tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310310982024-03-18T13:23:09.822-05:00Boyett-BrinkleyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1606125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-308525753235153552024-03-18T09:49:00.000-05:002024-03-18T09:49:21.387-05:00Catching up, Checkin in —<p> Hi, all! Happy belated St. Patrick’s Day! It was a lovely day here, a bit cool, but dry which is good because we have been getting a lot of rain lately and I don’t care for that, well, not as much as we have had.</p><p>Hope all is well with you. Things here are ok. I am pretty much the same except I took a tumble a week or so ago and fell on my bad knee. Needless to say it has been hurting since. I have taken to wearing my brace again, however, which is helping. </p><p>A month or so ago my husband and I had routine echocardiograms. Mine was ok. He was not so ok. He was tentatively diagnosed with CHF, but we don’t know much yet. We have a follow up appointment this afternoon so we shall see. Am I terrified? Only a tiny bit terrified. We have been married 52 years and he started having health issues, blood pressure specifically, before we ever got married. That was an ongoing situation until 1990 when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He was 43. He was told he had had it for at least five years probably longer. So, in a way, I am used to “health issues”. It ' has been a part of our daily life for the majority of our lives. However, I would be lying if I said I was just taking it all with a grain of salt. I am not. I am trying to look at the bright side in that he has none of the typical symptoms of CHF, he has a good energy level, a great appetite and a good outlook. All positive things. I have been told that it is at least partially reversible. Don’t know what that means or entails but I guess we will find out today. Prayers and good thoughts welcome.</p><p>The school year is zipping right along. It is so hard to believe that in 10 weeks I won’t be on school pick up duty anymore. It is something I have done daily since Bean was 3. It is unimaginable that she is going into high school — not possible. I will say that this is going to be somewhat of a learning curve, a shift in my existence — no reason to have cookies in the house, no need to make special treats….</p><p>Pretty sure I am not going to do this very well.</p><p>Bean did have a good time the first part of spring break. She and her mother participated in the 8th grade school trip to NYC. It was quite the busy four days with their activities running from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. There were fifty spots for students, parents and teachers and it seems a good time was had by all.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRAj0IVfnoG3VMDEZQSYHYc-YfJSRtlyBgpC36SVYL2NsqKap6D19uUu6tTK2WB8l513Iv43iWuj7RYqLpRyN5UT7_tIVczAcpDBjorBWV8qjdH3kERYsHjYkmdCSPpE8n0yEzW7C9ihRn-4UNJ2jH1Ft3nVToQ2qstAiwVgpHjZuYmZMqheKBw/s3306/IMG_3641.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3306" data-original-width="2480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRAj0IVfnoG3VMDEZQSYHYc-YfJSRtlyBgpC36SVYL2NsqKap6D19uUu6tTK2WB8l513Iv43iWuj7RYqLpRyN5UT7_tIVczAcpDBjorBWV8qjdH3kERYsHjYkmdCSPpE8n0yEzW7C9ihRn-4UNJ2jH1Ft3nVToQ2qstAiwVgpHjZuYmZMqheKBw/s320/IMG_3641.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Apparently when this photo was taken her social battery had died and she was on silent mode for the almost the rest of the trip. Ah, to be a young teen again — no thank you!</p><p>So, spring break has come and gone and life has gone back to normal, whatever that is. It is a lovely, cool spring day, our girl possum is pregnant and I think maybe one of our foxes is as well. When I see evidence of it I will share!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-74973475137548733252024-02-27T06:22:00.003-06:002024-02-27T06:22:33.224-06:00Oh My Goodness! I have gone into slacker mode!<p> I can’t believe I haven’t been here in almost a month! Well, what can I say, life has gotten out of hand.</p><p>We have been caught up in health issues. </p><p>The weather has been lovely so we have been out and about.</p><p>My arthritis issues are worse so that is keeping me down but I decided this morning not to complain, just get one with it. Nobody likes a complainer.</p><p>I am off my reading routine which is disturbing and not like me at all.</p><p>I have ditched my anxiety journal which isn’t a good thing for me.</p><p>And, yeah, I think I have just been lazy.</p><p>So, yeah, trying to get back into my groove. </p><p>I have watched a bunch of movies — I actually watched The Hunger Games and I didn’t hate it. Odd.</p><p>So, yeah, that has been my February so far— so boring I am even boring myself!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-70473193531997350822024-02-05T08:43:00.004-06:002024-02-05T08:48:15.399-06:00Reviews — Books and Mugs<p> Today I am going to review two things — a book and a mug. Hmmm,,, which first.</p><p>Ok, the mug. As I mentioned in an earlier post I was looking for a mug to make toting a cuppa upstairs easier. I decided on the hydroflask 12 oz mug in black. The cute little, ever popular pink one was going to take two weeks to get here so I vetoed that because I am an instant gratification sort of gal.</p><p>So, I ordered, it came and so far I am impressed. It is insulated, supposedly BPA and lead free, with a lid that can be completely closed. I am having my first up of coffee in it right now and it is staying toasty warm even though I don’t have the lid on it. It is very lightweight which is good for me because my wrists, especially my left, don’t handle bulky, heavy cups well. The handle is easy to grasp and feels good in my hand. It holds 12 oz which is a nice, good cuppa. I am pleased and, so far, recommend.</p><p>As you know, I read a lot. I list my books on my Goodreads page and also this blog. I don’t usually take the time to review books, really but I am going to this time. I follow a facebook page that talks about nothing but books and great selections come up multiple times a day. One book that has been making the circulation is “Things We Never Got Over” by Lucy Score. In a nutshell it is the story of a set of twins, one good and one evil. It is a good story, engaging plot, great characterization, picturesque setting — all the things I love in a book — and I give it three stars on Goodreads.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdM996ctkmR8wqXPp46HNp7DE_3xRayy0yDtrz7fl5REPhMKOLc9qYn3Qrkc3iobrzhrEB8jsSl-KFEe1ewiZ72waMNbDgKEmPLoJIS2_gkDwRewYvd1uFUeI7PNn1rGGVTErGXof7iN1lGQzyYJ58IpElsgH-AtDN56iyXwKfG6UmUNf28ITjA/s713/IMG_3175.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="535" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdM996ctkmR8wqXPp46HNp7DE_3xRayy0yDtrz7fl5REPhMKOLc9qYn3Qrkc3iobrzhrEB8jsSl-KFEe1ewiZ72waMNbDgKEmPLoJIS2_gkDwRewYvd1uFUeI7PNn1rGGVTErGXof7iN1lGQzyYJ58IpElsgH-AtDN56iyXwKfG6UmUNf28ITjA/s320/IMG_3175.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Why only three if it was that good? Well, I have certain standards with the books I read. I won’t read books about cruelty (the Holocaust for instance), crimes against children, grisly murders, you get the picture. I usually do a good job of checking out the books I read so I don’t get involved in things that I know I am not going to enjoy. I mean, if that happens and it is a library book or one I have borrowed from Kindle Unlimited then I can just return, but I am not going to pay good money for something that I am going to really dislike. </p><p>However, with this book, it was so popular and so well received that I just didn’t question it. I got it off Kindle Unlimited and forged ahead.</p><p>From the beginning I noticed that there was a lot of language that I don’t use and don’t like hearing. I realize we live in a much more casual world but old habits die hard and it just isn’t something I grew up with in my day to day life. But, because I was invested in the story, I just sort of let my eyes fly past the words and went on - it only got worse. </p><p>Then, a little past half way, the graphic sexual encounters began. Now, it wasn’t anything illegal or heinous, not criminal, completely consensual but…..I didn’t need to hear about it …at least in such detail — more than once.</p><p>Now, maybe in my younger years I might have found it scintillating but at my age now - yeah, that ship has sailed — give me a good story and leave all that stuff out. Honestly, the story was good enough that it didn’t need the graphic illustration of what was going on. I am not saying the romance should have been left out, of course not, it was integral to the story but the details needed to be taken down a notch or two or 10. </p><p>This was the first book in a series. Don’t you hate it when that happens? What happened to stand alone books? Anyway, I am pretty sure I am not going to move forward with the rest of the series. I would love to know how it progresses but the language and the graphics were just too much for me.</p><p>I am now reading “Stargirl” by Henry Winterfield. It is a children’s book about Mo, a little girl alien who finds her way onto earth and meets new friends. My cousin had the book, when we were children, and I always read it when I went to her house. I have a physical copy but I now have it on my iPad and I intend to enjoy it to the fullest!</p><p>I look at it as a literary palate cleansing after the last one I read!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-1293626700872387842024-02-03T09:54:00.001-06:002024-02-03T09:54:42.257-06:00More on the Game Room Redeaux<p> Ok, so I have been doing more thinking about the game room upstairs that I am rearranging and repurposing. In order to access the upstairs we have to climb the most ridiculously steep staircase I have ever seen. There is a bannister only on one side which means that sometimes I use a walking stick to help myself. My husband does ok, slow but ok, and I worry Trixie is going to fall and break her back and I sure can’t carry her down.</p><p>So, all of that brought my thoughts to “how am I going to get upstairs with a cup of coffee”? I have a tremor in my left hand that has only gotten worse since I broke my wrist so carrying an open cup of jiggly coffee is not going to work. I thought about buying a small coffee maker and turning my sewing machine cabinet into a coffee bar but decided against that and, instead, decided on this<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosraVjCzcQJPgd4FYgC9G6yixNoF_WxFb_-AWK_8Oov-7DO6rIhtO5gGIPArUZKd9uDlylMBIz-MMy4u_jsTkGbpR2z6Vm06R6l1JrVnWTlh3vTjVDPjl3tiStq3IAwK_KmEC-NIjH2WEQl9EqSNo2V3W18od3I75-FGgrle-6DH93drgjQixOg/s1214/IMG_3171.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1214" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosraVjCzcQJPgd4FYgC9G6yixNoF_WxFb_-AWK_8Oov-7DO6rIhtO5gGIPArUZKd9uDlylMBIz-MMy4u_jsTkGbpR2z6Vm06R6l1JrVnWTlh3vTjVDPjl3tiStq3IAwK_KmEC-NIjH2WEQl9EqSNo2V3W18od3I75-FGgrle-6DH93drgjQixOg/s320/IMG_3171.