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C'mon, outta the rack for 234
Wakey-wakey! the sooner you're up the more sunlight you'll be able to enjoy.
Yes Da, a number of people were wondering if you'd swaddled yourself in crocheted spiderwebs for Halloween.
And I'm wondering if Cynthia is still trying to coax Katie down the stairs?
Yeona, the best thing I do for myself is go every 4 weeks for a hair "tune up". I make an appointment for Mum, too. We go to be "beautified" and the lovely woman we see does a quick manicure and shape up of Mum's nails. (Lacking lovely nails, I "pass"; I really miss having polished, shapely nails... a casualty of the work I do now). There's NOTHING like a good haircut to make you feel attractive. (unless it's a manicure).
I was thinking about fall color after reading Marians's report. We're down to the russets of oak trees and some "burning bushes", but the views across the salt marshes were really pretty on the way home. The salt marsh hay was pale, the water was bright "blue", the trees russet, grey, and the pine trees really stand out now. And the acid green grass along the roadway... really pretty.
I wish the face of the chimney looked as nice. The helpmeet did not live up to that title at all yesterday. I was neatly and methodically applying mud to the low spots and mused aloud, "how am I ever going to get this smoothed out?". MISTAKE. I know when you're dealing with joint compound you apply multiple coats THINLY, I also know that the finish I've planned for it will hide a multitude of beginner sins. WITHOUT asking, he grabbed the trough, the 10" blade and began slapping on the mud, pointing out in his authoritarian voice, "THIS is how you put on mud". Careful examination this morning reveals a surface that is more irregular than my initial coat on Sunday and areas that still aren't quite dry because he put it on so thickly. And there is no more mud in the bucket for the final LIGHT skim coat that will be required. I am now 24 hours (at least) behind the schedule I'd set for myself and I get to sand the livin' daylights out of it AGAIN this afternoon. (And yes, I flipped out and really let him have it over this one). Ain't love grand? ;) Feels like all I do these days is clean up other people's messes.
I don't have that much area to mow here. I have one of those "personal pace" Toros. I really like it. The first version we had didn't allow me to set the pace and it was kind of a pain (I walk pretty fast). I should get our's out and suck up some oak leave to fill the protective cages around the Hydrangeas. Come hell or high water I want some blossoms on Nikko Blue next year... . LOL, about thinking everything costs $1. Sounds like Mum.
Deanne, how come you're not going to Amsterdam? My boss was laid over there on her way home from Hungary some years ago and she thought it was wonderful, lamenting she wished she'd had more time there. I've never been, but I'd be "all over it", sister. (But then I'd be all over getting anywhere that wasn't here :) !).
Mary, I can't even feature having to pick out a place to live and pick out schools, too. But I can tell you when we moved to Cow Hampshire I left one of the best public school systems in MA and entered one of the worst in NH. I was 2 full years ahead of most of my class in science and language, no kidding. I wish them good luck; they've already been through so much in such a short amount of time. The kids must have some really "down days" wondering what will lie ahead.
Oh well, I have to leave a note requesting the sanding arsenal be left out for my return this afternoon... HISSSS
(I just pulled a "walker" off my neck; that's a tick lookin' for a place at the bar...)
Good morning all,
Another warm good garden day here and I'm hoping to finally get Doug's half of the garage cleaned out. That was supposed to happen yesterday but instead my car also wound up in the driveway last night. LOL I took over my half of the garage getting some dahlias cleaned up and potting up the coleus cuttings yesterday. Maybe today.
So big change of plans here, Doug isn't going to Amsterdam but is going to work in the main corporate offices in of all places, Keene, NH. He might have to go to Milan or Amsterdam later and if that happens I'll be on the airplane with him. Speaking of Amsterdam.....
Chelone, Chelone, Chelone..... After I got done cleaning the coffee and eggs off my screen after I read your post I thought I'd ask if your boss knows you are sharing that information with us? Glad to hear she enjoyed it. I'd heard they have some very interesting neighborhoods there. ROTFLOL.
Da! Woohoo... great to hear from you. More information please. Inquiring minds would like to know what you've been up to.
Cynthia, that series of photos of Ms. Katie is so precious. She is such a hoot. Thanks for including some kitty pics for me too. So how long did it take her to make it down the stairs?
GB, we NEVER cancel our Thanksgiving celebration. It is our favorite holiday and a tradition for our family as well as for the families of two of our best friends who join us. We really do have a wonderful time and all look forward to it. Champagne is had with the turkey dinner and dessert. Would you like to join us? There is always room for more.
Ok I'm outta here. Time to go to the gym. Have a great day.
OOOOOOOH! An invitation from Deanne for Thanksgiving. Like Chelone, I'd love to go celebrate anywhere. But honestly, this is not the time for travel with MIL dying, DH traveling, garden clean-up, the mower and compost to pay for, etc etc etc. The invitation alone is very flattering though! :-)
I too love Cynthia's set of pet photos and all her photos..always! Never enough.
Today is the last day before rains begin and the first possibility of flurries. So I must go do as much as possible, and my back is already complaining before I begin. Grrrr.
I need a 'hair tune-up', but that will have to wait Chelone. I'd love a pedicure too. Those really make a difference in my outlook. (I've had about 3 in my lifetime!) Try one !
First, breakfast. The herd has been fed already though.
Hmmmmmm , after reading Chelone's report on her boss in Amsterdam I realize I must be hearing too much 'bad' TV !!!!! LOL
Deanne , at least my screen was safe , but I thought : "Shouldn't that be "laid-over " ??
Sorry about the mud job . I seen to never learn not to mention something out loud if Nolon is around . It seems most men are 'better' at doing any 'man job' than a woman .....??
I wish that worked for doing dishes and vacuuming .
Today is my day in town , and I sure don't feel up to it . Hopefully the diversion will perk me up .
More coffee for me - it took me three times to figure out what Deanne thought was so funny! I think Marian caught it before I did!
Inquiring minds want to know:
- is Katie still in the attic?
- will Da tell us anything further?
- will Taryn and family get happy news today?
- whatever happened to Drema?
- why doesn't Babs blab?
And now for the morning dog news report. Mystic is at 100% and scheduled to get his stitches out on Thursday. My legs wish that they were already out as I have many bruises from the dang cone. Better news on the greyhounds at the track that is closing. Turns out that only about 250 need to be adopted, not 1000. Many dogs will be moved to other tracks. And the track will be required to house and care for the dogs until they are all placed for adoption. There's an existing adoption program in place and state supervision, so it should be done right. And there was a great feature article on the front page of the Chicago Tribune, so they should get a lot of interest in the hounds.
Life here has been very busy as we're still deep in the budget business. I did get more shrubs planted over the weekend, and we got the veggie garden cleared and re-layered for the winter.
Back at the computer after an interruption to remove a dead mouse from a coworker's office. Remind me to review my job description later! I think I'd better some some serious work now.
Marian, perhaps Brenda will check in later, but from what she has posted in the past about her location I'm pretty sure she is well north of where the tornado went through. That was a fearsome storm, especially to be so strong in the middle of the night in November!
Hi everyone
We're in the midst of the stomach flu here, so far Annie is the only one not struck. It was the second night of cleaning throw up from the bunk beds - not fun. I feel a little better but am only eating plain white rice. The washing machine is going non-stop.
Eden - thank you so much for the book - it will make perfect reading in between laundering sheets! I needed something like that today.
Deanne - I'd love a dahlia - any of yours are gorgeous. I'll get the pink one in the post.
Thanks for the input about DC everyone
HI DA!!!! What have you been up to?
It is supposed to be a fabulous fall day here with temps close to 70. Today is Kenzies birthday. Her mom and dad are taking her to the zoo for the day. I called her this a.m. and I think she knows itÂs her special day. I could hear her laughing and squealing in the background.
Yesterday I met Rick in town after work so that I could pick up the paint for the family room. He said he had a surprise for me. He had gone to the lumberyard and bought 2 windows that someone had special ordered and were the wrong size. They were ½ price. (more than $1 though) The reason that they were a surprise for me is that they are for my garden shed. He is going to put 2 windows on the east side for me. IsnÂt that sweet? I like lots of light and this will brighten it up.
Interesting thing last night when I got home, Jaden had a dead rabbit that she was proudly showing me. Since she is tied up when we are gone, I wonder where it came from? Do you suppose there were hunters on our yard while we were gone???
With all this hair talk, I believe I will call this a.m. for a cut and highlight. It is time. That reminds me that I still have a gift certificate for a massage that I havenÂt used.
Cynthia, LOL. Poor Katie upstaged by a cat and a foster. Did she ever figure it out?
Chelone, I donÂt believe IÂll trade my family room painting for your chimney. It doesnÂt sound like a fun job.
V, you sound like quite an asset in the office ;o)
Deanne, nice to know that Doug will be around for your favorite holiday preparations. It sounds like you enjoy it. We will have 17 for a Thanksgiving celebration on the Sunday after. Thanksgiving day will be at my mom and dadÂs.
Oh Mary, sorry to hear about the everyone being sick and all the barfing.
Have a fantastic fall day!
Wow. I peeked in here yesterday morning for the first time in ever so long and see my name. What a warm squishy feeling that gave me to start off my day.
Katie... you beautiful dog... I missed you. Give that girl a few extra smooches for me, would you? I'm still ever so in love with the ongoing story of Katiedid.
I spy so many voices that I recognize.
Chelone, I'm glad you have found the time to hang out again. Yours was one of the voices that drew me in in the first place.
I'm on a committee now. It's a little weird to say that... it's all so new at this moment. Crazy things have been going on in my life.
So how have I been? Well, I still work in a meat market. I still have a garden though there is a net over the pond and the fountain's not running anymore.
I've been up to my eyeballs in costuming things this last month. Only a quarter of it was for me. My own costume idea started out when I found a yard and a half of some pretty brocade in my fabric pile. It was enough material for a bodice pattern that I have so I pulled the trusty rusty sewing machine out and brushed up on all those bad words I know. (Sewing makes me cuss. Sometimes a lot.)
I'll do this as links since I'm not going to toss a billion photos all in at the beginning of a thread. If you don't want to open the picture on this same page, right click on the link and have it open in a new window.
So I had a bodice and no skirt pattern that I thought would work. Mind you, I intend to wear this as my garb next year when I finally go to the Ren Fest again so I was trying to keep it looking at least a little period even if it wasn't the same period. I had a large piece of material that I've had tucked away for 12 years or so. I've always liked it but never had decided what I wanted to do with it. Out came hat and the grey lining material that I used on the bodice as well. Drape, drape, wrap it around yourself and mutter while you try to come up with something better than just a boring skirt that has an elastic waistband.
I knew I wanted a panel of the accent color down the front of the skirt and that I wanted the teal to drape but wasn't sure how to pull that off. I honestly didn't figure out what to do with that until after I'd hemmed the entire piece of teal and whipped up the waistband for it. The waistband, by the way, fastens closed by tying ties through some eyelets so the skirt is wearable by other people than just me. Ultimately, what I did was make the grey front panel of the skirt totally removable by attaching it with hooks and eyes. That way, later on I can wear the teal overskirt with something else or make a different front panel should I decide to.
The shirt's not period at all... and it's NOT a good picture.
You can see a little bit of a grey crochet chain going around my waist and dangling down. It has a pretty cross attached to it that has a purple jewel in the center. It matches the purple in the bodice. All I really have left to do to complete the costume is to make a muslin shirt to wear with it. I'm still looking through my patterns for that and still thinking that I'll have to make most of it up as I go along. At least I'll have a little guidance. The skirt was designed completely out of my head. What a headache that was. Don't have any better pictures of the outfit, unfortunately.
For the month's projects, add in a couple more items, both made from panne which looks like velvet but hangs looser and weighs less. It's also machine washable and dryable which means I love it. Just hate sewing with it. Someone wanted a skirt and someone else wanted a cape. I'm kind of proud of the cape because all he gave me was a sketch of what he wanted. He liked the trim the best but that might be because he was sitting there watching me twist (and cuss) the cord into doing what I wanted it to do.
The costumes were all really for a convention that we attended. It's a small gaming/anime convention that is held around here every year. This was year 3. I volunteered to work staff with them this year since I knew that they needed warm bodies. I was utterly and completely shocked during the wrap up meeting when they named me as the most helpful staff member. They noticed my mind. Heheheheheh. Now I'm on the registration committee for the 2006 convention. To think... I only went to the convention to play dress up and to participate in two nights worth of larp. (Larp stands for live action role play.)
Dressed up to start trouble at the larp
So I haven't been crocheting as much as I wanted to lately. I've got a lap blanket sitting here on the desk that I'm working on. Going to send it to my mother for Christmas. Trying to decide if there's anything else I need to make for Christmas gifts before I get back into making things for myself. I bought a pattern for a crochet hoodie that I'm ready to try making. It'll be a sweater with a hood which is pretty cool when the wind starts blowing around here.
Hmm... let's see. I can't remember if I'd made the 'fishnet' tops the last time I babbled here.
Red fishnet and my favorite
Black fishnet with better fur in the trim
A few days ago, I finally remembered to pack some of the clothing I've made into a bag so that Joyce, my mil, could take it to work and show it off. She'd been talking about the stuff since the school year had started up again. She came home to tell me that one of the ladies was wondering if I'd make a black blouse like the one in that second picture. Her daughter would love it. She said she'd pay whatever I suggested if I'd make one for her. Well, since I'm not quite as enamored with the black as I was with the red, I've decided to sell her that one. After all, I've only worn it once for four hours. I just don't know what to charge her since I have no idea how many "hours" to bill for. Besides.... those hours add up fast if you're charging a decent hourly fee. Eh... I think I'll tell her $45 which is the cost of materials and 30 bucks. It feels like a million bucks but I doubt she'd actually pay that much.
Let's see... what else has been going on? I've got more of "a life" than ever before. I've actually got some friends who are happy to see me when I show up. It only took me 4 years to finally find some. Not too bad when you get right down to it since I'm so much of a homebody. The only problem with that is that I'm not home anywhere near as much as I was before. All that beautiful "me time" has disappeared. I still claim the half hour after I get home from work for me but otherwise, I find myself running around much more than before. Still trying to find a happy medium there since I tend to get too stressed if I don't have enough Da time. Working on it... slowly but surely.
