Sunday, March 26, 2023

A Great Weekend!!!

 We have had a really great weekend.
Both of us had a few things we wanted to do around the house on Saturday - I was still working on laundry and Louis Dean is always organizing his room.


We met back up at lunch and watched a program in the den.
Sherry taught me how to make Spanish rice last week and my first try turned out good!
Quesadillas, refried rice, a salad and burritos rounded out the meal and when we finished eating, we both decided to take a nap!

I woke up at 4:10 and had a text from Amber.
For Christmas, she and Mike had gifted us with a Stars Hockey game with all the bells and whistles and excellent seats!!! 
She said she wanted to give us the Total Package Experience and they would pick us up at 4:30!!
Oh, my! I thought they were coming at 6:00 so we compromised with 5:00 and threw it into gear getting ready in record time!!


Here we ARE!!!!
Mike dropped us off and went on to park while we took pictures and people watched.


The very first thing they did after we went through the doors was to take Louis Dean over to the Hangar where they bought him a cool Dallas Stars cap!


We had such great seats and the game was exciting, the food good - burgers, nachos, and beer.
We had so much fun!!!
Louis Dean leaned over and told me, "This is truly magnificent!!"

This was our first big outing since the Christmas show back in December - when Louis Dean fell on our way out to the parking garage.

They were not taking any chances this time and watched him like a hawk!

We stayed in our seats until the crowd had time to clear out some before we stood up to leave.


I noticed the police officers wearing their white hats and smiled!
Remember the old westerns where the good guys always wore white hats and the bad guys wore black ones?

Since Louis Dean had been to the Father/Daughter Dance on Friday night and the Stars game on Saturday, we decided to watch church online this Sunday morning and rest up a bit!

That didn't last long - the rest, I mean!

I needed to order a new gazebo cover, rain curtains and mosquito screens but I do better when Louis Dean is sitting beside me, so I order the right thing. Two heads are better than one!
We have a 10X12 Roth and Allen gazebo from Lowe's - our FOURTH gazebo since we've been married. LD has used pieces from all of the previous gazebos to reinforce the present one and it has proved to be sturdy enough to handle the storms we've had recently.


Once we ordered the replacements, Louis Dean felt compelled to get out there and take down the tattered remains. The wind and hail of last Thursday ripped up the rest of the top and shredded some of the netting and rain curtains as well.
He decided to take down all my lights since the hail had broken so many of the bulbs.
It was a lot of hard work! He even took up the rugs and hung them out to air.
Can you see the one on the back rail of the gazebo? It's not really a rail but the parts of an iron bedstead from an old home in Commanche.
The other rug is hanging on the line to the right.
I kept checking on him to make sure he was okay.


The only way I enticed him to stop and come in was to bribe him with popcorn, an icy cold bee, and a movie!


A Harrison Ford film is always good!
This one is from 1993.....

So what did I do all afternoon??
I cleaned and prettied up our bedroom!
Before we left for the ranch, I had changed out the flannel sheets for the pretty lemon themed light ones for spring and summer.
Pretty but I didn't like the 'feel.'
I remember when Benjamin was little, he was picky about his socks.
He couldn't wear them if they didn't 'feel' right and I can so relate!
Not only the sheets but the covers were not comfortable either.

I took all that off and replaced it with the down filled comforter, over some quality cotton blend sheets, and topped it all off with a floral cover.


I had put this in the guest room but then switched it out to here and added back the pillows.
Turns out I really LIKE them!
Perhaps I just wanted a change from all the white I had for so long.
Louis Dean is on blood thinners, so all that white posed extra work using the peroxide spray on all the blood stains on a daily basis. He can just walk by something that touches his arms or hands and before he knows it - he's bleeding. 
I'm loving the feminine floral look for spring and summer of 2023.


I brought home all the vintage looking floral textiles I had used at the camper/cabin for the last few years and have found places to use them here.


Some years ago, Amber said to me, "Mom, I love how you make your home so personal and how it's designed to work for you."


“If you wait until you have enough money to decorate and make your home your own, it will never happen. If you wait until you can afford to buy everything new, you are missing the point. It is the old, the new, the hand-me-down, the collected, the worn but loved things in your home that make it your own.” —Stacy Risenmay, Not Just a Housewife


And I do love my home!
 It's an eclectic blend of all the 'Lindas' I have been through my life.
I am a collector of tangible memories and other debris!



