Mark's 26th Birthday

Today Mark is 26 years old!! I met him at Sweetwater Grill (one block south of the Denton square) for lunch along with Lindsey and his best friend, Pat. DH and I got Mark a digital camera and when he opened it, all he said was ... "SWEET!" Apparently he's been wanting one for awhile. Naturally, being a young person, he figured out how to use it immediately. Probably won't even need the documentation!

And I got a good picture of the "three amigos".

I can highly recommend the Bubba burger I had for lunch. It was great. What's not to like - blue cheese and bacon on a luscious burger. AND the sweet potato french fries were to die for.

I gave Lindsey, Pat and Mark each a basket of goodies ... rum cake, buckeyes, people chow (aka white trash) and chocolate almond cookies. Mark always brags about his Mama's cooking, so I try hard to meet up to the reputation he's given me! My kitchen looks like hurricane Daisy went through there.

I also made him the ugliest birthday cake I think I've ever made. I hate it when the crumbs get into the icing, don't you? Soooooooo, I just disguised the imperfection by putting multicolor sprinkles all over the cake. You couldn't tell it started out b&tt ugly -- it looked pretty good when I was finished! Thank God for sprinkles because I don't think toasted slivered almonds would have done the trick!

Have a wonderfully imperfect but covered in sprinkles Monday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Due to an untimely flu bug, I almost missed Christmas! Well, the flu plus DH’s accident that put his car in the shop. He’s been driving my little green bug, God bless him! I didn’t mind being housebound because I felt too bad to get out, anyway. But I was beginning to worry that Christmas wouldn’t happen if I didn’t feel better SOON.

And I’ve been suffering from some serious blog envy of all those wonderful people who put pictures of their lovely decorated homes on their blogs. My Christmas tree didn’t go up until Monday.

Then I decorated on Tuesday. (Sorry about the flash/glare).

And then on Wednesday there was the wrapping and wrapping. Even though some of the gifts were small – and some were of the gag variety (Kirsten got purple Duct tape in her stocking – Erika’s was turquoise and Mark’s was camouflage -- a little strange, but very funny ... yet oddly useful!), I still wrapped them all and put a pretty ribbon on it.

Bless him, DH did most of the cooking for Christmas dinner. I didn’t get the dining table ready for till after the girls arrived. It’s sort of like that old vaudeville act …. S-l-o-w-l-y I turn, step by step, inch by inch.

But in the end, it all came together and we had a wonderful time. There was much laughter with lots of hugs and kisses. The food was good and the love and champagne flowed equally.

Hark now hear the angels sing
A king was born today
And man shall live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day.

I hope you had a blessed Christmas.

Thankful

It was a quiet Thanksgiving here. Mark and Lindsey came on Thanksgiving day and Kirsten and Erika came on Friday for a Thanksgiving re-run. I got a picture of Mark & Lindsey together. Sometimes I think I love her as much as Mark does. I just think the world of her. She's got a good level head on her shoulders and she keeps my sweet Mark on the right path. They seem to truly be partners in their relationship - WONDERFUL! Cute couple.

Earlier in Thanksgiving week, I tried a new recipe for scalloped corn but it was a flop. Not sure why, but it didn't ring my bell -- or DH's either. So I dug up a bunch of corn recipes, scalloped corn, corn pudding, etc. And then on the big day, I threw them out and created this recipe which was a big hit.

Daisy's Scalloped Corn

Saute 1/2 onion in 1 Tbsp butter.

Microwave 2/3 large block of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of light sour cream for about 30 seconds - just till you can stir it together okay. (You don't have to use light sour cream -- that's just what I had on hand)

To the cream cheese mixture add the sauteed onion, 1 can whole kernel corn (drained), 1 can cream corn (obviously NOT drained) and about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar.

Put it in an oven proof casserole dish and top with more cheese. Bake at 350 till it bubbles and the cheese melts.

This got rave reviews (DH says all the ingredients fall into the what's-not-to-like category) so we'll be having it at Christmas also.

In spite of the pies and dressing and gravy and corn casserole, I didn't gain any weight over the holiday. Probably because I worked like a Trojan the whole week before Thanksgiving! But that's a big WOO-HOO! for me!

MORNING SONG

When we were little girls, during the school year Mom would come to each of our bedrooms, open the door and turn on the overhead light to wake us. Many mornings, she'd be humming or singing a song. When I reached the grumpy teenage years, I would grumble and think, "MOM! It's too early to be that cheerful!". I never actually said the words out loud because I wanted to achieve adulthood.

Now, though, I find myself singing just as she did, even when I'm alone. And every day I wake up with a song in my head. For awhile now, it's been Mama Mia or Dancing Queen or Chiquitita -- I just LUVD the Mama Mia movie and I've had a blast singing along with the CD. Sometimes it's something from the Flylady CD, Up Kind of Day because they're so upbeat and fun. And sometimes it's old showtunes -- just love old showtunes.

However, this morning the lyrics-of-the-day are "I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship you, Oh my soul rejoice". This is a good version of the song and it includes lyrics so you can share in the fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNeeHbM7Og&feature=related

Have a truly BLESSED ... and musical ... Wednesday.

