Happy Halloween Everybody

October 30, 2015

Good morning.  Today is starting out quite sunny, and a bit chillier than yesterday.  Gosh, yesterday turned out to be such a fabulous day.  The clouds and the rain went away, and the sun took over with super nice temps.  

This morning (on the news) they are talking about how stores will be putting up their Christmas decorations and starting their Holiday sales right after Halloween.  What ever happened to waiting until after Thanksgiving?   Don't these retailers understand that us customers only have X amount of money to spend on shopping, so these early sales will not get us to spend more money?

I learned many many moons ago that the best way to get the holiday shopping done was to do it in bits all through the year.  When you have a large family, you have to learn how to make your money go a long way. 

Well folks, the big day is almost here.  Tomorrow is Halloween!!!  Tomorrow night, Pogo and I will meet up with friends and go on our annual broom ride.    Pogo had his hair trimmed recently, so I've tucked a little lapghan into his "broom seat."  It's already snowing in some places, and I want to keep my little guy warm.

I've been saving my "scary" quick page for today.  I found this adorable "scared skeleton" and just had to use it.  I hope you can have fun with this QP.

Your download link is here:
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This Sunday starts Fall Daylight Savings time, so don't forget to set all your clocks back before you go to bed tomorrow night.  It's also a good idea to change the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 

I'm watching the Weather Channel, and it's not looking so good in Texas.  This year, Texas just isn't getting a break in all the bad weather.  On top of all the rain and flooding, they are now dealing with tornadoes and even more flooding.  The weather patterns are getting quite scary these days, and it looks like they may be here to stay.  Let's all pray that all the people and animals will be safe.

Pogo and I have to go to do a couple of errands this morning, and later Joe and I will do some grocery shopping.  So it's time for me to get busy around here.  Before I go, here is my Halloween Greeting card for all of you.

So, till Sunday, Y'all be safe and have a fantabulous weekend and a "Spooky" Halloween.  To all my Witchy friends, Happy New Year and Merry Be.

Hugs, Edna B.

Greetings From Soggy New England

October 29, 2015

Good morning from very soggy New England.  It's 3:30 a.m., and I've been up for a couple of hours now.  That's the price I pay for falling asleep very early last evening.  Yesterday was a light drizzly rain all day and early evening.  Then it picked up a bit, and has been raining all through the night.  It is still raining, and will probably continue on through the whole day. 

So far, there has been a lot of interesting stuff to watch on television.  There's a program coming on at 7 a.m. on the Lifetime channel that I'm looking forward to watching.  It's called Designing Spaces, and features products from the Lakeside Collection catalogue. 

Last evening, I had planned on making stuffed green peppers for supper, but DIL Janet was not coming by so I diced the peppers and put them in the freezer.  Instead, I cooked some steak for Pogo , and Joe sent me out a delicious pork chop dinner that he had just cooked.  Yum!!  (Pogo does not like meats that are breaded or coated with anything.)

While I was going through my photos, I came across a very interesting photo from long ago that I thought I would share.  Back in the eighties, digital photography was coming into reality.  A friend of ours took this photo of me and my little dog Gizmo, and turned it into a digital photo.  It's the first digital photo that I had ever seen. 

As you can see, the photo was rather dark and not very sharp, but it was the beginning of a new technology that grabbed a hold of my curiosity, and turned me to digital photography.  Casio was going to be releasing a retail digital camera soon, and it was already at the top of my "wish list."

I also want to share a wonderful Halloween card that my friend Beth made for me.  It features the first Halloween QP that I posted a few weeks ago and my little guy, Pogo.  Beth, this is great.  Thank you so much. 

Today I want to package up a couple of items to mail out probably tomorrow.  If I go out today, I might catch a cold from the wet stuff, and that will interfere with my Halloween ride.  Oh yes, Pogo and I are planning on making our annual Halloween broom ride. 

We usually meet up with a large group of friends, and we ride in groups.  A lot of us gals are getting along in age, so this way no one gets lost.  We keep an eye out for each other.  You know, this ride is not like going a few miles to another area.  We cover as much of the globe as the weather will allow. 

Have any of you tried broom riding?  Put it on your bucket list folks.  It's really exciting.  As long as you are dressed warm under your cape, it's a fantastic experience.   Now, now.  Don't be shaking your head and saying "This one is not cooking on all of her burners!"   Just watch the skies on Halloween night.  You'll surely see quite a few of us flying by way up on high.  If you do, just give us a wave.

Okay, enough of my babble.  How about another freebie QP?  This is another one that features my little friend Lola.  Did you know that she has a twin?  Oh yes, and they are both loving this Halloween season.   Gosh, even the little bat is happy!

Here is your download link:
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Today I'll have to work a bit more in the bedroom.  There is still a lot more stuff to be put away and straightened out.  Then I can set up my gift wrapping table.  It's almost November, which means that all my mailer boxes need to filled and taped by the end of the month.  Well, at least that's my goal. 

