May 30, 2015

Ahhh... Saturday!

And Sunshine!

May 30, 2015

Caladiums at Mom's house

This morning I had no obligations.  There was no one I had to pick up.  There was no where I had to be.  I slept late!  I woke about 6:30 as Ron was leaving, rolled over and went back to sleep until about 9:15.  That was so nice.  It was nice just to get up when I was ready. It was 10:30 I think before I ate breakfast and 11:30 before I got dressed.  Some days, it takes so little to please me.  A little kitchen cleaning and that ended my lazy morning.

New hibiscus at Mom's blooming

At 1:00 I went to Ron's mom's house to pick up Carmen and then we went to my mom's to pick up Mom.  They came to my house and Carmen cleaned and Mom relaxed until time for the two of us to go to the grocery store.  She did her shopping and I did the shopping for me and for Ron's mom.  She did not need much.  After loading the groceries into the car we went by Ron's mom's house and delivered her groceries.  She was doing a little better than when I had been there earlier.  Then I drove to Mom's house and unloaded her groceries, put the cold things away and left her to finish them and went home.

A variety of Moss Rose at Mom's house

By the time I got home, it was almost time to take Carmen back to Mom's house.  I talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico briefly.  They bought a car today and are so excited.  They have had constant problems with the one they had and it lasted until they decided what they wanted.  Our daughter-in-law had done the research on the car and then visited car dealers all over the town and found a good deal on a very low mileage car and they were able to get it today! 

The Golden Shower tree at Ron's mom's house

 is blooming for the third time this year.

Carmen and I are learning to communicate a little better in our different languages.  She uses a translation program on her phone as a last resort.  I think we would be even better friends if we spoke the same language!  What a blessing she continues to be to our family, or make that families as she helps with Ron's mother as her helper is out of town for a couple of weeks.

Ron's mom ready for an afternoon rest

Back at the house I joined Ron in the front yard where he had worked hard all afternoon.  Lots of trees had sprouted in the flower beds after all this rain we have had and he had been removing them.  He took out two dead tree trunks in the front yard and then worked on a flower bed that was taking over the front yard where I had Shrimp Plant.  He took out the ones that had crept out of the flower bed and moved them down the entire front of the house on one side of the sidewalk.  He moved about 20 clumps of the shrimp plants.  It will look a little strange for a while, but in no time at all I think they will be doing well.

Golden Shower blooms

It was hot and muggy outside today.  I don't know how Ron managed to work out there all afternoon.  Thirty minutes for me and I was soaking wet from sweat and he was the one doing the work. 

Mom's new hibiscus

May 29, 2015

From Stunning Clouds 

to Heavy Rains

May 29, 2015

Early in the morning I took care of things in the yard.  I actually had not gone in the backyard for three days and the feeders, ponds, and birdbaths needed attention.  I spent 30 working in the yard and watered all of the potted plants before going in the house to take the last of the trash out to the street since it was trash pick-up day.  As I went out the garage door, there was a stunning cloud formation off to the east.  Naturally, I went back in for my camera.

Across our side street the clouds above our neighbor's house

On the weather radar there was a rain storm headed toward us from the west, but it was weakening as it headed our way and I was not sure we would end up with any rain.  I took my shower and did a few household chores before returning to the sewing room.  Looking out, the blue sky that had been the backdrop for those stunning clouds earlier was completely covered with gray clouds.

Rain at the office - looking down the street from our office

It was time to go to work but I debated waiting to see if we got the heavy winds that were predicted.  I decided to go on to the office and as I pulled the car out of the garage, a few raindrops started to fall.  I think the rain storm from the west collided with the clouds from the east and we were in the middle.  By the time I got to the office, it was raining very hard.  We did not get the heavy winds or possible hail, but we got just over 1 3/4 inches of rain in about an hour.

Water up to the bottom of our step on the side street

The corner by our office tends to flood.  It has always been that way and probably always will be.  Some of the things the city has tried have made matters worse, but the most recent "fix" has helped a tiny bit.  The side street still quickly floods, but the street in front, doesn't flood as rapidly.  By no means is it fixed to deal with rains like Dallas has had, but the amount we had with the morning rains just brought water to the bottom of the step, not the top of the step.