MY MORNING COFFEE

I'm a cup kinda gal! I LUV coffee cups and tea cups. When I go shopping/looking at Tuesday Morning or Ross or Macy's, I check out the cups. I saw one at Macy's last Saturday that was really beautiful, but I couldn't find a price on it -- I suspect it's part of a set of china.

Sometimes I buy two cups that are just alike and give one to a friend ... or a sister ... same thing. Then when I use my matching cup, I think loving thoughts about her and I feel close to her. Sometimes I drink my morning coffee from a sassy cup I got from Hallmark that says "Live Boldly. Take Risks. Make somebody say, What the H&ll was THAT all about?". Frequently my morning coffee is in a large, spring green cup from Starbucks that feels really good in my hand. It feels perky and I like that.

Then sometimes I use the cup below. Why do I have this cup in my collection? And why do I continue to use it? Many years ago when the boys were very young I saw a set of pretty cups at Eckerds that I really wanted. But at the time we were bone poor and I couldn't afford the $5.00 to buy them. Whenever I would stop at the pharmacy for necessities -- with young boys there are always necessities at the pharmacy -- I would linger on the aisle containing the cups and ponder buying them, but I knew I couldn't -- there were necessities that I could hardly afford, so pretty cups were very low on the list of things I could buy. However, when I got my tax return that year, I ran right down to buy those cups for myself. It was my big splurge. And I've been using them ever since. That's twenty plus years! Over time, this cup got chipped, but it's still a favorite. Something about the colors still please me. And the chip reminds me that at one time in my life I couldn't afford to splurge on a pretty cup. I'm thankful for the blessings God showers on me and I remind myself of how far He's brought me. Praise be to God!

Thanksgiving's Coming!

I've been so busy with etsy and ebay that my days are filled to the brim and overflowing. I got my etsy shop set up http:littlesassy.etsy.com and it's been an interesting journey so far. I've also set up an additional blog at http://littlesassysews.blogspot.com/ that will just be about the products I'm making. This Daisy J blog is more about the other - non-commercial - side of me.

We kicked off the Christmas buying season on Saturday at Tuesday Morning in Denton. Good place to start, huh? We progressed to the mall and wound up the afternoon in Starbucks, having a Froufrou coffee and biscotti. It's pitiful to get pooped out so easily by the Christmas shopping! I know they are saying the Christmas shopping numbers are down but you couldn't prove it by me. It was a madhouse in JC Penney!

On Sunday afternoon Bob and I went sailing at Lake Ray Roberts. We love to go up to the Johnson Branch of the state park and launch from there. There aren't as many people there as Isle du Bois, so it's more pleasant for us. When a motorboat launches, it's pretty much put it in the water and go. When a sailboat launches, you get the boat in the water, if you can (winds and traffic being what they are) you turn the boat around so it faces toward the lake, you drop the centerboard, you raise the sails, you push the boat from the dock and step inside before it gets away from you. THEN you sail away. It's the same sort of process when you're docking only in reverse. As a result, a ramp with fewer boats is lots better than a busy ramp that has boats in queue waiting for an open ramp.

While shopping yesterday at Macy's we found this compact speaker arrangement that works with MP3/ipod for only $10.00. It has a carabiner so we can clip it to the boat and not worry about it getting knocked around or falling overboard. So we sailed around for a couple of hours listening to Yo Yo Ma's wonderful cello. How relaxing. It was great. Bob said he was going to call Mark to tell him he'd been sailing with yo ma and yo yo ma! My DH is so funny!

Speaking of Mark, he has a girlfriend! Her name is Lindsey and I really like her. She's smart, pretty, articulate and poised. He is in LUV! He's also getting laid off come December 1st, so if you hear of a job in North Texas, let me know. I think he has a (temporary) prospect of a tree trimming job, but he's looking for something with future, benefits and permanence. It's a scary time to be out of a job.

I'm going to try to perfect buttermilk pie this week -- I keep getting it wrong! I thought I'd see what Martha has to say about it and maybe check some other experts. I love buttermilk pie and even when it looks like cr&p it still tastes good, but I'd like it to be pretty also. I think the problem has something to do with the temperature of the ingredients, but I'm not sure. If you've got any suggestions, please leave a comment.

I'd better go now - got some research to do. Gee, being a housewife is fun! Wish I'd done this years ago!

Busy, busy, busy! I'm continually surprised at how busy a retired person -- no longer a slave to the evil empire -- can be! Bob leaves the house around 6am and I begin my day at the same time. And I finish about the time he walks through the door. I'm working my butt off, but it's g-o-o-o-o-o-d! I set the pace and I decide the projects. I LOVE being retired. Sometimes I think about going back to work ... maybe as a temp. I'm pretty isolated out here and since I'm a very social creature, it's been a big shift for me to be alone so much. On the other hand, I have an early morning chat with Billie & Nancy every morning, sometimes Nancy and I email back and forth during the day and Bob and I talk several times a day, so I'm not completely isolated. And I've always been the type of person who becomes very focused on the current project, so the day just flies by.

The weather continues to be excellent, so we'll probably go sailing again tomorrow. I love this sailboat! It's just the perfect size for these day trips -- at some point, we'll try an overnighter in it, but maybe we should wait till spring. We've really enjoyed exploring Lake Ray Roberts. And we've discovered the Johnson Branch of the state park is not as crowded as Isle du Bois, so we've been launching from there. It's really very pretty. Sometimes it reminds me just a little of Lake in upstate New York. I'm not sure why, but it does.

