Did you hear what I said?

A mother's famous question to an other-wise occupied child.  Are you listening to me?  It is so frustrating to try to converse with someone who is not engaged.  Look at me when I speak to you?  Am I invisible?  I'll try not to break out in song to Chicago's Mr. Cellophane or in my case Ms. Cellophane.  To truly know someone you have to pay attention to them.  In my own case, the person I need to be listening to is me!
-
You'd think you'd know yourself, right?  But I do believe we are evolving beings.  I'm reading "The Life Span" for my Aspects of Human Growth and Development class.  Chapter 1- who else but Freud!  Id, Ego, Superego and the stages.  Have you ever read through those and thought: Yikes! That's me!!!!

Oral Stage: Birth to 1 year- too much or too little and boom- you have an oral fixation.  Traits for negative "oral" stage: smoking- check (but I quit a long time ago); over-dependency- check check- I just want everybody to like me!!! over eating- oh yes...so me; talkative- who me???  Now I'm not planning to call child/adult protective service because I haven't read through the whole book and I'm sure recent theorists will disagree with some of Freud's assessments, but being a mother myself there are just some negative behaviors that my children might (I haven't seen any!) possess that I'm not taking any credit for....they are on their own for those!  I'm afraid I just can't agree with Freud for all negative behaviors being blamed on the parents! Period.  We have to take ownership of our own down fall.  If this were the case explain those children who had a rotten childhood growing up to be successful loving giving human beings?  No, there are some things I'll say "okay, maybe we shouldn't have done that" but I'm not going down for everything.  I know; I'm being anal!!

Back to evolving....so I'm thinking about my childhood and believe it or not I was a shy child around new people.  I do believe I was pretty bossy around those I knew real well....sorry Brother and Cousins and Friends!  But we moved in my early teens and for some reason (maybe survival in a new place?) Strawberry came out of her shy shell and found her voice.

Today is such a day.  I padded down the hall tripping over dogs and cats and entered into hell's kitchen.  Dishes were still in the sink and the dishwasher door was open exposing the still dirty dishes and Moana thought I don't like to clean the kitchen at night.  Strawberry thought I like cleaning the kitchen in the morning.  I have lots of energy in the morning.  Inner Strawberry (not Moana....she is still a complaining bitch) has spoken.  And what she is saying is that I get more things accomplished in the morning.  This goes back to my evolving statement....I used to love to sleep and sleep late and sleep in and sleep out and just plain....sleep.  Not any more.  Recently I wake, feed animals, get my coffee, and turn on the computer and blog and check email/ FB/ etc.  I think I have the hours in my days backwards.  I need to get up and get things accomplished in the morning and then in the evenings blog and email and check FB.

My tummy is now speaking and it says "feed me."  Hello, Body; I'm listening.

Recipe Wednesday

Good Wednesday Morning, Grainiacs!!! I was not planning to post today but received a gift from heaven....or cyberspace.....or from Graini-Aunt!  Had to share.  Our weather here in Texas has been on a rollercoaster.  High 102 one day; Low 68 the next. Back and forth. Up and down.  I just wish I lived closer to her to share in the left-overs!!!  Keep Boy in your prayers/ thoughts/ etc.  He is having all 4 impacted wisdom teeth out today.  If he lets me, I'll take pictures!  Not of the surgery, mind you, but of the puffy cheeks!

 

So without further adieu....

 

 from Graini-Aunt:

The weather has turned cold at night here and so I had an urge to make homemade

Vegetable Beef Soup. 

 

Directions:

 

3 lbs. stew meat, cut in bite size

1 large onion

3 stalks celery

4 carrots

Large can of crushed tomatoes

1 large jar of sliced mushrooms

6 new potatos

1 small can of green peas

1 small can of corn

1 small can of french-style green beans

 

garlic powder to taste

black pepper to taste

salt to taste

Some Italian seasoning to taste

2 dashes of Tabasco sauce (red)

 

Cut beef into bite size pieces and put into

a big soup pot in COLD water.

