The 3 M's Memories, Music, and Melancholy

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door. The coffee is on, McDonalds, and guess what? There is apple pie and some cookies. I cannot give up my sweets. I guess that is why I cannot give up my 6 extra pounds either. It is good to see you again so soon, and I know you are wondering about the title. Well Olivia spent the night with me last night and we chatted until after midnight,laughing about the past, missing those we no longer have, and planning her future. Lol well, I was anyway. No seriously, we did chat about her future, which I am sure God has a marvelous plan for her. We talked about how nice it is to like our families as well as love them.

 She has a gorgeous voice and she sang for me. Well, she and her boyfriend are singing in a church in Va, in a couple of weeks, and he sent her his version and she was singing along with it. I would love to hear them after they have perfected it. BTW they are singing In The Garden.  My family was very musical, and those who have been coming Through My Back Door for a while know I was not. I probably was my Daddy's biggest disappointment in that respect. Yes, I really did throw my piano lesson money in the ditch, walking to my lessons. Yes, I really did have 4 different piano teachers. Should have had my butt busted. But I TOLD him, I wanted to learn to play the guitar and yodel! So music has and is still a big part of my life. I was listening to Roy Clark's version of "Yesterday When I Was Young", and then I head Ray Price singing "I wish I was 18 Again", and thought, great! It's all over.lol Seriously, I do love those old songs. Both Doug and Dodd, as well as Dustin, Douglas, and Curt play the guitar well. Seth can really play a mean harmonica. My

Daddy could play anything and play it well. My Aunt Annie played the mandolin and my Mother played the piano and sang. Debbie and Olivia have her voice.Olivia and I decided she and Deb could really sing well together. So music has always been and still is part of my life. I guess I have reached the age, sad songs make me melancholy.lol Seeing my beautiful grands growing up and chasing their dreams makes me happy too. I have wonderful memories and memories are important. We have always heard they can't take our memories away, but they  can. Illness took Curtis' and it hurt us all. I have always tried to make this blog a happy place to visit. I never wanted you to leave feeling anything but good when you left. It was forever before I shared about Curtis, but I will tell you seeing your loved ones losing their memories is horrendous. Maybe I am melancholy because it was 8 years ago today he had to leave home.
The 4th of July is coming and I have happy memories of  the 4ths spent in Ohio. We would always go to the Fairgrounds and have a picnic. I remember one year, Mr Dawson, who owned the funeral home across from my Grandparents house, and his wife took my friend Ruth and me to the celebration with him. We rode in the back seat of his big black Cadilac and I felt so important. I asked Ruth if she remembered that when we talked a while back and she didn't. Well I was from the country and our 4th of July's were completely different. We made homemade ice cream, had watermelon, and oh yes people brought their instruments and made music. I remember one time the goat got loose and knocked the outside lights down. Memories. Isn't their a 50's song, Memories Are Made of This?
Well, I could add an H to this title and call it Happiness. I think memories make us happy most of the time. Beth and Amanda say they have learned a lot about me reading my blog. Life has been good to me and I am grateful. We all have our ups and downs, happy times and sad times. I try to live in the now and like Dr Seuss said, Smile because it happened, don't cry because it's over.
With this said I am leaving you with some pictures from the past that are now memories, but make me smile.

Dewey Destins

Andrew walking in the Walk For the Cure In Honor of  and with his mama

Dasko surveying his kingdom. I still miss this dog so much

Sitting on my Nannies porch swing again, with these 2 cousins. Our cousin Katrina has it now. The 3 of us swung on this when we were little. Many times we swung so high it turned over.
Oh the the 3 M's. Nothing like memories, music and feeling melancholy.
Know what else is good? You coming Through My Back Door where life is still good.
betty
PS: Mollie had her surgery and is in a lot of pain. Please continue prayers for her recovery
PSS: Have a wonderful happy and safe 4th of July
PSSS: Next blog I can reveal who is Coming Through My Back Door

 

