OOPS!!

Evidently some prankster elves are messing with the background of my blog.....my blog GURU is trying so hard to find the elusive little devils, so please be patient if you don't see my blog background, it will be fixed as soon as she can find the culprit....LOL! Have a great week ahead y'all, I think we may be thawing out some today and tomorrow! LOL! Luv, Mat

Brrr-Winter Finally found us!

Wednesday we hit 80 degrees, Thursday winter finally found Texas! We dropped 50 degrees in one day, then the freezing rain and sleet found us last evening, all night and is just easing off with the sleet in my area now at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. We have between 1-3 inches of ice, more than a quarter of a million without power (thankfully, not me) and it is now 25 with a windchill in the teens. This area is shut down, all schools and non essential government offices are closed. The DOT is working around the clock to try keeping the major highways open (but we don't have enough equipment as this happens so seldom here), lots of traffic accidents especially with 18 wheelers at a stand still on the high overpasses, Power is trying to be restored, but again because of the icing hazards it is slow and sometimes dangerous. There are power lines down, trees bending that have lots of leaves with all the ice, carports have toppled under the weight of the ice. It looks like a winter wonderland outside.

The cats and I are warm and toasty, we cuddled all night as we listened to the ice pelting the windows. The outside cats in the back (facing the north) were snuggled in their "condos with the electric warming beds" and the mama and her five kittens were snuggled in boxes on the front porch (facing the south) in their blankets. As I took food out to them this morning the ones out back (Buddy, Shadow, Patches & Prissy) were all warm (their food bowls were frozen to the ground and water bowl was solid), they came out to eat a little, but it was still sleeting pretty hard so they went back to bed....within 30 minutes their food/milk was frozen, I had to bring it in to thaw for later. The ones out front fared a little better as their water was not frozen and they ate all the food asap and lapped up the warm milk they were given, frolicked a little in the icy stuff, then right back to their beds. The birds could be heard walking on the ice under the trees searching for food, I promptly threw out chunks of bread and lots of seeds on top of the ice for them, my kitties on the inside sitting in the window watching them.

 I took some quick photos of my red oak tree in the front yard, it is so laden with ice that the branches are only a couple of feet off the ground, hoping the winds we are experiencing don't break those limbs before some of the ice melts (which will be a few days out as we are not to get out of the 20's until Monday or Tuesday). I am so very thankful I have enough food for all of us to wait this out as I DO NOT want to attempt having to drive anywhere.

Hoping all of you are safe and warm and stay that way. Blessings wished to all, chat more next time! Luv, Mat

Thankful.....

I am thankful for a lot of things this year....first and foremost....I thank God  that I am still here, relatively healthy and happy. I am thankful Amy and Maggie had their children and all is well with Mamas and babies. . I am thankful for all that I have as I am so blessed where many are not. I am thankful for my family and friends and my Facebook and Blogger friends too. So happy that I still have all of you in my life  I am especially thankful for my kitty cats that keep me motivated to exercise and thankful for their companionship. I am also very thankful that I could keep a promise that I made 26 years ago to retire with my boss....we did this on October 31st.  That is when we closed the office and today we will totally finish with the last of the loose ends of complete shut down. It is bittersweet, but we are both happy now that we are both completely retired!Yes, I have so very much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Here are a couple of pages I did of my great nieces and nephews that I am so very, very thankful for!

My sister Penny's 2nd granddaughter, sweet, sweet Annabeth in a freebie QP by pdw and alpha by Avezuir   and the photo is by Lindsey Singletary.

A QP by Creative Elegance shows off 2 of my sister Penny's grandbabies, Calvin and Hayden...both photos by Maggie.

Another QP by Creative Elegance holds my sister Kathy's grandbabies....Jade, Ruby and Jayson...all photos Christina took and I copied from her Facebook account.

And last, but certainly not least, my fur babies (Tiny, MzKitty, Pumpkin & Oreo) in a Latte BB page by Sweet Pea Designs. Here are some snapshots of my 3 feral back yard kitties too.

Pretty Miss Patches...this I took this morning...she was waiting for her treats!

Sweet and so loveable Buddy....he is the largest of the three, but the biggest baby, he loves to be held and played with.

