Icy Hot...

Hubby went to the drugstore, bought Icy Hot, came home, rubbed it on my back, and lawdee does it feel good. But the smell, the oil of wintergreen reminds me of smokeless tobacco, which my Grandma used when I was a little girl. Grandma was from Kentucky, and her whole life she dipped "snuff" while hiding her mouth behind a handkerchief. I remember not understanding what she was doing, and mother evaded my questions. I guess she thought the subject was not for "delicate" little ears.

But the smell this afternoon reminds me of grandma and it's a comforting memory. Who woulda thunk it...

Pain...

Note to self: actually, note to everyone: Never sit for long periods at the computer, working intently without moving around. Holy Moley, I never have back pain, but I've got it now! This has been going on since Sunday and I'm not a happy camper. Poor hubby, he's been really good about taking care of me, I think he deserves an apple pie when I'm better...

Birthday Boy…

Today is Ry’s birthday.  Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!!!!  Just saying that makes me feel younger!  Yeah, it does.  Works for me…..

P*ssing and moaning...

Sometimes I feel that my body is betraying me. How dare it hurt when the weather changes. This part of the aging cycle especially bothers me.

Why does it have to be like this, why am I turning into a human barometer, acutely aware of every weather front that comes through? My head hurts, my body aches, and I don't like it one bit! But there is no solution to this, I suspect it is just goig to get worse. So i sit here complaining, which does no good either, but sometimes you just gotta vent!!! Know what I mean, Vern????

Webcam 101 for Seniors…

I saw this on ABC news tonight.  Oh, this old(er) couples are SO funny.  They had no idea they were actually recording anything, and her daughter found the footage and published it to YouTube.  Oh, she’s chewing that gum so hard….. SO CUTE!!!

Not a pleasant thought, but reality….

One of my good friends has a friend that lost her husband last week.  He was only sixty-seven, and died of cancer.  Naturally, we’ve had several conversations about this, and it’s a wakeup call for all of us.

This woman, that lost her husband, was totally taken care of, he did everything for her, which sounds good, but in reality, it isn’t, because now she’s left to pick up the pieces and go on with her life and is clueless as how to do it.  I can write these things about her, because she doesn’t read this blog, and I feel so sorry for her.

We have to face the facts, especially if you, like a lot of us are now sixty or beyond.  If you’re married, or have a significant other, one of you is going to die.  It’s hard to think about and it’s such a reality check to read this, but it’s true.  And the best thing that you can do for your spouse, or they for you, is to achieve independence.

The worst thing that you can do for your partner is to be totally dependent.  So take stock of your life ladies, are there areas that you need to step up to the plate and take charge of?  Whether it be finances, home maintenance, or teaching a spouse to do the laundry or cook a simple meal, take action today.

I’m fortunate to have a husband that is self-sufficient, but so many people I know have spouses that aren’t.  It’s not only the women who have problems when they are left, often the men are in worse shape because they don’t know how to take care of the necessary things in day to day life.

So if your husband doesn’t cook, and doesn’t want to learn, at least make a notebook, giving him instructions on how to do the simple things.  How to do laundry, what to do with your things when you’re gone, how to scramble eggs and make breakfast, how often to water the plants, you get my drift.  Sometimes it’s easier to write these things down than to discuss them with a spouse that isn’t interested.

And in turn, don’t bury your head in the sand.  Be aware of where the insurance policies are, the stocks, the bank accounts.  Know where you stand financially, be able to take care of the checking acount, and  find out how often you service your car, rotate your tires, all these things will be left up to you if you are the one that is left.  There will be furnace filters to change, lawns that will need mowing, smoke detector batteries to be changed, so many things that many of us take for granted, someday we may have to face doing them ourselves, and you will need a plan.

Oh, isn’t this pleasant talk for a sunny Monday morning.  But stop and think about what I’ve written, this past week was an eye opening experience for me.  If I die first, hubby will be able to cope, and thankfully, if I’m the one that’s left, I won’t be that woman who doesn’t know how to take care of myself, and I don’t want you to be either. 

~ jan

Pioneer Woman on the Food Network, I’ve watched every episode…

Well, since I love the woman, there is no way I would give her a bad review, but I must say, I’m on the third episode now, and she’s definitely improving.

I had an ah-ha moment this morning when she kissed her Bassett Hound, Charlie, and told him she loved him.  And her “baby” is the sweetest little 7 year old boy ever, with his endearing lisp.

Since this show is about family, she quickly goes through her recipes, but that’s okay, I would rather see the ranch, the horses and the kids.  She’s refreshing, she’s real, she even had bad makeup in the first episodes, but they’re correcting it.

She’s just a busy mom of four, living on a ranch with her hunky hubby, who found her niche and is making major money for her family. REE DRUMMOND YOU ARE A ROCK STAR IN MY BOOK!!!!!

You can find her show schedule and recipes here…

Scentsy, I’m such a fan.

Scentsy Ocean Scent is the most amazing thing I’ve ever smelled, I just had to share this with you.  My Buddy, Ang, sold Scentsy for awhile last year and she set me up with warmers and blocks of different flavored wax and the smells are wonderful.

The quality is so good, they’re comparable to Yankee Candles, but there is no wick, no flame, you just plug in the burners and the cubes of wax melt in the pots.  They’re made from essential oils, no chemicals, so they don’t smell artificial, they are just fantastic. 

Some scents seem to last longer than others, you just have to try different ones to see what you like.  The picture above shows some of their warmers and a 9 pack of wax cubes.  They cost $5.00 for a pack of these and you put one cube in either a burner that sits on table or they have plug-ins that plug into a wall socket. Prices for the burners are from $20 for a plug-in to $35 for a full size warmer, this Malta mid-size warmer on the right is $30, it’s one of my favorites. I think you can also buy a bundle of burner and wax, and it’s cheaper.  Once you get the burners, the wax is inexpensive.  The burners are really nice, too, they’re made of pottery, and there are a lot to choose from.

Ang isn’t selling Scentsy any longer, but we have a monthly flea market in Heavensville, and a Scentsy dealer is always there.  So I went last week to replenish my supply and tried one that I had never had before, Ocean.

Ocean is clean and fresh, not overpowering at all, it’s hands down the best fragrance ever, my house smells great.  I have one warmer in the living room and one plug-in in my bedroom, and they’ve been turned on 24/7 since last weekend and they still smell good.  The flavor is dissipating and I need to put in new cubes now, but I think this scent has lasted longer than any of the others I’ve had.  I also bought a pack of Oats ‘n Honey, a brown sugar smell that I haven’t had before, but I’m so hung up on Ocean that I haven’t even tried them. ;o)

Here is a link to one person’s reviews of some of the scents.  You can go to Scentsy’s website to find a dealer near you, or order online.

