Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Sleepless Again In Massachusetts

March 31, 2015

God morning from sleepless in Massachusetts.  Late in the evening, I had dozed off watching TV, and all of a sudden the TV started acting crazy and woke me up.  There were words on the screen saying "we cannot process your request, please call the office".   What request?  Next, the screen went black and the cable box started showing spinning numbers and letters instead of channels.  This is where I tried to shut off the TV.  It only took about ten minutes to accomplish this simple task.

I went to get up to call the cable company and that's when I got the wicked bad spasm in my leg.  Now I'm not just mad, I hurt and I can't get up to get my meds because it hurts too much.   Well, after a while I managed to get to my meds and down a pill.  Then I just had to wait it out for about another twenty minutes for the spasm to settle down. 

Do you think maybe I'm wide awake by now?   It took forever to get through to the cable company only to find that there had been an outage of sorts and they were working to restore the cable.  Well at least I know there's nothing wrong with my TV.  I guess now it's time for a nice hot cup of cocoa or coffee and maybe some popcorn chicken to soothe my ruffled feathers.

I'll wait till around 9 a.m. to call the doctor's office and try to reschedule today's appointment.  By the time 11 a.m. rolls around, I won't be fit for driving anywhere.  It's just a follow up so I don't think the doctor will mind.

Today I have a couple of black and white photos that one of the parents at the play took this weekend.  They are just beautiful.   The first photo depicts every one's concern at the tornado that is headed their way.   In the second photo, Dorothy is enjoying the Lion's tale of woe.  Folks, the fellow who played the Lion was absolutely magnificent!



Another parent took this next photo of Jazzy as she started singing Over The Rainbow, and it is my favorite.


Okay, okay.  Enough of my "granny bragging" for now.  I just had to share these beautiful photos.  I also made a scrap layout that I will share.  Some time ago, I was given a photo of one of my great granddaughters, and I saw quite a resemblance in it to a photo I have of me when I was just two years old.  

Yesterday I dug out both photos and made a scrap layout with them.  I used a background and some elements from several of Kyra's kits:  "Something Magical", "Wonderful Day" and "Innocent Thoughts".   


Well, I've polished off all the popcorn chicken that I made up a little while ago.  Oh Yum Yum!!  And I've drunk about half of my cup of coffee (which is now cold).  I think maybe I'll curl up in my lounge chair and see if maybe I can catch a few winks. 

Before I do, let me leave you with a few bits of useless information  that you might need to know, but probably don't. 

Did you know that a dragonfly has a lifespan of just twenty-four hours?  And did you know that raindrops are not teardrop-shaped?  They are rounded at the top and flat at the bottom.  Wow, who knew?

The mayor of Washington once remarked:  "If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very low crime rate."

Charles de Gaulle once made the statement:  "China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese."

Trying to burn calories?  Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour.  I think I like chubby better.  And lastly, did you know that a pig always sleeps on its right side?  Simply fascinating!!

So, till April, Y'all take care and have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, March 30, 2015

It's Mandarin Orange Monday

March 30, 2015

Good morning.  Gosh, it's gray and breezy outside my door.  I've just turned on the Weather Channel to see what to expect today.  Right now we can expect some snow flurries with a bit of rain later this afternoon.   Somewhere in all this mess, they say the sun will make an appearance and the temps will get up to the mid 40's. (F) 

I was hoping for a better forecast because I have an early afternoon appointment with the doctor for a regular check up.  With my new insurance, I will need to get a referral from this doctor so that I can see my orthopedic doctor tomorrow.  

Well, yesterday was quite a busy day.  After I posted to my blog in the morning, I got ready to go shopping at a new discount store.  Dwarf Helen went with me, and I must say that we had a great time at the store.  I found so many wonderful bargains, but I was good and did not attempt to buy them all.  haha.

I did buy a new phone (landline).  The ringer on my old phone stopped working a while ago, making it difficult for me to know when the phone was ringing.  I also bought some new clothes for my daughter Laura Jean, and a pretty new blouse for me.  Gosh, it's been a long time since I bought anything frilly for myself.  I usually stick to jeans, tees and sweats. 

After lunch, Deanne and Eddie stopped by to help me figure out how to upload videos to either You Tube or Facebook so that I could share some of the "Wizard" videos.  While Deanne was helping me do this, SIL Eddie got my new phone set up and finished putting my "Stepper" together. 

