Happy New Year

HAPPY  NEW  YEARS 

A New Year

A year has passed
We’ve shared some smiles
We shed some tears 
Hugs were sent
Giggles almost heard
We read others words
We made new friends
We gave up the enemies
We lifted each other
We prayed
We rejoiced 
We made it
Through  2015
Through  praying together 
And guidance  from God
We shall  remain
Friends,  bonded
Through   the new year, 2016

Happy New Year  my friends.

Remember  one thing ;  If you drink, do not drive. Better yet, drink within your  own home.

Final Days of Christmas

The Sunday  after Christmas  my girlfriend  picked me up and took me to her home, which is not too far from  Chicago . We talked all the way there and most of the evening .

The next day an ice storm arrived. This prevented us from going anywhere .  Since she lives so close to  the  Great Lakes, the winds were something  else. When I  went  outside  to smoke, I  swear if I   was fifty pounds  lighter, the winds could have picked  me up.. lol

The news weatherman  was predicting  accumulated  snow amounts for today and tomorrow .  I wanted to stay  until Thursday ,  but  I  also wanted my friend to remain safe on her trip back home from dropping  me off, so I  came home yesterday ,  Tuesday .

When I  walked through  the door, it was clear the two dogs had missed me. The eldest grandchild  said,”hi grandma,” immediately  and the baby  who is almost 2, gave me a big smile.

It was a nice welcome to me. Last evening  I decided  to have Ritz crackers with melted cheese for my bed time  snack. I  was putting the last cracker in my mouth, when a sharp  pain entered around my ear. I touched the side of my face and felt swelling.

I thought I   was  getting another gland infection .  I don’t  drink enough fluids and sometimes my saliva  glands will become infected.

These don’t  feel good and I didn’t  need this  now as I  leave for Kentucky  this Sunday. I didn’t  have issues sleeping  but when I  woke up this morning ,  I   had some pain under my cheekbone .

I tried making an appointment  with my doctor  today but  he was booked up. I ended up going to the medic clinic and he said  he didn’t  believe  I had a gland infection  nor a sinus infection .

He felt around and along with my answers  to his questions  he said I had TMJ. I  had opened my mouth wider than usual and had inflamed my jaw. He told me to take Ibuprofen  for a couple of days  and see if it gets better.

It seems to swell and become a little swollen  when I  eat. Afterwards ,  the swelling  goes back down. I feel some tingling , but he had said the nerves and muscles  are involved.

I hope this gets better, since I  leave in a few days. Since getting my teeth pulled  in October, I am sick of mouth pain, so keep your  fingers  crossed.

I am not doing anything  for New years  eve .  I don’t  drink and I don’t  want to get hit by a drunk driver, so I  am staying home .  How are the last days of your  Christmas  holiday  going ?

Day After Christmas

Yesterday  was  the day for Christmas  sharing with my kids and me. I  always look  forward  to this event. The meal planning, making sure there is a favorite  of  each of my three kids sitting on the table ready to  eat.

Things can’t  be as they usually  are, when you  are no longer in your own  home, but I  tried my best. My legs didn’t  work well, which was a good thing as far as the  meal went. Our menu was based around  Stouffers, lasagna.

I had prepared  ahead of time the seven layer salad, deviled eggs, butterscotch  dessert  and fudge. The recipes  for these many year  return foods are:
Seven layer  salad

Fry up and break bacon. Layer chopped  lettuce, bacon, frozen peas  and shredded cheese. After  final layer, spread  a layer  of  mayonnaise  over entire  top. Cover and chill 24 hours. Stir and enjoy .

Butterscotch  Pudding Dessert

Mix 1 cup flour ,  1 stick butter  and  1/2 cup of  nuts. Mix and pat into 9 x 13 pan. Bake 15 minutes  at 350 degrees. While cooling ,  mix 1 cup powdered  sugar, 1 package cream cheese, 1 cup of cool whip. Use mixer. Pour this over crust and spread to edges.
Next, mix 2 regular  size instant butterscotch  or Chocolate  sugar free or regular pudding mixes with only 3 cups of milk. Pour over cream cheese  layer. Last, spread rest of regular  size cool whip over entire dessert. Garnish with  nuts. Eat and enjoy

The fudge recipe is on the back of the Milnot cans. 5 minute  fudge. I had baked a berry  pie and had Michigan  cherries.

My daughter  arrived late, which is  very  unusual .  She was ill and had went to the doctor. She had a sinus and ear infection  with no voice. I  appreciated  her coming, although  she belonged  under the covers. She brought  her daughter .  Her husband remained at his parents  home, due to health  issues with his father .

My daughter  in law  brought 2 of her three kids. It was  an alright day. It could have been better ,  but it could have been worse .  The afternoon  ended and near supper I received  an invitation  to supper, so I  accepted  and we went to Pizza Hut.

When I  arrived  home I went straight  to bed to rest my legs. I slept all night  and am now getting  ready to go visit my bestie for a few days. Sunday I  go back home.

