Greetings
Im sitting down with my Saturday afternoon beer , and feeling pretty good about all the stuff I have gotten accomplished in the last couple of days. Best of all was getting the rest of the wallpaper off my bathroom walls- this was a project that started last January when I painted my bedroom and the upstairs hall and discovered that the previous owners of this house had done a really, really good job of putting the wallpaper up in the bathroom. The stuff was backed with vinyl , and I worked on it until spring came and then stopped because I wanted to be outside instead off cooped up in a bathroom with peeling paint and partially removed wallpaper ! So yesterday I went up there and finished it. Still have to sand and scrape the walls , prime it and paint it, but I think I can do that in two weekends if I put my mind to it. Yippee ! Next comes the home office project..more painting. Also worked on the garage , pulled up the slimy impatiens , planted some more pansies, moved the brugmansias to shelter , raked leaves , did laundry and did a magazine purge-this involves finding ever more hidey holes to put stacks of gardening magazines that I cant bear to get rid of . Wait till I get that home office done - Magazine nirvana !

I noticed when I was out pulling up all the frost kill stuff that the Love-in-a Mist is germinating already . I decided to plant some sweet pea seeds at the trellising where my tomato was, so found a pack of seeds thats a few years old so will probably have low germination rate . Love sweet peas !

Eden, cute little tree for Bella, and artistically posed next to a glass of wine and the lap-top! Im with Chelone on those cabinets ! I think we need a more comprehensive pic !

Mary, thanks for posting the recipe, it sounds great , will try it later this month.

Jeri, what perky little puppy pictures.. cute !

You are brave Michelle ! But I like your approach of just a fun day with the girls, a nice lunch and no crazy elbowing through the crowds to get the 1 hour blue-light special !

Wendy, for some reason my kids love Alices Restaurant too..however they are not always completely ambulatory by noon .They missed it this year .

Martie, my DS has two drums, (African drums ) two guitars, a mandolin a didgeree-doo(God knows if I spelled that right !) and I wear earplugs to bed every night !

Off to Monterey tomorrow, so I need to go clean out the car and pack up cds (a family tradition to listen to broadway musicals on car trips ) pack up some wine (another family tradition) and finish up the chores

Enjoy your evening everyone !

Kathy in the Napa Valley

"The shelters up here have to "import" puppies from your neck of the woods... "
I've heard this and it always makes me curious about the import process!!! We need to find out and get in on that process. We have wonderful dogs - some that are 'full blooded' - that are killed every day here because we have no room. I'd like to win the lotto and buy a fleet of trucks to transport some up to places that can take some of these wonderful animals.

Dora, Boots, and Diego are quite a group! Their Mom Chloe (a sheltie/corgi mix) is such a little doll I'm thinking of keeping her. I usually take the ones that don't get adopted but I'd love to have her. She keeps my feet warm at night! ;) The puppies have some Chi. in them.
The little black/brown puppies are all cute too. They are Chi/rat terrier mix.

This is a really nice weekend. I'll be transporting a little 7 yr. old dog to his 80 year old 'Mom'. She was stuck in NW Arkansas in a Woman's shelter - a victim of elder abuse. She left the shelter and chose to be homeless rather than give up her dog. He was all she has left. :(
She was finally able to move in with relatives in Amarillo TX. but the bus wouldn't transport her little dog. She had to be torn away from him. He's stayed with her social worker and is coming to my house tonight. I'll be driving him safely to his Mom tomorrow. I love happy endings!!!

Jerri

Jerri, I have no idea what the "import" rules are but have you contacted the Animal Welfare Societies in New England? I know when I first went up to look at Rex there were one or two litters of puppies imported from Tennessee. The required people to draw lots for turns to play with them! they were all spoken for with 2 days of being offered for adoption. Seems everyone loves puppies, but not many have the time/patience for the mature, untrained beasts (which is what cutes puppies become without training). Very, very sad. I'm not surprised the woman you mentioned opted for life without a home rather than surrender the one loving constant in her life. The helpmeet and I watched with horror the aftermath of Katrina and the lost/abandonned pets. One PBS show clearly spelled out the tragedy of lost lives because people were not permitted to evacuate with beloved pets. One story of an elderly man's search for his cat was especially heart wrenching. He returned to his destroyed home for several days, calling in vain, growing more desperate. Finally, his cat emerged from her hiding place and he dissolved into tears of relief. FEMA has learned an important lesson about the connection between pets and their humans. A pity more animals don't enjoy that sort of devotion. I'm glad to know your day will end happily. :)

We have a vat of turkey soup, too. I am going to insist it be frozen for future enjoyment... . And I'm sure the indigenous wildlife will feed well tonight. There will be a lot of trash put out tonight... tomorrow morning the bags that haven't been burglarized will likely have a minimum of 4 crows working away on them. (We keep our's inside until about trash time; no need to create more work by picking up what shouldn't have ended up all over the side of road in the first place.)

Her Highness is sleeping, but I fear my nightly reprieve will end shortly. She's been driving me crazy the past few days. Repeating the question of the day, "What are the neighbors going to do with their properties?"... HUH?! she is fixated on the notion that the houses are going to be sold; why, I have no idea. I now have remind her to put her coat on before sending out for some air. If I don't she willl head right out in shirtsleeves, and then I have to remind her take it off when she comes back in. Forgot to do that the other day and an hour after she'd come in she was sitting in her chair reading the paper in her coat, hat, and gloves. LOL. I'm waiting for the attorney's final "go ahead" before submitting the application for LTC. I hope my sense of humor and patience doesn't evaporate entirely before she gets to the head of the waiting list. Le sigh (good one, Da).

I took the huge dog to the golf course yesterday afternoon. We haven't been in awhile and he was a mental man. I had a tennis ball in my pocket and some treats in the other, but he was still bouncing around like a superball. I had to fight him off when I attempted to put some pinecones in the bag I'd brought along. I threw the ball for him several time, but it's still hunting season and he was getting the "wander lust" after we'd heard a few rifle shots. Musta been some very intriguing smells wafting over the fairways... I quickly realized if he got outside the critical radius of voice control I'd have a chase on my hands. I prudently leashed him up and we practiced, "walking politely" and other basic obedience commands. And he loved that, too. He is a very cheerful beast. I warned the helpmeet he was looking for an excuse to go AWOL (absent without leash)... but my warnings were unheeded and he made good his escape on the evening post-prandial pee. He was gone about 10 minutes and I received a sour look and a "don't you say a word!". LOL

The last of the awnings are rinsing the washing machine. I'll hang them up after the sun rounds the corner of the house and bansishes the frost from those I hung out yesterday afternoon. They're nearly 10 years old and some of the stains are refusing to wash out. I'll see how groady they look after they've dried, but it's probably time to consider making replacements. They probably have 2-3 years left, MAX.

And there's more yardwork (still have to put some bulbs back in the ground). And Christmas decorations to consider. Wish some of you would provide with an excuse to sit and read...

;)

Good morning! Jeez, a four day weekend and where did it go? The weather has been absolutely fabulous with temps hovering around 60 F every day. Tomorrow it's supposed to hit 64. Believe it or not but the garden is about 90% cleaned up. If I see another leaf I may just go over the edge but I keep telling myself how nice it will be come spring. Today I may take a break from the raking and shredding chores and do a little outdoor holiday decorating.

Chelone I sent you an e-mail and copied Deanne so if you got it you have her e-mail address.

Hey Cynthia, what a surprise! And Jerri too-don't be strangers. Jerri it looks like you're as busy as ever with rescue. Keep up the great work you do!

Kathy, no, the rescue dog I will be transporting from VT is not for me. I've been a volunteer with Miniature Schnauzer Rescue Service of New England for over 10 years. We don't have very good volunteer coverage in VT but luckily there don't seem to be alot of schnauzers there either. My trip has now been postponed til next weekend.

