2014

At the end of every year I clean off my desk, and finish up bookkeeping for AVON.  One is a big job, one is not. (AVON)  Honestly, I have never cleared more than $200 in a year, and that was many years ago.  It's more of a hobby to me, because I want the discount.  I threaten every year to end it, but I can't stand the thought of paying full price for shower gel.  ( LOL)

I also write a wrap up blog on every New Year's Eve, so here we are.  It has been a fabulous year, but I'm anxious for 2015 to begin.  I have had a couple of idea's in the works for a bit, and I am determined that this is the year. (stay tuned)  I'm not one for resolutions, but I think this year mine would have to be, no more talk.  ACTION!

This year I have gone from making most decisions on my own, to being part of a team.  I won't lie and say it has been easy (for either of us), but it has been totally worth it.  I am looking forward to what 2015 will bring for me, The Brown Eyed Man, Milkie, and Jake B.

Scene from the country last night:

Me: Jacob, I love you........but you drive me nuts.

pause:

Me:  Seems to be a theme around here.

The Man:  You knew what you'd get when you turned at the mailbox.

I've got to give him that one!  I did, and I do.  When I turn at the mailbox I know what I will find.  Lots of love, laughter, snuggles, and irritation.  In short, a home and a family.  That is what 2014 has given to me, because I was brave enough to try.

I hope the New Year finds you happy and healthy!   Bring on 2015!!

*On a side note, per usual I do have a cold.  Although it is more irritating than anything, it never fails.

One last thought:  Negative people see negativity in everything around them.  Change your thoughts, and you change your world!!

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas!  I'm sitting here typing, listening to "The Essential James Taylor" ( One of The Brown Eyed Mans gifts), stuffed full of breakfast casserole, ready to set up my new bird feeder, and cook on my new cast iron frying pan!  We've watched most of "A Christmas Story", and will be starting season one of "Supernatural" (another one of his gifts) later tonight.

This morning I woke up around five, and decided on my way back from the bathroom to put The Man's Reeses candy cane up into the tree.  While I was working at getting it in there safely I noticed a blue jay ornament that wasn't there before!  Oh, I love jays, how sweet!  Went back to bed with a smile on my face.

Jake woke me up at 8:30, and while I was making coffee, I noticed paint brushes in the sink, and a container with blue paint water in it.  What??  I went back into the living room and picked up the ornament to investigate.  Apparently it was originally a very ugly cardinal, and The Brown Eyed Man worked on it for a few hours after I went to bed last night, turning it into a beautiful jay!

Santa brought him a Packer ornament!  So now we have three new ones on the tree this year.  We got a new one from his Mom this past weekend when we celebrated with her.  His family got together lat night in Hudson, and that just wasn't possible for us to make. :(

I also got a new piece for my village, but that's a good Brown Eyed Man story, that I have permission to publish, so stay tuned!  I hope you are all having a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Looking forward to spending Christmas evening with my family in my childhood home.  I don't think it gets much better than that!

Christmas Spirit

This Christmas season has been a sad one for many of us.  I don't think a day goes by without someone telling me that they have lost a loved one, and I myself have lost a long time friend, and my Great Aunt Rita.  It doesn't take much for things like this to send us into a tailspin during the holidays, but I'm doing my best not to let that happen.  As my Mother used to say, "Life is for the living." and she was right.  Not just breathing, but actively participating in the activities around you. 

So the carols are on, the tree is up, sweet smells are wafting from the kitchen, and I have made the round of kids Christmas programs, to help keep me in the spirit of the season. I'm not forcing it either, I love the kids programs:  

First we have The Artist Formerly Known As Pablo playing the bells in the Cathedral School gym.  He did a nice job. (plaid shirt)

Paul

CeCe

Next was Cece's concert at Bryant School, where some little heathen pulled the fire alarm. We all had a nice trip out into the cold, but at least they got to count it as a fire drill.  Cece didn't sing, but was pretty vocal during the performance.  Making many of us chuckle with her belly laughs.

Hannah (top row white shirt)

Then it was on to Lake Superior Elementary, for Hannah's last grade school Christmas concert.

Caitlin

Tater (Caitlin) had a solo performance, and did a really good job!  No fire alarms were pulled, and I got to purchase some lovely home made ornaments for my Christmas tree.  

I have always found that the key, for me anyway, is to do the most that you can.  There were years where breathing was all I could manage, and that's o.k. (for a little bit anyway) There are years where I have handled it all, and years like this one where I do what makes me happy.  Some days I listen to carols, some days I don't.  Children always lift my spirits, so I made an extra effort to make the programs.  I made the cookies that I like, resurrecting two old favorites, even though they have nuts and the kids wont like them.  (more for me) 

I guess the point is that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate the Christmas season.  I will leave you with one of my very favorite quotes:

"Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering.  There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."  ~Leonard Cohen

The Village

When we were kids, well.........not that young actually, I was probably closer to 10, my Dad started painting ceramic pieces to create a village at Christmas time.  Every year it would get bigger, until there was hardly any more room on the breakfront in the dining room.  We didn't get to help set it up, and we certainly weren't allowed to touch it, but I enjoyed watching the process.

*side note*  I wrote this blog a couple of days ago, and can you believe I found a PICTURE of one of my Dad's village??  This is from Christmas 1989.

In my early 20's I started painting my own village pieces, and my village grew until at one point I had a three levels.  One was country, one was city, and one was a mountain ski hill scene.  I built a special shelf just to set it up on at Christmas time.  I didn't paint all of the pieces, just a couple from the country scene, and I do still use the barn.

With the changes in my life there were changes in the village. The only piece that was mine from the city scene was a Peppermint Porch Daycare, and I do still have that, but it doesn't fit with my currant village.  None of the mountain pieces were mine, so I lost that in the divorce.  I decided that I wanted all my pieces from then on to be country, and they are.

Peppermint Daycare on the left  2011

Not only are they country, but I bring my village out at the beginning of fall.  I have a fall/Halloween/Christmas village set up now!  Each season has different buildings, and accent pieces, but the barn I painted first, is always there.  I can't tell you how fun it is to add accents, and I think I have found a new larger piece to ask for from Santa this year.  I can't just have any old piece, one must be very choosy when it comes to the village.  (It's a sickness, I know.....)

