MORE Happy Monday... Or more Easter...
Wee Little Melli
Easter 1960
Yesterday for Happy Monday our assignment was to tell an Easter memory - and I chose to go with my younger children's Easters. Then Hootin' Anni asked about Amanda's Easters when she was little, and I figured I might as well go all the way back if I'm going to tell it correctly. Sooooo... When I was a wee little peanut, Easter was ALL ABOUT CHURCH! We did (as you can see) get baskets filled with eggs, little fuzzy peeps, and always a chocolate bunny. And my mother was IN to stuffed animals, so I'm sure I always got one --- I don't know about the older kids -- but I was the baby and I was still getting a stuffed bunny when I was 10! (My mother LOVED holidays! Especially Easter!) But I especially remember the little fuzzy peeps! They came in pink and blue and purple and of course yellow! I loved them! But still... Easter was NOT about bunnies, and chicks and candy. It was about Jesus! Make no doubt about that! And any spoiling my mother did of us on Easter was DEFINITELY done to the glory of God!!! We knew exactly why we were celebrating! EVEN at 3 years old! We knew that Easter was no ordinary Sunday, and though we DID dress up for church on "ordinary" Sundays -- it was nothing like what we did on Easter! Easter was much more frilly and pretty and white gloves and patent leather shoes and most assuredly a beauuuuuutiful Easter bonnet! Where do you THINK I got my love of hats from??? I don't have very many childhood memories. I have blocked out so much more than I will EVER remember -- much of which I really do WISH I could get back sometimes. But I will tell you this... I remember dressing UP for Easter. And I remember dancing around -- not particularly in this dress above, but maybe by the next year... I remember crinolins (oh so itchy) that made my dress POOF out and I loved getting those new SHINY shoes that went tappity tappity tap! And I LOVED my little white gloves! And when I was verrrrry small -- about the age up there -- and maybe 2 more years beyond -- I LOVED going to church! I was way too little to be bored by it! And I was way to cute to not be the center of a LOT of attention! What was not to love!? And we attended St. Anne's Church on Wisconsin Ave. in Washington DC - which was a MAMMOTH (to me) stone church -- not stone like rocks -- stone like huge blocks - maybe it was all marble. I don't know. But I know I can when I close my eyes I can still smell that church! It smelled sooooo good! A mix of wood and cold, and incense! I always loved it! The inside walls were stone too -- and the floor was marble! Just the perfect floor for my tippity tappity shoes! I wish I had a picture of that church! I should drive down there and take one -- I hope it hasn't changed! I bet I couldn't get in... it's probably LOCKED all the time now.... I also wish I had a picture of ALL of us dressed up... but I don't remember ever even seeing one. But my brother had a new suit (navy or black) and 4 girls all in pretty dresses! (5 sisters - but the oldest was 24 when I was born, and married when I was 3! My oldest brother was already married even before that!) So off to church we would go, and I can remember sO well, being excited because Jesus was no longer covered up! Remember - the Catholic churches have a crucifix above the altar, not an empty cross. And during lent the cross was covered and we couldn't see Jesus. But on Easter Sunday the cloth was down and He was back!!! (still hanging on the cross... you know ... I don't think that made sense to me even back then...) But now that I look back, I am positive my mother MUST have pointed these things out to me and MADE a big deal about them! Or at the very least, she answered my bzillion questions! I don't remember my father ever telling me ANYthing about religion at all. I'm pretty sure he just went along with it all. Religion didn't play a part in his life until much later. So ... that's it. And then when we got home, first we had breakfast - we were Catholics - and back in those days you did not break fast until AFTER you had had Holy Communion. Way back then the mass was still said entirely in Latin too! English didn't come into the picture until I was around 6 or 7 -- and I remember there being a lot of scuttlebutt about it! A LOT of scuttlebutt! But after breakfast, then we got around to hunting for eggs! Now you know... I must have not cared much for egg hunts... I don't remember if we did them inside or out. I am sure that we did one! And I do know that we at least SOME years, if not every year, went down to the white house for the Easter Egg Roll! And I don't remember HUNTING eggs THERE either! But I definitely DO remember rolling them!!! LOL!
Wee Little Amanda!
