Whole day was awesome!

This is Gracie cheering as one of 7 goals was made in her soccer game.  It's a good picture to represent how awesome today went for me.  Her game was the first one I watched.  Then I went to watch Jessie's team play two games.  They won one and lost one, but it was still great to watch.  It was wonderful to see Jessie and also Davy and Susan and Bruce were there, so I got to see them, too.  Tomorrow I'll post a picture of Jessie and Bruce.  I feel so blessed to have gotten to see two of my kids and their spouses and 7 of my grandkids this weekend.

I got great sun at the ballgames today, too.  It felt so good to be out breathing fresh and and soaking up the sunshine.  I thought sure I'd have irises open, but they aren't fully open, yet.  I really believe tomorrow they will be fully open; I'm excited about that, too!  Last year was a weak year for irises because we had so little rain.  This year, I think they may burst!  I hope so!

I thank God for a safe trip home.  I was pumping gasoline and a lady came up and asked me if I'd like to sell my van!  She might be a quack, but I'm going to ask God to help me out with this and see if we can make this a win/win for both she and me.

Note to self; wear red to teach.

This picture I took today after school,   I was rushing to get off to OKC for the weekend.  I'm here at Tricia's for the night.  Tomorrow I'll watch Gracie play a soccer game and then go watch Jessie play in two softball games!  I'm sure looking forward to a day of games with the girls!

My day at school today was really great.  I loved everything about it.  I had the best kids and I even enjoyed teaching social studies.  I get to teach for the same teacher next Thursday.  She is the high school girls' softball coach, so maybe I'll get to teach for her when they have more games.  If I don't get to teach, I'd like to go watch the girls' games!   It was a blessing to have yesterday's experience before today's; it made today seem like a piece of cake.  I'd love to teach social studies if that job was available and I never dreamed I would like it.  I thank God for a job I enjoy and a safe trip here today.  I'll teach whenever they call me for the high school, but I'm wearing red the next time; maybe that's the charm.  :)

I met a friend from college here today and he took me down and showed me all the new developments in downtown OKC.  I didn't realize I'd been gone so long from downtown.  It was fun to see all the awesome things happening in Oklahoma City!   I'll watch games all day tomorrow and then head for home before dark.  I think I may have a couple of irises blooming by then!  Woohoo!

Time to work?

Here is the last puzzle that we worked in Branson.  It was 1000 pieces, but they were all there!  No telling when I'll get to work a puzzle, again.  I can see this teaching thing is WORK!

It wasn't that bad, although it wasn't a piece of cake and it ate up all day.  It reminds me that when we retired Don and I always wondered how we ever had time to work.  I'm wondering that right now!  Thank goodness the teacher I'm subbing for in the morning doesn't have a first hour class, so I don't have to be there until 8:45.  I'll be there at 8:30, but I've got to get to bed.  (Tomorrow I'm subbing for the social studies teacher in the middle school; I can handle that.)

I know I whined and whined about taxes when I was doing my corporate taxes.  But, I'm working on the personal ones, now.  With the stocks and Don's death, so that I inherited his half, it all gets very complicated.  I thank God that Jerry (my brother-in-law) is very clued into how to do all that stuff and he's working on it in Houston while I work on it here.  I'm hoping we can finish them up soon.  That's what I've wrestled with ever since I got home from school.

I was supposed to sub for the Home Ec. teacher today, but when I got there she was there and they put me in Government, History and Algebra 2.  I survived.  The kids survived, and all that seemed easy compared to the taxes!  My granddaughter, Jessie, is playing softball in OKC Saturday and Gracie has a soccer game, so I'm going to go breathe some fresh air this weekend and watch them play.  I'll go tomorrow after school and spend the night with Trish, so I won't be driving in the dark.  Jessie's last game is at 2, so I can get home Saturday before dark.  Then I'll tackle the taxes on Sunday afternoon.  God got me this far, He'll get me through these taxes, too.

Some things are working.

Tonight I'm going to bed just as soon as I finish this.  Well, I've got a mirror to hang, but THEN I'm going to bed!  This picture was taken as I headed out to Bible study tonight.  After Bible study Dorothy and I went to the grocery store and then I took her home.  I've got school in the morning, so I thought I ought to start the day with an egg and I didn't have any.

