September 16, 2025 AD

First up...

I am done trying to come up with titles for my posts. I am over it! From now on, a title will only have a date, a holiday, month or season in it. 

I didn't mean to fall off the radar, but I couldn't have forced a post last week with the news had I not had good reasons for my absence. The news of Charlie Kirk just was too much to muster up any energy to write or engage about. Those things go in my paper journal which got quite a few pages of my jumbled thoughts.

Thank goodness for paper journals...they are my release.

In my last post I had mentioned I had to take Mama to 3 different doctor appointments (dermatologist, ENT, and pain doctor for an injection) the first week of September and somewhere in all of those I got myself a case of pneumonia. I have been down for the count on feeling so poorly and ringing in a birthday too. I was sick all last week and finally decided I wasn't going to get better on Thursday, so I called the doctor's office and went in. He gave me an antibiotic, some steroids, and cough medicine. I even thought I felt a little better Friday evening, but when I woke up Saturday morning I couldn't get a good deep breath. Jeff immediately said we were going to the ER, and I balked big time. He pulls out the oxygen meter and I made him change the batteries because I just couldn't register that it could possibly be correct. Not enough O2 to the brain I suppose. I lost the battle and he watched football that day on his phone.

I am just so weak now, but I am much better and feel certain with a few more days I will be fine. It has put a lot on Jeff. He had to take Mama to the doctor today. I have no idea what I would do without him. His knee is healing but he is still on a slow roll himself.

I promise to try and talk about only the good stuff in the blog which I would imagine we could all use some, so I will try to jog my memory for some of that stuff over the last 2.5 weeks and then I am going to do my best to go visit all my friends here in Blogville.

When we arrived back from Auburn on the 1st, I had an early birthday present waiting from my friend, Arlene. I mean look at all this goodness. Pattern, linen (gorgeous pinky color), floss, and the board to finish it. I dove in stitching on it right away. I am honestly very close to finishing the stitching but I will wait to share the finish. 

The pinky color doesn't show up. I tried twice. Hopefully, when I am done adding all the red stitching to it you will be able to see it. I will try another location to photography it. The linen almost resembles peppermint to me.

I kept seeing this fabulous card in the package too and finally figured that it popped it up and out and oh my....how cute it this?! 

It has become part of the fall decor that I am slowing letting come in. I always am reluctant to let fall in for some reason. I am not this way on any season other than fall. One would misinterpret it -if you think I hate fall. I really don't. I think it just means the year is going to fast and if somehow I hang on it won't go so fast. Once I accept it, I find it to very a nice season. One thing though is it that it remains warm here and it is harder to feel all the falls, but doggone it this September has been so mild. 

We have a fall blooming azalea flower that has been loaded with butterflies and dragon flies and the bottle brush shrubs have even attracted some hummingbirds. Those have been such rewards when hopping outside.

On another plant note, I planted the one geranium this year rather than going overboard. Usually by the end of August they are completely done. This year I kept it watered, but didn't fertilize it at all during the hot months of summer. I sort of let it go dormant. A couple of weeks ago, it just popped up with a bunch of blooms. September has been milder than usual and I guess it felt it could try again to produce some lovely blooms.

I managed to actually fully finish Valerie's Christmas ornament. It is all ready for her this Christmas. I backed it with the traditional tartan plaid that I have done the others' in but gave her an oval shape.

*****

I turned 65 despite spending the day before in the ER missing all the college football goodness. I have a good husband who took good care of me and what more could one ask for. 

I am truly so blessed. I learned long ago that birthdays and aging are to be celebrated ---not moaned over that one is getting old. I lost my dad at 32. I remember waking up to my 32nd and looking at Lindsay and thinking I would never ever moan about getting old. I would always look upon my birthday as a gift to watch my children grow and now watch my grandchildren grow. 

I accept wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots and all that with grace. I do my best to take care of myself but no one can avoid all germs and sickness. I have felt quite awful this past week, but I will be ok with some time.

The kids are so busy and both have had many challenges lately, but they loved on me well and we had a quick meal on Sunday evening, my actual birthday. Long time readers may remember that the past few years Lindsay and I have celebrated our birthdays together since we are about 10 days apart, but she felt I needed one alone this year for 65 I guess. I didn't argue.

I will be popping in trying to catch up but I am sure many of you are like me...

the current events have zapped  me. 

Sandy