Busy finishing up Christmas

I will be AWOL again for a few days. I have doctors appt. tomorrow and hope to visit some craft shops---2 months is too long! I am trying to finish up as much as I can today, but not likely as I still have 4 more trees to put the ornaments on. I wasn't going to bring it all out, but each box brought so many memories, I just couldn't help myself. As a sweet friend said, it looks like the elfs upchucked in my house, but we enjoy it and we have already sat and watched movies with hot cocoa and cookies----I always seem to stress out during the holidays because of a craft show, but not this year and I love it. I have time to reflect the true meaning of Christmas and that brings Joy to my heart.

I can't wait to see all the beautiful homes on the 15th that are listed on Deena's blog-Can I be Pretty in Pink. I hope you all take a visit and tour all the wonderful decorations. If you haven't joined, we still hope that you will post yours---I'll be sneaking around like Santa to see.

See you all in a few days. Love and Hugs, Pat

Happy Thanksgiving to All of you

Beautiful day today and much to be thankful for. I hope that you and your families and friends have a very Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

A Great Day

Who knew that a few days away could re-energize you. I have been totally busy decorating and running to the hospital. Bubba is getting better, but will be in rehab, but he has lost 61 lbs and can talk so much better now.

I already has visitors coming to see my house and it's not finished, but they will return when it's done. Lucky for me, they didn't notice the boxes every where and just noticed the gingerbreads.

I hope you all have a very Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. I don't shop on Black Friday---it's just not worth it, especially when fights start over some product that we can all live without. If I had a choice, it would be Micheals or Hobby Lobby, but Al has to work and the mail must go through.

My Joys today
Beautiful Day from God
My friend is getting better
My wonderful neighbors
My family and friends

My Thanks to God for all the many blessings He has bestowed on us this year, even the pain is a blessing because it motivates me and brings me closer to Him every day. Love and Hugs, Pat

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to All

Just wanted you all to know that I will be AWOL for a few days. I need to finish up some projects and my friend was put back in ICU, but today they are moving him to the rehab hospital, so between my house and his, I will be busy and hopefully not pulling my hair out. I probably took on more than I need, but I do well under stress and he has no family to care for him. They are keeping him for 25 days, so he will be spending Christmas there, so a little tree is in order for his room.





Last night I made homemade soup and it is wonderful and I always like it better the second day. We are having some thunder right now and it's been raining off and on all morning. I actually like this kind of weather, but without the lightening.





My wish for all of you is to have a very Blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones. I am thankful this year for not needing any surgery, for a house to live in, food on our table, my children doing good on their own, and having thoughtful neighbors who have invited us for dinner since my parents are gone and our children are away. God has been good to us, even though He doesn't give us what we ask for, but He always gives us what we need and that is a blessing.





Well I am getting back to decorating, so I can sit with my hot tea and watch movies. Many Blessings to all my blogger friends, Pat

It's beginning to look like Christmas

Well the elves showed up at our house and it's really starting to look like Christmas. After Thanksgiving, we start decorating the trees and it's always fun looking at them as many of them have a sentimental meaning.

I save the Nativity things for last and at night when I go to bed, it's the last thing I see and in the morning the first. We have already made plans for next year to make a display in the entry, so when you walk in, you know Jesus comes first for Christmas. We need small tables that can be taken apart and stored. Al has even thought of painting a background with mountains, palms, and a Bethlehem scene. My brother is coming over for Al to paint a memorial sign for mom and dad to put with his Christmas yard decorations, since he has all of dad's things. I can't wait to bring the gc to see it. We always take them riding to see Christmas displays. We gave our youngest son our first nativity and just as they did when they were young, my gc remove Baby Jesus until Christmas and then put him in his crib.

I start early because it takes time to do it, but I take the same care as I did when I prepared for my children's birthdays, so preparing for Jesus's birth always takes more time. I even bake a cake and the children blow out the candles and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Good news today, my friend was moved into a private room, so is doing a bit better. His doctor said if he keeps improving, he will get to be home for Thanksgiving and go to therapy as an outpatient. I wasn't planning on cooking, but we will see to it that Bubba has a good meal. If his electric wheel chair is ready, we may take him to my brothers with us, as they know him.

I did go to bingo last night and it was very quiet. We all signed a card for J and it will be a long time before she returns to bingo. She is afraid that the rapist will be there and see her. She is going to therapy, which is good. I got there early and got a parking place just outside the door.

