Six Random Boring Things about Me

1. Although I am profoundly boring, I am rarely if ever bored.

2. I've been setting up a crafting room in my basement for 2 1/2 years now. I'm no closer to being done than I was when I started.

3. I record "Leave It to Beaver" and watch it in the evening with THGGM.

4. It's starting to look like I collect thimbles, too.

5. Throughout my day I will spontaneously begin to whistle the theme to the Smurfs. I NEVER watched the Smurfs and have no idea why I do this. I just may have to enter therapy to figure out why I would do such a thing.

6. My bedtime reading tonight will be a 1922 account of the history of Grand Rapids as written by Charles Belknap.

Thursday? Yes. It Is Thursday.

No pictures of cute babies today.

I spent the day at home.

Alone.

I needed that.

Although, I could still hear the happy chatter of children in my memory.

I made a blanket for Kado out of some lovely thrifted flannel. Thrifted batting. Thrifted binding.

It still requires some hand sewing on the corner binding.

And, I may need to tie it. Or add embroidery.

Then, since I was in my sewing room, I sewed a worn pair of THGGM's shorts into a bag of sorts.

There were a few worn spots, so he could no longer wear them, but they were made from the nicest patchwork fabric. I just could not throw it away!

So, I now have a bag with four pockets, two unattached matching small bags and three fabric covered buttons!

It's quite possible that I will never ever do anything at all with this bag, but it was fun to make.

Sewing the binding on a blanket? Not so much.

Next time I donate plasma, I'm hoping to make a stop at the fabric store across the street and purchase some "Dick and Jane" fabric.

I feel the need for nostalgia.

It seems that the days that I am home alone just fly by.

I got up, had two mugs of coffee, did some reading and it was time for lunch.

After lunch I did laundry and sewed.

While I was carrying my clean laundry and newly made baby blanket up the steps, I noticed a man napping on the couch in my breeze way!

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

It was only THGGM, home from work.

I could not believe it was already time for him to be home.

Not a bad day, but I did miss "I DO IT" and "YOU DO IT" very much.

Hymn for a Sunday Evening

Do you recognize that reference?

I'm not at all sure how memory works, and I've NEVER seen a complete episode of the Ed Sullivan Show, but I could sing you Hymn for a Sunday Evening from the musical Bye-Bye Birdie without missing a beat.

You can thank my 8th grade choir experience for that.

Anyway, it truly IS Sunday evening, and all I have are random bits and odd pieces from my very own life.

Isn't that picture fabulous? It is actually an altered bit of a picture I took at Meijer Gardens. It's the arm of one of the statues surrounding that little water feature that Famke took such delight in. I was actually taking a picture of the boy statue holding up his baseball glove. But then there was this arm, just sticking out there all expectant-like. Had to mess with it. Had to.

Notice the spider web between the index and middle fingers. I find spider webs to be interesting.

I've been reading "Another Country". I highly recommend this book. At some point I shall try to review bits and pieces of it, just so I can remember the highlights before I return it to my niece. If you are a human being, you should read this book. That leaves out only a few of the people I know.

THGGM had Friday off. The day was perfect. See pictures below for proof. We also did a little bit of thrift shopping www.simplythrift.blogspot.com .

And because it was such a gorgeous day on Saturday also, THGGM cleaned the garage and raked up the yard. While he did all that, I took the time to sit in my sewing room in the window-less corner of the basement and sewed while I caught up on laundry. But I didn't mind. I got a bit sunburned on Friday, and my natural tendencies is towards dark corners and basements that smell like Tide and Downy.

Then, there is today. Well, actually, NOW there is today. Today. One of those wonderful April-showers-bring-May-flowers sort of spring days. I love those, too.

I watched the very pretty sparrows with the white necks, a pair of cardinals and a brownish bird with an iridescent purple head eating at the bird feeder.

