Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Three things on your spring bucket list? If you don't have an actual list that's fine, pretend you do.

With hub's health issues, I don't have anything on my bucket list BUT if I did.....

Run in a color run....I was believe it or not, practicing running....well actually walking very fast because running was hurting my knees.  The last 5K I participated in, I placed second place

See the Northern Lights

Travel to Italy

2. Where do you find rest? What restores your soul? When was the last time you did whatever it was you answered here?

I find rest in my Bible Study and this restores me daily.

3. April is National Celery Month. Who knew? Do you like celery? What's your favorite dish made with celery? On a veggie and dip platter which would you reach for first-carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes? 

I like celery.

My favorite.....

I would reach for the celery...if it had pimento cheese on it....If not I would definitely reach for

4. I read here eight things to do before 8 am to make your day less hectic-Start one load of laundry, drink water, empty the dishwasher, read your Bible, know what you're having for dinner, get dressed, brain dump (two lists-one what you're thankful for and one what's weighing on your mind), and after the brain dump make your to-list for the day

How many of these are you currently doing? Which one do you think would help the most if you added it to your early morning routine?

On Tuesdays, I do laundry and yes I start before 8am...usually around 6:30am I have my first load of laundry in the washer.

I read my Bible verses and prayer journaling every morning before 8am..helps me to get ready for the day.

Even though, I am retired, I still lay out my clothes the night before, and am dressed before 8am!

but

I never know what I am having for dinner....

Usually done at night.

I have an ongoing list....I just add to it daily.....

5. Describe the view from your window.

with clear, blue skies!!!

Monday we had snow....

6. Random thought.....

Sad learning the passing of Barbara Bush.  In my opinion, she was a great First Lady.

Weekend

The weather has finally gotten warm ya'll. Well, we went from snow to temps in the high 70s to low 80s in one week.  The sunshine felt so good.

Friday, I took Blake, for a stroll.  I was actually sweating!!  He, of course, fell asleep so I was kinda glad to reach my vehicle and turn the AC on!!

Saturday, I opened up all the windows in the house. I did a little cleaning and worked outside trying to clean up the yard....picking up so many limbs.  Then I sat back and just enjoyed the weather.



Hub and I even enjoyed sitting outside later that evening :).


Sunday was a raining day.  I hated this because of the race--NASCAR in Bristol. So many fans at the race and the rain came.  As a matter of fact, we are under a flash flood warning.

AND


Yep, is predicted for Monday!!

Have a Great Week....Enjoy Life

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. April is National Jazz Appreciation Month. Are you a fan? If so what's a favorite you'd recommend to someone new to jazz listening?

Not really a fan of jazz.

2. Mandolin, ukulele, harp, accordion or banjo...which would you be most interested in learning to play? Or do you already play one of the instruments listed?

My choice would be the harp.

3. Do you judge a book by it's cover? Elaborate. You may answer in either/both the literal or figurative sense of the word.

I am guilty of this.  I most definitely judge a book by it's cover.  Seeing a person dress in short dresses, short shorts, wearing jeans with holes at the top of their thighs, piercing covering their face, along with tattoos, baggy pants seeing their underwear.....I immediately predetermine the type of person he/she is.  This is a trait I most definitely need to work on....for example the last time husband had a CT scan at Duke the person doing his scan had tattoos, nose rings, eyebrow rings, and I thought "Oh No".  After talking to him, he was so nice and one of the tattoos, he showed me was a bible verse covering his arm.(sigh)

4. According to a recent study the ten most nutritious foods are-almonds, cherimoya (supposed to taste like a cross between a pineapple/banana), ocean perch, flatfish (such as flounder and halibut), chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, pork fat (shocking! but I don't think they mean bacon), beet greens, and red snapper. Are any of these foods a regular part of your diet? Any you've never ever tasted? Which would you be most inclined to add to your diet?

I snack on almonds daily.

I love beets, but have never had green beets. Cherimoya sounds tasty...pineapples and bananas I would add to my diet but...in my neck of the woods probably never find this!

5. Besides a major holiday what is the most recent thing you've celebrated with your people? Tell us how.

Twelve weeks ago, I celebrated the birth of my third grandson.  This one was different, because it was my daughter's son.

Me celebrating!!!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Hub began his new chemo treatment yesterday.....taking 8 pills a day for two weeks.  Prayers that this chemo will shrink the cancerous tumors and he can tolerate this new treatment.

I began keeping this cutie pootie a couple of weeks ago.   Oh man....the joy and the best therapy ever!

Have a Blessed Day

It has been awhile since I have been able to blog.  Some things that have been happening.....

Praise  My step son has been allowing us to see our oldest 'grandson'.  I haven't asked any questions as to why? but so glad to spend a few minutes with him.  He loves basketball and hub and I have taken him to an instruction camp.

Little league baseball has started, and he has been playing.  Not much a fan of the game, but his dad is coaching and he is kinda playing.

St. Patrick's Day was mainly stay at home kinda day.  We did have a visit from his cutie pie.

Daughter, hub, and Blake came by before hitting the town.

Hub's aunt turned 90 a couple of weeks ago.  We drove to Roanoke to for her surprise birthday party.

Love this picture. 

I have begun keeping my grandson, Blake.  He is a joy to have around!

Daughter #2 surely misses him at work.  I try to send her pics and messages of him throughout the day.  Being a mom, I know how hard it is returning to work. 

She loves to snuggle him so much!

