Happy New Year

Kenny and I would like to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, Hopeful New Year in 2009. We are playing tonight at a Country Club (boring but pays well!) Dad T is improving and we have gigs so everything is good. I have my babies Tatiana and Matilda lying in bed with me and it's quiet, the sun is shining but getter cold - Yeah - and I look forward to tomorrow - a New Day, A New Year..........

A nice Christmas after all.....

Men and their gifts!!

I ALWAYS ask for a Monkey and my Mommy got me one!

Finally we can open our presents!

Playing Santa

I'm not giving up my spot until I get to open a present!

Hey, Tatiana and Matilda Mae said who almost cut us out of the picture, Granny???

Mother and Daddy have celebrated 64 Christmas's together with me tagging along for 58 of those!

My 95 year old Father sitting in the sun - you know I have to paint this....

With all of us worried about Dad T and Kenny driving to Florida last Sunday night we were not sure how we were going to spend Christmas this year. But Kenny got home on Christmas Eve after some slight improvement in Dad T and Mother and Daddy came in from SC. So we had our Christmas Eve dinner of Fillets and visiting with everyone here safe and sound. Then we really enjoyed Christmas Day of opening gifts, cooking the "Big" breakfast that Daddy loves so much and relaxing in the afternoon, then the tradition of "Hemphill" sliced Bar-B-Que sandwiches with Daddy's sauce with all the trimmings. A very quiet day which is what we love and the news about Dad was still positive. They did try to remove the respirator and external pace maker but had to put it back because of fluid in his lungs. Today, Sunday they did get to remove that so every day there is a little progress, Thank Goodness. It's little baby steps but at least he is responding now and I think the healing process is starting. We thank everyone for their prayers as we continue do pray for him. So it was a Happy Christmas and we are all Thankful for our families and our blessings. We also had a good weekend in Columbus and now Wednesday is the big New Year's Celebration where we are playing a very nice Country Club close to our house. Then is back to Columbus next weekend - now when am I going to get to take down my tree????

Home for Christmas

While Dad is a long way from a recovery, Kenny is on his way home tonight from Florida. He was more stable today but there are a lot of complications still. Kenny is going to stop and get a room for the night and be here some tiime tomorrow afternoon. My parents are arriving around noon so we will try and have some time together. Thank you all for your prayers for Dad T and please continue to do so. We know he is fighting right now and we also knows there are a lot of prayers out there for him and Mom T. We may be heading back to Florida soon but for now we will just through tomorrow......

Long Drive

Kenny is driving to Florida right now. We got the phone call this afternoon that Dad T was not responding well and we decided he should go there. It was a good decision and I just want him to get there safe. Dad T did stablize some but there are problems now with his kidneys too. I'm staying here to hold down the fort and do the stuff that needs to be done. Of course, if he gets worse I'll drive down with the babies. We have to be in Columbus on friday so we may have to meet there or if Dad gets a little better Kenny will try and come home before Christmas. So everything here is on hold for now. Mother and Daddy are supposed to come on Wednesday but we'll just have to wait about that too. All we can do is pray for Dad right now and hope he can get better........I realized that had not posted on what happened yesterday. Dad T has been in the hospital all week and on Saturday morning they did a quadruple bypass and replace a heart valve. It was a very long surgery especially for a 85 year old man. He did wake up yesterday but was not responding well today so Kenny is on is way to see his Dad.....

That's it!`

I'm done and ready for Christmas! I finished little stocking stuffers and wrapped all the presents tonight - a little light this year but that's OK - we are going to be together with my Mom and Dad and enjoy the season. We still do not know what is going on with Dad T. - he's still in the hospital and they are still doing tests - how many tests can there be???? We really think it will come down to putting in a pace maker but we're still waiting on the Docs to decide - we just pray he is alright and comfortable right now and Mom is not too stressed out. We're at Beluga this weekend and just hope some folks show up. I'm sure there are a lot of folks traveling this weekend - so glad we aren't. There's no place like home for Christmas! The ONLY things I have not wrapped and put under the tree are the doggies "Santa" because I'm afraid they just might try to open them! Ya think? It's supposed to get cold again on Sunday - YEAH - FIREPLACE - so I'm waiting on that! After Saturday night I'll go into full Christmas mode and clean and cook and enjoy a couple of days before Mother and Daddy get here on Christmas Eve. Hope everyone can slow down and take a moment to just "enjoy".....