I've got an etsy shop now called Little Sassy. Nancy is setting up a shop called Sump'n Sassy and Billie's will be Oddly Sassy (which I love completely!). I haven't put any products in my shop yet, because I wanted to start out with a big bunch of things - rather than just filling it up in dribs and drabs. I thought it would be better marketing if viewers have multiple interesting items to see rather than just one or two. I thought I would preview some of the items on the blog here. I've got a couple of ideas I think will be really good and Bob and I have been tossing around a couple of others. I'll add them here as soon as I can get the prototypes made.

This says God bless you!

This is purple, has a red hat on one side and says Hattitude.

This is made of pink UT longhorns fabric. I love this fabric!

I've got a full day ahead, so I'd better sign off and get to it. It's FRIDAY!!!!!!!!! So have a blessed weekend.

Flylady Tissue Holder

This is a copy of the Flylady Tissue holder I gave Marla on Saturday. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice. It's purple with glitter woven into the fabric and the embroidery is silver metallic thread. On one side it says God bless you! and on the other Purple puddles! The purple puddles is reference to a Flylady-ism that is used when you are moved emotionally ... like at a wedding or a christening ..... or .... when you find the perfect pair of shoes. You know what I mean. We've all experienced that wonderful emotion.

FLYFEST 10-4-08

Alice and I had a great time at the FlyFest in Dallas. Here we are with Flylady (Marla Cilley) and the Dodge boys (Eric & Andy Dodge). It was great to finally meet the people I've been reading about ... and hearing on Blog Talk radio. If you want to hear Flylady's broadcasts, this is the url : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/flylady/popular.aspx You can listen via the computer or download the podcasts for your MP3. Sometimes I use the podcasts when I'm cleaning the house.

The Dodge boys performed a couple of times during the FlyFest. They're on Blog Talk also. The url is : ttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/eric+dodge Alice and I both bought their CD's.

One of my favorite songs is When I Was Your Age. The lyrics start out like this:
"Last night a storm blew up, knocked out our TV.
A disgruntled eight-year-old came running up to me
saying there's nothing to do, with that pitiful pout
asking me what I did when I was a kid
and the cable went out.

And I said, When I was your age life was tough,
We didn't have this high-tech stuff.
Had to get up off your you-know-what and change the channel
Man, life was cruel and times were hard
no DVD's no VCR
they rolled the windows down in cars
with little plastic handles,
no, I don't think you'd last a day if you had to live the way I did,
when I was your age. ...

When I was your age life was tough,
Each time the phone rang you were stuck there.
You'd stay 'til you hung up.
Yeah it was kinda scary we had to do things for our self.
There were ice cube trays to fill.
We looked up words we couldn't spell
in books called Dictionaries.
I bet you wouldn't last a day
If you had to live the way I did
When I was your age."

Below is a picture of Leanne (Dinner Diva), me and Leslie (Missus Smarty Pants). It was so good to meet them. I put Leslie on the spot and made her tell me what body shape I have. She said I'm a B!!!!!!! A generous B, but a B all the same. Good to know because I signed up for the wrong body type. If you want to check out they're websites, these are the url's.
http://www.savingdinner.com/
http://www.missussmartypants.com/

Naturally, I made a tote specifically for the Flyfest. I was pleased with the way it turned out. And I brought a tissue holder for FlyLady as a thank you for all she's done for me. And she wants to carry it in the flyshop as a new item. Pleases me that my design is appreciated.

Well, busy busy busy!

Bob and I are losing weight -- big surprise -- we changed our eating habits and we work like a sunovagun on the weekends. During the week we work, but it's not the hot sweaty exhausting sort of thing we're doing on the weekend. So what is it we're doing that's so exhausting? SAILING! It's a great workout and it's lots of fun -- not like going to a gym or walking on a treadmill. It's sooooo much fun, but we work our patootees off while we're at it.

During the week I mostly work on items to sell on ebay or at the flea market. Also, I put a lot of effort into creating healthy good-tasting menus for us. I cook every day, but it's not a big deal. I chose the meals that were quick & easy -- but healthy.

Today, however, I made a pincushion just for me! I saw some interesting pincushion's on etsy and just had to create one for myself. I made this one out of recycled wool sweaters that I had washed in hot water and dried in the drier. Then I added to the felting of the fabric by using a felting needle. So this little baby was made from a yellow wool sweater & a blue/lavender/white striped sweater. Then I embroidered it a little. I love it! I think it's very whimisical and it makes me smile. Okay, I know. It takes so little to please me, but I do really love it.

These are two of the purse sized tissue holders that I've made recently. I've got about 30 waiting to be sewed together right this moment, but I took this afternoon off to work on my little fun pincushion (can't stop raving about it, can I?)

Yesterday I was working out the details on another project. Several years ago I made some boot stuffers for Bob for his birthday. I made tubes of denim and stuffed them with cedar shavings. It worked out pretty well. They weren't gorgeous, but they did the job. So I'm working on a new design (making corners at the bottom rather than gathering it up) and I needed to finesse an embroidery design to go on the denim. Finally decided on a boot that I created myself. I think it will add a little pizzazz to the finished product. I'm not sure you can tell much about it, but it does look great when stitched on the denim.

