TGIF---Really TG!!!!

I didn't have a "catchy" picture to post cause I'm kinda in a hurry & I just wanted to check in with my bloggies!


I was planning to stay home all day today on my day off---no make up, old cleaning clothes and finish painting the back bedroom, clean house, and just relax. BUT---at 7:15 a.m. my mom called. She has an eye doctor's appointment and my dad isn't feeling well, so will I take her. OF COURSE I WILL!!!! Plans change soooo quickly, and truthfully, I was a bit tempted to complain & whine to everyone about how I don't have enough time anyway, etc.


BUT then I thought: hey, does anyone look at life's challenges & hindrances on the flip side?????



In that vein, I am going to end this post with 10 things I am thankful for today. You know: Thank God It's ______________-

1. I am thankful for the beautiful sunshine out there today. I woke up, no rain and it's radiant out there. Just yesterday on GMA, it was reported that people aren't getting enough Vitamin D due the trend of spending so much time undoors. So, I am going to get some Vitamin D today!!!


2. I am thankful I was able to get up out of bed on my own and in my own bed. There are soooo many people in hospitals and restricted to bed due to injuries and illnesses and I am giving thanks for my mobility and health!


3. I am thankful that I have my mom to take to the Dr. And, that she is so extremely healthy. I have many, many friends whose moms are no longer with them. And many who have moms with such health problems that limit their actions. My mom will be 75 on July 13, and she is HEALTHY--except for cataracts. Those can be removed!


4. I am thankful I have a job to go to. (Just not today!) There's alot of unemployment, people suffering from business cutbacks and such. My job may not be someone else's Dream Job, but I drive 5 minutes down the road, the people only ask that I do what I was hired to do, the dress code isn't "haute couture" and the people are great. Sure they have their idiosyncrasies (SP???) but I probably have some character traits that drive them nuts too (not really, surely not, I'm just trying to make them feel better--ha ha ha). And, my job is mine as long as I want.


5. I have a great family! My kids, my parents, my in laws, love em all. We all have disagreements, flaws, but isn't that what gives people "color"? Wouldn't it be a BORING world if we were all in agreement, all the time??????? And if we were all of one mind---yuck!


6. I serve the God who loves me unconditionally, and is with me 24/7. Enough said. He left me and everyone else a letter called the Bible. Check it out.


7. I need to loose 15 pounds. You read that right---I am thankful for that. If I didn't need to loose the weight, it might mean that I didn't have enough food to eat or that I had severe health problems. It also would be a good excuse for not exercising. And then I might just be lazy and have all kinds of "silent" diseases. So, I have been blessed with fluffiness! Now to work it off!!!


8. Good Friends!!! If one doesn't have good friends, both near and far, they are soooo disadvantaged. The medical community has written volumes and volumes about the benefits of friendship. We were created to connect. I have wonderful friends---that's another post. Just a hint---to have good friends, you must BE a good friend.


9. I am thankful for my cat & dog. Yes, I know, I am toooo close and love them toooo much --- wait I don't think that's possible! Animals are a gift from God. Yes, they are!!! God teaches me lessons through them also, and I love em!


10. I am thankful for my country---the USA, and for my small little "everyone knows everything" community. Small towns have sooooo many traits that keep us connected like family. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Ok, maybe a vacation home somewhere---ha ha



Now, I want all of you out there to think and think and think of what you have to be thankful for in your lives!!! Look at each moment in life to find an opportunity for thankfulness. Bet you can!


Have a wonderful Friday..

Oh The Things That Can Happen

It's been a "aha" day!! I went over to the little (and I emphasize LITTLE) sandwich shop behind my office to get a cup of iced tea and THERE HE WAS----Garth himself!!!! I walked right by, acted like he was just another customer, ordered my tea, talked to the cashier, started out, glanced over and he smiled !!!

He and his three girls had come to Little Town for lunch--see they live in the next community, and have been known to eat at this sandwich shop. Now I have to tell you, everyone has their "Garth sightings" except me!!! I haven't seen him at Reasor's or Kohl's or Delta Cafe, or any of the other popular "Garth" hangouts! So this was cooooollllll!!! I said something like "how are ya doin" and HE STOOD UP and SHOOK MY HAND and said "you are?" I wanted to say "A big fat dork", but I gave him my name and he introduced me to his girls---cute gals! They are middle school aged and up. One of them had the cutest hair do, and in typical gal style I said "Oh your hair is sooo cute!".

And that was it. He was very approachable, personable, and kind! And he was wearing a hat like this one and shorts. My brush with fame!

On the flip side---I don't particularly like golf-- TOOOO SLOOOOWWW!!!!

But--we did watch the US Open this weekend (it being Father's Day weekend and all) and I actually got interested!! Even watched the "sudden death" playoff at work today. I have to admit, I was rooting for the underdog, Rocco Mediate (oooo love that name Rocco!).

