Living and Learning on the Texas Prairie

Changing things again...

2012-01-07T14:26:00.000-06:00

With Judy having become my live in helper, I have decided to as much as possible turn the sewing room over to her.

I have taken back the breakfast room now that the old stove and gazelle unit are gone. The flooring pile will go back to its previous owner (we have had it for 4 years give or take and not used it... now he needs flooring so we are returning it to him!) The large Raggedy was my gift for Christmas from my friend with the 3 darling little girls. I adore her! She had a big silky ribbon, but I put that ways as it was inviting tug of wars with my kitties...

This is a nice sunny room and my rocker fits just perfectly!

I got this old rocker about 20 years ago. The lady that gave it to me had an oral history of it that went back 90 or so years. So if her history is true, and from the reactions I have seen on the faces of knowledgeable furniture restorers it is, this chair is over 100 years old. This rocker is so comfy. I love to sit in it and read! It is the perfect height for my short legs!

What do you think of my new office??

hugs y'all!

Crispens Point by JoHannah Reardon

2012-01-05T08:52:00.000-06:00

I had the blessing of getting this book on my kindle. I love my kindle though honestly I still prefer hard copy books.

This story follows Charlotte Fyne as she begins her life in a new town. I loved how real the different peoples reactions to her came across. I also loved how she responded to her across the street neighbor. We all have people in our lives like the town folks.

As Charlotte lives out Christ before them they begin to glimpse that she is not what they thought.

Take the pastor of her church for example. Charlotte is a Christian romance writer. She stands by her career choice because "God created romance". The pastor envisions all romances as bad influences on women and is determined to show Charlotte, from the pulpit the error of her ways.

However Charlotte is oblivious to the barbs being showered on her and agrees with the sermons much to the pastor's chagrin.

Another totally awesome plot is Charlotte's ability to reach out to tween and teen girls. This is an ability I wish I had. Charlotte admits to having been wild as a teen and uses her abilities to help the young girls learn the true meaning of romantic love.

Charlotte also have an exceptional relationship with her mother. I love the camaraderie between them, even when faced with devastating news.

In then end the world rights itself and Charlotte find the man God has planned for her.

I loved this book and intend to find more by this author. This one will be on my read again shelf. I see JoHannah Reardon becoming one of my favorite authors.

Check out her books, both in hard copy and on kindle!

Hugs Y'all

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T09:15:00.000-06:00

Yes I know I am a few days late. I have been busy getting things done around the homestead. I love calling it that even though there are no animals or at this point even a garden!

Christmas for us was good but had a tint of sad with mil not being here. I know she is happier with Jesus but we miss her still.

Judy made me a gorgeous apron! Her sewing skills are just totally amazing! Here are the dresses she made for my friends little girls:

The apron I made for my friend:

My goal for this year is to move toward more self reliance. I plan a garden again. Hopefully we can avoid hospitals this year.., Though next Monday I take my darling fil to the dr for a test on his heart. He may or may not get a pacemaker put in then. They come prepared to stay over night...

This week I am beginning to seriously watch what I eat and exercise. I am using My Fitness Pal.com to do this. I down loaded the app to my Fire. yes Beloved blew the budget and got me a Fire!

I do love it and can do most things on it that I do on my pc.

I also downloaded youversion, a Bible program. I plan to work on memorization this year. I want to memorize books of the Bible, not just bits and bobs. This program not only lets you read and take notes and follow Bible in a year plans, it will actually read it to you! I love that part.

Well I have decided to declutter. You know what that means. This time I have after careful thought and consideration decided to part with the old stove. It need way more work than I have skill or cash. Plus on reflection, there is just NO space for it in this house. With that, mil's china cabinet and the freezer in the breakfast room there is just no space for a table... we NEED the freezer, table and I refuse to not have mil's china cabinet, so the stove must go.

Also going is the gazelle exercise thing. It is just too awkward to use. Since I use Leslie Sansone's walk away the pounds, I do not really need it anyway.

Well the charity shop's truck will be here any minute so I best sign off for now!

Next time I will review a book I read by an author I just found, JoHannah Reardon. Which for some reason my kindle insisted was mrs. Fearsome...

See you in a day or two!

hugs y'all!

My new old stove...

2011-12-13T11:51:00.000-06:00

I got this from a gal I met on freecycle. Her mom had been trying to sell it. She gave up and said I could have it if i still wanted it.

At first glance it looked great. As I have begun to study it however, the condition is really poor. Now I know why the guy said I couldn't take it to the scrap place said that when I picked it up.

Nothing daunted my plan is to derust it, then paint is cream and blue. The blue will match the Newport on the front. If it was in decent condition I would hesitate a bit. However since it currently has no resale value, I will do as I please and make it match what the breakfast room will someday look like.

It is missing near as I can see 2 knobs and a door. I want to get the gas pipe off of the back so it will fit better against the wall. I do have the grills, cast iron and decorative too, but they are still in the truck since I forgot to grab them.

I think when done this will be a lovely display piece!

Hugs y'all

Nativities.

2011-12-05T14:29:00.000-06:00

I have several collections. One of my favorites is rooted back in my childhood.

One of the few memories I have of my childhood was my mom's nativity set. I remember being told to take a nap while mom and my older siblings decorated the tree. When I was allowed to get up the tree would be beautifully decorated with a nativity underneath. The only thing not done would be the baby Jesus in the manger. That was my job. The nativity was one most likely purchased in Germany, where I was born. I have researched what I remember of it and it seems to be either German or Italian in origin, and made of paper mache. The baby however was the tiniest plastic doll I have ever seen, maybe an inch in length. I have found on ebay nativities with that exact make up. Unfortunately they always go much higher than my meager budget!

So I collect others, until the day I can get one exactly like the one I remember.

My collecting began with 3 nativities my mother in love gave me about 4 years ago. they were hers that she down sized when moving from her large home into her retirement home.

Then a couple years ago I fell in love with 2 that Penney's had on sale and Beloved bought me both! one was traditional. The other was of children.

The snow globe my youngest found as a child on some ones trash pile.

The wooden angel my sil made for mil and it was downsized to me.

Next is a metal set I found at a yard sale this summer. I love how english they look.

This wooden set I discovered at a thrift store this summer and I fell head over heels in love with the look on the babe's face.

Last is another ceramic set I got yard saling.

I have a couple more sets still boxed in a closet until I find a place to display them. My nativities stay up all year and I love each and every one!

hugs y'all

Well here it is the day after thanksgiving...

2011-11-25T17:10:00.000-06:00

Dear Judy has been visiting me for 3 weeks now and helping me get the fall stuff done.

We got my bedroom rearranged and cleaned. It feels so good to have doors that close and to be able to get dressed in there instead of the dining room! Though we did not redo it, remember I had planned to redo the floor and paint and all that. We just decided not to. At some point I will hang something behind my dresser to cover the door... just have not decided what yet.

We also got the Christmas decor up in side at least.

Stockings

Mini Tree

The big tree.

One of our helpers...

The nativities are not Christmas decor. I will do another post maybe tomorrow about those.

We made a thanksgiving feast for the 5 of us. Then watched the cowboys pull out another win! Love those boys! Watched dvred comedies (Last man standing is a hoot). We even watched the Punkin Chunking finals.

Then we went out to check on Best Buy. Hahahahahahahahaha! There were at least 250 in line to get one of 17 door buster tvs...

DS, who was upgrading his man cave (aka his bachelor's living room...) was disappointed and did not want to stand in line, since his tv of choice was not a door buster. We let him off at wally world to see their tvs. He called and said mom, this place is like a maze only the walls are moving... He came home and ordered his tv from Best Buy on line.

Beloved and I went out a bit this morning, not early! Just to look at some items. We got 1 gift. It was lovely weather and the crowds where we went were not too bad.

He even took me to lunch. I was not feeling great so when we got home I took an aleve and a nap and now I feel better. Not on top of the world but not under it either...

I hope you all had a lovely thanksgiving and a safe black friday!

hugs y'all!

A Down Week

2011-11-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

Nothing new or exciting happened this week.

Seriously nothing. I have been feeling kind of down. Judy cut out 3 things for me last Sunday, I sewed up 1. Some how it did not work right, it sewed fine until I tried to use the machines embroidery stitches... then it decided to eat the material. Aside from that even though cut the same way as the last one, this nightie is just a touch too tight. Well only if I like to breathe in my sleep...

I think once my Saturday work is done I may work on the doll dress... it is a test one...

Thursday I did rouse myself from my malaise long enough to do laundry, clean the kitchen and bake a banana cake.

I also got some cute kitty pictures to share.

Mouse Going to nap.

Hugs y'all

Cool Deals at the Books Sale!

2011-10-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

Here in San Angelo we are blessed with 2 totally awesome books sales each year. One is the Friends of the Library sale in the spring.

The other is the Adult Literacy Council's fall sale. I so totally scored this year!

The first time I went I found not only 8 Grace Livingston Hill books, but several neat kids books. A newer copy of Chronicles of Avonlea (mine is a hard back from the 40s and not in the best shape!). I also got a copy of Kin to Anne, which I have heard of but never read. I forget what all I got the first go round.

The second time, on donation day, I got more GLH books, all different than the first day! 2 Raggedy Ann books, and well just look at all this bounty! Mouse was very attentive while I was putting my books in to genre piles.

Mouse

When I was an antiques dealer Kovels was the go to guide!

These will come in handy when we redo the kitchen, we plan to build our own cabinets!

One can never have to many LHOP books!

Jan Karon's Father Tim is one of my fave characters. Now I can share him with others!

GLH one of the BEST authors ever!

I loved Taste of Home and its sister magazine Quick Cooking!

Jannette Oke is another awesome author. I have never read Roses for Mama the others I have but did not own them... until now...

Kids book bonanza! I am totally besotted by Raggedy Ann...

Ooodles and gobs of Patterns.

More patterns!

Annie's Attic Patterns! 2 envelopes full of them.

