Great Giveaway

Pam has a great blog and a giveaway. Check out her blog, enter the contest for a chance to win this necklace, and tell her Linda @ lindaloveschocolate sent you! Good luck!http//over50feeling40.blogspot.com/

Thanks

Thanks to those of you who posted comments or emailed me regarding my last rant! Comments are the life blood of bloggers, we need to know if anyone is reading and if we've touched anyone. I welcome all comments whether they agree or not.

I really did not get excited about Christmas this year, I used to love it. It's the one holiday when I love to have the kids over here and make a big to do....but b/c they have 3 little boys and it's hard to get out of the house on Christmas morning we went to step-son's this year. It was nice.

I was surprised that hubby bought me anything (we just got a new washer [I hate it] & dryer). He gave me a Kuerig coffee maker and microwave. We needed the microwave....the coffee maker I was kinda 'ooohhhh???' (E you were right). I do like it ......I can have a variety of coffee here for guests. It also makes hot chocolate, hot cider, and tea. You can just get hot water in a jiffy too. And I have already googled and figured out how to reuse the filters so I can make the loose tea that I already have. What I don't care for is that it is expensive to use and wasteful....but "never look a gift horse (or hubby) in the mouth" or you may not ever get any other gifts.

From my soapbox

Am I becoming a scrooge? or do I make any sense?

We just celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior......does anyone who doesn't believe know what this holiday is that they are celebrating? Do they think someone just picked a day in the middle of winter to be one of the 2 biggest holidays???

And then there are all the excesses: food (I succumb to that), decorations (I like to look, but not compete), the competitions- the most Christmas cards (OK, I participate in that), the best parties (ho hum), and my most hated competition-gifts.

Oh, I love to shop and give things to people (just ask the mothers of my grandchildren), but I get excited about finding something nice & needed at the thrift store, garage sale, or even from Freecycle. What REALLY irritates me is the extreme over abundance of gifts to kids! Case in point: parents complain that kids have too many toys, when asked what they need mom says "I don't know", kids receive many gifts from mom & dad, Santa, grandparents on both sides, aunts, uncles, and then more Santa gifts from grandma & grandpa. The kids just tear through all the gift and their parents don't even see what they receive. The kids get cash and are allowed to spend it......maybe I am just too controlling, but.....what in the world can the young (under 8) kids need to buy???? What is wrong with a savings account? You can bet the farm that in a month mom & dad will be complaining that things are broken, parts missing, and not put away. Isn't the excessive gift giving teaching them to be greedy and not appreciate things?

Parents struggle to make ends meet and the grandparents have a tuff time with payments too.... what is wrong with this picture??? Am I weird in thinking that life's basic needs should come first (home, utilities, clothing, food)? Is it wrong to live within your means and cut back on what you can? Eat hamburger instead of steak; shop for kids clothes at clearance sales (buy sizes ahead) and thrift stores: it's not the amount of the gifts, it's the thoughtfulness; find free things to do with your family; if your child's current winter boots fit and zipper works - don't replace it; use what you have if works!!! Do kids really need the latest technology???

Am I nuts or just using common sense? Did I make some enemies? Well, think about it.....do you need all this stuff??? Do you have money to throw away??? Do you have funds set aside for an emergency and your future? Do you believe what the major retailers want us to believe? that Christmas is all about who gets the most gifts??? I don't!!!

Thanks for letting me rant & rave. I was awake 1/2 the night just stewing over this....hopefully I will be able to get on with my day now....a mammogram and physical therapy. oh joy! NOT

Christmas in Heaven

We celebrated Christmas with extended family and one of my friends (who lost her husband this year) read this poem and I think it brought a tear to every one's eye. I hope you appreciate it too.

Christmas in Heaven
by Unknown

'Tis Christmas in Heaven
What a beautiful sight!
It's my first one here;
Everything is all right.

The crib is adorned
With the brilliance of stars,
Wisemen have come
From Venus and Mars.

I've met all our dear ones
Who preceded us here;
The reunion was lovely,
An event full of cheer.

And tonight we'll all gather,
In reverence we'll kneel,
For the Babe in the cradle
Up in Heaven is Real.

I think of my family
that I left behind
And I pray that your Christmas
Is as blessed as mine

Please shed no more tears,
For my soul is at rest,
Just love one another;
Live life to its best.

Yes, It's Christmas In Heaven,
So I've heard them say,
Yet, Christmas In Heaven
Happens every day.

Does traction really work?

My back has been really bothering me for several months and the chiropractor hasn't helped so I mentioned it to my DR at my annual visit and she sent me to physical therapy where they determined that my tailbone and pelvis are turned. Yesterday I really hurt so the therapist decided just to do traction. Have you ever had it? The last time I was in traction was in '83 or '84 when I broke my femur......totally different. I laid on a table (just doing that was painful) that comes apart and she put 2 wide 'belts' on me...and the bottom half of the table moved away....all the while I am clutching (tightly) the kill switch. It lasted only for 5 minutes. My comment while this was happening was 'interesting' and it was. My back does feel better..........we'll see how long this lasts. It still hurts if I twist my body and I have my exercises and more physical therapy to complete.

Lots to do here yet: getting ready to celebrate Christmas at my daughter's.....so I have to buy a couple more things, wrap everything, bake 2 pumpkin rolls, cut up veggies. My tree still isn't up, cards are not mailed, and on and on................

Today IS free shipping day, just go to www.freeshipping.com and check out the merchants who will ship (for free) your items to you by the 24th. Good Luck!!!