I'm still writing with my online friends, creating stories. I met a couple of them at the convention that I'd never met face to face before. Roomed with one of the girls, actually. Had an absolute blast. Now, this coming weekend, another one of those friends will be rolling through Detroit. We're going to hang out and he'll probably try to do silly things like convince me to drink too much. Ugh. I'll need to count drinks so that I don't make a fool of myself. Silly drinkers....
Ok, not too sure what else I should write. I'm hungry and it's already noon. I forgot how long it takes me to write one of these silly things.
~da, feeling silly since she saw no other grown ups pictured in halloween costumes here
quickie post...
Harvested Angel rose hips this morning from the older plants. This year's seedlings are still blooming like mad and have not set hips yet. Here are some examples of the variability of the seedlings produced:
Double pink - quite nicely scented:
Deep pink:
I can't predict what kind the hips will produce other than single mid-pink is most common and double is rarest.
Quick question...Since my cannas were all in pots this summer, does anybody here just cut down their cannas and then leave the tubers right in the soil in the pot overwinter? I'm wondering if I can do it that way and just stick the pots in the basement instead of digging up the tubers?
Brad has the day off today so we're doing garden cleanup. I have to run before he catches me on the computer, lol. Be back later...Eden
Beautiful fall day here, but I can't be outside today - have to pick up the kids soon. Not enough time to get dirty then get cleaned up again! I'm progressing on my fall clean-up, but not finished yet. We haven't had a hard frost yet, so a lot of things are still green and I hate to cut them down. The tuberous begonias and cannas are still alive, though a little shabby looking.
Michelle, Kenzie is adorable. Something about that first haircut though; the babyness seems to fall away with the hair. Nice of DH to get you some windows - another keeper!
Gardenbug, good news about the investigation into the court. Corruption in government is rampant and often ignored; glad to see someone will be looking into it this time.
Chelone, I read "Girl with the Pearl Earring". It gave a vivid picture of the realities 17th century life, and the separation of the classes. An interesting read.
Cynthia, did Katie make it downstairs yet? The pictures and your captions are a riot - you can see the hesitation on her poor face!
Mary, hope all at your house are feeling better soon.
Deanne, glad Doug is not travelling and he'll be around to help you with Thanksgiving prep.
Da, your costumes are beautiful - what a lot of work has gone into them. You should sell the blouse for more money, handmade things can be pretty pricey. Don't undervalue your work!
Have to run, off to pick up the "little darlings".
You're a very clever girl, Da. And you have a look of danger about you, too. ;) ! "Drink counting", lol. Did you crochet the net over the pond, too?
Ahem... ladies... get your minds out of the gutter. I did crack right up when I reread my post this afternoon; you know how it is when you "proof" something... like balancing your checkbook, you see what you want to see. Actually, I can't wait to share that with my boss. She will laugh, too. As a matter of fact, it was she who returned to the shop on cold winter's day after taking the truck to the gas station. She couldn't wait to report this gem: she pulled up to the pump and the guy came out to pump the fuel. Knowing her, he asked, "Fill it?" (the truck has 2 tanks). "No, I'll take ten in the rear." Stunned, the guy looked at her before cracking a smile... "That didn't sound very good, did it?" she replied. Nah, "laid over in Amsterdam" pales in comparison!
I served my civic duty on the way home from work, stopping to vote. I've received several calls about "defending marriage and eliminating special rights" and as many about "guaranteeing civil rights" in the past 3 weeks; the big issue is the repeal of controversial civil rights law. As usual, I'm controversial. YAWN. There were a number of bond issues for the state and the town stuff seemed to revolve around zoning and sewer district rights. Very exciting sutff.
I am still too irritated to face the chimney but have to. "Time and tide wait for no man"... inexorably, I'm drawn to the stage of such controversy... (I want it DONE that much).
Thanks for the note on "Girl With A Pearl Earring", Wendy. Like you, we're still waiting for Jack Frost to kiss the hardier foliage. Next week? tonight? it's coming! And I have to really think about bringing in the geraniums for the winter... wah.
And where is Katey? (or Waldo, for that matter?)
Katie is passed out on the floor. Thanks to all who inquired. I broke down and carried her down the steep narrow attic stairs and no one was killed or maimed in the process.
She took three months to learn the hardwood stairs to second floor, and it's going to be cold in attic soon so I couldn't wait that long for her to deal with those. I carried her up and down the stairs to second floor 3 or 4 times a day for 3 months before she decided to try it herself one day. I called it my weight bearing exercise! Let me say that most of the greys take about a week to figure out. My little special girl is not the brightest in the bunch. She still thinks that 'sit' means twirl 3 times and then perch on your right thigh with upper body in the air. It's a very lame sit, but I love her for trying. It's hard with all that muscle in the butt.
The return of DA!!!! And an illustrated return at that. I love the red spider sweater thang. It's you :-)
Woody, loving all the variations of Angel roses. I ordered seeds of that last year but it was late and I wasn't paying attention so lost them. I don't need more roses anyway, but I know Eden grows and likes them too - and maybe Mary? Can't remember.
Deanne, I'll bet Thanksgiving is wonderful at your house. You shared pictures one year and it looked like quite a party. Easily my favorite holiday just for the menu! I cook turkeys year round, but in winter it's an easy way to heat the kitchen.
Hi to all!
Hey bug. Yeah... my hair's still black. I'm just so fond of the color that every time I decide to comit to a "stop with the scalp burn, dummy" date, something else comes up. This time it was that convention. I didn't want the six inch brunette roots to show. It was the comment I got at work one day when I wore my hair in a style other than a bun. A guy asked me if I'd darkened my hair. It didn't dawn on me that of course he'd think so. He'd only seen the brown parts. I wanted one last big blowout as the raven haired spitfire before settling in for the winter and waiting for spring. I'll be getting my hair cut in the spring, donating the length to Locks for Love. I should have half brown, half black hair at that point. It's much easier to be a redhead that way than over the black hair. I've got to let the color grow out now. Heheheh... I seriously won't be dying it black again for a while. I made sure that there were no more in the house.
I don't really have long to babble so I'm doing this in snips and pieces as I go along. If this doesn't make sense, I blame the telephone. Totally.
I did bring that offer to buy my black blouse up here on purpose. I figured that you are all diverse enough that I could get a few ideas on just what you would price something like that. It's slinky and just as nice with a blouse as without one. I've worn them with several different types of tops to see how diverse it was. I like multi-functional clothing, after all.
Anyway... my first thought when she mentioned selling it was "fifty bucks" immediately. I mean, I made it for me and don't really care as much about making things for other people as I do about making them for me. That's selfish, I know. Trying to work past that one but that's really why I haven't tried to find more buyers for my crochet stuff. It's more like work then and not as fun. Phooey on that.
Ramble ramble. My free time's gone already. Time to go and figure out what to cook for dinner. I'm trying not to wuss out and just heat some corndogs up in the microwave. Ranch dip would take care of milk requirements, right?
Spent the lovely day collecting seeds and bringing in a few plants that I should have brought in before now. I hope Friday will be clear so I can plant the bulbs that I've had sitting in the garage for far too long now. I'm glad that you guys are still here. :o)
Hi all, I'm so tired but we got alot done in the garden today. One more marathon and I should be as finished as I'm going to get this year. Since no one replied about my canna question I decided to try overwintering them in the pots. The worst that will happen is that I'll have to buy new ones next spring.
Mary, I'm glad you got the book. Sorry your family isn't feeling well. I had a bout with stomach flu last November that I still remember well. I'm reading the next Elm Creek Quilters book now and will send it on when I finish. I ran across a cute wood cut out that I thought you might like. I'll link it at the end of the post. It doesn't look too difficult (my kind of project)and would be something the children could help you with again.
Michelle, Happy Birthday to Kenzie. She does look so grown up with her cute haircut. Brad and I always used to take the kids to the zoo for their birthdays when they were small too, starting with Jennifer's very first. I love going to the zoo still. Sometimes just Brad and I will go for my birthday.
Nice to hear from Da.
I hope we hear good news from Taryn soon too!
I had more to say but I'm fading fast here. So have a good evening everyone. Good Night,
Eden - I winter my cannas over in pots. Just chop them after serious frost. Only problem is that you have to divide regularly or they literally split the pots with their tubers/what-ers. I start watering them again a month before last frost. Mine are still out, and I'm going to dump them in cardboard boxes this year so that I'm forced to divide them in spring.
Good to learn Katie has not been given the same status as "the idiot we keep in the attic". Those stairs look as though they could be a little bit slippery for her, too. I was thinking about Katie and her "stair thing" and it reminded me of a really good book I read years ago. It was about reschooling Thoroughbred racehorses for pleasure use. They are unflappable when it comes to being handled for shoeing, veterinary work, etc.. They aren't freaked out by starting gates... but laundry flapping in the breeze or a bunch of kids on bikes? the things they haven't been exposed to are hard for them. Interesting.
I dealt with the sanding and then used the scant remains of the mud to cover over a few of the places that refused to yield to sanding. The caulking "beads over" in 30 minutes, and says it's paintable... but says the cure time is 72 hours; I'll be shopping for a different product on my way home from work today. I hope to get it primed today.
The guys called yesterday afternoon with an update on the dining chairs. Says they'll have to be given a coat of red mahogany stain to "even up the color". I'm less than thrilled, but I want the chairs back and I don't have the patience to jackass around with it anymore. I still have to reupholster the 8 slip seats before Thanksgiving. It will be nice to have them looking nice, and I keep reminding myself that they're going to look so much nicer than they did when they sported chipped, grimey white paint.
I made the canvas for a retractable awning yesterday, and then two "wing pieces" for an old style retractable. The schematic was pretty complicated, lots of cut outs (requiring reinforcements), jigs and jogs, and then stategically placed grommets. I love working form Aaron's plans... very precise, and there are no questions. Then I mended a flag, replaced a zipper in a console cover, restitched the binding, and looked it over carefully. That filled the day quite nicely. Today I have to begin by cleaning some curtains for a restaurant and then start in on ANOTHER curtain job... I've been advised there are several of them looming on my professional horizon.
Da, set your prices based on the PITA factor. I always tell alterations customers they aren't paying for my sewing time. They're paying for my years of accumulated fit expertise, my willingness to take things apart and then put them back together properly. As for custom sewing... I won't even thread up my machines for under $40/hr., less if they're willing to pay with dead presidents. It's not worth the aggravation, frankly. Make sure you have everything WRITTEN DOWN, this will protect you from the "but I'm sure you told me you were going to this...". Most people who call me for custom work are basically "tire kickers", they think they're going to get something of couture quality for Wal-Mart prices. Doesn't work that way. I've had some wonderful experiences making things for people but I've had some really unpleasant ones, too (Oh I LOVE IT, but can't you just change the shape of the collar a little bit? What? you're going to charge me more for such a little change?...). I MUCH prefer alteration work. People are uniformly tickled to have something altered to fit properly; those customers don't expect the garment to come with a lifetime guarantee. Aren't you glad you asked? :)
Mary, sorry about the stomach flu! It's bad enough when you're sick yourself, but when everyone is passing it around it has to be several times worse. Keep reminding yourself that it will pass and you're going to feel better sooner than later.
I've got to get organized here... write something good for me to savor when I return from work, OK?
Good morning! It's now or never for a post today as it's another action-packed day on this end of the world. I start with an out-of-the-office meeting (Yuk! Long drive later this morning) then I have bell rehearsal and then parent teacher conferences. BUT! I think these are my last-ever parent-teacher conferences!!! How's that for a milestone?
The wind is really honking outside right now. Chelone, keep your eye open I may be blowing past Maine shortly...
Last night one of our former au pairs from Germany came for a visit. We had not seen her for ten years. DD was 7 years old when she left. I had forgotten that when D left us, DD hid in her room and refused to say goodbye! So this morning, DD will drive D into town and they will have coffee at Starbucks and have a proper good bye before D takes the train back to Chicago. (DD has no school today because of conferences.) D is working on her PhD at a school in Leipzieg. It was great fun to see her.
Chelone, I forgot to mention that I also read Girl With a Pearl Earring and really enjoyed it. I loved the picture of every day life in a different time and place, and the details about Vermeer's style of painting. Shortly after I read the book I was at the National Gallery of Art in DC and looked at the Vermeer paintings with a whole new appreciation.
If you enjoy Girl, you might also read The Passion of Artemisia and Girl in Hyacinth Blue by a different author (I forget the name!)
Da, so nice to hear from you with your illustrated tale! Great job on the various costumes, especially the skirt done without a pattern.
I can't believe Kenzie is one already!
T, I don't think anyone will fall for your trick, um, I mean, ah, ahem, take you up on your offer. Great elk photos, by the way.
Well it's time to hit the shower, but I have this little ball of black fur on my feet. I hate to disturb him! Yikes! There goes the wind again - maybe I'd better shower before the house blows over.
Have a good one!
Action packed day? I'd rather not have one here, but who knows? It began with mopping up water from the night's rains. The windowsill was a large puddle. The cats got fed and now I am expecting the arrival of a dog food delivery.
The plans for outdoor work look less likely as I study the weather. I fear it will be a day for ironing. UGH.
Yesterday the phone only stopped ringing at 10:15pm. All kinds of calls including one from DH. I had to quickly proofread a letter of objection to the Ministry of Natural Resources about a proposed gravel pit in the area. My suggestions were time consuming, so I don't know how thrilled they were, but if they want it considered, they will have to do as I suggested. Then there were so many others that I won't bore you.
Chelone, something good for you to read? I'll try later, but it will take effort. ;-)
A quick good morning here,
Mary, so sorry for the flu bug thing. That is just nasty to deal with. I hope last night was better. The only good thing about those nasties is that they normally pass fairly quickly even though you'd rather be dead when you've got it.
V, I'll keep a lookout for you today. It is supposed to start howling here and snowing later on. And my gardens still aren't winterized.
Chelone, bummer about the chairs and chimney not turning out the way you wanted. I really hate it when that happens. At least it will be refurbished and new.
