my random insanities

Friday Night Randomness...

2012-01-27T20:18:00.000-08:00

...for the life of me I can not figure out where this week went, what I was doing, or even if it was enjoyable. But we all survived so I'm going with that.

I miss "Friday Night Lights," which is why I am here racking my brain for something to post.

Muse is still missing.

We have had ice storms before but I have never seen the amount of damage done to the 'middle' sized trees as I do this time. That would be trees around 15years of age, old enough to be well established but young enough to have fragile branches.

My dog is sick.

She is 14years old, it doesn't look good.

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day. I am in need of chocolate be it in cake form or otherwise. (as we speak hubby is making some chocolate pudding, just sayin')

I am going to a tea party this weekend, just us girls!

Monday is the start of something big, really big, a very special give-away. You will want to enter this one oh yeah.

So what random thing are you doing on a Friday night?

The serious side...

2012-01-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Snow, falling gently, silently whispering your name, so soft and beautiful, a moment to slow down. Then the ice storm, violent and freezing rains covering everything in their path with a layer so thick that the sounds in the distance of breaking branches is like gunshots. Then, no power. And a little warm up to raise all the rivers and streams to overflowing.

For the most part we have done well. Our power is back on and the roads are now a slushy, dirty, mud ridden mess. It looks as if we may have lost a few of our Maple trees. The ice storm just too much for their branches. So pretty but so much now to clean up.

We are the fortunate ones, we have power and heat, food to eat, and gas in the car. So many of those areas around us do not...they are heading into their seventh day in the cold and dark. The grocery stores are on generators so you must use cash, the ATM is out of cash, and the gas station is our of fuel. When we were at the store the police had to intervene several fights at the pumps. If there is no gas then what is it that they are fighting about.

This weather brings out the worst and the best in people. Thank God it is only a once or twice occurrence every year. Hoping that soon our friends can go check on their homes and find all is safe and well. Thaw out, dig out..what ever it takes.

Recent National news reports....

2012-01-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

have been unkind regarding our recent "Snowmagedden"

they seem to be implying that we Washingtonians

(I'm a native New Yorker but I will claim Washington as my home)...

are a "big bunch of sissies" when it comes to snow and ice.

I'll have to agree with them, but in my defense...this area is impossible when it snows and then we have an ice storm on top. There are many, many hills and overpasses...think San Francisco in an ice storm. Also, we are completely unprepared since the city only owns a few snow plows (Seattle) and the airport doesn't like to spend money on de-icers, well, neither does the city for that matter. They are too green to de-ice or pre-treat before an ice storm, no salt or sand either so you are just dumb out of luck....yeah, we're wimps!

Toilet talk...

2012-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

...why YES! It's finally come to this...my muse is gone and I am about to do a post about toilets. Let's be clear here..if you had clicked on the link in the previous post I would have nothing to post about so in a way I owe you my gratitude!

A Hi-John is an elevated toilet or toilet seat. It can be purchased as a one-piece toilet or can be bought as a portable seat riser. Usually the seat is extended to add another four to five inches. If you are of a certain age, like me, or have disc problems like the hubs, or have lower back stress fractures...um, me, or any of a myriad of malaise this is a wonderful way to enhance your life. We have them in both our bathrooms and love it. If you get the portable ones they are horrid to clean...just sayin'.

You will enjoy this in utter bliss until you remember not everyone has them, nor every public restroom, and then you will practically break an arm when you miscalculate the distance down to the ~~seat~~ floor.

This is today's lesson on toilets! Your welcome...you enough.

January five...

2012-01-15T20:48:00.000-08:00

...whilst I am waiting for my Muse to return I thought I would do this month's list of 5. A couple of them are just my thoughts about January and another few are some observations that I have been forced to endure so far this year.

Miss Maude 11 months

enjoying;
The feeling that everything is new.

The smell of cold weather and snow in the air.

observation;
if you don't know what a Hi-John is then well...if you are of a certain age... you should. Trust me on this one.

if you forget to activate your new debit card and you have $180 of groceries in your cart on a Friday evening after banking hours don't be alarmed if the people in line behind you are a little ~~pissed, angry mob,~~ irritated.

if you clean a weeks worth of produce and leave it in a colander on a towel and covered with a paper towel don't be upset when it disappears only to find out that hubby thought it was trash. Yes, he. did.

Have a great week peeps. Be kind. You enough.

waiting, waiting, waiting...

2012-01-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

Creativity

is the ability to

see

that which is waiting

exist....

waiting patiently.

the sky's the limit...

2012-01-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

~~January skies...it was 55degrees here today and I was outside for a bit with the dog. I have some fuchsias blooming or re-blooming and the birds were merrily singing. Is this January?? or did I oversleep again? Happy Monday y'all.

One word...365

2012-01-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

...last year I decided to give up on making New Years resolutions. Just like you I made them every year, usually the same ones and forgot about them in approximately three weeks. Doomed to fail no matter the list I had made.

I came upon a group of bloggers who were choosing a word to guide them through the year. Not a resolution, or mantra, but a word that sums up how you feel, how you want to live, how you want to change and grow in the coming year. Just one word that you can focus on every day. For 2011 I chose the word "embrace." I wanted to be fully aware to embrace the day, the changes in my life, those around me, new ideas, understanding. All in all I am so pleased that I chose that one.word. It helped me through some difficult times and cheered for me when I was at my best.

I've had a hard time with one.word this year. I made a list...imagine, serendipity, kindness. All good words but not really filling my heart in the way I needed. I considered;

" a disposition to be kind and forgiving." Indeed this is something I strive for daily and the forgiving part is something I need to work on, I admit it is my worst fault. Then what stuck with me was;

but I quickly decided that Grace is not for me to give only for me to ask for. Now I was stumped and over the weekend I decided that I needed to be silent for awhile and my word would find me.   Silent, that kept coming back to me

                         Silence

as I thought on this word, silence, it became louder and louder drowning out all the other words in my heart. I began to think about how much one could learn by being silent. Then I began to think of all the pain, sorrow, and abuse that has gone on in the silence. It could not be my one.word.

As I was watching the television Monday evening our local programming stopped for several minutes. It was late in the day but it had been a weary, on edge, panicky kind of day for our small community. Those small towns that surround a most majestic and humbling mountain. Mt. Rainier. There was a shooting there earlier in the day and a beautiful young mother, a ranger, stood strong with angels by her side and stopped a man who was about to open fire at the visitors center. She perished...and this moment in time, this silence all around came as they were bringing her body down the mountain. Flanked by tens of local police/EMT's/sheriffs/family and friends she was brought down to her final place of rest. In that silence there was sorrow. In that silence there was singing. In that silence there was anger. In that silence there was Grace...I only needed to listen to hear the sounds of the silence.

My one.word;

                                   LISTEN

to your heart, listen.
to those around you, listen.
in the darkness, listen.
in the light, listen
to the silence, listen.

You'll never find peace of mind until you listen.   One word.365.will change your life.

snug as a bug...

2012-01-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

...I had a rather lazy New Year's eve here, made it 'till midnight then watched a movie and went to bed around the normal ~~for me~~ time. Yesterday was also another lazy day, I had gotten up late and didn't even get dressed for the day. Just lounging around in my jammies, snacking on leftovers, and mindlessly watching what ever was on the tele.

Again, I went to bed at the normal ~~for me~~ time. All warm and snuggly was I as I heard the hubs talking to the dog, getting ready for work, kissing me good-bye. lalalalalalala I was in dreamland. I awoke a few times but each and every time it was still dark out and I refuse to look at the clock if it's still dark out for it can only mean that it's just too early for me. Snug as a bug in the rug I slept, all warm and dreamy.

Did I hear the hubs talking to the dog? Must be a dream...he's gone to work and it's still dark out...I will.not.look.at.the.clock. Besides, I have my alarm set for 9:00 and it hasn't gone off yet...what a restless night. Dreamy, sleep, groggy I heard the voice again. This time it seemed closer. I opened up one eye squinting in the darkness only to see the shadow of my hubby hovering over the bed. I was started as my first thought was that he has come home from work early due to illness. Darn, not a great start to the new year. I asked him in my sleepy groggyness if he was alright? And he answered with the same question..."are you alright?" Of course I am, it's still night, I'm all snug and sleeping quite well...what is the problem?

Problem is/was it is 4:00 pm. I have slept through the entire night and the entire day and would have probably gone into the next day if he hadn't checked on me. Oh my gawd! I didn't know that was possible and yes, blood sugar was perfectly normal. My only defense....it was still dark out!

Happy New Year all...hope to be back soon. *yawn*

a multitude of promise...

2011-12-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Happy

Sparkly

do - over

shiny

blank canvas

full of promise

hopeful

brand spankin'

NEW YEAR!!!

"Well we have

a whole New Year ahead of us.

And wouldn't it be wonderful

if we could all be a little more

gentle

with each other

and a little more loving.

have a little more

empathy,

and maybe next year at this time...

we'll like

each other

little more."

judy garland

Happy New Year friends~~~see you soon!

A minima Chrsitmas...

2011-12-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

a few years ago when I decided to start a blog

(what was I thinking?)

one of the decisions that had to be made was the blog layout.

At that time there were few choices so I went with

stretch minima.

No particular reason except I like the sound of it

s-t-r-e-t-c-h- minima.

Did you know that minima is the pleural of

minimum?

An abundance of minimum all stretched out.

That really does seem to fit me don't you think? There really is no point to all of this except that I wanted to use minima in a blog post and this surely seems

like a minima kind of Christmas.

from my lone wreath in the foyer (above)

and my barely dressed mantle

we are celebrating in a

minimal sort of way.

Our tree is up yet unadorned,

we call this

Maude decorating.

I have a lone Poinsettia sitting on the hearth

soaking in the late winter sunshine.

(and apparently a camera that can tell the future!)

and a few baubles on the window pane.

This is as ready as we are going to be this time around. Not that we aren't counting out Blessings but more of a

stop

look around

feel it in your heart.

The things that spend all year in a tote in the attic

are not what makes our Christmas.

It's the love and joy we carry for those who touch our lives all year long.

We just added a little sparkle and glitter here

and there

this year but

Jesus is always our reason.

Wishing you Joy and Peace during this Christmas season.

May you find the blessings of your heart

and share them with each other.

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Holidays

Monday snap...

2011-12-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

...I took part in the Secret Santa Soiree over at Colorado Lady's place a few weeks ago and on Friday I got a package from my Secret Santa swap partner. Oh yeah baby, Santa must have had a difficult time getting that sleigh to fly with this package of goodies on board. Now please snuggle up and take a little tour with me as I show you all the little lovelies I received.

This post deserves so much more than I can provide with my lonesome little photo, blogger doesn't seem to want to share tonight, so please click on the pic and have a look!

From candles and soap, paper plates, napkins and a journal, some home-made cards and an apron.
To little sheep (see them?) and dryer balls made from the wool from her very own sheep!
To vintage linens~~table cloth, ornaments and milk glass doves,
to my very own little forest of bottle brush trees.
This package was filled with all of my very favourite things. Each one wrapped with ribbon and ornaments. How did you know I would love each and every one of them!

Thank you to my Secret Santa. You have made this 'swap' a very special one for me and your gift could not have arrived at a better time. You have touched my heart and my home with your generous spirit. May you be blessed with the same spirit and joy.

Those sneaky little elves...

2011-12-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

...Oh, it started out innocently enough.

One morning I woke up and there were a few Christmas totes in the dining room.

A few days later there was a tote containing the Christmas tree.

