Moving Weekend:

Daughter in love has moved into the house they bought this weekend the house is full no room for dear sons stuff we got plenty of exercise moving boxes furniture, pruning some tree limbs, putting up dog fence and dear son has a new sink in the bathroom.

Next is the painting, window washing, and settling in phase. Dear son’s mother in law had window cleaner, and filing stuff to go in the freezer, the last thing to go in a fire learn some thing all the time. She could not get the windows open to clean them seemed it was not a priority for others.

I had to laugh each person seems to move in a different way. The first thing I do is to hang pictures if there are any nails up. Get the kitchen set up some what putting dishes where they will be going, and the bed up, or just sleep on the mattress on the floor when we have moved in the past.

I helped to get the cattle trailer unloaded, and then we cleaned off the dining room table, and moved holiday stuff in the basement and off the front porch. My mom used to do that she would start cleaning some thing instead of asking what needed to be done or if she could help. Caused me hurt feelings more than once as I remember.

Drawing Table

I’m so excited! The other day I saw a kiddie drawing table store someone had made. I made a comment about wanting some, for grand kids or me, the guy that made them called and I ordered one for me!

I wanted it to be tall so I can stand at it and draw it’s bar height. I've ordered mine with wheels on it! I love wheels makes moving things so much easier. I can clean under them and rearranging furniture is a breeze with furniture that has wheels.

I’m looking forward to using this new tall drawing table. I’ve been going all over the various locations I can put it and measuring to see if it will fit, so that will be fun, it could also be used for an out door bbq cart serving cooking table. Dear son was very interested in hearing about this too.

This may be an idea for holiday gifts for next year too. Nah lets just get out the saw horses and the ½ sheet of play wood! It’s more authentic and we even have some saw horses from the farm. Hubby is using his to hold up the small boat.

I found some at the thrift shop, they were newer and the guys looked at me like they thought I was nuts, when I said stop I need those, probably because we were in the car at the time! But the time first time they need a temporary work surface guess what they do, get out the saw horses. This also works great for sorting table when I’m doing the de-cluttering zone work too.

Coffee or Tea?

"I'll have tea hot."
I ordered some tea the other day and the waitress asked what kind it was, after she brought the selection and I asked for more hot water for another cup, the cinnamon smelled so good she said, it was spice tea. After she left while hubby was at the salad bar, this tea fragrance reminded me of several things and I pulled out my purse planner to jot down some notes while we waited for our meal to arrive.

This was a delight because I was doing one of those write down your goals and dreams exercises and I was drawing a blank because I’d been fighting off a cold and having a dry spell. Getting well was on the forefront of my mind. Then suddenly as if by magic these wonderful ideas started coming across my path. It seemed every where I turned were things I’d thought of at one time or other and forgotten about but had dreamed of.

Sitting by a cool mountain stream, sipping tea at a bed and breakfast, going to a prayer retreat, having fruit trees in the back yard, a trip to a far land where the trade route used to be. Seeing a luxurious tea plantation, wandering through some pines in the wood gathering mushrooms for dinner.

I found some great quotations and then I could get on to the next chapter in my dream planner this was a fun exercise for me! My thought processes were stimulated, my dreams have been vibrant these exercises are working!

Antique Mall

The other day we were at the antique mall, it was a date we both had our camo on after going out for lunch. I found the cutest china hutch in child size, and small tea cups and saucers. I was thinking how perfect it would be for a play house if ours was bigger.

While I was looking at that hubby had found some 8 x 10 black and white photos of John Wayne, James Dean, and other favorite movie stars of our childhood he was leafing through these binders of photos in them for sale.

I’ve been dreaming of having a gazebo in the back yard for quite some time so I’m going to have to go out and see if there is actually room for one or not with out taking a tree down! A friend said they sold their house, made an offer on one and it has no trees. I said I had a dwarf plum tree that we could transplant to their yard. She was excited about that!

