Weekend Doings

~
I hope all of you are having a lovely weekend. The weather here is beautiful! It is lovely hearing the birds twitter, chirp and sing. I started this in the morning and now it is afternoon.. the day is going fast! It has warmed up and the ac is on and the only noise from outside is traffic. Our street used to be so quiet.

Yesterday I washed our quilt. It is nice having a washing machine big enough to hold it. It was a pain going to the laundry mat to wash. I hung it on the clothes line to dry. The bedroom smells of the great outdoors now.

I bought this quilt in 1992. I put it on layaway at Belk. I think it took me two months to pay for it. I was going to buy the pillow shams too, but by time I paid for the quilt the design was no longer carried. The design is called Pineapple. It is well quilted and should last the rest of our life and then some if it is properly taken care of.



Yesterday we went to a fish fry at Frank's brother's home. Tom can sure fry fish up good! The hush puppies, grits and fries were good too. There was also slaw. I can't eat slaw, but I'm sure it was good.

It was sure fun watching our grandniece. Hayden is cute, but she can get a little rough at times. She bit her Mama when her Mama took away a rabbit from her. The rabbit is the doorstop.. not real heavy, but heavy enough to hurt a toe. Katie is expecting her son on July 14th. I asked her if they had picked out a name and she said it may be "Double Trouble" if he takes after his sister :-)

Here Hayden is with Nugget. Of course they both move a lot!

A little kiss behind the ear.

I enjoyed talking to everyone. Even though they all live close by we only see them a few times a year.

Last night we watched the movie TAKEN with Liam Neeson. It was an okay movie. If I rated it... maybe 5 stars out of 10. The fight scenes just got a bit tiresome.

We usually make a run to WalMart on Sunday morning. They aren't very busy that time of day. Today I was too dizzy to go so Frank did the shopping. I woke up yesterday morning with a stuffy nose. When I got out of bed I could barely keep my balance. I have fluid in my ears again. I washed them out and put a solution of vinegar and rubbing alcohol in them. I also rinsed my sinuses.. oh joy :-( Hopefully that will do the trick along with the Zyrtec and I won't have to go to the doctor. Did I mention how tired I am of going to doctors?

This morning we made brownies... mostly Frank. Half will go to Frank's sister. She is undergoing a bit of stress now and chocolate always helps to relieve stress :-)

For dinner today we had grilled pork chops, green beans with freshly dug potatoes from the garden and buttermilk cornbread.

Rest for the rest of the day :-)

Shopping

~
Before taking you shopping... I'm doing a couple of paragraphs to vent on everyday life that you can skip.

I'm a bit tired of going to doctor offices. Thursday I had the nerve conduction and EMG tests. Those needles hurt a bit going into my muscles. I go Friday to the orthopedist for the results. We each have a doctor's appointment on Friday. We want to go somewhere and explore... just have fun! I know it will all happen in due time :-)

Yesterday I went to Mama's doctor appointment. Mainly because I haven't seen her since Christmas. I talk to her once or twice a week, but it just is not the same as seeing her. She looks so much tireder and frailer than I last saw her. She has to increase her water pills for a few days and she has to start watching her salt intake. She is in a lot of pain still and will go in a couple of weeks for an injection in her back to hopefully reduce the pain.

After my tests on Thursday I went over to the mall to shop. Did I mention that I hate shopping? We had all ready looked at WalMart, KMart and Target for a pocketbook for me. I use a string wallet most all the time. It holds the basics. I just can't carry all that weight around. I usually have a pocket book that will hold the wallet plus meds, tissue, comb, lipstick, lip balm and bandaids... a basic first aid kit :-) The pocketbook is mainly used for day trips... for travel and stays in the truck. The last one, made of nylon lasted for five or six years.

I started my shopping journey at Sears. Oh My! I could not believe the bags I saw. They were so gaudy and looked something like the bags from the late 60's into the 70's. A colorful print would be fine with me, but not these gaudy prints and none were the size I needed... I didn't need a large tote size.

Then I dropped into Pic N Pay and Shoes for Less... nothing any better. Then I went into Dillards. Pricey even gaudier pocketbooks there. One was priced $99 dollars and honestly, I would not even have bought it if it were .99¢

Then I went to J C Penney. They usually have a good selection. There bags looked a bit better, but didn't have all the pockets I wanted to keep everything sorted. My last stop was Belk's. They too had the gaudy pricey pocketbooks. Then I noticed the ones that were on the clearance shelves. Some were quilted and looked nice and had several pockets. Then I spotted a canvas one. It had lots of pockets. The original price was $48 and the mark-down price was $23.99. Not bad... a bit more than the quilted pocketbooks, but it appeared to be sturdier. I decided to get it especially since an additional 50% would be taken off at the register. For $11.99 I got a pocketbook that should last for years.



