Friday, October 13, 2017

Hard Day at the Not-So-OK Corral

Hello my friends.  Hope your Friday the 13th was a nice one.  Mine was very nice with a heavy blow in the middle and then a lovely surprise.

Kind of like a roller coaster ride.

I left Kingston about 10:15 this morning with my Mom.  Had to put some gas in my very low tank and then wash my extremely dirty car, and then head to our Edmond home.  It was a happy, fun, relaxing ride with Mom.  She does so very well 95% of the time.  She was so sweet today, I enjoyed being with her very much.

We stopped half way for lunch at Braum's.  She had her usual children-size chicken nuggets and a tiny pack of fries.  She loved it, and there were no complaints.

As I was standing at the drink counter, a nice younger lady was standing there waiting next to me.  For SOME STRANGE REASON I mentioned to her that I had ordered my 89-year old Mom a child's meal.  She responded that she knew exactly what I was talking about, because her Mom and Dad always ordered the kid's meal too.  Her Dad had dementia and just recently passed away.  I told her that was a blessing as long as he was ready to go.  She said that he was a Christian, and he was very ready to go.

Isn't it fun how two complete strangers will strike up a conversation and have something very much in common?

We left and had a very pleasant ride for the next hour.  We arrived at our home, and I ushered Mom into the house.  THAT is when things got a bit bumpy.

My Mom was quite confused and wanted to know where her room was and where her bathroom was and where her toothbrush was and where her fingernail file was -- and I handed her one -- and she said, "NO! Not that one!" -- and she wanted to know where her clothes were going to be and how she was going to find them and where were her slippers, and on and on and on ........

I was very patient with her because I have learned to be patient and loving because SHE CAN'T HELP IT.  After about an hour, she started to settle in, and she unpacked all of her things and put them away in her dresser and bathroom drawers.

I had asked for a family member to come help me this afternoon for a few hours so I could have some time to run and get some groceries for this house.  I was given a very pleasant reply of, "Sure, I have the ENTIRE day free."

Turned out, my request was taken as a major imposition.

That was the "heavy blow" part of the ride.

I received a very nasty message about how awful my Mom is, and that I should not expect anyone to show up here to help me with her -- and if they do, I should be grateful -- even if they can't come when they told me they would be here, and even if they don't tell me that.

It is the HARDEST thing for me to understand.  WHY can't people be CONSIDERATE of each other?  Especially, a family member.  A nice call or text explaining that something came up and they will be arriving at whatever time -- or not -- would have been so acceptable and understandable.  She texted she couldn't come when I needed her, but "soon".  "Soon" means different things to different people.  My husband's "soon" could be three days!  I was just trying to get something done before a 4:00 appointment, and I had very little time to do it. 

So my heart was hurt and I felt like a complete failure -- AGAIN! -- and I decided that it is just me and my Mom against the world.  Boo hoo hoo.  Pity party time. 
 

BUT THEN...

Don't you just LOVE the "BUT THEN's"!

I was in and out from the car to the kitchen and the bedrooms 50 times bringing things in from the car.  Every time I came in, my Mom had a question about something.  She doesn't mean to be a pest, but sometimes, she just is.  Her brain doesn't fire right these days, and her memory doesn't exist.  She can't help it, and I tell myself that a thousand times a day.

"Be PATIENT, Joy, be PATIENT!"  There, but for the grace of God, go I!

So on one of my many trips to put something away, I heard something at the front door.  I thought, "Oh, No!  I hope Mom hasn't gone outside!"

I went to the front door to see, and there was a box on the front porch from the mailman.  My new internet friend, Shari Marie, had asked for my mailing address, so I figured it must be from her.  I quickly opened the door and scooped up the box.

Shari Marie had mentioned to me a few days ago that she was PRACTICING making frosted cookies for some affair coming up.  I jokingly (sort of) mentioned that I LOVE frosted cookies, and she could send the rejects to me.

WELL, guess what????

She really did send them!

HOWEVER, they are FAR from being rejects.  They look like they are from a fancy bakery.  I took a picture so you can see. 

The flower is NOT BROKEN.  I had already started nibbling on it before I thought to snap a photo.



So, of course, being a really good friend, I texted Shari Marie that she should definitely keep practicing because these disappeared way too fast, and to keep sending the rejects. 

Shari Marie also sent something she made for my new baby, Luke, but I haven't opened it.  I want Lauren to see how it was sent.  I am sure it is darling, and I will show you soon what it is.

