Miscellany Monday

My mind is in a whirl but I thought that doing an MM entry might serve as very good therapy for me today. 

{one}

Dodge City

Clancy decided to ride on the cart with our luggage

  Poppa and I arrived  Thursday afternoon here in Dodge City.  We were to arrive in Wichita at 10:30AM but due to thunderstorms we had to take a quick trip to Oklahoma City and wait for the thunderstorms to pass.  That took about an hour and a half and then back to Wichita where we landed safely.  We got our rental car and were off to Dodge City.  We arrived around 4:00PM and the fun began.  

{two}

 Taking pictures - NOT

 Do you know that kids do develop a mind of their own and if they do not want you to take their picture, they will NOT co-operate!  And, I can assure you that all the bribing in the world will NOT change their minds.  Thus, you get pictures like the one above. ~smile~

{three}

Little cowboy

 

Can I just tell you that our Clancy fits right in here in Dodge City.  He loves being a cowboy and this city is full of them and might I add, he is the cutest one of all! In the picture above he is doing  a little "jig" on Poppa and CiCi's bed and that is CiCi's toe you see in the lower right hand corner. ~grin~

{four}

Cattle Trucks

I have never seen as many cattle trucks in my entire life as I have the past 4 days that I have been here in Dodge City.  Of course, there are two beef packing houses here (our SIL is a USDA inspector at one of them).  Believe it or not, each of the packing houses processes 6200 cows a day.  Yep, that's what I said, 6200 cows a day!  That equals all kinds of cattle trucks coming and going all day long.

{five}

Father's Day

 It would have been nice if we could have been with both of our children today and I could have been with my precious Dad.  But, that was not possible due to the 750 miles that separate  us all today.  But, we did enjoy the day being with Bridget and her family and I am extremely grateful that my brother is with my Dad today. 

{Six}

Final Words 

Speaking of my Dad.........my dear friends, things were progressing forward until he was moved to rehab on Thursday.  Since that time, he has declined terribly.  I have talked back and forth with my brother and he feels that some of the trouble may be medications and the other, the Drs. do not have his condition diagnosed correctly.  Right now there are way more questions than answers and Daddy is so anxious and upset over the entire ordeal.  His mind remains very acute and he just wants to know what is wrong and why he has pretty much became an invalid in a mere 9 days.  It is insane and so, so unsettling to all of us. Again, I covet your prayers for him.  I know the Lord knows right where we are but this is  one of those times that He seems so far away.

We will fly home Tuesday morning and I ask that you pray that we will not have any "hitches" on our return trip. I will be more than anxious to get home and go see my Dad.  Meanwhile, I will catch up with each of you as I can. 

 

Checking in and Update

Good Morning Ladies, I am hoping the "two Rachels" will not mind my using their memes to "check in and update" with you dear folks.  Thanks Rachels, I should be back on a regular schedule next Friday, but who knows, life happens sometimes and all we can do is just "keep it between the ditches."  That's where I am right now. ~smile~

As a result of working out in his flower bed last Thursday morning with a tiller, weed eater and then using a blower, my Dad bruised his spinal cord.  It was not until after he had gone to bed that night that he realized he had been injured.  About an hour after he went to bed he was awaken with what he described as terrible pain surrounding the area of the back of the neck where it attaches to the spine.  The next day he began losing the use of his limbs and everything went "south" from there.

We carried him to the ER on Saturday evening and he was admitted to the hospital and then had a "bazillion" tests ran.  They called in a Neurologist and he is the one that finally put the pieces together to come up with the diagnosis of a bruised spinal cord.  He said the vibration of the yard tools that he used caused it.    He says he will recover, but can't say how long it will take.  Dad can hardly walk, even with a walker, and certainly can't walk unassisted.  He cannot use his hands very well either.  Some of the feeling has come back but not nearly all of it.  It is very scary and very discouraging to Daddy and to all of us.  


He was moved to the  rehab facility at our local hospital yesterday afternoon where he will hopefully make great strides in his recovery.  He is still is a great deal of pain and it's hard to think about rehab when you are still in a lot of pain.

I do covet your prayers for him and most specially that he will see some "glimmers of hope" in his rehab in the next few days.


Tommy and I did come on to Dodge City today and my baby brother is flying in to assist with his care on Sat.  My step Mom has been such a trooper throughout the entire ordeal but I know she is very tired.

