Hello From Texas

Wow! It has been a long time since I have posted. I did have good intentions but they went down the toilet so to speak. It has been busy around here since we moved in on November 20th! I am still not all unpacked. My dishes are put away for the most part but it still looks like this......

 

 

 

 

 

 There is a lot to do. Plus I got sick for a week and now I am having back spasms that started yesterday. I just can't seem to catch a break!

But in the midst of chaos I praise God for His faithfulness!!!!

I have some God moments to share with you in a later post.

 

In between unpacking I had to put up Christmas lights.......

 

 

 

 

This is a new look for our tree this year! The picture doesn't do it justice. The mesh is white and gold. My daughter thought the top of the tree was a birds nest. lol  It sort of looks that way but it is made of gold picks from Hobby Lobby.

Our front stairway.....

 

 

I have to admit it is all a bit overwhelming. I haven't baked a thing and I guess I will the last minute. I was hoping to set a table for Thursday but I am in no condition to even write this.

Just wanted to check in and let you all know I am alive and well.

 

 

Blessings My Friend,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Revisit

On Saturday we took a ride down to Galveston. The last time we were there I was a little disappointed. Hurricane Ike in 2008, had hit about five years earlier and it didn't seem to be bouncing back. I know it was hit hard but I thought it should have been rebuilt in five years! So I was anxious to go back after two years to see the progress if any.
 Welcome Back, Galveston! We were impressed at the beautiful coastline, houses and businesses.  We drove up and down the coastline and saw a big improvement! I was so happy. Galveston had beautiful houses! They are back.
You still can see devastation but it looks like a resort town........ finally!
Here is a little peek.........

 

The Bishop Palace 

 

                                    As I look at these show pieces of history

                                          I can just imagine

                                                How beautiful

                                        They must have been

                       
                                                  back in the day

 

I would love to see the insides!

Wouldn't you? 

 

Overlooking the ocean are condo's

                                                                 
                                 Most of the houses and condo's are all painted in pastel colors!

                                                               On the edge of town ...

 

                              

                                            Lots of places to eat

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           This is Pleasure Pier...all new.
                          When we came here two years ago this was a pier that was devastated by Ike.

 

A great way to spend the afternoon surfing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed a peek of Galveston. I really do think you should come and visit!

I would love to see you. 

We could go sightseeing or shopping!

A fun day with a friend.

Think about it.

 

Blessings My Friend,

Thanks for stopping by. We have moved in pictures soon!

 

 

 

 

A Little Touch of Houston

I thought I would write a little sooner but......
I got hit with a stomach bug last weekend! Needless to say, not much was seen that weekend.
I have taken pictures here and there when we first arrived, so I thought I'd share them with you. Our first week here has been pleasant. So I am hopeful..... with one more week to go. We hope!


                                                            Minute Maid Park

                            
                              A lawyers Office with neat art outside

 Mr. Sweetladyelaine & I went to subway. Got out of the car turned around this building was staring at us. As we lend back to look at the total building, we almost fell backwards. It is the AIG Building.

 

 

 

Downtown Houston

                                 
                                  Another Downtown picture

 

                                     We took a tour of the Downtown HEB- a grocery store.
                                     I thought these were the  best looking items in the store.
                                                       Of course, I love sweets!

Yesterday, I went to my favorite store.....The Half Priced Book Store! I spent three hours in there.
 I had so much fun......I ended up talking to a woman who went to Lakewood Church (Joel Olsteen).
I shared my house stories with her and guess what she works for Exxon! Perfect!
To catch you up just a little......Exxon is moving here from Irving and the sellers here, are doubling & tripling their house prices. Which has caused everyone, a lot of problems!
She had heard that through the old grapevine....Women, I love us! If it wasn't for the old grapevine I would be dead or maybe worse. Thank God, for that grapevine! lol
We chatted about everything and before we knew it, lots of people were chiming in. I called it a great Monday Meetin' Day! We even called the aisle that we were in, our house! "Come on in to our house and talk awhile! The clerk even joined in while he put away books. A great time talking and meeting new people! I had so much fun.
Downtown is wonderful and I am glad I have had the pleasure to experience it, at least a little!

News about our house: The appraisal is done. Now, we are waiting for mortgage papers to get finished. Pray that as a date for closing is being decided on and movers are contacted and I pack up this hotel suite that it all goes smoothly and with the attitude of our Creator.

"When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves". Viktor Frankl

Be the change you wish to see in the world!

Blessings My Friend,

A Buyers Nightmare

WOW has this been a trip! I am not sure where to begin.......

Our house was packed and half of it was loaded on the truck. We were leaving for Houston in two days.......We were leaving on Saturday, November 2nd!
Thursday evening before closing on Friday morning, we backed out of our house deal. Yikes!!! The appraisal was so much lower than the price we had agreed on. YIKES! The appraiser would not go up and the sellers would not go down! 
Panic set in....Praying went on......lots of praying......and tears!

Later Friday night we got a call from our realtor saying the sellers realtor was cursing her out and that we were costing her sellers anguish! (What about us!) Our realtor told her we all needed to sleep on it and talk about it in the morning. She is such a sweetheart!
Long story short.... ....Saturday mid-morning we got a call from our realtor while we were driving to Houston.
The sellers had a change of heart. We agreed that the sellers would pay for another appraisal and we would buy the house at whatever the appraisal amount turned out to be!
Praise God!
We are now living in an ExecuStay in Houston for a few weeks until all the paperwork is complete and a date for our closing is set.
Am I writing this much too early? I hope not!

The reason I am telling you all this??????

This has definitely has been a learning experience for me. I am looking back and asking why did this happen.....

