Just Some Thoughts 7/10/2013

I'm back. I really didn't get all done that I wanted to, but I'm a blog junkie so here I am. Is there a cure for it? A shot? Therapy? Rehab? Sigh. I may not post as often but I'll definitely be around at least a couple of times a week.
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I saw a blog the other day, not a fashion blog either, which are very popular, but it had over 18,000 followers and one post had 751 comments! WOW! That's astounding.
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Imperfect people are all God has to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him but He deals with it. (J. R. Holland)
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I've had this insatiable thirst for root beer lately, but not just any root beer, only Henry Weinhards Root Beer. I sent th' hubs to Wal-Mart the other day with a very small grocery list, about 4 items. I had told him to get 2 cases as we've been drinking a lot of it lately. So he got there and they didn't have any cases of 12. He called me to tell me. Sigh. I told him to go ahead and get 4 of the 6-pack cartons. No, I didn't scream or have a breakdown; I very politely told him even if he insisted it would cost more. When I'm in the mood for a H.W. Root Beer, don't even question the price! Double sigh.
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I don't let anyone dull my sparkle. One woman had a good shot at it several years ago and it sent me to a therapist because of it. I told her after that I didn't want her in my life. Period. She kept insisting as she thought I was something special. I'm not. Well, to my family I am, but that's about it. She even had her hubby call me to let her back in my life. We moved to another town about an hour away after that. So, a couple of months ago I met up with her daughter at Costco and tried to ignore her but she's as bad as her mother. Well, her mother was there also and she called her over from another aisle and I just about wanted to fall through the floor and get out of there as soon as I could. That didn't happen. (Plus the fact that it was a hurried, emergency trip to Costco and I looked like a hag. Why don't you run into people you don't care for when you're looking your absolute best?!?!) She wanted my new phone number and I'm not a good liar so I gave it to her. Aaaarghh. Hubs and a dear friend said I should have given her a false one. I just don't think fast enough in those situations. Since she asked for it several times putting it into her cell phone, I'm hoping she copied it wrong. I've since turned off our home message machine and gone with the phone company generic one with the generic voice. I'm such a wimp! Well, not usually, but this was a shock. Plus I didn't want to be nasty, which I can do very well. ;-)
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Many people prefer the comfortable lie. Oooooh, do I cry now or tonight.
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Squeeeeallllll!!!! I'd love to have this for my very own in my backyard. Just a dream, not going to become a reality.

I'm not a big quilt fan but this one is gorgeous with all the pinks and flowers.

Another cute and quaint kitchen.

The color of verdigris is what I loved about this door.

A charming little home in France, Italy or Spain. They have really cute stone homes.

This is one spectacular lighting fixture. It would look grand in my backyard. ;-)

This looks like it's copper but I think it's beautiful even if it isn't.

Can you see yourself strolling down the petaled pathway here?

More lovely flowered china for you.

Our roses are blooming prolifically now. These aren't ours though.

A most unusual tablecloth. It looks like petals. I've wondered how she did it.

If I had a work bucket that looked like this, I might just dust more often. Then again, maybe not. :-)

I love everything about this room. Beautiful!!!!

Another patio to relax on.

Vibrant roses against a vibrant sofa and pillows.

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Tidbit:

In 1928 travel writer Richard Halliburton paid
36¢ to swim through the Panama Canal. [This just goes to show you nobody gets a free ride through the canal.]
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Tidbits About Me

This sign was made for me; I just personalized it a bit more.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I carry a small note pad in the car (along with a back scratcher in my door pocket) so I can write down thoughts that occur to me for th' blog. That worked, but then Love Bunny thought an audio recorder would work better. I bought one thinking that for once in our marriage he might be right and that it would help me more than trying to write while driving. And it did...for a while.

Then the battery went out and I was too busy to replace it so put it away for a while until I remembered to replace it. Then once again, I forgot it for a little while. Sigh. I always promise myself I'll remember what I wanted to write down. I rarely, if ever, do! I now have the audio recorder working and am using it again. I hate not remembering things I want to blog about!

Since I've been posting tidbits recently from a book I've read, I thought I'd post a few tidbits about me.

