Thursday, June 19, 2014

A Day InThe Life of Lea...........

Rachel Rewritten

Hats off to Rachel and Brittany are hosting their first ever link up today. They ask us to share what a typical day in our life looked like.  So, here goes...........

Monday thru Friday my day begins at 5:30AM.  I have always been an early morning person.  I thought I might change once the children were grown and gone, but that was not the case.  I love the early morning and feel very productive in the early part of the day.
I head straight to my Keurig for that first cup of morning coffee.  I actually get way too excited over that first cup, but, guess that's alright.  I then head upstairs to my little "private corner" for my morning devotional and prayer time.  I curl up in this big leather chair and bask in His glory for a while.

Then it is "shower time."  Ah! just nothing like a good extra warm shower.  It's almost as good as that first cup of java! ~laugh~  Then it's make up time.  I guess I can probably count on two hands the days I have not put on makeup in my 61 years.  It is so much a part of my day that I can do it blindfolded.  I guess I'm sort of like an old barn, I look a whole lot better with a little paint on me. ~chuckle~
I then head back up the stairs to walk on my treadmill. I know, weird, I shower and then walk, but, it's how I roll. I have been walking on a treadmill about 25 years and I'm hoping my consistency has paid off.  I am sure I need to be doing some strength training as well, but just haven't "gone there" yet.  I walk about 2 miles at 3.7 mph in about 30 minutes.  Surely it's better than doing nothing at all. ~I hope~


It's then time to stop by the computer and some mornings I hit "publish" for my blog and check my email and of course, check in with Facebook and see what everyone is up to.  ~whatever did we do before FB~
 I get dressed  ~aren't you glad~ and a couple of mornings a week will find me at Wal-Mart and doing whatever list of errands I have for that day.  Some days that includes a visit with my Dad at the assisted living facility he resides in.  I very much like to get out and about early and that means I'm back home early and can "hang out" here the remainder of the day.  On an ordinary day I am generally home by 11:00AM and the rest of my day involves things here at the house.

I am very routine ~in case you haven't figured that out~ and generally have a list for each day.  Some days that list may only have 1"to do" on it and other days it may have several "to does" on it.  I enjoy very much having something to do but often in recent years my wagon has been so overloaded that I felt overwhelmed most of the time.  But, thankfully, that is not presently the case.

There seems to always be household tasks.  I still never lack for things to do in that department.  There is always laundry, ironing, closets to organize and clean out, light fixtures that need dusting and baseboards that need deep cleaning.  None of which I really enjoy but I do feel such a sense of satisfaction when I am finished.

And, throughout the day I make stops by my desktop computer to check email,and Facebook and perhaps do some Quickbooks entries.  Then I might work on my blog, edit some pictures and all the other fun things one can do with a computer.

Hubby and I generally sit down to dinner around 5:30 and I must admit that it is often not at home.  We probably eat out 3-4 times a week.  I know, but it is what it is........And, we're generally with friends or family when we do eat out so it's sort of a social event as well as an eating event.  Doesn't life center around eating? ~grin~
After dinner, when we are home, I can usually be found in "comfy clothes" and likely headed to my comfy chair.  Hubby's in his comfy chair and we're settled in for the evening. ~one of my favorite times of the day~  I grab my laptop and either blog or read blogs in-between sort of watching whatever Hubby has on the TV.  Of course, an evening would not be complete without some sort of a snack and that varies for sure.  I do try to keep some low cal stuff on hand and one of my favorites, is popcorn.  

Around 9:00 I head towards the bedroom and read.  It's sort of my time to enjoy some peace and quiet  before laying my head on the pillow.  Can you tell that I enjoy starting my day with peace and quiet and ending it the same way.  And, it's not that there is ever a whole lot of noise around our house, but you know what I mean by "peace and quiet." 
  
