Thirsty Thursday

Man! The weather did change when it changed. But, we knew it would! Guess what I did today! I needed to go to the bank, so Damian (Damian is on the left in the picture & Guili is on the right) and I went to run errands: the bank, Farm Capital (pay that "sexy" tractor note down!), pay a bill at Hylands, check on Guili (yes, that's Willie, he was at the "Little Colt Relays" sweating buckets, but happy as a lark, especially when I bought him a Gatorade. So we left him there.), & then when I tried to fly the kite I'd bought at Pesos store, the string broke, so we took it back and they gave me a spool of twine. We tied it to the broken kite string & kite & went to the Easter egg hunting field & flew the kite, a "Tweetie Bird" kite. Damian loved it and was a pro!!! He also taught me how to open the sun roof on Kristen's car. (Her sweet momma kept her car this week to put new shoes on all four rims!) I hadn't been able to figure it out all week, and he showed me right quick how it worked. Thanx! Damian. I forgot how long it takes to reel in a kite, so we were working hard to get back before school was out & get Damian on the bus! But we made it. Now I sit, doing one of my current favorites, blogging, and waiting on KJ as she shoots in the gym. She tells me she'll get a job when she gets a car, and I tell her she might get a car when she gets a job. We're at an impasse. I want to go home & mow the lawn. My hunk put a new battery on my blue Dixon last night, so I'm ready to do another of my current favs, MOW THE LAWN! I love it! & DO NOT like to be stopped until I'm finished mowing the whole yard. KJ is notorious for stopping me for various reasons - phone calls, favors, answer ???s. What is you's guys favorite thing to do when it turns BEAUTIFUL like today is??? Leave comments! I'm in search of doozing up my header like Charla. C

Titus 2 Tuesday #2

My 2nd Titus 2 Tuesday woman is my baby sister, Joy Cogburn! She is 10 years younger than me. She is beautiful, witty to the max, practical, resourceful, tells it like it is, loves family, a great mom, sister, wife, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, aunt!!!, a jokester, smart, business owner & money maker. She helped me through my hardest depression, protecting me & checking things out for me, taking care of me and loving me! She's a dear friend to Royce, and he really gets a kick out of her. She is a favorite aunt to my girls as well as a confidant and advice-giver to them! She is strong willed, determined, talented, a great decorator. She expects the best from her children, and they easily deliver. She gives the best to her kiddos. She loves Gary, her handsome husband. She loves dogs and tolerates cats. She is a born again Christian, faithful to her Christian beliefs. She faces problems with a quiet determination of solving them and comes out on top. She accompanies me on trips to Decatur and loves her brothers. I love her dearly and appreciate all she does for me and thinks of me. She comes up with neat ideas, like when we went to Canyon & spent the night at the bed and breakfast. She loves the ocean, and we had another memorable trip to Corpus Christi, taking in the capitol, Decatur & a family meal. Our families shared a Disney vacation several years ago, and she & Gary hosted us twice in the early children years at their Florida home to go to Disneyworld. I know if I needed ANYTHING, Joy is ALWAYS there for me! I LOVE her dearly & praise God she's my baby sister, tho sometimes, you'd think I was the baby! Ha ha! Love ya, SIS, Claudia

Check out the give away

Charla J. is giving a t-shirt away & I'm posting her blog for you to check it out.

Monday's Musings

Last Thursday night, Kristen, my oldest daughter, called on her way to an Austin wedding for Sat. night, via downtown "uptown" Dallas to connect with her friend, Sara. her wedding buddy. When she found out I was planning on going to Decatur Sat. for my cousin Rhine reunion, she said, "Go with me, Momma, tonight!" I told her I couldn't do that, I had to work!!! She said, "Yes, you can!", and in two minutes I had completely changed plans, and said, "Yes, I can!". Ten minutes later, while she called Royce to get permission, I was showering & packing! Royce convinced Kristen to come home, spend the night & leave early Friday morning. Twenty minutes later & I was in supper mode & was preparing manicotti for supper! We did leave Friday morning early & met my niece, Geri, in Flower Mound for a Jason's Deli lunch. I dropped Kristen off in "uptown-downtown" Dallas & beat it through to Justin, Tx to see brother #3, Jerry, whom I missed at his home. Through Rhome, I picked up 2 bacon cheeseburgers for brother #2, Ronny, & went to his house in Paradise to spend the night. Sat. morning, I headed to the nursing-rehab in Decatur, where brother #1, Charles, is rehabilitating after a month long stay in Denton hospital. He is in leukemia remission & has shingles & Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and depression. He's lost 60 pounds, so PLEASE lift up prayers for his recovery. His name is Charles Rhine, he's 69 and the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet!!!! My #2 brother's daughter, Ronda, chose to ride shotgun with her eccentric aunt & we boogied on to the over 50's Rhine cousin reunion. But she says it was delightfully fun & all the hugging, laughter and trying to figure out who belonged with who was a good exhausting exercise!!! The food was great, too. We left at 3 pm & caught an 83 year young friend of my mom & dad's. He is always great for a laugh & smile. We left him so he could toodle to Ft. Worth to meet his daughter's family for supper. Remember, I said he was 83. Ronda's a little concerned with all the 80 year old people driving around at night. We went to meet Ronny at Sweetie Pie's for a rib eye. It, Sweetie Pie's, is on the court house square in Decatur & is fantastic eating!!!! I took Ronda home, and went back to check on Charles, hit Walmart, and headed back to Ronny's to watch highlights of Kentucky Derby & news about the Cowboy's Rookies having "fallout" on their heads. Next morning, (oh yea, Brother Ronny fixed me my favorite breakfast every morning, bacon, eggs, and toast) I ran by the home of a 96 year young friend of my mommy & daddy's before I went to church in Decatur to hear Royce's nephew, Heath Marion, preach at his church, Cornerstone Baptist in Decatur. At 11:45, Kristen was dropped off at the church by her friend & we ate McDonald's with Heath & family. She & I rolled into Wheeler at 6:15. She napped, and crawled into bed at her house in Amarillo at 11:30 and hopefully peaceful sleeping for her. I got to do the "mommy duty" and nurse KJ and her cough through last night. So I'm really wondering how I'm typing away tonight at 10:20!!! I JUST LOVE TO BLOG!!!! & THANKS to Charla and Amanda for teaching me new ideas about how to blog!!!!! This was my weekend & my Monday Musings!!! Tomorrow, stay tuned for my Tuesday Titus 2 #2. It will be about my awesome baby sister, Joy!!!! Yep, there are 6 of us in my family. My Tuesday Titus 2 #1 was about my wonderful sainted MOMMY who raised us all with daddy & little help & mostly without daddy & little help. (They divorced after 26 years & she just couldn't jeopardize her safety or ours!) Now, answer my ?, was this TOO much to blog at one time????? and where are the answers to my ????'s what are your favorite flowers & I don't remember what else --you'll have to go back & find my blog asking ????. Love, The Merry Marion

