Sunday Walk at the River

I have to be to work in about an hour. Scott and I and the dog (Amelia) decided to walk at the River. It was a lovely day and we found some amazing fungi to photograph and a young lady took a picture of the 3 of us for us. We are definitely older and wider than we once were but we still enjoy spending time together... even after nearly 25 years. I used the picture in our header and am posting pictures here of our fungi findings. OH almost forgot the little skink Scott spotted on our way into the walk.

Ah Home! Labor Day weekend!

I'm home today - ALL DAY!!!! YEAH! I have so much that needs doing and so much I want to do that one day will not be enough. We talked about going out to the Farmer's Market and buying a bunch of corn to put up for later use as I'm sure prices on frozen goods will be going up this winter. First we need to get a nice breakfast put together; we will actually be able to sit and enjoy it this morning. I only wish I could have been off ALL this weekend as Family is in town from out-of-state and I would have liked more time to spend with them.

It's Labor Day weekend and yesterday I was finally able to find the cordless drill to finish installing the flag bracket on the mailbox post and put our flag out front. I took a couple pictures from our dining room window of the flag floating in the breeze. Today it is overcast and a bit rainy so I'm glad I took these photos yesterday. Happy Labor Day Everyone!

Annie's Freebie

If you follow the link on the left side of my blog for a free daily crochet project this is what is featured today.... Isn't it just darling? It will only stay up until Midnight tonight and then they will switch patterns. For someone just starting it's a great site for projects and they sell everything needed for a crocheter or knitter. And anyone that loves to crochet for little girls they have some awesome pattern books for dresses. Even BIG girls (Moms') will find beautiful clothing patterns on this site to order. I just love Annie's Attic!

Trucks Running Again!

My Handy Dandy Husband got our truck running once again! I am ever so thankful I found a man that can fix ANYTHING! The re-fabricated computer module is working GREAT; in fact the truck is running the best it has in a long time. Scott thinks that the module had been on the verge of burning up for some time and thats why the truck had developed that shudder it had for a couple years. We drove it out to the dump site as our oil can was full of used oil and we needed to empty it. On the way out there we came up on a bad wreck between car and pickup... the pickup was bent in half... no fixing that one. Everyone seemed to be walking around so thankfully no serious injuries. I was glad we had taken the back way and came into the dump center on the same side of the road as crossing over is always a dangerous proposition. They don't even have a decent turn lane for people entering from the opposite side of the road. Better get a shower if I'm to get to the vet by 9:20 and then to work at 1:30 - in between will be laundry and a bit of gardening.

Little Nickie's Vet Visit

Yesterday I took Greg's cat to the vet for his yearly check-up and Neutering. It was quite the ordeal for the little guy as he had one on the outside and one on the inside; so he ended up with two incisions instead of the one small one at the rear. They really opened his belly up - poor kitty. For the next 5 -6 days he will stay on the screened porch or with Greg in his room. I don't dare turn him out until those stitches heal up as there are so many and if that huge male he has been fighting with showed up he could kill Nick. When I brought him in last night Tesla wouldn't go anywhere near him; I guess because he smelled of the V-E-T and Tesla HATES the Vet's. Today I will be taking Tara in for her check-up and shots. And they'll get to check her over to be sure she is over the respiratory bugs she had a couple weeks ago. If she still has any of that going on they probably won't give her shots today. I'll be so glad to have all these check-ups behind us for a year. In the future we won't have more than 1 or 2 pets - never 4 again. I love animals but the expense is more than we can handle and I won't be an irresponsible pet owner. Rabies is quite prevalent in this area so vaccinations is a MUST.

Rainy Night

Storm Fay's remains are dropping more rain on us here in SC. I'll need to mow the lawn in just another day or two. And the garden needs weeding and vegetables need picking. Perhaps it will be clear enough in the morning so that I can at least get into the garden a bit before I have to leave for work.

Can't think of much else to post tonight so we will wait and see what tomorrow brings....

More new books

Like I said WE BOTH LOVE BOOKS!!!! I think I'm up on Scott so perhaps I should get with him on some he has been wanting. I got these 3 stitching/ sewing books in last week.

