Another few days have passed

It's Friday again and I'm thinking it's time to do a post. Once again, except for making some stylistic changes on my blog, I've found myself avoiding blogging. My life doesn't warrant very much excitement these days.

The biggest news I have to report is that our refrigerator is still not fixed. It will be until some time next week before it might get repaired. That's a month since a repairman came to look at it the first time. And 4 to 6 months since it started messing up. That annoys. Turns out it's a design flaw in the unit and not a broken part. Thanks for doing your part to screw stuff up at my house Whirlpool. Never again.  

We had a highly successful trip to Corsicana, except for warm temps. Summer has not gotten the message yet. I'm ready to complain about it being too cold! It's currently October 26th and it's 77.5 degrees outside. There's a cold front coming though and the temps are supposed to plummet into the 30's by the weekend. That's an extreme change and maybe uncalled for. Look at me ending multiple sentences with prepositions! I love myself right now. 

It's now Saturday and Caitlin's here for the weekend and it's currently 51.1 degrees outside. Our family won't be enjoying the warmth and glow of an inside fire though, due to my harvest decorations on the hearth. I just can't dismantle all my work for a day's fire. I can assure all people the weather is going to turn again and then my undoing of my decorations would be a pain in my side. 

Today Caitlin, Olivia and I ran a few errands and the big city girl that is now Caitlin can get quite riled up at any driver that crosses our path. As we were behind a person turning right very slowly she yelled, "Why are you moving so slow? We don't want to see your stick family (you know that decal on the backs of some cars) keep it moving!!! Her fuse was short and that's the honest truth about that. 

Right now we have chili cooking on the stove, jalapeño cornbread in the oven and some sort of pastry sitting on pans waiting for their turn to be baked. If Emma were here, all would be as good as it gets for me.  

I'm still continuing my foray into cupcake photo shoots. Newsflash cupcakes never complain and never talk back. It's really quite nice.  

 As opposed to the person on the left side in this photo.

Cupcakes also don't have attitude.

Sunday has now come by for one day this week and I'm still working this thing to death to have a post ready by....at least one day soon.

Today we were late for church because Olivia and Owen are slow enough to annoy me and make me late for church. As God as my witness this will be the last time it happens. Since I'll be out of town next Sunday, this scenario will have to play out in two weeks. It's like a cliffhanger for church goers.

It's 5:31 now on Sunday afternoon and Caitlin has left again for the big city. It's 61.4 degrees out my back door and the big news of the afternoon is I just found one of my cinderella pumpkins in a total mush meltdown on the floor in front of my fireplace. Ew and gross and it was not fun cleaning it up. So gross. I've had the worst time this year keeping my gourds and pumpkins alive for this decorating season. It's never happened this way before and I'm losing my faith in the gourd/pumpkin family. If it weren't for fake gourds and pumps, I'd have none at all. 

From Friday until 1:00 this afternoon seven trips were made to the grocery store by my family. I blame Whirlpool. My refrigerated items are spread out over two frigs. The pissy one was a balmy 61 degrees today. Milk products don't appreciate that. 

I'm not sure if I've reported on Addy's injury here yet. A couple months ago she was found to have torn the equivalent to an ACL in a human. She knows not that she shouldn't run because she will reinjure herself. She limps a lot these days.   

I'll close with this picture from 2007 and the first time I took a pic of this cypress that's been documented by me now almost every year since then. 

Thanksgiving is so close and large family gatherings are about to happen for real. 

We will soon be singing all the Thanksgiving songs.

Wait, are there Thanksgiving songs? Over the river? Through the woods? 

I'll just be riding a few blocks when T giving happens. 

We are in the season of holidays people! 

Where did 2017 go already? We're churning out these years like pretentious butter. 

I have to stop now... 

A stream of consciousness

Thursday, October 12

I've been avoiding my blog for weeks now. I feel like I have nothing to talk about and frankly, I'm bored with the snapchat photos. I'm not sure we're putting our best foot forward with looking silly enough to warrant me stealing your snaps. Or mine for that fact. Another snap of my fireplace just isn't worthy. Therefore I've been stymied because I've got very little other newsworthy things going on. 

I also don't care anymore about ending a sentence with a preposition. I'm going to look up the rules about that because I think it's dumb. Looked it up. It's a rule from Latin grammar. A dead language. Yep it validates me and I'm so over it and wish this very sentence ended in a prep. But it did not. 

Moving on...

