Hide and Seek. I FOUND Something I Needed!

This pic was taken at the lookout yesterday.  If you look at the red roofs on the left side, go to the right of them and see the white buildings with green roofs.  We have stayed in the green roof buildings for 3 weeks.  We're ready to leave tomorrow and go back out to Big Cedar.

A common 'game' I play is hide and seek.  I hide something and then spend days, weeks, months, even years looking for it.  I don't do it on purpose; it just happens.  I have a traction belt that I brought with me for my back, hip and leg.  I didn't need it for a few weeks, so I put it 'away' so I wouldn't keep stumbling over it.  It has a pump that I use to pump it up and that makes it work.  When I DID need the traction belt, I couldn't find the pump to save my life (or my hip and leg).  I finally gave in and figured that I must have left the pump at home.  Then, when I started to pack yesterday for tomorrow's move I found the pump!  But it took all day yesterday and today to find where I had stuck the belt.  What a crazy lady.  God knew I needed the traction, though, so I think He led me to it.  I am so thrilled to have it!  It really does help, so it will sure save these last three weeks!  Thank  you, God for directing me to the belt and the pump on the same day!  I'll bet I'll pay closer attention to where I put those things from now on and also always keep them in the same place!

[The bottom disc in my back is degenerated from wear and tear over the years due to a birth defect.  I was born with my tail bone fused to the last vertebra and the disc has paid the price for that over the years.  It cuts off circulation to my right side and my hip and leg complain about it a lot when the sciatic nerve is pinched.  This belt pulls free some space, for better circulation, so it's pretty much a wonderful thing!  Praise God, I DON'T have degenerative disc disease because all my other discs are good.  Only that one bad disc.]

The Thunder game is not showing here, so we're watching a favorite show:  "Undercover Boss."

Took my Breath.

We went out to check our mail today, which means we drove to the Hollister post office.  We stopped at the street going out from our condo and this little bird was sitting on the speed limit sign.  He absolutely took my breath!  The eastern bluebird is the Missouri state bird and we usually see lots of them, but they've been in hiding this year because it's been so cold, I guess.  It was so good to see him, and I was thrilled to get this pic.  I wish I could have gotten more, but there was someone behind us, so we couldn't stay there.  If I could just have gotten a shot from the front you'd see his gorgeous red breast and white belly, but this is the best I could get.  He was so beautiful.  The bluebird was Don's favorite bird, so I took this visit personally with a grin all over my face.  I thank God for all the beautiful birds He gives us to enjoy.  Don and I enjoyed watching birds a lot.

I got a bunch of stuff packed today for our move on Saturday.  It feels good to be prepared ahead, so that tomorrow won't be such a big effort.  This will be our next to the last move before we go home. Moving is a challenge, so it always feels good to get a move behind us!

Getting Ready to Make Another Move Soon.

This is a pic I took off our balcony at Big Cedar.  We go back there this weekend for 2 weeks.  I'm beginning to get things together for that move.  It's been nice not to have to move much, so we can make one more move out there.  We love it out there.

Today has been an easy day.  I did laundry, so we've got all clean clothes.  We're doing our best to eat the food we have so we don't have to move lots of food.  This is a fun thing for us, but we're looking forward to the kids coming for spring break and then we'll be ready to go home.  Home is always sweet.  There's always so much work to do at home, so it's relaxing to be gone, but home is a treasure. I thank God for a wonderful home and also a wonderful getaway.  We'll be home a couple of weeks and then it'll be time to go to MD Anderson for my next checkup; it's a shame that life seems to be coordinated around doctor appointments anymore, but I'm also grateful to have good doctors and good care.

Much Better Today; Amazing What Rest Can Do!

This pic was not taken today; we didn't think to take pix today.  This was on the windy 18th; it was a fairly warm day, but the wind made it a wreck a hairdo day!  I was having trouble walking that day, so I got my walking sticks out of the truck.  I've only had to use them two days since we've been here, but when I need them I sure need them.  The wind makes some days really shaky.  I should have been walking more than I have; then I would have needed the sticks more, but it's really just been too cold to get outside in the weather!  They tell us cold is returning, too.  This is winter, so I just thank God for a warm place inside, at least!  I'm really so grateful for this time away from home, too.  If I were at home, I'd be so busy with things that can obviously wait until I get home.  I need this rest since I'm not any good at getting it at home.  I sure thank Joan for taking care of things at home while we're gone, and Bill and Hazel and the Smiths for keeping an eye on things.  Neighbors and friends are the best!

