Retirement

   Putting down a few thoughts about retirement today. I took my Social Security Benefits at age 62 which is only 70% of what you are eligible for.  Which turns out is a LOT when your check barely exceeds National Poverty Standards. And there are really quite stringent limits to what you can earn additionally with a job. Medicare (health insurance) doesn't start until age 66.  I'm sure the devil had something to do with that. So now I'm categorize as a proud retiree, just an 1/8 inch above Poverty $$, with no health insurance or prescription medicine insurance.  Thank God every day for The Patient Assistance Programs provided by the drug manufacturers.  I know, right?  Whoever thought I'd be grateful to those money grubbers?  HA!
It's only been since February...with that first SS check not coming until APRIL 15!   They tell you that when you apply way far ahead of time, but somehow it slips your mind.  Until you realize you will be without a regular check for that long.  And your job has already ended.  And you have no cha-ching.  So the beginning was hard, but it could have been worse. Grateful every day for generous friends and family.
I did all those things you do when you don't work a regular job.  Clean out everything, get caught up on everything, blah,blah,blah.  Great.  Now what? I keep eyeing my jewelry studio, aka the dogs room...  I just simply stopped creating one day and walked out, leaving it pretty much like this.

Nothing was selling.  Tried on Etsy. On a"my" website, which that was really hard to figure out.  Did it on one of those free sights.  Tried sharing on Facebook.  Started my Auntie RooLoo's Cottage page. etcetcetc.  It all sold great at the beginning at that local shop until that shop owner treated me worse than dirt.  She decided to only have juried artists.  Snob. And not even the you know what to let me know!  Just stopped ordering. Creating just POOF, disappeared.
Keep thinking about all the junk jewels that are just waiting for me.  Lots of stuff from friends just sitting there.  Lots of stuff we found out on our pickin trips.  Just sitting.  Waiting.
The best thing about retirement so far is that I can stay all snuggled up in my cocoon on these cool, fall mornings with Freddy laying on his back waiting for belly rubs. Heaven.  One of the last jobs was getting up at 4a.m. and driving about 30 minutes to work. NOT missing that job!
The most challenging has been trying to budget those dollars.  Keeping the WiFi and internet.  Downsizing to the very cheapest TV package.  Not many stations available down here in smalltown USA unless you have cable or satellite. And the cellphone! ACK!  It is ridiculous! Did away with the land line, only have internet line. 
I don't travel, go to expensive restaurants or the theater, no weekend girlfriend trips. No Starbucks...well unless I get 2 gift cards for Christmas like last year.  Got addicted to their Ethiopian coffee till those ran out. No Country Living Fair.  Or Round Top Antiques Fair. Or Brimfield. ACK! 
Keeping a handle on the $3 purchases even is a must. 
But it could always be worse.  The internet keeps me grateful for what I have when witnessing such hopelessness and destitution, war, and such.
Looking forward to giving my Freddy boy and great belly hug.  Maybe even HoneyMarie will jump in bed tomorrow!

Breast Cancer Awareness

The Arch in St Louis lit up for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness hit me in the face 20 years ago when my best friend, Neola, was diagnosed.  She and I always confided in each other every time it was "that time" for the mammogram each year because we had fibrocystic breasts and it was always a very apprehensive time for us both.  There were always new cysts discovered at our annual exams.  So we would support each other while patiently waiting for the results.
This time for her she had found a new lump and insisted the Dr. do more testing.  He tried to reassure her it was just a benign cyst, but she wasn't having it.  She had "the feeling".  And I Thank the Lord every, single day she did. Behind that cyst she had found, there was cancer in another tumor.  And it was in both breasts.  Can you imagine that she might have gone another year? All I can say, is OMG.


