New Year’s Day
After several days of bitter, damp cold (even light snow flurries!), the year 2020 opens with plenty of sunshine on our home in southeastern Arizona. And, importantly for those of us in the desert Southwest, no wind!
The birds sing happily around the feeders and bird bath.
This morning I put on my winter coat because the temperature is around 46 degrees F. Reggie and Roger run out the front door and down the porch steps. They’re going pecan hunting!
Reggie is the first to find his!
Although the crop is late this year, the pecan tree is loaded.
The hulls are open and the nuts are beginning to drop.
Nuts aren’t quite as big as last year. I’d better fertilize the tree this spring.
I need to rake the leaves under the tree so the nuts will be seen more easily. A shake of the branches and manna will fall from heaven!
Ooh, I think Rog has found his prize!
~ ~ ~
I promised I would tell you about recent projects at the house.
All four corners of the house have a water faucet. They all work except the one at the front, northeast corner. I noticed, back when examining the house for possible purchase that the spigot was capped off. Not a deal breaker . . . .
Dennis and another fellow check it out for me.
They dig down to the line. It is buried very deep and traverses through the flower bed with its mature rosebushes all along that side of the house. It would be a heckuva job to find out where the problem lies or to put in a new line through the roots.
Dennis comes up with a suggestion.
A trench going around the sidewalk and the other flower bed is not problematic!
All goes well until a sudden downpour. The three of us run for cover in the back patio.
PVC pipe laid out alongside the trench.
Even with the interruption (and the mud and an ant attack) the job is finished before day is done.
I’m very pleased because now I easily can water the flower beds and also the landscaping I want to put in next spring. No dragging a long hose!
The pipe ready to be wrapped with foam insulation and insulating tape before being buried.
Job done!
Spigot at back, northwest corner of house.
Except one thing bothers me.
I don’t like how the spigot sticks up out by the front of the house.. I ask Dennis if he could make a hole in the bottom of the plastic storage seat I bought several months ago at the thrift store. He makes the cut, slips the bench over the spigot, and voila!
Remember how pretty the flower beds were last spring, summer and fall?
Look how handy this is!
The hose is tucked away and the spigot is concealed.
I love it when an idea turns into a plan turns into success!
Well, there’s only room for this one project in this post. More to come in the future.
Young succulents and cuttings are brought into the house on cold nights (into the 20s!).
~ ~ ~
2019 is gone.
Like all years, 2019 was a mixture of gains and losses. I hope your year was more of the former, but, if not, I hope you can look forward to a brighter new year.
Our “gains,” as well as a few losses, are well documented on this blog. I’m thankful for every blessing, especially for my sweet companions, Reggie and Roger, who remain healthy and happy.
I’m not forgetting how much you continue to mean to me.
Happy New Year everyone!
rvsue
NOTE: Please open the comments section for news of special interest to our blogorino family. — Sue
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THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
RVSue and her canine crew is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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MESSAGE TO BLOGORINOS:
On November 17th, our dear friend, AZ Jim passed away after a short stay in the hospital.
Ever since the loss of his beloved Detta, Jim lived in misery. He tried his best to keep going. As is common during severe grief, he had no appetite. Even so he attempted to cook for himself and, at one point, asked the once-a-week cleaning lady to prepare one of his favorite dishes from Detta’s kitchen repertoire.
In a subsequent phone call he reported, “It wasn’t as good, of course.”
Jim appreciated the cleaning lady taking time each visit to sit and talk a while. Jim explained to me, “Detta and I never made many friends. You see, we were everything to each other. We had no interest in socializing because we had each other. We’d sit together watching TV or whatever and I’d say, ‘I love you, Detta,’ and she’d say, ‘I know, Jim.'”
Several years ago Jim lost some of his fingers in an accident with a table saw. This made it difficult for him to type. It’s my guess that Detta helped him put together and post on this blog his wonderful stories from his childhood.
Jim was also grateful for a friend nearby, a former neighbor who transported him to his numerous medical appointments. Jim wasn’t a complainer but, in answer to my question, he did share the list of ailments that made each day and night a struggle. It was a herculean task just to cross a room. Toward the end he had a stroke that left him blind in one eye.
In our last phone conversation, Jim told me he was ready to go. He knew he would be in heaven with the Lord and that he’d see Detta there. In his usual considerate way, he gave me the phone number of his granddaughter, “so when you call and don’t get an answer, you can find out from her.”
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to make this announcement. In the long view, that’s not important. What I do know with the greatest certainty is that his passing is no reason for tears. Just imagine the glorious reunion our Jim is enjoying! To be free of worry and pain, to be wrapped in the arms of his dear Detta, and to live eternally in the holy presence of his loving God. Wow!
We thank you Jim for all that you gave of yourself here. Happy New Years Forever, kind soul!
Love, Missy
I’m so sorry to hear of Az Jim. What a wonderful life he had with his beloved Detta. Their eternal life together must be wonderful for them.
You are so right, Renee!
This is sad but we knowing that AZ Jim was ready to go and knew where he was going is consolation.
Thank you for sharing, Sue. I had noticed that Jim had not commented for quite a while; I was hoping that he was ok. So sorry for the loss of your (our) dear friend. Sending you a **hug**
Although I will miss Jim’s presence on your virtual front porch, it makes my heart smile to know that he is now happy, whole, pain free, and most importantly, reunited with his beloved Detta. Oh, what a joyous reunion!! 💕
Rest In Peace, dear Jim. Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories with us. You are a treasure!
🙂
So sorry to hear about AZ Jim. I always loved how he called you Missy! When people have faith it is much easier to accept their passing. RIP AZ Jim! I am sure you and Detta are enjoying life together again now!
Happy New Year!
Same to you, Kelley!
Happy New Year Sue and crew!
Hi, Star girl! Happy New Year to you, too!
Happy New Year !! So sorry for your loss, I only knew him from the posts on your blog. It is always hard to lose a friend. But I wish you a Blessed New Year !!
Thank you, Alice. Jim’s passing is our loss, meaning those of us who knew him through his comments.
Happy New Year to you, too, and to all the blogorinos!
Yeah it was a year of losses for us here too.Our93 year old Mom in Law.It is good to still get the blog occasionally.My pup Ed Norton is 7 now.
Hi, Chas,
I know you know how precious each day is with Ed Norton. Enjoy each other! I’m glad you still visit my blog.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, too, Calvin. I hope you get some clear, sunny days so you can ride your cool bike!
I am very sorry to hear about Jim. I really enjoyed his posts, his stories, and his poetry! I know everything you write about not feeling sorry is true, but one can’t help but weep, a little. Happy New Year, Sue, and thanks for writing!
You’re welcome, Terri. Happy New Year!
Using that storage bench to cover the spigot pipe was a brilliant idea, Sue ! It looks great, and everything is now so conveniently placed for taking care of your plants. I love that you get so much pleasure from planning for and improving your yard and home. It’s nice to see how happy and healthy Reggie and Roger are.
Thank you for letting us know about Jim. Lord, I just love that guy ! You’re right, there’s no reason to grieve because he is finally happy again. We, though, have lost a wonderful and dear friend, so I did cry a little when I read the news.
Happy New Year to you, the boys and blogorinos !
Happy New Year to you, your family, and your feline crew!
Yeah, the hose storage is a winner. Now I’m planning on how to conceal the bench with a bush and flowers. 🙂
How nice to see two recent posts from you. Happy New Year. Onward ho to the new year and what it may bring!
Happy New Year, Renee!
Sometime soon I’ll be writing about something that is going to have a BIG impact of the lives of my crew and me. Exciting! I can hardly wait to tell you!
Hey sue!
Oh…..whata sneaky tease! Do you want us to play ‘hot and cold’?
Happy New Year to you and this blog! A new year is like a bend in the road…you HAVE to go down it to see what is around the curve!!!
Moving on from this life, with finally rest and peace and joy
is also a blessing.
I did enjoy the pic of your house and fence in the sunshine-sweet. Glad to hear the pecan hunt went well, too!
Dennis and the guys work so neatly! Looks good! You are LUCKY to have met Dennis!
See you around the corner!
Mary Batt
Hi, mary!
The Hot and Cold Game! I haven’t thought of that in ages! Oh, the ways that kids have fun . . . ..
I like your bend-in-the road for how we should approach a new year. “See you around the corner!” Love that!
We are told to live in the moment and that’s wise. At the same time a life with curiosity and eagerness for what comes next is a blessed life.
Speaking of blessings, meeting Dennis, who has become my friend, is one for which I’m very grateful.
Nice hearing from you, mary. Have a wonderful 2020!
Happy New Year! Hoping for lots of sunny days here in Michigan!
Hi, Pat,
Isn’t it something how sunshine can affect a day? If you’re an outdoors kind of person, it’s tough staying inside all the time to keep warm.