 Some drivers seem to love to rinse the bottom of their cars

Not a lot was accomplished during the morning.  Our customers rarely want to wade through the water to get to our business.  Those that do, often send waves of water into the showroom, so we would prefer they wait until the water goes down.

Ron had several errands to take care of for his mother and spent a lot of time in and out over the afternoon taking care of those.  I took care of customers and sewed.  I was experimenting with a new pattern and had a good time.  In no way was it perfect, but I like the outcome of the block.  For this project I am using batik fabrics and attempting to created a stained glass look in the blocks.  I finished one at the office and one during the evening at home.

New quilt squares I am working on

The Championship playoff game for our grandson was rained out and has been rescheduled for Monday evening.  They had hoped for Saturday morning, but not enough boys on either team could make it.  We went to supper with my mom.  I picked her up at 5:15 and we went to Jason's Deli.  It was quieter than usual.  I think the TV was turned down.  We had  a good visit and good food.

A few more morning cloud photos

During the day I had exchanged texts with our son and daughter-in-law in the Dallas area.  Both of them had to go to work.  My daughter-in-law has a long drive to work, but said all went well considering the approximately 8 inches of rain they had received over night.  During the evening I talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  They are having to replace their car and she has been busy shopping for a good newer used car.  They think they have found what they need.

With my Cochlear Implant, the sound processor shuts down when the noises around it are very loud.  Sometimes my sneezes can do that; sometimes the thunder can cause it to shut down.  The shut down is usually about 2 seconds unless the loud sound is prolonged.  The thunder did it a couple of time during the morning.

Rain continues to be in our forecast but there have been few flooding problems around town.  There are areas that always flood and people know that and avoid those areas.  Once the rain is over, things usually drain fairly quickly.  I am surprised that Dallas is not pumping water out of the flooded underpasses as they do in this area.  Our area continues to be beautiful following all the rains.  There are blooms of every type and color all over town.  It does get hard to time the mowing between the rains.  I need to do the backyard this weekend.

May 28, 2015

And, The Winners Are...

May 28, 2015

This is not the exact same photo from Tuesday's blog, but it was taken on Tuesday.  I did not get any photos taken today.  It was a busy day!  But the photo belongs here because in our grandson's Little League game tonight in the playoffs, THEY WON!  Our grandson, the cute guy at bat, scored a run!  They won tonight's game 8-6 and play tomorrow night for the Championship!  What fun!  We did not get to the game because there was a time change and our daughter-in-law forgot she had not told us.  Oh, well.  We got there at 7:30 and his game had been at 5:00.  We are delighted that he won and will do our best to be at tomorrow's game.

The rest of my day was a lot less exciting.  Ron let me sleep a little late this morning and yet I got to the office earlier than usual.  I had breakfast after I got to the office.  A little later I met the lady whose car I backed into Tuesday night (after the ball game), at the car repair place and they will fix her car Monday.  We stayed and chatted a bit and it is always good to deal with someone and find out that they are a Christian and that they are trusting God to take care of things going on around them.

Back at the office, I did a little waiting on the customers and Ron went out of a job.  He got back and before long I left.  I had an appointment this afternoon with a throat specialist to see how to deal with my tonsils that are a frequent problem.  He had several suggestions and I will try them.  He is going to run one test next week on Tuesday.

Since the doctor is a specialist in ear, nose, and throat, I told him about my Cochlear implant and he was delighted.  He said he sends all his patients with special needs to the doctor in Houston who did my surgery and said he thinks very highly of Dr. Chang, my surgeon.  I really liked this man.  His assistant who took the initial information was a young, fast talking, nervous man and I really had to have him repeat everything he said.

I returned to the office, and worked on a new experimental quilt project.  I quickly found out I needed to make some changes to the way I had thought I could do it.  I needed more contrast and variety in the colors, so it is back to the drawing board.

A little before closing time I went by Mom's and changed her medicated patch and visited for a while before going to the house to meet Ron so we could go to supper with our friends.  We had good Mexican food again and a fun visit with our friends. 

