THE way to walk down the aisle

Oh yeah, I would definitely get up at 1 am to watch the Royal Wedding if it was going to be this entertaining!

middle age

Update on Barn For Sale

I knew I should have done the research on the barn for sale with the fixer up house. I found out after a click or two that the 3 acre property features a 5378 sq.ft. newer custom home (behind the barn) the barn and no mention of the fixer upper house even though there was a picture. Listed for $969,000, it is no longer on my wish list.

See original post at http://debisphotoblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/for-sale.html

mama's ride

can you believe it? this is the thing that impressed me the most on my trip to Ikea, a sweet PINK truck in the parking garage. In my house full of men and men in training, this would definitely be mama's truck, no one else would dream of driving it let alone ride as passenger...I can only dream. Do you think the owner has matching boots, purse, earrings?  I would.

Journey

Yesterday marked the 39th year anniversary of our journey that I liken to backpacking in the wilderness. Never really knowing where we were headed, but confident the Lord would show us the way. Carrying our baggage on our backs, over hills and through valleys, in the cold, the storms, the heat and sunshine. We've had six young companions join us along the way for a time, some then departed to take their own journey. Looking forward to the rest of the journey, praying for balmy weather, level trails and  gentle comaraderie.

an iBand Christmas

What a great reason to get an iPad for Christmas, or a few!! Hubby doesn't agree. :-( . Enjoy it!

T-day and my little pies

Happy Day After Thanksgiving. I refuse to call it Black Friday, I'm not a shopper and ... I'm not going to go there today, I'm in a good mood. Anyway, Thanksgiving was wonderful here, so much so that I totally forgot to take pictures. Tommy, our previously "pet" turkey was delicious, all the sides perfect, and my little pies were a hit. everyone got their own and they ate every last morsel. It snowed all day long, and the G-kids had a ball, making snowmen and then tackling them flat. After dinner they had a snowball fight with the neighbors G-kids. Fun times!

Sorry..forgot to post this right away so...5 days later!?

Little Pies

I came across this recipe and am going to try it. I think the G-kids will really enjoy having their own pie for thanksgiving, on second thought the adults will probably like it too. If you try it let me know the results, I'll post  the comments from my family.  see the recipe here

List # 3 - Jobs You've Had

This list thing is starting to feel like a job. I rarely put this much information out about myself, but since hardly anyone reads this I guess doing it for myself is OK . Again inspired by by www.yesandyes.org  and the book Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists


1. File clerk - actually worked for my dad alphabetizing his customer records stored on cards with punched holes in them, very pre, pre computer database stuff.
2. Babysitter - Of course, oldest of 5 and only girl.
3. Waitress 
4. Assistant to the assistant manager in a totally upscale department store, designer salon department. Never got out from the back room but did get to try on all the new samples that came in my size.
5. File clerk  - for a then monopoly, I was just a number.
6. Wife and mother - don't let anyone kid you that his isn't a JOB. No pay, lots of benefits and very rewarding but a job none the less.
7. Switchboard operator
8. Customer service - department store
9. Direct Sales - nice name for Tupperware, and Avon pusher
10. Bank Teller 
11.Real estate agent - Loved this job, mostly the "caravan" weekly visits to the companies new listings.
12. Small business bookkeeper
13. Self employed bookkeeper
14. Online retail shop owner
15. Fill in secretary/office support


Now why can't I find a job?
What about you?

List 2

Another list inspired by www.yesandyes.org  and the book Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists .
Places you've lived:
1. my parents home -  the typical 60's built tri-level suburban family home. Lisle, Illinois
2. honeymoon cottage - actually a single wide mobile outside of the Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.
3. cozy furnished apartment - the building probably pre-dated the Civil War, I'm sure the furniture was older than WWI, the neighbors were "southern" crazy, the wildlife (cockroaches) unbearable. Shreveport, Louisiana
4. family apartment - one kiddo, 2 bedrooms in this nondescript but wildlife free apartment complex. Shreveport, Louisiana
5. Moving on up - kiddo 2, three bedroom rambler, in a neighborhood of young families moving in and out as per Air Force transfers. down side, B52's nearby on standby (end of Vietnam) Bossier City, Louisiana
6. my parents home - veerry short lived
7. Swinging Singles Apartment - we, married with 2 little kids. inexpensive sub-let with a great view of a lake and tiny ski hill. Lisle, Illinois
8. Our first purchased home - 1920's standard well built 2 story with tons of oak woodwork, floors, real plaster walls, postage stamp lot....15 years and 4 kids didn't wear this beauty out. rapidly changing neighborhood in Aurora Illinois.
9.Temporary rental - The leaking roof, suspicious mold,  mini kitchen, and barely room to breath bedrooms, did not detract from the gorgeous area we transplanted our selves into. Bellingham Washington
10. The end of the road - No foreseeable plans to move from our acre with views. nestled in a valley with our small orchard, veggie gardens and chickens, pretty close to living the dream. Deming Washington

Where have you lived?

List 1

In honor of the nasty rainy weather, my ribcage aching, mind fogging, whine inducing cold and a moment of lucidity, I thought I'd post a list. I unashamedly stole this idea from a blog I follow, seemed like a good one so here we go.

