Stacking Pots

I took this picture at I-Needa's place over her spring break. She loves real plants, but finally just gave up planting anything in the front of her home. It just doesn't get enough sun and things just don't grow. Winter is barely over, and she was just in the mood for a little greenery going on outside. I thought this pot stacking thing was rather cute. Although I'm guilty of not showing the entire thing, there is a metal yard art stake through the center of this holding it all together. Cool, huh?

I-Needa took six pots in graduated sizes. The bottom pot has a little dirt with another smaller pot fit snugly inside and only slightly raised above the rim of the bottom pot. The next one sits just slightly to the side... not much. The fourth pot is resting to the side on the rim of the third one. The fifth pot is tilted slightly and the sixth anchored above. Each is filled with dirt.

I may try this at some point. I think one would just have to work with it, but liked the idea of the yard art metal stake through the center to hold it firmly in place. I'm wondering if real flowers wouldn't work as well, depending on the size of the pots and flowers. I-Needa did put artificial ones in this arrangement as the real ones just won't work here.

This is just a little something to ponder today. When Hobby Lobby is having a sale on the items, I might be found purchasing some of them. Sorry, I'm a Hobby Lobby sale and coupon shopper. Why? Because it's fun.

Easy Good Dessert

Today you are going to be blessed with one of my easy recipes. I'm all about easy good recipes. This is one I just fixed the other day for the first time, and I plan on making it again today. I picked this up from a Weight Watcher's meeting some time ago. It seems to help satisfy that sweet tooth craving.

Easy Good Dessert

1 can lite fruit cocktail
1 small package sugar free jello
8 ounces fat free plain yogurt

Pour fruit into a saucepan and bring to a boil
Add jellow and stir to dissolve

Let that cool slightly.
Then add yogurt, stir and chill

We were told that dividing that into four servings would be 1 1/4 point each. I know I had more than four servings with this. I hope you like it.

New Curtains

Oh Goodie! We aren't in the bathroom! Yesterday we were in the bathroom. Today we move to the kitchen. I'm sure you're excited about that.

On the same day as the dental appointment and my bathroom picture find, I wandered into Walmart with Grace. Oh, please! Who wanders into Walmart! The truth is that my shopping buddy Grace needed those little coffee filters for her four cup coffee maker. You can't get that size everywhere, so we made an intensional stop at Walmart. We even deliberated if we really wanted to put out the effort to do that kind of serious shopping. Walmart requires energy, and certainly stamina. We weren't sure we had it.

Of course, picking up one item and leaving is a hard thing for those of us who might be categorized as browsers. Once inside, we have to look around. It's just part of our nature as browsers.

I was looking in the curtain aisle. I do that frequently. I guess I keep hoping that some drapery to match my living room paint will jump out at me. Then I noticed the valance that now hangs in my kitchen windows. I'd had the same plain little green number hanging there for as long as I can remember. I decided that it was definitely time for a change. After all, it's spring and that changing feeling is strong.

I'd been to the dentist, and I began to wonder if my brain hadn't been numbed to match my mouth. I couldn't even feel my nose, and my brain seemed to be having a hard time processing decision making. I stood looking at two patterns trying to decide which one I wanted. It was between this one and a lime green check. I had every reason in the world why neither would work. I thought Grace was going to give up on me at one point. She finally suggested that I buy two of each and then take one set back. That seemed like a logical solution to my dilemma, but then I'd have to drive back to Nearby City and go through all the returning an item mess. I kept opting for a firm decision. Finally I just selected the ones now hanging in my window with the hope that they would do.

Five minutes after getting in the house, I had the curtains hanging in the windows. It is nice to have something fresh and new there. I've decided that I definitely like them. Having some new things to look at in my home seems to be fueling some deep desire to get busy and do more. Let's hope it lasts. I have a long list of things to do and must get on it before the feeling dies.

Picture Find

Oh Goodie! More pictures of this woman's bathroom! Just what I came to see. Well..... I added something and just had to share. This is a really tricky picture too as you can see the opposite wall in the mirror. So clever! Tah Dah!

Yesterday was dentist day. I had to have a tiny filling. Wah! I survived, thank you, but it isn't fun. Sorry, I digress.

