The Hill Country Weekend!

A few weekends ago we had one of our girly weekends and this time it was at Ruby's home in the hill country near Marble Falls.  This is where Ruby and hubby plan to retire in a few years. It is a lovely home and with my little camera I could not capture the whole house. lol  Believe me when I say there is a whole section on the right I did not manage to capture.

Lot's of things I love about this home but my favorite place is the back patio! Everyone but me enjoyed their first cup of coffee and me of course was my diet Dr. Pepper.  We planned our day  while listening to the early birds serenade us.  I could easily retire with a patio like this greeting me every morning.

Hope Ruby doesn't mind that I am sharing part of her master bath. This is the huge walk in shower behind this circular wall.  I have seen these in magazines but never thought I would actually ever use one. Pretty darn cool if I say so myself.

Since Ruby's hubby was working in London for the week she brought her precious little King to keep us entertained. He actually kept me from being bitten by a scorpion so King is my new best friend. Sorry about that Tinkerbell!

 Saturday morning the first place we stopped was a outdoor furniture store that has everything imaginable for the out door life. Ruby is wanting to redo her patio so she had to show us some of her selections. Here on the way to the car I made Ruby, Oscar and Bonnie pose for this pic. I grew up with these three siblings and their sister Linda who also happens to be my sister-in-law is missing this girly weekend. So we let their brother Oscar join in the fun since he is a hoot and never a dull moment when he is present.

Then Oscar made me trade places and he took our picture. Ruby on the left, myself and Bonnie.

I love these chairs and they come in every color even pink for my porch.

After this they pretty well made me leave the camera in the car while we walked the tourist town of Fredricsburg. It was Market Days so every body and their cousin just happened to be in town for the day. At times I thought I was in New York City instead of a small country town. Gosh everybody came to town that day. 

Ruby had gotten us tickets to a theater called the Rock Box and we had to rush our shopping to be there by 4:30. I wish you could of seen Bonnie and myself trailing after the two long legged Oscar and Ruby. Man I was glad when it was theater time so we could sit down. 

The Rock Box was cool. A cast of about 10 entertained us for two hours. They sang songs from the 50's and 60's. A lot of times it was hard to believe that they were imitators and not the real thing.  They reminded me of a group I saw in Vegas years ago. 

What really brought the house down was the last song when all the cast came out and we all joined them in Amazing Grace. Then a moment of silence for our troops. 

For a small town this was an impressive performance by these talented actors. I thought of Gretchen and how she wants to have a small theater like this one someday.

When we have these girly weekends we laugh ourselves silly. I think it is because of the subjects we discuss while playing cards. 

I thought with their brother Oscar there we might not have these talks but  boy was I wrong. He joined in and  only made us laugh harder with his man take on things. His wife is a sweetheart and was glad to let him get away with us for a weekend. 

Since I have know the Oliver's all my life these talks can lead to places only friends can go.

Oscar was trying to give his sister Bonnie and myself advice about dating again but his advice is not one I would want to repeat on here. His advice made me realize why I don't  date. lol

Oscar and I were partners in playing cards and we whopped them so bad that were told we could never be partners again.
I made the mistake and showed them how to find my blog so how do I tell you about our crazy antics. Maybe when the newness wares off for them. lol 

I do know that when God gives us friends to enjoy that we need to as often as possible. That is my reason for blogging. Sorry I fooled so many of you with the last post but I laughed every time I thought of Tinkerbell waking me up at that very moment so I had to share it with you. Your comments are always funnier that the actual stories and it was worth fooling you just to enjoy your comments. Several of you mentioned I sounded like a romance writer and maybe should write one. I hate to admit it but I have never read Romance books. I guess it's never to late to try something new.

On my way to Marble Falls I drove through Bastrop where one of the horrible wild fires destroyed thousands of acres and homes. I tried to find a place to take pictures but too much traffic and construction crews mowing down trees. For miles it looked like a war zone and my heart broke for all the families who have no place to call home.

In this picture you can't really see just how heartbreaking and overwhelming these fires have been to Texas during this drought. We have been told that this drought will not end for at least another year. Hard to imagine a dry winter.