Christmas cards

Here are some of the Christmas cards I made this year;

this one is made with the top note Big Shot die and other Stampin' Up dies. The background is embossed and then brayered with ink....layering, one of my favorite techniques.

this one is called a 'bib' card. It is not rectangular, the circle on top is the top. When you open it you will still see the cute button, it lifts up from the bottom.

The tree is made by folding 1/2 of a 2-1/2" circle of patterned paper.

Beautiful

It sure is beautiful from the inside of my warm house.

THE blizzard of 2010

One week ago we had green (tho dead) grass and bare roads....today we have 1-1/2' of snow. We received 3" mid week and about 13" from Saturday night until Sunday morning. It was snowing and blowing A LOT. According to hubby (who spent over 5 hours shovelling/snow blowing) it was wet and heavy sh**. He couldn't even get our back door open to get out, grandson J suggested the patio door and that is what he used and J had to use when his other grandpa picked him up. The windows were full of snow so we could not see outside. We live on a corner, so he has 2 sidewalks to clear plus the neighbor's (2 houses away). She is in an assisted living facility now and he checks on the house and parks his truck in her garage. We have 3 vehicles and can only (barely) fit 2 in our garage. Many people were w/o power for several hours, we were out for a little over an hour after I was in bed. I have the neatest alarm clock that resets itself when the power comes back on. :-) The area schools are closed, some have a 2 hour delay. The interstate roads are ice covered and slippery so it doesn't look like I am driving to watch my grandkids Christmas program.

We got a new washer on Saturday and the jury is still out. It's a Maytag so it must be good.

What I like: a real energy saver, a 2nd rinse is optional.

What is different: it doesn't agitate....I like watching my clothes wash (weird???) I know. I have to use a Downy ball for softener......I had to ask J's other grandpa how to use it b/c I couldn't figure out how to. This machine weighs the clothes, you don't set the load size/water level. The lid locks down so if you want to add more clothes you have to unlock it and then start it again.

Since my DR said I have to watch what I eat I have decided to get away from my bff's habit of eating cookies for breakfast (I am a copycat). Now I have Nutella on whole wheat toast, not sure if that is any better. Have you tried it? like it? I am the only one I know who likes it.

We have decided to limp our furnace through the winter b/c we can't afford it now. This has been a bad year (financially) for us b/c hubby was laid off 1/2 the time. Buying a new washer & dryer wasn't in our budget either, but we had to have one. At $1.50 per wash load I can't afford the laundromat. And now my microwave has decided it's too 'tired' to rotate. I will just deal with that.

Hmmmm....I have physical therapy at 10.....I suppose they will be open then. It's only about 5 miles away but I am not looking forward to getting out. I stayed inside all day yesterday.

Free shipping day

According to AARP Dec 17th is a free shipping day, with packages to arrive by the 24th. It's probably worth your time to check out if you have online shopping to do yet..........I do.

Is there a Santa Claus?

I heard this read on one of my talk radio programs and loved it so much that I want to share this interesting story about a mom and her explanation to her son Frankie when asked, "Do you believe in Santa Claus?"

It was one of THE questions parents face. In the category of questions like, "Why do people die?" and "Where do babies come from?" "Mommy, do you believe in Santa Claus?"

The mom prayed for the right words. "What do you think?"

Frankie shrugged. "Some kids at school said Santa wasn't real. They said parents put the gifts under the tree." "Are you asking me if there is a Santa, or if parents put the gifts under the tree?" Frankie hesitated. "I guess I'm asking both."

The mom wrapped her arms around Frankie and gave him a big hug. "I am so proud of you!" "For what?" Frankie looked puzzled.

"You're old enough now! You see Frankie, while there isn't a man in a red suit, there is something called the Christmas Spirit. But when children are very little, it's hard for them to understand the Christmas Spirit so we say that someone named Santa is responsible for Christmas. Parent's know when a child asks whether Santa is real that they're old enough to understand the Christmas Spirit."

Frankie looked surprised. "What's the Christmas Spirit?"

"The Christmas Spirit is love -- pure and simple. Every year, right around December, there's a special feeling in the air. People are kinder, they give to those who have little and spend time with friends and family. Have you noticed a change recently?"

Frankie thought for a moment. "Everything seems prettier. People seem happier."
"That's the Christmas Spirit at work. The Christmas Spirit is a gift we all receive every year. And those who are most blessed, carry it with them all year."

"Parents want their children to remember the gift of Christmas every year, so they put presents under the tree and say a man named Santa is responsible until each child asks the question you asked me tonight. Then they get to share the wonderful secret of the Christmas Spirit."

"A secret?" Frankie's voice was hushed with awe.

"Yes, now that you asked about Santa, I know that you're old enough to understand the Christmas Spirit. But until other children ask their parents, you shouldn't tell them there's no Santa because they may not be old enough to understand yet."

Frankie nodded and winked. "I won't tell, I promise."

"When people ask if I believe in Santa, I say yes. I absolutely believe that there is a Christmas Spirit that visits each house at Christmas. Does it matter whether that Spirit is wearing a red suit? Or what we call it?"

Frankie shook his head. "Nope!"

"So congratulations! You are officially old enough to start learning about the Christmas Spirit." Frankie crinkled his nose. "Start learning?" "Yes. It takes the rest of your life to figure out how to keep the Christmas Spirit in your heart all year long."

"worst couple of days ever"

When my grandson gets mad at something here he'll tell me it's the 'worst day ever'.

