Like Water Under a Bridge ... and other excuses

 

for failing to memorialize life events with more consistency.

 

Life is moving waaayyyy too quickly.

I think everyone else is feeling this "time is whizzing by" feeling.

 

Once it's gone, it is like water under the bridge and

never to return.

How other bloggers manage to write every day is beyond me!

There are lots of good things we enjoy,

but I just haven't taken the time to sit down at the computer to and share.

 

These past few weeks we have

taken our motorcycle ride to Jefferson, Texas,

 

 

I held off on blogging about this waiting for pics

from the professional photographer who was also on the ride.

(Guessing he got bogged down with life and other things.)

 

We made a quick trip to Oklahoma for a reunion with members

of my church from the sixties,

Sweet memories there.

This lady's memory of me is that
every week I requested we sing the same song.
She sounded somewhat annoyed about that.
Why on earth would she remember such a thing?

This young man was our youth leader
and the beautiful lady, Sandi, was our friend and neighbor.
I babysat for her sweet daughter, Delana.
Sandi must have been a child herself. ;-)
 

Those were really good times.

It was on my heart to talk about the impact these wonderful people

had on my life, but I didn't, did I?

So important to realize the influence

we have on others for positive or negative.

 

 

Fun with the family at Lake Granbury,

 

 

 

Then another speedy week-end trip to Oklahoma City to see Les Mis,

 

What a great show!

 

A trip to Austin to watch Brady and Noah play soccer.

Exceptionally handsome guys!

 

Fun with iPads

 

A big birthday for Dear Heart,

and our 25th wedding anniversary.

Heading in to Grandpa's favorite
Greek restaurant.
Kate's manners were impeccable.

 

In between?

More foundation problems to deal with, but life made sweeter with

Bible studies, lots of visits with our sweet Kate and Jack,

 

 

 

 

a couple of visits from niece Robyn,

 

Yes, I think she is trying to round them up!

 

special times with friends.

 

Finally, Dear Heart has been busy with this.

 

 

Dear Heart's windmill
made from scratch!
He did a good job, I think.

 

 The month of October is almost over.

Everybody has posted their Fall, Halloween, and pumpkin pics but me.

So, here goes.

These were taken at the Dallas Arboretum.

Cinderella's Pumpkin House
(Or was that Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater?)

 

Her pumpkin tree

 

Cinderella's Horses and Carriage
(the horses are made entirely from grass
and other kinds of straw and stubble.)

 

Last, but not least:
I think this is where "Monster Mash" came from!

 

Watching paint dry

Finally!

Our bedroom is painted.

 

Earlier this year, Dear Heart's bypass surgery

necessitated a quick traumatic switchover from
our much loved canopy bed

to a split Tempurpedic adjustable.

Due to all the extenuating circumstances and concerns of the day,
I did not think to take a pic of the chaos that
resulted when all this was taking place.
TRUST ME!
It was truly in confusion, turmoil, and disarray!
 

It was a trick finding split CalKing sheets
that weren't outrageously expensive.

But I did it!

Also found a simple tufted leather headboard,

and a new coverlet for the bed that would work with the old curtains.

Dear Heart insists on holding on to these old drapes
because they keep the room dark
for daytime naps :-(
 

Only thing missing was something lightweight to hang over the bed.

 

Early 1970's
Is this now retro? LOL

Jay's Mom gave me this little rotating bookcase
constructed out of oak and pine from Admiral Nelson's Flagship.

The little copper seal authenticates that the wood and this piece of copper
came from the ship,
but I guess you will have to take my word for it.

Getting a bedroom painted may not seem like much,
but in light of everything else that has happened this year,
i.e., surgeries, emotions running high and low,
foundation leaks, new floors, etc.
it was one of those naggy, niggly things.
It needed to be done ...
but remained at the bottom of the list.

