Monday, January 21, 2008

Every day I learn more and more about....

....me. Like today. I realized I have "3-week hair". Does anyone else?

My hair is short, so week one - after the salon, too short.

Week 2 - growing out just a little and PERFECT! Love it even when I first get up in the morning!

Week 3 - just TOO long enough to be BAD. Can't lay right, has the cow-lick things all over. Won't stand up right.

And Heaven forbid I should look at it from the back! ICK! Looks like I've slept on my back for days!

Geesh.

But, being the frugal girl I'm trying to be...I wait..

3 weeks, 3 1/2 weeks, 4 weeks...then when I can't stand it one more minute - I get it cut....

...too short. And the cycle continues.

Oh well. Even bad hair days beat no-hair days!

Mr. B used to say, after I had colored my hair the umpteenth time, "I'd like it even if you were bald"...

Poor guy. Guess he never thought I'd make him prove it. But I did....and he did. Like me bald. Won't go there again, but it was good to know he liked my bald, round head.


Note to self: call the hairdresser TOMORROW before it gets to be a disaster!

PS: can you tell who is the REAL Cabbage Patch baby??




Have a hair-raising good day tomorrow, will ya??!!
-me

Saturday, January 19, 2008

My apron collection groweth....

Got the neatest little surprise package in the mail from my sister Kathy. She, too, reads my blog and saw the post about my apron. She sent me this hand painted one she got a few years ago while out thrifting! Isn't it cute??!

No, the legs aren't part of it - those are mine. Like to say I got them thrifting, but that would be a lie. I've had them for while now.

But I thought it was funny when Mr. B took these photos, the the legs look like they were the short little legs of the lady in the apron. I mean, they are the short little legs of the lady IN the apron, but they look like the short little legs of the lady ON the apron!



Braxton doesn't much care. It's so Eeyore of him....

The apron has all sorts of little written messages all around the border.....

...all hand written and so cute....
Almost makes one want to cook!.........almost.....


Anyway, thought you'd like to see it. Am I a lucky, short little legged person or what??




Have a great Sunday and if you HAVE to cook, find yourself a culte little apron to wear. Maybe we'll start whole 'movement' in this country...cute chicks in aprons! And on aprons.... Rock on!

-me

Friday, January 18, 2008

“As if”….



Usually when one hears this, it’s from a disgruntled teen. As a matter of fact – I’ve never met a gruntled teen..


...can one be dis-something without being that something to begin with?


Like disenchanted or disenfranchised. Were they, at one time, enchanted and/or franchised?


...so what’s up with disgruntled??


Off topic, Colleen – get back on track…


Anyway, this “as if” is a good thing.


When I’ve been 'blue' in the past, I’ve read that if one acts “as if”, the mind will think it’s real.


Imagine that! It believes that how you are acting now (as if…one were happy, in a good mood, feeling better and so on…) it will follow suit and be so.



Wow. Wish my chubby cells would do the same thing. I can act as if I was thin, but no one wants to see me in a bikini just because I’m acting as if…….


Anyway, back to the reason for this post.


I started blogging as a sort of 'accessory' to my scrapbooking. Now, it IS my scrapbooking.


Oh, I still will make the occasional page or booklet. I do love the tactile feeling of paper and paste – but as far as the journaling, well I was never any good at that. Look at a picture and tell who, what, when where and why.


Couldn't make it fun...just sounded like who, what, when, where, and why.


I just wanted to play with all the “stuff” that I bought. And bought and bought.


However, the words & thoughts were why I started in the first place.

When I was sick, I felt if anything happened to me, I wanted my grand kids to know their Grandmother. To know what I liked to read. What made me happy. What made me sad. .. yadda, yadda, yadda....


A photo or two was probably enough to have them remember what I looked like, but I wanted them to know ME.


And, part of that “me” is depression. It’s a part of me. I accept that now. Just as my height, and even weight and blue eyes are a part of me ...


For years I wouldn’t. I disagreed (another “dis” word!) and was “dis”agreeable about the whole thing.


Truth is, I have a chemical imbalance which is a real medical condition and is inherent in my family. My Mother was depressed and probably her Mother although I don’t know because no one talked about it. And certainly didn't write about it! And no one gave me any information about my Grandmother. So I always wanted to know...

I have read some blogs lately that apologize for being depressed. Or for writing when they aren't feeling so good about things.


I feel blogging is a form of therapy - I think for most of us. To feel a link to another person. To feel safe in what we say. To share common interests or to just let off steam.


And to know someone is reading the words and taking time to comment is to feel a part of this community of bloggers.


Wow. Can you imagine?

(cow photo added because I like it....and it's from Ireland...an Irish cow...just FYI)

I just wanted to thank all of you for listening to me. I appreciate each and every one of you and I am interested in what you say and think and write about. Even if you're not feeling so hot....


And sometimes we can act "as if" things are brighter than they may seem at the moment - you may just find they really are...and that you have friends....and sunshine.

Take care
-me

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

"This is a test brought to you by....

...the emergency broadcast system of the Sullivan Sisters....

Had this been a real emergency....you would have been told what to do , and...well..it wouldn't be fun.....

And it probably shouldn't be now...but all is well, so we can laugh...right?

Ever have a day that reminded you of several commercials?

Well that was my day today.

