Eating with the Family and Just A Thought

Recently during my break from blogging I gave some very, very serious thought about giving up my blog. It takes a lot of time for one thing but there were several other things I considered also. I don't have a great following like some do. But some who have thousands of followers are rather quite boring in my opinion, i.e. there are some who rarely blog even with several thousand bloggers and when they do it's maybe once a week or they don't give much thought to their blogs just posting the same "event" over and over and over each week without any thought as to the people reading it, or something like that. I truly don't waste my time following them and only occasionally look at their blogs when I'm at another blog and they recommend going to that blog for something interesting. But it's their blog and they can do with it as they wish and I'd never discourage that. Mine is probably boring to a lot of people also. Of course, there are those blogs that do nothing but whine about their lives. I've stopped reading those as I can't stand whiners. Your life is what you make it! Grow up.

I'm enjoying Pinterest and pinning there, so I thought I'd do that instead of blogging. It takes much less time to pin an image and since I've only been doing it for 6 months and have over 6,200 followers to see the 10,000 images I've already posted there and post several more each day that would be a lot easier to maintain as beautiful images are what I love the most as they are truly candy for my eyes. I'm very visual.

Then, as I was giving it a lot of thought on quitting blogging, I remembered that I love it. I miss it when I take a break. I enjoy reminiscing about things in my life and that hit me mostly because of my daughter's visit this past weekend and how we laughed and talked about some old memories, not many, but a few. Her hubby laughed at the dynamics of this family and just kept shaking his head. We're a very interesting family with a very interesting dynamic that intensifies when at least 2 of us are together. (Drives the hubbies to distraction but who cares.) I wish some of you could be around when that happens as you'd just stare at us in awe—look up the true meaning of that word; it isn't what most people think it is and use it inappropriately 90% of the time. (I learned that in 10th grade English class by a very wise teacher.) We yell at each other in a loving way. We're boisterous (look up that word also as it definitely applies to us in the proper way of using it). We are absolutely funny. But we're also a loving family although we don't exhibit it as much as some families. There was also an event that just about tore us apart, but it will be rectified in the coming days. But that's the way families are.

So my decision is to keep it up for as long as I feel it's appropriate for me. Yes, I absolute LOVE blogging and I sincerely hope I bring pleasure, a bit of humor and interesting family stories to all of you.
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A dinner with friends a while back brought up the subject of bars for eating, the counter top kind, I mean. They said that's where they eat all the time. I told them we took out the original bar in our house and had it walled in separating the kitchen from our living room. I wanted the extra wall space and don't like people entering our house to see into our kitchen, plus the smells of cooking permeate easier. I like it much better. They were abhorred at that. I told them that people sitting at a bar can't converse well and the stools would have been in our living room. Ain't happening in this house! How in the world can a family sit side-by-side like that when eating? Conversation would be stilted as you couldn't see the person unless you looked over the other person.

There was a General Conference talk years ago at our church about the decisions that are made in a family are generally made around the proverbial "kitchen table". What has happened to our families who eat in a straight line without chatting about the days activities across from each other? I just don't get that concept. I want my family around the old-fashioned kitchen table looking and talking to each other. I think the kitchen table is extremely important to our society.
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I love this tablecloth and think I'll make one someday. Adorable.


A stunning small living room made gorgeous with its colors.


This gentleman must love gardening...and he has his own well. Beautiful garden.


Susan Rios is absolutely my favorite artist. Her paintings appeal and speak to my heart. She's a kind person also and her granddaughter, Rosie, the subject of some of her paintings, is a U.S. Marine. Need I say more!


Loving the stripes and flowers together in this room.


An arbor we all wish we had. I could have one, but then the smell of territorial bloom of testosterone from hubby talking about how HE would make it for me would quench the desire quickly, and since he does enough for me, I don't have the heart to ask him to do this.


An ideal afternoon party with cool fruit, cakes and beverages in lovely bottles. I love beverages in glass bottles as they are colder than the one in cans.


