SusieQ-A Work in Progress

Stuff and Such and GOOD NEWS!

2011-05-01T13:29:00.003-06:00

I figured since I used 'this n that' last time. So much for posting more often. So far this year has really flown by.

Snickerdoodle has received her admission forms, etc for Berea College in Kentucky with a full ride! http://www.berea.edu/. As she had to sit out a year due to finances, she did more investigating of financial stuff. Turns out Elmhurst actually limits the amount or percentage of your tuition that you can get grants, scholarships, etc for...and if you cannot get a loan...then you are SOL! If you can get into Berea, then you are guaranteed tuition for all four years. Talk about a huge blessing. Hopefully the BF can get relocated to somewhere in KY after he finished his training and they'll be closer. Not sure what Snickerdoodle is more excited about...getting into Berea or being closer to BF.

Let's see...where were we? The BF just left after another 3 week visit. He's got leave time that he has to use up by the end of May, so he'll be back again in a couple of weeks. We like him a lot. He had a 'precursor' to The Talk with Cabinet Man to lay out plans and priorities. He's moving over to Army Reserves, so he's going back to school for EMT training and seems quite excited about it. He and Snickerdoodle are both resolute on getting their educations so that is a Very Good Thing (as Martha would say).

Sunshine is working on her first big essay for school. It is based on a political cartoon from the Civil War. Very interesting. 500 words (5th grade), but she'll have about 8 weeks to work on it before it is due....she's got 4 weeks left. Glad that Snickerdoodle is still home to help her on it, how to organize it, etc. The school does expect big things from the kids and they really step up...but this one has been a struggle. She has sort of goofed off last quarter, or rather, didn't apply herself so...but she's going to work hard on it and we're not going to make her go to summer school so....but ONLY if she does really well.

College Dude is doing well. Going to school, working, playing Warhammer with his friends...having Mom proofread his papers when the only thing I can do for them is spelling, grammar/punctuation and sentence structure....'cause I have NOT idea what the papers are about subject-wise...Cellular biology. Really? Over my head. FAR over my head.

Specialist is now Sargeant! As of the end of February....very proud of him. He's still loving the Army so that's good. He's there for the long haul so liking it is good.

Cabinet Man is doing little projects around where we can find them. This administration is going after our target clientele and, as a result of the attacks, they are holding onto their money until they see how it shakes out. But until something happens, we'll keep on! I'm still working two part time jobs, and am looking again for something longer term with more money. Things are moving a little bit now so maybe that will result in something! I'm really enjoying the students and do have my favorites...it's so close to the end of the year now that the seniors are getting antsy and stressed. They have started presenting their theses, so we can tell at a look the ones who are presenting in that week. They all have circles under their eyes and shaky hands from all the caffeine. Attended one last week that was really good. Rock solid and he defended it really well. He is a good friend of Snickerdoodle and was at the house several days over the last week to get her to help him polish it.

The weather is warming up (sorta) so I have started planning this summer's projects. I have the coffee table I picked up at GW to get done, finally get our headboard painted so I can get our master bedroom painted and the room fixed up a bit. I'm really so tired of not having it complete that I want it DONE! Our lovely neighbors gave us an electric fireplace so I have to figure out a place to put that. Would love it in the family room, but the way the TV has to sit in there makes it tough to arrange that room. If the lottery falls into my lap (the only way I'll win since I don't play it), then I'd splurge on an LED television, move the fireplace in there and mount it over the fireplace. But no matter where it is, I have another surface to decorate AND someplace to hang stockings at Christmas!

That's all for now lovelies...I have to make about a jillion phone calls this afternoon.

Many hugs your way!

Susan

This n that...mostly that

2011-01-29T11:09:00.006-07:00

It's been a busy week here at Casa de Colorado. Specialist and his friend, aka, Snickerdoodle's boyfriend (hereafter known as The BF), rolled into town on a week ago Sunday. We've not seen Specialist in a year and none of us had ever met BF (not even Snickerdoodle). He's a good guy. Guess I need to roll back a bit.

Specialist met BF up at Ft. Lewis. Specialist is in mental health and BF is a medic. Their areas overlap. Specialist talks about his family and Snickerdoodle...they are very close. So BF had seen snapshots and family pics. Liked the stories that Specialist told him about her. Then he saw more pics and some of her portfolio shots. Unbeknownst to us...Specialist has a habit of staying logged into his FB account. BF would sneak into his room and 'stalk' Snickerdoodle via his FB account! This confession just came this week. So he FB stalked her for a few weeks, while working up nerve to ask Specialist if he could contact her (confused yet?)He finally did and they have been texting/talking/IMing/Facebooking/emailing for months now...since sometime this past summer. It's been a great way for them to get to know each other and frankly, isn't that one of the ways that our grandmothers and great grandmothers got to know their "beaus"? Well, they finally had leave at the same time so they came down together. We have almost 2 weeks of them! BF and Snickerdoodle are staying up til all hours, talking and watching movies and talking and going out and talking. I'm surprised they are both not hoarse by this time. All the kids have grown up on stories of how Cabinet Man and I used to stay up til all hours talking and looks like the tradition is being carried on.

We did allow her to go outside and greet the guys first when they got here..and waited patiently. Specialist came around and snuck in the back door and scared College Dude out of a year's growth, which was good for a laugh all around. Then Snickerdoodle came in with BF and introduced him...he'd brought her flowers ;D

So things are going well...except for the part where they watch movies til all hours and leave a mess downstairs and in the kitchen. Snickerdoodle turned 20 on Monday and they went to Old Town and hung out for a while, then brought some of her friends home with them for cake. One kid had 7 pieces of cake, another one had a piece of cake and a cup of chili, another one had 2 pieces of cake and 2 bowls of chili....so much for leftovers :D

Specialist turns 25 today. Hard to imagine that he's that old when I'm only 26...the age I was when he was born. But I guess that is the way it goes.

It's been so very good to see him. It is his pre-deployment leave so we won't see him again for over a year. We're having Christmas for Specialist and BF tomorrow (ham or chickens and all the fixin's), and a few gifts for them. Then I get to start on NEXT year's Christmas for him as I'll have to get it in the mail to him by October (I think). And all my hard work around here has definitely paid off...Specialist not only noticed the work, but complimented me on it...it MUST looks tons better if a young adult male noticed it ;D

Well, time to work on laundry (Specialist, I'm guessing that the black trash bag dropped in the front room contains laundry that needs to be washed, but I'm not sure that I need to wash the stuff that is folded in there...communication son!

I'll bid adieu until next time.

Oh yeah, check out this VERY cool blog that I found! http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/ I am finding myself more and more drawn to steampunk and trying to figure out a way to integrate it into the cottage style that I love so much. I mostly like it for the techy stuff and jewelry...the jewelry is amazing and might get me to venture into jewelry making. And I would LOVE a computer in the style--don't you LURVE the monitor and keyboard???? http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/

Sorry for the weird linkage...blogger hates me today when I tried to insert the links!

I'm still here!

2010-12-27T14:17:00.006-07:00

Hello Lovelies,

I'm still here and breathing. It's been a weird and wacky summer and fall. I spent most of the summer working for a friend as a mobile pet groomer. I was actually the "head wienie washer". Hey, what do you expect when I can't actually groom them? I did get to appreciate the art that actually is part of a good grooming. The only fiasco was with a cat. He didn't want a bath and shave. Mitzi got bitten and he scratched me up pretty well on the way down. We took her to the doctor immediately to get started on antibiotics, and Cabinet Man picked me up there. At home in the bath was where I found my battle injuries. That was July and the scars didn't really fade until September.

I worked for a couple of months down in Denver. I could easily live in that part of town. Legal work, which I really enjoy. But it was only a two month assignment and not permanent. That would have been nice, but I'd be very tired ALL the time. So now I am working part time doing scheduling for the groomer friend and part time at my kids' school as a lunch monitor. They are terrific kids for the most part (I work with the upper grades) but some of them are a real pain. Love the ladies I work with. It's funny seeing some of the kids I watched graduate come back and work after they have their degrees...have a hard time calling them Mr. and Mrs!

There is a course offered on Dance...swing dancing to be exact. The kids have a great time and get up and dance during their lunch periods also. Some of them are really good. There are a couple of places here locally that they can dance and it's not unusual to see them in the summer out at City Park at the Friday dances. I've heard a rumor that an adult dance class is going to be offered after the first of the year. Cabinet Man won't do it, but I will. Just looks like fun!

Snickerdoodle, aka Model Child, has had her first two assignments. She got them on her own. One was for a fabric store here in town for local designers. Below is a shot from that one.

It was a pro bono shoot. She did another in November for the cover for a novel that she did get paid for, so that was fun. Not allowed to post that one...copyright stuff I think. Anyway, lovely stuff.

College Dude did well on his fall courses...thank goodness. I promise you, for the drama we endured around here the last month of classes...I'm glad genetics is over. He ended up with 3 pretty tough classes but he pulled B's in all of them so he's quite happy.

Specialist is finally deploying in February...to Iraq. He's very excited and looking forward to it. Mom? Not so much. I wish he had a different Commander in Chief...one who was actually concerned about our military, but if wishes were horses....We'll have another Christmas at the end of January when he comes home on pre-deployment leave. He's bringing a buddy with him...who happens to be Model Child's boyfriend. They've never met in person, but they've been talking on the phone, emailing and texting for months now. Some of her friends think it is 'unnatural' that they've not met, but I have to tell them to remember how their grandparents or great grandparents met and if they corresponded if the grandfather was in WWII...they just don't get it. I'm happy that they have gotten to know each other in this fashion before meeting. They are very encouraging to one another...he supports her in her desire to start college in the fall (and finish). Who knows where this will lead? I'm okay to see what develops...her father is a bit nervous...;D But we'll see where God leads them.

Sunshine is in 5th grade this year and is doing well. Holding her back last year was indeed the best thing for her. She has made new friends and kept the old ones. I am particularly taken with her friend Mary. Sweet little girl who can hold her own in this family (there are 5 kids in her family) and that is saying a lot.

Well, that's it for now. New Year's resolution is to get back here regularly. I have plans for sewing and crafting and painting for 2011...have to keep busy!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas holiday (or whatever you celebrate) and a fabulous new year!

hugs to all

Best curbside find --EVAH! (for now anyway)

2010-05-23T19:25:00.002-06:00

I did a bit of garage saling last weekend and had actually planned show it off...then I curb-shopped this one on the way home the other day and it takes precedence. I have wanted a porch swing, patio swing, any kind of swing for years...but it just hasn't happened. Then, on the way home the other day, I passed this baby.

Please ignore the junk behind it...the landfill has been closed due to high winds every time we have tried to go over the past two weeks.

The cushions are a vintage-y floral (prettier than in the picture). I was yelling at Cabinet Man to STOP! Back up! I want that! He backed up, and I was out of the truck and around to the side, trying it out. He was wanting to know how much they were wanting for it and I was pointing to the FREE sign and telling him to get down there and pick up that end after he put the tailgate down on the truck. While he was doing that, I was back at the truck telling Snickerdoodle to get out of the car and HELP!

I have taken the cushions off to clean them up and it is all in great shape! I know they usually have a canopy on them, and I figured out that is why they were getting rid of it...one of the places where you fasten the canopy is broken. Probably our high winds. Cabinet Man has looked at it again and I have made a couple of suggestions on how to mount it (like he wouldn't know how!)

He mentioned today that he thought the place I wanted it moved to in the yard is a good idea. I now have enough yard furniture to actually have a nice back yard...now I just need a patio cover like Rhoda suggests. After 8 years in this place, I might finally get one!

Linking up to the lovely Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Thrifty Mondays. I don't know about you, but I cannot WAIT to see what she does with her 'room'!

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/thrifty-treasures-3/

Prayers please this week! Graduation and party on Saturday for Snickerdoodle. I have to make several dozen mini-cupcakes. And I'll post details next week including the cupcake plates, tablecloth, decor, etc.

Metamorphosis Monday--it's been a while

2010-05-02T20:05:00.001-06:00

This is mostly a 'so-far' metamorphosis...I want to finish it up but could use some suggestions.

Before - and please excuse the ratty looking cat scratch post there...apparently I need to reattach that rope---again! Oh yeah...that tub of fabric on top too...sigh. I need to work on my pictures!

Here's the after.

I am thinking about painting the trim gold...needs a few more coats of modge podge...and it looks a lot cuter in person! My cost for this was around 35 cents! The tray is one of a set from Freecycle. The cutouts are all from saved J.Peterman catalogs...I adore those catalogs...for the stories as much as for the items in it. See for yourself here: http://www.jpeterman.com/

Maybe outlining the stuff with a paint pen? (sigh) I just don't know...but they are so cute in person! Going to do the other two in the set over the summer...as soon as I decide what to use. Took forever to save the catalogs!

Linking up to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/05/welcome-to-68th-metamorphosis-monday.html

I also made this over the past week...but more a show-offy thing rather than a metamorphosis! :D

Here it is on the wall over my hubby's reading chair!

Another week of job hunting and dog bathing ahead...it really is fun.

Hugs,

Susan

Graduation Party Prep and Plea for Ideas

2010-04-30T18:56:00.001-06:00

Snickerdoodle (aka Model Child) is graduating Memorial weekend. As money is really tight, I'm actually able to get a head start on it (unlike when College Dude graduated from HS).

She's having the party with two (male) classmates, so it cannot be really girly. One of the boys has volunteered his family's membership at the lake so we can have the party there...which cuts down on the need for decorations. I made a run by Goodwill today and scored a yellow tablecloth and 4 blue dinner plates (school colors). I picked up 4 black metal candleholders so, with the addition of E6000 glue), there will be serving dishes of various heights. Everything was yellow label so it was all 50% off! I also grabbed 3 black metal display thingies for decorative plates or pictures on tabletops...3 of them, 3 grads...senior pictures or mini collages in each one for display, some confetti and that is done. I have some silver holders that should have Pyrex or other glass dishes in them...no dish, but the servers....so raffia or ribbon across the bottom, towels in them and they can hold the plastic silverware. So I think that other than maybe some balloons and confetti...the decorations are taken care of!

I am starting to collect cans so I can use them to make holders for tea light candles or votives. Maybe someone else would feel like buying citronella candles...or I can pick up some oil and put a few drops in each tea light. I can always use citronella oil in summer. I've seen the can candleholder on Martha Stewart I think, but the reminder was here http://www.homemademamas.net/2010/04/tin-can-tea-lights.html

If the other two sets of parents will pick up the food expenses, I will make red velvet cupcakes (torn between quick and using a mix or being true to my Texas/southern roots and doing them from scratch). Of course, if I do from scratch I can make a batch per week, freeze half and let the family have the other half so they'll be quiet ;D

Another idea I had was to find out where the boys will go to college and have some sort of little picture of their college or mascot or something to go on the table next to their picture....what do ya'll think?

That's it for now...and any other suggestions for cheap/free decor would be greatly appreciated!

Hugs!

Susan

New Header

2010-04-11T11:07:00.002-06:00

My new header is the work of a friend from HS. As much as I enjoy Spring in Colorado, I miss my bluebonnets and apparently this is a bumper year for them. Thanks Larry.

Creativity is back...and so am I!

2010-04-11T10:55:00.001-06:00

I've missed you! I don't know about the rest of you, but I had a rough winter creativity-wise. Not sure why, but I was content with dreaming and considering and reading. With the economy down and loss of my job last summer...let's just say it was tight and hard.

I'm now working part time for a start-up...Van Dyne Superturbo, Inc.http://www.vandynesuperturbo.com/ It's an amazing piece of technology and I really enjoy working there. I'm busy for starters...very busy! And as most of you know, even when I was working, there wasn't much to do. Now I'm having to remember how to prioritize and organize at work! Bonus is that I worked with gearheads who like cars...the faster the better...and forget 'green' although it is a very green piece of technology.

Family update: Cabinet Man has moved his shop back to our home...need to figure out again how to heat it better in the winter (the ceiling is open to the rafters and no insulation and no real way to put it up there!). But it's warming up so we'll worry about that in September. He is down in Denver again this weekend wrapping the front columns on the house he did last summer. College Dude is on schedule to graduate next year...our first college grad! He's still living at home..but paying for his own education and working also. We told him that he has 90 days after getting a job to move out. If he goes to grad school at CSU, that will be another story, but he plans to go out of state to grad school so that won't be an issue. I have plans for his room.

Snickerdoodle is getting ready to graduate in May and go off to Elmhurst in the fall. She should hear about acceptance into their honors program soon. Her thesis (for high school) is mostly done and she is ready for her oral presentation. Yes, they have to do a 40 page senior thesis and a 15 page oral presentation! Can't remember right now what it is on. Yeah, I am a wretched mother. We did get some pics back from the agency from her photo shoot in January and she's just gorgeous! She looked at the video they sent and the pics and, in the most awestruck voice, said "Mom, I look like a model." It was so funny. So, without further ado, here she is. The first one is my favorite one. I love it.And yes, she has legs up to her neck in the second one.

Sigh, I used to be that little...and if she ever reads this blog, I am DEAD for posting those pics.

And Sunshine is trying to get her 15 minutes of fame as a lot of attention is being focused on Snickerdoodle. But we keep telling her that she will be the focus of our undivided attention beginning in September so...(insert evil laugh here). But she is doing so much better in school than at this time last year so we've been 'vindicated' by holding her back. She does understand and accept now that it was a good idea.

I'm starting to get things going again though. Cabinet Man has agreed to sell the buffet (finally!) It's early American maple and really pretty and well made, etc. But I am so very tired of it after 20+ years and ready for something else (and I have been threatened with my life by my sister if I paint it) I will get that Art Deco cabinet unveneered and upstairs for the television. Not decided yet what I'll used for storage in place of the buffet, but I will find something. Or convince Cabinet Man to build me something. I'm on the search for fabric for our bedroom. I love the paint color that I had picked out last year for it, but not sure that it will work with the fabrics that I am considering. I would love to find some vintage look floral or toile..and make sure that Cabinet Man is okay with it. Our bedroom is going to be more feminine, but since I have restrained myself for the past 29 years, I can do that now :D

This weekend I made two pairs of pajama pants for Sunshine out of an old pink sheet...she loves them. We made her a purse also out of some extra fabric around that she found. I have a bunch of old sheets to make stuff out of, so I'm playing with those. The dog bed came over from the shop space, so I am painting that today. It's raw wood so it is SUCKING up the spray paint, even after priming it. I suspect that I'll be heading to the landfill recycling and grabbing a quart of black or white for it. Not sure yet which I'll do. I have some stuff that I can use for the bedding in it. Now to train the cattle dogs to stay in it when we need them from underfoot. I hate having the crates in the family room. We had them in there for so long that Cabinet Man didn't realize how nice it looked without them. And with a big bed for the cattle dogs and my Duncan liking his basket, it will work. By summer I expect to to have NO dog crates and NO toys in the family room. A first!

I also did a first last month. I made two sunbonnets and a shopkeeper's wife apron for our school Spring musical. The apron was biggest pain. The waistband and tie directions were terrible. I would have been better off making it one very long length, then attaching it. Next time. Or I might see if I can redo it. And I had to make a bib for the top. And I decided that if women in the 1800s had had access to twill tape, they would have used them for ties around the neck. So there.

Sorry this is so long. I'll be doing another post soon showing the little 'thrifty' things that I've been able to pick up over the last month.

Affectionately and long-windedly!

Very surreal week

2010-01-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

I wrote this back the week before Christmas...and for some reason it never posted...finally, here it is.)

It has been a VERY surreal week here at our house. Very. But also exciting.

Last week, Snickerdoodle came shrieking down the stairs that she had gotten an acceptance email from Elmhurst College outside of Chicago. On Monday, she came shrieking down the stairs and into the kitchen...she had gotten her acceptance letter AND a letter informing her that she had been awarded the President's Scholarship! It will cover roughly half of her tuition/fees for four years! She was so incredibly excited. In her words, the last four years of sitting home on weekends just paid off big time.

Wait, it gets even better/weirder. Last September she was at a concert with a friend and was scouted by an agent for a modeling agency. She took the card, refused to give the woman any of her contact info and sort of blew it off. She almost threw the card away. I started doing research. I contacted an old high school friend who models in the Houston area and asked her about them. We both researched it and seemed legitimate. Snickerdoodle was asked to come to an open call last Saturday, the 12th. Long story short, she made both cuts...to the finals. We watched a presentation & asked a few questions. They took quick pics and we were told that we'd be contacted in the next 7-14 days with their decision.

I received a voicemail on Wednesday afternoon....they want to sign her. Yes, Snickerdoodle is going to sign with a MAJOR modeling agency! How exciting is that? My nerdy pretty girl! He apparently loved her. I talked to her agent (makes me giggle to say that) earlier tonight and got the photographer's information to set up an appointment. They chose 5 girls from Denver (we're north of there & she just happened to be in town for the show). So at some point everyone will meet in Denver for a shoot. She'll own the portfolio from here on out, the agency will get a copy of everything.

The sales guy at the office where I am for now has a college age daughter who also signed with this agency. She's now with a local one out of Denver and is very happy with them. He just couldn't say enough good things about the agency, the owner and just in general, so that was very reassuring. So, we've done all our research and talking. I really liked the owner's down to earth style (apparently one of three heterosexual men in the fashion business...with six kids), makes the calls himself instead of an assistant...really liked him.

In the end, even if nothing comes of this....she's going to have the very best senior pictures ever ;D

The Security Goose or My workweek

2010-01-22T20:49:00.001-07:00

I swear, sometimes I wonder what it is about me that has me working for odd people :D My current (temp) boss is a guy I worked for a couple of years ago for 2 months as a temp. He's a jerk. I'm not sure what his personality has been in the past, but he had a stroke in 2000 so I know he gets frustrated with memory loss. As someone who's 'been there, done that', I understand.. And he is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. As long as he is on his meds, he does pretty well. He is also delusional if he thinks that he is going to benefit in any way from Obama and the stimulus. So far he's written a couple of letters, asking him to loosen up the strings on the credit so he can build some houses. Pretty nice community in Greeley, CO, but bad timing. No one is building spec houses, he's got a LOT of debt (roughly half a mil per year in interest payments. Anyway, he need to retire. So far he's not yelled at me, but when he does, I'll walk out. He honestly should sell out and retire, travel and/or fish until he no longer can, then settle home. But I am also sure he is lonely....he tends to alienate people.

Monday was supposedly a holiday. However, I am working temp so I wouldn't get paid. I emailed my boss and reminded him it was a holiday on Monday, but I was going to come in anyway for the phones. Turns out a good thing I did as he forgot it was a holiday and didn't know where everyone was. He was pleased and very nice about it. Brought me a new coffee mug on Tuesday ;D.

Wednesday he pulls into the lot (I try to let everyone know when he is there...only 5 people there anyway, and only 2-3 of us there all the time. Nate groans and looks out the window.

Nate: "He's got a dead goose."
Me: Really?
Nate: Yeah.
Me: Okay.

Mike walks in the door with a dead goose by the neck, right behind the head. It hangs down beside him. I started laughing. He asks me if I want it. Nope, no idea what to do with it. It's still got it's feet and feathers. He walks into Jody's office, putting it down in the doorway. Talks a few minutes, picks up his goose and goes down the hallway, shedding goose down and feathers. He stops in Nate's office a minute, but there is no chair in there really so he doesn't stay. Comes out and goes on down the hallway to the CFO's office. I glance down the hallway, and he dropped the goose in the doorway & goes to sit in John's office. From the distance, almost looks like a small dog in the doorway. I am still giggling and laughing. I go find the vacuum cleaner and get all the down and feathers up off the floor. I go to the kitchen, grab a trash bag & follow Mike down the hallway. I opened the bag and told him to put it in there so I don't have to vacuum up more feathers. (Fortunately, there are no fluids dripping from it or I would have raised Cain).

He fools around the office a while, then grabs his trash bag with the goose in it and goes off to his massage therapist. Apparently she doesn't want it either and he eventually ends up giving it to one of the architects that he visits before he goes onto the development in Greeley.

Wednesday afternoon he comes back in, sans goose, and tells me to call the architects (gives me names) and has me invite them to get with a guide and come out to the property goose hunting on Friday. I do so and they arrange to come out and hunt on Friday. We have 42 acres, some wetlands that he wants to develop for a shopping center or something. I get to work this morning & they are out there, setting up the blind, etc. Hear a few shots during the course of the day, then a bunch. I get a phone call at around 11 AM .