My Joys today

Jesus forgives me every day

My friend is better

My husband's love

My children and family

Sunshine

Flowers blooming

My wish today is for World Peace and cures for all the diseases that plague us. I know that Heaven will have all that, but it would be so wonderful to have it here also. Love and Hugs, Pat

Beautiful cold Day

Today is a beautiful day but a cold one. The winds died down during the night and the sun is shining and there will be frost on the ground in the morning. I do wish for snow, but in the south it is very rare and the one time it did snow in New Orleans, I was to be meeting one of my craft friends and New Orleans cancelled all flights, so we never got to meet.

My friend is still in ICU, but no surgery on his heart. His oxygen level keeps dropping so the doctor said he is keeping him in there so he can be watched. I met his doctor yesterday and Bubba introduced him to us as his emergency contact, so now the doctor has a face to go with the name. I think I am going to change my PCP because he seems very nice and concerned about his patients and I'm not crazy about the one I have.

My house is starting to look like the 9Th floor at Macy's---trees every where. My dining room is tiny, but I have trees all around the room, some small theme trees and it really cheers me up. The only room that looks the same every year is my kitchen and even that has some changes. For some it looks cluttered, but most like it and get excited about coming by. The ornaments are the last thing we do and that is done after Thanksgiving. This year my neighbor told me not to cook a big meal for just Al and me, because she is fixing us a plate or we can go and eat with them if we are home. They are the sweetest and nicest people I have for neighbors.

My siblings and I have decided to have a real Christmas and not a commercial one. No store bought presents! We have to make or purchase something that is used and was discarded. I would never do anything like this with friends, but I have found almost new things in boxes at Goodwill for my sisters and sils. I found a new purse with the tags still on it and it has an A on everything for my sil Angela. I also found a "Cadillac" walker for our brother and we all pitched in to get it. We gave it to him early and he was like a kid with a new toy. He has severe brain damage from a fall years ago, so he needed one to get around without fear of falling.

Warning about the next news---if you don't want to read about negative----just skip it, but it's a warning for women, even though it's happening in my hometown of Jennings.

We have a serial killer, even though the police will not call it that---all the girls lived in the same "crack house" and there are now 7 young girls killed and dumped in fields. They suspect it is someone knowledgeable in crimes because they are leaving no clues. And now on top of that, a friend I know from bingo was brutally raped Monday night behind the bingo hall. I do not go to this one, but it is still scary as he didn't kill her. The bingo players who went out at half time to smoke heard her yelling for help and they found her naked in her car. She fought him, but then passed out and he dragged her into a field behind the hall. We all think it's the killer who wants to throw the police off. She got there late and when she parked, a man was hidden in his van next to her and he jumped out wearing a ski mask and white gloves. She is not a drug user and is one of them like me, who goes alone to bingo. I'm not even sure if I am brave enough to go tonight, but I always get there before dark, so I can park in the front. There will be security tonight for us, so that is good, but I already told Al that I will not stop for anyone, including police until I drive into a public place. I carry mace with me and always have it on the seat with my cell phone. Even though these girls are living in bad places, they still don't deserve to be killed---we are all God's children and he wants His lost sheep more than those who are Christians. The only black girl that was killed is a cousin of the girl that my neighbor babysits for---scary. So a warning to you, it can happen anywhere and you should always be aware of your surroundings. I refuse to live in fear, but I am careful where I go and who I am friends with.

My Joys today
Jesus died for me
My husband and children
An almost pain free day---yea!
A warm roof over my head
My Internet friends

I wish all of you a beautiful weekend filled with joy and love. Life is what you make, so if life hands you scraps, make a quilt. Prayers, love, and hugs, Pat

