Window To My Soul

Things

2009-11-15T15:58:00.004-06:00

So it's been forever since I've even visited this blog, much less posted anything. Life has been tough lately, with best friends and family members going through some pretty heavy stuff, both emotionally and physically, including myself.

When things are hard for me I have a habit of retreating inward and keeping things to myself. I'm an incredibly private person and don't have many people in my life that I trust to share the things that life deals out, those things that can make or break a person... The few select people that I do trust are those that are completely and unconditionally accepting of this, and I'm lucky enough to have people that totally get it as my support system.

Since coming here and posting last, my husband and I have decided to seek a divorce. I won't go into the gory details or air my dirty laundry here, but believe me when I say that we gave it our all and it took 14 long years of struggle to finally realize that there is no other way to go with this. It's probably something we should have done many years ago, but we just couldn't give up the fight until now.

The sadness is very much just beneath the surface for the both of us, we know that there will be those moments when it comes flooding out and washes over us like a tidal wave. but for now we are holding our own and keeping it together, probably more for each other's sake than our own. Neither of us wants to leave this union bitter and hateful toward the other.

We will miss each other terribly, and will someday down the road wonder if it wasn't the biggest mistake of our lives. I already wonder... 

We hear over and over from everyone we know that they are not shocked at our decision to separate and that they are only surprised that we hung on this long to what at times seemed like a sinking ship. 

So we each retreat to our own corners of the ring, taking off the gloves and with them the rings. Someday I hope that we can look back on our time together with fondness as opposed to anything else. I loved him from the beginning to the end and it is most certainly not for lack of effort that we decide to go our separate ways.

I will continue to blog here, but things may take on a different tone as I chronical this next journey in my life. I'm scared out of my wits at what the future holds in store for me, but I also know that I have a strength in me that surpasses all else when it is called upon to surface. 

I hope that you will all remain with me as I travel down this road of uncertainty, but I will understand if I lose some of you because of ideas or beliefs about divorce, or whatever the case may be. I don't judge others for anything that they do, nor do I take it personal.

So without further adieu, here is something I've written to start this journey off in a positive direction...

I am ready 

As with the sky on a late Autumn day, a veil of darkness shrouds my heart with melancholy emotion. Starting over at mid-life, stepping out of and away from the life I have come to know as mine. Not the life I have dreamed of, but certainly the one that I have settled into and made the best of. 

The road to this point, oh it's been a long one... Some miles seamless and smooth, with many more rough and rocky. The latter making it close to impossible to drive on, but drive on I did and will continue to do.

What does the future hold for me? Will I make it there in one piece, someday finding true happiness within myself, once again?

As I sit behind the wheel at the crossroads, confused as to which way to go, I wonder which direction will lead me safely to a place called home... This decision is mine and mine alone, for the very first time in my life. No external forces to influence this choice that I am faced with.

I turn the key and place the gear shift into drive, removing my foot from the brake and placing it cautiously onto the accelerator. And suddenly, the veil lifts and I feel that old familiar sense of fearlessness and confidence take it's place. 

Easing slowly down the road at last, I am ready...

Tiffany Cross 11/14/09

This ain't no Marvin Gaye song...

2009-08-21T18:36:00.002-05:00

... But it is what's been goin' on around here....
My best friend is in the hospital with a few complications, so I figure I'd better do something to keep my mind occupied. Jess, if you happen to read this while you're chillin' in that sterile room, you know I love ya Girlfriend! Hurry up and get better so we can have our weekend morning coffee together, I miss you!

First pick of the season, Blackberries straight off the bush!

Fine feathered friends who come to visit.

Reminiscing about Horton Hears a Who lol

Birthday parties ending in just a tad bit of drama *sigh*...

Awesome packages from faraway friends!!!
Thank you thank you thank you Steve and Jan!

Yummy dinners made by hubby on busy nights.

Naughty dogs who have no shame...

Feeling just a little proud of myself for finally getting this shot. It took me a LONG time to finally catch this and entailed finding a place to park and running half way on to a busy on-ramp during morning rush hour traffic, but I finally did it! LOL

Procrastination...

2009-08-09T05:34:00.007-05:00

Wow, I've fallen so far behind. Right when I say I'm going to start posting more, I pretty much fall off the face of the earth! Ever feel so overwhelmed with things that need to be done that you just shut down and don't do anything at all? That's pretty much how I've been for the last two weeks....
I'm starting in my new position at work tomorrow, preparing for a big trip back home in September, then there's my Mom and step-dad's visit in November, I have a million things to do around this messy house.... well, you all know the story, I'm sure you've been there a time or two lol
So anyway, I'm not going to attempt to catch up on Project 365, just going to post several pics that I took yesterday that all have something to do with this past week, and then I'm going to start fresh with taking a picture a day. Was doing so good with that, but you know what happens when you skip a day... one day turns into two weeks!
So without further Adieu....

Handed in the keys to my old desk and office, this was all that was left to take home after 7 years. Tomorrow starts a whole new adventure!

Lots of berries will be ripe for the picking soon!

Have you had these? They are to die for! I haven't seen them in too many stores, so when I do I grab a few! lol

One of those million projects that we need to get done around here...

Pretty in pink

One white flower...

Breathing some new life into this place.

Picked up some new plants for the front of the house, can't wait to get them in the ground!

Wandered around taking pictures of different textures that interest me in the back yard. These are our old Bilco doors, you can see how much we go down to the basement with the plants cropping up all over. lol

Old boards on the patio railing that need to be replaced.

View from the back porch into the mudroom. This window is so old I'm afraid to open it!

This has been my dinner more times than I'd like to admit lately, seems like it's about all I have the energy to make sometimes!

Been thinking about what I'd like to do with this old wicker book case. Thinking I might paint it black and put it in my office/craft room once I get that room cleaned up and organized. What do you think, would you leave it this natural color or paint it?

Just stuff...

2009-07-28T04:52:00.004-05:00

Tuesday - the view through my front door.

Going to try and post much more often than I have been. It's such good therapy, free therapy at that. And it connects me with other people, whether they be like minded or bringing something new to the table of my life!
Yesterday ended up going pretty well, it was the best, most peaceful day that I've had at work in a long time. It meant so much to be reading everyone's comments throughout the day when I took a break here and there, thank you all!
After work I dove head first into a little retail therapy (there's that word again lol). I'm not usually a shopper, crowds kind of freak me out, and I HATE trying clothes on, especially in fitting rooms with bright lights and big mirrors. Reminds me of things I'd rather forget, like pudge and circumstance lol Anyway, found some great clothes and stayed within the budget that I'd set for myself for new office clothes, thank God for stores like Ross! Can't look frumpy when I start that new position in 2 weeks, now can I? Got home and showed Chad all of my new goodies and when I put on the new shoes, which are really sexy by the way, he asked me if I would like to play naughty secretary, haha, I think he likes them.
Got home and there was an envelope in the mail from my best friend in Missouri, which included a picture of her grandson, the absolute cutest baby on the planet! Thanks BFF, you know it made my day!

Got some crocheting done while watching Anthony Bourdaine - No Reservations. Netflix is grand my friends, just grand, love that you can watch things instantly on the computer, things that we used to watch when we had cable. Chad said the squares remind him of mint chocolate chip ice cream, and he's right, although you can't tell from this picture. I should be working on my daughter's afghan, the one I've been promising and working on for a couple years now, but it's so large and has to be laid out, something I definitely don't want to do here in the living room where the dogs hang out. Nicole, if you're reading this, I promise I WILL get that done for you SOON!

Well, I hope you all have a great day.
Find some way to make yourself happy today!

Rambling on and on about myself...

2009-07-27T04:40:00.011-05:00

The past year has been a tough one for me in every way possible, certainly not the most difficult I've ever been through (by far), but none-the-less...

Much of it has to do with my job, which I find almost unbearable these days. My stress level has reached it's limit and has officially broken through the glass ceiling, so to speak. Yes, I know I'm one of the fortunate ones to even have a job right now, and I am very thankful that it involves a steady paycheck, as small as that paycheck is. Does it make it any easier to deal with? No.