I was a few minutes early for the above appointment, so parked the car and headed across the street to a little resale shop. The proceeds go to a women's cause in Nearby City. I was just wandering around, really not expecting anything to jump off the shelf and demand to go home with me. I've found in the past few years that I wag home less and less. I need to have a sale myself, not acquire more stuff.

I was about to leave when I spied the framed print of flowers in the basket. I immediately recognized that it would look rather festive with the new shower curtain I'd rescued from Grace. I was having a few problems with decision making, but finally decided to invest in the picture and give it a home on my bathroom wall. It must have been there waiting on me awhile as was marked half price. I just love half price!! I forked over a whole two dollars and placed my new found priceless heirloom in the trunk of my car. Then, off to the dentist..... Wah!

Outside

I decided that yesterday would be the day to sweep and dust. Didn't happen. I opened the back door to feed Pumpkin and decided the world smelled too good, and the air was too warm to stay inside. I'm not a yard person. Any of my friends can attest to that. I don't like yard work. I say that, but it did call yesterday. I got outside and bagged a ton of canna leaves that I'd left lying on the ground from last summer. I'd given out and just couldn't bag any more. I told myself that it would be good for the soil to just leave them lying by the fence. I decided yesterday that it would be better to bag them and leave them for trash pickup.

Now you may have noticed that my flowers are in bloom. Lovely! I'm going to have to admit that I'm finished with buying all those lovely plants and putting them into the ground to water and hope they live. I'm through!! I'm opting for Hobby Lobby half-price plants that never change. They will bloom and be lovely throughout the season. Actually, I think they look real. I took the idea from I-Needa and just plunked a bunch of stuff into this pot with some dirt.

I'm not very happy with that black TV cord hanging there. I'll either have to add more foliage or paint the cord white. That is to be decided. At least I'm starting on my spring ideas. I want the old cold weather to be gone and some nice happy warmth to stay. I don't like hot weather either, so will opt for seventies for awhile.

I do hope to feel that urge for spring cleaning and organizing. It is officially spring, so I'll take some comfort in that.

More of I-Needa's Wild Day

If you haven't read The Third Day Fish Smell, you should really go read it first. This is more of that wild day of events in the life of I-Needa. I promised to continue the story, so here goes...

We discussed the very very bad smell, the call to 911, the arrival of the hunky fireman, and the decision that the place was NOT on fire. There was all the embarrassment of standing outside with all the lights going on the fire truck trying to tell the men that you didn't really know if you should have called. After all, it is just a smell. However, at this point, I-Needa reported comfort in knowing that the condo was not about to burst into flames.

A bit before the call to 911, before the escalation of feelings and events that led to the placement of that 911 call, I-Needa had tried a lesser more calculated way to solve the horrid smell mystery. She had placed a call to her heat/air and plumber person. He was going to check out the heat/air unit and make sure that it was okay. He would come, but he was on another call and it would be awhile. It was during the wait that the smell grew so much more intense and I-Needa decided that she just had to have someone there with more knowledge about smells. She needed a professional nose to decide if she was going to go up in smoke or not. That is the thing that led to the afore mentioned 911 call.

As I said, the fire department had gone now. The professional noses were of one accord that there would be no fire. Things were looking up for I-Needa. Perhaps she would get some rest and be able to calm herself down a bit.

The heat/air/ plumber arrived. He checked the heat and air unit anyway. He pronounced it good. He was having a little crisis of his own as his truck key broke off in the ignition, so he was having to just let his truck run. He couldn't seem to get the key out, but he continued to return the service calls.

Then I-Needa started what began the second adventure of the day. She said, 'While you are here, would you check the guest bathroom tub faucets? When Mother turned on the faucets, it sounded like they were squealing. I just want to know that nothing is wrong with it.'

The heat/air/plumber person headed upstairs and checked the faucets. He turned it on full blast and off again. He told her that there wasn't anything major wrong with it, but she might want to get it traded out later. Off he went!

I-Needa headed upstairs after awhile to check on the bathroom. Who knows why she did, she just did. There was a stream of water running out of the faucet. She tried turning it off, but that didn't work. She turned it on more, then off. No difference. So.......... back to the phone, called the heat/air/plumber person whose key was still stuck in his truck ignition, to please come back. He did.