Troy: We're getting hungry out here and don't have a phone book.
Me: Okay.
T: Can you call up and order us some pizza and we'll meet the driver and pay for it?
Me: Sure. What do you want?
T: Large pepperoni and large sausage.
Me: Drinks?
T: Yeah, two diet and two regular.
Me: Coke? 'Cause it's all coke to me.
Troy: Yeah, coke's good.
Me: Who do you want?
Troy: Dominos is okay.

The entire conversation, I can hear goose calls in the background.

30 min later or so, the pizza is delivered. One of the guys meets the driver and pays her. They all gather at the trucks. I go into the kitchen and grab a roll of paper towels & a trash bag and take it out to them. And to grab a piece of pizza. Yes, I was sharing pizza from the same box as 5 men who had been rolling on the ground and shooting geese 30 min before and had NOT WASHED THEIR HANDS.

Afternoon rolls on and they finish up. Mike wants to meet with them the next week to discuss the site and possibly condos at the other development. So I go out to see which day is good for them, and they are working on the geese. One of the guys is plucking one of them...more like running his fingers thru the feathers and they are everywhere in the back of his truck. So just watch a bit, comment some...they discuss what to do...and I watch them tear open the skin and poke around to where they want to cut. Back inside to get the key to the dumpster lock for them...back outside and one has pulled a leg and thigh off (I think) and is brandishing it around. I unlock the dumpster and ask them to lock it back up when they are done. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking...okay, what do I put them in and how do I clean goose feathers? There's probably enough off those three and others for a small pillow.

Back inside. Sheesh. Having 2 sons prepared me well for this job. I leave at 5 and there are goose feathers EVERYWHERE in the lot...sigh. I put up with all this in 3 days...and he's complaining because he's paying the agency too much!

Why do I end up with the weird jobs? Another day I'll tell you about the weirdest job interview ever.

What I've Been Up To

2009-12-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I was laid off my job in June. And there are no jobs out there. Our small city has really laid off administrative staff in all fields, the university has a hiring freeze. Therefore, there are a LOT of applicants for the various positions. So I've been piddling around the house, helping out Cabinet Man, etc.

This is what he's been working on in Denver since June. These are not the portfolio pics, but just ones that I have taken. Over the next little bit I'll also be posting stuff from another job that he did. I mostly tag along to tote and fetch, hold things, vacuum, sand, prime. I have gotten to install hardware, sweep, take pictures, etc. Just be entertaining self for the most part. Unless he's grouchy...in which case I retreat into whichever books I brought along until I am needed.

Without further ado. Here are some pics.Obviously, Cabinet Man did not build the house itself. So this is a shot from the street, late afternoon...standing in the middle of the street while a neighbor waited patiently ;D. Landscaping will be in the spring.

Whole view of the kitchen and island. Eventually there will be a panorama' view of it. See all that hardware? Yep, I put on every single piece.

Other side of the island. I ADORE the sink and have wanted one for years. There should be a pic of one in a file I've had for years. There is a bookcase on the far end.

Double ovens. The cabinet above is for cookie sheets. I am not sure what is in the drawer below.

The lower corner cabinet is a lazy me. I didn't like the one I had years ago, but this one has good hardware so I do like it. Deep drawers under that amazing stovetop. The uppermost one is just a fake drawer front. And the organization of those utensils? Great!

Other cabinets and fridge. There is a door on the other side of the fridge that I believe will be used for mops, brooms, trash, etc. Not sure though.

The kitchen computer station. To left side is the pantry and the right side is storage, the printer and tower, etc.

Details on the island end and the bar.

Molding on all pieces to look like furniture feet. Routed doors and bar to resemble beadboard, but better. Vintage hardware and feel to the whole thing. I do love this kitchen. The owner has mentioned living here a couple of years, then selling and building another one together.

Later this week I'll be showing off the stairs, laundry room (upstairs...brilliant!) and vanities that we (Cabinet Man) did.

Hugs til later,

Susie Q

My (temporary) co-workers

2009-12-13T15:55:00.001-07:00

I'm so sorry for the lack of postings...very unexpected blogiday...Cabinet Man has been busy finishing a job and guess who has been getting to 'help' him by doing things like sanding and priming (not nearly as much fun when you don't get to keep any of it). Then more sanding. My nails are shot (and they looked so good this summer in spite of all the painting I did at home).

But the finished job is spectacular and I'll post pictures in the next few days.

On to the 'job'.Wednesday I received a call from an agency I had re-registered with in June when I was laid off. About 15 seconds into her 'spiel', I asked her if "Mac" had chased off another employee, and Tiffany realized that I'd worked for Mac before. Relief in her voice. I said that I would be happy to fill in while they looked for someone permanent, but I would not take a permanent job out with him. I worked for him two years ago for two very long months. He is a jerk. Pure and simple. He SHOULD just retire (he's 69), plenty of money, and just fish or travel. However, he is single. He is a developer who refuses to recognize that the market is down, won't reduce the prices on things to get them sold & pay back the loan, etc. He can be quite crude and vulgar (I ignore it). And, of course, they don't pay as well as they did 2 years ago. They tried to get me to take less but I wouldn't go that low. It is just not worth it. Too much potential aggravation, etc.

So, I have crazy Mac. He had a stroke in 2000 & I see a deterioration in 2 years. Between stroke damage, age, dead brain cells from alcohol...sheesh. His family is suspecting Alzheimer's but it will not be easy to get him to considered testing. But he can be VERY charming and funny.

Next we have the accountant, Mark. He's in his 60s also. Single. Apparently can't find a date so he has recently signed up on several websites for women from the former Eastern bloc. Russia, Romania, Latvia, Bulgaria. Professional women, attractive...what is it with that part of the world where so many of them have such striking cheekbones? They are regular photos, some 'cheesecake' (as in 1950s and 40s styles really), so not too bad. They appear to be very well 'vetted' for lack of a better word.

Then there is the engineer, Jim. Seems to be a nice kid. Probably the most 'unconnected' person of his age I've met. No IPod, very basic phone that he uses as a phone (imagine that!). He's been there 2 years, but I don't know him either.

Jody. NO idea what she does. Supposedly something with minerals, water, something or other. Never see her really doing anything. I was to her office and she's got FB open on her laptop, and playing games or something like that on her computer. But Mac likes her, which is why she still has a job.

Jack is the final one. Sales. 'Nuff said. He's seldom there & while he is supposed to be doing sales, not sure.

Back to Mac. He has a blackberry now. Apparently he doesn't know how to text and no one there will show him. Terrible driver and probably close to losing his license and insurance. Better for all of us if he does ;D He got a new Bluetooth for it the other day and bought one also for Jim. It has an extra set of earphones that plug into the Bluetooth so he can listen to music. Mac honestly thought he was doing a cool thing, but $150 for the pair? So I talked to Jim and he doesn't want to be able to...he listens to his car radio. So does Mac. So I convinced him to take them back and I'll get both of them hands-free devices that are exactly that and no more. Whew.

Monday I have to start researching a trip to Israel for him over Christmas. That should be interesting. Does this guy really need to be traveling around the world. Alone? This will probably continue to get interesting as I really have no idea what I am supposed to do there besides answer the phones, go thru mail, write checks for his personal bills. Oh, and I can watch the news on that fabulous big screen plasma TV in the office that no one else watches. Have to find out how to turn on the closed captioning so I can just read it instead of listen to it. Wonder if there are any good movies on tomorrow? ;D He likes it being turned on.

So boys and girls, that is my fun life for now. Still need to bathe Duncan.

Hugs,

Susie Q

Homemade Laundry Soap

2009-10-25T21:21:00.001-06:00

This is a crossover post from one that I did at Facebook. I got a lot of interest in it, so I thought I might do it here too.

I ran across this while browsing the TipNut.com site. http://tipnut.com/Love the site. One of the first books I got after getting married was Hints from Heloise. Mom used to get Good Housekeeping and I'd pick it up sometimes to read and was captivated by Heloise. So I looked for her every month in the magazine, and when we moved back to the Atlanta area, she was in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution every Sunday. So I read that one too and clipped columns...while I was in 8-10th grades. When we moved to the Houston area, my only source was GH. After we got married, I found a book. YAY! I've always loved the tips in them, and have run across some others at times...oddly enough, Erma Bombeck had some good ones (when you have to iron a kid's pants for a school play or performance, find out which leg faces the audience, then iron that one ;D) When I was working in the corporate world, there were other tricks I learned...if I had a sweater or jacket that I wore all day over a dress shirt, cuffs, collar and front placket are all that need to be ironed. Cheap shampoo works great on dirty collars and cuffs. Little things that made life a lot easier.

I've collected a number of home books over the years, from Heloise, http://www.heloise.com/ to Annie Berthold-Bond http://www.anniebbond.com/ to Debra Lynn Dadd http://www.dld123.com/. Bond and Dadd have gone on to internet sites and other books, but I like their originals. Bond has a political agenda I don't care for, but I do still use a couple of her books for reference.

Once we started having kids, yeah, I started treating stains when they happened. As I seldom was washing them at stain time, I'd tie the sleeves or legs of the piece of clothing together and toss it in the dirty clothes. That reminded me to treat the stain again before it got tossed in the wash. I bought nothing but white socks for the boys when they were little. They just had a different colored stripe around the top and I taught them to pin them together to toss into the dirty clothes. Then they were already paired off. Folded their clothes in outfits for the drawers so they had a complete (matching--College Dude was color blind & we didn't know) outfit on. Saved us time and aggravation in the morning.

When we moved into a house in 1990, the boys started developing allergy symptoms, which they had not had before. We did some investigating and found out the house had been flooded a few years before from the creek behind it...the landlord cleaned the carpet and pocketed the insurance money. We had a cleaning business so we did the carpet also and pulled roughly 15 gallons of mud out of the carpet...they'd done a terrible job cleaning. But it was all covered up so well that we didn't know until too late. Absentee landlord, hapless agent and no real recourse at the time. (Then he was mad when we didn't want to buy the house when the lease was up!) That was when I started making my own cleaners. I didn't want to add to the boys' problems with more chemicals, couldn't find the one that I could get at Mom's in Houston and there was a limit to my stocking up when I went to visit so, I bought a few books and a few ingredients and starting making my own. Did it for years. When I went back to work outside the home, the kids started taking on more cleaning and Cabinet Man didn't really want to mess with it so, we started buying it again. Plus, by making my own cleaners, the boys could clean up part of the bathroom and I didn't worry about what they were being exposed to (or if they were wasting it)

Fast forward and I'm home again and I'm starting to get back into the groove of being a SAHM (and I like it) Sunshine is 10 and this is really the first time that I've been able to be home. Back to doing more from scratch and looking up old interests. I keep baking soda and borax around anyway for cleaning, and I already had ivory soap. And I can't find washing soda in the Wal-Mart's...maybe at the farm and ranch place...Also, I have a regular washer/dryer, not front loading (cobalt blue ones are on my Wish List) for someday, so I've not tested the detergents on them. Not even sure where to begin testing that, but as I plan to have a pair someday, I might need to start researching and looking up, especially since there seems to be a problem with mold in many front loading washers...which is odd that the new ones do, when the ones from many years ago don't)

Here's the link to the site: http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda

    * Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
    * In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
    * Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
    * Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

I also used about 20 drops of sweet orange essential oil. Smells nice. I'll use lemon or lavender next time...it's really faint. Maybe I'll use more too. If your soap is "fresh" it will grate into little curls, like chocolate. If it has been out a bit and dried, it is more powdery. Don't use 'beauty bars' like Dover or something like that. The oils/creams they add to it might stain.

I use recipe #8...grated Ivory soap, baking soda and borax. I have to get the melting the grated soap down really well, but even when it is 'flakey', it works well. I've gotten comments from the kids on the scent (who doesn't like Ivory?), and it seems like the clothes are softer. I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets (did you know that it leaves a residue on the inside of your dryer--you can get it off with cloth soaked in vinegar), but even the towels seem softer. I have used vinegar on occasion as fabric softener and no, it doesn't smell like vinegar after they dry. I use powder detergent in the summer and liquid in the fall/winter/spring. I use cold water for everything but towels and the water is too cold up here most of the year to dissolve powder. Learned that one the hard way.

I've also used the powdered detergent for the dishwasher. I didn't always keep good track of stuff while I had an outside job, so I would run out when doing laundry late at night or when I just didn't feel like going out in the snow.

http://tipnut.com/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-recipes/

We've got reasonably soft water here, so I have not had the problems that other posters on the site might have. Your Mileage May Vary according to your part of the country, water hardness or softness or minerals, etc.

Maybe sometime I'll give my experiences with making my own mixed for Bisquick, brownies, spices, etc....

And a new pic of Duncan, aka, the Duncanator, Duncster, Duncmeister....he's put on a little weight and the dreadful haircut has grown out a bit.

And did you know that Laura over at Decor To Adore is having a lovely Halloween giveaway? YES! Go, now! http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2009/10/spooktacular-adornments-giveaway.html

Balloon Boy - Yep, that is my town (update)

2009-10-17T14:42:00.002-06:00

After that title, I feel like I should insert the lyrics to Montgomery Gentry's song, 'This is My Town'...but I can't find anything that rhymes with 'flying saucer shaped weather balloon'. (sigh) Why I am not a songwriter.

I'm sure most of you have seen this as it was plastered all over the world news. I got a Facebook comment from a friend in the UK about it...

And now all the word is about a 'hoax' by a family desperate to remain in the media spotlight. They've appeared on 'Wife Swap' twice (I think twice). Oddly enough, I think it replayed sometime recently as I was channel surfing and vaguely remember seeing a comment about 'storm chasers', but I had no idea they were from here. And all the furor about their YouTube videos, Falcon's comment about it 'being for the show', etc.

Let's look at a few things. Yes, the family is unconventional. Yes, they have been in the media. Yes, they do things a bit differently. What's the problem? My gut instinct is that it is NOT a hoax. For starters, as a former 6 year old and having raised 4 of them...I have a really hard time believing that a kid that age is going to stay hidden for 4-5 hours upon the instructions of a parent. Maybe would have happened in Victorian times (maybe) but I don't see that happening these days (short of a severely abused child doing so out of fear and there is NO indication of that in this case). He stated that he came down because he got bored. That comment absolutely screams SIX YEAR OLD BOY! However, I can see a kid hiding out for fear of punishment or reprimand...especially if he thought (right or wrong) that he'd let the family weather balloon go! It was a family project, so there was some time and money tied up in it and he was aware of that. Shoot, I'd hide out for getting into my dad's tools and there was not that kind of time/money involved.

And the comments about the kids sleeping in their clothes at times so they could be gotten up in a hurry to chase a storm. I had friends in Austin that were storm chasers (not sure if they were certified, I didn't realize you could be). But it also made sense to me. They also had 3 kids and they'd rouse the kids, put them in the car and the kids would go back to sleep--I recall they were around the same ages as the Heene kids. First though took me aback, but I could see it. Besides, where are you going to find a sitter at 2AM? Although I did tell her that if she suspected chasing it would take them hours and hours, to call me and drop them at my house.

But I think the media and others are looking to demonize this family because they do not fit the 'mold', and they are trying to find a way to make the Heenes 'pay' for the fear and attention that was trumped up. This story was shown around the world (thank you 24 hour news cycle).

Bottom line, I don't think it was a hoax and I am quite sorry for the family. Good luck to them with the attacks from the media. And I like the press conference that Sheriff Aldersen held yesterday in which he really defended the family and told everyone that he was NOT jumping to any conclusions and they would investigate. Which I am sure they would have done anyway. Our sheriff has made some controversial statements himself, but I do think he's a good guy and a good sheriff.

So, that is my two cents folks. For what it's worth these days ;D (I was wrong!!!!!)
Have a great weekend and I am heading back to bed. The family has pretty much gone down like dominoes this week with a respiratory thing (not the flu), and I am worn out from ~~pandering~~, err, taking care of them.

Hopefully I will be back next week with a couple of Duncan stories and pictures. It's also nice to know that all the odd, unconventional families are not limited to Texas (which is what I was beginning to think!)

My Very Best Free Recycling Find Ever!

2009-09-28T09:15:00.001-06:00

As many of you know, our local landfill has a free chemical recycling program. This is my absolutely, positively VERY best find there....EVER.

Two new puppies. 'Nuff said. Until Rhoda resumes Monday Thrifty Treasures in the spring.

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/pretty-practical-and-pure-pleasure-all-for-11-35/

Thrifty Thursday (I think) And for Monday too!

2009-09-16T19:00:00.001-06:00

Yeah, I've been a bit MIA for the last couple of weeks. It was tough helping Snickerdoodle deal with her loss...and I was at a loss. Thanks for all the sweet thoughts and prayers. We are over the first hurdle of it and she started her senior year Monday.

On to my thrifty finds. I picked up these goodies at GW a few weeks ago. The door sign is perfect for fall. The danglies were stretched out, but I grabbed a pencil and wrapped the wire around it again and they were good to go. The little herb pics went into the kitchen by the window.

I also got two big pictures that day, but since I can't figure out how to photograph them without glare so bad that you can't actually SEE the pic...I'll wait.

There is a bit of a dichotomy with my Welcome sign, then the little one by the doorbell that reads:

NO SALES

NO SURVEYS

NO PETITIONS

NO SOLICITING

NO PROSELYTIZING

NO COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT

SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN

THANKS YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

But the school fundraising, organizational soliciting season is upon us again. Our funds go to our school, church, charity and I get tired of answering the door and saying No. One of Snickerdoodle's friends freaked a little though (Honey, you've been playing over here for 3-4 years...you're okay)

And my final find. That's why the "I think" is in parens above. I've been looking for a dog for a while for me and, as usual, I found one for Cabinet Man. Again. This time though, I found one for me. Actually found a couple and am going with the 2nd one. He's an older puppy...5 months instead of 6 weeks. I think that is too young anyway to get a puppy, we prefer 10-12 weeks. Colorado law states that you cannot sell a puppy before 8 weeks. The two breeders we were talking to about puppies were adamant about 6 weeks. So when I found other dogs, I told the first ones we had talked to, "No thank you." They were great. We'd not put down a deposit and it was conditional so...no foul, no harm when we decided against them. And when someone selling puppies really is unfamiliar with the term 'alpha dog', back away.

I'm still trying to decide on a name. They call him Downy (who names a dog after a fabric softener?!) and that just Will Not Do. I have been considering Duncan (from Highlander:The Series), but I'm not sure if he is big enough to be a Duncan. Methos has been ruled out already also...bigger dog. Joe perhaps? Or Mac? I'll have to go thru the canon of the story and see. I missed out getting a female for free a few weeks ago...BUT, turns out she might be back there...the new owners had a house fire that destroyed their home and burned the father badly. He's looking at grafts for 30% of his body, so they just are not sure they can keep her. She would be great company for him as he has a lot of surgeries coming up, but being a puppy, she is also needier. So I might end up with her also :D Cabinet Man is not so sure...two dust mops running around. Since we are picking up a female cattle dog for him on Thursday, I'm not sure why he is allowed to have 2 dogs and I am not....we'll discuss that over the next few weeks I am sure.

Of course, if we get her, then it settles the names...Duncan and Amanda, Mandy for short)

The thrifty part actually comes in that I'm getting him for $100 less than she had him on the website for and $250 less than the price for her male puppies. We are getting the female cattle dog, Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird) for $50 less than he posted in the ad. Her parents are working dogs from a working ranch and he has been breeding them for years so we're happy with his knowledge...and he seems pleased that she is going to people who actually are familiar with the intelligent, weird, freakish ways of the cattle dog.

I've figured out a way to keep Caleb from killing me, by the way. http://susieqaworkinprogress.blogspot.com/2009/07/shhhhhh-he-trying-to-kill-me.html Turns out he hates the vacuum cleaner. He growls at it and darts in and snaps at it. Our female used to do the same thing. If the new puppy acts the same way, I will form the theory that all cattle dogs hate the vacuum cleaner. Now all I have to do is carry it around with me! It's a older Kirby. It weighs roughly a thousand pounds. Maybe I'll just record the noise to my phone and carry that..

I'll add this to my Monday post. I picked up this apothecary jar and lotion/soap dispenser at GW--$1.99 each!

Goodbye Bill. And thank you.

2009-09-08T16:51:00.001-06:00

it has been a very sad weekend around our home. Sweet Snickerdoodle got a phone call on Saturday night that her BFF had died unexpectedly. He lived in Hawaii and they had never met in person but, as you all know, friendship is not limited by distance, especially in this day and age. She was planning to go out there after graduation next summer and spend some time. I wish I could afford for her to go to the funeral, but that is just not available. But we'll figure out a way for her to get out there next summer if I have to sell one of the other kids ;).

Bill had Crohn's Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/crohns/ In and of itself, it is not fatal. But he had a flare-up this summer and was on several medications. The medications were masking the symptoms of a bacterial infection that was undetected until Friday. He had gone to his first two days of college, then was sick for 2 weeks. He thought he had the flu. Bill went to the doctor on Friday and that is when they found the infection. My guess is that by that time it had infiltrated his bloodstream and it caused cardiac arrest sometime later. They put him on life support and I am guessing that they disconnected it Saturday morning. As I said, those are guesses from what she has said.

Snickerdoodle is absolutely devastated. Today was her first day of school as a senior, and she couldn't enjoy it and came home at lunch. The pain in her heart and soul is visible and visceral. And we cannot do anything to make it better.

As parents, the time eventually comes when you cannot make it better with a kiss, a hug and a Happy Meal. All you can do is stand by with a box or two of tissues and open arms.You can cry with them, ache for them, but in the end all you can do is be there for them. But she is grieving, and that is good. She's grieving for the future too...for the years of friendship that were taken from them. For herself since he is no longer on the other end of the phone line or the computer.

Bill, thank you for being my daughter's dearest friend. Thank you for being a virtual shoulder for her to cry on, talk to and laugh with.Thank you for 'getting' her. Thank you for being her joyful companion the last few years, in good times and in bad. Thank you for helping her along the way. I am so sorry that we'll never get to meet you, welcome you into our home and have another kid around. You will always have a special place in her heart and memories, and you will always have a place in my heart also...just for what you gave to her.

My Falling Down Story`

2009-08-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

Inspired by HeathahLee's story, http://butterflygenes.blogspot.com/2009/08/falling-down-revisited.html I have to share mine.

May 2007. Cabinet Man, Specialist and I were going to the younger kids' charter school to hear College Dude (Chick Magnet was his moniker at the time) present his senior thesis. Yes, our high school makes the students present and defend a junior AND senior thesis. 18 page oral, 25 page written for junior year. 25 page oral and 35 page written (I think) for senior year. These grads can write like the wind by the time they get to college. Forgotten his question, but the theme was The Phantom Tollbooth http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Tollbooth-Norton-Juster/dp/0394815009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251436030&sr=8-1 A book that my boys dearly loved.

Anyway, I was wearing a new pair of khaki slacks that I had just gotten. First wearing. Yeah, you know where this is going.

We were all talking and Cabinet Man and Specialist stepped up on the sidewalk and I am not sure what happened. I felt myself falling and did the usual reaching...and still went down...they were still walking and talking. A few steps later Cabinet Man looks back and says, "Susan? What are you doing down there?" (Duh, what do you think I am doing?)

I hit the ground and rolled over on my back...laughing. After THAT comment, I was laughing even harder. The expressions on their faces were ones that I wish I'd had a camera to capture. Priceless.

They helped me up and we did an injury check. Ankles, fine. Knees? One, bloody and torn slacks. Damn. Slightly grazed hand. And all I can think is that I hope the assistant principal was at the presentation and NOT looking out his window at that particular time as he would NEVER let me live that one down.

We went on in (me limping slightly) and God bless the school for reinforcing etiquette, manners and chivalry in those students as a young man got up immediately and gave me his seat and he moved to the back row. Chick Magnet (aka College Dude) gave a terrific presentation, then came over to find out what his mother was up to now...

The End.

More Thrifty Thursday and Thrifty Treasures Monday

2009-08-27T22:12:00.003-06:00

Okay, I had to add the button and toss this in for Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures. See? I finally managed to get the button done.

Made another run to Goodwill Thursday for a couple of candlestick lamps I had seen Wednesday. Someone else had bought my Lucy Vitavegamin metal sign though. Shoulda hidden the thing!

Filled a cart then wandered around adding and thinking and subtracting. Realized that since I have been seeing a number of the metal wall vases, I will probably see a few more. So I grabbed the lamps and will use them with shades I picked up free in Denver. The one on my side of the bed appears to need to be rewired...but it's a candlestick...how hard can that be? It's a 3 way so I plan to use the wiring from the lamp it is replacing and paint the part that shows white. I'll keep one shade I had used, then I will take the other lamp and shade to Savers or Goodwill. Funny, do my donations at Savers and money at Goodwill recently.

