Mockingbird Hill

Seriously......

2012-01-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

It followed me around....it caught me...I finally have to give in.

S-I-C-K. yuck.

Stuffy.....

2012-01-04T16:47:00.000-05:00

What a way to start the New Year! Be back soon....... **sniff**

To You and Yours.....

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

All the best in 2012!

It's Almost A New Beginning

2011-12-31T09:26:00.000-05:00

All we can do is try....

The Countdown Begins

2011-12-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

This does not, and cannot, apply to everyone....but, take from it what you will. The New Year is about to begin, and my hope is that I will do what I can to make it the best it can be.

A Simple Parade

2011-12-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

Traditions, Habits, Year-After-Year Celebrations...we get caught up in it. Go to any downtown of any city, big or small, and you will see the Christmas lights....and the aluminum trees bolted onto the street light poles. Fake snow sprayed on the windows of diners, shops and gas stations. And, the parades! High School bands, the Kiwanis, The Shriners....usually a Mayor or Police Chief. Don't get me worng...I love it...and I love it all! The bigger, the brighter and the cheesier the better...

But, sometimes....a simple parade is the best parade. Not a High School band or Mayor in sight.

Hope your holiday was simply wonderful. :)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...

~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Merry Christmas to you and yours...

Wow....It IS Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T17:00:00.006-05:00

We celebrated the first part of our Holiday last night with my sister and her family and my Mom...it was so much fun! They are about an hour North of here and came down to join us for dinner and spend some time just sittin' around. We seem to stay in a revolving circle of busy, and even though we talk to each other every day (sometimes more than once), times together are rare. It was wonderful. :)

Round 2 begins tonight about 6...kids and grandkids for dinner, probably some x-box fun and gifts. It's a house full, but always good times!

Jake, my #1 assistant

Hope you are celebrating in whatever way makes you happiest....enjoy everything!

It Is The Day Before Christmas, Right?

2011-12-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?

Claustrophobic.

Christmas Toy

2011-12-24T08:49:00.000-05:00

I finally got The Hub off of the golf course long enough to get some shots of the new cart! I don't play golf, I don't know much about golf and I guess I don't know much about the "secrets" of having a golf cart. Seems like you are supposed to have a cart that is tricked out in details about something you are very supportive of. Your college, your fraternity/sorority, your hobby....so let's see if you can figure out what The Hub is all fired up about.

Full Side View

3-D Decal on the Front

Flames on the Side

(the cart can go 20mph, but this makes it look like it's going at least 25mph)

Back Bumper

Valve Stems

(just in case you are adding air to the tires and forget for a minute what the cart is all about)

And....this is how it looks in the snow.

**PS** Did you figure out that he graduated from Ohio State? :)

It Sure Doesn't Look Like Christmas

2011-12-20T16:11:00.000-05:00

The weather is beautiful today...mid 70's, sun, slight breeze. The only problem is that it is kind of difficult to get into the Holiday Spirit, you know??

Since moving to our new home, The Hub has been golfing 3-4 days a week and he is loving it! Of course, a new golf cart was part of the deal and it arrived a week or so ago. I will share some pics when I can...it's one of a kind....but, look at the shot below.

Hard to see, but this was taken from our back porch...and there's The Hub and his new toy! Not the white one...that belongs to the Country Club....his is all black and kind of hiding in the shadows.

Anyway....believe it or not, this is Christmas in Florida!

Just Funny

2011-12-16T13:04:00.000-05:00

This doesn't have anything to do with Christmas....but, funny is funny no matter what time of the year it is.

Hahahahaha.

It's Official Now!

2011-12-12T18:51:00.001-05:00

I wrote at one time, in a list of Holiday Traditions (or something like that) how it's not really the Christmas Season until I get to watch the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol" starring Alastair Sim. So, yea....it's on tonight, 8PM on TCM!!

**This is the desert-island choice of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, with a magnificent, full-bodied portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge by Alastair Sim that leaves everyone else in the dust. Lean and direct, this film's version of the story wastes no time trying to impress viewers with the magical nature of the spirits' visitations. Sim's commitment to the role is at times astonishing; his Scrooge's Christmas-morning ecstasy is a marvel of giddy technique.

--Tom Keogh

Alastair Sim's tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens' story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time.

Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.

"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year"

--Ebenezer Scrooge--

I am so ready to watch the original black and white version of this....so ready!

3 Minutes Of Happy

2011-12-10T09:42:00.002-05:00

It's just 2 weeks until Christmas and I'm really feeling it. Do the trees look pretty enough? What's left to get...to order...to choose...to mail? Add work, birthdays and every other day to day thing to the list and there you have it...just a little stress.

I've turned off my Christmas Music for a couple of days, with the hope that you will watch this video and de-stress. Be Happy. Be Silly. As I watch this, I can tell you that I wish this was me...I just don't think I could pull it off. :)

Remember...this kid has an iPod, which means no one else can hear the music.

Love it!

**Just found out the Mariah Carey tweeted this video out to her followers...pretty cool.**

***Be Sure To Silence The Music Player (at the bottom of the page)

Before Watching This Video***

Back To Normal

2011-12-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

Homecoming is over and things have slowed down a bit, but I have to share some of the fun! It's really a pleasure to go to work...and here's part of the reason....

This is my office. No, really, it is. Not too tough to take, right??

The 2 windows on the far left (as you are looking at the pic) are next to my desk. Our school is located on some historical property and this house is over 100 years old. The Principal's office is upstairs and he can see everything from up there. A local historian sent us the history of this house and a couple of others on the property and we found out that a family with a little girl lived there in the late 1800's. The little girl passed away from an illness and, as was the custom, she was kept in the home for a viewing of sorts. What is now my office, was the main parlor and that is where she was kept. Interesting story...and lots of people have some stories that make us think something is in there with us all the time. **shiver**

This is our Principal and what a good sport he was that entire week! You can see the Homecoming Court behind him, and since we are a K-12 school, they have a boy and girl chosen from grades 1-10 as a part of the Court. The students vote on the 11th and 12th graders to choose the King & Queen.

This is our Varsity Cheer Squad...and Daughter Bailey is the Cheer Coach! Bailey was a cheerleader from the time she was about 8 years old and she loves being a part of this.

Along with choosing the King & Queen, the highlight of the week was the Student/Facuty Basketball Game. The kids loved it...and this gives you an idea of how the staff got involved. It's great to be a part of a small community school. Very different than most schools in this area.

Anyway...I feel really old. :)

Peace, Baby

2011-12-01T20:30:00.001-05:00

I think I mentioned at some point that I am working full time now, but I don't think I told you what I am doing. It's a bit of a twisty story, but I have finally landed at a K-12 Charter School. Never did anything like this before, but I love what I do and being around the kids is an absolute blast!

I am the Principal's Secretary, Admin Assistant, Office Manager....I'm not quite sure how to classify it, but I have a really cool office and try to keep the Principal on track.

Anyway...I'll share some details about that later, but...this is our Homecoming Week and each day is a different "Dress Up" day. I haven't joined in yet this week...Pajama Day? Uh, no thanks. Favorite Sports Team Day? No, not that either. Nerd Day? I was a nerd in school and to me it's kind of like making fun of those that are different. I know, I know...lighten up a bit...but, it hits just a little too close to home, I guess.

But....Favorite Decade Day? Now, your talking my language. I couldn't push the envelope too much, I mean I speak to vendors and parents all day long, but I did have a little bit of fun!

And...who is that with me? You are right....it's Daughter Bailey! She teaches First Grade so I see her and her classroom of kiddles every day...lucky me. :)

Tie Dye shirt? Check. Scarf around my head? Check. John Lennon specs? Check. Peace Sign? Check. Beads in school colors? Check. Welcome to the 70's!

Now, you have to know that I got this tie dye shirt at my High School Reunion last year, so the name of the High School is on the shirt and the Graduating year....oh wait....you can't see the year??

Just a little piece of duct tape will keep me forever young....hahahaha! ~~(Looking at the folds in my neck, I guess I should have used the tape to cover that completely!)~~

We had a great time....Pep Rally, Powder Puff Football and Bonfire tomorrow....fun, fun , fun.

Getting Started

2011-11-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

All of the pumpkins, Fall leaves and gourds are put away...resting comfortably in their Sterlite tubs already planning their visit for next year! We headed out and got our Christmas Tree today...it's really pretty and full. It was the second one we looked at and we knew it would be just right. No decorations yet....The Hub likes to get the tree in the stand, water it down for a couple of days and let the branches drop before we add any lights. I got a few things out, but hope that Bailey will stop by after work and help me get the big stuff out of the attic.

I did do one little thing....this is a basket of vintage clothes pins that sits on my dryer. The lamp has a very low light and looks so nice when I turn it on at night. The basket had some sweet little pumpkins in it earlier today, but now.....

I know...crazy, right? But, I have done this kind of thing for as long as I can remember. Like, Christmas soap & towels in the bathroom and kitchen, Christmas door mat, Christmas rugs in the kitchen. I can't explain it.

Anyway...my computer is giving me fits right now. Will not read the picture card or accept the external card reader. I was just online with the Geek Squad a couple of days ago for about an hour....they got it working, but something else is going on. I had to ask The Hub to download the picture and email it to me. I'll have to spend some time with The Geeks one evening this week.

Hope you are all getting in the Holiday Swing...and look...Picnik even lets you add snow to your pictures...love it!!

Little Abe

2011-11-25T20:00:00.002-05:00

Bailey (aka the Daughter) and I took a chance and headed out for a bit of shopping today and surprisingly, it wasn't too bad. Of course, we were out kind of early...8:00...and we probably weren't at the Black Friday hotspots. Our poison? Hobby Lobby (I swear, I hear angels sing when I walk in that place), Bath & Body Works and Hallmark. We did venture into Macy's about 11:00, but it still wasn't that bad.

