Hola! Mi Amigos

Well, I have returned from Mexico. Actually we got back on June 20th. Our trip began on Saturday, June 13th when we left our church building at 4:00 AM (ugh) and headed for Birmingham International. There were only eleven of us that flew out of B'ham; the other seven flew out of H'ville. Yeah, there were only 18 of us this year, but guess what. We made it fine and I think a small group does better since everybody has to pull their weight. And our bunch did just that.

The weather, as usual, was absolutely wonderful. No humidity, temps in the 70's during the day, maybe low 80's and then when the sun went down, it was time to get the light weight jackets on.

Anyone that has ever listened to me after one of these trips knows just how much I love the people of the Baja. They are really a people that appreciate all they have, which is not much not by our standards. But they are the happiest people you will ever see. They don't have so therefore, they don't miss it. True, there are those who will do without the neccessities just to have a cell phone or something like that. That is a trait tha exists everywhere. And those are mostly the younger ones. The older people just do the best they can.

We were able to do a little home visiting this time and that was so great. The two houses our group went to was of two of the ladies from our congregation. The last one was so special and such a lovely lady. I have pictures of her that I will try to post a little later. Her name was Janet and she is a widow. Her 61 year old son will come to visit some. She has a stiff leg and must use a walker, but her house was clean as a pin and so neat. No only that, when we got there she was working in her garden, which a lot of our farmers would have stood and drooled over. She had lemon, lime, orange and I think, apricot trees, flowers, and vegetables. And she does this while on a walker!! Can you see anyone here doing that? No, they would probably be filling out disability forms.

I coould go on forever, but it is getting late, for me anyway, and I have to be at the hospital for a volunteer meeting at 9:00 in the morning.

After nine years, I am tackling the #1 item on my to-do-list when I retired. I am cleaning out my basement. Now, I didn't say I was finished or even close to finishing, but at least I have started. Hey, give a girl credit for that.

Where Did April Go??

As far as that goes, where does all my time go? I know I must be accomplishing something since the house has not yet been condemned by the health department and no one has reported me to the ASPCA for not taking care of Mule and Dingo and Joe has not suggested that I start reading my cookbooks (of which I have MANY).

Today was no different from most Mondays. I was up at 5:30 to get ready and be at the hosptal by 7:00 for the book sale. I left there at 10:00 and went by the bank and then went downtown to the First United Methodist Church for their Tasting and Fashion Show. My "partner in crime" at the hospital gift shop is a member of the UMW group and she invited me as her guest. Each lady in the group made recipes from their latest cookbook and we were privileged to sample them. As Rachel Ray says, "YUM-O." Then the fashion show began - it was a blast. The lady that modeled her Easter dress had plastic Easter eggs in her bonnet; the lady that modeled her pill box hat had a "hat" that was loaded with pill bottles, needles, etc and her "handbag" was a first aid kit and she was dressed in white scrubs. There were about fifteen more ladies with their fashions. Let your imagination run with these: a sun dress, a Christmas dress (would you believe a Christmas tree dress and gift box shoes?), bell bottoms, sack dress, etc. It was real cute. Then it was on the the clinic for my monthly CBC. Then I just fooled around a while and came home around 5:00.

We received some bad news over the week end. Joe's uncle married a lady from our church and before they moved to Monroe County, the four of us would go out to eat a lot. And we have been down to visit them several times. Anyway, several years ago, Betty adopted two of her grandchildren and raised them up as her children. Sammie, the boy, moved down to Monroe Country about six years ago, married a young lady and had a little girl. He was working and doing OK. Saturday, he suddenly died from a massive heart attack and he was only 31. Joe and I are going down in the morning for the services. Betty and Louis are not dealing well with it. Don't guess anybody would.

There just isn't anything real exciting happening around here. It was stormy most all week-end, but fortunately, no damage was done that I know of.

One of my blogger friends, Karen, posted here 200th blog today and is having a give away to celebrate. Drop over to her site and enter. Karen's terrific giveaway will take you to her blog, so jump over and enter. However, I fully intend to win simply because I NEED SOME PAMPERING.

