Hey Everyone..

Hey Everyone❣️ 

Whew....I have missed all of you this past week... more than you will ever know. 

As I have said many times, life has a way of sweeping us into unexpected adventures.....the kind that keep our bodies still, our hearts learning, and our minds wandering through places we never planned to go.  

Now I'm back with lots of catching up to do, some stories to tell, a little coffee drinking on my schedule, and I am excited to be engaged in the beautiful moments of sharing again. 

Adventures are not always grand and I will admit that my past week was certainly not what I would call grand....But wait, I must tell you that what I thought was not going to a grand adventure turned out to be just that. 

As you all know, I had the heart Cath done on Thursday in Dallas.  I was not expecting any issues to show  during the catheterization....I was wrong!!  While I was lying on that very skinny, hard table...my thoughts were everywhere.  I kept saying to myself "You have this...you have many people praying for you."  Yet...I could feel the very ends of my nerves vibrating.  Soon though...I was in la, la, land.  

I had No idea that a stent that was placed inside my artery just 5 years ago was collapsing.  It was 80 percent collapsed.  YIKES!!  This is where the grand part of my week sneaks in.  

The doctor removed the stent...used a medicated balloon to open the artery (and another type of medication inserted as well) ..and was able to fix this problem. The very thing that was needed to fix my artery was not available at our local hospital which is the reason my doctor sent me to Dallas in the first place.  **I had NO test done prior to my doctor ordering this procedure.   How many people go and have a heart catheterization done without previous test showing the possibility of a issue?  

The journey this past week reminded me that life is made up of tiny wild moments.  I can't help but stand in awe of how God works behind the scenes long before we understand why. What could have been overlooked was discovered right on time.

I love how Grace shows up quietly, favor appears unexpectedly and faith becomes very real when you realize you've been carried through something bigger than yourself. 

I am so excited to catch up with each of you.  

Shug...💜

Update on procedure

Just a quick update on my procedure. I'll be coming home sometime today.  

Very thankful that my regular cardiologist sent me to Dallas to Baylor Heart hospital.  The stint that I had put in about 5 years ago was collapsing and during this procedure the doctor removed the old stent and used a balloon to clear the artery.  Even though I was sedated, I was very uncomfortable with pain.  They gave me more sedation at that time.  

Since they did go through my groin, I am very sore.  

Thank you all for your prayers!  

Love,

Shug

Hodgepodge Questions and Answers from my phone

It's Hodgepodge Wednesday with Joyce.. Again, I am posting from my phone and I am limited on what I can do.

join  the party @ 

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com

 1. What’s something you find extremely difficult that most people would say is simple?

I can’t swim. Most people think swimming is something everyone naturally learns growing up, but for me it has always felt intimidating. I admire people who can jump into the water without a second thought while I’m over here clinging to the edge like it’s a life mission. It’s funny how the “simple things” in life aren’t always simple for everyone. We all have that one thing that makes us nervous while someone else does it with ease.

2. Does the season of summer make you feel like life is beginning over again? Elaborate.

Yes..... Summer has a way of making life feel lighter and brighter. The days stretch out longer, flowers bloom wildly, and everything feels full of possibility again. I love the sunshine pouring through the windows, the smell of sunscreen and fresh-cut grass, and hearing kids laugh outside. This makes my heart feel young again. Summer reminds me that life is always offering us another chance to start fresh, dream bigger, and slow down long enough to soak in the beauty around us.

3. Pickles. Love ’em or no thank you?

Oh, I absolutely love pickles… especially a good crunchy kosher pickle. But sweet pickles? They belong in my tuna salad right alongside grapes, apples, and pecans. That sweet-and-salty combination is pure comfort food happiness to me. And honestly, some foods just feel incomplete without a pickle on the side. A hamburger without pickles? That’s just bad decision-making.

4. Tis the season… do you know any June brides?

Actually, I was a June bride myself — June 16th.  June offers something sweet and timeless when it comes to a wedding.  I don’t know anyone getting married this June, but my granddaughter is getting married in November, and that makes my heart so happy. Watching the next generation begin their own love story is one of life’s greatest blessings. Weddings always remind me that no matter how crazy the world gets, love still keeps showing up beautifully.

