Memory Lane Mondays!

Today I wanted to join our friend Donna at Brynwood Needleworks on her Memory Lane Mondays. This is her first Monday to do this and I am excited to be a part of it. She is asking for us to do a post about a memory of ours and share it on the last Monday of each month.  So click on the link to Donna's after of course you have read my story and join the fun.

This memory is not one I like to think about but it happened one summer morning with a friend of mine when we were walking to the neighborhood store to buy a gallon of milk for my mother. I think this happened the summer I was going into the fourth grade.

In those days many years ago no one thought of anything ever happening like this but they were wrong to think that way.


One look into Faye’s eyes and I knew to run.  I heard the glass milk bottle break about the same instant I had grabbed hold of Faye's hand pulling her towards an open field and away from the man in the car.

The grass was high but we both ran harder than either one of us had ever run in our life.  It was as if at that moment something took over our small bodies and helped us to run as if it meant life or death.

The field  we were running  in connected to the next street over where there were a few houses. We never slowed down until we were on the steps of the front porch. Together we both rang the door bell anxiously waiting for someone to save us. No one was answering the door and I turned to look down the road and saw the man's car coming in our direction. I pulled  Faye down on the porch behind the brick flower bed. There were small bushes planted in it that helped to hide us from the rode.
It was then that poor Faye started sobbing. I was so afraid he would hear her that I  fastened my hand over her mouth so tight I wasn’t sure that I was not going to be the one to kill her if she did not shut up.

Her huge brown eyes two inches from mine were screaming for help. I knew that she was seeing the same in my eyes and I too wanted so desperately to cry myself.

What seemed like hours but was only minutes I peeped over the bushes to see if I could see the car. Grateful the road was empty I laid back down when I did I felt my dress was wet.. I looked around thinking I had laid in water instead I discovered Faye had wet her panties. She was shaking like it was winter instead of hot July. Feeling sorry for her I whispered I thought he was gone but we should stay there for a few minutes.

Laying there I replayed the last few minutes in my mind. How fast the car pulled along side of us and the strange man telling us it was too hot for us to be walking to get inside of his car. Me dropping the milk jug hearing it break on the road as I grabbed Faye’s hand to run. Realizing then at that second that I had broke my mothers milk jug I said, “Oh my God  my mother is going to kill me!”

Faye whispered , "Yeah she will kill you if she hears you talking like that."

“Faye, I broke the stupid milk bottle! I might as well have got in that car because no telling what she will do to me when she finds out."

Faye looked at me like I was from another planet and said, “We are lying here hiding from a man who might hurt us and you are worried about a dumb milk bottle! Your mother has to understand it could not be helped. You were scared and ran to get away. It was an accident!”

I then squeezed Faye’s arm and said, “Listen we can never ever tell anyone about what happened to us today. You have to promise me this is our secret.”

“We can not keep this from our parents!” she pleaded.

“Look if we tell them a stranger tried to get us in his car that will be the end of us going anywhere by ourselves. No more trips to the beach, school or the store without some one with us. Shoot they may even not let us cross the street anymore to each others houses. Do you want that to happen?” I argued.

She knew I was right so we formed the first of many secret packs with each other. We sealed the pack with a hug and then we both peeped over the flower bed. Seeing no one in site she grabbed my hand and we ran as fast as our legs could run down the road back towards our houses.

Finally leaving Faye safe on her back porch clinging to their screen door I slowly walked to my house across the street. My legs gave out just about the time I reached for our front door. I knew that I was about to face something bad but still like my friend I was glad to be home.

Hope you have a great week!
Love to all
Maggie

Patience

It is very strange that the years teach us patience - that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.    Elizabeth Taylor, "A Wreath of Roses"

Our friend Dan at Yesterday Once More is doing a word a week. Every Monday he will give us a new word.  I have fun trying to guess his next word. So far I am batting a 100.  As far as writing though I am behind. This week passed before I could sit down and write about his word this week which is Patience.

Dan wrote the best post about patience so that will be hard to follow.

We all have our own meaning for patience and so I looked it up in the dictionary to see if it was close to what I think it means.

Patience is the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. 

Honestly I think patience is one of the first things a child should be taught. I only wish that when I was younger that I had known the importance of patience.

If you think about it living with patience makes ones life so much easier. When your a child and waiting on things to happen you get angry at your parents, teachers or friends.

