Enough is Enough

I know, I know that everyone likes snow but I am not one of them. 

I feel like I am stuck in this house, or office.  It is rather lonely and confining for me.  I will get out and drive in the stuff but only after the major rush of cars has happened to break down part of the ice on the roads.  My itty-bitty car just does not go well on the stuff, absolutely no traction.  Yesterday I had to go to the office as B is taking a few days off, like I did last week.  The Hubby cleaned off the driveway wonderfully well but the street below was another thing.  It had a few places of pavement with lots of ice.  I have a Miata which you can put anywhere, so when I backed out of the garage yesterday morning about 9:30 I just did a turn-about in the drive.  Our drive goes downhill and so does the street and knew that once I got to the street there would be no stopping and going basically.  So forward I went.  I rounded the corner, two corners, and luckily there was absolutely no oncoming traffic either way.  The side roads are murder but the main roads are not bad, although the melting from the snow mounds running onto the streets I knew this morning would be sheets of ice.  So, no workouts for me as I don't want to be the test bunny on the roads at 5:30 in the morning.  (Sorry W, I'm sure I'll be back to it next week!)  I so love my car but it has come to the point that I need something bigger and safer, especially during these icy moments.  Besides I need bigger to haul bigger canvasas for painting.  I am very limited in what I can carry in my Miata.  I don't want to sell it so we will probably keep it for the top down kind of weather but as of now, I'm looking for something new.  In fact, The Hubby and I are going shopping today, need to before the end of the year. 

I am totally in love with the new 2010 Jeep Commander.My head turns every time I see one.  Years ago I had a 1986 (new then) Jeep Cherokee.  I absolutely loved that car but it had no power and after 10 years became unreliable for me hauling around two kiddos.  Then I got a Tahoe, which I loved but I had no one else to haul around then and I had the yearning for my sportscar.  So here I am again needing to have space again.  The Hubby wants to look at the Tahoe againand the Ford Flex, which is my least favorite.

So Merry Christmas to me...

Okie Blog Awards

The 5th Annual Okie Blog Awards are just around the corner.  I found info on Okiedoke but most importantly the catagories, rules and voting info is found on Okie Blog Awards.  Voting begins Jan 1 - Feb 2 so be thinking and reading for your voting pleasure...  :^)

Best Arts/Crafts Blog
Best Audio/Podcast Blog
Best Business-Related Blog
Best Culture Blog
Best Blog Design
Best Family Blog
Best Food Blog
Most Humorous Blog
Most Inspirational Blog
Best Kept Secret (blogging prior to 1/1/09; not the prior recipient of an Okie blog award)
Best Micro-Blogger (Yes, Best Tweeter. Who writes the best 140 characters?)
Best New Blog (2009)
Best Oklahoma City Blog (metropolitan region)
Best Overall Blog
Best Photography Blog
Best Political Blog (Conservative)
Best Political Blog (Liberal)
Best Representation of Oklahoma
Best Rural Blog
Best Single Topic Blog (majority of content must be on one topic)
Best Tech Blog
Best Tulsa Blog (metropolitan region)
Best Veteran Blogger (5+Years)
Best Writing

Time for Change

The Beginning!



Here it comes the spiel for the "Time for Change".  The yearly quest to make our New Years resolutions that are never full-filled.  I am so guilty of that.  I have not made "the" resolution in several years. "The" one I am referring to is the "D" word.  I have avoided the "D" word for many years and vowed to never do it again.  Diet, there I said it.  I prefer to call it a lifestyle change, which is as it should be.  I have done fairly well on my own for several years but it is not enough.  Yesterday when B&B2 were over we watched old home movies that The Hubby has converted to DVD's, and there I was, skinny.  (14 years old)
I miss that old friend. 

Not that I want to be skinny but I'm tired of my belly, and it is less belly than the past few years.  I will publicly share my weight here and my struggles, although this will not become a diet/weight loss blog.  Several years ago I blossomed to 276 pounds,

