Cardinals own the Central…

“St.Louis clinches first division title in four years with 7 – 0 win over Cubs”

 

Congratulations Cardinals from one of your biggest fans!

Beth

Many Thanks…

for the birthday wishes and the lovely cards I received.  My daughter brought me lovely flowers a card and a birthday cake (my second cake) and tomorrow she and my SIL Mike are taking me to eat at Red Lobster.  I received a nice chunk of money from family which I proceeded to spend before it could burn a hole in my pocket.  Thank you to Paul my Boston friend who sent me several lovely shots of the lighthouse at Martha’s Vineyard.

The flowers from my daughter and son in law.  The cake is all gone because I had to eat a piece for each of you.  It was really good but I gained back a couple of the lost pounds.

Yesterday with the help and guidance of my Tennessee Twin I purchased an iPad 2 which is more than enough for me to start with.  I really would have enjoyed having that while I was stuck in the hospital with no visitors allowed.

I have an appointment this afternoon to see both my surgeon and my oncologist.  I have a whole page full of questions for them.  Monday I am having a CT scan.  I am a bit worried about that one.

Note for Happy One.  Yesterday was a hectic day for me and I didn’t get a chance to let you know that the blanket for little Lizzie was received amidst oohs and awes.  They all thought it was beautiful and the mittens for Addie adorable.  I have asked for a picture of Lizzie with the blanket.  I will send it along to you when I get it.

I hope you all have a truly Blessed weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Short birthday post…

I want to wish my dear Tennessee Twin a happy birthday today.  She shares this birthday with me.  We first met I think it was exactly 8 years ago this month when I was blogging on Windows Live Spaces.  It was so much fun to find a fellow blogger who shared my birthday.  Not the year (I am older than her) just the day.  We are true twins at heart and share many likes and dislikes.  We also share a deep faith in God.

http://ramblingon-ramblingon.blogspot.com/   Please stop by today and wish my Twin a happy birthday.

This is the youngest pic I could find of me.  This was taken when I was in the 3rd grade.  There is a story about the dress I have on.  I have told it before and I will probably tell it again at a future date.

Have a wonderful day.  I will eat a piece of cake for you all.

Stay safe and be happy!!

One down. two to go…

I am home from my appointment this morning.  I have another early appointment with my primary care physician tomorrow morning.  Then another doctor appointment on Friday.   October so far is free and then November socks it to me.

I had calls to make this morning to my insurance company.  I received a letter from them stating that since I lost my beloved Dr. Dreyer to Florida that I had to reset my PCP and state who my new nephrologist will be to make sure he was on their provider list.  Next was calling my new doctor’s nurse to make sure that my new doctor would submit new  prescriptions to the pharmacy for me.  And now I have a headache!!

http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/560262/Dr-Paul-Dreyer-ORLANDO-FL.html 

If you click on this link you will see that he has one rating since he moved to Florida and it is my rating. 

It is beautiful here this morning.  The sun is shining and it is 51 degrees to reach the mid 70s by afternoon.  I love this kind of weather.  I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

For Jim…

Missing you today on your birthday Jim.  You remain always in my heart.

Love,

Beth

Nice Drizzly Morning…

We have had drizzles the last few nights, not enough to amount to much, about .03 of an inch.  We need a lot more than that.  I am hoping it doesn’t come this winter in the form of ice and snow.  I hate cleaning the car off.

My daughter was kind enough to take me to a few garage sales this morning.  I have missed most of the garage sales this summer.  After we went to the garage sales we went to Bergner’s where I got a pair of slacks, a pair of shorts, a pair of sandals and 2 packages of fluorescent footies all for $29.41 for a savings of almost $83.  When I took some books to Goodwill this week I was given a whole handful of coupons to be used at Bergner’s.  The coupons worked on everything.  So much fun.  I think I will go back again before the promotion ends on October 5th as I have a lot of coupons left.

I have cleaned the bathroom and run the sweeper this week.  Tomorrow I have some laundry to do and mopping the kitchen floor and dusting.  I should have done these things today but I had more fun out at garage sales and shopping.

Tomorrow begins my 7th week of recovery.  I am keeping track of the weeks that I have been allowed to live and thanking God for the privilege. I have 3 doctor appointments this next week, the 23rd, 24th, and the 27th.  My birthday along with my twin falls in the middle of the week on the 25th.  I can’t believe how old I am getting.  Don’t ask, because I will never tell. 

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!

Beth

A prayer for Lizzie…

I think most of you probably remember me mentioning my great great niece Lizzie who was born a couple of months ago.  I posted a picture of her at that time.  Her grandfather Mike sent me an updated photo of her just yesterday and already my  computer has eaten it.  Lizzie has been diagnosed with Prader Willi Syndrome.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prader%E2%80%93Willi_syndrome  This is a very serious genetic disease.  Lizzie needs our prayers; lots of them.  I am posting a picture of Lizzie and her big sister Addie.  (Mike, if you are reading this please send me another updated photo of Lizzie)

 

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers from Lizzie and her mommy and daddy, big sis Addie and from me, Aunt Beth.

