Cinderella has her Dress

She's concentrating on the movie and waiting for the ballroom scene.  I think she likes it, and the fit could not have been better.  

Baby Kate is biding her time for cute videos, but here is one from last month.  She turned 4 months old yesterday.

I spent most of the morning learning how to get videos on Youtube and how to edit them.   I went through a lot of my old ones and had so much fun remembering.  

I can hardly remember when Graysen couldn't talk and could barely walk.  This morning, Ryan Skyped with us, and she was rattling on about hummingbirds and her new friend at the park and swinging and seeing Mila and Owen.  She even used that left hand to draw some G's for us.

We're gathering up a few things for the St. George's trip Thursday.  Very few.  Mike is smoking some macaroni and cheese, and we'll buy a bunch of shrimp on the way in.  Very simple trip.  Books and fishing stuff and a little food.  

Rain and other happenings

It's been so long since it rained, I think of it as a really big deal.  I woke up yesterday morning to low rumbles of thunder, and it proceeded to rain off and on all day.  In fact, I went to sleep with the sound of rain falling.  So nice.

Mike had radiation at 9:30, so I went with him so we could run a few errands.  We went to Fresh Market across the street, and it's always such a treat to go in there.

Beautiful but simple display inside the front door.

Another year I might have gotten excited about the pumpkins and things and brought home a few, but not this year.

I've added just a few things to get into the fall spirit and put up the summer things.

The front door wreath had seen too many autumns and was looking shabby, so I got rid of it and brought the back door one to the front and called it done.

Along with some fall leaves in Granny Watkins' churn and a ceramic pumpkin.  

Across the street, Lauren and Elizabeth Ann have a cute door.

A few kitchen things that make me happy and feel fall-ish.

Things are coming and going lately.

Here is the spot where the piano used to be.  

It was a nice piano but never played.  We sold it to a piano company who picked it up yesterday and moved it.  Definitely much better than trying to sell and move it ourselves.

Now what to do with stacks and boxes of piano book and sheet music - some of them 60 years old.

 I imagine a lot of them will be thrown away, but I'll have to look one last time at the mean scribbles of my first music teacher when I didn't practice  please her.

When I went to look for them, I didn't have any of that music - already packed away, I guess, but I did have the sweet memories of Mrs. Turner, my piano teacher for only 1 year, my last year.  These markings were hers, which shows I did play music like this once upon a time.  Wish I had had her the other 10 years!

Not everything is going.  Some things are coming in.  Like the new Griddler.

We didn't know we needed this.  An indoor grill, a griddle (or both at the same time), a panini maker - and much more.

But one night during a steroid high sleepless night, Woot made Mike an offer he couldn't resist,  Half of the Amazon price for the same thing.  It is nice, although I haven't used it.  Mike has made several things, mainly sandwiches, that are really good.  He still won't say the word "panini" though without grimacing.

AND the Cinderella dress is finally on its way to Graysen, along with the hairband, a tiara, and some long white gloves.

I still love those little sleeves - although not the inside facing!  I'll do better on that next time.

I got busy and embroidered a couple of shirts for Graysen.  Aunt Kathy should not look at the Halloween one - fair warning.  Graysen likes 'piders but not ladybugs.

The little creature had eyes and a smile, I guess to make it look more friendly, but it was a disaster, so I took them off.  Except for one gray eye that resisted all my attempts.  It does look a little sinister with that one silver eye.

The monogram I love.  I had this little scrap of paisley fabric that went so well with the shirt, but it was so hard to pick out the right colors that I almost gave up on it.  It's really a little more pink that the picture looks.  The design was a freebie from Applique Market,   I can't remember where the other one came from.

 That's finally all.  I think I'll just coast the rest of the week.

A Muddle

I guess that's what our lives are right now.  It's not a bad life right now - but still seeming to be in a holding pattern:  Waiting to list the house and then waiting to sell it.  Hoping to pack up all our belongings and move 2600 miles across the country.  Waiting to see the babies grow up and being able to spend time with them.  Waiting for these cancer treatments to end. And for a particular radiation machine to fix its gun filaments.   Waiting to see what new crisis (or drama) Mama will report from the nursing home.  Praying for the things friends and family members are also going through at this time.  Daring to even follow national and local news.