Our bathroom reno is coming along. We're in the, putting tile in the shower, stage and I've been using a saw and I'm awesome. I still have all of my fingers and therefore I consider myself amazing at sawing tile. But we've had a couple of set backs this week that have caused me to have to have style meetings with my husband. I HATE the many decisions that go along with renos. It makes me realize I don't have the stamina for building a whole house. Can you imagine how many decisions have to be made when doing that!? I could not function. Anyway I'll have to do a post about the process of the b room when we have it completed. I've been taking pics of the process since before we started the demo. The transformation will be jaw dropping. At least for me. Here's hoping all my decisions were good ones!

Owen's taking John's class this semester and so far, John's winning. Owen took the second test in John's class today and he feels good about it. But he's beat due to a heavy schedule and I'm not sure he cares as much as he used to. I'm really OK with that. He's always needed to lighten up a bit when it comes to schooling. 

This week Olivia has had me take pictures of delicious looking cupcakes and the number of them in my house has been astounding. Up to five dozen at times. And I've only eaten one. That may be the most news worthy story of my year. Now I'm going to show you some cupcake pics that I've taken and we can all drool together. Well actually, since they're in my house, I can do more than drool...

 And that's all I have to say about that.  

Owen and I just each ate a grape and at the same time both winced and he said, "My mouth instantly rejected that." It bit us both back. And we walked away from the grapes. He is currently making a sandwich I hope to get a bite of. Prep ending sentence!! Huzzah!!

Friday, October 13

I've let this blog post work bleed over into the next day because I got sidetracked by something yesterday. I have no idea what it was, but it happens a lot. 

In other news...

My one year old refrigerator is on the fritz and it's really annoying me. After research and many trips and gathering as much info as I could, I decided to buy Whirlpool products in the form of a washer, dryer and refrigerator. After my one year old Whirlpool washing machine died, and now my frig is not cooling properly and the outside ice machine won't dispense ice, my faith in Whirlpool as a company currently sucks. If you're in the market for any appliances, walk away from Whirlpool. You've been warned. I currently hate Whirlpool. It's affected my DP drinking due to the cooling issues and that crap matters. 

John called me earlier to tell me something as well as report Owen made an A on his second exam in his class. I told him, "Good for you," to which he replied, "Good for me?!" Yes that is correct. I've told him not to fail my son. Also, Owen and I have some amount of integrity, since we both know where the tests are and haven't attempted any thieving. 

Saturday, October 14

It's been one week and not one more tile has been put up in the back bathroom. Ugh is all I can say. The plan is to finish it tomorrow. We shall see. 

Some of us will be going to Corsicana later this week for Fall break. I'm hoping for a glorious time with wonderful weather. It's time for summer to go away and leave us be. I can't wait to look outside and see the lovely colors of fall and feel a chill in the air that signifies summer in Louisiana is over for a little while. I want to see the blue sky of October and remember it as only an October blue sky to be. I want to smell the wood smoke in the air from the first fires of the season. I want to look out my back door and see Addy enjoying the chilly breezes of her favorite time of year. 

I want to look down the street and see the fallen leaves creating a golden carpet along the sidewalks. I want to feel Fall and know without a doubt the season has changed, even in Louisiana. 
   

It will change. The season will change. It always does, but summer's last gasp of heat has had a choke hold on the temperature for far too long now. 

Here's looking forward to tomorrow and that cool snap and feeling fine. 

In the meantime, I took these pictures so many years ago I can't remember, and I'm as happy with them as any I've ever taken. It was a beautiful golden tree right here in town. I still know exactly where it lives. 

Pumpkins and cotton and harvest and the feeling that something's about to change. 

Fall in all it's glory will be here soon.

Memories and prayers

This photo went missing from me for several years. I knew Carlie had taken it and I knew it was somewhere. Just didn't know where. I don't know if Carlie sent it to me, or if I finally ran across it and praised the Lord. But I'm so glad I have it!

It was taken in Corsicana on the road by the house. Perfect lighting. Halo hair. Sweet smiles. Making memories. It's all good. 

I could go on about how time flies and I can't believe these little girls are now grown women with jobs and responsibilities. But I won't. Truth is I don't want them to be these little girls anymore. I'm so happy they're out in the world making good names for themselves. But it still makes my heart a little squishy today as I look at these sweet faces from years ago. 

All we can do is trust God with our most precious treasures and pray and plead the blood and trust some more. 

As this world gets more and more unsettled, don't lose heart. Don't doubt that God hears our prayers for protection. 

I can't. 

Or I wouldn't sleep a wink.

Psalm 91 
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High 
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you 
from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence. 
4 He will cover you with his feathers, 
and under his wings you will find refuge; 
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, 
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 
nor the plague that destroys at midday. 
7 A thousand may fall at your side, 
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes 
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, "The Lord is my refuge," 
and make the Most High your dwelling, 
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 
14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him. 
16 With long life I will satisfy him 
and show him my salvation."