I, however, am not stingy with my village.  The kids are, and always have been, welcome to touch. They will all fiddle a little bit, but Hannah is different.  She arranges, and re-arranges, the entire time she's at my house.  This past fall she got to pick out the Halloween accessories, and did a mighty fabulous job!  While she was setting them up she asked me to tell her other Aunts that for her birthday she wanted to start her own village.  While we were at Menard's picking out accent village pieces Hannah saw a lava lamp she wanted, and I had already purchased that.

I thought about it for about two minutes, and asked my sister if she wanted to give Hannah the lava lamp.  How could I not be the one to start her Christmas Village???  So that was all set, and after about two hours of online searching (sickness) I had the perfect set!

Hannah was so smug when she opened the lava lamp, I always tease the kids that I am psychic because I usually know what my gifts are.  Then she was puzzled when she saw the card, and it was from Kate, Tom, and CeCe.  I had kept the huge bag out in my car, so she was really confused, and then really delighted!  I heard that the coffee table was sacrificed shortly afterwards to hold the new village, even though it was only October.  (Apparently it's a sickness that is hereditary.)

Today I changed the fall village over to Christmas, and I thought of my Dad.  Even though he was a scrooge with his, I'm glad he passed down the "village gene" to me, and I am so happy that I have a Goover that I can share it with!!

Since starting this blog the other day not only did I find a picture of one village my Dad set up, but the Goovers asked for a sleepover this Saturday, so I will be taking them to Menard's so Hannah can pick out her Christmas present!  I'M SO EXCITED!

Thanksgiving Eve

 The pumpkin pie just came out of the oven, and the sausage stuffing is made.   The house smells amazing!  Is it wrong that I'm cooking up the little bit of stuffing that wouldn't fit in the baking dish for dinner tonight?  I'm going to watch "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (which we had to dvr because I was cooking) and eat stuffing.  Sounds just about perfect to me.

When I make things like stuffing, or dressing if you prefer, I always think of my Mom.  We only had her home made dressing (her word choice) once a year, at Thanksgiving.  Every Thanksgiving Eve, after the dishes were washed and the children were otherwise occupied, Mom would head back to the kitchen, in her housecoat, and begin the dressing prep.  Pretty soon the smell of celery and onion would come wafting into the other room.  If you were sneaky enough (me) you could grab a piece of dried out, torn up white bread that was sitting on the kitchen table in her big brown bowl and dip it into the buttery, celery, onion, goodness........and burn your tongue for you efforts.  Mom would be too busy cleaning out the turkey to notice.

By the time she finished there were usually two, if not three or four sets of eyes watching as she mixed the dressing and stuffed the turkey with it.  I don't do that, it's supposed to be dangerous.  However, for 20 plus years none of us ever got sick.........  Then she wrapped him up and popped him back in the fridge til morning.

My stuffing recipe is very different from my Mom's.  The only part of hers that I liked was the actual bread/onion/celery.  The apples and giblets would be picked out and set aside.  Mine has sausage and mushrooms, and it is da bomb!  It is also done, so I have to go now!

My holiday memories are so precious to me, but I always look forward to making new ones.  Times change, people come and go, old traditions are put aside, in favor of new ones.  It's all good.  It's life. As my mother used to say, "Life is what you make it." and with our holiday traditions she made ours very memorable.

Because I love this story, and it's my ultimate favorite Thanksgiving tale, and because he's coming to my house for the first time tomorrow for dinner (I wont give him stemware.) here is a holiday bonus blog:  http://queenie930.blogspot.com/2011/11/goblet-incident-of-76.html

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Grandma's Applesauce

My Mom's Mom, whom we called  Grandma Lenihan, or Grandma Leni, lived with my family on the weekends, during my entire childhood.  Mom picked her up on Saturday morning, and brought her back home on Monday afternoons.  When I think of her it is usually when I am cleaning something fresh picked from the garden, or preparing applesauce.  First of all, it's her recipe, secondly that's where you would find my Grandma, every Saturday afternoon.  Sitting at our kitchen table, cleaning and preparing the bounty my Dad was dragging in from the garden, or peeling apples from our tree.  In the off season she would be peeling store bought apples, because we almost always had fresh applesauce in the fridge.

I have watched my Grandma cook a lot of things, but I never saw her measure anything, or follow a recipe.  That must be where I get it from.  My Mom did take the time to write out the recipe for Grandma's Applesauce, but I never use it.  Cut and peel every apple I have, dump in a bunch of sugar, a clump o' cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.  I made a batch two weeks ago, and it wasn't nearly enough sugar, or cinnamon.  This time I got it just right.  I don't think getting it on the second try is too bad, I haven't made applesauce in a good eight years.

Lucky for me a generous patient brought me in several pounds of apples from her tree.  Some had seen better days, but they were perfect for sauce.  MMMMmmmmm almost burned my mouth taste testing.  Just like when Grandma made it.  When she wasn't looking I would sneak a finger into it, and pay dearly.  We are talking about planting some apple trees next spring, time will tell.  It sure would be nice.

So today on day 10 of being thankful, I am thankful that Cheryl was so generous, and I am thankful for Grandma Lenihan.  She was an amazing woman, and I was so lucky to have her close by.  She taught me a great many things, but I think the most important was this:

 Grandma's hands were always busy.  Working, reading, cuddling, comforting, cooking, or praying the rosary.  If she wasn't busy, she was snoozing in the chair.  She never cared to be idle, there was always something she could be doing, or someone she could be helping.  Unless it was Saturday night, and Love Boat was on.   Grandma never snoozed through that one.  ♥
  

Karma for Christmas

First of all, I mean the good kind of Karma, that moment when the universe opens up and does something unexpectedly kind for you.  I have had plenty of the other kind, sometimes deserved, and sometimes I look at the sky and ask "REALLY?".

Today I went birthday shopping at Target.  I had a thirty dollar gift card to spend on something just for me.  I don't shop at Target often, they think clothes are made for one size, and it isn't mine.  Pants are too slim, bra's are too small, shoes are too narrow. (and I have small feet)  After I picked up a new toy for Jake, a toilet brush, and a travel mug, Kate and I wandered over to the Christmas section.  She couldn't believe that's what I was going to buy with my card, but I told her we would check and see if they had added a Christmas village to their decorations, and if they hadn't  we would go over to books, because I will always add more books to my collection.

