~PIES, GOOD MUSIC AND BLACK FRIDAY..~

 Between...

these..

*smile*

...and after dinner entertainment

 from our little song bird

and the serious business of beautiful guitar music...

.. all made for a darned near perfect day and deserved a standing ovation, which of course she got!

 We held hands and thought of those that were not with us this year and prayed we would all be together again next year.  It was a beautiful day!  Just beautiful...

and now..

on to Christmas!

So...

would you believe I got up at 4 AM  this morning and joined the Black Friday crowd?? 

I don't believe it either but I did!

I bought 10 Poinsettia's for 98 cents each and my Christmas tree for $19.00!  I HAD to do it just once in my life at least, you know?  I like to FROZE my TINY behind  off though.

I no longer have any doubt that I am crazier than a bedbug!!  None!  No one in their right mind buys their tree this early.  It's out back on the patio standing in a bucket of cold water...ah well.  It was fun!  I had a good time and ...I'm glad I went.  :)  No.  I really am!!  I swear it! 

Love and hugs,

Mona

~THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS~

I want to wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving and God willing I will be able to say it again next year!

May your Thanksgiving be all you could wish for.  Keep your chins up and your hearts open.

I truly love you.  Each of you have been a blessing and I am thankful every single day that I found you and our wonderful community of loving people. 

Mona

To my family:  My heart is with all of you this Thanksgiving. I thank God all of you are well.  On bended knees I thank Him for that.  I hope God gives us time to heal our hurts and that next year will find us once again together.  I am here if you need me.

Mom



~IN EVERY LIFE A LITTLE RAIN...

...and it seems to be falling in mine right now...

I don't want to be a downer but....things are just not always hunky dory!  Fact of life.

It is less than a week until Thanksgiving.  Not my family's greatest year but we will make it.  We always have.
I hope next year is better, but no matter what, I do have a lot to be thankful for.  I don't live in a Fairy Tale world, but I cannot help wishing I did.  Perhaps that is why I come on here and read blogs...it's nice in so many ways.  Lots of love goes on the pages of these blogs.  Lots of sharing and kind words.

My family is well.  No one is homeless or hungry and I am thankful for that.  And we have love.  We are a very large family and sometimes there is conflict but it is so rare that when it occurs it is very hurtful.  I have noticed that since I have gotten "older" it concerns me more and I do lose sleep over it.  Age is probably a factor, but when my children are troubled...so am I.
I hope...though all of us will not be together this year...that wherever they are...they will still hold hands and pray and thank God for one another.  I also hope that our world stays safe until they all make their way back to each other.  Do you hear me, my children?    That song comes to mind,  "Smile." 
Smile though your heart is aching..
Smile even though it's breaking,
You'll find that life is still worth while...if.. you'll just smile!    (or some such thing!) 

Is that it Shelia??  Am I close?  :)
Soooo...anyway.~

Last Saturday's garage sales went well and Sunday's half price Estate Sale was great...and though it was lots more money..it yielded some really pretty things.  For instance..

These Hydrangea's.  They were beautiful and were $1.00 each.  I bought all they had which was three.  These were quality flowers...and worth much more.  I was lucky! :)

Next was this beautiful salad bowl for half price.  It was $20.00 on Saturday, but on Sunday it had dropped to $10.00!  I have been looking for one for a long time for Holiday salads.  That little liner plate was from another week and I just slipped it under the bowl.  It isn't attached!

 I found this beautiful new bolster/body pillow at a garage sale last Saturday, just before we discovered the Estate Sale.  $1.00.  Never been used..tag in tact.  The color was perfect and I don't know if you can tell, but it matched the flowers in my quilt perfectly.  The cover has an invisible zipper which came off easily and was washable.  I love it.  I have wanted one of those for a long time but never bought one.  

See??  Isn't that a nice match??  The woman said it was a gift and the "pillow didn't fit her bed at all!  I just smiled and took it off her hands..wouldn't you have.  OH...now come on..it was new..and washed beautifully!

This is not a great photo.  It's too dark, I know,  but back to Sunday and the Estate Sale.  I found this luggage rack for our guest room for $4.00.  More than it probably would have been in a garage sale..but it was in perfect condition and again...something I have been wanting. 

Ok...here is what is happening.  Not just to me..but to my family members and to friends.  People are beginning to buy at garage sales.   Department stores and even discount stores are not so attractive any more.

Goodwill is great..and you are supporting a cause, but often you are doing so at garage sales as well. 

It is a different way of shopping...and sometimes it takes awhile to find what you want but eventually you will...it's out there.  Somewhere.

There are a couple of other things..but I'll show you those later.  I bought this the Saturday before but forgot to share it.  The box was lovely, and when I opened it...

It was filled with this lovely set of Evelyn Crabtree products for just $3.00!   Lily of the Valley, and it smells wonderful!

