Gigi's Watermelon Patch & Jackie's Tomato Patch

Well, it has been over a year since I have posted anything - decided I would start again. I have been really working hard this year on my gardens - adding a second one!

My 82 year old mother lives next door to me, and we have had a small little garden for several years, thus Jackie's Tomato Patch. We have planted lots of tomatoes, a few pepper plants, and a row of okra. We have a ton of volunteer squash! I will try to add pics in the next few weeks.

For the past few weeks, I have been working a new area - thus Gigi's Watermelon Patch! This area was a horse pin for a few years, and the ground should be really fertilized good and it is much sandier than our other garden. I know it is late, but since it is still cool, hopefully everything will grow! I have planted 14 tomato plants, Lemon Boy, Red Stripey and several others. I have 8 or 9 watermelon plants planted, and have a few squash plants, and one pumpkin plant to be added in the next day or so! Hope to get several more rows re tilled and old grass debris cleared in the next week to plant a few seeds as well! Hope I can keep everything going.....

More to come in the following weeks and hopefully, I will get some good pictures added.

The Sound of Silence

All our guests are gone - only the Sound of Silence remains. We had a great party this weekend for son home from Afghanistan. The 1st Annual Chili Cook-Off was definitely a hit. We will do this again. We had 6 or 7 different chili's - never declared a winner since all were wonderful! Our homemade Tamales were good.

Son seems to be a little more rested. In 7 days we will put him back on a plane to the war. His sweet wife is already getting weepy about his departure! I do think it is harder to say goodbye from a leave. Every day brings us closer to his return in September.

We had lots of family and friends here this weekend. Sweet niece from Houston and her precious little boy were here. I had not seen him since he was a few months old. He will be 3 in April! He is such a sweetie! My Aunt and Uncle were here. It was such a wonderful treat for them to be here. Several of my old friends from the bank were here as well. It was so good to reconnect with some old friendships. Why do we let relationships slide with people we really care about? Life gets way too busy - I really need to slow things down and make time for all those people that are important to me!!!

My Soldier Son is Home

Son arrived safe in Dallas today from Afghanistan. His trip took 53 hours! I am soooooo glad he is back in the USA! We had lunch with him and his sweet wife at little local Italian restaurant and I baked Texas Sheath Cake for him for his birthday. Birthday was 3 days ago, his first travel day! But, I so wanted to celebrate with him!!! In just two weeks we will have to say good-bye again and send him back to Afghanistan.

It was a good day, that just got better. Youngest son's b-day was today, so later in the day I went to his house to celebrate his day as well. Youngest son and his sweet wife went out to dinner while I kept my grandchildren. One could not have a better day!

Since middle son has missed all the holidays, we are having an all holiday party for him next weekend. We are having our first annual chili cook-off! Hope the weather is as warm and nice as it was today - sonny and 70s. Earlier this week we had an ice day with local schools dismissed and the temp in the low 20s. Living in Texas is always interesting - weather can change 50 degrees in one day! It looks like we are going to have really good weather for the next week.

I had the opportunity to attend a Baptist Women's Conference this weekend. The teachers were really uplifting. My friend from East Texas attended also, so we got to spend time together. I do so miss her since she has moved from Dallas. It is good when we can have a weekend together. She plans to be here next weekend for the party and then on to Church with us. We have started attending the Cowboy Church of Dallas County. They have moved to their permanent building and will be having the grand opening in one week. The church will have dinner on the grounds with lots of family activities and the church band preforming lots of music. I look forward to meeting new people in this little church and making it my church home.

New Year, New President and New Church

It has been a busy couple of weeks. As always I don't know how I ever had time to work. I am really busy all the time. Baby sitting with grand kids, baby showers, tea honoring mother, birthdays, exercise, looking at old cars (husband and I are on a quest to find a 66 Mustang for me). I have been exercising every day - really trying to get to the weight my doctor wants for me. I know I will be healthier also! I have been walking in the neighborhood. We have only had a couple of peeks at winter, but it is back with a vengeance, so I have moved my exercise inside. Yesterday, I walked on the elliptical walker. I guess I really need to pick up my walking pace, because after 40 minutes I was really tired.

Husband, youngest son and grandson went sailing a week ago. Husband said it was a perfect sailing day. I didn't get pictures, but will next time. This is the first time son and grandson had been out on the sailboat and they really enjoyed it. With a few more trips, son thinks he could take the helm and take his wife out as well!

It is misting rain right now, and the temp is hovering at 33 degrees so the next couple of days are going to be messy. Exercise will have to be inside again today. I look forward to warmer days and bicycle riding again.

Middle son leaves Afghanistan tomorrow on his birthday. Not sure when he will be back in the US (hopefully by weekend), but I know it will be nice for him to be back in the good ole USA!!!

We are planning an all holiday party for him while he is home along with a Chili cook off! Hope we get back to the nice warm weather we have been having.