Target still doesn't carry a village, so I was skunked there, just like everywhere else I had been in the store.  Heading off to the book section we passed the Christmas trees.  We were having a little argument about trees at our house.  He thinks the Charlie brown and ceramic table trees are enough.  I do not agree.  I do have a four footer that has seen better days, but I want a big tree.  (Can't do real, allergic.)

I was taunting him in the tree section at Menard's just this past Saturday.  It was a little song, that went something like this:  ♫ Jingle bells, jingle bells, I am getting a tree.  No matter what you have to say, you aren't going to stop MeeeE.  Jingle bells, jingle bells, lots of pretty lights.  I am getting a Christmas tree, I don't care if it starts a fight.♫

Looking at the trees, and the prices, of course the one I like is $200.  That's always the case.  So I keep going around the square they have set up, and I see a seven foot, unlit tree with a sign on it that says $30.  I thought it was probably a mistake, the actual price was $70.  I looked for the right box, but couldn't find it.  Went back to the tree and checked it's number, which was 17.  Looked for the box again, and found ONE left.  Snagged it up, and figured we could hash it out at the register.  I looked one more time to make sure I had the right tree, and I did.

At the register, of course, it rang up for $70.  I politely said to the gal, there was a sign on this tree that said $30.  She didn't even question me.  She said, "Ok, we'll change it."  I told her I didn't mind waiting while someone checked it out, and she told me that they could figure it out later.  She seemed like maybe she wasn't having a "I love working for Target" kind of day.  I thanked her, and used my $30 gift card, bringing my total price for my new tree to zero dollars!

When I was loading it into my car I said to Kate,  "This is my karma tree!"  She looked at me funny, and I said, "It's a little payback from the universe for all the good karma I have put out there."

I chose to confess that there is a tree somewhere in this house, because he'll read this and the jig would be up anyway.  I don't think we're having a fight......... but I don't care 'cause ♫ I just got my treeeeE.♫

Seasons

Well, it's time for 30 days of thankful again, and for today's entry you get a whole blog!

Day 2:  I am thankful for my home.  By home I mean the actual structure/property/area.

I moved out to the country one year ago today.  My stuff kept joining me throughout the month of November, but the last day I slept at the apartment was November first.

Last winter being the toughest on record, I had no idea what I was in for.  Death drives in the dark at least twice a week, the snow piling up, blizzards, the intense cold, the furnace going out, the fuel running out (because the dude put the gauge in backwards).

Winter

When spring finally arrived in late May, it arrived with lots of water.  That in turn brought the mud.  Outside, inside, on the dog, on us, everywhere.  I started keeping a pair of shoes in the car, because I had to wear my red water/mud boots everywhere around here.

Spring

Summer finally arrived, but with it came the mosquitos.  I can't tell you how many times we were forced back into the house.  Neither one of us care for bug spray, and with it on you were even eaten up outside.  The skeeters literally didn't end until mid October, it was crazy.

Summer

Fall is here now, and I must say, it has been the easiest of the seasons.  It's bittersweet because most of our time has been spent battening the hatches because winter is right around the corner.

Fall

Living out in the country has been challenging to say the least, but (minus the winter driving) I love it!  The positives in each season have way outnumbered the aforementioned negatives.  When I was a child I spent every moment in the woods that I could.  While I love the convenience of living in town, my heart is definitely in the country.  The quiet and the space bring a peace to my soul that nothing else ever could.

Instinct

A couple of months ago we were smelling something awful in the house, but couldn't figure out what it was.  The hunt began, and I found a dead mouse, stuck in the trap.  It was on the counter, but when it snapped I guess it positioned itself where I just didn't see it at a glance.  The weather had been warm, and that created an awful, disgusting mess to clean up.  It still makes me gag.  So The Brown Eyed Man decided that we shouldn't keep the traps on the counter any more, and moved the next one to the floor.  I disagreed with this, because ( no, not because I always disagree with him) of Jake and Milkie.  I was pretty sure one of them were going to end up getting snapped.  So the discussion ended with the trap on the floor, and the disclaimer that it was his problem/responsibility if one of the pets got snapped with it.

The trap has been there for probably close to two months, and nothing.  I knew that a mouse was behind the stove (that's where they come in) because Milkie has been stalking that area for the last couple days.  The trap, however, remained empty.  Kate and I were just discussing this when she noticed it sitting there last Tuesday.  Let me reassure you Kate, neither of the pets got snapped. That isn't quite where this is going.

This morning I was standing at the patio doors, looking out on my little world, wondering where the chickadees were, when I suddenly noticed that the trap was gone.  I figured that Jake got a hold of it, and we would find it chewed up in the living room.  I was just thankful he didn't get snapped.  I told the Brown Eyed Man it was missing, and he came over to investigate.  Then the hunt was on.  Nothing to be found in the kitchen, and nothing in the living room.  Now we both became a little concerned that it was Milkie, so we went into her room and disturbed her morning nap.  Nothing on her paws or tail..........  Gave her a few pats, and headed back out to continue the hunt.  As I came out of the bedroom, something in Ash's room caught my eye.  There, in the middle of a pile of Milkie's toys, was the trap, along with the dead mouse.

There was a bit of Chimeleski Fun Time going on around four a.m.  I remember Milkie waking me up, and thinking she probably needed food.  I stumbled on into Ash's room, where I keep Milkie's dish up on the big daybed out of Jacob's reach.  She didn't pay much attention, she was more interested in battling with Jake.  I stumbled on back to bed.  If the mouse was in there at that time, amid her toys, thank goodness I didn't notice it!

So I guess that Milk has enough instinct to stalk the mouse, but maybe not to kill it.  Then, once dead, she added it to her toy pile.........  I'm not sure what that means.  I'm just glad it's gone, and glad she didn't drag it in to show me at 4am.  *shudder*

Spooktacular Birthday!

This past weekend the Goovers came out for Hannah's birthday sleepover!  Even the oldest Goov made an appearance from college, which was very exciting for us!  Ash hadn't had the chance to come out to the house before, so the girls had fun showing her where her room was, and all of the fun things to do outside.  She was volunteering at Boo At the Zoo, so she didn't make it out til dinner time.  I picked the little goovers up at 12:30, so we had an afternoon of shopping, leaf fun, and pumpkin carving!