A very clever way to store extra bath items.


A long stool in a gorgeous pattern provides extra seating without the cost of extra chairs.


All of my clothespins are decorated. I think this is washi tape, which is adorable on the clothespins.


Another gorgeous way to decorate a small dining area in a kitchen.


Gorgeous roses.


Another room typifying American cottage style.


A beautiful decanter.


This dramatic living room is actually very simple but packs a lot of pizzazz with only color. Gorgeous!
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Tidbit:
A homing pigeon became a star after completing a 3,321 mile journey across the Atlantic.
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Just Some Thoughts 7/10/2013

I'm back. I really didn't get all done that I wanted to, but I'm a blog junkie so here I am. Is there a cure for it? A shot? Therapy? Rehab? Sigh. I may not post as often but I'll definitely be around at least a couple of times a week.
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I saw a blog the other day, not a fashion blog either, which are very popular, but it had over 18,000 followers and one post had 751 comments! WOW! That's astounding.
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Imperfect people are all God has to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him but He deals with it. (J. R. Holland)
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I've had this insatiable thirst for root beer lately, but not just any root beer, only Henry Weinhards Root Beer. I sent th' hubs to Wal-Mart the other day with a very small grocery list, about 4 items. I had told him to get 2 cases as we've been drinking a lot of it lately. So he got there and they didn't have any cases of 12. He called me to tell me. Sigh. I told him to go ahead and get 4 of the 6-pack cartons. No, I didn't scream or have a breakdown; I very politely told him even if he insisted it would cost more. When I'm in the mood for a H.W. Root Beer, don't even question the price! Double sigh.
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I don't let anyone dull my sparkle. One woman had a good shot at it several years ago and it sent me to a therapist because of it. I told her after that I didn't want her in my life. Period. She kept insisting as she thought I was something special. I'm not. Well, to my family I am, but that's about it. She even had her hubby call me to let her back in my life. We moved to another town about an hour away after that. So, a couple of months ago I met up with her daughter at Costco and tried to ignore her but she's as bad as her mother. Well, her mother was there also and she called her over from another aisle and I just about wanted to fall through the floor and get out of there as soon as I could. That didn't happen. (Plus the fact that it was a hurried, emergency trip to Costco and I looked like a hag. Why don't you run into people you don't care for when you're looking your absolute best?!?!) She wanted my new phone number and I'm not a good liar so I gave it to her. Aaaarghh. Hubs and a dear friend said I should have given her a false one. I just don't think fast enough in those situations. Since she asked for it several times putting it into her cell phone, I'm hoping she copied it wrong. I've since turned off our home message machine and gone with the phone company generic one with the generic voice. I'm such a wimp! Well, not usually, but this was a shock. Plus I didn't want to be nasty, which I can do very well. ;-)
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Many people prefer the comfortable lie. Oooooh, do I cry now or tonight.
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Squeeeeallllll!!!! I'd love to have this for my very own in my backyard. Just a dream, not going to become a reality.


I'm not a big quilt fan but this one is gorgeous with all the pinks and flowers.


Another cute and quaint kitchen.


The color of verdigris is what I loved about this door.


A charming little home in France, Italy or Spain. They have really cute stone homes.


This is one spectacular lighting fixture. It would look grand in my backyard. ;-)


This looks like it's copper but I think it's beautiful even if it isn't.


Can you see yourself strolling down the petaled pathway here?


More lovely flowered china for you.


Our roses are blooming prolifically now. These aren't ours though.


A most unusual tablecloth. It looks like petals. I've wondered how she did it.


If I had a work bucket that looked like this, I might just dust more often. Then again, maybe not. :-)


I love everything about this room. Beautiful!!!!


Another patio to relax on.