Of course I had to look at the clothing to see what was on special. I found a couple of pair of capri pants for $14.99 each... I would never pay the original $30 price.


Before taxes the total was $41.97. I saved $66.03. To hate shopping so much I think I did well :-)


I do like to browse through antique, junk and thrift shops... that is totally different than shopping for something that is a necessity :-)


As I composed this I kept trying to use the words purse and handbag, but from my Southern upbringing comes the word pocketbook and so that is what my fingers typed :-)

Friday Shoot-Out - Water

~
Lots of rain here this past week, so you get some pictures from around the house... and a couple of old pictures of our town. All except the older pictures can be clicked on for a larger view.

I put the water on for tea.

Elephant Ear plant holding water from the rains

Raindrops on the vinca.

Raining on the salvia & verbena

Rain on the barrel lid reflecting a bit of light.

I was cleaning the bird watering hole which is a shallow metal pan. Drops of water dripped from the water spout and I took a few shots.

After my nerve conduction test and EMG yesterday I went over to the mall for a bit of bargain shopping. This is the center court water fountain... sunlit. Taken with my Sony pocket camera.

An older picture of children playing in the water fountain at River Park.

An older picture of the Flint River... when my Sony f717 was going bad, so the color isn't quite right.

For a list of more bloggers participating in this challenge go to Friday Shoot-Outs . The list is located over on the right-hand side. Patty has done a blog to explain the rules at Friday "My Town" Shoot-Out and tells how it all started.

Map Photos -- Childhood Home

~
Frank and I were playing with Google maps and Live Search maps. I looked the home up that I lived in for thirteen years of my life.... from ages five to eighteen. The house is just a couple of blocks from where Frank's parents live.

The first picture below is one my parents took of our home and it doesn't scan well. I think that is a pecan tree pictured in front of the house. The pecan sap got on the car and awnings so Daddy cut it down and a magnolia tree was planted. A Japanese Magnolia was added to the front yard at one time. In later years Daddy got rid of the boxwood hedge. Awnings were added over the windows and a porch was built and an awning put over the porch. Daddy enclosed part of the carport and with the utility room it became a dining room. The washing machine (no clothes dryer back then) was moved to the kitchen. The house has three small bedrooms. My sister and I shared the corner room at the front of the house. My three brothers had the bedroom across the hall. Mama and Daddy had the bedroom next to my sister and me. The small bathroom was located across from Mama and Daddy's bedroom. Each bedroom had a very small closet and the hallway had a small linen closet and a small coat closet. Daddy's Army duffle bag hung there for our dirty clothes to be put into. The dogs also slept in this closet... no doors to any closet to begin with. Curtains were over the closet doors in the hallway. In later years vinyl accordion doors were installed. The living room was small... especially when we all sat down to watch tv. It became smaller when the tree was added at Christmas. The kitchen after Daddy built the dining room was big enough to hold a large chest freezer, refrigerator, washing machine, stove, utility cart and a step stool. Cabinets only lined one wall of the kitchen. Daddy added a shelf over the freezer that held dishes. The floors were black tile pattern... I'm sure some of you have seen that type of tiling. The dining room and kitchen were tiled with yellow and green tiles alternating. The kitchen walls were always painted yellow. The dining room and living room walls were paneled in later years. My sister and I got to pick the color our bedroom was to be painted one time and we chose periwinkle.

If you click on the picture you will see a bit more detail.



This is a bit scary to me... A street view from Google maps. I cropped it a bit.... just so you don't know the exact address... which has changed from when I lived there.

There was a tornado in 1994 that went through the backyard. I think the trees in the front yard were taken with the wind from the storm. Since my parents owned the home the carport has been completely enclosed. The awnings are gone and shutters have been put up. The two cement lanes for the driveway remain. We used to roller skate up and down those lanes. The road was gravel then, so we couldn't roller skate there. I never was any good at roller skating.

If you click on the picture you will see a bit more detail.



This picture is a Bird's Eye view from Live Search. Cropped again to protect the innocent :-) My old home is the third house from the corner with an arrow in front. Where the highway is used to be houses... the road is why my folks moved. There has been an addition to the back left corner of the house. I bet a new utility room was add. The cement pad my Daddy laid is still there. We used to set out there and pick the ticks off the dog... smash the ticks with a hammer and put them in an ashtray to be cremated :-) There used to be wisteria trees lining the left back portion of the fence. When they bloomed our swing set was moved up by the house... to help prevent bee stings. The tornado in 1994 took the pine trees from the back yard and the neighbors' pecan trees. The backyard was big enough we could play baseball. I used to be able to hop the fence to fetch the ball.... by my teen years I could knock the ball over the fence too. There were homes directly behind us and woods nearby to explore back then. We didn't live very far from the river and it is amazing one of us didn't drown when we snuck off to explore there.

