Mamaw's World

How Much Do I Love Thee

2012-01-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

I admit, I have to be difficult to live with. I Have to be as I talk a lot, as in sometime do not shut up. Today is one of those days. I talked to anyone that had time or would listen. Lab techs, Lab runners, People in the lab, as in patients. At the grocery store when an elderly lady could not figure out how to reverse her cart. No one was helping, It took me all of a few seconds to walk over and assist.
I think my sisters have figured I have days like that. (no phone answer today) Kidding!!!

So today as I am on one of my rants, (about Slavery). I am spouting information left and right and I am passionate about it.
Suddenly I stopped and apologized for being SO SO Hard to live with at times.
David said, "If you are so hard to live with, Why have I stayed with you 48 years?"
That answer took me about 15 seconds.

Sound EFX,

Silence, Crickets Chirping, Dead Silence, (from me)

""Because

I

AM

Sexy!!!.""

He grabbed me and laughed and said "you know what that makes me think of?"

I said, "No"

Again Silence, Dead silence, except him jogging his memory, (as his brain rattled)

He thought and thought for at least 30 seconds and finally said " I guess I don't know either, then , "That Lady on Golden Girls, Rue McClanahan"

Yep never heard that before!!! Like a LOT for the last 32 years.

Hey I admit it, I am difficult to listen to. I get tired of listening to me.

WRONG

2012-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

My doctors office called me earlier to say, "Sue your test are good, You go in tomorrow for the radiation Treatment."
I was so happy to have that turn out right, I know I have avoided Iodine like the plague.

Then the phone rang.
"Sue the lab ran the wrong test yesterday, I need you in today for another test. Go to our lab downstairs."
How can a test be so wrong? Well let me tell you, I should have known when I asked about one of the test reasons,.
First Clue he was Clueless.
He said he had to look it up.
Triglycerides!!
I asked why that, he then said, It shows all the levels of vitamins and minerals in your body.
That was reasonable to me, after all my body does not produce like it would, were I normal.
TG is NOT triglycerides.
It is Thyro Globulin. A test for minute cells of cancer in your body.
Oh my!!!! And they got it wrong last year too and the year before.
Dr A. was so angry at them and he even went as far as to call the lab and tell them. I in turn received an apology.
But guess what? It was too late to rerun the test because I had radioactive Iodine in my body and nothing would be accurate.
So this is the first year I have the test ran properly.
Yes I just returned from town, Having had another blood draw.
Nothing like 4 or more trips to town in a week to mess up my gasoline trend. I try to use very little and besides that, I don't like going to town.
So my gripe is over for NOW.

I need to get up and make bread. Bread to go with the fantastic soup I made last night.
Yep left overs again. But I am not a soup maker but that hit the spot.
I usually do not like soups I make, they seem wrong or bland or something.
However yesterday I boiled two chicken breasts, boneless skinless breasts. Sounds like not a lot of flavor.
I then shredded the breasts, added potatoes, onions, celery and Ms. Dash. I actually ate two bowls and David ate three.
I guess we were hungry for Something different.
I have left overs and tonight they will be accompanied by Home Made Rolls. (Which are turning out to be pretty good tasting) Even though they have no dairy.
Made with Hot water. It reminded me of the bread I made as a teen. I would get home from school, ask Mama if I could make rolls, She Always said, "YES"
I then used a quart of hot water, yeast, flour, salt and sugar. That's it.
I just remember the quart of Hot Water. I am sure,we used that much water to make the bread go further as we had a house full to feed, (today I use 1 3/4 cup)
and they were great, I can almost smell them now.
I can still hear Harold coming in the door asking, "Do I smell Yeast Rolls?"
He could smell them when he drove into the yard.
Wow!!! Sweet Memories.

And Yes I can still have the iodine therapy. YEA!!!!

Sunday night Late

2012-01-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

Yeah I erased all that. It was weird to say the least.
Think I was sleep thinking.

Sleep

2012-01-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today and Yesterday was mostly spent sitting.
I was so tired last night, I could not sleep when bedtime came.
Anyway I fixed that problem today. When I woke, I lay an hour and we talked and laughed. (That is once I was awake)
I got up and made coffee and flapjacks, Guess what? Suddenly I was so tired I had to lie back down,
I looked at the clock and it was 1 pm already. What time did I get up?
1030 or so.
That is badddddddd.
However I did make dinner yesterday, Stew and homemade rolls.
I also made an apple crisp.
There was enough for today and tomorrow. All we do is warm it up and eat. I am also eating hand fulls of cherry tomatoes and eating Oranges bananas, and apples.

I need to move more than I do, but when the mind is willing and the body weak, You have to follow your best feelings, and do what you can.
Rosie asked, "How do you feel today"
I said, "You know that brown stuff behind horses? Well that is how I feel"
Anyway I can do this, It is hard at times, food is getting better but the body aches are increasing, Every day, it Seems I have a new place to ache.
David is loving it, (not the pain, but me not finding work for him)
He is just sitting most of the time he is off and
watching
Watching,
Watching

Ready for this?
"24"

Third time now. He has NEVER liked reruns, but we have this on CD and he is hooked. We have 8 seasons of it.
Each season takes 24 hours but when the commercials are taken out. you take away at least 480 minutes or 8 hours.
So he gets 16 hours watching one season.
I do not mind, I am just not into it right now and he watches it when I rest.
And I do admit, I love 24 also, It is engrossing and tense and at times sends the stress levels over the edge. But we love it and I think Keifer Sutherland is amazing.
He and Johnny Depp are both a couple of my favorites. Depp, is so versatile. He amazes me. He does not refuse anything that may look stupid or out of his character. Why? he has set himself in no certain character. I like that.

I also love the actor Sean Penn has become. He too is versatile and dramatic.
all have won Oscars. Oscars they deserve.
Now if I could just get my eye liner on like Depp does.

Pardon the photo, I thought you would want to see me as I really am.
OK my face is puffy. I know that. My eyes are mostly closed. If you saw the entire photo, you would see several spare tires. LOL
Hair? we wont even go there. Not sure what I am doing with it, but for now it grows.

Two years ago I sent one to Jeanette of me smiling. She called and laughed and laughed.
"Sue that is not smiling, that is some sad looking smile"
I told her "I really am smiling."
That was right after getting out of the hospital from the second surgery.
We could laugh about it. Not laughing a lot this year.

I LOOK like my Mama. OH MY. That is OK she was soft and pink. I will get there.

Lord I should erase that but I didn't.
My Face looks horrible, I will be so glad when the bloat goes away.
I am staying in and letting no one see me. LOL

Orange Juice

2012-01-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

I have to dress, comb my hair, drive to the store and buy Orange Juice, I can bake with it as a flavor. Plus it helps my blood sugar when my head is out of whack. LOL (No comment from the peanut gallery.)
I am going to make Pumpkin, cranberry muffins. I burned my self out on Forgotten Cookies.
I will pick up cabbage and something else that was on my mind this AM. I just don't know what it was.
I am also going to bake a loaf or two of bread, That way I can have some leavening in my flour. Store bought bread has salt and something in the gluten. Oh I don't recall and I guess it does not matter, as long as I do not eat it.
Whoo Hoo one more week until I take my body hormone TSH, a Hormone that I am missing.
Really I miss it, Right now!!!
My body craves it. Your body would crave it too.
Every Day it gets more difficult. But I am more determined Every day. I am a fighter. Pow Pow Pow.
By evening my head is spinning and I am dizzy.
I tried to recall last year, then I remembered.
Last year I had shots at the cancer center which sent my body into HYPO. No long drawn out affair.
I said 2 weeks at first, It is two weeks prior with no thyroid med at all, 16 days with no Iodine, but you add at least three more weeks to that.
I took a medicine for 2 weeks or so of . (cytomel), which I think starts the lowering process. So it is about 5 weeks.
This year the cancer center is out, (supposedly) until 2014.
Can you believe they do not have that on hand all time?
And I do not know what the name of THAT is. I was told they were out of that big word.
I guess the old fashioned way is OK, it is just drawn out.

In closing my Word of Wisdom is,

Never Waste an opportunity to tell someone you LOVE them.

I love you all so much, at times my heart aches with a sweet love.
I did not want to miss that opportunity, we never know when those words will fall on space and you can't tell your loved ones how you feel.
I feel Love.

Mind is a Dangerous Thing

2012-01-12T21:22:00.000-08:00

At least mine is, It thinks all Time. ALL time.
I think of things to say, things to do, things I should not think. I have an inquiring mind and I want to know.
For example, Why is life as it is? Who is the serpent? (I think it is a snake or snakes)
So tonight I again watched the special on Appalachian Snake people. People who find it necessary to worship with snakes in their hands.
Yes I did read that in the Bible too, (they will take up serpents and it will not harm them) but is it literal? I just do not know and I pray God never tells me to do it. It is a promise he won't because I wont put my self in that position.
I detest snakes. Or I am disobedient. Take it either way.
Today was semi-productive. I did clean floors and table and chair legs. I actually had cob webs on the dining chairs. How sad is that?
Stripped our bed, then wished David were here so I could rest. Having him here makes me rest easier. I am not sue why, I guess it is just knowledge that he is the sentry of my home and body.

He has another three day weekend coming up and I am still out of commission. Darn it!!!
By 6 I am so tired I can barely hold my eyes open, not necessarily sleep but sort of wiped out feeling.
If I do some minor work, my arms and Legs ache.
Oh well only a few more days of this, then I can start back on my regular medicine. Get my body back on track.
It is not so bad, but I am hungry for something. Tonight I had all fresh veggies, Green beans, Cabbage, Broccoli, Salad and a baked potato with nothing but salt and pepper.
Oh yes a Matzo, Gotta have those Matzo breads.
Right now I just need to talk and someone is asleep. Not me.
I am concerned about my Nephew and rightfully so.
I am more concerned about my Brother. He is the one left behind to mourn. No JR is not gone yet but it looks like only a matter of a short time.
They need help with the expenses and I would love to donate my casket but David says," Not a good idea." Besides it is brushed rose with a rose in the head piece and roses on the handles.
Honestly I would not mind giving him my interest in it. Which is paid for.
But you know me, I would give away the farm if I could and now I want to give away my death chamber.
I have no stopping place on donations. I am working on that part of me. I have to stop giving away when I do not have to give.
It is just so difficult to see someone in need but I am often reminded, "Sue you can not save the world"
But I want to.
So with that I think I will start cutting out neutral fabrics to make blocks.
I can do that. Maybe but I am pretty sleepy. I may just mess that up too.

Budget

2012-01-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

We for the first time EVER post every penny we spend. David set up our budget on a spread sheet, I wanted him to. We talked we agreed, lets see where we are spending.

Where does our money go?
Well half if it goes on the house. That is a given.
Half a month later and I am still broke.
I do not get it.
I want to buy some fabric but that is frivolous.
I Can not bring myself to spend anything I absolutely do not need to spend.
"Make do or Do Without"
I am trying that policy. Wonder how that will work out.
It is pretty interesting, but we are being dishonest by not doing what we ordinarily do.
Or are we (me) being smart?
Like Me, Fabric Shop.
Soon enough ,the pool will need things, the garden will have needs, the yards will need feed, I will need a perm, Medication is up in the air as to cost.
I have eliminated a lot of bills, well a couple. dropped a phone line, dropped cell service, combined ATT with Direct TV to save 5 a month. Order my expensive medications from Canada to save a FORTUNE. Three months pills for the price of one month here. I am adding another to the list this week.
I hear Avapro is going generic, but I have yet to see it and 60 a month is ridiculous when I can get 90 days for 38 from my mail order pharmacy.
And in case some of you think this is not good. If you know me at all, You know my health is important to me, I would not do this on a whim, (order from Canada)
My cardiologist suggested it. How is that for a good reference?
In fact I talked to them yesterday and they have David and I set up for another year in refills.
So be proud of me, I am used to just getting what I need and most I want. It is hard to break 46 years of being frivolous.

We want a vacation. That is a goal. Looks like it is going to be difficult to make it.
We Will, We Will.
Why? Because David says I must choose between a garden and a trip. Not a fair choice. I want both.
Lets see, Give up fresh melons, squash, corn, beans, radishes, lettuce, okra, peas, carrots, for a trip. Why cant I do both?
Because I have to be here to attend to watering and picking and weeding.

In a lighter note, my older, not oldest, grandchildren, who will be 15 and 18 in 2012, want two weeks here this summer. Maybe other Mamaw and Us can swing it.
I think so. I hope so,
I told Sheri to put a sign on them stating, "Unsupervised Children"
They are both 5'10", and look like they could be twins, only one is built like a football player and the other like a model.

I will love having them here.
They will probably never get out of the pool.
(note the last two sentences are positive.) Think positive, Think positive.
Sheri can I say that on my blog, If not, take it off. LOL

Thoughts and Stickers

2012-01-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

Saw this on truck, "Got er Did"

Thought, "Up an at em, Adam Ant"

Roy singing, song from cartoon with a flea singing, "Oh there's food around the corner, food around the corner, food around the corner for me" (the flea just found a dog)

"Wascally Wabbit"

Sign Held by Wylie Coyote"Apex Dynamite"

"DY NO MITE!" from a show, can't recall the Name.

"What ya talking bout Louis?"

"Sock it to me" Goldie Hawn on SNL.

"You never know whats in a box of chocolates until you taste it" Forrest Gump.

"There's a Hole in the Bucket Dear Liza"

"A stitch in times Saves nine."

"Pretty is as Pretty Does"

"Wrong Way Boulfard" (Bye bye Birdie)

Rosie singing , "I got yummy in my tummy and I feel like loving you." Mama stopped that song.

Pam (my niece talking to her Grandma, Hands on hips, hips twisting,)
"Hoochie Coochie Grandma What cha doing?" (again trouble, Thanks to her Uncle David)

"Get out of my Way!!!." Jeanette's T shirt. (And you better)

"Touch of Ass" On my shirt I wore to work, my name tag had covered the CL-ass. Man was I embarrassed?

"If he ever gets married a Girl will have to chase him down and tackle him,"
Referring to Ken, And Kris did just that. LOL
14 years later and 6 babies later, they still respect each other and adore those babies.
Kens favorite saying, "It is What it IS"

David's favorite saying, "Remind me tomorrow"

"Great Day in the Morning" My first SIL, Denalda, always said that.

"Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today?"

"Give someone else your Smile, It is contagious."

"Do Not let someone else choose your attitude today."

Write Thank you Notes, Or a call would help.!!!! ( from me)

"Never deprive someone of Hope, it might be all they have."

"Wear Out, Don't Rust Out!"

Oh OH Good one " Let people know what you stand for, and what you won't stand for!!"
Song, "you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything, You got to be your own man not a puppet on a string."

"If tomorrow Never comes, Will you know how much I LOVE YOU?"

"Bring your love to light inside of me"
"You put the light in me,"

Respect Tradition!!!!

That's all Folks, (Porky Pig)

Sadness

2012-01-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

Today my Nephew is not doing well, at all. In addition that puts my younger brother in deep sadness.
JR has fought spinal cancer for about 8 years, He has been paralyzed for 2 of those years.
He is only early 40's. So young, So Sick.
Today all he wants to do is sleep. He is on high doses of morphine.
I can only pray my brothers heart does not break any more than it has already.
Recall, A few years ago, his Youngest son was killed by a STUPID hunter.
As we talked he said, "I am sitting right here in my kitchen looking at my Son's Headstone, I cant do that again."
Roy donated land to the church and has rights to interment on the property. Therefore he has put one son on the corner of his property so he can watch over him.
Literal stupidity is the reason people die in hunting accidents.
I do NOT like guns.
So I ask for each of you to pray for this situation.
We hear God knows and sees all, but does he see the suffering of my loved ones?
It is OK to ask that!!!!
Is it OK to ask that??????
Does he want Roy to say, "OK Son you can go from my arms into the arms of God?"
Roy told me "I just can't say, " it is OK for you to go, I can't I can't."
Well I think I would have a hard time too, I am not sure I could do it.
However I told him, "Roy, JR is not living he is existing, He would not want this, and if it were you, Would you want to live like that?"
Of course the answer is NO, and I knew that, words are easy to say, Hard to live by.
Prayer is much needed for this family.
I only wish I were there to comfort them but that is an impossibility. Or is it?
I am there in spirit and Love and Roy knows that.

Count your Blessings, I am right now, Thankful for Healthy adult Children.

I feel

2012-01-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary, not Dairy.

I feel not so great today. Every day I seem to sink lower and lower, physically.
Physically challenged and some days mentally challenged.
I should be a bone but instead I am packing on pounds. Darn Thyroid (or lack of)
I did not gain last year, I dont think. Oh well two more weeks to go. What will I be on the 20th.
I can be like a Dick and Jane book.

See Sue Stand

See Sue Fall

See Sue Roll.

Sue stood, fell and rolled.

Probably not but I feel bloated, Bad feeling, Could be laziness on my part.

All I really want to do is lie back down.

My eyes look like droopy slits.

I need my Sons, my Daughter my Sisters. (all three of them)

I want my Mommy.

I sat up late last night (11:00) and embrodiered, My thread kept knottin.

I finally lay it aside until a better day. Maybe today, I can concentrate.

Mama always said, "If your thread knots, someone is talking about you."

STOP IT!!!! PLEASE.

I have things to work on.

I should get up and mop floors, scrub bathroom floors, vacumn.

And I probably will, NOT!

So Yesterday I bought Matzos.

It is bread. HA!!!

9 loaves in a box 2 inches thick.

The box is 2 inches thick.

(It says, not for passover use)

Then what the heck is it for?

As I opened the box, and took a bite, I thought this is nothing but flour, water, and oil.

I was 100% right. (with a little malt added for color I guess)

I thought of the Bible and Unlevened bread.

Not a good thing, (unleavened bread that is)

I also thought, "If I have a glass of wine with this, This could be like the "Last Supper"

If I had to eat bread like that all time, I may just give it up.

I am Southern and I Can't eat without bread. I even have bread with my Chocolate pudding.

If I had chocolate pudding.

I have bread with my dumplings and dumplings are a form of bread.

I guess you are tired of my griping and whining.

I will close Dear Diary and Wish I had Dairy.

Dearest Ones, Wons, Try This,

2012-01-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

If you can pronounce correctly every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world.

I had so much fun doing this. I work on pronunciation. I guess I always have.
Have the kiddos read it, It will work the brain.
The english language is the most difficult to grasp but look at Us, Americans, We can do it.
(Well some of us can.)
After trying the verses, a Frenchman said he’d prefer six months of hard labour to reading six lines aloud.

Dearest creature in creation,

Study English pronunciation.

I will teach you in my verse

Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.

I will keep you, Suzy, busy,

Make your head with heat grow dizzy.

Tear in eye, your dress will tear.

So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,

Dies and diet, lord and word,

Sword and sward, retain and Britain.

(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)

Now I surely will not plague you

With such words as plaque and ague.

But be careful how you speak:

Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;

Cloven, oven, how and low,

Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery,

Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,

Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,

Exiles, similes, and reviles;

Scholar, vicar, and cigar,

Solar, mica, war and far;

One, anemone, Balmoral,

Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;

Gertrude, German, wind and mind,

Scene, Melpomene, mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with ballet,

Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.

Blood and flood are not like food,

Nor is mould like should and would.

Viscous, viscount, load and broad,

Toward, to forward, to reward.

And your pronunciation’s OK

When you correctly say croquet,

Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,

Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour

And enamour rhyme with hammer.

River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,

Doll and roll and some and home.

Stranger does not rhyme with anger,

Neither does devour with clangour.

Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,

Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,

Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,

And then singer, ginger, linger,

Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,

Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query does not rhyme with very,

Nor does fury sound like bury.

Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.

Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.

Though the differences seem little,

We say actual but victual.

Refer does not rhyme with deafer.

Fe0ffer does, and zephyr, heifer.

Mint, pint, senate and sedate;

Dull, bull, and George ate late.

Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,

Science, conscience, scientific.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven,

Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.

We say hallowed, but allowed,

People, leopard, towed, but vowed.

Mark the differences, moreover,

Between mover, cover, clover;

Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,

Chalice, but police and lice;

Camel, constable, unstable,

Principle, disciple, label.

Petal, panel, and canal,

Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.

Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,

Senator, spectator, mayor.

Tour, but our and succour, four.

Gas, alas, and Arkansas.

Sea, idea, Korea, area,

Psalm, Maria, but malaria.

Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.

Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian,

Dandelion and battalion.

Sally with ally, yea, ye,

Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.

Say aver, but ever, fever,

Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.

Heron, granary, canary.

Crevice and device and aerie.

Face, but preface, not efface.

Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.

Large, but target, gin, give, verging,

Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.

Ear, but earn and wear and tear

Do not rhyme with here but ere.

Seven is right, but so is even,

Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,

Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,

Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation (think of Psyche!)

Is a paling stout and spikey?

Won’t it make you lose your wits,

Writing groats and saying grits?

It’s a dark abyss or tunnel:

Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,

Islington and Isle of Wight,

Housewife, verdict and indict.

Finally, which rhymes with enough,

Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?

Hiccough has the sound of cup.

My advice is to give up!!!