And, my son John, who, by the way is having a birthday today, Happy Birthday, Sweetie, is researching a unit that attaches to your HVAC system.  He says that the luxury hotels now all smell amazing, and that they are blowing scent thru their heating/air conditioning system.  So far all he’s finding are really expensive, like $500 for the unit, plus the bottles of fragrance that dispenses the scent.  But he’s working on finding a cheaper alternative, and if anybody can figure this out, John can.  This is ongoing, when he comes up with something I’ll let you know, and in the meantime you might want to give Scentsy a try.

You know I always share the good stuff, ladies, and this one is a winner!

~ jan

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

My sassy little daughter-in-law sent me the link to this video. You think maybe she’s trying to tell me something? ;o)

Ahhhhhh, the fruits of the season…

Is there anything better than fresh fruit?  I’ve had enough of watermelon and cantaloupe, I’m even tired of peaches now, I’m ready for the fall fruits.

Veronica just came back from Michigan, dropped off a peck of Golden Delicious Apples for me, and they are AMAZING.  That was dinner tonight, swiss cheese, apples and crackers.  I should have cracked open that bottle of Posey County Red that Ang brought over, it would have been perfect.

So now I’m searching for pears.  If I can find them, I’ll make a batch of Aunt Mae’s Pear Honey, the recipe is ancient, but oh so good.  I’ll dig out the recipe and post it on Jan CAN Cook for all of you.

I’m hoping that this is summer’s last hurrah, temps of 100 degrees are posted for the next couple of days.  Enough of this, it’s time for sweaters and jeans, bonfires and weiner roasts. 

A girl can dream, can’t she?  Even if the hot weather is holding on for dear life, there is a nip in the air in the evening.  I’m just waiting…

Memories of Billy the Rooster

This picture of me was taken when I was about Abby’s age, I was probably about two years old.

We had just moved to the country and Billy was mother’s pet rooster.  Some of my earliest memories are of Billy, he was a gentle soul that mother nurtured from a chick. 

She was an animal lover, always outside animals, though, we never had anything in the house except her canaries.  There were always dogs and cats to play with, chickens, too and the occasional white duck wandering around our yard, and obviously this rooster.

At the risk of sounding like Ma and Pa Kettle, I have to tell you about Billy and how I remember, to this day, him roosting on the back of our couch at night.

Mother was a clean freak, everything was always pristine in our house, but she loved this pet rooster and was afraid a fox would get into the chicken house and kill him, so every night she would spread layers of newspapers on the back of the couch, bring Billy inside and he would roost on the sofa.  I wish I could talk to her about this again, seeing this picture brought back such vivid memories. She must have gotten up at the crack of dawn to let him outside, because no doubt he started crowing when the sun came up.

This must sound odd to you, but remember, it was a simple life, living in our little house on the ditch bank, and it seemed perfectly normal to have a rooster in our living room.  I had an aunt that always had baby pigs on her back porch, I used to feed them with a baby bottle, and I remember going to a great aunt’s house and she had baby chickens underneath her kitchen table, with chicken wire around the table legs so they couldn’t get out.

I know, that’s a bit much, but she was probably doing that to keep them warm. I remember thinking how awful it was, that old woman with all those baby chickens under the table.  But that aunt was a little bat shit crazy, too. She WAS Ma Kettle.

Oh, what a cute couple…

John and Deanna went to a Mystery Dinner Theatre last night and won the prize for “best dressed” couple.

Accessories make the outfit, she said this morning, and nobody does vintage better than Deanna. 

And that guy with her?  Well he looks pretty spiffy, too. 

Pioneer Woman is coming to FoodTV

August 27th, mark your calendars ladies!

 

Pinterest, the best thing that’s happened to the internet in YEARS!

Okay, we all know I tend to go off the deep end and become anal about the things I find online, but seriously ladies, Pinterest is quite possibly the best thing I’ve found in years, possibly E-VER!

It’s just exploded online, and if you are clueless as to what I’m talking about, think of it as a bulletin board, and you pin pictures of things you find online on it.  Instead of bookmarking links that you never go to, you just pull up your Pinterest boards, and it’s all there, front row and center, staring at you.  You make as many different boards as you like, pin as many things as you like – actually most of mine is just repins from other people I follow.  It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s TOTALLY addictive.

So now I’ll tell you what to do to get you started -

The first thing you do is create a Pinterest account.  It is going to ask you to login with either Facebook or Twitter.  Okay, I know, you’re thinking I have no desire to be on Facebook or Twitter, so you create a bogus Twitter account.  You just go to twitter.com and make an account.  You will never use it, it’s just a dummy account to get you set up with Pinterest.  I know, it’s a hassle, but it’s SO worth it.

Now I’m going to show you a Pinterest tutorial so you know how to set your boards up, but FIRST I’m going to show you my boards.  I’ve only been doing this for a week and I already have 141 Pins on 68 different boards.  Some people I follow have 30,000+ pins, and yes I will be one of those people eventually.   I’m obsessed, what can I say.  When you go to my boards and click on a picture, then you keep clicking until you get to the source, be it recipe, kitchens, autumn is in the air, whatever – if you want to go to the source for a recipe or more information you just keep clicking on the pictures until it takes you back to the original post.

Here’s my Pinterest Boards check me out and see what I have so far.  I always give you a heads up on all the good stuff, and this is the crème de la crème…..

Here’s a tutorial, watch this, sign up, don’t forget to follow me, so I can see what you’re finding, and you’re on your way.  As long as you’re logged in and go to pinterest.com, it will show you updates from people you are following.  This changes quickly, I check it a few times a day…

Enjoy, you’re going to thank me for this one.  Pinkie swear you will.  ~ Jan

The magic of Abby…

The world through the eyes of a twenty-two month old is totally enchanting.  We had a family visit in Lexington last weekend, it was hubby’s birthday, the guys went to Detroit for a guy weekend to see Greenfield Village and the Ford Museum, the girls had a fantastic time, having a “Welcome to the Family” weekend for Deanna, as she and John will be married soon.

Deanna snapped this picture of Abby Sunday when she and Uncle John were blowing bubbles.  It’s one of those photos that will always be a favorite.  She’s absolutely precious, this little granddaughter of mine..

This little piggie went to market...

Hair, do we ever get it right?