Off to the plumbing store he went to fetch new parts. He left his truck running. That would make me nervous. Some little something inside the plumbing stuff had broken off. It needed to be replaced. Back he came and corrected the problem. I-Needa happily (oh sure!) got out her checkbook and paid the heat/air/plumber person. As he drove away, leaving her with new plumbing and less money, I-Needa sincerely hoped that this was the end of her adventures for the day.


I-Needa was still flying around like a whirly bird when she called to tell me the details of the day. Actually, I think she called three or four times. Things just seemed to keep happening, and she needed to share. Personally, I think I was glad to be home. I barely escaped all that action. I just hope the nice heat/air/plumber person managed to get the key out of his truck's ignition. Crazy day!

The Third Day Fish Smell

I woke rather late this morning. I was still visiting I-Needa. This was day four of my visit, and I was to leave this morning. You know that old saying about visitors and the smell of dead fish being about the same after three days. As I woke this morning and whiffed the air, I wondered what on earth I was smelling. It was bad...Bad...
BAD! I thought the air smelled a bit like fresh dog poo.

Gigi would have had to work a week to make such a horrid smell. I did check the floor just to be on the safe side. I felt guilty even thinking about that as she is a dog who knows where poo belongs and where it doesn't.

I grabbed a Kleenex and tried to blow the horrid smell away. That didn't work either. I headed out the bedroom door. I-Needa said something about the place smelling bad. She had gotten that right, for sure!

We spent awhile trying to figure out what it could be. It was everywhere. She said that once in a great while, she could smell it and hadn't been able to figure out what it was. I really felt much better knowing that she could smell it too, but we needed an answer to WHY and WHAT we were smelling.

Things seemed to get better, and I finally needed to get on the road heading home. I thought it would be a nice leisurely day for I-Needa to regroup and relax before the work week begins again. When I arrived home, I called I-Needa to let her know. She began telling the wild tale of everything that had happened in the two hours since I'd left her place.

I believe I'll begin with the 911 call which brought the fire department to her door. Yes, that seems a good place to start. It seems the smell only intensified after I left. I-Needa said that it started smelling like something burning. There was no smoke, but the smell was so strong and getting stronger. She dialed 911 and said that she didn't know if she should be calling or not, but she was concerned that something electrical might be making that awful smell. Of course, the fire department arrived with lights and sirens. I-Needa said three gorgeous fireman came. I complained that she had to call when I was gone, so I couldn't see the gorgeous fireman. She explained why she had called and how embarrassed she was to have called them out, but she didn't want to have something electrical going on and have her place burn down. She said that she was sorry they had to suit up, but was glad they didn't have to soot up. She said they laughed.

Checking around the kitchen, the firemen told I-Needa that it smelled like burned food. She told them that she hadn't been cooking anything. They checked her oven anyway and seemed surprised when it was clean and there was no evidence of burning. They finally told her that the smell could be coming from the common wall of the condo next door. The firemen didn't go to that condo, but I-Needa did later. She pounded and pounded on the door, but never got an answer. She said their back screen door was open, but they weren't answering.

After assuring I-needa that she didn't have an electrical fire in the walls, the firemen left, the smell lingered, and the plumber came..... twice. Oh, yes, there is more to I-Needa's supposed restful morning. There is definitely more... To be continued tomorrow.........

Away

I'm spending a few days with I-Needa. Yesterday we went shopping! I-Needa has never been much of a shopper, but she is making up for it and darn near killed me with it yesterday. We went to our favorite Hobby Lobby, a Super Wal Mart, and Kohl's. We took a little lunch break, then headed for an exhibit at the Science Museum. We walked for hours. It was a super windy day, so we walked uphill in the wind to get to the museum area. Thankfully, that meant downhill with the wind to our backs returning to the car.

Today we have more plans. We are meeting friends for lunch. I think we also must head back to Kohl's as they are having a super sale of some kind starting at three o'clock this afternoon. Thankfully, it isn't three o'clock this morning.

