TO BECOME MY TWIN??? SEPTEMBER 30 2012 ....
Am currently taking applications. It would just be a temporary job - only lasting through October. You could have your choice of things to do.
1. The landscapers are to start Monday. Someone has to make sure they do it right.
2. The carpenters are supposed to return Thursday. Again someone has to make sure they do it right.
3. Thursday I will be setting up at Oglebay Park for Oglebayfest. That is the hard part.
4. Friday is opening day for Oglebayfest. That is the fun part.
5. Sunday is closing day, and tear down day. That is both fun and hard.
6. The weekend of the 13th the kids fly home from Arizona for the remainder of the month. That is the best part.
7. The carpenters may still be here. The landscaper will definitely be here. I have one week to complete Oglebay paper work, re-stock what needs to be restocked, and get ready for the two weekend art festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds. And entertain company. This the "frazzled" part.
8. I thought I was retired. One little thing I left out. Because of the fairgrounds art festival I can't go to Orlando with daughter Rebecca for the writer's conference. This is the disappointment. I really need to figure out how to be in two places at once and also do the bejillion little things that need done at the same time.
Bossman just looks at my calendar, shakes his head, and makes arrangements to work from home. I haven't figured out how he can WORK from home doing his job, and SUPERVISE the carpenters and landscaper. And entertain his sister and brother-in-law. But I guess that is his problem. I have my own problems.
Well, getting about time to get ready for Church. This is 'loose change' Sunday. They pass around tin buckets and we all drop our 'loose change' into the bucket. Everyone tries to make the most noise doing so. The loose change is used to help support some of the things we donate to. So, all I have to do is remember to take my 'loose change'. The more I have the more noise I can make.
Have a great Sunday and God Bless.
I'M OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS ...SEPTEMBER 29 2012...
All I wanted to do was grocery shop. That's all. Just buy some food - both people and cat.
It's a good thing I always (well, almost always) have a camera with me. Otherwise they would not believe this.
It is a beautiful fall morning, about 9 a.m. I arrive at the Highlands and head for Wal Mart. Just as I enter their parking lot I saw the above: No other cars around. No person I could see, but said person could have been sleeping in the - whatever it is.
No one has me on a leash. No reining me in. I park, grab my camera and, of course, take pictures. As I was photographing this, other early morning shoppers (well, maybe not so early), were slowing down and looking.
I took my pics, did my shopping and headed home. My "photographic moment" had disappeared, as if it had never been there.
You can obviously see why I said no one would believe me without the pictures to back me up. I really am not crazy, also some folks definitely try to drive me over the edge. Guess I had better not go into that, especially today.
I hope you enjoy this beautiful fall day and God Bless.
FIRST TO FIGHT .... SEPTEMBER 28 2012 ...
I have finally finished Charles R Dowling's newest novel 'FIRST TO FIGHT'. Between getting ready for festivals, 'supervising' home remodeling, fighting with my computer it has been slow going. But well worth while.
Stories about war are not my usual reading. I am glad, though, that I read this book. It is a great story about our Marines. I believe that anyone who ever was a Marine, is a Marine, or plans on being a Marine,would thoroughly enjoy this book. I am none of the above and I enjoyed this book.
The book follows Colonel Forrest 'Starchy' Glenn , a career Marine, through WW II and the Korean war.
The in-depth details about the battles on the Islands in the South Pacific during WW II, and the following battles during the Korean war are amazing. And sad. And frightening.
Starchy Glenn kept journals all through his military life. These journals covered the battles, the friendships, the hardships, the good and the bad. It was during one of the battles in the South Pacific that Starchy decided to share his journals with Father Canavan, asking him to safe-guard the journals so that future generations will be aware of what went on.
In addition to the journals were copies of the letters he had written to his wife Hannah. The one odd thing Father Canavan found was that there were no replies with Starchy's papers. He would have to ask about that.
As Starchy finished additional journals he passed them along to Father Canavan. WW II ended. The Korean war began.
The story also follows two young recruits during WW II who ended up being in Starchy's unit, and the three became good friends. The story follows the path the young recruits followed, their personal lives, their fighting abilities, and how they faced the impossible, proving that nothing is impossible.