the most I have ever weighed.  The year (2006) Gail died and my mother went through her horrible health issues and passed was a turning point.  It was a devasting year for me.  I decided that my knees and back were not going to survive unless I started getting with it.  I loved Gail dearly but she was horribly obese and smoked (I don't) and probably had a massive heart attack from it.  I was not going to leave my family and friends like that.  I had been doing Jazzercise for several years and had dropped about 30 or 40 pounds but it was not enough so I kicked it up with walking and really changing a lot of my eating habits, more than I already had.  I have battled this issue most of my adult life and felt fat when young even though I wasn't.  In fact, when I met The Hubby I was wearing a size 1 in jeans, my sis's jeans, and didn't eat, really, not much.  I met him and we ate, a lot.  He was a skinny-mini with energy out the rear.  My battled started.  We didn't have take out food much where I grew up.  There were only a couple of take out places and it was expensive and we could not afford it when I was home.  Meeting The Hubby and taking me to the "big"city of Tulsa my eyes and stomach were spoiled and the blossoming and war began.  After our first child, B, I went to Weight Watchers and was rigid in following it.  I lost the weight.  I looked good.

I was a stay-at-home mom, mostly because our business was out of our house and I was the office help.  So I dieted and worked in the yard in a huge garden, daily.  I tilled and weeded and got skinny.  I learned a lot about how to eat, and portions and habits were changed.  After the second little one, A, I didn't lose it, I gained more.

This is me today.  I still have a long way to go but I am in better shape physically than I have been for many years. 

*  I don't taste when I cook. 
*  I've cut tons of fats out of my diet. 
*  Cut the consumption of diet pop to 1 a day (used to be 6). 
*  I drink tons of water. 
*  I have a personal trainer 3 days a week.  (Quit Jazzercise because we moved too far away.)
*  Take multi-vitamins.
*  Don't snack.
These were very big steps for me but obviously they are not enough and I need to make some more changes.  It is time.

I have decided that I am going to break down and start the carb count.  ICK!  I know it works.  I'm not going to be perfect but it is a place to start.  I've tried the "new" Weight Watchers but just can't seem to do it anymore. 

My Plan:
*  Increase my cardio
*  Cut diet pop
*  Track my carbs
*  Continue the previous good I've done

I think I've got my mind there, I just need to take the extra step for a healthier life.  I'm 53 years old and I want to live, healthy for the next 50 or so.  Wish me luck.  I probably won't start right on Jan 1 but it will be January.  Weather permitting, 'cause I don't drive if it is snowy or icy to workout and I'm not a home workout kind of gal.  Got to make it work in my life for it to be successful.  Walking may start up when the weather begins to get better.  Oh, I'm making excuses already.  See how that slipperly slope gets started.  I just know me.  I'm not a self-motivator.  Got to work on it. 

(Speaking of change, I'm playing around with template colors as I am bored with the same old thing.  Bare with me.)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all the bloggy world.  We've been snowed in with family safely in their own homes this Christmas.  It is kind of sad that my table is set, the tree is full to bursting with presents and my fridge is stuffed with food to share.  I am glad that our family is safe but it is a bit lonely here with just The Hubby, Clayton and myself, the usual.  I actually spent hours, I said hours, painting yesterday and last night, which is good.  Poor little Clayton doesn't know what to think about all the snow.  When The Hubby took him out this morning he was confused and managed to run out to the back of the yard, behind the bushes and make yellow snow.  After The Hubby fed him he started doing a little dance and running around so The Hubby took him out again.  He managed to do the other part of his job right outside the back door.

  He just couldn't make himself go out any further.  That was fine, as long as it was outside.  Right now he's all curled up on my foot stool around my feet trying to stay warm.  The Hubby and I went to bed the usual time last night so it was not unlike any other night.  We only have one present for each other under the tree so we are just savoring it.  My family is supposed to be here for lunch but I really don't see that happening and I don't want them on the roads really.  B&B2 didn't go to his family out of town and were going to try to come over here last night but the locks on their car doors were frozen.  I guess we will enjoy a huge ham and potatoes and lots of sweets by ourselves.  I told The Hubby's family we might try to get together tonight but not even sure that is going to happen.  Hopefully the sun will make the roads a bit better today.  This is out the front door.

Best laid plans

Best laid plans and the unpredictable weather can mess it up.  I have the house ready, my bed made (doesn't happen much) and was waiting in anticipation of the family gathering.  We decided to cancel the family Christmas Eve and so here we sit.  I fixed The Hubby a tuna salad sandwich and we toasted to each other and began our evening like every evening, doing nothing.  Snowed in.  Blizzard weather.  That is a word we haven't used here, ever, blizzard!  Think I'll drink a bit of wine, watch White Christmas and go to bed early.  Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

Unwrap and unwind.