BE PROACTIVE.  Please, please, please don't be afraid to challenge your Dr. or get another opinion.  There is not a doubt in my mind that this saved her life.  She is a SURVIVOR because she spoke up, challenged, demanded further testing.
Her journey was isolating and difficult.  She chose to close herself off to us all.  I would call, still, often and talk with her husband.  I wanted her to know I was there for her.  Right after the surgery I stopped by several times while she was still in St Louis recovering to talk, gingerly hug and love her.
One of those days when I stopped by I was on my way to get an invasive ultrasound of the new lump they had seen on the Mamm.  I didn't share this with her because I just didn't want to worry her.  That day she chose to show me her double mastectomy scars.  We cried together and hugged and I told her I was grateful she was smarter than the Dr. and we laughed.  
I went on my way to Missouri Baptist Hospital for my appointment, but this time it was so different.  Because my possibilities had just become more real!  I started sobbing, mostly for her, but because I was scared, too.  When I arrived, needless to say I was a total mess.  I'm not one to blubber in public, but I was blubbering bad.  This was right before Mo Bap built their fabulous Womens Breast Health Clinic.  But they had started the program.  An RN met me in the waiting room.  I couldn't even coherently tell her what was wrong!  She took me into a private room and I was finally able to share about my visit with Neola.  She was so kind and compassionate.  We got me calmed down and prepped for the procedure.  The Radiologist that day was just absolutely wonderful.  The RN had told him the story, and he was also so kind and compassionate. I was able to get my all clear results very quickly and will always be grateful and devoted to Missouri Baptist and their fabulous staff. 
Neola's breast cancer started my jewelry business.  Not that it was much of a business, but I began donated all the proceeds from sales of BC Awareness bracelets to Susan G. Komen for research.  I still donate when I can.                           

     This was a piece donated for a fundraiser for a friend's male relative

      

This is one of my later BC Awareness bracelets that I believe was also for a fundraiser                  

Please, be aware, be proactive, be a voice, be a supporter.

ONE in EIGHT woman are diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Fall around The Cottage

   I love following all my favorite bloggers.  They are amazing women, mostly, who have lovely homes and decor.  Bless'er House, Rain on a Tin Roof, Prodigal Pieces, My Salvaged Treasures, zevy joy, Housepitality Designs, Funky Junk Interiors, All Things Heart and Home, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, Cottage at the Crossroad.  This is just a partial list.  I've signed up for emails from all of them and find I can enjoy their blogs from my little iPad Mini2 very easily.
  Moving into Gram's house has been a Godsend, and I am so grateful.  But it's not a big, fancy home with new things.  It's filled with much love and collections that have been accumulated for 50 years, and then some of Gram's too!
   Sharing some photos today of the big Fall decor, she says very sarcastically, here at what I call The Cottage.  I've named her "Auntie RooLoo's Cottage" after my Great Aunt Laura Bell Arnold Beal-or Auntie.  And my nickname from a dear friend, rooloo, and cottage because I want it to be cottaggy and homey. Auntie RooLoo's Cottage is also my other Facebook page where I share fabulous finds, art, people, etc.

The window above is one of my favorites with different places in France.

Here's the luggage collection with it's brilliant Fall decor.

Lots of sparkle here with silver and black pumpkins and Eiffels

Several pieces of old Manhattan glass up on what was Granny's Curio. The gold McCoy were my very first vintage purchase at age 12

                     The First Typewriter got Blinged up with the Antique Civil War tintypes in their old cases

and here's the lone pumpkin on Gram's old Singer and other things I love from special friends.  That's Auntie in the photo.

  Please go see the fabulous Bloggers I mentioned above and thanks for stopping by The Cottage today.

laundry. Ack.

Living alone, it's so funny to say I'm behind on the laundry. Explaining while blogging will make me feel better about it. I just know it.  
Note to self: do not eat cheese puffs while trying to type.
Osteoarthritis has reared its ugly head the past few weeks. When this happens, it is really painful to go up and down the basement steps.  And yes, the laundry is downstairs. The pain is not just in the knees.  The feet, the ankles, the arms, wrists and HANDS!  ACK! And my poor, sick thumb.
Biting the bullet with the help of Advil gel caps, and going down the stairs backwards has helped.  I know, it sounds crazy and weird.  Using the laundry hamper as a cane/walker is very helpful when going down backwards.  And it is not nearly as painful. I did this several times the past few weeks to launder the essentials.
Needless to say at this point, there was a pile of laundry.  Yes, its only me.  And HoneyMarie.  And Freddy.  They have their sheets on their beds.  And the couch cover. And their towels from wiping them down after every outdoor visit and at night they love their wet cloth wipe down.