And gorgeous Shadow...he is finally coming around with being friendly, he now allows me to pet him, but not to pick him up...not yet!
Well, I am off here to go finish up the last loose ends of the office. I wish all of you the Happiest of Thanksgivings and pray you will find lots to be THANKFUL for as you spend time with family and friends making lots of memories to share. Love all of you, chat more next time! Hugs, Mat

Calvin Turner is finally here!

Hayden's baby brother, Calvin Turner, finally arrived at 5:26 p.m. on the 14th of November. He is a big healthy boy that looks like he is already 3 months old.  He weighed a whopping 10 pounds 9 ounces and 21 inches long.  Maggie had him natural...poor girl, but all that have seen and/or held him are totally in love with him.  Here are a couple of photos that Lance sent me...think he is a proud daddy?  Hayden was beside herself when she got to see him for the first time. Grandmas and Grandpas are all very proud too as are all the aunts, uncles and great aunts (especially this one!). I can't hardly wait to go home for a visit to meet Calvin and Annabeth and Brinson. (Brinson was born 24 hours before Calvin...Amy's hubby's brother). All three of these cousins will have a blast growing up together. Calvin has a big sister Hayden who is 5 and Brinson's big sister Blair is 7.  Here's Calvin's introductory page! I got to mix a few items, I created the background, the frames and border are by Miss Linda at Random Thoughts the texture was a freebie from piggybacks. Thanks to all of you wonderful designers who so generously share you work for us to use.

In other news, I finally turned over the checkbook and post office keys to my boss on Friday. It was pretty emotional for both of us...after all we have share 26 years of our lives together....but now we can visit as friends instead of employer/employee! Only one more thing to do next Friday, that is to have the files shredded that we can and to acquaint here with the filing system and how to find things should she ever need to and I am no where around.....LOL!
We sure have had a roller coaster ride with our weather, last week I spent putting flowers in the shed and winterizing the house as we had a hard freeze in the 20's both Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Friday I brought the plants back out and the water hose as it hit 70, yesterday I had the windows open again as it hit 80 and today, I awoke to 72 degrees and 93% humidity at 4:30 in the morning! Today, we could break a record for temperatures this time of year...the record is 87 and they are saying we could match or break it today.  It is very, very windy from the southwest too! Things are to make a turn tomorrow and all next week we will only see the low 60's all week with a possibility of rain by the weekend. We really do need that rain!
Okay, guess I have bored you long enough, got to get up from this chair and check on the clothes in the dryer. BTW did I mention I had to have parts sent for both my washer and a new element for the dryer this week and my handyman fixed it all yesterday so I can now catch up with the laundry again. I have everything else done so I can watch the NASCAR races and Football when it comes on in 30 minutes (that's the real reason I have to cut this off now)....LOL! Y'all have a great Sunday, make lots and lots of memories to share.  Will chat with you more later.....hugs, Mat

Wow....Somebody left the door open!

Holy Moly, it is COLD out there.  I had all my windows open yesterday to all the beautiful sunshine and no wind, just a perfect day in the mid 70's.....right now it is 45 with a 30+ mph north wind making it feel like it is in the 30's and the temperatures are still dropping...supposedly into the upper 20's tonight with our first hard freeze.  Fortunately yesterday I got all my plants inside, all my cats provided for with warm beds in spots shielded from the north wind and today I will get my exposed faucets covered before dark.  It is nice and toasty warm in the house though even with no heat on...it is still 70F inside.  So, what have I been up to? Why scrapping of course. I have so many photos to try catching up with....I even made a few digital pages along with some of my paper ones (yes, I still get satisfaction from paper scrapping when I have the time)!
Here's a photo of Hayden as a cat that I put in a frame by Marijja, doesn't she look adorable?

Here's another frame by Marijja of Jayson on his last visit this past week to the Children's Hospital, after this seizure they did an EEG and says there are some abnormalities (?) he has to be on meds for 3 months then they will check again. He was cheered up by Ruby and his mother. Poor little thing all you want to do is hug him tight!

These photos are random that I just got off Christina's Facebook yesterday of Jade, Ruby and Jayson. This is another QP from Marijja

Isn't this sweet of Amy, Michael and Annabeth? These photos were taken by Michael's sister Hannah at the hospital the day Annabeth was born, ran across this page I had downloaded a while back from Marijja and thought it perfect for these photos!