The mirror was crooked on the wall and when I went to straighten it, one of the nails it was hanging on fell out of the wall.  So, I went out to get my handy drill and it was dead.  It should be charged and I'll get the mirror hung and then go to bed.  If it's not charged, I'll sweat it tomorrow after school.  6 a.m. will come way early for me, so I've got to get in there and get to bed.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow and thank God for training to do a job at this stage in life!

Today I pulled another 30 pounds of weeds out of the back flower bed.  I think I can finish the back and the front the next time I go out and work.  It feels good to see light at the end of the tunnel!  I thank God I can bend and get the weeds, even if I can't mow!  I can teach and make the money to pay the great guy to mow.  It's a win-win.  He wants the work and I want the yard mowed.  God is good to provide!

(Ruthie, I think I look like Mom, again in this picture.  Do you?)

The Hide & Seek Wizard.

After the cabinet hiding place, we found the laundry room for Raynie.  She thought that one was pretty cool, too, but nothing was ever as good as the cabinet under the TV.  These are all precious memories.

Today was another good day.  It started off with a call from the middle school with two more teaching days.  It's a reminder to me that I've got to start getting to bed early so I can take these early calls and be ready to get right out the door.  Thankfully, today's call was for this coming Friday and next Thursday, so it's not a last minute call.  So this Thursday I'll be teaching Home Ec.; then on Friday and the following Thursday I'll be teaching social studies.  I'll bet I learn something!

The guy came and mowed the yard for me this morning and it looks great.  I've got a job so I can pay him, so I'm a happy camper.  I walked with Tread today and even figured out how to make the VCR play a movie to watch while I walked.  I cut off the TV in there before I thought about it being in front of the TV.  I don't care about TV; I just need something to keep me occupied while I walk and movies work.  I got some movies at the thrift store in Branson, so I'm in business for a while.  Hopefully I can walk outside some, so that will be even better.  I'm so pleased that I got the VCR to work!  God is taking care of me; I really feel blessed!

When I went to lay on the deck and collect some sun, I noticed wasps all around me.  On closer inspection I found a nest under a bench about a foot from where I was!  I shot them good with the wasp spray, so I felt like I won.  The place smelled pretty strong, though, and I thought, "If that kills the wasps, wonder what it's doing to me???"  With that thought I decided to skip Vitamin D today and let the deck air for a day.  Wasp stings are misery for about a week for me, so it's best if I can stay ahead of them.  I needed practice with my main weapon, anyway.  (I don't do guns; I do wasp spray.)

Happy birthday, Sadie!

This is a picture I took last week of Sadie with some gems in her hair.  She's such a doll; who needs the gems, but she has fun with stuff like that.  Today she turned 15!  I remember 15 years ago tonight when she was born.  How exciting that was!  She was gorgeous then and has never given it up; she developed beauty within and without.  I'm so proud of her and love to be around her.

Today has been a good day for me.  I got a guy who will mow the yard tomorrow, so that's off my back.  I got through about 30 pounds of junk mail (again, I never measured mail by the pound until I had to carry the bag out to the dumpster and throw it into it!).  There's still important mail that I'm reading on the table, but I can finish it tomorrow, I think.  I  power plated and NUBAXED, so my body should be happy!  I forgot to walk, so I'm headed to do a couple of miles with my buddy, Tread.  I did get a nap in the sunshine today, so I'll go to bed a little late, but I had a nap, so I'm catching up.  They called me to sub Thursday, so that's cool!  Things are falling into shape.  God is good and He has seen to it that my welcome home has been really a welcome.  PTL!

Totally lost track of time.

Wow.  I am dangerous on this time; it doesn't get dark early enough to clue me into it's time to go to bed!  I'm going to have to get a grip on this time.  God doesn't do time, though, so I like just free lancing with Him.  I have schedules to meet, though, so I'd better start wearing a watch.  Ugh.

Tonight's picture is one I got of Dorothy and I after church today.  She went with me to the nursing home for a devotional there.  It's good for both of us to go because those people love to see us!  It's a win-win thing.

I discovered that I will have to get someone to mow for me.  I can't start the mower.  So, I pulled about 30 pounds of weeds out of the flower bed today.  Wish I was done, but there are probably another 10 pounds out there.  I never measured weeds by the pound before, but if I have to pick up the bags, then I notice how heavy they are!