I am guessing Target had recently sent stuff over as I grabbed a skirt that I thought Target wanted too much for. It's white so I can only wear it a week or so, but I have it for next spring and summer so it's all good. Hmm..guess I need to be ready to put away the white flipflops too with the flower and get another pair for fall. Yes, I still adhere to 'don't wear white after Labor Day or before Easter'. I think that it is tattooed on my bum somewhere. ;D

So here are my goodies.

The pics with the small frames are for our bathroom as I redo it. They are on the wall now and I plan to replace the towel rod with a shelf made from a small shutter and put hooks to hang my t-shirt that I use to dry my hair. (naturally curly hair...hair doesn't snag on a t-shirt the way it does on towels...less frizz).

Once I decided to go with a sort of beachy feel to our family room, I've been looking for stuff...and I found these two shell displays. I am removing the frames and painting them white, along with the frames on the ones I bought last week. My biggest problem will be deciding how to display them. I think I will use the two narrow ones on the outside and these two vertically between them...or maybe just in a row across the wall and use another long shutter for a shelf under them and figure out a display for there...it's a long wall and I had a bigger pic there. I also found two larger pics at GW that I am going to try to go back and get if they are there when my next unemployment check comes in. if not, oh well. I'll find something else. Wasn't sure where I'd have put them anyway...maybe youngest daughter's room.

Anyway, here is a close-up of one particular find. Bill, http://affordableaccoutrements.blogspot.com/it's for you. And your dad. ;D I'm not sure what her name is yet...it's hard to understand her through the muffling effect of the plastic.

Now to get this silliness posted before midnight Mountain Time...technically it is no longer Thursday in Bloggeritaville, but it still is in my world.

PS: I did work on the lamp on Friday morning. I took an old yucky lamp and broke it for the cord. The socket wouldn't come apart on it, so I took another one that was actually already kind of stoved in at the back, but still usable. Besides, it was in the bedroom and not visible. Grabbed the socket from it and replace the old one. The cord was not the problem. Now I have a length of white cord with plug and a length of black cord with plug for future replacements! guess I need to start me a little storage bucket for that stuff.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-08-26T22:20:00.001-06:00

Well, I didn't manage to post for Monday at Rhoda's after all but since I have a few more things for Leigh's...yay! Here's to Bloggeritaville!

When I was in Denver a couple of weeks ago, along with the Ball jars, I got THIS!

Look at the price(s). Each.

Well, I dug through my purse and pockets and came up with $12 so I offered her that for just the chair. She said okay and came to help me load the jars and chair in the car...and threw in the ottoman! I had taken a minute and called my BIL to see if I could stick it in the basement of the house they are building (I was driving a Prius that day and had room on the way home for either the chair and ottoman or the girls...it was a tough call ;D

My Goodwill run last week netted me these lovelies. Not pictured are the school supplies that I scored. The shell pics are numbered, but I can't find the artist info anywhere. Two metal lamps and my free shades from Denver fit...a white planter, the flowered plant pot.

Closeup of shell plants.

$3.00 lamp and one of my free shades from Denver.

And THIS is today's Goodwill find. I've found 3 VERY similar black metal lamps in 3 sizes over the summer at Goodwill and another pretty metal one that might be painted white or black, for around $16.00...including shades. I found this one today and did lamp rearranging. This one went over by Cabinet Man's reading chair, the first one I found went back in the entryway and the smallest one back out to the garage until I decide what to do with it. It might end up on my buffet....not sure. I have wanted one of the candle wall wreaths for ages but not willing to pay the price of $30-50! I do need to get little tea light holders, but I can find those really inexpensively. $4 for the candle wreath, $4 for the lamp/shade. The shade looks like leather and it is really pretty.

Please excuse the tape on the wall. I'm painting tomorrow and Friday as Cabinet Man and Snickerdoodle are going to Denver to a client's home to install a staircase railing, newels and spindles. Should be gorgeous. Here is what I helped with on Monday afternoon and Tuesday AM...upper cabinets, corner cabinet and SOLID maple butcher block countertops. Those suckers weigh a TON! I was secretly (okay, it was a secret!) proud of myself for being able to manhandle and lift them like I did. I had a chiropracticly induced stroke in 1994 and my right grip has never been as strong as before. So I was pretty excited that I didn't drop anything, was able to hold things up, etc.

Scoot over to Leigh's and check out other finds from wonderful bloggers (and non bloggers!)

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/08/thrifty-thursday-31-and-tablescape.html

The Constitution and American Sovereignty

2009-08-18T19:40:00.001-06:00

Slight drift into politics here. I receive this publication every couple of months and it is always thought provoking. Excerpts from speeches by David Limbaugh, Mark Steyn, Rush and others and there are many more in their archives. They lead to many conversations in our home and I often find my copy in my kids' rooms, or I send it to Specialist.

I think this one is particularly important to read and understand, then put in contrast to what has been happening in our nation in the past 20 years or so. Keep in mind the Texas court case mentioned, the Kyoto treaty, Law of the Sea proposed by the UN, etc. As a nation, we cannot submit our sovereignty to foreign countries. I've been reading British papers for a few years now, and I am sickened and astounded by the way they keep giving away their rights and sovereignty to the EU...which is nothing more than a huge bureaucracy. Amnesty International and the International Red Cross also sicken me. I refuse to donate to the Red Cross any more, and anyone who approaches me regarding anything like this gets one of two things...a question about their personal knowledge of the Constitution and how it expressly FORBIDS anything above it or why they are so stupid as to think that we need to do what Europe does. We left, remember?

Anyway, take a few minutes to read the article and ponder on it. Real food for thought. Any emphasis is mine.

"The Constitution and American Sovereignty

Jeremy Rabkin
George Mason University
"WOULD WE be far wrong," President Lincoln asked in a special message to Congress in 1861, "if we defined [sovereignty] as a political community without a political superior?" Maybe that’s not exhaustive, but it comes on good authority. And notice that for Lincoln, sovereignty is a political or legal concept. It’s not about power. Lincoln didn’t say that the sovereign is the one with the most troops. He was making a point about rightful authority.

By contrast, sovereignty wasn’t an issue in the ancient world. Cicero notes that the ancient Romans had the same word for "stranger" as for "enemy." In the ancient world, people didn’t interact with foreigners enough to think about their relation to them except insofar as it meant war. Nor was sovereignty an issue in medieval Europe, since the defining character of that period was overlapping authority and a lot of confusion about which authority had primary claims. No one had to think about defining national boundaries. This became an issue only in the modern era, when interaction between different peoples increased.

>snip<

The Constitution provides for treaties, and even specifies that treaties will be "the supreme Law of the Land"; that is, that they will be binding on the states. But from 1787 on, it has been recognized that for a treaty to be valid, it must be consistent with the Constitution—that <span style="font-weight:bold;">the Constitution is a higher authority than treaties.</span> And what is it that allows us to judge whether a treaty is consistent with the Constitution? Alexander Hamilton explained this in a pamphlet early on: "A treaty cannot change the frame of the government." And he gave a very logical reason: <span style="font-weight:bold;">It is the Constitution that authorizes us to make treaties. If a treaty violates the Constitution, it would be like an agent betraying his principal or authority.</span> And as I said, there has been a consensus on this in the past that few ever questioned.

Read the rest here please. Then comment if you please.

http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis.asp

Thrifty Monday and Met Monday

2009-08-16T18:00:00.000-06:00

I'm joining Rhoda Southern Hospitality and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Monday.

I went to a little consignment store here in town a few weeks ago. I had wanted to go in there for some time, but hadn't had the opportunity. I found a Christmas present there for Cabinet Man.

Back says Sweden, the front interprets to Father's Day 1971. Which leads me to wonder how it ended up in a small city in Northern Colorado! And since Cabinet Man is a cabinetmaker, how perfect is this? It is currently living in the top of Snickerdoodle's closet.

That was my available cash. I had to wait 2 weeks. She held the plate over a week for me. I have gone back in three times since and spotted this. Lovely, but seriously tarnished.Two sugar bowls, a creamer and a tray. Sugar, creamer are one pattern, second sugar bowl another pattern and a pretty tray. 4 piece set marked down from $25 to $10!

So, Saturday afternoon I sat down with my silver polish, soft cloths, sink of warm water, and paper towels (ala Bill at Affordable Accoutrements http://affordableaccoutrements.blogspot.com/2009/08/silver-for-your-table-from-goodwill.html). And my cable remote. Drop Dead Diva On Demand (http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/drop-dead-diva) One of my new favorite shows but I have a hard time watching it in its slot. So I polished and buffed and ruined two fingernails in the process of getting to this. I already had the spoon and the Battenberg doilies were a gift from a friend's trip to Italy some years ago.

I'm not sure if it is silver or plated, the tray says Churchill on the bottom, one sugar bowl says FB Rogers Silver (it's plate) and I can't find markings on the other 2 pieces. I didn't find much on the F. B. Rogers. It was founded in 1883 and appears to still be around today.

Still have not finished the rattan patio set, but have a couple more projects to show you soon, including a score from the garage sale in Denver last weekend.

Bop on over to Rhoda's http://southernhospitalityblog.com/those-thrifty-finds/and Susan's http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ to see what else is up!

Thrifty Monday and Met Monday

2009-08-16T16:28:00.006-06:00

I'm joining Rhoda Southern Hospitality and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Monday. My Live Writer didn't want to publish my post so after fussing for a half hour, I said "Phooey" and just used Blogger. Hopefully it will work next time.

I went to a little consignment store here in town a few weeks ago. I had wanted to go in there for some time, but hadn't had the opportunity. I found a Christmas present there for Cabinet Man.

Back says Sweden, the front interprets to Father's Day 1971. Which leads me to wonder how it ended up in a small city in Northern Colorado! And since Cabinet Man is a cabinetmaker, how perfect is this? It is currently living in the top of Snickerdoodle's closet.

I have gone back in three times since and spotted this. Lovely, but seriously tarnished.Two sugar bowls, a creamer and a tray. One sugar and creamer are one pattern, second sugar bowl another pattern and a pretty tray. 4 piece set marked down from $25 to $10!

So, Saturday afternoon I sat down with my silver polish, soft cloths, sink of warm water, and paper towels (ala Bill at Affordable Accoutrements http://affordableaccoutrements.blogspot.com/2009/08/silver-for-your-table-from-goodwill.html). And my cable remote. And Drop Dead Diva On Demand (http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/drop-dead-diva) One of my new favorite shows but I have a hard time watching it in its slot. So I polished and buffed and ruined two fingernails in the process of getting to this. I already had the spoon and the Battenberg doilies were a gift from a friend's trip to Italy some years ago.

I'm not sure if it is silver or plate,probably plate. The tray has Churchill on the bottom, one sugar bowl says FB Rogers Silver (it's plate) and I can't find markings on the other 2 pieces. I didn't find much on the F. B. Rogers. It was founded in 1883 and appears to still be around today.

Still have not finished the rattan patio set, but have a couple more projects to show you soon, including a score from the garage sale in Denver last weekend.

Bop on over to Rhoda's http://southernhospitalityblog.com/those-thrifty-finds/and Susan's http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ to see what else is up!

Thrifty Monday and Met Monday Sneak Peak

2009-08-09T18:00:00.001-06:00

I went to Denver on Sunday for the day. Snickerdoodle won tickets, backstage passes AND private porta-potty passes to the Warped Tour this weekend. She's never been to an event like this and I told her those potty passes will be worth GOLD to her towards the end of the day ;D

Anyway, Sunshine and I were out on Friday to get school supplies so I had the truck. There is a senior housing place near us, cute LITTLE places...maybe 800 SF, but they are all single so I'm sure it's enough. Not much as they have already cleared out a lot of their things to move in. However, I found enough stuff ;D $10 so I was pleased.$3 VCR with remote (owned by a little old lady and only used on Sundays to view sermons taped by her son ;D) A very shallow bowl with a basket weave pattern around it for $1, the Christmas/Easter ornaments were $1.25. At the next one, a white glass wall lamp, hanging metal flower or greenery container that is being painted black as I type, and two cotton pillow cases with a crocheted blue trim and a Slip and Slide for $2!!! I offered her $5 for the 'box' and her daughter said YES! Sunshine did have to run back to get the kitty tin for a quarter.

I washed and starched the pillow cases.

Assembled the slip and slide (this is my Met Monday) This thing to the right actually goes over the slip and slide and when you use a hose splitter, it also pours water over you as you go under it.

This is the flower hanger that was in the first picture. I painted it black and hung it by the front door. I think I am going to have to painted the 'frame' for the doorbell black also.

I made my weekly trip to the landfill and grabbed several cans of black paint, a can of pink paint, various little things and a bottle of THIS!

I've never used it and not sure if I ever will. Maybe I'll make a laundry room vignette using that and the box of Faultless Starch I found a month or so ago. Of course, that would mean I would need to DO something with the laundry room in a rental where I am not allowed to redo the cabinets (or tear them out and put shelves and would be an absolute nightmare to paint as it has the furnace, hot water heater and washer/dryer in there...all on one wall. The cat's dish is on top of the dryer so the dog won't get into it, his litter box is in there as he refused to use it when I moved it to the garage and just went behind the door. He doesn't like change ;D Maybe when I get my own laundry room.

And here's the sneak peek for Met Monday...hopefully finished within the month. Unbelievably hideous fabric, but the batting wrapped foam is in excellent shape.

Sunday I drove down to Denver and oh my! I stopped at a yard sale that had gone to the FREE status. Charming little house that needed some TLC to be a great place. I got two dozen canning jars! FREE! I got 14 of the pint wide mouth jars (new drinking glasses!), 6 of the half pin ones for Sunshine to use, an odd size/shape on that I will use for a decorative thingie or storage. I also found TWO older aqua colored ones and one that is a pale green. I think the green one would be older, but I have to do some research.

I also scored NINE lampshades! I think I picked up around $60 worth of shades for FREE! This is all the free score in the chair. Sorry that the pic is awful.

So slide on over to Rhoda's Southern Hospitality at Home and Susan's Between Naps on the Porch and see what else was found!

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/08/welcome-to-30th-metamorphosis-monday.html

Nancy and the Astroturfers

2009-08-08T12:45:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine on Facebook posted this today. I went to his website and read the entire thing. Wish I'd been in Denver yesterday. It would have been worth missing the garage sales I went to just to voice my opinion. Oh well, there is a rally here on August 22 that I'll be joining. Yes, I belong to a Tea Party group and I oppose the health care 'reform' that our president and Congress are pushing. (I told you there would be some politics here)

Here is an excerpt and a few pictures from El Marco's site. Please hop over and see more. Lookingattheleft.com

This was the scene when I arrived at Stout Street Clinic in downtown Denver. Nancy Pelosi is to pay a visit to the clinic within the hour. About 200 people opposed to Obama’s healthcare agenda braved the mile high Denver sun and high temperatures to show their opposition. Their signs indicate that they are well aware that they have been vilified and targeted in an Oval Office astroturfing campaign designed to discredit their opposition.

First let’s look at the messages and faces of these hardy dissenters. Take a close look so you can compare them to the community organizers who will soon enter the scene and harass them. These citizens have been described by the Democratic National Committee in an ad as “angry mobs organized by desperate Republicans and their well funded allies.

The Democrat party that funneled billions in the stimulus package to ACORN community organizers to organize, protest and agitate, this same party is now livid that private citizens attend townhall meetings.

These protesters told me that they pay their own way and question what the government is attempting to do to their health care.

I've talked to our representatives. They will not be taking the public option on healthcare. They will keep their gold-plated benefits for life. Including Bennet (D-CO) who is said to be a 'placeholder' for Gov. Ritter til he leaves office. Betsy Markey (D-CO) will not be taking it either, and neither will Mark Udall. They are all first termers and, I am hoping, single termers. But in a way, that doesn't matter. They will get hefty pensions and lifetime healthcare for two years or six years of service. Why is that right? Why do they get that?

I think Congress' benefits should be chosen and voted on by the people they represent. They should be allowed no say in what they receive. They get a raise every year, month long vacations and vacations that I pay for every year.

Thrifty Monday!

2009-08-02T17:07:00.001-06:00

I was sitting here thinking, well, maybe I can do a post on being thrifty since I didn't find anything this week...oops, yes I did. ;D

I had to take Sunshine for her last day of summer school this week, so I did some "piddlin' around". Just me, the truck and a very small amount of cash. I wandered into a consignment shop that I'd seen for ages, but not be in to so this was my chance. She had some lovely stuff and we had a good talk also. Small business, banks and what this administration is trying to do to them. I picked up these two lovelies. A toile sewing....bag? Stand? What DO we call them? I think I paid $5 for it. I found a larger one at another shop that I'll try to get this week. I figured out how to change out the fabric on it. We're talking ugly 60s....but I love this one.

And I found this pretty little pic for our bedroom.....$3? I spent $8 so maybe they were both $4...

Just realized how bad that picture of the picture is ;D Sorry.

So cruise on over to Rhoda's and check out her goodies. http://southernhospitalityblog.com/yardsaling-in-mountain-brook-jackpot/

Facebook

2009-08-01T15:57:00.001-06:00

I think we either love it or hate it. It does drive me nuts that I know the minutae of the games/applications that my friends are using. I am SURE there is a way to turn it off, but I've not found it yet. But I will, 'cause I don't care. I want to know about their families, enjoy their pictures, etc., but the other I can do without.

And there are 'consequences' to it. The heartbreak that goes along with it.Finding out that the boy you had a crush on for ages did NOT age well. But I'm sure he's still the sweet man who married my friend. Secret satisfaction when you realize that you do look better than some of them, and the chagrin when you realize that some of them look better than you do ;D. And finding out that the sweet kid that had a major crush on you, the kid that had the guts to honor you when he first got his license and a car by asking you to be his first date in it. And that he didn't hold it against you when you had to turn him down as you had just met the man you were going to marry 2 years later. And the joy that he didn't hold it against you all those years and still held you affectionately in his memories, as you did him.

And the sorrow when you find that the parents of your friends have passed away. The ones who welcomed you into their homes (or not), the ones who teased you and worried over you. And the sorrow when you learn of teachers who have passed away, or the shock when the spouses of classmates or schoolmates pass away or are ill. Without FB, I wouldn't know that. But I also wouldn't have the privilege of praying for them and knowing that is one way of comforting them. And what a tremendous opportunity to also have them praying for you. And how cool is that? And what do people do when they don't have a 'connection' of some sort that they can call on prayer warriors when they need to and even when they don't?

Just a few thoughts on a sunny Saturday afternoon. When you are painting or sorting through paint at the landfill, you have a lot of time to think.

Happy Saturday everyone. And the rattan chairs are looking mighty fine!

Thrifty Thursday sucks!

2009-07-30T15:19:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I am a little late in posting this. Things and life ya know. Anyway, I think I've mentioned that I needed a new vacuum cleaner. The Eureka we bought last year didn't last a year. Bagless. Bah. Even though it was only around $100, I expect it to last more than a year. Yeah, I've got pets, but why is it now necessary to buy a vacuum that specifically picks up pet hair? Vacuums in the past did, why do we suddenly need to buy a specific vacuum for that? Has pet hair evolved to the point where a regular ol' vacuum won't pick it up? Has hair gotten denser or more of it? Conspiracy I tell ya! It's a plot to convince us that global warming is real.

Anyway, I was complaining about it at work a few months ago (back when I actually had a job) and one of the guys mentioned that he just bought a Kirby from a guy he used to work with who rebuilds them. I jumped at that. We had a Kirby as few as 10 years ago (bought in a pawnshop) and I have NO idea why it didn't make the move to NC with us. I have my suspicions though. Anyway, this is the 4th vacuum that we have bought in the last 10 years. Seem excessive to anyone else? Planned obsolescence.

With no further ado, here is......hmmm, she doesn't have a name yet.

My 'new to me' Kirby AND tools....$40. We've been trying to get together for a couple of weeks, and he'd originally told me $70 for vacuum and EIGHT tools. But $40! AND 3 bags! Got the first layer of pet hair up last night as soon as I got home and let me tell you whut! It's already looking better. I'll get to the furniture in the next few days, but I am THRILLED. It already looks better than it has in over a year.

New bristles on the beater, new hose, reinforced already where they usually break....I am so pitiful to be this excited by a new to me vacuum.

Also finished out my Albertson's stamps with a 5" knife that is like my other one. Again telling myself that it is NOT a $400 knife, we grocery shop there anyway so...

Head over to Leah's for more stuff.

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/07/thrifty-thursday-28-and-tablescape.html

Update on Dana

2009-07-30T08:33:00.001-06:00

Dana Westfall lost her battle with breast cancer Wednesday night around 10 PM. I chatted with another old HS friend on Monday or Tuesday night. Dana had an apparently aggressive form of breast cancer. She underwent chemo from August to January 2009, surgery in January 2009, to no avail, although it gave her precious time with her family. She and Wes were HS sweethearts, married 27 years, but together since they were HS freshmen, so that would make it around 32 years or so.

Please continue to include Wes, Travis and Michelle in your prayers. This verse is on our youngest son's headstone, and I continually go back to it when I lose someone.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (King James Version)

¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Newest Family Member (and Dana update)

2009-07-28T17:56:00.001-06:00

Well, most of you know about my flamingo love (pretty weird actually). McDonald's is including teeny beanies in their Happy Meals again. You KNOW where this is going. Yes, I made that woman behind the counter get me one. Actually, I asked nicely and then she made the other woman putting together the meals go into the back and get me one. ;D

Meet Splits. ;D

Dana is resting comfortably, so that is a plus. The family is at the hospital at last report. Apparently it is an aggressive type of breast cancer. I ran across some old HS pics and it finally triggered more memories. She's a real sweetheart...it was a very small school so we pretty much knew everyone. But thanks so much for all your prayers. I'll pass it on to her family.

I did some running around today also and found this pretty lamp. $20, which I didn't think was too much. But WHERE to put it? I could probably find a place.

I did find a pair that would look pretty in our bedroom when I paint it...but didn't get a pick. But $24 for a PAIR of cut glass lamps? Not bad at all I thought. DH said he'd consider it. Responsibility and stewardship and all that jazz ;D But I have an interview on Friday so I could be working again (at least temporary) by next week!

Thrifty Met Monday

2009-07-27T01:13:00.001-06:00

Thrifty Monday again over at Rhoda's http://southernhospitalityblog.com/ Check out her new blog address too. AND, we can't leave out Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/07/welcome-to-28th-metamorphosis-monday.html. One day I WILL have an MM worthy of the blog. I love the changes to her deck/porch.

I hit Goodwill on Friday evening. College Dude was going to play computer games with the guys, so after I dropped him off, I swung back by the GW to dig through the flatware. I scored Oneida, WS Rogers and the two knives on the right side of the bottom left actually match the flatware I bought just before we got married. No silver or silver plate, but at one thin dime per piece, I'll live. I'm gradually getting rid of some seriously ugly plastic handled stuff I have and the flatware with the country blue and the green handles will go with College Dude when he moves out. Or with Snickerdoodle when she goes to college next year. She'll need a few pieces, even living in the dorm. Hmm, need to start collecting dorm stuff for her after I get a list.

Anyway, the small Pyrex bowl was $1.99, the pretty coffee mug inside it was 49 cents and the Hello Kitty purse with the 'bling' was $1.99. After all, what is a Hello Kitty bag without bling?

Saturday they were having 50% off so I did go back over at 9 to see if they still had a bamboo box that I saw. I liked it for videos, but decided I'd just take a chance. Should've gone with hubby to run his early errands and I could have gotten it. Oh well. I did go back again that afternoon. Cabinet Man paid Snickerdoodle for the hard work she did last week helping him lay a hardwood floor for a client, so she wanted to shop. Plato's Closet for jeans and a free top (coupon!), then back to Goodwill for their 99 cent jeans for me. Yeah, nothing depresses me more than trying on jeans and bras. So I was out walking again the AM and plan to work up to running by the fall. The jeans were cute and they WILL fit better in 2 weeks and really well in 4 and I want them to be too large by Christmas.So much for a short post. ;D

And for Met Monday....two weeks ago I found a coffee table that I really liked the lines of at a garage sale on Friday. I was taking Caleb for a walk (in hopes of making him tired so he'd stop trying to throw me down the stairs). So there I am, out with NO cash. I asked them to hold it for me for 15 min. We charged home, I turned him loose in the backyard, grabbed College Dude's bike and money and a business card and went over. I paid them for the table, and gave them a business card with CM's business number and my cell on the back. I had to go back later when I'd have a vehicle and a strong back. This is what I took home.