This is Miss Annabeth in her pearls on a bed of roses....the QP I created using Kyra's kit Nothing Compares and a cluster frame from Arlene using the same kit. If you are looking for some terrific freebies for scrapping you must visit With A Russian Dutch Heart. This photo was taken by Lindsay Singletary a lady that works with my sister Penny. Penny sent me a copy of the photos for scrapping.

I had downloaded Miss Boots' latest offering of a lovely QP using one of Kyra's kits...these 2 photos seemed to fit it perfectly, another photo by Lindsay of Amy and Annabeth. You can find the QP at Random Thoughts by Linda.

I have others, but this will do it for today...I think I should get my bum up off this chair and move around a little...I think a pot of chicken and dumplings would be a good meal for this cool day, so off I go to make a pot...wanna come over for dinner?  By the way I think maybe Carol sent this weather to Linda who sent it on over to Gerri and she sent it south to Scarlett and she forwarded on to Texas.  Nice way to get us all to drink the hot toddies in the parlor Scarlett! ROFL!! Y'all keep on making those memories to share, I'll chat more with you next time. Maybe by then Calvin will have made his way into this world! Poor Maggie can hardly stand now!  Luv, Mat

O my aching back

Okay, all the file boxes have been loaded, taken to the storage unit and put away! I have only one box left that will probably disappear the end of this month...after the bank account is closed out and the phones are shut off.  I really have been busy in my room reorganizing it...I moved 2 bookcases and 2 large cabinets, 5 small cabinets, a 2 drawer file cabinet and a 4 drawer filing cabinet and ALL MY MUSIC CDS ( I have way too many) but the room is looking amazing as my home office. I am happy, but now the organizing, sorting and shredding starts.  All files and papers over 7 years old is getting shredded and gone. That is my most time consuming chore now, but I will be so happy when it is done. By springtime, I hope to have my "barn" cleaned out and organized too.  At this stage in life....I don't need all this "extraneous crap" for someone else to have to go through when I cease to be around (hopefully for not a long time yet, but....)!

While organizing and sorting, I ran across some photos that are more than 40 years old I had forgotten about...oh the memories and the fun of remembering them all. I will have to scan them and see if I can salvage some that the colors are fading from. Another chore for this retired old lady (well almost totally retired).  I seem to be busier now that I was when working full time....NOT!.....but close! I am really happy to be able to get this all done. Has bothered me for a while, and this is a good project for indoors when the weather is beginning it's roller coaster ride....70 one day, 50 the next....then a couple of days of 70 again then dropping into the 40's....etc.  This next week we are supposed to have a hard freeze coming (Thanks to Miss Boots via Miss Carol!), so I have been out today making sure all the space is ready for my flower pots to be put away and that all the "cat condos" are clean and with clean beds and blankets for those outdoor kitties that hang around....found my faucet covers so I can drain my hoses and cover them next week. Lots to do to prepare for the freeze, but it will probably be back in the 70's before Thanksgiving! (Crazy Texas Weather).

My friend Jan got good news from her CT scan, no spreading into the lymph nodes so her success rate with the radiation should be at 95%.  Her face mask was made on Thursday and they are preparing her for a "dry run" so she will know what it coming for the next 6 weeks.  Friday morning I took my friend Jannette to have her eye redone...the doctor that did her laser surgery was not happy with the results of her left eye so he redid it.  She had to go back this morning and he is very, very pleased. I think we go back on Monday for the temporary contact to be removed.  So happy she is over that, but then I have to take her to the spine doctor on the 14th for an injection in her lumbar spine. (Old age is sure not for the weak...LOL!)  As for me and my foot, it is doing pretty good, a little tender occasionally, but as long as I don't go barefoot it's okay! That is very hard for this old country girl....I do not like wearing shoes....LOL!

I keep thinking that Maggie will have that boy any day now, but he is still not ready to come into this world! SHE is ready for him to be here though!  Amy seems to be doing pretty good and really enjoying her role as mother. From all the photos I have seen Jade,. Ruby, Jayson and Hayden all had a good time on Halloween. I didn't see not one trick or treater...and now I have a bowl of candy to eat....(real hardship you know)!