So today I get a haircut, a new guy that Ang really likes.  He was a little butterfly of a man, flitting all over the salon, and very good at what he did.  Actually it was more like reconstructive surgery, since my last haircut was gawdawful, and even though I had let it grow, he still had to cut it really short to straighten out the bad cut. And you don’t even want to hear about the girl that cut it the last time.  Hubby found her at a rummage sale.  Why I ever listened to that man in the first place is beyond me.  She was a really sweet girl, her salon was just a couple of miles from home, but she really butchered my hair, the only way I can explain it was that it was like a bowl cut with wings.

Anyway, I told this little fairy of a guy what I wanted, really shaggy around the face, REALLY shaggy, and he was a whiz with the scizz, but I’m not REALLY shaggy and it’s not the haircut I envisioned, but in all honesty, he didn’t have a helluva lot to work with.  And don’t go getting your panties in a wad, I’m not discriminating against gay men, actually I adore gay men, they are always fun and entertaining.  I’m just explaining him to you…

And so it will grow, and then I will get it cut again, and not like it again, because that’s the way it is with my hair.  And it’s not helping that this almost sixty-two year old face is attached to that hair.

And so it goes, this Monday evening.  It’s not been one of my better days, tomorrow will be better, and Wednesday it will be cooler, and Thursday I get to see Abby, who Lindsay says  is now calling me “Grammie-me.”  I have yet to hear her utter those words, Ryan was trying to get her to say it Sunday, telling her to “say hi to Grammie.” But like always when we try to get her to say my name, she yelled “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” into the phone as loudly as she could – I swear that precious little thing is going to give “Grammie-me” a complex if she doesn’t call me SOMETHING, soon.  I’ll take ANYTHING!  And of course hubby got on the phone and said hi to her and she yelled “P-PA, P-PA” joyously.  And of course he was just beaming, and I could have just smacked him.  Well not really, but you get my drift.   Oh the unfairness of it all!

But we’re going to work on it this weekend, and just maybe she will call me something other than “NOOOOOOOOOO.”   Just throw me a crumb baby girl, just throw me a crumb….

Sunday Church Social…

Hubby and I went to a church social today.  A country catholic church just a few miles from us has one every August and the food is always so good.

The lines are long, we go early to beat the heat, and sit under the old shade trees waiting for our number to be called.

Simple, wholesome food, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, dumplings, dressing, corn and green beans, dinner rolls and different kinds of cake for desserts.

You sit in a gymnasium at long tables, sat up with pitchers of tea and water, and big bowls of to-die-for coleslaw, fresh tomatoes and green peppers.

And yes, it was just as good as it sounds.  Diets to the wind, sometimes you just have to live in the moment and enjoy the food.  I adore the angel food cake, it’s yummy with great frosting.  We sat and conversed with the others at the table, it was so refreshing, like going back in time.  They have a huge following, the crowds were really getting large by the time we finished.

After we left, LC summed it up by saying, “this is the way life is supposed to be.”  What a good time it was…

Note:  I just found this coleslaw recipe online, it would be very similar to what we had today.  Check it out, here…

It all goes back to childhood….

Maggie and I took a ride on Milly this morning.  I’m sitting by the creek, sipping my coffee, enjoying the birds, listening to the frogs, watching the tadpoles in the water, and I was completely, totally, at peace.

And I’m thinking to myself, this is what it’s all about, this is my Utopia, nature, my place of ideal perfection.  And it all goes back to childhood, to my country roots, to summer days spent by my ditch, playing with my animals under a shade tree, living in nature.  But what about people that are raised in the city? 

Are they comforted by the sound of garbage trucks, sirens, busy, bustling people?  Do they enjoy the smell of gas fumes?  I’m not being facetious here, I really wonder if that gives them peace.  But, of course, I have no way of knowing, I’m just sayin’…

40 years ago today….

LC and I were married.  Can it really be that long?  Where did all those years go?  Who is that couple that stare back at us in the mirror?  We actually took pictures of each other, looked at them, and said simultaneously, “enough of this shit.”  Seriously, old(er) people shouldn’t take pictures of themselves, it’s too depressing!

It was a good day, hazy and a bit cooler, just a nice easy time.  We have a local German festival, The Volkfest, I’ve always wanted to go, and today was the day.  We went for lunch, I had pig knuckles, beans, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, hubby had bratwurst and German potato salad, and it was absolutely, positively horrid! I guess I don’t like “authentic” German food, it’s too sour and vinegary for me.  My neighbor’s recipe for German potato salad is much better than anything they had to offer.  But it was something to experience, and actually the pig knuckle was the best part.  Thank gawd we left before they started to polka, I just don’t think I was up to watching all those old men dance.

We went to dinner tonight, had a great meal, then cruised the river and drove through our old neighborhood.  It was a nice day.  I’m mellow…

Happy Anniversary to us!!!

Lucille Ball: A Tribute

She would have been 100 years old this weekend…

Coconut Oil, it’s a good thing…

A few months ago, I bought this coconut oil at Whole Foods.  I bought it to make chocolate candy, it’s a long story, I won’t bore you with it, but the upshot was it tasted too much like coconut, and I didn’t like it.

So, it’s been sitting on the shelf in my pantry, and if you read about coconut oil, it’s good for a multitude of things other than cooking with it.  People use it as a daily supplement, and to moisturize their skin, and they use it to condition their hair.

I gave it a try as a conditioner this morning.  I didn’t warm it in water, no need for that, this stuff liquifies immediately. All I did was scoop a dab of it in my palm, held my hands together and it turned to liquid.  Then I ran it through my hair and left it on for a couple of hours.  Of course I looked like an Elvis reject, with my hair all greased up, no way I would have answered the door if somebody came, but when I lightly shampooed it and rinsed it out, I could really tell a big difference.

The dryness was gone, my hair was soft and shiny, and “conditioned.”  And, it’s a big pound jar, (think half of the size of a jar of Crisco) so it’s a really cheap deep conditioner/moisturizer.  And the coconut smell is much more appealing on my hair than it was in that chocolate.

You can get this at Walgreen’s, on sale for $10.  I liked it so much, I’m going to try it as a skin moisturizer next.

Don’t you just love a deal???  I always scout out the good stuff for you ladies, and this is a winner!!!

~ jan

Grammie’s secret weapon, my iPad!!!

Abby is twenty-two months now, a sweet little girl who runs and plays and adores her “P-Pa.”  Yes, P-Pa, he’s no longer Gampa, now he’s P-Pa.  And me,  I’m still just a blip on her radar screen, she only has eyes for him.

She and Lindsay visited this week while Ryan was out of town.  We had so much fun, friends came to visit, her Auntie V got to play with her, and we went for rides on Milly, and out to lunch with Ang, it was such a good time.

