Sugar, no cream

When ever I acquire a new to me vintage piece I always wonder what the about the life the piece had before it came to my house. If I get the piece at an Estate Sale I can usually come up with a few more pieces of the past of the piece. Just recently my Mom purchased these 14 Corelle Butterfly Gold Sugar Bowls at a local thrift store in New York. Now I'm really wondering where are the lids and the matching creamers? I can see the lids being tossed along the way somewhere, if they weren't together you might not guess they actually went together. Clearly though the creamers would go with them. Unless of course you didn't see the two together, would you guess it was a sugar bowl? Maybe someone purchased them on purpose to use as dessert dishes? Maybe that is what they thought they were if they saw them by themselves on a shelf. I guess it will always be a mystery that I'll never have the answer to. Stop in and take a look, maybe you need a new Sugar Bowl or a new set of dessert dishes. 

Corelle Butterfly Gold Sugar Bowl

Set of Sugar Bowls or Dessert Bowls?

Corelle Butterfly Gold Sugar Dish

Naptime

This morning was a cold, rainy dreary day. I was sitting working on my laptop and Apolo was napping on his water bed beside me and Fonzie was napping in our bed. Before long Apolo moved to the couch to get a little more comfy. I kept watching him and thinking he really had the right idea. It wasn't long and he got up to move to his waterbed in the bedroom. That did it, I was done sitting here with a cold nose and toes and I followed him to the bedroom. Fonzie was super excited to have me join in so I snuggled right in.

As I lay there thinking about the morning so far and thought about the movie The Secret Life of Pets. It's suppose to give you a humorous view of your pets life when you aren't home. I thought, well that's not how my crew act. I figure Sundays give me a preview of what goes on when I'm not here. So far the boys had ate breakfast and slept. From their locations when I come home from work, pretty sure that is all they do while I'm gone. Fonzie loves sleeping and I'm not home from work long everyday and he is whining he wants to me come nap, I always oblige him. Today it being such a rainy dreary day even the birds were quite. As I lay their thinking about this they were so quite you would have never even guessed that any birds lived here. It was a good day for all to hunker down for the day and nap, we managed a 3.5 hour nap!!! Are you a napper? I try my very best to to have a nap everyday, usually they aren't as long though. 

 

Pretty fitting for today

I'd Rather Be Sleeping

 

 

 

 

 

I found it

It meaning, just about everything 😉 I wanted to change the CD in my car tonight, just wasn't feeling one of the ones that was in the changer. I keep my CD's in the center console of my car. I hardly ever change them, I don't drive far. I had to take a lot of stuff out to get to the CD's. As I was driving I thought about all that I had to take out and was pretty impressed how much stuff I actually had in there. You probably want to ride with me, not only will I get us there faster, but I more than likely have about everything you might need. I pulled the Sharpie I found out and made an inventory list on the McDoanlds bag on my seat.

21 Cd's ~ From decades and genre's
8 Pens and 1 Sharpie ~ Good thing I found the Sharpie to make my list and two of the pens have flashlights on one end.
Some Paperclips and Nails, didn't feel like counting them.
Tire Gauge ~ It will work on Cars and Semi tires.
Pack of Trash Bags
2 Different kinds of cold medicine, some Tums, tube of Blistex, Vicks inhaler, hand sanitizer and some denture cream. ( I don't even have dentures)
Pair of Ear Muffs and a pair of Undies ~ Weren't you raised to have clean undies in case of an accident?
A collectible McDoanld's Happy Meal toy, still in it's original package.
Pencil Sharpener, but I didn't find any pencils, maybe I better take one and put it in there.
Wrapping paper cutter, in case you have to wrap a gift on the way to the party.
Drill chock, drill press is in the house, would think that would be a good place for the chock?
Lots of salt packs from McDonald's, no pepper I never use it.
Couple bird toy quick links and a few clothes pins, we can hang up a variety of stuff.
A pair of broken sunglasses, I figure in a pinch they are better than nothing.
A handwritten map, couldn't figure out where it was too, maybe a treasure.
A couple straws, always kept them for my Step Dad.
And last but certainly not least, Napkins!!!! Lots of brown ones, a few white ones and a special Christmas one.

