Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Wishing Joe A Happy Birthday, And Saying Goodbye To 2014

December 31, 2014

Good morning.  It's cold today, but the sun is shining so it's rather a nice day to sit back and reflect all that has happened in this year of 2014.  The next time I sit down to type a post for my blog, we'll be in a brand new year. 

It's been a year of many changes for me, the biggest being retirement.  It's amazing how we spend most of our adult life looking forward to the day when we can retire from the work force.   Yet when it actually gets here,  are we really ready for it?  Is it what we expected it to be?

I know I always thought that maybe I would do a bit of travelling once I retired.  Now that I'm here, I'm not too excited about the idea of travelling.  I mean, the mind thinks it's a great idea, but the body doesn't seem to want to go too far from home.  Plus, I don't like to leave my little doggie at home while I go traipsing about.  It's more fun to be with him.

There are a lot of good things about retirement.  I have more time to do whatever I want to do.  I'm not in any rush to do things anymore.  If they get done, they get done.  If they don't, oh well.  I can nap or sleep late whenever I want to, and I have lots more time to play with Pogo and do fun crafty things. 

There are always "downs" to go with the "ups" in life, but so far, the "ups" are ahead.  I have a lot to be grateful for.  My family, friends, Pogo and fairly good health are among my many blessings.  There is a roof over my head and food on my table.  Life is good.

So how am I doing with my kitchen project?  Well, I'm like a turtle, slow and steady.  I managed to empty a whole shelf in the pantry, and I went through all my canned goods.  Sad to say, I found several that were outdated.  Of course, this was just more side-tracking because I had to open all the outdated cans, empty the contents into the garbage, and then wash out the containers so that they could be put in the recycle bin. 

I filled the kitchen sink with more dinnerware and bowls of all sizes.  They all need to be washed before they can be packed in a box to be given away.  By the time the glassware was all washed, I was all pooped out. 

This afternoon, I'll spend some more time working in the pantry.  As long as I'm cleaning things that haven't been used for a while, and changing the shelf papers, I may as well keep going until all the shelves are done.  Dee Dee and Eddie came by today to help me set up the new oven, but alas, I'm not quite ready.  What else is new?  I'm thinking that I'll have the kitchen ready for the oven by next week. 

Today, I have photos of some beautiful gulls.  These birds have such great character and are always willing to pose for photos. 





Tonight, I'll cook us some juicy hamburgers and rice for supper.  Afterwards, we'll attempt to stay awake long enough to watch the "Ball" drop at midnight, and to see all the beautiful fireworks on TV. 

Today is also Joe's birthday, and Pogo and I have a super neat present to give him.  Joe has been so good to us, always helping with everything.   So, Happy Birthday Joe.  May your special day be filled with happiness and good friends, 

Well, the morning has gone by, and it's time to rustle up something tasty for my little guy's lunch.  He did not eat any of the doggie food that I gave him for breakfast.  I keep trying though, because it's supposed to be good for him.  Hmmm, I wonder how come Pogo never learned that?

I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.  May the new year bring you good health, happiness and prosperity.  Y'all have a truly beautiful day, and I'll see you again next year.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

I'm Busy With Projects A, B, C, D and E


December 30, 2014 

Good morning.  The sun is shining but it is a tad bit cold.  It's only expected to get up to about 30F today, and back down to 20F  tonight.  Tomorrow will be more of the same.  Brrrrr!  I did not want to crawl out from under my blanket this morning, but Pogo insisted on eating.   Not that he ate any of the tasty breakfast that I prepared for him.  It was doggie food, and he did not eat it!

I guess the big question is whether I actually did some work on the kitchen yesterday.  Well, yes, I did.  I worked my fat little fingers to the bone (well, not quite down to the bone), and made quite a nice mess of everything. 

You know how it is - before you can do "A", you first have to do "B".  However, before you can do "B", you have to "C", etc, etc.  I'm in the middle of working on C, D and E.  As soon as I can, I'll get back to working on A.   In order to make room for the new oven, I have to move the microwave and the two-drawer storage units.  These units have to be moved in to the pantry. 

Here's where C, D and E come in.  In order to make room for the storage units, I have to go through a lot of dishware, other glassware, dry goods, etc.  This is where I get bogged down.  It's not so easy to get rid of my "stuff".    But I'm slowly getting there.  So far, I've filled two cardboard boxes with dinnerware, and Joe put the boxes in my car so that we can deliver them later today to the Good Will store.

Today, I'll try to fill a couple more boxes.  Sad to say, I really don't need most of this stuff.  After all, there's only me and one tiny little dog here.  I should be able to get along just fine with dinnerware service for two.  (or service for one and a half)   So, I've decided that I'll get rid of most everything, and then go buy me a new set of dinnerware for two.  I'm keeping my mugs though.  I'm quite fond of my odd little mug collection.