The point of this is...we didn't have a lot of time to fool around, since Bailey has a new baby at home! Yes...Little Abe joined our family just about 3 weeks ago and he is precious.....

He is about 7 weeks of yumminess covered in the softest fur you could ever imagine! Bailey now has her own apartment and was missing our own kitties, Jake & Woody. Our kitties are rescue kitties and she knew she wanted to share her life with a kitty that really needed her. Don't know a whole lot about him, only that he was brought in the day before she saw him, as a stray. I mean, he was only about 4 weeks old! Her "adoption" of Abe isn't final yet...they won't approve that until he weighs 2 pounds!! At his re-check next week, she should get the adoption finalized. Abe is proving to be a great roommate and seems to get cuter by the day.

Just look at how little he is.....

He has a great space to stay whenever she is out and she is very good about not being gone too long. She even comes home during her lunch break and spends that time just sitting with him. He has wiggled himself right into the corner of our hearts and he's going to stay right there!

Kind of an early Christmas present....Welcome Home, Abe!

Countdown!

2011-11-24T23:32:00.001-05:00

Even though we have been seeing bits and pieces of Christmas since October, there is one absolute moment you know the Holiday Season has arrived.....

In Florida, when you see the Santa and Snowman Eggnog, you can officially begin to get excited!

It's official....I'm excited!!

Ha-Ha-Ha-Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

So, I was going to write this wonderful, thought provoking post and share all the reasons we have to be thankful...not just today, but every day. However, I think most of us know how lucky we are to have freedoms that many do not have and the opportunities and options to better our lives if need be. But, we feel the need to rush around trying to put together the perfect Thanksgiving dinner and the beautifully set table, so that we can celebrate that magazine Thanksgiving Day.

Then a silly, "OMG, did I really do this" moment happens and everything falls into perspective. And here it is:

The community that The Hub and I have moved to is a "golf community" and there is a very nice restaurant in the clubhouse. They have Sunday Breakfast buffet's, Tuesday night Wings 'n Beer, Sunday NFL Taco Brunch...lots of things designed to keep you spending $$ here. We support all of this since it is good for the homeowners and good for the community.

Anyway...last night, we decided to take the easy way out and get a quick dinner at the clubhouse. How busy could it be...it's the night before Thanksgiving!

**I should mention here, that The Hub is on the HOA Board of Directors and on the Golf and Greens Committee.**

Anyway, we pull ourselves together and head over to a pretty busy room. Of course, people are greeting Hub and wishing us a Happy Holiday and he is introducing me to a few people for the first time. We've only been here full time about 4 months.

After many handshakes, quick polite hugs and a really good meal, we wave good bye and head out to the car...living just a mile or so away is a big plus...and under the parking lot lights, I look down and see them. My shoes. Cute little suede flats with a tassel across the toe.

One Black. One Brown.

Oh yeah. I probably should not have said anything, but my first reaction was "Are you kidding me?". Then came the laughter, The Hub included, and wondering if anyone else noticed...the lights were on in the restaurant, so if anyone checked out my feet, it would have been pretty obvious. The Hub laughed, The Daughter laughed, I laughed...and there you have it.

This is what I am most thankful for...family and friends that love me, as I am, even when I do things that make me seem just a couple fries short of a Happy Meal.

Be thankful for everything big....but, most of all, be thankful for the little things. The laughter and love of those closest to you...give them an extra hug today if you see them or chat a minute longer if you call them somehwere far away.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

At Peace

2011-11-01T18:30:00.003-04:00

Halloween is over....again. Where have I been for...oh, say....off & on the last year? I could spin tales of an exciting, uber busy, just "too much going on and not enough time to blog" story, but that wouldn't be honest. Exciting? Maybe a few times. Uber busy? Well, busy enough to just concentrate on day to day is probably true. Too much going on? Maybe not "too much", but enough to throw a wrinkle into almost any plan we have had.

Let's see....since I last spent time here, I am now working full-time and The Hub is retired! Go figure, right? I keep my Real Estate license current, just in case some fabulous deal pops up, but I don't really use it all that much.

Within the family we've had a broken arm, a move to a new house (x2), a back surgery, new jobs, a cancer scare, a couple of hospital stays, bought a house, a relationship break-up, a kid with a kidney stone, a cervical fusion, a herniated disc, a cancer diagnosis...but, wait....it's not all so gloomy! We've got a young man that has found his niche in Health Care and after a couple of months has been offered a full time job, grandkids that are straight A honor roll students, a senior citizen that has written some short stories and won honors...we had lots of good bestowed on us, too.

And, then today, the news that a dear friend has lost her fight with ovarian cancer. Just told a couple of months back that she was cancer free, this horrible disease snuck right back in and stole her away from everyone within weeks. It was not pleasant or easy and she is now At Peace.

Maybe she will know that this moved me enough to continue my online journal. It's fun and I have had the chance to talk with some wonderful people out there and changing out the banner and posting something quick on National Holidays is not enough. I need to do this...for me and for my family. I feel the need to have a witness to my life.

So, dear Deb, many loved you and many will miss you. My wish is that you are pain free and healthy in your new life and we will all feel a bit safer knowing that you are watching over us. I know you are finally At Peace.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MY PRETTIES !!!

2011-10-28T16:40:00.001-04:00

Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adders fork and blind-worm stings, lizard's legs and owlet's wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell broth boil and bubble. Wm. Shakespeare

The spell has been cast and the brooms are at the ready.....

Choose the perfect one and follow me.....

We are leaving at once and not a moment too soon,

We need to fly by the light of the moon.

Do not ask questions! I can see all of your faces,

Without fail I will lead you, to the Most Haunted Places.

And then to the next and the next we will fly,

We will speak to the spirits as they watch us go by.

We'll return to this place thinking of all we have seen,

And then we'll be ready for a Happy Halloween.

MOST HAUNTED PLACES
(click the link to visit these scary places)

Bell Witch Cave

Lincoln Theater

Waverly Hills Sanitorium

Villisca Axe Murder House

Alcatraz

Myrtles Plantation

Eat some candy for me, will ya? As soon as I clean up the kitchen, I'll join you........

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!

It's Here! It's Here!

2011-09-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

Happy Happy Fall!

Ten Years Later

2011-09-11T00:00:00.002-04:00

HUG THOSE THAT ARE CLOSE, TALK TO THOSE THAT ARE FAR AWAY.....

BE CALM, BE STRONG, BE GRATEFUL.

Finally....

2011-03-22T20:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Spring!!

Go Green!!

2011-03-17T00:00:00.002-04:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK's DAY !!

Can You Even Believe It?

2011-02-05T11:20:00.000-05:00

It's almost Valentines' Day!!

And So It Begins.....

2010-12-31T20:24:00.000-05:00

“We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.” ~ Ellen Goodman

Hug those that are close, remember those that are far and take care of yourselves. Another chance to get it right….best of luck to all of you!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-12-08T12:45:00.000-05:00

We Will Never Forget And.....

2010-09-11T11:45:00.000-04:00

On this day, maybe more than any other, be sure to take that extra minute to hug those that are close to you and contact those that are far away. Remind them of just how special they are and of how much they mean to you. Be silent, be thoughtful, be kind.

(re-post)

Independence Day

2010-07-04T08:38:00.000-04:00

Wishing everyone a very Safe & Happy 4th of July!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T09:17:00.001-04:00

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.....

2010-05-31T00:02:00.008-04:00

On this Memorial Day, let us not forget.......

Sniff Cough Ah-Choo

2010-01-15T23:13:00.002-05:00

Hope you all have a great weekend **sniffle**

Talk to you in a couple of days! **cough**

Please, Sir...May I Have a Bit More?

2010-01-12T23:45:00.002-05:00

Poor Hub...sick with a cold and feeling pretty dang punk! Just wanted to sit in his big ol' comfy chair, watch some TV and eat a little warm Clam Chowder...

Have no idea if it was the smell of that soup or the butter on that bread, but sweet Woody was just sitting on the floor, staring up at Hub as if he hadn't eaten a thing all day. The Hub just wouldn't even look his way. Woody does not like to be ignored...this was his way of asking for just one teeny, tiny taste...

"Hey...whatcha got in there that smells so good?"

Trying To Stay Warm

2010-01-08T10:28:00.002-05:00

Thinking...thinking...thinking....

What do I have that will protect me

from this wintery weather???

Wait....I know!!!!

Oops...sorry! Let's try this again....

Gotta love Sock Monkey slippers.

Stay Warm!!!

Just How Cold Is It?

2010-01-06T21:05:00.003-05:00

Right now, here in "The Sun 'n Fun Capital Of The World" it's a mere 42 degrees! Yes...down to 30 tonight, but the big chill is coming overnight on Saturday...a drop to 26 degrees!

Please know that I am not complaining, really...I can't begin to imagine how all of you in the snowbound regions are coping with that. But, we Southerners are not set up for this. We do not have overcoats or gloves or even really thick socks!!

The picture above is from our fireplace...the fire is winding down but it's been going strong since about 5:30 this afternoon. Lucky us. :)

Happy Birthday x 2

2010-01-06T08:17:00.001-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY…

Dear Hub…

and Dear Me…

It Was A Good Time

2010-01-05T15:19:00.001-05:00

It always passes so quickly! Lots of preparations and excitement…days and days it seems…and then..gone! We took the main tree in the Living Room out yesterday…officially the end of Christmas. Here’s a glimpse…

My Mom, The Daughter and The Nephew….pretty good lookin’ bunch!

Three generations…Me, My mom, The Daughter and My Sister….