22 Years Ago Today

At 10:11 AM 22 years ago I was getting my first glimpse of my baby boy. Hard to believe that so much time has past all ready. We will be taking him out later today to eat Chinese at a Buffet.

Expo Pictures

Scott took these at the Expo...

Sorry there was no booth for John McCain there... wonder what that says about him. Just something else to ponder. The Green Party and the Democrats were the only ones represented so thats why we have pictures of them. I always stop at the PETA booth as they have some GREAT veg recipes.

BOOKS we bought at Expo

OK... by now everyone should know that we are book worms.... Here are the ones that we picked up at the Expo... I had taken a group picture but they show up better like this. We bought these at The Back Home Magazine Booth.

Saturday's Adventure

Scott and I drove up to Fletcher NC to attend the South Eastern Environmental Expo. I'll post more about that in my next post when I can get to those pictures on his camera. On the way home we came down Hwy 9 through Bat Cave, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. We made a bathroom stop at the Lake Lure Visitor's center and it gave me the opportunity to take a picture of the HUGE place that sticks out of the top of the mountain. I imagine that it's like living on top of the world up there. And of course I had to take a picture of the natural beauty across from the place.

We made a quick... VERY quick stop at my Parents' to see the new baby and give Mom a hug or two. We just had to get back on the road; as it was we were both exhausted and it was a toss up as to whom would drive safer. But we made it and no injuries were had by anyone along the way. We did come up on one trucker that had NO REAR LIGHTS... thank God he had reflective tape or we may have run right into him. We crashed hard last night. I ended up sleeping in one of the recliners as lying in the bed seemed to cause me a lot of abdominal pain... which I had to believe came from eating a chili-dog that looked kinda weird at lunch.

OH and we stopped at Iannucci's.... YUMMY! Italian!!!!! I had Manicotti and some of their delicious out of this world sour dour bread sticks coated in sesame seeds. TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!

Morning at Riverwalk with Amelia

I picked a bowl of tomatoes to share with co-workers and after dropping them off at the store I took Amelia down to the River walk to have some fun away from home time and a chance to meet other doggies. She always grins so much on the way there it's hilarious!

The grapes have fallen from the vines that hang over head of the River walk so the smell of fermentation was strong. Amelia took every opportunity she could find to gobble up ones that had not been crushed into the sidewalks. She is such an odd dog - LOVES fruit!

Signs of Fall were all around - the cool breeze; the leaves gently floating down from above and the river's flow a bit more swift from the rain we've been getting. People are enjoying the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. Some on bikes and others sitting along the path with a good book to read. I truly believe Fall is my favorite season... a chance to slow down before the Holiday Ruckus.

I'm home until until 5 today and am looking forward to just working around the house.

Tesla's Vet Trip

Well today was Tesla's yearly checkup and he was his typical nasty self. We tried having me just stay with him and help them get through the exam without loss of flesh. He was perfectly DREADFUL! But I didn't have to pay the $30 for sedation and we all came away unscathed. I will take them a stool sample from the cat box next week as none of us dared to gather one from him this morning. AND get this he has stayed mad at ME for helping. For the first 20 to 30 minutes since we got back home he paced about and then would stomp right up to me and HISSSSSSSSssssss at me. If I tried to pet him he would growl like crazy. I don't think he likes Vet appointments at all.... HA HA! Thankfully it's over for another year. And in his picture at the top of my blog you'd never know what nastiness dwells within... would ya"?

The color purple

I found that not all the Rose of Sharon I got in a plant swap are white after all. This one has been opening up this week. So Pretty!

