A different point of view

Normally, I'm cooking Marty something to eat right about now but tonight he called to say they are staying late so they don't have to work tomorrow.  I'm sorry he's staying late but glad he doesn't have to work tomorrow.  I"m not going to work either.  I about put myself in a coma last weekend trying to meet a deadline....I did by the way...not going to do that this weekend.  My poor house has been neglected for several weeks now, vacation, community projects and work all seem to come before housework--isn't that a surprise?!!
Marty's cousin and his wife stopped by for a quick visit as I was walking out the door going to work this morning. I stayed to chat a couple minutes, I didn't want to be rude, we rarely get company.  She mentioned the last time she was at our house, the basement was not finished.  The basement has been finished for nearly 3 years; isn't that sad, they live 15 minutes away from us.
I remember as a little girl all the family gatherings at my Grandma's house, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, all hanging out, eating and talking. I grew to love porch swings at that time in my life.  Grandma let me set with her and whomever was visiting with her; one of my favorite memories.  I knew most of my relatives by name at that time even though I was only 6 or 7.  But today, 50 years later, I would pass them on the street and not recognize any of them.
What happened to those times of family, those times of sharing meals, sharing news, sharing chores before heading home?  What happened to cause that bond to stretch so far that 15 minutes is too far away to drop by for a visit?
We're a big family, most of us have lived away from home for years at a time so perhaps that plays a part.  We become accustomed to doing things without family, being independent and self surviving. I am that person.  I can always do what needs to be done one way or another.  Rarely do I ask family to help me.  I'm the oldest, the wisest :), I'm the helper, the listener, the provider, the person who always rushes to help others, including family, but I don't call them in return.
My pastor said that's doing a disservice to myself and my family, both blood family and church family.  He said I am depriving those I care about an opportunity to be what God created them be, family, and do, have relationships.  I've thought about that comment a lot since I heard it that Sunday morning.  I never really looked at family in that way.
I read another little note of wisdom recently--- paraphrasing --- if you don't feel love, chances are pretty good you're not giving love. You may think you are but really examine it, what are your motivations, what's in your heart?  Is that me?  Do I do the helping and fixing because I believe that's what I'm supposed to do or is it because it's what I want to do?
No better time than now to make changes, right?  While I'm sewing, crafting and wrapping this weekend I'll be examining ME.

She was worth the wait.

I certainly can't tell a little story about Parker without telling something about Vivianne.
 She's very special to me; I waited  22 years to get her!!

When Marty & I first started dating I learned that he was a dog person.  Nothing wrong with that, I had owned and loved dogs prior to meeting him but my secret heart really belonged to my cats.
I had recently moved back to the area and at that time did not have a cat.  Several months later, when we decided to move in together, the subject of pets came up.  "I will not have a cat in my house" is what I heard more than once.  I'm an easy going sort of gal, fairly sensible........cat or the man I had grown to love?  Some would choose cat but I chose man.  Man and I agree to get a puppy, our Kodi and I loved her more than I could have imagined possible.  We grew into a happy family and life was grand.
I had asked for one concession when we decided on Kodi, if things go well, in 6 months, we get a cat.   Well, that six months grew and grew some more, until it became 22 years.  A stroke of fate ended my wait.
A straggly ole stray cat showed up on our door step.  It was obvious he had once been a pet.  I was able to approach him and pick him up the first time we spotted him.  Marty has mellowed in our old age and did not try to chase him off with the gun or a firecracker.  I started putting food out, Raspy (the sound of his voice) seemed agreeable and gradually warmed up to both of us.  A couple of days later, we were schedule to leave on a short vacation, so we arranged to have someone put food out for him.  Marty said, "If he's still here when we get back, I guess we can keep him."   YEAH!!!
He was but this story does not have a happy ending.  We took Raspy to the vet for a physical and for the required shots.  The assistants told me later they suspected something was wrong when they first met Raspy and the blood work confirmed it.  Raspy had feline Aids among other things. Sad story shorter, the vet recommended we put him down, we did.  I was crushed!  It seemed impossible that I could become so attached in such a short amount of time, about 2 weeks. I truly mourned his loss and struggled with our decision.  Marty was amazing.  Even though he couldn't understand how I was feeling, he supported me and after about a week said, "When you're ready, let's adopt a cat."  YEAH, again!!
It took me a little time and many visits to our Humane Society's Catland but about 5 months later Vivianne joined our family.
What's amazing to me and I think unbelievable to Marty, he actually likes her!!  It's a miracle, Lord!  Thank you.

Whew, where'd the time go?

Isn't this just the cutest dog dish you've ever seen??  I made it for my buddy Parker on a visit to my sister's house when she lived in Florida.  Can't remember the name of the place but it was a walk in shop, pick your project and make it.  They had the green ware ready, all kinds of things, cups, plates, platters, bowls, ashtrays, etc.  I painted and decorated it, they fired it and my sister mailed it home to me two weeks later.

This is my buddy Parker with his favorite, bestest bowl.  He had been eating out of an old stainless steel cooking pot, with the handle broken off.  He wasn't complaining about his tableware, as long as it had food in it twice a day, he was a happy guy.

As I was drying off the bowl the other day, I noticed the date on the bottom, 2003---8 almost 9 years ago!!  So much  has happened since then.  My sister & her husband moved to Tennessee, they got divorced and she moved home.  She met a nice guy and has remarried.  Her only child, Cayla, married her high school sweetheart in 2008 and six months ago today, she became a Grandma!!

I can't note as many "events" in my life since the bowl was born; it has just continued to be blessed.  I have not moved since 1987,  am married to the same guy, 22 years (yes, we lived together first) and I just celebrated 18 years at my job.  We only have furry kids; we lost Kodi at 13 in 2000 and found Parker later that year, he is 12 and Vivianne, our feline girl is 4.  No grand-kids, furry or otherwise, though my husband does have a son, so, maybe someday.
I am amazed by the travel of time it moves without you knowing it.  Marking that passage in some way is what brings it's movement into view.
As I look around and think about my family and life, I couldn't be happier.  There has been sadness but there has also been great joy.  I know there is more sadness ahead as we age, as my parents and siblings age but the joy of this moment is fulfilling and as I mentioned, I'm blessed and I thank the good Lord daily for what he has given me.
Being thankful for all the parts of life, even the not so pretty parts, helps us appreciate and recognize how lucky we are. Today the sun is shining, the ground is covered with snow, my nephew is celebrating his 11th birthday with cake and ice cream later this afternoon, how could it be any better?

I'm listening, I think.

