Today my daughter came over to help (she did most of the work) organize my craft closet and bedroom. She told me that I couldn't save everything as I didn't have enough room. So I let her take charge and told her that there were things that I had had for a very long time I was not willing to let go of yet. I agreed that I was not as good as her at detaching myself from STUFF and to just keep in mind that I will work on that along and along.
I have in mind to re purpose a lot of things into gifts for family. My old jars with the hinged lids and blue ones with the zinc lids can be used to hold bathroom items, pantry items, and craft pieces and can be embellished accordingly to make pretty is just one idea.
Growing up on the coat tails of the depression necessitated saving everything. I remember being up to my elbows, with lye soap suds and jars washing them in the number three tub, to prepare for another season of putting up (we called it canning) vegetables and fruits to have for the winter. I know there are many many people out there that did this same thing every year on the farm even though it is not as widely practiced today. Personally I feel if we were to practice more of the things today that we did back then life wouldn't be so costly. Fast food ruined the nutritional quality of meals when it became so widespread. I have learned to limit myself to a once a month treat.
Being disabled makes it where a person can't exercise or move about as they did before. I myself put on so much weight that I am ashamed of myself and have spent the last year trying to loose it. I have only managed to loose 52 lbs. I am struggling to keep busy as that is my problem I never sat still before our accident. Taking a break to lie down or sit or walk a few moments does not allow someone to stay on task. This is why it takes me so long to make something. I am a survivor and will be one til I am no more. Life is what me make of it at any given time. Everyone experiences difficulties at some point in life. Being knocked down doesn't mean we ought to stay down. Where there is a will there is always a way. Always! The effort we put into any given thing determines the end results. I just happen to like good results myself.
Well there I rambled on and this is supposed to be about saving Saturday.
I woke up to it raining down south in sunny Florida.LOL It did quit around one o'clock. I did have a good time overall with my daughter and her two children. Little four year old girls can be most helpful at times. Her daddy rewarded her when he came to pick them up. He took her to the park across the road and they flew a kite while the wind was blowing so we could tidy up. She was so excited.
Now everyone is gone and I have cupcakes in the oven for tomorrow. So until next time I leave you with Just This...Alice
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Funny Friday
Like I stated in my first post I am new to this. I did not know there were comments until just now. I found out quite by accident. Thank you to all who made a comment and I sincerely apologize for not recognizing you til now. Readers are what keep bloggers going and feeling connected to the outside world and having friends when one is mainly home bound. You are sweet to care enough to read and comment and I will certainly try to find the setting that lets the comment go on through without my approving it first. Another funny is I don't know how to get to the place to be able to post without playing around and clicking on tabs and going back if it doesn't bring me to the right place. LOL I so want to learn more about doing a blog and have tried to find one that shows us how to write our own blog and navigate correctly to do so. Let's all have a good laugh at learning about the mistakes we can make on the way to having a blog.I never had classes in computers and dove head first into the world wide web. I just didn't know i could get so tangled up in that web and to what extent. Now that I'm smarter (HAHAHA) I am trying something new.
One of my girls told me the other day "Mom you're a riot!" and I told her I never started a riot in my life. She was laughing so hard that I got exasperated and sternly told her to stop laughing at me. Finally she was able to explain. Well that's what I get for half listening.
That same daughter is coming over tomorrow to help me organize my craft closet. It is actually the closet in the master bedroom of a two bedroom apt. I share with my older disabled sister. She helps me to downsize and simplify since we moved into town. I had way too much stuff to fit in this apartment. One day there will be pictures I hope to show her hard work has paid off. My children love the handmade things I give them on special occasions and are ready for me to get back in the groove. They are so patient with me taking a long time to get something finished. They tell me it is worth every minute they waited when I give it to them. I must interject here that there were circumstances detaining us all from doing this in a timely manner. Since this is Funny Friday, I will save that story for Somber Saturday.
Update on yesterdays accident. My foot is feeling better today. My plates however are sitting on the counter in time out til I figure out what I want to make out of all the little pieces. I have never done( just had one of those senior moments and can't recall the word for it) OK it's where you take pieces and glue them on a surface and then grout in between the pieces. For the love of piece I still can't recall that word. Forgive me and I hope you all know what I am talking about. I do want to try my hand at that craft one day. Maybe on a table or tray or.... I did (paint) an awesome scene on a damaged coffee table 10 years ago. The same daughter took the top home and is going to hang it on her very tall and big wall in her dining room. I must say I am so lucky to be blessed with many talents to do all the things I have done in the past.