For the last two days I have been sick with my back. I have over did it trying to work on the house in town. My son Clint came down Saturday and helped me and then by Sunday evening I could not function. I tried to work there yesterday but gave up after a few hours and then took today off. I just can't get down completely because there is so much left to do. It scares me to think that I may never be able to hold a full time job again. You guys that live off of just social security may have to give me lessons on living on such a limited income. I admire you for being able to do so.  

I love you!

Maggie

Is The Cowboy a Good Kisser?

How are you this evening! Another week has flown by and I still have not been able to get on here and do a post about my fun weekend with the Oliver's. But I will do it soon. Been painting and painting and painting at my home in town.

It was fun this week seeing beautiful Debby's smile on my page when I managed to come on site and read your wonderful comments. As always I love hearing from you. Thanks Debby for doing such a lovely story for us.

I knew that this post would be of more interest to you than the Oliver"s  so let me tell you my story. First before I start don't you just  love a good kisser. I have to say I do miss kissing! My hubby may have been an idiot but he could kiss. lol

My friend Barbara and I were sitting on a bench downtown listening to a band play. It was a cool evening and prefect for a street dance. She kept  me entertained by telling me of her long day she had gone through of driving a inmate to the Austin State Hospital,  We were both laughing pretty hard when I realized someone was sliding close to me on the bench.

I looked to my side thinking it was probably some couple looking for a place to sit. I don't have to tell you the look of surprise I had when I saw my neighbor the cute cowboy sliding near me. His grin was one you see on a romance book cover.

Barbara of course was exploring him like someone who had never seen a cute cowboy. I introduced them and explained to her that we were neighbors out on the North Forty.

He then ask me if I wanted to dance. I don't know what got in me but I jumped up from the bench and was leading him out in the street. We danced like we had been dance partners on dancing with the stars and I could not stop smiling.

The evening was over sooner than I wanted it to be and then he ask if I had rode with Barbara to the dance. I told him that I did and he then told Barbara he would take me home since we lived on the same property.

I was somewhat nervous on the drive home but I do remember my million dollar smile. It was plastered to my face.

He drives up to my house and I am busy thanking him for bringing me home and for keeping me from being a wall flower. He turns his engine off (to the truck that is) and walks me to the door. I remember him saying something about the last time he was on the porch that it was very entertaining.

I finally find my key to the front door and he opens the door. Next thing I knew I was looking really close into his sexy blue eyes because he had taken me into his arms and was going to kiss me.

Then I feel a very familar furry paw slapping me in the face. It was Tinkerbell waking me up for her breakfast. I have never hit a pet but I was really tempted that morning. You would think that she could of gave me five minutes at the door with the cowboy before slapping me awake.

Several times this week I have brought this up to her about her lousy timing. Now I don't know Is The Cowboy a Good Kisser?

Sweet dreams
Maggie

Debby Shares Her Story!

Once again I have a lovely sweet Blogazine Guest for you to capture your heart. I know she did mine when we found each other out here in this fun world of blogging.

Before I share Debby's story just wanted to let you know Ms Pearl took the weekend off and I went to the hill country with the Oliver girls and their brother Oscar. We laughed ourselves silly and after I recover from the weekend and my hard week last week I will write about our trip.

 Wish I could share everything that the four of us got into but I made the mistake and showed them how to read this blog. lol

Now sit back and enjoy my friend Debby!

 Hi there, my name is Debby from Cozy Blanket.  I started blogging about 18 months ago.  I have met so many wonderful bloggers and it has changed my life.  I spend way too much time on the computer but that's okay, right?
I have been married to my Hubby for 41 years.  We were 19 and 20 when we married.  So young. 
We have four adult children.  The youngest was a foster child that I brought home from pre-school one day and he never left. We adopted him one year later.  He had/has special needs and was a handful.  I have earned every white hair on my head.  Somedays I look back and wonder how we made it through his childhood. 
I am a cancer survivor. 
A rare type of sarcomas in my leg/hip area.  I think God had other plans for me.  But some 20 years later I am cancer free. 
I have an early childhood degree and have taught at many schools and have been a
Nanny to many children.
My biggest blessings the past 8 years have been my 6 grandchildren.  They are ages 8, 5, 5, 5, 2, 1.  The fives were all born six weeks apart.  Four of my grandchildren live in Colorado while I live in Ohio.  I travel to see them as much as I can afford to.  I have to mention that one little girl I was  Nanny to is also like a grandchild to me.  We have continued to be very close.  I watched her when I watched my two granddaughters that live here.  Now those three are off to school now.  But I am still a Nanny.  The children change from year to year but the relationships last forever.
I am also a clown, Petals.  I have done that for about 20 years and thinking that Petals may be soon retiring.

