BOO!!!
This weekend was about rest. And change. I probably would not have gotten to go to Market Days anyway. We slept in. I think we all needed the rest.
Somehow I managed to fall up our back three steps yesterday! This is the 2nd time in a week or so that I have trully felt my guardian angel was with me. As I fell, I felt strong arms around me lifting me so my fall would not be so bad. Otherwise I would have hurt my wrists. Don came a few seconds later to help me up, but I was already getting up. Thankfully my knee is not really sore today.
I had an art meeting to go to about starting up an abstract artist group. I took a few things with me. My latest abstract was one of them. Cindy had a great book for inspiration. We tried to come up with a name for this group. My 1st thought was Abstract Artists of Alabama. Then we came up with Oddball Arts as well as a few others. As we were thinking of names I worked on my abstact, adding forest green leaves. I think I had some good ones this morning as I was waking up but cannot remember them now. We need a lot of people to attend this to keep the cost down. It is $25 to rent the room. So the more we have, the less we have to pay. I will be inviting EVERYONE I know!
Rhett had wanted to be a policeman for Halloween for a couple of years now. We found a costume at Walmart for a reasonable price. I realized we probably won't be able to find costumes in his size next year. I asked a friend at work for some pins and such for his costume. Gil supplied me with a couple of things as well as offered a lot of ideas.
As is our family tradition, we meet at our oldest daughters house and take pics of our granddaughters with Rhett. Tatum was a disco girl from the 70's with the funkiest shoes you have ever seen. Wesley Rose was the pretties fairie with gold glitter in her hair that shone in the sunlight. Rhett dropped his gun right almost as soon as we arrived. Elisa said, "You dropped your gun there, Barney!" So I think that may be his new nickname!
We took pics outside but the sun was so bright, it was hard for the kids to look at the camera. The leaves would create shadows on their faces. But we managed to get some really good ones. I haven't uploaded them yet.
This was a year of change.... Rhett was invited to a spend the night Halloween party. So this was the first time we didn't either go to the American Legion or go trick of treating with the girls or to a church that was hosting a Halloween party. I guess that means my baby is growing up on me.
I know he was leery as we entered the house with a rubber wild dog on the front porch and real dogs in the house. But he had a good time. I was told he giggled most of the night. They stayed up til 3. Brandon's mom told me she took the skeleton, Mr. Bones down from the shower because of Rhett who said it felt like someone was watching him go. LOL
It sure was quiet in the truck after we dropped Rhett off. We watched the show "Scared Shreckless" and it made me miss Rhett. It was pretty funny.
We picked Rhett up before church this morning. Rhett was a little ill at times from lack of sleep. I told him if whinned, he couldn't do it again. He slept some, but I took a nap after a great lunch. I think I slept hard enough for both of us!
Happy Halloween everyone!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
A Little of this... A Little of That...
Sorry I didn't send out a notice about the Columbus Artist Guild to all my in town friends and fellow art lovers. I almost didn't go to the meeting, but now am glad I did. It was supposed to be various artists displaying their works & held at the Britt David library where parking is limited. I now take two drinks with me.... leaded & unleaded Pepsi; regular Pepsi & caffeine free due to the fact they didn't have anything except diet drinks at one meeting.
I saw Bobby Jones, the artist I met at Arts on the River where I bought one of his ACEO trading cards. He remembered me, but said he never got an email from me. It made me think I had Alzheimer's because I was sure I emailed him. I know I emailed everyone about him. I just happened to have the pics I'd printed of my art this week with me so I was able to show him one of my newest abstracts which he liked. His website is:
http://www.straightlinez.com
so check him out if you haven't already.
We were inspired by questions like "How many of you feel the need to do art daily?", "How many of you did art this month?", "How many of you did art this week?" I, of course, raised my hand held high to these questions.
There was a lady potter name Elizabeth Satterfield from Hamilton, Ga who had an amazing story. Her grandmother & mom were potters also. She practically grew up on this much like my friend Chandi did. She went back to school to get a degree in Fine Arts. She had been an abstract artist painting huge pieces prior to her degree. As part of her curriculum, she had to take some pottery classes. When she walked in the pottery studio, she said it was like coming home. It smelled like her grandmother and she knew she'd found her calling. She also had to take photography. Her professor nearly cussed her out because her negatives were always dusty due to the pottery. He called her a "dauber" as in dirt dauber which led her to place dirt dauber nests on most of her pottery. Her pottery is a little bit different in style and texture. She makes what is called frog houses also. She tries to uplift the south in her work. Love that!
Lisa and Jim Moore displayed their art. Her's was jewelry inspired by an older piece she found in the 1930's and has tried to copy. Lisa is normally an abstract artist who is going to the other side - realism. She running in a lot of marathons also. Jim displayed his art on fishing lure which won him a ribbon at the art show.
Maggie Yanko of Russian heritage paints Russian style eggs.
A lady who will be at Christmas in the South displaying her Santas and other such dolls was very interesting and funny. She is the sister of former president Eric Maddox who videotaped the meeting. I loved the faces and materials on some of her creations. Her husband buys a lot of materials at estate sales for her. She is from Eufaula. So if you go to Christmas in the South be sure to stop by her booth to see these amazing faces.
Rebecca Kissell and her husband Bill make homemade soaps and were selling them. When her husband who is a school teacher retires next year, their business will probably become a full time job for him. Their company is called Secondhand Dogs Soap Co. Their website is:
http://www.secondhanddogssoap.com/
Most are unscented, but they do have Christmas soaps in Frankincense and Myrrh. I liked the Frankincense better. $6 a bar. Rebecca designed the labels for the soaps which are beautiful but small pieces of art. These soaps can be used on dogs as well. They are good to use on chigger bites too.
It was all encouraging to know what other artists can do.
I saw Bobby Jones, the artist I met at Arts on the River where I bought one of his ACEO trading cards. He remembered me, but said he never got an email from me. It made me think I had Alzheimer's because I was sure I emailed him. I know I emailed everyone about him. I just happened to have the pics I'd printed of my art this week with me so I was able to show him one of my newest abstracts which he liked. His website is:
http://www.straightlinez.com
so check him out if you haven't already.
We were inspired by questions like "How many of you feel the need to do art daily?", "How many of you did art this month?", "How many of you did art this week?" I, of course, raised my hand held high to these questions.
There was a lady potter name Elizabeth Satterfield from Hamilton, Ga who had an amazing story. Her grandmother & mom were potters also. She practically grew up on this much like my friend Chandi did. She went back to school to get a degree in Fine Arts. She had been an abstract artist painting huge pieces prior to her degree. As part of her curriculum, she had to take some pottery classes. When she walked in the pottery studio, she said it was like coming home. It smelled like her grandmother and she knew she'd found her calling. She also had to take photography. Her professor nearly cussed her out because her negatives were always dusty due to the pottery. He called her a "dauber" as in dirt dauber which led her to place dirt dauber nests on most of her pottery. Her pottery is a little bit different in style and texture. She makes what is called frog houses also. She tries to uplift the south in her work. Love that!
Lisa and Jim Moore displayed their art. Her's was jewelry inspired by an older piece she found in the 1930's and has tried to copy. Lisa is normally an abstract artist who is going to the other side - realism. She running in a lot of marathons also. Jim displayed his art on fishing lure which won him a ribbon at the art show.
Maggie Yanko of Russian heritage paints Russian style eggs.
A lady who will be at Christmas in the South displaying her Santas and other such dolls was very interesting and funny. She is the sister of former president Eric Maddox who videotaped the meeting. I loved the faces and materials on some of her creations. Her husband buys a lot of materials at estate sales for her. She is from Eufaula. So if you go to Christmas in the South be sure to stop by her booth to see these amazing faces.
Rebecca Kissell and her husband Bill make homemade soaps and were selling them. When her husband who is a school teacher retires next year, their business will probably become a full time job for him. Their company is called Secondhand Dogs Soap Co. Their website is:
http://www.secondhanddogssoap.com/
Most are unscented, but they do have Christmas soaps in Frankincense and Myrrh. I liked the Frankincense better. $6 a bar. Rebecca designed the labels for the soaps which are beautiful but small pieces of art. These soaps can be used on dogs as well. They are good to use on chigger bites too.