I seem to be long winded today for some reason. What an accomplishment for someone on oxygen. So until next time I leave you with Just This...Alice
One of my girls told me the other day "Mom you're a riot!" and I told her I never started a riot in my life. She was laughing so hard that I got exasperated and sternly told her to stop laughing at me. Finally she was able to explain. Well that's what I get for half listening.
That same daughter is coming over tomorrow to help me organize my craft closet. It is actually the closet in the master bedroom of a two bedroom apt. I share with my older disabled sister. She helps me to downsize and simplify since we moved into town. I had way too much stuff to fit in this apartment. One day there will be pictures I hope to show her hard work has paid off. My children love the handmade things I give them on special occasions and are ready for me to get back in the groove. They are so patient with me taking a long time to get something finished. They tell me it is worth every minute they waited when I give it to them. I must interject here that there were circumstances detaining us all from doing this in a timely manner. Since this is Funny Friday, I will save that story for Somber Saturday.
Update on yesterdays accident. My foot is feeling better today. My plates however are sitting on the counter in time out til I figure out what I want to make out of all the little pieces. I have never done( just had one of those senior moments and can't recall the word for it) OK it's where you take pieces and glue them on a surface and then grout in between the pieces. For the love of piece I still can't recall that word. Forgive me and I hope you all know what I am talking about. I do want to try my hand at that craft one day. Maybe on a table or tray or.... I did (paint) an awesome scene on a damaged coffee table 10 years ago. The same daughter took the top home and is going to hang it on her very tall and big wall in her dining room. I must say I am so lucky to be blessed with many talents to do all the things I have done in the past.
I seem to be long winded today for some reason. What an accomplishment for someone on oxygen. So until next time I leave you with Just This...Alice
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Telling Thursday
Thank you to my first follower. You made my day after my experience earlier. I must tell on myself, today I have done something I never thought I would be clumsy enough to do. In preparing a late lunch I reached to close the cupboard door and accidentally caught the plate rack on the wall with three of my most treasured plates on display. They all fell and shattered, one on the counter on it's way to the floor. One of those pieces stuck in the top side of my foot and hit a blood vessel. I put a pressure bandage on it and wrapped it snugly. A whole lot of prayer along the way was most helpful and the bleeding stopped in about fifteen minutes. God has blessed me this day as when all was done it only required some tape to hold the skin together. Praise god from whom all blessings flow. I am so grateful that I know of his power and trust in him to take control of things when I need him.
That being said I was preparing chicken and potatoes to put in the oven. Yum Yum God blessed that too.
This brings to mind when I was a small child and was putting water in the chickens drinking pans that were scattered out in the yard. I accidentally got cut on a glass jug and ran inside. My Aunt was there and that is when I found out my mother had a reaction to seeing blood. She was sent throughout the house to gather all the spiderwebs she could find. I was told to lie on the floor and put my foot up on the wall. When mama returned my Aunt took those spiderwebs and wrapped them around my toe and had me stay there for some time. The toe healed without any problems and the scar is a reminder to wear shoes always.
OK now on to something else. I attended a writers workshop Tuesday night and found it very informative. My children are wanting me to write my memories so I shall try to learn all I can in order to make it a worthy read.I would recommend anyone wanting to write to find a (free of course) workshop to attend.
For now gotta go as the smell is enticing me to the kitchen. I think I'll use a foam plate. LOL Til the next post, Just This...Alice
That being said I was preparing chicken and potatoes to put in the oven. Yum Yum God blessed that too.
This brings to mind when I was a small child and was putting water in the chickens drinking pans that were scattered out in the yard. I accidentally got cut on a glass jug and ran inside. My Aunt was there and that is when I found out my mother had a reaction to seeing blood. She was sent throughout the house to gather all the spiderwebs she could find. I was told to lie on the floor and put my foot up on the wall. When mama returned my Aunt took those spiderwebs and wrapped them around my toe and had me stay there for some time. The toe healed without any problems and the scar is a reminder to wear shoes always.
OK now on to something else. I attended a writers workshop Tuesday night and found it very informative. My children are wanting me to write my memories so I shall try to learn all I can in order to make it a worthy read.I would recommend anyone wanting to write to find a (free of course) workshop to attend.