And then there is the final chapter when Father Canavan follows the trail to locate Hannah, and to decide what to do with the journals.
Anyone interested in history, the armed forces, the Marines in particular, and that particular period of time will find the book fascinating, factual, a 'got to see what happens next' mind-set. No matter what interruptions you may encounter, you always return to the book, to see 'what happens next'.
I have decided that I am going to like these 'book review' assignments. I love to read. I love to share. And I know that any book published by Double Edge Press will be well worth reading.
If you need a good book to read, you now know where to look. Enjoy your day and God Bless.
OF EVERYTHING....SEPTEMBER 27 2012 ....
It is one of those days. Nothing and everything. Supposed to be workers here to start the cosmetic work on the kitchen, etc.
Got all excited. Heard vehicle in the driveway. When no real people materialized want out on the deck to see what was what.
Just about then a truckload of gravel was dumped. What on earth? We don't use gravel in the kitchen.
Then the light-bulb came on. Landscapers. But they are not supposed to be here until next week. Carpenters are supposed to be here today. No wonder I am nuts.
I guess the landscaper is ready to start putting in our new sidewalks so you don't have to: 1. walk on the grass, or 2. try to walk on very uneven stones. He is planning on starting tomorrow, depending on the weather.
Will probably have the sidewalks before the remodeling is done.
Then bossman called me from work. I guess the carpenters are on their way. I'll believe that when I see it.
Now for better things. Yesterday morning when I sat down at my computer (yes, I haven't used the sledge hammer on it yet) and glancing out the window there was a young deer, still had its spots, laying in my front yard, happy as a little lark. Mom was grazing not too far away.
Seems pretty late for young deer with their spots, but we have noticed that the young are being born later and later in the season. They are as out of whack as I am.
They must have been there for a good 20 minutes, after I saw them. Don't know how long before.
A week to go and will be setting up for Oglebayfest. One of my very very favorite fall festivals. Oglebay Park is such a beautiful place to start with, and when the festival is in full swing, the park is packed (literally) with people. You had better not wait too long before you head to the restroom, as you will have to fight your way through the crowds.
Doesn't matter what the weather. The folks still come and come and come. I have done this festival in 90 plus degree weather, pouring down snow, gusty rain-storms, wet and so cold you could not roll up the sides of the tents because they were frozen solid.
Did I say this was an outdoor festival? The good thing is - they put up the big tents (each tent holds 12 exhibitors), they are well staked down, so far nothing dastardly has happened.
So pray for a nice weekend. Take the time to come and visit. But come early as it gets very crowded later in the day. In addition to the artist's market (where I will be) there is a Germanfest, Country fair, ethnic food, the Garden Center, the Lodge serving their famous breakfast buffet, you name it, it is there. This is a park-wide festival.
Enjoy your day, stay dry, and God Bless.
A HATE / LOVE RELATIONSHIP....SEPTEMBER 26 2012 ....
After my blog yesterday I had a great phone call from 'Belmont Betty' with a suggestion.
As I am completely computer il-literate I never (almost) do anything without running it by bossman. He is one of the IT guys where he works and knows 'all' about computers.
I know how to do what I have to do, when I try to do something I know that I know how, and it doesn't work - time to panic.
Told him last night about problem. First thing said "what did you do this time?" I didn't do anything.
Asked him this morning about restoring the computer, how much would I lose, etc. etc.
His reply was "What is the problem?" Time to throw hands in the air. Told him I ran the problem by him last night. His reply "Tell me again, I have forgotten."
He said to show him. I sat down, pulled up an e-mail and opened it, then told the computer to forward said e-mail. Clicked on the "TO' button and my contact list appeared. Checked several boxes, while he was watching, told him how when I clicked on 'select' all the boxes came unchecked and no names appeared in the 'TO' box.
I clicked on select. The boxes, of course, became un-checked. BUT..... a really BIG BUT..... the names were in the TO box, ready to send. I could hear the computer laughing hysterically.
Jerry's comment "Had to be something local".