I wasn't successful with You Tube, but I did manage to upload four videos to my Face Book  page.  If you like, you are welcome  to go there and have a look.  The name on my page is Franny Loud.  You may need to click on being a friend in order to view the videos.  If so, I will friend you as soon as I see the notice.  Have fun.  My very favorite video could not be uploaded because I was holding the phone the wrong way when I taped it, and you have to hold your head sideways to view it.  Ah well, live and learn.

For my first photo today, I have a photo showing the weather we woke up to on Saturday morning.  Before it was over, everything was covered with a few more inches of snow.  Welcome to Spring in New England.

 
Today is Mandarin Orange Monday, (even though they are on vacation) and I have a new bit of digital art that I created from a photo of our Amaryllis in bloom.  I've also included the original photo that I started with.
 
 
 
Well that's my news for this morning.  I'm going to make a fresh cup of coffee to enjoy while I catch up on some blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Awesome Job Jasmine. We Are All So Proud Of You.

March 29, 2015

Good morning.  Oh my, I'm bubbling all over with lots of good things to say about the Musical Wizard Of Oz.  I went to Friday evening and yesterday's afternoon performances.  Oh my, it was just fantabulous!!  All the players were just wonderful, and of course, our "Dorothy" was  awesome.

We were allowed to take photos so I took as many as I could. (with my phone)  I didn't do too bad considering there was a wicked tall guy sitting right in front of me. (Friday evening)  He was video taping and kept moving and getting in my view.  Yesterday, I got there so early that I was the fourth person in line to get in.  This time, we got to sit in the front row. 

I won't bore you with a lot of "grandma brag talk", but I do have a few photos to share.  It took me over an hour to go through the photos and pick out just a few to post here.  First I'll start with a photo of Dorothy's precious Toto.  Now tell me honestly, isn't she just the cutest little dog??


Miss Gulch, the wicked neighbor wants to take Toto away from Dorothy, so Dorothy and Toto run away.  Here, they met up with Professor Marvel who is charming our Dorothy with his magic ball.


Dorothy helps the Straw Man down off the pole he is stuck on.  Notice the crows nearby laughing at poor Straw Man.


Next, they meet the Tin Man who needs to be oiled before he can stand up and walk.  Together, they're "off to see the wizard."


In the forest, our travelers  meet up with the Cowardly Lion.  (Note the tall heads in front of me?  Some days it just doesn't pay to be short!)   The Lion wants some courage.  Tin Man wants a heart.  Straw Man wants a brain, and Dorothy wants to go home to Kansas.


They are all nervous waiting to see if the Wizard will see them.  Oh Poor Lion!  Something has squeezed his tail.  Silly Lion, you are squeezing your own tail!!


Oh you mean Wizard!  You've scared poor Lion!   Are you alright Lion?


I got a couple videos (one at each performance that I attended) of Jazzy singing "Over The Rainbow".  However, after spending more than two hours last evening trying to upload one of them to You Tube so that I could share it, I was not able to accomplish this simple task.  I got as far as uploading the video, but then it just said "pending" for the rest of the night.  I finally cancelled it.  This afternoon, I'll see if Deanne can talk me through it.

Well, other than snow Friday night and all day yesterday, that's all my news for this morning.  I'm getting ready to go shopping soon.  So, till  tomorrow, Y'all have a super nice day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Today Is Jazzy's Big Day

March 27, 2015

Good morning.  I'm off to a late start this morning.  Pogo and I had plans to go to the park today, but it is wet and gray outside.  Yikes, I'm watching the Weather Channel and they are forecasting snow for tonight and tomorrow, and colder than average temperatures for April 3 to 9.  Do you suppose we'll ever see Spring?  Or will we just slip into Summer?

We do have a few green sprouts in the yard, but only beneath the kitchen window and under the hedge by my living room window.  These are the only places so far where the ground is showing.  The huge piles of snow are getting smaller but they still have a way to go. 

Yesterday, Joe and I went food shopping at the Market Basket.  Let me tell you it was so nice to shop where the employees are so helpful and are always wearing a smile..  Even the customers seem friendlier to each other.  I met an older lady at the meat counter.  She said she had never been there before, but she was enjoying her shopping experience there.  See what I mean? 

