Ohhhhhh Is Anyone There???

 Hi there everyone. Thought I would drop a line or two. Yes, I am still alive and kicking. As you can see by the dates on the pictures below, they are 5 years old, but they are Fall pictures, so I am using them today.

I have not been much into a blog mood, only because not much is happening in my life. Since JP's death, (1 year, 2-1/2 months) everyday just seems to blend into another. I have tried to get a lot done around the house, but sometimes I just find myself sleeping. I get plenty done in my mind, but my body does not cooperate.

Next month, 11/21 I will be 76 years old. WHERE did that time go to?? Never thought I would make it to this age.

Well, to update you all. I had my garage sale and made about $140.00 which did help in paying some bills. The sale was back in June. I thought I would have another one in July, August and possibly in September. But I decided not to. June was enough for me. I am still in the process of cleaning the garage and ridding myself of all the old garage sale stuff that did not sell. I gave "Good Will" 6 banana boxes of stuff already with 2-3 more boxes to go. 

I have decided I am NOT going to sell and move out of this house. And would like to stay here for as long as I can. To down-size, pack and move just sounds like too much stress and a hassle at this time in my life. I am not under pressure now, as I was even 6 months ago as I have made plans with the City to begin paying my property tax which will now keep me from foreclosure in two years. 

I have had a few other financial situations cleared up, so my future looks a little brighter, that's if this country does not go down the tubes with inflation, high gas and food prices and every other crisis that comes up. 

It has been hard to keep my nose above water these last couple of years what with the Pandemic, JP's sickness and death, trying to make ends meet has been a challenge. But God is Good, and He takes care of His own.

I had a really good garden this year with tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, onions, dill and basil. I am in the midst of drying the dill and basil. I think the beans are done as it was my second planting. I brought in my green tomatoes, and they are ripening in a dish pan. 

My card making has been at a minimum lately, have lots of ideas, but seem to find other things to do. Cooking for myself is not fun. When JP was alive, I cooked much more, always trying something new and different. Now I just cook what is easy, fast or not so healthy. Hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, fries, steak, beans, broccoli, and corn. Chicken when I can and porkchops anything that can be made in the Air Fryer or microwave. My Air Fryer is my new friend.

My car has a gas line leak, so it has been sitting in the driveway this week. Monday, I have to take it to the service station, hopefully there is enough gas to get it there and has not all leaked out. Then the guy won't be able to work on it till the 20th, maybe sooner. Hopefully the bill will be affordable.

Well, I guess that is all for now, this was going to be a short blog, but I guess I am just too wordy. You all have a great rest of the month...I am sure it will go fast. The days are flying by, enjoy them while you have them. Keep looking up!!! Better days are a comin'. Louise

The Cross of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified

Hi there everyone. Happy Resurrection and Happy Easter Blessings to all. Just a short blog today with lots of pictures of Crosses. Let me just tell you right now, none of these cards are ones that I made. They are samples of cards I would have liked to have made, but never did. But they all mean the same thing.

Jesus, died on a cross to save us from our sins. You say, "but he never knew me back then". Oh, but he did, he is God and knows all  things and knows his creations calling all his creations by name.

We call Jesus by many names, as you can see on these cards. He is Grace, Our Savior, He is Love and Hope, Our Redeemer, Healer, Mighty King, Prince of Peace, Provider, Messiah, Judge, Holy Spirit, The Word, Immanuel, Friends, The First and the Last, and the list goes on and on, never ending, as he is. 

For God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Now this card is a sample of some cards I did make....gave most of them away and probably gave some to Hospice. 

I got blessed today....a friend called and was getting rid of some of her stamping stuff and wanted to know it I was interested in some of it. I said yes...When I got to her house, she had a large table, a small table and a side cabinet full of stuff. Paper, card stock, stamps, embossing powder, tape, staples, tiles, paper cutter, 5 folders, some empty and some full of images, material (which I will give to my SIL, she makes beautiful quilts.) Oh my gosh....there was so much more, hard to remember it all. But maybe this is an incentive to get me back to making cards again. Got a little dry and uninspired....maybe inspiration will come back.

I made my ham loaves tonight....ready for Easter dinner. Along with mashed potatoes/gravy, asparagus, buns made in the Air Fryer and cheese cake with strawberries and whip cream. Sound good....yeah the ham loaves were delicious!!!

Well time to close here, I want to get this blog posted before Easter. You all take care and keep looking up, better days are coming. 

