Farmhouse Friday 2026 Week 1 - Finding Happiness

 What happened this week: 

Moving or rather PUTTERING forward in 2026.  I decided I NEED to do things that make me happy while I CAN still do them.  Now, truthfully, standing at the counter and cooking had been increasingly hard over past year.  Al, bless his heart, has been writing down my recipes, how I make things and cooking.  Actually, some of his is better than mine.  So, the other day, he was over in my "corner" where I used to stand and prepare food.  I said, "you know, this is still my kitchen."  He said, "I know it is..."  From the moment, the words left my mouth, I was in my mom's kitchen, in her corner, making her food, while she was in her wheelchair at the table.  My mom had a stroke, left side weakness and we took care of her in their home.  Truthfully, I believe she also had IBM, the stroke was part of it.  Anyway, I said to Al, "I wish I would have told my mom - this is still your kitchen."  Her whole life was in her "corner" cooking and baking the most delicious food from the most humble of ingredients for her family.  I wish I would have handed her some potatoes, carrots and let her peel and dice.  In fact, Al did that for me this week.  As I was struggling to hold the carrot with my weak hand and dice with my strong hand he says..."let me just do it."  Now, not in a mean way, but he wanted to help.  I said "No, let me do this...next year you may be spoon feeding me...I want to try to do this as long as I can."  I'm not sharing this for sympathy, rather as a fact of what this horrible disease can do.  Please, don't feel bad for me, rather pray for me.  Also, please don't bring up how much I progressed since the last you saw me - I just want to keep going without being reminded of how bad I look...this would be really helpful to my mental health.  Thanks.  

Al burned the big brush pile.  He may have (wink, wink) added some old furniture that never made it to be repurposed.  They were too far gone after all these years.

My sister-in-law passed on this week.  Her funeral was Thursday in Indiania.  Al and his sister went down to support their brother Bruce.  She was tiny but mighty.  I'm so happy they were just up for a visit after Christmas.  I made a big home raised chicken for them for supper.  Suzie and I had a nice visit.  It was unexpected and a surprise for us all.  She will be missed!

Changed out my scripture chalk board.  New creation for a new year.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.