English Pronunciation by G. Nolst Trenité

Sunday Sunday

2012-01-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

Again missed church, Woke with my head roaring. My face is puffy. I cant find food to eat that I want, so I have to make my own bread.
Which is not a problem but when you cant use dairy, it does make a difference.
I feel like a big bloated whale.
As we sat drinking our coffee and eating our flavorless coffee cake and orange, I became philosophical.

(Yeah Whats new?) I love philosophy.

You know we sit, (all of us do) we plan our meals, we plan tomorrow, we plan our finances, we plan our gardens, we plan our vacations, we plan everything.
Why can we not just Be?
I told David, "You know we sat here and talked and planned all this, but in two weeks, I could be told, "The Cancer has spread"
Then all our planning is for nothing.
Do I think it is, NO!!!
But in the entire scheme of our lives, Our plans are nothing.
They become as a vapor in the wind, Here and gone, Never to be seen or thought of again.
Because Life, at the moment we are living in, is passing us by.
One phone call, one word, one lack of breath can send all our plans into oblivion.
One such call or word can send us to our knees.

Now to be more like me.

And I am LAZY.
David said, If I lay in bed long enough, it will be time for my nap,.
Funny Guy, Smart Alec, Patient , Not sure how he deals with me at times.
Lazy Lazy.
Lazy

If Patsy Cline were hypo, she'd be singing this song...

Lazy

I'm lazy from being so hypo

I'm lazy

Lazy and feelin' so blue

I knew

I'd probably have a few symptoms

And then someday

They'd leave me for somebody new

Worry

Why do I let myself worry

Won-drin'

What did my T-S-H do

Lazy

And thinkin' that I'd love a nap too

I'm lazy, not tryin'

Lazy, and cryin'

And I'm lazy and feelin' blue

Thats my Chair

2012-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

As I bounded out of my chair, I ran to David and jumped on his lap.
I said, "That's my chair, No one get it while I am getting water!"
He laughed and said, "No this is your chair" Meaning his lap.
(anyway who would get my chair? (meaning my club chair) we have lots of space and it is just him and me.)

It began as a child wanting to save my chair because I had LOTS of brothers and sisters and we all seemed to have the same favorite chair.

When any of us got up, we yelled, "Save my Place" or That's my Chair No one get in it."
But the problem was my older brother, Leonard.
He wanted that chair ALWAYS. It was like he had his name on it.
He would turn it to the television, prop his feet up on the table, take out his cigarettes, and order us to bring him coffee or something. His floor stand ash tray was always right beside his arm.
Sometime I would decide to clean while just to bug him, I would vacuum, I would dust and in doing so I had to dust under the television table. He would have to move, get out of the way or something that irritated him. I would dump his ash tray, (He never did). Then to be a smart Alec He would say, "Hey Sue, You missed a spot." I was meticulous but he did not get the chair long. I was in his way of his show.
Oh fun times.
He was 6' 2" and I was 5 feet tall. Guess who, more than once got picked up and moved out of the chair? Kicking and screaming. !!!!!!
As David and I laughed about it, I asked if he had that in his family.
He said "No we did not have any chairs."
I said, "Oh really How about kitchen chairs?"
"Well we had old rubber inner tube chairs."
I laughed as I could picture inner tubes lined up to sit on. He then explained .
"In fact they were old straight back chairs with inner tube woven through the seats, after the cane bottoms were worn out."
I then said, "So they could come in for chairs or did you have them at the dining table all time."
I teared up as he said, "If we sat at the table there was no food on there to eat, so why go in there."
OH MY that hurt my heart. I do not know how they survived.
If my Mama had only known she would have sent food to them all time.
We never went cold or hungry.
He tells of one vivid memory, They had pinto beans for dinner, thats it, beans.
His mom saved the fat back out of the beans and made it into a breakfast gravy.
Surely they had biscuits. Southerners just can not eat without bread.
So when you think times are hard or maybe your cupboards are more bare than you like, Just remember this.
That is why he so appreciates EVERYTHING he has.
And he always says,
"If need be I could do it again as I know how to survive on Nothing but family"

So in closing.

"That's my Chair," And" Please Pass the Biscuits"

Showing house

2012-01-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

Today, in fact in 1 hour the house is going to show. YEAH RIGHT!!!
I had to do some quick pick up last night and David cleaned showers and toilets this AM.
That is all they get.
Quickie.
Me, I am going to dress and leave here in about 45 minutes.
What if they have the flu or cough or whatever? I will just go somewhere and sit and sit.
No I am going to a print shop for Clip Art.

News Flash
If you have not read it or I did not say it already.
I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! facebook Rodelle winner.
Runner up, but a win is a win. I win a years supply of Rodelle cocoa and Vanilla beans.
Maybe something else but I did not hear the rest as I was celebrating.

I won with the story of myself trying to dissolve nuts in my fudge at least 30 years ago, then in December my Son did the exact same thing.
We laughed , "Well the apple does not fall far from the tree"
Kitchen time is the Best of times.
And all my children are good cooks.
Yes my boys cook and they are amazing. Charles and Ken make Truffles, and all kinds of candy. They make entire meals, balanced meals sometime.
Far from the TV dinners they ate when Mom had to work late or had to travel.
Sheri, Well goes without saying, She is a genius at making her own recipes. She tries things I never would do and they are great.
Now I see her children cooking for their siblings and my Granddaughter loves to bake.
She bakes often.
D cooks full meals pretty often also.

So I guess our Family time in the kitchen payed off. I am proud of their abilities as chefs, cooks or sandwich makers.

I do not think I ever said, "Go find something to do so I can make dinner."
I said, "Here Can you help me with that?"

Stephen Tyler

2012-01-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

Did anyone else watch that segment, on OWN. Oprah Winfree Network?
OH my goodness I was impressed.
I was never an Arrowsmith fan, but I was a fan of the lyrics he wrote.

" Walk this Way"

Or this one.

"I don't want to close my eyes,

I don't want to fall asleep,

cause Id miss you babe and I don't want to miss a thing."

Many more.
But in watching this I am now a Stephen Tyler fan.
He is humble, Woodsy, Real Human, Not a rocker with no feelings.
Not that rockers have no feelings but his are OUT THERE!!!!
He is honest and sincere. I loved what he said about Death and helping someone pass over.
Man he read my mind.
American Idol did good, bringing him in to fill in for "Grouch" (Tyler words)
He stated he could not be like that, What were they wanting from him?
He brought nice to the show.

If it ever replays, Watch it, You will get a new insight into his life and the lives of expectations of Rock Legends.
Hey they are just humans.

The sweetest thing he ever did for his wife, (when asked)
She said, "He took 4 days off tour to go to Canada to visit my dying Grandmother"
A grandmother he never met until that day.

Now that is sweet and considerate and a true believer of family.

Its a New Day

2012-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Its a new day, its a new day of the Lord.
Recall that song?

I just stepped on the scale. ~~DAMN~~ I have gained three pounds this week.
How is that possible? I eat little.
Really I do, It has to be the thyroid. I am freaking out.
I have eaten a lot of the meringue cookies as there is little I can eat as most has to be homemade and I am LAZY.
My breakfast consist of an orange muffin.
Lunch is non existent and dinner I eat a full meal. Last night 2 ozs beef, half a yam and a plate of broccoli.
Now that was good.
However I have to cook everything today, We have been eating off left overs for a while. Even the potatoes were cooked two days ago.
I DON'T WANNA COOK!!!!

Actually I am feeling pretty good, I am 4 days into this so far so good. Only 12 to go until the blood testing, then 14 to the radiation, then 16 to the scan and I am done, Done Done.
If I gained three in four days in twenty I will gain, 15. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. I will eat just veggies.
I have a lot of anxiety but what is NEW with that?
I stumble a lot, and that is new. I looked like a drunk while talking to a young man in town yesterday.
When I sleep at night I sleep deep.
Yesterday I hurt my self, I had reached up to grab a case of Green tea, I think that is when it began.
My right arm hurt, I had horrible pain in my upper right, back, quadrant, Right around my liver.
It hurt, Even to raise my leg to climb on the bed to lie down, It was a yelp pain.
It went away. Just gone.
WHAT was that? I can bet David was praying for me, He has such tremendous faith.

Me thinks Old Age is Ridiculous.
Me Knows God is Real and An Ever Present Help in time of trouble.

So I think what needs to happen is just this
, "KRIS, SHERI, SHELLE, KEN, CHARLES, LOU ELLEN POST TO YOUR BLOG.
Please pardon the poor English in my post today, I am sure my Home scholar , English proficient English Major will correct me.
We do that. It actually keeps me on my toes. Thanks Sher.

Yes I Can

2012-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

Why that today? I just feel low, so I tell myself that so I can get out of my doldrums and get things done.
I am at a, Don't care stage right now.
Some days I feel uncertain of the future. I hide it my feelings as I do not want to choose somone elses attitude for them.
Some days I spout my uncertainty for the world to hear,
And some days I say, "It will be All right"
Even though my heart says "How?"

When really What will All Right Be.
Regardless of the outcome "It will be All Right,"
Why Because some things we Can not Fix.
Life is in the hands of God. I am sure we are all unsure of our futures at times, Mine seems more unsure than most people I know.
Oh I will live, But where does God want me, or does he even care where I am?
Will I lose my spouse of 48 plus years and just freeze up or will I survive,
Will he survive if the table is turned?

I do not know but God knows who, when, where. Or does he?
Does he even care about our small petty problems?
He has big ones to solve,
He is wanting more followers and doers than he is wanting sayers and slow pokes in his army.

I know the reason for my attitude ,I have the uneasys. LOL LOL
That is something that an old friend offered another elderly friend.
"A little Easer to get her to sleep"

Yesterday Lou and I laughed for over half an hour about our lives. Not that they are bad, but they are now funny.
We see what we face and sometime it is so funny, you just drop down and Laugh with no abandon.
Our Men are getting so deaf, I usually say, "third times a charm" Then he hears me.
It is funnier when he tries to repeat what I say.
But let me say this, for a 73, almost 74 year old he is in great condition.
His legs hurt, He cant think sometime, He loses words, He can see not further than the moment he is living in. (maybe that is a great thing).
I envy his outlook at times and sometimes I remind him,"We have each other and that matters more than silver or gold"
We compliment each others down or up times.

But he never loses his balance in the check book, to the Penny.
"Old Accountants never die, They just lose their balance,"
Does not apply here.

We had two weeks of just lying around, keeping Jammie's on and eating what we have.
I told David, "You know,I know I need things from the store, but I then think, "Make do or Do Without"
He tells me we Have to go.
It is not like we have no food here, It is just unforgiving to my sensitive nature to food.
For example we took a trip out on New Years Eve. As I approached the check out, the clerk began coughing, Deep from the lungs rough,raspy cough.
I said, "That sounds Unhealthy"
She responded with "I get this every year."
The more I thought of it the more irritated I got. I told David "You have to handle the check out as I cant take a chance right now."
I backed out of the check counter without being within 5 feet of her.
Poor girl, I know she was working miserably sick.

But God gave me brains to take care of my self. So I am doing just that. I am avoiding people like the plague. If I could be around illness, I would go see my Angels in another town close by.
Man I miss them. Terribly. I want HUGS from my Grand babies.
I want to see Kian waving his little hands going "Hi Ma, Hi Pa"
He call us Ma and Pa. We call him Zoom Zoom.

All day long Mamaw sat,

And sat and sat.

sort of like

the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat.

I bet my Hiney is spreading. I for one,am not going to look.

Anyway when talking to Ken this weekend. I said, "Did you know D spent the entire night out this weekend." I said it as a startle.
He said, "No I did not."
I then explained it was all good, He was on Youth Group Lock out and ice skating, paint ball or laser fighting and bowling and eating.
I have to brag, I know no youth who spend their first few months,with the new found freedom (drivers license) going to church and volunteering to help at church.
That is commendable and button bursting.

Ken and I then laughed at the way some will possibly react to this freedom.
We could be wrong but Ken Said, "Kian, better known s Zoom Zoom will be driving 80 down the road, telling him " Hey dad I'm driving 80, catch me if you can."
They all have diverse personalities and You have to love each for themselves.
So in answer to K at this early date, 'Yes we can catch you."

K is the Last of this Generation of McLe's. I do believe everyone of the sons, then Grandsons of Ulysses and Rue are through having children, Now we wait for the next generation to progress.

Find a New Recipe a Month Club

2012-01-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hopefully everyone will join me in this and lets bake together, although apart.

Hopefully I will add to this.
I found a recipe in my ThyCa cookbook that is so good.
Cookieeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssss!!!!
Make these at night!!!!

It is called the

Forgotten Cookie.

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat two egg whites with a pinch of salt (I had to use plain) until stiff.

Slowly add 1/2 cup of sugar and I tsp vanilla,

(For a variety of flavors try orange, coconut, Maple, Lemon, whatever you like)

Beat until stiff peaks form.

(I use my wire whip on my Kitchen aid)

Fold in 1/2 cup or more cut of chopped nuts.

Drop by TEASPOONS onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

TURN OVEN OFF!!!!

Place cookies in oven and forget about it.

Leave overnight.

Tomorrow morning you have a great snack or cookie ..

I thought about adding coconut but it has salt in it. So I will stick with un salted nuts.

I am sure I will vary the flavors of these cookies over the next two weeks.

These will be a nice addition all year to my quick baking.

End of the Year

2011-12-30T10:52:00.000-08:00

I can not believe today is the 30th.
Where did the year go? It seems only yesterday I was taking down the tree from 2010. Instead I was taking down the tree from 2011.

My plans for the year are minimal.
Sewing, I found this amazing AMAZING fabric. It is subtle trees on the background.
The fabric is a light to medium tan.
My plans,!!
I plan to trace houses in the forest and embroider them.
There will be fences, trees outlined but most in the background as a forest.
Smoke will be coming from chimneys.
The town will, of course, include a church.
And I have the perfect one to embroider,
Sardis Church in Sparkman Arkansas , One My Mom attended as a young girl.
The houses will be copies of the ones I lived in as a child. Most were backed by forest.
(If not, they will be on my quilt)
The inner blocks will be Flying Geese and Bear tracks and Arkansas Crossroads.
Oh of course I have to find a place for a ferry, Somehow I will find the spot to run a river in blue.
I have it in my mind, now to get it on paper and fabric.

It will be my Memory quilt.
So that is a plan. I have two others or is it three started?
One of them I need one more red print on white. I will know it when I see it.
Then I can get it together. It must all mesh before I can begin.
Another one is an offset star quilt with the names and birth and death dates of loved ones.
I made the pattern from several I found.
It too is waiting for me to finish, I made one star,
had to rip it out as I offset the star in the wrong direction.
I have never liked ripping out.

If only I would sit and accomplish my tasks.
I spent last night going through old photos to find the pictures of the houses and church.
I think I have them all.

So with that I will get moving and take my car in for service. Oh did I tell you, It is the battery>
YEA. And get this Schwaub did not have a battery like my car uses, in stock.
And if they did, It was going to cost more than one at Ford dealership.
So out the door I saved money by them being out of stock.
My car will be so happy, new life, tires rotated, Oil Change.
At least it was not something major.
Thank God for answers to prayers,
If is does do a major thing It has to before August 8, That is when my warranty expires, That or 60000 miles and I am only at 35000.
So I am saying August will be here before mileage.
So that is how my year will end.
Car service, Ornaments put away and start my Thyroid, no iodine diet.
Year beginning I have an entire week lined up for testing and pills.
Not a big deal, I expect nothing but perfection in the test.

Positive thinking around here.

Happy New Year to All.

Finding MY Joy

2011-12-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

My daughter at Shadesofpink.com posted about "Finding Her Joy"
It sent me into a wonder of joy in my life, It brought back many joys and tears.
I have witnessed and enjoyed over my 65 years.
There are too many to mention,
Sheer joy at playing in fresh rain, spring fed ditches.
The joy of Mama letting us go barefooted when she felt the ground was warm enough.

The first Daffodils of summer, Oh how I loved seeing the first blooms. (I still do)
The first Crept Myrtle. Trees slowing leafing out and the majesty of the shades of green in a tree.
Seeing my Moms laundry hanging on Many clotheslines after being washed in a wringer washer and jeans scrubbed in a wash pot.
Fresh plowed soil, cool and moist from winter coolness but warm enough to sprout seeds.
The old mule and the old colored gentleman Mama always called to plow for us.
(Mama always knew who to call)
Oh my, I almost forgot the "Fruit Peddlers and door to door salesmen"
Yes we had all of them, L. B. Price Mercantile, Watkins dealers, Mason shoe dealers, and I loved when the dealers arrived with loads of peaches and strawberries.
The ice Man, We had an ice Man, He was George Rudkins, He delivered huge blocks of ice for our Ice Box. That was before we had a refrigerator.
The farmers actually went door to door to country people so they could have the fresh produce too.
The joy of a trip to my grandparents. it was a long trip with 8 children seated in the old car but "We were going to Grandma and Grandpas"
I recall the joy of us kids all singing as we drove on through the night, sometime.
The joy of waiting for Santa,
The joy of having someone to share a bed with when the old Arkansas winters were so cold.
Our only source of heat was a wood heater placed in the living room.
Rosie and I or Jeanette and I always shared a bed and warmed each other with our hands or feet.
Joy Sheer Joy of life is often taken for granted.

It, as she said, May be flannel sheets on cold windy nights.
It may be the joy of watching your Children discover life but the greatest joy We shared.
We watched as our Children gave their hearts to Jesus.
We shared a Joy,only a Christian can know,when you feel secure in your decision to take your children to church and Let them learn, Not push them to learn of God.

I am sure many more joys await us, and some days we may have to look deeply for joy but it will be there. In the smiles, in the Laughter, in the hearts of everyone we meet.

Year in Review

2011-12-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

January---Nothing
February---"
March---"
April----
May----
June----
July----
August---We finally got to take a trip to Lassen with Ken and Kris. We played in snow and had a picnic and they loved it. I was so proud to show the kids, "My Lassen"
Sept----Lost a BIL.
October---Nothing
November---Nothing
December---Nothing.
You get the picture, Not a lot going on around here.
I guess we can say we lead a pretty quiet life. Nothing happened this year that was memorable.
As David and I lay in bed yesterday, we thought and thought and thunk some more.
We could think of nothing to talk about for the year.
That is good. No hospital to go to, no major illnesses, just breezing through life.
We did recall we lost a BIL in September.
My little sis and I talked over an hour last night and she is still so lost.
I am sure it will be this way for a long time.

2012, we hope is different, we would love a trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Maybe drive the Mustang on a long trip. Not as comfortable as the Grand Marquis so maybe not that. We need a long road trip.
We plan to save for that. A trip to Washington sometime.
Maybe someone could come visit us, Ark's and Oaks, hear that? We would love anyone to come stay a while. We have space. You all need the sunshine.

A Garden. Yep I want a garden this year.
I missed all my Clean- Fresh- Produce.
Having food to share.
I plan to take my Rose Garden out.
It requires too much trimming and I was not a good keeper of the soil last year.
That is a sin to me. I may just move it to the old trailer space. More sun, More space, Spaced further apart. I can do it.
My rose area can become a flower garden.

Working on the garage to make it into a work (sewing room, office, extra bedroom) area/living area.
Lots of swimming when the heat hits our area.

All I want this year is for my husband to be able to stay home and totally retire.
That would be a blessing. A Huge Blessing.

Life is Beautiful, The world is Amazing and The Blessings of God surround us.

I just want to live Thankful.

My Car

2011-12-27T12:32:00.001-08:00

Is puny. It has made strange noises when I try to start it the last couple of months.
Not all time, just occasionally,
Thank God it is still under warranty. It goes in Friday to have a check up.

Dinner

2011-12-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

The dinner for the Men, David takes care of went Great.
Great with a few exceptions but those exceptions were man made or should I say, Woman Made.
I made a huge dinner of

Glazed Spiral Ham, (10 lb)

Creamed yams with orange glaze,

Green beans drained and simmered slowly with browned bacon. seasoned with Salt and Pepper.

Fruit salad with tropical fruit and Dream whip.

Rolls,

Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream

Dave and I donated huge tray of cookies, candy, and Cranberry Bliss Bars. (my daughters recipe)

I arrived early to set the tables up. David had put my table cloths on them and set up the food table with my red table cloth.
It looked really nice. I spread gold chains and candles on each table to give it a festive mood.
A tree was suspended on a table using fishing line. It was made entirely of ornaments and I found it enchanting.

The guys loved the food so much, I kept hearing "this is the Best food I ever had"
Of course I am sure it was some rehearsed but it still felt good.
Ri the younger, young man, (he calls David Grandpa) leaned over to look at me and said,
"Susie, Can I call David Grandpa."
I said, "Absolutely you can, He actually loves it"
He was so happy. He kept laughing and saying, "I can call you Grandpa, I love you Grandpa"
I told David he just made a young mans Christmas.
Ry (high function autistic but we love him) was so sweet that day.
R usually walks around playing video games and he sees not much out of his realm. First time I met him he barely spoke until I discovered his game and knew that was his interest. We became instant friends.
Both of these young men came in to see me as soon as they knew I was there.

To culminate the dinner, we had a super surprise. It warmed my heart.
R, the 24 year old Autistic, Said, "I think we need a toast." When we all agreed, he raised his glass and said, "I am thankful for the Day Program and the food and I want to toast to a long and sunlight filled life to Dave and Sue"
"Here Here" was heard from all over the room and it was the sweetest thing ever to happen to us.