Lagging behind badly and leaving town again

Don't be confused when you begin this post, I started it long ago, but just finished it today. 

Wednesday, August 23

We've been home from Texas for two weeks now, but I've been out of sorts from not feeling fabulous. I've been to the doc, got meds and yet I'm still coughing my brains out. It hasn't been any fun at all.  

Our Texas vacation was hot and work filled, and kicked my butt. My family spent our vacay in Corsicana under the hot Texas sun. When we made our plans to go, the weather was projected to be in the lower 90's and we were in high cotton. But because the weather forecast is as predicable as a cat's love, it turned on us and was hot as a euphemism I can't use in a "family" blog.

Friday, August 25

Since I've been home, I've really fought to feel better, but it hasn't gone well for me. I'm now at two weeks of feeling crappy and therefore the blog work has suffered. The only reason I'm currently typing this is because there are plumbers in my house at the moment due to a stopped up sink in the bathroom, and I'm trying to look busy and studious. The plumbers don't seen to care though, so I don't know how long this will last.

Update: Bill for the plumbing was $266 for the removal of two huge hair balls. Thanks Lab Partner. STEVE! 

In other news, Caitlin experienced an earthquake this morning in her apartment in Texas and let me say.... Whaaaaa? Earthquakes in Texas are not on my prayer radar! Thank the Lord, Jesus is way smarter than me. She is fine and coming home today. Yay! 

Also Hurricane Harvey is approaching land in Texas and much prayer is needed for the people who live there. 

Monday, August 28

Well Harvey is wreaking havoc in Houston and it's gut and heart wrenching to watch people's lives turned upside down. But the goodness of our country comes out when terrible things happen. It makes me teary eyed to see people helping people, not caring about race or ethnicity.  Which makes me know that news programs focus on the bad and not the good in the people of America.

The screaming people shown over and over on TV is NOT the norm. It just isn't. Having said that, I know there are people who do hate. But the only answer for those that do is the salvation, love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. God's love is the only thing that can change a hate filled heart. God bless Texas. It's always been on my list of first loves. It's been home to some of my most favorite people in the world. It holds wonderful memories of houses and family and hayrides and farm animals and attics and brick streets and quaint downtowns and bluebonnets and firewheels and sunflowers and fireworks. I could keep going. But I won't. My bigger point is, I love Texas and consider it to be one of my homes. Texas and Louisiana are always in my heart. 

Today I'm sitting in my Louisiana home thinking about my other one. So I'm going back to look at our Texas vacation. It was a low key vacation which is what all my people wanted. 

Come see how we vacation Texas style.  

Leaving day was a rainy one. 

I just said that. 

I still feel that way. 

Emma has always called Addy a fluffer nutter. 

It was a cloudy day in Athens. 

Even the tiny town of Trinidad has a snap filter. Shocking. Some towns in Texas make it sound like you traveled the world, but you never left the state. There's Athens, Rome, Trinidad and Palestine. Just a factoid I've thought about.   

We have reached paydirt. 

Another landmark to confirm we were there. 

Hank only loves me for the treats. 

He looks like he wants to give me a sugar, but it was the treat in my hand he cared about. 

Yes Virginia, the crape myrtle still blooms. 

Eradication of this was the goal once we arrived. For me and John anyway. 

I've never seen this overgrowth at the farm ever. 

We had to tame this beast.

Addy is confirming that it was hot.

So I began the cutting process with a machete....it's what I used to cut these vines of morning glory and pumpkin off the fence and gate and cattle chute. And as far as the sin quote, I was joking, but it's true!! 

I then rewarded myself with a margarita. Ole! Don't miss the sunglassed set in the background. 

The drink was very festive with the palm trees added for extra flair. 

Not sure what's going on here, but I do see cookie eating taking place. 

Someone took out our stop sign and road sign. Hooligans. 

It'll never happen. 

Kit Kat making fun of my hearing protection. 

Emma DRESSED as a Kit Kat. 

First night with a good sunset. Well done. 

Best back porch ever. 

And what a view it is. 

It rained on our first morning there, so the girls and I took off for Waco to spend the afternoon. 

At the Silos we had cupcakes and cookies and shopped. 

They love to take a selfie with Mumzie. That's sarcasm if you didn't recognize it. 

I had taken my other hand sani out of my purse and when we got inside the disco to eat a burger, I found my Origin bank sani and we rejoiced. 

Also while inside the disco, I took a silhouette of the Beebs. 

I'm pretty sure Beba would have this for her own if she could. 

Catchy. 