All seemed well for a few days after that

but then;

it was as if Christmas had exploded

all over the dining room, with all kinds of toys and decorations filling

each and every empty space.

(why yes, that is hubbys arm)

Then it moved on into the kitchen and nothing was safe.

Not the counter tops

or the breakfast nook. Not the desk or the chairs.

It .was.everywhere.

Then they left.

Not to be seen again.

It's been days and days and still my house looks like this.

I just may have to do something

about it myself

soon.

Are you ready?

Another 'paper' post...

2011-12-10T21:31:00.000-08:00

I planted some paper whites a few days ago. I always enjoy planting them indoors this time of year and this year I put them into a Haegar Pottery bulb bowl that I found while thrifting last Spring.

It's really very easy and in a few weeks you will have some pretty blooms to help remind you that Spring will eventually return!

Just take a package of bulbs and line them up in a container...pointing up. It doesn't matter the container although they do get quite tall so you might want to keep that in mind. This is a very shallow container so I will undoubtedly have to find a way to prop them up when the time comes.

Next fill the container (bowl) with water to just below the spouting tops. About an 1" or so will do. Then cover with rocks or gravel, or in the case marbles. Keep it in a well lit area and in just a few weeks you will have some pretty white blooms. I don't particularly care for their perfume but I do love seeing flowers in the Winter.

Do you plant paper whites at this time of year?

a Friday moment...

2011-12-08T22:21:00.000-08:00

...I am having trouble with words today. Too many words, hurtful words, honest words, words that prick at my soul and words that lift me and fill me with love. So many words, mostly questions for which I have no answers. It's just been a day like that. So on this Friday of this very busy season I wonder if you can find the words...

other than fear~~~

Love is > __________.

Happy Friday y'all. Have a good weekend, be safe, be thankful, choose happy.

Maybe I can craft...

2011-12-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

when I made my music page paper wreath awhile back..here...I had cut the paper into 3 1/2" squares and also had cut some at 7". I used the 3 1/2" for that project and with the leftover 7" I decided to make another wreath. Only larger. After I got started I realized that I didn't have enough of the music paper to make the entire wreath so I spaced them out and scratched my head and wondered...what to do?

You might recall that I have a fully loaded craft room. Full of lots of projects I will only complete in my mind or if I life another fifty years that is! Anyway my solution was to try scrapbook paper. I really liked working with the weight of the paper compared to the sheet music but beware that the risk factor for paper cuts is increased by the thousands. Round and round I went making paper cones and gluing them onto the wreath. (I used a piece of lightweight cardboard again only slightly larger than the last one.) And voila!

To finish off the center of this one I took a piece of coordinating scrapbook paper and wrapped it around a canning jar lid (without the ring), then glued it onto the wreath. Then I added a little hanger in the back made from twine and hung it on the mirror in my foyer. I'm really pleased at how it turned out..sorry for the bad lighting in the photos, it was late in the day. I am going to spray it with a light coat of clear shellac and then hang it on my YELLOW door! What will I think of next?

December's five...

2011-12-03T21:21:00.000-08:00

...yep I've got my list all ready. Oh, not that list...I haven't even started on that list. I've got my list of five all ready to go and this month it is my favourite holiday movies. This is probably the only time of the year when I sit down and watch a movie that I've seen over and over and over. It doesn't matter to me how old it is, the older the better, or who is in it, black and white or colour...it is just the most wonderful time of the year to watch a movie.

So, in no particular order here are five of my holiday fav's

Most people are unaware that "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" was first sung in this movie. If you like the old Bing Crosby movies this is a fun one to see.

Only the original with Boris Karloff will do!

This has one of the best soundtracks around. Even the hubs liked this one...I wonder why (boobfest). I can't say I mind looking at Hugh Grant for two hours either.

Who doesn't love little Ralphie? And the triple-dog-dare-ya?

This one might be a little out-there for most people but I thought it was funny. Then again I'm a sucker for the old SNL.

That's my short list, what have you got?

The paper chronicles...

2011-11-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

...so, I've been seeing a lot of fun paper crafts on the blogs lately and have tucked them away in my little head thinking "I can do that!" Really, I didn't think I could. Some of them appear to involve math skills and I am sorely lacking in those very types of things, so I did my usual. I bought all the supplies I would need, set them on the craft table or somewhere thereabouts, and then promptly forgot about it.

A few weeks ago I decided that this was becoming a foolish habit and something had to give. So I chose to try making a wreath out of paper cones. Sounds strange but it ended up being so easy that I'm embarrassed, well almost embarrassed, to admit it. There are many tutorials out there on how to make these paper wreaths and I won't bore you with details. I'm pretty sure you know how to Google if you want details.

I found a book of sheet music a few months ago at the thrift and proceeded to tea stain them. This was for another mislaid project but worked well here. The pages were about 10 1/2 by 7 inches, so I cut several, many, 7" squares. Then with the leftover piece I cut it in half which was 3 1/2 inches. Basically you need a square sheet for this project and I don't think the actual size matters....as you will see!

Next I rolled the squares into cones and adhered them with clear tape, I think you could use tacky-glue but I didn't want to sit holding the edges together all night so I opted for tape. You won't see it later. In the above picture you can see I rolled all the papers but am only using the smaller 3 1/2 inch cones for this wreath. After all the cone rolling, which is mindless fun, really, I cut out a piece of light weight cardboard. I used a cereal box and cut a circle 5" in diameter. I then found the 'middle' of the circle and marked it with a pencil. This will be the center point in which all the cones come together. Taking the small ends of the cones, one at a time, I glued the bottom half of the cone on the underside and attached it to the circular piece. Around and around fanning the cones out until you have something like this.

When the cones were all attached and dried I then added a little Spanish moss to the middle to cover up the center spot. I've seen other people use rosettes and other types of bling on theirs but I decided to go more natural. Also, some of the examples had glittered edges, slightly torn edges, and/or curled edges to add to the aged look. Then all you need to do is glue on some ribbon, string, or twine to the back and let it dry. I also cut another sheet of music paper in a 5" round to cover the back side.

It isn't perfect but it was easy and fun and besides perfect is highly over-rated! I have mine hanging in the kitchen and from a distance it reminds me of a giant Dahlia. So what do you think?

Monday's snap...

2011-11-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

of the over
200
photos taken yesterday
at our
family Thanksgiving
not
one
was
of
food!

more to come when I come out of my turkey coma.

finding purpose...

2011-11-26T22:03:00.000-08:00

...I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. I am struggling a little right now but that is not unusual for a holiday. This is the first one since I decided (last summer) that I could not, for my own healths sake, endure the madness of our extended family. I ran across this today on FB and thought that it was quite appropriate for the season...

I will be back Monday with pictures of our get-together tomorrow. Happy Sunday!

while their houses laid unbuilt....

2011-11-22T21:08:00.000-08:00

...the pilgrims managed to set aside a day of giving thanks.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity. ... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."
Melodie Beattie

Wishing all of my family and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving. Travel safe, be warm, share in the delight of the day. May you and yours be Blessed with the joy of being expected. Happy Thanksgiving.

On a side note; There will only be two of us at this holiday table this year as our children will be visiting with their in-laws. As it so happens our wedding anniversary falls on this day of thanks and so as we started out as two, we will celebrate our 38th year of marriage as two and toast each other to many, many more filled with love, laughter, patience, friendship, smiles, tears and immeasurable joy.

Give me five...

2011-11-19T23:18:00.000-08:00

...it's been on my mind a lot. Thanksgiving. Did you know that the Pilgrims made seven times more graves than houses? Even in the midst of their impoverished existence they still found the time to be grateful. They still were able to set apart a day of thanks.

I admit I try to be grateful when things are going well. It's easy to give thanks for the everyday luxuries that we take for granted...a home, food, a car, clothes, pets. And of course we always say thanks for our family and friends. But when times are difficult how often do we set aside a time to give thanks? Not for the difficult times but for the gifts we have been given during those times, the ones that get us through, the simplest of joys.

I took a moment today to stop and think...actually dig down deep in my heart and give gratitude for the more unusual gifts in my life.

My parents; even though they raised me during the turbulent 60's they still managed to teach me respect, for myself and others. They taught me faith and gave me an exemplary example of what a good marriage should be. I never told them how much I appreciated all they gave up for me, all they did for me. They didn't have it easy and yet they instilled a sense of values and family to their children that lives on and on. Thank you Pop and TT.

Waldorf salad and stuffed dates; two of my favourite holiday dishes, handmade by my mother whose wretched arthritic hands could barely hold a knife. It was truly a treat that was made with love and something I enjoy even now. If I close my eyes I can picture her rolling those walnut stuffed dates in powdered sugar and laying them on a crystal dish. I used to bring home the leftover salad and dates and eat them for breakfast the next day!

The secret stuffing recipe; for years and years after my folks died I tried and tried to make the family stuffing recipe. Year after year I failed. I could not figure out what I was doing wrong. It seems that my mother never wrote down the recipe but my brother was able to get it out of her, and he wisely wrote it down. It seems the secret to her stuffing and my downfall was something as simple as poultry seasoning. I've got it now!

Health; even though I have a lack of it I am quite happy to have any at all. Things are not easy with this disease and it's horrible complications but so far we have managed to get through it together. When one person in the family has a disease the entire family has a disease and if we don't work together then it will be me against the world. I am stable and for now that is more than I can expect or hope for.

Turner Movie Classics; I'm a night owl. Getting to bed before 3am is an early night for me. That's probably why I enjoy naps so much! And I love TMC...classic movies from the 40's are the best in my book and a great way to spend the late night sitting next to my hubby while he sleeps in front of the t.v...we don't have a television in our bedroom so we just sit up all night long with the classics!

So how about you...can you dig down deep in your heart and share an unusual blessing?

If it's Friday it must be Maude(day)...

2011-11-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

...this is our sweet punky Maude at 9 months.
as you can see
she rarely slows down enough to take her picture.
no naps for this girl.
no sleeping through the night for this girl.
she just might miss something important
if she were to close those
big hazel eyes for just
one
moment.

Poppa and I (nie, as loud as you can scream it)
are so fortunate
to be able to spend a few hours
alone
with Maude on Fridays.
Her mama doesn't have help on that day
and even though she works
from home
the little one can keep her too busy.
so
lucky us!
It is such a special time
and one that I cherish more than words can describe.

So long ago,
when I was diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes
I was told by the doctors that
I would not live to see
30.
I prayed every day
(and still do)
that I would be
Blessed
beyond my understanding
and able to share in the lives of
my
grandbabies.
I am so thankful.

The mysterious Mama Pajama...

2011-11-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

...In a recent post I alluded to "Mama Pajama," and a few people asked/commented/e-mailed me wondering what/who/where that is.

For those of you who have been with me awhile you know that I suffer from clinical depression. With medication and lots of vitamins and light I am usually able to keep it controllable. Though in doing so I often lose a part of myself...it's like pushing down one thing to keep from feeling another if that makes any sense at all. And I have no doubt that it makes little sense to anyone who has not suffered with depression.

I am not talking about the blue days we all have or the down times we experience occasionally. Nor am I talking about Seasonal Affective Disorder, although I am quite sensitive to light changes. I am talking about the soul sucking, life draining, all enveloping darkness that comes to stay, sets up camp, and won't leave...ever. The kind of darkness where you can see a light, oh so far away and so very, very small, but you have no way of moving toward it. No way of climbing up, over or out. And the days go on and on and slowly turn into a nightmare and you begin to wonder if there might be another way out.

There is always a way out right?

