Happy New Year

Just a quick post to say Happy New Year to you all. Sorry my blogging has been nonexistent through December...been a rough month...but I'm ready to move on. Out with the old, and in with the new, and all the changes I hope this new year will bring. Found these vintage postcards stashed away...{note to self....stop hiding these goodies !}...so enjoy the sentiments & sweet art work from a much simpler time. Happy New Year! *elaine* ps...can anyone tell me why Blogger is underlining all my words, and giving me a hard time in general? I had 3 postcards to share & one of them just ...POOF...dissapeared! Heaven only knows where THAT one ended up! :o} *e*

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!! See you in 2010!! *elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful....Day 7

Okay folks....do I blame my total loss of memory on too much turkey?....that I turned 55 last Tuesday?...a senior moment????? I totally, completely forgot Day 7 of my seven days of thankful...where is my brain?!!!??? I'll make this short, sweet, and to the point. Sunday, November 29th, I am thankful for all of you! Yes, you!! For all of the funny, creative wonderful people I have met in my 2 years of blogging...Thank you all for being you! When I started this blog, I had no idea what or why I was doing...turns out that wasn't really very important. I have 50 followers and others who read my ramblings and take time out of their busy lives to leave comments, and that still amazes me! When I'm feeling down or out of sorts or just stressed, I can read what you all are doing, and it turns my day around. So thank you all!! Keep on blogging...you really do make a difference! Have a Happy Sunday, and bring on Christmas...it's coming...ready or not!!! *elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...Day 6

Happy Thanksgiving to all....Today, November 26th...I am Thankful...just Thankful. Hope you all had a wonderful day with family & friends. *elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...Day 5

Wednesday, November 25th. My seven days of Thankful would not be complete without a post for my 2 sons. These photos were taken in better, happier times...both sons are going through very difficult things right now. I miss the smiles on both of their faces and would give just about anything to see these smiles again. I can never give up the hope that they will both have better lives ahead...the joy & love they brought to my husband & I can never be replaced nor forgotten. I just have to pray that Chris will get better and that Jason will someday be able to live a full productive life...I pray for this every day. So...I am thankful for my 2 sons..I love you still and always will...*elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...Day 4

Tuesday...November 24th....it's my birthday!! Today I am thankful for my parents, Amy & Arthur, for bringing me into this world 55 years ago! I was born on Thanksgiving eve, so this holiday has always been special to me. Some years my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, and when I was younger I thought it was a holiday just for me! My Mom would always wait until 6:21 pm to wish me a Happy Birthday, and after moving out on my own, I never felt I had turned that new age until I got her call. Hard to believe that 55 years have passed, both of my parents are no longer with us...but I feel so thankful today for the life & the love that they gave me. Thank you, Mom & Dad. I'll miss my 6:21 phone call....*elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...Day 3

Monday, November 23rd...I am so thankful for my home. At a time when so many families have lost their homes, I feel so fortunate & blessed to have our little place on the lake. When we purchased this small piece of Florida sand 18 years ago, that was all it was. Sand & trees, no power or water...and this was during the recession of 1991. We bought a small camper that we lived in for 4 months, and finally found a single wide mobile home that we could afford. It's like the shoemaker's children being barefoot, as Joe is a carpenter, and we still have not given up the dream of building a small home on this land. In the meantime, it's a snug little home, has survived 4 hurricanes & a tornado, and several years ago we were able to pay off the mortgage, so it's truely ours. So...be it ever so humble, it is home, and when I pull in the driveway, I still feel that moment of peace that I am home...and that is a wonderful feeling. *elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...Day 2

Sunday...November 22nd...I am thankful for my husband, Joe. We met in 1972, the fall after graduation, and I was not quite 17! Okay...that just made me feel really old! After 2 years together, we were married in 1974 and are still together after 35 years. We have had our ups & downs, good times & bad and there are times that we wonder how we made it this far! Love is a crazy thing, and that is one thing that still keeps us together. He is my best friend, plain & simple. He's there for me no matter what and understands me when I don't even understand myself. I love you, Joe! Thanks for being you. *elaine*

Seven Days of Thankful...

I have been missing blogging, and I think the best way to come back is to do seven days of Thankful. When life is hard, I tend to forget some of the important people and things in my life that I need to be thankful for. So, starting today...Saturday November 21...my sweet beautiful granddaughter's 3rd birthday. Hard to believe that 3 years ago today, we welcomed this perfect little girl into out hearts & lives. In the picture above, Alexandria Lynn is only 15 minutes old, and I was able to hold her, and give her the first of many Gramma kisses. In 3 short years, this child has brought so much joy into our lives. I have so much fun when she visits...we have sleepovers...& French toast for breakfast...& play until we are too tired to play any more! When this little girl wraps her arms around my neck, and whispers "I wuv you, Gwamma"...my heart fills with a love that I have never felt before. So, today I am thankful for you, sweet Ali. Happy 3rd Bithday! *elaine*

Bloggin' Break...