Today we went to see a movie.  We saw "August: Osage County" . . . I enjoyed it even if the language was heavy.  It was one of those where you have to make up the ending and I like it better when they spell it out for you.  Chances are they won't spell it out the way I'd like it, though, so I guess I can be content with this one as it was.  It was set in Oklahoma, so I enjoyed that aspect of it.

I've Assigned Tonight as My Big Rest Night.

This is a pic Lee got of me Friday when we climbed the tower.  The wind was blowing so hard, even on the ground; I was hanging onto the tower to keep my balance!  It was really tough climbing. Today we got up and went shopping for books for Lee to read.  He goes through 3 or 4 books a week, so we hit the thrift shops to see what we can find and that makes it possible for him to read.  Dragging around was tough, though.  Then we ended up at Wal-Mart to get a script he's been waiting on for a week!  They had to get authorization from his doctor at home and that was like passing an act of congress!  We drug around Wal-Mart for about 3 hours waiting for it to all happen.  How frustrating! We DID come home with his script, though.  We had planned to eat burgers while we were out and I left chili thawing in the sink from the freezer.  I'm sure glad I did that, because I was starving when we got home!  I'm exhausted, too.  I didn't get my nap this afternoon, so I'm going to bed as soon as I get this written and my bath!  I thank God for a wonderful place to be and a wonderful person to share it!

When I thought I was so tired today I saw a lady who had only a smattering of a leg hanging in her jeans.  I know I had to feel better than she did.  It made me grateful.  Probably someone looked at me and was grateful, they weren't so tired, too.  We all have a purpose and everything is relative.  I'm grateful to be and to have a purpose.  I'm grateful that rest will do wonders to make me feel like a new person tomorrow, too!  God is great and He provides!

Lake is Low Here, Too!

This is another pic I got yesterday with the lake behind us.  You can tell that it is low on water.  I guess the drought we've suffered in southwestern Oklahoma is something we share.  I can only figure it's God's plan and He'll provide the moisture we all need when the time is right.  With all the snow they've had in the north east, I'm afraid there will be floods in Louisiana.  I don't envy them that!  I lived through a flood when we lived in Baton Rouge, and learned that floods are not pretty at all.  The best thing I know to do is always trust God's provisions and His timing.

Today was much cooler and this week will be, too.  That's all part of God's plan, too.  I give Him thanks for all He provides.  I notice that we're still smiling, so it's all good!  God bless!

Love This Weather! No Wind Today!

We went to the State Park to walk today.  It's a favorite place for us.  There were lots more people than usual; the great weather brings out the people!  I was disappointed to not see a single bird to capture with the camera, though.  I guess it's just too early in the season.  Usually the State Park is a great place to see birds.  We did see some gulls, but they were only good for watching and not close enough to capture with my camera.

The resort did our stay over clean today while we were gone walking.  It's nice to come home to a clean place.  Not too long before we go home and I'll have to do the stay over clean for us and make the place all clean.  It's been nice to be relaxing and taking it easy.  I thank God for the time and the opportunity!  It was so wonderful to have folks join us in January and the first of this month, too! Pretty soon it'll be spring break and we'll have kids to entertain us before we go home.  Priceless!

Windy, Windy, Windy!

It was a wonderful day today, but still so windy!  I think it was in the mid 60's, but the wind made it feel cold.  We walked up to the tower we love, but it was too windy to get pix up there.  The camera would have blown off the rail if I'd set the timer.  It was freezing cold up there, too, so we just stayed a minute and made our way back to the bottom where we got this pic.  I don't know what was reflecting in the corner, but probably some of the metal on the tower.  I had the camera sitting on one of the stairs and the rail is all metal.  I thank God that we are still able to make the climb; it was beautiful!  I thank Him for the beauty, too.  I wanted to take Sissy up there when she was here, but it was just too cold.

Happy Friday, everyone!  Hug the folks you love and be sure they know how much you love them.   We aren't promised anything, but we give thanks for all we have.  Thanks for following me.

