Trouble And The Man With The Can…

For as long as I can remember, Ed’s parents have had cats at their house.  Like most farmers, Ed’s daddy kept cats around to help with the problem of mice.  My father-in-law always seemed to enjoy having cats around.  My mother-in-law–not so much!  In her older years, she fussed a lot about the cats getting under her feet, and was always afraid they’d make her fall.  Now that I’m growing older, with cats under my feet, I’m beginning to better understand her fears.

It’s a funny thing, cats never seem to last long at Ed’s parents house.  Their house is close to a busy highway, which has claimed more than its share of victims, but their house is also close to some wooded areas, which serve as homes for wild coyotes and other creatures.  Occasionally, a cat will live  a long and prosperous life there.  “Trouble”, the cat, has been one of those exceptions.

I actually adopted “Trouble” from my in-laws, many years ago, and brought her to live at our house.  We thought ‘she’ was a ‘he’ when we got her–hence, her name! After living with us for several years, “Trouble” decided to leave home because she didn’t like all the new animals I kept bringing home from the shelter.  For a while, she stayed with one neighbor or another, then “Trouble” actually moved  back to my in-laws house!  “Trouble” used to hitch a ride home with me when I’d visit there, but she would always end up going back to my in-laws house.

Our son, Brad, lived with his “Mema” during her final few years of living at home.  When Trouble moved in, she joined a couple of feral cats who were already living there.  Brad would occasionally let “Trouble” inside of the house to keep him company, and the two became buddies.

Time passed.  Ed’s mom moved to the assisted living home, and Brad got married and eventually moved away.  Brad considered taking “Trouble” with him when he moved, but decided she may not adapt well to the move since she’s so old.  Besides, “Trouble” and his new bride weren’t exactly the best of friends ever since “Trouble” went to the bathroom on Jennifer’s pajama bottoms!

By the time Brad moved, only two cats were left at my MIL’s house–“Trouble” and one feral cat.  Everyone said not to feed them, then they would relocate, but I just couldn’t stand to do it.  I began putting some dry food in a feeder, every other day, but  soon every wild thing within a mile began coming over to eat out of the feeder–including some skunks!

These days,  Ed stops by every day, after work, to check the mail and feed the cats, but only as much as they will eat immediately.  Sometimes I’ll join him for the feeding trip on the weekends. Recently I was surprised to discover that the feral cat now recognizes Ed’s car, and runs up to meet him when he arrives!  She’ll even let him pet her, occasionally.

A while back, the feral cat managed to get herself pregnant.  Now Ed’s feeding five cats instead of two!  We had to start buying  canned food, in addition to dry food, so the kittens would be able to eat, too.  It never ends.   I can’t help but wonder how long it will be before those cats recognize Ed’s car and run out to greet the man with the can, too!

The other day Ed said to me, “I don’t know why we’re doing this.  We’ll feed these cats, then they’ll breed.  Soon we’ll have a whole passel of cats!”  My reply was, “Yes, but they’ll help keep down the rats!”  (It’s what Ed’s dad would’ve said.)

I can see the future now.  One of these days we’ll put a sign out in front of my MIL’s house.  It will read: HOUSE FOR SALE – Includes a passel of free cats…to help control the mice population!

Marvelous Monday…

Once again, it’s time to begin a new week!  As always, I’m joining Heather for the “Monday Quiz”.  What better way to start out the week than with a set of four questions to answer about myself?!  Some of this week’s questions are tough ones, so I had to put on my thinking cap today!

1. Do spelling and grammar mistakes annoy you?

Yes, incorrect spelling/grammar bothers me very much.  Perhaps it’s because I’m still “an educator” at heart.
2. If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?

I wish I could have witnessed the birth of our first grandchild.  My daughter had a very difficult pregnancy, and I spent a great deal of it with her–with the exception the birth, which was an emergency c-section.

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I don’t remember ever wanting to be anything other than a wife and a mother.  I loved playing “house” as a child.  I also enjoyed playing “school”, so perhaps, at some point, I wanted to be a “teacher”, too.
4. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

Listen carefully to your parents/grandparents.  They have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share, and much can be gained by just listening.

My question:

5.  Do you know how to knit, crochet, or sew?

Weekend Wrap Up:

Ed and I spent the weekend doing some things around the house.  We worked in the garden, then we began painting one of the porches on our house.  I trimmed some bushes in the yard, while Ed cleaned up his storage shed.  At the end of both days, we enjoyed spending time with our family, too!