You see, my sister Gerri has a crummy heart. No, she's really a nice person, it's her heart that's wack-o. Out of sync. Even has a piggy valve...I have a piggy-stomach....

Anyway, Grandson Brian is staying with his Auntie Gerri while going to college by her home in Cooledge, Arizona.

Gerri has an "episode" with her crummy heart today and Brian had to take her to the emergency room.

This is where the "emergency broadcast system" commercial starts.....

Brian contacts his Mother, my daughter April in Denver...


April contacts me in Salt Lake.


I contact Gerri's daughter Lisa in Phoenix.



Lisa contacts our other sister, Kathy in Lake Havasu.

Kathy contacts me in Salt Lake.


I call Gerri, now home safe and sound, in Cooledge.


A circle of care and well wishes. If any of us ever needs a thing, this "system" will fall back into place like a charm...

You see...the "test" of the emergency broadcast system commercial.

Then there's the one that says "he needs a cell phone plans that works where he does"....you know..in...???.........then they give you the names of all the places where he needs to call?

Well, ours would be..............

.........wait for it............

Phoe-ledge-den-lake-vasu !!
Phoenix, Cooledge, Denver, Salt Lake and Lake Havasu!

Phoeledgedenlakevasu.

All is well. All tucked in and resting for our next "commercial" day....
I wonder why Brian was in such a hurry to fly to New York on vacation?????
Take care...and be sure to have an emergency plan of your own.....seriously.
no, seriously.
g'night.
-me

Yesterday, Ella turned 4!




She's such a nut. She will only go "potty" in a sparkling potty- which is quite admirable...I had to "show" her the stain in the veeeeeery bottom of my potty was indeed a stain and NOT dirty - she finally relented...but when I talked to her the other day, she did tell me about a product called Kaboom that "should take that your potty stain away Grammie.."

"Thanks, Ella...."

Yep. She's 4.

The "baby" is no longer a baby - well she will be until another grandchild is born.

Or, oh-my-heck a GREAT grandchild! Not yet. We still have plenty of time....

...don't we???

Brian is 20..soon to be 21..YIKES! When I was 20, I was married with 2 children - not that I would suggest that. He's on his way to a teaching degree.

Yeah Brian! You ROCK!

And has a beautiful girlfriend to boot. She's on her way to a degree in Psychology - I think...

....She told us at Thanksmas, but I've slept since then..sorry, Tessa!

The children and now their children have brought us so much love, excitement and pride, worry, fear, nervousness, gray hair... - it's hard to think of anything I'm more proud of...

Anyway, just a short post for today. It's 13 degrees...that's cold..C-O-L-D!

Brrr...... and I have to start layering so I can go to work! The warehouse is , let's just say, chilly. I'm bringing a little space heater from home to warm me.

To bad they don't make them in sizes...I would get X-large. With this one, I'll have to start at my feet and aim it on various parts until all of me is warm - then I'll have to start all over!

Sounds like an "all-day" job.......

Better get started....

Have a safe and WARM day, wherever you are!

-me

Monday, January 14, 2008




Aprons....


Here's what my first one looks like (hopefully not my last..) I bought this at a yard sale for $.25!

I just love it...and I remember my Mother used to wear aprons- my Mother-in-Law occasionally still does.

I think I just may start...oh, wait, does that mean I'd have to start cooking??
Well, maybe I'll rethink that...

My sister Kathy and I have a connection. Sometimes she just "knows" what I need or what I'd like.

She sent me this wonderful piece about aprons just today. I love it! Thought you would too:

"I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears .

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. "

Sorry I don't know who the original author was, but if you know, let me know.

(Serioulsy, it could have been any one of us!)

Thanks, Kathy. I love you tonzzzz.
-me

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The week-end's over...

Wow. Just like that. Pffftt. Over.

I did go to a store I've been hearing about that's only open 2 days a week. It's called "Real Deals" and it's decorator stuff and pretties. They do have low prices, which they advertise on the radio.

I was a real big spender. I think I plopped down $6. I even had a "secret word" to tell them at the register to get an additional 15% off - which was kinda sad because the most expensive thing I got was $3.95.

I should have bought that little lovely table for $220.00 - 15% would have seemed sooo much bigger.

Anyway, I'm into birds lately. must be a 'spring thing' - or something. But here are 3 that I bought - and a sign that I couldn't refuse:




Kinda fun, huh?


Then I had asked to make dinner - something of a rarity for me. And Mr. B agreed -something of a rarity for him as well!

When I told him what 2 dishes I was making, he was less than enthusiastic. But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Here's the remains of the day:


Doesn't hold much in the"looks" category, but since it's just us, we usually don't bother dirtying serving dishes.


One was a poppy seed, chicken and sour cream casserole with Ritz crackers. The other is a pineapple casserole that also has Ritz crackers and cheddar cheeses. Tastes sooo much better than it sounds! It's really yummy.


I guess you could say "Tonight's diner is brought to you by...Ritz crackers - the versatile cracker"....well, you could....


Anyway, Mr. B loved them BOTH. The way you know he likes one of my new recipes is he says 'It's a do-again". Kind of like the Pope's blessing.....or the Godfather's......


So that was kind of my week-end in a nutshell. Other than the usual laundry, putting the rest of the Christmas up (can you believe that!) and taking the pups for a walk- just an ordinary, wonderful week-end.


Hope your was all that you wanted it to be.

Thanks for stopping by...

-me

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