37 years and counting

Today is a very special day----37 years ago, Al and I got married and it was the start of a wonderful, yet sometimes difficult, time. The picture is what he gave me for our anniversary-lol. Wouldn't that be great if it were real. We have many wonderful memories and a life filled with humor from him. His humor makes my eyes roll, but always comes with a smile. We answer each others thoughts too often. Every one said it wouldn't last because I had 2 babies that he adopted and raised like they were his own. All our friends envied our marriage, while they all divorced and remarried. I think the one thing they all lacked was commitment and most of all---God. We have been through the gamut of problems that most married couples face---through rich and poor, sickness and health. Through all my surgeries and hospital stays, Al would never leave me alone and made sure they gave me exactly what the doctor ordered. He questioned every nurse who would come in with something and he slept on a hard sofa bed many a night. He is my BFF and even though we separated for about a year, it was the best thing we did for our marriage. The stress was getting to both of us and the time apart brought us closer together. I'm not saying we have a perfect marriage, but it was one made in Heaven and I knew him only 5 days when I decided to move to New Orleans to be closer, then 7 months later, we were married. We lost our first baby, then 3 years later, I got pregnant again. I had severe endometriosis and was told not to have any more children and we almost lost him 3 times. He was the first miracle that I was given when the doctor told us he wouldn't live and it was in God's hands. He is now the father of my 2 beautiful grandchildren. My daughter was a blessing also, as I developed hepatitis when she was born and my doctor said I needed to get away so I could heal. So that is how I met Al. I went to stay with my sister in New Orleans and she introduced us---the rest is history. It feels like we were just married and the spark is still there. Who could ask for more!

Today is also my mom's birthday and I know she is looking down and watching over me. In her last year, she changed so much and this was the mother I had always wanted, but it wasn't to last very long. God knows what He is doing and I think He felt she had done her job and took her home. She is not suffering, so that is a blessing. Happy Birthday Mom, I love you and miss you.

As for my friend, Bubba, (yes, that is his nickname and he is not a redneck), he is not doing so good. His heart is badly damage from the lung disease--emphysema. He may have to have surgery on his heart and the doctor will be checking him today. He will be in the hospital for a long time, then to rehab. The nurse called us yesterday just as we were leaving for ICU visiting and said he wanted us to come and visit him. With his family all gone, he is lonely and I promised him, we would visit every day. I called some of his guy friends and they will go at different times to help keep his spirit going. Please continue to keep him in your prayers. Love and Hugs, Pat

My joys today

Another gift from God

My "Peter Pan" husband

My wonderful children

My family and friends

My Internet friends

A day with very little pain

Beautiful day and good news

My friend is doing okay---he has pneumonia and it was a good thing he was with someone or he would have died alone. He was cracking jokes in ICU, so at least he hasn't lost his humor. I will be checking on him daily and helping him get meals brought to his home. As a bachelor for too long, his house is a mess, so I am going to get my cousin who cleans houses to help me---to much dust for someone on 100% oxygen. Going back this afternoon to visit him and then check on his house. He lives 2 blocks from me, so the walk will be good. I am hoping we can get him home health care and Al is going to build a ramp for his scooter, so he can get out and get some fresh air.

Well I am off to do some more decorating. With the Christmas music on and the cool weather we are having, it's perfect for me. Some peppermint hot chocolate would be good also. Having shrimp and okra gumbo, which is a staple in Southwest Louisiana, for supper, along with some Texas Toast. I usually fix potato salad, but with the price of mayo, it's almost become a luxury. Have a great day everyone. Love and Hugs, Pat

My Heart is hurting today

I woke up to a ringing phone this morning that would not give up and it was just more bad news. My best friend, Donald, is in the hospital and it is not good. My name is on the emergency call list and his doctor called to say that they have put him in ICU. I am waiting for Al to come home because the next visiting time is 5pm. I am sure he is probably on a ventilator because when I tried to talk with him last week, he couldn't talk at all. He is like a brother to me and has spent just about every Christmas and Thanksgiving with us. If we went out of town, I would always call him to let him know, then bring him supper when we returned. I so wanted to post something joyful today, but God had other plans for me. Please keep him in your prayers. He has no family living except for a few nieces and nephews. I need to call his ex-wife, who is also our friend. Thanks and many prayers for all of you also. Pat

Good to be Home

Hi everyone. It has been a long 6 days, but we got a lot accomplished at our parents house, along with sharing some great memories. I honestly wish I had the time to put all the things on eBay or an etsy shop because we counted over 150 containers of material. I haven't begun to count the spools of thread, but I did find some old wooden ones that they let me take to paint for lace and things. I need to find the before pictures of her shop and what I did last week. They finally believe me that it takes more than a week to get ready for this garage sale.