My lists are complete today.  This has been the easiest Christmas I've ever planned for and I'm so loving it.  The presents have been sitting, wrapped under the tree for over a week.  I'veI'v baked and my cabinet is just overflowing with goodies.  I didn't send Christmas cards this year but I'm fine with that too.  I'm not sweating that problem.  After Christmas, in the next month or two I'll send out letters, my favorite thing to do, a lost art.  I've had my nails done today and my gray covered a couple of weeks ago.  I replaced the broken glass measuring cup that I broke today.  Visited the liquor store for wine for Christmas eve.  Today, I finally did the one thing I've just not had time to do, I got my H1N1 vaccine.  I've been back and forth with myself about whether it was safe or whether I really needed it but I've had pneumonia three times and a huge family history of lung diseases.  The planets were aligned today and the opportunity made it happen.  So I am ready to unwrap and unwind this holiday season.  Merry Christmas my bloggy friends. 

Uh Hmmm

Uh Hmmmm.....anybody there.  The response I have been getting here has been a bit slow and I'm guessing, hoping it is just because of the holidays.  I know I have been lagging behind on keeping up with my favorite blogs too because of just that.  Besides all the holiday hoopla I've been trying to keep up with painting so be sure to check out the art blog on the latest.  Have a great Christmas everyone...

Here's the latest of little Clayton...

A baking fool

I've been a baking fool today....check out my cooking blog... I had to taste the results.  I also did a banana bread but got the recipe off of a website.  My only tip is that I had the very ripe bananas in the freezer waiting for the day I would use them.  They looked horrible but were perfect inside. 

Saturday of stuff to do!

Today, well this weekend, we stayed in town, away from the cabin.  I have a bunch to do here at home and plan on gettting it done.  So far this Christmas season I have accomplished what I set out to do and not had an ounce of stress involved.  Seems like everything has just fallen in place for me.  I like that!  I baked fruitcakes the other night because the opportunity happened to be just right.  Yesterday I went to Daddy's house and put his new electric blanket and mattress under the new sheets and duvet cover.  It is just beautiful.  (I think I need to paint him a picture to hang in there.)  I went there to meet the Sis and return her overnight bag for her trip to the hospital on Monday.  That done I was able to open my Saturday, today, to paint and bake and just hang out at home.  I long for those kinds of days and they don't happen often.  Seems like we are constantly in motion with no time to just hang out at HOME!  I know we do at the cabin and I love to go there on weekends but there is nothing like home.  I don't have to get dressed today, brush my hair or my teeth (may have to rethink the teeth-blech).  I can just roam around the house and do nothing or I can do my laundry, which has piled up, while watching Christmas shows.  I love staying at home sometimes.  I don't have to venture out the door at all this weekend except to pick up the paper in the driveway.  We do have a function/party Sunday but I will be ready to get out by then.  Here's to baking and the smells of a happy kitchen.  I should have some pic's for the cooking blog tomorrow...keep an eye out.   Toodles all and happy weekend, happy baking, happy day!

Thursday...hmmmm

Well, today is Thursday.  Yes, Thursday.  There is nothing special about today, it's just Thursday.  Well, if you look at the calendar it is December 17, my lovely niece's birthday.  She is 25 today, which means A will be 25 in 6 months.  Ouch!  My baby 25.  OUCH!  Today, this Thursday I plan on spending time at the easel and slapping paint on a canvas, uh, well, applying paint to a canvas, as my instructor corrects.  Yesterday I put my entry in the mail for an art show in March.  That was a very scary thing to do actually, to really put yourself out there, but I did it.  I'm going to enter the picture of Danny

"Danny Boy"

and the Cigar and Flowers.  Not sure what will be the third one but I have a few months to decide.  The "Danny Boy" picture is not for sale but I definitely put a price on the "Cigar and Flowers" of $300.  Think it is too much or too little.  I'm just not sure but I had to put something down and I just took a chance.  The Hubby and I were in the Palace restaurant for dinner the other night and on the wall were lots of art for sale and in the booths small paintings for sale.  The large ones were $500 each but the small 8x8 ones were $150. The one in our booth was a simple coffee cup, looking down in it, very simple...$150.  So I figured my 16x18 wonderful "Cigar and Flowers"

could handle a $300 price.  What do you think?

"Cigar and Flowers"

Make, Bake, Wrap & Ship

I've made a few Christmas presents like potholders and crocheted scarves. I've baked fruitcake, that is all for now. I've wrapped all the packages and placed them under the tree and today I've shipped the two I needed to have in the mail. Yup, I think I'm done!