The past week has been like that for me:
We need a new furnace.
Monday my washer (purchased in '96) decided to make a funny noise and quit doing anything but filling with water and draining. I had to wring a load of towels out by hand. hmmmm.....
I got stopped for speeding and given a written warning. If no cars are in front of me I seem to try to catch up to the 'pack'. I knew what I was doing but didn't slow down in time. :-(
My annual check up was Monday too......I have to lose weight or will be diabetic, Dr wants me on cholesterol medication, and is sending me to physical therapy for my latest back problems. Guess that is good, sometimes I just get spasms and I wake up every night in such pain (must be how I sleep).

Now I'll change the subject:
I had some time to kill last night before our Red Hat Christmas party so stopped at the library to find some books on soap making. I hope to make soap with J for Christmas (for his parents and big brother)....anyway our library loans ereader for a week. If you live in a larger city you might want to see if your library does that. It would be a good chance to try one out.

Looks like I will be able to make it to all of my grandkids Christmas programs this year :-)

I haven't been able to check anything off my to do list yet; I worked Tuesday & Wednesday and am gone both nights too.

Remember the real reason for Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour!!!

Found!

WooHoo! I found the 2 ornaments for the boys..........I know I will find the baby's too:-)

Christmas ramblings...........

Yesterday I had 2 of my grandsons and bff over to decorate Christmas cut outs. I baked (note that I did NOT roll & cut out) and frosted them. This year the boys (5 & 6) did pretty good, they both used too much sugar but my floor remained sugar free:-) It was a good time!

Since St Nick came last night I was getting together the kids ornaments..........I found perfect ones for them.........but now I can't find them! :-( I looked all over..........and am so mad! Looks like I will be buying some (for the ones I don't have ornaments for) and hoping I find the ones for the boys before Christmas is over. I HAVE TO, HAVE TO get organized and clean up here.

Besides having the holidays to prepare for I have my annual DR appt and mammogram this week. I will have to get those rescheduled for Jan. next year.

to do list:
bake
wrap gifts
shop (I do have most of the grandkids done)
clean
attend Christmas programs :-) 2 require almost 2 hours of driving and I will go
(weather permitting - it all depends on our winter weather)
write Christmas letter
stamp & mail cards
put up tree
decorate - we are doing our nativity scene display (J and I)

*^@#&>+#!^_>%$$%*( Now I am depressed.....on second thought I will take it one day, one task at a time.

a Splurge

OK, I did it. I bought myself a NOOKcolor. I have only downloaded a few free books so far and am working on a crossword puzzle.... how did they know I like crosswords???? I don't plan to purchase a lot of books, will instead look for inexpensive ones or borrow from the library.....isn't it cool that you can borrow ebooks? I am looking forward to having many books at my fingertips when I travel or have to wait (I can read a book or my email). Do you have one? love it? dislike it? any tips???

Ups & downs

Christmas is coming way too fast........it's way too commercial. I do not like buying things for my grandkids just so they have gifts. To be honest I am a practical person. Most of the moms give me good suggestions...but not all. I have quite a bit of shopping left to do and I know I'll be done about the 23rd or 24th.

I don't have any decorating done and no one helps, hubby doesn't really care about holidays. At least we have young grandchildren that enjoy it. I actually do love to have my house all decked out for the holidays.....but it sooooooooo much work. I will save that for the year that it's my turn to host Christmas eve.

And I do love to bake cookies....but where is the time? MAYBE I will find it. This Sunday afternoon 2 of my grandkids are coming over to decorate cut out cookies. When I was a kid we always went to grandmas to do it and I am trying to keep that tradition alive.

I have a nasty cold.... the first hour of the day I spend wiping my eyes until I am free of mascara :-( The rest of the day I am sneezing and blowing my nose. Now, aren't you glad I told you that????

Sunrise

View of sunrise from my front door....a few minutes before 7am.

Let the holidays begin

I guess I don't have any choice, it's the holiday season, whether I like it or not.
We had a nice thanksgiving dinner at SIL's home. The kids all got along....maybe they are maturing? ( 5 & 6). The dinner was fantastic, BIL cleaned up most of the dishes, and I got to 'play' with my new grandson and see our youngest granddaughter (who never stops).
On Black Friday I worked in the morning and did some shopping after 12. The checkout line in Kohls was long, but it moved quickly. The 2nd place I went to was Fleet Farm and I wanted to call SIL about something when I left, but my purse was in the backseat so I figured I'd wait until I got to WalMart...........but NO PURSE! :-( Talk about panic...to loose your purse on the worst shopping day of the year!!!! FF is only about a mile away, but it sure was a long mile. Someone did turn my purse in....thankfully I left it in the cart in the store and an employee was standing there putting the carts away and got it before anyone else could have taken it. I was one happy girl when I got that fat purse back. I was thankful that I didn't leave it at Walmart!
I got a recommendation from my bosses at work and called the furnace guy...he came out in the morning and said our furnace is at least 23 years old and needs to be replaced. It's working now, but who knows how long that will last. Anyone have $2700 to spare???? We should get it this year b/c of the tax rebate.......
Yesterday hubby FINALLY felt better, he had a long bout with kidney stones.
I did some more shopping yesterday with bff....she got a lot of stuff at Younkers (where she is working for the holidays). We had lunch at a little deli inside the OLD mall....it has only a couple of stores left in it. Sad, because it is close by for us (about 10-15 minutes closer than the rest of the shopping). We each had the sweet potato fries..........very good!
Last night I took 2 of my grandsons to the parade. I told them to wear snow pants and I had blankets along. J sat on my lap which was fine with me...kept me warm too. It was chilly! The boys got tons of candy. The man who was standing next to us kept pointing out candy in the road to J and made sure J & S got candy. He gave J a t-shirt that was thrown to him (too small). We came home with lots of candy, next year I will have to remember to bring bags for candy. I had a bag along last night with blankets in it, so that worked well for us.
I have to take inventory of the presents I already have.......I know I have 3 grandkids done :-) ...only 6 more to go..... And adult kids (gift cards), friends, hubby ????
I'm up early today b/c it was too warm upstairs and my grandson breathes (too loud). Hopefully I can catch up on some of my eamils.