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>I decided a cup with a lid would work well. I opted for an insulated cup because my coffee gets cold before I can get it finished and it has a girth fitting lid. It is by hydroflask. They have three different size mugs — 6 oz., 12 oz and 24 oz. I chose the 12 oz. I wanted the pink one but it was two weeks out for delivery and I wanted it quicker than that. I ordered from Amazon yesterday and it was on my porch at 5:30 this morning. I had hoped to get it from Container Store yesterday when I bought the Bisley cabinet but they had the brand, just not the item.</p><p>Considering the current Stanley cup controversy I chose to stay away from that brand and go with this because it is BPA and lead free. I got the black because, well, it could get here and it doesn’t really matter.The goal is to get up the stairs with the coffee in the cup. I haven’t tried it out yet, I will do that later.</p><p>I am now sporting a new fragrance — Eau de BenGay. I have officially gone over the threshold and now smell like my grandmother. But, all kidding aside, I read an article about how when the fancy meds don’t work, try the old school stuff, like BenGay for arthritis pain and I have to say, yesterday, between the Excedrin and the BenGay my knees almost felt like they belonged to a human. I will be reapplying today as we have a short jaunt to Walmart which I dread at best so I may as well make it the best I can.</p><p>Have a great day everybody!</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-60734117111630498882024-02-02T08:35:00.000-06:002024-02-02T08:35:52.176-06:00SIgh<p> Kids. You gotta love ‘em. And I do, I really do. I have been so blessed in the grandkid department, I couldn’t have asked for more or better.</p><p>So, current situation. My decreasing mobility is making everything a little more difficult and definitely more S - L - O - W — as in I have to rest a lot and take breaks and it just makes the smallest thing seem monumentally difficult. So, that’s me.</p><p>I have finally given in to the notion of needing help, at least for bigger projects.</p><p>Cue Bean.</p><p>Bean needs something to do to get her off her phone and less attention paid to the boyfriend.</p><p>Solution? I am breaking up my needs into projects and giving her a job every afternoon after school since she is here anyway. </p><p>So, yesterday we went upstairs to my play place — a very large game room that has become an enormous dumping spot — my husband and I are great dumpers — and it is to the point that we can no longer enjoy the space. </p><p>When we got upstairs we talked about what needed to be done, she assessed the situation and we made a plan. We cleaned off the coffee table and then she said she wanted to tackle the craft table. That was quite a chore. I should have taken photos. </p><p>So, tackle she did — keep in mind that most of the stuff has to do with card making and there is a lot of it. A LOT of it. So, she separated all the paper, hands on hips she sighed and said “Nona, you have an absolute tree farm here”. Bless her little heart. And then I have a 7 day chest of drawers with more stuff, she opened the drawers and said “Nona, what is all of this — so much, and more of the same thing”. Sigh. What can I say, my name is Melissa and I am an addict — and a hoarder — really bad combination.</p><p>The top of the table is clean, the trash tossed, the paper still needs to be sorted and I need to find a place to store it logically. But, it is looking better.</p><p>I have hope for the space. We talked about it and we are going to move the furniture around to make it cozier. It is an enormous room — large enough for a pool table or possibly a snooker table. Everything is just lined up around the walls with this big open space in the middle of the floor. Not inviting at all. We have nice furniture in there, lovely art work, the carpeting is good and we have a large tv but the arrangement isn’t conducive to wanting to curl up and read or watch tv. Not to mention the monumental mess — but Bean is taking care of that.</p><p>The next project is to sort cross stitch stuff. I am going today for another of these —</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDgR5NeiXti-jxZkyjnj8IU-IkRLe3tC-htDJq5op-NcBPpvdnQQhpOegqygzmNrKyFkH4VlctxQm4f8KbaVrO2DCzzc-lp7wtnlfDcb6espX8ShDuuN2k3Jk4slvkiAii1-r2tkWr2wjdJJ3OLllK-1e9b04Tp2wlt8qndIePQHoUqly6kXtEQ/s1144/IMG_3170.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1144" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDgR5NeiXti-jxZkyjnj8IU-IkRLe3tC-htDJq5op-NcBPpvdnQQhpOegqygzmNrKyFkH4VlctxQm4f8KbaVrO2DCzzc-lp7wtnlfDcb6espX8ShDuuN2k3Jk4slvkiAii1-r2tkWr2wjdJJ3OLllK-1e9b04Tp2wlt8qndIePQHoUqly6kXtEQ/s320/IMG_3170.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I have one in a lovely green and I am thinking of getting this one in pink or maybe orange — not sure — but it stores bobbinated embroidery thread beautifully and I have a ton of skeins of thread that needs to be dealt with. SO, the Bean is going to be putting the thread on bobbins and storing by number. She is gonna hate me — </p><p>So, I should have taken photos of the “before” but honestly I am so embarrassed by what it had gotten to be that I just couldn’t do that. I will, however, take photos of the after and you can just use your imagination in regards to “before”.</p><p>If I don’t get back to card making soon I might rehome all those supplies and just focus on cross stitch. My quilting days are over and cross stitch is about all I can manage right now — and a bit of sketching now and then.</p><p>So, anyway, that was yesterday — I am so looking forward to cleaning out the craft “stuff” and having some empty space - you know, empty drawers are a thing of great beauty. </p><p>Have a good day! Getting ready to hobble to the Container Store for an overpriced, very small, cabinet of drawers.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-16953332805601501132024-02-01T06:37:00.000-06:002024-02-01T06:37:57.002-06:00Good Morning! Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!<p> It has been gorgeous here the last couple of days in my little corner of the world. The temp has been in the mid 70’s, the sky a beautiful blue, the breeze mild and all is right in my world except —</p><p>One thing —</p><p>Night before last I slept like a stone. I don’t think I moved all night. When I got up (actually surprised I COULD get up) my left leg was in sad shape. My knee was really hurting and my thigh felt like I had done a half day worth of lunges. My calf muscle was also really tight. I got up and took the excedrin like I do every morning and hobbled about muttering unspeakable things under my breath.</p><p>We went to Target. More hobbling. Finally —</p><p>Ice</p><p>I iced my knee for about 2 hours! It finally felt better but my thigh still hurt — reminiscent of when I was expecting my first little bundle of joy and had severe sciatica pain. I did a google search to see if arthritis could cause sciatica and by golly, yes it can. </p><p>So, here we are.</p><p>It is almost 6:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning and here I sit with a cup of green tea, an unhelpful dog and an ice bag on my knee. It seems like all the pain is coming from the knee so that seems the most logical.place to put the ice unless I filled the tub with ice and just put the whole me into it. </p><p>Anyway, that is the state of me today — not looking promising, is it? </p><p>I will leave you with this —</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfogHnrIfMDGeD9BUhSK0jFdzc3-IYXufykn74ptGhqWWqnzNGMy1SslzuSETaSULDzIWzznwAtAq2cuqPwOvCTfWAD1Hm987BuBDu63QyhD8h6xVtAh2-lIHnIf6oMlM13dQZjo3ElTCMvDdbdgqWp1k4dmUXBlZCQH2yhpquZTA0oNhR4xkCA/s1640/IMG_3169.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1640" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfogHnrIfMDGeD9BUhSK0jFdzc3-IYXufykn74ptGhqWWqnzNGMy1SslzuSETaSULDzIWzznwAtAq2cuqPwOvCTfWAD1Hm987BuBDu63QyhD8h6xVtAh2-lIHnIf6oMlM13dQZjo3ElTCMvDdbdgqWp1k4dmUXBlZCQH2yhpquZTA0oNhR4xkCA/s320/IMG_3169.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Have a great day, all! I am going to go sit out in the sun while we still have it!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-18826322018663348372024-01-27T11:34:00.001-06:002024-01-27T11:34:17.729-06:00Before and After<p> So you don’t have to wait — here are the before and after photos —</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CSs8BxXjmM_zzB8UtLqajM_ukT0JMnLHBKyyHqxPpeimU6jOWK70ZCNTPBKT9gAKNQ-rU3xNA1G8UpIsbFMIJeHetlEr7x5DVMrvjTW1I3c9wcjaEuiCuBTMW3SgR1k90m7NWINZ1DDefD5U8hv09-SwNmtVqEH0quYdLI1I5WM6ZVXmN6CyTw/s3088/IMG_2773.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CSs8BxXjmM_zzB8UtLqajM_ukT0JMnLHBKyyHqxPpeimU6jOWK70ZCNTPBKT9gAKNQ-rU3xNA1G8UpIsbFMIJeHetlEr7x5DVMrvjTW1I3c9wcjaEuiCuBTMW3SgR1k90m7NWINZ1DDefD5U8hv09-SwNmtVqEH0quYdLI1I5WM6ZVXmN6CyTw/s320/IMG_2773.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Trixie after her spa day and in her new car seat</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZJlhewugvfIrejDMtavmwR2KeBFp8QAbbkzNY8exSPTfpQh8s_fUNpp7jV3r4kNAR0cO-t8yTFHe-DHxWIDQcWYbPB8plvvYwkSvBzMCpCdMfkKbeyY9Z_TJx8Af1N6sc7jMCJ-EbzV0R38scuPXyZEKqIY2aFX-mcjCGxOoBpV8Pvxdb4lB_A/s4032/IMG_3162.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZJlhewugvfIrejDMtavmwR2KeBFp8QAbbkzNY8exSPTfpQh8s_fUNpp7jV3r4kNAR0cO-t8yTFHe-DHxWIDQcWYbPB8plvvYwkSvBzMCpCdMfkKbeyY9Z_TJx8Af1N6sc7jMCJ-EbzV0R38scuPXyZEKqIY2aFX-mcjCGxOoBpV8Pvxdb4lB_A/s320/IMG_3162.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Before her spa day — she looks like a bear</p><p>This was the first time in her new car seat and she fussed for the whole 15 minute drive to the groomer. However, on the way home she figured out she could actually sit down, be quiet and enjoy the scenery.</p><p>She is now down for the count. </p><p>Apparently she behaved well and it was a winning situation!</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-90683899825922734672024-01-26T10:53:00.004-06:002024-01-26T10:54:38.590-06:00Ah, Warmth!<p> I am happy to report that we are out of the deep freeze, finally, and I am very relieved. I can do cold, I can do wind, I can do rain, I can even do snow/ice (within reason) but I can’t do all at one time! I think the worst is behind us but we DO have February and March to go through yet and it IS Texas so, honestly, it could turn to summer or we could all be out building igloos. I mean, it is dicey but for today we are thawed and I see sun and that is good enough.</p><p>I am going to touch on a subject today that I don’t really talk about too much and Iam not sure why, maybe I just figure it isn’t an interesting enough topic or, perhaps, people really aren’t into pets but today is the day for —</p><p>TRIXIE TEENA!</p><p>I can see her on a Tik=Tok video singing “I am a potato” because she very potato like.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbAb_apIsUCAVS2YktL7pJ2lHbXTdkAzgToyHjCmvTopXc-ttmAG8MhXCjYv3oK_fH9fLNxH4nxFHRY6t6LIfC-7Bf-orAZEVHncztGz1cU3Zw_1ghP7l4hQFqNBCWWWa_dkQ4yuFRKRRdW0NzK_kE0GamYARtd4B36im6Me7KamiTbM2g44kRA/s1190/IMG_3160.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1190" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbAb_apIsUCAVS2YktL7pJ2lHbXTdkAzgToyHjCmvTopXc-ttmAG8MhXCjYv3oK_fH9fLNxH4nxFHRY6t6LIfC-7Bf-orAZEVHncztGz1cU3Zw_1ghP7l4hQFqNBCWWWa_dkQ4yuFRKRRdW0NzK_kE0GamYARtd4B36im6Me7KamiTbM2g44kRA/s320/IMG_3160.