Daily Living

Good morning  and welcome Through My Back Door. It is always good to have you and of course the coffee is on. It is McDonalds as that is what I am hooked on at the moment. We have gone through lots of coffee brands since you have been visiting me haven't we? I was hooked (don't think that is a good word, but I am going to use it anyway) on DD, Kona, which I still love, Cracker Barrel, and now Mc Donalds. Anyway, coffee is always the drink of the day here and you can always find a cookie. Well usually,lol. I just think coffee is such a good ice breaker, and I have wondered this before, how many problems have been solved over a cup of coffee, how many new relationships have started over a cup of coffee, and maybe some hearts broken over a cup of coffee. Have you ever thought about this?
As you know I have been gone a lot this summer, but am home now for a while. I love being home. Home is my comfort zone. When I have been gone and I pull in my driveway and see this

I am home. My little house embraces me and I hope others who come through my back door leave
feeling happy and uplifted.
Last night Curt, Lindsey, Michael, Deb and I went to Olive Garden for dinner. Curt and Linz had given me a gift card for my birthday and the stipulation was , when I used it we all went. Michael truly sacrificed as he doesn't like Italian and is allergic to garlic. Gotta love that guy. Curt is following in his Dad's footsteps and is a pharmacy manager at Walmart. Linz is an oncology nurse. Yes, I would allow curt to fill my prescriptions, but his Dad does it. My doctor says I like living life on the edge, allowing my son in law to fill my scripts.lol Michael and I have a wonderful relationship. He harasses me all the time and I take it.lol Another thing we share, (much to Debs sorrow) is a love of David Baldacci  books. We read them and then we talk about them.lol Deb rolls her eyes and says, "well the book club is in session". Daily living Through My Back Door.
Last week was Amelia's 2 nd birthday party. That child is Amazing. (some of you may remember that is the nickname Amanda gave her when she was born so premature.)

Then. I really loved this picture and we called it "Safe in Daddy's arms)
Now:

She had a Frozen theme and the licensed bakery she got the cakes from wouldn't do pink, because as we all know  Frozen is blue.lol
Friday we had a horrible storm and the wind blew some trees down. I was just thankful I had no damage to my house.
Dodd and Renda have gone in the Antique Business with a fury. They laugh and call themselves"Betty and Curtis". They have a good eye and I am impressed with their finds. I don't know how many wonderful corner cupboards they have found. I don't think they have any more empty corners. Oh yes they are keeping all of them.lol I am going down to spend the night and will get some pictures. Deb asked me to let her get her cleaning done and I have. Hopefully it will be done I can get some pictures, as I promised 3 or 4 blogs ago. I have told you all three of my children love this stuff. Doug has a huge collection of cast iron. He loves it and cooks in it. Yes he is a good cook, and will cook for a crowd at the drop of a hat.
I have gotten involved a couple of new FB decorating groups and am enjoying it. So far no drama. I cannot take drama. Life is too short.
Another proud moment in my life came a few weeks ago when I went with Dodd and Renda to a Baccalaureate  to see Dodd receive an award. I posted this on my FB page but I don't remember posting it here. He was given an award by the graduating senior class at William Blount High school as the most positive influential middle school teacher they had. It  made this Mother very proud when I listened to the students accolades.

Here he is  at the Senators breakfast in the Capitol with Mollie and Andrew.

Daily living Through My Back Door is busy. I love it. I am in the 4th quarter of my life and I am enjoying every second of it.
The next week is going to be exciting. A fellow blogger is coming to visit overnight on her way further south. I am so happy to be able to have them visit Through My Back Door. Also my cousin from Michigan, daughter's family is coming through to see me on their way home from Nashville. I think it speaks volumes when people will go out of their way to visit. I always loved Susan and I am sorry I haven't known her family as they have grown up. Life and too many miles between us. I am looking forward to seeing them.
I always look forward to you coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS:I just have to share the other greats in my life,okay?

This is Taylor Grace and she is,as we say here in the south,"the spittin' image of her Mama.