Now, that can be taken several different ways. I was sitting at the computer. I was local. Did he mean me? Or could it be something to do with our local Internet connection, where they were doing something funky.
I HATE COMPUTERS. But I have no choice. I need my computer. It knows I need it. It loves to make my life miserable by doing strange things, getting me blamed for the strange things, and laughing hysterically.
You notice hysterical comes up quite a bit. I wonder why?
I do want to thank Belmont Betty for her e-mail and phone call. It is wonderful having the friends that I have, even if I am an hysterical female. Have a good day and God Bless.
OR JUST DUMB???...SEPTEMBER 25 2012....
This is what stupid and/or dumb feels like. Thanks to someone out there who was nice enough to put 'my' picture on the internet.
I don't opt for either one, but one of them must be true. First of all - I HATE COMPUTERS. WITH A PASSION. THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY.
Second of all - I HAVE TO DEPEND ON MY COMPUTER TO KEEP my banking balanced, to keep my business running, and keep my calendar up-dated so I know where I am supposed to be and when.
Third of all - I HATE COMPUTERS.
When we changed internet providers I had to create a new e-mail account. I went with g-mail. I have been completely satisfied UNTIL THE LAST 10 DAYS.
Suddenly, when I want to forward an e-mail I can't add any addresses. None. Nada. Blank.
I click on forward, then click on the word TO, which brings up my contact list. I check the boxes beside the names I want to receive this particular e-mail and when I click on SELECT, all the boxes become un-checked and no names go into the TO box. WHY ME?????
I spent almost three hours yesterday looking at every single thing about g-mail and google, could I find 'help'? Of course not. Don't get me wrong, there is a 'help' button. But when I click on it it just gives me a list of 'possible' problems and the solution. My 'problem' is not on any list. And no-where is there any info on who I could contact, on an e-mail address I could refer my problem to - absolutely nothing.
And so, unless someone out there has the solution, and phrases it in one syllable wording, there will be no further e-mails forwarded.
I am NOT going into my contact list and pasting the e-mail address of whatever recipient and forwarding the e-mail, then going in again and choosing my second, etc., etc.
I must be missing something. Until a week ago everything worked perfectly. I still have the same computer . I still have the same e-mail address. I still have the same list of contacts. I still have the same everything. Therefore I must be stupid, or dumb, or whatever.
I hope you are having a better day than I am and God Bless.
COOL FALL MORNING ... SEPTEMBER 24 2012...
Looks as if we are going to have an early fall - it is only September, frost is on the pumpkins - and other stuff - , a chill is in the air and all I can say is brrrr!!!!
What will this winter bring? I don't even want to think about it. I do know I hope the snowfall holds off until late October as I am scheduled to get my 'tank tread' winter tires put on the front of my van in mid-October.
Our counter tops were installed and now we are waiting for the 'cosmetic' work to be completed. No one here today - so guess no work today. Good bye pumpkin patch counter tops. Hello to the 'real' stuff.
Need to get back out and clean off a couple more flower beds getting them ready for winter. As of right now have no 'get-up-and-go', will see what happens when it dries off and warms up, I hope, later today.
Sitting here I can watch the dew drops sparkle as the sun light hits them. Looks like a multitude of diamonds twinkling and blinking. Seems there is aways something to see, you just have to take the time to look.
The trouble is, most folks don't take the time to look, or don't have the time to look.
We live in a busy, fast paced, hectic society where there is never enough time. That seems to be the way it is.
Are we any better off? That is a really tricky question. Perhaps you have the answer, I am sure I do not.
So, while you are pondering and wondering, take a few minutes to just look around. You might be amazed at what you see. Regardless, enjoy your day and God Bless.
IT REALLY PAYS OFF...SEPTEMBER 23 2012....
That is definitely true. Saturday morning at the auction proved that beyond a doubt. The auction went well. It was for a worthy cause, after all.
There were so many folks there, helping in every way possible. There were the fetchers and carriers, the runners, the ones manning the computers, the auctioneer (of course if there was an auction there had to be an auctioneer), and all the women that prepared food, delivered the food, served the food, and collected the food money. Another 'of course' what is an auction without food.