I enjoy taking pictures of my grandchildren.  I think that is another thing about blogs that is so much fun.  I love the pictures that everyone posts.  It's like a window into the world of others. 
We have a Yorkie, a Springer Spaniel, and a kitty.  They are our babies.
I have had to live simply the past few years so I enjoy all the DIY and low cost projects.  I seem to follow any blog that has the word cozy, cottage, country, cute in their title.
Well that's my story.  Come over to http://cozyblanket.blogspot.com/ and say hello.
Thanks Maggie for inviting me over.  Isn't she a dear.  She tells such wonderful sotries and that Ms. Pearl.....what a hoot.
((((HUGS)))

Really Debby having you over was my delight. In all honesty I love it when someone volunteers to do these Blogazine post. I always learn something new about them or that I had forgotten. Like Debby being a clown all these years. Debby you and Gretchen have that in common. She too loves to preform as a clown.

If I don't get volunteers I then seek Ms Pearl on someone until they do volunteer. lol

So who is my next blogger to tell their story. Remember everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?

Love to all,
Maggie

Part II of Ms Pearl Is Back!

A big fall good morning to all of you. I love the weather today. It is a beautiful day here and I am hoping you are having the same where you are today.

I know I am late posting Part II but I have been busier than an Aggie football player trying to dehorn the Longhorns. lol Right now I can barely move from all the cleaning and painting going on in my part of the world but we will talk about that later. Right now you just want to hear what Ms Pearl did.

Well to tell you the truth she almost got me seeing the other side of a jail cell the one I am use to looking into from the other side. lol

Yep the last time we talked Maggie agreed that a few days of cooling off was needed before going to the Utility Office to look up the nosy ole lady who messed with her daughter. Of course, Ms Pearl wanted to go there that day but thank goodness Maggie waited.

So on Thursday afternoon I decide I need to meet this woman and give her some lessons on how to deal with the public. I took one of those chill pills that I keep around for this type of happenings and wished that I did the pot thing so I could of had it for backup. Never did try that but maybe I should put in on my bucket list on what I want to try.

It only took me ten seconds to know which lady was the one I was looking for that hurt Christi's feelings so bad. I waltzed up John Wayne style to the counter and there were three young ladies and then there was a woman close to my age. I recognized her right away as someone that knew me and my first husband very well and she would know with out asking my daughter who was her daddy.

One of the young ladies ask me if she could help me and Glady's was trying to shuffle papers around pretending not to see me. I told her no thank you I am here to see a very nosy woman and would she please come up to the counter or would she rather me talk to her where everyone in the building could here us.

Glady's looked around for someone that might be of help and then said, "Now look Margaret there is no need for this. I was told by my supervisor you were upset and I meant nothing by asking Christi those questions.

I took that as a No she was not coming to the counter so by then Ms Pearl arrived and started the biggest stink that when it was over they had to call the trash collectors to haul off the trash in the office.

Ms Pearl said, "Glady's you know da** well that Christi's biological father left her when she was only one years old and after a year never came around for his visitations or child support. You also know how hard it was on me and my three babies to not have his help. Not only the love the kids needed from a father but financial help. Yet you see a chance after thirty something years to re-open this wound and while inside just keep digging and digging until my daughter could not stand the pain."

She then stood up and told me to leave or she would call security. Ms Pearl told her, "Go ahead and call whoever you want to but I am here and I am not leaving."

Ms Pearl then tried to explain to the stupid woman that in all these years she was just as nosy now as she was in the early 70's. She also told her that she was no longer the sweet young lady that she remebered years ago. Ms Pearl told her years of fighting for herself and her children had changed her and now would do anything to protect her children from people like herself.  It was obvious she was not listening and wanted me to shut up.

