Rain, Rain Go Away
We continue saying it over and over, this has been the rainiest year in decades. The house is dark, and the lights are on. Two days of solid rain with the forecast for three more. I like rain when I am sleeping, and when the ground is dry, but today I would have preferred sunshine. My perfectly wonderful geraniums had just reached their peak in bloom. Now they look like this: Well, guess I am not in charge of the weather so I will quit complaining and get to work on something that makes me smile no matter what the weather brings. : ...
Critters
All afternoon I had noticed the number of yellow finch feeding on my cone flowers and black eyed susan's. Plan was when I sat out on the patio to eat dinner I would take my camera and get as close as possible for some memorable shots. Best laid plans just didn't work out. There was not a bird around tonight, almost eerie. So I turned my attention to something else quite by chance. This large yellow spider, I don't recall it's name, made it's web behind my rocker on the patio. How dare he scare me like that. So then ...
Summer in Bloom
Weather records measuring rainfall and temperatures have been broken back to 1905 this summer in the Kansas City area. We have had abnormally high rainfalls and cool temperatures that have been a welcome relief on our watering the lawn and flowers as well as our electric bills for running the A/C. Actually had a few people believing we would just head into fall when we were wearing jackets in the evenings during the month of July. Not much exciting or newsworthy here today, working on something special for my great granddaughter this afternoon. When I took my break I grabbed the ...
Opening and Closing Doors
One of my big pet peeves with my husband was he always left the closet door standing open. He finally broke me of complaining when he told me he would shut the closet doors if I would always put my shoes in the closet instead everywhere around the house. I have a bad habit of just stepping out of my shoes and leaving them to the point on occasions I might have several pairs by the door. Well of course I failed so we never nagged about those issues again. It is not those kind of doors that I am closing ...
Digging In to Dig Out
I wonder if you are like me and have so much "stuff" that when you begin to look around, open closets, peruse the garage, you are amazed at all the things you have accumulated. The worst part for me is how long it has been since I have used some of it. Today I dug out just a few pots and vases. These are just a few of the ones I am not using right now! I still have multiple numbers in the garden, on the patio, etc. David took at least a half dozen home already and Julie and Deb ...
Sep 09
28
Shocking
I was shocked when I looked at the date of my last blog post on 9/11 and here it is 9/28. I would say busy but that would be an understatement. I just have not had time for anything but moving, cleaning, packing, unpacking, you get the picture I am sure. My office has asked me to do some work remotely so have also had time involved in getting that setup. Need a way to pay for my hobbies, right 
I am beginning to settle in and definitely sleeping better than the first few days on a new mattress. Still lots of activity and ideas to be put into action so drop by the Chics blog and see what Deb and I have been up to and have planned.
We will be attending Heritage Days Festival in Warsaw, MO the weekend of the 17th and 18th so until that event is over busy will still be my theme song. Then I am sure I will use the excuse of the holidays and maybe in January and February I will begin to settle into a routine.
Sep 09
11
Three Days
Time is flying, I can’t believe I only have three working days left until retirement!!! ![4_1_209[1]](http://creativechics.com/fredamarie/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/4_1_2091.gif "4_1_209[1]"){kind=small}
Well here is the full scoop. They want to set me up to work remotely from my new apartment! I will be making accounting calls from home, keep me in the email loop, review resumes, and a couple monthly reports. But yes, I am retiring….I said okay no more than 20 hrs a month and when they have someone else to do those things that is okay!
I am mostly packed, I was trying to remember the words to a song, Hello Walls, but gave up trying, my house feels like a house of walls now with everything packed in boxes in the garage. No can opener to even open a can of beans or fruit. Got the key to the new place today and hoping everything I kept will cram into those walls and look cozy not stuffed.
Wishing I didn’t have to keep mowing this grass all month
Really looking forward to making some new friends and losing 15 pounds once I get settled, great walking areas there.
Well that is the news from my house and once I get settled hope there will be more interesting things to talk about!
Posted in Creative Chics Reflections on Life family by .
Sep 09
7
Closer and Closer
Thank you to everyone who has offered prayers for my sister, she is home and after speaking with her today my heart is much relieved.
Moving sale is over, I am 90% packed, 6 days left to work. I like those numbers! Once I get back to normal (or better than normal) life again I will hopefully be more diligent in my Creative Chic activities and have something fun, funny, or interesting to post.
Had to pick up a new table today to fit my much, much, smaller kitchen. I found a Home Goods store in Olathe that is way to close to my new apartment, danger signs went off in my head and I had to remind myself I am downsizing. But here was my bargain find sitting on a 40″ x 58″ rug!
I will make some cushions, and maybe a glass top and it will fit right into my French Country style I hope. What sold me was the price, it was $130 under the budget I had set, and the chairs fold up so I can put them in the closet when I am cooking to create more space! My daughter Kim will really like my thinking on this one, she is the bargain finder and organizer of space extraordinaire in our family Once I get relocated and the kitchen together I will post new pictures so you can see what I have done…
Sep 09
2
Packing
Moving September 18th so only have 9 days left at the office and 16 days to get everything sold or packed. It will be a challenge to see if I can win the race. House sold in 30 days, not bad for the economy!
Aug 09
30
Rooster Madness
I loved the rooster blog party! I haven’t determined why we are all so fascinated with the rooster but I smile when I look at mine. They are so whimsical, colorful and just plain fun.
