Thrifty Treasures

It's a gorgeous Sunday evening again and time for Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures. I hit the paint recycling at the local dump...they are starting to know me, but the silly guy behind the counter needs a sense of humor. Here are my 'scores'.



And it's all FREE!!! I also got another spray can of Kilz (yay!), carpet cleaner (which came in handy immediately after we arrived back home as D(umb)C(at) had barfed in the floor! I got several cans of full 'stone' effects paints. I wanted to try them out, but hated to pay $7 a can to play! I'll try them on some plastic pots. Picked up a bit more gloss to finish painting Sunshine's bed...that is next week's Met Monday at Susan's. I also painted a bistro chair that I've had for years, it was past shabby and well on it's way to trash. So, Rustoleum to the rescue. That and the plant basket were painted and I'll get it planted and ready to see soon. I'm redoing the front porch (guess I'll break down and repaint it...the landlord was going to do it for the last 2 years or so, but I'll do the porch myself). I also got enough paint to finish several projects...little annoyed that I didn't get 'before' pics of them.

Head over to Rhoda's....http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/

Whiney previous post--sorry

Okay, looks like the last post came out a bit whiney....sorry. Wasn't meant to be...I get seriously annoyed when my BILs don't treat their mom well...and there is absolutely NO excuse for a DIL to do that. Hey, she raised the man you love...and boys, don't you find it amazing that someone as stupid as she managed to raise someone as smart as you? I'd suggest that you think about it, but I'm not sure your peabrain is capable of it. (okay, getting steamed now). And being that we were all born and raised in Texas, there is even less excuse because we were taught to respect our elders.

They all make their choices as we make ours. I broke new ground when we got married. Cabinet Man married a Texas native, Southern Baptist, and I dropped out of college after 2 years. I was probably her worst nightmare. I guess that I finally grew on her, but I learned a lot too. I learned a lot from my mom's relationship with her MIL (not good...my paternal GM could be a real witch). My older sister's (lack of a) relationship with her MIL(s) and the stories about relatives and their various inl-aws. And in all this, I realized I had a choice to make...I could figure out a way to get along, or I could (try to) force Cabinet Man to choose between us...a lose/lose situation all the way around. And a stupid one. I like to think I am not completely stupid. ;D (I could be fooling myself) Making an enemy of her would be a mistake. It would do no favors to CM, to me or to our future children. I chose to learn to get along. And MIL is an amazing woman. She's been through a lot (grew up dirt poor in Appalachia), outhouse til she was in HS, graduated at 16 and left home. Traveled in the US and Europe, put herself through school and supported herself. Did not marry until she was almost 30...didn't plan to until she met my FIL, who obviously had other plans ;D But she's had her own demons to battle. I don't think my youngest SIL has any idea what kind of a person our MIL is. And she will be a lesser person for that lack and their sons will miss a lot. She's got some great stories to tell. Both sides of the family come from a long line of yarn spinners and tale tellers...the chances that MIL will be around until the boys are at least in HS are pretty good. And they are going to miss an awful lot.

I guess I see a contempt there that I do not like. And an arrogance It is not attractive, it minimizes the person feeling/exhibiting it...and there is no excuse for it.

I guess as I get older, I see societal shifts easier than I did when younger and I don't like it. I see it as a struggle for our civilization, and we make sure that we have equipped our children to be warriors for it. How they will do that is up to them, but one is doing it as a mental health specialist, another will probably do it as a teacher, another as a biologist..and who knows about the youngest. But they will be among the ones shining that light of good manners, courtesy and respect...for themselves and other people. Isn't that in a way what the Golden Rule is about...treat others as you want to be treated. Show them the respect and love that you want to be shown. Now, how hard is that?

Enough profundity...I'm going to watch Indian Jones and the Crystal Skull with Cabinet Man and Sunshine.