Martie, the only thing I can think of with your Kodak problem is Kodak converts the photos to some proprietary file type that Photobucket doesn't recognize. Usually at some point in the process you can choose a different file extention. If so, make sure your images are .jpg. I just bypass the software that came with my camera and use a card reader that plugs directly into my computer.

Michelle, your Thanksgiving table looks great to me. I've got Waterford crystal here but never use it mostly because it's covered with dust and I'm too lazy to wash it...lol.

Eden we have a festival of trees here in Hartford. Every year I say I'm going to go but so far have never made it. Maybe this year...

So Deanne, how was your dinner last night?

Guess I'd better scare up some breakfast and plan my day. A week or so ago I decided to start updating my website again after not doing much to it for a few years. It's easy to get sidetracked with something like that but today is a day for outdoor stuff.

Sue

Another beautiful morning and a beautiful day on tap here. Its supposed to go up to the 60s and Im thinking we are going to head out for another drive to the beach today. Too pretty to sit around.

Thanks for everyones kind comments re my neighbor. You just never know what is coming down the pike do you?

Last night we had twelve people over for leftover/turkey soup night and my refrigerator is effectively cleaned out of the Thanksgiving leftovers. Whats even better is it forced me to deal with the turkey carcass and that is a good thing. I can never bring myself to discard what can be turned into a big pot of soup. I packaged up Tupperware with soup for everyone to take home so I even have a manageable amount of that for dinners next week. Ill put a couple containers in the freezer and its a done deal. Ill tell you all I dont remember the last time I laughed so much. My BIL got onto the internet to check his lotto numbers and then found some links to silly cat videos and we were all practically rolling on the floor. Doug was funnier than the videos because his laugh is just infectious. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Martie, I cant imagine a bunch of fellows cooking and cleaning Thanksgiving. Did you feel like a princess? LOL ~~ I actually hate it when anyone cleans up my kitchen because Ive found that no one cleans it the way I do. I got up this morning and had to rewash a bunch of plates and utensils because there was still debris on them.

Jerri those are some pretty cute puppies!

Michelle, love your table and the pick of Kenzie is wonderful.

Wendy, my fuchsias are leafing out as well. They dont know what to do because its been so warm. Im hoping that the temps get cold and stay that way for a while so the plants will go dormant. Im going to bring the few plants I put in the basement back out in the garage for the time being until they stop showing any growth. ~~ Thanks for the ID on that plant. I really love that one. How large did it get for you?

OK Ive really got to run and get out of here. Ill check in later, hopefully with some nice new birdie pics.

Enjoy the day all,
Deanne

Just popping in quickly on a mild, misty morning to give Chelone something to read! Its 11C (~51F) here this morning nice for taking Misty for a longish walk. Pity poor gb though! Its -25C (-14F) with light snow in Edmonton! Theyre supposed to get 2" snow tonight and more tomorrow! DHs parents are in Calgary and its been equally as cold there most of the past week.

The shed project hit a major snag on Friday when I noticed that the shingles they got for the siding were the wrong kind. Even after all these years, it's hard to remember that eastern white cedar shingle siding is largely a foreign concept here in southern Ontario! The New England Idylls and probably Chelone in particular can likely best understand my distress at the thought of using an imperfect substitute for the real thing. DH is a bit bewildered by it a shingle is a shingle, isnt it? was his reaction but he also said its your project; do whatever makes you happy. Hes a sweetie! So I spent hours Friday night researching shingle options on the Internet and Saturday we went to local hardware/lumber suppliers checking out what is available locally. It looks like what I want will take about 3 weeks as a custom order. We talked to the contractor on the phone about it and DH dropped off the product info to him so he can look at it and assess what it does to the shed plan. I suspect we'll have to finish up what we can now (roof, windows except for trim) and leave the siding until spring, unless it stays mild and no snow for the next three weeks! At the moment what we have is the boxed in frame of the shed. The windows in the front wall and the door still have to be cut out and installed. Part of the roof sheathing still needs to be applied on the north half of the roof and the roof shingles applied. I took the cheap option and well use asphalt shingles instead of cedar on the roof. The old shed was very short. DH had to duck to go in the door and could only stand upright in the very center. The taller profile of this shed is taking a bit of time to adjust to visually. The height makes it look narrower than the old one but its the same 10 wide. Once the windows are in on either side of the door, they should help a bit I think, although the windows will also be narrow and long. Next spring I think Ill be planting some billowy hydrangeas to either side to visually broaden the appearance. Heres what it looks like at the moment try to imagine the door painted charcoal gray, with a large window; a window on either side of the door and gray cedar shingle siding. (...and the shed is not standing crooked - I was holding the camera crooked!)

{{gwi:185329}}

Everyone looked like they dined well and elegantly this weekend! Deanne that was a distressing situation with you neighbour.

Eden the Bella pictures were certainly bella! And Jerris puppy pictures were adorable too. And a visit here from Cynthia and Monty! And Da!

Hey Woody! the shed is lookin' great. I chuckled at the comment about holding the camera crooked, too. I also laughed about the shingles (shakes?), what were they proposing to use? We worked on a very strict budget when we built this house and we have an asphalt shingle roof... can't believe we have to begin thinking about replacing it... YIKES! Good thing it's a simple, 2 plane roof. I look at the present vogue for multiple rooflines and gables and think, YOWZA I'm glad I won't have to pay for the new roof...

I haven't gotten any mail from you, Sue. I'll try opening the account you may have sent it to again. There was a problem with the server earlier... that failing, I will send 'bug something and I KNOW she'll help me out. I so loathe this iVillage take over... the heart has been cut out of what had been a really cool, fun place to visit. One far removed from the clutches of gross advertising... . :( ahh... Paradise Lost.

I booted Mum outdoors about 15 minutes ago (she has her coat on) over her protestations. Remember our mothers saying, "go out and play!"... well paybacks can be a drag, lol. ;) When she comes in (and removes her coat and gloves!) I will give her her lunch... and then take His Hugeness out for a golf course ramble. I don't feel like dealing with bulbs, leaves, or Christmas decorations.

I'm beginning to think I ought to lock the doors behind her... given her druthers, she'll put in 10 miutes before whining about the "cold". What's she gonna do in January? answer: go out more often for shorter periods of time, lol!

;)

Chelone, does your e-mail address begin with "biz"? It's that address I used. You can reach me by adding @aol.com to my user name here. If I spell it out I'll probably get spammed to death.

Sue

Scrutinize the aol mailbox, Sue... this is so clandestine, isn't it?!

Where the hell are Cynthia, Da, Babs., Saucy, Marian (who I never thought would go "missing")? must we wait until Christmas, or what?

:)

Hi there

Woody - what a wonderful looking shed. Good for you for making sure you get the real thing when it comes to shingles.

Michelle - Mackenzie is as cute as ever!

Its the end of a great weekend. Today it reached 65F with sun so finishing my garden clean-up continued to be a pleasure rather than a chore. We had a trip to the library this afternoon and treated the children to Ben and Jerrys ice cream to celebrate their report cards. Annie has always struggled with Math, but thanks to dogged perseverance on her part she made an A-. I was thrilled for her.

I took the last of the meat off the turkey and made a delicious turkey pot pie. The Gluten-Free pastry was good, but being somewhat of a pastry purist it didn't live up to my memories of the wheat laden real thing. I only make pastry during the holidays and it made what might have been rather dull leftovers into something special.

Before having to eat gluten free and in the days when I didn't have to worry about weight I loved nothing more than whipping up a batch of shortcrust, flakey or even puff pastry for one of my English pies. It's been years since I've had a good Steak and Kidney pie or Bakewell tart. Fond memories indeed...