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>(BTW — the mug photo is from Etsy and the mugs are for sale. I might buy one.)</p><p><br /></p><p> If she were smaller she would be a baked bean. However you describe her, however, she is a Giant Yorkie. She was supposed to top out at about 8 lbs as per her breeder but she is at 18.8 now and she waddles. We love her even if she is completely out of spec — no long hair, no straight hair, parti-colored, LARGE, Just not your common, garden variety Yorkie. But she is our child, the one who isn’t going to grow up and run off with a significant other (we took care of that), she keeps us busy and is humorous —</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy-PjLsWaZqBQT9K7FmefA2ZM2__KKlpfNcnfYjBY-RNgEAPjK-09_I_R2M1F1vMvMTauxyHtbKJvkILCR4bKOn_oAXapCWzYGRyQ36KxBIOyzA6P4gdM1U7kqoaDnzLry8BDq7PMI5_nl_CJjYiYm2kUXJ2B98QRrr1gRXFNpzJEQwbmQnOxTg/s4032/IMG_3159.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy-PjLsWaZqBQT9K7FmefA2ZM2__KKlpfNcnfYjBY-RNgEAPjK-09_I_R2M1F1vMvMTauxyHtbKJvkILCR4bKOn_oAXapCWzYGRyQ36KxBIOyzA6P4gdM1U7kqoaDnzLry8BDq7PMI5_nl_CJjYiYm2kUXJ2B98QRrr1gRXFNpzJEQwbmQnOxTg/s320/IMG_3159.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Trixie listening to me make a grooming appointment — do you think she is concerned? Laying with her head in the corner and splooting? Hmmmm……this will be our fourth groomer …..</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd93SK9FYVg9Ou05msQyVFuJuedu4HZhexGp1lGkKblDvSjzoiejP4CUqiVA-mroyuzZ77ijmsSlXDjooEyemRtWG5byiLSSXzcAA-4MjEGBt1IBJ5PGdOWRxABJRHO_dVs_OrDWmkrUo5KTJ0oDAU8OEkEaca-fM1yADqEl5EFC2DfImn-G4rw/s4032/IMG_3141.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd93SK9FYVg9Ou05msQyVFuJuedu4HZhexGp1lGkKblDvSjzoiejP4CUqiVA-mroyuzZ77ijmsSlXDjooEyemRtWG5byiLSSXzcAA-4MjEGBt1IBJ5PGdOWRxABJRHO_dVs_OrDWmkrUo5KTJ0oDAU8OEkEaca-fM1yADqEl5EFC2DfImn-G4rw/s320/IMG_3141.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Trixie taking her 14th nap of the day on a cold day in Texas. She knows how to hunker down in her heavy blanket</p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZozW3FPwGdrH5q_0tHi6ODQ79APeJvERsawS7WNka0si4CFeapg6n7MlarTPcrdIMvl-v-4yvUWHKFZ2woJjXhJp60asgvkx5EkV3MrLBu-TXWnshsZvHfabdOwTTDit5uKdWD54IOfuKVvzDBImP9aMsi-Owl3Ayfkzo6RxbzOKW1THjdS0ew/s4032/IMG_3125.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZozW3FPwGdrH5q_0tHi6ODQ79APeJvERsawS7WNka0si4CFeapg6n7MlarTPcrdIMvl-v-4yvUWHKFZ2woJjXhJp60asgvkx5EkV3MrLBu-TXWnshsZvHfabdOwTTDit5uKdWD54IOfuKVvzDBImP9aMsi-Owl3Ayfkzo6RxbzOKW1THjdS0ew/s320/IMG_3125.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Trixie in her sweater chewing on a bone — she loves her sweater and this is the only thing that fits her anymore</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEGbFwlkbnOgu9Wy1-Xaxum4EvgvBZ17pIS9a9dfgUEKvCHrsDiBLszPaqrYTKunRAEPTBYUDt94U2ClbR1oOWu3sQ9h5TNAIlXV8EIgdMIuCHwvyE5Kmy39saFZu2UnjOa43ypoeQSaXWFE35rXHGe_fbzP1DimYTD7m-WfZEQHJiw4I4d0x4Q/s4032/IMG_2762.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEGbFwlkbnOgu9Wy1-Xaxum4EvgvBZ17pIS9a9dfgUEKvCHrsDiBLszPaqrYTKunRAEPTBYUDt94U2ClbR1oOWu3sQ9h5TNAIlXV8EIgdMIuCHwvyE5Kmy39saFZu2UnjOa43ypoeQSaXWFE35rXHGe_fbzP1DimYTD7m-WfZEQHJiw4I4d0x4Q/s320/IMG_2762.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Trixie says good morning — this was two days ago<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHVx-oy3TWK8aq_q3kYhc55CxtaZCCzm1wR1b6tBwCOZSqWljfveQdgMC2TaXtooC-JnCg3d-1vdu9YLP5W40R50sSQHHvRoiJhXZX7rWqX9l6nN7S9jpN9HVK4-pk6u61Xm2Mr-eyUHH4df6EKRL5Fa8rx15tJY7gXk8fDyG1HqCNaroba_bcQ/s1274/IMG_3115.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1274" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHVx-oy3TWK8aq_q3kYhc55CxtaZCCzm1wR1b6tBwCOZSqWljfveQdgMC2TaXtooC-JnCg3d-1vdu9YLP5W40R50sSQHHvRoiJhXZX7rWqX9l6nN7S9jpN9HVK4-pk6u61Xm2Mr-eyUHH4df6EKRL5Fa8rx15tJY7gXk8fDyG1HqCNaroba_bcQ/s320/IMG_3115.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>About a week ago Trixie was asleep, like in a coma, on the sofa and I was in my recliner which sits perpendicular to the couch — she must have been dreaming and something startled her because she flew off the couch, much like this little fella in the picture and landed across my ankles on her tummy and just rolled off on the floor. I couldn’t catch her but we checked her over to make sure she was ok. She was. She just sort of waddled back over the couch, jumped up and continued her nap right where she left off. So, I told my friend about it and she sent me the above photo — that was exactly how she looked. It was hilarious but thankfully not injurious.</p><p>So, that is Trixie Teena living her best life. Today she looks like a bear, tomorrow she is going to look more like == well, an uncooked pinto bean. I will share the “look” tomorrow —- hopefully I don’t have to look for groomer #5.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlmn-8cH_miYH-BdPBOfaM1lpsmuPdHjZfKm2Hn5y9GBwRzq2_JSML7ZbIfDRmDoYDk1LDHT0M_O0pypxOtmxRdmK0mxSAk4SZ_YwFOGwuxY2E1dt6T5v6QY0-u51Y179bLdB-V0To8QwBozXke_4LXoevrREqkD3vDceJcIBPVHflkz8QsEmeA/s4032/IMG_3161.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlmn-8cH_miYH-BdPBOfaM1lpsmuPdHjZfKm2Hn5y9GBwRzq2_JSML7ZbIfDRmDoYDk1LDHT0M_O0pypxOtmxRdmK0mxSAk4SZ_YwFOGwuxY2E1dt6T5v6QY0-u51Y179bLdB-V0To8QwBozXke_4LXoevrREqkD3vDceJcIBPVHflkz8QsEmeA/s320/IMG_3161.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Trixie says it is time for her mid morning nap. Have a good day y’all!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-54256063659908837082024-01-19T09:50:00.001-06:002024-01-19T09:53:46.538-06:00Love Hate Relationship — <p> My title sounds like something out of a Harlequin romance novel—remember those? Well, it isn’t. It is something much more mundane than that.</p><p>Calendars. Planners. To Do lists. </p><p>I love planners. I love buying them, I love setting them up, I love basking in all the organizational promises they give.</p><p>I just don’t like using them.</p><p>Or carrying them around with me.</p><p>So, I have tried to go digital. I still carry a little pocket calendar (paper) with me but I am finding that I am getting used to my google calendar on my phone. It was hard at first but it is getting better.</p><p>A few months ago I started an anxiety journal — in a little pink notebook — and the concept was working well for me until—-</p><p>My husband spilled a cup of coffee on the notebook. I know, I know, not earth shattering but it just wasn’t the same. </p><p>So, I have been looking for a way to do my anxiety journal digitally and even add a couple of elements to it, like a gratitude journal and my daily prayer list.</p><p>Without spending money.</p><p>So, I decided to explore the options on my iPad that just come with it, no extra pay out. </p><p>I find my google calendar really does work well for me so I decided not to mess around with that. I have gotten used to it and I see no reason to change it - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!</p><p>So, that brought me to my anxiety journal. I looked at all sorts of apps and came across a list of the best best journaling apps out there and lo and behold GoodNotes was on the list. I use GoodNotes with my cross stitch patterns and it is great so I thought, why not? See, when you download the photo of the chart you can click on it and blow it up so you can easily see and you can use the writing tools to mark off what you have done. It is genius.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuZSZsbs6FDdSDksJBzLncaYjKt6K5wpWrM0fcLdNZbaI_K9RG3Ae3pDIlcJz1gAJGPTeaZ7xbKzRnj4opyl5sRDceqTAvi_ZmhvtN8Fv-f0eadPmnpGa2Q_o2qK2BMbYadkgbBLp1qKQC9VJv56hsd58rusy6FqfK9GoAAj6E9BDzqCyo-79Pw/s2360/IMG_3137.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuZSZsbs6FDdSDksJBzLncaYjKt6K5wpWrM0fcLdNZbaI_K9RG3Ae3pDIlcJz1gAJGPTeaZ7xbKzRnj4opyl5sRDceqTAvi_ZmhvtN8Fv-f0eadPmnpGa2Q_o2qK2BMbYadkgbBLp1qKQC9VJv56hsd58rusy6FqfK9GoAAj6E9BDzqCyo-79Pw/s320/IMG_3137.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Why not, indeed. So I started a new page, labeled it and opened it and started my anxiety journal. Now what is in my anxiety journal you might ask? Anything that helps me feel like I am in control of whatever I need to be in control of. I list my morning and evening routine so I can check off when I do things — makes me feel accomplished. I list my goal(s) for the day. I list my food for the day so I can at least try to be accountable for what goes into my mouth. I opened a second page and listed my gratitude for the day (a good mammo report —- yay!) and my prayer list that I get from church. And I just started checking things off and the feeling of anxiety (out of control) just melted away and I can now add this new thing to my gratitude list!</p><p>I love my iPad. I have been all up into technology since I got my first computer but I never have used it or explored it fully to see what it can do. So this morning, in making this notebook in GoodNotes, I played around to see what I could do and here is a sample of my notebook — </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu-ykWh7cpOi8soqdagH1qsDQr8jQV8B4qfJTPMjWCYr5n7taoa4PycANJ5odxkT3zXqLwYypQIX_6Xmmv7IVulcOb_DoiUmzpVVVSqSDezYs7YbHxwhdfXNzhOkTbmmkH-1D_vlgHSXfdEttja15f6CLx1uTg2RFK1Oe9OcbG_Wg49h-VbUsmA/s2360/IMG_3136.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu-ykWh7cpOi8soqdagH1qsDQr8jQV8B4qfJTPMjWCYr5n7taoa4PycANJ5odxkT3zXqLwYypQIX_6Xmmv7IVulcOb_DoiUmzpVVVSqSDezYs7YbHxwhdfXNzhOkTbmmkH-1D_vlgHSXfdEttja15f6CLx1uTg2RFK1Oe9OcbG_Wg49h-VbUsmA/s320/IMG_3136.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I need to explore how to use different types of pages, like lined paper rather than the grid paper but it is ok as well. You can also use the keyboard but the handwriting, while not great, makes me more engaged it seems.</p><p>So, anyway I think I have found a way to make my planning situation a lot more “love” than hate. Now I just have to figure out how to do cute little stickers. It is always something, isn/t it?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-59037124708763385552024-01-17T08:19:00.000-06:002024-01-17T08:19:26.119-06:00Strange Things —<p>Ok, let’s review — I am a highly sensitive person, I am an introvert, I am extremely empathetic so THINGS bother me! Not things like the fact that I still haven’t vacuumed the floor (I know, I know) but things I can’t explain. I can explain the non-vacuuming — lazy—but I can’t explain what happened last night and it is bothering me.</p><p>I went to bed about 10 and put my book down about 10:15 or so and fell right to sleep, soundly. At 11:20 pm I woke up to a strong, male voice calling my name. I don’t remember dreaming and this voice was like it was in the room with me calling me. I went from a sound sleep to wide awake in a nanosecond. It scared me because I just knew it was my husband who quite possibly had fallen. </p><p>However, I looked over and he was sound asleep, in bed, wrapped up like a mummy in the covers.