As is my habit every year, I also purchased seeds. There is such HOPE in spring! I bought organic bean seeds. I've been buying bean seeds every year for as long as I can remember. This year, I might get farther than planting them in peat pots that later drown and float away...

I also bought zinnia seeds. I LOVE zinnias. One year I actually had a row of them growing along the side of my house. Last year's zinnias floated away. But this year! Yes. Again, I remain hopeful. I HAVE SEEDS!

Someday in the near future I'm hoping to sew up some fabric birds. Suddenly, I've again become crazy about birds!

Oh, no. Maybe I've just become CRAZY. The birds might have nothing to do with it.

Now on to the thought that has taken over my weekend.

I had an extremely horrible nightmare on Friday night. The kind that feels so real that even though it is presently Sunday evening, my memories of that dream are clearer than the memory of what I have eaten today.

The dream was all about THGGM and when I woke up, I have never been more angry at him in my life! He, of course, is always dreaming some deep and realistic epic, but I've only had this type of dream a few times in my life, and it left me shaken (shaked, shooked, shook-up?). I still sort of want to PUNCH HIM!

But, he is already sleeping and I would hate to disturb him.

It took three FULL days of not watching "The Wiggles" to get those Wiggles songs out of my head. I spent yesterday singing "Beach beach sandy beach, feel the sand on my feet". And so now what do I get? I get:

Ed Sullivan! Ed Sullivan! We're going to be on Ed Sullivan!

I'm leaving now to go play the piano. Must find a better hymn for a Sunday evening.

Sort of Semi Totally Somewhat Random

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE having my entire family over for major holidays. I LOVE it.

But for some unknown reason, I end up very tired when it is all done.

And no, it isn't because I do EVERYTHING. Actually, for this one, I can't even think of what I DID do. It wasn't much, I know that.

I think it has more to do with what I eat than with what I do.

Why couldn't I have come from a family that goes rock climbing on holidays, instead of centering each holiday around candy?

Okay. So my entire family doesn't do that. It's me. I confess. I took Easter off from diabetes. That's not working out so well for me.

Yesterday, I was SO tired. It was almost a blessing that the colds Jonge and Famke have are causing them to be tired also. I napped when they napped. I napped during several episodes of "The Wiggles" while they happily snuggled up against me. I napped when I napped. None of it helped.

When I went to donate plasma, I answered one of the dozens of questions they ask (via computer) incorrectly and had to be hauled into a small conference room to be 'requestioned'. The one I answer incorrectly was the one that asked if I understood what I was doing. I said, 'no'. The correct answer would have been 'yes', but you knew that already, didn't you? Eh hem...

Oh, well. I suppose it could have been worse. I once took my mom for her annual mammagram. She had me fill out the questionaire for her, and I marked her down as being pregnant. She was in her late 70's at the time. Thankfully, she thought it was funny. Well, I don't think she thought that being in her late 70's was funny, but the thought of being pregnant in her late 70's, well, THAT was the funny part.

Anyway, donating plasma took much longer yesterday. I had a rolling vein. That hasn't ever happened to me before. I think my entire body knows that my plasma money is now going to pay for the shiny new water heater working away in the basement.

Oh, and I am also working on a NEW something. I got an idea from the new issue of "Somerset Life". If it turns out, I shall show post a picture. And, you know me, I'll probably do that even if it doesn't turn out well.

Let's see.., what am I forgetting (besides everything)?

THGGM is participating in a very interesting research study. He has to swallow a huge capsule. I won't let you know how that comes out.

What's new with you? Do tell!

Some Not Very Interesting Things

Okay. I must admit. I find these things interesting but perhaps you, being a normal person, will not.


Yesterday I arrived on time to donate my blood plasma only to be rejected. I hate rejection.


Of course, I had to wait for THGGM who was not rejected. My rejection will cost me fifty dollars this week. Of course, I've had rejections which cost me considerably more than fifty dollars, but I am an honest woman and - honestly - it made me very whiny.


