Are you clicking?

Do you click on the Breast Cancer Site everyday to get your click counted? If so you've done a good thing, as each click helps women who can't afford good care, the chance to have a mammogram done. Today, I noticed that a book was being featured, and it looked like a good one to share with all of you. It's full of words of wisdom, that we all need to remember, think about and perhaps grasp as our own new point of view, motto or theme for our daily living.

Life is too short for ironing, nonfat dairy creamer, and regret of any kind.

Stick your nose where it doesn't belong to stop child or animal abuse.

Whisper your darkest secrets to a beloved tree.

From~98 things a woman should do in her lifetime by Rebekah Shardy

Finished Project...

Ok...it's done. Not great, but finished. White paper doilies in the background, chipboard "family" words and old stamps, on top of the glass, giving it a slight 3-D effect. Yes, old Dame, I used the little 6-inch tripod...but, they still turned out raunchy. Get the flail...
It was my first attempt, not perfect...but it'll look good on the wall in our bedroom, where family pics should be.

Taste Testing...

No, No, not this kind of test, sillies! Surely some of you are old enough to remember this type of test screen that came on around 2 a.m, in the ol' days, right?



A n y w a y ~~~I did some serious grocery shopping, and lots of research online for tasty food that was lower in calories, and not too high in WW points. Sigh, Spring is coming, and the urge to purge some of this lard around my waist and butt has hit again. Once the Girl Scout cookies came into the house a couple of weeks ago, the war was lost....so onward, and upward, I try again. Hence, the shopping, now back to the story!


I don't normally make a habit of buying "frozen foods" as food is lower in salt and fat when cooked by my lily whites. (Granted, maybe not as tasty as the selections found in the freezer section at Wally world).

I get the Hungry Girl newsletters and they kept talking about the Healthy Choice Asian meals that are fairly new. They were on sale today, 2/$5.00, me being the cheap wench that I am, I bought one. (What if I didn't like it, what would I do with the other one)?
IT WAS GREAT! Healthy Choice, cafe selections, in a steamer bowl, Asian group. I came home with the Sweet Sesame Chicken, oh my goodness.

This particular meal was 7 points, but worth it. Veggies were crunchy, seasonings nice, rice, nice white meat chicken chunks. Needless to say, I'm going to try the other Asian chicken selections. We love Chinese, and I think Jim will like these too.



Something else that has been a hit with my choco-freak hubby, and I like too, are the Smart Ones, Weight Watcher desserts, in the red and white box. We like the strawberry shortcake, the chocolate chip cookie dough, and the peanut butter cup desserts. These aren't for every night, these are for when you gotta have a little sumthin' sumthin', or you will eat the entire content of the refrigerator.
These will save you from self destruction! Today's price was $1.88 for a box of two. That's one each for you and your dear spouse. If you aren't speaking to said spouse, that means two for you, and at a cost of only 4 points.
It's all about the points !! Okay, it's nice to share, I kinda sorta remember Mom saying something about that during childhood....

Sunday Thoughts...

Today, I did some reading about Prayer, and its effect on people.
Personal experience has taught me well about the power of prayer.
Our family had prayer chains linking across the nation for my brother's daughter in law this Fall. She went in to have a baby, and ended up in the hospital for several months in ICU, with almost no hope for recovery. She did, and is home now, reconnecting with her two daughters, thankful that she got her life back.

Prayer can get you through a crisis; and be extremely meaningful. Did you know that it can enhance the relaxation response in us, and perhaps our health? It's not easy to document the power of prayer. We do know that prayer can offer solace and comfort.
It can lessen hostility and anxiety as well. Prayer can lower blood pressure and affect your quality of life.

Not everyone who "believes" is a congregant.
Many non congregant's are extremely spiritual, they just choose to do it alone, or with nature. There shouldn't be "rules" about where you find your religion. Prayer soothes and heals. Church fellowship can do the same, if you are so inclined. Good can be done without being connected to a church. There are many ways to be a Christian, and to live a godly life. The building with the steeple really doesn't have anything to do with it.

Prayer is the answer however, whether you do it in groups, as you drive, lie in bed, feed your dogs. Small offerings of emotion sent up above on an updraft of good will are accepted by the big Guy. He knows where your heart is. Without Him, you probably don't have a prayer of a chance to get through all we have to in this world. I forget, too often, to give thanks and to say my prayers, unless a crisis pops up. I'm going to work on that.

A dear friend sent me this....

There comes a point in your life when you realize:
Who matters,
Who never did,
Who won't anymore...
And who always will..
So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future..


Thanks Chatty....this one hit home! ZING!

Three Generations...

Coloradolady is hosting Vintage Thingie Thursday once again. Please check her site for more entries of vintage items posted across the country and beyond. This old wooden bed has seen many a dolly and stuffed animal in its day. Buster, my daughter April's cat made it his "fat cat bed" as well. My folks gave me this bed when I was around four. That was 53 years ago.

