IT'S A START...

Well...
It's a start.
More yard sale items.
This is my 2nd yard sale, in three years! And I thought I had purged so much the first time. Ha.. guess not!
Well this time, I guess I know "I can't take it with me"... nor do I want to! So, it's a good thing.
Besides, the more I get rid of.. the more new stuff I can buy for the new place right?

I still have Sunday to play! I love weekends.
Tomorrow, I'll tackle the laundry room AKA "the Ball Room"... don't ask. lol.
I can make a good dent in there. So I'm on a mission now.

I'm not the only one moving. Daughter Jamie is moving too. A small, but very cute apartment in Strongsville. She'll be moving next Saturday. She's given me inspiration, that you can move relatively quickly, and save money fast too. Long story... maybe another time.

Soooo...
I didn't get any art done. Not really in the mood right now. My mind is on moving, and all the things that go along with it. I walk around here, looking at all my "stuff" and wonder if it should stay or go. Kitchen table and chairs, left over from the ex-boyfriend? GO! Ugly hutch, bottom in the kitchen holding the microwave, and the top (painted Pink) in the artroom holding art stuff?... STAY!... I have to keep it... it was my mom's.
White dishes, with Pink. Yellow and Blue flowers, with contrasting polka dot cups, and striped saucers, that I thought were sooo "cute".... GO! The attached wooden auditorium chairs, that I got at a thrift store?... STAY!..

They're just too funky to get rid of!



I've also learned, that the things you take for granted, and not give a second thought to, are the ones you'll want when they're gone. Example a dumb Milk glass coffee mug, that I bought at Value City. They were 3 for a dollar, and it said "GOD BLESS OUR PAD" I was buying kitchen things before I got married. I thought the cup was so "far out" The cup made it, the marriage didn't. When I moved back home, the cup got broken, and I loved that dumb cup!
I searched for 2 years on Ebay for it, and finally found it. I didn't buy it though lol. I was content to keep (steal) the picture of it..... of course, I can't seem to find that picture in my files right now.
I think of all the things my parents had. Just old stuff, nothing special. But when it's gone, you want it back. And you want to remember all the stories that went along with "it" Like a very old butcher knife they had. The blade was thin from use. My dad told us the story of how he chased his sister around with it.. (he was just teasing her honest!) When we had his 70th birthday party, we brought the knife, and he took a picture holding that knife over his sisters head. .. whoa.. lol.. guess you just had to be there. Anyway, I don't know what happened to the knife.

Why is it, when we see old toys we used to have, we wax nostalgic and want them, but if they're sitting in our attic collecting dust, we don't care as much? hmm.

I finally found my favorite childhood book "365 Bedtime Stories" on Ebay a few years ago. I was given this book for Christmas oh, about 1963, and I just loved it. The stories were short, but so sweet. Always about one of the characters that lived on "What a Jolly Street" There was a story for each day, and it was fun to read the story that was on my birthday.

I also just found and purchased another childhood favorite book on Ebay. "The Marshmallow Ghosts" Oh how I loved reading that book around Halloween. I can't even remember the whole story now, but just that I loved it. I should be getting it any day now!

BACK TO WORK....

Ok... enough about clouds....

for now.

I't 4:19 a.m... and I should be in bed. As I said in my last post, I didn't get much sleep last night.

I still don't feel like I'm back to work. Working these strange (strange to me) hours 4-11 p.m.... where I can still stay up late, sleep in if I want. I don't feel like I'm at a "real" job. I'm not complaining. It just feels strange, even after a month.

Ok so...

I'm thinking about going in the art room and working on some Halloween Ideas that have been floating in my head.

My other thought is to go to bed!...I'm tired!

I will be working on pricing my Garage sale items this weekend too. I'm shooting for August 25th. Let's hope its a nice sunshiny day!

I'm looking forward to purging the last of my junk, and getting things cleaned out. I will feel more like I'm REALLY moving out.... in November?... oh.. let it happen please.

So sooo much to do. purge, clean, pack, clean. Scarrry stuff!.

Ok... having to re-type most of the words you're reading, tells me that I'm not awake enough to do anything right now much less type.

So.. off I go. Sorry for any spelling errors that I'm too tired to fix.

Happy weekend ya'll!

LOVE IN THE CLOUDS....

Try as I might, I couldn't sleep last night! Yes, I was up late watching the radar, but when I did finally go to bed, I just layed there, for what felt like 2 hours.
I realized it was starting to get light outside, and....I could hear faint rumblings of thunder. So... I stayed in bed for awile just listening to the rain. Then decided to get up, and go out to the porch. MMMmmm the air smelled so good. I made a cup of coffee, and went back out. The sun was up, and the clouds were breaking. Such beauty! Dispite the phone lines, I took some pretty awesome photos.