I have mentioned jokingly to a couple of people lately the phrase "bloom where you're planted."  Meaning that we are not always in a place or situation we love, but we should make happiness where we are.  And we've been planted in a lot of places in the last 20 years, Montgomery being the most unlikely place of all.

I have a birthday coming up in a little over a week, and I found the gift I'm going to ask for.
A book called The Bee Cottage Story:  How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness.  I'm not sure decorating is ever going to bring me happiness, but the idea of making our space comfortable and even pretty has always appealed to me.  Maybe I'll learn something to help on that front and also maybe find something to help get out of this muddle.  One of my favorite blogs, Southern Hospitality, featured the book today and has some beautiful pictures.  Her blog always has things that inspire me.  I don't think Rhoda has ever found a project she couldn't tackle and has through the last several years completely changed a generic house into a lovely and inviting home.  I love to look at her before and after pictures!

I'm going to see if Mike wants to walk in the cool morning and then get a cup of coffee and tackle a few things in the sewing room.

My picture for today.  It makes me smile.

This beautiful princess wand was discovered in the Dollar Bin at Target.  I had no idea what it would "do" but I knew Graysen would probably like it, so I sent it last week to be put into the Potty Reward basket.  Looks like it made its way into those sweet hands and will now drive everyone crazy  entertain everyone until the battery somehow mysteriously runs out.  It not only lights up but loudly sends out Fairy Godmother "music."  You can almost see Griff being changed into a beautiful horse or Jack into a toad.

Second Week in September

Nothing happening worth writing about, except life, but I'm going to anyway.

We just got back from a 6:30 a.m. walk which was very pleasant and just on the verge of being chilly.  I felt Stella's fur when she came in from her morning outing, and it was cool, so I did wear long sleeves.  

This has been a week when I did not get motivated to do anything.  I did finish the Cinderella dress except for hemming and can get that in the mail.  

Here are our hummingbird visitors to the breakfast room window.  There is a tiny one, a baby, who sometimes just comes and sits on the perch without drinking.

Mike finally pulled up the zinnias that attracted them in the first place.  We'll miss seeing all the beautiful butterflies. 

These pictures were on Facebook, but I thought they were sweet, 

 Mike caught this little deer looking for who knows what at a neighbor's house.  Poor thing was so scared.

On the medical front, Mike got one more chemo done with 4 more to go.  Radiation, however, turned out to be 3 treatments instead of 5 since Monday was Labor Day, and the machine was broken Friday.  

We met Kathy and Alan for lunch after they both had appointments at nearly the same time.  We went across the street to Chappy's Deli and got there before the lunch menu was available so enjoyed a nice breakfast and good conversation.  

That's about all I can squeeze out of the week's news except for a visit to Andalusia on Tuesday to the nursing home and a fun lunch with Debby.  

I Need a Fairy Godmother

To finish Cinderella's dress.

The picture is crooked, and some things are just basted on, but it is looking somewhat like something Cinderella would wear.  

I told Emily it was definitely going to be costume-y since I will probably be making another one in a size 4 next year.  She reminded me that it WAS a costume.

When I sew, I need to do nothing but sew.  When I interrupt myself, something is always going to go wrong.  I did the bodice first and was going to do the bodice lining next.  I found out I couldn't find any of my interfacing and was waiting for the best sale at a fabric store to get it.  In the meantime, I did the sleeves. 

There were so cute I had to try them out to see how they were going to look.  And then I sewed them on.  That line of sequins was harder than I thought to sew on and look straight, and that Sassy Satin ravels like crazy.

Once I got the sleeves on, I then did the little bustle thing and looked at the directions and noticed that I was seeing a lined bodice.  Oops.  I had forgotten to sew the lining to the bodice before putting in the sleeves.  No way was I going to take those sleeves off, so I settled for just putting a facing at the neck, and I'll Velcro the back opening.  It's going to look awful on the inside - but it's a costume!

