Happy Thanksgiving to all........

Summer and Todd......

Breezi.........

Oh my gosh......I am having such a time with sweets lately!! Doughnuts especially!
The guys bring doughnuts into work every Friday and Saturday and it is all I can do to NOT eat the entire box myself!!

I have become such a pig! If it is not the doughnuts.....it's the hard candies in the jar on the counter. Yikes!

I feel horrible the past few days and I am so sure it is because of all the sugar...my body is trying to tell me that enough is enough. I have been doing this for months now and I think it has totally caught up with me.

I know I need to stop eating so much junk food.....I try, but I always stumble and go back to putting the sugar into my mouth. Today I feel as if I am stuffed into my jeans.......not feeling good about myself at all.

For health issues I know I am going to have to really try to be good......diabetes runs in my family and I really donn't want that problem.

Tomorrow I am going to really try to be good and get back on the right track!!!

Well, I got my house all cleaned up last night so, tonight I am going to sit on the couch and just rest....yeah, like that will happen!! Why is it women never seem to be able to just sit and relax? I know I should be doing that, but I know I still have a list of things that still need to be finished......

(1.) There are letters and cards to write....
(2.) I need to shave my legs.....
(3.) I need to take the trash out to the curb...
(4.) There are several phone calls to make...not too mention unanswered emails...
(5.) The bird's cage needs a good scrubbing...
(6.) I need to wash and iron.......(oh, that sounds like fun!)
(7.) I need to fix my hair color....NOW THAT IS A STORY IN ITSELF...yikes....!
(8.) I need to do my Bible Study.....
(9.) And the list goes on and on..........

Well, I do know there are a few things on my list I will do tonight, but when my favorite television show begins.....I AM THERE ON THE COUCH WITH MY GLASS OF WINE AND THE REMOTE!!

Tonight I am going to spend the evening cleaning MY house. Whenever I clean someone else's house...I always chuckle to myself..."I DON'T EVEN DO THIS TO MY OWN HOUSE!" Well, tonight my little bungalow with get cleaned. Not that it is terribly messy, but there are a few things that NEED attention. I have decided not to turn on the television.....answer phones....NOTHING that plugs in...NO DISTRACTIONS ALLOWED!! Well, the stereo will be cranked up. Nothing is better to clean house than to have the stereo turned up loud....the louder the better!!

One major job will get done tonight and three minor things....have a goal!!!!

Captain Jack Sparrow and pretty Elizabeth..........

Jeremey and Ashlynn..........

Is it over yet????

I have been trying to sit here and write something, but every time I get a half way decent thought....a little trick-or-treater comes to the door!! I give up!!!!

The kids are soooo adorable....think I give up blogging tonight and appreciate the little knocks I get at my door.

Happy Halloween everyone..............

My Halloween Story....

A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears:


BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...


Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.


BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...


Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him.

FASTER...
FASTER..
BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...


He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him. However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.


clappity-BUMP...
clappity-BUMP...
clappity-BUMP...

On his heels, as the terrified man runs......Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.

With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door.....Bumping and clapping toward him.

The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup! Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...


(and hopefully you are ready for this)


The coffin stops!!!!

The Catalde Family...Tony, Beth, Matt & Becca

Well, I didn't exactly party for my birthday, but I did have fun. Spent the day just on things I like to do. Thanks all for the birthday wishes.......meant a great deal to me!!! Hard to believe I am 29 years old!!!

Gary S. Catalde----memoralized forever!!

Summer and Breezi had Gary's signature tattoed on their wrists today. Looks as if he signed their wrists with his ink pen. I am having mined done next week!!

Tonight I am going to climb into my claw foot tub and take a nice hot bubble bath....much like the above picture....the only thing that will be missing will be the little cat.....

My poor body is aching and I am hoping a nice hot soak will ease my pain. My arthritis is increasingly becoming a problem.......I refuse to see a doctor and have been trying my best to address the issue on my own. Tylenol is my choice a pain relief....that or a glass of wine!!

I believe my issues date way back to the day I was struck by that car going 60-65mph....but maybe its because I am getting old!! Add that to the fact that it seems my choice of work is nothing but physical....lots of lifting and moving things around. Well, at any rate...it is what it is and I know I can get through all of this annoying pain just by relaxing in a nice hot tub!!

I sure could use Ashlynn's cute little ladybug raincoat.........North Texas is experiencing rain once again!!

Ashlynn....A real California girl.....

Today I cleaned house and I am smelling like Pine-sol. I clean a friend's 6000 square foot house every two weeks and I can not tell you how tired I am by the end of the day!