What have learned from another woman this week? (or ever)

Titus 2 Tuesday is a post about a woman I admire and have learned from. My FIRST Titus 2 Tuesday is about my own sweet, mommy who has been in heaven "rocking all the babies" since 1991! Mother was a saint in my eyes. She raised 6 of us, ranging in age from 22 to birth, having had Joy when she was 41 years young. (I followed in her footsteps with my #3 daughter, KJ, having her when I was 41!) She raised the 6 of us basically on her own as a single mom! How she was able to do alone, what Royce & I have trouble doing together, with 1/2 as many children and NO boys, is more than I can comprehend, except that she followed what she taught to me & my siblings: keep God 1st. Mom taught me to tithe my earnings. Mom taught me how to smile, even in the worst of situations. Mom taught me manners. Mom taught me TOUGH love, as well as HOW to be tough! Mom taught me to laugh. Mom taught me to love, especially the unlovable. Mom took me to church, no matter what, and I learned to enjoy it & the blessings my God and Jesus pours out to me! Mom taught me independence, even though she managed to give me all of my heart's desire on a shoestring budget! She showed me unconditional love and how to give unconditionally. I remember more of Mother leading by example than actually telling me the words. Mom was ALWAYS there for me! I talk to her since she's been in Heaven, so that I feel she is still around to guide me, and know she will be one of the first ones I see when I get to heaven. She'll scoot right over and share a rocking chair for me to "rock the babies" in Heaven. Mother having taught me about Christiandom??, (word???) and about Heaven, I do not fear anything on earth because I know I have an eternal home with God, Jesus and all the Saints when I die. Mother also taught me bravery! She battled lung cancer for the last 14 months of her life, and NEVER was anything but positive about recovering from the "monster". She had me totally buffaloed, and I took her to Hospice to get better, not understanding about the world of cancer, because it was my very first bout with the deadly disease! Once her brain was allowed to rest from morphine, her body FINALLY gave in & she died one of the bravest, dignified deaths I have ever witnessed: brave and dignified like she lived her life. Yes, my mother was a Godly, Titus 2 Woman, whom I loved and admired DEARLY! Momma is where I got my silver, gray hair. I always said if my hair could be as beautiful as hers, I would gladly wear it as a crowning glory, & I constantly encourage EVERYONE else, especially Becky Hardcastle, to "go GREY"!!!! Mother, I LOVE YOU DEARLY, and appreciate all the MANY lessons you showed and taught me. Love, your daughter, Claudia

Tuesday with TAKS!!!

KJ is taking her math TAKS test; I am praying for her & for my students. It's a COLD Tuesday morning. I bought more flowers for the garden yesterday & about froze planting most of them last night after supper. What are your favorite garden flowers. The Cora Vinca in any color is a favorite of mine because it is HARDY!!! I happen to have a JET BLACK gardening thumb, but I just WON'T give up planting. IF I had a nickel for every plant & bermuda grass plug I've planted, and every weed I've pulled (I find weed pulling EXTREMELY theraputic!!!), I could very likely pay off our trillion $$$ national debt. NO, I'm not kidding!!! I'm loving the moisture, but ready for the warmth to come back! I haven't yet dawned my Cuddle Duds since March, but I have been in long sleeves. We are honoring our volunteer fire dept & emergency teams tonight with a silent auction, meal, and bball game between the faculty, that would be me, and the seniors. I can't shoot, but I can get out there & defend with the best of them. Looking forward to the bruises!!! Come Friday, it'll be my turn to ride the bike while I let Kaylee J drive to school because she helped me get to work on time during April. Whatever it takes. So do tell me, what are your favorite garden flowers. Love the spring, MERRY MARION

Rainy Sunday

Praise the Lord for the rain!!!! It's Sunday afternoon & I've dwindled the afternoon away blogging, reading blogs, checking other sites, and working on getting videos on my blogsite. What is ya'lls favorite thing about blogging?, the writing, the sharing, the ideas of others, the comraderie, the color?? I gave Mr. Royce a burr haircut on the top of his bald head. Listen for the scream when KJ sees him. Ha ha I think he looks kinda cute & he's satisfied because he doesn't have long hair sticking up on top of his head after the wind blows!!! If I CAN, I'll try to get him to let me take his pic!