Brrrr

It's cold outside, 17 and windy. :-( I hate winter already and it's not even here yet.
But it's cold in here too............thermostat is set at 80 and it's 61 in here. this has been going on for a couple of days......furnace runs but it never gets warm. Hubby denied it. I am DEFINITELY calling the furnace guy as soon as I get to work!
Speaking of hubby........he is STILL suffering with kidney stones. (since tues night). One good thing (?)....he was suppose to golf in the annual 'tuff shit' tournament today but will have to stay home. One of the local golf courses hosts a tournament the day after Thanksgiving...wonder how many will show up today????? Will have to ask bil.
Thanksgiving was nice. SIL had a great dinner, everyone got along (kids included), and it was stress-free. :-) Hope your Thanksgiving was nice too!!!
I work this morning (until about noon- or when all the service work gets done) and might do some shopping later......or not, depends on how I feel.
Happy Christmas shopping season /,%&*(?<@#%$

Husbands, mine in particular

Can you understand 'em? Men, I mean? I can't....but then they can't figure us out either.
The other day I bought a frozen turkey, they were on sale....I mentioned it to K. H asked "what are you planning to do with it?" Since he, obviously, wasn't sure what they are used for I told him that one day I was having some friends over and we're going to do frozen turkey bowling....I think he believed me 'cuz he didn't even blink. Boy will he be SURPRISED when I cook it instead of use it for bowling. *wink*
He wasn't feeling well when I got home from work yesterday and we ended up in the ER for almost 4 hours. He felt like he had another kidney stone............and it was. That's the only time he sees a DR and I know he is in pain. He got pain meds and dozed. I guess the ER was busy so we didn't get really fast care. It is a good thing he has today off, he'll just lay around with his pain meds and doze. I hope (for his sake) that the stone passes soon.
It's a good thing I like to read, I grabbed my latest book NO SECOND CHANCE by Harlan Coben. It's another of his fast moving, keeps you guessing mysteries. He has another series of books built around a detective, I haven't read any of those...just started one and it didn't grab me like the others I have read.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!
I am thankful that I am not cooking this year, my SIL is. I am bringing a couple of things, but nothing too major. I was talking to one of my Red Hat friends and we were wondering why it is always the moms/grandmas that have to cook??? what will the younger ones do when we die?? We figured they will go out to eat.............hope someone else is willing to work holidays to wait on them. It's still nicer to be able to relax and visit in some one's home. Thanks Michele!!!

Just for fun

Do you like words? Do you wanna improve your vocabulary? Do you wanna impress others? Or do you just like to have fun? Remember a long play? Here's a cute sight with lots of words that have been taken out of our vocabulary....let's put them back in! http://www.savethewords.org/ I think I will be eating more prandicles! and you???

Happy Thanksgiving

Life is good

I have a few updates here:
Hubby is back to work full time, for the past year he was on lay off every 2nd week.
Step-son E seems to be better, he has gained back weight. The DR never did find out what was wrong...........they did $1000's worth of tests on him. Right now they have a 'wait and see' attitude.
Friend's grandson suffered 2 skull fractures in a bike accident on Wednesday, he is in stable condition, alert, and conscious.
I made $11 doing laundry yesterday................usually I only make .25 (LOL)
And I have been really ambitious all week..........and my house is still a mess, suitcase is not put away, and I have potted plants outside to get rid of. The weather is not conducive to tossing those... hope it warms up a few degrees soon!

Vacation in Naples FL

This has a couple of my favorite things: enjoying chocolate ice cream at the Dairy Queen and feeling the warm sunshine on my back...ahhh :-) Our hostess and queen of the Fabulous Flames (whom we visited) gave us an ornament. Connie, I, and Deb helped them with their scrapbook.

Wouldn't I like to see those in my yard now???

Have you ever seen such huge lily pads? This was at the Naples Botanical Garden.

Sunset at Loudermilk Park in Naples. It is always full of people enjoying the sunset and walking on the beach.

Fried ice cream! DeLiCious!!!

Our chairs at the pool. I miss my chair..........wahhhhhhhhhhhhh The view from my chair.

My view while laying in the hammock.

I LOVE this hammock.............hope Santa is reading this....and plants some big trees to hang one on. LOL

A palm branch fell down and I was going to fan the girls.....but someone had to take a photo.

On our last day we took the cat in to have his nails clipped (at a nearby strip mall-they are all over the city- they don't need enclosed malls like we do) and I laughed so hard when I saw the Christmas ornaments on the light posts............what a twist, Christmas ornaments and palm trees. It's something I have never seen before, but I wouldn't mind seeing it every year.

Free printables

Here's a site that you might be able to use a lot right about now to print grocery lists, calenders, certificates, etc. http://www.freeprintable.net/ Check Kevin's site out!

Keeping quiet

I remember now why I would never tell people how I felt about things, my 'secrets', or whom I liked when I was in school. When you bare your soul to people they (especially those you think care about you) can use it against you, crushing your heart. Maybe I need to keep feelings/thoughts to myself again (or journal at the most) and act like I am unaffected by IT. I've always considered myself a loner........................I 'don't need anyone else', I can do it myself. ....like I have so much already in my life.

