Crappy Day, Take the Win, Then Awesome Day to a Relaxing Day

 In matter of 4 days things went from bleak to Awesome then Fun & Relaxing day.. Come ride the roller coaster.

Friday 9/15. I got up and got ready to go to the gym. Kelli wasn't able to join me today so I was on my own and be accountable for myself. I'm trying to be sure and go to the gym at least 3 times a week and every now and then 4.

I headed to the gym. Just as I got there I got a call from the social worker that goes and checks on the well being of my Mom at the home she stays at. She proceeds to tell me that my Mom's health has declined and they think she's in a transitioning state. Mom hadn't ate or drank anything for 3 days and was unresponsive. The social worker told me she would have the nurse call me with an update later. I go in and start to workout and trying to decide what to do. I called my friend Donna Kim to let her know I wouldn't be able to go to a quilt show with her because I would probably be with my Mom. Then my step father calls not knowing the social worker had already called and gave me the grim news.  I stopped my workout and decided I needed to go now to be with my Mom. I drove the hour and 45 minutes to my step father's, picked him up and we went to see Mom.  They were trying to feed her but she wouldn't respond. Dementia is a mean horrible disease. I'm sure Mom is tired of being in this state but it doesn't mean it's easy to let her go.  Joe and I stayed a few hours and Mom never acknowledged us and just slept.

Saturday 9/16. Pamela was working yesterday so she couldn't go with Joe and I Friday but I told her I take her down Saturday to see her Mimi.  I picked Pamela up, then picked up Joe and we went to see Mom. Ms Purity is Mom's caregiver. She's awesome. She walked out of Mom's room with a smile. I asked about Mom's status before walking into the room and Ms Purity goes she's awake, she's had something to drink and is finishing up her oatmeal. HOLY COW! What a change.  We'll take the Win for the day. 

She even acknowledged that someone else was in the room. I got her to talk a couple times.  Once she said "I'll be damn". Not sure why. LOL that was a phrase she used often prior and I got her to say I love you back. Now how long this will last I don't know but for now it's a win.  Pamela got to see her Mimi alert, for the most part and do a little talking. 

I had told Pamela I needed to get back home by 5:30 unless Mom wasn't doing good when got there. Maybe Mom knew that she needed to be okay so Pamela could have a special evening.

Pamela had no clue what was about to happen later that day. I only found out on Friday when Kaleb called to see if he should postpone getting together Saturday evening. That's when I learned of his plan.

So I got Pamela home by 4:30 and me home by 5:15. Just in time to change real quick and jump back in the car with David and go to BigShots Golf in Bryan. Kaleb, Pamela, the twins, his mom, sister and her financee' were already there.  BigShots is where it all started.  Their first date.

We didn't want Pamela to suspect anything so we told her we were there to meet our friends John and Kelli. She bought it hook line and sinker. David even played it up an hour later saying our friends were running real late. LOL. We were really there for her and Kaleb. They shot some balls for a while and we all got something to drink and eat. All of us were waiting for the big moment but it had been almost two hours. We were thinking that while Pamela was getting ready to hit a ball Kaleb would take a knee but he didn't. His sister was texting him "What are you waiting for bro?"  LOL Braxton and Kaleb taking their last shots.

Kaleb sits down next to Pamela and talking. Apparently she said she loved him. Now David saw Kaleb fishing in his pocket but the rest of us didn't. So the next thing I know I saw sparkles from a ring and he's asking Pamela how much and if she loved him this much. Me and his Mom are fumbling to get our cameras out to capture the moment.

And he pops the question... "Will you marry me"  Kaleb was pretty slick. Pamela had no clue and was surprised and of course said Yes.

It was awesome. Kaleb made us wait and surprised us all.

                       IT'S OFFICIAL! PAMELA & KALEB ARE ENGAGED. 
                                                     So excited for these two!

Sunday 9/17. David and I really did have plans today. We went to the Rising Sun Vineyards in McDade to pick up our wine and as club members we could partake in food. Today they were serving Red & Green enchiladas with beans and brisket spaghetti. They put way too much on my plate so David got to finish off what I couldn't eat. He was stuffed after that. We also got our free glass of wine.  Plus they now have a brewery and he paid to try a beer. It was much more pleasant at 95 degrees this time verses the 105 the last time we were there.