5. National Say Something Nice Day — say something nice here.

To my blog friends:

Never underestimate the impact your words have. A simple comment, a kind message, or even showing up faithfully to read someone’s thoughts can brighten a day more than you realize. In a world that often rushes past people, kindness still stands out like sunshine after a storm. Thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet where laughter, stories, prayers, and friendship still matter. You are appreciated more than you know.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Random thought:
Why does folding a fitted sheet still feel like trying to solve a mystery designed by NASA? No matter how many tutorials exist, mine always ends up looking like a crumpled tortilla with commitment issues.

Printing and Cursive

* I think it's time for me to invest in an iPad.  I do have a laptop ...but I do not trust the wifi connections at hotels. It is  hard to use it when I travel.  Blogging from my phone is HARD too...and,  I do have a few disabilities when blogging from my phone.  I'm not able to post photos and Google will not allow me to make comments when I read your blogs!!  There are a few of you that I can comment on your post and I'm trying hard to keep up.  Just want you all to know that I am visiting you each day.. We will be home on Saturday.  

Printing and Cursive!! 

I realized something shocking the other day.

Cursive has officially become a foreign language.

Not Spanish.
Not French.
Not even Latin.

Nope.

A simple handwritten recipe card from Grandma now looks like an ancient treasure map to half the younger generation.

I watched a teenager stare at cursive writing recently like they were trying to decode Egyptian hieroglyphics. Their eyes narrowed. Their forehead wrinkled. At one point I honestly thought they might call for technical support.

“Wait… what letter is THAT?”

Honey… that is an “S.” 

They could not read the graduation card I had given them.  

And suddenly I felt 147 years old.

There was a time when learning cursive was serious business. We practiced loops and swirls until our hands cramped. Teachers walked the aisles correcting our slant like tiny handwriting coaches preparing us for the Olympics of penmanship.

Capital Q’s alone could humble a whole classroom.

And heaven help you if your lowercase “g” looked funny.

Back then, cursive meant you were growing up. It felt fancy. Important. Mature. We signed our names with pride like we were approving million-dollar business deals in third grade.

Now?

Kids text faster than lightning but cannot read the word “banana” written in cursive.

Their generation can edit videos, build gaming worlds, and type 94 words a minute with two thumbs… but hand them a birthday card written in cursive and suddenly we are starring in National Treasure.

Honestly, it is kind of adorable.

But also a little sad.

Because cursive carried personality.

You could recognize someone’s handwriting instantly. Messy. Fancy. Tiny. Dramatic. Every curl and swoop carried emotion. A handwritten letter felt personal in a way typed words never quite do.

There was magic in opening a card and seeing familiar handwriting across the envelope.

Even grocery lists had character back then.

Now everything arrives in identical fonts looking like it came from a robot with excellent organizational skills.

And can we talk about signatures for a minute?

Some younger folks are out here creating signatures that look like they accidentally dropped a spaghetti noodle onto paper. Just one confused squiggle and a dot.

Meanwhile our generation was trained to make signatures look presidential.

If you signed your name with flair, you were somebody.

I still believe cursive deserves a comeback. Not because technology is bad, but because there is something beautiful about words written by hand. Something warm. Human. Imperfect.

A handwritten recipe from your mother.
A note tucked inside a Bible.
A love letter folded soft with age.
A signature on an old photograph.

Those things matter.

Cursive is more than handwriting.

It is memory written in ink.

And honestly, I may start randomly leaving cursive notes around just to keep younger people alert and mentally stimulated.

Nothing dangerous.

Just enough to make them wonder if they have discovered pirate clues hidden in the kitchen drawer.  

When I went to Business School.. I had to take a whole semester of penmanship....kids these days would flip out if they had to sit in class and perfect their penmanship.  

And what about signing checks??  Oops...I forgot!  Everything is now done on the net!  lol.. 😬😂🫢🤣🤓

Shug....