If you click on the picture you will see a bit more detail.


We had fun exploring with Google and Live Search maps. We can understand how they get the Bird's Eye view but the Street View. Now someone had to be right outside the house to take those pictures... you think?

An Award -- What's Cooking?

~
Lynn at Lynn's Lovelies was kind enough to award me this One Lovely Blog Award. Lynn truly has a Lovely Blog... please pay her a visit.

So after receiving this award, I am to do 2 things~~~
* Accept this award and

** Pass it on to 15 blogs that I have recently discovered

The first part I can do easily. The second... I can never choose. I enjoy each blog I read. If you see your blog under Blogs I Like to Read over in the far column of my blog... feel free to grab this award. I feel each of you deserve the award.

I now have 25 followers. It is a surprise to me that anyone reads my ramblings :-)

________________________

Yesterday I made my version of Beef Stroganoff. I've posted the recipe in my recipe blog.

Chopped Mushrooms

Mushrooms, Onions and Ground Beef browning. Sometimes I use chopped stew meat.

Added the Medium Noodles.

A couple of dollops of Sour Cream was added. I usually use a bit more, but that was all the sour cream I had. I couldn't get the coloring correct in this photo :-(

Frank has some lights that I could clamp onto a cabinet. I think I would get better pictures in the kitchen using them... I just need not to be so lazy.

Yummy... ready to eat with my mushy peas and carrots.

Leftovers for today! :-)

Oh... Marcy finished her sister's birthday cake... it is beautiful! Take a look and drop her a comment. I used to decorate cakes, but I never did as well as she does. She changed the url of her blog to Lady M's Cakes.

Military Service -- What's Buggin' Me

~

This is the only picture of Daddy in his uniform that I have on this computer. It was taken when he was on leave in Hawaii.

Daddy gave part of his life during WWII to serve his country. He was trained in the desert and was then sent to Attu. Daddy didn't talk much about his time in the Army. I think it was just too painful for him. Daddy was a medic. While at Attu he treated a lot of frostbite. He talked of soldiers losing some of their digits and sometimes their feet from frostbite.

This is what part of his military records states:

SURGICAL TECHNICIAN - Was in the Pacific Theater of Operations in a Medical Detachment with the 7th. Infantry Division. Participated in the Aleutians Islands, Eastern Mandates, Southern Philippines and Ryukyus campaigns. Advanced with the Infantry on all their landings. Treated men as soon after they were hit as possible. Performed first aid on all types of wounds. Was wounded carrying out his duties on Leyte in the Philippines.

My three brothers served their country by joining the Air Force. My brother Zarone spent 20 years in the Air Force.

Frank, my husband, spent 20 years in the Army. He served in the music field. He marched in many parades and played many concerts. The hardest part of his service was funeral services for our fallen soldiers.

Frank's Dad served during the Korean Conflict with the Marines.

I am thankful for their service to our country and for each man and woman that have served and are serving our country.

In between rain showers I took a few pictures of my favorite subject matter with my camera lens, insects. I know some insects are downright creepy and ugly. I find them interesting though and love going into their small world. My shoulder makes me a bit shaky and I find it impossible to take pictures of some insects with my camera on a tripod... so it takes me a few shots to get a photo that isn't very blurry.

Bee on Salvia

Bee on Salvia



Ladybug on Salvia



Ladybug on Salvia



Green Fly



Brown Stink Bug on Salvia



Long-Legged Fly.... blurry... sitting on a hydrangea leaf

A Bargain and I'll Take A Verb?

~
A week or so ago I whammed my next to the little toe a good'un on one of our doorways. It is probably slightly fractured. The pain is about gone and the color is back to normal. It is still a bit swollen and hurts when it hits the floor in certain ways.

I can't seem to go barefoot very much anymore. My indoor open-toed shoes were worn out. So we shopped this last week for open-toed shoes for me. The style this year seems to be flip flops or thongs. I don't like to wear flip flops / thongs... the strap between my toes just irritates.

Our last stop was WalMart yesterday. Frank helped me look and he found some that were on clearance for $3. Granted they aren't much to look at, but for $3 and will be worn indoors... I don't care. They give me enough cushioning and my toes are happy :-)

I prefer the straps up for a quick slip on-off.