I failed to bring my purse with me, so I had no driver's license and could not leave. What I had was a book and an uncomfortably hard 'waiting room' chair. Oh, and the opening game of Tiger Baseball playing loudly. I would not have minded that if things had been going better for them.


The book I had brought along to read while donating was Faith Baldwin's "Testament of Trust". It's good 'light reading' while my plasma is being twirled and spun out of my blood, but not so good with a ball game blaring in the background. Normally, the waiting room is a good place for people watching, but since we had late appointments, I was about the only people there, and we have already confirmed that I am not interesting. And it would be weird to watch oneself, I suppose.

But! The silver lining!

First I must tell you that I HATE the word 'serendipity'. I don't know why. I just do. It might have something to do with a group I belonged to once that used the Serendipity Bible as a Bible study tool. I never became a fan of that style of question and multiple choice answers it provided. Somehow, I could not find relevance in being asked if I was more like person A, B, C, or D in a particular chapter, especially when the choices had little connection to the text at hand. And, it made me itchy, as I am wont to be when pressed for an answer that doesn't really exist.

Although THIS did catch my attention, even with the Tiger's losing loudly in the background:

"Serendipity - This word, coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, is coming into use again (note from me - this book was written in 1958). It derives from his allusion to a fantasy, 'The Three Princes of Serendip' - which was the old name for Ceylon - in the course of which the princes were always making discoveries of things they weren't looking for - happy things, as well as unexpected. Always in the reflections of our minds we are looking for reasons for what has happened or is happening; we are in search of answers. Perhaps we will chance on something lovely and unexpected, a thought leading us into paths we had forgotten or did not know were there."

Oh, it's hard to argue against a word THAT good.

And did YOU know that Ceylon used to be called Serendip?

See? I can learn stuff!

It isn't interesting stuff. But, in a teachable moment, when I feel rejected, my team is losing, my chair is uncomfortable, there are no interesting people to watch and I've nowhere to go, a thought may pass through my brain and stick there long enough for me to learn something.

Now run along and have yourself a serendipity-doo-dah day.

Which, of course, would mean a day filled with:

a.) something lovely
b.) something unexpected
c.) forgotten paths
d.) that which we did not know was there
e.) all of the above
f.) none of the above
g.) pink stuff put in one's hair in the 1960's

Love That Early Morning Light

They came early this morning, still wearing their pajamas.

It was a GOOD day!

It Is Monday

I am exhausted.

No grandkids today, and I miss them.

But, since I have fallen behind in every part of my life, I had so much to do today.

Sadly, none of it shows.

My major job, one I have been putting off since before Christmas, was cleaning out the refridgerator.

When we bought it ten years ago we needed a much bigger one than we need now.

Then we had three teenagers. Now it looks strangely bear. Sometimes I don't throw things away just so it appears to have food in it.

Cleaning it today reminded me that I should do this job in the summer, when I can drag it all outside and hose it off.

It's warmER today, but not warm enough where one wouldn't mind getting wet.

The problem? The shelves and drawers are too big to fit in my 1950's divided sink.

Of course, I realize that in the scheme of things, having too big of shelves and too small of a sink cannot be considered a hardship.

But, I just feel sort of whiny today.

I missed my nap.

I'm So Busy, I Mean Dizzy

This is week three of Daughter's full-time training for her new job.

SHE is working full-time, I am only playing with her children for four days a week.

I must have been a lot younger when I had my kids.

And when I had my three I still had time to think clear thoughts.

I do not believe that I have had a clear thought in two years. At least.

Twice today I found myself dizzy. Once in the morning, but that could have been from watching "The Wiggles" wiggle, and Jonge and Famke wiggling along with them (i can wiggle while at rest - it's sad).

In the afternoon, I was playing with Famke. We were putting our dollies to bed when suddenly everything began to spin.

Thankfully, and I DO MEAN thankfully, THGGM was already home. He entertained them with play-dough while I hung on to the back of the couch.

I'm fine now.