Well, as you can see, this project is going to keep me busy for quite a while.  This sort of stuff is not my forte.  You most definitely do not want to hire me to do any house cleaning or organizing.  But, I am really good at doing laundry.  And, I'm kind to small children, old folks and all God's furry critters.  So that has to count for something.  Right?

Now that the shocking pink afghan is finished, I'm back to working on the blue, black and white one.  Plus, last evening I started a new light gray one.  I've had this gray yarn for a while now, and I've been itching to see how it works up.  I'm just not sure what other color to put with it.  This type of project makes me so much happier than the houseworkie stuff.

Yesterday while I was posting here, Pogo was curled up next to me.  After a while I turned my head to see how he was doing, and he was not there.  Instead, there was a cocoon shaped pile of blanket.  But when I looked closer, I noticed one tiny little ear sticking out from the top of this cocoon. 



The photos aren't the greatest because I was trying to take the photos quickly with my phone before Pogo realized what I was doing.   His antics always keep me so amused. 

Joe and I will do our food shopping later this afternoon because I'm sure the market will be quite crowded tomorrow.  Everyone will be shopping for food and snacks for their New Year's Eve parties.  I already have a bag of low salt potato chips, a jar of onion dip and some Nestle's chocolate dipped ice cream cones, so I'm all set for my own private little party.

Well that's about all my news for this morning.   Now I must get back to the pantry and see how much of a dent I can make in the "toss out" project.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Jiggling And Wiggling With A Bodyblade

December 29, 2014

Good morning.  At the moment, (8:14 a.m.)  the sun is shining but it's a wee bit cold.  Today will be our last day to hit 40F for a while.  There's an Artic Freeze blowing down on everyone, bringing wicked cold temps with it.

Well, I did not get very much done in the kitchen yesterday, but I did do some heavy thinking.  I'm very good at the heavy thinking part of any project.  It's the actual "doing" part that I'm a bit slow at.  Hmmmm.

There's a new piece of exercise equipment that is supposed to be quite easy to use, and very effective for trimming and toning the body.  It's supposed to especially good for getting rid of those turkey chins hanging from one's arms.  So naturally I thought I'd give it a try.  It's called a bodyblade.  Here's a couple of pictures that I downloaded from the web.



This exercise actually looks like fun, and something that this old coot might actually be able to do.  My bodyblade arrived a few days ago, and it really is a bit of fun.  I need to read the booklet and watch the DVD that came with it so that I can learn all the different exercises I can do with it. 

Can you imagine the fun it could be to just jiggle away all that wiggily fat that seems to be attracted to some of us older gals?  I tried the bodyblade for a few minutes the other day, and I haven't noticed any changes in me yet.  Hmmm, I guess I'll have to try it again later this afternoon.

Today is Monday, so I went digging into my photo archives for a couple of pretty orange photos.  I took these photos a couple of years ago when I was by the ocean at sunset. 



I'm thinking that this year, Pogo and I might just squeeze in a few weekend getaways by the ocean.  I'd like to spend a few days on Cape Cod too.  I miss getting out with my camera, so I think I'll push myself a little harder in the new year to get out and go different places.  This could be a good New Year's resolution for me to work on.

Now I think I should mosey on over to the kitchen and try to do something a little more physical than thinking.  It's a very small space, so it's going to be tricky moving things around and still have a place for everything. 

On that note, I'll take my leave.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

It's Like A Super Balmy Spring Day Today

December 2014

Good morning.  Today we are enjoying a balmy Spring-like day.  However, the next few days and nights will definitely be back to Winter temps.  30's and 20'sF.

Yesterday, I caught up on a lot of sleep.  It was one nap after another.  Of course, the downside to this is that I'm awake in the middle of the night.  Pogo was too, and he was quite hungry around 3 a.m.  So, I got up and cooked us each a nice fat juicy hamburger.  Normally, Pogo would only eat half of the burger, and save the rest for another meal.  Not this time!!  He ate the whole thing!!

As long as I was awake, I decided to work on the shocking pink afghan.  The last time I had worked on it, I must have been tired because I put on six rows of the wrong stitches.  Oh goodie!  So, I ripped out all those rows and put new ones back on.  Then I went back to sleep. 

This morning I worked on it a bit more.  I am so close to having it finished.  Only three more rows to go.  So that's what I'm going to do later this morning.  Finish it up.  For such a bright color, it's really quite pretty.


This will be the first 2015 afghan finished.  I have a big plastic tote ready to store the finished projects in until next Christmas (or whatever the occasion)  rolls around.   I have two more afghans started, so I'll be working on them next. 

I've been waiting for a package to arrive in the mail, and it finally came yesterday.  It contained my Christmas present from Pogo.  It's a ring that I was ooooohing and aaaahing over one day.  He must have called up the station when I was in the bathroom or somewhere and ordered it for me.  I have to say that my little guy is soooooo good to me!!  Here's a picture of it. It's green Ethiopian opal, chrome diopside and white topaz.  Mmmmmm,  simply gorgeous!

