[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: September! School Days-Leaves Turning-Visits to the Apple Orchards #68478

It is cool here today girls. I do imagine some is due to the rain we are expecting in this area later today and tonight and tomorrow. I watch some of the news about what the storms have caused but just cannot watch all that destruction for too long. I know those poor people must be reeling from where and how to start rebuilding. Thank God for all those who are helping them. I actually went on two weeks of time during my working days to work at one of the hospitals after a bad storm years ago. Everyone was so grateful for just anything we did. You can imagine how hard it was for people who didn’t have their medicines; or who just needed to be seen for some medical problem. We surely worked long long hours, but it felt good to do it.
This day of remembering always makes me sad. So much pain, so much loss of life. Words just cannot express how we all feel.
That was such a cute saying by Piper. She is so smart. I know you almost fell out with her observations of the chicken fingers. Was it Art Linkletter who did the show Kids say the Dardest things? Seems it was. I loved that show; and it is so true. I love their innocence; while at the same time being so above average intelligence with their down to earth, common sense statements.
I think Sue is right in saying that your daughter will be okay in Florida in Orlando where those other people are staying. I was really impressed at how many buildings there are hurricane five proof to protect everyone. How do you make your cookies using a cake mix? Do you use a spice cake mix?
I was in town a little earlier today, and I passed an older man sitting one the corner, with a dog and a sign that read “will smile for free”, and he was smiling at every car that passed. He stayed on my mind the whole time I was in the store; so before I left I picked up some cans of dog food, and premade sandwich and a small milk, and went back to where they were 15 minutes before, and they were gone. I spent quite a while looking for them; but to no avail. I cried all the way home. I see people with signs everywhere, but none that has ever said this; so I guess this is why it bothered me so much. But mabey I will see them again one day soon. Take care everyone. Colleen, hope you feel better. Hugs to all, Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: September! School Days-Leaves Turning-Visits to the Apple Orchards #68360

Hope you all are having a good evening. So glad that Tillie is feeling better. I bet it did have to do with the weather. I know that it surely does affect me and Jerry. I had my 3 month check up today. Had to have all the labs done; but it wasn’t too bad. The doctors’ office is now a part of the hospital near by and everyone there; including our doctor; is a hospital employee; and almost everyone there is new now. They have their own designated lab people; so the ones who used to dig around on me are now replaced by trained lab personnel and our doctor always has a student doctor working with him; so we are examined by them and then by our doctor. Everything is done electronically and perscriptions are sent over their computer to the pharmacy. It’s a new world. I really like all the new people; and so does Jerry.
Thanks for the news about how that terrible storm could be coming up our way too Sue. We usually get the tornadoes and flooding when the hurricanes come in around New Orleans or Florida. We got some really heavy rain after Harvey made landfall in Texas for abour 48 hours, but thankfully no really bad things. I am so afraid of storms. But this has just been so terrible for the poor people living where so much damage, loss of life and property has occurred or is occuring. I surely am praying for them all.
DD, hope your fires are out or close to being out by now. You are so right that the firefighters are true heroes and deserve so much more respect. There are so many brave people who go out every day and leave their own loved ones behind to protect us. Love your Fall pictures. I bet it is just so beautiful where you live. Is it usually the lightning striking trees that cause the fires? I know you had talked about some young people who purposely started this last one. Man can be the worse enemy of man; can’t they?
Adele, your meatloaf recipe sounds yummy! I am definitely going to make it. I love how you measure; just like me. LOL I describe it just like you; and that just drives the boys crazy. But that’s how I know how to cook. Thank you so much. I love a meatloaf sandwich the next day too.
Better go and fix us some dinner. Hope you all have a grand weekend. Hugs from Tennessee. Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: September! School Days-Leaves Turning-Visits to the Apple Orchards #68315