For your consideration: A baby gift

Cabinet Man's youngest brother and his wife just had twins...we know they are boys and the names...no idea if they are fraternal/identical or what...we don't even know the stats, other than they were both very good sized for twins...over 6 lbs each, for which we are very grateful. See, we are not the 'chosen ones' for relatives so...let's put it this way, we were friends on FB and now we are not, and she 'denied' my oldest daughter so...that's sort of a 'hint'. MIL lives less than 30 min from them and she's hardly seen the babies and has had to make an appointment to see them since they got engaged..

Still, we want to send a baby present. I know the nursery is a jungle theme (her younger sister and I are FB 'friends'). While at GW one weekend, I ran across commemorative poster for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Imagination Celebration...and the characters on the poster are all from Where the Wild Things are...it's wonderful. So I grabbed it. I'm repainting the frame to black (it was a pale oak). If that sucks, then I'll just go buy a new frame ;D We'll pick up two copies of the book for the boys (everyone needs their own copy), and see if I can find some scrapbook paper or wallpaper or SOMETHING similar in art to cover a nightlight with, and maybe a tissue box. It will then be packed up and sent on its way.

Opinions? Suggestions? Good, bad or figure something else out. I'm thinking about maybe some burp cloths if I can find a jungly theme trim for them...I'll post pics before I send it if the opinions are good.

Saying Goodbye to old friends

I received word yesterday on my FB account (and my cell which I had not checked) that an old friend from college died suddenly. As she died at her home, there will be an investigation and autopsy, so who knows.

Terry had spina bifida. When we first met in the gymnastics booster club in college, she was going back and forth between crutches and the wheelchair. When I look back, I am thinking she probably went to the chair mostly around 1980. I realize now that I just didn't notice. She never made a big deal about it, so it wasn't. I recall pushing her up a slight hill at school and telling her that the next hill she was pushing and I was riding. We got so tickled that we had to turn sideways and laugh so we stopped losing ground. Terry was never a victim or an obnoxious advocate, she was just there and so was her chair. I'm sure it was a real pain, but she never complained. Okay, sometimes about a broken place in the pavement, but we got her over it and that was it. I met her the September or October after I met my husband...so I've known her almost as long as I have known him.

We wrote periodically over the years and when email arrived, we stayed in regular touch. She loved scrapbooking, her nephew, animals, giraffes in particular, and Bobby Sherman ;D (whom she met several times and is apparently a very kind and gracious man). She has believed so hard in her nephew and been so encouraging to him that I am concerned for him also. Her stories of evacuating during Hurricanes Rita and Ike were pretty funny. Incredibly annoying at the time, but very funny. Her wit and light will be sorely missed. I found her obituary today in the Houston paper...Terry walked into Heaven....it was perfect...she's walking and reunited with a dear friend of ours from college that she absolutely adored....I think she loved him for years. And I am sure that she is seeing her father, and checking in on our youngest son for us.

Perfect song for her....bye Terry. I'll miss you...and now who is going to send me pretty cards stuffed full of confetti???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8sWwFIFlK8

Met Monday--Memorial Day

Okay, this is an extremely pitiful MM...as in, I didn't get finished due to rain and incipient rain. And then one project I forgot to take before photos...since I'm not sure that is the end result of one of them, maybe I can take an 'after' picture and then an 'after after' (channeling Mr. Miyagi in that one)...oh well.

A couple of months ago we bought a lovely bedframe at Goodwill during their 50% off day--even though I am married to Cabinet Man...I don't have a bedframe or side tables (well, I have bedside tables but). So I found this one to use until he can build us one. He'll be painting it white for me and then I get to distress it (I think). Maybe not. So I got out there today and primed and painted the side rails for it. I am also painting Sunshine's bed this summer...the kids have mixed and matched a set of bunk beds and loft that were bought at Cargo years and years ago...once Specialist took off, he brought his bed home & it's been in the garage for 2 years. I pulled out the side pieces today and painted them white. When CB paints our headboard and footboard, he is going to paint this one also. Although I might be inspired tomorrow and weather permitting, I might do that also. He has a spray room and equipment, so I might just do a quickie primer on it.