Sorry…a pie distraction! Yea…you are seeing it right…Cherry Pie & Banana Cream Pie! Oh…and let’s not forget the “made from scratch” Date Nut Bread, Crumb Pie, Brownie Pie, Peppermint Bark and Red Velvet Cake. Oh my growin’ thighs…!

The Hub and 2 of the grandkids…there were 5 of them there, but just try to get them all together for a picture! GRRRRRR

And…The Daughter & Me. Can you see the sweater she is wearing?? I got that on a thrifting excursion before she was born (almost 26 years ago) and looking at the peacock eye beading and the lining, we are guessing it’s from the ‘40s. Very, very cool.

A wonderful end to what seemed like a very full, and sometimes choppy, 2009! Lots to do in 2010…hope you are all as excited as me!!

Another New Beginning...

2009-12-31T09:38:00.003-05:00

"What the New Year brings to you will depend

a great deal on what you bring to the New Year."

Vern McLellan

While we make our New Years' resolutions with true determination to stick with what we want and know we can achieve, remember that our resolutions' success or failure do not define who we are. We are defined by our actions.

Please join me in this coming year to strive to be kinder, more giving, to laugh more and cry less and to live life to the fullest no matter what the circumstance. Remember that to have a friend, you must be a friend....and to you, my friends, I wish you all a Happy & Healthy 2010!
~*~

2009-12-25T08:12:00.002-05:00

Like snowflakes

floating gently,

unexpectedly

to earth,

small kindnesses

touch our lives.

First one, and then another

and another,

until at last the world is

bright and shining

with goodwill.

and once again...

it's Christmas.

unknown

Holiday Hoopla

2009-12-22T20:00:00.004-05:00

As much as I love this time of year and all of the good things it brings, and even though I promise myself every year that I will be ready in plenty of time, it never works out that way. Shouldn't be all that hard...Christmas is the same date every year, the date doesn't change...don't know why I can't get it together.

But...beyond that, I am fine and I do so appreciate those that are keeping watch over me ;)

Holiday Hoopla: 12 Random Things About Me and Christmas.

1. The neighborhood I grew up in was a new neighborhood when we moved there and I was just 5 years old. The people next door became my second family and we did everything together, including holidays. They were (and still are) Jewish. One of my favorite memories is of the two boys coming over to help us decorate the tree. This was huge for them and we all had an exact number of ornaments to hang, and my Mom just let them do whatever they wanted. Then we always had some kind of cookies or cake and we would turn off all of the living room lights and just sit and look at the tree. She would usually re-do just about all of it (even mine) but for all of us, it meant the kick off of the Christmas season.

~~~~~~

2. The story goes that when I was 3 years old, I woke Mommy & Daddy and told them that I had heard Santa's reindeer on the roof. Now, this has been repeated so many times that I am not sure if I actually remember this happening or not. But, to this day, my Mom will ask "Do you beleive in Santa?" and I will answer "No". "Then who was on the roof?" she asks....and I always answer "Santa". She loves it.

~~~~~

3. I have a pretty big Christmas pin collection. Most are handmade, but I've been lucky enough to score some wonderful vintage pins...and earrings to match. They are some of my favorite things.

~~~~~~

4. From the time I was very small all the way through High School, we always went to Midnight Candlelight Service. They passed candles to everyone with those round paper holders to catch the dripping wax. I always wanted to sit in the balcony, so I could look down on the candles when they were lit. One year, my sister was in the Nativity Play and at the end when the kids were all singing she yelled out, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!". Amen.

~~~~~~

5. There are so many great Christmas movies, but my absolute favorite (and it isn't Christmas 'til I get a chance to watch it) is the 1953 version of "A Christmas Carol" with Alistair Sim. Those old black & white movies with crappy special effects are magical to me.

~~~~~~

6. When my daughter was in kindergarten, her very brave teacher put together a holiday program for the parents. Everyone was made to feel so special and given some very important job to do. The responsibility must have been too much for this one kid named Ryan..he went nuts at the end of the last song and knocked over the tree and kicked the head off of the snowman. This was a signal to all the rest of them to throw the cotton ball snow at each other and run all over the stage like maniacs.

~~~~~~

7. I'm pretty sure everyone knows that we love Alaska. After our first trip, I just couldn't shut up about going again and The Hub gave me a Christmas surprise! He puts a stack of 4 boxes in front of me and says I must open them in that order. The first is a pair of ear-muffs. Now, I had also been yakking about a trip to New England so I thought those were a clue for that. The next box was an 8x10 picture of Mt. Mckinley, covered in snow and the words "We're Going Back!!" across the front. The next box was a small photo album with pictures of all the things that we were scheduled to do on our winter tour...see the Iditarod, ride in a sleigh, ride a snowmobile, stay in a log cabin etc. And, in the last box was a list of all of the clothes we needed to get together to accomodate -30 degree weather! Great surprise. Great trip. Great Hub.

~~~~~~

8. When I was 8 years old, one of my gifts from Santa was a wedding dress and everything a bride needs to get married right away..including those high heel shoes that were made of some kind of glittery, clear plastic that clacked on the floor like real high heels and stayed on your feet with 2 elastic strips, like 2 big rubber bands. It just so happened that my best friend Judy also got the same set and we made a deal that we would both wear our new high heels to church. My Mom went along with stuff like that, but Judy's Mom didn't. Ah yes, I clacked all over the sanctuary...just me, not Judy. Just me.

~~~~~~

9. I spent several Christmas holidays as a single Mom and lights and decorations are quite exciting to a little girl. The Daughter was about 3 years old and I was desperately searching for something to do that was close to home and didn't cost too much money. About 1/2 mile from our house was a very nice neighborhood that was always done up in tons of lights and each evening, cars would just be lining the streets to look at everything. It started as a drive by, but one night we stopped and got out to walk around and things were never the same. The owners would hand out candy canes and they had all kinds of moving decorations...way before anyone really did that kind of stuff. Anyway...we were there, just the two of us, every single night until they took the decorations down. And this became our tradition...we were there for the next 5 or 6 years each Thanksgiving night when they turned them on for the first time and every night after, until they took them down for the year.

~~~~~~

10. One of my biggest dreams is to visit New York City at holiday time. I want to see the big tree, see the Rockette's, see the ice skaters at Rockefeller Center and see the department store windows. I can't explain my interest in all of this...but, it's something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember.

~~~~~~

11. My Dad passed away, very unexpectedly, a long time ago...25 years. Sometimes it seems like forever and sometimes it seems like last week. His favorite Christmas song was "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and it reduces me to tears every time I hear it. I was in the grocery store and it began to play and I began to cry. I miss him everyday but I really miss him at Christmas time.

~~~~~~

12. And...my Dad loved to drive around and look at everyone's Christmas lights. I don't know if people that have snow do this, but here in the South, it used to be a very big deal. I mean we would even plan dinner so that we could be out in the car just after dark. He tried to drive in different areas, but he always included the 3-4 blocks closest to our house. We just drove very slowly and took it all in. I don't know of anyone that does this anymore.

~~~~~~

Wishing all of my dear friends the Happiest of Holidays!

Fun Family Plans Today

2009-12-05T09:22:00.004-05:00

This Holiday Season is moving too fast!! I keep thinking I am way ahead of the game, but I am just kidding myself.. :)

But, we are taking kids and grandkids out for a magical day, and we are just as excited as they are! Everyone is headed out to see Trans Siberian Orchestra...yes, I said "everyone"...all 15 of us!

Just in case you aren't familiar with this show, here's a quick re-cap:

"The band's concert performances continue to surprise their loyal fan base with a combination of the arena rock spectacles of Pink Floyd and the musicality of Queen. TSO's music first approach, the music is first created and then the very best vocalist and musicians are sought from the classical, rock, broadway and R & B worlds, facillitates a cross pollination of musical ideas-creating hybrid forms of music which allow the rock operas to glitter in ways even the creators could not predict.

Billboard magazine praises TSO's winter tour as a "rock extravaganza that incorporates elaborate staging, metal mixed with Christmas Carols and dazzling visuals," while calling the group a winter stable. With it's timeless message, a sound that offers something for everyone, and audiences that cross all generational divides, TSO has become something that must-be-seen-to-be-believed."

Basically, what they are saying is that it's very loud and very bright. Even though The Hub and I are fans of this, I am thinking that a whole show of lasers, lights, fire and such will be a bit over the top (it's not Rick Springfield, for crying out loud)...but, whatever...the kids and grandkids are just beyond excited and that's what this is all about.

Followed by a big group dinner at The Olive Garden...a favorite for everyone.

Hope you all are enjoying the season...have a wonderful weekend, dear friends!

Wow...I Needed That!

2009-11-30T10:23:00.002-05:00

A time to re-charge, re-evaluate, re-do...I seriously needed to pull myself together! Anyway...lots of excitement here getting ready for the Christmas Season..

We had a wondeful Fall..Halloween was great and remind me to tell you how I gave some kid my glasses as part of his Trick or Treat candy. Thanksgiving was fun with lots of good food and family...and I once again worked the "Black Friday" 10PM-5AM shift at my part time job! Lots of prep, lots of work, but what a good time we had....

So happy to be back...and many thanks to those of you that checked on me (even though the whole comment thing was disabled, you still got to me!)...I am so excited to see what everyone has been up to and what kind of unbelieveable Holiday Stuff is out there!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2009-11-26T08:58:00.004-05:00

Enjoy friends and family...hug without hesitation and remember to be thankful for all blessings, no matter how small they may seem.

~*~

Seriously??

2009-09-30T19:53:00.002-04:00

This showed up in the mail yesterday…

Hmmmmm……

~~WTF????~~ What??? NO WAY!!! I was just called for jury duty a couple of months ago!!!