Nothing smells cleaner than Pine-sol. Not the flowery fragrance....the original, good ole smell....it's the best.

A few weeks ago my neighbor, Nimia, was cleaning her big house and she was using Pine-sol for her cleaning chore. Her house is HUGE and she was tossing out buckets of used Pine-sol water between our houses. My windows were open and all that cleaning smell filtrated into my little bunglow. My house smelled as if I had spent all day cleaning. Needless to say I thanked Nimia for making my house smell so clean. It smelled like I cleaned and I didn't lift a hand!!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Let us find a cure and keep those who are battling

breast cancer in our prayers!!!

Time has a way of passing by us way too quickly.

I can't believe how long it has been since I have been

on this computer.....I am hoping to catch all of you

up with the happenings out here in Texas.

It's been a wild and crazy ride.

Good times....bad times....!!

But, through it all....God has been in control of all times.

Finally!!!!!

Hey, I am finally connected to the internet now and I will be back to blogging!!! YAY!! I have lots of pictures of the grandchildren to share with you and lots to tell......!! For right now I am only going to say hello and then get back to work, but I will be back on the internet shortly to fill you in with all my news.

I am so very happy....internet and TV all in one day. Thank you AT&T!!

It is pouring rain today!! Last night we had so much rain...thunder.....lightning....and tornado warnings!! Frightful evening, but I survived. This spring it has been one rain storm after another........I just know when this weekend hits with the high temperatures...I will be wishing it was raining!!

I missed birthdays last month......Sandi.......Donna........hope you had great birthdays. Sorry I didn't call either one of you, but I did think of you two!

Summer is still going through tests for the lump in her neck. Please pray for her. Next week she will have another biopsy done and then have to wait again for the results. The waiting game is taking a toll on her......and on her mother and the rest of the family as well.

More later..............

I just can't seem to get it together.........

Wow!! Can't believe it has been over a month since I wrote anything. I imagine all of you are wondering just what is going on out here in the Lone Star state. First, I am not longer employed....lost a great, great job, but I know the Lord will provide another........and I am praying that it is soon!! The list of whys and wheres can go on and on, so I will spare you all the little stuff and hit you with the big stuff!! I have been very sick for the last two weeks. It's an upper respiratory problem complicated with a good dose of allergies. YUCK!! Some days I am up and moving while other days I am completely out of it. I keep telling myself that I am doing great.........and getting better........I sure hope I can fully convince myself with what I am telling myself on a daily basis.



It's been hot the last couple of days.......making up for all the rain we have been getting these last few months. Today I think summer time has finally hit Texas! YAY!! I worked in my yard on Sunday....laid a few more bricks and planted a few more flowers. The backyard is beginning to look as pretty as the front yard. I even tried to start flowers from seed......they are coming up and I am so elated.........I have never really had any luck planting seeds.



For those who I haven't gotten in touch with recently.....I promise I will do that soon. I haven't forgotten any of you.

My most favorite photo of Gary......

The wedding is over........

Raul and Pam's wedding was held this past Saturday.....they are off to Canada for a week and I have to contend with the leftovers....and I am NOT talking about food either!! While the honeymoon couple is in Canada for the week I am house sitting and cleaning up after the wedding reception. Sunday I woke up at 5 in the morning and began the job of mopping up after the party. Someone forgot to tell the wedding guests that cake belonged on the plates and not the floor. Let's just say I have managed to get the house in somewhat of order! Down came the yards of nylon netting and the hundreds of bows......most everything is back to where it belongs and in the next week I will complete the task at hand. Two days before the wedding I cleaned this 5000 square foot house......and it needs another good cleaning! JOB SECURITY!!

Today I woke up to a HUGE thunder and lightening storm. This big house shook off and on for over an hour. Right now there is a steady down pour and according to the weather report....the rain is going to stay for most of the day. There is a tornado warning up right now, but it is not close to me. THANK GOODNESS. I feel safe in this house should a tornado form around here. This house has a huge basement and lots of "safe places". Rain is forecasted for the entire week and I think it is great. Rain just helps the yard to green up and keep my flower beds hydrated. Tornado season has began and lasts for several months.....I am sure there will be many more rainy days at hand and now that I have been in Texas a couple of years....I am adjusting to wet weather and what comes with severe storms.

Where has April gone??? In a blink of an eye it passed me by....

Happy Anniversay Beth & Tony.....

Blessings to you on this very special day.