Put on top burner and warm slowly

Add chopped carrots

Add chopped celery

Add of mushrooms

Add 1 or 2 chopped onions

Add green beans, peas and corn after draining off liquid

 

Once your soup has reached medium heat, cover and simmer for several hours

About an hour before serving add chopped potatoes.

Season to taste.

 

Serve with Italian or Artisan bread and butter.

Enjoy!

 

Everyone ate at least 3 bowls.  The boys ate 4!

 

Best of all, we have leftovers and it's even better the second time around.

I'm Coming Out

Put on your battle gear!  I'm coming out to proclaim I'm a failure at this damn dieting game.  I hate it.  I don't like it.  I'm no good at it.  I like to eat.  I confess.  I made some brownies; I found a cute little brownie pan with castles and kisses and stars and rainbows and flowers.  Eating each little kiss or castle or star didn't reveal proportionally how many of those concealed devils I was really eating!  I ate practically the whole box!!!  Woe, Despair, and Agony on my hips, she laments.

So I'm coming clean with you all, Grainiacs.  I cannot NOT think about dieting or eating healthy or whatever spin you want to put on it.  I have to keep that thought up front in my cranium.  It can't fall back to the deep recesses of my mind.  Maybe I've said this before but I have to think like an alcoholic or a.... pervert.... (sorry, but I am disgusted with my perverted ways!!!  I AM A PERVERT when it comes to food.....I want it.....I have to have it.....I must resist all temptation).

So here's the dilemma.....just how do I do it?

The only solution I see in sight and that will help me to succeed is:

1) Go to a fat  farm-- know of any good ones?
2) order food online like Jenny Craig or Marie Osmond-- doesn't she look good? But Ladies, please! Stop with the lips!!!!
3) hole up in my house and refuse potlucks (btw, our church is having another one this Thursday for our Maundy Thursday service!)
4) give up and just eat whatever- wave the white flag and say "I surrender;" I've lost the battle
5) put the whole family on a "dieting" regimen with me

Problem with #1 is I don't have the time nor the money to go away and starve.  Problem with #2 is I'll buy said products online but still have a full tempting cabinet with Hubby and Boy food.  Problem with #3 is that is solitary confinement and our government has now deemed it cruel and unusual punishment.  Problem with #4 is I already do that and look at me!!!!!  Plus I love Churchill's quote: "Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.''

So that leaves #5.  Go to War with Food!!!

Today is Tuesday.  I am purging the house of all brownie mixes, unhealthy grains, chips, etc. and declaring war on my kitchen.  My boys will be declaring war on me but I'm up for it.  The time is now to change.

Mark your calendars!  Today is my birthday (as in new birth),

my Quinceñera ( a Spanish word for a 15 year old's "coming" out as a young lady),


or in other words WWT-- World War Tres.  

Peace Out

Oh Lawd!  If I weren't menopausal I'd think I was pregnant.  My hormones and emotions are on a roller-coaster.  I actually find myself tearing up watching the Food Channel.  What might be happening in the Strawberry theme park?

The weather isn't cooperating either.  Saturday topped at 102* and I couldn't take off enough clothing!  I was working up a sweat just breathing.  By Sunday the temperature dropped and so did my patience.

My nose is a sieve this morning and my sneezing is getting in the way of my coffee drinking.  Yesterday while waiting for Sunday school class to begin, I was conversing with another student and for some unknown reason I tried to talk, drink coffee, and inhale all at the same time.  I choked and sputtered and sounded like a resuscitated drown victim.  What a sight.  If I were going for the "I have my shit together" look, I failed miserably!  One woman came in and remarked that the wind was playing havoc with her allergies too.  I just smiled; I didn't dare try to speak-- I had my coffee cup in my hand and no telling if I'd try my encore performance of Drink, Breathe and Choke.