Back home

I am not sure if anyone reads this....but I am writing in spite of that.
YES! it is good to be back home (not the 39 degrees we have now), YES Florida was warm and fun.
But it's good to sleep in my own bed with my own TV tuned to my channel (OK, we had on a POKEMON movie last night--grandson was over), to take a LONG warm BATH, and to know I am loved and this is my home! Grandson J had a huge hug and kisses for me. Hubby is not demonstrative....I am used to it most of the time but at times it hurts, especially when I hear how loving other husbands are.
The vacation was nice and it went too fast. It was soooooooooo nice, sunny and about 80 every day. We didn't get to do a lot b/c our hostess had broken her leg just before we arrived and Worker's Comp is making her work. Shirley is in pain and exhausted when she comes home so in the evenings we just stayed 'home' and relaxed. We did take a trip to the Naples Botanical Gardens. My 3 companions all drove scooters through it and I walked. The tropical plants are so different from what we see in this part of the country. A couple of sections were not open yet and I would have liked to see more flowers.........but it was very nice and I'm glad we went.
Most of the time my back was OK, although one morning my legs (stemming from back problems) hurt so bad I just sat and cried for a bit until I was able to get up and take my shower. I really need to discuss it with the chiropractor and find out what he can do.
We did a little shopping, a lot of eating out, made washer pendants, spent time at the pool :-), went to church, a Red Hat meeting, helped Shirley with things around the house, etc.
I finished 2 books: THE HINDI BINDI CLUB by Monica Pradhan and GONE FOR GOOD by Harlen Coben, I love his books.
The food (mostly seafood) was good, altho I would not order another steam pot from Joe's Crab Shack, I don't like eating with my fingers and cracking crab legs open. At the Ale House we were served with Styrofoam dishes and plastic forks and spoons b/c there was a gas explosion in Fort Meyers that affected the Naples area also (no hot water to cook or wash dishes with). That was just one of our many unusual adventures. The only bad meal I had was in WI at a Mexican restaurant.
I sorted through all of my mail, I still have to unpack, do laundry, and wash the breakfast dishes. I am glad I have Monday off.

Our week is almost over

Our week in Naples is almost over :-(
I tried to post photos but I have an unusual memory card and it refuses to upload pictures :-(
The weather has been perfect!! We went to the pool Monday & Tuesday. Yes, I did get a slight sunburn. Yesterday Deb & I were ambitious and cleaned out her cousins closet and one of the gals had to go to urgent care for an eye problem. Deb & I did a little shopping while Connie was there. Last night we had a steam pot @ Joe's Crab Shack (and free appetizers - via a coupon we printed when we joined online).
Today we attended a meeting of the Fabulous Flames (Shirley's Red Hat group). We lunched at Red Lobster and then worked on their scrapbook. Seafood 2 nights in a row.........YUM YUM! On the way home we stopped at Dairy Queen for ice cream........nothing like sitting outside in Nov with the warm sun on your back and looking at palm trees.
One more full day and then it's back to Wisconsin.................

Sunshine & laziness

Our hostess had to work today so we got to sleep in. It was in the high 70's today and we decided to walk to the strip mall and do a little shopping. It wasn't a long walk but when you have 3 people with back and foot problems it takes a little longer. We stopped at Goodwill and Bealls outlet. The prices were not bad in Goodwill, but the organization didn't make sense to us.....everything arranged according to color and not size, the shoes were on 'shelves' above the clothes. I prefer to look for my size of clothes and for shoes in one place. Sonic served us lunch........no Sonics in WI (eat outside only). When we got back we walked about 3 blocks to the pool, it was like a spa.....there was a waterfall in the background and it was very quiet. Only 4 other people were there and no one was talking. Yes, I did get some sun. :-) Being the 'party animals' we are (LOL) I think we will eat in tonight. No plans for tomorrow yet.
I just love enjoying the sun :-) I would LOVE to buy a condo in this complex and winter here!!! but 1) we can't afford it, 2) we are not retired, 3) hubby would NEVER leave. Oh well, I can dream??????

"You don't know what you got til it's gone"

the saga continues from Naples, Florida....... Saturday was sunny, low 60's, and breezy. We went to the craft fair at the church and then we came home and most of the gals napped. We talked, had facials and then..............Deb could not turn on the kitchen faucet. I got up to look at it then Shirley got up and determined that there was no water. It's after 9PM and Connie & donned sweatshirts and shoes and went outside to see what we could see. Water was gushing out of some sort of backflow preventer recently installed.............it was darn cold outside.............a woman was walking toward us and said she called the water dept and ended up talking to the fire dept....a fire truck came out and said it wasn't their responsibility............after 4 attempts she got through to the water dept, about 2 hrs later a couple of guys came and looked at it. Would have this been fixed right away if it happened in WI? I don't know.
This morning (Sunday) we cleaned up with wipes and were off to church. (A repairman was working on it when we left.) We all beelined it to the bathrooms......Ahhhh...the sound of flushing water.........and the feel of water to wash up with............:-) We went to Bible study and had bars/bakery and coffee/tee for breakfast. After church we had lunch with Shirley's friends. I had a delicious, huge omelet. DE LI CIOUS!!! Today's weather was warmer, 75 and breezy again. We stopped at Joanne's Fabrics on the way home. Then we relaxed and went to the grocery store, and are looking forward to taking showers in the morning!!!!