I need to vent.  This could be a long drawn out story and a bit boring, so I'll try to hit the high spots and then I ask a question.
I don't have cell service where I live or where I work.  I have shared this information with my family and friends at least 1000 times.  OK, maybe it's less than 1000 times but I know I've shared it a lot, repeatedly.
A friend arranged  to meet me at 7A at a local restaurant to accept my check in exchange for some items in her possession. I'm up early, shower, dress, start to drive the 10 minutes to the arranged meeting spot.  Part way there, about the 7 minute mark, cell service becomes available; I turn on my cell phone.  I hear the little dings begin, glance at the phone and notice text messages are highlighted, I pull over.  Honest. I do; I'm not capable of reading, texting and driving!  There is a text message from her that says....."so sorry can't make it in the  morning, something has come up, yada, yada, yada.  I'll catch you later."
This message was sent at 7pm Friday evening to my cell phone.  Could someone please tell me why she did something so foolish?  I do have a land line and you know what, it works 99% of the time AND my friend, amazing as this may seem; my number is in the phone book.  You do remember what a phone book is, don't you?   VENTING done :)

Now the question---I'm just a bit mad as I find a place to turn my truck around and head back home. But I'm also a generally sunny person, so my shiny side says, OK, you're up, let's get something started when you get home, you've got a head start on the day.  After another mile or two, another thought pops into my head.  Is God trying to tell me or show me something that is some how related to what just happened?  How do we know if God is trying to tell you something?  Is the fact that the idea popped into your head in the first place proof enough and if it is, how can I figure out what He's trying to say?  I have rerun the morning through my head several times and can't come up an answer.

Today I'm still thinking about it.  I have come up with a couple little things that might relate but nothing that really says, "Pay attention".  Perhaps, some where down the road I'll find out, but in the mean time, please remember, I don't have cell service at my house!

Let's get started

Today I'm going to start my Christmas card making project.  Marty & I decided to give everyone, except the small fry, a gift card for Christmas this year.  Though I love, love receiving gift cards, they can be a rather blah gift to open, so I decided to spice them up a little with hand crafted cards.  I plan to make the card, insert the gift card and then wrap the card as the gift with a festive bow.  Maybe I'll make bows too, I love them on packages, but I don't want to overwhelm myself.  The day loses some of it's luster when I'm still wrapping at 3AM Christmas morning.  Christ's birth is the reason for the season and I want to welcome the celebration of that gift with a smile!

Some card making supplies to get me started

Creative is not my middle name nor is it any part of my name but I can follow directions well.  I saw a great example of a gift card holder card in the November 2010 issue of CardMaker Magazine, I'm going to use that as my start off template and evolve from there.  Given a good example, I am able to change it up and add a bit of myself to the end result.  I have lots of "this and that" laying around in my craft room, so I can embellish from my personal stash once I get going.  I'm excited to do this, I'm proud of myself for getting started today instead of waiting until December 23rd.  I have at least 15 cards to make (BIG family) and I'm sure the first card and probably the 2nd & 3rd cards won't make me happy, so I figure I'll be making 20 or 25 cards before I'm done.
Best wishes to all other crafters as you begin your quest to finish projects intended to be under, around or on the Christmas tree this month.  Rub your neck, stand up, stretch, bend over and go outside for a breath of fresh air........if all those thing fail to give a second wind............go to bed!!

My sister said, "I won't be the same."

My mother & my two sisters went to Philadelphia to visit my nephew for Thanksgiving and the trip turned out to be more of an adventure than any one could have planned.
I was told by both sisters, upon their return, "Mom is a horrible back seat rider/driver".  This is something I already knew but in my case, she's usually in the front seat!  She expresses her displeasure with your driving abilities in a myriad of ways.  She grabs the overhead handle when you round a curve faster than 5 mph, she has a sudden, mildly audible, intake of breath ( read as gasp) when she believes you're not going to stop in time or the lane change, you or the driver in front of you just executed, was too close or unnecessary. Those are her most annoying quirks, unfortunately there are other smaller things such as, brake pedal operation on the passenger's side, constant glancing at the speedometer, and of course the caring comments of concern a mother makes--"Aren't you going a little too fast?", "Don't you think you're following a little too close?" "Why are we going this way?". In my mother's defense, she is nearly 71, has clear vision in only one eye and has lived alone for over 25 years. To say the least, she is accustomed to her way of doing things, including driving.
But this wasn't the worst part of the story, they were verbally accosted by a "gentleman" with a history of mental illness while attempting to take family photos in front of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree.  The streets in the city of Brotherly Love were not very loving at that particular moment.  The man was of course vulgar but also physically threatening, so much so that my youngest sister ran into a nearby store, dragging mom behind her, shouting for someone to call the police.  She then went back to the street to grab our middle sister, who was engaged in "conversation", if you will, with the gentleman and dragged her into the store as well.  The enraged man charged into the store after them.  No one inside the store had bothered to call the police (apparently an every day occurrence?), but fortunately there was an off duty police officer in the store who heard the commotion and took charge of the situation.  Physically removing the man from the store and then doing his best to calm my family and reassure them the incident was over.  He was kind enough to escort them back to their hotel and apologized more than once for what had just happened to them.
As you might suspect, once they were safe inside their hotel room, the tears and emotions flowed.  Every one was glad to be safe and glad to be headed for home the next morning.  My middle sister said, "I can't explain it to you.  I can't put into words how it felt but I can tell you, I won't be the same because of it."
I can certainly understand how she feels, I have experienced a traumatic life changing event.  I'm sure that others who have experienced a high emotion situation feel the same, you can't explain it, you just feel it and you know it has changed you.
I am thankful my family is home safely and I pray that man will find the help he needs before he traumatizes others.

Pride smashed :(

Even though it is early, my Christmas cactus was blooming a couple of weeks ago. I was so proud there were 8 blossoms on it, I took this picture.

Last year it only had 2 buds and one of them fell off before it bloomed so I was ecstatic when I saw this years crop of buds; Marty even congratulated me!

Last week I was near Pittsburgh for work on Friday; I have a niece who lives on the south side.  I called her and asked if I could stay over with her & her mom on Saturday night.  It so happened there was a hockey game scheduled, so it would be a great night at their house, pizza, Pepsi and the Pittsburgh Penguins, darn near a perfect evening.

As I walked through the door, I glanced to my right and saw her Christmas cactus, also in bloom.  What a coincidence I said, we both have a blooming cactus but unfortunately that is where the similarities ended.