When April was around two, I painted the sides with tube paints, remember those, to make it her own. Her aunt made a doll bed sized quilt for it. Emmy, was two on February 7th, and April gifted it to her baby girl. She almost painted over her name, but didn't have the heart to do it. The quilt is the one her aunt made over thirty years ago.

It may be vintage, but there is still plenty of fun left in this old bed. Still a soft place for dollies to land. Still room for a cat or two. If April can keep Emmy out of it.

PS/ the retro kitchen in the background that several of you have commented on was Em's Christmas gift from Santa this year! She loves it, and is stirring something up in her little kitchen all the time.

Little Project...need help please!

My MIL in Colorado sent home boxes of crafting items, and a big jar of modge podge when we visited this fall.
Everybody's in a creative mode in blog land it seems. With the tease of Spring, and Easter six weeks away...folks are thinking about renewal...remodeling, and re-doing!
Me too.

My gal pal Melody gave this old window from her century old home to use as a frame. Last night, I started snipping family photos and created this family frame sticking them right on the glass. I'm thinking that it needs torn newspaper, or torn vintage scrapbook paper behind the photos to make them stand out or something. What say you girls? You all are so much more creative than your host here.


Jim had a fit when he found out I used his sander in the garage without his instruction, but, hopefully, it will still work after my unskilled use of it. Melody can create the neatest things out of nothing, and would be a natural window dresser for shops in the big city. Her home is incredible. She's bold with paint, and she has great junk!

Love is in the air...

Josh and Jenny are both special people. They were both born with disabilities that have held them back in some ways, but made them exceed in others. Like "peoplehood".
They are wonderful people to know.
They met thirteen years ago at their special camp that they both attend each June. I don't know what happened, but they clicked. For years, they only met that one week of camp. Last year, we made arrangements for them to have a date night every couple of months. They love it. They plan it over the phone, and Jenny talks with her supportive staff folks, and Josh calls mama.
They drive Jen west, about 28 miles, and I drive Josh east, about 28 miles. We meet in a town that's halfway between. They go see a movie, and eat dinner on a Friday night, while the staff person, and I kill time somewhere.
I think by their faces, you see that they had a special Valentine's date tonight.
The rose was a big hit. Major brownie points for Josh. So, far in thirteen years, they've moved right along to hugging. It's the cutest darn thing to see. One day, Josh says he's going for it...by golly, he's going to get brave, and go wild, and kiss that girl right on the cheek!

Recipes VS Calories

I went to the Mennonite girls can cook site, and found a recipe for peanut butter cookies with three ingredients in it. One cup peanut butter, one cup sugar, and one egg. Stir, make into balls, flatten with fork, bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Easy peasy, and tasty too. I had to taste one to make sure it was OK. I made them for son Josh as a Valentine. Bing, bang, boom....I will bag them up as soon as they cool, and he'll get them. Tomorrow. I hope the zip lock stays zipped. I won't have to worry about Jim, he bought a dozen boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, so I know that his needs are met.

It's a good thing that I found out, online, that chewing gum burns eleven calories an hour. Fidgeting burns seventy calories and hour. If you walk at one mile an hour, whew, look at that blur, that burns up 119 calories an hour. (Now I'm glad that I stopped at one.)

"You ate the elephant one bite at a time,
you'll have to get rid of it one bite at a time."
Govenor Huckabee

Vintage Thingie Thursday...

'Tis time to visit Coloradolady for your Thursday fix of vintage things found across America, and beyond. It's amazing what folks come up with week after week.


These Paul Revere Colonial style fabric pictures go w-a-y back. My mother-in-law has always liked Early American. These Revolutionary War panels are stitched, and puffed with batting, to show off the detail in the fabric print. Mom called them Yankee Doodles. The matching frames are maple, and have little eagles centered in the frame.
She saw them in a store in a small town west of Chicago, where they lived. She saved her pennies from her very strict household budget to be able to purchase them.
They've always been around, says Jim, his entire childhood. They must be nearly 60 years old. The print is still as bright as can be. Mom gave them to us early on in our marriage, and they still remind Jim of his childhood home. It's fun to know the background of these pictures.


Penniwig, I know that you're going to flail me for taking such a lousy picture.

Just a mirage...

It was a glorious 62 degrees out there today, so the corgi kids and I enjoyed a spring walk down a quiet, wide, residential street in our small town. Phooey on the sidewalk, we walked down the middle of the street, like we owned the joint. Hey, that's what you do in small towns. Sidewalks are heaved by tree roots and winter, and the tree lawns are a mush of mud.

Mother Nature is throwing us a curve. Here in Indiana, it's not natural to have springy days on the 10th of February. These are blizzard days; the ground hog knows what he's talking about! My heart knoweth, that this is a fluke, but it was great to be out and about, burning calories and watching the corgi butts wiggle as we walked. No jonquils yet like what Penniwig has seen in Texas!

The corg's and I went to see the pinto ponies before heading home. Pintos as you know, are covered in patches of white and a darker color. Today, they were totally covered in mud. Even the horses got a taste of spring today, and did some serious rolling. (Do you think that actually feels kinda good?)
Today was a temporary reprieve...because deep down I knoweth, that Spring, really hasn't cometh yeteth.