When I cleaned it up and went to work on the legs, I found 3 of these.

Being the wife of a custom cabinetmaker, I called him to see if he had any of them. Of course not. He doesn't use them! So I went digging in the garage to see if I could find something to put on the 4th foot. Of course not. Hmmm...I see washers though. Lots of them in several sizes. So I did some digging and figured out a way to use them. Liquid Nails and washers. One leg at a time, I scuffed up the washers, smeared LN on a washer and stacked them up. I used 3 or 4 per leg. I cleaned up the excess around them. Then painted over them. After a few hours, I turned the table over to rest on them and moved it into the garage.

While I was at it, I coined a new phrase....bloggiengineering. You've heard of Aggie engineering (for you Texans out there), Jerry rigging (old WWII term), redneck tech, etc. Well, since bloggers are a resourceful group, I coined a word for our inventiveness. Here's my finished project. It still needs tweaking and fluffing, but I like it and as it was the first thing CM saw when he came in from Denver after a week away, his immediate reaction was what I wanted. He likes it too, along with his 'girlie' chair, the paint colors, all of it!

I also found out on Friday night that the wife of an old HS friend (finally managed to place her also tonight) has cancer. She was hospitalized on Friday night with a high fever that they couldn't get down. It finally broke on Sunday shortly after midnight and she is coherent again. They've been together for wow, I'm guessing 32 years now and she is at the end of the battle. One round of chemo (Aug 2008 - Jan 2009) and surgery in Jan 2009 didn't eradicate it. It spread to her spine, liver and other organs. They really didn't think that she would make it through Saturday night. But she's still here as of tonight. So prayers would be appreciate for Dana and Wes and their kids Travis (19) and Michelle (21). I've lost a father and a child, but I just cannot imagine going through this type of loss. They were so very sweet together in school...of course, in the 1970s, and 80s, there was still an innocence there....so prayers for their families would be greatly appreciated. The next few months are going to be awfully hard.

Have a lovely week. I hope to have another goodie to show you on Thursday.

Minor Rant on Kids' Clothes

2009-07-22T09:50:00.001-06:00

I had to take Sunshine over to school for her summer school session yesterday. Since I had two hours to kill, I headed over to Starbuck's (I rarely go there) to take advantage of their free pastry coupon, grab a coffee and read for a bit. I was sitting outside and enjoying it when it appeared a woman came over to conduct an interview with a teen sitting there. She sat down with her back to me...and the sight pretty much destroyed my appetite for my delicious (it always tastes better when it is free) blueberry scone. Fortysomething, pants too low cut when she sat down and her leopard print thong in ALL it's glory. So I turned my chair around. I seriously contemplated taking a pic with my phone and posting it, along with the address on the various blogs around (LOLcats comes to mind).

I went back over to the school and picked up Sunshine and we headed home. As we were passing the mall, we decided to get off and walk around the pitiful excuse for a mall that we have. Seriously, it's sad. It even rates a mention on deadmalls.com. Really. Foothills Mall. Anyway, The Limited Too is closing so stuff was 50-60% off, so we stopped in. She had seen a pair of shorts and a top there last week on a trip with a little friend. I've decided that the same people designing clothes for 20somethings (and 40somethings who should know better) are also designing clothes for pre-teens (I refuse to use the word 'tweens'). I couldn't find a pair of shorts that didn't have her bottom hanging out of them or had writing across the bottom, and it was hard to find a shirt that wasn't too short. Unless I bought a bigger size, then the armholes were too big. I did find a pair of gray capri leggings that she loves and a cute pair of flipflops for less than $10. And the prices on the stuff. That's insane. I'll pay $30 (well, not really) for a top for myself, but not for a 9 year old!. I hesitate to do so for an 18 year old. Old Navy used to be a great standby for clothing when Snickerdoodle was young, but this is insane. No wonder there is such a huge market for second hand clothing and no wonder the government is trying to interfere with that particular market also. But I won't go into that here, other than to say I am getting sick and tired of this administration sticking their noses and hands into every single aspect of my life and business. The next elections cannot come around fast enough to suit me. I saw a movie ad the other day that was for a coming movie 2012...something to do with global warming from the looks of it...all I could think when I saw the buildings awash in water and other destruction was, 'That is the US when Obama finishes his first term."

I think I am going to start sewing again and Sunshine will get new shorts. I think I still have the old Stretch and Sew "Jams" pattern to make her shorts from. Heaven knows I still have miles of their sport elastic.

Metamorphosis Monday and Thrifty Monday

2009-07-20T16:46:00.002-06:00

I pretty much forgot to take a 'before' of the family room. I decided on Thursday night that with Cabinet Man and Snickerdoodle gone, I could get it painted. So I turned the TV to Burn Notice and Royal Pains, pulled the furniture out and put a base coat. No primer, and it's been a while since they were painted, so I just used a flat finish white paint.

I had a gallon of Pratt and Lambert that I'd picked up at the landfill recycling at least a year ago and finally got it open. Pretty color, but really close to what was there and I wanted an actual yellow. So I went down to the hardware store on Thursday morning bright and early and found the paint desk. That WONDERFUL young lady looked at my sample, looked at the bucket and went to work. She added a clear yellow and white. More yellow than the white, but it really worked. So I came home (making a stop at the dollar store for painters' tape and a 2" brush). I taped up the ceiling and baseboards and started painting. As I got into it more, I decided that I needed to go ahead and do the walls in the kitchen that sort of 'flow' from the family room. It's all pretty open there. So I got the wall that runs BY the fridge (didn't pull it out, just taped the fridge and squeezed the brush behind it). I then got the wall up to the ceiling. I never planned to paint the soffit as pots and pans are up there and the shadow...you just can't see it. I got the wall on the other side up to the cabinets and the wall that the end of the bar rests on.

I love it. Very warm and inviting. The color is just not coming across and since we 'tinkered' with an existing color. It literally doesn't exist.

The morning sun comes in here and brightens it up, then turns to gold later in the day. Can't wait to see it in the winter. The room looks a LOT better without the dog crate in there too. There are no ceiling lights in the house except for the loft, the dining room/office and the kitchen. The picture is the Texas Hill Country from a gallery Cabinet Man's uncle owned years ago in San Antonio. I've got to get something else around it. I've got some bluebonnets that I stitched years ago that I might put up there.

Then I did the office wall around the bookcase. Cabinet Man made a gorgeous bookcase in there that is about 7' tall and 6' wide. It is wormy maple which had a stunning grain, and holds all our Biblical research books, study guides and Bibles. The bookcase is too big/heavy to move alone, even if empty. And if I emptied it, I'd put the books back in the wrong order and wrong places. Guaranteed. Even if I wrote down the order and shelf. So I took an old sheet and draped it over the corner.

This is after I had done the white base coast. You can see the wall where the bar is, but it looks green for some reason. It's yellow. The office wall has a sample of the green I was going to use. It was a little dark I thought, so I missed in about 2 oz of white.

I also took out a dropleaf maple dining table that is up against the wall. There is absolutely no place inside the house except there. I'm tired of it being a catchall no matter how often I clear it off. So it's in the front room now until I can move it out to the garage. I'd like to see the thing. We've had it over 20 years, not my style or taste, but my MIL gave it to us after buying it from my husband's aunt. I needed it at the time, along with the buffet, but I am just tired of them both. I still have two of the armed chairs that go with it. Seems like the others went in the truck at one end and never came out at the other end of the moves. I might clean it up and put it on CL. It's really still in excellent shape and I have to two leaves.

Anyway, after a while, I realized that I could paint V E R Y C A R E F U L L Y at the end of the bookcase and be okay. Since I wanted something next to it, I put a little tv tray table I grabbed at Goodwill a few weeks ago and haven't painted yet. I have a little lamp that I had painted on it along with a doily one of the paternal grandmothers made. Antique Ball jar with an arrangement in it, photo of CM and Snickerdoodle as a newborn in the frame his ragged Bible and pulled up a wicker chair that I redid. No cushions for it, so I pulled out an old falling apart chenille bedspread and wrapped it around a ragged piece of foam, wrapped another piece around two extra pillows I had and voila! A girlie sitting area in my hubby's office. Oops! I'll leave it for him to see, then figure out what to put there instead ;D But it's very pretty right now.

Here's the chair before. I posted on it I believe when I grabbed it. It's trashpicked ;D

Yeah, it's too girly. I need a leather chair there...hear that God?

I'm late jumping in at Met Monday and Thrifty Monday, but let's go see what else they have. http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/07/welcome-to-27th-metamorphosis-monday.html and http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/2009/07/all-for-10.html

PS: I think Caleb has figured out I am suspicious,http://susieqaworkinprogress.blogspot.com/2009/07/shhhhhh-he-trying-to-kill-me.html so he is doing the "Faithful Dog" bit, lying at my feet under the computer table, following me from room to room. I won't let down my guard though...

Shhhhhh! He's trying to kill me!

2009-07-18T18:37:00.002-06:00

Cabinet Man and Snickerdoodle left for Denver on Wednesday afternoon to lay a hardwood floor. Entire first floor. They'll be home on Tuesday. CalebTheDog's favorite two people are gone.

Thursday I was going up the stairs and Caleb raced me to the top. When I was on the 2nd from the top stair, he reared up and tried to jump on me. He's not allowed to jump, so this was an obvious attempt to kill me under the guise of playfulness. He was fussed at. All was fine for a few hours and then...I was coming down the stairs and he was lying on the stairs, sprawled across them so he could watch for the "Master" to come home. I tried to nudge him out of the way. When he didn't move, I went to step over him and he stood up. Again, an attempt to trip me.

He thinks I don't suspect him, but I do. I was sitting in the chair watching TV and he was lying in the floor. I went to put my feet down and stand up and he was rightthereundermyfeet. Another subtle attempt to trip me.

Last night I was coming out of the lighted bedroom into a darker hallway and he'd left his slobber chewy there...misstep which could easily have led to me falling and hitting my head on something.

The final straw came immediately afterwards when I was heading down the stairs and he rushed past me to fling himself down the stairs. ANOTHER attempt on my life. I called Cabinet Man and told him that if he comes home on Tuesday and finds my lifeless body at the foot of the stairs, and Caleb is standing over me with his slobber chewy in his moth...he'll know what happened. I have walked him, throw that stinkin' chewy for him, walked him to the park and throw his tennis ball until he was too tired to chase it. Made sure his water bowl is full with clean water, fed him...washed his bedding and this is how he repays me? Attempted murder.

Look at that face. Sooooo flippin' innocent...

Cabinet Man laughed and said that oddly enough, he could see Caleb standing over me with an expression that says, 'What?!"

If you don't hear from me for a week or so, and the story of a 'freak' accident makes the rounds on the 'net...you'll know the truth. Please do not let me go unmourned....

Another pic of the murderous thug.

I could use some suggestions

2009-07-15T15:05:00.001-06:00

I trash picked this window screen ages ago and it has sat in the garage. There were actually two of them and one has been painted pale blue and is over the sofa in the den.

Sunshine's bedroom only has one window--for that matter, there is one window per room in the whole house except the living room, where there is a picture window and a narrow window so you can see the front door. Anyway, I have some old windows that I was thinking about mounting on the long outside wall with no windows. Until I realized, uh, 9 years old. Infinitely bad idea. BUT, I have the screen. I scrubbed it up today and I won't repaint it, but I will paint the screening. It has some rusty places on it and I have some hammered silver rust inhibitor paint (I LOVE the landfill recycling!) so I'll use that all over the screen.

Please ignore the unmown yard (it's not Friday yet) and the bucket that held soap I cleaned her with).

Now, I'd like her to be able to use to like a bulletin board or something like that to put pics on, but I've not the faintest clue what to use to stick things on. I COULD stick a piece of corkboard on the back, but her walls are pink and it looks rather cute with the pink wall showing through.

Any ideas? I'm stumped on this one.

Cabinet Man and I went to lunch yesterday at Washington's. http://www.thewashbar.com/It's an old burger and beer joint here in town. It's been here at least 25 years as we went there when we lived here before. I should go in and take regular pics of all the stuff hanging up, but this chandy caught my eye.

Here's a close-up. The place is usually dark and, as usual, I'm using my cell.

The light holders look rather like flowers. I was sitting there eyeing it and suddenly told CM, "I'll bet that would look great with the prisms cleaned up, more added and painted white." And usual, I got a cocked eyebrow, then he turned around and looked up and saw what I did.

I can so see that all cleaned up, shined and hanging on a porch. Wouldn't that be amazing and gorgeous? Maybe when I win the lottery I'll go in and make them an offer. Oh wait, in order to win you have to actually PLAY the lottery, right? Sigh. Oh well. But maybe, someday....

Garage Sale Finds and Freecycle SCORE!

2009-07-11T21:07:00.002-06:00

Okay, unless you are actually PLANNING on going to a garage sale, don't go for a morning walk with money in your pocket ;D Okay, so I didn't get to the sale that I WAS going to...I only had $10. And for a grand total of $7.25, I got 11 valances. 10 of them were cream colored. They are poly, but that is okay. 16" long. I put 3 of them up over the kitchen window, 5 of them over the picture window in the front room and two of them will go over the narrower window. The last one is a green and white check. And since I have thrown two green and white tablecloths over the sofa in the loft, it works! I got two pretty little glass boxes and a handful of fishing rods and one reel. Cabinet Man has promised to take Sunshine fishing this summer and he looked them over and said that he can put them back together and get at least 2 rods out of them. I'll use the others to decorate with. Maybe frames?

Cabinet Man used to have several rods, including one that had been his since childhood. Operative words there? USED to. When we lived in NC, he looked out back one day and Specialist and College Dude were sword fighting. Using the fishing rods. Yeah, they were in trouble.

We have a 'history' of fencing in the family. When the kids were little, we used to watch Highlander: The Series. Starring Adrian Paul. Darn. I can't get pics but here's the link. Serious eye candy. http://www.adrianpaul.net/gallery.html Anyway, our kids used to watch it with us. Still don't see a problem with it. Anyway, I went to pick Snickerdoodle up after school and one of the cafeteria aides stopped me and said that my daughter had gotten into trouble that day for fencing in the cafeteria. With a fork. I asked her who won. I don't think that was the response she was expecting. So I explained that we watched the show as a family (unless the kids were playing). She asked me if I was concerned about the 'violence' in the show. My answer.

"No, not at all. They know it is pretend and not real. However, the lessons that they take away are very valuable. The character is a good man struggling in a day to day world. He is doing his best, but there are people that he encounters that are looking for trouble. My kids learn NOT to go looking for trouble, but to be ready when it appears and that self-defense is always acceptable. Good and bad are present in the world and we all have choices to make. So no, I am not worried about the violence. Frankly, I'm more worried about their exposure to moral equivalency and political correctness."

When I went into the classroom to pick her up, I told Snickerdoodle's teacher what the aide had said to me. I told her we watch Highlander. Mrs. C said yeah, he can put his boots under my bed any time. i\I loved that teacher ;D

Now my freecycle score. We have a resin table and chairs on the back patio. I have 4 metal chairs in the garage to paint and make cushions for. but was waiting to decide on the color. I was on freecycle last night and saw a listing for a rattan table and 4 chairs. I emailed him as fast as I could and I was FIRST! He had 30 responses and I was FIRST!

The back on one chair needs to be repaired. I just HAPPEN to have a rattan beach mat that I pick up a few years ago at Pier 1. I've used them to keep the glare of the sliding door glass, but didn't work too well. Anyway, I can use that to repair the back on the chair! The tabletop has been replaced at some point and I wonder if I want to put lexan on there now or just paint it. I'm thinking of painting the table itself white and each chair a different soft color. Aqua, yellow, green and peach. I'll have to see what is out at the dump, etc. I'll do this set carefully. Sand down, probably using the liquid sander. Talk to Cabinet Man about replacing the plywood on the seats, fix the rattan back and paint them. Then onto the back patio. I'll have to decide on how to store them in the winter. Probably the garage, but I have to clean that out better too. I am SOO excited. I've already posted the green resin set on freecycle and probably need to CL it also.The rattan set will be a Met Monday by the end of the month.

Cabinet Man is doing work for a couple and they asked him if he could disposed of a huge corner desk...perfect size for a shop bench so it came home with us...all 400 lbs of it. AND they bought a new flatscreen TV and gave us the old one. Picked it all up today with the help of some sweet young men who are now in the den watching the new TV and eating pizza and having a beer. They moved the desk out of the house and to the shop, the TV into the truck, to the house. Old den TV upstairs, TV upstairs is going home with one young man and new to us TV in the den. Those suckers weigh a ton, but they are up for it.

All in all, a VERY successful day weekend! Wow, was it just the weekend? Scoot over to Rhoda's and see other goodies! http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-estate-sales.html

Thrifty Thursday

2009-07-09T16:59:00.001-06:00

Joining in quickly for Leigh at Bloggeritaville. (Is that not one of the funniest blog names?) Anyway, I figured I had shown my stuff at Rhoda’s on Monday. Then I managed to get a little cash in my pocket this AM. Dropped #2 daughter off at summer school and made my way to the hospital thrift store. SURPRISE! Everything was 50% off today! I’m annoyed that tall woman grabbed the pretty black mirror that I was on the way back around the display to grab…it was so pretty and I am a total and complete idiot for not grabbing it as soon as I saw it…but I was hoping the dress would fit. Anyway, it was only $3.50! Well, here is what I DID snag for the grand total of $11 and some change.

The dark blue shorts have Elmo on the hem (missed that in the shot) and are for my great-niece. I gave her a Tickle Me Elmo at Christmas so I guess we have a theme. The tropical shorts were for Sunshine. $.50 for the two pair. The large tropical on the left side is a skirt for me. $1.50. The floral on the lower right are HUGE pillow shams. Not sure if I got them for the fabric or to actually use them as pillows. One of them might actually work for a cushion for the wicker chair I painted yesterday. I’ll show that when I decide on what to use for cushions for it. The blue and yellow is a rectangular table cloth that, again, might be used for fabric or as it on the patio table. Seven sterling silver spoons for $.60 each (not sure where the other one is). The white they are on is another rectangular tablecloth. Matches perfectly with a round one I have for those ‘decorator’ tables. Not shown is the wood wine box that I got. No idea what will happen to that, but for $.50? Why not?

Now surf over to Leigh’s and see what else is around! http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/06/consigning-interiors.html

Jon and Kate Plus 8 vs.18 Kids and Counting

2009-07-08T15:46:00.001-06:00

With all the drama and all the headlines lately concerning the Gosselins, I got to thinking. Yeah, I know. Dangerous.

Anyway, I was channel surfing last night and came across 18 Kids and Counting, aka The Duggars. Could there be a more jarring comparison than those two families? I’ve not watched Jon and Kate. No interest. I’ve seen a few of the headlines here and there (they are really hard to avoid) but it just wasn’t on my viewing radar. But from what I’ve heard and read, it’s been a train wreck. He can’t keep a job (like he’s got time with the number of shows that are scheduled!) and she’s an overbearing shrew. Emphasis on shrew. TLC seems to have provided them with everything from a tummy tuck for her to a million dollar, eco-friendly (of course) home. At least one book deal (isn’t that kind of like giving Britney’s mom a book deal on parenting?). Kate seems to require bodyguard(s). If she wasn’t high maintenance before, she sure is now.

This couple had 8 kids in about 5 years (or less.Told you I haven’t followed closely). That is enough to strain ANY marriage, and oh, let’s put it on national television and pimp out our family! That sounds terrific! I seem to recall that the Gosselins were in the media as soon as she gave birth to the six.

Then contrast the Duggars. 18 Kids. Whew. That translates to a LOT of diapers and wipes. And it appears she has breastfed them for at least a while, so I’m surprised her breasts don’t follow her on the floor. Okay, not nice. Sorry. I just know what mine are like after 5 so I am extrapolating ;D

Anyway. The Duggars had to have something like 15 kids before they made the news. Apparently TLC originally contacted them due to the ‘freak show’ thing they thought was going on. But it seemed like by the time negotiations were over and filming was going on, things changed. TLC crew began to respect and admire the Duggars. I’ve watched it off and on…mostly some of the specials. And read the bio on their website. They are VERY savvy business people. They started businesses when they first married that would continue to generate money. They bought land to start out on and continue to live on. Self-employed entrepreneurship. They’ve done most of what they had on their own. They built that terrific house themselves. It took 3 years. I understand that furnishings and appliances were given to them, but they paid for and built the house as they saved for it. That’s impressive.

I get the impression that the Duggars are in control of the show and content. Their kids come across as remarkably ‘normal’. Not by today’s ‘standards’ of normal, but the standards around when I was a kid. My kids are normal like that too. The parents love each other and that’s quite obvious (other than the numerous progeny, of course. They are courteous and respectful to each other. The KIDS are courteous and respectful.

I’d suggest to TLC that they have the Gosselins go to the Duggars for counseling. I’ve heard people say that Mrs. D is an overly submissive doormat. That is NOT the impression that I get at all. I think she is a very strong woman and an excellent role model for wives and mothers. Frankly, I see her do a few things that I wish I had known when my kids were little. J-B is a strong man (the hairspray bit on last night’s show was a riot). But there is no doubt that he is the head of the household in all ways. They have cheerful, loving hearts and generous spirits. I’m not saying that they are perfect. Behind the scenes is probably absolutely wild at times. There is no way that it couldn’t be. But the family obviously loves each other and see the show as a ministry. The Duggar kids are mostly older than the Gosselin kids, but they seem less demanding. They are bright and articulate kids. I get tickled watching the interviews with them. They’ll fumble for words or over explain it, but they are comfortable with themselves and their family. The Gosselins could learn a lot from them. Like, less materialism and more spirituality in their lives.

And my sad prediction for the future is that the Duggar kids will continue to grow up, start their own families and be a blessing. I predict the Gosselin kids will end up in therapy (at the very least) and we will see them in the future…bar crawling, rehab, teen pregnancy wouldn’t surprise me. Multiple marriages for Kate wouldn’t surprise me either.

The contrast is remarkable…and telling.

Thrifty Monday - SCORE!

2009-07-04T14:38:00.007-06:00

I'm joining Rhoda's Thrifty Monday. I 'needed' a pretty pitcher for the lemonade I made today. I used to have a pretty curvy one that I got at Macy's on sale ages ago for less than $10, but broke it a few years ago. So off I went to Goodwill. Ugly pitchers were everywhere. Not a pretty one to be found.

So I was looking through Goodwill flatware and found a silver fork...and snagged a plastic bag of 'kitchen stuff". I glanced at it and saw a cheese grater, and a chopper, and for $2.99, thought that was good.

Got home and tore open the bag to wash it all and thought, wait, I need to take a picture. Arrange it and realize...all the pieces are Pampered Chef...and look awfully new. So off to their website I go.

Ladies, I scored around $60 worth of PC for $3.00! The chopper is $29.50, the egg slicer is $10.50 and the cheese grater is $19.50! I am SOOO excited!

Then I toddled (well, drive) over to Saver's to see if they have a pitcher and find one that might work...and it reminds me that I have a Toddy Maker at home. I've not used it in several years, but you use them to cold brew coffee. Supposedly less caffeine when you do it like that, and I drink decaf (Cabinet Man claims I am only drinking it for the color and smell--pooh on him. They are based in Louisiana when I called several years ago to replace the plugs and the customer service people are so very nice). So I went into the laundry room, grabbed the box and pulled the container out and washed it and it is perfect. So, a really thrifty score (free!) in my laundry room AND Goodwill.

I just realized that my new 'free' knife counts as a score also! Albertson's has them periodically. You know the kind. Certain weeks certain pieces are special prices, you can get 'extras' for them, etc. The Christmas glassware was pretty, but I was patient and scored a lot of it after Christmas. They very seldom have anything I want. But this time, they have knives. Thomas Rosenthal Group Professional Knife Collection. For ever $10 you spend, you receive a 'stamp', and so many stamps equals something. Sort of like the S&H Savings Stamps (Lord, I've not thought of those in ages!)

Anyway, after barely missing out on a knife giveaway at Pioneer Woman (I was the number AFTER the one chosen), I put aside my wish as we do have decent knives and I have a hubby who actually knows how to sharpen them and does. Well, last week we had enough stamps. I got my knife! And this is it with it's glorious 7" blade.