The pride I felt for my cactus, just a few short days ago, was dashed and I was overcome with out and out ENVY!!  I have never seen a cactus that looked like hers and I can't imagine I will ever see another.  I want my cactus to look like hers, I want to know her secret and I want to know it right NOW!

My ex sister in law has a green thumb, there is no doubt about it.  When she and my niece lived closer, I was often quizzing her about her great looking house plants; I admired the profuse crop of cuttings, she had arranged in clever containers on her window sill.  Her outside garden seemed to have constant color and blossoms and her deck always looked so welcoming with all the potted plants arranged ever so perfectly all the way around........in essence, she made me sick with jealousy!

The thing that is so infuriating, she is so nonchalant about it all and always says she doesn't do anything special, just gives them lots of TLC.  Well in my book of gardening tips, TLC means "Throw Lame Cactus" out!  Honestly though, she is great, she shares tips and offers ideas, even sends cuttings home with me but my efforts just don't produce the same results.  I guess it's like baking, we can all follow the same recipe and we'll all end up with a different and unique end result.

Imagine you'd like to see the cactus I'm raving about.........

SEE WHAT I MEAN....absolutely amazing huh?  She did tell me the plant is old, she got it the December my niece was born and she'll be 17 in 10 days.  Perhaps there's a chance in 15 more years that I'll have a show like this but I'm not holding my breath :)

Spooky night

As I got out of the truck after work the other night, I could hear a barred owl talking.  I love that sound and where I live, out in the sticks, I can hear him so clearly.  I stood there and listened, he called a couple more times and then he was silent.  I went in the house and got the owl call, tried to get him to answer me back with no luck.  But I did notice the early evening sky at that point, dusk I guess you could say.   I snapped this photo with my little pocket camera and was really pleased with how it turned out. That night the photo made me think of Halloween and the headless horseman from Sleepy Hollow :)  It was getting too cool to stand on the deck without a coat so I went inside.
Today, with Thanksgiving just a couple days away, this photo reminds me of all the little things we are blessed with each day. I'm thankful for where I live, I love it and it's events like the one mentioned above that make me glad to come home every night and each time I'm away.  Travel is great but home is better !

TMI

This is probably one of those "you had to be there" stories but I hope I can convey a bit of the hilarity without offending anyone.

I am in Pittsburgh doing some errands for work, one stop was the Dept of Revenue office.  I needed to use the restroom before I left so I asked if a public facility was nearby, "Just down the hall to the right", I was told.  The halls in this building are quiet, so quiet that my sneakers sounded like stacked pumps as I walked down the hall to the right. 

I am in the stall, doing the things you do there.  Upon completion of the tasks, I reach for the tissue and notice that a nearly empty roll is laying atop the fixture.  I am someone who uses all of the tissue on a roll, so I pick it up, place two of my fingers inside the paper tube to help unravel the tissue.  As I make my first revolution around the partial roll, I sneeze.  I reflexively bring the hand with the tissue on it toward my mouth, in so doing, I knock the paper tube off my other hand.  The tube hits the floor flat, right in front of my feet and promptly rolls under the stall door out into the public restroom!! 

I look down at the tissue lying on the floor, like a "white carpet" path out of the stall and I begin to laugh, out loud.  What are the chances of that roll hitting perfectly flat on the floor and without so much as a whisper of wind, roll under the door and out of the stall?  

Still seated and needing tissue, I compose myself and gently tug on the tissue, hoping to pull the roll back into the stall.  It does not work, it does the exact opposite by unrolling more tissue, which moves the roll further away from the stall door.  I can't help myself, I begin to laugh again.  I laugh long enough to bring tears to my eyes and loud enough perhaps, in the funeral home like silence of the halls, to draw a crowd to the restroom door entrance.  I'm laughing again right now, it's still funny.

Anyway, reality comes to my rescue.  I realize there is tissue on the roll in the fixture, I take some, do the appropriate hygiene and exit the stall.  I gather up the runaway roll, dispose of it, wash my hands, peak my head out the door, discover the coast is clear and run out of the building.

I hope your mind's eye can see (don't look at me!) a version of what I saw and laugh and not be offended by too much information. 

He still has baby teeth!

I have had the same dentist for 30 years.  Yesterday he told me he's going to retire this Friday; Congratulations to him and to his family, how great for them, but a little sad for me.  I'm too old to get a new dentist, too old to get a new doctor, and certainly too old to get a new mini skirt; this can't be happening!

The hygienist said she would introduce me to the new dentist.  As I start to get up out of the chair, I'm pulling myself out by grabbing on to the counter, she comes back into the room with my new dentist.  I finish standing up, I extend my hand to shake his and look up to greet him.  He might be, mind you might be, thirty years old; he must still have his baby teeth.  I'm sure the look on my face was a priceless Kodak moment; the kind with your jaw on the floor, your mind searching for coherent and appropriate words to help compensate for the look of astonishment on your face.

He was smooth though, he shook my hand, greeted me and politely asked, "Is everything OK?"  The best I could do was "Yes, pleased to meet you; we're obviously from different generations."  "Oh don't worry" he said, "I'll take good care you and your teeth, now let me help you to your wheelchair!"  I'm kidding about the wheelchair part, but I sure felt like I could have used a cane for support.   

I am likely to experience scenes like this one more frequently,  many of us "boomers" are thinking about retirement and someone has to fill the spots we leave behind.  But, I do hope that I can react in a more "age" appropriate fashion the next time; after all, I am the adult!

What a difference a day makes

Actually it was two days but if I had been johnny on the spot I could have taken a very similar photo Saturday afternoon but instead I was at Jo-Ann's shopping --- foam for cushions on my re-purposed outdoor furniture (photos when I'm done) and Christmas this & that for my planned, notice I said planned, individual Christmas cards.

Friday morning 11/11/11

Sunday morning 11/13/11

Salute to Veterans

I used this photo recently but it is an appropriate photo for today

Veterans Day

I do not know your name, where you're from or how old you are but I do know you.  You decided to join the military because you could not afford college.  You decided to join the military because you could not find a job to support yourself and/or your family.  You decided to join the military because your family has a history of serving our country.  You decided to join the military because you wanted to make a difference.  Regardless of the reason, you decided to join.
Your choice separates you from those you love and who love you.  Your choice at some point may cause you to second guess your wisdom.  Your choice puts you in harms way. Your choice may cause you  to live in a strange land and hear a language you do not understand. Your choice may cause others to call you names and tell you to get out.  Your choice may cost you your life.
My salute to you today thanks you for making that choice.  My salute to you today thanks you for saving your brother while ignoring your own safety.  My salute to you today thanks you for helping, even when it is not appreciated or recognized.  My salute to you today thanks you for being a veteran, for choosing, giving and serving.  My salute to you today thanks you for being active duty, for aspiring to be a veteran and for loving our country enough to accept that you may not come home.