Yes, wishing you lots of sunshine in Michigan!
Today was sunny here in Michigan, it was lovely.
Hi, Dawn! I got my wish! 🙂
A very happy and healthy new year to you and your crew! And I love the fact that it will be much easier for you to water those plants. Although I’m sad to hear of AZ Jim’s passing, I know what you’re saying is true. Death may surely be seen as the end of life’s struggles and pains and a glorious reunion with loved ones in the light.
Thank you, Marcia. I wish you happiness and good health, too!
Your comment about “a glorious reunion” reminds me of a book I finished reading recently. I found it at the thrift store, of course! The book is by Dan Schaeffer:
A Better Country: Preparing for Heaven
Reading this book was like reading a wonderful travel brochure and it was based on Scriptural authority, not something totally imagined by the author.
I felt like those times I would peruse a Benchmark atlas and say out loud, “I want to go there!”
Thanks for the recommendation Sue. I just ordered the book from your link – hopefully it gives you credit.
You’re welcome, Cynthia. I see three orders for the book, probably one of them is yours. Thank you!
Yes, I’ll get credit, but, more importantly, I hope you get a lot out of the book. 🙂
Wishing a Happy New Year to you, your crew, and all the blogorinos. May it be a year of health, abundance, and joyful living for all. I’m intrigued by your reference to something exciting with big impact on your lives coming up, so will look forward to that post, as I do to all of them. 😉
Your storage bench solution to the spigot was a stroke of genius — and maybe with a bit of added plantings around it, really adds to the appearance, so pretty *and* functional is a pretty good deal!
Thank you, Arden,
Yes, definitely the storage bench needs some plantings to make it “disappear.” I’ll put a bush next to it and then there will be flowers in the bed behind it.
Funny thing… So many times I’ve brought something home from the thrift store, not knowing how or where I’ll use it. Then as time goes by it fits perfectly, better than if I had sought it.
Happy New Year to you, too!
Happy New Year – Sue and Crew. Its funny, but now that the holidays are over, I am getting the camping bug. I think I’ll head out to southwestern AZ in couple of weeks. I am looking up some of the places you documented so well. Your work is a fine piece of reference and a comfortable, relaxing read, no matter what range of dates I pick to read. I am glad you are doing well and still loving AZ. You are a stinker – dangling that “news” carrot in front of us. We’ll be waiting.
Thanks, and Happy New Year to you, too, Ken!
I know what you mean about “getting the camping bug” now that the holidays are behind us. I’m beginning to feel those stirrings.
By southwestern AZ are you thinking Ajo or Yuma area? (Buenos Aires NWA will be too cold yet due to elevation.) I hope you find the info in my blog that you need. If you don’t and have a question, do ask me and your fellow blogorinos.
Thanks also for the compliment about my blog and for the kind thought about our life in AZ.
Yeah, I be a stinker. 🙂
So good to hear from you. Brilliant idea of hiding the spigot in the bench! And the hose too!!! Can’t wait to hear what your new news is going to be.
I didn’t get any traveling done last summer due to health reasons but hope to be on the road in March. I’m going back and reading your old blogs for ideas and inspiration. Thank goodness they are still available. I don’t understand how all those things work but hope they continue to be available.
I always enjoyed reading AZJim’s stories. He will be missed.
Thanks, Sue. You found a good place to settle.
Barbara
So good to hear from you, too, Barbara! I was wondering about you just the other day (and I’m not just saying that!).
I’m glad “health reasons” won’t be holding you back from the road this year. If you ever have a question or want to share your planned route, feel free to use this blog for more information or just for fun. Plenty of folks here with lots of travel experience!
I agree. Southeastern AZ was a good decision for our home. Thanks for keeping in touch!
I’m so sorry for your loss, I don’t comment often but I felt like I knew him and I’m sad for all of us. I’m thankful to each one of you that share your lives with me and to you Sue for making all of us feel so welcome here. May God’s richest blessings be upon each and every one of you this year, love and hugs.—Texas Sue
What a sweet note, Texas Sue. You expressed very well how I feel about all the blogorinos who take the time to contribute themselves here.
I have a feeling you will receive rich blessings this year. When we care that others receive, so do we!
Thank you Sue
I’m so sorry to hear about losing a great friend, but it sounds as though he was just biding his time here on earth until he could rejoin the love of his life. I love seeing photos of your place & the improvements — the fence looks wonderful, and I LOVE how you decided to “hide” the spigot in the bench. Genius!
We are still in colder-than-normal northern NM; it sure takes a long time (& energy) to build a house! Fingers crossed it’s done by the end of January.
Good to see a catch-up blog from you.
Hi, Renee,
Yes, Jim was eager to make the journey into a better life. I’m happy for him.
How brave you are to tackle all that is involved in the building of a house, the wait being a difficult part of that! And how happy you will be once you are moved in and able to make the interior into your unique home.
Thanks for the positive reaction to our home and its improvements. I do love our privacy fence!
Happy New Year Sue😀! Your house looks happy and loved!
Thanks, Betty Shea. I wish you the same from our “happy and loved” house. 🙂
Hi Sue, Happy New Year and May it be a blessed one!
I too am intrigued by your hint of a up coming post.
Maybe a gentleman in your life? Whatever, you deserve
to be happy!
Love it when there is a post from you.
Regarding AZ Jim….. he is truly at home now.
Thanks, Linda. I wish you a wonderful 2020!
Haha! A “gentleman?” I’m trying to figure out how that could be my good news. 🙂
I’ve been single for about 30 years and I love it! Some people just aren’t cut out for married life and I’m one of them. My regret is that I didn’t realize that around 60 years ago!
Love hearing from YOU….
Hey Sue again…..
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Still smiling………at your puzzlement………lol
I guess that’s not it!
mb
🙂
We’ll miss Az. Jim. 2019 was difficult. My sweet Raleigh passed May 11. I understand the complete loss of appetite with grief; lost 35 #. Doing better now and thankful for a brand new year. May each of you have a happy and healthy 2020! Judy
Oh, so very sad for you, Judy. Your Raleigh was deeply loved, hence the deep grief at his loss. I’m glad you’re doing better. I hope this year brings you smiles and laughter, good health and peace.
Thanks for writing. I appreciate you keeping in touch.
Good house hold modifications.
Wishing the entire Crew a Safe, Happy and Healthy New Year.
It’s about time.
Thank you, Richard. Wishing the same to you and Kathy. Enjoy that New Year’s snow in Ontario!
Happy New Year!!!! Love seeing pictures of your yard and house. I am sure you stay busy and I know you love it. I really enjoyed your camoflage idea for the faucet. How clever and very practical also.
Happy New Year to all the blogerinos!!! Nice to see your posts.
Lots of love and big hugs to you, Dear Sister, and the crew
Hi, Pauline and Jerold,
I’ve been meaning to email you and the family with holiday wishes. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
Love and hugs to all and Happy New Year!
Hi sue, so glad to hear from u. The idea with the bench was wonderful. Looks good. I am so sorry to hear about AZJim. I feel like I know him and have lost an old friend. But he is released from from his old body and is with Detta. George of Our Awesome Travels is in hospice. Your two blogs are the first two I started following. Thank you for letting all of us come along with you on this journey. HAPPY New Year.
You’re welcome, Jean, and thanks for the wish for the new year.
I think a lot of us felt that same way about AZ Jim. We enjoyed his friendly and kind personality and admired his devotion to Detta. A good man.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Sue, I’m so sorry to read about AZJim. I always enjoyed his comments. But I understand that he was ready, and that he is happy now. Still, we will miss him. I think I’ll go back in your archives and look for a few of his comments. They usually made me smile.
You’re right, Dawn. Jim did have a way of making us smile. I think he got a kick out of calling me Missy and scolding me now and then. 🙂
I hope you have another warm and sunny day tomorrow!
I loved reading AS Jim’s stories. I’m going to see if I can look some up to read them again. I’m sorry for your loss, Sue.
Hi, Marilu,
I wish I had come up with a way to find Jim’s stories more easily. I don’t have any idea where they are!
I came back to read these comments after seeing your next post. Going back to find comments may take time, but one good thing that comes from it is also re-reading your old posts and the other comments as well – so much richness and life in all of it. Thank you again, Sue, for this blog. And thank you to the blogorinos who have shared so much. Life is a circle, and sometimes we can go around again.
Hi, Sue,
Your hack to conceal the water spigot is genius! There is even space to hide the hose and you have a spot to sit when you need to take a break. Anything that makes life easier is a plus! 😊
I am intrigued about your exciting news. We will wait patiently for your update. 😊
Gracie pup and I had a wonderful, quiet New Years Eve. She snuggled on my lap while I read on my iPad. Did not even turn on the tv! Thankfully the fireworks being set off one street over did not wake Gracie. I look forward to seeing what 2020 has in store for us! 😊
Sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! Happy New Year! xo 🥳
Thanks, Denise. Happy New Year to you and Gracie pup from me and the crew!
