Lists

So last night, when i could not sleep and it was oh...three o'clock in the morning, i was thinking about: College scholarships, the things i need to get done before winter and so much more. Of course now i cannot remember 1/2 of those things but whilst in the thick of the brain wave, it was amazing all that i was going to accomplish.

Being a list girl i am going to post what i need to get done through the month of October. Hopefully this will keep me on track and help me accmplish ALOT!

1. Leak in roof must be addressed....even if i nail a stupid tarp over the area (HAHAHAHA...)
2. Decorate entryway...
3. touch up trim in living room
4. Keep working on my quilt
5. fix broken window on third floor
6. buy and install two new window locks
7. price/buy/install new kitchen facuet
8. Fix pantry so that it is actually useable for canned goods and boxed items

that should keep me busy, right?

Also, last night i had a couple of conversations with my SIL which set my mind to whirling...namely saving money through the smart use of coupons and smart shopping. This opened my mind to doing things in a whole different light and being a bit more agressive. She bought over $200 worth of groceries the other week and paid $93 just by using the sale items and then couponing those sale items. Not everything in her cart was sale items but the majority, thus cutting way down on expenses. She also, like many i know...and even myself in some things, have started a stockpile of food and items, buying now while she and my brother have jobs and things are good....in case either the economy goes completely bust or they lost jobs, etc. This is a very smart thing to do because if you purchase mulitple things while they are on sale, rotate the groceries and household items and replenish those things, you are really being smart with your money and also have extra to share for some who might have a true need (or you just feel like giving stuff away).

i have started some of that with canned goods...not a lot though, but will probably pick that back up in the very near future....t0liet paper and paper towels are also a great thing to stockpile.

Much more to say, but i hear there is a good sale at AC Moore and Bath and Body Works and i want to go check them out. Also, its raining and grey and i need to get more candles!

Happy Monday!

Two things

Only two things today.

1. i showed my niece the DoReMi part of Sound of Music this morning. She was, to my complete delight, mesmerized with eyes as wide in wonder as saucers. That made my day completely as Sound of Music is by far my favorite movie ever. Yes, i said ever. i know...i know..

2. i have started making a quilt totally by hand...no machine. i am finding that my stitches are not too bad...need to get them a wee bit smaller but that they are relatively straight. The quilt is not going to be very big as it is my first endeavor...and it will probably look very rustic and homemade by a three yr old but it is a start. i'm actually really excited about it...disaster or not.

It just feels right

Yesterday was a nice puttering around the house kind of day. i took off the summer decorations and put the autumn ones in place....which are by far my favorite. The warmth that autumn colours bring to a home is so lovely and wonderful...and oddly relaxing. Plus i love to change the decorations...not really one of those every holiday kind of folks...i don't have enough talent or patience for that...but seasons plus Christmas.

As i was doing this i came upon some very old linens that i have that were my Irish great grandmother and grandmother's. They are old and wonderful and embroidered in spots and Irish tatting on others and doilies and....so much. So i determined to starch a good bit of them and place some around my home as well. A bureau scarf on my hope chest, a nice crocheted item on the mantel under all the fall decorations, a autumn hankie as part of the dining room table decor.

And then i started in on the linen napkins and other hankies that i have. Starched the napkins and put them in the buffet and ironed the hankies (ladies hankies...i must have around 50 of them...my grandmother put a new one in her pocketbook every day...she was very proper that way) and put them in the dresser drawer. i intend to use them.

And it just feels so right to use things that have been passed down to me...generations old, nice wonderful linens..surrounding myself with my heritage.

Blessings

(my sweet niece)

Lately my sister and i have received so many blessing from so many people that would extremely hard to find something about which to complain. We have custody of her daughter on a part time basis...meaning that 1/2 week she is with us and 1/2 week with her father. When this custody agreement was laid out, it seemed to be a good thing until it was put into practice. It stinks. But anyway, this is what it is and so we do the best we can.

For some reason, about two weeks ago, i realized that we really had no autuumn clothes for her...a few things but everything was all of a sudden getting too small and we kind of went into a panic. my unemployment leaves a little for such things but very little and so i put on facebook as well as prayed about this very real need. i can forgo shopping for shoes this winter because i have plenty but a growing baby is a whole different game. SO...long story is that i bought a brand new snow suit for $5, one facebook friends knew another who had beautiful almost new clothes to give for free and then because of a birthday celebration, my sister and sister in law gave clothes to the baby for her birthday as well as multiple pairs of shoes.