Thank You!

Youth

At one time in my  life I was considered a pretty smart girl, graduated top 10 in my class, advanced placement, college prep classes.  Unfortunately, college never happened, the Army did and then life came along.  I know what I know, but in comparison to the tech savvy kiddos in the world now, I don't know much.  I've worked my way along, changing with the times as needed to fit my job and my life but never seeking out the next cool gizmo.

My nephew just installed a new printer for me, in about 20 minutes.  I had been reading the Quick Start Reference Guide for about a week.  I'm just not comfortable jumping in, afraid "it" will ask me something I don't understand and then I've created a mess. Now that it prints and I know everything is OK, I'm not afraid to play with it, to see what it will do, to see whether or not I can break it.  

He said I could have installed it and perhaps he's right but I just couldn't get over that first hurdle, "remove printer from box" !  I'm kidding, I did have it unwrapped and on the desk.  I also had a fan going because I hate being frustrated and sweating when I'm squeezing behind the desk trying to reach the outlet!!

I admire the youth of today, their willingness to jump in, their fearlessness, their flexible thin bodies, and their "we'll figure it out" attitudes.  But I do worry about not talking to them enough (email me), about not hugging them enough (text me) and about them not knowing the benefits of either one. So, I'll go on being the not so smart aunt; the next cool gizmo will provide another reason for a visit.

What's first?

I have data entry paperwork that I brought home from work Friday night; it remains undone.  I have a kitchen that needs some touch up, floors that need swept and quite honestly, windows that need washed before winter; all of which remain undone.  I have a checkbook to balance, a letter to write and a package to make & send: all of these remain undone too!  There are some mornings that I just want to sit down and cry.  Why am I such a poor manager of time?  I have not been sitting in my chair knitting or reading or taking a nap or just staring out the window, all of which are other things I'd like to get done or do!  What is the secret to crossing off more things on my to do list??  Right now, that's another thing that remains undone :(

Honoring my mother in law and her country

This pin was proudly worn by my late mother in law.  She came from Germany to the United States of America in November 1953, married to Marty's father and basically, not speaking a word of English.  She became a US citizen and learned the language, tutored by one of her new aunts and by watching soap operas---aaawwww, they do have some value!  She loved this country and after her divorce from Marty's father, she chose to stay here.  She spent her entire life devotedly loving her only child and doing her very best (often working 2 jobs) to provide for him and his future.  One of the last things she said to me, "please take good care of Marty".
I had planned to include this pin on the jewelry table during the estate sale but changed my mind at the last minute.  Looking at this red, white and blue symbol, as I pinned it on my fall coat, a couple of thoughts swirled around in my head.  It's a bit hard to see in this photo but the pin is missing a stone, in the bottom stripe, far right corner and that missing stone is what jumped out at me.  We believe our country is the best and we too work hard to create a perfect life, whatever that may be. But like this pin, there are little imperfections, pieces missing, parts of the journey that do not work out as planned.
My mother in law made a conscious choice to live and work here and accepted the USA for what it had been when she arrived, what it was at the time of her choice and her belief in what it could be, for her and her son, in the future.  We, who are born here, often feel our blessings are entitlements; we often forget that many gave and continue to give their lives for our freedom.  Freedom to make the choice my mother in law made and freedom to make hundreds of other choices daily.  I loved my mother in law; I miss her.  I admired her determination to succeed and her dedication to her family and though I don't often think about it, I love my country too.  It may not be perfect but it's determination to succeed is constantly evolving.  It may have strayed from it's creation based on faith and family but I believe we are realizing, as we struggle with economic and environmental issues, those two premises have value and strength.
On the anniversary of my mother in law's arrival in America, I pray for solid and unwavering faith.  Faith in my fellow man and strength to proclaim the type of faith in the USA that my mother in law displayed, when she chose to make this country, my country, hers.

Aaaaahhhh

I found the tickets and now, I honestly don't care what else is missing :)   Of course I will once again, when I can't find whatever it is I'm looking for the next time.

Have a great day!

What else is lost

I know that I received my season tickets to the local concert association events for the coming season.  I marked my calendar for the events I didn't want to miss and I know that I put the tickets back in the envelope.  What I don't know, where did I put the envelope?  I've looked for about 30 minutes, I feel the frustration level increasing and  I know that I need to let it go for tonight.  It's late, I'm tired and I'm only going to feel worse because I'm certain my search will continue to be fruitless.  
I read another's blog post about how she could not find "something" she put away for safe keeping.  I smiled as I read her account of the search but I can assure you, I am not smiling now. Someone helpfully suggested she get a notebook and record things as she put them away for safe keeping and I thought that a worthy suggestion at the time.  But as I consider it right now, I'm afraid I won't remember where I put the notebook!  If I can't find the notebook, how will I know what else is lost???

Surprise

Marty was running the lawn mower around the yard  picking up leaves with the bagger last week.  He stopped to dump the bags down over the bank out back and look what he found.  We live on 10 acres, our house is surrounded by trees/woods on 3 sides and most of the 4th and we do not have close neighbors.  Where did these balloons come from, what celebration were they a part of and how long have they been out back???  One of the most unusual things we've "found" out here in the sticks! 

Perspective

We were out at a dump site looking for rocks to use for our walkway a couple of weeks ago when I took this picture.  When I downloaded it from my camera and viewed it full screen, the first thing I thought was, wow, that picture looks weird.  It made me feel like I was standing at the bottom of a valley, looking up at mountain peaks, when really, the rock pile was just a couple of feet taller than either one of us and the trees were just regular trees in the background.

The view isn't always what it seems; it's out of focus or at a funny angle or maybe purposely deceptive.  We can't always take things at face value but I tend to, about 99 percent of the time.  We laugh together often, Marty & I, joking we are the perfect pair, you know, opposites attract; I see the good and he sees the bad, half full versus half empty.
Marty says I'm easily fooled and perhaps he's right because I do get hurt.  But I would rather be disappointed in my judgement or shed a tear or two as opposed to not giving someone or something the opportunity to prove that they are as good or better than I believe.
I think living life is all about perspective, don't you?

To Do....DONE

I've been saving pictures until I had time to post.  I'm in York, PA at a Greenways & Trails Conference, I've finished my work, have one ear on the World Series and my eyes on this screen.  A little catch up tonight...