This is just a recap of "most" days.  There's always outings, Drs. app'ts, time with the Grans, a little retail therapy that change the routine up a bit and keeps life interesting.  The "same ole, same ole" would be very boring and I don't ever want a boring life.  So, there you have it, "A day in the life of Lea."~now, didn't you enjoy that?~ big smile~

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Wednesday Hodgepodge


Well, Joyce has been keeping the airways busy, busy the past couple of months but she landed long enough this week to conjure up our questions for the week.  We had a nice break last week but it's back with it this week.  Wednesday just aren't quite the same without the HP.
  1. Since you weren't Hodgepodging last Wednesday, how did you pass the time?
Oh, that's easy, Clancy and his Momma were here visiting and we were busy having fun.  So, it worked well that HP was on a break because I truly did not have time for it last week. ~smile~

2. What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage? Yes, one word.

Committment

3. Summer officially arrives in the Northern hemishpere later this week. Does it feel like summer where you live? Describe your idea of the perfect summer day.

Yes, it definitely feels like summer but, except for a couple of really humid days, it has been perfect weather wise.  It has not gotten above 95 yet.  
A perfect summer day is beautiful weather, a little work and whole lot of fun with family or friends.

4. "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."(Sam Keen) Is laziness ever respectable? Do you have a lazy summer planned, or something semi-ambitious?

Webster defines laziness as: the quality of being unwilling to work or use energy, idleness. So, with that definition I do not think that laziness is ever respectable because everyone needs to be willing to work if they are able.  As the saying goes, "idle hands are the devil's workshop."  ~I do believe that~  
My summer would probably be classified as pretty "laid back" this year.  We have no big travel plans due to the house construction but we will be taking some short trips.  Hubby doesn't want his eye away from the construction for too long at a time and I'm in agreement.  He has a very keen eye when it comes to construction and he's going to do his best to make sure things are done right from the start. ~we shall see~ 

5. Past or present, who's your favorite television dad? Why is he a favorite? Is he anything like your own dad?

Hugh Reilly who played Paul Martin on the show, Lassie (aired from 1954-1971)   He was always such a pleasant and gentle man and even when he was aggravated with Timmy, he always displayed kindness.  I loved everything about that show! He didn't really remind me of my Dad or I don't remember thinking that "back in the day."  But, my Dad was and still is a very special man. ~grin~

  6. June 18th is International Picnic Day...share a favorite picnic memory.
Well, I can't recall just one favorite but rather many.  Money was tight, tight for most of my "growing up" years and picnics were something that we often did for fun, since they basically cost nothing.  Mom would pack the best lunches and we'd go to a nearby park, eat and then my brother and I would get to play on the swings, merry go round and slides.  Those times are definitely a favorite memory for me. ~simpler times for sure~

7. The travel site Trip Advisor lists the top five islands in the world for 2014 as- Ambergris Caye in Belize CayesProvidenciales in Turks and CaicosBora Bora in French Polynesia, Marco Island Florida, and Lewis and Harris in The Outer Hebrides (Scotland). Have you been to any of these? Of those listed (and if price were not a factor) which would you most like to book for a holiday?

I would choose The Outer Hebrides in Scotland.  After reading about it on Google, it looks to be beautiful and I've always had sort of yearning to go to Scotland.  I don't know exactly why other than I do have some Scottish blood in me.  But, it is highly more likely that I would go to Marco Island since it is in the US.  We've done foreign travel, but I truly have no more interest in it and I would have to leave the US to get to Scotland, so I'll just dream about that one. ~chuckle~

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
I am so excited!!!  My daughter and I have our tickets and hotel arrangements to attend The Declare Conference in Dallas on August 7 - 9th.   It is a christian bloggers conference and will be filled with inspiration and classes on the various "how to's" of blogging, at whatever level you are interested in.  I read several bloggers posts about it last year and knew that I wanted to try and attend this year.  And, I certainly had no idea that our daughter would live a mere 2 hours away from Dallas this year.  So, it has all worked out and we are so looking forward to share in this together.  And, to me, one of the best parts, is that it all takes places at the Dallas Marriott in Las Colinas.  The lodging, the meals and the conference, all in one place!!!  Yes, that's a big plus!!  This years theme is, "Wild Obedience."  I hope that some of you will be going also and that I will get to lay eyes on you.  See you there!!

Monday, June 16, 2014

HELLO Monday

 Another Monday, another day in our lives, another opportunity, let's make it count...........we will never pass this way again.
I'm linking up with Lisa Leonard today for Hello Monday.