Now that made my day, my week, my year.

The negatives, well they are gone now but once you get under my southern skin about handing out food, You are on my bad side.
Food was being limited and I resented that as I made plenty.
In fact food was taken to the houses that night for another dinner.
Food to a Southerner is NEVER an issue. We never say, "Finish what you have first" (green beans)
After all we see food as comfort and happiness and a basic human need.
When I heard that, my hackles raised and I told David, "Ry Wants more ham. Please"
He took care of the situation but I was ranting to David when he came home.
He knew how I felt about handing out food.
One staff even went as far as to say, "They are Grandparents. they treat them like they are 5 years old and they spoil their grandchildren"
I responded with "You bet I do, and love every minute of it"
One past manager , (who also left to bring her sis over for dinner (both uninvited) and threw us really late) wanted to take 4 plates of food home. Now that was not in the cards either. This food was for the less fortunate.
She could make her own. They could not.
The manager said, "No it goes to the house"
Yea Boss!!!!!

So with all the stress going on I felt lighter for taking care of these sweet, underprivileged men and boys.

All they need is Love.

All they need is Love, Love,

All they need is Love.

AND COMPASSION.
I Thank God daily for giving me a heart to serve.

P.S. The entire meal cost $75. and it served over 25 people. Not bad for a home cooked meal.
We figured total spent was less than 3 per person.

Planet Earth

2011-12-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

I watched Planet Earth last night. David slept. What is new?
I wanted to share it with him but he can't help falling asleep.
So I will share with you, the glorious Earth we live on.
At least part.

This show was about the Forest of the world.
There is a bug in South America, (Cicada) It only rises from death every 17 years.
Wow how amazing is that?
One night it will begin crawling out of the earth beneath the trees, Its one goal in life is to climb and procreate.
This bug has 24 hours to metamorphose into a flying bug. It sheds it larva and begins to fly.
The year of the Cicada, Every creature in the forest has a full stomach .
This in itself is a miracle as food is not always plentiful for the wild life..
They are very noisy, and all the animals come to eat. They are fat and clumsy, the ones that drop into the water are eaten by frogs and turtles.
When their cycle is over, they all drop to the forest floor and die and the trees are given nourishment again.
This happens once every 17 years.
I sat in wonder and amazement at the Love of God and how he takes care of each of us.

The Deciduous trees of North America , Now that is amazing too,
When fall comes and the color changes to Red, The color can be seen from outer space.

Conifers, The Redwoods, (of course I speak of California trees).
It has been a while since I was there and the sheer magnificence of these trees is not taken for granted.
They are amazing.
One Grove in California houses the three biggest in the world.
In Sequoia Park stands the Tallest tree and it is called the General Sherman.
Sher this may give you an idea for an assignment.
The Cicada, I bet G would love to research that one.

Sleep Blessed Sleep

2011-12-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

I JUST woke up. It was again a fitful sleep but I slept, bad dreams, angry dreams, and stressful dreams. What is that?

I Must get this house cleaned up, for the holidays. It is not bad, just needs adjusting, as in putting away vacuum hose, picking up stuff, putting away my space bags, and dusting. Not a lot just something that needs done.
David made sure the kitchen was ready for me to work in today. He knew I had plans to bake, and I do!
It is just not decided when I will move off my ~~ass~~ Heine, and get it done.

I know what is wrong, I missed lying in bed listening to K-Love for an hour.
I will go back and do just that.
After all I have ALL DAY!!

Time to Plan

2011-12-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

We have been eliminating things we do not need.
Like cell phone, Internet upgrades, DTV, PG&E,
We are trying for discounts everywhere.
Ken and Kris helped us by taking care of our cell phone bill. We are now on their plan.
DTV is now combined with ATT to save some.
PGE, I have a 50 rebate for Smart Air savings. Plus our bill reflects our age.
I am pretty pleased with all this.
David says, "Thank You so much"
I spend a lot of time on the phone finding bargains.

Why?
We still plan on turning our garage into a living space.
If Retha wants it that is OK. We have offered to take care of here,
but we are not asking her again.
One day she says Yes, and is excited about it. The next day she calls and says No.
One day the cancer is gone, The next day it is back.
Really that is the way it is going for her. I think she forgets and that is OK.
We all forget what happens from day to day.

David wants to put a half bath in the garage so it is a totally livable space separate from the rest of the house.
I will move my sewing room to the garage and He will move his office.
It will be lots of space for whatever, maybe a pool table.
This room, the present office becomes a Sweet Bedroom, sweet as in very feminine.
It will increase out sq footage over 600 sq feet.
A separate living area.
It is only plans!
Everyone has plans and maybe or maybe not they will come to
fruition.

Roy and I

2011-12-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

Are two peas in a pod. When one has heart issues, the other does.
I find it strange, My doctor asked "Are you twins"
No! but we are close in age like my two youngest grandchildren. Roy and I were born 2 years apart and the babies are 1 year 8 months apart.
We have a connection, possibly we were inseperable as those two are.
When Baby boy was brought home in 09, Baby Girl (born in 08) , thought they brought her a baby. It was HER Baby.
To this day, they hold hands when they sleep.
I think it is so sweet.
(Do they disagree? Yes they do, they are siblings but they do have a tight bond)

Dissed

2011-12-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

I have been Distressed, Distorted, Distracted, Disused, Disturbed, Disorganized, Disgusted, and maybe Discombobulated.
Today I felt Discourteous, Disarmed, Disapproved, Dissimilar, and maybe just maybe Discarnated.
I never knew there were so many disses, The Dictionary is full, page after page.
Definitions begin on page 595 and end on 613. That is a LOT of Disses.
I think I will end with Disyoke. (to free from, as in from a yoke)

Used in language as in opposite of,
(Discomfort, Lack of comfort)

It was 73 here yesterday, How is that for Christmas Weather?
I need to get to the mountains to snow.
Snow Snow Snow, We need rain or snow.

Restless Sleep

2011-12-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

I think I will go back to bed today. I tossed and turned all night.
The night before I woke at 2:30 with a massive headache going out the top of my head.
Last night I made it until 4 AM before the headache hit.
I checked, NO Nitro patches left on. That always causes headaches.
When I made the bed I realized I also had pulled all the covers to my side.
I NEVER do that, I think it was the tossing.
David woke me several times this morning to say, "I love you"
I guess he was worried because I also moaned in my sleep.
That's it, Back to rest I go. After I finish my LAST quilt.

Last! as in the Last grandchild.
Finish! as in Bind.
Bed! as in Looks good right now.
Oh also, after I finish my cup of Starbucks Christmas Blend* coffee.
I did all but harvest the beans.

I Got To Get Up

2011-12-15T09:26:00.000-08:00

Got to get up, Its almost Christmas Morning,
I have tried all week to get my lazy Hiney moving but I am still out of coffee. Just ran out of milk, Out of Orange Juice, Out of energy.
Can I buy that?

Happy Birthay

2011-12-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

To my Princess Daughter,
Happy Birthday to you.

Sheri on the right, Cousin Tony on the left. Your right, not the right arm of the Ministers wife.
This is the day the two were dedicated.
So tiny, so Precious, so long ago.
Yes I always will baby her.
Can't help myself.

Quilts

2011-12-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

I sent 4 quilts to Arkansas to be quilted for St. Jude. (In memory of Jeantte)
Nan is crocheting little hats to go and Lou is making quilts.
They will soon be on the way to st. Jude.
I asked Lou to take a photo of all of the items together, have them laminated, and place on her headstone.
She, Jeanette, of course, is not there, but it is just a memory and an honor thing for us.
Memories are for the living.
Jeanette wanted to make quilts for St. Jude but was never able to accomplish it.
That was one of her final statements.
So today I sit here alone, again.
I should go shopping but for what? Everything is bought for Christmas.
I do need some "Sick Jammies", A joke Jeanette and I shared.
"If you are gonna be sick, may as well look good doing it"

Ron and Dar invited us over for Christmas, but at this stage, I can promise no Christmas visiting to anyone.
So today is Pity Party Time. Wanna join?

Little Toys

2011-12-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Little toy trains

Little toy tracks,

Little boy toys coming from a sack

Carried by a man

dressed in white and red

Little boy don't you think its time you were in bed.

Close your eyes

Listen to the skies,

All is calm, all is well

Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the Jingle bells.

Bringing little toy Dolls,

Little toy beds,

little toy trikes

Coming from a sack,

Carried by a man dressed in white and red

Little girls don't you think its time you were in bed

Close your eyes

listen to the skies

All is calm

All is well,

Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells.

Bringing little toy trains.

Little toy dolls,.

Little toy trikes ,

coming from a sack.

Carried by a man dressed in white and red

Little angels don't you think its time you were in bed.

I must sing this to my grandchildren as we bake, I am sure we will have lots of christmas carols to sing and dance to.

Peace

2011-12-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Our scriptures on Sunday revolved around Peace.
It was so fitting to our thoughts.
It does not take lots of money or who is in office to bring peace.
Peace comes from God.
"Things," do not bring us peace. Our peace is inner peace and it only comes from God.
We all have trials, It is how we handle those trials that can bring us peace.

I of all people know you can fall apart at the set backs in life. I can say I have not fallen apart. There were days I wanted to scream, but I knew God was in control. There were days tears fell but inside I knew it was going to be OK. At time my mind was clouded by What ifs? But God had the reigns.
I always knew there was a brighter tomorrow. Not sure where it was leading us but we just knew tomorrow would come and we would survive.
David and I had many plans for our retirement, but it did not happen. You can not predict tomorrow.
You can only live in the moment and that moment is in God.
How many times do we just go talk to the Lord?
Not often I am sure.
During trials he want so hear us sing. Singing his praises,
knowing tomorrow will come and today will be forgotten.

Maybe tomorrow there will be troubles and sorrow

and a thousand tear drops may fall,

but until I face tomorrows task

I have no special favor to ask,

I just came to talk to you Lord.

So today I am talking to the Lord and thanking him for his goodness through this weekend.

I am one week off my medication and my body is changing, I am shaking, I am living close to the restroom. I can hot and cold. At night I shiver. But until tomorrow I will work on my spirit of thankfulness today.

I know, I Know when I go in, NO Cancer will be found.

I just know it and I trust in God for tomorrow.

After all I plan on a trip to YC to bake with my grand babies. (one is 13 so he is not a baby)

Just one day during this holiday season that is all I need. ONE GREAT DAY.

I will have it, because I have peace in Christ Jesus who Came to Die for ME.

Sermon over. AMEN

OH OH OH Last night,I watched "Lilies of the Field"

Beautiful old Movie that ended with the song, "Amen Amen" by Sidney Poitier'.

He was the First Black Actor to receive an Oscar.

Great Accomplishment.

Art

2011-12-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

What is art?
Art is looking past the trees and seeing the forest. Anyone can see a tree, but you must see all the different shapes, colors and personality of the trees.
As I look at the photo on my blog I see so much more than a mountain, lake and trees.
Do you see the tree with the uplifted branches?
Do you see the reflection of the mountain in the lake?
Do you see the myriad of colors in the trees? They are not just green, they are many shades of green.
I see the bones of the tree, the shape that makes it unique.
I see the squirrels that live in it. I see its life source. I see the source of life it gives wildlife, Pine cones for food, straw for shelter, branches for shade and hiding in.
I see lovers under the tree holding hands and picturing their future and maybe older couple holding hands and contemplating the past and how that tree has grown in the 45 years they have visited the lake and mountain.
I see the older couple smiling at the memories of their own children running and walking the old logs in the lake.
I see, children resting peacefully after a long day hiking and snacking.
That is art.
Art is More than we see with our eyes, it is what we see with our hearts.

Pool Cleaning

2011-12-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

I can not believe I am cleaning the pool in December, July Yes, but December NO.
However I said, we had lots of wind this year and we planted lots of trees that shed.
What were we thinking?

I can safely say, we planted over 15 Bradford Pear for Shade and color and beauty
purposes. I can safely say, each tree had over a thousand leaves on it.
I can easily guess over a thousand blew into the pool this year.
None, in our gutters, (Yes I have checked out the gutters and they are clean)
Nope they all flew everywhere else.
I have a wheel barrow full of leaves from the pool and I am not even at the deep end yet.
That is up to David tomorrow.
Did I tell you that Water is COLD?
Oh My Goodness, The Leaf master flipped on me today and I was soaked from my knees down.
I finally called it quits and came in to dry out.
My jeans are still wet and they have been hanging on the dryer for over 4 hours.
However this is probably the last of this seasonal leaves to clean up. We will fill the pool with shock and run the filter about once a week and drain it (the filter system) when the temp drops to freezing.
The lawns are clear, David had the guys out this week and they raked and blew the leaves and now we have a huge burn pile, again.
Tomorrow will come and maybe we will get everything caught up.
I hope so. When David works outside I work outside. It is just the way of life for us.
I love working beside him, Besides that, I can keep thinking of things to do.
Not because I want to but because it needs it. Tools put away, hoses wound up, pipes wrapped, Roses trimmed back. So much to do, so little time, so little energy or a I do not care attitude.

So with that I will close and try to sleep in tomorrow, He can sleep in since we do not have to beat the heat to get work done outside.
Believe me it is cool weather. Sunny but cool.

So Merry Christmas and Happy Swimming.

Angels in my life

2011-12-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

I lie awake in the darkness

as shadows dance in the room,

In my mind there are visions of people I need

to teach me what I should do

They prance through my mind like

Carousel horseson a merry go round,

and suddenly

I find myself thinking

as a smile of remembrance is found

I'm remembering angels

remembering angels

and the lessons I learned when I was just a child'

remembering angels

that's just what you are to me.,

Sent from God Above to guide me though my life

The clutter of daily duties,

sometime leaves me feeling abused

I couldn't make it without someone to love and carry me through'

The noises are loud and distracting

ever confusing my mind

suddenly I find my self thinking

as that smile of remembrance

again I find.

I'm remembering angels , Remembering angels,

and the lessons I learned when I was just a child,

I'm remembering angels, that's just what you are to me

Sent from God above to guide me through my life

There's just something about the peace of god that rides on angels wings

you are a shining example of what I'd like to be

I m remembering angels

remembering angels.

and the lessons I learned when I was just a child

I'm remember angels

Thad's just what you are to me.

Sent from God above to guide me through my life.

Remembering angels, That's just what you are to me

Sent from God above to guide me through my life.

I have so many angels in my life, My parents who began the teaching,

my Brothers and sisters who can make me smile daily.

then David who has shared many burdens, laughter and tears with me.

Then my Babies, who are now adults.

Those babies gave us extensions of our love by giving us more to love.

So as I sit here today, I am thankful for the angels in my life.

Today I think of Jeanette and the day she gave me this CD, telling me,

"Sue this is what you are to me, An Angel I can think of when I am sad."

As this song played on my car radio that day, we wept openly as we have many angels to guide us. Today Jeanette is being led by angels and I miss her.

I just need to open my eyes and heart to Gods Angels,

Angels that often appear as common people.

Windyyyyyyy

2011-12-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

I wish this wind would die down, It has blown leaves for days and days. We can not clean the yard yet, and blowing the patio is a waste of time.
However, The pool is filling up so I guess that will be the worse thing we have to do, Clean out the pool.
We keep praying for an east wind so the leaves will blow toward the freeway and get stuck in a ditch.
Tomorrow I am on my way to get a permit for Retha to live on our property.
She wants out of Paradise!!! Never thought you would hear anyone say that HUH?
I think she would be good company for me and she can certainly use the peace and quiet of the area.
We really wanted to sell, but maybe this is what God has planned for us, I think we need to take it one day at a time and follow our hearts.
We desperately want to get moved. In fact David said, "If I have to live here two more years I am (wont repeat the rest)"
He was joking of course but that is how badly he wants out.
This place works us to death. Literally. But if we are here in the spring, I am putting in another huge garden, and I have ideas running around in my head.
What to do????
In a couple of weeks, I will be preparing dinner for the guys. I look forward to it, and Pray I am not so tried I can not function.
Today is the first day off my synthroid and I have 6 or so weeks to go. It stops on January the 20th.
Yea Me!!! first day on my record.
Cardiologist said my Heart has changes but it is still getting blood supply.
Surprise Surprise.
See the way I see it, One day I will wake up in Heaven.
I know it is being supplied because I can do almost anything, deal with the pain and do it again.
He says it is the small, deep artery that is causing the pain but I have lots of collateral arteries to feed my heart.

Right now I need to think of food, it is 2 o'clock and all I have eaten is a cookie.
OH cookies. Let me tell you about that.
I got up at 5:30 with David, I Was not resting.
I made a batch of Oatmeal, cranberry cookies. Batter looked stiff to me.
I dropped them by tablespoons on my cookie sheet and baked them.
When the timer went off, I had A COOKIE. They all ran together.
I suddenly remembered I did NOT add flour.
I added flour to the rest of the batch and they are fine, and the original BIG COOKIE.
It is going to make great granola when I add other ingredients.
See I took a mess and made a snack.
Which needs chocolate chips, White chips, dried cranberries, Nuts and more berries.
Gonna be a good, healthy (sort of ) snack.

An Old Lady

2011-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Borrowed from Merle, Please whisper a prayer for her, she is in a rehab unit, she has been in a lot of pain. Her Back is really bad, I believe a crushed disc.
She lives in Sherrapton Australia.

A Strange Old Lady.

A very weird thing has happened.
A strange old lady has moved into my house. I have no idea who she is, or where she came from, or how she got in. I certainly didn't invite her. All I know is that one day she wasn't there and the next day she was.
She is very clever. She manages to keep out of sight for the most part; but whenever I pass a mirror, I catch a glimpse of her there; and when I look into the mirror directly to check my appearance, suddenly she is hogging the whole thing, completely obliterating my face and body. It is very disconcerting. I've tried yelling at her to leave but she just yells back, grimacing horribly.

If she is going to hang around, the least she could do is offer to pay rent. But no. Every once in a while I do find a couple of dollar bills on the kitchen counter, or some loose change on my bureau or on the floor, but that certainly isn't enough.

In fact, though I don’t like to jump to conclusions, I think she steals from me regularly. I go to the ATM and withdraw a hundred dollars and a few days later, it's gone. I certainly don't go through it that fast, so I can only conclude the old lady pilfers it. You'd think she would spend it on some wrinkle cream, she certainly needs it.
And, the money isn't the only thing she's taking. Food seems to disappear at an alarming rate. Especially the good stuff...
ice cream, cookies, candy...I just can't keep them is the house. She really has a sweet tooth. She should watch it; she's really putting on the pounds. I think she realizes that, and to make herself feel better, I know she is tampering with my scales so I'll think I am gaining weight too.
For an old lady, she's really quite childish. She gets into my closet when I'm not home and alters all my clothes. They're getting tighter every day. Another thing: I wish she'd stop messing with my files and papers on my desk. I can't find anything anymore.
Furthermore, when I program my VCR to tape something important, she fiddles with it after I leave the room so it records the wrong channel or shuts of completely.

She finds innumerable imaginative ways to irritate me. She gets all my newspapers, magazines and mail before me, and blurs all the print and she's done something sinister with the volume controls on my TV,radio and phone. Now all I hear are mumbles and whispers. She's also made my stairs steeper, all my knobs and faucets hard to turn and my bed higher and a real challenge to get in and out of.
I thought she couldn't get any meaner than that, but yesterday she proved me wrong. She actually came with me when I went to get my passport photo taken, and she actually stepped in front of the camera, just as the shutter clicked. Distaser! I have never seen such a terrible picture. How can I go abroard now? No customs official is ever going to beleive that, scowling face on my passport is me.
She's walking on very thin ice. If she keeps this up, I swear, I'll put her in a home

Read the Label

2011-12-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

I listened to the commercials and decided to read my cat food label. Yep the first ingredient was Ground Corn.
~~You mean I was making him a vegetarian?~~As I shopped for cat food, I turned the bags over and read. I found one with the first ingredient as Chicken.
I bought it.
When I dumped it into the cat food bin, I smelled a Chicken Yard.
Yes I know what a chicken yard smells like, Remember I grew up gathering eggs. I found that as scary ( because the old hens would not move off the nest) but I had to do it, it was a chore.
Now I wish I could walk out back and gather eggs.
Now When Smoky eats, he gobbles his food, I can hear him loving every bite.
Today I dropped down and rubbed his tummy,. He has lost the summer varmint eating skinny body.
I love my Cat Fat.
When I pet him he drools. He is so cute but getting older. :(
Not sure how old he is.
We know he is at least 8 years old. So he is middle age. Right?

So now I sit here waiting for David to come back home, He and I are going to shop today, together.
( "Shopping with your husband is like hunting with the game warden")

However He needs to buy New glasses. He has his prescription. Now to find a good price on frames and lens.
He had to wait because of an allergy he developed in his eyes.
(his allergy seems to be clearing up, at times, Other times his eyes are red)
Last night they were especially red, but the wind here was horrendous.

I need to buy baking goods and cleaning products.
Even though I have no one to feed I need to bake cookies for the guys he takes care of.

I am pretty tired, I had a stress test yesterday and I was wiped out last night. I was in bed by 9.
I am still pretty tired but once I get moving I will be OK.
But right now I just want to close my eyes a while, but Heck I just got out of bed, I can't be tired already..