Tomorrow I will stop using a particular artificial sweetner and see if that helps.

I don't see the busy-ness stopping anytime soon, so I sure hope that the dizziness does.

My dad has an 'in home' evaluation with his therapist tomorrow. Hopefully he will be cleared to come home soon after that.

I need to go to bed.

Cardboard Houses

Tonight while THGGM carried down boxes of Christmas decor I tweaked the things that I deemed 'wintery', and chose to leave up at least until after Valentine's Day.

My plan has always been to paint and glitter those cardboard houses, but the more I buy (i currently have seven) I realize that I am a plain cardboard girl at heart.

Oh well. Maybe I'll have a change of heart, but for now I like them as they are with little tea light battery candles in them.

And, that little snowman I made? I should make a dozen more. I can't keep from moving it all around my house. It just seems to go, well, everywhere!

Well. That's all I've got.

What's up with you?

Random Thursday Thoughts

For the record, I am feeling better today!

Since I am grandchild less this week, I had high hopes of accomplishing great things around here. So much for that.

But, today I did get almost all of the sticky wallpaper paste removed from the walls in my little bathroom off the kitchen. It is almost complete 1950's green. Once it is ALL off, THGGM will paint it 'cornmeal' which looks to be a very pale and pleasing yellow.

My plan was to get it done before I went to bed tonight, but when I gripped my scraper I nearly fell over from the pain. Apparently, my hands/wrists cannot scrape all day AND all night. I know, I know.., whine whine whine. But it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to (and i sort of want to).

Isn't that a cute doll on the right? My beloved aunt made it for me! I LOVE it. I cannot wait until Jonge and Famke return, since I will now have a doll of my own to play with. I have named her "Hen". I just finished reading "The Egg and I" and - well - the hen is the boss.

Reading "The Egg and I" made me tired. Or maybe it was just that I was sick to begin with. Good grief. Chicken rancher's wives work very very hard. I loved the book, but my favorite line is the dedication: To My Sister Mary who has always believed that I can do anything she puts her mind to.

Tonight I shall begin reading "The Edge of Sadness" by Edwin O'Connor. I do plan to finish Mary Chesnut's book, but it is too heavy for my aching wrists. Actually, it's a heavy story emotionally, but somehow "The Edge of Sadness" doesn't sound light either.

I have an idea for my wee-folk. If I can find the time I want to make 25 of them to use as an advent calendar for Jonge and Famke. I have 25 small magnets left from my clothes pin idea, and an enamel pan lid to put them on.

Even though I was sick (has anyone else noticed how often i bring this up? hmmm.) I did manage to keep up on the daily stuff and even did some cleaning out of my closet. While putting a few articles of clothing into the cedar chest, I noticed that I still had a wool sweater that I thought I had sent to the thrift store. I hadn't. I felted it and it is appearing on things all though my house. One felted sweater cut into bits and pieces goes a looooong loooooooong way.

Last week when we were at the Taste of Home store, I picked up a couple of cookbooks. When I am on vacation I actually forget that I don't like to cook all that much. It's not that I HATE it, I just don't enjoy it as much as I enjoy, say, turning old clothes into toys or taking pictures of leaves. I even told myself before I walked in the door that I was NOT going to buy any more cookbooks. But, they spray something in the air their, and it told me that the reason I don't like to cook is that my dozens of great cookbooks are all sub par to the newer cookbooks that were on display all around the store. I know this because as I cradled a short stack of cookbooks to my chest, I really truly believed that I was going to cook and bake and play in my kitchen all this week. Truth be told, I did not. Tonight was the first time I actually made supper this week, and it came from a box (whole wheat pasta), a jar (spaghetti sauce) and a can (no salt green beans). As far as a meal goes, it was nothing to cheer about. But when I called THGGM in to eat (he had worked all day and was just then playing with his new leaf blower and rake) he looked overjoyed that this meal wasn't being handed to him through a drive up window.

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."