Yesterday was the last day for art class until January and that makes me a bit sad but I have a few started at home that should keep me busy.  Check out my art blog (see the right hand column for link) to see what I've been creating.

Now we are down to party, party, party although Monday I will be sitting in a surgery waiting room.  Yes, my Sis is having surgery yet again.  She is having a stint in her leg where she has a blockage in the area where she has had several heart cath tests and a bypass in her heart where she has blockage (unrelated to the heart valve she had replaced 11 years ago.)  So Monday, please keep the good vibes going as we wait, with Daddy a few hundred miles away from home.

Jaw dropping documentary

I just watched a BBC documentary on the devasting problems of inbreeding of dogs for purebred animals.  It is an hour long watch that I could not stop watching.  I have always thought that the inbreeding of the poor dogs was apalling and after watching this video I am even more apalled.  I was intrigued by the film mainly because one of my very dear friends has a sweet King Charles Spaniel that has a scratching problem, not that she has the issue of syringomyelia that was discussed heavily in this documentary, but it did make me sit up and take notice.  If you have an hour to watch this, please do.  I love mutts, don't you. 

Blah, blah, blah

I have been very blah in my thought processes as of late.  Just can't think of much to write about.  Actually that sometimes means that I'm happy.  That I don't have a gripe, that I'm content with my life.  It can also mean I'm just too busy to put anything down in writing.  I think it is a little of all of the above.  The work at Daddy's is slowing down a bit as I want to focus on Christmas, work and my painting.  My last painting class for the session is next Tuesday and I'm a bit sad by that but I know it will start up again in January.  I've got the one painting started of fishing Daddy in class and at home I've begun a few too that should keep me busy for the interim of time.  I need to find a day for baking next week, fruitcake to be exact.  Also, I have got to finish Christmas shopping and start wrapping to make sure I have not forgotten anyone.  Since A is not going to be here for Christmas I also need to get hers in the mail so that she has something under the tree from us on Christmas day (and to Daddy too).  We are also hosting The Hubby's family for Christmas eve and I need to plan the food stuff for that one too.  Plus, The Hubby wants to do the company party next Friday.  Thank goodness he is okay with catering.  A lot to do this time of year.  Last week was the wedding and then we attended the new mayor's cocktail reception.  This week will be our banks Christmas party along with a party on Saturday night.  Last night we were invited to the neighbors for cocktails about 5:30.  Another couple from across the street came and joined in and the cocktail event finally ended about 8:30.  Whew, dinner was three glasses of wine, cheese, crackers and grapes.  It was great fun. 

We also have begun a little remodel of the front of the house and yard.  After the ice storm a couple of years ago we lost one of our river birches and the other one is dying, and with the lack of shade the azaleas are dying.  So we have been getting bids for the entire front landscape do.  The first step has been that we had the front porch posts changed to look like what we have inside the house, kind of rustic instead of early American kind of stuff.  Those are done and now we will begin the remake.  Then we have started up the idea of the master bathroom remodel/add-on again.  New designs with the architect and new bids as the first ones were off the chart.  So you see I have nothing going on in my life...just a lot of blah, blah, blah....

Another cancelation...what's the world coming too!

Okay I've had it with CBS and daytime television.  I'm going to be left with crap to watch.  They have announced that 45 year old As The World Turns will end September 2010.  What is going on!!!!!  I'm devastated and heartbroken with this news.     http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/12/08/as-the-world-turns-canceled/41#c23795987

It's raining, it's drizzling...oh my aching knees.

Up early as usual this morning to work out, on a limited basis I might add.  The weather is cold, drizzlily wet and just "stay in bed weather."  Last week when the weather decided to start being winter my knees started in on me.  I woke up Thursday to a little ouchy in the right one and a bit of stiffness in the left one and by the end of the day I could hardly bend either one of them.  They were both swollen to the size of grapefruits.  I am "blessed" by having my Daddy's knees and apparantly I have some athritis in them.  This was not going to be good for a wedding on the weekend and last night a fancy affair.  I needed to be in tennis shoes but that can't happen for a wedding.  Luckily this morning they are so much better, still a bit sore but the swelling is down.  Aleve is wonderful.  Last night we had yet another shindig, the new mayor's cocktail reception.  I dolled up and The Hubby spritzed some cologne on for me so we could look spectacular and smell good too.  He told me the cologne was for me but I didn't realize he really meant it, for later.  Uh...no...too late.  LOL! 