Hello dear friends. Checking in from the cooled off state of Tn. and sitting here with our windows thrown wide open and the glass open half way on our storm doors so the most lovely breeze is blowing through. I am just in a glorious mood right now. I needed this so badly to help “blow away” some of my sadness and lonliness. Jerry and me had just worked ourselves into such a state over missing our “itty bitty” and son. We did do our little get away the other day. That was good for both of us. We reminised about our youth; our dreams; some of the “what if’s” slipped in, and I quickly made us change the subject to something positive. We are going through such a strange time in both our lives. Am I the only one of the group that is having these thoughts and feelings? I don’t really even know how to discribe it. You all seem so upbeat and positive to me and I wish with all my heart I could be more like you. I try; I really really do. Thank you so much for being such a good influence and such good people. This world needs more and more of you.
I was reading your comments about the fires. How terrible for you DD. And the smoke would bother so many. Are you okay? Are they doing special things for people with the respiratory problems? Please take care. So glad the lady finally gave you the “bug” okay. That took forever.
Gail, I thought I was the only person who goes nuts over the home renovation or home buying shows. They sometimes take something I think is beautiful, and just completely destroy it by painting over it or knocking down something, it’s like they only leave the rafters and make a whole new home. I keep yelling to the TV if you didn’t like anything about that house why in the world did you buy it? I had rather go to a builder and developer and design my own home from the ground level up than to do all of that. And then they get half way done and find something gross or chewed up by bugs or mold or something yucky and out that comes and more money. And I am like you; say their top budget is 200,000 and they are going to install tile heated Italian flooring, and they say that will add another 8000; when you know that is it going to cost way more than that. Gosh, guess you can tell we need to stop watching it here too. Jerry gets just as mad. He was the general contractor when we built, and now it seems that everything we chose is so “out of style” now. Glad it still suits us. LOL
Hope Gary has a great birthday. Please say best wishes from us too. You can also let him know that Boston Cream Pie is one of my absolute favorites. I have sure been doing a lot of baking these last few days. Today I did a peach cobbler. I just used canned sliced peaches, and a simple recipe, but it surely smells good. I think that we will put a little ice cream on top and let that drizzle down the sides. Yum, Yum. But before you all get the wrong idea that I have cooked our dinner; I confess; we went to a local hometown small restaurant and got two “to go” dinner plates. Speaking of cooking; anyone have an easy, funny how that word keeps coming up for me, recipe for meat loaf? I am hungry for some, but the last two times I made one; it was dry, and I love lots of sauce or juicyness in mine. And Colleen, if you ever get the time, would you please post your famous potato soup recipe? I love that, and was thinking of it the other day. My Mom used to make it when we were little and not feeling good; and it always made us feel better. She said she used magic potatoes in it that were for sick children to help them feel better; because I remember asking her once what made that potato different to help us get well?
I have really enjoyed the Quacker shows. Angel looks so pretty and happy. I like her hair the way she is wearing it now. I bet she and her husband have lots of fun together. So happy she found someone special. I wonder what he does for a living? I think she said one time.
Isn’t it just terrible about all these storms? I pray for those poor people and their animals every day. And these are such bad storms. It is so good that your humane societies are taking in the little homeless animals. Hope they are reunited with their families. So many do not realize how close we are to our pets, and that adds even more stress to be seperated from the human and furry loved ones.
Better go for now girls. Hope you all have a wonderful evening. I lay in bed listening to our owl again last night. It is so comforting to me. He is a good faithful friend, who I want to believe is the same owl who used to call back to some little boys so many years ago. Take care, hugs, Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: September! School Days-Leaves Turning-Visits to the Apple Orchards #68090

Thank you so much for your kind words Adele. We are just “accepting” our news; but it has been a very long time since I have seen Jerry so upset. He has so many things he wants to experience with our baby; and I know so many of his memories come from remembering his own Dad and how he and our boys spent such good times together. All the boys speak with such love of the time they spent with Paw Paw; and Jerry and I have had such lonliness since we have been away from both our sons and grandchildren. But the baby has captured his heart so much; and I don’t think I really realized how much he has missed just being a “Daddy” since our boys have grown up, and I guess he had found someone to really love with all his heart and not have to be the “Daddy” part of Colins’ life but could be the loving “Grandpa”. He has just cried; it has broken my heart. I am trying to hold myself together for him; so I told him earlier that we are going to go out for dinner in a little while, and enjoy this beautiful evening. I want to sit out by the pond in the car when we come home, and watch for the owl, and the deer. And tomorrow; I am going to get him up and going early, and take a day drive about a hundred or so miles away, have lunch, and just look at some old antebellum homes in that area. He loves trees, as you all know, LOL, so that should give him something to get interested in, and talk about. I agree with you about your concern for Amanda getting off so late and her safety. They just don’t get too old for us not to worry about them, and young folks get so busy that it is hard for them to think about all the things we have experienced in our lives that give us concern for them. It sounds like she is really a hard worker, and so dedicated, that I know you all must be very proud. Just continue to keep reminding her of always being aware of her surroundings, and I say something on TV the other day of this little clip on thing that you can put on anything, like your beltloop, your bracelet, your bag, through a button loop, well you get the picture and it just has this big red button in the middle of it and if you push it if you need help of anykind, and it immediately shows the monitoring place your location even if you are unable to speak at the time. It was not expensive, and I am looking into one for Jerry and one for me. I am so sorry that the name escapes me right now, but I will find out should you be interested. I am thinking of suggesting one for Sarah so she can have one with her at all times while she is out with the baby, and to my other DIL so she will have one with her at all times. It is not just for the elderly.
Well, I am going to get Mr. Jerry and we are going to have some dinner and ride around our big, little town. I surely hope everyone is doing well. I feel so badly for all those poor flood victims. This is just so terrible. My prayers are surely going out for them. And even all the little animals who are suffering through all this. I know so many of them have been forgotten. Take care everyone. The two lonely grandparents

