A Mickey Kind of Hodgepodge

And, how can it be 8 days until Thanksgiving?  With all this year has held and all the adjustments we all have had to make, it truly has flown by.  But, for now, I'll get back on track with today's Hodgepodge questions.  It's always a nice diversion for sure.

1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?

Oh, yes, I've been to Disney more times than I care to count.  I am definitely not a superfan and I vowed that when we went with all the Grans in 2018 that I didn't plan to return.  Disney is a grand place and there isn't one i that hasn't been dotted or one t that hasn't been crossed and their motto has to be "cleanliness is next to Godliness."  But, with that being said, I'm over Disney and think that families miss so many other grand places across this country because they think their child/children MUST go to Disney in order to live. But, let me hush about that and likely the only time I will ever go back is for the annual flower show at Epcot in early spring.  Hubby and I might actually try to go to that at some point because I hear it is stunningly beautiful.  If we should ever go, we will go to Epcot for that and no where else. 

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? 

My favorite place to go for quietness is right here in our home.  I love quiet with perhaps a little easy listening music and I can generally get all I want and need right here.  I'm definitely NOT a churchmouse but perhaps somewhere between that and mighty mouse. I enjoy having a good time and I do have a very contagious laugh but I prefer to blend in with the crowd, not stand out.

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate? Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread? 

Well, had no idea there was such a day.  I do love homemade bread but I can't even remember the last time I made it.  I use to have a bread machine and enjoyed using it for a few years and then lost interest and have never regained it. ~sigh~  Tommy and I enjoyed some really good hot bread this past weekend at a little restaurant in a nearby town.  And, they had some delicious cinnamon butter to go with it. Yummy!  Bread with grain(s) or wheat bread is my favorite.

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? 

Oh, my, I could say that about soooo many things but the first thing that came to my mind was the cell phone.  Yes, they can be a total nuisance but can we really imagine life without them at this point.  Yes, some folks are wayyyyy tooooo attached and as with most things, too much importance can be placed on them.  But, they truly are "the greatest thing since sliced bread." 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

1 - Well, think Tommy would have to first, I mean I've spent the past 

49 years of my life with him.  It's been quite the ride that I'm thankful for.

2 - Time - thankful for every day the Lord gives me

3 - Treats - such as peppermint chocolate that's popular this time of year

4 - Thanksgiving - when family will be here and fun will ensue

5 - Trinity - God the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost

6. Insert your own random thought here

Thanks to so many of you for your prayers and thoughts concerning my Dad's surgical procedure last week.  He had an agressive skin cancer removed on his neck and he did absolutely beautifully.  He had the entire staff wrapped around his little finger and we could not have asked for better treatment.  He was a little uncomfortable for about 36 hours but after that, it was uphill.  He has about a 3 1/2 " incision and it has healed without any problems.  It was done on his 91st birthday so he'll have an easy way to remember turning 91 for sure.  He's a trooper!

A Peaceful Hodgepodge

It's another Wednesday, the Wednesday after the most important Presidential election in the history of our country, but our Joyce, didn't let that stand in her way.  She provides us questions and we provide the answers.  Take a break from the news and enjoy these questions and answers.

1. How do you define peace? 

A tranquil feeling, one that I'm praying for our nation to know in the days ahead. 

And, love this collage of words about peace

2. November 3rd is Election Day in the US of A, but did you know it's also National Sandwich Day? Let's vote, shall we? egg salad or tuna salad? chicken salad or grilled chicken on a bun? peanut butter and jelly or a bagel with cream cheese? turkey and swiss or ham and cheddar? grilled cheese or pimento cheese? roast beef-corned beef-or make mine veggie? 

I guess there is a day for EVERYTHING!  I'll pass on either egg or tuna salad if I have a choice. I'll take chicken salad or grilled chicken on a bun.  But, PLEASE, do not put any.kind.of.fruit in my chicken salad. ~grin~ No peanut butter and jelly or me but yes to a bagel with cream cheese. Definitely turkey and swiss over ham and cheddar and grilled cheese or pimento will be fine.  And, once again, I'll pass on roast beef, corned beef or veggie. I'm really quite the sandwich gal, I eat a lot of them and could probably live on them. 

3. When did you last say (or feel) 'no rest for the weary'? 

I do believe that I said those actual words to my Dad last week.  We were in Shreveport at Oshner's doing all the prep work for his surgical procedure this next Monday.  My goodness, it was a LOT and we both grew very weary but we preservered!

4. This time last year, where were you? 

We were right here on "our hill" enjoying the fall weather and the anticipation of Thanksgiving. 