I am attracted to anything pink, architectural details, vintage gates that remind me of my childhood, vibrant colors, soft colors, gorgeous sofas, beautiful chairs, chocolate, pretty papers, froufrou images, chandeliers, flowers of any kind and any, and I mean ANY eye candy . Not necessarily in that order.

I love big hair on women and big photos on blogs. I have very fluffy/big hair and my great granddaughter does too.

I went wild this past New Year's Eve by buying corn chips. Yep, I'm soooo exciting! Sigh...

I've had a lifelong dependency on suspicion. True!

I do have a soft heart and am a bit of a sentimentalist, just a tiny bit.

I once did something I'll never, ever admit to. ;-) Nope, it wasn't immoral or illegal.

I am a very uplifting person and try to leave everyone feeling that way. True!

I leave toast crumbs in the butter and am not the least bit embarrassed by it. Butter should have toast crumbs in it.

I once wrote to a very famous interior designer and she wrote me back. I was thrilled. That's not the norm. She was a gracious lady.

I get up in the morning and immediately put on my clothes for the day. I don't change until we go to bed at night. (Hubs changes at least 3 times a day.)

I am an excellent speller and rarely get a word wrong.

I can't eat spicy/hot food, no way. Someone will tell me, "It's not too spicy" and invariably it's too spicy. So I trust no one anymore. I also don't like hot food; I prefer it at room temperature.

I'll never be a politically correct person. I say Merry Christmas and we'll fly the American flag until we die.

I'm a very opinionated woman and that will never change.

I love music from the 60s, 70s and 80s and also love the Big Band songs from the 40s. Also, classical guitar is one of my favorite things to listen to. I love the cello and bass music and most classical music. I absolutely hate rap music and I use the term music loosely in describing it. My granddaughter likes french rap music however.

I made my great granddaughter a music CD with oldies on it and she loves it but her favorite song is Lollipop and sings it at her daycare for them.
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Similar to my new quilted bedspread but mine has 11 ruffles on it.

More pretty bottles, one of my favorite things.

Lovely patio, just lovely!

I really like this house with the pretty tables and stone floor. No cleaning carpets!

Antlers and roses? Sure makes a cute table setting though.

Pretty homes on a street in Italy.

Yes, this is actually a cake. I can't even imagine the time and expertise, let alone the price, of such a creation.

Linens covered with roses.

Pretty hat boxes.

Lovely pearls gracing a hanger.

Beautiful pink chrysanthemums.

A kitchen we'd all love to have. Large farmhouse table with a gorgeous chandelier.

I'm not fond of mirrors but this one is gorgeous.

Pretty vintage tin boxes.

Gorgeous pink fabric. I wish I had it to make pillows.

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Tidbit:
In 1994, there were more than 420,000 accidents caused by kitchen knives, 122,000 by drinking glasses, 29,000 by refrigerators, and 7,000 by dishwashers.
Refrigerators??

Okay, now the "I" states and what each state is #1 in.

Idaho:
Trout Fishing
Highest suicide rate

Illinois:
Pumpkins
Nuclear power production

Indiana:
elevator manufacturing
Divorce

Iowa:
Percentage of residents over the age of 85
Water pollution
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Yeah, Yeah, Another Great-Grandma Brag

We were gone a week but we're home now. I'll have more on the trip to our granddaughter's house later; however, just let me say this. I take my laptop when traveling but this time I forgot my passwords for everything, including my Google Reader and my blog! I wasn't able to get in; I could only read it. That will never happen again! I have so many passwords that I couldn't possibly remember them all. I store them securely and I mean securely. Even the words themselves are coded. ;-) I trust no one when it comes to passwords. And, unlike most people, I don't have just one password for everything. My passwords cover 2 sheets of paper—single-spaced. Call me paranoid, but this happens when you get robbed three times. You learn to trust no one and nothing. :-)

And this is them while we were there.

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Remember, I'm the great grandmother here and it's my blog so every once in a while I have to feature th' girls. ;-) This is one of those times. Christmas picture taking. I cannot tell you how much joy these two little chicks bring to me and hubs.

We start with their first shot together. Notice Juliette looking warily at her big sister.

