Throwback Thursday

So, I woke up this morning to this!

Just got a good feeling and was reminded of a song from my teen years.

It's a beautiful mornin',
I think I'll go outside a while
And just smile!

And so I did ... smile. Oh, the carefree days of spring and summer. Driving around with windows down through the park, waving at friends, stopping to visit. And Friday and Saturday nights up and down the main drag, stopping for cokes and burgers. The good old days, right? I've had many good days in my life, so I will with great fondness recall the memories from the past, but enjoy the good old days I experience these days.

"Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions."

Ecclesiastes 7:10

And this is a real throwback. 

This plaid metal lunchbox was at an estate sale last week.

It even has the thermos inside.

My first lunchbox in first grade which I carried for several years.

Grape jelly sandwiches on white Wonder bread,

a side of Fritos, 

a fried pie or Hostess cupcake

and chocolate milk!!

It's now over my kitchen cabinets with some other old things from the "good old days!" 

A Restful Holiday and MVP Grandson

"Well, everybody else is doing it!!!" That old line was used many times, but it just didn't work at our house when I was growing up. You know the response to that, I'm sure. "If everybody else jumped off a cliff, would you, too?"

Friends and family all had something interesting planned for the weekend, but we had nothing! (We did have a couple of invitations, but it wasn't that appealing.) Sitting around the house is all right, but I just felt it would be good for DH to be able to sit around and do nothing in different surroundings with a change of scenery. After multiple attempts to find a lake house to rent that wasn't too far away, I found one at a lake in East Texas which I had never heard of. 

This is from the Internet, since I never was able to get a good picture of the lake. Lake Hawkins really was a beautiful lake.

So we made the commitment, loaded up and were on our way. Even Annie got to come along! 

This pic of the house where we stayed does not in any way reflect the interior! It was amazing with every kind of amenity you could think of and so fresh and clean. Four bedrooms, three levels, several decks, a hot tub, surrounded by beautiful trees, and a TV we could operate!! LOL! It was a very restful couple of days. We watched the PBS Memorial Day Tribute which was very moving. We also watched Patton and Midway which really suited DH. For me, walking the dog was very pleasant as the property was so big and Annie had lots of things to explore.

Looking down the road at the lake.

Early morning sunrise.

We did indeed have a wonderful time and found a couple of nearby restaurants. I had taken groceries for snacks and breakfast, and the owners had left a pan of delicious cinnamon buns! All in all, it was good, but we both were glad to return home yesterday. One thing I discovered though and that is that my DH can enjoy sitting at home just as much as away from home. It just takes too much energy for him these days to want to go exploring or hiking. From now on, I think the contentment we find here will be quite enough! There is truly no place like home.

And over the weekend, our grandson's soccer team played for state championship. And won!

With his coaches.

And, as if that weren't enough, here he is being awarded the Offensive MVP for his school soccer team. He is the only 5th grader who was permitted to play on the school team! 

Brady excels in so many things! He is an excellent student, a high achiever, responsible, kind and a great athlete! Many other wonderful words describe him, but I will leave it at that! (And I think it goes without saying what a handsome boy he is!)

Old Friends

Last Wednesday I met these dear ladies for lunch at our usual place, Luby's Cafeteria. Three times a year we meet ... for each birthday! We have been friends since we met in 1973 at the law firm where we worked. 

Paralegal Nancy on the left

Sherri, the receptionist in the center.

Connie, legal assistant to our boss who later

encouraged and helped me to become a paralegal also.

Here's the little cutie being contained while Mommy has work to do.

I would gladly post bail for this sweet baby girl.

DH lost his wedding ring several months ago and I have tried to get him into a jewelry store to fit him for a new ring. Finally, got his ring finger sized and since I had done some searching, I found a nice gold band on Amazon, which I ordered last week. After watching the door every day for the UPS man to come, it finally arrived. I tore into the cardboard box

which held a plastic baggie,

which held a box,

which held a little black velvet bag.

But alas ... no ring to be found!

What a bummer!

So I immediately contacted Amazon as I didn't want any time to get away from me so they would believe my story. And they did. They credited my card. Now my plan is to pick one up from the jeweler. Lesson learned.

The last two days I have been walking around the nursery trying to figure out what to plant in the pots for the patio. The figure 8 bed in the back yard is doing well and I will be glad when the crape myrtles bloom.

