MY HEART IS ABSOLUTELY BROKEN FOR MY FRIEND GERT~

I was not going to post for a while

but God had other plans in mind for today.

My blogging friend, Gert,

lost her precious husband, Tom, yesterday.

He has left earth for his

HEAVENLY HOME.

This is the picture Gert posted

on her blog last night.

The name of her blog is

Gert, Tom & Rusty Too.

Rusty is their dog

who doesn't understand that 

Dad is gone.

Late last fall Tom, 

got ill and was hospitalized.

He has always been such a strong man~

Everyone thought he would have surgery

and then be okay.

Gert, as many of you know,

has MS and Tom was such a great,

 loving husband, friend,

and earthly caretaker.

Theirs was a marriage of love and devotion

that made others envious.

Sadly, Tom's big, generous heart

quit beating yesterday.

He got so tired 

that the Lord took him home.

While he is beyond all 

pain and suffering now,

Gert and Rusty are left on their own

to cope with this heartbreaking loss.

PLEASE LIFT 

Gert in prayer today

and in the upcoming days.

You can pop by

HER BLOG HERE

and leave her a message.

It may help ease her pain just a bit

to know how much she is loved.

Rest In Peace, Tom.

We will see you

OVER THERE!

Thank you all so much.

Tomorrow is the fast for John's health

you can read about that here and here.

Please attach Gert's name to that fast.

Love you Gert!

Love all of YOU blogging friends, too!

PLEASE PRAY FOR TOM AND GERT (and Rusty, too)

I have been following Gert since I started blogging.

Her blog is:

Gert, Tom & Rusty, too.

I have no idea how we found each other-

but we did.

My very first prayer request was for her.

She was quite ill.

She has MS and has pain.

Sometimes the pain in her hips is horrible

but she never complains.

Today, however,

it is her hubby that needs prayers.

Her husband Tom is in the hospital.

They have been unable to get his heart medications

regulated and it has caused them both 

a lot of anxiety and unrest.

Gert is trying to bolster Tom's spirits 

while dealing with her own health issues.

Isn't she just the sweetest looking lady?

Here she is all gussied up for her

Red Hat meeting.

I stole this and the other picture off her blog.

So, please, please take just a moment to 

send up a prayer 

-or best wishes if you are not a pray-er-

for both of them.

Gert asked that you pray for strength for Tom

and that she can stay strong and support him.

She also has one little extra request...

IF you believe you can pray for animals

(and I have to say-I do)

please pray for their little Rusty.

He is beside himself 

with everything that is gong on.

Doesn't this picture break your heart?

You know he is watching 

for his Dad to come home.

I thank you and I know that Gert thanks you, too.

Let's pray them both well!

Please leave them a little comment to let them

know that you are thinking about them.

AND

You still have time to sign up for my giveaway.

Looks like Tuesday is the drawing day

if I can get the SweetCheeks here to do it.

Sign up by clicking  HERE!

Thank you!

Hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed Sunday!

PLEASE PRAY FOR GERT'S HUBBY, TOM, AGAIN!

I have been following Gert since I started 

blogging.

Her blog is:

Gert, Tom & Rusty, too.

I have no idea how we found each other-

but we did.

Gert's hubby, Tom, is not doing 

real well.

He is supposed to have some 

major surgery.

They are trying to make sure he

is stable enough for that surgery.

It has been one step forward and 

two steps back with his healthcare issues.

Gert is a trooper but I know

she is really worried.

They have been unable to get his heart 

medications

regulated and it has caused them both 

a lot of anxiety and unrest.

Gert is staying as upbeat 

and positive as she can---

but she is worried.

Please send them both prayers

(or well-wishes if you don't pray)

for health well-being,

and peace of mind.

This was taken at the 

Halloween party at the hospital

this year.

Aren't they cute?

GET WELL, TOM!

We are all rooting for you!


I still have a houseful of family

here for the weekend so will be

scare until tomorrow sometime.

I'll be back..

so you better be praying for Tom

and THAT is a threat!

Prayers Please-One Of Our Best Friends Passed Away Yesterday

I wanted to do a fun post today
but life has a way of taking
unexpected twists and turns.

I worked at the VA yesterday.
When I got home there was a message on my phone.
Our long-time friend, 
and almost family, member
Tom B.
 passed away.

 His wife woke at 6am and he was gone..
gone from this earth to a better place...
leaving this world a poorer place
with his absence.
Tom was a good soul-
kind and gentle and loving.

You might remember when I helped
them stage their house a couple of years ago-
You can see that here & here

They moved to Florida after their house sold
and have been enjoying life down there.
He is the guy that I thought would outlive us all.
I was wrong.
He was bigger than life 
and one of the funniest men
I have ever met.
I will miss all his witticisms 
at our family gatherings.
Until they moved- they spent
EVERY HOLIDAY with us.