Our adventure started out at Menards, because for whatever reason, we must always go to Menards.  The kids got to pick out a birthday present for Uncle Leon, and then much to Hannah's delight she got to pick out some accent pieces for my fall village.  Hannah has always been obsessed with my knick-knacks, especially the village.  She also picked out her birthday present (a lava lamp), and promises to act surprised at her party next weekend.  When we got home Hannah set about opening the boxes and adding the cemetery, creepy tree, witches brooms, and witch/cauldron that she picked out to the village, only to re-arrange them several more times over the next day.

Hannah/Tater

When the kids stay for birthday sleepovers they get to pick the menu/snacks/activities.  Hannah picked home made pizzas, brownie ice cream sundaes, and pumpkin seeds.  We actually ran out of time for a snack, there was just too much to do.  Plus I made hot buttered O's for the college kid who asked for them, so there was a random snack for anyone who wanted to dip in.

The girls headed outside to check out the leaf situation in the valley.  They decided that raking was fun, and wanted to make a pile of leaves to jump in!

Hannah/Tater

After quite some time of jumping and throwing leaves at each other we had a scavenger hunt.  When each kid completed their list, the prize was a pumpkin of their own to design.  I carved Hannah's and The Brown Eyed Man carved Taters.  Ash had to do hers after dinner.

Hannah making her bday pizza!

After we got all of the pumpkins carved, ate pizza,  had birthday sundaes, surprised The Brown Eyed Man with his present, and had a very quick bonfire, four of us settled in to watch "Hocus Pocus".  You also get to pick the movie when it's your day.  Ash never even made it to the living room, she passed out on her bed.  The Brown Eyed Man bailed next, and I could hear him snoring shortly after.  The Goovers and I made it about half way through the movie.  It was around eleven when I kissed Hannah goodnight (Tater was out like a light when her head hit the pillow.)and got myself to bed.

The morning began with bacon and Mickey Mouse pancakes, and we walked out in our jammas to see the oldest one off.  It's hard to be a grown up and have to miss out on things because you work, but at least she got to spend some time with us!

Hannah, Caitlin, and I watched the end of the movie, and then did some raking in the yard.  I wish I had three rakes, as they really think it's fun, and the labor is cheap!

I hope you had as much fun this weekend as we did, my eleven year old girl!  I can't believe you are a day over five.........  Time is going by much too quickly, it's your last year in grade school, and you are growing up into quite the young lady.

There will be one more gift for you next Saturday, something very special to me.  You know what it is, and I know you will take good care of it, and enjoy it as much as I did.  Maybe not as much as you would enjoy a big pack of post-it notes, but your Mother would kill me.  ;)

Blowing out her bday candle, that she insisted be IN the pumpkin.

Love you SO much  Hannah Noelle, straight from..........Albequerque!

XOXO  ♥   Auntie Jo

Timmy In The Fuel Tank

I have a very smart dog.  Yes, I am bias, but he's amazing!  He is also adorable.

I really didn't find it cute last night when he took my spot in bed and refused to give it back.  I crept into the foot he left me, and then lay awake listening to him snore between us.  It wasn't long, however, before Milkie started monkeying with something in the kitchen and he took off to see what she was up to.  The plan was to never let him in bed.  That lasted a whole six months.

Anyway, that isn't what today's blog is about, it's his smarts.  He is extremely well trained as far as his border goes, or to come when he's called.  He is an excellent guard dog, because nothing gets in this yard without his alarm going off.  Nothing.  He doesn't usually bark randomly either, so you know that something is up if he does.  Although he isn't above faking it in the evening if he wants to get The Brown Eyed Man to go out on a "mission".  Which I believe entails walking the perimeter to check things out.  I don't know.  I'm not usually invited on missions, and Jake is very clear about that.

He can bring you a specific toy, and he knows all the regular dog things, but it's very rare that he will do them on command, (for me) except lay down.  He will give The Man a high five, but he wont do it to me.  He "kisses a lady's hand", which is like shake a paw, but he holds my hand and kisses it. He can fetch, but mostly wont.  If Jake doesn't see the reason behind something, good luck getting him to do it.  I can relate.......  When he and I go out on an adventure, he knows where we are going by what I say, and takes off in the appropriate direction.

If the weather is "iffy" I give him the choice to be inside or outside, and it's always very clear which he chooses.  If it's going to be crappy he stays in, and he knows by our morning routine that's what's happening.  If it's nice, he's out, and again he knows it by the routine. 

Alright, enough bragging about the dog.  Here's what happened today:

It was time to order propane, and big trucks and people coming into the yard are kind of upsetting to Jake, but hardly at all if one of us is home.  So much so that the septic guy asked if we got a new dog in the last month.  He was picking up at the neighbors and Jake was on the end of his chain giving him what for.  When the septic guy is here we're home, because Young's septic works with me and I can schedule a day to be here.  Jake isn't even on his tether, and just follows the same guy around.

 The fuel companies wont, not even in advance.  So we expected them one day this week, but they were supposed to call first so we would know.  They were aware of Jake, AND knew I would be home this morning til about noon. 

No phone call, so I headed to town, and returned around four.  Jake always barks when we come home, and will continue a bit after he's unhooked and we're in the yard.  I honestly think he's recounting everything that happened that day.   Today he did his regular thing, but wouldn't quit it.  I brought the groceries in, he came in too, and was barking in the house.  I told him to zip it, and he did, but when we went back out he started barking again.  Later, when The Brown Eyed Man got home they went out to play, and I joined them about twenty minutes later.  Jake started again with the barking at me.  I looked at him, and I said " What is the MATTER Lassie?  Is Timmy in the well?"  Then I stopped dead, looked at The Man, and said, "I bet Timmy is in the fuel tank!"  I ran over, and sure enough the fuel had been delivered some time this afternoon.  Walked down to get the mail, and there was the bill. (Cause no one in their right mind would hang that on the door Jacob is tethered near. lol)  Since I stumbled on to what he was trying to communicate there hasn't been a bark.  Hope whoever brought it wasn't too traumatized...........  Cause this angel face is only for "his" people. ;)

Puppy Love

Frost On The Pumpkin

I'm glad I had a chance to enjoy my flower garden this past weekend, we had the first frost of the year last night.  While fall is definitely my favorite season, I'm really sad to see the garden begin it's decline.  I took out the veggie gardens last Monday, so no more work until spring with that.  If I had realized it was going to frost I would have tossed a pillowcase over the mums.  Oh well.  I hope I didn't transplant them into the garden to late for them to take root and come back next year.  Regardless, they were beautiful!

