Thursday, November 12, 2015

Checking In

Hello everyone and Happy Thursday to you, or as we used to say at my workplace, "Friday's Eve."  ;)  I hope you're enjoying some sunshine wherever you are this week.  What a relief to see the sun again.

This is one of those posts that's a mishmash of what's going on around here at the moment.  Not much rhyme or reason to the post, mostly just checking in for the week.  First of all, Mr. Forest Manor isn't feeling well, so he turned around this morning after he got halfway to work and came back home.  He's sleeping as I type this.  Master Duncan thought it was some kind of holiday since Pop came right back home, so he's been beside himself with excitement.


   Hal was trying to rest on the sofa, and Nurse Duncan kept climbing all over him to check on him.  When Hal finally stretched out on the sofa to sleep, Duncan climbed onto the back of the sofa to keep a better watch on Pop; that's when Mom had to put him in his porter.  After Pops woke up, I was able to get some pics of the puppy; he's been so funny today.  :-D



Nurse Duncan  :) 


There are a few reasons why my posting and visiting have been so sporadic over the last few several months.  First of all, I've been driving out to my parents' house once a week, because my dad hasn't been doing so well for a while now.  I want to see them, plus it gives them a break to have someone else to talk to, as they've only been getting out for doctor's appointments and the occasional errand.  It's about a 45-minute drive one way from our house to theirs; I usually eat lunch there and stay for a few hours, so by the time I get home, a big chunk is gone from my day.

A really big reason I've been absent from blogging is that parts of our house have looked like this for too long --


Isn't this awful!?  I should be ashamed to show you, and believe me, I'm not proud of it.  But, my point is that over the past few years, we've been going through our belongings in order to get the house better organized and get rid of clutter.  Over the course of 28 1/2 years of marriage, you tend to accumulate a lot of "stuff."  While I work on one room, a lot of stuff gets moved to another room until the room I'm working on is finished.  It's slow going, but I am making progress.  We're setting up a new work/storage/hobby area in our basement room, and that's already been a tremendous help.  We've also added more shelving to our existing closets (this house wasn't built with walk-in closets).


It's hardly recognizable from past pictures, but this is our living room.  We still have to re-hang the mirror that fell off the wall some months ago.  This is the room I'll be tackling later today and this weekend.  Tomorrow is dog-grooming day and I'll be visiting my parents, as well.

The other reason I've been busier is that I've started volunteering at our community food pantry.  It's a humbling experience, to say the least.  The pantry has been very busy this time of year and probably will be until Christmas.  The food pantry was started by a Sunday school class in one of our local churches, and now the other churches help out as well.  It requires a large group of volunteers to operate, and there are no paid staff members.  Right now, we're giving out turkey vouchers for Thanksgiving, which can be redeemed at our community Food Lion.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this service organization.

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Sorry for the long post; I just wanted you to know why I haven't been visiting as much this year.  I'm hoping next year will be different in that regard.  I'd love to hear what you've been up to lately; thanks so much for stopping by.  You're the best!!

Hugs,

Denise

9 comments:

  1. Hope that your hubby is felling better soon. It must warm his heart to have Duncan be so attentive. Oh, Denise, my dining room looks like that right now. I took an entire carload of things to Goodwill Tuesday and could do it all over again tomorrow. I get it; I so get it! You are a good daughter to make regular visits. It is wonderful that you have your parents. Do they enjoy going out to lunch with you? I bet so!

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  2. I hope your husband feels well soon and I'm sorry your dad has not been well. I'm sure they appreciate your visits more than they can say. Your pantry work sounds very fulfilling, and as far as the living room, you are accomplishing a good deal by cleaning out so be pleased! The mess will go away eventually!

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  3. Look at Duncan all grown up-Very handsome indeed! Hope you hubby feels better soon, take care!

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  4. I hope that Mr. Forest Manor is feeling much, much better by now. Nurse Duncan looks cheery enough! I find that sorting through things often creates much more of a mess than the status quo. Soon you'll have everything ship shape again.

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  5. Good for you for taking the time to sort through years of accumulation. We are just back from helping my sister sort through lots of stuff after her husbands death. I came home ready to go through and purge around here. Sorry to hear about your dad but how nice that you can visit weekly to help them out. Hope hubby is feeling better!

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  6. So sorry about your dad. I am sure they really appreciate your visits. So sorry that hubby isn't feeling well. Dogs seem to know when your not feeling well and want to be close to you. When I am ill my dogs are right in the same room, close by.
    I am going thought all my stuff too and getting rid of tons of stuff..
    Hopefully everyone is feeling better.
    Take care of your self.
    Mary
    PS Duncan is sure a cutie....

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  7. Doesn't it seem that the dogs know when we are ill? I don't think Boone has picked up on that yet. Our old dog certainly knew. Once I bumped my head really hard on the cabinet door I have left open. I yelled out in agony and made it my favorite chair. Sweet Max came to sit by my side until I had recovered. Duncan looks as though he is settling down and becoming a companion. I am chuckling at your photos of your home because as you have shared it with us before, I have always been awe at it's elegance and beauty. I am glad that you are brave enough to be real. Good luck in the reordering. Try 41 years and a barn to put stuff! Have a grand weekend.

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  8. Hi Denise. Sometimes life gets in the way and there are things that take priority that we have to tend to. I bet your parents are so happy to spend extra time with you. I know about the house being a mess when working on one little room. I always think I will just "set" a small amount of stuff in another room and before you know it the whole house is in total chaos.Which is the way mine looks right now. Glad your hubby is feeling better and just goes to show that Nurse Duncan has done a good job..Happy Monday..Judy.

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  9. Hi Denise, I've been moving around stacks for months and I have so much left to do. I have to get serious and purge, purge, purge.
    I admire your volunteer work and helping out with your parents. You have the right priorities.
    Hope your husband improves quickly and your Dad's problems can be resolved.
    Take care. Hopefully, you won't get sick. Have a good week.
    We get lots of rain tomorrow.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS. I ENJOY READING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

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