So today was deemed laundry day.  Already hobbling around this morning it was obviously going to be a challenge.  And it has been.  You see, when I hobble downstairs to put the clothes in the washer, about 99% of the time it walks itself unplugged and an extra trip is added to the mix.  Sometimes a sit down in the creepy basement to wait for the cycle to finish is a must.  But most of the time, its another trip to scoot the washer back to its place (ouch), try to get the shim in place (ouch) and back up the steps. Ouch.  And yes, I do know how to load the washer after 50 years.  Never was this ever been a problem, with this machine, in St Louis.  Maybe the washer is just getting too old at 10 years, but it still washing the clothes quite well. 
The ugly recliner will be much appreciated this evening while viewing Fear the Walking Dead and drinking a nice cup of hot tea.  
It can always be worse.

And then there is that

Lots of things to accomplish today. Have to use up the fresh veg and rotisserie chicken today. That means lots of chopping and standing. At least 4 loads of laundry today up and down the basement stairs.  That means legs, knees and arms. Cleaning up kitchen.  That means lots of hand movements and standing. Moving the typewriters around until it suits me. That means lifting, more hands, arms and knees. 
And then there is wrangling Freddy in from the backyard several times because he is barking non-stop at the telephone repairman.  That means walking which means knees, feet, legs.
When I woke up this morning I didn't think all the things I wanted to accomplish would be a big deal.
And then the pain started creeping in, little by little. I was annoyed but just grabbed the Advil and continued on what I thought was my merry way.
And then there was that.
Then the pain started.  Everywhere at once. Like a migraine headache all over your body.  Feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips, back, shoulders, arms wrists hands, fingers. That's when you realize it.  Oh NO! Here it comes!  WHY, today? CRAP! And you know the only thing you can do is take more Advil and go to bed.  So you lay there just not able to concentrate on anything.  The dogs know.  Freddy jumps up on the bed and lays as close as he can to you. You just lay there for several hours.  Wishing and praying it will go away again.
You are so grateful it does not happen every single day.  But then you have pain every, single day when you go to bed and before you even open your eyes to get up.  But THANK GOD, the other doesn't happen every single day. And you realize that when the other happens, you always say to yourself....
and then there was that.  Today.

Still on the Bathroom

The bathroom is finally back together after the making it right day because HeadUpHisAss guy screwed it up originally.
Isn't it weird to take photos of the bathroom?  It's such a personal place.
But I did.  And after looking at them, I'm kind of amazed that it is so Shabby Chic looking.  It was 10 years ago when I picked up the Rachel Ashwell cupboard and medicine cabinet. I'm thinking the Shabby Chic thing should have been real obvious at that point! I still really love the bathroom.  I just didn't know it was so Shabby looking the photo's.

 The Paris sign my friends picked up at a Yard Sale (YS).  They are YS Queens and find the best stuff. They are my YS heroines.  I've never known anybody who could find such great treasures from YSing.

 The green Jadeite vases are actually my Mom's that I begged for.  I already had one here at Gram's house because she had accidentally carried if off from Mom's to her house.  She did this sometimes to all of us with things she really liked and felt she needed to have.  I thought it was really funny. I remember as a child my mom's sisterinlaws' calling her in St Louis to tell her about Gram's visit and what was missing from their homes.  We never said a word to Gram, and let her enjoy her treasures.  I think maybe it might be something from back in the day when she was so poor.  Her mother passed away when she was only 2 years old. Her Dad remarried and the new stepmom threw all 6 of the sisters out of the house! Gram, Ethel Leona Arnold Stilts, was raised by her oldest sister, Laura Bell Arnold Beal.  She is the "Auntie" in my Auntie RooLoo's Cottage jewelry, facebook page, etc. Did I mention my Great Gramps was a bootlegger?  He also owned a "Baudy House" or Road House.  His girls would look after my Gram in the pre-wicked stepmother days. The story goes that he would load up the Model T with moonshine and throw Gram in the backseat with a blanky and make his deliveries.  I don't really know if it was a Model T, but I enjoy the folklore behind the story.  Gram would NEVER talk about that.

