Changes

Good evening and welcome Through My Back Door. The coffee is on and help yourself to a cookie. The rain has stopped and we can sit out side where it has cooled off a bit if you like. I love these evenings when it is cool enough to sit out. It seemed summer would never come this year and I am loving it. Life has been very busy for me with the trips and and just living. It has occurred to me, that I am always busy and obviously I like it like that, so I won't complain. Recently I have been thinking about changes. Do you ever do that, just reflect on the changes in your life? Changes that have come so quietly, you didn't notice them until one day you realize that things just aren't the same?
When I started blogging it was all about decorating, collections, antiques, etc, and I notice I have gotten away from that. I don't do much tweaking anymore. My house is pretty much staying the same. Some of my friends are the same way. They say they just aren't into decorating like they used to be. Don't get me wrong, I still love all of those things, I have just quit collecting, as I don't need anything, I have no room, and I hate to admit it, but have lost the desire to add to my existing ones. Changes. I even passed up a pair of candle snuffers and a putz sheep when I was in Pa in  March. That would NEVER have happened a while back.
I was going through some pictures and I will share some of them with you. These are not new, but nothing has changed. I notice Dasko in so many of my pictures as he loved the camera. As soon I would get it out, he would move to where ever I was going to take a picture.lol 

This hasn't changed in a year and a half.

That bench is in the kitchen now. So that changed. I look at this and I see friends. The paper feather from Pam and Frank. The onion bottle from my friend Carol. The Candle holder from Amanda. The clay pipe Corner Antiques and the FW runner the Speckled Hen. The pillow on the bench from Daybreak Place was made by Carol.

This mirror still hangs in the same spot in the bathroom. I treasure this mirror, from my Grandparents home.

A lamb made by Sharon in a handmade basket.

Haven't changed my mantle.

My love of redware hasn't changed.

My love of Christmas hasn't changed.
Some of the changes I am feeling are I haven't seen some friends this summer I usually see and enjoy so much. I am not hearing from friends I used to hear from two or three times a week. I am not doing some of the things I enjoy doing. Why? I honestly do not know. Friends are so important, don't you think? Changes. I don't like it when I feel sad because of change, do you? I know it is impossible for things to stay the same, it just isn't meant to be, but some changes just make you feel sad and others make you feel good. What kind of changes are you going through? One thing I hope doesn't change, and that is you coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: One of the good changes is some of our old bloggers have blogged again! Yeah
PSS: If you, like me, have not seen some old friends, do what I am going to do. Call them and go to lunch. If they live too far away to do that, call them anyway.
PSSS: Continue to remember to pray for some of our bloggers who are having some health issues right now and others who are making  changes in their lives.

Can You Take One More Birthday Celebration?

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door.Of course there is coffee and yellow cake with the world's best caramel icing! My mother's reicpe and it can't be beat and is soooo easy. Anyway I want to share my  birthday celebration with you, that Deb and the girls planned. AS you know Beth, Ryan, and Amelia moved back while I was at the beach. You know also that Curt and Linz did too. With me gone, them moving, then when I got home, helping Beth get settled, we have all been extremely busy. Curt and Linz have bought a house too, but won't get to move in for a while, so they are staying with Beth. They were at the beach the week I got back, soooo, to make a long story short we had to wait until yesterday to celebrate. There had been several celebrations and I knew this was the last one.
The day started at 10 am with all of us getting pedicures.

Deb took this picture, so she is missing. We had so much fun and laughed ourselves silly. The technicians were delighted to have all 5 of us and bantered back and forth with us,

After that we headed for our favorite store Marshalls. Beth did some house shopping, Amanda did some kid shopping and Deb, Linz, and I just shopped.
The next stop on our agenda, was Lulu's for lunch.

We love Dena and her tea room. The food is so good. I invite you to eat there if you are in the area. You won't be disappointed.

All of us. Why do the people who are closest to the camera, look the biggest? lol
Well we ate our lunch, laughed and talked, and talked and laughed. We had such a good time and I knew it was the last birthday celebration of this year for me, so this happened. I just can't give it up!

I am NOT faking! I stood up to go, my knee popped and I got so sick I thought I was going to die! Beth and the girls were fanning me, and Deb is taking pictures! Hello, what was wrong with that picture? The servers were quite upset, but Deb explained we had a doctor and a nurse(Linz) with us. It was so darned funny, we all had to laugh.Beth asked if I was having any chest, arm pain, etc, and I said no. In between the feeling I was going to pass out I was laughing too. Oh goodness and we had just commented on how healthy I am!!!!!   I know most people wouldn't share this, but what the heck! I thought you might enjoy it.lol
After about 15 minutes, I was fine and could walk down the stairs. We went back to Debs and I put ice on it for about an hour and now it is fine. This has happened a time or two (not the nausea from the pain) so I foresee a visit with an orthopod when he gets home! Where is the Mr. Dr. Dabbs when I need him.lol
After we rested a bit, Deb and I went down to Beths and with help from Curt and Linz got Caroline's room set up. BTW guess who kept Amelia for Beth to get to go yesterday? Her uncle Curt. Is he not a jewel?
It was a wonderful day, even with the knee episode, and it is always a wonderful day when YOU come Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS:FYI We were in a private room and no one saw the shennanigans I put on!lol
PSS: I redid my front porch and have to say I am happy with it.