Then it was off to the baseball game at the wrong time.  From there we headed home and I chatted with one of my kids by phone and one by phone texts.  I was asking them if they needed new umbrellas yet and they both said no but one said a boat might be in order.  He agreed life jackets also might be a good idea.  He lives in the Dallas area.  The other one I talked to is in the San Antonio area.  They both say their cities are pretty water logged.

May 27, 2015

Texas, Our Texas!

All Hail the Mighty State!

May 27, 2015

If you aren't from Texas, it could be hard for you to understand how a Texan feels about certain things.  We love Texas!  We love our bluebonnets.  We were not happy when Alaska became a state and made us have to change a line in our state song.  Previously it said "Largest and grandest, with standing ev'ry test..."  Now it says, "Boldest and grandest..."  We love our state and we are proud to be Texans.  I could go on for hours about what makes Texas great, but I think it just comes down to the people.  We are friendly.  We love each other.  We want the best for our neighbors and ourselves.  When our people hurt, we want to help.

Texas isn't just big, it is HUGE!  I used to laugh when I would travel to another state or another country and someone would find out I was from Texas and say, "Oh, I have a friend in Dallas.  Do you happen to know__________?"  Dallas is over 550 miles north from where I live.  El Paso is about 825 miles northwest from here.  The recent flooding, missing people, loss of homes, loss of businesses, loss of treasures that hold memories, all those things bring heartache to all of us.

Personally I do not  know the people who have lost family members, homes, and possessions, but today I was exchanging emails with a friend in Central Texas who was taking food to her church for the family and friends of a lady who died a few days ago in their area when her car was swept away in the floods.  She said all of that part of their small town was parked up with cars from people attending the funeral this morning and that every seat was taken in the church and in the overflow areas.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, we have family members in Corpus Christi who are friends with those who are missing from Wimberly.  My nephew's wife is keeping people from the church updated on the search through online postings.  Texas can be like a big, extended family.  We each wish we could be out there looking, or preparing food for the searchers, or helping to clean the mud and muck out of the businesses and homes that were flooded.  I am so very proud of our state.  I am proud to be a Texan.

My day started early as I had to be up to do the allergy shots.  I am still bruising myself a lot.  I have always bruised easily so this is nothing new and recent blood tests were all great, so it is just me.  I arrived at the office a little earlier than most days.  Ron was in and out during the day.  I had a variety of customers to help.

Oh, I forgot to mention something that has happened a few times lately and happened this morning.  When I arrived at the office, there were some men at the shop from the utility company getting keys made.  After they left I could hear an alarm type sound and got me keys out to go turn off my car alarm.  It turned out not to be my car alarm, but a back-up beeper on the utility company truck (maybe I need one on my car). 

As I have explained, with my Cochlear implant, sounds don't always sound like they used to sound to me.  The car alarm is new so that is a sound I am still trying to learn.  The night we went to the office to put out the sandbags, I kept hearing an alarm and each time reached for my remote for the car alarm thinking the thunder had set off the alarm on the car.  One time Ron was just coming up front from the warehouse and asked what that noise was.  I was glad to see I was not the only one having trouble trying to identify it.  I told him it was my car alarm and I was trying to shut it off but I couldn't.  About that time he handed me my cell phone and showed me it was a weather alert alarm coming from the phone.  Oops!  I do provide lots of laughs for my husband.

I sewed a lot at the office today making the string pieced squares.  There are now 72 completed squares.  I think I want about 100 to make a good sized quilt.  Scraps are in abundance so for now I will just keep making squares.  All day I had not heard from the lady whose car I hit last night at the ball park.  I had sent emails and finally Ron tried to call her but got no answer.  Finally I got an email from her and she said she would call in the morning.  She had been busy all day.

After work, I stopped at Wal-Mart for a few items and then came home and had some supper.  Ron was staying late to work on an item for a customer.  So I had leftovers for supper and then did a couple of loads of laundry.

Yesterday I received a Mother's Day gift from our son and his wife in New Mexico.  It was a quilt wall hanging pattern and some gorgeous fabric.  They have great tastes!  I am eager to find a project for the items.

The pattern can be used with some fabric they gave me for my birthday.  I just need a few more hours in my days.

