Merry Christmas!!!

Last year I did not feed the birds in my backyard. Fortunately my neighbors had just built their new home next door and Jack feeds the birds faithfully. I think I was overwhelmed with my new position in life... and afraid to use the deck stairs in wintery snowy conditions. Earlier this year, when I was down with the 'creeeping crud' - I even considered giving all my bird seed to Jack!

Well Friday I finished Christmas shopping and while in town I bought four new feeders. Yesterday I loaded them up - moved my other 'shepherd's hook' from the garden and placed it with the other. Less than two hours later Mr. Squirrel arrived. He looked up and left... I guess he didn't figure he could get up there easily. He was pretty plump so I think he has easier targets in the neighborhood. Shortly after he left the chickadees began stopping in!

This morning - loads of birds!!! What a beautiful surprise on Christmas morning!
Merry Christmas!

Yup, I'm here....

Wasn't getting my photos uploaded. Wasn't sure if it was the new Blogger or the new Microsoft IE7 browser... I'm not too happy with the new browser... it takes up a whole extra tool bar space at top! Not gonna download it on my other computer.

Well I just upgraded to the new Blogger and now I can share my photos of the Salvation Army kettle workers on the island of Molokai. I just absolutely love the Hawaiian people! It just seemed so strange seeing the lady ringing her bell with the same kettle we see on the mainland... but she was just wearing a pretty red dress!... and the guys were in t-shirts!

In case I don't make it back here tomorrow - Merry Christmas!!!

A bit of 'my' Hawaii...

Susan caught this dramatic shot on our mule ride voyage on the island of Molokai. That's Jan to left in foreground and me just in front of one of our guides. She must have actually stopped her mule to take this picture because I took - like - zillions of shots but none this good. It is not what you would call a really smooth ride. Suffered no aches, bumps or bruises though, so does that mean I'm a natural with the mule?

The entire ride was this dramatic. Yes that's the ocean out there! The scenery is gorgeous, the plant life is diverse and beautiful. The company was delightful - fellow tourists and tour guides alike.

I would not trade one moment of that fantastic trip for anything!

....and I promise more photos to follow. I'm feeling much better - the cold has become almost 'normal' meaning that I sneeze just like anybody else without having a coughing fit... and I'm out and about getting things done... but not gonna push it, I promise!

I picked up the Monday Madness questions for this week...

..and couldn't find an easy way to answer any of them. Here is the MM challenge this week:
Monday Madness: OttO says....
This week's questions come from our good friend, and faithful participant, gabrielle. Thanks so much for your questions, Gabrielle!! And everyone, thank you for playing and have a wonderful week! (I may be taking Christmas Day off, which is in 2 weeks, so if you don't see questions posted that day, don't panic. I will certainly be back the following week.) =)

1. What song gives you the most holiday cheer?

2. Who is the hardest person to shop for on your holiday list?

3. When do you start your holiday shopping?

4. What food or drink do you love when it's cold out? (Recipes and recommendations, please!)

5. What do you do to get rid of a cold or flu?

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Do not bother reading any further if you only want to see MM answers. You will not find answers to these questions here on my site today. So maybe I'll lose friends - well maybe not real friends and maybe I'll turn some folks off because I'm just an ol' bah-humbug granni - well not really - I've always LOVED Christmas and the whole season. Anyway, this blog is sort of based on the above questions...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm just getting over a cold or flu-thing. I've had it for more than a week now. I first noticed it the day I returned home from San Diego... it was a Friday I think, postponed to that from Thursday because I had fallen and my San Diego family didn't want me to leave until they knew I was okay... which I wasn't but it's not their fault. Well, I was okay as far as the fall was concerned...

so in answer to question 5 - I've been taking care of myself as though I was taking care of anybody I love - staying home, keeping warm, drinking lots of liquids, especially warm ones - green tea and hot chocolate (with Splenda), and a whole package of Thera-Flu (3 cups a day spread over a two-day period - Thank you Natalie!!!). Didn't feel like eating much - so when I felt like eating I ate whatever was in my house that sounded good... I have a small chest freezer, a big freezer on my fridge and a big pantry. When Frank was alive we kept them full and I've been trying to empty them for more than a year now. Can you believe I've actually lost 10 pounds eating stuff like fish sandwich in pita bread with cheese.... and ice cream sundaes made by heating homemade applesauce from my neighbor and putting it over a nice big helping of Butter Pecan ice cream!!!! Maybe I just don't want to be well... I LIKE losing weight.

...and for the rest of the questions - Close your eyes and imagine:

• The love of your life died a year and three months ago.
• You live alone and keep abnormally busy learning to adapt.
• Your other beloved family members are busy living their own lives... and they just seem to get busier.
• You don't really enjoy shopping.
• ...and now you hardly know some of the people on your list. How can you know somebody you only see a few times a year?
• You are trying to get rid of things - so many things that have accumulated over many many years. You don't need more stuff.
• You have new windows but don't know how to install the blinds - or the curtains (Your love always did this for you.)
• You have a new light fixture for the bathroom but don't know how to install it.
• Things break and you don't know how to fix them.
• You want to remain in the home you and your love created... and are physically able to do the general, overall upkeep. You don't want things...
• You just want maybe a few hours of family time - maybe once a month, more or less (It will always become less, so ask for more.)

Okay! You are me. Now I challenge YOU to answer the first 4 questions!

Grumbleeze

Last night I watched a sappy Lifetime movie called Recipe for a Perfect Christmas. I think I saw it before but this time when it was over I cried. I'm sure that didn't happen the first time.

BTW - for those who were wondering, I'm beginning to feel a bit better.

Answers to Monday Madness

Natalie says....
I'm running out of ideas for MM challenges, folks! If you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to email me. Thank you, and thank you for your loyal and friendly participation in my meme! =)

1. I wish people would just ...I really don't care what other people do as long as they are not harmful to the rest of us.
2. My biggest pet peeve where other drivers are concerned, is using cell phones, eating breakfast or lunch, reading - all while driving!!! - YES - these things endanger everybody around them.
3. I will probably spend about ...not much on holidays this season.
4. I really hope to have my ceramic tile floors finished by the end of this calendar year.
5. I make about none resolutions each year, and keep of them.

I'm back from a fantastic trip with Jan & Susan to Hawaii!!! Unfortunately I'm recovering from my second cold in the space of two months... I guess that - along with other things - is a sign that it's time to slow down and enjoy the moment. Fortunately I think I'm feeling better... but am taking no chances and taking life slow & easy for a while!

We took loads of photos!!!
Here is just a tiny taste: Computer is loaded with pics... look for an occasional 'special taste of Molokaii, Hawaii' right here!!!

Also plan to put together an album of our best pics to share with family and friends!!! Might even try Digital Scrapbooking... which I heard about right here!!!

This was home sweet home for our week and we enjoyed every moment of it!! More later....

Thank you Susie!!!

today the quote in my email was...

"The art of mothering is to teach the art of living to children."
-- Elain Heffner

today on a plane I saw the mother who should be taught this!

It was, however, a great trip.

So much for blogging more frequently...

Who says the new bedroom is mine? These 'girls' spend more time there than I do!

...but I'm finally getting Monday Madness done! Thank goodness for MM or I probably would hardly ever blog any more. Where does the time go?

1. From ch'i:
If you could only read one blog every day- which one blog would be on your daily list?
Wow! That's a tough one cuz 3 of my daughters blog fairly often - sort of - and there are several people's blogs I like to visit frequently - and I have 3 blogs I like to keep up most of the time, so I need to check on them! I'm not gonna answer this one... sorry!

2. From kat:
What do you do to de-stress from a hectic day?
Veg in front of the tv... with my laptop along so I can play Spider Solitaire during the slow spots... and occasionally check out a few blogs.

3. From paxil princess:
What is your favorite piece of clothing to wear in the winter?
In Michigan a good warm coat is necessary - and a hat, any hat to keep the heat inside your body! I guess my favorite when I go outside is a nice thick beige coat. It has a hood but I like to wear this funky dark red hat I crocheted.

4. From sherle:
Do you prefer discussing problems with a sibling, a parent, a significant other, a psychologist, or a total stranger?
I preferred discussing with the husband - no longer an option so when I really needed somebody I met a psychologist who got me through a bit of grieving period. He said I don't really need him any more but will be there if and when I do need him. It's a good thing.

5. From trista:
How long have you been blogging?
It's been about 4 years but before I learned about Blogger I had a website for a year or two where I sort of kept an online diary.