So how is your  holiday weekend  going?

My grandson showing me how he can count

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Darn Body, Darn Parkinson

Today was and remains Christmas  for about  five more hours .  I have been visiting  my son and his family since Halloween  and will be  returning  home New Year’s  day.

It has been fun and came with challenges  as is expected  when you  have  any  extended  visit. The most fun was watching the kids play, hearing the baby giggle, listening to homework  being done, and remembering  back to those days with my own kids.

I have been able to visit with friends and have many laughs and talks about old times. The weather has been good to me. There was only one day so far, that was pretty  cold.

The bad things that happened  were internal with me. The internal tremors  are slowing me down .  My legs hurt and ache so much quicker  than six months  ago .  My stomach tremors and causes stomach aches and loss of appetite .  Parkinson  makes me more tired than before. I feel like one of those nineteen eighty  toys, weeble wobbles. I get pretty unsteady  and one day here, I  actually  fell, bending over trying  to find something .  I  hate bending over, even for a dishwasher .

Trying to fix the goodies that I  have  done for years, plain wears me out. I make one thing and I  have to rest for a bit before I  start fixing something  eles .  This year I used a couple  of days to fix things for Christmas  meals. It doesn’t  hurt to do this. It just  makes me recognize  I have that invisible  illness.

Tomorrow  my daughter and my other son’s  families will be here and we shall all celebrate  together . I’m  going to do my best not to look lazy, but I  am just drained, and  my body is worn out.

I hope all of you  are enjoying  your  Christmas  holiday. Hugs, me.

Christmas Morning

Christmas  morning  has arrived
I’m  the only  one up?
Took the time  for my own gift
A cup of coffee with news on the side.

I went outside to have a smoke
The streets were heavenly  quiet
I saw the brightest  sign of all
The biggest moon, I  really so stoked.

A sure sign of something grand
Had taken place this day
The baby Jesus Christ  was born
And was glowing  throughout  the land.

Returning  to my bed I hear the sounds
Of voices and tiny feet
The house was stirring on Christmas  morn,
Kiddies were racing to the presents  bound.

I have said a prayer  to God above
For those alone  and lost
I asked him to show them with no doubt 
His gift for this day, his undying  love.

Written  by , 
Terry  Shepherd 
December  25th , 2015

Happy birthday Jesus

I   saw this on my Facebook .  It was streaming. I kept staring  at it because  I  have never  seen anyone laugh at Jesus.  I instantly  felt shame as I recognized  my own weakness, as there are times and different  people  I don’t  bring God’s  name up for fear of argument . 

I  talk to God all the time. I  pray for  others a lot. Sometimes  I  will even pray for myself  for things I can’t afford ,  like getting  my bottom teeth pulled .

I  should  pray for  myself , but it feels better to be praying  for others. There is no reason for me to not speak about God to anyone , and  on that being said, I’m  so thankful  for him forgiving the imperfect me.

If Jesus came knocking on my door this very minute, I  imagine I would be crying  at his feet for the love he gives me, which I  certainly  do not  deserve.

What would you  do if you  heard the knock and opened the door and saw Jesus standing there?

Happy Birthday  Jesus.

Merry Christmas to all of my Blogging Friends

Christmas  time is here
Some of you  will cheer
Others may spend the day
Alone, no other way
Families  come together
Drive through  wicked weather 
Others will remain in bed 
Lifeless, no tears to shed
Let us not forget the reason
Why we’re here, this Christmas  season 
Our Christ, the Lord was born
He is King, forever  more
I wish each of  you today
A Merry Christmas  and glorious  day.

Written  by , 
Terry  Shepherd 
December  2015

Children

When I  was a mommy of little ones ,  I loved it. I also had expectations  of what  they should  do and how I wanted their  lives to turn out.

I’m  sure I disappointed  them at times, but hey, what child comes with an instruction manuel? My kids ran through  the  house. They screamed, yelled, giggled and cried. They were kids, right?

Now  having my kids grown and many grandkids  are here, I   sit back and notice the expectations  of what is required  today. I don’t  know about  you, but my kids didn’t  sit still for but a few moments  at a time.

Today, if a child can’t  sit still, some are rushed to doctors  and placed on medication .  I  admit I  was glad for those  quiet times, but when sickness came to visit ,  I would have given my right arm to have  the running around  and noise again .

No matter what Era we raise our kids in, kids need to be kids. They are meant to put things in their mouth. They will have short attention  spans. They will get dirty. They should  ask the 20 questions ,  how else will their little brains learn?

They will try your patience ,  they will love you unconditional .  They will pickup  the naughty words quick. They will run, laugh, giggle, play and cry.

I guess what  I  am saying is, don’t  scream and punish for them not being little adults .  Don’t  choose one child over the other. It doesn’t  work, I  know from  personal  experience .  Let them be who they are. Let them grow at their own rate. Don’t  have above  the  top expectations .  They are a gift  from God, and whether  you think so right  now or not, they will  grow up and move out, and you will have a permanent  silence.