It was all encouraging to know what other artists can do.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Another Great Week in Review
This weekend wasn't about me. It was about doing things for others and I am thankful I was able to help Chandi Saturday. When I talked to her, I would see glimpses of her mother, Pat, an old friend, former neighbor and 2nd mom to me. Then Sunday was a most excellent day for us. One of the best. We were so thankful to see our old preacher, his wife and sons as I stated in my previous posts.
Monday it rained which we badly needed even if it made taking my son to school and driving to work difficult. I felt like I was taking him to night school it was so dark! I did manage to capture another rainy day shot which everyone really likes. Still hard to believe it was taken in the morning and not at night. I think I will soon have enough for a series of these rainy day shots. The week thus far had it's various ups and downs, but nothing major thank goodness. Don started a new job this week and we are ever thankful for this blessing. We hope and pray it will not be temporary.
Tuesday I saw God. Well, I saw one of his many majesties. There were still lingering dark clouds from Monday's rains, but the sun was shining up through a cloud. I just cannot do it justice to describe what I saw. I knew it was a sign from God. I was in awe. So much so that I didn't reach for my trusty camera.
Tuesday after work I took my "song birds" to Walmart to see if they would print as 4x6's and they did! Yeah! The cardinal is the best of the two. They are both still works in progress. They just look a little too plain jane for me right now. I have another neat one I put a black border around on the machine at Walmart. No one knows what it is so they ask. It is black and white flowers I took at a consignment shop. Maybe I should frame it, take it there and ask the owner if she wants to sell copies even if she charges a commission fee.... So my art and photography made me very, very happy this week as it usually does. A photograph really is worth a thousand words and then some.
All week I dealt with that irritating skin tag on the upper inside of my thigh. It was like a thorn in my thigh! Even the band-aids were uncomfortable. One day I wore one of Rhett's Harry Potter ones thinking it might be better, but it wasn't! I finally found one that worked, but it did a number on my skin. I couldn't get in to see Daddy's dermatologist until 12/9 on Donny Osmond's birthday. Still I needed to make an appointment especially after Daddy having a skin cancer as well as Momma's skin problems and the oh so fair Irish skin I inherited from the Graddy's. I tried to get in with my regular doctor to have the skin tag removed. I don't like calling him now. The nurse doesn't call you until after 6 pm. She called while I was at Walmart printing pics only to tell me she'd call me back the next day with an appointment. That next day, my phone went off in my pocket playing "Oh Mandy..." which nearly scared the pee out of me! LOL By then the skin tag had finally turned black so I knew it was only a matter of time until it fell off. The nurse was going to give me an appointment on 11/4 (!). I explained it had turned black & I wouldn't be needing the appointment. I don't think she liked this too much. Oh, well....
I wore a new turquoise shirt I'd gotten at Sears on sale for $2.99. I went thru old pants tying to find soft pull on pants that would not be tight on my thighs. I found a pair of matching pants for this shirt thus making a new outfit. I wore these pants when I worked at JCP so they are probably around 30 years old! I loved the colors. They put me in a good mood on a dreary day. Amazing that color can do that for me.
I made Iris' corn salad recipe to take to church for finger foods last night. I didn't go by the recipe as I think I put to much Blue Plate mayo in it last time. I tasted it and it tasted good to me. After I'd gotten it mixed up really well, my mother took the plastic bowl and shook it up as if I hadn't mixed it well enough. This made me feel like a little girl again. It sort of ticked me off, but I just shook my head and let it go. Tiffany really liked this dish last nite. We didn't have a lot of folks there. I split a chicken salad croissant with Theopal so there would be enough to go round. K made these and they were very good. My corn salad went well with the taco soup. I was asked where my dip was but I didn't make that this time.
We receive a letter for our dear friend Helen. I was afraid to open it for fear it would say her daughter Barbara had succumbed to cancer, but thankfully that did not occur. Upon a friend's recommendation, Barbara went to the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Clinic in Atlanta on 10/18 & was given a glimpse of HOPE. She is to return there on Nov 1st for an aggressive chemo treatment. On 10/19, she went for a ct scan & was notified the next day she had an absess in her abdomen. She was to go to Emory on 10/21 to have it drained. It was learned her red blood cells were low which required a transfusion before surgery. After this she was feeling much better.
On 10/25 Barbara and family set sail for a cruise. She talked often of visiting Key West & dining at the original Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe. So Barbara, Helen and Barbara's son Eric go to the 1st stop at Key West then to Nassau in the Bahamas & return on Sat., 10/30.
Helen asks that you keep them in your prayers and that Barbara's "final wish" will be completed without incident and will bring her much joy. She thanks each of you for your support and prayers. She thanked me, the church and everyone for lifting them up. I thank you for your prayers on their behalf.
This week my friend Anne and I have been dream interpreters for my friend Bob's latest dream. It was a lot of fun and we had some good laughs over it. Hope you have had a great week too. Care to share with us at Thankful Thursday? Then please join us at Lynn's place at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/
where Lynn asks which scripture has an impact on your life or " a scripture verse that God is using in your life to craft your character or one that has exposed a lie, a verse that brought you peace or comfort or a passage that has inspired you to draw closer to Jesus."
I have several... When I first started making collage posters for church families that moved away, because the collages were often like patchwork, I thought of Joseph's coat of many colors and often used that on the matt of the finished piece of art. Gen. 37. When we did VBS the year before last, our theme was "Fishing for the Master" which made Matthew 4:19 very important to me... "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." The Song of Ruth is always one of may favorites too and we used it in our wedding so it holds a special place for me.
Monday it rained which we badly needed even if it made taking my son to school and driving to work difficult. I felt like I was taking him to night school it was so dark! I did manage to capture another rainy day shot which everyone really likes. Still hard to believe it was taken in the morning and not at night. I think I will soon have enough for a series of these rainy day shots. The week thus far had it's various ups and downs, but nothing major thank goodness. Don started a new job this week and we are ever thankful for this blessing. We hope and pray it will not be temporary.
Tuesday I saw God. Well, I saw one of his many majesties. There were still lingering dark clouds from Monday's rains, but the sun was shining up through a cloud. I just cannot do it justice to describe what I saw. I knew it was a sign from God. I was in awe. So much so that I didn't reach for my trusty camera.
Tuesday after work I took my "song birds" to Walmart to see if they would print as 4x6's and they did! Yeah! The cardinal is the best of the two. They are both still works in progress. They just look a little too plain jane for me right now. I have another neat one I put a black border around on the machine at Walmart. No one knows what it is so they ask. It is black and white flowers I took at a consignment shop. Maybe I should frame it, take it there and ask the owner if she wants to sell copies even if she charges a commission fee.... So my art and photography made me very, very happy this week as it usually does. A photograph really is worth a thousand words and then some.
All week I dealt with that irritating skin tag on the upper inside of my thigh. It was like a thorn in my thigh! Even the band-aids were uncomfortable. One day I wore one of Rhett's Harry Potter ones thinking it might be better, but it wasn't! I finally found one that worked, but it did a number on my skin. I couldn't get in to see Daddy's dermatologist until 12/9 on Donny Osmond's birthday. Still I needed to make an appointment especially after Daddy having a skin cancer as well as Momma's skin problems and the oh so fair Irish skin I inherited from the Graddy's. I tried to get in with my regular doctor to have the skin tag removed. I don't like calling him now. The nurse doesn't call you until after 6 pm. She called while I was at Walmart printing pics only to tell me she'd call me back the next day with an appointment. That next day, my phone went off in my pocket playing "Oh Mandy..." which nearly scared the pee out of me! LOL By then the skin tag had finally turned black so I knew it was only a matter of time until it fell off. The nurse was going to give me an appointment on 11/4 (!). I explained it had turned black & I wouldn't be needing the appointment. I don't think she liked this too much. Oh, well....
I wore a new turquoise shirt I'd gotten at Sears on sale for $2.99. I went thru old pants tying to find soft pull on pants that would not be tight on my thighs. I found a pair of matching pants for this shirt thus making a new outfit. I wore these pants when I worked at JCP so they are probably around 30 years old! I loved the colors. They put me in a good mood on a dreary day. Amazing that color can do that for me.
