This Week

Monday, my bouquet is still beautiful.

Thursday, I sat down on the back deck and took a few pictures. 

Texas has bluebonnets for ground cover.  Georgia has tiny little purple, blue, yellow & white flowers.  (I like bluebonnets better.)

Jon stayed with mama while Don and I went to a local café for lunch.  Don stopped several times for me to take pictures of the flowering trees.

The dogwood are in full bloom here.  They’re really pretty.

The tree looks like a peach tree, as do the flowers.  Well, after all, this is Georgia.

A fairly rare pink dogwood.

Friday, with windows open, I heard a strange animal noise that sounded like a puppy.  This is what I saw when I looked out the window.  Mama dog has brought her pups out to meet the world.

Friday afternoon, Don grilled in the rain.

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

This morning was my first Blue Jay sighting is spring.

Well, look what found their way to Mama Trudy’s back deck!  I wanted to go out and sit down with them so bad, but I knew better.  There’s one missing; where’s the brown and white puppy?

He never made it to the back yard.

Don made the most delicious Fresh Mushrooms and Wild Rice dish today.  Amazing!  I would tell you to Google Paula Deen’s recipe, but Don tweaked it a little and made it better, so if you want to taste this dish at it’s best, you will have to come visit us.

So good. So, so good.  Mama Trudy enjoyed everything so much.

Well, I can’t believe it… KU pulled that game out of the loss column!  That was a really good game.  Kentucky and Kansas in the championship. I’m hoping that Kansas will win since we’re Big 12 people, but I’m pretty sure Kansas will not make it past the Kentucky team that we call The Buzz Saww!

Sunday’s Coming.

It’s Dora the Explorer!!!

[Unknown photographer]

As gas prices soar..

Whether it’s deliberate or the pump is malfunctioning, CHEATING at the gas pumps still occurs.

If you find a discrepancy, take a copy of the receipt inside and complain.  Usually, they will refund your change without questioning you, especially if they have rigged the pump.

There is also a number on each pump that you can call and complain.

Here is how to check a pump to see if you are getting the right amount:

• Whichever grade you are using, put EXACTLY 10 GALLONS in your tank,
• then look at the dollar amount.
• If the dollar amount is not EXACTLY 10 times the price of the fuel you have chosen, then the pumps are rigged.
• If gas is $3.71 9/10 per gallon; the dollar amount for 10 gallons should be $37.19.
• ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PUMP AT THE 10 GALLON MARK.
• If you do find a station that is cheating, contact the state Agriculture Department, and direct your comments to the Commissioner; the info is on the gas pumps.

Please send this to all the people in your address book. We need to put a stop to this outrageous cheating of
customers. The gas companies are making enough profits at honest rates.
This is the same thing as the butcher with his finger on the scale; the company has nothing to do with the station owner's practices.
Yes, the big oil is making big bucks but the dishonest guy will still be dishonest. Be a good steward of your resources and help keep the gas station owners honest.

Celebrating the 38th anniversary of my baby’s birth!

Born just past midnight on March 27, 1974.

My precious second born, Teri LaNae, three days old:

LaNae & big sister, Leslie (is she going to punch her?)

So cute at three months old.

Christmas 1974, holding on to Mama Trudy’s robe.  This is an A.M. photo… no sparkle. Sweet baby has never been a morning person.

Giving her Mama Trudy good love at one year old.

One year birthday picture with Mama Trudy.  Another sweet dress made by Mama Trudy.

Playing with Leslie at 18 months. Having too much fun! Already, we began to recognize her sense of humor.  She still makes us laugh to this day.

Leslie, almost 4 and LaNae, 2.  My precious girls.

1977 – 3rd birthday – Such sparkle… my baby has sparkle, always has, always will.

1978 – 4th birthday. She made a haul!!

1979 – 5 years old – No wonder I loved taking pictures of my girls… they posed so perfectly.  That darling outfit was a gift from Mama Trudy.. pink gingham blouse and patchwork print skirt with a lace ruffle on the bottom over a pink gingham underskirt.  So adorable.

1980 – 6 years old. I have posted this picture before because it’s one of my favorites.  Sporting her new hair-do that was so cute on her.

My all time favorite picture of my baby girl, taken by me.

1981 – count the candles.

1983 – 9th birthday – By this time she has long passed her sister, Leslie, in height.  This is the year she started playing basketball.

1984 – 10 years old – I look at this picture and see Blaine, my grandson.  It’s uncanny, the resemblance.

1986 – 12 years old. – Sparkle.

And all of a sudden, she was a senior in high school, which was so much fun and she had blossomed into the beautiful young lady we all saw happening with each passing year… it passed much to quickly.

Followed by four years at the University of Oklahoma getting her degree in sociology and playing basketball, which also is a blur and so much fun.

Before I knew it, I was blessed with my first two grandchildren, who have grown up so quickly.

Where has the time gone???

