Today was a good day.

As I have told you before, Judy is my BFF, my third sister, I love her to pieces. She had a lung biopsy yesterday, that is a serious operation.
Today I got to talk with her for over an hour. We laughed, we cried, she was a hoot most of the time cause she was on some heavy drugs. I cannot tell you what good it did my heart to hear her voice.
I hate that she is so far away. I want to be there for her so badly, but she is seven hours away and I am barely walking right now so I know I can't make the drive. I think I am going to insist to Jay that we make a trip up to see her before we leave for AZ.
I am anxiously waiting to see what the biopsy shows. I am praying it is something that can be treated and controlled. She is already dealing with fatty liver disease, which really stinks. It is usually caused by excessive drinking, which would be a real joke if it wasn't such a serious disease. Judy is such a straight arrow Christian, no smoking, no drinking, no nothing.
Please, please continue to remember Judy in your prayers. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a very, very bad disease. Thanks everyone.

Laissez les bon temps roulez

I spent all day yesterday making an outstanding (if I do say so myself ) pot of Gumbo. I threw everything into it but the kitchen sink, I then I made it even more scrumptious by serving it in a sourdough bread bowl. I can't even begin to think about the calorie content, sometimes you just have to "let the good times roll!"

Now I need to ask anyone and everyone who might read this post to do me a favor. I just got a call from my best friends husband. She is in the hospital, she had to have an emergency lung biopsy to help them figure out why she is suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. I have felt something was wrong with her for months, she had a persistent cough that could not be explained and was always so cold and she has lost a lot of weight. I am just plan scared. My sister just went through a liver biopsy and it is not an easy surgery. My Mom had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. I hate even typing those words. Please, please lift my best friend Judy up tonight when you say your prayers.

I am Thankful

1. For my back yard, there is nothing more relaxing than sitting on the patio (under the umbrella, still can't have sun) watching Iz run around and play. Sometimes I have music, sometimes a book, sometimes I just sit and listen to birds.

2. That I came to my senses before my Mama passed and realized I might want to know how to cook. Thank goodness she had time to teach me some of her secrets and now I love to cook.(my sisters think I am crazy).

3. That most stores let me take Iz in with me. I hate leaving her at home and there is no way I would let her stay in the car.

4. Speaking of Iz, I am thankful that both my sisters love her and if anything happened to us I know they would take care of her.

5. For my DVR, I have watching commercials and really enjoy watching reruns of old shows like "The Charmed Ones", J can't stand them so I can record them and watch them while he is out riding.

Sunday Praise

To God Be The Glory
To God be the glory, great things he hath done! So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the lifegate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he hath done!
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Saturday Nights All Right

Perfect Saturday night at out house:

Cincinnati Skyline Chili dogs and

NASCAR
Gosh, what are we gonna do Sunday, with no race to watch? We will think of something I am sure. Used our last can of Skyline Chili tonight, good thing we are heading back to AZ in seven weeks. I don't understand why AZ has Skyline and IL doesn't, oh well. Hope you have a wonderful weekend my friends

We have gone off the deep end.

I swear I do not know what has happened to us. We, who have not done a blasted thing to this house in over ten years , cannot seem to stop!
Yesterday we went and looked at under the cabinet lighting for the kitchen and J decided we would take out our current florescent light fixture, drywall it and install can lights.
Oh and I forgot I called the contractor and told him I want the other kitchen wall tiled too.
And to top it off J has decided to go ahead with widening the drive way and putting a pad for the motor coach in the back yard.
We only have seven weeks left, the clock is ticking, how in the world will we get this all done.

Do you want be a size two too?

One of my favorite blogs to read is Quiet Life , I spotted this quote on her blog yesterday and asked it I could copy it. Miss Donna was kind enough to let me.

I have struggled and struggled the last year to lose than same 10 pounds. I go down two, I go up two and so it has gone, on and on and on. I have come to the conclusion that there is a weight at which your body just feels, this is right, this is where I belong. I am 62 years old, have been married for 41 years, I should not be worried about trying to get skinny. My weight is not a real problem health wise and I still fit comfortably in a size 12. But I hate my weight. Am I nuts? How do I get this fixation out of my head?