Last evening, Pogo tried on his new sweaters.  Unfortunately, of his two favorites, one fit and one did not.  It would be so nice if the manufacturing world would use a standard sizing for all clothes, including doggie clothes.   I can buy him three size small sweaters, and one will fit, one will be too small and one will be too big.  Go figure!

Over the next few days, I need to do a bit or rearranging in my little kitchen.  I have a beautiful new countertop oven that Deanne and Eddie gave me for Christmas, and now I have to make room for it.  I've been meaning to rearrange the kitchen for quite a while now, so this will be a good reason to do it now.

I think I'll do a bit of taping some programs to DVD this week for daughter Audrey.  Plus I want to get caught up on some of my unfinished projects before vacation time rolls around.   The way time is slipping by so quickly, March will be here before too long.

Well, I seem to have a tiny burst of energy in me, so I think I'd best get busy and maybe start on my kitchen.  Goodness knows, my energy bursts don't last all that long so I need to use them while I can.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a super fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B. 

Friday, December 26, 2014

It's A Great Day To Be Retired

December 26, 2014

Well, it's the morning after Christmas, and I have to say that there was something special about this Christmas.  It was awesome. 

Good morning everyone.  I surely hope that each of you enjoyed Christmas as much as Pogo and I did.  Our house was filled with sounds of joy and laughter.  Most all of the dwarfs were at home, and dwarf Helen cooked a huge delicious breakfast for everyone.  Santa had left gifts for everyone, plus we all had picked a name for the gift swap and those presents were also under the tree. 

Later in the day, dwarf Helen cooked a fantastic dinner for everyone.  It was simply delicious!  I have to admit that while everyone was enjoying the dinner meal, Pogo and I were sound asleep.  I had been up most of the night, and Pogo had such an awesome exciting day.  Once we took some time to relax, we promptly fell asleep.  However, we did have our dinner once we woke up.

I tried to take a selfie of me all cuddled up in my new oh-so-soft afghan that Kyra made for me.  Gosh, it's so soft that it's no wonder I fell right to sleep


Pogo, of course, had hopped up onto his own little sofa, and was soon off to dreamland.  Sorry, but I can't help taking more photos of him.  He's just so darn cute.



Besides a new sofa, Pogo got lots of new toys, a beautiful frame, new blankets, some really nice sweaters, a rain jacket and a hunting jacket.  Yup, his very own camo jacket trimmed in orange.  Santa, and all my family and friends were very good to me too.  Amongst all my wonderful gifts, there was a thumb drive filled with photos of one of my great granddaughters and a bag full of super soft yarn.  Of course, I've already made plans for one of the new yarn colors. 

Today, I think we'll just have us a lazy day.  I'm really glad that I'm retired because today is a great day to curl up in my lounge chair and crochet and watch a movie.  Pogo seems quite happy today.  He even ate every bit of his doggie food this morning.  Goodness, will wonders ever cease!!

Later I want to call Deanne to see how Kevin is doing today.  He hasn't been feeling very well these past few days.   I'm praying you get well quickly, Kevin. 

Well now I think I'll make a nice hot cup of coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  Till Sunday, Y'all have a fantabulous weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

December 25, 2014

Good morning and Merry Christmas everybody.  Oh my, oh my, such a wonderful visit I had with my friend Santa in the wee hours this morning.  He stopped in just long enough to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa and a bit of chit chat.  While he was here, he set up Pogo's new sofa.  My goodness, it is soooo cute.




Gosh, I think Pogo really likes it!!  After he tried finding his most comfy spot, he actually curled up and went back to sleep.  God bless his little heart.  He sure does make my eyes smile.

While Santa and I were enjoying our cocoa, I just had to open one of my presents.  I chose a big package from my friend Kyra.  Oh my, oh my!!!  Kyra, this is exquisite!  I just love it!!   Folks, it's a soft light blue and white color blocked knitted afghan.  Wowee!!  I just love it.  I will open it up and take better photos of it, but these will give you an idea of how gorgeous this afghan is.



Oh my goodness, I'm flabbergasted and there are still lots more presents for Pogo and me to open.  I think first I'm going to crawl back under my cozy blanket and have a little nap.  Soon the dwarfs will be up and I'll want to go watch them open the presents under their tree. 

Here's the freebie that I promised you.  Don't forget to download it before January 1, because the link will expire then.  I hope you can use these overlays.


Here is your download link:  https://www.mediafire.com/?0qf9k3y5nq95rak

Pogo and I want to wish everyone a super Merry Christmas and a Wonderful Holiday.


Now I'm off to catch a few winks.  Y'all have a blessed day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

SANTA CLAUS COMES TONIGHT !!!!