</p><p>I shook him to wake up and see if he knew if he had called out and he said no and I don’t think he was thrilled to be awakened — I don’t blame him. He went back to sleep.</p><p>I. Did. Not. </p><p>Well, until 4 a.m. Everything that I could worry about I did. Everything I could fret over I did. And I just couldn’t figure out what or who that voice was.</p><p>I am still bothered by it not to mention being very tired and sleepy. Yesterday was a very bad day because it was so cold and I found myself just sitting most of the day, my knees hurt, my back hurt and it was just non-productive.</p><p>Today has to be better. Not going to mention vacuuming.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-36098646546202053252024-01-16T07:29:00.003-06:002024-01-16T07:31:29.209-06:00And……..there is this!<p> This is Texas — albeit NORTH Texas, but Texas nonetheless. This is not the norm but here it is —</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50-yxgja1kTF71Apwvn3O3iZ2Tm7QZZosJrou57TOVD3TxwBt11OCNYXSU8GdDnkEbW9Cz5CQdkJkEtr4zWbYopbANKGFDrlYrSxIDI-vgfA54Ymc4avIxfOJHkk3GRSU_b6Zn4Neux7MGz7_C73xaz3nWh6Ydd3771FYpkor1JE5kRtaQbjb1w/s4032/IMG_3126.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50-yxgja1kTF71Apwvn3O3iZ2Tm7QZZosJrou57TOVD3TxwBt11OCNYXSU8GdDnkEbW9Cz5CQdkJkEtr4zWbYopbANKGFDrlYrSxIDI-vgfA54Ymc4avIxfOJHkk3GRSU_b6Zn4Neux7MGz7_C73xaz3nWh6Ydd3771FYpkor1JE5kRtaQbjb1w/s320/IMG_3126.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhghszUItRb_X1Paa-MAz6R06NnvePj7cxT2g6E9aB4emAu7GuUNtirw1XeRTEYCFyT6qivQQl0tKldx_FYVfnmDisPwGXZcg8H3sxVy4c-XWotsrlrqZbDCfO5e8ACQ5-D8v1ccIyxsalzK0S4QZnDNVAZ0TiyUmDsGYe4Fesrlpv_skNPfaiQ/s4032/IMG_3127.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhghszUItRb_X1Paa-MAz6R06NnvePj7cxT2g6E9aB4emAu7GuUNtirw1XeRTEYCFyT6qivQQl0tKldx_FYVfnmDisPwGXZcg8H3sxVy4c-XWotsrlrqZbDCfO5e8ACQ5-D8v1ccIyxsalzK0S4QZnDNVAZ0TiyUmDsGYe4Fesrlpv_skNPfaiQ/s320/IMG_3127.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>There wasn’t much, you couldn’t make a snowball or a snowman but you could get in a multi-car pileup or fall down and break something.</p><p>Clearly the trash wasn’t collected and when the sun came out later in the day it all melted - the snow, not the trash. Whatever was left refroze, of course.</p><p>Schools were cancelled for today because of the power grid issues and because they needed to check for broken pipes and such. That is ok because again, the streets.</p><p>My granddaughter got to have her guitar lesson on a zoom call. Modern technology makes it impossible to have a good and proper “snow day” but I would imagine that was fun.</p><p>I know to my friends up north or in farther flung areas this doesn’t look like much but it is enough to paralyze the entire Dallas/Fort Worth area and create all sorts of chaos. On the news this morning they were reporting major water main breaks in both cities. So, while we are conserving energy this morning to keep the grid going we will probably also be boiling water. I knew it was a prudent thing to do to buy that case of water. It is a good thing I have a prepper mind/heart.</p><p>Ok, so going for the second cuppa. Doggo had me up at 4:55 again which is really not my gig so I have to start moving or I might go into a coma — like yesterday. Eventually I am going to get this floor vacuumed. </p><p>Eventually.</p><p>Have a great day and stay warm and safe!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-70497170429906723532024-01-11T06:55:00.001-06:002024-01-11T07:03:46.302-06:00Well Folks — It Was InevitableIt has been a couple of years since the great frozen disaster known as Texas in the winter — record cold, collapsing power grid — you know all the things. Well, it has been a nice ride but here we go again.<div><br /></div><div>There is a FB site called North Texas Weather Center and they have been posting some things that will help the world understand what life is like here in Texas.</div><div><br /></div><div>Four minutes ago they posted this —</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGATTCxSmmSghJagdJ8r2enx3Mvc-6FjgXc4m0kQEzgXMUj_ejRQRdZ-paNDefUCu4eHtoAHveqYOMlWu-84mGutt2lb3ZhilJ2UHN48dWc-pkzDCJdpEL3i0TSxcas0r3xqQx6DtEqjUI0kuutzCSCWHxpP5Q2eZj4bHT3VHqh_e-aP9fuBLrA/s1185/IMG_3120.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1185" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGATTCxSmmSghJagdJ8r2enx3Mvc-6FjgXc4m0kQEzgXMUj_ejRQRdZ-paNDefUCu4eHtoAHveqYOMlWu-84mGutt2lb3ZhilJ2UHN48dWc-pkzDCJdpEL3i0TSxcas0r3xqQx6DtEqjUI0kuutzCSCWHxpP5Q2eZj4bHT3VHqh_e-aP9fuBLrA/s320/IMG_3120.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Sounds like a wonderful January day doesn’t it?</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night, however, they blessed us with these —</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-R58Ev7XkNF5pez4mPiJqX6ddXahCg_EnwIQzohBwZa9Mb32LT9RPB6D1Sf_8LKi6gKfoQ-24D8ZV-IkYXTnem8KeAhi7ml7pJ6imaNlYTpTwXg5Ry6qVu7iqcXpadO11Gr5sjx0qwS3oGTcWAAYSlmgDLZ6GKX1buvStWBLwWbnZQLCXYDuPg/s1194/IMG_3118.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1194" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-R58Ev7XkNF5pez4mPiJqX6ddXahCg_EnwIQzohBwZa9Mb32LT9RPB6D1Sf_8LKi6gKfoQ-24D8ZV-IkYXTnem8KeAhi7ml7pJ6imaNlYTpTwXg5Ry6qVu7iqcXpadO11Gr5sjx0qwS3oGTcWAAYSlmgDLZ6GKX1buvStWBLwWbnZQLCXYDuPg/s320/IMG_3118.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>This was after we experienced unusually high winds - 60-80 miles an hour a couple of days ago. Yes, the trampolines went flying, the Christmas decorations that were still up went flying — a reindeer down the street blew over and got it’s neck broken — I would take a photo but it has been removed. It is windier up here in the Fort that it was down south in SA so we are used to looking like we never comb our hair but this was ridiculous.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, as the reports of the approaching cold fronts started pouring in they share this with us - it made me laugh — but it is so painfully true —</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFULWNYauWlmhkS_WHMfGVEg0M1ANDYuaMz1kHY0KHBKqxpWpkxxKtDzrFsW91c8zf0rR2Mysdxokdkb3Mdjcku6p_6R5bk9YzJs8-268deg-I7D8FjkP-kf5LDQK88HkWWYxxwIqzfmDaWo5N-vvxQpMO9vkkFaICojhyphenhyphen2nbtIT3eTBAnov755g/s1170/IMG_3119.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1170" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFULWNYauWlmhkS_WHMfGVEg0M1ANDYuaMz1kHY0KHBKqxpWpkxxKtDzrFsW91c8zf0rR2Mysdxokdkb3Mdjcku6p_6R5bk9YzJs8-268deg-I7D8FjkP-kf5LDQK88HkWWYxxwIqzfmDaWo5N-vvxQpMO9vkkFaICojhyphenhyphen2nbtIT3eTBAnov755g/s320/IMG_3119.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, there is a reason for the high number of dented cars in the area — and snow is not our friend. We don’t have snow plows because — well, we are in Texas and it doesn’t snow here — right, keep telling yourself that and maybe one day it will be true.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, as the two upcoming cold fronts get closer the drama at the television stations escalates. They are leading up to the event. They are instilling the fear of the impending doom - WINTERY MIX — in every report. I went to Target and Kroger yesterday and there is already evidence of the panic buying beginning. There was no bread. Just sayin’ — that is a sign that by tomorrow there will be no toilet paper. I am ancient, I have seen all this before.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a snowstorm in San Antonio in 1985 that was unsurpassed - over 13 inches of snow! My kids loved it! I hated it! I don’t like winter, wind, snow and especially not ice which is what we usually get. I have plans this week and it is all going to get messed up — I already know. But…</div><div><br /></div><div>We are stocked up for a few days — the crock pot is at the ready — I have my books, today everything is getting vacuumed and dusted and I am settling in for the duration.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, there is always the chance that nothing will happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>And that is life in Texas.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-5510224437531760812024-01-09T06:52:00.000-06:002024-01-09T06:52:42.739-06:00The Trixie Chronicles<p> It has been awhile since I devoted any space to Trixie but the last few days have been memorable.</p><p>For anybody who doesn’t know, Trixie is a Yorkshire terrier — a giant Yorkshire terrier weighing in at 18.8 pounds. She is parti colored with cottony, curly-ish hair. She will be five in March. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6L67etcNHjcIuxrzJICyuUzmsJY8OTEIlxQCV8JDMjzINJLHT_YUFxnFYFilrhxge4SdQEGTwuZ7pzZYahFtlgbXsjqQxDlj4DLegbdqrqgqf7JM7NyAYKbPqpUhgmJOXvQoDYXJ0M0eyXb6c5T5U1cLSB3EfR0LQ6ZXxrZxoFe0LMBGCM6M1og/s4032/IMG_3073.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6L67etcNHjcIuxrzJICyuUzmsJY8OTEIlxQCV8JDMjzINJLHT_YUFxnFYFilrhxge4SdQEGTwuZ7pzZYahFtlgbXsjqQxDlj4DLegbdqrqgqf7JM7NyAYKbPqpUhgmJOXvQoDYXJ0M0eyXb6c5T5U1cLSB3EfR0LQ6ZXxrZxoFe0LMBGCM6M1og/s320/IMG_3073.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>Trixie has a set routine — she is definitely a creature of habit and her habit lately has been getting me up between 5-5:30 a.m. Now that is about an hour and a half before MY natural routine but she has this annoying little whimper that you can’t ignore no matter how much you pull the covers over your head. </p><p>So, a couple of nights ago, as usual, she sank into her evening coma on the sofa about 8 pm (maybe I should as well) and was completely dead to the world. I was in the recliner that is perpendicular to the sofa with the foot rest up all the way. Well, something startled her and she went to jump off the sofa, clearly still asleep, and she missed and jumped over my feet and landed, tummy first, on my ankles — I promise you all of her legs were straight out and all she needed was a cape. She was so surprised she couldn’t get up, I didn’t get to her quick enough and she just rolled off my feet onto the floor. She shook herself off, got back on the couch and resumed her coma but it was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Don’t worry, we checked her over to make sure she sustained no injuries. I wish I had photographic evidence of it — and she really needed a cape — SuperTrix!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WgNK-jjAlaZJkn9NjEl_y7QzZE9zXI8D7_Xdog58JPYwKgfrPiISlcDXYWP8TbkK7XfBkrMs7Z29BgFOE_yy5lRFUZgQbHktq-FIIQnGJ6HB4NqTWXAS5WqwW_ot51rcCjDUSCes7OC_-zQhmV92YBH68Q8f2LggyeeWjOPC1sujDhfpMMYaew/s1274/IMG_3115.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1274" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WgNK-jjAlaZJkn9NjEl_y7QzZE9zXI8D7_Xdog58JPYwKgfrPiISlcDXYWP8TbkK7XfBkrMs7Z29BgFOE_yy5lRFUZgQbHktq-FIIQnGJ6HB4NqTWXAS5WqwW_ot51rcCjDUSCes7OC_-zQhmV92YBH68Q8f2LggyeeWjOPC1sujDhfpMMYaew/s320/IMG_3115.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>So yesterday was the day my husband chose to change the batteries in the smoke alarms. Now, let’s remember, my husband has vertigo issues and he just finished about 3–4 months of physical therapy to regain his balance fully. Also, he is 77 years old BUT he thinks is is 20 and unbreakable. Stubborn is not a strong enough word. So, back to Trixie — she is terrified of the smoke alarms when they go off and they do go off often because, well, I can’t cook well. She just shivers and shakes and tries to hide in the silliest places - she apparently doesn’t realize she is 18 pounds and is NOT going to fit under the recliner that has about 2 inches of space from the floor.