Happy Birthday, Elena!

Princess Elena was 7 today!  This is a pic I got of her last Oct. when we were visiting in Kentucky. Her party is Saturday, so she'll be celebrating all through the weekend, I imagine.  She loves her birthday!  She is such a joy to everyone who knows her and I thank God for such joy in my life!

Lee and I took it easy today.  The winds were terrible, so it was a good day to stay inside.  We were really eager to watch the Thunder play the Heat tonight, but we were disappointed at their big loss.  I guess you win some and you lose some.  We hate losing, though!

I've done some more mending today.  Social Security folks called me today, while I had my rice buddy in the microwave.  I failed to have it turning, so I burned a big hunk of rice into 'coal' in one of them. So, I had to perform surgery on the buddy and get that big hunk of 'coal' out of there and then sew the 'incision.') It's a great reminder to me that I can see so well, and that is such a tremendous blessing.  I sure thank God for the awesome blessing to be able to see!

Today Was Even Better!

We went to a couple of thrift stores and to the grocery store today.  The weather was so nice!  I needed an old pillow case to make a couple of cases for my rice buddies.  I've been dragging them around in a king size pillow case that belongs here, but I wanted my own so I could take them with me when we go out in the truck.  Lee likes it lots cooler than I do, so the rice buddies sure help to keep me warm.  So, when we got home I cut up my 25 cent pillow case and sewed it into the cases I needed for my buddies.  I darned today's sock for Lee, too.  It seems like I need to darn about a sock a day.  I'm so grateful to be able to thread a needle after 4 years of having to used a threader!  I thank God so much for my wonderful vision!

I didn't take the camera with me, so I didn't get pix of today, but this one was from our walk up to the mailbox yesterday.  My hairs looks a ton better today, but yesterday was so windy there was no point in even combing, let alone spraying my hair.  I thought Oklahoma was windy, but the wind sure whips through these hills, too!  Today was better in every aspect; temperature, and wind!  Plus, I walked today without my walking sticks.  Yesterday I had to get them out of the truck because I woke up with a hip and leg that wanted to quit on me.  A good night's sleep got me back into good shape.  I sure thank God for the healing that comes with rest!

Still WINDY, but Warmer.

It was still too windy to bother combing my hair today, but it was warmer.  It was nice to be out in my vest instead of my coat.  This is a gazebo on the property, here.  I thank God for a beautiful day!

Lee and I are still doing lots of nothing.  We never get it done in one day, so we just pick up where we left off the day before.  It's exactly why we came here:  to do nothing.  I'll have plenty to do when we get home, so this R&R is precious to me.

Warm Enough to Walk, but WINDY!

(The building behind us is the one where we're staying; we're in the top left corner.)  I'm so grateful for a timer on the camera, so we can get pix of the two of us.  I'm also grateful that Lee doesn't fight the camera.  I'm also glad he would hold me on the bridge; the wind was blowing so hard I could hardly stand up!  It was 61, they said, but the wind made it feel really cold.  I went out wearing my vest and Lee didn't have his jacket, but by the time we got to the elevator we were both headed back to our unit to get coats!  We did walk over to the registration building to get set for our 3rd week here. We're so glad we didn't have to move any of these weeks.  It's very nice staying here and we're enjoying it.  After we leave here we'll go back to Big Cedar for 2 weeks.  It's worth moving to go back there for 2 weeks.  Then we'll come back into Branson to spend spring break week with Trish and her younger kids.  I'm not sure, yet, if Garrett can come with them or not.  It'll be a fun spring break, no matter who comes.  I thank God for the tradition we started years ago of spending spring break in Branson; it's been a lot of fun and many memories we treasure!

I got a lot of details taken care of this morning, so it's been a pretty busy day for me.  I still managed to get a good nap.  I'm going to be so spoiled when we get home and get back to real life!  I thank God for this time to rest and relax and enjoy this beautiful countryside.

Pampered.