For now gotta go as the smell is enticing me to the kitchen. I think I'll use a foam plate. LOL Til the next post, Just This...Alice
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Blessings when least expected
Yesterday one of my daughters came over and we had a productive day of organizing the storage closet. I use the term "we" very loosely as my daughter did the majority of the work. I got to play with my 3 month old grandson and was rewarded with the most precious laugh I have heard in a long time. There he in the car seat thingamagig. I am talking to him and making funny faces and all of a sudden he started curling up his lips which brought on a smile then he erupted with a full laugh. What a blessing! It made my day almost as much as my daughters' help with a task that's more than I could handle by myself. Once a week we get together at my place or hers and help each other as we can with chores. What a blessing to be needed and know I was of help in as small a capacity as washing the dishes for her with my grandaughter rinsing. Her home reflects her beauty the way she did it herself.
My oldest daughter is a kindergarten teacher and doesn't have much time for getting together. I never knew to what extent a teacher goes to in order to teach our children. I have a new found respect for all of them that put their heart and soul into their jobs. She has turned into a wonderful teacher and I am so proud of her. To be nominated for teacher of the year in her first year of teaching was shocking. As she so eloquently declined the nomination it was brought to their attention that a first year teacher couldn't be nominated even thought they all thought she deserved it. She must teach for three years in order to qualify. Teaching at Sylvan and substututing for several years helped her greatly while waiting to get her professional license after transfering from out of state. If I could give parents one thing it would be this. Your children do not act as well behaved as you think they do at school. Seeing is believing for me. nuff said on that.
My youngest daughter is one of the sweetest people you would ever want to know. Such a beautiful spirit she has about her. She blessed me with my first grandchild. I was so estatically happy when I found out she was expecting that I did a Gmaw to be squeal. I have been blessed to be in attendance for the births of their babies. I have so much respect for this daughter for her being the person that she is. (They all have their awesome qualities.) Her patience with her children and how she has taught them is a blessing. Her home is absolutely beautiful and she did it herself. I'm not much good for for doing what I used to do but she asks my opinion on ideas and listens to what i have to say. She is the kind of woman my son is looking for before he gets married.
Yes there is a son. Most people didn't know I had a son for a long time as it was always my girls and I that they would see out and about town. This man is a worker and does a good job at construction,tile work etc. He had his rebellious nature like many boys do but I never gace up on him and I have been rewarded with the man he is today that I call son still. He has taken some of the most beautiful pictures around where he lives in the adirondacks. A picture of him skiing hangs across from one of his pictures he drew in high school hanging on my wall today. He was unaware I still had it until I gave it to him, framed with a mat of the birch bark he gave me for crafting, for a Christmas present. He brought it back and asked me to keep it still so it wouldn't get messed up.I plan to have some of his photos he took hanging up too. He gave me my first grandchildog. Her name is Two Spots. For this Christmas I made her a coat to wear out side. She loves her master and rides with him sometimes.
For all the blessings I have, I leave you with Just This... Alice
My oldest daughter is a kindergarten teacher and doesn't have much time for getting together. I never knew to what extent a teacher goes to in order to teach our children. I have a new found respect for all of them that put their heart and soul into their jobs. She has turned into a wonderful teacher and I am so proud of her. To be nominated for teacher of the year in her first year of teaching was shocking. As she so eloquently declined the nomination it was brought to their attention that a first year teacher couldn't be nominated even thought they all thought she deserved it. She must teach for three years in order to qualify. Teaching at Sylvan and substututing for several years helped her greatly while waiting to get her professional license after transfering from out of state. If I could give parents one thing it would be this. Your children do not act as well behaved as you think they do at school. Seeing is believing for me. nuff said on that.
My youngest daughter is one of the sweetest people you would ever want to know. Such a beautiful spirit she has about her. She blessed me with my first grandchild. I was so estatically happy when I found out she was expecting that I did a Gmaw to be squeal. I have been blessed to be in attendance for the births of their babies. I have so much respect for this daughter for her being the person that she is. (They all have their awesome qualities.) Her patience with her children and how she has taught them is a blessing. Her home is absolutely beautiful and she did it herself. I'm not much good for for doing what I used to do but she asks my opinion on ideas and listens to what i have to say. She is the kind of woman my son is looking for before he gets married.
