I have a lot of stuff to do...

I've got lots of stuff to do. It's high time I was making spring plans for my garden beds. I've been looking, somewhat lazily, at catalogs. SpringHill always comes, Whiteflower Farms has a great selection of flowers and plants. Of course, there's always Jackson-Perkins to put a little more on the table of possibilities.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year...add a little here, move something there...completely change something. I'd like to add a small patio, but that's a whole 'nother story. My neighbor (and landlord) has a daughter that is a landscape architect. I'm kind of keeping an eye out for her (she lives a couple hours away and visits often). She and I 'consult' a lot. My landlord is great about anything I want to do. I think he just figures that anything I do probably adds value and let's face it...he doesn't have to do it. Win, win situation. I've lived here for almost 14 years...I'd say we have a pretty good understanding.

Well, the newest catalogs should arrive anytime now. I can get that plan of action in my head and make a few 'changes'.

Road trip?

Yes, it was traumatic and she didn't look at me or sit on my lap for an hour afterwards, but Coco (my cat) had to go to the Doctor today. She needed to have blood work, so it was fasting today...no snacks when I got home from work. That, ticked her off to begin with, then there was the pet carrier to deal with.

Let's give a little back story first. My Cat, Coco is almost 20 years old. She's a petite, grey tiger who has never stepped her dainty toes outside. She has gone to the Doc's for visits, but other than wandering out to the screen porch in the summertime, it's indoors for her and she's happy that way.

A couple years ago she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition that can be and is controlled with medication. In order to get those tiny pills, she must undergo blood work. And there, my friends, lies the controversy. She loathes going for a ride in the car. By the way she yowls and bellows, you'd think she was being kidnapped.

The first step is to try to get her into the carrier without her figuring it out. Not an easy task...but do-able. Trying to outsmart a cat is not for amateurs. You have to bait and switch, bribe and finally sweep in and scoop her up to do it. The carrier must be covered or camouflaged and you can not even look like you might be thinking about it.

In the end, it was probably the easiest time I've ever had, getting her into that carrier. The car ride was, quiet even. Don't know why, but it was pretty easy for a change. From start to finish, it was fairly quick. Five minute ride to see the good Doc...fifteen minutes there and another five minutes to get home. Granted, she wasn't happy by a long shot, and she ignored me for about an hour or so afterwards, but it went off without a hitch!

All is well in my house tonight. Coco is now 'speaking' to me and another road trip is now history.

It's not trash...it's a canvas for our own talents, to remake it...

Rethink, reuse, re-purpose...that's what we hear all the time. It's ingrained in our brains through what we read, watch on television, hear on our radio shows and it's become a way of life for most of us. I'm not talking about household trash...I'm talking about what we find when we "shop" in our attics, basements, find in our parents and neighbors toss-aways and of course, our own neighborhood flea markets.

How cool is it that we can completely transform our homes, offices and weekend get-aways with things we find along the way? It doesn't take much money, doesn't tax our checkbooks. You don't have to be a designer to get a great look in your home, you just have to be able to see beyond the obvious. Simply put, you have to have an imagination. That, my friends, is free. You cultivated it when you were a child. Every time you made a "Barbie" house from cardboard boxes or a highway with the dirt in your backyard, you used your imagination.

Over the years, some of us have lost that talent and replaced it with the notion that what we need is somehow, for sale somewhere. The "do-it-yourself" in us has disappeared and we've left it to someone else to design and sell what we need to complete or homes and living spaces. We settle for less when everything is pre-made and available for us. Our vision isn't quite complete, and we change it because of what's available at the moment.

What would happen, if you envisioned a room and then, by yourself, made it happen? We see pictures of beautifully styled homes in magazines and on all of the how-to shows on television. HGTV has excellent shows that give us a step-by-step on how to turn a flea market or dumpster find into a wonderfully stylish piece that only you know where it comes from.

Auctions, garage sales, tag sales and flea markets are always on my list. A little paint or stain, adding a little something here and there or taking something off here and there and you have something unique! You can always find that special something at an antique store or antique show but some of the fun has already been taken out of the hunt. Yes, I do go to the shows and sales when I can, but I generally go to the tag and garage sales. Prices are better, it's a nice ride on a warm day and when you look at things not as they are, but as they could be, well then it's a good day all the way around.

Garage sales are the best way to find vintage items at reasonable prices. Usually, the items are in good used condition and being 'vintage' and not antique, it's more reasonable to re-make the item into something that is more useful or more in keeping to your lifestyle and needs. Tools are not always required. Old wood step stools stacked can be an awesome sofa or bedside table. Find a great table top and make it into a shelf or a 'new' table with salvaged legs found at another outing. An old farm style kitchen table can be shortened and made into a great coffee table. Wooden crates make interesting shelves or a hutch top on a desk.

My point is...nothing is simply trash. It is true that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Rely on your imagination and see things as they can be. It's an interesting way to live and nothing is as it seems... :-)

A cup of coffee and ebay...memory trip through childhood

This morning started like many Sunday mornings for me. I wake up, get my mug of coffee and spend a little time online reading posts and 'shopping' on ebay. I don't always buy, but research and window shopping is almost as much fun for me.

I have my usual haunts on ebay...favorite searches, favorite sellers, but then something will pop into my head and off I go on a mission. Something arbitrary, like Cinderella Watch, and I'm off and running. I almost always find what I'm looking for and it amazes me to find that someone, somewhere has a Cinderella watch just like the one I had when I was in kindergarten (unfortunately, someone stole it from my cubby, go figure) and it's for sale, complete with the little statue of Cinderella!

I love searching for toys I had when I was a child. I thought about my sister, who had gotten a Tiny Thumbelina doll for her birthday (or maybe it was Christmas) when she was a youngster. It had the string in the back (that made it move like a 'real' baby) and she carried that doll around from the time she could walk. It got so ragged that my Mom and Dad had to get her a new one to replace it. Then she carried that one around for another couple of years.