I even set out my fall village this weekend, minus the Halloween addition, because I can't find where I stuck the box.  It's not in the big closet with the rest of the decorations, so it must be in the bedroom closet amongst the boxes I haven't unpacked. "gulp"  Probably never see it again.  I'm thinking the Goovers would probably like to help me pick out a new fall piece.  They love to monkey around with the village.

We haven't turned the furnace on in the house full time yet.  On two separate occasions (one this past Sat morning) we did turn it on and let it run til it warmed things up.  Propane will be delivered this week, so after that we'll just set er at 68 and let the good times roll!  I have mentioned moving the bedroom around to get the dang bed away from the heat vent, I hate the warm air wafting by my head.  We got as far as taking the ac out of the window.......  Pretty soon I will do it myself and put things were I (that is a very capital I) want them.  Cause that's how I roll.

The plow truck is ready, I just have to buy a new shovel, mine broke with the last snowfall.  So..... last May?     We also have to buy a looooonnnnggg ladder, so there aren't any more adventures getting up on the roof if we get piles, upon piles, of never ending snow again this year.  That is what some forecasts are calling for, and I'm glad......because they are always wrong!

When I saw the frost on my car this morning my heart just sank.  NO, not yet!  I'm not ready for this yet. I don't want to leave the house earlier to clean off the car.  That turns into letting the car run awhile, which leads to cleaning off snow, and sub zero temps where I get up really early to make sure it's even going to start.  It all culminates with death drives to and from work, in the dark morning, and the pitch black night.  Yuck.

I'm going to have to try and keep my focus on the things I love about this time of year.  The smell and sound of the crisp new fallen leaves, the gorgeous color right out my back door, bonfires, apple cider, apple crisp, apples with caramel, carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds, and decorating for Halloween!  

45

Yikes.  45?  I don't feel a day over 38.  Oh well, age is just a number. 

Guess what I picked to do for my birthday?  ♫ Goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo! ♫  If the people down the way who are moving a house ever do, in fact, get it out of the middle of the road........  See, age is just a number.  It is one of my favorite place to go, and has been since I was very small. 

Here's proof that very little ever changes:

When I was a little one my Mom always had our birthday parties at home.  They were awesome!  All my friends would ride the bus home with me from school, my Mom would have lots of party games and prizes, then we would open my gifts, eat something home made like sloppy joes, and enjoy a big home made birthday cake!

The days leading up to my birthday (just like this past weekend) are usually unseasonably warm.  I would dream of how my friends and I were going to play outside games, and enjoy my swing set, etc.  It would be the best party ever!  Every year I was skunked.  Every. Year.  The weather on my birthday is traditionally crap. (It is 44 degrees right now with a 15mph wind off the big lake.)  That will not deter me from the zoo.  Even if it was raining we would still be bundling up.  I love sweaters, and I dug out my winter vest with mitts in the pocket, so I am ready to go!

Then I'm thinking we will have a late lunch at Shorty's.  The shrimp po boy is calling my name!  Then I get to go and pick out some new garden/bird stuff for my present! 

So here's to being 45.  Forty is definitely fabulous, can't wait to see what this year will bring!  Yea!  It's time to go!!  Wish you were coming too, too, too, we're going to the zoo!

Unexpected Treasures

Mom's ring

The other day on Facebook I posted this picture.  The Artist Formerly Known As Pablo has a genealogy assignment, so Auntie and Oma got homework.  While I was looking in a box of family paperwork I found this ring in an envelope with some obituaries in it. Kate and I went into my Mom's jewelry box all the time when we were little. She had a ton of costume jewelry, and then some pieces (like this ring) that were not.   I remembered this ring right away. What the heck was it doing with the obituaries from the newspaper??  Thanks Mom, and happy early birthday to me!

What I didn't post on facebook was something else that I found.  It goes right along with my last blog  "TBT", which I found to be kind of eerie........



My last blog was about Christmas lists, and wish books.  On Tuesday when I went to find the family information that I needed, I started out in the wrong box.  There were some random pictures on top that I looked at for a moment, even though I realized that it wasn't what I was looking for.  One of those pictures was of Christmas........maybe 1976?  There isn't a year on it.  Three cute lil kids on Christmas morning, and HEY!  It's a Sit and Spin!

I moved on to the correct box, and for the next hour or so delved in for the information that I needed.  I do have all of this on a computer program, but I can't find the start up disk. (ey yi yi......) When I got to the bottom of the archive box there was a folded up piece of paper.  This is what was on it.

If you can't quite make it out, this is what it says:

Dear Santa,

I'm writing for three little children who are pretty good most of the time.  Their names are Joanie, Jerry, and Katie Meys.

Joanie would like you to bring her a Baby Alive Doll that eats and drinks. She would like a play store also.

Jerry wants a put - put train and a truck.

Katie wants a dolly that cries Mama, and she wants a bed for her doll.

All of the children want a Sit and Spin ( play eerie music here) and a Jimmy Duck.  We will be real good children for Christmas.  If you can't bring us these toys, please bring us something nice.  Thank you.
                                                     

First of all, the shock of seeing my Mom's familiar writing took me aback.  Then reading about the picture I had just found an hour before was down right odd.  Oma says she's trying to tell me something.  I can't imagine what?  It's all about family, and I know that lesson.  Guess we'll have to wait and see.