My faith has been shaken and my heart and mind filled with unanswered questions. No, I haven't turned my back on God, that will never happen in my lifetime, but I still have those questions and they still go unanswered and I struggle with this every single minute of every day.

My anxiety has altered everything about me, and affected everything and everyone around me. Having tried everything from self talk to mindful relaxation to medications during my 43 years on this earth, I have come to realize that it is what it is and I must give up on it ever being "fixed" and just deal with it the way it is. Having spent so much time and energy on trying to make it go away, it will be nice to just relax and face the music, if that makes any sense?

I don't really know why I'm writing all of this, except maybe to have it documented somewhere that I've reached some sort of turning point and know that I must move forward, in a different way than ever before. Instead of focusing on every single thing that is wrong with myself or my situation, I need to take that energy and focus it on what is good and right and positive...

I know full well that I have been blessed beyond belief in this life, being once lost and wandering aimlessly, riddled with more horrible afflictions than any one person should have to deal with in one short life (of course much of it all being self-afflicted). I have been given endless second chances, even when I took them for granted. But if you have ever dealt with depression or anxiety, whether it be that you have it or if it is a friend or family member, you know that seeing the bright side isn't even a visible option sometimes.
Being "stuck" isn't intentional, but it is something that can be dealt with and managed with more grace than I have ever even attempted...

So on this day, I will give it my best shot to go forth in a much more positive manner. I may not always shine like the sun, but I can at least twinkle like a distant star.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week, you may now return to your regularly scheduled program.

Oh weekend how I love thee so....

2009-07-26T08:51:00.007-05:00

Wow, hard to believe this will be the last Project 365 posting for July of this year. I'm with Sara, where did summer go? Didn't even get a chance to fully enjoy the warmer weather and now the leaves are starting to change already!

Monday: Our cat Luto, aka: the Wanderer
Brings to mind the quote "All who wander are not lost"
He loves to go back and forth between our house and the corner lol
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Tuesday:
This basketball hoop has become one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I bet someone had a lot of fun with it in years past.
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Wednesday: What the heck is going on with Mother Nature? All of the leaves are starting to change color and it's only JULY!
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Thursday: Ummm... I think it's time to clean the rain gutters when there's a tree growing out of them.
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Friday: This day started out really horrible. I won't go into the details but am happy that it ended on a lighter note. That evening we made our way out to Becky's Drive-In for a double feature of Ice Age and Transformers, but only made it through Ice Age and decided to go home because we were getting sleepy LOL
As you can see, my favorite part of the whole experience is once again food related...
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Saturday: Finally making some progress on the kitchen floor. I'm not so sure about the black and white, it will take some getting used to before I don't feel like I'm in the tunnel ride on Willy Wonka. But it matches the black cabinets perfectly and the husband loves it, so I'm willing to give it a try, not to mention the fact that the old floor was beyond disgusting, so just about anything is an improvement!
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Sunday: My love affair with yarn, definitely not normal, in fact some might say it hinges on insanity.

Farm Chicks Giveaway

2009-07-23T20:01:00.003-05:00

What a fantastic giveaway over at The Farm Chicks! Run on over and enter, you might win some great goodies.

Good luck everyone!

This week in a nutshell...

2009-07-19T15:26:00.006-05:00

Week 29, here we go!
And if you're interested in seeing more great Project 365 pictures, just click on the logo above and it will take you to our host Sara's page where everyone is linked up.
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~random thoughts~

Noticed this on Monday morning and thought it was kind of funny.

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Tuesday - Clematis is in full bloom and taking over!

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Wednesday - Always love a good western!

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Thursday - well, as you can see, I completely forgot to take a  picture of any kind on this day.

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Friday was our 11th wedding anniversary. It was pouring down rain and my hubby asked me to pick him up from work (he usually takes his bike), and when he came out of the building he was carrying a big box with this cake in it, yummy!

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On Saturday night we were treated to a double-header for our anniversary with my sister-in-law and her fiance, what a great time we had!

Still crazy after all these years.

This was the guy sitting next to us who caught the fly ball
that was coming straight at me! lol I was so impressed, he caught it with ONE HAND!

My sister-in-law, the official Phillies Fanatic stalker!

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Today I had a surprise visit from my two favorite little guys. Josh, with the glasses, has been gone for 2 weeks visiting his biological mom and they decided to stop in and see me on their way home from picking him up. I was so happy to see them!!

Two pictures today, this was my reward for hauling boxes of floor tile in and out of the car several times until we finally settled on what we wanted lol It's a Sonice lime Chiller, VERY good but I think the lemon berry slush is still my favorite.

The 28th week

2009-07-12T07:06:00.005-05:00

Week 28 of Project 365!

Wow, poor Sara, the host of Project 365 has sure had a week of it, bless her heart. Hope she gets better real soon so that she can enjoy what's left of summer.

Home again, home again....
Vacations are always a wonderful thing, and coming home is always sweet! I think that's how you really know a place is home, when, no matter how much fun you're having while you're away, you still miss the familiar surroundings of the place where you live.
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It has been a very difficult couple of months at work. Without going into too much detail, there has been some major restructuring going on and we've all kind of felt like we were sitting in the middle of a tornado, wondering what would happen next.
I went in on Tuesday to discover that some people had been let go, and fully expected to have to go searching for a box to put my own things in. I was called into a meeting later that morning and not only was I not let go, I was given a promotion! Okay, I'm not sure it constitutes as a promotion if your pay remains the same, but the position is a much better fit and I will actually be able to take a real lunch break for the first time in 7 years! lol
On the other hand, there is much guilt in the fact that someone I really care about and have worked with on a daily basis for 2 years is no longer there, and in a huge way it's very difficult to be happy about my new position when someone else is struggling to make ends meet. I would have gladly refused the change, had it meant she still had a job, unfortunately that wasn't an option.
Something I need to come to terms with, I suppose.
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Finally!
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Something I have yet to achieve, but am continuously working on... relaxation...
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Feeling sorry for inanimate objects...
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The start of a great summer read! I am adoring this book!
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A few little drops of water,
the only thing that remains of the serious thunderstorm from last night.

Great trip!

2009-07-06T09:20:00.007-05:00

This past week I had the pleasure of flying into Missouri and spending some time with my best friend, Jess, whom I haven't seen in 11 years. What a wonderful time we had!!! All of her family were there, and a few new little ones that I was lucky enough to meet for the first time. All of those years ago, if you would have told us we'd be grandmothers by this age, we would have hysterically laughed you out of the room, but we both agree that "Nana-hood" is the best!

Jess, I had so much fun seeing you again. Our virtual Sunday morning coffee finally became a reality and I couldn't be happier. Having you back in my life has been such a blessing, thank you so much for everything... (and thank you for not dying on Sunday morning, I will pay more attention in First Aid class next time, I swear!! lol)

I was a little worried I wouldn't get this done in time, with all the ends that needed to be weaved in and then washing it, but I made it just in time to stick in my suitcase before the trip!

A fantastic lunch of Spinach Artichoke Chicken pasta and Peach Billinis. What a great way to pick back up where we left off all of those years ago!

Spent lots of time on the back deck, what a terrific place to hang out, and the weather and view couldn't have been more perfect!

Fantastic food to be had everywhere we looked!

Sweet, sweet babies to be snuggled, I was tempted to take them all home with me! lol

My last night there was spent in the company of family and friends. Lots of fireworks going off at the end of the night, but I had already wandered up to bed by then and didn't have my camera upstairs with me for the ones let off after dark. Did get this pretty "purple passion" one though.

Half way there....