Easter 1978
So, now you know how MY childhood Easter's were. And you've seen my younger children's Easters. I'm sure you can guess that Amanda's were a bit inbetween! By the time Amanda came along, not only were the masses said in English - but they had also worked all the way up to Children's Services! They of course, were a little later in the morning allowing families the extra time needed to "get it together". It was no longer a requirement that you not eat until after Communion, so most people who attended the Children's Service did indeed have breakfast before they went! And on Easter, most of them had already done their egg hunt too! Including US! Amanda was indeed dressed to the nine's -- although I admit the nine's no longer included little white gloves. And Amanda never had a handbag either. She was a neglected child! (and I was on welfare until she was 3!) But she had the basket, she had the candy, she had dyed eggs, and she EVEN had little fuzzy peeps! I couldn't believe they still HAD them - but Ben Franklin always did! No place else... just Ben Franklin! She was not as impressed with little fuzzy peeps as I was! She was much more impressed with marshmallow peeps! (GAG me!) She only thought they were yummy for a year or two.... all my kids had more sense than that! And my mother always had a stuffed animal for her! Now when Amanda was very small, I was not a "regular" church attendee. I was a Christmas and Easter attendee. SHE however, frequently went with my mother. Thankfully, MY mother was determined to save her little soul from HER heathen mother! I wish she had. It didn't work. I was attending regularly by the time she was 5 though -- and that was when Amanda was baptized! But back to Easter! HER Easters went like get up, squeal about her basket, find her eggs, count some, eat some, sort some, eat some more, get all dressed up, go to church, come home, eat some candy... and then go to whichever relative was hosting Easter that year for dinner. I was the youngest and the unmarried sibling, so I was never hosting! But one of my sisters always was, and we would go to their house where Amanda would meet up with all of her million cousins and play and play and play! Now, ya know what amazes me? We had allllllll those kids together at one time ON EASTER SUNDAY ... nobody ever organized an egg hunt! When Amanda was young she still had 6 cousins less than 10 years older than her -- and several more just over. It was kids kids kids when my family got together! It didn't matter. She always hunted at home, and she wasn't a big hunter anyway! As a matter of fact... one year when she was above Easter Bunny age, she asked if he would please NOT hide any. I refused! LOL! She was really GLAD to have a little brother come along! She was afraid SHE was going to have to hunt eggs for the rest of her life!!!
So that's it! Now you know more about ME and Easter than you ever wanted to! But the important thing to know about Me and Easter is that I enjoy it more NOW than I ever have in my life!
Happy Monday!
This week Fun Monday is hosted by
Jeanna at Wisconsin Candy Dish. Her chosen topic is Easter Baskets --
Share a story, is it better to give or to receive, what would you like in yours? Well, I don't really have any particular stories... so I just chose one of our Easters to tell you about. They pretty much all went the same anyway! (at least for my younger 3 -- Amanda was a whole 'nuther story!)
These
are were the kids Easter Baskets. I say were because I actually still had them up until the now infamous Dead Mouse in the Wall of the Closet incident. But when I was cleaning out after that fiasco, I realized that there was NO WAY the kids were ever going to want to use these baskets for their children -- they will want to go choose new up to date baskets! And so I ditched them! Yes... I did. Hung on to them all those years, and then ditched 'em! Anyway ... the light blue was Derek's, pink (of course) was Krysti, and dark blue was Mathew. In addition, on this particular Easter (1995), they each received a new sand bucket and shovel, and some little something else. Looks like Derek got some guys, Krysti got a little animal, and Mathew got ... looks like a monster squirt gun! (probably a huge mistake giving him one and not the others...) This too is fairly normal for what their gifts were. Candy in the basket, and then something to do with outdoor play because after all it is SPRING! Bubbles and wiffle ball bats were often on the agenda.
Here they are in their new duds! The boys did not get dress shoes, because we had NO money and they never dressed up other than this one day! We weren't a church going family (much NOW to my dismay) not even on Easter - so the whole dressing up thing was only to satisfy ME because I felt we
should! So... the kids would be "dressed" as much as funds and common sense allowed. And for the record, they HATED it! Well, not Krysti! She LOVED it!
They would spend the morning investigating the basket, searching for the "real" dyed eggs that were hidden in the house, and of course, eating some. Then when the church going neighbors got home, we all got together for a big outdoor hunt in our yard.