The picture is a little blurry, but there we are. I remember that fake chimney, and there are the Christmas stockings.  The ones we used before Mom made all of ours, but that's another story.  The Christmas tree would be all a twinkle, just out of the picture on the left.  That's where we always had it.  Jerry is leaning on the couch with his truck, and other toys.  Katie ( cause it wasn't Katy back then) is in the white pj's.  That might be her doll on the floor.  The doll bed is back by me.  Closer to Kate is a shopping cart for my "store", and there in front (obviously) is the Sit and Spin.  I did also get Baby Alive.  Guess we were good children.  Well, marginal anyway.  This letter and picture are no longer in random boxes, they are together, in a very special small chest that I keep my "treasures" in.  To someday pass along to my real treasures. :)

TBT

Somewhere along the line, the tradition of TBT (Throw Back Thursday) began on facebook.  Every Thursday you post a picture from days gone by.  I saw something today that really yanked me back to the good ol' days, and since I already blogged about it once, I'm going to post the pic here:

And the blog about it here:http://www.queenie930.blogspot.com/2012/12/wish-book.html

Happy Thursday!!

Fallmageddon

The weather man says (I tend to listen with a grain of salt and keep an eye to the sky.) that we are heading for "Fallmageddon".  There's a system coming with heavy rain, gale force winds on the big lake, and a twenty to thirty degree temperature drop.  It's in the 70's today, and the high for tomorrow is predicted to be 48. 

Cloudy out?  (check)    Weird stillness in the air?  (check)   High humidity? (check) Alright, I might buy it.  I bought it last week and kept the dog inside for an eleven hour day and we didn't get a drop until I got home.

This morning Jake and I had to go on a hunt for the garden flag.  I had changed it to the fall flag, and didn't secure it with tape.  Heaven knows why, I always secure it with tape.  I took it as a sign and got everything else in the back in order too.  Flag secured, loose pots and smaller garden tools put away, everything else brought up closer to the house.

When all of that was finished we went over to the garden to survey what was left.  I grabbed a larger green tomato to put on the windowsill, and three cukes.  If things don't get destroyed we'll have a few more cukes (too little to pick) and maybe a couple tomato.  I'm not covering anything or worrying about it.  In fact, I may work on clearing some of it out later today if the weather allows.  Honestly, it has been the worst garden ever, and I'm kind of glad it's done.  Lots of improvement plans in the works, but I will also send a note to Mother Nature for a little better co-operation next Spring!

One of my fondest memories (and it makes no sense why) is coming home from school one Friday in Sept, and having to grab laundry baskets and head out to the garden in an ice rain to pick every blessed tomato we could find.  The wet freezing rain on bare hands, working together with my siblings with a sense of urgency, proudly getting the job done for my Dad before he got home from work.  I'm an odd duck, I know.

Well, I'm off to have lunch with my sister, do some shopping, and then come home and enjoy the rest of this day outside, since "Fallmageddon" will surely bring on the end of summer as we know it.  No, it wasn't an awful summer.  It was cooler and glorious, and I was able to spend most of it outdoors, which is unheard of.  I loved it.  MOVE SOUTH!  ;)

*Had to leave before I finished this, and it is warm and humid out here.  Feels like storm weather to me!  That's how it's all supposed to start.   Dum dum dummmmmmmm........................

Fifteen Movies

There's a facebook challenge going around where you name 15 movies that influenced your life, and you are only supposed to take 15 minutes to think about it.  I followed those directions, but then decided to turn it into a blog and elaborate on the when and why of each of them.  Excellent blog fodder, and I have a need to write these days.  Instead of nominating 15 people, which is the last thing to do, I am just going to encourage anyone reading to think about the movies they love, and how they have influenced their life.

(The Brown Eyed Man is going to say "Joe VS The Volcano".  I'm publicly apologizing for bashing your movie. ♥)

So here we go!  (These are also put in chronological order as to when in my life I saw them.)

BAMBI:  My Mom took me to see it when I was four.  I cried at the theater because Bambi's Mom died.  I cried on the way home, after we got home, and for several days.  I begged my Mom to take me back to see it again, and she flat out lied and said it was gone.  I must not have bought it, because I asked my Aunt Pat, who also fibbed. (dang Disney movies)

WIZARD OF OZ:  Apart from just loving this movie, it has made it's way though my whole life.  When I was a kid I would look forward to it coming on TV each year.  It was usually on at Easter time, and we would watch it at Aunt Mary's after dinner. One year I had to stay home with Dad and watch, because I had the chicken pox.  My own (Aunt) Dorothy has a birthday right around the time they usually showed it.  We sang all of the songs in a choral group I belonged to in grade school at St. Francis, (Seeway Songsters) and then of course I have watched it numerous times with my Goovers.  Especially the oldest one, it was the only acceptable sleepover movie for many years.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC:  I just love it.  We always watched it as a family when I was a kid.  It hit home on a bunch of levels.  My Mom had been a nun, we were Catholic, I wanted to be a nanny (check!).  I love the music, know all the words to all the songs, and have read the book.  We also sang the songs from this movie in our singing group at St. Francis.

GREASE:  Summer 1978:  I went to see this with my friend Laura and her older sisters.  I didn't understand half of the innuendo, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with the movie, and the music!  Shortly afterwards (Sept) I received the album (it was a double album) for my birthday!  My folks could not have bought me a better gift that year!

THE EXORCIST:  I am not making this up.  In eighth grade religion class, at Cathedral Jr. High, the PRIEST formerly known at FATHER (pedophile who is actually defrocked and in jail) showed this to us.  Scared the hell right out of me, and to this day I freak out just thinking about it. (plus a few other things)

GONE WITH THE WIND:  Somewhere in my high school years I discovered this movie.  I have also read, and re-read the book several times.  By best childhood/forever friend Vicki also loves it, so we have spent many hours watching it, and have even played the board game!  (She is a little obsessed.......)

THE PRINCESS BRIDE:  This is by far my favorite movie.  I think mostly because my youngest brother likes it too, and we would watch it together going line for line.  Wuv, twu, wuv..........  Inconceivable!  I watch it every chance I get.

THE QUIET MAN:  I discovered this movie St. Patrick's Day 1998.  I remember, because I was a nanny then.  My all time favorite "romantic comedy".  "It's only a good stretch of the legs."  I love John Wayne, probably because I always thought my Uncle Clate, whom I loved dearly, looked like him. ;)  I watch it every year on St. Patty's day!

STEEL MAGNOLIAS:  I saw this with Vicki and Kate (my sister) when it came out in 1998.  We went to the theater right after I got some devastating relationship news.  Seeing that movie with so many strong women in it was an inspiration.  I ended that relationship once and for all, and never looked back.