We are working on a stone walk way from the upper deck to the  basement door entryway.  I planted this row of little violas this summer for some color and interest in this area.  They didn't burst into color all summer as I had hoped but they were bright spots now and then when I was walking by on my way to do something.

I had alternate purples & yellows; the purples are my favorites.

Got the windows cleaned and put in place in the potting shed.   This potting shed brings me so much joy.  Every day I  look out my kitchen window and smile.  When I"m down there puttering, I remember being a little girl playing house, I always imagined a little place to call my own, a place just for me....now I have it!

I planted my purple clematis (on the trellis, it's hard to see) and two low level ground covers.  This is a problem area for me  as far as gardening, so I hope these plants will grow & flourish.

Exciting event for my project

I am actively involved in a local historical awareness project, Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways (PKP) and we just had our name (webpage) show up in a You Tube video promoting the PA Wilds!!  I know, if you blink, you'll miss it but check out the video anyway, it is awesome!

http://youtu.be/wMXEJU5pt0Q

Look for the turquoise and brown colored webpage at the 4:44 mark and if you would like to learn more about the project, check out the webpage

http://www.pennsylvaniakinzuapathways.com/

Yahoo!!!

The box is off!

Ah, Dish Rag Tag!  Brings back such good memories of the outstanding team and wonderful experience we had last year, doesn't it?  I thought I'd pop in and post because I just knit my bit for Team 6, Purls Gone Wild, and will mail out the box tomorrow.

Coralee, Diane, Leah, Latina, Gayle ... I miss you all!
My team is wonderful but there will never be anything like the camaraderie we developed in Five Alarm Fire. Never, I say!  Good luck to everyone in the race (but better luck to my team!) and I hope your memories are as fond as mine.

Waiting to be.....

It's cold in PA this evening, 47, our first frost is a real possibility.  The cool air caused me to look around when I drove up the driveway tonight.  The clematis I bought two weeks ago is still waiting to be planted in it's new home.  The windows that I finally painted for my potting shed are still waiting to be washed and installed.  The 8 bags of mulch under the deck are waiting to be allocated and emptied on the appropriate areas.  Waiting to be, waiting to be, waiting to be.........holy cow, that's a lot waiting to be done.  This happens every year round this time, always think you'll get to it, we'll finish that tomorrow or that won't take long and before you know it, it is scramble time.  I have "HOME" noted on the calendar for this entire weekend.  Since I was away (perhaps that's part of the waiting backup:)) last weekend, it appears I'll have plenty to do this weekend.  Nothing really overwhelming, just lots of little, "gotta get this finished before winter" projects.  I work better under pressure, my planning & organizing self kicks in and I get things........well, written down at least!!  Kidding, have a positive outlook for the weekend, maybe even pictures by Monday.  Keep warm ya'll!

#3 :)

The remainder of today at retreat was interesting.  A few times I had tears in my eyes for others, well, maybe some for me too, but mostly others.  Sharing feels good in the right environment.  What you see below is my Interior Self as a SoulCollage.  This activity hit me hard, I can't take my eyes off it.  Not sure if it's because

1. I created something

2. It really speaks to me, even though I'm not exactly sure what it says

3. I want to know what it means; what made me choose these pictures.

I'm an artist....NOT, but it was an amazing experience!

Our facilitator, Sr. Carolyn, provided a piece of cardstock, scissors, glue sticks and a table full of images.  Images of anything and everything cut from magazines, greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc. along with extra magazines, store sale flyers, anything with words and images, black & white and color.  We were asked to summon your Interior Self, approach the table and take anything that appealed to you.  The only instructions NO THINKING or planning or organizing allowed---just do it!  Let your Interior Self take over, free yourself of control.
Most likely you do not know me, so let me assure you, those few words strike fear in this girl's heart!!  I am a planner to the nth degree, so much so that I often fail to accomplish my tasks because I spend so much time planning and organizing.  But in my own defense, when I do get it done, it's permanent.
As I looked around the room at 19 other "Interiors" the results were amazing to see. I looked at each one individually, found some that felt like me and others that made me wonder....  Sr. Carolyn said it might be years before we know what spoke to us in each image or we may feel the connection right now.  As time passes, these same images may represent something completely different to us.
Either way, right now, all I know for sure, I'm framing it when I get home.

I'm on a roll again, twice in one day!

Yesterday I arrived at Olmsted Manor for the Fall Women's Spiritual Retreat, featuring a book by Sr. Joan Chittister entitled "The Monastery of the Heart".  The catch phrase, "Are you a seeker?" did it's job bringing me here and I'm already pleased.  The gist of the retreat... are you looking for a more meaningful spiritual life in today's world?  Last nights session already paid big dividends for me aside from the nice room below and no work for a day and a half.

My room and work space, so nice!

It is amazing to me when often the answers you seek are before you, you just can't see them for looking.  You never know what words or phrases will bring home the meaning of the moment. This is what I received from last night---
Learning a new hobby or craft requires you to devote time and effort to improve your technique and your understanding of the chosen pursuit.  Why would I not apply those same principles to knowing my God and myself???
Holy Cow....is that simple or what!
Breakfast is calling...more later, maybe a third post today....WooHoo!

Great niece Alivia

Several weeks ago I promised to post pictures of my new great niece, here they are, finally.  I would have posted sooner but Verizon has been unable to repair my internet problem for 31 days!!  I brought my laptop with me on a little trip and VOILA!  here is Alivia Lee Hoffman.

Our precious Alivia, 3 mths old yesterday.  Don't you love those lashes!

Mommy & Aliva.  On Saturday Mommy ran her first 5 K since Alivia's birth.

All tuckered out at Pizza Hut, GA Corsy was honored to be the chosen resting spot!

2 in 1 day

Wow, I don't post for months on end and now 2 in 1 day, YAY!!  I posted a comment at another blog I read and it made me think about how things aren't always what they seem.  Life moves along with a power all it's own.   You don't have to participate, you don't have to encourage it, you don't have to do anything; it moves at a speed out of your control.  You may influence it's direction but not it's motion, it travels forward with or without you.  The funny thing is, what you think is an end may really be a beginning. 

Pictures from Philadelphia

3 weeks with no internet at home.  Brought laptop to work today for several reasons, one of which to upload some pictures.

My sister Jan, my nephew Derek and his girlfriend Jackie

Big buildings are fascinating to me, especially those that are odd shaped



The steps!



The Philadellphia skyline.