Today started out tough.  Lee is worn out from his last couple of weeks of toothache, surgery and drugs.  They are giving him high powered antibiotics (double what he was taking before, plus another one) and they are working on his stomach.  I'm pretty much worn out from dealing with all that for him.  This morning we got up early to get ready for church.  I had my make up on; Lee had showered and we'd had breakfast.  Our clothes were laying on the bed to put on for church.  I felt SO tired, I laid down on the bed for just a minute.  When I did I heard my blood pumping rampant in my head. Every now and then my heart rushes like that, but usually it's at night so it doesn't bother me.  Well, I was up and around and I guess it made me really tired.  Lee came in and laid down beside me.  We were both worn out and the day had just begun.  We laid there a few minutes and I said, "You know, I don't feel like driving to church and I don't trust you to drive."  All the drugs he's on make him goofy and these roads are curvy and he's not at home here.  He wasn't offended and it was easy to give in to me.  We just kept laying there and had a nap.  After a while he got up and moved all our clothes off the bed and left me to sleep until nearly noon.  I guess I needed it.  After lunch I went back and had another nap.  We both feel better; it was just a rough start to the day.  Last week we missed church because Lee was in such pain and swelling with his tooth.  The Sunday before we missed because of the snow.  Next week they'll think we're visiting, again!  Surely we'll be able to go then!

Lee has pampered me all day.  I slept a lot of the day and when I wasn't sleeping I was reading.  We had food from the freezer which I'd prepared previously.  So it's been easy for me.  It was a beautiful day and we should have gone out and walked, but neither of us had the energy.  I think we needed a full day of rest.  I thank God for the opportunity to rest and give our bodies the opportunity to heal from recent stress.

I was looking forward to the All Star basketball game tonight, but they're doing so much hype and not playing that it's making me tired.  I hope the game is good, but I'm having my doubts at this point.

Red Monkey Santa and Hair Bands.

I went to school in Japan and Dave Gibson did, as well.  We were there at different times, but we have come to know each other very well over the years through the Internet and reunions.  He and his wife, Seyla, are pictured above at our last reunion in San Antonio.  Dave and Seyla have been to see us in Hobart and Don and I visited him on our way out to Washington and Oregon several years ago. They are dear friends.  Dave has only one daughter and I think only one grandchild, but he is such a giver.  Back before Christmas, he sent authentic Japanese tea sets to several of us.  Then he started asking how many granddaughters we had.  In the mail many of us received  hair bands for our granddaughters!  I've pictured the variety that I got above.  When he was in Japan, he was nicknamed Red and at some point he became Red Monkey.  I use that nickname for him on one of the pages where our alumni group visits on face book.  Then he started sending all these gifts to us, so I changed my nickname for him to Red Monkey Santa.  These are wonderful things he's done for us, but I happen to know that he has done lots more wonderful things for many people all over the world. Seyla is from Costa Rica and I remember when Dave was dating her and he'd write to me and tell me about all the goodies he was packing in his suitcase to take to her family in Costa Rica.  He likes to be anonymous (and he married his perfect match), so I won't go into any more detail, but he is probably the most giving, generous person I know.  I thank God for Dave and Seyla in my life.  The gifts are precious, but their spirit and examples are even better treasures to me.

So, several of my granddaughters are coming to Branson for spring break and they'll get the first choice.  I'll hold the rest for the others and give them to them as soon as I see them.  Fun times! Thanks so much, Dave and Seyla!

Lee and I went to Landry's for a late Valentines day lunch.  We're so stuffed we can hardly move and neither of us wanted dinner or even the cheesecake sopapillas I made for tonight.  I think we overdid lunch but it was a fun time.

These Sweet People

This is Pat and Jim Holland, who came all the way from Las Cruces, New Mexico to share some time with us in the frozen tundra of Branson to quote another dear friend.  This was the last day as they were getting ready to leave to head for Albuquerque, where they were planning a super bowl party with their son and friends.  That hat and jacket are Jim's Bronco attire.  I know they hated the game and it's turnout, but I'm sure they had a great time with their son and friends, anyway.  We sure had a great time with them and appreciate their coming so far to join us for a great week.  My two sisters were there, too, so we had so much fun playing cards and puzzling.  I talked to Pat on FB today and it's 83 in Las Cruces; and they came clear here to freeze with us!  We're so honored and thank God for their friendship and their safe travels