December 24, 2014

Good morning.  My goodness, it's already Christmas Eve Day.  The excitement is mounting here at my house.  The dwarfs are keeping an eye on their Christmas tree to see if anything has been put under it, and who it might be for.  Yeah, I know, we're all adults but Christmas brings out the child in all of us. 

My little tree is surrounded by so many presents that there is no room for any more.   Last evening, I sent my daughter Audrey a text message to let her know that it was "National Take A Peek At A Present" night, and I got an immediate phone call.  "Mom, I knew you couldn't hold out!" 

 Of course, I was only joking, but I was in a mischievous mood and wanted to have some fun.  (Some days I can be so bad!)  Here's a photo of my little tree surrounded by all sorts of goodies.  There are a couple more gifts, but they are big and are on the floor.


Daughter Audrey said that I could open the four gifts (in the front) that are wrapped in bubble wrap, but I told her I would wait till tomorrow.  They are four jars of home made jelly, cranberry sauce. apple butter and cranapple butter.  Oh yum!  I can't wait to taste the grape jelly because I know she squished the all the grapes herself.   Oh dear, she did squish them with her hands, right?  Audrey, tell me you didn't dance all over the grapes with your bare feet!!!

I've received a lot of beautiful and fun Christmas cards, but I got one yesterday that I just have to share with you.  It's from daughter Deanne and family, and you know she picked this one out special for me and Pogo.
 
No, it's not my Pogo, but he sure is handsome!!  Would you believe I still haven't decided what to cook for Pogo and me for tomorrow's dinner?   This morning I have to make a quick run to the supermarket, and I'm hoping to get some ideas there. 

The rest of the day will be spent making room for Pogo's big present from Santa and tidying up a bit.  Then, of course, I need to do a bit of negotiating with the dust bunnies.  It wouldn't be nice to move them out until after Christmas and New Years Day.  However, I'm hoping they will agree to move to a different corner.  Hmmm, I wonder.  What does Santa Claus bring to a dust bunny?

My grandson Kevin has not been feeling so good these past few days.  He is having respiratory problems and is warding off pneumonia.  I'm praying this will clear up quickly, and he will be feeling fit soon.  Kevin, be well soon.  I love you.

Well, that's about it for this morning.  I'm going to do a bit of blog reading while I drink my coffee.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day, and I hope Santa Claus brings you something nice.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Just Two Days Till Christmas

December 23, 2014

Good morning.   It's quite nice outside at the moment.  42F degrees and not raining yet.  Now if only this could last right through Christmas night.  Alas, but it most likely won't.  We are supposed to be having a bit of rain for the next few days.  So long as it does not interfere with Santa's travels, I guess it will be okay.

It's rather quiet around here this morning.  Most of the dwarfs have already gone to work, and I don't feel like doing much of anything.  However, I will have to probably make one short run to the market as soon as I decide what Pogo and I want to have for dinner on Christmas Day.  Unless, of course, I find something tasty in the freezer. 

Yesterday, Pogo and I went out to do a few errands, one of which was to drop off all the dog and cat food at the hardware store.  A clerk at the store came outside and loaded it all into a shopping cart and hauled it into the store for me.  Afterwards, we went to the Post Office to mail off one last little box. 

Last evening, I watched a couple of Christmas programs on Netflix.  I'm beginning to enjoy this Netflix thing.  One of the programs that I watched was the Rockettes 75th Anniversary Christmas Special.  I've never really watched them before, and it was just awesome. 

I've put together a scrap freebie that I will post on Christmas Day, and I'll leave it up through the last day of the month.  After that, it will be expired because I'll be getting ready to print a new Blog Book.   This will be my 14th blog book.  I think it's time to rearrange the books on the bookshelf to make more room for these books. 

Folks, while you're out and about doing your shopping, etc, please remember to give what you can to help someone less fortunate.  They will so appreciate your help, and it will definitely enhance your Holiday.  A friend sent this picture to me, and I must admit it is a heartbreaker.  This person has very little, but he shares all he has with his best friend.  May God bless them both.


As promised, I also have a couple more adorable pictures to share with you.  Thanks Connie.  I loved this batch of photos.



Sometime during the night when I awoke, I looked out the door to see if it was raining.  There was a light mist of rain, but I was intrigued by the ray of light shooting out across the yard.  I took the photo with my phone through the storm door and screen.  (also, no flash)  It was a ray of light from the security night light that we have on the house.  It's not really special, but I thought it was rather cool.  (Those flakes are rain drops on the glass  pane on the storm door.)


Well, that's about all my news this morning.  Pogo is barking at me, so I think he's not too happy with his little bowl of doggie food.  Oh well!  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, December 22, 2014

My Little Guy Is Feeling Himself Again

December 22, 2014

Good morning.  Well, we had just enough snow yesterday for Joe to get out the shovel and clear it all away.  Today is cloudy, and we may get some rain showers tonight.  The weatherman says there is rain in our forecast for each of the next three days.  I'm thinking that maybe snow would be better.  A white Christmas is definitely better than a soggy Christmas.