Dad and Sybil - March 2011

It is just hard to believe that in one 24 hour period a perfectly healthy, active man can go to an almost helpless individual over something that is seemingly harmless.  But, the Dr. told Dad that while he was in excellent shape, he would have to start realizing that he was 81 years old and that there are likely some things that he might not need to do anymore.  


It's great therapy for us to be here in Dodge City with our Clancy man and his Dad and Mom.  It is a nice diversion and I'll have lots to share with you when we get home next Tuesday.  


Again, your prayers for my Dad's recovery would be much appreciated and I will keep you posted.  And, I'll get back to my regular blog posts soon. Also, prayers that I can relax and enjoy our time here without allowing the concern of my Dad's condition to "overtake" me. 


Love you my blogging buddies and my world's a better place since I've met up with each of you!

Miscellany Monday

{one}

Sweet Man

You see this sweet man, well, he's my Dad and he's had a tough time the past couple of months.  He has been in the hospital twice and we had to take him back this past Saturday evening.  The other two visits were because of a colon infection but this one is entirely different.  He was stricken very suddenly on Thursday evening with muscle weakness and had little use of his extremities.  The possibility of Guillain-Barre Sydrome is being discussed but Drs. have not said for certainty  but are continuing with tests.  I would so appreciate your prayers for him.  We are hopeful that he can make a full recovery, whatever it ends up being. I will keep you posted!

{two}

Clancy

Hubby and I are suppose to fly out early Thursday morning headed towards Dodge City.  Yep! this will be our first trip to see our daughter and her family since they moved there a few weeks ago.  We are so excited about seeing our little Clancy and hopefully my Dad's condition will be such that I feel comfortable leaving.
  

{three}

Matchy Matchy

I usually have a French Manicure on my fingernails but this past week I decided that I wanted to be "matchy matchy" with my hands and feet.  I think the color is called "Cajun Shrimp" by OPI.

       {four}

      "The Golfer"

Hubby plays in a Scramble every Thursday evening and I decided to go along with him this past one.  I took my camera and had a good time snapping cute shots of him.  Don't you think he looks cute in his plaid shorts?  I do! ~giggle~

{five}

Best Friends

 I got to see my "best friend forever" this past Friday for a little while.  She was in the area (she lives in Orlando) for a family reunion and we managed to sneak in a little time.  I want to tell you that she is a Stage 4 Colon Cancer survivor.  Yep! isn't that amazing!  She was diagnosed 8 years ago this past Jan.  She has since been declared "cancer free."  Now, I must say that her cancer was diagnosed through a routine colonoscopy, she had no symptoms and no idea.  So, girlies, if you are 50 years or older, make sure you get your colonoscopies. It could save your life!

My days are very full and busy right now with my Dad, so if I do not get by to visit, you'll know why.  He is most important right now and again, I so appreciate your prayers for him.  We are hoping for a more conclusive diagnosis today. I'm thankful that I serve a God that gives me peace in the midst of the storm.
 

Monday's are always fun because of MM. Hope yours in a happy one.

 

Hodgepodge Wednesday

Yep! it's Wednesday and everyone knows that means it's "Hodgepodge with Joyce."  So, here we go............... 

1. Do you and your family enjoy camping? What do you enjoy most/like the least when it comes to family camping? When was the last time you camped? Well, if you call staying at The Marriott or The Hilton, camping then we LOVE it. ~chuckle~ I'm sorry, I don't mean to be tacky, but camping is just NOT for "me and mine."  I know that there are those that love it and that is great.  That's why they make hotels for those of us that don't.  The last time I camped was when our kids were small and we went with another couple to a lake and spent one night in a tent.  We made a memory and that's about all I can say.  I am just too convenience oriented for camping.  Think that about sums it up. ~smile~

This is my idea of camping

2. Did you attend a summer camp when you were a kid? Is that a happy or not so happy memory? Now, this question brings back all kinds of happy, happy memories.  Going to church camp was the high lite of my summers. I loved being with all my friends, enjoying all the activities and all the while gaining Biblical knowledge that I've carried throughout my life.  Yea! for camp!

3. Over the course of your life, what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else? Oh, my, there's all kinds of things that I ponder and can't say that one "outweighs" the other. A couple of  things I ponder are:

 *How will my life end: illness, accident or just up and die one day or the rapture
*If I had had a profession, other than or in addition to, Domestic Engineer, what would it have been.

