My street gang

This week I hosted the ladies on our street for a luncheon. At our last gathering back in November, mother wasn't feeling well and didn't make it. I volunteered to host the next one with a Valentine's Day theme with the hope that mother would feel well enough to attend. Mother always loved these luncheons since we moved here in 2017. The ladies on our street range from my age to older than mother, and so it was a good mix. With mother's love of cooking and visiting, she was always a big fan of potlucks. 

I wouldn't have guessed in the late fall that mother's health would deteriorate so quickly that she'd be gone by mid-January. In honor of mother, I decided to host an Easter themed luncheon this week. The ladies brought a wonderful assortment of sides and desserts to compliment the smoked turkey breast and pork loin I served. At the last minute, I made a run to our neighborhood bundt cake shop to get mother's favorite spring flavor of strawberries and cream. The ladies reminisced about mother and I let them know how much she enjoyed these gatherings. They had all pitched in to give me a memorial monetary gift when mother passed away, and I was happy to tell them I'm using that towards the beautiful monument mother helped me design back before she was diagnosed with cancer.

It's raining leaves

Now that we've moved past any chance of a hard freeze, it was time to get the yard back to presentable after the big septic install. Last week I rang my local nursery to order eight pallets of St Augustine "Raleigh" grass to cover the fresh topsoil put down by the septic company after the job was finished. 

 

 

 

It's that time of year when the many oak trees in our yard do their annual spring leaf drop. Back before we mothballed the pool that was constructed beneath seven oaks with branches hanging over about half of it, I'd teeter on the edge of a nervous breakdown every March. It was a full time job to keep leaves from clogging up the skimmer, polaris and filter. I had the leaves blown and bagged when my yard crew came to put down the St Augustine sod. Three days later, it was back to looking like this.

While the guys were busy working in the yard, I took the dogs out on their leashes and noticed something I've been missing. I assume this heart on the tree has been here all along. However, I only just noticed it this week after living on the property for almost five years. I 💚 it when I find sweet things in nature.

March odds & ends

This afternoon I tagged along to the husband's office with him because he needed to pick up a few things before he leaves for a work trip tomorrow. When we were walking from the parking garage to the entrance door, I spied a couple vultures chilling in the landscaping. I don't think I've ever been that close to one... unless you count those dining on roadkill as I whizzed by in my car. Truly a face only a mother could love.

In other humdrum news, I was getting some exercise in the hood over the weekend and saw my first bluebonnets this spring. With our lack of rain thus far in 2022, I'm afraid the wildflower crop will be decidedly sparse.

The accountant daughter's dog continues to be a source of entertainment. One of his favorite activities is to roll around in the dog beds adjacent to my desk in our home office. Such a character!

And, finally, the river house we're buying is listed as PENDING - yippee. Plus we got a full price cash offer on our lake house before it ever hit the market. We're very excited at this point, and hope both deals get done over the course of the next month or so per our contracts.

Bye-bye, boat

We hosted some friends over the weekend at the lake house. Then I turned around and took our younger daughter and niece to the lake for a couple days for spring break. I figured we might as well use the house before it hits the market in the next week. It was our last time to enjoy the boat before I covered it and put it back in its lift. The girls pitched in to help me get the house put back together and clean for the professional pics they're taking in a couple days. The plan is to have the dock and lounger deck repainted first. Honestly, that's all our lake savvy realtor told us it needed before the listing goes live. Here's hoping somebody falls in love with it like I did and looks forward to making some wonderful memories on Lake LBJ.

Trading boats for floats

My mother always loved the water... beach, lake or river. She enjoyed it all because she thought it was a relaxing and peaceful environment. Hearing the sound of water lapping the shoreline or running over rocks was soothing to her. The purchase of our lake house was God's perfect timing. Our contract on it was accepted the day before mother was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer. 

I outfitted the lake house kitchen with everything mother could want to whip up her favorite recipes. We took her riding in our boat and lounged on the back porch while watching the world float by. She oohed and aahed over the annual fireworks display we could see from the nearby Horseshoe Bay resort, or a big full moon rising over the water. She hosted friends several times for fun ladies weekends. We made some great memories with mother at the lake. Every time I go in the guest bedroom downstairs, I see the pic of the pug in a canoe that reminds me of her and it's bittersweet.

With her passing, and the husband growing tired of the crowded and choppy waters from all the boat traffic, we've decided to put the lake house on the market and head further west into the hill country to the Guadalupe River. After touring several options, we've landed on an older home in Hunt, Texas, that we think will be a relaxing retreat for family and friends. We'll have no annoyances like wake boats and jet skis buzzing us. It's all about lazy river days spent floating and kayaking. Maybe we'll purchase a pedal boat - I've always wanted one. With almost 25 unrestricted acres and 2100' of river frontage, we've got lots of room to roam and have fun.

I've been praying about this and believe the Lord has lead us to this beautiful spot on the river. Below you'll see some pics I copied from the real estate listing. It really is a picturesque setting that could be a great place for creating further memories with those we hold near and dear. I think my mother would have loved it.

 

 

 

 

Daily dose of doggy cuteness

The dogs were so cute earlier this week, Pepper the cairn and chorkie all snuggled down to share the same dog bed. 

Our old cairn boy Ollie hopped up on the master bed after I had stripped off the sheets to be washed and made himself comfortable for a mid-morning nap. All three of them really are funny little characters and keep me company during the day in my empty nest.

Bring on the bunnies

Spring hasn't exactly sprung yet since we're still riding the rollercoaster of temps ranging from the 40s to 80s this time of year. However, that didn't slow down my sprucing up the house with Easter decor last week.

I love the bunny holding the basket vases that are part of my centerpiece on the big dining table this year. The green runner a friend's mother made for me is the perfect backdrop for my white bunnies. When I saw these vases on the Williams Sonoma website, I just had to have them. With my coupon and free shipping, it was a pretty good deal. I added some silk flowers and made those sparkly egg picks with decor I found at a local discount store.

I think about half of my Easter rabbits were purchased from eBay, because I'm always on the lookout for excellent deals on used holiday decor. It feels very springtime festive in my house, even if the wind is blowing a gale and our high today is in the mid 50s.

I get by with a little help from my pill box

Nothing says you're getting older like a weekly pill box. Honestly, it's more for the various supplements my doc recommends since I just have one prescription. I'd get to the end of the day and wonder if I had taken everything. I'm trying to keep the wheels on this bike for as long as possible. My mind might still be thinking 35, but my body is feeling more like fiftysomething these days.