6. From lisa e:
Which side of the bed?
I start out sleeping smack dab in the middle of my new queen-sized bed and it's great!!! Of course sometimes I wake up to a kitty cat or two somewhere around me. ;-)

7. From elton:
How often do you pig out when you eat?
I try really hard to only do that once every couple of months at a good ol' hog-trough! My current favorite is 1st Wok where the variety is big and there's lots of chicken and seafood!

8. From karen:
Do you watch the space shuttle launches?
Yes, usually... but when they keep putting it off I sometimes lose interest. I figure I'll see it in the national news at 6:30 pm.

9. From dawn:
What's your favorite leisure-time activity?
sort of camping but in a cottage of hotel... with access to boating, long nature walks and lots of photo ops!

10. From sherle:
When is the last time you said, 'I love you' and to whom?
What about hugs? Who is the last person you hugged?
Hmmm! I think the last person I said 'I love you' to was Sharba when she returned my phone call Monday evening. I love hugs! I hug friends; I hug family, but I don't hug perfect strangers. I think the last person I hugged was Foggy, when she & her family left my house Sunday evening.

It's Monday and I just ain't mad...

..but here's a bit of Monday Madness. OttO said:
Using the letters in your name (first, last, both, whatever), describe your life!
Okay girl, I'm gonna use my pseudonym:
Simple
Happy
Energetic
Reasonable
Limber
Entertaining

Sometimes Sappy
Optimistic
Lazy

Artistic

Complete
Empathetic

This is a partial description of me... As Popeye the Sailor said, "I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam!!! This is my life today.

No, the picture is NOT upside down!!!

NaNoWriMo...

One place to read about it is at Yahoo...The Spark of Yahoo!

First time I heard about it was last year but it actually started several years ago. Saving the article here; thinking about trying it. Six pages a day? Actually that sounds like a lot! What do you think? Why not give it a try!

Kittens and Corrections..

Happy Halloween!!!
So it really wasn't Mozilla. I think it was just because of how I copied and pasted my entry yesterday. I do have something that looks a bit funkier than it did with Explorer but overall I've decided to abandon Explorer because I was duped into downloading Explorer 7 for Yahoo! Didn't realize what I was doing and I can't find it to get rid of it so now I'll be using Mozilla all the time on this computer.

I promised a kitten picture. Here's one I took Sunday when I cleaned the fish tank. When I went to bed Saturday night I had 5 goldfish - when I woke up Sunday I had 3!!! Had a toilet funeral and decided to change the tank out and clean it up!

The cover on this bowl has holes so the fish are getting air but I put it there for their protection. As you can see, Miss Kitty is relentless in her pursuit of whatever she is pursuing at the moment - in this case my remaining three goldfish!

As you can see these fish are humungous - almost as big as Miss Kitty! Got loads of photos of her with the fish but this was the most precious one of all - and as a bonus it didn't show as much of the mess I was ignoring while cleaning the tank.

Here's my Monday Madness...

I'll be back later with some cute kitty pictures. Got a busy day ahead of me cuz I was able to move into my bedroom this weekend. Thanks to Dave for finishing up that room! Thanks to Emilio and Dave for risking hernias to move that big heavy furniture into the room! I'll be back to fix this too! Was using Mozilla instead of Explorer and haven't the foggiest idea what happened!

This week's questions are, once again, from fellow participants! Thanks to all of you for your questions, AND for playing! Have an awesome week! =)

1. From bev:
Small town or big city? Small town – actually not in the town but near it. I grew up in a city and moved to the small town to raise our children.

2. From turtlemoonwave:
Do you have a favorite childhood memory, and if so, would you share it? I remember my mom took us ‘up north’ for vacations sometimes. When we went we stayed in a borrowed cottage with lake access. Sometimes she couldn’t take us ‘up north’ and we would go to Wenonah Beach in the neighboring town on Saginaw Bay – where there was an amusement park. It even had a wooden roller coaster and I loved to ride on it.

3. From cat:
How do you calm down when something has really upset and/or angered you? Do you swallow it? Call a friend and rant? Go in the bathroom and cry? Punch a wall? Walk around muttering to yourself, complete with scary hand gestures? I guess I just sit down and write about it… usually in a blog and save as a draft. Then, depending on circumstances I might discuss it with somebody. Sometimes, after I’ve calmed down I delete what I wrote; other times I just leave it in there as a draft I no longer use ‘sign language’ toward other drivers though… ever since a guy actually stopped his truck in the road in front of me! I got out of that one by driving in the opposite direction – even though my blinker told him where to ‘wait’ for me!

4. From dna princess:
What attracts you to memes?' It started as a solution to writers’ block but then – well I guess I just like the challenge and reading how others feel about the same subjects.

5. From mads:
How reliant are you on computers to get through your day? Since I’m retired I don’t have to rely on a computer – but I do! I depend on my computer to google answers to things I used to look up in the dictionary or encyclopedia. I use my computer to look up phone numbers of people and businesses instead of the paper phone book. It’s so much faster and complete! I also use the computer to relax – usually with a quick game of Spider Solitaire – and of course I use it to communicate! If I really need to get a message to somebody I find it quicker to send an email because snail mail is so slow and I usually think to phone somebody at odd times when they are probably at work or whatever.

6. From tizzie:
In a crisis, are you calm or do you panic? I guess in a real crisis I go into ‘automatic drive’ and only get all emotional about it when the crisis is past. This seems to be a built in mechanism and I thank God for it.

Had a fantastic time Saturday night...

Natalie, your family sure knows how to put on a great party! Good food, good company, fun music and I even danced half of the night away!!! I haven't had so much fun in literally years!

For Monday Madness... Otto says - 'This week, 5 more questions from our fellow participants! Thank you all for playing, AND for offering suggestions. Have a fabulous week! =)'
1. From: cassie:
Dramas or comedies?
Even though I enjoy a really good drama, comedies are on top of my list. Laughter is essential for a healthy life. I believe this with a passion!

2. From: nutmegnine:
Your neighbor has frequent noisy parties on nights before you need to get up early. Do you confront him directly, call the police, call your landlord, join in the debauchery, or seethe quietly and do nothing?
Thank goodness I don't have a neighbor like that!!! I guess I would first confront him. If that didn't work I would call the landlord in to intercede and if that didn't work, I would call the police!!! If I was renting and it was an apartment, and the parties were really frequent, I'd probably move!

3. From sherle:
Are you more comfortable in big crowds or small groups?
Definitely small groups! Had a great time at Carolyn and Miguel's wedding however. It was a big enough crowd for me... and I enjoyed the small group I was with within the bigger crowd!

4. From zeno:
Do you prefer Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox?
I use them both actually. I think I'm working myself into going with Mozilla because at this point it's safer than the Microsoft product. I already use Mozilla Thunderbird for my mail and am sure I will go 100% Firefox when I'm forced into it by Microsoft.

5. From briar:
They say you learn something new every day. What new thing did you learn today?
Wow! I just woke up an hour ago! I guess already today I've learned that I was right once again. My recent 'injury' was only a pulled muscle! It feels much better today after following the advice of the 'ask a nurse' feature of my health insurance!!!

I don't believe this!

I'm actually watching the Tiger/Cardinals game on Desperate Housewives night! Not to worry... I'm gonna watch the naughty ladies; but gonna check on the Tigers now and again! Tigers just got their first run while I started this post! Yay!!!!!! Go Tigers!

pix for publishing...????

How many ways can I say Blogger is p***ing me off!?!!!?? I've been trying to replace the photo in my Blogger profile... and keep getting the message that the photo must be 50kb... so I went back and made it smaller in PhotoShop Elements 2... This photo is now downsized to 38.5kb and 500px in size!!!

...and yet Blogger refuses to let me use it on my profile!!! What does blogger do? - convert to a bigger size? Must be a guy thing, eh?

Well I'm not giving up that easy!

Here I was - all set to blog something funny and share a cute little photo of the kitten - and all you got was this goofy picture I took of myself in a funny mirror on Father's Day 2005!

Monday Madness

This week's challenge comes from trista. Thank you, Trista! Have fun with this one, and let's make it our goal to MAKE more time for ourselves to have fun! Thanks to all of you for playing! =)1. Name 10 things you would do if you had more time.

1. Blog every day.
2. Visit all of my kids more often.
3. Spend more time with my siblings.
4. Update my salascove.com domain.
5. Play with my oil & watercolor paints.
6. Exercise at least 3 times a week.
7. Get back to scrapbooking - working with the old family photos & my heritage book first.
8. Get out and meet new people.
9. Attend an occasional play or musical performance again.
10. Schedule regular vacations.

Magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes Hawaii

Heard it on the tv news... here it is on Yahoo! News. Actually the latest news says it's downgraded to a 6.3. Okay, talk to me!!! Should I be worried? Jan, you've experienced earthquakes... how will this affect a donkey ride in Molokai for instance? Should we do something else instead? For some reason a donkey ride along the side of a cliff does not worry me... but earthquakes do!

Googled this map... Click on it to read it better... or go here to see the original.

Totally in another direction... did I mention? Yesterday Miss Kitty was liberated. Yes, the kitten was 'in isolation' - a tiny entrance area with a glass door where she could see but not spread any disease or earmites or fleas to the rest of the kitty family.

I've been bringing her out and holding her! Well yesterday when I let her walk around on my computer desk she got behind some things... knocked them down... scared the heck out of herself and ran off!!! Then and there I decided to release her from her tiny prison... even though her doc wants her separated from them for another week & a half! So I'm bad, what can I say? Sorry Janet!

Miss Kitty is her name - forget that foofoo stuff Sharba suggested. When I hold her and talk to her, Po'Paree just doesn't do it. Her doctor suggested Miss Kitty and was delighted when I told her my decision. Seems she is a big Gunsmoke fan! Remember Miss Kitty? What could be more country than that, eh?

OH! I just posted a photo to sherle's photos. Check it out.... and don't forget to choose 5 of your favorite photos to share at Favorite 5 Fotos!

It's entirely up to me now...

They are both painted and carpeted. Yes... that is pink, isn't it? I absolutely love the colors already! So what's the hold up? It's my job to stain the trim so Windy's hubby can install it. It's my job to paint the radiator covers (pink of course) and I can put them back... I'm the one who took them off. Really shouldn't put furniture in the rooms until that finish work is done because the furniture is really really heavy - like solid oak... and the drawers don't come out of the dressers... duh! Who's dumb idea was that anyway?

Activity room (or will it be the living room?) needs trim stained and painted too! Not only that, the carpet guy said he could carpet the hearth but it would not look good and would not last. He recommended I have it tiled - so it's not done. (It was tiled originally and I must agree it would look better than carpet.)

My electric fireplace insert is available at a reasonable price at Home Depot but Windy's hubby told me to wait until he caps off my old fireplace chimneys. Meanwhile I have to keep it covered ( notice the old ceiling panel in the insert spot?) so the cats won't spread soot all over the house... and they would if they could get in there!

Then there's the matter of that tile job... will it be done or will it not? I wish people would be straight up with me. I've spent my whole day waiting for two separate people to show up at my house. Guess what!!! Neither showed. Dave tells me what he will and will not do and then he follows through. So does Matt... matter of fact he will be back next week to finish up.

...and finally, I got volunteers!!! I will have helpers next weekend - after the big wedding wingding - or maybe before - to get furniture moved back into my bedroom. Not saying names but it's my other family from the other side of the state. Thank you girl!!! You are my motivation to get my part of the job done this week.

Friday 13th Addendum...

Wow! That sounded harsh! Didn't mean it to sound that way... and as I look at the big beautiful empty rooms I'm thinking I could use an extra brain too! I'm thinking how nice it would be for the yellow room to be the living room instead of activity room. Seems my current living room is more of a Great Room - sort of surrounding the kitchen and including the dining area.... perhaps better suited for the activity portion of my life???

Well, don't have to decide today, do I? I think I'll sleep on it. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Are you afraid of Friday the 13th?

I'm not! Maybe I should be. Today I had my carpet installed in two rooms. My furniture is in the rest of my house. I guess now all I need is a set of muscles to move it.

Have a nice weekend. ;-)

My boat's out of the water...

..and in a safe place. Thank you Sharba & Kevvy for making the big trip over here just to get it out of the water!

OttO had her rummage sale finally this weekend! Was able to get over there Sunday to help out. Not so sure she really needed me but we had a great visit! I think she did pretty well... getting rid of some big items and gaining space in the building where she had it all stored! I even came home with a few books - but she wouldn't let me pay for them... because we pretty much have a book exchange going in our family and this just made it easier for me to choose.

Had my Ranger detailed this weekend too! Otto's stepson did a beautiful job!!! It's something I've wanted done for years and now it's nice & clean - inside and out! It was my Christmas gift from Nat & Emilio & a great one! (My fault it happended so long after Christmas... not theirs! I had to get stuff out of it so he could clean it.)

D day (D for delivery) is approaching for my new carpet. I chose different colors than originally planned... and that's a good thing. I love the colors! They were special order and expected to arrive withing 10 days of ordering - around next Saturday. Guess I can then get another big bed. Do you realize how inconvenient a single bed is for a big adult? It's comfortable but I can't roll over in it without waking myself up!

Okay... here's my Monday Madness:

More great questions from our fellow Monday Madness members! Have fun, and thank you all for playing, and for the questions!! Have a great week! =)

1. From amaranth:
Name three people you would pick (and why) if you could choose who to be stranded on a deserted island with. Wow! Tough one - haven't thought about since much younger years... Tony Bennet for art & music, John Lithgow for humor and Brian Williams from NBC News - for mental stimulation... ;-)

2. From julie:
What is your favorite genre of film and what is your favorite movie from that genre? Old fashioned musical extravaganzas like 'Oklahoma' and 'Sound of Music' are always fun... my all-time favorite is 'Fiddler on the Roof.'

3. From tiffany:
Which country would you like to visit and why? Hmmm. No big desire to go so far because there is so much I have not yet seen in the United States... but I guess Mexico might be fun because we share the continent and I've been to Canada several times.

4. From wil:
What are you driving these days? What's it's (their) good and bad points? Would you buy another one, and why or why not? I drive a 1998 Ford Ranger 4x4 pickup truck with a cap. It is a stick shift and everything else is 'power' so it's economical on gas. I would buy another but my next vehicle will be a small SUV - most likely the Ford Escape and still 4x4. It's a good idea here in Michigan. The only thing I don't like about my Ranger is there is only room for one passenger... unless they are very small adults or children... because the extended cab just has tiny 'jump benches' for sitting. The Chevvy van was Frank's & it's a gas hog. I use it only to take the boat in and out of the water...

5. From cindy swanson:
"Lost," "24," or both? I've not watched '24' but I might begin... I've been hooked on 'Lost' ever since it began!

6. From lady starlight:
You've been very good this year. What should Santa bring you for Christmas? (the sky is the limit) Santa, I sure would like to have a new bank account with a few million dollars in it... collecting interest of course!!!

Enough with the kitty-crap...

..I'm guessing this topic grows old if you're not the kitty-'mommy' so I promise to slow it down after today.

Been feeling so guilty keeping her segregated and there's still a whole week to go so I gave her this toy. It's just a weighted base with a fuzzy ball at the end of the wire spring but she entertains herself literally for hours!!!

She started playing before Survivor came on and was still going during Grey's Anatomy! See? I have an exciting life... just try to phone me during one of these shows and you'll know... you'll wonder if I'm home cuz I won't answer the phone.

Right now I'm almost ready to give her a name... been thinking about Sharba's Poe Purree name... not just because she's my daughter (honest!) but because she has a diabolical viewpoint! Decided I could still go country by naming her after a famous person... ya'll know - that Paree` Hilton chicky! Decidin' since my kitty's a po' little stray I might'n jest call her Po'Purree` and it could be referrin' both ta the Paree` Hilton gal an' that thar smelly stuff fancy folk puts in bowls around the house insteada snacks! Then there's the fact she's all mixed up in colors - kinda like that smelly stuff!

Isn't she just the CUTEST!!!?

AmyLou loves to watch her... she watches right back!

I need another cat around the house like I need a hole in my head. (You don't suppose I have a hole somewhere inside my head???) You knew I was gonna keep her, didn't you? I think she and Amy will get along just fine. Not so sure about some of the others - especially Goober - but we'll see. The tough part is keeping her away from the others for a whole two week period!

My mom & sister stopped by today... and of course they think she's adorable! Each of them has one spoiled rotten cat. See, I can't spoil 'em cuz I have so many... sort of like when the girls were all home. Mom, Gerry & I went out for lunch at a local place. Enjoyed both the food and the company!

Gerry says her youngest son does ceramic tile work!!! Hooooray!!! This has been heavy on my mind - having all those tiles and paraphenalia in the basement... but nobody to install it. She will talk with him about it and I expect to hear from him soon. Another of her sons will check out the work needed at the lake this weekend and hopefully will finish the drywall/insulation job there!

I finalized my order for carpet today... and it should arrive in about ten days. Getting the ceramic tile versus vinyl flooring problem out of my head sure made this job easy!!!