Yes there is a son. Most people didn't know I had a son for a long time as it was always my girls and I that they would see out and about town. This man is a worker and does a good job at construction,tile work etc. He had his rebellious nature like many boys do but I never gace up on him and I have been rewarded with the man he is today that I call son still. He has taken some of the most beautiful pictures around where he lives in the adirondacks. A picture of him skiing hangs across from one of his pictures he drew in high school hanging on my wall today. He was unaware I still had it until I gave it to him, framed with a mat of the birch bark he gave me for crafting, for a Christmas present. He brought it back and asked me to keep it still so it wouldn't get messed up.I plan to have some of his photos he took hanging up too. He gave me my first grandchildog. Her name is Two Spots. For this Christmas I made her a coat to wear out side. She loves her master and rides with him sometimes.
For all the blessings I have, I leave you with Just This... Alice
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Just This...Alice has not been able to do much in the past couple of days. Today I am trying to figure out layouts and colors for this blog. I'm sure my lack of experience shows. I am trying and will continue to try as long as I can. I may need help from time to time and that will fall on one of my children to do for me. I have no idea how to put pictures on here to share if I make somethingor to share photos of family. There is much for me to learn. I firmly believe that a person must try in order to learn something new because we only fail if we don't try. At my age this may prove a great undertaking. However I feel there is always a way and if we are willing God will help us find the way.
I really don't know what kind of blog to call this as I will sometimes share stories from my youth.
The times were changing then but my parents were living on a farm in rural Northern Florida and I grew up as a little farmhand tomboy. At 4 years of age I stood on a box to hand tobacco to the lady who strung it on a tobacco stick so it could be hung in the tobacco barn to cure. Standing on a box to rinse dishes in the big ole dishpan was fun in comparrison to cleaning clothes by hand on the scrub board. My clothes washing job was to scrub my youngest sisters diapers. Of course at 7 years of age and having the farm experience I did it was no big deal but rather routine life. Emptying the pee pot from overnight was not a fun task at all because sometimes it was too full. We didn't have indoor plumbing and the old watershelf held many a pan of water for bathing. I can tell you just about anything you would want to know about farm life. But for today I leave you with Just This ...Alice
I really don't know what kind of blog to call this as I will sometimes share stories from my youth.
The times were changing then but my parents were living on a farm in rural Northern Florida and I grew up as a little farmhand tomboy. At 4 years of age I stood on a box to hand tobacco to the lady who strung it on a tobacco stick so it could be hung in the tobacco barn to cure. Standing on a box to rinse dishes in the big ole dishpan was fun in comparrison to cleaning clothes by hand on the scrub board. My clothes washing job was to scrub my youngest sisters diapers. Of course at 7 years of age and having the farm experience I did it was no big deal but rather routine life. Emptying the pee pot from overnight was not a fun task at all because sometimes it was too full. We didn't have indoor plumbing and the old watershelf held many a pan of water for bathing. I can tell you just about anything you would want to know about farm life. But for today I leave you with Just This ...Alice
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Just This... Alice had a rough day and doesn't feel like writing much tonight. Sometimes it's difficult to just sit, stand, lie down, or even just move, but it is essential to keep moving, in order to keep moving. I feel I did nothing productive today and therefore that makes me feel like a failure for the day. Well there is tomorrow and just maybe I will feel up to making something. I have a gallon can and lid which needs turning into a large toilet paper roll holder for the back of the toilet. Tonight, I hope for, Just This... Alice
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sharing my life
Having never done this before yet viewed many blogs, I have decided to try my hand at blogging.
I live a simple life as a disabled woman since an auto accident. I refuse to give up and let it take away my life. Yes there are limits and I am unemployable but there is much I can still do. I love being with my family and my grandchildren are one of my greatest treasures. I have four of the most precious (doesn't everyone?) grandchildren I could hope for. They are aware that Gmaw, GeMe, Mamaw, has limitations and can be so helpful. Their awareness of others with disabilities is evident when in public. At WalMart one might pick up something for a person riding in the electric cart or allow them to go ahead of them in line. This has been a lesson of consideration of others in general especially when they see people cutting in front of me and my rolling walker.
