And the other thing...

...I realize that my last post was rather "Seinfeldian," but sometimes I get a little overwhelmed and when I try to get everything in order and down in a sensible manner well...I get all random.  It's just how I roll.

Life has recently handed me (us) a couple of new curveballs and learning to find the new normal has been a rocky climb.  You know life...full of challenges and surprises, moments of sheer joy and unspeakable delight, and in a flash you feel like you are engaged in a battle for your life.  And sometimes you are.

I am fine and we will find a way to embrace the sacred moments of our lives and ask for Grace for this new road.  Thanks for your concern.  Let's move on now shall we?

I am loving the new 'design' feature in blogger and I must admit I have spent more than a few hours playing with the templates!  Problem is that I have issues with indecision and have changed the backroud at least ten times in the last few days.  Gah, pick something and stick with it already.

Today we were fortunate enough to see our first grandbaby's ultrasound.  Sweet.  The little stinker was being shy so we will have to wait another four weeks to find out what name we will be calling him/her.  Ultrasound has come a l-o-n-g way in the last 30years!

and the other thing?  Today my sweet daughter-in-law Lauren kicks off cake season.   Happy Birthday Lauren, may your year be Blessed with much happiness, good health, a beautiful baby, and immeasurable love.  We are so happy that you chose to be part of our family.  Love you sweet girl.

The Information Society...

...I've been thinking about this post for days.  What I was going to say, how I would say it, word it.  Whether or not I would remember all the things I need to purge from my mind.  Should I just jump in or maybe it's time to jump out...I don't know, I didn't realize that I would have to start somewhere.  hmmmmmm...

recently I read a post that was so moving to me.  Deb always has a way of speaking to my spirit and calming my soul.  She has the most wonderful outlook on life despite some very real and surprising difficulties.  I always leave there wishing that I had her photography talent and her gift of words.  

After three years and 400+ posts I still feel that I really have nothing to say. I know how strange that sounds but looking back I don't think that I have shared the things I imagined I would when I started blogging.  I usually keep things lite and rarely share much of the real me.  Not that I don't want to.  There are things that need to be shared, need to be put to paper for that someday when my grand-children see this.  So much to explain, so difficult to do so.  Why?

I hesitate to bring up some things in my life that are truly difficult to understand, difficult to explore, difficult to dig through the emotion and bring it all to fruition.  It would be easy enough to do here in blogland...just put it all out there, afterall, they are just words without meaning when we don't know who we are.  But there's the rub.  Some of you do know me.  My children come here and I have yet to share many of these things with them.  It would be so much easier if I had nothing invested here.  Or would it?

I am desperately trying to find balance, in every sense of the word.  Physically, I am struggling and mentally...well...it's a crazy mess in there!  I will be working through some things here, both on the blog and in my life.  There will be some changes coming, more of the real me and more of the old me.  I want you to leave here thinking that I have touched your spirit in a tender way and made your heart smile.

See you in a few days~~

Window shopping...

...do you enjoy window shopping?  Yeah, me too.  In fact, I am a certifiable window shopaholic...it's a real thing!  Recently, while blog hopping, I was introduced to CSN stores, have you heard of them yet??  There has been a lot of blog fodder about them lately so I thought I would check it out.   Oh my, window shopaholic heaven!  They have over 200 online stores (that's alot of windows) and you can find anything from dinnerware to window coverings all from the comfort of your computer. (And you know how I love dishes!)  Can you think of a better way to shop...in your jammies with a cuppa?

If you can't find me, that's where I am, shopping at CSN stores.  You should check it out, and if you are like me you'll not only be looking but you will be buying!  Then come back here for a little surprise.  Happy Thursday y'all.   

Making promises~~keeping promises...

“Promise Yourself"
\
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble”.



By Christian D. Larson

Conversations...

...Friday I had a visit with my new podiatrist. Not that there was anything wrong with the "old" one, it's just that we moved TEN years ago and I'm finally in the process of finding new doctors closer to home. After getting all my paperwork in order, reciting all my medications to the nurse, and getting comfortable in his quite comfortable lounger chair, he came in the room.

 Looking over my chart and shaking his head he said;

"Hello Ms. J, first thing I would like to tell you is Congratulations!"

"Congratulations???" I answered, wondering what I was being congratulated for. Did I win a contest? Was I the number -----patient that day? And most of all, did the prize include food in any way.

"Yes," he replied. "You've been diabetic for over forty years and I wanted to Congratulate you on not being dead!!!!!!!"

Well, o.k., I'll take a compliment any way I can get one.

I need some cake.

Bulls eye...(you'll get it in the end)

We live in a semi-rural/farming area, about ten minutes out of the nearest town and about 1 1/2 hours from the big city. Being in this type of setting is a little odd for a city girl but odd in an interesting sort of way. We have all kinds of little critters, creatures, etc. around here. We are bordered on the east side by a working Christmas tree farm, which is loads of fun in the off season because there are lots of trails that lead to the river about 1/2 mile away. On the west side we are bordered by an apple tree farm and rhubarb. To my north is a University of Washington test farm which is always growing some sort of interesting tree or grass. And to the south....well to the south, about 30 miles, is a volcano. O.K., not your usual surroundings. Anyway, suffice it to say it's not unusual to see deer, squirrels, rabbits, or the dreaded Opossum wandering up and down the streets/yards. The Opossum certainly has to be one of God's most interesting, if not ridiculously ugly creatures. They love this warm weather and it appears to be baby season because they nightly taunt my dog, Gracie, by walking along the top of our fences. Have you ever seen an Opossum walk??? It's quite strange as they tend to lumber rather than "walk." They are slow movers as well, and basically......well, not too bright. Being scared will actually put them in a temporary coma, which may be a good way of coping, I haven't tried it yet.

