She's like that bunny that just keeps on ticking, and never stops

 Callie and I went shopping yesterday, and for an 80 year old she is quite spunky.  After the first couple of hours I couldn't keep up with her, and had to sit and rest some.  At first it wasn't too bad, but as the day wore on I was in so much pain that I couldn't go on any longer, so we had to cut the day short.  We got to her house and Kathy unloaded all of Callie's stuff sometime after 7:00 p.m. and, by the time I got to my house it was almost 8:00 p.m. I had been gone from my house for nearly 11 hours.  I was never so glad to get home.

This morning Rick babied me a little by bringing my coffee to me.  He can be so sweet at times, and that's the Rick that I fell in love with.  That's why I have to ice my back and get healed up today, so that I can help him with the mowing.  It would be a shame if he had to do it all and still work 40+ hours per week at his construction job.  We work good together.......at times, haha, and other times I just have to stay out of his way.

Getting back to Callie......She surprised me with this beautiful top for taking her shopping yesterday.  I love it!  

Besides admiring every flower and plant in Richmond, Ky. yesterday with Callie, we stopped and ate at Olive Garden.  I think Callie loved it.  She spoke to other patrons who were having lunch within ear-shot of us, she thanked the bus boy for her wonderful lunch and complimented him on his beautiful restaurant, and she raised her hand and called our waitress to our table at least ten or more times; to the point that I noticed that our waitress started avoiding us.  I finally had to tell the waitress candidly  that Callie didn't get out much and to please forgive us for bothering her so much. 

   

Callie also insisted that we tip our waitress $5 each, which made it come out to a 25% tip for me.  Of course, Callie ordered two more hot meals To Go, so her tip was probably not enough actually.  

When we first arrived at Olive Garden and were placing our order, Callie gave our waitress her whole life story, and the poor waitress had to stand there and listen the whole time, and I guess out of sheer desperation, the waitress then gave Callie a free dessert of her choice, so I guess sometimes you get rewarded for being so annoying, even tho Callie is very sweet too.  She just doesn't know when to stop talking.

    

Callie's last words about the restaurant were, "We won't forget this place, because of the coffee with the curdled cream."  

Someone from the kitchen came out 3 times to bring her a new cup of coffee, so finally the last time they came out they told her that they were going to stand there and watch her put the cream in her coffee to make sure that this time it didn't curdle.

It was quite an experience going out to eat with Callie and I guess you could say  that it was one that you wouldn't want to repeat again for at least another year.  Of course this was just the start of the day, and believe me, it was a very long and painful day for me.  We had already made two stops and maybe if I hadn't been in so much pain, I would have enjoyed it more, but Rick & I had gone grocery shopping the evening before and I was tired from that still.

Callie had lots of stops and places that she wanted to go to after we ate, and finally the very last stop was to the grocery store, so at Kroger's she picked up her prescriptions that we had dropped off earlier in the day because I had heard that they take 2-3 hours to fill them, and I sure didn't want to wait that long.  Callie then slowly and tediously picked up and priced each grocery item as she put them in her grocery cart.  It seemed to take another 2 hours to grocery shop.  When she had gotten all of the things on her list, we went and found a bench, sat down and added each item up, then she counted her cash to see if she had enough money left from all of her other stops to pay for the groceries.  She barely did, but when she went through the checkout lane she picked up a magazine and when all was totaled up, she had to give back the magazine.  She really didn't buy much ($85.00) at the grocery store.  Prices are just so high now.  Rick & I could have picked up all of these things in 30 minutes, but Callie spent more time going from one end of the store to the other end so many times hunting for things she had passed up.  For about the first hour at Kroger's, I sat in the car until the pain in my back eased up.  Then I made the mistake of going inside to help her out.  I tried two of those handicap carts, but neither of them ran, so I had to walk around behind Callie for another hour or so.    

She could have shopped until midnight I think, and still had enough energy to stay up even longer.   She stays up all night sometimes and now I can understand why......that woman never gets tired.  I wish I had her stamina.

Early Mother's Day Celebration

 I had a wonderful time today with my two daughters, two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  They all came together and took me to Olive Garden for an early Mother's Day lunch.  I enjoyed every single minute of it, because I just don't get to see my family as much as I would like to because of circumstances beyond my control.

I can't wait to get to spend more time with them in the near future, and with the rest of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were not present just because they didn't know about it.  It was kind of a spontaneous gathering, and most times those are the best kind.  

Here we are in front of Olive Garden in Richmond, Kentucky, where we ate.  They asked me to choose where I wanted to eat and this is where I chose.  They were all surprised because I usually choose Red Lobster, but in this economy I thought this was the best choice.  

And pictured from left to right: (front row) Zac, Me, Carson, (back row) Megan, Sharon, Suzanne

I love all of you more than you could ever know, and I miss you...all of you, even those in my family who were not there.  

