Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Not Really Arrows

Another birthday for one of my Darling Daughters.
She's all grown up and I couldn't be prouder.
One of the kindest, empathetic person I know.
Really cute, too.
She is a meticulous housekeeper.
I made this for her so that she won't have to put anyone in particular on the spot at her home.
Your house, Your rules, eh Mugs?
Happy Birthday!
 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Past Blasting

I realize I've post this video before; but I just love this song.
And especially I require it on a Monday.
Especially special when I know what's coming up later in the week.
So, thanks,  Mr. Havens, and all the other Freedom Fighters out there.
You keep me able to keep on.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

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.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

So Very Nifty


Would've been really excellent.
But I'd have been guilty due to the cross country postal fee.

Thoughtful and kind in and of itself.

Quirky to be sure.
Cactus will take up space in the dark bowl.
The guitar shaped measures will be chomped on by Miss Ellie Bananas.
Use for the other items will be found.
Swanky, sparkly yarns.


Traditional tomato pin cushion (my first EVER).
Glittery rick rack, pastel figured ribbon and molded paper flowers.

Any one item would have been special and put to very good use.
All of them together, and a phone call, truly nifty galore!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Little Bitty Goody Goody

Yes, this was a cartoon from my childhood and consequently explains much.

The little goodies:
Simmering pot of oranges and cloves
Gold metallic rick rack
Completely unexpected floral arrangement from an amazingly thoughtful human
Stained glass
Very large rippled philodendron half price
Four new composition notebooks in four different colors
Palm cookies
Two more library books
Lee Krasner
Ice cubes
My black sweater
Voices from people I love

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Goodbye September


Lately I've been thinking of great names for blog titles.
 Not having much success developing the blog posts themselves.
I've changed many routines around my home.  For the better I hope.
Fighting years of bad habits is more than just difficult.
Especially now that so many words and speech abilities are apparently lost to me.
Frightening and threatening.

Ah, yes.
Carry on after all.
Another month to attempt.
This late bloomer thing is killing me.
Too late to be a Renaissance Woman without any special learning?

Then I found the above.
Perhaps in the nick of time.
And so, I am creating memorabilia (until I think of a better name for them) for the important special folk in my life.
Meaning to me, and hopefully to them.

Letting go of ridiculous rules and using the time available.
If this is my adulthood I will continue to do the best I have.
Truly grateful for what I have.
Challenged by what comes with each day.

Victory has a new definition.
Welcome October.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Some Time Really Does Slow Down

Le Petit Monde d'Oiseau
Just took a peek at the next blog following mine and was presently surprised.  I haven't looked in many months because they were usually light Thai porn or political rants I did not comprehend.  But this one I rather liked.

Some of the post was in Japanese which, of course I couldn't read.  But it was so pretty.  Like calligraphy incomprehensible on another level.  And the photos were all miniatures the writer received as gifts.  Baskets, glass bottles, teeny little desks.  Quite lovely.  Check it out following mine.

Anyway last night I had dreams about Landon whose parents just married.  At the wedding he wore an adorable little boy tux and a gently pastel boutonniere.*  In most of the photos he looks very serious.  He also looked serious in my dreams.

This morning I thought, maybe Landon knows something I don't.  If you've ever attempted to make a baby smile for a picture you know it takes many efforts and much patience.  And time.  Serious (and adorable, don't get me wrong...) Landon clearly in charge of his picture taking; he obviously made the time spread quite awhile.

Smarty pants.  I bet he was enjoying himself and he made it last as long as he wanted.  I'd like to have that skill during the daytime too.  But having it in the dream time is pretty nice.

*This word looks incorrect to me.   According to Spell Check it is OK however.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Humdinger

Every single day I'm loving this little spot more and more.  If I could walk I'd be sweeping, dusting, and rearranging like I had never done before.  Sadly everything below waist level is very difficult.  Using my sweet carpet sweeper takes hours to complete one hall runner. 

But every single day seems a bit of joy.  The bedroom window is the best and least expensive form of entertainment I'd discovered.  Yesterday the cooking aromas were transporting me yet again.  Bacon crispy.  Garlic potatoes.  Peach pie or coffee cake.  And, oh man! grilled hot dogs.  I was tempted to carry a sign outside:  "Will sing for your leftovers!"

High school friend visited bringing a frothy, chocolaty, whip creamy, chilly beverage.  Yummy!  And I'm sure I am the only American who has never spent $5.00 on fancy schmancy take out coffee.  Now I know why everyone does!  She stayed hours into the dark.  She risked letting her husband make his own dinner and we talked about our childhood similarities and spiritual beliefs.  What a gift.

Able to give a birthday present to Sister.  And Son helped hang the prototype bedroom curtain.  Both successful.  Good day.  Thanks.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

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.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

6:26 PM

Two perfect days here in the Midwest.

Both days had glorious special breezes (required for swell weather).  Leaf breezes.  Grass breezes.  Sifting evergreen into the windows breezes.  Even the ridiculous squirrels were stopping and popping on the sidewalk breezes.

The sky on both days were worth writing home about.  But, less admit it, sky blue in and of itself isn't something special.  There are a jillions blue shades that I prefer.  Cobalt.  Turquoise.  Cerulean.  Beany Malone bed room walls.  My grandchildren's eyes.
But when the sky has the cloudy condiments in the usual blue it is damn well acceptable.