Who knew that console was that big inside!!! I was super impressed by all that's in there and I'm not taking any of it out. I started to look around to see what else I could find in the car. In the little cubby by the shifter I have two more pairs of sunglasses, a mangled fork I found a few years ago, a Tonka truck and Matchbox Car, plus a few more pens and clothes pins.

In the 4 Door pockets ~ can of lock deicer, can of battery terminal cleaner, quart of oil and a pair of gloves.

Beside my seat I have two tent stakes. Back seat there's a seat cushion and a 5 gallon bucket. All the way to the back of the car ~ tarp, bungie cords, parts for my dishwasher and some wood boards for signs.

The only place I didn't look was the glove box, probably a good thing!!!

This may seem like a pointless post, but it means a lot to me and was what I needed tonight. I was feeling lost and feeling like I've been transformed by life into someone besides myself. This showed at least my car is the real me. That includes the dozen or so decals on it too 😍 Here's the last 2 decals I put on my car, I have a few more planned when I have time.

Stop by website and see if you can find any decals to make your car your own. And maybe look around your car and see what interesting things you can find. Michelle's Variety Shop

Thanks for listening to an old lady ramble on ~ Michelle

Goodbye

Goodbye Wally, I love you and will miss you greatly. I think I was in shock today when Jim called me, then the wonderful memories started flooding me and that made the tears start flooding me too. I think you are one of my first "old guys", I've loved you from the beginning.  It really is the simple things in life that matter and make the best memories. I remember following you and Margaret to town when the road was closed and you knew a short cut, only to have us both turning around on a dead end road. How about the time you and Margaret got separated at Walmart and the kids and I searched around to get you both found again. It depended on which one of you was asked who it was that was lost 😉 The very special memory of eating lunch with you on the ship last year at one of our friends memorial service. Then when you walked into the museum and you said "I heard your laugh and knew you were to find you". I will never in my life see a pair of OshKosh bib overalls and not think of you. I promise to always pass the needed info on to anyone else that may need them.  I loved sneaking over to you in the Memorial Day parade in your Jeep and sneaking a hug every year. Speaking of hugs, those will always be my most cherished memories from the parade, to the lobby, to that occasional meeting at McDonald's. When you turned 90 in January you said that was enough, I guess you meant it. My dear friend may you rest in peace knowing you were loved by many and will be missed my so many. I love you!!!

Missing Miss Manners

She's been on my mind a lot lately, I work with the public, I get to see the lack of manners all day long. Too be fair I do also see some superb manners as well, but that is less common. I can remember looking forward to reading Miss Manners columns when ever I could get the chance over the years. I don't read the paper at all anymore, so I don't even know if she still has a column or not. This morning at work I asked the one lady at work, "I wonder if Miss Manners is still alive?" She said "who?" I said "oh you city people". And wondered if it does make a difference if you are raised on the back roads in rural America?

Reason for all my manners questioned lately, what else, but who holds the door open? I'm sure it's against what Miss Manners teaches, but I don't believe it is gender related anymore. In the general sense I believe if you are with others or have other people near you, first one there holds the door. Please for the love of shear politeness, say "thank you" though.  However my rules change for the elderly. I think with them you make a point to hold the door no matter who gets there first, I will walk fast to make sure I'm first. See someone struggling with a walker or cane, be grateful you aren't and take the extra minute or two to help hold the door(s). My opinion of people has changed after seeing how they approach the whole who opens the door thing, not usually for the better 😒

If I have to pass in front of you in the store isle while you are looking something, I will politely say "excuse me". I have had people say it to me as well, but it's rare!!! Everyone is in a damn hurry and has a sense of entitlement, they aren't going to say "excuse me" when they feel they have the right to be there. Last night I was at the drug store looking at one of the shelves for something. A man and his teenage son came in, they walked in front of me, nothing, no "excuse me" nothing!!! Make it worse, they stop in front of me to look at something!!! WTF? Really, what are you teaching your son? Shame on you for not setting a better example of not only how to be a man, but a decent human being. I did say, "excuse me, please feel free to cut me off" Still no acknowledgement. I felt invisible like Michael Richards character on Night Court. (Yeah I've been YouTubing)

Look what I found, so cool and now I can say I learned something. 😍

Maybe if we can all just try just a smidgen to be a little nicer and practice good manners, maybe we can all get along better. Now I'm off in search of Miss Manners, is she still around? 