Does any one out there get as tired as I do????? I woke up this morning--Monday--and felt like I'd been hit by a Mac Truck!!! Just can't do the weekends like I used to! Gosh darn it I hate that about getting more mature!!! I used to have the energy of a power plant, could go for days and days at full speed. But now after a couple of full speed days---I must recharge my batteries. And they sure ain't energizers!!!

Well, off to try to make some sense of my cluttered kitchen!

Have a great evening!!

I Hate to Wait!!!

If there is ONE thing that I hate-hate-hate----it is waiting!! I am so doggoned impatient. Guess that's part of A Personality traits, or maybe a little ADD kicking in. I'm just a "quick" person. I eat quick, shop quick, dress quick, arrive everywhere I go early, I just HATE to wait!!!

And here I sit, waiting on the son to arrive; and my sis. Ugggg I hate to wait.

We are going to a restaurant on Grand Lake tonight for my mother-in-law's birthday. It's a surprise to her, some of her "lake" friends are going to be there along with the whole family! Sounds like fun. And I don't want to be late!!! I want to be EARLY!!!

I think of all the things I prepare for, appointments made, vacations planned, in fact, each and every day---I don't like the waiting. I like when the moment arrives -- and I don't want it to end.

I remember, as a child, when an event was planned, I would lie awake night after night waiting, imagining the moment plans arrived. I still do that. Like yesterday evening I had a dinner for 75 and all week I would lay my head down on the pillow, and KA-BOOM!!! The order of events, the recipes, the timing, the ingredients, it all just played over and over in my mind. Again and again.

The dinner was for a 50 class reunion. 50 YEARS!!! And they could still drive -- ha ha ha. Actually, some of them looked remarkably young for this milestone. Some of them looked really old. The ravages of time does catch up! So do the results of good or bad living. You could tell the smokers by their "lines and leather", the over-drinkers by their red-veined noses, and of course the over-eaters by their clothing--hee hee. Some had that stare that wondered "what the heck am I doing here--why did I agree to stay past bedtime" and some had a jubilance that was a result of their positive outlook. Money had nothing to do with their countenance. Nor did power or fame. There's a good lesson there. Just don't have the time to go into it right now.

Nope, right now I'm just going to sign off and WAIT!!! And tap my fingers. And pace. And sigh.

This is the prime reason I don't like golf. The WAITING!!!

Bye off to WAIT.

Happy Birthday to My Ya Ya Sistas!

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday Best Friend Ya Ya Sistas!

Happy Birthday To You~

These are my Ya Ya Sistas~~the Birthday Queens! Notice the lovely crowns and pretty drinks. They are officially queens!

We had the best time tonight---only three of us out of six could make the event of the week, BUT not to worry. No sireee!!! The three of us had enough food and fun for 100!!!

We ate wonderful food at Charleston's and shopped at Wild Oats and Barnes-Noble. Couldn't ask for more fun!!!

Oh the laughing three gals who are so comfortable in who they are can emit. Only gals really in touch with their own selves --cracks, wrinkles and cellulite and all---can open up and have this much fun.

Who the heck needs therapy when we have each other??? My gosh, the money we have saved our old men!!! Course we just turn around and spend it shopping. BUT this therapy is available on a 24/7 basis!!!

I hope you have some sistas like mine! I can't call them friends---they are soooooo much more.

Have a good evening!

Memories of a Crafty Life

Ok this may prove to be a rather lengthy post--and it's because of the pictures involved. I will have to do a "part deux" for current projects. Anyway, this post is in response to Kari over at Just Livin Large's post about the many crafts she has experimented with over the years. She posted pictures and I commented that I too have done the craft overload, and that I had pictures that would put hers to shame--or elevate them to "great" status!!! So Kari commented she was waiting on "the post"--ok girlfriend--challenge accepted. The above picture is one of the crafts done on styrofoam. I don't remember what in the heck I was going to do with them other than use them for Easter something. and I am shocked they survived all the "weedings", but there they are!!
These three painted items are cookie jar lids. For about 2 years I gave acrylic "tole" classes in my garage. Big Daddy cut the wooden pieces and I sold the raw wood as part of the classes. I think these were dated back in 1988. The classes were fun, and I usually had about 10-15 students, but you can only paint so many things---

These next two gorgeous items (above & below) are examples of why I'm not an oil artist. I took lessons for 5 or 6 years off and on, and never did really like the process--toooooo slooooowww!~! These were back in the early 80's. Doesn't every aspiring artist have Canadian geese in their closest????

And I did ceramics throughout the 70's and 80's. For a year I owned a ceramic shop here in town. Poured all my own greenware, fired them, the whole shebang. And classes, the on-going classes every day and 2 nights a week. It was enjoyable, and often I wish I still had the place but my danged attention span----- Oh--the name of my shop was "The Pour House". Get it ??? Poured my greenware--didn't make any money---
And cross stitch. I went through a HUGE cross stitch phase. I still like doing it, but I fall asleep when doing too many repetitions--ha ha.