LaNae, I am so proud of you and the woman you have become. You are a joy to my life, my heart and my soul.

Lydia, 14; LaNae, 38; Blaine, 10

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

Thirty-eight. How can that be? You are so beautiful. I am so blessed.

It’s currently 11:44 PM March 26 and I’m having ghost labor pains and remembering walking all over the mall in Corsicana, Texas, for hours before going to the hospital with you. I had dilated to 5 cm when I walked into the hospital about 9:00 PM. The nurse wanted to know how I got up to OB/delivery and where was my wheelchair. “I walked.. rode the elevator up to the 3rd floor.” Also, remembering Colleen DuBose, the admittance clerk who, after she got off work, came up to delivery to be with me when you were born. I worked with her at the clinic and admitting patients to the hospital was her second job. Being with Mama Trudy these last few months has really got me walking down memory lane.

It is now March 27th!

Have a super fabulous day, LaNae!

In the pulpit, again

Don is excited that it’s finally Monday, March 26th.  Today he gets to preach!  He and my brother, Jon, are going over the mountain hill to Rock Springs to a pastors’ fellowship where Don will both preach and tell the pastors about Christian Resort Ministries, International.  I just had to get a picture of the men in blue.

Jonny had stuck his tongue out at me, but I wasn’t fast enough on the shutter to catch it.

The bouquet Don brought me Friday is still beautiful!

Just feast your eyes on that yellow rose.

I’m sharing my bouquet with Mama… it’s in her room.

Mama Trudy had a little “I can’t breathe” spell this morning.  As I’ve described before, it’s caused by anxiety that she’s not even aware she has.  She’s getting air, but she doesn’t feel like she is.  It must be an awful feeling.  This one lasted a little longer than the last one, which was yesterday (Sunday) morning.  When she’s not eating, she sleeps most of the day; wakes up about 5:00 or 5:30 PM and sits up in her rocker until … sometimes 10:00 PM, but that’s rare.  While sitting up, she first reads her Bible and several devotionals; plays a few games of solitaire; works a word puzzle or three. When she’s tired of sitting and ready to go to bed for the night, we have our little routine of brushing her teeth, washing her hands and massaging her feet with tea tree oil and then legs and feet with lotion.  ~We talk.~  I put a drop of CalmEar in each ear because her ears itch and it works better than anything she’s ever tried; it’s a Godsend. Sometimes she needs drops in her eyes. I usually say a very short prayer for her to sleep well.  I don’t pray long because her hearing aide is laying on the table and I feel that it’s rude to pray when she can’t hear me and pray along with me.  Okay, that’s our evening routine.

Mama’s 84 year old sister, Nella Fay, had knee replacement surgery today in Las Vegas.  Surgeon said she did great, but the knee was much worse than he thought and he couldn’t believe she had been walking without a walker.  Don’t let their maiden name, Pillow, fool you… those Pillow girls are tough!!  She’ll need lots of prayer during rehab, though.

Psalm 86:5

Hand embroidered by Mama Trudy and made in the sixties for our home.  We have enjoyed it’s truth all these years and it is now hanging on her bedroom wall.

Psalm 86:5 – so beautiful in the King James Version:

A reflection of the grace and love that she embraces and lives every day.

Cake Mix Lemon Cookies

Yesterday evening, it rained. This morning, it was cloudy, but the birds sang praises to their Creator, anyway.

With the warmer temperatures and the green becoming visible, soon, we will not be able to see Myra’s mother’s nine bedroom home on the side of the mountain before us.

Thanks to Don and I and our table scraps, the stray mama dog has gained a little weight! 

She has a bit of the mange, so I don’t pet her, but I sure would like to.  She was skittish at first, but now she comes up to me wagging her tail.  Whoever she belongs to doesn’t take very good care of her or perhaps she doesn’t belong to anyone, but she didn’t put that collar on herself.

Mama Trudy.  She just amazes me.

Me: “How do you feel, Mama?”

Mama Trudy:  “So lightheaded and having a hard time breathing. Help me to the rocker, I want to read.”She is so faithful to read if she can hold her head up. She doesn’t read when she feels like it, she reads because she loves the Lord and His Word sustains her every moment.

Don walked in the front door this morning with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. My brother asked Don if he had been to the office. (It’s a little joke around here: Don kisses me goodbye some mornings and says, “Going to work. If you need me, call the office.”) Anyway, Don told Jon, “Yes, went to the office, flirted with the secretary, felt guilty, bought flowers for my darling wife.”  My funny man.  The reality is: he bought the bouquet for me because of that one beautiful yellow rose.  “Thanks, Babe… you just flirt all you want to and keep the flowers coming.”

This afternoon, I made Cake Mix Lemon Cookies with real lemon icing, for the first time ever.  Don and Mama Trudy love them.  Well, duh… me, too.  They’re really easy. Add 1 large egg, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup of water to the cake mix. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, longer if you like crunchier cookies.  Don likes the middle soft, however.