Halloween Yet?

No it's still not, but I really do seem to be in the Halloween mode. Just finished listing some Halloween Wood Signs in my shop today. I made one of the "The Neighbors have the Good Candy" sign for myself to put up at the Post Office pointing to the wine shop next door. I love it and can't wait to put it up. I showed it to the owner of the wine shop today and he loved it too. I'm thinking I'll put it up Oct. 1, if I can wait that long 😉 Here's the signs I added to the shop, stop in and check them and the rest of my signs out. Michelle's Variety Shop Signs

 Eat, Drink and Be Scary!

Dead & Breakfast 

 Blood Donors Needed!

Welcome to Spookville 

 

 Double Sided Shelf Sitter Sign

Welcome! The Witch is in.

I'm really not a fan of cool weather, 80+ is my favorite temp. Which makes it off that I'm looking forward to the fall and winter holidays. Must be a getting old thing 😉 Wait until I get started on the Christmas items, that would be my favorite holiday for decorating, so not for the weather though!!! 

Happy Halloween

Not really, but it feels like it should be out. It's August and currently it's only 63 out!!! Where is my 90's at??? I guess the chilly weather has be thinking about fall and Halloween. I have been painting signs all week, hope to get some pics of them to share tomorrow if the sun comes out. Tonight I decided I would work on a few glass block decals for Halloween. I cut one and some how lost the little dot for the top of the i. As I sat there frustrated I thought about the saying I had just cut: Home of the Wicked Witch and all her little Monsters. It made me think of this new lady in town and her 2 boys. She has such an awesome personality and the older of the 2 boys is the one that says "I love Stamp". 

I decided I would give this to her, but how. I don't have any spare glass blocks here. Maybe a regular glass something or other, I have lots of that. 😉 As I was walking around looking I spotted a piece of wood I had painted the wood, but not the sign. Light bulb moment. just put the decal on that, so I did. Did some staining and sealing and have a little gift I can give Erica tomorrow when she comes to get her mail. Here's a pic of her little sign. 

Stop and get your own decal to start getting yourself ready for Halloween.

 

Wicked Witch Decal

Now since Fonzie and Apolo have already headed to bed, I better follow along or I won't have and space in the bed at all for myself. Good night and Sweet Dreams!!!

Happy Birthday Apolo

My sweet Apolo turned 3 today, love my big boy to pieces.  We took some selfies on our walk today, he needs to work on his camera angles 😉

On a side note, I have a new admirer at work. He's 3 and everyday when he comes in his Mom asks him "Do you want to go say Hi to Stamp?" and he says "I love Stamp".  Makes me melt every time. 😍 ~ Stamp is a nickname from my Ex almost Brother in Law, only a few people use it.

Stop in and check out the new website and see what you can find.   Michelle's Variety Shop

Pen Pals going, going....

not quite gone. I was talking to one of my customers (85) today when she came to mail her son a package. She also bought some stamps and said part of them were to send to her Pen Pal. I told her just last night I was thinking about her Pen Pals and wondered how long she had them and how she got them. She said she had had them since the early 70's. I said "Wow, basically as long as I have been alive". She said "my Mother took a paper back then, it was just in black and white print, no pictures. (If you said she took a paper now a days it would something different) There was an ad in there from a lady saying she could match you with Pen Pals that shared the same birthday as you, so my customer mailed in her info in. She received back a list of Pan Pals who shared the same birthday as her, some even the same year. She wrote all, didn't here back from a couple, but heard back from 5, all were from different states and 2 were even from different countries. She said in the beginning they wrote at least once a month, except around Christmas, then they would just send a note saying talk to you after Christmas. As the years went by they aged, their eye sight faded, writing became harder to do and the letters aren't quite as regular anymore. A few times now she has sent letters only to receive an obituary notice back. I asked if she had ever met any of them in person and she had. Some just once, a few she has went to visit more then once and they had also come to visit her a time or two. I could have listened to her much longer and asked more questions, but another customer came in. How cool is that to have made friends that way and to still be friends after all these years? It really is sad that such simple things in life are going to the way side. Oh the joy of receiving a hand written letter in the mail and the joy of writing one back. As the saying goes "It's been a long time since the morning mail could be considered correspondence." How many years before no one knows what a Pen Pal is?