Many quilt magazines too. Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting and BHG's American Patchwork and Quilting mainly.

I loved Crafting Traditions! I collect them when ever i find them!

The BHG Quilting magazines.

A variety of interests! Even a kids snack cookbook by Discovery Toys!

Of course I had to get this one since I love Beanies too... I think I may be a toy and book hound...

Looking at all the books just plum tuckered Spazzy Girl out!

I have reading material and crafting ideas for months!

Plus I got to spend the morning with my friend and her 3 precious girls. What could be better?

Hugs y'all!

Different Kinds of Therapy.

2011-10-24T11:18:00.000-05:00

When I am feeling stressed of bah, I need to do something to shake the feeling. There are many kinds of "therapy" out there. Some folks turn to food, eating, some use retail therapy and so on.

I have several types of such therapies. There is sewing. I love the busy hum of my Baby as it zips along making nice even stitches.

I do retail therapy after a fashion. I do not like to go to malls or such, but give me a set of yards sales and thrift stores and zip away I go. (Like the yearly books sales for the Adult Literacy Council and Friends of the Library...)

Yesterday I needed some therapy. We had attended a big bbq Saturday. While I like the folks there I have nothing in common with any of them. Most drink and or smoke or discuss what they did that time they were so drunk... I quit smoking when I was 18, I only drink medicinally and have never been drunk... Most of the women have careers besides "just" being a wife and or mother. Several have been divorced and are remarried. All very nice people but similar to me as much as I resemble a jelly fish... Yesterday I was keyed up, the flora at the BBQ always messes with my allergies, add to that the smoke, and well I was having issues. I needed comfort.

My big therapy is cooking. Yesterday I made chicken and noodles. It was going to be chicken and dumplings but I decided on biscuits instead of dumplings and served it over rotini.

This was a simple meal, crock pot the chicken over night (I only use boneless skinless breast meat) With some chicken stock and lots of Mrs. Dash Herb and garlic. I used some of the seasoned chicken stock to cook with the noodles. I added peas and carrots to the chicken for about an hour. Then I did the noodles and popped in the biscuits.

What took my morning, was the making the cake. When I cook for therapy I like to try something I have never done before. This cake was it. It was more involved than anything I had ever done before, including baking bread.

Hubby saw the ingredients and was aghast... you are going to put THAT in a cake...

Here are the ingredients:

This cake, because I was trying to do it following the instructions, took 2 sauce pans and 3 mixing bowls.

The result was a moist decadent shot of espresso on a plate! I loved the process. Though I did not use the cake flour, and just used all purpose. I could have made cake flour but I just sifted the all purpose and the cake baked just fine. Also the recipe called for making a layer cake and I do not have a convenient way to store a layer cake. I instead baked a layer cake. I have a baking pan that has a lid which makes storing the cake much easier.

So once the cake was safely in the oven i began the frosting. I had only made simple whipped topping frosting. This frosting required melting butter, mixing in cream and melting in chocolate chips... PURE decadence!

I love chocolate in my coffee, now I was going to try coffee in my chocolate...

So I put the frosting in the fridge to cool. The cake came out of the over and smelled divine.

While waiting for the frosting to cool I took the chicken out and skimmed the icky bits, you know the fatty stuff. I poured about half of the juice into a separate pan to cook the noodles. I shredded the chicken put the peas and carrots in the seasoned juice. I added a can of cream of chicken soup. added the shredded chicken back in and set the pot on high for an hour. About 30 minutes in I started the water for the noodles. Once it began boiling I added the noodles, brought it back to a boil and took it off the heat. Then I popped the biscuits in.

About 10 minutes later the noodles were ready.

The result:

The cake was delicious. However we all agree the frosting was just too much. It was wonderful in taste but soooo rich!

Sunday supper was definitely a success!

hugs y'all

A few of my favorite recent finds.

2011-10-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

Yard sales have been very uninteresting lately. Today I did go to one, where I found some shoes, a picture frame and a cross to hang on a wall. None of these items, though neat, really make me go wow. Ya' know what I mean?

Not pictured are a cookie sheet, the wall cross and a Bible cover that is in the washer.

So today I decided to share some of my favorite finds that were not acquired at yard sales.

First on ebay I have been looking at dolls. I have purchased several. My very favorite is this Raggedy Ann. She is a home made one but every detail is perfect.

Betty Armbruster is very talented!

Next I got 2 lots of rag dolls. These are Holly Hobbie friends. This lot also contained a Campbells Kid doll. I had Holly Hobbie herself as a child but not her friends. Now I just need to find a new (to me...) Holly Hobbie doll. i never had a Campbells kid doll. These do need a good cleaning but I have not figured out how best to do it yet.

The next lot advertised a set of Groovy Girls. I LOVE GGs almost as much as Raggedy Ann. This set had 4 gorgeous dolls in it. However only 2 of them are actual GGs. The other 2 are Unimax Toys Inc. dolls.

Brenna and a GG I have not found the name of yet.

The 2 Unimax Dolls. I have not been able to find names for them.

Now I do a lot of giving on Freecycle. I also answer ads that interest me. One I posted about a few weeks ago was for dolls.

Well now it is time to share the other treasures in that box.

Remember the "Dirty face" doll? Heehee I have all the parts to make a "Clean face" counterpart!

Also in that box was another box labeled "Dutch Doll pieces given to me in 86 by mama" Here are the contents:

Now look at this:

I know there is no way I could ever do this stuff justice. It is destined to be something I pull out and look at longingly from time to time.

Also in that box was another box containing all this bounty:

Tulips are my favorite flower.

Then there were these 2 signed blocks:

These blocks make me wonder who the 2 Mrs. (or Miss) Livingstons were.

Underneath all that bounty was this:

More vintage quilt pieces for me to fondle lovingly while I bemoan my lack of talent with a needle...

All of these items are things I will treasure. Someday perhaps I will be bold enough to work on the quilting part. In the mean time I will practice my aprons...

Plus, a picture of my Ham, also known as Spazzy Girl...

Hugs y'all!

Nice Weekend!

2011-10-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

It began like this:

There were no good looking tag sales in the paper this weekend. However the thrift that irked me so much last week was having a 1/2 off everything sale this week! Just to be sure I called and specifically asked if this included the pc stuff (Beloved) and the dolls. I was told yes it did! Of course the floor person said she had not been told that but she let me have my way anyhow.

I feel I scored awesomely on the doll front! I found 2 of these:

Topsy turvy dolls! Both look vintage and one if not both appear to be homemade! I love them!

I also found this blonde beauty:

She is a little souls doll and I believe her name is Nora. I found a picture of her online in her box and now I want to make her an outfit similar to that one. She is just totally precious!

This brunette darling, has highlighter on her face:

She was so pretty though I decided to risk the .50c and see if I can remove it. I also want to make her a dress that is more fitting than the cow designed fur thing she is wearing currently...

The last doll I got I had to have because I simply fell in love with her face:

Isn't she gorgeous? She is a tolly tot doll, I believe she is Tatiana, one of the Disney princesses. I did some research and found that these dolls are the same size as American Girl dolls, only a bit thinnner. Since I have many patterns for clothes for the AG dolls, I will make her some darling things! I really want to cut and make a colonial gown. I got the patterns at Hancocks on Friday, the first time I have actually bought a pattern from a fabric store... I may now be in trouble! I had only ever bought 1 new pattern before and that was at Walmart, to replace one I had got on ebay and worn out...

Here are the patterns I got:

See the costume one?

It is my desire to dress this way so I plan to make a skirt and blouse out of this and see how it goes. Most of my skirts are about to my ankle anyway as it is so I do not see any difference!

There was 1 I could not get they were out and the sale ends today.

It was McCall's 6412. I seriously want this pattern!

I also got this darling fabric:

My library also grew:

I got a copy of Knit 1 Kill 2, a knitting mystery by Maggie Sefton. A Crochet mystery called Dead men don't Crochet. A Religion mystery called Murder at the Monk's Table...

I snagged another copy of Christy... I buy it every time I see it. Also a book of quotes from Abraham Lincoln.

I also found this 3 part series:

I have only read 1 book by the Lacy's and I enjoyed it. It was NOT an easy read. It was called Shiloh Autumn and was about a family during the depression. It seemed that until the end, every time there was a light at the end of their tunnels, something happened and snuffed it out. Hard to read but it was very good.

I also added to my Nativity set collection:

I fell in love with the Babe on this one! It is a painted wooden set. Now to find a place to set it up... I keep my Nativities up all year long, I love them so much.

Yesterday when the kids came out, Judy and I baked cookies. The kind you can ice and decorate... I actually prefer them uniced, they are not so sickly sweet that way!

Oh and 1 last thing, while Judy and I were out shopping Friday we went into Hobby Lobby and I found an ornament that is... well me... ish...:

I did not buy it but I think I may have to go back and get it...

Hugs y'all, have an awesome week!

All by my self...

2011-10-02T08:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went yard saling all by myself. I rarely do that but Beloved had to work, my friend was busy and there was a sale I really wanted to go to!

I found the big church sale I wanted to go to and did great. I found some stuff for a friend, some music collections and 2 suitcases, perfect for the doll clothes I have in HEB bags!

On my way to do groceries I stopped at another one and scored 2 Animated Snoopys plus several beanie babies.

Then when Beloved got off work we went to a local thrift store that was having an awesome sale.

Though I did get a bit aggravated. They had toys for .25c. I figured I would dig through the bins and find some dolls to work on redoing. I found 5 dolls... However it turns out they do not consider dolls toys. Dolls were $1 each. Of course the checker did not tell me that. There was a huge line behind me so I paid and went out to figure out what happened. Then I went back in and got a refund. Seriously I would not have paid more than .50c for any of them, they were in disrepair and had things like ink all over their faces and so on.