Hello big bad storms........Last Monday afternoon our surrounding area was hit by some awful storms and possibly a tornado. Only one other time in the 33 years that we have lived in this house have we ever gotten in the downstairs hall bath to take cover.  But, last Monday found us right there.  Thankfully the damage was mostly to power lines and trees and while there was a lot of inconvenience, there were no injuries or loss of life.  
 ~~~~~
Hello Salad Chopper Shears.......if you do not know about these little fellas then you might like to find out.  I bought these a few months back and can I just say, I think they are "dandy."  You can see the serrated edge on the blades and they will chop up lettuce and other salad makings beautifully.  I do NOT like big pieces of lettuce and these allow you to make is as small as you would like.  And, they will make a fantastic chopped salad if you like that.  I only put my lettuce and shredded carrots in a bowl and use these shears to shop them.  I cut the tomatoes by hand.  Anyway, I always feel compelled to share these great "finds" with you and of course, I expect you to do the same. ~smile~  If you are interested in ordering these you can do so here for a mere $9.99. Amazon sells any and everything I have decided.  They are the bomb for sure!!!
~~~~~
Hello decisions and choices...........It has been 39 years since Hubby and I built a house.  I barely recall anything about the experience.  So, I feel like this is truly our "first" time to build a house and as you probably know, there are a whole bunch of decisions that have to be made.  We made a boatload just in the process of having the plans drawn.  But, now that construction has begun, it's big time decisions.  Decisions such as type of flooring and counter tops.  Then there are light fixtures, paint colors, appliances, plumbing fixtures. and the list goes on and on.  And, since most likely we will live with our choices for the rest of our lives ~that's scary~ it's real important we try and make good and smart decisions.  Thankfully we have already made a few of these decisions.  We both want to make this as much fun as possible.  I have no doubt there will be "moments" of frustration but we will take it a day at a time and ""go forth."  
~~~~~

Hello HOPE............In the book, Let Hope In, by Pete Wilson, he talks about how each day he makes the decision to do three practical things to share hope and love with others.  They are:
"Find value in every person"
"Overcome self-centeredness"
"Love people more than being right"
I'm thinking if all of us made that same decision every day we'd likely have a whole lot better world.  Do you not agree?

Okay, get out there and make this day count!!!

Friday, June 13, 2014

Five on Friday

1. Little boys and earthworms.........Oh, my goodness, our little Grandson, Clancy, is absolutely loving his new home in Texas.  He has a big, big yard to play in with all manner of creatures in it.  I was just so thankful that he had gloves on when he picked up this critter.  As you can tell, he was quite proud of himself!


2. Cousin love.....Bridget and Clancy came for a visit this week and Clancy and Hanna Beth had so much fun together.  They are polar opposites but still have the best time playing together.  And, listening to their conversations is just the cutest!  And, we are so, so glad that they will get to see more of each other since our daughter and family have moved within a short distance of us.  Yipee!!!


3. Poppa and Clancy fishing.......There is a small pond behind where our new house is being built.  Tommy took Clancy out to do a little fishing and he had a blast and wore his Poppa slap out!  This is the kind of stuff that memories are made of for sure.


4. New house "officially" begun.......Yesterday they began digging the footings for our new house.  Last week they did the pad and put in the culvert for the driveway.  So, it definitely looks like something is happening now.  Perhaps by this time next year we'll be settled in and enjoying our new abode. ~I sure hope so!~


Happy Father's Day........Hubby gets the award for being a top notch Dad!  If he has any fault about being a Dad it is that he loves his kids too much, if that's possible. ~smile~  I'm thankful for the priority his family has always been and continues to be.
 And, I'm so thankful to still have my Dad.  He's seen some tough, tough days since June 2011, but is doing extremely well the past few months.  And, if the Lord is willing, he will celebrate his 85th birthday this November.
Wishing these two "super"  Dads a most wonderful day!
 

Monday, June 9, 2014

Recap of our Anniversary Celebration


Last Wednesday morning Hubby and I headed out for Branson, Mo.  It is one of our most favorite places to go and we decided it would be a great place to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary on June 6th.
Since touring The College of the Ozarks a year and a half ago we knew that we wanted to stay at The Keeter Center.  If you have never heard of The College of the Ozarks, you need to go here and read all about it. I could write a short novel about it but I will not do that, but will let you check it out yourself if you are interested. ~aren't you glad~
   We arrived about mid afternoon and were taken to our Loft Suite.
It is far above a hotel!  We have stayed at 5 Star hotels and resorts in our 43 years of marriage and everything in between.  But, none have been any nicer or more accommodating than here at The Keeter Center. The room has king bed provisions, a nice sitting area with big screen TV, a kitchenette, huge bath with shower and jacuzzi tub and a balcony.  There are only a total of 15 rooms at the center, so there is never a crowd to contend with.  And, it is a smoke free, alcohol free and pet free facility.  We didn't know a place such as that existed today. We would give it a 6-Star rating!
The entire staff is made up of students attending the college.  They are the nicest young folks and go out of their way to make sure your every need is met.