May 26, 2015

Can I Back-Up and Try Again?

May 26, 2015

Our grandson at bat

It turned out that Ron and I both had doctor's appointments this morning.  His had originally been a different day but the doctor's office changed it.  I had a six-month check up with the heart doctor.  Ron had a 6-month check up with the Dermatologist.  Both of us had early appointments so we went our separate ways.  My appointment was quick and he said I was doing fine and to come back in six months.  Ron's doctor said to come back in 2 weeks so he could finish what he started today.

After my appointment, I arrived at the office ahead of Ron.  I waited on customers and paid a couple of bills.  I read a little and spent time working on paperwork that is piled on my desk.  Once Ron arrived we were both kept busy with customers.  I left for a bit to get us some lunch and ended up picking up tamales and they were wonderful!  It had been a while since I had gotten any. 

Baseball has a lot of standing and waiting...

After work I went by Mom's house and visited with her for a while before we decided to go to supper at Luby's and then to my grandson's Little League game.  Supper was good and the game was great.  We had a nice breeze and time to visit with our daughter-in-law and several of the grandchildren who had come to the game.  They actually were playing a "play-off" game.  They lost, but will play the same team later this week. 

and waiting...

As Mom and I were leaving, I checked around the car to be sure no children were in the area before I backed out, but I apparently missed seeing the car parked along the side of the narrow road at the ball park, and backed into the car.  No one was in it thankfully, so no one was hurt and it is a relatively small dent in the back side door of the lady's van.  My Suburban fared much better; no damage.  Fortunately someone told the lady and she came out.  I would not have known where to start looking for her since their are several fields at this location.

 ...and the fans wait

We exchanged information and my daughter-in-law showed up to talk to the lady also.  The lady was to call today, but I have not heard anything from her or had any response from my emails, so we will see what she finds out on repairs.  Ron had already left the game, but I think one of the grandchildren called him and he came back.  He said (jokingly - I hope) he would take my keys away.  I handed them to him and told him he could take Mom home and a few more things I needed to do and got my keys back.  I have been trying to be extra careful lately because I see so many people running red lights and speeding as they weave through traffic.  Then I go and back into someone. 

 ...and the players wait,

Back at home, it was not long before I was asleep in the recliner where I stayed until I woke up at 3:30 this morning and moved to the bed.  I guess I was tired.  

...for a little bit of action!

May 25, 2015

Texas Tragedies Continue With Floods

May 25, 2015

It is difficult to imagine the amount of water that has fallen across our beautiful state in the last few days.  One place got 3 inches of rain in 30 minutes.  Another got over 7 1/2 inches in about 6 or 8 hours.  Over 16,000 lightening strikes in a 15 minute period around Austin.  All the statistics are overwhelming, but behind those statistics, are lives and livelihoods. This is a 3 day holiday weekend for many people and lots of them had traveled to lakes or rivers for a few days. 

Four families from Corpus Christi were vacationing together in the Wimberly area.  The house they were staying in was washed off its foundation when it was hit by a wall of water.  One man was found severely injured.  Today his dog was found.  His wife and children and his friends have not been found.  Homes have been destroyed.  Businesses destroyed or financially damaged by not being open for a big business weekend.  Travel interrupted.  Graduations.  Weddings.  Vacations.  Conferences. Surgeries.  So many things that people had planned; but they all pale in comparisson to the missing people and those who are known to have died.  A firefighter trying to rescue someone was swept away.  A boy and his dog were found dead in a drain pipe.

For any of us, death can come unexpectedly.  A friend sent an announcement out to his friends this weekend that said, according to his doctors, his time on this earth will soon end.  He doesn't know the exact time, but he knows his time is short.  He has time to create a few last memories for his family.  He has time to make any necessary preparations for his wife and family.  The most important preparation is one he made long ago and that was about where he will spend eternity.  This man accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior.  He has spent his life living for the Lord, serving Him in amazing ways.  But he did not serve the Lord so he could go to Heaven.  He served the Lord because of his overwhelming love for the Lord.