Glad you approve of my water spigot “hack.” 🙂 It’s very easy to drop the hose back inside. I admit I’m bad about coiling up a hose and putting it away.
I’m glad you and the pup had a good New Year’s Eve. Our night was uneventful except that Reggie didn’t like the popping noises from across the street. He needed to go potty but when I opened the door and he ran out — “pop-pop” — he’d make a quick U-turn and back through the door again!
Finally I carried him out, set him down, and he did his business before another pop. Roger didn’t react at all.
😊
I like your smiley faces! Mine hardly look like smiles at all, more like “meh.”
See? 🙂
I have an iPad…maybe they available for Apple products only? You can really get creative the smileys and other emojis. LOL!
I know your smiley face is not “meh!”
Here are a few examples!
😊🧐🤓😭😡🤬🥶😱😴😵🤢🤮🤧😷🤕🤯😤🥳😍😎🥱
Wow, Denise!
If someone is being really nasty, you can give them a 💩.
That is not chocolate ice cream!!! 😂
Hi Sue
I’m so sorry to hear of AZ Jim’s passing and will surely miss his wonderful stories but am glad he is no longer suffering with his health issues as well as his broken heart from losing his beloved Detta.
Love the ingenious idea for the bench over the spigot and glad you were able to have the water line fixed.
Love that the boys go hunting for pecan treats! Glad you and the boys are healthy and happy.
Just finished cleaning up the 2nd two-day snow storm of last year. Already had some melting but another storm headed this way Sunday….oh well it is winter in New Hampshire 🙂
Hope you enjoyed your holidays at home….I know I did…managed to take 2 1/2 weeks off as I had to use up my time off so I wouldn’t lose it.
Happy and Healthy New Year to all!
Thank you, Jan. Wishing you many blessings in the year ahead!
How nice to have that time off at the holidays. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.
Winter in New Hampshire is beautiful (as are the other seasons) but it takes some strong Yankee blood to make it to spring. Ha! Good luck with the next storm!
Always a pleasure hearing from you, Jan.
Such neat workmanship in digging up the lawn. Glad it is going to make things easier come spring.
Am sorry to learn about AZJim though I am glad that he has found his way back to Detta! A fine gentleman with a gift for the story.
Whatever you decide to share with us I know it will be a very well thought out decision that will make you and the boys happy.
Happy New Year
Take Care
Hi, Deena,
I do like that fact that Dennis and his team work neatly. They have done a lot of work on this property and I know they want me to be happy with what they do and how they do it.
You’re right about “a very well thought out decision.” I thought about this for over a year and finally it all came together in a way that will be perfect for me and the boys.
Thank you for the Happy New Year wish — sending you the same!
When my son returns I will ask if there is a way to do a search for Jim. He is in IT and may be able to do it. If so, I will post.
I am mostly a lurker but do ever so much enjoy your blog. Have an enjoyable znd peaceful year.
Hi, Marilyn,
I imagine you are keeping warm in south Florida these days, not like most of the rest of us! 🙂
If your son can come up with a way I will be very impressed. This blog is a mess.
I’m glad you enjoy my blog. Thank you for the wish for our year and Happy New Year to you!
I just checked this blog’s statistics. It has almost 166,000 comments. Jim’s comments are needles in a very big haystack!
Happy New Year Sue and everyone else!!
I just love how your house is all coming to together! I know you are a private person and your yard looks just like an oasis for you and the boys!! Great to see them and all the pics. So glad they are doing well!
As I shared recently we were devastated with the loss of our Boston Terrier, Harley on 12/20. We had been grieving for awhile because we could see his decline and knew it was coming. That said, at that time we didn’t know how soon we would get another dog or for sure what we would get.
A day after Christmas, we had a talk and decided we wanted another Boston when it was time. So I was starting my research on where we might find one. As I was researching rescues, shelters, breeders, I had an idea to look up pet groups on FB.
I found several for my state and area and decided to just make a post that we were searching for a male Boston. It had been about 3 days that I had that post up and someone contacted me privately on FB that they had an almost 8 month old male fully vetted they would give us for free with his crate, left over food and blanket. They just couldn’t give him the attention he needed.
So I was rather skeptical and started asking a lot of questions. He provided me pictures, papers and shot records. The kicker is that I have a friend I went to school with who lives in the same town he did. She helped me from afar to check on things on that end and it all checked out.
So today left home at 7 am and took a 200 mile drive one way and we came home with an beautiful purebred Boston Terrier pup who turns 8 months old on the 5th. The kicker in this whole thing, I have not seen this friend since we graduated high school in 1976 and she lived 1 1/2 miles from this guy.
So we got a short visit, she made us lunch for the road and we turned around and brought our beautiful new pup home. Rick told our pup that we named Bo, that didn’t have to worry about changing homes again. He has been in a few homes since he was born. We think they just didn’t understand this is a high energy breed, especially in the puppy phase and that with their work hours was just too much.
We are beyond thrilled. This has been a surreal day with God’s Hand all over it. These things just don’t happen! Totally amazing. We never dreamed we would have a new pup this soon and one that was exactly what we wanted again and free! And not only that, when we were leaving my friend told her husband to grab a Christmas letter to give us. She came out and gave us that. We were about home again and in this letter she had place cash that will be more than half of what it will cost to neuter him in a few months. Stunned! An angel here on earth! God is good!
Jolene! I love your Christmas story! Congratulations on the new member of your family.
I can’t imagine what a comfort it is to you both to have sweet Bo in all his puppy glory to care for, play with, and snuggle. Enjoy the laughs and have a Happy New Year!
Thanks for telling the story here . . . . .
Jolene, So happy for you and Bo!
Hi, Jolene,
Thank you for sharing your happy news!! You were guided all along to get Bo! So happy that he has his forever home you and Rick! I am sure Harley would give his little brother his stamp of approval. 💕🐾
I love Boston Terriers!
Happy New Year to Sue and crew, and all the blogorinos!
Thanks, Joel, wishing you the same!
Good to see you appear here again. I hope you still are enjoying the older posts. 🙂
I certainly am! I enjoy travelling vicariously through reading your adventures.
A coworker of mine recently left his job to become a full-timer with his family. He has a blog and after reading about your experiences I keep noticing all the stuff he seems to be doing wrong!
Okay, I admit I laughed. The Better Me hopes his mistakes aren’t serious.
Thank you, Joel, for the compliment underlying your reply.
Happy New Year Sue and Crew! So sorry to hear of AZ Jim’s passing but he is at peace with the Lord snd his Detta.
Love hearing about the house projects and how it really has become home for you all.
Wishing you and all the Blogorinos a happy and healthy New Year!
Thanks, Millie. Happy, healthy New Year to you, too!
The house projects have been many. I think we’re near the point of having all the big projects completed (knock on stucco!). 🙂
Happy new year RVSue and crew. Wow what a decade…9/11 happened right after I lost an uncle to cancer. I started a new job in year 2000 when everyone was afraid of computer crashes but actually nothing drastic happened. People were even stock up on food and water and storing gasoline even tho they were told not to. Funerals, births, graduations and weddings took place. I made unforgettable trips with family and I aged another 10 years. Bitter sweet decade. Now I’m braced, hopefully, for another decade at 74 years old. What a ride my life has been and I hang in there with gusto. Happy peaceful, joyous, healthy new year all.
Hi, rita! Love your attitude toward life!
Thanks for the great wish for everyone’s new year. May your 2020 be outstanding among many outstanding years. I’m sure you’ll make the most of it! 🙂
Your place is looking very spiffy and inviting!! You have done a lot there…and a great idea for that bench too!
Thanks for the notice about AZ Jim…glad he is not suffering anymore and happy again!! This world is so hard in ways and the next life will be beyond our wildest dreams!! Looking forward to it too!! It is nice you provided a nice place for he and Detta to read and enjoy in their last years…one hunts for such when homebound a lot!!
Hoping this new year is better for all of us!!
Hi, Elizabeth. Thanks for the compliment on the house. I enjoy bringing out its potential and I do take pride in the results.
Jim did tell me that Detta enjoyed the blog very much. He also let me know that I made his Detta worry when I was off by myself somewhere. He said she’d turn on the computer saying, “I’m going to check to make sure RVSue is okay.” What nice people, eh?
Wishing you and your family many blessings in 2020, Elizabeth!
Indeed…very nice folks, Sue!! Rare to find many these days…or so it seems in the area we live in anyway. Thanks too for wishing us blessings for 2020…we could sure use some!! And I wish you the same, Sue!! Glad you and the doggies are happy there…a spot where one feels truly “at home”!!