I did not make it to the LYS nor did we wash windows, it rained!!  We walked from my nephew's apartment down to Rittenhouse Square, lovely, lovely place, I would enjoy that park if I lived in Phila.  Walked on to the Museum of Art, took photos, climbed the infamous 71 Rocky Balboa stairs, more pictures, went inside, enjoyed some refreshments in the café, viewed several of the rooms/exhibits.  One I particularly wanted to see, Costumes & Textiles was closed but I enjoyed several others.  Some of the paintings were unbelievable, could have stayed for several days.  Walked on to a Whole Foods store, what a place!!  We bought food for lunch (late lunch, like 2pm) and other items for supper, got caught in a light rain shower, no umbrellas and every taxi was full.  My nephew was more upset than his mother & I were, all part of the adventure to us.  We did get a taxi before we were dripping wet and it did make carrying the packages home much nicer.  It was a very relaxing time and very educational as well.  Look forward to visiting again, hopefully next time I will visit the nearby yarn shop.

I can do it!!

I just "added" my first blog embellishment, Dish Rag Tag V, so proud of me.  I'm really slow with this sort of thing, afraid to ruin what little I've managed to create to this point.  Today I feel empowered, tomorrow I'll be applying for Steve Jobs' position.....not!  What did Christopher Robin say to Pooh......

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

I'm feeling brilliant.

Traveling

My sister & I are in Center City, Philadelphia, a couple blocks from Rittenhouse Square visiting my nephew/her son for a couple days.  We had the most wonderful gelato last evening, thank goodness I ordered small, my choice was a very intense, rich, dark chocolate....mmmm!  Philadelphia Museum of Art later and maybe a yarn store if they are open, doesn't that sound like a perfect afternoon!!  My sister, before her retirement, ran a cleaning business.....my nephew's windows, second floor, are atrocious.... guess what we're doing this afternoon???  I'm with her- grimy, cloudy windows are a sin.....let the clean, bright sunshine in.

One year ago!

Holy Cow, it's Dish Rag Tag Time again and the anniversary of my blog creation.  Lots happened in the last year, some sad, some glad and some just life but anticipating a fun DRT V is a great way to look to the future and let the past be the past.  DRT will get me back online, here's a start.

One of the great things, I'm a Great Aunt to Alivia Lee Hoffman, born 6/11/11!  She's a cutie and we love her.

I will post more recent pictures when I get home.  At 2 months, she changes every day, it sure is amazing.

5 weeks ago!

It's been 5 weeks since I've posted on this blog!  Not that I was an every day posting kind of girl but wow, 5 weeks!  Because something similiar just came up in conversation, I'm really not that surprised.  My sister asked me at dinner last night "when was the last time you posted on Facebook?"  February 2011.  I'd say I"m out of my routine.  Did I truly have one, as I look back, not really.  Routines are funny things, once you get out of one, it's not a routine any more and often you don't even realize you're out of it until someone like your sister brings it up. Both of my sisters write on FB every day, sometimes more than once and usually at the same time everyday; they have a routine. I like routines.  I think I function better following a routine.  I am more productive with a routine both at work and at home but I can't seem to stick to a routine.  Do you have a daily, weekly, monthly routine, if so, what, for how long and what keeps you sticking to it?

Ruminations

I can't imagine not having my favorite after work "keep me warm" sweater (I'm always cold) not hanging behind the bedroom door.  I can't imagine not having a door or a bedroom to come home to after work.  I can't imagine not having a roof over the heads of those I love. 
I certainly don't worship my material possessions but I have to admit the thought of not having that little piece of comfort is a bit disconcerting.  I believe the love of my Lord, my husband, my pets and my family make overcoming any obstacle possible.  I pray for those who need the comfort of a loved one or a hug that offers hope for a better day tomorrow..  I pray you know that others are praying for you daily. 
As we prepared for a sale at the home of my inlaws, who both passed way in the past few months, we realized that we had a tangible way to help.  Today we shipped 12 large boxes of clean, good quality clothing to Alabama.  We decided to trim our own considerable closets as well, adding new and gently used clothing from our home, honestly, how many T-shirts do I really need????  I felt a bit guilty as we gathered these things, why do we have so much and others have so little? 
I will never know the answer while I live on this earth but I pray that until I do, I will remember to be thankful for each breath taken by those I love and to praise Him for His blessings. Amen.

My home is my own again

The painters have moved on to wreak havoc elsewhere!  They did a great job and I'm pleased with the work...still trying to decide about the paint.  I think there's too much green but I'm hoping the wall accessories and the window treatment will ease my pain.  Won't get to any of that for at least 2 more weeks; traveling to Illinois next week to see my Dad for his birthday.  Don't want to make any snap decisions and I have some stair railings to paint which will make things look even more weird.....like.... who lives here???
Happy Mother's Day to all.

Oh my!

The paint is on the wall.........right now, I'm not feeling it and wondering who picked that color!!!  Oh my!

The Painter is Coming

I'm finally taking the leap, the walls in my dining room will be a completely different color this time next week!  The color name is Prairie Willow.  The conference I had with my gifted family pushed me over the edge.  This indecisive, slow moving, planning, planning and replanning gal is just going to go for it!  I'm excited, scared and hoping I don't hate it when it's done. 

The View

This is a view of the vineyard where my daughter and her future husband will be exchanging their vows.

Decorating

Is a word that strikes fear in the heart of this mere mortal!  Marty & I have lived in our "new" house since April 30, 2002,which could probably qualifiy it as an old house now.  We've moved furniture in, out and around; added, changed and planned landscaping; built, redesigned and removed storage areas but I have not been able to figure out how to "decorate".... I have no theme, no color palette, basically bare walls and no idea what to do!!

Today I invited 3 brilliant, talented, creative, crafty, resourceful and gifted people to my house for lunch and a decorating consultation.   Two of these three guests are my younger (Lord that pains me) sisters and the third is my youngest sisters' (I only have 2) daughter, who is just as brilliant, talented, creative and gifted as her mother!! 

I am fully aware that envy can lead to personal problems but I admit, I want what all three of them have--- beautifully decorated, warm and inviting homes!!

Guest

We seem to be running into a snag with the guest list for the wedding. My daughter and her fiance want a small intimate wedding with only 75 guests of close family members and friends. The list is up to 82 but they are fine with that knowing not everyone will be coming.