I opened everything to make sure it  had not been used and the woman said it was a gift to her that she just did not care for.  Can you imagine?  I couldn't.  The bottles were large sized and I KNOW what those cost.

It now sits on my bathroom counter and I use it every day.  The box is used in my closet for storage. 

Yes...yes indeedy!!  :)  The marks on the boxes, I made.  And..I pulled the sticker off the little can of powder...then I remembered I wanted to photograph it!  Sheesh!!!

So...that's it folks. 

This weekend was rained out!  Totally.  Rained all day long....  so I stayed in my jammies all day long with a nice warm fire in the fireplace.   

Love and hugs,

Mona

P.S.  There was one more item..but I stuck it up in the cupboard over the stove and now have to climb up and take it down.  WHY do I do that.  I get busy putting things away...and then forget what I have bought!!  Do you ever do things like that??  (Oh, please say you do!) 

~UNWISE DECISIONS...

You would think by my age that I would have learned when to do certain things.  Taking ones car in to be serviced on Veteran's day...was NOT the best time..and the place was packed! 

Look!  I actually got to wear my coat!  It only lasted a day or so..but it was actually cool that day.  Ann took this one of me on the front porch, then we were off to get our cars serviced...



This was one of the scenes on Veterans Day at the dealership.  Poor folks looked tired out.  He at least had the television to look at.

My friend, Ann went with me and we kept each other company.  That helped.  It just was not the place to be when many people were home from work and trying to do the same thing we were doing.

I haven't been posting because I wanted to do some visiting...and besides I've  had "Blogger's block"  big time!

 There is such a thing isn't there?   They say when you can't sleep get up and do something.  Make a list of things you want to accomplish. Read.  Drink hot milk. (gag!)

Tea? No!  Certainly not coffee!  Water?  Well...not wise if you want to stay asleep!

I think I am off to visit more blogs.  Chalk me up as a waste of your time.  That's ok.  I deserve it.

Wait!  I do have something! Ok, it's not much but I have decided to learn to scrapbook.  A friend talked me into giving it a try.  My question is ....WHEN did scrapbooking get so complicated.  I went to Michaels TWICE...and came home loaded with all sort of stuff. I spent about $140!  Can you imagine? 

I think I am helping Martha Stewart become richer!  I simply cannot go back into that store!

Do you ever get the feeling you have a Tiger by the tail?  Bit off more than you can chew?  Gotten in over your head?  Yeah..well..me too!  It used to be all one needed was a scrapbook and some glue.  What happened???  I think my adventure in Scrapbooking is going to come to a quick end.

Love and hugs..and...have a wonderful day.  I'll get back to you later with some of the trouble I have brought on myself!  :)  It's no wonder I can't sleep!

Mona

~ONE ON EVERY CORNER...~

It's Saturdays like this that I love!  A garage sale on every corner...and good ones at that!  I found myself wanting to ask...WHY on earth are you selling that?" ...but of course I did not.  I bargained a bit..but I didn't do much of that because everything was beyond reasonable.  How can one ask someone to go lower when the prices are...amazing! 

NOT to mention the fact that it was 70 degree's outside...clear blue skies with the mountains clear and crisp and gorgeous!  A perfect November Fall day here in Southern California!

Here is a sort of overall view of what I bought..with a few things missing. 

One of the missing items is this little clay bunny dish that caught my eye.  At first I was sort of iffy about it...but on closer look...he came home with me.  I think it was...the red ribbon. 

Fifty cents...

There were two of these rooster plates.  Like I need more roosters...but they are indeed my weakness!

I bought them with the hangers.  The pale yellow with the touches of red ..well..you know...

I bought both for $3.00! Hangers included! Now I ask you.... :)

Who knows...I just love blue and white and it was only $1.00!!  So in the trunk it went.

This was big and sturdy and holds a lot.  I have some but not as large as this and I am running out of room.

$1.00!  :)  Yep, the tools were included!  I didn't need them...but remember, I have lots of Grands that are just beginning to start their lives AND I love to give them things..

When they come to visit...they can load up their cars.  :)

These nice sturdy glasses matched others that I have bought...and..they are half the size.  PERFECT!

You see,  Sugar Pie Honey is always asking for half a glass of iced tea and a full one of these is HALF of what the usual ones hold...so...there you have it! 

25 cents each! 

Four neat little sauce dishes...I can always use these when I am cooking... GREAT for measured ingredients.

25 cents each!

A not so unusual salad bowl... .50 cents.

....and the little bowls added...which I didn't know were like the salad bowl..

25 cents for each dish... Total for the set was $3.00!  NOT bad! (I mean $2.50! :)

I love mixing bowls..and this one was so neat to mix scrambled eggs in...

Did I need it...no...but for 25 cents I decided I could use it. 