I think God doesn't want me to do time or to mow.  I know it had to be a comedy for anyone watching me yank on that mower.  Really the mower was swinging me around by that cord!  I gave it about 100 pulls and decided that it would be cheaper to pay someone to mow than to pay the chiropractor to put me back into shape if I ever did get it started.  My sweet neighbor, who was probably the only one who saw me yanking on that thing, came over and gave me the speech about taking care of my self and some things you just have to give up.  I love her, and I so agree with her.  She was kind not to tell me that she saw me making a spectacle of myself.  She's a doll!  I thank God for Hazel!

Saturday night's post.

This picture I took when I went walking down by the lake one day this week.  Robert was gone somewhere on business and Trish and the girls were in Branson shopping.  Gabe and Mason were playing computer games.  It was cold, but Trish had my car and my jacket was in the car, so I put on all the clothes I had and borrowed Rob's walking stick (mine were in the car) and took off for the lake.  It was really cool down there.  I climbed back up to this lot where they will eventually build another building or two.  Anyway, behind me you can see Paradise Point, the condo that I really loved.

 I'm home to my favorite home, finally!  It was a great winter in Branson, but home is always sweet.  Trish said her irises are blooming, so I went out with my flashlight to see if I have any blooming.  Not!  I have stalks, though, and it looks like they'll bloom in a week or so.  I'm glad I didn't miss them.  Man, there are lots of weeds out there, though.  I have lots of work to do to reclaim this place!  Joan did an awesome job of looking after the place, but I didn't ask her to do EVERYTHING!  It's sure nice to come home to all the mail sorted on the table for me!

I thank God for a safe trip!  It's late and I'm headed to bed.  I only unloaded the last layer of stuff from the car.  Tomorrow I'll do the back, back seat and the very back.  I got the food stuff put away and my clothes and makeup for tomorrow.  That's a start.  It's really Sunday morning, so that's the date that will go on this post, but it's still Saturday night to me.  It's as quick as I could get to it.  I did get home before dark!

More fun hiding!

These are the two who started this game.  Raynie and Mason play hide and seek a lot.  It's pretty cool for an 11 year old to spend so much time with his 4 year old sister; these are memories we will all treasure.  Mason is the one who found the mistake I had in the bottom edge of the puzzle.  We thought there were two pieces missing, but it was just fine once he got the pieces in the right place.  Raynie put in some pieces on this rugged puzzle, too, but we got it done today.  I'll post a picture of the puzzle sometime in the future.  I've got to go get it packed with everything else, now, though.

Homeward bound tomorrow!  I'm ready to be home.  There's a lot of work there for me, but that will be good to keep me busy.  It will feel good to get it behind me.  I'm hoping I can get some sunshine soon.  I look pitifully pale, so I know I'm in need of Vitamin D.  I take capsules, but real sunshine is better!  I thank God for real sunshine and the sunshine family and friends bring to my life!

Nobody can deny this was fun!

Check out those smiles!  The had so much fun climbing into that cabinet.  Even after the hiding place was discovered, they climbed in there to count while the other ones hid.  I love good wholesome fun like this.  Now, the TV blaring drives me crazy, but I love this kind of fun.  (We'll put the shelf back where it goes; it had to come out for the bigger kids to get in there.)

Today Trish took the girls into town shopping at girl places.  Gabe and Mason stayed here with me.  I went down and hiked the lake and then went over to the fitness room and walked another mile with my buddy Tread (Mill).  The guys were busy with video games, computer games and TV.  I was grateful for God's handiwork.  The redbuds are in full bloom and are just gorgeous.  I had left my jacket in the car, so I wore two long sleeve shirts and jeans and was plenty warm.  (Trish had taken my car into town.)  I am blessed to have this opportunity to spend time with the kids and still have some quiet time.  (I have to growl and ban  the TV from my room to get it, sometimes, but grammies do that; well, this one does!)  Two more nights before we go home.  I'm ready to mow!  (Hope I can start the mower!)

He'll never find me here!

Mason (11) and Raynie (4) were playing hide and seek last night, so I suggested to Raynie that she hide under the TV.  What a great success that was.  Over the next couple of posts I'll post all the folks who ended up in that spot.  Sadie and I were even tempted because they had so much fun with it!