I wasn't sure how all this was going to work out,
but while I was looking around and taking photos of the bedroom,

I think it's going to be all right. :-)

I'm thankful to say that all the other issues,
circumstances, problems,
and situations are
more than "all right."

"Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
... Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy!"

1 Thessalonians 5:18 CEB; Psalm 126:3 NLT
 



A Rule I Cannot Keep

It's that time of year ... again.

Time to trade out the Spring/Summer clothes

with Fall/Winter.

You all know "The Rule."

"If you haven't worn it, used it, looked at it

in the last six months to a year, it's time to get rid of it."

 

Being pretty much a "follow the rules" person, such as,

don't walk on the grass, be quiet, etc.,
 

 

this "Rule" messes with me

season after season.

What is classic

and what is not?

This black dress is sentimental.
It's what I wore on the Orient Express.
It still fits.
What that says?
The weight I lost ten years ago is back!!! ;-) 

 

What is old?
What to keep?

What to give?

What to throw?
 

What will be switched over

and never worn,

only to be switched back the next season?

Heavy dust collecting on the shoulders

and pants on hangers.

I'm torn.

I really liked that.

I may wear it again.

It might come in handy.

Who knows?

Would anybody else really want that thing?

I've given away lots of clothes over the years,

but too many still remain.
How did a person who doesn't even like to shop
arrive at this problem? 

Is it wrong to confess these things?

Is there some kind of group therapy for this?

Am I a hoarder?

 

It didn't take long to find some help on this.

http://personalorganizing.about.com/od/clothes/a/When-to-Donate-Clothes.htm

 

Back up to the closet.

Gonna get real tough.

Does anybody else have this problem?


If you made it through this, (Whew!)
here is a video of Kate telling me about one of her rules.

In case you didn't get it:
Never, ever, ever touch the green box!


 

 



Equal Portions

Tonight I divvied up leftovers for supper.

That is a rare occurrence at our house

(unless I am the one eating them, that is.)

Since the beef stew was so yummy the other night,

it just seemed a good plan to finish it off.

After making some cornbread,

and a salad to round it out.

I poured it into the bowls,

and wondered if it would be enough for the two of us.

I made sure that the portions were "even"

'cause Dear Heart always notices things like that!

Me too.

Granny made a comment to me many years ago

as she watched me slice cake for my husband and I.

One piece was definitely bigger and better!

So sweetly she said, "Aww, Connie Jean, that's what I do.

I always give the best slice to your Grandad."

 

 

Ooops!!!

My face is red.

The big piece was for me.

 

Dear Heart eats gobbles his food up quickly

(a habit from many years with the Fire Department).

I am a very slow eater so, of course,

he always finishes his first.

 

Can somebody please tell me why he thinks

that entitles him to what is left on my plate?

(It is also my job to save the bite that our dog Trudy is waiting for.)

Really. What is equal about that?

 

 

 

 



Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

No slip pie crust mat

+

 

No Fail pie crust recipe

+

Colonial rolling pin

+

fresh ingredients

 

=

 

Perfect Cherry Pie?

 

Apparently the answer to the question is,
"No, she cannot bake a cherry pie" ...
or I should say, a pretty cherry pie.
 

Yesterday was the birthday Dear Heart has been
somewhat down in the dumps about for the past couple of weeks.

It was his

 

His birthday wish was "no big fuss."

No gifts.
(He pretty much has everything he wants anyway)

But I wanted to do SOMEthing special for him.
I made him a homemade birthday card
(which is the only kind of card he likes to give or receive).

And he loves cherry pie.

So I baked a pie from scratch.

The last pie I made was maybe 30 years ago.
(And I'm guessing it will be another 30 years before I bake another!)

And rats! because my hands were deep into the pie crust dough,
I missed a great photo op!
Looking out the window I see one of these
coming up the hill in the backyard.

He's riding his Toro and pulling one of the outdoor sheds
uphill to get it on the side of the house.

It's always something with him.
I love my Dear Heart and am
so thankful for him.