Beautiful Joyous Birthday Girl!!!

It's all true.

Grandchildren really are the coolest.

My own daughters are still and always will be the greatest possible humans.

But this generation they have begun are remarkable.

Happy First Birthday, Ellie!

Happiness Beyond Compare

And last night I realized that they also make me strong.

I am overwhelmed by these individuals.

Gotta get Zootie here at the same time.

Thank you all!

I know how lucky I am to spend time with you.

Call me Grinny Grinnerson.

Joy Joy Joy Unmatchable (Is That A Word?)

Friday is laundry day for me at Elder House.

Having clean sweats and bath towels and all is very nice.

But the best of all has nothing to do with laundry.

Most Friday afternoons my glorious Middle Daughter (I've got to find a better pseudonym for her.  "Middle" has some inappropriate connotations that don't hint at how swell this young woman is.) and her equally glorious little girl stop by.

Yeah, I know, my pictures are always blurry.

This is an old one anyway.

Check out those chocolate filled Twinkies.

Believe it or not those were a BIG disappointment.

Her Mommy lets me share one cookie or saltine with Miss Ellie Bananas.

Fair enough, it is close to her dinner time.

Twice now I offered the classic:

She doesn't have the hang of nibbling the cookie while it remains like a ring on her finger.  But she's got the gusto already!

This time I was left slathered in shortbread mush on both shoulders and chest.

I LOVE THOSE GIRLS!

Now if I can get the rest of my precious offspring and their precious offspring to drop by also...

Meanwhile I am revelling in those Lucky Fridays and nice clean clothes.

Snow Last Night

Chemex coffee carafe.  I wish I had mine back again.  This is an item I literally saved pennies to purchase.  (Embarrassed to admit that I first saw it on "Friends" long, long ago.)  It worked like a charm and I felt ever so sophisticated every time I used it.  I think I know where it is and if it is I will never see it again.  Alas.  For many reasons.

However recently I found some white plastic boxes in the trunk of Ancient Vehicle.  I have not removed them yet because planning how to get them out of the boot (always wanted to use that British vernacular...), into the rolling basket, up the ramp, through the ass killing entry door, and completely down the hallway without severe tears and injury... well, more than I can muster.  What I need are Old Testament slaves.

Anyway, there is a very, very slim chance my carafe is in one of those boxes.  I doubt it.  But if it is I will apologise on this spot.  And make an exquisite pot of coffee for myself and anyone interested.

And it really DID snow last night.  My photos suck as usual.  But the lilac leaves crumbled and the newly trimmed trees glowed.  The best part of the evening for me was Miss Ellie Bananas and her Mommy stopping by.  Ellie chomped on a cinnamon graham cracker and covered me with mushy crumbles.  I wouldn't accept that from almost everyone.  From that one, though, I relished it.

Maybe there is hope for October.

Plant A Let Ohs

Many moons ago I was a client at a weight lost clinic.  I went once a week, submitted to humiliation scale torture, listened to mind numbingly obvious lectures, and purchased incredibly expensive (which Mommy Dearest generously paged for), microscopic portion frozen foods. 

Yes, it worked like a charm.  I shed a punch of poundage which nobody noticed and which came back with all their extra buddies when I stopped attending the program

The skinny "counselors" encouraged me to reward myself whenever I met a goal.  Since the only reward I had ever given myself was food and I never had two dimes to spend on myself, I was a failure at treating myself.  Now, years later I discovered a present for me, me, me!

Houseplants!  Fairly inexpensive.  Big variety.  Rarely die.  No calories.  Yippee!

My oldest mother in law tongue.  Only one to survive the days at Angry Sisters house.  I don't think she killed the others on purpose, but I really miss the monstera.

Two newest.  Pink arrow and eponymous (I think).  I love the sketchy leaves.  The pots are actually dark, dark black.

Ellie Bananas tried ripping this to shreds with her chubby little hands.  Luckily she ate nothing and the plants have already recovered.

Hoya doing well despite by it's growing slowly.  I think it should have three or four more branches by now.

Christmas cactus I've had the best with so fair.  I have killed two before.  I think the trick is to ignore it most of the time.

Standard green arrow plant, pilfered from my school, and held alive by the pony.

Two tiny philodendron snatched from the Elder House lobby and (my personal favorite) jade plant.  This is another I want to touch all the time, but it also seems to thrive on neglect.  It does grow quickly enough for me.

These are my garden.  My oxygen factories.  My long delayed collection of rewards.

Splendid Day

Three of the best girls on the planet!

And the feta cheeseburger was great, too!

Recently

I successfully transformed an ordinary shoe box into something magical.  Really!  I use it for time travel AND paper storage.

I created something lovely at the request of one of my Darling Daughters.  I added ribbon and considered glitter.  Now I am totally out of blue.

I visited with two incredible little people and their Moms.  Altogether a sweet couple of days! 

She's Been Here A Whole Month!!!

Sleepin' Like An Angel