Yesterday was a sweet shopping day.  Found each item:  wooden clothes pins, the blue toilet tank bowl freshener, hot Oke Doke cheese popcorn, votive candles, key lime yoghurt, and the giant coral cactus I've been scouting for two months.  Such a happy girl.

AND... I got to drive myself home in my precious Ancient Vehicle with two new tires!

Today I replanted plants.  Met the PT chap.  Spoke to five (FIVE!) of my favorite peoples.  Watched the Children Parade which I've missed this summer.  Made an almost perfect tuna sandwich.  Realized how lucky I am to have the daughters, friends and grandchildren that I have.  Especially today I am grateful

Oh, it got dark at 6:26 pm.  If it stayed a bit lighter a bit longer....oh, yeah... I'm focusing on gratitude.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Indian Summer

Are we allowed to use Indian Summer as the title for this current season?  I hope so because today was absolutely glorious.

If a Top Month Contest was taking place, I think September would be way out in front thus far.  My ballot would include:

1 to 3.  Days with Baby Sister
4.  Shower at home
5. Tried to read
6. Library Guy
7. Did my own laundry!
8.Enjoyed aroma of burning leaves outside my window
9. Emails to friends and instructors
10. Check in on new blog lists
11. Broccoli quiche'
12. This date open
13. Ancient Vehicle has been repaired
14. Household plants
15. Send cards and thank you
16. Carnation shopping
17. Sister's birthday!
18,  Company
19. Doctor appointments
20. Another
21. Glitter letters
22. Therapy progress
23. Daughters
24. Company
25. Grandchildren
26. Ex-husband's birthday
27. Library Guy
28 to 30th Eldest Younger Brother!!!

Ready to go.  Hopeful and flexible.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

501

Today is definitely an orange jello kind of day.  Sparkly, jiggly.  Transparent, yet coloring everything with a pleasant glow.  WWWwwwhhhaaaat?!  This from me?  One of the grumpiest women in America.

Yes indeed.

I finished another book by Fannie Flagg and it just made me smile.  She's not one of the great authors of our time but she writes about good strong women. (Bing!)  And though her plots are rather formulaic and everything always comes to an overwhelmingly happy ending... Screw it.  Not every book has to be so damn serious.

And I will be forever grateful to an author who gave me Evelyn Couch and now Maggie Fortenberry.  Thanks, Ms. Flagg.  And I hope you have a lovely day, too.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Good Morning! Good Morning!




See Explanation.
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available.


Another treat from the NASA website.  How sweet of the cosmos to line up to say good morning to my new grandson!  Talk about planning in advance.  Well done.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Yippee!!

To Welcome
Silas Cooper Smith

Lessons For An Old Dog

Yesterday was nifty.

Eight people were kind to me for no apparent reason.  Eight!  Three of them total strangers.  First my across the hall neighbor put the cotter pin back in the axle of my push cart.  Bless him and his funny moustache.

The windows in Ancient Vehicle no longer roll up or down; and so at the mailbox I struggled to make sure the envelopes landed in the slot and not on the pavement.  A lady with very twinkly earrings reached over and guided my hand.  "These things get farther and shorter every time don't they?" she asked.  Laughing and thanking her at the same time I agreed.

And at the gas station a tiny lady shaped like a plastic bride doll helped me pump my gas.  She was so tan her skin resembled leather and she spoke with a sexy smoker's rasp.  Her fingernails looked like talons with a swipe of purple at the tips and a row of sparkles as highlights.  She risked that glamorous manicure because she then poured a quart of oil into my car.  She did that for me.

I felt so lucky.

I swear if I'm ever able to walk properly again I am going to shower this world with good deeds.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

And So I

Gathered together all the books for Library Guy

Made three new hair clips

Found a dazzling new afghan pattern

Phoned Baby Sister

Listened to a strange animal noise outside my bedroom

Addressed envelopes

Pondered the "Kerry Weaver" crutch as a possibility

Drooled over the chicken taquito fragrance from the mainentance guy's lunch

Took some photos as my ficus slowly gives up the ghost

Crocheted just a little

Cleaned the top of my dresser

Organized photos in the ultimate photo box

Stayed very quiet

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Happy Anniversary

Not a national holiday, but hot damn, sometime I think it should be.
Today I have been cigarette free for three years!
THREE YEARS!
That's four full term pregnancies.
One completed master's degree.
A stint in the military.
Graduations, births, deaths.
Many changes.
Most of them welcome and embraced.
Some of them painful and resisted,
Slogging along.
Hobbling along.
Trembling along.
Sobbing along.
But moving along all the same.
It's a lonely business this growing old and not having cigarettes to accompany me (I will admit it) has made it all the more difficult.
My old non-judgemental buddy.
Ah, well.

Here I am with nice clean lungs.
They'd be cleaner still if all the folks here at Elder House would obey the 'no smoking indoors' rule and the '10 feet from the exits' rule.  And if they'd keep the reefer puffing to a minimum. 
Yes, America!  Geezers get high!  And more often than you'd think.
But no snarking today.
My lungs say thanks.
They're as clean as I can get them,
and so Happy Anniversary to me.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

These Would Totally Be My Lines



AND

AND

If I can ever find Vivi's confessional scene from "Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood" that would go right here.
Skip the commercials.
To be continued.