@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Frank asked me this morning if I had dreamed about games shows again. A few days ago I had a dream about two tv stars in a game show. Hurley from ABC's show Lost was one of the contestants and I can't remember the name of the other star. I do remember that it was a very strange combination.

I answered Frank's question that I didn't remember dreaming of anything last night. I asked him why. He said I clearly asked for a verb ... um a verb?

now was that a catagory in

I know it could not have been

Sometimes I wish I could remember all of what was in my dreams and other times I wish I didn't remember as much as I do :-)

I don't watch game shows very much any more. I loved the old game shows of Concentration, To Tell The Truth, I've Got A Secret, Queen For A Day, Password, Match Game, Hollywood Squares, Name That Tune, The Dating Game, Joker's Wild, Lets Make A Deal, The Price Is Right (Bill Cullen as host), Tic Tac Dough, Truth Or Consequences and What's My Line. I do sometimes watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, but the other game shows of today just don't interest me.

Do you watch game shows? What are your favorites? Come across a bargain lately? What are in your dreams?

Memorial Day

~
Frank and I did a little shopping yesterday. As we came out of one store a member of the local American Legion Axillary sat behind a table with red poppies. My heart just swells each year I see them.

Each nine-piece poppy is made by veterans for veterans in Auxiliary sponsored Poppy Shops that supplement physical and psychological therapy needed by hospitalized and disabled veterans. The Auxiliary provides the materials and the volunteers. The veteran makes the poppy and is paid a small amount for each painstakingly made flower. For some it is their only income. They are never sold... they are exchanged for a contribution.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

It is a great pleasure to honor those that have served our country to the highest degree by giving their life.

Now wipe the tears from your eyes and enjoy your weekend!

Friday Shoot-Out - Paint The Town Red

~
Friday Shoot-Out - Paint The Town Red... in my case Paint The House Red. I wasn't able to get out and about town and take pictures... most of the week the lighting has been awful with clouds in and out and yesterday rain in and out. I had fun finding things that I enjoy in my home.

First I looked in my kitchen... first thing I thought of was Campbell's Soup. They make such a souper supper :-)



This is a picture I took a few years back. It was taken in Turtle Park which is at our River Front Park. I had a very fun day that day.... even though its is the day my camera died. The colors in the camera went haywire... which even going through my editing program you can see here. It only got worse. Sony repaired it for free... shipping and all.

Then there are canned stewed tomatoes that can be whipped up into a lot of quick dishes. I like the Del Monte brand better, but my pocketbook likes the Great Value brand.



Then there is ketchup. Frank likes ketchup better than I... I put it on fries so I can swallow them :-) I also use it in recipes.


Then there are a couple of tomatoes sitting on the counter ready to be sliced and eaten.



My favorite snack with cheese is Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers.


Frank's mother painted this design of strawberries on a cutting board for me and it hangs on the kitchen wall.


I made some potholders out of fabric with a strawberry theme. I made an apron too. I just cannot for the life of me remember where I put it... I want to hang it in the kitchen again... a little decor.


In our travels I've collected a Rock City Gardens plate and lighthouse salt & pepper shaker set. They always catch my eye when I look at my collections of this n' that.


I bought this balloon for Frank on Valentine's Day in 1993. It seems the balloon is going to stay inflated forever. I love seeing its words each day. Sometimes you don't think you can love a person any more than the day you married them.... but my love grows each day for my Sweetheart.



When we go for a medical test or one of us has to stay overnight in a hospital this Coca Cola bag accompanies us. It will hold reading material, puzzle book and snacks. When we go on trips it may hold camera accessories. It is serving us well.



This is an item I almost gave away. I don't wear it anymore and don't know why I keep it. I prefer pjs to night gowns. It is pretty, silky and shiny and I do like those qualities.



This is an older picture. It is of a gumball machine that I like. No those aren't gumballs they are chinese checker marbles. I have the machine filled about halfway up with them. The machine is in the back bedroom (the bedroom is being packed up for renovations later this year... maybe) and it is a bit hard to get to the machine for a picture.

Frank has highlighted our trip routes in this Road Atlas. I'm hoping soon that he will be highlighting more routes.



For a list of more bloggers participating in this challenge go to Friday Shoot-Outs . The list is located over on the right-hand side. I now understand the rules better and next week I should do better with the subject matter of water for next week's challenge. Patty has done a blog to explain the rules at Friday "My Town" Shoot-Out and tells how it all started.

Our weekend will be relaxing.... rain will keep us indoors for the most part. Time will be spent reading, watching tv or a movie.

Y'all have a great weekend!