Got to talk to a lot of old friends and others, had fun seeing what some things sold for, and other things that didn't. Just about everyone there that bid, and won what they bid on, got a bargain.
I've seen things go for way way more than they cost new, but were not old enough to be antiques, and saw other things that sold for practically nothing, that cost quite a lot when new. Go figure.
Everyone got a big charge out of the woman who bid, and bought two baby strollers, among other things. Anyone knowing her knew she was just 'slightly' beyond child-bearing age, and had to tease her mercilessly about her 'due date'.
Turns out she is expecting - her first great-grandchild. She got some excellent bargains. And one not so excellent bargain. She'd donated a small desk. There were quite a few desks that had been donated. They were not high on the selling list. Turns out it cost her $29.00 to get HER desk back. I guess she did not want it to feel neglected. We all had a good laugh.
I had pie for lunch, and brought home some goodies for bossman and me for supper. That was the best purchase of all.
It was a fun Saturday. I let bossman spend the time working and/or supervising as the plumber was there to get my sink and dish-washer back into operation after the counter-tops were installed on Friday. Everything had to sit for 24 hours before anything else was done. It was well worth the wait though.
Supposedly the final 'cosmetic' work will commence next week. It will be time-consuming, but again well worth the time. I won't know how to act, not having to house-sit the house because someone MIGHT be coming to work. Can hardly wait!
Almost time for the Steelers. Can't miss that game. Hope they play well and win.. Regardless, I will enjoy the game. Hope you do too and God Bless.
ABOUT REMODELING....SEPTEMBER 20 2012....
When we started cleaning out cabinets and stuff, we found other stuff - stuff that we had forgotten we had - stuff that was shoved waaayyy back into corners, inaccessible - stuff that hadn't seen the light of day for almost 8 years.
Why were we keeping all this stuff? Maybe because we thought we would use it sometime. Meaning never. Maybe because it was hidden from view, forgotten about. If that was the case, we didn't need it in the first place.
Time came to start putting back. Time to do some hard sorting. Time to wonder what to do with all that excess stuff just sitting around.
And, guess what? My Church is participating in an auction to raise money to feed the hungry. To be held at the West Alexander fairgrounds on this coming Saturday - September 22 - at 10 a.m.
And so, guess what again? I have a van load of good, usable, stuff that I am going to donate. I will take said stuff to the fairgrounds tonight, as they are collecting tonight and tomorrow night from 6 p.m. until, I think, 9 p.m.
I also hope to attend the auction Saturday morning to see what goodies I need, that will stay hidden and un-used until who knows when.
But it is for a good cause, right????
So come to the auction Saturday, buy good un-used stuff that maybe you can use, or at least hide away until such a time as you need it, or donate it to another auction for someone else to buy and hide away until such a time as .......
Have a good day and God Bless.
OF MICE AND MEN ... SEPTEMBER 19 2012....
How true that is.
My usual morning routine:
I lay in bed for a few minutes, getting myself pulled together, both physically and mentally. The mentally is the hard part.
While doing this I sort of plan what my day will be like - what will I be doing, and in what order will I be doing it.
Today, being Wednesday, there is Bible Study. Good, I can be there, then this afternoon possibly work outside, or inside, or whatever. Good. Time to get up. Day is all planned to my satisfaction.
By now it is 7:45 a.m. Regardless of what bossman says, I do manage to get up at a decent time. I have my morning glass of juice and hot tea, sit down at the computer to catch up with whatever needs catching up with, and the phone rings. Now what?
It is a delivery company with a delivery for the kitchen. They are in Shadyside, Ohio, and want to know if it would be convenient for them to make the delivery now.
Of course there is no way I can say "Nope. Sorry. I already have my day planned and you are not part of the plan."
Bossman would throw me out.
So, I start re-arranging. Of course the delivery arrives about 10 a.m. So much for Bible Study. My whole day is thrown out of kilter. Now what do I do? Go back to bed, pretend I have just wakened up and start planning my day, or just goof off. The goofing off part sounds good to me.
As I said - the best laid plans.......
Have a good day and God Bless.