I have named her "Mama Pajama," since all I want to do is stay in my pajamas, crawl in a hole and block everything else out of my mind, and my mind's eye. I have known her many, many years and I suspect that she often controlled my mother and my sister. (Though in those days it was never spoken of and, heaven forbid, treated.)

In the last few years and with the help of blogger, I have learned to make friends with Mama Pajama. I know when she is near, I know her knock at the door...after all she does have manners! I know what to expect and finally, finally, I know how to cope. It is not easy and takes a lot of work to keep her at bay. It takes constant vigilance and much help from those closest to me. But I know, and I always will, that it is a slippery slope and that at any moment I can be shoved over the edge into the darkness again. I can't ever let my guard down...and it is exhausting.

So when and if I reference dear old "Mama P" you know that she is coming down the street with her eye on my home ready to crash in and suck the life and light out of me. Guards up though and the security light is on...

Thursday's thought...

2011-11-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

In this world,

full often,

our joys are only the tender shadows

which our sorrows cast.

Henry Ward Beecher

Choosing to see the joy in the shadows today. There is always something to be grateful for, so in the month of Gratitude I challenge you to look into the shadows of your own life

and choose to see the joy.

Tuesday's tid-bits...

2011-11-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

...it's been quite awhile since we stopped for a moment and took a little peek inside my pretty little head to see what is floating around amongst all the noise and clatter.

So here we go, from yellow doors to mama pajama.

I can't believe I painted my front door yellow aka "squash blossom." Every time the car pulls away from the house I think...who does that? Anyway, it's going to take a little getting used to. As for now I feel I need to dress it up with something so it's a good deal that it's wreath season.

While perusing the DIY blogs I continue to see so many crafty ideas that for a moment I forget that I am not a crafter. I will get it into my head that "I can do that," and order the supplies or ask hubs to take me to the craft store or worse ask him to go there for me. Then with supplies in hand I will head down to the craft room, put the bag down and immediately forget about it. A few weeks later the process starts all over again. The bags of supplies are starting to take over so I have determined to do something about it. Stay tuned because I'm gonna do a crafty thing.

And yes. I'm not a crafty person but I have a craft room.

I did not have good news at the foot doctor today. No steps forward and small steps back. I can increase my time weight-bearing but only because things can't and won't get better. Next week I will go in and have a cast made so that he can figure out some sort of permanent 'shoe' for me to wear during the day and then use the moon boot at night. I am considering having a pity party for one, can't bring the house down you know.

Despite all my best efforts Mama pajama has been knocking at the door hoping to come in and stay for an extended visit. For those of you who don't know about mama pajama consider yourselves lucky. I wish I didn't know her too.

I will explain all of this later after I figure it all out myself! Happy Tuesday y'all.

Let's make a deal...

2011-11-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

...I remember that game show so well. With Monty Hall as the host and all the contestants dressed up in their most imaginative outfits, deal or no deal, and finally at the end, the three doors. What awaits the winner behind door number 1, number 2 or door number 3? I was always quite inept at picking the correct door ending up with a years supply of chicken soup or a frying pan. Do you remember?

Recently, at the height of my 'duffiness,' I began to notice our front door. Blah, blue. Nothing wrong with blue but it was painters grade fifteen years ago and was starting to look rather shabby. So I did what every DIY (in her mind) girl does and perused all the wonderful home improvement blogs that I could find. Oh my, that it itself is a post for another day! Such talent and beauty as far as the eye can see. But, I digress....

I wanted something different, something no one else in the neighborhood had, something bold, that screamed "that nut J lives there!" And well, well...what do you think?

old tired blue door begging for a make-over

first of two coats of primer. And then after three coats of paint and another coat of a different colour paint we have:

a YELLOW front door. Technically it is called "Squash Blossom" by Dutch Boy. It has the primer built in but It wasn't enough to cover the blue. Not only that but this job was done by me...on my duff, with a paint stick in hand and the help of a sponge brush. (Oh yeah, and I totally remembered to take the making tape off around the lock.)

the bitter and the sweet...

2011-11-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

...while this is a re-post from a couple years ago, and though I am not literally walking down these lovely Fall roads, the sentiment remains the same.

November's lonely roads...

...it was a cool, crisp, clear Autumn day here today so we got out of the house and took a little walk to the river.

I welcome every other month of the year with joy and anticipation of what will come. Not so, with November. I feel nothing less than trepidation wrapped up in it's thirty days.

November holds days of incredible joy, family celebrations and anniversaries. November holds a day of unspeakable, unbearable, heart-wrenching, soul-bleeding grief. The day my life as I knew it...stopped. A day that holds a child's death. My firstborn son.

I know what to expect these next few weeks, I have been doing it far too long now. I know the days will feel long, and the darkness will be heavy and deep. I know the sadness and the searing anger will be burdensome. But in the end, I know, there will be light and a baby's cry for his mama in my heart.

Wishing you sunshine for your soul, laughter for your heart, and peaceful November days...

The duff diaries...part 3...

2011-10-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

...baby steps.

I finally got the word from my doctor to start putting weight on my left foot. S-l-o-w-l-y I am able to stand for a few minutes at a time and over the next few weeks can work up to 10-20 minutes at a time, a few times a day. Walking unassisted is still a ways off. Who would have thought a little trip over the garden hose could cause so much misery!

So, the first thing I did was roll myself over to the kitchen window, stood up (I feel so tall!) and stretched and looked outside. Obviously I have missed Summer and Fall is in full swing with all of its glorious colours.

Then I noticed the dirty kitchen window and felt a little discouraged. (I like a clean home).

Then I noticed all the leaves that are starting to fall to the ground and felt a little more discouraged. (I like a picked up yard).

Then I smiled and did the happy dance in my head as I remembered I won't be the one who has to rake those leaves or wash those windows. Always looking for a silver lining here.

History lesson...

2011-10-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

...my hubs collects insulators. Old insulators that you usually see on the top of telephone poles along railway lines through the Midwest. I noticed today, while I was dusting, that he likes to line them up like little soldiers! We do have quite a few and some of them are very unique not only in colouring but also in size/shape. We have a few that are crackled as though they couldn't stand the heat any longer.

A little history; *from the Wiki*

Insulators have been around longer than most people realize. The first rudimentary telegraph line was built between Paris and Lille, France in 1793. The need for insulators to insulate the wire from grounding out soon became apparent. There were a number of early experimental lines in Europe and the United States before Samuel F. B. Morse finally developed a fully functional and commercial system using his particular code. He built his first commercial line between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. in 1844.

Insulators were first used extensively in the mid-1840s with the invention of the telegraph. They were necessary to prevent the electrical current passing through the wire from grounding out on the pole and making the line unusable. The first insulators were a beeswax soaked rag wrapped around the wire. They worked well in the dry laboratory but soon broke down when exposed to the weather. The next concept was a glass knob, which looked much like a bureau knob one might still find on antique furniture today, mounted on a wood or metal pin. From this evolved the pin style insulator, which had no threading inside the pinhole. It was cemented to the pin by driving it down on the pin with a mallet on an asphalted rag. This was not a perfect answer because the weather worked on the rag and eventually the insulator would work loose and pop off the pin allowing the wire to contact a grounding surface. Inevitably, however, as telegraph lines traced the westward expansion of railroad lines across the states, glass manufacturers began to create many new designs in an effort to secure a niche in the rapidly growing insulator market.

Thus, by the advent of the Civil War in 1860, original insulator models could be found in both porcelain and glass. While glass was more common from the beginning for telegraph and telephone line insulation, porcelain would later gain a firm foothold as the preferred material for insulating high voltage power lines. Over time, glass manufacturers would produce hundreds of designs; millions of insulators were made of glass and porcelain, then later of rubber, plastic and other composite materials."

Another article speculated the reason for the different colours. Supposedly the insulators were made at the end of the day with the leftover glass, so if the company was making green glass bottles that day then the insulators would be green. Most of the ones we have are clear, although we do have two porcelain ones, a brown and a white. They don't seem to be as sturdy as the glass ones.

Do you have a collection with an interesting history attached to it?

Heirlooms...

2011-10-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

...last summer

(it seems so very long ago)

after a visit to his folks house,

my hubby brought home a shoe box. It seems his mom was 'cleaning out' some

old family heirlooms and thought we might like to have them.

Like??? does she not know me

after all these years!

The best part,

besides her thinking of me,

was that she included a little note

on each item with regards to who it belonged to and where it came from.

Want to see?

this came from Goldie and Vincents home in Huntsville, Indiana

(not sure who they are exactly but this is from my Father-in-laws family)

this came from my Mother-in-laws grandparents farm on her dad's side.

the note says...

"dad's mom used to set Jello in this bowl out by the big water tank in the pump shed."

Obviously it was well used

and has been repaired many, many times.

here is another piece from the Indiana folk

passed on from

my husbands grandmother's grandparents!

there are a few more pieces and when I figure out which goes with what little piece of paper I will share them with you.

I realize now

just how important it is

to cataloug those things that are

treasures.

Life is...

2011-10-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

...much more exciting

under

the coffee table!

what IS in a name?????

2011-10-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it's a good time to take stock of how to take care of our breasts, ourselves and our sisters who are battling this insidious disease.

In honor of those brave Warriors in Pink whom I know and those I have never met, this is for you. Laughter is the best medicine and hope cannot be prescribed in CCs and IVs. No one ever has the right to take your ability to hope away. So, what's in a name? Well, I'll tell you...

BOSOMS - There is nothing sexy about this term. It's Aunt Fanny in a cotton calico dress. These are the giant pillows that little children lay their heads on at naptime. Their two-car garage, boulder holder is most likely a Double D white cotton Woolworth's bra or more complicated girdle-like pre-Spanx contraption. Bosoms are way more than a handful, no longer springy and probably covered with baby powder or enough perfume to air freshen a room.

CLEAVAGE - OK, you're right, cleavage isn't typically a term for breast, but it's a preview, a prelude to a kiss. It's the trailer to the movie. Cleavage shows a little leg, it teases and offers a suggestion and the promise of more. But I had to include it. Cleavage is often preceded by the term "ample" and one customarily "sports" it.

HOOTERS - If breasts made noises, men must imagine they would hoot like a horn with joy. Perhaps that's how this mystifying nickname came into vogue. But alas, like the giraffe on the Serengeti, breasts are silent creatures. The fact that an entire adult restaurant franchise is named Hooters (and their logo is an owl whose eyes are two boobs with nipples) lets you know just how fun AND wise-like-an-owl this slang word is. Hooters connote the sexy librarian who takes off her glasses, lets her bun down and unbuttons her shirt. You go in for chicken wings and beer and end up with a face full of hooters! This is party city baby. If you're hootin' and hollerin' around, this is the term for you. No AA cups need apply.

BREASTS - An anatomically correct term for those globs of fat that sit on our chests. It's more delicate, like a wide champagne glass. "Breast" says classy, manageable. You can say breast in public. Hell you can ORDER chicken breast in a restaurant. It's acceptable without being clinical or denigrating. Breasts are the Limoges demitasse cups of the coffee world.

TITS - This is farm animal territory. It's two steps away from teats, a word that makes me shudder. I picture a cow's udders hooked up to hoses. Tit is a rough and service oriented term. It might also apply to that stage of motherhood where nursing Moms under extreme sleep deprivation believe they may actually now BE Bessie the Cow. And for the men who are too lazy to make their women feel loved and respected, this is the term for you. Good luck getting a home-cooked meal.