Vibrant roses against a vibrant sofa and pillows.
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Tidbit:

In 1928 travel writer Richard Halliburton paid
36¢ to swim through the Panama Canal. [This just goes to show you nobody gets a free ride through the canal.]
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A "Spa" Day and Retail Therapy ;-)

One Sunday recently I didn't go to church. My stomach wasn't feeling all that well so I stayed home. When hubby got home, I lamented about aging and the "not feeling so great" days we endure. He tried to cheer me up with a kiss and hug but I needed something else. So I told him if I was feeling up to it the next day, I was going to Sephora and getting my face made up. (I was and I did!) I also warned him it wouldn't be cheap. He knew that!

The little sweet young woman helping put on my new face was a cutie, and that always gets to us older women remembering how cute/pretty/beautiful and tight-skinned we were 50 years ago. But I truly don't lament the aging process that much. I know it's inevitable for everyone on this earth. Facelifts? Not for this woman. When they sag, it's an overnight/all at once thing for them. I want it to take years for people to get used to seeing me age, not one day looking old and the next looking like a Hollywood hag with slanted eyes and puffed-up lips.

So I got a wonderful moisturizer called Ole Henriksen, Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation, Stroke of Light concealer, 2 brushes, shimmering lip gloss, a free sample of eye lash injection (???) mascara and 4 free samples of Coach Poppy and Coach Poppy Flower perfume (smelled wonderful!!!). May buy some of it; it is that great. And my daughter has a number of Coach purses and loves Coach.

I didn't particularly see much difference except my dry skin felt wonderfully moisturized and under those harsh department store lights we all look horrid. But when I got home and hubby came home later, I asked him how I looked. He said, "Great." He's such a good liar. ;-) But I felt better all the way around just being pampered for an hour and a half, plus spending a chunk of money to the tune of $176.00! Retail Therapy? You bet! And since the first foundation she picked out to try on my skin didn't look good to her or me, she had me wipe it all off and started again with another brand. (I had heard of makeup called HD and Forever Makeup and wanted to try that but she said it was too drying for my skin. Knowledge she had but I didn't.) I couldn't have done that if I had bought what I thought I wanted, brought it home and didn't know how to apply it properly. I probably would have just have stuck it in the back of the cabinet and not used it ever again. She was free and experimented with different things. I liked that and absolutely felt pampered. No manicure, pedicure or massage could have done what she did. And I'm worth it! :-) Well, I think so.
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This is simply a gorgeous room and looks so clean and white. I, however, need some color in my rooms. But I still love this room!


A sweet idea for an Easter wreath, but I think you could leave it out all year round, especially in your house.


I like how the owner has a window and shade at the end of her table. It looks like she's delineating her dining area from her living area. Quite fanciful. I do that with lace curtains and love that look also.


Isn't this a sweet room for a young girl? If I had a little girl now, I'd try to replicate this Princess room for her. My daughter, however, is 51 years old! Hmmmm, she still would like this room I think. :-)


Another way to separate a dining area from another area: beautiful vintage doors. Of course, I'm lusting after that ruffled tablecloth!


An absolutely gorgeous dining room with pale lavender walls, blue and pink accessories. Beautiful!


A sweet painting of an English thatched roof cottage.


Beautiful dining room with a harlequin design painted on top and a saying on the side. Chairs are gorgeous also.


While these are pretty to observe, I'm not sure I'd want to live over water. Are there fish in there? Is it damp and smelly to the homeowners? Looking through the upper windows though it looks lovely, but why are there some serious bars on the first floor windows on all these buildings? You can just barely see the bars on the left window here.


What a lovely setting of table, beautiful old chair and basket to hold roses.


Speaking of roses, could it get much better than this gorgeous vase and dozens of roses? WOW!!!


Darling, darling, DARLING tiny potting area done right.


I think I've been on a dining room kick lately! Another beautiful one.


Now, is this a house on an island with only this bridge to get to it or is it there as another entrance? Cute though.