SORT OF ... SEPTEMBER 18 2012...
Seem as though I always have a project of some sort. Yesterday it was start on the flower beds.
I got two of the smaller beds cleaned off, the "trash" raked up into a nice pile, and was able to inform bossman that he was elected "clean-up crew". He wanted to know how that happened, I told him is wasn't hard. I did the hard part.
Right after supper the pile was hauled to the dump site. Two stars for me!!!
Today it is rainy. Confined to the house. So guess what, I am starting on my new project.
And just what is that, pray tell. Do you really really want to know? Or should I just surprise everyone?
I am starting to get my thoughts together to start on the book that Tammy seems to think I should do.
I know one thing. If it ever comes to be, and the setting was moved to the present, I and all my family would have been thrown in to jail a long time ago.
When you look back 60 plus years and see how uncomplicated life was then compared to today
it makes your head spin. No wonder today's children are fighting high blood pressure, obesity, and sore fingers from texting and video games.
Guess I had better get down off my soap box - again - and do something constructive, like clean up the house and decide what is for supper. I think it will be spaghetti with Lauri's home-made spaghetti sauce. Sounds like a plan.
And so, until next time and "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say, have a good day ad God Bless.
A LITTLE OF THIS 'n THAT....SEPTEMBER 17 2012
I have nothing major to say, or report today. Darn.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Steeler game last night. And I loved the fact that Philadelphia beat the Baltimore Ravens. Serves then right.
Also Dallas Cowboys lost. Hooray!!! This is for you, Tiffany....
Today is a perfect fall day. Rain moving in late this afternoon, but am going to start getting my flower beds ready for fall. My regular fall clean-up. Only difference this year - I will not be driving the lawn mower. Bossman will have the distinct pleasure of cleaning up after me. I will rake everything into piles, he should be able to dispose of said piles. If not, he can mow over them.
Sometimes having limitations can be rewarding.
I'm not sure exactly what happened to this year. Friday is officially the first day of fall, but the weather has felt like fall for some time now.
I guess my parents actually knew what they were talking about when they stated that the older you get the faster time flies by. Makes perfect sense now.
And so, enjoy the weather, it will change sooner than you think, and God Bless.
AREN'T YOU LUCKY ... SEPTEMBER 16 2012 ....
That is correct. In addition to all my on-going projects I have begun a new one. And I thought I was done with that sort of stuff.
Daughter-in-Law Tammie has been bugging me big time. She is thoroughly convinced that I should write another book - one about how it was when I was growing up compared to how it is now when the grand and great grand kids are growing up.
The trouble started when I actually began thinking about it. I do know one thing - life has changed more than anyone could ever imagine.
And so I am playing around with the idea. I have no idea what, if anything, will come of it. My daughter Rebecca, also publisher and editor is, probably about now, throwing her hands in the air, pulling her hair, and saying "nooo nooo, not another one". Makes me laugh.
And now for another kind of laugh. There are always the neatest things posted on facebook. I love it. But the most perfect thing I have seen in a long time was the following I am going to share with you. The description fits to a "T". That is me all over. Thank you, whoever you are, that shared this with all of us.
Just remember, don't laugh - that will be ALL of you somewhere down the road.
Aren't you glad I shared this so you know what to look forward to?
Have a good day and God Bless.
ABOUT HOW MY MIND WORKS ... SEPTEMBER 15 2012 ...
My day started out perfectly normal - well as normal as any of my days could be. I was, of course down, because I was not at Mingo Park for the covered bridge festival.
I was also up, as bossman and I finished hanging our pictures back up on the wall. It now looks as if someone actually lives here.
He also told me that "You can post pictures of the remodeling, BUT NOT UNTIL IT IS ALL FINISHED!!!"
Now you all know what he said and can back me up down the road, if I need backing up.
But to get back to the mind thing.
I went to the Highlands to grocery shop, plus a few other things. I noticed along the way that the raccoon that had been hit and killed a couple of days ago was - completely gone. Not a trace. Nothing. Nada.
And so, in my upside-down, convoluted, manner of thinking - I got to thinking.