It's a Done Deal

Last night The Hubby stood up for his best friend and we all, as guests, witnessed a wonderful ceremony.  It was just perfect.  There were a few tears, especially on the grooms side of the chapel.  The oldest, B could hardly contain herself which set me off.  The grooms older sis, sitting in front of was weepy too.  It was truly a mixture of sadness for the loss of Gail and the joy for the future of B&K.  Lots of torn emotions but a wonderful, beautiful ceremony.  The Hubby gave his bestman toast and somehow got a little tongue-tied in his funny words to acknowledge that K & Gail those many years ago were the ones to set The Hubby and his "first" wife up...WHAT, I am the first and ONLY wife, as B shouted to him.  It did bring a lot of laughter in his misstep in words.  I forsee many, many years of great happiness for the two.  Cheers to you, B&K!

This morning I arose early to feed Clayton and tried to crawl back into the warm bed again but once the mind starts whirring I just had to get up.  So out into the cold I marched to get my paper.  A hot cup of coffee in hand and it still dark outside I went through the paper and sale ads.  I'm looking for a butcher block table/cart to replace the area in Daddy's kitchen where the old unused dishwasher sat.  I am not relishing hitting the stores this time of year and just may wait till next month.  The Hubby and Clayton (who went back to bed) finally got up a couple of hours later and the peace and quiet was no more.  The television on I decided to do a little painting.  I have started yet another painting here at  home.  It is the cowboy hats.  So yesterday and today I did the blocking in of the hats and lamp.  Of course it is different in the drawing I did but should be fun and a challenge. 

This morning when the noise started up I headed for my room to work on it some more and prep a few more canvases.  I have several drawings all ready to paint so I might as well get a head start on them. 

I left the living room because The Hubby wanted to watch SNL that he DVR'd last night while we were gone.  I watched some of it and then came back in at the end.  Is it me or is that show just not funny anymore.  I mean really.  First of all the cast is getting just as bad as the guest stars at reading the teleprompters.  One of the skits with Blake Lively and Will Forte and someone else I can't remember was about stealing a potato chip where at the end of it the guy I can't remember pretended to regurgitate the thing up and into Forte's hand then he dumped it in the potato chip bowl.  ICK!  NOT FUNNY! 

Today, I'm heading off to Daddy's to begin the clean out of the kitchen cabinets, refrigerator and hopefully start the laundry room/pantry and if we still feel energetic we will work on the back porch.  That one actually should be easy, TRASH and haul off.  Brother and hopfully Sis will be there to work along with B.  Lots to do still.  I ordered Daddy a new set of sheets from Pottery Barn, 400 thread count and a new duvet and pillows.  The duvet will be here this week.  It will be so very pretty for him.  I can't wait for it to all be done and sparkling. 

Wedding Rehearsal

Last night was B&K's wedding rehearsal.  The Hubby is K's best man (he's never been a best man before) so we were in attendance, me as a bystander.  I watched as everyone gathered on the "stage", K waiting by The Hubby while the bride's music began to play.  B slowly started walking down the aisle and K came down the steps to meet her halfway, took her hand, kissed it, then wrapped her arm around his to continue down the aisle together.  Oh boy...the tears started welling up.  I'm not sure if it was because I was touched by the moment or because I almost wish this moment was not here that we could turn the clock back nearly 4 years ago to before Gail left us.  I am so very, very happy for both of them to start their new future together but oh my heart breaks for the loss of my friend.  The family spent last week in California renting a yacht and having a ceremony to scatter her ashes in the Pacific ocean.  I'm sure it was time so that K could move on, it was time.  I know all this yet, well, yet.  I can't explain it.  Tonight is the wedding and I will go with a smile on my face.  Be happy, laugh, and enjoy the wonderful event for K & B and for K's kiddos and grandkiddos and for Gail.  To know that she will be looking down and will be happy that K is moving on with his life.  Cheers everyone...To the future and to life and to the beginning of a wonderful new year.

Busy, busy, busy

Monday, A jetted off back to California and her life there.  We are missing her greatly as her visit was awesome.  It kind of puts me in a little funk when she is here and my world is spinning then all of a sudden it kind of stops.  I just plug away at my life, onward. 

Tuesday I went back to art class to begin yet another painting.  This one is of my Daddy fishing.  Yet again I'm doing a painting that I will not want to sell.  Have to do some that I can part with. 