Much love,

Mom

On Sunday I attended "Waves of Faith Church" here in Fort Worth. My friends, Nemea and Bobby, invited me to visit their church with them and their son, Jacob. The Worship Music was so uplifting. Electric guitars and drums were played by extremely talented men and the three lady vocalist led the congregation in a praise session like I have never heard. The Worship Pastor played acoustic electric guitar and had an impressive voice. I thoroughly enjoyed the music along with the other hundreds of people who came to worship the Lord on Sunday. The sermon was lead by a young Pastor who while speaking of Peter showed slides and added his own twists and turns of Peter's life with life experiences. He held my attention through out the service. I left the church feeling renewed.

Here's the thing about Waves of Faith Church. It is 99.9% Mexican attendance......a couple hundred of the nicest people I ever met. Nemea is head of the Youth Ministry at the church so, I was introduced to so many of the congregation. Warm greetings were given by all I met.

I am looking forward to the next time I visit Nemea and Bobby's church. I felt welcomed and enjoyed my time on Sunday.

Blessings to all........

Rain.....rain...and more rain..........!!

Today the skies have opened up and it is pouring down rain. A welcomed thing for my very dry grass and garden.......!! It should rain for the next couple of days and then come Sunday it is supposed to be warm and sunny. I have made plans to tackle the flower beds and to cut and trim the grass while the weather is nice. My, what a mess I have going in my yard!! Never ending, but I love being outside working in the yard.

My rose bushes are blooming like crazy.....pink roses every where. Now that I have decided not to sell my house, I am making plans to plant a few more rose bushes around the yard. The pink Jasmine around my porch is beginning to green up.......I thought I had lost most of the plants due to frost, but I noticed last night there was actually new growth. Yay!! The flower beds are beginning to show signs of life and by the looks of it.......most of last year's plants have survived. I am going to get a few more flowers to fill in the bare spots until the older plants get larger. I can always transplant later.

My flight back from California was very nice. I sat by a wonderful Texas lady. She was a Pastor's wife and such a pleasure to sit next to. She and I had a wonderful conversation all the way to Austin. We talked about Texas.....our families.....and Christ. God placed this woman next to me to comfort me as I tried to process everything that is going on in my life.

For the last two days I have been working......chained to a desk doing data entry. While I am thankful I have a job...........I so wish I was able to work outside instead of inside. A friend stopped by yesterday and offered me a small job for Mother's Day weekend. Our little historic district has a home tour during the Mother's Day weekend and he has asked me to be the person greeting the tour groups as they walk through his bungalow. I am excited to be asked to do that for him. It is such a cute little house situated right in the middle of our district. Quaint. He is in the process of redoing the house from top to bottom and it has been interesting seeing all the changes he has made. I am looking forward to the home tour and being a part of all the fun.

All is well with me. Lots of things to get done this week.......hopefully I will be able to accomplish all that I intend to get done.........

Blessings to all.........

One of my favorite pictures of Gary.....

Gary Summers Catalde.......

Yesterday Gary went Home to be with the Lord.
He has a new body free of the cancer........
He is no longer suffering and is at peace.

It is those of us who he loved that are in the midst
of pain. Please pray for my children and Gary's family.

Just because I love you.........

This is just because....
....just because you're special.
....just because you are loved more than you know.
....just because you are more deserving of God's blessings than you think.
....just because you are a wonderful friend to me.
....just because you have a heart for others.
....just because you deserve to be regarded with respect.
....just because God is good and you are His.
....just because He answers our prayers.
....just because everything works together for good to those who love God.
....just because we are called according to His purposes.
....just because He loves us, He likes to bless us.
....just because we're available to Him.
....just because He likes to use us for His glory.
....just because He is worthy of our service and our worship.
....just because He is so good, holy and mighty.
....just because of who He is.
....just because He is GOD!!! and we're not.
....just because I want you to be richly blessed.
....just because this is God's perfect will. AMEN!!!

This month has brought wonderful things and some not so wonderful things to my life.

I have been helping to take care of my 98 year old neighbor, Clara, for the past month. She got out of the hospital last month and I visit her in the morning and again in the evening to check on her.....run errands.......and just be her friend. She is an amazing woman and I enjoy spending time with her. She lives alone (can you believe that??) and manages to pretty much tend for herself. Her nephew rents one of her apartments and he watches over her as well. Between Lloyd and myself we care for Clara and keep her family posted as to how she is doing. I am so glad to say that Clara is finally feeling better and getting around so much better!!