My cards and calendars should be here in a few days, so I'll be able to start addressing all the envelopes soon.  That takes me a while so I like to start it early and take my time. 

On QVC right now, they are showing lounge pajamas that you can wear out or just hang around in all day.  Unfortunately, they have long sleeves (I like 3/4 and short sleeves), and are a bit on the pricey side.  One top and bottom set is on sale for $68.00.  For this price, I'll stick to my old comfy jammies.   The host says that these are perfect all day clothes for you aging mother.  Hmpff!!!!  Does she think that us oldies don't know how to wear regular clothes?    As the commercial says "Ma'am, you don't know AARP!"

Well, that's about all my news for this morning.  I think I'll go tackle the bedroom before I start running out of steam.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day. 

Hugs, Edna B.

I've Been A Real Busy Bee!

October 28, 2015

Good morning.  It's early, so it's still dark outside.  Do you believe it?  It's 6:40 a.m. and it is dark outside!!!  This will change a bit next Sunday when we will turn the clocks back for daylight savings.  Can you imagine?  It's already that time to adjust the clocks.  Where oh where has the whole year gone? 

As you can see, this was a "short sleep" night for me.  I did manage to get a few hours of sleep, but by 4 a.m. I was wide awake again.  So I had me a cup of coffee while I got caught up on some of my emails and played a bit on my laptop.

I have the shopping channel on, and I have to tell you about the item they are presenting right now.    It's a 24" tablet.  You obviously cannot carry this around with you, so I guess you just leave it on a table or countertop so that anyone can use it.  Hmmm, why not just plug your tablet into a TV if you need a really large screen? 

Well, I'm glad to say that yesterday was a very productive day for me.  Monday night I got an email from Vista Print, but I did not get to open it until yesterday morning.  Oh my, it's for a great sale on calendars and Christmas cards.  However, the offer would expire at 11 p.m. last night. 

Woe is me, I haven't designed my calendars or cards yet.  So, right after I finished yesterday's blog post, I got busy making final photo selections for the calendar and getting them all properly re-sized.  Next, I spent a few hours designing my Christmas card.  Actually, I made two of them, and while SIL Eddie was here I let him help me decide which card to use.  We both decided on  the same card.

I finished all of this a little before eight o'clock last evening.  Then I went online to Vista and finished putting my calendar photos into the proper templates.  Once I had placed my order for the calendars, I  chose the template for my Christmas card and placed an order for these.

Phew!!  It took all day and most of the evening, but it was worth it.  The sale was for 50% off the regular price for printing both of these items.  Yup, it was a very good day.

Last evening, I ran across an article on Facebook that I found disturbing so I looked it up on  Google.  It seems that a company called "Snoopwall" is saying that your personal information on your cell phone has been hacked if you have downloaded the flashlight Ap to your phone. 

When I went online to look this up to verify it, I also found another article about this company.  They sell a product called "Antivirus Privacy Firewall" that is supposed to be safe, but in fact will mess up your cell phone.  So before you install either of these items, do look them up on Google first.

Goodness, while I've been typing here, daylight happened.  The temperature is 35F degrees, and hopefully will get up to around 57F later this morning with possibly some rain.  Tonight should only go down to around 53F.  A really good sleeping night. 

Now that I've chewed most of your ear off, how about another freebie?  Because it's Halloween week, and I've been having such fun making Halloween QP's, I will have one for each day all week.  This one features another of my favorite Poser characters, Zlata.  The kit is by Creations By Rain, who sells at Wilma4ever.com.  Zlata is such a sad looking little darling that you just have to love her.

Here is your download link:
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I'm working on my second green neck warmer now, but I have photos of the Delft Blue one and the Melonberry one.   Hmmm, I think I'll make one of these for myself too. 

Pogo is beginning to hop all over me to get my attention.  I do believe he is trying to let me know that he is hungry and wants his breakfast.  That means that it's time for me to head for the kitchen.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all be safe and have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Life Is Good, Folks!

October 27, 2015

Good morning.  My goodness, I really did sleep in late on this beautiful sunny morning.  Right now, it's about 45F degrees, and should reach the mid 50's later today.  Tomorrow should be about the same, but Thursday will be glorious with a high temp in the low 70's.

I woke up today thinking that it was already Wednesday.  What can I say?  Some days my mind gets a bit scrambled.  It must be because of all my unstructured time.  Yeah, that's it.  Last evening, I was working on a Halloween QP and I got carried away with the time.  This is Halloween week, so I thought it would be fun to make one or two extra QP's. 

One of my favorite Poser characters is Lola, who is designed by Freda Fredericksson.  I just love this little character, so you will see her popping up in quite of few of my quick pages.  Lola loves Halloween.  Well, actually, she loves just about everything.  Here she is performing the Hemlock Ballet with the trees and nature. 

