another day in a string of bliss

What have I been up to?

• having to accept that some things just happen as they will, no matter how much planning you do in life (a tough realization sometimes, for me that is!)
• adjusting lifestyle to 1 paycheck after finally being pretty gosh darn comfy with 2 ( I am worth so much more, but have to be humble in securing that a paycheck is again at least steadily received)
• enjoying little moments with family and friends ( not saying I have oodles and oodles of friends more than you, but why is there never enough time for all the fun that beckons to be had with those you treasure?)

What have I completed?

• painted a thrifted desk that has been patiently awaiting my attention for FAR too long. It is now semi-gloss black with sleek silver metal drawer pulls and a decoupaged top featuring gobs of clock face images sealed off with plenty of clear coat (to protect precious "time")
• taking the 1st big step to changing a kitchen that has been asking for a make-over for nearly 58 yrs (will be a slow process... due to second point above)
• sorting through and eliminating scads of magazines (did you know that if you only save the pages you really are interested in, you can make the compressed foundation of your house rise a few inches?)

What do I need to do?

• clean my closet (what the heck is in the back anyway?)
• dig out the favorite Christmas decor and chuck the rest to the goodwill (the kids probably don't want that stuff one thinks they do when they move out some day. Someday seems a  l o n  g way off !)
• write some Thank You notes ( to show I have some upbringing, after-all)

What do I want to do?

• disassemble the dog pen before the snow flies so I can see more of the pines coated in frosty white sparkles (or at least stop looking at the eyesore as it is now)
• tackle the file cabinet so my new year will start fresh (Geez, I hate ugly paperwork build-up)
• put more photos in black frames, new and vintage (writing on the backs would be a bonus too)

playing

We have some upcoming fun planned in the good ol' summer heat. Plenty of things to do to make memories that can be called upon, in those school days to come, when there is enough homework to occupy the brain for hours and hours. Memories of laughs and care free days are just the thing to tuck away in a school brain to be taken out for a little mental escape now and then.
Hope you are making summer memories too!

be sure to have a well lit clothesline area at night....

I love the smell of laundry dried on the line...

The other day, after doing a long stretch of many loads of laundry in between my phone "ringing off the hook", as the saying goes, I remembered that I still had one more load still out on the line. It was now after dark.
I was tired and ready for the comfort of my pajamas and a few chapters read in my current library book.
I surrendered to the fact that the maid wasn't going to go out and pull the stuff off the line since she has never done that in my whole lifetime. (As a matter of fact she is quite invisible!!)
Out I went in my bare feet to retrieve the laundry from the clothesline. I was just taking the last few items down and tossing them into my laundry basket when under my foot something went squisssssshhhhhhhh. Yuck. Double YUCK!

Any info?

I love unusual very old photos and I love a good mystery to solve.
I am puzzled by this photo. I have no info about this photo as it is unidentified on the back. It is tiny, about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches. At first glance I thought, "What a fancy carriage". Then I scanned it and that is when I began to focus more on the cross on top. Then I scanned it again and cropped it in closer...

That's when I started to see the sides and front and the driver dressed in black and I began to wonder....

...could this actually be a funeral carriage?

Any facts or even guesses would be appreciated.

I had a great grandfather who was a grave digger and maybe he would know about this. Too bad he has been gone and buried for 101 years in his own Catholic graveyard where he worked. My own son carries his first name.

7 Random Things

A picture taken of me early one morning while still in my jammies.

7 random things...

#1=I must admit that I like playing this kind of game. I also like reading others' random lists.

#2=I am impressed by some blogs...I like the women that are real and have messy places in their house along with the pretty places!

#3=I am often puzzled by some blogs...I feel suspicious that some of the women seem to create an alter-ego to present to the world.

#4=I find inspiration in some blogs...I read some that are very different from my life and my world.
#5=I am intimidated by some blogs...Can there really be enough time to do all that art and still run a family?

