Soggy, foggy and bibity, bobity, boo...

...it's been a very soggy day here today, interrupting my plans to get outside and finish up some yard-work and take some pictures of the many, many Maple trees we have.  Whose idea was it to plant a dozen Maple trees across the back yard (?), I wonder.  

We've also been having a good deal of fog here in the mornings.  It's so eerie to see it hovering over the empty fields this time of year.  Living in a valley, it seems that the foggy days and night run into each other.  With the exception of Halloween this is not a welcome sight.  It also reminds me that when the fog season is over that the cold-rainy season will be upon us...those dark winter days are tough on this old girl.

I've been feeling rather soggy/foggy myself the past week or so.  The ginger-ale-soda-cracker type of blah.  I'm sure I caught it in the doctors office.  If you spend enough time hanging out in the doctor office you will eventually get sick, even if you were there for something else.  Doing better now, had some yogurt today but I think it might possibly be why I over-reacted to the comments the other day.  Yeah, there was more than one.   Moving on...

When I was a young 'un some of my favorite memories are of Halloween.  Having to rummage through the closet and use our imaginations to come up with a costume.  Those were the days before store bought and plastic or rubber masks.  A simpler time indeed.  I can remember walking through the neighborhood, without parents tagging along, and ringing doorbells.  There were some 'old' codgers who would actually make us do some sort of trick, like a somersault or hand-stand, before we could get the treat.  I remember going into stranger's houses and bobbing for apples.  Such were the times that it was not necessary to scare us kids with real monsters.  Certainly, simpler easier times.

When my children were growing up they hated Halloween.  I think it frightened them, the scarier costumes, the loudness.  It seemed so strange to me.  I wanted so badly for them to enjoy it the way we did even though they were trying to hide whenever the doorbell rang, and could have cared less about dressing up.  Even the candy was not enticing to them and often I would find it in the bottom of their closets months weeks later and throw it away.  We convinced them a few times to go to parties, neighbors we knew, friends, and grandparents but to this day they still want nothing to do with it. 

What happened to those innocent days?  We had so much fun, in a mostly clean and respectful manner, and we looked forward to it each and every Fall.  Back to school meant Halloween was just around the corner.  I understand that many people feel strongly about the message it sends but to a little child (most of them) it's just a fun day to dress up and freely eat candy.  Church, school, lessons, chores...all of them would be waiting.  What happened to our sense of tradition and charity?

The hubs and I will be manning the front door tonight and giving out treats to all the little ghouls and goblins.  We practically push each other out of the way to get to the door and hand out the goods.  We are still those children of long ago...doing hand-stands and somersaults for a little treat or an apple.

Happy Halloween and be safe y'all.

Page not found...

...I must confess, I pulled my post today.  I've never done that before now, never felt the need.  Today was different though.

It started out so innocently.  A post asking, in a light-hearted way,  without constraints of any kind what kind of life would you have?  Would you stay home?  Would you give back?  How could this have  possibly been offensive to anyone?

I am a big believer that my life is and always has been defined by the experiences I have, good or bad, they all have shaped me.  There is no mold for any of us...we are the sum of the way we react and process each and every event in our life.  Whether or not they seem significant at the time.

In my own way I am grateful for every single moment of every single day.  Though my life has not been easy by any measure, I believe that I have done well with the difficulties thrown my way and have been an incredibly good sport about all of it!  To accuse me (dear anonymous) of being selfish and ungrateful is extremely offensive to me.  

I SO want to get on my soapbox and tell you, anonymous, exactly what I think but I have given you too much of my time already.  I know the easiest thing to do would have been to delete your comment but I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by then.

I love my blog and the opportunities it has afforded me to make so many wonderful, caring, inspirational friends.  You are always welcome here.  I respect that your views and beliefs may differ greatly from mine but I give you the right to express them, here, whenever the mood strikes you.  I will not, however, bend my morals and values and let you vent such hatred here again. 

May you find the true Blessings in your life and learn to be a generous and kind spirit.

White Wednesday...

...a few years ago I was given two of these as a gift.  The rectangle

and the small oval.

I've never really been sure what they are or how I should use

them,

so they have lived happily on a shelf in my dining room.

They have a spackly like finish on them

but

there are no markings on the bottom.

Last weekend when we were out and about I came across another one, a larger oval, so I picked it up and it now sits with the others.  I have used them on and off for this and that but I really am at a loss as to what they were/are.  They seem to have an art-deco look to them...could they be planters? bowls?  Have any of you seen these before?  If so, what the heck are they?

Happy White Wednesday, I am linking to the party over at Faded Charm.  Come join the fun and check out all the other Whites.

on a side note: Thanks for all the supportive comments.  I met with the surgeon and although I am not ready to discuss our plans we do finally have a plan!