Da, how terrific! YOu've been sewing up and crochetting up a storm and it all looks great. I really like your photos better when you smile though. Is smiling not allowed in costume? LOL
T, thanks anyway, I couldn't afford the shipping. LOL
Eden, sorry I just saw the canna question and interestingly I was planning on doing the same with a couple of mine to see what happens. They should be fine I'd think and one of the pots has a sweet potato vine in it and maybe that will come back as well if I don't disturb it.
GB that is good news on the legal front. I hope the persons involved get what is coming to them.
Wendy, it must be just that much warmer there, my tuberous begonias and cannas are toast from the cold now and I've got to get them 'winterized'. If you want any tubers from my cannas I've got lots! Also a lot of dahlias.
Mary, would you like a tall, tall dahlia or one of the shorter varieties like the Bellini?
Cynthia, thanks for the update on Katie. I had visions of her lonely in the attic. LOL (I really did figure out you'd carry her down)RE: Thanksgiving, if you have no plans please join us for our party/celebration. You only need to bring a bottle or two of champagne.,LOL Puppers are welcome, we have great overnight accommodations.
Woody, those roses are just lovely! How long does it take to go from seed to a good sized blooming plant?
Michelle, I think we are going to have between 17 to 20 here this year. We never know until a few days before because a couple of my sibs waffle every year about what they are going to do. I've actually not invited one of them this year because this person inevitably cancels at the last minute. If they want to come they can call. They always act like they are doing me a huge favor if they consider coming for dinner. This particular SIL believes that I think I'm too good for them because I set a table with a salad fork and a cloth napkin. Go figure?
OK must run outside. I'm actually skipping the gym today to hit the bricks with the tender plants and get everything in today before the snow flys tonight.
Later everyone, enjoy this day.
Good morning everyone and nice to meet you, Da!
Glad Katie is out of the attic. The pics and captions were perfect to capture the moment!! She had that same look of chaos as when you tell a kid they have two seconds to decide which Ice Cream they want.
Da's costumes are geeeeorgous. Ren Fests have been loosening up of late concerning the "correct period" of costuming (except for protective gear, of course). I mean, who really knows what the ladies were wearing back then??? I once got into a true argument with a guy who said that velvet shouldn't be worn in September. But what if I'm enacting Iceland?????
Chelone: One of my fav clients is a seamstress. She never gives anyone a price until after she's met them, and adds $5/hour to her base everytime they give her a "suggestion" about how she should do what she does. Her specialty is wedding dresses -- I can only imagine ... AND: Here's to the chimney mudding end in sight!!
T: "Plant Overwintering R Us" could be a huge business in Z8. Do you do Hibiscus??????
V: Being a late entry to the party, I don't know why this would be your last year of parent teacher conferences. My Sister (tenured public 3rd grade) always celebrates the end of these with the biggest baddest steak she can find. She swears that she can feel her protein dropping as the parents speak:-)
Cynthia: Thanks for the canna advice. I ended up pulling mine out of the pots but had to crack them to get everything out intact. I now have them drying -- should I repot?
Woody: Hope it's okay with you that your four pics of Rosa chinensis now make up one of my desktop wallpapers. Such a historical plant!!
Deanne: This will be the first year in 23 that I'm not doing Thanksgiving and I'm going through withdrawal. Plan on doing a turkey en grille, anyway, and breaking out the saved Brandywine tomatoes for Friday. The Holiday noone's mentioned, yet, is MINE though :-)
Mary: Hope stomachs are settling. BRAT (banannas, rice, applesauce, toast) was on DS's weekly request list for his dorm. Glad they're all miles away.
Monique and Sue: My email's been funky and I hope I haven't missed a reschedule for lunch. Funny thing how Work tends to get in the wway of Fun.
As for me, I've rearranged my home office to take advantage of the morning sun, and was able to fit my tall baker's rack in for tender herbs. Still finding out just how this house works.
Also, am quite reluctantly looking for a new job. Long story not worth telling, but in the end I'll be much happier and have more to show for the amount of work I do. Yesterday drove 300 miles (foliage still out in southern CT). Today, I work on the resume.
If I could get to Amsterdam in any way, shape or form, I'd do whatever :-) (Well, almost.....)
Mary - ICK re the sick stuff - I hope things are better today!
Cynthia - I'm glad Katie is out of the attic!
Chelone - I hope you'll be posting pictures of the chimney and diningroom chairs when it's all done....?
GB - looks like we'll be rained out here today too - but no window leaks I hope!
Deanne - those roses start blooming as about 3" seedlings and don't stop until hard frost! The pictures are all of ones I started from seed this past spring. They're about 12-15" tall now. The 2 and 3 year old plants are ~18" tall so they mingle nicely with other smaller, delicate-looking plants, especially with silvery things. Martie - you're welcome to the pictures :-)
You keep us going with the comments and updates. Da, fun to see you and your creations. I always go thru all your albums when you post a photo. I love your creativity and individuality. Chelone, hearing you on work quality. This year we decided to pay others for home improvements and partner ended up releasing them from the contract and fixing their messes. We still haven't figured out a solution for the bathroom tile. (It is among the things I'd rather not talk about'). We love our home but after hearing what some of you have been dealing with we are trying to have it as market ready as possible and hoping to enjoy it as long as possible. Would be nice to pass it down but our hiers have their own plans and live at a much faster pace. We have to deal with whatever transition brings eventually. We live in a forest of decidious trees and have heaps of leaves to pick up that blow in from everywhere. Winter could bring ice and snow... who knows.. anyway.. we try not to let anything become overwhelming. A lot to be said for being (or knowing) a good seamstress. My widowed sister did quite well with sewing. I don't like the 'multi size' patterns. I used to use a basic patten and knew how to measure for my own needs. Previously made all of my clothing including my work uniforms and dresses for the daughter's weddings.
Hope all have good recovery from the flu. Hope all goes well with the relocations.
I also used to try to 'read every book in the library' but now am going thru what we have and rereading some of them before passing them on.. I never did get to see the movie based on story "Enchanted April" that several people on the forums have listed as a favorite but found it in a collection of short stories. We are getting ready to 'settle in' .. hopefully have a creative winter and then get on with whatever is 'down the road'. Thinking of all. We enjoy the activities of daily living. EP
Martie, how come you aren't doing Thanksgiving?? Family stuff? ~~ Last year I dug out my cannas and stored them in peat in the basement in the dark. They did very well in the 50 degree temps in the back room and all were viable in the spring. I've got one pot of Pretoria that I'm going to dig out and the other I'm going to leave in the pot and dig and refurbish in the spring. I'll see which does better. The clump of canna I dug out of the ground was about 18" in diameter and I had to break it up to fit in the box I'm going to be storing it in. That was the one that was supposed to by Wyoming but wound up being an orange instead of red. I've got a ton of them if anyone wants any in the spring.
EP bummer about the tile. Doug is quite handy and we've always found that it is better to wait until we have the time to do things ourselves than pay someone else to do it.
Woody, thanks for the info on the roses. They really are a delight. Are they really resistant to black spot?
OK coffee break is over and I've got to get back to stripping the fuchsia and digging and storing the dahlias.
Cleaned out 3 shelves of the fridge, put the dog food delivery away, checked that the basement floor (second coat painted yesterday) is dry, moved a newly painted shelf down there, answered more phone calls, walked Charlotte, and I feel tired already. The outdoors is VERY gloomy and wet, with thunder noises.
EP, among the movies that mother collected is Enchanted April. I have watched it once, but perhaps I'll watch it again now that you mentioned it. I think of it as a "lady's" film, and love the scenery which reminds me of family times in southern France years ago.
As I was going about my daily activities this morning I was thinking about our old (1870s) house which only got indoor plumbing in the late 1960s. This amazes me because when I taught in West Africa in the 'bush', I had an indoor toilet and chlorinated water. Here I boil water each morning. My nerighbour recalls that previous owners collected ice from the creek for preserving foods throughout the summer! I was thinking how odd it is that our old house, definitely a farm house, now has waher/dryer, double ovens, refrigerator with ice cube maker, dishwasher, electric toothbrushes, furnace, etc. As I added a new roll of toilet paper to the fixture, it struck me as odd that it has an "antique" look, even though the bathrooms are quite new. Quite the mix of periods here. The furniture is a mix as well, from "early matrimony" to street finds, gifts from parents to a few purchases of our own. I guess it all tells a story for those who care to "read" it. (I guess that contribution was my effort for Chelone's read of the day.)
I hope the flu at Mary's house is history now and that a happy week is under way for one and all.
'bug (avoiding the ironing still)
Good morning!
It is another frosty morning here in zone 8......where your tender plants could winter over in comfort and balmy temps. :oD
Heck, I wouldn't know how to keep your tender plants alive and I'd feel great guilt if any died at my hands so, thankfully, you know I'm teasing all of you.
I've been doing some decluttering and it feels so GOOD! I have two huge plastic bags of stuffed bunnies & bears that the kids had collected over the years and no longer wish to keep. Those will go to a local thrift shop soon. I have lots of clothes and shoes that I no longer wear or fit into so those will be going also. I have been going through my sewing room and tossing bits and pieces of crafts that I cannot believe I ever paid money to purchase ;o). I've also have been decluttering my cookbooks, recipes & other papers that I've collected because it had a great recipe, great article, a great exercise routine or told me how to look 50# thinner or 15 years younger. Obviously some of the papers/articles haven't ever been read or they really don't work. ;o)
I still have plenty of 'stuff' here and lots more to go through but I think I'm going to make this 'The Decluttering Winter' and, come spring, my life will feel lighter. Good thought......nice dream.......hope it happens. ;o)
Did I tell you it is frosty? My feet and hands are cold. I do have to go to town this morning.......to drop off the recycling, visit my mother and get a couple errands done.
Mary, I hope everyone begins feeling better soon!
Katie, glad you aren't still up in the attic. :oD
Da, it was so good to see you post!!! I'd go for $45 to $50 for your top......let us know how that works out.
Hello to everyone!
Eden , I didn't comment on your bringing in your canna because I had posted a while back about bringing mine in and keeping it in it's pot , in the utlity room . I do it every winter , and just cut off tacky looking leaves .
Mary , sorry about the virus going around . I think I may have had a mild reaction to my flu shot ....but it is hard to tell , since I feel bad all the time ! :o(
A woman at yesterday's Golden Year's class was hacking right while I was talking to her . I sure hope it doesn't rub off on me !
About the only differance with having the flu , and having fibromyalgia , is the intestional problems that may come with the flu . At least the flu eventually goes away .
Wow , Da ! How nice that you have brought us up to date on your latest creations . You are a very talented seamstress . I had to laugh at Chelone's question about your pond net ...:o)
Falling temps are in our forecast . The low last night was around 60F !!! Tomorrow morning it is to be in the lower 30s . These teeter totter temps are sure hard on the system .
Nolon finished re-siding the wellhouse Saturday . It looks very nice .
Yesterday , while I was in town , he hung the door on the hall closet . It has had a sheet for a door ever since we built the house . I bought the door this spring , along with the other material for things I wanted done when our son came . He only fixed the soffits and facia on the front of the house , and did some painting . . Now the only things left of my proposed jobs is the doors on the linen closet , and painting trim and stuff . The plywood I got for the doors ended up being a piece of junk . We debated about sending it back , but Nolon said to keep it and get another for the doors . He made shelves in his 'shop' with the junkie plywood . ( I am not too happy being responsible for getting material's for 'men's ' jobs . It seems women are prone to being cheated , espacially if they are working with limited energy and understanding as to what is needed .)
Can you tell ... I am still pretty grumpy !
I forgot to mention ..... I bought a Westinghouse Roaster Oven yesterday . I will try it out today with a few items .
I also got a turkey for Thanksgiving . I don't know if the kids will be here . I haven't asked , and that info hasn't been volunteered yet .
It's been a year for new homes. My sister and BiL bought a falling apart log cabin on several acres of land, sunk six figures into it, and now have a showplace. It is, without a doubt, the most Thanksgiving-ish-y (forgive me) house I've seen and we all agree that being grateful there will be really easy.
It'll be nice to have a T. turkey all to ourselves, not be responsible for cleanup, and I do get to do that December holiday since we can sit 28 for dinner and birthday celebrations are a huge deal around here :-)
Boy, it sounds to me as though Nolon is working away at the odd jobs list! I'm the one who does most of those around here, so it is slow going, but it is appreciated. Make sure you tell Nolon that you are happy things are getting done, that the list is getting shorter. I sure hope the roaster oven works like a charm! Maybe you could invite the kids over to test it?
Well speaking of jobs, I painted the fruit cellar floor this morning and am shortly going down to the basement again to paint a door. Maybe I'll try for some photos later on. In the meantime T, I sure could use a de-clutterer here. Any time :-). There's no frost here either. (yet) Eden, that lamp that I told you about is out in the garage waiting for saturday's trip to the dump. You won't believe this, but I also threw out about 6 half empty wine bottles that were gifts ages ago and that have been cluttering up the fridge. An old hockey helmet is out there too. I just LOVE pitching things!
'bug again, no ironing done yet either
I cooked our noon meal's fish fillets in the new oven . They turned out fine . Then I baked a cake . I may have left it in a little too long . Haven't cut it yet , but it looks good . It's a Double Pudding , Moist Supreme , Pillsbury Devil's Food cake .
Nolon's activity has me rather amazed . I think he is improving physically , and I am now the one who is deteriorating , both mentally and physically . ( Actually , neither of us is playing with a full deck ...lol .) Maybe he is preparing for the possibility that he will be needing a new wife ????? I would be pretty peeved if a new woman got all the improvements that I have been waiting so long for !! LOL
Our yard is swarming with snowbirds !
BTW , I am telling Nolon how much I appreciate the improvements . The door on the hall closet is espacially nice .
Well my virtual friends, you've not failed me. Lotsa good reading. Such a diverse group with varied interests. I'm home a little early having really "honked on it" today; dazzling myself with efficiency.
The chimney is coming along, but I'm still irritated at being set back by 24 hours. Hissss... (nothing chaps my --- more than having my time wasted). I am working with alkyd (oil) paints and that means 24 hrs. drying time between coats. I have 4 coats ahead of me for the chimney and 2 for the south wall, and when the first coat of paint is applied depends on how quickly the caulking between the masonry and the crown moulding and the tile of the hearth sets up; could be 24 hours, but could be longer, too... it starts out white and when cured becomes translucent. That should give me plenty of time to get the tint in the glaze to my liking and get the surrounding area cleaned and ready for the "surgical strike".