Cheers ~ Louise
 

Hi there everyone....hope you are having a great month. Sorry I am so slow in getting this blog published. Guess March has been busy and being a nurse/caregiver has taken up pretty much a lot of my time. 

NOTE: Just to let you know, both cards on this blog are not mine. They actually were from the internet, made by other people. I used them as examples for cards I did make, sorry, no pictures of them as yet. Most of the cards made, I gave to Hospice. I do have a few cards downstairs that I have been working on the last few days, but have not taken pictures of them as yet. 

Not a whole lot of plans for Easter. Probably will go to church. JP will stay home and watch SBN on TV. Oh, when I say SBN, I mean Jimmy Swaggart Ministries....that is our church. The church we go to is a Jimmy Swaggart church, and we watch the service from Baton Rouge on the big screen at church also. The church is 33 miles (round trip). We've been going there since 2005, 16 years now....long time members there. Wow!!

For Easter dinner I am planning to make ham loaves. I shall have to find a recipe on the internet. It is just ham ground up and mixed with ground pork and spices and rolled into little loaves and baked. Maybe a real pineapple, asparagus, mashed potatoes and whatever else I think up. Oh, I may try bread/rolls in the Air Fryer, just to see how they turn out. For dessert maybe a small cheese cake with berries on top. Sound good??? I shall see, the menu probably will change by the time Easter rolls around.

JP still has a hard time getting around, if he is not getting arm pains he is shuffling around with bad feet. I guess after we deal with all these other health issues, we will go to the foot doctor next. I told him, one doctor at a time. One can get overwhelmed what with all the doctors we have gone to in the last couple of months. It is not easy to get him from the house to the car, to the hospital/doctor and back home again.

I still catharize him, 2 times a day (that has helped, it was 3-4 times a day before) I give him his meds 3 times a day(so he does not overdose or not take them at all). Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and many, many dishes in the sink. I feel like a maid, servant, slave, cook, nurse, and whatever else there is to be called. Oh well, such is life.

JP has a nurse that comes once a week and another lady that comes to give him a shower, wash hair and shave. That helps me, I don't have to do that also. Probably in the next month or so there will be a whole new set of people coming to help me. We will be on Community Care/Respite where people will sit with JP as I can take a few hours off and leave the house and not have to worry about him and if he would fall or do something stupid. (which he has.)

Well good news, the hospital just called and JP has an appointment set up for an MRI for his left arm to see where and why he is having these arm pains for over 12 year or longer. Would be nice to know there might be a remedy.

Well time to close this blog, it's getting pretty long and I am sure some people get bored reading long blogs....I do sometimes. You all take care, keep looking up, better days are a coming round the corner. Cheers ~ Louise

Hello 2021

Hi there everyone. Well, this is the last day of 2020 and I am SO GLAD tomorrow is the new year of 2021. I do hope it will be much better then this year has been. I am sure other people have had it worse. But God, never gives us more then we can handle. Sometime I wonder how much more He will give us. I need a break from the health and financial problems we face. 

I have no plans for this new year, no goals, no desires. Although, I would like an Air Fryer, guess that is a want. I am not sure which one I will buy. Been waiting 6 months, but the money has never been there to buy one.....guess I will wait a little longer. Maybe when the stimulus $600 hits our bank account, then I will start looking. That is if we are allowed to leave our homes to shop....who knows what will happen when the changing of the guard takes place in the White House.

Not much happened today, I made some apple turnovers...that was fun, I might try cherry turnovers next. I bought a can of apple pie filling and a package of puff pastry. Cut it in 6 squares, brushed egg wash on each of the sides. Dropped some apple slices in the middle, folded them over and pressed them down with a fork, made 3 slices on top and brushed again with egg wash. 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Cooled then spooned icing on top. BAD MOVE, I COULD NOT STOP EATING THEM!!!!!!!

Made a pizza later on in the day. For JP, I made Lox and crackers with cream cheese, tomatoes and onions. JP's favorite. He usually likes bagels, but they are too hard for him to chew.

Well, now I am here, writing my last blog of the year, #25 today. Just a little lax in doing blogs this year, There was not a lot of good to write about. Hopefully things will be better in the new year. Just going to take one day at a time, one hour at a time, maybe even one step at a time, can't go no farther then that. Putting my trust in God the whole time, He knows best what is good in my life, I certainly don't. I've tried to do things my way and just made a mess of every thing. Guess now I will let Him make the calls. Who knows, this maybe the year that Jesus comes back for His church and OFF we go in a twinkling of an eye, what a day that will be.

You all take care and keep looking up, better days surely must be coming. Cheers ~ Louise