BOOBS - This word says sorority girl collegial and locker room cheerful. Boob just sounds fun, bouncy, no strings attached. Boobs don't have brains; they are ninnies, all harmless window dressing. It's a word you can write and say backwards or forwards. And fun, fun -- yes, even men can have boobs too! (Increasingly known as "moobs" which is short for man-boobs) The ambiguously ambidextrous quality of the word makes it a very safe and PC term in public.

RACK - This is flat out a dude's term, most often associated with hunting or butcher's cuts of meat. I think of "rack" as in lamb, the small defenseless baby animal that gets slaughtered at springtime. This is a gun-slingers term but Rack also goes with "rack and pinion steering," making it a mechanical term too. This nickname says "I'm gonna pull out some tools and tinker under the hood to get this baby running." Be afraid. And make sure he washes his hands.

TATAs - Kind of a nice way to messa 'round. This is a breezy, rapper, sing-songy word. It should have a dance step named after it. Even a toddler can say it and no one gets hurt. Tata is white bread and white rice soothing, no roughage or fiber to digest. Moreover, the use of simple syllabic names means you can give wide berth to the more clinical and scary anatomical terms that are just plain yucky (cross reference anatomy of the male sex organ). Among men this term is often preceded by the word "bodacious" for some inexplicable reason.

KNOCKERS - Ouch. This one is physical, the kissing cousin to another painful term "Speed Bags." Not good either, think Hulk Hogan. This calls to mind those perplexing old naked granny cartoons in Playboy or Hustler with torpedo shaped mammaries. I also think nostalgically of National Geographic magazine tribeswomen (pre-internet era porn for adolescent boys.) Knockers say, "gravity has taken its toll." It's kind of a caveman term for men at work--not play. Be warned, this is not Olivia Newton John's cheeky "Let's Get Physical." Nothing warm and fuzzy lives in the land of knockers.

THE GIRLS - This term is female retaliation, a smack down at men who, quite perplexingly name their male organs. You know what I'm talking about here, it's the sheer absurdity of pet names like "Big Pete" "Little Winky," "Carlos" and "Darth Vader." This disturbing custom validates the playful "buddy" relationship many men share with their body parts. The Girls is a non-threatening term that connotes comfort with ones own body. Think of the chick flick Bridesmaids and that take-back-the-night lingo that makes us feel all Helen-Reddy-I-Am-Woman-Hear-Me-Roar. This is also BFF speak, all cup sizes are welcome here and there's no hint of creepiness or sexism. "I'm taking the girls out tonight," means "I'm going to sport some contour." This is what happens when the old college sweatshirt comes off.

In the interest of brevity, I've left out other classics and potentially denigrating favorites such as jugs, melons, hogans, cans, headlights, fun bags, yabbos and gazongas. And I encourage you to chime in with some suggestions of your own. There's no question that the names for our mammaries are as varied, descriptive and nuanced as the women who own them.

So for every friend- sister- mother- daughter- wife- lover- partner- woman who has removed a lump, gotten a scare, lost a breast, had a mastectomy, taken care of and nurtured someone who has brushed up against the evil of "The Big C" - I salute you. Stay in the race, and keep fighting.

sent via email from Helen...thanks boobie!

The duff diaries...part two...Dear Wall Street...

2011-10-11T22:42:00.000-07:00

..."first they ignore you,

then they laugh at you,

then they fight you,

then...you win."

Gandhi

We are 99%, we will win. It's time to listen.

The duff diaries...

2011-10-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

google images

....the duff, Ive been sitting on mine for over five weeks now. Thinking, pondering, staring at the four walls (which need painting), counting the tiles, writing messages in the dust and asking all the big questions of life. You know...the whys, the hows, the ifs. It's all quite overwhelming if you spend too much time in the pondering. But you know, every once in awhile you have a moment. A moment of clarity, of calm, peace, understanding. And then in another moment...well, it's gone...
here's one that I've stored away and I'm going to share it with you because I'm a good friend like that!

words can change the world by changing hearts

Enjoy this beautiful Fall weekend...I've got another week on the duff but I am choosing to see the beauty ~~in the dust~~ out my window today. What is out your window today?

Once upon a wonderful nite...

2011-10-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

...many years ago
on an evening much like this.
with the cool October skies
and the rain coming down
you and I
went on our first real date.
To a fancy restaurant called
The Cliffhouse. It seemed like
such a long drive, but
then again, I had no idea
where we were going
or where we would end.

Wide-eyed, nervous and shy
we had suddenly become and
seemed to have trouble finding
right words to say, but then
that's another night and
another song.
The hustle and bustle of the room,
the giddy laughs and formal dresses
of the local Homecoming crowd,
the warmth of the fireplace,
the candle that was tipped over
by our server,
that started our tablecloth to flame,
were no match for the fire
starting in our hearts.
And in the background
and in our heads
all evening long and
until this day...were the
words, the song,
the one that takes me
back to that moment in time
with you...Moondance.

Pee Wee's big adventure...

2011-09-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

...it's been a rough few weeks around here and while it is easy to dwell on all that is wrong and unjust, in my world and ours, I have been making a conscious effort to choose something different for myself. In doing so I hope that I am helping someone else to make a choice in their day to take a moment for joy. Embrace joy.

Last week my hubs, sensing my restlessness, pushed-pulled-dragged me out to the car. Which in my condition is no easy feat, get it? feet!! O.K., sorry...moving on...we loaded up the car and went for a little drive and ended up here:

Pt. Defiance ferry dock

after which we boarded and took a little ride to the other side, about ten minutes. Got off on Vashon Island and drove around the entire island, just looking around and checking out places to come back to when I am mobile. Had a little lunch and drove some more. Then:

we waited for another ferry, this time from Vashon to Seattle, about 30 minutes. After we crossed and disembarked...turned right, went up the hill, turned left...this is what was waiting for us!

we had to visit outside since Mimi (me) couldn't manage all the stairs to the house. It was getting late and the little punkin' was ready to sack out. So we loved on her for a few minutes and then headed home. Thanks to mama for bring her out to meet us. It was an excellent adventure indeed. Embrace joy this week, look for it, seek it out, count your blessings and choose joy.

what once was lost....

2011-09-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

...has now been found. Enjoy!

we're on the eve of destruction...

2011-09-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

...I have had that song running through my head all day. Perhaps it is the political climate that has me feeling so on edge...perhaps. I'm not a millionaire so what have I got to worry about?

It has been most frustrating of days today. I am just so tired of sitting...two weeks in and four to go and I'm about to lose it. I wanted to try and work on some of those projects that I so carelessly flaunted a few weeks ago but being unable to weight bear has left me in quite the quandary when it comes to getting into the craft room and outside to paint. I'm not giving up on it though, I will find a way, I always do...just not in the time frame that I had hoped.

My daughter came down this way last Saturday (about two hours away) and we were able to meet at a local restaurant at the marina for lunch. It was so wonderful to see her, I wish she could know how it fills my heart so. Anyway, there was also a Farmers Market at the marina that day and she brought me the most beautiful flower bouquet. Since nothing, nothing, in my garden can come close to the beauty of these dahlia's I'm going to share them with you. (I am a sotc picture-taker so please bear with me!) Enjoy and have a great Tuesday.

p.s. to add to my anxiety and frustration I am unable to access the photos I uploaded today. This is on the computer that just came home from the geeks...gah! Sorry peeps.

Precious and few...

2011-09-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

...are the moments we two can share.

THE best medicine ever. Seven months.

Say good-bye to Murphy...

2011-09-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

you all know Murphy right? The most obnoxious of all uninvited guests? The most unappealing, disruptive, expensive, frustratingly hateful, unwanted visitor of all times?
from the wiki:

"Murphy's law or the fourth law of thermodynamics" (actually there were only three last I heard) which states: "If anything can go wrong, it will."^[5]

^{Yeah, THAT Murphy.}

^{He's been hanging out here for a few weeks and I am at the point of total despair and must, must, insist that he leave. I am not sending him your way and can only hope that he will meet some disdainful end on his way to where ever he is headed next.}

^{Just a few of his shenanigans here this week:}
^{found out about my stress fracture and all that goes with mending a broken in half foot.}
^{went to pick up the kneely scooter and when the hubs came back to the car the battery was dead.}
^{good Samaritan offered to help with the car, thank you.}
^{good Samaritan uses jumper cables incorrectly and 'blew out' all the lights on the dashboard...and the radio, heater and air.}
^{downloaded 88 pictures of my sweet punky last night and moments later the computer flashed several times and then died. I can only assume all my photos went poof too.}
^{Well no, I didn't back up my files. And yes, I know how stupid that was.}

^{So to reiterate.}
^{Dear Murphy, take your friends Mayhem and Misery and get out...O.U.T. out. Do not pass go...do not look back...hit the road Jack...I have officially kicked you to the curb. b-bye now.}
^{signed: jojoscott and company}

Aye, therein lies the rub...

2011-09-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

...therein lies the rub, the catch, the thing that blocks our way, changes the game, the source of the problem. One of the most misquoted lines of Shakespeare.

from Hamlet
"Therein lies the rub
For in that sleep of death we know not what dreams may come...."

sorting out the problem, getting to the root of the object of my misery has had me tied in knots these past few days.

As you are well aware I took quite a tumble a few weeks ago and, along with bruising my pride and embarrassing myself to the core, I fractured (ever so slightly) a few ribs. Recovery has gone very well and it's not complete torture to try and sneeze or cough again. But here comes that 'rub' part. It would seem that I occurred some stress fractures in my foot as well. Unbeknown to me I have been walking these past few weeks on said fractures and have now developed a rather serious condition called Charcot Foot.

Charcot is a neurological disorder of the foot caused by a breakdown of joints, nerves and bone, that are due to neuropathy (loss of feeling), which I have from being diabetic forever. The mid-section of the foot collapses changing the entire shape of the foot and leaving it at a high risk for ulcers and further fractures. This is where I am at right now.

The treatment is no-weight-bearing for 4-6-8 weeks while the foot is in an acute stage. If we can get the breakdown cycle to end and the healing cycle to begin during that time there is a greater chance of recovery. If not...well, I'm here to tell you that I can not go to that place again for it is how I 'lost' my right foot fifteen years ago.

For now I am sitting, sitting, and sitting some more since crutches are out (can't use crutches when you have one broken foot and one prosthetic foot). I do have a wheelchair to get around the house in or if need be to use when we go out. I will need a ramp though if I expect to leave the house! I also have this funky little scooter that you kneel on with your bad side and then push off on with the good side. Again though, I have no good side! This has become quite an interesting learning tool and the curve at this moment is quite low.

so y'all, there's the rub.
Charcot Foot

In the Silence....

2011-09-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

I Remember.

five (5) things...

2011-09-05T22:56:00.000-07:00

...I love about September...

*I live in Washington and although we are never promised anything but stormy, cloudy skies in Spring, or weeks and weeks of Summers warmth and sunshine, we are always, always promised the most wonderful September skies. It makes it all worth the wait.

*Picking apples and peaches. Canning pickles and baking 'crisps' on beautiful crisp mornings.

*Yellow leaves spinning in the breeze.

*the shift of shadow and light, feeling the warmth on my back.

*All the fun "September" songs from my youth. "September," by Earth, Wind, and Fire.
"September Morn," by Neil Diamond, "Will I see you in September?" by The Tempos

These are just a few of mine...how about you?

It was bound to happen...

2011-09-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

...sooner or later, I was hoping for later but *sigh*

I had my first grandma/mother-in-law moment today. I just couldn't help myself! I saw something that concerned me and before I knew it, it was out of my mouth! No harm done but there was a moment when I turned around to see if my mother was there! It sure sounded like her.