Thursday’s Thoughts ~ On The Other Side Of The Situation

Yesterday, as I sat in the hospital room, watching Ed getting ready to have his colonoscopy, it occurred to me how different if feels to be the person on ‘the other side of the situation’.  In over forty years of marriage, it was a first for me.

I’ve always been the one in the hospital, getting the IV’s and waiting to be whisked away.  With three births and two surgeries in my history, I’ve had plenty of experience being on the receiving end of the situation!

As I sat and listened to the anesthesiologist explain the procedure and possible risks to Ed, I began to think about how fragile life really is.  It’s a sobering thought, especially for the one whose left behind in the waiting room!

Fortunately, Ed’s procedure went well, and he received a clean ‘bill of health’.  That’s always a relief, especially when there’s a history of colon cancer in your family.  I only had to spend thirty minutes in the waiting room, contemplating how fragile life is, before the nurse came and took me to the recovery room to be with Ed.  Hearing the surgeon give Ed the good news was like music to my weary ears!

After yesterday’s experience, I now have a new appreciation for all of the things Ed has had to endure with me throughout the years, especially my cancer scare.  Now I better understand the tired, distressed look on his face following each of my births and surgeries.

Given the choice in life, I still think I might rather be on the receiving end of the situation.  Ed awoke from his procedure saying, “That was some good sleep!”‘  Meanwhile,  I was still trying to soothe my frazzled nerves from the whole ordeal.

I feel slightly older and wiser today…and I treasure Ed more than ever before.  Sometimes it’s good to see things from a different perspective.

The Wednesday Hodgepodge…

Even though it has been “one of those weeks” at our house, I’m still joining Joyce and friends for The Hodgepodge.  I’m hoping to be able to link up before Ed and I leave for the hospital to have his procedure done.  Your prayers would be appreciated today.  Ed did really well with his prep, I hope his colonoscopy goes well, too.  I haven’t slept a wink all night!

As for me, I got a good report at the doctor’s office, except for the fact that my thyroid levels are very low.  I suffer from an underactive thyroid, and have to take daily medication.  For some unexplained reason, my levels have dropped extremely low all of the sudden.  This explains why I’ve been feeling so tired lately!  I thought perhaps it was because of my diet!  Hopefully, an increase in my thyroid medication will have me feeling more energetic soon.  On the positive side, my cholesterol and triglyceride levels were the best they’ve been in years!  I’ve also lost a total of 25 pounds.  Yay, for giving up sugar!

1. April showers bring May flowers…what have you been showered with this month?

Unseasonable weather!   From the look of everyone else’s blogs, I don’t think I’m alone in this.  One day I’m wearing shorts, the next day it’s back to sweaters.  What the heck?!  Then there’s the unusual amount of wind we’ve been having…it seems more like March than April.  I won’t even comment on the ridiculous amount of rainfall…

2. What is the nature of compassion? Is it learned or innate? Can compassion be learned? If you’re a parent is this something you’ve purposely sought to instill in your children, and if so how?

Boy, Joyce, this one is deep…For me, compassion is an emotion, and it’s felt in my heart.   A certain amount of compassion is innate, but I believe some of it is taught, as well.  For example, very young children have to be taught not to hurt each other, or to respect nature and animals.  I believe a person’s personality also dictates how compassionate they are.  Some people are born with a kind, compassionate spirit, while others seem to be more self-centered and less caring.   Ed and I always tried to lead our children by example.  I ‘m proud of all three of our off-spring, so we must done something right.

3. Do you prefer to watch romantic comedy or romantic drama…or are you rolling your eyes saying bring on the action flicks?

I prefer to watch a romantic drama, with some comedy thrown in for good measure!  Pretty Woman and Steel Magnolias are two of my all-time favorites.

4. It’s April which means baseball season is officially upon us here in the US of A. Humphrey Bogart is quoted as saying “A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.” Agree or Disagree?

I agree.  I’m more of a ‘hot dog at the ballgame’ kind of girl.  I’d be like a ‘fish out of water’ eating roast beef at the Ritz!

