Today...

I spent today home alone, in the kitchen.

Until we can get the wallpaper off and the walls painted, it's a bit 'busy-looking' in here.

Today I baked bread, made birthday treat cookies for THGGM to take to work tomorrow and generally just puttered around.

Oh, and I SCRUBBED the floor. It was getting to the point where I actually feared that Famke would get stuck right to it.

Then, I moved in another old school table to use as a bench. It's handy in the kitchen as it brings them up close to the table and corners them in without much room to fall off. And, at the end (this is the BEST part!) there is a little drawer filled with crayons and coloring books!

I shall let you know how it all works out. It's Pake's 50th birthday tomorrow and we have cupcakes to bake and cards to make and general mayhem to create!

(oh. and my favorite thing in the entire kitchen? that little tiny thing visible in the upper left hand corner of the picture. it's the ceiling fan pull. it is just too too cute.)

Finally Feels Like Fall

When Jonge and Famke arrived this morning, the woodchucks were out and about doing woodchucky things.

Soon traffic dispersed the woodchucks, sending them for cover, so we held hands and walked across the street.

My, my.

They DO have a very large hole they disappear into.

It was months ago we watched them dig this hole, sending dirt flying.

We have even watched a bunny use this entrance, and it is the same general direction that THGGM watched the family of skunks come from.

Famke would have merrily made her way directly down the hole, and she would have fit.

But, being responsible people, Jonge and I would not let her.

I don't think she is very impressed with the woodchucks, but she does very much like to be where the action is.

Today we were all subdued and a bit under the weather.

These two with lingering colds, and me with forecasting joints which foretold the rain that came in the afternoon.

So happy we did our wild-life-watching and flower-smelling in the morning!

Oh, and isn't Famke's sweater cute? I found it for $1.49 at the thrift store on Saturday.

Simply Thrift

I LOVE the print on this fabric.

It was a towel that I attempted to make into a bag, but failed miserably.

Today I finally took the seam ripper to it, and turned it into ALL this! And, even more that I'm not finished with, yet.

So, I have a lovely bolster style rice bag which smells lovely when heated in the microwave. I added a broken up cinnamon stick and a few whole cloves to the rice.

On the back of an aching neck it feels lovely too.

I also made a smaller one, which felt good on my forehead.

Then, with the bits of leftover pieces I made little dollhouse sized bags. They hold lipstick and eyeshadow, and fit nicely in a little bit bigger bag.

But the rice bags were my main focus.

I'm off to heat one up. I'll need many more. How many joints does a body have? It seems that mine are all hurting at once.

(suddenly, i have a craving for cinnamon rolls...)

Have You SEEN These?

Oh, my.

These little teeny tiny alphabet stamps sets are being sold at Michael's Craft Store for ONE DOLLAR each.

I kid you not.

They are perfectly cut (some times the cheaper sets are not) and stamp so well that even a two year old can do it.

In public, I am perceived as being a quiet person (i am not quiet in my home. nor, as thggm pointed out early tuesday morning, in the car) but I nearly SCREAMED when I saw these.

They are just TOO TOO CUTE.

And to think that I once bought the smallest wooden blocks like this that I could find and actually CARVED MY OWN alphabet block stamps.

I actually went back the next day to buy more of these (they have several different styles besides these two) as I thought they would make EXCELLENT stocking stuffers.

But, I have no one on my gift buying list who would appreciate them.

So, if YOU like them, get thee to Michael's!

(and tell 'em judy sent you. they won't care. never mind.)

Christmas Is Three Months from Today

This means that if you are planning to make gifts you'd better at least be off to a good start.

Last weekend I found a box of "Country Woman Christmas" books still in a box in my garage.

You do know what that means, don't you? It means that I did not use them last Christmas.

Oh, well. I can barely remember last year, let alone last Christmas.

Even though I am about as far from being a country woman as a person can get, I do get enthused and overly excited just thumbing through these books!

My usual MO is to look for all sorts of new and interesting things to make, and then as the holidays approach I realize that what I will actually do is make the same old stuff.

Because, as I keep telling you, I'm boring, and I happen to LIKE the same old stuff.

Over and over and over.

(oh.., this was the third thing that i could not remember in the post below.)

Three Things

Although I can only remember two:

Does anyone truly believe that there are actually billions of dollars, anywhere?

How can we solve a debt problem by causing more debt?

And the answer is,

WE CAN'T.

Anyway, this is MY solution.

One million dollars, tax free, given to every wage earner and everyone who wants to be a wage earner.