I made Iris' corn salad recipe to take to church for finger foods last night. I didn't go by the recipe as I think I put to much Blue Plate mayo in it last time. I tasted it and it tasted good to me. After I'd gotten it mixed up really well, my mother took the plastic bowl and shook it up as if I hadn't mixed it well enough. This made me feel like a little girl again. It sort of ticked me off, but I just shook my head and let it go. Tiffany really liked this dish last nite. We didn't have a lot of folks there. I split a chicken salad croissant with Theopal so there would be enough to go round. K made these and they were very good. My corn salad went well with the taco soup. I was asked where my dip was but I didn't make that this time.
We receive a letter for our dear friend Helen. I was afraid to open it for fear it would say her daughter Barbara had succumbed to cancer, but thankfully that did not occur. Upon a friend's recommendation, Barbara went to the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Clinic in Atlanta on 10/18 & was given a glimpse of HOPE. She is to return there on Nov 1st for an aggressive chemo treatment. On 10/19, she went for a ct scan & was notified the next day she had an absess in her abdomen. She was to go to Emory on 10/21 to have it drained. It was learned her red blood cells were low which required a transfusion before surgery. After this she was feeling much better.
On 10/25 Barbara and family set sail for a cruise. She talked often of visiting Key West & dining at the original Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe. So Barbara, Helen and Barbara's son Eric go to the 1st stop at Key West then to Nassau in the Bahamas & return on Sat., 10/30.
Helen asks that you keep them in your prayers and that Barbara's "final wish" will be completed without incident and will bring her much joy. She thanks each of you for your support and prayers. She thanked me, the church and everyone for lifting them up. I thank you for your prayers on their behalf.
This week my friend Anne and I have been dream interpreters for my friend Bob's latest dream. It was a lot of fun and we had some good laughs over it. Hope you have had a great week too. Care to share with us at Thankful Thursday? Then please join us at Lynn's place at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/
where Lynn asks which scripture has an impact on your life or " a scripture verse that God is using in your life to craft your character or one that has exposed a lie, a verse that brought you peace or comfort or a passage that has inspired you to draw closer to Jesus."
I have several... When I first started making collage posters for church families that moved away, because the collages were often like patchwork, I thought of Joseph's coat of many colors and often used that on the matt of the finished piece of art. Gen. 37. When we did VBS the year before last, our theme was "Fishing for the Master" which made Matthew 4:19 very important to me... "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." The Song of Ruth is always one of may favorites too and we used it in our wedding so it holds a special place for me.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Helping Others
This weekend was about helping others. It wasn't about me.
When I grew up, we had a neighbor named Pat. She was divorced with 2 kids and moved back home with her mother, Bea. They lived in a large house that was made into a duplex next door to us. I was older than her two children, David and Terri. Pat was always cool & in style with the latest fashions, took me places with them, taught me a lot and was like a 2nd mom to me. Later she would marry another man from Anniston, Alabama, move away and have a daughter name Chandi. Her name is pronounced Chandi.
I'd see Pat when I worked as a receptionist at a Hair Salon. Pat told me I shouldn't be working there and she was right. It was just a stepping stone to get to where I am now. Even then I was artistic and told by a hair dresser that I was wasting my tiem there. I have wasted a lot of time in my life.
Lo and behold when I married Don, Chandi was in Stephanie's class so we would run into each other at school functions especially band related ones. Chandi was a majorette.
It was always good seeing Pat. I'd see her at lunch sometimes in recent years. If I had not seen her in awhile, I'd ask mutual friends that worked with her how she was doing and to please tell her hello for me.
Chandi got married and had two girls. Rhett & I saw them and Pat at the movies when he was in elementary school. Rhett said he doesn't remember that day. I found Chandi on Facebook and we became friends there where I was able to keep up with Granny Bea and Pat thru her. I told Chandi about Market Days also as she was interested in trying it. I gave her as much information as I could via FB, emails and phone calls. Chandi set up her crafts Saturday at Market Days. She paints flower pots in Auburn & Georgia colors, birdhouses, she had wooden Christmas ornaments as well as trinket boxes. The trinket boxes reminded me of some of the artwork that Pat used to do back in the 70's and I told Chandi this.
Chandi wasn't feeling well when she set up. Once she was set up I went to see what all she had. I forgot my camera so I went back to take pics of her sitting there with her crafts as well as took individual shots of her items so she could put the photos on Facebook, hoping it would help her sell things even if I sold nothing.
I was thankful my friend Cheryl came to visit me at Market Days Saturday. I had not seen her in awhile. It was great to see her again and talk with her. She brought me a gift. Thanks, Cheryl!
Rhett & I took our sweet time packing up and unloading after Market Days. I managed to pinch my finger on the framework Don built for me, but it wasn't bad.
I really seem to be into birds lately. I'd gotten another smaller bird template. I had a small piece of scrap book paper I bought just because it had music notes on it. It was just perfect for this bird. I'd typed out the words "Song Bird" to go across the bird's width. I placed the Song bird on 1st a maroon Christmas colored card stock then put that on a dark forest green card stock so it appears double matted. I haven't measured it yet so it may be an odd size and hard to frame. Then I had some thin red card stock that had music on it. I cut the cardinal shape from the ornaments I bought on sale at JCP. I had one piece of a beautiful midnight blue thin cardstock with lighter shades in it which I placed this bird on and absolutely fell in love with it. I cut a bill out for the bird and may add some white and yellow stars to it. I placed "Song Bird" across this bird also. I plan to take them to Walmart to see how they will look as 4x6 photos. I have not tried to take photos of them yet.
Then Rhett & I wanted to watch a werewolf movie on Disney. He wanted to watch it in the dark so I had to stop being artistic. Don had not gotten home from work yet. So here we were sitting in the dark when he got home. I told Rhett Don wouldn't want to sit in the dark to eat his supper so he'd better go cut it on in his room & we 'd watch it in the dark there. I'd left the outside light on otherwise Don comes home to a dark house. Then the lights come on as we are going in Rhett's room which is now in the dark. Don couldn't figure out what we were doing. It was a really cut movie. Brook Shields was in it & played a good funny part. You should watch it if you can. You are never too old to watch Disney! LOL
Today we had a baptism at church. Their whole family was there. They had a herd and a half! LOL We went to lunch with church friends at El Vaquero. More friends joined us there. As we were waiting for our food, our old preacher, Damon, his wife Vaydra and their two boys came up to the table! I jumped up immediately to hug them. Rhett is a few months older than their son Jaden. We thought the boys would get to grow up together, but that did not happen. I got their address, phone number and emails. It was so good to see them again. I was so surprised to see them that I did not even think to grab my camera. I was a little hurt that Vaydra didn't remember my name. Who could forget Becky? Who could forget me? LOL
Nancy invited me to go with them to see Mrs. Mavis at the assisted living nursing home she is living in now. It had been awhile since I saw her. It was back last spring when Nancy, Tiffany, Doris, and I went to see her in another nursing home. The one she is in now is really nice. Mrs. Mavis has lost the use of her hands now and can no longer feed herself. We had a good visit with her. As we were leaving, I went to get my camera out of my purse. It wasn't there! Nancy was the voice of reason by telling me not to worry; that it was probably still on the church pew. She called Brother Larry while I went to the bathroom. Luckily it was there! I was so thankful.
If I had reached for my camera at El Vaquero, I would have panicked. Don would have had to take me back to the church to get it. I wouldn't have gone with Nancy and them to see Mrs. Mavis and I would have missed that.
We decided we are going to do something special for Mrs. Mavis at Christmas time. We are going to make her a wreath for her door. If she already has one, she can put in on another inside door. We found 2 roses at Big Lots; a red one and white one to go in the wreath. Nancy can make her one of those small Christmas trees she makes out of coat hangers. We will get other church memembers to come and sing Carols for her as well as the others at the facility. It was a very good day. Hope your's was too.
When I grew up, we had a neighbor named Pat. She was divorced with 2 kids and moved back home with her mother, Bea. They lived in a large house that was made into a duplex next door to us. I was older than her two children, David and Terri. Pat was always cool & in style with the latest fashions, took me places with them, taught me a lot and was like a 2nd mom to me. Later she would marry another man from Anniston, Alabama, move away and have a daughter name Chandi. Her name is pronounced Chandi.