I had not been to bingo since I won the $854, so Friday night I played the cheapest pack they sell and won $350, so went back last night and won $125. Since I have most of my kitchen decorated, I am going to call my sil and see if she wants to play a pack for Al and they can split if she wins. She's been depressed a lot, so maybe taking her out of the house will do her some good. She lost her friend this week from cancer, but we all knew that she was terminal. I went to school with her and a lot of costume parties recently and she was such a sweet person and will be missed by many. I also lost an old friend, but it was too late when I found out---he was my age and my sister dated him a few times in the 60s. So please keep Carolyn and Ronnie's family in your prayers.

I thought I would not be able to put all my trees up this year, but I found little nooks and crannies to put them and we figured out a way to display one, but I have to finish getting everything else done, because we are using my holiday closet for a display. I am usually finished by Thanksgiving but it looks like it will be closer to Dec. 1st.

Well I hope everyone has been well and busy crafting. I have visited a few blogs and saw some really cool art by my friend Tia and jewelry by Mary. I hope y'all don't mind if I send them there. You can go to my favorite blogs and visit them--unabashed repetition and MJB collections. Mary has an etsy shop with her jewelry for sale.

Going do a little more in the kitchen---Al put shelves above my cabinets and I still need to hang my curtains over the window. Have a wonderful and Blessed Sunday. Love and Hugs, Pat

Busy, Busy, Busy

Today, I hope you are all mindful of the Veterans who gave their lives for our freedom and for those who are still fighting far away. God Bless them all for their service.

I am missing blogland so much and only get to visit a few because as some of you know, I am busy beginning Santa Land in our house. I find as I get older, it takes more time, but I should be finished by December 1st.





Today I am headed to our parents house to meet my sister to clean and price more things. We both lost 2 dear friends this weekend and one of them was really a blessings as she has been suffering for over a year from cancer that had spread through out her little tiny body.





Deena, I mailed off my Pay it Forwards and they should have gotten them by now. I do hope they enjoy the things I sent.





I will be gone for a couple of days but will be thinking and praying for all of you. Enjoy your week and I will visit when I return. Love and Hugs, Pat

I've Been Tagged You're It

I recieved a tag your it by Tia at http://unabashedrepetition.blogspot.com/ today.
Here are the official rules:
Link to the person who tagged you

Mention the rules

Reveal six quirky yet boring, mundane, banal and pedestrian facts about yourself
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them
Go to each of their blogs and leave a message letting them know they've been tagged!

1. I have an obsession with Christmas
2. I do not like wire hangers
3. I have fingernails for the 2nd time in my entire life!
4. I hate coffee spots on my kitchen counter.
5. I have to rinse my feet before I touch the sheets.
6. WalMart irritates me when they constantly move things around.
Now I am tagging Amy at http://abundantcuriosities.blogspot.com/
Mary at http://isabellascloset.blogspot.com/
Joyce athttp://thesecretgardner.blogspot.com/
Susie at http://susieharris.blogspot.com/
Mary at http://crashnsmash.blogspot.com/
Yolanda at http://perfectlyimperfect-yolanda.blogspot.com/

This is a great way to learn a few cute things about each other, so hope that you will join in the fun.

Beautiful day despite the rain

I woke up early this morning feeling the best I have felt in a very long time. Guess my daughter was right about cleansing your body of toxins once a month, so I am going to do a liquid diet one day a month. I haven't had this much energy in a very long time, so maybe it was the toxins dragging me down---the pain I have learned to deal with, but the lost of energy was a battle.

Going into my holiday closet and start some decorating. Thank you all so much for your prayers. The only concern now is my very high blood pressure---so I have decided to eliminate the salt and sodium until my stress test---good bye puffed corn, pretzels, and all the goodies I do enjoy from time to time.

I hope you all have a great weekend and smile where ever you go---makes people wonder what you are thinking about. God Bless you all, Pat

As Amy would always say, "Yippy Skippy"---5 more years before I have to do it again. And my Fundoplication is holding tight and no ulcers----just my colon having spasms which means another medicine--phooey! He is concerned however with my blood pressure, so the stress test is next. He also told me if the pain in my right side doesn't go away, then my gall bladder would have to be removed. I have heard of people never having pain, but ran a fever, so he said to watch for that.

Who knew that Demerol and Vestid could make you sleep so long. We came home and I could barely walk, so the rest was welcomed.