The last chore of the weekend, laundry, is nearing completion and then I'm hoping to settle down to some of my cross-stich. I'm making Mum a counted cross-stictch of Audobon's "Hudsonian Chickadees" for Christmas.

Hope everyone else enjoyed the weekend

Looking forward to hearing about GB's trip

have a good evening everyone

Mary

Good Post-Snooze Morning! It feels like I've floated through this Holiday weekend but have arrived at the "other side" intact. Back to work today to really catch up and figure out what I did when I was there last week but still a tad "under the influence." LOL

Kodak came through, and this morning I have an answer to my question along with a name, email address and "direct phone line" to call when I have some time to go through getting the photos out of EasyShare and to all of you. Yippee! Another big company that has humans!!! (Not tongue in cheek - I truly appreciate their response.)

Didn't do much yesterday but the gardens did get cleaned out and I'm noticing far too much crown growth on everything. It'll be interesting to see what effect this warm Autumn has on plants next Spring.

Hooray to Annie!! Please give her an AttaGirl from me, Mary. And could you possibly get some "home" feel from a bit of good ale?? It's a long shot, but worth the try :-)

Later, hopefully with pics, gang.

Martie

Good morning!

It is lightly snowing here making everything look quite pretty. I do not 'have' to go anywhere today so I shall stay inside, 'keep the home fires burning' and just enjoy putting up Christmas decorations, doing laundry, balancing the checkbook, paying bills......just having a grand time. ;o)

We had a nice Thanksgiving here. All the kids were able to be here which doesn't seem to happen all that often anymore. I made a simple dinner (ham, baked potatoes, veggies, hot rolls, apple & pumpkin pies) as I figured the kids would get turkey at the other homes (in-laws) that they would visit that day. I do love turkey and missed not having it along with dressing.....but will make one for DH & myself soon.

We've been enjoying the elk's visits once again. I hadn't noticed them being around as much and was concerned/sad that maybe something had changed their travel route...but there have been 15 of them spending time grazing in the upper back yard and out in the pasture. A telephoto lens, chosen with help from Mary's DH's recommendations, has been ordered so I am looking forward to attempting to get some wonderful photos, after Christmas.

It has been wonderful to see posts from Da, Cynthia and Jerri......I hope they chose to continue to stay and post with us. I've missed each of them.

Well, time for more coffee and perhaps time to get those home fires built.

Take care,
T.

Hi to all; )& those that have been looking for me. I just can't get into the swing of posting these days so I'm not saying you'll be seeing me back on track here. I just felt it unfair for anyone really missing me to wonder if I'm OK. I am in fact OK and just trying to keep on top of living life.

There's tons to backtrack on and report from here but I guess I'd be babbling way back from before Halloween...not sure you'd really be that interested. I did appreciate Taryn coming to look for me.Thanks Taryn. And Eden too for emailing me.
You guys didn't hear from me at Halloween because I was planning a trip to Hocking Hills the day after Halloween;a much needed respite from work,& family obligations after a month and a half hospital stay for my MIL. Now we are in the midst of a big job change for Chris(as an assistant prof for the nursing school). Most importantly we enjoyed a week long visit from my sister(TX) & brother(CA) and their families at Thanksgiving-very heartwarming to see the little cousins huddling together(12 kids ages 2-21)as a group even though they haven't been together in several years. I'm going through a withdrawl and missing them all now that they are home! The highlight was an instrumental Christmas ensemble featuring the older cousins,my sister & myself. That's three clarinets,a bass clarinet,one baritone,a trumpet,flute,& bassoon. I learned that one of my nephews likes improvisation as much as I do-funny to discover as we played-I think we bonded: ).

So anyway,to those that have thought to ask-I'm fine but just plugging away. I'm now in the middle of planning AJ's bday which is Thurs. so I'll be once again missing here...then of course there's xmas-it's not that far away!

How's that for concise?
Have a good one...

~B

Babs, it is lovely to 'see' you! I hope life allows you to check in often...but if not, I wanted you to know you are missed a lot!!!

T.

Good Monday Morning, Where did the weekend go? The weather's been just beautiful here, around 60F. I did a little more garden cleanup yesterday and spread the rest of the leaves Brad had shredded for me. Nothing to do now but wait for Spring. I think I'll start the indoor Christmas decorating today. Brad did some more work on the "office" that we're making the spare bedroom into. He still has to build a wall of book shelves for me and then there's the painting to do.

Woody, the shed went up quickly! It's going to look great with the "shingles" you've chosen.

Mary, congrats to Annie on her "A"!

Michelle, what a sweet picture of Kenzie. Is she really as sweet as she always looks in her pictures? Blla can be but is also a little "character" sometimes, lol.

Babs, I'm so glad you checked in! How's your MIL doing now? Great that you've been able to enjoy some family time. I would have loved to hear the Christmas ensemble! Happy Birthday to AJ too! And your so right, Christmas is right around the corner!

Jerri, thank goodness for people like you who care so much about the poor homeless animals! You're a very special lady! Thank you for what you do for them.

I'm off to dig out the decorations from the basement! Ho!Ho!Ho!

Eden

Just an quick update. Tim and the Granddaughters were here after all. They came Friday at 1PM and left Saturday at 10AM.( They were going to Marvin's before heading back home.) We enjoyed their brief visit, and the dinner that I had already prepared. I had sent Savannah a Birthday card and Thanksgiving card, along with a check for both. ( I give Thanksgiving gifts...instead of Xmas ones).I had also sent a card to the other 2 girls with a check inclosed.They brought the checks with them, and we went to town Friday afternoon so they could cash them, and then went to Wal Mart and each bought one gift( A toy). Hopefully the rest of the monetary gifts will be used more usefully, but it is up to them to make that choice.
Savannah became a teenager while here. Her 13th BD was the 24th.
Nolon has recovered enough to go to Sunday services with me yesterday. He still has coughing spells, and occasionally needs the nebulizer for his breathing, but is back up at the sawmill cutting kindling wood today.

The weather is to deteriorate by Thursday, with incoming cold , snow, and ice! Yargh! I must get to town tomorrow and restock our larder! I don't expect the frozen stuff to stay on long, but since the entire year has been weird...who knows?

Good to hear that all have reported a good Thanksgiving.
Also good to hear from absentees.

Marian

We had a great turkey day at DSs house, My DB and family did her side of the family this year so there were just 8 of us. We ate outselves silly and really enjoyed my GN. Like Kenzie and Bella, its hard to get a good pic of her because she rarely stays still long enough.

With DHs help, I got a ton of shopping done and caught many of the sales this weekend. The shops here werent as crowed as years past. Friday, I had DH drop me at the door and either circled until I was done or ran an errand in between my stops. It worked like a charm. Id done my homework and knew what I was going for at each place. Ive got some presents wrapped, but only have a couple more to buy. I need more wrapping and ribbon tho, as well as pick up some sale items for me in my new, smaller size.

Chelone, I saw that PBS special on the Katrina animals. The report I saw said that FEMA has changed its rules and pets can now be transported with their humans to safety.

I just roared when I read about your mothers altercation for the xmas toy!! I think any of us can be driven to lose it in the sale fray.

I have a similar story. When DH and I were first married, I had a coupon for half off a local yummy cake (Sanders Buttercream) that was the favorite of a T-Day guest. They had sold out the day I went to the store, but would have a fresh batch at 10 am Wed. So DH was sent on the mission to get the cake. He didnt wanna go, and left in a huff and probably grumbled the whole way there. When he got to the store it looked like there werent any left, except there in the back on the bottom shelf was the LAST ONE. So he put it in his cart in the child seat area. He stepped away a moment but saw a woman reach into his cart and take the cake. He went over to her and said, "Im sorry but thats MY cake and you took it out of my cart," and proceeded to retrieve it from her cart. She yelled, "NO, thats MY cake," and grabbed the other end of the box. Calmly, DH said, No, you took that cake out of my cart!" A lot of commotion and tug-of-war ensued.