And, did I find the bar-b-que chicken that I was looking for?  I sure did!  I picked out a nice plump one for our supper.  Pogo has been a bit picky lately, and I just knew that this would perk him up.  Well, I couldn't have been more wrong.  After spending about ten minutes cutting his chicken up into teeny weeny pieces, I placed his dish on his dinner mat.  He took his time about actually giving it a look, then ignored it completely.

My little guy went to bed hungry last night because he just would not have anything to do with his supper.  I had put it in the refrigerator for a while and gave it back to him later, but he just did not want it.  Some days, I just don't know!

Today I have a couple photos to share that I took with my phone.  While we were in Florida, DIL Janet had bought a couple of new pattern books.  I photographed a few of the patterns that I like.  This item is called a Simple Rectangle Shrug.  I like it and the pattern does not look too difficult.  If anyone wants the pattern, just email me and I'll send it to you.


 
Well, today is the big day for our Jasmine.  Tonight we'll all be going to watch her be Dorothy in the Musical Wizard Of Oz.  There will also be two more shows, tomorrow afternoon and evening.  I'm hoping to be able to take a video with my phone of her singing "Over The Rainbow".  They usually frown upon photos and videos, but my phone does not use a flash for low light (unless I set it that way) so I might get lucky.  We'll see.
 
Well that's all my news for today.  I hope it is sunny and Spring time where you are.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fabulous day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.
 
 




Thursday, March 26, 2015

Today's Morning News Is Pretty Awful

March 26, 2015

Good morning.  Gosh what a beautiful day we had yesterday!  Pogo got to sit by his door most all day while I did a few things around here.  Today is warm and cloudy at the moment.  It rained last night, and we are expecting more rain later today.  As long as it isn't too heavy, it will help to melt some more of the snow.

Have you all been watching the news this morning?  The are saying that the co-pilot of that German airliner crashed the plane on purpose.  According to the news, he waited for the pilot to leave the cockpit and then locked the door to keep him out while he set the plane to crash in the mountains.  So far, it is said that everyone on board died instantly. 

How horrid is that?  To be honest, it makes me fearful even more so of flying.  I know that this is not a normal occurrence, but it makes me quite nervous anyway.  As it is, I have to work on keeping my mind psyched up for a good flight when it is time to travel anywhere.

Another story on the news was about a car that drove right into a drugstore.  Fortunately, no one was killed.  However, I am assuming that the driver was not over the age of sixty because they are not making a big deal about the accident on the news.  If the driver were sixty or older, politicians everywhere would be in a rush to pass a lot of new laws to keep older drivers off the road.

Also in the news, several tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma and Arkansas, leaving a wicked amount of devastation behind.  There was at least one death and several injured people who have been hospitalized. 

To be honest, I don't think I could live in any of these areas where tornadoes seem to be a way of life nowadays.  I'll stay right here and do my best to deal with the snow and ice and the occasional hurricane, and count my blessings.

On a lighter note, I have a couple photos of a beautiful air plant that I bought at a flea market while I was in Florida.  I have always been fascinated by these plants, so I decided to buy one and try my luck at keeping it alive.  It needs no soil, just a soaking once or twice a week.  It also does not want direct sunlight.  Regular room light or indirect sun light is all this plant needs. 

Once it gets a little bigger, I'll find a nice container to set it in (or on).  But for now, it sits on a towel on my little fireplace mantel.  Yesterday I picked it up to wet it under the faucet and I noticed that it had grown a gorgeous flower.  Have a look at this amazing plant.  Isn't this pretty?



While I've been busy here typing, the sun has come out, and I've opened the door so that Pogo can sit and watch the squirrels playing outside.  We still don't have very many of our little birds back yet, but I have hopes that they will all be back soon. 

I think today Pogo and I will take a walk around the yard to see how many sprouts we can find.  We still cannot walk around to the other side of the house because there is still too much snow there.  I'm hoping that all this moisture will give us a super lawn this year.

Later, when Joe gets home from work, we'll go food shopping.  Today maybe we can shop at the Market Basket.  They have a much better selection than Walmart and very good prices.  Well, I think that's about all my news for today.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

I'm Losing My "Countability"

March 25, 2015

Good morning.  Gosh, it's almost noon time.  No I did not sleep all morning, although that sounds like fun.  I've been busy doing a few little things around here. Don't ask me what because it doesn't really look as though I did much of anything. 