Now we see her starting to get in the spirit of things.

Now she's really groovin'.

Then she sticks out her tongue at her big sister, Caroline.

"I need my own show here, people!"

"Aaaah, nuts, Sis is stealing th' show from me."

"My big sis is so "out there!"

"Do I have to do this every single Christmas?"

"I think I'll take a nap now."

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Another gorgeous decorated bottle.

This would make a really great family room with all that seating.

You could make a wreath like this for Valentine's Day next easily with roses or peonies from the garden.

I like that large sink but I prefer my stainless steel one that's not so deep and back breaking.

Just beautiful linens.

Another birdhouse I found on the internet.

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Useless Information:
The Statue of Liberty's fingernails weight about 100 pounds apiece.
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Gifts for New Great Granddaughter

I'm somewhat—but not compulsive—about the things of my forefathers and foremothers. I mean if I have something my grandmother gave me, I cherish it, but I certainly would never, ever fight my siblings over something. It just isn't worth the time, trouble or negative feelings you get from those disputations with family.

My parents were divorced after about 38 years of marriage and each remarried. They're both deceased now but my father had a pocket watch from my mother's father. It never stated in any will that it was his—my brother's—so it went to his widow. My brother laments to this day over a pocket watch our grandfather told him would be his. It's been 40 years! I inherited nothing from either parent and I have never, ever—not for one second—given it any thought. Those are just "things" and I have wonderful memories. Those I can hold and savor and take with me to the next life. But my brother has let it wear him down for all these years over things that "could have been." I don't think I've ever done that.

I have a corduroy quilt my grandmother made for me. (That's it in the pictures below.) She made it out of scraps from jumpers she made me when I was a young child. She gave it to me when I got married almost 49 years ago. I used to snuggle under it when I was very cold because it is heavy. When you get under it you'd better be in the position you want because it is so heavy you can't move once it's on top of you! But that quilt will go to Washington state with us next week to be in our great granddaughter's room, and she'll know it came from her great great great grandmother. It sounds so ancient when put that way but it's only 60+ years old.


Our granddaughter and her hubby haven't decided on a name yet but so far they've liked the name Violet or Anastasia. Mandy's favorite colors are lavender, violet and purple and I think she likes pink but her house isn't decorated in those colors. Mostly she used beiges and darker colors but her office has lavender walls. She was going to put the baby in the office and work there when she wasn't at her office at Microsoft. Her hubby's office is downstairs in a big room but since he has so much computer equipment in there it wouldn't hold her office equipment. He does a lot of work at home also since he works for MS XBox as a designer and...well, you can just imagine what that room looks like. But guess what?! All her office stuff has been moved out and it is now officially a little girls room! Gee, what being pregnant can do to a professional chick. *Wink* She's told us we can do lavender, pink and soft greens.

Now, I do not plan on spoiling that girl; I'll leave it to her grandmother, my daughter. That's a grandmother's prerogative. I'm talking about clothes, nursery furniture, etc. But I do plan on making her as much frilly and froufrou-y stuff as I can. The birdhouse below is the first thing I've actually made since learning of her imminent birth and confirmation of her gender. I have a box full of stuff that is going over to Washington with us and so far I have a lamp I made, a crown, the quilt, another doll quilt my grandmother made that I think she'll enjoy having knowing its sentimental value and various other things I think Mandy might want from me. I've already given her my original wedding rings and some jewelry. I think she should enjoy them now and not wait until I'm dead! I want to see the sparkle in her eyes when she is wearing something that came from me.


These pictures were before I finished it with the bow, added a few minor touches and Love Bunny put the screwy thing on top so it can be hung from the ceiling.

This little crown I made last year and was for sale on my selling blog. She'll love this in her bedroom. Fit for a princess, which she is.

In her later years my grandmother had to live in a nursing home but she made these little doll quilts to keep her hands busy and to give to indigent families. This one came to me. She always thought of me and told me I was her favorite granddaughter. I believe it to this day. I think I was.

Another little lamp I made but never sold. It's hers now also. I'm glad it didn't sell. ;-)

I made this a few months ago and it was meant to be a giveaway. It will now go to her and I'll do another one for a giveaway soon.

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