Hello Monday

Hello friends how was your weekend? I took a few extra days off. The end of the year is coming and I have some vacation days that I need to use before the year ends. It was also my husband’s birthday so we have had a few days of celebrating. Nothing fancy just a couple of dinners out. I made my hubs special pancakes and bacon for breakfast on his birthday and I made him a pumpkin pie. We actually spent most of the weekend settling my MIL back into the Assisted Living Village where she had been living until a few months ago. It has been a bit of a somber weekend. Life happens and you deal with it one day at a time. Sometimes one minute at a time.

Back in July my mother in law had an episode and had to be taken to our local hospital ER. She was unresponsive and after many tests the doctors told us she had had a mild heart attack. After spending several days in the hospital she was released but wasn’t ready to go back to the assisted living center where she had been living. The doctor recommended that she go to the nearby nursing facility where she could get care and therapy. After three months of being there she was finally set to be released about two weeks ago. She was so excited. I had planned to take a half day off from work to help her get settled back in.

As I was driving to the nursing home to help get her clothes and everything loaded, the administrator called and said she had just tested positive for Covid. WHAT??? So she would not be leaving for at least ten more days. Also she was in quarantine with about twenty other patients who had tested positive and we were not allowed to visit. We couldn’t call her because she can’t hear well enough to have a phone conversation and she gets very agitated trying to communicate. We were so disappointed and I know that she was. We had to rely on the staff to get messages to her and try to keep her spirits up. I am sure she felt like she had been forgotten.

I did visit with her after about a week and told her she would soon be moving back to the village. So on Saturday we finally got her moved.

It is amazing how much of a set back she has had. It’s sad and depressing and it just makes my heart break for her. When we got her to the assisted living village she looked around like she was seeing it for the first time. She kept saying “well I guess I will just have to get used to this”. She seemed almost disappointed to be there. And she had been so excited just two weeks before that. She was so confused. She is almost 89 years old. I know she has been through a lot but this last bout of Covid and being quarantined away from everyone has really taken a toll. After we left her, promising that we would return the next day to check on her, I felt like we were leaving a toddler alone to care for her self. I called to check on her later that day and the staff told us she was doing well and getting adjusted. By the next day it was a little better and more and more of her friends from the village were stopping by to see her. I think that made her feel more at home. She can’t wait to have her hair done in the shop inside the village.

So hubs and I returned the next day to check on her and because my work is only about ten minutes from her I can drop in daily until she gets readjusted.

We had a quiet day today. We decided to put our Christmas tree up. We have to do things like this when we have days off together and have no other obligations. I feel that waiting until Thanksgiving is over is just not enough time to decorate for Christmas. I say why not celebrate the entire last two months of the year. I don’t feel like it is taking anything away from Thanksgiving by enjoying some Christmas festivities as well. But that’s just my opinion.

I don’t have a tree topper or a tree skirt yet but the ornaments are on. This tree is 32 years old. We have had it since our first year of marriage. We haven’t put it up every year but we have many of the 32 years. That little red rug was crocheted by my grandmother Rose, she taught me to crochet, and I use it every year. I just noticed that bottom could use a few more ornaments.

I have done quite a bit of knitting and crocheting while I have been off the last few days and Kitty Kitty has been my constant companion. She loves being near yarn.

I have one more day off tomorrow and I have a few fun things planned I will catch you up on Friday Favorites. Have a wonderful week.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!

Friday Favorites

October 7, 2022

Hello and happy Friday. I am back this week with a few of my favorite things. These are things I am really loving or have enjoyed this past week. So here we go:

First up is this amazing lip gloss, lip ink whatever you want to call it. The official name is Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink. Now you may not be crazy about something with vinyl and ink in the name, especially when it goes on your lips, but it is great. An influencer I saw on TikTok recommended it and she said it lasted all day. Yeah, right, I’ve heard that before. Friends it does last all day!! I ordered mine from Amazon because to be honest I just haven’t had a lot of time to shop lately and I really wanted to try this. I got it in two colors. I got a berry color called Coy and a brownish color called Lippy. So far my favorite is the berry color. Once you put it on you let it dry for a minute and then it stays on. If I feel it getting a little dried out during the day I just dab on some lip gloss or even chap stick and it shines it right up. Love it.