It's great when it rains how creative we can be!  Today it looks like the cover to a mystery book outside.  There is a steady drizzle of rain and it's foggy.  Rob flew off to somewhere on business and will return tomorrow.  He took their car and let it at the airport in Springfield.  Trish took my car and 4 of the kids to Eureka Springs.  I'm sure they'll have great pics to share.  I didn't have any desire to make that trip; those curves would be the ruin of a good day for me.  I'm enjoying working on the puzzle.  Gabe stayed with me and he sometimes plays his guitar, sometimes helps with the puzzle and often plays games on the Internet with his cousin, Garrett.  It's a nice quiet day for us.  The rest will be back soon, so I figured I'd better get my computer business done while I have a good opportunity.  I thank God for quiet; it's a treasure and I get plenty of it, but I never tire of it.  A week with 5 kids doesn't have a lot of it, but their sounds are a blessing, too!

Part of the gang.

Here is Trish; Sadie, holding Raynie, Mason, and Grace.  This was taken yesterday down by the lake with Robert.  We intended to go down there today, but it rained all day.  The kids went to town and then came home for lunch.  After lunch Trish, Rob, Sadie and Gabe went back to town and I stayed here with the 'little' kids and we went to the inside pool.  Rain doesn't stop us, it just redirects us!

Trish and Gabe and Sadie have gone to the Y to work out.  Rob and I stayed home with the "little" kids.  We're working on the puzzle.  We've got a long way to go on this puzzle, but it's looking great.  I thought we were missing a couple of edge pieces, but Mason found where I had a couple mis-matched and it's all perfect, now, with no missing pieces.  Woohoo!  It really helps to have the edges all complete.  I'm grateful for someone who can find the mistakes!  God is great to provide us this opportunity to share special times and adventures!

The other side!

This handsome guy is my son-in-law.  Notice behind him, across the water is Paradise Point, where I stayed 3 weeks ago.  Last night's picture was of me when I was there, with where we are this week in the background.  That's quite a walking stick, Robert has!  It would have been handy if one of the kids had fallen into the lake!  I'll post pics of the kids tomorrow.  I didn't go down to the lake with them, but I'll go before the week is done.  It was chilly and I wimped out on them.  I'm glad Trish got some good pics!

We're having a great time.  It rained some today, but we had plenty of good weather time today, too.  The kids all went to town shopping and I stayed here and worked on the puzzle.  We're all happy and I thank God for more memories to treasure.  We're celebrating birthdays for Rob, Sadie and Grace this week.  Their birthdays aren't this week, but they're in the spring, so we always celebrate their birthdays on spring break.  We celebrate Nate's too, but he went to Colorado, so he's missing this end of the celebration; I imagine he's making up for it up there!

Reverse?

3 weeks ago I was at Paradise Point and dreaming of this week when we'd be at Emerald Point. So, here we are! It's been too busy to even get a picture, so I'm going back in my pictures to find a picture that is 'current.' That's Emerald Point over my shoulder! Surely I'll get some of the kids this week!

We went to church this morning and then to the grocery store to get groceries for the week. It's a whole lot different when there are 8 people eating instead of one! I keep adjusting. It's so fun to have a whole crowd here! The all went to Branson Landing and to view all the damage done by the tornado. I stayed here and worked on the puzzle and some chores in the kitchen. (Made my favorite pie, some chex and cleaned up the kitchen.) I wasn't up for touring.

I thank God for the opportunity to have these times with some of the kids. I pick up what I can whenever I can and give thanks.

They're here!

This was the combed hair yesterday; the wind does a better job!  Today I haven't had time for pics.  I had a terrible time getting checked in but that's too long a story.  The kids got here and the party has begun!  I'm so glad to see them!  This trip will go fast and then we'll all head for home.  I'll get some good pics this week.

I thank God for their safe trip.  Nate and Megan went to Denver and they got there fine, so all is well.  I wish all the kids could be here, but the family is too big to all get together at once.  I happily take bits and pieces and thank God!

Won Two Games! 11/3 and 6/3

I made it to Springfield and back with no problems,  The day was perfect for softball, and Jessies' team won the two games I got to see.  They were playing another when I left, but I had to leave or drive in the dark and driving in the dark is not a good thing for me.  It was wonderful to see Jessie and Jeff and Jeanette and Sharon!  I took my camera, but the batteries failed on me.  I just put them in this morning, so I guess they were lousy batteries.  I took a few pics this morning, but not enough to run down the batteries.  I put new ones in when I got back and got the above, windblown picture.  Actually, I think my hair looks better windblown than it did in the pics I got this morning with it combed.  Go figure!  I guess that's why people play high dollar for the tousled look?  At least it was free for me!

