Hello friends how are you? Happy Mother’s Day to everyone out there who is a mother or mother figure to loved ones or fur babies. I know I have been rather quiet over here the last couple of weeks. I always want to keep it real here on my blog without invading any of my loved ones privacy. Recently my husband has had to have his blood work repeated several times. It has been a bit scary. We are not sure what, if anything, is going on at this point. He has had some elevated levels that the doctors are being very careful with and keeping a watchful eye on. We are praying that his body works through this and all levels will return to normal very soon. We should know more in the next week or so.
I guess with any extra anxiety I have always been one to draw within myself and not want to do anything. I am trying to fight that by staying busy and optimistic but anxiety does seem to creep in when I least expect it and sometimes in the most unusual ways. I have missed being here and sharing with you my day to day which in many ways is probably the best outlet I could possibly hope to have. A good friend once gave me some wonderful advice. She said when you are worried or anxious and you feel that there is nothing you can do to control your situation, just do the next right thing. It could be anything from taking out the garbage to making a phone call, paying bills, taking a walk or just something that is “right” for you to do at that moment. So with all of that said I will dive in and tell you about my days. Writing this post is my next right thing to do.
It is Blackberry Winter here in East Tennessee. The blackberries are blooming like crazy. That is not to say we will have blackberries anytime soon. This is only the blooming process and the actual yummy blackberries will not be ready for a month or so. As soon as the blackberries start blooming the temperatures drop and reminds us that cooler temps will linger a little longer. This is usually around the second week of May and falls just in time for Mother’s Day. It was 46 degrees F at my house several mornings this past week.
Blackberries are blooming everywhere!!!!
The cool weather hasn’t stopped the yellow coating of pollen blanketing everything. I have never been one to suffer from allergies at this time of year although my poor husband does. But this year I have had a bit of allergy issues. It must be age or something I’m not sure. The lake at our house has had a permanent film of yellow on it for a couple of weeks now.
Last Sunday I finished knitting a pair of socks and immediately started another pair. I got my ball winder out and rolled four balls of yarn. I will probably use two of the balls for socks and one for a scarf and I’m not sure what I will use the other one for.
I visited the Mennonite Farm Market near my house yesterday. They had some beautiful vegetables. And of course they always have those fresh baked cinnamon rolls. I have to buy one every time I go. Yesterday was no exception. The drive to the market is almost as good as the things I find to buy. It is especially beautiful this time of year.
Lots of luscious vegetables and fruit at the market. I wanted everything.
I may have mentioned that the market also has these wonderful, delicious HUGE cinnamon rolls. I always get one when I am there.
A beautiful sunrise Friday morning.
So if you are ever overwhelmed, anxious, scared, nervous etc etc. and don’t know exactly how to manage the next moment just do the next right thing whatever that may be.
Hi friends and happy Sunday. How was your weekend? Why do weekends zoom by so fast? it seems like about fifteen minutes ago I was pulling my car into the garage and it was Friday evening and I had two glorious days ahead of me. Oh well. I’m happy to be here and to have a job and I am very happy and grateful for you if you are reading right now.
Saturday morning I was able to visit with my mother in law for a couple of hours. We still have to call the Assisted Living Village and set up a time and go to the front and have our temps taken etc etc. But things are getting better and at least I am able to visit face to face in her room with her. I took her some supplies and we had a great visit.
I was supposed to have lunch with a friend and she woke up not feeling too well so we postponed and I had a couple of hours to kill before picking up my groceries. I had been hearing about a new bakery on a farm in Sweetwater. Grain Bin Commodities. I figured this would be the perfect time to go and check it out. I had also seen on their FaceBook page that the gift shop they had there had everything 20% off.
The bakery is a little ways out of town on a farm. I hadn’t been in that area in years. It is such a beautiful farm. Cattle and fields of green with yellow wild flowers as far as the eye could see. The bakery itself is in a small house with the actual baking being done just behind the counter and cases full of the most delicious treats you have ever seen, smell or tasted. There are a few decor items for sale in this building but a large barn next door had lots of other items for sale. There are tables and chairs set up inside the bakery and on a patio connected to it as well. You can enjoy your treats and relax with this amazing view.
Lots of home decor and even Ice Cream and milk, chocolate and strawberry. People were coming in to buy the ice cream, they just started selling it a few weeks ago. It is made at a Mennonite community not far away and delivered to the bakery. I didn’t try the ice cream this time. I knew I had several stops before going home and it would melt. I will get some next time.
The family who owns and works the bakery are just about the nicest people you could ever meet. They love giving you samples of the goodies and telling you all about the food.
I bought a few of the cookies and cake pops. They were delicious. And of course I bought a few other things.
Look at this metal pail. I think I may put yarn in it.
You know how I love old spools. This one came with the jute and the scissors. I use this often to tie my bags of bread and treats that I make. I put this on the windowsill in the kitchen it will be so handy.
I just had to have this precious apron. It is very sturdy not just for cooking but for any project you might want to use it for. It has a pocket and it can be washed and dried easily.
