Road Trip!!

I have missed visiting my favorite blogs.....it's just like missing friends and I am looking forward to catching up! Whenever I read that someone has been "too busy" for blogging....I can relate! And, it's nice to be back!

This past weekend I went on a last minute Road Trip. Down to San Diego on Saturday and back on Sunday. It's about 8-9 hours one way, so this was one quick trip! A dear childhood friend of my Mother In Law's passed away and we went to her memorial service. The weather was perfect. It turned out to be a very nice bonding time for us. My MIL entertained me with stories of her youth, and the long hours on the road just flew by!


She remembered this friend, who's service we were attending, had come running over to her house the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked. Imagine that. I love the stories from those days. It's like time travel in a way. Times were different, for sure.

The service was preceded by a visit to a spectacular garden right on the ocean. We could have stayed there all day. I will always love the sound of the ocean waves. It's so peaceful. I can almost feel that ocean breeze right now.




I was in the unique position of being at a service for a person that I had never met. I got to know her through the stories of her loved ones. I can tell you for certain that I would have liked her very much!


It made me wonder what my family would say about me. It's hard to imagine how people really see you, don't you think? What stories would they tell? Did I have an impact on their lives....a good one? What quirks would stand out?


At this service there happened to be a lot of family photos. She was a beautiful woman and even did some modeling in her youth.
I have decided to go through ALL of my family photos and REMOVE any photo that I don't like of myself!! Hah. What do you think about that?


It was a sobering reminder of what each of us will really leave behind. It's the relationships. We are creating moments and memories all the time. Some good and some ....not so good. I can't imagine being preoccupied with these thoughts all the time, that would be exhausting. I guess it just comes down to the basics. Try to be a good person. Try to do the right thing. Hmmm. Maybe I have heard that somewhere.


I don't think that Memorial Services are FOR the person who has passed. They aren't there in person to be honored. It's for the loved ones left behind. It's for their comfort and it's their opportunity to express themselves and share.


Today, make an effort to smile more.


Today, reach out to a loved one and tell them how you feel about them.


Today, be grateful for life.

I am grateful for my family, my home, my freedom to pursue my hearts desire. And, I am grateful for YOU my blogging friends!


.

Time for Gardening?

.



Happy Pink Saturday!!

Is it time to start working in the garden? I'm not a very good gardener at all. Every year, I think that I will really get out there and make something happen.....but it doesn't seem to work out that way. Luckily, Mother Nature does a lot of gardening around here...so it looks wonderful anyway.

Maybe I would want to do more gardening if I had these handy implements....hmmmm????



I don't think they would get lost, would they? And, hubby would NEVER borrow them, right?



We went to a Master Gardener class last week on growing an Edible Garden. It was very interesting. We are going to plant a neighborhood garden this year. It's all family around here, so it should be really fun. I'm looking forward to it...and I'm sure that YOU will be hearing ALL about it (grins).

Hungry for more Pink? Head on over to Beverly's and take the PINK tour!




.

All about the Internet

.

Tea and Internet. Two of my favorite things!!

I belong to a wonderful Women's Network group in our area. At our monthly meeting I was the speaker and my topic was "The Internet". I love the internet and it was fun to share all sorts of fun places to go online with the group.



While we enjoyed a lovely luncheon and TEA of course, we visited with each other and enjoyed the fellowship of our members. As for my talk, there is never enough time for ALL the things that could be shared....you know? We talked about email, websites, blogs (of course), Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Ebay, dating online (that was fun!), and so much more.


Mmmmmm, did I say that the food was WONDERFUL??



As I was gathering my info for the talk, I was reminded of how AMAZING the world wide web is. I have made some TRUE friends online....right from this blog! I don't even like going ONE day without checking in with my email and blog. I love hearing all about what everyone is DOING on facebook. Isn't the internet SO incredible? I am in wonder that I can sit in my little house in the country and reach out in to the world and connect with fantastic people. What a blessing that is.


.

Pink Saturday...it's all thanks to YOU

.


Wooo Hooo! It's Pink Saturday!


I am so excited about my new purse. And, I owe it all to YOU!! A few weeks ago, I showed this as an unfinished project. And, to be quite honest with you, it was filed away in my REJECT pile!! I just couldn't envision a finished result. After posting it for Pink Saturday, I received some wonderful comments encouraging me to finish it....thank you!!