The families who were in the house that washed away I think had made the same preparations.  I do not know them but family members who live in Corpus Christi do know them.  From all I can tell from what I have heard, they were all serving the Lord in their daily lives.  They loved the Lord.  They had made the decision of where they would spend eternity, but they didn't think that time might come this weekend.  Hope is still being held that they will be found alive.

This holiday weekend is a time that we honor those in the military who have given their lives to keep our country free.  Normally there are a few small parades around the country, but for the most part, people think of picnics and a weekend at the lake or the beach.  This weekend has been more subdued throughout the state of Texas as we not only think of service men and women who have died protecting us but in dealing with the catastrophic weather events.

Much of my day was spent around the television, watching for updates on the weather in areas where our children live and where friends live or travel.  I was up early for allergy shots.  Then I made biscuits for breakfast.  Ron was gone much of the day and I spent the morning working around the house.  I did some laundry and baked a pineapple upside down cake.  I cleaned some in the kitchen and I reloaded the cabinet under the kitchen where Ron installed a new faucet this weekend.  We had been having a small leak and now it was time to put all the things back in the cabinet that came out.  I spent 45 minutes or so working in the yard mostly pulling weeds and taking care of the bird feeders and birdbaths.  I cleaned the windows on the outside of the sewing room for taking photos, but there were not many birds out today when I had time to take photos.

It was late afternoon before I got around to doing any sewing.  I experimented with a new pattern and I like the way a block looks when made by the pattern, but I don't see a good layout for the blocks.  The company that posted the pattern on line was asked about the layout and their response was to make a few blocks and play with them on the design wall.  I tried that and am not pleased with either my ideas or their attitude.  Oh, well.  I will find a use for the four blocks I made.

Ron did grill fajitas for our supper and they were pretty good.  We had not had any in a while.  I fixed some beans to go with them and then there was the cake I baked earlier.  I tried to take a photo of him at the grill but the camera lens fogged up with the temperature change from inside to outside.

After supper I found this quilt in progress that I had been looking for this weekend.  I think it may be the next one I want to finish.  Much is done, but it will still take a while.  I started this one about 16 years ago.  I have worked on it off and on over the years and need to get it finished!

May 24, 2015

What a Night!

May 24, 2015

Ron putting out sand bags at our office

When I was getting ready to go to bed last night I had been watching the weather and keeping tabs on a storm system moving our way.  They had flash flood warnings for our area, but you just never know.  The weather predictions are so often wrong and the last few days only the upper valley had been getting the rains.  At 3:00 I woke and looked out the window.  It was raining, but not real hard; the lightening and thunder were almost constant.  I moved to the recliner in the sewing room and opened all the curtains and watched.  About 3:30 I became aware that Ron was up and moving about.  I checked on him and he was getting dressed to go to our office/shop/warehouse to put out sand bags. 

Bringing sand bags from the warehouse to put at the doors

The corner where our business is, floods easily.  Over the years it has gotten worse and worse since we are behind the football stadium and for many years they have continued to add dirt to the field in an effort to build it up so it won't flood.  Guess what that does to our corner?  All the water that flows off the field flows to our corner.  Then the city put in a walking trail and that further captured the water in our area.  Eventually they decided maybe they had made matters worse so they tried to fix it.  The first fix didn't help, but I think a latter one has helped some. 

Afternoon in the backyard after the rains

We headed to the office and drove through some water a few places, but nothing too bad.  An intersection near our house floods.  Parts of Palm Blvd. flood.  The outer lanes on Boca Chica Blvd. flood.  But all those places are where we expect trouble.  At the office, the street was not covered all the way across in front of our shop but the side street was as deep as it usually is.

Afternoon in the backyard after the rains

Ron worked loading the sand bags on the dolly and moving them to the two showroom doors.  He has learned over the years what it takes to keep the water out as long as it isn't massive.  Then he did the overhead door to the warehouse.  Some water had come in there but he said he thought it was blowing rain from the south and not rising water.  The weather radar had shown two more strong rain cells south of us moving our way.  The rain let up while he was working which was a blessing because he doesn't handle cold and wet very well.