When we got to our room each evening, this is what was awaiting us.  Homemade cookies and a fresh milk (straight from the cows raised there on land  by the college).  The cookies were HUGE and we brought all the extras home with us.
 Homemade ice cream is available as well as lots of homemade pastries.  Again, all of this is made by the students and it is so delicious. I tried the Raspberry Cream Cheese ice cream one afternoon. ~yummy~
 All of the decor at The Keeter Center is rustic and the entire center was built by the students as well.  Construction began in 2006 and it was finished in 2010. The logs used in the construction were brought in from Montana and they are huge!  The grounds are perfectly manicured and yes, you guessed it, they are kept by the students.  You could see students outside early each morning sweeping and making sure everything was in pristine shape before the guests began stirring.
 The lobby was beautifully decorated and we enjoyed visiting with some of the students as we wandered around in the lobby.  It was truly a time to slow down, step back and enjoy and we did just that.

The weather was a bit rainy for a large part of each day but we still got out and about.  We enjoyed several shows, one of which was The Oak Ridge Boys.  They are rarely in Branson but had a one night engagement there this summer and it happened to be last Thursday evening.  They never disappoint!
One evening we saw the play, Smoke on the Mountain and I laughed so hard and loud that no one had any doubt that I was there.  A musical comedy, doesn't get much better in my book!

Of course, all good things must come to an end. ~boo-hoo~ So, on Saturday morning we headed out towards home with enough memories to last a long, long time.  Need I say, it was a truly wonderful 43rd anniversary celebration!!!

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Wednesday Hodgepodge


Our dear Joyce, who comes up with these questions week in and week out, is a busy, busy gal, but always manages to work the Hodgepodge in somehow.  But, she is taking a "summer break" next week and she certainly deserves it.  And, that works great into my schedule as Bridget and Clancy will be here visiting and I'll be having family fun.  So, we'll see you in two weeks for the HP.

1. I've read several posts and status updates recently describing end of year school field trips. Do you remember taking school field trips as a kid? Where did you go and do you recall a favorite? For any parents responding today, have you ever chaperoned a school field trip, and if so where?

I have never thought about it, but I honestly cannot remember going on one end of school field trip.  And, I don't even remember going on any kind of field trip period.  Surely I would remember if I had gone on any. And, YES, I have chaperoned more field trips than the law allows.  I always had a big vehicle and could take a boatload of kiddos, so I was always asked to chaperone.  And, I'm so glad that I could do this as it brings back a lot of fun memories for me and hopefully for my two children as well.

2. What's something you're tired of seeing online?

Well, the first thing to come to my mind was the way FB shows every new comment made to someone's status a bazillion times.  And, often these are comments made by folks that I have no idea who they are, but because they made the comment on one of my friends status, I "get" to see it as well.  But, it's my choice to do FB and apparently I enjoy FB enough to put up with their way of doing things. ~big smile~ 

3. June is the month for roses. Which of the following expressions would you say has most recently applied to your life-'everything's coming up roses', 'there's no rose without a thorn', 'came out smelling like a rose', or 'wearing rose-colored glasses'? 

I think I'd have to say, "everything's coming up roses."  Our daughter and family have gotten moved to Texas and are just a short distance from us.  And, after a lot of prayer and pondering, Hubby and I are building a new house.  All the "i's have been dotted and the t's have been crossed" for construction to begin any day now. ~weather permitting~  And, my precious Daddy continues to do so well.  It will be 3 years on June 9th that he was stricken with GBS and I truly never thought he'd enjoy another day of his life.  But, the Lord had other plans and in the past 2-3 months he has been doing much better, and more like the man he was before his illness. ~thank you Jesus~

4. When grilling outdoors do you prefer gas or charcoal? Who does the grilling at your house? What's the last thing you ate that was cooked on a grill?

We prefer a gas grill and I do the bulk of the grilling. I grilled center cut pork chops this past Monday night.  I do a lot of grilling  in the spring and summer months.

5. Are you afraid of the dark?

I can't say that I like "pitch black" darkness but I'm not afraid of the dark.  And, I prefer it to be pretty much dark, dark when I am sleeping. No night lights for me!

6. Share a favorite song with a number in it's title.

3 Times a Lady, first by the Commodores and then Kenny Rogers.  I like it best sung by the Commodores. 

7. "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."(C.G. Jung). Do you agree? Why or why not?
  I do agree partially.  Sometimes the things that irritate us about others are the flaws we may see in ourselves and are most unhappy about.  Of course, if we are aware of this then it can help us to work on these flaws.  If not, then we are probably blind to our own flaws. ~hope that makes sense~

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

An awesome cast
 As I've stated many times, I watch movies and PBS series from Netflix on my Ipad most every morning while walking on the treadmill.  I just finished watching the movie, Finding Normal and it is one of my all time favorites!!! It was a "made for TV" movie from 2013.  And, I had no idea until I watched it that it was filmed just down the road from us, in Columbia, La.  So, if you are looking for a great movie with a superb lesson, you will love it!
 ~~~~
 No blog post for me on Friday as Hubby and I are off for Branson, MO. this morning celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary. 
 ~that's a long time~
 