I'd see Pat when I worked as a receptionist at a Hair Salon. Pat told me I shouldn't be working there and she was right. It was just a stepping stone to get to where I am now. Even then I was artistic and told by a hair dresser that I was wasting my tiem there. I have wasted a lot of time in my life.
Lo and behold when I married Don, Chandi was in Stephanie's class so we would run into each other at school functions especially band related ones. Chandi was a majorette.
It was always good seeing Pat. I'd see her at lunch sometimes in recent years. If I had not seen her in awhile, I'd ask mutual friends that worked with her how she was doing and to please tell her hello for me.
Chandi got married and had two girls. Rhett & I saw them and Pat at the movies when he was in elementary school. Rhett said he doesn't remember that day. I found Chandi on Facebook and we became friends there where I was able to keep up with Granny Bea and Pat thru her. I told Chandi about Market Days also as she was interested in trying it. I gave her as much information as I could via FB, emails and phone calls. Chandi set up her crafts Saturday at Market Days. She paints flower pots in Auburn & Georgia colors, birdhouses, she had wooden Christmas ornaments as well as trinket boxes. The trinket boxes reminded me of some of the artwork that Pat used to do back in the 70's and I told Chandi this.
Chandi wasn't feeling well when she set up. Once she was set up I went to see what all she had. I forgot my camera so I went back to take pics of her sitting there with her crafts as well as took individual shots of her items so she could put the photos on Facebook, hoping it would help her sell things even if I sold nothing.
I was thankful my friend Cheryl came to visit me at Market Days Saturday. I had not seen her in awhile. It was great to see her again and talk with her. She brought me a gift. Thanks, Cheryl!
Rhett & I took our sweet time packing up and unloading after Market Days. I managed to pinch my finger on the framework Don built for me, but it wasn't bad.
I really seem to be into birds lately. I'd gotten another smaller bird template. I had a small piece of scrap book paper I bought just because it had music notes on it. It was just perfect for this bird. I'd typed out the words "Song Bird" to go across the bird's width. I placed the Song bird on 1st a maroon Christmas colored card stock then put that on a dark forest green card stock so it appears double matted. I haven't measured it yet so it may be an odd size and hard to frame. Then I had some thin red card stock that had music on it. I cut the cardinal shape from the ornaments I bought on sale at JCP. I had one piece of a beautiful midnight blue thin cardstock with lighter shades in it which I placed this bird on and absolutely fell in love with it. I cut a bill out for the bird and may add some white and yellow stars to it. I placed "Song Bird" across this bird also. I plan to take them to Walmart to see how they will look as 4x6 photos. I have not tried to take photos of them yet.
Then Rhett & I wanted to watch a werewolf movie on Disney. He wanted to watch it in the dark so I had to stop being artistic. Don had not gotten home from work yet. So here we were sitting in the dark when he got home. I told Rhett Don wouldn't want to sit in the dark to eat his supper so he'd better go cut it on in his room & we 'd watch it in the dark there. I'd left the outside light on otherwise Don comes home to a dark house. Then the lights come on as we are going in Rhett's room which is now in the dark. Don couldn't figure out what we were doing. It was a really cut movie. Brook Shields was in it & played a good funny part. You should watch it if you can. You are never too old to watch Disney! LOL
Today we had a baptism at church. Their whole family was there. They had a herd and a half! LOL We went to lunch with church friends at El Vaquero. More friends joined us there. As we were waiting for our food, our old preacher, Damon, his wife Vaydra and their two boys came up to the table! I jumped up immediately to hug them. Rhett is a few months older than their son Jaden. We thought the boys would get to grow up together, but that did not happen. I got their address, phone number and emails. It was so good to see them again. I was so surprised to see them that I did not even think to grab my camera. I was a little hurt that Vaydra didn't remember my name. Who could forget Becky? Who could forget me? LOL
Nancy invited me to go with them to see Mrs. Mavis at the assisted living nursing home she is living in now. It had been awhile since I saw her. It was back last spring when Nancy, Tiffany, Doris, and I went to see her in another nursing home. The one she is in now is really nice. Mrs. Mavis has lost the use of her hands now and can no longer feed herself. We had a good visit with her. As we were leaving, I went to get my camera out of my purse. It wasn't there! Nancy was the voice of reason by telling me not to worry; that it was probably still on the church pew. She called Brother Larry while I went to the bathroom. Luckily it was there! I was so thankful.
If I had reached for my camera at El Vaquero, I would have panicked. Don would have had to take me back to the church to get it. I wouldn't have gone with Nancy and them to see Mrs. Mavis and I would have missed that.
We decided we are going to do something special for Mrs. Mavis at Christmas time. We are going to make her a wreath for her door. If she already has one, she can put in on another inside door. We found 2 roses at Big Lots; a red one and white one to go in the wreath. Nancy can make her one of those small Christmas trees she makes out of coat hangers. We will get other church memembers to come and sing Carols for her as well as the others at the facility. It was a very good day. Hope your's was too.
Friday, October 22, 2010
This Week in Review
Rhett watches a cartoon "Phineas & Ferb" where they say, "Ferb, I know what we are going to do today..." I have begun saying this on occasion when we are about to go somewhere to do something together. Rhett thinks this is funny.
Most days I do know what I am going to do. I know I am going to get up every morning, get Rhett ready for school and myself ready for work. I know I am going to work and thankful I have a job to go to that provides for us. Some people cannot find jobs nowadays. I usually know what I am going to wear although sometimes I change my mind which is a woman's thing to do. Sometimes I change outfits several times. But this morning I knew what I was going to wear due to a very irritated skin tag on the inside of my upper thigh near my groin. I had to wear loose fitting running pants after I "doctored" my leg and put a bandage on it. I apologized for wearing them to work, but my supervisor did not care as long as I was there unlike some people namely Silly Illy Nilly Dilly. I am thankful for all the clothes that I have; thankful I had these pants today. Some people may not have enough clothes to wear.
This skin tag reminded me I needed to make an appointment with Daddy's cute dermatologist which I did although I cannot get in until December on Donny Osmond's birthday!
Some days I know what I am going to eat for lunch on my way to work in the morning before 8 am! LOL Other days, my hormones may be off and I may not have a taste for anything. Or if I get something, it may not be what I really wanted. Still I am most thankful for the food I eat. Some people may not have enough to eat.
Today was about doing some of the things I should have done earlier in the week although there was no great rush for them to be done. Today is about having lunch with a friend. This week has been about hearing old songs on the radio which for me have felt like an old friend. I sang my heart out along with them. An old Beatles song, another oldie but goodie, "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, and "Take It Easy" by the Eagles. You are singing those songs now, aren't you? And as always it has been another week of an artistic idea or two or three or four for which I am ever thankful! It has been about making Christmas bird ornaments. Why am I so into birds lately?
I do hope it has been as good a week for you as it has been for me thus far. Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend full of things you want to do that make you happiest and not just things you need to do.
Most days I do know what I am going to do. I know I am going to get up every morning, get Rhett ready for school and myself ready for work. I know I am going to work and thankful I have a job to go to that provides for us. Some people cannot find jobs nowadays. I usually know what I am going to wear although sometimes I change my mind which is a woman's thing to do. Sometimes I change outfits several times. But this morning I knew what I was going to wear due to a very irritated skin tag on the inside of my upper thigh near my groin. I had to wear loose fitting running pants after I "doctored" my leg and put a bandage on it. I apologized for wearing them to work, but my supervisor did not care as long as I was there unlike some people namely Silly Illy Nilly Dilly. I am thankful for all the clothes that I have; thankful I had these pants today. Some people may not have enough clothes to wear.
This skin tag reminded me I needed to make an appointment with Daddy's cute dermatologist which I did although I cannot get in until December on Donny Osmond's birthday!
Some days I know what I am going to eat for lunch on my way to work in the morning before 8 am! LOL Other days, my hormones may be off and I may not have a taste for anything. Or if I get something, it may not be what I really wanted. Still I am most thankful for the food I eat. Some people may not have enough to eat.
