Rain, Sleet, and Snow

   We have had it all starting  yesterday with rain, then during the night it went to sleet, then to snow. We aren't as bad as though to the north of us. My heart goes out to those who suffered in the tornadoes, floods, and blizzard conditions. I had an appointment today, but I cancelled it for a week. I really didn't want my daughter to get out in this mess. They treated the streets making them slushy. It was a good day to work on my new pillowcase for some little boy or girl. I will post a picture when I get it done.

    We picked up our oldest son at the airport on Christmas Eve in the afternoon. It was so good to see him and have him home until the 3rd of January when he flies back home. Thank goodness he wasn't in the mess at the airport today or he would probably be having a severe asthma attack with all of the perfumes, and etc. I use all unscented cleaning supplies here at home. 

   We did make it up to see his dad yesterday. We took him lunch and Christmas. It wasn't a long visit. He stayed as long as he could until the cleaning supplies and etc started causing a problem. He has very sensitive lungs thanks to the Persian Gulf War. They don't want to admit the boys came home with problems.  The weather cooperated and we made a few stops before they brought me home. 

   All of the kids and grandkids being together was the best Christmas present that I could ask for.  It was so much fun watching them open their packages. My middle grandson thought he had clothes in one box and it turned out to be match box cars. It made it special for me. We didn't have the traditional Christmas with turkey and ham. Instead on Christmas Eve we had home made Chicken Noodle Soup, sandwiches, and chips. Then the day after Christmas, we had brisket cooked on the  grill, veggies, potato casserole, broccoli and rice plus desserts. We have picky eaters with some. So to get certain things, they have to try something that they say they don't like. It is amazing what you can get them to try. 

   The family will be together on New Year's Eve before our oldest flies home. I don't know what the menu is for it. It is another of mom just has to be there. It makes it rather nice. I still don't have a car as of yet nor have I got everything I need from the insurance company as of yet. 

   I miss my independence, but then I wouldn't go in  bad weather. I spent time looking at the pictures of the flood water in Branson, Missouri. When I look how high the water was at the Landing. It is wow. Plus they had all of the flood gates opened on the dam. Finding a way to come home would be a big problem with all of the flooding. It would make a bit of problem to get around down there. 

   I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I am saying prayers for all of those in need. Take care and Happy New Year.

  

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

    Merry Christmas to all of my blogging Friends. It is quickly approaching and in two more days I get to go with my daughter and grandson to pick up my oldest at the airport.  It is that special time of the year for family which I realize not everyone is lucky to have that. If you know someone alone, then take the time to wish them a Merry Christmas. Pick up the phone, call, talk to them. Some even include them in a family meal.

    Loosing family during the month of December can be hard on a family. I know that from my own experience.  It makes it even harder if it is on Christmas Day. You keep your spirits as high as possible for the rest of the family and enjoy the time with them. It is not about what you get as a present but it is the family time.  Talk with one and another, it really isn't that hard to do if you set your mind to it. 

   Please say a prayer for my oldest brother who is losing his eyesight plus having blisters on his legs due to diabetes. You can see them go down hill and it does take a toll on people even when you are trying to do the best you can. He is like the head of the family and took that responsibility after my parents passed away.  

    I didn't get to watch the basketball game on Saturday. I was finishing my shopping with my daughter and youngest grandson. We lost her in our Kohl's store. She was on the phone so we went looking at what I was wanting for my hubby. She went one way and we went the opposite way to find her.  Cell phones work great to find people to see if they are ready to go or not. It was funny. My grandson was to keep track of me. He did. He went right along with me.

   Then we went to the nursing home to see hubby. I had got a box of candy for the girls to share  who takes care of him. He set and watch the birds with our grandson for awhile before we left. They have finches there in a glass enclosure. They usually sing when they have the church services.  We went to lunch  before they brought me home after we went to pet store. He thought grandma needed a pet. I told him I didn't think so. 

   Car shopping will wait until after the first of the year. It just doesn't fit anyone's schedule right now, but I have been looking on line. The insurance company hasn't settled yet. They want their money, but they take their time when they owe you. 

   Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I will be popping in and out for the next few days because I want to spend as much time as possible with my family while my oldest is home.  If you travel, please be safe on the road. Take care.

   

Countdown

  Have you started your count down to Christmas? Days are being marked off the calendar until Christmas Eve at our family houses. The boys are excited that their uncle will be home. I just want to set and listen to the kids talk and watch the boys with their uncle. 