Here is your download link:
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I mentioned yesterday that I got a couple of wonderful surprises in my email, and I've resized them to share with you here.  My friend Kyra is such a sweetie, and she makes fabulous scrap pages.  She made these two pages for me; one featuring Eddie and Deanne, and one featuring Pogo and Joe. 

Aren't these wonderful?  Kyra, thank you so much.  I just love them!  The page with Dee and Eddie was made using Kyra's kit "Creepy Romance," which you can get on her blog.  The page with Pogo and Joe was made from her kit "Golden Days Of Autumn" which hasn't been released yet.

I really didn't do much out of the ordinary yesterday.  Hmmm, the story of my life lately.  But I did spend some quality time playing with Pogo, and this is always fun.  Today is the one year dating anniversary for grandson Kevin and his sweetie Janicee.  I love them both, and wish them a beautiful day with lots more happy memories to come. 

 It's easy to see how blessed I am.  From the little girl who didn't look like anyone, (that's what folks said about me when I was just a little girl) who'd have thought that I'd be leaving such a beautiful (and large) legacy behind when my soul finally left for my heavenly cottage.  Life is good.

Today I want to start another green neck warmer.  I already finished one green one, but it's such a pretty color that I want to make two of them.  Besides, they are easy and fun to make.  If you want to try making one, you need a size 'K" crochet hook, and one 7 oz. skein of worsted weight (4) yarn.  (This is enough for two neck warmers)  

You chain 20, double crochet in the second chain from the hook.  Continue across the row.  (19 stitches)  At end of row, chain one and turn.  Double crochet in second chain from hook.  Continue on for 84 rows.  This will fit the average size adult.  Have fun.

It's getting late now and Pogo is looking for some lunch.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all be safe and have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

We're Up To Our Noses In Fuzzy Blankets

October 26, 2015

Good morning.  The sun is shining, but the air is crisp and nippy.  Right now, it is only 47F and hopefully will work its way up to 53F.  Tonight, though, is going to be downright frosty - only 31F.  I'm so thankful that Pogo and I have nice warm beds to sleep in.

Speaking of "nice warm beds," I took these photos of Pogo last evening.  After scrunching all the blankets till they were "just right" he curls up and goes to sleep.  In the second photo, he heard me taking the photos, and looked up at me, then he went right back to sleep. 

Isn't he just the cutest little guy in his Christmas jammies?  We don't save these jammies only for Christmas.  He wears them whenever it gets cold.  I'll have to pick him up some more of these.  I did order a few pair a while back, but had to return them because they did not fit.  He's put on a lot of weight since I've had him.  He used to weigh three and a half pounds, and now he weights six pounds.  That's what good food and lots of lovin' can do to you!!

I have to share something funny with you.  The other day while I was straightening out the bedroom, I decided to put all his fuzzy blankets into a plastic blanket bag.  Hmmm, guess what?  They did not fit.  It took three blanket bags to store most of Pogo's fuzzy blankets.  I will have to pick up a couple more bags for the rest of his blankets.   I think before I get him any more blankets, we'll have to give a few of them away. 

Gosh, I'm watching videos on TV of the flooding in Texas.  They are showing the rescue of a man and his puppy from a pick up truck that was caught in the flooding.  The cab of the truck was almost totally filled with water when the rescuers got to them.  They said that the man had been holding his puppy up high near the roof of the cab to keep him from drowning.  Oh gosh, this is so sad.  Let's all pray that all the folks in the flood areas stay safe.

Well, that's my news for this morning.  Before I go, here's another Halloween QP.  These really are fun to make.  I hope you like this one. 

Here's your download link:
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This morning, I got a couple of super nice surprises in my email, but I'll save them for tomorrow's post.  I'll just say that they put a huge smile on my face!!

Now I'm off to do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all be safe and have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Quiet Restful Weekend

October 25, 2015

Good morning.  It's a bit wet and gray here but we can use a little bit of precipitation.  Not a huge lot, mind you, but a little is nice.  My little birds were all at my window this morning so I had to go out and fill up the feeder.  While I was there I filled the squirrel feeder and threw a whole bowl of bread and peanuts under my car for the little ground feeders.  It is dry under there. 

Yesterday was a really quiet day for Pogo and me.  I had a nice nap to catch up on some much needed sleep, and I did some laundry.  Very exciting indeed!!   Last evening, I finished two more neck warmers (they had already been started).  I'll take a photo of them later. 

Right now, I'm watching a little woodpecker and a chickadee feasting on the peanut butter bread that Joe just took out and put in the treat cage.  Our birdies love this.  Already two little sparrows and a nuthatch have just joined the other two birds for some peanut butter treat.  It's very soothing to watch them. 

SIL Eddie says he will be by later this morning to see what is needed to patch up the door (that was supposed to be replaced) so that it will keep out the cold for one more winter.  We'll go door shopping in the Spring.  While he is here, I'll ask him to take down the old fly ribbons and put up new ones.  I don't know where the flies come from, but I don't want them in here.