My Joys today
God watching over me
Loving family
Prayers from my friends
A really good sleep
A smiling face
A good diet

I guess it's true what they say about a high fiber diet, so will stay on it--no reason to fix what isn't broken.
I'm excited now about decorating for Christmas and I came up with a neat idea for displaying one of scenes, but it will be last because it involves my holiday storage room.
Going to eat a good meal now and then we have to make a trip to the store.
The storm in the Caribbean is not going to shake my mood, but we will keep a watch on it. Have a super duper night and I will check in tomorrow. Love and Hugs, Pat

My smile is on and I'm leaving for the Hospital

Good Morning all. It's going to be a rainy day by the time I come home. We still have 15 minutes before we leave, so I thought I would drop in and ask for prayers. I have been up all night-----and I always get nervous and cry before I walk into the hospitals, but I'm trying very hard to stay positive that NO surgery will be necessary. I have one of the best gastro doctors and you can no longer choose which one you see and he is a sweety with so much compassion. He still calls me the cat with 7 lives. He did get angry with my surgeon one time for not doing surgery sooner when I had a blockage. He stormed into my room and said I needed the surgery pronto and needless to say, he must have told the surgeon because he was in shortly after that and I went to surgery the next morning----that surgeon is gone, so I go to New Orleans now if it's serious.

Well I have put my smile on, so I am ready. Have a great day everyone and I will check back in later. Prayers, love, and hugs, Pat

Stopping in for a quick hello

Just a real quick hello, then back to the famous room. I will be glad when this is over, so you may not see me until Thursday, but will let you know how things went.
I've been tagged, so that will have to wait also.

Love and Hugs, Pat

Award for Deena

Today, I stayed in bed most of the day--will explain later, but Deena came to mind and I thought about the awful days she has to face and for her to still keep in touch with us, to me she has the Biggest Heart ever and she truly deserves an award for it. Deena this award is for you and you can pass it on to others you feel have a big heart. If anyone visiting knows of someone also with a big heart, you are also free to take it.

Last night I got very sick and it was one of those nights, the doctors always tell me to go to the ER, but I was too sick to even get out of the bed, much less dress to go. I go through a couple of days of this, every time I get my injections or take large doses of antibiodics. My hair falls out more than ever and since I can't (sorry) vomit, I have to endure the nausea and the trips to the bathroom aren't all that fun. I ran a mild fever last night and today I felt totally drained.

I have been sitting on 2 packages and Al promised tomorrow he would mail them out---he is off, so no excuses. I know that tomorrow I will feel better, so I have to pack things to put in the attic---my watermelon collection. I need the storage space to put away things that I don't want in the attic, and I am so glad he will be here to help me. Then we are off to the hospital to get pre-admitted, then maybe some shopping. I start my liquid diet on Tuesday, then Wednesday all clear liquids and that horrible drink they give you. I have tried every thing in the book to make it paltable so if anyone has any suggestions that I may have missed---send them to me. It can't be red or purple, so no strawberry to put in it.

Well I am off to bed again. This too shall pass. Hope you all have a great day. Love and Hugs, Pat

Today is a sad day

Today is going to be a sad day. Dot's funeral is today and they found out her daughter strangled her first with the bat against her neck, then they beat her with it to make sure she had died.

Yesterday I had to drive to the cementary to see if they had finished our parents headstone and granite and I cried. It is so beautiful but they forgot to put the pictures on it. After leaving there, I drove to Lake Arthur for a night of bingo, since I had been staying home. Well I am happy to say that I won $854. Had I bingoed on the progressive sheet, I would have won $10,854 because I won in 51 numbers. Everyone thought that was what I won, but I told them, you would have heard more yelling that I did. I donated $100 to the VFW for their building fund and gave my cousin who was the caller $40. The $154 was extra because I won on a cookie jar number. The jackpot for regular blackout sheets is $700 so now we can do our little bit of Christmas shopping and not take it out of our budget or use plastic. Hooray! Al wants me to go back for another night of relaxing. It was really quiet in bingo last night and for me bingo is relaxing, not like many who feel they must win everytime they go. Even though some consider bingo gambling, I just go to be with a friend and someone must have heard that we needed an attic ladder in our hall, so now we can get it and be able to store things in our attic. I am feeling my luck changing, so I am hoping to win the big jackpot for my addition.

I hope everyone enjoys the beautiful day we are having today. If it's cold where you are, cuddle up under a warm blanket and read a book---it's my favorite form of relaxing. I need to get dressed and then stop for gas---I don't pump gas, so this should be interesting-lol. Prayers, love, and hugs, Pat