Hello blog friends...sorry I have not been here lately. The last 2 weeks have been a disaster...my son got sick & spent 2 1/2 days in ICU...reaction to a new medication. While trying to research why this happened, my computer crashed...Hard!..so I was a few days without while my friendly fixit guy fixed it. So, son is home & feeling much better...computer's up & running, but I am so tired...just need to take a break for a little while. I'm still reading your blogs...it gives my mind a different direction after a tough day. Fall's here, and the change of seasons usually gives me a whole new burst of energy...I can really use that this year. Keep us in your thoughts & prayers...and I will be back soon. *elaine* Red & Purple blooms by the porch...first day of November!

HALLOWEEN...finally!

Halloween finally arrived at our house last week. I got a major motivational kick when I discovered this odd plaid fabric while searching for yard sale stuff. Whipped up a quick valance for the kitchen, zigzagged on some vintage velvet ribbon, and hung BOO in my old brass stencils from a torn strip of black fabric. Then I wandered the house picking up a black cat here & there...added some silk fall leaves & a cute white & orange stripey pumpkin...and Voila! The day after my yard sale, I discovered another hour or 2 of energy, and dragged all the pottery pumpkins & other paraphernalia down from the barn. I've had the spider web for like 5 years...$2 from Big Lots, and this year had to make repairs to keep it going for one more year. Added some tree moss and a couple of fat spiders, and the front was done.
Moved onto the porch where I found homes for my assortment of pottery pumpkins. The collection has gotten rather large, but I figure since I don't carve a real one anymore, I can bring home cool ones I see them. I put candles inside of all of them, except for the teeny ones, and sit out on the porch to hand out goodies to the little monsters.
Of course, the porch had to be swept and "dusted" as I went along, so it took a little longer than usual. Was going to put up lights today, but had too many errands, chores and people stopping by to say "hi", so the lights didn't get done. Have to work 10 to 9 tomorrow, so I don't think the lights are gonna happen. Oh well... there' always next year.
Had one accident while bringing stuff down stairs...my old scarecrow leaped out of my arms, and over the railing, and promptly fell apart. I think he had just had it. When I pulled him from his box, I was wondering how many glue sticks it was going to take to put him together this year...after the accident...or was it intentional?.... I decided to retire him for good. So, I think I'm ready enough for Halloween...just need to stock up on candy...candy...candy!! Been clipping coupons for the past couple of weeks...maybe it will only cost an arm for all those goodies this years. Even though my sons are grown, I don't like to disappoint the munchkins in the neighborhood. Had some other things I wanted to blog about, but as usual, I've rambled on & on. I received a neat blog award from Betty @ Blossoms and Lace, and I need to pass it on....maybe Saturday? I'll be back! happy Thursday *elaine*

SALE'S over...Whew!!!

Sooo...at "O Dark-thirty" Saturday morning Steph & I are at my boss's house dragging a ton of junk out into the driveway. We had set up the tables & other inside stuff Tuesday & Wednesday nights after work, but we still utilized most of Carol's 2 car drive as well as most of the garage! When did garage sales become so much work?? I used to decide on a Thursday to have a sale on Friday AND Saturday, and still have enough energy to chase 2 little boys around, and maybe even still be awake @ 7:30...the little boys are all grown up, the sale was only Saturday and I was asleep by 7:00 Saturday night, on the couch, probably snoring!! :o} Would you LOOK at all this stuff?!? Does it reproduce on it's own in the dark shed? Or does it need the sunlight upstairs in the barn to accomplish this?? All I know for sure is I have way too much stuff...even after the sale! Have a huge pile of boxes slated to go to my favorite thrift, the BS...Hey Jim...can you arrange a pickup for me? Still have a small pile in Carol's garage, another in Steph's husband's van and I spent most of today reorganizing & filling another box for the BS. Thankfully, business was brisk and we sold a ton of stuff. A lot of the large items went fairly early...outgrown used twice baby stroller...car seat { did my kids grow this fast?} and more stuff that I will never think of again! Farewell...parting is such a relief! :o}
Also, to our advantage, there were quite a few sales in the same area, and I know we got a lot of our buyers in clumps from those sales. We had NO early birds, cause they were all too busy early birdin' the other sales. There was an Estate Sale, a couple of miles down the street, that sounded SOOOO good Steph & I actually thought about leaving ours & going to theirs...just for a moment...just a brief thought, I swear!
More views of more junk...cannot believe Calvin, the handmade pig on the front table did not sell. He sold for $50 @ a craft show, and while I didn't pay that much, I paid more than the $10 I priced him at. I collected pigs at one time, gave 'em up...but Calvin, after being handled by everyone at the sale, came home with me.
I covered my motley collection of card tables with some of the less desirable vintage table clothes. These tables have been in my barn for years, but the humidity this year really took it's toll on all metal parts....squeeeekkkk!!!
So, all in all, the sale was a great success! Will head to the bank tomorrow to deposit a nice little bankroll that I didn't have Saturday morning. Even nicer is being able to see inside the shed AND walk straight to the washer w/o climbing over a teetering pile of boxes! Spent another hour or so in there this morning, and discovered the makings for at least 5 projects that had been buried by the sale fodder collecting frenzy! Now of course, it's only 2 weeks or less till Halloween, and all that stuff is in more blue plastic totes...up in the barn...don't know how many trips these knees can make up those stairs, but I gotta get the punkins down...and the black cats...and all the other goodies still up there. I need an elevator! Did you hear that, Joe?? No more barns with upSTAIRS...okay? :o} Gotta run...time for Gray's Anatomy...my one prime time soap-y show....oh wait that was on Thursday?....missed that...how about Desperate Housewives?....oh wait that makes 2 prime time soap-y shows... that's okay Joe's asleep in his chair "watching" the football game...I'll just tippy toe out there, and sneak that remote right out of his hand! Hope you all had a great weekend, and found lots of good junk! I'll be back in a couple of days with the punkins from the barn. till then happy Sunday night *elaine*