Well, it's getting late and I'd better get dinner ready. My sweetie just called & he's on his way. See you soon.

Well, I've been working hard for days on a new project: miniature doll-house rugs.

I know that's quite a surprise because I don't even own a dollhouse. Although it may seem I've taken a big left turn, the little rugs make perfect sense to me. I love making rugs -- the big kind -- and I'm really lovin' my new embroidery machine. It's just a small leap to the left to get you to miniature doll-house rugs.

I've studied the ebay market and have decided I can make a little money at doing something really fun. So I've spent hours on end for days and days with my head stuck deep into my computer learning the Autopunch software and creating designs. So much so that Bob remarked last week he's afraid he'll come home one day to find just my foot sticking out of the computer because I've become completely absorbed into the ether. He's bravely promised to grab my foot and pull me out!



Well, I finally produced my first rug. Okay the design on this one isn't my own -- it's a coaster from Emblibrary.com http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/Color_Simple.aspx?CS_Catalog=Emblibrary&CS_ProductID=C2745 I figured I'd better start with something "canned" and move on from there to my own designs.




I changed the colors from the original design to make it look more like an Aubusson rug and then I fringed the fabric. I thought it turned out pretty good. I'm working on a design of my own right this moment. As soon as I'm finished with it, I'll post a picture.


Gotta LOT to accomplish today, so I'll close for now.


Have a great MONDAY!

I had a great visit with Jeanie today. We spent some time at her house -- wonderful girl talk over sandwiches -- music, talking, checking out the jewelry she's collecting to sell at her booth.

Then we went to a bookstore called the BookSatchel. I LOVE the name. Only people of a certain age would remember what a book satchel IS -- for those who are much younger, it's the baby boomer equivalent of a backpack -- and I found the name and the store both quite charming. Jeanie and I both bought a few books and we each got a book about native Texas wildflowers. It has pictures of the flowers all arranged by color. So maybe I can finally figure out what those dark purple lily-looking things in the cow pasture are.

Then we went to visit Aunt Jackie. She's 88 now and makes our short little Jeanie look tall! She's so funny -- lively and sweet and generous to a fault. She wasn't happy till I had a bagful of goodies to take home with me and a doll for Jeanie to add to her collection. I snapped a couple of pictures before we left. I loved seeing Aunt Jackie so much. I want to be just like her when I grow up -- peppy, sassy and sweet!

We went out to the Indian Creek Cemetery and had a wonderful talk. Then we drove out past Seybold. Sad to say the old foreman's house (aka the Brooks house) is gone. But I love the country out there -- prickly pear growing on the side of the road, cedar trees mingling with other native trees, and just a hint that the Brazos River is .... right over there somewhere. It always feels like home in my heart.

Altogether a lovely day. Can't wait to repeat it.

On a completely different note, regarding our "new" boat, Bob is off tomorrow and we'll be washing sails, checking rigging and getting her ready to sail on Saturday. WOOOOO HOOOOOO! Can't wait!

Exciting news! We have a "new" sailboat!

Bob saw an ad in the local paper advertising her for $500.00, which is a really good price ... fixer-upper or not, it's a good price. We went to look at her and saw she'd need some cosmetic work, so Bob asked the owner, Frank, if he could knock $50.00 off because she'll need paint. Frank offered to cut the price in half and we jumped on that like a duck on a June bug.

When we went to pick up the boat, Bob had a stack of twenties with two fives on top ... totalling the $250... and Frank said, "Could you give me that five dollar bill?". Bob looked puzzled, but handed him the bill. Frank said, "The state requires you pay something for the boat, so we'll call it even and you don't owe me anything else." Needless to say, we were stunned. Bob tried to talk him into taking the money, but Frank wasn't interested in the money -- he just wanted someone to take the boat and use it. What an amazing experience! And what an extraordinary man -- I won't even go into the whole he-works-with-the-doctor-Phil-show-and-was-recently-interviewed-by-60-minutes thing. Way, way past all his accomplishments is the undeniable fact he's a really nice guy -- what we like to call "good people" -- and a pleasure to chat with.

Anyway ... THIS is how she looked when she was sitting on Frank's property. You can see she needs some TLC. Her paint is faded, her teak is bleached out and she's got a few minor chips here and there.

We knew the exterior needed some lovin', but the condition of the interior came as a complete surprise - peeling paint, mildew, crud, old dirt dauber and wasp nests.A good scrubbing and some paint will do wonders, right?

So we took her to the Krum Car Wash and scrubbed her good.

SURPRISE -- A CREAMY-YELLOW BOAT! It's amazing what a power wash can do -- including removing the oxidized outer layer!

BTW, her name is Rising Sun. Bob immediately thought of the whole Japanese / Michael Crichton book thing. And I immediately began to sing, "There is a house in New Orleans..." LOL! For your entertainment, here's the you-tube Animals KARAOKE version of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRV9QCXLtHQ

Gonna have to go for now, but I'll keep you posted on her improvements as they come along. In the meantime, we'll be on Lake Ray Roberts this weekend! Woo-hooo!!!

FINALLY FEELING BETTER!