Oh…wait…back that truck up….

This isn’t regular Jury Duty….this is the big guys!!

And…just how long will this take??

Date…on the front…let’s see….

Wonderful.

I did some calling and on-line checking about all of this. Seems like they let you know during your first mandatory call if you are needed the next day. If so…just show up. If not, you must follow whatever call schedule they give you and be available to go in any day during that 2 weeks! I’ve never been called for FEDERAL Jury Service….have you??

Well…I am going to put all of this in the back of my brain for now. I do have an entire month to stress myself out about it! But, the good news is that a very dear friend is coming to town for a 3 day visit and I am looking forward to that! She arrives tomorrow and we’ve got girl plans! Antique shopping, tea room, movie and…of course…some Disney!! (Sorry, Janet!)

I’ll do my best to keep you posted, but time and internet access could be a problem. But…I plan to have lots of pictures to share! See you soon….!

What A Night!

2009-09-29T09:45:00.001-04:00

It was as if I had never even seen this movie! The anticipation was great but the final viewing even greater. And, I wasn’t the only one…the theatre was full and since most of this was pre-ticketed, they knew enough to show it in 2 theatres! Really…for a movie that is 70 years old…amazing.

We started out with a documentary that showed behind the scenes rehearsals, interviews and such. But, the applause began when the music started and then…there they were…Dorothy & Toto, bigger than life. Even this black & white sequence was clear and sharp…it is just wild what can be done!

Everything in Munchkinland from Glinda’s pink dress to the Yellow Brick Road was brighter and more defined. The sparkles from the stars on her dress to the glitter on her crown were beautiful!

The “oooohss and aaaahss” were heard throughout…and lots of laughs! The Munchkins, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion…yea, these guys were a riot up there on that big screen! We did find out that the Munchkin in the Middle (haha) was only 17 years old.

And…scarier than ever were those Flying Monkeys. In some close-ups you could see the faces…not as “monkey-like” as you might think. And, without their hat on, did you realize that their hair is combed up in a mohawk??

But, that Witch…what an incredible job Margaret Hamilton did and I think it took this big screen for me to really understand that!

All in all, an exciting night and it was fun to be with like-minded people. It was fun to share this with The Daughter and another Good Friend and to find out that they both felt like I did…oh…and Judy Garland was so very beautiful….

This presentation came a long way from that opening in 1939…and an even longer way from the story that Frank L Baum shared with us…but the story still touches hearts now as it did then. What a night!

Something To Share With You

2009-09-26T11:24:00.004-04:00

I'm here to tell you how great the movie was! Having the chance to see it on the big screen was like seeing it for the first time. The audience laughed and applauded...I feel lucky to have been part of this special event.

But...I want to share this with all of you...a coupon for 40% off something you just have to have!!

CLICK HERE

Gotta run...have a great weekend and I'll fill you in on OZ and other stuff later!

It’s All About The Shoes

2009-09-23T00:06:00.001-04:00

Yes!!! The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Event is tonight!! Check out this celebration cake…..

And then read about this cool idea…with all proceeds going to charity……

~Top Designers Re-Invent Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers~

Louboutin, Blahnik and Choo Among the Chosen Few

“If Dorothy were living in the 21st century, what would she wear?” is the question posed by The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection. To commemorate the film’s 70th Anniversary, Warner Bros and Swarovski have commissioned a creative re-interpretation the film’s most iconic and revered symbol: Dorothy’s Magical Ruby Slippers.

Contemporary works of art from the likes of fashion masterminds A. Testoni, Abaete, Alberta Ferretti, Betsey Johnson, Botkier, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, Lisa Pliner, Manolo Blahnik, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roger Vivier, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman, Tibi, and Tuleh will compose The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection.

In honor of this classic, 19 iconic designers will reinterpret the ruby slippers we’ve all fantasized about since childhood. While you may not admit it, we know you’ve clicked your heels together in the privacy of your own closet.

Here are some preliminary sketches by Gwen Stefani, Sergio Rossi and Moschino:

And…love this…Betsey Johnson!

Naturally, the magical slippers will travel the country (with three clicks and a few carefully chosen words) before being auctioned off, with all proceeds going to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

** Thanks to The Daily Pump.

May We Introduce…

2009-09-21T00:03:00.000-04:00

Stella.

The Daughter & Boyfriend are “co-parenting” this 8 week old bundle of yumminess! Rescued just this week from a Lab Rescue Center…1/2 Lab…1/2 Golden Retriever. She has a big yard to play in and had a very busy weekend meeting the rest of her new friends and family.

We had a blast taking her on her first real outing at PetCo and she met this other kid while she was there. He was a bit bigger and she didn’t seem to like him too much….

Can you see those little blonde eyelashes?? She’s gonna be dangerously cute and will probably be able to trick unsuspecting people into giving her treats just by looking at them….

She is already loved…..

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

2009-09-19T09:41:00.002-04:00

The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary

09/23/2009

NCM Fathom, Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies present The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event featuring the first ever High Definition presentation in movie theatres nationwide of The Wizard of Oz. This One Night Event will take place in over 440 movie theatres nationwide. In addition to the feature presentation of The Wizard of Oz, this exclusive event will include a special introduction by Robert Osborne, a classic film historian and host of Turner Classic Movies, followed by “To Oz! The Making of a Classic,” a look into how L. Frank Baum’s classic novel was transformed into one of the most beloved films of all time including archival interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and rare musical outtakes. Also featured will be an exclusive clip of the Scarecrow, Ray Bolger, dancing in High-definition for the very first time.

The colorful characters and unforgettable songs of The Wizard of Oz come alive as never before as the cinematic treasure is brought into the digital age with this entirely remastered Hi-Def presentation. Celebrating its 70th Anniversary, The Wizard of Oz originally opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in 1939. It received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and captured two Oscars® -- Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score -- plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland. Its magical story and heartfelt performances have enabled it to grow from a perennial classic to its current status as a treasured icon of popular culture.

Whether seeing it for the first time or the 100th time, it is only fitting that audiences nationwide will have the chance to enjoy the 70th Anniversary of this multi-generational favorite in movie theatres for an exclusive One Night celebratory event.
The high definition presentation of The Wizard of Oz will be specially formatted to preserve the exact aspect ratio of the film as first seen by audiences in 1939.

Can’t hardly wait…the tickets are in our hot little hands and

we are so excited!!

The Search Begins

2009-09-18T23:36:00.002-04:00

Yes...I want this lamp.

Really...I need this lamp.

Really.

A HUGE Success

2009-09-15T18:04:00.002-04:00

If you have stopped by here in the last couple of weeks, you saw the post about Harley.

Harley is the young son of an office co-worker that has been diagnosed with brain cancer. If you missed that, you can meet Harley here and learn more about him.

Anyway…all of this hospital time and treatment expense is a bit overwhelming, so the office decided to have a Benefit Yard Sale, with all proceeds going to Harley and his family. Not only did so many in the office answer the call, friends and businesses joined right in! Donations ranged from household goods to advertising space for the sale ads…here’s how it all came together!

Do you remember when these carousel horses were the big thing? This one was losing his ribbon, but otherwise he was in great shape. Cost = $20…and he’s outta here!

This “NOEL” looked brand new….

Some beautiful coats were donated…and custom men’s suits from the UK!

This was my absolute favorite piece of furniture! Selling price?? $125 Can you even believe someone donated this?? Love the little hatbox cupboard at the top.

They were even selling puppies…just 9 weeks old. The proceeds from the sale of one puppy was to be donated…

It was a very long couple of days…nothing like a Mardi Gras jester in a baby blue teddy to keep you smilin’. :)

All in all….a huge, beyond our wildest dreams success. Total take?? Over $3,000, with more monies to come in. And, there was still some good stuff left to give to another office that will be holding another sale in October.

Thanks to everyone that was a part of this…from the workers to the people that donated goods to those that couldn’t be here and shared a prayer…it would not have happened without all of you.

Thanks….so much.

The Dancing Doesn’t End

2009-09-14T21:15:00.001-04:00

It doesn’t matter what character he was in any other movie, Patrick Swayze will always be Johnny Castle to me. Just as the news took my breath away when he was diagnosed with cancer, I feel that same sadness tonight.

What an inspiration he has been…continuing to work and fight the good fight.

How lucky all the dancers in heaven will be…he will be a strong defender of those that need it and he will never have to end the summer season with the Pachenga…

Keep on dancing, Patrick…you will be missed.

Let Us Not Forget…

2009-09-11T01:11:00.000-04:00

Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign

2009-09-10T09:03:00.001-04:00

Words. Seems like there are times when there are never enough words and times when there are no words needed. You can often define someone with just one word and it may have to do with the way they look, what they do or how you perceive them.

I find words and sayings very comforting and am always attracted to anything that has words as part of its make-up. So, with that in mind, let me share with you some of the words that are openly displayed in our home….

Just Trying Something…

2009-09-08T09:41:00.002-04:00

After our ~~pain in the butt~~ wonderful remodeling experience last year, we have decided to hold off just a bit on doing any other big renovations. Our original plan was to do the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms, but that all changed when the kitchen and downstairs bathroom were completed. Yes, the rest of the downstairs looked pretty dang shabby. So…we re-negotiated everything and ended up renovating everything downstairs and letting the upstairs alone.

Don’t get me wrong…the downstairs is amazing and there is nothing wrong with the upstairs..just a bit outdated. About 25 years outdated…but, not in a cool vintage way. More in a brass trim, shiny disco wallpaper, very Florida way.

To change it up a bit, I decided to go with a “bird/garden/outdoor/natural” theme in the hall bathroom. Somehow, the swirly green and beige wallpaper just seems to lend itself to that..ha! I’m just getting started and I’m not too sure The Hub is getting into the nature part of it all.

