Just A Stone's Throw

This is what we woke up to yesterday. Seems that someone or several someones decided to tour the neighborhood Sunday night and see how much damage they could do. We called the Sheriff and I know most of the guys and they took pictures and made a report. Seems that many houses in our area were vandalized and a lot of the homes had windows broken out. Back glass and front glass broken. Now tell me why in the world people would want to do this.
We are just glad it was not any worse than it was.

We will take the car to the shop on Monday, the insurance company is paying for the window.
Right now it is all taped up with duck tape!

Bunch of hoodlums I am guessing.

Look at the glass everywhere!

Here is the rock and if you look up past the rock you will see where one of the plastic lids that cover little storage spaces has been broken off. Big rock! I guess about the size of a good size grapefruit. Nothing like that around here so I guess they just brought their own rocks! At least they had forethought!

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

Well girls (and guys) I am going to be working with Dennis for the next 10 days or so. He is still struggling to get over his surgery and he has to go back to work. He works at the University here in town and he is a computer guru. He builds smart classrooms, and he has built 68 or so in the 8 years he has worked at the University.

A smart classroom is a classroom with a very large podium and in that podium is all the computer elements for that room. Computer, VCR, DVD player, speakers, overhead projector and other elements that I am most likely forgetting. Anyway, he builds all these rooms with electronic screens and hangs everything in the room and programs the computers in the podiums. These rooms are very nice and the teachers just love them. There is a control panel on the podium and all the teachers need to do is push buttons!

Anyway, they have to have 12 new ones before school starts and they have hired a company out of Oklahoma City to do 6 of them but the other 6 must be finished before school.

Soooooooooo, I have been out at the college the other day helping load and unload boxes and boxes of equipment for my sweet DH. Now we have to install everything in the rooms and put the projectors up and the speakers in the walls........ He has so much to do, so I am going back to college, so to speak! I will be holding the ladder and moving the ladder and handing him stuff and just keeping him company and making sure he does not pick up something that might hurt him. I guess for the next 10 days or so I will be out of pocket. I think we will work right through the weekend.

I need to give the Home Health a call and see if they can come out and check on Mom and Dad once a day while I am out of pocket. So if you wonder where I went, that is where you can find me.

I have toyed with the idea of going back to college but this is not the way I thought it would be! ahah!


I have such a cute picture of my sweet Dennis. This is a week after his surgery and we took an afternoon and drove up to IHOP. We love their omelets! We had to have a dogie bag.

How I love that man!

Two Shot Dead

Please pray for the families of two young deputy sheriff officers that were gunned down yesterday afternoon in Seminole County Oklahoma. It is the county just north of our Pontotoc county.

These two young men were serving an arrest warrant, which they do every day of the week. Something went terribly wrong and one died at the scene and the other died later in the hospital.
As most of you know, my son Chris is law enforcement and his job includes just the same thing. Serving warrants, is one of his duties. I pray over him all the time and the guys that he works with. I pray that blood of Christ over their lives and the angels of God to hover over them and not so much as a hair on their heads will be harmed.

Chris was at the scene till early this morning along with countless other officers from surrounding counties until the shooter was captured and in jail.

It is hard to understand these things, I cannot imagine the pain of the young wives and mothers and fathers this morning of these two young men. It only causes me to pray harder and more fervent for those in our city and town that keep the peace.

James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Pray for the safety of all law enforcement officers in your city and state. They are underpaid for what they do and they risk their lives every day.

Pray for peace for these two families. They suffer greatly today. As the body of Christ, we are called to prayer.


My heart is so sad this morning.

BLESSED are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:9

Run!!!!!!!!!! It is an ANT!

(ok, it is not an ant but in my mind this is what that devil looks like)

Do you know why they call them Fire Ants? Because they bite the FIRE out of you!

Dennis and I had a wonderful time on Friday, we ran around Norman (well maybe we walked, SLOW) Dennis did pretty good, he was tired after about 3 hours so we stopped at IHOP and had an omelet and headed home. I did buy a couple of pots but they are really not what I was hoping for, but seeing as how it is into the middle of summer there was not much to pick from. Anyway, they will do fine and I might find larger ones next spring.