The weather did cooperate for Easter!!  We had a nice dinner.  Family is what it is all about.
Daughter #2 came with hub and Blake and Daughter #1 came with her finance. And I forgot to take pictures!!!!  BUT I have the pictures engraved in my mind.

We had a few snow showers over the weekend.....I think we will skip spring and go right into summer.  I can't complain much because Jan and Feb were so mild with temps in the 70s on some days.

Hub begins his new chemo treatment today.  I pray he can tolerate this treatment....it is taking 8 pills a day and the chemo will shrink his cancerous tumors. 

Have a great week.....until next time....Enjoy Life!

CRAZY.......

Crazy Weather, to say the least.


Just a few weeks ago, the temps were in the high 70s and low 80s.  I was kinda getting use to the early spring/summer temps.

February was nice and warm.

This week we have had some snow.

Not a lot of snow, but enough snow to cancel school.
This little cutie was able to come and hang out for a few hours.

Don't you love snap chat!  Ha!

Today is suppose to be the last day of the cold temps before warmer weather returns.

Hub was busy fixing a leak yesterday....

Glad he felt like it!!  Thank you hub!

We are headed to Duke next week, and hub will begin a new round of chemo.  Praying for travel mercy, and hub to tolerate this new round of chemo.

I don't feel like getting into the spring cleaning mode just yet.  I have a zillion chores to get done but just don't feel like it. Does anyone else feel this way??I have been reading the book, Imagine. Excited to see the movie.  I like to read the book first before seeing the movie.

A rambling blog.....I know.....

Have a great rest of the day. 

Enjoy Life

Can't get enough of this sweet face!

Traveling

Last week was busy traveling. Not you everyday traveling fun....mainly to doctor appointments.


Monday oldest daughter had her cardiologist check up at University of Virginia in Charlottesville.  She had open heart surgery in October and this was her 'big' check-up.  She was previously scheduled in January but weather caused cancellations.  We ( made hub/dad stay home) left at 6 that morning to travel up the road.  For 29 years we have been traveling to UVA and left crying.....NOT THIS TIME!!!  Dr. Battle, her cardiologist, was well pleased.....she has two restrictions...First- she can never have children, which we already knew because daughter had chosen a mechanical valve and Second-she can never go skydiving!  Well, we both cried...but this time it was tears of joy.  Her next appointment is next year!!!  We were both crying when I tried to  let hub know the good news. Afterwards, when I finally told hub through all the sobs, we decided to go shopping!!!
Going from this....

To now this....

There are no words to describe this feeling!!!!

Tuesday, hub and I traveled to Duke for his oncologist appointment.  We left at 4am that morning because hub doesn't like to spend the night, but I think driving keeps his mind occupied and no down time to think. Hub told his oncologist we were going to Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Atlanta for a second opinion.  His oncologist was okay with that, but hub just wanted him to know.  Duke's plan is to get hub in a study....he will be given 2 chemo drugs that are FDA approved and add a 3rd chemo which is also FDA approved but to see how this 3rd chemo will interact with the first 2 chemo drugs...that is the study.  Hub only did blood work and saw the oncologist at Duke so he was able to drive home; usually I drive home from Duke.

Wednesday we flew to Atlanta.  Now hub does not fly.  He has only flown once and that was a have to case!!!  I told hub with all the traveling on Monday and Tuesday I just felt safer to fly.  I wanted the flying experience to be good for hub.....he was anxious as it was.First stop check-in/security -the attendant said I was the lucky one...I thought to myself.. Great I will be searched and hub will not. Wrong... I was chosen to not be searched and hub was.  This was okay and not to embarrassing for hub because the airport was small.  We boarded the plane and I sat near the window; hub glanced out from time to time.

He was happy to be landing!!  Hub had never been to the airport in Atlanta and he was in awe of the hugeness!!  

We met the people from Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) and they took us to the hotel. The hotel was within walking distance of many restaurants and shopping centers.  Even though CTCA said for us to call and they would take us anywhere we wanted to go, hub and I chose to walk.  It felt good walking and talking and the weather wasn't bad.

The CTCA staff were exceptional....so very nice and caring.  The CTCA oncologist said he would do the same treatment as Duke and as a matter of fact, Duke might be better since Duke was a research hospital and CTCA was only for treatment.  This eased our mind.  I told hub not many places would say that.  With that being said, our flight was scheduled for 7:20 that Friday evening and it was only 12:00.  We decided to head to the airport early to see if there was an earlier flight back to the Tri-Cities and we could even beat the Friday travel.  We arrived at the airport around 1:00 and the chaos began.  Many Delta flights were cancelled due to weather.....no earlier flight for us.  We proceeded through security and I told hub to go in front of me, but he said for me to go first so he would know what to do.  As hub went through the alarm sounded.....hub was chosen to do the complete search-the pat down and all!!  Now, this was a little unnerving for him....I could tell by the look on his face. But he made it. I was ready to eat, but hub needed a few minutes to unwind. We did eat and do a little shopping in the airport.  Hub enjoyed watching the planes take off and land.  Finally, after five hours, we were able to board our flight for home!

One more thing happened....we had different seats not close to each other.  I knew hub was nervous and I asked to change seats but no one would....but I kept my eyes peeled in front on hub to make sure he was okay....which he was!  I know hub was glad when he stepped off the plane.

On the way home from the airport, he talked about flying and said he didn't mind flying it was just something he didn't want to do everyday.  Me either! but I was glad we did.

It was a busy traveling week for sure!