Go Seahawks!

Go Seahawks!

We've been waiting a long time for this to happen around here!
With that and the 50* temps we had here yeasterday and
showing the snow drops in the yard to dear grand daughter,
and hearing about dear daughters fun skiing trip it was a great day here yesterday!

Winter Camping

I slept well in the camper last night, figure if were going to turn on the heat so it does not freeze we may as well sleep in it too! I slept well and late on purpose the sky lights were bright I just pulled the curtain across the bed room section and slept away. I've come inside to watch fishing shows, I can see out the window and walkers are out this morning br-r it's only 35* outside now and foggy.

I have been journaling about taking steps to get my dreams, I had two books I’m reading on this topic mentioned in earlier blogs. I'm putting this stuff in an old planner so I can do a section on these and then they will be put in a small note book on this topic. I like the note books with the clear fronts on them and I can put a cover on the front to easily identify them.

I started a light puple note book for spring on my stuff I have going, a new business one of the party plans, dear daughter got me in her group home decorating. I love to decorate and will be revamping the rooms son and grand kids were using so I’m rally excited about this. (Home and Garden Party.) I love dishes!!! Can’t wait to get my kit and completer kit! I've been in party plan home business stuff before make up but no up-line in my area so it was not supportive I'm excited to have "meetings" I've been missing that aspect of my life.

View From Here!

I have enjoyed seeing deer on my trip to town yesterday there were several on the hill five or six mule deer that live in the area hubby said he has been seeing them on his way to work each morning I guess deer have a schedule too!

I enjoyed seeing the Blue mountains in the distance as I took my walk yesterday, there was a squall I could see of a snow storm as I took my walk. I dropped a book by a friends house and was a bit envious of the view she has, then I realized we have a view too!

Last night I too a few minutes to look up and enjoy the stars and clouds, then a planed was coming in for a landing so I watched it land. It's good to stop and enjoy watching plans land. As I look out the window today the squirrels are scampering up and down the tree in the front yard! Leave room in your garden for children to dance. Is a sign on a plaque I’m going to put out in March! I can’t wait.

Hubby and I slept well in the camper last night it's close quarters but we enjoy the break in our regular routine. Even thou we were the only ones home it's fun for us to "pretend camp"! I'm getting excited about the camping season I got a new swimming suit yesterday to wear boating, fishing, and at the beach, even in the back yard while mow, have granny duty and I read my new Debbie Macomber novels. Speaking of books I found a SARK book at the thrift shop I'm excited about this one Make Your Creative Dreams Real.

I’m having a moment of bliss today I’m the only one here this morning I get the remote it’s on fishing show bass tourney, and I can read, journal, and get the pc not having to share the line with dear son.

The Excitement of the Day

A back hoe on a trailer went by and ripped off the cable going across the street right in the middle of Oprah and my news fix so needless to say the cable was out. I was not happy.

I tried to call the cable co. and they were not in the phone book so had to get the number off the bill. I called them just before they closed and the guy showed up right away to start the repairs it was dusk when the began. Then two more repair men came and they had orange cones in the street and flashing lights on the trucks and one of the guys was on one end of the line and the other one was on the other end of it and the third one was fetching tools and supervising. They had it up and going in one hour and forty five min. I was very impressed.

Earlier in the day I was out in our yard after my walk no rain today it was 44* and saw my snow drops blooming. I dropped a book that I was done with by a friends house she was excited about a new read, I have another one to take over today her eyes lit up when I told here about the next one I found on one of my excursions to thrift shops or yard sales she said she had not been able to find it.

I was happy with I found my wool cards and have a basket of wool carded up to spin on my drop spindle. I have two balls of yarn spun up.

Hidden Blessings

My wool carders have been hiding from me. This has actually been a blessing for me because I’ve been able to dig around in my closets, cupboards and drawers and found some surprises I was surprised to find a couple of drawers that were empty from hiding gifts. So I can put those back in to use now.

