Onward and upward!

Time to switch from Thanksgiving mode to Christmas mode. Saturday is our progressive neighborhood open house, so I am preparing my home for that. Here's the beginnings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My table is set and ready for my guests. My brother is frying a turkey, my mother is making cornbread dressing, my sister-in-law is making sweet potato casserole and I am making fresh creamed corn, scalloped potatoes, fruit salad and cherry cheese pie. I have so many things to be thankful for, not the least of which is that my dad lived to spend another Thanksgiving with us.

Awesome day!

Holy Crap! I turned 66 today! That just doesn't even seem possible. I started the day off right.....in church! There were steaks for lunch at my brother's.....then tonight there was fun and frivolity at Ruby Tuesday, compliments of my new Minden friends. I love living in Minden!

Happy dance....

I used to be fairly astute at figuring out computer things and making them work, but lately I have just been eating dust. Yesterday I bought a new printer because mine was 5 years old and Office Depot had an excellent promotion going. If I brought in my old printer, I would get $40 off any printer over $100. That's not a bad deal. I got it all set up, including the fax (although I haven't tried it yet to see if it works) hooked to my desktop through USB. I thought I would have to call in someone to get my wireless laptop to recognize the new printer and print wirelessly to it. I went on Wiki and got some instructions and damn....it works. I was doing a happy dance!

A Mom scare!

As I was leaving the parking lot of the restaurant where we ate lunch today, my cell phone rang. It was my sister-in-law telling me my mom was bad off and I probably needed to see about her. While my brother had taken my dad fishing, Mom was home alone picking out pecans. She was so involved that she failed to eat and she had a major LOW blood sugar. When Dad got home, he called my brother and told him something was wrong with Mom. Brother went immediately and her blood sugar was 36. He started forcing sugary things in her to bring it back, but he couldn't get it up higher than 56, which is still too low. He is Captain of the volunteer fire department and he had a fire call. He called me to get down there and watch Mom. I did and when I got there, her sugar was up to 122 and she was OK. Low blood sugars are very dangerous and can cause one to pass out, which I guess she almost did. She would have gone into a coma if Dad hadn't gotten back when he did. When sugars go that low, the individual gets very muddled and can't think enough to figure out that they need to eat. She was very confused about what had happened, but she is OK now! One time my dad found her lying in the floor in the middle of the night. He called my brother and brother called an ambulance. The EMT's keep little tubes of cake icing for just such emergencies. That way they can force sugar into the mouth when the patient is fighting them while they are trying to make the patient eat. What can I say! Every day is a surprise!  I am thankful for every day!

Yum...

Three years ago we had a bumper crop of pecans, got them all cracked by machine, and Mom picked them all out and put them in the freezer. The supply is getting low, but this year we are getting some pecans. Yesterday I took 40 pounds and got them cracked, took them to Mom this morning, and now she is happily picking out pecans for all of us to enjoy. I didn't even tell her I spent $40 buying some recently that are already picked out.

Damn Yankees and Mexifornians!

Fairly accurate portrayal.....

What Your Home Says About You

You come across as very intellectual. People take your wisdom seriously. You have amazing hygiene, and it shows. You are sparkling clean! You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey. You are a very nurturing person. You find meaning in taking care of others. You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details. You are a very self sufficient person. You can get along well without much help. Your friends see you as courageous, dynamic, and bright.

What Does Your Home Say About You?

I am THANKFUL

And it's not even Thanksgiving yet. Today I went to Mom and Dad's and worked in their yard picking up pecans and mowing under the pecan trees so we can find the pecans when they fall. Dad came out while I was working and told me he felt so much better..better than he has felt in a long time. It was so nice to hear because he never says he feels better. A cold front is supposed to come through today with big winds, so I wanted to pick up pecans and clear out under the trees because when the wind blows, lots more will fall. Dad came out to get me while I was outside and told me Mom had fallen and she couldn't get up. Again I am thankful because she has fallen many times and has never been really hurt. No broken bones....YET! He and I were able to get her up without having to call my brother. Having him feel better makes me feel better!

Very productive day...

In between cooking, cleaning, and washing today, I got a whole bunch of scrapbooking done...at least 8 pages. I never left the house and never took off my flannels and t-shirt. Now I am feeling much better about getting it finished in time to make it arrive by December 26th in South Carolina. It's going to happen!

God Bless ALL Veterans!

Sometimes I amaze myself...

Not being clever, but being stupid! Since 1986 I have carried an American Express card in my wallet, but I never use it. This week I got a new card from them so instead of activating it, I decided to cancel it. All I could remember is that I get charged $29 once a year and I just pay it and go on. Well, after I cancelled the card, I remembered that my credit card protection coverage is charged to that card every year. That's the freakin' $29!! What a dork! It was easier to get the card re-activated than to use another company to protect my cards....except that now they will have to issue a new card that will have a different number. Sometimes I wonder if I am not having glimpses of Alzheimer's!!!

Sluggish Day

As much as I hate slugs, I have been nothing above sluggish today due to the fact that, for some unknown reason, I could not sleep last night. I finally went to the mailbox a few minutes ago, but other than that I haven't been outside my house. In fact, I have slept the day away. I hate when that happens!!

Attention all Democrats!

• You got what you wanted
• You got the prez
• You got the House
• You got the Senate

Now get us out of this mess. Show us your stuff or forever STFU!

Doesn't get much better!

I needed some comfort food today, so I went to Wal Mart and got some fresh squash and cabbage. Cook that up in a little bacon grease and chicken stock, serve it up with real homemade (yesterday) baked   macaroni and cheese and comfort ensues. Unfortunately, I didn't have any cornbread....didn't know I was out of cornbread mix until I was ready to mix it up. That won't happen again! There is something to be said for comfort food. It really works. Now I think I'll take a nap!

Today was a better day with Dad. He didn't complain so much about everything especially since the doc told him his CT scan and blood work were all fine. We get a nice 6 week break from doctors and I say "we"  because that's exactly what I mean. He had me call my brother from the doctor's parking lot to tell him that he wanted to go fishing this afternoon. I hope they are gone fishing now. I came home and took a nap!!

I'm tired...

Not physically...just mentally and emotionally. I feel so bad that I am tired of hearing my dad talk about how he doesn't feel good, how he can't sleep, how he can't see, how he can't hear and that he never, ever has a good day or night! It's the same thing over and over again and I am trying so hard to be understanding and sympathetic, but I'm tired! Some days I just don't want to hear it yet again! Tomorrow I take him back to the oncologist and after that I need to give myself a little break. My poor mother has patience that I wish I had. Of course, she has lived with him for 68 years! I have no idea how...but she did! I feel bad for even having thoughts like this, but I can't help it.....I need some good news .....a day of only positive things.....a break!