Please keep Ruth and their daughter, Lori, 
in your prayers.
They will need them.
Tom & Ruth were a special couple-
just like family to us.
If you saw Tom you could be sure Ruth
was somewhere nearby and vice-versa.

I will be gone for a bit.
This has been a crazy summer for us
all the way around.

Sorry to be gone-but-
I will be back soon-----

ps-----No laughs today but I will have
some for you when I come back....
pinky promise!

The Kitchen Witch Stages The Kitchen

Yes!  

THE KITCHEN WITCH

would be ME!

I actually think Tom  might have

replaced the first letter of Witch

But-I'm not sure

as we moved our way from staging

the dining room into the kitchen.

After I had the kitchen staged 

for the showing I wouldn't let

Tom eat at the table...

(snicker)

Now you know WHY I am the

KITCHEN WITCH.

However, it does look NICE, doesn't it?

The solid cherry cabinets are in excellent shape.

Not a nick or a scratch on the countertops either-

This is looking out the patio doors to the back yard.

Dinette is on the right.

For some reason my camera was

NOT working right

it certainly could NOT have been the photographer's fault

Anyway, here you can see how the kitchen/dinette

leads into the family room

and ties into the alcove

between kitchen and dining room.

I'll have a few more pictures to show you 

in a day or so.

I told Tom if he doesn't 

LIKE ME as his KITCHEN WITCH

I will send him a replacement.

internet image

Now, I ask you.

Who YOU gonna call to stage your kitchen?

Christmas In July Special Spode Edition

Still working with Ruth
getting the house ready to sell.
Tom & Ruth spent every

Christmas with us save

2 or 3 since the day we met.

They loved our kids like

their own and treated them

like family.

One of our best traditions

was always Christmas Dinner

at our house.

I always set the table with

the set of family given

Spode Christmas Tree china.

I never realized that Ruth

had china that matched.

The stinker was holding out

on me-I could have been 

eating at her house every 

Chritmas and felt right at home! 

Anyway, as we are packing

things up she said-

I have a gift for you!

It's not TOM, is it? I asked!

We both snickered.

Instead she led me to a 

cabinet filled with pieces of this!

She is giving me some pieces

I have never seen before!

WhooooHooooo!

Just call me LUCKY!!!

source

AND she has a whole set of her

Grandmother's blue Spode that we

are going to use for staging.

source

I'll show you the whole ball of wax

when we get it staged.

Meanwhile, I am out of town

today but will be around

late tomorrow.

I promise to visit when and as I can-

so don't give up on me just yet.

At least you know I talked my

way out of the trunk.

You can see that story here.

ASKING FOR PRAYERS FOR SWEET LITTLE LIZA

 I haven't done a 

PRAYER REQUEST 

in a long, long time.

However, one of the blogs I follow,

Tom The Backroads Traveler

has a little granddaughter named 

Liza.

                                       This was taken just before her surgery.

Liza is just 12 years old and was

diagnosed with oral cancer.

This past week she had major surgery

and faces a long road of ongoing recovery.

Tom, and his family,

 need all the support 

they can get.

You know as a parent, or grandparent,

you just feel totally helpless

when something like this happens.

You wish you could 'fix' life and

make it all go away.

We can't do that---but---

what we can do is

PRAY.

If you have access to a prayer chain

please add sweet little Liza's name.

If you remember, 

my hubby had 

Stage 4 head/neck cancer

 and was

given a 3% chance of survival.

You all put him on prayer chains

around the world and 

3 months later,

with radiation and chemo,

he was cancer free and remains

cancer free going on 9 years.

I believe in the power of prayer

and I know many of you do, too.

So-please pray!

Thank you so much to all of you

that have been so faithful following me-

even though

I have not been nearly as active 

blogging

these past couple of years.

Y'ALL ARE THE BEST.

RESULTS ARE IN FOR PICK YOUR FAVORITE TABLE FOR AUGUST!

Here we go!

#1-GREEN RUFFLES

We have a small group of ruffle lovers here but a couple of them are kind of naughty!

 I am warning them now to be on their best behavior.

Kitty, Marydon, Becky, Mary M, Diane J & JoAnne & Bless---that I forgot TWICE!  sorry....

#2- TOUCH OF GOLD

This group loves the gold and, I hate to say it,

but there are a couple of REALLY naughty ones at this table.

Betsy/Estelles, Jettie (probably with Bo her dog), Jan/LowCarb,

Sweet Tiffany from Florida & Lisa M.

#3-LOVE THOSE LIGHTS

Well, so many of you LOVED THOSE LIGHTS 

that I had to 

move this venue to a barn so some of you will be 

sitting on bales of hay...just sayin'..