Re...Re...Re...

...we all know the "RE's" don't we?  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

This weekend the hubs and I went to the Re-Store for the Habitat for Humanity.  This was something that I have been interested in checking out and since we have been looking for tile for a new back-splash we started the day here:

Neither of us had been here before so we were mildly shocked surprised at how much 'stuff' there was.  You name it, they pretty much had it, except for tile.  Nails, light fixtures, old dryers and dishwashers, an abundance of sinks and toilets, laminate, granite, marble, furniture and cabinets, tub enclosures and on and on.   Except tile. 

Not to be thoroughly disappointed though, I did find this (for $2):

It's a 12 x 12 inch glass block with a very interesting waffle design.  I have plans for this baby but, you will have to wait and see.  Oh, and there was one more thing that was quite intriguing? or creative?  Not sure exactly.  I'm all for the "RE" but this is definitely not my style!

Happy Tuesday y'all.  Keep good thoughts for me today, I have my first appointment with the surgeon to talk surgery and staging.  Thanks!

It's time to be Inspired...

...The Trevor Project

I was strolling through the park one day...

...(today) in the merry, merry month of October! 

I am thoroughly enjoying the Indian Summer that is visiting us this season.  It was a long, dreadful summer here so this little bit of respite is a welcome sight.  I went into town today and took a little walk around the park.  It is a city park, much like that of any other small rural town, and today it was obvious that there has been a change.

No more crowds hanging around the coffee shop...dogs either for that matter!

this tree, across the street from the coffee shop, still hanging on to one branch of leaves.  I know it looks like two trees but it really is the same one.  I guess no one wants to let go of the warm, sunny days!

the top floor condo that the hubs wants to move into when he retires!

the big clock on the library across the street.  I guess that is so the people in the condo know what time it is!

roots, I could do an entire post on roots and how we need them in a myriad of ways.

the beautiful stained glass window on the church nearby.

This is my little spot on the map, nothing extraordinary, but it's where we plant our roots and make our home.   Have a great weekend y'all.

For little Laurie lump-lump...

disclaimer:  I am not a photographer, nor do I play one on

television.  I am a picture-taker as is obvious

from the quality of these photos.

Please, someone out there in bloggy land

help me...

love you ~Peach~

Apothecary love...

...every year when all the stores start putting out their oh so beautiful, artfully designed, Apothecary jars, I begin to covet them.  Mercy me, I just don't know what happens but I say to myself..."I must have one of those!" 

Truthfully, one of 'those' are quite expensive, so my lust quickly turns to dust where it resides in my head until the next season rolls around.

This year, the year of frugal, thrifty, living, I have discovered that many, many people do not share my love of the Apothecary.  This is, of course, to my advantage as I have found several of them to put away for holiday time.

This weekend I pulled them all out of my secret hiding place, got them all washed, rinsed and shiny, and began the search for something to fill them with.  Mind you...this is a 'shop the house' project.

one holds a child's card game...memory, if I remember right!  Another holds acorns.  I have one with corks we've collected over the years and for people who don't drink that is not an easy collection!  Then there is one with watch faces and another one with large skeleton keys.

But my most favorite of all, the one I would choose if I could have only one...is this one.  I love the shape, sort of a round-square, and not very tall.  Just tall enough to put my husbands grand-mother's tea spoons in.  And I just love me a good cup of tea.

What would you put in an Apothecary?  

One thousand marbles...

...as I was perusing the interwebs today I came upon this story, the timing and message could not have been better, I wanted to share.  If after reading this you 'read' something into the fact that I posted it today, you would be right.  100% to be exact.  Enjoy friends...

please remember I did not write this and the author seems to be unknown.



1000 Marbles



The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, of maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.



A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen, with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.



Let me tell you about it. I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding man with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself.



He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named "Stan". I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Stan, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young man should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital. " He continued, "Let me tell you something Stan, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."



"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years." "Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime.



"Now stick with me Stan, I'm getting to the important part. "It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. "So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. "I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.



"I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. "Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones...... "It was nice to talk to you Stan, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"



You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn't have anything to say for a few moments. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special," I said. " It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."



How many marbles do you have

Wednesdays Child...

...is full of woe.  Woeful Wednesday.  Wednesday...whoa.  Time to take a few moments and tie up a few loos ends, all pretty with a sweet little bow.  By the way, I am not a Wednesday child but today I embrace my inner woe.

I wanted to do some catching up, not realizing how long it's  been since I posted.  Since taking part in the 30 day challenge I feel as though I have said all I possibly can about everything!  But, you have all been so kind and inquiring about my health that I didn't want to leave you hanging.