I did score some nice children's books though at 3 for $1. Thankfully they did not misrepresent those. I have heard before complaints about this store. They will post an ad, all books for .xx but when you check out they will say, oh those books are not the sale ones... I just went for some .25c toys and I got a few beanies and some fuzzy sort of thing that had Ann Geddes name on it...

Some of my favorite finds:

Snoopy! I LOVE Peanuts and especially Snoopy!

The calendars also have cross stitch patterns in them!

Mint mini beanies!

The suit cases!

I did have fun and I needed the outing. I will miss yard slae season when it is over!

hugs y'all!

Garage sales scores!

2011-09-24T19:42:00.000-05:00

Today my friend Roxy and I went garage saling. We both love to go but neither of us want to go alone! She of course has her 3 gorgeous little girls to go with but it is also nice to have an adult along chat with and exclaim over scores!

Today we found many awesome deals.

I found a table top full of great things, fabric, books, magazines, toys.

I have taken a few pictures of my very favorite finds.

I love Fisher Price Little People toys. I saw this one at a church sale. It is perfect because it is little people, but they do not come out of the bus!

This is a crocheted pink Barbie dress. I collect Barbie when I see them cheap. I have at least a dozen neekid Barbies. Now one of them has a pretty pink dress!

This Santa is in perfect condition. I love his face!

There were 2 items I did not get and I wish I had. One was a Hello Kitty tea set. It was $5 and since it was the first sale we went to, I did not want to splurge that big on 1 item.

The other item was a book of Peanuts cartoons. A reprint of vintage ones. It was $3 but again as a first stop I was unwilling to drop a full $3 on 1 item. I now wish I had found some one to negotiate with and bought both of these items.

The best Item I got of the day was this:

Miss Suzy, now reprinted and available again on Amazon, is a book I have searched for for years. The last time I saw it on ABE it was going for $80. Now there is an exact reprint celebrating the 40th anniversary of Miss Suzy.

I am very happy to see this adorable book available again for a new generation of children!

So what have you found lately?

Saying good bye to an old friend.

2011-09-13T15:58:00.000-05:00

Saying good bye is never easy. I am a gruff sort and do not like good bye. Sometimes though there comes a point when it is just time to move one. One grows and things change and there is just a logical choice to be made.

That happened to me this week. I had to let go of a friend I have enjoyed for several years:

Yes my 1940's White sewing machine. I just have no real space for a machine that I love looking at but realistically do not see myself ever actually using. So he is moving off to a new home... not too far away and I will be able to visit. He is going to live with my buddy Roxy and her delightful 3 girls.

Moving White out has left me space to open up Kenny and possibly use him now and then:

The whole thing came about because I found this at a yard sale:

Yes a small desk. It fits my new Brother machine (Baby) just fine and gives me extra storage to boot:

This leaves the middle of the sewing room open for a small table on which I can craft, iron and cut fabric. A boon not to have to clutter the dining room up with things my desk does not work well on:

This table will eventually go into the breakfast room off the kitchen, once we get the bedroom finished and the floor down in the breakfast room.

Another friend left my home last week:

That big empty spot held my desk top pc. Beloved and sons have decided I need a new pc, one built for me with up to date software and brand new parts. The one I had was pieced together of spare parts from various upgrades others have done to their pcs.

Some new babies came to join my doll shelf:

I now have a bride doll. I have wanted a bride doll since I was about 6. There is a handmade jointed rag doll that came with a scroll of instructions on how to make one. She is definitely a vintage doll and the scroll itself is very delicate.(The one on the end in a blue dress) There was another Raggedy Ann. Another handmade rag doll who has a dirty face. I got a passel of clothes for her and she seems sturdy enough to go into my may be played with group.

In the box with the dolls were many quilt items, including some old vintage pieces and patterns. I have not looked through that part closely yet, needing to get my room back in order first.

Well those are the comings and goings of Mel's Home for now!

Hugs y'all!

Moving...

2011-08-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

No, we are not moving to a new place. We are moving our bedroom. Remember the room I just redid sort of? Here.

Well we decided to move into a different room altogether. We have a tiny back room that used to be my son's room. He had in it, a double bed, desk, desk chair, couch and dresser. Plus his laundry basket which he kept full of clothes. His dirty ones he put on the floor his clean, instead of going in the dresser went into the basket...

Well this summer our room just got unbearably hot. At night it was unsleepable. I tend to be a huge grouch when I do not sleep well and with it being in the 100s for weeks on end, I was plenty grouchy!

So I noticed son's room, destined to be Beloved's office was much cooler than the other room... it is actually the coolest room in the house all the time...

So I suggested to Beloved we move our bed in there for the rest of the hot days. We did.

Last night we began talking of making the move permanent. The only down side is the closet is not big enough, he would have to store his hang up clothes in his office... not a huge thing but still to me a negative.

In discussing it further we realized that since he is inheriting his mother's office furniture, it will not all fit in this tiny room. Adding to that he wants to really start his pc business up again, there would be no space in the tiny room for a work bench...

I think we have decided to make this temporary move permanent. We only use the bedroom for sleeping, I do sometimes read on the netbook in there. We usually get dressed in there too... The tiny room has plenty of space for our bed, my chest of drawers, hubby's dresser and our night stands, laundry baskets. It has a built in book shelf I can put books in so my little one from the bedroom can go into my sewing room... The closet will hold my clothes and coats...

We have laminate flooring I want to put down. We will need to paint and I need to figure out what to do with this:

This is a huge picture window that gets all day sun... My idea is to cover it with plywood and paint over it. Make it a sort of wall. The bed will be against this. Otherwise the room will not work at all. There are 2 small windows on either side of the picture window. You see the ac unit in one of them. These I will make curtains for or buy blinds for.

My dresser will go against the outside door.

I hate covering the door. Seriously I have a thing for exits. However when we eventually really get to redoing things, the back door will move into the breakfast room anyway. That is a couple years down the road but still on the agenda.

I plan to paint the room a light tan color. Not sure if I will do something else to the trim or leave it white. I plan for this room to be a red and blue room mostly. The comforter is my scheme.

Here is the room now:

Please ignore the pile of stuff. We were using this room for storage and since the bed was only a temp addition we just shoved it all in front of the outside door... it is all stuff for Beloved's office so now it will be moved into there...

Here is the laminate flooring we have:

There are 12 full boxes, enough for the tiny room and possibly the breakfast room too. Normally I would not cover a wood floor. However this floor in most places is in such shape that we can not afford to redo it. Since some one gave us the laminate, it is best for us to use it.

My hope is to be done labor day weekend. Since we already have the flooring and part of the moisture barrier, we only need some wood, some spackle and paint. Oh and 1 rolls of moisture barrier.

What do you think?

hugs y'all!

I'm siiiingin in the raaaain...

2011-08-14T10:22:00.000-05:00

Ok so not out loud or anything. No need to terrify the kitties or the neighbors!

However we are getting lots of rain! So much that I need to stay off the roads! Our 100 year flood plain is ummm flooding.

SQuEEEEEEEEE! I will miss church but we are so praising God for the rains!

I took a picture but it is not very good, of some ones basket ball floating past my home!

There is more rain on the road now than there was then... My drive way which is a hill is slowly being covered!

I hear a cow and her calf crying for each other in a near by pasture.

Road from my house to the highway is flooded, and we are under a flood watch! No rain for months and now, such an abundance!

A nice quiet day at home is welcome after the last few days of busy! There was grocery shopping on thursday, stuff at church on Friday and Saturday. Then yesterday afternoon there was the kids and games and... whew I am worn out. Though I did want to go to service, I am not good at driving in wet weather and after doing so yesterday I think I will avoid it in the near future!

Have a lovely Sunday!

hugs y'all!

Nothing new...

2011-08-10T11:16:00.000-05:00

There is nothing new going on here about. Just heat heat and more heat. Just for kicks I am gonna post kitty bed time pics.

Cuz I want to entertain but there are no new things to report!

Spazzy Girl:

Munchkin:

Mouse:

Spazzy just seems to plop and be fine.

Munchkin has to find just the right spot.

Mouse always make the same pilgrimage to the Top of my Chest of drawers.

Hugs y'all!

Kitty Love....

2011-07-22T14:10:00.000-05:00

they pull my skirts and blouses out of the hamper to make a bed with...

Sorry...

2011-07-18T13:06:00.000-05:00

I have not forgotten my blogs. I have been caring for a sick hubby. We are hoping he can return to work tomorrow.

I have some craftiness I need to get out of my system asap!

hugs
y'all

Finally Finished!

2011-06-29T12:31:00.000-05:00

Beloved decided we would move the room around ourselves with out the boys help... and he promptly caught a stomach bug on Thursday.

So yesterday he went back to work and I saw my chance... I moved everything around but the bed and his dresser. His dresser being bolted to the wall made it impossible for me to move alone.

Remember the before:

He got home from work and noticed stuff right away. Then he came into the kitchen and noticed the pile of boxes of laminate flooring in the breakfast room... You moved all those boxes by yourself???? Heehee Umm no my invisible friend helped...

So then after supper we went in and moved the bed and dresser.

Today I dusted and did the final touches. Here is the finished room:

Well finished until we can rip out walls and insulate and paint and... you get the idea...

hugs y'all

A First Step

2011-06-24T10:53:00.000-05:00

Do you ever look around your space and think, man I could do so much better? I do. I have. So this is the beginning.

The space I am working on at present is the catch all room... I mean master bedroom. Really the only thing in it that shows it to be the master, is the closet. The closet is roughly twice the size of the one in my sewing room...

My goal for now is simple, clear out the caught items that do not belong and move things around to be more calming and comfortable.

Since I have stolen the table from the breakfast room for my sewing room, until I find the thing I want for in there (or make it) the breakfast room will for now be the catchall room.

That big ugly box is really a fire pit for the front porch... though I would rather it not be on the porch but on a patio. The problem is we have not built a patio yet. The vacuum cleaner will go into the closet once Beloved's office is finished and all his office totes are out of said closet. 4 things must happen for that to work... his foot must heal so he is out of his boot, we must gather our pennies for paint and vapor barrier for the flooring (now stashed under the bed and making the bed all wonky) next we must lay said floor and lastly, we must get the furniture his dad is giving him and set it up in his office.