</p><p>So, every time Hubs would remove a battery the alarm would chirp and Trixie would just come unhinged and I would have to swaddle her in her blankie and hold her close which made it impossible for me to spot Hubs on the tall ladder. We have 9 smoke alarms!</p><p>Everything went ok until he got to the one in the stairwell. Now, we didn’t build this house so I don’t know the answer but I have wondered often why the builder put the smoke alarm where they did — on the ceiling, over the steps and not on the landing. </p><p>I finally had to crate Trixie so I could deal with this — </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IWIOxun1XSrih1BP5Mi_yaAKMxlbYZX8oaJpr3uIkteL_KmmE6OpGkm4bwK6Y-dhV43sXhzkMJCvcRuO_bsB_Z9BVJFSesaIjD1aLhk476f7HAMevbuDOdHOhlEqYu9agQhoBE8L4T7YX2lLBTUihXBax42p25JKpC94MCS61FoSkFxytDSHcA/s4032/IMG_2753.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IWIOxun1XSrih1BP5Mi_yaAKMxlbYZX8oaJpr3uIkteL_KmmE6OpGkm4bwK6Y-dhV43sXhzkMJCvcRuO_bsB_Z9BVJFSesaIjD1aLhk476f7HAMevbuDOdHOhlEqYu9agQhoBE8L4T7YX2lLBTUihXBax42p25JKpC94MCS61FoSkFxytDSHcA/s320/IMG_2753.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2xp90GYdxvbp5ff_93eKewSys0iFv1WTjB1WztABujDN6109V7hyphenhyphenoX1IgYQrajCyLw9oeCGxHKSI2BvbKyTbfORLpWD5GRtKvnUhRBh4_OJYnIS8TBQl4AN47P4WChH6Kn_oqE0k3PLNS245Ou7u9UcgMyfuL7Y4Zzr4gnKSJ75Gbx4Fcrtw0g/s4032/IMG_2754.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2xp90GYdxvbp5ff_93eKewSys0iFv1WTjB1WztABujDN6109V7hyphenhyphenoX1IgYQrajCyLw9oeCGxHKSI2BvbKyTbfORLpWD5GRtKvnUhRBh4_OJYnIS8TBQl4AN47P4WChH6Kn_oqE0k3PLNS245Ou7u9UcgMyfuL7Y4Zzr4gnKSJ75Gbx4Fcrtw0g/s320/IMG_2754.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7eRzhLyvxTOf_5WoTFejfAooNVy8dHm1vUdaL81FCefdCx2kw00zC8kh0X8jw4pYM2yfakybZ1wWgwcqXijYzJkagUkcvnqt-6FMgdJ44rU34tUhTBqdHV4c0AhxXvGyWrQ8bRZrxWsqFfffVEKwfZInOFl9Hp8OfaOXPt9ZDK-i0uTomCFXzw/s4032/IMG_2755.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7eRzhLyvxTOf_5WoTFejfAooNVy8dHm1vUdaL81FCefdCx2kw00zC8kh0X8jw4pYM2yfakybZ1wWgwcqXijYzJkagUkcvnqt-6FMgdJ44rU34tUhTBqdHV4c0AhxXvGyWrQ8bRZrxWsqFfffVEKwfZInOFl9Hp8OfaOXPt9ZDK-i0uTomCFXzw/s320/IMG_2755.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaqTpzJ5UmRdtrSSF-g1wbATOpSl0ZiUBcD1vzrd4jb1q1Na0IXvyw1DBfsoDpQ_F-irwouYPDS_lQDc4rZ92jEIBwq65EYVBsAEoy1Ga1Qv_1LH5dYQw8hLmv0l-dplNfmv0ChLnmWpvm_DXjCZZJzYUaGZpSuHaevA42hH1f-t5ZJCreNwe7Q/s4032/IMG_2756.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaqTpzJ5UmRdtrSSF-g1wbATOpSl0ZiUBcD1vzrd4jb1q1Na0IXvyw1DBfsoDpQ_F-irwouYPDS_lQDc4rZ92jEIBwq65EYVBsAEoy1Ga1Qv_1LH5dYQw8hLmv0l-dplNfmv0ChLnmWpvm_DXjCZZJzYUaGZpSuHaevA42hH1f-t5ZJCreNwe7Q/s320/IMG_2756.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Crating her kept her off the stairs and out from under foot but she was still shaking like crazy and whining but….I had to focus on what I was going to do if the man came tumbling off his self designed scaffolding.</p><p>Every time he does this I have bad thoughts about whoever decided that was a great place for the alarm.</p><p>But, he got it done, got down, got everything back to the garage and we were able to uncrate the hot mess that was Trixster.</p><p>She wasn’t able to settle down the entire day, she walked the floors, jumped up and down off the couch, in and out to the yard, needed kibble, then, when that didn’t do, she needed food, then she needed treats, she couldn’t find a toy to suit her — she was just a mess. She finally sat and barked at me, last night, until I took her to bed, put her in her crate, covered her up and turned off the lights. </p><p>Trixie had a terrible, horrible very bad day..</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-90782345646410097452024-01-06T09:00:00.001-06:002024-01-06T09:02:01.005-06:00Good Morning!<p> It is Saturday! It feels like Sunday! I don’t know why I get my days mixed up so but I am sure it has something to do with being retired and not really having to follow a set schedule. This will probably only get worse the next school year when we are no longer on after school pick up duty. Sigh. How in the world is that going to feel? Probably not going to feel great. But, not to worry about that now.</p><p>I watched my first movie of 2024 last night. Nothing current, an old movie that I actually saw in the theater. I was about 8 or so. It was “A Summer Place” starring Troy Donahue, Sandra Dee, Arthur Kennedy, Constance Ford, Dorothy McGuire and Richard Eagen. Back in the day there weren’t movie ratings and we very often went to the movie as a family and this was no different, it was my mom and me and my aunt and cousin. However, rewatching last night made me wonder what in the world my mother was thinking, clearly not appropriate for an 8 year old. She probably figured that I wouldn’t understand it and maybe, at the time, I didn’t but I do know it helped fuel my fear of doctors.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQeG3ghEhZCJiFXpZQ-bjgvj-iQzJGoZ0Vp5Ry6bQL8dhyiQ2h5TgmnoeIcaq99Ow9u6P6y1I14ESqJ9Dk3Ux-mcBsacm-gC3EDm2tqxA7DRmlYqJwRDRdmqFZi5FFPFa4nSE6mg9WMvrQ3x6UZQpuTuEFhwYUjAZGXJ8a_UqjgVNDzMN3FPl5A/s1144/IMG_3111.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="793" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQeG3ghEhZCJiFXpZQ-bjgvj-iQzJGoZ0Vp5Ry6bQL8dhyiQ2h5TgmnoeIcaq99Ow9u6P6y1I14ESqJ9Dk3Ux-mcBsacm-gC3EDm2tqxA7DRmlYqJwRDRdmqFZi5FFPFa4nSE6mg9WMvrQ3x6UZQpuTuEFhwYUjAZGXJ8a_UqjgVNDzMN3FPl5A/s320/IMG_3111.jpeg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And what brought about this desire to delve into old movies? I am reading a book called “The Way We Never Were”. It is a non fiction book discussing the phenomena of the fabulous 50’s and how the era was pretty much designed by the government to help combat the Cold War. A little out of my realm of usual reading material but it is interesting. So, according to this book, those fabulous 50’s were pretty much an illusion. Well, I’ll take it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqhLglIf5N8EC0BBlYeCFpXBkCZeO3rEblLIGs-LYKG-8MLWWiBjT_AUC6DRR5UEjxHis6Xlif1gXR39Ej3x_SRp5RVuhMKA39yPGNSSPQWRMKWur9w73MWLj-HjJUbW-oDYVaymGAgC7oNdOy3YaB8WQ83M-Tx7JGCoCzlUhL88OrgvVsfw6YQ/s1073/IMG_3112.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="762" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqhLglIf5N8EC0BBlYeCFpXBkCZeO3rEblLIGs-LYKG-8MLWWiBjT_AUC6DRR5UEjxHis6Xlif1gXR39Ej3x_SRp5RVuhMKA39yPGNSSPQWRMKWur9w73MWLj-HjJUbW-oDYVaymGAgC7oNdOy3YaB8WQ83M-Tx7JGCoCzlUhL88OrgvVsfw6YQ/s320/IMG_3112.jpeg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I have finished three books of my reading list so far — “Christmas Bliss” which was really the last read of 2023 but since I finished it on New Year’s Day I opted to add it to this years count — “Henry Huggins”, a children’s book popular in the year I was born and “Bright Lights, Big Christmas”, a book that was highly touted on many of the facebook reading forums so I had to give it a go and I wasn’t disappointed. It was definitely a book to get into, light reading, great scenery, great characterization — all the things. I have to say I have never read Mary Kay Andrews until the end of 2023 and I think she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIftd5qQi7kQ3KAyYoRqPJ006dRWjqk7sAPvLdmw0PBaYmnGBkG8lXLj59bMARotMsyCwKeynQL09FF7qeyAl_rkHIxUVUaykltYj5nGOUtXdaQeyHqlFPpGaeTnG3x29jX8XywedD_0lFQfyeUoVtsl4WFJZ60nMDRWRXrcn54jRpi_IxK7kjhA/s723/IMG_3113.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIftd5qQi7kQ3KAyYoRqPJ006dRWjqk7sAPvLdmw0PBaYmnGBkG8lXLj59bMARotMsyCwKeynQL09FF7qeyAl_rkHIxUVUaykltYj5nGOUtXdaQeyHqlFPpGaeTnG3x29jX8XywedD_0lFQfyeUoVtsl4WFJZ60nMDRWRXrcn54jRpi_IxK7kjhA/s320/IMG_3113.jpeg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Today I am cleaning out some crafting stash. This is one of those things that I need to get started but am dragging my feet. So, I am going to set the timer and work for a while and call it done for the day. I have a taker for the stuff so I need to get busy. Ugh. I really don’t like destashing but I need to. </p><p>So, that is it for now! My 2024 has been very quiet so far and I am enjoying that immensely. </p><p>Have a great Saturday.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-12123502040745986562024-01-02T07:17:00.001-06:002024-01-02T07:17:40.037-06:00Henry Huggins <p> I finished the second book of my challenge this morning, a children’s book titled “Henry Huggins” by Beverly Cleary.</p><p>I chose to read a book popular in the year of my birth — 1950 — and this looked like a delightful way to start the year.</p><p>It is the story of Henry Huggins and his neighborhood friends on his street called Klackitat St. Also featured in the book is his dog Ribsy. There was a bit of tension at the end involving Ribsy but it all worked out well.</p><p>Will I read the next one in the series? Not sure as I have a very stuffed library thanks to Kindle’s Stuff your Kindle day. But I will definitely keep it on my list of future possibilities.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzUVvhxLi_kUCosRNbH_L9ycuPPKHC_KOxYqYvJD2dZPoMMaMUbFJmkDWpeAP-ZuDION0jxYWHvNnv_fS9gCv8FP25T3NUBm4H6x-8Gd0bF1WypafRLY5pJ0iQNEIZaSGLuBA-yttFswKy9bT6ik9yfYxFnmqUomXgl7YGnySdFSYcnnW1s98jQ/s1640/IMG_3107.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="1159" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzUVvhxLi_kUCosRNbH_L9ycuPPKHC_KOxYqYvJD2dZPoMMaMUbFJmkDWpeAP-ZuDION0jxYWHvNnv_fS9gCv8FP25T3NUBm4H6x-8Gd0bF1WypafRLY5pJ0iQNEIZaSGLuBA-yttFswKy9bT6ik9yfYxFnmqUomXgl7YGnySdFSYcnnW1s98jQ/s320/IMG_3107.jpeg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><p>It is a cold day here in the Fort — winter has definitely arrived but at least it has been clear and sunny. I need to make a Target run today, hopefully early, and I will have Bean for awhile so we are going to clean out and straighten up my craft stash. It actually all needs to be donated but we will see.</p><p>Have a wonderful day as the world gets back to normal!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-48241877033573119092024-01-01T08:40:00.002-06:002024-01-01T08:52:59.082-06:00Happy New Year!<p> Happy New Year to all my bloggy friends. I am wishing each and everyone of you a wonderful, safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.</p><p>I completely my 2023 Reading Challenge one short of my goal. However, I finished that last book this morning and applied it to my 2024 list so I am well on my way.</p><p>I am beginning my 2024 reading journey by reading a book that was on a list of popular books of 1950. The book is Henry Huggins — a children’s book. I think I have read it before but not remembering it. I think this sounds like a good way to start the year.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrT-UC9gNJ8HZECJo_lGGzcsvxqhtPXVfe5fu5s_Cz-ceBSi4-6eGCK_LFTRiLEeCU9wWOPe62iQ_MssIKa0MtJF2RjbVINVjy6hiy9yleNJhuxclUmDrF8mhuPw0Bs1A6u36sAPOHZDhZcva8f7lG_SUEyDDRwA1b4UJMTgtICxxJQdCDIuX-ig/s1640/IMG_3107.