The little chandelier is from Old Timer's Antique Mall in Dexter MO. Not an antique but that's ok. The beadboard was a must to cover the ugly walls.
So that is the end of the bathroom story.  With some extra about my fabulous Gram that I love and miss so much everyday.  Living in her house is a blessing.

Headuphisass guy

  When I moved to this house 9 years ago one of the first things was to redo the bathroom.  It was pretty bad, after 50 years.  There are not a  whole lot of options in a small town for good, quality handymen/women. And having a tiny budget didn't help.  So now, I am paying for that.
  Did I mention last week was the air conditioning unit replacement???
  Sitting here waiting for yet another handyman to redo the tub surround.  The first guy had his head up his ass when he installed it.   And yes, I know that is mean.  But the first guy deserves it.  Of course, AFTER the remodel, everyone was very forthcoming with their opinion of head up his ass guy. And none of it was good.  ACK! Why do your friends do that?  Or wait, maybe "friends" isn't the right word anymore.
   There was no way to get a new tub/surround all in one unit in the tiny 1964 only bathroom in the house room.  So we had to go with separates. And 9 years after the fact, it became chrystal, moldy clear that head up his ass guy reallllly screwed up. The list of everything that was wrong is boring and complicated.  Suffice it to say that head up his ass man lived up to his reputation.
  Handyman #2 is a nice guy that does work for the school.  He'll have to come back tomorrow to finish  the trim.  You know, you can't get anything you need in a small town with 2 hardware stores.  So he will take the 60 mile round trip to the big city of Cape Girardeau, MO which actually has a Lowes and a Menards to get that trim.
  I am off to clean up a ginormous mess that includes having to rip down the drywall.
  Thanks head up your ass guy.  Your reputation will follow you from here on because I will not hesitate to share our experience together BEFORE your next job.

The Jewelry Beginning and Breast Cancer

   Jewelry designing came to me way after the first visit to the Bead Shop-the only one around back then-to learn to make bracelets.  A group of friends around a huge round table trying to thread beads was so much fun. Several more Saturdays were spent making more bracelets and I was hooked.
  I never thought about designing bracelets much except at that shop until my friend was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  As so many of us sadly realize, the best friend wants so badly to take "it" away from our dear Best Friend for Life. Feeling pretty helpless I just couldn't think of what to do for her...besides the obvious support.  
   We need a cure, is what I kept thinking.  I started my research and found myself at the Susan G Komen website.  Which led to how do we make money for research.  Which led to making bracelets and donating the money from selling them to SGK.  It was such a small amount at the time, but it was all I had. It selfishly helped me cope with her cancer.  
   I started getting requests for the bracelets for friends and family members. A small shop in St Charles, MO was interesting in selling them.  The bracelets were just simple pink and white beading with a sterling silver BC Ribbon.  All the findings were SS.  It was back in the day when SS was extremely resonably priced.
The BC bracelets led to more bracelets just for fun.  Gifts for everyone! I found that I was so enjoying creating.  It was fun. 
  The pianist at church was diagnosed and her friends messaged me for a bracelet ASAP. It was her teddybear during all the hard times. She traveled from MO to TX to MD Anderson, but sadly lost her battle.  She had told her friends to please make sure her bracelet traveled up to Heaven with her.  No words can describe how desperately I had prayed for a cure.
  Life and working full time got in the way and jewelry designing was on the back burner for many years.  I lost my dream job in St Louis and moved  to Advance where Gram had left me her home. 2008 happened, and jobs were scarce.  I started designing again and setup the studio in the spare bedroom.  With the obligatory loveseat for my dogs, HoneyMarie and Fred to be able to continue to bark out the window. My friend and I managed to find a cheap second hand 12' countertop and actually got it setup.  I organized, worked, created, and was so happy.  Found a wonderful shop in a small town that carried my work.  And much to my surprise, it all sold! That is, until she decided to only carry products from "juried" jewerly artists.  How do you become juried for junk jewelry creations? 