Today was a COLD day, again.  The temperature was in the high 30's, but the wind was like an Oklahoma wind:  BRUTAL.  So, we elected to hang inside the condo and we'll go out and celebrate Valentine's day tomorrow . . . or not, but we sure didn't want to go out today!  Plus our heat in the condo stopped TWICE and we had to have the maintenance people here to get it going.  Interesting, but I'm so glad it wasn't our problem to fix.  We spent the day relaxing and reading; really a nice day and I thank God for the opportunity to relax.  We'd stayed up past midnight last night watching the Thunder play and beat the Lakers.  It was a tough game; the Lakers led the whole game and the Thunder pulled it into a win at the last minute.  I guess they love to do that because it seems to be their comfort zone, but it sure is hard on the fans!  Sleeping late was a nice, nice thing.  Hope you all had a wonderful Valentines' Day!

They Don't Hurt.

That's the good thing about wrinkles.  Man, look how gray my hair is getting.  Just a couple of years ago there was a lot of brown still in it.  Guess I need to update my blog pic.  Anyway, I thank God that the wrinkles don't hurt!

I also thank God that Lee passed his inspection with the oral surgeon today.  They took out the drain and said that all is well.  They had sent off some tissues for pathology reports and those reports aren't back, yet, so we're still waiting on those but not expecting problems.  They think he should be able to make it until we get home for the root canal.

We're happy tonight because the Thunder/Lakers game is actually going to be on TV here in Branson. We'll love watching the game instead of just watching the stats and play by plays online.  I'm going to get my bath early and be ready to fall into bed as soon as the game ends.  God bless!

A Way Better Day!

Thankfully, Lee is so much better today.  He still has pain, but the swelling is way down.  You can see a little in this pic that his right side is a bit swollen and he smiles and talks out the left side of his mouth.  It's so good that he is feeling so much better, though!  I thank God for Lee's great response to the drugs and surgery.  Tomorrow we go to have his stitch and drain removed.

We'll also do some grocery shopping.  I am so grateful that we are not involved in the winter storm that is stifling the south and east.  It's plenty cold here, but we can get around!  Again, I thank God!

Lee's So Much Better!

This is not today, but it was taken on Jan. 22.  Lee and Sissy stood still for a minute for me to get their pic at the convention center at Big Cedar.  When my laptop wouldn't work, I did a system restore and it worked!  So, I keep doing a system restore (going back to a time that Lee felt good) and hoping he will snap back to feeling really good.  Seriously, he did feel so much better today.  He's still dragging, a lot because of the medications he's taking, not to mention recovering from surgery, but we think he's doing much better.  He goes back Thursday to get the drain removed and we hope he feels pretty good by then.  I'm still thanking God for everything falling together yesterday, so that we could get Lee onto the mend.  I thank Him for a good night's sleep and a good day of rest today, too.

I'm watching the Thunder play the Portland Trailblazers on their official website.  I don't see the game, but I see the score and the play by play comments.  It's better than nothing.  I'd like it a lot better if the Thunder could stay ahead.  Right now it's the half and we're 10 points behind.  I'll stay up and see them through this, but I hope they can turn it around and come up with a win.

Lee is on the Path to Recovery.

Today I'm thanking God for looking after us, again!  He always does!  This morning we got up and it was coming down thick with snow!  I called Lee's dentist in OKC and got a referral to someone here. I called that someone and she was too booked to even consider working in a new patient.  She did refer us to a really nice guy, who did work us in at noon.  I wondered how in the world we'd get there in that snow, but we went.  The roads were absolutely clear!  There must have been enough salt left from last week's storm and enough traffic to keep them clear.  I was so grateful.  Then we got there and they said he had an abscessed tooth and he needed an oral surgeon to drain it TODAY!  They called the surgeon and he said he had surgery to do in Springfield, but if we came right then, he could do it.  Wow!  I was so thrilled that it all fell into place like that.  (I believe God takes care of those things.)  {I didn't take this picture this morning; actually the roads looked better than this one that I got last week.  It's just the best I could do.}

Lee had to be sedated to do the procedure and he came out without a clue where we were or why. He stumbled like a drunk man.  We managed to get him to the truck and then he agreed to stay in it while I went in to get his drugs.  I was so scared he would attempt to escape.  I asked him to look me in the eye and promise me he would stay in the truck.  It was so scary to leave it running, with him clueless, but it was freezing outside!  When I came back I thanked him for staying in the truck and he said, "Where would I go?  I don't even know where I am!"  Bless his heart; he was so confused.  He kept saying, "Do you know what they did to me?" Thankfully, the anesthesia has worn off and he knows where we are and what's happening, now.  Whew!  What a day.  I'll be so ready for bed, soon!

