Happy New Year 2020

Happy New Year!!

 I hope that everyone is had a fantastic New Year's eve and a very Happy New Year.
 Ours was nice and uneventful. No one went out this year. We all stayed in and while our neighbors to the back of us and to the back one street over had a huge party we just watched some of the fireworks and then much later we wished that all of the party revelers would call it a night. 
 Around 3:00a.m. the police were called. I saw the flashing lights when I let Oliver out to potty and I hoped that they would settle down but they waited long enough for the police to leave and then they started letting off the fireworks again.
 It becomes disrespectful after a time. I am for everyone to have a good time but not everyone is off the next day. Some people do have to work or in our case would just like to sleep.
 They started setting them off again tonight but it started raining so that put a stop to that! lol.

 Today was quiet for the most part. Jonathan, Nathan and I left this morning and went to Walmart. It was so quiet. There was hardly anyone in the store. We could look without being ran over by a mob of people. So that was nice.

 Before we left for Walmart, Jonathan and I had tea. He bought some Tazo tea. One of his favorites is Awake and the other is Calm. So he and I enjoyed having our cups of Tea. Then Karyn came in from Sam's Club and had bought me some Chi tea. It was delicious as well.

 When we got home, Karyn had Cathy and Dante ready and they took off and went to Austin Pizza Park and Play which is a huge park with all kinds of rides, arcades and pizza. From climbing the walls, to the Go Carts, to the carnival style rides they had a blast. 
 They were going to go and see a movie but in the end they decided to go do that instead. They had a pizza buffet and Karyn said that they had so many tokens that she didn't think they would use them all before they left but in the end they spent them all.

 Jonathan and I had our own pizza later. Nathan moved his big tv that he bought with his play station 4 into his room and hooked up the other tv for me to watch.
 Jon and I put our pizza on and then watched Ancient Aliens on Netflix and I fell sound asleep on the sofa. 
 My doctor increased my blood pressure meds and it is all I can do to stay awake. My body will become use to them before I know it tho and I will not sleep so much.

 Speaking of sleeping it is almost 2:00 in the morning. I think that I need to go to bed and get some sleep. 
 I know I need to catch up on my blogs and even on mine as I have lots of things to say but it has just been so crazy here but I think that the kids are deciding on a couple of houses so it is getting down to the details.
 I am going to miss them but on the other hand I really need to get my routine back and it is time for all of us to get our own space and routines back.

 But until later I am going to close. Everyone stay safe and healthy and I will talk to you again soon. BB

The Ending Of 2019

The Tree before Santa comes.....

Santa still hasn't gotten to our house just yet. Just checking the tree out with the lights!

Hello,

 I hope that everyone is well and had a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Does anyone have plans for New Years Eve?

 We had a really nice Christmas. The kids had a blast with all of their presents and I had a blast watching them.

 I loved all of my gifts from Miss Edna and love watching the cat play in the little house that was supposed to be for Foxy but Stormy decided he wanted it.

 Oliver loves his treats and his puppy toy. Foxy has gotten to the point that she has accepted Oliver and Stormy. 

 Never thought that I would see the day where she wasn't attacking one of them. I guess she figures that they are not going anywhere and to be a better friend haha.

 I haven't been blogging because I only have one comfortable place to sit and be able to use my computer and that is at the kitchen table. It is a pain to shut down and restart my laptop all the time. 

 We want the kids to eat at the table. My laptop does not have a working battery so I just have to plug it into a wall outlet. 

 I tried to use it in the living room, but the coffee table is to low for me to sit comfortably. 

 Since Jonathan is working from home two and a half days a week he is using the only desk that we have. It was to high for me sit at comfortably anyway.

 I have been looking at thrift stores for a small desk or table that I can use. I haven't found anything just yet but I will keep looking.

 I am sorry this is so short because I have to take care of a few things. Maybe I will be able to come back in a little while and update this post... 

 I can't believe that I am having to leave after I am just now getting into blogging this blogpost... but until later I really do have to go... BB

 

 

 

 

Christmas Spirit 2019

Elegant Christmas kit by Rosie from our private group. Images from free site.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas at my house. We have some secrets going on around here lol. I love this time of year and so far it is better than previous Christmas's. I think that it is because we have the kids with us for the first time in several years. That always makes it better!

 We are trying to decide where to put the tree. We moved the living room around, or I should say that Nathan did and where I had the tree last year will not be able to go there this year. 

 So we are thinking that we will move the chair more into the center of the room by the sofa and use the space where the chair is now.

 I want to go to the dollar store and get some new decorations for the tree. I also need to get some stockings and stocking stuffers. I am getting really excited!

 Oliver is in the house with me and laying by the patio door. I am letting him stay with me tonight. He is my buddy. 

My latest photo of Oliver.... excuse the debris in the back. I didn't crop this one.