5. What’s something in your community or city that needs fixing or improving?

Our ‘main street’ business area desperately needs improving.  For almost a year, the city has been busy replacing the sidewalks and adding new street lights on main street.  The problem is, there are very few businesses located on main street anymore.  There’s NO PLACE TO SHOP THERE!   Most of the downtown buildings are old, and in bad need of repair, too.  Our downtown area consists merely of a bank, a gas station, a Christian preschool, two drugstores, a Chinese restaurant, two barber shops, two beauty salons,  a couple of insurance offices, and two thrift stores.

6. Share a song you enjoy that mentions flowers or a specific flower in its title.

“Kiss From A Rose” by Seal.

7. April 22nd is Earth Day…do you believe there’s life on other planets? That wasn’t the question you were expecting was it?

No, that wasn’t quite the question I was expecting, Joyce 🙂  I’ve never really given much thought about  life on other planets, so I’ll say “no”.

Random:

I’m so proud of how much our grandchildren are learning these days!  Their mothers spend a lot of time working with them, and their little minds are like sponges soaking up the knowledge they’re exposed to!  Our four-year-old grandson, Caden, counted to 100 for me yesterday! Our granddaughter, Madison, age six, has  been learning the books of the Bible.  I don’t have a video of Caden counting, but  here’s a little video of Madison naming the books of the New Testament:

A Glimpse Into The Garden

I’ve been posting about our gardening experiences for a few weeks now.  Yesterday, I finally took my camera outside and captured a few glimpses of what’s going on out there at the moment.

our spring garden for 2013

The photograph above will give you an idea of the size of our garden. As usual, Ed and I went a little to the extreme. Our rows were supposed to be shorter this year, but that didn’t happen.  I suppose it’s better to have more than we need, than not enough.  We’ll have plenty to share!

We’ve planted our garden in stages, this year.  That’s why some plants are bigger than others.  The idea behind this is to not have all vegetables ready at once.  I hope it works!  Unfortunately, nobody told the weeds not to all come in at one time…

squash/marigolds

This is one of the squash bushes I grew in the greenhouse. I transplanted it, and now it’s already producing little squash, even though the plant isn’t very large.  We have more squash that we planted in the garden from seeds.  They should be ready later.

Did you  notice the marigold plants beside the squash bush?  We’re trying a little companion gardening, using marigolds beside certain plants, in an effort to discourage insects. I hope it works!  We planted marigolds beside our squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes.  I grew the marigold plants from seeds in the greenhouse.

lettuce and cabbage planted next to each other

This is our first time growing lettuce. Again, I grew the plants from seeds in the greenhouse. It’s been interesting to watch lettuce grow for the first time.  The green of lettuce is a lot different from that of cabbage.  That’s supposed to be Iceberg lettuce, so I keep looking for a little head to begin forming.  Can you see the small head in the middle of the cabbage plant?

a row of carrots

This is our third attempt at growing carrots, and we seem to have hit our stride. We have a good stand, and they are growing quickly. The local farmers recently harvested their carrot crops, so I guess we are a little late with our crop.  Fortunately, the carrots don’t seem to mind.

I hope  you’ve enjoyed a little glimpse into our garden, but I need to go now and help tend to those weeds that keep poking their ugly heads up out of the soil.  It’s a never-ending battle!

It’s Going To Be One Of Those Weeks…

Happy Monday, everyone!  It’s going to be one of “those weeks” around our house.  By the time some of you are reading this post, I’ll be sitting in the doctor’s office, waiting for my check up.  What a way to begin the new week!  (Hopefully, I’ll get only good news, this visit.)  In addition, Ed will be home on Tuesday, in preparation for his first colonoscopy on Wednesday.  Joy! Joy!  I told you it was going to be one of “those weeks” around here!

As for my weekend wrap up, there’s not much to tell.  It was a wet, windy, cool weekend!  The weather felt more like early March than late April.  Thanks to another three inches of rainfall, we’re wet, wet, wet…again!  I walked out into the garden on Saturday afternoon, and nearly lost my shoe when my right foot bogged down!  Fortunately, we plant our garden rows up on raised beds, so our plants are sitting high and dry.

Speaking of the garden and our plants–everything we planted last weekend has sprouted!  So far so good.  The plants on the first rows, which were planted in mid-March, are getting really big.  Our radishes are now ready for eating.  We have some small squash on two of our larger bushes, and most of the cabbage plants are now developing heads, thanks to their early start in my greenhouse!  There are also a few “almost ripe” strawberries on our plants.

Ed has already had to add a second row of string for the tomatoes, which means they’ve grown several inches taller.  Those plants now have blossoms, which will soon be replaced by little tomatoes.  We seem to be having much better luck with our tomatoes this year, than we had last year–at least so far.