Yesterday was a special day at church.  Rev. Hubby led the parade as the drum major.  In most churches it is called the procession of Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday marks the church's entering into Holy Week.  That wonderful emotional time of year for me.  I rejoice with the early procession-ers and shout "Hosanna."  But I also admit I would have been shouting "crucify" by the end of the week.  We are a fickle people.  We can nod our heads and mumble "amen" when we hear a sermon for peace yet will get in our vehicles and run someone off the road just so we can be first in line at Luby's cafeteria.  And don't you even think about running that service over the one hour allotted time.  We will either grumble and leave nasty post-it notes or get up and walk out of the service.  I mean really, who are we hurting?  The other congregants?  The pastor?  We shake our heads and wonder why the "younger" generation isn't coming to church.  Since the 60's the "younger" generation has been saying church is a bunch of hypocrites.  Now that "younger" generation is the hypocritical bunch.  More and more churches are more tolerant of others yet so many good church going family members still spout derogatory remarks leaving the now "younger" generation to wonder: what did they just say?

The popular saying/song "Let there be peace on earth" takes on a new meaning when you substitute "on earth" with "at church" or "at home."  Let there be peace in my words and in my actions toward others  and let it begin today.

Yes, it is an emotional time for me because I know the most important person in my life died so I might live.  Can I do the same for Him?

Get out of my Path

I can tell I'm coming down with something; I've been a virtual bitch.  I fly off the handle.  Bark. Growl. Bite.  I'm just mean.  The last time I felt this out of control, I had forgotten to take my meds!!!  Only I'm taking my meds so that can only mean one thing--- I've caught what Hubby had!!!!  Damn

He is still a bit under the weather so I drove last night.  You'd think we were in "A Race to the Finish" reality show.  Hubby was watching out his rearview mirror telling me it was clear to the right, but invariable I got behind Pokey Peter or Piddlin' around Paula.  If it weren't that we were celebrating someone's 85 birthday, we should have just stayed home!  And for your information, (true story!) as bad as I thought I was driving, the whole expressway was crowded with HORRIBLE drivers.  I at least tried to stay as much as possible in my own lane!

Thankfully we are home and all is well and I have the rest of the week to rest and take "sleepy" medicine...oh except that I have to make sure Boy gets up and is ready for his house building project.  Unfortunately I never thought to tell him not to rest his arms on the insulation pads.  It's just not one of those safety topics you think to bring up.  Needless to say, he came home with a nasty rash.  Lesson learned.  Yesterday he worked with an electrician.  I remember another child of mine helping to build a room in Mexico and being in charge of "the charge!"

Well, Grainiacs, my head is tilting to the left and I feel off balance.  Not sure if I'll post tomorrow, but my wish for you is to stay well.  Hydrate and don't come around the Hubby or the Strawberry!

Every Bite you Take

picture taken off Facebook

Good morning, Grainiacs, and welcome to Wednesday!  For the past 2 days I have been chronicling every morsel of food that goes into my pie hole.  WW recommends keeping a food journal, Jenny Craig has a sort of food journal (since you buy their food, you really have a built in food journal unless you eat other things).  I would imagine every weight loss program highly recommends you keep track of what you eat.  It's a good idea and a wonderful tool to help a person see how much they are really eating-- even when they think they are not.  I have a food love affair.  Sometimes I like to keep my affair secret so I'll eat the evidence.  I'm only fooling myself if I think that love affair will be kept quiet.  It can rear its ugly self, you know?  REAR!!!!!

So in order to keep on track and not miss my goal (12 days and counting) I have written down every almond, every chicken breast, every everything.  It's been 2 days of writing.  The challenge for me will be to keep it up.  I can do this.  I have eyes watching....

(these are Rat Mom's feet and legs, but you get the idea; they are watching!)

March Madness

I had a great day yesterday.  I ate breakfast with a new friend.  We prayed for each other and talked and laughed and even teared up.  It's just what the Dr. ordered.  Hubby got a good dose of what the Dr. ordered too.  It's called "the wife doesn't have time for you to get sick" remedy.  In actuality I drugged him with Mucinex-- the 12 hour horse pill.  Every once-in-a-while I checked on him to make sure he was still breathing.  An added benefit: the dogs stayed in there with him. Boy was working in his room; I really had the whole house to myself.