Mother Nature. Nature takes care of her earth. Nothing ever goes to waste. I call the birds and animals that take care of the road kill the "clean up crew". In, sometimes just a matter of hours, all traces of said "accident" are gone. Clean as a whistle.
And then there are the humans - who are supposed to be in charge of taking care of our land. What do they do? They just throw any old thing out any old place, and pretty soon the roadways look like junk yards.
We have groups, sponsored by the Churches, business organizations, scouts, etc., who will periodically clean up a certain stretch of our roadways. Bags and bags of trash. It is disgusting how many bags of trash can be piled waiting for pick-up.
If every single person would quit being so lazy and dispose of their trash in the proper way at the proper place - you all have trash cans at home - just imagine how much nicer our landscape would look.
Well, so much for my soap-box speech today. I am sure that you are hoping I either find something nicer to talk about, or keep my mouth shut. And since I am not real good at keeping my mouth shut, just maybe......
Enjoy this beautiful day and God Bless.
DARNED IF I KNOW ... SEPTEMBER 14 2012 ....
Right now everything seems to be moving in slow motion. The weather. The days. Even the hours.
I should be busy, setting up for covered bridge festival. Nope. Instead I am trying to think of something profound to say. Don't even know profound today.
I do know we are still waiting for the remodeling to commence. Supposedly we will be getting samples of the different stains for our baseboards and mouldings this afternoon. He is supposed to be here about 3 p.m. So he said.
I do understand that a lot now is hinging on the receipt of the counter tops, but again that slow-motion is in play.
I know I have been re-arranging my kitchen cabinets. I knew I would. We just put stuff away to get it out of sight. (That translates to cleaning out the spare room so the kids could find the bed.) So this week have been re-arranging.
Also our Church is participating in an auction to be Held Saturday September 22 at the West Alex fairgrounds. Perfect timing. I have been finding stuff that has been stashed away for almost 8 years (that is when we moved here to our hill-top) that I had either never used, or forgotten all about it.
I will have a nice van load to take to the auction. About the time it is gone I will probably find a need for it. Oh well. I survived 8 years without whatever so I can survive a few more days.
Well, with nothing to say I have written a lot. Aren't you glad that I didn't have something to talk about? You would be reading all day.
Have a great day and God Bless.
I'M SURE I'LL THINK OF SOMETHING...SEPTEMBER 13 2012....
Life is fragile. As you get older, and wiser, you realize just how fragile. What you took for granted so many years you no longer take for granted. Kind of a convoluted sentence, isn't it?
When you are young you see the senior (not old) citizens, but you really don't see them. That is because you are never going to get old, so you just over-look them.
Down the road your parents are suddenly old. At that point in your life you begin to - way in the back of your mind - think about aging, but again, that is way way way down the road.
You breeze through the days, doing whatever it is you do, watch your children grow up, the grand-kids grow up, and suddenly out of no-where you have become, not just a grandparent but a great-grandparent. How did this happen?
Little things start to go wrong. Then bigger things. Suddenly you are made aware that you are facing -- old age. That way off down the road thing that you were never going to be - old. All at once you are one of the senior citizens you noticed about a hundred years ago and wrote off as you were never going to be one.
How little we realize what life is all about.
I am blessed that I can still function and do most of what I had planned on doing. I don't know for how much longer, and I am not going to worry about it. Tomorrow will take care of it-self. Yesterday is gone .. no looking back. Today is now. Make the most of every moment, don't complain, don't say "if only" just seize the moment and enjoy.
God Bless and live each day to the fullest.
AND A DISAPPOINTING WEEKEND ... SEPTEMBER 12 2012...
Coming up.
The good weekend - Elizabethtown. Finished my paper work and turns out I sold 22 pictures. I guess my new layout is working just fine.
The disappointing weekend - Covered Bridge coming up this coming weekend.. I had to cancel it as it was one where I have to put up my tent and I didn't want to push myself too far.
CB has been one of my favorite festivals for more years than you want to know about. But things can't always be the way you want them to be. Everyone has disappointments. That is part of living. You can either let them get you down, or you can put them aside and plan for the future.