I guess I best hush for right now, since I am at a stopping point for today, I think I will take a hot shower, put on my jammies, grab my Kindle and read a little while I sip on a julep that Scarlet left for me. We will be doing the hot toddies from now until Spring I suppose! Had a good visit with all my blog buddies this past week so....gonna take a little break and get some much deserved rest and of course, no blogging tomorrow as the NASCAR races are on and the football games are too! Guess where I will be? Yep, in front of that boob tube supporting my favs!  Y'all have a terrific Sunday, chat more with ya later! Don't forget to make lots and lots of great memories to share! Luv, Mat

Tiny Dude asleep beside me...he really zonks out and is so relaxed....He loves to be touching or laying on me...here he is on my arm....LOL!

Oreo is comfortable enough to lay beside him and they will both sleep on the bed with me at night, MzKitty and Pumpkin haven't gotten that comfortable with him yet.

Pumpkin sleeps on the bathroom cabinet or in the bathroom sink.

And MzKitty sleeps in my reading chair in the same room, just not on the bed with Tiny! LOL! More photos later of the outside cats...they are all growing and are simply gorgeous....(but them I am a little prejudiced aren't I?) Later y'all! Hugs!!

Happy Halloween to Y'all!

I had a seriously busy week and have not had a chance to post for a while. I had company in from out of town for the weekend. My "Sis-in-law" Kathleen came up from Bryan-College Station. Of course I had to get my house cleaned, laundry done and all my chores accomplished prior to her coming in so that we could spend the whole time together. I even finished Jayson's ABC book and sent it for publishing...Kathy and Christina should have them tomorrow. We had a blast on Friday playing catch up, eating Mexican food 'til we were ready to pop, shopping and going through memory books. Here's a photo of us that was taken last month when Nina and I went down to visit her (first time we had seen each other since 1986). I used a freebie QP by c4m called Autumn days bb page 2  and wordart from Miss Boots at Random Thoughts.

On Saturday, her real sis-in-law Debbie came over with her and we spent another whole day furniture shopping. This was first time I had seen Debbie since 1986 or 1987...she still looks the same to me, beautiful as ever....boy did we have fun catching up on our lives since then. After we got home about 7:45 p.m. (I sure had some angry  "hungry" kitty cats) there was a flurry of Code Red Alert phone calls about the approaching storms with ping pong sized hail stones and 60 mph winds. OK....got my Tahoe under cover, but the Camry had to stay out...we did not get the large hail only about pea sized, we did get the winds (I got my windows all closed just in time) and heavy, heavy, heavy rain. We were so busy "yakking" that we never even thought about taking any photos...dang it!
On Sunday, I lazed around all day....never even got dressed...LMBO....watched the Cowboys and the NASCAR races, then watched the Packers and Vikings play, read...slept some in between and literally stayed on the bed with my cats all day. I never turned my PC on nor visited Facebook.  I guess I am just too old to walk and stand and shop for 2 days in a row....ROFL! But we sure did have fun visiting all those wonderful memories we made together all those years ago!
Monday, back to work...tomorrow, Halloween, will be the official closing of my boss's office. I still have 26 years worth of stuff to categorize and label and add to in storage so that should she ever need it, she could find it if I don't happen to be around. The day to day stuff is through though and we are both of the winding down stages of employment. We are both ready for retirement and doing what we want, when we want without having to work around a work schedule. Yippee!! I tried to catch up on all the freebies I had missed last week and over the weekend...(my poor butt thought I was never gonna get up off it...LOL)
Maggie sent me a photo of Hayden feeding Annabeth so I did a page of this cute photo. I suppose that Hayden is practicing for when Calvin arrives next week. Now that she is 5 she will be a big help to her Mommy when her baby brother comes.  She wants him to get here now (so does Maggie...LOL) This page I created using kits by ADB.

Well, it is about time for me to get up, feed the kitties again, fix me something to eat and get ready to watch Nashville.  I have a lot of kitty photos to cut down and show ya and I am sure all the Halloween photos will be ready too, so guess I will hush and chat with y'all some more later! If you get a chance drop by Miriam's Scraps and grab the Halloween QP I made for ya! Have a great and safe Halloween! Make lots of those memories to share! Hugs, Mat