Last night, Deanne and Eddie went to a Halloween party at a friend's house.  Here's a photo of them all dressed up. As you can see, America loves candy corn!! 

I found another adorable crochet pattern to try out after the holiday rush is over.  I've never crocheted a baby dress, (I've sewn them by hand) but this one is so cute.   I don't know if I like the flowers in the middle of the dress, but I'll figure out something. 

For all you Patriot fans, today's game starts at 1 p.m.  I'm not a football fan, but the rest of my family is, so I hope our team wins.  Here's a cute Patriot Minion I borrowed from the web.

Well, there's really not much more news for today, so I think I'll look for some fun mischief to get into.  Maybe I'll do a bit more sorting in the bedroom.  Hmmm, I'll think about that.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all be safe and have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Cancelling My New Door, Boo Hoo!

October 23, 2015

Good morning on this chilly, but sunny, morning.   Today we'll only be getting up into the low 50's, and tonight will drop down into the 30's.  Brrr!  Although, I have to say that this is a lot better than some of the wicked weather that other parts of the country are enduring. 

I've been watching the Weather Channel's coverage of  Hurricane Patricia.  They are saying this is the strongest hurricane on record.  What in the world is happening to our weather systems?  Every day we have flooding, fires and storms.  There seems to be no let up at all. 

Speaking of storms, Texas is being inundated with 12 to 18 inches of rain.  How are people supposed to be able to protect their families, pets, livestock and homes with flash flooding and 18 inches of rain?    It seems like when I was growing up, storms were events.  Now they are a way of life.

A couple days ago, a couple of guys from the window and door company were here to re-measure the door I'm replacing.  They brought up a good point that made me quite nervous.  They said that when they take off the outer storm door, they would not be able to put it back on after the new door was installed.  I asked why and was told that because they did not make the storm door, they did not know how to put it back on working properly.  What???????

This morning I called the company to ask if this was true and they said "unfortunately, yes."  So I cancelled the door.  I will have to figure out how to fix the existing door for now, and maybe in the Spring I can find someone else to install a new door. 

I still don't understand the "how comes" of this.  Not so long ago, I had a new exterior door installed in my living room, and it did not interfere with how my storm door worked.  And, it did not cost over two thousand dollars!!! 

Today I have a couple photos that I took a few days ago.  Our red and pink "knockout" roses are still blossoming (thank you!).  And, we have a tiny tree growing, and showing off its beautiful Fall colors.

This morning, several of our little birds have been peeking in my window.   I think they are asking me to have to birdbath cleaned out and re-filled with fresh water.  Joe says he will do this in a little while.  Shortly, I will take out some peanuts and bread for them.  I usually put a lot of this under my car so that they can eat in safety.  Plus, I'll put more peanuts in the squirrel feeder. 

Today, after I do a couple of mandatory household chores, I think I'll work on my crochet projects.  About another twenty rows will finish off the green afghan, and then I want to make a few more neck warmers and finish the baby cocoon and blanket.   Busy, busy, busy.

Well, that's about all the news for today.  So, till Sunday, Y'all be safe and have a fantabulous weekend. 

Edna B.

Some Mornings Nothing Goes Right

October 22, 2015

Good morning.  Well, it was another ridiculously early morning for me.  As long as I was awake, I decided to crochet for a while.  Hmmm, that wasn't really such a great idea.  I would put six rows on, and find a big boo boo seven rows back.  So then I would rip out all seven rows and start over.  I ripped out several times, so I finally put the crocheting away. 

Next, I decided to make a few new quick pages.  I spent two hours working on one that I just loved.  I zipped it up and uploaded it to MediaFire.  In a while though, I noticed something wrong on it. Unfortunately, I had not saved the Photoshop file. So now I deleted the zip and the link, and spent a half hour fixing it.

Once I had zipped it again and re-uploaded it to MediaFire, I found something else that I did not like.  Again, I did not save the Photoshop file.  So, now I'll wait a few hours before I work on it again.  Soooo disheartening!

Yesterday, Pogo finally did eat half of the dog food.  I guess he was super hungry at that point.  For supper, I cooked him a hamburger, which he gobbled up right away.  So hopefully, he has his appetite back again.

Yesterday, a reader (now a new friend) sent me a poster that she found on Facebook about crocheted blankets.  I was going to post it, but it gives costs.  Any handmade gift takes time and materials to make it.  Some are expensive and some are not.  But it's the thought and the love that goes into the making of the project that counts. 

I love being creative, and I especially enjoy crocheting.  It is also a very good therapy for my hands.  I enjoy picking out just the right colors and projects to make for people.  I love seeing the joy that some of my projects bring to folks.  So you see, for me it is a win win hobby.  So to my new friend Minerva, thank you for thinking of me and sending me that poster.