A spoiled brat society

Thats what America has become for the most part. There are few people left here that won't throw a fit in a store to get something for nothing. And yet this is the very same society that belly aches about not earning enough at their jobs. If there is a sale sign for example that reads "30% off all 45" Home Dec Fabric" and there is something else above or next to the fabric like beaded trim they'll want the trim for 30% off EVEN though the sign CLEARLY states "30% OFF 45" Home Dec Fabric". It's like they absolutely refuse to read the entire sign and when the items they WANT don't come up 30% off they proceed to throw a fit in line and when you bring the sign to their attention and READ it for them they say," NOOOOOO... that sign says 30% OFF!" and they get louder and louder. It's just like the child that wants candy and starts carrying on and throwing a fit until the parent just gives in. MAKES ME SICK!!!!! What a bunch of brats... I would have had ice cold water thrown over my head if I acted like that as a child. And I'd be embarrassed if a family member or friend did that while shopping with me. Sales are GREAT! Don't get me wrong but throwing a fit to get something on sale thats NOT at the time is ridiculous. It will ALL go on sale eventually you just have to watch the sale ads and go THEN! OH YEAH!!! THAT REQUIRES READING THE AD! Perhaps that is just too much for people as well.

As far as earning more... YOU HAVE TO EARN IT! You aren't supposed to just be granted an income because you show up each day. And a business can't pay their people more if they aren't earning any profits.

Sorry for the rant but I just HAD to get it off my chest before I go into work today.

Worked 3 hours yesterday after all.

It wasn't long after I posted yesterday that my phone rang to go over and help them as they got swamped by people at about Noon yesterday. So my lawn still needs mowing and I'm working now until Thursday but will be off Friday-Sunday next weekend so perhaps on Friday I will be able to get to the lawn. I'm ever so tired this morning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to my Mom! Today is her 60+2 birthday. She is going to West Virginia to see her Mother-in-law with my Dad... hopefully they will be able to stop at some fun diversions along the way. Scott and I always look for interesting places to stop and take pictures when we travel together as it breaks the trip up and we've gained a new experience together. Plus we get to meet new and interesting people.

I'm so looking forward to next weekend - an entire weekend with my best friend - my husband. We've been talking about how much just being together means to us lately; reminiscing about our first tiny apartment with its 3 rooms and sparse furniture and how happy we were just being together. We still feel that way today which is amazing to a lot of people around us. We are looking forward to down sizing to our little cottage and purging a lot of "stuff" when we do it.

Saturday off?

I'm on call today but so far so good no one has called me! And I am hoping it stays that way as I have so much to get done around here and only this one day off to do it all in. The yard needs mowing, vegetables need to be picked and the garden also needs weeding again badly. Scott's Mom called early and wants him to measure windows for new blinds in her down stairs bonus room (also known previously as THE JUNK ROOM); she is getting it all fixed up for the day when she will have to live down stairs all the time. She is in her 80's now and has been seeing her sister go through so much the last couple years that she is worried about her own state of condition. We tried to stop by to help her some last Sunday but she wasn't home either time.

Our trucks' computer has died and Scott is hoping to work on that some today. It's always something with that truck. We've had it since it was new (1992) and it has had more problems than it's worth. Doesn't give us a warm fuzzy feeling about buying another Ford truck thats for sure. Of course we are in no position to buy anything right now anyway but if we were it would not be a FORD. About the only good thing has been the wide tail gate and it's ability to hold funny bumper stickers.

Sewing/Hobby Room Layout

All during the night I dreamed about how to set up my sewing/hobby room so that it was more functional. I sew, quilt, scrap-book, crochet (learning to knit), write to friends and occasionally make some jewelry so the room has to have a corner or space for everything needed to do these hobbies. I really need a bigger room or a separate building... HA HA! Funny how all that work in my head has made me tired this morning and no time for naps before work today as I have to be there at 1:30 and I have to wash clothes before then. I need to make or buy some more clothes appropriate for work so that I won't have to worry about washing them every two days (I have 2 outfits at the moment).

Yesterday I washed some fabrics that I found in my sewing room and today they need pressing and putting away. Slowly but surely I am getting on top of my stash!

I LOVE THIS!!!

Current project

Actually this is a project that I am SUPER late getting to a recipient in a swap.I am hand quilting it this morning and hope to have it ready to mail by next week. I so wanted to add some beading but will just complete the quilting and bind it off; apply a hanging pocket and a label and get it to her. She has waited long enough.

