~SUMMERTIME BLESSINGS....

First, I want to tell you, before I move on to another "header"..that Lilly, my dear blogger friend in Canada, sent me those adorable little items in my header..the tiny tools, butterfly net and aren't those itty bitty gardening gloves just adorable?  Thank you, Lilly!   

I LOVE Summer, even if it is miserably hot!

Two Sundays ago, we were invited to my daughter's home for a seafood dinner and that same day we were hit by the mother of all California storms!  Bad!  Thunder, lightening, branches flying and nearly hitting our car as we headed up the hill to daughter  Erin's home.  We had slowed to nearly a stop and came to a complete stop a couple of times.  

I called to let them know we were on our way, but slowly..and needless to say, my family became anxious.  I mean we are rather older folks, to put it mildly. :)

Homemade ice cream and cake for dessert!  Even listening to the ice cream maker hum was a Summertime sound!

When we arrived we found my son in law all wet, waiting out front with two umbrella's for us.

Inside were two wet women who had been waiting for us until son in law discovered them and sent them back to their cooking and took up the wait.  

Ever had your heart swell with love and gratefulness for the blessings that we are fortunate enough to have?  That's how I felt seeing Jimmy waiting for us with the wind and rain soaking him.  Hugging those wet people....was almost too much for me and it was hard not to cry!

I am one lucky woman!  

Love,

Mona

~I SAW WHAT YOU DID....

I thought I would share a short story with you.  I am still shaking my head over this one.

Some neighbors across the street and down one house have moved, and they have been coming back daily, painting, new floors, landscaping etc.  readying the home for sale.  It's been so hot and it has not been pleasant for them.

In the evening we sit out on the porch when it isn't too hot and enjoy just chatting.  Often the woman across the street and her ten year old little girl, join me.  

The man who owns the home in question and his son, had worked another full day and gone home.  

Suddenly the neighbor woman on the far side of the empty home came waddling over and appeared to be curious as what was happening to the house, which is what happens when a long time neighbor moves away.

As we watched (it's dark on our porch, very shady and we are not visible from the sidewalk, let alone from across the street) she crossed her yard into theirs and dug around in  a cardboard box sitting on the porch, pulling out plastic sheeting which she started to take to her yard but instead glanced around, stepped up onto their porch again and  walked off with a large shovel.  One of those scoop shovels which was leaning against the wall.  She examined it a moment, looked up and down the street again and proceeded to take it to her house and through the gate into her back yard!

We decided that perhaps I should call the people who own the home to let them know, just in case it was something that was important to them, and tell them where it was.  I felt funny doing it, like a nosy neighbor...but they had given me their number just in case.   I thought it might not be anything important OR they had given it to her OR she took it to save for them..or whatever.

When I called they said they had not given her their shovel..so today they asked her if she had it.  I rather thought she would tell them she was afraid someone would steal it, but no.  When asked about the shovel, she denied ever having seen it.  THREE of us saw her take it into her back yard.  She plain lied to the man's face.  He didn't argue with her or tell her who told him.  He just said he had perhaps been given false information.  

This woman that took the shovel and her family are not the most desirable neighbors...but they have not bothered me.  .

I guess the thing is, I just cannot believe a neighbor would take ..no, STEAL, from their next door neighbors they had known for  years...long before I ever came to live here.

I wanted to march  right up to her door

 and tell her we SAW her take the darned shovel!!!   

I wanted to go right then tell her that three of us saw her take that shovel..but the man said   "I just want to finish and leave.  Let her have it and I don't want to leave knowing you may have problems later because of it.  

I suppose he was right.  But still.  

If one will steal, one will do anything.

Perhaps he is right to let it go.  She must be very sad indeed to do such a thing.

What makes people do things like that!  I know it goes on..but to watch it happen right in your neighborhood is upsetting.  

Would you have confronted the woman?  I wanted to.  I still want to, but he may be right.
What would you do?

****************

This was longer than I wanted it to be..sorry. :)

Love,

Mona 

~SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO FACE IT...

...and give it the old college try.

 I know it's been awhile and a dear friend suggested I "say something" so my blogger friends will know I'm alive. :)

The thing is that sometimes in life, the well runs dry and I suppose that's what happened to me.

I have so much catching up to do that it's overwhelming! 

I've loved blogging, I really have, but somehow I seem to have lost my enthusiasm for it.

And...I can't find it.

Believe me, I've looked!

I still enjoy reading .and visiting..but I think my everyday life has come into focus and I am realizing how quickly the time is racing by.  I have friends, family and slowing down has had an effect on doing the things I once did.  

Blogging is just one of them.

With my family

it's .."Can Mom walk that far?"  or "Won't she get tired of standing in line?"  that sort of thing...and they are totally right.  It's hard on me anymore.