I have always said that if I have one whole day to sleep and stay in bed, my body can fight off any "bug" that is trying to invade my space.  That being said, one year the flu kicked my butt.  So this works 99.8% of the time, but the flu is another story.  Thankfully Hubby did not have the flu.  He was exhausted from non-stop working and was coming down with something.  He's still asleep so we'll see how he is feeling this morning.  Last night he seemed to be on the mend.  Praise be to God!!!

Speaking of Boy and working and exhaustion, today Boy is traveling with the men of the church to help a needy family.  Each month our church "adopts" a family in need to build, restore, and/or fix their home.  I'm excited to hear about Boy's adventure this week.  I am declaring this his spring break.  Helping others during a time off is a good thing!  He's not real thrilled this morning as the guys are getting started at 8 a.m.  They work till 3 p.m.  It's gonna be hot!  I'm packing a lunch for Boy with lots of water-type foods--- grapes, carrots, yogurt, and oh yeah....left-over pizza (hey, there's some condensation on that cold pizza!!).  As for me, I've declared the next 14, well 13 now, days my NO starch days.  I've attended too many potlucks and parties and festivities to last for the next 13 years!  The madness had to stop and I've declared my March Madness a no messing around with starches.  Yesterday I had breakfast at The Egg and I restaurant and if you have one near you, the scrambled eggs are made perfectly fluffy.  It was a real treat in more ways than one.

Do you have a March Madness goal?  We are half-way through with the month.  There's still time to score.  Let's do it.  What's your goal for the rest of the month?  It doesn't have to be diet related but it does have to bless your soul.  Write me and tell me.

Today's Local Forecast

Is dreary with a touch of the flu.  Yep, I'm thinking Hubby has the flu.  It has been passing around these parts and he has been working non-stop since November.  (Truth be told he has that "things wouldn't get done if I weren't in charge" mentality!)  The perfect storm in my opinion.  Everything seems calm on the outside but on the inside high winds and destruction are playing havoc.   Today isn't any different.  Storm Strawberry swooped by his bed and snatched up his life line-- his cell phone.  I swirled down the hall and made a call to his office-- Rev. Hubby would not be in the office today and if he shows his sick face there-- SEND HIM HOME!!!!  He might not want to take care of himself but I DO NOT HAVE TIME to take care of a sick husband.  It is absolutely amazing that a sick woman can get her bones out of bed and then make it, get breakfast, lunch and dinner for herself, kids off to school, go back to bed, etc, but a man?  Not so much.  Pray for Hubby's health and life today, Grainiacs!

In more exciting news: I'm going out to breakfast with a friend.  Yes, you heard right.  This Grainiac has been invited out.  I didn't have to cry or throw a pity party or .....LOL....just kidding.  Life in the Valley is wonderful.  It's true: Texans are friendly!  Even if you've come from some other state.  Well, except for the Winter Texans I ran into the other day...not literally....then I would agree they wouldn't be friendly!  There was a whole mess of them at Whataburger.  They kept looking at Hubby and me like "who are you two?"  I think they were trying to figure out if we were winter Texans too.  They (WT) seem to get younger and younger looking!  Any who, after Hubby and I ate, I passed by and made some southern friendly talk and oh my gosh!!!!  You'd think I insulted their home state!  The look they gave me and then one woman turned around and started talking to me.  She must be a secret Texan--really friendly.  Even smiled and showed her teeth!  Ah well.  Life in the Big City.

Oh no, I'm starting to get a sore throat.  Oh please, Oh please, Lord; I REALLY don't have time to get sick.  I'm off to the store to purchase Gatorade and chicken noodle soup.  Pray for the Strawberry Patch, please.  We all do not have time to get sick.  aaaaaccckkkkkkk

P.S. Here's a picture of Rev. Hubby at his installation.  The photo is all pastors and ruling elders laying hands on Hubby.

special time

P.S.S.  I got all 5 chairs re-covered! See previous posts if you don't know what I'm talking about.  I completed a project!!!  I feel so empowered, so in control, so...sneeze..cough...cough...hack...hack....not so good anymore.