2009-06-29T04:33:00.006-05:00

Holy moly, we made it, we're half way through!!! I never stick with anything this long, doesn't that deserve a medal or something? At least a chocolate chip cookie, come on now... lol

Monday morning, this is what I walked into at the office. Someone did some serious shredding over the weekend lol
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Finally time for a car wash!! Kind of funny that after so much rain that we would even need one.
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A touch of yellow, and in serious need of a gardener!
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Still one of my all time favorites. I was so happy to see these pop up in a place they never had in the past 4 years!
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It's been a really long, hard week. There are some pretty serious changes taking place at work and we are all pretty much in limbo at this time, not knowing what's coming, or if any of us are going. I think we have all reached our threshold of stress, to say the least.
Hubby surprised me with dinner and a pretty bottle of sweet tea vodka, something I've been wanting to try. My mind is having a problem wrapping around the fact that this is not something to be gulped like regular sweet iced tea!! HA!
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Packages from home always seem to come at just the right time and make things so much better. Thanks Dad, I love you too!
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This weekend we had our grandsons over to spend the night. Always so much fun! We went to see the movie UP on Saturday, which I loved just as much as they did lol. Then later in the evening we had our traditional pizza and a movie right here at home, Dragon Hunters was our choice!
This is a typical Sunday morning when they're here...

Big hugs for Pappy, who's off to work.

Cartoon classics and Andy Griffith

Breakfast with well-loved friends.

Free Paint!

2009-06-26T08:32:00.002-05:00

Glidden National Paint Giveaway, what color will you pick?!
Wow, until July 2, Glidden is giving away a free quart of paint, all you have to do is pick your color, that's it!!! I don't know about you but I LOVE just about anything that's free. I picked Candy Apple Red which will work perfectly for the vintage kitchen unit we will be bringing up from the basement as soon as we are done putting new tile in. I can't wait!!

Glidden National Paint Giveaway

Picture a day...

2009-06-22T04:48:00.005-05:00

 Last Sunday - Whole lotta Pogo goin' on. lol

Monday - Yankee Candle Vera Cruz Vanilla, YUMMY!

Tuesday - Smokin' hot chili, another big yum!

Wednesday - Before

Wednesday - After
Made a batch of triple berry and a batch of blueberry cheesecake muffins.

Thursday - New books to read from Paperback Swap!

Friday - Annual work retreat at Cedar Beach.
This is the bridge that leads to the rose garden.

Saturday - One subject three ways challenge...

Sunday - Really this could have been the picture for every day this week just about. We've had non-stop rain for the last month, with only one or two dry days, and it's beginning to look like this whole week is no different...

I am my father's daughter...

2009-06-21T07:13:00.007-05:00

My Dad, the man with the quick wit and sly grin. The man whose ethics and morals have never ceased to amaze me, he works harder than anyone I know.
The man who knows that comfortable silence speaks volumes over mindless chatter.
The man with a deep passion for all things history, just ask him about anything from Civil War to the Biblical times and he can provide you with even the most minute details, enough to fill a thousand books...
He's strong and serious, but that seriousness can never conceal the love that he has always had for his family, they are the most important thing to him, above all else.

I have always admired all of these things and so much more about my Dad. He's taught me so many things in life and will undoubtedly continue to do so.
How blessed I am to have him in my life at the age of 43, that we were able to move past the misunderstandings and antics of my youth and become so close to each other. He never gave up on me, when so many others did or at least wanted to.

For all that you are and all that you will ever be, I love you Dad, with all of my heart!

Mosaics

2009-06-20T09:42:00.005-05:00

I've been taking part in a weekly challenge on the Shutterbugs group over at SparkPeople.com! This weeks challenge was to post one subject three different ways. So I went in to my archives for the Peonies, as well as took new pictures of the vintage utensils, then made mosaics with Flickr Toys, aren't they fun?!
Can't wait until our kitchen is finally done so I can display the utensils in some sort of way. Still not sure what I'll do with them yet, any ideas? I know y'all are full of great decorating ideas!

So we're going on about the 28th straight day of rain now... Chad and I are considering drawing up plans for an Ark right about now, gees! I mean, I know we need rain to make things grow, but this is getting to be a bit much already! LOL Can't really complain though, at least it's not 110 degrees with no rain at all.... It's not a pretty picture around here when I'm breaking out into a sweat at 6 in the morning, the movie The Exorcist comes to mind. Listen, I'm a Southern girl, lived in Texas for most of 36 years before moving to the east coast, and I know I should be accustomed to heat, but I just don't do heat and humidity well at all.
Thank goodness for sweet tea and air conditioning is all I have to say.
So I'll take this rain with a grain of salt, knowing that soon it will be over with, and thank my lucky stars that the temps are still only in the 60's and 70's.

Holy moly - Giveaway Day!

2009-06-15T16:41:00.002-05:00

Go on now, get on over there and enter all of them, and you'd better hurry because they end at midnight on Wednesday!

post script: giveaway!

2009-06-14T07:25:00.001-05:00

Just a note that Flax and Spindle are having an awesome giveaway! Head on over and put your name in the hat if you'd like.

Nothin' much...

2009-06-14T06:15:00.007-05:00

Wow, my posts are getting fewer and farther between, what's up with that? I've been here reading but nothing comes to mind to really post about, but then again I've had an ongoing battle with my sinuses all week and it hurts just to think, much less come up with anything even close to witty or even understandable.
It's been a strange week, readjusting to having my husband home after a 5 day hiatus from each other. He was house sitting for his parents during that time, and we didn't see each other except once when he made me a wonderful dinner over at their place, best dinner I've had in a long time. Shout-out to the man with the cooking skills!

Well, here we are at week 24 of Project 365!

~Monday

A view from the mudroom window out to the back patio area, looks like we've got some work to do!

~Tuesday

Opened up the tea kettle that Dad sent a couple weeks ago and found it was filled with Mexican candy! All the yummy goodness that I used to eat when I was a kid. Thanks Dad, what a great surprise!!

~Wednesday

Hubby came home bearing gifts. He brought beautiful white roses, a bottle of blackberry Merlot, and a sweet card that made me cry. Thanks Honey, I missed you too!

~Thursday

Ludo, dreaming that he's Super cat

~Friday

Pennsylvania skies

~Saturday

Spent the day at a party for some friends of Chad's who got married recently. The party was at the bride's parent's farm, such a beautiful place, a great time was had by all. Congratulations to Jowal and Dora!
~

Always the entertainer LOL

Mud everywhere! Or is that really mud?

Little black kitty peeking out

Beautiful farm, but lots of hard work, I'm sure.

Spotted on the way home, love the red door

Well, I'm off to tackle the mountains of laundry and dishes that I've been neglecting.
Hope you're all having a great weekend!!

The many faces of flora and a few other things besides...

2009-06-07T05:57:00.010-05:00

Wow, are we on week 23 already?! We're just about half way there, hard to believe! I've been enjoying this project so much... Sara's done such a great job of hosting this project, always keeping on top of it, even when things are hectic, big shout out to her!
If you would like to see more Project 365 photos, just click on the button and head on over, you won't be disappointed!
Okay, first off, an admission. I didn't take pictures every day this past week. I let the stress of life get to me and hardly even got on the computer to do much of anything, which says a lot! lol
So the past couple days I've gotten out and took enough pictures to make up for it. I was doing so good about the daily photo, but things happen and I'm just going to pick back up where I left off.

I think this is Queen Ann's Lace but can't be certain.

Blackberry blossoms

Nothing more beautiful than Peonies!

Took this one on my walk yesterday, not sure what they are.

Beautiful!

Clematis

...and again

My best friend, Jess, just got a brand new digital camera and sent me several photos, they were all fantastic but this one is my favorite. I think she really has an eye for photography!
Great job Jess!

Dinner for our fine feathered friends.

Sweet Pea
(from Vanna's Choice Baby line of yarn)

First thing I see each day when I turn the corner on to the main street from our house.

Coffee and tea are always better in this sweet little mug from Dad!

This always makes for a very good day when it comes in the mail!

Winding down...

2009-06-06T19:39:00.004-05:00

~ This home is where my heart is.~

This week has been a tough one. Hubby and I haven't been seeing eye to eye, and when that happens, nothing seems right in our world. It happens to even the best of couples and is usually a time full of growing pains and lessons. If we pay close enough attention, those lessons can be learned without too much damage being done, that is always my hope, anyway.

My thoughts have been focused on what I'm to learn this time around, so far I've come up with patience, understanding, forgiveness, faith... need I go on?