Nancy at lachambrerose.blogspot.com even shared a website with me that had patterns for the "Rag Bags". Of course I bought the pattern. You can see it at : Heather Knitz
The pattern gave some terrific tips and tons of info. Mine isn't exactly like the pattern, so we shall say that it is "inspired" by the pattern.


Ta Da!! Here is the other side:


I've worn it all week and I keep getting compliments....YAY! Just what I needed to feel "springy"!


I put in a green lining with snaps to close it:


And, LOTS of pockets! I even put in a zipper. I learned how to do this at U Handbag.


The handle is some plastic tubing that is in the plumbing section of the hardware store. I simply covered it with fabric. This is my own original idea. It's a very affordable solution to handles.

I love it so much, that I have another one on my needles right now. I'm trying to make this new one more like Heather's....but my projects seem to take on a life of their own, know what I mean?

So, thank you to all of my Pink Saturday blogging friends....thanks to YOU, I have a wonderful new purse!


Now head on over to Beverly's and take the FAMOUS Pink Saturday tour!


.

My New Throw is here!!

.


Well, at least it WILL BE....I have to make it first!! Don't you just love those colors?? And, this yarn is soooo soft! I can hardly wait!


This is what it will be when it's done (hopefully!).


Question. Do I finish the 2 projects I have on the needles right now.....or do I DROP EVERYTHING and go for the new and exciting project???? Hmmm. Compromise. I will finish at least one of those 2 projects before starting the new one. Fair enough?



.

Guitar.....it's on my list

How are you coming along with your "list"? Did you make one on New Year's Day? I make a new "list" every January. I guess you can call it New Year's Resolutions. I prefer to think of them as goals.

Seems like many of the same things show up each year. Does that happen to you? It's okay you know. You just keep putting those things on your list and one of two things will happen. Either you will eventually do the "thing" or you will decide that it wasn't really important to you after all.

This has been on my "list" for a long long time. I had a guitar as a young girl. My sister and I got them for Christmas. I learned a few basics. And, in all those years that passed by since then, I always thought I would one day get back to it. That is why it has been on my list over and over.


Two years ago, hubby bought this guitar for me for Christmas. Wasn't that sweet? He is a good guitar player, so he knew how to pick out a good one! You would think that this would get me going....alas....no. It went in to the closet.


However, I still put it on my "list" of things I want to do. Then as fate would have it, I was talking to a friend and she told me about a class. It's only $5 and it's a drop in every Monday. Does it get any easier than that? I was soooo excited!


I got dressed and ready to go at least 4 times....but I did NOT go. Why? I don't know. I just "chickened out". I just couldn't bring myself to show up. New people, could I do it, am I too old? Or was it ....just plain old fear.


Eventually, I showed up. I had a wonderful time! The teacher is terrific. He makes everyone feel so special and talented. He also makes learning fun!! It's been a couple of months now, and I can actually play a song or two (it's rough sounding...but getting better all the time!). My hubby has joined the class too, so now it's something we can enjoy together. And, he is a really good guitar player already.


Today I was glancing up at my Vision Board. Do you know what that is? It's a display of things I want to accomplish or have in my life. You gals that are so creative would make it a work of art. Mine is simply a bulletin board filled with cut out images from magazines. It's jam packed with clippings and words. It is directly across from my desk and I see it everyday.

Today I noticed the picture of a guitar. It's actually a person playing guitar and I pasted a photo of my face over theirs. Wow. That guitar looks just like mine! Co-incidence?

Then I started gazing at the other pictures and I was amazed at how many have actually come to pass. It is almost uncanny. There is a picture of a porch that looks JUST like mine! There is a garden tent that looks just like mine. There are sooo many things that are on my board and ALSO in my life! I still have plenty of things yet to accomplish or have. That is something to look forward to.


This summer, when we go on our annual family camping trip, we will be able to play our guitars and entertain our granddaughters. And, that's going to feel wonderful!

One of my mentors challenged me to write 200 goals in January. Today I went looking for that list and I found it. I had only gotten to #64! And, THAT was hard. Even though it's only been a few months, I think I could add quite a few.

How about you? Do you have a list? A vision board? A mentor? What do you want to accomplish in your life? What things do you want that you don't already have?


.

Spring??

.

Really?? Ya think?


We woke up to snow this morning and it's been stormy all day. So, this is Spring....



Brrrr.


.