~~~MERRY CHRISTMAS~~

It's coming soon. SOON.. Hope you all have your plans set and shopping done. I have been baking with my 4 year old "helper". He had a really fun time and yes the more icing the better. He was really good about NOT eating the cookies after he iced them. I told him that the ELF on the shelf would report back to Santa that he was doing a great job. This is his first Christmas with the ELF and it seems he likes looking for him and being GOOD. Bless the person who thought this idea up it really helps. I had to reflect back when his mother was his age and decorated cookies at this same table. It was a tradition to visit Grandma's house and decorate cookies with her cousin every Christmas.       

Seeing a third generation following along made my heart happy. I know his Grandma in heaven was watching and smiling. In the years to come he will find that making them and giving them away will bring him a great feeling of joy. 

I hope this Christmas, that whatever gives you the greatest JOY and blessings find you and your family. 

 

 

WHERE DID SUMMER GO??

Wow I have not updated here in months. I sure am slipping. Blog entry what is that?? I have to remind myself to even look at it when it used to be a daily routine. Life happens.. now I am more settled in my place and enjoying my freedom and have things to keep me busy. Things are still green pretty much here but I expect them to start turning very soon. I am keeping an eye out for the woolly worm to see what he predicts for our winter this year. Last year he was 100% correct for my area anyway.Here are some photos I have taken over the summer..odds and ends.The sky was so orange when a local fire hit. Reminded me of how bad it was in Ca. where fires were eating up so much of their land.Sure was an eerie sight. I took this at a local Walmart made entirely out of their stock. It was very creative and boy it screamed  F A L L !

Haven't been able to get around a whole lot because of the heat this summer. I wait for the cooler days. It is so much easier to breathe.

It was a summer of firsts for my niece's boy Theo.. he had his first real birthday party and his first trip to the local county fair.

Watching him grow up reminds me how short life is and we must enjoy every minute of it.

HAVE A GREAT SEPTEMBER...

GROUNDHOG SNOW STORM 2015

HE saw his shadow.. yeah right... they already decided before he was pulled from his nice cozy bed. All the snow that is here today is it any wonder we will see another 6 weeks of winter?  The storm lasted 24 hours. Non-stop wind and heavy snow that kept accumulating  at least 18 inches in places without the drifts.  By 2 AM on Groundhog day it had finally let up and the snow plow guys came and cleared off the sidewalks. So glad I don't have to do it all. It was enough to keep up with my own patio spot. 

I recall that back in the fall I saw at least three woolly worms and they indicated that at the back end of winter we would be in for some heavy snow. They were so right! I have been really spoiled this winter so far I guess it was time to bring the cold in.

We expect some more later this week, but not as bad as this storm was. Hope where ever you are you are staying warm and safe this winter. 

SPRING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER...

WINTER COMES EARLY..

Winter came in early November this year. We are grateful it didn't arrive as early as last year. The yard crews came and blew the remaining leaves around while the snowflakes fell. People were moving in and out of apartments here frantic to get done before the next big storm hit.I try to think of where I stored my Thanksgiving things and all my Christmas ornaments I saved.I didn't have as many as I thought I had sooo it's start all over again this year.  I bought a small 2 foot table tree but changed my mind and decided a larger one was needed since my living room space was large. I have made many trips to our local thrift store looking for items for the holidays. I am AMAZED at what people get rid of. I bought two plates to hang on the wall and was surprised that when I looked them up on line they were collectibles and worth way more than what I paid for them even without their certificates.

 

This one is called Silent Night

This one is called I'll be home for Christmas.

I think I have a moonlight sleigh ride theme going on. They look nice on the wall anyway. I will be checking again there soon. 

Thanksgiving is only days away and still not sure just what I will be doing, baking or making for dinner. Diet dictates strict guidelines but maybe just ONE day will be okay. Who knows I might even bake a pie this year too!

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!

IT'S JUNE ALREADY..

Sorry it has been awhile since my last update...