That is Lazy.

Nothing

2011-12-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Nothing to post, I have written three post and erased them all. I have nothing to say.
I was just talking to myself and decided no one needed to hear me think out loud.
Oh wait, No one needs to hear me think on paper.

Just a lot on my mind with thyroid test prep. From Dec 4 to Jan 18. Long Prep. There goes my Christmas again, It was the same two years ago, and I think we ended up eating cereal. No food cooked and no where to go. We tried several restaurants but walked out as soon as we walked in, It smelled like beef cooking.
I guess our Heart was just not into celebrating.

And today, Heart test and prep.
So now What?
Nothing, Nothing, Nothing at all.

How do I feel? I do NOT know.
I just erased a bunch of jabber again.
But I will get up and dress and begin drinking a lot of water.

Will Someone

2011-11-30T21:37:00.000-08:00

Please comment, I want to know my blog is read.
At least once in a while would be nice.

My Doll

2011-11-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

You know I think she sort of looks like me, (as I do now), Frayed, tired and one eye is trying to close.
Looking at her brings back Mountains of Memories.

Visions of the Past

2011-11-30T10:27:00.000-08:00

This was taken in grade school. David was about 7, I was about 6. When he was 7 I was still unborn.
This was taken when our lives were puzzles and innocent. We only had to assemble the Lives to make US.

This was taken June 1963. We were so in Love and so Happy.

Taken at Memaws Party on November 19,2011. Life has taken our youth, but our Love still remains.

Where Can I Go?

2011-11-29T10:08:00.000-08:00

OH Where could I go,

Needing a refuge for my soul.

Needing a friend to help me in the end

Where could I go but to the Lord?

My mind is spinning with upcoming dates and things to do.
I had thought of having an open house, Now I am unsure.
I have my tree, mostly decorated/ I am waiting for David to bring my boxes from the garage.
That will put me in a spirit, Good Spirit.
First I have to ask him. He does not know I need them.
Or is it just that I want them? Hummmm

I see my cardiologist today, Who knows what he will tell me to do?
Sick, Sick of it already and it has not even began.
It all begins December the 5th and goes through January.
OH well, that is Life.

I have downloaded a ThyCa Cookbook to know what to cook and eat.
Nothing looks good, Well almost nothing, I made brownies from a new recipe last night, 1/2 pound plus 2 tbsp butter and 5 eggs, 3/4 cup Cocoa plus 1 tablespoon, then add the sugar. flour and then 3/4 cup choc chips. OH MY They were So Good.

You know what I need? I need a new outfit. I am so outdated. I want to be
"Thoroughly Modern Susie"
Got the boots, just don't have the Capri's or tunics.
Tunics are back in style and I love them.
So cute and I almost picked one up yesterday at Macy's but put it back and walked out.

So that is my day,
I should eat Oats. I need basic food.
Then look out brownies.

The Innocence

2011-11-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

It had been a full day, Christmas Eve 1956.
As the day began, We woke to a warm, wood stove heated house.
Mama had a huge pan of biscuits on the table, with the usual peanut butter and syrup waiting on us. We ALWAYS had Those items on the table. Plus a huge jar of Rex Jelly.
A can of Sorghum, and I am not sure what else.
But the biggest treat was when Mama made Chocolate Syrup for our biscuits. YUMMY!!!!

I always called the corner biscuit.
(when you live with 7 siblings you name what you want or you may not get it)
Today there was excitement in the air, We were going to town to See Santa Arrive on the fire truck.
This day always brought us to town, wrapped in coats and hats and mittens.
We stood on the court house square and anxiously waited to see him with the local radio celebrities (Shelby and Mary Jane Cooper, Mentioned in "Looking Back to See", Maxine Browns book) on hand to push us up to major excitement.
Christmas Carols were being sung by local groups and the flat bed truck was loaded with guitars and music and bags and bags of Candy, Apples, oranges and Nuts.
This was our treat, All the treats were donated. Every child got a brown bag loaded with goodies,
I loved my bag. I went immediately for the hard candy to suck on.
As the day ambled to a close we had to get home, Baking was to progress and cousins were coming over.
Our House was always full of family. We lived in a 4 room house, Not 4 bedroom, 4 room. Kitchen, Living (which doubled as Mama and Daddy's Bedroom,) and a Bedroom for the girls and one for the boys. It was a nice life. I knew nothing else. We shared everything. Flu, strep and any illness that came along, But we also shared our lives. We grew up with compassion and sharing.
My Mom always had plenty to share with her brothers and sisters. Several of those families always showed up at Christmas.
This Christmas was no exception for family.
There was one event that stood out in my mind and to this day is tenderly tugging at my heart.
As the evening wore on, we played in the bedrooms, We giggled, we tussled, we ate and we ate.
The smell of fresh baked Cornbread permeated the air, as did cakes and pies.
Suddenly at our window was a tap. We looked over and there Stood Santa Claus..
Santa!!! Santa!!!! It was Santa. . As quickly as he appeared he disappeared.
We ran to tell our parents, they walked out and searched but he was gone. We were told he had to get busy but was "just checking" on our behavior.
My aunt and Uncle were still there. Now I wanted to go to bed so Santa could stop at our house again, But Had that been the stop and we were still up, so we would get nothing?
I was worried, I wanted the night to end so I could see if Santa was coming back.
More than that I wanted my Relatives to go HOME so he could come back, after all there was a lot of noise at our house.
I even asked "When are you going home, I want to go to bed so Santa can come?"
Oh my I was a horrible child.
When they left Daddy told us "Santa will probably want a big piece of your Mamas Fruit Cake"
Mama made a Wonderful fruit cake with fresh fruit and No Candied fruit. (to this date I can not duplicate it)
When they Finally did go home, I was quick to jump in bed. Rosie or Jeanette were in bed with me, Lou was in the bigger bed with the other one. 4 girls in one room, It was cozy and clean and organized.
I had just dozed off when I heard, "Carolyn Sue, Carolyn Sue,"
I mumbled "Yes Mam"
It was my Mama, She said, "I knew you were playing opossum, now go to sleep."
I was asleep and had she not been sitting on Lou's bed and calling my name I would have been in dreamland.
I can see her like it was Yesterday, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. But it was 55 years ago.
I had spent a little time planning where to put my shoes so Santa could put my gifts with my shoes.
Yes shoes, We had no stockings and I think Shoes were an old German Tradition.
I only wish I had kept it up with my own children, we did for a few years but one year it was just over. A tradition that meant so much to me.
When I woke my shoes were moved. I panicked. I remember Daddy showing me where my shoes had been moved, to make room for the haul.
My gift, " Sweet Sue" Doll by McCall's,
She still stands proudly in my curio cabinet. She still has on the same checked dress and she has the same hair, She was also a Toni doll and Came with her own Tonette Home Perm Kit.

My Sweet Memories. Memories I have shared a thousand times and I am sure you will hear them again. After all What are memories for but to share.

Every day was a day to make memories but that One Christmas stands out in my mind. It was the last Christmas with my Daddy.
I did not know that in less than three short months he would be taken from us but that day was special with him.
I can still hear his booming laughter. (Charles laughs like him) Loud and Free and Long.

Appointments

2011-11-27T21:40:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I see the endocrinologist.
On Tuesday I see the cardiologist. Him I can take, sort of, What do you bet he ask me what I want him to do.
NOTHING!!!!!
So far So Good.

In other news I loved Loved serving at the rescue mission. It was so full filling to my soul to be a part of something Big.
As I stood in the line to serve, I saw, "Mike Mangus" Local channel 7 new reporter. I immediately looked at Darlene, I said, "Oh I did not know we would be on TV, Do I look OK?"
LOL
Then pastor Royal Blue spoke by teletron.
That was all big to me. These men are fixtures around Redding and the Mission does a Great job feeding the homeless or needy.
We sit in our comfortable warm homes and not see what is happening outside our little cubicle we set up.
I felt so much a part of a Big Picture. It was a Beautiful picture.
You need to get out and see the needy and know it only takes one little item to make a difference.
They just want to know, Someone cares.
One can not do it alone, but together we can make a difference.
So So many children were in this line, so many downtrodden peoples..
I prayed for Gods blessing on each of them and had a ball dishing up potatoes.
I learned names and used them as the servers came through.Carrying on conversation's and calling them by name.
Children were serving and dishing food. It was special to see, Parents showing tech children how blessed they are.
I will do it again in a heartbeat. Cant wait until I am needed again. Maybe Christmas.
I am sure David can help me then.
Darlene was my good friend to accompany me to this event.

We Are So Blessed.

Basketball and BB gun

2011-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

David and I were reminiscing today about our Christmas Past.
He talked of the year he and Coy got a Basketball for Christmas, That was it, A Basketball between them.
However they had no basketball hoop.
The older brothers, Went to the barn, took an old barrel hoop and nailed it on the barn .
They thought it was great!!! All the older brothers came out to play with them.

There was a 7 year difference between David and his next oldest sibling which was a sister.
So when he was 12, His older brothers would have been 20 or more years old.
As they played Basketball the hoop was soft metal so it would bend down, (every time they hit the hoop) The older ones would push it back up.
David recalls this Christmas as a really Special Christmas.

The year or so before, David and his family lived in California. Red Bluff to be exact. He said he was about 9 or 10.
For Christmas that year, He and Coy got a BB gun. They loved it and took turns playing with it.

They also took turns shooting out the neighbors lights. And I know they shot out the windows on the Veterans hall in Red Bluff, but that may have been a sling shot Day.
(David was a Expert Marksman later in life, we know where he got his practice.)

Their Dad took possession of the gun and stuck it between two tree limbs and wrapped it around the tree.
As David told this he laughed and laughed. Especially when he said, "We shot out the neighbors lights, They were bad neighbors anyway,."

How long did he have the gun?
Just a few days!!!!
Ya know he was David the Kid.
We can compare him and Coy with Billy The Kid.

The Christmas Barrettes

2011-11-25T09:34:00.000-08:00

We always went to church somewhere, and for a few years I recall going to United Pentecostal Church.
My Teacher was Sister Betty Belle Wallingsford. I was only 10 years old.
I called her Sister Betty Belle,
Sis BB had a daughter, a little younger than me, She had Beautiful Hair, Long and shiny and Always perfect, usually in a braid that reached her behind.
Me? I always thought my hair was ugly, Blond, stringy, stayed parted down the middle in the back, Not a beautiful head of hair.
My Mama put ribbons in my hair but it was still just awful to work with.

I know I should not criticize Gods creation, but What I lacked in hair, I made up for in mouth and compassion.

The last Sunday before Christmas, 1956, Sis BB brought in gifts for girls and boys. I think our class consisted of about 5 people.
I was given first choice of the girls gifts. They were all unwrapped so we could see what we chose and the girls gifts were all the same, only different colors Etc.
As I scanned the boxes of barrettes, I realized I did not deserve the pretty barrettes or the pretty box. That should go to the girl with Beautiful Hair.
I chose an orangeish box with gold flecks. It was garish.
I did not even like orange as a color to use and the barrettes were nothing special.
However my minds eye saw that box as fitting to my hair. Not really special.

The first time I told David this story he begin to tear up. He said, "that is so sad."
It was not meant to be sad, it was the way I felt at the time, and I believe I was correct in saving the best for others.

Melting Nuts?????

2011-11-24T21:19:00.000-08:00

No they really do not melt!!!!

I was still a young Mom, Maybe a few teens in the house, and every holiday I spent my days off making their favorite foods.
I also made Davids favorite fudge.(He is a homemade fudge lover)
That year was no different.
Problem, I must have been tired as my brain was not functioning on all cylinders.
(During the holidays my work days were LONG, at least 10 hours and often 6 days a week during those last weeks.)

I mixed the fudge, I added the Marshmallow cream, chocolate chips and nuts.
I mixed and mixed. I fretted over my chocolate chips not melting. I was becoming pretty upset, I had no idea what to do next.
I kept saying, " I just do not understand, the pan and sugar mix was hot, it should melt!!

Finally I handed the bowl to Charles, I said, "Son I can not get this to melt the chips and I know the ingredients were hot, You try, please."
One stir and he said, "Mom didn't you add nuts to this?"
DUH DUH DUH.
I stopped and again we all laughed and to this date I have not lived it down,
But I must tell you.
Yes Ken I MUST.

Last evening Ken was making fudge. He had added his marshmallows, He stirred and stirred. He had also added nuts.
As he stirred he noticed lots of white marshmallows in his fudge.
He said, "I was becoming pretty frustrated when I handed the bowl to Kris and said, "You Try."
She stirred once and said,
Didn't you add nuts to this?"
All the memories came flooding back to him and he began to laugh.
Again DUH.

Ken raced to the phone to call me, He knew Kris was going to post it to face book and He wanted to be first to tell.

That too is one of our family traditions, SEE WHO CAN TELL GOSSIP FIRST.
It is a lot of fun, and was always get a laugh when you hear one trying to yell above the other.

Memories are Made of this.
(Great times in the kitchen) As A Family.
It still works. And having the family around as you mess up are Good times. With a Capital G.
Enjoy your holiday baking.

Green Bowl Christmas

2011-11-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

I had a beautiful Green Bowl.
It was given to me by my Secret Sister, Years earlier.
I used it a lot for holidays.
So one year I was at home, (as in not at work) baking, as usual.
I was chastising the kids about my green bowl.

"I know one of you broke it so you should confess."
They swore it did not happen.
I am standing at the table and talking to them, as they watched me make something, (it must have taken fruit)
Suddenly I reached over to the middle of the table and took an orange out of a bowl.
You got it, The Green Bowl.
Charles said, "Is it That Green Bowl."
I suddenly stopped and looked at what I was doing, Yes it was that Bowl.
Laughter ensued and David had a good laugh when he came home.

We laughed and laughed, Mama was losing it.
By the Way, I still am Losing it, but I am sometime like an air head.
I do have blond, red,and Brown Roots but it is turning gray,.
Think Wisdom will come with that?

30 Not 40

2011-11-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, My daughter gave me AND her dad a Math lesson.
In the last post I said, I was 40, he was 48.
That was WRONG, I was 30, he was 38.
I can not imagine how neither of us picked it up.
I guess we just accepted we were that old. We sure felt it.

As far as something popping out of the fireplace every year, That was digger pine that we tried to burn.
That is Popping wood!!! We learned on that one too, Later we put in a fireplace insert. I wonder if it is still in good shape.

Chestnut Roasting on an OPEN Fire

2011-11-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

Jack frost nipping at your nose.

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

and folks dressed up like Eskimos.

It was the first Christmas in our new home. December 1976.
It was the first home we owned with a fireplace.
So as we listened to that beautiful Old song ,
We decided to do this, It sure sounded Holiday-ish.
Wow!!! this had to be the most wonderful experience.
We would roast our own chestnuts.
Excitedly we threw the chestnuts on the open fire and waited.
We had to leave the room, Perhaps baking or something.

Suddenly we hear.
POP POP POP.
We run in!!!!!!
They are popping alright, Right out of the fireplace onto our new carpets.
HOT roasting Chestnuts.
David and I were grabbing them with bare hands and pitching them back, they just popped right back out. They were literally four or more feet from the source.
After they popped out of the fireplace some of them still popped up and down on the carpet.
We then tried to close the doors on the fireplace.
Then we realized, "Oh my goodness if they pop that hard they can break the glass."
We then opened the doors and closed the screen.

Carpet? Burned in spots. (Thank Goodness for Shag Carpet.)

We learned that day, You Need a Chestnut Roasting Pan. Then you place that into the fire.
We thought you could roast them on an OPEN Fire.

Do you Remember this, Charles, Ken Sheri????
Did you realize I was only 40 years old then and your dad was only 48. Man we were young.

When it Rains

2011-11-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

David took my car to work today. He ran back in to tell me, His was out of gas or the battery was corroded.
I have been awake since 5:30. Do not like these mornings. Little sleep and tossing and turning.
So I go out to start the Mercury.... , IT IS NOT either one of those. It sounds like the starter is doing something weird.
Of course it is!!
When you turn the key on there is a little whine, then move the key to start and it clicks loud and long. Like gears grating.
Again!!!!!!! Of course it is in need of repair.
It is Christmas time and we do not want to put money out on a Car.

I feel like the widow who is down to the last of the flour and oil. But I know God will supply all our needs, Maybe not our wants but definitely our needs.

Oh well another thing to fret about.
Fret Fret Fret, OK I am through.

Need to clean now and prep for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Kens house

2011-11-16T11:58:00.000-08:00

In answer to that question? We are going to Kens for the Day. we were offered a bed in the girls room and who knows, we may take it, especially if someone tries to sleep a lot during the day. And I do not mean me.
If I am too tired to drive home, If I want to visit, If, If, If.
Anyway right now they have a bug, K and K were up all night cleaning up sick stomach remains.
I think all of them but not sure. I know two is too many to clean up sheets, floors, clothes when they are that sick.
Of course if they are really sick during Thanksgiving, We will stay here as we can take no chance on David getting sick. Even with the flu shot, He can catch a germ.
If David can get it He WILL.
Poor guy has low defense for cold germs.
Me I fight off nearly everything, All but the Big things Like Heart, Cancer, You know Bit things. LOL

wish we were going to Washington but it is going to be Bad Snowy Weather.

Tooo Tireddddd

2011-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

I tossed and turned all night. (Tossing and Turning, Turning and Tossing) My nose was stuffed as were my eyes.
I mowed more on the field and David cut lower branches off Live Oak trees. I have battle scars from those trees.
Real bruises and cuts and sore back from leaning back as far as I could to keep from being swept off my tractor.
"He thinks my Tractors Sexy" (Just a song that popped into my head. )

But the field is mowed. Today the guys are coming out to burn all the debris gathered up. Maybe this will be the last major burn. Hope so. (Burn Baby Burn)
Before beginning mowing I went to Cottonwood. (Did I tell you I detest going there? I think of my daughter and family that lived there (before Oklahoma) and my heart hurts because I can not just stop by.) (Oklahoma where the Wind comes sweeping cross the plains)
Western Store was closed, so I walked around in the Christmas Shop. OH MY that lady has every thing imaginable. It put me in a peaceful state so I could continue my shopping for the day.
"Peace Peace Wonderful Peace, coming down from the Father above."

NOTE To Self: Take Gwena to Christmas shop and Victorian Christmas on Cottonwood streets"

On to Macy's,
(Why!!! Everybody shops at Macy's) Bob Hope Quote from Christmas on 42nd street.
I wanted tops and they had 85 % off racks. Love those sales.

"Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere I go."

Then to Costco to pick up meds and just get totally confused as to what I need to eat. I detest most food.
I did decide on a Tri tip. Yuck!!!! Meat stays in the body too long. It was OK and I ate about an ounce, but It is just not something I can enjoy. David even said, "'I am full I can not eat another bite and he was only half way through his meal."
He took a Tri Tip sandwich today so Dinner will be light.

Right now I need to get my self in gear and get into town again. When oh When will it end?
My floors need mopped and vacuumed, Any volunteers? I thought not.

"Over the Freeway and through the orchards to my Sons House we go"
The Stang is our sleigh, and it knows the way, to all the laughter and Hugs"
If the Flu bug is there , We wont even care,
Cause we are shot against Bugs.

Good Neighbors

2011-11-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent several hours mowing and cleaning around the burn pile and mowing the field.
I was BLACK with soot.
After washing up a little, I walked over to Jim and Shirley's.
I had mowed under the old Black Walnut tree and scraped my self up pretty much. My hat was knocked off and I was almost knocked off the tractor. (the limbs were so low and rotten)
Jim was trimming his trees with a new toy, A generator and electric saw on a long pole.
I asked if I could pay him to cut the lower limbs off, He said, "No Pay but I will go over after while and get it done"
I go to the store to buy gas for my tractor and when I come back he is almost done.
That is Neighborly Love. We all try to do things for each other. That is Neighbors not just those people next door.
David drove up as he finished, His first question. "What is that costing us?" I told him as he walked over to visit Jim and Thank Him profusely for the help.
Now the big job begins,. We had to pull all those limbs to the burn pile. It was lots of trips. LOTS!!!
I would pile them even, then carry huge arm loads about 200 feet. Whew!!! That was tiring ,but gratifying.
One chore down for the season.
I still have some mowing to do but my tractor was chugging from grass build up on the air cooled engine.
I stopped for the day. Cleaned my tractor, added oil and it is ready to go again, but I have a trip to town that must be made.
We then, Showered, made grilled cheese and soup and that was our meal for the day. Evening meal.
One thing you learn quickly, Do not eat a heavy meal when you are tired and it is late.!!!
Never Never lie down with a full tummy, It is hard on the heart.
Remember it takes the heart pumping to digest food and a full tummy puts it on over load.
That is my lesson for today People.
Do Not Eat Late.

Shop Hop

2011-11-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

That was nice, and something I NEVER do. It was like go, go, go. But Gwena and I had a lot of laughs along the way. Some about my U-TURNS in the middle of streets. (Safety First).
We also had too much sugar as each shop had something to offer. I stopped nibbling about half way through. I am not a nibbler, as a rule. This was special so I succumbed to the cookies and bread. Oh my!!! the Bread from Harvest Bakery was wonderful. Cranberry Orange. Two of my favorite winter flavors.
I did find a unique gift for Mema who will be 90 this month. Wow!!! That is amazing. I remember when she was just 70, Davids age, I met her at that age. when my daughter became a member of Her family.