Okay, here's just one more picture of my baby! Still looking for more names... I kinda like SadeyMae! (Thanks Cas!) Sharba, I suppose you've got some high-falutin' musician's name in mind? That might be kinda nice... but probably not very country! Can you believe - I sort of considered Baby Girl, but gee! I call each of the other three that on occasion... so...

so here's the scoop...

..Today I took the kitten to the veterinarian. Amazingly, she showed no worms - really not normal in kittens that get dropped off or abandoned. She is being treated for ear mites and fleas... passed the feline leukemia blood test... and is being given an antiobiotic 'just in case.' She's already an expensive little critter! I took more photos but haven't put them on my computer yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Taking suggestions for her name. Keep in mind I have a little 'country' theme going here. We have Goober, DaisyMae, EllieMae and AmyLou Mae.

Went back to Home Depot to make some changes in my carpet decisions... trying to get down to something more realistic in price. Was there a couple of hours... I'm happier with the colors I chose... and they are all a bit less expensive. Still don't have a 'bottom line' price. Why should this take so long? Unbelievable!

Jan is back from Alaska... but needs some impetus to get her to put photos up!!! Welcome back, Bug!

I think I'm first at MM today!!!

Monday Madness!!!

1. From amanda f: What do you do when somebody complements you?
a. Smile and say Thanks
b. Ignore it and change the subject
c. Complement them back
d. Turn red in embarrasment at the attention and look around to see other people’s reaction
e. Take it as your due! I smile and say thanks!

2. From shelly: What color are your eyes? brown

3. From kia: What do you like most about yourself? What I like most about me is that I know and enjoy the company of a diversity of people.

4. From julie: How do you spend Christmas? Actually I spend the day rather quietly. I like to have a big after the rush family party the week after Christmas, though.

5. From wide imagination: When do you normally blog? Day or night? Usually I blog in the morning... when my mind is numb.

6. From rach: What song can you relate to your personal life? Share a line or two of that song. ...a really old song - I think the title is 'Side by Side' and the beginning phrase goes... 'Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money. Maybe we're ragged and funny, but we travel along, singing our song, side by side.'

7. From sherle: What is your favorite color for a sleeping environment? I have a lovely deep pink wall in my newly redecorated (almost) bedroom.

a quicky update...

This morning I saw a rather scraggly & pitiful cat run across the back yard. I'm thinking it could be the mother of the little squeaker I rescued yesterday. When I rescued EllieMae a few years back, she had come to me for food & drink... then when I brought her & the kittens into the garage, she hid one, the calico who we later named AmyLou Mae. Do you suppose this latest little calico was moved by her mom? hmmmmmmmm! We had loads of bad weather - rain & cold - since yesterday morning. If that poor mother had more kittens, I doubt they are living now. Why are some people so irresponsible? I can hear thunder rumbling even now as the sun is shining!

Friday afternoon I received a phone call from Home Depot, where I purchased a quote for my new flooring. She told me it's ready for me to come in and discuss. When I asked for the current quote, she gave me an exhorbitant price!!! It was more than double what Sharba's actual price was for a similar sized area. I think the choices I made were based on my inexperience along with the inexperienced (new at the job) employee in the store. Hopefully the same employee will be in the store & we will 'learn' together!!! I've learned a lot all ready.

Tomorrow the kitten will go to the County Animal Control in Midland. I choose Midland because there is a new group called SOS. I'm sure they would not take the kitten from me... but they claim to rescue animals from Animal Control that are scheduled for euthanasia. Kittens usually have a pretty good chance, don't they? I cannot keep this little baby - my four cats will not allow it!

Next week my boat comes out of the water... I hope. Took it for a ride only once this summer... well, I was pretty busy. Part of summer was broken foot recovery time... and part was filled with getting the old remodel project finished. I'm almost there by the way... and tired of sleeping in a single bed off from the kitchen!!! I will get that carpeting in soon... for sure in the bedroom.

this was a criminal act...

what sort of scumbag would take a poor tiny defenseless little creature like this little kitten and just put it out in the cold and the rain!???

whoever did it is a criminal. he or she should be put out on an isolated island on a cold wet night with no food or clothing to protect him or her and left there for a week. survival would depend on what the individual does when provided a second chance to treat baby creatures humanely!

this tiny kitten is in isolation because i brought her in from the cold. i could feel her tiny ribs and so i fed her. i cannot keep her near my furry family because she undoubtedly has an assortment of parasites and it would not be fair to my family to share these things. i'm looking for a home for her...

I hate when I sleep in on Fosamax Friday!

Chose Friday for the weekly Fosamax dosage because it seemed easy to remember. After taking it you have to wait at least 30 minutes before drinking coffee or having breakfast... which would be okay if I got up earlier. You see, I take a couple of meds that must be taken 'with food' so I make it part of the morning routine in order to not forget! Sleeping 'til 9:00am extends that whole morning routine to 10:30 or 11:00. Good thing I'm retired, eh?

My frogs are back!!! Had to share this photo with you. Took a bunch of them today. Actually there were three frogs in the pond. Gee I was glad to see them because it seems every time I mow I have to slow down because I'll see at least one hopping in the grass. Wondering where they come from? ...the little creek that runs down to the river, of course! I'm just glad some of them managed to find the little pond.

I want to clarify my yesterday post a bit. The carpet color just didn't seem to show true, but it does in this photo. It's actually called 'Spicey' and this shot shows the variations better. I really like it! I just wish I could put this carpet in my living room - where the walls - which are brick - have the same colors in them. I guess it still is good because it carries the 'rusty' theme throught the house without needing to use the actual brick in these other rooms.

...last word - not complaining about the Fosamax a bit. Like Martha would say, 'It's a good thing.' I'm not so sure I'd be able to remember that other product - the one you take only monthly... even if it does work for Sally Field! Another last word (???) - cassie-b mentioned my re-do makes her feel like she should be doing something. Don't feel bad, Cas, this is stuff that's been long overdue in my house. I'm actually finishing projects that were started a long time ago... and as a fringe benefit... this activity has been very therapeutic at this stage in my life. It's sort of a total renewal thing.

Have a nice day, and if I don't get back in the next couple of days, have a great weekend too!

Addendum @ 1:31 pm - I just posted a photo for foto pherrets here at sherle's photos! I was on a roll this past few days with the camera.

Choosing floorcoverings...

is sort of fun... paying for it? not so much! Paint stirrers show the color of the two rooms needing flooring.

Wednesday I brought home samples... I think I've narrowed it down... hallway/foyer areas will be easy care vinyl - a good heavy duty grade - shown on the right. This color shows pretty true on my computer - and goes well with the existing ceramic tile in the dining and kitchen areas. The yellow? - That is the color of the new activity room aka family room. That color extends into the hallway where I want the vinyl. Even though I chose a different vinyl floor for the bathroom and laundry room, I just might decide to use this one in those rooms as well.

Going with the medium shade of carpeting - bottom left - in bedroom and activity room. The pink is my bedroom wall color. These colors do not look exactly this color but close. Had the rooms measured yesterday and expect a phone call tomorrow from the store - with a final cost estimate. Now that I've made a decision I'm anxious to get things done!

unfinished business...

ah yes... where does the time go? don't need getting into detail but seems as though for each thing i really want to do in my home, there are several unexpected things to do. need an example?

okay here's one: i have some rooms that need touch-up painting before putting carpet down. yesterday went looking at carpet; today had a visitor and then a fellow to measure my floors. don't get me wrong!!! i enjoyed my visitor more than i would touch-up painting! i wouldn't trade the visit for anything. decided i can do the painting tomorrow - because i have somewhere to go this evening...

just got a phone call - a reminder - i have a meeting tomorrow at 1:00pm... an appointment i made several weeks ago and forgot all about it! middle of the day so - --

when will i do that painting? ...or clean house for that matter?

Something else I don't know...

Tell me... is this creature a cormorant? My sister Gerry and I saw it when we were in Ludington last week. At first we thought it might be a heron but then I remembered reading that cormorants are sort of a dark bird, shaped similarly to a heron... and somehow this bird wasn't quite as pretty as the blue heron I've seen in past years.

I've read cormorants have a voracious appetite and are a threat to more desirable water fowl and to fish. Nice picture though, isn't it? It was taken along the Lincoln River in Ludington State Park.

Monday Madness- questions from fellow participants!

1. From jstar: Holiday in Europe or Asia? I think Europe - because of my roots. It would be interesting to visit Wales & France - the two places I know are in my family history.