The dentist left a tube in to allow for continued draining.  It is in with a stitch and they'll remove that on Thursday.  They said the swelling will continue and be the worst on the 3rd day, so I don't expect the next few days to be easy.  He has to eat because of his diabetes, but he can only have soft foods. I got groceries so I can fix what he needs while I was waiting for his scripts.  We're set.  The main thing is we know what it is that he has and we're doing what needs to be done.  This time next week he should be in good shape.  When we get home he'll have a root canal done on that tooth.

No puzzle for me.  All I want to do is go to bed!  Of course I got no nap today.  We got up early to call his dentist and we were up at 3 making him oatmeal so he could take a pain pill.  I'm really ready for a good night's sleep.  Just any sleep will be good.  We may still be up in the middle of the night with pain.  We'll do what we have to do, but I know I'm going to bed early tonight!  Thanks, everyone for your concern and love.  Things are looking better.

Lee is Not Better, but is Worse; Calling Doc Tomorrow First Thing.

A couple of weeks ago I was having trouble with my computer, so I did a system restore and it fixed it.  So, I'm posting a picture of Lee from Feb 2, hoping that it might fix him.  He is really suffering today.  

Yesterday I was calling him Popeye because one side of his face was all swollen, especially his bottom lip.  Today his whole bottom lip was so swollen I couldn't even see his top lip.  He looked like an old man who forgot to put in his teeth.  He could hardly talk or eat all day.  Tomorrow we're calling his dentist in OKC first thing in hopes of getting a referral to someone here in Branson or in Springfield.  If he doesn't know anyone here I'll call someone from church and hope to get a referral from them.

Otherwise, everything is going fine.  I feel good, and that's a good thing.  We're getting plenty of rest. The meds Lee has are making him drowsy, so he sleeps and God gave me the gift of sleep, so I can sleep anytime I have permission.  Speaking of sleep; it's that time.  Good night, All; tomorrow is get something don about Lee's issues day!

Here We Are.

This is The Suites at Fall Creek.  This is a picture they have on their web site and it happens to be the exact building we are in.  We're on the 4th (top) floor of that corner facing the pool.  Of course the pool is covered and closed at this time of year, but it helped me to identify our building and suite. The corner is a screened in porch and the next window back is our bedroom, where Lee already is.  I will be there soon.  I'm headed to take that bath I've been waiting two weeks to take!  God wired me and He knows I need this bath!

Lee is not feeling much better.  The swelling goes down during the day, but he wakes up with a really swollen face.  We may not go to church tomorrow because he is so uncomfortable.  Besides, I'm afraid his resistance may be down due to whatever his system if fighting.  Surely the meds will kick in soon and help him to feel better.  I got several trips down to the truck done this morning before he got out of the shower.  He really felt so bad that he didn't fight me too much.  Then he let me drive all day because the drugs he's on make him feel so goofy that he felt safer with me driving!  Now, that's really goofy to prefer my driving!  Thursday he only got to talk to his dentist's nurse.  When he calls back Monday, I'm thinking he'll ask her to ask his dentist to call him back; maybe he can suggest someone he should see in Branson.

The good thing is that we got all moved with no problems.  We went and got groceries and we're good for the next couple of weeks.  Tuesday I'll get to make the reseration for the 3rd week; sure hope we can get to stay here a 3rd week so that we don't have to move an extra time.  I had leftover chicken pot pie (homemade that Lee and I love) for supper, so I didn't have to cook much tonight.  Both of us were too tired to even eat dessert; that's tired!  I had bread pudding left over and it would have been easy, but we were just too tired.  More good news is that it didn't snow any more; the roads are great, so we had no issues at all with moving.  The Air Force Brat in me doesn't mind the moving, but it's hard on the body.

Missing Everyone!

Today we're getting ready to move tomorrow.  The last time we moved we had Sissy here to help. We're moving to a resort that is one of Ruthie's favorites, so I'll miss sharing it with her and Phil. We're moving food that all of these folks brought and left, so I keep thinking of each of them!  I sure thank God for the precious time spent with all these folks!!!  Fun, fun times!

