These two items arrived the same day. My Medicare card and my Smart Phone. I guess that says something, but I'm not quite sure what. I guess I'm kind of proud of being a senior citizen and still being able to maneuver my way around this phone.

At first, I refused to change phones, just wanting to settle for my old flip phone but one with a back this time. I've been carrying around a backless phone for months now, but it worked fine and dialed the correct numbers and rang decisively, so what more could I have expected.

I just didn't know.

Until my Evo came. I probably know about 1/100 of what you can do with one, but it has been fascinating. I'd still prefer to read and write email and do internet things on my big computer, but when I'm on a trip or just curled up on the couch and don't want to leave the room, I just get out my cute little phone and explore.

There are many things that I don't know what to do with and never will, but so far it's been a world of fun. It's now possible for me to download books from the library onto my Kindle - which is on my phone also now - without even leaving the house. I can also download audio books from the library. There are things I can do with coupons and grocery shopping, but that's all confusing right now. Mike has a matching one, and he's passed me in knowing what he's doing, but he's had a Blackberry for years and knows his way around a little bit.

Another good thing is that I've caused our children endless amusement with my learning process.

Elise: "Mom, you texted me this cryptic message just now. It must have been meant for someone else." I've now found the punctuation marks, so they should all be thrilled with my texting now.

Emily: "No, Mom, it's not a Droid. It's an Android. No, not an I-phone. An Evo." "Ryan's shaking his head." Hey, no mother-in-law jokes. I could be asking how to use a DVD player. Wait. That's over? I guess I missed that. I went from VCR tapes to whatever it is that's going on now with TVs.

Speaking of TVs and couches, when I moved here, I arranged my having-seen-better-days furniture around a rug in front of the fireplace. Cozy. And where is the TV in this picture?




Behind those doors. Behind the couch. For a person to watch TV, they would have to either lie on the couch or sit in the chair and try to see over the couch. So I just didn't watch TV for 5 years unless someone came and helped me rearrange the furniture temporarily for a football game or something.

But now that Mike is here, we thought we might find the TV and turn it on - with pretty dismal results. I saw a room redo in Southern Living yesterday, laid the magazine down, and proceeded to move all my furniture around.

Excuse the props of ladders and vacuum cleaners, but I do think this is more practical. Not so cozy - kind of disjointed - needs a big coffee table - but maybe it'll work. This is just the rough stages. The TV is now accessible right across from the couch and main chair.


I'm open for suggestions and decorating ideas. And some shows on TV worth watching.

I've just come in from the 2nd pruning expedition.
We worked nicely for about 30 minutes, and then the differing of opinion started. We were flagging down passersby asking for names of marriage counselors. I gave permission for the 20-foot "shrub" to be chopped down at the ground. Easier than arguing.

Live Goes On - and Very Nicely

For months, I never wrote anything because the same thing happened this year that happened last year - spring came, things bloomed, I complained about the heat and lack of rain during the summer, fall made me happy, and then I complained about the cold weather when winter came. The dog got out/learned a new trick/did some cute things. The cats were cats. I worked and went to the grocery store and post office and sometimes the fabric shop. I regretted so little time or inclination to sew. A few times a year, I would go someplace or eat lunch with a friend. I talked with my family and visited them sometimes. Took Mama to the beauty shop and Wal-Mart every Friday and to church on Sunday. Worked, it seems, all the time.

But times have changed, and life is fun again - or most days anyway - since Mike's moved back. He didn't take well to retirement the first month, but just yesterday he realized how much fun it was to work at your leisure in the yard with no deadlines to be back at work on Monday morning, to take a walk in the middle of the day, to sit on the front porch with a cup of coffee. We're working hard, doing some cooking, lots of laughing, a few meltdowns on both sides, playing with our new phones and his new computer. And most of all enjoying the nice weather.

I don't have time to do pictures today, but I have a few and will be back more often hopefully. The trouble with doing a lot is not having time to sit down and post journal entries and download pictures. We (mainly Mike) have spent the week on cutting back and cleaning up our front and side yards. I don't have any before pictures, but maybe I can do some after ones. We went to my godson's beautiful wedding in Jacksonville Beach and have pictures from there. I'm going to add this blog entry of Sherry's, the mother of the groom. She has some sweet pictures of the wedding plus some quilts. I'll add some more later.

My mind is so full of things I don't want to forget.

Just a few hurried pictures taken when I was trying to cheer up the inside of the house a little bit.

The napkins need washing, so I don't have the napkin rings on yet, and one placemat is upside down, but it makes me happy, especially with pumpkin spice candles and cinnamon roll coffee to lift your spirits.