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="1159" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrT-UC9gNJ8HZECJo_lGGzcsvxqhtPXVfe5fu5s_Cz-ceBSi4-6eGCK_LFTRiLEeCU9wWOPe62iQ_MssIKa0MtJF2RjbVINVjy6hiy9yleNJhuxclUmDrF8mhuPw0Bs1A6u36sAPOHZDhZcva8f7lG_SUEyDDRwA1b4UJMTgtICxxJQdCDIuX-ig/s320/IMG_3107.jpeg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Plans for the day? I have none, absolutely none. I am just going to relax and enjoy the day. Tomorrow will be back to normal.</p><p>Have a wonderful day everybody! And no, I don’t eat black eyed peas!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-54316892397785805852023-12-29T09:18:00.002-06:002023-12-29T09:22:27.803-06:00Trixie’s New “Thing”<p> Trixie is a good little dog in spite of training difficulties. She will be five in March and she is getting more mellow. So, we are trying some new things.</p><p>She doesn’t ride well in the car, mostly jumping all over me and making the short trip to the vet seem like a 6 hour road trip. But, her desire to go bye bye is great. In the front seat she is a miserable thing, she won’t stay on the floor, she wants on my lap she gets too excited and drools like a basset hound. If I put her in the back seat with her seat belt she calms right down but I have to be back there with her.</p><p>That doesn’t work well if I am the one driving. If Hubs is the one driving it feels a bit like “Driving Miss Daisy” and I am not ready to be there yet. So, what is a doggo mom to do?</p><p>CARSEAT!</p><p>One of Trixie’s Christmas presents was a car seat. I did a reasonable amount of research and since I know her well I know anything like a pillow or stuffed animal won’t make it around the block before it becomes history. So, I needed something soft and cushy but not fluffy.</p><p>I checked out Piggy Poo and Crew but decided their was a bit too basic. So this is what I settled on —</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlHbJAQGFhufY0cUdSTTduTlBlv1HRhqI6DCtjru_mUUJ2IXjGjAziRRZw0q2BwHSe3pdh277c47QzBun356fjROnNu5KD8iPMRTdndI6ofqX9Uj4aw9q7hwsef4LuoLGUOQzHjmXvN73caajhqwzQuBuFxUOmZLnbWD6m1l_2Q69c-QUkY3KAQ/s4032/IMG_3100.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlHbJAQGFhufY0cUdSTTduTlBlv1HRhqI6DCtjru_mUUJ2IXjGjAziRRZw0q2BwHSe3pdh277c47QzBun356fjROnNu5KD8iPMRTdndI6ofqX9Uj4aw9q7hwsef4LuoLGUOQzHjmXvN73caajhqwzQuBuFxUOmZLnbWD6m1l_2Q69c-QUkY3KAQ/s320/IMG_3100.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>There are straps that go around the headrest and then the seat belt slips through loops (of a sort) on the front and hooks in to the regular seat belt latch.</p><p>We tried it on for size. It is a small — Trixie isn’t small — up to 25 lbs. and she is 18.8. I was worried that she wouldn’t fit well and was pleasantly surprised to discover that she fits perfectly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YNiRzkEsCASzq65wwaN9SJW7v9PLxNb9prQ8shKXyFoIrJpUhooTBlTSghLX9JD4RrL2gzCkbQMbAMqdCKYosuq9ybTVnWYF5URV3_E8gEDfLCuUnmisPliv28j50TBSI9cgThXWzD3fYjmmMA6b28Ex_xgzW9pdX3xHKB7V40cLLm2LXzXLnw/s4032/IMG_3096.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YNiRzkEsCASzq65wwaN9SJW7v9PLxNb9prQ8shKXyFoIrJpUhooTBlTSghLX9JD4RrL2gzCkbQMbAMqdCKYosuq9ybTVnWYF5URV3_E8gEDfLCuUnmisPliv28j50TBSI9cgThXWzD3fYjmmMA6b28Ex_xgzW9pdX3xHKB7V40cLLm2LXzXLnw/s320/IMG_3096.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR1-vZkUNCLUbD11-k6W6DkGg9j1Zdql1b3YBR0k9cCOKT559IaZ1CUMce-4QC0xFEH6vKc3KEHSptMPrHLmOy1UxEGPG5wAVv_yH0lAMDGAV6TLRFPFkXZ0A3xRTvkdFWJwuH15JOQZlHA3Jd5_ni158c8ihYdWEZeTrqAhAT8KWoeaM56hL6A/s4032/IMG_3098.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR1-vZkUNCLUbD11-k6W6DkGg9j1Zdql1b3YBR0k9cCOKT559IaZ1CUMce-4QC0xFEH6vKc3KEHSptMPrHLmOy1UxEGPG5wAVv_yH0lAMDGAV6TLRFPFkXZ0A3xRTvkdFWJwuH15JOQZlHA3Jd5_ni158c8ihYdWEZeTrqAhAT8KWoeaM56hL6A/s320/IMG_3098.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I took it out of the box, it looks sturdy, and let her sniff it and then I put her in it and she has such a good time laying down, rolling around, sniffing — just acquainting herself with the concept. I hooked the attached seat belt to her harness to see how it worked and yes, indeed, it was perfect. Then she decided to exit said care seat, still attached and discovered that it was very easy to drag all over the couch — I caught her before she tried to jump off the couch — trust me, no car seats or Yorkies were injured or endangered during this process.</p><p>So, I am looking forward to going for our first drive —- maybe to Starbucks — someplace other than the vet. </p><p>And Trixie’s new year includes getting to know her niece—Olive </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy6AJd4Gj4pXtjMAdkkIEHKzKtOUddz7JQVLsONzmguGlFNixDGbEerV-RpLhK-G4I-Hv1MWq1e4YmMcAWEz4PadbnpcGIQdsDyA3BYXQlG1wBrs4oDBzIyKO1X80WHkci_BB6CR5n6ye0eOLcwXL6IIpB2pOsrTLFywM-JLzKj5RAGEw-TBVng/s4032/IMG_2732.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy6AJd4Gj4pXtjMAdkkIEHKzKtOUddz7JQVLsONzmguGlFNixDGbEerV-RpLhK-G4I-Hv1MWq1e4YmMcAWEz4PadbnpcGIQdsDyA3BYXQlG1wBrs4oDBzIyKO1X80WHkci_BB6CR5n6ye0eOLcwXL6IIpB2pOsrTLFywM-JLzKj5RAGEw-TBVng/s320/IMG_2732.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>My grandpuppy - a standard poodle that rares up like a horse and likes to hit me with her huge paws. We are going to introduce them — I have been hesitant to do so because Trixie is so little and Olive is so, well, not — so we will see. It will be a big ask for both of them I think although Olive socializes at a dog park and Trixie has been very social at the vet (I caught her giving kisses to a medium size shaggy boy who was waiting for his appointment) so, crossing fingers.</p><p>So, that is our day so far — it is very cold outside but sunny and nice. Have some errands to run and looking forward to the warm up tomorrow!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-31537375286860388982023-12-28T06:40:00.001-06:002023-12-28T06:40:13.067-06:00The End of Yet Another Year<p> As 2023 draws to a close I am taking a moment to sit back and think about all that has happened, or not happened, this year. I read facebook posts about what a horrible year it was and how people will be glad to see it end and I know this year has been hard for many but for me, personally, it has been decent.</p><p>I look back on our accomplishments and there isn’t much to see — being retired and not as active as we once were, we are sort of treading water most of the time, just keeping on keeping on. We did purchase a new car to replace my Subaru. It was a much needed change.</p><p>We continued to help with after school care for Bean and also did some transporting of our other grandchildren, N, K, and E. During the summer we took our grandson, N, back and forth to TCU so he could work as a tech at the Van Cliburn piano competition.. It is truly a blessing to have time with these precious kids — they are growing up way too fast.</p><p>We watched huge changes at our church. At the end of 2022 we watched our beloved rector, David Klein, retire which was a good thing for him but we were sad to see him leave. However, he isn’t far and has been sighted in the area and rumor has it he is visiting our parish often — I just haven’t caught him yet! In February of 2024 we will welcome a new rector, Sam Wilgus. Our interim rector, Richard Moseley will be leaving us in that capacity but as he is a long time parishioner I am hoping he joins our ranks as a member again. </p><p>Personally, we have been blessed with decent health — no major illnesses, no hospitalizations and no broken bones. The hubs did spend a good deal of the middle of the year dealing with vestibular vertigo due to a middle ear infection. He spent three months in rehab to regain his balance and he is now sporting a snazzy pair of hearing aids which is a blessing to us all!</p><p>We did take a short trip to College Station last week which was fun. The weather held and it was enjoyable to see the college campus again. It is a really pretty, yet really huge, campus and it is fun to see the old and the new converge.</p><p>Trixie is well and even though we lost Bam Fox early in the year we have had fun watching the new crop of foxies that live under our deck. Being a city gal I never thought I would be living so openly amongst wildlife but it is interesting.</p><p>I did start an anxiety journal that has helped with my sometimes uncontrollable anxiety. It sort of turned into a daily routine journal but surprisingly that has helped enormously with the anxiety. I find it very therapeutic to make a to-do list and actually mark things off — it helps calm the mind. I will continue into the new year BUT that is not a resolution, just a promise — I don’t believe in resolutions.</p><p>While I haven’t done a lot of cross stitch this year (to be remedied soon) I have done a bit of reading. My original goal was</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OBhPbNH2jZ3LWDkmSZA7UHdmCvjJoaV0WCZBtEKy8D_RoLZS0bQX66H4mxHn-XsIyyw6rVg5Kjg4Rtm26CUhL3w4Cls-NUwK6acbYEoJuqN5-z4bRDQBr22ouIoLiEKJek1k2bdKU45mgWj6IWchC5nn3BEBefaLL6-hH6KOU0I_Id5FGBtRVQ/s1340/IMG_3089.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OBhPbNH2jZ3LWDkmSZA7UHdmCvjJoaV0WCZBtEKy8D_RoLZS0bQX66H4mxHn-XsIyyw6rVg5Kjg4Rtm26CUhL3w4Cls-NUwK6acbYEoJuqN5-z4bRDQBr22ouIoLiEKJek1k2bdKU45mgWj6IWchC5nn3BEBefaLL6-hH6KOU0I_Id5FGBtRVQ/s320/IMG_3089.jpeg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHs8DBm19_aiiIk6UMWdnojyMb_Sy3hx_u5_aKBbFUdiG2ALxnh-iwIO6GgBQcB3HL9LorbGlchYR5WNrUnTtUXK8RMcrz1o-pzFMV2g8IezWLeAkGI2MZbGpU2VVki_7Y8slof0RUZx_4Xu_3zUipa8ONwBNIJWbTFfYZ3gxIfOyeD4yqF-TjfA/s1370/IMG_3093.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1370" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHs8DBm19_aiiIk6UMWdnojyMb_Sy3hx_u5_aKBbFUdiG2ALxnh-iwIO6GgBQcB3HL9LorbGlchYR5WNrUnTtUXK8RMcrz1o-pzFMV2g8IezWLeAkGI2MZbGpU2VVki_7Y8slof0RUZx_4Xu_3zUipa8ONwBNIJWbTFfYZ3gxIfOyeD4yqF-TjfA/s320/IMG_3093.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukaGupWRafih7mKNscoUzGoymCksYfGq-HihyphenhyphenCNblbXHI7BqVbNOJ19bvEomV2QEKiIDxGSbxsbucKA2J6ZC67tuaix91TmTVgDMKbR8YMmK5NgxplbPGTOxVK9zGDYhOVMDSilUHOnvE0nDCPvz3z5rC86eDeiMcAzIAB8HL35rmAQO8ZhD17w/s886/IMG_3092.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="603" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukaGupWRafih7mKNscoUzGoymCksYfGq-HihyphenhyphenCNblbXHI7BqVbNOJ19bvEomV2QEKiIDxGSbxsbucKA2J6ZC67tuaix91TmTVgDMKbR8YMmK5NgxplbPGTOxVK9zGDYhOVMDSilUHOnvE0nDCPvz3z5rC86eDeiMcAzIAB8HL35rmAQO8ZhD17w/s320/IMG_3092.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWMcCPXRgeQOzzTCNxYcd3hqXoALZENden_aUYCnmQqG59fpSZD5IvfqA3z7suEs0yxsKj6OL14C7gP0cPwFpgBJ1WKWYJFOlx8cDHvS03aJS7VAmNUDenimrJhrlw3gzPatLwBsJ5dLPhpWAX3ioDe-5rPnUFEN6_wz_6CHDY5Uf3aR21jo1lg/s1336/IMG_3091.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWMcCPXRgeQOzzTCNxYcd3hqXoALZENden_aUYCnmQqG59fpSZD5IvfqA3z7suEs0yxsKj6OL14C7gP0cPwFpgBJ1WKWYJFOlx8cDHvS03aJS7VAmNUDenimrJhrlw3gzPatLwBsJ5dLPhpWAX3ioDe-5rPnUFEN6_wz_6CHDY5Uf3aR21jo1lg/s320/IMG_3091.jpeg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8lxSqUlYk9wD3q-o8jRaaoOBCG_bnbs1D_Xztsn1AUoCxwvHw5ZYX4e0aTsb1jEf9B3XxnFEBU5xCrSYQqSMWz0uPU0eWu3HVdEd8Fq6Qe4zwlOoOoRojB9r88QPOMcq-fdmKizdoO9LosyTUVhLQ_sXTy1_D0twppqr-IDYyxxB_-QJoPoKxQ/s1345/IMG_3090.