SO-O-O CUTE!

I couldn't resist these at TJ Maxx, even though they don't match the current shoes sizes of any of our 4 granddaughters. Both LE and NJ have a chance to grow into them, and I'll bet KF will try to squeeze her feet into them, too.

LOST AND NEVER FOUND

I've lost so many objects this past year--two favorite scarves (actually three, but I found one last winter hanging up for sale with no tag at TJ Maxx and was able to convince them it was mine!), a very expensive keyless entry for the BMW, RvH's Christmas gifts and my lovely Vespa scooter keyring, my current cellphone charger... This is so painful, that I won't list any more.

Mine was navy. Sigh-h-h...

What is it? At least it's not my memory, yet! I was actually very aware of my new and expensive (although way-on-sale) Ralph Lauren navy cashmere scarf when we were traveling to New Orleans, taking care to note where I put it and making sure I had it on my neck after every stop for food or restrooms. I am convinced that I left it folded neatly on the backseat of the car when we arrived in New Orleans, but it's gone, gone, gone.

CA is very tolerant and dives full-on into helping me search for the lost items. For the BMW key, he actually dug through several bags of days-old garbage in the garage in the heat of the summer. Replacing it, eventually, was very expensive.

Ugh-h-h!

AUNT MARGIE UPDATE

Aunt Margie's home

We spent months and hours agonizing over Aunt Margie's living situation last year--When would it be time to move her to assisted living? Which facilities were best? Which facilities would accept her? Did she have enough money? How devastating to her would it be to give up her beloved home and belongings?... The conversations, agonizings, and prayers went on and on.

We toured facilities, filled out paperwork, had preliminary conversations with Aunt Margie about her feelings on her future. We analyzed, assessed, debated, and grieved on her behalf. Finally she was rejected (financially) by two out of our three top choices and then accepted at the third. We decided to consider this acceptance to be God's sign that it was time and this was the place.

Still, we had weeks of sorting and packing and planning--the bulk of it by GJ with assistance from Aunt Margie's nieces and nephews. The actual move-out weekend was fraught with decision making and feelings of guilt and grief--each of us assuring the other that this was the right decision and the right time.

This week GJ attended the first 6 month family review at the sheltered care facility. Proud as a parent, GJ sent us the following report:

Last week I attended the family conference with her  [Margie]. Not much new news, but it was encouraging to hear them list off all the things she does for herself: dresses, showers, no walker/cane, etc. And they told her even though she says she has trouble with her memory, she does well. They observed that she finds her way around the building with no trouble. At the end, they told us that Ella's family had been just before us and they were singing her praises. They said they feel that Margie is "God's gift to them." The last conference they said that Ella was kind of depressed and staying in her room a lot and since Margie and she became neighbors, Margie visits her and draws her out.

That's about all for now. She is very settled in there. It is so neat to be there and see her wave, talk to or walk toward certain people to check up on them. Oh! And today, I saw the "dining room hostess" come out from her past [Aunt Margie's career was as a missionary and their mission group ran camps where her primary duty was to organize the dining room]. She REALLY cleans up her table area and straightens chairs, just like the old days!

 She enjoys your letters, flowers and phone calls. And of course visits, rides and outings...
Margie told them, "I don't think I'm as great as Ella thinks I am." The staff really responded to that and said everyone notices how kind Margie is and how she encourages the other residents. I about popped my buttons...sort of like a good parent/teacher conference...

* * *

I just have to say, God is so good! He's obviously expressing to Aunt Margie, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21

CAFÉ GOURMAND

tesreves.blogspot.com

One of the lovely treats we discovered during November-December's visit to France was Café Gourmand--a lovely dessert of small bites arranged on a platter accompanying an espresso. We didn't get any photos, but I've found a few images on the Internet.

In a couple of weeks we will be entertaining our Small Group and we plan to compose our own Café Gourmand.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Can I say... My life is so rich and varied because of the blogger world. I get to hang onto my anonymity if I choose, and take voyeuristic journeys to NYC, Provence, Paris, an Oklahoma ranch, family life in Alabama, designers' heads and studios...

What can I say? I'm just back home from a week+ of travel and visiting, ready for re-entry and some serious nesting. I have a house in dire need of spiffing-up, laundry up the wazoo, and a neglected diet and exercise routine to re-invigorate. But, I've just spent a couple of hours surfing through the lives of my blogging friends being inspired and challenged, laughing and smiling, and feeling very much like I do after a satisfying visit with my real-life friends.

CA and I spent a couple of weeks trading viruses, colds, and intestinal trauma (me only) before embarking on our road trip to New Orleans. We drove through some nasty weather along some icy roads until we reached our destination and found the sunshine. Louisiana people kept apologizing for the weather, but we were happy. Sunshine. 45 degrees and sunny. Did I mention the sun was shining the whole time?

Sunday the temps reached way into the 60s and we did some patio sitting and a shrimp boil. We met some lovely people, and were treated with tremendous hospitality.

The roads are mighty long and uninspiring when you drive south through Illinois on Rt. 47 to Rt. 57 and onto Int. 55 all the way to Norco, LA shortly before Destrehan (our destination). If you're a connoisseur of fine food, you're SOL 'cuz the only food you're gonna find is fast--Subway, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, and worse. There are no convenient-to-the-Interstate food stores where we might have gotten some fresh fruit or yogurt or even a baguette. Just dull and uninspiring franchises.

I would, honestly, forgo eating for hours on end thinking something better was ahead. It wasn't. We defaulted to Perkins and Wendy's, Taco Bell and McDonald's. Yep! Not your Weight Watcher-endorsed food choices.

In New Orleans, we were treated to some fine creamy crab soup and etouffee, a lovely pork roast and Sunday's shrimp boil. We ate at Susan Spicer's Mondo (absolutely tasty) and bought some muffalettas at Central Grocery. We feasted on beignets at Cafe du Monde and freshly-squeezed-just-from-the-tree orange juice at the house.

CA's committed to teaching this week, so we had to head home--grateful for the rising temperatures and sunny skies on the return trip. It was still a long way home, and the road food wasn't any better heading north, but when we got here, we're home and that's a lot to be thankful for.