So life is good for the most part. My father-in-law is still feeling bad and needs prayers, so please remember him, that he will be feeling stronger and able to enjoy life a little more. Also prayers for our friends in Guatemala who are battling devastation from flooding. E-mail from Gaby: "The rain started a week ago and we haven´t seen the sun again. Please pray for us, pray to stop the rain."

Rainy Night

Nice rain tonight. Good soaking rain that's way overdue.

The thunder scared Darby so we let her come in, and she enjoyed cleaning out the cat bowls in the kitchen and then relaxing with an after-dinner chew stick.

We're cleaning out cabinets and drawers and the garage and just about everything for a possible yard sale next weekend. The pet cabinet yielded a few interesting things: A dog Halloween costume and a few cat hats that Elise talked me into - which never stayed on a cat head for more than 3 seconds.

Good dog. Patient and long-suffering dog.




This is Darby maybe 6 years ago when she was too young to protest. They'll go into the yard sale along with various other things that haven't been used in that long.

The cat toy box was full of odds and ends of amusements, but Stella was not impressed by any of them. She stared at the mice and even tolerated one on her head but would only give them a bored look before she fell asleep under their gaze.






I took a lot of pictures when we went to South Carolina last week, but I'm too tired to sort them tonight. I'm ready to hear more rain.

Settling In - Sort of

Thanks to everyone for the comments. There is still some glitch that won't allow me to respond to them, but I do appreciate them.

The final resting place - I hope - for the calendar. It looks much better here, I think.

This was another area to be dealt with - and was. The cutest little computer came in that box. Mike's not sure the screen is large enough for viewing his massive amounts of correspondence, so he may not keep it. I'm kind of hoping it comes my way. I sure don't mind hand-me-downs.


New kid on the block. The $4 Wal-Mart mixer I bought last Christmas after burning my other one out on cookie dough has competition.


Although the little one didn't do such a bad job on mashed potatoes yesterday.


This was a gift from our children and has been sitting on the floor of Mike's closet for weeks. I was not allowed to open it for the reason mentioned above. We may have to savor it in the box another day or so before we can enjoy it.

Before-and-after time. Just to prove that retirement is working.

We both worked this morning on the pyracantha. This is how it looked last week.


I mainly pushed the wheelbarrow to the street, clipped the lower branches, and hyperventilated when the loppers tried to get too close to the fence. If the main gardener had had his way, there would be a small stump there now and no berries.

Much better.

The heat was pretty fierce, and I didn't get to enjoy the other improvements, so I concentrated on another inside job.

This is a nice little pantry that was just a catchall and a place for Mama to keep all her things.




I spent a little time on it, and it looks better. At least now I know where some things are.


Before the floor got swept.

That will probably be all that gets accomplished this week, but I'm happy with it. Can't work all the time. We're going to S. Carolina on a "business trip" this week, so I should get some knitting and embroidery done. Then Sunday, I'm going to meet Barbara at the quilt shop to see what's new at Kudzu Blossom. Just looking.

I wonder if there are any quilt shops on the way to Greenwood.

Marking Our Territories

Well, now that we're a household of 3, it's going to be interesting to see what kind of adjustments we make. Right now we're circling each other, testing the waters, seeing what's going to be tolerated, and where we're all comfortable.

Mike wasn't home 3 hours before I found this.


My first thought was No WAY that's going to hang on my cabinet. Why do we need a calendar anyway? And then I noticed the retirement article. I think he's had it on his bulletin board in TX for years, but now there's no "thinking again." It's still there, but I'm looking for another home for it.

I'm finding things taped in unlikely places, things on the floor at the back door, rubber-banded stacks of "stuff" everywhere.

It's kind of overwhelming. When Mama moved in with me 5 years ago, we kind of combined things and weeded them out gradually, but we still have more than we need. And now there's going to be a 3rd set of "things" to sort through and integrate.

I decided to start on the coffee area this morning since we all drink coffee and have 3 distinct areas for making it. It was just me in the kitchen, so I took the liberty of cleaning out the cabinet and leaving only the cups/mugs we use plus a few sentimental ones on the top shelf. Mike's out of town today, but I'm sure that's going to be met with, "WHAT? You got rid of that?" "Where's my _____?" And the Splenda packets that are now nicely in a plastic container will be inspected, probably counted, to make sure I didn't throw any away. In fact, he's probably reading this on his Blackberry and doing a U-turn to come back and rescue his things.

Hoarder meets minimalist. It's not going to be pretty.

These are most the mugs Mama brought with her, plus some of Mike's. She takes a few down at Christmas to use every year, but other than that she uses only 2 or 3 for her tea and coffee. I've left them down for sorting and will be keeping my fingers crossed I don't have to put them all back up.

So much better. If only it would be that way tomorrow.