 I found several others who sold my jewelry, started a website-boy that was hard- and tried Etsy. I don't know what it was, but I just could't make anymore $.  So the studio sits in disarray. Lots of $ invested in parts and pieces. And my creative side is just...poof!  Gone.
Sharing some past creations just for fun.

This necklace was created for a friend with many Vintage/Antique pieces she had collected over the years.  She is an artist.

I have collected Vintage and Antique typewriters and Chrystals and had so much fun with them.

And the most fun ever was collecting all the Vintage Cracker Jack toys for this one!
I have albums of my jewels on my just for fun Facebook page Auntie RooLoo's Cottage.  Nothing is for sale, as it is all long gone!

Creature comforts vs thinking you are going to die part 2

  So, we drove and drove and drove all day.  I tried to come back home 2 or 3 times, but surprisingly, it did not miraculously get cooler while we were driving!
   About 7 pm I got a message from my cousin, I call her Sis, to come stay with her for the night.  She lives out in the hills and has 2 window A/C units.  And 2 small yappy dogs.  I was so desperate by then, I said yes.  I didn't think it was going to work out with her dogs and my dogs. But I was so tired of driving and so were the dogs. Don't get me wrong, HoneyMarie and Freddy are really good car dogs.  They love riding in the car.  But 12 hrs was getting a bit much for all of us.
  So we hauled it over to Sis' and introduced her dogs to mine.  Not so good.  They barked and yapped and barked and yapped at my dogs the whole time we were there. HoneyMarie was wild eyed and a nervous wreck.  Fred just wanted treats.  This is normal for Fred.
  Fred and I slept on the couch.  The couch had come from me to Sis when I moved down here 10 years ago.  It was my Gram's way before that.  It was a wonderfully cool place to be and I was very grateful. It was so nice to be able to sit somewhere other than the car. But again not much sleep for any of us.  The yappers (whom I love) yapped randomly all night and scared everyone awake. The couch was much appreciated but not very comfortable.  But again, we were grateful, so grateful, to get out of the car.  Thanks to my wonderful Sis for taking us in.
  We got up early and came home to wait for the A/C man.  And, OH, was it hot now in the house.  Good Glory.  We went back to the car and drove around Advance waiting for our knight in shining armour to arrive.  These are my kids, waiting in the car. Aren't they sweet?

  We were so grateful to be back home and cool.  And feeling like we weren't going to die. And grateful for the cool.  And our beds and chairs and couch and HOME.  And grateful for the cool.
  So I started thinking about creature comforts vs feeling like you are going to die.  I know there are people who survive without A/C and have to suffer other horrible circumstances in life. I wish I could fix things for all of them. And I'm so very grateful that we didn't die from the heat and had options.  And so very grateful to be back home.  And to have a home. Just....grateful.
  One last photo.  HoneyMarie finally embraced the fan when we got back into the house.  My babies were so good.

  I'm very disappointed that there wasn't anywhere for the dogs and I to go for shelter and cool.  I know this must be what keeps many pet owners in their cold or hot homes during times of need.  Praying that someone with the financial means will recoginze this issue and try to help. I love my woofies and appreciate their unconditional love and affection every day.

Creature comforts vs feeling like you are going to die part 1

   Everyone has stories about the time their air conditioning went out at the hottest time of the year.  This is my story.
   It was this past Sat. evening when the A/C quit blowing cool air.  Hobbled to the basement and everything there looked ok to me...which isn't saying much as I know very little about the way it's supposed to look. So I called Peter's Supply Co who had installed the furnace and hot water heater.  Did I mention the house is 51 years old and everything is wearing out at the same time? Anyway, the nicest young man said he would be right here, and he was.
   I think the heat index and temps were 100 and 90's.  It got hot in the house fast while he was working in the heat checking things out.  I really thought it was just that it needed Freon and all would be well. HA! I'm stupid! My friend brought a fan down and the dogs were scared to death of it.  They did NOT embrace the fan. The bad news was the A/C was shot.  And the worse news was they could replace but not till Mon. morning.
  In the meantime, I called my friend and my Mom to tell them the news.  Well, they both said, you can leave the dogs there and come and sleep here.  Neither of them have pets. If it's too hot for me, it's too hot for pets.
    OK, I thought.  We can do this.  I went and picked up another fan from Mom and settled in. HoneyMarie, Fred and I made it through the night.  There was very little sleeping. The temps were supposed to be even hotter, and it was when we got up.  I tried to get us all under both fans, but the dogs were panting, and my heart was pounding.  I am a short, round person.  The heat is not my friend, even in the best of times. HoneyMarie is 60+ and Freddy 91 in people years. I remember thinking, "we are all going to have a heart attack!". I was feeling very dizzy and very not right.
   The only thing I could think of to do was get in the car and drive.  There were no cooling centers in a 75 mile area that accepted pets. So we all piled in the car with a bowl of water for them and a bottle of water for me and drove...and drove....and drove.  All day.
to be continued