Maybe, God's plan wasn't all in place? Did people have to get angry before the problem was solved? Did hearts have to be softened? Did we have to trust more? Maybe this isn't the right job for us? Where are we going to live until we find a house? Where would all our furniture be stored? What will happen to us?
The questions kept coming.......and then it hit me!

I am homeless!

My answer to all this?  
To pray and depend on God, leaving everything to Him. I have to admit it was not easy.  I was not prepared to live somewhere else for a few months. I had a weekend worth of clothes,a few days of food for dogs & bird and we had only until the 9th in the apartment. It was overwhelming! My flesh was screaming and my heart held on tight to God. "Help us" was the most I could pray. I realized I had to die to self and let God carry us through. I had to listen for the Holy Spirits quiet voice to calm my nerves.
Once again God is faithful! I'm not sure if you believe or not. 
My hope is that you will seek His face in times of trouble so you can feel His presence in your heart. He has carried me through a lot of turmoil in my life. I know He will do the same for you. You just have to accept Jesus as your Lord & Savior and read your bible.


I just wanted to let you know what has happened to me since I am not setting a table this week. See you soon. 
                 
Blessings My Friend,

On The Move

Hi Everyone,
By the time you read this, the movers will be packing and loading us in their truck! We should be in Houston on Sunday and wait for closing. I am so happy to be leaving. It just has seems like it took forever.

 I set this table about two weeks ago.
My inspiration seemed to be all of your Halloween tables! lol I couldn't think past my nose this last month! So I dug in the basement for some fall stuff!

 

The chargers are from Wal-Mart. The dinner plate is made by Knowles and the pattern is Santa Monica. The leaf plate I can't remember and the leaf candle is from the Dollar Store a few years back.

 

 

You can see a close up of the charger. It has leaves and acorns around the rim.

I am not fond of orange so I accent with any other color. In this tablescape, I used a lot of gold.

 

            This one of two runners I bought at the Christmas Tree Store when I was in New York.  
                                                    I just sent my daughter the other one.

I love candles and I buy them whenever I see them at Thrift Stores, GW, Garage Sales or Savers.
The same for candlesticks.....I just love them!

I finally put this vintage casseroles in a tablescape. I keep forgetting to put serving pieces on the table.

                             
                             I received these years ago as wedding presents. I use them a lot.

 

Pumpkin salt & pepper shakers.

 

                              Gold glasses found at our church rummage sale for 25 cents each!

My centerpiece is a ceramic pumpkin from CTS and faux flowers from a consignment store. I stuffed
a gold runner in the top to hold the flowers upright. It gives me the bling I crave!!! lol

Thank you for inspiring me to go to the basement and do at least one fall table! I enjoy your visits and I love visiting you. I may be a little late in seeing your tables but I will be there. Thanks so much for your lovely comments during my move. I appreciate them more than words can say.

I will be joining

Susan at BNOTP for Tablescape Thursday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/autumn-table-setting-with-spode-woodland-and-pumpkin-tureens/
Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish
http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/2013/10/this-and-thatlets-dish-86.html

I hope you have a safe Halloween Day!


Blessings My Friend,

Dinner with Friends In Lousianna

A BIG Thank you to all who came and visited me last week. I appreciate your kind comments. We did buy a house and are off to Houston in a few weeks. I am very excited!
 I am anxious to move on in my life.........we do move often lately and it is your comments that keep me going. Thank you so much for being my blogger friends.

As I promised in the last post, I have Donna's tablescape to share with you today.
Donna and I met in Buffalo, NY at church. Over the past several years we have been trying to meet but it never seemed the right time.We finally got to spend two days together! 
Mr.. Sweetladyelaine and I went to Baton Rouge for two days while I was on a house hunting trip in Houston, Texas. Donna & Kurt live in Lafayette, La &  invited us to dinner at their house.
 Of course, I had to take pictures of  her beautiful table and  show you....
I noticed she & I have the same chargers and placemats! I was thrilled.

I only got to take a few pictures....
I loved her salad plates! I think she told me they were from
 Wal-Mart. I also loved her pashmina scarf that she used as her tablecloth.  A great idea and it makes her dishes shine. Beautiful!

Everyone was so hungry. (Mr. Sweetladyelaine & I got their a little late due to traffic)

  I took them fast!
We had roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes, buttered carrots, and a layered salad. The salad happens to be my favorite! I forgot the hot buttered rolls & wine! She did serve another veggie but I forgot what it was. It was all so delicious!

You can see the men already started to fill their plates. Everything  was so yummy!
 Did I mention we ate by candlelight? The perfect centerpiece for me because I love candles and so does Donna.

        Donna was happy.......

Kurt was happy.........

 

         Mr. Sweetladyelaine was just too hungry to wait!

 

 

And for dessert......cheesecake in different flavors with whipped cream & a cherry!

We had a wonderful visit. It had been a long time since we had spent time together as couples. I didn't realize how much I missed them until we were going home. I am glad God gave us the opportunity to see each other.
 Donna is godly woman. We developed our friendship over time. She keeps my head on straight when I feel I can't go on any more. She gives me godly wisdom & encouragement when I need it. She keeps me accountable. She tells me the truth and always tells me she loves me.
 I am so grateful to have a wonderful friend like her.
Do you have a friend like that? I hope you do....everyone needs a person to keep them encouraged & strong!
I'm not sure when we will get together again, but I do know we Skype often.

A BIG Thank you to Donna & Kurt for a lovely dinner!

I will be joining

Susan at BNOTP for Tablescape Thursday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/broomstick-place-card-holders-for-your-halloween-tablescape/

Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish on Wednesday

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/2013/10/lets-dish-84boo-stew.html


Blessings My Friend,