5. Share a favorite song, verse, or quote featuring the word 'peace'. 

One of my very favorites!!!!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Well, as many of you, this is not what I had prayed and hoped for the day after the election. I'm sure, like me, you were hoping for a winner last night.  But, we were warned this was a strong possibility and now we wait, and wait some more.  May the Lord be merciful and what a comfort to know that HE is still on His throne and still in charge.

October Prime Purchases

Well, what a day to have the Prime Purchase post!  I mean, it's likely the day of the most important election to ever happen in the US.  Oh, well, this will be a nice diversion for sure and you might even see something that you can't live without.  I had a couple of folks ask me to share some of the Christmas gifts I'll be giving to the Grans.  So, I'll include some of those in this post.  

SWEATER

This is the cutest.sweater.ever!  I got the one on the right, so I can't speak about the other 3.  It is the softest sweater and while it is banded at the bottom, it is NOT a tight band.  It hangs perfectly.  There are two styles of sweaters on this link.  The other has a bell type sleeve and a loose bottom but I do not prefer that style.  But, check them out and see what you think.  They are a great price too.  My friend, Andrea over at Living on Cloud Nine modeled this sweater on one of her posts a few weeks ago and I liked it so well I had to order it. 

AMAZON

SIGNATURE   LEVI  PULL  ON  JEANS

I wasn't at all sure about these jeans when I ordered them but I liked the reviews and I liked the pull on styling, so decided to order a pair.  They are great!  They fit great in spite of being "skinny legged" and have a lot of stretch that makes them comfortable.  And, once again, the price can't be beat.

AMAZON

ETEKCITY  LANTERNS

You remember our area has been hit really hard the past 6 weeks by storms from both Laura and Delta.  Electricity was out pretty much everywhere.  We have a full house generator which has been such a blessing.  Anyway, my neighbor showed me these lanterns during the last outage and they are the coolest "quick lighting" I have ever seen.  They are LED, and they are so compact.  You just pull the handles up and "whala" you have light.  They come 4 to a box for about $21.  I am giving some of these as Christmas gifts.

AMAZON

FISHER  PRICE  LITTLE  PEOPLE  FARM 

Now, do I need to tell you who this cute set is for?  Probably not.  This is for Case.  Both of his brothers had this as well but after the two of them played with it, there wasn't much left, so Case is getting a new one for Christmas. BTW, Case will be 16 months old at Christmas, a great age for this farm set.

AMAZON

MELISSA  AND  DOUG  MAGIC  IN  A SNAP

Another gift for a Gran, this Melissa and Doug magic set.  This will be for Coleman who is 5 years old.  He's mesmerized by magic so perhaps he will enjoy being able to put on his own magic show. 

AMAZON 

KIDS  SILK  PAJAMAS 

I bet I don't even have to tell you who is getting these gorgeous silk pajama's for Christmas.  The Gran girls of course.  These really are pretty and appear to be of great quality. One is getting purple and one is getting pink.  The girls are 11 and 5 years of age.

AMAZON

GRABBER

Okay, folks if you do not have one of these, you need one.  They are so handy!  I think we have 3 here at our house.  I keep one in our pantry to reach lightweight items on the top shelf.  They are also great for picking things up and they are great for getting things from behind items.  Hubby keeps one in the back of his SUV so that if something he needs has slipped to far up in the cargo area he can reach it with this rather than having to crawl up in the back of the vehicle.  Hey, this might make a great Christmas gift for someone you know too.

AMAZON

SHOOTING  GAME  GUN

Okay, if you want to give your child or your Gran a really fun toy/game, then go order this right now.  This, of course, will be for the Gran boys.  It's a great winter indoor game as the balls are Nerf balls. It's for ages 5 and up, so I figure Clancy and Coleman will likely have a big time with it and knowing them, they will be shooting baby Case with the Nerf balls.  ~poor baby~

AMAZON

LONG CARDIGAN

This is a really good looking longer cardigan.  I got it in red and can't wait to wear it during the Christmas season. It comes in 15 colors, yes 15!  And, it's only $29.99.  If you are looking for a longer length cardigan, then look no further.

AMAZON

MEN'S  TRACK  SUIT

Ladies, if the man in your life needs some causal and comfortable  attire then I highly recommend this.  It is called a "track suit" in the description but I refer to it as a jogging suit.  I guess "track suit" is the newer term, but, regardless, it is really good looking.  My Hubby always likes to have a couple of these in the cooler/colder months as a "grab and go" outfit.  The fabric is awesome and I got a coordinating  tee shirt to go with the two I bought.  Both my husband and my Daddy do NOT want a hood, they want pockets both in the jacket and the pants and they want straight legs (not cuffs that fit tightly at the ankle).  These meet all their requirements.  They have some great colors as well. 