The chairs are a minor irritation, really. He promised they'd be done in time for the holiday and he's on track. I didn't really want a darker stain, but if the wood is not uniform from one chair to the next, well... he has to do what he has to do. The poor sod just called me at a "bad time" yesterday afternoon. I WAS nice to him, though! :) I did some research on upholstery supplies and am going to call the guy who's done a few pieces for me to see if he can help me out with some items I can't seem to locate from our suppliers at work. Shouldn't be a big deal; he likes me (would love it if I did his cushion covers for him) and I always pay him in CASH. The supplies I'm looking for are pretty "old fashioned" ("curly hair", being one; and the peanut gallery will please refrain from inappropriate comments! you know who you are... ). :)
Martie, everyone else knows what you do, but I don't. Here's hopin' the job search is simple and fruitful, SOON. I smiled at your seamstress friend's pricing policy... and understand completely.
V., I think your winds will be coming through in a day/two. It's getting quite raw and there is a winter storm warning up for western Maine and a winter storm watch up for northern Maine. Gusty winds for downeast... the ocean was looking steely blue with whitecaps under an increasing overcast sky. I watched several cruisers head down river on their way to warmer points well to our south... . It's lovely you've remained in contact with the au pair... what a nice connection to far away places. I may have to check out GWAPE (not as in gwape soda).
Be back to read more later...
Well, no news here. They told us yesterday they were putting the offer in today, were happy to pay asking price even if we included all the appliances. Today she came with the agent, but after our guy (who listed us) showed up to look over the offer it never materialized. They are going to discuss things and get back to us. I don't know why things have changed since last night (or since our guy showed up?) but they have. :( Have woken up at between 2-4:00am since Sunday and looks like another sleepless one tonight. Maybe breaking my weekday wine rule will help with the tenterhooks...
Deanne - I've not seen any black spot on the Angel roses in three years of growing them. They don't get very tall and get submerged in other plants so air circulation is not ideal. If they were going to get it, I'd think they've have got it by now. I can't stand black spot on roses so I don't grow very many. If a rose gets black spot, out it goes!
Has been relatively mild today with periodic downpours with thunder and lightening so it was an indoor day today - cooked quiche and apple pie this afternoon - winter's coming and I start cooking too much! I got my latest cholesterol results this morning - I'm always on the high end of normal - still there, with slight changes from previous test - all in the wrong direction! Also scared silly by noticing that some of the other things they test for are showing early signs of the form of leukemia my mother died of! I'm a genetic write-off - bad health genes from both sides of the family have all come home to roost in me it appears :-(
Taryn - hang in there...it can be so stressful selling a home. I've flipped several properties in my 20's in booming markets and in slow markets, so I know the feeling.
Keep at it and don't get discouraged. No one knows why buyers suddenly change their minds and you can't get too down about it. The right ones are out there.
Taryn, why don't you start a "stream of consciousness" thing on the Idyll du jour? What the hell? relief for you, entertainment for me and Deanne... and 'bug. Could it hurt?
Woody, I'm drooling (Rex would DEFINITELY drool if he could read) over quiche and apple pie. I love quiche... I think it's the perfect food... hot or cold. Yum-yum, eat 'em up. AND, I pricke my ears right up at the earlier mention of rose hips... . We had a rose hedge between our home and our neighbor's when I was a kid. It was HUGE, fragrant, and the flowers were white appearing only in the spring/early summer. But the late season hips were lovely! Mum used to go out and clip them for use in her late season arrangements (she was very talented!). Now, with an interest in "off season" arrangements, I long to know what the rose was... any chance you could provide some clues?
The chimney looks pretty good. But the caulk "backfired" and the actual caulk isn't coming out the nozzle, it's oozing out the a-- end of the damned gun... HISSS. Not a complete disaster, but another delay, for which I'm hormonally ill-equipped to deal. You get the picture?
Darn it Taryn...I'm with you on this. Hope they shape up soon! Could be their bank is giving them problems. Guess that means more open hice? Groan.
I think I've finished basement painting for the time being.
His side:
Her side:
Hi everybody, from NouNou!
I'm in love.
How old is the pictured lovely-kin?
("lovely-kin" is spoken in my preferred "cat voice"... for nearly 30 years it has yet to fail me... . I hope I'll be able to use it for my virtual friends at some point in time...)
NOTHING in this world is more purrfect than a cat...
Hi Everyone
The flu is on the way out. David was still home today but for the first time since Sunday no one has thrown up - yay!! I had coffee this morning (another first since Sunday) but I can't bear the thought of wine yet (glad it isn't Friday!). Perhaps I've become a tee-totaler... Martie, you're right, the Brat diet is certainly the way to go.
Marian - if the aches I had in my bones are like your fibro my heart really goes out to you. I could possibly live with the achiness but the loss of energy is real killer. Do you have that too?
Woody - what glum news from your tests. It must be a huge worry. There is no fair play when it comes to health. Hope a lovely quiche and apple pie were a comfort, as would be your wonderful DH.
Deanne - a shorter Dahlia would be perfect. Many thanks.
Taryn - I'm rooting for you here. Waiting for an offer is such nerve wracking business and people can be so unpredictable. Hope you can do something to relive the stress.
GB - your seedlings will feel like royalty growing up in such lovely bright surroundings. Nou-Nou is precious!
Marian - congratulations on your new roaster oven. What time is Thanksgiving dinner? (Your cake sounded delicious).
V - we must read the same books. I loved the Passion of Artemesia (by Susan Vreeland). While I certainly enjoyed Girl with a Pearl Earing, I find Susan Vreeland's writing more compelling with greater depth.
On the subject of books, I've just finished Jodi Picault's My Sister's Keeper for our book club. Has anyone else read that one? It will be an interesting discussion given the issues it deals with. I'm very glad I've been able to follow it up with Round Robin which is such a pleasure to read.
Da - great to hear from you and see more of your creativity. I want to go back and look at your photos again. Don't stay away too long!
I'm being requested by David to curl up with him on the sofa and watch a nature show. As he's still under the weather I'm heading in his direction.
Have a good evening all
Evening all,
Well a very frustrating day here. Sort of kind of got more stuff done to winterize the plants but it still isn't finished yet. Maybe by this wekeend. Then I met a girlfriend at Starbucks for coffee and she kept trying to convince me to give up caffeine. It made me cranky, especially because I didn't have time for lunch or afternoon snack and I was hungry on top of that. Coffee is my ONLY vice left and I really do not want to give up my caffeine. I've really given up every other food and drink item that I love and I can't face giving up coffee too. Grrrr.... I don't think I'll go for coffee with her again. Then I went looking for a dress for my High School class reunion and was so bummed out. I couldn't find even one single decent dress. All the good dresses had either spaghetti straps or were backless halter dresses neither of which would look good with the type undergarment I'm forced to wear. Then of course when I did find a style that I liked there wasn't one in my size. There were lots and lots of dresses in size 12 and 10 but none that fit me. Grrr... So now instead of feeling good about myself I feel like a huge cow again. Is there no end to this? Ok I'm done feeling sorry for myself about a non-essential issue.
Mary, glad to hear you and your family are feeling better.
Bug, the basement looks terrific! I need you to come and help me with organizing mine. I love the just painted very clean feeling you have going there. You did a fantastic job with that. It makes me tired to think of doing all that painting.~~ So NouNou is still with you. That's good news.
Woody, those roses sound like the perfect thing for a spot where I have some minis planted now. Unfortunately they are badly afflicted with black spot and I'm going to shovel prune them when I clean that bed out for the winter.~~ So sorry about the not so good news about the blood work. Worrying.
Taryn, sorry it didn't work out with the buyers. Hang in there.
Marian, the Snowbirds are back here for the winter also. I guess it's official.
Martie Sounds like you are going to have a great holiday at your sister's Thanksgiving-ish-y log home.
OK time to get some shut eye. Have a good evening all.
Just checking in before shutting down the computer for the night.
Mary, so glad to read that everyone is feeling better!
Taryn, hopefully all will work out with these buyers and if they aren't the 'right' ones for the house then hopefully those 'right' ones will show up soon. I'll have some fruit of the vine right along with you this evening......well, mine is Peach Schnapps not vino....but the thought is there. ;o)
Deanne, you will find the right dress, do not despair. What about the lovely outfit you wore recently to Doug's reunion? Will there be people there that will remember the dress? You looked lovely in it.
Our mail lady's car broke down when she delivered a package to my house. A hose to her transmission split and dumped all of her automatic transmission fluid on the driveway. She phoned her hubby and then phoned the post office with her plight and my address. We said on the front porch, visiting, until her husband arrived & another mail carrier arrived to continue her route. I felt so bad for her. She helped me haul 5 gallon buckets of gravel to cover over the transmission fluid so that it wouldn't get tracked into the house. What a mess! Her husband was able to cut off the split portion of the hose, reattach it to the pump and refilled the reservoir with 3 or 4 quarts of transmission fluid. I hope they were able to make it back into town without further problems.
Anyway, I enjoyed having 'drop in' guests. ;oD Wish it had been under nicer circumstances for her though.
Well, time to take the dogs out for one more potty break and then hit the hay.
G'night all........
Not feeling very energetic this morning. The shop is full of wet awnings, so there's no point in zipping right in. I have two measley jobs first things (a storage bag and then a valence for an awning. After that, well... probably more curtains.
It's cold and it's rainy here; real raw November weather.
I caulked the chimney and gave it a careful inspection this morning. Looks pretty good and I believe I'll be priming it this very afternoon. With some luck and perserverance I ought to be dragging it and the rest of the south wall on Sunday. I hope the kitties don't decide to help. :)
I sympathize with the dress hunt. I had a horrible time trying to find one this past summer. It really makes me wonder who the designers really think are buying them! Keep hunting; when's the reunion?
Yawn... (more coffee)
Quick stop in before I hit the road. For those who don't know I'm what's commonly called a "road warrior." My first love is advertising sales but right now I'm mostly marketing high-end telephone and data systems to mid-sized companies. Not very exciting and with the economy the way it is, a very tough sell. I miss the creative. So,
Threw my resume on line yesterday and got a bunch of responses -- two interviews today. My problem is always that I am ethical and most Sales Managers aren't. But I digress.
True November here, too. 1" of rain with wicked thunderstorms last night and by Saturday morning it should be in the 20's. But, the LEMON VERBENA LIVES!!! LOL If I tried I wouldn't have gotten this tender to stay alive outside until now.
Hope all who are feeling less than 100% find something to lift their spirits. Quiche and apple pie sounds like a great start!
"My problem is always that I am ethical and most Sales Managers aren't." It's true Martie, you'll be the first to go. Sleeze is valued, volumes are valued, profit is ignored, ethics a mystery. I've watched too many ethical sales managers hit 'the list.' Oh, that's not a very positive notion to start the note with, but I'll leave it there just this once. I give you a lot of credit.
What I was really going to say here this morning is that I can see the sky! Strong winds in the night blew most of the leaves off of the tulip poplars outside my window. Still plenty of leaves on other trees, but this is actually good as gutters scheduled for next week and I don't want to have them cleaned and then filled with leaves the week after.
Basement looks gorgeous GB! I'm still making order in the attic, the basement will be later this winter. Happy with attic progress though. All remaining boxes are being sorted and labeled with 8"x11" printed labels and then organized around the perimeter. I will know where to find things! Feels good, right T?
Glad your household is feeling better Mary.
Deanne, coffee is good for you. And I just heard or read that caffeine in coffee doesn't increase blood pressure after all. So drink away.
Morning, I'm sitting here with my AM coffee. Some things are sacred.
T, bummer about your mail person's car and the transmission fluid in the driveway but nice you had a visit. Occasionally my mail lady and I will chat for a bit if I'm outside working when she delivers the mail. She's a nice person.~~ There will probably be a few from the last shindig I wore that dress to at my class reunion so I don't want to repeat. (Doug simply does NOT get this)
Martie, yep, I agree with your assesment of Sales Managers. Why is that do you think? It seems so often that the ethical person in the workplace, regardless of title, is always the first person on the lay-off list. Hope you find something that makes you happy.~~ BTW if you are ever in Nashua on your travels give a jingle. I work from home unless I"m teaching a seminar so am home most of the time.
Cynthia, good news RE the leaves and gutters. Doug in his infinite wisdom cleaned the gutters here three weeks ago and of course they need cleaning again for your above mentioned reasons.
Chelone, reunion is on the 25th. I know what you mean about designers and who do they think is going to wear these dresses. Most of the dresses I looked at yesterday were halters, backless, strapless or spaghetti straps which might as well be. The thought of any of those styles on this old bod is enough to make me ROTFLOL! There is gravity to be considered after all and the image of falling out of a strapless cocktail dress at my reunion keeps popping into my head. I keep seeing a mass of people in a panic rushing for the exits. (Sorry my imagination runs away from me at times.)
OK enough of that. Speaking of this old bod it is time to take it to the gym for my daily dose of pain and agony.
Morning Idylls,
We had more wind here yesterday and lost our cable for awhile. I missed the computer more than the tv. I think I could get rid of the tv and not really miss it much. I'd probably read more, right Chelone? It's cold here today and we could get a little snow tonight, but the weather's supposed to rebound for the weekend and warm up. I hope so, I need another day out there, preferably one that Bella's not here. We've been on a kick here replacing things. Interior doors and hinges, window hardware, electrical plugs, all things that people who lived here in the past painted over and over and over, you get the picture? Yesterday we went on a search of cold air vents and finally found the right size at a kitchen and bath remodeling place. I had to order the heat registers online and they haven't arrived yet but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll fit. Why oh why do people just paint over everything instead of taking the time to do it right? One of my many pet peeves. I'm still working on the decluttering too. Since I've been working on it for quite a while now, most of the big clutter is gone, but I've been trying to find 3 things minimum a day that can go. Yesterday it was old paintbrushes. It's amazing when you start really looking around how many things that you'll never use again are just taking up space.
