Help - Mattress suggestions please

Greetings from Plum Cottage ~ Hope you here in the US have had a lovely holiday weekend. I puttered in garden spaces. Had a lovely lunch with BIL & SIL on Saturday. We went to a wonderful restaurant that's over 100 years old, on the intercoastal waterway. I had fish and chips along with a margarita. Brought half of the lunch home and had that for lunch yesterday. ;-)

Ok, here's where I need some help.  My dear husband and I bought our mattress around 20 years ago, a Tempurpedic and it is NOT what it once was. I can't afford something like that now on my limited budget. I did get my stimulus check though so could use part of that, but out of that I also need to get new glasses.

I've been googling mattresses and oh my.  Memory foam in a box, Beautyrest, Sealy Posturepedic, Serta, Tempurpedic (just to see what they have now), and many more. I have been noticing more pain in my hip, knee and shoulder, especially on my left side, back aches also and not sleeping as well as I should be like I used to. My SIL & BIL and I turned my mattress around Saturday, heavy monster, and I can really see the slope in the mattress. Yikes! When we turned the mattress from one end to the other, I had to take the cover off and that's when we saw that the mattress was truly breaking down. I haven't been thinking about that the past 8 years without my dear hubby, I've just been living each day as it comes, thankful for my many blessings. Now it's a big decision time and that's where I could use your input on your mattresses, good and bad.

It is mind-boggling to say the least. My bed size is a full. I'm 72 and a side sleeper. The mattress stores in the area do not have 'in the box' mattresses in the stores, you have to order them online, so I can't see what they are like. I am praying about it and want to make the right decision. This should be my last mattress.

So, thanks in advance for your help. I appreciate your taking the time to read and write your suggestions.

May you all have a great week. It's hard to believe it is June tomorrow. We need rain, it keeps being predicted, but nothing is happening here. I hand water and can use the sprinkler three days a week at certain times, Mon., Wed., and Sat. I pay for water so only water what is necessary, no grass being watered.

Love, hugs and prayers,

FlowerLady 

 P.S. I think I still want a memory foam mattress as they are great for seniors, but I'm open for suggestions.

 

Giant Milkweed and other flowers

Good Monday morning from Plum Cottage ~ It's a new day, a new week and I pray it will be a good one for all. May we count our blessings, letting go of negativity, and move forward.

A few of you asked about one of the flowers I had posted. It is unusual and beautiful. It is 'Giant Milkweed' or Calotropis gigantea  . You can read about it here: Giant Milkweed. I got a couple of cuttings of this from a friend who worked at Butterfly World, she had this growing in her home garden. I need to try propagating from cuttings from this one. It grows in zones 10-11, but can be grown as an annual in colder climates.

Now for other blooms that are giving me joy right now.

The white flowers are basil, and I do not have a clue as to what the purple/pink flowers are, no tag when I bought it.

Below is Confederate Jasmine. I look forward to this blooming every spring. 

The scent is oh so wonderful.

Next is a 'frangipani'. I love the colors of this one. I have another color which is pink. This one I bought, the pink ones I have were grown from cuttings given to me many, many years ago.

This is 'Philippine Violet'. I love it and don't remember where I got this. It spreads by seeds and I think it will also root by stems touching the ground. Grows with little care.

 

 

 

 

The foreground flower is an unknown ground cover that creeps everywhere and also spits seeds. The flower behind is 'Spicy Jatropha' which the Zebra Longwings love.

 

 

This little gem is a 'walking iris'. It spreads by the flower head bending over, touching the ground, where it will send out roots. You can read about it here.

 

 

 Here is a pink tinged shrimp plant which I really love. I have the normal color also which is more of a rusty color.

 

 

Here is another zebra longwing sipping nectar from hamelia paten blooms.

 

 

I snapped another picture and happened to catch another zebra flitting by.

 

 

Below is 'Blue Lips', friends Nanci and John took me to a funky nursery a couple of years back and I picked out this plant. I love it and the flowers have such a wonderful scent, stops me in my tracks when I walk past and catch a whiff.

 

This is a piece I created for a recent widow. I believe she and her husband had been married for 63 years. Needless to say, she is missing him terribly. Do keep all who have lost loved ones in your prayers and thoughts. Visit, send notes, etc. to let them know they are loved and thought of.

I finished the lap blanket I was working on, and love how it turned out.

Ok dear friends that is it for now. Have a great week. Look for, enjoy, and be thankful for the beauty that surrounds you.

A friend brought this little plaque to me this morning, and another friend gave me the orchid a couple of years ago, I put them together for the photo. This is oh so true. Thank you for your friendships through the years here in blogland.

FlowerLady

April almost gone

Hello Friends ~ Sorry I've not been around, and thanks to those who have checked up on me. I caught a cold just after my bday, took herbal remedies and teas, and also some Nyquil to sleep at night. I still have a bit of a cough and post nasal drip, but I'm much better than I was.