The vitex tree is swarming with bees.

My iPhone can't capture the tiny little bees. :-(

You also can't tell the smaller shrubs have red flowers.

They are autumn sage.

Here are a few of the pots I filled today.

Friday night was really something! Just before dark, our neighbor came knocking on the door asking DH to come look at what was going on with the electrical box between our houses. Wow! Smoke was coming up from the ground - not the box - but the ground! It was so hot I couldn't believe and, of course, I had to touch the ground to believe it! Ouch!!! It was blazing hot! No flames, just smoke. I called 911 and the fire department came out to take a look and determined the electric company needed to get out here and fix it. It took over an hour for them to arrive, all the while all our neighbors congregating and visiting while the firefighters waited patiently!! 

So thankful that was taken care of before we went to sleep that night! I wonder if it might have burst into flames at some point. Oh well. We rest under the shadow of His wings. Years ago, when Kate was a tot, we would take walks in the neighborhood (mostly to the park), but when we passed the green electrical box, she would always say: "Mommy says, never, ever, never never, ever, never, never TOUCH the green box!" She had that rule down! Now we know why! The electrical man said that was 185 degrees! I know because I touched it!

It is a beautiful day and a weekend to remember those who served and never returned! Prayers for their families. May God give them His comfort and peace. One young man from our church is honored every year. He served twice in Iraq. The second time he went, he really didn't have to go due to an injury. However, he did not want his men to return there without him. Unfortunately, he was the one who didn't come back home.

Restland Cemetary in Dallas

I am thankful that my Dad, and both my nephews returned safely from their overseas duties.

Sheer Delight!!

and other images from days gone by:

Weekend Recap

On Friday evening we traveled about 60 miles to watch Kate play in a softball tournament. It seemed to take forever as part of our trip was on a two lane highway out in the country ... boondocks!! They played in a little town I had never heard of before, but it had a beautiful park with good softball fields. Unfortunately, our team didn't win. But they had another game to play on Saturday and again, to a little town I had never heard of before. It was quite a dumpy little town as were the fields. We sat right behind the batters' box and although Saturday was hot, alas, the wind which could have cooled us off was fiercely blowing the dirt from the field directly on us!!! We suffered through like good Nonnie and Grandpa! Move to the other side? No way! Especially since their team was beating us unmercifully.

Our girl at bat!!

Sad to say ... another loss! The kids weren't too disappointed as they were going back home where their new above ground pool awaited them. Mom and Dad had put it together the day before and filled it up. The water was cold, but they didn't care.

Looks like Kate might be shivering there!!

We came home to rest and, after dinner, I went to church alone. DH was sound asleep in his chair.

Sunday weather was a big surprise. It rained wonderful, beautiful, heavy rain. So thankful for that. I decided to bake cookies to replenish my supply in the freezer. Chocolate chip on Sunday and peanut butter today.

They were delish!

We had a great dinner also of chicken fried steak fingers, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, corn on the cob, gravy and biscuits!! Then after cleaning up the kitchen, I also watched the wedding or, rather, I fast forwarded through much of what was recorded and saw the sweet moments.  It was a nice wedding. 

Every year the doves nest under our deck and it is always fun to watch them repair and get the nest ready, sit on the eggs and then watch as the babies learn to fly. This year is different. Something must have gotten into their nest and destroyed the eggs. The shells were in the yard and on the patio and now the doves are gone. That makes me sad. 

Our yaupon tree in the back yard also houses a family of mockingbirds. It's fun to watch them fly back and forth and into the hole they've worn through the tree. But strangely enough, this year they have decided they don't like (or trust) our dog. When I let Annie outside and she meanders down the fence line to visit the neighbor's dog, the bird flies over to rest on the fence and chatter away. She (or he) followed Annie around the yard squawking all the way and once, she dove down over Annie, which caused Annie to jump and run! Very strange.

The yaupon on the left is in this figure 8 bed.

It was getting to be dusk when I took this.

The sunset last evening was beautiful. It would be nice if I would learn to use our nice camera, but the iPhone is just too convenient. Just as I snapped, two birds flew across the lake. I thought that was pretty cool.

The tulips which were so beautiful a couple of weeks ago finally bit the dust ...

or the doily!

Pitiful! I enjoyed them as long as I could. Lol!!!