Today was about doing some of the things I should have done earlier in the week although there was no great rush for them to be done. Today is about having lunch with a friend. This week has been about hearing old songs on the radio which for me have felt like an old friend. I sang my heart out along with them. An old Beatles song, another oldie but goodie, "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, and "Take It Easy" by the Eagles. You are singing those songs now, aren't you? And as always it has been another week of an artistic idea or two or three or four for which I am ever thankful! It has been about making Christmas bird ornaments. Why am I so into birds lately?
I do hope it has been as good a week for you as it has been for me thus far. Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend full of things you want to do that make you happiest and not just things you need to do.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Arts on the River & Glad to Be Here
Well, thankfully this weekend was rather uneventful except not being able to go with my church friend Nancy to the Hummingbird festival as planned. I admit I was disappointed, but I did Market Days instead since Don didn't have to work & he could help me set up. Since I thought I wouldn't be here, I did not know it would last until 5 pm due to Boots on Broadway, honoring our soldiers. I did a new red, white & blue piece of artwork just for this day. I made a few copies of it - a 4x6 & a 5x7. I am still working on this since I am still finding more hearts within it. It is called "The Heart of the Matter". I like it. Rhett did too. I remained at Market Days til about 4:30 pm. I ran out of shade and was tired by then.
Arts on the River was also held downtown on the grassy center median a block up from Market Days. Rhett stayed with my art so I could go take a look at the other artists participating in this event. Later I found out the entry fee was $75 plus $15 for something whereas my fees were already paid. So I came out better.
The 1st artist I spoke to was Annetta Berry, an oil painter artist from Waverly Hall with an English accent. Her art was so very colorful. But the 1st artist's work I saw was Elsie Prather from Dothan, AL. She had all these swirly, circular abstracts I really, really, really liked. Did I mention I liked them? LOL She was so sweet. Although she was not the 1st artist I talked to, she kept thanking me and shaking my hand when I complimented her on her art. I told her and some other artists a little about myself being an abstract artist/photographer and the fact that I was back down a block at Market Days, inviting them to come see me, etc. Two artists did come down to see me! Elise was one of them. She hugged me like an old friend. Kindred souls;kindred artists.
There were several artists from the Columbus Guild, but I only spoke to one of them. When I told the artist I spoke to I was down at Market Days, he went "oh" like I was doing something way, way beneath him, but I didn't let that bother me one bit. No siree. I had to laugh at it. I didn't have to pay the fee that he did nor worry if I was even breaking even.
Tom Corley of the CAG had some beautiful paintings of buildings in Venice.
Then there was Peter Dobson, the artful Dobson. As I walked up to his spot, the 1st thing I saw was a cloud literally glowing yellow! I told him this then discovered he was English! He had the most amazing photographic art there. I was really pulling for him to win an award. He did all sorts of special effects with his photography like superimposing a sphere in his photographs. Awesome. He had one I wanted so badly. It was checkerboards fractured or fractal art. Unframed it was $70 so I had to walk away from it. He also lived in Wales in a town I couldn't pronounce although he tried to get me to say it, but I still couldn't get it nor did I have the patience for it. His wife, girl friend or whomever said she just calls the town "Mac". LOL He got an Honorable mention last year at this event. He has a website which is.... www.arttfuldobson.com I think you will really like his work as much as I do so please check him out.
Sue Jordan is an older lady artist who normally sets up at Market Days near the PC art people. She had given Rhett a small painting of birds prior to this event. She was set up at Arts on the River where she could display more and bigger pieces.
Fred Prieto of Columbus had some amazing photographs. He was rather talkative about his photos which were well displayed. They were given 3 hours to set up their artwork.
I met Melissa Brantley of Columbus who had a collage made out of tickets from clothes purchased that formed the $ sign which I thought was a clever idea. She also came down to see me later in the day. She bought one of my "Rainy Day" magnets. She loved that I had mini artwork. So thanks again for this idea, Genie & Anne!
There were several graphic artist beside Peter Dobson. Bobby Jones from Waverly Hall was another. There was something about him that was so familar as if I have met him before. It wasn't as in that "met you in another life" line. Bobby had worked at Ft. Benning as a graphic artist where there were lay offs then more lays offs. His friends encouraged him to go out on his own and he did. He is president & CEO of his own company is called ... StraightlineZ "Art is Everything...and... Everything is art!" The website is... www.straightlinez.com
Now he had those artist trading cards. ACEO cards is what I think they are called. I tried to walk away from one, but found I could not walk away. It was a black & white sketch of what looked like material. I knew I could do this myself and have done it the past. It is signed and dated on the back. After I bought it, he told me it was a shroud over a skeleton! Leave it to me! He thought he was a member of the CAG, but has not received anything. I told him I'd make sure he got info from now on. Interestingly, he is a member of the Joseph House. Some of his work is there now. It seems some artists or whoever came down from Atlanta and told the Joseph House they didn't have enough abstract artists! They welcomed him with open arms so there is hope for me yet! Just wish they didn't have such high fees.
The lady who was in charge of Arts on the River is Lois Tryon. She is also an artist that lives in Columbus. The site for Arts on the River is.... www.artsontheriver.com
I am not sure who won what awards. As we were leaving, I thought I saw red ribbon on one of Charles Willis' pieces of art.
This Saturday was very interesting. I am surprised I don't have whiplash because I felt like I was at a tennis tournament watching the people passing back and forth. A wedding party went by with the bride in the lead with her beautiful cream colored gown which she held high above gold glittery heels. I was never sure who the groom was as all the groomsmen followed then the bridesmaids in their navy blue gowns. I think they took pics somewhere on Broadway then returned to the Rankin building near me for a reception. The flower girls had such pretty matching dresses with big gold bows on the back. One groomsman had to buy himself a cookie on the way back! Pizzas were ordered from the pizza place on my right side.
All the little kids wanted to take my INSPIRE rock I use to hold down my bio page. One little girl picked up one of my baskets of older artwork, but thankfully put it on the other side of the table! I found out the hard way that the sun shines on my side of Broadway in the late afternoon. I had to move away from my set up to not be in the sun as it was hot. By doing this, I got to better observe people's reactions to my work. Their reactions were worth this as I got a lot of ooh's and ah's. LOL
I even got a little sunburned esp on the nose and neck making me a redneck! LOL Later we went out to eat because a transformer blew the power out at home. Good excuse not to cook. Rhett & I were pretty silly. Penny would call it punch drunk from being tired. Don asked me if I got sunburned. I thought my lips felt chapped. Rhett tapped my nose and asked if it hurt. It didn't. He told me, "Then you are not sunburned" just as serious and straight faced sort of like his momma. That is when I lost it, became silly and we got the giggles. I love so my life.
Be sure to check out the art if you get the chance.
Sunday nite after uploading pictures, the memory card for my camera didn't want to work once inside the camera. It nagged at me all day long Monday. I went to Walmart to see if the card would still work and thankfully it did. I made a cd just in case. I had never made a photo cd before and it didn't put my pics in the order I took them. I tried it again in the camera. It still wouldn't work. Because I'd taken the time to load only the really good pics on that cd, I tried to load all in a different order thinking they would be in the order they were taken on memory card. WRONG! This caused me to have not 1 but 2 discs which would cost more. I decided to just take the 1st disc because it was cheaper. Then I got really down and depressed thinking it was my camera. All I could think about was getting home to try Don's memory card in my camera to see if I did indeed have a bad memory card or my worse case scenario - something was wrong with my camera.
I get to mom's to pick up Rhett who had a magic trick for me before I can even get in the door! It was cool & he wouldn't show me how he did it.
On the way home Monday evening, near our house, a blue SUV at a stop sign on decides it can make it before I cross the bridge on Sanfort Rd. I threw on my newly worked on breaks and went "Uh-oh". I just knew I was going to hit it broadside, but the good Lord was surely watching over us because I stopped without crashing into it. As Momma would say, "Stopped on a dime and gave you 10 cents change." There was only enough room for the car to barely pass, but I like to think there was an invisible angel standing there between us and that car! I told Rhett the Lord was surely with us. I was so thankful it was a near miss. We are so thankful to still be here. Rhett said he saw his whole life pass before his eyes. Later my friend Bob would say if his whole life flashed before his eyes, he'd be there awhile. LOL
So today the 1st quote of the day coincidentally is:
Blink your eye - that's how fast life can change.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
I got Don's camera as soon as we got inside and told him about our near miss. Well, Rhett I were vying to do this, talking over each other. It WAS my memory card that wasn't working. Thank goodness it was not my camera! I put that memory card aside and put in a new one. So thankful my camera still works. I realize I have had it for several years now, but it has become like my right hand; apart of me. I would be totally lost without it. Of course I could have started using Don's camera if mine had not worked, but it wouldn't be the same.
