Yesterday I prepared the camper for our leaving.
Arriving is more exciting and leaving is kind of melancholy....but we will be back in just over 2 weeks. I must have always been a country girl at heart and I have been in love with the ranch since the first time Dean invited us for a Karate event he hosted.
I'll have to look back over my photos, journals and diary and better chart my love affair with this place!
I never in my wildest dreams thought I would actually be LIVING in the country part time!
It is a Dream come TRUE!
As I prepare to leave, I make sure everything is clean and the beds are made fresh.
This time I put flannel sheets on both the 'big' bedroom bed as well as the girl bunk.
I continue to use the denim quilt I made for my 65th birthday.
Perhaps next year I will make one for my 70th!
As I told a friend on the phone the other day - I'm too old now to die young!
While I cleaned and feathered my nest,
Louis Dean watched his son work on the bathroom plumbing.
***Note that Louis Dean is watching from the 'throne?'***
I thought that was funny when a friend I had sent the photo to in a message pointed it out to me!
This was a job that proved WAY beyond what LD could do!
Son Dean came to the rescue of Daddy Dean!
He got under there in that teeny tiny space and was in such contortions I was worried how he would get up. IF Louis Dean could have got down there, there is NO way he would have been able to get out!!
But it was no problem for Dean! And I have to give him so much praise for all he did that day.
He had to quit in time to go to a Chiropractor appointment (???) and returned to working on the project as soon as he got back! Amazing! In thinking about it, we probably should have paid for that appointment!! Since we may have CAUSED it!!
When Dean came down that morning, he told me Sherry was a new mom!
TWO eggs had hatched that morning and two more had cracked open their shells and would be coming out anytime now.
***Banty eggs are in the back rows.....regular chicks in the front.***
The most exciting time was when their peafowl hatched!!!
Hopefully, there will be many more in time to come.
Remember, they are building a huge Peacock Pen!
I went down to admire the new chicks and Sherry let me hold them!
It was like holding two cotton balls!
They were just a few hours old!
The highlight of my day!
Louis Dean cried uncle!
We said our goodbyes and left - leaving Dean still working on the bathroom!
Just between you and me, age does catch up with you and it's a wise man - or lady - who can acknowledge that and let the younger generation step in and help - while still doing as much as you can.
Thank you, Dean and Sherry!
We do so appreciate you both!
Time to leave.
Louis Dean handled the gate as the wind was blowing hard.
This was a shorter stay at the ranch than usual but, then again, we will be back in a shorter amount of time. I will return with a Christmas Tree, lights, ornaments and wreathes!
Before we left I packed up all the fall things in the new room and most of the ones in the camper.
Not all. Some I want to hold on to and enjoy year round.
As is our custom, we divide the drive into two sections.
We drove the back roads to Hillsboro.....FM 939 to 31 to 171....I think.
It is a peaceful and scenic country drive.
Not much fall color - but then we don't always HAVE fall color every year.
From Hillsboro, it is I35 all the way to Dallas.
After being in the country, it felt like we were in Las Vegas with all the bright lights and traffic!!!
It was quite an adjustment to the country roads we love so well.
Home sweet home!
The first thing I did was turn on the 'pretty' lights on the porch!
We unloaded and I unpacked and then flopped into the comfy chair in the living room and admired how pretty it looked. I always feel surprised that I live in such a pretty house.
Louis Dean took a long, long hot soaking bath!
I took a wonderful hot shower!
Then we watched back to back episodes of Bull before going to bed.
Yesterday was Summer's birthday!!
She sent me this pic as we were coming home.
I am ever so thankful she is feeling better and improving!
It is slow and she continues to struggle - but it is not all consuming pain anymore - and for that I am so grateful!
It got COLD last night!!!
We were in bed before midnight with the back door open.
I got up and shut it in the middle of the night.
Louis Dean also got up in the middle of the night - to eat!
I noticed he had fried up a couple of eggs and made some toast!
I try to make sure he is full before he goes to bed but sometimes I think he is simply a night eater.
Finally our first fire of the season in the den!!!
It was lovely and I always record the date in my Country Diary.
This day called for a batch of Spiced Pumpkin Muffins!!!
Some for us to nibble with our coffee in front of the fireplace while we did our morning reading.
Some for my dear friends, Kimmy and June, who watched over our city home while we were enjoying our country home......and I took a tin full to Amber, Mike and the Quads this afternoon!!!
I met them in Dallas at the movie theater to see ....
It was so good to see them!
The last time we were together was October 9th for Quad Monday.
Five years ago.....how fast those years flew by.....
even though we didn't realize it at the time!
