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Monday, August 31, 2015

snake bit

Not sure how many of Y’all know what this means. In Texas, we say it when we're complaining of the fact that we seem to have nothing but bad luck. We’re “snake bit.”

Yesterday morning, it actually happened to My Sweet Husband (MSH). A copperhead snake bit him on his left index finger. If you’re unfamiliar with copperhead snakes, Google them. They aren’t nice. They're not usually deadly. Not as fatal or harmful as rattlesnakes or water moccasins. But they’re mean, scary and painful. For a small child? They’d be unbelievably horrific.

MSH had been out at 5:30 a.m. walking Buddy Boo Bear when he saw a copperhead curled up near our outdoor kitchen. He came running in to get a gun to shoot it—hoping it didn't slither off. He got it. A couple of hours later, he decided it was time to clear out the ivy in the garden near our bedroom door. He knows I love my ivy. It is, however, a safe haven for those evil serpents. Our bedroom is on the side of the house where six other copperheads have decided—in the past three years—to live. (They've ultimately paid the price for choosing our home to be their place of residence. Sorry. We simply cannot let them stay. Not with grandkids running around. And Senior Citizens. And everyone in between.)

Because MSH does 98% of our outdoor work—mowing, weedeating, plowing, trimming, clearing, planting, watering, etc.—he wears “snake guards” most of the time. These go on his shins and are good protection against snakes—especially when used in conjunction with jeans, heavy socks and boots. He had his snake guards and leather gloves on yesterday as he worked. He’d been at it for almost two hours when it happened. Just a few minutes before the attack, I’d stuck my head out our door, before getting into the shower, to check on him. He’d said he was nearly finished.

As I emerged from the shower and was beginning to put a little makeup on, I heard our door open and this: “I’ve been bit by a copperhead.”



ELC (as I ran out of our bathroom and entered our bedroom): NO. NO. NO. NO. Tell me you’re kidding.

MSH: I’m not. I’ve been bit. Call the ER and ask them what we should do before we head that way.

He then got his gun and went back out the door. I heard two shots as I was trying to look up the hospital phone number in our kitchen. I was shaking so much I could barely turn the phonebook pages.

I got a recording. They were going to answer calls in the order in which they came. Uh, NOPE. I hung up and dialed 911. The nice young woman talked to me as I dressed and told me we should ice the bite and MSH should elevate his hand above his heart. She asked me for a phone number. (I thought I was giving her my cell number.)

MSH’s heart. Oh, my. He had his second heart attack in two years this past March. It was beyond frightening for him, me and all of our family. Now I was worried about his heart and blood pressure. I quickly finished dressing (let me tell Y'all I looked lovely and, of course, I'm being sarcastic) and we raced out the door. MSH stayed calm. He even joked a little as I drove 90 miles an hour down the highway to our hospital—seventeen miles south—with my flashers on. Five miles down the road his phone rang. (I’d given the 911 Operator his cell number!). He answered. She told MSH he should NOT ice it or elevate it. He said: “Okay! Thank you so very much!”

We love our ER. We were extremely lucky as a doctor we’ve known for over thirty years was there yesterday. She knows us. She knows snake bites. She said MSH was lucky he had gloves on. He did get venom—because there was significant swelling in his finger, his knuckles and a small amount to his wrist. His blood pressure went from 220 down to 170 back to 200 down to 180 back to 200 for the first three hours. Then it settled at 170. We had a precious nurse who took good care of him. She gave him an antibiotic, some meds for his stomach—in case he started feeling sick—and measured his finger and hand every twenty minutes to monitor the swelling. The doctor decided he wouldn’t need the anti-venom—not unless his finger took a turn for the worse over the next few hours or days. She told us what to watch out for and sent us home. MSH was happy happy HAPPY.

On the way home, I called our Sheriff’s Office and asked the lady that answered the phone to tell the 911 operator we’d both talked to that MSH was fine! That her calm and encouraging help had been a blessing to us and we’d always be grateful to her for her kindness. The lady answering the phone said it was “Amy” and Amy'd be thrilled I’d called back. That they seldom ever knew what happened to most people after the initial 911 call. What would we do without these dedicated people?

MSH wasn’t ever in too much pain. He slept fairly well last night and has had a good day. He has strict orders to stay quiet and cool for the rest of the week. He knows he’ll be answering to TLC if he wavers from his orders. He’s much more afraid of her than moi!