At that time they had 3 kids and we had 3 little kids and they were all right around the same age. Patty and I would each put together 3 dozen plastic eggs, filled with treats of one sort or another -- and SOMETIMES they even had quarters or pennies in them! At some point in the morning, the Easter Bunny would come and HIDE them while none of us were paying any attention at all... and so everything was ready when they got home from church. The kids would play together for a little while and then we'd each have our own dinners going with relatives coming in the afternoon. It was always great fun. My kids have very fond memories of Easter, mainly because of this big hunt!
We tried a few times going to the hunts that the parks put on, but they were never done fairly... it was always first come/first serve and the bigger kids would trample the little tykes to get ALL the eggs... it was just miserable! With our hunt, we put out a dozen eggs per kid, TOLD them they were allowed to find 12 - which is plenty for ANY kid, and they would. And when the older ones got done finding their 12, they would actually take a little one by the hand and say "come on... we'll look together", or "I will help you!" ... and it was sO nice! It wasn't competitive. It wasn't a race. It was all fair and square -- and they all had a great time! I LOVED our Easters. I would have loved them more with church... but it makes me REALLLLLLY appreciate Easter service now!
Oh... so I guess I think it's better to give than to receive annnnnnd... I don't really need a basket myself! I will be putting something together for my little Luz though!
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Man, oh man! The WIND moved in over night and it is CRAZY outside! I don't think I can take mom out today -- she'll blow away!
I bought a new bird feeder yesterday. It's supposed to be JUST for finches. I figured since I've had sO many finches in my yard lately that I should put something out there just for them. So I got this thing -- ugly as sin - a SOCK feeder! Holds thistle. As far as I can tell finches HATE thistle! Not one bird has even attempted to land on this thing! As a matter of fact, they continue to land on everything else and peer in my window at me like "hey lady! would ya come get this stupid sock out the way?" Criminy!
Simply Gorgeous!
I guess the decision has been made...
The birds win!
He's happy!
It is 73 degrees outside right this minute! It was forecast to be gray and rainy all day - and it's been warm & sunny instead! 3 Cheers for WRONG weathermen! I love it when that happens!
Photo Hunt... and stuff...
The HANDS on my fish clock!
How many of you still have a clock with "hands" on it?
They are becoming an endangered species...
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This is the first weekend in I don't knOw how many that Krysti has not come home! I'm not quite sure what to do with myself! LOL! The sad part is I'd really like to go to Paint & Pottery - but I just hate to do that without her! Perhaps I'll finally work on that trunk...
I don't want y'all to think I'm cruel... but people, honestly -- if I don't LAUGH about this stuff, well... then you know the alternative. The first glimpse I had of Mom yesterday morning was sitting on her bed with underpants overtop of her pajamas - and 9 socks on her feet! 4 on one foot, 5 on the other. Another one in her hand! This morning when I peeked into her room, I had to
quickly run get my camera -- I HAD to... I really HAD to...
This morning I found her sitting on her bed with her left arm through the neck of her sweater, and her head in the right ARM of her sweater! But it wasn't as bad as I thought ... cuz when I glanced in and ran to get the camera - I THOUGHT she had put her pants on over her head! I was actually RELIEVED to find out it was her sweater! Oh dear! Oh dear!
Amanda & Luz are flying home from Texas today (Saturday). I'm sure they will both be happy to get home to their own little spaces and toys. I have missed them, but they were very busy and much needed in Texas - so it was a good thing! I can't wait to see them though!
The Reveal... FINALLY!
I'm not all that excited about my big reveal. I've decided to go ahead and do it because honestly unless I buy new family room furniture I'm not going to be 100% happy with it no matter what I do! So I might as well! LOL! There are still a few things that need taking care of -- and they will get done... eventually! Now... the thing is, Krysti asked me about half way through... "You DID take before pictures, didn't you?"... *sigh*... well, no... as a matter of fact I didn't. So about the best I could do is to show you before from waaaaaaaaaaay back when "before" was brand new and still looked good! And that really isn't even relevant! But, oh what the heck! Click them if you want them big...
Totally irrelevant! We haven't had two couches in the LR for an eternity. The curio cabinet was sent basement side years ago when a ball went through irreplaceable glass... The computer has moved IN to the LR... and the antique radio moved out with this re-do! Oh - and the foyer floor was replaced a year or so ago! But... I guess you get the basic idea... the scheme was red, white and blue - lots of flags and Americana... and now it's NOT! So... on to the new look!