I know that this type of shopping would wear thin if I was around it all the time, but it is a treat for one from Small Town. Just getting time to visit with I-Needa is the biggest treat.

I will confess having an outing with Stamping Brenda as well. The day I arrived, I-Needa wasn't feeling like striking out, so when Brenda called, I-Needa mentioned that I was looking for a particular brand of crafting stamp. Brenda, who was working on something, quickly offered to drop what she was doing and come play with me. We had a good time running around.

MWPC Looks and Listens

I had a visit the other day from MWPC (My Wonderful Perfectionist Carpenter). I'd called as have a ceiling boo boo in my dining room, and I really needed his advise as to what is going to have to be done about it. There is something strange going on around the air register there. My heating unit is in the attic, so my duct work is there. My sheet rock ceiling is old... really old.. and it has cracked a bit around that air thingie. It also looks like there might have been some moisture there. I've learned a long time ago that I don't do that kind of home repair. I call someone who knows what they are doing. That's why I placed the call to MWPC.

The problem with calling MWPC is that he is really good and always has a waiting list. I told him some time ago that I want him to do a few things, and I'm still on the wait list. I accused him of taking a big red marker and putting a huge x through my name. He just laughed.

So, MWPC gazes up at my ceiling thingie and says (of course he does) that the best thing to do would be replace the ceiling. After all, sheet rock becomes more brittle over time (I'd not thought of that), and there are other hairline cracks, and it just needs to be replaced. Lovely. I have so many other things that I want him to do. Now I have to put 'replace dining room ceiling' at the top of the list.

While I had MWPC here, I ushered him around the house and gave him my 'to do ' list. It looked like this:

• Fix dining room ceiling
• Put crown molding in the living room
• Replace vanity top and sink in the bathroom
• Refinish kitchen cabinets
  
• Replace kitchen floor

He just smiled and nodded the whole time I was adding to the list. Oh, I think he will eventually do it. WHEN is the big question.

I finally asked the big question: 'So, when do you think you can do this?' His reply: 'Oh No! Not a PDQ!' 'A PDQ?' I say. 'What the heck is a PDQ?' 'Well', he said.... 'That's a pin down question. I don't really like PDQs', he said. 'Well, we're going there anyway,' I said.

I started offering suggestions as to when he would appear to begin all this work. I think we finally arrived at October. Seriously. I suggested he save all of October and possibly November for my little 'to do' list. He agreed to pencil me in for October, but he wasn't sure which year that would be. Trust me, I told him which year I expected him to arrive.

Now that I have a tentative time for the start of all my MWPC's 'to do' list, I've got to make lots of decisions. I'm sad to say that I do have a 'to do' list of my own. I need to do a little painting. I HATE painting. I whined to MWPC that he had to come so I could get with the painting. For some strange reason I confessed to him that I do a better job of painting if he is around. I guess something of that work perfection must hover in the air. I seem to slow down and try to do it right if he is around.

Yesterday I spent in thought. I thought about the painting I need to do. I thought about changing the dining room wallpaper. I thought about what kind of top I want on my bathroom vanity. I thought about what kind of finish I want on my kitchen cabinets. I thought about how I (or MWPC) could update the kitchen. I thought about what kind of kitchen floor I wanted. All this 'thinking' was a full day's work. I found at the end of the day that I'd thought a lot, and about the only other thing I'd accomplished was breathing in and out.

Well, today is a NEW day. I've accomplished writing something for my blog. It is raining and promises to continue raining. That means I can't paint. Yea! I'm going to have to take myself in hand and do something that will improve my surroundings. Perhaps I should clean a closet with the view of carting things away. Perhaps that BIG question can apply to me as well: 'So, when do you think you can do this? With that, I'll leave you and see if I can't do something that will show by the end of the day. If you have done any guilty squirming while reading this most riveting post, then I suggest you think about it and then do something too.

Endings and Beginnings

In my in box yesterday was an e-mail from JuJu. It read: 'Movers here around 10:30 a.m. Come on up.' Her message was written long before the sun was up, but she was awake and preparing for her day. She had traveled the road between homes for long enough, and finally that would change. For JuJu, it was an ending and a beginning.