Live from Florida

In spite of the fact that our hostess broke a bone very near her ankle (and is using crutches and has a walking cast on) we (Debbie, Connie, & I)arrived in Florida Friday about 11:30AM. We hit a bit of turbulence but not bad at all. I got to drive a new Lexus to Shirley's. It is key less and has a built in camera so you can see where you are backing up. Cool, Very Cool! It is not as warm as we'd like it but definitely capri/shorts weather and it is suppose to warm up the next couple of days. Yesterday we did some shopping and ate fried ice cream....YUM Today we are going to the church craft fair and who knows what else. I will try to post photos soon.

A- Maze- Ing or Woo Hoo

I can barely believe it...but hubby went to the school forest with grandson's kindergarten class. Hubby has NEVER done anything like this before!!!! I am so happy...........I don't need a gift, this is a gift as far as I am concerned. I was going to go .....my back has been bothering me for a couple of months and I was worried about how I could take walking around all day outside with 5 yr olds. I didn't even ask before Hubby said "I'm off, I could go". He is still laid off work every other week. I am not sure if he went b/c he knew my back is hurting, or that he knows I have a LOT to do before I leave on Thursday for a week in Naples, FL, or if he just wanted to spend time with J. Whatever his reasoning was (and I will never know b/c the guy does NOT talk) I am delighted that he went.
At the grocery store this morning I picked up 3 bags of 1/2 price chocolate candy.....it may have fallish packaging...but chocolate never is out of style. LOL I have the clothes washed, a pasta salad made for tomorrow's Red Hat meeting, an baking (pre-made) chocolate cookies and washing dishes right now. Next I get to vacuum upstairs and start packing. Woo Hoo.....I can't wait for sunshine and 80!!

Halloween photos

Our front door is ready for the Trick-or-treaters this afternoon. Our newest soon to be trick or treater.

The boys finally decide to eat an eyeball........after dad did..............MUCH to mom's disgust.

I have had time to clean so spiders are all over the wall????

Fast and easy pumpking to carve..............I love it. I just cut one big hole for the mouth and scooped out some seeds. (sorry I didn't rotate it.)

Crisp in a jar

A friend of mine made these and said they are quite good. Here is the blog for the recipe /crisp-in-a-jar She said they are yummy and great for one person or 2 :-)

Royal Purple Belles bar maids

Here is my Red Hat group at our annual Halloween party. I am not happy that my photo is so blurry, I hope one of the other gals has a clear picture. We were German bar maids, one of our gals made 16 aprons for us, another gal made the pretty head pieces....see on bottom photo.

Thanks

If you read my blog, if you said a prayer, if you shared my worry about my step-son - Thanks!!! I got a phone call today telling me that E did have the test and has a follow up appointment next week! I certainly pray he is on the road to discovery and recovery!!!!

Can you believe it?

I remember what other 'blond' thing I did....that was so funny: I was reading email on my laptop before work the other day and have a cordless mouse ( I hate touch pads). The battery in the mouse kept dying and I couldn't navigate the windows and close down, so here I am trying to figure out how to shut the laptop down using the arrow keys..........should I try CTRL, ALT, DEL? I fooled around with the mouse and finally got it to work so I could shut down. Later, at work, while using the laptop and touch pad, I remembered my laptop has a touch pad too. How spoiled is that????
The latest news in the area is that Penney's is closing in January. That leaves us with Younkers and Kohls to shop at....one less choice. Penney's is the only store in a decrepit old mall that is to be torn down next year.
Off to work..........have a great weekend!!

Thoughts from a (not so blond anymore) passionate woman

Things that make you go HMMMM?
The other day I was making a casserole and used cream of chicken soup.....only it was chicken noodle, there is a slight difference.
The black car I was trying to unlock to put my purchases in was not my black car.
Here's a hint: ground cinnamon does not need to be kept in the fridge......I tried it and it doesn't make any difference.
I also figured out that I can't use the TV remote to call a friend.
I know there is another goofy thing I just did at work but I can't remember it. LOL
People call me a strawberry blond and I normally color my hair a little redder b/c I am naturally a redhead. Monday I got my hair colored (with low lights) in a salon and it's not much different that it was before I colored it. Today I went back and got darker low lights..........wow! now I'm a brunette.....I will just deal with it. I have finally decided it's OK to change hair color.
Lastly, I have an important and serious request. My steps-son is really sick and has given up on doctors. No one knows what is wrong, he keeps loosing weight. I would appreciate prayers for him. He has 3 young sons and a wife. He works, wife works part time and they do their best with the boys. Money is definitely an issue. This is really upsetting for me.
Thank you for stopping by and I do love the comments.

Hang onto the babies

High winds today, very high gusts are expected. In fact the weather man said they are calling it the 'Great Lakes Cyclone'. We will experience high winds all day until 7pm tomorrow. Good thing I just got my hair cut and it is short! If my scarecrow windsock is still out I am going to grab it and bring it in.
Yesterday was a good day. A friend called me (unexpectedly) and we met for tea and a nice visit. Then I had an appointment to get my hair colored, I am not happy.........it doesn't look any different than when I went in. The gal who did it was excellent, the color is just not exactly what I was looking for.
Next I was off to WalMart (woo hoo - said sarcastically) to get some groceries...........I forgot my list so had to guess at it. While I was there I picked up some ICY HOT for my back, they do not have BIO FREEZE and I think they aer pretty much the same.
I work today, Red Hat Halloween party tonight.
Work Wednesday.
Book Club Halloween party Thursday night.
Work Friday.
Making ham dinner on Saturday and having the boys over for some Halloween 'festivities'.
Then it's time to start packing for Florida. :-)
hope you are having a good week too!

