Thanksgiving 2024 afterglow

Afterglow...

The time after an extraordinarily wonderful Thanksgiving.

The excitement is over.

The memories have been made,

My mind is busy processing everything.

I am alone again.

The house is empty and very quiet.

This is early Thanksgiving morning.

I caught Jake in the sunroom, checking his phone.

We had Thanksgiving dinner out this year.

Nobody really felt like cooking.

I just wanted to have fun with my family,

go do all of our favorite things,

eat out a lot,

just sit and talk with my teenage grandsons, 

who keep me in stitches most of the time

 and occasionally challenge me to a deep philosophical conversation...

teenage style.

Amethyst...

my February birthstone.

I don't really like the color purple, but that was when I was born,

and there was nothing I could do to change that.

If you have never been to the Plant Riverside district in Savannah,

you should plan to go.

We enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner.

The food was plentiful and so delicious.

It is located on the Savannah River on the site of the old Savannah electrical plant.

In construction, they kept many of the old working parts.

Fascinating to just walk around and look at everything.

Our table.

Beautiful fresh flowers and name tag.

Very festive and comfortable.

Easy to get around.

Fun servers and a piano player.

(The nametag excluded the Hollingsworths, but no one was offended)

Wall art!

Moody skies.

Very windy.

That didn't stop the fun, though.

The Talmadge bridge was right outside.

Eli found his place.

He does podcasts.

Thanksgiving 2024

A huge hit.

🦃🧡

 

Happy Thanksgiving part 2

It was just the five of us this year.

We decided not to cook. 

We had our Thanksgiving dinner at Plant Riverside

in beautiful downtown Savannah.

What an amazing day we had...

filled with the blessings of our Lord.

💗

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Love, Cathy

🧡

 

two things...oops three

I wrote this note to myself on Saturday morning,

The things I wanted to accomplish before the Hollingsworths arrived..

I had been agonizing over my tree decision for weeks now.

I've always loved my live Christmas trees,

the smell,

 the color, 

the shape,

the feel.

But... 

last year gave me pause.

The lighting disasters,

how quickly it started to die and droop,

the fact that for the last few years,

 I always got my one and only sinus infection when I brought the live tree into the house

the disposal of dead tree.

I decided Saturday morning that I needed to make my decision.

I quickly added #3 to my list.

By Saturday afternoon,

 I had bought an artificial pre-lit 9 ft tree, and it was on its way to my front door.

We'll see when it gets here,

but I think I made a wise choice.

Here is a picture of her.

Bubba was my tree facilitator.

The time has come for me to make it easier on myself.

So thankful for all the Christmas' we did have together.

Some of my best & sweetest memories.

I miss you, Bubba.

Holidays are hard.

Grief never ends.

I just don't cry anymore.

💗

*More on this post and the rest of the crazy note I left myself.

 

so thankful for these verses

It's God's promises that keep me going.

To wake up and remember this precious truth is so powerful.

God's love never ceases.

God's mercies never come to an end.

His love and mercy to us is new every morning.

He is faithful in all things.

God keeps All of His promises.

Thankful today and always! 

I made this flower arrangement to sit on my bathroom vanity.

It is huge and covers me completely up.

I like to have a little touch of Fall in all of the rooms in my house.

One week until Thanksgiving.

I cannot wait.

🦃

 

life is short

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

I still 💗 shoes. 
Instead of cute sandals,

 I wear tennis shoes and Birkenstocks.

I always eat dessert.

Every day.

It's a treat I can't resist.

🍨

I'm fully decorated for the Fall holidays.

Starting on my Christmas houses this weekend.

Amanda calls it a labor of 💗.

She's right!

I'm gonna get some help from my grandboys.

My bookcases await my magic touch.

They will come alive very soon.

Bookcase # 1 is having a lighting issue.

All of the cords, electrical strips, and wires are hidden behind.

I have to wait for help before the decorating can begin.

I tried to pull them out by myself but I sensed a catastrophe in the making.

The younger me would have tackled the problem alone.

Can't do that anymore.

😉

 

grandparents day 2024

Veritas upperclassmen are required to wear long-sleeved shirts and a tie to school.

Here is Arch modeling his professional style.

I think it looks good on him.

Last Friday I got to visit Walter's classroom.

He is in fourth grade this year.

I met his teacher and he showed me everything his class is studying.

They even had refreshments for us.

Then we gathered in the worship center to hear songs, verses, and poetry.

It is so refreshing to hear the students praise God and their love for our country.

In the beginning, our veterans are honored.

The grandparents are recognized and given a chance to win one of three prizes.

I've done Grandparents Day for 10 years and each time remained prizeless...

much to my relief.

That ended last Friday.

When I realized they had called my number I froze and said a quick "Oh No."

I had to stand up and wave for the mascot to run down the aisle with my gift.

There was much clapping and shouting.

My grandsons couldn't believe I had won and received all of that attention.

I was mortified.

Afterward, everyone congratulated me.

Sunday, the whole church had found out the good news.

At Chick-fil-A for lunch.

We met up with Harry who had just gotten off of work.

Still celebrating the gift I won.

Gus stayed at the school to help serve the chili lunch.

It was a fundraiser for the middle school trip to DC in the Spring.

We ducked out in favor of chicken sandwiches and milkshakes.

😉

 

climbing rose

I was greeted with this beauty yesterday morning.

Only God can make a flower.

The feel, 

the color,

 the smell,

the waxy green leaves,

the thorns.

Flowers are part of the wonder of God's creation.

Lucy gave me a climbing rose bush for Mother's Day in May.

Look at how much she has grown.

We planted a little heart-shaped bush.

She has grown taller than the trellis.

I'm hoping she survives the winter and covers the fence with roses.

What a perfect gift that keeps on giving.

Last week was Wow!

My prayers for months about the election were two simple requests...

1. That God would have mercy on our country.

2. That His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

As far as I'm concerned, 

He answered my prayers perfectly.

I am so thankful!

Thankful also for all of the people who voted.

We made the map of the United States almost completely red.

Also, we had a really serious flash flood,

And Grandparents Day was on Friday.

I won one of the door prizes

and I took all four of my grandsons to Chick-fil-A for a celebratory lunch.

Hugely exciting week!

I'm so glad the election is over!

It needed to be!!!

 

thank you Jesus!

 

first time voter

Our grandson Jake is a first-time voter.

I am so proud of him.

Today is Election Day in the USA.

Please go out and vote if you haven't already.

It is extremely important.

 

finding good in the dark

 When the long days of summer are finally over,

When darkness comes before supper,

When sleep patterns are rearranged,

When hunger comes at odd times...

It must be Daylight Savings time again.

When God says "Be anxious for nothing,"

When we are commanded to "Take every thought captive,"

When God declared "Nighttime good,"

When I pray and ask Him to help me "Rejoice in all things."

I tuck in and try to find good in darkness.

Here goes...

I eat supper a little earlier to get through before it gets pitch dark.

I close all my window coverings and pretend it's still light outside.

I clean the kitchen and tidy the house.

I go through my nightly get-ready-for-bed routine.

I settle in my chair with a good book

I might watch a movie or look at a house renovation show.

Then I get in bed and read until I fall asleep.

I go to bed early with no guilt and sleep most of the darkness away.

When I wake up it's starting to get light again.

God, thank You, for the moon and stars that light up the winter sky.

You made the night for relaxation and rest.

You watch over us during the night.

You never slumber or sleep.

We earth dwellers will acclimate to the time-change.

We'll be fine in a couple of days.

🌃