David and I need to have a family conference.
We have tough decisions to make about aging.
No big deal but it must be dealt with, As in Who wants all our STUFF.
I asked Gwena, "Where will it all go when we are gone?"
"Who will care or see the significance in our items."
Will they care to hear history on the items and how they were part of our lives when we had Next to Nothing.
Our children are taken care of.
They have whatnot's and gadgets and Gizmo's galore.

Isn't that a line from the Little Mermaid? hummmm must look that up.

So now I need to get to work outside, It is a Bright, Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day.

Of course that will be after I eat. No food yet in my tummy. I had to wait for my thyroid pill to kick in.

MORE INFO.
I see that doctor in a couple of weeks. The Cancer Doctor, I imagine I will have another mild dose of Radioactive Iodine and go through scans again. Maybe Not. I don't mind one way or another.

I did see Sheila last week and got my flu shot and cover my blood work. A1c was a teeny bit high but I admitted to eating Lots of candy bars. And I mean Candy Bras not bite size, I ate over 8 Twix and No I did not share half of it. I was just on a Candy Eating Kick. I finally put the bowl under the pantry so it was not staring at me every time I walked by. It works too, I know where it is but it does not call to me,
"Eat Me, Eat Me, You know you want Chocolate!!"
My Triglycerides are a little high but that too can be caused by Sweets.
All in all she said, I was pretty good. A few glitches but expected glitches.
I am blessed every day to keep my body going. That is called Determination, David said it is called Stubborn.
OK if being stubborn keeps me alive then I am stubborn.

I also see my cardiologist in a week, We just have a question and answer session. Mostly talk.
And I see a dentist. (Dr. Collins to clean up the mess left by a certain Dental Corporate group.)
Whew!!! I am tired already, of waiting in an office as I am an impatient person. I pace a lot.
Now to get my body moving.
Love to all.. LOTS of LOVE to All,
Mom, Mamaw, Sister, Spouse and Friend.

Wiped out Yesterday

2011-11-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

I did some shopping on Wednesday. I had to buy Milk and pick up medication. All that and More. Christmas is up Everywhere. Makes me want to get mine out and I do have some, for example I am already drinking from my Christmas Cups. My trees out front are full of lights and my entry Garland is waiting for a fluff and putting up.

On to the fabric store.
If you know me, you know I love fabric. Wait until you see the next project I put away in my mind.
I bought 2 yards of light tan fabric with a forest in darker tan printed on.
It is Beautiful. Now I am putting outlines of houses and bridges and mountains on that and will embroider them on.
My red work is in progress but I knew if I did not get that fabric that day, It would be GONE.
The neutral fabric work is beautiful, It is surrounded by flying geese blocks in lots of neutrals and printed black fabric. I am sure I can fill that in with my stash.
Go to Crab apple Hill designs and you can see it. There are lots of designs.
I am going to draft my own houses and barns and bridges and mountains for this one, I have those stashed in my porcelain painting designs.

"God gave us so Many Beautiful things to do, You can not do just One."
That is a quote from Nola DonCarlos, an artist I trained under. She was amazing. Sew, quilt, oils, breads, gardening,. All was spread out through her house, in orderly fashion, and she would work on each thing a while then move on to the next. She was my inspiration to do more.
One day we were walking into our art class. I had picked her and Viola up to drive in.
As we approached the building, A small trail was cut through the flowers, plus we had sidewalks.
She took the trail, She said, "I never take the pavement when I can take the Creation of God, You never know what you may find on the trail, a flower, a tiny bug, a butterfly." WOW!!!!
That too set me to thinking, about how I often took the easy way.
It ended that day. I begin taking the back roads, the trails, the Beautiful Way.

So my day yesterday was full. I got home a little after David and I sat down.
Oh I ate first (Corn Chex) as I was starving. He went to Red Bluff. When he returned I had my Jammie's on and was lounged in my chair and barely moved until bedtime.
I Thought of doing a few things, isn't it the thought that counts?
I sat there and watched Jeopardy and Yelled out answers, and danced in my chair when I got Opera ones correct. I watched a Witch Doctor in Africa blending herbs into medicine. I also watched Oprah's Life Lessons, That is a Great Show. Makes me think, Makes me go Ah Ha. I Can do that.
I then watched the CMA's.
I stayed up as long as I could but before they honored Whats his name? (oh Yes Glen Campbell) I had to go to bed.
When I see Glen I think of How Ken would yell when his show came on in the late 60's.
He opened with "Hi, I'm Glen Campbell" (He had a HIGH pitched voice). Ken would yell, Turn that Song Off!! He was about 2 or 3.He DID NOT like Glen Campbell's voice. Had to agree it was irritating.
But I did make it until after 10 and Loved Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.
But what was that dress one performer had on, It looked like lots of fluffy rugs draped on her skirt. Top was OK., Skirt was HORRIBLE.
Loved Kenny Logging's and Blake Shelton singing "Foot Loose"

I was Country when Country wasn't cool. I grew up country so There.
Time to eat and make some calls,. I need to check on Rosie. Love her and want her to be Rosie Again.
Time Sue Time.

What day is it?

2011-11-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

I can not keep my days straight. I have to look at my phone to find out the date.
That is horrible. Funny but horrible.

It is damp and cool outside, The trees are Red and gold.
My walnut trees are almost bare. You can see the skeleton of the tree. Beautiful and Majestic and Overgrown. That tree needs her fingernails trimmed.
One branch will make several loads of firewood for someone.
Seriously, Who wants to trim it up? We can't. I would in no way trust David on a ladder with a power saw.
Scary!!!!
I would in no way trust me either, I can not start the chain saw. It literally throws me down when I pull on the rope.
So Black Walnut wood for free, you just have to cut it up yourself and cut it down. Not the entire tree, just the odd limbs, which have grown into the size of a tree . It is literally a tree on a tree on a tree.

Fall, Wonderful Fall. Beautiful reminders of days past.
Many days past, when we would all pile into the car and drive muddy roads to see our Grandparents.
It was truly "Over the River and Through the Woods"
Quachita River Bottoms. Where I was born and where my Mom grew up.
I still Love to visit that old place, It brings back smells and sounds and sweet memories.
Memories of the first Green cake I ever saw, (Aunt Lucille colored Coconut) I never knew you could do that. (I was about 5 years old, but I remember)

Later In life we loaded our own kids into our car and drove to Grandma McLemore's and had a wonderful loud time.
There were so many kids there, Our own three, Jim's many, Jodie's 4, Retha's 3, Carolyn's, 2,
Total about 20 under the age of 15. You never knew who would drop by. It was GREAT.

You never knew who was going to make the first mess of the food. Or if Sue, (me) would get out of the car without slipping in the mud. (I did that once but I held onto the food I was carrying)
David and Jim (Davids brother) were known to share an entire Pumpkin pie. Jim picked it up, broke it in half and they ate it. David and Jim would eat anything.
CB was always given the neck and the tail of the turkey.
Through his wine induced stupor he would always smile.
I only made one Christmas to Arkansas with my family, that was a treacherous trip in 1967. We were snowed in, in Joseph City Arizona, NO PLACE!!! But we made the best of it and stayed in a motel with three feet of snow blocking all roads. A restaurant across the road from us, kept us in food and we had a bottle warmer. (ME) I put Kens bottles between my breast to warm them.

We always made Thanksgiving and Christmas Family time, with our family.
Where has that tradition gone? Now we see no one on Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Families are too busy with their own lives to take note of others.
Parents and Grandparents are growing old and time is slipping away.
Memories are being made every minute we live, Make them Beautiful.
Keep the Beauty in your Lives and Beauty will Grow.

Being from a BIG family I miss Big families, I think the Duggar's have it right.

Thoughts

2011-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

My mind is such a whirl of activity.

I spent over 90 minutes on the phone with my younger sis last night. She is so lonesome, I told her, it is 11:00, you need to be in bed.
Her comment, "Someone has told me what to do for 62 years and now I can do what I want."
Got that message loud and clear.

Today is Cold, Frost on the ground and I did not get up until 8:45, which means 9:45.
I was "snug as a bug in a rug" in my warm covers.

Made homemade rolls yesterday, I sent a full pan of hot rolls over to Sue and Lee.
She is ill and had 6 migraines in the last month. Painful. My prayers go out to her. She also has a small tumor on the membrane of her brain." It has grown a little." I told Lee, "Well that means it has grown" That is what I frustrates me, No one seems to become concerned until it is too late.
He leaves for Vegas the 27th, I told him I would be here if Sue needs anythings.
I also made a pan of Brownies, I had one last night ,but I may need another one after breakfast.

David is talking to one of his coworkers about Heaven and Hell. Some one said, "Go to Hell"
David responded with "That is one place I am not going"
The other coach said, "Well I am and I know I am."
He then told her, "That is entirely up to you, You can choose Heaven if you want."
Since going to work there he has shown there is a different way to talk, (no profanity) one person has even become very involved in going to Church. He is a testimony in action.
I am so proud of his determination and the way he leads people, Just by his actions.
He is inviting her to Little Country to .
Christianity is as simple as a Gift. A gift that was paid for 2000 years ago.
Take it. Live it, Love God and keep prayer of submission in your heart.

Christmas is coming, I need to think about that.
I am thinking of having a Christmas Open House for neighbors and Friends.

But of Course Thanksgiving is coming quickly and that one I wanted to be special.
We will have no one here as K and K have to work and we are just not into driving all day.
Too old for that. Kris has to work on Friday, I told her, "Hey I wanted to watch the kids so you and Ken could hit Black Friday".
But not this year. my Gosh it seems just yesterday that I moved to their bed with their two babies and watched them drive away before daylight. But it was last November.
I can still see that beautiful boy lying in my arms, sleeping peacefully with his fresh warm bottle.
David got up to check on us and began looking for the children. He found all but Leila.
He saw the baby cuddled in the covers but thought it was one of the dolls left on the bed.
No it was Leila, She has the beautiful Doll look. Round cheeks, curly hair and porcelain doll color.
I am going to miss that this year.
Oh well, Maybe I will see if we can serve at the shelter. That will be a good thing to do.

David and I have a slew of Doctor appointments this month. Just follow ups and flu shots and his eye doctor. He has allergy's in his eyes. He saw the doctor last week and today his eyes are clear and not running. They have been runny for so long, we thought it was dry eye. No it was allergy's.
They had gotten so bad he was rubbing them all time and they were really Red and sore looking.
He is fine now.
Tough Guy I married.

That that that's all folks.

Headache

2011-11-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I woke with a headache like today's.
Lets see could it be all the raking of the fire pile, I spent several hours out there taking care of it?
Also melted a part of my shoe bottoms and had rock melted into it, It took a man and a hammer to remove it. LOL
Later I looked at his shoes, Yep. Melted shoe bottoms.

Or could it possibly be all the Caramel Corn I ate, I made it and it is ooh so good.
Homemade with pecans.
Too much sugar in my system.

Or could it be because I slept about 10 hours last night with only two interruptions. ( Bathroom and later aspirin.)
I think I slept too deep.

What ever it was, I am much better now and may just go burn the grass piles.
I could clean house but Why? No one comes and it is clean, sort of.

I could bake but I am tired of disposing of food. I threw out a half pie yesterday, Last week it was half a canister of cookies. ( should freeze half when I bake them)
I did give over half a Texas Fudge cake to our neighbors.
House full of people and I know they can eat it.
I often call them over and give them the rest of our baked goods or pizzas.
Children live in that house and it is the only home on Peach Lane that has children in it.
The rest of us are elderly and retired, well sort of retired, We all work a lot on our places.
Lee and Sue, Across the road, take care of their quarter horse's. Beautiful Horses,
Jim is keeping his place mowed almost every day. (he got a new riding mower and accessory mower)
Plus he is pruning all his trees back. (I need to do that)
But it is one day at a time here, Do what I feel I can do with no kickbacks on my health.
So that is my day, Not a lot going on,
I need to get to Walmart to get medication but that requires putting on clothes that are presentable.
I prefer loose tops and worn out jeans.
And my hair , I won't even go there.
Just another day in Paradise.

I do Love Him

2011-11-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sometime I laugh at the situations we get in.
Earlier this week, I asked David to move the mower, He got on and as I watched from the kitchen, He backed all the way to the house.
I went out and asked,"What is wrong,"
David "It will only go in reverse."
He put it again in drive and I noticed his foot on the clutch,/brake, pressed all the way down.
I said, "Take your foot off the brake."
He did, the mower moved. LOL

You remember the road has been cleared of debris. All hauled to our property.
According to burn info, it should be a certain size.
David had the guys out to move the piles, I can safely say we had over 20 piles of debris.
I asked, "Why did you do that, It is not necessary, it will burn in a few minutes?."
So today the day came for burning, it is rainy and wet and a California burn day.
The guys came out to burn it off for us.
Guess what. It went up Really fast and they had to move all the piles they made, back to the big pile.

I walked out smiling at him, David looked at me and said, "Yes you were right"
(Of course I was pretty smug about it.)
Man I think he choked those words out, That seldom comes out of his mouth.
Me !!!Right? Seldom in his vocabulary, in his mind, Yes!! but not in his vocabulary.

It took maybe 2 hours total for the huge pile to go, if it had been left as it was , I can bet it would take an hour or less.
The piles consisted of Dry Old vines and limbs.
Yes, the fire was HOT and Yes,it did burn well, even with rain falling.
Jim did not come out with his fire hose. He was comfortable with the burn.
I know where more limbs are, I may just go back out and grab them and put them on the ashes.
Oh well Never Done. Always something to do.

This was NOT a David bashing, As I said I DO LOVE him so much.
He is my Rock.
I went out to the guys, took a tray of candy and water and tea.
Ricky was hugging on his "Grandpa" and Travis was calling David " Tube Man"
(We do not know what that means,)

One guy speaks Spanish and all he does is smile and laugh. (His name is Juan, David calls him Two)
He did say, "Trick or Treat" Gracias
I knew one word. "Caliente" Does that mean HOT?
Well I know more but none could come to mind.

So anyway time for aspirin, I am wiped out. NO I will not go pull limbs right now.

Update

2011-11-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Rose is still sleeping a lot, The hospital gave her full doses of her medication this morning.
However today is the day they begin cutting back on her medication.
The doctors are not sure which is causing the problem, but her metabolic rate is off.
I did not understand all Kevin told me, but I did understand it is a problem of overmedicating and most of it was by the doctor.
More than one not being aware of what the other was doing.
OH my the trials of the elderly and ill.
I always pray I keep my health, even as maybe as it is, I can still work and keep my home and yard up.
Not as good as I did a year ago or four years ago, but it does get done.
I just take more naps.
I do Thank God for Health and Happiness.
Mostly today, I thank him for Taking care of Rosie.
That is an answer to prayer.

Please Take Notice

2011-11-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

How many times have we passed someone in need, maybe never knowing their need?
We need to LOOK up and BE AWARE.

Yesterday my Sis was not well, She got up and was going about her business.
A maintenance man was in her home remodeling her bath.
A few times she fell over and once hit her head on the dresser.
She dressed and told him, "I am going to the store, I will be back soon" It was 11 AM.
She went to the car. And Sat. He came out later and saw her, He asked, "Rosette are you OK?"
She said, "I am fine, I am going to the store."
He went back in, and the same scene played again.
Finally she left.
She drove to the donut store and got donuts and a soda.
She does not remember any of this,
She drove into Dollar General and collapsed over the steering wheel.(going into a coma state)
NO ONE. NO ONE offered help, she was there about 3 hours, Slumped over the steering wheel.
She was at the front door of the store, in the handicap parking place.
NO One stopped and asked.
She had been scheduled to watch Raymond's kids.
That is why the family knew she was missing.
When they went to the house they could not find her.
They began calling, The maintenance man told them what she did earlier.
They searched and searched.
Finally a Lady beat on her door of Rosie's car,
She got in the car with Rosie and somehow got the information of Kevin's cell number to the lady.
All Kev heard her say was "Dollar General"
He said, these words were slurred.
The ambulance had been called, Kev and Raymond arrived about the same time.
They said, "She had no recognition of them at all. Looking in her face was looking in blank space."
She had sat there and never knew where or who she was and apparently never woke up.
She was semi coma at the scene.
Right now she is in Heart Hospital in Little Rock. PLEASE pray for her.
A battery of test will be run today. I am praying for good news. However I expect it to be minimally good.
. I have faith but I am human and know this is not good.
My heart aches for her pain and loss.
I just talked to her and all she said was ,"I miss my Honey"
She is grieving herself to death.

God needs to come down and wipe away the tears

Take away all my fears

She is not just anyone , She is my Sister,

Dear Savior,

She is mine and I need her in my life.

At least for a season

Which will leave me asking for one season more.

Take care of Rose as I need that Rose in my Garden of Life.

Rosette

2011-11-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

I just read on FACEBOOK, of all places!!
My sister had a stroke of some kind today. (not sure how serious or what happened, It is too late to call.) Darn I wish people would call me.
I know she is in distress from losing her husband but I prayed she would be OK, and make it one day at a time.
She kept saying, "I wish it were me and not Rodney."
I have tried to call her often, in fact on Thursday we talked over an hour.
Over the weekend, I think she was in Manville, with her sons, attending a gospel singing.
They are the singers, I should have called her today. All I can say is "I am sorry, I was out today and did not call her."
She is so Lonesome, and weak, she just needs to talk.
When I hear her pain I think of how My Mom must have felt being left alone at the age of 38.
That is so Sad. Rosette is so sad and lost.
She is in the hospital.
Please Pray for her.

No Name

2011-11-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Dental HMO, I DO NOT Recommend it.
My throat and mouth were pretty sore, I never looked at it until yesterday.
I had small nicks all over both inside cheeks. Yep blood spots.
I am so ticked,
They call me every day to pay them, Heck they do not deserve payment, they work in quantity not quality.
I am filing a formal complaint with the main office.
I know this is true, as a book keeper walked in to show the dentist working on me, how many she had processed the day before. QUANTITY!!!! Congratulations were heard by my ears.
That is the poorest work I ever received from a Dentist.
My teeth are not smooth, they are rough, Really they are, when they worked them to hold the filling, they scraped them too much and now I have rough teeth.
I was so upset yesterday, looking at blood spots on my inner cheeks, sore throat .
In addition when they took X rays they cut my salivary glands that stay swollen.
Sometime they even get infected looking. (wont explain how they look)
I warned them about my glands in my mouth, Guess they are used to patients spitting blood, FROM AN X-RAY.
Yes this requires a talk with the board of the Dental office.
They ruined some perfectly good teeth. I have never had rough teeth, What does that mean?
Does it mean they will hold bacteria?
OH MY this is not good.

Decisions

2011-10-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

Retha needs to leave Paradise, ( a town) and we have the perfect place for her to park her mobile.
It is a huge mobile pad with power, sewer, water and a caretaker right next door, ME.
Now what do we do? She is so undecided as to her next step.
Yes the house is on the market but we are not selling right now, It is a slow market.
We can make money with her here and I can work too. The county will pay me to be her caretaker.
(take her to doctors, shopping etc.)

IN addition she is required by state to pay rent.
That will be hard to take from her but it is the law. Plus she will be on our electricity.
I can shop for her, I can take her real food instead of TV dinners.
I can walk over and visit her any time I want and we can have coffee on the patio. She will have plenty of space for a patio and access to the patio. we plan on a ramp.
She will be in the place she loves. But that is today, tomorrow she may change her mind.
So the hold up is the sale of the place and David wants to retire someday.
What to do?
Someone told me to contact Win River for signs on our property. We do have a lot of freeway frontage. That income would be nice and guaranteed, if the county allows it. Who knows? Just something more to think on.

In addition I can job hunt, Short days, part time, Just enough to get me OUT of this house.
I know the outlet mall is hiring so I may go there tomorrow.
I am going to Costco tomorrow. I know I can do that and they hire the elderly as they are more stable in food demos.
Plus they pay 11 and hour. I do LOVE to talk.
And they do not require lots of hours. Hours I do not want.
So as I approach this endeavor keep us in your prayers, We want to make the right decisions.

As far as what is right, I feel this is the right thing to do and have so for many years.
My heart says Yes, my husband is concerned over care of her if we get away.
But we know her grandson who would love to come over and set with her while we go away.
She does not need round the clock care, She just needs someone in case of an emergency.
I want to help her, My heart goes out to her.
I want to do the RIGHT thing for all concerned.

Is It Monday?

2011-10-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

It feels strange but I guess it is Monday.
Sunday was a lost day for us. I was too tired to go to church and my throat is sore.
At noon I was so tired, I lay back down and slept until 330.
I told David, "I guess I was tired."
While I sleep he watches "24" He LOVES that series and the only one I know
that he would watch over and over again.