Thursday Morning Babble....

Well it has definitely cooled off since the rain came through yesterday. We turned the A/C off last night and opened a couple windows. I think that is the best I've slept in quite awhile. I love Fall the best out of all the seasons as the temperatures cool after a long HOT Summer and the colors of fall are so beautiful. Rich browns and deep reds and yellows... EARTHY colors like I love. And the air seems to clear in preparation for the cool crisp winters arrival.

Next Friday and Saturday (22-23) Scott and I are hoping to go up to the South Eastern Environmental Expo; we had planned to camp for Friday night but we may wait and drive up early Saturday and make it a day trip only. Sunday (24) our son Greg turns 22; I can hardly believe that! I think we will just take him out to dinner somewhere for his birthday. I'm thinking about throwing him a "shipping our party" before he leaves the beginning of October. It will most likely be late September as everyone else at the store seems to have requested off the weekends at the beginning of the month. I'll have to look at a calendar and request some time off to do that for him as I know he would love to see all his family and friends before he leaves.

Rain Rain Rain!

It's been raining for quite some time. I was awoke by the sound of water plinking in a can outside our bedroom window; not sure what time that was as I was so tired last night. The grass will REALLY need mowing this weekend with all this rain. The garden is loving the rain and the corn is the best looking we've ever had; I hope it follows through with something good to eat. The tomatoes have gotten so big it's quite the act of contortion-ism to pick the ripe ones but they do taste so much better than store bought ones that it is more than worth the work of picking them.

Scott is having a "lovely week" at work with lots of meetings and training sessions. We REALLY need a weekend getaway. Especially since I'm working all evenings... doesn't leave much cuddle time. After Christmas or sooner if they get more people hired I'd like to go to 3-4 days a week ONLY. I only signed on for part-time and to me that is 20 to 25 hours a week. I'll continue to work the longer weeks for now as we need the money for Vet bills; trying to get all the animals up to date on shots and such. Amelia's visit went well once we got inside the building yesterday. She made me fall outside the Vet's office and I lost skin on the top of my left ring finger and my middle knuckle. She tried to force her way past me and was heading for the busy road by the Vet's; scared me to death. She has never done me that way before; she usually saves her worst behavior for Scott. But she was good for the vet's team so after we left there I treated her to a walk along the Riverwalk in West Columbia. She met a lovely English Bulldog named Ema. Everyone else wouldn't allow her near them. She does look like she has some Pitt Bull in her but she wouldn't hurt a fly. But her appearance is enough for most people to get as far away from her as they can. All she wants to do to them is sniff and lick them.

Well I've got laundry to do so that I will have clothes to wear to work tonight so I better get to it... OH my newest little nephew was born night before last just before midnight. He will be going home today or tomorrow and his big brother and sister are looking forward to it. I'm hoping to get to meet him next week or the week after.

CHERRY TOMATOES

YUMMY! The tomatoes are finally coming in; right now it's only cherry tomatoes but they are so delicious! And don't they look beautiful in the bowl the previous owners of this house just cast aside and left here?

In just a little while I have to take Amelia (dog) over to the vet for a yearly check-up. She's all excited about going bye bye and loves the vet techs as they give her doggie tookies. She doesn't care much for the actual reason for going there.

ROCK ON!

Myspace Animated Comments & Graphics

Trying to boost myself back up after that last post!

Horrible Night!

Well I had a horrible night of bad depressing dreams of childhood memories last night. If it wasn't for the few good memories I have I'd just as soon forget them all. For some reason the memory of having to sit alone on the small seat at the very back of the bus every day as no one wanted me to sit with them came into my thoughts and the pain and despair that I felt then came into my heart and soul. There I was with a bus load of other children with a good many of them being cousins of mine and looking out the window and trying not to hear them laugh at me or see them pointing at me. Grandma would always tell me that,"Children are the meanest people on earth" and that I needed to just ignore them. I wasn't aloud to be mean or cruel to another child and if I was caught being that way I had to apologize to that child as well as their parents. I always felt like I didn't belong as no one else was made to apologize like that. Painful events like that don't just go away and people don't get over them all the time no matter how many people TELL THEM THEY HAVE TO LET IT GO... The bus seat event was throughout high school. I can't change the past but that pain remains in the recesses of my brain and once in awhile it pops out and I'm there all over again. That feeling of being alone with people all around is quite full of despair.

