Birthdays, Decorating and Waiting for FALL!!

 Thursday was Pam's birthday (Reaoma's daughter) and we have a tradition that I bake her a special birthday cake. When I asked her what she wanted this year, she said, "Something light!"

The first thing that came to my mind was this angel food cake and strawberries and cool whip dessert!

I tried to find an angel food cake from the grocery store bakeries but gave up after going to two different ones with no luck.

So I baked my own - with a mix!!

I lost the recipe and had to do it by memory but it turned out to be delicious!

Pam came over Thursday evening to pick it up and we had a good visit - first one this year, actually!!!

How did THAT happen???

Earlier that afternoon, we had a appointment for Louis Dean to get an EKG and a heart monitor.

We met this lovely lady in the waiting room and had the nicest visit.

She is caretaker of a gentleman who is 101 years old.

Just last year he was doing his own gardening!

She was telling us about the nurse who comes in to care for her client and how she plays the violin for him. THAT grabbed Louis Dean's attention as he yearns for a violin player!

We exchanged phone numbers and we shall see what we shall see if anything comes of this.

Another sweet lady was also in the waiting room with her father (who was napping until time for his appointment) and we got to taking about canes and her father had one exactly like the doctor suggested to Louis Dean! She looked it up on Amazon and I ordered it on my phone right then and there. It will be here on Tuesday!!

And then there was ANOTHER sweet lady who sat behind us and started laughing when she heard us talking. Louis Dean was being silly and then he was called back to get his EKG and I went around to sit beside her. We had a great visit! She has 10 cats and hires someone to come in and do the kitty chores!

I was telling her about our New Mexico trip and she told me that she had just bought 15 acres there and will be building a house.

All these doctor appointments have turned out to be a lot of FUN!

At nearly 87 years of age - we are finally getting a permanent Handicapped Parking Plate and Placard.

Plate for the car. Placard for the truck.

Win! WIN!!!

Yesterday was my youngest son's birthday!!

He's the son of my old age and such a blessing to me!

I am so proud of him!!

Louis Dean and I have been staying inside the house unless we HAVE to go out as in these doctor visits.

But under cloak of darkness, we venture to either the front or, in this case, the side yard to water.

There's mounds of dry leaves piling up on the deck.....not from FALL but from the heat and lack of rain! He got out there last night and blew them all off.

The laundry room is all clean and decorated!

I guess my favorite color must be ORANGE!!!

This is the $10 cabinet Brenda found for me on Tuesday!

I lit a fresh candle in there to celebrate.

This is one I got at the thrift store - brand new and 'highly scented!'

My favorite kind!

I moved on to the kitchen yesterday and finished it today.

I'm having such a good time!

I love my kitchen!!!

Especially in the Fall and Christmas seasons.

I took up the denim rag rugs that could cause us to trip.

Staying mindful of things like that these days.

My coffee bar.

Louis Dean has his own in his music room.

Table for Two!

Sometimes LD joins me but this is where I eat my meals.

It's easy to forget the triple digit heat outside when you are surrounded by all things Fall!

That is - until you have to go outside to bring in another tub of 'debris.'

My kitchen planner station.

I have two planners - one here and one in my Bible Basket and is also my handwritten journal.

I used to have a third one - a smaller version in my purse - but I am trying to lighten my load with what I carry!

I keep track of our appointments, my to-do list and what I want to accomplish each day.

My favorite thing is crossing things OFF my list.

Although sometimes I have to CIRCLE them and draw an arrow down to the next day.

This was my last area to clean and decorate in the kitchen.

The left counter to the sink.

It's probably silly to decorate every room to the hilt - 

But it does make me happy!!!