I also put another coat of spray paint on the tv tray tables I picked up from freecycle a few weeks ago. Since I can't decide if I want them black or white...two of them are black and two of them are white...for now. If I can find a pretty paper, I might do that on each of them. In the meantime, one more coat of paint tomorrow, and I think I'll put a top coat of something on them and go ahead and use them.

My MM? My fingers...during and post painting. I also dumped about a half can of a pretty blue into a white to lighten it up...it's going in a half bath with no natural light, on a hallway with no natural light...I brushed a bit on the wall to check that it is light enough and I am concerned that it is 'chalky'. Any suggestions on how to prevent that?



WHEN did I grow my mother's hands? I wish I had Nester's sister's pretty little hands...but I'm 5'7", so they would look really silly...

I'd forgotten this one too. Our house is pale grey with white trim. The house colors were also in white. Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to see white numbers on a grey house at night? Impossible. Here they are today. I am embarrassed that it has taken 7 years to paint them...took me 5 min...and they are wood grained plastic. They spared NO expense in this 80s house (that we rent). I've realized that ALL the wood trim in the place is plastic, so I'm going to be painting some of it.

After

Need to clean the glass on that lamp though...I wonder where the switch is to turn it on....

Hopefully by next Monday, I'll have Sunshine's bed painted and put back together. I must say, that spray paint version of Kilz absolutely rocks...it was quick and neat. Two things that I am normally NOT.

Head over to Susan's http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ and check out the other lovelies. And take some time to remember our fallen soldiers and vets that have passed on. Memorial Day is a Federal holiday to commemorate those who died in military service. Originally commemorating Union Soldiers after the Civil War.

http://www.usmemoriacclday.org/

http://www.remember.gov/

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/photo_gallery/index.html

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/photo_gallery/5-26-08.html

We must remember, Freedom isn't free...and the moment we forget that, is what we begin to lose it.

Thrifty Finds

Snickerdoodle and I went out for a bit on Saturday. She was trying to find a swimsuit that didn't show everything, was not frumpy, did not cost an arm and a leg. Right. Stop laughing, right now. If I couldn't laugh at the time, neither can you. I thought a tankini would be really cute on her. I had very similar specifications in a swimsuit at her age and would have loved a tankini...they just were not available at the time...5 years later, I could find them.

Anyway, she stopped by Plato's Closet to sell some stuff and found a really cute pair of capris. Then to Goodwill (should have gone to Savers) but anyway, in we went. No jeans (I have better luck at Savers for jeans/slacks), but I found the cutest little lamp. Black metal and a shade that had beaded fringe and beads around the top...around $5.50 for the pair. I DID have a yellow wooden one in my hand, but saw this one instead.



I was pretty pleased with my find. No idea of the retail price, but I know it's not $2.99...I was VERY pleased with myself. We got out to the truck and climbed in, and my daughter showed me what she'd bought. For ONE dollar. Each..color me deflated...really deflated.


Sheesh. I should be very proud of her but, sigh, she outscored me...vinyl, excellent shape. Sigh. A dollar each. ETA: Guess I could have mentioned the names. Both albums are the Eagles...their FIRST one and On the Border. sigh. Now she has to find a turntable she can afford ;D

And on that sad note, skip over to Southern Hospitality and check out the other goodies. I'm just going to sit here and sulk a while.

Facial apparatus, big ass wings and he's home!

Well, we are home from the hospital. Surgery went very well and much faster than anticipated. College Dude went in 10 minutes behind the schedule and was out over an hour early. Back to post-op with a morphine drip. At least an hour of entertainment. The nurses fell in love with him and were really entertained...as were other parents around. See, when the kid is on a morphine drip (okay, not a kid...he's 21) he is VERY entertaining. Last time he was on it we were in the ER--he had some stomach bug and when he starts getting sick to his tummy, it literally has to be stopped with medication and he has to be rehydrated. He's always been like this...maybe a disconnect in his system due to the original heart surgery...just a guess. Anyway, that was his senior year in HS and he sang showtunes...the school was doing Guys and Dolls for the musical that year and he was in it...so, show tunes.