As you age you slowly connect closer to what is really important in life and you see everything a lot different. That is why I chose the quote by Elizabeth Taylor. I have found the older I get the more patience I have for a lot of things. Have you noticed even Ms Pearl is learning Patience.

For example just a little over a week ago while Gary was in the hospital and he was in serious trouble with his heart they sent in a Chaplain to talk with me and Sherry.

I had just found out that Sherry and Gary were married. It was upsetting to be told by a stranger they were married.  They were moving Gary to another hospital so the Chaplain walked me downstairs to catch a cab..

It just happened that Sherry was walking ahead of us and she seemed mad and upset at everything including probably even me and the Chaplain. The Chaplain turned to me and asked what would I like for her to pray for me.  I looked at the Chaplain and said "Patience!"

She turned to me and smiled and said "I can understand you asking for that prayer. Good choice Maggie!"

It was a good choice because at that moment I needed more patience in my life that I could muster up on my own. I need the help of God to keep my mouth shut and of course Ms. Pearl's mouth. lol

Patience when I was younger would of saved me a lot of pain. I think back of how busy I was when my children were growing up and I worked two and three jobs which probably caused me to have little patience at the end of the day for the things in my life that really counted.  Patience with raising three small children never showing them anything but the best side of you.

So join me in learning patience. I think it is the one thing our world needs more of. What do you think?

I wanted to thank all of you for leaving me such beautiful comments about Forrest. It has been hard the last few days trying to accept that she is no longer going to be around waiting patiently for her next hug or bone. Forrest would of been a great teacher of patience because I watched her with Tinkerbell and even though Tinkerbell loathed her coming inside the past month Forrest ignored her and just laid on her bed. She just watched as Tinkerbell pulled her little tricks and fits trying to get her to go outside. Never once giving Tinkerbell the time of day. hahaha

Now that is patience! So how do I teach a cat patience?

Love to all

Maggie

Number 54 Won and Sad News!

I was excited when I thought of the two in one giveaway because I love giveaways and this allows two people to win. As always I now use the wonderful Random Generator to choose my winner and it chose number 54.  Of course then I had to rush back to my site and count to number 54. I  turned out to be Tam.

Congradulations Tam on your win.

This is the comment that Tam left that won her the giveaway.

"Sorry Maggie I think I am the only one taking advantage of entering as much as you want too.

Thats ok my chances go up. lol"

Well how funny Tam your chances I guess did go up because your number came up. So email me at grandmayellowhair@gmail.com and let me know what follower and friend of mine you want to spend your gift certificate with and I will make arrangements with them. 





 

On my previous post about ordering a new dogie bed for Forrest because Tinkerbell was naughty using the old one for her litter box. Well my heart is breaking as I type this to you. Not more than two hours after I wrote this post my dear sweet Forrest was hit by a car in front of my house. I was at the dentist when it happened and when I got home I could not understand why Forrest did not run to meet me when I turned into the gate. No matter where this girl was when she heard my car and how she knew it was mine from others she came running to greet me. I would stop right where she was and give her a pat on the head and then drive up to the house.

The tears have certainly been falling the last couple of days for this sweet little friend and I will miss her terribly. I have not had the heart to tell Barbara my landlady yet because she loved her Forrest.

What really is so sad is that for the last three years I have tried and tried in cold weather to get her to come inside and she never would then this winter with Gretchens help we got her inside. Like I mentioned in the post before this once that happened she was thrilled and loved being inside with me.

I have several stories about her and Tinkerbell inside that I had meant to share with you because they were funny. Tink just did not care to share her home with someone else. Forrest was so laid back and friendly that she just let Tink do her thing and never once snapped or barked at her. lol

Boy we get attached to our pets and I had no clue how much I loved this little girl until I lost her. So give your furry babies an extra hug today for me.

Love to all

Maggie

Jealousy Can Stink!

                 Eloise - Candy Heart Hampton Twill Dog Bed

Look what I ordered at the modern decor section of CSN. Is it not the cutest thing you have ever seen for a darling pet.

I know your asking now why am I looking at dogie beds when it is just me and Tinkerbell that share the ole farm house on the inside. Well that's a good question.

Several weeks ago when the temps dipped down into the twenties here I felt really sorry for the outside pets one being the farm dog who was left here for my care by the owner. Sweet Gretchen and I managed to pull her inside the house to protect her from the freezing weather. The pulling routine went on for the next three nights and on the fourth night all I had to do was open the door and she flew inside for warmth. hahaha

She is just a cutie pie and has watched over me the last few years while I made the transition from city girl to farm girl. My landlady named her Forrest and Kaci and Bailey call her Dottie Forrest. Crazy name Forrest. I won't tell you what Tinkerbell calls her. Tinkerbell has put a whole new word to the meaning of being jealous.