I love it. So now I am saving my little stamps to get either the smaller one or a utility knife. I need to clean out my knives Hm. I have a knife block, but wonder if I can get Cabinet Man to make me someplace to store my knives. I use old cereal boxes to make 'sleeves' for them to put them in the drawer. Our little ones are grown up and the littlest one knows not to mess with the kitchen knives. And now I am trying to decide if my $37 knife actually cost me $400! Well, no. We would have had to buy groceries anyway and it did take a while to add up to it. I'm not sure if we'll spend enough to get the second knife before it is over....but I'm still happy :D

So I had a very successful thrifty weekend...without even trying! So now, off to Rhoda's! Go on now...scoot!

PS: Has anyone noticed what a lame spellchecker Blogger uses? What dictionary are they using?

PPS: My new header picture comes by way of my very talented cousin Tina. She went to France again and I got these pictures. Next year "we're" going to Italy!

Metamorphosis Monday and Thrifty Monday

2009-06-28T15:09:00.004-06:00

Okay ladies. I admit, this is a very lame MM and TM. HOWEVER! If you look closely, for an MM, this DOES look better and for a TM, all I used were 3 or 4 staples. I'm not sure where the rope is to redo it.

The post originally was pretty cheap. Snickerdoodle dragged it home the summer she got DC. Cabinet Man put a new post on it and firmed it up and put new rope on it. I just wish it didn't sit in my LR....but honestly, that's pretty much the only place for it. If I put it in the den, DC would either scratch my beloved sofa OR Caleb would run into it while playing slobber chewy in the evenings.

So there is my VERY lame Metamorphosis Monday and Thrifty Tuesday. Take yourself over to Ravishing Rhoda's and Sensational Susan's at for the REAL metamorphoses and treasures that people have.

Grumble, grumble, neighbor, grumble

2009-06-28T14:33:00.002-06:00

Can someone please explain to me why it is okay for the neighbor's kid to come into my house to play with Sunshine, but it is NOT okay for them to play inside her house?

It's been a pattern for years and I've not paid a lot of attention to it, but it's annoying me now. 'H' is a nice little girl, bit spoiled as she is the youngest and only girl and a several years younger than her brothers, similar to our house, but here the next one up is a sister, then brother, then brother.

But still...is there a real reason they cannot play indoors over there? EVER? Even when it is snowing and 25 degrees? I don't mind letting kids play over here, I'm much more amenable to it here because if they DO run in and out of the house, we hardly use the A/C until July, so my bills are not sky high as they were in Texas when they ran in and out (or tried to). They have to clean up before they leave and I am not above going and fetching her to clean up. And I ask Sunshine when she comes home if she helped clean up their mess.

But come on....your oldest brother is sleeping in because of prom the night before and he didn't get in until 3. So? If he was in that late, chances are he's not going to hear you. And they are usually very lame excuses (at least to another adult)I don't let them play over here if I've got a migraine, am trying to clean or having an "Eeyore' day, but still...there is not another house that she is not welcome at to come inside and play. I honestly hate to limit their playing or their playing indoors, but when I was a kid (in the Dark Ages), there were some homes that we wanted to play inside and other homes outside, but I can't think of any particular home where we were NOT allowed to play inside, ever. And it's not like they are particularly loud games...those go outside.

Okay, I guess I am just a real cranky pants about it.

Oh well.

ANOTHER complaint!

2009-06-25T19:10:00.007-06:00

First it's dark, now College Dude is saying that it has a 'beachy vibe' going on. Okay, so I put my little flamingo collection in there. There are THREE of them, plus a palm tree. There isn't room for the candle and the beany baby doesn't do in the bathroom. And there is not room for Mildred and her lounge chair. so she and Tiffany hang out in the living room on the bookcase.

I don't consider that a 'beachy vibe' particularly as there are no shells, etc. (yet) Maybe I should redo the trim and cabinet white, but Cabinet Man had a cow when I suggested that. Might do it anyway.

So, here are the guys (and girl). Left to right is Jerry, Blanche and George.

Maybe HE should have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.

Also texted Specialist this morning...here is our conversation.

Me: Hey, still got my pink flash drive.
Spc: Yeah. Y?
Me: Can you send it back? CD wants his back.
Spc: Okay.
Me: Be sure and wrap it in something before you drop it in the mail.
Spc: Okay, I'll do it when I get back to Wood.
Me: Oh? Taking a few days? Where r u?
Spc: Tennessee.
Spc: I think.
Me: How do you NOT know what state you are in????
Phone vibrates
Me: Hang on a sec (as I hightail it out of the unemployment office's "no cell phone zone".
Me: Okay. So where are you?
Spc: Tennessee. I was asleep when I got the text so I wasn't sure.
Me: Got a good friend in Memphis who would probably take you to lunch. Where are you going?
Spc: Savannah. A buddy is going to pick up his sister and then we'll swing thru Alabama and pick up his other sister and head back to base.
Me: Okay. Buy me postcards when you make pitstops and send them to me with the flashdrive.
Spc: (laughing) Okay.
Me: I have to get back to the computer. Drive carefully.
Spc: Love ya mom.
Me: Love you too.
Go back into unemployment office. muttering, "sleep is the ONLY acceptable reason for not knowing what state you are in."

Geez. Kids.

PS: Lampy, I'm still trying to get the pic/link working. Ladies, www.ward57.blogspot.com is their blog. Go visit. You'll be glad that you did.

I've had a complaint

2009-06-25T07:27:00.003-06:00

From College Dude. The bathroom is darker. Okay, I need to change out the bulbs in there and yes it is darker. But seriously, you are a male college student who rolls out of bed, has breakfast, brushes your teeth and you are gone. The ONLY time you are in that bathroom is when you are brushing your teeth. I'm not convinced that you are ALLOWED to complain about it.

Kids!

I'm going to have to put a layer of a clear coat on the cabinet...it seems to want to rub off, But maybe that's just me. I got the cabinet doors put back on last night. I wish I could figure out an angle to take a picture of it...the size, the door placement and the hallway conspire to keep me from taking a picture. Or a decent one. I can get the towel rack, dog's water bowl and wall, or I can get the toilet, corner of the cabinet and wall.

Job applications

2009-06-24T21:58:00.003-06:00

Sent out a few this week (between painting sessions!), and remembered that we have a pretty big hospital system here...should I apply? Or not?

See, several years ago when my contract position at GE expired, I applied for two jobs at the hospital. I was turned down (yeah, I know, unbelievable!) So I got the boilerplate letter in the mail, thanks but no thanks. I tossed it. Two days later I got the SAME letter for the SAME position...again. I tossed it. Over the next week, I got 5 more copies of the same letter for the same position. Okay, I get the message. I didn't get the job. You apparently think that I need to be told repeatedly in order to drill it into my brain that I am not worthy of being employed by the hospital system. Okay, I get it.

When the last letter arrived, I decided to Take Action. I pulled up the hospital website and found the HR administrator. I addressed a new letter to him, remarking that yes, I understood that they were not hiring me for that position, but it seemed to me that they needed someone who could work with IT and make sure that sort of careless mistake didn't happen again. A couple of copies could be written off to a simple error, but 7 or 8 letters over the course of a week? That's carelessness (or at the very least, lack of communication with IT and sloppiness.

And no, I never heard back from him, but it was a very witty and charming letter. I let hubby read it and he howled. Now, if I can just find the letter from a former co-worker...it was a refusal of a refusal letter...I'm sorry, but I have received so many refusals that I find it necessary to refuse one of them. I'll be there for work on Monday. I'll find it again...it was a very funny letter.

Off to the unemployment office tomorrow to make sure they got everything!

Oh yeah. I messed up the Praying for David button, but Lamp Tramp told me how to fix it. I'll do that in the AM...light came in our bedroom window starting at 4:30 this morning AND the birds started yelling at the tops of their little leather lungs...and we don't have trees in the back where our bedroom is! Does anyone know if they make a silencer for a shotgun?

Paint coat number TWO!

2009-06-22T20:27:00.003-06:00

Okay, finished painting the bathroom with its second coat. Turned out I had another half gallon of paint out in the garage that was really close in color...so I dumped more white into it to stretch it a little more and water to thin it a bit...BACK up onto the countertop, toilet and a chair I dragged in there to do the bit around the wallpaper border AGAIN! For some reason it went faster this time. And do you know that if you use an 8" roller instead of a 4" one...you can get finished a LOT faster? I still had the 4" for around the trim and tight corners and that little bit between the 'incutting' of the border and the big roller stuff. Just to make sure. But I got the switchplates back up and I'll add the doors back on the cabinet and the mirror back on it. Then it is done.

And I have realized that I need a new rug in there. After pondering for a day or so, what I need is one of those old chenille ones...maybe 60s or so? They look almost cut out with a design around them. I know the one I want...in my mind...not sure if it exists.

It's really the bathroom for College Dude and Cabinet Man. Their toothbrushes are in there, etc. I never use it, guests do and Sunshine does. So I need to find a few hand towels for there...maybe just fingertip. We use paper towels in the half bath and kids' bathroom when school starts again...turns out it is more hygienic...I tried it a few years ago and we seem to have fewer colds. Admittedly, everyone but me had the flu this year, but that I consider that a fluke. The girls are in a school of 650 K-12 and CD is, well, in college...it's a big school but still...CM got it from the girls. I washed obsessively.

These pics are the two in that bath. The watercolor print is Paula Vaughn...might end up in our room when I redo that. The other is an enamel on copper that was a wedding gift. I don't really like it in there, but we'll see. I love the pic. CM's uncle owned an art gallery in San Antonio years ago and this was from there. It is still one of my favorite things we have. And I have the same problems photographing something with glass on it that everyone else does.

Well, that is today's stuff. No huge metamorphosis so I won't like to Susan's posts, but I do wish I'd taken a pic of the front porch. The wicker chair, bistro chair and plant stand are painted white, the door is done and the storm door done (for now). I really want a wooden screen door to go on there...guess I need to hit the ReSource store on the north side. I'll do that when I go back to the office to get the other antique dresser and the other wicker chair. The armoire is just going to have to wait til I get SOMETHING out of the garage!

I also dropped Sunshine off at a slumber party tonight and tomorrow when I pick her up, she's going to know everything! She's staying at a Holiday Inn Express! Yep, 5 9 YOs, one mom, tons of snacks to have a slumber party. ONE huge king size bed, another 'side' room with a wall to the ceiling and no door and a set of bunks inside...inside pool with a slide, breakfast on them...what a GREAT idea! But she is going to know everything ;D

I hurt.

2009-06-20T10:19:00.002-06:00

This is why. I used an artist's brush.

I wanted to paint our half bath that hubby and College Dude use. I like the wallpaper border in there and didn't want to take it down. Besides, taking it down meant that I'd have to find something else for up there...and spend money and I didn't want to do that. I have no idea what to call the paint color, other than it is lighter than what I used on the front door. I think. Anyway, it only took a quart...roughly. I do need to take the few drops left down and have someone mix a pint (or maybe a quart) for me of it. It's been years since the walls in this house have been painted so it soaked up a lot. But touching up is no problem. We've got a humid (for us) weekend, so I'll let it sit til Monday.

Did I mention that I also used a 4" roller? Yeah. We're one vehicle right now and while normally that isn't a problem, Cabinet Man was onsite yesterday, so I couldn't dash over to the shop and take it. I KNOW that somewhere in the garage is a frame for an 8" roller. I saw it last week. Trim was taped off, mirror removed, etc. and I went to grab the roller and frame. Roller in my hand and I can't find the frame! Anywhere. I know it's there.

Have I also mentioned that I'm not real crazy about the fall and spring color combos of brown and blue? Guess what color my bathroom is. Yeah. I still might go back and do the cabinets/trim in white, but rather doubt it. The trim around the house inside is plastic, wood-grain stained an dark oak. I think it's supposed to be oak. Maybe it's just a pretend wood color. So he wanted it to not be too different from the rest of the house. Hey, he really doesn't ask much and let's me pretty much do whatever I want around here decor wise so....that's okay.

I'm going to take more ibuprofen...and read. Too humid to paint or anything today.

Dresser Party at Pretty Organized Palace

2009-06-16T20:27:00.009-06:00

Well, stumbling around at other blogs, I ran across another party. And since I managed to find a CD of furniture pics yesterday, I'll play!

My FIL made a dresser for one of his boys at least 35 years ago. We received it around 20 years ago, give or take. It was just paneled, stained....green maybe? Antique-y sorta. Anyway, as Snickerdoodle was going to use it, I decided to paint it white. I was forgiven by MIL for painting it. Geez, it was for HER granddaughter...anyway. A few years later my older sister came up from Houston for a visit (ended up staying a month :D) We decided to work on Snickerdoodle's room. I'd made a pretty valance and cornice for the window, white metal daybed with pale green comforter on it and the white dresser. That needed work. So we dug through all my Mary Englebreit stuff, she had brought some of mom's old calendar up, and we bought a few cards. Extensive cutting out ensued (mostly by me) as I cannot paint. My older sister sure can, or rather could until her rheumatoid arthritis got the better of her. She sure could paint and draw. She still quilts and designs patterns. So, here it is. Probably 14 years later and I still love it. Needs to be touched up a little but it's still perfect to me.

I still think that I'll try to make some pretty drawer pulls for it. My MIL is not big on 'folk art' and wasn't impressed. I still don't think she likes it. She prefers the Masters and to each his own. I like some of the "Masters" but what makes them Masters? Their use of color and light? Their ability draw you in? I consider someone a Master if I can get lost in their pictures, am drawn to make up my own story or search out more of their art. But I also like certain types of folk art, and that is what I consider ME style to be. Folk Art. There is an innocence and a joy that I have seldom seen in the Masters...and what good is art if it doesn't evoke some sort of feeling inside or draw out an emotion. ME's art makes me smile. Plain and simple. And if that is not 'great art', then I question your definition of art. Her style is instantly recognizable and draws you in. I enjoy finding different things in it each time. And for the record, I was in a consignment shop that I frequented and I'd become friends of sorts with the owner. I was excited about the dresser (and an occasional table and bedside table that we had done) and took in pics. She offered me $600 on the spot for it...said she could probably sell it for $1000. I was quite surprised. I couldn't see paying a thousand for it, but this was the time when extravagant, over the top nurseries were taking off, so maybe she could. She was interested to see if we would do a glider rocker and ottoman set...but sheesh. There isn't enough money for the amount of work that went into it...and it was the shared time, the fun we had, the memories we made...and the heirloom. I've decided when my time comes...take the bottoms out of all the drawers and fold my legs up. I want to be buried in it ;D

Economic Statistic - TODAY--EDIT!

2009-06-15T21:47:00.003-06:00

I have to add this update for Tuesday Morning - got a call around 7:45 from Joe...he is the truck foreman on the jobsite. He called to let me know that a new hire was going to call me around 8 and come by and pick up some information and then go for some testing. I had to explain to him that I wasn't there any more...he was really surprised. The funny part is that I wasn't gone 24 hours and they'd needed me. So that made me giggle. I can see where some expenses could maybe have been cut, but when you need a huge parking lot for those big dump trucks and belly dumps (the ones that open on their undersides to drop a load) and 18 wheelers and pavers...you need parking space and shop space to work on them. We'll see. I made sure not to burn any bridges ;D

Well, apparently corporate didn't think our little office needed my shining face around there this week, so they told me that today was it. Humph! Well, I never! I did think it odd they wanted me til Thursday, but it would give me a chance to clean up, label drawer and cabinets, teach my boss (again!) how to use the voicemail ;D, find the directions to change the message on the voicemail, show him which invoices were coded and ready to go, which ones were waiting on documentation, how to find the phone bill online, print it and get it coded and ready for payment (he'll gain an extra week doing it that way), notes on job applications, drug tests, etc. I hope I got him at least HALF the information I wanted to leave him. And if I remember anything else, I'll email it to him.

In the meantime, he let me leave two projects up there until I find room in the garage for them (so I have to get my fanny in gear)...and I have absolutely NO reason not to finish the two dressers and armoire, paint the bedroom and den (but I don't want to have to spend money on paint...but I have my heart set on two specific colors)...oh well. I was very good. I came home (2 hours early...if corporate didn't want me there, I didn't want to be there), unpacked most of my stuff (where am I going to put my flamingos? Blanche, Mildred, Beau and "I'm not sure yet what his name is" and the pics of my kids. Those will probably go on the wall behind the sofa...time to look for a table to go back there....and sent out two resumes. So I AM jobhunting.

But God provides. Cabinet Man has an appointment in the morning with a former potential client (long, weird story). This time the sister has taken over the remodel and this might end up being the job to carry us through the fall! Holy cow...that means I have to meal plan and grocery shop (nah...he's better than I am at it), and do the cleaning (this will be Snickerdoodle's senior year...maybe I need to find another name for her), I'm not sure if College Dude will ever move out,but since he's paying what loans and grants don't pick up, I can't begrudge him a place to sleep. Guess I need to clean out that closet after all if I can get to it.

But I'm not in the 'state' I was last time I got laid off...and the economy is worse and so are job prospects. Maybe I'm finally learning something. Either that or the drugs haven't worn off yet ;D

Thrifty Metamorphosis Monday.

2009-06-14T18:55:00.008-06:00

I'm calling it a Thrifty Metamorphosis 'cause I used what I already had and free paint. How clever am I that I combined TWO blog posts into one? Yeah, give me a little credit. I've got to find room in my garage to bring home the projects from the shop bay at work since I won't have that space to work in...and I have NO clue where the armoire will go...I've been made to 'understand' that it cannot go to the shop...CM is ramping up for a kitchen project which means...NO space there at all...it'll be cramped in the garage for a couple of weeks, but if the weather holds, I can get some stripping and refinishing done and maybe try my hand at drawer repair. I'm hoping the bedroom furniture can be painted when he does a run of cabinets this week...again, clever incarnate. I want the furniture painted white, the kitchen cabinets that he is doing this week are white, so they'll just be sort of 'added' onto the run...my paint of course. He'll use the client's paint for the cabinets and mine for my bed furniture. Then I have to rearrange...oh dear, head hurts so I'll get to the point ;D

First was Sunshine's bed. Or rather, Specialist's bed. We had a loft system of bunks for the boys when they were little. They could then be converted to twin beds. We realized that it actually contains enough stuff for 3 twin beds. Specialist took one, Snickerdoodle had one and Sunshine had one. College Dude has the antique iron double bed. Apparently the Army provides beds (or he finally bought one), so Specialist left his here. I finally got into the garage and arranged and manhandled the thing to the old spray tables that CM left when he relocated the shop, and painted them white. I'd been dying to do it for a long time, but hadn't done it for one reason or another. They are pine...anyone remember Cargo furniture from 25 years ago? That's what it is. And that stuff has worn like iron all these years.

On it's way downstairs and out into the garage. Very plain and simple design, but timeless...barring the names, smiley faces, etc. engraved into it.

After:

I'll have to show off the quilt my mom made for her in another post. The comforter is looks faded and soft colors, very feminine, although it is not old at all. Hello Kitty was in the washer. I picked up the little lamp at Goodwill and the lampshade at Walmart for $1.50. It has a blue/white gingham ribbon around the top and bottom that I'll be changing out for pink and white. Because of the construct of the bed, regular bedskirts don't work well..so I cut the deck out of one, and stapled the ruffle to the siderail at the back. I could probably have made it a little short, but it's stapled on, so I can always shorten it that way. The other side isn't on yet. It was going to be shoved against the wall, but by putting her bedside table sideways against that wall, it gave us a LITTLE room beside the door. Very awkwardly designed room. The preferred corner for her bed is directly over the heating vent AND on two outside walls. It would be really cold, along with blocking the vent. There are only two corners that do not get the light in her eyes from the hallway and the bed is currently in one of them...but it shares a wall with the bathroom. See what I mean? I plan to figure out something later on this summer when we get her desk painted. Maybe put it under the window and a smaller bookcase? Who knows? I'll ask for help when the time is closer.

The other is our front door. It's been the ugly, original gray since we moved in. I'm not sure why I didn't paint it before, but I didn't. The inside was white...ugly. The gray might have been the original color of the steel door. I've never bought a front door before so....anyway. I've wanted a red front door for ages. I painted the front doors on our house in SugarLand a sort of maroon color, but they were cheap doors (thinking back, they might have been hollow core too--odd on front doors) so I didn't do much with them other than the paint. But I've been viewing my cousin's pics of her first trip to France and fell in love (again) with the blue doors) She takes stunning pics...my blog header is one of hers. I didn't want a black door, my neighbor across the street hates red doors and since she has to look at it, I kept deliberating. This is what she had to look at until today. It's actually light gray...primer gray.

Well, I had all this paint I brought home from the landfill. I was testing some for the half bath. Okay, that's too dark. Hmm...that's shiny...weird....let's see what happens when I pour a lot of this one into that one...oh, I like that! It's not quite as bright as the French blue, but it gives the same feel of it and goes with the house colors.

I'm 'sturdying' up a plant stand for the porch and painting it. I got the wicker and bistro chairs painted. Now I need some flowers for the bistro chair. After I finish doing that, I'll show the whole little porch. I'm also scoping out exterior gloss white paint for the porch. Since our landlord isn't painting it this year (that we've been told), I'm going to paint the front porch and the window trims. We face west so they look faded and bad. She's such a great landlord and when we downsize or purchase, we hope to get one of her other houses. The body paint itself is still reasonable shape, but the porch is awful. It's only white so that's easy enough. I haven't decided yet if I am going to paint that wicker wreath. There is a storm door on it also and we need to change out the glass for the screen, but I'll paint it also beforehand. I might even decide to hang out there. The two dressers, armoire and chairs that I snagged for the patio are next...more painting. When I went on my usual landfill run this week, the guy did ask if I was spray painting the whole house. Uh, no, but some of the ones I grab from the dump don't work so...when I take them back I remove the lids and the sprayers so no one else gets stuck. AND I scored an even bigger box this weekend...did you know that Kilz also has a can for treating stains on the ceiling? I'm loving Kilz...spell check is still highlighting armoire...it wants me to use 'armour' or 'armoury'. Okay, I don't keep my guns in the TV cabinet!

Now, trot over to 'other Susan' and Rhoda's to check out their treasures.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/06/welcome-to-22nd-metamorphosis-monday.html
http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-thrifty-finds.html

I'm an economic statistic--starting Thursday

2009-06-13T20:40:00.004-06:00

Well, I got the news on Friday noon that I won't have a job after Thursday. Oh well. Rather suspected it was coming as our office has outgoing costs/expenses and we're not bringing anything in. We do state road and highway construction. Few jobs out there but not very bid ones and heavy competition. VERY heavy competition.

So much for the stimulus creating/saving new jobs. I'm in an industry that it is supposed to stimulate. My boss predicted in February that the money would not be there until the end of the year at the very (unlikely) earliest. The reality of it would be 18-24 months. He might not have a job after November/December, when the current job in WY is finished.

We do have enough work coming in that we'll be okay this summer. We can get work done on Cabinet Man's website and get his portfolio up to his exacting taste and standards. I'll see what temp work I can dig up and job hunt. But this will give me some summer time with Sunshine (she's been very clingy lately). Hm. I have no excuse not to get the two chests and armoire done, do I? Or get the den and bedroom painted. Wait, maybe not painted as I am not sure I want to spend the money on paint now.

In the meantime, I'll collect all my stuff from work, job hunt on the computer there (with my boss' blessing) But it sucks all the way around.

Think I'll have to write a letter and tell The Big Guy that his stimulus isn't working...I hate unemployment. And the articles like this that I see...just annoy me no end. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-funemployment4-2009jun04,0,7581684.story It's great that some people have stupendous severance packages, trust funds or can live off mommy and daddy. But all mommy and daddy's money went with his last illness 19 years ago, the lawyers ended up with what could have been a trust fun, no spectacular severance package for support staff. And I've been thinking it over since I read the article and I'm not jealous...I'm more puzzled that there is such a lack of work ethic out there. But I should be surprised. I can't see that the president has any kind of work ethic and these are the kids that voted for him.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-06-10T17:06:00.007-06:00

PRETEND THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THRIFTY THURSDAY AT BLOGGERITAVILLE AS IT WILL NOT WORK FOR ME!