   We haven't had any snow but we had rain, thunder, lightening, and pea size hail last night. I thought I was hearing things when the rain started pouring down. It didn't last long was just one of those pop up storms that normally happens during the summer months. There is some roads closed in the counties because of high water. You normally have snow this time of the year.

   The menu is planned for Christmas Eve. Not your traditional meal but soup and sandwiches. Our big family dinner will be on Sunday. The menu will consist of smoked brisket for the meat instead of turkey and ham. Menu's get changed to things that big brother likes and can't get in Louisiana. 

   The title has been sent to the people who have my totaled car so we can take another step closer to get me another car. I keep thinking about the accident wondering where the other vehicle came from because he wasn't there when I started my turn. He just suddenly appeared and we hit. The soreness is still there, but getting better with each passing day. The bruises are changing colors. I won't be getting another car until after the first of the year because of everything that has to be done yet still. 

   Kids have been taking me grocery shopping and my daughter and I will go Christmas shopping one night before the weekend. We have to have a present for Santa to deliver to hubby at the nursing home. My oldest grandson and I was up there yesterday. I needed his signature on the car title so I could put it in the mail.

   My grandson told me he is getting to pay me back for taking him all the times he needed to go somewhere before he got his drivers license by taking me where I need to go now.  I tell him I am riding in style when I ride in his 88 Ford pickup. As long as it gets him where he needs to go that is the main thing.

   We were talking about how we use to coast on our street when the kids were little. We would park cars on two hills and away we would go. You sure couldn't do it now. They talked about when the snow was deep how they started in the corn field came over the fence down into our yard. The corn field is full of houses. When we built our home many years ago, it was like living in the country and still in the city. It was farm land all around us. That has changed over the years. We knew our neighbors, but you don't anymore. 

  I am sending hugs and prayers to those who are in need. You can never have to many prayers. It has helped us with hubby still being with us. Take care. 

  

Shopping Done Yet?

     Good Morning to all of you here in Blog land. We are at 47 degrees this cloudy morning with the possibilities of rain this afternoon and during the weekend. Just what we want going into the weekend, but as the saying goes you take what you get. 

   I feel for those on the West Coast. Mother Nature hasn't cared where she caused problems for people this year with all of the storms, floods, and etc. Sometimes I think that we take everything for granite that it is not going to happen to us in our area. You just never know. 

   I know now what it is like to lose my independence and have to rely on other ways of transportation to get a

 round until I can find another car to replace the one that was totaled. I hated to see it go because it was equipped the way I like it. Oh well I didn't have any broken bones still sore and was told it would be a while because it takes longer for it heal. I still know when I move the wrong way it hurts. Coughing and sneezing is really noticeable.
   My Ho Ho Ho Santa tea towel that I made this year. I have several in my etsy shop and I thought I would also show you the center of a table cloth that I embroidered. I was going to keep it for myself, but instead it will be sold. The hands have been keeping busy right now also a lot of time spent on the phone with the insurance company. I just wish everything was done and over with.
    The boys have started counting days until their uncle will be home. The best Christmas present you can have is the time spent with family and enjoy watching the grandchildren in whatever they are involved in right now. 
   I can remember walking on top of snowdrifts to make it home for Christmas. The things that we done when we were growing up, we get looked up like we were nuts. The stockings always had an orange and Christmas candy in them. I wish that I could find some of the Christmas candy that we had when we were growing up. How many remember snow ice cream? We couldn't wait for that first snow for that. The snowball fights, building forts, and of course, coasting. Lots of fun. 
   Hopefully everyone is getting their Christmas shopping done, baking, and making Christmas candy. Divinity, Taffy, and fudge. Remember making home made taffy when I was a child. How we would pull it and mom would cut  it after it reached a certain point. Did you ever string popcorn for your Christmas Tree. 
   Well need to go finish some more paper work . Take care.
  

PAPER WORK

  I didn't know there would be so much paper work to be filled out when you totaled a vehicle. Every time I think that I have everything covered, I get told that I have to have something else. I have started me a file to put everything in. I have made copies of everything so I know what I did. It almost makes me think I am working again.