Monday, June 2, 2014

HELLO Monday............

It's Monday, and the first Monday of June.  How can that be?  We are almost half way through another year and it seems like we just celebrated Christmas.  Whee! time, it does march right on......
HELLO Maxi Dress.............. 
It seems that Maxi Dresses are the "be all, do all" right now.  I found this one on the sale rack at Chico's a few weeks back and decided to "go for it."  I really like the longer length and think they are so feminine.  Trouble with most all dresses (no matter the length) that they are sleeveless and this gal hasn't done sleeveless in many a year.  But, they make so many cute shrugs that cover a multitude of sins, so I just popped one over this dress and thought it made it very nice looking. ~grin~
HELLO lots and lots of boxes and paper..........
This is what it looks like around our daughter's house right now.  The moving van unloaded their "stuff" this past Saturday and she is in the midst of trying to get the boxes unloaded and the "stuff" put in it's rightful place.  She said she had never seen so much packing paper around each item in her life.  I suppose they were going to be doubly sure that they were responsible for nothing breaking.  But, it caused them to have probably double the boxes to unpack because half of each box is packing.  Oh, the joys horrors of moving!

HELLO Cypress Knees........
Hubby and I were out with friends on a little excursion this past weekend and saw more cypress knees than the law allows.  Perhaps they are a rarity where you live, but, they are in abundance here in the swamps, bayous and lakes of Louisiana.  And, it is so amazing all the items you can find made from these "ugly looking things."  They almost look like some kind of creature when they are sticking out of the water but can sure be crafted into some nice looking decorative pieces.  

HELLO  43 years of marriage........
    Tommy doesn't look none too happy does he?  And, I look like I might be 12 years old.            
 Hubby and I will celebrate 43 years of marriage this Friday, June 6th.  We decided to take off on a little getaway to celebrate and our destination will be Branson, MO.  We have been going to Branson for many years and never tire of it.  It has lovely countryside, great entertainment, good food, and shopping.  What else could one want?  And, we know once the house gets under construction that we likely will not be going off, so we'd better go NOW!  We'll leave Wed. for 3-4 days and return ready to tackle the task that lies ahead. 
And, remember, this week to..........