Lucky or Unlucky?

Yesterday I stopped over to my friends Larry & Deb's to discuss something with them. Deb said to me "if it weren't for bad luck you wouldn't have any luck at all" I totally agreed with her. Today I got home from work only to find my floor wet and I knew right away that it wasn't a wet spot you could blame on the dogs. I changed my clothes and got down on the floor to drag everything out from under the kitchen sink. ( Where did I get all that stuff?)  While I was wiping up the water I bumped the garbage disposal and down it came. Really, how unlucky can I be, part of it has broke and that is why I had the water all over the floor. First lucky moment: this is an easy fix and doesn't require a plumber. Off to Menard's to get parts to fix it. We are driving in the driveway and they have their 11% rebate sign out, lucky me I get a rebate for fixing my disposal. Turns out they didn't have the parts I needed, but new ones aren't too terrible expensive and I can use my new card that earns me points. Back home to get it installed. I did swear a few times, I won't lie about that. The luckiest part of all of it: I can now say I put in my own garbage disposal in, how many other women can say that? So maybe now no matter what the situation is there is always a lucky side to it? Do you consider yourself lucky or unlucky? Maybe you don't believe in luck at all.

Postage Stamps ~ Going & Coming

Some of the stamps the USPS puts out are cool, others you wonder what they were thinking. It is interesting to see who will like which stamps when they come out. Some stamps you sell out in a matter of days and others you sit on until they go back for destruction. This coming week there are a bunch scheduled to go off sale on July 1. I only have a few of them in my office, so those are the only ones I'll be posting here. If you want to know the others you can contact me and I'll look them up for you. Two of the three I have that are going off sale I'll miss, the other I'm very happy to see go. 

 

 

 Really? How can you get rid of Rudolph? He and his other stamp buddies are so cute. I only have a few sheets of these left so I hope someone buys them, Christmas will be here before you know it. 

Johnny Cash, truly a musical legend. I sold out of him twice. The only reason I still have some left is I had another office send them over since they weren't selling them. I just sold a sheet yesterday, people will miss this stamp. Speaking of which... you can have your own Johnny Cash Postage Stamp Necklace. I still have one available in my Etsy Shop. Johnny Cash Necklace 

 

Harry Potter, sorry I'm glad to see these stamps go. I've never read the books or seen the movies, so I don't see the fascination with him. I'm guessing most people in town feel the same way because these stamps have been gathering dust since they came out. The Library in town buys them when they need them, but I don't recall anyone else buying them in sometime. I do think they are a great stamp for the library. 

Now for new stamp that is coming out June 30, 2016.......

Soda Fountain Favorites 

I love this they are so fun looking, they do make me crave Ice Cream though. Ever since the day they came in I have been wanting a Banana Split.  They are sold in sheets of 20 for $9.40. According to the description the five illustrations: are a double scoop ice cream cone, an egg cream, a banana split, a root beer float, and a hot fudge sundae. Can anyone tell me what an egg cream is? (Looks likes a drink of sorts)

If you are headed to the Post Office this week that gives you a few stamps to choose from. Maybe some of them will even inspire you to start stamp collecting.

Poison Ivy or Poison Oak or Poison Sumac

What ever it is, I have it!!! I can't believe I have gone 45 yrs and 347 days without it, why after all this time? I actually think it's because where I have it I cut myself while gathering weeds and since I had a open area I got it. Or maybe because they say our bodies change over time and now I'm always going to be allergic. I really hope not. I look at pics of all of them and go outside to find it and can't remember what the pics look like. Now I'm avoiding all weeds, the chickens aren't happy. Once this clears up I will give the weeds another try and see if it happens again.

Way back when I was in the third grade, 2 of my best friends and I went into the woods and found a big patch if it. We picked leafs and rubbed them one ourselves, we rolled in it, we just in general had a grand time of playing on it. We knew some that had a week off from school for catching it and we wanted a week off. My 2 friends, well they both got a couple weeks off from school, because they got it so bad. I didn't have a single mark on me. 

I have tried a few suggested items: Calaclear, I had to apply it every hour to keep the itching at bay. Bleach., I hate the smell to start with, but I think it made me itch more. So far Hydro cortisone with Aloe has helped the most, it will last 1/2 the day without needing to reapply. I just got some prescription steroid cream today, we'll see how that does over night. I have to admit positive thinking really helped one night. I was laying in bed and it was so itchy I couldn't sleep. I kept repeating "it doesn't itch" over and over. I started to believe it and fell asleep.