I guess someone else called security and here they come inside the front door. They both recognized me and smiled. One Officer said, "Now Maggie what is going on?" I told them what had happened and they both tried to not show sides but I could tell they were not glad to be called in on this dispute.

One of the Officers asked Gladys if she would just step outside and talk to me in private. She told him no way and so he ask me what was I going to do now. I told him that if I could I would wipe the floor with her but I knew that I did not have time to go to jail. They agreed that they did not have the time for me to do that either.

I walked outside with them and the three of us had a big laugh. They both knew Glady's was a nosy old woman and they advised me to just take it up with the supervisors. I agreed to go away peacefully and leave the nosy woman alone.

You know when it comes to my kids don't mess with me. I may be old but I have a feeling Ms Pearl could of fixed that womans mouth where it would be shut for a good while. lol

Seriously I don't believe in fighting but I came real close to doing something I don't believe in.

Now I am mad again. hahaha....Everytime I think of what that woman did Ms Pearl comes back!

Love to all
Maggie and Pearl

Ms Pearl Is Back!

In all fairness to my new friends on here let me explain who this Ms Pearl is that we often talk about on my site.

My career in law enforcement gave me the wonderful opportunity to placed me in a bad environment full of every kind of scum bag there is that does not understand the laws of the state of Texas or any other state that they have lived.

In working long days and nights surrounded by low life I eventually picked up some of their bad habits. It seems when I get really upset and angry another person comes out of me that not even myself recognizes and my fellow officers and inmates named her Ms Pearl. Little did I know they had been calling me that for quite some time before I found this out.

In all honesty I try in earnest to keep her buried deep inside where no one knows that she even exists.

With that said let me tell you she does exist and she came out from months of hibernation in a vengeance.

Let’s roll back the clock to this time yesterday. My sweet daughter Christi came to see me over the weekend to help me clean my home in town that I have to rent out.  While I was painting the front door of the home Christi took my money and application to the utility office to turn on the utilities at this location.

Since I had paint clothes on and covered with paint it was good of her to do this for me. While at the utility office the clerk sees Christi’s last name and turns on the old town nosy charm of asking endless questions about who your kin too.

Christi tells her who her Aunt and Uncle are who are well known in our small town and the Ms. Have to get in your business Woman this is not enough blood for her to suck on. She has to have more.

She then asks Christi who is your father? Christi politely and uncomfortably said, “I have not seen him since I was three!” Thinking with that said this would surely end the conversation. Anyone with any kind of manners or just plain common sense would of ended it right there but would you believe she just kept digging until finally Christi gives her his name.

Then the stupid clerk had the nerve to say, “You don’t keep up with your Dad?”

By the time Christi arrived back to the house I could tell that something was terribly wrong.  Needless to say when she repeated this story to me I lost it completely.

I waited until Christi went after us some lunch and I called the utility office. I ask to speak to the manager of the office. They switched me to Wanda and I told her what had just happened.

The more I spoke to the lady the louder my voice got and before I knew it there was Ms Pearl in all her glory. Ms Pearl has an ugly way of not holding back any feelings.

She asks the lady what the hell does it matter who is your Daddy is when turning on the utilities. I mean the more the lady talked the madder Ms Pearl seemed to get. It was not a pretty conversation to say the least.

It ended with Wanda saying she was sorry this happened and she would check into it. This was not enough for Ms. Pearl. She told Wanda that her clerks were more concerned with gossip than doing their job. Ms Pearl then promised Wanda that when she calmed down she would call the City Manager and let him know what had taken place within his city offices.

I never calmed down enough to talk to the City Manager but I feel like after writing this today he might be getting a call this afternoon.

What angered me so is I am pretty sure I know who the clerk was and I know for a fact she knows everyone in this town and knew dang well who Christi’s legal dad was she just wanted Christi to say something bad about the family so she could repeat it to them.

Now I am getting mad all over again. Lol

Can you imagine that in this century that there are still small town nosy people like this woman that still exist. I thought as big as our town has grown that the people had grown up with it. Boy was I wrong.

