Thanksgiving with Brandon Hatcher, Ody, Krystal, Rick and I, AND Suzanne & Ray's accident

This year Rick and I were invited to Brandon & Krystal's home for Thanksgiving dinner.  Krystal must have cooked all morning and half the day.  The meal was delicious and of course I over-ate especially when it came to desserts.  I love sweets and Krystal made the most delicious Watergate salad and of course I pigged out.

Ody entertained us with his antics and his cuteness.  He stayed close by and wasn't a bit of trouble.  He played quietly around us and carried the Little Golden Book that I had brought over for him.  It was The Night Before Christmas, and I'm hoping that he will allow either his daddy Brandon or his mommy Krystal to read it to him.  He amazed me when he climbed up into a chair that his daddy had been sitting in and opened up the book and began gently turning each page very carefully as if he was reading the book himself, but then Brandon walked up to Ody and said, "Son, it might be better if you turn it this way," then Brandon turned the book right side up.  Ody continued to look at the pictures uninterrupted just as before.  Ody is two and a half years old, but still very much a baby.  He's a very snuggly baby and every now and then he had to get snuggles from his daddy while his mommy was busy in the kitchen.

Brandon and Krystal had their Christmas tree up and decorated with vintage ornaments from her youth.  Ornaments she had made as a child that her mother and sister had saved, and now that they are both gone Krystal is carrying on the family tradition of putting up the Christmas tree for the Thanksgiving meal.  Krystal and Brandon's parents are gone, so holidays are hard for both of them, and for me as well.  But now that they have Ody they do their best to make holidays joyful events for Ody.  I am the only grandparent that Ody has and I am his great-grandmother.

Spending the afternoon and evening with my grandson Brandon, Krystal & Ody was lots of fun.   We told stories of things present and of course re-lived the past as well.  We laughed and had the best time, but the evening ended very abruptly when my son-in-law Ray called to tell us that him and my daughter Suzanne had been involved in an automobile accident that totaled their car.  

They got knocked around, went airborne, and were blinded by all the explosions of the airbags before they came to a safe stop.  It seems that an oncoming truck hit a large deer, sent it flying over two lanes into the path of Ray & Suzanne who ran over it.  Ray received a large scraping wound to his lower leg which was caused by one of the airbags.  He was taken to the hospital which determined that he didn't break his leg, but the doctors were more concerned about his elevated heart rate, b.p. and possible damage to his four aneurysms.  Suzanne didn't want to get checked out, but now she is frightened by airbags.  Ray's leg is all swelled and bruised and he's limping around, and Suzanne is just shook up and without a car for the moment.

I'm so thankful and blessed.  My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are all fine and healthy.  God was watching out over Ray & Suzanne.  God is always watching out and taking good care of my family.

ODY, Dennis & Laurel's Visit

 This is our sweet little Ody.  He's 13 months old now and just started walking.  His parents Brandon Hatcher and Krystal are very proud of him, and so are we.

We don't get to see as much of Ody, and his parents as much as we'd like even tho they just live in the next county because of unforeseen circumstances beyond anyone's control, but maybe good fortune will strike and things will change for the better.  They are just on a different schedule.  When I'm sleeping, they are awake and visa versa.  Third shift is a bummer that can't be helped for now.

These last couple of days we've been playing cat & mouse with them.  They had cell phone and car trouble and when we were one place they were where we had been and all of us never got to see Ody and his parents.  It's hard to meet at a specific location when you can't reach them by cell phone or Messenger.   

I grew to appreciate cell phones more these last couple of days when my brother & his wife came to town for a visit.  It seemed like I was on the cell phone texting or talking letting everyone know where we were at any specific time.  We had a wonderful time with Dennis & Laurel, but now that they have gone back home it seemed like it was such a whirlwind visit.  I enjoyed every minute of their visit even tho at times Dennis and I were raising our voices at each other, and if you know my brother Dennis you would understand what I just said perfectly.  He is such a gentle soul tho and I love him with all my heart.

I'm going to do my best to post a few pictures of our visit below.  My very old laptop doesn't always want to co-operate with me.

Keep those we love in your prayers

I haven't been here in a couple of months it seems, but I'm still writing in a journal on my cell phone.  I love blogging but I need a new laptop because mine has gotten outdated and no longer loads up any new pictures, and I love using pictures when I blog.