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8lxSqUlYk9wD3q-o8jRaaoOBCG_bnbs1D_Xztsn1AUoCxwvHw5ZYX4e0aTsb1jEf9B3XxnFEBU5xCrSYQqSMWz0uPU0eWu3HVdEd8Fq6Qe4zwlOoOoRojB9r88QPOMcq-fdmKizdoO9LosyTUVhLQ_sXTy1_D0twppqr-IDYyxxB_-QJoPoKxQ/s320/IMG_3090.jpeg" width="291" /></a></div><br />45 books but around Thanksgiving I realized that I wasn’t going to make that goal so I changed my criteria — still not going to make my new goal but I am close. I have learned that while challenges are fun it is more fun to read for the sake of reading than to read to satisfy some arbitrary number. <p></p><p>I still have two to finish and I am sure I will finish one at least to almost fulfill my goal. Who knows, maybe two. </p><p>So, that is our year in a very small nutshell. We have had many enjoyable moments this year, we have learned a lot and we have so, so much to be grateful for. I am praying for more of the same for 2024.</p><p>I will end this now as it is beginning to sound like the dreaded Christmas newsletter!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-44105391477659642732023-12-26T07:31:00.000-06:002023-12-26T07:31:12.139-06:00I’m Baaaaaack!<p> I haven’t really been gone, just a bit busier than usual which doesn't take much — I am quite slothy most of the time.</p><p>Last week we took a short day trip to College Station, Texas, home of the great Texas A&M University with my daughter and granddaughter. My daughter needed her ring (the pride of all Aggies) resized so we needed to go to the Ring Office, have her sized and leave the ring for adjustment. It will take 4-6 weeks. We will then drive back to pick up said ring. My daughter is very proud of her education and ring and the fact that she has a long Aggie legacy —dad, uncles, cousins — it is a family thing. I did not go to school there but my association with the school and the traditions has been ongoing since 1965 so trust me, I am an Aggie by default!</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7yYEoFgG4I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7yYEoFgG4I</a></p><div class="yt-spec-button-shape-next__button-text-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><span class="yt-core-attributed-string yt-core-attributed-string--white-space-no-wrap" role="text" style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="yt-spec-button-shape-next__button-text-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">It was strange this year with Advent 4 and Christmas Eve being on the same day. So, we had Advent 4 service at 10 a.m and Christmas Eve at 4 pm and 11 p.m. We went to the first service while my daughter and her family attended both — Bean had to acolyte at 10 and my daughter had to read at 4 — was that bad planning on the people putting together the program or was it sly to make sure everybody was in church to celebrate both? Hmmm….. well, it worked because there was a full house for all the services which is a very good thing.</div><div class="yt-spec-button-shape-next__button-text-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><br /></div><div class="yt-spec-button-shape-next__button-text-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmQ3ymzi3AcKm76lpl4gPz8c_eaI_gigINItB6ucu4prEsyXNarlMni85Npu-9f2A6_tyYjffl6h92RUOzbiNS8l4y0sflhcIP2OQURwX9jZJG-XPn8lih3bp-N9obBAosapSyird7ZHU2PfC7kdwPbZzmYazycofj7wgZBloJrqSk0OQzmu-Lw/s2360/IMG_3084.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmQ3ymzi3AcKm76lpl4gPz8c_eaI_gigINItB6ucu4prEsyXNarlMni85Npu-9f2A6_tyYjffl6h92RUOzbiNS8l4y0sflhcIP2OQURwX9jZJG-XPn8lih3bp-N9obBAosapSyird7ZHU2PfC7kdwPbZzmYazycofj7wgZBloJrqSk0OQzmu-Lw/s320/IMG_3084.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Our Bean is the acolyte on the left — the only girl, the only red head! Can’t miss her.</p><p>So, Christmas Eve, after the 4 pm. Service we went to my daughter’s house for our traditional tamales and chili con queso and gift exchange. A good time was had by all.</p><p>After a reasonably good night (for some reason Trixie thinks 5 a.m. is a great wake up call) we got up on Christmas morn to find that Santy Paws had indeed come so a bit of playtime ensued. Later we had a nice dinner of ham, pasta salad, two kinds of beans, tossed salad and pie. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0J_M8O_1eorWuugm0MkxYX5JQDmq_oKrIYzejatlK6j8MouaMqHpzgctIMn9wLyhkgZt76ID58TbP7_MyCcINwYF8e3MNepvBvCW88YBRVXEvQrl3lhF_wcdypwEdFGyMFVRTicQddxy40uHApw51VNYd2toU1vO3MCr1pkBZIE3Nz8cIa1FnA/s4032/IMG_2741.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0J_M8O_1eorWuugm0MkxYX5JQDmq_oKrIYzejatlK6j8MouaMqHpzgctIMn9wLyhkgZt76ID58TbP7_MyCcINwYF8e3MNepvBvCW88YBRVXEvQrl3lhF_wcdypwEdFGyMFVRTicQddxy40uHApw51VNYd2toU1vO3MCr1pkBZIE3Nz8cIa1FnA/s320/IMG_2741.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>I couldn’t settle on a Christmas movie so I opted for another episode of “Heartland”. I am really enjoying the series. I did watch my traditional movie “The Bell’s of St. Mary’s” while fixing the food during the day. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.</p><p>So, we had a very quiet Christmas but we are feeling refreshed and renewed and ready to take on the new year!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-44419907413817563942023-12-15T08:06:00.001-06:002023-12-15T08:06:36.458-06:00Still Here!<p> Hi, all! Still here! Still removing from the Thanksgiving plague although I think now it has just morphed into miserable allergies what with the mountain cedar and all — I can handle that! </p><p>Just been getting some stuff done == a little decluttering, a little mailing, a lot of reading - yep, our weather has been nice but it has turned nasty now and all it is good for is a nice cuppa and a good book.</p><p>I have finished the first three books in the Weezy and BeBe series and am starting on the fourth — well, already started last night. So far it is engaging and with our drizzly, cold day all I want to do is finish it! Today!</p><p>I wish I could get in the Christmas spirit but alas, it is alluding me. I think now that the kids are all big and into their own things it sort of dampens the excitement of it all but I will be feeling it on Christmas Eve when we head to church and back home for our traditional Mexican dinner.</p><p>Our youth group received donations from the congregation and went shopping for toys for donation. They had a great time and then, Wednesday night, they took the toys to the drop off place and then went to dinner at In And Out. They had a wonderful time. It might be a small group of kids but they are certainly getting busy with their community service and their fun activities.</p><p>So, that is about it for now —I have been up since 5 a.m. thanks to Miss Trixie so I am already dozing and it is only 8 a.m. Ha! However, my daughter’s car is in the shop so we have already been on school drop off for her and Bean! Thanks goodness Christmas vacay starts today!</p><p>Have a great weekend!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-81784844356427680332023-12-08T07:01:00.001-06:002023-12-08T07:01:46.286-06:00Poor Baby Bean —- <p> Night before last our church youth group went to WallyMart to purchase toys for a toy drive. There were $1000 in donations to the cause so each kiddo had $250 to spend. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8pZ4f8_LeSGg68FjN6MT2BgOEolUB-zWrkflU0z2t3tbIRfOVb4GRc5XQkvrI8x2YwFGes1MXRSIQBtDJKB3xV87TiwqvZV-aeRB3e5WmGRln1w4i2n5HvPhBe0vzlvn3XMczS5bxTbwCG2P1zSa8eNxuxY9g6afVQhR0-VD4m53yNp7dFyfbw/s4032/IMG_2134.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8pZ4f8_LeSGg68FjN6MT2BgOEolUB-zWrkflU0z2t3tbIRfOVb4GRc5XQkvrI8x2YwFGes1MXRSIQBtDJKB3xV87TiwqvZV-aeRB3e5WmGRln1w4i2n5HvPhBe0vzlvn3XMczS5bxTbwCG2P1zSa8eNxuxY9g6afVQhR0-VD4m53yNp7dFyfbw/s320/IMG_2134.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Here they are ready to shop — just look at those bright and shiny faces.</p><p>And shop they did —</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC3zxdvo3aPXDDTFUAJp5XHCzaRdLOmniBgwu8nOHcj-W1ZsLnxehhfpuy2JIEzyTRrS0HlD-QOZCos9p8tw6Bz9QCC5IUImO6xLm7Kfd1YJIAWIcgj4Ne4v5CMCjevNppWpCvtgAepNY-aVhcWo4Ya6cJI050WobhZa032IeHUgO4expSF5oMQ/s4032/IMG_2161.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC3zxdvo3aPXDDTFUAJp5XHCzaRdLOmniBgwu8nOHcj-W1ZsLnxehhfpuy2JIEzyTRrS0HlD-QOZCos9p8tw6Bz9QCC5IUImO6xLm7Kfd1YJIAWIcgj4Ne4v5CMCjevNppWpCvtgAepNY-aVhcWo4Ya6cJI050WobhZa032IeHUgO4expSF5oMQ/s320/IMG_2161.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>They even got a bicycle and I have to say, somebody is going to be thrilled to receive that big stuffy!</p><p>They had a wonderful time! We don’t have a large youth group but we are working to grow it. However they had fun and spent all their money and from the looks of those baskets they did well.</p><p>Then, yesterday Bean had to go to the orthodontist go get her braces put on. That beautiful smile in the picture above turned to tears quickly.</p><p>Not only did she get the brackets and wires on her top teeth, she got an expander in the roof of her mouth (not her mouth pictured)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKdiTlpcs5MGaGY3zdCBnY7deqnSwLH3lIVGeMbydCqRQuEJVkA3KKkDVxlOqDdZZR2TPEM3JKuoJ4aMe7P50mIlHCtf6qcZDf00qGprJsVz9hToByOcUjwrZDkZ236EAkBIZD8aNS12ALuHJfokNCJ2tM2m0XMf5pEG7qiFBL676B8Z6NZNqtQ/s1729/IMG_3063.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1729" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKdiTlpcs5MGaGY3zdCBnY7deqnSwLH3lIVGeMbydCqRQuEJVkA3KKkDVxlOqDdZZR2TPEM3JKuoJ4aMe7P50mIlHCtf6qcZDf00qGprJsVz9hToByOcUjwrZDkZ236EAkBIZD8aNS12ALuHJfokNCJ2tM2m0XMf5pEG7qiFBL676B8Z6NZNqtQ/s320/IMG_3063.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>And a Herbst appliance in lieu of traditional head gear </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIOIYC82vYHBTu4dQcfeswflVtV1WvVrSPuF2vAX_Mx3rEPBr0fewvePQuEF1oW9BQzFJxVu_BP9XNn7esoa9MUfxJ4-jP0qFrtIYtNTnSGO4p6kDUeUAQepGljt6m8N5uUWxyXJGR7qdfeXpCIE134kuaWXt39dupk-Q77iCC8FUAc-oVGLHdw/s1725/IMG_3062.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1725" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIOIYC82vYHBTu4dQcfeswflVtV1WvVrSPuF2vAX_Mx3rEPBr0fewvePQuEF1oW9BQzFJxVu_BP9XNn7esoa9MUfxJ4-jP0qFrtIYtNTnSGO4p6kDUeUAQepGljt6m8N5uUWxyXJGR7qdfeXpCIE134kuaWXt39dupk-Q77iCC8FUAc-oVGLHdw/s320/IMG_3062.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>By the time we got her home yesterday she couldn’t talk, she was drooling like a teething infant and she can’t eat. She cried her way through a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream. I sent her home with mashed potatoes, apple sauce and soup. Dad was at the store stocking up on soft stuff. </p><p>She is already just a little thing, I can’t imagine her losing weight. However, her friend who happens to be a boy (hee hee, see what I did there) has had all of this in his mouth and he assured her she will eat again. She already has food issues because she has a nut allergy and doesn’t trust anything to not have nuts in it so eating is a challenge at best.</p><p>Hopefully today will be a better day.