Oh well...

giving due...

2011-09-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

...I do my best to keep my political views off of this blog.

I do my best to keep my religious beliefs from flowing into

my posts but occasionally they do

and

for that I am unapologetic.

With that said I feel that this is just too important to let it go

without comment.

As you all know,

who have been here regularly,

I suffer with

depression.

It is a monster,

and is not something I would wish for anyone to deal with.

will steal away your life if you let it.

And so when I read this

Cozy Little House

yesterday,

I had

to smile a little,

sigh a little,

and give thanks...

for it is a start.

source: Internet

That the Obama administration has reversed the long-standing policy against sending condolences only to families of service members who died either in combat or as a result of non-combat activity in war zones. Excluding suicide victims.

There are many wars to be fought. And one is on depression and PTSD. The stigma that has prevailed about this subject, this tragedy, has just been lifted, if just a bit.

It's about time this country honors those unseen scars. It's about time.

And for that move in the battle against the stigma that has been part of our societal mores for so long, I am deeply grateful.

True confessions...

2011-08-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

...I am beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, just a little bit that I may have a touch of the hoarding syndrome. Now let me explain before you sign me up for an intervention. I don't have 'stuff' everywhere, you can see all of my floors and counter tops and you will not catch any unwanted diseases from using our bathrooms or fixing meals in the kitchen. phew...What I do have are many, OK several unfinished projects around the house.

Some of these are just your usual upkeep...painting, deep-cleaning types of things. These projects are not scattered all over the house but for the most part reside in our spare bedroom/dressing room/sewing/craft/ironing/let's put it here room. You know, we all have one. Thing is I never really get around to finishing these projects, or even beginning them.

I don't know when this started. I can only guess that it was a few years ago when I discovered HGTV and blogging and realized that I could buy things at flea markets and transform them into something beautiful and useful. In my mind at least.

I have overloaded myself with so many projects. I've bought all the necessary items to refinish, repaint, buff, wax, distress, well...maybe I do need an intervention.

Here's where you get to help me. I am going to list some of the more pressing projects and post them as I go along. This will help you to keep me in line and it will help me to realize that I need to make time for the things I love. You can help me keep my feet to fire otherwise I will be embarrassed that I have confided this in you!

I've got frames to paint and distress, sort through and remember what I was going to put back in them. (I have a problem buying old frames!) Also, painting this plant table and putting some sort of scrolly design on the top.

Paint and recover these great chairs that we found at a city-wide garage sale for $5. There were six of them but someone bought three before I saw these. I didn't want three, I wanted four or six...so I settle for two. Now we will all have our own chair around the dining room table.

And this door. This door has puzzled me for several years. Yeah, I think it was the beginning of my disorder. Now that I have it and it's beautiful crystal doorknob, I need to decide what to do with it. I've been leaning toward a headboard for quite awhile and think that is what will eventually come of it. What would you do with an old door?

I also have a front door to paint, the one that leads to our house.
A back hall re-do.
And a few Christmas surprises.
I am setting my goals on the easy, lazy, side but hope to have them all finished by years end. So, I'd better hop to it and make sure I show you all my progress weekly. But first, FIRST, I must start here and see what I can uncover in the 'craft' room. Happy thriftng y'all.

the word of the day...

2011-08-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

...is "grumpy."

we had a family get-together last Sunday to celebrate the summer birthdays of which there are many. ( My goodness November is a 'busy' month!) Anyway, after all the planning and cooking and shopping for gifts the majority of the guests...o.k. all of them including the hosts were quite grumpy. Lack of sleep, cranky parents, tired/bored daughter/husband, ~~ungrateful~~ ....well, you get my drift.

Rather than bore you all with the details or further offend anyone who was there, or supposed to be there, I will leave all the 'talking' to my sweet pumpkin. The end.

ketchup...

2011-08-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

...I can't believe it's been so long since I posted, so not like me but then again, summer came to town and I have been taking full advantage of her wonders.

For all my east coasters: I hope you are all right. Nothing like a little shake, rattle, and roll to spice things up. We haven't had a tembler in quite awhile (fingers crossed, sign of the cross) but my memories of the last one are still quite fresh in my mind. Stay safe y'all.

I haven't been out junkin' in over a month which is something I hope to rectify tomorrow as we head over to the island for the day. I don't think I've shared my last treasure with you and since I had some other treasures out for a photo shoot I thought I would add this one.

I picked up this cute little silver-plate coffee set a few weeks ago for $3.99. I just love the scrolly details although I don't know anything about them. There are no markings on the set and it is in excellent condition. I'm going to see what I can find about it before I decide if it goes in the shop or not. and yes you can see the photographer in the reflection.

Have a great Wednesday peeps.

report card...

2011-08-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

(my mimi is not a photographer!)

6 months
15 pounds
2 bottom teeth
sitting up
eating cereal
rolling over and over
almost crawling
pulling herself up
NOT napping
happy, happy, happy

move over hostess...

2011-08-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

...much like Homer Simpson or Yogi bear I am easily distracted at the notion of a donut. That is why, when perusing the produce isle yesterday, I immediately spotted the 'donut' peaches and nectarines. These are new to me but have been around for about twenty years and they come from my state...who knew?

just look how they are packaged!

just the right size with a stone (pit) about the size of a pistachio.

and only 40 calories means you can indulge

have you tried these little gems yet?

we all want to change the world...

2011-08-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Making peace with my head...

2011-08-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

...I am a redhead tried and true, to my core and in every sense of the word. My mother was a redhead as was her father so that recessive gene really had a field day in our family.
As a child I hated having red hair, it seemed there was nothing worse that you could be and the teasing and taunting started when I was very young. In fact my mother was deeply disappointed to see she had birthed a redheaded daughter. I like to think that was because she knew it would add a cruel dimension to my life but her disappointment in me ran much deeper than just my red head.

History has not been kind to redheads. In biblical times red haired babies were left outside for the wild animals to destroy. Adam, Mary Magdalene, and Judas were all depicted as red haired and the mark of Cain is supposedly redheadedness. Modern society hasn't done much to change past views of the red inclined. The Nazi's were deathly afraid of redheads, as if they needed another reason to kill someone. Witches are often portrayed in cartoons as redheads as are most villains. They are portrayed as untrustworthy and unattractive, hot-tempered deviants. How could a person ever make peace with that?

There are some interesting facts about us reds that you might find surprising.

*Per square inch of scalp the reds have the least amount of hair but since it is so thick it appears to be much more.
* During the war when surgical supplies were low the surgeons would use hair from a redhead to 'sew' people up.
*only 4% of the worlds population is redheaded...most of them being from Scotland or Ireland. (my grandfather came from Ireland)
*we get more bee stings.
*obviously, the sun-burn-thing.
*we don't get gray hair...we go from red to white with not stopping for the gray.
*we really are stubborn and hot tempered but you would be to if you were taunted from birth.
* we are also very creative and great leaders...think Churchill, Elizabeth 1, and King Arthur.

So how did I come to this new found peace? age. As I stated earlier, I hated having red hair from the start. People would ask me 'where did you get that hair?' and always I would answer 'God.' It was very confusing to me as a child as to why people would care. As I got older the silly questions and teasing took a turn and I noticed that men, older men, I mean old men, would make comments to me. Most of them quite rude and crude. This was not only confusing and scary but I think this may be the time that I developed my 'temper.' I'll admit it...I have quite the temper and it doesn't take much of a push for it to come out. Later as I grew in to adulthood and my hair turned from carrot-orange-red to a blonde-red I began to feel differently about it and myself. Being 'different' wasn't such a bad thing anymore, I could fend for myself if necessary but it didn't seem necessary as friends, namely boys, found me interesting and funny despite the red locks.

At this point in my life it has toned down quite a bit and the annoying brightness is less of a problem. I enjoy not having to color/cover the gray/white. (I've tried it but coloring and/or perming don't take to red hair). I enjoy being just a little bit different and standing out in a crowd. I finally feel a sense of peace with who I am, hair and all. And if I'm completely honest, although I didn't want my children to have red hair (and they don't) I was secretly hoping that my grandbabygirl would have copper locks. She doesn't, but I can always dream.

Nobody who has known a redhead can say that redheads are tame. Even shy redheads have a burning spark of adventure inside them. Opinionated, hotheaded, logical, loyal, friendly, reserved, whatever the redheads' personality, you can bet they'll have SCADS of it!" - Review of The Redhead Encyclopedia

Housekeeping...

2011-08-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

...Oh my, look at this place, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, dust bunnies scattered on the floors, paint peeling, hazy-grimy windows...the list goes on and on. Wow, take a few days away from the blog and look what happens! I must get to cleaning up around here:

I can't believe that it's been two weeks since my fall from grace, or my graceful fall as the case may be. And there she stands, the perpetrator (fountain), at the edge of the patio with her sly, sweet smile and beautiful flowing waters. I'll get you my pretty...

You would think with all the nothing that I've been doing that I would have something to blog about but alas you would be wrong...I've got nothing. Oh wait, I do.

A few weeks ago Deb over at Whatsoever things are lovely had a little contest and I won. Yeah baby. She is a local by the way and hopefully we will drive the hour it takes to meet each other soon. Anyway, I won these little cutie salt and pepper shakers and wow, do they ever like living here! Moo-ooo-ooo.

If you get the chance go visit Deb and tell her I sent you. I will be back as soon as I get my virtual house picked up...take care peeps.

I can't smile without you...

2011-08-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

...thanks C..;j

meanwhile...

2011-08-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

...back at the cuckoo's nest, I am beginning to learn my new normal. After spending another day at the emergency room ~~seeking drugs~~ trying to convince someone, anyone, that I needed additional pain medication I was successful.

This doctor was quite upset over the happening of the previous visit and as it turns out little miss nursy nurse is being investigated for taking medication refills from the patients and putting them into her pocket. She has quite a little racket going on there.

As with any other type of fracture, ribs will take 6-8 weeks to heal properly. Maybe even longer as they can't be placed into a cast for optimal healing. I can see it now..."how I spent my summer vacation."

Now that we have the medication situation taken care of I have absolutely no intention of making any more or any less sense than I ever have....go figure.

Things I've learned...part 4..

2011-07-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

...when my children were younger I used to tell them that every situation was an opportunity to learn something. A chance to learn something about yourself and also about those around you. We would take a few moments every day to talk about our experiences and what we learned from them...gah, they must have hated that. Oy, to this week.

* I learned that an overweight, 57year old, white haired woman, can actually be mistaken for a drug seeking misfit.

*I learned that some people are just plain stupid.

*I learned that if you are feeling rather punky it is not a good idea to park on the top floor of the hospital parking garage.

*I learned that concrete has no 'give.'

*I learned that a broken rib, or two, or three is possibly the worst physical pain I have ever endured.

*breathing hurts.

*I hate stupid people.

*I love my doctor, and especially the medication she prescribed for me.

*I learned that if you grocery shop on a Saturday evening not only will you be the only one in the store but there will be no milk or fresh produce to be found.

*I learned that I have the best blog buddies and that I should count my blessings every single day.

and I do. Thank you all for your concern. I am slowly feeling better and think that I might possibly even get some sleep tonight. Happy Monday ya'll.

stumble, tumble, shake, rattlle and roll...

2011-07-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

...yesterday as I was moving the sprinkler I noticed that my feet seemed to be tangled up with each other. Oh no, thought me...don't fall.

slow motion sets in and I notice the hose reel that is attached to the house. I'll grab on to that I say but my self is not fooled. The dang reel comes right off the house.