All of this was in full view of the checkout counters. The woman started cussing and swearing at DH and was quite nasty. Neither of them would relinquish the cake to the other. So, DH in desperation, stomped on her foot! She yelped and cussed but released the box. The entire check out area broke out in applause. The cake was a squashed mess, but DH was triumphant he won the battle.

Oh Deanne, thats absolutely horrible about your neighbor and his family. Mom has been uncharacteristically late for a couple of gatherings lately and we are always so worried when she is. The last time, we sent out a search party. It turns out her phones were out and shed simply lost track of time. I'm so sorry that wasn't the case with your special neighbor.

Sue, Chelone, what beautiful tables you set! Chelone, I knew you made those placemats. Theyre gorgeous! Both your homes and tables look so inviting.

Hey Cynthia!!!!! Im so glad you stopped in. Weve missed you! Great pic of Monty. How is he doing?

And Jerri, hi to you, too! Jerri, heres a pic of the rescued poodle, Jacques, next to our other furry friend, Timmy:

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Timmy is the dog I told you about that ran away from home and came to our house when his "Mom" put him on a diet! He knows there are treats at our house. This friend rescued Jacque b/c Timmy has started developing inoperable tumors and she wanted Timmy to help teach Jacque. Its working wonderfully and Jacque is really coming out of his shell.

Speaking of animals, we almost adopted a Shithzu puppy. It was close. We decided against it so as not to stress Bullet. Bullet is not doing well and is on hospice care. Im watching him closely b/c we know something is up with him. Hell be 15 years old next month and is nothing but skin and bones. Still purring and seemingly happy, tho.

Oh, pix of Bella and Kenzie! Too cute.

Martie, good to hear youre resting as you should, but sorry to hear of your Kodak/photobucket dilemma. What a pain! One of my winter things to do is to learn my upgraded photo software. I have the book but I havent opened it yet. Oh well, there will be plenty of cold days ahead to work on it.

Hey, Woody, your shed project is really looking terrific! Cant wait to see the finished product!

Oh, Hi Babs! Good to hear from you, too. Sounds like youve had a busy, busy month! Cant wait to hear the details of Chris new job. Hope its nearby and youre both happy.

Wheres Marian? Hope you check in with us soon and that you and Nolan had a wonderful holiday.

Hi to anyone I might have missed. Well, Ive got to get busy here, laundry, wrapping, groceries, etc. Oh, and perhaps moving mnore of those mystosis! Have a great Monday!

Marian, you and I must have posted at the same time. So good to hear you had a good holiday. Later, taters.

Oh, I forgot to mention....I have Birthday money to spend on myself too.:-) Tim gave me a gift certificate from Wal Mart, and my sister sent me a check. Now...What shall I get???????

Why plants of course!!! Or save it until Spring and then get...plants!!!

Eden

Speaking of plants, I stopped at Goldner Walsh this morning on my way home from the post office. I ended up bringing home 3 new agaves, 2 of them are variegated ones and the other is agave multifilifera, and a watermelon peperomia.

Question for Babs, are you having trouble overwintering your clerodendrum ugandense? Mine has picked up a case of spider mites that I can't seem to get rid of. That plant's given me nothing but trouble, first it won't bloom for me and now this, lol. I also noticed scale on my tacca 'cats whiskers'. Since it's warm outside I took them both outside, sprayed them down and doused them with insecticide. I don't need either of those pests spreading to my other plants!

I still haven't gotten out any of the Christmas decorations yet. I just can't seem to get motivated to start that project...

Eden

First and most important: Hi, Babs!! Hocking Hills is a frequent destination for my brother who lives in Columbus. Hope it was wonderful. And, one thing I've learned about this group (and you were a big help in teaching me) is that no one is ever "away." The good vibes just come without use of the internet!!

How wonderful, Marian, that you got to see your grandaughters and celebrate a milestone birthday! I think the real gift to them was going shopping with you. The memory will surely outlast the toy :-)

Here's a peak at Martie's Thanksgiving table. Thank You Kodak Customer Service Person Matthew K.!!!!

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"See" and/or "vibe" you all tomorrow. LOL

Martie

Just looked at my pics "up" and trust me, the color in the dining room is more green than blue and the tassles really do match the runner!!

Will just have to practice.

Jacque looks absolutely regal!

(Go with the plants, Marian;-))

Martie

Hello again! I'm becoming an "irregular" around these parts. Our weekend was lovely but a bit overscheduled. I didn't get everything put away from Turkey Day until yesterday because there was no time any other day. Oh well...

I am a camera dunce - no photos of the table, the bird or the general merriment. Nor did I remember to take it to the Lighting of the Square. So I'll be a little underhanded about this. There are some lovely photos here http://www.travelswithtoni.com/archives/2006/11/my_cicely_stars.htm#comments on someone else's blog and I'm kind of burying the link here in the text because I don't know how much the blogger wants this spread about. It isn't a private space but I just wasn't sure if I should be more "upfront" with the link. The last photo is on the patio in front of Le Petite Creperie, where some idyllers lunched.

So can I still call it a small town tradition if about 2,000 of us showed up? The weather was way to nice to pass it up.

On Saturday, we organized a brush-clearing day at our church. We had 14 recruits show up and got a lot done.

(later) (yawn) Well, I just got off the phone with DH, and I still have a load of laundry to fold - it seems that I had a hard time getting my turn in the laundry room with two college kids home! And of course hubby decided to clean up a humoungous pile of dirty clothes... No rest for the wicked V!

Good morning

Martie - a festive table setting from you too. I love everything matching. Glad you figured out the camera.

Hi Babs! Its always great to have a check-in. Yes, spill the beans about Chris' new job.

Marian - glad you got to enjoy time with your family.

V - I NEVER seem to get caught up with laundry - my least favorite domestic chore. I'm looking forward to checking out your town lights.

Tonight is my bookclub - always an evening I look forward to. We read "The year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion. I think its been the only book I've ever finished and turned straight back to the first page to begin rereading. Not an easy book, but a powerful and moving discussion of one woman's journey through grief. Also, one of the few books I'd like to own for future reference.

One fun piece of plant news - the orchid I brought back from Hawaii is now reblooming. In the past my houseplants were always sad plants, but inspired by you guys I think I've found success. A second phalenopsis I picked up at Lowes is also putting out a new flower spike - I'm hooked.

have a great day everyone

Mary

Hello Idyllers - I've decided to just take the plunge -- after a recent few weeks of "Nite of the Living Dead" or "28 Days To Live" -- definitely some sort of horror flick at work... I have felt Zombie like for sure. But no more whining... I have yet to read thru everything/everybody I've missed -- but wanted to get back to living! and fantasy gardening if at all possible. See some cool photos & re-surfaced idyllers so I guess Im not alone in that category!

It's 60ish here in the nation's Capital -- til Friday -- I managed to shred some leaves & mulch my garden beds at last (compliments of purloined neighbors' bags of leaves - I just couldn't go knocking on doors to beg for them - so I snuck out late at nite & grabbed 'em from the street corners to lob over my back fence -- hmm, it was hard to stop!) getting them chopped was another story! Turkey day was a bit forgettable this year due to a late work nite & the food not so good -- but at least it was among friends & I could be a wreck!

Im counting the days til Xmas & a week's holiday. Okay -- now Im going back to try to read all I've missed. Any good plant peaks/ideas for Spring? Im desperately panting at my mailbox each day to see whose 2007 catalog is coming first!

--Cindy

Good morning!