The scrap metal that was around the property is G O N E!! Monday Juvenal took the last load. Since the 15th of February he did 18 trips to the scrap yard and my oh my how much lighter I feel having that 'long time coming' job finished. I've still wood to be cut down to size for pick up and other odds and ends that need to be put out for pick up also, plus raking up all kinds of debris. All in good time.

Juvenal did a fantastic job and was an answer to prayer. After he left yesterday I sat outside feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and was so thankful to God for working everything out. It took a little over 8 years for this to happen, but God worked it out at the right time, helping Juvenal and myself. I am oh so thankful for God's tender care.

Wednesday after ladies Bible study one of my new friends and I talked, and she has felt in her heart to help me with my property clean up, etc. She has worked on a farm, done landscaping and she and her husband have an excavating business. I don't know who is more excited about this joint venture, she or myself, but we both are and she will come over next Wed. after BS to check things out here at Plum Cottage. This is another answer to prayer. I've not met anyone who gardens (in real life) and have wanted someone I could work with here, to help me get a handle on it. When we first met a few weeks back, we clicked. She was a widow, a young one when her husband passed, was single for 15 years, then remarried 16 years ago. We both look forward to getting to know each other better.

The property where scrap was taken from looks a real mess with stuff laying all over the place. But, I feel oh so motivated with having the scrap all gone, and help from this new friend. My friend Sean, trimmed the front hedgerow jasmine a week ago today. It was at least 10 ft tall. He is ready to cut back/cut up other stuff also. He has been a huge help, as I've shared with you before!

So much has happened here in the last few months. I've worked right along with Sean and tree trimming, Sean and Stan with fencing, and Juvenal with clearing scrap. One of these days, I plan to get a post put together of all that has gone on here, before and after photos. Not ready for that just yet. ;-)

Ok, here are some floral candy pics. I know that a lot of you are now able to see your gardens bursting forth in glorious spring delights and I am happy for you.

 

Here is the latest 'found' heart.

 ******

My pastor brought up recently the passage of scripture from Ezekiel 37:1-14 about dead bones coming to life again, which as believers in Jesus, we believe will happen to all who have died believing in Him. It reminded me of a painting my dear husband painted many years ago. (He had met an eccentric, wealthy art collector and this gentleman collected self-portraits of artists to go into a museum where he had them on view. So, this is what my husband came up with to paint. It is of the two of us, I'm holding a cat skull, and hubby has a dog skull and of course there's a replica of a human skull. He also made the picture frame with 4 miniature skulls.)

******

Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection, in Luke 24:39, 

“Behold my hands and my feet, 

that it is I myself: 

handle me, and see; 

for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." 

Right now, the whole of creation is waiting for the resurrection as it says in, Romans 8:19,

For the earnest expectation of the creature 

waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. KJV

I like how it is put in The Passion Translation, 

The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, 

yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! TPT

 

 

 

If you want to be a resurrected son or daughter of Jesus, our Great Creator, God and King, then I pray that you will call out to him, asking him to be your Savior. We have all sinned and come short of God's glory, but through Jesus' death and resurrection we are assured life eternal, and life abundant here and now. 

In John 10:10 we read Jesus' words, "The thief (Satan the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: 

I am come that they might have life, 

and that they might have it more abundantly.

******

That's it for now. It's time for some breakfast and to go outside to enjoy God's glorious creation.

May your days be filled with love, peace and joy, forgiveness, encouragement and all that you need to live a contented life in Jesus.

 FlowerLady

Have a lovely Easter - Resurrection Sunday

Hello Friends ~ I have to say that Easter is the holiday that makes my heart soar. I love Christmas and what it means, it is when God came down in the flesh as baby Jesus. 

He grew up into the man/God who would give His life for the sins of the whole world, because of His great love for us all. He died a cruel death so that we might have life eternal with him, and also have life here with him as we trust him for our daily living. He didn't just die though, he arose from the dead, conquering death. 

 

On the 21st of this month my pastor gave these 7 verses of Jesus describing who He is in the book of John.

I will share them here.

1. I AM the Bread of Life.  ( John 6:35)

2. I AM the Light of the world  ( John 8:12)

3. I AM the Door  ( John 10:7,9)

4. I AM the Good Shepherd  ( John 10:11,14)

5. I AM the Resurrection and the Life   ( John 11:25-27)

6. I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life  ( John 14:6) 

7. I AM the True Vine  ( John 15:1-6)

I find the verses from the Old Testament that mention God as I AM very comforting and after that sermon with the above verses, I got up around midnight one night because I was sick from a bad cold and read this verse:  

"Fear not, for I AM with you. 

Do not be dismayed. I AM your God. 

I WILL strengthen you; 

I WILL help you; 

I WILL uphold you with my victorious right hand."

 Isaiah 41:10 (TLB)

 

 Jesus is The Great I AM, always loving us, wanting a close relationship with us. 

If you don't know Him yet, my prayer is that you will seek Him, learn of Him, let Him speak to your heart, may you hear His gentle, loving whisper telling you,

 

"Be still, and know that I am God" 

(Psalms 46:10)

~~~

 "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you."

(Isaiah 43:5) 

~~~

 Happy Easter

from

FlowerLady

at Plum Cottage