Sunday Praise

Amy Grant

Please click on Amy's name for one of my favorite songs.

God Bless

Two weeks and counting

Gosh the time is just flying by. I am trying to squeeze in as much time with my family as I can. Going to lunch with the sisters and our brother today. Sunday J and I are going to Connie's to help hand out Trick or Treat candy. We never have any here and she has tons. I am going to make an apple pie with the last of my apples to take over. Next week J and I are going to lunch with Louise and her husband and Louise and I are going to take a day and go to Sandwich and do some junking.

 But I am also starting the process of sorting out everything that goes in the motor home. Readying for six months is a lot more involved than getting ready for a two week trip. I have gotten duplicates for the motor home of almost everything that makes sense. But there are many things, especially in the kitchen that are just to expensive to duplicate. This is the time that J gets excited, "Weight, weight, too much weight" of course he only uses that phrase for things like Christmas decorations and rice cookers and things I want to bring. His Panini Maker and fishing gear weigh nothing at all :).  Yesterday I found the cutest rust colored throw for the motor home and I am still hoping to find a small lamp for the counter behind the table. Wouldn't it be great if I could find one with a pretty colored shade? I would also like to find something to sit on the kitchen counter that has a little of the orange/rust color. I think I need a rug in the middle of the floor, I just don't know what kind. We have a rag rug by the front door we got in door county and another in front of the kitchen sink. But with both slides out there is a lot of tile between the couches. It would have to be something that could role up easily to store while traveling.

this is where I want the lamp, where the vase is, Jay hates the clock so it has to go

I am going through my check list of things to be done, house sitter, mail forwarded, auto deliveries stopped.
I finally found those really big ziplock bags my sister told me about. They are 2 1/2 gallons which I think will work great for holding things like my meds and Izzy's stuff. I am surprised how much I have to take for her.

Luckily I have most all the Christmas gifts done (thanks to help from my sister Louise) I am so frugal this year, I am very proud of myself. I found free gift tags on line and printed them up, I bought really cute Target bags ( the kind you reuse when you shop ) to use as my bags, they are a pretty red and have a partridge in a pear tree on the front ( no wasted paper to have to throw away) so green I can't believe it! I think I have a couple of gift cards to get and I am done.

Only two weeks, yikes, I had better get off this computer and get busy!!

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

PS I just looked up points for menu items at Chili's ( where we are going for lunch) can anyone say, "I'll just have water and a leaf of lettuce please". I so want to post my weight today, it is such a good number today. I swear if it goes up by Monday and am going to have a hissy fit!

Ready, Set, wait a minute.....

The devil comes in many shapes and sizes and this is one I have just discovered.

GET BEHIND ME SATAN


Why or why did I bring this stuff in my home. How in the world am I supposed to lose weight  with this in the kitchen. I am too scared to look up the points. Probably two hundred and sixty three thousand million.  Lord help me!!!!




Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
Joyce

Three weeks and counting

Time seems to be rushing by, in just three short weeks we will be leaving for Arizona. A part of me is so excited, I love being in the coach and seeing new places. I love the sun shining every day. I love the pool and the long drives and the long walks. But, I miss my family. My sisters and I have had so much fun this summer and I feel that we have grown so much closer. I think this blog will help, I can let them see what we are up to, with this and skype and the phone we can keep in touch. The only thing that would be better is if I could talk them into coming out to visit us. I don't have a lot to get done before we leave. I have most of my family Christmas ready. I have all the ingredients for my "handmade gifts," just have to put them together and I have most of the kids gifts, they just have to be wrapped. I have just one that I am still waiting for "inspiration", little Grace. In my mind I have my list of things to gather for the coach, I will start on that next week and the house will look like we are preparing for a siege.
It is really windy outside today.  I am glad I took a picture of my lovely red maples yesterday, because if the wind keeps up they will not have any leaves left by tomorrow.

I am so glad I get to spend the fall in Illinois, it is the best thing about the Midwest.

As you can see by my side post, I did not do well with the WW this past week. If I continue at this rate, I will not reach my goal for two more years. Since that is not acceptable I have to get back on track. It is going to be so much harder without walking but I know I can do it. And maybe I will take a deep breath and make myself do what the Dr. suggests and use the canadian crutches for walks. I just don't know if I can do that. Can't explain it but it just makes me ill to think of picking up those things again.

Oh well, it will work itself out. Since it is a yucky day outside Izzy and I are going to work on bringing her scrapbook up to date.  And then maybe cuddle up with a good book or even take a nap. Hope you have a good day.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Baby Shower

It was more difficult to take pictures at the shower than I thought, hosting duties seem to get in the way. I hope when I see my sisters pictures she did a better job than me. But I thought I would post just a few for you to see. We had a very long but very lovely day. I am pretty sure my niece was pleased.

the theme was Winnie the Pooh

we found the cutest little honey pots for favors

the future Daddy was a good sport in the game playing

they got a lot of really neat gifts

Mommy and Daddy to be

My two beautiful nieces

he was really struggling here, this is a steeler fan through and through

it was nice for the girls to see their friends

I was so pooped last night when I got home, but it was a good feeling. My sisters and I love these girls and we hate that they are so far away from us.I am so thankful they could drive home so all their friends could attend a shower here.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Sunday Praise

Shout joyfully to God...How awesome are your works. Psalm 66:1,3

Baby Shower is here

Today is the day, all the planning and shopping gets put into place. My niece and her family are here and it's time for a BABY SHOWER! Pictures will follow.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Oops, we did it again!