So what can we get done NOW you ask? Well my intention this weekend is to declutter, restash, sweep and mop the floor and rearrange the furniture.

See the window above the bed? OK that window gets direct sun from around 10 am until around 4 pm.

See the ac unit? That window picks up the sun from 4 until when ever it sets. Right now around 945 or so.

This room gets a ton of heat all day and that makes the bed HOT at night. Remember we have NO trees here in this spot of the prairie. This house has no insulation at all in the walls. That can not be fixed this year. We have 1 more truck to pay off then medical bills to pay off too. Next summer we hope to have saved enough to tackle painting and such.

For now I want my bed away from the heated glass during the day. So the bed and dresser will change places. I did not get a picture of the dresser... it is by the now non-functioning pocket door to the room. My ultimate design will have the walls covered in bead board. I love bead board and this house has not one speck of it! I plan to change that eventually too, at least in the master bedroom and breakfast room! Possibly the kitchen too.

I will post about the moving around and the pics of the progress probably Monday. After all that moving I may not be able to type before then! I have asked my boys to come help move the big stuff. Today I will begin moving out some of the smalls.

hugs y'all!

A Tale of 3 boxes!

2011-06-22T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have a lovely friend online. Seriously this young lady is too cute. She is wise, funny and pretty. She is also a spitfire on occasion.

Anyway she knows of my love for things prairie, kitchen, sewing and Currier and Ives.

Recently she said I have mailed you 3 boxes. She could just as easily said she had given me 3 wishes, because of what I found in the boxes!

Imagine my surprise Monday when 2 boxes showed up on my door step! They were large and some heavy but I got them into the house and up on the table. Then the waiting began. You see when ever I get something like this I MUST share the opening with my Beloved. It does not matter what it is, good surprises must be shared.

So I waited and waited and... you get the idea.

One of the kitties got tired of waiting and she began to try and open one of the boxes...

Inside I found, bits of everything I love!

There were many Currier and Ives dishes! Despite the creative packing some were broken. However, 5 dinner plates, 2 soup bowls, 4 cereal bowls, 4 berry bowls, 4 salad (I think) plates, 4 saucers and 4 bread plates survived!

There was a prairie cookbook, 2 sewing patterns, 3 skeins of very soft yarn, and 2 pieces of material!

Just in those 2 boxes!

Today the waiting began again as box #3 arrived.

Sweet! Today I got a set of 8 C&I tea cups, a large piece of dark blue material, 3 more skeins of yarn and a cute country themed box! I fell in love with the box immediately! One tea cup lost it's handle but other than that no damage!

I see this material becoming a jumper or a skirt in the not to distant future...

Thank you my sweet friend! I am so blessed to have you thinking of me!

hugs y'all!

Tag Sale adventures 6-18-11

2011-06-18T21:30:00.001-05:00

Today we decided to just hit a few sales on our way to do some errands before going to see the family at Fil's.

Today's haul:

At the first sale I got Beloved 2 like new pairs of pants, 2 tiny blue bottles (I collect blue glass) and 2 Large body pillows (I have a plan for these I will share later)

The next sale I scored!

5 sewing patterns

6 large pieces of fabric and

a sewing mat, the kind quilters love. The price tag on the mat said $50.00. It was marked at $10.00 but the girl pulling it out said $2.00! The lady holding the sale said yes take it! This mat has never been used! it takes up 1/3 of my 8 seat dining table!

The mat:

The next sale I found

The Case for a creator

A box of laces and trims

several lacy collars

a Wicker sewing basket

and a large target bag full of facing!

All I had on me was $5 and the lady said take it all!

The basket is too sweet:

The next sale we happened on and Beloved found for me

Season one of LHOP and a dvd that had 3 horse/pioneer movies on it.

Next we happened on a sale where I got some sort of mystery word game...

The last sale I scored again, a 5 book set of Zondervan Bible study helps books. I think you can see the titles in the pictures:

Total spent by both of us today? $25 (MJ found some computer things he collects)

All in all a very productive day.

We got my truck inspected, and got it a free car wash! We were going to celebrate because last night we paid it off. So once it passed inspection we decided to treat it to a $5 wash. We pulled into Stripes and discovered we have a free wash coming only it was not the $5 wash... it was the $11 one! So my truck is now totally legal, totally clean and totally MINE!

Hugs y'all!

Hot Hot Hot

2011-06-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

I know this blog seems abandoned. It is not. The only thing I have been doing is trying to not get so hot.

I have finished another apron you can see it on the other blog.

I like this one, it is pretty, functional and fun!

Here is what my kitties are doing now:

Hugs y'all!

Wonderful Tag Sale Finds!

2011-06-11T12:53:00.000-05:00

Today we headed out early, leaving home about 6:30. One of the church sales began at 6!

We hit nearly a dozen sales and found something at most of them. I even got to talk football at one!

Among my finds are:

A food processor:

Just like the one I have but a bit smaller and complete! The kids get my old one!

Some fabric:

I have some fun ideas for pieces of this already!

Some Quilting bits, not sure just what they are:

Several blouses and 3 more pair of shorts.

Some books:

An OLD Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, a Glenn Beck Common Sense and a couple Quilting books top my list!

2 printed aprons:

These were just too cute to pass up! One is watermelon and one is a gingerbread dude.

3 sewing patterns. 2 ladies had boxes of them I oculd have gotten really cheap but one was only baby stuff and the other... well I did not like the condition of the patterns or the boxes.

A lot of trims:

A really cute white shelf:

Not sure just what I will do with it, but the breakfast room is calling for it!

A tiny clock that looks like a lap top PC!

And several spools of Aluminum Yarn...

I have no clue what this is but the spools are really old looking. If anyone has ideas for this, please post them!

Hugs y'all!

Yesterday was a good day,

2011-06-05T09:37:00.002-05:00

I got 3 or 4 blouses
a skirt
several books
a tiny blown glass angel with red wings
some firestone? (now pyrex) baking cups
a basket with a lid
an igloo cooler, a small one
the best thing...
a kirby vacuum, the whole system, for $3....
I do not have carpet but Beloved wants it so now I am prepared!

It is the blue one, and is so cool!

sigh, not as many summer clothes as I had hoped but the vacuum makes it worth it anyway!
I spent $13 total

Today will be a relaxing day. The kids will be here at some point for laundry. I will just piddle around the house and get some laundry done myself.

I have magnets to button and I will probably clean the bathroom.

hugs y'all

So quiet around here.

2011-06-02T16:42:00.000-05:00

I am not ignoring this blog. It is just that other than making aprons and planning the business stuff, nothing is going on!

Well the kitties are acting up, knocking over anything they can and trying to use my raggedies as Rapunzel's hair.

I have planned my goal to be at least 1 apron a day made. Today I did not work though, my pain level was high even with advil! All I managed to do today was post the Apron Construction blog post and tidy the kitchen.

Tonight is visit fil night so we will be off and away shortly for that.

Still no rain, and high winds predicted for the next few days. I hope no one decides to be a fool and light an outdoor fire! I know the love of BBQ (it is my fave food group) but the risk is just not worth even the best ribs right now!

hugs y'all!

If you want to....

2011-05-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

see where I work, head on over to All About the Apron! Lots of pics!

Today is a warm day not too hot and cloudy!
No hint of rain just some clouds. I am for some reason very sleepy today!
I may jsut decide to snag a nap!
hugs y'all!

My Friend and I had a talk.

2011-05-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

Every morning before my banana and cold iced water I have a talk with my friend. Sometimes my friend talks to me in a whole chapter, some times just a few verses. Some how it seems to fit my thoughts for that day or perhaps my thoughts seem to fit it. I do not know.

Today my friend and I talked in 1 Corinthians 10 verses 25-33. In this section of scripture Paul tells the Corinthian church not to worry about what they eat. He says "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness there in".

This verse always strikes a cord with me. What this says in no uncertain terms is, I am at liberty to eat or drink what ever I choose. He continues on though to instruct me that I have that liberty as long as I do so with thanks to God. God should be glorified in what ever I do. This carries great responsibility with it.

Paul goes on to say, that if some one comes to me and is pricked because of what I am eating or drinking, that for their sake I should stop. So if I am eating pork and a sister is hurt some how feeling I should not be eating pork I need to stop for her sake.

Is it wrong for me to have pork? God says no. However it is wrong for me to act in a manner that is disrespectful to another. Disregarding how another feels is disrespectful. Later once this sister begins to understand the liberty we have in Christ to do or not do, that may change.

I have always heard these verses. Usually when some one is arguing about drinking alcohol. Yes we have that right. However, what is more important? MY rights or the soul of a sister who is not convinced of our liberty? If by drinking that glass of wine I hurt her, is the price really worth it? Paul says no. If my job on earth is to represent Christ who did no harm to any, what does it say about my conviction to follow Christ if I am willing to disregard the thoughts of another?

Now I do believe that a solid discussion of scripture is called for. Because a religion deciding we can not do that which God says we can, is false religion. They are adding to the law of God. However that is no excuse for doing something unneeded just because I can.

There are many instances of this. Look at the brouhaha over "holidays". No where in the New Covenant are we told to celebrate feasts or special days, other than the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread. Yet every year around October folks get all antsy and riled because of the up coming festivals and holidays. If the earth is the Lord's, then surely so are the days. Personally I do not celebrate any day as holy. Other than Sunday. I do have a feast and gifts and all on Christmas, and I do a feast on Thanksgiving. The rest I do not mess with. Colossians 2 is very explicit in it's instruction. Judge no one for any respect of any day. We have liberty to do or do not, as long as what ever we do, we do with thanksgiving to God.

I am not sure why my friend brought this to my attention this morning, but he did and he asked me to share with you when I talked to him afterward.