Dominoes!

See he hasn't grown up entirely.....

The Nanny Show

We sat and watched an episode of The Nanny last night... not sure why we did that to ourselves as we always get so upset with the parents as they always seem to have NO CLUE!!! Using TV and Video games as baby sitters so that they can get "their stuff done" is ridiculous... why not get the kids in on the things that need to get done so they learn LIFE SKILLS!!!! No where in their future will it be important for them to kill mutants or take over a world. I miss the times before all this electronic gaming sh_ _ .... we used to play board games TOGETHER after our chores were done. We read books and learned to speak CLEARLY. It was never acceptable to hit one another for ANY reason and disrespecting ones elders was not acceptable at all. Times have changed thats for sure and NOT for the better.

Rain and Sick Kitty

Mistress Tara cat has been living on the screened porch for the past couple days as she has a respiratory infection. Poor thing is so weak and floppy; she's like a rag doll when you pick her up to give her medication. Notice the towel... thats my protection from her nails. She has few teeth left in her head but her nails are like razors... especially when your trying to shove a pill and drops down her throat and putting cream in her eyes.

And we've been getting steady showers for about the past hour. The garden will LOVE it! I picked a few cucumbers from the garden this morning and they have all ready made their way into tonights salad. I have baked a butternut squash and some sweet potatoes and have corn on the cob in the steam pot. I will also pan fry a ham slice. We are all tired of eating take out. I need to fine tune my meal prep so that I have meals ready to go at a moments notice and ahead so we won't buy out so much.

WUUU HUUUU! I WON!

I won the blocks for the July Block Lotto from the Quilter's Family group that I am in and I am SO EXCITED!!!! This is a picture the hostess posted on the site... I can hardly wait to get them here.

CAFE STRUDEL

Wonderful atmosphere... GREAT food and reasonable prices! This is where I like to go for a nice lunch with a friend. These are the specials for this week....

Lunch Specials

Café Strudel

803-794-6634

8/04/08 – 8/08/08


Monday Chicken Philly, Choice of Side $7.50

Soup Black Bean and Bacon



Tuesday Chicken Salad with Fresh Melon and Toasted Walnuts $6.95

Soup Sherried Cream of Portabello



Wednesday Bacon Tomato & Cheese Quesadilla, Side Salad $6.95

Soup Manhattan Clam Chowder



Thursday Southwest Beef Brisket Sandwich, Choice of Side $7.50

Soup Cream of Asparagus



Friday Veggie Sandwich with Herbed Cream Cheese on Pumpernickle, Choice of Side $6.95

Soup African Pineapple - Peanut

Always Good, Always Fresh!!

Now in our 11th Year!!!

Mon - Tues - Wed 8:30 – 4pm

Thurs - Fri - Sat 8:30 – 11pm

Sunday 10 – 3

(Kitchen Closes 30 min prior-to closing All Days)

Black and White Swap

These are the 6 blocks that I made yesterday during the hottest part of the day since I couldn't work out in the garden. Now to get them ready to be mailed out to the other swappers. I will get 5 from the others to add to the one I will keep of these and I'm thinking a wall hanging will be made out of these.

My Napping Buddy!

Tesla will follow me around for most of the day and he is the one that lures me into a mid-day nap on occasion. He weighs 15 pounds and is ALWAYS hungry. We feed him 3/4 cup of prescription cat food a day and he is still fat. He stays indoors as if aloud out he has such horrible separation anxiety. Last night when I got home from a 9 hour shift he let me know that I had been away entirely too long so I guess I better ask for shorter shifts.... spoiled little wretch.

ISN'T SHE LOVELY...

ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Such a clean dog! And silly too....
Kinda blurry pictures but she's trying to get dry and won't be still even for a minute.