Until I have time to sit down and write more, I am calling it a day.

Guess Who!!

It has been another busy week up on Mockingbird Hill. Make that two weeks. Between doctor appointments and other things we just about meet ourselves coming and going out the door. Oh well at least life is not boring around here. Oh, for boring!!

Our Faith in Action campaign on Sunday was wonderful. We started out with breakfast in the fellowship hall, prepared and served by th Boy Scout/Cub Scout Troops we sponsor. Then we went to worship service, which is the highlight of my week. After worship, each team met at the work sites. Our site was the elementary school where I attended, my kids attended and I spent 22 years as secretary/bookkeepper, etc. So it was a labor of love for me. I was a sight - work gloves, bright purple T-shirt (our signature FIA shirts) and a pollen mask. We made three flower beds, sans flowers due to the impending freeze, painted the poles along the side walk and cleaned around the side walk. All went well and very little rain. The agribusiness class put the plants out for us yesterday. After work, everyone went home, cleaned up (well, everyone was SUPPOSED to go home and clean up) and went back to the building where the Scouts had grilled burgers and dogs for supper. Everyone then gave reports of their day of work. It was a fast and tiring day, but one that had God written all over it. I only hope the communities that had work done in them saw Him.

Even with the "sneeze mask" I managed to have a sneeze fit Sunday night. So for the remainder of this week, I have been in a fog of sorts. At least the sneezes have been kept at bay, somewhat.

The dogwoods have really been putting on a show around here. The woods are simply beautiful. Everywhere you look there are little white patches peeking from the still barren trees. And the red buds have been strutting their stuff as well. Just another of God's wonders. How do people look at the beauty of nature and not believe? Beats me.

Got to run. Washer has turned off, pups are waiting for reading time and I have got to at least vacuum the floors. Will mop if I feel the need. And of course, the sewing room is crying for some attention. Oh, me can somebody please give me a week's worth of maid service. Oh no!!! That would mean I would have to clean the house before I would dare let them in.

I can see clearly now

Well, at least I can see clearly in my right eye. My cataract "surgery" went just great. It took longer to get prepped than the actual procedure took. I prefer to call it a procedure since it was only 5-7 minutes in length. People seemed amazed that I was at church Wednesday night. My six month dental check up took longer than this and I would much rather have this done than to have a filling put in my tooth. I really don't know what all the fuss was about. But I can hardly wait for the next eye to be done. I am in hopes that I can either put my glasses away totally or else just wear readers. And have you priced readers? El Cheapo. I may even have a different pair for each day of the week. Pink one day, yellow, blue, green and how about some rhinestones?

Got to run. Joe and I are going to ride down to Tuscaloose and goof off for a while. Will probably go by Sam's. That is always fun because I can always find something I just have to have.

It has been a good week

Good morning. I hope all of you have had a good week. The weather has been so nice. It is like the weeks we had when I was still working and the kids and I were both out at the same time. I would put them in the yard to play and I took one room a day and totally tore it down and cleaned it, top to bottom and side to side. Boy, that was a big job and one I have not tackled in a long time.

Joe's biopsy went well on Tuesday. A friend of ours from church rode over with us, even though it wasn't necessary. She thinks Joe and I are her "other parents." Her parents also live around here, but have only been back a couple of years so she let us fill in until they moved here from Montgomery. Trina also came up.. He heard from the doctor yesterday and everything is OK. I sure am glad to hear that and I only hope that Joe is telliing me right.

I have my cataract surgery on Tuesday. They will do the right eye then and about four weeks later will do the left. I started the drop routine this morning. I hope this will eliminate glasses all the time, maybe altogether. There is a new implant that can do that, but since I have worn glasses for so long, I will probably still reach for them every morning. Oh well, at least my vision will improve.

Got to run. Do I ever get through going to pick things up. I think I have it all done, and wham-m0 something pops up.