2. From sherle: How do you try to change a behavior pattern you don't like about yourself... whether it's chewing fingernails, overeating, smoking, or picking your nose? When I started smoking, I quit chewing my fingernails. I used the patch to quit smoking and it worked! I've tried pills to quite overeating, which got worse after I quit smoking... and it only works for a short while. Counting calories helps the most if I stick to it, which, unfortunately I don't. Thank goodness, I don't pick my nose.

3. From tricia: Have you ever successfully completed a Sudoku puzzle? No - actually I get all tense and feel incompetent just looking at one!

4. From caylynn: What website do you visit the most often? Hmmm! ...probably my own, but I also read the Midland Daily News every day online... I use dictionary.com often and oh yes, Google! I probably use Google the most - for what I want to know - every day!

5. From michael morgan: What was your favorite thing about high school or college? Graduation!

Thought I was done blogging for today but...

I was just catching up on blogs and Shirl took a photo last week that is pretty similar to this one I took last week. Not to disappoint, in case you stop by Shirl, here it is!

Discovering this lonely red leaf was sort of like spotting the first robin in spring...

Soon my maple tree will be gold & red all over... then the raking - ah the raking - hope weather stays warm enough to get it all done before snowfall!

Today is special...

and I want to thank Natalie for the special wishes!
I understand. Why do I share this picture of my freshly painted garage? It's an example of the words expressed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which Natalie shared in her blog today.

As many know, this summer, for me, has been one of renewal and completion. This garage is an example. Until a couple of weeks ago, it was red with a black, leaky roof and a tarry brush adorning it. The brush was testament to Frank's last effort to at least put a temporary fix to the leak. It was there for a more than a year. Frank did not like to hire something done if he could do it himself and he had installed the black roof. He was determined to fix it too.

Thursday, when I returned home from a computer club board meeting, I stood at the kitchen door just looking at this garage and my garden - and the pond Frank installed for me last summer. For some reason the tears began to flow. It felt good. There was a warmth in the moment that is difficult to describe. Then it was gone. Those tears are rare... the last time must have been many months ago...

Today would be our 51st wedding anniversary. Thank you, Natalie, for the good wishes. They are still important to me... The old leaky roof may be gone, but the fresh new one is testament to your dad's memory too!

The more I plan to blog frequently...

..the less I do! Well anyway, I may not be blogging much but there's always time for Monday Madness!

1. How do you eat an oreo cookie? (from tricia) Call me boring but I eat an Oreo the same way I eat any other cookie - I just bite into the whole thing and chew!

2. How long does it take you to eat lunch? Never timed myself but doesn't take long to eat when you have nobody to talk with during the meal.

3. Caffeine or decaf? caffeine - 2 cups of coffee first thing in the morning and any more caffeine comes from an occasional diet Pepsi or a flavored green tea... favorites being with lemon, mint, or chai. Usually no caffeine after mid-afternoon.

4. Chicken or beef? Been eating more chicken lately but crave a nice burger or lean steak once in a while... and fish!!! I do like to have fish a couple of times a week.

5. Pen or pencil? Mostly pen... preferably a black pen.

6. Autumn or spring? I love them both but I'm thinking spring because it's the time of year for rebirth and warm weather coming.

7. Baseball or basketball? Neither but at least I know the basic rules in baseball.

8. 'Survivor' or 'The Amazing Race?' Survivor but no longer feel obligated to watch every issue. I missed the opener this year because I had a meeting to facilitate.

9. Come up with one question I can ask our Monday Madness participants in the weeks to come. How do you try to change a behvior pattern you don't like about yourself... whether it's chewing fingernails, overeating, smoking, or picking your nose? I had fun making a few more questions but just mailed them directly to OttO. ;-) Thanks Nat!

...and it's Monday!

Here's a bit of Monday Madness:

1. How long have you been blogging? on Blogger - since June 2002. Prior to that I had a few websites that were hosted free. I used those websites like blogs although I referred to them as 'web diaries.' My first was actually on MSN where I had a website called 'Salas Family Central' and kept it private just between family members. Gosh I don't remember when that was!!! I copied it to a hard drive before letting it lapse however. I know I was still using Windows 95 - and my husband updated our OS regularly! Here's my diary entry written on 9/11/2002.

2. How many times have you taken a break from blogging? Gee, if you mean just drop a blog? Well, never actually. The most I've done is slow down in upkeep.

3. How long is the longest you've gone, so far, without posting on your blog? Not so much - I think my longest break may have been a couple of weeks?? - at most a month.

4. How many fellow bloggers do you keep in touch with, through your blogs, on a regular basis? I think it varies - depending on how much time I have. Lately - in order to keep up on reading blogs, I don't leave comments as often as I did in the past... but I check on maybe somewhere between 6 and 12 blogs at least once a week.

5. Have you ever met, in person, a blogger on your blogroll? Well! Since I'm the one who told my daughters about blogging - and convinced them to do so - I need to say all 6 of them started blogs and 3 or 4 continue on a fairly regular basis. People outside of the family - I have not met but feel like I know them!

6. How often do you update/change the 'extra' stuff on your blog? probably 2 or 3 times/year. Thinking of making some changes now but it seems to be harder to do with Blogger's new formats.

7. Do you think you'll be blogging for years to come? probably...

Thanks Otto!!! That was fun - & made me think a bit. ;-)

Relax...

...and watch a movie. Last night I watched The Mermaid Chair on the Lifetime channel, starring Kim Basinger. It was great - kept me mesmerized. (I didn't even fall asleep in my chair.) They are showing it again tonight if you're interested - 8:00 pm - Lifetime!

Yesterday Foggy & I went over to the annual arts & crafts show at Leaman's Green Applebarn. Unfortunately we got there when they were about to close up. It's only from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm both days! Anyway it was damp & cold. Today looks sunny. I'm going back.

The good news, we got some quality time in just sitting and talking - just the two of us. Life is good.

It WILL slow down someday... ???

...maybe, but would I like it? Here's a pic of the paint job. As you can see there's room for lots of landscaping up close to the house! Yup! I've moved a few things & demolished the jumangi junipers! Thanks Emilio!

Actually, the north & east sides of the house aren't painted yet, but the deck is done. Had the garage reroofed yesterday - yup! They got the whole thing done in one day and that included rebuilding part it.

Speaking of Emilio... he reduced the size of the hearth in my new activity room and has promised to get the wood burning fireplace insert out so I can get some carpet ordered. Don't want to get new carpet dirty with the uninstall. Plan to put an electric one in it's place.

Dave stopped by yesterday and was amazed at progress since last time he was here. Promised to be back next weekend to install closet and bedroom doors. I was so glad for that, I forgot he was also planning to drop off some trim wood today... so I wasn't here when he stopped by after work. Talk about kicking a gift horse in the head!!! Duh ME!!!

Firmed up plans for some quality time with one of my sisters next week. We will be checking out my cottages and spend some time at the beach. Looking forward to it!!!

OttO has finally blogged again. Stop by and say hello to her... maybe we can motivate her to get back on a regular basis now that her remodel project is just about done! Hurray for you, Nat!

in my email today...

...something to think about:
"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live -- now." -- Joan Baez, Musician

What a Wonderful Weekend!

Got my bedroom & activity room - & hallway - painted! Thank you SHARBA!!!! The week before Sharba & OttO primed it all! Thanks girls!

Yesterday we celebrated my mom's 91st birthday. Enjoyed a few hours visiting with some of my siblings at my brother's house. His son & daughter-in-law were visiting and it was a delight seeing & visiting with them also. My mom looks younger than she did last year. Whatta woman!

...and now here, from OttO - a bit of Monday Madness:
1. Which holidays (if any) do you consider more as a day off from work, than anything else? When my kids were with us, Easter & Christmas, and the whole weekends of Labor Day, Memorial Day & Independence Day. Whoops! misread the question!!! Those were the biggest ones to celebrate!Just a day off from work? I guess that would be the day after Thanksgiving... hmmm. I guess I actually never let my job mean that much to me - no matter what it was & I pretty much like holidays.

2. Which 3 holidays are most celebrated in your family? When my kids were with us, Easter & Christmas, and Independence Day weekend. Now - I usually have a get-together after Christmas for the whole family... and on Easter Day & Thanksgiving Day for whoever can make it over for the celebration.

3. Do you have an organized filing system at home? yes

4. Do you clip coupons for groceries? If so, do you remember to use them? If not, why? yes & yes... but using less because they don't offer as many useable coupons any more & my shopping patterns have changed too.

5. How many magazines do you subscribe to? None... I'm letting Frank's subscriptions run out. If I want a magazine I'll buy one. One magazine continues to come however - AAII where he had a lifetime membership! When I phoned to inform them they just changed his membership over to my name and I will continue receiving their publications. Interesting, eh?