Perfect re-cycled branch, broken off of our oak tree in a storm….

Real rescued bird’s nest…and yes, it’s been de-bugged and dried. The eggs are just those little plastic ones from Michael’s (my idea of heaven).

Some type of air plant, found on the ground after a storm. It rains and the wind blows almost every day here in “The Fun ‘n Sun Capital Of The World”. It’s just tucked into a wire basket thing on the front of this bird and vine mirror.

This is the other wall. Matching bird and vine shelf with some “sort of” related stuff on it.

The bee skep is actually soap. Would you would ever use that?? I think it would be a gooey mess on the side of your sink after being used a few times. If you have ever used one and it stayed presentable, please tell me how you did that!

And the little mercury glass vase? Okay…so you don’t find it in a bird/garden/outdoor/natural place, but I just love it. I have mercury glass in my house now and really use it at Holiday time. Forgive me.

This is probably my favorite thing…so far…a vintage looking bird image on glass. Not old, but still a very cool piece.

That’s where I am…the best part is, everything is thrifted, found at a yard sale or bought on final clearance, so it’s been a very inexpensive way to try something different. The wallpaper and fixtures are a challenge, but ya just gotta work with what ya got!

Even Nature Wants to Honor Labor Day!

2009-09-07T12:07:00.003-04:00

Every living thing should honor all of the hard working men & women of the USA…even bugs!!

This guy was outside earlier just showing off his patriotic colors….

Never seen any insect like this…not this type and certainly not with these colors!

But…the clouds are moving in and I’m sure we will have some rain this afternoon. I just thought the white FedEx plane against the dark clouds was interesting…but didn’t even see the bird in the lower right corner until I was ready to share with you!

Enjoy the rest of your day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**PS** Thanks so much to a random visitor, Michael Bruce, who filled me in and gave the link to info on the very cool patriotic bug:

"Hi, Just bumping around the I.net...Insect in your photo is a moth, specifically a Polka Dot Wasp Moth. It utilizes mimicry to fool potential predators into leaving it alone. "

Thanks a bunch, Michael!

Feel Better, Hub…

2009-09-03T06:03:00.000-04:00

It only took us 7 hours at the dermatologist yesterday...and The Hub looks like this guy.

Many years of sun…from Florida beaches to golf courses (and yard work, but that’s not nearly as much fun) have taken it’s toll and the skin cancer is movin’ in! This isn’t the first time…last year he had another bad spot on the top of his ear and…well, let’s just say that the Dr. shouldn’t think about switching to cosmetic surgery anytime soon. We spent a month or so calling The Hub, “Evander” even though he didn’t lose that big chunk of ear ear to Mike Tyson’s teeth!

Stitches out in 2 weeks…feel better Hub! We love ya even though you’re all bandaged up and lookin’ funny. :)

Magazine Report

2009-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

We had the whole catalog discussion a couple of days back…so let’s move on to magazines! These are two of my faves…I am so amazed at the creativity and talent found on these pages!

Love the Holiday issue…and any issue of Somerset Studio makes me happy. :)

The Hub has to have some minor outpatient surgery today and, from previous experience, we know it will take several hours. I got these books with a Borders Gift Card yesterday and had to almost beat myself up not to look at them…I need something to keep me entertained while waiting at the Dr.’s office! But…pictures to post?? What a wonderfully foolish excuse to take a peek!

Oh…I forgot about this one. I kept seeing it and hearing about on other blogs, so I caved and ordered it. This one was delivered last week…talk about self-control!! I didn’t even take it out of the box until today!!

All three of these should keep me busy….notice the look on Jake’s face. Even he can’t believe I haven’t been through them already… :)

Prayers Please

2009-09-01T11:37:00.003-04:00

The son of an office co-worker is struggling with a rare form of brain cancer...very aggressive and very difficult to treat. Harley went to the Emergency Room with a severe headache and after some tests and a CT Scan, the Dr. came to his Mom and gave her the news...they could tell by the results that this was a baseball sized brain tumor, a rare cancer and that he would not survive. All of that within just a few hours...pretty shocking!

Without going into all of the detail, Harley was moved to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL and was in surgery within 12 hours of his arrival. 95% of the tumor has been removed and he is starting his chemo and radiation this week.

It just wasn't enough to have to deal with this devastating news...the family does not have health insurance. How to help?? So many hard working families are watching their budget and extra cash is not easy to come by. But, everyone has some extra "stuff" they don't need...so a big Benefit Garage Sale has been organized!

Please take a minute to visit the Hope For Harley website and learn a bit more about Harley and his brave battle. It would so wonderful if you would pass this info on at any opportunity...there can never be too many prayers.

Just a reminder to hug those close to you...life can change in an instant.

Thank You from the bottom of my heart...

The Mailbox Is Full

2009-08-30T12:36:00.001-04:00

Oh yeah…this is the time of year our sweet mail delivery guy starts to get cranky. The Hub is a catalog shopper from way, way back and that puts us on every catalog list you can think of. I am a catalog lover, not so much a shopper, and that must be their nightmare! These are 3 of my all time faves:

Imagine my giddiness when all 3 of these arrived on the same day!! I could hardly wait to get them open. My usual is to wait until the house is quiet, The Hub is asleep and the clock is telling me it’s just after midnight…catalog time!! A cup of mint tea, no make up and catalogs…ahh…heaven.

From Pottery Barn I want this:

Instead of this:

Hmmm..vintage birds, Minnie ears, flying monkey, Travelocity gnome…there must be a key to my real self somewhere in this mess….

Here’s the best…

The Grandin Road Halloween Catalog with Martha Stewart! I am not a Martha fan, but I am obsessed with her glitter! Really…so many pretty colors and if you are a glitter person, you must love this stuff.

Look at this cool banner.…and I can remember having a skeleton like this in our classroom when I was in elementary school…ahem.

The best of both worlds…Skeletons AND Glitter!!!

But these are my absolute favorites and I am hoping I can get them mixed into the Halloween decorations without ~~The Hub~~ anyone noticing….

This guy is running a close second…isn’t he so neat? We already have a vampire with glowing eyes and a talking butler so I am guessing I won’t be able to sneak him in..

Can’t hardly wait for tomorrow’s mail!

The Rest Of The Story...

2009-08-29T14:10:00.001-04:00

There's a bunch of pics to follow...then we will be done with this trip and we can move on!

I went back and found a few more inside pictures...there were 5 cameras on board and we all took different views and I copied everyone's pictures to my computer...so you can only imagine how many there are to sort through. Anyway....

Here's the sofa......

And the TV we watched when we were on the sofa. You can also see the inside driving controls.

2 fridges, stove & microwave. Plenty of counter space and storage. There was also a double sink, dishwasher and under-counter icemaker.

This is the dining area...seats 10...just next to the kitchen.

Another bathroom...more counter space.

This is one of the upstairs bedrooms and the towels that were supplied.

One of the best things was just the absolute freedom to go anywhere on the lake and stop anywhere that looks good. You don't have to tie up everytime you stop...we did just float for a while and, if you're not staying, you can just put the boat on the shore. The guys were really anxious to fish....

The Hub didn't catch anything.

Seems like there are lots of pics of the scenery and the boat and the kids...but here are the 2 sons....

Here are the 2 wives....

And here are the 5 kids!!

As long as we are outside, here's another view of that top deck and the slide...

And, a great pic of the hot tub! While the boat was moving, the heat was turned off and the kids just sat in the cool water, like a pool.

One son brought his smaller boat along and we towed it behind the big boat. It turned out to be a good idea...they were able to take rides down the narrow parts of the lake and the kids got to do some tubing.

It was a long swim to the shore & back!

Look at those pink cheeks...and the view! This was taken while we were just cruising...the boat only goes about 10 miles an hour.

We had 2 special things happen on our last night...first, these guys came out of nowhere, just begging to be fed some snacks.

And, second...we had a Luau Party! I surprised everybody with Luau decorations and plates and napkins and all of that. It was really fun...

But these guys really had a blast!

What A Trip...I Mean...Vacation!!!

2009-08-28T18:21:00.016-04:00

Okay, so...in case you don't know, we just returned from a wonderful adventure...a Houseboat Vacation! Never done it before, so we had no idea what to expect. The brochure pics were great, but traveling to Kentucky just based on a brochure...well, risky at best. But after months (and I do mean months) of preparation, scheduling and decisions, we all headed for Jamestown!

The Hub tries to do something big for the two sons, their wives and the grandkids every year. Always given as a family Christmas gift so they look forward to that. Well..we never expected everyone to be so excited and take so much interest in this...I mean, who knew?? There are lots of pictures to share, so this is part uno.

Here's the picture from the brochure......3 levels, 87 feet long, 8 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, hot tub, grill, curly slide, central AC ( in order to live, of course), satellite TV, TV in every room with DVD player....sounds great, right??? I'm here to tell you it was all true...every bit of it. The boat was clean, stocked with dishes and utensils, linens...no kidding, it was amazing! We brought our own food...grill stuff, breakfast stuff and snacks...

The night before was, as it always is before we go anywhere, hectic. Seems like the kitties always know something's up and Woody was quick to let us know we couldn't put anything past him.....

The regulations in Kentucky for houseboating allow for 13 passengers on this particular boat. With sons and families the head count was 11. It was so fun to have our good friends (that went with us to Alaska a couple years ago) join us. We had to rent a big van to carry all of our stuff and we were almost full when we got to their house...

Just one picture before we leave...sheesh....notice the sunglasses on the guys and the glasses on girls' head.