I'd also like to wish a Happy Mother's Day to Megan, Sharon, Suzanne, Tori, Jennifer, Victoria and Krystal who is expecting her first baby sometime later in 2022.  And also to Laurel, Allison, Callie and Kathy.  

I've been selfish

I think I have this all wrong.  I should be praying for my son to heal from his own heartbreak, loneliness and depression, instead of worrying about myself and what I am going through with Rick.  If God will heal my son, then all will be alright.  I will no longer worry about him and cater to his emotional state.  We can have a normal mother and son relationship, spending holidays together, playing cards or just plain visiting from time to time, and he will find happiness eventually.  And if Rick stays, he won't feel so threatened by my son, and he will have his privacy back.  But if Rick chooses to leave, then I will just have to accept that and move on.  There's nothing else that I can do.  I only have control over my own life and, not Rick's or my son's life.

I love Spring

I just love all this green!

It makes me feel like Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Saturday, What a day!

WOW! It's Saturday already and I woke up feeling really good this morning. I went to bed pretty early again and got a good nights sleep and now I'm ready for ANYTHING and I feel that I could tackle anything that life throws my way, good or bad. Life is good and getting better all the time.

Today will be another food challenge. The challenge is in trying to think of something that would appeal to Jimmy and still remain within the foods he's allowed to eat. The written instructions say that today will be the last day of his diet, but I got verbal instructions from his oncologist's office that Jimmy should remain on the iodine free diet until after his scan on Wednesday morning. Keeping Jimmy on the diet until Wednesday will definitely be a challenge.

Jimmy has also been feeling nauseous for the last two days but it only comes and goes, so most of the time he feels fine. He got pork chops for breakfast this morning; that's what he wanted so that's what he got. Gotta keep him happy so he'll stay on this diet. He's eating more fresh fruits and vegetables than he ever has and not liking it one bit...not even a tiny bit. He's even lost some weight and he can't wait to go back to his bad eating habits that have kept him alive and happy for so many years.

Now to the weather: It's COLD! It feels like someone dropped us into a deep freeze during the night. I had to go around the house closing the windows, but I'm leaving some open for that nice deep freeze kind of ventilation. I just don't know how much longer I can stand this cold and I hope the day starts warming up and it better do it soon or I'm shutting the rest of the windows. It was so cold in my bathroom this morning that the mother cat moved her kittens out of there to the warmest corner in the house. She's a smart kitty.
I might even have to turn the heat back on tonight if it doesn't warm up. It's just after lunch, right now, and it feels like it's getting colder and colder...I even had to put some clothes on. I mean some more clothes like in winter clothes, sweatshirts, long pants & socks, that's how cold it has gotten. My laptop feels so nice & warm on my lap that I don't even want to stop typing, but I need to fix Jimmy's lunch. I hope that your day is warmer than ours unless you have someone to cuddle with, then it doesn't matter does it?

The Present, The Past and sometime we'll get into the future

We went on another bike ride yesterday and Jimmy said that it was up to me where we rode, so I took him down through Kentucky, over to Virginia and then on to Tennessee and then home again. I think I bit off more than I could chew and boy was I ever pooped. We rode 309 miles and all he wanted to do was to ride down to London, Kentucky's Golden Corral for an early supper. I love being spontaneous and I'm not into too much planning because it seems to spoil all the fun. The way I see it is, if you plan something then you expect to have fun and it's not always as much fun as you thought it would be...too much build-up & hype before the trip actually begins.
I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and stop to check to see if we had received any mail, but found that our airmail letter hadn't even been picked up yet. I almost went postal because that bill was due yesterday. What is the mail coming to and now they want to cut back the service to only five days a week and the rate is going up two cents sometime in May again.

This is my handsome husband. Can you believe that he'll be 73 this year? He lets me do anything I want and caters to my every whim. Sometimes I have a hard time believing that we have spent the last 15 years together 24/7 with only an occasional mini trip by me. We've been retired during our whole marriage and have done a lot of traveling around the United States by motorcycle because he hates vacationing in cars. One time my son-in-law Ray, daughter Suzanne, grandson Matt and I kidnapped him and told him we were going out to dinner, and took him off to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee/North Carolina and held him for ransom...nobody paid so we held him hostage for a few days before we brought him home.

Before I met Jimmy I made of list of requirements that any man had to pass before I would consider them as possible suitors and Jimmy passed with flying colors. First on my list was "must like to ride motorcycles" and it didn't matter if they had one because I could buy them one. Next on my list was, "must be older than I" because I was getting tired of dating younger men. Next on the list was, " no present alcohol or drug use." The list was longer but I've probably already bored you enough. I've always been a straight-laced tomboy dare-devil sort of girl and I'll do anything as long as it's legal. I thrive on adrenalin rushes and have always been attracted to bad boys on motorcycles, but luckily they were never attracted to me and I had to buy my own.