I am considering the possibility of putting MSH up for adoption. (Buddy Boo Bear will have to be part of the package—since he adores MSH and only likes me when MSH isn’t around.) I told MSH I could not take another ER trip, on his behalf, for another year. Or two. Or three. He’s going to make me have a heart attack or stroke. Sheesh.

Living out here, in the sticks, we’re used to seeing lots of God’s creatures. Armadillos. Scorpions. Centipedes. Hundreds of spiders. Big spiders. Foxes. Bobcats. Coyotes. Raccoons. Possums. Skunks. I’m pretty sure I’d take any of these creatures over even the smallest garden snake. Copperheads? I want them banished from our country casa and place. Forever. PLEASE.

Wishing Y’all a week that is SNAKE-FREE!

Friday, August 28, 2015

friday's food for thought...

I love Pinterest! I’m obsessed. I work and work to make my “Boards” fabulous!  (Ms. Pinterest Perfectionist, aka TLC, has made me delete a few Pins and Boards recently. I had a “Winnie the Pooh/Poohisms” Board. I love Winnie—and all of those characters. I simply will not apologize for that. TLC convinced me I should place those Pins in/on other existing Boards. She’s no fun.) I’m gaining in Followers—every day!

This afternoon, as we continue to try to survive August in Texas, I thought I’d share a few of my favourite sayings I’ve Pinned on various Boards (so none of these are original—but I may not have the actual authors to give them credit…).

Deep Thoughts:

Children need at least one person in their life who thinks the sun rises and sets on them, someone who delights in their existence and loves them unconditionally.

            Pam Leo

(I had My Dearest Nana Leighton. I hope Biscuit knows I feel this way about her…)

It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.

            Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility)

When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people. (author unknown)

It’s the oldest story in the world. One day, you’re 17 and you’re planning for someday. And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life.

            One Tree Hill

            (quotesberry.com)

FUNNY Thoughts:

Some days I eat salads and go to the gym. Some days I chase 3 pounds of bacon with a couple dozen beers and refuse to put pants on.

It’s called BALANCE.

            (author unknown)

(Teeheehee…I don’t go to a gym…and replace beers with Vanilla Coke Zeroes from Sonic!)

HOW TO TWERK:

Step 1: Reconsider.

            (author unknown)

Why does toilet paper need a commercial?

Who is not buying this?

            (author unknown)

Some of My Boards:

Amazing Grace

Angels Among Us

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Down Home—Yeehaw!

Sweet Dreams!

Grammy, Mama and Biscuit!

Maybe?

Moving On…

Sometimes…

Animal Heaven—Shoes!

Sugar=My Addiction

Let them eat CAKE!

Color Me Blue

Camo and Pearls

Swoon…

Santa’s Coming to Town!

If you want to try to find me, I think I’m:

ELC
@eleightonc

I don’t know. Sorry. It’s like trying to tell someone my phone number. I never call myself—so I have to really think about it. Yes. Sad. Very sad. Of course it is.

Hope Y’all have a WONDERFUL Weekend—wherever in the World you are!

ta-ta for now (or TTFN—as Tigger says. Winky. Wink.)

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

open your eyes...

From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young:

TRUST ME in the midst of a messy day. Your inner calm—your Peace in My Presence—need not be shaken by what is going on around you. Though you live in this temporal world, your innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity. When you start to feel stressed, detach yourself from the disturbances around you. Instead of desperately striving to maintain order and control in your little world, relax and remember that circumstances cannot touch My Peace.

     Seek My Face, and I will share My mind with you, opening your eyes to see things from My perspective. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not be afraid. The Peace I give is sufficient for you.

 JOHN 16:33; PSALM 105:4; JOHN 14:27
(TLC and I both could probably read this day’s message EVERY day of our lives…)

On this Tuesday, wherever in the World you are, we wish you marvelous, sweet, happy, wonderful PEACE…and JOY…and LOVE.

p.s.: There is a beautiful song I heard on America's Got Talent the other night that references "open your eyes..." It's called One Life by Boyce Avenue. It's lovely and quite inspiring...

Friday, August 21, 2015

Ferocious...Feisty...FABULOUS!

On Friday, the 13th, in April of 2012, I wrote a “F” alliteration. Since TLC and Little Leighton (LL) will be on their way, in a bit, to stay with My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I this weekend, I will now take parts of that post (out of sheer laziness and because I’ve got to vacuum our entire house in a few minutes…plus clean potties…plus wash my hair…) to celebrate FRIDAY!