Judy Clark, Marilyn/Mountaintop, Gay, Jenn,

Jan/Journey, Jeanie, Happy-loves the floating stars,

Pam S, Lisa/Life-OfficeChair, Connie, MadSnapper,

Rita, Cecilia--said #4 but meant #3--an artist, you know,

Donna, Judy/Sato, Ann-gonna sit by me cuz she has gossip, 

Rose-Adamant about sitting here!

Diane, LavenderDreams, Theresa, Amy, 

Jenny the Pirate,

Anonymous-whoever you are, Jan Hermann, 

Sally-really loves #4 but is NOT bringing a chair so she's  sitting here!

Cindy C & Racheld -who had a whole lot to say--read below:

 I think---the greens are so lovely, the centerpiece is low, there are just enough places for good conversation, and you know I love me some lights twinkling---my imagination will have those woods full of fireflies, as we dance in white draperies on that soft lawn to old Glenn Miller and a little bit of Queen. And there's just the daintiest little glimpse of PINK there down the table---that settles it right there. Good company, good music, a gentle evening and watching folks you love start a whole new life together. You DO plan the nicest parties!

#4-BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR

How I love all you complainers about bringing your own chair...Come'on!

Mevely (likes 3 & 4) Cheryl, bobbie, Missy

Unknown-and wouldn't you know? She is bringing a recliner and mimosas! Jack is looking forward to meeting you!

Jack & Sherry, Coloring Outside the Lines-Is your first name Color?, 

& Practical Parsimony...yep--that's the name!

#5- LET LOVE GROW

MA/Pam, Linda C, Kim-but insists on sitting in a blue upholstered chair...yep...one in every crowd!

Ginny, Melanie, Jean/bj--wants a huge margarita and Sam Elliott.  If she ever saw him in person she would faint dead away...oh...maybe she's hoping for mouth-to-mouth to revive?

#6- FRANKLY LOVING FERNS

Lynne, Susie, Peggy, & Jane

Tom wonders if the ferns are to eat....you go for it, Tom!

#7- COURTLY COURTYARD

Pam K-Likes the comfy chairs, Kathy S, Denise-says she will bring a gift or wine but will not bring a chair so #4 is not for her!

Kris, Polly, Terri D & Liz (the gardening queen)

& sweet Linda/Life&Linda & Penny!

There you have it!

If I missed you, please let me know!

I get emails from people that don't leave comments

on the blog so I  try and remember all of you. 

Plus,I get FB peeps and try not to miss anyone.

Will do an update on John's health in a couple of days....

Just wanted this to be FUN!

Now-You KNOW if I teased you it is because

I LIKE you, right?

So, don't get your undies in a bundle..

and y'all come back now, ya hear?

SOMETIMES LIFE SPINS OUT OF CONTROL-AdNonsense/Funny on Friday

The Spin Cycle

to the advertiser-if you would like your graphics removed please notify me

Ruth rushed to the washer when she heard

all the thumping and bumping.

She was quite taken aback to realize

that Tom was IN the shirt.

She told him to
follow the instructions
on the shirt tag and then
throw in the washing machine.

He informed her that he had read the

tag and it said...

Wear and Wash.

She realized, too late,

that because

he was dyslexic,
she should have forewarned him

that it did NOT say

WEAR and WASH..
It said

WASH and WEAR!

Poor Tom!!

Sorry I have been so absent
in blogland lately.
I have been
PURGING
and
PACKING
and
PREPARING
to downsize soon.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

SPRING WEDDING TABLE CHOICES!

THE SPRING WEDDING TABLE CHOICES

I apologize!

I thought I had posted this around

Easter time...

but...guess what!?!

It was still in my drafts.

So-here you go--

late to my own party!

#1-Aflame With Love   

Melanie, Judy/GoldCottage, Pam S, Racheld, Kathy, Sandie/Chatty, Nonnie, Patti/Pandora's, Linda C, Kay G, Rose, Ann(promises not to set table on fire), Jan/Jan'sJourney, bobbie, Brenda, Michelle D, Nancy, Kris, Sandi-(Sees a breeze blowing there-special computer, I guess) and Connie!

#2-#2-Get It?  