Deanne, hope you find the perfect dress for your reunion. That's one event where it's really important to feel good about how you look isn't it? I ended up with black slacks and a dressy top for my mom and dad's party last month because I couldn't find a dress I liked. Also agree that it's very annoying when a friend starts getting preachy. You go right ahead and enjoy your coffee!
Martie, good luck on the job hunt.
Taryn, hang in there. I hope everything is resolved for you really soon. No fun living in limbo land.
Chelone, can't wait to see the finished chimney and wall. It's great that you're now posting pictures!
Marie, that's got to be the neatest and cleanest basement I've ever seen. I'm very envious.
Woody, I'm sorry that your test results weren't what you'd hoped. You have such a positive attitude though and that counts for alot. Oh and quiche is one of my favorites and I love just about any kind of pie, especially for breakfast.
Mary, glad you had a barf-free day and the worst is over.
Marian, sounds like you're cooking up a storm in that roaster oven. I had to laugh when you said that neither you or Nolon is playing with a full deck. Are any of us??? Good that Nolon's feeling well and getting some things checked off his Honey Do list.
T, I would gladly send my tropicals out for you to overwinter for me. I'm not doing such a good job so far and they're looking quite neglected in the basement. I suppose they could use some water once in a while, lol.
I'm going to go have a cup of coffee now before Bella's arrival...
Deanne, we have never seen a picture of you that we did not think was beautiful. You looked great in your outfit from Burlington Coat Factory. Size 12 seems to be very limited in ready made clothing except for casual. LL Bean and Land's End work fine for me for casual but trying to find anything else has been a challenge. I have several things in the closet I'd gladly give away if anyone could use them including a long dress with beaded jacket that I bought for a wedding last year. Everything else is definitely outdated.
We both enjoy the chit chat with everyone even tho we might not share a lot of common activity. We aren't quite as 'remote' as ... T and Marian... and maybe VeggieGirl... or 'bug'... but 'drop in' company is very limited. I don't participate in group activity so good to know Marian has that for a diversion... I used to do it but ran out of energy. Lot's I 'could do with people' if so inclined. Plenty 'to do' here and we enjoy and treasure one another's companionship. We treasure companionship here too, so hope all will find relief from the challenges and comfort in the familiar. EP
Good gray November morning to you all! It looks like we're going to get our first hard freeze tonight so it's crunch time in getting the rest of the tender plants out of harms way. I still have two Abutilons, a rex begonia and a Dracaena that are out in the garden and need to be repotted. The bananas on the screen porch will need to be moved either into the house or garage...how much will this stuff cost me to rebuy in the spring?
Here's a picture I took this weekend of that Charles Grimaldi brug? I tossed it in the garage before the last bout of cold weather we had and it was covered with buds. A few days later it started blooming in the dark garage so I tossed it back out in the driveway. It's back in the garage now and still blooming. I guess if you only have room for one Brug, it should be this one.
Martie, good luck on the job interviews. Maybe we can do lunch next week? I got slammed getting statements out this week.
Dress shopping is a drag. I may go this weekend and try to find something for the office Christmas party. In the past I was able to wear sleeveless and backless in December but now I freeze. Since I'm a whopping 36A, it's easier to just have cups sewn into these dresses than to try and find a compatible bra. Since I've been eating better and exercising I've dropped a couple of pounds...guess where of all places? OMG, pretty soon I'm going to be concave...lol.
No time to really catch up this morning ,but wanted to share this picture of Pink Knockout, Agastache and Honeycomb butterfly bush. Still going strong after a 28 degree night. I don't know how much longer they will go though. Have a great day everyone. Norma
Morning, Idylls --
Gardenbug your basement looks ready to rent out!! so spotless!! wow. Wish youd come do some of that stuff at my house and send me some shots of your energy!! Chelone, youll have to post pics of your chimney after its done Im in awe of all this female repair power I confess most of the things I do around my house are pretty slapdash Im neither proficient nor patient enough to do things with the care they need and hence all too often they dont get done at all.
Im with you, Deanne no reason to give up caffeine as the latest 12 yr. study just proved! I tried it last year and tried switching to green tea there is no substitute! I think as long as we dont go the 6 cup or more routine (which I find I really cant do anymore or never sleep) we should be just fine see, that vice may turn out to be a virtue if you wait long enough for a medical study!! LOL. And Im sure you're going to find the perfect outfit for showing off your great figure.
Im sorry theres ill health among the group Marian, hang in there hopefully youll have a better day soon and its not so bad if the hubby is getting energized to do his chore list is it, no matter the reason!! Mary, Im sooo glad to hear your household is finally on the recovery route yuck nothing worse is there?
Taryn perhaps it will still come to pass but they have something to work out yet. Well keep crossing everything for you in the meantime!
Martie good luck with job hunting did that myself last year no fun I rate that event on my Top 10 Least Loved Things To do right along with going to the GYN for a check-up! A strong stomach, insulation from rejection and tremendous perseverance are always needed.
Woody I know how worrisome "bad genes" can be I think sometimes Im playing the same game and its really hard to accept isnt it? I look in the mirror and way too often see my mother (& her mother & her mother!!). . . . But then I think of all the people who know nothing about their heredity and genes and wonder if theyre better off or worse off not knowing? Accepting that we cant defeat time or age is hard no matter what... In the meantime, you are so amazing in all that you do and all that hard work in the lovely garden youve shown us and you have a tremendously uplifting attitude.
Sounds like lots of the Idylls are on the Fall repair/house winterizing route good luck to one and all Id be happy to supply a cheap plane ticket to my house to do some stuff like that for me anyone interested????
Well, it's supposed to hit the 30s tonite here (but no snow, thank goodness - nasty 4-letter word)- do you think it's time to bring in the agapanthus? Ha ha - or should I experiment with "how low can it gooooo?"
Good morning! Sunny but very cold here this morning.
Martie, Im on the parent side of parent-teacher conferences and my DD (youngest of two) is a high school senior, so thats why last night was probably the end. Technically there are spring conferences, but unless I get a strong signal the something is awry I wont bother with that round.
Chelone I had to laugh at myself as I read your post. I hesitated to abbreviate the title of the book we were discussing as I thought you might miss it. So Im reading along going GWAPE? What the heck is GWAPE?
Which brings me to the bad joke of the day in honor of Marian. A man came home and opened his refrigerator and was shocked to see a live rabbit inside. "What are you doing here?" he exclaimed. "Isnt this a Westinghouse?" asked the rabbit. "Yes, it is" replied the man. "Well, Im westing!" said the rabbit.
Deanne, dont you dare feel pressured to give up caffeine! I probably dont buy clothes as often as I should because I get so peeved at the idiocy of the fashion gods. Pastels dont look good on me yet some seasons (even in winter) you can walk into a store and see nothing but pastels. Cross out pastels and insert any other fashion trend you can think of. Were all different shapes, ages, complexions, etc. yet the fashion world thinks one look should fit all. EOR. (end of rant)
bug, take shelter from that "fallout" in your lovely basement!
Norma, I love your agastache!
T had much more of that schnapps than she is admitting to!
Yesterday was as crazy a day as I anticipated. A few minutes before 6:00 pm, I whipped into the house, filled the dog dishes, herded the animals outside and back in and was gone again in under ten minutes. Wasnt back home again until 9:00 pm. At my meeting we were served a lovely large lunch that included two pork chops. I polished them off, knowing that I wouldnt have time for dinner, and was about the only one in the group who did!
Conferences went very well. My only concern was whether DD was keeping up with all of her homework given all the time that she has spent on theater projects, and she hasnt missed a thing. Ive decided to blow off another meeting tonight in favor of accepting MILs invitation to dinner at the country club. Now this isnt entirely altruistic on MILs part because she is watching the three youngest grandkids while two sets of parents are out of town, and I think she appreciates an extra pair of adults to ride herd over the kids. But it will still be a nice night out!
Woody, sorry to hear about the bummer test results. DHs uncle has the same "bad genes" and is not doing too well right now, although he did get quite a bit of additional quality time with some newer treatment over the last several months. I always get a black humor chuckle from this side of DHs family. They are exceedingly practical and I swear theyve all but buried Uncle John more than once, but he keeps hanging in there. His wife doesnt like the latest car that he bought and talks openly about selling it and getting something else "when John dies." Oh for Petes sake, let the man finish living first, okay?
I think Im officially babbling so Id better post. Oh before I forget, Eden, I double-checked and cant find my eight or nine of spades
((((((Taryn))))) , I hope Marie is right and it is just a bank problem .
Martie , do not be deterred by the lack of ethics of others ...hold on to yours ! I keep commenting to my DH that there seems to be nothing left in this world that is based on honorable actions and thoughts . That even applies to a lot of 'charitable' deeds . They are done for the tax write-off more than for the goodness of it . Woops ... I'd better get off my soap box !
Marie , Your basement is looking so good ! And NouNou is a very pretty kitty . Her face looks a lot like our cat that I called "Muggly Other"..:o) . We have had 2 tortoiseshells .The last one was Tuffy .
I hope those snowflakes are brief .
Mary , I am so glad the flu is easing up for you and yours . Yes , a lack of energy and fatigue is a big part of fibromyalgia . I think each of us is affected differantly to some extent . It depends partly on whatever other problems we have . I have a lot of arthritis as well , and other chronic things . The fibro pain is in the muscles , ligaments and tendons ...actually every fiber of one's body ..hense the 'fibromyalgia '. It isn't always as bad as the flu , but is very seldom totally gone .
The cake is unfrosted . I hardly ever frost a cake . Nolon likes them that way , and that's good since he has been diagnosed with boderline type 2 diabetes .
Thanksgiving dinner at our house will probably be on the 25th . We always go to a friend's for Thanksgiving Day . I am hoping Tim and the girls will join us this year , as they always used to . Last year was sad , because they were absent due to the divorce .
Chelone , think of how happy and proud you will be when the chimney job is completed . I am thinking you must be a strong lady to do all that you do . The career that you have has to be very hard work . Is it always mostly done by women ?
Deanne , I am afraid I am with Doug on the dress thing . I haven't determined the 'new dress for every activity ' reasoning . I am not the kind to dwell on what someone is wearing , unless it is really a 'strange' outfit . I wonder ... do you notice if someone is wearing the same thing that they wore before ? And if you do , does it degrade that person in your eyes ? Thank God , I am just a 'country girl' ! :o) BTW , I wouldn't be caught dead in the styles you mentioned , even if I were young and in good shape . I bought myself a green velvet dress for a high school function ( when I was a student ) . The neckline was lower than I was comfortable with ( but very modest at today's standards ) . I sewed a black lace across the front of the neckline ! I still have that dress .
Teresa , Sorry about the mail lady's car mess in your driveway , but good that you had a nice visit . Actually I read 'sat'... not 'said' . I had to go back to see what you were correcting .
Woody , what a drag on the diagnosis . I do hope they are wrong . I hope it doesn't cause you to be depressed by it . I hate it when people have to contend with constant struggles physically ( or should I say "challenges" ); no one needs more added to it !
I know what you mean about the bad genes coming to rest with you . I am the only one of 5 siblings who has ailed ever since childhood . Lupus is a possiblity for a fibro follow-up . Que sera sera .......
Good morning
Norma - that is beautiful! Agastache is one of my all time favourite perennials and I've become very fond of my new Knock Out roses. I just picked up a couple more for $3 each! Your combo with the butterfly bush and weathervane is fabulous! We're getting snow today so your blossoms were much appreciated.
Deanne - finding a dress is hard whatever the size. Hope the right one presents itself and to show off the fabulous new you! There have been studies that outline the benefits to coffee drinking including 30% decrease in Parkinsons Disease and less tooth decay. Too bad I'm so far away or I'd join you for a nice mug of Joe!
Sue - Charles Grimaldi is a blooming machine isn't it? Mine got too huge to haul in and out and broke right out of its pot so I'm starting again with cuttings. I know what you mean about weight and the bust line, only I've been the oppposite. After putting on a few needed pounds after my Celiac was diagnosed I was stunned to find I now have a modest (very) cleavage. Having spend most of my adult years in a nearly-A teen bra checking out the B cups is still a novelty. I just wish my thighs were their former size too...:0(
T - its sounds as if you have a very nice mail lady. Glad you could enjoy the drop in visit. Are you working on a quilt at the moment?
Eden - I forgot to mention the Snowman Cut-out - thanks. It looks like a fun project.
Today is a Superintendants day at work so I will not see children today. Instead I have some paperwork to do, a few dozen loads of laundry to run and then meeting a friend to walk our dogs at noon.
Off to get paperwork out of the way.
Well all this talk of cleavage should have the male contingent in stitches!
Norma, your photo is exquisite! I too adore agastache. I feel as though you posted it for me alone, because I am feeling pensive about the death of MIL this morning, thinking of my own Mom's passing in March- and well, that bit of beauty was what I needed.
Temps here are unseasonably warm. We are 15-25 degrees above normal temps. It is supposed to be nice on Sat., so I hope to wrap things up outside. Last night I went to church and we packed Christmas gift boxes for children overseas. It was a good time with friends. Im still in the process of painting the family room. The color I picked seemed so blah on the paneling, so I am dry brushing a darker color with some glaze and then wiping most off. I think I like the effect. I want Rick to replace the 4 electrical outlets and the light switch as they are they are brown. I will declutter this room and not put everything back in it. Its a start ;o)
Deanne, I echo Mary about nice dresses being hard to find. If I find a dress, its usually when Im really not looking for one. When I found the dress that I wore to the wedding, I told Rick that Id better snatch it as there was only 1 in my size and I know how hard it is to find dresses and how much I hate to shop for them.
Dont give up the coffee if you enjoy it. I just heard the new report that caffine in coffee doesnt put women at risk for high blood pressure, but not the same for cola drinks. I sure dont want to give up my Dr. Pepper.
Norma, what a great combo. I love the rooster in with it.
Sue, the brug is lovely and quite a sight for November.
Martie, best wishes in the job hunting.
Marian, how wonderful that Nolan has found some extra energy and is working on those long unfinished projects.
Mary, good to hear that the flu is on its way out your door.