So what I am leading up to is I went shopping today because I was not familiar with this Home Goods so many of you talked about. My daughter indicated that it was Marshall’s and lo and behold I had never shopped there so today off I went. There would be differing viewpoints on whether this was a good decision or not. First I found one of my glass rooster’s that I had on my rooster blog for $6.99; and I had paid $40.00 for mine at a department store! Rather than be sad or regretful I decided I loved my rooster and it had given me lots of smiles so it was okay that I paid too much. So once I had my attitude adjusted I decided to check out there other roosters; you guessed it, I want you to see what I bought for $16.99!!!!!!!!!!!! Yahoo, I love roosters and bargains.
This guy above was a little hard to photo at night because he is black, but I love the glass in it.
I now love Marshall’s and wish I had known about it long ago. I really want to say thank you to you wonderful rooster blogger’s for entertaining me for hours looking at your roosters and introducing me to Marshall’s Home Good’s. Now I can proudly display my three new roosters..maybe loving roosters is ?????????, but I don’t care because now I have three more reasons to smile
Posted in Creative Chics Shopping by .
Aug 09
30
God Is Love
Article contributed by my sister Carol Shea. A woman who loves generously, patiently, and unconditionally.
Have you ever had one of those Aaha moments? I have, and it has stayed with me for life.
In preparation for marriage in the Catholic church my husband and I met with the Priest. He asked us different questions as to why we wanted to get married, etc. We both looked at each other and said because we love each other. He then asked us “What is Love”, and again we both looked at each other, stuttering and thinking is this a trick question. He told us the answer he was hoping to hear us say, “God is Love”.
Without God you don’t have Love, and without Love you don’t have God.
I feel like I am one of luckiest people on this earth, to have had such an Aaha moment.
Aug 09
27
Rooster Blog Party
It is a rooster party and I can’t wait to take the tour, so join in the tour if you are not participating and I am sure you will enjoy too.
Here are pictures of my roosters so hope you enjoy seeing them also.
I will start with the ones on the dining room walls. The pictures I purchased while shopping with my son and he fell in love with them, encouraging me to buy them for me, you know Mother’s have the money right? I have never regretted having them. On the opposite wall hang the rooster and chicken plates in a black wrought iron hanger.
The coasters came from Tuesday Morning and are very heavy ceramic tiles.
Soup and salad in my rooster bowl and salad plates, set on my solid red plates for a full course meal and a must is the rooster place mats that I purchased at Dillard’s.
I love my hen and rooster aprons.
Now it seems like this is a lot of rooster items but I am guessing many of you have many more rooster items than I do, so I am going to keep going because I have saved the best for last. This proud looking black rooster sits at my kitchen sink and was a gift from the same son who talked me into the pictures. It is much, much cuter than the picture.
Around the kitchen I have a few others just for a touch of color, well that is what I tell myself : )
And my favorites sit on my dining table each day. They are solid glass and my kids love them so much there may be a rooster fight when I am gone : )
And my final picture for you is from my son who doesn’t have a blog but really wanted to participate. I told him I would share just one of his many so here is what he chose!
I hope you had as much fun looking as I anticipate I will. Thanks Barb for such a great event for all us rooster fans.
Be a part of the show-us-your rooster – blog party by clicking on the following link:
http://barbsgoodlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/show-us-your-rooster-blog-party.html
Posted in Cooking Creative Chics Reflections on Life family sewing by .
Aug 09
23
Youth, where did you go
It has been a difficult and sorrowful last few days. My oldest sister is seriously ill and arrangements for caring for her have been difficult ones to make for those involved. It is so difficult to see someone you love lose their smile, their hope, their vitality and their love of life that seems like only yesterday was all in tact. Our prayers are for all of the family and the difficult days ahead but passionately for her to be at peace and know she is loved by family and God.
Aug 09
21
The Quietness of Morning
For years I have eaten most of my meals on my patio, even on occasion when it was raining. I love being in the elements of my back yard and seeing what is happening there. After sleeping 12 hours yesterday I woke up early this morning to a cool 61 degrees. I took my everyday bowl of cheerios, blueberries and coffee and headed to the patio table. Of course within minutes I was wishing I had the camera so in I came to bring it out with me. The quietness this morning was incredible, no dogs, no cars, kids still sleeping and just the birds flitting around.
I spotted the yellow finches feeding on the cone flowers and went for a shot but as you can see I didn’t get very close and away they flew. You have to look hard to see them in the center of this picture.
So not to be discouraged I decided to take some pictures of the liriope grass that is blooming so beautiful. The dew was glistening on it and the grass but I am unable to capture those elements like Debbie, she is outstanding with her shots.
So here are a few of the grasses that line my paths. Very pretty but also a sign that fall is close by.
Thank you all for your notes regarding me feeling puny. I have a business meeting at 10:00 this morning and think I will be heading to the Doctor after it is concluded. Hoping you all have a wonderful weekend. If you have time today, read my blog article on http://creativechics.com/cchicsblog/
Aug 09
20
Under the Weather
Sorry I haven’t posted much lately, just under the weather. Seeing Dr tomorrow, think it is minor but may need some meds.
Have some things to share just too puny to sit here that long.
Hope everyone is having a good week and looking forward to a nice fall weekend.