Reason for my post, I have to share my favorite "cure". You can use Urine, but it has to be your own. Really? That takes all the fun out of randomly asking someone for a cup of urine to rub on your Poison Ivy. Seriously, how do they know it has to be your own, have they tried their own as well as friends? I guess as long as what I'm trying keeps working I will skip trying this one, but won't say never, because who knows what the future holds.

Are you allergic? What do you use that works? What have you tried that hasn't worked? 

My Boys

I have a terrible memory, I tell people all the time "I will if I remember". Tonight I remembered it's been a little while since I added anything here. I was right, kinda, it's been over a year. So what better way to get back on track then to introduce the 2 handsome boys that entered my life and added so much happiness. Apolo was first, he came last fall. He's a Saint Bernard, his family was moving and couldn't take him with. This spring right after we lost Pogo, Fonzie came into our lives. Fonzie is a mix, feel free to make a guess. He harassed the older dog is his last home and was looking for a place he could be a wild man and not scare the other dog.

Apolo with his new ball pit

 Fonzie posing so nice

Look close. They aren't cuddling, Apolo is 

holding Fonzie down so he can sleep.

See Fonzie's pouty face? 

They both have added so much life around here and I couldn't imagine a day without them. Right now Apolo is outside barking at the train off in the distance. Fonzie, well he's hiding under the bed, that train could jump the tracks come 3 miles down the road and eat him.  

Hope your day is special. Any furry friends that make your day better just by being there?

Either Way, I'm It

Sometimes I'm torn between "Cheap by Necessity, Frugal by Choice" or "Frugal by Necessity, Cheap by Choice" , when it boils down to it, it's all the same and I'm It!!!

I can't count how many times I have searched Goggle, Pinterest, etc. for Living Cheap, Saving Money, Save on Electric Bill, etc. only to come up empty handed. It's get very frustrating when I can't find any more corners to cut. Take my electric bill, before winter that is, I had it down to where I was paying less for what I used then when it cost to have electric hooked up to my house. I still think there's ways I can get it lower. I think the freezer and the refrigerator are the biggest uses of electric, just can't figure out how to stop using them.

If you come to my house in the winter any windows that don't have plastic on them, have aluminum foil painted black and taped to them, for free heat from the sun. It might not be the prettiest thing, but it really helps. The other day it was only in the high teens outside, but nice and sunny. When I got home it was 75 in my dining room just from the aluminum foil heat. Last year I kept the thermostat set at 50 and the only time it was warmer was on sunny days. This year thanks to my Mom & Jim and Jim, I have wood heat also, so nice!!!

Okay I'll get to what started this thought process tonight. I hate picking out clothes and shoes, I hate even more paying for them. Thanks to Sandy and Sharon I do have plenty of nice warm shirts to layer and keep me warm this winter. Thanks to my Mom I have socks. (She really hates when I wear my socks till it's only little strings holding them on my feet) Pants and shoes are another story. Sandy has gave me some shoes to try, but either my feet are too small or hers are too big :) Jim has been nagging me for over a year to go buy new ones, I refuse. I tell him I bought new clothes at the Salvation Army in 2011, because I didn't have any clothes except-able to wear for my new job. I paid $3.00 a pair for the jeans, I was really hoping to get the average cost down to .50 a year. My favorite pair has had a couple of the belt loops ripped off over time. I've had to sew a few holes shut around the back pockets, but they fit the need. That was until Saturday, I got home from work and bent over to pick up a piece of wood and rippppppppppppp, there goes the ass of my pants :( I was so grateful they waited until I got home to do that, but still very sad. I haven't gave up on them yet, I'm still going to dig out the sewing machine and see if I can at least repair them for non work pants.