Please, stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

 

Wonderful Day…

My brother Bill and his wife Karen came to see me yesterday.  We had lunch at Applebee’s and I was able to enjoy my meal.  They brought me a small early birthday cake and a lovely card with money in it.  I am ready for a real splurge on Amazon now as my sister  sent me birthday money too.

Beth and my brother Bill

Beth and my sister in law Karen on the right

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

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I just spoke to my sis in WV this morning.  She is making good progress.

I am not doing much today.  Just getting caught up with resting.  I hope you all have a pleasant day.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Tired but…

happy.  Yesterday was a very nice day for me.  My son came for a short visit and my daughter and SIL were here to.  I had rallied around and we had potato salad, baked beans, mandarin orange salad and chicken tenders.   My daughter brought over a banana cream pie.  I did my cooking in stages so it wasn't  too exhausting.

Then after they had all gone home Jim’s nephew and his wife from Wisconsin stopped by with their granddaughter for a visit.  They were on their way to Bloomington to visit friends.  My daughter and son in law came back over for a visit.  I was very tired last night.


                                                                 Celeste Addie and Mike

Addie is adorable.  She is 2 and 1/2 years old but is so well behaved.  It was so nice to see everyone yesterday.

My brother and sister in law are coming to see me today.  We are going out to lunch so I won’t have to do anything  today except rest.

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!

Beth

Update…

I just talked to my sis in the hospital.  She is doing fine, up and walking around and exercising.  Thank you all so much for your prayers!

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It is much cooler here today, only at 78 degrees right now with the high for tomorrow predicted to be 70 degrees.  Low tomorrow night of 45.  Quite a change from the upper 90s.  We had a few drops of rain this morning, not even what you could call a trace.  The ground is totally  brown and is crunchy when you walk on it.

I am starting to be able to chew better although my mouth is still quite sore.  I have no taste buds.  Once in awhile I think I can make out a flavor and then poof it is gone.  I will begin my 6th week of recovery on Saturday.  I was told not to expect any real  improvement until at least 8 weeks.  I am back using my c-pap mask so I am sleeping better at night.

Have a Blessed weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

I will never forget…

I was on my computer and I had the TV in the room turned on  so I knew right away.  Jim was mowing the lawn.  I shut off the computer and TV and went outdoors and got Jim.  We sat in front of the TV in the living room all day long.  We called all of our family just to make sure they were all OK. 

The lawnmower sat right where he left it until the next day when Jim finished mowing.  In all of our many years together Jim had never left the lawnmower outside overnight.

May God Bless America!!

Beth

Prayer Request Please…

My sister Rae in W.V. will be going in the hospital tomorrow for surgery (hip replacement).  Her family would appreciate all prayers and kind thoughts for her.  She is my only remaining  sister and is very precious to me.  Thank you!

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Yesterday the real temperature here reached 99 degrees breaking records.  It is supposed to reach the upper 90s again today.  I am venturing out in a few minutes to mail a letter and then I am staying in for the rest of the day.

You all stay cool.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Oh what a beautiful…

morning in the heart of Illinois.  The sun is shining and it is 64 degrees to reach 90 degrees today.  It is a great day to be alive and I thank God that am.  I have finished my 4th week of recovery and today begins my 5th week.  I am gaining more strength each day.  I think I will try and tackle a quick once over cleaning this week.

My son is coming to see me this Friday and my brother and his wife the next day on the 14th.  I am in a dilemma on what to have to eat while they are here.  My brother made it simple and said ‘Sis, don’t worry about it, we will take you out to eat and if that doesn’t work we’ll get you a gallon of homemade soup.’  My son is a different story.  I definitely will make his lemon cream cheese bars that are his favorites.  I have everything I need to make them.  It will all work out!

Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

These lemon bars are a great favorite of my son. Easy to make too!

Step 1.

Mix 1 box yellow cake mix with
1/3 cup oil and
1 egg
Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup. Pat remaining mixture into a 13X9 ungreased pan. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile do

Step 2.

Beat 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese with
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar and
1 egg until light and fluffy.

Spread over baked crumb mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumbly mixture over top. Bake 15 minutes longer. Do NOT overbake. Chill completely and cut into squares.

I hope your weekend is a good one.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Marigold Festival, Pekin Illinois

The Marigold Festival will be held here this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  I will not be attending this year.  It always draws a massive crowd and I don’t want to be in a large crowd for awhile.  Pekin is known as the Marigold Capital of the World.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekin,_Illinois

http://www.pekinchamber.com/marigoldfestival.html

 

Miss Marigold, 2013

http://www.pekinchamber.com/marigoldpageant.html

 

Have a wonderful day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

The 4th week…

This begins the 4th week of my recovery.  I am feeling better, not much strength so far.  I am able to chew some now but I have lost my sense of taste.  Everything tastes the same to me.  I hope that comes back.  My daughter told me that I am walking a lot better, not having to hang on to her arm everywhere we go.

We had a cold front go through last night and the temp is in the 60s to reach mid 70s today.  This is such a welcome relief from the upper 90s we have had for the last couple of weeks.  September is here.  I love when the colors start to change on the trees.  My header photo shows a picture that I took last fall of the trees on my street that I live on.

Another pic from my street.

I hope you all are enjoying the Labor Day Holiday.  Have fun!  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth