What A Week

What a week I have had.  We've been very busy trying to get Daddy's house done.  B and I, as posted Monday, worked all day and are really getting close to the finish.  I know this next picture is yucky and trust me it was yucky.  Yesterday, while we had help to haul off the junk we got the last room cleaned out, and most of the stuff went Bye-Bye!  What a mess it was and is.  The room was originally a porch which was enclosed and was my poor brother's bedroom.  Now it is just a catch-all.

Looky, looky what a little throwing away can do.  Actually the file cabinet will be stored for a bit because it is full of Daddy's old business records from about 30 years ago and I need to go through and shred.  This room also housed a lot of house plants for the winter and so lots and lots of dead leaves and lots and lots of cat urine.  PEE-U!  We will scrub and put in new walls and ceiling and the room will be good as new!  We also continued the scrub fest in the kitchen of dishes and shelves and tomorrow we will finish.  We have some new glide racks for his bottom cabinet for the pots and pans.  I'll tell you there are probably 20 Revereware pans under there.  I'm really excited at the thought of it almost being done and him coming home.  I've sent pictures to him to keep him excited and now he is really getting homesick!  I can't wait to see his face when he sees his new home!  Yesterday we also bought curtains for his bedrooms like the living room.  They were so simple, nice and cheap!  I love it! 

The Work Continues

Today B and I spent all day working at Daddy's. Since he has been sick I feel that he may come home sooner than later and I want the house done! We also had to wait for his new couch that I purchased last week. We worked all morning on the laundry/porch/pantry area most of the day and can I just say YUCK! It was just awful but we got it looking better than it has looked in years. I don't think we will paint as I don't want to open that can of worms to what really needs to be done in that room but it looks good from where it started.

Here B is hard at work.  We washed shelves and threw away tons of food that were a bit suspicious and definitely outdated, 1993...umm, you think.  This can of pineapple was absolutely bulging! 

Oooo, gross!  We scrubbed and scrubbed and then laid some rubbery shelf liner on the shelves and Voila...

Did you notice the little valance on the door.  We also went to Wal-Mart and purchased some kitchen curtains and living room curtains that we love.  Now I'm not sure about the floor.  It is concrete and has been painted several times but I'm not sure we will again.  I'm tempted to get some kind of a rug and just put it down. 

While at the local Wal-Mart we also found some nice curtains for the living room to replace the dusty things we tossed.  They are not expensive but look nice for Daddy and go great with the color scheme that has evolved throughout the house. 

The wicker chair Daddy bought for Momma many, many years ago for Christmas so I had to make it fit and the other one was my grandmothers.

Once we got a handle on the living room and part of the laundry room and kitchen we started to tackle the back porch.  The porch used to be a open air porch when my grandparents lived there and when we bought it there was a need for a bedroom for my brother in the two bedroom house.  So the room was enclosed and it leaked from day one, usually on my brothers bed and the old piano.  It was repaired numerous times to no avail until they finally put a whole new roof on the place, uh well, about 10 years ago.  It has now become a catch-all for junk and today it began the end of that.  It is messy, dusty and just plain cluttered and dirty but will be clean as a whistle, well, as clean as we can manage.

There she is again hard at work.  She is a real work-horse and is not afraid of anything, well, except when we heard a creature in the wall.  She ran out the front door while I was at the store returning a wrong length curtain when she heard the scratching.  We're still not sure if it is a mouse, highly doubtful or squirrel.  My bet is a rat....EGADS!  Where is a cat when you need it. 

Party, party, party

I've been out of pocket for a few days.  First I have to say that Daddy is doing well but cranky apparantly.  He snapped at his niece that he is staying with yesterday when she suggested that he needed to get up a move around more.  That he would not be sore if he would move out of his chair that he had been living in for several hours.  He's just setting himself up to go back to the hospital.  I told him and his niece that he needed to move but he is being stubborn to the point of yelling at her.  That is not good.  He'll wear out his welcome very quickly with that kind of attitude.  We need to get him well so he can come home and enjoy the nice new house he is getting dammit!

Back to the weekend...

Thursday I went to the cabin for an all girl birthday party bash.  What fun and what a lot of food.  Egads...talk about ruining my diet, well, I think I did this weekend.

After the Thursday night bash I had to get up early the next morning and go back to the office to do payroll and lunch with The Hubby.  Then it was back to the cabin for more socializing and food.  We had the leftover soups and salads for the second night.  Saturday night was a meal of awesome burgers and fixin's.  Oh my gosh it will be extra time on the treadmill.  I'm still on the no-diet-pop-wagon though, not the wine wagon! 

He's home, we sort of

Daddy is home from the hospital. Actually he's at his "winter" home...his nephew's. I talked to him this afternoon and he sounds better but does play the poor me card a bit. I told him he has to stay up and moving around or it will happen again. Not so sure he will. This is just a quick note as I was at the cabin for a birthday party last night and then back in town to do payroll. We are going back to the cabin again for the weekend in a bit. I promise I'll post more info and just stuff Sunday. Toodles all and thank you so much for the prayers and kind thoughts.

On the Mend

Daddy is getting better, slowly.  I talked to him the first night and was very concerned by the weakness of his voice.  My Bro said Daddy called him and then said he was glad that Bro had called.  Then he started talking about his Sis and her hubby Bob bringing him to the hospital...well, Bob has been dead for a few years now.  It was their son and d-in-law that took him.  I'm sure it was just because of the dehydration and fever and not eating for a couple of days but still.  He sounded better last night but is talking about coming home, that means driving.  Someone has to drive him home in his car and fly back one way or another.  Sis has said all along that she would fly there and drive home but since her stint procedure that may not happen.  Hmmmm, I DON'T want to do that.  My job is to get the house finished and I need to get that done ASAP.  Next week we will begin the final stages of getting it together. 

Daddy

I am not happy that my Daddy is ill and so far away from home.  My cell phone rang the minute I got to the office and it read "Daddy".  So I answered, "Hi Daddy."  It was not him.  It was his niece, Vicki, who he is staying with.  She said that she didn't want to alarm me but that Daddy was on his way to the hospital.  She said that he wasn't feeling well yesterday and that they had been gone all day long and when they came home he was still in his chair with chills, fever and very weak to the point that Dennis had to help him to his bed.  She thought it was flu-like symptoms.  She promised to let me know something just as soon as they knew anything.  About lunchtime she called to tell us that they had admited him overnight for observation for a touch of pneumonia.  The hospital said it was early stages and he should be fine.  This is the first time Daddy has had pneumonia.  We were used to it with Mother.  She got pneumonia nearly every year, but Daddy, that has me a bit worried but I'm not going to wig out.  They are supposed to release him tomorrow.  We'll just have to take their word for it.  I hate it that he is so far away.  You would think that being in a warmer climate that he would not be sick but I guess you never know.  I thought he had made it, missing the ice, snow and cold here.  I'll keep everyone posted on his status.  Please send every kind of good vibe to Arizona please. 

Day by Day

Monday is upon us like any other day.  It's day by day by day and each of those days we get older.  I really hate that and don't feel older most of the time, until I look in the mirror.  Every five weeks or so I have to go in and cover the most obvious sign that I'm getting older, my silver gray hair.  I'm just not ready to look older.  For a long time I didn't look my age, actually up until a few years ago, but now, well, I look all of my 53 years.  I don't like it but growing older is really something we can not halt but we can at least help it to not "hurt" so bad.  So a little hair color, a lot of night cream, exercise, laughter and I think I'm holding my own, except in the weight department but I'm actively working on it.  So it is just day by day by day. 

Just a Quickie

Just a quickie note:

We're off for the cabin tonight and tomorrow night to host some friends for a huge pot of chicken and noodles and a warm fire.

Last night I kept my part of the promise to The Hubby and we went dancing.  I still hate it but it was okay.  Two of the instructors said I was really good and I should be as I've been a few times before...remember The Hubby!

Later everyone...hope to have some "chilly" pictures to share...

Day 9 on the Wagon

I know that may be a bit confusing but today is day 9 of no diet pop.  I've been on the wagon for nine days and actively "dieting" for about seven days.  I've really done fairly well with acouple of oatmeal raisin cookies a few days ago.  I'm trying to get the water in and keeping a food journal which I struggle with.  Yesterday I finally made it to the grocery store and bought some stuff to aid in my journey.  I am not a big fresh fruit eater and have to force myself to eat them.  I've already read book this year, Skinny Bitch and it was full of interesting info but I am no nor will I ever be a vegetarian which they promote.  The bashing of us meat eaters and all that entails just kind of angered me in the book, but I do not disagree with some of the tips for obtaining my goal.  One was the fresh fruit and veggies, and veggies I LOVE!  Yesterday I bought a bag of oranges and apples and I always get a banana at my work out place so I'm well on my way to mastering the fruit hangup. 

Yesterday for lunch B wanted to hit our favorite place, El Rio Verde.  EGADS...I was not sure how to handle that as I love their wet burritos but I went with a mind to work it out.  I did not eat the chips and salsa, ordered water and had fish tacos.  Not good but not bad either.  I told The Hubby that I would go dancing with him once a week and that once a week would be Wednesdays and that he would take me out to dinner.  Well, dancing was canceled, not sure why, but the dinner plans were still on.  I was so hungry for salmon.  The food channel was doing nothing but salmon this week so I was primed for it.  I chose The White Owl on Cherry Street.  I was proud of myself.  I ordered the lettuce wedge with blue cheese dressing and I know I should not have eaten the dressing but I only ate a fourth of the thing.  The salmon plate came with fresh spinach and mashed potatoes.  I ate the salmon, spinach and left the potatoes!  HOORAY for me.  That was a step in the right direction.  I've also added cardio on Monday and Friday with strength training on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  If this stupid weight does not start budging I'm may have to get drastic.  Some of my friends have tried the HCG shots, I don't think that is for me, but may have to get drastic.....I have a physical on Wednesday.  Hopefully I'll drop at least 3 or four pounds!  Wish me luck!

P.S.  Quit bowling too.  Didn't enjoy it anymore so out it goes. 

Tuesday is my day to paint

Today, Tuesday I usually have an art class but we have been on break since Dec something. I decided that I would keep up the Tuesday paint day and that is exactly what I have been up to. Since we have been on break I have painted 4 paintings, although they are not through I think. I need to take them to class and see what I need to do to tweek them. Two of them I think are done but we will have to see what the instructor says. I like them a lot and I think that is what counts but I am also in the class to learn.   So what do you think.

Wine and Strawberries?

Hats anyone?

The Kid???

Tomatoes and Eggs

2009 packed away

Christmas is all packed up...

Nutcrackers, angels, snowmen and Christmas fairies all piled and ready to hide for another year...

The poor tree is bare and sad...

all packed up and ready to hide in the attic for 2010...

2009 is gone and we move forward to the new year...I'm starting it off right with a food journal and today adding extra cardio.  I have a plan...let's hope I stay healthy and focused!  Happy January 4 all!  

Merry Christmas to me

Well, we did it. I am now driving a new 2010 Jeep Commander. I love it.

We finally got it today.  The paperwork was all done and paid for on Dec 30 but with it being in Arkansas we had to wait till it was here, but it is!  I'm a very happy girl.

Voting has begun!

The voting has now begun for the 2009 Okie Blog Awards so get to voting!!!  A list of all the Oklahoma bloggers is listed on the side bar of the Okie Blog page...

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year to one an all!  Welcome year 2010 !

First of all, I know, I know the colors are a bit much but I'm so bored with the old stuff that I'm trying all kinds of stuff.  Stay tuned in to see if I keep changing. 

The new year was brought in at the cabin, or at one of the cabinites places.  We had a wonderful pork tenderloin dinner while listening to Paul McCartney live album and watching, silently a football game.  Don't ask me who was playing because I have no earthly idea.  Later in the evening we had homemade creme brulee made by Bare, who doesn't even eat the stuff.  The best I have EVER had!  Oh my gosh, my last indulgence for awhile.  About 11 pm the guys were getting restless so the poker chips and cards were brought out.  It was 4 guys and me.  I love cards of any kind and am pretty good at them.  I don't know what all the check and call things mean in poker but I won the first hand big and the last hand big.  Told you I can play cards.  Finally it was pucker-your-lips time and we all got a good dose of lip action.  The Hubby and I were struggling to stay awake as we were up at 5 am like most every morning so we were closing in on being up for 19 hours straight.  Speaking of 5 am.  I had missed workout all week long because of the stupid ice and my reluctance on being the guinea pig on the stuff at 5 am but yesterday I braved it since the main roads were clear and it was melting (run on sentence).  I backed out of the drive and down to the street and of course found the only two patches of fairly tough mounds of snow packed ice to get stuck on.  I had to run inside to call The Hubby to push my little car forward and backward a bit to get me out, but I finally got a workout in. 

The night before we finally made a decision on a car.  We spent all of Tuesday test driving four cars:  Jeep Commander, Ford Flex, Nissan Armada and the Chevy Tahoe.  My heart was for the Commander as that has been catching my eye for a bit but after driving the Flex we were torn.  The Armada was unavailable, the Tahoe was pretty much like The Hubby's Avalanche and I've had a Tahoe before.  The Flex was a dream to drive but they were not very negotiable on the price.  Overnight we talked about it and I told The Hubby that since the Jeep was the better deal and it was my personal favorite I would prefer to get it.  Besides The Hubby has never been a Ford guy so I was surprised he was leaning towards it.  We bought the car yesterday and should pick it up tomorrow afternoon.  I will have pictures later.  Later that night at dinner I kind of started needling The Hubby about why he was going to sell my Miata and not keep it in storage.  We have kept his step-dad's 1971 El Camino, and his 1949 Dodge pickup that is being restored (let's talk money spent) and I didn't see the reason, just because it was a fairly expensive car that we could not keep MY car.  I mean I really don't mind him selling it but why is my stuff not that important.  We keep tons of his stuff and have a few buildings to do that.  We keep his collections but I'm asked sometimes to scale down my stuff while he amasses his.  I mean, I was just kind of perturbed by his insisting here and I wanted him not to think about the money involved, that it was a matter of does my stuff stink or something and his doesn't.  Well, let me tell you my needling set off a tirade from some pent up feelings.  I was on my second bite of prime rib and was left with my mouth hanging open and frankly embarrassed by his anger in the restaurant.  I love the guy but I hate it when we go rockin' along for months on end and he lets stuff build up to the point of an eruption.  I won't go into all that was said because there was plenty more but I was just curious of what you would feel if you and your stuff felt devalued somehow, how would you feel.  I kind of felt cut down.  Also, during all of this crap I ended up backing down on the dance stuff and will attend 1, I said 1 class a week with him dancing, YUCK!  I didn't address the crack on my weight.  I've already addressed that here!  Oh, man marriage is still so much work even after nearly 34 years this month!  ARGHHHHHH!!!!!

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.