I was watching the news on TV this morning, and they were showing a 103 year old golfer in Florida who had just made a hole in one.  This gentleman looks super for his age, and says that this is his 8th hole in one.  Way to go!!!!!

Pogo seems to be feeling much better.  Yesterday he actually ate some of his doggie food, and he ate all of his supper last evening.   This makes my heart very happy.   We had a mail delivery yesterday, a box from daughter Audrey.  Of course, Pogo had to do his job and give the box a thorough sniffing.


A friend sent me some cute animal pictures, and I'll share a couple of them here today, and save the rest for tomorrow.  These pictures always put a huge smile on my face.



Today Pogo and I must go out to do a couple of quick errands.  I did not get to the hardware store over the weekend to drop off all the pet food in my car's trunk, so that will be first on our list for this morning. 

Later, I really must decided what I want to do about Christmas dinner.  First I need to find out if any of the dwarfs will be spending the day at home.   I will have to tend to this later this afternoon because time is getting short.  Christmas is only three days away. 

That's all the news for this morning, so I think I'll have a cup of coffee while I do a bit of blog reading.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

The Mystery Of The Missing Mail

December 21, 2014

Good morning.  It's 4 a.m. and once again I'm up early.  It's still dark outside and everything is covered with a layer of snow.   According to my cell phone, it is 33F degrees.  I'll check in with the Weather Channel in a while to see what's in store for today.

We've had a bit of mystery here these past two days with our mail delivery.  We did not get any mail at all.  It's rare for a day to go by when we don't get at least one piece of mail.  But two days in a row has never happened before that I know of. 

I made several calls to the Post Office and was assured each time that the mail had definitely been delivered.  The tracking number on a package I had been expecting showed that the item had been delivered at 11:31 a.m. on Friday.  However, we did not get any mail on Friday.  Yesterday, the mail carrier assured the Post Master that she had delivered mail to my mail box shortly after 11 a.m yesterday.  Again, there was no mail on, in or near our mail box. 

After watching and waiting all day for a mail delivery, I finally went out to look around the yard.  Well my goodness.  As I was coming around the corner of the front of the house, I noticed that the plastic door on the water hose holder was partly ajar and I could see paper inside it.  I opened it and found all sorts of mail including a magazine and the missing package.  They were all scrunched up to fit inside this little housing unit.  We normally hang our water hose on this housing and store the nozzle inside it on little shelf.

Of course I called the Post Office to report this, and to let them know where I had found the missing mail.  They assured me that this would not happen again.  Tomorrow, I'll have to keep a watch for the mail carrier to make sure the mail gets put in the correct place.

I do have something happy to share with you.  Friday, daughter Deanne called and was telling me how her day at work went.  She works at an elementary school, and was supervising children in the lunch room. 

One adorable little six year old boy came up to her and said "I have something for you Ms. Jaynes" and gave her a pink post it note.  The note said "I love Myella so much."


Deanne asked the little boy who Myella was, and he pointed to a girl.  Deanne asked him why he didn't give the note to the girl, and the little boy replied "Because I want you to have it."   Then he gave Deanne a big hug.

Needless to say, this made Deanne's day.   It put a big smile on my face too.  The innocence of our little children is just so precious.

This past week, I've been fighing off a cold, and I think my little Pogo is fighting one off too.  His appetite isn't up to par, and he has been sleeping a lot.  I cooked him a nice steak for supper last evening, but he did not eat it.  He didn't eat much of anything at all yesterday.  Hopefully today he'll be much perkier and have some of his appetite back.

Well, that's all the news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, December 19, 2014

"The Secret Santa" - Simply Wonderful

December 19, 2014

Good morning.  This morning the temps are in the 30'sF, and it is cloudy.  I guess it's going to stay that way until Monday when it is supposed to get up into the 40's.  Well, except for one or two errands, I don't have to go out over the next few days. 

Yesterday, I picked up a couple of blankets for Pogo.  Plus, I found a "no sew" kit for a fleecy throw, so I bought that too.  After reading the instructions, I think I can manage this project.  I shall find out soon enough. 

Last evening, I watched a Christmas story on TV.  It's titled "The Secret Santa".  Wow, what a program!  It was absolutely charming, heart warming, and simply wonderful.  It's on again today at noon on TLC, (cable channel) so I'm going to tape it so that I can watch it again on Christmas Eve. 

It's a story about the volunteers who sort, and read, the letters that children write to Santa Claus, a man named Lucas Nast, and a lot of fabulous phenomenons that leave scientists scratching their heads trying to figure out how these things happened.   Maybe if they had a bit more faith in the heart's beliefs, they would already know how these things happen.