Nine years ago this week (spring break week) I made the decision to retire and it is a decision I have never looked back on. I love not having to stick to a schedule as far as being on the job at such and such time and staying somedays until who knows when. Take my advice. When it is time to retire, do it. Do not wait a few more years to up your monthly check. Time is far more important. I actually stay busier now than I did when I worked, but it is a different kind of busy. A freedom busy. Of course, I do not get a lot of things done that I should, but my projects aren't going anywhere and if I don't ever get them done, the kids can have fun wondering what I was saving all this junk for and then they can toss it or whatever. No, I seriously intend to get them all finished. Now if the stores would just quit selling fabric, crochet thread, notions and I would not subscribe to sewing magazines, etc. What's the fun of life if you can't enjoy it.

Have a good week, friends/

Happy Birthday, Momma

I wonder what we would have done today for your birthday. You always said it was just another day, but I know that you loved the gifts and attention. And most of the time it was a chance for you to have all the kids around you. Oh, how you delighted in the grandchildren and when the great-grands started coming along, you really loved it.

I miss you, Momma, more than anything in this world and there are times that I just want to tell you something and then I realize I can't pick up the phone and call and say, "Guess what." or "How do you do this?" or a hundred other things.

Today has been rougher than most for some reason. I guess the gloomy weather may have something to do with it. You would be "biting at the bits" ready to get out in the garden or whatever.

Each year when your roses bloom I think of you. We have tried to keep them pretty, but I just don't have the same ability you did.

Momma, I love you and miss you. Wish you could be here, but I honestly, would not want you back with all the pain and suffering you were facing. I will see you someday, so until then, I love you.

Another Awesome Retreat

This was my home congregation's ladies retreat and as is always the case it was wonderful. Our speaker, the first one anyway, is the mother-in-law of one of our elders. She is an amazing lady. She is so filled with the love of the Lord, and her family, that it just pours from her. She did her lesson on the book of Esther and it was so good. She showed how even though the name of God is never mentioned in the book, He is working throughout. His providence was there in every aspect of the events. Then this morning in our devo before leaving, she told her story about how the providence of God had worked in life and eventually led her to her Christian life. I wish everyone could have heard her,.

As I mentioned above, we also had another speaker. She is a young mother of three and also a music teacher in the Jasper City System. Our minister's wife also teaches with her and knew her story. It seems she gave birth to baby Jake in December. She had had a normal pregnancy and normal delivery. That was for about 15 minutes or so. She took a bad turn and began to bleed uncontrollably as she said, "from every part of body that blood could come from, except my eyes." The whole story came down to the fact that she "died" and she said she saw herself walking beside Jesus. She said she didn't really want to leave her family, but if it was His will so be it. She said she saw other people, but not their faces and that she felt the most wonderful peace she could ever imagine. Anyway, after many days of just hanging on, she came back around and is now back to teaching and doing great. She gave the name of the condition she had, but I sure couldn't begin to tell you what it was. Anyway, only a very small number of women survive even the first hour after it hits. Now this is not some kind of far out freak type person. She is just an ordinary lady that loves her family, her job, and God and totally believes in Him. At one point she said her blood pressure dropped to 40 and that is just barely alive. She had her two sisters and her Mom with her last night and of course, Baby Jake and he was just gorgeous. Slept pretty much through the whole program, even the skit.

The weather was perfect, the food wonderful, the fellowship too good and the angels in heaven could not compete with our singing. I am not saying it was that good, it was so from the heart. And isn't that what it is all about - praising our Father for all the wonderful things He has done in our lives. Not all of them are pleasant, but they are all for our "refining." I think it is all in how a person deals with the "fires" of their lives that determines the outcome. Maybe I'm wrong, but we all have a free will to choose our actions. Some just choose the wrong way.

I am tired. Just can't take these 1-2 AM bedtimes much. Joe and I are getting ready to go eat Chinese and then I am setting all the clocks ahead an hour and probably crash as soon as I take a nice HOT shower and get in my jammies.

I hope all have a wonderful day tomorrow. We will go to worship and bask in the glory of Christ. Until next time, God bless.

What a beautiful day

It was indeed a beautiful sight this morning to watch the snow falling. We had very little accumulation, but just the sight of falling snow has always been something that is just too beautiful to put into words. Another one of God's awesome creations. By the time we were out of church, the sun was out and all snow was gone, but the air was COLD, especially when a gust of wind whipped around you.