 This isn't the best photo of Oliver but he is camera shy lol. He is such a sweet dog. I am very attached to him. He makes my heart smile and Foxy is doing better around him. She has learned for the most part to leave him alone and I am happy that she is.

 I also have a photo to share of my Christmas Cactus. This is the first time it has bloomed since I got it. This was a gift from my son Matthew almost 3 years ago.

I have it in a foil pan since I brought it inside. It doesn't like a lot of water and I have to repot it into a larger pot but I was afraid if I tried to repot it a couple of months ago that it wouldn't bloom. Anyway I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and the side of the pot broke off and I didn't have anything else handy and I figured since we were just going to throw the foil pan away I would use it so when I water it the water wouldn't make a mess. What ever works right? 

 In a couple of weeks after the blooms fade I will repot it. When I do I will take some cuttings to use in smaller pots for my friends Julie and Emily for a little Christmas gift. I already have the pots and soil. 

 Things have been crazy here. Jonathan had to go to the doctor and he tested positive for the flu. 

 Laurie now has it and she went to the doctor today. They both have different symptoms. 

 I really hope that I don't come down with it. I have been sick enough this past year and I have taken a lot of precautions trying to stay healthy.

 Having a compromised immune system sucks. 

 Back in 1982 I caught mono and it attacked my immune system. It also attacked all of my internal organs and since then my immune system has never recovered. 

 It didn't help that while I was recovering I found out I was pregnant with Jonathan and my doctors were very worried about him as well.

 I still don't think that I ever really recovered from that. I know that I use to have so much energy that I could run circles around everyone and still had lots to spare.

 Ha.. that vanished lol. My energy level never returned and I catch everything under the sun. So that is why I catch colds and illness's so much.

 After Christmas is over I am going to be planning for our Florida trip in March. I am so looking forward to spending some time with Miss Edna and Pogo and hopefully Audrey if she gets to come. 

 It will be just wonderful to see my sweet friend and to relax for 10 entire days and enjoy having a beautiful place to do so. 

 Last year I didn't take anything other than my laptop and tablet. I bought new clothes while I was there and mailed everything home so I didn't have to deal with luggage on top of everything else that I had to have with me like my walker and my carry on which is my laptop bag, medicines and personal items. 

 It cost less to mail the box home than what my suitcase would have cost so I will do that again this coming trip. 

 I took my walker and suitcase to Reno this year and that was such a pain in the butt let me tell you. And the airlines actually lost my walker and my suitcase. They went to Baltimore Maryland when I had to change planes in Las Vegas. It was supposed to have been a direct flight but we ended up having to change planes.

 It is getting late so I am going to close and try to get some sleep so I will chat with you all again soon... Hugs to all. Have a Blessed day... BB

 

Out Of The Fog

Photo is from Google Free images.

Hello and Happy Wednesday,

 I am happy to say that I am feeling better other than a sore throat. I really hope that it goes away and stays away. 

 I want to Welcome TJ Davis. I really enjoyed reading about your family and how you grew up. It is really awesome to have come from such a large family. 
 Both of my parents came from large families. My grandmother (Maw) had 10 children. The first one was my Uncle Sam and he was born July 31, 1900 and my mother was the last of the children, the baby of the family and she was born July 31, 1925. They were 25 years apart. I just can't imagine.

 My dad too was from a very large family. He was the next to the youngest out of 22 children from 3 wives.
 I grew up hearing how his last wife poisoned him. Now that could just be a rumor, but he was a very mean man and from the stories told it was that the entire town was relieved that he was not with them anymore and the woman was never charged. If that story is true I don't actually know but remember the movie Fried Green Tomatoes?
 Every time I see that movie I think of that man. I don't actually want to call him granddaddy lol.

 We have been having some beautiful foggy mornings. I love the way things come out of the fog. Trees with their ghostly branches and people walking in the misty shroud. It's something beautiful and it lingers...

 Thanksgiving dawned wet and damp, with a light drizzle in a very foggy morning. It stayed that way all day, and it was chilly out doors so it made staying in even better for a while. 
 When it finally stopped with the drizzle I bundled up the kids and took them outside.
 I was banned from the kitchen so it turned out to be a great day lol. I did help a little. I started the lime Jell-O salad and I made it different than I ever had.
 This recipe called for heavy cream and marshmallows. Where my original salad was more condensed, this one was light and fluffy and very delicious.

 I didn't make my Elote Salad. We had so much food that it was ridiculous. But it provided several meals that we didn't have to cook.

The main chefs... Karyn and David. You cannot see the bar where more food lined the counter space. Our kitchen is tiny so not a lot of room for people to actually help.

Matthew, Adrian, Damien watching something on tv.

Nathan kicking back. He was very tired. He worked in the yard the day before and was just resting. He had a good Thanksgiving as we made sure that almost everything was gluten free. I thought that I had photos of Laurie and Cathy but maybe I don't. I wanted a group picture but I gave up trying to get one. They are such scrooooooges… lol.