After a few hours of her ignoring me, I decided I needed a “gimmick.”  I brought out my ipad, and downloaded games and flashcards, and my little techkie granddaughter decided that Grammie was okay, after all.  She loved the iPad, we played games and watched videos, and she laughed and clapped those little hands, and her fingers were busy tap tapping away on the screen.  She was good, too.  She could figure out all the toddler games.

I’m so glad that I’m smarter in my old(er) age.  Sometimes you just have to bring out the big guns and change with the times.  So much for baking cookies, forget the cookies, entice them with the electronics…

Out, damned spot!! Getting rid of age spots on the cheap…

We all have them, the dreaded age spots.  Years in the sun, genetics, whatever the reason for them, they are horrid and we just want them gone!

Whether you have the discoloration, the flat darker ones, or the raised moles, what would you say if I told you that you could get rid of them for under $10?

Intrigued, sure you are, and you can do it!  I read a few years ago about using Gel Wart Remover to get rid of age spots, and I’ve been using it ever since.  I asked both my dermatologist, and a family doctor if this was a safe way to remove them, they both said it was.  Of course they aren’t going to promote this, they get big bucks for removing age spots in their office.

Using wart remover is just like a mini chemical peel.  You put a dot of it on the age spot, let it dry, and peel it off.  In a couple of days you can repeat it, but don’t do it too often or it will burn your skin. You don’t see results immediately, but in a few days, you will see the age spot dry up and then you can peel it away.  Moles, of course take more applications, just be patient.  You feel a slight tingle when you apply the gel, this is normal.

When the spot is gone, you are left with a red dot where you used the wart remover, but that disappears quickly.  Of course you wouldn’t want to use this on spots that look “suspicious” but for regular, ugly age spots it works perfectly.  I may have blogged about this previously, and even if I have, it’s worth a repeat.

You can all write and thank me later for saving you so much money.  Now head out to the drugstore and give this a try, you will be impressed, pinky swear you will.

~ jan

Monday morning…

It’s cool this morning in Heavensville, I sat outside, drinking my coffee, watching the M&M’s scamper through the yard, and the horses were looking at me through the fence.

My flowers were abloom, the birds were singing, and it was so peaceful. Life is good this Monday morning.

It’s those simple things, again…

Oldies but Goodies…

Remember when you were a kid and your mom used to make strawberry Jello and put bananas and strawberries in it?  It’s still crazy good.  I made some yesterday, and it was like going back in time.

Okay, so I did eat it with a dollop of yogurt, something I never had as a child, and a sprinkle of nuts, but oh, it was so refreshing.  I tossed the bananas with Fruit Fresh so they wouldn’t turn dark, and it was sublime.

 

And, continuing my little trek down memory lane, I’ve been using 20 Mule Team Borax to freshen my linens this summer.  It’s only been around since the beginning of time, and it still clumps in the box, but it’s awesome, makes everything smell so clean.  Now if I just had a clothesline.

Oh, well, a girl’s gotta dream…

Organize your life with Wunderlist…

It’s too hot to do anything else, why not get organized.  I have found the neatest app, totally free, and it works with Windows, Mac, Ipad, Android and Iphone and allows you to syncronize between everything.

It’s not difficult to figure out, it’s very simple to use, just watch this video to get you started.  If you’re like me and most of my friends, we can’t remember anything.  Our thoughts are so elusive, they’re gone in a heartbeat, but with this little application you can quickly type out what you  need to remember, and you’ve got it on your computer and if you have a smartphone or iPad, you can sync with it.  You can even email your lists to your friends, and share lists with people, so they can add to them as well.

The possibilities are endless, just watch the video and give it a try.  What else do you have going on this steamy day.

~ jan

Here’s the free download….

 

My summer garden…

I took some pictures of my garden this weekend and made an album.  Enjoy…

~ jan

If you double click the picture, it will enlarge to full screen

Baby Moose in the sprinkler, a feel good moment for all of you…

Jean sent me this video, it is precious beyond words.  Take a moment to watch it, and enjoy the beauty that is nature and the wonder of animals.  Huge smiles for you this morning… 

~ jan

Here’s whats making me smile this morning…

Fleurs from the garden, a cute little watermelon jar and my red ramekins.  Don’t you love color in your kitchen?

Time is a River–what a fascinating book…

Last week I read Time is a River, by Mary Alice Monroe.  Oh, was it a great book, about, of all things, a woman fly fisher.

I was so entranced with the book, I realized that I would have loved to have learned fly fishing.  I somehow, can’t see me in waders at this stage of my life, but it was a nice little fantasy.

To be surrounded by water, nature and serenity, gently casting the line, oh yeah, I would have loved it.

So, if you want a great read this summer, this is a real page turner.  I just love books where women retreat to mountain cabins, surrounded by nature, that type of fiction always appeals to me, and this book took it to another level, complete with a resident “spirit.”

Here’s the site, if you want to read the synopsis. I’m a big fan of Ms. Monroe, all of her books have been excellent, especially The Beach House, a favorite summer read of mine from a few years ago…

Here’s a video trailer of the book.

Enough already…

We complain when it’s cold, we complain when it’s hot, but holy crap, it’s a towering inferno in Heavensville.  With temps hovering near 100 and the heat index at 120, it is stifling.  Hubby and I were out this morning, my chest felt congested, my eyes were burning so badly from the ozone, all I wanted to do was come home.  And dear hubby reminded me that hot weather is really hard on old people, bless his hot little heart.

I take Mollie out to potty, she is oblivious to the heat, sits on the sidewalk, and I have to go out and drag her inside.  Hubby is holed up in the den watching cowboys, it’s too hot for him to even play in the garage like he does most days. The air conditioner is going full blast, all the ceiling fans are running, and I’m sitting at the computer with a fan blowing on me, thinking that our energy bill is going to be astronomical this month.

Maybe we should take in a movie, but there isn’t much to choose from, so here we sit.  Too hot to go for a ride on Milly, too hot to talk to the neighbors, let’s just hope the power grid doesn’t go down, that happened in parts of Heavensville this morning and knocked out our internet.

Remind me of this in January, when the snow is flying and I’m complaining about sub-zero temps.  But, Geezy Pete, the weather is horrid!!!

Growing old is SUCH a bitch….