I found some boxes that were for wrapping gifts that we not needed so I took those out and that made more room, and while I was at it I took the tree down and put it away in to the storage room. Since I was in the their and noticed the lights from the rail on the front of the house were still out so I put them away too.

After I got the tree down there was a bare spot so headed back to the basement and brought up the new shabby sheik chair and a small decorative table and brought those up, I moved the vase with styrofoam balls and yellow lights in it on a tray on it.

I noticed hubby brought the last of his snack mix and traded for the one in the cupboard, last week he got of with the chocolates! So I measured out our quota for the day and it’s in the decorative tin he has for the snacks for his lunch. Every one knows around here the goodies are in the tins! Even the youngest of the grand kids, my granny had a cookie jar but I use tins! They don’t break and are very portable.

While I was looking for those elusive wool cards I ran across a painting I had forgotten about, I painted this still life of a cup and pen, I put it above the chair we call “the throne” a big over stuffed chair a favorite place for reading here. So I hung it back up there. It was there before the holidays, I found another one and got it back up filling in the holes left from taking down the holiday pieces.

Rain?

Rain, rain what rain? We have snow all around us, heavy winter storm warnings North of us around North of Spokane where hubby hauls chips, some roads have been washed out with the flooding rains we had last week.

Yesterday I got the lace coverings off side table by the couch and a cloth I hemmed last year with ginger bread print on the cart these will be washed the ginger bread house print will needed to be put back into storage. Hubby helped me to get the lights off the front step rail he held the candy cane lights and took them to the basement as I undead the tangle of lights, then I got the ones down from around the front door and took the rest of the string of lights to the basement.

Dear daughter said half of the small congregation was gone Sun. and the ones that were there were coughing, dear son said the attendance was down at the church he goes to illness and play off weekend effected turnout. Today would have been a good day to use my red white and blue lights for the winter tree! We are excited about the Seattle Seahawks doing well this year.

I did a bit of reading today started a new novel about winter, it was too cold too venture out for a walk. The kids and grand kids are out shopping they were hoping for dinner at the food bar at Costco dear grad daughter was hoping to get her glasses adjusted. The Herby movie was good entertainment for this afternoon. Grand kids kept coming up stairs for a pillow run and we had pajama day around here. That is always a hit.

They got a new lighted globe lamp and it took a week before they took it apart, took me a few minutes to get it put back together, when I bought hubby a flash light for his belt the other day and the first thing he did was to take it apart!!!

I got some knitting done today too.

Out Doors

I'm watching a summer segment of a cooking show, I am glad to see the green of summer and it reminds me of the fun things we can do outside entertaining and having a garden wedding like ours was. Kids are considering a reception at their new home this June.

When I was mowing at the farm under one of the trees I found some used red bricks and I've been trying to think of that I can use these for, I have some sand stone colored ones here already. I see a planter that is in the back ground of this show the bricks would be great for that, and a bbq counter support. Last summer the grand kids loved helping me to move the bricks and put them under the play house to keep neighborhood cats out.

We furnished the play house with small kiddie wooden fridge, tables, cabinets, and cupboards. Dear grand daughters are trying to get it over to the new place when they move! I'm agreeable to that if they build me a new place for a potting shed that is wider 8' instead of 4' like the current one.

Leaning up against the play house is a screen door we have used for fun craft projects and now I'm looking for a better place to put it a friend said she used a door from the art show I painted at the church for the back yard so I'm going to see about using this screen door like a gate to the back yard!

Neighbors

The neighbors across the street and that house is on the market again, all the neighbors claim it's got a curse on it because people move in married and happy, split and move out. Down the street a guy has a boat rather two boats and hubby is a wee bit envious because that guy is on the water fishing more than he is. Up the street the guy had show dogs or bird dogs and trains them to fetch in the field.