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: September! School Days-Leaves Turning-Visits to the Apple Orchards #68048

Love the beautiful pictures. Love the fall days and nights. It does make me want to bake and bake. So today I am doing some apple turnovers. They are beginning to smell so good. I just cannot believe that Monday is Labor Day. We are planning a small BBQ with Joey and Lisa. We had lots of rain yesterday and last night, but today is sunny and cooler. Joeys replacement didn’t come in to work until 3 hours late, so he worked until after 10 this morning. I had baked some turkey legs for dinner last night with fresh corn on the cob, rolls, creamed potatoes and peas. He stopped by on his way home this morning to pick up his. He told us he was so glad to have this and he was going to go home, eat, and take a good sleep.
Got a little disappointing news from Neal today. He had put in for a transfer back home a few months ago; and the manager at the airport here has been calling him and updating him on his transfer with nothing but positive news, and then yesterday he gets a call from the regional HR people who say for all these different regulations he will not be able to transfer at this time, that he feels it will now probably be around two years before it will come through. Jerry was so upset thinking about how much we will be missing them and of us being away from the baby that he literally had to get off the phone for a few minutes. I held it together on the phone, with the most positive parent talk I could muster up at the time, and then he got back on the phone and did his “this is all for a reason, and you all will be fine” father/son talk, and we changed the subject and began to talk about their trip they just go back from in Lake Tahoe. We are heartbroken, but blessed all in the same moment. So we are trying very hard to get used to the idea of the news. Guess we just got our hopes up too much.
Hope you all are doing well. Hope you are feeling better, Colleen. Sorry to make this short, just kind of feel like some one stuck a pin in me and all the air went whooshing out. Take care and enjoy your weekend. Love to all, Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: It's August! Time to Go to the Beach or the Shore! And Don't Forget Paolo! #67917

Sorry to see you all are having some sicknesses too. Please get anyone who is exhibiting signs of an upper respiratory infection to a doctor right away. It moves into bad sickness so quickly; at least for us it surely did. I still keep a really close eye on Jerry. He is upset this week because Joey has been busy with his job and Lisa’s sickness, and hasn’t been able to mow this place so it looks scruffy now. I know in my heart that he and I are quickly approaching the time when we may have to give our home up for something smaller and manageable by us, but it just makes us both so sad. Why, why, why did we not even think of this when we were younger? And so now, poor Joey, is left here trying to keep up with a shadow of a life of his own and us dragging along. After Jerry started feeling better he began to fuss and I am caught right in the middle with all the common sense of knowing he is right about so much, and seeing that it is the two of us that created this home so many years ago and the thought of putting all of this in our tail lights is just unimaginable to me at the moment. Boy am I ever going on and on. And there are so many people right now whose homes and lives are literally washing away. Sorry girls.
Today is our oldest sons 46th birthday. It seems only yesterday that I looked into those sweet little eyes totally terrified. Every baby I had tried to play with or hold prior to Buddy just didn’t seem happy, but he starred at me for what seemed an eternity with such serious little eyes as if to say, Here I am now, let’s get busy figuring this out. LOL It was love at first sight, and we are very very proud of him. He and his wife are the ones in Nevada and he retired from the Air Force last year. THey are doing so well. He is a really good man.
Neal and Sarah and the baby are at Lake Tahoe for a few days to celebrate her birthday. Her’s is the 2nd. They are doing great too.
I love the Fall pictures DD. Hope your little kitty is better. Ours had a few days of upset tummy, but is better now. We were very worried, but is was due to actually eating too much. We tend to do that around here.
Colleen, hope you are feeling better. Prayers coming your way.
Better close for now ladies. I am in the mood for baked apples, and it is too late in the evening to do them; so mabey tomorrow. I plan on doing a pot of soup and some cornbread tomorrow. Take care all. Hugs, Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: It's August! Time to Go to the Beach or the Shore! And Don't Forget Paolo! #67768

