it’s the last Saturday in November! Life seems to be going at warp speed these days, so I’d better do a bit of a rewind to see just how we got here! Starting with
Thanksgiving!
We joined about 70 other neighbors and their families for a grand Thanksgiving feast on Thursday.

It was great! But what made it very special for us is that sitting around our table (and I have no photo proof of this!) were our kids and grands from Waco! So.Much.Food.  So.Much.Fun.  Much to my heart’s delight, the gang arrived before The Dinner

and then stayed the night –

so it was great fun as we all fit into our little nest (and a nearby guest room) and enjoyed some close fellowship!

(Gary missed our family photo because he was off working on a Sewer Sump Pump Emergency. But he was there most of the time, I promise!)

Then the week before we were in
Louisana!…
for two weeks, helping out with a building project at one of our favorite ministries – Dry Creek Baptist Camp. They had a couple of decks (16X30 (!!!) and 16×16) that needed to be built, so we joined the team!! And much to my amazement, in 8 days: the posts were installed for the roof cover (10 – 8x8x20 posts), the unit had its skirting installed, both decks were built (including railings and steps) and the area was cleaned up! Phew!
From a typical Monday


to the following Wednesday afternoon –

Success!
The back yard was likewise impressive –
In the beginning –

At the completion –

Since working with giant pieces of pressure-treated lumber (i.e. stinking heavy) isn’t really my forte, I was primarily working on the skirting. This was a first for me, but with a little help from YouTube (and Gary) I think I got the hang of it!

Gary jumped in to help with some of the more technical parts (i.e. cutting to size)

and I also had a great assist from one of the interns when the skirting had to go behind the in-process-of-being-built deck.

(Skirting Tip – do it BEFORE you put on a deck!)

With all of the heavy lifting the guys were doing, I confess it was a mostly light-duty time for me! (I also confess that I didn’t hate that!) During our last couple of days, I was able to help in the kitchen with prep work for their monthly Community Fish Fry (which was excellent as always!).

Now those are my comfort-zone tools!
All in all, it was a lovely couple of weeks! Gary came home tired each day – but it was a good tired – and it was great to see a building project from the start to the finish. Since we had no house chores to take care of at the end of the day, we may or may not have binge-watched the final season of Blue Bloods during our downtime.  Plus, we were able to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones along the way!

Meanwhile – back at The Little Texas House –
Gary continues to find things to construct!
There’s the new gazebo on the deck –

(This picture was taken upon our return from Louisiana. Hence the  plethora of leaves and acorns!)
He removed the existing walkway cover and built the framing for a roof extension on the driveway cover.

Thankfully, he let actual roofers finish the job.

On a rainy day, he helped me inside, getting some pictures hung while I worked on some Christmas decorations.

It’s beginning to feel really cozy in here!
While he’s been building, I’ve been enjoying my new design wall in my sewing room (which he also built for me!)-

It’s very exciting to me to be able to lay things out like that, even though it will probably be January before I get to sewing those squares together!

Looking ahead, the days continue to be full (and fabulous, I’m sure).
We leave on Monday morning to complete our grandson’s Texas Adventure – four days in San Antonio!
The following week, I leave for seven days with my sister in Pennsylvania. (Who knows what Gary will build while I’m away??)
The week after that is – yes – Christmas and the day after Christmas we leave for a Conrad (post)Christmas Holiday in Destin. Florida.
When I look at my phone calendar (which I am trying very hard to keep current), I have 8 days with nothing scheduled between now and January 5th. I’m pretty sure your calendar has a similar glow to it! I’ll try to pop in here from time to time in December – but no promises my friends!

May these next days be filled with many reminders that Christ is the reason for this season, and that wise men still seek Him!

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