My first grandchild was a boy and I was so ready for a a baby to hold in my arms again.He is now almost 7. This is a loving grandchild that loves to do arts and crafts with his Gmaw. He can be a little toughies at times but when necessary he can be very gentle. He is a cop and has the uniform and cars to prove it. he will arrest a bad guy in a heartbeat. Oh the fun we have watching him play. He rides behind his sister and gets on the bullhorn and tells her to pull over for speeding. He even has a ticket book for offenders. I was once given a ticket for going too slow with my rolling walker while in the yard. I just love this little man in his uniform.
My oldest grandaughter loves to have Gmaw make her dresses and bake cookies as well as cook. Stirring things, that are not hot, is one of her greatest joys. Of course being 4 years old has its limitations in the kitchen. We color and put together puzzles and play her board games. She learns about being a gracious winner and loser. She is so muture for being 4 that one would think she was much older but for her size. She is in Pre K and seems to be douing well. her memory is very good and sometimes her mom is blown away by it. She has a sweet personality and a tiny voice to go with it. I just love the little princess that she is.
My next grandchild is also a girl. She just had her 3rd birthday party. Of course she wanted to have a princess party like every other little girl. She was so cute in her little dress at teh party. She wanted her Geme to make her a princess dress for her birthday. Fortunately she does not look at all the mistakes I made since I can't sew as well as I used to. She has a love for playing barbies and having me read her stories. She is smarter beyond her years. Aren't they all now a days? She likes to go shopping and is so well behaved that shoppers comment on her. She too is a sweet little princess who loves to dress up. Just 20 to 30 times a day.
My fourth grandchild is a little (LOL) big boy. For 3 months, he is a big boy. Of course he was a big one when he was born. He has such a sweet disposition for being a boy but I'm sure that will change with time. I love watching him play with his hands and when we talk (I talk he coos) to each other and he smiles at me it makes me so proud to have him for a grandchild.
Well I have exercised my bragging rights as a grandmother for now and will focus on something else for my next post. Best wishes to all.
I live a simple life as a disabled woman since an auto accident. I refuse to give up and let it take away my life. Yes there are limits and I am unemployable but there is much I can still do. I love being with my family and my grandchildren are one of my greatest treasures. I have four of the most precious (doesn't everyone?) grandchildren I could hope for. They are aware that Gmaw, GeMe, Mamaw, has limitations and can be so helpful. Their awareness of others with disabilities is evident when in public. At WalMart one might pick up something for a person riding in the electric cart or allow them to go ahead of them in line. This has been a lesson of consideration of others in general especially when they see people cutting in front of me and my rolling walker.
My first grandchild was a boy and I was so ready for a a baby to hold in my arms again.He is now almost 7. This is a loving grandchild that loves to do arts and crafts with his Gmaw. He can be a little toughies at times but when necessary he can be very gentle. He is a cop and has the uniform and cars to prove it. he will arrest a bad guy in a heartbeat. Oh the fun we have watching him play. He rides behind his sister and gets on the bullhorn and tells her to pull over for speeding. He even has a ticket book for offenders. I was once given a ticket for going too slow with my rolling walker while in the yard. I just love this little man in his uniform.
My oldest grandaughter loves to have Gmaw make her dresses and bake cookies as well as cook. Stirring things, that are not hot, is one of her greatest joys. Of course being 4 years old has its limitations in the kitchen. We color and put together puzzles and play her board games. She learns about being a gracious winner and loser. She is so muture for being 4 that one would think she was much older but for her size. She is in Pre K and seems to be douing well. her memory is very good and sometimes her mom is blown away by it. She has a sweet personality and a tiny voice to go with it. I just love the little princess that she is.
My next grandchild is also a girl. She just had her 3rd birthday party. Of course she wanted to have a princess party like every other little girl. She was so cute in her little dress at teh party. She wanted her Geme to make her a princess dress for her birthday. Fortunately she does not look at all the mistakes I made since I can't sew as well as I used to. She has a love for playing barbies and having me read her stories. She is smarter beyond her years. Aren't they all now a days? She likes to go shopping and is so well behaved that shoppers comment on her. She too is a sweet little princess who loves to dress up. Just 20 to 30 times a day.
My fourth grandchild is a little (LOL) big boy. For 3 months, he is a big boy. Of course he was a big one when he was born. He has such a sweet disposition for being a boy but I'm sure that will change with time. I love watching him play with his hands and when we talk (I talk he coos) to each other and he smiles at me it makes me so proud to have him for a grandchild.
Well I have exercised my bragging rights as a grandmother for now and will focus on something else for my next post. Best wishes to all.
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