                                                 

                                                

June started a little crazy for us here. Doctor's visits, hospital tests and changes in every day living. Sister's condition went from simple to very complicated after many tests and consultations. Seems her immune system is compromised and now has to be reset with powerful drugs. I questioned the diagnosis, but with 4 doctor's opinions, and they are specialists, I agreed with their findings. Every day is a challenge, new side effects popping up. I have a watchful eye on her. This will go on for months so it keeps us busy with mapping out appointments on the calendar. I had a flash back yesterday to when I had to keep track of my mother's schedule with her dialysis, how hectic that was and how similar this illness seems to be. I find myself back in caregiver mode again, something I never thought would happen. I am glad at least I have the experience to deal with such an illness..
                                           

The weather warmed up and that was a blessing. It was time to put in the AC and stay cool. I purchased a very small one for just one room. Getting it up 14 stairs was no easy task, but one by one I did it. Securing it was another problem though. Old house and old windows..everything had to be re-enforced to make sure it did not fall out into our driveway. What in the world did they do in the OLD OLD days to keep cool without a fan I have no idea? They were tougher than me that's for sure.   This summer has been a cooler one than last year, easier to do chores and outside work is okay by me.

My tablet was not working, after three months using it, it decided it wanted to type words for me all the time and not charge when it said it was charging. I guess it had a mind of it's own. I called the company and paid the shipping to have them send me a new one. I got a call one afternoon ,after I sent it back, from OKLAHOMA...they apologized that they did not have the same model and would I like to try a larger size. YES, yes I would!! So they sent me a 10 inch size. Has been wonderful...comes in handy while sitting waiting for Sis in so many places. I still use the laptop every day, but boy I do love the new technology so much.  Hard to believe only 5 years ago when I had only a large desktop and monitor and no way to leave the room with it.  Love the freedom. 
Speaking of freedom..in case I don't get back here hope you all have a 

it will be here before you know it. 

CAT TV

She barely fits on the stool but she sits there anyway.  This indoor only kitty loves to watch "Cat TV" with all the squirrels and birds chirping around. It is spring and the screen enables her to smell and hear the critters. Don't ask what happened when she saw momma groundhog and her three babies in the yard. Oh boy!! 

It was carnival time! The weather cleared up and the kids came running. It's a big deal in a small town. Fairs don't start around here until July. Hard not to notice as you could hear the screaming inside the local store. 

I have had some troubles with this blog page. I am still trying to figure them out and get rid of what ever  was attached here.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

TROUBLES...

If it weren't for trouble, then I would have a pretty boring life right now. The poison ivy, or whatever it was is healing now, but realllly slow . I found the calamine lotion really worked the best. Hope to get rid of that plant that was a big bother very soon. Thanks to some research and comments I will try a gallon of VINEGAR on it and see if that will kill it. Round up didn't seem to phase it much. The temps in the past day have been near 95 so maybe the heat and  the vinegar might do the job.

My wonderful laptop "Miracle" CRASHED last night around 9 PM..There is only one survivor.. ME. I will survive. It's only a machine..yeah
we all know how it feels though. REGRETS we have a few.. Like why the heck we didn't back up our photos better or why we didn't make paper copies of things or at 

least make a folder on our e mail for things so we could get to them? I backed up some but this last year or so not so much. Seems it is always something.
What she was will never be again.

Has anyone any experience with "CLOUDS" or folders that are provided within
Google e mail or other e mails? I sure wish I had MORE placed in there than what I

do. I use Google documents a lot and I am sure glad. Now I have NO access to  a whole lot right now. Appreciate your patience and comments on what you know..every little bit helps a person out. 

The above photo I saw on Pinterest..I GASPED at the idea of two pies inside two layers of cake iced with cream cheese frosting.. ahhhh can you say..heart attack waiting to happen??  It's called a "PIECAKEN"...well I know I sure won't be eating one anytime soon. 
HOPE YOU ALL ARE HAVING A WONDERFUL WEEK!!