One of the blogs that I so enjoy reading is Karen's Corner and in the wee hours of this morning she posted six things that made her smile. I thought I would give that a shot. Here goes.

1. The first thing is definitely a newborn baby. For that moment in time I am able to look into the face of God or the nearest thing on earth to His face. And for those precious moments (plus a few short years) I can also look into the face of a perfect person. I mean perfect in no bad thoughts or behavior. I also realize there are times when a baby is not always perfect physically.

2. A falling snow makes me smile. See above statement.

3. Greeting my "sisters" at church or wherever I happen to meet them.

4. Being with my own children, which has become few and far between times.

5. My pups. Those two are always doing something to put a smile on your face. Their funniest thing is when Dingo decides that Mule is a cushion and sits on him.

6. Any show of patriotism makes me smile and oft times I also have tears in my eyes.

Smiles just don't happen as much as they should. Nor do good old "belly" laughs. I love to laugh so hard that tears form and your side starts to hurt. Nothing will boost my spirits much quicker.

Got some other stuff to do so until the next time, have a good day and God bless.

I'm Back

Well, back safe and sound at home. The retreat was great as are all Christian retreats. We left Jasper around 10:00 A.M. after waiting for a down pour to pass over. We got to Cullman and HAD to stop at the All Steak for lunch. If you have never been to All Steak, you should really make the effort to go. The food is absolutely wonderful and the visit is topped off by a basket of orange rolls that are to die for. Everyone from around these parts know about them. If you leave this restaurant hungry, it is your own fault.

After lunch we decided to stop in part of historic Cullman where there are some antique shops. However, before arriving there I spotted a fabric store. Trina knows the rest of that story without me going on. I browsed through that shop while the others were looking at the old stuff. I did find a piece of fabric that I just could not leave. I am into aprons and this piece is just too cute. It is a coffee theme. I guess I have enough stash to make at least twenty aprons. I have even toyed with the idea of making them to sell. After seeing the prices on some in Guntersville, I think I should consider it. I even have a name for them : Lillie Belle's Aprons. Lillian was my Mother's name and Belle was my Grandmother's middle name. I am thinking real hard.

When we arrived in Guntersville, we stopped off at a shop that has been there forever. Its name has changed, but other than that it is as always. There have a ground level floor that is packed with all kinds of things from fabric (didn't find anything this time) to novelty gifts, clothing for all ages and sizes, luggage, candies, cookies, you name it. But in the basement there is a lot of things, but they may be irregulars or close outs or out of season items. But the prices are super. I got Eddy a pair of Carhartt carpenter jeans for $17 which ain't bad!!
After I went back upstairs I happen to find Joe a pair of Haggar slacks that have the hidden stretch waistband and they were only $15.

We stopped off at McDonald's to get a small snack and something to drink before we went on to the state park. Dinner wasn't going to be until around 7:00. We got checked in and kind of just rested for a while. \\

When we got to the area where the meal and sessions were held, it looked like a big girls pajama party. You would not believe some of the things these ladies had on. It was hilarious. And the meal was so good. And the carrot cake for dessert was soooo good.

The theme of the retreat was: Designing Women, God's Way. Of course, you can guess that the TV show played a large part in it, with scenes complete with Julia, Suzanne, Charlene, the whole gang present.

The scripture verse was Psalm 139:14 - I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Just thing about that. We are made each made by God in His image and He had this all planned even before my body was formed in my mother's womb. How thrilling is that thought? God had my life planned before I was even born. I love Jeremiah 29:11 where God tells us that He knows the plans he has for us. That is such a comfort.