America's new need to cope...

America is facing a huge challenge. Many of us are facing trials that we never have before. The American Dream is under fire, and burning up fast. I was reading an article at EverydayHealth.com and the title of it was:
8 ideas for Coping with Job Loss and Avoiding Depression.


1) Be realistic
2)Manage your money
3)Create a daily routine
4) Get emotional support
5)Learn how to manage stress
6)Set everyday goals for yourself
7) Don't isolate yourself
8) Maintain a healthy lifestyle

We could be in this mess for some time. I'm job-hunting. During the search, I'm on the call list for subbing in any of our local schools cafeterias. My girlfriend and I are taking a seminar of five workshops to whip our resumes into interesting reading, boost our interviewing skills, build on our strengths, and basically boost our egos.
Being 57, and trying to re-enter the job force (after two years of rv'ing and living the good life) when there are no jobs is murder on this ol' gal, believe me. What I'm trying to convey is... make use of this time in some way, if you're in the same fix. Take a class, read more, visit with your friends that you haven't seen for some time. Start walking, just do something, that's good for you...something you wouldn't normally do.

The gals, who I have met online, have made me feel better, made me laugh, and feel connected again. It's so strange, in a wonderful way, how women can care about each others lives eventho they have never met personally. Women are pretty cool. We have the WOW factor. We need to remember that.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Emerson!

Oh this Grammy missed out on a good party today being held down in Chapel Hill on Sunday. It was 70 degrees in that part of North Carolina, making it a perfect day for Emmy to throw bread at the ducks in the Sarah Duke Gardens, on campus at Duke University.

Emmy likes pink, and a lotta bling! She's very much into assessories. Her Mama, April, my baby girl, decorated a "Dora the Explorer" cake for her. She's a talented cake decorator, stampin'/scrappin' gal, and uses her creativity to bring joy to her little girl.



Emster, I hope being two is so much fun...and, with your independence spurt, it could make for some interesting days for your Mama and Dad-doo.

Vintage Thingie Thursday...

Can you believe how HIGH these CD interest rates were in 1980?
Holy moley, have we ever gone downhill since then! We're barely getting a half-point these days on our savings.Let's just hope that "Happy Days" will come visit us again before the decade runs out.
To see more vintage items, of much more interest than this entry, please stop by ColoradoLady's site.

Is your marriage Fireproof?

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Marriage isn't easy, and many of us cannot say that "ours" would be Fireproof.
I've been divorced, was single 15 years, and now, have been married to Jim nearly 12 years. We've had our ups and downs. We both came with baggage, and old hurts. We met at age 45. Our nests had emptied. Together, we've been able to enjoy traveling; seeing and doing things that we had only dreamed of. For most of us, marriage is a roller-coaster. Some couples are extremely tight and unflappable. Bully for them. I mean that truly...both of my brothers are blessed in unions like that. Marriage, it seems, needs a lot of nurturing, after the cake and thrown rice.
Many of us forget that, and there lies the rub!

This is one movie that I am going to purchase on DVD.
If you'd like to take the couple test from the Fireproof site, click here. It tells you where your couple strength is, and where your weaknesses are.
I've been talking a great deal lately with Chatty Crone on this subject. Her recent entries explain all this so much better than I can. She's a smart cookie, and I value her wise words.

Reading for the ages...

Middle age isn't for sissies. If you're a sissy girl, and most of us out there, are not, you need to buckle up for a bumpy ride. Many of us are doing some soul searching while we are in our men-o-pause. It's a time to re-think, re-value, and sometimes re-construct our lives. We have time now, as our nests empty, to think a thought all the way through, without any type of interruption! Many of us think it's long overdue, and are enjoying our journey back to self.

I've always had a pile of books next to the bed to get me through the night, or at least sleepy. This is how it was during my period of living single following a divorce at age 30. This is how it is during my twelve year old marriage. It's therapeutic, and a quiet time of bliss, with the corgis next to me in bed. Besides, that...I just adore new novels over TV any ol' time.

Here is a listing of authors and titles, which concern "our" population. If you're a boomer, you're in or have gone through menopause. You've gone through the highs and lows of emotions; of your children leaving the nest; of perhaps a changing marriage, leaving you with time (emotional or physical type of time) on your hands. Anyway...your life has changed. These authors have written about the middle-aged woman. That's us tootsies, so get your pencil out, and make a note if you'd like to.

Elizabeth Berg~~Never Change
Barbara Taylor Bradford~~Her Own Rules
Lois Battle~~The Florabama Ladie's Auxiliary Sewing Circle
Elizabeth Buchan~~Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman
Mavis Cheek~~The Sex Life of my Aunt
Sandra Dallas~~Buster Midnight's Cafe
Jennie Fields~~The Middle Ages
Doris May Lessing~~The Summer Before the Dark
Tarna Janowitz~~A Certain Age

This list could go on and on. There are so many fantastic authors out there. Make friends with your librarians! They're great gals who read too, and... who love a bag of candy occasionally.