I did find an image on the web that fits in nicely here.  All of my crafter friends will know exactly what this means.  Even thought it is sometimes cheaper to buy some things ready made, we get so much enjoyment from making the items ourselves.   Well, at least I do.

Wow, a few minutes ago, I made up a plate of hamburger for Pogo, and he scoffed it all down.  He even licked the plate clean.  What a good boy!! 

Today I have a photo to share that I took last week when Pogo and I were on our way home from the hospital.  This is a reservoir a couple of towns over from here.  It was such a pretty sight that I had to pull over and take a photo.

Another photo that I took a few days ago is of the kiln that I had my pansies planted in.  The pansies have gone by, but some rather awesome looking weeds have taken over the kiln.  I must say, it does look quite pretty.

Well that's about all my news for this morning.  Today is going to be a gorgeous day (temps around 70F degrees) and I want to open the door and let in a bit of fresh air.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Really Mom! Dog Food???

October 21, 2015

Good morning.  Goodness, I've already done a whole day's work, and it's only 7:30 a.m.  Last night, I fell asleep really early - around 9:30, and did not wake up until almost 1:30 this morning.  So I decided to just get up and do a few things around here. 

First, I decided to tackle the bedroom.  I must say, that I was quite the busy little bee but I'm not really sure if I actually accomplished much.  I did fill a little bag with trash (note I said "little" bag), and I put a few piles of clean clothes away. 

I packaged up a box of pretty things to mail off to my daughter Laura Jean the end of next week.  Her birthday is only two weeks away, and I can't get over the fact that my baby is turning fifty.  Forty nine years and six months ago, (1966) the hospital called me and said to come and take her home. 

They did not believe she would live the ride home, but at least I would get to hold her one more time.
Well,  my beautiful little girl wasn't ready to go anywhere just yet.  We've had a lot of ups and downs throughout the years, but God has been watching over her.  The staff at the pediatric facility where she lives take excellent care of our Laura Jean.  I am very thankful for this.

Of course, all this makes me wonder how I got so old so quickly.  My mind does not feel old, but I've shrunk down about an inch, and my hair has been thinning.  My long thick braids will never be again, and memory lapses a tiny bit every now and then.  Hmmm, all signs of getting old.

Enough of my babble.  I took a photo of the neck warmers that I have finished so far.  These are fun and easy to make.  If anyone wants the pattern just let me know.

Today is Wednesday, so I have another freebie for you.   It's just a bit of whimsy and nature, but I hope you can use it.

 Here is your download link:
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Mr. Pogo has turned his little nose up at just about everything I've offered him for food.  So, this morning I've given him a plate of Paul Newman's premium dog food.  I have not been successful in the past getting him to eat this, although before I got him, he liked it.  (or so they said)  However, where he is not interested in the steak, roast beef and hamburger, he'll have to settle for dog food. 

Now I think I'll get back to doing a few things around the house before my mind realizes that it is getting tired and in need of a nap.  haha.  So. till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Allergies Can Be Dreadful

October 20, 2015

Good morning.  My goodness, I almost slept the morning away.  During the night, sleep was patchy.  Finally around 4:15 a.m., I fell into a better sleep.  Pogo seemed to be having the same kind of night too. 

Today is cloudy with bits of sunshine, and a bit warmer.  The weather man says we will get up into the low 60's today and tomorrow.  This will feel wonderful.  These old bones are much happier when it's not cold. 

Yesterday, my order of kilt pins arrived, and now I have four neck warmers all done up and looking pretty.  The fifth one is almost finished, so I'll take photos when this one is done.  They work up quickly, and you can make two with one 7 oz. skein of yarn. 

I dug into my photo archives for a couple photos of my pink roses (from the rose tree).  This year, there are no blooms left on this rose tree.  Three years ago, it was covered with gorgeous blossoms on this date.  Here are two photos that I took on October 20, 2012.

Today, I need to make some serious progress on choosing the photos for next year's calendar.  I have a tendency to put some things off, thinking that there is plenty of time.  However, time seems to catch up with me, and now I have only a month left to get my calendar done. 

Two men from the company that is making my new exterior door just came by to make one last measurement so that the new door will be guaranteed to fit right when it arrives from the factory.  These guys don't seem too happy that I want my storm door put back on when they are finished installing the new door. 

They did not make the storm door, so they don't want to guarantee that they will put it back on right.  Hmmm, you can be sure I will be keeping a close eye on them when the time comes.  You do not remove something that you cannot put back.  They are supposed to be expert at what they do, so I expect the storm door to be put back on properly.

My daughter Deanne just called me to say that Kevin has the results from his allergy tests, and he is allergic to just about everything; everything outdoors, and cats and dust mites indoors.  Oh dear, this is not so good.  Kevin is very athletic, and is outdoors when he is not sleeping or in school. 