All that is needed is long sleeved undershirts, a jacket and pjs....i can do that. Also my sister just got a job so she can do that. We can do this!

Amazing.

Life is still hard in spots, but today i am going to purpose to look at the blessings

i freakin love this time of year

Yes, i said freakin. i know, i know. Booo on me. But this is truly my favorite time of the year. Tonight begins one of the areas oldest local fairs...so that will be a hoot. Mostly people go there to eat, Good PA Dutch food and regular fair food too. Then there is all the judging of the articles, photos, garden produce, animals, etc ,etc. my Father actually entered a few photographs just for kicks. We'll see how he did tonight. i probably should have entered my strawberry jam, but i didn't...it was a great batch!

And then there is just the fun of walking around gawking at people. That, my friends, makes me laugh more than anything. This area is chuck full of PA Dutch-y types and the accent (!) plus the way of looking at things are just fun. Plain ole fun.

Of course you always have the young kids who are fair-ies...meaning they go to any and all fairs just to hang out and be seen! i think i used to do that when i was young...especially at the McClure Bean Soup Festival. Yes...there is such a thing. Huge iron kettles over wood fires cooking bean soup. i dont know why....but it was fun! i would probably still go down to McClure for the Bean Soup if i lived closer.

Do you go to fairs? Which kind are your favorites? Do your local fire companies have tug-o-war tournaments? Yup we have that too over in the Lancaster area...and that is a feast for the female eye....young bucks full of muscles pulling on ropes..their back and arm muscles straining...thighs pulling back.....sheesh about to set an ole woman into heat.....or something.

Happy Fair Season to one and all!
(i gotta go...i just got all hot and bothered thinking about those male muscles)

Well that wasn't expected!

Yesterday we got a call that my Father was in the hospital...with chest pains. Oh joy. He was working and felt some pains come on....FINISHED WHAT HE WAS DOING....and then took himself to the hospital. By the time he got there he was in intense pain, with pain in his jaw and a severe headache. However, saints be praised (!) it wasn't a heart attack and actually he passed his stress test this morning with flying colors, as well as all blood work was fine and his ekg. It was something else that can present as a heart attack....

But it gave me reason to pause....every day is precious, no matter one's circumstances. Not to be held as if it is fine china, but to lived wildly...unashamed of joy...loving with all you have and just being happy.

Another nice lil kick in the butt for me...

Also? drink more wine.

Where in the world is ME?

(how is that for creative use of the english language?)

So it has been a very long time since i have felt like blogging. i was in quite a slump both personally and professionally and did not feel that i had anything to share, even for myself. Unemployment, though very freeing, has been a bit of a strain and though i think i can make it, it is still unnerving. However, i do feel that everything is going to be ok....will keep going till i can't go anymore...then i will live under a bridge...see how that will all work out?

i have, howver, kept trolling on everyones blogs and one that i read this morning kinda gave me a kick in the rear to get me going again. The writer asked her readers what do we do every single day to nourish our souls...??? um..be depressed? worry about finances? yeah, no.

i used to be very good at nourishing my soul but kinda got off track. So here is to a new beginning of really enjoying life, no matter what is going on. i mean really enjoying it. No more moping around feeling sorry for myself because that does not at all nourish you...it deplete you.

Having my niece around (just turned 1 yr) truly helps because she is just SO COOL...and funny...and sweet...and tries to be like the big kids and wants to play football with the boys and that nourishes me...or when she lays her sweet head on my shoulder and just snuggles in...that nourishes me...(what is it about baby's heads on your shoulder that just makes things seem ok....)

And today i am going to decorate my house for the autumn season. my wreath is already on my front door, but now for the insides. That will also help.

And lest anyone think i have just been sitting around eating bon bons and drinking wine, i have been very busy this summer....

Projects done:
Totally painted front porch after scraping and sanding it
Re Painted front door....hung pretty wreath
Fixed front porch by myself
Helped neighbors hang gate between our houses
Helped another neighbor re do her sidewalk (i relaid all the bricks after we took them out and leveled the area)
Painted two neighbors front porch railings and helped a third with hers
Cleaned the house on a regular basis
Shampooed the 2nd floor carpets
Did gardening work and have already started the wintering process for the garden
Scrubbed the alley way and my back porch
Painted the railing on my back porch

Projects yet to do before winter
Clean all windows
Fix gutter on side of house
address leaks in roof and fix or cover with rubber roofing (its a flat roof)
Get oil for heater
Winterize windows (fix one broken window)
Wash all curtains

Noursih my soul....daily.