Yes, I'm feeling much better and it's worth SHOUTING about! After months of one kick in the patoot after another, I'm finally back to myself again. I'm not even on pain meds and I'm ready to dance a jig. WOOO HOOO!

After so many months of wanting to do this project or that and having to wait, wait, wait till I'm better, now I'm so busy busy busy doing all the things I wanted to do all those months. Yippeee!

On Sunday Bob built me a Square-Foot-Garden. If you've never heard of it, check it out. I won't bore you with all the details, but the essential premise is a 4 foot by 4 foot garden is about all the average family needs because of the manner in which you grow things -- much closer and some things (like melons) are grown vertically. Mel Bartholomew wrote the book and I read it about 15 years ago and have been wanting to do a square-foot-garden ever since. One thing or another always seemed to get in the way, but --TA DA!!-- now I've got one! We've got it planned down to the inch. As soon as I have real green things to show you (besides the "volunteer" killer tomato plants) I'll add a picture.

Also on Sunday, I had a brainstorm. I use large black felt circles between each Calphalon and/or Teflon pan. As I was putting a pan away, I suddenly remembered an embroidery pattern I have. I grabbed the felt circle, headed for my sewing machine and this is the result. I think it's kind of neat!

This is a close-up of the design. I added a red J and thought it looked pretty good. Whatcha think?

I spent about 4 hours yesterday mastering AutoPunch software. That's the software that allows me to turn clip-art (or drawings) into embroidery designs. It nearly whupped my butt. Nevertheless, I DID IT! I practiced several hours this morning and I think I'm getting pretty good at it. As soon as I've actually used one of my new designs, I'll post it.

Gotta go for now. I'm so thankful to be feeling better ... and I'm thankful Bob is healthy ... and I'm even thankful to be on a sensible eating and exercise plan ... and I'm soooo thankful I'm not missing out on summer anymore.

Now where did I put my glass of ice tea?

Fly, sweet brother!

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted

And carried far away

And precious blood has washed away the stain, so

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby

Don't be afraid to crawl

And remember when you walk Sometimes we fall...so

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely

And steep and filled with pain

So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then

Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over

And music fills the night

And when you can't contain your joy inside, then

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat

Kiss the world goodbye

Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus and live!

Tomorrow is my Kirsten's birthday!

So today I made her a tote. This is a new design especially for her. I don't think you can tell by the picture, but the ribbons I used for the handles and the black ribbon on the tote itself are all grosgrain ribbons. Sometimes they photograph a little strangely, but they are just plain grosgrain.

I also used a magnetic closure on this one (first time I've used that and it wasn't difficult at all). And I put 2 pockets inside, which should be useful. I'm really hoping she likes it.

I heard from Andy on Sunday. He's not going to Seattle right away. He's making pretty good money from the music/band, so he's going to stay in Iowa a few weeks and then he's going to Albany, NY to visit Mike. The plan du jour takes him from NY back to Iowa for a few weeks and then he's going to come to Texas for a few weeks.

It was good to hear him so excited about the music. They "rocked the joint" when they played on Saturday night and he's making more with this band than he has in the past, so he was really jazzed.

We're still waiting to hear from the doctor regarding when Bob will have his next procedure. Next week is a possibility, but we haven't heard anything definite. I'll post updates as they come in.

It was so good to see some of the family this last weekend. It's times like this we need each other the most and it's such a comfort to feel the sweet welcome of family.

Love you all.

Just a quick note. So much has happened since I wrote last. Bob had a checkup, a stresstest, an angiogram and 2 stints. He's fine now and it looks like the second procedure will be next week or the week after -- scheduling is tough right now.

Stumbled across a trio of siblings called the Peasall Sisters. I ordered their CD and the song that got to me the most (as Flylady would say "purple puddles"), was Jesus Laughing. Wanted to share this with you, but I'll have to wait till I figure out how to attach it to a blog. It's a must hear!

After much pondering, I created a new tote.

Give me your thoughts on this one

Have a fab-u-lous Thursday. God bless us everyone.

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. I heard from all my favorite people and that made it a great day. I especially loved it when Nancy sang the birthday song to me. Brought tears to my eyes.

So here's a funny story. Winston called me last night and the conversation went something like this:

"I wanted to speak to a 60 year old woman."

"Then you'll have to call me next year because I'm only 59!"

"Are you sure?"

"Unnhhh! YEAH! I was born in 1949!"

Today has been another really good day healthwise -- as long as I take the Motrin regularly, I function pretty well. I'm not dancing any jigs, but I'm getting errands run and doing a few things at home. That's 3 days in a row and I'm feeling just like Ginger when she says "I'm so happy, if I was a dog my tail would be wagging!"

This morning I made another tote. I stopped at DollarTree yesterday and bought a bare-minimum kind of tote that I thought had some possibilities, so here's the before and after pictures. Bear in mind, it's just a prototype.

BEFORE

AFTER

For the next one, I think I'll use a different (similar but stiffer) fabric for the lining and I'll make the embroidered initial Hot Pink instead of orange. Let me know what you think. I need the constructive feedback because I bought 2 more of these today and I'm going to try to sell them on ebay.

Well, my Sweetheart is home now and we've got barbeque, potato salad, Dos Equis and a movie for dinner at our favorite theatre-- our sitting room. Okay -- none of the food is low calorie or low fat, but it's Friday night!