We should always keep in mind that our spouses are human beings and make mistakes, just as we do, and we must learn to be open-minded and forgiving as much as possible, if we are to expect the same in return from them, should we need it. And we all inevitably need it at different points in our lives.

It's also important for everyone to remember that patience and forgiveness should not be things taken lightly or advantage of. Forgiveness always comes at a cost at some point, usually in the form of hurt feelings on someone's part. It is a gift we are given, if we are lucky or loved enough. It should be taken and embraced with our whole hearts and never trampled on.

I have loved my husband from the day we met, I love him more today than I ever have. How do I know I love him? Well, I could go on and on with that one, but the one thing that comes to mind at this moment is that I've never given up on him. No matter how ugly things might get, or how bleak the future might look, I've always known that if we can just forgive each other and keep understanding in mind, that we can weather any storm...

This week in a nutshell...

2009-05-30T20:56:00.009-05:00

day 148 - sweet iced tea anyone?

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day 147 - before and after

On Friday I painted our upstairs bedroom, the peach is what it used to look like (blech blech blech) The right side is what it looks like now, just not so minty green, it shows up that way in the picture for some reason though. Just wanted to document that peachy ugliness before it was gone forever! LOL

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day 146 - whistler

Brand new shiny red kettle came in the mail from my Dad and Step-Mom! Think it would be too much to get a matching stove? I can't tell you how much I'm loving the touches of red with our newly painted black cabinets!

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day 145 - comfortable??

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day 144 - insanity!

All our cat Luto does all...day...long... is cry to come in, then as soon as he comes in he turns right around and cries to go back out.
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~ice cold water melon, just don't eat the seeds, you know what can happen if you do!

~Pappy and his boys.

~Stitches are all gone!

~Hello? Hello? Can anyone see me??

day 143 - Memorial Day

Last Monday we spent Memorial Day at my daughter's house, it's always a great time there! They go all out with great food and I always leave there so relaxed and happy.

Two simple words...

2009-05-25T07:30:00.001-05:00

Thank you

Life is a Picnik

2009-05-24T08:54:00.004-05:00

day 142 - actions

I've been playing around at Picnik.com, using different actions to edit my photos. These are the before and after, using the 1960's action, currently my favorite!

Saturday morning, at last...

2009-05-23T05:07:00.008-05:00

Whew, finally made it to the three day weekend, I wasn't so sure I was going to make it in one piece! lol This will be a fairly busy one for us, painting the bedroom, two bbq's with family, etc... Looking forward to fitting a little relaxation in there somewhere too, definitely my favorite way to pass the time...I was going to post the Dream Home challenge but apparently Mr. Linky is having a few problems, so I guess it's going to have to wait. Sorry about that! Here are my catch up photos for Project 365, FINALLY:

day 141 - early morning

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day 140 - enchiladas

Made them last night, they aren't officially even close to the real thing but we love them!

Enchiladas

12 corn tortillas

cooking spray

2 packages shredded cheese, I use the fiesta blend

3 cans chili, no beans (I would use Wolf Brand, but PA doesn't sell it :o()

You could always add chopped sauteed onions if you care for them

Pre-heat oven to 375
Spray bottom of baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread one can of chili on the bottom of dish.
Heat tortillas in skillet until pliable, otherwise they will crack when you're rolling them.
Fill each tortilla with as much cheese as you want and then roll them up, placing them side by side in the dish.
Heat the chili in a pan for a few minutes then pour and spread over the top of the enchiladas, then top with the remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

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day 139 - naughtiness epitomized!

Won't go into what he's been doing all week, let's just say it's not been pretty and leave it at that.

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day 138 - primed and ready to go

All week my husband has been laid off from work (this happens every school holiday) so he's been busy priming walls for paint. I've got free range to pick the colors, and while I have the bedroom all picked out, I'm a little stumped on the living and dining rooms. Any good suggestions?

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day 137 - Vanna's Choice

Currently my favorite yarn for just about any project. I love the colors and textures. This project will be in Sweet Pea and Linen.

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day 136 - my choice

This week I tried a new recipe for homemade dishwasher soap and the results were fantastic! Usually with store bought soap there are always spots left on our dishes and I always wonder if they are really getting clean, but with this stuff, there was not a spot to be seen!

Tracy has also been experimenting with making her own cleaners, she has the savings broken down over at The Brown Eyed Pea

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Automatic Dishwasher Detergent

~1 Cup salt

~2 Cups baking soda (the kind you cook with, not washing soda)

~ 2 Cups borax (keep out of reach of children.)

~2 Cups Orange Tang (yes, the stuff we drank in the 70's!)

Mix all together and store in an air tight jar. Use 1 Tablespoon in each compartment and wash normally. If you have hard water, you might want to increase the amount to 2-3 Tablespoons and add white vinegar to the rinse compartment.

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day 135 - clusters

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day 134 - opposites

Spent last Saturday out at my daughter's house watching the boys. These two couldn't be more opposite from each other, John is always running around like a little tornado and Josh is usually sitting back taking it all in, giving a step by step account of what John is doing. lol

Still here... sort of.

2009-05-20T19:27:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, I'm kinda still here, but not really. You've obviously figured that out by now though.
No excuses, just tired as anything and everything and just feeling kinda blah. By the time I get home from work I have just about enough energy to watch a movie, check a couple blogs, and eat dinner, what's up with that?!

Anyway, I'll catch up on my Project 365 pictures this weekend, if not before then, I promise! And I'll also try to remember to get the dining room portion of the Dream Home challenge up.

My gosh, is it as humid in your neck of the woods as it is here? I can barely breathe these days!
I bet it's not as warm and humid as it is back home in Texas though, so I'd better not complain too loudly or I might get a few phone calls berating me for my bad behaviour. lol

Speaking of back home, here are some things I've been missing for, well, for about the past almost 7 years. (If you feel real bad for me, I sure wouldn't hold it against you for sticking a little care package in the mail.) Oh, did I just write that out loud? Please excuse my lowly begging, must be the humidity.... Anyway, back to things I've been missing:

1. Big Red (come on PA, get with it!!!!)

2. Wolf Brand Chili

3. Avocados 4/$1.00

4. Gigantic oranges and ruby red grapefruits that taste sweet as sugar.

5. Pecan honey butter

6.  Wranglers (nuff said) ;o)

7. Friendly people who talk your head off at the corner store (even though that was one of the things I wanted to get away from, I miss it now.)

8. People who wave when they pass you on a country road, and don't look at you like you're going to pull them over and rob them if you wave at them.

9. Taco Cabana

10. Frontage roads and not being forced onto a high way just to have to get off one exit down the road! I HATE that.

11. The smell of orange blossoms and honeysuckle everywhere you go!

12. Austin (6th Street and Eeyore's Birthday)

13. Cheaper, well, just about everything.

14. People ALWAYS offer to help you out if you run into trouble. Always.

15. KG's Kitchen, best fried crawfish ever.

16. Jack in the Box tacos.

17. Corner stores with everything from beer to fishing supplies to movie rentals. lol

18. Six Flags Over Texas

19. The River Walk in San Antonio

20. Tons of family and friends. Miss them most of all...

Strange, the things you miss when you go away isn't it? What do they say, Home is the place you do everything to get away from and spend your whole life trying to get back to. Is that how it goes? Can't remember.

Okay, I'll stop now, since you've probably died from boredom by now. Be back soon, till then, wave at a passerby or two, it might just make their whole day.

♥ Tiff

Springtime boo-boos

2009-05-16T07:03:00.003-05:00

So yesterday I'm talking to my grandson on the phone, I can hear him jumping around like he always does, but don't think anything about it. Not more than 2 minutes after we hang up, I get a call from my son-in-law asking if I can come out and watching my other grandson because they need to take John to the hospital. Apparently, while he was jumping around, he smacked his head on the coffee table...
Three hours later...

day 133 - ouch, that's gonna leave a scar.
Seven stitches and a big ol' bruise, and I bet it won't be the last time.