The next thing is this facial scrub. I ask my niece if she had one that she liked and she told me about this one. Amazon again. You can use this two or three times a week and it makes your face feel so fresh and clean. It gets rid of all of the dull skin cells and leaves your face glowing.

Before I went on my trip last week to San Antonio I realized I needed a new small crossbody bag to carry when I didn’t want to carry my big purse. I found this one and then ordered an extra strap to go with it. That way you can get a different look without changing out the entire bag. This bag is fairly small but plenty big enough for a wallet, your phone, a small brush or comb or compact or whatever.

***This is the purse I ordered, top picture, and the strap below.*** ***The strap that is shown with it at the top was included and I really like it*** **too.**

I have been using dry shampoo for a few years. To be honest I think it may be drying my hair a little. DUH!!! You think? I try not to wash my hair too often but the dry shampoo is having an effect on it. I’ve tried several different ones. I started trying this texturizing spray instead. You don’t have to use very much and it sort of plumps your hair up and makes it easier to hold. So far I am loving this brand. I got it at Walmart and it smells fabulous.

***I got these earrings when I was in Texas and I can’t wait to wear them.***

I thought I would also share some books with you. This first book, The Perfect Marriage by Geneva Rose kept me on the edge of my seat. It starts with a murder and ends with a little twist that you won’t be expecting. I give it a 4 out of 5 and only a 4 because it had a couple of things that just wouldn’t happen realistically.

I loved People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry. Two very different friends through the course of many years travel together on a trip every year. They go through a lot of things together but they are very different. I give this a 5 out of 5.

Starfish was a short, heartbreaking book about a young teenage girl who is overweight and struggles to be accepted not just by her peers but by her own family. I could really identify with this, not the family part but definitely peers, I have struggled with weight all my life and it started at a very early age. I give this a 4 out of 5. Definitely worth the read.

And pumpkins!!!! I love them I love the different shapes and colors and making pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. I just love them that is all.

But the main “favorite” this week is my sweet family and being back with them after a week of being gone. I know a week isn’t that long but I am sort of a homebody and I like being home. Being back with my husband and kitties every night is where I am most happy.

What were some of your favorites this week?

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

Hello Monday, It’s Vacation Time!!!

I was supposed to be waking up at the beach this morning for my first full day of vacation. But you know how plans are, sometimes they’re just not meant to be.

We decided to stay home and not do our beach vacation this year. With everything that is going on with Scruffy I just didn’t feel like going away and leaving him. He is on several different meds for the congestive heart failure and he is doing really well. But because he is still not feeling the best I just didn’t want to leave him. Taking him with us really wasn’t an option .He is having some diarrhea and a ten hour car ride for him, and us, would have been miserable. My sister in law usually keeps him for us but I just didn’t feel right asking her to handle all of that. The meds and cleaning up after him right now is a lot. I didn’t want to board him because it is just so stressful on him. Changing the dates was not a problem for me but Mark’s work has been so crazy this was the week he needed to take.

So here we are. I guess we are having a “staycation” I am not really upset about the vacation and to be honest I think Mark is sort of happy to spend a week at home doing nothing. I guess this is not the time to tell him my big plans for the week like cleaning out the garage, cleaning the driveway, painting our gate that never got painted and planting shrubs around the new gate. Yeah I will let him enjoy his coffee first. Realistically I know I won’t get those things done either but it is fun to dream.

But first I have to tell you about our great family day we had last Sunday. It was my Sister in Law’s Birthday. My niece and her daughter came in from California and we had lots of other family we hadn’t seen in years. It was a great time. I volunteered to bake the cake. I was a little nervous because I hadn’t made a really large cake in a long time. But it turned out great. Nothing fancy just colorful and it was yummy. The Birthday was held at The Fort Loudoun State Historic Area. There is lots of room to play and fish and hike and just have fun. We love this place.

***My sister-in-law, Pat and her daughter***

***Spending time with family is just the best. I love these guys!!!***

I actually started my vacation on Friday. I was scrolling through Facebook on Friday morning and saw that there was a Trade Fair at The Living Heritage Museum in nearby Athens. So I jumped up, got ready and got to the museum around noon.

There were several artist set up demonstrating their art. Such talent and great ideas. I enjoyed it so much. I think it was the perfect start of my vacation.