Maybe Ms Pearl should just visit the utility office herself today. What do you think?

Love to all
Maggie

The What the Hell Dance!

Good fall morning to you all! The temps here are finally in the high 50's early morning and 80's in the afternoons. These cooler temps have helped with me trying to clean and paint at my home in town.

Let me tell you about one of those cooler mornings. Living out here on the North Forty I hardly ever see anyone for days unless I go to town or someone drops by. So I sometimes run out the back door in my pajamas and feed the cats and pray no one is around to see the show.

Not so lucky Tuesday morning.  I was feeling frisky because the weather was cool and it brought out the little girl in me. This being said I did not just throw the food in their bowls and run back inside I bent down to pick Snowball up and give him a kiss for Christi when wham something hit my rear end. The something was Snowball's sister Twinkie and the dang idiot has her claws attached to my rear and I am screaming doing the What the Hell dance to get her off and out of no where a truck is coming down the dirt rode beside my back yard.

Here this ole grandma has a calico kitten attached to her Loony Tune pajama bottoms and in horror of being seen like that runs to the back door swatting her rear like it is on fire and finally the crazed cat falls off and I am inside my house.

With in minutes I am in the living room putting on a re-enactment to Tinker Bell while she is on the staircase watching the show with what seems to be surprise on her furry face. Like I mentioned earlier the weather had me frisky so I was really putting on a funny show for my audience I thought of one when all of a sudden Tinker Bell looks over me and toward the front door and runs up the stairs to disappear out of site.

You know me I laugh out loud and tell her my performance couldn't have been that bad when I hear this man's voice through the screen door. No Maggie I thought it was a pretty good replay.

I have to tell you if I could have I would have disappeared with Tinker Bell but I was frozen on my stage and I slowly turned around to face the cowboy who lives next door. He is standing there with the biggest grin on his cute face and tells me he is sorry but the door was open and he was having too much fun to knock.

This is one of those moments when you’re locked in sheer dumbfounded unbelievable disbelief that this is happening to you. Not only had I preformed for Tinker Bell but for a good looking cowboy close to my age while wearing not only pajamas but children’s pajamas. I have Tweedy Bird all over my body in pretty colors of green, purple, pink and of course Tweedy Bird stands out in bright yellow.

I have to tell you I honestly felt like a Looney Tune standing there looking at the cowboy. I could see his lips moving trying to tell me he had stopped to see if I was okay after I ran into the house with something attached to my butt. In all honesty I don't even know what came out of my mouth to him. I sure it was not worthy of remembering or sharing with you.

Later in the day while playing this whole thing back in my mind I told Christi that I was pretty sure in my performance to Tinker Bell that I mentioned the hottie cowboy seeing me in my Tweedy Bird pajamas and asking Tinker Bell did she think that he thought I was a cute birdie dancing around. hahahaha

All I can say right now is those darn cats may starve from now on because now they have to wait until I am fully clothed to go outside. lol

At least when Gretchen calls me from Kentucky I can tell her that I am still having adventures out here on the north forty. Not as fun though but enough to make me laugh.

Update on my house in town. The yard is as bad as the inside. Tuesday and Wednesday I scrubbed the brick floor in the den and kitchen then painted the kitchen cabinets. Their not prefect but wow what a difference just those two things have made in that area. I then started painting the front door a red. Yeah red I have seen so many red doors that I now have one coat to my door. My plans were to finish the door today but my back is telling me no.

Several have been kind enough to ask what I am going to do with the house. Well that is a very good question. I can't sleep at night trying to come up with the best way to go from here. If I keep renting it out I am only in for more of this crap. I thought of moving one of my bedroom suits over to it and my beautiful living room pieces that are over at one of my brothers house then renting out the other three bedrooms to women so I could come and go like I live there and have access anytime day or night to keep my house safe but living in a small town I don't know if I can find three older women who need a nice home to share with other women. They would have access to the big kitchen, den, sunroom and garage.

Houses here are not selling and if they do you loose all your equity so what to do is a big problem to me at the moment.

I do know being inside of it the last three days working the happy memories came flooding back to me and makes it hard again for me to come back out here and live alone.

