Home Happenings

Where have the last few days gone?  Makes my head spin.
I didn't think the day would EVER come that we'd get a BIG SCREEN TV, but we did.  She's a 40 inch Flat Screen Non-glare Colored Television.  OH HAPPY DAY!!!  Somehow way behind with TV LAND, but right on time for us.

WHOOT WHOOT.  This past week-end we watched our Big Screen T.V. and rejoiced that we got it at such a great price. $378.oo from Menards.  It was the last one.  Hubby still tweaking all the options, but we get 4 channels without cable.

I've been eye balling BIG SCREEN TVs for nearly 6 years......great to have one.

We went to Menards to buy a fake owl and hawk to ward off real birds from chipping and picking away at our stone house.  The birds love the stones.  We left with the fake creatures and a TV.  Grins.

On Sunday afternoon, we watched an old black and white movie made in 1963 A CHILD IS WAITING with Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Gena Rowlands and some other actors that I couldn't call by name, but recognized their faces.  A tear jerker.

I continue to clean the windows and window treatments in the Parlour....I will get it done before the end of the month....i will.....i will.  Also clearing out the family room toy binds.  Bought some plastic sweater boxes that will hold toys.  At DOLLAR GENERAL the price dropped to $3.oo a box so I didn't feel guilty buying more for my project.

All small toy animals go in one box, all spongy tiles go in a box, all baby toys go in a box, all children's dishes go in a box, all the coloring books go in one box......etc.  Think this will organize my family room where Lil Miss plays during the day.  Think our early childhood developement and not getting so much out before getting more out to play with will be easier to manage for old granny.  Tonight I bought some plastic Storage Boxes to put the toy trucks in.

A ways to go with sorting through the toy binds....so the family room looks like we're moving again!  Hoping by this week-end I will have it under control and admire this being streamed lined.

I put a white basket out in the family room to hold Christmas Books, Christmas Music, Videos and Christmas Cds as I start to come across them.  Getting ready for the HOLIDAY.  Tonight as I was out shopping, I heard a toy mouse playing Christmas music on a miniature piano.  I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

Today I had a full day of shopping with Lil Miss.  K-Mart's Christmas Section looked like a Christmas Wonderland.  Lil Miss liked this and so did I.

Visited the Public Library and picked up a few FREE magazines that they give away.  A couple of them are HOLIDAY mags and it was fun to thumb through them.  DECORATING ideas.  Me Like.

Ate Lunch with Hubby!  TRADITIONAL EGGS BENEDICT.

Returned a RED BOX Movie for daughter.  Strolled Walgreens and was PROUD of myself for not buying anything.  Looked at some John Freida LIGHTENING Shampoo for blondes.  Might try some of this later.

Stopped off at SONIC and had one of those half price drinks.  SPRITE Zero for me and Lil Miss had a Watermelon Slush.  I wonder if she liked it....I failed to ask her.

Off to K-Mart and parked under a shade tree as the temps were in the high 80s.  We sat with the windows rolled down as a gentle breeze blew through.  Read Lil Miss a Library Book and then she colored as I thumbed through the magazines from the Library.  Listened to FRENCH LESSONS in the car.  I called this time our Quiet Time and after a hour of down time we went into K-Mart and shopped.  I was on the hunt for a wreath hanger.  Last week I bought a beautiful wreath that I want to hang up on the Powder Room Shutters to add some color.

Back to Menards to buy a new shovel and leather work gloves.  Hubby is working at cleaning up the area behind the new backyard fence he built to replace the old one.  We bought Home Haven close to 5 years ago and the wood fence around the backyard hasn't held up well at all.  It's a disappointment to me that more than likely the whole fence all the way around the backyard will have to be replaced.  It wasn't built right.  We've learned alot here.

Hubby replaced the backyard gate with a new fence.  It looks really nice!  We plan on putting a raised flower bed there with Irises.  Irises are one of my favorite childhood flowers....Lilac Bushes as well.  We've planted both since we have lived here and continue to rethink our landscaping.