LITTLE WOMEN:  The movie came out in '94 but for whatever reason I didn't come across it until a bit later.  I love the book, and am currently re-reading it.  This is my favorite movie to put in when I'm not feeling well.  Plus, I love the characters, especially Wynona Ryder at "Jo".

FORREST GUMP:  This is another movie that I don't recall seeing in the theater.  I have watched it numerous times, and I love all the advice from his Mama.  Stupid really is as stupid does.

YOU'VE GOT MAIL:  Or I could have said Sleepless in Seattle.  I just love Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together!  (Except in Joe Vs the Volcano............sorry sweetie.)

CHOCOLATE:  The movie is about a woman who dances to her own tune and runs her life according to her guidelines, and no one else.  Plus there's Johnny Depp........

EMPIRE RECORDS:  Another one that I found much later than it's release date.  The Brown Eyed Man introduced me to this one. ♥  I always think of it as "our" movie.

LIFE OF PI:  When this movie ended I felt like there was a rock sitting on my chest.  I don't think I care to ever watch it again, but it profoundly affected me, and prompted me to make some big changes in my life.

So there's 15!  I almost forgot The Sound of Music.  Someone would have caught it I'm sure, because if you know me, you know that I love this movie!  ♫ The hills are alive......♫

Gardens

I had some lofty goals this spring, all of which I think we have achieved!  Except for the fact that the vegetable garden is the single worst garden I've ever had in my life.  Blah.  Very disappointing.  We will be adding some good stuff to the soil, and crossing our fingers for next year.  Hopefully Mother Nature will do her part too.

We did have a good crop of green onion, but they never got very big, and now we are finally enjoying fresh cukes!  The Brown Eyed Man was able to have a couple of meals with fresh beans, and he and I enjoyed a lot of peas as snacks right off the vine.  I already know that next year we will be putting in some trellis and doing pole beans/peas.  Out of all the zuccini and summer squash I planted, ONE plant grew.  It's huge, and has flowers.  If the fall is kind maybe I will get one or two. 

About a month ago the first tomato appeared, and I have watched it daily.  I went to pick it to eat two days ago, and something had bored a hole in it.  #@$%#   I will pick the rest when they are just starting to ripen and put them on the sill. 

This is my new pet.  He is a toad.  I call him HEART ATTACK because that's what happens when I come upon him amongst the cukes. 

This weekends project was to get some cement blocks and put some definition to the top part of my flower garden.

Right before we started working.

Finished view from the top.

 I don't know if I blogged about this before, but we have had some disagreements about how this garden was going to go.  When it was starting to take shape The Brown Eyed Man realized with glee that it would look like a punisher skull if you flew over in a plane.  He calls it the "Punisher Garden", and I call it the "Punish Her" garden.  It has been neat to work on this big project together, even though we don't always see eye to eye on it.

Here you can kind of see how it goes downhill.

The other awesome part about this project was that many of the perennials have been given to us by friends and family!  I am the type of person who will always remember where something came from, so I enjoy looking at the plants for that reason too. 

So obviously he got his way regarding the shape of the garden.  We are NOT, however, planting certain things to look like eyes, nose, etc.  I'm excited for next year when all of the things we've transplanted from other places will really grow up to show how big they can be!  Then I will just fill in with annuals to keep out the weeds.  We do still purposely have some  weeds wild fowers in the garden, because I like them.  Fire weed is even pretty when it blooms.  (freakin fire weed.....)  I would like to think I've gotten rid of all of that, but I know better. 

Roots and Wings

                                         Happy18th Birthday, Baby Grown Up Pig Nose!

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings.”

― W. Hodding Carter

Our girl is eighteen today!  Time has flown too fast, and I'm not going to blog much about it, because this has been the "Summer of Ashlyn" already.  ;)  She moved into the dorms at St. Scholastica yesterday, and classes start next week.

My darling girl, as you begin your journey, know that you are in my thoughts always.  What a blessing you have been in my life!  I know that you are worried about how it's all going to go, but it's time to let go of that, and enjoy the ride!  In this life there are things you can control, and things you can't.  The sooner you figure out which is which, the happier you'll be!

Today you go from being a child of my heart, to a woman I call a friend, but I will always be your Auntie Pig Nose. ♥

I love you first.         FLY!

Ice Cream (The Horror)

I don't even really care for ice cream that much, but apparently it is now the topic of three blogs.  In order to understand this one, you might want to check out:
http://www.queenie930.blogspot.com/2013/06/ice-cream.html

Which will help explain this one:

http://queenie930.blogspot.com/2013/08/ice-cream-rest-of-story.html

Which brings us to yesterday afternoon. 

Picture it:  It's a Friday afternoon in August, the temps are a little over eighty degrees, and it's about as humid as it can get up here.  I am dressed as cool as I can be while working in an office, and said office does not have air conditioning up front.  It is roughly three o'clock in the afternoon, and the week has been LONG.

Suddenly, through the open front windows, along with the humid hot air wafts in the distant tones of the (Can it be??) ice cream truck!  Yes!  Saved!  Again, I'm not a huge fan, but I was actually thinking more along the lines of a snow cone or popsicle.  I was so excited that I did almost blurt out ICE CREAM!!!!!  Which would have been hilarious.  I did text my youngest brother, whom I would always scream it with, and ask him if it would be wrong for me to scream ice cream loud enough for them to hear me down the block.

Then the hunt for cash began.  Well crap.  Looking in my purse I realized that I gave the last of my cash to The Brown Eyed Man.  He and his buddy did some work on my car and I sent it along to buy them a thank you lunch.  No good deed...........

The truck was almost upon us.  What to do?  Do they take debit cards/checks?  I was about to shout across the hall to my boss that I was grabbing a ten from the till and would write him a check when I got back inside, (He's cool like that. Of course offering to grab a treat for him, and the patient he was with too.) but the music stopped.   Stopped?  What?  The ice cream music never stops........

I ran over to the window, and there it was, in the back parking lot of Dodgie's, right where I park, turned around and heading the other way.  I'm sure my mouth was hanging open, and I tell you that in that moment I was eight years old, staring in horror as the ice cream truck drove away.  I slugged my way back to my desk, but stopped when I got back into the front office area and just stood there.  Defeated.  The Doc finished up and came up to where I was.