As circumstances change in our lives, we must at times change with the circumstances. Change can be a good thing. Some of the adaptations we make seem small, others huge. For JuJu, the move is a good thing, but it also seems to close a chapter in all our lives.

As friends do, Grace and I arrived at JuJu's house to help her with last minute little chores and to be there for her. The movers arrived and starting loading the remainder of her furniture. Grace and I followed behind with the sweeper trying to help JuJu get the home spic and span for the new owner's arrival. Those little places behind the big pieces of furniture needed a little attention. I was reminded of what I need to be doing at my own home.

We managed to sit here and there to have a feast of Sonic hamburgers and fries. With the front door having been wide open and the outside temperature in the low fifties, that nice warm Sonic burger tasted exquisite.... warmth to the tummy and heart. We love our comfort foods.

At last the truck pulled away with every last thing on it. JuJu, Grace, and I hugged and promised we'd visit. We said that it would be strange driving by the house and knowing it had a new owner. We've had lots of good times there. We've also spent lots of time there painting and fixing to sell the home. JuJu is blessed not to have to worry about the huge acreage that cost a fortune to mow or took hours of her time to mow. She doesn't have to worry about all the homeowner things on the house any more. That part has ended. She had said for a long time that the house just didn't feel like home any more, so we knew that she had moved on.

In my in box this morning was an e-mail from JuJu written yesterday evening. She had made her three hour drive and was home fine. She had unpacked her pickup, and one of the grandchildren was there eating chicken tenders and watching a Scooby Doo DVD. She admitted to feeling she was fading fast, so was hoping her son would arrive soon to claim the little one. Her life is a busy one with three grandchildren, her sons and a daughter-in-law. She won't have many moments to call her own. She is already making memories in her new place and fully into the new chapter in her life.

How Would You Explain It?

I visited with Daughter I-Needa this evening. She told me about an interesting event in her life today. She was heading off to work and for some strange reason, she decided that she simply must have.... craved... strongly desired a tea from Sonic. She isn't a tea drinker, usually. She is a water gal. But today, for some reason, she suddenly had an urge for Sonic tea.

Pulling over on the way to work to get the tea just wasn't a good idea. The Sonic in her area is nestled right where some construction is going on. She sighed and said, 'Gee, God, I sure would like to have a Sonic tea!' Now, you must understand that sharing every little thing with God is a common event in I-Needa's life. It is just second nature. She shares.

On to work I-Needa went. Shortly after her classes began, the door to her room opened and there stood a very confused woman. She was holding a guess what...... Sonic tea.... She headed over to I-Needa's desk and put down the tea. She said, 'Ummmmm.... I know you don't drink tea... I know you are strictly a water gal... but.... well... as I was coming to work this morning, God just seemed to tell me to pull into the Sonic and bring you tea. So I did, and here is the tea.'

That slow knowing grin had to have crossed I-Needa's face. Of course she was surprised, but it was just another of those God Winks that tells us we are truly listened to in the smallest of things. She immediately shared her morning trip to work and her tea craving with the lady. What a nice way to start the day. I'm sure it made God smile too. How would you explain it?

The Shower Find

I know you are thrilled to visit and see the inside of the bathroom. Crazy, huh? Well, I'm desperate for something to blog about today. So.... this is it. I've told you that I'm in the mood for spring cleaning. Setting the spring mood helps if you change things out and up a bit. I think this curtain looks happy with its spring colors, so started there.

The best part of this new home addition is that it was free! I love free! I was over at Grace's house one day and saw this nice fabric shower curtain in a pile of things that she had set out to put in a sale. Snatching it from the pile and clutching it to my bosom, I declared that I loved it and wanted it. She didn't care, so it became mine.

Grace changes home decor frequently. Her home always looks darling, but she doesn't stick with one look long. It is her passion to redo and change things. I just have to keep a sharp eye out for possible goodies that she may be casting aside. Yes, that is how I came by the happy spring shower curtain.

It was a start on the spring cleaning. I have much much more to do. I've moved a few things around, wiped some of the dust away, lemon oiled some of the furniture, and washed some of the baseboards. The problem is the repeated word 'some'. Yes, there is MORE of all of it to do.