Do I believe in Santa Claus?  Why of course I do!!!  He's been my friend since I was a very little girl. 
And he'll be here in my heart till my last day on this earth.  Here's a layout that I posted back in 2009 of me and Santa.  The photo was taken in 1993. 


Would you believe that I just spent over an hour going through my files and blog books to find this layout?   Just goes to show how easily I can get side-tracked. 

This morning, I did a bit more wrapping.  I really don't have very much at all left to do.  Mostly I just have the dwarfs' gifts for under the tree left to wrap.  I was thinking that I'd wait and do these over the weekend.  Then I can start packing up all the wrapping materials and put it all away till next year.

Later today or tomorrow, I have to go to Ace Hardware store to drop off another load of dog and cat food.  The trunk in my car is full, so Joe will come with me to lift all the bags out and carry them into the store. 

Well, that's about all the news for this morning.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fantabulous weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Wow! Only A Week Till Christmas!

December 18, 2014

Good morning.  Wowee, have you noticed how quickly time is passing by?  Christmas is only one week away!  Just six more evenings, and we'll be putting out cocoa and cookies for Santa, and going to sleep early so that Santa will come to our house.

Speaking of Santa, a huge box arrived a couple of days ago with a note from Santa asking me to hold it for Christmas Eve.  This will make more room in his sleigh for presents for other kids.  The big box has Pogo's present from Santa inside. 

Hmmm, how am I going to sneak this into the living room?  Pogo doesn't miss anything, and every tiny noise wakes him up during the night.  I'll have to work on this.

A few days ago, I bought some nice warm fleecy material, enough for two small blankets.  I called a local tailor shop to see how much they would charge me to sew the four edges over on each of the two pieces of material.  I almost choked on the price they quoted. 

The lady sweetly said "It will cost between $25 and $50 per piece."  Are you kidding me?  $100 to sew eight short edges?  (I've been in the wrong line of work all these years!)  These were supposed to be fuzzy blankets for Pogo's new sofa.  Oh well, I'll just buy a couple of baby blankets when I go shopping this week.

 Later when I feel energetic, I'll get out a needle and some thread and sew the seams on the material by hand.  When I was young, I used to sew all my clothes by hand until I could afford a sewing machine.  Or maybe I'll use this as a reason to pick up a new sewing machine.  We'll see. 

I was going to take photos of our new heated birdie water bowl but it still needs a bit of work.  It isn't level, so Joe will have to see what he can do to level it.  Meanwhile, I took a photo of the box that it came in. 


I have another interesting photo to share that I took the last time Pogo and I went to the park.  I just thought that the shapes were interesting against the sky.


Later today I must finish wrapping the last of the Christmas gifts and get them ready to deliver.  There's really not a lot left to do.  The bulk of the work will be in the picking up and putting away of all the wrapping materials. 

Well that's all the news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A "Sassy" New Project

December 17, 2014

Good morning.  It's a little after 7 a.m. and it's been raining most of the night.  It still is, and all the puddles are back in our yard.  Oh well, the weatherman says that the rain will let up later this morning.  At least the temperature is in the upper 40's, so it's not so cold.

Yesterday, I kept an appointment at the nail salon, and then Pogo and I went to the hardware store to buy a short outdoor electric cord for the birds' heated water bowl.  Joe says he will finish getting it all hooked up later today after he gets home from work.  Once he's done, I'll take some photos.

Once my errands were done, I had me a nap and caught up on some much needed sleep. Last evening, I started a new project.  While I was at JoAnn's Fabric store a few days ago, I bought a packet of Red Heart Boutique Sassy Fabric.  The ruffly scarf on the label looked so interesting that I thought I might like to try it.


There is a pattern for the knitted scarf on the backside of the label.  I read it over and taped the label right back on the fabric bundle and set it aside.  First off,  I could not understand the directions at all.  Second, I really wanted to crochet the scarf, not knit it. 

So I went online and found a really cool video done by a fellow named Mike.  The way he explained, and showed how, was great.  He even showed how to work in the very end of the scarf once it was finished.  So I grabbed my crochet hook (I used a "K" hook) and started.  If you try this, do not open the fabric packet until after you watch the video.  He explains on the video how to open it the right way.

After a few stops and starts, and one unraveling, I finished my scarf.  My goodness, it really is quite pretty.  Here's a photo and a close up of my finished scarf.



This Boutique Sassy Fabric comes in so many beautiful colors and patterns, so I think I'll probably make a few more in different colors.  It only takes a beginner about an hour to complete the project.  So, if you decide to try it, have fun!

Needless to say, I did not bother any of the dust bunnies yesterday.  They promised to be quiet so that I could take my nap, so I left them alone.  Actually, I had to agree to give them two days of peace in order to have that nice nap.  But that's not such a bad deal.  It gives me more time to play with my projects. 