Others are older with ailments such as kidney transplant not once but twice and a yard unkept in the back, on the other side he has emphysema and failing health and she used to keep a perfect yard now they've hired it out to be done.

Behind us a guy drives a Harley to work, they've gone to Sturgis S.D. on several occasions and say that three days of it was all they could stand at one time. On the other side in the back the gal works in a tax office and saved us a bunch on taxes. Down the street and down the lane behind the road in front of our house I worked with these folk's son in the parts department eons ago, he is now the mgr. of the service dept. at another auto dealership. Up the street and half way around the loop a guy lives with his wife friends he drives truck and used to work with hubby.

Wet Feet

We’ve had rain off and on yesterday, I got my feet wet today, it was dry when for I left for town, I knew rain was in the forecast, I remembered to get a coat but forgot to get on dryer shoes tennis shoes did not stay dry. I stepped in to a mud puddle packing a T.V. stand to the truck I got at the thrift shop to paint. This is for a project to learn how to do some ceramic mosaic tiling. This is be SO exciting! This has been a goal of mine for a while to learn this. I've been gathering up some ceramic plates to brake and use for this project. It's sanded for a shabby sheik look now.

Dear son came by with the new to him mini van he got today and I jumped when he came in the house it's so quiet I did not even hear him drive up, I got to go on a test drive, we had fun drove by the house he is moving to and the one he was helping to work on for his sister and brother in law over the Christmas break. I got the ‘grand tour’ and it looks different with the walls studded in and the shower stalls in you can tell which rooms will be the bath room, great room, etc. covered patio for year round bbq’s! Vaulted ceilings, the windows are cut out and the deck has the wood on it now and two of the windows are in the back. I got to see the pieces that he welded up for the supports on the deck too.

Dear son had to get an external drive for his note book pc to use for the pics he’s been taking with his digital camera. More stuff came for it today.

I got some p.j. bottoms that need hemmed and hubby claimed those. I can’t wait to get busy in the sewing room. I got some polished rocks for dear grand son to use for ‘counting rocks’! Cobbler aprons with hearts on them will be for dear grand daughters to cook with in their new kitchen after they move. I found a whistle to use for granny camp! It has eye balls on it and is guaranteed to drive parents batty! {Just kidding!}

I got a great idea for the basket for Valentines day a romance novel to go in the basket or bucket.

Template and Birds

Template:
There was a comment on my blog about the light house back ground. I found it in the settings on the dash board look under your blog name where it says template, click pick new. You can click there and find ones you like. I found it when I was fishing around one day. They had quite a selection to choose from that changes from time to time so if you have a blog that's my challenge to you. Find out what bells and whistles it can do, tweak it a bit and have some fun, update your profile with your new interests and goals, creative pursuits, dreams for this year. What you like to do in solitude time, gratitude list or what ever you choose.

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Birds:
I'm waiting the return of the song birds this year
I've been missing hearing their songs,
they should be arriving some time soon in 2-4 weeks.
Don't forget to feed the birds,
I put out some popcorn for them this week.

Deer

Last weekend on the way to the birthday party I was whining to dear hubby about how I know there are deer on the hill on the way and I never get to see them when I looked out the window and down in the canyon and there were four deer right there for me to see. He had just seen four up on the hill on the Wa. side of the river and I missed seeing them. So it made my day when later in the week I saw them bedded down there it's right across from the water park.

I've been thinking about going to the water park for the 80* temps indoors with grand kids.

I finished reading a novel I’ve had going since Sept. I discovered it’s to be continued next Sept.

Favorite Gagets

At the dollar store yesterday I got some unfinished picture frames you paint or decorate your own, this will be a fun project to do. Thinking I could do them up for the grand girls pictures. I asked the elder dear grand daughter what color she wanted her room she said she and her sister needed to agree on the color because they would be sharing the room! It made me laugh out loud.