Have a blessed day ladies!

hugs y'all

Hey folks!

2011-05-28T20:19:00.000-05:00

Today we went out early, it was getting hot fast today! It was 106 when we got home around 1.

Today I scored for my $20
several books(Ballet Shoes, Case for Faith, Power of a Praying Wife and another NT and An Excellent Wife by Martha Peace)
2 dvd (OLD ) Arsenic and Old lace (the Cary Grant one) and Love Comes Softly, the only one of those movies I like.
Ice cube trays
a glass jar
a bag of fabric
several patterns
a basket
2 baggies of ric rac
and a rice cooker
A saucer and dinner plate in the blue Currier and Ives pattern I collect.
and a skirt
I also bought breakfast for that.

MJ spent $8 of his $20
he got several dvds and pc games and a few other computer gadgets.

On the way home I noticed with sadness the dried out withered fields all about. This is the longest drought we have had in 11 years. I worry about our farmers. The hay fields are just withered tiny stalked.

All over we are praying for rain. Watching the storms, you can see, it is almost as if Moses is here parting the clouds. Big storms seem to go on, but when they it San Angelo, they just go around...

hugs y'all!

So Busy!

2011-05-26T15:31:00.001-05:00

Well not a ton to do home wise, dishes (always!) and Laundry (always!)

Got the new blog up and posted.

Sewed on an apron and worked on a few other details.

Now going to read until 5 then hop in the shower to be ready to go see fil!

Got my last ebay package ready to mail. I will not be doing ebay anymore unless it is as a buyer.

What are you up to today?

Oh and I posted my craft over on Shabby Chic Cottage too! heehee it is fun to have something creative done so I can share!

I also joined twitter. No clue what to do with it yet but I joined it!

Oh and I talked to Miss Maggie, she sounded so good!

hugs y'all!

The new blog is up!

2011-05-25T20:13:00.000-05:00

This blog will remain but the new one will be my big focus for a bit!

Check it out!

All About the Apron

lemme know what ya think!

hugs y'all!

The voices in my head

2011-05-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am close to the start of my business. I do have an issue though.

Every time I get close to doing something like this I hesitate and usually turn tail and run. Why? Because of the voice of my childhood. The voice tells me I am not smart enough or talented enough to pull it off. It is like a huge road block. Never mind that most times the voice is wrong. I have tackled numerous things and conquered them, with the Lord's help. The voice still persists. The same voice that told me my essay for english that scored an A+++ from a very difficult to impress teacher was eh. Yeah that voice. The one that over the years of my teenhood convinced me I could not do anything.The one that tried to convince me my Beloved was going to leave me... yeah that one. BTW he never did try to leave and here we are 27 years later, happier than we ever have been!

It is in my head now. Even though I have a good friend who is willing to walk me through the path and she has succeeded beyond even her own imagining. Still I hesitate. Do I do as I have always done... go so far then box up the dream and store it away for another time or keep it as a dream? This time do I just plow ahead and see what happens? I want to plow ahead. I want to try and see.

I plan to begin this week working for my dream. I am seriously decluttering the sewing room. I have a huge pile of misc. for free cycle on the porch now, posted and ready for pick up.

My sewing machine has a nice clean sewing table. Now just to find my auto bobbin winder...

My dining table is nearly cleared for any ironing and cutting I need to do.

I have a plan. I have the will. I have the brains. I can develop the skills since I love sewing anyway. This year my business begins.

Look out world, here comes... me!

I will be beginning a new blog as soon as my idea takes shape, it will be the business blog, this will remain as a fun chatty blog. The business already has a face book page. I have been told I should join twitter too... eek!

Wanna come along?

hugs y'all!

Motivated Monday!

2011-05-23T19:08:00.000-05:00

I have decided to get rid of the "curio" cabinet in the hall, It just does not function well. Plus it just does not fit anywhere. It used to be a built in some place so it is old but I just do not have a spot for it. So I think to Free Cycle it will go.
I am thinking of asking MJ to make me some simple shadow boxes with Plexiglas fronts we can hang on the walls. For now the s&ps will have to be boxed up. This cabinet used to be a built in an older home...
I may try to find a different place for it, but we have too much stuff as it is, at least until MJ finally puts his office back in his office not the living room.

I also chunked the black (ugly) tv stand thing from the bedroom. Originally I was going to use it as a night stand but then realized, having that much extra storage next to the bed just invited more clutter... I detest clutter so.... away it goes. if I have my way the tv will leave the room as well...

I am thinking of using some aprons ladies have made me for curtains. They are lovely and I want to keep them however, they are 1/2 aprons and I only wear full aprons... I think they will look fun and cute draped across the sewing room windows... Well the 2 windows you can see anyway. They will not match, but I think I can live with that. I figure one on the top and one on the bottom, sort of like cafe style. I may even consider using a couple as wall art...

Tomorrow I will be busily finishing the rearranging so that my office space is really workable.

I will get the aprons hung, and clear out the rest of the free cycle stuff. Perhaps by afternoon I will finally finish that cute 50's apron I have been working on... for months...

hugs y'all

Pictures of my new baby.

2011-05-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

Muse is enthralled with her hair....

Quiet Sunday

2011-05-22T08:46:00.000-05:00

Today I plan to take it some easy. I will do a load maybe 2 of laundry and dishes. I always have dishes to do it seems.

I may piddle in my sewing room, and gather more items for freecycle.

I am still a bit tired from the busy week and so plan to begin my regular schedule again tomorrow.

My darling son, Chris is recovering well from his dental surgery. He had a rough go of it Friday, until mom came to his rescue with pepto and ice cream... I asked him last night how the war was going and he texted back... Winning! So I am relieved, and I slept better last night than the previous 2.

We did go yard saling yesterday

I got:

Another Nativity set.

2 Debbie Macomber books

The Case for Christ

2 canning jars

a red and silver necklace.

and a Baby Crissy doll, in need of TLC. This was a guilt purchase. I felt bad walking away from the elderly couple and the face on this doll called to me. So I shucked out $4 for her. Her hair is a mess, I will replace the ponytail, and the missing cord eventually.

MJ found 3 movies and some software. He found a complete set of HalfLife, some game he and the boys like.

We got an email from Dad last night. It seems MJ's Aunt has written a book! It is called Elizabeth Island and it sounds intriguing. I may have to get a copy. Of course not until I whittle down some of the to be read books I already have... eek.

Well my friends I am going to go and try and get some stuff done.

hugs y'all!

Another busy week

2011-05-20T19:25:00.000-05:00

Well Monday was not but Tuesday I worked on the house and had lab work done.

Wednesday I worked on the house and had a dr appointment.

Yesterday I took Ds in for his dental surgery.

Today I am totally exhausted.

Tomorrow is yard sale day and I plan to relax and shop for good bargains!

Just wanted to give a note but I am too tired to write much!

hugs y'all

A very nice weekend

2011-05-16T06:35:00.000-05:00

Saturday Beloved and I went yard saling. This is our entertainment. I am not into movie theaters and we do not have cable. So we go look at other folks offerings. Some I admit I resell on ebay but mostly I look for stuff we need or want but refuse to pay retail for.

This weekend we got:

A popcorn popper, the air kind. It worked that evening but did not work last night... not sure what is up with that!

a strawberry shaped red sugar bowl

a corning ware small skillet in the blue I collect

A red and white oven mitt, like new!

And a large tote of books

All for the grand sum of $8

Not a huge haul but the fun was in the picking anyway. Poor Beloved found no new cds for his collection.

Then we went grocery shopping where he used his yard sale money (we each get s set amount each week) to by me a birthday cake and ice cream. I said I could bake a cake just fine but he said no I needed a fancy one.

About 1/2 way home my son called and wanted to know where we were. I said on the way home! Heehee

His brother showed up shortly after we got home and the boys did a dump run while the store bought lasagna baked.

When they got back we spent the afternoon playing games, boggle, 10,000 and uno while we ate lasagna, cake, ice cream and then popcorn.

I was presented with a rose that the cats have been trying to eat ever since, I think I will stick it in a Bible now to save it! I was also given a nice boot magnet with a clip on it.

Sunday was quiet, just Beloved and I and netflix! I did get a load of laundry done and got the kitchen cleaned up but other than that naps and tv took my day. My allergies are acting up so things have to move slow!

Today will be a quiet day at home. I think I will indulge in a day spent reading in between jobs today.

It was indeed a lovely way to spend a weekend!

hugs y'all

Happy birthday to one of my favorite bloggers!

2011-05-15T08:07:00.003-05:00

Km, short for Klutzy Mama. KM is such a fun lady! She is kinda cute too and funny... Often I have laughed so hard at her retelling of her life's adventures, I have had tears streaming down my face!

She has a hunka hubby and 2 sweet adorable girls! She is athletic and appears to be talented in many things. Like crocheting the world's largest afghan and gardening. her gorgeous yard puts mine to shame, seriously.

I hope one day to travel out and meet some of my fave bloggers and other folks online and she is one! Her town seems quiet but full of folks enjoying life!

So step on over and wish dear KM a wonderful birthday, please!
Happy b-day dear friend!

hugs y'all!

I did it!

2011-05-13T16:07:00.000-05:00

What did I do??? I, yes me the weakest link, planted 4 cherry bushes. I even gave them some miracle grow for good measure. I have 6 bushes, 2 I had planted a couple weeks ago in large pots. I think they will go in the ground this fall.

The other 4 have been languishing in a large vase of water. They were not happy. My plan had been to ask my son to dig the holes but he never has time. So this morning during quiet time I asked God to give me the stamina to do it. The pick is heavy. Seriously heavy. My legs were still some sore from 3 power walking days in a row, but I decided to try anyway. So, I did it!

Woooot! I do not think I will power walk today but at least the laundry will get done, the dishes will get done, the bills got written and mailed, and the cherry bushes got planted! I also got all the coupons cut... Plus over the last 3 days I have accrued over 100 swag bucks. I probably could do more with these videos but I get busy and forget about them. That iso k though because the cherry bushes got planted, some more marigolds sprouted and a few of the butterfly attracting flowers a friend sent me have sprouted.

hugs y'all!