The saying, “Growing Old Isn’t For Sissies” is starting to ring true around here.  I haven’t identified with music, or most television shows for years now, but lately, I don’t feel like I’m in the loop of life either, instead, I’m standing on the sidelines watching the younger generations do all the fun interesting things I used to, but no longer do, and without the energy or desire to do these things if I could.  I’m not depressed, life is going along smoothly, and I’m grateful for the health and well being of those I love, I just don’t like the feeling that I’m  out of synch with the woman I used to be and the woman I am now.

I think that perhaps a lot of my problem stems from the fact that I don’t allow myself to “think” like a woman in her 60’s, that I still “think” like my younger self, but of course I look and act older, and no longer fit the old mold, so that isn’t working for me.  But what should I be doing that’s more age appropriate?  I abhor the thought of going to some Senior Center for lunch, playing cards, listening to people lecture on health care and tax shelters.  I think this behavior is for “old” people, but surprise, I’m old now, too, but I just can’t relate. 

I would never be on a bus to Branson, I detest organized anything, and so I’m floundering, trying to find my niche as a senior citizen, when inside, I haven’t let go of the younger me and accepted my age.  It’s like I’m in transition, but I don’t know what I want to transition to.

Are any of you struggling with this, are you nodding your heads in agreement with what I’m saying?  Is there an answer, or is this just one of those gray areas that has no answers.

So, for now, I’ll continue to do the simple things that give me pleasure, gardening, reading, pets, friends and my sweet family.  I have so much to be grateful for, John and Deanna will be married soon, Abby will be turning two this fall, and LC and I are cohabiting peacefully since his retirement.  So, I’ll count my blessings and maybe I’ll find my stride and some new interests that I can share with all of you.  In the meantime, I’ll just keep on keeping on…

Memories that last a lifetime…

As I look back over my life to moments that were truly memorable, it’s feelings that I remember most.  Not what kind of car we drove, where we lived, where we vacationed, nothing superficial, just those simple things I talk about so often that I remember most.

• The smell of the earth after a summer rain
• Hanging clothes on the line to dry on a bright summer morning and the way they smelled of sunshine as I folded and put them away
• Clean little boys, fresh from their bath, running through the house into my arms. Just inhaling their sweet little boy scent and kissing those soft little cheeks, it was pure magic
• Crickets and frogs and fireflies on a summer evening
• Pitchers of sun tea in a big glass jar
• Mother coming to visit with a bouquet of flowers, sometimes picked along the road
• The smell of new mown hay as hubby and I took evening rides in the country
• A pretty sundress, worn with a summer tan
• Summer days, spent at the lake with the boys and Muffin, our cocker spaniel. Veronica and I, sitting right in the water in our lawn chairs, talking, one eye always on the kids.

I could go on and on, the older I get, the most I reminisce about my younger years.  I appreciate what life gives me more today than when I was younger, wisdom really does come with age…

Happy 4th of July!!!!

I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

Of the United States of America,

And to the Republic, for

Which it Stands,

One Nation, Under God,

Indivisible,

With Liberty and Justice for All…

Tiger Lilies always remind me of mother…

The tiger lilies are in bloom, and they always bring childhood memories to the surface.  Mother was a gardener, she never ordered from catalogs, or bought from nurseries, she got “starts” of plants from friends, or she dug plants by the side of the country roads, and as a result, our yard was a riot of color in the summer.

My beloved ditch bank was covered in tiger lilies, started from a few plants, and over the years multiplying until the whole bank was a mass of orange color in the summertime.  We had no hose, no running water, we would carry buckets nightly to water the plants, she always took care of her plants, regardless of how tired she was.

The older I get, the more I admire her strengths, and her talent.  She lived off the land, and enjoyed the beauty of nature in the plants that she nurtured year after year.  I don’t have tiger lilies, but they always make me smile when I see them, and I think I need to tuck just one plant into my garden.  A pop of orange color amongst all the pinks, just to remember my roots, where I came from and how strong I now am, in large part because of her…

Baby elephants in the pool…

My friend, Carlene, sent me this link this morning. I thought you all could use a smile on this rainy, at least in Heavensville, Monday afternoon...

Abby's First Artwork....

Like all our children have done, Miss Abigail decorated her first door with crayons.  I think she shows promise, don't you ;o)

If You Ask Me, Betty White’s latest book…

This book is like a box of assorted chocolates.  With each chapter, you take a bite, and it’s so good, but it’s a surprise, you never know what you’re going to get.  Some chapters are creamy, some have nuts. Who doesn’t love Betty White, and who doesn’t love a good summer read?  Oh, this is such a treat, and it’s chocked full of wisdom.

I’ve added a GoodReads box to my right sidebar, you can click on it, and see what’s on my bookshelf.  I wish some of you would join me on GoodReads as friends, it’s is such a good time,and a really informative site for booklovers.  Here’s my friends link again, in case you might be interested.

I’m reading so many good books, I’m totally absorbed by books this summer.  I just finished Friendship Bread, it was just wonderful, and makes me want to go right out and make a batch of starter.

The author of this book, Darien Gee has a website, Friendship Bread Kitchen, with the starter recipe, and a badzillion variations in her recipe box.

So, if your time is limited, and you just can read just one book this summer,  give Friendship Bread a try.  It’s a good thing.  Pinkie swear. 

I’ll tip you off to some of my other goodies, I have several beach reads to wade through, but only for those of you who read easy breezy novels.  I don’t do the heavy stuff, remember, just the trash. 

Works for me!

~ jan

What’s making me smile this week…

• Fresh Market, just opened yesterday in Heavensville, I was there when the doors opened, It’s totally AWESOME!
  
• Jane’s Krazy Salt, love it on everything
  
• Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil Body Wash – Original Scent, ahhhhh
  
• Grampie’s Salad Dressing Recipe, courtesy of my friend, Barb
  
• Vanity Fair Napkins, the white dinner style ones with the embossed shells.  Yes, I know it’s strange, but I really enjoy them.
  
• The M&M’s haircuts, I’m finally getting the hang of using clippers
  
• Friendship Bread, a great read about life and loss, and finding hope again
  
• Anticipation of seeing sweet little Abby tomorrow, maybe she’ll say “Hi Grammie” when she sees me ;o)
  
• My fleurs, the garden is in bloom, oh people you are so missing out by not having micro irrigation – lush blooms, totally 100% maintenance free.  I can never thank John enough for setting it up last summer.  It’s fantastic!
  
• That piece of apple pie that’s sitting on the kitchen counter

I hope you all have a lot to smile about, too.  ~ jan

Old dogs, taking life one day at a time….