Generations

   The new photo is of some of my family.  Great G'Pa was so very proud of his cattle.  And Great G'Ma had a lot of chickens.  They were gone before I could remember them.  When Mom was pregnant G'Ma Kate shared a lot of country folklore.  Like don't hang clothes on the line, the baby will turn. G'Ma Kate was a deeply religious woman and schooled Mom in the ways of the Lord and the Bible.  There was a lot, a lot! of guilt placed on a person back then.  The sin's of the father, if you lie you will be punished by something terrible happening, if you don't go to church you will go to hell. Consequently, I grew up with all this guilt and angst.
   Mom married at 16, and no, she wasn't preggers.  I came along when she was 19.  I'm not sure why they married so young.  But they did not grow up together as time marched on but grew apart. He was the love of her life. She, not so much for him. They divorced and remarried each other once. The divorce was really strange for me because none of my friends' parents were divorced.  Everyone seemed to feel sorry for Mom and I. Some of her married friends went by the wayside.
   We belonged to a swim club just a few blocks down the street from the neighborhood.  It was called Koboldt's, after the huge family who owned it.  I remember it cost $80 a year to join. I used to walk barefoot to the pool, and boy, did I get in trouble for that!  Your feet are going to spread and we won't be able to find shoes to fit you, Mom said.  Thanks, GG Kate! And no, that didn't happen at all.  
  Childhood was really very good for me, even with the divorce.  The younger days were the best.  Swimming every summer with all my friends was the best!  I loved it! I can't play the piano to this day after years of lessons because I would not practice.  Had to get to the pool and swim. The piano was right next to the beauty shop that Mom had in the house.  They would all get sick of listening to me TRY to play, and were seemingly extremely relieved when I stopped.
  Wouldn't trade growing up like that for anything.  Life was simple, and good, and fun.

The Heat

   Wowza is all I can say. Here in SE MO our heat indices have been 100* and higher this past week. It's so exhausting to try to accomplish just routine errands and stuff! Don't get me wrong now. I am GRATEFUL that I don't have to work in the heat everyday and so respect those that do. My woofie babies don't even want to stay outside! Oh, Freddy thinks he does! But that lasts all of about 2 minutes and he is heading back to the door. 
   My friend Nedra and I have managed to lug all the parts of an antique Barrister Bookcase from the Antique Shop to her house in the heat. We met The Sisters for Yard Saling beginning at 0645 one morning. By the time all that was done, you just felt kind of sick from the heat. The Sisters are actually 2 sisters who are distant cousins and their sister-in-law. Those 3 are the most proficient Yard Salers I have ever known. The Queens of YS in Cape Girardeau, MO. They actually know other YS'ers from all their years of YSing!  It's pretty amazing. As we left a pretty unremarkable YS Carolyn commented that it had been a real Hoover. Of course I had no idea what that meant until Nancy Kay clarified that it sucked. It's always a fun time with The Sisters. Breakfast usually follows with lots of laughter and fun. We are prone to discuss in great detail episodes of the Bold and Beautiful for the past week. There are many nicknames for the characters that cannot be mentioned here. 
   It's all silly fun. And so appreciated by this old woman. 

Cranky

   I am getting on my own nerves, as they used to say. Retiring on a fixed income is challenging, to say the least!
   It's 82* with 79% humidity in southeast MO today and only 0830. Been in the house for 4 days straight. Mom and I call it piddling around the house.  But there is only so much you can do without actually cleaning and straightening.  Which is SO not what I want to do. And only so much cooking you can do when the cupboards are due to be stocked in several days. ACK.
   Some piddling around the house results. The Elwood J. (Woody) Miller limited edition etchings and the suitcase collection.