Squirelly

Every morning when I sit at my kitchen table and check my email and blog I watch the squirrels run across my deck. Yesterday I saw this little guy sitting on a post about 6' from the back door. Since squirrels move fast I didn't get many photos........but this should give you an idea of my view into our backyard.

Halloween decor

I have been wanted to make a pumpkin totem for many years.........but never took action. Today, I finally did it! Thanks, MOM, for bestowing on me the attitude of "I can do it" and teaching me 'where there's a will, there's away'!!!

The first thing I did was to see what I could use to hold the pumpkins together, I found rebar(?) or some metal post with a pointed end in the garage...Eureka!!! It was a tall stake. Next I determined where I wanted my totem and watered the down soil so it would be soft enough to pound in my stake. I started the holes in the pumpkins with a screw driver (probably not the best solution, but it worked). Then I made sure each pumpkin fit onto the stake, pounded it DEEP into the soil and VIOLA!!! my totem. Normally I wouldn't put out such elaborate decorations but the grandkids enjoy it :-) I was going to wait until next week to make it but the weatherman is predicting cold, rain, and possible snow showers next week. :-( wahhhhh!!!!

A Neat Day

Yesterday was a pretty neat day.......I had a lot a lot of things planned. First I stopped at the thrift store and picked up a mask for my grandson and a couple of other items. Then I had lunch with one of my Red Hat friends and her sister at the place we are planning our Christmas party......the food was good, the company was good. I had some time to kill before my dermatologist appointment so I stopped at Goodwill and got a really cool pair of new silver flats and a fleece jacket. It's perfect for this time of year and can be worn as a sweater if I am cold at work. I checked out the Halloween store in town. It's got everything for Halloween........if you are into that. The dermatologist said I have no potential cancer spots :-). While I was at the dr my grandson called me...........so I called back and he wanted to know if I would to the the Fall Harvest party at school, I wasn't busy so I said sure. Mom brought him over and he played some computer games and we had supper and were off to school. We didn't know that the plan was to walk a mile and then go inside and decorate gourds. We were not dressed for walking and my back was aching so we only made 1/2 mile. It was nice to spend time with him, we have a special bond. His mom and brother were at Tiger Cubs and dad was working so I got to go. When I dropped him off Landon was up and fussing for his uncle & babysitter. I asked to hold him and started talking......Landon stopped crying and listened to me. It was sooooooooo amazing!!!! J wanted me to read a book so I read a Pokemon book to both boys.......the baby just listened and looked at the book. Three books later he was asleep. That was so neat, I have hardly seen him with his eyes open, he likes to sleep all day.

Men ( GRRRRR )

Hubby is being a selfish jerk this week so when I read this on Tracey's blog (link below) I had to post them here.

A Woman's Poem
Before I lay me down to sleep,
I pray for a man who's not a creep,
One who's handsome, smart and strong.
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray he's rich and self-employed,
And when I spend, won't be annoyed.
One who'll pull out my chair and hold my hand.
Massage my feet and help me stand.
Oh send a king to make me queen.
A man who loves to cook and clean.
I pray this man will love no other.
And relish visits with my mother


A MAN'S POEM:
I pray for a deaf-mute gymnast nymphomaniac

with big boobs who owns a bar on a golf course,
and loves to send me fishing and drinking. This
doesn't rhyme and I don't give a shit

Read Tracey's blog here: http://tracey-craftyscraps.blogspot.com/

She has many thoughts to share.

Fashion faux pas? or Fashion statement? and more

You decide. I have made my decision...... (and yes, those are both of my feet-I didn't realize my toes were so deformed from arthritis). These are the shoes I wore to work last Friday-- the total outfit consisted of a pretty, dark purple shirt under a purple cardigan, and jeans. It was cold Friday morning so I grabbed a jacket and put on my shoes at the same time. Our closet contains the 'shoe mountain' where most of the time I just kick off my shoes. Well, Birkenstocks all look the same when they are upside down and the lights are off in the house. I slipped on my shoes and drove to work....When I bent over to uncover the computer tower at work that is what I saw and I burst into laughter, then panicked. I knew hubby was coming to town but he wasn't home. I called SIL and she was off work and very graciously agreed to bring me a black shoe. I probably could have gotten away with that at work........I am the only one who is in the office, my bosses come in once in a while but the guys don't really notice what shoes I am wearing. I usually run errands at noon and would have been very self conscious. Thanks Michele for bringing me a black shoe!
Saturday we went to my aunts funeral. It was good to see cousins whom I haven't seen in 30 years or so....but not under those circumstances. My mom's family did not keep in touch, my mom is very quiet and not a social butterfly.
Sunday morning I woke up with terrible back pain. After I finally got a chance to sit and ice it for a while it was better. Before I took grandson J home we went to the pumpkin farm to get a few pumpkins..............$23 later we left. Whew, they are expensive!
A busy week lies ahead.................hope a good week is in store for you! Thanks for stopping by.

Halloween Cards

This card is from my friend Jan..........I love it.

This card is from another friend, I can't remember who...and she didn't sign it.

This one I made at the Stamp a'long and it is my favorite. Hope you got some ideas from my cards.