Hangin' out with Joshua while the stitches are taking place.
Can you tell we had pizza for dinner? lol

day 132 - snow white

A better way...

2009-05-13T17:00:00.004-05:00

I was doing my daily blog reading and discovered that Tracy, over at the Brown-Eyed Pea is about to start making her own cleaners. Thought it was funny that I'm doing exactly the same thing here, just as soon as the store-bought stuff is gone. I've had the ingredients sitting in the window sill for weeks...day 131 - simple

Still need to pick up some tang (for the dishwasher detergent) and some white vinegar for fabric softener and all-purpose cleaner, but I'm pretty much good to go. I've been using vinegar and water for cleaning for a while now, but am ready to move on to getting everything else as close to natural as possible.
What about you, do you make your own cleaners, or have any helpful household hints you'd like to share?

Weekly game of catch-up, not to be mistaken for ketchup...

2009-05-12T15:29:00.001-05:00

day 130 - pretty weeds

day 129 - air
Getting ready for a summer that will be here before we know it.

day 128 - Mother's Day
Hubby's task for this year's get together at the in-laws was to make the potato salad. Turned out great, he was so proud that he wanted me to take a pic for my "blogaroo" lol

day 127 - Mt. Airy Casino
Took a drive up to the mountains to clear our heads and ended up at the casino just to check it out. Lots of older men in polyester leisure suits with comb-overs and all the oldies playing over the loud speaker. Felt like we'd stepped back in time! lol

Dream Home Challenge - Living Room

2009-05-10T18:11:00.017-05:00

Welcome back for the second part of our Dream Home Challenge! Today we're describing our dream living room, can't wait to see what everyone comes up with, I know a couple of you were excited about this part of the challenge.

Photo courtesy of BHG.com

Every single thing about this first picture makes me happy! A small but cozy space that feels so homey and inviting. A place where I could sit back comfortably and enjoy whatever I'm doing at the moment. There's nothing about this room that I would change, I don't think. The color on the walls is more daring that I would normally choose, but I love it!

Absolutely adore this Courting Birds lamp! There's always room for pretty little birds somewhere, don't you think?

Then for overhead lighting, I would choose a few pendant lights like these. They cast a nice soft glow for romantic evenings at home.

I would find space for all of my beautiful handpainted birds from Mexico. All shapes, sizes and colors to make up such a fun display! I have always loved this collection and look forward to adding more to it someday soon!

No living room is complete without a beautiful rocking chair for those days when the grandbabies are over and are in need of some snuggle time with Nana! The one in the picture is just perfect, I think. Back not too high, but just high enough to rest your head on, nice comfy cushions for those long nights when rocking a baby to sleep can last a while. (not that we really mind that, do we?)

And these two pictures, well, I am lucky enough to have both of them hanging in my living room now and wouldn't part with them for the world. No matter where I call home, they will always come with me and hang for all to see.

For the floors I would love all hard wood, but would have to have a large area rug to make sitting on the floors nice and comfortable! Love this one with all natural fibers and a cotton tomato red border! Nice and simple but with a touch of color.

I was going to say that I don't think that I'd have a t.v., but movie watching is such a big part of my life so I just don't think I would go that route. I think that I'd choose something like this unit but would put a door on it to hide the tv away when not in use.

Well, this edition of the Dream Home Challenge has been a lot of fun! I'm sorry to have gotten it up a day late, didn't want anything to interfere with the Mother's Day post from yesterday!
Hope that you'll all join in this week by posting about your dream living room and then adding your link to Mr. Linky below!

Next week we'll move on to the dining room!

Mama's Day

2009-05-10T08:42:00.007-05:00

To all of the beautiful women whom I'm blessed to have in my life, whether they are mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, hoping to be mothers, great aunts, sisters, friends... I love you all and just want to thank you for everything you've ever done to make my life more special.

My Mom, who was right when she told me to slow down when I was eating or I'd have stomach problems when I grew up, to eat all my vegetables, that I would regret getting a tattoo, to stay away from the boys, that smoking was stupid... I'm sorry I acted like I knew everything and you knew nothing, way back when. I've since come to realize that you really were the smartest woman in the world. I love you more than you could ever know...

To my beautiful, independent, kind hearted daughter... What can I say? You've been everything a mom could ask for in a daughter. I'm so proud of you for all that you've accomplished, you've grown into one of the most terrific mothers I have ever known, I love you Sweetheart!

To my step-mom Laura; generous, beautiful, smart... Thank you so much for everything you've ever done to make our lives happier. We are so richly blessed to have you in this family.

To my mother-in-law, how lucky I am to have such a beautiful woman as not only my mother-in-law, but also my friend. Always thinking of others, dedicating your entire life to being the best Mom you can. Thank you for all that you do and all that you are!

And last, but definitely NOT least, my best friend Jessica. Words can't even describe how much you mean to me. You've been my rock for all these years, I couldn't have asked for a better friend than you. To the person who totally gets it, I love you!

It's a wrap!

2009-05-08T07:46:00.003-05:00

day 126 - sweetest dreams

FINALLY we've made a decision on the color we will be painting our bedroom. We haven't painted it since we moved in, and let me just tell you, UGLY isn't the word for what it is now - peach with a funky sponge painted border. No wonder I can't sleep, I mean don't get me wrong, I LOVE the country look, just not peach country, it gives me a migraine every time I walk up there. From Olympic Paints: "Dress your bedroom in cool, comfortable colors to create a peaceful atmosphere that will inspire the sweetest dreams". Ahhhhh, they had me at peaceful...

day 125 - beggin' for a cookie
A face only a mother could love

day 124 - Netflix kinda night

What did you think of Curious Case of Benjamin Button? I wasn't all that thrilled with it, to be honest. The concept was really strange to me, so I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I definitely thought it was way too long. I mean the original story was something like 7 pages, how do they turn a short story into a 3 hour movie and keep everyone's attention?!

day 123 - I'm in the wrong line of work

Once again...

2009-05-04T16:44:00.004-05:00

...I'm playing catch-up. Seems like that's always the case lately! Starting to get the nagging feeling that I'm giving myself too many projects to do. So many that I'm not getting any of them done, does that ever happen to you? This past weekend I took a break from everything, it was the first time I didn't multi-task in any way at all. I'm the queen of multi-tasking, or perhaps the queen of ADHD? I don't really know and is there a difference? If I'm watching tv I have to be doing something else like crocheting. If I'm on the computer I'm reading blogs, checking mail, messing around with my own blog, playing around with pictures, tracking calories at SparkPeople... well, you get the drift. I'm constantly on the look out for new projects, recipes, ideas that I know full good and well that I will never ever get to, but the idea is always nice. And I love to dream about pretty or delicious things. Maybe if I looked sexier in an apron, like everyone else here in bloggyland seems to. When I don one all I seem to acheive is frumpy... but I digress. Like I was saying, I took a day or two to just hang out with my better half and watch movies, spending some much needed time alone together, just enjoying each other's company.
Anyway, on with the show.

Here are my pictures for the past few days!

day 122 - random acts of kindness

Thanks so much to Kimmer!!! I came home from a tough day at work to find this box sitting at my doorstep, it couldn't have come at a better time. A cute little notepad to hang on the fridge (I was seriously thinking yesterday that I needed to get one). A sweet little purple travel bag full of all kinds of great goodies like goats milk soap, makeup brushes, lip gloss, etc... Candles, yummy Eucalyptus & Wintergreen body lotion, CHOCOLATE, and best of all, the gorgeous vintage embroidered hanky! You know I love anything vintage, especially if it's embroidered!
Thank you so much Kimmer, what an awesome surprise, and I promise to pass the kindness on and do something special for someone else.

day 121 - nature's way

day 120 - Happy Mother's Day to me!

My daughter and her family stopped by to wish me an early Mother's Day with a sweet card and some homemade chocolate cupcakes. What a wonderful surprise!

day 119 - for the love of blueberries

Dream Home Challenge!