Last Friday, after a fun-filled exciting time long morning at the dentist getting my two front teeth capped (see previous post) I grabbed a coffee drink and headed over to my doctors office to have my thyroid biopsied.  47 needle pokes later, with no anesthesia at all, and a bruised neck, I went home with no real answers and many, many questions.

During the procedure, which was ultrasound assisted, the doc found a mass in my neck that is wrapped around my larynx and esophagus.  This may or may not be c but either way it needs to come out.  There were also five hard nodules on the other side of the mass.  All of these were biopsied.  The wait will be 5-7 days.

Note:  the ONLY symptom I have had of thyroid c is that I keep losing my voice.  All labs and other tests were normal.

I spent a long weekend with myself and am surprisingly at peace with all of this.  I finally got outside and 'fall-ified' my porch today.  Gourds and leaves and scare-crows oh my!  It truly is the most beautiful time of the year.  Thanks for thinking of me and for all the sweet comments and e-mails...they mean so much.  Blessings to you all...

Snaggle-lovely...

...I have had a rough couple of days!  All minor injuries that will be just fine but...but, enough now.

Today I broke a tooth.  Actually two.  Notice I said broken teeth and not cracked, there's a difference.  I already have three cracked teeth in the back waiting for the day that my dentist will let me make payments on our co-pays, but that's another story.   Today I bit into something and broke my two front teeth...right off!  I didn't know that was even possible but here I am with a couple of snaggleteeth.   (o.k., I was biting a small pill in half but c'mon)
It will be repaired tomorrow and bonded to look and act just like new and then I'll head over and have my Thyroid biopsies...the fun never ends here.

I do have a warning or a moral to this little snag-a-tooth-a-fyingness, and it's something you might want to talk to your dentist about.

I began taking Fosamax a few months ago.  This is the magic pill that is supposed to keep you from getting hip fractures as we age. 

from the Wiki:
ALENDRONATE (a LEN droe nate) slows calcium loss from bones. It helps to make normal healthy bone and to slow bone loss in people with Paget's disease and osteoporosis

it lists the most common side effects, the ones we hear with just about every medication prescribed.  Only recently have I heard that some people report jaw pain.  I was not having jaw pain but I have experienced three, now four, broken or cracked teeth while on it.   I have since stopped taking it but was talking about all of this to my dentist today.  He told me that this type of medication will pull Calcium from everywhere else in your body and deposit it in you hips.  Thus lowering the chances of fracture.   One of the most dense places of calcium is in our teeth, so this would be one of the first areas to show signs of calcium loss.  Now it's a wait and see game as to whether or not I can rebuild that loss.  

I do not, under any circumstances, want to deal with a broken hip...it is a leading cause of death in older women.  But, I'm not willing to loose my teeth over the very small benefit that I might gain taking these meds.  I will have to do some more research and let you know what I find.  Meanwhile:

Friday smiles y'all!

stealing memories...

...I was barely nine years old when we moved to Seattle.  It wasn't the first move for our family nor would it be the last but, something about this time felt different.  My dad had been transferred here for his job and had come a few weeks early to find a house and get things in order.  I remember him coming 'home' and all of us piling into the station wagon to make the trip...2500 miles.

It is at this point that I remember everything going forward in my life.  Before age eight most of the memories are scattered pictures in my mind with no real cohesiveness.  It's like a memory puzzle.

Last weekend we went to the big city to visit my son and see his new home.  It is an older home in a well established neighborhood, that has been recently renovated to reflect the current times.  Very nice, with some of the original features that makes it seem quaint. 

As we were leaving we drove in the opposite direction of the way we came.  We lazily drove up and down the streets in the area, looking at the older homes, the view of the water and mountains, the changing of the seasons and the smell of fireplaces being lit.  As we were watching the sun slowly setting for the day I began to have a feeling of contentment.  A familiar warmth, a hug of sorts, and I realized that I had been to this place before.  I recognized the streets, the hill that I used to ride my bike down (and walk my bike up), the school on the corner, the church down the street...I had stumbled upon my childhood home.  The place we lived when we first moved here.

We stopped and I took some pictures to share with my family, wondering if my brother remembered this place.  As I sat in the car I could see the home the way it was so many years ago.   My dad out working in the yard and my mother sitting on the stairs watching us play and heavy with child.  I see her there in her white sleeveless blouse and blue capri pants (she called them pedal-pushers)...I was mesmerised.

It was a feeling of coming full circle, something I can't describe very well or understand but it felt like a beginning and an end.  I haven't been able to get that picture out of my mind.  And I don't think I want to...

Monday's **snap**...

a recap of my weekend, in pictures:



lots of leaves

lots of apples



baby still cookin'  24 weeks



my sky






pie baking, visiting children, finding my childhood home, shopping, thrifting, and beer can chicken.

How was your weekend?

Happy Monday Peeps!