Recipe for Fun

Take one three year old boy.

Mix him together with one of Oldest Son's light sabers found in the garage.

Locate correct batteries and screwdriver. Both necessary at the same time.

"Borrow" daddy's sunglasses.

Put cover from torte over all.

Press red button and whack at things until done.

Test for done-ness by attempting to put ingredients away.

Its Two Two Two Posts In One

Here one can see the advantage to THGGM getting out at 2:00 this week.

After-nap time is SO much more fun!

And, for part two, see those framed ferns? The ones on the top shelf?

Those are MY FERNS!

I picked them just before we left for Traverse City, weighted them down with heavy books on the dining room table, and by the time we got back they were done!

I'm so glad I had the forethought to pick them then, because now they are too large for any frame that I could afford.

Last week Michael's had 11 x14 frames for only $5, with an extra 25 % off as well.

VERY inexpensive.

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You

Is this not THE cutest thing EVER?

If I can get Jonge and Famke to cooperate with me, I think I shall make these - adding Kado's hand once he arrives (because, i imagine, it would be hard to trace the hand of an unborn child).

I went to Barnes and Noble last night looking for the latest "Somerset Life" book-a-zine. They still didn't have it.

But they did have the newest Country Living. If you know where I live, it is nowhere near anything even slightly resembling 'country', but as Karen Carpenter says, 'I can dream, can't I'?

There IS only one reason I posted this on my blog and that is because my blog is presently my disembodied memory. If I want to remember that I plan to make these, I have to note it here.

Oh, we went to Barnes and Noble AFTER our 7:00 blood plasma donation. That was such a pleasant time. Laying in a comfortable bed, reading a good book, watching interesting people and getting paid for it. I cannot understand why everyone doesn't do this.

Last month, between the two of us, we made $460. I had to miss once due to that cruel migraine.

We were both very excited about this. It is our desire to get out of debt - or - even just get caught up on bills (actually, they are williams).

But, yesterday when THGGM went in the basement to shower, he noticed a trickle coming from underneath the water heater. This is never a good sign.

Today, we have become the proud owners of a $380 water heater, uninstalled.

How DO people save?

Must I even give up buying thrifted embroidery hoops, thrifted fabric, thrifted embroidery needles and 20 cent skeins of red embroidery floss purchased during the Reagan admistration?

Apparently, I must.

(okay. look. i know what you are thinking - stop buying magazines. most of my favorite magazines have gone bust. if i don't want the remaining ones to die a certain death, i need to buy them. correct? say that I am correct, and then send a copy to thggm and point this simple fact out to him. he's a bit slow on the uptake. thank you. you know i'd do the same for you. i'm nice like that.)

tuesday Tuesday TUESDAY

It was Tuesday all day today.

There is so much good to say about today that I hardly know where to begin.

The high today was 71.

I know. I know. 65 is my favorite temperature, but I shall not complain.

Jonge and Famke came to play with me.

My dad came in the morning and played with us, too. Jonge and Famke had not seen him in over a month, and that was in the nursing home where they had a bit of anxiety over his oxygen and wheel chair. Today he was feeling great.

Pa left and we had time to watch one episode of The Wiggles and one Elmo's World. I slept during those.

I woke up when Uncle Youngest Son came. We had lunch with him. He stayed to play. His girlfriend came later, too. Jonge and Famke ADORE her, even more so now that she took them outside to play football.

Sometime in there good naps were had. Daughter came on her lunch break, but they were sleeping, so shhhhh, don't tell them!

By the time Pake came home, everyone was gone, except for Jonge and Famke. He happily took them for a walk around the block and to the soccer field to play.

From the soccer field THGGM saw Daughter arrive. He pointed this out to Jonge and said - Let's go say hi to her. To which Jonge answered, No, let's just wave at her from here.

Tonight, for no special occasion at all, THGGM took me out to dinner and thrift shopping. On a Tuesday. A Tuesday that was a GOOD day.

The only difficult part of my day was trying to come to terms with the death of an old friend. I had NO IDEA he was dead. Since I do not know WHEN this happened, I'm not sure how wise it would be to call his mom and ask. Especially since his father just died. Which is how I found out that he no longer lives, as the obit read, proceeded in death by a son...

Since there were so many hands on deck today I was able to begin stitching the little picture above. This transfer came from the free download from Vicki at www.turkeyfeathers.typepad.com I LOVE it! Just two birds left to go. Don't look too closely, as I'm not a very good with needle and thread. But, I'm still looking for ways to add in touches of red to the guest room, and this shall be one of them.

Recycled Yard Waste

I spent a portion of the afternoon cutting crepe paper.

Then, I simply twisted the crepe paper around magnolia twigs I picked up from my front yard.

It still needs tweaking. And some white and clear marbles in the vase so the twigs can be 'arranged'.

Of all the things I make, this is one of the only things to bring favorable noise from THGGM.

I found the idea in a past issue of Somerset Life. I have made them in pink, red and now white.

Really. You should try this. Because I said so.