So on Saturday the work we did could be the reason for exhaustion.
It was a burn day, Slight breeze and Nice.
We decided to burn the piles of grass I have piled in the field.
We are trying to burn off seeds from lots of weeds.
Our first two piles went well and as planed. .
Then Dave decided to let the longgggg pile burn into itself. (about 20 feet long)
Big Mistake. I kept saying, "It is too close to the oat field."
"If it gets in those weeds it is gone."
But he thought it was OK.
Not me!! I know how fast it can spread.
But who knew the wind would come up so quickly?
A NORTH wind came up and began blowing it to the field.
Strong North Wind!!! (Think someone up there does not like me at times.)
I was suddenly panicking, I mean I was fighting the fire, slowly creeping along the ground to the fence, And the wind was blowing the fire to me, It was HOT and Smoky.
I thought I singed my hair, but it was only the black embers that had settled on my head.
David picked up a pile with the pitch fork to move it and slung burning grass behind him.
I yelled. "NO NO NO"
He saw the fire and beat it out.
We thought the fire was going to win.
From now on the clients can come out and burn out our field.
I AM Sick Sick, SICK of Fires.
I finally got away to haul up water hoses and it took 2 . 100 foot hoses to reach the fire.
When I joined the two I fell on my knees to put them together, I was so tired I could barely get up.
David took over from there.

We could have used more hose but Dave used the spray nozzle to wet the grass down.
"God Why does this happen to me?"
I think He sends the wind to test our faith, well it certainly kept me praying.
We then set the Rain Bird out and kept it going all night.

By then I said, "I quit, Lets go rest," He watched the piles for awhile and me,
Well I went to my tree swing.
That felt nice to be free and flying.
We seem to always have drama here.

I did accomplish putting my Christmas lights out.
(The ones on my entry trees.) It looks nice and bright.
In total I will have 6 evergreen with bright lights for the holidays. OUTSIDE!!!
Inside will come after Thanksgiving.
I completed the transfer of snow people to my embroider sheets.
All time I am transferring I am thinking of my sister, Lou, she collects snow men.
I am also smiling as I look at the snow people. It is children, ladies and families.
One has a snow child making a snow angel. I had to laugh at that one,
(How does he know where he stops and the snow begins? After all he is made of snow.)
I told David," he truly becomes a part of his work and fun."
This quilt is going to be so Cute. I may just do this one on my machine. Instead of by hand.
I am seriously thinking of that.
Now I need to go and mow the field and Make more grass piles for the clients to haul to one singular pile.
Time to get dirty again.
Yes I will rest again today.
Any suggestions for food, Crock pot food. Easy food. Good tasty food. We are not doing good on that right now. I can not think of anything to cook.

Valley Fog

2011-10-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today as I walked to the kitchen window, I saw the valley fog. It is so eerie. It hangs just above the field and is about 4 feet off the ground.
I always love to see this as it reminds me of "The Hounds of the Baskervilles"
As well as Witches, Halloween, Candy, Cold nights, nice days and Fall Beauty.
The fog just hangs there, until the sun burns it off.
I am sort of bored today, I made a self pact to get my house in order today. I have began and most is done but a few webs are left unswept.
I look around at my STUFF and wonder WHY do I have all this?
Why do I not have just the necessities.
Things bug me. I do not want to sit on my furniture and wear it out, I do not want to cook and use up the food. (OK that sounded like a good excuse). Really I just do not want to cook but cereal for dinner is not recommended.
.
Walking in the fall is the best thing I do, Get out and Walk. Look at Beauty, Even right here in my own Yard. Gwena and I are going to take the Sundial trail. (if her knee will allow her.)
Yesterday we went to lunch and I mailed boxes. Lou the quilts are finally coming. You will Probably see them on Saturday or Monday.

The fall mums are beautiful, The 4 o'clock are determined to keep growing. I have cut them out once.
They become woody and spinney. I again, have some taller than my rose hedge, some are growing in my rose hedge.
Will I ever get it all done?
Probably not, My Mom once told me, "Sue when you die there will still be floors to clean, dishes to wash and beds to make, You need to slow down."
She was right and I am slower but some days are just "Want to get busy days,"
That is today. Windows are not clean, sills are full of summer silt.

OH OH OH Got my hair cut. It is a curly Bob. Not sure how I feel about it as it is longer style than I usually wear. But it is cute in the back. Not sure the front fits my face.
Oh well, It is not "Phyllis Diller Hair"
It was just that last weekend. Looked horrible. Witchy!!!!
I told Vicky If I waited until after Halloween I could pull it up about 8 inches and spray, spray, spray it, and become the Wicked Witch.
She agreed it had certainly grown. A LOT.
Now it is time for Oatmeal and milk. Then off to work I go.
Yeah that's it, I wish I had a job, Just a little one. few hours and few days. Just enough to get me out of this house.

"Yesterday"

2011-10-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

As I woke this morning a song was trying to make its way to my brain.
I was either writing it or had heard it.
No not the " Beatles 'Yesterday"
It was a gospel song, I am thinking old southern gospel.

"Yesterday, My heart was light
And my dreams could take flight.
The old homestead is dark and gray,
And my dreams are far away."
And so on.
I think I need to sit and write it.

So I woke and lay listing to K love and my song left me.
Then I thought of my Yesterday.

I detest blood test, They do not hurt but you give so much when you have lots of test for 4 doctors.
Plus it is fasting and I get so hungry at night. This also means and Early trip to Town.
I am Country. You got that didn't you?
It is hard to forgo eating something, Anything, Even a yogurt.
But I quit eating and went in for my test. It is almost time for my 6 month check up with my specialty doctors. (they think they are special)
I give my blood and think, "It has been a LONG time since I had McDonald's"
I drive over and get coffee and a sausage biscuit.
Did I say "I forgot to take my water with me?"
Big Mistake.
I began to choke. (Dry food going down my throat as my salivary glands need a lot of stimulation.)
I coughed and sputtered and spit until I could breath again.
I stopped the car sideways in a parking lot and lay my head back a while.
My arms and upper chest were in lots of pain from the extreme coughing and gagging.

I put the sandwich away and drove home to warm it up.
I wrapped it in its paper, As I walked in the door to the house, I dropped it.
The Egg stuck under the door, the biscuit ended up in the kitchen and the sausage ended up in the laundry room.
GARBAGE.
I laughed as I thought, "Oh Well God did not want me eating that anyway, I am pretty sure my blood test will come back with high triglycerides and cholesterol."
Why would I not think that? I am not good lately with my eating patterns.
A1C I dread hearing about. Candy Bars have become my staple when nothing else suits my taste.
Just a phase I am going through.
Bad Sue!!!! Bad!!!

Today is house cleaning day. Lots of cleaning. Readying for Fall and Holidays.
I want to put lights on my trees at the front of the house. Maybe I will go colored this year.
They were 2 foot evergreens, I bought last year and now have grown to about 5 feet tall.
Dave is asking Don for a live tree this year for the house. A Silver tip.
I need one more live tree. We always had live trees when the kids were home.
David worked with Foresters who brought trees down every year.
We always got to pick our tree from a forest in a forestry garage.
No trudging through snow to find the perfect tree.
I think Ken does that with his family. Not me. Can not stand the cold.
Ours always went up before the 14th. Our Daughters birthday.
It was a tradition we still carry on when we can. I think she does that now.

"Yesterday" I went with my family to find our Christmas trees.
I was so little but I knew how to watch for a nice evergreen in the forest around Sheridan Arkansas.
We had lots of forest.
We also had big C-7 lights, lights that were easy to replace if one went out.

"How I long for Yesterday."

Autumn

2011-10-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love this time of year? I do.
The colors are amazing, the crisp air is so inviting.
"Come on outside and walk with me." Are you Ready, Lets Hike.!!!!
That is just what we did today. First we walked around the property. It is all mowed, Thanks to Jim our neighbor.
David said, "What happened to our trip to the Mountains today.?"
I said, "It is never too late."
We went in, we showered, I packed a lunch, we grabbed jackets and out the door we went.
No looking back or we see loads of work to do.

The drive was so nice. The aspen trees are totally Golden against their white bark.
The snow is still on the side of the road in places.
The park was closed a few weeks ago, due to an early snow fall but had just reopened for a week or so more.
I said, "Thank God for Indian Summer."
Colors of Red, Gold, Brown and Crimson met our eyes as did the massive forest of evergreens.
We drove on to Kings Creek Falls and decided to take the trek. It has been over 20 years since our last hike there and were not sure if we would be able to do it.
We did and we loved it but were unsure of some rock changes.
The mountain has changed. More outcroppings or rock and more shale than we remembered.
Perhaps we have just forgotten.
It is a 1.2 mile hike to the falls. We loved the hike. We met quite a few hikers as the day went on.
A few elderly were hiking but mostly young people and one young couple had a baby in a back pack carrier, She was straining her little head to watch us, She watched us from as far away as she could.
(They know Grandparents when they see one)
At the peak, I wanted to climb higher but someone was below, Yelling "Sue Get back down here NOW."

OH Man I did not want to, so I put my goat feet on and climbed higher and higher.

Honestly I did NOT slip once on the shale and the walking was Easy. I could practically run up the mountain.

Me, Mom, well you know me, I felt elated to be so free and high on the mountain. I was straiting out my arms yelling Whooooo Hoooooo. It was exhilarating.
I kept hearing this voice yell to come back down.
Wonder who that was?
I finally came back down to David. He said, "I want to go up there but I am sort of dizzy."
He took a dizzy pill, we sat a while then we found a trail he could take.
I walked with him and found him a walking stick. He was more grounded with support.
He mostly refused my hand when I offered to help. Then I sang to him,

"Lean on Me, when you're not strong,

I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on."

Lean on me, It wont be long

until I need somebody to Lean on."

(Why is he so stubborn?) I think it is pride. We made it to the top of the rock and the beauty took our breath away, Literally, The wind hit us and made us stop and Just Look.
we sat for a while just taking in all the beauty and the breeze hitting our faces.
Attached is a photo of the rock I crawled out on, Yes I stayed on my behind so I would not slip on the shale, Yes I was careful.
Yes it was Magnificent.
Yes it was Mount Lassen,
Yes it is my favorite place to be around Redding.

No Mama, we did not get off the trail this time and get lost. (that freaked her out when I told her what happened)
We did get lost 20 years ago, (well not truly lost but it would be easy to get lost in the mountains as sounds are different and carry differently.)
We were 20 years younger and David actually pulled me up a few hills during that time. Today I supported him on a few hills.
That is Love we lean on each other at different times in our lives.
This is the view from the top of the outcropping of shale.
If you cant look at this and say, "Thank You God for your Majesty" You must not know the wonders of the God.

Yes we did climb to the top of this.
I scooted on my behind to the edge with David being very nervous about my escapades.
He told me I was being a " Smart A"
Was Not!!! I was loving the crisp clean air.
.
This had to be accomplished. Something inside said "Take in the Beauty while you can"
Beautiful Isn't it?. I climbed this ledge like a mountain goat.
David thought it would be funny to bet a photo of me trying to stand on a log. The log is slick and the grass was wet. I COULD NOT do it. I HAD To Try. I can climb a shale mountain, but I can not climb a log. LOL

But I could sit on it. (I need a Haircut, but the wind was blowing, so that is my excuse)

"She's got Phyllis Dillar Hair"

Believe me, there was snow within 20 feet of me and Lots of icy water flowing by swiftly.
So Peaceful.

I sure look short and chunky in the photo below.

, I was standing on two rocks in Summit Lake. it is so beautiful.

Blue and Green were awesome. This is the lake I have photos of from August when the snow was so deep, We actually went sledding on Paper plates. (that was all we had to slide on)

I slid down on my behind holding Leila or Kian, It was fun but I slid or fall. You choose.

We were walking on trees and did not know it. We were on a high snow ledge above the lake looking at the blue water where the lake had thawed a little.

I called Ken to tell him, We were standing on trees in August.Who Knew???

Today I wanted so bad to go out further and swim a little. But Ice water is not my forte'.

And a Ranger may have stopped my fun and ticketed me.

And tonight David says "My soreness is even sore"

I love him so much, He is my Rock and bigger than the one I scaled today.

My worrying rock. He thinks I take too many chances.

Me, I want to live too.

I just want to see it all and do it all and Love it all.

Rest of the story

2011-10-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

If I thought being on the phone for half an hour was bad, I digress.
Being in the office for 2 and 1/2 hours was far more taxing.
And My teeth are not cleaned yet, nor is a filling in.
How about that for service?
I go back Friday for cleaning and fillings.
I have no cavities but I do have teeth that need a little filling to cover the gum situation.
5 or 6 total.
I told the dentist " I always try to take care of my teeth but when I am nauseous a toothbrush is my enemy."

While growing up my parents could not afford dental bills so our teeth were cleaned at home and boy did I scrub. I always had a tooth thing, I want my teeth to look good, they can not be straight but they can shine.

After 5 o'clock, I was so tired, I called David and told him I am bringing home, "In and Out"
No shopping for cat food or milk, we can survive on what we have.
Until Friday.

David
His cold seems better and last night he had no temperature.
I woke today to remind him to DRINK Orange Juice.
Lots of Juice.
I was sound asleep again until almost 830.
I needed rest, I was so wound up from my day.
I was up cleaning the office, (sort of) until about midnight.
It is still in desperate need of organizing. This is my catch all room, plus it has my sewing and mending and embroidery and knitting and scrapbooking and photos, LOTS of PHOTOS.
And Loads of UFO"S.

Speaking of UFOs I bet I can work on some of them friday while I wait. At least it is a thought.

U F O Un Finished Object.

Dentist

2011-10-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

I have been on the phone for the last half hour trying to get my appointment sorted out.

It began with a call to a number listed in my service provider directory.
That number was Western dental,. ( I did not know or notice most of the numbers were the same "Western Dental")
I scheduled an appointment for David and myself, with the corporate office.
That is the only way new patients can schedule.
Today, David is sick, so his appointment had to be cancelled.
'I go for a walk outside. About an hour.
I come back in and an urgent message is waiting, "Please call this number BEFORE your appointment"
I called.
They tell me my insurance is not valid.
LIKE HECK, I pay for that insurance.
I say "OK then cancel and I will straighten it out."
I call my insurance.
They verify I have insurance and do not know what the problem is.
I find out later the information they have, has me listed on and insurance with David.
OK I need a dentist, BADLY.
My gums are pulling away from my teeth due to dry mouth, dry mouth from Radioactive Iodine!!!!!
I get back on the phone for the third time, They say, "Since this is Medical"
AHHHH I do not have Medical. I have private insurance.
They say," Davids was OK through his employer."
NO WAY. He does not have insurance through J &B.
I say, "Forget David, Just say This is for Sue."
OK they can not get it straight.
They still have me as Davids insured, through his work.
I finally hang up.
I call the local office, They refer me to the Corporate number, since I am a new patient.
Urrrrrrrr I am trying to stay calm but my voice is struggling to sound sweet.

I decide this is silly, I Need a Dentist. It is paid for, Get to the Dentist.
I call back and say, "OK I am a new patient I need an appointment, Here is my information."
Now we are getting somewhere.
I have an appointment at 2:45, same as it was two days ago.
The "Thank You for your Help" sounds foreign to my ears as it is not totally truthful.
I detest dishonesty. But the young lady and gentleman were only following guidelines written out for them. They could do notching on their own. I know I have been there.
And MY INSURANCE says I am covered.
What a mess, Good thing I have tranquilizers.

Now I have to shower and GO. I need to take one more tranquilizer before I hit a dentist chair.
I get up soaked in sweat. I do, I really do! You can see the imprint of my body on the chair.
It does not hurt, I think I just get tense.
Does everyone dislike going to a dentist? Or is it just me?

The Rain

2011-10-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

"The Rain". Thanks Merle it is a lovely story.

It was a busy morning about 8:30 when an elderly gentleman in his

80s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb.

He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be

over an hour before someone could see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy

with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was

well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed

supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another

doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing

home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a

victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she so longer knew who he was, that she had not

recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised and asked him, "and you still go every morning,

even though she doesn't know who you are?"

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, - - -

"She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.

Sniffle Sniffle,
This reminded me of a friend of ours. "Jim Alexander"
He visited his wife for years and she never knew him. He came into my place of work every week and told me how she was getting along.
One day he came in, smiling from ear to ear, He had purchased her favorite perfume.
He told me he had a gift for her and immediately took it out of his bag and sprayed me in the face. (that was an accident)
I coughed and sputtered and hugged him and told him to give Alvie our love.
That day I smelled strongly of "Charlie"
She died shortly after but He Never Stopped Loving Her.
He still dropped in to say hello and tears would fall from his eyes.
Now that is LOVE.
You Never Forget.

Things to Come

2011-10-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

Just last evening I was going through my coupons, I had one for Delsum.
I asked David, "Should I get this, in case you get a cold this season?"
We decided "No, we have some codeine cough medicine in the fridge so it will last."
NOT!!

This morning after he went to work, I dreamed of him.
As real as it could be I felt his side of the bed depress. I turned and saw him.
I said, "Are you OK?" He said, "Yes, I just need to talk to you," and he was crying softly.
That's it , I woke up and he was gone.
I detest dreams like that.

I called him at work and noted he sounded not well. A little stuffy nose.

When he came home, the coughing began, Loud, shrill, ear piercing cough he has.
I immediately took our My trusty thermometer, Not a lot of temp but it is there.

I know Tonight the Codeine is coming out and putting him to sleep.
Poor guy, One of the girls came in with a cold this week and he caught it.
He just has no stamina to fight colds, and I seem to avoid them.
Tomorrow I buy the Delsum. I have a coupon to save $5.
He uses it EVERY winter.
And the codeine is my prescription from a few years ago, (Our trip to Washington in November set me back a little, I caught a bug.)
But Dr. Sheila fills it for us.
So we are set for another season of flu and colds.
Me, I am going in tomorrow to get my flu shot.
He, I think will be in bed resting.

In other news and great news.

My Grandson is now a licensed driver in OK. I called him to give him a Big Whoo Hoo.
He laughed, then I told him, "Do not let me know when you are on the road or I will worry about you,"
Does it ever end? The worry, The concern?
No because the Love never ends and as long as there is Love, there is a prayer in our hearts for our loved ones. That is what keeps us on our knees, Our children and grandchildren and I hope someday to have Great Grandchildren. (but not too soon boys)
D is a very responsible young man but the other people on the road are not so much.
You know one of the first things he mentioned was, "Now I can take Sis and the little boys for Ice cream"
Now that is thoughtful, No thought of taking himself out to the drag.
Do they even have a drag? Is it called a drag? Probably Not.
I have no teens around so I know nothing of their hang outs.
I did know and I did not worry a lot as I knew I had responsible teens.
Curfews were met, and cars were their responsibility .
There is a story here but I wont go there.
Lesson was learned.
RESPONSIBILITY!!!!!!!!

Blah Blah Blah

2011-10-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

As I sit here alone in my cabin (office)

I can see my Mansion on the Hill. (work to do)

My mansion consist of many rooms, and most are organized. Can I survive with disorganization?
NOT easily.
My sis asked me yesterday, "Why do you do these things to your body?"
I have no real answer for that one. I like to be busy. I like accomplishing the un accomplish able.
I love the satisfaction of a job well done.
But today when I tried to put on my Bra I became my Mom, I could not fasten it, I recall her way of putting her bra on and I suddenly knew why.
It hurts your arms to reach back. Hurts? Heck they wont reach when the Bursa is upset.

Today I walked out to take a walk around the acreage. As I appraised the work shop. I knew it needed work. I told David that soon I would do it. but NOT today.
Work as in cleaning and straightening and pitching garbage.
I said, to my self, "No I am not doing it today."
Famous last words.
I finally came in at 1230 and took a shower, washed the webs out of my hair and dirt off my face.
I decided We have too much CRAP. Excuse me. STUFF.
Most of it is Good stuff, For example we have our SonIL old saw from his Grandpa, his Grandpas tool box, and we have the original tackle box I bought David 47 years ago, with the "Western Auto Logo"
(Do we even have a western auto any longer?)
I have Charles lunch box that he got in 1976. a Celebration of the bicentennial. (He was supposed to take it home this summer. I forgot to tell him it was here.
I have brass statues that belonged to Leon, Ken's name sake, He wants the brass. It is ready to go with the "Bull Worker." Ken you need your things. Or is it I do not need your things?
Anyone recall that torture device? The Bull Worker? My husband used it religiously in the 70's.
He hoped to build strength in his left arm that has plates in it. That was not to happen.
I have things for Sheri. I have things to sell.
I want to downsize and I am doing it but it is a slow process.
Why is it so hard to let go of stuff? It is just stuff.
In clearing the garage I also put old left over laminate on the well shed floor. Stupid I know but it looks good.
Heck the well shed is just a well shed with paint cans and old roofing on the shelves. Why care about the cement floor? Now I can see if a snake or lizard crawls across my path. I detest them.
Which by the way, I have seen two Baby lizards this morning, They are so cute. But But they will grow up and become big lizards. Those I can live without.

What else am I into. Well 25 years ago I began knitting a shell for my DIL. I am working on finishing it. I think I will run out of yarn but I will add another co ordinating color to the shoulders and it will become my mess.
OH who cares anyway, it will be cute, I think. Or maybe I do not care.

I have one thing to say to my Grandson, D,
"I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me Strength"
I love you Buddy.

Happy Birthday

2011-10-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

To the Last of the Mohican's, Kens Tribe.

Baby K (or Big Boy) K is 2 Today.

And he thinks he can drive my Mustang.
Love You Buddy.
Happy Birthday Precious Boy.

Popcorn Anyone?