Reasons Why...

...I haven't had time to blog for over a week. Alexandria & Gramma had lots of gardening to do...

Then we extended our sleep-over weekend to Monday to include a trip to the beach....

Then I had to switch over all my junk to my awesome new purse I won from B's Purses last week...

Then I had to figure out how to get to the washing machine with all the yard sale stuff in the shed that is stacked to the roof...

Then I had to water all the poor plants that were drooping all over my yard, because someone has not told the state of Florida that it's October for crying out loud and it should not be 95 in October...

Of course, in the middle of all that, we had one of our busiest weeks at work...the homecoming parade was today {forgot the camera} , cleaned the house, did laundry, went grocery shopping and all the other stuff that filled my week so full I am not sure where the whole week has gone!! Tomorrow is Saturday, gotta work one more day, then on Sunday try to get all the stuff ready to move to my boss's house for my yard sale next Saturday. Whew...I'm tired just thinking about it!! Hope you all had a good week and found lots of good junk. I have a couple of sales to check out in the morning...oh, wait, am I not supposed to go yard sale-ing if I'm having a sale? Oh well, a couple sound too good to pass up...just don't tell my husband!! :o} *elaine*

*RanDom...rAmbLiINgs

FALL!!! It says so on the calendar, and if you look...really carefully...at the top left of my maple tree, you'll see a teeny patch of leaves just starting to turn. Joe & I planted this tree 16 years ago, when it was just a little twig, and now it is a huge, beautiful double trunk tree that drops a TON of red & orange leaves. The one true sign of fall in Central Florida...that, and the fact that I actually have the window by my computer desk open...for the 1st time since April. AAAhhh...my electric meter is breathing a sigh if relief. See...they're really red and gold...

A lonely red leaf caught on the trunk....

This has been a busy week...a good week...but busy. I have been accused by a follower of being a "bad blogger" for not posting anything new for over a week..:o}...we have been so busy at work, and I am NOT complaining, I have a good job AND we're busy. I just come home at night and want to take a nap! Definitely cuts into blogging time!! I'm reading, I'm just not writing! I have a 3 day weekend coming up...1 day to go...and I can go pick up my sweet Ali for the weekend. She loves sleepovers at "Gwamma & Gwammpa's" and so do we...so that's Sat & Sun. Monday it's off to the beach for some well deserved beach combing and soaking up a little more sun...can hardly wait!!

Things that have happened this week to make it a GOOD week? On Sunday, I was given the Honest Scrap award by Gail at My Repurposed Life, and I have been too tired to pass it on! As far as I can see, every blogger on my morning coffee blog list deserves this award! Thank You Gail! On Monday, I found out that I had won the grand prize in a blog giveaway! I found a neat blog, and can't really remember how I found this blog...but this lady named Beth was having a giveaway to launch her new business of selling B's Bags. I had never heard of them, but the pics were cool, so I entered. I WON an awesome prize, and was told to look for it UPS next week! Thank You Beth!!