The treatments for this aren't looking so good either - special meds three times a day for the next few years (best, but not covered by insurance) or a shot every week for the next few years (this is covered by insurance).   Thank goodness, the doctor did not mention having Kevin live in a bubble. 

Well, tine is fleeing and it's getting close to lunch time.  Pogo has not been eating so good lately, and I need to make something tasty to tempt him.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Looking For A New Cat House?

October 19, 2015

Good morning.  It's cold and a bit on the dreary side outdoors this morning, but all that could change in a few hours.  I haven't checked the Weather Channel yet, so I'm not quite sure what sort of weather we are expecting today.  Of course, it really doesn't matter because it will be what it will be.

I had thought I might sleep in a bit late this morning, but Mr. Pogo had other plans.  So like a good mommy, I got up and made him some breakfast.  Now I'm sitting here typing a post, and my little guy is sound asleep in his little bed.  Hmmm, go figure!

Well, last evening I finished the denim blue neck warmer and made another one.  I had ordered a batch of kilt pins from Amazon, and they should arrive today.  I've decided that I like these pins better than buttons for closures on the neck warmers. 

Remember all those cute little RV doggie houses that I posted a while back?  Well, I found some adorable little cat houses on the web.  They sort of look like little nut shells.  There was no price listed with them, so I can only guess at what they might cost, but they are cute.

I haven't made any special plans for today, so I guess I'll just go with the flow and see where it takes me.  Ever notice how when there is so much to choose from that you somehow don't get anywhere at all?   There are a zillion things that I could do, but somehow I don't get many of them done.  Ah well, I think that's one of the perks of retirement.  No set schedules.

Has anyone noticed how quickly this month is going by?  There's not quite two weeks left in it.  I'm beginning to hope that maybe if the months are going by so quickly, that just maybe the cold weather season will fly by too.  You think?  Keep in mind that Spring is only one hundred and fifty two days away!

As promised, here's an extra freebie for this week.  For the background on this one, I used one of my photos of the beautiful Autumn foliage  I hope you can use it. 

Here is your download link"
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Now I think I'll go see what sort of mischief I can get into today.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Rice Tastes Better When It's Cooked In A Yellow Pan

October 18, 2015

Good morning.  Tis just a wee bit chilly here in New England.  During the night, temps dropped down to about 25F, but now they are up to 32F.  Later today we should be all the way up to around 46F.  Gosh, according to the calendar there are two more months of Autumn still to come.  Someone needs to tell Old Man Winter to go away and wait his turn.

Yesterday, the burner cleaner guy was here to make sure the heating system was cleaned out and ready for winter.  Now we are all set until Spring.  Once the heat is turned off next Spring, I'll have this fellow come back and replace the smoke pipe on the furnace.  I'll have to talk to him about whether or not we need to replace the fuel tank too.  Ah well, that's the start of next year's projects.

Well, I finally finished the Lemon Yellow afghan.  Gosh, it is sooooo pretty!  It's such a happy sunshiny color.  Have a lookee.

I also started a new neck wrap in a pretty denim blue.  So far, I've gone as far as I can on it until I can try it on someone.  Then I'll know how many more rows it needs.  I decided that I liked the kilt pins best for the closures, so I ordered a few of them.  They should be arriving today or tomorrow.

Next, I'll finish up the Frosty Green afghan, then it's back to the baby cocoon and the baby blanket.  The swelling in my hand has gone way down, and the crocheting isn't bothering it now.  This is good because I have lots of projects that I want to do. 

I bought some large Ziploc bags from Amazon, and they are super for keeping my yarn projects in until they are finished.  Actually, they're good for storing the finished projects too.  They zip up, and they have handles.   Plus they are clear plastic so you can see what it is in them. 

Remember that set of pretty colored pans that I bought a while ago?  Well let me tell you, they are such fun to use.  Maybe it is just psychological, but cooking in a yellow pan is much more fun that cooking in a metal colored pan.  Well, at least from my point of view.  Cooking is not at the top of my "fun things to do" list.   But that rice seemed to taste better last night, coming out of a pretty yellow pan.

While I was watching TV last evening, I went to get a fresh bottle of water, and I noticed that Pogo was no longer napping on the sofa.  I went a little closer for a better look.  Sometimes one of his ears is poking out from under a blanket.  This time there was no ear poking out, but there definitely was a little lump under the fuzzy blanket.  I grabbed my cell phone and took this photo of my little guy.  The lump on the left was moving up and down, ever so slightly.

I watched to see how Pogo gets himself totally covered up like this.  He noses his head and shoulders as far under the blanket as he can get, then turns his body around in a circle until he is completely covered by the blanket.  Hmmm, smart little guy!

Well, it's time to give Pogo his medicine.  His new vitamins came in the mail yesterday, so we'll start them today.  He's not so happy about these new meds, but we'll keep it up for a while to see if they are making him any more comfortable (and healthy). 