This is my last night in this condo.  I'll check out in the morning and move out to the lake and check in and get ready to greet Trish and her family for this last week.  I'm so glad they can join me.  I thank God for the folks who have joined me this winter and spring.  Everything is more fun when shared.  Don and I used to feel sad when we saw someone alone and that was before I KNEW how sad it really is.  I'm glad he never had to KNOW the sadness of alone.  In a book I'm reading on grief one of the people who had lost their mate said that they feel their last act of love toward their loved one was to be the one that was left rather than be the one who left.  It's something to ponder.  I thank God that Don wasn't left; I would have hated that for him.  I listen to the song, "I Can Only Imagine," and I'm happy that Don isn't imagining anymore; he has it all.

Sunshine is great!

This is a picture I took last Sunday when I was getting the camera ready to take a picture of the group of us before church.  I'm at the bottom of my barrel of pics, so you have to hang tough with me today.  It was cool Sunday, so the fireplace sure felt good.  I'm so glad that spring seems to really be here, now.  I'm loving these sunshiny days!

Today marks 6 months from the day Don died and it's been a tough day.  Every day is tough, but some are worse than others and today has been one of the worse ones.  It's all in my mind, but my mind is in trouble today.  I've walked and sunned and started separating a new puzzle to work over spring break with Trish and her family.  Lots of good things are happening and I have so much for which to be grateful.  I know that I should be thankful for the past as well as the present and future.  I should live in the moment and give thanks and I do so thank God for so many blessings.  The devil has me by the hangnail, though.  I'll shake him loose.  I promised Don I could do this, so I will.  I never said I wouldn't miss him, though.

Tomorrow I'm going to Springfield to see (our son and his wife) Jeff and Jeanette and I'll get to see (their daughter) Jessie play a couple of ballgames.  Now, THAT will be a super day.  I look forward to it.  I'll get new pics and even some more sunshine!  Don will be proud.  Tomorrow will be a good day.  TODAY is a good day, I'm just not in great shape, but I'll shape up by tomorrow. 

I typed this last night, but then lost my Internet connection for hours.  I'm up in the middle of the night and it's working, so I'll post.  Sorry if anyone worried about me.  I'm okay; the Internet is just not always faithful.  The spell checker is not working on the blogger, so please pardon any mistakes!

Awesome sunshine! Vitamin D!

This picture was taken last week when Suzanne and I hiked out by the lake just north of the fish hatchery.  It was another day like that today, only warmer.  It was windy today, as well as that day.  The wind makes me feel right at home because wind is common in Oklahoma.  I absolutely love the sunshine; it's God's gift of Vitamin D for us!  The outdoor pool is not open yet, but I sat in a lawn chair and got a good pink all over this pale body today.  That's a good thing because I sure need the color.  Friday I'm going to Jessie's ballgames in Springfield, so it will be good that I've had a little sun so it won't be a shock to my skin.  I thank God for this awesome weather!  It was a big help to get me through a lonely day after everyone else has gone home.

The missing piece!

I was having trouble with the blog, so I forgot to tell you where the missing piece is on the puzzle.  It's in the cobble stone walk at the bottom, by the lamp post in the middle.  A fun, fun, puzzle; probably my helper is how come it was so much fun.  It was so fun to work it with Suzanne!

Borrowed a tree.

This is a picture Suzanne took of me when we were walking last week.  I love these Bradford pear trees when they are in bloom, so we borrowed this one for a prop.  This was about a half a mile or so from our condo.   I was so glad to have Suzanne go on this walk with me; Don and I had walked it last year, so it was really good to have her go there with me.

Suzanne made it home today.  Her brother, Frank, flew out here and had lunch with us and then took her home.   I'm still amazed that he flies!  How wonderful for us that he could bring her and come back to get her and save her having to fool with commercial flights!  This past week has been such a delight for me.  I'm kind of lost, now, but I'm doing okay.  I've called Dorothy twice and talked to Ruthie for a long time.  People are so good to me!