What I’m not having luck with is– keeping the dogs out of the garden!  Several of our green bean plants have become victims of several roaming feet. I guess I’ll just have to look at the bright side–better dogs, than deer or rabbits, right?

On that note, I’ll be joining the “Monday Quiz About Me”.

Here are today’s questions:

1. Who do you like to quote?

I rarely quote anyone famous, but sometimes I like to quote two very wise women in my life– my maternal grandmother and my mother-in-law.  Grandma- “Pretty is as pretty does.”

2. Have you ever made something you wore out in public?

Yes.  For many years, I sewed the majority of my clothing, but that was a long time ago!  ( I learned how to sew in home economics.)  I’ve made dresses, skirts, shorts, slacks, and a bathing suit, but never a blouse because I never mastered making pretty buttonholes 😦

3. When was the last time you used a telephone (not a cell phone)?

On last Thursday, when I talked with my brother and sister-in-law, using our home phone.

4. What was the first recording you bought with your own money?

I have no idea what record I bought first, but I know it was forty-something years ago, when I was about 16.  I’d gotten a part-time job, so  I became a member of a record club. Record clubs and vinyl records–now there’s a blast from the past!  I still have all of my albums, but I got rid of my 45’s.

My question for you:

5.  Do you still own any records? 

Thursday’s Thoughts ~ New Tricks For An Old Dog…

some of my new tricks

My old hound, Ethan, has been with me for about nine years.  He’s old, he’s lazy and he loves to eat–just like me.  If you were thinking that this post is going to be about Ethan, you’re wrong.  The “old dog” who’s having to learn new tricks is me, not Ethan!

I’m nearing 59 years of age, and I’m kind of set in my ways.  I like to buy certain foods, cook certain foods, and eat certain foods.  I don’t use many recipes, and I measure nothing when I cook from memory.  I’ve memorized where the foods I buy are located in the grocery store, and rarely make a list because I already know what to buy each week…but that was before!

With the dawning of this new year, came the dawning of a new way of life for me.  In December, I was told that I am pre-diabetic.  I was also told, if I wanted a chance of kicking the candida that had invaded my body, I would have to give up lots of foods that I love, and so my journey began.  I had some new tricks to learn!

The diabetic diet was strict, but the candida elimination diet was unbelievably strict!  The list of acceptable foods would fill up one column, while the unacceptable foods filled up the entire page!  I was determined, so I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards, and stocked up with foods that contained no sugar, and no yeast.  What a challenge that turned out to be!  

I’ll never forget my first trip to the grocery store, after beginning my new journey!  I’d never spent as much time in the grocery store in my entire life!  I spent a long time in each of the grocery aisles, just reading labels.  What a revelation that was!  All of my favorite foods were loaded with sugar and yeast!

It’s been quite a journey, trying to retrain myself to cook and eat healthier!  I no longer have to follow the candida elimination diet as strictly as I did at first.  After one month, I was allowed to slowly add some foods back–but no sweets or fast foods!  One of the foods I was happiest to have back in my diet was milk–even though I’ve never been much of a milk drinker!

These days, I’ve learned to cook and eat brown rice instead of white, and when I choose to eat bread, it’s wheat.  Green is my color of choice for vegetables–and fruits and nuts have become my new best friends.  Once an avid drinker of sweetened iced tea, I only drink water with meals now.

Of course, it’s tough living without desserts, when your sweet tooth is as big as mine, so I’ve also purchased a couple of new cookbooks, and have been learning how to cook some diabetic desserts.  Some recipes are actually pretty good, while others are not!  My apple cobbler was so bad, it went straight to the trash can!

As my journey continues, I’m still learning.  It’s tough to change my way of cooking and eating, after so many years, but I’m still trying.  Occasionally, I’ll reward myself with something that I love, and when I do, it’s like a little piece of heaven!  A cookie never tasted so good, but one cookie is more than enough.  When you haven’t eaten sugar for a while, it’s almost overwhelming when you do!

The reward for learning these new tricks?  A smaller, healthier me.  I’ve lost twenty-one pounds, and am continuing to lose weight, slowly.  My blood pressure is down, and my problem with candida has gotten so much better!  I’d say, judging from the way I feel, my candida is 90% better, and that’s something to celebrate!  Pass the fruit and nuts, please!