ONE couch - with torn up arms from a certain kitty who still has claws! Notice the wall behind the couch is the one that used to be navy blue. The lamp in the corner was Project #2 in this redo. It used to be navy blue and I painted it to look like one that I saw in a shop for $165! I really LOVED it but would have died a horribly painful death had I actually purchased it! So I did the next best thing. I stole the idea.
Project #1 was these chairs. Some of you may remember them from a Project Blue - because they used to sit on my front porch and were painted a LOVELY periwinkle blue. Jientje particularly loved them... but now they are tan and are living room furniture! I prefer them this way! Sorry Jientje!
This is the little table between the chairs. This was a
100% Krysti project! She painted it and is now not thrilled
with it after adding the hammock. But I love it! I think it
looks not only VERY beachy - but also very folk artsy!
And besides... we NEED some coconuts around here!
My spot in the world!
When you think of me, this is where you picture me!
And a glimpse into the foyer. The ceiling of the foyer is
the camel color also. I'm still looking for the right window
topper in there.
Did you notice these in the above picture? These are the tiles Krysti had made for me way back when the project was first started -- the nine tiles with the fruits of The Spirit. I absolutely LOVE them! They are right beside me at my desk and a constant reminder to me to try to live up to them!
On the other side of my desk is this adorable little seahorse! And beside that is a frame with some dried wild flowers and it says
Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. I love it!
This is the view I would actually prefer NOT to show you. The fireplace is still a mess! I'm looking for a wreath to go up there, and I just haven't found anything I like yet. I'd like something with wheat and sea shells I think... I don't know. I'll find something though! If I'm patient THE RIGHT THING will show up! Oh! You may notice that my little shadow box has been painted. It is now full of sea shells too!
Here it is, minus the tulips!
(which allows you to see the 3 little
hooks Krysti got for me when she
was in Mauntauk, NY)
And the little cross up top has St. Florian
and says God Bless our Fire Fighters
and EMTs. (which Krysti is)
This is just kind of an overall view straight through.
It's kind of dark. Hard shooting into windows and lamps!
So, that's the living room...
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And then the Family Room...
The old...
which are again irrelevant. That couch has been gone for
about 6 years now! So has the recliner under the shelf.
But this IS the color the walls were before painting...
Now honestly... this MAY not look like an improvement! LOL!
But really it is! Bringing the tan into the family room really ties the two rooms together! Dennis isn't so much of a beachy person, so I'm trying to keep things subtle. He IS a fisherman - so the two fish on the bay window work for both of us! (notice where the 2nd living room couch ended up!) Jewl has completely destroyed it and Dennis will not let me replace it until she dies! What a horrible fix to be in! I desperately want a new couch - but I don't want my dog to DIE to get one! Ugh! Now check out the trunk! The trunk is currently the bane of my existence! This trunk has been my coffee table since my very first apartment on my own! Yes. THAT long. It was actually my grandfather's trunk when he was in WWI! It was what I packed all MY belongings in when I moved to Minnesota out of high school - and what everything came back to Maryland in a couple of years later. When I had my first apartment, I spray painted the entire trunk black *as opposed to army green* and then using metallic model car paint, painted the metal parts silver. It looked spiffy! But now... um... 33 years later... I decided a new look was in order. And so when I saw this really AWESOME spray paint that looked like hammered metal, I thought OH WOW! I want that on the trunk! Well... ya gotta do spray paint BEFORE you do other paint, so I spray painted all the metal parts... and then set out to paint the other parts "sandy" ... and the plan was I was going to marble it. Well... I haven't even finished with the "sandy" ... mainly because I have to paint AROUND and BETWEEN all of the little metal pieces... and I don't see how I'll EVER get it marbled. Soooooooooo... I'm kinda rethinking things and waiting for a new brainstorm to develop! All the while knowing that I really do WANT what I originally wanted. *sigh* It's a dilemma.
I have another dark brown window scarf for this window - like the one in the living room - but I haven't gotten a rod yet. Part of me though says I could just loop it through the holes in the shelf and let it swag in the middle... I dunno. Eventually that shelf will be full of water fowl. Slowly... slowly... And someday I might even have a spair room to put my bike in again... isn't it just SUCH an attractive piece of furniture!? Ugh!