In my downward spiral I notice our fountain. We had moved it into the yard earlier to clean it. Don't hit the fountain I tell myself but once again I'm not listening.

Hello fountain, wow concreted against your rib cage is ridiculously painful.

Oh, hello sidewalk...don't hit your head, don't hit your head, don't hit your head.   *damn*

Seven and a half hours later I return home from the emergency room. I've been x-rayed, prodded, injected and rattled around enough to wake the dead.   I am covered in abrasions and contusions (scratches, bruises) and have not one, not two, but three fractured ribs on the left side. Thank God I didn't hit my head.

see you in a few days. Meanwhile, I must find something for the pain as the emergency room doctor thought I was 'drug seeking' (post for another time) and sent me home without pain meds.   *damn*

where have I been...

2011-07-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

...~~gorging~~ munching on Rainier cherries...

...'nuff said! How about you?

Deep, cleansing breath...

2011-07-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

...can you feel it?

taken at a local marina the last warm, sunny day we had...July 3rd! Sorry to all you dealing with the opressive heat...

Not a gardener...

2011-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

..am I. I don't even play one on the tele. Those green thumbs and grass stained knees have never thrilled me as it does many others. I don't mind gardening but it often feels too much like yard work than something lovely and soothing. I might enjoy it better if I was the least bit successful at it...well, maybe.

Here's my recent dilemma.

These are growing all over the place. Never planted them, don't know what they are but at the moment they are the only blooming thing in the yard! Some of them have even planted themselves in empty hose containers and old bins. (not that I have any of that stuff hanging around my yard.)

and so, my bloggy garden guru friends, can you tell me what this is? And do I have to spend the day tomorrow pulling them out??

Please don't tell me that it some noxious weed that will cause all kinds of mayhem if it isn't removed! Thanks ya'll.

Who knew...

2011-07-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

...first of all I wanted to thank you all for your comments, support and wonderful advice. Obviously many of you have been in these shoes before. That is so sad to me on so many different levels, family should be the place where you get to be who you are without being judged. It's a fantasy I carry in my little head...must have watched too much t.v. when I was growing up. "Brady Bunch," "Waltons," "Father knows Best," "Donna Reed," all gave me an unrealistic view of 'family.'

On to other things:

Today the hubs had a run in with the electric pruning shears. Ouch! He will be fine/he is fine. But here's the funny thing. He cut his pinky finger quite deeply and that sucker bled and bled and bled some more. He is on blood thinners so getting any kind of cut to stop bleeding is sometimes futile and we end up in the ER. After wrapping it up and getting him over to the ER, a long wait of about two hours with him holding it higher than his heart to slow down the bleeding, and finally getting back to see the doctor you will never guess what they did. After unwrapping it and checking for foreign objects, then a quick clean with saline they super-glued it shut. Yep, super-glue! The doctor said that's how they treat these bleeder now instead of stitching them up. Clean it up then glue it shut. Now, there's something new to add to our first aid kit!

Have a good Monday...

A long, hard look...

2011-07-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

google images

...every so often life requires us, by circumstance, to take a step back and take a good, hard, difficult look at ourselves. That has certainly been the case for me as of late and as much as I try to keep my personal life off of the blog this issue has seeped into every pore of my soul and is tearing at the fabric of my being.

I know that you are all aware of my health issues but there is much, much more that I don't share in that regard, and, at times I have skimmed over the troubles I have with my extended family. I have no desire to turn this blog into a tell--all of the dysfunctional passive aggressive middle school mentality of said family, nor is it an attempt to solicit sympathy. It's just me and my little heart in a bad place.

Yep, I've got my judgy-pants on, again. It's not something I am proud of and truth be told I do my best to not be a judgemental person. Those judgy-pants don't fit me well anymore and that is something I have striven very diligently to accomplish. But, we are all human and all put those pants on occasionally. The trick is to not get too comfortable in them and that is where this becomes so difficult for me. You see, those certain people are quite used to wearing the judgy-pants. They fit like a glove and are the most comfortable thing they own, and I can't be a part of someone who is thus so comfortable.

If I remove myself from the situation then I change the dynamics of our family. I will be choosing to not share holidays/special days/summer days/birthdays/any days with the only people I am related to that are still alive. I will be making a choice that will affect my marriage and my relationship with my children. But in every sense of the word I will be choosing to save my own life. I feel so torn right now, so broken that my trust has been shattered. I feel battered and bruised by the very ones who know who I really am but choose to see something different.

Time to take my judgy-pants off before they get too comfortable.

White Wednesday...

2011-07-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

...a couple of

thrifty finds

for

Secret Garden.

Linking to Kathleen

at Faded Charm

for

White Wednesday.

of lovely days and lovely ways...

2011-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

You know there ain't no cure...

2011-07-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

...for the summertime blues.

Conspiracy theory...

2011-07-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

...three day holiday.
...chop, chop, chop.
...skewer, marinate, chop.
...bake.
...chop, mix, chop.
...slice, dice, mix.
...many people.
...little baby.
...munch, munch, gorge.
...slurp, slobber, mwah.
...eat, drink, be merry.
...boom, pow, crackle-pop.
...sunshine, all three days.
...85degrees.
...wet feet, sticky fingers, bumble bees.
...and one, only one, yep, just one s'more...

have all conspired to make me a little dehydrated and a lot sick. Too sick to even get in the car and go to the dr. So, I'm off to take some more anti-nausea meds and I'll see y'all soon. Hope your holiday was grand!

Monday's snap...

2011-07-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your holiday....be safe and don't forget to buckle up!

Burning questions...

2011-06-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that this hasn't been the best day I've ever had. I don't think that I've done much, or anything, to embrace my spirit or passion. I must rectify this as soon as possible, for too many days without passion are just too many days spent alone.

How about you?

Simplicity again...

2011-06-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

"to find the air

and the water exhilarating;

to be refreshed by a morning walk,

to be thrilled by the stars at night...

to be elated by a bird's song

or a wildflower in spring...

these are the rewards

of a simple life"

Burroughs

Simplicity is...

2011-06-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

...a blue ball jar and some fresh ~~weeds~~ flowers from the yard...

Monday's snap...

2011-06-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

...got drool?!

June gloom...

2011-06-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

...well, it's official. June has been dubbed 'June ~~doom~~ Gloom,' even the weather man says so. I've also heard 'the spring that wasn't,' 'spring where are you,' hey it's summer somewhere.' Yeah, there is plenty to go around. Now we are moving on to the official start of summer, which is July 4th here. If you have any outdoor events do not plan them in June...period.

My garden is sorely lacking. Several weeks ago I planted many, many flower seeds in my cutting garden. As I have stated before, I have never tried growing flowers from seed except Nasturtiums. So I planted, and planted, and hoped and wished and waited and waited some more. Want to take a peek?

here's my only peony and it is far from opening...

and here...here is my most ~~expensive~~ wonderful 'Knock-out' rose that got a good beating yesterday when storm after storm blew through here. Poor thing needs medical attention. We won't even look out at the veggie patch, and blueberries...gone baby gone.

As you can see there is some sunshine here and there today. I'm hoping to convince it to hang around for awhile...then I'll have something new to complain about! How does your garden grow?

We all want to change the world...

2011-06-22T00:48:00.000-07:00

...manners. When I was growing up, way back when, manners were a very important part of our upbringing. It was taught in school, there were books about it, articles in magazines and even a Miss Manners column in the newspaper. A "Dear Abby" of the manners world where people would write in and ask questions about how to handle those rowdy relatives or what fork to use for each course.

In our home manners were as important, if not more than, as our religious beliefs. Bad manners simply would not be tolerated...what would the neighbors think after all? Besides the don't talk with your mouth full, and take your hat off in the house, and of course our p's and q's I distinctly remember; "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all." In our home this seemed to be more of a do as I say not as I do exercise in futility. My mother not being one to censor herself.

The last few days, indeed weeks, have been difficult ones over here. I have been having problems with ongoing health issues and new health issues and to top it off, people in my life who would do well to learn some manners. So, in my effort to not put any more ugliness into the world I am going to shuuush myself and try to remember/focus on these wise words.

On this day...

2011-06-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

...I had a completely different post in mind for today but then realized that it's Fathers Day. I can't just let that pass by.

For all of you who are Blessed enough to still have your Father in your life, on this earth. Call him, tell him you love him and if you have the chance give him a hug and a kiss. Let him know how special he is, how much he means to you, what a great dad he is/was. If mine were here I would take every opportunity, every single day, to tell him just how much he means to me, to my siblings, my husband, our children...we all miss you 'dad,' 'daddy,' 'pop.'

To my husband; thank you for being just the best. Our children are so Blessed to have you as their father but more importantly they have you as a dad, in every way you are the light of their lives. They know they can count on you any time, that you will always listen and make their days special. I pretty much hit the jackpot with you!

To my brother, I know that there is so much going on in your life right now and it doesn't seem that it will ever be better but you are a great dad. You have a beautiful girl whom we adore. I know your time with each other is very special and I know you often think of our dad and pass those wonderful memories and qualities along to your girl. That one has yours and dads sense of humour!

To my son, on your first father's day...I get tears and my heart swells with pride when I see you with your daughter. When you told me she was here there was a joy in your heart that I have never seen before. You are gentle, and kind, and loving and that sweet punkin' has you wrapped around her little finger already! You make us so proud.

To all of you Fathers out there...happy day. Now go hug your kids!

Fragility...

2011-06-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

...as I was putting this post together in my mind I couldn't decide if I wanted to use the title of 'fragility,' or 'frailty.' After a quick look at the online dictionary I decided on Fragility. This is, after all, a post about life, love and loss.

Fragility: easily broken or destroyed., delicacy of construction. frail.

How easily those definitions apply to our lives.

The day after Easter my hubs found a perfect, blue, robin's egg on top of a fence-post in our backyard. I thought he was joking and assumed it was a Cadbury while expecting that he would pop it in his mouth and eat it. As it turned out he hadn't touched it at all...just saw it on the fence-post and left it there. How could it have possibly fallen from a nest, that we couldn't find, and land on the fence-post with such utter grace and precision to have not broken.

Several days later, after a windy rainy night, I noticed something laying on the driveway. I was hesitant to go out and see what it was as it looked, to me, like a dead animal...perhaps a small possum. After my horror with the possum a few years ago I decided to leave it there for the hubs...again. When he came home he informed me that there was a bird's nest on the driveway and that it looked as if it had been dragged out of the tree. There was no sign of the birds or the babies/eggs.

All of this was happening as the rest of the country and the world were dealing with tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunami, wildfires, and on and on. I just couldn't help thinking of the fragility of life. One moment we are living out lives and the next there is a swath of death and destruction. Overwhelming on all accounts.

I brought the nest into the house, after spraying it with a sealer, and put the little egg in the nest as a reunion of sorts. Every time I look at it I am reminded of the fragility of each and every moment...
stop for just a second today and remember how incredibly blessed we are in this time, this moment, this place.

Happy Monday friends..;j

Again with the yellow tags...

2011-06-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

...if you read yesterdays post then you will not be surprised to know that immediately after purchasing the plant stand I ran right back into the store and spent the next 30minutes looking for yellow tags!

And my timing could not have been better:

this rusty crusty planter looks much better after a quick coat of white spray paint, then I lined it with moss and planted a few fuchsias. I've not had luck with fuchsias in the past but I'm hoping they like their new home right outside the back door.

And here we have another rusty-crusty-metal-thingy that looks much better after a quick spray and a little bird house on top. This is out in my new 'cutting' garden. (those are not weeds by the way!)