AMAZON

Okay, there you have it!  Now, if you have not voted, go VOTE!!! Let your voice be heard and pray that God's will be done as the future of our country is at stake.  Let us cling to this verse.........

Where Ya Been?

If I have any readers left I imagine you are asking, "what's going on with Lea."  Well, I decided it was time to catch you sweet folks up on the "goings on" with me.  It nothing spectacular but just had other things vying for my time.  Blogging is really an enjoyment for me but, I've learned that if I have to miss a week or two that the world really will keep revolving. ~smile~   And, I have not visited around as I usually do either, but I do try to visit around weekly and keep up with my favorite bloggers.  So, there you have it, now on to what I've been up to.

All of you likely know that Louisiana has been hit especially hard by hurricanes this year.  We live in the NE section of the state and generally all we get is the aftermath of rain and mild winds.  Well, Laura and Delta had other ideas and slammed us extra hard.  We had winds up to 70mph with Laura and she left her mark all over our area and then, less than a month later, Delta makes her mark.  Her winds were not as high but she caused as much or more damage than Laura in our area.  It will likely be months before all the homes, and roofs are repaired and the debris is cleaned up.  It's clearly evident as you ride through our town that we were hit.  Hubby and I are so thankful that we have a treeless lot (we have lots and lots of trees in our view across from our pond) and had little to nothing to clean up following either storm.  Electricity was out following both storms for 3-5 days in some areas.  We had a full house generator put in and I really questioned Hubby about the necessity of that when he did it.  But, can I just tell you, I was so thankful for it during those days.  We had dear friends come and stay in our guest apartment during Laura as they were without electricity for4 days.  It was a time that we hope to not repeat for many a year.  Since Hubby is in the insurance business, his staff has been extra busy taking care of all the claims during this difficult time. 

About 4 weeks ago we loaded up the girlies and took them to Poppa's deer hunting woods.  It was a beautiful day and we all had such a good time.  We rode through the woods on his buggy and Poppa showed them deer tracks, bear tracks and let them help him fill his feeders.  It was a memory making day. 

A couple of weeks ago we went to Oklahoma to see Bridget and family.  We decided to leave a day early and go through Dallas and stay the night at The Gaylord.  It is one of our most favorite resorts and we were beyond shocked when we arrived.  The place was pretty much dead.  We've been there on many occasions and the check in lines are long and the place is all a buzz with folks.  I don't know that we saw 40 other people.  The receptionist said that things had pretty much come to a halt since the Covid.  They had no bellmen, only 1 restaurant was open, and no live music.  It was decorated for fall and Halloween but not to the magnitude that it usually is.  While we enjoyed our stay it was very sad to see them obviously struggling to keep their doors open. The story of so many businesses.

We had a great time with the boys and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  Thankfully we weren't there this week as they are dealing with an awful ice storm and no electricity.  Pictured above we are enjoying a big breakfast at Jimmy's Egg.  

One day we got a babysitter to watch Case so that Bridget and I could enjoy a little mother/daughter time with no interruptions.  We began our day at our favorite tea room with brunch.  It was a very special time for us.  Poppa kept the two older boys and they keep him busy for sure. 

About 2 months ago Tommy and I started the Netflix series, Heartland.  We have so enjoyed it and we are not even half way through at this time.  There are 14 seasons with lots of episodes per season and I imagine it will keep us busy through the remainder of the year.  If you are looking for something really good to watch and is clean, then I highly recommend this series.  All the characters are so interesting and play their parts to the hilt.  It's far more entertaining and relaxing than anything on TV.  I grab my crochet hook and go to town while watching it.  Guess that makes me sound like a very "mature" woman doesn't it? ~chuckle~ 

And, my sweet brother and his wife left Oro Valley, Arizona early yesterday morning headed to their new home in Tyler, Texas.  I can hardly believe that they are going to only be 3 1/2 hours up the road.  Suzy's Mom and sister live in Tyler and that is where Joel and Suzy were married.  So, they have come full circle and I do believe this will be home to them for a long time.  Joel retired a couple of years ago, yes, at a very young age and at that time they moved from Des Moines, Iowa to Arizona.  They did enjoy their time in Arizona but just felt it was time to get nearer to family.  Joel still does some consulting work and can do that from wherever they live.  He is such a support to me in my over seeing the care of our Daddy and now will be near enough to come without a lot of hassle should he need to.  My heart is very happy about this. The above picture was taken in August when they were here for a visit. 