Gotta celebrate Friday!

I haven't written in awhile -- This back problem has had me down for three full weeks and I'm ready to be OVER it.. I've been refusing to accept it as a sign of aging, but whenever I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I slowly walk by the mirror, I have to remind myself -- even very young people sometimes injure their backs.


No matter -- I'm finally on the mend and I've been trying to do a few things now and then, here and there. I've been able to cook for the last few days -- mostly with Bob's help, but nevertheless, I've been VERTICAL and I consider that a triumph! Yesterday we fixed Beef with Rosemary Mushroom Sauce (from Cooking Light magazine) and it was very, very good. The Oven-Fried Catfish we tried last Saturday will have to be modified -- it didn't rate real high on Bob's list of favorites -- but last night was a true winner. Tonight we're preparing Walnut-Crusted Salmon with roasted asparagus. Sounds good. I'll let you know how it turns out. This is a Martha Stewart recipe from her new Everyday Food publication. Not all of the recipes in the book are low calorie/low fat, but many of them are and so far everything we've tried has been tasty.



Big surprise -- Bob bought me a new sewing machine and it embroiders. Woohoo! It arrived the weekend before I hurt my back! In spite of the back injury, I've managed to make one item .. a little at a time. It's a purse inspired by a Kate Spade tote. I figure if she can put her name on a tote she designed, I can do the same thing with a purse I designed. I used a matching toile on the inside. I may make a couple of toile items to go with it -- tissue holder, check cover. It may take a little time to complete those. It's the old gag -- Slowly I turn... step by step ... inch by inch. That's exactly how things are for me right now! LOL!












I think I'll do a few things differently for the next one (pockets, etc), but all in all I'm pleased. I think it's sassy!



Oh, by the way. I heard an interesting Willie Nelson song today called I Never Cared for You. I really love it, so I found it on youtube and thought I would share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guXuQTbgwNk This is the long version and it's preceded by some wonderful instrumentals. I liked this so much, I ordered the Teatro CD from Amazon. Can't wait to get it.


Okay - BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. Tomorrow is my B-day. I have a philosophy regarding birthdays. As I approach them, long before the big day arrives I'll start saying to myself "I'm almost 34". (or whatever) As a result, I get confused around that time of year and then can't remember if I'm still 33 or am I 34 already.


However, for the BIG birthdays (you know -- those that end in zero) I start saying to myself, "well, as long as I've achieved (XX ... buying a house ... financial solvency ... getting down to a certain size dress ... whatever my pressing need or desire is for that period of time) THEN I'll feel okay about turning 40." (or whatever) Fortunately, because I start this process about a year in advance, I usually DO achieve whatever the goal is for that year. (This proves my belief that setting goals and focusing on them with a good amount of intensity DOES work).


SOOOOOOO, since next year has a zero at the end (notice how I'm not mentioning exactly which B-day it is?) -- my goal is to walk 5 miles ... with ease. Not only that, I want my family and even a few friends to walk the 5 miles with me. I'm thinking we could walk in Trinity Park in Fort Worth. I'll send out the particulars at the beginning of 2009, but I thought I'd give you all a big old HEADS UP that I'm expecting you all to walk with me next year and celebrate .... okay, I'll say it ... my sixtieth birthday!


BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!

I finally have a rose on my new rose bushes! Knock-out is the first to bloom this season and I think it's beautiful.

My plans are to have a "sister's" rose arbor in the back eventually, but there are several big projects that come before that (finish the barn, build a porch, relocate the greenhouse ...). However, I wanted the rose bushes now so they will get larger and more hardy and I can propogate additional plants from them. I've never propagated anything before, so this should be interesting and exciting!

Retirement is fu-u-un!

When I was planning my "formal" retirement party back in August, I had decided on a color scheme of turquoise and ivory. I wanted to have some special plates to serve the Sacher tortes, so I went to the local thrift store & Goodwill to see if I could find something appropriate in either glass or plain ivory. What I found instead was a set of plates rimmed in turquoise that looked perfect, so I bought the set ($3.00 for six plates) and used those to hold the tortes, rumballs, etc. It was a real low cost way to jazz things up a little.

When I brought the plates home after the party, Bob and I decided to keep them rather than re-donating to Goodwill. Shortly afterwards I bought some placemats from the Dollar Tree that look great with the plates. On Friday I was in Big Lots and found some glasses I HAD to have. I have been looking for juice glasses to brighten the breakfast table and VOILA these also match the plates! I love it when a plan comes together -- on the cheap!

On a completely different note, Billie gave me an assignment on Friday. It went something like this ... "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find an alternate option for Sister's Weekend located in the general DFW area". So, instead of working outside today (good grief, the thermometer says it's only 60 out there!), I've spent the afternoon looking at B&B's in the plains & prairies region of Texas.

My best bets so far are:
http://www.lakewhitneybandb.com/
This has rooms from $95.00 to $135.00. It has a pool and it overlooks Lake Whitney. It's fairly close to Hillsboro which provides plenty of shopping & dining.

http://www.letsgocountry.com/
This is located in Waco and has rooms from $120.00 to 150.00. It's a 127 acre working farm that is very highly rated as a B&B.