Decorating in this room is a challenge! Since I don't watch television this is Dennis' domain. And he has his opinions! And since this is HIS domain, I rather LET him have them! Right now he ONLY wants his guns on this wall. (which I think makes it look rather bland.) These are not REAL guns. These are guns that he carved from looking at real ones. They are quite amazing! The barrels are out of purple-heart wood and really stand out and make the guns look real! Anyway - we continued the tan throughout the downstairs by painting all the doors in the hallway that color too! I thought it sounded crazy at first ... but I really like it!
So. There you have it. My project that I've been working on FOREVER! Oh - and don't forget up the stairs and into the hallway up there! I need to get back to the upstairs -- but now I'm sort of thinking of it as a Summer project perhaps! LOL!
Red Bird?
Were these two posing for me???Aren't they darling!Does anyone know what those two little birds up there are? They are very new to my yard, though I think there are several of them. I've never seen them before and am not familiar with them at all. I have GOT to get a little bird book! I just enjoy these little critters too much! (which is why I'm TORN about planting flowers and giving them a garden to enjoy all summer... if I could keep it alive...)
Church was a MESS tonight! Pastor and Kathy are out of town, and so the head deacon was saying the service tonight. First, we couldn't find the book that I'm supposed to read out of... I was supposed to read The Praetorium tonight... couldn't do it. So that was throwing him off a little even before we got started. Then his microphone fell out of his pocket and broke seconds before the service started... so he had to do without. Then he was worried that we all know that Pastor had already consecrated the communion before he left on vacation, so he kind of fumbled with that -- but he went through the motions anyway - as reminder to US... and that was fine. But then HE also had to do the congregational prayers, and totally forgot to lead it into The Lord's Prayer - so that part didn't get done. And we had a violinist playing tonight, and he dropped his music and had a little issue with that... So it was just funny! No one cared. We all understand that leading the service in Pastor's place is a stressful job! One I can not even IMAGINE doing! And then all the other little things ... it was just so WEIRD for all of that to happen in ONE service - and when Pastor wasn't there! He'll be thanking God for that! LOL!
Mom got up at 10:30 this morning. But despite the fact that I had a coffee cup sitting out for her, she still poured her coffee into a cereal bowl. She has another eye doctor appointment tomorrow... I sure hope he doesn't dilate her eyes again! I don't think I can handle anymore decline right now! The latest is she now thinks the litter box is a waste basket! Oy oy OY!!!
Alphabet Challenge...
Week 10 -- S & TWe are really into the downhill side of this challenge
now, aren't we? S's and T's abound this week! It's
just a matter of choosing which ones to use!
This string of Esses makes up the bus stop in front of
a high school in the next county over.
(we have NO such fancy covers on our school's bus area!)
And this S is part of a ladder on the local
playground.
Had it been a pretty day in summer, I probably
would have shown you the whole boat - but look
at that sky! All you need is the mast!
NO SAILING that day!
But what a great tall T!
And taken on the same foul day...
This T & S combo!
Can you BELIEVE we only have 3 weeks left?
Wow, time flies!
To see other fabulous T's & S's
check out these fabulous blogs!
(we had TWO newcomers this week!)
** The Play List **QuillyCarlettaBarbara H.Jientje
Anni
TerriMarGattinaJanetLabels: Alphabet Challenge
Ruby Tuesday...
Ruby Tuesdayis hosted by Mary, The Teach
The oak trees are coming into leaf!
I think SPRING may finally BE here!
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Yesterday was kind of a boring little day. Mom is still sleeping an UNbelievable amount of time. She has not been waking up until somewhere between noon and 2:oo pm ever since she got sick! I'm going to have to break that habit soon -- but I'm not sure how many days behind me she is in the whole healing process, so I want to give her a few more days to just recoup! Anyway, with Krysti gone, I had a very quiet house all morning so I spent most of the time getting caught up on some Bible studies. Then the gorgeous day called me outside for awhile... I cleaned up sticks from the yard. The grass is starting to green up, and that means lawn mower season is just around the corner! A few of the recent storms we've had had dropped some good sized branches in the yard! Jewl calls then chew toys. Of course, she also thinks fire wood is chew toys! I'm trying to decide if it's really worth it to try to plant flowers this year... I love a pretty yard... but I am just sO bad about taking care of it... gardens just DO require work... *sigh*
As My World Turns...