I really did not want an inside dog but looks like I have one at least for the winter months. Strange that after all this time that she refused to come inside that now you have to trick her to go outside. lol

Last week when I went to MD Anderson I left her outside and forgot to put her dogie bed out side too. When I got home the next day I walked in to the most horrible smell. Tinkerbell had used the dogie bed for her litter box. Yep she just did her business right there on Forrest brand new dogie bed. Needless to say I was shocked that my prefect little cat would do such a dastardly deed but it shows what happens when jealousy rears its ugly head or should I say hind end. 

So of course the bed went to the dumpster and while talking to Barbara my landlady on the phone yesterday and telling her about Tinkerbell mischievous doings she laughed and told me to not worry about it and shop for another one. Then she called me back and told me to order this bed from CSN and charge it to her. My favorite words CSN and charge it to her. hahaha

I go into the site modern decor and could not believe all of the things I wanted besides dogie beds. Take a look at this chandelier. Wonder what it would look like in the ole farm house. I have a feeling she would not tell me to charge it to her. Oh well I will settle for the beautiful bed that matches my decor.

Another thing I found in the modern decor site is wall paper. I had no clue that CSN sold wall paper. I found chalk board forms that you can made different things with on the walls or there was one that went on your refrigerator. How neat! I am trying to make me a writing nook upstairs and the chalk board forms got my attention.

Hope you are having a wonderful week! Gary did not get to come home from MD Anderson because his white blood cells are too low. My oldest brothers wife went to be with him because I am down this week with the back plus I had a tooth pulled.

Love to all

Maggie

The Good The Bad and The Ugly!

On a lighter note today I thought I would share with you the pictures that were promised to you a year ago. Last year I did this post  Naughty Or Nice?

It was about what I had did with these two pictures I am showing you today. Pretty funny story if you want to read it. In this post I promised when I got these pictures back I would show them to you.

My dear friend Max has the originals and sent these to me the other day in an email. Not asking her for them in a long while I was quite surprised to open them up. What really surprised me is I thought geezzz Sally is not as ugly as I told everyone she was the day Sharon took these pictures of us.

Sally is the woman (using the word carefully) that my ex left me for. She was his college sweetheart.

Now don't get us mixed up she is the tall one on the right.  lol

So love this picture!  It's like I have him now so go away!

Anyway I needed a laugh this morning so I thought I would share these pictures and hopefully never ever show them again. I guess I could put them back where I had them in the attic to scare the rodents.

I am better today after reading all of your comments over the weekend. If everything goes as planned Gary will be released today or tomorrow and will be through with his treatments. YEA He will be staying with me or my brother in town while his wife Sherry catches up on her flying. She is a flight attendant.

I will have to keep praying for patience in dealing with what has happened this past week and keep a tight reign on Ms. Pearl.  Nothing matters but Gary healing.

Hope you have entered my giveaway that ends on Thursday. If not be sure and click on the Temptations giveaway on the sidebar. Good luck on winning this. You get to pick your own gift from one of many of my creative friends that follow me.

Wishing all of you The Good and none of the Bad and The Ugly this week.

Love to all

Maggie

Drained Mentally and Physically!

Where do I begin this post? This whole week has been such a nightmare that I will try to keep this short as I can but yet answer some of your sweet concerns about Gary.

I went to MD Anderson Tuesday morning because I wanted to be there when they finally were going to put the feeding tube in Gary. As you know at this time it had been 25 days since he had eaten.

The procedure was suppose to take place at 7:30 am but at 3:00 his doctor came in the room to explain to Gary what he was going to do. Then he ask Gary if he had any questions. Gary said one word and then his mouth went to one side and I jumped up knowing something bad was happening and he went into cardiac arrest. I could tell that he was not breathing and Sherry was there screaming at the doctors and they told me to get her out of there. I grabbed her and managed to get her out before they used the paddles on him.

They brought him back and immediately started the test to figure out what was next. After about thirty minutes three heart surgeons came out and told us they were moving him two blocks away to Memorial Hermann Heart Vascular Center and for us to meet them there.

Gary had to have a stint put in. By this time all my brothers and their wives were with me and Sherry.