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-71022564125854019072023-12-07T06:37:00.002-06:002023-12-07T06:37:22.207-06:00Still Not Well<p>Oh, I did a dumb thing. I quit taking the antibiotic because it made me sick to my stomach. Last night I spike a fever of over 101. Finishing the antibiotic and taking a covid test this morning when we get home from Hubs dr. appointment. I won’t be going in with him, I will be staying in the car. I feel like rubbish.</p><p>I did finish the second book in the Weezie and BeBe mystery series by Mary Kay Andrews. It was good although I did get confused a couple of time == blame it on the issue in my head. So, today I am starting the third book in the series — “Blue Christmas”.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEb_fmLdHxUp68deq4RfPKjKHYU9Zrxnvc3xAVXgr1xHV_d_VJKGYeGyEHlbVuctXGvctalX6vKRh4tXMHki360Hnv-u7tblfLl0xbd96zO9gMabvAHVk4z6CY-vgbSGloY3vFr-hQhkNO0K-71_L_jy1TaIPNURZrblXvsTenuv5QLPfEOzGScg/s704/IMG_3061.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEb_fmLdHxUp68deq4RfPKjKHYU9Zrxnvc3xAVXgr1xHV_d_VJKGYeGyEHlbVuctXGvctalX6vKRh4tXMHki360Hnv-u7tblfLl0xbd96zO9gMabvAHVk4z6CY-vgbSGloY3vFr-hQhkNO0K-71_L_jy1TaIPNURZrblXvsTenuv5QLPfEOzGScg/s320/IMG_3061.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><p>I am hoping it is as good as the two previous ones.</p><p>Have a good day!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-66232605274405819932023-12-05T07:06:00.000-06:002023-12-05T07:06:19.375-06:00The Birthday Boy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22oeOa8ehIYXFCwqia6-sFQz6PzfZ37Ds2r2l66FTHd7h3mikVgA_Zp3GhhIke5x0oQ9fSNdWcrt5YeA7UnrF45H0h1Tj6YFKTZIv4qdTl4LKBCSwfOSP13XqpRremPeMbioNlwcd9NAHr6SKC-zdg9NKhi34OZ1FncUIaY8Ii1XpNSj0rF95_Q/s2814/IMG_3057.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2814" data-original-width="2189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22oeOa8ehIYXFCwqia6-sFQz6PzfZ37Ds2r2l66FTHd7h3mikVgA_Zp3GhhIke5x0oQ9fSNdWcrt5YeA7UnrF45H0h1Tj6YFKTZIv4qdTl4LKBCSwfOSP13XqpRremPeMbioNlwcd9NAHr6SKC-zdg9NKhi34OZ1FncUIaY8Ii1XpNSj0rF95_Q/s320/IMG_3057.jpeg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Today is my son’s birthday! He is 48 years old but to me he will always be the kiddo in this photo.</p><p>Wishing him a wonderful day — nobody’s birthday should fall on such a mundane day as a Tuesday but I am sure that he will find time to do some celebrating.</p><p>Happy Birthday, sweetie! We love you.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-47452117937928649142023-12-04T09:12:00.000-06:002023-12-04T09:12:07.800-06:00Should’s and Shouldn’ts<p> I am not a big one for resolutions. I never saw the point since I am incapable of keeping them! Even into January 2! And resolutions to me are just a list of all the things I need to “do”, to improve myself, to make my world a better place—an arbitrary list of things that I “should” do == designed by somebody else a lot of the time.</p><p>We are influenced by so many things in our lives — our “situation”, our friends, the media, Pinterest — it is an ever ongoing onslaught to what we need to do better heavily implying that what we are doing isn’t right enough, isn’t correct enough and definitely needs tweaking. We are bombarded by products that guarantee to improve all those things that are so lacking in our lives. And, in my case, I never seem to have the correct “things”. In trying to attain all the right “things” - either physical stuff or an improved attitude — I am becoming more and more disenchanted with things.</p><p>Now, I am never going to be a minimalist — that just isn’t my style but there are some things I am going to eliminate from my existence because — well, I think it is a prudent thing to do. These things aren’t adding to my life in anyway and, in a way, are only cluttering things up — if only in my mind. I am sure that it is going to be comical to some and, in a way, it is but here we go</p><p>Planners/Diaries — </p><p>My daughter uses a planner — she is a teacher, a mother, a Girl Scout leader - it makes sense. I feel like I need to use a planner and I have spent a long time carrying an Erin Condrin around with me for what reason? To look the part? To let people know I spent upwards from $65 on a calendar? And then looking for elusive shelf space to store years of these things on? All because I think I “should” when all I need to keep up with is Beans school schedule and some medical appointments? I can do that on my phone. No more planners.</p><p>Faux Plants —</p><p>There is nothing green about my thumbs. I can’t grow a simple ivy. My house is too dark. I forget to hydrate myself much less the plants so I resort to Faux. I have some lovely faux ivy and it would be lovelier if I would dust it once in a while. However, in regards to dusting, I do much better with flat surfaces with nothing on them. So…buh bye faux plants. Now to find a place to store the empty planters. I can’t get rid of them because I made them myself in a ceramics group at our church but, they need to be put to rest.</p><p>Meal Planning —</p><p>When I was in junior high school, I took home economics. My teacher was an ancient, old teacher named Birdie Chappell. She wasn’t nearly as old as I thought but she had no patience with the likes of me — I refused to light the gas oven with a match. I didn’t do well in there but I did learn a few things. I learned how my mother, who took home ec from the very same teacher, came to plan her meals. Instead of planning out what we would eat each and every day, my mother would go to the store and purchase a protein for each day, a starch for each day, vegetables for each day (because we shopped once every two weeks, a lot of canned goods there ) and fruit. She would plan a dessert or two and call it done. We didn’t have Taco Tuesday then — my mother would get up of a morning, check to see what she had and plan what she wanted for dinner from what she had. That is what makes sense to me. So, I am going back to what works for me — no more of these lists on a calendar of what I am going to eat the whole week because what sounds good at the store might not work for me on Monday or Tuesday. I am going to live in the moment. Well, except for Taco Tuesday — old habits die hard.</p><p>Trying to Look Younger —</p><p>What a wasted effort. My emphasis is not going to be to look younger but to look healthy, have healthy skin. This should result in some money saving as I don’t intend to jump on the bandwagon of every new product that promises everything and results in nothing. I am 73, I look 73, I feel 73 (at least) and no amount of skin care voodoo is going to change that. It is what it is so I am doing a huge declutter and going to relish in the lovely empty space in my drawer.</p><p>Magazine Subscriptions —</p><p>Yes, I have purchased two new ones to help the Girl Scouts but don’t intend to hold on to them and don’t intend to renew them. I am doing away with magazines and it is really hard for me — my mind says “you paid good money for these things, now you must keep it — forever — even if it means adding on to the house”. So, it is just easier to not buy them in the first place. I can read them on my iPad with my kindle app.</p><p>So far, these are the things on my mind. I know it isn’t some earth shattering changes that will make my world all bright and shiny but it might result in some extra drawer space, less stuff to store, maybe eating a little healthier and the opportunity to focus on the world around me and less about what I see in the mirror. </p><p>Wow, so philosophical for so early on a Monday morning! Whew!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31031098.post-15568749860798080832023-12-01T07:44:00.003-06:002023-12-01T09:50:54.165-06:00Happy Advent!<p> Today is the first day of Advent. I love Advent because it is a quiet time … and I love quiet times. Yes, I know Advent doesn’t officially start until Sunday but Dec. 1 is just such a nice place to start thinking about it.</p><p>I put out some decor yesterday. Being a person who can’t handle much clutter I did some scaling down this year. I didn’t put out all that I have and I sort of switched stuff up a bit. So, here are a couple of things I have added.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaWuijfn-z19lphRloUbMpUUUOj21_SRn3O-kOy4Bk2K5iLZwRS2oufclIaY2XCASD66bopuj3m2EKWEI_s7jbn4uZb5Yn-acP2kNg7kvMuQLWWjo-olS66WfJVnTk7xTmsUIv4dgjqiyq6yO6IO1qUbwtiR_mQZa3Nrh0em8Uu91xinolCMb3g/s4032/IMG_3053.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaWuijfn-z19lphRloUbMpUUUOj21_SRn3O-kOy4Bk2K5iLZwRS2oufclIaY2XCASD66bopuj3m2EKWEI_s7jbn4uZb5Yn-acP2kNg7kvMuQLWWjo-olS66WfJVnTk7xTmsUIv4dgjqiyq6yO6IO1qUbwtiR_mQZa3Nrh0em8Uu91xinolCMb3g/s320/IMG_3053.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Art work a la Bean<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SdJ3o12Kw69haHh449EtBjlykQ2Hunyg33ofBCFUJWgAGzGrShoVCJ7xD6hJ378Hz2buSvNVs_skZeLwMQg7vNpVNmqvc2QcPzf3_58ylNIGs0k3VSzr-0fLLLH_JPbSrCzMHQ7whv6ok-YeOGXGH0Nf0ih5ex3NHPtQn4j6UQGmp4yx17Q0TA/s4032/IMG_3054.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SdJ3o12Kw69haHh449EtBjlykQ2Hunyg33ofBCFUJWgAGzGrShoVCJ7xD6hJ378Hz2buSvNVs_skZeLwMQg7vNpVNmqvc2QcPzf3_58ylNIGs0k3VSzr-0fLLLH_JPbSrCzMHQ7whv6ok-YeOGXGH0Nf0ih5ex3NHPtQn4j6UQGmp4yx17Q0TA/s320/IMG_3054.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Little Scandi tree — I decided I really liked it without a skirt and Santa — I think it is cute!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBHUMbkP-KKCbwWeMIVJlrLVHNQs4yFqqTzXp7tmfRzAvFwFJTV0qT46IxaSbuabj_mYwpxphfsTaYTZU3Dptkz7F8_O5nXe-fyWTSUL78pkPEBdXmLUHL7hVv6KZ7t0jEJJaRIMqcM99CVtcVww5HTH-jrpw-wMAGE_8IvNbeTJQGQoGp-p4rg/s4032/IMG_3055.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBHUMbkP-KKCbwWeMIVJlrLVHNQs4yFqqTzXp7tmfRzAvFwFJTV0qT46IxaSbuabj_mYwpxphfsTaYTZU3Dptkz7F8_O5nXe-fyWTSUL78pkPEBdXmLUHL7hVv6KZ7t0jEJJaRIMqcM99CVtcVww5HTH-jrpw-wMAGE_8IvNbeTJQGQoGp-p4rg/s320/IMG_3055.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The ancient wreath that has followed me through three houses for over 30 years.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVyTfauJPLIIx07Q5aJENTxAUSfmqvuOfWhg7sd2fwTdVp6T6xvdfmp2H2BEMCsN5IL8HqBOWFLbbrTTbVE84MrL9Y-89NY4PusQ7JQO5SIZKm06sWFnHkJnVOVjKy-3M7N-4WgH9V5nVlzEJVF5OX4dqd6OnqMBnul_x_GduV19JyD20SyqhOg/s4032/IMG_3056.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVyTfauJPLIIx07Q5aJENTxAUSfmqvuOfWhg7sd2fwTdVp6T6xvdfmp2H2BEMCsN5IL8HqBOWFLbbrTTbVE84MrL9Y-89NY4PusQ7JQO5SIZKm06sWFnHkJnVOVjKy-3M7N-4WgH9V5nVlzEJVF5OX4dqd6OnqMBnul_x_GduV19JyD20SyqhOg/s320/IMG_3056.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Little ceramic tree which is new this year — I have always wanted one, never bothered but when I saw them at Target this year I just bit the bullet and went with it. I sort of wish I had gotten the green one but, oh well. The little nativity next to it was purchased a few years ago at Apple Annie’s and the mosquito thing behind needs to be put away. Please don’t pay much attention to my table as it is strewn with all sorts of meds …. This stupid cold/virus/infection just won’t go away!</p><p>So, anyway, I have a couple of other things to add and will show those later — nothing major. </p><p>Have a happy Dec. 1!</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1