No songs this time, but large words like prestidigitation (he explained the meaning to the nurse), facial apparatus (his father has a beard, his uncle does not), a brief discussion as to who has the most hair, his father or his uncle. Magnificent was a favorite word, it was cool each time someone came in to check his vitals, ALL the nurses were fabulous and cool. It was a pretty hysterical 45-60 minutes there. I was the only one present who had seen him that way before...his dad and uncle were trying not to laugh and I didn't bother to try ;D College Dude then informed the air in general that if giraffes could fly, they would have big ass wings. When Cabinet Man went to walk the uncle out, he and I had a serious discussion. It seems that College Dude wanted his teddy bear (first time in years). I told him that we didn't have his teddy here, but I could go borrow one. They had a stock of stuffed animals in the pre/post op department. No, he couldn't do that, it seems that his teddy at home would know it and be jealous. His teddy sits on his desk and watches over him while he sleeps.

Then the reaction to the anesthesia set in and it was not pretty...for about 4 hrs, two hours of rest and then another hour of it. And since he'd had nothing to eat to speak of since Monday night...other than two french fries and a bit of sprite...that went pretty quickly. Poor guy. Took several meds to find one that worked, then a while before a second dose could be administered. The original intention was to send him home Tuesday night, but due to his reaction and a 70 mile drive home, so they admitted him. Bless those nurses, they found specimen containers and saline for me to put my contacts in, a toothbrush and toothpaste and I was okay for the night. Cabinet Man went over to his brother's place to sleep on the sofa (they are temporarily in an apartment while they build a new home), and I sacked out on the sofa. The nurses on the pre/post op department were fabulous and wonderful and very helpful. The 9th floor, not so good. We were sort of an afterthought on the floor as he was not in real need of anything, just keep an eye on his oxygen. But they tried. College Dude was released around 10AM, we loaded up, filled the prescriptions and headed home. We grabbed a bite to eat on the way home at Sonic, I changed clothes and went to work, CD went upstairs to bed and Cabinet Man crashed on the sofa. After work, dinner, a large glass of wine, I was in bed by 8 or so and asleep soon after. College Dude is up and around, went back to class today.

God is really funny though. All of College Dude's doctors, starting with the ob/gyn from South Africa, have had British accents. The first cardiologist in San Antonio was British, the cardio he saw briefly in NC was American (and a bit of a jerk). I was a bit disappointed that his cardio in Denver was American, but he knows our British doctors, and so gets a bit of help there ;D. The surgeon who put in his original pacemaker is British. As he is over 18, we had to be referred to a doctor that could see him throughout adulthood. This one is Asian, the surgeon who installed the new pacemaker is Indian descent. I am adjusting to the fact that none of the team would be British. Deep sigh, okay. Dr. S referred us and trusts them and works with them. Susie, get over it.

Cabinet Man has met all of the doctors already and we are waiting for them to tell us that they are ready for him. The anesthesiologist comes in and introduces himself...and I start grinning ear to ear. He's an Aussie. God knows exactly what it takes to give a mom a peaceful heart.......;D

Specialist came home on leave today. For TWO weeks! His best buddies picked him up at the airport, brought him into town. I met them at the school where we signed in. He went in to pick up Snickerdoodle (who knew he was coming) and Sunshine (who did not). Sunshine was in her music class, so we traipsed up there to find her...opened the door and asked for her...she almost trampled classmates getting to him...happy girl. Snickerdoodle did better this time also...she didn't fling herself off the stairs at him like she did last time. Last time their reunion had all the office ladies tearing up...along with mom...and we're passing the tissues around.

Well, sorry for the long, late post. And I'll be sure and answer the lovely notes I was tagged with last week. Between computer issues at work (don't get me started) and ones with my laptop...this other computer is just not conducive to blogging. Guess I need to rearrange.

Hugs everyone!