I loaded a writing bag it has the latest book I’m reading on writing called The Practical Writer, a journal, sketch book, and zip pouch for pens, clip on eraser, and sharpener I found at the grocery store that can be hung on a back pack. They are my new favorite gadgets. It’s black, hard to see if it’s on the floor at night, with the hook on this pack it can be hung up and makes it handy and prevents tripping over it in the middle of the night.

I’ve loaded one of those bags for make up you can use while traveling, this one has a hook on it too for hanging it up. These can also be loaded up with craft supplies. For example if you do needle point you can put your scissors, thread, pattern and canvas in the zippered pouches. I've seen these used a spinning and weaving guild meetings. I like to set these up with my projects.

I have one for made up for sketching too, colored pens and pencils, smaller sketch book, eraser, pencil, brushes, zip loc type baggie. This one has a needle point type design on the out side to go with luggage or purse.

Front Yard Fishing

You might be from a techie generation if you call you son on the cell phone to tell him you are off the net. and it's his turn to use the net!

This past weekend we were checking out my new pole after getting line on it we took it out with a weight on it and I did the first cast in the road to see how it worked it worked fine for me. So hubby had to give it a try. I had to laugh because when he did it he did not look up to see where the tree branches were and you guessed it he got the line caught in the tree before we even got it to the river! This is too funny a couple of grown ups trying out a fishing pole in the street in front of the house acting like a couple of kids. We could not see the distance because the weight was the same color as the road so today I painted it red!

I had to get out I had to get out of the house was glad that was only a half day yesterday. Dear grand son pulled a new stunt did not go up stairs to use the toilet for #2, left jeans and under drawer on the floor beside his “duty” we knew the week had to go up from this point! After cleaning that up I had to get out of the house. God made kids non returnable for a reason! LOL! Granny's have special returnable privilages on some days! I'm just glad it was a short day and things will be looking now! That had to be one of the low points!

I'm feeling better and had a great time doing errands and getting out just me was exactly what I needed! I found a African caftan at the thrift shop for costume night, and a small ceramic jar, a new purse unused, I found a travel kit one of those things you hang on the hook on the door that holds toiletries for when you are traveling, I'm thinking I can put my art stuff in it.

I got a couple of books one is by M. Scott Peck in Search of Stones. One book about dyslexia, an Uncommon gift by James S. Evans the first two chapters was good, then I had a heck of a time finding it after I set it down it was under my new planner which was bigger and I looked for 45 min. for it by that time I was out of the mood to read. LOL!

I found a coffee cup that goes with the theme of my kitchen it looks like a French coffee shop and has espresso and latte's sign on cafe' doors I love it! Speaking of art I had drawn a picture I wanted to color in with my create a color art pencils, and I had a blast using them today.

Point of Interest: Dear grand daughter found the missing shoe she was looking for, today she is wearing them!

The Magic Shoe!

Today I had great success at the thrift shop.I found the cutest light switch plate cover with an old button up shoe, pearls, a hat and a mirror on it. So cute I put it on as soon as I got home. It’s in the dgds room when they are move out that room will be my creativity room. I found a pattern for shoes for balloons, in a book I got there too and we made balloon people over the weekend, this was a blast! We have lost one of the shoes for dear grand daughter a with care bears on them. So we've been looking for it for the past few days with out success.

Dear hubby has been wearing his fish slippers whining about not being able to have nice weather on the weekends to go boating with. I still need to get fishing line on the new real on my new fishing pole I got for Christmas. I’ve graduated from small fish to med. sized fish and need to get 15 lb. test line on it. One time we were fishing and the only thing we caught was an old shoe! LOL!

I also found a shabby sheik bowl to hold fruits to paint for still life painting. Dear grandson found toy cars and motor cycles for him and his cousins to play with. I got some gold lame fabric pieces and tassels this will be great for gift bags or tying up gift with. An art book for dear grand daughters to do some fun art craft projects with.

