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 |  There is beauty in all things! |
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My Outlook on everyday things.  They say that the eyes are the door to your soul. They can tell others if your happy, joyful, sad, angry, tired, even lie or tell the truth, shall I go on or do you get the picture? |
| Counting Our Blessings As I sit here watching Christmas movies one after another, wishing I had my family around me to enjoy them even more. It has been a year and a half for us all and to enjoy each other’s company means so much more than usual. It goes to show you that every moment you spend with a loved one or a friend should be cherished. I have reconnected with old friends, new family members through genealogy, ex-in-laws, and even rekindled with old family members. I was blessed with a phone call from my dad this afternoon. However, I’ve called him several times this year. He called me! My dad is one of those that if you don’t call me, you must be too busy and I don’t want to bother you. I called him on the 23rd and found out that he had had a heart attack last week and was going to his check up on the 24th. I told him that I would call him back in a few days to find out his results. He decided to call me instead. Which was a prayer I was blessed with today. I have witnessed too much heartache this year from friends and family that didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones. I lost two very dear friends on December 6th to covid. One I had spoken to just a month before. I got to tell her how much I missed her and her sisters. The other a mentor from church, my Brother Louis. I hadn’t talked to him in a year. It saddens my heart that much time had gone by, and neither of us had called each other. He had taken me under his wing and taught me things about the Bible that no other person had been able to open my eyes to see. They both will be missed by all who knew them. Then a few days later, a friend posted on Facebook that his aunt had passed away. It was the saddest news he had to tell others. With our busy schedules and life, we tend to lose contact with those who truly matter to us. He went on to tell his friends that the authorities had found his aunt frozen to death because she was homeless. She had lost her job and eventually her home and ended up on the streets where she died one night. Life is so precious, and most of us take it for granted that they will be there tomorrow. We even take that we will be here tomorrow. Nothing is promised to us except eternal life with our Heavenly Father. He begged us to remember to contact our loved ones as much as possible and to tell them that you love them. We must tell each other how important we are to each other because tomorrow is not promised. I tried today to contact everyone who matters to me. I’m sure that I might have missed someone. I was on the phone from 8 am to 8 pm this evening, wishing my loved ones (family and friends) a Merry Christmas. To know me is to be loved by me. God gave us His son today (those many years ago) to love us unconditionally for all times. It is amazing how we take advantage of that love that is so freely given to us. There is a lesson to learn here. Life is precious, and you need to grab it and hang on to it for as long as you are allowed to have it. Today I was so blessed by all the love that was poured out to me by family, friends, but most of all, they all know that they matter to me. If you didn’t get a text from me or a phone call, it’s probably because I don’t have it.   Here is your hugzzzz and love from me now!   I wish ya’ll a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. |
| This has been a year and a half rolled up into one gigantic year filled with mixed emotions. I am trying to stay positive, but I do have to rant some today. I can't help it. I had some very painful news last night, and I can't help but feel like it could have been prevented. I lost two extraordinary people in my life last night due to covid. I hate that word with a passion and cringe every time I use it. I also found out that six more of my church family has it; they are in their 60's and 70's. At the same time, other church members have been in quartine for the last two weeks. I love these people very much and pray that they all get better. This isn't even counting my WdC family, who has been tested positive for it as well. I know that most of them have taken precautions in protecting themselves against this thing. I have tried everything to protect myself and pray that I don't fall to this virus. I had been sick this past week myself, but I was run down, and like an idiot, I drove 5 hours with my side windows down for Fable, who later I found out the reason why she was so hot. I'm very blessed that I didn't get it, and it was only the flu. Why is it so hard for others to wear the dang mask? I know I'm taking your right away to do what you want to do! But, if you don't follow the guidelines, it could cost you your life or someone you love, maybe even like. It causes me pain to say that you are a selfish person then. Not, to follow the guidelines in preventing this not to spread more than it should. Only selfish people think about themselves first and not others. I don't particularly like wearing them either, but I do because I have to take all precautions due to not having an immune system that works properly. I tried explaining it to one lady last week she brushed me off. I wanted to bop her across the back of the head, a Gibbs slap. She had no concern for me or anyone else except for herself—such disrespect for others' welfare. Maybe I'm too selfish myself wanting to protect other's welfare and my own that I didn't consider what it was doing to her. Maybe she has anxiety about wearing it, I do too, but I also have more anxiety if I don't wear one—the flip side of the coin, you might say. I get hot in them and panic thinking I can't breathe in it. But, I know that if I take it off, I will get sick. I went out to eat a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and forgot to take my mask. The place was empty, up to our last 10 minutes there. It became packed with people. The tables were only two feet apart. I ended up with the flu. It is the last place I will eat out at until this virus is gone. I love being alive too much, and it isn't worth me dying over a piece of fried catfish. So, you tell me, is it worth knowing that someone you care for dies from you not protecting yourself for them or even protecting yourself to live for them? My friends left many loved ones behind, and I know that they wore masks and done other protective measures to protect themselves and others from getting this virus. But, they did get it from somewhere or someone they came in contact with. I pray that we all make it through this winter season without losing anymore loved ones to this virus. Remember to MASK UP and SANITIZE before coming in contact with others. Do what my daughter Kala does every time she goes out and comes home. She would shower and change her clothes before hugging me. My son Eric said that's their normal routine now. No one hugs until they are sanitized. I love them both so much they consistently worried about me while I was there. Setting good examples for their daughters and others who they care about, even total strangers. I have had too many emotions this year, from sad to joyous to devastation—a few happy moments in between all of this mayhem. I can't help but think that not everyone could have such a bad year with things going upside down and crazy things happening that would've never happened normally. I know that it has been challenging for everyone, and I pray that we will get through this together and with lots of prayers. Take care of yourselves and your family this winter season, and remember, I love you. Yours truly, LegendaryMasK |