I have been a bad, bad girl and it is all J's fault, well maybe not .  I was looking at some pictures from last year when I came across a picture of a poor boy from Merichka's. I had taken it when we went last year to drive my friend Judy crazy. It is one of her favorite places to go, a one of a kind restertaunt famous around these parts for their poorboys. We usually go once a year and I post a picture on Facebook to try to intice her to come for a visit. So I guess that put the idea in J's head. Yesterday when he got home from his ride I told him I was going to run over to Mitchell's ( a great little meat market in the same neighborhood as Merichka's) to pick up a brisket. ( I love Pioneer Woman's brisket recipe). So, of course he said let's go to Merichka's and after much wringing of hands ( I had to put up a good front) we went and I blew my WW points for the rest of the week. But, oh my, it was so very good.

it was so worth it

icing on the cake

(Jude, this one's for you!)

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Four Weeks and counting

I am getting excited about leaving for Arizona because of this...

In and Out

And this

PowWows

And this

rodeos

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Izzy update

Izzy will be 10 months old on the 24th of this month. She has decided after the spaying, she will just take a step back and be a puppy again. For the last three nights we have been up every three hours. Because her tummy has been giving her problems since the surgery and all the pain stuff, I can't not take her out.  The day before yesterday I tried that,  Didn't I have a nice little surprise to clean up. Needless to say I am one big grump, I have not had more than three hours uninterrupted sleep in over a week. The other night I has looking at some pictures of her breeder in AZ's new puppies and thinking I could get another one, it would be a playmate for Iz, it would be fun. Was I out of my mind? I cannot do this again, I am an old lady, Lord knows I need my beauty sleep.  If anyone hears even a hint of a suggestion of another puppy coming from my mouth or I even look like I might be thinking it , remember Cher in Moonstruck and smack me across the face and tell me to "snap out of it".  I thank you for your support.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Sister/Friend

Do you have a friend that is as dear to you as a sister. That friend that you can laugh with, cry with, just sit in silence with.  I do and her name is Judy. Judy and I have known each other for almost 30 years. We have helped each other get through burying both our mothers and our fathers. We have prayed and lifted each other up in times of really difficult heath problems.  She lives in Minneapolis and I live in Illinois/Arizona. If we are really lucky we get to see each other 2 or 3 time a year.  If we aren't lucky we still usually get at least once a year.  We try to skype once a week unusually on Sundays during the NASCAR race.  We worked together a long time, till she and her husband got some crazy bee in their bonnet and moved to the land of a 1000 lakes.  When I talked to her yesterday, she told me she was coming home Thanksgiving ( I will always think of this as her home) to see her brother.  That would be really super except I will be in Arizona then, sometimes you just can't win. I am trying to talk her and her husband into coming to see us in Arizona, but she has some crazy idea that she is going to volunteer with her daughters church group to  go down to New Orleans to help on reconstruction of homes destroyed by Katrina.   I miss her and I wish we could go away for a long girls weekend where we shop and eat and laugh like we used to. We always joke that when we are old ladies we will be in the same state and have lots of time to shop and eat and laugh, hope so. Judy gave me a book about friendship last year for my birthday, this is one of the pages she marked.

We have been through so much together. The laughter, the blahs, and the tears. My life would be boring without you. What would I have done all those years? I don't want to take you for granted. Or ever forget to forgive. For I hope that our friendship will last just as long as we both get to live. And one day when I go to heaven, (I hope when I am very old) I'll say: "Thank you, Lord, for my friend, she's been worth her weight in pure gold."  Melody Carlson

 I love you Judith Ann, my sister friend.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Sunday Praise

"Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord" (Ps. 150:6)

Today is October 16, that means I have 30 days exactly until we start on our l-o-n-g trip to our winter spot in AZ.  DO you have a book like this ( you probably have a nicer one than this). This is my to do list book, where I keep track of everything that is coming up, with what I am responsible for. I am a list person, I make lots of lists.(probably because my memory is gone)

 I  have been carrying this one around for the last year. This is what I have on my plate right now, on the 23 of this month a baby shower with my two sisters, on November 13 (due to our leaving on the 15) our family Christmas( where the rule is you must have home made gifts for the adults) and I am currently putting together a box to send to my brother in PA, which involves making a big batch of oatmeal cookies ( which are his favorites, Mama and I always made them at Christmas for him) , I am cheating this time, when I picked a few things at GFS yesterday I got cookie dough too. When J gets home I am going to have him do a taste test, they smell really good.