Doc: What's up?   (ha, ha)

Me: It went away.

Doc: What?

Me: The ice cream truck.

Doc: (chuckles) OH.

Me: Not funny.

So I went back to work.  Now, we have another ice cream/ ices truck that comes through town too.  It plays tropical music, not the usual ice cream truck music.  I'm actually much more interested in catching that one, since I would rather have an ice.

Picture it:  It's about a half hour later.  It's just one of those afternoons where you see every minute go by on the clock.  The Doc is in the waiting area near the open windows, and I am at the front desk.  All of the sudden there is tropical music!  Going about 45 in a 25mph zone and it zooms on by.

Me: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

Doc: (Looks startled by my outburst..... and he should be used to it by now.)  What??

Me: THAT WAS THE OTHER ICE CREAM TRUCK!

Doc: (laughter)

Me: NOT FUNNY!

(It was kinda funny)

So after work when I went to "The Walmart" to get Tater's birthday present I got myself one of those pop in the freezer alcoholic beverages.  Pina Colada.

SO THERE.

One Excuse (and) New Downtown

Is that Mrs. S eating a coney?

Today I met some of my gals for lunch at the new donut shop in town!  Yes, they also have a small lunch menu.  I didn't (just) have a donut for lunch.  The business is called "A Dozen Excuses", but let me tell you, the only excuse you need is that the donuts, and the coney's, are amazingly good!

Last week I tried their maple bacon donut.  Now, I don't really care for bakery items with maple, but it had bacon in the title, so I couldn't help myself.  Very light on the maple, so yummy, filling, fresh, and of course there was the bacon.   Today I tried a zebra twist, which is a twisted glazed donut with chocolate drizzle.  It was so light, but I think the freshness is what I love the most!  That and the price.  $1 for regular donuts, $1.50 for specialty.  My lunch was the #1 coney, which is a coney, chips, and a beverage for $4.00.  So for five and change I walked away full.  Plus, MOST importantly, the coffee is good.  You just can't have a donut shop with bad coffee!

I have honestly never had a coney before.  I made a pretty big mess with it, but it was really tasty!   I also must say, I did not get one drop on my clothes.  Anywhere.  REALLY!  Yes, I have witnesses.

Here is where I could break this off into two separate blogs, but I haven't been the best at keeping up with my writing lately, so I will link them together.

The city of Superior has been working at revitalizing its downtown for a few years now.  New road, new look, new businesses.  If you had asked me two years ago to spend an hour sitting outside downtown, I would have said no.  Even if you offered me money.  Dirty, nothing to do, and honestly scary.  In the daytime, and especially at night.

Today I parked a little farther away than necessary, just to enjoy the walk along Tower Avenue, and to see what people have been talking about.  It was so nice to see the area cleaned up, and it's a gorgeous day to be outside.  It's warm, but that ol Lake Superior breeze is keeping it nice.  My friends weren't at the donut shop yet, so I took the opportunity to just sit at one of the outside tables, and watch the world go by.  A few ladies stopped just to take a picture, and I asked the gal if I should move out of her shot, to which she replied, "Oh no!  Stay right there.  That makes it perfect!"  So if you see a picture of "A Dozen Excuses" with a lady in a red tank top trying to look nonchalant, that's me.  I hope I didn't wreck her pic........ (I'm pretty good at it.) 

When my own ladies arrived we ordered our food, and chose to go back outside.  It's always good to be able to catch up!  Girl time is so important, but that would be another blog!  So all in all I spent a good hour sitting outside on Tower Avenue.  We almost saw an old lady back into Melanie's car, but that was the most exciting thing that happened.  It was nice to see the steady flow of people, a lot of it families, into the new business.  Now it would be nice if more small businesses decided to start up, or relocate to that area.  I did notice that another new shop is opening a few doors down in October.

 In the 70's my Mom drove out to The Billings Park Bakery every Saturday to buy bread/buns/whatever for the week.  I could never see myself doing that.  I wonder though, if we are trending back from the Superstores to the Mom and Pop.  Recently we stopped buying meat at the big chains and have given all of that business to Superior Meats in South End.  It might be more expensive, but the portions are bigger, and more importantly, fresher. ( It tastes better too.)

I have lived in this area my entire 44 years.  I shopped the downtown with my Mom when I was little, and watched it die off when I was in my teens. What a nice change for the better! 

Tater Tot

Happy Birthday Tater!!  The littlest Goover is NINE tomorrow!  Time has flown so fast.  Tooooo fast.

This summer I had hoped to have lots of Goover adventures, but Tater had one of her own, and that has curtailed things a bit for now.  She's still her spunky self, just with a new scar, and another story to tell.  When she's all healed up we'll see about a birthday sleepover.

One thing about the youngest ones getting older is that we can play more games!  I really enjoy teaching them how to play different card games.  We learned Skip Bo a couple of weeks ago, and a rematch should be on soon!

 Tater has been a bit confined this summer, so she has turned a lot of attention toward her artwork.  She is absolutely amazing for a nine year old, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her Aunt.  I'm saying that because she is a better artist than I am at forty-four.

Caitlin's art (A Dryad....she'll have to tell me what that is.)

This year Ashlyn and I picked the Goovers up on their last day of school.  We had to wait for Tater to watch the buses go around the "circle" and wave to everyone.  (three times)  Then we headed off to the Ice Cream parlor, and the Library.

Last day of third grade.

Cooking at Auntie's

Hopefully the girls will be able to come over soon and we'll cook up some more delicious treats!  Although I have a sneaky suspicion that Tater is after my "man friend" whom she just loves to pieces.  He thinks she's pretty neat too. Until then, I will go over and visit at their house.  We will have to get a library trip in soon though, I can't renew the books any more. :)  I also wont put the kids in my car til it's fixed.  (hope next week)  Definitely not the summer I had planned, but we'll make the best of it.  Just so thankful that Tater is alright.    

Happy birthday to my Caitibug.  So sorry that you are having a "bummer summer".  We'll try to make up for it when you are all healed up!  Love you to pieces!  I will be over for another Skip Bo challenge soon!

                                                                          ♥ Aunt Joanie