What all we did in WACO, TX – Plus an Update

What a great little time we had in WACO, TX, seeing Chip and JoJo’s shops, and enjoyed lots of wonderful restaurants. Our hotel Pivovar, was amazing. You can watch it HERE.

Update in Real Time

So the week has gone by quickly as I had something going on nearly every day. Was able to enjoy yesterday at home and also today, except we will run out to the store today.

I’m cooking most all week next week so I have kinda sketched out next week’s menu selections and made my grocery list.

I’ve probably had the least most interesting week of the year, lol. So not much to report.

We do have a neighborhood skunk that I’ve seen 3 times in the last 5 days. Geez. We don’t need THAT.

I DID have a tick bite yesterday. George got him off me. It was on my back, barely within reach.

My post today is rather bullet pointed. Usually that means I’m withdrawing, but this time, I believe that there is not much to report.

I’ve mainly been focusing on the to do list, just pushing through the normal routines of taking care of self, exercising, the house, the dogs, laundry, spending time with George at night, taking care of Mom’s needs – bills, appointment setting, her monthly financial analysis etc. Have been doing World Bible School and my own devo, the forgiveness book.

Mom is about to have a birthday soon so I’m deciding about that. I think I have her gift picked out and need to get that ordered as well as ordering my prebiotics. About time for another Target order as well. Probably do that next week.

I have a lot of geeky desk time planned for next week, may also start the puzzle, and plan to be kindof a recluse next week to see if I can’t knock some things out I’ve been wanting to do.

I am looking forward to my planning session today where I’ll kind of pick and choose my to do list for next week.

I’ve spent some time in RESET mode lately – I’ve reset so many things. My To List, Notion, and then did a little review on my annual goals to see what I did and what’s left to focus on for end of year. I’ve video’d this week and I hope it is not boring, lol. I’ve also started to think about 2026.

I’ve tackled a lot in 2025 and honestly we have worked hard. We have accomplished a lot. So there’s not as much to accomplish in 2026, but I know the Lord will put plenty on our plate.

And here’s where the Bullet Points end and we get to the MEAT of what’s on my mind, lol:

It’s also time to discuss where I want to go with the YouTube channel. I’m not saying that I’m considering NOT doing it. I love vlogging, creating content, filming it, and editing it and then I enjoy communicating with each of you. The question is do I want to keep growing it or just let it exist as it has been. I’ve been turning down opportunities for sponsorships and collaborations – which is turning down money, products, and so forth. If I continue to grow it, it will mean turning it more into a business. I would be turning on the toggle button literally and physically and financially to accepting offers to collab, would be signing contracts, have to create an LLC and copyright for my channel, open a PO Box, and be open to business emails and possibly even sign on a management company to handle after a certain point. At 62, do I want to do this? Well it was my intention to do it, as I intended on making a little extra to supplement insurance and support my Apple devices, YouTube costs, geeky subscriptions (blog sites, music, Canva, Epidemic Sound, Apple, etc.) So it’s been my intention all along. It might also fund some travel I’d like to do before it’s too late. But then if I did this it might also limit my time to be able to travel depending on how I can handle it, or if I have the means to travel on the go, which would probably mean laptop.

But this year, I am asking myself “am I up to that” and “will it be too much” and “do I want to spend the extra time doing the business side”. So I don’t know, once I dabble my foot in something I’m usually ALL IN. So I’ve got to decide if this is what I want to do. A lot of the year, when I think of this, my answer is NO. However, I’ve also been noticing that in 2026 I will not have all the projects I’ve had this year in getting things pulled together after years of partial neglect. So I could have time.

This is NOT Us….

Then there is my Mom, but I try not to let her rule over what it is that I do or do not do. It’s my choice. I give up a LOT of my time already. And have been happy to do this for her much of the time. And I’ve already given up years of my life in which we’d have already been in TX if not for certain things happening within our family. Of which I work hard at many days trying to understand and forgive. To think we could spending a LOT of time with our grandchildren and likely would have already moved by now. Now it almost seems like it’s too big of a gamble for the time left. But I accept this decision as my responsibility. I chose not to have to go through the fussing, the rearranging, and all we’d have had to go through to move and leave her here. I made that decision out of the love and honor I have for a mother and a widow, that God requires us to do. That is a clear sacrificial decision made. Of course it takes two to make a decision, if I’d decided to go, George would have had to weigh in since we are a unit. But as for me, I delayed the decision to move, and it was my choice but I’d have gone if she hadn’t been here.