2011-10-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

We are on a popcorn kick. I ate half a bag yesterday, by myself. When David walked in he sat beside me and we finished it off.
Before that we ate three bags in a week. YUMMY and that is my lunch. I KNOW I KNOW not a good lunch.
The three previous bags were "Bags made into Bowls"( Its a Bowl! He made the bag into a bowl!)
I liked that idea but it is a little more pricey. ( I enjoy that commercial)
So I go to Costco and buy 40 bags for about the cost of 6 of the bowl bags and pour it into a bowl.
Success!!!!!
Orville Redenbachers, Movie theater Popcorn.
Have I made you get up and make popcorn yet?
The butter on this corn is fabulous. I am supposed to buy un-buttered, put it in a bowl, spray it with spray butter, toss, spray, toss, spray, toss. As much as I want.
But I want this one. I looked and it is not that horrible.
But back then, right after heart surgery, I followed the rules. To the Letter.
Now??? not so much, And it is 9 years next month, same as the age of my Grandson, E. (love bug, Sweetie, Names he said I can call him, Not E.T.)
.
Now I eat the Butter Popcorn.
Hungry Yet for Popcorn?

I am, think that will be breakfast too. After all it is High Fiber.

Gleaning

2011-10-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

Dave and I share reading time with our Bible.
It is great as it also gives us a great discussion time.
For example Luke: 11 1-13.
This part deals with Jesus teaching the disciples about Prayer.
Dave and I have prayed for Years for Something. Something but neither of us know what we are truly asking for.
We want Gods will, but I feel if we were specific we would get our prayers answered.
I do Believe that.
In fact I specifically had an "Unspoken request this week," Posted on here.
That prayer was answered and I came home today and slept for 2 solid hours. Restful sleep.
God is handling the situation.

My Bible is the NLT version, one Year Chronological Bible by Tynsdale.
As each chapter is covered in Mark, the same part is covered in Matthew, Luke and John, Consectuively Each disciple gives their version of what actually happened.
Generally they are exact and word for word but often if one disciple was standing closer he heard more and gleaned more from what he saw abd heard.
Therefore I find it enlightening.

In Luke 11 5, Jesus tells the story of a friend wanting to borrow bread in the middle of the night. He has guests and has no bread to feed him.
The neighbor tells him to go back home, it is late and they are all in bed. He cant help him.

But Jesus says, "Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find, Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.
For all who asks, receives, Everyone who seeks finds, And everyone who knocks the door will be opened.
If your child ask for a fish, so you give him an snake? No, You give your best.
That is what our heavely father wants from us, To ask. To Seek, To find. He will open the door. And give us his best. I TAKE THAT PROMISE!!!!!
So today we sat and discussed, "what do we want? "
We want to be closer to my family.
we want to live where we grew up and have the same gentle spirit that walked the streets when we were children.
All my Brothers and Sisters live there, (at least what is left) and I have amazing neices and nephews that I love dearly. I want to attend the old time gospel festivals.
I want to worship God in my later years as I did in my youth.
Can I do it her? Sure but we need to be where God wants us.
So our pact is. "Every day we ask God to move this property and at least give us enough profit to start over. "
We feel that is what we want.
I can not see us struggling here day after day, trying to keep the 6 acres up, we have both lost the desire and energy to see it perfect.
So we ask each of you to pray we get to sell and move to Arkansas as soon as possible.
We are knocking, we are seeking and I know we will find as the door is opened.

WE STEP OUT BY FAITH.

Work Work Work.

2011-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Wishing and Waiting and Hoping and Praying.
Yeah that is me, I need to be " up and about my Homeys business"
My car is loaded with gas cans to be filled and a propane tank to fill.
I have a coupon for a discount on fabric at Joann's and I need Muslin. NEED!!!
I HAVE to get to the post office. I NEED Boxes. I have things to mail.
OH My gosh I have two birthdays this month. Baby Boy K is 2, and Our Man Joe-y-seph is 17.
( I think he thinks he has outgrown Joey, so I can call him by all. Joe, Joey, Joseph.)

Tomorrow Dave and the guys are burning the burn pile. (of course it is a burn pile, why else burn it?)
He wants it in smaller stacks, I say he is NUTS.
He worked out there last evening building small tee pee stacks.
He is so funny, I guess that is why I love him. He is PARTICULARRRRRRRR!!!!!!

I say,
Burn it all at once, After all it will go so fast, he will barely have time to run for a water hose.

But I leave the fire up to him, NOT Me this time.
What am I doing? Well you know me, never to be outdone by sitting here.
I am mowing the field behind the house, my blades are so dull, they just chew up the grass and spit it out.
I need a man who can put new ones on for me.
Maybe I will ask Lee or the young guy on the end of the road.
I know David can't do it. (Bless his Heart)
Bless his heart!!! is a southern saying. I Won't tell you what I heard it means.

So now I must get on to more industrious things.

I have a special Prayer request, Unspoken.
Oh man, that reminds me of the days when we had special prayer in church.
Often our request were spoken but as a rule mine were unspoken.
God knows my needs and that is all that matters.
So I am raising my hand for an unspoken request

Spiritual Home

2011-10-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

I have to express how wonderful it is to have a spiritual Husband.
When I need prayer, he is there. When I need comfort his arms are there,
When I am ill, he is Right there, Praying.

We sit on the porch and take turns reading Aloud, our scripture for the day.
Often, we tear up and Thanks God for his mercies, I watch as he unashamedly,
lets God move through his heart.
He gets especially excited about the lame man at the gate.
He says, "Oh God you could hear me all over the place if that happened to me, I would have to tell the world."

I KNOW I have been blessed to have him in my life.
I am a hard driven person, He is a calm person.
I am a Do it NOW, he is It can wait. (most of the time it can)
I am a Christian but I fail on a regular basis,

I believe God wants us to Laugh and Sing and Weep.
I do all those in his grace. I laugh freely, I cry with no shame, I Sing about everything.

Now in closing, I say, Our home has had things in it that we are not proud of, But our home has a peace that is not found in lots of homes.
It is the Peace of God.
Family members have talked of the peace in our home for years, Even when we had small children.
Peace because we spent many many nights on the floor laughing and playing with them.
We took them to church, We prayed for guidance in their lives and they always be a part of church and show their own children the way.
We recalled how we spent many nights beside our babies beds, Praying for healing and nighttime prayers.

We recalled as the children grew, they also knew to kneel and pray for their family.
Ken in his 3 year old innocence, while praying for Charles, Asked God to give him some Apple Pie.
Dave and I looked at each other, over his mop of gold curls, and smiled.
So many prayers over the years, and Now we wonder, what is the Next step?
Where does God want us? And When does he want us there, or are we planted?

So, Yes we have a spiritual Home, I give David the credit for keeping us on the straight and narrow.

Just yesterday I was in bed twice, just feeling bad.
He came in at 7 Pm and nudged me with his warm cheek.
It was such a wonderful feeling to know he has the warmth of God in him. I knew he was praying for me at that moment.
What a blessing to have a praying husband.
I thank God for that Love and Blessing.

During the last week when my Health has not been great, I had prayer.
I HAVE a God who hears and understands.

Puny

2011-10-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

HOWEVER, We needed to get to work outside. We need to clear the blackberry vines and whatever between our fence and our neighbors.
So we get to work on it yesterday.
We only worked about 2 hours but It was a LONG 2 hours. I kept sitting down and saying, "I am so tired, So Tired."
David says, "You sit there and I will finish."
NOPE I do not leave my projects for someone else to finish.
One time I stepped into a squirrels hole and my leg went out from under me.
Suddenly I understood how he feels when he says, "I have no strength to push myself back up."
I tried and tried but my legs were aching and I had no strength.
I finally sat a few minutes then I was able to climb out.
While pulling on limbs I fell a couple of times.
It is not like me to fall, I am pretty balanced but not lately.
We decided to come back in. As we crossed the driveway I grabbed the back of his shirt and he pulled me across the drive. LOL
We laughed and I begged Smoky for a ride but he just wanted to follow us and hug our legs.
I showered and almost passed out from exhaustion. Passed out as in hit the bed and slept.

Today it was only about 45 minutes of torture but I again drug myself in to shower and rest.
Where is my strength?? ????????
I want it back!!!!!!!! whoever took it, Return what you took from me.
I also unstuck two VCRs, Don't ask? Not sure what he did. Don't care as long as I could repair them.

Missed church as Joe needs a report like yesterday.

Insurance

2011-10-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

We had a meeting today on Insurance. It changes AGAIN. It changes EVERY Year.
Every year the deductible goes up, the out of pocket goes up.
Every Year the prescription price goes up.
Thank You, I will still order some of mine from Canada. At least ordering lets me get a three month supply for the cost of a 30 day supply in the Good Old USA.
We are outsourcing our money. We as in the USA.
oh well just my gripe today.
When we arrived at the meeting, My friend Gwena was there and we were able to visit a little.
We decided we liked this style of updating the insurance.
I detest one on one in an office.
Last year I walked out, (if you recall). I let David handle it.
It was just after losing Jeanette and I could NOT sit and I could NOT listen to anyone giggle incessantly.
I told Gwena today, "I took a tranquilizer before I arrived today, so I could deal with our agents giggling"
She looked at me later and asked, "Is it helping?"
Kim was giggling. I told Gwena, "Sort of!" We laughed.
Kim is a great person and I love her but, some days any sane person and definitely an insane person can not handle too much noise.
( I am the sane person I think, in case you did not know.)
G and I decided we may take a trip to Ashland to the Shakespeare Festival.
That would be so nice for a girls, (old lady) get away.
And somewhere else but I forget where.
So the meeting adjourned with us discussing Memaws 90th birthday. Wow that is coming soon.
I believe a big party is planned.
That will be so great.
So subject changed a little, actually I added a discussion to the Insurance meeting.
So I am doing good.
Ya Think So?

Fire!!!!! LOL

2011-10-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

It was a humid, cloudy, cool, day yesterday.
We began by putting batteries in the smoke detectors, (6 times up and down that ladder)
YEA!! NO CHIRPING AT 5 N THE MORNING!!!!
David cleaned the gutters, I oiled the ceiling fan swivel at the ceiling.
New clean vent in the Air conditioner.
Vacuumed the recessed lighting area in the bedroom and kitchen.
Then in to rest and relax before the Repairman arrived to repair my freezer, (which was under warranty) Again YEA!!!!
I missed my freezer.
I could buy nothing for future use, no chicken or bread, as that is what we keep on hand for later dates.
So then we rested.

Late in the day David and I decided to get a few things done outside.
Fall is quickly approaching with the cool mornings and cold nights.
I decided to MOW the area around the garden, the field we keep mowed,and then I moved on to another low cut section, (by the burn pile)
I mowed for a while when I suddenly saw a spark.
(Wow! where did that come from? It is damp out here but it was getting dusk so sparks will show pretty brightly. )
I knew then I had to quit.
I headed toward the house and turned the blades back on, More sparks.
I jumped off as David was walking to me,
We both saw it at the same time.
The grass that catches on the frame was on fire.
Really a fire.
All I can say is, "It is a good thing it was humid or we would have a field fire."
We quickly got the blazes from under the tractor and watered down the sparks that hit the grass.
Nothing hurt or burned. Not a BIT.
So Fire season is just around the corner and David will have the guys and all the coaches out to burn our burn pile. I want a circle of men around it, instead of one LITTLE Woman as I did last spring.
It was a quarter the size of this pile but it burned so hot I felt cooked.

This pile will go up quickly, as it is the accumulation of debris of 30 years that grew on Peach Lane.
It is all cut and cleared and looks nice. We have the burn pile.

We are OK with that as this was a project we wanted complete.
I detested driving down the road with ugly dead bushes on each side. (Yes I know, that is not normal) but that is me. I want things Just So.

Up Early

2011-09-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have slept better the last two nights so I wake early.
Feels weird to be up while it is still Dark.
I made coffee and had coffee with David this morning.
If I do not make it, he does not have it. Simple!!!
He would rather read the Arkansas Razorbacks site. That stimulates his mind and ire.

I realize, I often will flit from one subject to another, but that is me and always has been.
My mind is a whirlwind of information.
However as I age it is becoming more misunderstandable. (or I have more to say)
Or as I say, " People Listen less to what I am saying."
I sometime do pause before beginning another subject.

That is my new goal. Be understood.
HA HA HA Like that will happen. People even forget what they told me a few days ago.
When I repeat it, I hear, HUH???
I then remind them and "oh I thought you were talking about something else."
Maybe my fault, but I will take responsibility and speak slow and sure.
At least I hope I do.

NO BIG PROMISE HERE,

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks,"
Which brings me to a point. Look up the history of that phrase.
It is akin to "You cant teach your Grandma to Suck eggs"

Which Means "you cant teach an older person to do things".
Not for this new generation,
They teach us a lot. Without them my computer would never run, properly, My television would not be viewable, but on one channel, So many things the younger generation have taught us.
They have to program our cell phones and set up our Closed caption, Language, and anything else that we need, and we refuse to get in there and learn.

For example this morning I was told, "I tried to get into the bank but the keyboard does not work."
I say "OK I will fix it, Did you push all the reset buttons?"
"Yes I did,"
So I sit down and push all buttons and It works.
No keyboard problem here.
He asked how, I AGAIN explained how you had to reset the wireless mouse and keyboard.
I will do it again next week, or the next, That is life and I am OK with whatever.

"Do Not Change Horses in Mid Stream"
That is what I do when I change subjects in mid sentence, so I drown and my buggy goes down stream.
LOL LOL

Shoe Dropped

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

At least I think it is the last one unless an entire shoe store is up there.

I felt bad the last few days, (just ask David how grouchy I was)
Sunday my back hurt so bad it was difficult to straighten up.
Take an aspirin and shut up about it.
Monday the back was worse but I sat a lot to stay off my feet.
Tuesday, I am sick and I know something is not right. I try to act normal, (or normal for me).
By noon I was on the sofa resting and groaning. By then my entire abdomen is aching.
I figure it is my colon. As the hours pass I get worse .
David came home and took care of things for me.
I had taken a laxative recommended by my doctor. It worked but I am still pretty sore inside.
He told me it would/could flare up but my Gosh!!! I am not ready to have problems.
When I see him I am going to tell him he jinkxed me with that test.
No big problem for YEARS!!!

Usually it gets well on its own, but yesterday was not good.
At noon, I was lying down, At 1, I was begging for relief.
At 3, David came home and I went to the bedroom and tried to rest.
Then the runs to the bathroom started as did the sick stomach.
It finally calmed down about 6 or 7, still some pain but so much better.
It is my colon, Diverticulosis.
But I had quite a few laughs, I laughed about everything as tears flowed from the Pain.

I am still laughing about the "wall run in." And his nose is fine, sore but fine.

I actually began crying when he prayed for me and I thought of how I had been a Grouch for the last week or so. I thought of how much I loved him and how I trusted his prayers.
Yes I did apologize.
.
He sat on the floor and we talked.

I told David to take his socks off when he is taking care of me. Remember a few years ago when he ran down the hall, sliding and yelling.
I was screaming from a nightmare.
It was funny but the nightmare was not. We would and did laugh about that later, and still do.

He runs when I call
and he could fall,

but I guess his nose
could break his fall.

I did call him for my nitro and thought better of it, since I know he panics.
Besides he could not hear me, I needed a bell for my servant.
I finally had him pray for me and I begin to relax.

Now I know why I could not get out of town for my BIL's funeral.
Diverticulitis was about to rear its ugly Head!! or Butt.
Butt I think!!!!
Now to get to the Doctor and get antibiotics. And buy Food, we are out of EVERYTHING,Really no eggs, milk, bread, olive oil, potatoes.
We are scraping the bottom of the barrel and only because neither of us want to shop.

Good News, The freezer is under warranty. All but Labor. YES!!!! YES!!!!

Doctor sees me at 10:30.
Took OFF part of my post for a good reason, If you want to know, call me. LOL

Borrowed From Merle AGAIN

2011-09-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

A cowboy appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

"Have you ever done anything of particular merit?" St Peter asked.

"Well. I can think of one thing," the cowboy offered.

"On a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of bikers

who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone,

but they wouldn't listen.

So I approached the largest and most tattooed biker and smacked him in the

face, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring, and threw it to the ground.

I yelled, "Now back off or I'll kick the crap out of all of you."

St. Peter was impressed, "When did this happen?"

"Couple of minutes ago."

Be Strong

2011-09-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

That song rang through my mind most of the night.

Be Strong in the Lord

Never give up Hope

You're gonna do great things'

I already know.

Lou, my sis and I talked a long time last night.
It seems things are hitting us right and left.
We all know what you reach a certain age, you begin losing loved ones. My Brother is 73, the same age as my husband.
No one had seen him in over a week.
She was calling him as soon as we hung up.
My older brother is somewhat of a loner. He has been since he lost his younger son 20 years ago in a Motorcycle accident. He had the most difficult time dealing with the loss, so much so that he lost EVERYTHING. Including himself.
She called me back almost immediately.
He is in the Hospital.
Heart Hospital. Big Surprise!!!!
He had not attended the funeral of my BIL and she had some concern,
(Although sometime we just can not make it.)
Mostly it was chalked up to that. He could not make it.
He never tells when he is sick, he is very private. He was having a problem for a while.
He knew it was an issue but kept ignoring it. Shortness of breath, ( Been there, done that, still do at times,) was the main issue.
However when the pain started he saw a doctor who immediately sent him to the hospital.
When she called him last night, she could hear the breathing. (Not Good)
So I sit here, not sleeping much the last two nights, and wonder what is next?
As my Friend Kay used to say, "Waiting for the Next shoe to drop"
No I do not dwell on what can be, but I, of all people, know what can be and will be.
I accept that, with just a bit of angst. Heck who am I kidding I am full of angst.
Sleep evades me, Pills do not help, My hips and back are horrible. My heart is beating so hard at night I can feel it. (makes me think of Edgar Allen Poe, short story, "Tell Tale Heart")

And David, Well David ran into a wall last night and hurt his nose.
I kept hearing him moan and groan and grunt. I asked "What is wrong with you?"
He then told me he ran nose first into a wall.
I should not but I kind of smiled and thought of all the teasing I have given him over the years, saying he had a Big Nose.
I asked this morning how he was and the answer was "I am OK but it is sore, Ouch," ( as he touched it) Poor guy refuses to turn his bedside lamp on because he does not want to disturb me 4 or more times a night.
He is up a lot too.

Now if I can get to my doctor to get my medication.
I am out of most everything.
She , Can you believe it has been on Vacation, How does that happen when people depend on them for refills?
I threw away one of my bottles, I was having a bad day, hour, minute or whatever and I was ticked.
I did not even know why, but now I need them as I have no thyroid and without them
I Kick the Bucket.
You know I need to make a Bucket List.
Top of list is Get the Heck out of this house for a long while.
I have quilting spread on three tables (dining, sewing and coffee table) and and I was reading a quilting book when Lou called. (I must get Baby Boys quilt made)
When she asked what I was doing I told her, "I am reading a quilting book but that means nothing, I also have tables scattered with ideas but I have no inclination to get things done."
She is having the same problem.
We are in Limbo.
My younger sis is having severe chest pain, she did see the doctor and he told her, after an EKG she was fine, the pain is from grieving so hard. It just hurts all over.
He hugged her for a long time and comforted her. Thank God for caring doctors.
They are few and far between.

OK I think that is all the griping for now, I am sure more will come up.

My request is Please pray for my family as we are going through deaths and illness now and tragedy's do come in threes. I think we have exceeded our limit.
Now out I go to wipe down the old freezer and get it ready for Maytag to check out.
Hope it is a simple fix. otherwise we dump it and it is only 8 years old.
Too young to die for a freezer. Can opener maybe, but not a major appliance.

Aspirin times Two

2011-09-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

I ran out of plavix, so I thought "OK I will take two aspirin instead. It will hold until the order comes in," ( I order from Canada, Per my Cardiologist, they sell generic which USA does not!!)

Not!!! I have a nose bleed and I never have nose bleeds. I woke several times wiping my nose. Thinking this is weird but not knowing it was blood.
Darn Now my pillow needs washed or pitched.
Since the sun is still I can put it on the line.

I had to change bedrooms last night. My nerves were jumpy.
Our ceiling fan squeaks (drives me nuts) I have to get a ladder and put grease on the ball at the ceiling.
Then another smoke alarm started beeping,. ( I have to get those batteries)
Freezer is officially Dead. Must call for service, in other words waste at least 100 dollars.
That thought keeps me awake nights, at least the last two.
And I thought I had it fixed after finding the gasket off the bottom of the door. I crawled around on the garage and fixed it. Did not help, it still will not freeze. AT ALL!!!
Why God can I not rest? I need rest.
Probably because I refuse to nap during the day.
I tried Sleep Time tea. Waste of good water.
Did not help.
Now I sit here wishing for company, David was up early and jerked the cover off me to see if I was breathing. I jerked awake, I guess he had tried to wake me but I did not respond.