When the session was over we all went to our rooms. My roomie, Edna, and I crashed and almost did not get up in time for this morning sessions. For some reason, we failed to order a wake up call and had one of the other "girls" not knocked on our door, we might have still been asleep, but we put ourselves in to gear and made it with time to spare. Our breakfast buffet was a good old country breakfast and was so good. The speaker this morning told us about some of the things that might not have been part of our design plan like sickness, death or terrible accidents. She related a story about a friend of hers that never married until she was 42 and was hurt in an accident that left her paralized from the waist down. The young lady did not let it tear her down, but became stronger for it. She and Joni Tada Erickson have become friends and one of Joni's books, "Hope. . . the Best of Things" is dedicated to her. You see even though God has designed us, there is not promise that things will not come into our lives that will give us grief, pain and suffering, but He also designed us with the ability to overcome these obstacles, if we so choose to do so. This is a reminder to me that Satan is prowling around just waiting for us to use a mishap to blame God and then he will step in and take over. Our lives and hope for eternity can quickly become ruined.

We had some beautiful singing and prayers. Imagine what a chorus of God's loveliest creatures all lifting their voices in praise to him. It was incredible. As always I came home refreshed and ready to start serving Him for another week.

WOW. Snow possible tonight. Is there anything more scrambled up than Alabama weather? But ain't it wonderful.

Think I will go take a nice hot shower and put my pj's on. I have got to give my little four footed boys some lap time. And to say I am just the least bit tired would definitely be an understatement.

Everyone have a blessed Sunday and God bless.

Past my bedtime

Just a quick note before turning for the night. I will be gone until Saturday. A group of 7 other ladies and I are going to Guntersville State Park for a retreat. We will be leaving at 9:30 in the morning. I am really looking forward to it. I NEED SOME DOWN TIME.

This week has been a killer. We met on Tuesday for our ladies' class, but instead of a Bible study we cooked for hospice. We put up 100 plates plus we also ate lunch. We had dried butter beans with ham pieces cooked in them, cornbread, freezer slaw, sweet potato patties with butter and brown sugar, home made mac and cheese and dessert. We were dog tired when we finished. Then we had to come back about 2:00 Wednesday afternoon to prepare our final fellowship meal which was sphaghetti, salad, garlic toast, dessert and drinks. Then today was six month dental check. Then I had to embroider a blanket for my brother to take to his grandaughter's first birthday on Sunday. So it is now 10:30 and I am going to bed.

Will post next week and let you know how the retreat turned out.

Have a blessed week end and God bless.

An Honest Scrap Award? Who me?

Well here goes. Don't know how far back I will have to go, but I will give it the old college try.

1. When I was very young, my "thing" - security blanket type thing- was to suck my bottom lip and at the same time rub on my navel. Does that sound weird? It sure must have looked weird.
2. Also, when I was young, but a bit older than in #1 above, I kind of lived a fantasy life. I would build playhouses out of pine straw. If you have ever lived in the country and I mean COUNTRY, you probably know what I am talking about. The pine straw was used to make "walls" between little pine saplings and then you set up housekeeping. It helped if you had someone else playing with you.
3. When I was in a bit older and would be helping Mamma with the dishes at night, rather than talk to each other, I would always sing. This was my way of entertaining her, I guess. Most of the songs were hymns from church or maybe whatever was the latest hit on the radio.
4. Would you believe eleven years old and finding out that Santa wasn't real? I was heart broken. Christmas never had that same magic about it after that. Did I mention that we lived in a very rural area and did not have TV until I was in 6th or 7th grade.
5. I never had a date in high school that the guy asked me. The only dates I had were for the proms and of course, if you were not asked by someone else, you could invite someone yourself. I did and they were one date dates. Popular I was not.
6. I feel in love with Joe three times. Once in fifth grade and he was in 10th grade and would save me a seat on the bus. Then in the spring of 1961 when he was home on leave from the Army before he went to Greenland. He was the ONLY guy that I would have given up the thought of going to college and marrying on the spot. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Then in 1967 when he was home of leave again, we met up and dated while he was here. Before he left for Vietnam, we were engaged and exactly 53 weeks later we were married. Guess the third time is the charm.
7. The night before my Dad died, we had a big argument and I never told him I was sorry. That tormented me so badly that I went from a size 16 on the day of his funeral on August 15, 1963 to a size 10 in November. I was existing on about 2-3 hours of sleep a night, because when I went to sleep I was having terrible dreams about him and things that had actually happened years before. That was the first time in my life that I had ever had to take anything for nerves.
8. My Dad was an alcoholic and had I stayed in Huntsville much longer I probably would have fallen in his tracks. Don't get me wrong, I loved my Dad very much and I have since learned that alcoholism in a disease and that the tendency is there if you are a child of one. Thank God, I came home and have stayed away from it for the most part since then.
9. Becky, my most favorite and bestest friend in high school, did the old Indian trick of becoming blood sisters. We actually pricked our fingers and then pressed them together, blending our blood. I don't see or hear from her much anymore, but if we were together for a few minutes, we would be right back in high school.
10. I once was a real cry baby. Really, I would cry when our football team lost the game or I would cry when they won the game. I would cry when one of my siblings would get a spanking. I would cry when one of the had to have a shot by the doctor when he came to our house. Did you know that doctors used to actually come visit you at home? I cried when I was very happy or when I was just a little sad. I didn't need a big reason to cry. I just cried. I'm not that way now. Well, not quite that bad.