#6= I am envious of some blog writers... I often think of myself as an undiscovered artist.

#7= I wonder if we bloggers are maybe just an extension of high school clicks among adult women... Ever notice how we sometimes travel in packs?

The decorators, the artists, the philosophers, etc, etc. It's like a new way to gather together "the socials, the geeks, etc, etc..."

Who can resist a puppy?

No, the puppy is NOT mine. He is my sister-in-law's new love. He and his litter mates were going to be killed. My sweet Suzette rescued this one. Isn't he just too much??!!

Here he is with his "big", big sister on the way to see Santa for a picture!!

Just too darn cute!

Any Rottie lovers out there?

worn out

Ice on the windshield-as seen from inside my car.

I have been feeling so worn out these last few days and maybe even for weeks now.

I am well enough- no cold, aches, pains, etc...I just feel less inspired, creative and personally motivated to do much more than the required spouse-ing, mothering, cooking and cleaning.

I have been spending many hours away from home with senior citizens I help care for.

I have been thinking hard, deep thoughts lately.

I feel drained and in need of a battery recharge.

I am sorry if my blog has shown the echoes of this.

But yet, I also think- should one feel sorry and owe an apology for having experienced a dip in the road of life?

Maybe I just need a nap.

Ice on the porch windows.

Once Upon A Time In Ohio-part 2

These are some great old photos
from a web site featuring vintage Ohio views...
This is a super fancy hotel you could stay in if you had the money back in 1916.

You could also take a leisurely stroll through the Walbridge Park (the site of today's Toledo Zoo).

Maybe your mode of transportation was this motorbike with wicker side car.

If you could afford a car you might have purchased it at this dealership. What an interesting night time photo this is!

But if you have a motorbike or car you'd better watch out for a frost heaved brick street like this one. Yikes!

A safer, cheaper way to get around may be to ride the street car. These motormen look like safe drivers, don't you agree?

(Note: my family tree states that I have at least one motorman in my genealogy blood. Maybe that's why we like the "supposed" haunted street car at the Old Spaghetti Warehouse!!)

If you couldn't afford to stay in the fancy hotel at the top of this post, then maybe you could try to catch a few shut-eye-winks on this street car. It looks pretty clean and respectable. Just an idea.

Once Upon A Time In Ohio

I found a really fun web site that has historical Ohio photos. I thought I would take you on a short tour today...
I like their delivery truck!

This looks like a hard working group of fellows don't you think?!
Don't you love their motto painted on the building ~ "Every man who is willing to work has a right to live. Divide the day and give him a chance."

Laundry Company. Hey, I think I have that business in my own home...or at least some weeks it feels that way!

The Citizens Ice Company. Does the price of ice go up when the price of gasoline, er I mean hay goes up? Many Ice companies harvested ice from the Great Lake Erie in the winter months.

The Toledo Pie Co. Maybe they were the forerunner to "The Pie Hole" on Pushing Daisies !!?

Horse and Dog Hospital and maybe people too?? Veterinary, surgeon and dentist. Can I get a discount if I trade you for ice or a pie? Good thing this horse Dr. has an "S" on the front of his last name or he would be a horse's *ss!

Ever Wonder?...

