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| FLASHBACK FRIDAY Well, it's been a while since I did a Flashback Friday. I really love looking at old photos, and want to share one with you now. It's a family Sunday dinner at grandma's photo: That's my grandmother and sister on the left and my Dad in the center. His cousin is on the right. I loved this house. It had all kinds of built-ins (didn't have any closets). It's not a big house, and wasn't really anything spectacular, yet on the floor, right where my Dad is sitting there was a buzzer to summon the servants. That lamp above their head was a cranberry glass oil burning lamp, isn't it gorgeous? My Dad took it down when they moved and my Mom treasured it. Unfortunately, her two year old grandson grabbed hold one day and gave it a big swing and it shattered against the wall. I understand one of my brothers now has it and found a replacement bowl at an antique shop. I have been approached at work about a new position, which I am very excited about. I'm not exactly sure of all the particulars, but I know I would be working with small groups of children who are struggling and are not being helped in the other programs offered. I had to take a test to qualify and I am so happy to report I passed it. They didn't give a score, but qualified the results with "missed none or very few". I was so glad to get it over with, and am really happy with the results. Hopefully they will make a formal offer soon and let me know more about it. One week to go before Thanksgiving break. One week off!! I read this wonderful book from my school library. About a boy who ran away to live in the woods. He makes himself a little tiny house out of a huge tree trunk. When I was a kid it is exactly what I dreamed of doing - getting away by myself and living off the land (of course, on my land wild cookies grew and cereal and meat fell out of the sky). Anyway, it was such a fun read and I've been trying to get the kids at school to read it. They can't get it until I return mine! It's called My Side of the Mountain. | | |
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I don't have anything in the garden to show, so I picked a few from October. Wow, can it really be November? It's beginning to be fall-ish around here. The temps have been so unseasonably warm, it's been difficult to believe it's really so late in the year. But I think things are fixing to change later this week. I hear we will be having some temps in the 20's! Can't wait to have that fire - can't say first fire because daughter decided it was cold enough for one on a day when it was about 60 - still, it was really nice! I love my job, but hope I don't have to do pre-K too many more days. In the beginning I really liked it, but now I think I do better with the older children. This year's 4th graders are very lovely children. They sit in their seats and raise their hands and speak in "inside voices". Gee, where did they come from ?! Things in my house have gotten so out of control (clutter-wise) that I have joined the thousands and become a "Flylady". Have you heard of them? - Or her, I guess. This lady has a wonderful plan to help you get things under control. You start with baby steps - 15 minutes here, 5 minutes there...every day for as long as it takes.If you are like me, look them up. I'm such a wanna-be good housekeeper, but just find it hard to know where to start. Yesterday I spent 15 minutes on my desk and it really looks a lot better; that inspired me to do a little more today. Hopefully by Thanksgiving I will have a nice neat place for everything and a house ready for some lovely decorations. 
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| I'M SORRY DAY Do you ever have those days? Days when it seems like every time you turn around you're having to say you're sorry? Today was one of those for me. Sometimes it amazes me just how mean -spirited I can be. And I don't want to be. Things just get blurted out, and then there it is, hanging around, like dripping oil raining down. And it sticks. It follows you around. It follow them around. You can't start feeling good until you make it right. And you can never find the right time, but you lay in bed at 3:00 a.m. thinking about it, cringing, wishing things were different (like maybe that BIG mouth). Oh yeah, and in the shower you remember, too. Finally, you just can't stand it anymore and you stop right in the middle of some important task and make that phone call, or send that email. Ahhhhh, a clear conscience! But you know, this is a good thing! Not too terribly long ago I wouldn't even have known that I had said such a misguided thing. On to more important things. Here is our new, adorable puppy: 
In this picture his little ears make him look like the flying nun. The are often sticking out like this! 
We rescued him from a shelter. He is just the cutest little thing and we love him already. His name is Juri and we gave him to our son for his birthday a few weeks ago. He is totally in love! Work is good and I've got a great weekend coming up. Lots of tulips to plant in the garden for next spring. Lots of planning going on. It's so hard to wait for next year. But that is all gardeners' mantra - you can't make it right in the year you're in. Atleast I can't. But the planning is a lot of fun. I hardly ever do all the plans I make during the winter. I'd have to have $10,000.00!! but by Spring I will have settled on one or two additions. Hope you're having a great week. I'll try to get around and say hi. | | |
| FLASHBACK FRIDAY I am so glad it's Friday. This week the ragweed has apparently decided to make its appearance and everyone in its path has been struggling, most of all ME. I finally got my allergy medicine refilled and am doing much better. For Flashback Friday I found some camping pictures. There was a group of families that always camped together over the Labor Day weekend, and this was one of those trips.  On the left, I'm the happy girl whose pants are WAAAAYYYY too short. A fashion maven I was not! These camping trips were so much fun. My best friend and I made some wonderful memories. We still talk about them to this day. A full weekend ahead with birthday plans. My daughter will be turning 20 and my husband will be turning 59 (WOW! That sounds old!) so I've got lots to do. I went shopping this evening, and on the ride home there was a beautiful sky at showing through the trees at the end of my street. I tried to capture it, but failed miserably. Still, I'll show you the picture. 
It was very painterly, but I wasn't able to capture the beautiful colors. I hope you have a fun and exciting (or maybe just a relaxing) weekend planned. Have a good one. | | |
| IS THAT FALL that's just around the corner? Well, the calendar says so, but you wouldn't know it by the temperatures. Still, it's not near as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago. Do you have a secret simple pleasure? I'm going to share one of mine: No, it's not the eating of the cereal, it's just the look of all the pretty little boxes, all wrapped up in cellaphane. It just makes me happy. I believe it is from the memory of family camping trips when I was a kid. My mom always bought these little sets. Good times. School has been great, I've been working a lot in the office. It's not that we haven't needed subs, but the poor secretary is so horribly overworked, that they are letting me help out some. It's been really super! It's getting to be the time of year for all kinds of interesting growths to be found. I was out in the back and came upon this really strange growth coming out of a tree:   
Isn't it wonderful? In the last picture can you see little balls of...something, I don't know what. If you click on it you can see it bigger. I love hunting mushrooms and fungi this time of year. Haven't seen too many yet, but not much longer. Still some pretty things in the garden. It's been hard keeping everything watered, especially during the 100 degree days. It's been better lately. I love this picture of the black eyed susans. They are still in the nursery pot. I hope to get it planted soon, I haven't yet because it's just been too hot. 
Well, it must be close to fall because football has started. High School, college and pros. I love the sounds that come out of the big college games. It's very exciting. I don't care a thing about who wins, but I love the color and the sounds. Hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for looking! | | |
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