Tonight is also wedding rehersal for our friends B-K.  I'm glad for them and so happy that K has been able to move on since Gail died.  It has been a little weird for me but I'm happy.  Since they both don't need a thing and have two households already I got them a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant and I decided to "try" my hand at a handmade card.  I found a picture of them together when we went to New York last fall and drew it...what do you think. 

Old, very old pictures

In my parents house, for as I can remember, these two "paintings" have hung in the living room.  The girl, is my great, great aunt, Mary Broyles.  She died at the age of 16 from a ruptured appendix.  The "painting" is about a 30x24 or so, very large and was totally sealed up in a frame with glass.  I took it to have it reframed because the frame was broken and covered with dust and nicotine stains.  When we opened it up and took the glass off we were surprised to see that it was a pastel, unsealed and was just beautiful.  Some of the pastel had adhered to the glass obscuring the beauty and detail and the signature.  I have the original picture the pastel was taken from with directions on the back for the detail colors.  I was so pleasantly surprised by the discovery.  Topping off the find was the signature and date, "Nelson 1910".  That means it is nearly 100 years old!

Now this painting, and it is a painting, was just setting in a frame, unattached to it and hanging on the wall.  I love it.  It is an oil but has major nicotine stains and lots of flaking going on.  Even the stretcher bars of the canvas are showing through.  I'm really torn about whether to have it cleaned and risk more flaking or to just frame it and leave it be.  It too has a signature, "F. Miller", yeah like that is going to be easy to track down.  I have no idea where it came from, it has just always been there.

Sunday nothings

This has been a whirlwind week with A home for the Thanksgiving feast.  Plus the ongoing renovation of Daddy's house and work and me trying to squeeze a little painting time in (it's not happenin').  The turkey is now a pile of meat in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator, part of it became a turkey enchilada soup last night.  I decided on Turkey day to invite the MIL, BIL and his loverly partner, and the girls with hubby over for eats and a Christmas decorating gala.  Well, the gala was really a thrown together soup and rush to get the decorations out of the attic.  I set up the tree with lights and waited.  The family arrived and we ate all the delicious soup then proceeded to tackle the tree.  We had 7x2 hands all at once trying to find a branch to put ornaments on the tree.  It was really great fun and it was all done in about an hour.  Now I look at a lot of empty storage boxes sitting in the corner needing to be hauled out to the garage until after the holidays.  I'm glad we were able to share the Thanksgiving day with A and the family but I think it was nice to add a little Christmas with her to share since she will be staying in Californina for the Christmas season this year.  Now that the decorations are done I don't have to worry about getting it done.  I'm going to have the family Christmas Eve here and probably a Jazzercise girls Christmas party here.  This also goes along with still working on Daddy's house.  The kitchen floor will be finished this week and then we need to carry on to the laundry room that is also the pantry and once housed the kitty litter...ICK!, and the pack porch that is just full of junk.  Anyone want a 1982 Radio Shack computer.  Just not sure what we are going to do with that little gem.  We are going to get rid of his dishwasher too as it is not used, it's a rollable.  That little space we hope to fill with a butcher block thingy.  I also need to find a "cheap" loveseat sofa for his living room.  I ditched the hand-me-down couch that my sister bestowed upon him.  You would sit in it and have the arms of the sofa around your head, no springs whatsoever, GONE!  

The past week has also been a bit sad as the BIL's partner lost his very dear 98 year old grandmother.  My  friend Tracy also lost her father and our little puppy Clayton lost one of his previous owners.  In fact in the obituary they listed Clayton as their dog!  Hmmm, not sure I was too keen on that one. 

Also, a milestone is about to happen.  I've written about losing my best friend Gail nearly 4 years ago and the sadness I have dealt with.  Well, next Saturday her husband, The Hubby's best friend, is getting remarried.  The Hubby set him up with a girl they all went to high school with and it has been a good match.  They are very, very happy.  I wasn't sure he was ready to move on but on Facebook yesterday I read their daughters entry saying that they had released Gails ashes in the Pacific ocean and I would say it was because he has moved on.  Good for him.  Kind of sad too.  Smooth sailing Gail!

Just pictures

Momma in front of the stove of the kitchen where she lived as a senior in high school.  My parents bought the house and it was where I was raised. 

Now we are in the middle of the remodel of it for my father...

There will be a lot more dinners cooked here I suspect.  