We live our lives alongside our pets, growing old together, and sometimes the changes are so subtle that we don’t realize the deterioration. Mollie has degenerative hips, and has gotten noticeably worse since this spring.  She has good days and bad, sometimes she can’t stand up from a sitting position on our stone floors, or even outside on the concrete, and I have to lift her to the carpet or the grass so that she can get traction to walk.  Sometimes she stumbles, and if it’s really a bad day she bunny hops in the grass to go potty.  But some days she’s fine, running through the yard, following us around, a lot of it depends on the weather, like the rest of us when we get old(er).

I groomed her today, she no longer stands in the sink, or stands on the grooming table, but that’s okay, we work around it.  She’s happy and not in pain, her little tail wags, her eyes are bright and shiny, so we carry her on the bad days and rejoice when she’s having a good one and runs through the yard toward us on those short little legs.

Mollie was a breeder mom that came into our lives five years ago.  At that time the breeder said she was six years old, but we’ve always thought she was older.  She’s a such gentle little soul, our Mollie.  She was never spunky, never played with toys or even jumped on the couch, and we attribute it to the fact that she probably didn’t get much attention as a young dog.  She’s the direct opposite of Maggie, who has always been a little social butterfly, but then she has been the center of attention her entire life.

I always say that Mollie loves me like nobody else ever has, she shadows me constantly, is miserable when I’m not around, and is always content just to be by my side.

So we are living life one day at a time, enjoying her every day, giving her lots of massages and special treats, and when she has  a day like today, when she is walking really well, our lives are a little more joyful.

That’s all any of us can do anyway, live in the moment, one day at a time.  Dogs just grow old too soon, but oh what joy they bring to our lives in the years we have them…

~ jan

The Clydesdales are in town…

The Clydesdales come to town every June for the ShrinerFest and even though hubby isn't a horse lover, he good naturedly takes me for a visit every year. It was a cloudy, cool morning when we wandered over to their tent, and I had a hard time getting a picture of their faces, they were too busy eating hay. The dalmation was there, too, and he was totally interested in sniffing me out, no doubt smelling the M&M's on my pant legs. I'm always in awe of them, they are so magestic, and as I watched them, just for a brief minute, I was a kid again...

goodreads, it’s a good thing…

I don’t think there is anything better than summertime reading, a love of mine that started in childhood.  There was a steady supply of books at our house, due to mother working in the drugstore, because every month the book vendors would come in, rip off the front covers of all the paperbacks and leave the books to be tossed.  Mother would bring home stacks of them, and those books instilled a love of reading that has been a lifelong adventure.  I’ve spent many, many  hours in the summertime under a shade tree absorbed in a good book, with a glass of iced tea, and usually a dog or cat in my lap.  Oh, what wonderful memories I have…

I recently stumbled across goodreads – it’s a total awesome site. After you register your account, you can add friends, browse what they are reading, show what you’ve read, what you’re currently reading and what’s on your wish list.  There are reading groups, lists of bestsellers and about to be released books.  It’s a reader’s dream.  And I’m not even going to get started on how much I enjoy the ibooks app on my iPad, that’s for another day.  But I have to tell you that the iPad is so much better than my Sony Bookreader, it’s absolutely wonderful!

I’ve added 62 books so far, a ton of Robyn Carr, because I enjoyed her Virgin River Series so much.  One of the best series of easy reading that I’ve ever found. I’ll be adding more as time permits, it’s such a good way to organize what you’ve read and want to read.

When you go to this link, remember, I’m a total lightweight, easy breezy romance novels, that’s what I like, no men authors either, just women.  And what am I reading right now?  Actually four books, Flowers on Main, The Help, 44 Charles Street and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen.  And at the top of my wish list is Betty White’s, If you Ask Me.  Wow, a bit of nonfiction, that’s a stretch for me. ;o)

You can join my friends list, then we can share book ideas.  It’s so much fun.  Here’s the link to get you started

~ jan

Click Here to sign up and see what it’s all about…

Loretta’s Pralines from N’awlins….

Twenty years ago, hubby and I went to New Orleans and discovered Loretta’s Authentic Pralines in the French Market.  At that time Miss Loretta herself stirred the candy in the big copper pot, today she is much more business savvy than that, but the recipe is the same.

I adored the pralines, brought them home to the boys, John went crazy for them, Ryan, who never was a sweet eater, didn’t know what all the fuss was about.  John started making them with a recipe I brought home from some ladies in a little restaurant in Louisiana, they told me the secret is to make them using Pet Evaporated Milk, and he’s made them ever since.

He and Deanna were in New Orleans over Memorial Day, and what arrived in the mail yesterday – this box of pralines from Loretta’s.

Law-dee, that boy sure is good to his mama….  You’re the BEST, Johnno, I’ll think of you with every bite I take…

Say Goodbye to the Food Pyramid

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think this is the best new thing to come along in years.  This is one “out with the old, in with the new” idea that got it right! It’s so much easier to navigate than the old food pyramid – so visual, just one look and you know what you should be eating.  Now I’m just waiting for them to come out with plates that actually look like this – hey, I would buy them, especially if they are made of great looking pottery with maybe snazzy veggie/animal illustrations around the edge.

It’s so easy, even for little children, to see what portion sizes should be.  Kudos on this one, Department of Agriculture, talk about a good thing…

Rhubarb, it’s not just for old ladies anymore…

I had a mother that adored rhubarb.  She grew her own and fed the tart concoction to me as a child and I absolutely hated it.  She had friends that were older, and they all loved it as well, so I grew up thinking it was something old women ate.   I avoided it like the plague for years, and finally decided that it was pretty good in a strawberry rhubarb pie, but even now, I never cook it. 

For some reason this week, I decided I wanted to try and make stewed rhubarb like she used to.  Hubby bought me several stalks at the farmer’s market, it cost $5.00 for those stalks, and I’m thinking, “this better be worth it.”  So then I picked up a quart of strawberries, and last night I peeled the strings away like she always did, cut it into chunks, put it on the stove with just a few tablespoons of water and the strawberries and a pinch of salt and simmered it on low for about ten minutes.  Then I put in two cups of Splenda, no way was I going to put in sugar, after all rhubarb is only 25 calories per cup, I had a good thing going, didn’t want to amp the calories with real sugar.

I always have Edy’s Slow Churned Sugar Free (80 calorie) Ice Cream in the freezer.  I scooped out the ice cream, put it in a dish and poured the warm rhubarb strawberry mixture over the top.  Oh-my-GAWD, it was incredible!

I have a lot left, so this morning I added the chilled rhubarb to my cottage cheese berry concoction, and later on I’m going to make a diet version of Rhubarb Fool, layers of rhubarb and whipped cream Cool Whip.