2009-05-02T19:33:00.024-05:00

Welcome to the Dream Home Challenge, everyone, I'm so happy to have you all here, whether you are joining in or just checking things out! I know that everyone is going to come up with something fantastic, and it's neat to know that we will find out more about each other and the homes that all of you dream of!
Please don't worry about making your posts like anyone else's. Your dream home is exactly that, YOURS! So whether you post pictures or decide to go without and just describe your home in detail, any way you choose is just right.
Don't forget to put the link to your post in Mr. Linky below so that we can all visit your page, and thanks for visiting mine!

FRONT PORCH

A cozy, inviting place for friends and family... After searching all over, I finally found the perfect porch, or what I would consider the perfect porch!

Wow, what a glorious place to put your feet up with an old quilt and read a good book! My very own little place to hide away from the world...

I would have a beautiful red door, I've always wanted one of those, that I would never cover. Something that said welcome to all. A place where I could look out on my front garden, or watch the grandchildren dancing on the porch.

I would love a front porch light something similar to this. And magical lights like these that would twinkle all through the night.
Little glass vases that would reflect the twinkling lights at night and lush, free flowing, plants would hang from eaves and railings, giving everyone the feeling of calmness and peace. And delicate windchimes would welcome the evening breeze with a pretty little song. And of course it's always important to remember our fine feathered friends with a place for them to rest their wings and have a little something to eat.

And the furniture for visitors would be comfy and inviting, a place they would have trouble getting up from, but not for lack of comfort! A place to sit and relax with a glass of lemonade or sweet iced tea, to chat and laugh until their sides ached.

I hope that you have enjoyed the first installment of the Dream Home Challenge. Don't forget to tell your friends about it, so that they can join in the fun too. I'd love to see new readers here, and discover great new blogs I've not yet discovered!

Our next challenge will be the living room, I'll put that one up next weekend!

Home...

2009-04-30T17:48:00.005-05:00

Okay, so that's not entirely true, Texas will always be home to me, no matter where I lay my head. But for now, this runs a real close second....

I mean, how can you not love a place with such beautiful things to look at?

day 118 - feeling roots take hold

Stopping...

2009-04-29T17:24:00.003-05:00

To smell the flowers.

One of lifes most simple, yet wonderful, pleasures...

There is beauty in all things.

Days 116 and 117 of Project 365

♥ T.

I'm dreaming of a place....

2009-04-28T16:25:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the first annual Dream Home blogger challenge, I'm so excited about this, and can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for their posts!!! Feel free to snag the little graphic up there. I'll get one made up with code below it as soon as I can figure out how! lol

Just need to let you all know right off the bat that this is NOT a contest, it's going to be all about fun, fun, fun.

So here's how it's gonna go... I want y'all to think about your dream home, you know, that place you would have if money were no object? Whether it's a farmhouse or a mansion, or anything in between.

Now take that house and imagine every single thing about each and every room, then head outdoors and think some more. What does it look like, is it cozy and small, or extravagant and spacious? Imagine all the little details that would make it your very own, would you fill each room with treasured momentos that once belonged to your Grandmother? Or maybe you'd fill it with things that are all brand new!

Would your yard be acres upon acres of vegetable gardens and flowers, if so, what kind? Maybe a few chickens running around? Or would you have a small terrace with a container garden?

Remember, this is YOUR dream home and you can do anything you want with it!!!

So with all that being said, all week I want you to think about one single room (I'll list the first room here in a sec). This week will be a little shorter since we're starting on Tuesday instead of Sunday, but y'all don't mind do you? Anyway... Think about that one room only, down to the smallest detail. You can find graphics online, take pictures to post, or just write about it if you'd like and then you will take those things and put them into a post on your own blog. Then every Sunday I will put Mr. Linky up so everyone can come and link to their Dream Home post so that everyone else can check it out!

I think it's going to be a great way to get to know a little more about other readers, and maybe find a few new blogs you'd like to follow. That's what it's all about out here in the bloggy world isn't it?! With all the stress we face each day, wouldn't it be nice to just take some time to relax and dream for a while?

So make sure you come back on Sunday to link up, we'll all be looking forward to it!! Till then, here's the first post we'll be dreaming up:

THE FRONT PORCH

What kind of front porch would you have? Think about things like paint colors (if you have a favorite paint we'd love to know the name and see a picture!), furnishings, plants, accents, etc... What about the windows and the hardware, what would those be like? Remember, this is yours to create all for yourself, stop worrying about everyone else just for a little bit!

See y'all Sunday! OH, and don't forget to tell your friends so they can join in the fun too! And don't worry, if you can't do it every week, just jump in anywhere!

♥ T.

Dreaming up a challenge.

2009-04-28T04:48:00.003-05:00

So I got to thinking, cus that's what I do when I'm sitting here at 4:45 in the a.m., that I might like to have a challenge here at Window. You know, a challenge where everyone gets involved and I actually attempt to put up mr. linky? Anyone up for it?
Here's a hint, think "dream house" ;o)
And that's it, that's all anyone's getting. Partly because I have to go get ready for work, and partly because I need some time to figure out the whole mr. linky thing. Will try to get it all up this evening, and hope that you all join in! So go on now, start thinking about what your dream house would look like, and you might want to start hunting down pics on the internet while you're at it, the more detailed the better!

♥ T.

Crazy Eights

2009-04-27T14:57:00.004-05:00

Eight Things I'm Looking Forward To:
1. Hopefully seeing my BFF in July!
2. Going home to TX to see my family in September!
3. The book that my brother is publishing.
4. Getting the air conditions put in and cranked up. How did we go from winter to summer overnight, I thought there were supposed to be four seasons in PA...
5. My Mom coming to visit in November!
6. The movie Curious Case of Benjamin Button coming out on dvd.
7. Capris and flip flops.
8. A nice afternoon nap.

Eight things I did yesterday..
1. Sunday morning coffee with my best friend via instant messenger, it's fast become a weekly ritual.
2. Yard work.
3. Almost got attacked by a swarm of wasps in my mudroom.
4. Drove around with the windows open singing to Cake, looking and sounding like a total idiot, and not really caring lol.
5. Took the lattice down from the back porch.
6. Dreaded going back to work.
7. Changed the sheets from flannel to cotton.
8. Painted my toenails #352 Graphite.

Eight things I wish I could do
1. Get a full nights sleep.
2. Get rid of these allergies.
3. Spend more time with my daughter but am happy that she's doing well.
4. Fly to see my best friend, it's been waaaaay too long!.
5. Work from home, seriously.
6. Have a bigger/nicer bathroom.
7. Hire a handyman/yard person.
8. Relax

Eight TV shows I watch - don't have cable anymore but when we did it was:
1. Paranormal State
2. Anthony Bourdaine, No Reservations
3. Down Home with the Neely's on the Food Network
4. Office
5. Ghost Hunters
6. Lockup
7. Women Behind Bars
8. Cold Case Files

I'm supposed to tag 8 people but I don't know who all has done this already so I'm cheating and saying anyone who feels like doing it! lol

day 115 - green

Week 17

2009-04-26T06:35:00.007-05:00

Wow, hard to believe we're almost half way through Project 365! I have taken a lot of pictures this weekend, these are my favorites. So let's just say these are all for days 112 (continued) thru 114, which will finally catch me up to today! Whew, that's clear as mud isn't it? lol

Hubby fixed my bike that's been sitting in the garage for 3 years. I only rode it a few times before putting it away, so glad to have it back out and ready to ride again, and that he finally showed me how to change gears properly without messing it up! lol Hey, what can I say, it's been a looooooong time since I've ridden a bike, and never one that had more than 3 gears....
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It's that time of year again!
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Thirsty little bee
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Japanese Maple, showing her colors
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The sweet little winchime that I've had forever, and realizing the porch is in desperate need of a paint job!
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Friday night bowling with hubby. Unfortunately it turned into the fight of the century, but it was fun while it lasted!

Love the snazzy shoes!

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Coming to fruition...

2009-04-25T06:03:00.010-05:00

My brother David
(just a note that I did not take this picture, although I wish I had been there when Sadie was born!)

