Farewell 2008

Only 2 hours to go for this old year. It's not been a good year for so many people and I know we're all hoping and praying for a much better year ahead. My family, personally, has had some major problems...and here we are, ready for a new year, and the problems haven't killed us yet, so I guess they're just going to make us stronger. I'm praying for more strength, patience, tolerance and understanding to survive in this world of ours that gets a little more confusing as time goes by. Walked outside tonight to find this beautiful sunset over "my" lake...seemed like the perfect image to end the year. I've heard that happiness is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank. So... Thank you for the beautiful sunset ,Lord... Happy New Year and may 2009 bring peace and blessings to you all ...*elaine*

Ch-chhh-cchhh-changes...

I know it's not 2009 just yet, but I'm thinking of changing the look of my blog for the up and coming New Year. There are not a whole lot of choices here on Blogger, but I think I'll try out this one and see if I like it. It still has the greens & orange that I like, with a little purple (from my old hippie days) thrown in! Actually, I kind of missed the hippie thing by a few years, but that didn't stop me from wearing a dress handmade from an Indian print bedspread, and water buffalo sandals to my Senior Prom..circa 1972! Gawd...what was I thinking? I'm sure my mother wanted me to wear something pink...and frilly...how we must have butted heads on that one! So I'm going to end the old year...and I have to say I'm not sad to see it go....with some odd, old stuff and a new look to my blog. Back soon! *elaine*

Where are you, Christmas?

Have ya'll ever heard the song by Faith Hill that goes..."Where are you, Christmas? Why can't I find you? Why have you gone away?" That's my theme song for this year...I have always loved Christmas, but due to many circumstances beyond my control, my spirit is low and I'm having a very hard time finding it. Today is the 14th...only 11 days till Christmas...and I've done 2 decorations...no shopping, no cards and still no tree, and have only given a passing thought to Christmas dinner. Seems there is so much bad in the air these days, I just can't seem to shake the blues. So, with that in mind, I'll post pics of my 2 decorations, and go sit by the lake, and try to remember the true meaning of Christmas. These bad times shall pass, but the true meaning is always here, we sometimes have to look a little harder to find it. Merry Christmas everyone...I'll be back in 2009. Until then...peace on earth, and prayers for a better year to come. *elaine*

WHOOPS!

Ignore the previous post...was trying to do something and hit a bunch of wrong buttons! When will I ever get the hang of this computer thing??!! Time to pull out the "PC's for Dummies" again? :} elaine

being 30something: fast on friday...#comments

being 30something: fast on friday...#comments

Thanksgiving dinner cooking disaster! 2008

Well, another Thanksgiving Day has ended. Our 2 guys were here for dinner, and it was almost like when they were small boys, and still at home. Had to remind myself that they are 32 & 28...but it brought back some very fond memories that had been on a dusty shelf in the back of my brain... a quiet celebration...except for the moment that our turkey, which had been cooking nicely on the grill on the porch, decided to have a major flareup while no one was paying any attention to it.."I thought YOU were watching the grill!!" kind of moment! We snuffed out the flames...grabbed the bird off the grill...and took it into the kitchen...can you just imagine the comments? "It doesn't look that bad, Mom" (my oldest)..."I like stuff burnt, Mom' (my youngest)..."It'll be fine, Hon...all you've got to do is scrap the black stuff off" (my eternal optimist husband)...all I could do was stand there, staring at my charbroiled, blakened beyond recognition 20 lb. turkey, sitting on the lovely platter from Japan...and think "How will the hot dogs in the freezer go with sweet potatoes?" I went to my computer and googled a turkey hotline...they have plenty of advice for an UNDER cooked birds, but precious little for a tukey that has been incinerated! Sooo...went back to the bird, started scrapping off all the black stuff that I could, and amazingly the meat was unharmed...even more amazingly, it tasted really good! Disaster averted...the hot dogs are back in the freezer! :} The rest of the day went beautifully...and ended with a sweet orange sunset over the lake. As my guys were leaving, the youngest says, "That was an awesome dinner, Mom. Can you burn the turkey again next year?" AARRRGGHHHH!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving all...*elaine*

International Button Week... part 2

My blog would only allow me to upload 5 photos, so here are the rest of the pictures I took this morning of my buttons etc. You can click on any of the photos to enlarge...and BOY! do they enlarge! Good thing I dusted the jars before i took the pictures!! :} *elaine*

International Button Week

I recently found a neat blog called Button Floozies that I just love! This last week, the author of that blog declared an International Button Week. I've had fun exploring other people's collections, and decided to show some of my own accumulation of buttons, and other vintage sewing goodies. My blogging has been pretty lax in the last couple of months, so I'm giving myself the proverbial kick in the butt to get me going again. Happy Sunday! *elaine*

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to say Hello...and to wish everyone who sees this a very Happy Thanksgiving. With all the difficulties we, as a country, are facing this year it may be harder to see all that we do have to be thankful for. Whether our loved ones, our special friends, our health or our personal good fortune...we all have someone or something to give thanks for. Do not let this day go by without telling those people how much you appreciate them, or thanking God for our personal well being, or extending a small helping hand to someone less fortunate. Happy Thanksgiving to all. *elaine*

Tropical Storm Fay

Day 4...this not very nice, witchy storm named Fay has been swirling over our heads in Central Florida. She has dumped massive amounts of rain, and is still right over us...not sure how slow she's moving now, 'cause our satellite went out yesterday. All I know for sure is she is still here and wrecking havoc every where she goes! Snapped a couple pics this AM... how bout that 4 1/2 pounds of water??!! And that scale is under roof on my porch!! The lake has come up SO far, the ducks are threatening to leave home...maybe I should just go take a bubble bath...oh, wait...my pump went out this morning, so I have no water,except for the emergency jugs for drinking. Okay...that's it...I've had it! Going back to bed...wake me up when hurricane season ends!!! :o} *elaine*

Yard Sales are FINALLY better!

After a long hot summer...I know, it's not over yet...of terrible, horrible, worst I have ever seen yard sales, things are finally lookin' up! I'm talking sales that make you mourn the loss of the gas you just burned up to get there...sales where the stuff needed to be bagged and dragged to the curb, sales that look so bad as you drive by you don't even want to stop! What's up with that??!!?? Anyway, things were much better this weekend...Scored all the goodies in the pic for under $7 at 2 sales on my way to the grocery store. The Universal pottery pitcher & pie pan with the hollyhocks is too sweet!! Can never pass up old cookbooks, or vintage fabric...and don't you just love the dancing lady in the old photo?? She has already been scanned, reprinted and on her way to being a birthday card for a dear friend turning 50 this Wed...love old photos...instant ancestors, anyone?? So. a month & a half between posts this time...I think I'm getting worse instead of better! It's been a long hot summer, and now we're bracing for Hurricane Fay...been there, done that...don't need any damn hurricanes!! We're praying she dies out before she gets to us, but things look a little iffy on that score. Hope Ya'll have had a good summer...have a happy Sunday...see ya again soon! elaine