This is their wedding and that is what they want, we are fine with that. The dilemma lies with the people not being invited. The groom will be having one to eight people from his side there for this special event. Depends on how many can get visas to come over. You may recall that his family lives in Europe. That is not the problem. Mainly, the problem lies with my family and a little on my husband's side. First thing my daughter asked me if it was OK if she doesn't invite her uncle (my brother) and his family to the wedding. They never call her or return her phone calls. She hasn't seen them in over seven years and they only live eight miles away. My other brother in Indiana will not be coming. We haven't talk to him in over 12 years and the last time we saw him was at my step-mother's funeral. I don't even want to tell you the scene he created with the family there. Now my youngest brother wants me to invite both of them to the wedding. He thinks it would start to mend fences and it could be a family reunion. I told him it was not a family reunion but his niece's wedding and if she doesn't want to invite them that is her choice. He keeps bringing up her sister's wedding and how big it was and everyone was invited. I also reminded him, this is a small wedding and only the people they are close to will be there. When I explained the situation to my older brother (who is invited along with his wife) he thought about it and his answer was, "I don't blame her."

On my husband's side, we explained the situation to his niece and that some of her sibling's children will not be invited to the wedding. She agreed to help convey this to her brother and sisters. I know one of them will be upset and will voice it. As I told both my husband's niece and my brother, if anyone starts to complain and gives them a hard time then give them my phone number and I will personally talk to them. So far the phone hasn't rung. Of course I have five more months to go.

HUGS

Hugs are amazing things and they are so versatile.

Hey Jane, how nice to see you.  Jane smiles,  holds out her arms and walks into the arms of Dick as they warmly embrace each other. They chat for a short time, squeeze hands and then continue in separate directions to work, both smiling and feeling good as they start their day.

Hey Jane, nice to see you.  Are you OK, you look a bit sad?  Jane attempts to smile as she walks into Dick's outstretched arms and begins to cry on his shoulder. Dick holds her, pats her back, offers muffled words of encouragement and then squeezes her tight as he steps back from her.  Dick smiles, offers a bit more encouragement; Jane sucks it up, thanks him and they share another quick hug.  They separate, each one walking into their world for the day.  One may be feeling better, the other wondering about what just happened, why and what else he can do, all because of a hug.

Jane stoops down, grabs up Spot, twirls him in the air, hugs him, maybe even gives him a quick peck on top of his head. She feels love & so does Spot!

Giving love, receiving love, offering care and concern along with many other emotions, all wrapped up in one hug. Hugs are meant to be shared.....don't waste time, go find someone to hug!

Technology

Last night I purchased an Ipod for myself.  I'm excited but a bit scared.  All I really wanted was an electronic address book.....kind of expensive, I know but it was a Christmas gift from my mother in law.  Thank you Ma!  I'm glad you are not here to hear me rant about it as I try to figure out how to use it, but I'm more sad because you aren't here to see the joy your gift will bring me......eventually.  We have another lawyer appointment and a banking appointment today so I won't start trying to figure it out until Sunday, unless I get some time with my brilliant and tech savy nephew.  Wish me luck...I'm a bit challenged when it come to these kind of things.

Turkey

I'm home sick today, the sneezing, watery eyes, stuffy head, can't stay awake kind of sick!  Just took some more Tylenol Cold, hoping for a little relief.  May spend the day working from home even if I do get some relief.  Easier and more productive in the long run to work in crumpled PJ's than shower, do hair, get dressed, drive to work and sleep at my desk!

Can't work but are we ever too sick to check email?  Even with Kleenex stuffed up my nose, I can read email.  Sometimes, I have to read the same sentence several times due to lack of clear focus but there is no pressure to "check it quick" and get back to work.

The sun is just starting to brighten the huge piles of snow in my back yard, making me smile at the good feeling the sight of sunshine brings.  Blink once, twice, wipe runny eyes, sure enough, there are two turkey standing in my yard.  They are unusual birds, gangly and awkward looking until they begin to walk.  It's like a switch turns on, smooth, deliberate, almost delicate back & forth motion.  They are constantly alert, surveying their surroundings for danger as they glide through the snow to the bird feeders.  I watched them eat, picking up what their wasteful smaller cousins have thrown to the ground, until the Tylenol started to kick in.  As I stood up, rather awkwardly myself, they spotted me in the window and began to run.  Hoping to hasten the escape, they jumped into the air, flapping their wings hard, begging them to get their bulky awkward bodies airborne and amazingly, succeeding. They sailed through the woods out of sight to safety.

My husband is pretty special

Marty is an only child.  His mother left her family in Germany in 1952 to come here. His father died 30 plus years ago.  He and his mother were very close, they talked everyday.  He has been so strong.  I thought I was going to be strong for him, I wanted to be strong for him but I'm struggling.  He had said, "I would rather give her up than see her suffer". I admire him for his selflessness and as it turns out, they were not just idle words, he meant it.

We were both at her side, I held her hand. Marty wasn’t sure if that was where he wanted to be but as she passed from this life he talked to her.  He told her to enjoy the family reunion ahead of her, told her he loved her and even though he would miss her forever, he wanted her to go.  He was so strong, she would have been proud of him.

you just never know

Two weeks ago my mother in law died rather unexpectedly.  Two Sundays before her death we were laughing and playing 500 Rummy at our dining room table.  She has been in a skilled nursing facility since August 2010 and we've had several calls...."we're sending your mom to the ER".....it jolts you awake, you rush to the ER, she stablizes, stays in the hospital a day or two then is released back to the facility.  The calls kind of become an accepted routine not a critical situation.  Her health issues were not life threatening in an acute way but were such that they would cause her death down the road. The call 2 weeks ago was the same except after 2 days in CCU with pneumonia and a diagnosed heart attack....she had to make a decision.  She had discussed her life wishes with us many times. You just never believe it will ever come to that.....but it did.  She chose no further medical treatment and 7 days later she left us. 

Success

My trip to Northern Virginia was successful! This is not the dress she will be wearing but one of 50 dresses my daughter tried on. Yes, 50 dresses. We started out Friday going to a national bridal salon where she tried on over 35 dresses. We were there over 3 hours and my oldest daughter's hand was sore from zipping, buttoning and helping her sister in and out of the gowns. She found two possibilities but they did not have the WOW factor she was looking for. We had a fast lunch then went to a smaller salon in the town we used to live in. They had 8 gowns of interest. Again she found one that she liked but no WOW. We went back to the hotel and the girls went on the internet to continue the search. A hour later they found a salon that had several dresses she wanted to try on. We were lucky to get an appointment for the next morning. I was already making plans with my daughter to come back in two weeks and for her to take off of work so we could go dress shopping again.

Off we went to have a family dinner. It's been a long time since it was just the four of us. We talked and laughed about our day. I think being empty nesters it's what I miss the most is not having the girls around at dinner time.