I just went outside to wash the snow off of the satellite dishes so I'd have television and internet....those important things when it is snowing. ;) I imagine it will all melt today but it sure is pretty right now.

The elk visited yesterday...there were 15 here for the majority of the day--they spent the day either grazing or napping under the trees. Here is one of the 'big boys', I didn't upload any photos of the entire herd.

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and here are a couple of photos from early this morning...

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Isn't it pretty?

I hope everyone is doing well....

T.

Good Morning, There's not much going on at my house to speak of but I thought since it's so quiet here on the Idylls I had better "contribute". The weather's still beautiful here but the weatherman is predicting snow showers for Friday so the end is near. After the cold and wet autumn we had the last week of warm, sunny weather has truly been a gift. I'm making a trip to the dreaded Toys R Us this afternoon to pick up a couple of gifts for Bella and see if I can find the game Scene It for us to play at our Christmas Eve gathering. Hopefully I'm getting there early enough in the season that they won't be sold out of the things I want.

Cindy, boy you've been working TOO HARD lately. I hope it's appreciated at the office and you're being adequately compensated financially. No good when work takes over life like that!

Martie, your TG table is beautiful. I love the runner and your tablecloths. The wall color is great too!

I remember the days of endless laundry when the girls were still at home. These days it's not bad with just Brad, David and I. Brad generates the most laundry with all of his workout and racquetball clothes. Yuk!

Honey, My mom and dad are on their second rescued black standard poodle. The first one Angus, died a couple of years ago and now they have Georgette. They are beautiful dogs. Jacques and Timmy look like they're having fun together. I'm so sorry to hear Bullet isn't doing well these days.

I guess I may as well bite the bullet and head out to the toy store now. TTYL, Eden

Morning everyone. Another warm day on tap here. I plan on enjoying it b/c were supposed to get socked on Friday. V, youre supposed to REALLY get quite a snow storm Friday. Im not looking forward to real winter setting in.

Cindy, welcome back. I understand the purloined leaves. Im much more bold than you. I just pull up my van and load. Or go to a neighboring town where they blow them into the street for p/u and bag them myself from the curb. People look at me like Im cracked, believe me! I also have been known to prune discarded xmas trees for greens to cover things after the holidays. Ah, the shady life of a compulsive gardener!

V, re laundry, we havent figured out if were the cleanest or dirtiest folks in town. There are only 2 of us and I cant believe how much laundry I do! And DH swears were taking in trash. We always have the most trash of anyone in our neighborhood. We cant figure that one out either.

Well, all plans for the grocery, etc., went out the window yesterday. Instead, I went comparison shopping to several stores for bath sheets. DD and SIL said they wanted a nice set and put them on their wish lists for their bdays. Since the bday celebrations were cancelled this yr. due to DDs surgery, were going to give them their presents at GDs party in a couple wks.

Ive been hording coupons from two house ware chains, you know the 20% off and $5 ones that never expire. We now have a Macys in town and I couldnt have been more disappointed in their stock. They had beautiful Lenox bath sheets but upon inspection, I found several snags, etc. They had to be seconds and I certainly wasnt paying that price for them. For the same price, I snagged spa-like merchandise and with the coupons, saved $50. Hmmmmm, perhaps I should replace those rags we use!

DH and I decided that instead of exchanging gifts this yr, wed have our bedroom and bath painted. Usually, wed do it ourselves, but we need a professional to fix the mess we have on our hands.

When we moved in, we hired a guy to strip wallpaper and paint. When he got to our bedroom, he had a mini stroke and his inexperienced daughter finished the job. It turns out that she didnt clean the walls after the paper was stripped and before she painted. Now, the glue from the paper is showing thru the paint. Also, she didnt fix the gouges from wallpaper removal or prep the woodwork. So we need drywall repair, the woodwork reprimed, etc. Now I just have to decide on color.

Martie, your turkey day table is gorgeous! I love the simplicity of the elegent gold tablecloths! BTW, you timed your procedure just right. How wonderful that the 'boys' did the honors for you! Do they hire out?

Eden, I'm so impressed with Jacque. Isnt he a pretty dog? He is so calm and sweet. Its amazing when I pet his head and talk to him. At first he didnt understand when I did it. Now hes like a sponge and still seems amazed by it. And hes started wagging his tail at all the new discoveries. Hes also running and playing with the dogs next door. We dont think he ever did that before, poor thing. Hes got a wonderful adopted Mom who has opened the world to him. Hes one lucky dog.

T, thanks for the 'Winter Wonderland' shots. That area is so beautiful! And I marvel at the Elk every time you post a pic.

Well, I have to get this day started. Whew, where did the morning go? Have a great one, yall.

Hi T, Great to see the elk pics again. I've missed them. That fellow is a beauty. The snow's pretty too but you can keep it out there, OK?

Eden

T, I'm with Eden, the snow is pretty but you can keep it. I know it's coming eventually but I'm not ready for it yet. My truck needs new tires. Tom is currently doing the research and early indication is cha-ching, cha-ching.

Honey, I 've been meaning to tell you that I started taking that soy supplement you suggested about a month ago because the night sweats were really starting to bother me. Wow, it worked like a charm.

Nice looking Thanksgiving table(s) you've got there Martie! Funny, Thanksgiving seems like it was weeks ago.

We're currently trying to plan our March ski vacation and it's not going well. Not only are flights few and far between but the prices can be outrageous. Unfortunately we're also having a consensus issue with the group of people we usually travel with as they have different ideas of where they want to go and want to do it as cheaply as possible. Since this is basically my only vacation all year I'm done with renting cheap houses and sharing bathrooms and flying at odd hours with multiple plane changes. Last night Tom and I discussed going alone but it just wouldn't be as much fun. The Caribbean is looking better all the time...lol.

OK, here's your fresh produce tip for the day. I just tossed out another orange after one bite. They still aren't any good so when you see them at the store, keep walking.

On that note, lunch is over. Budgets here I come.

Sue

T Very pretty snow (and elk!) pictures, but please keep the snow out west!

Im deeply wrapped up in this shed project at the moment so; pardon me, while I bore you with more details Chelone the shingles they had bought were undercourse grade very rustic to say the least! If I had wanted rustic, I wouldnt have ripped down the old shed! Rustic is not my style Im afraid. Although rustic would generally be suitable for a garden shed, this particular garden shed is a very prominent part of the view from the living room window. Im aiming more for little house in a classic look than for rustic garden shed. Sidewall grade of shingles appear to be unavailable here other than as a custom order. What were going to order are pre-fab shingle panels that are easy for the contractor to install quickly. They can also be ordered pre-stained and, since they apply two coats to both front and back of the shingles, they have a 15 year warranty before repainting is required. Its worth the extra cost to me so were ordering them pre-painted/stained in Ocean Gray. The downside is that the panels will take 6 weeks to get here! But the contractor says they can be installed even in January just will need to clear any snow away from the base of the shed first

He will finish the roof, put in the windows in the front wall and the door, and cut the window, door, gable and eaves trim. The trim cant be installed until the shingles are up so he will leave it in the basement for me. Over the next 6 weeks, we can paint or stain it so, when the shingle panels are up, they can put up the already painted trim. That will leave only the door to be painted come spring.

Its a good thing that Im having the shed built now when the plants are mostly dormant. Otherwise a lot of things would be damaged I think! By the looks of it, well need a substantially new lawn in the backyard come spring. Theres also now a very definite path through the south sideyard from the driveway to the south alley gate! Ill have to give some thought to whether I make it a permanent path or replace the lawn

Yesterday afternoon they cut the window openings in the front wall. It was surprising how that instantly made the shed look less like a narrow, tall box and more like a wide, moderate height little house. At least, I think so

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If you want to see the progression of the shed, Ive linked the album below.