And, this sweet man, my Daddy, has been dealing with some aggravating issues lately.  And, if he's dealing with them, so am I.  His regular dentist found two small abcesses in two of his bottom jaw teeth about 3 weeks ago.  He referred us to an oral surgeon, so off we went.  So, last week he had both of those teeth pulled.  Thankfully he did so well in spite of the fact that one of them had to be cut out. Then he had one of his front teeth and the tooth next to it break off at the root.  He's never had great teeth and I think his 91 years and love of Snickers is probably catching up with him.  We will take care of having those roots removed as soon as we address his latest issue.

Sometime around the time that Covid started Daddy had a spot about the size of a pencil eraser come up on his neck.  Fast forward to September and that place had grown to about the size of a quarter and very angry looking.  I took him to his GP for something else and he saw the spot and told us that it was a skin cancer and needed to come off.  So, I immediately called Daddy's dermatologist and was able to get him in within a week.  After a biopsy of that spot and one on his ear it was determinded that they were Squamous Cell Carcinomas.  The one on his ear was very small but the bigger one was located just below his jawline on his neck and was classified as aggressive on pathology report.  His dermatologist immediately referred us to a  dermatologist that specializes in cancer and is a part of the Oschner Hospital Systems in Shreveport, about 120 miles from us.  We went over this past Monday for our consult with this Dr. and she will be surgically removing it on Nov. 9th (Daddy's 91st birthday). She wanted to do it in a hospital setting so she would have access to pathology while she is removing it.  It is a precarious procedure due to all the nerves and blood vessels in the neck.  She feels confident it will go well and plans to do it under light anesthesia with heavy local deadening.  He will be discharged  afterwards as long as all goes as planned and we are certainly praying to that end.  One would think that he was having open heart surgery with all of the pre-op procedures he had to go through while we were over there Monday.  Blood work, chest x-ray, anesthesiology consult, surgery consult and the "blessed" Covid test!  We left at 8:00 that morning and got home at 7:00 that evening.  It was a long day for all of us but especially Daddy.  He was such a trooper through it all and everyone that we came in contract with was so very nice.  They require that he have the Covid test on the 5th or 6th and that we bring the negative result paper with us.  Well, I have had a time finding a place that does the rapid test but I was successful today and he will have it done next Thursday and we will guard that paper with our lives as without it, they will NOT do the procedure.  I covet your prayers for him and for me. I feel that there will certainly be a certain amount of discomfort/pain  following this procedure and I hate that he even has to go thru it.  But, thankful for pain meds and the Dr. assured us that she will do her best to keep him very comfortable.  

I find it so interesting with all the Covid testing because you can test negative one day and have the virus the next day.  I just.do.not.get.it!!!  But, it is what it is and we have to live with it.

AND, the big news, my friends, is, that 3 weeks ago I was granted privileges to go into the facility where my Dad lives.  The director of the facility called and told me that if I would go and take the Covid test and bring her a negative test result that I would be deemed an Essential Caregiver and could come and go as I needed to see and care for Daddy.  Soooooo, not sure why I couldn't have been "essential" from the very beginning but no sense worrying about that, I'm just more than grateful that I can come and go as I need to now.  I do have to wear a mask, sign in, fill out an entry form, have my temp taken and take a deep breath when I go in.  And, I have to have a Covid test every 30 days.  Good grief, it's all such a nightmare!

And, there you have it..........

A Boo-ti-ful Hodgepodge

Oh, it's so good to be joining the HP today.  I've missed the past 2-3 weeks as life has just gotten in the way.  And, I'll be doing a "catch up" post a bit later this week so that you won't forget that I still do exist. ~chuckle~  

1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)...pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately. 

Humm........first thing that came to my mind is boo-boo.  I'm not going into detail about it, but I had to take my Daddy to his dermatologist about 3 weeks ago with a boo-boo he had on his neck that looked very suspicious to me.  And, it was and we are up to our ears right now in preparation to have that taken care of soon.  I'll give more details when I do my next post.

2. Do you like the color orange? Would we find this color in your home? Your wardrobe? Peach-pumpkin-tangeringe...your favorite shade of the three listed? 

I'm not a fan or orange and you definitely won't find it in our home.  I have a couple of pumpkin colored clothes but no true orange.  But, I love everything about pumpkin, the color and the taste. ~chuckle~

3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What's the last chocolate something you tasted? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it? 

I just had a Dove chocolate mint after our dinner.  I generally go to the candy jar and grab a Dove chocolate after dinner.  Not sure why, but I do.  I would rate the Dove mint a 5 or 6 out of 10.  I prefer the caramel filled Dove's and rate them a 10.

4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump's mama. Would you agree? Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life. 

