July 2018

A lot has happened since my last post.  I think I'm ready to see Fall arrive this year... I need cool weather and a change of pace.

We had to say goodbye to this sweet angel last Wednesday night.  It was a very sad night and has been a very sad week for me.  This little guy taught me a lot about love.  I'll love you forever, Tumpy.

Yesterday I had a birthday:

It was a nice quiet day.  I received a few phone calls.  Hubby took me to a favorite seafood restaurant with a river view in Sneads Ferry, NC.   And I was able to take a nice nap with my other two doggies.

I did sneak away for a few days and see this little sweetie back in late June.  It was a good visit and I sure wished I could see that baby more often.  I miss her sweet mommy too.

I bought myself a quilt from an antique shop while in Tennessee.  I just loved the colors and the design.

Sweet Annabelle started preschool last month.  She LOVES getting up to "go play with her friends."

Grandma borrowed a vintage bike from their great granddaddy :-))

These two guys came to spend 9 days with Grandma and Papa  while their parents went on an anniversary trip to NY. We had a nice week.... Avery lost a tooth and Chandler learned to ride his bike without training wheels!!

We took the boys fishing one day; Avery had more luck than any of us.  It was his day.

I painted myself a new quilt block that we hung on the fence. I love the bright colors on this one.

color, color everywhere!

What I've been reading:

I read my first Jane Austen book and totally loved it.  I found an online FREE college lecture series to go along with the book, if anyone else is interested.  Hillsdale College  There are other free things to study there, too.   I also just finished reading another classic :  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn that I highly recommend.  

Tumpy 2008-2018

Birthdays and deaths always make me turn inwards and examine a lot of things about my life.  (we also had two friends to pass away yesterday) It can certainly lead to depression, which seems to be easy for me to slip into... but I am trying so hard to make this into new ambition for myself.  I need to make some positive changes in my life , and I have a few ideas already.   I need to stop wasting time, as time is very precious, and it goes so quickly.  If you pray, I would love for you to add me to your list.... I sometimes wonder if anyone ever prays for me, since my Mom passed away.  :-((    If there is anyway I can help lift any of you up, please let me know.  Love to all!

beautiful hydrangea picked from my brother and sis in law's new house in Bath, NC

Yo Yo's and Grey Hair

Just to prove that I finished something....


It's not much, but it still feels great to mark a project as complete.

granny spreads done

I bought a couple of clearance  quilt kits after Christmas, one I hope to make into a wall hanging for my livingroom.  I found an awesome deal on Elsa and Anna fleece no sew blankets (you know, the ones you tie the fringe together) , so I bought two to make for the my granddaughters.  They really need another blanket... :-))

L@@k at this grey hair

Ok, so this is me and the top of my hair!  Back in the summer,  I had all the color cut out of my hair, just to see how much grey is really there.  (I have colored my hair since I was in my 30's... before I even needed to color)  It was a fun experiment with the idea of letting myself go grey, embracing my age, being all natural, etc. etc.

I was thinking it looked pretty good in my own lighting at home.  Every now and then I would catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror if I was out somewhere in different lighting and think 'hmmm.... looking old there , Penpen."

My  final decision was made for me during a Christmas party at my sis in law's house.  Known for saying what she thinks, she gazed into my hair and said "what have you done?"  I proudly replied "nothing.... it's all natural."  She replied, "well whatever it is, don't do any more of it."  SHE POPPED MY BUBBLE!  She told me it looks as if I had it 'frosted'.... anyone remember when we had our hair frosted?  I do and I did!

So I came home and took some pics of the top of my  head, just to see what others might be seeing.

                                                            ********************

Since it's a new year, a new me, etc.... I've decided to have my hair colored  on my next  salon visit.  

I am not going to lie... I feel like 'something' happened to me when my own mother died almost 3 years ago.  A part of me went with her.  I just didn't care much about most things any longer.  I went into survival mode.  It didn't matter how I looked, because I was going to die soon, too.  Just be.... take care of daddy.... do the best I can.

I quit my job, gained weight, spent a lot of time on the couch, rarely went outdoors, stopped walking the dogs (they have a fenced in yard), slept a lot, ate terribly., developed high blood pressure and gastric reflux .... you name it, all the typical signs of depression. (something i've fought all my life)

I saw my doctor several times, who recognized my depression and has been very kind and patient while seeing me through this.

Several things happened at Christmas, besides the hair color comment, that made me take a good look at myself.  The blood pressure and gastric reflux really really got my attention, because I thought I was having a heart attack one night.  Something had to give....

So, it's 2018.  Time for a change, time to get back to being me , time to look after me, to improve my health and my outlook.  And time to color my hair!  

Life is beginning again in 2018.

*Prayers welcome*