You might want to rethink rhubarb, too.  Martha Stewart has some yummy looking recipes on her website.  Check them out here…

Mother was also a fan of gooseberries, we had gooseberry bushes, and those things were the most sour fruit I ever put in my mouth.  But now that I’ve “found” rhubarb, I’m thinking that I should give gooseberries a try, if I can ever find them again.  Who knows, Mikey might like those, too! 

Things I’m enjoying this summer…

Simple food:  For breakfast, a scoop of cottage cheese, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, all mixed together with a packet of Splenda.  Thanks Linds for telling me to do this.  Her recipe calls for honey and almonds, all layered in a parfait glass.

Oatmeal made from old-fashioned oats, with two teaspoons of cocoa stirred in before it’s cooked.

Iced tea with a wedge of orange, always reminds me of Mother.

Smells:  Dove Body Mist, Pomegranate & Lemon Verbena

Dial Body Wash, Spring Water

Sounds:  Smooth Jazz from Monterey Bay, NPR Classical Music, The waterfall in my garden

Flowers:  Invincibelle, a new variety of hydrangea, Candy Corn Plant, just for fun

Books:  I just finished Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews – great summer read.  If you’re not familiar with this author, you’re missing out – All of her books are so much fun, Savannah Blue, Savannah Breeze, The Fixer Upper to name a few, check her out.  Deanna and I both really enjoy her…

Robyn Carr – oh, so good, especially the entire Virgin River Series.  Yep, Deanna and I have read all of these also, fifteen books in this series.  Start with book one, Virgin River and you will quickly be enchanted with the folksy people that live in Virgin River.  Awesome reads…

Kristin Hannah and Rachel Gibson are also on my favorites list this summer.  I bought an iPad 2 a couple of months ago, it’s just the most fantastic computer, ever!  The iBook reader is seriously to-die-for, read all about it here! 

But, of course, my favorite thing this summer is anything having to do with Abby.  Lindsay is so good about letting me know what cute things she is doing, constantly sending us pictures, she’s an amazing mother.

And that’s what I’m up to this summer, I hope all of you are enjoying your lazy days as much as me….

~ jan

Take a good look at Dyan Cannon today, ladies…

I always liked Dyan Cannon, I thought she was so beautiful, loved the hair, the laugh, the smile, but lord help, what has this woman done to herself?

Here we go again with the duck lips, the cosmetic surgery the extreme dieting.  This woman is seventy-four years old and she looks like a train wreck.  And here I go again, on that soapbox, ranting about aging in America.  Why do women feel the need to try and look young, when they clearly can’t pull it off?  Why can’t we be okay with our bodies as we age?  Why can’t we embrace our sags and bags, instead of pulling and pinching and tucking and ultimately looking ridiculous instead of natural?

A few years ago, I saw Miss Cannon on a talk show and they were doing a cooking demonstration, making mashed potatoes, and the host could no way get her to take even one bite of those potatoes.  She was horrified, saying they would make her fat.  Well, lady, it’s not too late, you could use a few potatoes to plump up that body a bit.  As for the lips, oh never mind….

I had a total, complete Grammie moment this past weekend…

Oh, I know I must bore all of you with my Grammie stories, but everything she does is just still so brand new to me.

Last weekend, I was talking to Ryan, and I could hear Abby in the background.  She bumped her head, and Ryan said to her, “Abby, did you hurt yourself?”

And this sweet little voice, said crystal clear, “No, I’m fine.”  Oh, it was just so amazing to hear her answer a direct question like that.  Such a thrill…

I’ll try to hold it down, ladies, seriously I will.  But, just think, it won’t be long now until we can have actual phone conversations.  They will probably go something like this.

Me:  “Hi Abby, what’s going on?”

Abby:  “Where’s Bampa?” 

Yep, that’s probably what will happen.  *sigh*

Happy Memorial Day from our famiily to yours....

VPL

Okay, I admit it, I was reading a book, they were talking about VPL, and I was clueless. So I looked it up in the urban dictionary and found out that it means "visible panty lines," so now i'm informed. Do I care, is it important in the overall scheme of things, do I really give a rats hiney about VPL at my age.

Of course not, I could care less, I'm just sayin...

New Orleans ‘2011

I always look forward to John and Deanna’s trips.  They send me a steady stream of pictures, and I feel like I’ve been on vacation, myself…

My pretty little daughter-in-law-to-be looks like she’s having a great time.  Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one of those beignet’s from Café Du Monde with my morning coffee…

A few of her favorite things…

We visited Ryan, and Lindsay last week.  “Bampa” took Abby a Barbie tent and big building blocks, both of which were a huge hit.

Here she sits, with her favorite elephant chair from Lindsay’s parents, her sippy cup and her blocks.  She played for hours surrounded by these toys.

She simply adores “Bampa.”  There are no other words to describe it.  Me, she tolerates, occasionally doling out a quick hug and a big smile, but the good stuff she reserves for him.  Despite all my coaxing, I’ve only gotten an occasional “Naneeeeeeee” from her, when I try and get her to say “Grammie,” but she constantly says “Bampa,” holding up those little arms for him to pick her up.   Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!

My friend Nisha told me last night that it might be 4-5 years before she gives up the obsession with LC and turns her attention to me.  Geezy Pete, lets hope she’s wrong, I’ll be really old(er) in another five years!!!!! I tried all the tricks, too, even bribing her with videos on my iPad.  She would sit on my lap for just a little while, then she was back in the tent. 

I won’t give up, though, I’ll try a new tactic next time.  If it were her Daddy, I could always bribe him with cookies, unfortunately Miss Abigail doesn’t seem to care for them at this point, but I’ll keep trying, who knows, maybe she’ll decide she likes cookies the next visit…

The most amazing German Potato salad, EVER!!!

Oh, do I have a recipe for you, ladies. My neighbor is a German lady, ninety-three years young, and she gave me her recipe for German Potato Salad.  It’s the best potato salad you will ever put in your mouth, pinkie swear, it is. 

I’m posting it on Jan Can Cook. If you want something absolutely amazing this Memorial Day Weekend, try this recipe.  It’s WORLD CLASS!!!

Here’s the quick click…

~ jan

Arnold Schwartzenegger, I've got a Secret....

Well the past few days have been interesting, to say the least.  Those of us who are of a certain "age" have lived through a lot.  We cut our teeth on the Kennedy "bad boys."  We were shocked to hear about JFK frolicking in the White House pool with a bevy of naked women.  We were appalled to learn that he and his brother "shared" Marilyn Monroe,  we were horrified to find out that a drunken Teddy had driven his car off a bridge and left that poor girl to die, and by the time the newer generation of Kennedy's came along, other than the time William Smith raped that girl, we were pretty much desensitized to the family scandals.