Be FEROCIOUS, fascinating, FORGIVING, fashionable, FIERY, flashy, FANCY, festive, FEISTY, flowery, FRIENDLY, frisky, and FIZZY!

Plan a FIESTA! Go to Mickey D’s and get a mini FLURRY. Shop at FOSSIL. Eat some FUDGE—even though that makes us FLUFFIER.

IT’S FRIDAY...FANTASTIC!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Neither rain, wind, hail, or...

…armadillos can kill/destroy/hurt our beautiful moss rose plants (see below...)!

TLC and I split a couple of flats of plants that Little Leighton’s pre-school was selling as a fundraiser back in April. We got impatiens, lantana, purple sweet potato vines and moss rose. We each ended up with six small moss rose plants. I had The Country Casa Gardener (aka My Sweet Hubby aka MSH) place four of said plants in one big pot and two in a smaller one. They were positively beautiful! Growing. Thriving. Then came a huge hail/thunder/rainstorm in May that beat the living you-know-what out of all six plants. (Don't get me wrong: We needed rain. Even in the form of hail. It was very much appreciated by all of us in Texas.)

About six weeks ago, out of desperation, I asked MSH to re-plant the four in the big pot into the ground by our guest room/Little Leighton's entrance door. MSH and I never, ever, EVER plant seasonal color plants in the actual ground in any garden. We’ve been here, in our home, for over fifteen years. We learned about thirteen years ago that any pretty color/seasonal plants would be destroyed/dug up by armadillos. All of the perennials have to be put into pots. However, the sweet little moss rose plants were languishing—horribly—and I thought: What the heck? Might as well see if we could save them by putting them in the ground.

Drum roll, if you please………………..

Here are those poor wittle pitiful moss rose plants today!

From a distance…



Up close and personal…



Actually, I took these pictures several days ago. The plants are even fuller and prettier now. AND…in fact…these plants have been uprooted at least twice in the past six weeks by EVIL armadillos...yet, still, they love where they’ve been planted!

I’m NOT a gardener. My Nana? The Quintessential Gardener Extraordinaire. Me? Not so much. But I’m quite proud of these babies, thank you. Thank you very much!

Hope You Sillies have some bloomin’ flowers wherever in this World you are residing…

smooches and hugs…

Thursday, August 13, 2015

All About Labels...


It occurred to me that y’all may read our blog from your cellphones. If you do, you may not have ever seen our “Labels.” And if you don’t see our “Labels,” then you probably didn’t understand the title of my last post. Because “Boogers” was only mentioned at the bottom of the post—in the “Label.”

Let me back up a smidge and try to explain “Labels:”

(This may not be a great explanation. Remember, I can’t even post pictures on our blog. Or link you to past posts. Or other websites. I’m technologically impaired/challenged/hopeless. Sigh. Still, I intend to give this explanation a shot…)

When TLC and I first decided to do a blog together, she was following a lot of other blogs and (sort of) understood what “Labels” indicated. She tried and tried to explain them to me. Me. Hopeless Me. They have something to do with locating a specific post or subject matter in a post. Their intention, therefore and apparently, is to identify and classify posts. We (TLC and I), however, decided to have fun with labels and make them a little wacky.

For the first two years, we both couldn’t wait to see what the other came up with for our posts' label/labels. TLC always, always, ALWAYS has/had the most clever labels of the two of us. She won’t agree—but it’s the truth. Unfortunately, once Little Leighton appeared on Earth, TLC pretty much quit doing labels. It’s challenging enough for her to get a post done—as y’all may have noticed. Wink. Wink.

In an attempt to intrigue you—if you’ve never, in fact, noticed our “Labels”—let me point a few out for you:

In my post entitled “Determined…or delusional?” on January 25, 20ll, the label was:

Delusional—Or Under The Influence Of Sugar; Married—But Not To McCartney; Yep…I Compared Myself To A Cow

TLC wrote a post entitled “I Felt Like A Princess” Kind-Of-Royal Wedding on April 29, 201l. Her label for that post was:

If The Tiara Fits…

Here are a few other examples through the years:

You Can Never Be Too Rich Or Thin Or Glittery Or Dolled-Up

Do Y’all Think It’s Wrong To Use A Small Shovel As An Eating Utencil?


We’re Gonna Keep Doing This Until We Get It Right Or ELC Wins The Lottery And Buys A Second Home In Maui

Manic Monday Musings; Cadbury Eggs Complete Me; Ritz Crackers Rock My World

I Sure Hope I Don’t Make The People Of Walmart Webpage After Today

And Our Lives Will Never Be The Same

(These are just a few of literally hundreds of labels over the past almost six years of writing lolwiththeleightons...)