Mission accomplished. I'm back with Dora the Explorer's Talking Doll House and the Scene It game. They had about 10 different versions of the game. I ended up choosing the movie edition. I've heard it's lots of fun, so we'll see come Christmas Eve. I want to create a true dollhouse like Mary has for her children when Bella's a little older but for now I think she'll be happy with the Dora version. I also picked up some rubbermaid bins to pack up some of the books in the room we're working on so I'll be clearing that out for the rest of this afternoon. Then I need to choose a paint color for in there and Brad can start painting and building the new bookshelves.

Woody, the shed does look just like a little house. Good thing you don't have any little girls around there. They'd want to move right in and use it for a playhouse next Spring. How did you do the foundation? I can't really tell from the pictures.

Sue, I'd push for the Caribbean. Who needs to see more snow in March when you can be enjoying sun and surf and sipping on a margarita? I'm feeling very anti-winter this year, lol.

Honey, Good idea on having the bedrom work done for a Christmas present. We're dealing with wall repair in the room we're working on. Somewhere along the line, before we lived here, someone either used cheap paint or put latex over oil or something but we're having problems with layers of paint peeling off in places. No fun to deal with.

OK I need to get to work now.

Eden

BRRR! it's COLD here today! It's a low overcast, low/mid 40s and the wind is right outta the east and off the water. It's actually seasonable, but after several days of mid-50s it's sobering. I was thinking about the fisherman lost about 80 miles off Portland the other night. One guy made it into the raft, the other did not. :/ What a frightening way to leave this world. At least the Coasties were able to retrieve his body.

It was nice to hear from Babs., I was wondering where you'd gone! I had forgotten you are now a member of the "official" workforce. It becomes greatly more complicated when outside work is tossed into the mixture, in addition to all the mundane household things that still have to get done. I haven't read back far enough to know about your job... care to enlighten me (anyone?). And I'd like to know about Chris' new position, too. And about MIL... know exactly how tough all that stuff can be, too. I miss your bright, humorous take on things, too.

And what of Taryn, Saucy, and ephemeral Da and Cynthia? and all the restayous who began posting while I was "on sabbatical" and whose names I kinda recognize?

Martie, you tables were lovely. Thanks for the tassel fix! :) I am a sucker for the gold brocades, too... and I'm actually wondering if you have the tablecloth that matches my placemats and napkins?! I'll have to check.

LOL about sneaking off with bagged leaves "under cover of darkness". Too funny. I'm "bold as brass", too... I have NO compunction about shoving select trash items in the back of the car, either. I have "scored" several perfectly wonderful chairs that way. And I've managed to unload a ton of stuff by putting it at the end of the driveway with a "free" sign on it... we actually DELIVERED a large shelving unit and made a quick $30 for our effort, lol.

I've accomplished no Christmas shopping/decorating, either. But it's easier for me... no kids involved; the competition for "choice" items must be fierce.

I hate dogs; but of all dogs, standard Poodles would rank highly. They have such an elegant gait and patient, intelligent (for a dog) personalities. I'd even learn to clip them if a grey or black on landed in my life. ;) Too few people know that they are supremely adept water dogs... actually, they are spaniels. And that "frou-frou" Lion clip actually serves a practical purpose; keeps the dog bouyant, warm, and dries quickly because it never really gets soaked... . A former neighbor had Poodles...

Mary, Diane Rehm interviewed Joan Didion about that book a month/two ago on NPR. It was a fascinating hour; she is quite a woman. And power to Annie for her achievement in Math... as one who had to work very hard at it and Chemistry I appreciate the dedication the mark reflects! It wasn't until Biochemistry that I really began to process Chemistry fully... and it wasn't until Geometry that I was able to fully process Algebra; interesting how we learn, huh? The helpmeet's mother was Welsh; he spent much time there as a child and still regales me with the wonders of steak and kidney pies and something called "rissoles" (sp?)... sausage in dough that is deep fried? Anyway, he assures me they are a delicacy of the highest order. And "they" say the British can't cook! Mum used to make an outrageous "pudding" using suet (uhuh!) and served with hard sauce... a tradition from her Scots/Irish family. Make sure the gift certificate for the arterial rotorooter is in the stocking, ;). But it's really very tastey.

As a frequently AWOL Idyller, let me attest to the fact that it really doesn't matter if you can't catch up... someone will help you out, tease you about your confusion, and welcome you back to the fold... . And all of our lives will be that much richer for your contributions.

Marian, yeah... more plants! Or wait... what about a MASSAGE?! all about you, for you for an hour.

Yoo Hoo from the west...
I have returned from our visit to Monterey and enviorns and what fun we had ! How nice it is when ones children become adults.We spent a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, did a little Cannery Row tourist swoop, had a great locally caught seafood dinner on fishermans wharf and a little antiqueing and a little tide-pooling.Ate way too much. The only down side-DS dropped his camera in a tidepool-he retived it quickly but look like it may be a corpus delecti. Anyone ever had this happen ??? Any successful revival to tell me about ? Fortunately it was at the end of the trip (this morning) before we drove home, so we still have about a zillion pics he took. He is being very philosophical about it and researching a new camera-he was told by one person tha it could probabaly be repaired but at close to what a new camera would cost.

When I got home today I checked the weather forcast and it is supposed to be in the high 20's the next two or three nights..I feverishly ran around bringing more plants in, including the cymbidiums that have spikes. My bathroom is now full of begonias and plumerias !

So that's all for now, hello everyone , I have to read the mail , and mentally prepare to return to work after 6 days !

Kathy in the Napa Valley

Hi Idylls, Looks like everyone had a nice thanksgiving. The tables were very nice, and the food sounded great. We had thirteen people here and enjoyed the day. The weather here has been so nice for about a week, but sadly it is starting to change. I got outside as much as posible, including today until about two o'clock. Been doing laundry etc. the rest of the day.

Woody, the window openings really did make a difference in the way the shed appears. Is that the door the window will be cut into? Will there be a little something over the door area? I think that would make it appear less tall too. Can't wait to see it all finished. Thats what makes it interesting here. Getting to see all the new projects.

T, I really like that shot of the elk. Did you get your new telephoto? Or were you that close. I like your snow shots. I always like seeing the first snow. I'm wondering what our winter will be like this year. I don't mind cold if the sun shines once in a while.

Hey it was great to see posts from so many missing Idyllers. Good to know you are all doing okay.

You guys always make me feel so inadequate with all you acomplish. Every once in awhile I get on a kick and get a lot done, but not often enough. I generally have a tenative plan but have learned to go with the flow and do whatever is working for me at the time.

I have been entertaining myself with the guitar. I have tried to learn it several times over the years but never got real far. For some reason things are making a lot more sense to me now and I am practiceing a little every day. The trick will be keeping the old arthrictic fingers limbered up. Anyway it beats watching the crap that is on tv these days. There are only a few shows that I watch. And I can't read for long at a time either. Which reminds me I want to go check out the book thread.

I will try to check in more often so I can talk to everyone again. TTYAL Norma

Hi all. Well, as fate would have it, I'll be rescueing a black poodle from the shelter tomorrow! The poor baby is matted beyond recognition. They had him marked as a cocker spaniel! :( He's very sweet.
Maybe I can do a photo series? How about 'A new leash on life, the story of a rescue dog'? LOL Then you guys will remember why I don't alway post photos - my photography skills are lacking. ;)

Good real November weather morning!!

Sue: Remind the crew that skiing can be included in a tropical vacation. Boats do a great job pulling folks around and one of my fav ocean vaca things to do is parasail. I'm with you -- you deserve luxury!!!

Cindy: Stop!! Just stop!! It's hard, but I've learned to lock myself "in a stall" for a few minutes to just breathe. I'm sure your friends could've cared less about you being a wreck. That's what friends are for!