Oh shoes are even worse!!! They are damned expensive and I can never find any that I like and that fit right. Nobody likes going shoe shopping with me. John just used to buy me a pair, I'd hate them, but when it got to the point the ones I was wearing just couldn't go anymore I'd give in and wear them. After a while they were like family and I wouldn't want to let them go. I always have shoe goo and tape around to make them last just a little longer or a lot longer :) My work shoes now I also bought in 2011 for $30.00, that about gave me a heart attack. They have multiple layers of shoe goo on them, I've replaced the insoles with insoles out of other old shoes at least 5 times that I remember. Well they are to the point of no return now. My feet are always wet when it snows and my poor feet and legs start aching after being at work an hour. Tonight I had to go to town, so I told Jim I would look at shoes. Meijer's first because that's where I needed to go for bird toy parts. I found a pair of shoes that looked like they might be comfortable. To be sure I put them on, put the box from them and my shoes in the cart and walked around the store, got to make sure they fit right. (Jim couldn't believe I did that when I talked to him on the phone) They were okay, but I just couldn't justify spending $40.00 (plus tax) on a pair of shoes. I decided to go to Walmart, they have to be cheaper. They had a poor selection for what I could wear for work. I did find one pair that I thought would probably work. I tried on a 9, too big. Okay let's try an 8 1/2, nope too big again, very surprised at this. But alright an 8 then. Take a few steps not too bad, let's try on the other shoe. It's too small, wtf??? Maybe the last person that tried them on put them in the wrong boxes, nope checked they are right. Ummm. maybe one is labeled wrong, hold them up to each other and compare, same size. Really??? That must be a sign I'm not suppose to get a new pair of shoes, so I say "heck with it" and head home. So here I sit knowing in the am I have to go back to wet sore feet :( I wonder if I can figure out how to make my own shoes??? But I'm sure all your thinking is "boy she rambles a lot", so I'll stop, I do feel better for getting it all out if that helps ;)

Any saving money tips to pass along?

Food for Thought

Just recently I have thought a lot about me not being "normal". On my way home tonight I was thinking it again. And the thought crossed my mind that part of my not being normal is how I eat, though Jim does try hard to change it. For breakfast this morning I had some oh so yummy Pickled Beets. A very dear friend of mine made them. The first time she gave me a jar she had canned I took them to be polite, but never really thought I would like them. Well I was wrong, I love them, the first jar I ate in less then 24 hrs. There was only a few beets left this morning which didn't fill me up, so on to the second course of Pepperoni Slices and Dill Pickle Potato Chips. Mostly filled up so off to work after all the critters around here were fed.

This morning while I was putting up the mail I snacked on some more Dill Pickle Potato Chips and ate a little bit of cake. At lunch time on my way to Jim's I snacked on the Cheddar Cheese Pretzels in my car. When I got there I had a handful and Jim asked me what kind of junk I was eating. I told him it wasn't junk, it's mostly made from the same ingredients as bread so I was just eating bread, he didn't buy it.

Time to eat lunch. Jim made Homemade Mashed Potatoes and Baked Cube Steak. I love his potatoes and the Cube steak was so delicious!!!! He insisted I take the leftover potatoes with me. I always agree because they are so good. I put them in the dish and smothered the top with shredded cheese.

Fast forward 2 hrs and I'm back at work and hungry again. Not really wanting any more chips or cake right now, so I zoom in the cookies a Co-Worker brought in yesterday. Maple Bacon, from a mix she found at the market and thought sounded good. Yesterday at work I ate 2, one in the am and one in the afternoon. I thought "not too bad, but too maply and not enough bacon flavor" Well today I ate one and the stomach said "try another I'm still hungry". Well if you eat 2 in a row, the bacon flavor comes out a little more. Maybe see if it gets even better after 3, well it did and before long I had ate 10 of them!!! I'm sure I would have kept eating them if I hadn't already ate them all :(

When the thought occurred to me on my way home from my second job tonight, I was actually munching on some Cheddar Cheese Pretzels in my car. They are in the same bag on the front seat as the Nutella. For supper when I got home I had the leftover potatoes. While I was eating them I made a couple hard boiled eggs, someone suggested trying them in my leftover beet juice. I thought why not, I'm sure if I don't eat them some critter here will. I think at this point I'm down eating for the day. Oh now, not just yet, I have to eat my daily Mounds Candy Bar yet, it's for my health so I can't skip it. Go grab yourself a snack and enjoy!!!