As of today 9/22 my Mom is still doing okay. She's eating and drinking. I'll be heading down to see her again on Monday. As of right now I'm heading to the gym. 

So until next blog...Each new day is a blessing. Let go of all worries and be grateful for all the positive in your life.

Yahoo! Friends and Fun

I'm so excited. My friend Donna Lynn aka The Lavender Lady also know as my primary quilter finally came to visit and even stayed the night on 9/6. For those of you who know her, check out that skinny face. This girl has worked hard to lose weight. So proud of her.  She got to pick out which guest room she wanted to sleep in and to my surprise she picked the Texas Room. I figured she'd sleep in the Vintage Room..  We're standing in my sewing room. You can't see my mess. Thank Goodness! LOL. I have several projects going on and they're all over the room. 

The next morning we went to our friend Donna Kim's quilting shed to help her get organized.  Donna Kim also had her friend Andrea and her cousin Judy there to help us. We got over 97% of her fabric folded and place on cards that stand upright on the shelves so she can more easily see what inventory she has. It was in bags, clear tubs and in a cabinet.  Donna Lynn worked hard on organizing the cabinet. And we got all the projects she had labeled in clear cases stacked out of the way until she's ready to work on them. 

I was sitting in one of Donna Kim's comfy chairs and Donna Lynn came to sit with me. LOL  We were done. We ran out of the cards to fold the fabric on so I said I'd come back the following week to finish folding the last bag of fabric on the cards.

We left Donna Kim in good shape but she did have to call each of us about something she couldn't find but after talking with us she found what she was looking for. 

On Saturday 9/9 I drove to Houston for the first time in a long time. I was going to have lunch with a couple of long time friends, Barbara and Kathy, only Barbara got sick and couldn't make it but Kathy made it. We had lunch at Los 3 Rancheros and sat there for hours just talking away. You'd think we'd not seen each other in years. 

When actually I was just with her this past April when she came to my quilt retreat that organize twice a year. That's when the  picture of us was taken. I used to work with Kathy many years ago too. This particular retreat was kinda crazy for me so I didn't get to visit with much at all so we made up for it at lunch.

Before we knew it it was nearly 5pm and I needed to get down the road to my next stop for more friend catch up and fun.

My next stop was at Nancy's house a friend and former co-worker at CyFair ISD. She planned a game night for a bunch of us. Unfortunately several of the girls couldn't make it but my friend Samara did.  We played a game called Left*Right*Center. Same game I play at quilt retreats and with one dollar bills. I donated my ones to the winners. We player 3 times and I lost all my money. LOL.  Next time.... Ladies... Next time.

Before I left they started playing Crazy Train Dominos. I had never played but I helped Samara and Nancy's mom play. I couldn't stay to watch them finish the game because I needed to head home. 

We definitely need to have another game night. Lots of fun.

On Wednesday 9/13 I did go back to Donna Kim's to help her finish up the fabric and we moved her sewing cabinet around to face the window. She can try that way and see if it works for her or not but at least she wasn't rolling over the electrical cords. Everything is now on the shelves and no unknown bags of fabric on the floor. She has a straight path to the little kitchenet to the back. She even started cutting out a super cute quilt and putting it on the design wall.

The Gause Girls Guild book club got together on Thursday 9/14 to discuss our latest book called The Girlfriend by KL Slater. We all liked the book but it took until about chapter 38 to really hook us and make us not want to put it down.  It's about family healing from the husbands cheating to only have it happen again. But this time there were consequences to everyone involved. The wife discovered that sometimes you have to dig for the truth for yourself and also not just blindly sign your name to paper.  I forgot to take a picture in August but I remembered this time. We had a lot of fun and had some good food. We came back to Texas Steak and Seafood in Caldwell. It has a wide variety of food to satisfy everyones pallet in the group.

I think I'll stop for now. I finish up the next few days in my next post.

Hope you enjoyed the read. You never know what I'll be into from day to day.

So until next post...

 

We made it another year

 8/19 Friday night David went to Temple Raceway to check out the street car racing.  Well actually he did more than check it out.... He entered the race with his 4-runner.  He made it to the finals. His first time racing in years. He was doing good until that last round. He went 15.79 on 15.82.  He broke out and lost. Dang. He almost did won. Maybe next time he'll win the purse.