I did however, crop a few photos to share.  Yesterday I realized that one of the "finished" afghans wasn't really finished.  The Aruba Sea afghan just seemed so much lighter than the others that I finally took a very close look at it and discovered that it needed sixteen more rows.  Now how did that happen?  This getting old is sometimes not so funny!!

So last evening I picked it up and started putting on more rows.  Yeesh!  I know one slows down during old age, but no one ever said anything about losing one's ability to count rows!  Anyway, here's a photo of the Aruba Sea afghan all bunched up on the table. 


Yesterday I got a tiny spurt of energy and decided to relocate some of the dust bunnies that live here with me and Pogo.  Folks, don't ever get asthma.  I got about sixty percent of the living room floor vacuumed, and I had to stop.  This is a small room, but it took all my breath and energy to do that little bit. 

So after I rested for a few minutes, I put the vacuum cleaner away, shook out the scatter rugs and put them back on the floor and then called it a day.  I'd rather share my space with the dust bunnies and be able to breathe.  Today I'll vacuum another patch of floor and maybe dust the bookshelves. 

Today is sunny and warmer.  It's already 46F degrees, headed toward 48F.  We have rain coming tonight and tomorrow.   The temperature range for the next seven days is 42F to 55F degrees.  Shhhh, don't say anything but do you think maybe Spring might be coming our way?   Oh that would be so nice.

I have another cute photo of my little guy to share.  Once I finished with the vacuuming yesterday, he crawled up onto his sofa and snuggled under one of his fuzzy blankets to have a nap.  He likes to lean up against one of the corners when he is napping.  You can see one of his ears poking out. (on the left)   Housework really tires him out!


It's almost time to find something tasty for my little guy's lunch.  So I'll take my leave here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a beautiful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sleepless In Massachusetts

March 24, 2015

Good morning.  I had a fairly sleepless night, so I'll probably have me a short nap after I finish this post.  Somehow I had thought that today was going to be a bit warmer, but so far I don't see it happening here. 

Right now it is 22F degrees, and working its way up to about 36F around 4 p.m. today.  Sad to say, that's about the time of day that the temperature starts to drop back down.  The weather forecast calls for some warmer temps for tomorrow and then low to mid 50's for Thursday and Friday, with rain of course. 

Have any of you been watching the Weather Channel this past week?  It seems all they want to talk about is the fact that we have had no tornadoes lately.  It's almost as if they are wishing tornadoes to happen so that they can talk about the damage they cause.  I say stop talking about the lack of these tornadoes and count your blessings instead.  

I've been watching videos (on the Weather Channel) of the snow in some parts of the country, and I guess I need to count my blessings that we're not getting more snow.  (at the moment)  Oh gosh, here they go!  It seems that severe weather is being forecast for Oklahoma today, and now these guys have an excuse to keep harping about tornadoes - do you think one will develop? - where do you think one might hit? - are you prepared for a tornado happening?, etc.  Guys, leave it be for a while.  Maybe they won't have one.

It's time to switch to the shopping channel.  Did you know that Samsung Galaxy now has a Prepaid Android Tracfone?  It's cute and it's priced right.  It's today's Special Value on QVC for only $99.92.  It comes with a patterned protective cover, and triple minutes for the life of the phone. (plus a few other accessories)  A great buy for folks with prepaid phones.

Today I have photos of some of the palm trees at the resort in Florida.  Nani, these should brighten up your morning. 




Oh my, I just stumbled across "Unsolved Mysteries" on a different TV channel.  This is usually quite interesting so I think I'll watch this for a while before I fall asleep. 

My eyes want to close so I think I'll take my leave here and crawl back under my warm blanket.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Tiny Green Sprouts Pushing Up Through The Ground

March 23, 2015

Good morning.  Once again, we have a beautiful sunny day.  Cold, but sunny.  I sure do miss the warmth of Florida and having my morning coffee out on the porch. 

Yesterday I went outside to find some promising green shoots coming up through the ground.  I actually found quite a few of them.  Here's one in the little garden beneath the kitchen window.


I found several other little green sprouts beneath the hedge by my living room window.  Most all the snow is gone from there.  However, in other parts of our yard, there are still huge piles of snow waiting for some warm temps so they can melt.