🙂
As per usual… I’m late to the party! Happy New Year, y’all! My DH & I spent last night engrossed in our Tablets, reading. I “managed” to turn the TV on a minute before the Ball dropped in Times Square! We embraced each other, best wished each other, & went back to reading for about 15 minutes & fell asleep! Such wild party animals we are!
Peaceful rest to AZ Jim, reunited with his Detta…Amen.
Hi, Cheryl,
Your New Year’s Eve sounds perfect to me! I wish you and your husband a year full of good times and great reading together. 🙂
I am so sorry to learn of the news of AZ Jim –i always enjoyed his stories — I also have sad news I lost my beloved husband my Sweet Sweet Don on November 27. It is defintely different learning to live alone again but I feel blessed we had ten of the very best years of our lives together . It is a day to day situation some good some not so good –just trying to live a new normal —Loved your hack for the faucet cover.
Dear, dear Jenny. I’m sorry to hear you lost your Don. How very difficult this holiday season must be for you.
May the months ahead bring healing to your fresh wounds. You will forever cherish the memories made during those ten years together.
Wishing you strength for each day and every situation.
Jenny, I will be thinking of you and praying for you, as you recount your blessings and manage the many changes ahead.
Jenny, I am so very sorry for the loss of your dear husband. May you find peace and comfort in happy memories. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
You are in my prayers too Jenny as you adjust to life now…so glad you had 10 very best years!! I hope others nearby will be available to you too!!
Wow another post so soon! So happy to read it. You certainly look like you have gotten very domesticated. Everything I see in your pictures about your home makes it look very inviting. Plus it’s very inspiring. I’m glad your two boys are healthy and happy, my two girls are the same. What a blessing they are! Sue, do you think you will ever get in the mood to head out in the BLT again? I haven’t hit the road in my Roadtrek in almost 2 years. Here’s hoping for a happy and healthy New year for you and all the blogerinos.
Thank you for the wish for our new year, Linda Rose. Also for the compliments on my home.
Will I head out in the BLT again? I probably will. I think this time of “domesticated” living has been necessary to balance the “undomesticated” life of traveling from one, often astounding and frequently remote, place to another for over 7+ years.
A neighbor commented with a gee-whiz tone of voice, “Aren’t you ever going to take your trailer camping?” It seemed he was slightly annoyed that I wasn’t utilizing it. I was tempted to answer, “What? Approximately 2,700 days of consecutive camping days aren’t enough?”
I do understand, I think, why your Roadtrek hasn’t hit the road in almost 2 years. When the time is right, you’ll know and you’ll fire her up again and head out. 🙂
Happy New Year to you and your crew!
Thank you for sending us to comments, as I still follow your blog (& enterAmazon) but don’t come to comments very often anymore. I appreciate the news of AZ Jim. Comforting to know he’s with the Lord and Detta.
Well, well, well, Ronda! Come here more often! That’s an order!
Just kidding . . . .
Speaking of orders, thanks for thinking of us when going to Amazon. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Lol. Just so you know I’m usually pretty good at following orders.
Sorry I meant to check for your reply earlier but my post didn’t load with my first refresh I should have rechecked sooner. My Maggie🐾 has been very sick but she is home and mostly recovered now.
Happy New Year! 🎉
Wow, Sue, your house is looking more established as time goes by. Love the bench covering the spigot. Even though it was just 46 degrees when you posted, the sunshine was evident in the pictures, and a sight for sore eyes. Reggie and Roger look like the happy and healthy pecan hunters they are.
Thank you for the news on AZ Jim. He was such a great story teller and a true gentleman, and his devotion to Detta was very apparent. His posts since her passing were often heartbreaking to read. We now can be assured that he has the promised joy and peace and that he is reunited with the love of his life.
Blessings and Happy New Year to you, Sue and all of the Blogorinos.
Thank you, Applegirl. Sending you and your family wishes for a good year. 🙂
I like your description of the house as “looking more established.” I think that’s what another blogorino described as “looking loved.”
I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that makes a house a home, but we all know when we have found it, whether in a little travel trailer, van, RV, a house, or other place where we lay our head. Home may be a location on this planet, a place where we’ve collected memories or simply where we feel at peace.
Happy New Year, Sue, to you and your sweet boys!!
Same to you, Eileen! Thanks for stopping by!
Pecans are toxic to dogs. Google it.
Thank you, William, for your concern. Yes, pecans add fat to the diet and they also contain juglone, which can cause intestinal upset if a lot is ingested. I don’t mean to promote pecan eating for dogs so your comment is appreciated.
Happy New Years, Sue, Roger and Reggie! What a lovely post! I particularly loved the glimpse of your southern adobe style home. It looks charming on the outside as it has always looked charming on the inside as well. And what a clever idea with your bench and spigot. I may “borrow” that idea as well. And what a lovely tribute to AZ Jim. Thank you as always for sharing glimpses of your sweet life with us. Warm wishes.
You’re welcome, Pamela.
The charm of this house, evident even before it received a fresh coat of paint and other improvements, is what attracted me in the first place. I’m grateful for a comfortable home that is aesthetically pleasing to me.
Thank you for the compliments. Yes, do feel free to use my storage seat “hack.” You may already have something that could be used in a similar way. 🙂
Warm wishes to you, too, and Happy New Year!
Well, you are right that AZ Jim’s passing is “no reason for tears,” but I couldn’t stop them. I am not sure why our connections to other regular blogorinos, and to you Sue, and to R&R, are so strong given that they are virtual connections and most of us have never physically met or shaken hands or hugged one another.
Maybe in this crazy, disconnected world where people change jobs and neighborhoods and friends as often as they change their underwear, there is a yearning for relationship. While it makes me sad that most of us will never meet, there is a sweetness in caring about people (and dogs) we can’t see, we don’t know what they look like, we don’t know what their weight is (or should be!), or what color they are, or what their political affiliations are.
Maybe that’s what heaven is like, and I’m glad to know AZ Jim is there scouting it out for us.
I love your plastic storage seat over the water spigot idea! Just throw a pretty little pillow on it and you can sit there and watch the world go by! Happy New Year and many blessings to everyone and their furballs!
Thank you Cynthia,
I love what you’ve written here. Beautiful!
I urge everyone to read Cynthia’s comment above.
You describe the wonder I’ve felt as this blogorino community grew over the years. There has been very little discord, rather much more evidence of understanding, caring, and empathy between its members.
You know? I do believe I remember every single blogorino who has disappeared from comments, and, when I think of them individually, I ache much as one would for a long-lost friend.
Happy New Year to you, too. I look forward to sharing 202o with you!
Thank you Sue. I too wonder when blogorinos seem to disappear. For example, I haven’t noticed a comment from (I think it was) Fuji Maru in a long time. I don’t even know if Fuji Maru was a male or female, but I just loved his/her comments in what appeared to be non-native English – they were always funny and kind. I can’t help but wonder where he/she is and how they’re doing.
BTW, the book arrived and after looking at the table of contents I immediately read the appendix, about animals in heaven. I was very happy with the author’s conclusions!! Looks like it’s going to be a wonderful book.
Hi, Cynthia,
I know exactly what you mean. I went to lunch with my best friend today and I mentioned that it was sad to lose several friends (Detta, Geri, and Jim). She asked how I came to know these friends. I tried to explain how Sue’s blog is a gathering of supportive, caring souls who have come to think of each other as friends. Sue’s virtual front porch is truly a special place. Thank you, Sue.
You’re welcome, Denise. You are a big part of why blogorinoland “works.”
😊 xo
Denise, I love your virtual “front porch” analogy!” It also reminds me of the Cheers bar “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came, you wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same, you wanna be where everyone knows your name.”
Hi, Cynthia! I love your “Cheers” analogy! A perfect home away from home! 😊
Happy New Year Sue,
Nice work on the “work around” to the water bib. It will be much easier to water the beds, etc now.
My guys used to love to eat the mesquite beans front the trees, and we had a heck of a time keeping them away from the grapes when we had our property. If we had pecan trees I’m sure they would have been right under them munching away.
Happy New Year to you, too, Lisa,
Oh, Reg and Rog love to snack on mesquite beans. Lots of protein! I did worry about the grapes that fell to the ground and were turned into raisins by the AZ sun. Besides the litter the vines caused and the creepy critters they attracted, I was glad to be rid of the worry about the crew, especially Roger, snacking on the fruit.
I’d have to cut down the pecan trees to keep the boys from scavenging for nuts. They don’t eat more than one at one time and haven’t had any adverse reaction, so I try not to fret about it.
May 2020 be a happy, healthy, and satisfying year for you, Sue, and the crew.
Thank you for each and every one of your blog posts. I’m so glad you still occasionally favor us with your writing especially since I remember you’ve mentioned that it’s not as easy for you as it once was.