Smiles to all
AFternoon all, well I almost blew off the gym today because I'm still feeling down in the dumps re: dress thing but I forced myself to go and put in two hours of hard work. At least I feel noble now!
Sue, I'm jealous of your weight loss. I sure wish we could share! When I was looking at a red dress at a bridal shop yesterday the sales clerk thought she was going to find me a strapless bra... Well, I told her there was no way they had my size and I was hideously embarassed to tell her I wear (OK any men reading this, block your eyes) a 38DDD.... Yes that is not a typo. You'd have thought that after losing 120 pounds I could wear a normal sized undergarment but it just isn't happening. So the clerk comes back with a 40D and asked if I thought it would fit. I broke into hysterical laughter at that point. NOT! Anyway, wouldn't it be nice if we could share these things? I'd be happy to go down to a D instead of a triple D. ~~~ The Charles Grimaldi is absolutely stunning! That is amazing that it is still blooming. Very cool plant.
Mary, I wish you lived closer so we could get together for coffee or a glass of wine from time to time. That would be so much fun.
T, that is a scream.
Michelle, I'm looking forward to seeing your finished family room.~~ I'm jealous that you are almost done winterizing your garden. ~~ When is your DH going to put the windows in the garden shed?
GB, I'm so sorry about your MIL. I knew she was ill but didn't realize she'd passed.
Marian, yes I would probably notice if someone wore the same dress twice but no I wouldn't think less of them. I just wouldn't do it.
V. No worries, I'm not going to give up the coffee. There are limits to what I will and wont do to improve my diet. I've actually stopped putting in any half and half except for one cup first thing in the morning. Any other I have is black. Not my favorite thing but I'm giving it a shot to see if cutting those extra fat grams will budge the scale.~~ Glad to hear the conference went well. A milestone for you.~~ I completely agree with you about the 'fashion police'. It seems that almost all the dresses this year are strapless or halter tops. Incredible! The ones that aren't look like older 'Mother of the Bride' outfits. OH well, I'll keep searching.
Cindy, thanks for the offer of a plane ticket but I need to clean and winterize this place first. LOL
Norma, what a gorgeous photo! That is a real treat. My Agaastache 'Tutti Fruti' is still blooming its fool head off also. I agree with GB, it is a superlative plant.
EP, thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.
I really appreciate the positive support re the dress and coffee thing everyone. You improved my mood! Thanks.
*cough,cough* - I am back - sort of. Just skimming to catch pictures incase anyone takes them down.
Far behind again - just don't have the energy to post. Know that I am here giggling over boob talk, etc. Sue, you can have some of mine if you run out.
Cynthia - what a good mommy you are.
Did I ever post the pictures of the garage?
I am sitting here waiting for my mommy to come for a visit...
Keep the pictures coming!!
p.s. Taryn - patience grasshopper!! All will be good in the end!
Janie the garage looks great! Hope you are feeling 100% soon. Me too. Slept 12 hours last night and am still emotionally exhausted. Better than no sleep though. Have to wait until the 15th to do my hormone tests. Being devoid of energy, plus a host of other choice symptoms, is not at all fun.
Sue, lol, you can have some of mine too! Hey, if we use the excess from the waistline area I can get you a set of 44 DD's in no time!
Marie, basement looks great! But oh NO, not SNOW! I have to dig a few more plants and pot them then gather up 3 very large soakerhose lines before they get buried under white stuff. Guess I'd better summon whatever energy I can and get on that horse fast.
Deanne I recently read that small amounts of caffeine, a cup or two, before a workout can actually enhance it, especially weight training. But caffeine IS a toxin as far as your liver is concerned, and if the liver is overworked with toxins it metabolizes fat less efficiently. So maybe a cleanse every couple of months to keep all running smoothly? That's what I do. I'm drinking coffee today, uncharacteristically, as I need the energy boost dreadfully today.
Mary glad you are feeling better again. Stomach flu is the WORST! I usually don't get colds (DH has a doozy right now) but any belly bug going around finds me. Ginger is soothing.
Chelone, if I let the current stream of consciousness spew forth in a blue streak here on this forum it would probably land me in Disneyland! And Marian might not talk to me any more. ;) My head is full of viscious invectives and expletives, mostly directed telepathically to that agent that nixed the deal yesterday! I'd love to have been a fly on the wall and heard what he said to her to change her mind. When she arrived, 5 minutes before he did, she sat in our kitchen saying how much she loved the house. And there was NO misunderstanding from the night before--they were supposed to put in the offer yesterday. When her agent saw that we had an agent to look over the deal was when something changed. Haven't heard a word from them since. So all that's printable here is "AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" I don't want to go to Disney. Now Amsterdam, that sounds like my kind of place, lol! Fun place for a gal who's hormones are wreaking havoc! Heck, I'd be happy with more carrots in my diet. ;)
Norma, lovely Agastache! I've dug and potted one of my A. rupestris grown from EP's seed to take with me (assuming we are going anywhere). Love Sue's brug too, but hate that they bloom so late here in the north. If we get the new place, there is a bright sunroom, so maybe I could get some tender babies to actually thrive instead of barely hanging on all winter.
Woody your rose seedlings are lovely too. I'd like to hip hop on the hip bandwagon too if you have extra seeds. I'm collecting lots of everything, though when I'll actually have them listed and be ready to trade is another matter. I don't start seed until February, so hopefully before then. Sorry about the test results, that must be frightening. Though the medical miracles that arise almost daily give me hope. Look how well Bruce is doing on the experimental chemo he is on. Keep the faith.
Well I'm done my jo and must don gloves and woolies and get out to dig a few more plants. Especially the Forget-me-nots on Boomer's grave. Had a rough night with Shane a week ago when he suddenly realized Boomer is out back under his favourite and weeping birch and declared "WE ARE NOT MOVING! WE CAN'T LEAVE BOOMER HERE!" After much discussion of Boomer not 'really' being there, just his remains, which we are not taking, Boomer's in heaven with Grumps (my dad) he agreed the gravemarker and the forget-me-nots would be enough to represent Boomer going with us. Sigh, nothing's easy is it?
Ennyway, sorry I don't have the steam to comment to everyone. Really, REALLY appreciate all the good thoughts about the house. Guess it'll work out the way it's supposed to. Hi to all...
Just noticed the time and have to get the boys in 10 minutes, as Glenn is napping before work. He didn't go in last night, and took the boys to school this a.m., which is how I was able to get 12 hours of sleep. So I read a bit more here instead of starting to dig plants. Marie, so sorry about your MIL passing. I missed that somehow before.
Pop quiz for y'all--please do a tarot card reading below and tell me if they say all wonderful things about you and all your wishes will come true. As you know I've been crossing fingers and toes, praying of course, wishing on stars, heck even had a psychic pop out of Ebay and give me a reading. So for fun I did a tarot card reading at the site linked below. WOW, it sure seems to describe my situation perfectly! Don't ya think? (read below) Anyway I'm wondering if they just say great things to everyone or am I truly about to lead a charmed life, lol? Do me a favour and do a reading and let me know if we are all 'special'...
Taryn's tarot reading for today:
What Covers You
That which influences the general atmosphere or environment (current situation)
Ace of Pentacles
Briefly: You will be surprised to learn that one of your greatest financial wishes is about to come true.
In Detail...
This card shows a large pentacle in the middle which is symbolic of material wealth and abundance. If you should receive this card in your layout, and it is representative of a future event, then you will be surprised to learn that one of your greatest financial wishes is about to come true. This can bring financial stability to those who have never had it before in their life.
What Crosses You
Obstacles, conflicts or opposition in the path
Four of Pentacles
Briefly: You are about to finally achieve your goal of financial security and freedom.
In Detail...
The picture on this card shows a dark haired woman dressed in a robe and a crown on her head. She holds three pentacles in front of her and one is above her crown. Behind her is a brick wall symbolising strength, protection and safety. The pentacles ofcourse represent her finances and how she manages them. She is shrewd, careful and very practical. She is securing her financial future and will soon be rewarded for her patience and endurance. If you are this woman you are about to finally achieve your goal of financial security and freedom. You will be able to protect yourself from the adversities of the past and gain total financial control of your life. You may also be able to teach what you have learnt to others.
What is above You
That which has gone before you, those past events and influences that have led you to this path
Two of Pentacles
Briefly: A choice between two options.
In Detail...
This card shows a young man with a cap on his head which has a feather in it. He holds two pentacles, signifying a choice between two options. He is indecisive about where to put his time and his energy. He may also feel that his accumulation of funds needs to be weighed and considered as to where it would benefit him the most in the future. He could be offered two different jobs and will deliberate until he feels comfortable in his decision. He may join the army, navy or some other adventurous form of work. There is likely to be some good news or an offer arrives from overseas. The ocean is in the background signifying that he is a sensitive soul and has great compassion.
What is below You
The current foundation and what you have access to build upon
The World
Briefly: Travel is often associated with this card, new found freedom is just around the corner. You may also expect that your situation will improve quite dramatically in the near future and you are able to explore life with more energy and enthusiasm.
In Detail...
The World. This card shows a woman standing in the centre of the card and all she is wearing is a piece of cloth draped around her body leaving her breasts bare. She is apparently dancing and has a wand of some type in each hand. She has long brown hair and is carefree and open about herself and her motives. There is a wreath of leaves and ribbon surrounding her and behind this is the bull, lion, eagle and the head of a male figure. These represent the four fixed signs of the zodiac which are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. These signs may very well be symbolic of someone in your life already who is having a huge influence on you, or it can represent someone coming into your life who is born under one of these signs of the zodiac. Travel is often associated with this card, as it can mean travelling the world and meeting many people on your journey. It is also a card of freedom which is indicated by the woman being almost naked. If you wish to be free of some limiting circumstance and then you draw this card, chances are you new found freedom is just around the corner. You may also expect that your situation will improve quite dramatically in the near future and you are able to explore life with more energy and enthusiasm. Circumstance can alter so quickly that you basically blink and then discover you have a new life opening up to you.
What is behind You
The past events or influences that have played a major role in bringing this situation to light
Two of Swords
Briefly: There are decisions to be made.
In Detail...
To draw this card shows that there are decisions to be made. However all the facts may not be in at this point in time. There could be something about to crop up that you are not aware of and it may come to light later. Often something is not seen in the clear light of day or there is an unknown factor involved. Time is often of the essence and it is usually worth waiting it out for awhile to see what may arise to clarify the issue. Making a decision with all the facts is much easier than with only half the information. Sometimes this card can indicate a problem with the eyes. Maybe an operation will be required, an injury may occur, or glasses need to be prescribed, or new glasses or some other matter involving the eyesight. If this card is not you, or is unlikely to represent any situation directly involving you, then it is possible that it may relate to someone close to you. They may need your insight, or wisdom to help them sort out a dilemma they are in. There may be a situation where someone has to choose between two differing options and is not sure which is the most appropriate one to select.
What is before You
Immediate future and influences all about to come to light
Two of Cups
Briefly: Perhaps a new love is going to appear and involve some long-range commitment for you, the birth of a child or new found love.
In Detail...
The picture on this card shows a man and a woman looking at each other and each one has a cup in the left hand and they are making a toast. There are some heavy black clouds in the background and these may indicate a period of time, such as further in the distance, or in the past. Perhaps a new love is going to appear and involve some long-range commitment for you. The number two can represent time as in days, weeks or months and this may indicate when the encounter will take place. The woman may also become pregnant early on in the relationship, or if a married couple have been trying and this has been delayed or hindered in some way, now it may eventuate. Also there can be a celebration of some kind and this of course could indicate the celebration of the birth of a child. If you are single and looking for romance, then it may be on its way and you cold find this person proves to be your soulmate.
How you see yourself: a true reflection on your current attitudes and belief systems
Seven of Pentacles
Briefly: A bonus or raise is in the near future.
In Detail...
The picture on this card shows a strong man with a moustache holding a pick in his left hand. He is in a garden overflowing with healthy foliage, and in the background are mountains. He is obviously a hard working man going about his business, yet with an eye to the future. There are seven coins on the card depicting that he will gain financially from his efforts. There could also be a bonus in the near future for him, as most of the coins are in front of him. If this card represents yourself, you could be about to start a new job or earn an extra bonus in your pay packet. Or perhaps someone may actually assist you by guiding you towards a lucrative financial investment. You may also distance yourself from where you now live to earn a new living.
Your environment
How others from home or work or family view the situation
Seven of Swords
Briefly: A home move.
In Detail...
Quite often this card signifies a home move. There is a restlessness that gives the feeling of wanting to move on. If it is not a house move, it could be a new relationship, or one that is a significant relationship, such as your first one, or it has been a long time between relationships, or one that proves important in the long run, such as one leading to marriage. However a small word of caution, find out all you can about this new person, for there could be something secretive about him/her. This can also mean a significant happening or event at night, having to rush off somewhere, to someone's aid perhaps, someone in hospital and/or a time to make quick decisions and act in a hurry, or alternatively you may act in haste during the night. This card has also been known to indicate a robbery. It could be a thief in your home, or any other place where you keep valuables, such as a car or an office. Overall, your life now has the potential to alter in some significant way. You could cut ties with your past, your family or friends and go off on your own path. These changes may be irrevocable and can close the door on your old life to make way for a total transition into a new way of living. Just be sure this is exactly what you want to do. You need to be firm and strong in your decision making now and in the near future.
Hopes and Fears
That which one coverts that lies deep inside, hopes and fears are but a razors edge apart
Ace of Cups
Briefly: There is some abundance coming into the life of the person who draws this card. Whatever is wished for will be granted
In Detail...
The picture on this card shows a large cup being held in a hand and in the cup the contents are flowing over the side and in the background is a large white done. There is a watery background and some flowers and greenery. This symbolises that there is some abundance coming into the life of the person who draws this card. Whatever is wished for will be granted. Either a new love, a new location or other significant new start is possible and will occur within a relatively short span of time. If the health has not been so good, then this will be improved radically. If you have your sights set on some specific accomplishment, it is likely to be achieved. Take a leap of faith and trust in the future.
The outcome
Eventual outcome based on current card path
Ten of Cups
Briefly: This card symbolises great happiness and contentment.
In Detail...