Yes, I so agree!  Life is full of so many unexpected happenings.  I could give so many illustrations of this in my life, but the death of my Mom immediately came to mind.  I had gone over to have coffee and a piece of her fresh baked apple pie on Nov. 30, 2008 with her and my Daddy.  I was leaving the next morning headed to Oklahoma and hugged her and Daddy good bye around 4:00.  At 9:30 that evening my Daddy called to tell me that Momma had just had a stroke and the ambulance way on it's way.  I would have never in my life expected such, in just a matter of 5 1/2 hours my Mom was gone.  As I said, I can tell of so many more unexpected happenings and there are as many good as bad.  It's just the way life is.  

5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we're bidding adieu. 

1 - Cooler temps

2 - Saw our Oklahoma family

3 - Another month closer to 2021 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Our Oklahoma family has been hit by a big ice storm the past couple of days.  It came out of the blue and schools have been closed 2 days and likely will be closed again tomorrow.  Bridget and family have not lost electricity yet and hopefully the sun is going to come out real soon and melt it all away and they can get back to normal ~whatever that is, who knows at this time~

During these perilous times I find comfort in this: 

September Prime Purchases

AND, it's the first Tuesday in Oct. and that means I get to share with you some of my Amazon finds.

 GLOSSY  BLACK  SHOPPING  BAGS

If you have been reading my prime purchase entries for very long, you likely know that I love bags.  These are large merchandise bags but they come in handy for soooo much.  They are great for carrying things somewhere or they can even be tied with a cute bow and ribbon and used as a gift bag.  You and a friend could split them and each take half.  Either way, they are nice to have.

AMAZON

PUSH  BUTTON  TAPE MEASURE

These are the greatest little tape measures and are perfect for your purse.  I ALWAYS have a tape measure in my purse and I can't tell you how many times I use it.  These come 3 to a pack and would make great stocking stuffers and little "happies" for friends.

AMAZON

TRAVEL  MAKEUP  CASE

This is a cute travel makeup case.  It is soft sided but has plenty of body to stand firm.  It has removable dividers and it is the perfect size for my makeup and I LOVE the animal print!

AMAZON

LADIES  WALLET

Okay, I needed a new wallet and let me tell you, this is the "granddaddy" of all wallets.  I LOVE it!  It has lots and lots of space for cards, money and coins.  And, it keeps everything so organized and easy to find.  The coin and bill compartment is separate and you don't have to unsnap it to get to those.  It's easy access.  It comes in several colors and I got the red.  It is so pretty and it is real leather.   Yes, it is a big wallet but that's what I like.  If you are not into a big wallet then you likely will not care for it.

AMAZON

HEEL  PADS

Do you ever buy a pair of shoes that slightly slip on your heels.  Well, these may take care of that issue for you.  They adhere inside the heel of the shoe and will keep your shoe from slipping up and down. I have to use these a lot as I have a narrow foot but so often the shoes I want/like do not come narrow and I need heel pads on a medium width plus insoles.  If I like a pair of shoes a lot, I'll do whatever I have to do to adjust the fit.  But, they still must be comfortable.  I'm long over wearing uncomfortable shoes. 

AMAZON

RELIC BY FOSSIL HANDBAG

This is the greatest handbag!  It allows me to keep the items inside my purse organized.  It has a center zipper compartment  and that way I can have two sides to keep my "stuff."  And, it has two really big outside pockets and those are a MUST for me on any handbag.  It comes in several colors, is large but not too large and has a magnetic snap closure.

AMAZON

SPRAY  BUTTER FOR THEATER STYLE POPCORN

If you like buttered theater popcorn, then you will love this spray.  I love popcorn and I love butter on it but I don't want the calories that butter adds.  This spray is calorie free and oh, so good.  No joke!  I have never seen it before but it will now become a staple at our house.

AMAZON

BARF  BAGS

Okay, now stop laughing!  I had no idea you could purchase these until I recently saw them in someone's car.  I immediately ordered some and have shared them with my children.  It seems that all of our Grans have at one time or the other thrown up in the car and these would have sure been handy. Yes, a child does have to be old enough and able to hold them but anyway, not to be gross but felt I owed it to you to let you know these are available.  They are packaged very compact and then open up to a large size.  Enough about these.  

AMAZON

HOTOUCH  PJ'S

I shared the capri version of these back in the spring and now that cooler weather is around the corner, these would be nice to have.  As I said, I use these for lounging clothes but they are pj's.  So, suit yourself and wear them for either or both.  These wash  and wear well.

AMAZON

That's it for this month and remember, Christmas is just around the corner.  So, perhaps these posts can help you with your Christmas shopping ideas.

Wishing each of you splashes of joy!!!