A canister for oatmeal in the kitchen. Some pots for plants. First I’ll be painting on those, and a red table cloth, some dolls for dear grand daughters, play money, and a sketch book, I need to get that wrapped up.

Earlier in the week I found a purple velvet box for a God box, or to put writing prompts in, I also found a canister that’s got roses, I’m going to use this one for my prayer jar. I got a sports bag for dear son and a big platter for him to use for the meat for the wedding reception. They are getting ready to move and we have been collecting boxes.

I’m excited because I’m going to be getting my sewing / craft room back. Speaking of crafts I’m working on shelf making it look like a shabby sheik one I had to go to the store from some courser sand paper.

Things are pretty much on track for me here with undecorating and getting back on track with routines and stuff. I’ve been ill and had to take it easy less work of granny duty. The warmer weather is great for doing some stuff outside like walking. Birthday party at the bowling alley was a hit and they said they will be doing that again!

Sunlight

The other day while I was sipping my morning coffee. I stood at the window as the sun was shining after it had rained in the night. I could see a few droplets on the apple tree in the back yard, shining like diamonds reflecting the sun light.

I was delighted to see this after the news last week from my eye dr. appointment of having cataracts and eminent surgery in 15-20 years, and the pressure test was up in both eyes, but still in the normal range but high, my mind was a tail spin of thoughts.

Today things have settled down a bit I took a few minutes to take in the sunrise and appreciate the colors of pink and golden rays of sun as they crept up over the eastern sky this morning and I breathed a prayer of gratitude for my sight!

Miners Tribute:

Miners tribute:

Standing at the edge of darkness,
time stood still for an instant,
we prayed,
the vigil through the days
and night for families of the miners went through
the loneness with an ache of one more night,
they long for one last hug,
one last dance,
a final kiss,
a wave good bye
the hopes and dreams were pulled up by the roots
and flew away
like a lost balloon
we looked heaven ward for answers,
just in time to see an eagle soar overhead
with a whoosh of angels wings
the Holy Spirit swept in to our hearts and
just like spring rain in the mountains,
rinsed clean away the fog of doubts, facing the worst of our fears,
we rant to the knee of God with hearts broken
souls torn apart with grief stood waiting
the news casters came and went
with reports good and then bad.
So sad the miners leaving earth this day and
on to heaven war they say,
but why do they leave behind such a whole in my heart his day?
So now it’s time to saygood bye
except for the only lone survivor.

It's Balloon Time!

It's ballon time here today, daughter-in-love to be and dear son are blew up balloons for dear grand daughter's birthday! She got up to balloons all over on the floor in her room this morning! It's a delight for them, and a special tradition that started last year. The cinnamon rolls done now for the birthday gal for breakfast today. Last night we had family dinner with candles. The party is this weekend at a bowling alley.

The Sharing Apple

The Sharing Apple!

Dear Grand daughters say the cutest things! #1 dear grand daughter said I’m taking this apple, the other one is a sharing apple. One of them picked out a big green granny smith apple and it’s big enough to share! So we are calling it our sharing apple. Maybe we need to save this one for the teacher!

She said if I was young enough to go to school, you would have to say home for a sick day! The sitter had to help put on a necklace for one of the girls she has younger eyes than I do! They both are back in school today. Dear son is not in school until later on in the month. He goes back the day after the holiday day this month.

Magic Mirror

The dear grand daughters also known as the little rascals! Have found a new way to play and create, they have been playing with the new vanity, I found come crayon marks on it, their dad said he hid the permanent markers, because they drew on his TV too! Needless to say that was not quite the use I had in mind when I got the vanity for them for Christmas.
Today the got a magic mirror that makes a tinkling sound at the $1.oo store to go with it.

Freeze Out Ride

I remember one year for new years the guys went on a motor cycle ride. Then they came home and we had yummy snacks finger food and hot drinks here. This was one of our more memorable New Year's Day events. This year we're recouping from a colds and flu here, resting lounging around the house and enjoying a peaceful day.