V: This has gotta be a wild work time for you. Hang in there and come when you can.

T: All I can say is: Thanks for the pics! Stunning and peaceful and a great view for first thing in the morning.

Chelone: We heard about the Portland loss down here and I immediately thought of you. Nature at it's strongest.... The tablecloths were cheapies from JoAnn's so if your's are matching, we have the same bargain-hunter soul!! LOL

Eden: You're a stronger woman than me, as I don't think I could venture into a Toys R Us without a sedative, first. Dora The Explorer is a phenomenom, isn't it? I'll have to watch the show at some point :-)

Woody: Your shed is a marvel. Rich confirms that the shingles can be installed in the cold and are definitely worth the money and wait. Cool in a way that a path has been laid for you. LOL

Mary: Congrats re: the orchid!! They are right up there with cactus as far as survival in my house -- 0 for about 12. One of these days.

Norma: Cool about the guitar learning! It's the one instrument I learned to play that I can still pick up and get sounding good. Every once in a while I sneak Ky's acoustic out and have at it. Joan Baez I'm not, but it's fun to pretend. LOL

Kathy: Glad you had a great time with your kids. You've described places I'd love to see some day. Sorry about the camera. 20's???? Ugh.

Mary: My sister recommended that book to me and now it's a gotta read. Thanks!

Bits and Pieces: I didn't know poodles were water dogs. And, I wish I had their patience for staying still while getting clipped. My hairdresser would probably rather work on one of them than me some days.

Laundry gets done on an every-other-day basis, here. Rich is in the sheetrock phase of his current contract and basically doesn't get past the garage without the clothes going to the laundry. I could probably get by with once a week if it were just my stuff. I don't mind doing it as the "laundry room" is the large closet off the dining room so no stairs are involved.

For me, work has slowed down considerably. Clients are immersed in Holiday selling or budgets or taking care of their own customers Holiday "perks." I get to drive around and drop off little gifts. This year's basic box is:
A Yankee Candle to light the way.
Some locally made chocolates for sweet success.
A lavender squishy for instant calm.
So far, clients have loved it. The best part? Each cost about $7 and are in a little cool box from the dollar store. No one has indicated any sign of "I think this is cheap" so I'm happy and am getting my point across to them without breaking the collective bank :-) Large (read: big spending) clients are getting the basic gifts and lunch. I've pulled out my one-size-up clothes to accomodate those lunches. It is fun, though, and I get to learn a lot about the people behind the businesses while sharing a meal.

Know I missed someone or something but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about everyone and wishing you tolerable weather and some form of relaxation :-)

Martie

Remembered on my way to work that I particularly wanted to send all good thoughts to Deanne, who must be having a pretty rough week. Let us know how you are ....

Martie

Well, I didnt get as much time to read back as I had wanted I see that I missed Marians birthday Marian the best to you hopefully Ill be able to sneak a late wish in today sometime to you.

Loved seeing all the lovely holiday table settings lots of great designers even out of their gardens!

Mary I think of you often esp. when trying to cook my DDs H is on a very restricted special diet for something called vestibular migraines and he cant eat so many things it was quite a challenge (& kind of boring) to come up with things to cook for Thanksgiving but he suffered so badly last year after t-giving for over-indulging & eating too many things that he should not have, we swore this year it would be a good one so he did manage to eat well & not suffer any consequences but I found it a bit stifling (no nuts, whites, soy, onions, wine, etc.). . . .

T gorgeous gorgeous photos if only Winter could always look like that? I heard this a.m. that theyre predicting a harsher, colder, more snow winter in my area ugh, I hope theyre wrong!

Eden gorgeous, gorgeous Bella photos such a charmer. In answer to your q re my extra work and financial reward --- hmm, no, is the short answer! Actually in a law firm they do pay you time & half over 40 hours; but Ive never been one to want to sacrifrice my personal time for a few extra $$ -- if it were $500/hour that would make it a bit more worthwhile! But Ive found after working an hour or two here or there, it wears on my health, energy and stamina Im such a wimp I learned to have to set personal boundaries just to be able to get out of bed in the a.m. and not be sickly and at my age now, its just a grind & burden that no amount of money makes up for! Unfortunately, also, they do not give bonuses out to non-attorneys at this law firm (theyre kind of scrooges), but they do offer good benefits and a good retirement plan. So the trick is to stay healthy and manage to retire without them killing you early!!! This month I dont think I did so well in that department but Ive already put in leave requests for around Xmas & Ive sworn to get "tougher" about putting in leave around holidays from now on if I have to lie & say Ive bought a plane ticket somewhere, so be it!!!!

Martie yes, there have been times when Ive walked away from my desk & gone outside to walk around the block just so I dont break down or kill someone (the later being preferable some times!!). . . . . Im usually more on top of stuff like that but sometimes they wear you down. But Ive given all the blood Im giving at the office this year I decided last weekend!

Jeri I sure wish I lived near you my DD & her H have been looking for the "perfect" adoptee dog for about two months they found one finally but got rejected because another family had a "stay at home mom" & they both work. . . . she was really sad they dont want a puppy, small dog, too large a dog, too old or too young its a bit like Goldilocks searching for the perfect rescue dog

Kathi glad you had a good trip yuck on the non-waterproof camera (I guess it makes one understand why that extra feature could come in handy to more of us non-ocean photographers) it is nice when all the stress & fights w/ ones kids vanishes thought isnt it? Im really "enjoying" my DD these days.
Its sooo wonderful to see all the great AWOL names Im going to desperately try to hang more regularly now that Ive re-taken control here. Lets hope it lasts, uh?

--Cindy

Morning all, I've been pretty busy here but wanted to pop in with Birthday greetings. The 'Idyll Birthday Oracle' has fallen down on the job and we missed an important BDay in the last week. November 26th was Saucy's birthday. So without further ado...

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and today is Mary's...

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Have a great day all
Deanne

Good Morning, Just a quick post from me today. I have Bella and need to give things a once over with the vacuum before she gets here. We're supposed to have record breaking warm temps here today, up to 65F but it's cloudy and drizzly too. I'll take warm and rainy over cold and sunny any day though! Brad's gone to Home Depot and upon his return I get to go grocery shopping. Boo, hiss! Then I'll just spend the rest of the day hanging with Bella.

Cindy, good for you for taking back control. Some bosses and companies just don't seem to realize that their employees have a life outside of the office. My daughter Jenni has one of those jobs too.

Kathy, sounds like a relaxing vacation. Bummer about the camera though. Those things do happen occasionally though don't they. I don't know if you've told us before but I was wondering how old are your kids?

Martie, I love your little gifts and the sentiments behind them. No wonder the recipients appreciate them with the thought you've put into them.

Norma, I like your go with the flow plan. Makes life much less stressful! I'm glad you'll be checking in more often again. I miss you when your not around.

I've been thinking of Deanne too! Hope everything's ok?

And when is Marie due back. I can't wait to hear about her trip.

Chelone, I too have many things I've "curb shopped". My latest acquisition is an old rusty metal floor grate that I have in the garden now as "art". I've also picked up furniture from time to time and done a "trash to treasure" number on it. And I've gotten rid of lots of stuff I'm finished with by sitting it out at the curb too! How are the fruit swags coming?

Jerri, my mom used to have a poodle grooming business from home when I was little. It was something she could do to earn extra money and be able to stay home with us too. I can remember how bad some of those dogs used to look when they'd come in. Poodles don't "shed" but their old fur sure does mat if it isn't brushed out. The cat video was SO FUNNY! Thanks!

OK this has ended up longer than I planned so bye, bye for now. Have a great Wednesday everyone. The weekend's coming!