So, our late St. Patrick's Day feast was a bust! Apparently the corned beef industry drastically underestimated the need for corned beef in the state of Maryland this year and there wasn't one to be found anywhere! It was okay. London broil on the grill works almost as well! Of course, it doesn't go with Irish Soda Bread - so I nixed that too! Mathew & Carol came, Derek & his little Jen were with us, and of course, Krysti was still home.
It was really great having Mathew & Carol here for a few hours. We had a really nice visit and got caught up on stuff. It's good to see him SO happy again and content in his work! This is all I really want for my children - is that they be happy! Happy in their work, and happy in their relationships. Right now Mathew is in a good place! God is good! I've prayed hard for that boy!
Krysti left to go back to school after our visit. (taking her fair half of my cold relief medication with her!) It should be okay -- I am feeling human again. She doesn't have classes on Monday - but had to get back because she has training tomorrow for her new job with a private ambulance company. She has to be at Fairfax Hospital tomorrow morning for training - and she's excited!
Derek received his letter to come interview for his job with the Electrician's Union. That is in 2 weeks. In the meantime, he's been working again as a chef. Cooking is not his favorite job - but apparently he's pretty good at it. It's kept him fairly steadily employed for the last 2 years - but he really would like to get into something making a bit more money ... and offering benefits! The Union would be good! So, he's excited! (not that you would knOw when Derek's excited.)
And Hector starts HIS new job tomorrow -- and that puts ALL MY CHILDREN in a good space right now! Guess we'd never make it in the soap opera digest... LOL! *don't believe that for a minute!* If there's one thing this family can do, it's DRAMA! Just stay tuned...
Happy Sunday!
A blessed, glorious, GORGEOUS Sunday to you all! It is sunny outside! Blue skies smiling at me! It is crisp and cool and beautiful out! Annnnnnnd I finally felt good enough to go to church today! Having missed last Sunday and this past Wednesday, getting there this morning felt even better than comfy jammies! We had a visiting Pastor in - that's always interesting. He spoke to The Gospel today and warned us about trying to put things there that aren't! His main point was to make sure that John 3:16 be 100% understood and not tampered with.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.He was pointing out that this does not translate into God sO loved the the priests and the rabbis and the church goers and good deed doers -- NO. God so loved the WORLD. EVERYONE. No matter how bad your sins. He loves the athiests, He loves the thieves, He loves the alcoholics and the rebels and mass murderers. The child abusers and the income tax evaders. He loves them SO much that He sent His ONE, His ONLY son, to DIE for them, on the cross, that IF they would believe in him (Jesus) their sins (their wretched sins) have been forgiven. Not WILL be forgiven. Jesus isn't coming back to DIE again... nope - He already did it! Forgiveness is a DONE DEAL! Sin a little or sin a LOT - the debt has been paid. In full. And all He asks is that we BELIEVE. And that we NOT change His gospel! It is WE, the judgemental men (and gossipy women) who try to put qualifiers on The Gospel. But God is not Santa claus. You don't have to "watch out". You can cry. You can pout. He LOVES you. He loves
YOU! There are no strings attached. NOT to His love. And only ONE string attached to salvation...
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. AMEN!
The pastors 2nd point this morning was that so many people don't want to "approach" God - don't want to go to church, don't want to speak to a minister or even a Christian friend "until they get right". He compared that to the person who says "I'll go see my doctor
when I feel better." When they can pass muster!
But some things can not be fixed by yourself. If you have a disease, you need a doctor to help you get better. And if you have sin, you need forgiveness. Now, a doctor you can hide from. If you don't go see him, he'll never know you're sick. And you can deny being sick right up until you die. Sin doesn't work like that. God knows. And He LOVES us anyway! Now we're back to the first point again. Forgiveness has already taken place -- so all we have to do is ACCEPT it!
Amen!