Wasn't she very surprised that I found one so many years later, exactly like the one she had. I emailed her a picture. You can imagine how many stories she would have for her daughter when they talked about it. My niece is nine now and that was couple of years ago.

I found a couple of dolls that my Mom had when she was a child. I can't say how long ago that was, she'd have a fit, but suffice it to say, it was a while ago. She had one that was a "Magic Skin" doll. It was kind of cool, but not in very good shape, but I showed her and she confirmed that it was pretty close to the one she had. She was astonished to see one of those again!

I decided, a couple of years ago, to replace some of the "Barbie" Dolls I had when I was a kid. I bought a few, traded up when I could and even found some of the outfits I had for my teenaged dolls. I had "Bubblecut Barbie", "Midge" of course (I had to have someone for Barbie to interact with) and even had a "Francie" doll, Barbie's cousin, that had a long ponytail that would grow or shorten at my whim! Fantastic! I scored and found one of each and a couple of outfits. I have them put away and when my niece is older and able to understand their importance, she'll have them.

Another doll that had special meaning to me was a doll named "Penny Brite". I got Penny Brite when I was five years old, from Santa, and had clothes and plenty of other 'necessities' for a little youngster doll that looked a little like Shirley Temple, come to think of it. I found one of those too! It now has a special place, along with my Barbie's.

It's fun, to take a memory trip through your childhood and it's easy via the ebay highway. Sometimes I just look and I buy occasionally. Either way, its a nice way to pass the time while I sip on a good cup of coffee.

Living History

I'm not a soapbox talker, not a political voice. I am only an American. Just a voter who, after many elections, and many changes in political leanings, can say our country really is a magical, wonderful place.

How many countries can say that they have a political system that actually works? Our country, after generations, has elected someone to lead us, that even a generation ago, wouldn't have been able to sit at the counter in a restaurant, drink from the same font of water, sit in the front of a bus, let alone be the leader of the most powerful, progressive, and free country, the United States of America.

I grew up in a small rural town populated of mostly white families. My graduation class of about 100, had no black students in attendance. There were only 2 black families in town at the time and I can honestly say, that those families were treated no different, the children were just 'students', not black students. I saw no difference, felt no difference, heard no difference. This was during the 60's and 70's...can you believe it?

I'm so proud to think that America has grown up enough to see no differences, at least none that would prevent a black man from becoming our President. I feel privileged to have been able to witness the inauguration this afternoon. To see that, yes, we are America, land of the free. The land of equal opportunity, people who are free thinkers, people who are able to speak freely and without recrimination. The country that was founded upon the notion that the basic rights of people are held most sacred and that we are all governed by the same laws regardless of race, religion or creed.

I don't know what drives a man, or woman to want to put their families and themselves in the political arena, especially as the President of the country. To enable comedians and the media (and therefore the people that support those people and institutions) to exploit them and the office that they hold. Although I realize that there is something called free speech, it irritates me when the media or a comedian publicly ridicules our president. Regardless of whether we voted for or agree with the one who has been elected, isn't it our duty as countrymen and women, to respect them? For heaven's sakes, they have given up their freedom, and their families freedom to lead our country and the least we can do is give them a little respect.

So...in the end...it is history that we are living. Our great country has come along way since Lincoln's time and I think he would weep with pride to think that we have grown so much and that he had something to do with it. The world should take a lesson from this great country that has done so much to help, is so sympathetic and who puts someone else's needs before our own. Just think how far we've come as a nation, in so many short years........

Sunday, family day

Sunday morning is a family time for us. For the past, I'd say about 15 years or so, we've all gathered at my parents house for family "catch up" time. By family, I mean not only our relative family, but also those who we've sort of adopted as honorary family members. Those honorary members are those friends that are so close and so well thought of, that we love them as family members.

My immediate family, my brother and his wife and 2 sons, my sister and her husband, son and daughter when they are in town, various Uncles and Aunts and my Grandmothers when they were alive, all show up anywhere between 9 and noon for coffee and various donuts, muffins and cookies. Our family friends join us as often as possible and my great friend Wendy is in attendance almost every Sunday as well. It's casual, lively and always fun!

The whole thing started when we were kids and my Uncles and Grandparents would come over after church for coffee and often stay for dinner. As we grew up and went our own ways, it became a way for us to keep in touch with each other as our busy lives took over and it became more and more difficult to talk on a daily basis. We celebrate birthdays and special occasions on Sundays so it was just easier to do it on Sunday mornings.

My Mom's friends have commented to her many times throughout the years how great it is that we all still show up and wonder how she does it. It's not that she asks us to come, we just do it, mainly for ourselves and the family connection that, I think, is lacking in so many families. Don't get me wrong, there are times that for some reason or another, some of us can't, but we make it almost every week. Even my Uncle comes every week and when he doesn't its usually because he's working or has something going on with his own family.

I can't tell you how nice it is to know my family and how unfortunate whose are who don't. I wonder how unusual it is, that after all these years, we still come together on a Sunday morning, sit around the dining room table and just talk? I am so thankful that we do...

Not Done Yet...!

Well, shiver me timbers...literally! It's freezing here! The temperature dropped 20 degrees in the last hour or so...a cold front came through blowing the wind and snow making it difficult to see the hand in front of your face. Apparently, just to prove her point (that it is winter, after all and she can blow in and control us whenever the whim suits her) , Mother Nature decided to show up in force and humble her followers.

We're not slated to get a lot of snow...just an inch or two, but it's supposed to be really windy and bitter, bitter cold...Brrrrrr.....

I'm going to be dreaming of a warm spring tonight! :-)