Why is back/sciatica pain so weird? or I am seeing too much of my chiropractor

The one thing that my mom has given me that I will not thank her for is back problems. My back/Sciatica has been bothering me for the past 3 months............but now it is really bad. I have seen my chiropractor twice in 2 weeks. In addition to manipulation I've had the TENS and ultrasound treatments. I do feel better after yesterdays ultrasound. After work or before bed I ice for a bit too and that is helpful. So WHY do I wake up in the middle of the night (when I am sleeping 'properly' on my side with a pillow between my knees)???? I really hurt but all I can do is lay there and then it goes away and I feel almost fine when I get up later. Why? Why? Why does this happen????
I just needed to vent.

Updates

*** Yesterday I called Onstar and complained about the lousy service I received on Sunday. Even though I had the correct spelling and highway the person could not find the location. When I 'googled' the name it came up immediately. I sternly complained and got 2 free months (for them to prove themselves to me) from the supervisor. That helps b/c I was due to renew in Nov and now I will have until Jan.
*** Step-son went the the Dr today accompanied by his aunt. He has been in pain, can't eat, and has lost LOTS of weight. Monday they will do a colonoscopy to test for Crohn's disease. Aunt Deb went along b/c she has it and knows all the right questions to ask. Crohn's is a young person's disease :-( and unfortunately Deb know all about it. She is an excellent advocate for anyone with questions or concerns.
*** The Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood show was soooooooooo funny. Sister in law and I laughed so hard that most of my mascara was off. After seeing them it is easier for me to believe in improv......I used to think it was all set up, but now I can see that some people can think fast and are funny! Our Hubby's (who refuse to show emotion) MIGHT have smiled a bit. Two of my bosses were there and they agreed that it was FUNNY. I would have liked to stop for a drink after but our 'sticks in the mud' went straight home. (BIL had to work the next day). The area has such a nice theater with some great shows.
*** Our weather is still nice but it is cooling off.......the peak color (leaves) is over, in fact many trees are bare already.
*** Last night I went to the Stamp a'long and got to make some cute cards..........to be posted soon, I hope.

Corn Maze

This warm (77 degree) afternoon we went to the corn maze. I didn't realize we had to drive so far on HWY 151 and I didn't have my mapquest directions so I called Onstar to get directions..............they were overloaded and couldn't take my call. So then I tried calling the 800 number....it was a recording.....I called Onstar again and they could not find the place....grrrr.... Usually I am pleased with their service. We drove back 8 miles and stopped at a gas station for directions....and found out we were about 1 mile away when we turned around.
'the "boys" lead the way'

'reading the clues - which way now?'

Yes, we DID finally make it out after about an hour of wandering around in the cornfield. We all agreed that is was fun!

.

A Day in Clintonville/Marion

What's in Clintonville or Marion? (you might ask) 1) A beautiful small park filled with sunshine and covered by a carpet of red, yellow, and orange leaves. 2) My grandchildren playing soccer. It was really nice to see my son & daughter in law enjoying their son and daughter participating in a sport.

3) The most beautiful small town main street in the state when autumn is upon us.

4+) And my mom; sister; the graves of my grandparents, dad, and baby sister. I drove past my old house (in the boonies)....it was really interesting to see how the present owner has made many, many improvements. I knew that place had potential. I had some extra time for myself and took advantage of being in the area. Yes, it was a beautiful day. But I'd NEVER want to live there again. Sorry if I have offended any 'natives'.

I'm a winner!!!

I won 2 things today: a $50 gift certificate for Jewels by Park Lane. In order to redeem it I have to have a party. I don't know anyone who would come, much less buy jewelry. :-( I won that from a drawing I entered at the Women's Lakeshore Expo.
Tonight I called the radio station and won tickets to see : Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, stars of the Emmy nominated Whose Line Is It Anyway? They will be in town Friday night, hubby will even go with me to this! I was shocked when the radio announcer answered with "caller 9"(....the winning caller.) woo hoo!!!!

Finally!

Hubby's company finally has an order for pipe :-). He has been laid off every other week all of this year, So we are all really happy about this order....took them 2 years to finalize it. Previously they have made sample pipes and hubby has been to Thailand and Nigeria already to set up those pipes. He is MUCH happier at this job than he was at his previous one. The company web site states that the company "designs, manufactures, and deploys premium composite flexible pipe for some of the world’s most challenging subsea oil and gas production environments. We are the only manufacturer of unbonded non-metallic pipe for deepwater applications." I just wanted to share the good news!

Have you read.........?

What would you do to save your child? What this young, single, mom does and how it affects her personal relationships is the basis for this novel (although it could be a true story). Our book club just read THOSE WHO SAVE US by Jenna Blum. It takes place in Germany at the time of the Holocaust. I'd give this book a 10, the characters are complex and it's hard to guess what you'd do if in Anna's circumstances.
Our next meeting is at one of our members homes - a Halloween party! BUT, and it's a big but, we are to come in costume....a character out of a book. HELP!!!! Who can I dress up as? I haven't dressed up in years!

Free personalized board games

Make and download personal boardgames at Microsoft here

Free poster site

Download and print free posters at Poster street

More cards.....

I came down to my craft 'dungeon' AKA the basement to clean off my stamping table.....but lo and behold I put together some cards that had parts & pieces laying around. the spider web was done with the Stampin' Up embossing folder and inking the flat side of it. I love it!!!

Stampin' Up cards

Isn't this new purple gorgeous? and I love the embossing folder. The frame is made using the dotted scallop ribbon border punch and a scant 3" square of paper. Adorable, huh?

I love the embossing folder used on this card: the square lattice embossing folder....the texture is almost like fabric. The bird is growing on me.

One of the few Christmas cards I have made -using the poinsettia embossing folder and some flower punches. Nice :-)