Sorry about the blue tinge, but this shows how high some of the snow still is in our yard.  I think Spring took one look at this mess and just kept on going. 

I'll have to start leaving my living room door open so that I can see what's happening outside.  While I've been sitting here typing, a delivery truck came by and the delivery man left two huge  boxes on the front door steps.  A mattress and a box spring.  I just went out to bring them into the house.  Thank goodness one of the dwarfs was there to help me. 

I don't have a truck or racks on the roof of my car, so I ordered these two items through Amazon.  I belong to Prime, so they were shipped for free.  This is a great deal for folks like me who can't always carry large purchases home from the store.  And the cost was pretty much the same as if I'd gone to a local store.

Along with free shipping, Amazon Prime gives its members free music, movies and TV programs.  If you do much on-line ordering throughout the year, this could be a great deal.  Check it out.  (no, this is not a paid advertisement)

There isn't much news for today, so I think I'll go see what sort of mischief Pogo and I can get into today.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

No Snow Forecast For This Week (So Far)

March 22, 2015

Good morning.  My goodness, the sun is shining and there is no snow falling.  How about that?  The temp is 27F degrees working towards 31F.  However, the weather man says that we might see some 40 and 50F degree temps during the middle of the week.  Woo Hoo!

I bought some potting soil the other day so that I can start a few seeds in the house.  As you can see, I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about Spring showing up here sometime soon.  Some of the snow has melted, but there is still quite a bit left. 

Beth has sent me a couple photos of the blue bells that are beginning to bloom in Texas.  Aren't these beautiful?


 
Right about now, I'm happy just finding a couple of tiny patches of bare ground in our yard.  I know I'm being impatient, but it has been a very long winter.  Even our little birds got tired of it and left for a while.  A couple of them are starting to come back now so hopefully it won't be long before the yard is full of birds. 
 
Yesterday was fairly quiet except for when my internet went out in the afternoon.  It had been working just fine all day, then all of a sudden my laptop kept saying that I had no access to the internet.  What? 
 
I called the cable company and eventually got to speak to a technician who was able to correct the situation after resetting my modem and having me restart my laptop.  They always try to make it seem like the problem is in your house, when it isn't.  My modem is in a different room, and no one has gone near it.  Therefore, the disruption of service had to come from the cable company.
 
I've managed to finish the Aruba Sea afghan and now I'm working on the Claret afghan.  This one and another blue one will finish off my Christmas afghans.  Then I can work on just "fun" projects. 
 
Remember I said I wanted to pick up a bar-b-que chicken for our supper the other night?  Well, there was no chicken ready for purchase.  Just a few on display in the ladies clothing section. (at Walmart) I don't know about you, but I have a problem with picking out a cooked chicken in the middle of pretty Spring tops and sweaters. 
 
So I bought pork tenderloins instead.  Pogo was very happy with this.  He gobbled down every last bit of his pork chop.  So I guess I'll have to cook pork for supper more often.  Maybe I'll try another meatloaf one of these days.  The last one I attempted could have been used as a weapon.  Hmmm, I still haven't figured out what I did wrong.
 
Well, that's about all the news for this morning.  In a few minutes, I'm going to take my camera outside to see if there is anything green poking up through the snow and dirt close to the house.  Wish me luck.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Spring Is Finally Here - Somewhere!

March 20, 2015

Good morning.  Gosh, if I don't type fast, it will be noon before I finish this post.  It's cold here and I just did not want to come out from under my warm covers this morning.  Even Pogo crawled in with me this morning. 

Well, I've waited all through this miserably cold and snowy winter for Spring to arrive, and that day has finally come.  According to the folks on the Weather Channel and my calendar, Spring is here!  So far I cannot find her.  Believe me, I'm looking.  I want so much to see tiny sprigs of green poking up through the snow but alas it is not happening here. 

Sometime today we are expecting snow, and then again later during the night and tomorrow before it mixes with rain.   It seems there is yet another wicked cold front waiting to come through the Northeast next week too. 

Well, the good news is that I do believe my taxes are done.  I took the last bits of information to the accountant yesterday.  Soon, he will send me all the papers to sign and mail.  TADA!!!  I celebrated last night by putting a couple of rows on the Aruba Sea afghan before I fell asleep.  (I know, I'm so exciting it's disgusting!)