And planning for the future for me is in full auto-pilot. I am driving my family nuts, but isn't that what parents are supposed to do?
Oglebyfest is just three weeks away.
Back to the past weekend, I also sold two of my large pictures at Art in the Garden in Washington last Sunday. The art show and sale is open from 2 - 6 p.m. Sunday afternoon. They always have a large crowd of folks looking for new art-work.
So all in all last weekend was very good for me, both sales-wise, and personal-wise. I spent time with good friends, found that I actually could do, and enjoy, the weekend, didn't have any bad repercussions, or anything else, and am looking ahead.
Going to share a pic with you. Two good friends, Bob and Beverly Mull from Moundsville, are always at the festival, as Bob is the TOWN CRIER. And, boy, he does fit the part. He has a great voice, you have no problem hearing his "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" announcements. And the home-made bread. Breads with ingredients you would never think of.
I bought a loaf of apricot and almond bread. Toasted with butter and a little brown sugar, to die for.
Enjoy the beautiful fall day and God Bless.
WHERE YOU WERE....SEPTEMBER 11 2001...THIS SEPTEMBER 11 2012?
And what you were doing?
I had left home to take the van to Washington to have my tires rotated. When I walked into the waiting room the first plane had just hit.
I just stood (all the chairs were full) and watched, unbelieving, and crying, along with all the others at that particular tire shop. The world that we knew had changed in the blink of an eye.
I had a couple of friends that were on a cruise ship on the way back to New York. They couldn't dock. They were not told why. They could not contact home, nor could they be contacted.
I never did run my errands that day - just headed home as soon as the tires were rotated. I didn't do anything for several days but watch TV. The eeriness of no planes flying overhead was strange. The awareness of what was happening was hard to cope with. Life would never the same. Again.
I remember, when I was just a child, coming home from Church on Sunday December 7th. My Dad always turned the radio on for the news upon arriving home..
We had been attacked. Once again all we did was listen to the news reports, and once again life would never be the same.
I remember standing in my living room ironing clothes with our little black and white TV on, and seeing first-hand the assassination of President Kennedy. Once again life would never be the same.
How do we cope with these tragedies? We pick up the pieces, learn to live with what has happened and try to put our every-day lives back together.
Tragedies have happened since the beginning of time. The world is still here, revolving, nature is still doing her thing. Neither one stopped because of some awful sequence of events. I guess we have taken a page from their book, we pick up the pieces and try to put our lives back together in to some semblance of normalcy.
One thing is certain. We NEVER FORGET. We learn. We continue to do our best. We live our lives to the best of our abilities, trusting that God will see us through, and He will have mercy on those involved in the tragedies. Yes, they are tragedies. Life is not a bowl of cherries, or a bed of roses. Life is hard.
But we survive. We make better lives for ourselves. We laugh, and work, and play, and build, and learn. We continue to do our best. That is all anyone can ask of us - that we do our best.
So stop a moment, take the time to remember, to say a prayer, the move onward and upward, doing the very best that you can.
God Bless.
OVER THE FIRST HURDLE....SEPTEMBER 10
2012....
Yep. I made it. So, what am I talking about?
I set up, completed two days, and tore down for the Elizabethtown Festival in Moundsville over the weekend. Everything went smoothly. I just have to unload the van this morning.
It was a good weekend, touched base with old friends, and new, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Oglebayfest here I come!
It is sort of like learning to walk. The first steps are kind of scary, am I up to it? Will I fall flat on my face, or rear-end? Of course if it is my rear end I would probably bounce a couple of times.
Sales were good for a small festival, the food was excellent and the weekend was good.
But then the Steelers had to lose.
Have a lot to accomplish today, so had better get busy. Have a good Monday, if that is possible, and God Bless.
...STRANGE YEAR ... SEPTEMBER 6 2012
Nothing seems to be normal. I know I am not. I know the weather is not. I know life is not.
No 1 - Me. I know I have had a lot of ups and downs this year, physically, mentally, and otherwise. Will I ever be normal again? Probably not. Probably not physically. I was never normal mentally. Why should that change now?