For my last post, the label I referred to in the title was:

Biscuit Is At The Stage Where She Finds It Terribly Humorous To Tell You You Have Boogers In Your Nose And Apparently Grammy Had Many

There you go…now you (kind of?) understand you might have to read the “Labels” to get the entire gist of our posts. (Well, mine, anyway. Notsomuch TLC’s since she refuses to make the extra-effort. Shame on you, TLC. Shame. Shame. You know your name.)

If you have an iPhone (I can’t tell you about Androids, etc.—don’t own anything but an iPhone), and want to see our “Labels,” you can do this:

After you’ve read the post, scroll down to the end of the page, where you’ll find these two tabs:

Home

View web version

Click on “View web version” and then scroll down, again, to the bottom of the post—where you can read the Label/Labels!

OR…in the alternative, you could simply read the whole dadgum post from a computer. Then it’s all there for you. Easy. Peasy.

Y’all have A Fabulous Friday and Wonderful Weekend, okay?

ta-ta for now, Sillies...



Sunday, August 9, 2015

Bargains, Binoculars, Band-Aids and Boogers

My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I had the pleasure of having Little Leighton (LL/Biscuit) stay with us for three nights. Heaven. Pure Heaven.

TLC and LL arrived at our country casa Wednesday afternoon around 2:30. The Three Leightons then went to town! We had some (gluten-free) yogurt at the place MSH calls Mo-Yo. We take our own M&Ms and marshmallows for LL so she doesn’t experience cross-contamination from all of the nuts and candies that are out—under those “sneeze shields”—for customers to throw on their cups of deliciousness. (So far, Biscuit hasn’t quite figured out that Grammy and Mama load up on all of those other yummies! When she does, we’re prepared to put M&Ms only in our cups of yogurt!)

LL simply must people-watch! She had her eye on several kids that were sitting nearby. Actually, she stares. Unashamedly. We tried to engage her in conversation. It was hopeless. Once we’d enjoyed our treats, we headed to our favourite children’s shop for their annual End-of-Summer-Back-to-School SALE. While TLC looked for bargains, LL was determined Grammy was going to buy her an “Elsa” costume. It was nowhere near her size—way too big; not on sale; and was $59. Although it was exquisite, Grammy had to attempt to direct her to books, toys and other items that weren’t $59. Because we can see for over thirty miles from our front porch, I’d been looking for binoculars for Biscuit for months. I found a great and very reasonably priced pair! She was happy with them, a new necklace and matching bracelet. (LL is all about jewels.)

TLC went back home Thursday after lunch for some R&R, a date night with Her Hubby and two nights of uninterrupted sleep. Because it’s dadgum dangerously hot in Texas, MSH and I had to entertain LL mostly inside our home. We did go out to water the potted plants and garden Friday morn. We also blew bubbles under the shade of our back porch arbor. And we did go back into town Friday afternoon for another round of yogurt. (Pa-Pa had missed out on the Mo-Yo.) Other than those three short periods of time out in the heat, we stayed indoors. We played and played. Read books. Colored. Watched Enchanted. (If you’ve never seen Enchanted, I don’t care how old you are—you need to watch it. It and Princess Bride are, in my opinion, two of the all-time best “fairy-tale” movies EVER made.) LL doesn’t typically focus more than about twenty-five minutes at a time on this movie or other movies or television shows. She gets antsy to play. But she’s seen all of it, in segments, many times. Probably 100. Or more.

Friday morn, LL wanted to give these three Schleich horses, that live at our casa, a “bath.” In the guest bath sink. She then wanted to put them down for a nap. She commandeered three bed pillows and three blankets from "her" bed, placing them on the floor. (Yes, some of TLC’s OCDedness came out in me, as I silently cringed at those clean pillowcases scattered on the carpet…Sigh…) When Grammy suggested the horses could share one pillow and one blanket? Wish I could have taken a picture of that look. You can see how small these horses are in comparison to the pillows. Oh, well. LL’s happiness at taking care of these "pets" was worth all of my temporary anguish.