I will leave you today enjoying the look of my spiffy new curtain. I think we all need to get a life.... especially me. Don't get any ideas about calling me to help with YOUR spring cleaning either!

Spring Incentive

I realize that spring isn't really here yet, but it's on the calendar for next week. The temperatures have been climbing a bit during the daytime. There is something in the air that seems to cry out for spring to hurry along.

Recently P.R. cleaned her house from stem to stern. I don't think she missed anything anywhere. I would feel perfectly safe in eating off any floor or surface of her home. I know it is spotless. That's just the way P.R. operates.

Knowing that she had done her spring cleaning put me in a blue funk for awhile. I had to stop and really look around. I've had such a good time doing things that I've shirked my duties to my home environment. I started looking closely and realized there were a few dust bunnies lurking under and over things. The furniture is in need of lemon oil, the woodwork needs a good cleaning, and it all seems to be needed at once.

Then there is the blogging guilt. I feel that a blogger should blog on a daily basis. After all, people don't want to come back to the same thing each day. So, I question why I started this in the first place. Yet, here I am. I'm apologizing for the fact that I've been attending to my home and have a long way yet to go on that project. I would like to suggest that everyone get off the computer and head for the cleaning supplies. We should all give a good week of back breaking endeavor to the cleaning of our surroundings. I'm sure even P.R. is dusting something at the moment.

Spring also gives me ideas of home improvement. For that I called my MWPC (Most Wonderful Perfectionist Carpenter). I was afraid I might be on his AAAC (Avoid At All Cost) list. Thankfully, he returned my call, and I was able to at least unburden myself with my list of 'to do' items. Of course, he can't get here for awhile... I made him at least pencil October by my name. I told him to just add November and December while he was at it. I'm sure by then I can come up with an even longer list of things for him to do.

I love having MWPC around as I see things being accomplished by someone other than myself. I really don't like all that painting and fixing. I'd much prefer to see someone truly accomplished at it accomplishing it. I let him do the carpentry items that I think up. Even if I do some of the painting, I find I do a better job when Mr. Perfectionist is here. I'm afraid otherwise that I might take shortcuts and not do as good a job as I could. If he is here, I tend expect myself to do better. Works for me.

In the meantime, I've been on my hands and knees working on cleaning the kitchen floor. Oh, I do the wet jet mop thing, but I'm really into cleaning so will get down on my hands and knees and do it but good. That wet jet thing seems to wipe some stuff into the wall edge, and only a good cleaning at close view will settle that and make it right. At one point, I realized my knees were a little tingly, and I sincerely wondered if I'd be able to rise from the floor. I also thought about the extra pie and things I'd eaten and wondered if I could hoist the remnants of that. I did make it, but think I'll lay off the pie.

I am, indeed, off to clean. I must finish the kitchen floor. I ran out of light yesterday to really see. I must wipe down the woodwork, wash curtains, shampoo the carpet, lemon oil the furniture and continue to blog. Really, I hope someone else will join me and we can make this world a better place.

Good Friends Together

Last night was dinner and a movie, which spells excitement in Seniorville. JuJu and Grace were coming as it was my turn to entertain.

There are things to consider when entertaining seniors. First, there is the time element. It is cold, and none of us like to get out in the cold and dark to head home. Perhaps I should just say that we don't plan on staying late on a cold winter evening.

We decided to try to adapt our movie viewing time to late afternoon. It was a long movie, complete with Overture and Intermission. Seriously. So, we started the movie and watched until Intermission. At Intermission we took our break and decided to have a snack... wine and pie. Good grief! Whoever heard of wine and pie? We are some seriously crazy seniors. We giggled a bit about eating our pie before dinner, but decided we'd live a little and try it. We could always have more pie after dinner. We giggled some more at that thought. MORE pie!

The pie held us through the rest of the movie, then I served what was a rather late dinner for us. We usually eat at five o'clock, and it was WAY past five o'clock. Thank goodness we'd had that pie. Personally, I think all dessert should be eaten first. I've said that when I get older, I'm going to eat my dessert first. Perhaps that was a start. Of course, I'm not old enough to eat it first on a regular basis. I don't know about the others, but I know I'm not old enough.... yet.