As most of you know.......Gary is still battling for his life and the updates I get from our children seem to be good one day and bad the next. God is in control and everyone in the family rests on this fact. God has done amazing things in Gary's life. As he continues to live his life he tries to care for not only himself, but his children as well. The children have told me wonderful stories of how they sit around and tell stories of days gone by. They have tears, but lots and lots of laughter as well. I am proud of my children and the way they are handling the terrible issues they are facing right now. I do wish I was there to hug and kiss on them......and honestly so that they may do the same for me!!

I carried home about 7 boxes of family photos a couple of weeks ago from my storage unit and at night I have been going through those boxes trying to sort out the thousands of photos. Overwhelming. I so want to present each one of my children photos of their lives so they can show their children pictures of themselves when they were younger. Going through the mounds of photos has been good for me......I mist up at times, but I know how pleased my children are going to be when the photos finally are mailed to them. My adult life is in those boxes, but the memories are forever in my soul.

This month has been a celebration of birthdays. My mother (13th)......my son Anthony(10th).......my daughter Summer and my daughter in law Beth....today the 24th. Happy Birthday to you all once again! Love you lots.

I have been working for a construction company this past month. I love it, but it is cutting into my gardening time. Up until now it hasn't been bad.......but the sun is out today and I so thought about how nice it would be to work in the yard. I have been busy weeding and planting......there is so much left that need to be done before the spring is over. Wonder if I could call in sick????

I have my beautiful little bungalow up for sale. Sad, but true. There is such a story that goes behind this decision.....I will fill you in later. I have had many people go through the house, but so far no one has decided to buy it. Truthfully I am soooo glad no one has decided to make me an offer. If it hasn't sold by the time my contract is up.......I just might decided to keep it.????!!

As I sit here typing this posting......I want to say so much more, but time will not allow me right now and I will post again soon. Hopefully before another month passes by.....!!

Be sure to check out Summer's......Beth's and Tony's blogs. Wonderful postings and pictures of my beautiful grandchildren.

My neighbor, Clara, who is 97 years young and an amazing woman was taken by ambulance to the Harris Hospital emergency room Friday morning. I was looking out my front window when I noticed a policeman pulling up in front of Clara's house. I quickly put my contacts in...put on some slippers and ran over to check on Clara. Moments after I walked into the house...MedStar showed up to take her to the hospital. Seems Clara woke up and was having trouble breathing.

Clara is a special neighbor to all of us. She lives alone (can you believe it)....she does have a nephew who lives in an apartment at the back of Clara's house who watches after her, but Clara insists on doing for herself. That includes making meals.....making her bed (takes her over an hour)....cleaning house and anything else she needs or wants. She recently stopped driving. Yes, she has a valid driver's license still. Scary part is she can't hear....and her reaction time is very minimum, but she was out there on the streets driving to the grocery store and to the beauty parlor up until last fall. I sighed a sigh of relief when I found out she stopped driving. She knows she shouldn't drive, but she said just knowing her license does not expire for another year makes her feel good.......actually her word was 'proud'.

Clara wears one of those medical alert buttons around her neck and she used it Friday morning when she woke up having trouble breathing.......BUT not before she:
(1.) Gave herself a sponge bath
(2.) Brushed her hair
(3.) Put some money in her wallet from her safe
(4.) Changed into her 'special going to the hospital silk pajamas'
(5.) Opened the door for the Medstar ambulance
She was blessed that she was not having serious health issues that morning...ie heart attack or stroke.

Clara was taken to probably one of the best hospitals in the state of Texas, but even in the best hospital it does take time to figure out what is happening. After test, after test....and hours upon hours later....they took her upstairs into a private room. She arrived at the hospital at 7:30 in the morning and finally went to her private room at 9:30 at NIGHT..! She was so tired, but really never complained. She did let the nurses know she was having a problem with her bladder and she was not happy about that as she was miserable. She was so cute telling all the nurses who were trying to help her in and out of bed...."I can do it myself. I don't need help!!" Miss independence!!! Strong.....determined.....and knows what she wants!!
I stayed with her all day and once she was settled in her room I left the hospital to go home. Upon leaving the hospital I could not find my car and it took me a long time to find it. All the parking structures looked the same and I was lost. Fortunately for me Clara's sister in law was driving me around looking for my car until we found it!! Yay!!

Early Saturday morning I was back at the hospital checking on Clara. She was having breakfast and looked so good. We waited for family to arrive and for the doctor to arrive. All tests were in and her heart and lungs were clear. The only thing the doctors could determine was wrong was her shoulder had been acting up and caused her not to feel 100 percent. She has a shoulder with extreme arthritis in it.....the joint is swollen with fluid and all the surrounding area is black and blue. The joint caused her heart enzymes to be higher than normal...therefore tests had to be run on her heart. There is not much the doctors can do for Clara's arthritis. Steroids and other drugs would cause Clara more discomfort and could lead to worse health issues. They did suggest she have the joint drained of the blood...but knowing Clara...that won't happen!!