This card shows a cup, held in a mans hand, and joined by a womans hand, as they appear to be about to sip together from the liquid in the cup, as if sharing in a celebration of some wonderful event. There is a rainbow in the background and several tall, green trees, some shrubs, beside a river and with mountains in the far distance. The sky is blue and the day looks warm as in Springtime. There are 9 cups across the sky in front of the rainbow. This card symbolises great happiness and contentment. Two people are brought together in unison and peace to share a special time in their lives. A joint project has obviously reached fruition and they are proud of their achievements and wish to celebrate in grand style. If you draw this card you may rest assured, that even though it took a long time to get where you are, it has all been worth the effort and the energy expended. You can relax in your new found comfort zone and pursue your other objectives with peace of mind, knowing that your life is now more secure than it has ever been.
Just a quickie but I saw this quote yesterday from Abraham Lincoln and thought this group would really appreciate it:
"All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind."
Off to pluck some thistles...
No thistles growing here. There is a pink glow in the sky and the earth is carpeted with golden leaves. Enjoyed a fun day preparing vines for weaving and making 'cotlet' candy.
I have a question. Was told by someone who has tried it that 4 oz of red wine at bedtime promotes better sleep and reduces cholesterol more efficiently than lipitor. Any of you have testimony to that?
During 'rest time' have explored internet for party dresses. 'Old Pueblo' is still my preference. Not that I am planning to attend any parties... but good to know what is available. I think the last 'party' I went to was sometime around 1968..... go for fun and flowers. EP
It must be winter here since there are ever so many juncos. They have been here for several weeks now. They always look like they are wearing tuxedos to me. The chickadees are everywhere too and a few bluejays screech at them all and grab the food.
Early this morning I received the news of MIL's death, around 8am. Although expected, it is always a shock. She died as she wished, with no intubation, etc. My daughter sent an email yesterday and SIL read it to her last night. I know what it said, and it was very touching, about all the things they had shared and how important she was in her life. Vashti,(MIL), shed a tear, and everyone believes she understood the contents. There is a very large family, extended family and "adopted" family. A celebration is planned for January or perhaps springtime. My day has been a bit chaotic and frantic, trying to locate DH at his conference. I did reach him and speak to him around 4pm and he is profoundly sad and feels crushed by a ton of bricks. He will be OK, but it is hard. He knows there are worse things than dying, but it will take time to adjust to the matriarch's passing.
I ran errands, removed hosta leaves in the freezing cold for an hour, painted basement stairs...and generally reminisced about a long interesting life well lived.
GB, my sympathies on the passing of your mother-in-law. 94 years......what wonders she must have lived through and heard of during her lifetime. I think your daughter's note to her grandmother was a very thoughtful, loving & wonderful gift.
Thinking of you....
Yes Ep . Our 'snowbirds' are slate-colored juncos . They arrived here at least 2 weeks ago , but are more abundant now .
Marie , my sympathies on your MIL's death , but I think you and I are of like minds about the death of the elderly . The 94 year old lady that we attended the funeral of , ( a couple of weeks ago ) , was the matriarch of her large family . She was loved by all that knew her , but I think most accepted her passing as a blessing . Naturally it leaves a vacancy in the lives of all who were close to her . She was one of the ones I always sat close to , and visited with , at the Thanksgiving Dinner we go to at one of her daughter's homes . I don't know if you have said where your MIL lived ?
I'm sorry your DH is feeling so profoundly sad .
Sue , your Brug is lovely . The start Deanne sent me is looking very good . I hope it will be at least half as pretty as yours next fall .
Teresa , now where did you get my morning picture ??? LOL
Norma , your agastache is gorgeous !
Thanks Cindy . Good to 'see' you again .... been missing you .
V , good 'Westinghouse' joke !LOL . I guess I was thinking about my Mother's when I posted . I'm sure her's was Westinghouse . I think they are all made in China now .
Janie , your new garage is very nice . Sorry you are still ailing .
Taryn , since you ARE one of my adopted cyber daughters it's good that you considered me when you stifled the expletives !!!! LOL . ( I still speak to Tim , and he comes up with some undesirable words occasionally . :0( )
I really can understand how trying your situation must be . It's too bad none of us can be of help , except to offer our sympathy . I'll pass , on the Tarot readings . My comfort comes from a much more reliable source .
I went in for my follow-up appointment with my new Doctor . She is very patient with me , and willing to work with me . She noticed I had a newly injured little pinky on my right hand , and wanted a nurse to dress it for me . I had an accident while washing dishes this morning . I poked my fingers in a glass to wash it out and the glass broke . I got a couple of pretty good cuts on the pinky . I showed the glass , and the injury to Nolon . His comment , " I wonder how that happened"', and he went back to watching Price is Right !!! I wondered how I would finish the dishwashing ( I had a mountain that had accumulated ) . I bandaged the vigorously bleeding finger , and dug out a plastic glove from a drawer , and went on with washing . I had visions of blood accumulating inside the glove , and was mentally feeling the effects of it . ( It didn't hurt .)
There was very little inside the glove , lol . It still hardly hurts .
Ennyhoo , I am no longer taking bloodpressure meds , and am going to try the diet and exercise regiments that she gave me info on . I also am going to take ST. John's Wort( for my mind ) , and a homeopathic med that I got at the health food store , for arthritis and similar pain . If I am not improved mentally in about 3 months , we will try a mild antidepressant . I am even considering trying the 4 ounces of red wine at night to help me sleep , and to help my BP . ( Don't anyone faint ! )
GB...I'm sorry to hear about your MIL. She sounds like a special lady and good that your DD was able to share her thoughts with her grandma. My sympathies to your DH and your whole family. It really doesn't matter how old you are or how old they are, it's always so hard to lose a parent...but 94 years...that's pretty special! Ei
Norma, loved the Agastache 'Tutti Fruitti'-it is one of my favorite plants for length of bloom.
Deanne, good luck finding a dress. I have to find an outfit for our company Christmas party and am not looking forward to it. Remember, I'm not the typical woman and don't enjoy clothes shopping. Last year, I bought black velvet pants and a black top with sheer arms and a few sparkles. I'm so much more comfy in pants. Absolutely hate panty hose and heels.
Marie, I'm very sorry about your MIL!
Marie, your mother and your mother in law in the same year must be touching lots of spots and bringing back memories. No wonder you're on a cleaning frenzy ~ My sympathy to you and to your family.
Marian, Merlot is very heart healthy and will help you sleep. I like the sound of your new health program! And cracked up over you washing dishes wondering if the glove was filling with blood lol!
Janie, your garage is all done!!! And is the car in the driveway too big for it? It's wonderful! Congrats, and I see shutter shadows so looks like still more work in progress?
Gosh Taryn, I hope the waiting is over for you soon. But think of all you've accomplished so far. It will be worth all of the work and waiting no matter how it turns out. And if you really want to sell, you will.
Deanne, did you check Talbot's? There use to be one in Acton, and there's probably one in Nashua now, but Acton's not far. They have some gorgeous dinner suits that I love.
It's 34F out this morning, the coldest so far this winter. But the house is 20 degrees warmer so maybe my insulation isn't as bad as I think it is? I'm going to take a shower to warm up.
Good Morning Chelone!
Wow, Cynthia, you're up early!
'bug, sympathy to you and your family on Vashti's death. The exit of anyone close to us from this planet SHOULD make us pensive and slow us down a bit. Wasn't she fortunate to be able to get off this planet on her own terms? 94 is a long life! Your cellar looks amazing! I know how much effort it took; had you hired the work out it would have cost more than $1!
Do you think the "westing" rabbit is next to the GWAPE(s), V.? I love silly jokes (and Steve Martin).
Michelle, what color are you painting the family room? and what color glaze are you dry brushing on? I love faux work; adds so much dimension, covers so many "sins". But you really have to be plan it out or it can look pretty bad.
And eden, I'm with you on the attention to detail thing! The helpmeet prides himself on painting everything in a 6' diameter :) , and thinks I'm nuts to remove window hardware before painting them. I'm a picky painter, still toughing it out with alkyd paints.
Chimney is primed and today is the first coat of the base color. AFTER a thorough cleaning of the area (this means blowing the dust and pet hair/feathers out of the baseboard heat). Yesterday was a busy one; and not terribly fulfilling. I have today off and may take Monday off, too as, with any luck I could put the protective glaze coat over the finished painting project... . I struck out totally in my attempt to order the upholstery supplies. The supplier doesn't sell cut goods and I don't need 25 yds. each of base burlap, closely woven muslin, or cambric! I have to search on line or call the upholsterer (but would rather not have to). And I have to start the hunt for the mantel stone.
Oh Taryn, sorry about the present real estate woes. Find "substitute" invective and spew on, sister.
Woody, I can't offer you anything substanitive on your health. BUT, you are vigilant and rather than denying and hiding from it you seek regular, routine care. Early diagnosis (if your fears are realized) will stand you in good stead. A good friend of mine has rheumatoid arthritis; was diagnosed many years ago. She immediately began taking her health more seriously, is careful about her diet and vices, and exercises regularly (swims). She had days when she is sore, but her Dr. tells her many of her other patients simply gave up at diagnosis and now are greatly debilitated; my friend is not! Keep busy, interested, and maintain a positive attitude and optimistic outlook; too much worry is not helpful.
Martie, good luck with the job hunt. And I agree with the importance of ethics and integrity; it seems they're often give short shrift, but when you think all is lost you encounter a shining example. Renews your faith... someone will think that when they meet you.
The late season shots of plants are just lovely. I'm amazed at how long some of these plants hang in there. I was nervous about losing the "germamiums" last night, but it didn't happen last night. The hydrangea leaves are looking a tad more flacid this morning... . I KNOW I have to get cracking on the transfer to the great indoors... AFTER the painting is complete.
Janie, the garage is wonderful. We're still waiting for the finished survey of the property, and then there is the permitting process; looks like I'll be scraping windows and moving snow again this year. Oh well. I'll be thinking of you the first time I have to do it, and I'll be envious. ;)
Marian, good to hear you're making friends with your new appliance. I mentioned a recipe I'd seen for green beans with carmelized onions and toasted almonds, that it sounded good and might be a nice addition to the holiday table... , "yeah, that right! you're coming into your cooking season, hon.".
Times a wastin' for me; I need to get the day underway... .
Norma , forgot to mention your photos. Agastache is a favorite and one thing I'd like to have more of. Your's is beautiful. No success trying to grow it from seed this year.
Marian , the link is for you. Be sure to know the side effects and interactions of herbs and meds. Steven Foster used to be at Fayetteville. Have studied his work and have met him once at a lecture. I prescribe a dishwasher and a hot tub, appropriate exercise, and some peace of mind. Good luck.
I think I am going off into my 'world of enchantment' for awhile and try some basket weaving from my own akebia, not necessarily the way the Cherokees do it. See you when I 'get back'. EP
Good morning Idylls,
Well the coldest morning to date this year at 31. A hard freeze and there won't be anymore dahlias clinging to life near the house. I still had a Snowcountry, Rosella, Otto's Thrill and a Bellini with flowers. Can you imagine that I had dahlias in the ground blooming until November 10th. That has got to be a record of some kind.
So, drumroll here I found a dress. Wohoo! EP and Cynthia, thank you for the help with the search. EP I'd never heard of Old Pueblo before but I love their site. That jacket dress is lovely.
The dress I found is black, 'V' neck front and back, a sheath style that changes to a fluttery, handkerchief, mid-calf length, hemline with some lovely beading then I found a short, sheer, beaded jacket that matches it perfectly. I'll need to grab a pic of it for you guys.
Cynthia, I'd completely forgotten about Talbots. We used to have one at the Nashua Mall. They are long gone now but I believe there is one at the Burlington Mall. I've bookmarked that site for further reference. I love the selection of dresses they have there. Like you I love some of those dinner suits. Nice! Maybe Monique can find something she can use there.
Marian, jeesh! Nolon needs, as Chelone says, a 'dope slap' up the side of the head if he didn't offer to finish up those dishes with your finger cut. That has happened to me before and those cuts can be nasty. I like the sound of your new doctor. Do have a little bit of wine just before bed! That is a very good idea. (Yes I almost passed out here)
Monique, I LOL about the fact that you don't like to shop for clothes. I used to be the same way. This shopping thing has happened to me since I lost weight. I know where you are coming from but there is a whole new world out there. LOL
V. good quote, I'm going to try to 'pluck a thistle' every day.
Jane, how wonderful your garage is finished. You must be so happy about that. I LOL about your giggling. Between all of us we could rearrange things and everyone would have the bodies of their dreams.
Taryn, that is so frustrating about the potential buyers not jumping on things like they said they would. So sorry. YOur stress levels must be off the charts. My friend MJ has been going through similar difficulties with the sale of her parent's house. It has been a year since her dad passed and she is the executor of the estate. There was so much to do and she already was pressed for time. Anyway, I think they finally have a buyer. I'm going to talk to her tonight.~~ That Tarot thing is funny. Wouldn't it be nice if it were right?
OK time to get off this computer and get to the gym. Here is a photograph of the last flower from Snowcountry. When I look at my dahlias I miss Honey. Hope she is just busy with things.
Have a lovely day everyone,
Happy Sunny Morning!!!
'bug: So glad that your MiL was able to pass peacefully. While it is an initial jolt, I'll bet the gatherings in her honor will be full of wonderful stories!
Goal for the day: Learn how to post pictures in a thread :-)
To all with "excess" cleavage: Anytime you want to peel some off, send it to me. I don't wear anything low cut 'cause I'd need to tape these babies together to get any kind of center indentation. At least I'm proportionate so I don't need to get much altered. Deanne, I didn't know about your substantial weight loss! Good For You!
To all with health concerns: I am always grateful that we live in a day and age where so many different paths are available for dealing with illness. In my history, I have and have encouraged others to find a practitioner you like and stick with them. Change 10 times if you have to. If you didn't like a plumber, would you hire them again???? And since it seems like this group doesn't wait for a medical catastrophe to get help, KUDOS!!!! for recognizing the benefits of early detection of anything.
To all with household projects in progress: I envy the time you have to do this stuff and also envy the talent and patience to get it done. DH will attest to my total lack of painting talent. I can, however, sand sheetrock like a pro, but that's about it. I'll stick to dirt and fabric.