This is another look at a house I've shown earlier that had this little sitting area off the kitchen. What a lovely house. I think it must be in another country though, perhaps Australia. They have beautiful houses over there and some of the most amazing light.
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Tidbit:

12 nations have trillion-dollar economies. So do 3 US states: California, Texas and New York.
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Conversation on Laundry

While our granddaughter and her family were here in March, she had to wash some clothes. I have a white Maytag top loader that is 18 years old and looks brand new as I wipe it down after every laundry day. Before that I had a Kenmore that was 30 years old in coppertone and was still washing, but we figured it was so old that it could give out any time so we replaced it before it did. The guy who bought it from us was thrilled to get it in such beautiful shape. We take excellent care of our belongings. She has a front loader on a pedestal and I think it's dark blue.
Anyway, she stuffed so many clothes in there that it could barely rotate and there was undissolved soap when I went in to put them in the dryer—in 2 loads. Top loaders don't take as much as front loaders as we had one just after we got married. They were much smaller then then they are today. So one day while talking to her on the phone, I mentioned about top vs. front. She said the top loaders today have a problem with the rubber seal/gasket or whatever it's called. The seal mildews. I've heard this from a few people. We never had that problem.
This led to a discussion about how to do laundry. I gave her some tips and she was grateful. Since she lived part time with her dad and part time with her mom growing up, I don't think anyone taught her the specifics of laundry. In fact, I had told her we thought about buying a front loader next time maybe. She doesn't particularly like the front loader and had never thought about them not being sold much before the craze hit recently. So I gave her a few tips on how to add detergent, whites only, darks only, baby clothes needing extra care, etc. She was grateful. She didn't really know how to do laundry properly. I do!
When the rubber gasket went out, they called a repair man. It was almost cheaper to buy a complete new washer. She about fell over at the cost. Her hubby went online, purchased the gasket, found out online how to install it and saved a great deal of money. He's very handy for a computer science major in college. ;-) I think she'll purchase a top loader next time though. She learns a lot from her Nana (grandmother).
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I remember these bowl covers from when I was a kid. I don't know if they make them anymore but they sure do jazz up a bowl when going to a potluck dinner or picnic.


I do lust after these kinds of tablecloths covering a table. Hmmmm. I may be able to make a longer tablecloth to mimic this effect. Just give me enough time!


It looks to me that this is either photoshopped or the sun had a wonderful glint to it the day the photo was taken. Love the pink surrounding the pool though. The pool reminds me of the one we had in Puerto Vallarta at Los Tules condos. Many days we had the pool all to ourselves. It was heaven.


This room is one—of many—of my favorites. I pretty much love everything about it, but I'd paint my walls pink.


I rarely can pass up a pretty rose without grabbing it for my Pinterest or blog. This looks like a wall hanging of some sort but not a painting for a wall.


Simplistic room but cleverly and graciously done.


I simply cannot pass up a cute small laundry room. They are just so darling most of the time, which just proves you don't need lots of cabinets or countertops to have a functional area for washing clothes. This homeowner has given it lots of cuteness with the blue check curtains and red check tieback and hanging laundry and a clothespin holder on pegs.


It's the little crock holding the bouquet that drew me in.


A simple little cove to sit in with a friend or hubby. Garden handy for them with chairs and a stool as a table.


I swoon over vignettes like this. And that cover on the arm of the sofa looks exquisite also.


A thick old vintage door, an old-fashioned mailbox, vines over the door of a stone house and moss or lichen growing on the stone path.


If blue is your favorite color, you have it here, especially with the pottery.


A very colorful house and steps with a handmade pond and table, chairs and bench to relax.


While I love that pink chair, notice the lamp. Very different and beautiful.


Two of my favorite flowers: roses and hydrangeas.
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Tidbit:

Hotel owners in Hastings, Nebraska, are required by law to provide a clean, white cotton nightshirt to each guest. According to the law, no couple may have sex unless they are wearing the nightshirt.
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Linking up with Transformed Tuesday.
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