LOL! It WAS a good sermon! Obviously I enjoyed it. I also had my first day as an uscher today! My friend Carl is in charge of uschers and he got up a few weeks ago with a mercy call for more uschers... so, of course, I volunteered. I had NO IDEA! LOL! Really it's good I had no idea... it's not a big deal - I just didn't know that (at my church) uschers are in charge of the lights, and the doors and the locking up and cleaning up and COUNTING how many people are there, and how many take communion.... I was just blown away! I mean - we have friendship registers. I always sign one, so I assume everyone does. Hehehe... apparently not. So the head uscher counts! Anyway... it's just a lot of little stuff that you go to church and you just don't think about ... things are done and you don't even thing about that they needed to be done. The lights are always on... the doors are always open... as long as the uschers show up! ;)
Photo Hunt... and Stuff...
Dennis brought me flowers!
(from MY garden ... but HE brought them to me!)
LOL!
Well... I'm sure we'll see a lot of daffodils and other
flowers today! Spring is trying sO hard to sprung!
But for me, it was either this ... or my kitchen!
(and you've SEEN that!)
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Ohhhhhh Mom is really concerning me with this new "phase" she's moving into. Suddenly she does not seem to be able to dress (or undress) herself anymore. Clothing has always been a confusing issue... but as long as we keep things "simple" she's been able to handle it for the most part. But the last few nights Dennis has had to help her get her PJ's on... and I have had to all but dress her in the mornings. She HAS had this cold too -- and I wonder how much of it is that... and if it will come back... or if once it's lost, it's lost -- even if it is due to a cold. Somehow she ended up with two pairs of underwear on today, and she had an "accident" and I think it might have been because she pulled down one pair - but didn't realize she had another pair on... I don't know. I also don't know when she got that other pair on! Food is even more confusing now too... and just overall -- she seems "sadder"... even more withdrawn. It's as though she's more acutely aware of HOW confused she is. Before she didn't usually believe that she's confused. OH! And the bathroom! Oh my goodness! It used to be she would go to the bathroom a million times a day. Not now. Now she goes in there only a few times a day - but she stays for 20 minutes - and then we have to FIGHT her to get her to come out! She just goes in and sits. She forgets if she went or not. So she just keeps sitting there waiting to go again! We can not convince her that she's been in there for so long -- she doesn't remember it being that long! She thinks we've all turned into bathroom police! Oyyyyyyy....
We did get out for a little bit today. Got a bite to eat, and then I took Mom and got her hair cut. Cleaned her up a bit. She was gettin' pretty shaggy. Then we hit the grocery store to try to get a corned beef so that we could celebrate OUR St. Patricks Day Sunday... operative word here being we TRIED! There is not a corned beef to be had in this town. Or in this county. How crazy is that!?? I mean I knOw we just had Green Day - but I didn't get MINE and there should have been ONE left over for me! How sad... Well, we're going to have a meal on Sunday. It just may NOT be a St. Patrick's Day meal... *sigh* Krysti and I have to go over to Waldorf tomorrow. I'm going to try to get one over there! *crosses my fingers*
Labels: Photo Hunt
Just Walk On By...
Quivering Quiveltry... You know what I love BEST about my good friend,
Dr. John? Just when I have absolutely NOTHING to write, say or share for a day... he comes up with more outrageousness than a mind has a right to, and voila - here is my post for the day! I didn't have to think a BIT! How lovely! Another Quivel for you... If you would like to try your own, directions are on HIS page!
Patriot Reignby multitudinous authorshipOh, wild eyed bacchante
If you can not get rid of the family skeleton
Goest over the threshhold thereof...
Man is so made
Dwell in possibility.
With quakey, queachy, knee buckling tremors
Your idea doesn't have to be
between lightening and a lightening bug
I think the world...
... but sometimes I still do
jibber quietly to herself
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For those of you who were actually looking for a bit of "me" here... I'm afraid you might as well move on along... I was actually thinking of putting up some pics of my not yet finished livingroom - figuring at this point it's probably NEVER going to be "really" finished -- but right now it's not even clean enough for me to take pictures of... and I still feel like a washrag! So... that's not happening. Just walk on by... the best I can do today is finally get dressed, and get my butt to the grocery store and the post office. I am sick of being sick!
Sepia Scenes... and Stuff...
Sepia Scenes
Sepia Scenes are hosted by Mary.This week I took a shot of this bronze seahorse I have.
I wanted to see what would happen if the natural color
of the photo was already rather sepia-ish.
In this case I really am not happy with the end result. 