I Have Caught a Bug

I'm not sure what makes me the most tired. Playing with Jonge and Famke all day, or spending two hours at the nursing home with my mom.

Or, maybe it is just the cold that Jonge and Famke shared with me.

I didn't realize I had it until after we left the nursing home.

Now that I think about it, my dad sounded a bit hoarse too.

Thanks to Marguerite for identifying this as a Japanese beetle. I do wish that the 'cold bug' were as noticable, as it would be a tiny bit easier to avoid.

Yesterday...

...it rained all day long.

It was a beautiful day for staying at home.

I took my coffee and quilt out on the breeze-way.

A soft, gentle rain was falling then.

It wasn't as peaceful as I had hoped.

Rain increases the noise level.

Traffic sounds, children's voices, my cat giving me his opinions about not liking an empty bowl.

I heard the school bell ring.

Ever hopeful, I settled in to enjoy the quiet.

Our neighbors are getting new windows.

Window installation is not a quiet activity.

I finished my coffee, cold now. Both my coffee and me.

For the rest of the day I flitted around from one thing to another.

I did manage to add a fallish feeling to my living and dining room.

When THGGM came home, he said "too much" so I edited it down, somewhat.

After dinner I stopped in at half price book day. I only found two books.

But, I also found a pair of WISS pinking scissors. (http://www.simplythrift.blogspot.com/)

Now I can pink things!

Oh. It was a good Thursday.

I Know I Know

This is something like my forth post today, but, I have many random things to record.



THGGM is playing Bach's Adagio and I might just have a breakdown. That music is SO sad. He loves it, it calms him. Apparently, Bach is who the Dutch were listening to just before the German invasion. This CALMED them? I'm trying to get "It's a Small World After All" stuck in my head just so I can cope.



Tonight THGGM and I were reading in the backyard. It is just SO nice back there. We are so close to a busy intersection yet geese fly overhead, woodchucks chuck wood - or whatever it is they do, toads hop around and the neighborhood children make happy sounds. Our neighbor was playing the piano, beautifully. It was all going so well. Youngest Son even popped in after his soccer coaching duties were completed at the school down the street. THGGM made us strawberry shortcake. YUM. I was reading a short story by Willa Cather (stories that end in suicides should begin with a warning) because I liked her comments on "The Awakening". THGGM was reading C.S. Lewis' "The Great Divorce". It COULD have been a perfect night.



Except for a very large bat, I'm sure it was a vampire bat, flew at my head. I do not like bats. At least it was OUTSIDE.



Tonight I used my potholder loom, cotton loops and Klutz book (http://www.simplythrift.blogspot.com/) to weave a potholder. This is NOT a children's craft! So I only paid $1.50. If I were to sell that potholder I'd want to put at least $20 on it, for all of the duress it caused me. Yes, I remember making them as a child. Making them again reminded me that it wasn't all fun and games then either.



I learned a great new word reading "The Awakening". Befurbelowed. Meaning, you ask? Dressed, adorned, especially in petticoats or flounces. Befurbelowed. Say it with me. Befurbelowed. I like how it rolls off the tongue, and is perfectly useless in my life.

My dad reminded me today why old people do not need Facebook, MySpace or Classmates. They have the board at the entry to nursing homes. It's surprising how many old friends he finds that way. He met one again yesterday. Quite thankfully, his friends have only been there for rehab. But, it's a nice way for them to catch up.

Summer Afternoon

While THGGM is doing the deep reading, I am enjoying reading "The Borrowers".

It's perfect reading for a summer afternoon while attempting to recover from a migraine that just won't let go.

Notice how I brought out matching tablecloths and a granite ware pitcher for flowers.

Even with a headache, one can still bump up the atmosphere a tad.

Tomorrow, THGGM will go back to work.

I do not know how I will explain this to Jonge, who very much enjoyed having a playmate all week.

I love shadows. Did I ever tell you about the time I noticed a great shadow of lace curtains on my wall? The picture came out dark, so I used the flash.