Then, we could be our own bank, or start new ones by investing wisely in the banks that have chosen to play by the lawful rules of fair play.

And I ask, why CAN'T this be done?

Of course, the answer would be, where would that kind of money come from?

See my point? Then where are the BILLIONS of dollars going to come from?

It isn't the Emperor who has no clothes, it's the government that has no money.

If we are to remain a government of the people, by the people. for the people, then so help me God, our government had better start remembering that if the people have no money because so much of it is already going to the government, from whom shall these billions of dollars be coming?

I'm just a wee bit curious. That's all.

Oh, and the second thing...

I keep finding myself humming the theme from The Smurfs.

You may ask my kids, we never watched The Smurfs. I would not let them.

But, as I was merrily making my way through the house a few weeks ago, THGGM asked why I am always humming the Smurf theme song.

I do not know.

This scares me a bit.

I might be more in lala land than I care to admit, even to myself.

La la lalalala la lala la la.

Cost-Cutting

So far, I haven't heard a money-saving tip yet that will help me.

Who are those people reporting on news shows and writing for magazines?

They need to get a clue.

Some of the things they suggest that I do to save money I have been doing all of my life.

So far, I have saved, well.., let me go get my purse...

...let's see...

Nope. Nothing there.

Nothing.

Lately I've heard that I could 'save' money by:

Cheaper Haircuts - My haircuts are free, THGGM has tried to teach me to cut his hair, but considering how close I need to get to something to actually SEE it, I fear one of us could lose an eye. I bet that is costly. He has been cutting my hair for 30 years.

Do Your Own Nails - I have never had my nails done. This would not surprise anyone, as my nails are unsightly. Clean, yet unsightly.

Knock-off Designer Clothing - The last article of clothing I bought that cost over $4.oo was the dress I wore to my niece's wedding in May. Anything else I buy has to fit into my $5.00 a week thrift store budget. Oh, and I wasn't going to buy the dress, as I was going to wear my 'stand by' going away outfit, also a thrift store find. That is, until THGGM informed me that it looked like pajamas, men's pajamas, from decades ago. Okay. I caved. Bought the dress at a thrift store (on sale) and had it dry-cleaned for $12.00.

Cut Down on Driving - Cut DOWN on driving? I no longer have a car. This saved much money on gas, insurance, upkeep and what-not. And, since I never go anywhere, well, that saves money too.

Cheaper Cell-phone Packages - I had a cell-phone, once. For about a month. I did not like it. Cell-phones cost A LOT of money. We have a land line. With it comes the luxury of caller-ID, voice mail and internet. Someday soon, even these may have to go. My phone works in the backyard, which is about as far away from home as I go on a daily basis.

Cheaper Travel - Okay. I confess. I haven't flown since I was in high school. Trains? Not since elementary school. For our 30th anniversary trip we chose the hotel based on the fact that with our accommodations we were given a $25 gas card. We vacationed two hours and fifteen minutes from our house. For entertainment while on vacation, we talked. And looked at a lot of scenery. That was free.


Grow Your Own Food - Maybe next year. If I can get that half-dead tree removed, transplant the pachysandra and fill in the sink hole(s). But I would always wonder.., exactly where do the chemicals end up that have contaminated our well? Is that why the tree died? Will the roots of my zucchini plants reach into that?


Be a Savvy Shopper - THGGM spent nearly 25 years of his life (wow...almost HALF his life!) working in the grocery business. He is a VERY savvy shopper. I am no good at it. I'm all hopeful and optimistic when I shop, forgetting that I am not so hopeful and optimistic after I arrive back home and need to make something of it. We eat a lot of peanut butter on whole wheat bread. Thankfully, we like it. I have found that it does cost more to eat like I actually have diabetes than when I pretend that I don't.


Cheaper Entertainment - Goodness. I do not think we could entertain ourselves any cheaper. We have TV and Dish. I would happily get rid of both, if it weren't for the fact that I have all of the "Signing Time" episodes on my DVR. Don't want to lose those. Someone suggested that we buy them. Oh, it's a worthy cause and all, but it would cost hundreds of dollars. I cannot remember the last time I saw a movie in a theater. Was it Zoolander? I think I could go on record as claiming to be THE most easily and cheaply entertained person yet.


Make Your Gifts! - Ooooo. Now THERE'S a thought. Why didn't I think of that? Oh, wait. I've been doing that for, oh, about 40 years. Nobody wants me to draw their name at Christmas time. "Weird Mom Gifts" they're called. I'm never sure which is weird, me or the gifts. Okay. I do know, it's both.