The takeaway spot on the floor by the back door just will not work. It might have worked living alone in an apartment without a dog, but last night I noticed Darby tip-toeing, as only a dog can do, with something in her mouth. After running after her and checking, I saw that she was gently carrying a shrink-wrapped container of jerky (meant for a gift) to her area to check out alone.

I'm on my way to start on the glasses next and then maybe the small pantry.

Your Paper is in the Microwave

The rains from Hurricane Lee finally reached us during the night. I woke up to a nice pounding rain and just smiled at the thought of all that nice soaking we were getting.

As I picked up the newspaper in the driveway, it was pretty heavy. I was laughing about with the nice couple who walk the 2 yellow labs by here, and she said, "Put it in the microwave." I was thinking hairdryer, but that sounded like a good idea. It worked fine.

Only slightly curly.


My recipe: Cook for 1-minute on each section. Repeat 3 times or until done.

The bonus was that I saw a column by one of my favorite writers, Rheta Grimsley Johnson and read it while I waited.

Mike is crossing the Mississippi this morning with no rain yet. He left Lubbock yesterday at 5:30 a.m. just ahead of a little rain there and drove all day until he ran into I-20 slowdowns because of a wildfire in Kilgore, TX, and/or LSU football traffic. He only made it as far as Ruston, LA, and spent the night. Unfortunately will probably become a Storm Rider as he crossess Mississippi and Alabama. His whole route has tornado warnings until early evening.

Latest Folly

I don't need another hobby, and I sure don't need one that's going to zap all my self-esteem - not to mention my poor dog's. But I'm a glutton for punishment.



Every week, Darby gets fluffier and fluffier, and I started thinking about that twice-a-year grooming bill - $65 each time - and figured I might could learn to do that. Last week I started with scissors and trimmed a little each day, but considering she's like a small black sheep, I didn't see too much improvement. My niece was here last week and told me all about how she has clippers and trims her parents' dog. She worked at a vet's office, and told me it "wasn't that hard." Hmmm.

And it wasn't too hard at first, but I was nervous, and the closer I got to the skin, the patchier it looked. I could just stand to work on her about 10 minutes a day, and now she's started grabbing her puppy and running out the door when she sees me pick up the clippers. I have to trick her into coming to me, and then she will relax a little. She seems to be perkier though with her short haircut. I'll just try to hide her for awhile.

I saw this picture yesterday. It's not Darby, although it could be. It made me laugh because it's so similar. I truly had that much hair and maybe more.

(I think I'm supposed to give credit for pictures I borrow, but I can't remember where this one came from.)

The niece, Robin, who tricked me into thinking this would be easy came to pick up a serger that Mama was giving her and ate lunch with us. It was a nice visit. We don't see her often enough.

Passing down the talent and skipping a generation. I still haven't taken the time to figure out mine.





Robin's a good seamstress. She taught herself to sew and makes a lot of her clothes, including the dress above. I didn't get a good picture of it, but it has ruffles, beads, tucks, lace, all kind of complicated things. I know she'll put it to good use.

So here are my pitiful "before" pictures. These are the first projects Mike and I are working on when he gets here. Is this not sad? It's just been too hot to go outside and do anything.



And here's the biggie. The pretty berries are lost in all those limbs, and it's moving into the neighbors' yard. With the cool weather and not having to work so many hours, I think we'll enjoy it working on it.

I'll have "after" pictures maybe Monday.

Waking Up

Let's see if I still remember how to do this.

There haven't been any skies like that last picture since then. The vine stilll grows and flourishes in the heat and dryness. A welcome sight since I've let everything else dry up.

It was a long nap, and things are changing. I've been "reminded" a few times lately that I need to at least come here every week or so. I wasn't sure if anyone would notice.

The biggest change is that Mike is finally coming back home to live. We've joked about changing the blog to "Keeping my Sanity in Alabama." We're both wondering how it's going to be sharing spaces again.

I can't say it's been fun making do on my own these past years, but I've learned a lot - how to be more responsible, for one thing. No one is going to get those bills out on time except me, and no one is going to push the trash can to the street except me. I've learned how to repair things around the house or find someone who can - or ignore it. On the other hand, we both have our things we like to do, and it will be interesting to see how we combine them.

I'm totally looking forward to it. We've held our breath and jumped into the Medicare/Social Security world. Just a little intimidating, but maybe it will be fine. We're both looking forward to a little more freedom although I will work part time. I might see some fabric I need every once in awhile.

I also need to change colors or pictures or something to make this blog pretty, but I probably won't if it takes any time or patience.

At least I'm creeping back in slowly.

Can It Be?

Do I dare hope?