Scarlett, Oh Scarlett

Please pray, Grainiacs, for Rat Mom and Boy.  They are headed out to San Antonio for some spring break time.  When does a Mom stop worrying about her kiddos?

In more news: Last night I took on a project and actually completed....er,  part of it.  I'm half-way done and it feels good.  Problem is I was half-way done last year with the dieting and I felt good.  I am half-way done with completing my masters in Christian education and I feel good.  And now I'm half-way done with my re-upholstering project.  Do you see a pattern?  I don't know what it is about me that can half finish something and think "Ta Da!! Aren't I smart!"  Maybe it's my mentality that the proverbial glass is half-full is a good thing.  Do people who see the glass half empty get their projects done better than the half-full folk or is it just me?  Is this a condition?  A sickness?  Can I take a pill?  Is there a small book to read-- I'm afraid I wouldn't get through a whole book.  I'd be half-way through the book and think "yeah, I'm an expert on the subject now!"

So for today I am going against my grain and I am completing this project.  I cranked out two chairs last night and I have 3 more to go but I'm doing it!  My poor fingers are arguing with me, though; they are pretty stiff from wrestling with those old staples underneath the chair.  After all those staples have been firmly planted in place for eons and they don't want to leave the premises. 

The kitchen is coming together nicely.  One room at a time and one project at a time.  If you know me, you'll understand that I start a project and then get half-way done and pick up a new one.  I do think that is called ADD.....oh look.. my ground squirrel is outside.  Isn't he cute?  Now what was I saying???

Can you see the stains all over this chair?

Not quite sure you can see it here either....suffice it to say....they were D-I-R-T-Y!!!

We're going in, Grainiacs....aaaaahhhhhhhhh

Net covering....oh my poor aching fingers.  Those dang staples have been in-bedded for thousands of years...shoot me, I exaggerate!

Netting off and what do I see.....MORE STAPLES!!!!!!!

Good grief; was there a sale on staple gun staples????

Finished product!

I'm trying to keep all 4-footed fur-mily off the new chairs!  Got a picture before they jumped back on! LOL  Didn't say I was successful with the fur-mily!

Why Scarlett!  Are those our old curtains?  Fiddly dee, yes they are.  I bought these curtains for our house in Rural, OK.  Our new house has larger windows and those pretty curtains (backed to keep the elements out...them some heavy duty curtains, ya know what I mean?) weren't large enough to fit any windows here.  I almost gave them away and then I had a "Gone with the Wind" moment and thought I'll re-upholstering the chairs with those curtains.  See how nicely the rug and the curtains go together?  I have to admit; I'm feeling really Martha Stewart-ish right now.

Before and after together:

Move over, Dirt Bag!

Step Away From

The Potlucks!!!!!

I used to think stretchy pants were the work of the devil, but I do believe potlucks have stretchy pants beaten hands down!

Goodness, how many potlucks can a body endure before resembling the goodyear blimp???

I'm debating whether to boycott them.  Anything that has food lined up like an animal trough might be off my radar for a while.  I agree with the reasoning behind them.  Let's all pull together and host a party.  After all, who wants to make all the food?  Isn't it better to share and share alike?

I looked up the word "potluck" and it has some biblical origins.  Well, of course it does. I remember reading in my New Testament class where the early Christians met together, everyone brought a meal, and they worshiped and ate together.  A First Century "Jacob's Supper."  I imagine each ancient ancestor brought from their garden or their herd.  Speaking of which, fast food is not a new concept.  While visiting Pompeii as we traveled down the ancient (1st century) main street, our tour guide pointed out what she called the first McDonalds.  She told us that these "holes" in the brick were actually holders for hot meals.  As the travelers were going to work...maybe in the city square?....they would stop for a hot breakfast on their way.  An ancient Luby's perhaps?

Well, Grainiacs, I have been looking for my Italy pictures so I could show you the first ancient fast food joint but like other things, it is lost in the packing and I haven't been able to unpack all my boxes.  In addition to losing weight, I am also attempting to organize myself.  Problem is I haven't had time because of all these ding dong potlucks!!!!

