Monday, November 9, 2009

Edit, Add, Appreciate

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Edit-  My old friend Faye called on Thursday night and we had such a nice time catching up.  For years, she and I talked every night at 11.  We were both single, both living in town.  After we married, DH was very respectful of that 11:00 standing phone call- he knew I was a better person for that time processing my day with Faye.  I’m not sure where it fell off- she moved to Nashville, I became a mom, she became a wife and then a grandmother, we converted over to email.  And emails are great, and amazing, and so fast and so available when I have a quick minute to jot a note……but nothing can compare with hearing the voice of a friend.   I need to make a point of hearing the sweet voices of friends who have been my touchstones over the years more often. 

Add-  Kashmir, Kashmir….where have you been all my life?  I’ve seen Kashmir a zillion times as it’s right in the middle of my primary routes to many things, but for some reason had never had a meal there.   I ate there last week for the first time, and then again today.   I’m not sure whether or not it’s great, or if it was just the wonderful company I was in each time, but it sure has seemed mighty great to me! Hoping to make more good memories there.

Appreciate-  S. was nominated for homecoming queen at her college, so I made the trek there to take her dress and be present when they announced who had made the court.  First of all, I thought since it was a beautiful day and I wasn’t pushed for time that I would take the scenic route.  It was a bit more scenic than I bargained for, and I got hopelessly lost in Marion County, as the road became more and more narrow and not a soul in sight.  I soooooo appreciated the great timing of a call from C.  Something about having him on the phone made me feel so much less alone, and I was struck with the sweetness of one of my children providing comfort to me. 

What should have been a two hour drive became four, but worth it because S was at the other end of the line.  I loved seeing her among her peers and the ease and poise she exhibits.  She was truly the prettiest girl there, and I’m pretty sure that even people who weren’t her mother thought so.  She was just happy to be there, and although she was not chosen, she was completely cool with that.  Her escort was the cutest boy there, I’m sure of that too.  He was kind and fun and they both made me feel so happy that I floated back to my motel.  (The motel…….another day, another story.)  

K stayed home to help DH sell the pottery that he and his clients made at an arts and crafts fair.  They work very well together, and I don’t work particularly well with either of them, so it was a truly good set-up.  I am sure though that there were many more fun things she could have been doing on her two days out of school. 

So, tonight my heart is full of love and admiration for the amazing big folks that my little ones have grown into.  I’m sort of crazy about those three!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Wednesday Link Love

Not sure why, but you’ve probably noticed that these beds built into the wall really call to me.  Hey…..I had a bed built into the wall as a teen.  Wonder if it’s some nostalgia thing? Anyway, cool farmhouse here.

I go back and forth between knitting and crocheting, and mostly it’s all about something to do with my hands and not about a finished product.  Come to think about it, what have I ever finished?  Well, if I DID finish something, there are a couple of things I would like that to be…….a rainbow scarf looks easy enough.  And then there’s this little cutie……

If you’re not counting Weight Watchers points and if you aren’t afraid of a little     butter, you might want to give these rolls  and this bread a try.

Try serving these cupcakes in the same meal…….

Continuing in the fattening food category, here’s a lovely substitute…..

And since it’s been at least a couple of weeks since I referenced this site, and since it made me laugh out loud……

This gave me a good chuckle too……

So,  I’d love to get together with a group of friends to make some of these.

I think I would like an adult sized  one of these  to go into to read a book .

And finally, how cute is Shelby in her Halloween costume?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Music Monday

Please tell me why Kina is not a full out star? I think she's just great!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Edit, Add, Appreciate

Edit-  Could it be Saturday morning again, please?  The whole day was so delicious, I’d like to have it one more time!  Time with a good friend over Indian food was just what my soul needed.  Book group with the best of the best and a good book to chat about.  Seeing This Is It with friends and family.  Oh, that dancing!  That singing!  Neighborhood kids trick or treating and taking the annual photos on my front porch.  A night with an extra hour!  Now, that’s what I call one great day.

Add-  What would I need to do to add some of those same elements into every Saturday? !  Must do!

Appreciate-  Today we celebrated All Saints Day, taking time to celebrate Saints of THE church, Saints of OUR church, and Saints who have passed on.  I was blessed to be asked to honor one of our church Saints, my friend and our church visionary Mike who has coaxed us away from the familiar on many occasions, and whose passion it is to bring hope into hopeless situations.  Thanks be to God for the Saints who forged our way, and the ones among us.  May we have eyes to recognize them.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Eat, Drink, and be Scary

Saturday, October 31, 2009

8 Things

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Sort of a joke around our house is my “need” to become friends with people I encounter regularly.  When we “stop at the store” the kids will ask if we are really just stopping or if I’m going to have a relationship while I’m in there. 

I met my friend Charlotte several years ago.  She works in the deli at the grocery where I shop every Sunday night of my life barring illness or out of town trips.  Charlotte has quite a following- much because she gives out cookies to the kids, but also because she takes care of her regulars.   Often she sees me in the produce section before I get back to her and by the time I get there, she already has my standing order waiting- a pound of Private Selection mesquite turkey cut on number 3.  

We’ve always chatted- Charlotte is a chatter just like me- and our Sunday night visits have resulted in my knowing some very interesting facts about Charlotte. 

1.  She has over 200 pen pals.  Has had for years and years.  She limits “pals” now, only taking on a new one if they are her “birthday twin” (having the exact same birthday) but she made an exception and took on my youngest daughter for a while, she being way more faithful than my daughter.

2.  Charlotte was reunited with a man who was her teenage sweetheart , and married him several years ago. They each seem to try to outdo the other in doing thoughtful things for each other. 

3.  Charlotte has never driven, and one of the things she loves so much about Tony is that he is such a cheerful and obliging chauffeur. 

4.  Charlotte and Tony like to travel.  Not to just anywhere though- they target certain places.  Like any town named Charlotte or Louisville, and there are way more of those than I ever dreamed.  They’ve been to Hell, Purgatory, and Perdition.  Last week they went to a town in Mississippi to see a cemetery that Charlotte had read about where someone had built a small playhouse on their daughter’s grave.  She has had her hair cut at Floyd’s barber shop in Mayberry, NC.

5.  When they travel, Charlotte gets her picture made in front of the post office of every town they stop in. 

6.  Charlotte buys a Christmas gift for every single one of her pen pals and for every single one of her favorite customers, and usually has them all wrapped long before Thanksgiving.

7.  Her brother died of AIDS years ago, and she has heard that there is a square on the AIDS quilt in his memory, and she dreams of getting to see it.

8.  Charlotte and Tony spent weeks recently making a Monopoly game for our family using family pictures on the board and money.

Charlotte had a birthday recently.  She has asked many times if we could get together for lunch sometime, so I finally got myself in gear, and took her out today for her birthday.  Of course, her chauffeur came along!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Wednesday Link Love

Loving these colors for fall

And isn’t this great fun?!

Oh my, I have a love affair with paper dolls.  Aren’t these wonderful?!

Anybody tried this?  I think I must!

Great idea for an invitation.

Add this to the list of things I would make if I sewed.

I made one of these tonight! Very easy, very fun.

This picture just cracks me up!