   Since giving up jewelry designing, boredom is ever present.  Junk jewelry creations are so fun.  But that creative part seemed to have left the brain when the creations didn't sell.  So you design things for friends.  Yep.  They are all stocked up. Now what? There are still some at a local (30miles down the road) shop.  It is a fabulous shop in the middle of a tiny, little town. The owner has "it".  She can style and display and make you want to buy everything. 

  So now what? Cleaning up the studio would be the best option for this time at home.  But it's been hard to walk back in and face...failure. OH, it is sooooo full of collected jewels. Here is just a tiny portion...ACK

  so it's cranky for today......and trying to work up the strength to face....it.

Home

I'm very grateful to have inherited my Gram's house.  Not sure where I would be right now if I hadn't!  THANK YOU, Gram!
    It's a house built in the small town in 1964. That had to be a challenge just to get building supplies.  The hardwood floors are wonderful because the original owner and then Gram (YES! just 2 owners) covered them with wall to wall carpeting.  That was the thing back then. And then everyone smoked cigarettes like chain smokers.  BLECK. Needless to say, the carpeting was the first thing to go.Here is a great photo of the floor. And my dog Freddy when he was younger.  He's 13 now. And then we can't show a photo of Freddy without showing a cute one of HoneyMarie.
Off to cook up some pasta with spinach, artichoke, garlic, etcetc for lunch. More tomorrow.  

St Louis

I'm originally from St Louis, MO.  Lived there 53 years. Die hard Cardinal fan. Grew up in West County but lived mostly in South City later on.  I loved living in St Louis Hills on the Southside. My heart will always belong to The Lou.
It's been so painful to see all the trauma St. Louisans, especially my family and friends, have endured the past year. All I can say is WOWZA. And pray for healing.
Living in a SMALLLLLLTOWN now has been quite the change.  Difficult change.  1200 or so folks.  A tiny McDonalds, Family Dollar and Dollar General, isn't that too funny?  Why do 1200 people need 2 $stores??? The local grocery store. BLECK.  It's 30 mintues to Cape Girardeau, MO. poplulation about 38,000 or so.  There is a Schnucks grocery store!, Walmart, and lots of restaurant chains and The Mall.  The Antique shops are terrific. Still not St. Louis, is it?
 Mom is here in Advance, MO. And cousin-like-a-Sister Mary aka Sis. Mom pretty much stays in town.  She drives to the local stores (relief no further) ...but my friend Nedra and I do most of her shopping when we take off for anywhere but Advance.
 Nedra is a widow, Antiques Linen collector, seller, Silhouette Artist and best friend. We find fun whatever we are doing and when on the go, are always together.  She lives right down the street in the gorgeous old house she grew up in filled with Antiques and awesome collections.
 I always get so very homesick for St. Louis during the holidays.  July 4th is the VP Fair, Cardinal games...an atmosphere you can't find anywhere else. Fireworks under the magnificent Arch. Its the feeling of being there I miss. I so wish the local TV stations down here would televise those Fireworks!
Well, its time to see what Monday brings my way!
Thanks for being here.

                   first blog post

Well, here I am.  Trying to collect my 62 y/o thoughts and blog again. Always think there is so much to say and now it's just a big blank. 
OK.  Independence Day.
It's very important to me to appreciate Independence Day. I think a lot about what would have been if we weren't able to enjoy the freedoms our brave young woman and men have fought so courageously for all these years.
Remembering in 4th grade practicing the drill where you jump under your desk in case of an attack by the Soviet Union-that's what it was then.  Not Russia.  It was the Communists. HA! Like the desks would save us! But in 4th grade we believed.  How niave we were.  ALL of us!
Freedom is such a privilege that I so cherish. We Americans tend to take it for granted way too much. Stand up and be grateful for what we have this 4th of July. Teach the children how important it is. Say THANK YOU!
Enjoy your freedom to celebrate as you choose this Independence Day!