Too much good stuff for a Facebook post

Up to do chores this morning and then off to meet Jim for a few hours before work. When we get out to the farm he decided today should be the day I attempt to ride a bicycle. Growing up my best friend Becky and I put a lot of miles on our bikes, that slowed down when she got her driver's license and totally stopped when I got mine. I haven't been on a bike since then, well unless you count an exercise bike I had to have, for a month or so :) Russ assured me the other day I could still do it, even of it has been 20+ years. Jim was true to his word and held on to the handle bars and the back of the seat for me while I made my re maiden voyage. Which was all about 6 ft. and then I told him I couldn't do it myself it was best to stop. No arguments, he just put the bike away and said we'll try again another day. See why I love him?

When it's close to time for me to go to work he goes to the meat market to get some cheese, so I have a snack later. He buys a 3 lb block of Baby Guggisberg Swiss Cheese, expensive, but very good and he knows I'll eat it. One more stop, ice cream!!! He knows all my weak spots :) He orders us both sundaes, mine was blackberry, yummy. As long as it's not breakfast, he does okay me eating dessert first. He packs my lunch while I eat my sundae; steamed yellow squash, mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, hot dog, dinner roll and of course a chunk of cheese. See why I love him?

Not a big deal, but it is for me. Today we have been together 9 months!!! Today, as everyday, I'm so glad I had to courage to say life is short, want to go out? I love him more everyday!!!

See why I love him?

After work tonight I went "pickin" with Russ and Peg, lots of laughing and joking around. They are so much fun to hang out with. We picked for about an hour and I ended up with another car load of "stuff". Can't wait to get it all cleaned up and sorted out, lots of cool old stuff to send to new homes.

Thinned out the carrots in the garden at Jim's tonight for the chickens. Kinda funny, but they don't like the little bitty carrots, they prefer the ones bigger then a pencil. I put the carrots in the outside run when I got home, so they will find them first thing in the morning, betcha they will think it's Christmas. I'm sure it will be a good egg day after they eat all of them.

The icing on the cake.... I got to stop at Catherine's to pick up my most favorite food, White Spaghetti!!! I still think she should open a White Spaghetti restaurant, Sir and I would eat there everyday. As soon as I got my car unloaded tonight I ate a big plate of it. Jim doesn't have to worry about me eating candy for breakfast tomorrow, it will be White Spaghetti!!!

Oh so yummy!!!

All in all it has been a great day, very tiring, but great. I'm very blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people!!! 

Today

First person who made me think today was a guy, probably in his mid 50's. One of his Uncle's 80th birthday was on Sunday and he cooked 120 chickens 1/2's for the party, something one of his other Uncles who is now passed away taught him. His Aunt, one of my most favorite people had a 1/2 for me on Monday and 1/2 a pie for Jim. I told him today I thought the chicken was great. He thanked me and said he hoped his cousins and rest of the family realized how important his Aunts and Uncles were to them. He said they had such a big hand in who they are today. I told him how I had heard a bunch of stories about him and his child hood just the other day. Of course I also had to tell him how amazing I think his Aunt is and how I'm amazed at all she does at her age, 86 today. He told me how he sneaks around and does stuff for her to help out, because she doesn't like asking. He was raised in a generation where you take care of your elders and he does a great job of taking care of things for her, my hat is off to him!!!

Second person was another one of my favorite people, she will be 91 next month. When ever I see her coming to the Post Office if I don't have a customer I will go out and help her in, she doesn't get around the best. While I was walking her in today,  two guys came and went in the Post Office, do you know neither of them stopped to hold the door. I don't know what there hurry was once they got inside they had to wait for me anyways. On the walk in she said she would have been sooner, but she had to get out of her pajamas and get dressed. I told her I wouldn't have cared if she came down in her pajamas. She said "but I had to put on clean under wear in case I was in an accident" I laughed and said "yep that's what our Mom's taught us. Does anyone say that anymore? I got her in the lobby and went to wait on them while she made her way to the other door. Guess what when she got to that door, neither guy went to open it for her. Why? Were they really raised that way or are they just lazy? After they left I waited on her and we had a nice visit. She caught me up on all of her family and asked how the animals were. (I'm always amazed at her age she remembers all I have) She asked if I was ready to settle down and think about getting married yet. I told her I didn't think he was ready for that :) She said I was just joking with you, I didn't know you were dating and asked if it was anyone she knew. I told her who it was and she was just tickled pink and told me I was lucky and he was even more lucky and wanted all the details. She said "well when you get married maybe I'll take a little sip of whiskey." She said "you know I have never tasted whiskey, beer or wine, when I was 12, the Woman's Christian Temperance group came to my church and told us we would go to hell if we drank and alcohol and they scared me enough I never tried it to this day" I love stories like that :) We chatted some more while I walked her to her car and got her into it. She said "make sure you call me when you get married, if I can, I want to dance at your wedding" I told her if it ever happens, she will be one of the first people I call and she will be sitting in the front row. She said "oh I would have to sit in the back row, in case I have to go to the bathroom" I love her!!!