Saturday we got up and headed out to the garden center to buy flowers and over to Wal-Mart for potting soil.

We first went to Wal-Mart and that was a smart move because from there we headed to the garden center. I think we had been there about 30 minutes and I had my little tray stocked plumb full and was headed back to the vinca vine trays to get a couple of those...... THAT is where I made my mistake. I picked up a 4" pot and being dry the vinca vine came out of the pot dirt and all..... I quickly put it back in the pot and scooped the pot up off the table.

OOPS!

There they were and by the time I figured out that they were ants (they were so small and black) that they were up my arms to my elbows, and they were BITING as they went! OMG!!!!....... Dennis was across the way from me and saw me frantically wiping at my arms and hands. He came running and so did the gal working there, I hollered at her and told her I needed a water hose or something, she quickly got the hose and began to hose off my arms and hands.


When the dust settled I had bites all over my hands and arms to up my elbows. They were swelling and itching and we hurry out and headed to Walgreens for Benadryl. I usually carry it because I am so allergic to any bites, but wouldn't you know it, I did not have a single chewable tablet to my name. By the time we got to Walgreens the bites on my arms were the size of half dollars. Mercy, those are nasty little things.

After about 5 hours my hands looked like I had on boxing gloves without the gloves!
I guess in hind sight I should have gone to the ER but we are only 3 minutes from the hospital from my driveway, and Dennis and I were very aware of how I was breathing and how I was feeling over all. At the slightest threat of breathing difficulties we would have headed to the hospital. I did feel really bad for about 4 hours and slept for a couple because of the Benadryl but by Saturday evening I was ok except for the swelling.

Well here it is Monday and the swelling in my hands seems to be going down! Yesterday I was finally able to see each bite and there are about 40 of them. They are all the size of a pea and there are blisters on the top of each one.. Thus the name Fire Ants...
BUT! Not to let those little devils win, I went out Sunday afternoon and planted my pots! So there!

I think they will look nice once they get growing, I hope so, they cost me dearly!

My sweet husband is headed back to work today and he is doing well. Just needs to take it easy for a few more weeks. I will miss him being here......... We are buddies......

I am very very busy in the shop right now, I kept a couple of my customers and the Sheriff department called and wants a new design and then they are going to order 80 shirts. That will take some time to sew. So I am off to the shop to work and I will try and get to visit each of you while I work on my computer out there.

Happy Monday girls

AND!!!!!!!! If you see a teeny tiny little black spot that is moving and upon a closer observation you see it to be an ant..............

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I will take pictures of my pots sometime today and share)

NO GO

Well bummer!

Me and my sweet DH are not going to be able to go to Tulsa for a little R&R! Older brother PE and his wife have been on vacation and at one point said he would be home Thursday, (yesterday). He called yesterday afternoon from Colorado to let us know it would be Sunday before they got home. Ok, I understand the enjoyment of being away and I do not blame them for staying a bit longer. Also my son Chris is going to be out of town so we cannot all be gone from Mom and Dad. We will try again in a few weeks if his job allows it. He goes back to work Monday and the next 6 weeks is the busiest time of his year. They have much to do before school starts in August.

Well, we have a week planned in October and maybe can sneak in a weekend before then.
BUT in the mean time, I am headed out to shop for two BIG pots to put out front on each end of my bench. So there, I am going to go and do SOMETHING today, hahhahah. I will need to find plants that love love love the HOT weather as my front bench faces due west with NO shade.
I will ask the experts from where I buy the pots. I will take pictures !

Have yourself a wonderful Friday and if your weather has cooled down like ours (it is 75 this morning), then enjoy!

Morning GLORY!

Do you remember my lattice and my mail box?

WELL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!














Good Morning GLORY!

I have a morning glory gone wild! You cannot see all the blooms coming on but there are hundred! The first picture faces west and the second picture faces east. On the east side it is taking over the other flowers below and I need to figure out what to do with them........... I am hoping the morning glory goes on down and wraps around the mail box! Won't that be pretty!