Sue: What a brug!!! Will be checking Logee's stock to see if they have one if all your cuttings have new homes.
Taryn: Read your tarot and it sure looks promising. Keep whatever faith you're comfortable with.
V: Sorry about the conference confusion :-) It is a milestone to have all kids out of that era.
I'm almost embarrased to say that I've never grown Agastache. Haven't quite figured out why, particularly after seeing the pic. Also found "Honeycomb" Buddleia to be interesting.
Will probably be more later as I'm taking a "home day" and regrouping spiritually, physically and emotionally, and getting some laundry done, too :-) Thanks for all the supportive words re: the job situation. I'm too old a Scottish Yankee to change my ways to fit the mainstream and folks will just need to take me as I professionally am. There's a place for everyone ..... I just need to keep looking :-)
Hey, Deanne, good news on the dress. I like Talbots too. We have a couple within a reasonable drive from the house. As soon as they start marking down the late fall stuff I'll probably make a trip. A few weeks ago I saw alot of nice evenish dresses at Lord & Taylor so that's where I'm headed this weekend. Velvet is on my list this year.
We missed the frost again but I did scurry around the garden in the dark last night yanking stuff out of containers and tossing pots into the garage. As of this morning I still have roses, dahlias, salvia, and believe it or not the reblooming iris, 'Immortality'. If I hadn't panicked on the freeze warning I'd still have Abutilon but I hacked it back and yanked it from the pot. It was still gorgeous though and sprinkled with light peach colored flowers. Oh well, time to let go I guess. Norma your pic was great-loved the composition.
Janie, congrats on the garage. We love ours and I'm so glad that whole construction nightmare is over.
OK, better get at it. A former co-worker came out of the woodwork this week and I'm meeting him for lunch.
We had our first hard frost last night too. The castor beans and banana are very sad. Yesterday was spent on cleaning and laundry and I think I'll be continuing with that theme today.
Marie, my sincere condolences to you and your family. It's been a rough year for you and I'm so glad you had the opportunity to spend the day yesterday with your thoughts and reminiscences.
Norma, I love your combo of the rose and agastache. And don't you just love that honeycomb buddleia? I got one for $2 last year at the end of the season and mine's still going strong and blooming like crazy and the blooms are the prettiest shade of yellow. I got a buddleia bicolor at the end of season sale this year and planted it a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping that one makes it through the winter, you never know with a buddleia. I lost a Nahno Purple last year that was probably 4 years old.
Deanne, YEAAA! You found a dress. And it sounds like a good one! Can't wait for you to model it for us. Love your dahlia pic too.
Marian, I've done the same thing and cut my hand on a broken glass while washing dishes. Hope it heals up real quick for you. Also I'm hoping your new Dr. gets you feeling better.
Jane, the garage looks great. Bet you're glad that project is over.
Sue, that's some brug you've got there. My Charles Grimaldi was my best bloomer this year too.
Thanks for sharing the quote V.
Time for coffee and then Bella and I have cleaning to do. I sure wish I could teach the cats to dust and vacuum. Here's to a relaxing weekend for us all...Eden
Martie, when I'm slightly bloated from water retention I've had marginal success with the gel shaping push up "miracle" bras. But really, in order to get push up you need to have something to push on...lol, what a subject.
I should have plenty of brug cuttings from Charles Grimaldi plus I plan to try and winter over the whole plant.
As far as feeling good, since I've been doing this stretch routine that I found in a Pilates book combined with three days a week of following a Pilates mat workout on DVD, my back has never felt better. In a few weeks I plan to move up to the intermediate version of the Pilates. As some of you know, I had an extruded disc back in March and was in some serious pain. In order to try and protect my back I had given up on lower body strength training but now I seem to be back on track and determined to keep up the routine.
Ok, this time I'm really gone.
Caught up on my reading. I really enjoy sharing your lives, even if I don't comment much individually.
Today will be a garden/think day. Yes, it has been a year for me...and continues to be so. Today DS leaves for Israel, Egypt, Tunis and Italy. Thank goodness he has dropped Lybia from the agenda. The Italy portion of the trip is to be with his friend Laura...a lady I have mentioned to this group in the past who I feel brings out the worst in him. On the other hand, at 34, do I have a say? The Tunis section of the trip is with yet another lady friend. At least the Israel portion is with a male friend and the Egypt section is solo. If I sound cranky through the Thanksgiving holidays, it will largely be from concern about him and his travels. He is to join us for a week at "Noel" time.
Yes Marian, it sounds like a great transition in medical "maintenance". Do you suppose they drank Merlot at the Last Supper?
As I recall, Jane's new garage is for the motorcycle, hence her DH's attention to quick completion! ;-) I think she'll be scraping the windshield along with you Chelone!
DH returns late this evening, so I had best get busy and organize house & garden. At least I don't need to buy a dress for the occasion!
Martie, you've achieved your goal for the day and it's only 9am. Can't wait to see more pictures from you!!!
Marie, isn't Laura the girl who knitted the scarf a while back?
I can't believe Blackie hasn't checked in here with some comments on the bra/cleavage discussion. Seems that one would be right up his alley. He must not be reading the Idylls this week?
Let's ALL take a home day! I think that's why I was ready to type/talk early today. Needed a day off, and there was a quiet bubble at work, so instead of playing catch up I declared a holiday. Well, maybe it is a holiday. Happy Veteran's Day and a huge thank you (Hi Saucy!) to all Veteran's and to all active military personnel too.
I'm convinced on the Charles Grimaldi. Too late for Sue to mail, so I'll order one from Logee's soon as I can in the spring. (Seeds probably don't come true if I could find them.) Martie you're going to Logee's soon right? It's such a wonderful place to go in the cold seasons or on a rainy summer day. Just crowded with growth and old and lush. It would be nice if you could take photos to share here. Do you have a photo hosting account? Picturetrail is used a lot here, and another one that I can't remember. Just get an account, upload the photos and then use the HTML code from the image sharing or URL page in your account to embed the photos here. We'll help if you need it.
Eden, I ordered seeds - just a very few- from JL Hudson yesterday. Lespedeza Thunbergii (I have the cultivar 'Gibraltar' and it's enormous stunning shrub, but I never catch the seeds), Asphodeline Damascena (which GB has), Silphium perfoliatum (saw stunning photos of it this summer on the Perennials main forum), and Agave Victoria Reginae 'Pintillo'. Since Agave are slow growers that should be a good one to keep me happy this winter. Something I can start early. I love agaves!
Glad that you found a dress Deanne! I never go clothes shopping - just too hard, and panic if I have to go into the office. I have two 'acceptable' black dresses for deaths and parties. Just change the jewelery ~
OK, what will I do with my FREE day? Get 10% of the fall garden chores done? I can't believe most of you are done already. The cannas look a little burnt from the cold last night. I hope I didn't throw out all of my boxes, because I do plan to store them that way this winter. Before I switched to growing them in pots, I used to dig them each winter and box them in the attic where I stored them in the shower to keep them dormant. It was so easy to sprinkle them with water come March!
OK Martie, nice job. Now embed it in the text by pasting the url that you linked into the code shown below. Be sure to use all quotes and brackets exactly as shown:
If you did it correctly, you'll see the picture when you preview.
For example (and remember the url for your photo will be pasted between the quotes.)
Produces this "Good Morning I don't wanna get up!" from Katie:
The Maine contingent of the "white tornado" club is taking a break. I am not working with my customary systematic teutonic precision... I have several daily chores STARTED but non, as yet, complete.
1.) dishes in sink on "soak"
2.) cat box "mined" (that's complete)
3.) have used the Kirby on "blower" to blow the dust out of the baseboard heat fins. I've gone back over it and vacuumed it up. I've vacuumed the window sills,the sashes, the floor, and I'm now going to put the first coat of paint on the chimney.
4.) I put the first coat of silicone caulk on some gaping seams on the hearth "apron". When the caulk becomes translucent I'll be able to decide if it's time for paint or more caulk (suspect the latter, since I'm painting with high gloss, oil enamel and it showes EVERYTHING you missed in your prep. work).
Next move is to remove the cornices and give the draperies a really good shake/vacuum/airing. The helpmeet has agreed to do this tonight and they will go back "into position" when the chimney/wall project is complete.
I meant to comment on the quote from "Honest Abe" that V. offered up... it's just great. Here's on of my personal favorites: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety". Benjamin Franklin. His is one of my favorites in the history of our country, right up there with Abraham Lincoln. There is nothing sweeter than a nicely turned phrase, full of contemplation. Especially when they prove so timely!
Nou-Nou is the same color as Wrecks. I have a really stupid, whiney/high pitched voice that rises and falls like a meow that I use when talking to a cat, ANY cat. Itis a the same voice my father always used. He could get pretty nearly any cat to come over to him; I can, too (so can my brother and Mum). I sound like a complete idiot. The helpmeet has picked it up, too... with the same success rate. Do you do this, too?
I have to deal with paint and then the dishes. And then some errands. Later, kids!
Good Friday morning! It is cold and blustery here today, temp was 29F when I got up. Already I think that its Saturday because we had our "Saturday morning" pancakes. DD and DS love pancakes, and would probably eat them every day. They are picky though, they like the Bisquick version with a little sugar & lemon juice, no "just add water" for my griddle gourmets. We only make pancakes on Saturdays, no time for that during the week when we have to rush off to school or work.
Today I plan to tackle inside chores, like retrieving the rest of the winter clothes from the attic, and stowing away the rest of the shorts. More fleece blankets and warm clothing are needed since we are trying to keep the thermostat low!
My canna are still struggling along outside. Do you really have to wait until the foliage is completely dead to lift them? I'm afraid that we might have 6" of snow before that happens! I had canna 'Tropicana' last year and I think I lifted it too soon or left it out to dry too long - the tubers shriveled up and did not come back for me this spring.
Chelone, it sounds like your chimney project is progressing nicely. What colors are you using? LOL on GWAPE, I thought it was some inside joke or new internet acronym that I didn't know about, or maybe the Elmer Fudd side of you...
Martie, good luck with the job search. Hopefully you can take your time and find something that is a good fit for you. I fantasize about changing jobs, sometimes I really hate being "chained to a desk", but it is a family thing. I work for my SIL in the family business; it is actually only the 2 of us in the office, plus a receptionist. I love her dearly, but she is not the always the easiest woman to work for. We work better individually than together. My only hope of leaving that job is if they decide to sell the business...
Deanne, glad you found a dress for your reunion. You are the queen of shopping! Where did you end up finding it?
Monique, I'm with you - I'm more comfortable in pants too. We have a big family wedding coming up next May though, I guess I'll need put on a dress for that one. Not sure yet if it is a daytime or evening wedding. Why May though? Don't even get me started on bridal showers and weddings during peak gardening season - I foresee at least 2 "wasted" Saturdays next spring!
Taryn, hang in there - thinking of you and your real estate struggles.
Take a moment today to think of all the men and women who have served our country; we have them to thank for the freedoms we have. I tried to explain freedom of speech to my kids once, and they could not comprehend that in some countries you could be jailed or killed for expressing your opinions on certain subjects.
Well, duty calls - the attic is waiting for me.
This definitely is the day to say ***Hi Saucy!*** I wish you would step forward and be aknowledged on Remembrance Day. Think of you often, your house, your outdoorsy family, those darling kids, your accent- which to me is so wonderful! I suppose your garden chores are coming to a close for another year.
Cynthia, starting agaves from seed, what an intriguing idea. I've been wanting one since seeing the pictures of yours. Wish I'd known you wanted Silphium perfoliatum I could've saved you seeds. Make sure you give it lots of room when you plant it out, it's a very large plant...
LOL , Eden . I was thinking the bra discussion may have scared our male posters away . Of course it shouldn't bother David , since he is a physician .
Thanks on your good wishes , but at this point my Dr. isn't very much involved .
Wow ...I got up with a doosey of a headache ! Am waiting for pain pills to ease it .
Our phone company is installing a new underground cable . According to DH , the phone guy told him that it would improve our internet service ... we'll see. The line has arrived at our mailbox area , and is proceeding down the hill today ( if nothing bends or breaks ) .
Marie , I hope I didn't sound insensitive to your loss . As I said , I have no problem accepting the death of elderly folk , no matter how close . I am more apt to rejoice if I know they have 'lived a good life ' ( sort of like what EP said ) . I hope my survivers don't grieve too deeply when I pass on . ( BTW , I like the name 'Vashti' . I know from whence it comes . )
RE : Merlot , we believe the 'fruit of the vine ' was unfermented . Now the wine that Paul told Timothy to take ," for his stomach's sake , and his many infirmities " , was surely fermented .
Sorry about your DS concerns . It sounds as though he has a very busy , and interesting , life . Good to hear that your DH is on his way home .
Thanks for the St. John's Wort link , EP . It is a good one . I have bookmarked it . Mmmmm , I'd like to sample your cotlets !
If you have noticed that I am jumping around with my follow-ups , it's because I am just scrolling back and forth , and not taking notes . I'm afraid I keep missing things I want to respond to .
Brrrrr , Cynthia . I hope you donned plenty of warm clothing after your shower , with the indoor temp only mid 50s ! Does the sun help warm your house ? It does ours . We have lots of windows on the sunny sides .
LOL , shouldn't that be 'Westing wabbit near the gwapes " ?
Chelone , if your bean recipe is anything like the famous green beans and onion rings recipe , I'll pass . YUK ! MY sis loves it . She can have my part ... lol .
Deanne , I'm happy you have found a nice dress . I hope I didn't offend you with my post . I just don't have that much interest in clothing . I guess I'm fortunate that I live in a country atmosphere . I don't want you all thinking everyone around here are 'country bumpkins ' . There are lots of 'high-toned ' ladies . I'm just not one of them , and I am never involved in activities that require fancy dresses . I do think the dress you found sounds lovely , and I do want to see a pic of you wearing it . LOL , on the 'dope slap ' for Nolon . He hasn't a clue !
Congrats , Martie , on your pic posting success . You are a fast learner .
Guess I need to get out and do some walking . I don't want to go up the road while the work crew is there , so will walk around and around our yard . That in it'sself can cover a bit of territory .