This text is from this site.
What Is an ACEO?
(Art Cards Editions and Originals): A Two Year Old Art Movement Started on Ebay
By Rebecca Fairbanks
Published November 1, 2006
What is an ACEO? ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. It is an art format started by an artist on Ebay two years ago. This artist is known by “bone*diva” on Ebay, but her real name is Lisa Luree.ACEOs are collectible little pieces of art. An ACEO is always two and one-half inches by three and one-half inches. That is the size of a standard sports trading card. The rule about size is the ONLY rule in the ACEO world. An ACEO can be created in any medium the artist desires: paint, colored pencils, ink, etc. There are even ACEOs made from wood, clay, fabric, and metal. ACEOs are tiny art works that can be matted and framed to hang on the wall. Many people display their ACEO collections in the same kind of plastic sheets and albums that sports card collectors use. You might slip an ACEO into a greeting card as an extra surprise for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas. ACEOs sell on Ebay for anywhere from ninety-nine cents to over one hundred dollars or more!Lisa started the ACEO movement in response to the prohibition against selling that was associated with typical Artist Trading Cards. (Artist Trading Cards are the same size as ACEOs. They have been around for a long time, and were a way for artists to show their work. Regular Artist Trading Cards are always traded, never sold.) Lisa, whose own art work is very creative, wanted a way to get her art into the hands of her Ebay customers. ACEOs were her solution.If you go to Ebay and search “ACEO”, you’ll find approximately 5,000 ACEOs listed for sale at any time. I stumbled across ACEOs last year when I was selling on Ebay, and instantly became “addicted” to creating them myself.Creating ACEOs is a very relaxing and inexpensive hobby to pursue. I usually make mixed media collage ACEOs, and have sold quite a few on Ebay. Anyone with an art hobby will most likely have on hand all the materials they’d need to start creating ACEOs.
To begin, all you need is a stiff base, such as Bristol Board, or even a playing card from an ordinary deck of cards. You can draw, paint, or cut and paste to your heart’s content. Even my grandchildren enjoy making ACEOs with me when they come to visit. Even though the ACEO movement is still fairly new, today more and more people are learning about them, and they are being offered for sale on more and more websites, as well as in some real-world galleries.If you are looking for a fun new hobby, try your hand at creating ACEOs. You will find they are like potato chips—you can’t stop at just one.


This text is from this site.

What Is An ATC?
The very basics
As their name indicates, ATC are collectables, a brilliant idea born of the older sports-themed trading cards. The one rule that makes an ATC derives from their origins: the dimensions of the ATC must be 2.5"x3.5", or 64x89mm.
To this rule are appended a couple of conventions. First, an ATC mustn't be sold, only exchanged, as the whole essence of these tiny works of art is about artists meeting (by correspondence or online if need be) and exchanging their works, thus meeting many artists and getting exposed to many personal styles. Second, on the back of each ATC the artist writes part or all of the following information: name, contact information, title of the ATC and number (1/8, 2/8...) if it's part of an edition. By definition ATCs are made in limited numbers, often no more than one of a kind. Unique ATCs are called originals; sets of identical ATCs are called editions and are numbered; sets of ATCs that are based on one theme but that are different are called series. Don't be intimidated by the concept of small editions or originals: very few people are anal about this. What most collectors really want are cards that were made with care. Based on that, numbers are meaningless.
That's all! The above is all you need to know to start making your own ATCs. Common sense dictates that they should be sturdy enough to survive mailing, and of reasonable thickness (unless you specifically want them otherwise. Transparent card sleeves are useful to protect the cards if need be. This is particularly true if they can easily get smudged or if the medium might stick during transport.

I hope this helped some of you that are not ATC or ACEO artists...or not very artsy at all (and that's ok with me, too!).
You can view my ATC collection by [clicking here].

Tidying Up

I have spent some time today tidying up my

SUBJECTS section in my left margin.

I hope it is easier to find your way through my growing number of published entries.

Wowee!
Can you believe this is post entry #236 ?!


Now I'm off to file away some paperwork. I think it breeds while I'm sleeping!

A confession

I must confess that I have told an untruth...unintentionally.

Blame it on kids making a Mother's brain turn to mush.

I had forgotten that I went to the theater TWICE this year. In my post about going to see Becoming Jane, I told you that I only go once a year .

Those of you keeping track will know that I also went to see Miss Potter, as I had written about here and here.

So, yes! I did partake in sinful buttered movie theater popcorn TWICE this year!!

I am confessing my lie. Please forgive.

On a different note: How do you like the letters above? I was reading Fred over at Fred's World and found this super fun link to do the letters. Spell, copy and paste. Hmmmm...the wheels are turning in my Mommy mush brain now!!