I have started going to a new church in the area. It is only 4.5 miles from our house and I think we are going to really enjoy this little church. Cowboy Church of Dallas County moved to it's new location last Sunday and will have its official opening on Feb 7. The church is very casual and has good old country gospel music. There is a country band with guitars, bass, etc. Husband seems to like the church also. At the end of each service the children go to the platform and sing Happy Trails to you. It is a really sweet and moving service. I have needed a small church that is close to home for a long time.

I continue to pray for the president each day and have started keeping a prayer journal. I have joined the Presidential Prayer Team which sends an email link each with a prayer assignment. I find that it is good to have the scripture reminder and prayer assignment to begin the day. Our President and military troops need our daily prayers. The web site had lots of good info about Presidential staff and the weekly happenings at the White house: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org

January '09 - 1/2 over already!!!

Well half of the month is already gone. It seems that only yesterday we were celebrating Christmas! We have had really good weather so far this year - for the most part, but we are heading for a real cold snap. While the rest of the country is having heavy winter, we will get ours this evening. It is supposed to be around 23 degrees here. I guess I should not complain as we have had days in the 60s and 70s recently! I have been busy as always, husband made me a set of shelves for my desk. I am trying to get organized! He took over the desk top computer and that desk, so now I have a little desk for my lap top! I have lots of books and can never have enough book shelves!!!!!

I am planning Army son's leave party. We are going to have a Chili Cook Off while he is home. He will leave Afghanistan on the 29Th - which is also his birthday. He will be 38! It is hard for me to believe my boys will be 35, 38 and 41!

I am waiting the arrival of the cable tech. He is now 39 minutes late!!! We switched companies to get a good discount by bundling our services - unfortunately Cable didn't work for us as our phone number was moved from another area. We have had the same phone number for the past 40 years and when we moved from Dallas we moved the number with us. We found out after the fact that they could not change that old number to a cable number - they installed a new number for us, but did not tell us. I had to find out by mistake. So one week later they are coming to return us to our original phone! I will probably be fighting about our rates for ever. I am not happy with the transition and it should have been seem less.

Another Chrismas has come and gone

......and as always Texas weather has been interesting. One week ago it was 24! Yesterday the 26th, I had to turn on the air conditioner as it was 82 out!!! What a wonderful Christmas we have had. (We celebrated on the 26 to accommodate every one's schedules.) We started out the day with late Brunch with youngest son, his sweet wife her mom and our two beautiful grandchildren. Oldest son his wife joined us, along with 3rd daughter-in-law! We exchanged gifts and were then joined by extended families - sisters nieces and nephews, and the great nieces and nephews! We had such a great day, and the weather was so good! Our house is just not big enough for this big a group, so we adjourn to the shed (husband's workshop - 40x60 bldg that makes a perfect party barn!!!)

We talked to our son in the Army who is stationed in Afghanistan on both Christmas Day and the 26th!!!! He is doing well and sounds good, it was such a good surprise to hear from him. Sweet husband and son talked for over an hour. Son sounded tired, but as always is in good spirits. He is very busy but feels the work he and his team does is doing good for the people there. We have had many pictures from him, and son looks so good. Son is 38 and suffered a back injury several years ago, (jumping from a perfectly good airplane for an army competition) and he is probably in the best shape of his life. He is running 5 to 8 miles everyday and may participate in a marathon! Our oldest son in the marathon runner. Army son has always run, but only for needed exercise, and after his accident, I really thought he would never include this much running in his exercise routine! Son will be coming home on leave for 2 weeks the end of January, actually will be flying home on his birthday! It will be so good to see him. His sweet wife certainly is ready for him to be home, but it is so hard to say good-bye again in only two weeks!!!! I will be so happy for him to be home for good - next September!!! The past few months have been quick, so hopefully the remainder of this tour will go by as quickly!!!

I am so thankful for the freedoms we have and to live in America. We do have economic problems, but we do live in a country with no restrictions and much religious freedom and that I am thankful for!

A Peek at Winter

The weather in Texas changes often, with highs in the mid 70s over the weekend, however, today we got a peek at old man winter today. The high today was 38 with a low of 28. I have been walking everyday, so out I was for a 55 minute walk. The wind was not too bad today, and I layered my clothes, so I fared pretty good. We will get a little reprieve from the cold tomorrow as the forecast is for a high of 55. I hope to stay with my exercise daily. If I can make it through the winter peek, I think I am home free!

With Christmas right around the corner, I have a lot to do to be ready. I haven't put up my Christmas tree yet, but hope to in the next day or so. I have most shopping done, only a few items left. With a retirement budget, I have had to make major changes in my holiday spending. All the family will be here to celebrate on the 26th except for son in Afghanastan. We have been getting lots of pictures from him. He seems to be doing well. Son tells us that they expect the bad winter weather soon in the area. I am thankful for each safe day son and his soldiers have.