***The spinning and quilt making were my favorites.***

***I am fascinated by bee keeping. My dad had bees when I was growing up. I would love to have them now but Mark is allergic and is terrified of having them here.***

***This lady was demonstrating Calligraphy***

***Lots of people were trying to weave.***

I stopped in and saw my MIL at the nursing home. We had a great visit. She is still having therapy so that she can get stronger and move back to the Assisted Living Village where she was living.

Got groceries and went home and chilled. I don’t take Scruffy on long walks anymore. He is just not interested and the vet said to do what he feels like doing.

On Saturday I did some house cleaning so that I could enjoy the week off. I also read on one of my online books I have through the Libby App. I go to the app and I reserve books that I want and it seems like they all become Available at the same time. You do have the option of putting them off for a week and still stay in the rotation. I have had to do that a few times.

On Sunday I was very lazy. I worked on my Halloween cross stitch and took Scruffy for a couple of short walks. I decided to make meatloaf for dinner. I like having the leftovers for lunch during the week.

So it should be a very quiet vacation week. I did work in my flower beds today and got a lot of old and dead plants cleaned out. Mark’s grandmother had some large concrete planters on her front porch. No one has lived in the house for years. I wanted the planters and was afraid that someone would steal them before we had a chance to get the. Mark brought them home last week and I can’t wait to get them cleaned up and some flowers planted in them.

***I can’t wait to use these.*** ***They are very old.***

We finished up the day going into town and getting dinner and bringing it back home. I got a yummy chicken Cesar salad.

So how is your week going so far? I plan to have a lot of fun on my “staycation”. Sometimes those can be just what you need.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!

And Life Goes On

I have to say I am so sick of being in hospitals. I guess I am very fortunate that I have been a visitor and not a patient. I am not going to say much more about that at this point. Maybe more later.

I took a few extra days off from work this past week. Some of it was a little mini vacation. I wanted to be off on Thursday so I could be with my sister in law and nieces while my brother had triple bypass surgery. The surgery was long but it seems like the more people you have with you to talk and laugh it takes your mind off of what is going on and moves things along more quickly. So my sister and I went up on Thursday and and stayed at the hospital most of the day. My brother did great!!!

On Friday I did nothing. I worked on the temperature blanket and started working on a Halloween cross stitch. I read and napped and it was just such a relaxing day.

***This is what my Halloween cross stitch will looked like when it is finished. Hopefully by Halloween. I love this pattern it is so easy to follow.***

***You can see I haven’t gotten very far yet. Cross stitch takes a lot of time***.

On Saturday I decided to go back to the hospital to visit my brother. My sister went with me. He was still in CCU so we could only visit for a few minutes and only one at a time. He was doing great and still is.

My sister had 30% off at Kohl’s so we made a stop there on the way home. The only time we shop at Kohl’s is when we have 30% off. I know a lot of prices are elevated at this time just so they can offer the discount. But just look at this treasure I found. A Sex And The City jigsaw puzzle!!!! The price on it was $7.47 so I calculated 30% off of that would be great!!! But guess what? The puzzle rang up only $2.78 and I got 30% off of that. What????? I can’t wait to put it together.

We stopped at a little Mexican restaurant in Lenoir City and had a late lunch. We have eaten there before and it was great. This time the food was just meh.

Monday morning I took Scruffy into Sweetwater to get a much needed hair cut. The lady, Tiffany, who did his hair was new to us. My sister just loves her. She cuts her babies’ hair and my sister is always happy with the results. She was able to get me in pretty fast. In the summer Scruffy needs a really short cut so his hair doesn’t brush the grass. Being in the grass causes him to have more ticks on him. I have been trimming his hair for awhile but I just can’t get it close enough. It especially makes me nervous cutting around his face. Tiffany did an amazing job and he was only there for a couple of hours. While he was there I went to buy a few groceries and take them to my mother in law in the assisted living village.

Scruffy and I came home and took a nap. Getting a haircut always wears him out. I read a book and it rained all afternoon it was so cozy. The book I am reading this week is by Danielle Steel. It is called High Stakes. It is so good. I love some of Danielle Steel’s books but some of them not so much. This one I am loving. This is another book through the Libby app. I have one waiting it is Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. I don’t know how I have never read this book but I haven’t. I will keep you posted on it.