I've Done It For 52 Years!

I've added even more photos to my Pinterest page. Go visit it and see them. I know you'll love all the images.
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A few weeks ago at church, hubby invited some friends over for dinner before he told me he was going to do it. He's such an entertainer and social animal; I'm not. That wasn't a problem really, but he drove me crazy that afternoon.

The friends were invited over for leftovers from Christmas—ham. It was a beautiful and huge ham and although, I love ham I didn't particularly want it for 4 or 5 meals. Hence, we invited them to help us eat it. He fretted like a little ol' lady about dinner. Remember, I've been cooking his meals for almost 52 years.

Hubs: What about potatoes?
Me: I'll mash a big pot so you'll have some leftovers for next week.
Hubs: Great! Sounds good.

Hubs: What about salad?
Me: What about it?
Hubs: Could we have some coleslaw?
Me: What if I just make a fruit salad?
Hubs: OK! Good, good.

Hubs: What vegetable should we have?
Me: I'll make my famous fried corn.
Hubs: Ooooh, yeah, that sounds good.

Hubs: I think we should use some good china.
Me: Uh-huh. (Sighing at this point.)

Hubs: How about those leftover caramelized yams?
Me: Uh-huh, fine.

Hubs: I'm cutting up some pickles and putting some olives on a plate.
Me: Uh-huh, fine.

Hubs: I'm making a pitcher of sassafras tea.
Me: Okay, but not everyone likes the taste of it so why don't we have juice or something.

Hubs made a pitcher of the sassafras tea and had to explain what it was and how he loved it growing up. I knew the drink would necessitate a history of his childhood! It did. Sigh.

She and I had water. I think hubs was disappointed she didn't try the sassafras tea. (Snicker)

After dinner and after they left, I cut the rest of the ham off the bone and wrapped it up and threw away the bone. I told him cleanup was up to him and left the kitchen.

Let's see how long it is before he asks anyone over to dinner again. ;-) I love this man to no end. :-)
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A yellow laundry room is quite cheerful.

Ireland. Love that country.

Painted cookies? Adorable.

Sweet tweet hangers. ;-)

Darling cups and bowls.

Aren't these the most adorable hatboxes you've ever seen?! I love them.

Old world walkway with pretty tubs of colorful flowers to brighten up the drab stone homes.

More beautiful perfume bottles.

Darling kitchen with plenty of work space.

I really, really, REALLY like this room!

A profusion of pink flowers on a balcony.

Cute ol' French tubs.

Pretty vintage green tri-fold doors.

Cute vignette in a vintage room.

Just some eye candy to leave with you.

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Tidbit:
Only U.S. town where mail arrives by mule: Supai, AZ (at the floor of the Grand Canyon).
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Linking up with NMH Open House party.

Rambling 11/18/2012

Americans have nothing to fear from Europe on food. This comes from a sampling of friends, relatives and hubs and me from traveling. I'm also partial to the California cuisine. I believe nobody does food as good as Californians.
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 Some relatives and friends who have been to Russia have noted some things while there. Russians still want communism; they lament the change! They don't know how to fend for themselves. I hope that never happens in our country. There are specific instances but I'm not going to cite them here. Just horrible when a people can't take care of themselves and have no such wish.
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We've hosted a few exchange students while living in Idaho and I must say I doubt I'd do it again. Some were wonderful; some were horrid. One, Rafael from Spain, was very good and we loved having him. One day he asked me why I had my name all over my Tupperware. I told him because when there's a church dinner or luncheon, there's so many Tupperware bowls we have to put our names on our own or someone would inadvertently take home the wrong bowl. Hence, my name is on every single bowl I have. He thought that was funny. I didn't; I'm still missing some pieces and some metal bowls that have never surfaced!
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Recently during the Presidential campaign, Cher weighed in on Mitt Romney's underwear, calling it "Magic" underwear. Well, I wear the garments also. It's a requirement for being temple worthy. It's a form of modesty. How silly can anyone be for making fun of someone's underwear?! And Cher, of all people?!!! At least, we wear underwear.
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Okay, more postal rules for other countries:

Britain: no horror comics can be mailed to them.

Venezuela: no credit cards can be mailed to them.

Russia: color copiers, honey pollen, wax or honeycombs. Hmmm. Wonder why? It's not as if they have a glut of copier companies in Russia.

Philippines: coffee, lottery tickets.

Nepal: bearings of all kinds, cameras, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, photographic paper, watches or spare parts.