Do you see the heart? (between the phone lines)
I promise you, I have not altered this photo.
I only tweaked the color slightly, and that's all.

I didn't even notice the "heart" untill I uploaded the pictures. Awe! cool!

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM....

Here I am, 3:30 in the morning, having a cold Cafe Mocha... (Ghirardelli's Chococolate Mocha mix) mmm..

and....watching Radar.

I go to the Wunderground.com website. We have some rain and thunder on the way. yayyy!

I don't know why it's so fascinating to watch the radar, but it is. Just seeing it, and watching it, as it creeps closer and closer! Even better is going outside, and seeing it live!

Yes.... I know... I need to get "a life".. but I'm having fun ok?

YOU AND ME AND RAIN ON THE ROOF....

A nice heavy rain, on my way in to work today.

It was dry all the way in, till I turned on Engle Rd.
then... it came down in buckets.

When I got to work, I was 15 minutes early,
so I just sat in my car,
and watched the beautiful rain.


I loved it.

ANOTHER PERFECT CLOUD DAY

Another perfect cloud day!
This was the scene on my way in to work today. I took advantage of the long Red light, to snap this photo. Enjoy!

have a wonderful, relaxing weekend,

Bless you!
M

I LOVE CLOUDS....

It's true... I love Clouds. They're one of God's best creations. They're fleeting, and wondrous. I could watch them for hours. Today was one of those amazing clear days, where the sky was a piercing Blue, filled with shocks of huge white billowing clouds. I was out in my yard, watching, as they morphed right before my eyes. Here they are, now frozen forever!

I was treated to more clouds on my drive in to work. Aahhh so gorgeous!


On my break, I was again, dazzled by the evening sun, turning them Pink.


Oh, I love Clouds.


A poem came to mind... and.. as corny as it may be... here it is....




ODE TO THE CLOUDS

I love Clouds they brighten my day.

the brightest of White & Darkest of grey.

The puffy and fluffy, I could almost touch,the wispy and wild, I love them so much!

I guess you could say It was love at first sight

I even love those that bring in the night.

A free show is waiting just just look up to the sky,

sit and relax, and watch them float by.

They carry the rains and carry the snow.

Is there A God? just look....and you'll

know.

Well... I couldn't help my self. So now, If you think I've lost my mind, next time your outside, take a look up.. really look, and see if you don't fall in love with clouds too.

BEING SPONTANEOUS.....

What giant Margarita's?

Oh.. those.

Yum! And so was the food at "Fiesta Jalapeno"

or, as Gloria calls it "Feisty Jalapini"

It was a Spontaneous meeting. Something I haven't done in a long time with my daughter, or best friend Gloria.

It started out when Jamie asked if I wanted to go see the apartments she was looking at. I said yes, and off we went. First to one apartment, then another.

We ended up in Strongsville, then I told her "ya know, Brunswick is just up the road, wanna see my (future?) apartment?" She said yes, and off we went. On the way there, I thought about stopping at my sister Debbie's house, she will be living just down the street if I get to move there. Jamie called, but she was still at work. Oh Eureka!.. call Gloria!.. she's just 5 miles away! So, we called Gloria told her what we were up to, and that we were starving, and wanted to get something to drink. She was home, and said "ya!" After apartment looking. Off to Gloria's we went. Jamie had never seen Gloria's "new" home (she's already been there 9 1/2 years) but the kids had never made it out there. So we stopped over, and then headed to Gloria's favorite restaurant.. where, they "know" her well .. LOL.

We got a giant pitcher of Margarita's.. ahhhh sooo good.. so refreshing. The food was awesome.

Then we decided to stop and visit Gloria's sister and brother, who were also just about 5 miles away. They live on 10 acres of beauty.. So green. so lovely. And they even have a lake! Ahhh so peaceful there. We sat on her shady deck, then jumped on her golf cart for a "tour." The breeze was wonderful. She pointed out her Hybrid Crab Trees, which when they bloom in the Spring, smell like Roses! It was like a little mini vacation being there.

We headed back to Gloria's and for the first time in a long time, I just dropped her off ( usually I spend the night, and we stay up late drinking coffee and talking) It felt so funny "leaving" at dusk.

Jamie had a great time too.

It was so strange being the slightest bit spontaneous. Everything is always "planned" "What are you doing on the 29th?.... I'd like to come over around 2... "hmm let me check my calendar... ok.. ya that will work"...

What happened to the "good ol' days".. call your friend up.. "hi what ya doing?" "nothing".. "me either, wanna go to McDonalds?" "ok"... "cool, I'll be there in a few"

Now... everything is planned, and scheduled. Grocery shopping, friend visits, even going to the movies. I miss the days of grabbing your purse, and heading out the door.

It is HOT!!!

I actually looked forward to, my first Sunday working. At least I'd be in A/C! The day went fast, and for the first time at my "new" job, I got to drive home in daylight! It was great knowing I still had a good part of the day left.

I splurged, and went to "THE FLOWER FACTORY".. and limited myself to spending just $10... to satisfy my "need" to buy more art supplies. I convince myself, that everything I bought, will be used for my next art pieces. The Flower Factory is such a fun place to go! It's a huge wholesale warehouse-like place, filled with a a giant selection of dried and silk flowers, as well as arts and craft supplies, party goods, candles, baskets, .. and more. You can't just "run in " there. You need at least an hour... or more.

I was good, and managed to feed my addiction for just $11. I "put things back", and was still satisfied, that I got new stuff! I bought some cute little teenie dried flowers, that were just .06-.11 cents! I picked up just a few scrapbook papers, checked tissue, and of course some glitter glue. I'm thinking about my next "Halloween" designs, as well as a new line of Christmas card ornament/greeting cards. Every August, I get the itch to do Halloween stuff. I don't know why.

I finally made it home, and daughter Allison stopped in, to pick up some things I promised her, for her new "Camper/trailer" she just bought. She's so excited about this "big" purchase! I'm happy for her! So now she's all about updating it, and stocking it. I gave her a pile of towels, pillows, blankets, and and coffee maker.

Ahhh so. I was so tired, from the heat, and the fact that I couldn't sleep last night, and was almost late for work! I even tried a half glass of wine last night, hoping it would make me sleepy. Ya well, It finally did, at about 6:30 a.m. Finally, I drifted into a coma-like sleep, just as I needed to wake up! grrrr.

So. Here I am 5 a.m. I had gone to bed around 10:30 last night.. (sooooo early for me!)... and then my eyes snapped open at 3:30. I thought I'd just get something to drink, and head back to bed, but the heat has got me, and here I sit.

Again, I so love being able to stay up late, and sleep in if I want. I don't have to leave for work till 3 p.m.

That's all for now.

ugh

it's

Monday

..... again...

WILL YOU STILL NEED ME WILL YOU STILL FEED ME.....

64?.... NO.. not yet.

I'm just getting used to being 50... ya.. and.. the best part? I'm already 51! omg.. why???? how??? when????....

Sheesh. Well the truth is, I haven't thought about my "age" for awhile. But today, at work.. oh.. yes, I'm working now.. yayyy me. Anyway, I'm working at a call center, taking catalog orders. I talk to people, mostly women all day. The catalogs are geared to "older" women... 50 and up.. and up! damn...

I've learned that the "older" of the old, are lonely, and want to talk, to me.. anyone.. who will listen. They want to talk about their grandchildren, children, pets, and dead husbands. They want to tell you all about where they live, what they like, and how they're boobs aren't as "high" as they used to be. They're mostly "sweet old ladies" who still take pride in looking nice, and smelling pretty. They buy "tummy tuck" creams, 'wrinkle removers" and even... occasionally........ "toys".. YES REALLY!

Today though.. I talked to a man. Who sounded pretty old. He was sweet, and polite, and ordered several items, including 10 "bible Key chains"... "You really want 10?" I said. "yes" he said, "I work with the church".. "that's very nice of you" I said. "yes, I play the Harmonica there, and I bet you've never heard anyone play like me before" he said. "Oh, I wish I could hear you play" I said.. ."ok!" he said. And, before I knew it, my headset was filled with a beautiful sound. I giggled to myself. No one else was hearing in their headsets, what I was hearing in mine. And He was right, I never heard anyone play a harmonica like that. He was playing both the harmony, and melody at the same time! He didn't just play a little, he played

me a whole tune, start to finish. I wanted to laugh, and cry and the same time. He finished, and I wanted to applaud, but could only quietly rave, and shower him with praise. I could practically see him blush right through the phone. Then he said, I bet you can't guess how old I am!... yes I could.. but I didn't. Instead, I said "hmmmm, I think you're oh.. about.. 57-58?"..... He was so tickled by that... " oooh no"... "i'm 93!!!" "you're kidding?" I fibbed. "Nope, I was born in 1914!".. "nooo way!"... he blushed again. I thanked him for my very own one man harmonica concert, and for his order. He made my whole night.

Well. It all made me think. About getting old, having family, friends, and being lonely. And did I make my harmonica player happy just by letting him play for me? I hope so.

What will it be like when I'm "old" I hope someone will want to listen to my "Harmonica" one day too.

(note: photograph of my great grandmother, Odile Bertrand)

So... I'd just like to say.... Love the old people, if you're lucky, you're gonna be one too.