I spell alone...N A P

Ssssshhhhhhhh ! Don't tell anyone.

I am going to sneak a nap in today while I can.

I think a nap is an absolute luxury.

I never have the time or opportunity....until today! I may even get to snooze for a whole 30 minutes before E. gets home from school.

freshly laundered

Wow! I love this retro looking fabric!!

The coral pinkish color background, the aprons. Don't we all do our laundry in heels?!

I know, I'm weird, I do think the vintage housekeeper images are fun. I'm a laundry geek!! I love to iron too. What a vintage housekeeper throwback I am, right? It is relaxing for me to iron, not to mention the great smell of fresh linens and the instant before and after gratification it provides to me.

Double Take

I can't remember if there was an occasion attached to these photos taken of me in the 1980's...but dig those cool feathered bangs! O man!

Did you have feathered bangs too?

Scanner Play

I was playing with all the different settings on my scanner photo editor and this happened.

Looks like we were in a BLUE mood~Anna and Mom.

One Of Those Days...

Do you ever have one of those days when you have so much you need to do and so much you want to do...but you just feel a little "off center"? You can't put your finger on it but you just don't feel 100%. Yesterday was one of those days for me.

We had hard rain showers with some thunder most of the day. We sure needed it here. I had so many things on the "inside to-do list" to keep me busy.

The only thing I did manage- is to load the roaster pan full of chicken leg quarters and pop it in to the oven to bake slowly all afternoon. The smell was wonderful. But when it came time to eat, I wasn't even hungry. Very unlike ME!

Let's hope today is much more "on bubble"!!!!

A Kite Kind Of Day...

It is the kind of day when the curtains blow at the open window and the breeze brings a wonderful warm smell into the house. A good day for washing those heavy winter comforters on the beds and drying them on the line. A time to pack away those cold weather clothes and bag up clothes to donate or give to other families as hand-me-downs. A great day for flying a kite... The kids are so anxious for school to end. As of the latest notice, the last day has been extended to Aug. 11th. A MONDAY! An unexpected fog resulted in a cancelled school day last week...and another day tacked on the end of the school calendar. I don't envy the teachers having to keep the restless monsters...uh, I mean angels... under control that last day.
Summer vacation time is so fleeting. The kind of summer vacation when each day seems to blend into the next. No assigned bed times. No bus schedules to adhere to. When I was a kid those school building free months seemed to stretch out into eternity.
Before we know it there will be back to school ads in the Sunday paper and new back packs to be picked out.
All the more reason to go fly a kite when the chance is here!

The Type Keys Are Flying!

I am back in business. After a terrible crash of the dinosaur computer, we have made the huge step of diving into the world of a brand spankin' new computer! Our first ever, after a life of hand-me-downs... 5 hand-me-downs to be exact.

It is really terrifying to spend that much money!!! A great big chunk of tax refund. But oooh, how I do love my new wonder machine! The old monitor weighed about 35 pounds... the new one about 3 pounds. The old monitor took up the whole desk...the new one only about 3 inches thick. The old keyboard went clickety clackity...the new one is almost silent.

Only one hitch so far. Our scanner is not compatible with the Windows Vista Home Premium software. I went to the web site for our brand of scanner and they say they are working on an update for the driver to use with the new Vista. I can hook up the scanner on the kids' dinosaur computer (another hand-me-down) and then transfer stuff with the usb flash drive, but for now that seems like too much work and too much to learn all at once. My brain almost exploded from trying to pretend I was a computer geek while setting up the new computer.

Comments, Please!

To all my blog reading friends... leave a comment, if you wish, so I know you are reading and what you think. Do my post entries stink? Do they give you reason to delay folding the laundry? Do you wonder why I'm not folding my laundry? Leave a note. You don't need to have a Blogspot account or Google account to leave a comment.

Waiting to hear from you!!