I was sorry to read of AZ Jim’s passing, but I’m glad his earthly pain has ended and his eternal life has begun. I hope you realize that reading this blog brought him pleasure and feelings of companionship. I know that is true because I feel the same feelings each time I open a new post. It’s like unwrapping an unexpected little gift…courtesy of you. What a talent you have for weaving words (and pics) together in such an appealing fashion!
Wishing you all the best with the new secret—for now—project!
Hello, luv! I am so happy to see you again! You know, it’s been over a year! And we have a shared interest (wink, wink) in addition to horses. 🙂
Thank you for your words about AZ Jim and what this blog gave him and you also. I wish I could say I intended this blog to reach out and collect people into a circle of warmth, but I can’t. I had no idea. When it started happening years ago, I marveled and began to see the potential.
I appreciate the compliments and the new year’s wish for the boys and me. I hope your 2020 is all that you dream it to be and more.
I did a short comment yesterday because it was sick day. That’s unusual, and I don’t work so it’s not literal. Anyhow, I wasn’t up to writing. I let the world turn once and there’s so much more to talk about.
I have experience digging irrigation ditches. That’s a good one. You still have your knack for finding and cultivating good help. I, too, like the “hack” with the seat.
Reggie and Roger look healthy and happy. Also, I rarely envy anyone who lives in a house, but you’re getting close. I certainly appreciate yours more than most.
The distinctions among “house,” “home,” and “current location” have occupied a place in my mind for decades. I haven’t lived in a “house” (separate single-family unit) in my adult life. Can’t say I miss it. “Home” is more of an issue. I come from a family that drives for a living or just moves along every so often. Now fast forward to today. I’ve lived within 50 miles of where I’m sitting almost all the time since 1989. I’m connected to people where I am, and that’s “the deal.” Location, in its own right, doesn’t seem to mean much. Various people do. So, my health issues are better in a dry climate. The neighborhood seems to have reached a negative tipping point. I keep noticing places I think I’d like to live. It may be time again for a different way. Is “home” going to keep me home? I can’t guess from here. Your header picture has a road sign in it, and something in me is drawn away.
I too will miss AZ Jim’s wit and wisdom. I’m old enough to appreciate his perspective and recovered enough to enjoy his kindness. I want to point out a lesson in what you posted. Get around people and make close friends. Otherwise, you could be “really” alone someday.
The year 2019 ended poorly for me, my family, and various others. Even the cashier at Walmart is glad that’s over. I look forward to a new chapter named 2020. Happy New Year!
Hi, Calvin,
I hope the sickness of yesterday has left you.
You wrote an interesting comment in many ways. I’m not sure I can give a reply commensurate with the thoughts you expressed.
First off, I want to say I’m sorry last year ended poorly for you. I hope 2020 is much better.
I agree that the people I meet tend to be honest and in possession of a good spirit. It wasn’t always that way. Good people — in reality and online — are another aspect of my present journey that I’m grateful for.
You gave us an additional perspective on what makes for “home.” If I understand correctly, it isn’t necessarily found in a certain house or location. Home can be made with the ties of friends.
Not being a people person and having lived without family around me for many years, that type of home didn’t occur to me. I can see where it would offer the hard-to-describe comfort known as “home.”
If the neighborhood is going down and the weather negatively impacts your health, maybe it’s time for a carefully considered move. Of course, only you can make that consideration. My father used to say, “All change is good,” meaning something good will come out of it. Then again, he didn’t grow up in a family that moved a lot.
Whatever direction your life goes in the months ahead, I want what’s best for you, Calvin. Thanks for being a part of my life.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
I’ve been thinking about moving for several years now, but not locally for as long. I’m thinking now, though, because subsidized housing would give me money for luxuries such as a vehicle. Literally one minute after I posted here I got a call for a “screening interview” at an apartment complex in a different part of Columbus. My key consideration this evening is that a close friend gives me a ride to meetings a couple of times a week. I can get there easily enough on my own, but he’s not getting out much otherwise. I have to think about that.
A year in subsidized housing would give me enough of a financial cushion to move somewhere or take to the road. However, my experience is that I’ve changed many things in my lifetime, not all for the better. So my brain is like my computer when that little whirligig thing goes around, at least on this topic.
The timing of the call about the apartment does make one wonder. It certainly presses you to make a decision, one way or the other.
Good luck!
Thanks! (It’s one of those “faith” things that life will work out okay even if I zig when I should have zagged.)
🙂
Good luck, Calvin. I hope the apartment in a different part of town may be a good fit for you. Home is where we make it. May 2020 be positive for you and your family!
Today I learned of the passing of Bob McQuade which occurred Nov. 16, the day before AZ Jim. The crew and I met Bob while camped west of Yuma in 2015 and later we camped near each other in Colorado. You may remember his beautiful, high quality photos of hummingbirds.
If you visit his site, which is still up as I type this, be sure to scroll down and click on “Arizona Hummingbirds” in the sidebar for exceptional close-ups of these tiny creatures that Bob made possible for us to view on our computers/phones.
What I knew of Bob, he was a guy with a tender heart, warm and friendly. He loved his dogs. I’m glad I had the opportunity to share a few moments with him.
So many we know have passed on in the past year or so…guess we are entering that age, Sue!! I did not remember Bob…went to look at his site…photos are gorgeous!! It is nice your paths crossed.
My friend since we were 14, travels around most of the year in their rig, and stays winters in AZ someplace or other. She speaks of all the wonderful folks they encounter. I have come to think that maybe the best of folks live the RV lifestyle (knowing of course, that does not mean every single one…but just seems to be a large percentage that share our values). Sadly, we will never get to do this…Hubby will not be well enough again. But for us, helping our daughter here and her kids…and helping her go through a horrific divorce is evidently what we were meant to do.
By the way, according to this daughter, there are basically NO good men left, in her age group anyway. Our other daughter has not married nor is likely to either…there is no good reason to get married when you cannot find a man with good values. It does make me sad; though even better marriages are not easy street.
But reading how well you have managed, and knowing my daughters are both hard working, smart women, somehow I think they too will survive in life. Our culture has failed, I feel especially those in my age group (near 70) in raising our kids to be good marriage material. So saying you what you did…well, don’t take it as a personal failure on your part!! At least according to what my daughters would say!! And for most of us women, living alone will be our situation eventually anyway.
Hi, Elizabeth,
I believe I understand very well what you are saying in your comment. Our culture has degraded. It’s very hard for the younger generations to find their way in this upside down society where good is often considered bad and the truly bad is glorified.
As for living a married life or a single life, neither is lesser than the other. They are simply choices that we all make and hopefully we understand ourselves well enough to know which is the best fit.
If your daughters live as singles, they have as much opportunity for happiness and life success (whatever that may be) as they would have had married.
I’m sure it must be awfully difficult for women who’ve been married for any length of time to suddenly become single. Beyond the grief, I hope women in such a position would find the joy of singleness, as they found the joy of being married.
So don’t be sad, Elizabeth. You did your part and your daughters will find their way through life, whether on their own or not.
Thank you Sue…I appreciate your perspective…and I do understand your being happy single too…it is good to be content wherever you are. We do worry over our daughters’ welfares due to the physical challenges they face too…we think they will try to locate closer together when that comes possible. We do not have a large family to help out as some do either. I admire those families who somehow manage to stay close. I hope that you are finding some friends there now, who might be there if you needed help at some point.
Hi, Elizabeth,
I have said this before, but I think you need to hear it again. You and your husband are a blessing to be willing and able to help your daughters. Not all parents would do the same. You and your husband have done a good job raising your girls – no fault there. We have no control of how others were raised or their (lack of) values. I hope that with time your daughters will find restored calm and peace. By concentrating on themselves and their children, they will find happiness.
Your family is always in my thoughts and prayers, Elizabeth. Sending you a **hug**
Thank you so much, Denise…prayers are what keeps us going I think and I so value them!! I think we are doing what anyone else would do if they could. Thank you for the kind remark!!
😊
Thank you for sharing the news, Sue. I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I enjoyed Bob’s photos; he was very talented. The photos of Vermont, taken just a few months ago, are breathtaking.
So sorry to hear that. Believe it or not I was just now reading those very posts where you camped near Yuma and enjoyed watching the hummingbirds with Bob.
I will visit his site and think of him.
Bridget was really funny around Bob. She was like a lovestruck teenager. While we were talking she actually went over and leaned against Bob’s leg, all dreamy-eyed.
I remember that! Bridget was besotted with Bob. 🥰
Happy New Year Sue and Crew and all the Blogorinos! I was so happy to get your blog post, Sue, and to read all the thoughtful comments. I agree with Cynthia about the connection I feel with our community here. Such a rare feeling these days! I love all the house projects you are doing, and your place exudes a feeling of home. Always glad to read news of Reggie and Roger. They always seem so happy. So sorry to read of AZ Jim’s death, but comforted to think of him in a glorious place with Detta now.