My great granddaughter Lilah has a fondness for pretty jewelry, especially earrings.  So I think I'll get out my beads and charms and make her some new earrings.  I've been wanting to get back to making jewelry and this is a pretty good reason to do it.

I've been watching the Jewelry Television channel (what else is new?) this morning, and oh my the colors of the diamonds are just simply yummy!!  I love them all, but I think my favorites are the yellow diamonds.  They are just so happy looking. 

Well, that's my news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a super nice day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Happy Hanukkah

December 16, 2014

Good morning.  Hmmm, I think I just lost a day somewhere.  I sat down and wrote out a batch of checks to pay bills and get them in the morning mail.  But, I was dating everything 12/15.  It won't make a difference to the creditors because none of the bills was due yet, but it's not good to be losing days at my age. 

Tonight at Sundown begins the first day of Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights).  This is an eight day Jewish observance that remembers the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom, and will end on Christmas Eve.  So, to all my Jewish friends and family I wish you a very Happy Hanukkah.

Yesterday I cut a few articles from the newspaper to mention here.  This morning I'll comment on the article titled "Number of homeless kids is rising, experts say."   According to this article, the number of homeless vets has decreased 25 percent, and the number of chronically homeless people has decreased 21 percent.  Meanwhile the number of homeless children (2.5 million) has increased 8 percent.  It also says that child homelessness has reached epidemic proportions.

When you stop to think of how our government supports and takes very good care of countries all over the world, it is really sad to see how it neglects it's own people.  Of course, one has to remember that included in this number of homeless children are probably hundreds of thousands of illegals and children displaced by extreme weather.  (tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, etc.)

I'm not going to elaborate on the illegals situation, but I do think it is a shame that so many of our citizens are left homeless and are not helped and gotten back on their feet.  I have always believed that we should be taking care of our citizens first before we set out to save the world.  Nuff said.  I'm beginning to sound like a scrooge, and I'm really not. 

Recently, the Queen Jester posted an image on her blog of a two-seater toilet.  Of course, I had to look these up on Google.  It is called the TwoDaLa, and I found several different styles.  Some articles say that the TwoDaLa brings couples together, saves rocky marriages and conserves water supply.  Imagine that!!  Here are a few images of this "new" (remember the old fashioned two and three-seaters?) invention.




Do you suppose many folks will be having these new toilets installed in their homes?  For me, I think I'll keep my little old one-seater. 

Well, that's about all the news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Four Generations Of Moi

December 15, 2014

Good morning.  It's a bit early, not quite 6 a.m. yet.  I was able to catch a couple of short naps yesterday, and then fell asleep early last evening so I'm up early this morning.  I've been watching the Jewelry Television Channel (what else is new?)  and I love all the beautiful gem colors. 

Just because I watch this channel a lot, it does not mean that I am on a spending spree.  I just love seeing all the beautiful gems and jewelry.  Plus the hosts give you lots of history for all the different gems.  It's really very interesting.  Well, at least for me.

I mentioned yesterday that I had some nice photos from this past Friday evening.  Our Jasmine played the Grinch in Seussical The Musical.   No one is allowed to take any photos or videos during the production.  So my photos were taken after the play was over.  This first photo is Jasmine in her costume, plus a close up of her snazzy booties.



This next photo is the Proud Papa and Mama (Eddie and Deanne), Jasmine and Lilah (my great granddaughter).


This last photo has all the girls.  From right to left:  Deanne, Randi (Lilah's mommy), Jasmine, Lilah and Jessie (Randi's sister).  They're all so beautiful, I can't help bragging.  Note there are three generations of my girls in these photos.  I'm behind the camera or all four generations would be shown.


After the show while we were waiting for Jasmine to change out of her costume, Lilah kept us entertained.  This little sweetie couldn't wait to get up on the stage and do a few dance steps for us.  She also practiced her "stage walk".  Oh my, I think we have another budding actress in the making.

Today I'm hoping to get an appointment at the nail salon.  If I do, I'll also stop by the hardware store to pick up a short outdoor electric cord for the heated bird water bowl.  At some point, I also need to run the vacuum around and gather up some of the resident dust bunnies. 

This evening, another of my favorite TV shows is on.  "Major Crimes".   I've stopped following Law & Order SVU because I've grown annoyed at how aggressive and "loud in your face" Olivia Benson has become over the years.  It's just not entertaining anymore.  (for me)  I do, however, still enjoy the regular Law & Order: Criminal Intent show. 

Well, I'm getting hungry so I think I'll cook up some scramble eggs for breakfast.  I'll have to look in the freezer to see if there are any diced peppers left.  They taste so yummy with eggs.  On that note, I'll take my leave.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Pogo Is Learning To Do Selfies

December 14, 2014

Good morning.  It's sunny and cold today, only 37F at the moment.  Ah, but it is almost Winter, so I guess it's time to put on my big girl pants and get used to it.  I keep telling myself that Spring is only a few months away.