Lee has whatever he had before wrong with his tooth.  Actually, he saw the dentist back in early December and they couldn't find a thing wrong, even doing x-rays.  The dentist gave him antibiotics in case it was an infection beginning and pain killers.  It had been fine until it started up again Wednesday.  He called his dentist yesterday and he called in scripts for him, again.  He'll go back to see him as soon as we get home.  One side of his face is swollen, from under his eye to his chin.  It hurts below his mouth.  He talks out of the other corner of his mouth; makes me think of Popeye, which I've been calling him all day.  The good thing is maybe I can get most of the moving done without his 'help.'  He likes to move 'his way' and he has not done this for the last 15 years like I have.  I can do it so much better if I can get it done while he's in the shower.  I really hate for him to feel bad, but maybe the antibiotics will kick in and he'll feel better tomorrow.  Another good thing is that the roads are all clear, so moving shouldn't be a problem

I'm looking forward to this new resort because it has a jet tub.  This condo is VERY nice, but it has only showers in it.  I'm such a bath person.  It will be so nice to sit down and soak in a tub!

Another Favorite.

This is the registration desk at the convention center at Big Cedar.  Notice the elevator to the right.  I just love it with deer painted on the doors!  Here's a close up of the elevator.  Inside the doors are painted like this, too.

Today we didn't even offer to go anywhere.  It was too cold.  I imagine the roads were pretty decent, but it just wasn't worth it to go outside unless it was really necessary and it wasn't.  However, Lee's sore jaw is back.  He thought it was a toothache when he had it back in the fall.  He rushed to the dentist and they did x-rays and couldn't see a thing.  The dentist thought maybe he had an infection starting and causing the pain, so he gave him antibiotics and a pain killer.  That took care of it for then, but it started coming back yesterday.  He called them today and got new scripts called into the pharmacy here.  I guess we'll go out tomorrow and get them.  It's really a strange kind of pain; he'll go see the dentist, again, as soon as we get home.  It's crazy how one thing and then another begins to show age, isn't it?  I thank God that we have docs to see us through these crumbling times.

Tomorrow we will also be packing to move into town for the next 3 weeks.  I have two of the weeks scheduled at the same place and hope to get the third week at the same place.  It's one of those deals that I can only schedule 10 days ahead, so there is no certainty.  I hope to get it at the same place to cut out an additional move.  We still won't be IN town, but we'll be over by the hatchery; it's closer than this is, but still right on the lake and not far at all from town.

Oh!  The game last night wasn't on TV, here, so we didn't eat in front of the TV.  I watched the score and the stats online, so we kept up with it that way.  The chili and cornbread were good and the bread pudding was pretty awesome if I did make it, myself!  We were very pleased with it and will do it, again.  Spenda is a wonderful thing.  I made the whole pudding with only 5 Splenda packets; it was plenty sweet and not enough Splenda to hurt us.  (I know Splenda has it's issues over the long haul, but if I eat too much it gives me terrible stomach cramps.  I know sugar feeds cancer, so I have to have some kind of substitute and I like it when I can sweeten a whole dessert with only 5 packets.) So, there's the bread pudding report.  YUM!!!

Sharing the Convention Center at Big Cedar.

This is a huge fireplace and one of my favorite places at Big Cedar.  We're at a Big Cedar property, now but a couple of miles away from the convention center.  We'll be here until Saturday and then we'll move into town for 3 weeks before we come back to Big Cedar for another couple of weeks. We are pretty much snowed in today, so I'm reflecting on good times we've had already.  We miss our company, but we're still having fun.

Today I made bread pudding for the first time in my life.  It's in the oven and we'll see how it tastes.  I never even ate any bread pudding until I tasted it at the College of the Ozarks at the Keeter Center. Theirs is awesome!  I baked biscuits Sunday morning and left them in the oven too long.  They didn't burn but they were very dry.  So, I decided to give bread pudding a whirl with them since the gravy is gone.  I'll report later.

I also made chili and cornbread for supper.  There is a Thunder game tonight, so we're looking forward to dinner in front of the TV and fireplace.  Woo hoo!  God is so good to give us this special time with each other and enough to share with friends and family.  We know we are blessed, indeed.