Today was absolutely gorgeous.  I hope to get outside tomorrow and collect some Vitamin D and brown  some of this biscuit!  I thank God for the sunshine,.  It will be a good boost for me.  I put my sweaters back into the car and brought in some more shorts; yeehaw!

One more puzzle; one more missing piece!

This is a picture I got of the last puzzle that Suzanne and I worked last week.  We had doubts along the way that we could finish it, so we were really proud when we did complete it.  Actually, there WAS a piece missing!  She had looked and looked for it, and it was almost rewarding to find that she was right:  it was not there!  So, I made a replacement piece and we finished it.  I don't think you can tell where the piece is missing here, but I'll post a picture of just the puzzle at the bottom, and you'll see the replacement.  I didn't have colors with me; maybe when I get home I can work on it and get it to look better.  I may not fool with it.  I know I won't do it real soon.  I'll have plenty of higher priority things to do when I get home, but if I have a creative urge someday, I might work on perfecting this piece.

Dorothy and Leann and Alyssa left for home this morning.  Dorothy called a little while ago and they had made it home, fine.  Suzanne and I got moved into the The Falls Village in Branson.  Suzanne will leave tomorrow and I'll be hanging out here until Saturday.  Then I'll move out to the lake at Emerald Point and Trish and Rob and the kids will join me for their spring break before it's time for me to head home.

I thank God for sending such awesome folks to help me get through this winter.   I know that each day I get a little stronger.  Some days I back slide, but all in all I know that I'm inching my way through this journey,  I know that God has a plan and that He will guide me through it and provide the support I need.  It has been such a blessing to have Suzanne with me this last week; she and I picked up right where we left off 44 years ago.  I hate to see her go home tomorrow, but it's part of the journey!

Here's the pic of only the puzzle:

Can you see the replacement piece?  I'll tell you where it is tomorrow.

Sunday's post; it's just real early Monday morning.

We stayed up late playing canasta after church tonight, so this is my Sunday post but it will say I posted it on Monday.  We couldn't help ourselves.  We were having too much fun!  This is a pic we got after we got home from church this morning; it was raining, so we all got chilled and were standing by the fireplace, so I thought it would make a good pic.  We're all packed and ready to leave in the morning.  Suzanne and I will go work out at the fitness center before we leave.  Big Cedar has a wonderful fitness center, so we'll go use it one more time.  We went every day while we were here and really enjoyed it.

March madness is great!  I'm loving watching these great basketball games while I walk with my good buddy, Tread (Mill).  Those guys amaze me, and I love watching basketball because I can see where the ball is (as opposed to football).

It's late and everyone is in bed except me.  I'm going to get there soon.  God has given me a delightful week with Suzanne and a wonderful weekend with precious friends.   They all fell in love with each other, so we've had a great weekend.

Notice the parking lines: fish!

We had gone to go paddle boating and I took this picture in the parking lot.  I'm glad I got it because it shows the lines for the parking lots; they're all FISH, not just plain lines!  I love that!  We were afraid to attempt to get Dorothy in the paddle boats, so she was content to wait for us in the sunshine.  It was pretty hilarious getting all of US in and out of that boat!  Suzanne got her feet really wet, but none of us sunk!  Alyssa and I got the easy jobs; we just road in the back and sat on the correct side to balance the boat.  Suzanne and Leann were the real workers!  This was really too funny; I got this shot and the camera was set to take 2 shots.  After the first shot the wind started blowing the camera around and I had to go catch it!  It got a shot of the back of me running back to get in the picture; we all got a big laugh out of that!

We are having such a great time.  It's wonderful that Leann and Alyssa are willing to entertain three little old ladies.  It is such a blessing to share this time.  We're looking forward to sharing church tomorrow.  We've got to go to bed early because we lose an hour tonight!  God is so good to all of us; I thank Him for wonderful friends and family!

Wonderful time!

This is a picture I got of us today.  Alyssa is figuring out how the camera is going to take our picture without someone making it work.  We toured all over Big Cedar today, enjoying all the great details here, and I forgot to take the camera with me.   We've had so much fun!  Leeann and Alyssa went swimming and went to a bonfire.  Dorothy and I went to the thrift store and the grocery store.   We ate good meals, played hand and foot canasta and we've even had a Bible study tonight.  It's been good, good, good!  We are sure blessed to have this time to share!  In this picture Alyssa is in the front.  Her mother, Leeann is on the far left.  Suzanne is next; then Dorothy and me.  I am tired, tired, tired; so ready for this bed!  God gives me great people in my life and I thank Him; He gives me rest and I thank Him for that, too.  God bless you, too.  Let's not leave any of His gifts "on the table."

