter weekend this year.

Nothing stays the same forever and as Louis Dean and I are growing older, we are adapting to this new time in our lives.

Louis Dean is doing well since being diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's.

I am beginning to doubt the latter, but it doesn't matter because it is what it is.

And I am not scared like I was at the beginning of this journey.

He is comfortable down at the ranch and our intention is to spend half our time there and half in the city. I'm being mindful of what I plan to do these days.

Sometimes I think we should go and DO while we can -

and then I wonder if it's not best to keep life simple and uncomplicated.

I admit to there being some challenges - as in disposing of the trash!

I have to be clever and creative in getting things out to the curb these days.

All in all, life is still good and continue to live well and laugh a lot each and every day.

All my children responded graciously - as I knew they would.

This is harder on me than it is for any of them.

I'm grateful for all the celebrations at Easter when the grands were all younger.

As my son, Jesse, said - "Traditions may change, but memories will still be created and cherished."

Wednesday was our last full day at the ranch, and I confess - I did very little!

We got up and did our morning routine and then we both went back to bed for a little while.

I did clean up the camper in preparation for us leaving the next day.

 We met our friend, Rosey, that evening at a great Mexican food restaurant in Marlin - halfway from her place and ours! 

Sherry and I arrived first, and I ordered my first ever pitcher of margaritas.

Sherry and I had not seen Rosey since last October. Or was it September?

We talked and laughed and caught up with each other and had the very best time.

I could have lingered even longer at the table - but son Dean was out of town to attend a funeral and Louis Dean was 'home alone.'

We all hugged and said our goodbyes and made plans to meet up at our place at the ranch on Easter weekend.

I love making plans at the end of a visit for the NEXT one!

So while it won't be my usual kind of gathering, I am thrilled and looking forward to spending that Saturday with Dean and Sherry and Rosey - my 'country family!'

Louis Dean was waiting for me back at the ranch with a nice campfire for our last night there.

We don't do anything in a hurry these days unless we have to!

It was a little after 2:00 on Thursday afternoon when we left for home.

There was a slight detour as we had to go back to Marlin to pick up my credit card I had accidently left at the restaurant. Still and all, we managed to get home before 6:00!

Everything was pretty much as we left it.

Some of our outdoor light bulbs had been shattered by the hail last Thursday night.

The already torn gazebo cover was even more damaged.

This morning I called my roofer and Brenda and filed a claim as we will be needing a new one now.

It's a blessing as the front porch has some rotted wood and needs some serious attention.

While it may prove to be costly - still it is something that needs to be done and soon!

Louis Dean didn't sleep very well last night and I had gone to bed before he did.

His restlessness finally woke me up at 4:00 this morning.

He has a song about that!

So I was up from 4:00 to 6:00 before going back to bed.

When we woke up at 10:00 - the power was out!

By 12:00 the power was back on and Spector was up and running by 3:00.

I gave Louis Dean a trim on his hair and eyebrows - ever notice old men's eyebrows??

I 'mow' Louis Dean's!!

He took a bath and dressed up for the Father/Daughter Dance tonight at Fellowship Church.

We were sitting out on the driveway ready and waiting for Mike to pick him up!

Mike and his three daughters!

Granddaddy (Mike's dad) and Louis Dean made three father figures for the three daughters!

Look how beautiful and grown up they are!!!!

I am loving watching them as they grow from infants to toddlers to preschoolers to elementary schoolers to MIDDLE schoolers!

Such sweet girls and precious and kind!

Off they went to the dance!

I stayed busy cleaning the guest room up!

No more Christmas red in there now.

This is the top of the kitty litter house - all decked out for spring.

After I finished in there, I made a big pitcher of tea and picked some fresh mint to flavor it.

I keep thinking the winter weather has killed the mint but every year it comes back strong!!!

.

Candles have been lit today since the power was out but this one stayed lit because it smells so good.

Louis Dean is home now and he had a wonderful evening!

The girls and Mike and his dad all came in for a little visit.

My heart is full tonight as I close this journal entry.

God is good all the time and in every season of Life!