So I got the binding on and pictures taken of the quilt for our new great niece coming in October. Pictures coming up.  I have been to the shower and given the quilt to Penny Kay's Momma to be, Jessica.  Her theme is butterfly's. I found this fabric and it only had a few butterflies in the fabric but I had my friend Donna the quilter from Donna's Lavender Nest use Butterfly's as the quilting theme.

Can I just say that it was hard to find a worthy spot to take pictures. It's so hot and dry that everyone's plants are burning up.  I went to the Cameron Master Garden's Garden in Cameron and got a few shots.  There were a few butterfly's actually fluttering around but I never got a shot of one.

Can you see the butterfly in the quilting on the close up.  In person it looks awesome all over the quilt.

I think Jessica and Phillip liked it. That's big brother Patrick with the bunny. She also got a crocheted throw from someone. It was soft and very pretty.

Grandpa was gonna start out baby girl Penny Kay right. Her first Louie Vinton purse. I think that's what it was.  Daddy will need to fill it with money. LOL  It was a very nice shower.

Sadie girl was talking to me here. She needed to go outside and talk to the cows. The cows were up close to the fence and Sadie feels the need to be there. And Bruno was like do we have to go. He just wanted to curl up in the AC and sleep. But alas they both went out.

Saturday 9/2 was mine and David's 45th wedding anniversary. We survived another year of each other and decided to go for another year. We started off the day by going to antique stores. The first two were in Rogers. They had lots of cool things in them but we didn't spend any money this time. After that we headed to Lake Belton to have lunch at the Dead Fish Grill. It has become a favorite of ours.  Since it was a special occasion I decided I'd order a drink too. David got a margarita and I wanted a sangria margarita but they were out so I went for a drink I haven't drank since probably college... a Pina Colada. Not bad but I only got 3/4 of it down. Ran out of room. 

Our yummy food arrived. I got the grilled shrimp this time. Next time I'll try the blackened shrimp. I know I like the fried shrimp.  David had to help me eat the shrimp. He got the fried catfish dinner. So he was plenty full by the time we left.

   

Next we headed into Belton to hit a couple more antique stores. Look what I found..

An album from CFISD when TS Hancock was superintendent. It didn't say when it was recorded but TS Hancock in office from 1957-63. Couldn't pass it up for a quarter. CyFair HS, Arnold MS and Dean MS bands. Who knew there was an album.. Well I'm sure someone knew. LOL Retired from CyFair ISD in December 2018 after 20 years of service.

At the next store I found some king size sheets for $30! and a spool of red thread while David found some metal signs to hang in the garage or barn. He hasn't fully decided where he'll hang them. Oh and we might have stopped for some ice cream in Belton. I got keto sugar free ice cream. Not bad.

Then we headed into Salado to find at least 2 more antique stores. We didn't find anything we couldn't live without this time. They had this pretty passion vine at one of the areas we stopped at. 

   

 Time to relax with a glass of wine from Axis Winery at their new location. I finished my wine. I had Sweet Duo which was peach and strawberry and David had Sangria.

We were getting tired and the stores were closing so no more shopping and no more wine. LOL  We headed home. We were too full from lunch so we passed on dinner out. We can go some other night.

Instead we had a gourmet dinner of hot dogs. LOL We're so exciting.

Sunday 9/3 we had company. Kaleb brought the boys up to visit the farm and feed Jerry some carrots while Pamela was at work. 

That's Killian in the red shirt and Braxton with his back to the camera.  They have toys here and knew where to find them.

The boys were ready to go feed Jerry so we all went outside. After feeding and loving on Jerry they played fetch with the dogs. Braxton almost got a big sloppy kiss in the ear when reached for the rope to toss in the yard for the dogs.  But he got away just in time. Both dogs were hot and tired after all that playing.

 

Even the boys were hot and tired. They got in a short nap before heading home.

It was a good day.

And Labor Day was a day of rest. I didn't even go to the gym. I guess we did feed the cows and Jerry some cow crack and sweet feed. They were happy little critters. The pasture is burning up from the heat and no rain in sight. Such is life on the farm.

That's it for now.

Until next blog....Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.     ~  Nathaniel Hawthorne

We're Melting!

After my last post I got word that my new great niece in Missouri had arrived. Welcome to the world Whitney Rose. Momma Emily and Daddy John are very happy.  I've lost track of how many great Nieces and Nephews David and I have these days.  I have two more coming in the next few months.