Now, you know all my little hidden secrets. Sorry my life isn't any more exciting, but as I said from the beginning, I grew up in the rural south where we were poor, but we didn't know it, because everybody else was too. We always had food on the table, a roof over our head and clothes to wear even if Grandmother had made them from feed sacks. We were happy and very contented. I would not trade it for any other way of growing up.

Thanks Karen for the award.

What a week -- and there is still some left!!

Sunday was a great day (always is to me). Worship services were awesome and then lunch with some of our friends. That night there was a Valentine Banquet at the church building for all ages. The teens helped look after the younger ones while the adults had dinner. The teens ate later. The dinner was nice and the entertainment was great. Our emcee is a former radio announcer and talk show host locally who now teaches at the local community college. He is a hoot. Anyway, it was a most pleasant evening.

Then Monday, Joe and I headed to Birmingham bright and early. We did our round of thrift shops. That is so much fun. I have put together a rather nice looking outfit for less than $10.00, not including shoes. That is the one thing I don't even look at. I get several name brand items and sometimes even get new things with the hang tags still attached. Then after that we had lunch at a Cracker Barrel (Thanks Trina for the gift card.) and then it was off to the VA hospital for Joe's visit with the urologist. For the first time ever he wanted me to go back with him. I thought it rather odd that he even wanted me to go over there, but didn't think much about that. Anyway, he has a prostate biopsy scheduled for March 17 - the first available. Seems his PSA level had jumped from a 3 last year to a 7.5 this year. For some reason our primary care doc had not run a PSA or else it just showed up at his regular yearly VA check up. VA does his diabetic, vision and eye care along with a yearly check up. The young doctor (and I mean YOUNG) said it is wise to have it checked even if it turns out to be only an infection or inflammation. So that was Monday.

Tuesday was my weekly ladies' Bible class and get together with my "sisters." We are doing Wednesday night fellowship meals during February so of course we had to plan for that. Some of the others went grocery shopping after lunch. I had to get my monthly blood check for my anemia. No Procrit shot this month and have not had one since October - YEA! Finally I got home around 5:00.

Wednesday we woke to a blustery, stormy looking day, but fortunately nothing ever happened except for high winds. I had chicken to cook to take to the building for our meals. We were having chicken casserole and several of us take the chicken home to cook to save time. Then I made a batch of brownies to take for dessert. By then it was time to get ready and go see Eddy. I left there and picked up one of the girls that doesn't drive and got to the building by 2:00. We began putting the casseroles together and getting the green beans on to cook. We made eight casseroles. After we fed the church folk we packed the remainder of the food into freezer boxes that two of our hospice units get for the patients and/or caregivers. This is a ministry we have been doing since 2005 and has been a very rewarding thing. We also prepared nine meals and delivered to people that were sick at home. My life pretty much centers around my church and I wouldn't want it any other way.

It is finally Thursday and I don't know if there are enough hours today to do what NEEDS to be done. Guess I will do what I can and let the rest wait its turn. So far no one has complained, that being Joe. He has food to eat and clean clothes to wear so he doesn't worry much about the rest. Our house isn't all that bad, mostly just cluttered. But that bothers me.