For 10 long years my brother has had a dream of putting a book together and getting it published. He's an extraordinary writer and artist, and has always wanted to put his poetry into something tangible. He's not about making money, he never has been, but about leaving something behind for his children and grandchildren. A legacy, of sorts.
I always had faith that his dream would come true, I've always had faith in him to do anything he puts his mind to... but life always had a way of taking center stage. All good things, mind you, first he married, then he was busy taking care of his family, change of job, buying a house, wife going to college working super hard at getting her degree, and then there came new baby, Sadie. David has always had a way of putting everything else before himself. He's kind hearted and generous, never selfish in his desires.
The dream to publish his book has always been just that, a dream. Sometimes placed on the back burner, always for good reason, and sometimes surfacing and urging him to go forth and follow through, so strongly that he could hardly resist. Isn't that the way it always is with artists? The urge to create sometimes taking hold of every fiber in a being, overpowering until it has the person literally writhing in pain, leaving no choice but to put their passion out there and create something beautiful from within. It's no different for him, in fact, I think with him it's sometimes stronger than it is for your average, ordinary writer.
Then yesterday, the call finally came... "I put a deposit down with the publisher"
Those words he has longed to say for over a decade now.
We talked for a while about the format, and what picture he would use for the cover, and what size it would be. All of the details that have been swimming in his head came spilling out, the excitement so evident you could cut it with a knife!
To read some of his writings, please head over to his blog Silence Escapes Me Still I Dream. He has his comments disabled at this time, however if you would like to give feedback on something he's written, please feel free to come back and leave it here, I'll be sure to get it to him.
David, I'm so incredibly proud of you. You're one of the greatest men I've ever been fortunate enough to know, and so blessed to be able to call you not only my brother, but my friend.
It's your turn to shine, 'brobro', all the waiting finally worthwhile. Now take a deep breath and shine like the sun!
(Oh, and don't forget me when you're famous.... just sayin.)

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day 112 - in bloom

Playing Catch-up

2009-04-23T15:32:00.005-05:00

Wow, where did the week go? Oh yes, that's right, I've spent it in a Benadryl enhanced stupor, trying to rid the havoc that the pollen and dog dander are wreaking on my sinuses. BLECH! Anyone else having more problems with allergies this year than any other, or is it just me?

Anyway, here's my little catch-up for Project 365, before I let it get away from me...

day 113 - appreciation

Today was Administrative Professionals Day, my co-workers surprised me with cupcakes and red Tulips, one of my favorite flowers.
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day 112 - April

The picture on my kitchen calendar.
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day 111 - favorite

This painting hangs on the wall in my living room, it's one of my all time favorites.
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day 110 - handpainted details

Part of my Mexican bird collection.

♥ T

Family

2009-04-19T19:01:00.003-05:00

Headed to the park

Mama loves her baby

Home Tweet Home

day 109 - Easter dinner

Today I celebrated Easter, a little late, with my daughter and her family, it was the nicest day I've had in a very long time. It's so good to know that they are at such a great place in their lives; in their new home, enjoying being parents, settling into life... I'm so happy that they realize what they have and that it's the simple things in life that count most of all. It took me 40 years to get to that point.

A good weekend...

2009-04-19T06:58:00.004-05:00

Wow, hard to believe we are already on week 16 of Project 365! Please click on the picture above to learn more about the project, Sara's done a great job of hosting it!
I'm having the best fun, and am now in the habit of carrying my camera everywhere I go learning new and better ways to use the sweet little Kodak c533 that my Dad gave me for Christmas a couple years ago. It's been the best camera I've ever had, thanks Dad!

day 108 - backyard beauties

I'm not sure what these are called, they were here when we moved in.
They have no scent but they sure are pretty, coming back year after year! Something I always look forward to.

It's been the most gorgeous weekend of the year so far! Yesterday I spent a couple hours at the garden center, just browsing and thinking about what I'd like to plant this year. Leaning toward some lighter colored Hostas to break up the dark green of everything else. The husband murdered my blackberry bush that was out back so I'm going to get another one and just plant it in a different spot. He was right, it was taking over and we couldn't even get in and out of the shed anymore, I'll be smarter about where I put it this time, I had no idea how HUGE it would get when I planted it as a tiny little cutting right after we moved in! If you are ever looking for something quick and easy to grow, I would definitely suggest a blackberry bush.
What's with all the bees and wasps this year? Anyone else notice they are out in abundance and pretty much taking over the planet? Can't even walk out to the car without them trying to attack! Will have to see if there are some nests around somewhere and figure out what to do about them. Can't have another incident like last year when John Paul got stung between the eyes!
Hubby finally pulled our bikes out of the garage. I got mine about 3 years ago, rode it a whopping 4 times and then put it away. I know I know.... Anyway, one of the innertubes is no good anymore so he picked one up and is going to get it all fixed up for me. Not so lucky with his, he has to get a whole new rim, but once he does I'm looking forward to nice evening rides together, exploring new routes where we can safely ride without getting mangled by careless drivers!
I'll take a picture of my bike as soon as the flat is gone, it's a cutie, you'll love it! And even Chad, who used to be a big bike rider, thinks I got lucky with the comfy seat, he now wants one like it for his bike.

day 107 - pogo
Anyone else play?

I'll be back later with more pictures for day 109, which is actually today, I'm a little behind but there's nothing new there. lol Headed over to my daughter's house to spend the afternoon with them, in celebration of Easter, since we weren't able to get together last weekend. It will be the first holiday dinner they've had in their new home! Taking over a few little goodies for the boys and am thinking about stopping and picking up some seed packets for them, as well. Nicole is starting her very first flower garden, can't wait to see what she plants, she mentioned roses, but I'm not sure.
Hope you're all having a great weekend full of rest and relaxation!

♥T

Flora x2

2009-04-16T17:24:00.002-05:00

day 106 - at last...

day 105 - pretty pink curly Qs

To Greg at RCN

2009-04-15T04:49:00.002-05:00

Just a shout out to Greg, the customer service guy, at the RCN cancellation department.
Thank you for not pressuring me into keeping services that we can no longer afford since the company you work for decided to, once again, raise their rates for services that were already overpriced! For being sympathetic to our situation and remembering that it's tough enough to have to cancel cable, and that trying to force us to keep it would only make us feel worse. I'm already mourning the loss of some dear friends, MSNBC, TLC, WE, A&E.... And I won't even talk about having to say goodbye to Anthony Bourdaine because I can't bear the pain, but I digress...
I know that being kept on hold for 45 minutes before you finally answered wasn't your fault, I'll blame it on the big bosses who make millions of dollars every year and could care less that I wasted all those precious moments out of my day waiting for someone to finally pick up, while they were probably out golfing and drinking scotch at the clubhouse.
Thanks for keeping the conversation lighthearted and even slipping a little joke in here and there, and for reminding me that this too shall pass! I hope you get a raise soon, Greg, you deserve it!

Take that!

2009-04-14T17:29:00.002-05:00

day 104 - rebel

Waiting till the last minute, because once again we owe...

Nothing like being a rebel, that'll show those bigwigs! LOL

Southside

2009-04-13T18:19:00.004-05:00

day 103 - southside

Okay, I'm cheating today. I've been arguing with the cable company and trying to find ways to cut back on our budget all afternoon and am just too pooped to even think of anything to photograph! I took this a couple days ago and forgot to post it, hope it still counts in some little way.
If you click on the picture and make it bigger, you can see the old Bethlehem Steele in the back left hand corner. They are making it into a casino now but as far as I know they will be preserving a portion of it as the actual Steel Mill. Lots of history there to be certain.

♥ T

Mourning doves...

2009-04-12T17:36:00.003-05:00

day 102 - for life

We spent Easter afternoon over at my in-laws today, delicious dinner of pot roast, green bean casserole, mashed red potatoes, deviled eggs, crescent rolls - soooo good! What a blessing to have such a wonderful meal, something I am always grateful for, especially when times are so tough for everyone.
It was a nice afternoon for hubby and I, getting along exceptionally well is always a good thing, don't you think?
After dinner everyone was standing out on the back deck and I noticed there were two doves sitting on the next deck over, not bothered at all by any of the humans that were invading their space. I thought about how they mate for life, something so few animals do, and when you think about it, it's becoming something that not too many humans do anymore either. So sad...
But I left there thinking how happy I am to have found the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, just like those two birds have done.
It was a good day.
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter and that each and every one of you have someone special that you share your life with, whether it be a spouse or a best friend. Or maybe you're one of the very lucky ones, like me, who just happen to have both!