I once fell in love, well really twice with a motorcycle. The first time was when I was young and a friend (Emory Mulchin) of my older brothers took me for a ride to Disneyland on his bike. I made up my mind that day that I would have one someday. I only rode on it once, but I was hooked. Several years pass by and fast forward to age 43 and someone on a motorcycle starts parking on the hill over-looking the pond at Shady Oaks and watches me work around the pond every afternoon. I didn't care about the person, but I loved hearing the rumble of the motorcycle as it approached and I looked forward to hearing it come by. I never found out who it was but I didn't care because I only liked the sound of his bike. I know I'm weird...and besides I was married and Jim (not to be confused with Jimmy) hated bikes with a passion and it wasn't until we got divorced that I finally bought my own bike, then two, three, four, five & six. I told you, I love bikes and I've thankfully passed on that gene to my offspring.

Now lets get back to yesterday's ride. I saw buffalo in two different places. I guess every state now has live buffalo. I didn't get a picture because honestly I was traveling too fast and they caught me off guard. I'm assuming that Shady Oaks once had buffalo roaming around there because the area there is called Buffalo Hollow. When the old timers talk about places they say, "back there in Buffalo is where I saw that bear," or something like that. I've heard Jimmy say that he played there in Buffalo. What a coincidence....that's where I lived, his play ground.

One of these days I'll share with you the story of how Jimmy & I met and how I put off a date with him for 4 years...did I mention that he's a patient man?

Saturday

My life has been kind of humdrum...in a holding pattern waiting for the dreary gray skies to move out and make way for some sunshine. I haven't done anything new or interesting. I've been playing with the cats....
and doing lots of crocheting.
Since Jimmy won't model my scarves, here is one that I finished this week. Sharon says that I look sheek, hehehe. This particular scarf I made for her so I'm glad that she thinks I look sheek...or maybe she said, "sheesh!"


The daffodils are still blooming away. They've lasted longer than usual and are still looking beautiful today even after being pounded down by heavy rain for the last two days. They've bounced right back up at attention.

I'm still trying to get some bird pictures, but the weather hasn't been too cooperative, but I did manage to get this picture of two doves sitting up in a tree.

Here's another bird. Their blue heads look so pretty, but when they come they come in droves and eat all the birdseed in one sitting out of all the bird feeders. I noticed yesterday, through the rain, that the little yellow finches are turning a brighter yellow. I went out between showers but as soon as I would position myself the rain would start again so I was forced to come back inside. I'll just have to wait for some dry days to get pictures
.
The Forsythia Bushes are also blooming right now and we have them planted near the creek. While I was back there taking pictures of the Forsythias I noticed that I scared off two little gray squirrels. I saw them running along the ground and then quickly up into the trees. I was a little disappointed that I didn't see them sooner and get a picture of them when suddenly I saw it! another little squirrel that didn't run off with the others.
This little gray squirrel stayed put eating the last few grains of corn. I slowly walked closer until I was straight in front of him...he kept on eating.
He watched me and I watched him. Maybe he thought I had another ear of corn for him. He didn't seen afraid, but he only let me get so close to him and then he darted up the tree and stopped and scolded me for a while.
The tree the feeder is on is about 10-15 feet from the creek bank surrounded by hickory nut and black walnut trees. To the front of his little feeder are two cherry trees and to the right of them raspberry bushes and grape vines. The garden is also located nearby for his feasting pleasure.
Did you know that these little fellas also like dry cat food? Beside raiding the bird feeders, we also find them eating from the cat feeders.

These next two pictures were not taken this week. The cardinals are from our last snow. I see cardinals everyday...they tease me and sit right outside my window ( 3-4 feet away), behind my computer monitor screen and by the time I run for the camera they're gone.

This is also an old picture from last summer of the woodpecker. He also visits daily along with other smaller peckerwoods, as Jimmy refers to them. While living out in the woods we had a red headed woodpecker that was as large as a wild mallard duck. It was the most amazing bird to watch. Since moving from Shady Oaks I haven't seen a woodpecker that large.
Although I see the woodpecker everyday, he doesn't let me get close to him yet. He jumps up into the tree when I approach and stays on the opposite side of the trunk. I've seen two woodpeckers at the same time at the bird feeders and they both looked exactly alike. They are also pecking and chipping away at our wooden feeders and pretty soon the feeders will fall apart. At least they aren't pecking on our house as they are on my youngest daughter's roof constantly that she has to go out with a broom and scare them away.

And here is Suzanne (aka youngest daughter). She's also very elusive as she doesn't like her picture taken and will do anything to avoid it. Here she's trying to get out the door because I pulled my camera out. She's a very fast thinker and quickly uses her Mt.Dew can. I put away my camera and she comes back.