I think we are so inundated with TV shows with starving actors and magazines with air brushed photos what we believe we should all be a size two. I am sane enough to know that is never going to happen. But that doesn't mean my mind isn't thinking, maybe a 10 or an 8. I want to slap myself in the face and say "GET OVER IT".

I have read every diet book written ( ok not everyone, but lots of them) you don't eat because of the food, it's something going on in your life that you are trying to deal with by eating.

They are wrong, it's the food. I love to cook, to cook new and different recipes. And I love to eat, not just what I make, but what all those wonderful restaurants we visit on our travels offer. And yet every night I tell myself, tomorrow I am going to do on a diet and lose ten pounds and the next morning when I get up I think, what can I cook tonight that will be good.

I swear I give up ( until tomorrow ).

The Help

The weekend my sisters and I went to see The Help. It was so, so good. I read the book when it first came out and loved it.

I was born and spent the first seven years of my life in Mississippi. My mother and father were born and raised in Mississippi.

My mother lost her mother at the age of seven, her older sister quit school to raise her and her two brothers with the help of a maid, although I don't ever remember any of them using the word maid instead Christine, who was the black woman who helped raise my Mama was called help, just that, help. I remember Christine being at my Pawpaw's home every time we came to visit. She still came to help my Aunt Ophelia with cleaning and cooking. I remember the first time J and I went to see Pawpaw and Aunt Ophelia after we were married, Christine was there and when we sat down in the dining room to eat, we said where is Christine, she was sitting in the kitchen eating alone. I went in and said Christine come in here with us and she would not. J and I tried to talk her into coming in to the dining room but she would absolutely not. On the way home I thought about how crazy that was, just Aunt Ophelia and Pawpaw in one room eating and Christine in the other.

I wish I had could go back and thank Christine for helping raise Mama. I imagine a lot that Aunt Ophelia and Mama learned came from her.

Unfortunately, I know some people like Hilly. I think most people would be surprised to know there is still such prejudice in people, but you only have to spend some time in the south, or spend some time with people from the south to know it is still there. It is oh so wrong, but it is there.

I am Thankful

I have always planned on starting a Gratitude Journal. I have read several articles in online about Oprah and her Gratitude Journal. I have even bought the journal, put my name on the front page and that's as far as I have got. It makes no sense at all, I know I have much to be grateful for. I lead a wonderful life, we travel where ever and when ever we want. We stay in lovely places, eat at great restaurants and pretty much ( within reason, we are rather cheap by nature) we buy anything we really want. I have a faithful, loving caring husband. I have loving, caring family and friends. So why is it I can't easily sit down and write five things daily that I am thankful for.
Several of the blogs I follow have been listing things they are grateful for lately, so I have been motivated to start physically listing the things I am grateful for, starting today.
1. J, he is a good man and has put up with a lot from me over the years.2. My health, I know that surprises you with all the whining I have been doing lately, but it could be oh so much worse. Many others that had Polio when they were young like me, are in so much worse shape. Hey, I am not in a wheelchair or on a respirator, heck, I am still walking with nothing but a cane.3. Books, what would I do with out books.I am grateful for all those wonderful authors who keep writing those wonderful books I can get lost in.4. My Kindle, because it makes it so easy to carry loads and loads of books in the RV without taking up to much space.5. Coffee, black coffee, you can't beat it, tastes so good and no calories!
So, my commitment is to do one post like this every week. I have always been a girl of good intentions, but have also lacked in the art of follow through. Wish me luck.

Sunday Praise

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"by Edward Mote, 1797-1874
My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus' blood and righteousness;I dare not trust the sweetest frame,But wholly lean on Jesus' name.On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,I rest on His unchanging grace;In every high and stormy galeMy anchor holds within the veil.On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, and bloodSupport me in the whelming flood;When every earthly prop gives way,He then is all my Hope and Stay.On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,Oh, may I then in Him be found,Clothed in His righteousness alone,Faultless to stand before the throne!On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;All other ground is sinking sand.

Izzie

Just because everybody needs a little Izzie in their lives:

Oh, how we love this little girl.

He's Done!!!!