As if all this neat stuff was not enough, I read that 3 of my blog giveback winners had received their packages, and were very happy with their prizes. Debbie, @ Talkin Trash is still missing from that list. Has anyone talked to her? I know she did a big show, and is probably still recovering, but Miss Priss the Fish is all ready to head to Texas, and I need an address! Debbie!!! Where are You??? So, once again, I have rambled on...and on...etc. and haven't shown one piece of junk! I have found good junk, but getting ready for our sale on October 17, I have been hiding the new good stuff away, so it doesn't end up with a price tag in a box!! I had to dismantle my cool junk window & do a football/homecoming window for the 10th...all THAT junk is in the back of my truck...and needs a home...pronto, cause there are more sales tomorrow, and my usual stop @ the BS for my Friday dose of cool junk and "her assment" {b.clinton} from the proprietor...:o} Goodnight folks...I'm going to post this w/o proof-reading...and I'm afraid to see how long this post has become! Have a great weekend, finds lots of cool stuff...and enjoy the start of FALL!!!! *elaine*

Mossy Monday on a Thursday Night...

Or...A rolling cat gathers no moss. This is my last "Mossy" post for this year. Autumn is approaching, and the moss is fading, soon to be replaced with other sights that make this part of Florida a pretty neat place to be in the fall. I thought I'd take the time to introduce you to my 3 feline rescue kittys that share my mossy garden with me. This is Snowball, our newest addition. The name fits, although she is a "Firepoint" with lots of soft orange markings. She was also a feral baby, born in the woods, and for the first few tentative approaches, we thought she had a snowball's chance of survival. She has now been with us for 5 months, has been spayed...quick! before she multiplies!...and has decided that she {almost} likes me.
This is Queen, momma of Snowball, abandoned and twice pregnant before the age of 1. She has the most beautiful blue eyes,which she passed on to her kitten, set into an Asian face that may never be called beautiful. Also spayed now...double quick!!...she has decided that Joe & Elaine's is not such a bad place to live. She has many additions to her Queen title...Queenie Beanie on good days, and when she's feeling grumpy , the Queen Bi*#*. She can be very mean to both her daughter, and her "kitty daddy"....

FattButt. This is Snowball's daddy, and was actually the first abandoned guy to claim squatter's rights at our house. He brought a brother with him, who moved on quickly, but FattButt has remained, and he is almost my favorite. He is now neutered, and has a tatoo on his left ear to mark that fact. My cat has a tat! The mossy yard is his domain, as well as the roof of my black Blazer, which sheds white and orange fur as I drive down my driveway! He is the most affectionate of the 3, and I think has finally forgiven me for the horrible ride in a cage, in my truck, and the leaving of some extra parts at the vet's office! He is now in excellent health & weighs almost 12 pounds...hence the name FattButt. :o}

So, Ill leave you here with my last 2 mossy pictures. Above is the base of the trunk of my favorite magnolia tree, with the moss, of course on the north side. And below is one more piece of antique paver, saved from our streetscape, that has been completely frosted with my favorite velvety moss. Hope you've enjoyed the pics, and tolerated my ramblings...I cannot seem to do a short post for anything!!

Enjoy the Greenery! *elaine*

And the 4 winners are.....

My husband, Joe, agreed to be my name picker...although he still can't quite figure out why I'm doing what I'm doing most of the time! I think I almost explained it to him, so he said "Sure, I'll pick 'em" He didn't know I would take a picture of each draw, but his smile says it all. He gets me, you know? And the winners are...drumroll... please! :o}

PRIM goes to Vintage Sue @ http://junkinlady.blogspot.com/


FISH goes to Debbie @ http://talkingwhitetrash.blogspot.com/



FOWL goes to Laurie @ http://magpieethel.typepad.com/

and last, but not least...{I had the most picks for this}...PROPER goes to Cherry aka Kudzu Kween @ http://kudzukween.blogspot.com/


Congratulations to all my winners!! This has been a fun week, reading all your comments, and meeting up with new followers. I'll be popping over to the winners blogs to tell them in person, but I just want to say Thank You to everyone who took the time to read & comment, and all the really nice 100th post congrats & compliments. THIS is why I blog!! You gals are great...can hardly wait till my 200th!!!!! Hugs!! MissElaineous Trouble aka *elaine*

Getting ready to pick 4 winners...

So...this is where we spent Sunday morning. My favorite beach, at high tide, with the waves crashing on the shore. Lots of seaweed, but still my best place to spend a Sunday morning!But...last night, before going to sleep, I spent some time getting together all the comments for the giveback. Had 4 containers, which were labeled, one for each giveback...
Couldn't quite figure out how to get all these names together. Finally decided to print out all the comments...12 pages{!!}...and cut them apart, fold them up, and put them in their respective containers. Took a little while to accomplish this, but it was fun reading all the comments again. I know there is a much more "scientific" way to do this, but, hey, it worked. Finished this, got our stuff together for the beach, and toddled off to bed.

Now, I had planned to put all of this together on one blog post...but for some reason Blogger will only let me do 5 pics at a time. Darn Blogger!! So, I'm doing this in 2 installments. We're home from the beach, had an early dinner and picked my 4 winners right after I finished the dishes. I'll be back in a few minutes with my 4 lucky winners. Can you stand the suspense??!! :o} *elaine*