Christmas Luncheon

Santa Baby Hurry down the Chimney tonight!
And I want a diamond ring and a monkey! (I've always asked for a Monkey)

Me and Arthur

What a nice gig today - even though it was REALLY early for me....Arthur and I played at the Overlook Office Building in Vinings today for their Luncheon with Santa. My friend Leah got me the gig and it was great to have it right now. I got to sing all Christmas songs which I love. I got up so early and by the time I got back home I had to take a nap - you know I'm NO good on NO sleep. And it's so HOT here in Atlanta. We have the fans on and the doors open with all the Christmas lights on - this is weird but what is more weird is Ricky called from Las Vegas and it's snowing like crazy out there....Man, this is all backward. It is supposed to drop back down to "December" weather on Sunday - I sure hope so - don't want it to be hot on Christmas. I had enough of those in Vegas. Dad is still in the hospital in Florida and they are running more test but it looks like he will have a pace maker put in so we are all just praying for him and Mom T. I can't believe it's almost Christmas but I'm ready for a day of rest and relaxation and family time!

Weekend in Columbus

We had a great weekend in Columbus - very busy and great crowds! And boy I was ready to go back to work. It was cold so Tatiana and Matilda got to wear their "Mellie" sweaters. Deb had sent us all of her sweaters (because she now has little boys) and looked so cute. Kenny also is trying to get a Head Shot of me and Dehra but we need a better background. We'll take some more on New Year's Eve when we are all dressed up. I going to my last Art classs tonight and I've got to go get shrimp and make cocktail sauce for our party. We are home now thru Christmas and I'm so glad to be able to enjoy our tree and our home. Gotta get going but I could stay in bed a while!!

Home to Florida

Mom and Dad are back in Florida tonight - Kenny and Kathy started driving and met somewhere in South Ga and Kathy and Bill took them back to FL. I know it was a long trip for all but I know they will be glad to be home also. They went to the Doctor today and he got a release and he's doing pretty good. He's still dizzy and we're not sure where that is coming from because they ran so many tests. Dad T. fell again yesterday and Mom T and I were here by ourselves. He didn't pass out and was co-herent so we did not call 911 but he gave us a scare anyway. It is very hard to watch the people you love get older and more feeble. I have been so blessed with my parents - my Mother is still a fireball and at 95 (almost 96 in January!) Daddy is still so sharp but getting more feeble himself. Kenny had a bittersweet moment today - he dropped them off at the Doctor's office (it was pouring rain) and told them to go on in and he would park the car. He said they slowly got out and walking together toward the door looking old and tired but they were holding hands just like a young couple in love........Blessing to all our parents everywhere......

Art Group

"Pop's New York"

16 x 20

Oil on Canvas

I finished my commission for Deb's Dad who lives in upstate New York and wanted a painting of the beautiful fall mountains..this is a little different than what I'm used to painting but I enjoyed it. I may do some more fall themes. We had a great group tonight and next week is our last one until after the Holidays. I just get so inspired!!! And Shane is the greatest.....

Tired

I'm too damn tired to blog and I need my Zoloft - I'm dizzy and Pat is sending it - hope to get it by Tuesday or I will go to the "Streets".....

Finally Thanksgiving Pictures

Turkey Dinner!!!!

Who wants Turkey - all SIX Dogs - that's who - hurry Kenny!

Kenny and Mom in the Kitchen

Nana, Uncle Kenny, Emma and Andrew (Ebbie to the left)!!!

The Right Tree.....

I ALWAYS want a Bigger Tree!!! Ha - The look says it all...

It's a wonderful tree after all!!!



With all the excitement and worry over Dad T. this week I have just now gotten a chance to look at all the Thanksgiving Photos. We did have a wonderful day and then on friday we got the Christmas Tree and the kids got to help decorate it. All in All it was a wonderful time with Kenny's family.

Dad Trinklein sugery success

Dad T came through his surgery this morning just fine. He's in ICU tonight and maybe if he does well can come home here tomorrow or the next day. We are so grateful and thank all of you for your prayers. We now have to keep him still for a week and he will go back to the Doc in a week to be released and see if he can travel to Florida. We are just so glad he was here and we have a wonderful hospital and Doc's here in ATL.

carotid artery

I will have to post about Thanksgiving with pictures later. As the family was leaving Dad passed out in the garage and had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital. He has been there since Saturday and had all kinds of tests run. The latest is he has carotid artery's on both sides of his neck and will make the decision whether to operate here this week or go back to Fl to have the surgery there. We are grateful that he is still with us right now and will pray for him. We did have a nice Thanksgiving but now we just need to get thru this. We will know a lot more tomorrow.