I guess I had better get off here and get busy. But where do I begin? Guess it will be the buttonholes a lady asked me to make for her. And the washer just went off and I have some calls to make. One is to cancel my mission trip to Mexico that I was to leave for on March 13, but I will not go since Joe's biopsy is on the following Tuesday. I know it is a simple procedure and not much is involved as far as pre-op is concerned, but I will not go off. I know they will understand. I still hate to make the call since I had to cancel last year. Oh well, I hope I can go in June.

Have a blessed, sunny day.

It's Friday

Today is my play day at the hospital. At least that is what I call it. Actually it is my volunteer day at the gift shop, but I LOVE it so much that I consider it play. I still feel my Mom near me when I walk those halls that she once walked.

And getting to go to the nursery is an added bonus. Those little precious ones are so cute and so perfect. I love George Strait's new song,"Today I Saw God." What else can you see when you see that newborn. It is perfect, knows no wrong, and sees only good. How I wish some of the parents would see it the same way. I try to tell each of them that and since Walker Baptist is a faith-based hospital I can talk about God without fear of getting whacked with a law suit.

Today is a beautiful day, still cold, but due to warm up. The sun is out in all its glory and I can take cold when it is like that.

Guess I had better get my tail up and get ready. My shift awaits. Until the next chapter in my most exciting (???) life, Adios, me amigas.

2008 - What a year

I know we should not be glad a part of our life is over, but 2008 was not exactly what I would call a banner year. I think we were under Murphy's law most of it. You know, if it can go wrong, it will. It all started in February when Joe was admitted to the hospital with what turned out to be a diseased gall bladder, no stones, just a bad organ. What would normally take only a couple of days in the hospital turned into eight. Before the blame gall bladder could be removed (laproscoptically) they had to pump him full of antibiotics to get some of the infection down. Finally, we got home and two weeks later he had to go in for a post-op visit with his regular doc. While there Joe asked him to check a spot on his leg. Guess what!! Back to the hospital and emergency surgery on Saturday morning for a staph infection. Then if that wasn't enough he came home with 7 day a week home health care. That went on for the first week. Then his nurse had the doctor order a wound vac thingy and she only had to come 3 times a week, but that went on for six weeks. Finally, we were over all the diseases and infections.

Then summer began and things were not much better. As anyone who knows us probably know that we have a son that is bipolar and as are about 75% of all bipolar people, he is also an addict. And if you have never had or have never known of anyone that has this terrible disease, you have no idea what a life it can produce and believe me it is not good. Anyway, he totally lost it this year and around the latter part of July, for reasons too long to go into, he was incarcerated in Tuscaloosa for 50 days and then went to Montgomery for some treatments. All was going well there until a misunderstanding resulted in him and four other men being discharged early. He was back here for two days and has since been in Walker County jail. There again that is much too long to go into the details. And believe me when I tell you that Walker County jail has to be the most terrible place in all 67 counties. But I will not go into that either. A jail of this sort is definitely not where a person with bipolar (or anything else) needs to be. It appears we may be making progress to get him out shortly. Oh, did I mention that the legal system moves at the speed of a dead turtle? And that is on a good day.

Well, we managed to get through the holidays best as we could. Of course, it just isn't the same when any of the family isn't around. Thanksgiving was spent eating out, just the two of us. We spent Vest Christmas in Hartselle as we have for several years. When Trina married John, we got a bargain in that we got another family. John's family is so wonderful to include us every year. It really means a lot to us. They feel like "real" family. But as far as Christmas day, we stayed home and once again ate out together. Then just as we thought we were seeing the end of '08 Joe has one last doctor's visit. Do you want to guess what the doctor told him? Yeah. Back to the hospital. It seems he had blood clots on his lung. So for New Years Eve, he drank his IV and the pups and I sat up until 2009 got here and then bedded down. He got out on the 4th or 5th. Then on the 19th he had to go to Princeton for an arteriogram and wound up having a stent put in so he spent another night in the hospital. For a man that had only been in the hospital once in his life (1955 for an appendectomy) he has made up for lost time. This was his fifth stay in about the last two years. I sure hope he has caught up.