I know Minnie Pearl used to say, "So proud to be here" and so are we.
Tuesday I had a dental cleaning and the dentist informed me I will need a crown for Christmas! Afterwards I went to a consignment shop and got several pairs of pants that just fit me. One pair of jeans has pearls and studs on it! I put my Reeboks in the shoe shop to be reglued. I paid my JCP bill and saw my friend Jimmy. It was nice to visit with him for a good awhile without customers interupting our visit. I got Rhett some things to wear. I seem to be buying him a lot of red and black lately; his school colors and one of fave color combinations. I got his Christmas gift to his Daddy, two bird ornaments which had THE uglies tan ribbon with a silver glitter bell & peach colored pipe cleaner bow on it. YUCK! I couldn't wait to get home to yank that off! Jimmy even told me I could make that only better. All on sale. YEAH me!
When I got home, after we ate, I did yank that tackiness off and used the birds as a template using Christmas cardstock to make Christmas bird ornaments. I realized the more I add on to it, the more I will have to charge to make them. But this will probably be the Christmas craft I make as Chistmas gifts this year.
I'd almost forgotten today was Thankful Thursday. This week has been such a good, blessed one. Hope your's has been as well. What are you thankful for? Care to share? Then join us at Thankful Thursday at Lynn's place at the following....
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/
where she posted 10 things no one knew about her. Hmmm. What can I tell you about me that you don't already know?
1. My least fave color is pea green.
2. I don't like lima beans. They make me gag!
3. When I get a tickle in my throat & cough, it will set off a sneezing fit.
4. I can find a template out of most any object or use it as rubber stamp.
5. I interpreted a friend's dream this week & it fit him to a t which was kind of eerie but cool.
6. I am a pack rat. I throw nothing away.
7. I gorge out on certain foods. I love buttered popcorn at the movies and will eat it until it almost makes me sick. I will say "Never again", but always do. Rhett and I just cannot sit thru a movie without popcorn.
8. I can hold the toes on my right foot weird so that one sticks up on way and the one next to it is not as high but sticks out too.
9. I cannot swim, but I sure can dance!
10. When I get cold, I sneeze. Sometimes if I drink tea at an eatery, I will start sneezing & have a sneezing fit.
Arts on the River was also held downtown on the grassy center median a block up from Market Days. Rhett stayed with my art so I could go take a look at the other artists participating in this event. Later I found out the entry fee was $75 plus $15 for something whereas my fees were already paid. So I came out better.
The 1st artist I spoke to was Annetta Berry, an oil painter artist from Waverly Hall with an English accent. Her art was so very colorful. But the 1st artist's work I saw was Elsie Prather from Dothan, AL. She had all these swirly, circular abstracts I really, really, really liked. Did I mention I liked them? LOL She was so sweet. Although she was not the 1st artist I talked to, she kept thanking me and shaking my hand when I complimented her on her art. I told her and some other artists a little about myself being an abstract artist/photographer and the fact that I was back down a block at Market Days, inviting them to come see me, etc. Two artists did come down to see me! Elise was one of them. She hugged me like an old friend. Kindred souls;kindred artists.
There were several artists from the Columbus Guild, but I only spoke to one of them. When I told the artist I spoke to I was down at Market Days, he went "oh" like I was doing something way, way beneath him, but I didn't let that bother me one bit. No siree. I had to laugh at it. I didn't have to pay the fee that he did nor worry if I was even breaking even.
Tom Corley of the CAG had some beautiful paintings of buildings in Venice.
Then there was Peter Dobson, the artful Dobson. As I walked up to his spot, the 1st thing I saw was a cloud literally glowing yellow! I told him this then discovered he was English! He had the most amazing photographic art there. I was really pulling for him to win an award. He did all sorts of special effects with his photography like superimposing a sphere in his photographs. Awesome. He had one I wanted so badly. It was checkerboards fractured or fractal art. Unframed it was $70 so I had to walk away from it. He also lived in Wales in a town I couldn't pronounce although he tried to get me to say it, but I still couldn't get it nor did I have the patience for it. His wife, girl friend or whomever said she just calls the town "Mac". LOL He got an Honorable mention last year at this event. He has a website which is.... www.arttfuldobson.com I think you will really like his work as much as I do so please check him out.
Sue Jordan is an older lady artist who normally sets up at Market Days near the PC art people. She had given Rhett a small painting of birds prior to this event. She was set up at Arts on the River where she could display more and bigger pieces.
Fred Prieto of Columbus had some amazing photographs. He was rather talkative about his photos which were well displayed. They were given 3 hours to set up their artwork.
I met Melissa Brantley of Columbus who had a collage made out of tickets from clothes purchased that formed the $ sign which I thought was a clever idea. She also came down to see me later in the day. She bought one of my "Rainy Day" magnets. She loved that I had mini artwork. So thanks again for this idea, Genie & Anne!
There were several graphic artist beside Peter Dobson. Bobby Jones from Waverly Hall was another. There was something about him that was so familar as if I have met him before. It wasn't as in that "met you in another life" line. Bobby had worked at Ft. Benning as a graphic artist where there were lay offs then more lays offs. His friends encouraged him to go out on his own and he did. He is president & CEO of his own company is called ... StraightlineZ "Art is Everything...and... Everything is art!" The website is... www.straightlinez.com
Now he had those artist trading cards. ACEO cards is what I think they are called. I tried to walk away from one, but found I could not walk away. It was a black & white sketch of what looked like material. I knew I could do this myself and have done it the past. It is signed and dated on the back. After I bought it, he told me it was a shroud over a skeleton! Leave it to me! He thought he was a member of the CAG, but has not received anything. I told him I'd make sure he got info from now on. Interestingly, he is a member of the Joseph House. Some of his work is there now. It seems some artists or whoever came down from Atlanta and told the Joseph House they didn't have enough abstract artists! They welcomed him with open arms so there is hope for me yet! Just wish they didn't have such high fees.
The lady who was in charge of Arts on the River is Lois Tryon. She is also an artist that lives in Columbus. The site for Arts on the River is.... www.artsontheriver.com
I am not sure who won what awards. As we were leaving, I thought I saw red ribbon on one of Charles Willis' pieces of art.
This Saturday was very interesting. I am surprised I don't have whiplash because I felt like I was at a tennis tournament watching the people passing back and forth. A wedding party went by with the bride in the lead with her beautiful cream colored gown which she held high above gold glittery heels. I was never sure who the groom was as all the groomsmen followed then the bridesmaids in their navy blue gowns. I think they took pics somewhere on Broadway then returned to the Rankin building near me for a reception. The flower girls had such pretty matching dresses with big gold bows on the back. One groomsman had to buy himself a cookie on the way back! Pizzas were ordered from the pizza place on my right side.
All the little kids wanted to take my INSPIRE rock I use to hold down my bio page. One little girl picked up one of my baskets of older artwork, but thankfully put it on the other side of the table! I found out the hard way that the sun shines on my side of Broadway in the late afternoon. I had to move away from my set up to not be in the sun as it was hot. By doing this, I got to better observe people's reactions to my work. Their reactions were worth this as I got a lot of ooh's and ah's. LOL
I even got a little sunburned esp on the nose and neck making me a redneck! LOL Later we went out to eat because a transformer blew the power out at home. Good excuse not to cook. Rhett & I were pretty silly. Penny would call it punch drunk from being tired. Don asked me if I got sunburned. I thought my lips felt chapped. Rhett tapped my nose and asked if it hurt. It didn't. He told me, "Then you are not sunburned" just as serious and straight faced sort of like his momma. That is when I lost it, became silly and we got the giggles. I love so my life.
Be sure to check out the art if you get the chance.