PSSS: I want to share one gift. A few months ago Amanda called me one day and said she had an idea she wanted to share with me. She was giving me a journal and we would both write in it and pass it back and forth. I was so touched by this. So she gave me a beautiful leather journal for my birthday with an inscription and the first post, which I will reply too and give it back. Some of you may want to do this with family members. I will keep you posted on how it is going.

Happy Monday

Good Monday morning and welcome Through My Back Door. Grab a cup of coffee and a piece of fallen angel food cake! Yes "fallen" as it just went to nothing after I removed it from the pan.lol For years we would get the best angel food cake mixes in Amish country. Mother, Deb and I would buy so many we would laugh if we got stopped the police would at first glance think that it was something else.lol Any way the last few years the ones we have gotten were less tha n we expected. I was excited to find some again last month when I was there. Well, I am really disappointed in them. I made 2 Saturday for Michaels Fathers Day cook out neither turned out the way I wanted. They both "fell". The taste was heavy too, not light. Anyway, I am glad you are back on this Happy Monday. I love Mondays, and no I am not doing laundry!  I am just being today. The last 4 weeks my life has been on fast track and today is a nothing day.
I hope all of you had a wonderful Fathers Day. If you are lucky enough to have you father, you are lucky enough. My friend Carol has a pillow at the beach that says that, except it says beach instead of father.
Dodd called me yesterday and is coming up next week for a work day. He asked me if I had made a list and I said yes. I think he thought I really didn't have one ready. He doesn't know I have been adding things to it for a while  and there are a lot of things on it. SURPRISE! I keep saying my house is falling down around me. BTW I had a call about it last week.

 I need to remove the hearts from this basket, but I like them. I told Deb I had to get with it as I haven't had anything on my table all summer. Just didn't have time.

I love when the house has its 4th of July clothes on.

Have enjoyed sitting out here when I am home. One of the things on dodds list is to pressure wash my porch! I had scrubbed it before I took this and it wasn't dry. Looks dirty. Have I told you I LOVE red geraniums?

 I am still using my stove board. Are you? I need to do something different with mine. I haven't been inspired lately, but am looking for my mo jo..
Well, I hope your Monday is as happy as mine is going to be and I am always happy when you come Through My Back door where life is good.
betty
PS: Thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of Amelia and how she has grown. She says. "Mamaw". Yeah, that makes me happy too.

I hate this back side of me, but wanted you to see her. We are so happy to have them home.
PSS: Andrew found out I couldn't swim yesterday and was shocked! He kept saying over and over, this just
isn't right. He then preceded to show me what to do.Who knows maybe, he will be the one who teaches me.lol
PSSS:Remember to continue praying for our fellow bloggers who are still having difficulties.
PSSS:

I

Home Again

Good evening and welcome Through My Back Door. Have a cup of coffee and lets visit, as it seems forever since you have dropped in.  I got home from the beach, SeaGrove, Fla, on Saturday evening. Lots has happened in my life since I left over a week ago.Two of my grands have moved home, Curt and Beth. Ryan has signed to practice with an Ortho group, Linz is going to work for a Cancer Center, and Curt will work as a pharmacist for Walmart. He has passed his boards and I am soooo proud of him.Beth isn't going to practice for a while. On Sunday, after church, Deb and I went to Beths and spent the night, helping unpack. She is 24 weeks pregnant and needs help. Amelia keeps her busy. Anyway I ended up staying 3 nights and Deb and Michael stayed 3. Ryan will be home today, so we are home. Amanda and the children have been there too. Mollie and Andrew love Amelia, so it has been fun, as well as work.
We had bad storms Tuesday evening and Amanda and Clay had some damage. My power was off and limbs every where, but that was it. Anyway I am home for a while and the beach was wonderful. This was our last night there.

 This is such a beautiful beach. White sand and green water. So peaceful and serene. This girl helped make this trip so much fun.

She had just completed her internship at the State Capitol in Nashville, in time to go with us. We had some great talks and she shared a lot with me. Love her to pieces and she is my youngest grandchild. We ate at our favorite places and added a couple to our lists. One was Nicks, where we got a delicious Key Lime pie, and the other Elmo's. They have live music and delicious food. We met some of my friends, who happened to be in Panama City at the same time we were at SeaGrove, there.

Olivia took this of Bob and Mary Rhodes and me. We really enjoyed food and music. Her brother and sister were there too with their SO's, as well as Dodd and Renda.
I have been in a blogging funk lately. Don't have anything going on other than some traveling to talk about. I am afraid I am boring.lol I need to do some changing here at the house, but haven't had time. I hope each of you are having a wonderful summer. I am loving it, especially after the cold and long winter we had. I am home now for a while. I am meeting my cousin and her husband, at her daughter's home in Nashville, next month. I think I shared we are going to the Grand Ole Opry. I have a couple more short trips planned, but they will be later.
Well, it was wonderful having you return Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: Hopefully, my next post will be a better one. I apologize to each of my faithful followers for slacking. Please don't give up on me.lol
PSS: The Speckled Hen has closed its doors. She has a booth in a place in Lenoir City and is doing a show once a month.
PSSS: If you have your Fathers give him a warm hug and tell him you love and appreciate him. I wish I could tell mine how much I loved him and how my Grands love to hear stories about him. He could play any musical instrument, as I said before. This picture of Seth and Andrew would make my Daddy smile