The next few days were critical and he is still in there Critical Care Unit but doing fine. I had planned on staying until today but some terrible things happened while I was there so my dear sweet sister-in-law relieved me and I am home.

You really get to know people when something like this is going on. All I can say is I was not happy at what I saw the days I was there. Turns out Sherry is Gary's wife not financee and I was told by a stranger. Then several hours after the stranger told me Sherry told me with one condition that no one else in the family knows.

Is that not hateful and dumb. Sorry to use those words but can you imagine finding out this news when all this is going on. She wants a big wedding in the fall in her home state of Tenn so does not want anyone to know their married. Give me a break.

Watching Gary go into cardiac arrest and then surgery has me drained. Plus having stupid drama too.

To top that off Wednesday night Sherry and I were both in CCU with him and I told her and Gary at 9 they would throw one of us out for the night. Well Gary had tubes in him and he was writing everything down. He wanted both of us there because he has so much mucus in him he is deathly afraid of choking to death.  Several sweet nurses came in asking me to leave and Sherry and Gary were both so rude to these people that I wanted to crawl under the nearest thing I could find. Finally at 10:30 I left. I could see how mad Sherry was when I left.

During the night Gary kept having aniexty attachs and pulled one of his tubes out. This was around 4:30. Sherry calls my brother 2 hours away and tells them to get there now she needed help. There I was three blocks away in a cancer apartment. Of course when I found out about her calling them and them rushing down there Ms Pearl made an appearance in the waiting room. She said some things that were probably not nice but you know Ms. Pearl.

I brought my brother Billy back home last night and his wife is down there. She is a saint but I know by this morning she has had a dose of what I have had for the week.

The only thing I know is that once again your prayers pulled Gary back to be with us again for I hope a long time. They have to resume his radiation today or else. Which they would not discuss the or else. So praise God his last treatment will be Monday. Then he will be recovering hopefully with nothing else happening until March when they are going to remove a few lymph nodes.

I have said more that I should have in this post. But believe me I held back. lol....One example of some of the stuff I heard while I was there is Sherry ask Gary if he wanted her to bake him a birthday cake for his birthday on the 27th and bring it up there. I said like an idiot no he can't eat it. She said Gary if I bring you a cake maybe with food your relatives will be here.

Thank you so much for your friendship and prayers.

Love to all

Maggie

A Funny Letter!

This is even funnier when you realize it's real! Next time you have a bad day at work think of this guy.
Bob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana .He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs.

Below is an E-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.5 FM in Indiana, who was sponsoring a worst job experience contest. Needless to say, she won. Read his letter below.


~Hi Sue,

Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother.

Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wet suit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose.

Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wet suit.

This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it.

This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my ass started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it, however, the crack of my ass was not as fortunate.

When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my ass.

I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say, I aborted the dive.

I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet. As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber.

The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't shit for two days because my ass was swollen shut.

So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your ass. Now repeat to yourself, 'I love my job, I love my job, I love my job.'

Whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself, is this a jellyfish bad day?

If I ever get well and Gary too this is how I want my upstairs bedroom to look! I can dream can't I. The bed I have now upstairs is similar to this but oak. I love this look.

Waiting on Christi so we can go to Houston so I thought I would try to make you laugh this morning. I know when I got this email this morning with this letter attached I laughed pretty hard. Hurt me thinking of the damage a jelly fish could do to ones butt. hahaha

May you NEVER have a jellyfish bad day! !!!!
Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Love to all

Maggie

Missing You!

They say a picture can speak sometimes louder than words. So I took this picture today it really does shout doesn't it.

Remember a few post back Gretchen and I were sitting in the little chapel writing and that song Highway to Hell blared us out of the church. Well after the past week I am beginning to believe it was playing for a reason. So much happening! The sad awful madness in Tucson. My heart aches everytime I think of it.

Gary is now in the hospital at MD Anderson. He has not been able to swallow food and very little liquids for weeks now so after he passed out during one of his treatments they finally admitted him. They said he was starving to death. Could they not see that when they were with him every day? To make matters worse he will not get a feeding tube until Tuesday because they don't do that on the weekends and Monday is a holiday. Give me a break......I work for the Sheriff's Department and I guarantee you no inmate is neglected because it is the weekend or another holiday. Sorry I get angry watching him suffer.

Then my daughter Christi phones me crying telling me her sweet boyfriends brother has passed away. Such a shock to all of us and so so sad.  He taught school in Houston and my prayers for all of his family and friends.