6. Do you play any computer games on a regular basis? If so, which is your favorite, and why? Yeah - Spider Solitaire gets me in a 'zone' and I just relax with it.

7. Have you watched any movies worth recommending, lately? Yes, on tv... Renaissance Man, starring Danny DeVito was on the Hallmark Channel. I saw it years ago & enjoyed it thoroughly the second time too!

Good afternoon...

...and so I distracted myself today and instead of painting I cleaned out all the kitty litter boxes and started them all over again with fresh litter... and did some other cleaning too! Taking a break right now but just needed to sit for a bit.

I think my remaining four fuzzy ones realize this is a new phase in their furry little lives. Ellie Mae knows she can move about the house without fear now; AmyLou knows she can sleep with me without worrying over Bubba; Goober is the male around the house just as he always figured (no matter that he is half Bubba's size).... and Daisy Mae? Well, Daisy is Daisy!

Good morning!

Last night I slept all night long... a first time in a really long time... and awoke refreshed. There was no kitty cajoling me for attention... no smell of urine nearby. I walked through the house and found no smell of kitty urine anywhere. I knew this was a morning in which I did not have to clean a floor to remove odors.

There are four cats in my house. They are my companions. They require no more than a full dish of food and a clean litter box. They are content.

Gotta go! I've things to do - today's project = prime some trim in the bedroom and activity room in preparation for Sharba's next working visit. That's right! By week's end those two rooms will be ready for floor covering and furniture!

Just a note...

I just finished watching Rennaisance Man, starring Danny DeVito on the Hallmark Channel. I'm so glad I did - even though I'd seen it years ago - because it made my day end with a smile. Bubba died today. I think the rest of my furry little family knows.

One year ago today...

...my life changed forever when my partner of 50 years died. This past year was one of adjustment... of learning... and phasing into a whole new way of life. I do not like it; I do not dislike it. I accept it. Yesterday I wrote my thoughts in his remembrance. I titled it Anniversary.

That day... that moment... when your soul left your body, I knew.
We will no longer walk together along the beach
...hearing the sounds of nature around us,
enjoying a contented peaceful togetherness.

Many souls joined you that day.
As Hurricane Katrina blew in,
my best friend drifted free.

Shall I scream? ...or cry? ...perhaps wring my hands in despair?
...or wallow in the muddy substance of self-pity, mourning my loss?
No! I will celebrate the release of your beautiful soul...
...from it's prison of muscle, skin and bone...
...to the freedom of God's universe!

a bit of Monday Madness

...and actually on Monday for a change! Thanks OttO! I like these 'off the top of your head' ones!


1. Do you do dishes by hand or do you use a dishwasher? My dishwasher!!! It helps me keep the kitchen looking neat - theoretically! I do wash my 'stick-free' pans by hand because the dishwasher detergent & hot water makes them look dull and I feel they need to be seasoned again after.

2. How many people have your cell phone number? ...more than necessary. I gave it away to everybody during my 'broken foot period' and this one guy seems to have 'lost' my home phone number!

3. Do you shower in the morning or at night? Depends on what's happening the next day. Actually, if I have an early morning appointment, I prefer showering the night before because I have a difficult time moving in the morning.

4. Do you ever have a song 'stuck' in your head? Yes... for some reason I have a Christmas song that goes through my head a lot.

5. Do you pay your bills when they arrive, or do you wait until closer to the due date to pay them? When they arrive!!! I have in the past set them aside and actually had to pay interest on bills I pay in full every month! Don't like that so I pay early.

6. Are you obsessive about anything in particular? yes

7. What one thing would you say you have a zero tolerance for? Don't call me 'dear' or 'sweety' or 'honey' or any other condescending endearments!!! I'm a grownup. Doesn't my gray hair give you a clue?

My Furry Family

My Furry Family
Originally uploaded by granni39.

Today I finally spent some time playing on the internet. I created this collage of pictures with fd's Flickr Toys. If you store some of your photos at flickr, you too can play with them!!! Try it. You'll like it! I know I do.

This grouping - aka mosaic - was inspired by the new kitty toy I purchased last week. Each & every one of my furry family loves to play with it. They love playing with the ball - and never lose the thing! The center also serves as scratching pad & all of them love it... and use it often.

I'm thinking when my remodel is complete there will be more of these toys... in different rooms! I don't see that bad ol' furniture scratching so much any more. Do you suppose this is the cure? Yup, that's right... all of my kitties still have their little claws. ;-)

Hi!

So I'm a bit late with Monday Madness: Otto says, 'This week's fabulous questions came in an email to me from one of our faithful participants (and my younger sister), Jan (aka Bug)! Thank you so much, Jan! =) '

1. Would you shave your head for any amount of money? If yes, how much? Yes... for one million dollars or more... but only if there were no other requirements. For instance, I would insist on wearing a wig until it grew out. ;-)

2. What "whacky" thing might you do for a large sum of money? Guess I'm really not ambitious enough (or want the money so bad) that I can think of any other than your suggestion. The shaving thing seems relatively harmless. After all, hair does grow back!

3. What do you think is a "large sum of money?" depends on if I found it... or lost it!

4. Do you watch "reality" tv shows? yes

5. If so, which do you watch and in what order do you prefer them? If not, are there any you may consider watching? Survivor is a big #ONE! Been watching it since it started. I sort of watch The Biggest Loser now and again... and after hearing about The Big Race (or whatever it's called) I watch it sometimes. Oh yeah! Then there's 'Wife Swap' or whatever it's called - where the wives switch families!!! I guess I'm becoming a reality show junky.... :-( Order of preference? 1 = Survivor; 2 = Wife Swap; 3 = Biggest Loser; 4 = Big Race.... and during summer when all is reruns I've been watching, make it #5 = Big Brother.

6. Which reality show have you thought about participating in? Why? The one I'd be best at is Wife Swap, so if they made a Mother-in-law Swap, I might do it. The one I should do is Biggest Loser.

7. Share one thing you would like to do in life but have not yet done..... think about why you haven't done it and share if you wish. well okay... I guess I should learn to swim without being terrified when I can't touch bottom!

Future of Air Travel...

That Shirl!!! She sure gets around! Wanna hear about something new? bizarre? just plain interesting? Stop by and read her blog! Unfortunately I've been making the rounds only about once a week lately, but do read all her entries! Anyway, I was thinking something along this same line last week when the latest airline restrictions were announced – just not quite this graphic!

It's Monday and there's Madness in the air!

Just had to share this before picture. Next month there will be an after version! Of course this isn't totally 'before' because it's after I had some solar wall replaced by the vertical siding... known as 'smartboard.' A lot of other stuff has been done... like lots of repair work here & there - all necessary and all in preparation for a totally new look.

Now for a bit of Monday Madness :
1. Are you working on any big projects around your house right now? Yes

2. If so, tell us about it; if not, do you have any plans to do so in the near future? Finishing a few remodeling projects that were started by my husband. So far I have two good-sized rooms where there was one very large room. The ceilings were falling down - a result of installation techniques that were recommended in the 1970's but proved unreliable. The room had been a living room some time ago. It will now be a bedroom and (for me) an activity room. Having new air-conditioners installed... as good as central air and better than the window conditioners that 'died' last week. Since my house is heated with hot water pipes, I have no ductwork for conventional central air.

Also in this remodel is included some work on the bathroom and having the house and garage painted on the outside. This is really a big job - a relatively big house. Next year I tackle the two downstairs rooms, and the hallway to it, as well as a small storage room - all in the newer part of the house. Hey! What can I say? I'm on a roll.

3. How do you generally pay for merchandise at your local store? Debit, credit, check, or cash? I use credit card because I don't like to carry cash. You always have to worry about if you have enough... I pay the card off every month and accumulate a bonus refund as my reward. It's sort of like getting a discount on everything I buy!

4. Which month of the year seems to go by the fastest? Lately they all go too fast!

5. Which day of the week seems to go by the fastest? I think if I was still a 'working lady' I'd have to say Sunday but since I'm retired, basically, all of them go faster than I want. I never seem to have time for everything I want to do.

6. Have you taken up any new hobbies lately? No but I plan to reactivate some of my old ones - especially scrapbooking and oil painting.

Today Otto & her hubby visited me for another work day! Our friend who has been prepping the house for painting - just finished cleaning the deck today - told me some of the shrubs should be trimmed back so they can get to the house for painting.

Well these big ol' junipers just grow faster every time we trim them back so I decided we should just cut them down. I have a whole 'nuther grouping of them at one edge of the property line so it's not like I'm getting rid of all! I LIKE the new look! It gives me a whole pallette for new landscaping after the painting is done. It just keeps getting better and better. ;-)

Darn! ...and I really could go for some ice cream!

