I'm Back! 9-3-2019

Thoughts and Quotes: If at first you don't succeed, pay someone else to do it for you.    Mark Hoppus

Well, it's not that easy to find someone who'll finish my summer bucket list, so I guess I get a redo next year.

Thank You: To all who sent me emails wishing me well after my bout with shingles (on my body), and new shingles (on my roof).

My shingles came with complete exhaustion; but I'm one of the lucky ones because my friend had them in his eye and had three operations plus shots in his eye. The gas man told me his father had a headache with his shingles which lasted for months after the shingles left. Nancy had the residual pain for weeks after and even got shingles twice (rare). So lingering fatigue was mild in comparison with "what might have been." Now I'm back and trying catch up. 

If you've had chicken pox, you can get shingles, so I urge you to get your shingles shots. And if you're lucky enough to get a new roof, as I did, for the amount of your deductible and your roof is fourteen years old, then just count your blessings and put up with the mess.

Not much news, but I didn't want you to forget me completely.

Things that Grow: Weeds, weeds, and more weeds. Here are some before and after pictures of what I faced after a month of neglect.

I couldn't finish here because I didn't want to disturb Charlotte.

 How many spiders have you seen who can embroider?

My backyard is really wide, but almost finished. Only one raised bed finished. The other two can wait. They're full of marigolds.

My only success with gardening was bell peppers (my least favorite vegetable). Gave away two baskets full, diced and froze some, and sent two dehydraters-full to my daughter. And they're still coming!

Don't know what happened to my zinnias. I planted seeds which were supposed to be all different colors and look like chrysanthemums, and I got this. You can't tell from the photo, but they're all one color and have big fat centers. What happened?

Tasting: Remember my runny peach pies fillings? I thawed one, added some blueberries, and made a cobbler instead. Better.

I tried making ice cream without a freezer, and it was really icy. Won't use that recipe again. It's bananas, sugar, vanilla, milk and cream. I wonder if it would have worked if I'd used my Donvier?

A boring month. Rarely got out. Nancy and I went to Cheddars for chicken tenders.

Bill and I went to the Springfield Family Cafe, but I had a tender tummy and only ate French toast. Steg and I went to Rosie Jo's for our usual chicken-fried chicken. And one day Joey and I went to lunch in Republic on our way to Marionville to check out the assisted living home for her sister. I'd never been here, and the food was good. You can eat or paint or both. After you choose your greenware and paint it, they fire it for you. If you're interested, you go west on Main Street and JUST BEFORE the railroad tracks, turn left and you'll find it on your right. It's called Village Pottery Cafe and here's the LINK.

Some of my photos. Forgot until halfway through my lunch. If you like salad, this is your kind of restaurant. The side salad is as big as a meal salad in most places.

They even have a room for groups. Sorry about these faceless folks, but I never show people who are recognizable on my blog.

Thrifting: When Joey and I were at Ozark Manor, we had to check out the gift (thrift) shop. 

You know how I love costume jewlery, and they have great prices: $1 for necklaces and bracelets; 50 cents for earrings and pins.

Except $2 for this pin. Marionville is the home of the white squirrels.

This little ceramic basket for 50 cents.

And a metal one for $1.

Thank you (belately): To my Special Girls Up North, who sent me an end-of-summer surprise - yummy ice cream in unusual flavors. 

The dry ice kept it solidly frozen, and I'm saving the insulated container for trips - yes, I'm actually planning a trip. As you know, I used to be a bookkeeper, so planning a trip is comparable to planning the Summer Olympics. I need everything organized right down to the knat's eyelash; reservations made, maps printed (thank you, Auto Club), and everything in a notebook, day by day. Takes time, but I can't help myself. As they say, "that's how I roll."

The Pepper and Pals Report: Sweetie Face is growing up, and BJ is pregnant again. I caught Sweetie in the trap, so hope she won't be fearful of it in October when she's old enough to be spayed. Of course, BJ won't go near it. 

And you can easily see why my pots have plants which look like this.

Kitty cat and pole cat. They're getting so brazen, they come in the middle of the day. I shoo them away, but they come right back. Fred is skittish, so I just let them eat so he wouldn't run when the skunk took off.

Stormy in one of her yoga poses.

When I lock them out of the office, they end up together. And when I came home from the market today, they were both in the guest room. I came in the office to work on this blog post, so Pepper joined me. Stormy finally woke up, so now she's on my lap, butting my arm to pet her.

Theme Dining: I wasn't happy with my Back to School table, so I changed it. What do you think? 

Before

After

Of course, that meant I had to do the food again.

But using the same dessert photo.

Tidbits: I love people who have a sense of humor. I could tell by the ruffles around the other pylons that they were all decorated.

Things that Grow: Almost finished with the fence beds - then around the house. When I come in, I'm drenched (and I don't smell like a lady).

But look at those clouds!

When I'm wiping perspiration off my face, I try to remember that the humidity also gives us beautiful clouds. And just look at that shade of blue.

Lake (pond) in my subdivision.

Clubhouse

Okay, Dear Friends, that's all I have for now. I won't be back on my regular schedule for a little longer. So far behind. And then we'll get back to the original purpose of my blog, which was goal-setting for motivation. In the meantime. . . . .

START GETTING READY FOR FALL

MAKE ANOTHER TRIP TO THE LAKE BEFORE SUMMER'S END

START THINKING OF GOALS WE CAN ALL SHARE

CALL AN OLD FRIEND

PICK SOME FLOWERS

IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, BUY SOME - THEY FEED YOUR SOUL

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE