Summer yearnings.

I am trying to be positive tonight. I have been thinking of some wonderful ways to spice up my shop. Isn't this wreath cute? It's for sale on Ebay! Right here!Ebay auction And I know I would love it, but probably will be happier thinking I will make it myself sometime! Mom and Dad are resting a bit and I thought I'd think of some special attributes they have given me, such as work work work!!! I have been raised by people who love to work, so much so that it's hard for me to think of any other hobby other than something you do, make, redo, or clean! This weekend was really a fast one, but I'm hanging on to the fact that it's only about four weeks until I'm off for three months. I always start the summer with some kind of horribly long long list of things to work on, and I usually get most of them done. In no particular order, here are a few of my summer plans: (See how I get my mind off my worries about my parents? It isn't I don't think about them, but this is the way I take my brain to something more hopeful.)

1. Well, this summer I have to get my deck coated with some kind of protective finish. And after I do that, I want to make it into some kind of an outdoor room like Cindy's Romantic ones on her website! And like Alison does in the back of her Brocante Cottage. Not sure how to accomplish this, but armed with photos, magazines, and a few throw pillows and pots of flowers and herbs... Stay tuned for some photos of that if it ever happens.

2. I want to reorganize Shady Peanut Lane. My cousin, who has tons of cool things in there, is taking a load of her stuff to a wonderful flea market in northern Missouri called Rutledge. I will have to fill the spaces with something, and I want to make some felt pillows and hangings, do some wreaths and light boxes, create some kind of craft with paint and stencils... you know... stuff you see and think you could do! I need to put up or shut up!

3. Lose weight. This is every fat kid's dream: to go back to school a whole bunch thinner... This could be the year. I've done it before.

4. Write curriculum. I am helping the school write curriculum for state inspection. Fun? Actually, yeah, it kind of is a hypnotic way to spend a rainy afternoon.

5. Made greeting cards and notecards. I love doing that for my shop...

Well, I'll stop for now.... who knows what else will find its way into this list before summer actually starts.

Sunday thoughts and prayers.

These are my parents. this photo was taken on Christmas morning at their home. Today finds both of them quite ill, and nothing for me to do about it, apparently. Except pray, which I am doing. Stew, which I'm trying NOT to do, and call them way too often to see how they are "at the moment." My dad has congestive heart failure, and he is having a rotten weekend. Weak, little air, and just plain sick. My mom went to bed last night with the dizzies (she's so worried about him) and the weak feeling. Tonight she is just sitting in her little recliner crying... not very productive, but still just what she feels she has to do, I guess. I have a "proactive" call into the doctor, who probably won't call me back. They won't go to the emergency room to check vitals... I am frustrated and kind of listless or empty feeling. I don't do "wait "very well at all.

The upper photo is on a much much better day a few years ago with my dad on his new John Deere mower. Right this minute my son is mowing on that mower outside my bedroom window. I remember that my dad had been feeling really rotten for a while, got to feeling better and came up to surprise me with the mower. If anyone reads this, please say a little prayer for my mom and dad. Good, good people.... and I love them so much.

Back to the Beginning

Well, what amazing events have unfolded during the past week. As I have mentioned before, I am a retired school teacher. I have been teaching half days in a neat little system for the past years, but I spent 27 full day years at the same school, teaching English to high school and junior high. This week I was offered the opportunity to go back to that school in what is known in Missouri as a hardship situation. In that, I will teach full time, get benefits paid, draw a full salary based on the one I had when I left AND draw my retirement. It can only last two years at the most, and one may be all, but still it was just too good to pass up. I requested a release from next year's contract, and I'm going back.

I have decided that I can pay down a lot of bills with this added money, look for a job when the year or two is over, and enjoy a bit of a break. I'm also excited about going back. I have missed the school, my old room, my coworkers, and the idea of being a Wildcat! I cannot express how sweet all the people at both schools have been. It has been so inspirational to me. I certainly hope I hve learned a lot of new coping skills and kindness skills and the ability skill to keep my mouth shut a bit more when things go awry. Let'a all just hope.

Watched American Idol tonight. Wow... I simply bawled when Jordin sang, "You'll Never Walk Alone." What an amazing voice. I think she may win it all. I also love the little Doolittle girl, but wow.... Got into a debate with Tyler about corporations and their greed in giving and advertising through their generosity... I don't know the answers. I just see those pictures of those children in Africa and other places, and I am so saddened. Something must be done.

Sad week with the news from Virginia Tech. I hope for better things for American young people. This is very hard for them to face, day after day... stressful and difficult. I am going to make an attempt to face things more positively. I've really been working at that with the idea of the bracelets that change arms with every complaint. I don't actually own one, but I still try to go through a day with zero complaints... Not happening yet, but...

As you see, failure with the digital camera prevails. I even had a lovely bouquet at Easter that faded into oblivion without a photo. I know if I got into it, I could do it.

Post Easter Pinks!

You know it sometimes helps to get a holiday over with... Although I simply adore Easter and all its pretty chicks, bunnies, eggs, and pastels, I am ready to move on with my decorating. It all started because my dad got really sick right before St. Patrick's day. I didn't get the elves and green stuff put away; I didn't get out my beautiful vintage hard plastic 50's bunnies, bunny car, little yellow laying hen, etc... I didn't dye eggs... We didn't even get to have our Easter dinner together. Bah, Humbug! But now, we had a little late get-together on Monday; we exchanged beautiful baskets full of treasures, and I'm all pumped up to redecorate somewhere and to prepare my house for summer.
Today I was noticing some beautiful curtains made of Vintage Tea Towels. I have a beautiful set or two of those made my my mother and grandmother. That is on my maybe list... a simple cleaning and addition of some white lacy doilies in on my definitely list for the bathroom....
And oh, my... Cindy over at Romantic Home blog has simply inspired the daylights out of me. I even wrote about this upcoming (today's) reveal of her bedroom makeover. I think I especially love her blog because of her artistic flair and the fact she doesn't spend a lot on her things. That seems do-able to me, so I'm still inspired after thinking about things. Then, the real reason I adore her blog is that she is single. I, too, am a single Mom, and I sometimes get a little tired, a little envious, and a little bitter about all the "housewifery: blogs that include mention of wonderful husbands, etc.... I am very happy, but still, it is fun to see another woman who is working to make her little cottage beautiful for herself. I know, I know... most women, whether married or not, do all kinds of the beautification process for themselves.... men rarely give a hoot.... They like the cooking better! But, personally, I get pumped up when I see a spread in a magazine and the home is owned and decorated by a single woman. It's kind of like the load isn't so heavy. Companionship for the single soul?

This little beauty drinking from the fountain is by my favorite painter. I have this done by my students as a huge wall mural at my school. Waterhouse... His paintings are luminaries of my soul, and I would love to have them all over my home.... That is my artistic/purchase goal for the year, to obtain one Waterhouse (reproduction, of course), and frame it beautifully for my home. Artistically, personally.... I have many goals. Today's though, must be to clean, to sparkle, to putter, and to refurbish my soul with some gentle touches of lightness and summer. Wish me luck!