4. Which of the seven natural wonders of the world would you most like to see? There are many lists of 'wonders' but this is the standard natural wonder list-Mount Everest, The Great Barrier Reef, The Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, The Harbor of Rio de Janerio, Paricutan Volcano and The Northern Lights.

I would choose either Mt. Everest or Victoria Falls.  Both are so majestic and breath-taking. 

5. What was your first real job? I guess this means outside of babysitting and jobs of this type.  The summer I was 16 I worked for a company called Gould Battery in Lynchburg, Virginia. I did some kind of entering of numbers in a machine (certainly not a computer) to keep stock of all the batteries.  I do know that I thought I was "big stuff" when I got the job and I made "big money" as well that summer.  I was a happy gal! ~grin~

6. Lemonade or Sweet tea...which do you prefer on a hot summer day?  Now, this Southern Belle likes her tea. But, I like half lemonade and half tea at times. But, if I have to say just one, it would definitely be tea.  I seem to be stopping by Sonic quite often to get a big cup of tea. Nothing like Sonic tea over Sonic ice. Yummmmmmmm!

7. What is something that always brings a smile to your face? Well, if you are a Grandmother then you know that those little fellas can always bring a smile to your face.

8. Insert your own random thought here.Okay, ladies, help me out.  Little by little I'm discovering more and more about blogging and in the past couple of months I've been figuring out Google Reader for blogs.  It is so much quicker than opening each individual blog, especially if you are like me and want  read tons of them.  But, it doesn't appear that when you comment on the Reader that the comment goes over to the blog so the blogger will know you stopped by.  Am I correct?  I want to use Google Reader but I also want to comment.  I mean, isn't that part of it?  If you can help this poor soul it would be much appreciated! Thanks! And, I'd love to know how you "do" your blog reading, do you use Google Reader or just jump around to those that visit you?  I think the problem with me is that I'm "attached" to too many blogs. ~hummmmmm~ I may have to seek therapy. ~wink~ Love you girlies!

Miscellany Monday - 40 Years Ago Today

{one}

40 years

Yes, 40 years ago today I became Mrs. Tommy Culp. If you missed my blog entry on Friday, you might want to click here. It's a "blast from the past" for sure!

We had a good time celebrating Friday evening with dear friends and Diane made sure the table was "decked out" for the occasion.

  

I'm not sure what we will do today, but all I can say, "what a ride" these past 40 years have been!

{two}

Climbing

Our precious Princess has decided to "try her hand" at climbing.  I had the above step ladder out the other day and she decided to see if she could do what she had just seen her CiCi do.  So much fun to watch!  And, have I told you what a contented little girl she is?  I mean, just a delight!!!

{three}

"The Catch"

Hubby decided to go fishing this past Thursday and he came home with quite a "show and tell."  But, he was on the ragged edge after the all day excursion and the boiling heat!  Says he won't do that again.  We'll see.

  {four}

Snap Dragons

Have you ever seen Snap Dragons arranged like this?  I saw this the other evening while we were out and I thought they were just gorgeous.  And, the best part is that I am quite sure I could do this.  Don't think I would ever need one this big, but I would just scale it down to the size I needed and "go for it."  I'm always looking for simple and attractive ways to arrange flowers.  

{five}

Little Sweetheart

This is the Granddaughter of a precious friend of mine.  She came by the other night and brought Lauren with her.  Lauren wasn't quite sure about these new folks she was meeting but I could not resist snapping her picture. 

        

Celebrating 40 Years

Good Morning! I have been looking forward to this post for a  few weeks.  On Monday, June 6th, Hubby and I will celebrate 40 years of marriage.  Oh, my goodness, that is really a l-o-n-g time isn't it? And, hey, I'm not even old enough to have been married that long.  Do you hear me? ~smile~

We met in the summer of 1965, right here in Bastrop, LA. and I told my parents after I met him, that one day I would marry him.  Now, that comment didn't give them much thought as I was a mere 12 year old.  Yep, that's right!  Tommy was 18 at the time and that was a hep of age difference at the time, but that gap seemed to narrow as I got older. ~wink~  

 Tommy would tell you that he waited for me to grow up and for him to get a college education and then he came all the way to Virginia to ask me to marry him. (My Dad's ministry had taken us to Virginia by this time.) I was 18 at this time (Tommy was 24) and, with my parents blessing, I said, yes. Did I have any idea what I was doing?  Did we have any idea what we were doing?  The answer would be NO, didn't have a clue.  But, we did as most other couples do, we figured it out as we went along.  And, apparently we figured it out pretty good since we are here to tell about it 40 years later.  