I kept going back to this sign I just felt like I needed it in my kitchen. I do bake a lot of pies, all of my family loves pies.I bought it.
Just look at these beautiful fields.
I love this old truck and the scenery behind it.
The cows seem content.
After picking up my groceries I came home and put all the groceries away. I took the babies for a long walk and waited for hubs to come home. This was his weekend to work.
The Azaleas are blooming and they are beautiful!!! We have both pink and white blooming but for some reason the pink ones are really blooming more than the white. It’s that way here anyway.
The Irises are also blooming. These are really old. My mama had these planted at our house where I grew up. When she passed away I dug up several of them and moved them to my house. I have also given lots of them to my nieces so that they may have some of her flowers as well. They are very special. I transplanted them from the first place I planted them when I first moved to this house twenty years ago to a more sunny area in the backyard. Now they are thriving.
A huge Azalea bush on our driveway. This thing needs to be cut back but you really can’t tell it until it blooms and then it is so hard to cut it. I will wait until fall.
Sunday was a quiet day. I did some knitting, replanted a tomato plant I have on my deck, did laundry, read a good book, walked outside with the fur babies and took a ton of pictures. A good weekend overall. Now to gear up for the coming week. It’s my Birthday week and I will take an extra day off on Friday to celebrate with my husband. My actual Birthday is Wednesday but we both have to work those days. Did I ever tell you I got married on my Birthday? I did!!! So we have double celebrating to do.
How has your weekend been? Do you have a big week planned? I do have a big work week planned but I will tell you more about that at the end of the week and will have pictures and maybe a video.
First of all I want to say this was 150% or more my fault. I am not in any way trying to blame Walmart It was all me.
A few weeks ago Molly destroyed her dog bed. I will admit it was a rather flimsy one that I had gotten out of the basement to use as a replacement bed for her until I could get her a new one. I guess my time limit had worn out and she was sick and tired of trying to sleep on this thin, flimsy bed. I knew the time had come when I went into the laundry room early one morning singing the Molly song. It goes something like this: “Molly oh Molly it’s time to get up and start your day. The sun is shining and it is time for you to go out and play. Oh Molly my Molly wake up wake up” You are probably rolling your eyes right about now. Talk about indulging the fur babies, a lot of it goes on at this house.
When I went into the laundry room I saw dark grey stuffing all over the room. I blinked twice, I panicked. In my un-caffeinated state of mind It almost looked like Molly had been torn apart. I groggily realized it was the innards of her bed!!! I guess she must have discovered a small tear in the fabric and that is all she wrote.
Molly was gazing up at me like, see I told you I needed a new bed now get me a new bed woman!!!!
That same day I had a meeting in Maryville with one of our our advertisers from work, I decided that after the meeting I would go to Target and get Molly a new bed. Wrong move. Target had NOTHING in the way of a decent dog bed that didn’t cost less than $60.00. I wouldn’t have minded paying $60.00 for Molly a new bed but it looked like crap and certainly not worth $60.00.
I decided to go on down the road to the Walmart. I found an adorable bed at less than half the cost of the other one at Target. I did a little more shopping while I was there. I bought some CeraVe lotion. A friend had gone to a dermatologist and he gave her some samples of this stuff which she shared with me and I loved it. I bought some make up, nail polish, a big bag of dog food some yummy fabric squares, and a few other things.
I went through the self check out. I had the huge dog bed and the dog food in the cart and I unloaded all of the other things priding myself that they fit in one bag. Look at me being good for the environment!!! I got my stuff and headed to the car. It was cold and I was hurrying to get everything unloaded and return the cart and get in the car.
I got home and showed Molly her new bed. She loved it!!! As soon as she came inside for the night, she ran and jumped on the bed curled up and snuggled in. She looked so peaceful and happy.
A little while later I was upstairs and happened to remember my bag with the makeup and everything in it. I ran down to the car and opened the back. NO BAG!!! Maybe I put it in the car seat next to me. NO!!! I searched the entire car like maybe the whole bag had slipped under the seat. NOPE!!! I ran into the house. I must have forgotten and brought it in with me when I got home. NOPE!!!! My mind raced!!! Where could the bag be? The fleeting thought passed through my brain that maybe I had left it at the Walmart in Maryville. NO NO NO!! I couldn’t have done that. Not a big bag full of stuff!!! Of course I did have that big dog bed and the dog food that I was wrestling with but I just couldn’t imagine me leaving the bag behind.
Around 8:30 that evening I called it. Reality check. Yes I had left the bag at the self check out. O.K. Now you have probably left things at Walmart before, so have I. I would run back down to the local Walmart and pick it up. But this particular Walmart was about a forty five to fifty minute drive from my house. BUT, I estimated the contents of the bag to be more than $50.00. Remember how I crammed everything into one bag? I decided to call and see if they had found the bag.