As promised, here is the other chest that I received from freecycle. It’s in worse shape than the Art Deco one…only 3 of the casters, one of the drawers is intact and I have to fix the rest. Good part is that the fronts and sides SEEM to be okay, so just the bottoms and back to fix…it’s been a while since I looked at all of them. Some of the hardware is missing. I have to borrow clamps from Cabinet Man so I can glue them back together. It is better wood than the Art Deco…it’s quarter-sawn oak so it needs a proper finish instead of paint. Darn. The finish that I have stripped off already was a real mess…it also has a mirror frame with it. That part is still in excellent shape. I shudder to think what a proper mirror to go into it would cost. To be appropriate, I think it would need to be an oval shape, beveled. So until I have the money, I will probably just hang it on a wall and put framed mirrors inside it…maybe. Maybe it will just hang out in the garage until I decide what to do ;D

I sent pics to my sister and she’s guessing 30s or 40s…I’m leaning more towards the 40s…the wheels are wooden, as opposed to the steel ones on our old iron bed and the Art Deco dresser. Why? WWII…steel was rationed, collected and used in the war effort. It wouldn’t go for something as silly as wheels for a dresser when wood worked. I’d love to find a 4th one for it, but I honestly don’t know where to begin looking. I might have to convince older sister to check her sources. Here’s a closeup of the front legs. Back legs are very simple.

I realized last night that it might be a good idea to post pics of the drawers (mess that they are) and a closeup of the hardward on the top ones. The lower drawers just have wooden pulls.

Check out Leigh for other goodies! http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/05/thrifty-thursday-plus-tablescape.html

Thrifty Thursday

2009-06-04T14:59:00.007-06:00

This is what I scored from Freecycle...I heart Freecycle. I've gotten two antique dressers from there and an armoire. Today I'll share the armoire and one of the'new to me' dressers.

First the dresser. It's pretty sad, but it will be fun to bring back to life. Art deco style, veneer off in a lot of places. My older sister is my 'go-to guru' for antiques and glassware. The age is probably 1920s-30s...it has all four caster wheels and they are steel. That in itself is a hint of its age. I have another chest that is probably 1940s...wooden wheels...all the steel went into the war effort. The drawers are all perfect. I don't know if someone else fixed them at some point, but they are dovetail joints and Cabinet Man pulled them all out last night and checked. He doesn't want to have to fix them ;D The veneer would be held on with hide glue. I've not decided if I

want to try actually re-veneering it myself...Cabinet Man is too busy this summer to take on this project and has already pretty much hinted told me that I am on my own...he'd rather design and build from scratch than refinish, although he can, does and will...but he has to be paid. I can't afford him, can't seduce him, and he's a better cook than me, crying has NEVER worked so...but I want to try doing it myself anyway. I will have to beg/seduce in order to use his clamps (apparently you can never have enough of those things) and glue. So I may just get the veneer off, decide that is as far as I am going and paint it either black or white...I think with black I could mix red and black to fill in the lines...not to 'fill' them in, but to color the design. Make sense? Didn't think so. I know what I mean though...

Isn't that the prettiest design on the front? I hate seeing it like this, but if it weren't like this, I'd have not gotten it so...she'll be happier eventually.

This is the armoire. Solid wood, cherry/mahogany finish. One door missing, the back needs to be fastened back on and it is deep enough for the television (we don't have an LCD...yet ;) Probably going to be painted white. I thought about black, but it's big enough and our den is small enough that it would probably be overwhelming, so white it is. I'm repainting our den a yellow, so it will be enough difference to stand out, but not be too imposing.

I forgot this chair until I went out to take a pic of the armoire. I've got the armoire, a chest and the chair in the shop bay at my office until I can get a bit cleared out of the garage and CM can move a couple of pieces of equipment to his shop (like he promised 3 years ago!) Then we can hang one of the bikes up and...never mind. Suffice to say I'll never get a car in my garage...ever.

This was a 'side of the road' discard...as in on the way to work, "Hey, circle the block so I can check out that chair!" (grumble, grumble, gripe, keeping me from doing my work...) I checked the sturdiness and figured I'll learn how to do wicker repair. If nothing else, I'll buy some caning like you do for a chair bottom, glue it in there and paint the whole thing. Either way, it's getting painted again. I drive by there on the way to work daily...2 other pieces in the backyard I'm hoping to score when they toss them ;D Or I can come up with cash this summer (and nerve) to stop by and offer them $25 for the other chair and table or footstool.

Since all the trash pickup in our city is private contractor with households, we don't have a City Wide Put out your trash day like I see other bloggers talking about. We won't discuss how long it took me to figure that one out. Our city has decided that they want to regulate that now and ruin the efficiency of the system. I'm not sure what areas they are talking about where trash is scattered, etc...more a case of our city government is wanting to try to bring in money as they can't figure out how to cut costs. Considering that we would have to buy the trucks in order to do this...I'd much rather they spend the money in clearing off some side roads after a bad snowstorm. But that's a topic/gripe for another day.

Linky to http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/05/thrifty-thursday-plus-tablescape.html for other fun finds.

PS. Spellcheck thinks I am misspelling 'armoire'....am I?

Thrifty Treasures

2009-05-31T19:54:00.005-06:00

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

2009-05-28T19:51:00.007-06:00

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

2009-05-27T19:10:00.002-06:00

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

2009-05-26T14:58:00.003-06:00

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

2009-05-24T18:42:00.009-06:00

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

2009-05-17T19:58:00.006-06:00

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!

2009-05-01T16:05:00.004-06:00

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!

Specialist - new badge

2009-04-24T13:25:00.003-06:00

Got a call from Specialist today and he received his Expert Field Medical Badge today. 400 soldiers showed up for training and 29 actually passed...and our Specialist is one of them. His feet are completely trashed after the 12 mile forced ruck march...3 hour limit with a 30 lb rucksack plus all their other usual accoutrements they have to carry. It entails 5 days of testing...the 5th day is the march. Wiki has a pretty good description of it. He told me last night that he had passed it all and was going to make today's march come hell or high water (and since he was at Ft. Campbell, high water was a chance!) as he was NOT going to return to do it all again. Apparently there were some soldiers that were on their second go-round for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_Field_Medical_Badge

When I read up on the training that he is doing (he doesn't explain all of it to me), or view some of the things that he wants to do...I am astounded. For starters, this is one of the kids we couldn't get interested in Boy Scouts...apparently he has no patience for 'amateurs' (LOL!) Anyway, when I look at these badges and the training/testing entailed, then look at others, I am moved to tears by the dedication of our military forces. And their humility. Specialist says he and a couple of buddies will be out having a meal somewhere and a large percentage of the time, the waitress will tell them that the tab has been taken care of, just leave a tip. He says he gets frustrated at times because he'd like to be able to say thank you...I told him just accept it as thanks for what he does...because most of us wouldn't do it. I didn't, his father didn't, both of his grandfathers did...takes someone special...and he's special.

A very proud mama signing off here :D

So, Specialist has a new badge

24 Fan - and other shows

2009-04-23T09:07:00.005-06:00

I'm a big 24 fan. I didn't watch it last season (2 yrs ago) as I was not impressed with the writing...still reserving judgment on this season, but I'm watching every episode. No spoilers here, as I imagine everyone knows that Tony is back, but I received a 'tidbit' yesterday in my comments that will have me watching this week on Hulu.com again...one of the actors looked familiar...that naggy feeling? That feeling has been explained to me now so...hmmmm. I have NO idea where they will go with this...and what have they done to my Tony? He and Bill Bennett were my favorite characters next to Jack--what is NOT to love about a handsome man with a gun? Even if he does carry a murse?) Anyway...I guess we'll see what happens. Maybe 5 hours left? What WILl they do? Couple of new characters this season that I'm not crazy about...mostly as I don't care for the actors so...

This weekend I finally finished watching Season 10 of Stargate and the movie that wrapped it up. One thing that is fun is when actors from other shows appear on the ones that I watch. Adria was an actress from Firefly and Serenity--okay, technically Firefly was a Fox show, but didn't get a decent chance. And for those that have not seen it...basic premise is a Western set in Space! What is NOT to love??? And being a Joss Whedon production, it is well-written, funny, engaging characters and terrific actors. Another character that was in Season 10 for a couple of shows was the cafe owner from Eureka (Vincent). Lexi Doig (Andromeda) appeared in a couple of seasons as the base doctor, also the daughter of the general played by Beau Bridges. To make it more complicated, Michael Shanks has also appeared on Eureka and is married to Lexi Doig in real life...confused?

We have a few shows we do watch. The basic premise would catch my eye, and we'd get the first season(s) from the library and decide if we liked it. Or we would catch a marathon on a cable network. In Plain Sight is the newest one for us. USA network. US Marshalls in the Witness Protection Program, based in Albuquerque. Really good. Good chemistry between the characters, etc. Saving Grace on TNT--wasn't sure about that one...Holly Hunter (boy she's a tiny thing) is a cop in OK...she has issues of her own and a guardian angel named Earl ;D That's been a hoot, but you wonder about her character...they give hints and finally explain it all in the last episdoe of the first season.

The Closer - Kyra Sedgwick - cop transplanted from Atlanta to LA...meets with great hostility, but definitely wins over her team, including the guy who was supposed to get that position.

Psych - huge fan and waiting for the new season. Burn Notice - very well written, funny characters, great chemistry AND Bruce Campbell!

Chuck - another one that we got the first season on DVD...very funny and I love Adam Baldwin (nope, no relation--I like him much better than most of that crew).

Castle - Nathan Fillon from Firefly and Serenity (apparently on Desperate Housewives one season)...very engaging character. Successful crime novelist who is wanting to do research for a new book series...I've heard it described as Murder HE Wrote, but it's not. For starters, I would rather watch Nathan Fillon than Angela Lansbury ;D Other famous novelists have made cameo appearances for a weekly poker game...fun recognizing them from their book covers.

Of course NCIS - Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly...again, handsome men with badges and gun. (see a theme?)

I've been watching Lie to Me on Fox also...amazing learning little 'quirks' that people give off when they are not telling the truth...and hilarious recognizing the politicians they flash when they giving 'examples' of deceitful 'tells'. At least they are bipartisan about it...although I think Clinton has made the most appearances...but Pelosi, Reid and Dodd were up there...I think that was Blago this week...didn't get a good look as I was stitching.

And we like to check out different British shows....they do cop dramas REALLY well...and historical? Foyle's War...hands down. I'd love to have that in our library. Follows a British inspector over the course of WWII...1940-1945...incredible writing, characterizations...just tremendous to watch. MI-5 also. More brutal but it seems that the British are not afraid to call a terrorist a terrorist instead of a man-made diaster or whatever that idiot called it (sigh)

With summer coming on I'm not sure what we'll be doing. Deep Space Nine is on the horizon to watch, but not sure what else. I'll have to peruse the files and see what I can come up with...any suggestions? Twilight is on the summer reading list and so is the movie. But I have furniture to refinish and repair so we'll see.

More Susan Boyle

2009-04-19T10:36:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine contacted me last night and told me about another Susan Boyle video…her appearance on Larry King. I’m not a fan of King, he’s rather pompous, but the short bit I watched was okay. Here is her a capella performance of My Heart Will Go On..I’d love to hear the whole thing though…perhaps on her CD that I’ll be rushing out to buy as soon as it is released. Simon is apparently helping her find a producer, etc.

The next video is Cry Me a River from the CD that her church put out for charity. They only made 1000 and I imagine they will go for a lot of money on Ebay. I am guessing that the video portion is from the Britain’s Got Talent and the vocals from the CD. But that is just my guess.

So many people are learning a lesson from her..one that we seem to need to be reminded of…don’t judge a book. She’s got a marvelous sense of humor, I think she is probably the definition of ‘cheeky’ and the kind of person that you really want to know. it would be a real privilege to be her friend. She seems to be the kind that can always be counted on any time you need a friend. Of course, I can probably be romanticizing the whole thing, but good for her.

And the two young ladies in the audience whose pics have been beamed around the world on the youtube video…learn a lesson ladies.

From one Susan to another…honey, keep it up and you show the world what you’ve got. You have a HUGE cheering section that has your back.

Metamorphosis Monday

2009-04-13T21:01:00.001-06:00

Once again, since I can’t get photos out of my real camera, we have to look at what I can capture on my cell. We hit the nursery the other day, looking for vermiculite. Home Depot no longer carries it. It has ‘toxic’ ingredients. Who are these people listening to? I mean, besides that font of scientific knowledge Al Gore? Or maybe Lauri Davis? Sheryl Crow? Anyway, it is a mineral that, when heated, ‘pops’. We are planting a garden this year and needed it to use for starting seeds. Apparently the fact that the mineral is inert, does not absorb into the soil, seedlings or plants is immaterial. So we had to go to the nursery and pay twice as much for it. BUT (I do have a point here), I was prowling around in the ‘scratch and dent’ area and found this lovely clock. Look at the original price on it and then what I paid for it!. So, here is my ‘metamorphosis’.

Am I not absolutely AMAZING? Thought we could all use a Monday giggle. Now take your bad self over to Between Naps on the Porch (one of my very favorite blog names as I am a ‘napper’ and come from a family of ‘nappers’. http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Britain's Got Talent

2009-04-12T16:07:00.005-06:00

I like to read the UK's Daily Mail. It is a sort of paper/tabloid.

I've just read about Susan Brody. She auditioned (I guess that is what it is) last week for the show, Britain's Got Talent. Honestly, it is a bit of a freak show and some of the acts (and I use that word loosely) that audition are just plain weird. She came on the show last week. Not particularly graceful in her walk, unattractive (I'd love to get some good conditioner on her hair), unruly hair, wild, thick eyebrows, and at 48 years of age, older than many contestants....but she had a wonderful attitude about giving it a try. But she walked out on the stage with a confidence that was good to see, Simon called her cheeky. Wonderful attitude, funny...kind of person that I would like to have. You can imagine what sort of unkindness she'd had to put up with growing up. She honestly owned that stage when she walked out there. She knew what she was potentially in for, and I liked her for that. Susan told Simon that her dream is to be a professional singer. She wants to emulate Elaine Paige. (I confess I had to look her up...she's apparently been called the First Lady of British Musical Theater). Audience members smirked, laughed out loud and generally were incredibly unkind. The female just was pretty snarky in her attitude, the way attractive women (no idea what her talent is) can be towards their lesser-favored sisters. That lasted until Susan opened her mouth. The place fell silent, Simon's right eyebrow launched itself off his face. Her voice is just that amazing. Brought tears to my eyes with the beauty of it...and I'm not a crier over a voice...song maybe, but not a voice. She is absolutely amazing, astonishing. She was getting a standing ovation by the audience before she finished the song. The camera guys did a great job of capturing the judges' faces...first shot of the other male judge (Piers?) made him look close to tears, the female judge (Amanda?) was on the verge also. Simon was astonished....and the people in the audience...flashed back on some of the ones who were making fun of her...they were not making fun any longer.

Here she is on youtube, and there are several others. I don't watch reality shows (unless you consider some of the stuff on HGTV reality shows) but I'll be following this one in the Daily Mail. I sincerely hope that a music producer or someone contacts her and gives her a shot. Outward appearances are just that...outward appearances, but the voice of this woman is amazing. Hair and eyebrows can be fixed, that voice cannot be faked. I'd buy her CD in a minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

PS: And if someone can explain to me WHY I can't imbed a link in the post by using the link thing at the top....

Surly and thanks.

2009-04-10T19:07:00.003-06:00

Thank you all for your so kind condolences. JessicaDog was a real one of a kind...her last day she got up and moved from the den to the living room, stopping by the water bowl on the way. She left us a parting 'gift' by peeing on the carpet ;D She went and laid under the library table we use for puzzles and settled in. We couldn't get her to go back to her crate in the den, so I went and brought it into the living room. Yeah, that's my decor, dog crates, cat hair, kid toys and half-finished window treatment in the den. I took the crate in and put it down...and she looked up with that goofy smile. I won (again). Yeah you did. ;D The house is kinda empty and I'm not quite sure Caleb has figured it out.

More dog adventures. I spent my 'stimulus' portion that was in my paycheck last week. Our 'share' of it will buy me ONE 20 oz. cup of plain ol' decaf once a week. The sweet girls at the Human Bean gave us a dog bone for Caleb. He proceeded to 'bury' it between the blanket and the seat back. I fought him back from sticking his head between the seats and saw him 'digging' for it. So I grabbed it out for him. He 'buried' it again. Then he started pulling the blanket back while looking for it. Then he pulled the blanket back too far and exposed the bone. Then he tried to 'bury' it again under the blanket, only the blanket was pulled back too far. He had a rather frantic look on his face. Then a 'solution' occurred to him, and he moved the bone closer to the blanket and tried to use his nose to shove the blanket over the bone again, but he was standing on the blanket (sigh). Sometimes I think he is a bloomin' idiot. Sweet dog, but an absolute moron.

And that was the brightest point of the day til I got off work...my work computer went rebooted itself around 60 times or so...at least. It would go to reboot and would reboot the reboot! And I was trying to make phone calls and get into the computer long enough to answer some email and print out things that I can use next week. If I am lucky, corporate IT will get it back to me by Wednesday or Thursday. (sigh).

I'm SO glad this week is over.

RIP JessicaDog

2009-04-08T21:49:00.001-06:00

Well, for the first time in our marriage we had to have a pet put down. We’d had her for half of our marriage. She was an Australian Cattle Dog, the freaks of the dog world. Seriously. She was definitely Cabinet Man’s dog, but she was rather protective of the entire family. When Sunshine was a baby, Jess would lie in the hallway outside the door while she napped. The the boys and their friends came in the door, she was up, hackles raised and letting them know that they were on Her turf and she was protecting her baby.

ACDs are rather amazing dogs. She didn’t have a tail, which seems to be an American preference. She could jump 6 feet, straight up, from a sitting position for a piece of cheese. She wouldn’t do it for a dog biscuit, MAYBE for a piece of steak, but she’d do it every time for a piece of cheese. Jess also belonged to College Dude. She was his other ‘person of choice’. A good friend of the boys had a lab that was incredibly well trained. So the boys figured if Cowboy could hold a sit/stay with a treat on top of his head, then Jess probably could. So they taught her to hold a piece of cheese on her head until they ‘released’ her and she could toss it up and catch it. Well, they underestimated how smart ACDs are…she figured out pretty quickly that if she ducked her chin, the cheese dropped to the floor and she could eat it with no effort. We’ve often joked that if the breed had opposable thumbs, and could use a hammer, they would run the world. We got a male ACD about 2 years ago as we thought Jess would be gone by summer (she showed us!)

She’d been ill for a while, and on Friday, she didn’t want to eat (even cheese) and the expression on her face was “okay, I’m done”. We can tell that her presence is gone and we miss her. But over 80 years in dog years is a pretty good run. She did well when we took her to the vet, they were very kind to her and us. We’ve got good memories of her and that is what matters.

Here is a link to a site about ACDs and an incredible story that I ran across at the Daily Mail UK website.

http://www.cattledog.com/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1167967/The-castaway-dog-swam-SIX-miles-shark-infested-waters-survived-FOUR-months-desert-island.html

Using Live Writer/ER Series Finale

2009-04-02T22:17:00.001-06:00

Well, let’s see how this works. Not bad so far, but I’ll have to use it for a bit to see how it works. And get it on both the computers that I use to blog on. I know a number of ladies are excited about it and I’m willing to try it. Blogger is a bit ‘clunky’ when it comes to seeing what you are doing as you write it.

Just finished the series finale of ER. We stopped watching it probably 8 years ago or so…sorta scary that for the most part, we knew what was going on, and I have to admit, it is one of the better season finales that we’ve watched. (as opposed to these TV's 10 Worst Series Finales I rather wish that I had watched the entire retrospective beforehand, but we were watching Open Season with Sunshine and College Dude and I made a library run. Among other things, I picked up Bernie Goldberg’s newest book, slobbering love affair : the true (and pathetic) story of the torrid romance between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media. I’ve managed to refrain from starting the book…otherwise I’d be up all night long reading it. But the office is empty next week so I’ll get it read then…or maybe this weekend. No, I have to get window treatments up this weekend. It is supposed to snow…winter storm advisory for tomorrow night so…we’ll see. We were supposed to get a bunch on Tuesday so…we’ll see. If we have it, I’ll post pictures. But I am ready for spring. Why didn’t we get this snow back in January when I WANTED IT? It is all about me, ya know.

I’ll be putting together a couple of lists this week and weekend. I want a list of summer projects and a summer reading list. I figure that if I actually put Atlas Shrugged on a reading list, then I’ll commit to reading it. I was going to this winter, but just didn’t get to it.

Okay, this is 3 posts in one day…actually within a few hours. And this is too many. I do have a few things to say about Ward Churchill’s victory today, the innumerable protocol screwups that The One has committed in London while at G-20. I have to get this one off my chest…NO American president EVER bows to the leader of another country…EVER! It is symbolic of putting a nation under the yoke and authority of that nation…and American presidents NEVER do that. So what did Obamalamadingdong do? He BOWED when meeting the Saudi King. Great. Good job guy. Is it possible to be any less presidential? And don’t get me started on Michelle as a ‘fashion icon’ like Princess Di or Jackie O…please.

Okay, off to bed. Sweet dreams all.

Refinishing furniture by George Grotz

2009-04-02T21:18:00.002-06:00

They were written back in the early 60's. I can't find any information as to whether or not he is still alive. Mr. Grotz has the most amazing author biography. I found several of his books through my local library system...the one I am currently reading is Decorating Furniture with a Little Bit of Class. Original cost on it was $1.95. He talks about finding old furniture for $2-15 dollars...wow. But he talks about older techniques for repairing and refinishing furniture...absolutely charming and funny way of writing. I picked up The Furniture Doctor at a library sale for $1...I suspect that I'll learn a lot from his books. And since I plan to work on a few projects this summer...let's see how much I can use!

Here is part of his bio:

"...When not writing his 'fictional nonfiction' (a genre he falsely claims to have invented), he messes around with his many hobbies: swimming, photography, flamenco dancing, embroidery, hopping, skipping, hairsplitting, and being married to a movie star."

Attention Job Applicants

2009-04-02T21:04:00.002-06:00

Dear All Job Applicants:

When you fill out a job application, please make sure that you are paying attention to the application itself. Little things like...can you work overtime? Are you legally eligible to work in this country? Can you prove that you are eligible to work in this country? If you cannot fill out an application properly, do you really think that we are going to trust you behind the wheel of a piece of heavy equipment? Especially when you should have answered YES to all the questions, not NO!

And when you are going to apply for a job...here are a few suggestions.
1. Take a shower.
2. Wear clean clothes.
3. Take a shower.
4. Do not show up with an attitude.
5. Take a shower.
6. I don't care if you ARE applying for a job as a truck driver. TAKE A SHOWER!

I swear I had some bad days over the last couple of weeks. The days themselves were fine, but the folks who came in to fill out applications. Goodness. I finally broke down and asked my boss to buy some Oust for the office...it took an entire afternoon after one guy came through. And no, he didn't get the job. Not because of personal hygiene issues, but because he didn't bring in all the paperwork. Now I just hope that he doesn't show up next week when I am there by myself.

YAHOO!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-01T17:34:00.001-06:00

Specialist is coming home on leave!!!!!! May 1.....I'm so excited I can't stand it....but I have to share!

Skip to My Lou Guest Giveaway - Pixiesette

2009-03-31T11:07:00.002-06:00

Okay, I promise this is not turning into a blog only about giveaways, but this is the loveliest jewelry and so reasonably priced....I'm scouting out craft projects for Sunshine to do this summer on the days when she comes to work with me. I want things that we can do together and stuff that she can do on her own. Thus, I have been going over all the craft blogs that I had bookmarked over the year, looking for things to do. She'll do some beading, some embroidery and things like that. At some point she is going to want to do some sewing and I want her to try handsewing first and then go on to a small machine. She's not touching the Bernina...I just got it back again. I know that she'll be careful and it is a very sturdy, workhorse machine, but I just got it back! And I have plans for the summer ;D

Here is the link to her store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6426511 and then the link to Skip to My Lou....great site also. http://www.skiptomylou.org/

Have a lovely day! We've got WIND today (yeah, welcome to March/April in Colorado). We had wind yesterday, the day before that and the day before that. The ONLY thing they are getting correct in the weather forecast is the wind. That is all they ever get right....and I am supposed to believe in what they tell me happened 100 years ago and will happen 10 years from now when they can't get next week right? Don't think so.

Glory Feathers, Starlight and Roses Giveaway

2009-03-30T15:14:00.002-06:00

Boy, you can tell it's a bit slow here at work...I'm blogsurfing and finding giveaways...and here's another one...a vintage magazine advert...dear friend of mine would LOVE this, and it's fun to win stuff and give it to a friend. Double blessings! How great is that to do???