On a brighter note, I have some photos to share that I thought were quite interesting.  It always amazes me at how determined and strong nature is.  Any crack in the ground is big enough for new life to start growing.   I took these photos in the parking lot at our condo in Florida.   I think that Nature's tenacity is just awesome, and something that a lot of humans could learn from.




Later today when Joe gets home from work, we'll go food shopping.  I think I'll see if they have any good looking barbequed chicken for supper tonight.  Whatever chicken is left over after supper will make a tasty salad for tomorrow's lunch. 

Well, that's about all the news I have for today.  Soon it will be time to raid the refrigerator for something tasty for Pogo's lunch.  He's already turned up his nose at the doggie food that I gave him for breakfast.  So, till Sunday, Y'all be warm and have a fantabulous first day of Spring.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Taxes Are Almost Done, Thank Goodness

March 19, 2015

Good morning.  Well, I did it again!  I stayed under the blankets till 9 o'clock this morning.  You would never guess that tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  Winter is just not ready to leave yet.  I'm watching the Weather Channel, and it looks like folks across the whole country are having yukky weather. 

So, how did my day yesterday go?  Well I spent most of it trying to add numbers and make them come out with the same total more than once.  I don't know about you, but I do not find this to be much fun. (I add on paper with a pencil.)  If I had a normal house, filing taxes would be so much more simple.  But the main part of the house is a boarding house and it comes with a whole new system of filing taxes. 

Ah well, I called my accountant and he can see me today at 1 p.m.  After that, I should be all set, except to sign on the dotted line and include a couple of checks for the feds and the state.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I want to thank Judy for sending me the name of the plant I posted yesterday, along with a link to a site that gives a lot of information about the plant.  It is called Bougainvillea, and it is ever so beautiful.  If you would like to read up about it, here is the link.
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866496.htm

DIL Janet came by last evening and we had spinach pizza for supper.  Pogo was thrilled to see her.  He loves all his aunties, and he got to lay on her lap the whole time she was here.  Yup, he is definitely a ladies man. 

Later, I was going to work on those last five rows on the Aruba Sea afghan, but instead I curled up on my lounge chair to watch a bit of TV.  Maybe tonight I'll try finishing the afghan.  My nerves are finally settling down from doing all this tax stuff. 

Today I have a few more photos to share of the beautiful floral hedges in Florida. 



 

As you can see, I am quite fascinated by all these beautiful hedges.  Ours are nice too, but they are all mostly plain green with some splashes of red in the Fall.  I love all the different colors and shapes of the southern floral hedges.

As I said before, I'm watching the Weather Channel while I type, and believe me the forecast is rather bleak.  The man speaking just now is saying that "....it's very damp here.  Rain tends to be wet......."  As I sit here and shake my head, I'm wondering how come he is paid so much money to come up with brilliant statements like that one.  I think I've missed the boat somewhere along the way.

Well, now I'm going to make a fresh cup of coffee and see if I can tempt Pogo to eat a little breakfast while I do a bit of blog reading.  Then it will be time to get ready to keep my tax appointment.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a super day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Pretty In Purple

March 18, 2015

Good morning.  Gosh, the morning is more than half over and I'm just getting started on this new day.  I guess my nerves were really frazzled lately because of the tax appointment because I slept good last night.  So good, that I did not want to crawl out from under the covers this morning. 

Actually, I might have got up an hour earlier, but I have a "slow" clock on the wall that does not reflect daylight savings time.  So when I look at it, I still have another hour to sleep or do whatever it is that I'm doing.   This clock is too far up the wall for me to reach it, so unless someone tall comes to visit and offers to set the correct time, I'll just wait till November for it to tell the right time. 

I've worked around the "wrong" time in my car for years because I never knew how to reset the time.  Twice a year, my daughter Deanne shows me how to do this, but somehow I just never can remember how to do it on my own.  Well Dee Dee, you can be proud of your old mom.  Yesterday I touched the right button for a second too long, and VOILA!.  The little clock menu popped up so that I could reset the time.  Woo Hoo!! 

As for my appointment with the accountant, I had most of what I needed.  I came away with a very short list of items still needed and already have them in a bag to take back to the accountant.  I just have to call him later today to find out when he can see me again.  As for the taxes themselves, I am amazed at how much the government takes out of the little bit we have.