Just got an invite to go out for an ice cream cone. Here I am in my jammies already! I guess that'll learn me, won't it? Well I really needed the shower after mowing an acre of lawn today... and hey! what's easier than putting on your jammies a bit early? Got a promise that wouldn't stop them from asking me next time.

Like my Boop? She was my desk calendar for August 4... just had to add a bit of color to the lady! This oughtta motivate me 'til the big trip this fall. Just might put her on my desk top too.

Oh! Didn't I tell you about Hawaii? A couple of my girls want to take me on vacation to Molokai. My current remodel/redecorating schedule should be complete by the time we go... and my friends next door promised to take care of my furry little family while I'm gone.

No, we're not going now... we're waiting for a bit of cold weather to hit. Will talk about it more another day. It's enough just to say I'm ready, willing, able and super-excited about it... and not gonna talk about it much until after the fact. Don't want to jinx anything.

Who knows? Travel may become a habit with this ol' gal! ;-)
Have a great weekend.

just a quicky note...

You absolutely must visit Sharba's Pix! Last time I saw her I gave her a few quicky lessons in using her digital camera. She sure is a quick learner!!! Hmmm.... maybe I'm not so shabby as a teacher either, huh?

Been busy... still am.... will be back SOON. ;-)
Stay cool.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!

Thanks for helping me make my decision about colors for my house! Keeping busy... keeping cool! I don't ever remember temperatures in the high 90's in mid-Michigan in past years! No this isn't my house... but don't I wish???? It's a bit too hot to paint it right now but at least I know what's gonna be done. I'll share photos when it's done though!!! I promise. ;-)

These are the colors I decided on... Inverness (the darker green for my main color where it's currently a dark red) and Leapfrog (for the vertical panelling, currently a beige primer in front and worn out stain in back). This secondary color is really a second main color because the back of my house is entirely vertical panel on the upper part... and currently stained an 'up north' sort of natural brown. I'm convinced it will look equally 'up northy' painted the lighter green color. Since I have a deck across the entire back of my house, this is an important thing to me. I live in farm country - rapidly growing into residential - but still have a farmer's field beyond the back yard instead of neighbors.

I know! I led everybody astray with the Fired Brick for a main color... but Otto reminded me that I'm repainting the whole house and can go with any color I want! Duh!!! I really like the greens so why didn't I think of that?

Just a note: Our friend (and my daughter) Sharba is getting serious about photography! Visit her photo place at Sharba's Pix. I also want to remind you to share your favorite five photos for the month at my newest photo meme: Favorite 5 Photos. You can still share your favorites for July but today I'm planning to update so you can share your favorite August pix as well!!!

Now for a bit of Monday Madness: Thank you, OttO!!! I wish you'd hurry up and get your house done so you will have more time for blogging on your regular blog too.
1. Do you have a photo blog? If so, feel free to share the link with us! Yes, my photo blog is called: Sherle's Photos.

2. How many pets do you own, and what are their names? If none, have you had a favorite pet in the past? I have five cats & five fish - at least I think there's five! The tank needs cleaning really bad. ;-) My fish don't have names - I just call them fishy, fishy! The cats, in order of age are : Bubba, Daisy Mae, Goober, Ellie May, and the baby is: Amy Lou Mae (also known as Amy Lou Mae Joe Bob!!! cuz that's what Natalie (Otto) calls her.

3. How many times a week does the carpet in your house get vacuumed? No carpet? How many times a MONTH do your floors get mopped? carpet - once a week on a good week. Mopped floors? - once a month in a good month. FYI, when my first child was born, I mopped the floors every day. She never even got her knees dirty! The second child - mopped once a week. Ended up with six kids - you do the math! ;-)

4. Which room in your house do you spend the most time in? living room/dining room - it all sort of merges into one. When my remodel is finished I'll probably spend a lot of time in my new activity room!

5. Have you read any good books lately? yes... then I passed it on to Otto! James Patterson - First to Die. Right now I'm reading 'Black Cat' by V.C. Andrews... passed on to me from... tah dah!... Otto!

6. What is your biggest source of news? (Newspaper? Television? Radio? Other?) TV - Fox News - what can I say? Old habits die hard.

mm

Keeping busy... keeping cool! I don't ever remember temperatures in the high 90's in mid-Michigan in past years! Want to thank you for input on paint colors for my house - no this isn't it... but don't I wish????

Anyway, these are the colors I decided on... Inverness (the darker green for my main color) and Leapfrog (for the vertical panelling). This secondary color is really a second main color because the back of my house is entirely vertical panel on the upper part... and currently stained an 'up north' sort of natural brown. I'm convinced it will look equally 'up northy' painted the lighter green color. Since I have a deck across the entire back of my house, this is an important thing to me. I live in farm country - rapidly growing into residential - but still have a farmer's field beyond the back yard instead of neighbors.

I know! I led everybody astray with the Fired Brick for a main color... but Otto reminded me that I'm repainting the whole house and can go with any color I want! Duh!!! I really like the greens so why didn't I think of that?

Now for a bit of Monday Madness:
1. Do you have a photo blog? If so, feel free to share the link with us! Yes, my photo blog is called: Sherle's Photos.

2. How many pets do you own, and what are their names? If none, have you had a favorite pet in the past? I have five cats & five fish - at least I think there's five! The tank needs cleaning really bad. ;-) My fish don't have names - I just call them fishy, fishy! The cats, in order of age are : Bubba, Daisy Mae, Goober, Ellie May, and the baby is: Amy Lou Mae (also known as Amy Lou Mae Joe Bob!!! cuz that's what Natalie (Otto) calls her.

3. How many times a week does the carpet in your house get vacuumed? No carpet? How many times a MONTH do your floors get mopped? carpet - once a week on a good week. Mopped floors? - once a month in a good month. FYI, when my first child was born, I mopped the floors every day. She never even got her knees dirty! The second child - mopped once a week. Ended up with six kids - you do the math! ;-)

4. Which room in your house do you spend the most time in? living room/dining room - it all sort of merges into one. When my remodel is finished I'll probably spend a lot of time in my new activity room!

5. Have you read any good books lately? yes... then I passed it on to Otto! James Patterson - First to Die. Right now I'm reading 'Black Cat' by V.C. Andrews... passed on to me from... tah dah!... Otto!

6. What is your biggest source of news? (Newspaper? Television? Radio? Other?) TV - Fox News - what can I say? Old habits die hard.

Help me! Help me! Help me!

I thought this project was going to be easy. Had some work done on the house. Outside, in front some solar stuff was replaced with vertical 'smart board' that looks like cedar. More is under a set of 3 windows that were put in to replace a big old worn out bay window last fall. The entire back of the house is cedar-look vertical panel (previously stained but it will be painted same color as the smart board in front. There also is a deck across the back - upper level. The south wall is solar; the north wall and parts of the front are conventional clapboard look hardboard (horizontal) in need of repainting. Checked out the Sherwin-Williams website. It's a fantastic tool for choosing paint colors!!!

None of the example houses look like mine but I chose a couple that show my color choices best. My problem is: I have too many choices - only need one! I put one of the color combos on my desktop and decided it was overwhelming in living color! That's when I went back to the drawing board... and found Sherwin-Williams and so many choices. Please help me make a choice. (Sharba, don't tell which was my first choice, okay? But help me with a new choice.)


The main color is 'fired brick' - trim (windows, etc.) is white. Choices for the secondary color - vertical panels & garage doors are: 1) chamois, 2) link grey, 3) spangle, 4) baked clay, 5) white truffle, 6) ryegrass, and 7) restoration ivory. You'll probably be able to see the color differences better if you click on the one shown here to see it full-sized.

After I finally make a decision I'll tell you which one I chose and why I decided against my first choice.

Monday Madness... gotta do it!!

Answered these earlier but had to take my Bubba to the doctor. I thought he was just 'acting up' and was hoping he could be calmed with drugs. He's been urinating in places he shouldn't - like where the litter box was yesterday, or alongside of it.

One of my daughters had suggested I take him to the vet when he first started doing this a couple of months ago (estimation is on the low side). It even caused some related problems between daughter and me - some because of her suggestions and some because of my attitude toward those suggestions... long story short - YOU WERE RIGHT, FOGGY!!! If I had taken him in sooner, Doctor Sherwood's challenge would not be so great. He is diabetic. His numbers should be around 200 and his are over 600!!!