Hello dear friends. Jerry and I are finally doing better. This has been a very viscious round of “bronchitis” to quote the medical staff; but to my diagnosis; it was walking pneumonia. Jerry was worse than me and I felt just terrible. I worried so much about him; since he started smoking at an early age; and I hear him wheezing at night at times and things just make a bee line for his chest when he gets the throat/sinus thing. Mine went so quickly to my chest that I went immediately to the doctor; but he waited two days before I just went ahead and called the doctor for him to go and luckily we got him in the same day I called. Now I hear tonight that Lisa is sick so I am so afraid that Joey will come down with this too. He is working all weekend, but I just know I gave it to Jerry. I haven’t had a chance to read and catch up on all of your news. I surely hope to be able to do that tomorrow. I know you all must have had some things going on while I have been away; but I surely pray nothing bad has happened for anyone. If so; just know I do remember all of you in my prayers.
I have been so worried for all the poor people and little pets in Texas with this awful storm. This is just terrible.
I know this is extremely short; but I need to make sure that Jerry has taken his medicine for tonight. We have drank so much orange juice the past few weeks I think we are floating. Please take care of yourselves. By the way; in the middle of all this, Jerrys Mom fell in the bathroom but is okay, thank God. She had a UTI and I think she was hurrying to the bathroom and had an accident and slipped in it. That brought of the whole new conversation between us of what to do when we are both sick and can’t go to see about her. But I know you all can certainly relate to this. So please take care; my thoughts and prayers are with you all, and I will try my best to get back with you all real soon. Hugs, Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: It's August! Time to Go to the Beach or the Shore! And Don't Forget Paolo! #66976

Thank you Gail, for your kind words of encouragement. Trust me, right now I feel like a balloon that someone just popped and deflated. It’s like all the air has gone out of me, and try as I may, it is hard to just get up because I wake up all through the night thinking of things, and end up crying. I get up around 6 and feed the kitty. He sleeps on the end of our bed. Jerry wakes up after a few minutes and calls me so I go back to bed and sometimes will go back to sleep but usually just lie there until Jerry is rested. I know I simply cannot stay in this down state; so my goal is to just keep a picture of our itty bitty close by on my nightstand, and look at that sweet smiling face and remind myself how much he loves Jerry and me and Joey and Lisa, and stop the sad feelings.BUT; if Sarah does ever visit in your area; you have my permission to spank away! I am so like you; I will go ten miles out of my way to avoid any conflict, and somehow during my career; I managed to handle 125 employees in conflict management; but when it comes to my own family; I guess I am just a dumbo.
We did have the photographer come over right after Sarah left. We made pictures inside and outside. She was so sweet and the baby did fine. I can’t wait to see them. She is vegan and rescues potbellied pigs. She has always been so kind to animals, even as a little girl. I remember how she and Neal when they were about 8 or so riding their horses all over the back pasture. They did that for years. I always thought one of our boys would end up marrying her, but life just took them all in different directions. She is married now too; no little ones yet. She lives not far from us with several acres and she and her little pigs have actually been on National Geo TV program.
Neal sent us a picture of him and the baby telling us that they made it home safely. So thank you Lord, for that.
I saw the cutest thing on TV. It is called I think a Dream Tent that goes over a childs bed at the head of the bed and has a light in it. You all may want to look into them for your little ones. They have girl and boy designs.
I love lock and lock too. There is one bowl that has a handle of the lid that I use for so many things. Hasn’t the lady who sells them lost a lot of weight? It seems to me that she has. She also seems so sweet and like such a genuinely nice person. I know that the hosts are salespersons by trade, but when they say “most people are buying two of them” over and over; it just gets to me. I enjoyed watching the Valerie Parhill shows too. She makes everythings look so pretty. I bet some of your homes look so pretty like that over the holidays. I am looking forward to the Fall season. I just love all the beautiful colors of Mums and the hay bales and pumpkins all decorated. And the weather is usually just beautiful. You should really be feeling good by then, Debra and be able to be out and about. Is it cold where you are DD that time of year? Or do you usually have the same weather all year long?
I know your family is just beside themselves if you are still on strike Adele LOL How is Tillie doing? I know she must love you so much for all the sweet things you do for her.
Take care everyone. We are having Chinese for dinner. I am just not in the cooking mood. Take care all. Barbara