Funny, how the shadows disappear when one adds a flash.

While THGGM basked in the sun, I occupied a shady little corner.

Now I am on my way to bed, hoping to read more of the exciting adventures of Arrietty, Homily and Pod Clock.

Quiet Saturday

Next year I'm going to make a point to plant sunflowers. I'm just crazy about this thing.

I'm crazy about this thing too.

(Look kids! It's your father! He is reading!)

Friday Morning

Yesterday I spent the majority of the day reorganizing my kitchen.

This morning, I thought I'd best reorganize the links in my 'favorites'.

Oh, wow.

How things change!

My most recent 'favorites' are on Daughter's computer, so I've been having a bit of difficulty reconnecting with everything from the past year.

What a surprise to see the things I linked to in the past!

On Daughter's computer are all of my links about feline diabetes.

On this one? Dog constipation. Yes. I have a sub folder for that.

Haven't had a dog now for two years.

So...what weird things are in YOUR links?

Filling Up the Sink Hole

Today I made a phone call to the city about our backyard sink hole.

A very nice man assured me that there are no records of old mines under my yard. This was a relief to me.

Not too long ago an entire garage on my parent's street (only a mile from me) was eaten by the earth. Don't think that this scenario wasn't going on in my over-active imagination.

I cannot get the image of Famke standing in that sink hole out of my head!

Anyway, he agreed with THGGM and the neighbor man who said it looked like the collapse of an old septic hole.

He said to fill it up with dirt.

Tonight THGGM and I removed bricks that were buried as a border of sorts in the front yard.

Those went into the hole first. Lots of bricks. I did ask THGGM for a tally, but he responded rather snarkily (in my humble opinion) that he was not counting. For the record, I personally added eight.

We dumped all of the dirt from last year's pots on top of that, and then added a large bag of dirt.

Although it looks good, it still feels mushy to me.

Earlier this morning, I looked out the window to see if there had been any more sinkage. There wasn't. But what I saw was a robin standing on the edge looking into the hole. I could almost hear it thinking, "Wow. That must have been some worm!".

There Exist Both Those Who Can't Remember...

...and those who don't forget.

Yesterday THGGM reaffirmed what we already know, he is a member of the latter.

The man does not forget. Unless, of course, it is something like mailing out shower invitations in a timely fashion. He is, after all, a male man, NOT a mailman.

Last night after he had raked up the dry patches in our yard and done other manly things, he came in, looked rather disgustedly at my sorry migraine-riddled self and announced:

"You are going to have to tell your father that he cannot park in my driveway if his car is going to leak stuff onto it."

I believe I turned to him and said somewhat intelligently, "I'm sorry, WHAT?"

Now I must back him up so he can refresh me on perplexing matters of the past.

THGGM began dating me 34 years ago. We were both 15 and unable to drive.

Sometime around the age of 17 THGGM purchased a classic old car of some sort. What kind of car means nothing to me, although he likes to toss it around in conversation from time to time. All I remember of it was that when one turned on the left turn signal, the brake light flashed "BRAKE-BRAKE-BRAKE". The turn signal light did nothing except. perhaps, smirk.

The car apparently also leaked fluid of some sort onto my dad's driveway. I certainly don't remember this, but THGGM insists that he was told not to park in the driveway due to this leakage. Not parking in the driveway was never a problem for me, as it was a very narrow driveway with a very large maple tree at the end of it. The maple already sported a large fender shaped wound but I won't mention who caused that. THGGM seemed to like driveway parking over off-street.

Back to yesterday.

I do not believe that my dad 'parked' in the driveway yesterday. He pulled in, I took over the driver seat, and away we went. After the end of the outing, I pulled in, jumped out and away he went.

So. Now that my migraine has eased up a bit I'm becoming concerned.

As mentioned in the post below, I bottomed out on that 'pot hole turned continental divide' while driving my dad's car yesterday.

He needs a new car anyway.

Let's not forget that.