My husband and I traversed the country twice last year, just whetting my appetite for more travel. We are in our winter park in central Florida now. Enjoying the warmth and quiet, not yet completely antsy to get on the road again. We’ll take off again in late spring, heading north for my daughter’s graduation in New Jersey. Then not sure where. I am optimistic about the new year and new decade. May we all have a happy and fulfilling new year!
Laurie
Hi, Laurie,
Good hearing from you as you’re comfortably wrapped in Florida’s warmth! It sounds like you enjoyed your trips last year. Aren’t we fortunate to live in such a beautiful country with ease of travel to a wide range of landscapes?
How nice, also, to have a family destination to look forward to!
Thank you for your kind words about the blogorino community, our home, and me and my crew. I join you in optimism for the new year and beyond. Let’s make the most of it! 🙂
Happy New and Wonderful Year Sue, Roger and Reggie. (You 2 guys are very lucky)
I sooo enjoy your treasures and finds and you remind me of me. I’ve been accused of being a McGuyver.
Love the hiding of the spigot.
Hi, Carin,
Yuma is a good place to be. Anywhere it’s warm! Thanks for the new year’s wish.
So you’re a fellow treasure-hunter. It’s fun finding perfect items for the home and at prices that aren’t painful. Often I’ll bring something home that I never would’ve thought of and it works perfectly in the overall decorating. Then there are the primarily practical items, like the plastic bench, that end up solving a “problem.”
You have a wonderful 2020. It was nice seeing you here.
I don’t often comment but do read your blog and comments faithfully.
I love what you’ve accomplished in updating your home to fit you and the boys…and on a budget, too. You’re so talented, Sue. I especially wish I had your gift of decorating but that gene skipped me. Mama used to say that God gave all of us talents. Well if he did he’s keeping mine a big secret and I still haven’t determined what it is in 73 years, lol. I do love and rescue animals, not just cats…maybe that’s it.
Hugs to the boys. Take care and prayers for a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year to you and the blogerinos.
Thank you, Cat Lady. I wish the same for you!
Someday believers will be shown all that they did during their time on earth. How they affected others will be revealed. I bet we will be amazed at the ripple effect of our actions. Your rescue work touches many lives, not only the animals.
I’m happy Jim made it to Heaven in time for Christmas with his Lord and Detta. Oh how happy they must be!
Hi Sue!
I know that I’m especially late to the party. Thank you for this most recent post. It’s great seeing how your house and thrift store finds have come together! I am in the opposite side of that, trying to purge my house of too much stuff. As the New Year starts, I have many things to be grateful for. Foremost is that both of my parents are still here and are in a relatively good place with their health (given all of their pre existing conditions). As both were in and out of the hospital this past year, their being here for the holidays was not a given. They have been such a blessing in my life. They are not perfect people (as I am not), however they do such a great job of loving me.
I was so sorry to hear of Az Jim’s passing. I had been missing his comments the past few months and was worried. Thank you for letting us know. You are right in saying that we should be happy for him, pain free and reunited with Detta. However, it is still sad for those of us left behind.
Can’t wait to hear your big news!
Hi, Dawn!
Happy New Year!!
I hope your new year is off to a good start! 😊
I have some GOOD news here!! Daughter here has just finalized all things and will be beginning her new job in a couple weeks!! We are SO glad she will be leaving the “cess pool” where she works currently…that has added so much extra stress to her already difficult life!! We are ALL hoping this new job will be a good one…at the least it pays a lot more…so one can hope!! I hope 2020 is going well for the rest here too!!
So glad to hear Dawn, that your parents are doing as well as can be. And that they are supportive of you…all of us need support!! That is where hubby and I are at this time too…day by day…and enjoying the good days. I went to get some supplies extra because it seems that snow is expected for a bit now…so that should enable us to stay home and safe!! Hope everyone is managing with the cold in their regions too!!
Your good news is wonderful, Elizabeth, sending you happy hugs ! Enjoy being safe at home while the snow flies there.
So nice to hear from you Weather…was wondering how you are!
Sending you hugs too!!
Hi Elizabeth!
Thanks for sharing the GREAT news about your daughter’s new job. A bad work place can take a horrible toll on a person. I’m glad for the increased salary and a fresh start!
Hi, Elizabeth!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful, good news!! Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!! 😊
I am glad the new year is off to a good start for your family!! Prayers answered!
Sending you happy hugs! Stay warm! 😊
THANK YOU my friends!! They say joy shared is multiplied…seems we need all the joy we can find!! I so hope the new job for her will be good in all ways. I feel so relieved she gets to leave this bad one however. Her boss of the first 2 out of 3 years told her he knew she would leave, he was surprised she stayed so long. Sounds like a plan all along (another guy who has been a friend to her said she was hired under bad intentions…guess they wanted a fall guy). So that gives one an idea that succeeding was never going to be allowed. That is working for the county here in this area for ya…no wonder folks suspect the “public employees” is it?
I’m so happy for your daughter, Elizabeth, and for you, as we hurt when our children hurt. Blessings to her in her new job.
Thank you Applegirl!! It is so true!!
Dear Sue, just lost an entire message because I messed up my email address???? What I get for doing this on no sleep. Will try to recreate it in awhile. Sorry
Wonderful news, Elizabeth. 2020 just has to be a better year for many of us than this past 2019. I hit rock bottom a few months after my hubby’s passing but “on my feet” again. We loved to go to auctions and country sales when we still lived in Ohio. It was a treasure trove for finding the primitives/Americana that we loved. Just hauled an old piano stool down from the attic that someone painted mint green. I’ve started the stripping process to refinish. All this to say that I’m finding joy in life again. I’m beyond thankful! I follow all of you and love hearing the stories of your lives. Happy for your good times and prayers when you’re going through troubled waters. Judy
Thank you Judy,…glad to hear you are doing better…all such adjustments in life take time…and I do not look forward to being alone some day, but if I survive him, indeed I will have to do so. I have had kin who managed to weather those storms too…and friends. Thank you for the prayers…that is what helps most!
We have been more “lookers” than buyers, but we have enjoyed browsing through thrift shops, antique stores etc…kind of like going back to visit my Great Grandma’s home where my happiest times took place. But now we are mostly homebound. But we have found some great places to watch on the channels we get via the apt providers…we have a Roku TV, but mostly watch youtube, history channel, and Amazon Prime. So at least we are still learning as we watch others live lives we might have tried ourselves when younger!! Blessings on you!
Hi, Judy,
I hope 2020 is off to a good start for you. May your continue to find joy and comfort! Sending you positive thoughts and keeping you in my prayers. **hugs** 😊
Having water where you can easily use it makes working in the yard so much nicer! It all looks great. We too have found a couple local guys who do great work for us. Small towns are the best. Glad you’re continuing to love your little Arizona home. We’re having fun making changes on ours as well. Sad to hear of Jim’s passing and his rough last months. The blessings of our life can sometimes be a curse when they are taken from us. The little guys look like they’re having fun finding those pecans :-))
Happy New Year Sue! Hoping 2020 is a good year for you and the boys.
I am sending these heartfelt greetings somewhat belatedly. We were out enjoying N. Florida camping in the Scamp for the last two weeks with no Internet access.
I’ve been travelling with you and your pups since Day 1. I greatly enjoy following your stories and pictures . I figure I can still consider myself a dedicated blogorino even though I’m not a frequent commenter !
Once a blogorino, always a blogorino, DeeDee!! 😊
Hi Everyone!
Just wondered what everyone was up to this three day weekend? I’m going to my parents’ house to celebrate my mom’s birthday! I’m really excited about that. On Monday, I’ll be home relaxing and spending time with friends. What about the rest of you?
Hoping to mostly take it easy and maybe do some easy hiking at one of my favorite lake spots. Is it still hiking if there’s a paved trail? Glad for good weather here this weekend.
Hi, Dawn!
It sounds like you will have a perfect long weekend! Enjoy your mom’s birthday party! 🎂
I plan to continue to sort thru “stuff” that needs to be sold, donated or pitched. It feels good to be making progress. Before Christmas one of my sisters and BIL helped me gather and donate a trunkful of electronics and some heavy stoneware dishes. The Goodwill here accepts electronics whether they are working or not which is a huge help. My county holds an electronics disposal drive a few times a year, but they charge per item.
I also hope to catch up on some reading with Gracie pup snuggled on my lap – a perfect day!
It is very chilly here . We have a very, very small chance of sleet or freezing rain tomorrow night. Even a tiny chance of snow instigates panic. The grocery stores are flooded with people hoarding bread, milk, water, etc. I plan to be up early to make a (non weather- related) grocery run. Walmart used to carry decaf Red Rose tea. I must have been the only person buying it; they now only stock the caffeinated variety. I just called Publix grocery to see if they carry it – yes!! Oh, happy day! I will be picking up 2 boxes tomorrow! 😊
I hope everyone enjoys the long holiday weekend! Stay warm – be safe! 😊
Hi, Sue!