♥ T.

Wednesday thru Saturday

2009-04-11T13:06:00.003-05:00

Haven't had much of a chance to get on here and post, and when I did have a chance my brain was too tired to think of anything to say! It still is but I wanted to get the rest of this weeks pictures posted before next week starts lol
Today when I got home from work I had a surprise waiting for me on the other side of the door, my daughter and grandsons had come to visit us for a little while. I will never get tired of their excitement every single time we see them!

day 101 - pappy and the boys

sleepy-heads and hairy legs lol

day 100 - shout out to Rita!
chocolate gelato with cherry italian ice

day 99 - red doors and archways

day 98 - best sauce EVER!

hotcakes

2009-04-07T17:17:00.001-05:00

day 97 - not just for breakfast anymore

Hey you, yeah you!

2009-04-07T04:23:00.003-05:00

For all the endless nights you've kept me up with your snoring.... Yeah, those nights, when I had to get up at 5 a.m. but only got about 3 hours of sleep because of those logs you felt you needed to saw EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT.... And then, as if that weren't enough, there are all those times you felt the need to comment on my moodiness and state of mind after said nights when I've only had about 3 hours of sleep...
You know what they say about payback, right?!
Just sayin'.
Now because I love you, and because this is all in fun, if you're real nice to me, I'll think about taking this down.

Days end...

2009-04-06T16:49:00.006-05:00

day 96 - backed up...

Well, as expected, traffic was backed up for miles in all directions because of the bridge painting that's going on. We couldn't figure out what was so important about painting the bridge until someone told us that if they don't paint the bridge it will rust and then there is a chance that the bridge could fall. So I guess I'd rather be stuck in traffic than be on the bridge if that was to happen! But what I want to know is who's gonna pay for all the gas we're all wasting by just sitting there for hours on end?! lol Oh well, it was all worth it in the end because I had the chance to take a bunch of pictures of the neighborhood and when I got home these were waiting for me...

My very first issue of MaryJane's Farm and the new shiny black sandals from the flip flop swap I took part in over at Growin' With It!!! I can't even tell you how happy these two things made me, those sandals will look soooo cute with a pair of summer shorts or a sundress, can't wait for warmer weather so I can put them on and make all my co-workers and friends jealous! hehe
Thanks so much to Lois Lane over at Fearfully, wonderfully made! Yours will be in the mail A.S.A.P.! (and no it's not one of those awful "check is in the mail" cases, you were just quicker on the draw than me lol)

Hope y'all had a great Monday!

Painted bridges...

2009-04-05T14:37:00.003-05:00

day 95 - bane of my existance

For the next month or so, this will be the biggest thorn in my side, every morning and every afternoon. What was 2 lanes on each side will now be reduced to 1 lane on each side while they take a month to paint this bridge, thereby blocking traffic in every single direction there is, ACK.
The only positives I can think of is that I won't be the only one, and there will be plenty of time for taking pictures while I'm stuck in traffic. I love to make people wonder what I'm taking a picture of when I'm driving along! LOL OH, and we'll have a freshly painted bridge when they're done, that will be nice!

tiny little ant

2009-04-04T15:36:00.005-05:00

day 94
little ant ~ big world

Ever feel like that ant up there? Constantly working hard with no pay-off except to make some other Queen Ant's life better? lol

yesterday and today...

2009-04-03T07:16:00.004-05:00

day 93 - that kind of day

Home from work, both yesterday and today. It's raining out, but luckily not too cold, perfect weather for curling up under an old quilt, with a good cup of coffee and an even better book. Finally I have the opportunity to lose myself in a book that I've been slowly making my way through called One Thousand White Women - The Journals of May Dodd, by Jim Fergus. I am so enjoying this book!

day 92 - cake, it's what's for breakfast

Good ol' fashioned dump cake, recipe given to me by my Dad's Aunt Charlotte, many moons ago. I didn't have any crushed pineapple so I used chunks, definitely not the same, but still good. I debated over whether it was a good thing to eat a whole bowlful of cake for breakfast, and then remembered that I'm a grown woman and I can eat cake, as much of it as I want, for breakfast any old time I want to...
Being a grown woman - it's a good thing.

Not my last dance with MaryJane

2009-04-02T14:32:00.003-05:00

day 91 - for the farmgirl in all of us

Can I just say that I ♥♥♥ these books? I have had them for a while but have been saving them to read when I had more time to open a book and actually read what it had to say and not just browse the pictures and ideas. I am relishing each and every word, to say the least, it is nourishing to soul and truly makes the farmgirl in me happy.
Hopefully these won't be the only two books of hers to grace my bookshelves, someday I hope to be lucky enough to have MaryJane's Outpost as well. I just ordered the magazine and can't wait until the very first issue arrives, ever since learning that my favorite magazine, Country Home, was canceled I have been searching for a new one to take it's place, but it had to be something very special since our budget is so tight and I am only allowing myself one subscription per year now. Looks like this will do the trick!
You don't have to own land, have a garden or livestock. Nor do you have to know how to bake, sew, or wear an apron. "Farmgirl is a condition of the heart"!
If this post has piqued your interest why don't you check out the link in the sidebar to MaryJane's Farm or head on over here to get connected?
Hope to see you there!

buttons buttons, who's got the buttons?

2009-03-31T04:21:00.004-05:00

day 90 - missing buttons

The only thing left for this pretty little sweater are the buttons and then I can send it off to my niece Sadie Rae. I'm stumped on whether to keep them simple and delicate or add a little more flair. What do you think?

where I spend my time

2009-03-30T04:31:00.005-05:00

day 89 - where I reside

What about you, where do you spend most of your time?
I recently moved my desk into the kitchen, the husband thought it a strange concept until I reminded him that now we would be able to watch movies, listen to music, check email, etc... while spending more time in the central part of the house, instead of me being closed up in my back office, not coming out for hours on end! I swear I feel like I'm walking out of a cave when I come out of there. Of course it would help if I would spend more time doing other things, I'm definitely aware of that... lol
This computer is a huge part of my life, I'll admit it. It's where I create, gather information, learn new ideas. It's how I stay connected to so many people that I love. So many things that might otherwise be close to impossible, or at the very least quite difficult. It is through this computer that I am back in touch with my best friend and so enjoy sitting down to coffee with her in the early morning hours on Sundays via instant messenger. It's the next best thing to being there right now.
A couple days ago I asked the husband if he missed playing World of Warcraft, which he played faithfully for years but recently stopped playing, and the answer was no, not like I would miss my computer if I didn't have it, we both agreed I'd probably lay down and die if that were to happen.
Okay, I lie, I wouldn't lay down and die, but I think you all know what I mean.
So tell me where you spend most of your time. Is it on your computer, out in your garden, behind your sewing machine, or with your nose in a book? I love to know how my friends spend their days and what their lives are like!

welcome!

2009-03-29T08:47:00.007-05:00

~day 88 - another early morning~

Good to see you've made your way here! For a while now I've felt the need to combine all of my blogs together in one place, I've felt scattered and discombobulated with so many different places to post about the different details of one thing: life.
Passionate about so many things, poetry, photography, creating, writing, etc... I am moody and temperamental at times, joyfull and content at other times, and up until now I've been attempting to keep these things separate, as if... It will be good to have one place for all of these things, where I can express all aspects and views of life and the world through my eyes.
Thank you so much for coming along on this ride with me, I have met so many wonderful people over the last year and a half of blogging, all bringing something unique and beautiful to the table!
The picture above is part of project 365... you can read more about it by clicking the link over on the sidebar. Enjoy!
And for those that don't care for the music on this page, please feel free to turn off the music player by clicking the pause button, the player is at the bottom of the page.