Well, these past couple of days have been busy and fun.  I did not get much of a nap Friday morning,  The phone's ringing took care of that.  It was just as well though because DIL Janet came by that morning.   Pogo was super happy because Auntie Janet had brought him a couple of new outfits.

Pogo wasn't very enthusiastic about his reindeer outfit, but he did wear it for a little while so that we could take some photos.   He is just too adorable.  I am really so blessed!!

 
He really did like the other outfit that Auntie Janet brought for him.  It was a new pair of pajamas.  He wore them Friday night, and in the morning he did not want me to take them off.   Have a look at my handsome fellow in his new jammies.  He's sitting on Auntie's lap, and in the first photo he is sniffing his reindeer outfit.
 

 
I will have to ask Auntie to pick up a couple more of these pajamas if she sees them again.  Some of the nights get pretty cool, and Pogo was warm and comfy in his jammies.
 
On Thursday afternoon, I was trying to teach Pogo to take selfies with my cell phone, but it's going to take a while before he gets it down pat.  So far, this is one of his best selfies.
 
 
As soon as he realizes that the phone is really a camera too,  he probably won't be wanting to get very close to it.  For some reason, he's not crazy about posing for the camera.
 
Friday evening, I went to watch Jasmine and her theatre group as they performed Seussical The Musical.  I have some nice photos from that, but I'll save those for tomorrow.
 
Saturday, Joe and Pogo and I went to the Post Office to mail out the rest of my Christmas boxes.  One gentleman who was in line in front of us remarked that Pogo looked like a "Plush Doggie".    Next we went to Ace Hardware store to drop of some more goodies for the animal shelters.  On the way home, we picked up some lunch at Wendy's.  I figured by now, Pogo was deserving of a hamburger.
 
I really did not do very much else the rest of the day and evening because I've been busy trying to fend off a cold.  The Alka Seltzer seems to be helping quite a bit.  That and a lot of rest.  This is not a very good time of year to be getting sick.
 
This morning, Joe is outside making (and setting up)  a post for the new water bowl to fit on.  Once it is finished and all set up, I'll go out and take a few photos.  I may have to buy a new outdoor extension cord for it though.  The cords that I have are quite long, and I need a much shorter one for the water bowl.
 
The rest of today will be spent just getting lots of rest.   My SIL Mac (Audrey's hubby) had surgery on his hand a couple of days ago, so I want to call and see how he is feeling.  This must be the season for surgery, because SIL Eddie is waiting for his appointment to go for surgery on his knee.  Fighting off a cold doesn't seem like such a big deal now.
 
Well, I think before I crawl under my blankie again, I'll rustle up some lunch for my little fellow.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, December 12, 2014

It Snowed Yesterday, I Think


December 12, 2014

Good morning.  It's early, only 6:12 a.m. so I don't really know what to expect for weather today.  Yesterday's snow was so erratic.  For a while it was light, yet thick.  Then it was so heavy it was almost a whiteout.  In a little while it was back to very light snow again.  By 2:30 in the afternoon, the snow had stopped.  Oh oh, wait a minute.  In a little while it started up again, but very lightly this time.  Amazing!!  Needless to say, there's no snow on the ground. (I like this kind of snow!)

When Joe got home from work yesterday, he loaded up some of my boxes into the car and we took them to the Post Office.  The clerk was quite surprised indeed to see us come in with all those packages.  It was five minutes before they closed.  Oh my.

However, I have to say that our clerk was ever so nice and cheerful as she took care of all my packages.  Actually, she is always very cheerful and always asks about Pogo if I don't bring him in with me.  This Post Office is in the next town over, but I go there because the help there is friendly, helpful and polite.

Next we went food shopping, and I picked up some more packing tape.  Later, once everything was put away and supper was cooked and eaten, I was too tired to tape up any boxes.  Instead I called and chatted with a friend for a while, watched my favorite TV programs and then promptly fell asleep.

The bad side of falling asleep too early is that I tend to wake up early in the morning, and cannot get back to sleep.  So, this morning at 4:30 I was busy wrapping a few things and taping up boxes.  Now there is another stack of boxes out on the washing machine waiting to go to the Post Office.  This will finish off all my mailings. 

Today, I have some cute photos that I took of one of our very entertaining squirrels.  I think in another life, he had a job in a circus as an aerial artist.






 You know, they might be pesky little critters, but they sure do keep us entertained with their creativeness.  And we don't mind if they help themselves to some of the bird food because they need to eat too. 

Well that's my news for this morning.  I think I'm going to try to have a little nap.  DIL Janet is going to be stopping by this afternoon, and tonight I'm going to watch granddaughter Jasmine and her theatre group perform a Seussical Musical.  Jazzy is going to play the Grinch.  I can hardly wait!!!

So, till Sunday, Y'all stay dry and have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.