Lake Waco in the background, a goober up front. 

We left Waco in search of Chip and Jo's house in Crawford. We did not find it. If either one of them happens upon this blog, it'd be great if you'd drop me your address. 

We got back in time for me to share the sunset with Hank.

Looks exactly the same as P an P. 

Lovely cloudy clouds. 

Even Addy enjoys a good sunset. 

Pretentious coffee travels with us. 

Morning!

Then we had a happening down the road and Olivia was on the case.

The tree people came, then the police came and we IMMEDIATELY (Ok I immediately) thought they found a dead body in the pasture. 

Beba has sources...

That is true...the police did leave. 

When the people started to leave, I decided to spring into action. 

I was about to get some answers. 

I did drive by, made the loop around and came back with info. 

I was still looping around while Beba was still wondering what was going on. 

All that is true. There was no dead body, or so they said. It was all about a power line that had been knocked down and blah blah blah...nothing more. Would it be weird if I said I was disappointed it wasn't something more serious, seeing as how it's just a stone's throw from our house? Yes, I think it would. 

Meanwhile, Caitlin was worried about Charlotte up there in the sky. 

Then we went for a ride down my favorite road. 

Had to go by Frank's place. 

I love how they love each other. 

That afternoon, Addy decided to dig a big Joey hole. 

She was determined to find the gopher/mole. No idea which one it is and really don't care. I DO care that the little bugger digs and digs and digs everywhere. The gopher/mole, not Addy. It's annoying. 

These all crack me up and therefore I kept them all in.

It's gotta be hot in that hole. 

Even after much time spent, she found nothing. 

I agree she was happy with herself. 

She did not. 

Another good sunset. 

Good from every view. 

Then I tried to get artsy. 

A couple more.

I thought these were brilliant when I was taking them. Now, not so much.

That's what that is.

Then we went on a late night ride on a moonlit night and saw an owl sitting on a power line under the moonlight and it was magical. 

There he is.

Then, we went further and saw another one! Two in one night is unprecedented. 

Then Emma did some swinging. 

Ugh, vacay is halfway over. 

The Beebs getting all voguey.

The big reveal after all the hot, hard work.

One more.

Yes, the pumpkins couldn't be saved because of all the vines entangled together. 

Then I took some sunflower pics that were just OK. 

I love the clouds in this one. 

As you can see, I had a hard time taking any out. 

Kit Kat in a Kit Kat get up. 

This is true. 

The girls were outside surviving the heat with water toys. 

This is also true.

One afternoon Olivia tried to climb over the fence and got her foot caught on the top rail and she fell and then the rotten board broke. So John fixed it as well as some other fence boards.  

I'm not sure these people know that cows need to be in fences. This is the same yard we've seen them at before. 

Multi cows out. It's not good for the bovine. 

Get ready to continue to see this road in my blog. It's my fave. 

Blackie lives on.

Happy with the sunset. 

I did a before and after one more time. 

I think this was our last full day. 

That pool has a sprinkling water palm tree attached to it. 

Storm's a brewin. 

The bounty of gourds we left.

Then it was time to go. We went home to Louisiana and Caitlin stayed in Texas. 

Yes we were. 

People eating ice cream. 

This sunset was gorgeous and would have been better at the farm. Bummer. 

Look at that!

It kept going...

And going.

Ugh, Addy's at the vet today with a hurt leg. Still waiting to hear all will be well. 

Clearly we were driving in the wrong direction. 

Last one. 

Back in Louisiana. 

September 6

It's now September 6th and I've not been here in forever. I've lost my drive again. I bore myself to tears almost every single time I come. 

But I just got inspired by a mosquito to write this down before I forget it. It's very deep, so get ready. I was sitting here looking up recipes for milk and chalk paints and whilst I was, a mosquito was buzzing around me. He's been bugging me ALL day and I haven't managed to kill him. Well, this time he buzzed and left. Then buzzed and left again. I swatted and missed and swatted and missed, until finally I snatched him right out of the air with my hand and declared out loud to the dead mosquito, "You mess with the bull you're gonna get the horns." I felt ridiculously satisfied with myself for saying that to a dead mosquito. 

September 7

Still feel the same about the mosquito today.

Also, Addy is currently under sedation for an X-ray of her hip and knee. She's been having some trouble with it and it's concerning. She's almost 10 years old. That's 70 for her! She's tough though and I'm believing for fixable good news in Jesus name.

I'm off for now to see Grandma before I leave town this evening and won't be back until Wednesday so, no blogging before then. And even then it will be questionable.  

I'm out til Irma passes by safely and causes no more damage. Lord have mercy on us and our country. 

All will be well in the end.