Sunday nite after uploading pictures, the memory card for my camera didn't want to work once inside the camera. It nagged at me all day long Monday. I went to Walmart to see if the card would still work and thankfully it did. I made a cd just in case. I had never made a photo cd before and it didn't put my pics in the order I took them. I tried it again in the camera. It still wouldn't work. Because I'd taken the time to load only the really good pics on that cd, I tried to load all in a different order thinking they would be in the order they were taken on memory card. WRONG! This caused me to have not 1 but 2 discs which would cost more. I decided to just take the 1st disc because it was cheaper. Then I got really down and depressed thinking it was my camera. All I could think about was getting home to try Don's memory card in my camera to see if I did indeed have a bad memory card or my worse case scenario - something was wrong with my camera.
I get to mom's to pick up Rhett who had a magic trick for me before I can even get in the door! It was cool & he wouldn't show me how he did it.
On the way home Monday evening, near our house, a blue SUV at a stop sign on decides it can make it before I cross the bridge on Sanfort Rd. I threw on my newly worked on breaks and went "Uh-oh". I just knew I was going to hit it broadside, but the good Lord was surely watching over us because I stopped without crashing into it. As Momma would say, "Stopped on a dime and gave you 10 cents change." There was only enough room for the car to barely pass, but I like to think there was an invisible angel standing there between us and that car! I told Rhett the Lord was surely with us. I was so thankful it was a near miss. We are so thankful to still be here. Rhett said he saw his whole life pass before his eyes. Later my friend Bob would say if his whole life flashed before his eyes, he'd be there awhile. LOL
So today the 1st quote of the day coincidentally is:
Blink your eye - that's how fast life can change.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
I got Don's camera as soon as we got inside and told him about our near miss. Well, Rhett I were vying to do this, talking over each other. It WAS my memory card that wasn't working. Thank goodness it was not my camera! I put that memory card aside and put in a new one. So thankful my camera still works. I realize I have had it for several years now, but it has become like my right hand; apart of me. I would be totally lost without it. Of course I could have started using Don's camera if mine had not worked, but it wouldn't be the same.
I know Minnie Pearl used to say, "So proud to be here" and so are we.
Tuesday I had a dental cleaning and the dentist informed me I will need a crown for Christmas! Afterwards I went to a consignment shop and got several pairs of pants that just fit me. One pair of jeans has pearls and studs on it! I put my Reeboks in the shoe shop to be reglued. I paid my JCP bill and saw my friend Jimmy. It was nice to visit with him for a good awhile without customers interupting our visit. I got Rhett some things to wear. I seem to be buying him a lot of red and black lately; his school colors and one of fave color combinations. I got his Christmas gift to his Daddy, two bird ornaments which had THE uglies tan ribbon with a silver glitter bell & peach colored pipe cleaner bow on it. YUCK! I couldn't wait to get home to yank that off! Jimmy even told me I could make that only better. All on sale. YEAH me!
When I got home, after we ate, I did yank that tackiness off and used the birds as a template using Christmas cardstock to make Christmas bird ornaments. I realized the more I add on to it, the more I will have to charge to make them. But this will probably be the Christmas craft I make as Chistmas gifts this year.
I'd almost forgotten today was Thankful Thursday. This week has been such a good, blessed one. Hope your's has been as well. What are you thankful for? Care to share? Then join us at Thankful Thursday at Lynn's place at the following....
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/my_weblog/
where she posted 10 things no one knew about her. Hmmm. What can I tell you about me that you don't already know?
1. My least fave color is pea green.
2. I don't like lima beans. They make me gag!
3. When I get a tickle in my throat & cough, it will set off a sneezing fit.
4. I can find a template out of most any object or use it as rubber stamp.
5. I interpreted a friend's dream this week & it fit him to a t which was kind of eerie but cool.
6. I am a pack rat. I throw nothing away.
7. I gorge out on certain foods. I love buttered popcorn at the movies and will eat it until it almost makes me sick. I will say "Never again", but always do. Rhett and I just cannot sit thru a movie without popcorn.
8. I can hold the toes on my right foot weird so that one sticks up on way and the one next to it is not as high but sticks out too.
9. I cannot swim, but I sure can dance!
10. When I get cold, I sneeze. Sometimes if I drink tea at an eatery, I will start sneezing & have a sneezing fit.
Monday, October 18, 2010
I Choose
Dr. Hal Brady's local radio inspirational message this morning was a good one.
It was about attitudes and how they determine our day.
We choose how we are going to feel today.
We choose to be happy or not.
We choose to be angry or argumentative (Illy!)
I choose to be happy today.
I have decided today is going to be good day.
I am going to be a good person
and be nice to everyone.
I am going to smile and laugh alot.
I plan to have a fun day.
I plan to do at least one or two random acts of kindness before today's end.
How about you?
What do you choose to be today?
~Becky~
It was about attitudes and how they determine our day.
We choose how we are going to feel today.
We choose to be happy or not.
We choose to be angry or argumentative (Illy!)
I choose to be happy today.
I have decided today is going to be good day.
I am going to be a good person
and be nice to everyone.
I am going to smile and laugh alot.
I plan to have a fun day.
I plan to do at least one or two random acts of kindness before today's end.
How about you?
What do you choose to be today?
~Becky~
Friday, October 15, 2010
Lame But Thankful
Last Friday I had a rather really upsetting occurrence happen in my life, but I got it all straightened out - thank goodness. Don thought it was funny whereas I did NOT! It is like I have become the parents of my parents. I am the one who has to go the Principal's office, so to speak.
Don helped me set up for Market Days Saturday, but Rhett and I had to take it all down, put it in the monster truck, take it home and unpack it. Two very nice young soldiers helped us take the "walls" that Don built for me to hang my artwork. I guess R & I looked pretty pitiful trying to take them to the truck. I was so thankful for these guys.
I finally got to meet my friend Annica who worked for an office supply company we use at work. We had been like ships passing in the night, never meeting for years. She came to my 1st art show with the guild, but since we didn't know each other, we probably walked right by without knowing it. I had told Annica I was going to start calling her "Wilson" because she was like Tim the Tool Man's neighbor on "Home Improvement". LOL Annica is one of the sweetest ladies I had ever talked to on the phone. I don't know what it is with me... I think these people I talk to on the phone are blonde, but they always have darker hair. A Annica didn't look the way I thought she would. LOL This is not the first time that has happened.
Annica brought a bag of caps she knitted for little girls who have cancer. Our granddaughter Shelby thought of the idea so her mom asked people to donate ribbons or whatever so she, Kristina could make bows. Shelby has been in the newspaper in Indiana about her idea! Since Annica knits, she volunteered to make caps. They are so cute! I had a "fit" over a burgundy one with a white bow, the 1st one I picked up out of the bag Annica brought. "Fit" is a southern term if you didn't know that! LOL There was another really delicate cap; oh so soft. I had such a fit over the red one that Annica is going to make me one for Christmas! Yeah me! She also makes purses. I love the shoulder bag she made which was done in fall colors and lined with pretty checkered materials. I should have had a fit over the purse as well! LOL It was so nice to finally meet Annica and her husband who seems just perfect for her. They bought my "Rainy Day in Ga" magnet. We have since been emailing back & forth up a storm, but it has not brought any much needed rain to Georgia. LOL
It has been a rather calm and uneventful week this week and I am thankful. Just an ordinary life. Well, maybe not so ordinary.... We got Rhett's Halloween costume. I was thankful we found one to fit at Walmart as it was cheaper. I made him try it on in the costume dept. He went, "Really Momma?" Yes, really. He says this a lot lately. I have noticed I have been saying "That was lame" a lot this week as well.
An art activity was a bust on Monday evening because it WAS really lame. So Wednesday nite we gathered leaves before class. I tried my very best to be artistic with those leaves, but they just wouldn't cooperate. I hate it when that happens. I was unimpressed with my outcome. It was really lame too. I think my muse is on vacation on a sunny beach somewhere.
Speaking of leaves, I had found leaf card holders at Kohl's but only got three of them. They were able to find me more from another store. I use these to hold pics of my son. I traced the oak leaf on cardboard to make a template. I gave one to my BFF Nancy at church Wednesday night. Wednesday nite I saw old pics of Rhett when he was smaller. So cute! Nancy let me borrow one to have copies made of his cuteness with is mouth wide open.