On the 23rd my great niece and her husband was blessed with a beautiful baby girl... 

 

Great Great Grandmother meets Jewelz Nicole. She is 4 days old. This next picture is of her is after GGGgrandmother got finished with her lol....

All of those lipstick kisses... Someone was stealing sugar from our little girl!

 She was very alert at birth. I love that she has all that dark hair. I really hope that she doesn't loose it. Both of her parents have thick dark hair so maybe hers will be nice and thick.

 She was born the day before my sister Linda's birthday. We was hoping that she would have waited just a little longer but she was in a hurry to meet the world. 

 I was outside in the fog when my sister called me and sent me a picture of the baby at birth. Linda wanted to be there so bad but she was really sick and so she stayed home and out of the way so she didn't expose anyone. 

 As Linda and I were talking I was watching the moon try to come out of the foggy night with the billowing clouds and the peek a boo images. It had warmed up some but the misty fog was still wet and damp. 

 It is burning off and leaving beautiful blue skies for the last 2 mornings. I am enjoying it...

 I better get off here. I have to get ready for yet another doctor appointment.... 

 Take care everyone and have a Blessed Day.... BB

Getting Ready For Thanksgiving

Photo from Pixaby

Hi,

 I hope all are doing well. We are ok but I think a stomach bug is going around because Karyn came in tonight feeling sick to her stomach and a coup[e of times the baby Damien has thrown up. No fever but general nausea and no appetite.

 I was sick last night. Laurie gave me bottle of Pedialyte for me to drink to replace my fluids. I don't want to get dehydrated. 

 I chose this photo because I love how the woman is displayed in with the moon and stars. I think that it is so pretty and I really wanted to watch the Unicorn Meteor Showers last night but I didn't get to because we had too much cloud cover and rain. 

 I am hoping that I can see them in December. It just hasn't been my year to watch any of them. Maybe I can in 2020.

 I am sorry I was in a semi pissy mood in my last post. I don't like discussing politics but I don't hound others that have different opinions than I do.

 Everyone should have their own opinions and if they differ from others, family included it should be fine. 

 Anyway I want to apologize for my mood. I was just irritated.

 So that pretty much covered the last two days. I really haven't done much or have much going on here but I am hoping that the next few days are smooth as I am going to have several extra guests this year for Thanksgiving. 
 My son Matthew has a student driver with him and he wouldn't feel right  knowing he had no where to go and so Matt called and asked if he could bring his student over for Thanksgiving.
 He also asked me to run it by everyone to make sure it was ok and everyone in this house said... "Of course bring him".
 One thing about my family is that anyone alone is always welcome at our table.
 Then a friend of mine hasn't made any plans but she may have something at her church but she said she would be delighted if her church wasn't doing anything so we will see. 

 Gosh I remember my kids growing up and all of the meals we had that someone's kids besides my own were at the table. 
 Then there were other guests and our holiday meals we had around 30 40 or more people. 
 We always had more than enough food. Everyone brought food or paper plates etc... We never had anyone go hungry and of course it was also ways to communicate and socialize and be thankful for what we had to be able to share.

 Steve will you and Dave have your own Thanksgiving since your in London and not home? 
 I know that it isn't a holiday there but I didn't know if you planned on cooking a turkey or not lol...

 Miss Edna you know I do not open boxes except on that special day. I will put it with my other boxes. I want to put the tree up Thanksgiving night while I have all my kids under one roof. Matthew will be going to Reno for Christmas. So I want to make sure that I have at least one Photo with all 5 under the Christmas Tree. Or at least one with all 5 of them together.

 I have a dish that I am going to make. It probably isn't one that is going to pair with turkey and stuffing but I am going to make it anyway.

 When my daughter Laurie lived in Pasadena California she and I would go outside and let Adrian play while we waited for this man who had a cart that he pushed. 
 In this cart he had the most wonderful Elotes and she and I would get one. They were a dollar each.
 Elotes are Mexican Street Corn. The large ears of corn were on a long stick. He would have them in a tray of butter. We could tell him what we wanted on it.
 He would roll them in mayonnaise and sprinkle them with garlic salt and then roll them in Parmesan cheese and add a sprinkle of spices. We always chose chili powder, a creamy kind of cheese and lime juice. 
 All of that deliciousness for a dollar. I know I must have told it out of order somewhat, but oh they are so good.
Anyway I found a recipe for it in a casserole form. So I am going to make that for my special dish this year.

 Anyway I am going to get off here and get ready for bed. Sweet dreams to everyone and Be Blessed!!! BB

Headache Reigns

Free Photo From Free Site...
I found this a couple of years ago on one of the free sites I go to looking for something to scrap. I have used this image as a wall paper, on my computer and phone because I just love it.
 I can imagine myself sitting there, reading a book in that lovely room and drinking a large glass of tea. (I enjoy ice in my glass however).