It saddens me that I can do so little in the yard before I give in and head for the lawn swing and collapse into a little pool of worn out human.  Relief sweeps over me.  Before long I'm dozing while my clippers and gloves lay there on the table, one glove on the stone floor signaling how fast I yanked them off!

I keep thinking it will pass, and the days go by.  I used to shop the mall and it was so exciting, drifting in and out of the stores, seeing all the pretties I would love to buy.

Now?

I don't care.  

My soft old sweat pants and cozy T's and comfortable old slippers are just fine.

Hair gets wadded up and clipped to the back of my head.

Sometimes I MAKE myself put on a bit of blush and then walk away in disgust.

No, it's not self pity.  It's just plain acceptance.  It would not matter if I lost a bunch of weight, dyed my hair and fiddled around trying to make this aging face look...a little better.  It's what it is.

I've arrived in the elderly department...and it's really not so bad.  Not at all.

I just told the BIGGEST LIE!  Some day's it really DOES matter.

I still like to decorate.

Go to garage sales..sometimes.

Have company over...sometimes.

It's just that sitting in my comfy desk chair and suddenly realizing that a couple of hours have zoomed by while I visit, comment and get lost in what I really enjoy doing.  Blogging.  It's been so much fun.  I've really  enjoyed every minute. 

Until now.

I'm trying to get my motor started again..but it keeps stalling.

This is a stuttering try..

I know I'm not the only one that goes through being relieved to walk away from the computer.

Like right now..

Bedtime.

I think sometimes we just plain get tired.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.

Love,

Mona

Thank you for gently encouraging me...and for your understanding

You know who you are.  :)

~UNITED WE STAND..HAPPY JULY 4TH~

Every July 4th is meaningful, but this year seems especially important.  I hope we remember how important it is that we stand united and not always so divided.  So many have died in the name of freedom.

I love this country and would rather live here than any place in the world.  I hope I live to see us  really live in peace and tranquility and not have to live in fear.

"Fear not...."  

Remember those words.  

Have a happy and safe July 4th.

Love,

Mona

~COFFEE WITH NEIGHBOR'S IN THE 1950'S~

I wish I could say that my down time from blogging has helped me come up with something amazing, or at least interesting, but it has not.

I guess the heat and being cooped up inside for days at a time has had something to do with it..but it probably hasn't.  

What have I been doing?  Well, I've been reading, watching a TV show on my Kindle, that I'm ashamed to tell you, has me hooked 

One thing I did think about telling you, is something that began when I was first married.

I used to hide it.  I did!  Back in the 50's and 60's young wives in new neighborhoods used to gather in the morning at someone's home for coffee.  

Looking back it was probably not such a great idea as they often turned into gossip sessions.  I think I was the subject of much of the gossip as soon as I walked out the door..especially later as the babies came.   It was fun for awhile..but I found myself pretending certain things. 

One of the things I pretended, or at least went along with, was that I hated housework. 

 I didn't.  Unlike the other wives, I loved it so I kept it secret.

Even today, a recent comment was made by someone about being glad they didn't have to dust my stuff and called my home cluttered. and they were right on the mark.  To that person it probably is.

It was just like back the the 1950's. All these many years later and there  is the same remark.

So there it is.  I love to clean.

I love the way clean, cool floors felt under my feet, how pretty things looked when I walked from room to room.

I surround myself with people I love.   I also surround myself with  things I love.  I don't consider it clutter.  :) It probably is though. 

We used to wax our floors, sometimes with paste wax but then the liquid waxes came out and commercials sang their praises..and showed neat little housewives in "house dresses" and heels looking neat as a pin, waxing away, all smiles.  Peddle pushers and jeans were my outfits even back in the 50's.

So..I guess I am a "closet cleaner" and I still love cleaning.  The years have taught me all sorts of shortcuts, and now I have things so much easier.  The floors no longer need to gleam and your clothes don't have to be the whitest on the clothesline. 

  No, really, they were, and there was a reason for that.   No automatic washers and dryers back then

and clothes went out on the clothesline for all to see. I have to smile remembering the lines full of baby diapers. 

Here's the reason my clothes were so white.  Certainly nothing I did.

Purely accidental. 

We bought a little white wringer washer..with rollers..and on the side was a "shift" with a little red cherry like knob on top.  I LOVED that little washing machine.  The reason my clothes were so white is that it ran and ran until I went in and stopped it which sometimes ran into a couple of hours.  ..so my clothes got a real good scrubbing.  It's no darned wonder they were so white. I'm probably lucky there was anything left of them.  

Nice to be out of the closet.  Now, back to work!

Love,

Mona

P.S.  I just wanted to add, I'm going to hire a housekeeper soon.  You know, just for the heavy stuff?

 :):)