We had to wait a short amount of time for spaghetti to cook. Other than that, it was a matter of just warming the other food. I pride myself on being able to have a meal on the table, start to finish, in quick order. I've always been rather impatient with dawdling about in the kitchen and taking hours to prepare the food. When I'm ready to eat, I want it NOW. I can't really say I plan ahead much either. I just go to the kitchen and open the freezer door. Whatever pops into my head is what I fix. Thank goodness for thawing in the microwave. I call the process 'whirling'. I just go in the kitchen and whirl and see what happens.

I will admit to being slightly better prepared when guests come.... usually. There have been times when JuJu and Grace have come over that I've applied the whirling procedure, but they don't care as long as they are fed. It works.

After dinner the big question was asked: 'Okay, do you want more pie?' I laid it firmly on my guests. They wafted a bit on their decision as the idea of venturing into new territory competed with the knowledge that more pie meant more calories. Finally they said rather unconvincingly that they didn't really need (notice the word need, not want) any more pie. Pushing for a bit of history making here, I decided that having had wine and pie (a first) we should go ahead and have more pie (another first). I sliced a very small amount of pie as a finisher to dinner. JuJu and Grace have such good manners. They ate their pie. Of course, so did I.

I think I rather enjoy entertaining these seniors. We have no real etiquette expectations beyond the basics. Martha doesn't live here and isn't coming over anyway. We've all been though the years of knowing how to plan and prepare, now we are ready to just kick back and relax.

Our dinner and movie night was good. It was dark and cold, but not late, when we decided to call it a night. Soon the light will linger longer, the temperature will rise, and we seniors will happily stay a little later and enjoy being out and about. There will be more whirling and entertaining, that's for certain. Whether or not we continue eating dessert first, or with wine, remains to be seen.

Work and Lists

Yesterday I felt tied to my work. I'd played too much, worked too little. I didn't think that was possible, but all my volunteer obligations were catching up with me.

I decided to practice a little of that self-discipline that I should be good at by now. I sat myself down at the computer to update charts and all the other things I needed to do. I believe I sat down fairly early in the morning and didn't really surface again until sometime in the afternoon.

I'd made a list at some point, and I suppose it was nice being able to cross off a few things. The problem with lists is that they seem to be a growing living thing. You can never get everything crossed off if you are honest about it.

I'm reminded of a friend I worked with many years ago. She is one who isn't driven by the need for visual neatness. She stacks... everywhere. It is just her way, even though it would drive me crazy. It really isn't my problem. To each their own, as we say.

One year my friend had a health issue that took her away from work for an extended period of time. It ended up that she had to have a long term substitute. Another team member and I decided that we had to do something to help with the situation. There were also end of the year reports to be done. Both being visuals, meaning things must be neat and in order, we 'screwed our courage to the sticking point' and headed into our friend's world of stacks and stuff. It was a nasty job, but someone had to do it.

Our friend was not there to defend herself, and we were in strange territory. However, we took on the challenge with respect for her ways and decided we would try to do what was necessary without totally ruining her world of stacks and stuff. It really was a challenge.

I clearly remember one defining moment in the organizational and cleaning process that we so reluctantly undertook. It happened when we opened a cabinet door and found a list. Yes, there in the cabinet was a crumpled to do list written by our friend. That alone made us chuckle.

We started reading the list...chuckle chuckle. I wish I could remember now all the little things that she had written and checked off as having completed. What I do remember was the one item that did NOT have a check. It was the one thing that probably would forever remain unchecked: Clean the room.

We found in that cabinet a host of things that could well have been tossed. We tried very hard to resist jumping in with fervor and giving that place a through cleaning as we defined cleaning. I will admit that we tossed a few things, among them a petrified donut. Seriously. It had long long passed any possible reason for existing, and our reason told us that it should just be tossed.

We sat on the floor of her room for quite awhile with tears running down our faces. We had been throughly entertained at our friend's expense. It was the best laugh we had for a long time. I will confess that we did give her a hard time about the check list and the petrified donut. To this day, we sometimes remind her of our sacrifice. We haven't let her forget and sometimes ask her if she has made another to do list. She just calls us tacky and moves on.

