Field of Flowers

[lindawing]

Just read the request and am praying.

[ukpoppyberry]

I was really lucky with that little butterfly, he just didn't know I was there at all

It has been a strange kind of week here too! My Mum's neighbour died suddenly, she was only 50, very sad! She had been suffering with Crohn's disease for a long time. Next my dad had a bad fall, so he is in the wars, gash to eyebrow and aching shoulder and arm! Alex been doing nights for the first time, so he is in a grumpy and tired mood, he'd just been getting over a cold! My grandma is probably moving back in with my Mum as it's not really working out in her own place, so that will need to be sold now. Jason back to work after 2 weeks holiday from work, so he's pretty miserable and we've not accomplished anything, just laziness! I need to get back into a routine and I've not made my usual jam or Christmas cakes, which are usually all sorted long before now! Not only that but I don't seem to have a spare moment in the day or week! I do think of maybe getting a little time to play sims or get myself here a little more often, but it's just not happening!

[lindawing]

Wow! You've all sure received another big dose of "stuff"! Just prayed for help for you all to keep on keeping on. Was noting to the Lord that it seems like we've all been doing a lot of that these days, but thanking Him that we HAVE been!

Step by step, day by day, minute by minute...

HUGS!

[MelodyOkie]

Wow, Lisa! It does seem that this particular weirdness is everywhere right now. I'm so sorry to hear about your Moms neighbor and only 50!! Oh, my!! I am also very sorry to hear about your Dads fall. I hope and pray that he is ok and heals quickly. I also hope and pray that everything works out as it should for your Grandma and the rest of the family. Change is so hard!! We are pretty lazy around here as well. I've not even started trying to plan out the Holidays - just rolling around with the punches as they come. We were supposed to celebrate our oldest Grandson's Birthday (he turned 13 on the 17th and we were supposed to have a party for him on the 15th; so I had to turn down a Luedke Family Christmas in October get-together for that day); but then for some reason, things could not be worked out for the younger Grandsons's Birthday celebration the first of November, so they cancelled the older's and are combining both on the 29th. There wasn't time to change the plans of not attending the Family thing and I feel terrible that the oldest Grandson's Birthday came and went (we called him of course) but it is still sad he has to wait 2 whole weeks after the fact for such an important Birthday while the younger get's catered too - as usual and get his celebrated a week early. Oh, well - anyway so, our Son had to reschedule his trip as well from the 15th to the 29th. He was able to, so that is good. He will be in on the 28th and after the Birthday, he plans on going to spend some time with his friends that live near here; so we may not see much of him that weekend; but at least he'll be here. It does work out best, I guess, for everyone - but just all part of the weird things going on this year.

Now, I've talked too much about that and have forgotten the rest, so I'll close now and hope you know you and your family are in my prayers and thoughts.

[lindawing]

Same kinds of weirdness here, too, Melody . Just seems like things are out of sync, really, everywhere. I suppose some of it is that those kinds of instant changes are harder for us to deal with, the older we get.

[MelodyOkie]

[ukpoppyberry]

Well...just an update on everything here.

I did get my Christmas cakes done in time.

Alex passed the maths exam at 100% last week, he's been whinging about it for the last 15 months! Now he's started complaining about the next one due in a year

As of this morning, everything is bought, wrapped and distributed where it needs to go, my fridge and cupboards are filled with everything I need for the week ahead. I even got time to make some cute snowman cookies to give as gifts yesterday.

Alex had a bout of stomach flu earlier in the week, but he's better now, just hoping this feeling in my tummy is just overindulgence!

[MelodyOkie]

Ahhh, Lisa!! Those cookies look so delicious!! I will also be hoping and praying that your tummy is just a little too much sugar and that you are not coming down with that stomach flu!! It sounds like you've got everything under control though. You are so organized! I've baked one small bread for our neighbor across the street, which we took to them and visited with them awhile last week. I've gotten nothing accomplished this week and Christmas is here!! I've a grocery list to make and some baking to do and I am running out of time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

[lindawing]

Glad to hear about Alex's score! Woot! Go, Alex!!! Between him and Andrea, we probably have the best nurses in training, anywhere in the world!!!

Those cookies look delightful!

I made persimmon cookies and baked part of them. Will bake more tomorrow. I need to bake a few more dessert yummies to take to Cindi's on Sunday afternoon. Thank God David is home now, at least through Christmas...surgery probably to be done in the first week of January.

[MelodyOkie]

[ukpoppyberry]

Persimmon cookies sound interesting!

The tummy trouble never did amount to much, I do think it was maybe a bit of dairy overload!

We've had a busy Christmas, I feel like I was never out of the kitchen preparing food for everyone!

My dad's first Christmas home in 25 or so years and he's had a bad case of flu! His worst day being Christmas day! So I've not seen him since the 20th! What a pain, although today's the first day he's felt better, so hoping I can see him soon, I've left up the decorations so he can maybe still come around before they go!

[lindawing]

Oh, wow! Sure hope he's OK now and you do get to have him over!

[MelodyOkie]

Oh, yes. Glad your Dad is feeling better and hope he does get to visit while your decorations are still up.

I hear you on the cooking. During the holidays it seems to be very difficult to get out of the kitchen. At least that used to be true for me, too. It would start before Thanksgiving and not end until after New Year's. We also used to leave our decorations up until mid January; however, things change. I am all worn out and so very tired of all the cooking. I did not bake this year at all. We did make a big Thanksgiving feast, but this year is the last of that. Next year - no more Turkey!! Ham and potatoes can be cooked together in the oven just fine and I won't have to baste it, either!! We are doing our Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve from now on and I can have something fun and light each year that does not require a lot of work. This year it was chili and chips and dips. Not sure what I want to do next year. I was so sick of chili, even the smell of it made me sick by the time Christmas came and went ... I'll figure something out that won't require me to be on my feet for hours getting it done!! We also took our decorations down the day after the day after Christmas. (Not Boxing day, but the 27th.) Whole other story about the decorations and well - I just don't want to go through that again, so hoping to find a table and a small pre-decorated tree to set on it from now on. Christmas was too sad because I can't take the attitude of a certain man at this time of year anymore and how hateful he can be when he has to put the tree up. Nope - can't take that anymore!!

New Year's we had brunch at church and today I finally made our New Year's meal. I used a new electric skillet we found at Walmarts for just $25!! Sausage and potatoes along with some blackeyed peas and snaps. It was really good and easy and we enjoyed it so much. I made enough so that we would have some left to have a meal for tomorrow as well and I won't have to cook!!

I've not taken any pictures since the flowers died, but that back yard, which looked so pretty with them, looks really bad now that they are dead and wherever they were is now black. Looks like the yard was burnt up. We may see snow flurries tonight and tomorrow morning. We have a couple of days that the temperatures will remain below freezing.

Maybe this Spring I'll have my Field of Flowers back again and some more beautiful butterflies!!

[lindawing]

Regardless of those couple of "dark spots" (smile) I enjoyed reading your roundup!

I, too, have found it interesting to note the changes of the changes in the seasons that seem to occur as we age! Is this where we must choose whether or not to age gracefully?

Some days, "I'm DOWN with that"...other days, "I'm what's UP with that?!"

[MelodyOkie]