SPRINGTIME ALWAYS MAKES ME HOMESICK...

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to hear Mother’s screen door slam again.  To sit in our creaky porch swing, sipping sweet tea, smelling the freshly mown grass, the sunlight filtering through the trees, a gentle breeze blowing, a kitten or two scampering at my feet and the red winged blackbirds singing their songs, oh what I wouldn’t give.

There is nothing like thoughts of your childhood on a beautiful spring day.  And even though I’m lucky enough to live in the quasi country, with a pretty yard, looking out at the horses in the pasture, there is absolutely . positively . nothing . like . your . childhood . home.

Even if it only lives on in your memory….

ONE MAN'S TRASH...

 

So last week hubby and I are tooling down the road, off to run some daily errand, and I’m talking to my buddy V on the phone.  Yes, I know, I’m always talking on my phone.  We’re having yet another discussion about my patio and how I don’t want to spend thousands on outdoor furniture when summer in Heavensville  strikes with an early vengeance and we can’t sit outside anyway.  We usually have a nanosecond in May when outdoor living is a possibility.

I have Adirondack chairs, they’re ancient, but still look pretty good and I like quirky in the garden.  Whimsy is much  more entertaining to me than elegant. V is telling me that maybe I should think about buying an Adirondack glider to go with the chairs, and I’m thinking that’s a great idea, I do love a glider.

And then hubby piped in saying, “there’s one, right there in the trash!”  Now had I been younger, I would have been horrified at the thought of getting something out of the trash, but I’ve had many a rodeo with this man and I know his capabilities.

So we come to a screeching halt, he trudges off to the back yard in search of the owner, an 80 something year old man who has had the glider for years.  My estimate would be circa 1960’s.

He was glad to be rid of the thing and, I was already thinking of the possibilities, so LC threw it in the back of the Jeep and we were off to the races.

Now, looking at this picture, I admit, it looks pretty bad.  Okay, it looks like a piece of junk, and it leans sideways, you can’t even sit in it for fear of it crashing to the ground.  But it does glide, and I’ve learned to never underestimate hubby.  The weather has been just gawdawful in Heavensville, we’ve had rain for the past seven days and more coming today, so his project has been on hold.

In the meantime, he’s purchased new wood, new paint, and the total refurb for this is $30.  Wow, what I deal, or is it?  Will it look awesome, or will it still look like a piece of junk.

Time will tell. Check back and  I’ll update you when the project is completed...

~ Jan ~

IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE...

Despite my love of all things vintage, and especially all things country, I just couldn’t work it into a new blog template.  I’ve been waffling back and forth between templates for months now, just trying to find a fit as I’m sure a lot of you realize, when you link to this page you never know what it’s going to look like.

Once I gave up the idea of a retro theme, it was much easier.  This is my latest attempt, with some much needed coding assistance from the awesome guys at css-tricks.  It’s awfully uncluttered for yours truly, , but I can always work some vintage elements into it later to busy it up a bit.   It’s time to give it a rest, get on with my life and take my nose out of the Mac. I need to just kick back a bit, play in the garden, ride on the golf cart with Maggie, and stop obsessing over these templates..

And I am, and I will, just as soon as I do just a few more tweaks...

~ Jan ~

SPRING RAINS...

 Enough, already!  I have my hydrangeas planted, new hostas in the ground, my pots are planted, everything is now flooding.  Geezy Pete, if this rain doesn’t stop it’s all gonna rot!  Lower leaves are turning yellow by the hour!!

Bitch, bitch, first I’m sick of winter, now I’m sick of rain.  Stop and smell the fleurs and count your blessings Jan.  

Note to self:  SHUT UP ABOUT IT!!!!!

Arm & Hammer Advance White Toothpaste Review

 

We all do it, check out the toothpaste aisles, trying all kinds of toothpastes that promise your pearly whites will glow in the dark, and they don’t really work.

Well, it turns out, mother really did know best.  When she was a child there was no toothpaste, she brushed her teeth with salt mixed with baking soda.  Of course she had dentures in her 40’s, but there wasn’t fluoride either.

But I thought of mom the last time I was checking out the toothpaste aisle at Wally World, and this just grabbed my attention.  I’m just finishing up my first tube, and guess what, my teeth are noticeably whiter.  Now this isn’t the best tasting toothpaste in the world, it’s a little salty and doesn’t have a fresh minty taste, but if it bothers you, you can always use this first, then finish up with your regular brand.

But if you want something that works on old(er) tea and coffee stained teeth, pick up a tube of this, and see if you too don’t see brighter, whiter teeth.  It’s not a miracle worker, nothing is at this age, but it does make a difference.

 

Happy Mother's Day...

When I was a small girl I made my mother’s a mother’s day card at school.  I’ll always remember it, I have it stored away or I would post a picture.  It was made of construction paper, I had colored an iris on the front, and written the following inscription:

In all the world
There is no other
That can take the place
Of you, dear mother

There were never truer words spoken than these...