I want to be just like her when I grow up.....she's a pistol and loves life!! A sweet little 'old' lady who has won the hearts of neighbors...family.....friends......and the entire staff at Harris Hospital who helped her for two days. She is a delight and I love her very much.

I have been going through withdrawals....literally!! My computer caught a virus and my computer shut itself down.....a trip to Best Buy fixed everything but my pocketbook!!! Even though I had a warranty....the cost of getting the computer fixed was closed to $2oo. Yikes!!

It has been almost a month since I have been able to "play" on the computer. No postings....no emails....no following other blogs. I have so much catching up to do!! I know I had been spending way too much time of the computer.......guess the virus worked in a good way as I have been able to take care of a few things I had pushed asided. Yay!!

This is the week leading up to a wonderful holiday........Valentine's Day. What a yummy, warm, fuzzy holiday.......love it!! You don't have to have a 'special' person in your life to celebrate this fun holiday. You just need friends and family who love you and whom you love back!!

Inside the yellow bungalow....

Just found out........!!

Today I found out that my house was actually built in 1918...making it 90 years old!!
I think she needs a celebration held in her honor!! What do you think??

Look how different my little 1919 house looks over the years.......

2008
This picture was taken in the spring of the year....lots has changed since then!!

2006
This is the year the house was remodeled. Side windows added beside the front door and a new walk way. New electrical...new plumbing...a bathroom added...a walk in closet added...new kitchen and new baths....interior walls changed...the back porch was converted into a laundry room...side windows and pocket doors discovered under older remodeled jobs. Look at the garden...or lack of it!!

2002
Can you believe this.....my house at one time was PINK!!! It knew I was coming!!

1995
Oh my goodness....you've come a long way baby!!!!

My goodness....doesn't time just seem to fly past you? Already it is January 5th....! Seems like it was just Thanksgiving!! I am looking forward to some warmer weather....or at least warm weather that stays around longer than 24 hours! Texas weather is funny. One day it can be eighty something and the very next day down in the forties!! I am trying to adjust, but it has been a slow thing.......I have been doing a "get warmer and stay dance" all weekend long.

Walking around in my yard has been rather depressing for me. My once gorgeous flower beds have become dormant and very much void of beauty. As I said in another posting.....it is hard for me to adjust to the ugliness of winter coming from a state that flower beds usually remain beautiful year long. My garden guru.....my Mother.....keeps reminding me that this too shall pass in just a short period of time and before I know it spring will be here and the garden will come alive once again!! I know she is right.......but it truly cannot come fast enough for me.

Today it is raining and very cold outside. Just Saturday it was in the 80s! There is a cold sleeting rain called for most of the day.....where did the sun go??? I guess I will continue to do my 'dance' in hopes that the sun comes back!! We might even get a few snow flurries here in Fort Worth! There is a saying here........"if you don't like the weather...just wait five minutes...it will change!" I have the heater on......the oven on.....and I am very much toasty warm!! I am bound and determined to stay warm today no matter what! I know I won't be going outside today that is for sure...the temperature keeps dropping!!

January is a time of reflection for the year that just passed. The first thing that comes to my mind is how incredibly fast it passed me by!! In a blink of an eye...it was gone!! 2008 was a good year for me....bringing lots of good memories my way. Yes, and like other years....there were some awful memories that came my way as well. My Mother always says..."trials always make you stronger"......well, I am a very strong person if this little saying is true!! I choose to press forward leaving behind things which pain my heart.......I am looking forward to a wonderful new year.......a year which will bring new memories and pages in 'my book'. If I should encounter a bump or two....well, I guess I will become 'stronger' still.....

My children are all doing fine. I hear from them often and through the wonderful experience of 'blogging'....I am able to keep in contact with them even more so!! Whatever did Moms who live states away from family do before children created a blogspot where they posted daily happenings and pictures??? My little grandchildren seem to grow by leaps and bounds. Little Becky just turned a year old on December 27th....hard to believe yet true!! I need to post the new pictures I have of them and will do that this week.........until then just click on the girl's blogs and see the pictures they have posted on their blogs! Despite what is taking place in my children's lives....they seem to be holding on stronger than ever.....that is a true blessing from God to a Mother's heart. Each day is a gift.......