[Barbara Smith]

in reply to: It's August! Time to Go to the Beach or the Shore! And Don't Forget Paolo! #66947

Girls, I am finally here to catch you all up on a little, we are exhausted, but have enjoyed each moment we have had with our little fellow! They will be flying back home tomorrow, and I know that Neal has really missed them, but has had a chance to spend some time with some of his co-workers for a going away bowling party one night and dinner with others another night. We skyped with him yesterday while Sarah and the baby were here. He liked that. I don’t even know where or how to tell you all of the “problems” we have encountered with Sarah, but I think for now I will just say that it is crystal clear that she does not care for me or Jerry, and I don’t think that she ever will. I will tell you all more as time goes on; but right now I have said a prayer for us to only think of the love we have for Colin and not let anything spoil the precious memories we hold in our hearts because we both know that he loves us so much, and when it is all said and done, that is what matters most.
His little cake smashing party on Saturday was a big success. There were so many young families and children there. Thankfully, we knew some so we were able to mill about the munchkins comfortably. There were several couples of older people who either worked with her Mom or Dad or were neighbors. We had two older ladies that we introduced ourselves to and they, shockingly to us, told us that they were Colins babysitters all the time that Neal was in school in Oklahoma. Jerry was speechless; and I somehow regained my composure (if you all remember, we were told that we couldn’t keep the baby for Neal and Sarah because that is why they moved into their apartment one mile from her Moms home so her Mom could keep him). I am sure since they offered up so much information that they had no idea they were breaking our hearts as they talked, but I took Jerry by the arm and led him over to a secluded area and asked him to please just not say anything. Sarah’s Mom and Dad spent most of the afternoon inside, and she asked us to join them inside, so we did, but we wanted to stay out with the baby. All he wanted was to be held by one of us or Joey or Lisa, but Sarah kept telling us to put him down. Enough said for now. It upsets me.
Adele, I am so sorry about your BIL. What a horrible horrible disease. Please someone find the cure. Who’s grandchild said they would find the cure for diabetes? Mabey they will for Alzheimers as well. Our dear neighbor friends Dad passed from it about a year ago; and she still cries I think everyday for him. She is going through that fighting with her sisters right now over her sisters putting their Mom in a nursing home, and she doesn’t agree with them. I feel so sorry for her pain. Your mothers are so very fortunate to have such loving daughters. Why can we not just love and respect our older family members instead of just casting them away? I know you all are so sad.
On a much brighter note; so happy everyones tests came out good, and hopefully we have turned the corner to some wellness for a change. I am like you were Gail, my hair surely does need some serious TLC; but can’t seem to find the time to go have anything done. And with Colins’ first birthday being next Monday; I have gone a bit overboard in the spending department for him; so I am cutting back on other things. So I may have to look at all this gray for a while. If it would go all over gray, I think I would like it, but mine is the mousy gray/brown with a streak of white/gray right in the front. I bet your hair is beautiful even if it will take a while to grow all back.
I saw Harry Skatkin with his his candles. It seems like it has really been a while since I saw him on the Q. I saw a video of him showing their home and his candles all over in the different rooms, and it was just beautiful. I had ordered one of his candles in a beautiful cottage in a Fall scent of pecan, cloves, cinammon, and kinds of good baking smells, and in steps Jerry and blurts out he can’t stand whatever it is that I am “burning” but he doesn’t like it. I thought it smelled SO good, but I knew he would fuss every time I lit it; so I just gave it to my neighbor. I was so disappointed.
Love your recipes. I am kind of on a cooking strike too; but did do spagetti and garlic bread for us all yesterday. I made a little yellow cake with chocolate frosting to make some pictures of the baby yesterday, but Sarah wouldn’t let him taste it. She said the cake her Mother made for him on Saturday was made with applesauce frosting. So what can I say? Take care everyone. So glad everyone is good. DD, you did right by contacting the ADA people they should help you. Debra, you are doing so great. But you have really worked hard. Have a great day, everyone. By the way, Colleen, we had a screened in porch as a child, and spent many an evening out there eating. We spread newspapers on the patio, and ate our peaches or watermelon on the papers to catch the juice as it ran down our arms. Good memories Love, Barbara

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