WHAT, did you just say? We took our Thanksgiving break at families in Arkansas this year since it would be our first visit during the covid quarantine. Fable was to meet my youngest son Eric and his family for the first time, and she was to meet my oldest son's stepchildren. Jeremy and Tami were here when my niece brought her to me in July. Along with meeting them, she would meet Kooper, Kaiser, Marlin, and Gunner, my fur grandsons. My granddaughter Shelby had adopted a black Lab (Roxy) a few months ago, and we both would get to welcome her into the family during our trip. We would be attending Ana's birthday party on Sunday at Jeremy's as well. Our trip over was a little stressed Fable isn't used to riding in a car during long trips. She was used to riding in a cage, and there was no way that it would fit in the back of my Mustang. I rolled the side windows down for her to get fresh air and enjoy the ride a little better as she likes to ride around town with them down. She paced a lot on the way over, and every noise woke her up when we would pass a vehicle or a truck would pass by us. Eric is in the middle of a major remodel, and if you have ever been in a major construction zone, you know how chaotic it can be. We helped out when we could and cleaned up where needed. The feast was enough food for an Army. We ate on the patio and froze after 10 minutes because the sun went behind the houses on the hill. I went inside, hoping not to get sick. The fur babies had fun, and everyone had plenty to eat. Gunner and Marlin were left at home because six dogs in one house under construction would be way too much to deal with. The birthday party was small due to covid Ana only had family members in attendance. Turning nine, she was a little disappointed but soon forgot that her friends could not attend. We all made up for it with games, gifts, and singing. She shared her icing flowers with me, and no one else. Since I could not have any cake, it was a beautiful Unicorn cake. Krogers did an amazing job on it for $25. for the same cake, Walmart wanted $65 for it. We swapped the fur babies out in the bedrooms because it was only 30*+ in the garage, so we split time up with them. Gunner is a little jealous of other dogs, so we had to swap them around, giving each time with the family. While we were in Arkansas, I looked at places to live and realized that it would be a little harder than I thought. We spent 3 days looking at places and areas that would be safe for Fable and me to live. I will eventually find the right place at the right time, in God's timing and Grace. We had a great time during our stay, and it was very short in a way, but we were so ready to get home. Fable was a gem on the way home, and of course, the side windows were down for her, and the heat was up for me. I decided to treat her to a little car picnic. It would've been outside, but we picked the coldest day in the South to travel. We hit wind, rain, and even snow once we reached Mississippi. We had a blast sitting in the car and people watching. Fable sat patiently, waiting for her fries to be handed to her. It was a pure joy to see her watching others. She is so sweet and a joy to have. I had a little surprise a few hours after we got home. I was putting things away and started dinner for us. I reached into the kitchen cabinet and rammed my left shoulder into the cabinet door that I thought was totally opened. I hurt so bad that it redamaged my shoulder from the accident with Fable several months ago. I was shaking it off when I looked down and saw blood on the floor. Fresh blood! I took off my sweater and top shirt, finding that I hadn't punctured my arm. So, where did the blood come from? I checked everywhere on Fable and myself and found no blood. It kind of freaked me out. It wasn't there when I got home. I did find my backdoor unlocked while inspecting everything out. My neighbor had forgotten to relock it when she went out of it. Was someone in my house and I didn't know it? I checked every room and closet, not a soul in sight. We went to bed after dinner. We both were exhausted after a long day of traveling. The next morning I found more blood on the floor. This time it was more than the night before. What was going on? Now, I'm really starting to freak out. Fable reminded me she needed to go outside desperately. Off we went. I was going to have to look harder where the blood had come from. Fable did her touring of the yard and eventually picked her spot to relieve herself. We trotted to the backdoor, and I glanced down at her, and I could see she was a little disappointed not to spend a little more time outside. I told her I'd give her 10 minutes before we had to go in. She trotted back out to the yard, searching for more evidence that her yard was intact the way she had left it a week ago. That's when I noticed that she had blood running down the backside. I panicked, seeing that the blood was coming from my baby girl. I immediately took her in and cleaned her up to see where she was bleeding. I called my niece, no answer. She was at work. I texted her one little sentence. In the meantime, I went to the store to get supplies and get Fable some treats and a few other things. She replied to my text about four hours later. Jess: WHAT, did you just say? No, F$%&#ing way! Me: I replied, I'm sure of it. Jess: Kim told me she spayed her! Me: NOPE, she didn't!!! We talked after she had gotten off work and had determined that Kim probably had planned on getting Fable spayed, but during her divorce, she probably was sidetracked, and she had passed away unexpectedly. My fur baby is not spayed like we had been told. My baby girl is being extra pampered, and momma is on guard duty for the next few weeks. Who knew I would have such a surprise like this! Here's to all the 2020 surprises we have gotten so far this year. I truly hope there aren't any more big surprises in store for us. Love ya'll and hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving like we did. P.S. I forgot to tell you the one-sentence I sent to my niece. Me: Guess Who is in HEAT?   |
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