 Nice to see things blooming beautifully

He did have a funny thing happen.  After sand bagging, he walked around the entire building to check on things and as he walked down the alley, an opossum washed out drain pipe from the roof.  He said it was not happy about it but that it was a funny sight.  I could just imagine them creating a water slide from the roof.  Oh, well.

Hanging basket filled with blooms from the Royal Poinciana tree

As we headed home, the water had started going down except for one spot, which was another spot where the city had a walking trail.  We came up over the rise and down into a deep pond of water on the road - not flowing, but just accumulated.  I don't remember a bad spot there in the past.  Again, being in the Suburban, it was no problem for us although a small car could have been in trouble. 

 Pretty little flower floating in one of the fountains following the rains

By the time we got home, it was about 5:15.  Ron took a hot bath and I returned to the recliner and slept for a while.  The rain cells south of us dissipated and we got very little rain after we sand bagged.  I reminded Ron that he has always said he would rather board up for a hurricane that doesn't come than for one that does.  So even though we lost some sleep and he is now sore, we are glad our sand bagging was not put to the test.

Our Royal Poinciana tree; my favorite flowering tree

At Sunday School, many were running late, but we had a good bunch in class and excellent questions and discussions.  I left a little early to go get Mom for church and the skies were starting to clear.  I love it after a storm when everything is brilliant green from all the lightening and the air is clean and clear from the rain.  It was a beautiful day. 

One of the fallen blooms

The worship service was good.  The veterans were honored on this Memorial Day weekend.  We are so thankful for the sacrifices they made and the ones made by their families.  He talked about a friend of ours, Tate, who served in Afghanistan and lost a close buddy there as well as others from their unit.  Tate came home but has fought some serious physical battles ever since.  We owe so much to these men and women.

 Our tree peeking over the roof

Today I had more trouble than usual hearing in church.  I do not know why some days are different.  Oh, I forgot to mention an incident that happened as we left the office this morning in the dark after sand bagging the doors.  I was climbing over the sand bags and stepping out into the rain to get in the car.  I had my hands full and fumbled with the remote for the car, getting wet in the process.  Once in the car, I grabbed some napkins and dried my hair.

 Such pretty clusters of blooms

As Ron started for the car, he asked me for something and I read his lips for what he wanted, but it dawned on me that I could not hear him and my sound processor was not on my head.  I panicked.  Where was it?  As you know, if you have been following this blog, I tend to lose it in the rain when it attaches to my umbrellas or the car door frame as I quickly duck in out of the rain.  I started looking and didn't find it.  I was afraid the magnet attached to the Cochlear sound processor had attached to the door frame.  So I told Ron to wait until I found it.  It turned out to be in my car seat and I must have brushed it off as I dried my hair when I got in the car.  So glad it wasn't somewhere getting wet!  I am not sure Ron is glad I went with him.

Jeff's family had also had a sleep deprived night.  I had been thinking how Jeff had probably been able to sleep through the storm instead of taking calls all night and working through the night as he did when working for the city here.  It turned out he was up most of the night trying to locate the baby kittens that usually sleep in the front flower bed, since that flower bed normally floods.   After long searching, Barb found them and put them in a box on the back patio which is covered.  About the time she got to bed, but mother cat let it be known she could not find her babies, so Barb took her to the back patio.  When they got up this morning, the mother cat had carried them off somewhere else.  What a night!

A Royal Poinciana tree near Mom's house

We had lunch with Jeff's family at Wendy's and it really has gotten crowded since we started going there.  I think they closed one or two of their places in town so maybe that is why the one we go to is now crowded.  It was good to have time with the family.  All of us adults at the table were ready for naps even it the children weren't, so we did not stay as long as usual.

A different Royal Poinciana tree near Mom's.  This one is huge.

After we came home and changed clothes, Ron went to his mom's and I went to pick up prescriptions for my mom.  I stayed a little bit and visited with Mom and then took a few pictures on the way home of Royal Poinciana trees on my route.  Ron put some new books on his mother's Kindle to keep her busy while she is feeling bad.  Back at the house I spent time in the yard putting out oranges for the woodpeckers and checking on things.  The plants were blooming beautifully.

Same tree as above

Eventually I got my nap about 6:00 and slept until 8:00.  I had gotten some soup out of the freezer and warmed that for our supper.  I talked to our son and daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  It has been a good day, but I think we are both still tired. 