So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tis A Beautiful Autumn Day In New England

October 16, 2016

Good morning.  The sun keeps popping in and out, but it is still fairly nice outside.  Temps in the 50's, headed for the low 60's.  Pretty nice for Autumn.  I just went outside to fill up the bird feeder, and put out new peanut butter bread in the treat holder.  As soon as I got back indoors, all my little birds were happily munching on the food. 

Yesterday was a quiet day.  Two packages came in the mail for Pogo.  One was his new medicine (for the pain in his hip area), and the other was a big jar of glucosamine (to keep his joints healthier).  He's not exactly thrilled about having to take either of these. Wait till his vitamins get here!   Lucky for him, these are all in liquid form. 

I had a fuel delivery yesterday, and it was ever so nice to see such a low bill.  This was the lowest fuel bill in many years.  I'm sure it will go higher again, but for now it was such a treat.  The furnace cleaner guy called me to reschedule his appointment to Saturday.  He would give me a $25 discount if I could make this change.  Of course I did. 

Last evening I worked on the yellow afghan, and now there are only three or four rows left till it is finished.  Woo Hoo!  Next on to finishing up the green one.  In between projects, I slip in a little time for working on the bedroom.  This takes a while because it's not my funnest thing to do. 

I cropped a snippet out of a photo I took the other day to show one of the pretty yards we passed the other day on our way home from the doggie hospital.  The colors are quite pretty.

I also took a photo of the mirror on the side of my car.  It shows all the traffic that afternoon.  And, it wasn't even rush hour yet!

Well, enough of my babble.  It's time to give my little guy his meds.  First I have to find him!  haha.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fantabulous weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Lottery IOU's?

October 15, 2015

Good morning.  It's a bit nippy, only 41F degrees outside right now.  Later it will get up to the low 60's.  It's supposed to be sunny all day, so that is good. 

Today the fuel delivery man will be here to fill up the tank, and the furnace cleaner guy will be here too.  Little by little, we are getting everything ready for the winter. 

I've been watching (on TV) about the Illinois lottery, and how it is giving IOU's out to people who won more than $600.  They say that until the state gets it's budget settled, they won't have any money in the bank to pay the lottery winners. 

Now I ask you, what does the state budget have to do with the money in the lottery's bank account?  My understanding was that the lottery money went into a bank account and that winners were paid out of this.  So, where does that money really go?  Obviously not into a special lottery bank account.  Because if it was in a lottery bank account, there would be plenty of money to pay the winners. 

I don't know about you, but I call this legal thievery.  For some reason, the federal and state governments do this all the time and it is supposed to be okay.  Now, if you or I took something that wasn't ours, we'd be arrested for theft.  So what's the difference?  Hmmmm?

I have a couple of interesting crochet patterns for those of you who like "quick" projects.  This first afghan is called a "Fall Weekend" crochet throw.  It only takes one or two days to make it.

This next one is called a "Six Hours or Less" crochet throw.  Hmmm, I like this even better.  Of course, it doesn't say what level of smarts is needed in order to finish it in six hours.  As well, one way to find out is to try it.

These are both pretty throws.  I may have to try one to see if I could actually finish it in such a short time.  They are both made with a size "Q" crochet hook and three strands of yarn held together.  Hmmm, I'm not sure if this would fit in my hands.  I've never tried working with a huge crochet hook like this.

First though, I still have a few of my own projects to finish.  I worked a bit more on the yellow afghan last evening, so now there are only eight and a half more rows to go till it is done.  Then I have the green afghan and the baby cocoon to finish.  And let's nor forget the baby blanket that I started.  So, if any of you tries these quickie patterns, let me know how it is working with the big hooks.  (email me if you would like the pattern)

Today I think I'll attack my bedroom.  There are too many piles of holiday things building up, and unfortunately, piles of clean laundry that I have been too lazy to put away.   So I guess I'll be busy all day.  But, when it is done, I'll feel much better. 

I've finished my coffee now, so I think this is a good time for me to get started on all this fun stuff.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

The Fall Colors Are Gorgeous!

October 14, 2015

Good morning.  The sun is shining and it is 55F degrees.  Soon it will 67, but then tonight will drop down to 41F.  The cold temps are moving in folks.  Saturday night is supposed to be 32F degrees, and Sunday night only be 28F degrees.  Oh dear, it is just too soon!!!

Well, yesterday Pogo and I went to see his doctor.  His regular doctor is not back yet from her maternity leave, so he met with a new doctor.  I must say, he was not very friendly to her.  This is strange because he likes all the other doctors there (at the hospital). 

Anyway, she said that Pogo does not need the flu shot because he isn't around other dogs very often.  She checked him for arthritis, and said that his right rear side (and leg) was a bit more advanced than his left rear side.  She called in a pain prescription to the compounding pharmacy and they will contact me about delivery, etc.  (a compounding pharmacy makes up smaller doses of meds for doggies that cannot take the regular meds.)