We got a sprinkle, it looks like, the other night but nothing like what we need. I've just been straightening up my sewing room and ironing some fabric with the back door open and the wind blowing like mad. There's a nice constant rumble of thunder, and I can't keep from going to the door and letting the wind blow in my face - cool wind too.

I have nothing to show for my days of non-blogging.

Well, I may have made a bigger mess on the guest room bed. It's a pretty mess though.

I think I mentioned the Bottled Rainbows quilt before. (I go to Rachel's blog just to get my daily dose of looking at pretty things.) I'm not admitting that I've started a new project before I finished all 35 other ones. I haven't cut one little square or rectangle.

I did get all the Kona cotton colors and laid them on the bed and then started throwing scraps and fat quarters at them. It's addictive. Every time I see a fabric that's interesting, I have to run it by my colors and see it it fits in one of the rectangles.

Here is the result of some of my fabric flinging.

Some of the colors are easy to match and some of them I've found nothing yet. Barbara is bringing me some of her scraps Monday to see what they look like. I know. I'm bringing in more fabric. Maybe I can send some home with her.



Those birds just might show up in 3 of the rectangles




These 2 blue fabrics below, the cone-shaped ones, are from my late mother-in-law's sewing basket that I inherited. She had cut out a good many fabrics in the Sunbonnet Sue pattern, maybe when she had her first grandaughter back in the 70s, but she didn't get it made, and I have a beautiful treasure chest of what I guess are now vintage fabrics to some. They're small pieces but perfect for projects like this.



Speaking of vintage - we're counting the days for Social Security and Medicare. Mike has filled out the application on line, and he's actually going to quit his job - retire! - and move back here. What we know about the process would make a very thin book, but we're trying to learn. He will quit the end of August, and I'll go part time the end of September. I can't quite give up my fabric money, as meager as it seems.

I've crept back into the couponing world and decided to see if I could do it with less stress, and I did enjoy my couple of trips to Publix and Walgreens. At both places I spent around $60 and saved $45 - plus I have $14 in Walgreens money to go back and buy something else. I don't want to talk about my CVS trip. I'll remember now that just because an item has a sign hanging under it that says "Buy 1, get 1 half price," it's not necessarily talking about that very item. It may be a store brand with almost the same labeling that's on sale. I still got a $10 gas card for buying things we need there. Mike's 3 Schick and Gillette razors (with 15 cartridges) for 33 cents apiece were definitely worth spending some extra time clipping and sorting. I tried to get them free but failed.

I'm going to check on that rain, but it's not sounding rumbly any more.

I just noticed the comments from the last blog entry - long time ago. I'm flattered that Gaby thinks I might have grown the strawberries. If she could only see the little bird-pecked ones in my flower bed!

And I'm also flattered that I've inspired Lalobe to start crocheting again. I'm a bad influence like that. Her blog is another one that I have in my favorites under "New Favorite Blogs." It's worth checking out to see the cute guinea pig she trapped. The blog is in German, but there is a translation beneath. So, I guess guinea pigs are pests there? I need to go ask. {I wasn't able to leave a comment, so maybe she'll comment here.} Blogger/Google/FB have all been ornery the past few days.

Looking for something cool

Not much is happening around here except it all of a sudden got hot. Really hot. I was walking around with my camera seeing if I could find anything interesting to record and thought the strawberries would be a welcome sight to take the place of those crocheted hats.

I can't even complain about the heat much because the Texas folks can top anything I have to offer. Think triple digits. And the ones in Washington are just a little jealous right now. They don't have summer yet.

I'm not gardening much at all this year, and it's a good thing with the lack of rain. These Althea trees just bloom and bloom without seeming to care about rain. There are 2 colors at the front of the house. This purple one is just covered with blooms, but the pink is not blooming at much.

I discovered Stella/Molly's new sleeping place, although why she would choose a steamy garage instead of a cool house is one of those things known only to cats.



This is going into the garbage.


I went to make a cup of coffee the other night and didn't see those comforting blue lights or the "Ready to Brew" message. When I punched the button, there was nothing except the icon for the largest cup, the travel cup. I pulled out the manual and tried everything they suggested but still nothing.

I did a Google search and found hundreds of testimonies about how badly manufactured the Kreurig brewers are and the company knows it. In fact, they don't mind replacing them because people love them and are going to keep buying them and, more importantly, buying the K-cups.

So I went to the web site and e-mailed my complaint. Got a message saying to call this telephone number. So I did. The customer service person went through all the steps of finding out why it wouldn't work, all of which I had already done. Then she asked for the serial number and told me to mail back a small plastic part to prove I actually had the brewer and they would send me a new one. It's sad. I was pretty attached to my it and had taken such good care of it. But I'll love the new one as well, I guess, as long as it lasts.