I'm still looking, so more info will follow. What I'd truly love to find is an inexpensive place where we can be pampered. Sounds good, huh? I'll post new discoveries as I make them.

It's cooler today - unusually cool for April in North Central Texas - but it's going to be gorgeous, so I'm going to be outside as much as possible.

The insurance adjuster came yesterday to look at the damage from the April 4th storm. It appears we had hail damage on the roof as well as the siding, so she included the cost of replacing the roof. Boyz howdie am I glad for insurance!

I'm going to put a multi-green crochet rag rug on ebay today. I made it from old curtains several years ago because it went with our color scheme at the time. However, we're moving in a completely different color direction, so I'll sell this one. My sweet Bob wanted me to keep it. He thinks if I make something with my own hands we should treasure it, but I've talked him into selling this on ebay because we can't use it and I don't have the storage space to keep it. And, if it can bless someone else's home, then I would be very happy.

I've recently finished a little sampler using a tiny punch needle. I'm intrigued by the concept and had a good time working on the project. The needle is very small, but the process replicates (somewhat) the look of a hooked rug ... for Lilliputians - because it's so small.

Mark came over yesterday. It was so good to see him. He's been busy with his life and I've been too sick to go visit with him, but it was good to see his sweet face. It means so much to me to see him becoming the man God intended him to be. The process is beautiful and I feel blessed to witness it. God is GOOOOOOD.

Spring is definitely here. The grass is growing on our ten acres (gotta get moving on it), the trees are leafing out and the weather is much, much warmer. This morning I saw Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal in a tree right next to the house. That's a first for us because they usually stay in the woods not far from here. I love this time of year. Need to gather some more Irises to brighten up the house.

Recently I read about an interesting study in Barbara Currie's book Look 15 Years Younger.

"Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer conducted a fascinating experiment. She took
groups of men in their seventies and eighties and encouraged them to think, act
and be as if they were 20 years younger. After doing this for only 5 days these
men showed a number of physical changes associated with age reversal. Their
bearing and vision had improved, they performed better on tests of manual
dexterity and joint mobility had improved."

So, this morning Billie, Nancy and I decided we are triplets who are all 38. I'm not going to wear granny clothes anymore. No need to dress like I'm over the hill anymore. Wearing my BlowPop PJ's. Can't feel old in bright orange BlowPops PJ's!

RealAge has an article about how to lose fat around the middle. http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/5487 This is exactly what I need!

And the article included a link to an Amazon book which looks great! Whole Grain Breads by Machine or Hand: 200 Delicious, Healthful, Simple Recipes. I previewed the book and one thing I really like is you have several choices regarding how you're going to make the bread. You can mix and knead by hand OR use a heavy-duty mixer OR use a food processor OR use a bread machine. I already have a pizza dough recipe for the food processer which I love because it;s quick and easy and I can morph it into cinnamon rolls or breadsticks or whatever. So I think this book will be perfect for me because I was wanting to add more whole grains into our meals. And I can use my Kitchen Aid mixer or my food processor to make the recipes. Good find! Go me!

I found a great blog (through Martha Stewart). It's http://bakerella.blogspot.com/ and you should check it out. I'm trying to make those pretty little "Cupcake pops" today but my icing isn't as good as hers. Gonna keep working on it. Love it!

God bless you and keep you. Have a FABULOUS Monday and a wonderful week. Whoopeee! Glad to be feeling better!

I'm back!

Ten days after the crud hit me, I've still got a cough and I'm not dancing any jigs, but I have a pot roast going and I painted my toenails pink. I call this great progress. And it makes me feel like spring and sandals and sailing and diet vanilla cokes from Sonic.


I've been thinking a lot about rugs lately. I've finished one recently (see picture) and have another about halfway completed. I'm making the second one for a gift. Normally, on principle, I dislike giving decorating items as gifts, because the recipient may not like that "perfect for them" gift as much as I do ..... and they might feel obligated to use it ... even if it only comes out when I visit. I hate putting either of us in that awkward situation. Nevertheless, I'm going to be brave and make an exception this time with the hope they'll know there was "love in every stitch" and will perhaps enjoy using it as much as I've enjoyed making it.

The first rug is in my laundry room -- I chose the colors specifically for that room, but now I'm thinking I might like to create a new rug with a pattern that shows drying laundry hanging on the clothes line. Whatcha think?

Anyway, I'm going to play with that idea and, if successful, I may have to relocate the first rug to another room.

Bob and I have become very interested in making rugs. The technique I used for this first rug is called Locker Hooking because you lock the hooked stitch. Traditional hooked rugs, if they have no rubberized treatment on the back, have stitches that can pull out far too easily. Another difference is that locker hooking is usually done with cotton strips of cloth. Traditional hooked rugs are made with either yarn or wool fabric cut to a very thin strip. Sorry -- didn't mean to create a tutorial, but we've had a lot of fun researching this and looking at traditional and primitive patterns. I'm going to play around with the whole making rugs, rug patterns, wool fabric thing for awhile ... in between my other projects. :-)


I've found a new recipe for bread that sounds interesting. After I've tried it (in the next couple of days), I'll post the results ... and recipe if it's good. It looks fairly easy and it's supposed to be really, really good.