Oh shucks!
missed her again.

* The picture of the woodpecker was fuzzy so I did a little digital magic to it.

So what do you do, on a rainy day?

ANSWER: You go visit your dear sweet little old grandmother, who just sits at home crocheting, acting silly with Jimmy, and yearning for a visit from her kids and grandchildren.

Granddaughter Megan dressed in tangerine
with pigtails

Megan & Sharon got off work early today and stopped in to visit around noon. OOOPS! I didn't even offer you girls any lunch. Shame on me!!!! I was eating my bowl of cereal and for some reason I thought it was still early. When you're retired you don't pay any attention to time and half the time I don't even know what day of the week it is. I did enjoy their visit and Sharon said my hair is now long enough for a curly perm. hmmm...I've always wanted curls. I wonder if I'll really like them? One thing good about having short hair is that you can always cut them off if you don't like them.

My daughter Sharon

As you can see from their pictures, Megan takes after her mother...they love to act silly and take silly pictures. hehehe. I wonder where they get that from???

Aren't these ladies slippers colorful....

This hat and scarf set turned out perfect.

This is really soft, soft, soft and did I tell you how soft this long scarf is? Someone next winter will really be warm, but right now I just don't know who that will be. This yarn is a squiggly, zig zaggy sort of yarn that is fun to work with but knots up easily. It looks like a knotted up soft carpet when you're finished and I dare not try making a matching hat to go with it unless I can glue this stuff on a bowl or something that resembles a hat. Anyway....there's enough of this scarf to wrap around your neck and head too...so there's your matching hat.

Oh, how nice.....
Jimmy just came in with a bunch of bills from the mail. It must be getting close to the first of the month.

So...what's new?

Well...there's no snow to report for today although we had some flurries yesterday that were rather pretty, and just about 3 days earlier the temp was in the 70's. This is a picture of Sharon out hiking in the last snow that we had. It didn't last long and melted away the next day. Today the skies are sunny and there isn't a cloud up there, just an endless sky of blue. It looks like it's going to be another beautiful day here in paradise.


This cardinal was outside my window peeking in at me as I was trying to compose my post. He looks a little shy.


It's become a habit with me now to crochet each time I sit down. My lap gets rather crowded with my project and with Daisy. She's learned that if she wants to remain there, she is not to playfully grab at the dangling yarn. Each time she grabbed my yarn, I simply put her down off my lap and she soon learned not to touch the yarn....Of course, she turns her back on me now so she isn't tempted. Smart kitty.


I haven't got passed making rectangles yet and look what I made with one. Yep...these slippers are made by making two separate rectangles, folding each in half and stitching them up leaving only a hole for your foot to slide into. Then I added a cuff. They were too loose, so I also had to make some slippers strings ( you know....'shoe strings'). I laced them in and out and drew them tight and tied a bow. Walaah.... cozy warm slippers.
They need to come with a WARNING though...
"DON'T WEAR THEM WHILE CLIMBING STAIRS!"

A close-up view

Here's Sharon preparing an Easter Basket for Megan. She's adding lots of extra goodies to a pre-made Easter basket. When she was finished Sharon tried to hide it under Megan's bed but it wouldn't fit, so she just hid the card under there with a hint for Megan on where she could find her Easter Basket. Megan is Sharon's baby...she's barely 18....not months....Y.E.A.R.S.

And...

while Sharon was busy with Megan's Easter Basket, I was playing with Megan's hats and generally snooping around her room. And, NO! I didn't snoop in closed up areas like drawers, cabinets or closets. I just looked at everything that was out in plain site. I was being good, hehehe.


Matt gave us a new in the box medicine cabinet, and it was so timely as Jimmy & I were just talking about one the day before. Jimmy attached it to the bathroom wall and we love it. Now I have a place to put my two prescription bottles in, plus all the other stuff you fill them up with.


Daisy found a strange cat wandering around the living room and had to stop and take a good look at it. I'm not sure if she liked the kitty or not, as she wasn't too sure about approaching it.

I really can't remember everything that's happened since I blogged last unless I took a picture of it. As I get older I need picture reminders of events that happen so I try to keep my camera handy, to everyone's dismay. It's a well known fact that the first topic of conversation when being introduced to someone is to warn them that," grandma has a camera and will use it to put embarrassing pictures of you on her blog....so watch out."

Hope everyone had a nice Easter and didn't eat too many chocolate bunnies or marshmallow peeps as I did. I found out that if I eat a WHOLE box of peeps at one sitting...make that two boxes...that I get mean & cranky from the sugar over-load. Now I know what Laura & Brian go through. Sugar never bothered me before, but I tried it a second time just to confirm the meanness, and I got cranky again. No more sugar for me...anyway not in large amounts.