We took our time getting there...2 days...and this is looking out from an overlook in Kentucky. We were getting ready to cruise Lake Cumberland and are actually in Lake Cumberland Park. Look at the trees, look at the water, look at the size of my butt...Lord, help me. Good thing this was taken from the car....

Really...how pretty is this?? Nothing at all like Central Florida!

Here's the marina...see the cars way over on the left...parked on that hill?? That's where you park and they have kids that get your stuff and load it in big rubbermaid containers on wheels. Then once you get checked in, you park your car in a special lot, get the shuttle back and the kids take your stuff to your boat.

Uh...yeah...here's our boat at the dock. Even though we had looked at pictures almost everyday for the last 3 months, I don't think any of us were really ready for this.....

While The Hub was getting all signed in and the kids were unloading our stuff, I walked ahead and took some quick pics. Front deck......

Up the little stairs (to the right) to the middle deck...counter and bar, hot tub and you can see the slide...it actually begins on the next higher level. That top level is a sun deck, but only accessable by a spiral staircase, not much wider than my above mentioned butt. Since I was dealing with a broken toe (ouch!) and there was that chance that I might get stuck, I never made it to that top deck. But...it looked very nice...

There was also a place to drive up here, but I didn't get that either. Oh well...back down to the living room and kitchen...just like home. Very weird to be cooking on the stove or making a cup of tea while your house is moving! That stuff on the counter is buns....bags of hotdog & hamburger buns. Now go down the hallway to the left of the kitchen and there are 4 bedrooms with king sized beds and the 2 main bathrooms and the door to the back deck of the boat.

In between the 4 bedrooms there were...stairs!! Yep...the other 4 bedrooms were downstairs and this is where we kept...er, I mean...let the kids sleep.

One of the bathrooms...plenty of room.

This is how most of the shoreline looked. We found out that the water was down about 50 feet. There is some big construction going on with the dam and they had to lower the water....but, even with 50 feet of water missing, the GPS/Depth Finder was still reading 100-150 feet deep!

Other houseboats on the lake all parked together. I'm guessing these are private boats and they must have been out on the lake together...

Lake Cumberland is over 100 miles long and about 1 mile in wide...so you just cruise around and look at all of this until you are ready to tie up for the night.

The guys picked a nice cove and we just pulled right up and they got off, tied the ropes to some rocks and that was it! We did get off to do some lookin' around and take this picture...pretty cool.

The water was so clear.....

And, who wouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep under this Kentucky Moon??

Enough...I will post the rest tomorrow!!

Hope you guys have a great weekend...

Almost....

2009-07-31T10:18:00.002-04:00

Busy, busy, busy....!! We are packed up and ready to go...it's amazing how many things you think of that you use every single day without really thinking about it. I just hope these houseboat guys have some kind of "move in system" 'cause we are really taking a lot of stuff!

We are all excited and expecting to have a wonderful time, but there have been a couple of fleeting moments that kind of make you step back and think....mmmm...on a boat, no way out, everyone together all that time. This just happened this morning...

We went to pick up the big van we rented to haul all of the above mentioned stuff and decided it would be easier to get the ice on the way home than stop and get it later....

The Hub: You should stop & get the ice once you leave me at the rental place.

Me: Okay. How much?

The Hub: Hmmmm..Let's see....hmmmmm....maybe,um......

Me: How many coolers??

The Hub: Two. The bigger one and a small one for drinks on the road

Me: Two??

The Hub: Yep. Two...so how about 3 bags of ice...20 lbs.each.

Me: Right. 60 lbs??

The Hub: 3 x 20 equals 60. I am going to stop and top off the gas tank on the way home.

Me: If you are going to the gas station anyway, why don't you get the ice and let me just go home?

The Hub: They don't have 20 lb. bags of ice at the gas station....only 10 lb bags.

**What did he just say???? Won't 6 bags of ice at 10 lbs each still equal 60 lbs?? I mean, I am certainly no math head, but last time I thought about it, 6 x 10 = 60.**

Me: Oh...okay. Sure. I'll get the ice.

Seriously...it's gonna be a long week. :)

Back The Truck Up....

2009-07-30T16:48:00.001-04:00

Is this not the cutest puppy, like, EVER???

Just had to share.....

Summertime & The Livin' Is Easy....

2009-07-26T17:25:00.004-04:00

We are getting ready for our summer 2009 vacation and it starts at the end of this week!!

Hmmmm??

What's that?? Oh...where are we going and what are we going to do??

We will be "Houseboating"! Never done this before and have no real idea of how the whole thing will work out.....

This is the houseboat on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. Our trip actually begins on Friday as we leave Central FLA, with 2 stop-overs, and begin our Houseboat Adventure on Sunday. A four day trip and we have to be back at the dock on Thursday morning.

It looks pretty cool...this was The Hub's Christmas gift to the kids and grandkids. The boat itself is...are you ready...87 feet long!! Has 8 bedrooms and is 3 levels tall with a huge slide off of the top level. Oh...the kids should love that! There are 5 and they are between the ages of 8 and 12.

This is how you tie up at night...just pick a spot and hook yourself to the ground. It should be verrrry interesting. The dock guys say they can teach us how to drive this ...I would prefer not to have that responsibility!!

Still a few days until we leave...we have so many lists, I need a list of the lists!!

Mama Se, Mama Sa, Mama Coo Sa

2009-07-26T16:08:00.006-04:00

Had the chance to see something special a few days back...and it was special! It's been a month since the news of Michael Jackson's death stunned us all and I still cannot really believe it.

There has been lots of controversy (shocker!), even among my group of friends, and I really think I have kept myself under control and tried to keep my yap shut. Someone tried to pull me into a discussion/debate a couple of days ago and I finally just asked that person not to talk about this with me. I am adopting the "do not talk about politics or religion with friends" approach...however, my new mantra will be "do not talk about politics, religion OR Michael Jackson with friends".

My opinion....and only my opinion, not that of any of my immediate family or friends...is that his death is a tremendous loss to the entertainment world. He changed the face of music, video, dance...I don't think there was more than a handful of spots in the world that would not recognize his picture. His personal life was none of my business and what in the wide, wide world of sports does that have to do with his entertainment skills?? How he spent his money or raised his children or applied his eyeliner doesn't take away from the fact that I love his music. I have never walked in his shoes and have no idea what having to deal with that level of fame is like. To even begin to criticize or analyze his life is ignorant. I was never a part of his life and whatever you hear from anyone but him is just hearsay....since he is no longer here, there is no way to know what is or isn't, what was or wasn't, true.

Excuse me while I step down off of this soap box....

So...with that out of the way...I would like to share some pictures with you from a really fun event that I enjoyed with The Daughter & some of her friends....

Reportedly, the country's best "Michael Jackson Tribute Band" was here in Orlando and the show was amazing! Sold out with about 1500 people in the crowd and what a great time we had....

This is a tribute band that has played all over the world and is on a whirlwind tour across the South now...they do play here at House of Blues about 3 times a year. 6 musicians and a lead singer, they sound great and they have an essence of Michael. Not an impersonator, so the lead singer doesn't really look like Michael, but he had just about everything else.

Great show, about 90 minutes long and lots of dancing and audience participation. Took you all the way back to The Jackson 5, through Billie Jean and Thriller, through Beat It and Man in the Mirror and brought you all the way to Dirty Diana and Dangerous. I loved it.

Oh yeah...ignore the "No Camera" instructions on the ticket...I did. :)

Guess who???

Shamon.

Find The Man

2009-07-24T23:58:00.003-04:00

Somewhere in this picture of coffee beans is a man.

See if you can find him.

This is bizarre - after you find the guy - it's so obvious. Once you find him, it's kind of embarassing and you think, "Why didn't I see him immediately?".

Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in 3 seconds, the right half of your brain is better developed than most people.

If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, the right half of your brain is developed normally.

If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein.

If you have not found the man after looking for 3 minutes, the right half of your brain is broken.

Let me know how it turns out for you...

Have a great weekend!!

**PS** I don't know anything about the Dr.'s that came to all the above conclusions. They might just be full of crap. :)

Can You See The Difference?

2009-07-22T23:44:00.004-04:00

Okay....so...my Mom has a home in a very nice 55+ community. Beautiful Clubhouse, lake, boat dock and lots of golf carts. Here's the entrance monument....also nice, but simple. Always looks the same...just like this.

Imagine my surprise when I drove in a few days ago and saw this.....

Now...unless you were a frequent visitor you might not really notice the angel, pink flamingo, garden gnome, manatee, goose-in-purple dress landscaping. But, I'm here often enough to recognize that these all come someone's front yard!!!

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

*snort*

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Must have been some visiting grandkids with some extra time and sleeping grandparents. It took about a week for each piece to find it's way home and it did cause some fuss throughout the neighborhood. It also made me laugh...a lot. Luckily, Mom didn't lose anything to the Front Entrance Fiasco...but I'm pretty sure I saw a chain around the waist of St. Francis last time I was at her house.

Celebration

2009-07-04T12:50:00.005-04:00

Independence isn't Free...there is a price to pay and we thank all of the brave men & women and their families that stand tall for all of us.

Wishing you & yours a very Happy & Safe 4th...remember to hug those that are close to you!!

Time Flies....

2009-06-24T09:16:00.002-04:00

....when you're havin' fun!

Here's our wedding invitation...and, just for a couple of days...enjoy some of the music that was a very big part of that evening!

Happy Anniversary, Dear Hub.....xoxoxo

Happy Father's Day!!

2009-06-21T08:15:00.004-04:00

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

I will always love you.

Wishing all you Dad's out there an amazing day!!

Hack, Hack, Hack.....

2009-06-06T09:02:00.002-04:00

No....don't have some horrendous cough.....

My computer has been H-A-C-K-E-D!!!