I miss exercising (and gabbing) with my sisters. There's nothing better than sister talk. I'm hoping I'll be back to it next Monday. And Thursday with Alice. I've really enjoyed the time I spend with her and Anita.

Girl talk is good for what ails you.

Sick, sick, sick! I'm tired of being sick.

I celebrated my last day of working on the project with Bob and came down with a bad cough the next day. Go figure!

This morning I almost felt human again for about an hour. That exhausted me. Being human is very tiring. Gonna go back to being a lump of clay for a little while.

Amidst this ennui there is joy. I spoke to both the boys yesterday. No matter how big they get -- no matter how manly and wise -- they'll always be my sweet babies and it will always bring me joy to hear from them. Such good loving kids. I am blessed beyond reason.

This is the time we celebrate the incredible sacrifice Jesus made out of love for us all. Wish I wasn't such a coughing, sneezing lump of clay and could dwell in the moment of this Easter celebration ... breathe in the miracle and wonder of it all. Such amazing love for sinners who don't even know Him ... and even love for those who despise and deny Him. Amazing Grace.

Happy Easter.

Tried to call my Andy this afternoon and couldn't reach him. I miss him a lot.

But I'm glad he's in Colorado now instead of Iowa. I really don't think Iowa was the right place for him because there just weren't enough opportunities in the community he was in.

Colorado Springs offers so much - hiking, biking, climbing. He has lots of good friends there. And a sweet angel named June who is his second Mama. God Bless my Andy and God bless Miss June. Enjoy one of my favorite (baby) Andy pictures.

Happy Birthday, Ginger and Sonny. And, Ginger, the true reason Billie and I sounded so awful singing Happy B-day was because of the lag-time you get when two people are on the cell phone. I'll bet it sounded hilarious from your end ... or awful ... it could have sounded really awful. Now that I think about it, it probably sounded awful. Just delete it.

Hope ya'll both had a great birthday! Me me me me me.

We've been busy, busy, busy all weekend. And my internal clock is off due to the time change. I'm constantly surprised when I see what time it is. Spring forward. Right. Not a lot of spring-ing going on here at my house.

I saw Mark for awhile today. He's always such an inspiration to me. His love for God is still so new that it breathes fresh air into this (old) Christian. He's like a baby still learning to walk in the Lord and it makes my heart so glad -- even while it convicts me of my own lack of faithfulness. I truly, truly, truly believe it only takes one dedicated person to make a huge difference in our society -- Billy Graham is a good example of that premise. So why am I not more dedicated? Why do I continue to let the world draw me in to the same-old same-old thing, distracting me from"fighting the good fight" as Mom used to say? These are things I contemplate in the quiet of a Sunday afternoon.

Most of the snow has melted out here, but the shadowy, northern side of the house still has a few snowy remnants. When I was outside earlier, I noticed my daylilies are peeking through the snow, so Bob snapped a quick picture for me. They look so pretty! Can't wait for spring & warmer weather.

Bob cooked a wonderful breakfast for me yesterday (while I was in the shower). He used the griddle, cut a hole in each piece of bread and broke an egg into it. I've heard it called Toad in the Hole, but I'm not sure if that's the correct name for it. Looks pretty good, huh? Am I blessed with a good husband, or what?

I'll be working with Bob for one more week and then I can get back to my Donna Reed routine. But I hear the laundry calling me now. Better get to it.

Saturday - coffee brewing - can't wait.

We still have snow on the ground, so we won't actually be working outside today, but we're hopeful that tomorrow will be warm enough to do a little work.

With that in mind, we're going to Dallas to buy tools for the barn project (50% off at a location there). While we're in the general area, we'll check out the fabric warehouses along Harry Hines Blvd. We're looking for the wool and Monkscloth I'll be needing for my primitive hooked rug project.

Bob bought me 4 rose bushes for Valentines Day and we had to put paint buckets on them to protect them from the bad weather. Since they come from The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, Texas (much farther South) and they've just been transplanted, I thought they needed some babying.

He bought roses I've been wanting for awhile - Seven sisters, Cecile Brunner, Republic of Texas, and the emporium gave us a free rose bush - Knockout. Eventually, I would like a rose arbor in the back area and this is a good start. However, the outdoor projects are lined up in this manner - Barn, porch-around-the-house and move the greenhouse. Each of those are large projects, so it's going to be awhile before the arbor is built. As a result, we've planted the roses in big pots at the edge of the back porch so it will be easier to transplant them later on.

Oooh - coffee's ready and the day begins.

March 7, 2008

On Wednesday the temperature was in the 70's .. typical March day in Texas. I was contemplating moving all my turtlenecks and sweaters from the current-season closet to the out-of-season closet. Ah, the retired life is good.

Then Thursday morning the weather got colder and uglier. Pellets of sleet began to hit the window making pink pink pink sounds. Big fat flakes started falling ... falling ... faster ... faster ... until it became complete white outside the window. Dallas didn't get any snow, but in my corner of the world we got almost a foot of the white stuff.

This is Texas, right?

This is March, right?

The wind piled the snow so high on the front porch I couldn't get the door open. When Bob came home from work he had to walk around to the back door to get in. Each step sank into the snow leaving a deep print. Brrrr!

However, today we're snuggled up while the sun melts the snow on the roof. All in all, this is not a bad thing. I'm certainly happy!