Have a wonderful Thursday and keep up the great work, Graini-Aunt!  She is 5 pounds down and got wonderful reports from her doctor concerning her cholesterol.  Whoo hoo!!!! We, grainiacs, celebrate with you.  

P.S. Checked on other computer and no luck! Can't find all my Italy pictures.  sniff sniff..Not at the top of my list, but definitely on the list is to find Italy pictures!!!

What time is it?

I don't know about you but in my part of the world it is 6:10 a.m. not 7:10 like my clock and computer and phone are telling me!  Let it be known: Strawberry strongly adamantly very much *dislikes* springing forward.  I suggest we continue to fall back versus springing forward.  There is nothing springy about setting your clocks one hour ahead.  I'm waking up in the dark...or rather Oliver is waking me up every morning at around 5:00 or 5:30 a.m.  I ignore him and toss and turn not being able to get back to sleep and ultimately he wins and I get up and all four 4-legged animals trip me all the way down the hall to their breakfast bowls.  In former times, it was 6:00 or 6:30 a.m.  Oliver has not set his clock forward.  I strongly adamantly very much *dislike* waking up this way.  I am happy it is now on record and recorded in cyber-space for all to see.  I hear there are sane states who do not fall back and spring forward each year.  Anyone know of some good retirement real estate property in any of those states?

Did I tell you we have another pet?  Don't faint; this one chose us.  We had nothing to do with the acquisition.  About a decade or so ago, a friend was going through a hurtful divorce.  In order to help, I babysat his kiddos on a regular occasion.  One evening as he was picking up his 3, the youngest asked "When can I become a Strawberry?"  I don't know how that Dad felt (probably pretty bad) but we all laughed and I attributed his wanting to be part of our family because he found stability...plus it was just dang fun to hang around with 4 more kids.  There were 7 of them little buggers in the house and it was Party Central!

I think our newest furry friend is feeling the same way: Hey, 2 cats, 2 dogs, and a rat!  Animal House!!!!

May I please have a tasty morsel of your food?

Actually we don't keep dog food outside so he/she is really asking to tear up and eat up the yard.

I have found one little hole so I'm assuming we only have one ground squirrel

Hahahaha....who am I kidding? I'm sure this is a she and she is gathering forage for the little ones back in the hole. After all, it is s-p-r-i-n-g!!!!

Further down the food chain (Hey! I know of some people who eat squirrel-- I just hope they're not from one of the states that doesn't participate in DLS!); getting back to topic, here is a tasty treat Peaches sent to me and I'm kind and will share with you.  My stomach is growling just thinking about this scrumptious dish.  I know what Strawberry is having for dinner.  Thank you for the recipe and photo, Peaches!!!

Couldn't you just eat the picture???

It is now 6:40, er 7:40, and I feel like going back to bed.  The ground squirrel isn't even up yet!!!

When is saying THAT okay?

I have noticed for many years now that social graces and being polite and the ole "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" era has gone by the wayside.  We are a culture of "if I think it, I say it."  I blame tweeting and FB and Alexander Graham Bell and Bill O'Reilly.  We treat each person as if they are a guest on our radio or TV series saying whatever we want to get a high rating or worse, saying things and not really seeing the person as we talk to them face to face. I blame low self-esteem on their part, but really it is just thoughtless and rude.  It is so easy to hurt someone if you are hiding behind your phone or computer, but when when we are in their presence and still say cutting remarks....well that's just reprehensible.  Tell me: when is it ever okay to say "You look so old,"  "You are getting fat," "What's with your hair," "You DO know where babies come from?"  And in what universe is this any of YOUR business????

And we wonder why women (and now men) rush to plastic surgeons, eat emotionally, pay for psychiatrists, turn to anti-depressants, liquor, and/or drugs.

But I say, let's band together and instead of reaching for that Oreo cookie to "make us feel better" or cry ourselves to sleep over some insensitivity by another, we try....and I'll have to remember this too... let's try real hard to remember we are a child of God who is beautifully and wonderfully made.  If God expected us to look and act a certain way, we'd all be clones or the Stepford Wives.  Now that's a chilling thought.  Instead we need to look in the mirror and give ourselves a kiss and say "I love you, Self, bumps, tucks, rolls, and all."  You are unique and there is no one else like you in the world.