Steve finished the kitchen today and I love, love, love it. I have been waiting to remodel this kitchen for so long. We kept putting it off because we were going to sell the house and I couldn't see putting my taste in a house that someone else would be living in. But I think we have decided, that unless GOD means for us to sell it and opens a door we aren't aware of, we will be holding on to it for awhile. So if we are going to live here, I knew I would not be happy until we spruced it up a little .

I am really pleased how just putting two rows of a contrasting trim in the middle of the backsplash ties the wallpaper, the tile and the counters together. (wish I could say that was my call but it wasn't, Steve gets credit for that)

I am so happy with the color of the countertops, that credit goes to J, it was his pick.

And the sink, the sink is perfect for giving Izzie a bath. The left sink is 9 inches deep, so she sits all the way in. And the sprayer makes it so much easier for me to rinse her. I don't use the sink for dishes too much anymore because the new dishwasher is fantastic, it does such a good job. I run it about every other day, we don't dirty enough dishes to justify running it every day. And tadah! I get credit for picking out the sink.

So, there you have it. The floors are done, the kitchen is done, J is meeting with someone about the windows this afternoon and we will be done for this year. Next summer I want to get the whole house painted inside and I am thinking hardwood floors for the bedrooms. I know J will want carpet but I am loving these hardwood floors.
I can't say enough about our contractor Steve Boyko of M.M.&I Home Services , he was neat, took great care to protect my home in every way and cleaned up so well you didn't even know he had been there at the end of every day. He was polite, timely and I could not have made the right design choices without his experienced advice.

Insomnia

I need help, since I have gone off the Nsaids ,almost five weeks now ,I have been suffering from Insomnia the last few weeks. I know everybody has a night now and then when they just can't turn their mind off and drift away. But this is different, it isn't because of my mind, I am not worried about anything, I am not replaying the days' events, I am not eating too late and Lord knows I am not exercising or anything like that. When I first lay down I am not in pain, that only comes later after I toss and turn for 4 or 5 hours and my meds wear out.

I think it is starting to effect J and Iz too. As soon as we finish breakfast Iz goes down for a long, long nap. And J goes around saying " gosh, why am I so tired all the time" ( because I got in and out of bed about 30 times last night and you woke up every time).

I remember when I first started going through menopause ( and wasn't that a trip) I had insomnia for awhile, it went away when I started taking HRT. And then again when my Mama was so ill and reaching the end of her life, we were on twenty hour call and I could never fall asleep because I was afraid I wouldn't hear the phone ( like that would ever happen). But I can think of no reason for it to be happening now and none of my tried and true remedy's are working.

I think I have read three books this week alone. Last night, or rather this morning I finally feel asleep around 4 am. And the strangest thing is I can' take a nap in the day time either. I was getting in the habit of taking a nap for about an hour every day and now, no nap either. What the heck is going on. Today I am going to dig out my sound machine, that is something that worked when I was going through menopause. If the ocean wave sounds don't do it tonight you don't want to be around me tomorrow.

This and That

We are this close to having the kitchen done and I will be able to do the big reveal. The countertops are in the backsplash is laid and we are just waiting for the grout to be done tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to publish photos tomorrow. I can't believe we are finally done with it. We still have the windows to be replaced, we will get another estimate Friday and make a decision about who we will go with. I think that's about all we can fit in this summer.
It is hard to believe we will be leaving for Arizona in about nine weeks, seems like we just got home. We don't usually leave this early but we have work scheduled in Red Bay again on the 23rd of October. And since we stopped in Red Bay this spring to have work done it made for a short summer.
I have to admit I am not ready to go. Having to go off of the Nsaids put a real dent in the enjoyment of my summer. There was so much I planned on doing with my sisters, but I just didn't feel up to it. I have to make the most of these last weeks I have. We are going to see Help Sunday, me and my sisters. I am looking so forward to it. I loved the book and so did my sister Louise. It will be a fun thing for us.
We haven't spent near enough time together this summer. We had the shower and that's it, I think we only had one brother and sister breakfast this summer, I have really dropped the ball. I know and they know if I don't plan it, it doesn't happen and I have just not been up to it this summer. I have to get my act together and plan as much as I can for the weeks I have left.
I almost forgot, I got an email from a magazine in Louisiana that want's to use one of my pictures of a restaurant in their monthly issue. I am very excited about that and will share it with you when it is published. Stay tuned for the big reveal tomorrow.....

