The Thank you for the Prayers!

 

Thank you, Prayer Warriors,  for  your  very kind and  effective prayers  during my distress...  Things finally started looking  up  over the weekend...  and  I  know beyond a shadow of a doubt  it  was all  because of the many prayers going up  for me!

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!     

                                 

This has been a very   hard week for me..  Last Friday I had  an Ablation of the heart... The  procedure went well.   And I was terribly glad that I  opted to  stay the night in the hospital because  at  6 am  the next morning   my punctures  began to bleed..  and from there it has been one thing after another.  But in all I am  thankful that God  had me to  spend that night in the hospital because through all of this week  it seems the enemy has been after me..  But  God    showed me his great mercy  and love!

Over last weekend~ I was  blessed to  be able to  watch our church service online..  Although I truly missed    seeing my precious friends who are such a comfort to me..  Lynn  drove out  after church and picked up  a delicious   Chinese  dinner for us..  chicken and cashew...  yum.

Monday..  I was  somewhat  fearful  regarding my   wounds..  as I bound them with  gauze  I would notice    they were not healing  as I had hoped.. but God  was good.  I prayed the verse from Colossians  1:17  Jesus is before all things and in Him all things hold together.  That verse  has been a mainstay with me....  especially in 2011 when I had  a mainline hysterectomy   and I was afraid to move!!.  That first day  following the surgery a pastor on tv taught that verse and  I cannot  explain the comfort and peace it  gave me. The  same was true  last Monday.  I knew He was holding me in His arms  and that  I was safe!

Tuesday  was my 75th birthday  and  I was feeling really  good.  I    especially enjoyed all the  birthday wishes I  received on Facebook.  I made it  my purpose to write a special note to each of the 88  folks who wrote to me.. It  was a lovely day...  Thank you, Lord!

Wednesday.. I was not feeling that great.. I felt the enemy  was not happy  with the joy I had been experiencing..  I felt  pretty low  and couldn't figure out why!

Thursday...  when hubs checked my  punctures..  he saw  red  around the   wounds and was quite concerned..  I took a shower    and    attended to the wounds,,  then left for  Express Care.. sure enough I had  two sources of infection..  on  both  punctures.  Now I am taking  so much more meds than   before...  but am thankful  for  knowing the truth and attending to it.  I pray  we started  treatment in time..   

Today, I am feeling better.. I am glad I have plenty of medicine  ahead of me.. I pray this infection  completely  banishes in the name of Jesus, my Lord!! I  have absolutely no reason to  believe that He  will  not  be by my side  throughout   the rest of my recovery.  I am glad  to feel so good  that I will be able to go to  the prayer group  we  attend every first  Friday.  This week  it is the  second week due to  last week's holiday!!  I lead   the  prayer   and   provide the  praise song.. That is one thing I must  really think about...     But  I know  the Lord will provide.... God bless you, all, and have a lovely  weekend!!!

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Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Homemaker Monday  

Hosted by Sandra!

 The weather in my neck of the woods:::

Monday -88 and rain

Tuesday -84 rain

Wednesday -89 partly cloudy

Thursday - 91 sunny

Friday - 87 thunderstorms

Saturday -88 thunderstorms

And  most definitely HUMID!!!!!!!!

As I look outside my window::: It is sunny   and  steamy1

Right now I am::: I am working on this post and   feeling  pretty  glum as my  precious family is  packing up their car to  leave us and  go to  their next stop.. 

Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip)::: 

Thinking and pondering::

 

On my tv::: 

Hallmark mysteries,  and movies, YouTube videos on home decor

I love the British  realty shows.  Phil and Kirstie are favorites!  These

 shows  never  change  

But I also have fallen in love with the Matlock Mystery.  I  have plenty

 of old shows  to enjoy!

 

On my to do list::: Monday June 30: say  goodbye to my  loved ones..wah111

Prepare for my medical  procedure this week1   

         Tuesday    July 1  write up my paperwork  for  my procedure

         Wednesday: July 2  drive to UVA for pre procedure

         Thursday:  July 3 ablation  bright and early  spend night at 

                      hospital

         Friday :    July 4 hopefully drive home with little bad effects

                  from the procedure1

My simple pleasure:::I love to listen to Hauser on the computer... such 

gorgeous music1

Looking around the house::: Things are in good shape..the kids just left

  from their 8 day visit and our daughter cleaned up the house  

beautifully1

     

From the camera::  

Our tea party we had for our sweet cousin1

Bible verse Devotional:::

Saturday 9~ Consider Me Gone

Consider Me Gone

Welcome to Saturday: 9. Hosted by Sam.

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone (2009)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) In this song, poor Reba McEntire confronts a lover who makes her feel like she's not good enough. Let's go in a more positive direction: Who in your life makes you feel happy and secure?   My sweetheart and   hubby  of  53 years!

 

2) Reba hopes her lover will look back on her as someone who used to make him laugh. Who did you most recently laugh with?  We  have our  grand daughters age 9 and 11 here.   we are always  belly laughing around here!