My post today was not intended to be one of sadness but funny. I put it on hold for another day. It is raining really hard here and for days now. I guess we needed the rain but sometimes the grey adds to the sadness.





I truly miss all of you! Everyone of you! So today I am going to try and take it a little easy on my self. Take a long hot sudsy bubble bath. Later come back with some hot chocolate and of course whipping cream on top and catch up with as many of you as I can in a few hours.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It ends on the 27th and you can enter once every day. Don't make Ms Pearl come looking for you. lol

Hope all of you got some rest this weekend and it is not too cold where you are today. I know a lot of you are dealing with snow and ice so I am thankful for just the rain. It is so strange how our mind as much as the body needs that big huge Sun.

Love to all

Maggie

My Two for One Giveaway!

If you have been good the last few weeks then you know about my new page I added on here called Temptations. On this page I tried to list sites that follow me that sell pretty things. As you know I love pretty creative pieces. I mean who of us doesn't.

Anyway good or not you can enter this giveaway. In fact you can enter everyday until it ends. Since I use the random generator no big deal right? I mean whats the difference in putting in 20 or 40 numbers. Does that make sense or is it too early in the morning to be talking figures. haha

Speaking of figures I guess you are wondering. Well Mag's what is the giveaway. Okay here it is and hope I can explain without you having to grab one of those dummy books for blogging.

I am all about promoting friends sites that follow me. 

 I don't care if you take up my whole page. If you are a friend and need your site put out there then I am here because of friends. No other reason.  I love reading your sites and laughing with you or in some cases crying.

Now I am getting off the subject of  what is the giveaway. To one person that follows me they will get a thirty dollar gift certificate to spend only at one of my followers which the last time I looked is a more than I would of dreamed of having in ten years on here much less than a year. lol  Also you can spend this with anyone that follows me they do not have to be on my Temptations list because it is not complete.

Reasons for having this giveaway are many. One is because I love you and another is to celebrate reaching the 500 mark on that follower thing. This ole woman can't figure it out but thats what it says 507 so I have to believe it.

I am calling this my two for one Giveaway because there are going to be two winners. One that wins the gift certificate and the other who they pick to buy from.  I was thinking of ending it on my brother Gary's Birthday which is January 27th. So you get busy enter every day if you like but only once a day and it has to be on this post. Not that I don't want you to leave me comments on other post Heavens no that is not what I mean but for the giveaway it only counts on here. Let's say midnight central standard time on the 27th of January. By then Gary should be through with his treatments and resting at home. So we can celebrate.

Right now I can barely reach this keyboard I am so under blankets. hahaha Freaking 23 when I got up this morning and as you know I am the biggest sissy to anything under 60. So I grabbed the ole computer hobbled upstairs and much warmer up here. Praise God for central air and heat. My little friend Gretchen sits over at the little pink house and does not turn her heat on. I begged her to spend the night last night because I hate to think of her just wrapped up in a heating blanket.

I know you gals and guys up North are laughing at me but remember I live way way down south at we don't believe in white stuff covering the ground or water turning into ice unless its in our tea. I told someone this morning this ole place makes me think I have some how landed in the book Little House on the Prairie and all I can hear is the  North wind blowing telling me I had better take cover. And cover I did with every sweet quilt I could find. hahaha

Good luck to all of you. If you have any questions be sure and ask. I am friendly it is Ms Pearl you have to watch out for. She sure is cranky this morning but contained.

Love to all

Maggie

What Love Is!

Dan at Yesterday Once More will be doing a word for the week and ask for all of us to participate weekly if we would like to. This weeks word is LOVE.

Love means many things to me. One of the first things I thought of when I thought of doing this post was the gift that my darling Kaci gave to me for Christmas. She worked for days on making this for her grandmayellowhair because of the love that little girl has in her heart. Even though she just turned 9 in November she listens to what others need or want. A few times when we would talk about things I had told her of my love for mermaids and that I needed one for my bathroom.

Well you can imagine the love and joy when I opened this gift up and there made by those precious sweet hands of my granddaughters was this picture. It took her days to make and knowing her the way I do it was time that she did not mind giving. As you all know Kaci has Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and everyday and night she pokes her precious fingers to check her blood sugars. Those little fingers have to be sore all the time yet she made this with them. If you look at it closely there is not but maybe one spot that you can see the outline. Believe me you have to really look close. She did an outstanding job and I am so proud of her. To me this is LOVE!