I have left out all the details of our courtship, because it's just wayyyyyyyy too much to tell.  Well, truth be known, there really wasn't much of a courtship.  It's really quite scary when I think back about the whole situation.  But, we both knew that we were God's choice for each other and nothing else really mattered.

Some of my favorite things about these past 40 years of marriage are:

1- Being married to a man with the patience of Job - other wise he would not have ever survived being married to me. ~giggle~  

2- Sharing my life with a man who knows Jesus as his Savior and always desires that we live our lives accordingly 

3- Having a husband that took being a Daddy very seriously and always had time for his children and always looked for opportunities to make memories with them

4 -Knowing that we took the vow of "till death do us part" with utmost seriousness

5 - Watching Tommy with our Grans and knowing that he is in "his moment" whenever he is with them

6 - Seeing how our very, very different personalities have meshed over the years


Life has been good to us these past 40 years.  No, it hasn't always been easy, but most things in life aren't.  Marriage takes a whole lot of work and we have definitely worked as we have journeyed along.  And, we'll keep on working and making wonderful memories for the next 40 years ~grin~


I thought you gals would get a "kick" out of seeing how we have evolved over the years.  I had such fun digging through the photos and seeing all of our "various looks" these past 40 years.  Our children even looked at our wedding pictures one time and said, "what did you two see in each other?"  Wow! they must have thought we were pretty pitiful looking. ~chuckle~  And, hey, they were right, but I'm certain that we both thought each other was the best looking "thing" we'd ever laid our eyes on.  After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ~smile~

 

Here's to 40 more..............

Hodgepodge Wednesday

It's Wednesday and time for Hodgepodge with Joyce.  And, I want to tell Joyce how much I appreciate her posting the questions a whole day ahead of time.  It allows us plenty of time to get our entry ready and since I usually prepare my entries in the afternoons or evenings, it works very well with me. Thanks Joyce!

1. Have you ever been to the US capital-Washington DC? If so, what's your favorite site? Yes, I have been to DC, two or three times and there's so many favorites, but one would have to be the Smithsonian Museums. So, so much to see and do in them that it's hard to describe. 

2. When did you last attend a wedding? Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? Were you a summer bride? This is pitiful but I cannot remember the last wedding I attended but I assure you, I have attended more than my share.  I will be attending one on the 11th of June and then I don't think I have another one until September.  Yes, Hubby and I were married on June 6th, 40 years ago.  Stay tuned for a most fun post about that.

3. What is your favorite way to eat strawberries? 

Believe it or not, I am not crazy about strawberries, but if I do eat them, I want them neatly sliced or whole.  I DO NOT want them "mushed up."  Yuck!

4. What is one thing you are especially looking forward to this summer?  Hubby and I will be boarding a Holland America cruise liner for a cruise, July 16th - 28th  from Montreal to Boston to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary .

5. Do you use/like the self checker at the grocery store?I usually have to use the self check out because that's all that is available and I resent that.  I wouldn't mind the self check out if it did not constantly tell me that I have not bagged my items when I have indeed bagged my items.  Talk about aggravation!  It comes close to making my  "panties get in a wad. "  ~chuckle~

6. Share a favorite piece of common sense advice.  "When in doubt, don't. "  This has proven to be a great piece of advice throughout my life, not that I have always heeded it, but I should have. ~wink~

7. Barefoot, flip flops, tennis shoes, sassy sandals-your first choice for summertime?  Oh, it would be a toss up between flip flops and sassy sandals.  I love them both and pretty much, that's all I wear in the summer.  

8. Insert your own random thought here. My sweet Dad was hospitalized again this past Monday with a recurrence of the C-Diff that he was hospitalized with 3 weeks ago.  My dear friends if you are not familiar with this condition, you need to click on the link and be informed.  It is very scary and is becoming more and more prevalent.  My Dad's was caused by antibiotics that he took for something else.  He is doing better, but will be a while completely recovering after this second bout.  I would appreciate your prayers for his recovery. He is scheduled to get out of the hospital tomorrow.