On a brighter note, I have a few photos of a really pretty plant that grows at the resort in Florida.  I don't know the name of this plant, so if anyone does please let me know.  It's such a beautiful plant that I just had to stop and take some photos to share.




Imagine having all these beautiful plants blooming in the winter time!  Oops, I sound like I come from up North.  Oh well, I do, and we don't have these beauties to look all winter long.  As a matter of fact, if this winter doesn't go away some time soon, we won't even be having a Spring this year. 

Yesterday we had some rain and lots of wind.  The wind kept howling all through the night and it probably won't be stopping much before tonight.  With this wind comes more cold temperatures.  On Friday, the first day of Spring, we are expecting some sort of winter storm.  It's probably a bit too early to find out exactly what and how much of it we'll be getting. 

Yesterday afternoon, Pogo and I went for a little ride and met up with Deanne and Jazzy.  Pogo was thrilled!  He gets all excited every time he sees Auntie Dee, and can't wait to hop up in her arms and cuddle with her.  After a few minutes of snuggle time, Pogo was back in his car seat and we headed back home where I cooked up a nice steak for my handsome little guy. 

Well, that's about all my news for this morning.  Now I think I'll make a fresh cup of coffee and get caught up on my blog reading.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March 17, 2015

Good afternoon.   Oh boy, what a day!!  Yesterday I spent most of the day and evening working on finishing up all my figures and paperwork for the tax accountant.  At some point, I was missing a lot of  stuff that I had already done and was going cuckoo trying to find it.  Finally, by 11:30 last night, I decided to quit and go to bed.  I would call in the morning to give my apologies and ask if I could have an appointment later in the week.

I got up this morning at 7 a.m. and started right in on the wicked paper work.  When I could go no further, I bundled up what I had and set out for my appointment.  As it turned out, I had most of the figures and papers that I needed.  When we were done, he gave me a short list of the items I still needed. 

Once I got home, I put together pretty much everything he has asked for.  I will finish this up later this afternoon, and give him a call to see when I can bring this stuff to him.  It's a load off my mind to have it almost done.

Other than that I  really don't have much news for  today.  My mind is tired so I think maybe I'll have me a nap.  First I do have some photos to share that I took in Florida.

One of things that intrigues me about the South is what I call "sidewalk beauty".  There are beautiful floral hedges and bushy flowering plants along the sidewalks and streets and even in parking lots.  Here are a couple photos of the floral hedges, and one of the thick bushy plantings that acts as a hedge.  They are just so beautiful.



 
Well, that's about it for this afternoon.  Till tomorrow, Y'all enjoy the rest of the day.
 
Hugs, Edna B. 



Monday, March 16, 2015

Only Four More Days Till Spring. Woo Hoo!!

March 16, 2015

Good morning.  Well, we had a great flight home.  When we left Florida, it was a bit cloudy, but nice and warm.  Once we got to Boston, it was raining lightly and much cooler.  Deanne and Eddie picked us up at the airport.  Thank goodness, because I wore bermuda shorts and flip flops home so that I could travel in comfort.  Needless to say, I was a bit chilly once we got outside the Boston airport.

Once we got home and all the bags were unpacked, I looked out the window to see snow falling.  Are you kidding?  I guess we got home at just the right time.  This morning, everything outside is coated with a new layer of white.  It's only a couple of inches, but it is still snow.  This new layer of snow finally broke our record of the snowiest winter on record.  (I haven't figured out yet if this is something I want to be proud of.)

The mounds of snow in our yard are down a foot or two, but there is still an awful lot of snow here.  With a lot of luck, maybe we'll be rid of most of it by April.  However, the good news is that Spring will be here in four more days.  Woo Hoo!!!

I'm watching the Weather Channel and they are discussing about a pastor who is asking 200,000 people to each donate $300 so that he can buy a 65+ million dollar jet plane.  His church has 20,000 parishioners.  (so who are the other 180,000 folks?)  The pastor already has a jet, but it is old and needs a bit of work so he wants a new one.  (By the way, this man has multiple homes, Rolex watches, and Rolls Royces - according to the news.  Maybe he could sell these to raise the funds he wants?)