I close tonight's journal entry with this memory of me and my sister, Nita, on this day in 2015.

All of us who love her miss her every day.....
Now instead of crying at every memory.....and I still do that sometimes.....I can smile and thank God for all the years, months and days that our sister was here with us on earth,

I recently finished the book 'My 90 Days in Heaven' by Don Piper and it has blessed me greatly, as has 'Healing After Loss' by Martha Whitmore Hickman.

All the love and prayers of so many is slowly healing parts of my heart and I thank all of you, my sweet cyber friends for your friendship, love, and concern.
I pray to God that he will hug Nita and let her know how much we love and miss her.







13 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

Louis Dean is looking really good! And so are your summer florals!

Hootin Anni said...

Love the beautiful "new" bedroom. Comforting. Oh, and the Mexican food? Yum, my favorite cuisine!!!
Great photo at the hockey game too!!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

I enjoyed this post so much, and seeing the fun and progress you are making in so many areas of your home and life. You are in my prayers still as you work through this season of grieving. I am glad to know that God is working in your heart and soul and helping you face each new day. May God continue to bless you with His peace and joy and happiness as you embrace all that He is doing in your lives.

Vee said...

Right! It's not over...your sister is still very much alive in Heaven. Glory to God!

Oh I enjoyed seeing you folks having such a fun adventure. What a great idea, Amber
and Mike!

It is always interesting how you pull so many things together to create something so lovely.

Question: Did you donate that bedding that turned how to be not quite up to snuff? I hope so!

The gazebo will be the next big project, I'm thinking.

Deanna Rabe said...

That happened one summer to a gazebo cover we had! Ripped to shreds!

Your outing with Amber and Mike looks like great fun. They are good gift givers.

I'm glad you and Louis Dean are having fun adventures. I like your bedding. It looks spring and summer ready. Your story about Benjamin and his socks reminds me of my Sarah. She had to have things feel right as well!

Nita is more alive than she ever was! Isn't that a thrilling thought!?

MadSnapper said...

i could be very happy with that coverlet that is on the bed, i thought that when I saw it in the spare room. its beautiful. I go by feel for sheets also, I said to bob, i lke the color of the other sheets best but the ones I don't like the color feel better, he said he can't tell the difference. it is great Louis Dean can still man handle that gazebo... his work keeps him happy and out of mischief. I wish bob could find something he likes to do besides TV. I love Harrison Ford, any movie he is in. I will see if I can find this one and rewatch it for the umpteenth time

Rita said...

I enjoyed your chatty post, as usual. Sorry about the gazebo, though. Love the bedroom changes. Have a great week. :)

Hena Tayeb said...

That Stars game sounds like fun... what a great present!
Love your floral bedroom.. so pretty.

Anonymous said...

You are all so busy. I love your decor. I’m glad you had such a good time.

photowannabe said...

I love all the things you do each day. You really do make your "Nest" your own.
Glad also that LD is doing well and enjoying working on projects. Just Keep an eye on him and give him plenty of "Time outs" to rest and enjoy you, popcorn and ice cold beer. Perfect therapy.
God knows your heart and speaks tender and soothing words to you. He knows what you need.
I love your thoughts that you are a collector of tangible memories and other debris...Perfect for you and for me too, I think.
(((hugs)))
Sue

Donna said...

Oh, I know you miss your sister! Her memory will always be with you...
Glad you're getting the new gazebo cover...can't wait to see...
How fun to go to the stadium....love his cap!
And you have my floral bedspread!!Lolol...the very same one!
I love it...
Have a sweet week friend!
hugs
Donna

Arlene G said...

Linda, your children are so good to you...it blesses my heart to see the joy they get from doing for yall and the joy you and LD show at being loved so well. Ben took Marvin to the March Madness games in Bham last week. He had invited me as well but I knew he and his dad needed a father son time. Marvin says I would have been petrified at the seats as they were UP HIGH. I do not like heights. I am so glad you can smile when you think of your precious sister.. Life certainly has its ups and downs and our faith will see us through.

Carole said...

Sending you good thoughts from a world away. Kia kaha