living in a bubble

 

Soon after I moved into my new home, cracks appeared in the ceiling.

This happened to every house in my neighborhood.

They agreed to do major repairs and said everything would be as good as new.

A couple of months later the cracks reappeared.

Two weeks ago, they came to do repairs again...

this time with a new plan.

They covered my whole living area with plastic and set to work.

This time, they put air-conditioning vents in the attic,

 cut out all of the drywall in the affected areas,

replaced it with new, 

sanded and puttied the area, 

and lastly repainted everything.

It took 2 weeks

I emptied everything except the furniture out og the area.

It looked like I was moving out.

That little crack in the hanging plastic is the entrance to my bedroom.

My house looked like an abandoned home inhabited by ghosts.

The floor was covered with paper and tape.

I became very disoriented.

This was my favorite ghost.

It was really my ceiling fan, but at night, it became mobile when I walked by.

He made a soft, swishing sound.

Very erry. 

(I don't think that is spelled right, but Grammarly didn't correct it.)

They turned off the pilot of my gas logs, 

I guess, to avoid an explosion.

Affected area # 1.

Repaired but not painted.

Affected area #2 hadn't been repaired yet, but it had been torn out.

They finished all of the work on Thursday and sent maids to clean up the mess.

I teared up when they left.

I got my life back, and thankfully, the ghost left with the workers.

😕😢😟

Y'all, it is snowing!

I'm sitting here writing and watching it fall.

I💗Snow.

Thank You, Lord, for opening the storehouses in heaven.

I can tell it's getting colder.

Let it snow!!

Also, thank You for getting me through the house repairs without going stark raving crazy. 

                                                                                                                                                               

 

Happy Birthday David!

David turned 52 years old yesterday.

We celebrated at Myabi Japanese Steakhouse and then went back to their home.

Erika made a delicious chocolate Chess Pie, and he opened gifts by the fire.

I was unable to throw his party this year due to a massive work project at my home.

(More on that in my next blog)

So cozy, right?

I gave birth to a boy child who loves to read more than I do, if that is possible.

He got enough books for Christmas and his birthday to last all year.

Did you know that peanut butter and jelly M&M'S were a thing?

I didn't until just recently.

I had grabbed a small bag of M&M S in the grocery store check-out line

for a game I was planning for our New Year's party.

David won them and took them with him on his trip to Israel.

He ate a few and loved them.

I found this huge container on Amazon and gifted it to him.

He was very happy to receive.

Lucy and Harry were missing from our celebration.

Harry had flown up to see Lucy and run a race there at the college.

We are very thankful that he made it home before the major ice storm set in.

Happy Birthday, David!

52

May the joy and strength of Jesus fill your heart and mind in the coming year!

Much love!

Mom

💗

 

grandkid things

Harry is a senior this year.

He keeps running, and he keeps winning!

I am very proud of him, and I love him very much.

Eli is getting ready to turn 19.

He is a college freshman majoring in film.

I see great things ahead for him.

I love him very much, too.

He makes me laugh a lot.

Gus and Archie were staying with me recently.

We were having a meal together.

I 💗 A&W Root Beer.

So do they.

All I can say is ~ What happens at Grammy's house stays at Grammy's house.

Except that now you who read know.

😉

This is Lu and me at our Thanksgiving feast.

She is away at college studying to be a nurse.

I miss her very much.

She worked at Coffee Deli the whole time she was home for Christmas.

Making money for her next semester!

Lu is a hard worker and a great baker of delicious things.

💗💗

This is Jake.

He loves to run.

He got to go to Pennsylvania back in November to run the

"Rocky Run"

I gave him those shorts for his birthday.

💙

Lastly, here is a picture of Walter with my sister Teri.

He is ten.

A fire burns within him to work hard.

I couldn't have done all of my light-up Christmas houses without him.

He is in fifth grade and I love him too.

He watches out for me diligently.

He, just a few days ago, spotted a nail in my tire

which caused me to head for Sam's to get a new one.

$210.00 later,

I'm so glad I didn't have to find myself stuck on the side of the road calling AAA.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to know the joys that these unique individuals bring.

They fill me with joy and give me so much love.

 

 

Yes!!! I found the rest of my Christmas pictures

Christmas afternoon...craziness sets in.

Some of us can no longer contain ourselves.

These are my two grown children.

I love that they still come home for Christmas.

Now they have children...

my grandchildren, who they bring with them.

Christmas dinner is always grilled steak,

hash brown potato casserole,

and...

David's famous salad.

Desert is always Amanda's Christmas crack.

Hors d'oevres were served before Pizza and salad on the day after Christmas.

Sausage cheese balls.

Hot pecan dip served with crackers.

Pigs in a blanket.

The reindeer toss game was lots of fun.

We also played Bingo for cash prizes, which everyone loved.

They'll do anything for money.

Amanda tasting the lime sherbert punch, which was set up in the laundry room

My sister and her family were all in town 

and they helped us close out the Christmas festivities on Friday evening.

I think we served 15 that night.

We played the name game after we ate, which also brought much hilarity.

Christmas 2026 was very special.

None of us wanted it to end.

Thank You, Lord, for loving us so well!

💗

 

i'm still here

I still can't upload the rest of my Christmas pictures.

Most of the time, I can't find them anywhere.

This one popped up randomly, so here it is.

🙁

These are the glass cabinets in my kitchen.

I fill them with all of my favorite things every year.

When dinner parties are in full swing, this is the drink station.

(When it isn't in my laundry room.)

One of my favorite displays.

I love the time right after Christmas when things slow down,

and the frenzy of Christmas is over, and it's kinda quiet, and I don't have as much to do.

Those days when you don't know what day it is, and it doesn't really matter.

I have the desire to organize my house and get my life back together.

Putting away the Christmas decorations is a task I keep putting off.

(My tree is still up.)

I love the way all of the lights make my house so cozy.

The next big event is our family cruise at the end of February.

I will take all twelve of us on a great adventure chasing summer.

All of my gifts this Christmas centered around the cruise.

We are so very excited and ready to get on board.

I'll be sitting on my balcony looking at God's glory for a whole week.

Can't wait.

🚢🌞🌴

Cleland ~ Hollingsworth Family Cruise 2026

 

January 1, 2026

💗

Cathy

 

Christmas memories

A heart-shaped rice crispy treat purchased at the 

Byrd Cookie Company on River Street

on Christmas Eve Eve.

I love these.

We ate pizza and salad at Plant Riverside and strolled the riverfront.

Amanda is looking at our food plan for Christmas Day.

We served breakfast, 

Hors d'oevres in place of lunch

and Christmas dinner.

I must say ~ Christmas Day is exhausting!

Gus is wearing his new shirt.

He truly is a legend!

David is making the topping for our Christmas rolls.

Everyone seems super interested.

Christmas tablescape.

The reason we celebrate.

💗

*A few more memories to come if Picassa continues to allow me to upload them.