So the next time someone makes a snide hurting remark, let's be prepared.  Figure out now how you'll respond to show that you love yourself enough to let it bounce off those wrinkles or that double/ triple chin or that Boozo-looking hair style.  What will you say?  What can you do to show you will not let those words rule you anymore?  I plan to laugh REALLY LOUD and shake my head and walk away.  Let THEM wonder what I'm thinking about them....and Grainiacs, I think this is the most important thing: walk away as quickly  as possible.  You do not want to be in their presence at that moment.  You can walk away with dignity.  I do not suggest cutting them down.  That is not the Grainiac way.  But we can realize they are the ones with the problems....not us!

Please remember you are loved and please remind me when this happens to me....again!

And now for the lighter side of this blog, Rat Mom sent me this funny and Trevor wanted me to remind you that she has feelings too....so no comments about the tail!!!

 

House Magical

Doesn't every farmhouse bathroom look like this?

Yesterday I went to a magical fun house.  It is an old farmhouse converted into a colorful, whimsical house beautiful.  Everything looked like it was bought at the same time.  Odd colors and textures and patterns all jumbled up to make a wonderful masterpiece.  How come when I try that kind of decorating, I wind up with the Early American Animal Shelter look?  I do believe certain people possess "the magic touch."  Have you heard that before?  Maybe you are fortunate to have it.  I know I'm a creative person, but I tend to be limited by resources and time.  If I want to redecorate, I want to do it today....get 'er done and move on to something else, partner!  One of the guests asked the homeowner how long it takes her to redecorate...(I'm guessing she does this all the time!) and what specifically does she do.

WE WANT FACTS, WOMAN!!!!!  Give us the magic potion.  First she takes everything down... off the mantel, off the shelves, off the coffee and end tables and puts it all on a huge dining room table (remember, this is a farming family....gotta have a HUGE dining room table).  My eyes started rolling back behind my head thinking of Kitzilla on that table with all the breakables!  They might be a farming family but they do not have a cat.  I asked!!! She starts with a clean slate...a woman after my own heart.  Then she starts putting the knick knacks back up in different places.  Oh and did I mention she has "a store?"  Behind her house...originally the small red barn!
 

We got to peruse the shop!

Back to the house....still in the bathroom....

Below this window is a sunken tub

Back to the shop....my photos got out of order when I uploaded to the blog site.  I'm too lazy to redo them.  I haven't found an easy way to do it yet so I'd have to delete them and re-upload them.  I've only had one weak cup of coffee.  Too much work for this girl in the morning, ya know?
 

I took a picture of this in the shop hoping to replicate it.  I'm creative but I need to see something first.

farmhouse master bedroom. I love this distressed look.

more master bathroom.  Strawberry in the mirror.  Mirror, mirror on the wall, help me to not be jealous!

I am on a search for this rug.  If you see somewhere, call me immediately!!!  Do NOT pass go!

uh, duh, more bedroom.  Yes these are out of order.  Keeps you on your toes, right?

This is what happens when this magical woman takes everything down and puts it up.  The reason I know it is different is because my friend saw the house before and KNOWS everything looks different!  Oh the stress of it all.  Imagine people coming over and scrutinizing your house....all the time.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.  So, as much as I love admiring these homes, I'm perfectly content with my animal shelter.
 

So this is the living room!  Forgot to take a photo of the dining room, but yes, it IS stunning too!

more goodies in "the shop"-- I DO LOVE color! 

Color!  It's magical....and speaking of magical, am I the only one who has noticed all the children's stories turning into adult movies?  Sure there's Cinderella, but then Snow White and the Huntsmen (I guess "dwarf" is politically incorrect in a movie title) and the recent Jack in the bean stalk....what's the name???  Not planning to see it so don't have to remember it.  I'm putting my little creative brain in motion and trying to think of a screenplay to write about jelly beans.  Oops, that's pretty close to the magic beans in Jack & whatever the title is!