A wonderful thing that has happened since I've been here is that my grandson Brandon and his little family of three have stopped by to visit twice.  It is so, so nice seeing them and I really miss not seeing Ody.  The next time that I see Ody he will probably be one year old.  Four visits in one year is unacceptable, but it's my fault because I don't get out much.

I've become a couch potato.  I go out to my front porch twice a day to feed my kitty cat Squeak and that's it.  I haven't been anywhere to speak of in nine years and since my total hip replacement a year after Brian died, I have hardly been out of the house.  I did go fishing a few times, but walking on uneven banks is pretty risky for me.  I tend to lose my balance very easily and being out on a lake bank hurt, all alone,  does not sound good and especially when there is no cell phone service there.  I'd have to wait until some fisherman stumbled up on me.

We've had some really pretty Spring days lately.  It rained last night and everything looks green.  Rick mowed my backyard a few days ago, but this rain has shot it up again and it looks like it needs mowing again.

My sweet little granddaughter Megan is in need of prayer today, God knows the reason.  Delores Powell is also in need of prayer.  I'm also going to keep Brandon H. and Kathy Agee in my prayers.  We are all still mourning the recent loss of Harold Grant and Callie Hayes, and the rest of our sweet angels in heaven. 

Rick has been taking really good care of me.  He insists on doing all the cooking, so I get a nice hot breakfast/brunch and supper.  He keeps himself busy with projects and when he has free time he goes to visit his brothers, Tommy at McDonald's and Bubby (Robert) at his home.  Bubby is doing very well with his Stage IV cancer.  The chemo has shrunk the cancer and maybe some surgery may be scheduled after Cat & Pet Scans are completed.  Bubby is doing great and keeps himself busy with many projects around his home.  He's even gained a little weight back.  Rick told me that Bubby was keeping busy by making fishing lures out of wood, and is looking forward to going fishing soon.  Keep Bubby in your prayers, that he continues to do well.   They seem to have come a long way with chemo since Jimmy.  Even tho I have moved on with Rick, I still miss Jimmy.  He was one of a kind.

Rick has finished working on his project for today and just left to go to McDonald's to visit with Tommy and whoever else might be there.  Men like to loaf there and talk about whatever men talk about.  I'm getting ready to watch The Resident on Netflix before I take my shower.  This evening, instead of cooking, Rick is bringing home supper for us.  Don't know what it will be yet.

Everyone have a nice enjoyable day, pray for those who need prayer, and stay safe.  Don't forget to hug your pets too. 

UPDATE:  Please add Ray Powell to your prayers     

Ody: The light of their lives and the boss

I found some more pictures of my youngest great-grandson on Facebook.  He's really growing and looks adorable and sweet.  I'm sure he's being spoiled by his mommy, aunt Gloria and his daddy Brandon.

Here are the latest pictures that I found on Facebook:

In this last picture it looks like daddy just came home from work, and look at how happy he looks to be home with his family.  I'm so happy to see Brandon smiling.  In the last couple of years he's had such hard knocks with the loss of his mom & dad so close together, so it's about time things are looking up for him and for Krystal as well.  I'm so happy for both of them now that they have each other and Ody in their lives.

 

To BRIAN and REVA

The Grandchild you always wished for

On June 6, 2023 Brandon & Krystal blessed You & Reva with the sweetest little grandson which they named Ody Hatcher.  I know that you are proudly looking down from heaven at your very first grandchild with love and admiration.  

Brian, I know that we talked about it many times and that you wished for a grandchild of your very own.  I can just see your reaction and your excitement, and imagine how proud you would have been.  I can imagine you taking Ody out of Krystal's arms and proudly walking out of the hospital room to show Odie off to all that you would encounter.  As your sister Sharon said, you would probably just take Odie and walk straight out of the hospital with him and try to take him home with you, while Reva would chase after you and say, "Brian, bring him back here!"  

Both you and Reva would have had Odie spoiled rotten and Brandon would have to try to pry Ody out of your arms to take him home with him & Krystal.  They'd never have to worry about a babysitter because you and Reva would always be available.  I wish you could have been here, both you and Reva, but I know that you two will try to send messages to Brandon now and then, and when you do Brandon will smile.  You raised a good boy who has turned into a wonderful responsible young man.  Brandon will be a good loving kind father.  Brandon & Krystal will be wonderful parents.      