A cute little wooden wheelbarrow (upside down for some reason) I'm not going to paint this one since I like it's worn look. Not sure what I will put in it or if I will just leave it. Ideas?

And finally, this little garden faerie. I'm not sure what she really is but she seems quite content to sit in the potted pansies that happen to be sitting on the infamous orange chair...the $3. chair.

All of these items were originally priced from $3.99 ~ $5.99 and I got them all for $.99 each. I will be looking out for yellow tag Sundays next time we go out of town.

This concludes our yellow-tag foray

finally.

Follow the yellow tag...

2011-06-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

***before I get started I want to say that I have been having major issues with posting and commenting lately. I'm losing posts before I can save them, I'm having posts show up when they are not scheduled to and I can't sign in most days. I spent 45 minutes trying to leave a Happy Birthday comment last night and ended up turning the computer off and going to sleep. So please just know that I am here and I'm trying to get around and visit all of you and I'm hoping this will be corrected soon.***I also have no control over the spacing, the font and the font size...so sorry~***

...a few weeks ago, after a post Mother's Day get together at the in-laws, we were driving home when I noticed a 'new' thrift store. I don't usually peruse the shoppes out of town but I was still in the "searching for backyard/garden kitsch" mode and so we stopped in for a look-see.

I wandered around a bit and came upon this little nugget:

It looked to be in pretty good shape but it was hard to really tell as it was being used as a repository for artificial flowers and greenery. It was also hanging up on the wall barely out of reach, so, in order to check it out and find the price I had to ~~yank~~ gently remove it from it's hook, and discreetly remove all the floral pieces. Eventually, I found the price tag...a small yellow sticker...$4.99. Well, hmmmm, o.k.

When I got to the counter, much to my surprise, I was informed that all yellow tags were .99 cents today. Yay, for me. I brought that baby home, gave her a coat of white spray paint using my new and wonderful sprayer handle gadget, and when it was all nice and dry moved it over to the patio and plopped my Knockout rose in it.

I also went back into the store and did a little more shopping...yellow tags, Oh yeah! I'm getting over my aversion to yellow.

My obsession...

2011-06-04T23:51:00.000-07:00

Tuesdays tids...

2011-05-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

...I don't think I've done a Tuesday tid-bits at all this year. Not to worry though, there is still plenty of ~~crap~~ this and that and the other thing to get me through.

*for the majority of the country Memorial day is the unofficial start of summer. For western Washington the unofficial start of summer is July 4th. I am still wondering when we will see the start of spring, official or otherwise.

*I still have not planted a vegetable garden, and with our shortened growing season I am wondering if I should even bother. It is all weeded and tilled so I guess I should plant something there before the weeds make their come-back.

*I have a serious case of dry eye which is really cutting into my computer time. It makes watching t.v. with your eyes closed a little difficult too.

*I keep falling asleep while I'm watching t.v.

*Last week at Marshall's I bought two sets of "skinny" hangars. These are slim hangers that are coated with a non-stick surface to keep your clothes from sliding off (the hangar not your person). They also take up less space in the closet. I have no excuse to not clean out my closet now.

*I hope my fat clothes will not be too offended.

*here is a picture of my favorite new toy:

more to come...you've been warned! Happy Tuesday y'all.

for all of us who live in Freedom...

2011-05-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

In his second Inaugural Address, in the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln called on our embattled Nation "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations." On this Memorial Day, and every day, we bear a heavy burden of responsibility to uphold the founding principles so many died defending. I call on all Americans to come together to honor the men and women who gave their lives so that we may live free, and to strive for a just and lasting peace in our world.

source

Songs in Ordinary Time...

2011-05-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

...those of you who are former Catholic school girls will remember that "Ordinary Time" is time of year following Epiphany and Pentecost. Rather than meaning common or mundane the term comes from the word "ordinal" which simply means counted time.

The rest of us probably remember it as an Oprah book club choice back in the late '90's and a LMN movie thereafter. It was an enjoyable book but for me the movie did not live up to it's full potential. Such as it is with books and movies for me.

Ordinary time for me is just that...ordinary. And although it does not celebrate a certain ''feast' or 'event' it is a day to cherish and rejoice. Today I sang a song of ordinary time.

With no constraints against me for my time or energy I awoke to a beautiful sunny day. After a great nights rest and no alarm clock grouchily waking me up, I savoured my cup off coffee. With no where to go, nothing to do I simply went about my day. Dishes, laundry, making the bed...none of these things feeling like chores today. Nothing pulling at me to be done or finished I made my way outside and took a little nap in the sunshine.

I pulled some weeds, finished planting my seeds, transplanted a few things that needed bigger pots, re-arranged the old pots to see what or if I needed to replace. I spray painted some odds and ends, for a later post. I thought about sweeping the porch, but didn't. I thought about raking the dying moss in the yard, but didn't. I thought about walking the dog, but ~~couldn't~~ didn't. In every way it was just an ordinary day.

No dinner plans except to throw a few things together as hubby put some Halibut on the grill.

No misery, no mayhem, no complications. An ordinary day that would pass others by without an second glance, or be put down as 'boring.' Not to me...I rejoice in the ordinary days. They are a rare gift in my life and I love when they come around...my heart sings a song of ordinary days.

Is your heart singing today?

google images

It's a knockout...

2011-05-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

...this last fall, winter, spring has been so much rainier than years past, even for us. We unfortunately have lost a lot of our garden plants. Most of my bulbs are gone, I think they just may have become water-logged, our Rhododendrons look pitiful and only one of our many rose bushes survived.

We had a small garden of roses along the back of the house, all but one being planted in honor of or in memory of a special person or horrific event. None of them made it through to bloom so we, meaning the hubs, dug them all out and this became my cutting garden, which remains a work in progress.

I was a little saddened that so many roses were lost especially since they held a special place in my heart. So recently, while perusing blogs, I came across several people who were crazy over the Knockout Roses. I did a little research on them and found that they are a hardy shrub rose that can be grown in a pot. I mentioned that we should keep an eye out for them next time we were in the store and lo and behold we came across two last week. One of them jumped right into my cart~~right there on top of all my groceries and such. I couldn't get it back out as it insisted on coming to live with us...

As directed I planted the little ~~bugger~~ sweetheart in a pot and it's on the patio where I can easily see it. It is gorgeous! Scarlett colored blooms, tons of them, and the plant is a nice compact shape. I can't wait to see it bloom all Spring and Summer and I love the fact that they don't need to be pruned or deadheaded. I need all my plants to be self sufficient! Do you own a Knockout?

from the tag:
The Knock Out^® Family of Roses are easy to grow and do not require special care. They are the most disease resistant rose on the market. They have stunning flower power with a generous bloom cycle (about every 5-6 weeks) that will continue until the first hard frost. All of the Knock Out^® Roses are self-cleaning so there is no need to deadhead

Paper dolls...

2011-05-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

...I am sure that most of you are at an age where you remember paper dolls. I can remember my favorite, Connie Frances, and trying to cut out all the clothes and accessories that went with her. It was quite a trying time for little hands and scissors and trying to punch them out along the dotted lines was just impossible. I had many paper doll clothes that were taped together! As I was browsing tonight I came across this dress...made completely out of paper, for a real live ~~person~~ doll. Incredible...

"For her creative processes class Jolios Paons designed this paper dress from only phone book paper. A whole lot of pleating takes this unique creation from waste to couture. She did all the cutting, sewing and pasting all by hand. To see more go here."

I hope she got an A! Happy Monday y'all...

Things I've learned, or learnt...

2011-05-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

...while blogger was on a bloggy break the last two days I learned a lot of things about myself, more than I am willing to share at the moment but a few I will.

1. FB is a poor substitute for blogging...at least for me. I need to get things out, get them down, write 'em, scream 'em, what ever it takes.

2. I am a passionate person who can not keep things bottled up.

3. I can not be alone.

4. I missed all of you.

5. I had to bake.

I was completely surprised at just how important blogging has become to me. I missed all of you, I missed our connection to each other...it is something that I have come to depend on and when you all weren't here I was a mess.

It's so nice to have you all back. Please don't leave me again...*sigh*...

The divine Miss 'M'...

2011-05-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

just shy of 3 months
22 inces long
10 lbs.
*ahhhh-gooo*

Because of her...

2011-05-07T22:14:00.000-07:00

flowers from my duaghter today
for
Mother's Day...

...I am a fiery, Irish, red-headed girl.

...I am passionate and funny.

...I love my morning tea and afternoon coffee.

...I cherish my family and adore my grand-baby.

...I embrace beauty and love.

...I am faithful and have faith.

...I am married to my best friend, my biggest supporter.

...I have manners, respect, and compassion.

...I grew up in a wonderful home that would rival Donna Reed.

just like her...

...I have endured unspeakable loss.

...I have little patience for stupidity.

...I have suffered the sting of depression.

...I have no green thumb, pretty hands, or in-style shoes!

....I am torn.

I had a much different post in mind tonight but the words just wouldn't flow when I sat down to write. My mother deserves much more than a little list from me. She deserves to be remembered with respect, with a smile, with love. I miss her more than words can begin to say, just as I miss the little boy and my dad. She was the driving force in my life and continues to be so now. There is nothing that I do that doesn't cause me to wonder what she would think. Most of the time I think she would be happy and proud. She was a force to be reckoned with and she left behind a daughter who is her biggest fan. Love and squishes to my mom today and always...j

Field of dreams...

2011-05-05T23:03:00.000-07:00

...shortly after we moved into this house the hubs and I began plotting out our gardens. He wanted a nice little veggie patch and of course, I wanted a flower patch. We were fortunate enough that the yard had been landscaped by the builders so we didn't have that expense and could just concentrate on filling in places.

The hubs built two raised vegetable gardens on the south side of the house, about a foot off of the ground and easy to work in and maintain. Every year we planted a little hope along with our veggie seeds and most of the time we were gifted with a few tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, squash, peas, and the like. Most of the time. Last year was a bust. I think the late Spring and Summer had a lot to do with it and this year is turning out to be an even later start.

We decided recently to shake things up a little and add a few new items to the patch. I came across some interesting organic seeds online and ordered some...dragon carrots, black fatso pumpkins, boothby blonde cucumbers,costata romanesco zucchini,watermelon radish, sweet chocolate peppers, and touchstone gold beets. Along with the usual peas, fava beans, and tomatoes. The names alone conjure up some interesting ideas.

In addition to, and new this year, we have taken out all the roses bushes that lined the back of the house. They just didn't survive the extremely wet fall, winter and spring. The hubs turned this into a raised bed and added some new amended soil for me, also raising the bed to accommodate my needs to sit while gardening. ( I can't kneel on my prosthesis and taking it off outside to crawl around the yard is not something I want to do.) I am going to turn this area into a cutting garden. I've gathered more seeds than necessary and more than I ever have planted before, in fact, I have never planted a garden of flower seeds! Always opted to buy bedding plants.

I''m planting zinnias, hollyhock, sweetpeas, italian sunflowers, calendula, and radicculus. I also have some pansy and poppy. I know I can't cram all of this into one little flower bed but I am anxious to plan it out and see what comes up. With the exception of the sweetpeas and the poppy these are all new to me...

so I hope you will come along with me and watch my garden grow. Are any of these your favorite and do you have any advice for me? How does your garden grow?

to quote...

2011-05-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

May Day...

2011-04-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

...despite it's history of unrest and upheaval I prefer to think of May Day as the official start of Spring.