That time again

2011-05-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

My b-day is coming up. Every year I get to feeling sort of down at this point.

I am not sure what it is. I do not feel older, I still enjoy things I did when younger.

A selfish part of me I guess wonders why no one remembers. It is not the gifts. (I love gifts but I don't expect them kwim?)

Part of me looks at my place in life and gets discouraged. I want to be totally debt free and I am not. (Close but not there yet) I want to have people over and cook for them, but I do not. (Beloved is not comfortable with the house)

I want trees in my yard and rose bushes and such. I have not got the stamina though to dig the holes and so those things do not get done.

My goodness I am so whiny! I despise whiny and yet I feel so blue!

On the other side, I am blessed with a hubby that loves me enough to come home nights, he doesn't drink or gamble. My boys are smart, successful and straight arrows, no drugs or anything.

The insurance finally settled and we should have the check soon to catch up on our bills.

I have a humble shack but I LOVE it.

I know I have much to be thankful for and I thank God everyday for those things and people.

Still I miss the days when a birthday meant a gathering of family and friends over a nice lasagna meal followed by cake and ice cream.

It just isn't as much fun inviting folks over for yourself, kwim?

Hugs y'all

Another busy ish week...

2011-05-09T10:13:00.001-05:00

I want to get a lot done this week. My birthday is next Monday and I want to begin my new year with a clean and organized home.

I have also decided I want to make my self a new apron, maybe 2. I seriously need to get my groove back sewing wise. As well as cleaning wise.

I did my power walk this morning, my goal is to do it every day now that the mile does not nearly kill me! Eventually I want to do callanetics too, but that will have to wait until i get a decent floor mat. Also I may need to replace that dvd as it skips part of the work out...

Today I need to do a couple loads of wash, deep clean the kitchen and bathroom and wait for it isp guy to come tell me why we are paying for a 2 meg download and not getting even a meg. Funny thing is, the upload speed is fine... Also need to scoop kitty boxes, make boiled eggs, fill the ice tub and then plan and make supper. I was going to do the Carinos spicy chicken and shrimp but I am out of most ingredients, other than chicken and shrimp so I will be hitting the books looking for a recipe!

My kitties are going bonzo this morning! More so than normal.

I hope you all have a blessed Monday!

hugs y'all

Happy Mother's day!

2011-05-08T08:28:00.001-05:00

To all my friends, I hope this mother's day is wondrous and full of many blessings!

Yesterday was a full and fun day. Beloved and I went to a small town called Bronte. It is about 30 miles out of San Angelo. A lovely little town too. Lots of pecan trees in blossom. On the way we saw many scorched miles of trees. There was little traffic. We hit I think every sale in the town!

I managed to score:

The Complete tightwad Gazette, hard cover!

A 4 in one GHL book

A couple other Christian Romance books

A red and white utensil jug for my kitchen!

a new key board

2 red purses

a really pretty nightie

a denim skirt

about a dozen Country Hand Crafts magazines, by Reiman

a baggie of rick rack

hmmmm I think that covers my score. Before heading home we stopped at a fundraiser selling burgers, chips, drink and homemade cookies for $6 a plate. It supported relay for life, and I always support them when I can!

It was only 11:30 when we left Bronte and headed back to Angelo so we decided to try and hit up the church sales here too. We found 2 of the 3 listed.

At the first I got 2 more ice cube trays. At the second I got a set of speakers for my big pc (kitties broke my old ones) and a lap top mouse pad.

When we got home, DS1 pulled in right behind us. He came to rework some PC stuff and do his laundry. He hooked up my new keyboard for me, and discovered the speakers came with the wrong power supply! Oh well.

DS2 showed up shortly afterward with his fiancee to do their laundry too. We spent the afternoon playing Boggle.

All 3 wished me a happy mom's day before they left.

Today will be a quiet day at home. I want to do laundry and tidy up and read.

hope you all have a blessed day too!

hugs y'all!

Fantabulous Friday!

2011-05-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

yes i am in a giddy mood. No headache! It is a tad muggy though, going to get hot today I think.

Still no hot water, Beloved got the washers to fix it yesterday but it was visit with dad day, so we did that instead!

I got up more auctions! I have more to write and list tomorrow night. I try to make them all end on Saturday but i think I messed up my last group and htey will end on Monday... What ever.

All of them begin under $1 so far. The ones tomorrow are books and I will have to start them higher, because ebay's allotted postage may not cover the cost of postage and delivery confirmation. I have learned the hard way over the years to always send things or money dc.

Tomorrow will be an exciting yard sale day! There are 3 church sales in town and a city wide sale in a small town not far from here! We have not been to that sale in years and I love going! This year with Beloved off OT we can spend our Saturdays together looking at yard sales!

Well so far today I have begun laundry and walked my mile and scooped kitty boxes.I have a lot more to do though so pooooof!

hugs y'all!

"paper cut" headaches

2011-05-04T17:15:00.000-05:00

That is what I have. A paper cut headache. You know one of those things that is not all all serious but is still painful enough not to let you focus on stuff...

I think it is stress. Dealing with the mortgage and the trucks and not being able to pay anything until the insurance settlement comes in... That settlement the insurance guy said would take about 2 weeks, 6 weeks ago... yeah that one.

This month we can make the regular payments (not as many dr appointments to cover!) but the stuff holding from the 3 weeks with no pay...

Yeah stress.

On a plus note, I did finally gather enough mypoints to get another $25 Amazon gc... it only took me 6 months...

Moan moan moan huh???

Supper at least is easy, chicken stew in a crock pot, no carbs or at least really low ones, and a couple rolls. I even sauteed mushrooms for mine. mmmmmmmmmmmmm

As soon as Beloved gets home supper will be on the table!

Hugs y'all

Cutting clutter...

2011-05-03T12:31:00.001-05:00

I have a lot of clutter. It is not junk, it is all useful stuff just stuff I either do not need or have gotten my use out of already.

So I am getting bags together for freecycle and putting stuff on Ebay and Amazon.

I have about a dozen sewing patterns to list, all will start at .99c. Some are even barbie ones!

I also will have some craft books/leaflets/booklets to list. I may get to those tomorrow as writing the 12 pattern descriptions is draining my brain!

All I know for certain is this stuff needs to move on outta my way!

Are you decluttering too?

hugs y'all

She hosted a give away and no one came...

2011-05-02T10:21:00.001-05:00

Well ok 3 close friends came. So all 3 will get an envie. I will send them out Friday when I go to town next. I have tons so 3 envies is not all all an issue!

On to news from the weekend.

We went yardsaling on Sunday and scored!

I found clothes in my size

2 Large print Bibles

a crock pot (originally for the kids but they don't want it so I will keep it as a spare)

a few books

2 vintage mixing bowls

2 cast iron skillets (free)

A few ornaments, 2 coca cola and 1 raggedy Ann (I LOVE raggedies!)

2 games, 1 Bible challenge and 1 Apples To Apples, both like new and about $30 retail. 1 the gal said they had only played once!

HMMMm MJ got some linksys thing, and a book, and a palm3. The palm was not usable but he was happy anyway.

I think there was more, the dining room table was full!

The best part ... a full day of shopping for $20!

Then, such a blessing, today is raining! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! LOL plus they are predicting we will have highs in the 50s!

hugs y'all

The first ever Living on the TX prairie give away

2011-04-28T11:12:00.000-05:00

This first one I will make easy. Just comment, tell me why you read this blog and you are entered. You may share the gie away with others on your own blog or fb or what ever if you choose.

This first drawing will be what ever sewing items I can stuff into a flat rate envelope. It will include, buttons and laces and ribbon and embroidery floss and I do not know what all and it will be stuffed as full as I can get it and have the flap seal securely. (My PO will not allow tape to help hold it closed.)

If everyone who enters gives me a favorite color then I will try to include something in that color if they are the winner.

I will pick my winner on May 6th, the day I was supposed to be born... I was 10 days late!

Farmer J asked a question on if I begin my plants indoors. I do not, I have no place that is safe from the kitties and they loooooooooooove to eat plants!

Well hugs y'all, I have lot to do and only until 230 to get it all done!

Windy Wednesday!

2011-04-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

It is bending the trees over it is so windy, I am talking big pine trees, that is all I can see from my window. Mine and the one across the road. I really need some trees!

So far I have read my Bible, eaten breakfast, tossed my bed together, scooped kitty boxes, taken out trash and watered and weeded in the yard.

I think I give up on the seed I planted in the veggie patch. It has been near 3 weeks and not a peek of a green thing other than an odd weed now and then. I will jut have to go with plants but my word they are so expensive this year! At least at walmart and HEB they seem so. i will try lowes and maybe get a few this weekend.

I have been thinking about doing a drawing... maybe 2. My friend Farmer J is doing a new one... I could do one on books, and one on sewing knick knacks... I will think about it and post more tomorrow.

Right now my nose is running and my eyes are watering so I am gonna go find tissues and pick the next thing to do.

OH yes some one asked me to restart the yahoo group the 15s and so I shall do that after i find the tissue!

hugs y'all!

Twit and shout Tuesday

2011-04-26T09:44:00.001-05:00

Well I did it. I got out the yoga mat and the Callanetics .

I did about 1/3 of the exercises. They are not as easy on this older body as they were on my younger self years ago. Ouch... The point is though, I got up at 530 and fixed MJ breakfast and felt awful. Head ache sore throat and so on. I went to lay back down and decided to try and exercise instead. I plan to do Power walk 3xs a week. So I grabbed the callanetics dvd and hit the floor.