 

Hello Hodgepodge!

Goodbye tax deadline, hello Hodgepodge!  Participating in The Hodgepodge is way more fun than paying taxes, so let’s join in a little mid-week fun with hostess, Joyce, and friends.  Here are this week’s questions:

1. April 15th is the deadline for Americans to file their state and federal income tax returns. What’s a job you do on a regular basis that could be described as ‘taxing’?

I find cleaning the bathroom to be very taxing, and I hate doing it!  I’m okay with cleaning the sink, and even the toilet, but that shower stall, with all its soap scum, is no fun at all to clean!

2. I’m participating in the April A-Z blog challenge, and the Hodgepodge happens to fall on Day O this week. In keeping with that theme…olives, onions, oysters, okra…of the foods mentioned, what’s your favorite O food?

I don’t like olives or oysters, so I’m going to have to choose onions over okra–especially those sweet Vidalia onions!  They’ll be ready, and coming to a table near me soon!

3. What is something memorable you experienced as a child that your own children (or future children/nieces/nephews) will not get to experience?

They will never know the age of innocence and freedom that I knew as a child! The streets of our little town were safe, and most people didn’t even lock the doors of their houses at night.  Children rode their bikes everywhere without fear of anyone bothering them.  Small groups of children could even go trick-or-treating without their parents!  All television programming was “family friendly”, and in good taste.  Movies weren’t filled with violence and sex.   The majority of people still believed in God, had morals and values, and lived by the “Golden Rule”.  You could trust people to do the right thing.

4. Term limits for our elected officials…your thoughts?

Yes, please!  We need term limits for elected officials.  The age of “career politicians” needs to come to an end!

5. On April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous ‘midnight ride’…when did you last make a midnight ride? Perhaps the fate of a nation wasn’t hanging in the balance, but tell us where you were headed anyway.

I honestly don’t remember, because it’s been quite a while since I’ve been on a midnight ride!  Neither Ed or I can see how to drive well at night anymore, so we make it a point to be home long before midnight.

6. What would freak you out more…a mouse running across your floor or a big fat hairy spider?

A mouse, because I know, where there’s one, there’s bound to be another, and they can be difficult to get rid of.

7. I love it when people ask me...if my daughter and I are sisters!

Random:

I’m still thinking of, and praying for, the victims (and their families) of Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon.  What a shame!  So many lives changed forever, in the twinkling of an eye.

Jack

Until now, I’ve neglected to take the time to blog about our newest furry family member known as “Jack”.  Jack  is my daughter’s dog, which, I suppose, officially makes him my “granddog”.

Jack is a Chihuahua/Jack Russell terrier mix who joined the family back in September–and has been getting into trouble ever since!  It’s been eight years since we’ve had a puppy on the place, and we’d all forgotten how challenging having a puppy around can be.

Jack’s best described as a furry fireball of pure energy, always looking for something to get into!  If I’ve heard my daughter’s family yelling “Jack” one time, I’ve heard it a thousand times over the past seven months!  I can’t count the times I’ve seen someone chasing Jack around the yard trying to retrieve an item that he’s stolen.  He’s notorious for stealing granddaughter, Madison’s, toys and everybody’s shoes–but, also, for finding hidden plastic Easter eggs!  He actually found one of our prize eggs during our egg hunt this year.

My biggest pet peeves with Jack are the way he insists on running and jumping up on me every time he gets a chance, and the way he chases my poor old cats!  If only Jack would outgrow these annoying habits, we’d get along a lot better.  Since he’s less than a year old, I’m thinking there might still be some hope!

Of course, Jack does have his good points, too.  He’s made a good playmate for granddaughter, Madison.  He thinks he’s her brother!  Jack’s so expressive with his thoughts and moods, he can be quite entertaining to have around, too.  He has the cutest way of moving his ears around and turning his head sideways, and he moans and groans just like a person!

Jack’s very loving (to certain people), and seems to enjoy snuggling and showering his loved ones with wet doggie kisses, whether they want them or not!  Jack’s a great watchdog, too, and stays on high alert at all times–not just over his house, but over mine, as well!

Just yesterday, Jack wanted so badly to attack the Georgia Power crewmen while they were working in my yard to restore the power!  In fact, some of Jack’s antics finally landed him in “timeout” for a few minutes while I was spending time at his house.

Just look at that face! Can you tell Jack’s not enjoying being in “time out”?  I can almost guess what he was thinking.