I finished Whitney's quilt and got it to her  about 4 days maybe before she made her grand entrance.  Her quilt was the Highland Cow Quilt.

Working on finishing up the next quilt for a baby shower at the end of this month. I'll share pictures of that one once I give it to my Houston Niece and Nephew.

Got it back from the quilter so now to get the binding on and pictures taken.

It's been so dang hot out down here.  The last two days have hit 109 and 110. I feel like the wicked witched of the west from OZ.. "I'm melting I'm melting.  That will be the only liquid hitting our soil cracked ground.

Pamela and Kaleb had the boys for the weekend and set up a splash pad for them in the backyard to cool off for a bit. It's very refreshing. Killian and Braxton loved it for sure.

  

I recently David had posted a comic strip on FB and it looks so like our household. Our 78 pound lap dogs. They've gotten healthy and put on weight since they came to live with us. I don't know how because when they go outside you'll see them zooming around the yard chasing each other.  Bruno especially loves to climb up into David's lap.  LOL

  

Pamela took her two fur balls to get groomed recently and the groomer used a Barbie backdrop theme.  How many of you are going or gone to see the movie? I'm probably of the minority side in saying I think I'll pass. But Bri and Sophie had their Barbie moment. LOL

  

My Mom turned 88 this year. She has dementia but is strong and healthy. She's now in a caregivers home and doing great. Pamela and I went to visit her for her birthday. Ms. Purity the lady who cares for Mom decorated around the chair she likes to sit. We got her to sorta wake up long enough to take a couple pictures. LOL Otherwise she slept. I was tickling her feet and patting her leg but she wasn't having it.  She had just had her bath so she was all relaxed. Her hair has gotten long enough that had it pulled back in a pony tail.

I'll be damn I did it again. Our Gause Girls Book club met up on 8/10 for a discussion on our latest book, Run Rose Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton and I didn't take a picture. GRRR.  I like the book and so did everyone else. It was good but not great. One reviewer said it well... "It's kind of like a Cinderella Story"  AnnieLee was running from her past to Nashville to find fame and fortune.  Right off the bat she hitch hikes but the seemly harmless looking older man became a horny old man but she put him in his place and steals his 18 wheeler. Now she only drives it as far as the next truck stop and left there for him. Her favorite saying was.... Had she done it before Nope, but she’ll figure it out.  She had never driven an 18 wheeler but she figured it out. Her past catches up to her in Nashville. She's like a cat with 9 lives.  

Warning next picture is a little sick if you have a weak tummy.

Last week Bruno and Sadie were playing chase on the patio and Sadie decided to duck under the table but she got dinged. She hit the corner of the chair with her head. It bled but it definitely cut the hide. It looks like someone took a hatchet to her head. 

David ran her to the vet and all they did was give him some antibiotic lotion to put on it for the past week. 

They didn't feel stitches were necessary.  Our poor baby girl. She didn't want to stand still for me but she did great at the vet. 

She's doing great. Not slowing her down.

Got a text from our friends Mark and Kathy asking what we up to on Thursday to see if we wanted to meet up for lunch.  They were going to be in our area.  Sounded great.  We met in Cameron at Ginno's. The food is really good and well priced.  David and I got a pizza to share and bring home left overs.  Mark and Kathy got pasta dishes. It was great catching up with them.  We sat there eating and talking for almost 2 hours.   And I should have taken some pictures but of course I didn't.  Bad me.  Next time.   

When we got in the car David took the scenic route home of sorts. He was craving some Blue Bell from the shop in Rose Bud.  Usually he goes in and get his ice cream and I go to the quilt shop next door but this time I was feeling dangerous and I went in with him and got a scoop of ice cream too. That was the most sugar I've had at one time in a very long time. Surprisingly it didn't cause me any issues. I wasn't sure but it sure was good going down. Obviously I won't be able to do that very often or I will be in trouble.

So we took a couple back roads back home after our indulgence in sugar and I did try to take some pictures of the feral pigs in the recently cultivated corn field and three younger ones playing in the river. I was surprised to see them out in this heat. The river made sense though.

Unfortunately the sun was so bright and we were just far enough away it's hard to see the ones running for the trees when David stopped the car.

  

  

Welp it's the weekend and there's not much happening. So I got in and wrote this blog post and now I need to go sew.

Until next blog...“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness” ~ By Charles Spurgeon