So head on over and check out her blog and sign up!

http://gloryfeathers.blogspot.com/2009/03/no-fooling-giveaway-again.html

Exhibitor's Mall Giveaway/Gollum's Giveaway

2009-03-30T12:00:00.007-06:00

They are having a giveaway...and what lovely stuff they have there. And, of course, with those yummy cupcakes? They are in Washington State and I'm not...pout, sulk. Hey, it's Monday, I'm allowed....

Guess it is too far for quiche and salad tomorrow...or a cupcake today....yeah, more pouting and sulking.

Here's their site:

http://www.exhibitorsmall.blogspot.com

And the lovely Gollum (how can I miss a blog on food???) is also giving away a lovely crystal sconce....would that look amazing in our bedroom if I ever get it to looking like something other than a mess??? (sigh) And those silk buffalo plaid drapes? Gorgeous!

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2009/03/sconce-giveaway-at-shades-of-light.html

This is not the giveaway, but doesn't this look like a gorgeous old earring???? Granted it would be for a giant but still......

Now it has gone too far

2009-03-30T07:44:00.002-06:00

Had to stop into Wallyworld this AM and get a sympathy card for a friend and some redhots for the week....passing by the fabric department. Why in the world do we need polar fleece with Obama's face on it? Emblazoned across it was his image and 44th President, and other stuff that I didn't bother to read, but come ON! Is that really necessary??? And who would BUY it? Obviously, I'm not a fan of his in the least, but since when did we start prostituting the image and decorum of the Office of the President? Oh yeah....back in January.

Geez, talk about a rotten start to a Monday.........

Dolly Parton pink rocker

2009-03-26T09:12:00.001-06:00

Okay, this is just cool. To celebrate the release of Dolly's new album, Backwoods Barbie , she is teaming up with Cracker Barrel for a limited edition rocker in, get this, PINK!!! I think I want one...

Hi Daddy

2009-03-26T08:00:00.005-06:00

Well, it's been 19 years now that you've been gone. We've missed you so much and you've also missed seeing so much in person. You've missed your two youngest granddaughters...you'd get such a kick out of them. Snickerdoodle showed up the next January. She told me repeatedly that she was not a 'girly girl' but she wanted to wear dresses and have a pink bedroom. Go figure. Her best friend in pre-k was black and she loved the way her friend wore her hair. She wanted braids but her hair was way too fine...so I just bought barrettes and made a bunch of little ponytails. They clicked when she shook her head. You would have loved the picture They were both just delighted at her hair....and the cafeteria ladies thought it was so funny. That helped the next year when they told me that was had been fencing in the cafeteria with a little boy at lunch. I rather surprised them when I just wanted to know who won.

Then you missed Timothy. Or really, you didn't miss him, but we have missed him. I hope that you have enjoyed him and had a good time. I will admit that I've been very jealous of the time that you've gotten to share with him. Tell him Happy Birthday for us.

Cabinet Man started a custom cabinetry and furniture business. We've wished at times that you were around to do sales for us. We figure 4 months of you doing sales every and everyone in the US would have our custom cabinets and furniture ;D

You'd be quite proud of Specialist....he enlisted in the Army and is doing very well. He has plans for a career, but you'd not be very happy with the CIC and Specialist is going to see how it goes. But since he and your other 'grandson' plan to run the military, then the world, I am sure that it will work out. College Dude has your build at his age...he's taller but just as thin. The girls are really something, combination of us both, but I see you in them also...actually in all the kids. They have your sense of humor--in self-defense and they love puns and wordplays. Snickerdoodle LOVES Clint Eastwood movies and they all love westerns.

We miss you a lot, especially mom, but we'll see you again. All our love, Susie

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-03-25T13:41:00.002-06:00

Not posted much, but today is my BD...a big one...and it's not 30 or 40 and not nearly old enough to retire...you can guess. But I have lovely friends who give me virtual BD cakes so I had to share.

Ken, the transgender cake. Is the skirt not FABULOUS!!!!!!

and this one. I'm not quite sure what she meant by this one......should I be disturbed? Or is Melissa disturbed?

Can't find a way to post it, but I got a lovely BD card from older (less me stress OLDER sister....plays the Wicked Witch theme from the Wizard of Oz...too funny. College Dude was looking at it and when it started playing, he tossed it. He still hates those monkeys at 21....

Susie

Bloggie win and a Toile Party!

2009-03-24T08:39:00.005-06:00

I received my teacup and saucer from Jan and Tom. Probably should have taken a pic before removing the pretty tags but I was pretty excited. Here it is:

Isn't she pretty? Sorry for the slight shadow. I've thought about having Cabinet Man make me holder for the cups and saucers that I have (all 3 of them so far) but I also love the pretty wrought iron ones that I see...

Also my toile for Toile Party being hosted over Pretty Organized Palace. Such pretty stuff that everyone has...I hit Goodwill last Friday (as well as on Sat for their 50% off everything sale,but that is stuff for later). It was full of black flat pebbles for flower arranging and decor....best part? It was $.49!!!! (I'm trying to figure out why I can't link to her site), but the name helps. Blogger hates me today so......

Unfortunately I don't have a pic of the Ultimate Toile that I have at home....Winnie the Pooh toile in pale blue and white! Here's a pic from ebay.

So head over the Pretty Organized Palace's site and check out the pretty toile!

Maison Douce giveaway & a Goodwill trip.

2009-03-21T17:19:00.005-06:00

Maison Douce is having a giveaway. I don't feel too badly about giving myself more competition for it 'cause hey, this is still a really tiny blog that my family doesn't even know about! Heh, heh. That way I can talk about them all I want.

Anyway, it is in honor of her 100th post..and she has the loveliest goodies in it. Isable was born in Portugal of German Jewish descent. She's lived in Portugal, England and Morocco, but now they live in Oregon. Anyway, she's got a lovely triple threat giveaway. but drop by and see her, she has some lovely finds...and lots of fun. So drop by, you will NOT regret it.

I stopped by Goodwill last night on the way home from work. I had the truck and some time ;D. So I got a new bedspread for our bed, several pieces of silver, 3 flatware knives, and several white or cream colored plates. I also found a lovely wooden headboard and footboard...I called Cabinet Man and verified the measurements of the width of our bed...then measured the frame. Hmmmm. Saturday is 50% off, opening at 8AM. So I convinced CB to go over there as soon as it opened so he could check it out. Sturdy shape...goodie. Finish on it is still good, but I want to paint it white. I think he can do it at the shop next weekend. My plan for this summer is to decide on a color for the walls in our bedroom (which might take until September!) put the bedframe together and get the plates on the wall. And figure out a window treatment thanks to Nester. Honestly, I'm thinking about using a battenburg shower curtain to do a treatment ala Nester. Not sure though. But I also grabbed a little embroidered bureau scarf (I think) and an embroidered hanky. AND 4 barstools for $5 each! Oh yeah, and that silver tray.

The silver was tarnished and, of course, no silver polish to be had. So, couple of strips of foil in the sink, sprinkle baking soda over it, put the silver pieces in it and pour boiling water over it. Tarnish transfers from silver to the foil...and the foil looks so cool.

I'll post pics of the bedframe before and after and a few others things. I have GOT to find a new camera connector. My cell just does NOT take good pics...and I still have to decide on a new cell...I refuse to have one like Cabinet Guy and College Dude.

More on the TOTUS

2009-03-20T23:53:00.002-06:00

I've been reading TOTUS and in viewing the comments, I found that TOTUS has a girlfriend! And she is something else. He'd better be careful when he is around other teleprompters. And apparently TOTUS has been in touch with Obama's Blackberry. I've posted their links on the right side of my blog and sweets, they are a hoot. Fairly frequent postings on them, TOTUS' girlfriend is asking currently for opinions on her dress. I think she is wanting to make TOTUS jealous ;D That dress should certainly do it.

I LOVE a political blog with a sense of humor.

College Dude's medical stuff

2009-03-19T11:51:00.003-06:00

College Dude was born with a heart defect...transposition of the great arteries or arterial transposition. Wikipedia has a decent explanation of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposition_of_the_great_arteries

He had repair surgery at 5 months and we were told that a pacemaker would be in his future. That future occurred when he was 16. It went fairly smoothly...rough time coming out of anesthesia and pulled one of the leads out. They had to go back in and reinsert it, so they are not allowed to use that drug this time.(I am She Who Will Be Obeyed in this instance. It was not fun, but the hospital in CO Springs was good. (He was in pediatrics & a Dr. brought his kids around to reverse trick or treat and drop off goodies, & a radio station came by too) I slept there and Cabinet Man stayed at the hotel. I went back at one point and showered & slept but we got a snowstorm the 3rd day so I toughed it out. Had a migraine & didn't take my meds so I had to get it changed to a pharmacy down there. Thank God for Walgreen's.

It's time for a new pacemaker, so on 4/28, he'll go down and have it done...OUTPATIENT. I'm still a little freaky about it, but it is relatively 'easy'...the current leads appear to be fine, so they will just disconnect the leads, put the new one in and reconnect the leads. I am so grateful that we do NOT have nationalized healthcare. With nationalized healthcare, it would not have been scheduled so quickly. He would have to wait until the battery actually failed before it would be replaced. We have the 'luxury' of scheduling it after his exam, but within the 'window' the surgeon feels is safe.

Ick factor? The surgeon told him that they can clean it up and he can have it engraved. ICK! I told him it would be in his Christmas stocking. Exactly how do you go about finding someone to engrave it? If you were a jeweler, what would you think if someone walked in and asked you to engrave an electronic device that had recently been in SOMEONE'S body? Ew. I'm tempted to do it just to see the jeweler's face. I'm sorta evil like that. But I won't as I am also considerate like that. Besides, I know my mom would find out and kill me. CD made the point that at this rate, if he were to get it engraved, when he finally dies in 60 years or so, his heirs will open a drawer and see it full of engraved pacemakers. You can only use so many paperweights, and you can't exactly give them away....

Obama's teleprompter

2009-03-19T10:37:00.003-06:00

I was listening to Rush yesterday and he had a series of questions for Obama's teleprompter. The man cannot give any speech or talk without his teleprompter. It is even in use when he speaks on the phone. I guess it is so he can appear to be looking up and over into the distance when the official photogs take his picture. No, I don't like the man and I am extremely concerned about the direction in which he is 'leading' our nation. Yes, it got started back with the first bailout and I cannot for the LIFE of me, figure out what President Bush was thinking! I like and admire him, but I also admit to be seriously disappointed in him at the end of his second term. But the current president is scary and his administration is a huge mess. However, here is the link to the teleprompter's blog. The author of it is absolutely brilliant in taking the opportunity and running with it. Absolute stroke of genius. It will be added to my blog list and my list of 'daily reads' (which is growing daily). http://baracksteleprompter.blogspot.com/

I won a bloggie giveaway!

2009-03-16T20:09:00.008-06:00

This is actually my second giveaway I've won...and they have really been examples of God's timing...I was having a wretched day with the first one...and got the news of a win...and when I got the box...I was so blown away. Elyse at Tattered Treasures. Not the greatest of pics as I am using my cell. I might borrow my son's phone to get a better picture. You really need to check out Elyse's Etsy shop at http://tinkeredtreasures.etsy.com.

Here is the first one...so beautifully wrapped and presented.

The frame. You can't really tell, but it's a LOVELY pale green...and the colors have decided what I want to do in our bedroom.

The rest of the goodies...a duckie ribbon (my paternal GM's maiden name was Duck), clippies, stickers, bookmark (that is PERFECT for my latest Aunt Dimity book), chickies and sweet little things.

Giveaway #2 is a lovely rose quartz bracelet from Emily. I have to get her website here exactly. She's got some of the loveliest jewelry, bracelets, earrings, watches. I want a necklace to go with the bracelet and earrings that I won...and I told my kids that I want the watch OR a birthstone bracelet for Mother's Day...the kids' birthstones will work well for a bracelet.

I got the word on both of them at a time when I was having a very down time. I rather dread this part of March. It is coming up on the anniversary of my father's death, our youngest son's birthday and the anniversary of his death. Some years are better than others...but this one is sorta rough. I wish that I could really let Elyse and Emily know just how much these mean to me...but I trust God will bless them beyond measure with success in their businesses and personal lives. Thanks ladies.

New phone out/old phone back...and a cheap Met Monday

2009-03-16T14:06:00.006-06:00

Okay, as cool as the Blitz was, it went back to the store and I'm back to the Razr for now. Blitz is just for someone who texts more than talks (as IF!). I loved the compact size...that was wonderful. But the buttons on the side get in the way when talking on it and let's be honest...how many pics of the inside of one's ear do you need? I mean, it's dark in there and a little scary....and it gets really old deleting them time after time....

And here is my so sad first Met Monday ;D I used the last of my coffee at work this AM (I drink decaf) so I told my boss I needed more. Woohoo! They buy my coffee, creamer and Splenda....it could be worse. Of course, I do bring in my little 4 cup coffee maker on Mondays and take it home on Fridays...until I stir myself and get another one. Anyway, last time I ran out, one of the sweeties working here bought regular and decaf....Folgers...so I drank it anyway. But boss picked up Dunkin' Donuts Decaf for me today at lunch. Since I needed to reuse the Folger's container (until I find a pretty little airtight one for here)...I used what I had...and some scotch tape.

It pales in glory next to the wonderful other posts...but I thought you might enjoy the Monday giggle.

Springtime Playdoh and new phone

2009-03-09T13:59:00.004-06:00

Are these not the YUMMIEST colors for play doh? We hit Tar-jay yesterday after our trip to B&N (what is it that they have decided people don't want to sit and browse any more?). Snickerdoodle needed a new blow dryer (pink!) and, of course, it doesn't have a diffuser, so I have to A) get a diffuser; or B) get a new blowdryer of my own. For now, it's the diffuser. Although I did find one that is a diffuser only...no, no, NO! Weather is warming up now and if you didn't use one when it was -5 outside, then you don't need one now. Sheesh! Now behave. Besides, if you don't get a blowdryer, that is another $15 to spend at Goodwill!

Okay, after being hounded for months that it is time to upgrade my phone, I went to do it. Fine, picked out a Blue Blitz...and unless your life is governed by texting...don't. Great compact size, great camera...but if you try to actually TALK on it and use it as a phone, the buttons on the side get in the way and you are taking a picture of the inside of your ear. I mean, yuck! it's clean but dark in there! Or you are turning on the music. Or something else. So back to the store it goes, I'll have my Razr turned on again and find something else. Or maybe I'll just continue to use the Raze and just get an wired earpiece. Had a bluetooth and loved it, but the family hated it as they couldn't tell who I was talking to...so let's just get the cord and they can look for that.

Monday but a better day...lots of phone calls, people are relatively nice (and thank you for the voicemail in English AND Spanish..well done. And drop by the lovely transformations at Between Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ She has Metamorphosis Monday going one...and I didn't post 'cause I don't have any BEFORE pics....maybe next week.

Window mistreatments

2009-03-08T17:10:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was a grumpy day. I'm not talking Eeyore or Rabbit grumpy, I'm talking full-fledged, I'm a PITA grump. Snickerdoodle and Cabinet Man left to drop Sunshine off at a BD party. I took down the crap that was covering the den windows and went grabbed a dropcloth that I found in the garage. I'd bought hardware tacks earlier in the week and some curtain clip thingies. I grabbed the valance from the battenberg shower curtain and put it up over the window in the kitchen. Easy and cute. I was tired of the old one. Then I called College Dude down and requested that he help me get the curtain rod down. Then to hold or nail in the hardware tacks. This took some time and I wasn't in quite as bad a mood as the room looked SO much better. Now I have to clean those windows.

Then I grabbed the valance that I made years ago for Sunshine's room, washed and then ironed it. It was fraying so I just ironed it and smoothed down the edges so it would be okay. Took it up to Sunshine's room, grabbed the hammer and the white hardware tacks that I had bought. About 30 minutes, some fluffing and stuff later, I had it done. I'm very happy with it. Shame that it took so long to get done but I can get the other rooms done over the next month. So far it has cost me less than a dollar per window!

I wish I could take credit for such an amazing idea but, alas, the idea came from The Nesting Place, aka The Nester. http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/2008/01/window-mistreatment-101.html She is BRILLIANT! And funny too. Between Nester and Rhoda at Southern Hospitality, http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/ and The Inspired Room http://theinspiredroom.net/ and Cindy at My Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ and too many others to list, I am finally getting out of the 'we are only renting so I won't bother' mindset. I want this to be a home, a place where we can get away from everything. Still don't know what color I'll paint the front door...my neighbor across the street dislikes red doors, so out of respect for her sensibilities (even if they are lousy neighbors) I'll try to find something else. Depends on what shows up at the dump. I can always just paint it glossy black. Also depends on what color the landlord paints the house. I also want to put a wooden screen up there too. I love the sound of a "slammin' screen door"....brings back memories of trips to visit my grandmother and the cousins running out the door....'Stop slamming that door!' after EACH cousin ran out the door.

So, I'll do what I can inside for the windows and then I can concentrate on fixing our bedroom.

Well, it's not letting me post pics, so I have to scout around and figure out what to do...annoying to say the least!

Phone Calls--An Update

2009-03-08T14:41:00.002-06:00

I just talked to people in our offices in other states. They do not have to jump through nearly as many hoops as we do! Apparently if we will bid on a state job, then we have to do this. Wow. Political correctness has a stranglehold on this state. And oh, do NOT get me started on our new representative.

Phone calls

2009-03-04T17:01:00.002-07:00

I work for a company that solicits bids for work. We do the big part and hire subcontractors to do certain parts of it. The state requires that a certain number of them are minorities. So every time we want to bid on a project, we have to go through a HUGE DB that the state maintains, winnow it down the to ones that we can use and send them a bid invitation. There are usually around 250 or so. Until now, we were required to fax them so that we can track it and prove that we did so. I can send them out in batches of 30 or so and print a log to see which ones went through, which ones didn't for one reason or another. I have to try to send those again, check codes, etc. Then I have to call those and see if there is a better fax number or an alternative way to do it. They are REQUIRED by the state to reply yes or no. It states so on the bid request AND gives the state citation. If I am lucky, I get a 10% return. If I am lucky. I am not lucky. After I spend 2 days sending out faxes, I give them 3 days to reply. The ones that don't reply get a phone call, asking them if they want money from us. In order to show 'good faith effort', I have to call them. Twice. I have to attempt to contact these people a total of THREE times to see if they want us to throw money at them. If I am lucky, I fax them once, then make one phone call.

As I said, I am not lucky. (sigh) I send out 250 faxes, then I make roughly 200 phone calls, usually leaving a voice mail. Then I have to make at least 160 other phone calls as most of them will not call me back. I leave voice mails, pleading with the people to call me back. I have to explain to people who are annoyed that I am calling that YOU registered with the state as a minority business. If you had read the paperwork, you would see that when we invite you to bid on a project, you are REQUIRED to reply. That means that you read the fax, decide if you want to bid or not, check YES or NO on the little box and fax it back. It takes about a minute, depending on how fast you read. It's made REALLY clear on the invitation.

a) You are not allowed to yell at me and tell me that you are on the No Call list. This does not fall under the No Call list. I am not asking for your money. I am TRYING to give you money. I am trying to give you an opportunity to MAKE money for your business.

b) You are not allowed to tell me "well, if we fax it back, we are going to bid. If we don't fax it back, we are not." It doesn't work that way. I am contacting 250 people and can't keep track of all that. Wait, I can keep track of it but I refuse to do it. You've had half a dozen people contact you. I have 250. You have an agreement with the state that you will reply. Pretty simple.

c) You are not allowed to register, then have an answering machine message that can only be understood by another speaker of that language. You want to work in the US and access the tax money which pays for these jobs, then you'd better leave a message that I can understand. I have the power to funnel tens of thousands of dollars your way. It is in your best interest to have a message in English.

d) Please do not tell me that you cannot bid for one reason or another. Yes or no, that's all I need.

Oh yeah, both sets of calls have to be made by the end of the week. I have about 3 days to make the calls after the initial 3 days is up.

I also have to document the date that I made the first call, second call and their answer. Fortunately, I can get all this on a spreadsheet. Next project I will get to do it all via email. BUT, I have to request a 'read' receipt on all of them. I will have to print out 250 emails with the company names somewhere on it. The good news is that after I get the 250 email addresses entered, I can sort through them and leave out the ones that I do not need for that project and enter any new ones that I need. Honestly, this will be easier. I might add or leave out a few each time, but it will be a LOT easier. And faster.

IT will not let me have a folder on the server to save all this. When I am finished, I can zip all the documents into a folder and save it on my HD. I'm not even allowed a zipped folder on the server. I think IT hates me. (sigh)

Trash to Treasure giveaway

2009-03-04T13:30:00.003-07:00

No, not mine, but it's at http://reinventedkb.blogspot.com/2009/03/trash-to-treasure-series-and-giveaway.html She picked up a plaque at GW and used chalkboard paint to turn it into a 'menu' board for the kitchen, only the kids want it for a To Do board but, like I wonder about mine, will they use it? But it is the cutest idea...and did you know that chalkboard paint has to cure for 3 days?

But I'm 18.......

2009-03-03T11:52:00.002-07:00

We dropped by a local watering hole/restaurant last night...Cabinet Man, Snickerdoodle, Sunshine and me. The hostess escorted us to our booth, handed out menus, specials and children's menus...to both girls. Snickerdoodle looked up at her and asked for an regular menu. Flustered the hostess a bit...she tried to make up for it by telling Snicker that she still colors on them...a very small, pitiful voice came out of Snicker..."but I'm 18"....I'm not sure who I felt more sorry for...the hostess or Snicker as we were laughing so hard. Admittedly she only looks about 15 or so...except for the photos she sent to Specialist...he showed a barracks buddy.

Specialist is hoping to come home on leave in May...Sunshine is excited about it. He'll potentially bring a buddy with him...which is fine. I told him to remind his buddy that they are all welcome, with or without him. But my daughters are still in school....and their daddy is protective. 'nuff said :D

Pray for Roy

2009-03-01T17:25:00.002-07:00

This lovely lady is have a wonderful giveaway for St. Patrick's Day. Visit and say a prayer for her hubby.

http://prayforroy.blogspot.com/

Happy 28th Anniversary to us!

2009-02-28T20:38:00.005-07:00

28th anniversary on the 28th. Didn't realize that was going to happen until yesterday.

Anyway, lovely day. We went out for breakfast at our favorite little place locally, McCoy's. I wish they had a website...it would be so great to share with ya'll. I could have taken some pics...duh. Anyway, Athens omelet with spinach, olives, tomatoes and feta cheese. I just wish there was some place that we could find grits. Besides our house, I mean.

After breakfast we went by Best Buy and I picked out a new phone. They didn't have a pink one, so I chose an LG...very nice. I wanted a blue one, so it's coming up from Denver. The sales guy was pretty funny.

SG: We have silver ones, but there is not a blue one in the area.
Me: What's the area?
SG: Longmont, Loveland, Greeley and here.
Me: Anything in Denver?
SG: Yes, but it will take a few days.
Me: Verizon has been telling me for 7 months that I am eligible for an upgrade so I can probably live another 5 days without a new phone.
SG: Oh, okay.
Me: (turning my back and rolling my eyes)

So, new phone ordered. We discussed what to do for the day and decide to drive up to Estes. We go by the house to grab jackets and give the kids directions for the day. There are a couple of routes we can take, so we decided to take the long way. So we went out Rist Canyon and talked about the differences from our last trip and decided that it's probably been two years since we had been up there...deciding that it had been probably two years. Once you get over the ridge, there is a difference. One side is green and tree covered, the other side is more arid, lots fewer trees. We saw a lot more For Sale signs than the last time and new construction. The roads were in very good shape. Most of the storms coming through have been fast moving ones and they've dumped snow to the north and south of us. We've had a pretty dry winter down here in the foothills, but they've had some good snow up in the mountains. And it was a beautiful drive.

I'm sure a number of people built their dream homes up there, but when gas prices were pushed so artificially high in 2008...they realized that living up in the mountains is harder than it seemed. You really have to be prepared mentally for it. When the snows start, your commute get a LOT longer. Dealing with having to leave a lot earlier in the mornings, during school days your kids have to be prepared to leave to. If you are adding an extra 2 hours to your days....that's hard. The county does a sensational job keeping the roads clear as the school buses have to take them. They actually do a better job at maintenance than the city does. But if your kids go to schools that the bus doesn't service. Getting home and then fixing dinner, doing homework, etc. There was a time when we would have done it, but right now it's not sensible.