The only other time I have ever gotten cookies in the mail was when my friend, Jolene, sent them to me after a surgical procedure I had done.  It is the MOST marvelous gift.  I froze the ones Jolene sent and took one out of the freezer "as needed" for medicinal purposes only.

I'll be back soon with news about the new Home Care Assistance company I have hired here in Edmond.  They are sending a lady named Noella to sit with Mom next week while I am away at the B-Sew Inn classes.  She is 20 something and has worked for this company three years.  I hope we love her like we love Dorine in Kingston.  I told Dorine this morning that I wished she could just come up here with us.  She said, "Maybe someday."

Bedtime here.

Hugs, Joy 

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Terry's Gorgeous Tie Dye Quilt and My Total Failure

Hello everyone!

I promised you pictures of Terry's pretty tie dye quilt in this VLOG:

Someone asked WHERE I got the aprons.  I got them on Amazon.  Just search aprons.  I love that they have pockets.  Terry said Wanda loved it.

Unfortunately, it is so very hard to show quilting definition in a photo.  I don't know why.  The light has to be JUST right.  Nothing like seeing it close up to see the true stitching.

Here is the front:

And
Here is the back.
The MOST amazing thing about this quilt is the tie dye itself.

I went over to Terry's the other day to try my SECOND ATTEMPT at the craft.

I did two small pieces.

They turned out SO UGLY, I can't stand to look at them.


Terry says she wants them.

She will probably cut them up to make the overall effect go away.

It needs to go SOMEwhere, lol!  I am giving up that adventure for good.  Even with Terry's help, I screwed it up.

So that is all I have time to talk to you about today.  I want to make another cute -- more babyish -- quilt for Luke.  Maybe some receiving blankets.  Not sure.  Need to hurry though.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy




Sunday, October 1, 2017

Falling Leaves and Flailing Fish

Can you even BELIEVE that it is OCTOBER?!

My new great-grandbaby in November, then Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

WHY do I suddenly feel very behind???

Just in case you haven't already seen it, here is my latest VLOG where I show you the cutest baby gifts I made for Luke.  And, YES, that is Terry with her brand new Millie!  She is learning how to quilt with rulers today.  She is going to be really good.  She is determined, like I am.  When we choose a hobby, we want to know everything about it and we spend many, many, many hours PPP'ing.  (Practice, Practice, Practice)



Mom and I were sitting on the patio yesterday -- her in the glider and me in my swing -- and I just happened to look around our yard.  I had just told Mom that the leaves should start turning soon.  What a surprise when I noticed several trees that have already turned yellow and red.

AND, I saw three leaves fall down!

It makes me kind of sad to have to go to my other house for a few weeks.  There are trees there, of course, but there are hundreds of them here.  Fall is beautiful here in the woods.

The pastor talked about COMMUNICATION IN MARRIAGE this morning.  Jerry and I actually passed with flying colors.  After 42 years, we should be able to talk to each other.

I did NOT agree with Pastor Hagee about women turning on tears to get their way, although I'm sure it happens.  Tears -- at least in my case -- had everything to do with PMS.  And I had the WORST PMS ever recorded, I think.

Jerry, being a Pharmacist, would never allow me to take any prescription drug to calm me down out of "angry tiger" mode, so he just put up with it.  He is a VERY strong man emotionally.


Talk about tears.

Good grief.

You could have filled Lake Texoma with mine!

I'm old now, and that part of my life is past.  I will NEVER miss it, and neither will Jerry.  I cry now if I am totally stressed and people are pulling me every which way but loose.  Very seldom.  Thank God!


I'm a happy girl most of the time as you can see in my videos.  I dance and I sing and I praise God, and I adore my husband.

Speaking of husbands.  Mine just got back from a short fishing expedition.  He was trying out his birthday present to see if it worked, and it didn't.  BUT, he put out one of those umbrella things and started trolling.  He caught THREE FISH AT ONE TIME.  One is 9 pounds, one is 4 pounds and one is 3 pounds.  I wish I had had my phone with me, and I would have snapped a picture for you.  You should see the umbrella lure.  It looks like someone ran over it with a car!  I wish I could have gone with him, but I had to stay with Mom.

Umbrella thing:


Captain Mack's Prerigged Umbrella Rig - view number 1







Can you imagine wrestling three flailing fish at one time on that thing!?

Won't keep you.  Need to get downstairs and prepare the fish fillets for freezing.  We will be having a fish dinner real soon!  We need some company to help us eat it.

Have an amazing, fabulous, wonderful, blessed in every way week!

Hugs, Joy