Way busy day!

Today Dorothy got to Branson!   Remember Alyssa, the little girl I keep sometimes?  (I've had her picture on the blog.)   Leann is Alyssa's mom, and her foster parents own a timeshare at Big Cedar.  They had planned to use this weekend and couldn't so they offered it to Leann.   So, Leann brought Alyssa and Dorothy today!  They will stay until Monday and then they'll go home.  Suzanne and I went out to Big Cedar and helped them get settled into their unit and we took chili and beans and cornbread.  It was rainy and cold today, so it hit the spot.  Then Suzanne and I came back into town and went to see my favorite show, Pierce Arrow.  We've been packing all day because we check out in the morning.  Then we're going out to stay with Leann, Alyssa, and Dorothy.  It's going to be a fun but busy weekend!  Monday Suzanne and I will move back into Branson.  We're not sure when Frank is coming to get Suzanne; he's watching for the best day weather-wise.  I hope he'll leave her all week, but I'm afraid he may come to get her on Tuesday.  I've been so blessed to have so many folks here this week.  I thank God for all their safe travels!

The picture tonight is one Suzanne took of me yesterday when it was so nice and warm and we  were out walking.  It's 34 out there tonight, so it's a different story!  Tomorrow it will warm up to 60, again.

A hike along the lake.

The layout will be a little different tonight.  I can't get my screen to move so that I can see what I'm typing, so I'm going to type first and then put the picture at the bottom.  The picture will be one I got of Suzanne and I hiking out by the lake at the fish hatchery yesterday.  It was a great, great day.

Today was another good day.  It was overcast, but not windy.  We walked and I was comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt.  I am so grateful that Suzanne is here with me.  She's going with me to places where Don and I had spent lots of time walking last year and in previous years.  To have gone there alone would have been heart breaking for me; it's so much easier to have someone with me.  I thank God for her helping me to make the transition into a life without Don by my side.  She lost her Mom back in May, so we both have some healing to do.  We've had some good therapy sessions.  I'm totally safe with her, and it's been a real comfort to get to share this time.  I thank God for her in my life always, but it's been extra special this week.

Event: walking in God's gorgeous day!

Today was absolutely gorgeous!  This is a picture we got at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery.  See our hands cupped?  We were holding food for the fish, enjoying it as much as kids do.  After our visit to the hatchery, we went down and hiked the path by the lake.  I'll post a picture from that hike tomorrow.e  (I think we are just old kids.)

We are enjoying this visit so much.  I hope we get some more windy weather so Frank won't be able to fly back too soon to get Suzanne!  These gorgeous days are a wonderful blessing, though!  God is so good to us!  We'll make the best of whatever He sends to us.

Later this week good friends from Hobart are coming to spend 4 nights at Big Cedar.  We'll check out of here on Friday and join them for 3 nights.   I've posted pictures of me with Alyssa, my little friend who I get to keep sometimes.  Her mommy is bringing her and my good friend, Dorothy for a few nights at Big Cedar.  We're all very excited about this visit!  I'm so thrilled for Suzanne to get to meet my good friends and for them to meet her, too.  It's all such a blessing for me and I sure thank God for these great times and people!  I'll get good pictures when they're here!

Coming along on this puzzle!

Suzanne and I were all ready to go running around today when I remembered I wanted to get a picture of us with the puzzle.  We don't sit around in here wearing our jackets!  There was too much light coming in through the sliding glass doors for a good picture, but it was the only one I took today.  Wait until you see the puzzle progress tomorrow!  I've got an owners' meeting in the morning for one of our timeshares, so I'm trusting Suzanne will finish the puzzle while I'm gone.  Ha!  Seriously, we've made a lot of progress today!

Today it was gorgeous here.  I started out wearing the jacket, but ended up with it tied around my waist.  It was a perfect day!  We did some shopping and I got copies made of my tax forms and MAILED them.   I am so glad to have those behind me.  I still have to do the personal ones when I get home, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Suzanne and I are having so much fun.  This is a visit that we both needed, I think.  I so thank God for her visit and for safe flights for her and Frank.   I still am amazed that they flew here in that little plane!  I'm really honored!