Another meaning for Love is the kind you have for your siblings. The weekend before Christmas I had my four brothers and their wives along with Gretchen over for a Christmas dinner. I wanted a photo of me with my four brothers with us all looking and facing the same way going down the stairs. As you can see that did not happen. Several shots were taken but never were we all standing one way or looking at the camera. It was hard growing up the only girl but through lots of football, baseball and fighting I made it. They all call me sister now.

From the bottom Billy, Tommy, Gary, Doy and Me.

Lets not forget the kind of love we have for our pets. Tinkerbell brings Love in my life everyday.

Even though from this picture she looks to lazy. lol

A love that I found just a little over a year ago was YOU! Blogging buddies are a one of a kind love. Never want to not have that Love in my life. It has changed my life.

Sweet Dreams and Love to All

Maggie

More of the Chapel!

Yesterday I wrote about Gretchen and my experience inside the Edith Bates Chapel at Festival Hill Institute in Round Top, Texas.  As I mentioned when we were in the chapel we heard really loud music and it turned out someone was playing Highway to Hell underneath the chapel in the basement.  As some of you mentioned in your comments that you would of hit the ground praying if that had happened to you let me assure you it did cross my mind. Gretchen turned toward me and we both had looks of horror on our faces. lol As it turned out we found the culprit in the basement. The picture above is the back entrance to the chapel thru the basement.  We did not go outside to this entrance we went thru a really dark passage leading to this room from upstairs.

If you look at the picture of the front of the chapel on my other post Highway to Hell and then see these pictures it blows the mind at how different the two are.  Front of church is the typical older Luthern church built sometime in late 1800's is my guess then you have this stone in the back that looks like you are in Europe. Perfect place to loose yourself in and I am the luckest person to have it so near my home.

When I had breast cancer I would bring a quilt out here and meditate. I told the ex one day I will give back to this place what it has given me. So far I am behind in that. I volunteer here but it will take much more to give back what it has given me.

.

As you can see from these pictures, the exterior of the Edith Bates Chapel is by far one of the most deceptive atmospheres in Texas.  You will find huge fountains, hidden statues and spaces tucked away  for quiet reflection, conversations or a game of chess.  The expansive patio has stories to tell about elegant parties and weddings. 

Once married to a stone mason he explained to me ancient craft of dry stack which is common throughout the lovely grounds. 

As Gretchen and I were leaving that evening we met a very lovely lady who was sitting on one of the many stone benches. She waved at us and wanted to talk so we sat down by her. Turns out her son Richard had helped establish Festival Hill with James Dick and she lived just behind the chapel in a new home they had built for her.

Lovely lady and visiting with her was a delight. She told us a short version of her life history and what an interesting life she has led. Looking at her I guessed her to be around 77 but she happily told us she was 82.

When we tried to tell her goodbye but she would have no part of that. lol....She finally took us up on walking her home and then of course insisted we come inside. It was one of those moments when you hate to leave someone but you need to get home. We both promised her we would come back soon for another visit. Today I thought of her sitting there waiting for us and it made me sad but yet thinking of her made me smile.

We both plan on keeping our promise and visit her again soon.

Thank you for all the sweet comments about me trying to write again. It has been too long since I laid the pen down on a story I was working on. Your so kind to think that I could publish something and of course that would be a dream come true. Right now I will settle for just writing every day. God has given me this chance while my back heals so who am I to shun a blessing.

Gretchen is also writing a childrens book along with three screen plays so when I introduced her to the grounds at Festival Hill she knew why she had moved to Texas.  Anytime your sitting in a chapel and the song Highway to Hell starts playing you know God is trying to tell you something.

The next few days are suppose to be rainy and very cold so I hope you can snuggle up to something warm. Of course you know in my case that would be Tinkerbell. lol

I did have to go bye another heater today because my space heater for the bathroom went out and I had loaned Gary my other one so back to Wal Mart. When on when will this town get a Target or something besides a Wal Mart. We don't even have a nice big grocery store. hahaha

In the next week I want to add another page to my site. I hope you checked out Temptations because there will be a test about it coming up. The winner will be happy they paid attention.

Sorry got off track....I want to do a page about loosing weight. I figured if I put my big bod out for the world to see and keep a online journal of my progess and set backs that it would inspire me to stick with it. Also I would like to do the page where if anyone wanted to join me they could. Not sure how to do it but this ole grandma is using to running around a sheriffs department 12 hours a day and now since my injury thats not happening then Ms Pearl needs to step up to the plate and stop Maggie from becoming Ms Piggy because good grief you guys already have enough names to remember when you visit this site without another character called Ms Piggy. 