Caroline Elizabeth, Amelia's sister

 This is a blurred picture of my little red head, I can't get blogger to cooperate to post the one I want to.
Well now you have all the precious greats. You saw Mollie and Andrew above.
PSS:I am sorry this is such a long post but this is life Through My Back Door
PSSS: Please lets lift up the all the families involved in the church massacre in Charleston. The shooters family has to be devastated too and in need of our prayers.

Lazy Days Through My Back Door

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door. It may be too hot for coffee for you, but you can have sweet tea or pink lemonade. Yes, pink lemonade. I love drinking it in a pretty glass.

 It is a bit early though. So you may want coffee. There is one piece of carrot cake and some apple pie left from yesterday, you can have your choice.
I feel the need to apologize for being a poor blogger lately. It seems I have been gone from home since the middle of March. Also I feel I have nothing to say that would interest anyone. I have stated before I started this blog to share and hear from others about our love of decorating. Well lately I don't change things nor buy anything. I did buy that Redware plate in the picture at a mall in Florida for only $20.00. Dodd and Renda share my love of redware and I love that.
We got home from Seagrove a week ago Saturday. It was the best week of laughter, food, and rest.

This is the beautiful beach we get to enjoy a couple of times a year. I cannot tell you how much I love going here.
On Tuesday morning my sister in law and I went back to Nashville and the Opryland Hotel to attend the Tuesday night Opry. That was because Carrie Underwood was going to be there. We had a good time and spent the early evening at the Plaza at the Opry listening to outside performers.
Sunday all my kids were here for a shrimp boil. Doug spent a lot of years in the Marine Corp, and some of those were in Beauforte, SC, where he learned to cook the best seafood dishes. He brought his outside cooker and we had a feast Sunday. Everyone was here except Curt &Linz, Olivia and Seth, Dustin and Ryan. I think everyone had a great time and the little ones got to enjoy the creek. Beth said the first thing AMelia said Monday morning, was "Mamaws,  The creek?" They played corn hole and we feasted on Shrimp, new potatoes, corn on the cob, green beans, pasta salad, melon, and iced tea and lemonade. We had carrot cake and apple pie for dessert.

It does my heart good to have this gang here laughing and enjoying one another.
I am trying to get inspired and make some changes. I just don't seem to have the decorating mojo. Am I alone in this? I am trying and yesterday made a couple of small changes. My house was supposed to under go some major changes last winter, and due to the weather that was postponed. SO right now I am just uninspired. I will find it I promise.lol
It is so hot here right now, I just want to hibernate. I love summer though. I love getting up throwing on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, having my coffee on the porch and just being lazy. I told Deb yesterday, I think we have just been gone so much, I can't get in the groove I am home and need to get busy. I will take pictures of her house as soon as I can. I want to share a few of her new treasures.
Dodd and Renda have opened an antique booth in a mall called 411 Antique Mall on highway 411outside of Maryville. They have some really neat things in their booth. They have some nice pieces I want to share with you in their house too. I will get to it soon.
For those of you who wondered what Olivia is doing now, she is in Graduate School at UT and working in the Maryville Mayors office 2&1/2 days a week and in the Chancellors Office at UT 2&1/2 days a week. You never know what that girl will do.
Kathy Webb I appreciate all your encouragement and kind words. You are an exceptional lady and I am glad to call you friend.
I will leave you with a few of my favorite things.

I love baskets as you know.
As  you know my family, everyone of us love history.  Usually we don't start until we are older. However Amelia has started very early. She is 2 and amazes us with how smart she is. I know so many of you lifted her and her Mama and Daddy in prayer 2 years ago and God heard. Here she is in my reading nook, sitting in my chair reading the book on Mt Vernon.lol Well she looks like she is reading it

This makes me smile. You know what else makes me smile? You coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I hope you all are enjoying your summer, as I am
PSS: I will try to be a better blogger. A lot of us are having blogging blues lol
PSSS: Speaking of blues,lets continue to lift our Officers in blue in prayer