I'll be back as soon as I can.... :)

The Rest Of It...

2009-05-26T08:51:00.013-04:00

What a weekend! Storms, lightening, wind...just incredible! Some areas close to us had 40 inches of rain in the past few days. I can't begin to imagine what they are dealing with as they try to save their personal possesions...

But...I left you standing at the backyard gate! Let's get this done, shall we???

The Hub is wild about color. Wants lots of it and all different. Now, I like color as much as the next person, but to have different flowers all the same color is a bit more to my liking. I would love to have all white...many different types of flowers, but all white. "Too boring" says The Hub...so we have a festival going on back here!!

Now...we do agree on one thing...we love vines and the way they look and just seem to have a mind of their own. We planted 2 different vines next to each other and allowed them to grow together...pretty pink Mandivilla....

And bright yellow Alamandan (is that right??)

Aren't they pretty together :)

This is one of The Hub's all time faves...Red Geranium...just one big pot full!

We can't talk about The Hub's faves without mentioning his real passion..Plumeria!! Ever heard of it?? This little white flower started it all...given to us by some very sweet neighbors about 7 years ago...growing in an old coffee can!

These are the flowers that are used to make Hawaiin Lei's! They each have a different fragrance from lemon to peach and the colors/varieties are endless.

To say The Hub was a bit...ummmm...obsessed...is putting it mildly! After starting some from seed and buying cuttings online and visiting a special nursery on the other coast, we had a virtual Plumeria forest. Orchard. Farm. I don't know what to call it, but we had about 75 of these freakin' trees!!

He has finally made some tough decisions and thinned out the herd. We are down to about 30 now...but as they begin to bloom, and you get a whiff of those little sweeties it's tough not to see the beauty. I guess I just didn't need to see it 75 times. :)

I don't know what this is, but it is used in landscaping here in Central FL very often. The little white flowers wave in the breeze...they appear in the morning and close up in the afternoon sun. (notice that "pipe furniture" in the porch?? ick.)

And...what is that???

Yep...you can see it better now, can't you???

Is that Pest Control or what??

No garden or landscaping area is safe from The Hub. "It's the element of surprise" he says. What's the surprise...that he's crazy??? (love you, Hub)

I've kept you so long...here's the last of it! This is planted down near the sea wall...Love. It. The flowers really are that deep purple....so pretty...and blooms all year down here.

And, here's the view...you can't get much luckier than this! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!!!

Garden Walk

2009-05-17T18:43:00.009-04:00

Other than everyone in this house being sick and then getting well and then getting sick again, there's not a whole lot of anything going on! I mean, we have been sick since the first part of March!! All recovered now and very happy about that! So...since we've been lucky enough to have some extra nice weather, I thought I'd just walk you around the house and let you see some of the beauty surrounding us....

This is the front of our house, taken from the driveway. I really like those cone shaped trees near the porch....

And...some of you may remember the all time favorite flower...the Agapanthas. We've got 2 colors (quite by accident ,really)...this very pretty bright white.....

And this soft, kind of periwinkle color. Not really purple and not really blue.....

Then, there is the wild bougainvillea...these are the prettiest shade of orange....

And a hot fuschia-pink! These are huge...growing on a lattice way past the roof line!

And, these are some little ones we planted just a week or so ago. Dwarf gardenias!! They are in a brick planter all around the oak tree out front and you can smell them as soon as you walk out the front door. Love that!

Yikes...I didn't realize how many pictures there were...so, here's the gate to the back and I'll share the back yard next time!

But...before I go...I do need to wish The Daughter a very Happy 25th Birthday!!! Seems impossible to me that I have been lucky enough to share this amount of time with such a precious treasure. I'm not really supposed to be talking about this, but here's a picture I just couldn't resist sharing...doesn't this look like pure bliss??

Happy Birthday, Boo! We Love You!!

Job Well Done...

2009-05-13T22:27:00.001-04:00

We {heart} Danny Gokey

You Don't See This Too Often

2009-05-12T10:31:00.002-04:00

This is a picture perfect Florida day...temps in the mid 80's, breezy, not too many clouds. We are so lucky to have this view from our upstairs bedroom....Hey...wait a sec...what the heck is that out on the boat house??

No...wait...what is that?? A big bird?? A duck?? I gotta get closer!

I'm pretty close and it's not moving...is it real??

You must be kidding...here, on an inland lake in the middle of Orlando??? (No..not the shark)

It's a pelican!! He took off and landed mid-lake right after this shot...we have no idea where he came from or what he is doing here.

Had to look him up and seems like he's a Brown Pelican, lives coastal and is usually a bit farther North, like Virginia or North Carolina...but, there are some on the West Coast of Florida. Now, the West Coast is a 90 minute drive from here...and the East Coast just about an hour...is he on vacation?? The only other thing we can think of is that he may have wandered in from Sea World, which isn't too far...

He's been here for several days...hope he's not lost, but he dives and gets what he needs to eat so we are just going to watch over him and enjoy his company. What a cutie!!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T09:54:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day, MOM!!!

Mom & Me, June 1953

You were, you still are and you will always be

the BEST Mom Ever....

Love You To Bits!

Just In Case You Are Looking For Me

2009-04-27T23:31:00.002-04:00

It's that time again......

Yep...been summoned for Jury Duty 4 times. Been picked for a Jury 4 times. 4 times. Theft, DUI, Murder...been there and been picked. 4 times.

Got my book? Check

Got my glasses? Check-Check

Got my Tylenol? Checkity-Check-Check-Check.

See ya.

We Need Your Help....

2009-04-27T09:19:00.003-04:00

CLICK HERE

How You Can Help In Mere Seconds *Every Day*

The Breast Cancer Site provides a feel-good way to help promote awareness of breast cancer and provide free mammograms for women in need every day — through easy and quick online activities.
With a simple, daily click of the pink "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Breast Cancer Site, visitors help to provide free mammograms for women in need. Visitors pay nothing. Mammograms are provided by our charitable partners.
Please remember to click every day to fund free mammograms and give hope to women in need. Every click counts toward the goal of early detection, which allows for the best possible treatment options.

******

There is an option on the "click" page that allows you to sign up for a daily reminder...you can help to give FREE Mammograms, Feed the Hungry, Donate Food to Animal Shelters, Buy Books for Needy Children, Protect the Rainforest, and help to Provide Child Healthcare by just "clicking". You can do all of this, FREE, within 30 seconds...please share 30 seconds of yourself to help some of those in need.

******

Thanks.

Sweetness

2009-04-23T10:16:00.003-04:00

This has just gotta make ya feel good...........

Visit A Sheperd's Tale to find out more about these cuties and all of the other lambs at Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. Just too sweet....

Just Thinkin'

2009-04-21T13:27:00.008-04:00

Even though I am not an everyday blogger...where does the time go...I visit certain blogs almost everyday and always find a path to something new and then another and so on. So many different people making their way around and it really has me thinking...

I love the blogs that are all sweetness & light and pretty music and have been wondering if it's time to change things up a bit here at Mockingbird Hill.

I have read that some of the ladies purposely write about everything good because they think that's the reason people visit...to be cheered or comforted in some way. That's not really me.... (I mean "writing about just the good stuff" part)

I do like the sweet music and almost ethereal feeling I get when I visit some places....but I am a 60's/70's music girl and can't imagine a day without that. So, that's not really me, either....

And, I do love the pink roses and ribbons but red is my favorite color and I have had a few people tell me that the red here is sometimes a surprise, but they like it, too!

But, I also know that change is usually good and keeps things interesting, so I'm looking around for something that is different but still says "me". Oh, I'm sure it will involve a change in color but I'm not sure I can do away with the music. I am so loving the list in the playlist now...love. it.

Anyway...just thinking.

Windy, Windy, Windy

2009-04-19T17:10:00.007-04:00

I took these pictures a couple of days ago when it was a bit chilly here in F-L-A. Whenever there is a big temperature change, the wind kicks up a bit and it's really noticeable here on the lakeside. I mean..we had whitecaps!!

They even break on the shoreline...check out that clear water! We are lucky to live on the cleanest chain of lakes in Central FL...the Conway Chain.

And there's always more surprises that wash up on the shore...

It seems like there is always a raft or tube that gets loose from across the way...we just pull it up on shore to keep it safe and wait for the owners to show up and claim it. And, they did.

Sorry...this was an accident, but I'm all about the Croc's! I've had this pair for about 5 years....

Anyway...after a couple of chilly days(like 40 degrees chilly!) I think we've seen the end of the coolness. Now we are gearing up for typical FL days...high temps & high humidity.

Before I forget...remember the little thrifted wicker sleigh I was re-doing? Here's how it turned out...sweet! Someone fell in love with it at our Antiques & Trade Fair and they walked off happy. I love the way those little pink flowers match...and the Fairy...and how about the hat??

The whole Fair was tons of fun and we even had the chance to meet LUCY RICARDO!! She loved everything we had done and wanted to get a picture with our Bad Girl model...you can read all about everything here: Bad Girls of the South.

Seems like I'm over the worst of my sickness...and, wouldn't you know The Hub has been under the weather, too. Maybe it is time for some sunny weather!

I Caught It

2009-04-13T13:10:00.001-04:00

Oh Sheesh.......

See you in a day or two....

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Okay...Check This Out...

2009-04-11T11:19:00.002-04:00

All that font changin' and color addin' can be found at:

Windows Live Writer

You have to sign up (as usual) and then download a simle program...but it actually publishes to your blog for you! I open up a word document, use whatever color and font I want and copy & paste into their Blogger format. Really easy....so far. There's lots I haven't done that is available..photo editing and stuff like that...but, I just like being able to change things up a bit. :)

Anyway...Happy Saturday!