At some point we’ll have to set her up for assisted living (or she will pass – morbid I know, but it’s foolish to ignore), so either way there will be her house to break down and sell. Of course I wonder if 2026 is the year. Who of us knows? None of us. She is determined to live beyond her age, chooses to still live in a house and the responsibilities that come with that – cooking for self, cleaning house (or not), doing her own laundry, changing bed sheets, and so forth. And as long as she can do all that, she can stay there, even if it’s draining on her to do so.

Big declaration here, but no surprise…..Just because she chooses that DOES NOT mean that I am going to go and be the home caretaker for her and BE her assisted living. I cannot and will not do that. I wish she would relax and be served and go to assisted living as she is tired and doesn’t want to do these things, but she doesn’t wish to go to assisted living, for personal reasons, even though she encouraged her own Mom to go at the same age.

But at some point if she starts falling, and hurts herself, or becomes bed ridden, she will have no choice but to go. And at that point she likely gives up WHERE she can go as she’ll have to take what is open and available. Her doctor has already mentioned that.

I’ve already set boundaries that I will not be able to be over there cooking or keeping two households up. I physically and mentally do not have the bandwidth for that. Should she make up with other family and be able to repair that relationship, they can pick up the slack. I doubt that will occur. At least they are communicating, but there is no care – that I’m aware of that is taking place – even on a monetary basis (housecleaning would be nice). That is between them though and even though it impacts me, leaving me as the sole care-taker, I have chosen NOT to do beyond what I can physically and mentally handle. And have placed myself under God’s protection in all of it.

And so that said, I basically decided I cannot do it ALL alone. So I don’t. That means that some things will just have to be lacking. Especially when she can just go to assisted living and get those type of things done but refuses to. So that is her choice. (For now anyway). I am not going to do her housework and cooking meals over there. It’s all I can do to keep my house clean and pay her bills, keep up the appointments, be a taxi, keep her in groceries in, and handle the Amazon orders etc. on top of my own life and family and needs.

I don’t mind helping with tasks here and there as needed but I won’t be able to do ALL THE THINGS, especially when it requires my repeated presence. I too, have boundaries with that. I have expectations as to how I want to be treated by people. And sometimes there is just some negative energy there between us. It seems to be a common thread with others in the family as well. Everyone decides their own boundaries they set and how much they are able and willing to tolerate.

There’s been too much of a past in my life of being yelled at, slapped, screamed at, having to walk on egg shells, my own ignoring of the bad behavior to keep the peace and afraid to speak, being judged, listening to how bad life is, how bad others are, and so much negativity from so many people in my life so I am trying just to keep the peace, not be around negativity and I’m done with all that. I just can’t. I’ve had to draw a circle around who and what I can be around. If it brings negative energy – I’m OUT! It took me a long time to realize I DON’T have to put up with that kind of behavior. And it took me being almost 60 to stand up for myself. I’m trying to forgive, but we can’t forget and there’s no reason to put up with anyone’s negative behavior no matter who they are. I drew a line there and that was a big one and my life has been peaceful since for the most part. My presence has decreased around ANYONE with negative behavior. Amen. Tribe has spoken. And all that.

I mean all of us have sinned and there’s huge beams in my eyes so I don’t need to go looking at other’s sins. Too much of that has gone on already, lol. Time to move on to forgiveness and love. But having said that, does not mean we continue to expose ourselves to bad behavior. No, we simply leave until the bad behavior is over and the person chooses to be nice. Most of the time lately things have improved. But as history shows there’s always land mines the devil plants and the holy hell erupts. I’m scared of those moments and I WILL LEAVE when they happen. I hope never for good, like others have, but there’s always that option I guess. I just want to make sure God blesses it for MY LIFE anyway, if it should have to come to that. I don’t want that on my hands.

Well I need to go. That’s my thoughts for today. I have a right to my thoughts and if anyone wants to challenge me on it you go right ahead and good luck with that. I have plenty of facts to back it up and can carry quite an attitude when challenged because I get that part of me honestly. 🙂 But I only want peace and love, so I’ll have to excuse myself from that conversation too most likely. :-O