 

3) She was director James Cameron's first choice to play Molly Brown in the 1997  blockbuster Titanic, but she had to turn down the role because she was committed to a concert tour. Think of the last invitation you received. Did you say yes or no? The very last  invitation I had    I had to  decline because I knew  our kids would be here and  nothing    disturbs our time together.  I just do not get to see them that much here in our home..  

4) Reba comes from a rodeo family: both her father and grandfather were champion steer ropers and her mother was a barrel racer. Have you ever been to a rodeo? Nope!

5) She loves game nights with family and friends because she says she's "a competitive person." When you play friendly board or card games, do you always play to win? Absolutely. I  am pretty competitive1  I love board games!

 

6) Reba wears tall boots all the time, even in summer, and has more than 100 pairs. Do you often wear boots?  Only in winter.. I will wear snow boots.  but I also have a comfy pair of  English  ankle boots  I like to wear with slacks!

 

7) In 2009, when this song was popular, Mark Zuckerberg tried unsuccessfully to buy Twitter. Elon Musk acquired it in 2022 and renamed it X. Do you often post to Twitter/X?  Never!

 
8) Back in 2009, DuPont announced that silver and black were the most popular vehicle colors, accounting for half the cars the world over. What color is your ride?  White trimmed in black.  An outback Subaru!

 

9) Random question: Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a hairnet?  Not thank goodness.  I think it would drive me nuts!!

 

Friday's Fave Five

Hosted by Susanne!     

                                 

Saturday-  God has blessed us thoroughly this week...On Saturday  Lynn and I eagerly awaited our precious daughter and her family to arrive for the week  from New England!  Living 7 states away we  rarely get to  see them so we had been looking so forward to their arrival...They finally  got here  around  1am Sunday morning- Ya-oooo!!

Sunday-  Hubs and I got up and attended  Connect Group at church. we had missed the previous 2 weeks due to health issues...it was  so wonderful to see our class and catch up with everyone! After  church we  met up with  our kids and  ate at our favorite Chinese restaurant...YUM!!That afternoon our quiet visit with  our family  was  golden! My two young granddaughters are such blessings!!!

Monday- My youngest granddaughter is a budding chef at the  grand'old age of 9! She loves to plan meals. She had never used an air fryer before and she made delicious batter fried chicken tenders, seasoned fries, and a gorgeous, huge salad! Wow, I wish I could keep her! Both girls are musicians and it was heavenly to hear them playing the electric piano... Aw, to have music in the house once more!!

Tuesday-One of the most wonderful things we accomplished on Tuesday was something our daughter is terrific at, and I despise...she facilitated a purging of the tons of stuff we had squirreled away in the basement.After a couple of hours we had  several bags to take to the trash...several boxes to take to the goodwill and several boxes to take nicer items to the Discovery Shop! We even found our old slides and projector.We watched half of them  and still have the bests ones to go:  our wedding, honeymoon and  year we lived in Germany! I love reminiscing.

Wednesday- we designated that the day to celebrate  my birthday...  Uh, we won't share how old I will be an about a week! Again our youngest and her mom, Amanda, did dinner... wow, we had Chicken Francese  from Ina Garten, potatoes, roasted broccoli and asparagus, and  Italian bread. Viv, our youngest made me a lemon  cake  festooned by delicious  strawberries..., OH, how I am blessed!!! Then we and the kids, played a new game... I'd say it was a thought provocative game and I wasn't  very good at all, but it was such fun!

Thursday- we are not eating like crazy today... I mean there is a hereafter! Besides, we have great eating planned for the rest of the week! One of the things we found in the basement was my mom's box of  dinnerware which looked pretty bad after 10 years of storage...  Amanda is taking it home so we plan to  polish it up and get it all  looking brand sparking new for her to take!

Friday-Saturday, we had hoped to go to a ballgame but it has been so hot and is supposed to rain all day tomorrow so we are shopping at Fresh Market for tea party supplies, and then stopping at our favorite restaurant  for  breakfast... Then we will rest up for the weekend and enjoy our time together! Saturday, a cousin we rarely get to see will  join us for a mid day tea party. We will make Madeleines,  fruit skewers, 2 types of  finger sandwiches... chicken salad and cucumber. And, of course,  brewed tea in fancy cups!

Saturday 9

Hold On 

Welcome to Saturday: 9. 
Hosted by  Sam!

Saturday 9: Hold On (1990)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) This song gives encouragement to someone who is enduring heartache. Have you more recently given support, or received it?I'd have to say  I've given it to a friend who  was going through a rough patch!

 

2) "Hold On" is featured prominently in the 2011 movie Bridesmaids. It's an anthem for the friends in the film and they love to sing it together. Is there a song that reminds you of good times with a good friend? well, the rfirst thing taht came to mind is my best friend and I travel  from Virginia to Boston  regularly to see our kids.  My husband does the driving and I work the  music. we have created a playlist of all the  music we loved to listen to and sing along with  when we were dating  back in the early   70's.  We love to sing along with our Oldies and Goldies..and  surprisingly we  still know all the  words to sing. That makes  traveling fun!