I got the receipt out of my purse and found the store phone number and called. I hit three for customer service or something like that. The phone rang and rang. No one answered nor was there any way to leave a call back number. I called back and went through the whole thing again. The phone rang for about fifty rings and nothing. I then called back and pushed two for pharmacy, maybe they could connect me, NOTHING but the ringing of the phone. I called again and pushed for grocery pick up. NOTHING. The phone was never answered by human or otherwise.
I hated to drive the forty five minutes or so to the store and then them not have the bag etc etc. so the next morning I stopped at our local Walmart to see if there was anything they could do. Maybe they could replace the items HA!!! or maybe they knew a secret way to get in touch with the Maryville Walmart.
I went directly to customer service. The young lady behind the counter informed me that she had no magic way to get in touch with the Maryville Walmart any more than I did. I told her the problem with the telephone not being answered. She said the phones ring through the dressing rooms and because the dressing rooms were closed, due to COVID-19, that no one answered. WHAT???? I said what about when I called the Pharmacy? She just shrugged her shoulders. She also told me that because I had gone through self-checkout it was MY responsibility to get my merchandise. I told her, with my teeth slightly clenched, that I knew that. I was just hoping there was something I could do without making the forty five minute drive to the other Walmart. I knew with my work schedule I wouldn’t be able to get back to the other Walmart for a few days. She also told me that I would probably have to file a police report to report the missing items because more than likely the person behind me just took my bag. I just shook my head. Seriously!! A police report? I can just hear that conversation, well officer the lipstick was called Pink Flamingo. Jesus take the wheel.
My husband, had told me that morning ” honey just forget it, it’s not worth you worrying and running all over the place to get your stuff”. But it’s $50.00 wasted!!!! I wailed. And my husband, the voice of reason to my crazy ramblings said ” Just chalk it up. It was a mistake, no big deal it’s not worth stressing yourself over.” And you know what? After all of that, it really wasn’t. I had to lick my wounds for a few days. I tried to find the same lipstick color and nail polish I had picked out at the other Walmart and I can’t seem to find them or I can’t remember the exact color. I also couldn’t find those yummy fabric squares but oh well, in the grand scheme of things, so what. I guess the big thing was I was disappointed in myself. But hey those things happen. We’re not perfect and in the grand scheme of life it is nothing.
I heard a couple of days later that Walmart had had a nation wide glitch with their phone systems. I am not sure what to think about this. Maybe, who knows? just be extra careful if you are at self checkout. YOU are responsible for your items.
Seeing this old girl so comfy on her new bed was worth it all.
Happy Sunday friends. How has your weekend been? How was your week? As I always say this time of year work has been busy. Well I didn’t say it last year at this time because we were closed. Our numbers and sales are going great!!! Just not enough staff hired back to help accommodate everyone.
I had a mammogram last week and finally got the all is good letter on Thursday. Of course I knew if anything had shown up I would have heard within a day or two by phone call. I always feel like I am walking on eggshells until a few days have passed without a phone call. Every time my phone rang those first couple of days I would say a silent prayer before I looked at the screen. Please please don’t let it be the breast center.
I did have dinner on Friday evening with my friends Lorie and Emily and we had a great time eating and catching up. I so needed this time with these wonderful women after the very stressful week I had had. Hearing about their lives and sharing with them is the best therapy in the world.
National Siblings Day was yesterday and I will say right here and now, I have been so blessed to have had six brothers and sisters to grow up with. I can’t imagine my life any other way. Although we have lost three of our siblings and we miss them every single day we carry on and continue to love and care for each other with a love that is strong and fierce. There isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other. That is just what family does.
The sunshine this week has been absolutely beautiful. Trees are blooming. The Dogwood trees have bloomed out in many places and they are stunning. The temps have been great, most days near 80 degrees. Of course the pollen count has been really high and most people are walking around with red itchy eyes and runny noses. I have always been really lucky not to be plagued with allergies but my poor husband and a lot of my co-workers suffer greatly.
Pink Dogwood trees at my mother in law’s house.
Some of the Redbud’s are still hanging in.
This was taken at our house. We call these wild forest dogwoods because they grow wild in the edge of the woods.
I tried to capture just how the water on the lake this morning looked like shimmering diamonds. I don’t think I quite got it but you get the idea. It was beautiful.
I took this shot early Thursday morning. It looks like the moon has fallen into the lake.
We are currently on our way to nearby Athens to get my nephew Tyler a new phone. His ended in an unfortunate death yesterday. He has it picked out and he is on our plan so we have to add it on. I also have an ulterior motive of stopping at Hobby Lobby after we get the phone and some lunch. I am chilling in the back seat working on this blog post while Tyler and Mark are discussing trucks and truck tires. YUCK!!! We just passed Hobby Lobby and I realized they are closed on Sundays. Boo for me but happy for them to give their employees off all day on Sunday. I knew this but I had forgotten.
Tyler got his phone we had a quick lunch and are headed home. I think some time on the deck in the sunshine is needed this afternoon. I finished knitting a sock last night and started on the second one. I will work on that as well. Heck who am I kidding I will probably take a big nap. Isn’t that what Sundays are for.
How are you and how has your week and weekend been?
Southern Patches 