I say, “Oh, dear!” Because I looked up,and yet another month has passed and we are in the middle of July already!  We have been busy and happy and enjoying life and hardly notice how quickly the days are passing.  One of our grandsons graduated. There was a party. July 4th came and went with a bang.  Not like the Big Bang we had last month I told you about.

About that big bang. Our Jeep was fried by a lightning strike and it was in the   car doctor’s  office for weeks. They had to go through all the electronics and see what was damaged.  Most of it was, I think.  They finally got it repaired and with a new battery and insides, we got it back.  Remember when I told  you David wanted to,know if the repair bill got over five thousand dollars to let us know.  It did. Gasp!  We sucked it up and paid for it as our insurance did not cover it.  David had just lowered the insurance premium on it months ago so we were left with the bill.  Bit it was cheaper than buying another car so….

Then we had to take the two dog brats to the vet for their annual checkup and shots.  We take them both together, but this time Sugar decided to throw a fit and cried all the way there, all the way into the vet’s office, the whole time they tried to weigh her. She laid down and just cried.  Lucy was sitting very calmly with me looking at her sister like, “What a drama queen.”  Then we went in to see the vet and Sugar continued her fit and when the vet came in, she had to get down on the floor to check her out.  The vet said this was the first time she had done an examination on the floor.  Everything checked out okay. They both got their shots then I took Sugar back to the car where she continued the whining.  David and I were completely exhausted when we got them home. We both agreed that next time we will take them one at a time to the vet’s instead of together.  There was another huge bill.  We pay more at the vets  than we do for our doctors.

And we were not finished, yet.  Molly had her one year “senior” checkup which meant she was checked from head to toe.  She has been limping lately so we got some pain pills for her that cost more than all our own prescriptions put together. If she continues limping the vet wants to take X-rays.  Not sure that is going to happen as Molly is thirteen years old and whatever they would find might cause her more distress than she needs.  So we are just keeping an eye on her for now.

Then I got a call that my sister was not doing well. She has arthritis very badly and suffers with a lot of pain.  She got so bad my brother-in-law finally has to call an ambulance to,take her to the hospital.  Now she is in the nursing home doing physical therapy because she wants to go home.  My sister has always meant a lot to me.  She was like a second mother being eleven years older.  I spent a lot of time at her house and I babysat her children.  She has always been there and I don’t want to lose her.  If you are a praying person, please send up a prayer for her. Her name is Joanne.

We are planning a 250th party at our house this Sunday.  We have been decorating and getting food together this week.  I told David I am getting too old for this, but I love doing it.  Here are some e of my patriotic decorations.

Our mantle.  Sorry about the table in front.

My little cupboard all dressed up. I made the panels and little flag garland.

My completed quilt from the Facebook group I belong to.

This is the back of it.  Pledge of allegiance material.

A George Washington pillow.

An Abe Lincoln pillow.

I made this pillow top years ago and it makes a nice patriotic pillow now.

Here they all are on the couch.
It has been fun making all these patriotic things and I still have a couple more quilts I am making.
David and I celebrated our 58th wedding anniversary this month  it is hard to believe it is that number as the years have flown by so quickly.  We have seen tragedies and sorrows. Had much joy and happiness. Raised our children to be good citizens of this great country.  Seen our grandchildren grow up and graduate and some get married so far.  We have had our ups and downs. We have even had some pretty strong arguments, but we have always come together in the end because life is way too short to hold anger inside for very long.  We have buried loved ones. Held newborn babies.  Have seen our children go through trials we wish we could have protected them from, but that is life. It’s not all sunshine and roses, but it’s not all doom and gloom,either.  I don’t know how much longer we have together here on earth.  We both believe we will one day spend eternity together in Heaven with Jesus which gives me comfort.  I don’t like thinking of this world  without David in it.  He has been a huge part of my life since I was sixteen.  He will always have my heart.  Here is the card he gave me with one red rose.

I won’t tell you what he wrote in it, but he can be a romantic when he wants to be.  One time we were having an argument about something and I was very unhappy and he wrote the most romantic love letter to me and I keep, it close and read it when he gets on my nerves!
My Daddy’s birthday was this month.  He was born in 1915.  He was a farmer and a factory worker.  He was a loving husband and a wonderful father.  From some things I have read, he had to chase my mother as she was not too keen on him for a time, but he won her over and they were married for over fifty years and loved each other very much.  We kids loved it when Daddy would grab our mother and give her a big kiss.  They both were so in love.  Here is his graduation picture.

My mother would have been crazy not to marry this man.  He was so handsome.  He had the bluest eyes.
So this has been our July so far.  David took the whole month off from his job and we plan to take a little trip some time in the future.
Here is to wedding anniversaries, love and patriotism for the greatest country on this earth.  Bye.