Speaking of jelly beans, I got a cute email from a Grainiac named Jelly Bean!  She writes

I love jelly beans. They come in a whole multitude of cool colors and flavors; some are sweet, some are savory.   Some are happy colors  like white, yellow, and orange that remind me of good times.  Some are colors suggest anger like red.  Some colors suggest feelings that show contentment like green, blue, and purple, some even suggest the feelings of sadness like black.  So I guess the quote that,  "Life is  just like a bowl full of cherries, so why am I in the pits", (a wise Irma Bombeck saying) should be changed to  "Life is just like a hand full of Jelly Beans," some days are happy, some days are sad, some days you may be as content as a kitten napping in the sunshine.  But even though some days might not go as you plan,  and seem gloomy at times,  just take a moment and savor the sweetness deep inside.  So when times get tough, God gives us the assurance that even though times are not so easy, he will always give us the sweet taste of victory and contentment that comes when we trust in His Word. So live life, trust in Him who made us and knows every jelly bean flavor that we experience in life, for He will provide the sweetness that is His gift of grace to us in all things.  PS they are not many calories either.   Just don't eat the whole bag, they might give you a pain in the Jelly Belly.

Great advice, Jelly Bean, and thank you for the note!  And remember, Grainiacs, take care of that jelly belly and have a colorful, magical Thursday!!!

To be a Slug

For the past 2 days I have gone over to the exercise room at the church and "worked out."  This has been a minimal routine; I don't want to over-do it and hurt myself (highly unlikely) or worse, get bored and stop all together.  Truth be told, I would rather be a slug.  I have never been overly energetic when it came to exercising.  I wonder: why is that?  Is it a genetic thing?  Do children of sports parents become active in sports?  Is there some kind of statistic proving this?  Oh, who cares!

Yesterday I made a delicious WW stew.  Boy opted for 2 peanut butter sandwiches.  He went and ate Thai food in Austin, but try to get him to eat a stew?  Unfortunately I have a freezer full of chuck roast...well maybe not a freezer full, but definitely enough to keep Boy eating peanut butter sandwiches for months!

The four-footed boys were extremely happy yesterday with the bones of that stew.  Know how to keep a dog busy for hours?  Yep, throw them a bone.

Happy Doggies

Speaking of happy, I am doing a happy dance for a certain Grainiac who wrote saying she has lost 18 pounds!!!  Maybe she should be writing this blog instead of me!  LOL  Strawberry is doing a happy dance for her friend.  Keep up the good work.

As for myself, this is my stance on exercising.....

Feed me a grape and make it snappy; oh wait, this is my yoga routine.  Yeah, that's it...I'm doing yoga!

Getting totally off topic...
 
 The E! Channel has been showing Sex and the City reruns sans showing the naked boobs or other naked body parts (remember it is an HBO show!).  Yesterday I about fell out of my chair when one of the female characters, Miranda, picked up the phone to call her friend Carrie and uttered these lines:

I feel you need to know your good friend Miranda Hobbes has just taken a piece of cake out of the garbage and eaten it. You'll probably need this information when you check me into the Betty Crocker Clinic.

In this episode Miranda had replaced chocolate with sex; she was on a sex strike.  I had to laugh because I have done such nonsensical types of things too.  Not talking sex strike....well..... I was referring to eating out of the garbage...okay, this is an honest blog, I HAVE thrown something away so I wouldn't be tempted. But let's face it, when we are tempted and that chocolate is calling your name, you will, well...pull it out of your garbage --as long as it is sitting on top of something not touching anything!  I do have my principles!!!  Which is why if we truly want to stifle ourselves from eating something out of the garbage, you have to pour something toxic on top of it.  Miranda squirted it with dishwashing liquid.  I spray it with 409 or something of that nature.  

I'm sure Miranda and I aren't the only strawberries to do such insane things.  Maybe that's why I love this show; I can relate to just about any of their eating episodes.

Time for exercise.  Have a wonderful Wednesday and remember...slugs eat out the garbage....not grainiacs!!!