 I have a headache. Not related to a headache like a real one or a migraine. My headache is a metaphor for Unreasonable Conversations in my house or a pain in the butt!

 We do not agree on our political views and I am not going to go into a rant here but we should be able to agree to disagree and let it be.
 Everyone is entitled into their own beliefs.
 All I want to do is listen to the inquiry. I want to hear the inquiry and make up my own mind. 
 Apparently my entire household except Jonathan because he never comments on way or another but obviously it is all a witch hunt and there should not be any listening to all the lies being told!
 Well ok then but I want to listen and make up my own mind. I have learned quiet a bit during the 20 minutes I got to sit quietly and listen to the witness and council today before the conversations began to interrupt me.
 Telling me that I am hearing all lies does not make it so. Several witness's that say the same thing is worth listening to. How did they get their information? Who were they with? What form did the information come from? In person? By text? From a colleague? 
 Shut up and let me listen to the damn inquiry. Over an hour has passed now and I am to aggravated to try again because my house is too noisy and maybe I will try to stream it again later but right now I am going to finish my post and lay down.

 Not much going on with me other than just not feeling well.  My fibromyalgia is acting up really bad. I had to call my doctor yesterday and get an ok for me to increase my Lyrica. Even tho I can and did I have not felt much relief.
 My nerve endings hurt and has affected my entire body. I am not sure what has brought this on. I don't have to have a reason but it's been a good while since I have had a flare up. 
 I got up in the middle of the night and took a warm bath and that helped some. I was able to go back to sleep but woke up at 5 this morning hurting. I took a pain pill and some Tylenol and that lasted about 3 hours. 
 After that I just got up and stayed up. I think that I can rest for a little while.

 Take care and I will try and be back soon with a blog worthy post. Until then BB

Friday TGIF

Kit is called Geraldine's Winter....

 Hi,

 It is cool out this morning, 59 degrees but the sun is shining and the gray and wet skies have finally moved out.

 This day is simply gorgeous and is suppose to just get prettier with days getting warmer. Monday is to be in the 70's so we will see.

 Nathan cooked brunch for us this morning. He made rice and veggies with some scrambled eggs. It was all perfect until we grabbed the gluten free soy sauce and discovered that it was left over Mongolian sauce that someone had cooked and poured into a left over soy sauce bottle. Our brunch had to be thrown away because it has been weeks since Laurie and Karyn made the Mongolian Beef and so yeah, better safe than sorry. 

 I mentioned it first... "Who put sugar in the rice stir fry?" When no one admitted to doing it then we had to investigate. "Since when does soy sauce come sweetened?"

 Well the good news is that we have plenty of rice ready to eat.

 Nothing new here to report so this blog post might be shorter than I antiicipated it being. I had a doctor appointment today and found out that my pain management now has office hours for Saturday but they were booked so now I have it scheduled for Monday morning at 10:00am.

 I was wanting to get it over with today but Jonathan and Karyn are both having to work full days today so I was able to move it. I am lucky to have enough pain meds to last me thru the weekend but that is it. Monday I will be out so I have to go to the new appointment.

 I am in so much pain the last couple of days. It is because of the weather being cold and damp.

 Nathan is off on Friday's now so we are going to watch our series in a little while. I will be super happy to enjoy these programs with my son. 

 I will also enjoy just relaxing on the sofa after this is done. It will educate my mind and in the meantime I will be able to try and ease my bones. I am sure that it is my fibromyalgia acting up. I can feel the soreness all over.

 

 It has been a confusing couple of weeks at my house in terms of who is doing dishes, who is not, how they are done. Laurie of course is trying to make things easier but I have my own way of doing dishes and laundry.

 So basically I have just stopped with the exception of my laundry as I prefer to do a prewash in cold water with my clothes and then wash in hot or warm water for the main cycle.

 The reason I prefer a cold prewash is easy. Cold water lifts stains and then a warm or a hot wash will get clothes cleaner.

 I use to work in a laundry matt and this was pointed out to us on the first day so I have always done this where I can.

 As for dishes I am not going to change how I do dishes. As long as they are clean when I go to eat out of it that is all that matters to me.

 But Laurie would like to see anything dirty stacked on the counter and rinsed so it is easier for the one doing the dishes. I don't know why everyone has an issue with her over it. Since she is mainly the dishwasher, just do it the way she wants it done.

 I am about ready to knock all of these kids across the head! Who cares as long as the dishes are clean and they are done and the laundry is done and put away? I sure don't.

 Karyn has gone to get some lunch since we just threw ours away earlier. I have to say that I am hungry! 

 I will close for now so that I can have lunch and take my meds. Have a great Friday everyone. BB