Lessons learned, a yoga mat is not soft enough to do anything on a hard wood floor... that is where most of the ouch comes from. I also learned I am not nearly as flexible as i ought to be, I can not stretch like Callan does, no matter what she says! So I stretch as much as i can and move forward. I learned too that exercise even when I feel icky, does help! I have energy now where at 7 I had none. I am cleared headed where as before I was not. I will probably take a nap later but for now I am off to town to pay bills and possibly find something fun for supper... I have an idea but in case beloved reads this I will not pot it here today, maybe tomorrow!

hugs y'll

And so...

2011-04-25T09:32:00.000-05:00

Monday dawns bright and clear, not a rian drop in site. Though the storms were all around us last night, we could see the lightening. We got nothing. The pressure in my face is less but still there. Not painful jusst there.

Today I must get things done! still no life in the garden area none of my seeds have sprouted there! One planter of marigold has sprouts, the other nothing.

So today finds me cleaning the house and loading my music cds on my big pc.

Have a great Monday y'all!

Still no rain

2011-04-24T09:25:00.000-05:00

My face has been hurting for days and yet no rain. let me explain. Usually when we are in for rain my face, around my eyes really hurts. Once the rain comes the pressure is relieved. No rain and the pressure builds... arrrrrrrrrrrrgh. My head!

Seriously though, Happy Resurrection day. He is risen, hallelujah amen!

Be blessed y'all

Walmart's New coupon and price matching policy.

2011-04-23T11:50:00.000-05:00

I am sure any serious couponer has heard of this by now. Walmart has changed their policy to make it easier for customers to use coupons.

Now to be honest I have never had a problem with coupons. I do not know if it is who I am or if there is an invisible blinking sign above my head that says "do not give this woman an issue with coupons, she just could not handle it" or the fact that I just chat and smile and act the part of an innocent... What ever the reason I read the horror stories about having to call corporate and just cringe. Then I go in and everyone is like sure we can do that...

So anyway I had some good printed qs and there were some good prices on things and I did not want to go all over so we decided to hit Wm. We tried to make sure there was no huge crowd but who were we kidding this is walmart after all.

So I placed my orders by price match:

Libby's veggies wm .68 cents Fishers .59c This one gave the guy a start cuz my veggies were the naturals and the pic was select. The CSM said do it.

Lysol wipes wm $2.48 Target $1.89

Strawberries wm $1.88 lb Fishers .99 lb.

Red peppers wm $1.88 each Lowes .99 each

All went through with out a hitch.

I have also heard they would not let you use coupons on price matched things, not true yesterday. I have 4 of the $1.50 coupons so my lysol wipes were .39c each! I did forget to price match a thing or 2 but it was late (yes 8 pm is too late for me to be away from home!) all in all I saved 14% off my bill.

Not great and I did have to get a few things I had no coupons for but it was an easy peasy experimental trip. Next time I will be more prepared!

Hugs y'all!

I feel like a flop today...

2011-04-20T19:03:00.000-05:00

No real issues just feeling... mew. I am tired and my head hurts. My head hurts and i think it is going to rain. The rain will relieve the pain, it usually does.

So far my garden has no sprouts. The cherry bushes I put in the pots seem to be doing well. My rose bush is going great!

I finally got all my fabric totes all stacked in my sewing room closet. Now to get the books organized.

I am doing a lot of studying on couponing too. I got the ads today and planned to match coupons but my head aches too much to concentrate.

I hear the thunder, I see the rain in the distance and the wind is blowing hard. Well it was until 2 minutes ago. I hope we get some and I hope it squelches the fires burning all around here!

I am going to bed early I think.

hugs y'all

And Monday Dawns...

2011-04-18T06:57:00.000-05:00

well yeah ok so the sun is not up yet... but I am! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Yes I am full of energy right now. Of course having not slept much (awake still at midnight, awake before 5!) I may crash and need a nap later but for now, let the fun begin!

The update on the fire, 130,000 acres burnt. It is as of last night only 10% contained still. We really need rain but none is predicted.

Today I plan to work on house and garden stuff this morning in 30 or 45 minute session, it is muggy out, already 70 the high is close to 100 predicted. So the yard stuff will be begun as soon as the sun gives me enough light to work by, and probably will cease about 8. Hopefully that will at least let me get a bush or 2 in the ground and begin watering/softening the spot for the new iris beds.

Some of the iris will be planted around the bushes, an attempt to keep any stray goats away. I have a feeling today will be a wonderfully productive day. I feel the Lord has made it so!

hugs y'all

We are still here...

2011-04-17T14:51:00.000-05:00

My head still hurts from the smoke but that will clear in a couple days.

The fire has burned 116.000 acres. That is 181,25 miles. The blessing is no lives have been lost in this fire, no homes or livestock lost either. (There is a death associated with a fire in Gorman, my prayers for the family there). Friday they had 20% containment. Earlier today they reposted 0% now they say 10%.

may God have mercy on Texas! The issue here is not only the heat and the wind but we are also in a drought. There are in my area many now dry wells.

Please pray for rain!

hug y'all

The View from Mel's place today...

2011-04-15T11:43:00.000-05:00

The top right picture was taken from my drive way about 10:15 this morning. The picture to the left and below it was taken from my drive way about is

The last 3 are from 11:00 this morning. The wind is fierce today and is shaking the house. This fire or these fires rather are headed for our little town. They have even asked the folks at the AFB fire school (the top rated fire school in the country.. I'm just sayin') for help. There is even talk of evacuation but not formal requests yet. The smoke seems about 3 miles from my house right now, though I can see it hazing the end of my street, which is about a mile from my house.

Some times...

2011-04-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Some times you just feel down. OK maybe you do not but I do. Some times is lasts 1 day some times more.

My doctor calls it situational stress. Stress that comes from things going on in my life at the time. This episode is mild. I am not messing up my speech (though my typing still stinks!) The last episode was bad. My doctor heard it in my voice and saw it in my face before I had said anything. She demanded to know what was going on. The end result was she told me to quit my job, stop letting the truck repair people give me the run around and help my kids get a place of their own.

All of that is done. Yet today I still felt sad and melancholy. A friend suggests that now I have a whole new level of stress. A different kind of stress. This one I can't just quit or make demands on. This stress will most likely be with me the rest of my life. It will be that way because the issue is my Beloved's health. The challenges we face now, we will face together no doubt. The only thing I can do with them is pray through them.

I guess the reason I felt the need to write about this is, it is normal. Everyone has some kind of stress in their life. We all have different ways of dealing with it. My way is ignore and pray. My last doctor, before my cancer, put me on anxiety meds. They did not help. Since most of my issues are from external stress not internal stress. This is stress caused by my surroundings, or circumstances. A pill can not fix external stress. Now there are some internal stresses that pills may be able to help.

The issue I see often is, sometimes folks look to fixing the symptoms. Like my doctor said, get the stress out of your life. For me, at this point I need to change my thinking, learn acceptance. After all this time, I can not just get rid of the situation. So something has to change. This time it is me that has to bend.

Prayer, it sounds like such a simple thing. When things go wrong Christians often tell you to pray about it. Praying isn't just so easy. You have to believe in what you are asking for. You have to have Faith that God will act. Not necessarily for what you want, not that God will follow our commands. Our need is to pray for what God wants to do in our lives. We have to stand back. As my dear friend Ann once said, pray then get out of the way.

So dear friends, I am learning an new path. I mean I always pray, I trust God for my life. Now I need to stand back and let the spirit pray, because honestly on days like today, I have no clue what to say.

hugs y'all

Fun Weekend and Praising God

2011-04-12T07:03:00.000-05:00

First off I am praising God because Lauren, my best friends DD got into one of the best hospitals in NY. This is such an awesome thing. God is in this definitely!

Now for my weekend. Saturday Beloved and I left early and headed for yard sales.

Boy howdy did we score! He found tons of pc cds he wanted and a few music ones too. I got...

a sofa cover that matches my chairs

cushions for the outside couch

muffin tins

a ton of fabric and rick rack

2 glass canisters

an electric wok, in great shape (I have been looking retail for over a year and have not found one yet!)

5 Schroeder's Antiques and Collectibles books, for research

6 rolls unopened of a cool wallpaper border. Not sure what room will get them yet.

I think there was more but I am drawing a blank... a Doll book... and a Nancy Drew Book...

Sunday I finished up laundry, moved around the porch furniture and my son came over to do laundry. We played games while he was here and just enjoyed each others company.

It was a really nice way to spend a weekend!

hugs y'all

Dear readers

2011-04-08T20:08:00.000-05:00

i need to ask your help in a matter of some urgency.

One of my best friends, actually probably my best friend needs our help.

Her 21 year old daughter has been sick for over a week. Yesterday they discovered a tumor on her pancreas.

They live in NY, on Long Island. First of all please pray for them all. Secondly if you know of a good pancreatic surgeon in NY please comment so we can help them find the best for my adopted niece.

This is the daughter of one of the pastors in the church website over on the right. This is a solid Christ centered family.

God has this but He needs our hands to work the miracles. He has no hands but ours.

Ann, love you sister, praying hard for you in Texas.

Thank you folks.

Slowly....

2011-04-08T08:57:00.002-05:00

Things are coming together here on the Prairie.

Beloved has permission now to walk on his heel with out crutches. They are still tinkering with his meds to get his bp regulated.

Today I moved about some furniture and books, more to come tomorrow.

Wow you ever begin a blog post, then hit a wall and just stop? Well that is what happened above!

Today will be a town day this evening, we will take my truck back to the tranny guy for a check up (I STILL do not think he fixed it right). We will also take it for a 6 point check, then probably do groceries. I am out of salad stuff, MJ has prescriptions that need picking up and I want to get some fertilizer. I had planned to work in the garden early this morning but got busy paying bills online and never made it out there, now it is too hot/humid. With all this humid it sure would be nice to get some rain! Preferably once we are back home tonight.

There is a church sale I wish to attend tomorrow. I love church sales. I probably will not spend anything, but I love looking anyway.

Well I need to get breakfast I am so sleepy. I had back pain last night and then kitty decided again at 430 that mom needed to wake up... ummm no.