   The worse part is  I have lost my independence until I can get another vehicle.  I miss that not being able to go whenever and wherever I wanted to go. I have been talking with hubby on the phone because I haven't been up to see him for a few days. He doesn't know that I also check with the nurses as to what is going on. I try not to infringe on the kids because everybody works and I know they have things that they need to do also. My kids are great in the respect that they take care of me. For example, yesterday I needed to put a custom order in the mail to California. My grandson goes to the Technical School here in town so he came by and took me before he went home. He told me about the excitement that they had at their school that involved the school being put on lock down. There was a threatening note left in the girl's bathroom that morning. It makes you wonder what is going on with kids now days. Why the person did what they did? Was it involving bullying? So many questions. You just hope that you have taught the kids right from wrong and they do the right thing. He said that they had a lot of law enforcement people at school. 

   The Christmas parties have started and I am trying not to interfere with any of their plans. I try to let them do what I need on their schedule. We have started looking at cars, but I don't know what kind of a car I am going to get. I get told I need to think affordability so that I am not in over my head. I just want to try to find one that has some factory warranty left on it and low mileage. I don't want a model car that has issues as some of them do.  

   I am still sore and my bruises are changing all different colors. I count my blessings every day that I didn't break something. I talked to my oldest last night for about a hour. He called home to check on mom and to tell me he finally had a doctor that said he did have a problem. He has chemical asthma that some have tried to say it was in his head. They don't want to admit those serving in first gulf war came home with problems. Why can't they give the veterans the care that they deserve for the sacrifices that they made to give us our freedom?  

   The sun is not shining as bright today as yesterday but it is warming up. We are at 48 degrees. I will take every day that we get that we don't have bad weather. I keep saying I want a white Christmas but only on the grass and trees not the sidewalks, streets, and highways. We all want that Right. 

   I went to my first basketball game this last Saturday. They won. After the ballgame we went to the shopping center for a while to see mom who missed the first game because other commitments. We went home to take care of the horses and dogs. We ended up going out for supper before they brought me home. 

   Just a little to what I have been up to lately. Have a wonderful rest of the week.

    

   

Checkin In

  We might actually get some sunshine today. It might make me feel better. I am still dealing with a very sore chest and rib cage. I was suppose to get my mammogram, but that is going to be postponed. I don't think I can tolerate it and I don't want a false picture making it look like something is wrong. I am still dealing with the insurance company. I found out I don't have vehicle rental on my policy so I don't know what I am going to do. They gave me a couple of places that should give me discount prices to rent a vehicle, but you have to pay for it. It don't fit a fixed income very well When it rains, it pours that is for sure. I am just not use to relying on other people. I did come home and am sleeping in my own bed.  I might be slow moving, but I can do things at my speed.

   The maddest I have gotten was being asked if I had permission to drive the car and it is in both names. They said it was a computer glitch. Yeah! right. Why can't people admit when they made a mistake instead of trying to cover  up their mistakes.

   My oldest grandson called to see if I needed anything before he went home from school the other afternoon. He brought me a few things. I am not use to have rely on other people for my transportation. The kids do take care of me and when they decide what they are going to do about my car if it is fixable or totaled.  If I have to get a different one then family will go with me. My middle grandson said I killed it.He was with his brother and mom when they picked me up.

  Christmas is approaching and my shopping is put on hold for right at the moment. The pain med works like a sleeping pill so I try not to take it because I want to be awake instead of sleeping. I got my fruit basket that I buy from my grandson as a fun raiser. It has red, yellow apples, pears, and oranges. I had a yellow apple right after he delivered it last night. By the time he got through he had it all delivered excepting for one which would be delivered tonight. They live several miles outside of town, but she was going to be town tonight because she had to work. 

   We will be spending quite a bit of time together when my oldest gets home. They have several things planned. We are having soup and sandwiches Christmas eve after he gets in and having a big dinner the day after Christmas for one thing. Of course there are three boys who are anxious to see them. I know my Christmas is having them all home. 

   Hubby is feeling neglected right at the moment, but it can't be helped. He doesn't think I should stay by myself. I know my limitations. 

   The boys are wanting some snow so that they can go coasting. The fun we had growing up coasting, snow ball fights, walking on snow drifts as we walked to our one room school house, getting out in fresh air. We didn't have television or all of the electronics. We listen to the radio and I still like some of the oldies that come on Sunday evenings. It is better than some of the television programs. Some definitely needs to be banned. 

    Take care and be careful when you are out.