They were actually planted on the east side and they are winding their way through the lattice on to the west side. The Lantana is growing real well now and now that the temperature has dropped into the 90's. Next year I am going to do all purple and yellow.

This picture does not do this justice as the other flowers are yellow and white and red and purple....... I will take another picture when the others are bigger.. but then again, the Morning Glory will take over before then!

I have not even had time to paint the wood....... Oh well, I will paint this fall after the first frost. I have the color all picked out but not going to share that with you yet. We are in the process of PAINTING the house! YEAH! I have waited 3 years to paint and I have a patch work canvas on the back of the house where I have been buying paint and testing the color for 3 years now! We have finally found the color we want and it is Bee-You-Tea-FULL ! I will take pictures!

I have been away from the computer a lot this week. With my sweet hubby home we have been able to spend time together and I have so enjoyed him being home. We are headed out of town tomorrow for a short R & R to Tulsa and then home Saturday. He is gaining strength but I do not want to over do it so one day away will be enough. He is headed back to work on Monday so things will go back to normal, whatever that is.

I have no idea what we will do in Tulsa, other than visit some health food stores, see a movie and eat at the Red Lobster or Macaroni Grill. I love Tulsa to visit but not to live, too fast for me.

(Should I use the word health food and Macaroni Grill in the same sentence? Well maybe not, but I will have salad and grilled salmon, I promise. Red Lobster, well I have no idea if they even has salad!)

Well time to check on Mom and Dad and take her medicine. Have a wonderful day and wonderful weekend and I will holler at you sometime Sunday.

Love ya!

Paul and Helen

Paul and Helen Walsh 2005....

Good morning girls.... Not much going on here. Weather is too hot 105 today with 110 heat index. My tomatoes and cucumbers did not survive yesterday, 103. I really hated to see them laying on the ground last night but it is hard to keep them alive in that kind of heat. Maybe a fall garden is on the list.

Dennis is on the mend thank goodness. Today he is pretty much pain free and I am thankful for that. He is a precious gift to me and I could not do what I do here without his strength. He has one more week off and we will do just exactly as we did this past week. Nothing! He needs to fully recover before he goes back to work next week. He has a very hard 6 weeks ahead of him at the college when he returns so this week is just more rest.

The ones that I most grieve for these days is Mom and Dad. Dad is very very depressed and try as I may nothing is helping. He is sleeping a lot during the day and when he is up he is just slumped in the chair. I feel obligated to do something but there is nothing I can do. You cannot give joy to others, the joy comes from within.

Mom is moving to a place in her mind that nothing is of any concern to her. She does not remember when anyone was there to see her nor does she care. This is such a cruel disease. Her personality is changing and I hear that that is one of the characteristic of this disease. She has always been mild mannered but lately she is becoming aggressive. I am learning to treat her as a child. That is difficult.

I grieve over the fact that I cannot do some of the things "as unto the Lord" that I once did and I know that I have not been put on the shelf for ever. I am a teach at heart and I find myself teaching to me most of the time. There are seasons in our lives and when the seasons are upon us we rejoice in the knowing that God is in all seasons of our lives.

Well, did not mean to go on so long about Mom and Dad........ I am FINALLY going to post on my Samaritan Women blog. The Lord has been helping me to schedule my days a bit better and I am finding time to write. That is a blessing, I need to write. I have much to say and it builds up in me and I want to share.........

Love you gals a lot and you may not know it but your prayers do reach through the cyber space corridors and find they way into my life.........

Thanks for listening.


Be blessed!

LAUGH OUT LOUD!

Got this tonight via email....... We all need to laugh out loud at least once a day. This made me laugh out loud........... Thanks Sharon...........



Subject: TICK WARNING

I hate it when people forward bogus warnings, and I have even done it

myself a couple of times unintentionally...but this one is real, and it's

important. So please send this warning to everyone on your e- mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking

for ticks due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up,
DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!! They only want to see you naked.

I wish I'd gotten this yesterday. I feel so stupid...