Cut Back on Unnecessary Spending - Um. Okay. But what is described as unnecessary spending are things we have never done. How do we cut back on things we don't do? Just for the record, I have purchased EVERY issue of Somerset Studio Magazine since it began almost 11 years ago. I purchase them using Michael's Craft coupons. I've never had a subscription because I always thought - what if the next issue isn't any good? They are ALWAYS good. But, this month I passed on it. If I had a chart, I would put a Good-Dooby sticker on it.


Sell What You Have that You Aren't Using! - We had three garage sales during the summer. But, I'm not sure that this is always wise. I would amend it to say, sell what you have that you aren't using and do not have space to store. I would say that. Because I like to be surrounded by my things. Yes. I do realize that is a severe character flaw to many, but have you priced therapy lately?

Use Clothes Lines - We have gone for years at a time without a working dryer in the house. I cannot understand why more people do not line dry their clothing, at least their sheets and towels. The smell is amazing. Of course, the smell is only amazing on sunny days. Basement dried clothes end up smelling like whatever your basement smells like.

How do you cut costs?

Please write about it, and leave me a link.

My favorite blogs currently are written by those who live creatively while cutting costs. Sometimes they do not come right out and SAY that, but the way they live shows that they do.

(more to come.., as this is where my thoughts have been lately.)

Cuter than a Bug

Who? Me?

When Pa stopped over yesterday, he was on his way to the pharmacy.

Famke was very interested in what was in his pocket, because he always has a treat in there for her.

But, she had already partaken (or is it partook?) of her treat, yet insisted to 'see' the ad in his pocket.

Oh, she's a funny one, that Famke.

Do you know why she has the paper to her face?

Perchance you thought she was playing peek-a-boo with it?

I wish.

No.

That is how I read.

She is an incredible mimic!

Earlier in the day Jonge brought me a book and said, "Beppe, take off your glasses and read this to me."

Those two are so on to me and my sad little ways of survival.

I've got so much that's falling apart, I'm not sure exactly where to begin.

Sight does seem rather necessary though.

Monday

For the curious (like me) it doesn't appear as if Ms. Mantis ate him. I've been closely following the pair since Friday evening. Saturday morning they were a stem apart. Saturday evening she was laying on her back smoking a cigarette and he was looking for his golf shoes. Sunday afternoon, they were still on the same plan(e)t, but she was SO over him, and he was doing his best impression of an old wooden clothespin.

By Sunday evening, Friday was merely a faint memory for her. She packed up the kids and went to her mother's. Her mother, generally a kind woman, scoffed and said "I told you it wouldn't last. He had shifty eyes."

Right In Ones Own Backyard

Pake had Jonge and Famke outside Friday. They were smelling flowers and watching for bees, one of our most favorite things to do!

Famke tossed a toy into the Sedum, and look what Pake discovered when he went to retrieve it.

A pair of mating mantis'

It is simply amazing, what is going on in ones own backyard.

Amazing.

So very very amazing.

(click on photos to enlarge)

Siblings

Jonge's nap ended a little bit too early.

Famke had four shots yesterday, and did not want to nap, even though she was very very tired.

Famke wanted Jonge to hold her. She was growing weary of me.

Jonge wasn't so sure about holding her...

...until he discovered that she has wonderfully silky hair!

Oh. They are just SO precious. Really. Even with short naps and no naps. Too too cute.

A Good Morning

Famke had a doctor's appointment this morning, so I had some time with only Jonge.

I got out scissors, glue and tape.

There wasn't much paper to choose from upstairs,

and there are parts of my basement that I do not want him to know about.

In my desk drawer I had paint samples.

Not too many, but enough for us to rip, tear, cut and glue to our heart's content.

What fun when I realized that each sample had WORDS! I LOVE words!

I did actually think that the phrase was 'cheerful mom', but no. It says 'cheerful morn'.

And, I was a cheerful mom on this cheerful morn.

Jonge really got into card making. He made his for Pake. Jonge thought his card looked better than mine. He did not like mine.

I like mine.

Although it did make me wonder why I have all of that specialized equipment in my art room for making cards, when it is just as much fun to rip stuff up and stick it down with glue that costs 99 cents.

Hmm. Much to ponder, but not TOO deeply.

Seeing Blurry

I love these two blurry surreal looking pictures.

The one on the left is Famke.

Even though the picture is not clear, it captures something of her.

Maybe it is just her age, and how quickly everything changes.

She is now up and running.

Running, running, running everywhere.

The picture on the right is Jonge, when he was about the age Famke is now.