 Not exactly Fitz and Floyd but this little lidded pumpkin cute..for 25 cents...it came with me also...I mean it IS still Fall...

I took my pictures with the flash as it was night time when I decided to do this post.  Excuse the glare.

It really is pretty greenery but it sort of faded in the bright light.  $1.00 for this ..and it's nice to have things like this when you want them.

Right?  :) 

I thought this was nice and it was only $1.00 also.  Same sweet seller!    

So...that was my Saturday.  Oh...yes...I also bought three tops to wear under my shirts...one is a soft melon color, the second is a pretty yellow and the last one is black and the cutest style.  I LOVE black.  I also bought a nice white shirt and everything fit perfectly and was like brand new.  High end department store items...and I am pleased.

Each T was a dollar..and the white long sleeve shirt  was just 25 cents.

I call that a really good "garage sale" Saturday...

And of course there was breakfast after, with hot coffee, hash browns, wheat toast and over easy eggs!

Oh...not to forget the fresh orange juice...and a nap when I got home! 

Whatalife!!

Love and hugs,

Mona

...so...tell me...was there one on every block where you live?  :)

OH, WAIT!

I nearly forgot!  This lovely Beatrix Potter book...So large and lovely...

JUST 25 cents!  

THE END

~TECHNOLOGY AND LUNCHEONS~

Last week a dear friends daughter that I love very much and used to care for when she was a baby, called and said she would love to bring her two little girls over to see the house for Halloween.  I thought it was a wonderful idea and invited them for lunch. 

Unfortunately something came up and they were unable to make it on that particular day...so we postponed until the following week and they promised to confirm.  When I heard nothing by the end of the week, Friday, I wrote and said that I supposed something had once again come up..and with many apologies my friends sweet daughter called me asked if she and her mother and the girls could come on Halloween day.  They had gotten really busy and had forgotten.

I told her I would check with my daughter as we usually planned something for that day but I would get back to her in a couple of hours, which I did. 

We decided that they would come at 11 AM on Sunday, Halloween day.  So...

I found these adorable little Martha Steward treat bags complete with Witches.  I went to See's Candies and bought cute little ghosts and tiny pumpkins wrapped in orange foil and fixed up adorable little treats for each little girl. 

I had my daughter bake and package the big pumpkin cookies for them.

I made chicken and tuna salad sandwiches and put them on a pretty paper lace doily and made a nice potato salad to go with them.  Nothing formal...or dressy but I wanted it to be nice.

Then as the hour approached I put the water on to boil for the tea...

...got out my pretty china plates, fresh fruit...

and added a plate of cookies for dessert to go with our ice cream.  My sweet son in law even drove across town to deliver them to me in time.

I had gotten up early and cleaned the house spic and span, laid out pretty guest towels.  Saturday had been hectic as Howard has not been at his best lately and not feeling too well.  I'd had to take him into the hospital at 4 AM and he seemed much better but I was running a bit behind so had to sort of rush around.  

While the tea water was heating...I ran in and freshened up.  It was now about five minutes after 11.

I waited...and kept looking out the window.  

You see, my friend had never met my husband yet or been to my home.  Her daughter had, so this was rather important to me.  

The clock ticked...minutes passed and no one came.  And...I waited.  At 11:45 I ...decided to check my blog and my email to kill time.  

Surprise!

There was a note from my friends daughter saying "I don't think we are going to make it over today.  I woke up with a terrible headache, (migraine) and I think I will stay in bed so I can take the girls out trick or treating tonight."  I'm so sorry."  The message was sent a couple of hours earlier.  She said she didn't call because she thought we might still be in bed!  Bless her heart!  I thought that was very thoughtful.

Lesson?  Check your email often?  Yes, but I have two phones.  A land line and a cell and they have both numbers but didn't think to call I guess.  

So...Halloween was not the greatest day for me....however when Sweet Husband returned from his bike ride...he grinned and said "you mean I get to eat the sandwiches?"  THAT made me smile...sort of.

We had a nice lunch...and enjoyed every moment.  Sort of...

The reason I have all the photo's above is because I took them and sent them to my friends daughter so they could see I really tried to have nice lunch for them...and since they couldn't make it...at least they could see the photo's...and perhaps another time.  I said I felt bad the little ones didn't get the treats but that I would just give them to Howard Grandchildren even though they were too big for them really so they wouldn't go to waste...and that perhaps we could do it another time...

I just think in a case like that, it is always good to call.  NOT everyone reads their email all the time.  At least I don't.  Perhaps I should.

Technology is wonderful..but surely telephones are still important and very useful.

Should I have sent the photo's?  Probably not, now that I think about it because they called on the phone right away.  It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Lovn' hugs,

Mona

P.S. I took a long nap and felt better when I woke up.  Not quite so cranky! :)