I could use a fairy godmother for medical issues too.  We get a break tomorrow because of Labor Day, but then Mike has an oncologist visit on Wednesday, 4 radiation treatments and chemo on Friday.

And Mama has hurt her arm somehow.  She was in so much pain she didn't read the Sunday paper today, so I know it has to be serious.  I'll be going down there Tuesday in hopes of meeting with the physical therapist or her doctor and nurses to see what's to be done about that.  

Then Stella/Molly the cat has a kidney infection or obstruction or something.  She is a very quiet and unobtrusive cat, so when she wet the American Express bill that was on the den floor yesterday, we knew something was up.  She was headed for Mike's shoes, but I got her to her litter box in time.  She is showing all the symptoms, and I feel so sorry for her.  I'm hoping to wait it out tomorrow and take her to the vet early Tuesday morning.  If she's worse tonight or tomorrow, I'll see if there is an emergency vet number or an emergency clinic.  She seems fine as long as you hold her and pet her, but we're afraid to leave her alone in the house.  

I'm looking for my magic wand to take all my troubles away.  

First Day of New Journey

This is where Mike will be spending the next 6 weeks - every weekday for 33 days - and one day a week of chemo.

Just like going to work.

 The lab is the first stop.

Chemo face.

 The face used to encourage people to bring coffee and snacks.

I didn't dare take pictures - although I'm sure the lady wouldn't have minded - but his neighbor today was a former Turpentine Queen of Bainbridge, Ga., who turned down a majorette scholarship at FSU.  Her Daddy wouldn't let her go.  I left to run errands, but I think Mike learned even more.  

 I like the way this hall looks, but this is the first time I've seen it empty.

Mosaic in the lobby.

As soon as chemo was over, it was next door to radiation.  We were in and out in about 15 minutes.  It took me longer than that to get warm afterwards.  I need to come prepared next time I go.

Very little else going on.  Tomorrow is nursing home day.  Mama has injured her shoulder some how and is rebelling against physical therapy.  I doubt I can say much to convince her, but we'll see.  

We've kind of halfway watched a few football games tonight.  We didn't care who won, so it wasn't that much fun.  Pulling for Vanderbilt who is losing 7-6 in the 4th quarter.  

Sewing has been nonexistent lately.  I did make these shirts last month for a birthday party - sweet 1-year-old and her 2 big brothers.

 Just got this picture of Graysen "looking at my fruit.  I can't like carrots.  I CAN like bananas.  I CAN'T like celery."  I know she likes strawbabies.

Happy Baby Kate.  Pretty soon she'll be interfering with Graysen's reading time.  I miss these girls.

Sweet Baby Ray

I just got this video, and I have to record it here because I never want to forget this baby's sweet voice.





It was nice to buy gas today and see this amount.

When I was in Joann Fabrics this morning getting some buttons and stuff, I saw that they had a princess section.  I should have taken some pictures, but none of it appealed to me - kind of gaudy and stiff.  I wasn't tempted to buy anything, but I saw this little Snow White costume.  I picked it up and noticed that it was a bib, or something that fits like a bib - plus little socks.  I mainly got it for Graysen so Baby Kate can also be a princess.

I went to Old Navy too, looking for a plain navy shirt to put a tiger paw on - but instead found Graysen bunches of sweet warm things for the winter.

I called Emily, and she got on the Old Navy website.  I couldn't find the things she was talking about, and she couldn't find what I was talking about, and it was fun confusion for awhile.

I brought home several things to try, but these are my favorites.

Poor Kate just never gets anything new.  She has drawers and drawers and a closet filled with clothes to grow into, some of which are going to have Graysen's name or monogram.  I need to see if I can take out those stiches and change some of them.

Big Girl

This is supposed to post after the one I wrote today, but I can't figure all that out.