Theresa, Lisa, Jan/LowCarb, Missy, Polly(all about the pastels), Bonnie S, Kim, Fran, Cecilia(has 3 weddings to attend this summer so she will be practicing good manners and scrubbing paint off her dress)

#3-The Bride Wore Blue  

Carla, Laurie/Heaven's Walk, Happy-(happy to see blue & white dishes), Karen, Sally-(sitting here because Karen is here!Little clique going on here?), Tiffany & Katie Isabella (the cat--obviously can't sit at #6 because of the dog picture)

#4-Drinks Are Pink

Diane/LavenderDreamer, Unknown-joined by Unknown2-(she was swept away with the table and forgot to leave her name), Nellie, Linda/Life&Linda, Donna, Gay & Donna S

#5-Blue & White Bridal Fantasy

BeachGypsy-(bringing corsages because she was a wedding florist and also pennies for everyone's shoes...just give me dollars instead, Deb-okay?) Pam& Amy-ToodyGooShoes

#6-Sunflowers 

Tom-(he thinks it should be daffodils for spring instead of sunflowers-you bring daffys, Tom), Chrissie-(likes the brightness-no sun in England right now), Jane/WI, Unknown-(likes dogs), Pat-(loves floofs-which I am assuming are dogs and she didn't mean floozies-so as not to insult any of you gals that are sitting here), Mevely & BillieJo

#7-Sweet Spring White 

Sue, Kitty,DebbieDabble,Latane,Terri D (Terri is sitting here so her clothes won't clash with other tables-white goes with anything-at least we know she isn't showing up naked), Bless, Judy, MA, Julie, Debra/SheSeeks, bj/SweetNothings-(gonna bring Sam Elliot and get in a cat fight with Sally S. who ALSO wants to sit next to Sam)  

I am going to keep Sam to myself at the far end of the table....so there!

Well-that about wraps it up for this time. I guess I will do a Mother's Day Table if y'all promise to behave.....fat chance of that! 

If I made fun of you think of yourself as family!  I 'give it' to everyone--no one escapes!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY THIS & THAT- EASTER TABLE PICK YOUR FAVORITE RESULTS

 

 GOOD MORNING!

Thanks to all of you that played along.

Ready?  Here we go!

#1-Bird Nest Napkins

Well, some "people" come with "requests" that kind of sound like demands...I won't name them but 

Sandra-MadSnapper&Beau

"someone" demanded to sit next to Ginny and to have two other tables moved closer to accommodate her wishes. pfffffffttt-

like that's going to happen!

Anyway-at this table we have SANDRA, Ginny, bobbie(who makes NO demands),JudyC

Jeanie, Kay, Debby, Lorrie, Marilyn,

Karen, Laurie S, Connie, Kim &

my always favorite - ANONYMOUS...yep...

#2 MELLOW YELLOW

Love this bright springtime splash of sun

Mevely317, Laurie O, Shirley K

and OMG-here we go....BJ!

Now bj and I are old friends but she may be 

one waffle short of a full breakfast because

here is her response....

She wants to bring Patrick Mahomes/Chiefs along.

Usually she wants to bring Sam Elliot so I asked if her love affair with Sam is over.

Here is her response:

OMYGOSH, Nooo … Sam is my heart … Patrick is my play-like grandson !! Sooo, would you please slide another chair up to table 2 ? Sam has been really busy filming LANDMAN but when I talked to him last night, he said he would take the day off and join Patrick and myself at the Easter table 

Lol-See what I mean- you can't make this stuff up.....Hoping her family is reading this so they realize what's going on there.....

#3 Feather My Nest

Taking the nest down-This table is for

the birds cuz nobody else wants to sit here.

#4-Pink & Pretty

A smaller table full of wonderful ladies!

My sweet friend, Racheld, Pretty Penny,

my old 'neighbor', Nancy, &

Vivian the Magic Maker of 'things'

#5-Colorful Carrots

Debra-SheWhoSeeks, Betsy, MA, Lady Ella,

Jan-LowCarb, Anne, Nonie &

Cecilia who loves color and dear Dawn P !

#6-Woodland Wonder

WHOA!!! This table got the votes-

including two MEN- Tom & Bill,

(we'll keep you separate from the crazy ladies)

As a side note- 

Tom is ALWAYS concerned about where is the food!

Jenn, Terri, Sherry, Missy, Pam S,

Gay,Linda/Life&Linda, Linda C,

Wendy, Joanne, HappyWhisk,

Kathy (wants us to break her out of rehab--nope she is not a drug addict-she is getting PT)

Anonymous #1-picked this table 

And-tada-

My FAVORITE Anonymous-

Said she wanted to sit at #1 OR #7

but then came back and said

"Nevermind! I meant #6".. 

Yep-always ONE of those! lol

#7-Primary Pastels

A small but sweet table of lovelies:

Cheryl, HappyK, Ellen,

Lisa K, Cindy C, and one more

Anonymous!

Thanks for playing along.

I HOPE I didn't miss anyone,

I checked the lists twice but

if I did forget you-please let me know.

Also, please don't take offense

at being teased...I just can't help myself....

Well, I COULD help myself but decided

to just go with what I was thinking.

Love all you players!

You're the Best!

See you next Friday with another

This and That!