He is still working in the office and he is off 300 dollars, He will not rest until it is found.
Joe needs a report and David is working hard to get it done Soon. Soon as in now. He will be back at it this evening and he spent the entire weekend on the paperwork.
Dave will not rest with one cent off. He is that much of a perfectionist in his bookkeeping. I guess you have to be.
So what will I do today, NOTHING!!!
Maybe Sew.
Shelle I could go to PO and mail your shoes but that would entail getting dressed. I like my Jammie's. OH yes I found the button hole kit for that sewing machine. I will send it too, Iknow you want to make clothes. LOL

Scary Cat

2011-09-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Scary Cat!!!!

ME!!!!
I was in the garage looking for a bowl lid. Yes, I have cupboards in the garage.
As I moved a piece of Tupperware, I saw a lizard scurry out. I was literally dancing as I wanted to get out of its way. My heart was racing I was shaking. Stupid me , he did not want me either.
It ran under my car and maybe into its undercarriage.
David said it was not possible, I said, YES IT IS!!!!!
I DETEST lizards or anything that slithers.

I told David and I tell each of you, If I ever have a wreck for no known reason, Look for the lizard or snake that may have slithered into my car.
He said, " Just stay calm and pull over,"
He knows me better than that, He knows my fear of that rat.
He knows I love the pug and my cat, he knows the me that gets lazy and fat,
He knows me better than that.
He knows slithering makes my skin crawl and I freak out.

Later I was making dinner, I had forgotten about the Air Show, ( I was busy making a Chocolate Cake)
Suddenly a Jet flew over and the whistle was so loud, I know he was right over the top of the house.
I again panicked and almost hit my knees, I was shaking so badly.
You know you can think a lot of things in a split second.
I wondered if a big truck was careening off the highway towards the house.
I wondered if a Bomb was hitting us.
I truly was frightened for a second. And I do not frighten easily.
I walked outside to see the Jets but the sound was far behind the Jet. ( I never saw a jet and I was out in an instant)
While standing in the yard I recalled a day when I heard the first Jet break the sound barrier. It was amazing. The loud boom in an otherwise quiet Arkansas country day. This was in the early 1950's.

Today brought back many memories
Precious Memories.,

Precious memories, unseen angels,

Sent from somewhere to my soul;

How they linger, ever near me,

And the sacred past unfold.

Chorus

Precious memories, how they linger,

How they ever flood my soul

In the still ness of the midnight,

Precious, sacred scenes unfold

Precious father, loving mother,

Fly across the lonely years;

An old home scenes of my childhood,
In fond memory appears.

Chorus

Precious memories, how they linger,

How they ever flood my soul;

In the still ness of the midnight,

Precious, sacred scenes unfold.

n the stillness of the midnight

Echoes from the past I hear;

Old time singing, gladness bringing,

From that lovely land somewhere.

Chorus

Precious memories, how they linger,

How they ever flood my soul;

In the still ness of the midnight,

Precious, sacred scenes unfold.

As I travel on life's pathway,

Know not what the years may hold;

As I ponder, hope grows fonder,

Precious memories flood my soul.

Chorus

Precious memories, how they linger,

How they ever flood my soul

In the still ness of the midnight,

Precious, sacred scenes unfold.

David has been in the office all DAY working on the books.
I have again been sitting quietly and trying not to bother him.
Finally around dusk I asked him to help me put Jim,s Mailbox up.

So my day has been pretty uneventful.
I did remember today was Jeanette's 60th birthday.
I would have sent her something, probably her favorite coffee beans, Chocolate Almond and Vanilla mixed. (or any other flavors I could mix that were decaf)
She loved that I thought of her coffee time.
I had a cute cup and coaster that was set aside for her, That I was going to send with a bag of cranberries and coffee, she loved the cranberries I picked up at Costco.
My One big Bag cost less than she paid for a small bag at a local grocer.
Now I see they carry dried Cherries, I must try those for flavor in scones. I love scones with with butter and cream cheeses and jam.
Example, 48 Oz's in Costco only cost me, 799, A small bag (less than 8 Oz's) cost 4 dollars at the local store
Due to her poor health she was unable to shop for any length of time.
As far as riding the handicap baskets, she did not weigh enough to make them go.
Laughingly I told her to add a bag of dog food or go in with chains on.
She only laughed. You have to admit the image of this little lady on a cart and it would not go.(IS FUNNY I DON'T CARE who you are.
David told her to set in the basket and let her little legs dangle out., ( he was referring to the infant carrier
We all had a good laugh on that one.
She scolded him for that statement. But she laughed.

So that has been my day, quiet, No church as David had to work,
I spent my day baking and just sitting around.
Hope yours was as enjoyable and as restful.

I have no heard from my children today, so now news is good news
But do not forget about us. We are still here and kicking.

Just my Thoughts

2011-09-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

The world is an awfully big, amazing Beautiful, Creation of God.
Imagine you are nothing but a spec in a sea of sand. That is about what we amount to when we see the entire scheme of life.
Imagine a satellite falling from space and missing everyone, Everyone,
And it supposedly fell unnoticed by anyone but the Scientist tracking its path.
Even they could not guess within 500 miles of its crash site.
Amazing. I love the history behind all this.

All this!!!! Great Creation of God.

We begin as a tiny, tiny unseeable spec in our parents bodies. We are there until it is time for God to bring us to life.
Amazing!!!!

So I ponder this as I recall a few conversations the last couple of weeks.

My 16 year old Grandson J with several little ones were in the kitchen. I was explaining the necessity of learning to swim. I said, "Yes it is important to learn, You never know when it will be needed, In fact someone in our family drowned because he did not know how to swim"
I then asked "Who?" Several of the children were yelling answers but K, 6 little arm shot up, (just like it does in school.)
I said, "Let K tell us," Everyone stood quietly while she proudly said,

"JESUS"
We all kind of laughed and told her "No Jesus did not drown but Your cousin Charlie did"
She understood then and said "Oh"

A couple of weeks later, I was helping my son and DIL out while she had surgery.
We, as in the smaller children and I were in our bedroom. I was shaving my legs, and putting lotion on them.
The children watched and I let them rub cream into their arms and legs and belly if exposed.

K 6 , Lay her leg beside mine. ( I tan easily, I only have to walk outside."0
K is blond and has very pale beautiful skin.
She noticed the difference in our colors. I said,
" You know K, I am part Indian."
She looked at me with all sincerity andsaid,
"Which Part? The Legs?"
I laughed and laughed and said, "Yes the legs"
When I told her she had to be part Indian too, she did not believe me.
Wonder why?

moving on to today and my thoughts.

When I talked to my Sis today, I said, "I have no great words of wisdom to help you, I guess you take it one minute or second at a time, I will not say a day at a time as that is too long."
She told me she has not found the way yet.
It will be one week tomorrow since she lost her Husband.
It is still fresh and young in her mind, She has great memories and we both shed a lot of tears today, as I tried to talk, Nothing anyone can say will remove loss or questions.
Then my younger brother told me something I have NEVER thought of.

Rosie ask God "WHY?"
He told her "Sis it is OK to ask Why? Even Jesus Christ Asked God, Why?as he was dying on the cross."
He gave us permission as humans to question."
I Never had taken it that way, but it is so true. As a human he was suffering, So he asked, "My God,My God why has thou forsaken me?"

Don't we feel like that sometime? Why is this happening to me? He does not mind the asking but the answers are sometime not understood.
Life is not always fair but it is always moving forward as you can never regain your past.

Jeanette, My baby sis told me, "She said, "When I get to Heaven I will not care about the things of this earth. I will have no questions."
You know I think she was right.

Air Show

2011-09-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Sis the Air Show is this weekend. Wanna lay by my pool and watch?
Maybe is they fly low enough we can see a Man in Uniform. LOL
(wait that is me that likes guys in uniform. )
I have been listening to the Jets practicing and watching the loops and whatever they are doing.
They are loud today.
On 911 we had two fly out a few times, I figured they were watching Shasta Dam as that would be terrorists target.

Everyone be sure to keep an eye on the skies, The satellite is falling and will hit the US.
If they know what they are talking about.
That is according to the latest calculations.

What to do? I talked to Rose this morning, She is doing OK.
As you know OK means existing. Nothing more.
Like Fine! It has no great meaning. Good or Bad.

If I can get tickets cheap enough I may go spend a couple of weeks with her,
After the crowds are gone and the calls stop coming.
And they will. She will then be alone most of the time. The boys have to get on with their lives, Preaching and Singing the gospel.
However, I would be leaving an old Man alone. Not sure that is a good idea.
Really not sure anything is a good idea any longer.
Each day is borrowed and some days you are ready to pay your account in full.
As Raymond said, "Heaven looks sweeter all time."

The memory of Losing Jeanette was strong this week, but I made it through with the help of God and a Good Man. (My husband held me a lot)
I called my older Son on the hour of the funeral and had my cry. I just felt so alone, David was at work, All my family was at my Sisters side, All but me. Wahhhhhh!!!!
By the time we hung up, I was laughing. I told him, "I knew you could make me laugh."

I talked to Kevin this morning, I asked him to please get that song recorded. "Across the Miles,"
(story of the song)
On August the 11th I called Rosie,. That was her birthday. That ws the day Rodney's colon ruptured.
That was a day we were unsure he would make it. That was the day God Gave him a few more weeks.
Beautiful Weeks. We all do not get that gift, so each day must be made to count.
Live Each Day as If It Were Your Last.
I left a message on her pager, "ILove you and I am hugging you Across the Miles. Happy Birthday Sis"
When Kevin talked to me he told me that was a song they were about to record and it was
A God thing that I left that message.
Yes I believe God gives us just the right thing to say at the Right time, If we listen to that still,small voice and obey.
Often we think it is just our own thoughts but often it is the still small voice of an angel directing our paths.

Now I want to live one more minute in peace and contentment with God.
Each minute leads to another minute of Peace and Love.

Sunday is Jeanettes Brithday, She would have been 60 years old. How I miss that girl and her laughter. We laughed about the silliest things. The most absurd things, the worse things you can imagine but that is what Sisters do.
They often disagree but there is nothing NOTHING in the world like a Sister, Especially one that is so much like you, One that loved to call her and I "The Family Rebels"
And I guess we were, We were the first to cut our hair, first to wearshorts, first to question Why?
But we love deeply and passionately. We will fight to the death for our loved ones.
And she did.

Sadness

2011-09-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

I am sad, so sad, as I need to be at my sisters side. I can not be there. I must accept that. I just called.
The doctor has ordered tranquilizers for her.
I was told she sobbed so hard last night her son went to her room and stayed with her.
Today they took her home to get papers and she had to have help getting out of the car.
I feel her pain, I have no idea what I would do without David.
It is something we all face sometime in our lives. It does not make it easier knowing it is inevitable.
It will Never be Easy to Lose someone you Love.

Never!

Praise you in this Storm

2011-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

Phone calls Early on Sunday is not usually a good thing.
As I reached for the phone, Half asleep and groggy, I heard my Nephews sad voice.
"Aunt Sue, Dad died this morning."
"Oh My God, I am so sorry"
My mind is racing, my heart is breaking, David is weeping, I am unusually calm outside.

On August 11 Rodney was in the hospital with a ruptured colon, that after a surgery to bypass an aneurysm in his body.
He was not supposed to make it through that surgery, Who lives after a color rupturing?
Rodney did. He had lots of prayer warriors on his side, but God was giving him a few precious weeks with the Love of his Life.
Rodney was preparing to return to work today. Today!!!
He is only 66 years old. One year older than me. This just shows, you never know when God is ready for you. I knew Rodney most of my life. He and I attended the same Vacation Bible school at Assembly of God church. Recently we talked and recalled the same ministers and youth leaders and thought of them about the same time. "Bro Alvis Dickinson"
He was the gospel singer at our school Assembly's. He has an amazing voice.
His sons are now spreading the Gospel through song, If you live in the south they are
"Cross Point"
They may be visiting your church, or in the area, They are a real blessing and their CD'S can be found on the Internet.
One of his sons is an ordained minister.
What a blessing and legacy he left.
Yes he is gone but he will not be forgotten.

Due to distance I will not be able to attend. David and I tried every way possible to find a way to go but it just seemed not to be.
We could not access an account on Sunday and Tickets had to be bought. We do not carry charge cards so none of that was possible.
We finally settled down and said, "it just does not seem to be supposed to happen" We had worked and called and checked airlines until it was too late to get ready for church and we had not eaten breakfast at 1130.
Then my Sis called.( Rosie, the wife of Rodney.) She said, "Sue do not try to come out here, I just need your love and prayers,"
Then I fell apart. I told her how much I wanted to be there to support her and the rest of the family, but to have that call meant a lot to me. She took time out of her mourning, to let me know it was OK.

Love and Prayers Are ALWAYS at the top of my priority list. A prayer lives in my heart for my loved ones.
I ask each of you to pray for my family as they face yet another trial and Loss of a dear loved one.
Last year at this time it was my Little Baby Sister Jeanette and Today it is My Dear Brother in Law.
And you know, I still want Jeanette back, I know that is horrible but at times my heart cries out for her laughter .
Just yesterday I told David "I would take her back now, she could not be much thinner than she was when I hugged her last."
Tears were flowing but we both laughed.
Some days you have to find laughter in the most meaningless things.

I will praise him in this storm. I have to praise him in this storm, There is a Rainbow beyond the storms.
I am trying to find that Rainbow but first I must celebrate his lfe and legacy.

Praise him in this storm by Casting Crowns.

I was sure by now

That You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say, Amen and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands

And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands

For You are who You are no matter where I am

And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand

You never left my side and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

Driving through my Past

2011-09-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today as I left YC, there was LOTS of construction on 99. I decided to avoid it so I took Scenic, Historic 99 through a little town, ( I will think of the name later LOL) Richvale.
Miles and Miles of no traffic and no houses but Miles and Miles of farm land.
It was beautiful and serene. I let my windows down, turned up K love and loved the drive.
At one point I met a piece of farm equipment that I had to look up to see the tires. I had to turn my head and Yell, Whoo Hoo!!! It was the most peaceful drive I have taken in a LONG time. I loved the smells and the serenity. I loved seeing the Beautiful White cranes standing on one leg and watching the fields.
(In all honesty I wondered if I would ever get back to civilization. but I kept driving)
It took me back to a time in 1963 when I arrived in California and saw new land and new sights.
I had never seen so much farm land. Open acres and acres of farmland.
Our first few months were spent in these farming areas. David and I walked many orchards and country roads and saw a lot of pheasant. That area is a call to all hunters who want to hunt pheasant.
I passed a dairy that supplies "Land of Lakes Butter" I never knew that was there.

I thought of my first time away from home and wondered if I had missed out on a lot of life, Life with my family.
However I realize I made my own life. A life I built in a land far away from Arkansas.
California was like a different world when I opened my eyes. I grew up in a dry county and I never saw liquor stores or bars, but in California there was one on every corner. I could not walk out of a local grocery store without being ogled at by a drunk.
More than once I ran back in to be with my husband.

Did I make a mistake? No and Yes.
I missed being there to help out with my Mom when she was ill, I missed a lot of family gatherings, I missed a lot of funerals of my uncles and aunts, Uncles and aunts that meant so much to me while growing up. Uncles and Aunts that came to live with us when Daddy was hospitalized and Mama had to be away for days on end. She never left my Daddy's side.

Then home and back to normal life, normal life always watching for another heart attack and wondering if it was the last.

Then I remember this is the life I choose. A life to build my family values around and begin a new generation. I often speak lovingly of my past life but I Love my life now. Although slower with less meaning it is still mine and Davids.
I had the best of both worlds, A clean, Loving home environment with 7 brothers and sisters. Big BIG family dinners, Big Big Christmas with lots of noise and laughter.
Now I have a clean loving home environment, it is much quieter as I had only three children but those three added 13 more to our brood.
Our home environment is now becoming Big And Loud and Making memories,
Precious Memories.
But mostly our time is quiet and time to reflect on rights and wrongs. Mostly we concentrate on the great moments of our lives.
Dune Buggy Rides, Seeing a Russian Sub in the harbor, Pier 39 in San Francisco, Disneyland, Yosemite, Redwoods, Mt Lassen. And Many Many more. Our weekends were mostly spent on the road to see sights of California Oregon and Nevada. When we drove to Arkansas for a visit, we went to Hoover dam, the painted desert and the petrified forest. Plus Many Many Stops on Route 66.
A forgotten place but if a person so desires, a map is still available and most of the Ghost towns can be toured at your own risk.
Some even better now than they were in the 60's. Curios are still there but hard to find.
Mostly I write this so my children can recall, a little inkling of life before jobs and family became part of their daily routine.
Remember we have been there and would not go back but loved each precious minute with you.

That is the trip we plan to take next. A trip down Route 66.
Each place has a special photographic memory in our hearts and minds.
It never prospers anyone to regret. You just move forward.
We love each of you and pray for Godly decisions in raising your gifts from God.

Off to YC

2011-09-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have a big week coming up. I am traveling 120 miles to help my DIL as she has a hysterectomy.
Bout time. She is in desperate need of this. Not to prevent pregnancy but to stop the heavy flow and anemia.
What will I do while there? Guess!!!!
There are 6 children under 13. One we nicknamed "Zoom Zoom" as he is fast as lightening.
That will be the baby.
I have to pack my Mamaw Bag. This contains things to do to keep them seated and talking and writing and learning. It has books to read, Old Poems, OLD OLD books, coloring books and pencils.
It also will contain Cookie makings.
Have to make cookies, What is life without cookies with children.
We shall also dance while we cook. We love to dance.
I will have to remind me to SLOW DOWN. I am prone to move fast and efficient. Then Drop from exhaustion.
Now to get my rear in gear and move it! move it! move it.!
But No I think one more cup of coffee is called for. Right now I relax.

Where did the Week Go??

2011-09-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

I can barely believe it is Friday. I have accomplished little but also I have accomplished a lot.
My house is clean, my laundry is done, meals are planned for next week, (NOT).
Yesterday I spent the afternoon by the pool. It felt marvelous. I was alone, YES, Why would I not be?
David came home and swam with me for about an hour, then in to dinner.
Not sure why but it made me sick. Sick as in wishing I had not eaten but I only ate half a sandwich and a few bites of potato.
OH well, such is the life of the elderly. LOL
I wish I liked food. I just don't like most things. Not even bread is appealing to me and that is big, I usually LOVE bread. ANY Bread, Any Way, Any Time.

I was going to drag out my sewing but I will be leaving next week to spend a week with my son and family. My DIL is having surgery. I must chase "Zoom Zoom. "
Who is Zoom Zoom? He is none other than the fastest almost 2 year old I know.
Man that boy can move....
Example: I was in the pool talking to David, who was sitting in a chair, I looked up, the slider was opening pretty quickly then I see the blue streak, (Baby K)
I say," Dave, Move, Quickly, Move, Turn around Get him," Too late. He was out the door and at the pool gate before David could grasp what I was saying.
At that point someone from the house ran out to grab him. LOL!!! He is so fast, therefore I call him "Zoom Zoom"
Ya know Like "Bam Bam"
I need to put together a Mamaw bag, with cars, pencils, paper, whatever to keep them busy. Cookie making fixings, Etc.
That is what I call my Mamaw Bag. I used to take it to my daughters house when I watched her babies. Oh man that was years ago. G is now 11 he was a baby then. Wow
Time flies,
I have been so blessed to have spent precious time with my grandchildren.
Now I must begin working on my neighbors mail box. I have procrastinated.
Love to all.

Self Image of 3 Year Old

2011-09-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

L was wanting to draw. We gave her paper and she was happy.
Imagine my surprise as I walked up to see this photo.
And the writing on the page.
She was telling us, "That A Me"

So to L this is A Me.
So Cute and I was shocked at her ability to write. 3 Years old. Not only that, but the spelling is almost perfect.

Weekend

2011-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with our sons and their children In total there were 14 of us in the house.
(We missed our Baby Girl though, Sheri We MISSED YOU SO MUCH)
You would have been a big part of the laughter going on.
They are the mischievous "Three Musketeers" Get them together and you do NOT know what is going to happen or be said.
Two older protective brothers and one baby sis, we were blessed with these three, now we have 13 grandchildren, only three of which are girls.
One grandson decided he would love Cinnamon rolls. I made them and I never saw anything go so fast in my LIFE.
It was like a swarm of locust devouring crops.
Really I made a huge pan full, I pulled them out of the oven, began putting frosting on the rolls and behind me stood a gang of people with plates in hand. LOL
I laughed and laughed.
The rolls were GONE. I had half of one.
But I loved it, It made a great memory to carry in my mind.
Swarms of my loved ones waiting, Plates in hand, drooling at the mouth and wanting MORE MORE MORE.
Next time I double the recipe.

Fun??? You bet,!!!! see the attached photos. The adults had sore bodies. Ibuprofen was a request the next morning.
K loved the attention. She loves her Auntie and Uncle.

Poor uncle Chas and Aunt Shelle. C the 10 year old was constantly jumping in the pool then AJ (14 years ole) came over and tried to teach him back flips and twist turns. Got to say Cay tried it.

Son Dwarfs Dad.
I liked this shot.
Later Charles removed his glasses and was Laughing and talking and I saw my Dad in his face.
Amazing. I just sat and stared. Charles does have the Brown strong cheebones, Jaw Line, the Brown structure on his face. Look at the Old photo of Grandpa Brown, EXACTLY the same.
Made me miss my Dad and he has been gone since 1957.
I thought of his booming laughter, Laughter which Charles has. BOOMING!!!