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.

 

 



Brady's Birthday

His first camo outfit

Surrounded by bluebonnets

Just having some fun!

A little fish.

With Daddy and brother Noah

 

Boys being boys

Thomas the Train
was serious stuff back then





He wants to be a baseball player

With Jumpy,
his favorite monkey.

Brady always gets up early to come visit with me when we are together.
He knows Nonnie will be up and ready to talk and hear what he has to tell.
Today he had a bowling party and got lots of
presents from his friends.
His brother said, "Are all those toys yours, Brady?"
And Brady said, "No, this one is for you."
He gave his brother one of his gifts.
How special is that?
I love you, Brady. So many wonderful memories
and what a blessing you are in our lives.
Happy 6th Birthday to you, Brady.

You are one extraordinary boy!

Blindsided!

The other night as I was in the kitchen preparing to cook dinner,

Dear Heart joined me to see if he could help.

As we worked together there,
and talked,

POW!

I was overcome with the realization that YES,

things are settling.

We are getting back to our "normal."

There are scars that say things are not as they were entirely.

But that is never to be expected anyway.

What is in the past is water under the bridge.

No turning back.

 

Life is full of twists and turns.

Bumps in the road for everyone.

Sometimes the bumps cause you to hit the roof
and leave a bruise.

But you do come down.

And you do get over.

Scars can be like stones of remembrance
reminding us that:
 

Life is good.

God is good.

Thanks be to Him for His mercy and grace
to bring us through.

 

My cup runs over.

 

 

 

Flying Fonza Feathers (Part 2)

I did NOT know there would be a Part 2 to the chicken chase.

After Bible Study Fellowship this morning,
I made my way over to have lunch with Bettye,

and retrieve my dog, Trudy.

Chicken fried steak at the Sugar Hill Country Kitchen
in Farmersville, Texas was sooooo good!

Shopping on the Square:

Found two cake plates
for all the cakes I think I will bake

and back to Bettye's house for my dog.

(who was still barking and yapping at  her fine feathered friends!)

Bettye then made her confession that the

"end of story" was really NOT the end of HER part of the story.

Trudy and Fonza's big chase scene took them

through the poison ivy patch in the woods.

Bettye's reward for capturing my sweet Schnauzer resulted in

the poison ivy oil rubbing off on her.

She swelled up like a balloon :-(

and is having to take steroids. Bless her heart.

I feel like a crummy friend to have such a pesky dog.

Trudy is feeling somewhat crummy now, too.

She had a scrubdown bath upon her return to our house.

"What kind of a welcome is that?" she asks.

It wasn't all for nothing, though.

We made it home with a dozen fresh eggs

and a feather for Trudy's bed.

Sweet dreams.