No 2 - Weather. So many extremes this year -
the heat, the rain, the tornados, the
hurricanes, you name it. Now it is only the beginning of September, but fall is definitely here. Cool at night, the humidity making the outside of my windows steam and run - which only happens when fall really comes.
I was outside this morning and the fog was hanging low over the valleys. This is also a fall thing.
No 3 - Life. When, and I do mean when, did a pro-football game take precedence over a government broadcast - namely the Democratic Convention?
NBC actually announced during their news broadcast last night that they would not be covering the convention because of the football game. WOW!!!
Talk about an upside-down, topsy-turvey world. No wonder I am not normal. Or maybe I am normal and the world is not normal. Or something.
Have a great day. If you get the chance enjoy the West Alexander Fair, (at least it is normal, I think) and God Bless.
...AGAIN!!! ... SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 ...
Back to the same old same old. Waiting for the cosmetic work to begin - mouldings, baseboards, trim, all that good stuff. As of yesterday they were (supposedly) staining all this stuff getting it ready for installation.
If they are still staining today they are staining an awful lot of stuff.
At least I can get back to my normal (almost) routine. And right now there is a lot of stuff in my routine.
Doing the final run-through on my pic inventory as Elizabethtown Festival in Moundsville WV is this coming weekend. Meeting Vicki there Friday morning (she does jewelry) and we are going to get our booths set up. Festival is Saturday and Sunday.
This is always a nice easy festival to do. Only down-side,it falls on the same weekend as ART In The Garden in Washington PA which is held on Sunday. I also like to be there. I have 3 framed and 5 matted pictures entered.
Just not enough of me to go around. Maybe that is a good thing.
Guess I'll attach a couple of the pics for Art In The Garden, and then get busy doing whatever it is that I do, as soon as I figure it out,
Have a great Wednesday and God Bless.
I HAVE PUMPKIN PATCH COUNTER TOPS ... SEPTEMBER 04 2012 ....
Yes - you have read this correctly. No I am not crazy. No you are not crazy. This is the honest-to-goodness truth, I have PUMPKIN PATCH COUNTER TOPS. Don't you wish you were so lucky?????
All my counters are installed along with the wall cabinets. They will not be measuring for the counter tops until Friday. Had to make the kitchen functional. There was no way I was not going to make it as easy as possible for Lauri to make her spaghetti sauce! What an awesome supper we had Saturday night.
The workmen took raw ply wood and cut it to size and placed it on top of my counters. Good and sturdy. Good and rough. Impossible to clean. Whoopy ding dong bell.
So of course I had another one of my BRILLIANT ideas. And, naturally, I got a lot of THOSE LOOKS, but when did I ever let that stop me?
Off I go to WalMart. Looked at the cheapest vinyl flannel back table cloths. The only decent pattern was - can you guess?
If you can't I will have to give you lessons in mind boggling brilliant ideas.
NOW you are functioning on all cylinders. They were fall pumpkin patch table cloths. It is fall after all, the pumpkins are getting ripe in their little patches, so what was wrong with that?
I bought 2 table cloths, brought them home, along with thumb tacks, and showed son Andy what I wanted to do. Another one of THOSE LOOKS. I am getting pretty used to them by now.
And so the table cloths were cut to fit each of the counter tops and island top, placed (flannel side down, of course) on the proper counter top and nailed down with the thumb tacks. Why thumb tacks? Duh! If I used nails they might go clear through the plywood and ruin the cabinets. Then I would be banned from the kitchen forever, maybe even the house forever.
Now the counter tops can be wiped off, and I have a pumpkin patch in my kitchen. Looks pretty neat in a strange sort of way.
I never realized how brilliant I was until now. Everyone coming to Lauri's famous spaghetti sauce spaghetti dinner Saturday loved them. They all knew they had better keep their REAL thoughts to themselves.
Talk about decorating for fall. This beats all, takes the cake, whatever. Don't you all wish you have pumpkin patch counter tops? Then again ......
One thing is for sure. I never get bored, and I never let those around me get bored.
I hope you all had a great weekend. I know I did. Even the West Alexander World's Fair made it through the first day without the predicted heavy rain-fall. Life is good. God Bless.
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