.... Have a great day

(is that a picture of a tick?)

Shhhhhhhhh... I Want To Show You Something!

!

I thought I would take a quick picture of this........ I tried to take one of the little babies, but it is just too dark... Little Miss Wren has built a nest right back under the lip of this water pitcher and there are about 3-4 little yellow beaks looking out! How cute is that! AND how HOT is that! How in the world they can live in a metal pot like that when the temperatures are over 100, I will never know........ I make sure she has plenty of bird seed right there for her, I know she has to be tired after a long day of feeding three hungry mouths!

Me and my sweet husband are not going to get away this weekend. He has had 4 pretty rough days and I fear that traveling and in and out of the car and just the normal stuff of going off for a couple of days is going to be too much for him. So, we have decided to stay put and try and get a few days off in a month or so. BUT this morning his is pain free, last night at 10 p.m. was his last pain pill. That is a good thing, but he has to take it slow. Have ANY of you seen a man that would "take it slow"? I think not! hahahahha

I am headed to Wal-mart to buy him a comfy lounge chair for around the pool. He is able to swim now and out in the shade by the pool is a good place to park him. A couple of good books and a water bottle and he should be a happy camper (so to speak).

I think that we are on the down hill side of this now. I am thankful that Mom and Dad have been ok this week. BUT I think I am going to buy me that nursing hat and wear it around here, but I bet they running screaming into the night if I pick up an enema bottle! hahaha

Have a great Friday girls!

Quick Post in the Fast Lane!

Thought I would stop a minute and say that things are getting better here at my house...... Dennis has had a couple of pretty bad days. Much pain and thought at one point needed to take him back to the ER. BUT today was better and he is able to back off the pain pills a bit. Mercy... hate to see him in such pain...... he is a good patient but does not listen!

Is that just like a man or what! He is off till July the 20th and we hope to be able to take a few days and go away.. Maybe on Friday.

We think we might go to Tulsa and just get room, take lots of books and turn the A/C down and sleep and read. We have gift certificates to Red Lobster and Macaroni Grill. Time to take a break from here.

Mom is not good today, she is slipping pretty bad and I sure would appreciate your prayers. She is forgetting a lot of things now. I have had a couple of melt downs this past week. I do not know how to help her and I worry about keeping her safe.

Well, got to run it is late and my sweet DH has headed to bed. I pray that he sleeps through the night tonight. He needs the rest.

Love ya'll lots!

Rained Out ..Surgery Tomorrow

Well the best laid plans of man and mice! We had a huge storm front move in last night at about 8:00 and it thundered and threw lighting bolts and rain till late into the night. This morning it is still raining and looks like it might move out today. All plans for fireworks and hamburgers out the window.......... We never go to the park for the 4th, too many people but we were invited to sit sit in families yard that is near the lake and watch, but not this year. I am ok with it but there were a lot of disappointed people at the park. Had to grab their stuff and run!


We have a barbecue planned here today but not sure if we will continue with those plans. The pool has 1" of cold rain and the back yard is sooooooooo muddy. I guess we will wait and see how the morning goes.

My sweet DH goes into surgery tomorrow at noon. We wanted to get this over with and get him on the road to recovery. He is pretty miserable with the pain so time to get it fixed. Good news about all of this he will be home for two weeks. We are planning a little get a way toward the end of the week and just take a couple of days and drive. I soooooooooo look forward to that!

So please whisper a little pray for him tomorrow , I would appreciate that.

Have a good week gals and I will post later in the week.............

Hugs

Did You Know..... Happy 4th of July America

Have you ever wondered

what happened to the 56 men
Who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,
and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
Hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants,
nine were farmers and large plantation owners;
men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the
British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
Pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British
that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
Was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,
And poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that
the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson
home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General
George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,
and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill
were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests
and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and
silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they
paid.

Remember:
Freedom is never free!

It's time we understand that patriotism
is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer,
picnics, and baseball games.

Happy Independence Day America, and may we as a nation turn BACK to God and be the Christian Nation as like we began.