Happy Thanksgiving (house update)

This year was totally not last year.  I had my family around, except for The Daddy as many readers know is away for a few months.  Thanksgiving this year was AWESOME!  I decided that it would be fun to celebrate the gathering at the cabin.  I was right!  Both of my girls were there along with B's hubby, my MIL and BIL, my sister and her fam.  My girls plus one son-in-law and us arrived at the cabin Wednesday afternoon to a most beautiful day as was Thanksgiving and today.  I picked up Papa Murphy's pizza to munch for dinner, to make it easy on me and that was perfect.  Wine, a roaring fire in the pit, a little guitar courtesy of A, cigars and we had a perfect evening.  It was too bad I was exhausted and ready for bed by 9 as is the case most nights.  But, before I could hit the sheets I had to chop celery and onion and make a couple of pumpkin pies.  That done I was ready for the next day and time with the family.

The pies were perfect and when I was up and ready to start the turkey the next morning I moved them to the dining room table to get them out of the way.  Didn't think too much about it.  I got the huge turkey out of the fridge and prepared him to roast and continued with the prep.  Then I took my coffee and went to the living room to enjoy a cup of coffee.  B&B brought their sweet Mondo which Clayton had a great time playing with.  B2 got up and fed Mondo and went back to bed.  I was sitting on the couch reading my Kindle and head this strange lapping sound.  My thought was that he was drinking funny out of his water bowl....WAIT...the pies.  I rushed to the dining room calling his name and he was running towards me, very innocent looking...

The wedge was actually a round hole missing from the pie.  I cut the much larger wedge...

Oh well, the meal must go on.  The turkey absolutely fell apart during the cooking time.  YUM!

I made the usual creamed corn , sweet potatoes, dressing and gravy while the BIL brought mashed potatoes, B made green casserole and the MIL brought pecan and apple pie while my Sis brought the relish plate.  We were all just stuffed and rolling around trying to find a place to lay our heads.  That was of course after I cleaned the kitchen which was surprisingly easy. 

We all piled around the television to watch a video of A singing with Curt Smith in LA.  Before we only had snippets of the whole concert and were very happy to see the whole thing of her singing.  I was so very proud.  We watched a bit of football for the SIL and then bid goodbye to those heading home.  We enjoyed yet another evening with the girls and the SIL.  We have had a most awesome Thanksgiving and it was made better to have A home too.  My family is complete.  Sadly she flies home to Californina on Sunday...Tomorrow night we will all put up Christmas around here since A won't be here for that. 

Update on the house - The kitchen floor started to be laid today...

Cigar and Flowers

Finished another one.....

Cigar and Flowers

She's Here

A arrived and was hugged and kissed by all.  We piled into The Hubby's truck to have dinner at her sis's, our oldest, B&B's just as soon as she arrived.  The evening was filled with food, three-way, wine, laughter and a lot of Rock Band.  What fun we had last night.  Today A and I took a drive to Daddy's house so I could show her the progress we have made.  While there I had her take a picture of me by the fence that I once stood in front of some 52 years ago.  I have been trying to find the picture of mother in the same place but can't at the moment but enjoy the snaps of me and ME. 

The Homecoming

I feel like it is The Walton's Homecoming show today.  This is my all time favorite show and today I will live it.

Today our youngest A is jetting across the country to spend Thanksgiving home. 

Our  beautiful, multi-talented baby girl is coming home for the holiday. 

It has been several years since she has been here for Thanksgiving and 11 months since we have seen her at all.

So welcome my little world traveler.  The bed is clean and warm.  The food is good and plentiful.  Welcome home my sweet.

Love Momma!

Boots On...

Had to share

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001

The Smell

Yes it is the smell of new carpet and the lack of smell of old, musty and animal urine.  Yesterday the new carpet was laid at Daddy's and it is just beautiful.  The POD was emptied and now I have to empty boxes. 

Now comes the task of the kitchen, more boxes and painting.  The Hubby has decided (YEAH) to put a new floor in the kitchen for Daddy too.  (I love my The Hubby). 

We've been scrubbing the cabinets with a mixture of Murphy's oil soap and some diluted Spic-n-Span to get the sticky of old grease, nicotine and just old off the wood.  Then we oiled them down with Old English which the wood is sucking up like a sponge.  That may take a few rub-downs to get the wood feed but pretty.  The pic is one side is clean, without Old English, the other with the OE. 

Last night The Hubby began Kiltzing the two walls and the ceiling.