So, as I said, Gracie and the Opossum population are not the BFF's. She'll chase them up a tree and bark incessantly until I literally drag her into the house. Imagine my surprise when, sitting on my back porch, in the lovely sunshine, minding my own business, she came around from the side yard with a huge Opossum in her mouth. Did I mention they are nocturnal and this was the middle of the day? Well, hell she scared the crap out of me (no I didn't go into a coma) and she seemed a little surprised herself! She dropped said Opossum at my feet and me being a girl and all screamed that little scared girl scream. (You know what I'm talking about, don't deny it.) Apparently in my oh crap, screamy girl mode I could think of nothing better to do than throw a bucket over the thing and wait for my husband to get home from work.

Fast forward: about 4 hours later and remember the Opossum is trapped under a bucket and has been "cooking" in the afternoon sun for quite some time. Baseball nut arrives home and I tell him there's something on the back porch waiting for him, under the bucket, and it'll be quite smelly and such. He went out and lifted the bucket only to come face to face with a wide-awake, screaming, snarling, hissing, large Opossum. (I honestly thought the thing was dead when I threw the bucket over it). I have never seen someone simultaneously move so fast, yell out several "colorful" words, scoop up the Opossum in the bucket, and toss it over the fence into a nearby ditch, with such ease and fluidity as I did then. I guess that is where the term " playing Opossum" comes from.

And just for fun, a little known fact for all you ladies out there~~~
Female Opossums have thirteen nipples, twelve of them are in a circle and one is in the middle, kinda like a bulls-eye. And no, I didn't check, I read it somewhere.


Linking up with Java follow Friday...check it out!

White Wednesday...

unique flower

beautifully grown

extraordinary sweetness

uniquely innocent

and trusting

faithful

despite the Mother's variability

of love and

cruel life cycles

her gorgeous colors

reflect

a one of a kind

beauty

(chandra p.)

Linking to White Wednesday at Faded Charm.

The great debate...

...celery debate that is.

I've seen this on a few blogs lately and found it intriguing.  Rather than wonder much about it I decided to jump on the bloggy-band-wagon and give it a try for myself.

Did you know you can root and grow celery from the cut-off end of a store bought bunch?  Here we go:

celery.

cut off end.

put in a dish with a little warm water and let set overnight.

plant in your garden or in a pot, as I have done.  just dig the hole about an inch deeped than the 'end,' fill the hole with water, drop in, cover with an inch of soil and et voila.  we'll have to check back in a few days and see how it goes. (don't forget to water!)

Have you tried this?  Did it work?

He's my P.I....

...recently our cable company added some stations so we'll think we are getting something for our money to enhance our viewing pleasure.  One of these stations is RTV, RetroTeleVision.  Retro it is...mostly shows from the 70's some earlier and a few from the 80's.  I don't know at what point something becomes retro, or vintage, or just plain old and useless, nevertheless, one of my old favorites is on.  The Rockford Files.  I.loved.that.show. 

For me, it has been like stepping into a time machine.  It is quite interesting to see how much the actors/actresses have changed over the last 30, omg, 40years.  But the styles, the decor, the hair~~all take me back to a very strange time. 

*the cars...huge, gas-eating-polluting-machines.  There is a car chase in every episode.
*polyester...no explanation needed.
*orange, green, yellow...everywhere.
*plaid...drapes and bedspreads (not necessarily matching), jackets, pants, skirts, walls, plaid, plaid, plaid.
*shag carpet, usually a combination of the orange, green, yellow.
*pay toilets...I would gladly give a quarter to use a restroom that is clean, heck, I'd pay anything to never see some of the things I have seen recently in public restrooms.   but I digress...

micro-mini skirts, platform shoes, giant flowers on everything that isn't covered in plaid.  And the music, oh don't get me started on disco.   Oh, it's been a trip, and you can find me right in front of the t.v. every nite at 9pm watching my favorite private investigator, solving crime, getting beat up every episode, car chases...and that smile.  I think I have had a little crush.  So who's your favorite P.I.?


Linking up with Java at Never Gowing Old Follower  Friday.
Go check it out, expand your horizons and meet some new friends!

White Wednesday...

...I have recently been on a self-imposed hiatus from thrifting.  Sorry to say, it somehow lost it's appeal.  Maybe I was going to often or expecting too much.  Maybe I was bored waiting for summer to arrive, oh, I don't really know why.  Yesterday the hubs and I were up the hill at a friends place when on the way home I spotted a 'thrifty' place that I had not seen before.  Hallelujah...the break is over.  Found a few things to add to my collection of 'everything' and even better~~it is white!!

a pretty, petite table cloth.  About 30 x 30..perfect for my porch table.

a small cannister for sugar with a cute little apple on top and a criss-cross design.

a basket-weave bowl, ironware from Italy...

to add to my growing collection.

For more White Wednesday just click here.  Have a good Wednesday y'all, and be sure to get out of the heat, stay cool and hydrated!

Independence...

~~take nothing for granted~~