Your Choice

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."

Author Unknown

Start All Over Again

I had a bad weekend, gave in totally to the pain, just plain wallowed in it, accomplished nothing. Wasted 48 hours just feeling sorry for myself, whining and whimpering.Nobody loves me, nobody cares, on and on and on. Enough! Last night I thought of this song. This is what I have to do, I have to be tough and learn how to conquer this new problem and move on. I can do it, I will do it, I must do it.

Nothing's impossible I have found,

For when my chin is on the ground

,I pick myself up,

Dust myself off, Start all over again.

Don't lose your confidence if you slip,

Be grateful for a pleasant trip,

And pick yourself up,

Dust yourself off, Start all over again.

Work like a soul inspired,

Till the battle of the day is won.

You may be sick and tired,

But you'll be a man, my son!

Will you remember the famous men,

Who had to fall to rise again?

So take a deep breath, Pick yourself up,

Dust yourself off, Start all over again.

Sunday Praise

I am tired and weary, but I must toil on
Till the Lord comes to call me away,
Where the morning is bright and the Lamb is the light,
And the night is as fair as the day.


There'll be peace in the valley for me someway,
There'll be peace in the valley for me.
I pray no more sorrow and sadness or trouble will be,
There'll be peace in the valley for me.


There the flow'rs will be blooming,
the grass will be green,
And the skies will be clear and serene,
The sun ever shines, giving one endless beam
And no clouds there will ever be seen.


There the bear will be gentle, the wolf will be tame,
And the lion will lay down by the lamb,
The host from the wild will be lead by a Child,
I'll be changed from the creature I am.


No headaches or heartaches or misunderstands,
No confusion or troubles won't be
No frowns to defile, just a big endless smile
There'll be peace and contentment for me.

One problem solved.

Today I went to the dermatologist and as far as the skin thing, problem solved. As long as I continue to use sunscreen and avoid the sun as much as possible and never ever take a NSAID again I should be good to go. It will be another few months before the my skin heals completely but over time it will be back to normal. This is good news and I am very happy the Doctor figured it out so quickly. Now we just have to figure out what to do to replace the NSAIDS. I think that is going to be a major problem. I think I am going to have to accept that narcotics are going to be a part of my life going forward, unless something comes up I am not aware of. The problem is they don't take away the pain completely but they do make me feel goofy, just off a little bit. Oh well, I will figure it out eventually.

We're back on the wagon again...hopefully.

After way too many meals like this:

and this:

and this:

J and I have decided enough is enough, it's time to get back on that wagon we fell off of on so long ago, wish us luck.

My One Nightmare

I have had one repetitive nightmare as long as I can remember. I am going over a bridge over water, so high and so long you can't see the other side, just sky and water and as I reach the apex my car just goes off the side.

We have gone over many scary bridges on our travels and I just grip the door handle and pray. I know it's nuts, I know I will be fine, but my heart starts pounding and my palms are sweaty and my breathing gets rapid and J just keeps saying things like, hey look at the neat ship, wow what a view and I am swearing at him like you wouldn't believe under my breath.

Of course, he knows what is going on , I have told him about the dream many times, so he enjoys saying, oh look, here comes a Joycie bridge!

Still Struggling

The pain is still messing with my mind, making me grouchy, depressed, making me feel alone and abandoned. I think if it had started at a lower level and then slowly increased I could have built up a tolerance to it. Unfortunately, that's not the way it went. I have an appointment with my post polio physicians next week, I am going to throw myself on their mercy and hope that once again they can prop me up and get me going again. I am just too miserable to even be around right now.

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may.

We ourselves must walk the path.”

Buddha

Sunday Praise

There's a lighthouse on a hillside

that overlooks life's sea.

When I'm tossed He sends out a light,

light that I might see.

And the light that shines in darkness now

Will safely lead me on

If it wasn't for the lighthouse

This ship would sail no more.

Oh I thank God for the lighthouse

I owe my life to Him

King Jesus is the lighthouse

Upon the rocks of sin

He has shone a light around me

That I could clearly see

If it wasn't for the lighthouse

Then where would this ship be.