Wow; Here it Came, Again!

We left the condo this morning at 7:40, thinking it would be plenty of time to make it into Branson by 8:20.  Wrong.  We arrived at 8:30, but they were glad to see us as so many people couldn't show at all, including staff!  We went out the way Ruthie and Phil and Sissy went out yesterday and I never was relaxed enough to handle the camera.  First off we took the directions we were given (and I gave to them) and ended up on top of a hill we barely made it up and it was a dead end!  [Ruthie and Sissy, that's when we went up Oakwood where you guys must have gone onto Lindell yesterday because that's the way we ended up going.  We sure thought of you as we were sliding around up there! Wendy never told me anything about Lindell; guess she forgot that jag in the road!] We finally made it to the area that Big Cedar maintains and it was much easier.  But the closer we got to Branson the worse it got.  It was supposed to start with a wintry mix at 8. but it started with huge flakes at 7.  When we got out of the hospital from my treatment there was at least a 2 inch collection on our truck!  Lee scraped that off and we headed for the condo.  I got the pic below as we got onto the highway.  That's the hospital in the background, but that road was scary!  I was kind of brave after the success of the trip into town, plus the nap I had during the treatment, so I got out the camera to get some pix, rather than holding on for dear life!

After we pulled out of  Hollister, which is just south of Branson, it began to be better.  It hadn't snowed as much there and the roads had been plowed.

Then, as we got onto Big Cedar property the roads were so much better because they work on them so much.  Whew!

Then we only had a couple of miles to come on from there to our condo.  We were blessed to make it without big problems.  The devil kept hoping to get a hold on us, but God held us in His hands!  Here's what it looked like when we pulled into the condo parking lot.

Empty Nest.

One day in this past, fast week we went to the Grand Village and ate lunch at Mel's Hard Luck Diner. While we were there Sissy and I climbed up into the rocker to get our pic made.  I wish we'd had time to go back and get one of Ruthie in there with us.  We didn't think she'd want to walk down there to it, but we could have driven closer, I think.  It's one of those things we can just WISH we did.  We had so much fun sharing time.  It didn't really matter what we did; it as all fun!

We got 4.5 inches yesterday and more is predicted for the rest of the week, so they all felt like they'd better head for home.  I just talked to Ruthie and got a text from Sissy and they are both in their safe spots; Ruthie is home and Sissy is in her home town, just not to the house, yet.  I thank God for giving them safe trips home.

I have a treatment tomorrow and a wintry mix is supposed to begin at 8 in the morning.  I was scheduled for 1:00 tomorrow, but I called this morning and asked if they could do me earlier so I could get in and back to the condo before it gets too bad.  They kindly gave me an 8:20 appointment, so we'll start early tomorrow and then plan to be snowed in for the rest of the week.  Our next sweat is that we move to another condo in town on Saturday.  I hope we can get out of here, okay.  We're really in the country.  But Sissy and Ruthie and Phil got out this morning, so surely we can do it Saturday.  God will provide; I know it and count on it!

Sure Enough, the Snow is Here.

This is the view of the lake from our balcony today.  This morning we couldn't even see it for the snow, but we can see it, now.  We didn't go to church; it likely was even cancelled, but we knew better than to get out in it.  Even if the car could make it, it would be crazy for all of us who are so unsteady on our feet to walk to and from the car!

We've spent the day inside, eating, napping and watching the Super bowl.  I'm hoping to get a good hand and foot canasta game going in a few minutes.  It's been a good time and we are still thanking God for this good visit!  I pray that Ruthie and Phil and Sissy will travel safely home tomorrow!

The Birds are Done!

This is Ruthie, Phil, Sissy and I after we finished the bird puzzle.  It was very challenging, but a piece of cake compared to the one we started next.  We finally abandoned it today and went back to playing hand and foot canasta.  We've had tons of fun!  I thank God for our time to share!

The weather is complicating things for their  travel home, so it looks like Ruthie and Phil will head for Tennessee on Monday and Sissy will head for Texas.  Lee and I will be here to enjoy being snowed in.  We have to move Saturday, so I hope the weather doesn't hinder us!  We'll work it out. I'm just so grateful for this time we've gotten to share.