It is all your fault!! 😂
I decided to go to Publix tonight to get my Red Rose tea as I grocery shop primarily at Kroger. One less stop to make tomorrow.
What do you think I found while cutting through the frozen section on my way to the front register? Tillamook ice cream!!! I finally will be able to try it! The Marion Berry Pie and Carmel Waffle Cone flavors jumped into my cart.
My reasoning to justify buying two vats of creamy goodness…
– I do not shop at Publix – their prices are too high (for me). Buy it now.
– I picked up 2 packages of tea, so I am stocked up for a good while. Buy it now.
– The M. Berry was the last one. The tag said it was on clearance, but no discount. Buy it now.
– You and many of blogorinos highly recommend Tillamook ice cream. Buy it now!!
Thank you for introducing me to this brand, Sue. Until now, I could only find Tillamook cheese and sometimes their butter. I will be enjoying this treat for quite a while. Decisions, decisions….which flavor to try first?! 😋
Have a good weekend, Sue. Sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! xo 😊
Hooray for you! Tillamook ice cream! 🙂 Your posts are a delight, Denise. You and Gracie pup have a cozy weekend together. Thanks for the love and hugs. Sending you the same from me and the boys!
Gracie pup and I thank you for the love and hugs, Sue! xo 😊
I tried the Carmel Waffle Cone ice cream last night. Oh my!! It is delicious!! It is so dense and creamy. Ben & Jerry’s and Hagen Das are no match! I am now officially a member of the Tillamook ice cream fan club! 😋
You might also enjoy the Tillamookie ice cream sandwiches…in some unusual flavors. My hubby loves those. Also another of his favorites is a new-to-us brand out here…but it is called Whidby Island Ice Cream…you lucky ducks who can eat ice cream!! There are almost none I can have…even of the alternate kind as most use Tapioca in it, some changed in just the last year that I used to have in summer. Oh well…not like I NEED it anyway!! So enjoy yours for me too!!
Hi, Elizabeth!
Thank you for sharing – I will be on the lookout for WI ice cream brand. I have milk issues, too. I can only tolerate occasional small portions. Makes my treat last longer! I will enjoy some for you! 😋
Have you tried Oat milk? I stumbled upon it last summer. For the first time in 50+ years, I was able to have milk in my cereal. It is really good. Kroger just came out with their version, so hopefully it will be a bit cheaper.
Enjoy your day, Elizabeth! 😊
I do cook with Almond Milk…and to me, that tastes good enough. I am not crazy about milk…never have been…and don’t eat cold cereal and rarely eat hot. So the main stuff I miss are more the cheese, ice cream etc area…but the good news is that some of the fake cheese is not half bad and I can sometimes find a couple of the alternate ice creams now and again. Freezer too small for keeping it anyway and with diabetes and all…something I don’t eat much. But I get joy thinking of others enjoying it!! Thanks for your ideas!!
I do cook with Almond Milk…and to me, that tastes good enough. I am not crazy about milk…never have been…and don’t eat cold cereal and rarely eat hot. So the main stuff I miss are more the cheese, ice cream etc area…but the good news is that some of the fake cheese is not half bad and I can sometimes find a couple of the alternate ice creams now and again. Freezer too small for keeping it anyway and with diabetes and all…something I don’t eat much. But I get joy thinking of others enjoying it!! Thanks for your ideas!!
😊
Hi Denise!
Glad you finally found the Tillamook ice cream! I have actually found it in Publix as well. However, I wish that they sold the ice cream in a smaller amount. I’m afraid to buy that much, because I know that I would eat it in a week! I, too, was eyeing the Marion Berry Pie flavor. Let me know how it tastes! I haven’t been eating as much ice cream this past year, but am totally addicted to chocolate!
Hi, Dawn!
I agree with you – I wish they offered pints. Maybe they do but Publix does not carry it. I liked the Carmel Waffle Cone flavor better than the Marion Berry Pie. I love berries and pie, but I just wasn’t feeling it – but you may like it. I like the Ben & Jerry pints. Not as much temptation! 😊
I love chocolate, too. She says as she opens a mini 100 Grand candy bar… 😋
At this time of year most of the trees surrounding my home have bare branches, making it easier to see their real shapes, to notice how they’re structured. One day as I noticed how relatively few branches grew downward while most grew outward or upward I realized that God was showing me that for a reason.
When we reach down it’s often in order to help someone up, and to maintain a balanced life one should either not spend most of their time doing that, or they should at times take a break to just replenish and relax. Later I was reading and saw a quote from John Eldredge. ” There comes a time when you have to leave all that is familiar, and go into the unknown with God. ”
Since my friends’ antique store closed, and other friends having gone south for the winter we see and speak to each other only on rare occasions. My granddaughter is taking a semester off from the university and is currently in San Diego with my son and family there. After several years of being where and what someone needed, of being a substitute parent , and an active participant on this blog I stepped back to spend time essentially alone with God. It’s done me a world of good in too many ways to go into here…
Still, I find myself checking in to see new comments daily, because I care about and miss you , Sue, and all my fellow blogorinos, too ! Sending prayers for and hugs to anyone that wants or needs those, and my love to all.
Hi, weather,
Thank you for the love and hugs. It sounds like much has changed in your world in a short time. Those changes led to positive, peaceful blessings. I was glad to see your comment. When Sue and some blogorinos are quiet and have not checked in for a while, I always wonder how they are hope that all is well. Sending you some love and hugs back, weather! xo 😊
What a considerate reply, Denise ! This past year held some difficult parts for you, yet you still have remained such an important and loyal part of this comments section. I really do appreciate and admire you for that, and for other reasons, such as you are just such a nice person. I enjoy the bits of yourself and life that you share here, and am touched by how you make a point of responding to almost everyone else that shares theirs. I hope you and Gracie pup are enjoying each other, this season and your life together 🙂
xoxoxo! 😊
Glad to hear you 2 are doing well…so many nice folks on this blog and I also appreciate such!! I am TRYING to be more productive…thus not doing as much online…have a flannel nightgown cut out for daughter…must get it done so she can wear it a couple times before heat comes…I am making it as there was nothing to be found like she wanted, though her desire was simple enough. I really wonder who decides on patterns at times… And also working on my memories book for my offspring to have some day. The funnest part recently was going piano shopping with my daughter here. We found the most awesome old upright…1906…the sound is incredible and the keys go down so easy it will be fun for her kids when we get lessons begun for them (both want to learn at this time). So rusty as I am, I played a bit…and she wants me to come over more and play there too…plus once she practices, she will far surpass me as she can read music really well (which I am not so good at). She begins her new job tomorrow…we are SO hopeful for a good work situation now!! Our car that was damaged in Dec is now in shop being fixed. So we are hoping 2020 brings a better year for us and many others we know!! Wishing you both and the others here a good year too!! Glad you are ok Weather…had not seen you here for awhile. Hope you are staying warm and doing ok too Denise!!
It’s nice to know what’s going on with you, Elizabeth.
What a treat that flannel nightgown you’re making for your daughter will be for her ! Even if she doesn’t get many chances to wear it before it’s too warm there, I’m sure she’ll enjoy wearing it next winter, too.
How lovely that three generations of you females will get to play piano with each other. I hope and am praying that all goes well at your daughter’s new job, and that you’re pleased with the outcome of your car’s being repaired.
May this year give you much to be grateful for, sweet lady. Thank for caring and being glad that I’m ok, xxoo
Thank you so much, Weather!! Prayers are SO appreciated!!! I feel that this time right now is so special with this daughter especially…some of the time being restored that the locust stole from us!! She knows that 80% of what I play is religious as that is what is in my head from years back…and some is simply just melodies GOD puts in my mind at that moment…no words…yet she seems to long for me to play for her…she yet does not believe in GOD…but we feel is getting closer. She was so abused in many settings (we cannot protect our children completely tho indeed I tried)…so there are lots of reasons for her thoughts. But we hope with love and helping her and patience, in time, things will be as they always should have been. And our relationship with her has been restored…I had given up on that ever happening…it was the little granddaughter being born that things began finally changing…after 17 years. A very long time to us!! Now we await the deliverance of our grandchildren from the clutches of the evil ones who so want to ruin them!! There is no protection in this state at least, from such. So for now, we are all “stuck” here. So we hope and pray for that day too!! I so appreciate the encouragement of many here on Sue’ spot!! Oh and another fun thing is our daughter wants to get a dog again SOON…so that means another one for hubby and me to “share” too!! FUN!!
What a gift having a relationship restored is! I think everyone at some point in life has
cared about a family member or friend that
for a time was estranged, or
had reason to worry about them, what they are going through, or what they believe.