I was wondering what I should have on the page. Confessions of  a serial eater. Would I lie about weigh ins. So who knows got to get busy because it was on my list of things to do in 2011. Another thing on my list is to have that 500th follower giveaway. What does your list look like.

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

Highway To Hell!

Walking up to the Chapel...

Massive Old Organ in front of the Chapel..

Stained Glass Windows On Each Side of Chapel.....

Back of Chapel near where you come inside...Notice the old painted ceiling...

Back Wall of Chapel .....

Circular Staircase going to Balcony.....

Sitting upstairs looking down into the Chapel...There are two of these Chandeliers...

This Chapel sits on the Festival Hill grounds located in Round Top. Today Gretchen and I were lucky enough to do our writing in this lovely chapel. As I have mentioned in earlier post Gretchen moved out here on the ranch in the pink house that sits behind mine and she is a writer.

Getting to know Gretchen has been one of the highlights of 2010. She has inspired me to pick up the pen again and finish my book that I had started years ago. Who could not be inspired by her and this lovely chapel.

About an hour into our writing we heard this really loud music that sounded like it was coming from a boom box outside. If only you could of seen the look on our faces. We both had the what the heck look on our faces because the song that was playing was no other than Highway to Hell.

There we were sitting in a chapel and listening to Highway to Hell.

Never in all my trips to Festival Hill have I heard any kind of noise except at the classical concerts or the birds singing. We went outside and there was no one but when you came back inside you could feel the windows rattle and the sound extremely loud. I then remembered the rock basement underneath the chapel and we had to go see who was playing.  

Like two kids we snuck down to the basement and all we could see was a very tall man playing a electric guitar with plenty of amps. lol  He never heard us...of course and we went back upstairs. Needless to say that was the end of our writing for the day. 

We laughed about it all the way home. Can you believe Highway to Hell playing inside a chapel. 

Sorry the pictures are so dark. We never could figure how to turn on the two beautiful chandeliers. Just the candle lighting on the side walls in between the stained glass windows.

I am in love with this chapel and am looking forward to writing in it again but of course without the music. It feels good to be writing again.

We were both in awe of the sundset while driving back to the North Forty.

What a way to end a wonderful day!

Hope you have the best weekend ever! If have not noticed yet I have added a page called Temptations to my site.

Today I tried doing a button for my site but so far no luck with getting it right. Carol from Firecrackerkid Primitives whose shop is listed on Temptations sent me instructions by email and I appreciate you Carol. I will try it again later tonight. Another thing I have been trying to add to my site and it want let me nor will it go away on my dashboard is the share your post thing. I have tried everything to add those silly little things to the end of my post and nothing comes up. hahaha Yet everytime I open the dashboard up it ask me if I want to add it. Why won't it Go away!

Sweet Dreams,

Maggie

Better Late Than Never!

Well after getting fully dressed today I decided to put away most of my Christmas decorations.

Sorry I meant to do a Christmas post and show you what little I decorated this year.

This is one of my mantles. I used the old timey big lights on it. Never thought I would use them on a mantle but it worked with what I used for decorations.

I went with a simple wreath this year too.

Did not hang my pink stockings but some old vintage ones for me and Tinkerbell!

One of my favorite Santa's!

The other mantle in my living room. I just placed angels around on it with small lights and an angel scarf that stays up most of the time.

                                              My sweet DL Andrea ask me if I wanted this old Santa and I jumped on it I thought he was too old and cute to throw away.

Some things you can not put away like this sweet card of Libbie's babies!

Hope you are having a good week. I finally put my bra back on today. hahaha I know a little too much information. I got caught twice by two different men that came out to the ole farm house. One to pick up a truck and another looking for a place to rent. haha.....Hope my jacket covered those babies up.

Anyway remember when I first started my site and I would do the Temptation Monday's. Well I have been wanting to do those again. Instead I just worked on a page that is underneath my header called Tempations. If you click it on it will take you to a list of my friends on here that have shops or pieces for sale. I know it a little late for Christmas shopping but they stay open all year around. lol

Also I went through my bloglist and being tired tonight I know that I missed a lot of you that have shops online. So just email me with your URL and I will be glad to add you to this list. grandmayellowhair@gmail.com Plus forgive me for missing you!