Thursday, after her Mama left, and after Grammy failed at talking LL into a nap, we played “Doc McStuffins.” I was the patient—along with several dolls and stuffed animals. At some point, however, LL decided she needed some band-aids. To tell you this child loves band-aids, with all of her heart, is quite the understatement. Her own Mama, TLC, would NEVER let me put a band-aid on her—even when she truly needed one. She’d scream and run away from me. LL? Has wanted to put several on herself at least every few days for at least two years. (She despises having them removed. When you remind her this process is eventually going to happen, she just smiles and tells you it’ll be okay! Then screams loudly when the inevitable comes.) She is quite picky, though. They can’t be regular band-aids. They must be Frozen, Hello Kitty, or The Disney Princesses. Doc McStuffins or Sofia the First. Here’s a picture of LL with four band-aids covering zero actual boo-boos. None. Nada. (I had to literally rip them off of her legs fast as we got ready to go to town Friday afternoon. I was worried a CPS person would confront me and Pa-Pa at the Mo-Yo.)



This next picture was taken in her Grammy’s home office after dinner Friday night. She was tres serious. Had her pink laptop. (She needs a new one. She’s had this since she was one—now she’s three—it’s not challenging enough for her brilliant mind!) Colors. Coloring books and other books. Etc. She “worked,” quietly, for well over forty-five minutes, while Pa-Pa and Grammy had a lovely chat/visit/planning session.



This last picture made me laugh and laugh. And laugh. I was taking a shower and getting dressed Saturday morning when this happened. Pa-Pa was “in charge” of LL/Biscuit. When I went to make sure things were peachy-keen so I could finish up, this is what I saw: Pa-Pa sitting in Biscuit’s “school” chair. A chair TLC designated as LL’s Time-Out chair when she’s at our casa. MSH and I found it a year ago at a store in Weatherford. Reminded us of our school days a hundred years ago. LL often puts herself in it—because she wikes it--awot. I assure LL, every visit, she can use it as a “regular” chair, too. She doesn’t have to get in trouble and be in Time-Out to sit on it. (By the Way: TLC would refuse, when she was Biscuit’s age, to stay in “Time-Out.” Absolutely refuse. She was a constant, joyous challenge.)


ELC (struggling to squelch loud laughter): What are you doing there, Pa-Pa?

MSH: I’m in Time-Out.

ELC: Okay…why? What did you do?

MSH: LL said I “threw” her yellow blanket. I don’t really think I did. But here I am.

ELC (trying desperately not to fall to the floor in complete hysteria…): How long does Pa-Pa have to sit there, Biscuit?

LL: Just a little while longer, Grammy. He’s been good.

Grammy has never been put in Time-Out. Just sayin'.

(Did you notice what’s on the telly? Yep. Enchanted. That was the sixth presentation of it during this visit. LL knows every single word. Every single line. Every word to every song. I’m pretty sure TLC does, too. This is also true for Frozen. Winky. Wink.)

We took LL home after lunch on Saturday. She slept for an hour during the two-hour trip. We missed her the moment we drove away.

Thank you for indulging my Grandmother Moments, Sweet Friends! I know many of you have the honor of being with your Grands often and understand how special the experiences/memories become in our hearts and souls.

Have a Wonderful Week Wherever in the World you are!

not movin'...

It’s hotter than you-know-what in Texas. This week we’ll have 100-degree—or higher—temps. In fact, by Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be 103. This type of heat is not conducive to thinking. Either clearly—or creatively. In fact, it’s hard to do much more than just exist. We seem to spend a lot of time sitting—inside our semi-cool casas—trying not to excessively move or sweat.

TLC and I promise to be back ASAP—hopefully by the first of next week! Please, please, PLEASE stay with us. In the meantime, we’d love for y’all to browse past posts--particularly The Early Years—2011 and 2012. Check out some of our older offerings. One in particular that was tres fun for me to write was posted on August 3, 20ll, and entitled:

Awww…(or is it Aarrrgggghhhhh?) August

FYI: This was one of several alliteration posts I enjoyed writing.

(Of course, if I knew how to link y’all to this post, I would do it. It’s super easy to look to your right—go to the 2011 and 2012 links—and scroll down to find this post and other—hopefully—innerstin’ ones! I intend to learn how to link and post before the end of this year. Cross my heart.)

Also, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify my “Disclaimer” post on July 27th :

When TLC read it, she hastily sent me a text informing me she didn’t say Donnie Loves Jenny was any worse than most reality shows when it comes to their language and “bleeps.” She just simply didn’t think it was as fascinating as some other reality shows she watches. I’m, however, happy to report that the second and third Donnie/Jenny shows of this new season were better, in my opinion, than the first one. So there you go…for what it’s worth…

Love, Smooches, Hugs and ta-ta for now, Sweet Friends!