The way the light is shining on him - there is just something about it - I cannot name it exactly, but a sense of not being able to capture the passing of time.

Not even in a picture.

I had a rare 'deep thought' today.

One of those thoughts that breaks open into deep, dark, 'better left untouched' territory.

I came here to write about it. But, somethings are just better left unsaid.

And, maybe unthought.

Then, I thought happy thoughts and EVERYTHING was better.

Not.

(do people still say 'not' like that? i'm soooo out of touch.)

But, I did think TRUE thoughts. Truth helps. Even truth that hurts, helps.

A Day at Lake Michigan

The six posts below this one contain pictures of our trip to Lake Michigan on Friday.

Enjoy! We certainly did!

More Pictures On the Beach

Daughter, Famke and Jonge found the most nearly perfect patch of sugary sand.

There was no dark sand. Where you see dark lines? Those are dead bugs. Lots and lots of dead bugs.

Hmm.

Something interesting is going on over there.

I think this looks like a catalog cover.

Notice again the binoculars.

Jonge has been using a very heavy pair of binoculars that we have. He was THRILLED to have a pair his size.

Mostly, he likes to make things look smaller.

They are not posing, they do not even know I am taking their picture.

They are all just waiting for me to climb up.

I was taking pictures of the dead bugs. I don't think I shall post those, though.

The family is nicer looking than the dead bugs.

http://judyh58.blogspot.com/2007/09/pake-and-jonge-at-lake-michigan.html

If you click on the link above, it will take you to the post of our trip to the beach last September.

On the Beach

This is the view as we came down the ramp to the beach.

Fog. Mist. Sand.

As I was cropping my pictures tonight, I noticed what looks like animals (fox, maybe?) on the near right coming out of the woods.

On a clear day it is a beautiful spot for seeing long distances down the beach.

On a day like Friday, it has a different sort of beauty.

Famke loved the water. She did not want to leave it.

Pake loves Famke, and did not want to lose her.




Hardier folk than us were actually IN the water.

We have gone swimming here as late as October 1st. We came for THGGM's birthday years ago, found it warm, and in we went ('we' meaning everyone but me).

Even on a clear day, you can't see Wisconsin.

There aren't whales, but they are fun to watch for anyway.

No brave souls out sailing.

Really. Those binoculars. Jonge LOVES them. He even brought them to church with him today.









This is the only posed picture I took.

Jonge wanted to say 'cheese' for me.

He is cute. Even with lunch on his face.







I'm hoping to enlarge this picture, trace it onto black paper and make it into a silhouette.

Who's Woods These Are I Think I Know

Out in the woods, those binoculars Pake bought for Jonge came in handy.

We are hunting for something.

Not snakes, but Jonge did have one. That is because Pake not only bought him binoculars, he bought him a snake, too!

But, there really wasn't time to play with it, for we were on a mission.

Jonge remembered exactly what it was we were looking for, because we had done the same thing last year.

It was two weeks later in the season last year, and what we were looking for was much easier to find.

Look!

Jonge has found something!

Something that could soon look like this little tree!

(it IS a little tree, isn't it? please tell me that isn't what poison ivy looks like. no. i didn't think so either.)

Acorns!

Jonge helped me pick up acorns, so my 'little spool people' can have cute hats and bowls.

In this particular spot there are at least two varieties of oak trees. So, I have some VERY large acorn caps, and some very small. If it wasn't so damp we could have trekked back farther into the woods, but that did not seem feasible.

And, we still had to go to the beach!

Jonge REALLY had a fabulous time being my helper. Using the binoculars made it even more fun.

Now. If only the acorns would dry out, I might be able to make something out of them.

Lunch in the Misty Wood

Lunch in the woods was an adventure in itself.

It was misting all the time, raining occasionally.

Don't we look like the swarthy outdoorsy type?

No. That isn't us. Not at all.

But, I would not have missed this for anything.

We picnicked in this very same spot last year in September.

Famke was only a month old.

It was a little cooler, and windy, but dry.

Last year we brought our lunch, too. One of the items on the menu was Townhouse Multi-grain crackers, which are shaped like footballs. We brought spray cheese to add the stitching.

Jonge remembered this. How, I do not know. He has a VERY good memory. Almost too good, it you know what I mean.

Over four dollars for the cheese in the can. And he does not even like it.


Oh, the things we do for love!

Like eating in the woods in the rain.

It WAS a feast though. YUM. We will try to do the same menu next year. Jonge will remember.

I think it would be correct to say that a good time was had by all.

Oh. And I got to use one of my thrifted picnic baskets. I keep one of them empty for just such occasions.