He's a sick kitty and will be in hospital overnight so she can regulate how much insulin and a feeding schedule for him... maybe two nights actually. She asked me if I would be able to administer his insulin and I said YES! If it was Daisy Mae I probably wouldn't be able to without big impenetrable gloves, but for Bubba, YES! I was so relieved because I had decided I cannot deal with cleaning cat messes any place other than the litter boxes... but I really didn't want to have him 'put to sleep.'

Oh yeah... Monday Madness:
Otto says: What comes to mind when you think of the following colors?
RED: festive, happy
BLUE: skies
GREEN: fresh & cool
YELLOW: summery & hot
PURPLE: passion
PINK: soft, gentle
ORANGE: watch out!
BLACK: perfect for accessorizing
WHITE: pure, virginal

These were fun, OttO! Forgot to tell you that when you phoned me today... and again when I phoned to tell you how Bubba is doing! Thank you for keeping this meme going! ;-)

Life is good...

...and my Bubba knows it! Look at that face. Don'tcha just gotta love it? He always blinks when I have to use the flash... darn!

Yeah I know... haven't blogged in a few days. Been busy... getting ready for another phase to finishing stuff my Frank started. Moved some plants (3 little deprived rosebushes that needed a new outlook on life anyway and some perennial geraniums to fill in the voids where I have some other perennials growing.) Trimmed out some shrubs - drastically - to give room for my carpenter friend to put up new siding in the front of my house. Moved more stuff out of the room my drywall friend is going to finish out for me. It had become a place to put stuff that I have no use for and some of Frank's stuff that I can't even identify... don't know what it is!

Here is my Monday Madness for this week. Thanks, OttO - good questions! ;-)

What is your favorite framed object in your house? ...actually, the house! It had to be 'framed in' before it was built. ;-) Just yanking your chain, OttO! I've just put together a collage of photos to remember your dad (my husband) in a really nice combo of five frames in one. I call it my 'shrine to Frank.' I liked the frames so much I bought two and gave one to my mother.

2. If you had a choice of being a carnivore or a herbivore, which one would you be, and why? I do have a choice & I'm definitely a carnivore!!! I often feel a real need for protein in the form of meat. I'm parcially herbivore however, because I actually enjoy eating veggies, but would not make a good vegetarian - because of that body craving for the taste of meat!

3. Who do you think should have won the FIFA World Cup? Or, don't you care? Had to look up this one... didn't know that was the official term for the world soccer cup. I could care less who won but obviously some people do! At one point there was a big riot during the semi-finals.

4. What's your feelings on stormy weather? We need the rain... and storms have always been a part of the earth's ecology. Without rain we could be neither carnivore nor herbivore - we would not survive! Too bad some of those storms are so violent. There is a belief that energy on earth never disappears; it just regroups. Take this how you will; I consider it a real philosophical statement. Think about it.

5. Do you believe in "time out" chairs? Seems like a good idea. In the old days we would send the kids to their room - but that wouldn't be a punishment for most kids nowadays - what with the kids having tv's, video games, telephones, computers, etc. in their rooms. I guess considering that, a 'time out' chair is a good thing!

6. Have you ever bought or sold anything on Ebay? no - but I might try it. I do have a couple of things of value to get rid of. I've read that we now have an eBay service center in my town. I think this is one where they actually sell the stuff for you and they get a commission for doing it.

Decided to share...

this article from the Midland Daily News - It's a pontoon paradise. What are they talking about? ... Sanford Lake... and it's just up the way a piece from where I live. Oh my, and can you believe - the article mentions a couple of - oh my - women - who actually were moving those boats around on the water... kind of like 'driving' them or like they are the captains of their own ships. One of them even runs a marina where you can buy gas for your boat... who'da thunk it? Ain't life grand? So who are the old ladies in my family? ...... not me! Okay, just read the article. I guess what I'm trying to say... pontoons are for happy people. ;-)

Who needs the crowds...

... the squishing and squeezing... the verbal abuse..... or the frustratingly slow movement toward whereever your transportation was parked so you can finally get away from the crowds? Last night was a delightful finale to the big Fourth of July - Independence Day weekend!

The local CBS television crew treated me to a festival of fireworks from not one... not two... but three cities in our area - and all of this in the comfort of my favorite lounge chair! This is the way to go. I think I have begun a relaxing new tradition.

It's Independence Day...

Happy July 4!!!
This morning began with my morning wake up cuppa' coffee and an inspirational quote in my email...

"Listening is a high art of loving. Ask yourself, 'When was the last time I
really listened to my child? My parent? My brother or sister?' When someone is ready to share, three magic words amplify your connection, and they are: 'Tell me more.'"
-- Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey

...and in a similar vein - there's a new study out. Heard about it on the morning news today. Ya' know how some folks are always trying to blame their parents for every problem, personality disorder, or shortcoming? Well this study says if you're gonna blame somebody, blame your siblings!

Not really but it appears some new thinking says that siblings have more influence in the development of one's personality and general socialization than anybody else. Read this short summary of the study at cnn.com and see for yourself. At last, a study of real people - and it actually makes sense!

CNN.com - The new science of siblings - Jul 2, 2006

Thank you Emilio & Miguel for moving that heavy furniture today... and then ripping out that nasty old carpet & padding in the remodel area!!! You guys are great! Nat, thanks for letting them 'out of the kitchen' to leave your remodel job for a while in order to get me ready for the next phase of mine! ;-)

It's Independence Day Weekend in the U.S...

My weekend began on Friday with a trip across state to Mason County where I tended to some personal business and daughter Shar & I got in some quality time walking the pier at the City Park in Ludington. It was a beautiful relaxing and productive day... well worth the five hour round trip!

This is the top of the lighthouse at the end of the pier. Visit sherle's photos for five other views of this lighthouse... taken as we strolled the pier.

Yesterday I met with the two daughters who don't want their names mentioned on blogs and took them, their husbands and one grandchild on a little trip along the Saginaw River in my pontoon boat. It was a busy day on the river - loads of families out for the day... many probably getting set to find their spots to anchor and watch fireworks from their boats. (Both of these two daughters had previously suggested we take my boat out to watch fireworks tonight - the big night! I kept insisting I don't like boating in the dark and especially with so much traffic.) Needless to say, but I will, they no longer think it's a good idea.... and NO - I didn't do anything stupid or wrong! There was just a lot of boat traffic yesterday, along with the constant and contual negative nerative produced by number one of the two. Yes, I DID tune her out and maintain a moderate blood pressure.

Here's a U.S. Navy boat that had a bunch of tourists aboard for a ride. I think they actually had to pay for a boat ride.


Three of my passengers weren't as happy about a trip on the water. The two daughters, both of whom always used to say they have 'happy memories' of times on our houseboat when they were young, let me know they are not 'boat people' - one of them constantly telling me where the boat traffic was and what I should do about it. The other told me she hoped I will understand if she doesn't want to go with me again and her child took on her mood about the excursion. I asked the one husband if he wanted to drive for a while... and he did... but it didn't stop his wife from giving orders.... all the while declaring she knows nothing about boats and doesn't want to! I know they wouldn't have been that anti-boater if I were ashes and their father was running the boat!

...so now, when you read my Monday Madness answers, I hope you'll know where I'm coming from! God bless America and Happy July 4!

Otto (one of my supportive daughters) says, 'I lost track of my days; with this weekend being a holiday weekend here in the US, it slipped my mind until now to post questions. Please forgive me! Ok, on to this week's questions...

Thanks to Tricia for the first three questions below!'

1. Have you ever traveled outside of your own country? Yes - I've visited Canada several times.

2. If you could be any animal, which animal would you be, and why? Homo sapiens because of the free will thing, opposable thumbs, and all that stuff. ;-)

3. Do you read manga? Nope, I don't even read American comic books. (...but thanks for the intro to manga - I never heard of it before!)


4. Are you doing anything special to celebrate Independence Day? (For those of you who don't live in the U.S., did you do anything special this past weekend?) Yes, yesterday I took a some family members out for a boat ride. I learned that neither of these two daughters likes boats (a new dislike??? they always enjoyed going when they had a father!)... so today I celebrated my independence by mowing the lawn so I can pamper myself and celebrate my independence the rest of this holiday weekend!

5. How many memes do you participate in regularly? three... Monday Madness, foto pherrets, favorite 5 fotos.

6. How much is a gallon of gasoline where you live? Have you cut down on your driving since the prices have gone up? When I left for Ludington Friday, the average price for regular unleaded was $3.009/gal. but I got mine in Ludington for $2.979/gal. Yesterday, coming home from Bay City I noticed gas prices in my town were down to $2.929/gal. The price won't stop me - I don't do that much traveling anyway... and what with enjoying my independence and all.....!