This is my oh so pretty pew that has my Mama's memory quilt on the back of it.  Of course you can't see it because it is covered with stuff for the shower. (when everything is over I will take a picture of the pretty quilt)This is usually my staging area for things I need to store in the coach. Can't do that right now cause shower stuff. Since I am also working on Christmas,

I have moved into the living room for that. As you can see the shower stuff has also started taking over the dining room table. Good thing the shower is next Saturday. I have to get going  on making list for AZ. 

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Izzy Update

we are eating a little

we are playing a little

I think we are going to be ok

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

I miss Marshall Field

I still miss Fields, don't you? I needed to buy a really nice baby outfit for one of my nieces. I have bought outfits for all the girls first babies at Fields. So we are giving my niece Tina a baby shower on the 23 of Oct. and I wanted to get an outfit to go with the gift I got her. We know it is going to be a boy, so I thought a really nice blue sweater set and blanket, perfect. Of course since they took away our Fields I had to go to Macys. It was so disappointing, they had nothing for newborns. I asked the sales person if she could help me find what I was looking for and everything I suggested, she said "we don't have that, but you can get it at Walmart". Don't get me wrong, I am not a department store snob. I shop Kohl's and Target and Home Goods just like everyone else. But when I want a really special gift for my brother's first grandchild I don't want to go to Walmart. The young girl who waited on me had a think a total of 9 earrings up and down one ear and I lost  count on the other one. I have had the lecture from my niece about today's youth expressing themselves in different ways and I understand, I do. I guess this child of the sixties just wishes she could still walk into that beautiful baby department in Fields and choose that very special blanket and outfit to give to a niece who is having their first child. To have the sweet grandmotherly clerk (do not remind me I am now the grandmother age, I don't want to hear it) help me find the perfect gift and then take it down to gift wrapping to have it wrapped oh so beautifully and placed in one of those roomy green Marshall Fields bags, didn't you just love those bags. Missing the good old days, that does make me old doesn't it?


Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
Joyce

Izzy Update

Dr.'s nurse( a wonderfully sweet neighbor)  came by and gave Iz another shot. She wasn't eating or drinking so they thought it was because of the pain. The shot must have done the trick because she just ate a little food. The nurse said that by tomorrow she would be much better. She left another shot with me to give her at 9 pm tonight. I love this Vet, she and her staff are so kind. Now Izzy and I are going to take a nap cause we were up most of the night.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce

Izzy Update

Doesn't that just melt your heart

awww

those eyes are killing me

We finished Izzy's round of meds and did the blood tests again and the liver number were still high. We talked about all the options and next steps from ultrasound to liver biopsy. This is what we decided. Spay now using liver safe drugs, when we get to AZ, five weeks from now I will give the complete file from Vet here to the Vet there and get her opinion. If she agrees further testing is needed we will start with the least invasive, ultrasound. So yesterday Iz had her surgery. It was a very stressful day for me. I told the nurse, this is probably why God did not give us children, he knew I would not live through it! I worried so. She did great last night, although I didn't get her to eat or drink until around 6 am. She is a picky eater anyway and I think the she was just too doped up to remember what she was supposed to do. She finally went out to potty at 1 am this morning when I gave her a pain pill. I just want this to be over with, I don't handle it well when someone I love is sick. When it is me I can be as tough as needed but someone I love, stick a fork in me I am done. I think it is going to be another long day.



Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
Joyce

Side trip to Metropolis

On the way home from the reunion we made an unintentional side trip to Metropolis. We had decided to follow the old way we use to take home from Mississippi. Try to imagine five kids and two adults in one car, for twelve hours and most of the trips I was in either a full leg cast or leg brace. How did we do it? We must have had some internal sense of origami. Any way, back to the story of the sister's trip home, first we passed our favorite place in all the world, Duck's market. It is a somewhat trashy place that has all the normal tourist stuff, really silly, hillbilly stuff. Every time we saw the signs coming when we were kids we would start begging," please, can we stop, please, please".  And of course we wanted one of everything, and of course we couldn't have it, there was barely room for us in the car. I bought my brother in Pa a rubber bank gun that I am going to send to him. He always wanted one but never got it. He doesn't do the computer so he won't see this. And if one of his daughters reads this I know they won't tell him, cause you don't want to cross Aunt Joyce when she is pulling a surprise, right girls?

And again, back to the story, on the old road we saw the sign for the "GIANT SUPERMAN" in Metropolis so, of course we had to go see it.  We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe. 

Tour Bus Stop, are you kidding me!

Lois Lane just got a small corner.

Lord, we packed a whole lot of fun in that long weekend.





Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
Joyce

Another fun sister day

My sister Connie found this place, so glad she did.

My sister Louise has collected glass to make these this winter.

I think this could be a self portrait.

The music was a nice touch, she had a lovely voice.

Their arrangements were so cute.

We found some Christmas gifts for some of our nieces, really pretty pieces.

On Saturday the three sisters met our younger brother for breakfast, something we try to do on a regular basis. I see my sisters often, but don't get to see my brother that often. He works out of town and his family time is at a premium. We had a really good time and took some great pictures, I am going to send copies to my brother in Pa. I miss him, we all do and I know he misses us. After breakfast the sisters went to a great craft show.

I love these guys so much and miss them when we are gone.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

Joyce