I got new glasses this week for $20 like Rhett! I love my pretty pink Jessica McClintlock glass case even more. I'm trying to get used to bifocals & trying not to feel like an ole lady! LOL I went with the bifocal lines because it was cheaper. $20 is a lot cheaper than $75 any day of the week! Rhett told me they make me look younger. Thank you, Sweetie. Such a diplomat. He will make a good husband when his wife asks him, "Does this make me look fat?"
This week Rhett cooked his 1st cake. Well, it was one of those mini cakes, but still a cake. In fact, he cooked two so far this week. My little chef. So proud of him and thankful for him. Even shared the 2nd one with is Daddy.
I admit I am a little disapointed I won't be going to the Humminbird festival in Hogansville, Ga tomorrow. My BFF church friend Nancy doesn't feel like she can leave her hubby Tom after he almost died last month. Not that I blame her. I just sort of figured she would change her mind about going.
This week I am thankful for finally meeting a new friend. I am thankful for having a normal week even if some parts of it were lame. What are you thankful for? Care to share with us at Thankful Thursday? Then please join us at the following...
at http//www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/
Don helped me set up for Market Days Saturday, but Rhett and I had to take it all down, put it in the monster truck, take it home and unpack it. Two very nice young soldiers helped us take the "walls" that Don built for me to hang my artwork. I guess R & I looked pretty pitiful trying to take them to the truck. I was so thankful for these guys.
I finally got to meet my friend Annica who worked for an office supply company we use at work. We had been like ships passing in the night, never meeting for years. She came to my 1st art show with the guild, but since we didn't know each other, we probably walked right by without knowing it. I had told Annica I was going to start calling her "Wilson" because she was like Tim the Tool Man's neighbor on "Home Improvement". LOL Annica is one of the sweetest ladies I had ever talked to on the phone. I don't know what it is with me... I think these people I talk to on the phone are blonde, but they always have darker hair. A Annica didn't look the way I thought she would. LOL This is not the first time that has happened.
Annica brought a bag of caps she knitted for little girls who have cancer. Our granddaughter Shelby thought of the idea so her mom asked people to donate ribbons or whatever so she, Kristina could make bows. Shelby has been in the newspaper in Indiana about her idea! Since Annica knits, she volunteered to make caps. They are so cute! I had a "fit" over a burgundy one with a white bow, the 1st one I picked up out of the bag Annica brought. "Fit" is a southern term if you didn't know that! LOL There was another really delicate cap; oh so soft. I had such a fit over the red one that Annica is going to make me one for Christmas! Yeah me! She also makes purses. I love the shoulder bag she made which was done in fall colors and lined with pretty checkered materials. I should have had a fit over the purse as well! LOL It was so nice to finally meet Annica and her husband who seems just perfect for her. They bought my "Rainy Day in Ga" magnet. We have since been emailing back & forth up a storm, but it has not brought any much needed rain to Georgia. LOL
It has been a rather calm and uneventful week this week and I am thankful. Just an ordinary life. Well, maybe not so ordinary.... We got Rhett's Halloween costume. I was thankful we found one to fit at Walmart as it was cheaper. I made him try it on in the costume dept. He went, "Really Momma?" Yes, really. He says this a lot lately. I have noticed I have been saying "That was lame" a lot this week as well.
An art activity was a bust on Monday evening because it WAS really lame. So Wednesday nite we gathered leaves before class. I tried my very best to be artistic with those leaves, but they just wouldn't cooperate. I hate it when that happens. I was unimpressed with my outcome. It was really lame too. I think my muse is on vacation on a sunny beach somewhere.
Speaking of leaves, I had found leaf card holders at Kohl's but only got three of them. They were able to find me more from another store. I use these to hold pics of my son. I traced the oak leaf on cardboard to make a template. I gave one to my BFF Nancy at church Wednesday night. Wednesday nite I saw old pics of Rhett when he was smaller. So cute! Nancy let me borrow one to have copies made of his cuteness with is mouth wide open.
I got new glasses this week for $20 like Rhett! I love my pretty pink Jessica McClintlock glass case even more. I'm trying to get used to bifocals & trying not to feel like an ole lady! LOL I went with the bifocal lines because it was cheaper. $20 is a lot cheaper than $75 any day of the week! Rhett told me they make me look younger. Thank you, Sweetie. Such a diplomat. He will make a good husband when his wife asks him, "Does this make me look fat?"
This week Rhett cooked his 1st cake. Well, it was one of those mini cakes, but still a cake. In fact, he cooked two so far this week. My little chef. So proud of him and thankful for him. Even shared the 2nd one with is Daddy.
I admit I am a little disapointed I won't be going to the Humminbird festival in Hogansville, Ga tomorrow. My BFF church friend Nancy doesn't feel like she can leave her hubby Tom after he almost died last month. Not that I blame her. I just sort of figured she would change her mind about going.
This week I am thankful for finally meeting a new friend. I am thankful for having a normal week even if some parts of it were lame. What are you thankful for? Care to share with us at Thankful Thursday? Then please join us at the following...
at http//www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Girl's Weekend
I had The best girl's weekend this past weekend! After getting lost, Jody & I arrived just in the nick of time to go with Iris to pick my BFF Genie up at the Huntsville airport. Iris was going to have Genie's senior picture from our annual blown up and the word "Wanted" put on it to hold up, but Iris' daughter Meredith talked her out of this. It was a good thing because my BFF Genie doesn't like to draw attention to herself. Genie was calling me as we were on the elevator at the airport to get her. Somehow Genie had managed to hurt her foot the day before. I noticed she was walking funny. I found it interesting that I know her that well, but after over 50 years of friendship, I suppose I should know her very well. We drove back to Iris's to await the arrival of our other friend Connie who also got lost.
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.
I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...
Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!
We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.
We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL
Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!
Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.
Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.
Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.
That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.
They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL
I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.
When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!
On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"
I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.
Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL
Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.
What were you thankful for this week? Want to share? Then join us at Lynn's at Thankful Thursday at the following...
I had The best girl's weekend this past weekend! After getting lost, Jody & I arrived just in the nick of time to go with Iris to pick my BFF Genie up at the Huntsville airport. Iris was going to have Genie's senior picture from our annual blown up and the word "Wanted" put on it to hold up, but Iris' daughter Meredith talked her out of this. It was a good thing because my BFF Genie doesn't like to draw attention to herself. Genie was calling me as we were on the elevator at the airport to get her. Somehow Genie had managed to hurt her foot the day before. I noticed she was walking funny. I found it interesting that I know her that well, but after over 50 years of friendship, I suppose I should know her very well. We drove back to Iris's to await the arrival of our other friend Connie who also got lost.
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.
I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...
Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!
We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.
We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL
Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!
Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.
Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.
Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.
That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.
They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL
I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.
When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!
On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"
I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.
Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL
Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.
What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us for Thankful Thursday at Lynn's at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/
Quote of the Day:
A returned smile can change everything.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.
I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...
Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!
We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.
We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL
Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!
Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.
Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.
Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.
That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.
They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL
I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.
When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!
On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"
I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.
Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL
Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.
What were you thankful for this week? Want to share? Then join us at Lynn's at Thankful Thursday at the following...
I had The best girl's weekend this past weekend! After getting lost, Jody & I arrived just in the nick of time to go with Iris to pick my BFF Genie up at the Huntsville airport. Iris was going to have Genie's senior picture from our annual blown up and the word "Wanted" put on it to hold up, but Iris' daughter Meredith talked her out of this. It was a good thing because my BFF Genie doesn't like to draw attention to herself. Genie was calling me as we were on the elevator at the airport to get her. Somehow Genie had managed to hurt her foot the day before. I noticed she was walking funny. I found it interesting that I know her that well, but after over 50 years of friendship, I suppose I should know her very well. We drove back to Iris's to await the arrival of our other friend Connie who also got lost.
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.
I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...
Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!
We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.
We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL
Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!
Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.
Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.
Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.
That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.
They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL
I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.
When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!
On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"
I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.
Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL
Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.
What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us for Thankful Thursday at Lynn's at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/
Quote of the Day:
A returned smile can change everything.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
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