My nephew got his daddy involved in me wanting him to help me clean the house and yard and needless to say the dad sided with his son which shocked the pee doodle out of me because I thought my brother had more upstairs than his son but found out different. hahaha Their story is my sweet sister-in-law spent two weeks cleaning the house before they moved out and their done with cleaning it. Fine a little hard work never killed anyone right? No one has bothered explaining to me why the full rent for September was not pain. I guess their done with that too. God Bless them they mean well.

Enough of that lets enjoy these beautiful days before winter blast us with temps that freeze my toes off.

Love to all
Maggie

Giveaway Wins and Kaci's Art!

Look what I won from the Rocky Mountain Woman! She had a giveaway last month and I was the lucky winner. Two great bags and a cute magnet bought at her local Farmers Market.  These bags are bigger than they look and I have enjoyed using them for my shopping and for taking snacks to Gretchens house many times. If you have not been to RMW site your missing out on a her writing, recipes and a great home she is building.

Another awesome giveaway was held by Kim at Millie's Mats and yep I won it too. I know I am on a lucky streak....well when it comes to giveaways that is. hahaha

Kim gave away one of her beautiful mats that she hooks and I can't believe I now have one in my home to enjoy. It is a starfish and is beautiful!

This mat is made so well by Kim that the back is almost as pretty as the front.

Thank you both for choosing my name and sending me such wonderful gifts. I love them both.

Another piece I love is my granddaughter Kaci's picture she painted of my furry sidekick Tinkerbell.

Kaci is nine years old and loves to paint.

What amazes me about this picture is the markings on the cat she painted for me are so just like Tinkerbells. I am now the lucky owner of another one of Kaci's one of kind art.  Life is good.

Here I was trying to get Kaci to wake up for you but she raised up and fell back down. Out like she had a rough day like her mom did. lol

Would you believe that my day was receiving ugly text all day from my nephew about me wanting him to clean my house. I finally turned my phone off but not before he totally ruined a beautiful fall day. He insist the house is clean. His dad told my brother Billy that it was as clean as it was going to get. So.....

Tomorrow my plans are to get up early and over to that house and Clean and Clean some more.

Thanks for all of your comments. I am trying to catch up with all of you and your wonderful sites.

Love to all

Maggie

Disgusting!

Sorry to have such a disgusting post tonight but I just spent four hours washing down these cabinets in my home in town. Then I was able to give them one coat of paint before my back gave out. It is a huge kitchen with lots and lots of cabinets and everyone of them looked as bad or worse than these two pictures.

Can you imagine living in this kind of filth and then move out and leave it for your Aunt to clean up.

Yep I said Aunt.

This picture below is a small shot of the floors in my once beautiful sunroom.

Here is the brick floor in the den and kitchen. Actually this is not the worse section here.

 Look at the ceramic tile in the shower. You really would die if I showed you the bathtub.

This is just one pile of leaves that I guess are from last fall. You really can not tell from this picture how high the pile is but believe me when I say it's high.

What really angers me is Christi phoned my nephew and ask him what his intentions were for cleaning the house and yard. He got really smart with her and told her that not to even go there because they left it clean. Went as far to say that it looks just the way it did when he moved in. 

Believe me this house was spotless when he moved in and the nerve of him to say that to Christi. His wife just tried to phone me and I did not answer it because I knew as tired and mad as I am that Ms Pearl would unload on her so bad that you would hear me all the way to Canada.

Since it is my brothers only son I am trying my best to control my true feelings. The sad thing is this nephew was not raised like this and he comes from a good Christian home. Him and his wife are in church every Sunday with his mom and dad.  For some reason that makes me even madder. Am I wrong for thinking a good Christian would live better and not leave a rented home like this or any home.

Instead of spending a beautiful day at Warrenton walking around in 80 degree weather which is a first for us in a very long time I was cooped up in a house without the utilities on trying to not find a place in it to hang myself. hahaha

Between this house and all the chores they have given me to do out here on the North Forty I don't know when I can come up for air.

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

PS: It is not my brother Billys son the one in the post before this because if it were I am afraid that Billy would skin him alive leaving me a house like this to deal with.