Pets I've had

1. Goldfish and or turtles, I really can't remember which but I do remember that the snails added to the bowl for cleaning purposes were a fascination until watching them made me throw up. Nice
2. Misty the big stupid cuddly dog. She was the only one that understood my teenage angst.
3. Daisy the cat. Not being a cat family, this stray stole out hearts and peed all over the house, think she was really a he and was acting out on it's name choice. Prematurely met a car he/she didn't like.
4. Tina as in Ike and.. Our first pet as a married couple. She was a stray white terrier that someone had penned "Devil" on her tummy, this may have been why she was a stray. She turned out to be a good dog  when the kids came along, and only behaved like her first name when she was required to obey.
5. Sandy the Golden Retriever. Best pet at our house award!  Kid pillow, jogging buddy, fierce sounding watch dog, best friend. She would retrieve anything including basketballs, fire crackers and an o.l.d deer carcass. She died too soon of lymphoma at 16.
6. Butch Chuckins aka Butchy. Part Lab part Retriever, part scaredy cat. Sweet and loveable a great companion for Sandy. Would follow anyone anywhere, we had to go get him from the elementary school once or twice and when our kids were getting less interested in pets he adopted the neighbor girl and let her dress him up in all kinds of humiliating clothes. He was a talker and would greet us each morning with a WHOOwhoo whoo. But scared?? he was terrified of water, even walk towards the hose and he was gone, he left the fire crackers to Sandy and found any tiny spot he could crawl into at the first bang. Miss him greatly, He lived with us for 12 years.
7. Fiona and Rebel the cats. We were petless (except for the fun filled Tiger, dessert gehko) and the boys begged for cats and as luck would have it a friend had a litter. We came home with Fiona a blue cream calico and a year later same momma had another litter and we were begged to nurse the runt, she wouldn't eat and mom had disappeared (likely dead) We took her and another for her company, she hated the formula wanted to chew the nipple not suck and we were worried. Finally we were feeding the other cats some peices of cheddar that we were grating and Rebel ate it and the rest is FAT CAT history. Saved by Cheese. Sister cat LC lives with our granddaughter.
8. too many chickens to count and thats alright cause they aren't my pets and 1 turkey, all are entertaining to watch but touch (pet) them? NOT ME.

just for fun I made this word cloud. check out http://www.wordle.net to make your own.

Back to the 80's

Seriously, the 80's kinda passed me by. In the music department anyway. I had 4 kids at home, 2 were born in the 80's and I just didn't have time to listen to the radio for all the newest top 40's. I did have time for Sesame Street, Scooby Doo, the Flintstones and my favorite..General Hospital. That being said, when I was offered a free ticket to see Rick Springfield in concert I jumped on it, not for "Jesse's Girl" or any other?? of his musical hits but because he played NOAH DRAKE on GH.

 

I know pathetic huh? I'm the same person that stood in line for an hour and a half to get an autograph and photo with Marie Osmond. I admit to being occasionally star struck. My conclusion, Rick - Larger than life on the small screen - regular guy in real life but pretty amazing on the guitar. Should have listened to the radio in the 80's I would have enjoyed singing along with the other grandmas.

click here for more photos of Rick's show

Sunday Randomness Survey

I came across this random survey on a blog I follow by another Debbie in the PNW Heart to Art. Thought that this may tell me a little about myself.


If I were a month, I'd be October.
If I were a day, I’d be Saturday.
If I were a time of day, I'd be 6:30 am
If I were a font, I’d be Arial Italic.
If I were a sea animal, I’d be a seahorse.
If I were a direction, I’d be NorthWest
If I were a piece of furniture, I'd be a rocking chair. 
If I were a liquid, I’d be water.
If I were a gemstone, I'd be an emerald.
If I were a tree, I’d be a Maple.
If I were a tool, I’d be a scissors.
If I were a flower, I’d be a rose.
If I were an element of weather, I'd be partly cloudy. 
If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a guitar.
If I were a color, I’d be yellow.
If I were an emotion, I’d be contentment.
If I were a fruit, I’d be a blueberry.
If I were a sound, I’d be a soft breeze through the trees.
If I were an element, I’d be gold.
If I were a car, I’d be a Mustang convertible.
If I were a food, I’d be chocolate.
If I were a place, I’d be a beach.
If I were material, I’d be denim fabric.
If I were a taste, I’d be chocolate.
If I were a scent, I’d be jasmine.
If I were a body part, I’d be eyes.
If I were a song, I'd be a praise song.
If I were a bird, I’d be a cardinal. 
If I were a gift, I’d be useful.
If I were a city, I’d be Portland.
If I were a door, I’d be open.
If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be flip flops. 
If I were a poem, I’d never rhyme.


Tell me about myself???? Tell you?

20 Things About Me

1. I'm a procrastinator

2. I've wanted to get started blogging for a long time.

3. I am a frustrated artist, can't seem to get started.

4. I'm 55, today I feel really old, most days I forget that I'm supposed to be "mature"

5. Been married to my best friend/ husband for 37 years.

6. Coffee is my beverage of choice, strong coffee, preferably a double shot americano with lots and lots of cream, but will settle for strong brewed with half and half.

7. I have given birth to 6 children, most of whom are adults and 2 have children of their own.

8. I love my grandchildren and enjoy their overnight visits but am not ashamed to say I love sending them home.

9. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for 20 years and still love, love, love it.

10. I've lived in 4 different states, 9 cities/towns, twelve homes, and owned 2.

11. I love to drive, especially in my SUV, Road trips..love em. Especially in the fall.

12. I love to stay home in the summer and chill on the deck with a glass of wine. I guess this is the new "Staycation"

13. I quilt, well, I attempt to quilt. What I do looks great to those that don't quilt.

14. We've got chickens 18 to be exact. I enjoy watching them they are very amusing but don't ask me to hold them.

15. Every day calls for a little chocolate, need I say more?

16. I try daily to seek the Lord's will.

17. For years I've wanted to learn to fly, only stopped by the $$$$ lessons and rental fees!

18. I love being this close to the end of a to do list.

19. I'll probably think of more me stuff after I post

20. I'm glad I'm done!