Eden

For the birthday girls

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And, Marian, I think you had asked whether your birthday flower was a wild rose? I forgot to answer you sorry No, it wasnt a wild rose. It is a Pink Beauty potentilla flower. I believe they are botanically related to roses hence the similarity in the flowers. I love the Pink Beauty shrubs and they are the backbone of the driveway border. They are late to leaf out in the spring but start blooming in late June and continue into late October. They are fabulous, tough, carefree shrubs that merge well with perennials in beds and borders.

Eden the shed foundation is a lot about 2 ½ cubic yards worth! of compacted gravel, topped by 2x2 and 2x3 concrete patio stones. The ground under the old shed was very soft so they kept compacting the gravel in and it kept disappearing into the ground! They kept adding more until the ground was stable and level. The base is 9x 11 for the 8x10 shed. On top of the stones, they laid a sill of Trex (waterproof, rotproof) boards and then used pressure-treated 2x4s on top for the base of the wall framing.

Martie Im glad to hear that Rich has a good opinion of the shingle panels and that they can indeed be put up in the cold. It worries me a bit that this is obviously a product that these guys are unfamiliar with. I printed and read the installation instructions and it looks pretty idiot-proof! (not that these guys are idiots) It looks like the cedar panels are the lumber industrys solution to the high labour cost and time involved in applying individual shingles on site. It looks like a pretty ingenious solution. When I was still living down east 25+ years ago, shingles were still applied in the traditional way. I suspect that shingles have been losing out to cheap-and-easy vinyl siding even down home for a number of years now. A pity

Norma yes, the upper four panels of the door will get cut out and replaced with one large Plexiglas panel. I hope it doesnt end up looking like too much glass! All the windows will be Plexiglas Im notorious for breaking things and Id be sure to put a rake handle or something through regular glass! They were supposed to be here doing the windows and roof his morning but havent arrived yet. There will be trim boards in the gable end but thats all. I think that will be enough to balance things out when the front is finished. And there will eventually be shrubs again at the sides. Once they grow up a bit, the shed wont be quite so exposed at is looks right now.

Jerri that cat video was a hoot!

On poodles A standard poodle was on our list of possible replacement dogs for Chelsea. But not after we baby-sat a neighbours miniature poodle late this summer. He is a very nice dog but I didnt like the feel of his coat! Patting him didnt generate the same tactile pleasure as patting Chelsea or Misty. A silly reason for not choosing a particular breed but Im sure, if a nice poodle came along needing a home, we would adjust

On laundry Dreadful chore! But I actually dont do a lot of it. DH (did I say hes a real sweetie!) takes care of most of it. We do have a stacking washer/dryer in our bathroom so its close to where the laundry is generated.. But theres also a regular washer and dryier in the basement. Since that one is not accessible for me, DH does most of the heavy loads there and I just do any of the finer stuff using the stacking one in the bathroom.

The cold has arrived this a.m. We were enjoying unseasonably warm temps. Things have been extremely busy at work and personally as well this week.

Martie, lovely tables. I like layering linens too. You know that now that youve figured the camera out, we will expect more pictures.

Woody, I think your shed will be wonderful. Im sure you are having fun with the planning and building process. I know it was a lot of fun to see my old shed transformed.

T, I so enjoy your elk pictures.

Eden, Kenzie is usually pretty sweet, but she does have her moments, which I tell DD are a normal part of being 2.

Later
Michelle

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I meant to tell T. how much I enjoyed her winter scenes, too. Do you have to deal with "Chronic Wasting Disease" in the elk herds out your way? It has yet to infiltrate Maine's deer herds, but as with any disease it's inevitable that it will show up here.

Martie, I don't have the same jacquard print you do, but it's very close! My placemats and napkins have clusters of grapes alternating with the apples. I'd bet a nickel they're by the same company. And I AM wicked cheap when it comes to table linens... always shopping, lol.. I made the tablecloth and placemats in the photos above, but it's even getting hard to find nice, basic, "neutral" color in bolt goods at a price point I'm willing to pay for something that will see "combat duty".

Eden, I am the original "kerb cruiser"... much to the chagrin of the helpmeet. I scored two cool chairs last summer and he was MORTIFIED at the prospect that his wife was picking through a neighbor's trash. The way I see it, though, they were through with them and I recognized the treasure in the trash. I think pawing through their discards identified me as a practical, studied, informed person. Once the chairs were cleaned up, painted and cushioned the helpmeet had to admit they looked great. :) Tell me about the cabinets and groovy paintjob on them, PLEASE. They're sensational!

I'm missing 'bug, too. I know there will be much in the offing and I'm looking forward to it.

As usual, I'm bringin' up the rear with respect to birthday greetings... Warm, fond wishes to both Saucy and Mary!

Rissoles are largely seasoned potato, deep fried. "Sausage rolls" are the little cholesterol bombs... I stand corrected. And yearn to sample each and every one of them. I have been only to France, Mary, but still recall the thrill of looking out the window of the plane and seeing GREAT BRITAIN... it looked just like the picture in the Atlas! I know how dumb that sounds, but I was mesmerized by the sight of it... . I very much want to visit your homeland; such a rich and diverse history and language. When Mum is in LTC and the time is right I plan to indulge my long suppressed desire to travel. Part of that plan includes an Atlantic crossing on a liner; I very much want to experience the T I M E required to get from here to there.

I love doing the laundry. And I don't even have a dryer. ;) There is just something about the sorting, the procedure, the ritual of hanging it and folding it. I find it very soothing; much the same as doing the dishes... call me demented. I like mowing the lawn, too... real "idiot's delight".

Fruit swag update: not favorable. I was unable to get the fruit to remain in place on the chain. They all tended to "fall" and hang "down"; not facing OUT or UP in a pretty way. I've made one placque and it's OK, but still not quite what I had envisioned. I suspect the root of the problem is the single screw in the back of the fruits... perhaps 2 would allow me more ability to actually tighten the wires and position and "aim" the fruit the way I'd like to. I haven't had time to fiddle around more and I'm not sure I will, so I may just have to "suck it up" and go with the somewhat less than "arty" presentation I'd envisioned. ;)

Happy Birthday Girls...I hope you both had a lovely day!

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Happy Birthday Mary....
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Belated Happy Birthday Saucy...
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And a really belated Happy Birthday David !
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( Buddleia davidii) :-)

We were under a tornado watch this afternoon !

We were, (and still are), under a winter storm warning!
I have restocked the larders, checked the kerosine lamps,carried out the ashes, carried in my firewood for tonight and the morning, washed up all the dirty dishes...etc. etc. Let it come!

I got a lovely surprise this afternoon. A phone call from a long ago friend who used to live in Idaho. Her family moved from there before we did. After living in various locations across the nation they are now in Oklahoma, just across the Arkansas border, about a hundred miles from us. Probably not far from where EP lived. She found Nolon's name on the internet! Hopefully we can get together soon.
I gave her my e-mail address and she has already e-mailed me.
Her DH was my boss when I worked at the discount store. They are member's of our faith. We worshipped together in Idaho. I was thinking about them just the other day!

Marian

So where are the birthday queens today?

For Mary, a little something from the Chicago Botanical Garden.

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And for Saucy something from Sue's botanical garden...lol.

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David too? You caught me, Marian. That one will just have to wait til after dinner.

Sue

Thank you for such beautiful cards and good wishes - everyone of them was special and made me smile. Hope Saucy will be able to stop by to enjoy hers.

A very nice day here - work as usual with the surprise of a lovely Christmas Cactus on my desk from co-workers. After school DH and I were sitting outside enjoying the warm weather and a cup of tea when a friend dropped by with a miniature rose. Annie and DH cooked me a special birthday dinner of Beef Strogonoff with Gluten-free chocolare bomb for dessert. Having a complete meal prepared, table set and pots already washed was such a treat. I'm heading to bed feeling well fed and very fortunate.

Mary