I'm not sure I can take all this growing up so fast.  Emily and Ryan must have a lot of patience to encourage this balancing and bike riding by Graysen.  When Mike mentions how good it is for a 31-month-old, it sounds very precocious.  She's obviously pleased with herself - and should be.






If that weren't enough, she's now allowed Daniel Tiger and various other books and rewards to convince her of the satisfaction of abandoning her diaper.  Sometimes.

Another thing we've all kind of embraced - because how to you fight such cuteness - is the princess and ballerina phase.  When we was first knew Graysen was going to be a girl, Emily and I were talking about how the princess dressing up was so ridiculous and silly popular and how we felt sure this little girl would have too many other interests to dwell on being a princess.

But it came anyway - in the form of Disney books and toys the Christmas before she was 2.  This picture is very telling.

When we were up there for Kate's birth, we read "The Littlest Mermaid" several times a day and watched the video a couple of times a week.

Then it was Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and a few others I can't remember.

So for Halloween, she has decided she wants to be Cinderella.  Not a ballerina with numerous tutus and leotards available - but only Cinderella.

So I'm doing what a good Mimi does and tackling a costume.  It's definitely out of my comfort zone, all that glittery tulle and Sassy Satin and even "diamonds" to go down the front.

I'm just glad she didn't choose to be a mermaid.

September - My Month

I've been waiting for September 1st since about the end of June.  Once September gets here, I can count on cooler (bearable) mornings and evenings at least and the promise of those fall days I love so much.  And it's my birthday month.

For the second day in a row, Mike and I have gotten out early and walked.  Yesterday we only went a little piece and stayed close to home.  There was a little mist hitting our faces, and we remembered that day we were caught in a cloudburst on the next block.  It was enough for the first time.

Today we went a route we hardly ever walk - the same route we use when we drive into and out of the subdivision.  Around the first corner, our subdivision ends and the next one starts - and the sidewalk ends.  I've been noticing this for 10 years, and I love this spot for some reason.

We were amazed at how several of the houses we had never noticed from the car - like this one.

As you turn the corner, your eye is drawn to the house next door to this one because there are always flags or seasonal decorations in their front yard, and this house just never gets noticed.  It's good to slow down and notice details.

Unfortunately, Mike becomes the lawn police and tut-tuts over almost every lawn, pointing out weeds and being altogether smug about it.  See, THIS is what happens when you have trees.

I took my coffee onto the patio and enjoyed the coolness and little breeze while I started a new book that Debby loaned me yesterday.  

This is definitely a beach-reading book, but I needed something light after the dark and serious ones I've read lately.  It's just what I need -- Nantucket, sailboats, drama in the first paragraph.

I just finished Gone Girl and wish I had not read it.  I enjoyed Stephen King's 11/22/63 more than I thought I would, but his books are not exactly light reading.

I've rediscovered Overdrive.  I knew it existed but had forgotten to explore it.  After taking a list of around 50 books to 2 nearby branches of our library and finding only 2 of them (and not wanting to drive downtown to the big main library), I looked at it again.  It's really exciting, although the data base is small.  I downloaded one book and read it on my computer and now have an audio that I can listen to on my phone when I go to Andalusia this week.  It;s very user friendly.  You can reserve books and get an email when they're available - which I did seamlessly last night.  I have enough on my wish list - more than enough - to last me for months.

Sewing is just slow right now.  I want to do it but just can't get in the mood.  I started a post the other day about making Graysen a Cinderella dress for Halloween, and I'll go ahead and include that one too.  I did one sleeve and half of another one, and this is enough to give me incentive to work on it more.   Such cuteness.

Using a size 3 pattern, I'm having to adjust it a little for Graysen's body.  The size 3 measured 12 inches across the front, and Graysen is only 8.5 to 9 inches.  It will work out, and she'll be thrilled no matter how it looks - as long as it's blue and white and shiny.

These are the choice I found for sewing down the front of the bodice.

All of a sudden Blogspot won't let me add pictures, so I'll stop now and pat myself on the back for at least writing something.