Saturday morning my husband and I met the girls at the salon. Yes, my husband was brave enough to go with us the second day. We were greeted by a gentleman who was there from New York doing a trunk show for the designer. He helped my daughter pick out 7 dresses to try on. We were sitting waiting for her to come out. Then she comes out with the first one on and stands on a platform in front of the mirrors. The designer's rep came over and asked what she thought about the dress. My daughter proceeds to point out what she didn't like about it. Then he waves his hand and told her to go back and try on another dress. All three of us were surprised when he told us that if the bride finds one thing wrong with the dress then it's not the dress. She came out glowing from ear to ear with the second dress. Yes, that was the dress. She tried on the rest of the gowns but always compared it to the second dress. This dress brought tears to her dad's eyes. I'm so glad that she has her wedding dress. One dress checked off on the list. Now my daughter has to make a decision on what color the bridal party will wear so her sister and niece could get their dresses.

My oldest daughter told her son (who is age 3) that he will be ring bearer at his aunt's wedding. He told her he didn't want to be ring bearer --- he wanted to be Spiderman.

Shawlette KAL

I'm trying the pictures again.  I'm about half way to 267 stitches right now.  Sitting in Buffalo with my brother, he had back surgery this morning.  The doctor was pleased with the results.  Brother is still a bit out of it, surgery was 0730, it's 2145 right now.......serious anesthesia!!

I'll post pictures of todays progress later.  I don't have the camera with me tonight.  The weather is cold in Buffalo, 10 degrees and dropping.  BAD, BAD snow coming, hope we get home safely tomorrow.

Hats for Donna----finally

 Well, I finally sent Donna some hats for her Conway Cradle Care project.  I missed the cut off for the students but the group wanted to also give some hats to the faculty, so I sent these two for the cause.

 They both were very easy to knit and fun.  I haven't made a hat in quite awhile and I really enjoyed making these. Theuy got the knitting juices flowing...have made another one like the bluish colored one using the redish colored yarn and blue eyelash yarn...pretty and a bit funky looking.  I have a young friend who has laid claim to it.

I'm also working a shawlette KAL, first shawlette...I had some Koigu I purchased who knows when that fit the project perfectly.  I was going to put a picture right here but for some reason I can't upload.......photo to come later.

The Date Is Set

Our youngest daughter got engaged over Christmas. We were thrilled for her and the happy event was to be sometime in 2012. Then on New Year's Day, she informed us the date has been moved up to July 2011. Her fiance is from Europe and his family is coming over this summer for the first time. They wanted to get married while they were here. Now we had to find a venue, caterer, photographer, dress etc, all in a couple of weeks. It is going to be a small wedding and they wanted to get married at a winery. I don't want to tell you how many wineries I called and they visited. We were able to get the vineyard and the caterer they wanted for the one Saturday date that was open. The date is now set. The place reserved and food done. The next priority was the photographer. The one she wanted was just picked by the Washington DC Bride's Magazine as one of the top ten photographer in the area. I gave her a call and surprisingly she was available for the date. Whew, that's another checklist item done. Next comes the wedding dress.

Next week I'm going up to Northern Virginia and her sister is flying in from Ohio to help with this mission. You have to understand what shopping is like with my daughter. We have been known to go to 7 different malls in one day just for one pair of jeans that would fit her properly. I still have nightmares about those shopping trips. We only have two days to get a dress. She wants to make a appointments at 6 or 7 bridal salons. Remember how long it takes her to find a pair of jeans. My daughter has no idea what style (for example lace, beaded, plain, strapless) she wants. She is meeting with her "fashion friend" at a bridal shop to look over the inventory and get some idea on what would look good on her. That will make it easier on us. Since this will be her special day, I am going to put all those past shopping trips out of my mind and help her find the perfect dress no matter how many salons we need to go to or how many trips I have to make to Northern Virginia.

Just To Update

Tomorrow is day FOUR of the GA ICED IN of 2011...In the twenty years we have lived here I do not remember ever having 3 days of school closings due to winter weather much less 4 and for the college daughter it is the whole week. Of course, being home schoolers this week has not been too different from any other week. However, we do meet with a co-op on Thursday so the younger daughter was holding her breath until we learned for sure that the county schools were closed tomorrow (our co-op follows the county schools in weather closings). It has taken all week but she finally gets a snow day!!! Boy, am I so ready for summer!!!!

I posted this on my Facebook page today -- an amazing morning!

If you or someone you know was one of the two amazing guys that returned the bank deposit slip with all the cash still attached to it in Warren, PA this morning----THANK YOU!!  I appreciate your good deed and I wish you both lots of good deeds in return.  Pay it Forward on your behalf is now a goal of mine for 2011. It's going to be a great year thanks in part to both of you. Amen!
Pay it Forward, think about all the good deeds that go unnoticed, consider being one of them, it's  WIN - WIN for all involved.  Enjoy being a winner :)

This is the second time that Pay It Forward has come into my life in the dozen short days of 2011.  A message, a gift, I'm not sure, but I'd be stupid not to notice.  Most of the time I can't believe my good fortune in life and I thank Him daily for what He's chosen to give me.  Perhaps I'm being asked to give more and you know what......it feels really good! 

Iced In

Not so much snowed in as iced in... just south of Atlanta with some 1/2 inch of ice on the driveway and roads means no work for the husband or school for the college daughter therefore no school for the "home schooled" high schooler..we have had a nice lazy day at home, all together with the fire burning. college already closed for tomorrow too. Husband plans to be at work by noon tomorrow and I am suppose to be at work tomorrow but we will see...The temps are not suppose to get much above freezing which will mean the ice can't melt..What to do, what to do? I did finish my book "Anne of Green Gable" for bookclub Tuesday night but then we may not be able to get there...Sometimes you just have to go with the flow...

Homemade Pay It Forward

I saw this great post on another blog I follow and thought it was the coolest idea.  Not sure if there are even 5 people who read this blog but I'm hoping to be surprised and if none of the original FAF gang have a problem with it, I'd like to claim this blog for my personal blog, welcoming their posts anytime.  I won't take possession until 1/17/11, giving all ample time to comment.


In the mean time, here's the Homemade Pay It Forward game plan.  I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here.  They in turn must post this and send something they make to the first 5 people to comment on their blog.  The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 recipients sometime in 2011.  I've really enjoyed meeting new people and making acquaintances through hobbies this past year and think this project will be a great way to start this New Year.  Please join me and just in case I don't get 5, I'll still Pay It Forward to the brave few!!  I'm excited and already thinking about what I can make and send to followers far and wide!  I might actually finish some projects this year....WIN - WIN for all :)