When I told a dear and wise friend that I was concerned about someone she answered with
” Father has a plan for their life ” . May you take as much comfort in knowing that as I do,
and enjoy sharing a dog again 🙂
Hi, Elizabeth!
The flannel nightgown you are making for your daughter will be treasured! Anything made with love is always extra special! Even if this “winter” too mild, the flannel gown will be used for many years to come. Did you use a pattern for the gown or make one yourself? 😊
Congratulations on finding the piano. It sounds like it was well-loved and taken care of. It had found a good home with your family!
I hope your daughter’s new job is off to a good start, and that your car has been repaired. Oh, my! Looking to add a dog to your daughter’s family….what fun! This new year is off to a positive start for your family. As always, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Sending you a **hug** 😊
“There comes a time when you have to leave all that is familiar, and go into the unknown with God.”
Thank you, once again, Weather for sharing your thoughts and wisdom with us.
I’ve been a bit absent from the blog, too, so it’s wondreful to check in and find you here, along with everyone else.
It’s always a pleasure to hear from you ! Have a wonderful few weeks away on your trip south, may blessings accompany you as you travel.
Hi Elizabeth,
What wonderful news about a restored relationship with your daughter after such a long period of time. The time with her now must be especially sweet indeed. Keep playing her your songs! You never know how God uses things. When I was starting to get more serious about my beliefs, songs were instrumental in reaching out to me. I look forward to hearing your updates about your family and about adding the new fur baby!
Weather, Denise and Elizabeth,
Thanks for keeping the comments section going. I would so love to meet you guys, plus a lot of other blogorinos in person. I have been have a difficult month and didn’t really feel like commenting on anything. However, I know that God will eventually work these circumstances for my good. I am doing better now.
Right now, I’m trying to decide if I should go to my young niece’s birthday party. I would so hate to miss it. However, there is a lot of sickness in her class at school, and my sister got really sick after volunteering at her school. My parents have decided to not go. I’m considering. I’ve had to miss one in the past, and I hate it. They are only young for such a short period of time.
The weather here is all over the place. This week in the forties and fifties. Next week into the high sixties! I don’t particularly enjoy the cold months. However, I hate being hot during the winter. I suppose I now have no excuse not to get out there and walk. One thing I am especially happy about is that the day light is getting longer each day. It’s wonderful to not drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. The sunshine just makes me happy.
To all the blogorinos out there, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Hi, Dawn, I’m sorry you had a difficult month, and glad you’re doing better now, and that the extra sunshine makes you happy. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, too !
Hi, Dawn!
I am so sorry that you are having a rough month. I hope things start getting better soon. I will send up some extra positive thoughts and prayers for you. Sending you a **hug**
Did you go to your niece’s birthday party? I understand your hesitation with the flu bug other crud going around. Maybe consider wearing a mask? 😷 You could turn things around, saying that you are not feeling 100% and don’t want to share your cooties.
The weather has been crazy! I am beginning to wonder if we will have winter. Temps were in the low 60’s today – positively balmy! There is a chance for snow in the next week or so… 😊
Hi Denise!
I did end up going to the birthday party. Thanks for asking.
That’s great, Dawn! I hope you are having a good week! 😊
My thanks, too, for those of you who are faithful in keeping the posts rolling in. You are appreciated! I read it all, and keep you in my prayers.
We leave for our annual trip to Florida tomorrow. Looking forward to spending time outside in the sunshine, riding our bikes and putting our toes in the sand. We’ll be camping down there for a few weeks and then returning back to the Northeast.
Hi, Applegirl!
Enjoy your trip to Florida! Enjoy some sandy beaches for me! Are you staying on the Atlantic or Gulf side? I hope you have great weather during your stay. Safe travels! 😊
Hi 🙋🏼♀️
February First today. I was saddened to hear about AZ Jim- but I know he’s been waiting to see Detta again, so we must be happy for him.
As for us, we are still on the road; “Living on less and enjoying life more.” 🙃
I’ll be back to comment more Sue. I think of you nearly everyday.
xo
Hi, Suzicruzi!
I am glad that you, Larry, and Kitty are still and loving life on the road! 😊
Ooops…please ignore the extra “and” between still and loving. 🙄
Hi, Sue and my fellow blogorinos!
It seems like our new year is off to a super speedy start. February snuck up on us – where did January go?!
Not too much is new in my neck of the woods. I am making progress on sorting through my paper craft and sewing supplies. Like many crafty people, I got sucked into some of the sales pitches, “You need to add this XYZ gizmo to your craft stash…it is amazing!” Yeah, it is so amazing that I never took it out of the package!
I found a new home for my spare (new) fabric and quilting supplies. A fellow quilter on a vlog that I follow lost her home to a fire a couple weeks ago. Thankfully, she and her husband were not harmed. Stuff can be replaced. She said it was heartbreaking to lose her sewing room, and her husband’s workshop. They both are retired and have spent many years happily creating things for others. I contacted the vlog owner to see if she could reach out to the quilter. I wanted to send her a care package – would that be ok and if so, please provide her mailing address. My idea was happily received. My package was mailed today. What is really cool is that the vlog owner shared my idea with the group this past week. She asked folks to contact her if they were interested in sending our fellow quilter spare fabric/notions/supplies. This is another example of an online community of friends, who care about each other, even though they will probably never meet in person. 😊
Sue, I hope you are having a great week! Sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! Thank you for letting us hang out on your virtual front porch. xo 😊
My fellow blogorinos: If you get a chance, drop in and let us know how you are doing and how your new year is going so far. I hope all is well! 😊
Denise, what a lovely thing to send that lady!! I am sure it will be a happier day for her when it arrives too!! Things going along per usual here…I did tonight complete my sewing project for daughter!! Heh, need to sew more…one gets a bit rusty like in other areas that are put aside for a time!! (And old Arthur came to visit some too…you know arthritis…but again, not so bad I had to stop…so I am fortunate there). It has gone cold again here, after some 50-60 degree days. And we had a few weeks of rain, but been nice for a couple days. No complaints. Thanks for you update!!
Hi, Elizabeth! Congratulations on completing your daughter’s flannel nightgown! Glad to hear that ‘ole Arthur did not derail your plans. Did you use a pattern or create your own template? 😊
Thanks Denise! I just adjusted one of those patterns for nightgowns that droops way low in the back hemline with knee length hemline in front…made it all the same length (ankle length)…and then adjusted fittings all along the way…daughter told me that the neckline is a bit too large…argh!! Oh well…not a lot I can do there…maybe as it is v-neck, could add a little triangle piece in front…might help keep on her shoulders better. Meanwhile I ordered 4 other ones online (2 were not in pattern books anymore)…so maybe will make her another one of a different neckline…and so it goes with sewing. Once you get a pattern adjusted to fit just right: HANG ONTO IT!!
Hope you are staying warm…tis cold again here!!
Hi, Elizabeth!
Your customized nightgown pattern is gold! Hang onto it! Don’t put it in a safe place and then forget where you put it! I have misplaced quite a few things that I thought I was safekeeping, 😂
You all stay warm, too! 😊
Hello everyone!
I’m not sure how in the world I’m just reading this post….I must have been busy when it came in and “saved” it. Kinda like “putting something away” and forgetting I have it. Anyway, I am sorry to read of the losses here and happy with the good reports.
Things are ok here.
Love to all!
MB
Hi, MB! 😊
Hi Denise! 🙂
Miss your posts Sue…. is that phase over for now? 😥
Sue and my fellow blogorinos,
I need your help, please. Prayers are needed.
My youngest sister has not been feeling well since the first of the year. She had a bout of flu, but still felt unwell. Last night she asked her husband to take her to the ER – 1 1/2 hrs away (Thank God!).
They did emergency surgery to save her life to remove fluid & pressure from her brain. My little sis has inoperable, aggressive brain cancer. The surgeon said the outlook is grim. They did not know if she would even wake up after the surgery. Early this afternoon she awoke and was somewhat coherent (Thank God!). They need to wait at least three days for the swelling to subside to determine if they can offer any treatment.
My family is a mess. Our little sister just turned 45 last month.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping my sister and our family in your thoughts and prayers.
I may not be checking in for a while. Consider no news, good news…as in my little sis is still with us.
Denise! My heart breaks for you and your family! I’m very sorry this crisis is upon you.
Know that you have our prayers. We will think of your sister often and send fervent pleas to our Heavenly Father on her behalf and for all of you. May angels surround and comfort you.
We understand your attention needs to go elsewhere than here. These are precious days. Hugs and tears, dear one.
Thank you so much, Sue. xo
You’re welcome, Denise. We love you.
Best wishes for Health, Happiness and Wonderment in 2020. May you and your little men enjoy a wonderful new year.
And may this young woman know peace and love at this time.