Until this week....  I cannot imagine having my housekeeper having, not only a long term affair with my husband, but having a child with him.  This was his housekeeper, the woman who knew the most intimate details of their family life.  She did the laundry, she washed his wife's underwear for god's sake!  She changed the sheets, and emptied the trash in the bathroom, and all the while, knowing that she had slept with this man and had a child with him. This scumbag is the lowest of the low, and the woman is just as bad.   I have never been a fan, I always thought he was pompous and arrogant, a man who's self importance was bolstered by his ties to the Kennedy family.

Maria, however, was always the lady.  Despite her wealth, she was a humanitarian and worked to make a difference for women and children, regardless of economic background.  The poor woman probably turned her cheek in ways that we never even dreamt of.  But what goes around, truly does come around, and this sleazebag is finally getting his cumuppance.

Of course now he is p*ssing and moaning and trying to rebuild his family.  Hogwash, had this woman not threatened to blow the whistle on him, he would have carried this secret to the grave.  What's next for him, a geriatric sex clinic?  Oh puh-leez...

I had to post this picture, ladies.  Not exactly Speedo eye candy, is it?  Maybe, this time, the Terminator is finally EXTERMINATED!!!!!!

Mother’s Day 2011

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  The family all came to Heavensville, the weather was lovely, we had brunch on the patio, and enjoyed being together.  Abby is growing so quickly, and is precious beyond words, as all of our grandchildren are.  I hope you enjoy the video.  ~ jan

 

What I've been up to....

Hubby and I spent a couple of days in the yard between rains, and got EVERYTHING planted, I'll post some pictures as soon as I get a chance.  

The family is coming home this weekend, I'm SO excited, it's been awhile since I've seen Ryan, Lindsay and Abby, I can't wait to see how she's changed.  John and Deanna haven't seen her since New Years, oh how she's grown since then! 

We were in Nashville for Easter, I got a new white Ipad 2, which is the just about the neatest thing I've ever owned.  Oh my, it's an awesome thing.  More about that later, too.  Seems like my wheels are spinning here, I need to make a plan, FAST!

It will slow down here soon, I'll be around again, this is just a really busy time of the year for me, but it's so much fun going to the garden centers, picking out the plants, I really enjoyed it this year, despite the icky weather...

~ jan

Carrie Underwood w/Vince Gill How Great Thou Art–Standing Ovation

If you haven’t seen this yet, it’s totally amazing.  What a voice this woman has…

Remember Marcia Clark...

She's had so much work done she's unrecognizable....

Pioneer Woman is coming to Food Network

I just read that my very favorite online person, Pioneer Woman is going to be sharing her own special brand of home cooking in her home late summer.  Premieres August 2011.

And, Trish Yearwood is going to have a series, filmed in her kitchen, it premieres September 2011. WOW, a couple of good ones to look forward to, ladies….

I watched the Judds new show on OWN last night…

I have fond memories of the Judds, I loved their music in the 80’s, and still think that Wy has the best set of pipes on the planet.

So, I’ve been anticipating their documentary on OWN TV, and I caught a couple of episodes last night.  Oh my gracious.  Mama Judd is a bonified wackadoo.  The woman is soooo eccentric.  But I haven’t been so entertained since I saw Tanya Tucker in Tuckerville. 

Wynonna, however, is still magnificent, despite that she has her hair dyed Day-Glo orange and is dating a man named Cactus.  I suspect that both of Judd girls have had a “lot” to deal with in their lifetimes.

The highlight of the show, for me, other than seeing where they live, the horses and the dogs, and the beautiful Tennessee countryside, was watching them eat at the Country Boy Restaurant in Lieper’s Fork, Tennessee.  Yours truly is a huge fan of good ole’ boy diners, and hubby and I ate at Country Boy just a few months ago when we were visiting John and Deanna.  It was so good, beans, cornbread, coleslaw, sweet tea, everything this old country girl, loves…

But back to the Judds, there they sat at a table at Country Boy’s, Mama all decked out in an outrageous plaid school boy cap and a jacket that clashed badly, crying.  But drats, I would have rather saw what they were eating than watch them tearing up, but they didn’t show the food…

They made a total of six episodes, will I watch the rest?  Of course, I will.  I still love their music, I always will, and I’m sure my kids think I’m pretty wackadoo myself, don’t yours?  So in a way, I sympathize with Mama Judd, and I have to admit, she’s pretty fascinating, especially when they hook the computer up to her ears in attempt to balance her brain…

Kids and their pets…

Mother says, and Mother is always right…

I think of my mother so often, especially in the spring when flowers start blooming and trees are showing their blossoms.  She loved spring, even though when I was growing up, it was a hard time of the year for us, living alone in the country.  We had an acre of ground that we mowed, and after the winter, a yard full of sticks and limbs to trim, flowerbeds to weed, a garden to plow.  But we did it, and she did it with grace, never complaining, just doing what needed to be done.

She always said that if you have a late Easter, you will have a late spring, early Easter, early spring.  I think of that so often, and how she was so right.  Especially this year, when Mother Nature just won’t give us a break.  We have a few warm days, and then it’s cold again.  I’m ready to be planting geraniums, haunting the garden centers, enjoying the great outdoors, and we are cloudy in Heavensville this morning, with a predicted high in the low fifties.

And so I wait it out, dreaming of warmer days ahead, and thinking this morning of how it used to be, what a simple life it was, and what good memories I have…

You might enjoy rereading a scrapbook page I made a few years ago, about spring when I was a child.  There’s a picture of my beloved childhood ditch on the page…

All My Children and One Life to Live, cancelled...

First it was Guiding Light, then As The World Turns, now they're cancelling All My Children and One Life to live.  Is Young and The Restless next?

Statistics are showing that there is just not the appeal for soaps that there once was.  People would rather see cooking shows or talk tv.  

I personally think it is sad that it's come to this.  I'm old, I don't like change.  Even though I never watch these soaps, I have fond memories of them back in the day.  It's a sad day for daytime television...

Abby is growing up so fast…

And so it begins…

Spring has arrived in Heavensville.  I happily potted herbs yesterday, but I’m waiting a bit on the annuals.  It’s early yet, we  could get a cold snap and I don’t want to have to cover a lot of plants.

It’s rainy this morning, but the window is open beside me, the birds are on the feeder, and singing in the trees.  Is there anything better than this?  I don’t think so, at least not in my world.

Life is good, I’m living in the moment….