Years ago, before we moved to this house, the neighborhood girls would make May Day baskets, by hand, and deliver them to our front door. There would be a knock at the door and when answered you could see the smiling eyes and hear the muffled giggles as the little ones waited in a secret hiding place for you to find the basket. They were always made of construction paper and filled with flowers from our yard...cherry blossoms, tulips, and an occasional dandelion.

I miss those sweet days of little girls with their sweet gifts of Spring. (I do wonder, now that my daughter has her own yard, if she find dandelions so cute!)

Happy May Day y'all.

Precious and few...

2011-04-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

...are the Tulips in my garden this year. They seem to be quite late in most of the western state as are all of the bulbs, daffodils and hyacinth. I spotted these this afternoon while planting some seeds...I just couldn't wait any longer even though we still have frost warnings. I picked only three of the five that were out there, put them in their own vases and spread them around the house as though they were dipped in gold.

On another note:
the devastation in the South has been heavy on my heart these past few days. I have not heard word from my Birmingham friends and am keeping all of you affected in my thoughts and prayers. Be well, be safe, take care.

Life in the fast lane...

2011-04-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

...life with a prosthesis is always a challenge, or is that life IN a prosthesis? On a good day it is bearable, on a bad day it is it's own particular type of hell. And in between? Uncomfortable, sweaty, on-off adjustments, funny, compromising, embarrassing, humiliating, unforgiving, hysterical, great story fodder, teary, glamorous (?), and always, always humbling.

And yet, I am truly grateful.

I have a pin and clutch system. In other words, I "roll" a sleeve onto my little limb. At the end of this sleeve is a pin, about 2inches long. Then I step into my prosthesis and the pin locks down holding me all together. Well, mostly. The clutch is the section of the 'leg' that holds onto the pin and allows me to lock and go or unlock and remove. I tend to blow out the clutch rather often. I don't really know why but I'm sure it has something to do with the frustrating nature of the on and off several times a day to adjust my limb.    Then there is the 'foot' and I have one that is made for an athletic sort of person.

One of the strangest things I remember about losing the leg was being given a catalog of feet! You can order all sorts of prosthetic feet depending on your needs, even high heeled ones! But this is the one and only kind I've had since they are not reasonably priced and insurance frowns on high heeled prosthetics. I guess if I was ~~Heather Mills~~ famous that would be a different story.

I don't have a cover over my 'leg' as it add several more pounds to haul around and as it is the prosthetic weighs about fifteen pounds on it's own. I''m not sure how much my real leg would have weighed but it was attached to me and didn't feel like it was something I had to think about. It is nice to go to the doctor and subtract fifteen pounds from my weight though!! Yeah, always a silver lining.

Any kind of volume change will change the way of the fit. Volume changes being weight changes up or down, fluid retention, dehydration, summer, winter, spring and fall, the sunshine, the universe, the tides, the dog....and just about anything else you can imagine.   These changes are usually rectified with the usage of socks that go over the liner and the leg.    Often times there are issues with pressure with no obvious reason why. Then pressure sores will develop and depending on the area of the limb it could be quite uncomfortable.

I have had a pressure sore on my limb, just below my knee, for several weeks. Yesterday I started on my third round of antibiotics to be sure that no infection sets in. Yay me and antibiotics! I also blew out my clutch again. So, now we are in the process of getting a new 'leg.'   We, ha...
This is a lengthy process ~~for me~~ and takes several weeks, trips downtown for fittings, and alot of frustration for my prosthetist. I swear, I am like the Princess and the Pea with my fittings!

I love my prosthetist. I used to work with his wife and he and I were friends long before I needed his professional services. He even got special permission from the hospital board to be present in the operating room with me. He's come to my house, parking lot, phone booth, where ever I might be, to fix something that has come undone. On my first 'leg' he laminated some beautiful fabric onto it, and it was the best fitting, cutest leg you've ever seen! I could walk, run, and go to the gym with that thing. Unfortunately, it cracked during a tune-up. I've not had a well fitting leg since...;(

So this is where I am, where I've been...back and forth to see the foot man, back and forth to see the leg man, back and forth to see the PCP and just plain back and forth. Oh yeah, don't forget the eye doc, the 'c' doc, my children and grand-girl. Phew...no wonder I'm so tired.

How have you been?

Rejoice...

2011-04-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

~~The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. ~Robert Flatt~

Monday's snap...

2011-04-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

...just to prove we had some sunshine today,

oh,

glorious sunshine!

and a few out-takes...

Bloomin' Jade...

2011-04-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

...we went to the nursery a few days ago

look at what Spring

supposed to look like!

came upon this Jade plant

which

is over 25 years old.

It's

rather difficult to see

but

is quite amazing.

I have been having a LOT of problems with blogger lately. For several days I couldn't find my blog...then it appeared but I couldn't sign in.
(I even went so far as to start a new one)
uploading photos has been
a process all of itself...oy. Are you having problems too?

The many faces of Miss M...

2011-04-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

...over the course of approx. 45 seconds! Six weeks old...just over 8lbs.

random thoughts on a Thursday...

2011-04-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

...hail! rain, rain and more rain, hail, wind, rain and an occasional almost sun-shiney moment. Even for the city most famous for coffee, sunglasses and rain this is getting ridiculous. We are expecting snow in the morning...yipee.

I have dozens of seed packets at the waiting to be planted. I don't see it happening any time soon. Most of them need 70 days to mature, at this rate my plants will be reaching maturity next Fall right about the time for me to dig them back out again.

We had a professional lawn maintenance person come over yesterday. He was here to give us some advice on how to get rid of the moss that has become our backyard. It was hailing and windy while he was here and he looked rather forlorn standing under the maple tree. I don't think he'll be back.

The hubs work hours have been 'adjusted' due to a problem with the mail. I just want to go on record here and say, I don't like it.

so how is your week going?

Dining in the dining room...

2011-04-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

This is a repost from last week...
***edited to add*** I am joining Melissa at The Inspired Room gallery wall linky party. Be sure and check out all the other fabulousness. Also, forgive me, I don't know how to add her cute little blog button to my post page...hey I'm new..it's a process people! Also, also, this is my very FIRST home decorating project so please be kind! Thank you all for visiting.

...picture it...small town-medium sized state...circa 1998, we have just moved into this house after downsizing from our 'family' home. Our children having had the audacity to grow up, leave home and have lives of their own.

Our dining room is small, very small. My mothers' china cabinet and our little round table with four chairs is all that can fit in there. Although the room is open to the living room and has a large window it is still very dark. Trying to have a holiday dinner in there is difficult as I can't use the table extension and there is not enough area to move around in. It's o.k. though as it is more of a place for stuff than a real dining room. Until now...

(note to self, make sure all the crap is off the dining room table before you take a picture of the mirrors.)

Recently I have had the urge to make some changes around here and I decided to do over, make over, the dining room. It didn't need painting as it was done a few years ago and still looks good despite the myriad of tiny nail holes. Formerly this wall had a small plate rack with three plates in it which I have changed out to include the mirrors, a small collection that my daughter left behind, and the frames which are thrift store finds painted white and distressed. The only cost was the large mirror which was intended for a different room and was $20. The mercury glass was a gift at Christmas as was the little birdie mirror. The only thing that doesn't feel right is that little birdie mirror but I will keep it up for awhile and see.

Yesterday I painted an old shutter French Blue and after it is distressed I will show you what I have planned for it in here too. So what do you think? Too much? Too busy?? be kind!

Meet me on Monday...

2011-04-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

...today I am taking part in Java's Meet Me on Monday meme...c'mon and check it out!

from Java's blog:
Blogging is a funny thing...we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, "who is this person!?" I know them...but yet I don't know them! I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to "meet" each other!

Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!

1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I think it would have to be bread....love, love, love fresh bread...oh, and butter, gotta have the butter. Yum.

2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?

Always the day I post them, always off the cuff, never planned in advance. Yikes.

3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?

Unfortunately yes. Several times. Once from a car accident when I was in college and a few times with my heart..;(

4. What is your favorite candle scent?

Cinnamon Spice...hmmmmm.

5. Coffee or tea?

If it's hot I prefer tea, If it's not I prefer coffee. I know, I know.

Now how about you?

Picnic...

2011-03-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

...have you ever watched that movie? It's from the 50's and stars William Holden and Kim Novak and, is quite sultry. Quite.

from the cover;
Emotions are ignited amongst the complacent townsfolk when a handsome drifter arrives in a small Kansas community on the morning of the Labour Day picnic.

When I was at the thrift store recently I spotted this picnic basket. I don't normally head over to the basket section as I have too many and most of them are not being put to good use...a.k.a. junk holders. This one was on the end cap of the dishes isle and as I walked past it for the third, fourth time I decided to look at it. Unlike most thrift store baskets this one was 'clean, and bright and shiny.' A must...

nice little latch. (working)

nice sturdy adjustable strap.

a couple of handy-dandy drink carriers. And inside...

utensils, including a bottle/wine opener, several plates, and two wine glasses, or water or whatever your beverage of choice is. The lining is clean and the utensils packed as if they were never used, not that I won't be washing them thoroughly!

not a bad little picnic basket but then there is the price. My thrift store seems to know when they have something useful on their hands and they mark things up...way up. I assumed that this would be way out of my thrifty price range...lo and behold!

I looked at that tag several times convinced that there must be a '1' in front of the '2'. I looked around and quickly put it in my cart and headed to the front check-out, as if I was stealing. The cashier noticing the price grabbed her price book and nodded a few times, then called over the supervisor. I was getting ready for a 'fight.' Then both women agree that it was mis-marked and should have been priced much higher but that it was now mine...lucky me, their mistake they said.

I think I'll pack a picnic lunch and surprise my hubs this weekend. Found any nice surprises lately?

my random insanities

Friday Night Randomness...

The serious side...

Recent National news reports....

Toilet talk...

January five...

waiting, waiting, waiting...

the sky's the limit...

One word...365

snug as a bug...

a multitude of promise...

A minima Chrsitmas...

Monday snap...

Those sneaky little elves...

Another 'paper' post...

a Friday moment...

Maybe I can craft...

December's five...

The paper chronicles...

Monday's snap...

finding purpose...

while their houses laid unbuilt....

Give me five...

If it's Friday it must be Maude(day)...

The mysterious Mama Pajama...

Thursday's thought...

Tuesday's tid-bits...

Let's make a deal...

the bitter and the sweet...

The duff diaries...part 3...

History lesson...

Heirlooms...

Life is...

what IS in a name?????

The duff diaries...part two...Dear Wall Street...

The duff diaries...

Once upon a wonderful nite...

Pee Wee's big adventure...

what once was lost....

we're on the eve of destruction...

Precious and few...

Say good-bye to Murphy...

Aye, therein lies the rub...

In the Silence....

five (5) things...

It was bound to happen...

giving due...

True confessions...

the word of the day...

ketchup...

report card...

move over hostess...

we all want to change the world...

Making peace with my head...

Housekeeping...

I can't smile without you...

meanwhile...

Things I've learned...part 4..

stumble, tumble, shake, rattlle and roll...

where have I been...

Deep, cleansing breath...

Not a gardener...

Who knew...

A long, hard look...

White Wednesday...

of lovely days and lovely ways...

You know there ain't no cure...

Conspiracy theory...

Monday's **snap**...

Burning questions...

Simplicity again...

Simplicity is...

Monday's **snap**...

June gloom...

We all want to change the world...

On this day...

Fragility...

Again with the yellow tags...

Follow the yellow tag...

My obsession...

Monday's snap...

Monday's snap...

Monday's snap...