One thing I can tell you, without a doubt.  Life around here has been anything but dull since Jack joined the family, and you’ll probably hear some more “Jack Tales” in the future.

Messed Up Monday…

It’s hard to believe it’s already been four days since I last posted.  The older I get, the faster time goes.  I wonder if it will always be that way…probably not.  I’m pretty sure I’ve heard some older folks complaining about having too much time on their hands. The weekend is history, and now it’s a soggy, messed up Monday–and I’m running about four hours behind!

I’m running behind because I woke up to find one half of our house without electricity!  After inspecting the breaker box, and finding no breakers which appeared to be thrown, I called Ed to come home and rescue me!  I was concerned because the stove and refrigerator were among the appliances not working.  (Meanwhile, Ed was dealing with his own electrical problems at work, too!)

Ed came home, and was in the process of trying to figure out why half of our breaker box was without power, when the Georgia Power truck drove up.  It seems the “smart meter” picked up on our electrical malfunction, and automatically alerted the power company.  Apparently, something in our underground wiring outside the house had shorted out, causing the problem.  Nearly four hours later, we are finally back up and running!  There’s something disturbing about that “smart meter” monitoring our power consumption  and being able to dial-up and report a problem though.

Late or not, I’m linking up with  the “About Me On Monday Quiz”:

1. What is your best solution for getting rid of a headache?

My preferred headache treatment of choice is two Excedrin tablets (tension headache formula).  There was a recall on Excedrin several months ago, and I’m having trouble finding those now.  Fortunately, I’ve found a generic brand which seems to work nearly as well.
2. Do you enjoy taking naps?

Yes, I enjoy taking naps very much!  I take advantage of them every chance I get.
3. What was the last ‘block buster’ movie you saw at the theatre?

I haven’t been to a theater in nearly three years!  Toy Story 3 was the last movie I saw.  Most of today’s movies don’t really appeal to me anymore.
4. If you could have anyone cook you dinner who would it be?

I’d love to be able to sit down to one of my father-in-law’s delicious meals again.  He’s been deceased for eleven years, but that man could cook the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten!  If we’re talking celebrity cooks, then I’d love to have Paula Deen come over and cook dinner for me.

My question for you:

5.  Are you familiar with “Smart Meters”?  If so, what do you think about them?  

The Weekend Recap:

Ed took Friday off from work, and we attempted to finish planting our garden.  According to the Farmers’ Almanac, Friday and Saturday were supposed to be great planting days.  Somebody should have consulted the weatherman!  Friday was the strangest day of weather!  One minute it was cloudy, the next minute the sun would try to shine, and then it rained twice–a couple of quick flash showers.  In spite of all of this, we managed to get two rows of the garden planted, and Ed mowed the grass.

The weather redeemed itself on Saturday, and we managed to get seven more rows of vegetables planted!  This gives us a grand total of seventeen  L-O-N-G rows of vegetables. We’ve planted the garden in stages, this year, so hopefully everything won’t be ready at the same time!  If it doesn’t work out, I’m in real trouble!  By the way, you should see my farmer’s tan–on second thought, no, you shouldn’t!

On Sunday, Ed and I left the country, and ventured into the big city.  It’s not our favorite thing to do, but sometimes it’s necessary. I ordered some new spring clothes, which didn’t fit, so a trip to the Outlet Mall to return them was in order!   Our son, Brad, and his wife, Jennifer,  live only about twenty minutes from where Ed and I were. We called and invited Brad to drive over where we were shopping, and join us for lunch.  Unfortunately, Jennifer was working, so we missed seeing her on this trip.

Ed and I had some garden shopping to do at Wal-mart, so we stopped there first.  Brad surprised us by showing up at Wal-mart while we were still shopping!  It’s a strange feeling to see one of your off-spring, in a strange store, in a strange place!  I didn’t even recognize him at first.

After lunch, Brad kept Ed company while I tried on, what seemed like, every outfit in BonWorth before finding something that would fit!  My recent weight loss has left me in between sizes, but, eventually, I found three outfits that I liked, which actually fit.  Mission accomplished!

It was bitter-sweet having to say good-bye to Brad in the Wal-mart parking lot, then going home without him.  It still seems strange to have him living in the big city, after having him living so close for so long!  He seems to enjoy being a suburbanite though.

All in all, it was a good weekend. Like always, it went by entirely too fast.  Happy Monday, everyone!