2009 is here and I am most definitely looking for better times. I am going to try to get more organized, especially my sewing room. And I have got to stop buying more sewing projects until I get caught up. I have heard that God will not take you until you get all your projects completed. If that is the case, I will be here A LOOOOOG TIME.

We had our first fellowship meal at church for this year. We will have three more. This is something we have been doing for several years. I don't know why we do it this time of the year, but it seems to work well. Lasagna was on the menu tonight and it was good. Next week is chicken casserole. Yummy.

Have a good Thursday people.

The Big Letter H

I have been tagged to list some things that begin with the letter "H" that is important to me. I think that is what it is supposed to be. The internet gremlins are at my computer again and I can not get into my daughter's blog to get the exact rules. I have been known to break the rules or change them in my life time. Yea!! I finally got the little gremlin out and found the right number of things to list. Sorry, my blog will not be as cute as others, but I am not into this as much as others. Guess I could be if I just took the time to do it. Oh well, he goes. And absolutely no laughing at this little round old lady's list.

1. Heaven -What good would life here be if there wasn't Heaven to look forward to? I read a thing the other day. Actually, my son sent it to me. It said, "What if I do and it isn't? (Nothing is lost.) What if I don't and it is? (All is lost.)

2. Hubby - My Joe is my life. We have had some rough roads over the last 40 years, but I wouldn't , couldn't think of spending my life without him. I guess your first love is always the best. I mean your first TRUE love. There were others I thought I loved, but no. They were not the real thing.

3. Hunlin - Gothcha on that one, didn't I? Unless you speak Pennsylvania Dutch or you read a lot of Wanda Brumstetter or Beverly Lewis books you would never guess that means "Dog." I do read those ladies' books and my dogs are my bestest friends. My Gizmo left me last October and I still miss him so much. I find myself (and Joe too) calling one of the other pups Gizmo. He will always be the #1 pup in our lives. But Mule and Dingo are stepping up and letting us spoil them.

4. Happiness - This is something that is not always possible, but if only we had constant happiness maybe our lives wouldn't be so mixed up sometimes. But God nowhere in the Bible promises us happiness. I realize that the sad times, the bad times. the mad times are all part of being here.

5. Home - This is the place you can always come back to when everything else and everybody else turns on you. I don't mean a building known as a house. I mean that place where you are welcome and loved regardless of the situation you are in. This is usually the place where special people live like parents.

6. Health - This is something we all take for granted until it begins to go on you. Why do we wait until then to begin to practice healthy lviing? Don't know, but sure wish I had paid closer attention when I was younger. Joe and I are in reasonably good health, but as we are getting older there are some things that just do not work like they once did. Thank goodness we are still around to have "problems."

Gee, this letter isn't as easy as it looked.

7. Honor of country, ancestors and most importantly (at least to me) God. Our country is what it is today (freedom, opportunity, rights that other nations only dream of) because our ancestors had faith in God that He would provide them with a safe place to live and worship. He has done His part. We should do ours.

8. Hair - Do not laugh. I thought of this because I am a regular contributor to St. Jude's Research Hospital and I receive a calendar every year. When I turn the pages and see the pictures of all the kids suffering from that dreaded disease, they are always smiling, but not a strand of hair to be found. I also receive a small photo each month with a short bio of the child. They, too, are smiling and bald. Such courage.

9. Hope - Don't we all hope for things? Hope is another one of those things that helps us get through the long days especially when those days are beset with many problems. As the song says, "You gotta have high hopes."

10. Hands - I have realized in the last few years how important my hands are. You would be at the mercy of others without the use of them. I have a fair amount of arthritis. No, arthritis isn't fair, but it happens to a lot of people. I am thankful that it is only my hands that are affected and they still do what I need them to do. That is the key to arthy - keep those joints moving.

Well, Trina, I have blogged. I know these things are not the best, but they are the things that came to mind. Enjoy and critique.