The really good time started with this!

I've met a lot of folks at the airport, but never when they were the only folks in the plane!  it was so cool to watch Frank and Suzanne land in this little plane.  I really am still awe struck!  Of course Frank has gone home, but Suzanne and I picked up where we left off 44 years ago.  Of course we've kept in touch over the years, but it's really fun to be roommates, again!  I thank God for this treat of time to share, again!

We went to church this morning and we've spent the rest of the day working on the puzzle and catching up on lots we've missed.   We did a little 'schooling' on the game of cribbage, which I'm goint to teach her this week; it was a favorite of my mom and her dad.  This is really a great time and such a treat for me!  Thanks for keeping up with me;God bless!

An EVENT!

It's an event to me when someone flies in a little 4 seater plane to see me!  My cousin, Frank, brought his sister, Suzanne, to Branson today (From Goodlettsville, Tennessee)!  Suzanne was my best friend growing up and she and I were roommates in college, and she's going to spend a week or 10 days with me!  It will depend on when Frank can get back out here and that mostly depends on how the weather cooperates.  Tornadoes have made the weather very interesting all over from here to Tennessee this week, so we're keeping our options open and will watch the weather in the next week or two.  I'll love it as long as she can stay.  Frank wanted to go eat, so I told him the options close to the airport were a Mexican restaurant, Long John Silvers, KFC or the College of the Ozarks.  He said he wanted it to be an "event" and he could eat at all those places except the College of the Ozarks at home, so he wanted to go there.  Wow!  Was it ever an event!  It was delicious and the service was awesome.  I highly recommend it when you come to Branson!

I sure thank God for their safe trip.  Frank has already called us from home, so he made it back just fine.  I'm pretty impressed!  It's wonderful to have Suzanne for a week or more, too!  Woo hoo!

The girls are safe!!! PTL!

This picture is from walking earlier this week.  I walked every day out at the lake, but on moving day, I skip walking.  I probably walked two miles loading and unloading and what I missed in distance I made up for in lifting.  That's my thinking on it.  Besides, today I paced enough to make up for not walking.  I got a message from Gretta that said, "Don't worry, we'll be fine; we're going into the cellar."  WHAT?  So I turned on the weather channel and saw that there were tornadoes all around Both Gretta and Gina!  One wiped out a town two miles from Gina's house!  So until those storms were through and I had talked to both girls I was real busy talking to God and doing my best to stay calm.  Those storms were really horrible and I know there were people all over the country as distraught as I was.  I kept talking to myself, but the music to my ears was when I heard their voices.  Praise God, they're safe!

My cousin Suzanne is supposed to come tomorrow.  I hope those storms are through Nashville and the weather is clear so that her brother, Frank, can fly.  If the weather won't let them fly, she said she would drive.    We are both looking forward to this visit, so I sure hope it works so that she can come.  I've scouted out the airport and know how to get there, so I'll probably be up at dark, antsy for them to get here.  She's supposed to call me when they leave.  It's late and I'm headed to bed.  Thanks for keeping up with the saga of my life and God bless!

Bumps in the road.

There will always be bumps in the road of life.  Man, oh, man, do I know that.  That's why I need a good hot soak from time to time.  I can get clean in an inch or two of water, but a nice deep soak is good for easing damage from the bumps in the road.  This condo has a wonderful tub that I've enjoyed this week.

Today I went to war with one of our timeshares.  They called to confirm the week I had scheduled for spring break, and they asked me my income.  When I told them my income they told me I didn't qualify for one of the weeks I had ALREADY bought!  We went round and round and it was bumpy.  Now, I know why we have more than one timeshare!  Two others came through for me and I will remain in my 800 pound gorilla mode with the offending one until I win.  Now, I will go walk a couple of miles and then come back and get into that tub!

I thank God that I can think (even with chemo brain!), walk and stand my ground.  I learn something new all the time.  Too often I learn things I never wanted to know, but I'm blessed with lots of good information, too.  Thank God for the Bible, where I learn that life has never been easy and the bottom line is He wants us to love and He always loves us.  Wow!  Now, that's an awesome thing!