Below I have posted the original photo. You can see the seahorse was set against a very neutral backdrop and even the wood of the table beneath blends into the picture.But... the original has so much more warmth! The bronze has nice glow - even though it is quite tarnished.
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STUFF...
Liam & Luz...
Scooter Buddies
Luz is still in Texas - and she is NOT going to want to come home. She is living in a big house on a culdesac with 3 other children (in the house), and a slew of playmates in the neighborhood! She is getting to know her cousins. They are actually 3rd cousins! And they are ALL liking it! But when my Lucy Loo leaves - the cousins still have each other. She will come home to an all adult world again. She's NEVER gonna wanna come home!
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What's your FIRST guess?
cereal?
with milk?
HA!
Try again!
In Mom's world...
1.) Broken up fortune cookies = cereal.
2.) Non-dairy creamer + water = milk. For drinking or pouring on
cereal. broken up fortune cookies. And this is what goes on if I don't HEAR her get up in the morning!
3.) If she is looking at her face in the mirror and can't
see the blue & purple & yellow bruise that covers half her forehead, her nose and under one eye, then it doesn't exist. (and NONE of us know how she GOT it!)
4.) If she doesn't accept her new (since Christmas) black loafers that look exactly like her OLD black loafers only they actually have soles, perhaps she can give them to Dennis! Because surely her little size 6 women's shoes WILL fit on his BIG size 10.5 mens feet -- if he'll just quit being stubborn and accept them!
5.) How in the world should SHE know how that wadded up maxi pad got in HER pants pocket? SHE didn't put it there! She didn't put the apple core there either....
How 'bout this one?
(you can big it)
As best as I can figure ... I think we MIGHT have been
planning a breakfast party!
Or it might have just been friends in for coffee...
Mar? Which bowl would you like?
Truly, it drives me crazy when I leave my counters nice and clean and go to bed. Then I come down to this! I used to just shake my head, clean it up and go on... but now I run for my camera!
We canceled Vada this week. I have decided that it is actually more work having someone come to help out with Mom than it is to just take care of mom. I think I'm beyond that point where I just absolutely HAD to have some free time. When she first came to live here, I really did NEED to have somebody come and get her out of my hair for awhile. But... over the course of time, you just accept what life IS now... and it becomes the new norm. I guess I've decided I can handle the new norm without help now. Cuz when the help is driving you crazier than the problem, it's gotta be time to get rid of the help ... right?
Okay... last one... Krysti just brought this to me while I was typing...
PEEEEELS of Laughter!!!
Apparently sOMeone didn't put Krysti's toothbrush
back JUST the way they found it!
Always tell tale signs...
Thank goodness!
I keep a supply upstairs ... but I HOPE we have some left!
I think Mom & I are just ready for a
ROAD TRIP!
Labels: Sepia Scenes
Alphabet Challenge
Week 9 -- Q & RIt's here! It is HERE! This is the week that had terrified me right from the start of this challenge. I was positive that even if I was able to conquer the dreaded "K", that there was NO WAY I would ever find a "Q"! And R was daunting too until I realized that lower case "r" is quite common in scroll work... so I quit worrying about it. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I actually found a capital R! By accident! It was tooooo cool! Sooooo... Let's play show & tell, shall we?
Do you remember when I found the "D" in the ram's horn? Well - actually Luz was squealing for me to photograph the D ram -- while I was busy photographing the Q ram! Both rams were inside the window of the Ram's Head Pub.
When I saw this I was quite positive that I should grab
it because what were the chances that
another Q would
come into my life?
Maybe you can see it a little better from this perspective...
It's not really a perfect Q - but it a rather stylish one!
However... one day as I was doing an Arby's drive-thru, I
rounded the bend after ordering my food, and while inching
my way up to actually pay for said food, I looked over and
BEHOLD!
Truly, a perfect Q me thinks!
Perhaps not as pretty... but no denying it's Qship!
Now... about that R...
Honestly... I didn't go looking.
I was just cleaning out drawers is all...
I was in the bathroom, and I was cleaning out drawers.
Well, you KNOW how they get!
Ew! Worse than a junk drawer!
(a junk drawer with HAIR!)
But suddenly... THERE it was!
An R!
A capital R!
Yes indeed!
It was!
It truly was!
I didn't even use my over-imagination or anything!
You know you see it too!
Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Wee Little Melli
Wee Little Amanda!