Moral of my story: I love old people and I'm not such a big fan of the younger generation. And even though it's not a part of my job description, though I think it should be, I genuinely care about my older customers and look forward to giving them their hugs when I work.

My Boys are Weird

I was just sweeping the kitchen when I realized my boys are weird. Since they are all big dogs they all have/had raised feeding stations. At one point I had 4 of them in the kitchen, I'm down to two. Butt's went after he passed away because it upset Bradley by being left there. Goober's was next to go, I decided since he didn't use it there was no need for it. He never ever drank out of the water bowl and no one else did either. He is a spoiled child and has to eat in front of the TV, so no need to keep a feeding station in the kitchen for him. Tub's leg is too bad for him to get to the kitchen anymore, so he eats in the living room with Goober. I can't get rid of his feeding station though because his is the only water bowl anyone will drink out of. That leaves Pogo to eat alone in the kitchen, which he is fine with, he won't drink out of his own bowl though. I don't know where they get their weirdness from :)

The House with a Broken Heart

Ever since the first time I drove by this house I have loved it. Last week I drove by and traffic wasn't too bad, so I slowed to take a picture. I'm sure someday that it will be completely gone, so I will have a memory. It always makes me sad to see abandoned houses and I wonder the story behind them. I was talking to a friend today and he reminded me of a poem that AJ Covington recited to John Boy on the Waltons. I Googled it and it describes "my house" perfectly. And if I did have bottomless pockets I would so love to give this house another chance at life.

The House with Nobody in it
a poem by Joyce Kilmer

Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie track
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black.
I suppose I've passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it.

I never have seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things;
That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings.
I know this house isn't haunted, and I wish it were, I do;
For it wouldn't be so lonely if it had a ghost or two.

This house on the road to Suffern needs a dozen panes of glass,
And somebody ought to weed the walk and take a scythe to the grass.
It needs new paint and shingles, and the vines should be trimmed and tied;
But what it needs the most of all is some people living inside.

If I had a lot of money and all my debts were paid
I'd put a gang of men to work with brush and saw and spade.
I'd buy that place and fix it up the way it used to be
And I'd find some people who wanted a home and give it to them free.

Now, a new house standing empty, with staring window and door,
Looks idle, perhaps, and foolish, like a hat on its block in the store.
But there's nothing mournful about it; it cannot be sad and lone
For the lack of something within it that it has never known.

But a house that has done what a house should do,
a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it's left alone, that ever your eyes could meet.

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back,
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary

I was listing a candy dish that says "50th Anniversary" tonight on Ebay. It made me think back to the other night when I shadowed at the nursing home. Two different rooms I was in, there were pictures saying "Happy 75th Anniversary" One was a widow on her own and another was a couple still together, they were both in their 90's. I thought to myself how lucky are they to be still together after all these years!!! The picture in the couple room was the photo from when they first got married. They looked so happy, the entire wedding party looked very elegant. How I wish I could have sat and talked to them about that day and the days since. What was it like when they got married? Were they in love? Was it a family arranged wedding? How much has changed since they first got married? Are they still in love? Or did they stay together all these years because that was how their generation was raised? And so many more questions.

In a way it makes me sad, because I will never know that kind of long time love. If I was lucky and got married right now, I might be able to eek out a 25th Anniversary, maybe even 50, but I probably wouldn't have a clue it was actually happening and 75 that is just out of the question. I guess for now I will just enjoy each month Anniversary I get with Jim and hope to be counting years someday with him.

I raise my glass to all the couples that have made it together through good times and bad. And if your looking for a 50th Wedding Anniversary gift, well you can even buy my glass.

Happy 50th Anniversary Glass