We got through Masonville and turned by the Merchantile. I'll go back one day and take pictures of it....sheer delight. But once we turned up into Thompson Canyon and the hills get REALLY high and sheer. As we went up and around the curves, the cars in front of us slowed and slowed...aggravating...until we came around the curve and realized what everyone had slowed for...about a half dozen bighorn sheep. Probably yearlings...those horns were so cute...and short for now. I guess I need to do some research on them to see if males and females both have horns, just the males. And of course, we just have camera phones with us (along with the other cars...ONE of them had a real camera) So we pulled over like everyone else and pulled out our phones and took pics. For some reason my phone doesn't want to send them tonight so I have to try it again tomorrow. But I'll get them posted as soon as I can.

We pull back on the road and head back up. There is still some snow on the south (?) side of the roads...the mountains are to the west of us but once you are actually in them...I have NO idea which direction is which. So, we'll just say south ;D. We came up around the road and could see the snow covered Mummy Range in the hills. It was gorgeous. I forget the name of the road along there but I looked up and saw some elk crossing the road...looked over to my left and saw the rest of the herd. Probably about 150 or so in the herd there, and then others up higher in the fields. I have no idea the name of the ranch but it's gorgeous. I really need to go back up there and take some pics of the B&B along there. There are actually several up there...stunning. I can't wait to go inside.

We got into Estes shortly after 1, parked (it was amazing...we saw a spot--one of two in the row--and decided that we could pull in to that one...there was another truck that started down that row and began to pull into the place...we'd just decided that we'd take the one 3 cards down...little harder to get in to. The driver looked up and saw us and BACKED OUT OF THE SPOT and motioned for us to take it! I honestly can't remember the last time that happened, if ever. Particularly in CO.

We went parked, and walked down the sidewalk to Penelope's and had hot dogs. How romantic can you get? We walked on down...Estes has some of the loveliest shops and, in what has become my mantra in this post, we'll go back up and I'll take pics. We went into the Church Shops there...tiny 'mall' with about a half dozen shops and a restaurant. I was looking fora little pewter unicorn. I had one that I got in about '78 or 79 in College Station. I can't remember the name of the little shop, but he was only a couple of dollars. Seated, with the goofiest look on his face. I fell in love and named him Phred. Phred went to college with me, back home, got married and to all my jobs. He used to sit on my computer monitors. Once I 'retired', he sat on my dresser...at some point he'd lost about half his horn, but I loved him. He'd disappear at times, but I did manage to find him again...not sure where he is right now, so I wanted a new one. I'd seen one up there several years ago but, as the retail business goes, I guess the place went out of business. We went in probably every store there that had pewter and no luck. However, in the Irish shop in the Church Shops, Cabinet Man found a very similar one in resin, I guess. I still wanted to find a pewter one, so we looked. And found the ice cream store was now carrying BLUE BELL! Heavenly. Went into one little store that was pretty crowded, etc. I'd have loved to get my hands on the stuff, display those quilts, etc...and declutter. Chatted with the proprietress (isn't that a lovely word?) about the old quilt hanging in the back that she was restoring. Civil War era. In remarkably good shape, it was longer than they usually are, but they were made longer for the soldiers' beds. So she'd taken two rows off the bottom and moved them to the side to make it wider. She was also having to find another blue that would give her enough to replace some. She was probably going to back it with muslin. I'll go back up in April or so and see if she has finished it. I want to go before the season starts up there...it's TOO busy then.

We didn't find the pewter unicorn, so went back to the Irish shop to buy that one. He was still there, and we got to chatting with the proprietress. (love it again). I had not noticed...but her dog was lying over in the back. Leer, her Irish wolfhound...right at a year old...150 lbs of absolute sweetness. VERY gentle...I couldn't get him to come over and see me...too much effort. Apparently he was sulking 'cause she put him on a 'leash' (it was a string, the silly baby). He'll grow for another year. Again, want to go back up there with the camera and get some pics of him. She gave us the names of a couple of breeders. We don't want a show quality dog, just a family dog...eventually.

After stopping for Blue Bell ice cream cone, we came home. 28 years of marriage....ups, downs, ins and outs....wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. No one else, no place.

Well, time to close this one. I'll post pics as soon as I can get the pics uploaded. Both dogs and Prince Charming have fallen asleep...and two of the three are snoring....;D

Spelling and such

2009-02-27T13:25:00.003-07:00

What happened to grammar and spelling? I was visiting another blog http://thelifeofsass.blogspot.com/ today and one of her archived posts caught my attention big time. She was talking about different signs she had seen with grammatical and spelling errors. This stuff drives me nuts. My dad taught English in OCS at Ft. Benning decades ago. We never turned in a 'rough draft' for him to review as he corrected spelling, grammar, etc., even when it was just for content! He sent a few of my older sister's letters back to her with corrections ;D When I was in HS he would get the paper from the small town where he grew up in W. Texas. I'd grab the local paper and we'd scan them for typos, etc. Just as a game. That led to my almost unnatural ability to proofread...there are times when I will tell you that something is incorrect grammatically or spelling-wise, but I cannot tell you why. Drives my kids crazy. Go look it up. I've told storekeepers, the doofus behind the counter at Starbucks that his sign was wrong and he tried to argue with me. I started using bigger words and he shut up and fixed it. Texas accent does not equal stupid, son.

My company does road construction and I spent two days this week faxing bids out to potential subcontractors. The state has certain requirements, so it takes me 2 days to fax them all out (I'm waiting to hear if I can use email exclusively), then I have to CALL all the ones (approximately 90%) that don't reply although the fax TELLS THEM TO. I received this one in return.

We will not bid to _________ until previous litagation is setteled. For none payment.

Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to type that and NOT correct it, much less allow the spellcheck to do so?

Frankly, the only reason that they got a bid invitation was because they are on the state list and we are required to. So it just goes into their folder. We had already said that the last job was the LAST one we would use them on. And why are they on the list? They declared bankruptcy last year? And no, we don't owe them money. They screwed up and expect us to pay for it.

College Dude and activists

2009-02-27T12:51:00.003-07:00

College Dude is has had his 'encounters' with the activists and others at his university. Spring is approaching, so he is gearing up and honing his comments for them. You'd think by now word would have gotten out about this kid.

A few examples of the past 5 years or so. Few years ago he was in the lovely downtown part of our small city called Old Town. Lovely summer day, not too hot and the girls are out in droves, wearing what teen girls these days wear (or don't wear, but that's another post). And several young men were hanging out, making rude comments. To my mind, that is not acceptable under any circumstances. But it is to be expected when you are running around with no bra, pants that leave nothing to the imagination that are cut down to your crack in the back and the front requires daily waxing/shaving/electrolysis, whatever your choice. My son and his friend (both of them very slight, my son is just taller) overhear the comments. When the young women are a bit further down, my son confronts these college students who could tear him apart with no effort. He lit into them for talking about the girls (total strangers also) like that. They are someone's daughter, friend, sister, girlfriend and those people wouldn't like to hear their loved ones talked about in that fashion. His friend is behind him, muttering, 'we're gonna die'. My son finishes his talk, and stalks off, leaving them with their mouths open. He stops short, turns back around and commands them, "And pull up your pants! No one wants to see your wankers!" He then left again...and they were actually pulling up their pants!

College Dude was sitting on a wall at campus last fall, pre-election time. He had some time before class and was sitting there, trimming the loose threads on his shorts with a knife that he carries. A student activist approached him and asked him if he was registered to vote (mind ya'll, he'd been approached almost hourly for weeks). The conversation went thus:

CD: (head down still) Yes I am.
Student Activist: Have you decided who to vote for? (Note at this point that he had a shirt on for a candidate we did not support...I'll leave you to decide who ;D)
CD: Whoever my mommy tells me to.
SA: What?
CD: I'll vote for whoever my mommy tells me to.
SA: Are you serious?
CD: Yes.
SA: That's stupid. Don't you care?
CD: Yeah. My mommy does all the research and looks at everything, then she tells me who I need to vote for and so I do.
At this point, the student activist is livid. He begins berating my son, calling him names and generally being an idiot. CD never looks up, he just calmly keeps trimming threads on his shorts. Finally, the idiot runs down and stands there. CD closes his knife and stands up and picks up his backpack...apparently he is several inches taller than the idiot, so he sort of stands up and up and up...CD looks down at the idiot and says, did you seriously think that tirade would convince me that I should vote for YOUR GUY?

You'd think the PETA people in this town would communicate. There can't be that many of them. Encounter at mall....

PETA: Can I talk to you?
CD: No.
PETA: Don't you like animals?
CD: Yeah, we have pets.
PETA: And you eat meat?
CD: Yep, love it.
PETA: What! That's wrong! Would you eat your neighbors?
CD: (pauses as if in thought) Yep, we could get a number of meals off one household.
PETA: (very outraged) Would you eat your pets?
CD: If I was hungry enough.

Same day at the mall. Someone was passing out flyers and information and coupons for a free back adjustment at a chiropractor. We don't do chiropractors. They can do wonderful things and have been helpful to family members and I used to go. Operative words being "used to". Upper neck adjustment...stroke, 3 or 4 days in the hospital, certain permanent damage....so we don't go. But we don't noise it around either. I was 7 years post-stroke when we moved here so not many people know....or knew until my neighbor had one. Anyway, they approached CD about going. He was trying to avoid the guy, but you know how they are...

Marketer: Would you like a coupon.
CD: No thanks (at least he is polite)
Marketer: Are you sure? A free adjustment.
CD: No, thank you.
Marketer: Have you ever been to a chiropractor (not the right question to ask)
CD: We don't go...my mom had a stroke when I was 7 caused by a chiropractor (which comment cause another couple standing nearby to go into the Sleep Comfort Store)
Marketer: Oh.
CD: Thanks anyway.

On campus. There is a unspoken 'law' on campus that if you are on your phone or have earphones/earbuds in, you are left alone. This Greepeace guy didn't get the memo. CD saw the guy and angled off and Greenpeace still came after him.

GP: I'd like to talk to you about the environment.
CD: No thanks.
GP: Don't you care about the environment?
CD: Nope.
GP: string of obscenities.
CD: Back atcha.
walks off.

And this kid won't let me hang out on campus with him......he ruins ALL my fun.

Spring and Summer projects

2009-02-24T22:00:00.002-07:00

Well, it's time to start planning for the spring and summer projects. I'll have work space in the shop bay at work if I need it...and I will. I can spread stuff out and let it sit up to dry.

So, I need to paint Sunshine's bed white...she wants an applique on it, so we've looked. Bad idea to take an 8 YO to look at appliques for her bed. She picked out about 6 different ones and I told her that I was not going to put all those on her bed. It would go from girly to tacky. I think I convinced her....but Specialist's bed is out in the garage so I'm going to bring that in and paint it also. I wanted to distress it a little, but she wants it to look new. Oh well. Then we'll decide if we're going to do bunk beds or have them down for twin beds...I think the bunks would fit better. And there is the warmest, COZIEST guest bunks that I have ever seen over at Jewel Box homes and I can't find it! It was so cozy, warm drapes and dark colors for the bunks, a shelf and light for each bunk. I'd love to go visit there.

I need to get the loft sofa slipcovered, which will be a new challenge for me. I've not done much sewing in the last 10 years, so apparently I am feeling ambitious ;) I want to paint the loft and den area and do SOMETHING int he kitchen. I've been told by Cabinet Man that I can't paint the kitchen cabinets (we rent) and his brother (who has been in home building for years) both told me that refinishing the cabinets. I've been cleaning them fairly regularly, but I picked up some of those cleaning sponge thingies...it's pretty embarassing. OTOH, I can watch a dvd and clean the cabinets. When I am finished with them, CM will take them over to the shop and spray them. I was at a friend's house last Sat and her cabinets look really nice, but they are much newer, ours are original build. Let's say, original builders' grade cabinets. I would like to see about painting the countertops. I'll be doing some decluttering in the kitchen....countertops aren't really spacious. I'm also going to keep an eye out on freecycle, craigslist, and the recycle shops and Habitat and see if I can find something else to use in there for storage.

Oh yeah, Cabinet Man got his office cleaned out...I think 'cause I threatened to do it myself. ;D And I told him I would like the garage cleared out in 6 months. I would like to use half of it for sewing/crafting and the other half for storage.

Wow, I need to make a real list and post it to keep track....

Attention Shoplifters

2009-02-16T15:04:00.002-07:00

If you feel you have to stoop to shoplifting in a store that funnels donations to the Epilepsy Foundation, get a second job. SHAME on you. Especially if you have your two daughters with you, elementary and middle or high school age. Especially if you then leave the store with the 3 items you didn’t switch tags on and climb into a ginormous late model crew cab pickup truck. Your total purchases (before you switched tags) would have been less than $15. SHAME on you.

As you can guess, I went thrifting this weekend. I was in a local shop, Savers. Savers supports the Epilepsy Foundation. We do have Goodwill also, but I prefer Savers, since there is not a Salvation Army shop locally. They get most of my donations (it is a real kick to go in there and see something for sale that you donated and know that it is marked for more than you paid—so pay attention to labels, tags, and manufacturing details. I picked up my cute little aluminum stovetop coffee pot (when revealed at home, the kids broke into song “All I want is a proper cup of coffee, made in a proper copper coffee pot…” What can I say, I have weird children.) I also picked up two silver casserole holders. I am sure there is a better name for them, but they are used to hold glass casserole dishes to look pretty on the table. One is around 5”x 9” and other is larger with a lid. I think they’ll be lovely when polished. Need to go shopping at the recycle shed at the dump to get some silver polish. I know there was some there.

I was standing in line and the aforementioned shoplifter and her daughters were having their items scanned. Be aware that anything with an orange tag was 50% off. Her SIX ITEMS were all orange tagged by the time she went to pay.

Casher: Oops, this one is mislabeled, so I cannot sell it to you at this price. I have to ring it at the original price, and then deduct the 50%.
Thief: What?
Cashier: It was mislabeled. It happens sometimes. See, the tag shows that it should be miscellaneous, but it is women’s pants. Do you still want them?
Criminal: (mutters to her HS age daughter as cashier holds the pants up) No.
(My Spanish is very little and years ago, but the tone & words I caught sounded like she was fussing at her daughter)
Cashier: Okay. (scanner buzzes) Hmmm, we have another piece that is mistagged…this is supposed to be on a long sleeved ladies shirt. It will be like the other piece, the original price, then 50% off. (calls to manager) Shirley, what would the price on these be?
Shirley: $7.99 (so we’re talking $3.50 as they were going to give her the discount)
Cashier: Do you want them?
Crook: No (fusses at her daughter again)
In the meantime, the woman behind me in line and I are talking…I’d already told her that the pants she was getting would look really cute on her and her butt was not too big for them… Anyway, we decided that the robber wannabe had changed the labels, the manager overheard us and agreed)
Cashier: Okay, we have another mislabeled piece here. Same thing. Do you want it?
Swindler: (mutters) No.
Cashier: Okay, if you don’t want these pieces, I’ll hand them to Shirley so she can relabel them. Let’s finish here.
The following 3 items actually had the stickers ON the object so they couldn’t be changed. Although when the cashier said the item and price, I spoke up and told her no, that was a short sleeved shirt. (So I get snotty at times)
The Cheat and her children took the bag and left, getting into the vehicle that was roughly $35K a couple of years ago, 4 WD…appeared to be loaded. In talked with the manager, turns out she had been eying the woman and her daughter due to their behavior already. The cashier handled the situation professionally and beautifully. We complimented her AND let her manager know what a great job she did.

A lesson or two here. First, if you are going to change the labels ‘cause you are too cheap to pay the prices in the thrift store, make sure that you change like labelsf or like , i.e., pants label for another pants label. And don’t buy just a few items and change the labels on half of it. It looks SUSPICIOUS. We all know that things can accidentally get mislabeled, but when you bring up six items and three are mislabeled, that’s just stupid and obvious. Second, don’t bring your underage children along. When you are arrested, CPS takes your kids to foster care for the night, then there is a whole ordeal there. That younger daughter didn’t deserve that, although it would have served the teen right. Third, don’t rip off a thrift store that counts on retail sales for support of a charity. The people receiving help from the charity depend on it. Your thieving, selfish, self-centered ways mean that they might not be able to help as many people. And you’d better pray you never need their help, as you might be the one they can’t afford to help.

Your mama should have raised you better, and you should be raising your kids better.

The Dream of the Room

2009-02-13T20:16:00.002-07:00

I was just over at Rhoda's http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot, and went over her entire tour of her beachy guest bedroom...it's dreamy. I've been wanting to do something similar in our den...which is in sore need of something! Maybe with a cottage-y twist to it. Cindy over at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ has the loveliest little place. Maybe a combo of the two? We rent our house, but we've been here 7 years, so maybe it's time to do a little more. Snickerdoodle painted her bedroom in lavender and white stripes a few years ago...she did a great job. Can't talk her into doing some sort of border at the top but, it's her room. She rearranges it periodically (wonder where she gets that). I painted Sunshine's bedroom several years ago too...light pink and the ceiling is very pale pink. The girls were in Tx so I took advantage of a long weekend. I plugged in a Clive Cussler book on a CD and painted away. I did their bathroom also in a vanilla color, planning ahead to when College Dude would move into a school apartment. I did the bathroom, decided the hallway needed it, along with the casing for the house fan...you know how it goes ;D. I want to do the loft and the den downstairs in a pale blue. The loft a blue so that it feels cooler up there. The sofa up there is denim, but I want to do a slipcover on that sofa this summer. Making a new cover for the sofa will take some doing, but I do think it will be fun to try. I will probably break down and get rid of the recliner up there. It belong to my FIL, but needs repair and I'm not sure that can be done.

So, I guess we'll see what happens as I go.

Just stuff

2009-02-12T11:33:00.001-07:00

From Oct 2008 to September 2009 is a year of momentous birthdays in our home. College Dude turned 21 in October, Specialist turned 23 and Snickerdoodle turned 18 in January. (yeah, what were we thinking having kids 2, 3 and 5 years apart? Constantly having ‘landmark’ birthdays too close together). Cabinetry Man turned 50 yesterday, I hit that landmark in March, our lost son would have turned 16 the day after I turn 50, then we have a reprieve until September when Sunshine turns 10. Wow. Yeah, we had a baby at 40…everyone we knew was sending kids off to HS and college…and we’re having another one. When my mom was 40, she’d been a grandmother for several years, my younger sister became a grandmother right before her 40th, my older sister was a grandmother by her 40th…yeah, black sheep anyone? More kids than my sisters combined!

Anyone else find themselves missing days when their kids were little? I find myself nostalgic that way around Christmas. Mostly because it is a lot harder to find gifts for them that do not cost the earth. Sunshine is happy with craft and drawing stuff and movies to watch while she does it. Of course, there is a huge mess associated with it. I’m working on storage for her room though. She might end up with wall to wall dressers with labels on them for her stuff. But they are so good about staying within a budget for their wants for Christmas and birthdays. I’ve got really terrified kids, even though I do refer to them as ‘our wretched children’ periodically. Who doesn’t get frustrated with their kids? Our oldest is intent on world domination (along with his best friend)…think Pinky & the Brain, only they are both Pinky and the Brain…they take turns. Snickerdoodle will probably end up as an English lit major (minoring in Drama Queen), College Dude just isn’t sure yet…for a while in HS he told his friends he was going to be a mortician (why are you telling them that? ‘Cause it sounds grosser than pathologist or coroner—well, I can’t fault his logic there!) Considering I still am not sure what I want to be when I grow up…..I’m not particularly worried. They’ll do what they want and do it well. As long as they understand they are NOT living at home past the first year out of college. The door is always open if they need it, we’ve done it for a number of their friends over the years when they needed a place, so I won’t do less for my own kids, but there are rules and as long as you obey them…you are welcome to stay.

Well, off to play in blogland and do my visits.

I HAVE to venture into politics today...sorry

2009-02-12T10:40:00.003-07:00

College Dude just finished reading John Ringo's The Last Centurion yesterday. I'm going to read it again this weekend. It was published last August, written 'blog style' in 3 sections. I find it VERY prescient in many ways, although the president in the book is a woman, not Obama. John is really contemptuous of Hillary, so I can imagine what he thinks of Obama. But below are the last two paragraphs from the book, and in view of what is happening over the last few weeks, particularly concerning the stimulus bill. He puts into words quite well what I am thinking these days and how we have to continue to speak up, challenge our legislators on their stand, as I have already done and will be doing again today.

Excerpt:

If we sunder ourselves internally, if we accept the false divisions, then we bring with those false divisions all their ills, all their blood of centuries. Where then, can we find trust? If we cannot see the difference between the evil that stands here before us with blood-soaked hands and what we are told is the evil we do in bringing peace and plenty to foreign shores, where then is he trust? IF we cannot remember who we are, if we cannot comprehend what it means to be this shining light on the hill, this country of wonder and riches this…America, then we shall surely slip into the long dark night that the enemies of our freedoms so richly desire.

“We are told, always, that there is no black and white. That there are only shades of gray. This is a picture that is held up to us. But it is only a picture and it is false. Each day, each of us makes countless choices, and each of these choices is black and white. If we choose, over and over again, as we have for so long, to choose the black choices because they are easier, to choose ‘me’ over ‘us’ to choose division and strife over assimilation and trust, then we slowly slip into that black night.

“I do not so choose. I am your Centurion. This America Shall Not Fall!”

I consider this a really powerful piece of writing. John writes military science fiction, is a vet and I thoroughly enjoy his writintg. Funny dialogue, dry humor, black humor...I get a kick out of it. I don't necessarily agree with him on everything...but I do on a lot of things.

We don't have blood soaked hands on our shores currently, but I am honestly worried about what is to come in the next few years. We try so hard to help other nations receive just a portion of what we have here, but we seem to be rolling over and playing dead when it comes to this stimulus bill. I'm concerned about mortgaging my children's futures, into the 2nd and 3rd generation. Our founding fathers had a lot to say about government's involvement in our day to day lives, in private businesses, etc. They abhorred it. The Constitution was not written blindly. They were thoughtful men who knew that more government involvement meant less freedoms for us.

I believe in this nation. We've come through worse successfully. I despise the disinformation being thrown out by this president and Congress. Unemployment is up, but it is still much lower than it was at the end of the Carter Administration, interest rates are MUCH lower. And we're trusting the idiots who were predominantly responsible for getting us into this mess, including the president who voted for all this mess while in Congress, and now he's whining about it. They are so insistent on cramming this thing down our throats...I think the old saying, Marry in Haste, repent at leisure is really true in this situation!

Okay, back to my so called normal life :D

Two weeks later, or is it three?

2009-02-10T14:00:00.004-07:00

Back again. Seems that Cabinetry Man had to get strep. Seriously, how old were you the last time you had strep? I think I was in my teens or something. Oh well. The same day he goes to the doctor (finally), College Dude tells me that he is going to the health center after class, and he'll call for a ride home. In the meantime, I am trying to get Sunshine to setttle down upstairs after her medicine and watch a movie or something.

Hmmm, a day at home. Sunshine is being good, snuggled upstairs. I think she was watching Mamma Mia. Fortunately she's still too young to 'get' some of the humor. She goes from that to Kipper to Little Mermaid...

CB calls to make sure that our insurance is set up at Walmart so he can get his medicine. Antibiotic and something with lidocaine for his raw throat. Good. College Dude calls and will be ready to be picked up in a few, he's getting his medicine. He has the flu. So he got a antiviral for the flu and something for the cough. I'm checking the cabinet to make sure that there is some sort of cough medicine left for Sunshine. Yep, we're good to go.

Spent 3 days at home, tending to the crew. It's remarkably easy when they are all drugged and semi-conscious. I get to watch what I want on TV or DVD with no comments, decide what I want to fix for dinner, clean the kitchen floor, laundry....all the stuff that I used to spread out over a week when I stayed home. Got out my beloved sewing machine and played. I have NO stash, small pieces that Older Sister sent home with me in December...but I have elastic, some thread, nippers, scissors, pinking shears, seam rippers. None of which do me any good in deciding what color to paint the cabinets (which I am not allowed to do).

The weather was gorgeous, which meant I had windows/doors open so the house aired out. And we're back to chilly and cloudy this week. It's been the weirdest winter, drier than usual for us...very little shoveling of the global warming, but that's okay for now. However, we're at the point where any more snows that we get will probably be of the wet, mushy, yucky type...I really don't like March and April snows as they are just sad looking and a real mess in the front door.

I got my little wicker table partially painted and have to get another can of black spray paint to finish. Might put a third coat on, but not sure if gloss or matte is the way to go...I'll have to see....gloss would look nice with the video/bookcase that I just did...can always do one and change if if I don't like it.