Same tree as above

May 22 & 23, 2015

Two For One, or

Having Too Much Fun to Write

May 22 & 23, 2015

The Mexican Hat Dance

Yes, today you get two blogs in one entry.  Last night we were out too late having fun with family, for me to write when we got home.  Yesterday morning I got to the office about 9:00 so Ron could go out on some jobs and be back in time for me to go to the doctor at 3:30.  Later in the day they called and moved the appointment to this morning.  That turned out to be good since it was 4:30 before Ron was back at the office.

During the day, there were long quiet stretches of no customers and other times I had three at a time in the office.  You just never know.  I paid a couple of bills and spent much of the day at the sewing machine.  I got several blocks for the string pieced quilt done; I think I now have about sixty-six made. 

A little before 5:00 I left the office and picked Mom and my sister Janet up to go to McAllen to have supper with Jeff's family and see the house they are trying to buy.  Ron met us at Jeff's after he closed the office, and we all rode together to McAllen.  Barbara took the van and the three girls.  The boys decided not to go.  The four of us rode with them. Jeff met us at Cracker Barrel for supper after he got off work.

Supper was good and they were not real busy, so service was quick.  Then we drove to the house.  It is northwest of the main part of town.  I had gone we Barbara a week or two ago to see the house, but the others (Ron, Mom, and Janet) had not yet seen it.  We had a good time checking it out and offering opinions on where to put a garden, what colors to use, etc.  I am not sure any were necessary, wanted, or helpful, but we all had opinions.  My main opinion is that they will be very happy there if everything works out and they are able to sign the papers next week.

Watching the girls play without the boys there was fun.  They danced and twirled and bounced without any brothers commenting.  One friend of mine has been encouraging me to exercise more so my oldest granddaughter and I did the Mexican Hat Dance a few times and that gets the blood flowing!

Janet needed to fly home and had not been able to get a flight out of Brownsville to meet her schedule, so we left her at a motel in McAllen where she was to spend the night before flying home this morning.  We stopped on the way home for sodas for the grown ups and juice for the girls and by the time I took Mom home, it was 11:30 when I got home.  It had been a very nice day. 

My sister Janet with two of the girls.

Hearing in the car was difficult, but was not too bad at Cracker Barrel since they were not real busy.  Coming home in the van, the hearing in the car was a little better since the girls were tired and about asleep by the time we got home.

This morning (Saturday), I was up at 6:30 for my allergy shots.  Then I did a few chores around the house before leaving at 10:00 to go to the doctor's office.  It was time for my yearly physical and I think that is just a place where they send you for tests at different specialists' offices.  All my blood work was great and so now I will have several appointments in the next few weeks.  I already had a couple lined up for this next week, so it will be a busy few weeks.

Leaving the doctor's office it was about noon and I went to a store for some items before picking up lunch for Ron and me and then headed home.  We had lunch and chatted.  His mom's helper is out of town and she had thought she could manage alone, but has now decided that isn't working so she and my mom will share Mom's helper this next week or so. 

Ron picked Carmen up at Mom's and took her to his mom's and later we both ended up napping.  The helper tried to call us but neither of us heard our cell phones.  His mom needed some help and since she couldn't reach us she got a neighbor to help.  We are glad Carmen was there and she will be there again tomorrow afternoon.

About 7:00 I went to Mom's and talked to Carmen about Ron's mom's needs and we worked out things as best we can.  Then I stayed and visited with my mom for a while and we had a good visit.  From there I went to the grocery store for some paper goods for the office and a few little things for the house.

That is about the summary of the last two days.  I am thankful for the medical care we get.  We are able to see the doctors we want (as long as they take Medicare) and we feel we are getting good care.

This afternoon I did talk to our youngest son as he was driving home from work.  We had a nice visit and we have committed to try to do that more often.  He and his wife are also ready for some sunny skies, but for all the rain the Dallas area has had, they have not had too much at their house.  They have had soaking rains, but no flood problems on the routes that they travel each day.  We are due a heavy rain tonight and tomorrow.  The thunder has started.