Now I ask you, is it really necessary to spend 65+ million dollars on a super jet plane in order to spread God's word?  I mean, where does this pastor need to travel that he can't get to in a commercial plane?  Personally, I think that the 65+ million dollars (if he actually had it) could be put to very good use right here in this country in all the areas that are still in dire need from all the damage from prior and recent storms and floods.  He certainly wouldn't need a fancy new jet plane to help these folks.  A few postage stamps would do the trick.

I know, I know, I'm a grumpy old lady, but as I told my DIL Janet, that's my lot and I'm just trying to do a good job of it.  haha.

Folks, today is Mandarin Orange Monday and I do have a piece of digital art to share.  I took a photo of the top of our bird feeder, blended it with an orange colored layer, then used several filters in Photoshop to make some changes.  Filters used were "Plastic Wrap", Ocean Ripples" and "Wave" (set to triangle).  I was very surprised at the results.  Here's the original photo, then the edited version.


 
In my weekend email, I found a couple of wonderful surprises.  This first digital layout was made by my friend Mary Ann.  It looks like Pogo had a fabulous time discovering the beauty of Paris.  What a fun layout Mary Ann.  Thanks so much.  What a great way to start my day.
 
 
The other nice surprise was a beautiful scrap layout that my friend Beth made featuring Pogo and DIL Janet and palm trees.  She even put in a squirrel for me.  I mentioned before that we hadn't seen any squirrels while were in Florida.  (As we were leaving for the airport Sunday morning, we saw two little squirrels - finally!)   This is wonderful Beth.  Thank you ever so much.  I'm giving a copy of this to DIL Janet so that she can share it with her friends too.
 
 
It's good to be home, but I do miss the warm weather and sitting out on our little porch.  Later I want to talk to SIL Eddie about the feasibility of building a little screened porch on my side of the house so that Pogo and I can sit out in the nice weather.   This could be a fun project for this year.
 
There was  big box of mail waiting for me here.  Last night, I wrote out a few of the new bills, and tomorrow I'll get the rest of them tended to.  Today I have a batch of receipts to go through to finish off my preparations for my appointment tomorrow with the accountant.  Once the taxes are filed, I will breathe much easier. 
 
Now it's time to get started on that batch of receipts.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.
 
p.s.  I know I don't respond to all the comments left, but I really do appreciate them and look forward to reading them.   I may not say it often, but thank you so much for being a wonderful part of my life.
 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Our Last Day In Paradise


March 14, 2015

Good morning.  Boo Hoo, Boo Hoo.  This wonderful vacation is coming to an end.  Tomorrow we go back home, which is why I'm posting today instead of tomorrow.  Ah well, we shall enjoy this gorgeous day, and gather enough more memories to last until next year.

This morning we will probably do a load of laundry.  We should do this early because lots of other folks will be wanting to do their laundry today too.  No one wants to pack dirty clothes to take home with them.  Sniff, sniff.

After the laundry is finished, we will probably take a ride to the flea market.  We were going to do this yesterday but we decided to laze about all day instead.  About the only thing we did not get to do this week is find new places to take photos.  Oh well.

Last night, we worked on our crochet projects.  The afghan I'm making needs only eleven more rows and it will be finished.  However, I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish it by tonight.  DIL Janet has started working on a new cardigan sweater. 

I have not seen our resident hawk since last week.  I wonder if it has found better pickings somewhere else?  There don't seem to be as many squirrels around as last year.  We haven't seen any of them in our area.  There also seems to be a lot less of those little gecko's (or whatever you want to call them.)  Usually they are everywhere here, but not so much this year. 

Today I thought I would show off some new photos of my handsome little fellow, Pogo.   Here he is sitting on a chair out on the porch with us.



I took these next two photos a few days ago at the flea market.  A young girl walked with her little dog, and Pogo just had to check out the cute little missy.  Note, not everyone has their dog on a leash.  It kind of makes me feel bad for Pogo, but at least I know he is safe.



And finally I have a photo of Pogo and Auntie Janet.  As you can see, he is definitely a "ladies man".  He is absolutely content when he is snuggling and hugging.


I thought I would also include a photo of the beautiful palms that are in the background of this last photo.  There are so many different and beautiful varieties of palm trees here in Florida.  Maybe today I can take a few more photos of them while we are out. 


Well, now I think I'll take my coffee out to the porch and enjoy the fresh air while I catch up on some blog reading.  So, till Monday, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.