Neat-O

2009-04-06T09:35:00.001-04:00

I found this cool thing that lets you

do funky stuff to your blog post…

You can change fonts and colors….

Add pictures…

Looks like you can really do just about anything!

I’ll let you know all about it once I have it figured out…

What's Going On Now??

2009-03-26T13:44:00.005-04:00

Before I get to that, let me show you this. I found this dark brown wicker sleigh thing at the thrift store and thought it would make a sweet plant holder. I don't have any before pictures (I always forget that part) but here it is after a couple coats of KILZ...

After using some "Ballet Pink" spray paint, it now looks like this! Not quite done...my plans include some old music sheets and stuff as the inside liner, but I am liking the way it looks so far!

And, that brings me to this sweet little oak chair. Once belonged to a woman who is 82 years old now and she says she sat it in when she was "a wee tiny thing".

And, both of those things bring me to this picture posted a few days back. This is My Mom & Her Sister...look at those dirty knees!

So...what's going on now? Some of you may know that my sister and I once owned a primitve country shop here in FL called "When Pigs Fly" and after moving on from that we joined forces once again to become "Bad Girls of the South". We haven't done much over the last couple of years, but we are working on putting things together and hope that you will join us on our journey!

We are involved in the Mount Dora Antiques and Trades Fair this weekend here in Central FL and have got our new blog full of info...so please stop by and visit us sometime. And if you are in this area, we hope you will come out and see everyone! The weather is supposed to be beautiful on Saturday...what a great way to start your Spring!!

Visit us here:

Bad Girls of the South

Thanks...you guys rock!

You Know How It Is

2009-03-20T21:52:00.005-04:00

You see something and you just can't stop thinking about it. How it was made, how it looks, what if you just changed one little thing....I do this all the time and it makes me nuts. So, I took a bit of a mental health break yesterday and put something together, based on something else I saw...somewhere.

I got this little old medicine bottle at the thrift store for $1.25 and it has been sitting in my "space" for a month or so. I needed to give a small token to a friend and decided to do something with this, just 'cause I know she loves this stuff, too. So...I dropped in a few pearls of different shapes and sizes. Not real pearls, but some kind of aged looking ones....

I had made these bird's nests out of pearls and silver wire...one 22 gauge and one 26 gauge...and wanted to add them somehow. Now...I saw these on another beautiful blog and I cannot for the life of me remember where. If these look similar to any you have seen in your blog travels, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. Her instructions were so easy to follow! ***http://www.justsomethingimade.com/*** Posted 3.2.09 Thanks, Cathe!!

After adding a piece of vintage sheet music and a picture of birds, I tried to place the nest...

But...I had this cool old button' that had the same color of pearls and just a couple of rhinestones, and it seemd to fit better.

Let's not stop trying...I really wanted to use that nest! A bit of vintage Christmas tinsel as a backdrop, maybe??? I really am all about the shiny stuff...

I had to admit it...the button looked better and it was the right color and the little brown feathers just blended in so sweetly. But are ya lovin' that piece of tinsel in the top?? :)

And They Just Keep Happenin'....

2009-03-20T21:29:00.003-04:00

What??? Another giveaway by my special friend, Sandi! This giveaway is so exciting...because we don't-even-know what she's giving away!! That's right...it's a secret...and who can resist that??

So..do yourself a favor and get on over to Holding Patterns and visit with Sandi, leaving a comment which will then enter you in the giveaway drawing...easy peasy. :)

Happy Spring!

Sweet Giveaway...

2009-03-17T11:58:00.007-04:00

How cute is this?? Love. It. Imagined and designed by the oh so creative Cathy over at "Tadpoles & Teacups" and she is giving it away to one lucky visitor! Don't wait...the drawing is April 1st and the list of wannabe winners is growing!

Here's what Cathy had to say: The tiny, round papier mache box has been covered in vintage-style paper and makes a perfect place for hiding a small gift. Perched atop the box is a shy blue bird made of paper clay. He is sitting in a nest of aged crepe, accented with seed pearls and vintage salmon-colored crepe.

Her works of art are so special...be sure to get in on this and spend a little time getting to know her, too...she's a sweetie!

Got a couple of irons in the fire...who doesn't, right??...hope to share that with you guys in a couple of days. Here's a hint....

Probably not a lot of help, but so cute!!

Here are a couple of St. Patrick's Day images for you:

Enjoy your friends and families while having fun...celebrate responsibly & be safe!!!

Pool Toys

2009-03-12T19:11:00.005-04:00

Bunny in the yard and now it's ducks in the pool! It HAS to be Spring! These guys are winter residents of our lake and are always down on the beach. We have noticed that there is one boy and two girls that are always together. I think these mallards mate for life, don't they?? Just guessing that one of the girls lost her partner and has found a new home with this couple...sweet.

Anyway...they spent some time in and out of the pool and walking around the yard and I saw one of the girls head into the hedges by herself. Hmmm...could she be scouting for a nest?? Can't take any close up pictures since they take off as soon as they see anyone. I was in the house and took these through the back glass door. I'll let you know about the nest... :)

Our Very Own Yard Bun

2009-03-08T09:23:00.008-04:00

Let's see, it was just a couple of weeks ago we showed some pictures of the ice on our lawn...kind of freaky for Central Florida...and even though it's been chilly for the last few days...here's what we are seeing now!!

These pics are taken from inside our screened porch but he seems to be pretty calm about the whole thing. That could be because the kitties are always at the edge of the screen giving him a stare down....or because the shrubs get trimmed once a week with a weed whacker and he lives right in there!

Once we discovered him, we checked to see what we could add to his diet and make him want to be our forever yard bun, but the all knowing internet said "Do Not Feed Wild Buns". Okay, okay...whatever.

He seems to be by himself. Makes you wonder how he got here. Where is his family? Does he really live somewhere else and this is just his get-away? What does he do all day??

Who knows? But, if he's happy, we're happy. So be it.

Another Small Re-Do

2009-03-02T10:09:00.020-05:00

Seems like once you re-do one thing, you have to keep going...one thing just leads to another. We have already been through that when we started to work on the kitchen and bath downstairs and then suddenly decided to just keep going in the family room, foyer and living room.

This house, built in the 50's had a huge makeover sometime in the late 70's and not much done since then. We have made some improvements outside as far as landscaping, decking, etc but the big changes started last June when the downstairs renovation began.

Now, all I can think of is the poor upstairs. The bathrooms have wallpaper that is shiny and textured, brass accents and lucite towel holders. Well, after everything else we have done, the upstairs will have to wait, but I am doing a small re-do (accessory wise) on the hall bathroom.

Trying to go for a "cottage-y look" since the cabinats and counters are almond formica (yikes)...just trying to blend it all. Working with shades of green since the small border tiles are a greenish color:

Here's the cabinet knobs...I don't think they even make these anymore! It's pretty worn, but did have a brass edge all around that cool almond center...

So...replacement with some cute oval shaped glass knobs...thanks, Ebay!

I am really not the lacy, frilly type so a duck cloth shower curtain works for me...yay, Target! The shower curtain rod is kind of a speckled green and I used dark bronze hooks..

For some reason I always think of bird stuff when anyone talks about that whole cottage look...so on to the birds! This is a tea-light holder that was only $4.99 because of his bent legs. That's an easy fix...

This is a tin wall hanging...I don't get the upside down birds...but, whatever, it matches.....

And just a touch of lavender...this looks so real!

I really like this bird shelf and it is just the right green color...

And, here's some stuff to set on the bird shelf...got the sprayer at the thrift store...$1...

And, finally a bird nest mirror. Who doesn't love a bird nest mirror?

I really think I need a picture for color but better get all of this up first. One thing leads to another leads to another.....

Mockingbird Hill

Seriously......

Stuffy.....

To You and Yours.....

It's Almost A New Beginning

The Countdown Begins

A Simple Parade

Merry Christmas

Wow....It IS Christmas Eve!

It Is The Day Before Christmas, Right?

Christmas Toy

It Sure Doesn't Look Like Christmas

Just Funny

It's Official Now!

3 Minutes Of Happy

Back To Normal

Peace, Baby

Getting Started

Little Abe

Countdown!

Ha-Ha-Ha-Happy Thanksgiving

At Peace

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MY PRETTIES !!!

It's Here! It's Here!

Ten Years Later

Finally....

Go Green!!

Can You Even Believe It?

And So It Begins.....

Strawberry Fields Forever

We Will Never Forget And.....

Independence Day

Happy Father's Day

**Sniff** **Cough** **Ah-Choo**

Please, Sir...May I Have a Bit More?

Trying To Stay Warm

Just How Cold Is It?

Happy Birthday x 2

It Was A Good Time

Another New Beginning...

Holiday Hoopla

Fun Family Plans Today

Wow...I Needed That!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Seriously??

What A Night!

Something To Share With You

It’s All About The Shoes

May We Introduce…

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

09/23/2009

The Search Begins

A HUGE Success

The Dancing Doesn’t End

Let Us Not Forget…

Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign

Just Trying Something…

Even Nature Wants to Honor Labor Day!

Feel Better, Hub…

Magazine Report

Prayers Please

The Mailbox Is Full

The Rest Of The Story...

What A Trip...I Mean...Vacation!!!

Almost....

Back The Truck Up....

Summertime & The Livin' Is Easy....

Mama Se, Mama Sa, Mama Coo Sa

Find The Man

Can You See The Difference?

Celebration

Time Flies....

Happy Father's Day!!

Hack, Hack, Hack.....

The Rest Of It...

Garden Walk

Job Well Done...

You Don't See This Too Often

Happy Mother's Day

Just In Case You Are Looking For Me

Sniff Cough Ah-Choo