The Christmas and New Years Holidays, the death of Jimmy Buffkin

 Thank goodness the holidays are over with.  They're just so hard and stressful these days, of course unless you have small children to keep the spirit alive.  Young children just get so excited about Santa and presents that it's hard for any adult with children to feel sad at Christmas, or at least it would seem so.  I may be wrong.

Rick baked the Christmas turkey and both of us had a very pleasant Christmas dinner all by ourselves...just the two of us.  On New Year's Eve we stayed home to welcome the New Year in with a bottle of non alcoholic sangria, and we watched other's on TV across the world welcome in 2023.  

Earlier on New Years Eve Rick had attended a Memorial Service for one of his co-workers, Jimmy Buffkin who passed away on Christmas Eve.  He was only 52 years old and such a nice and friendly guy.  I really liked him.  The holidays will never be the same again for his two sons and his wife.  Prayers for his family and his friends who will miss him very much.   

 On New Year's Day, Rick drove me to the new 16,000 foot house that they are building in London, Ky  It was very impressive, but having 3 finished floors with so many bedrooms, bathrooms and fireplaces is not my cup of tea.  It was beautiful, but for me I'd rather have something much smaller and only a one floor plan, because I don't like climbing so many stairs and this new home had staircases, and stairs everywhere.  Much too many stairs for me.  The basement level of this house is all I would need, and even that was really big, but actually that was my favorite floor of all.  The in-ground pool was on that level which made it even more perfect.  The lower level had everything I want in a house and at least 3 times the size of my house.  You could tell that this level was clearly made for entertaining lots of people, but then so was the next level up with its huge deck made for at least 50+ people.  Their parking lot outside their two large garages had ample concrete parking for about 40 cars to move about easily.  You could easily set up a large church revival tent on their parking lot, that was how big it was.  The house was set on 100 acres, with 3 fully stocked ponds, tennis courts, basketball court, woods and meadows with 3 deer stands scattered here and there.  Rick said that sometimes the deer would appear in the fields behind the house.  Their was a circle drive winding between the 3 ponds with a wooden fence and electronic gates to let you in and out of the property.  Below and beyond the pool area there was a large round fire pit.  These people had thought of everything.  I found out that they were moving into this house from their other home that has an indoor swimming pool, so I'm assuming that their other home isn't too shabby, but also a luxurious home as well, just maybe this home has more acreage.  I really don't know.

Anyway, this is how Rick and I spent New Year's Day at that new house under construction.  I walked up and down stairs looking around and exploring while he worked on the swimming pools with a long telescopic brush.  I don't know what he was doing, but that it has to be done everyday for a while to the bottom and sides of the inside of the pools.  It was the first time that I have been out of the house in weeks, other than to go out to feed the cat, and it was nice.

The week before Christmas we had below zero weather and on one of the coldest days our natural gas went out.  We got very cold but by evening the gas company turned it back on.  I worried about Squeak our kitty who got frightened by how I was bundled up when I went out to feed her and ran off.  I also scared her when I touched her plastic door and it snapped off making a large cracking noise.  That night it got to -21F with the wind-chill  and I didn't see her for the next two days which never got above minus single digits all day long.  I was very happy to find her one morning snuggled up tightly in her heated cat house.  What a relief that was to me.  She has a warm house in the backyard and a heated one for those extremely cold nights on the front porch.  She now has 2 heated water bowls because when she moved to the front porch I had to go out every 2 hours to give her fresh water and to retrieve the ice cube that was her previous water bowl.  Hopefully we won't have such frigid weather again, but winter is just getting started.  From one week to the next the temps jumped 100 degrees F.  We went from a -21 F to +69 F degrees in 24 hours and our daily temps have been nice since last Tuesday after Christmas.  Yesterday there were many motorcycles out riding, but today it's cloudy and 64 F degrees.

So far this New Year is starting out fine, and I hope it stays that way for the entire year.  I'm hoping all is well with everyone, and that Brandon & Krystal got moved in to her sister's without any problems.  Krystal now only has around 6 months to go in her pregnancy with my new great-grandson and their first child.  I know that Brandon & Krystal are extremely excited, and so am I.  I pray that all goes well with her pregnancy and with the baby.

I woke up very sore this morning from climbing up and down so many stairs yesterday, but now I'm feeling much better.  It doesn't take me long to recover with a couple of Extra Strength Tylenol.

Here's wishing everyone who reads this a Happy New 2023!