She also said that the new vitamins that I had ordered for Pogo would be good for him, and that I should also order him some glucosamine.  As soon as I got home, I ordered a bottle of this from Amazon.  Other than this, my little guy is doing just great.  Here, he is asking me to pick him up and put him on my lap.

On our way home from the hospital, I tried to take a few photos with my phone of the beautiful tree colors.   This a section that I cropped from one photo.  These colors are just gorgeous!

Wow, the phone just rang and it was the "compound" pharmacy calling to say that Pogo's meds were ready for shipping, and how would I like to pay for them.  Credit card, of course.  Any other way over the phone??   I had a call earlier this morning from the fuel company, saying that they will be out tomorrow to fill the oil tank and clean out the furnace. 

I have another QP freebie for you.  It's nothing scary, just bits of whimsy.  Some days I have an odd sense of humor. 

Here is your download link:
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Last night, I put a few more rows on the yellow afghan while I watched a bit of TV.  I think about fifteen more rows will finish this afghan.  Woo Hoo!  It's such a happy looking afghan that I think I'll give this one to my Aunt Lucy for Christmas.  All these years, she's been crocheting afghans and giving them all away to hospitals, nursing homes, vets, etc.  This is one that she can keep for herself.

Well, I guess that's about all my news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day. 

Hugs, Edna B.

New Pics Of Pogo To Share

October 13, 2015

Good morning.  Tis a bit soggy and gray here, but at least it is not cold.    I shut the heat off yesterday morning, and I won't have to put it back on until tomorrow night.  Today though, I will have to call the fuel company to arrange for a delivery. 

Also today, Pogo and I will go to the hospital to see his doctor.  It is check up time, and he is supposed to be getting his flu shot.  At least he will enjoy the ride in the car.  That is one of his favorite things to do.

Yesterday, Joe and Pogo and I went outside to do a bit of pruning.  Pogo and I did the heavy on-looking, while Joe did the pruning.   The leaves on the ground were a bit damp, so Joe decided to wait until today to use the new leaf blower/mulcher.  Oh Oh, guess what?  Yup!.  It's raining today, so we won't be scooping up any leaves just yet.

While we were outside, I did take a bunch of new photos of Pogo.  One of the dwarfs came outside to go to the store, and stopped to pet Pogo.  Folks, this is my favorite photo of the day.  You have to really look hard to find my little Pogo.  He's so little and blends right in with the leaves.

Here are some more shots of my handsome little guy, plus a couple with Joe holding him.

Most of our day yesterday was quiet, and even though I was busy most of the day, I haven't yet figured out what it was that kept me so busy.  Hmmm, seems to be a way of life lately. 

I did get to put a few more rows on the yellow afghan last evening.  Plus I added a few more rows to the baby cocoon.  The cocoon is done with all single crochets (small stitches) so it is taking a bit longer to work up than I had thought it would. 

Later today, I need to get serious about finding a company to come out and put heating coils along the edge of all my roofs.  There are three roofs on my house, and I don't want to have the same problems that we had last winter with all the snow on the roofs and the huge icicles.

Happy Birthday wishes for my friend Beth, whose special day was yesterday.  Beth, I hope your big day was fabulous.  It's wonderful that your children were there with you to celebrate.  (and cook a delicious dinner for you too!) 

Well that's about all the news for today.  I started to make a cup of coffee a while ago, and it is still sitting over on the counter, getting cold.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Happy Columbus Day

October 12, 2015

Good morning.  It's a beautiful day here in my little part of New England.  The sun is shining, and temps should reach 75F degrees in a little while.  It may be the last hurrah of summer, but I love it!

Yesterday was a very quiet day for us.  Needless to say, I dozed off early last evening while attempting to watch a bit of TV.  Even Pogo was tired.  However, he did perk up around 11 p.m. with an appetite.  So I warmed up his supper, and he ate it all.  Then it was "back to bed" time. 

One of things that I accomplished yesterday, was to pick up a few more scrap kits to put with the rest of my stash.  Of course, that prompted me to make another QP for my "freebie" folder.  Because Halloween is less than three weeks away, I've decided to post a few extra QP's over the next few weeks.

As you can see, I did not make my Halloween QP's very scary.  Rather, they are a bit on the whimsical side.  I hope you can use this.

Here is your download link:
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Today, I think I'll see if Joe will help me with some pruning, and maybe pick up a few of the leaves that are covering the ground.  This will be a good day to try out our new leaf blower/mulcher.   I'll put out some more peanuts for the birds and small critters too because we haven't seen Mr. Fat Rat for a while.  Maybe he's moved on to another life.  Hmmmm?

My friend MaryAnn sent me this digital art that she made of Pogo.  In the original photo, he was indoors, looking out through the screen door.  Isn't this nice?  MaryAnn, I love it.  Thank you so much.

Because I slept a bit late this morning, the day is getting away from me.  It's time to get dressed, grab the pruning shears and get outside.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.