 Just had some Orville Redenbacher's MICROWAVE 100% WHOLE GRAIN GOURMET POPPING CORN SPICY NACHO.  This is a first for me.  Have you seen it?  Came home with it tonite.  SHE'S SPICY AND HOT IN THE MOUTH.

As we were looking at the ingredients for Whole Wheat Bread, we noticed that many breads have high fructose corn syrup in them and we're trying to eat less of this.  NATURE'S PRIDE Premium Bread 100% Natural 100% Whole Wheat  is what we bought.

You know me and marshmallows....well......came home with SHAPED LIKE A PUMPKIN KRAFT Jet-Puffed JUMBO Pumpkin Mallows to sample with my Hot Chocolate this month.  WAL-MART also had Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows.  Hummmmm...better go back and get some.  I hear that if you put them in your coffee it taste like a Pumpkin Latte.

On a sad note, one of my dear Aunts passed away at 86 years of age this past week-end.  I read a cousin's comment on face book and began to think perhaps my Aunt had died.  My son sent me a link to a Death Notice.  I called the Funeral Parlor mentioned to find out what time VISITATION would be......I was told that there would be no visitation and my Aunt was to be cremated.  A MEMORIAL or Celebration of Life Service would be on Saturday.  Stunned.  Another relative cremated.  I know she is Christian and is in the presence of OUR LORD.  I know that her spirit left her body the instance she took her last breath.  I just can't believe it was her idea to be cremated.  Her Husband wasn't and their daughter wasn't.  So why my Aunt?  As I heard the Mortician tell me that she would be cremated my heart sunk and my emotions boiled.  I WAS DISGUSTED.

I phoned my Folks......Mom said no one had called them.  The Family of another one of my Aunts did the same thing....it seems that the children don't phone the sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws of their parent.  Somehow magically the relatives will just know that their loved one died and the service will be at such and such time.  My Parents have known their Sister-in-laws for over 60 years....and the children think so little as to NOT telephone them and let them know that their LOVED ONE has died.  It SICKENS ME.

I thought my Dad's side of the Family was closer to one another than this.  The Family Get Togethers have drastically changed.  Once there was a time that we spent the entire day together at Thanksgiving, Christmas and at my Grandma's Birthday Parties.  Now we don't meet for Christmas or Grandma's Birthday.  Been replaced for the Fourth of July meal.  NOW we meet for a quick meal...maybe two hours and then people rush away.  Funerals...if there are any....are quick get togethers as well.  It's as if some have to get back to work as soon as they got there.  I am saddened by this NEW NORM that has invaded.

It is like my CHRISTIAN RELATIVES are giving way to being more secular than I can believe.  IT GRIEVES ME.  Where are the sensitive ones that I thought were in my family?  Where are the ones that long to do the right things concerning life issues?

My sweet Uncle John prayed for all his family members every day......he passed away a while back and he had a beautiful Christian service.  He was buried.  The Gospel Of Jesus Christ was shared at his FUNERAL.  Funerals were where you could pay your respects for the deceased.  A time to grieve and say good-bye to the one who passed until we meet again in heaven.  Funerals were a ceremonial time to actually see that the spirit was gone from their body.  The spirit that was their eternal soul was GONE.  I touched my Grandmothers' and Grandfather's hands to say good-bye and wept.

If for some reason I live longer than my Husband....I will sit for hours gazing at his body as it lies in a  coffin.  I will look at him to say my good-byes until I see him again in heaven.  This will be a moment in time that I will want to take time to say good-bye to him.  Not rush at having him cremated so I can spread his ashes in the air.  But a time to place his body at a memorial place where I can go to and stand at the foot of the burial place and say I remember all the good times we had and all the not so good, but I loved you as best I knew and I miss you more than words can say.  Till we see one another again....I still love you.

Not a FAN of CREMATION.  Another post about that later.

After the day I've had I will have a slow paced day.  A soak in the tub, so I can shave my legs and soak my bones.  Perhaps I will sip on a mug of HOT CHOCOLATE with one of those orange marshmallows bobbing in it even if the temperatures are in the 80s.

This week I plan on digging in the Garage and finding Autumn Decorations.  Get crackin'.

I love you and wish you well.  Truly....may you have a sweet Autumn.
~Deanna~