Moving on is a great idea, and it is time for me to get back to my own list of things to accomplish today. I keep wanting to schedule time to play, but it doesn't seem to be on the list for awhile. I want to play, but the dust settles, the laundry piles up, there are errands to run, and the list grows. So, I'm off and hope to accomplish at least one or two things to check off of the list. Ta Dah!

A Touch of Spring Cleaning

Time seems to be flying by. Hopefully, spring will be here soon and we can look for warmer weather. Living in a four season climate brings us to expect the unexpected. We can expect almost anything at any time. Two days ago we were to have snow. I saw a few flakes. That was enough for me. We've had some sunshine. Those are the best days. Somehow a slight rise in temperature and a nice sunny day is a great mood lifter.

Son Right Back was here for awhile yesterday. He seemed to be in the mood to help, so I took the opportunity to casually mention my plans for cleaning out the space behind the little building out back and the retaining wall. There were a few things there that needed to be hauled to the dump. Little tree wannabes also dotted the area. There were even a few kid toys from the neighbor's yard.

The next thing I knew, Right Back had a rake and was behind the building. He had pulled out the things that needed to go to the dump and raked the area clean. He also took some pruning sheers and clipped away the unwanted growth. I'm ecstatic that the little chore is done. Bless Right Back.

The cleaning spirited me into a mood to do a little myself. I did go inside the building and rearrange a bit. Actually, Right Back took some of his precious possessions from the building and took them away too. I'm envisioning an overhaul of the building. That nice building has a window combination heat and air unit, so I may just get in there and warm the place up to work.

One thing seems to lead to another. Spring cleaning is starting to form in my mind. When visiting with P.R. the other day, I found she has been in the mood and cleaned everything in her house. I do mean EVERY thing. I called to chat with her the other night, and her hubby said that she was busy cleaning the baseboards. I told him that he was really a most excellent husband to just let her do the things that make her so happy. He chuckled. Actually, P.R. loves to clean and paint and wallpaper. She says it's relaxing. I call that strange, but it works for her.

I'm not of the idea that cleaning, wallpapering, and painting can make me relaxed or happy. I'm more happy NOT doing those things. I tried to get P.R. to come on to my house if she has any of the spring cleaning mood left in her. She didn't seem to think that would be an issue. I guess I'm left on my own with that.

The day awaits, and I must run. I have a list of things to do. Really. I made an actual list. I might get some small satisfaction from taking a pencil and marking a few off this evening. I may even wander out to the building and make plans there as well. Perhaps I should take some before and after pictures and share with you.

Must run. Thanks for stopping by, and please come again.

Out To Live

You may have noticed that I've not posted in a few days. One thing about committing to a blog is that feeling that you are obligated to post... daily. For someone wanting less commitments, I'm not understanding this craziness of mine.

I will only thank you for coming by to read my silly writing and tell you that I was out to live. We've had a couple of nice days. The sun has been shining and it was just time to go.... somewhere.

Grace and I went to Nearby City a couple of afternoons ago and took a course in Beading 101. I've not done any of that, and thought it would be fun to sample it. Daughter I-Needa has been making jewelry for some time, and rather likes it. I think her passion has cooled a bit on it, but I thought it might run in the family. Of course, I had to buy some tools. I doubt I get into it big time, but it might be fun to do a little here and there. For one thing, it is expensive... really. I guess that depends on the quality of stones you use, but what I looked at in the bead shop were expensive.

Yesterday I headed for Nearby Big City to see friend P.R. Grace hadn't been to her house, so I coaxed her to come and we had a good time. We also went to a BIG BIG store called Old Time Pottery. Now that is a place that is full of goodies!! You could pack an overnight bag to go there and still not see it all. I was proud that all of us resisted the urge to fill our shopping carts. We bought just a small amount of practical (will have to look up the definition of that word later) items and left the rest for others.

It was good to get out in the world, even if for a couple of days. The weather man has spoken, and his tale was not a pretty one. We have more icky stuff on the way, and it will probably be inside days for me for awhile. At least I was able to get out and live a little before the next batch of potential cabin fever sets in.