Headache coming on so off too bed.  I am glad I only had two small trees to put away instead of my large one. Have you finished putting things away too besides your bras. lol Sorry I could not resist.

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

No Bra For Ms Pearl!

Tell me would you argue with this woman! As you all know Ms Pearl has chewed up and spit out a many of inmate when she needed to but never has she argued with me. That is until this morning!

Yesterday for some strange reason I was having pains underneath my arm pit where many years ago I had breast cancer and they removed all my lymph nodes. Rarely does this hurt but it bothered me all day so this morning getting dressed I of course like most of us reach for my bra. That's when Ms Pearl made her appearance she totally absolutely refused to put it on. Yep NO Bra today was her arguement! I tried to reason with her that the two times I was braless out here in the country my land lady showed up from Nevada and caught me. lol

Her arguement was that prehaps without a bra maybe the arm would not hurt today. Needless to say she won! Let's see we have a Wordless Wednesday out here in blogland should we declare a Braless Monday!

Just think every Monday  we could all write about how good it feels to be 9 again running around with nothing strapped around us. lol  We could feel young again  Of course now  I should warn you that if you are like me there could me some danger involved. So like anything else consider the dangers! One that springs to mind or maybe spring is not the write word here but if your boobs have started to sag or hang to low that could present some problems but I will spare you the details.  Too much information....Right!

Speaking of information Marydon from Blushing Rose and Donna at Brynwood Needleworks are both having giveways! Bra or no bra I am entering these giveaways. So should you! Your a winner already by going to their sites and getting to know them. Two very lovely ladies who would never ever run around braless but I do know one rides a Harley and the other knocks on her blogging friends door but fully dressed of course.

I will of course let you know if I get caught today!

Love to all

Maggie

Wow Another Year Gone!

What a year for me to say goodbye to! I have to admit I am so looking forward to 2011.

Pictures do say a lot and as you can see by this one of me that I do need some big changes in my life this next year. A lot of stress and twenty pounds heavier since my accident I am thinking it is time for me to step up to the plate or should I say step away from the plate. lol

I had a long week at the biggest cancer center I believe in the US. Those of you that visit me regular know about my brother Gary fighting throat cancer. It only takes one visit to MD Anderson or another place like it to realize how many people are suffering from the horrible disease of cancer. Some of you my best friends out here in blog land have had it touch your lives this year either yourself or a loved one. Yet you still find the time to write me such kind words of encouragement. I will always be grateful to you!

Gary has three more weeks of chemo and radiation and unless things change quickly for him it will not be a good three weeks. He can not swallow anything solid and is now sick a lot and the pain is at a 9 or 10 most days. Seeing him this way has put my stress level to the top and makes me dread this next month.

I ended the week by going to my pain management doctor yesterday. Nothing has changed with my back and neck. He is leaning toward surgery but according to him it is too much of a risk to operate on my back with my neck so messed up. One problem fixed could only increase another one 10 fold according to him. So another month of pain pills and therapy is all I got yesterday from him.

I fully intended to take my computer with me while at the hospital this week and catch up with all of you but did not. Gary is one of those patients that takes all of your attention so it would not have worked anyway. His girlfriend called me this morning crying about him not wanting to work with her on taking his meds and exercises today  and I told her he just had to because I was taking a day off. lol See I can be selfish! Honestly I woke up this morning feeling like I was coming down with a cold. I thought no way am I starting this year off sick. hahaha

Enough on my woes.  I had wanted to do a post before the end of year to tell you how even though I am not in any way a savvy girl with computers my jumping on board out here in this world of blogging has been the "Wow" of my life! Everyday it has been the most exciting journey with you. Through blogging I have had the awesome experience of networking with the most amazing people in the world. YOU have indeed changed my world and I can not imagine being without you.

I am grateful that you have kept me somewhat centered (at least as centered as I can be) and you have let me try to be funny, sarcastic at times, crazy for sure but most of all you let me be Me and yet through all of this you still hang in there with me. You are my reminder that People really are Good. Look around at all the creative artful sites and then there is mine. I am truly honored that me with no talent to show you that you chose to be present and to be here. If I had to choose one thing that has truly got me through this past year it would be blogging. Without blogging I would have never had the opportunity to connect and form lovely friendships with all of you.

So with being so fortunate to have found you in 2010 I am totally looking forward to getting to know all of you better in 2011.

Thank you for being a true friend I can always count on and for always leaving me such kind words of encouragement. You always make my day!

Happy New Year and much love to all

Maggie