Guatemala: gardenia plants or seeds, police whistles, powder of all kinds.
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If you've ever given someone good/excellent advice and they say it's totally impractical for their lifestyle but love the advice, then you should tell them to change their lifestyle. It's just that simple. Why wallow in a lifestyle that's detrimental to you? Boggles th' mind.
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A sweet girl's bedroom.

The requisite posies in a lovely tin can. ;-)

Think about wrapping your Christmas gifts in white paper with scraps of fabric for bows and a pink, white or silver ball instead of the usual red and green.

Can we say caaauuuute?!

Another pink ruffled pillow. I just love the ruffled ones.

Now here are cups with roses that I think even the hubs would like. If that's a tractor, then I know he'd love it. He also has this "thing" about tractors. Just start talking and he can tell you more than you'd absolutely want to know. He's knowledgeable about trains and tractors. My man is just a jock!

A serene room with splashes of color on the wall and floor.

I've wondered what these are. Could they be rings? Whatever they are, they're beautiful.

I'd have no problem having this chair in my home. 

Another gypsy caravan. This one looks really nice though. Love the bed covers and pillows. Not as gaudy as some I've seen.

 

I didn't know cupcakes grew in clay pots!!

A bunch of petit fours.

Beautiful pink walls with fuchsia flowers and a white curtain blowing in the breeze.

Ooooooh, is this ever so cute!

Just another idea for an old rustic bucket.

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Linking up with Create with Joy.

Ramblings 10/27/2012

Ramblings today.

Finger-tight has a whole new meaning when you're married to Love Bunny. Now, he is the strongest man I know. He and my oldest grandson have no idea of their strength. They just don't have a clue. When being hugged by our oldest grandson, who is 28, it actually hurts. He always apologizes, but at 6'4" his hugs get my upper back just under the arm pits and it hurts so bad I always have to tell him to back off. Hubs doesn't do that to me, but if he grips my ankle to apply lotion to my feet or puts my socks on my feet (I know; I'm spoiled!) I have to tell him to stop. He just doesn't realize how strong he is.

Recently I had him help me with some curtains on a rod that slips into some brackets that have a tiny screw to tighten it. I had to reposition it later in the day and couldn't get it to unscrew! I called him in to do it for me. Same with lids on jars and bottles. Always too tight! Today I was refilling the salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen and dining room. After filling, I turned to him to put the tops back on and pulled my hand with the salt shaker back and told him, "Nooooo, I'll never be able to get it off again if you do it." You have no idea how many times I have to go outside or to another room to find him to get a lid off of something he's put back into the refrigerator. While it's frustrating, I never have to worry about someone attacking me because he'd have broken limbs before I could even shout for hubs to help me!
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Have you ever had someone you know come to "just drop off" something? I actually hate that. They usually won't come in and there are times I'd love to chat with that person. It's always when they're on their way to something with kids. I think that's becoming the norm in the world. I have only one or two friends who'll come over to just sit and chat. It's much needed in society today. So when you have a chance, visit with that person; don't just "drop off" something.
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Do you miss the old-fashioned dust mops? I do. I have a Dyson vacuum cleaner, a Swiffer for dry floors and a Swiffer for mopping floors. I told Love Bunny about this recently—missing the old dust mops—and he said to go buy one. Well, we did. Now, they aren't the triangular ones with yarn for dusting, but the long oval one I bought does a nice job of getting the dust bunnies from under cabinets, something my Dyson can't do due to its height. I love dust mops. Makes me feel like I'm a real woman! LOL
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Do you remember when ice cream used to come in little squares or rectangles wrapped in cardboard? Hubs brought this up recently and I had forgotten. We have so many memories that kids today will never know or have the sweet memories or experiences we had as kids. I feel sorry for them, actually.
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Have you ever seen such a pretty colorful patio?

More beautiful bowls, thermoses, cups and vintage, rustic scales.

Bowls filled with spools of lace, a candle in a champagne class, lace and a rose in a milk bottle. Darling!

Pretty table centerpiece of roses.

Love this lamp shade!

A pretty entry way.

This just reminded me of an old house we used to live in. This is quite cute though.

Lovely garden shed.

Just some pink and red eye candy I found adorable.

A cute place to sit in a back yard. Look at the "pool"! I may try to duplicate something like this next year in a shady corner of our back yard. I love this.

Now, this could be a place for sleepovers for a teen or it could be 3 sisters in a room of their own, but it certainly has a lot of pizzazz.

A play area for a little munchkin.

I should think this is somewhere in another country from the looks of the stove.

A peaceful bedroom.

No, you'll probably never have a home like this but it's fun to look inside something this beautiful. I think this hallway is about the size of my entire house! ;-)

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