My day will be in flux, I took MJ to work and will go get him at 330 so we can do the mechanical stuff. I REFUSE to do that alone unless there is just no other way to do it.

Well off to find breakfast...

hugs y'all

My kitchen and breakfast room.

2011-04-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

These rooms are as is right now, they are NOT done. Just cleaned up as well as can be before we do the tearing up and painting.

Breakfast room

So there it is, part of my home!

Hugs y'all

So many little things...

2011-04-02T09:02:00.000-05:00

I have decided that today is the day to do the little stufff.

I of course have the kitchen to do (when do I not have the kitchen to do???)

How ever there are small tasks that also need doing that just do not seem to fit in with the daily stuff.

Since Monday begins the garden work I best get some of them out of the way, don't you think?

Today I will try to get to the shed to rescue a chair I want for my sewing room

I need to peel the rest of the pecans

make tea (every few days) make Ice(every few days)

work on the vintage RED cosco step stool I scored

Make MJ safe tuna salad (rinsing the tuna to get as much sodium out as i can)

and get the 6 cherry bushes ready to plant. Oh and get the ground ready too...

Little bits but they all need to be done so I best get cracking!

hugs y'all!

hee Hee

2011-03-31T15:54:00.001-05:00

I figured out the amazon stuff!

Come see me on Amazon

Prairie Homemaker

hugs ya'll

Mmmmmmmm thats better...

2011-03-31T12:53:00.000-05:00

Some days you just NEED a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with toffee bits and pecans.

No they are not carb conscious but I did use smart balance and egg beaters so they are cholesterol free!

I made carb conscious Peanut butter cookies for Beloved last night. I love PB but so not like PB cookies. I needed a cookie!

I am listing books on Amazon, so far nothing really cool. The cook books will be going up today I hope and the rest tomorrow.

If I only knew what to do with the magazines!

Well I need to make some lunch so I have an excuse to test more cookies...

hugs y'all!

Normal

2011-03-29T18:27:00.000-05:00

Quiet, peaceful, normal. This was the first truly normal day I have had in months. God was here with me and gave me such stamina as I have not had in a long time. I got 80% of my home deep cleaned. I got my bedroom swept! My rocker is back in my sewing room, a place I hope to sit and have conversations with God.

I scrubbed my bathroom, did laundry, cleaned my kitchen, got the salt and peppers all cleaned and put to dry. I swept and mopped the hall way. My home is going back to normal.

I called the ambulance place and we will get their bill tomorrow, so I can send it to the insurance folks. Called the power company and got out KWH rate moved down from 11.9 to 8.8! LOL not a huge deal but every penny helps!

Before I forget, my friend Farmer J is having a drawing. J is an awesome lady, and a very talented writer. She and her husbie hobby farm up in Nebraska. please pay her a visit, I am sure you will have a blast! If you want, enter her drawing but be warned I really want to win!

hugs y'all

Life around here

2011-03-27T16:09:00.000-05:00

Today is a home day. The first I have had in about 2 weeks. Tomorrow I will head to town with Beloved, and his crutches. He to work, me to gather hospital info for insurance stuff.

This weekend the kids got most of the rest of their stuff, there is still a small pile that Youngest is supposed to come by and get today.

My office is beginning to look like MY space again. I have once again weeded out books and magazines. The books will be going up on Amazon this week, the magazines I have offered on PH and am not sure what to do with them if no one there wants them. Perhaps I will post them here as well. There are some cool ones.

The breakfast room is back to rights. Not painted but usable. The painting will have to wait as the walls need repair and cleaning. I will post a few pictures later provided my phone will speak to my pc.

Beloved seems to be doing well on the new strict eating plan. Counting carbs, sodium and potassium is real mental labor! A lot of low carb stuff is high in sodium or potassium, and he can not have those either. I am muddling through and so far so good.

I scored at the library book sale, I found my fave weight watchers cook book plus several others that meet our dietary needs. Plus 3 carb counter books. I may go back tomorrow when the books are free and see what is left since I will be in town anyway.

The kitchen is almost back to rights. I moved the deep freeze into the breakfast room and will rearrange a shelf unit or 2 in the kitchen before I am done. Beloved had ordered me a new knife set for our Anniversary and it arrived yesterday. I am not going to use it until I have the kitchen set to rights!

Well I am going to sit back and relax for a bit. There is a lot left to get done but I have been working on it and fixed 2 meals already today and I am tuckered out!

hugs y'all

Home!

2011-03-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

They have released my Beloved!

He is home with a tray full of pills, glucose monitors, bp monitor, scale and crutches.

I have discovered that making a meal with enough carbs but not too many is harder than counting calories. When I fixed breakfast i struggled getting MJ the carbs he needed. I did finally get it.

I will update more later I just wanted you all to know that prayers have been answered and we are very blessed.

hugs

mel

My Beloved

2011-03-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

My darling husbie is in the hospital. He has had a cough for about 10 days and yesterday he could not catch his breath. Thinking it was bronchitis he came home from work and we went to the urgent care. We were expecting a rest, fluids and inhaler. Possibly steroids and antibiotics. What we got was much different.

His BP was 2oo something over 170 something. His sugar level was 333. His heart was under stress.

The doctor diagnosed congestive heart failure and diabetes. He took an ekg and other tests and came back in the room and said. Well guy there are 2 kinds of heart cases, those with urgency and those that are emergency. You are in the emergency category. I called the Er they are expecting you. I suggest you let me call an ambulance to get you there.

So off we went by ambulance to the er. The ER dr was convinced the UC dr had over reacted. Until he ran the tests the UC dr had ordered... then he came back and said, the only way to get you under control is for you to come in. MJ said tell me when, the dr said now, we are admitting you...

We have no real info other than his heart has some damage, how much we are still waiting to find out. We do know there was no heart attack involved. He has been diagnosed as diabetic, and is on nitro and various other things to get, and keep (that is the heard part it seems) his bp down.

They started him on metformin today for the diabetes and we met with the dietitian and the diabetes counselor. The cardiologist should be by tomorrow. Then we hope to find out how much damage there really is.

For now I am asking for prayers. He is ok, not fine by a long shot but not in icu or anything. He i well wired so if anything gets wonky he has alarms going off. They check on him at least once an hour. He is in an excellent place. However, I miss my cover snatcher.

Well I am tired so am going to bed. I will sleep some, but I will wake up often.

Hugs y'all
PS after I typed this all out he called and told me since I left at 455 tonight they have given him 2 insulin shots.

I told you I was busy...

2011-03-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

though for the life of me I can not seem to remember exactly with what...

The kitties got spayed on Friday, Spaz gets her turn this Friday.

My Beloved has promised to look at my phone and PC and get them communicating again.

The kids moved out last night. Not all the way out but 95% of their stuff made it into the big uhaul and into their new home. They are coming back tonight for the rest.

I actually got up and cooked a real breakfast for my Beloved! I even packed him a lunch... I am tuckered out already from not getting enough sleep, but I cooked, did dishes and am now doing the umpteenth load of laundry for the day.

I plan to wash up the stuff the kids left behind so it can go with them this evening.

I got such a score at Albertsons yesterday! I had a $1 off 2 Ronzoni coupon, Smart Taste. They had 5 boxes of the penne but it was destroyed. The pasta was fine but the box tops were crushed. The grocery manager was getting me my sparkling grape juice and so I asked him about marking down the boxes.

He marked them down to .25c! So after the coupon I paid a whopping .05c per box! I love scores like that!

Well it is lunch time, I think I will have a ham and cheese with wickles and mayo... and perhaps a Jello Pudding cup...

hugs y'all

Busy day ahead!

2011-03-07T07:07:00.000-06:00

Today, in addition to my normal Monday stuff, 4 loads of wash, reclaiming the kitchen and working on the bedroom and living room, I am going to Ds's new home to wait for the water, cable and carpet cleaning people.

Yes they are all still here, then after these people they are doing a preemptive exterminator visit.

I may not get all my house stuff done, I figure it will still be here tomorrow. I may just take my cleaning supplies with me and work on his kitchen. The floor around the newer fridge and old (nasty looking, needs replacing ) stove is a nightmare. The former tenants were supposed to clean it up but have not. I will have to pretreat the floor before the goo will come up.

The house is very sweet. Very small, but very sweet. It has original light fixtures, antiques one and all in the hall and bedrooms. Some one has carpeted but I bet there is hard wood underneath.

The yard is nice. It has trees (I wish my place did!) The back yard is divided and has a gate on each side.The front yard is a hill... The drive way is a steep angle I would not park on if i could avoid it. I would park on the street!

The neighborhood seemed quiet, none of the houses are fancy but they look decently kept up. The garage is really long, but only wide enough for 1 car. DS plans to turn the back part of it into a room to host games.

Well I need to get the burger meat out for supper and get some things done here so I feel free to go there.

hugs y'all!

Everything is rolling along ok then you get THAT call...

2011-03-04T08:32:00.000-06:00

My Beloved and I we just in the truck taking supper to my fil last night when his phone rings. (mine had rung first but it was in the car and I was in the house).

What I hear:

What??

No way???

your kidding right??

Are you serious??

What do you mean dead??

By this time I am thinking car trouble, especially since we just tried to start my truck and the battery was dead.

He hangs up and looks at me and says, " You know how Chris's phone was not working? Well it was turned off." Me "Why?" "Apparently the phone company has Chris down as deceased"...

Of course they have no clue how this happened. Just after this exchange the phone company calls me and asks to restart his service. The young lady asks how I was doing and I said fine until I heard from my son that he was deceased...

Supper was nice, it ended up being just the three of us. Next Thursday is kielbasa, sour kraut and potatoes.

Today is supposed to be town day but I am not planning on going. For 1) MJ has my truck and 2) he is working tomorrow so I may just go then early and maybe hit a few yard sales along the way...

Today I will work on the kitchen and dream of the kids packing and moving...

hugs y'all