In another post I'll have to show you the felt "northwoods" Christmas stockings I made for Big Daddy's family. And the "refashioned" jewelry I made for a while.

One really good friend of mine (who moved out of state in self defense I think) and I used to do the craft show circuit locally. The biggest we ever did was Santa House in Tulsa. I doubt that we ever recovered expenses or made money. More like kept us in supplies and out of trouble.

Most of the "better" things I made were given away. Never thought I did well enough to sell much.


And, of course, now my "crafts" are my cakes.


But, alas Kari, I too have such a short attention span, and I,too, am waiting for that really "fulfilling" item. I don't think there really is such a thing. Cause the supply industry keeps churning out more and more different ways to do the same thing--ha ha


What I REALLY wanted was a show like Carol Duvall's. Where I could just TALK about crafts!!!


Enough for now.


Tonight I have a dinner engagement with a couple of ya ya's for birthday celebrations. Do you see dessert in the near future!!!!


Have a great Sunday.

Pretty Flowers!

I don't have alot of flowers this year--seems I always have good intentions and never the time!!! But the few I do have seem to have such vibrant colors!
Like this petunia--and the one following.

Petunias always remind me of velvet--they look so soft and lush.

My perinnials are pretty this year--even with all the cold ice this past December, they seem to have survived quite well. This one has the biggest leaves--when I first put it in the ground it was tiny, and the name "big leaf" seemed like a distant dream. And now this year--here it is--taking full advantage of the area!!

Then I have these in the garden--they too are returning hosta, and don't know if you can tell, but two of them are getting ready to bloom. I adore my hosta--I keep adding them and dividing them--pretty soon the whole side of the house will be full of hosta. They just speak to me tho. So pretty and different.

I planted a hydrangea bush this year behind the big leaf hosta. It's supposed to be blue, and probably won't flower this first year of planting, but I am also drawn to hydrangea. They remind me of my grandmother's garden. So I hope to eventually have more.

In the back yard I have a peony bush--another one of grandmother's favorites. It isn't blooming yet this year, but when it does I'll share a picture with you. I also have some poppies and hollyhock planted from Mosiac Queen. Hope I have good luck with them.

Can't work in the garden this week tho cause of my stitches in the finger---it's amazing how we take our fingers for granted! Each one of them has a duty and a function, and I must say--I really miss having all of them in full working order!!! And you can't believe how many times a person bumps her fingers in the course of one day---usually it's just bumped and on you go. But when bumping results in P-A-I-N well, you become aware of the bumps!@!

I really don't have much interesting happening right now, so I'll close--just wanted to share a few pretties from the outside!

OUCH!!!!!!!!

This is the "cleaned up" result of Saturday afternoon! Now, I will warn you---the next picture is a bit graphic--enter at you own risk. Or scan by quickly!!

SEVEN STITCHES!!! In the tip of my finger! The deading doesn't fully deaden the tip of the finger due to all the nerve endings there. Even when the Dr gave me additional lidocaine in the wound. So I felt about half of the stitches!!! OUCH!!!

I was making punch at a reception--left a lid on the can of pineapple juice & sat it in the sink--reached for something else in the sink and overshot my target. AND came down full force on the lid!!! I wasn't going to go to the ER---I HATE ERS & DRS (no offense medical people), but the darn thing wouldn't quit bleeding. I was the proverbial "bleeding like a stuck hog"!!! S0000, out of fear of bleeding out from the finger (at least that's how my hubby convinced me) and the fear of infection which would require cutting off my finger (another of his arguments), I relented and went.

I told Big Daddy that he had to hold my hand---I've NEVER had stitches! And he said no way--he would faint! Bless my sister's heart---we called her, she came running and sat with me during my trama!!! I don't know what I would do without her.

Then I got home in time to attend a wedding. An evening, formal wedding. This new accessory may catch on!! Believe me--I had more questions about my finger guard than I have ever had on shoes or jewelry. If you want to make a statement that everyone will notice, go for the finger guard. Got lots of sympathy too!!! Everyone was saying "oh my gosh, the tip of your finger---that hurts sooo bad".

Now I'm just worried about having the stitches taken out. They have to stay in for 14 days---this should be really uncomfortable!!! But I'm keeping it really softened with Neosporin. The paper said this would help --- right!!!

The up side you ask??? I can't do dishes for a couple of weeks. And it's my right hand--typing is difficult. Do you know how many times a person types "i's" and "k's"????? I'm looking for lots of understanding at work---after all I'm returning from a week's vacation---can't really take another couple of days "sick" days!!!

Well, I'll try to keep you posted in correct typing!!!