 

3) The video for this song finds Wilson Phillips outdoors on a snowy mountainside and then on a sandy beach. What's the view outside your window?  The early flowers of summer..  birds coming to the feeders!

 

4) The mountain segments were filmed in California's San Gabriel Mountains. The girls were flown to the set by helicopter. Have you ever been in a helicopter?  Nope, and do not wish to!

 

5) The members of Wilson Phillips are authentic "California Girls." Wendy and Carnie Wilson's father is Brian Wilson, who wrote the Beach Boys hit. Chynna Phillips is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, who sang "California Dreamin'." Have you been to California? If yes, where did you visit?  No,  I  have been all up and down the east coast,  but not the west..  not much interest there, either!

 

6) Another generation of the Wilson family has entered the music business. Carnie's daughter/Brian Wilson's granddaughter, Lola Bonfiglio, participated in the current season of American Idol. Has a family member followed you in your chosen profession?     Not a direct    descendant,  but I have several  cousins who followed  the teaching  field  after their parents.  I'd have to say  we come from a teaching clan. All of maternal aunts were teachers... But my grands  aren't  old enough to  be working and  our daughter  was  a cancer researcher  ..  a bit over my head!!!

 

7) In 1990, when this song was popular, satellite radio was in its infancy and streaming was unheard of. Our cars gave us a choice of AM/FM and maybe CD player/tape deck. When you're driving and a favorite song comes on, are you more likely to sing along if you're alone? Or don't you care if anyone hears you?As I said  above  my husband and I love to sing..  we started singing   our faves  when  we  were  parking out at the airport  in the late 60's  But, yes, we sang  and  smooched just a bit.  but nothing   unseemly!

 
8) Also in 1990, actor Alan Hale Jr. died. He was "the skipper" on Gilligan's Island. Without looking it up, can you name the other six castaways? (If not the actors, then their characters.)Not my favorite show.. I can see  their faces,,  but  really have no idea their names!

 

9) Random question: What superhero would you like to have as your best friend?  I suppose it would have to be  Christopher Reeve, Superman..  

 I  think everyone had a crush on him  back in the day! 

Tuesday 4

 

Home Where the Heart Is

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.   Hosted by Annie!!

This week let's talk about home or the house in which you grew up.   

1. What do you think of this picture.. the staircase. Do you like how it looks?  Does it say "home" to you?

Would you like something that looks like this?

I love the cosiness of the  lighting and colors.  Our  staircase  does not  have  that same  feeling..  but I do enjoy our  stairs!

2. Did you love growing up in your family home? 

I did love growing up  in the 50's  in our family home..  it  was rather a sweet simple  white clad  cottage  with red roses  growing up the trellis on the porch!

Here is our house   from around 1968   to see the type of home I grew up in..   my mother  was  quite a decorator..  and she loved early American  decor.  She inherited  several  antiques from the dairy farm  she grew up on  and  dad did, as well. We had  an extension  added on the back  including   a gorgeous colonial  fireplace with all the trimmings.   Our home was  very cosy and  enjoyable to live in.  Mom had a flair for gardening   and  we had  fresh cut flower arrangements in several rooms  all through the warm  seasons. 

Could you live in a house like that today?  No,   there were things about the home  that I didn't like,  like the puny locks on the doors,   no room for a dryer.. had to hang clothes on the line which was nice  but  quite a chore!  And it wasn't my style... at all!

3.  What did your bedroom look like when you were a teen?My bedroom  as a young child was  the third bedroom which was rather narrow but deep.   I slept on a twin bed and  had a desk for homework and a small chest of drawers.  I had no say in the decor or color..  it was  mostly white and a bit frilly.  Not my style.  But by the time I was ten I  got to move to the second bedroom  much larger  with a double bed.  but it was, also, the guest room.  We didn't have  that many guests   but I  wasn't allowed to add anything of mine in the room. The room was  rather  fancy ..  again  early American with  beautiful  drapes with  Dolly Madison in   sweet oval frames  amid  the Madison Plantation  printed  on  them.  The  main color  was  an avocado green  so  the  bedspread was  a beautiful avocado  damask..  not  great for a 10 year old girl. By the time I was  in the 8th grade I was really into interior design and as a school project, I moved back into the small room and was completely given permission and the funds to redo  the room    for  a teenager   but with style!  That  is one of my most favorite memories of that home!!!

4.  What kind of vibes or atmosphere do you like to foster in your home today?  Sophisticated, homey?  I like to try  to  do  a combination of both styles. A few years ago  the living room was  very different..  I was in an Olde English  mood and  I had several very  interesting decor items that fostered the look along with  deep  colors of maroon/red,  navy and   golden corn painted walls,

 

But after going to Scotland and  touring   Inverary Castle, I fell in love with some of the color pallets  there...  

Not a great   example  but  the  room in good light was a lovely fair blue!  I was charmed  and so I came back to  redo our home!

I would have to say I am somewhat of maximalist!