~THE WAY WE WERE..

Today, February 28, would have been...

his 78th birthday.  "Happy Birthday, dear one!"

 I often wonder what might have been.  He was just beginning to get gray when I lost him and we used to tease each other about growing old together.

I remember once we were in the market doing some grocery shopping and all of a sudden I heard him say "Awwww..honey...." and he kissed the top of my heart..right there in the store. 

I said "What???" and he said "you've got a couple of gray hairs right on top of your head.:

I remember I glowered at him...and marched off..then of course I was on the look out for some on his head.  And so it went.  Then he was gone.

 Memories of the way we were... *smiling*

Love,

Mona



~CATCHING A FEW RAYS...

Yesterday I snapped this picture of Mele in a corner of our yard.  The grass is beginning to turn green and the flowers, with NO help from me, are beginning to bloom because of our warm weather.  They think it is Springtime....and maybe it is.  Who are we to say...

Not a good photo really, but I like it.  I love the softness and the rays of sun shining through the clouds...  Mele was about to plop down for her little nap in the sun. 
 

My dear Patient Husband got up on the roof to put up this little bit of wood carving that my eldest son and daughter in law gave to me a long time ago.  I painted it red and decided to try it up there.  Do I like it?  Well, I had just better!

It was a bit windy and cool earlier this week when he climbed up there (against my better judgement) but the man is very stubborn and wouldn't let dear son-in-law come and do it.

Shhhhh, it's a bit crooked and a bit high..but..I am NOT saying a word.  NOT a word!

 

The flowers are having a party by the front porch!  They also bought into the "early Spring" thing!!

 

Have you ever wanted something done and then got what you wanted and ..wondered at the wisdom of your big FAT IDEA???   Hmmmmm???  But that little artsy thing is staying right there on the house!

!

I found this little silver tussy mussy on Saturday.  I put it on my piano..and it's found a home there.

That is my grandmother in the photo behind the tussy mussy.  The photo of my children in the background has my children cutting up and laughing.  Eldest son..of course had to make the worst face he could make.  Awww..the joys of being a parent!  :) 

 

Our little Coastal Redwoods are now higher than our house.  They have grown so fast.

It's sort of like watching a child grow, but these are growing SO much faster.

 

That's it!  Ok..so this post is rather here, there and all over the place..but it's ...a POST, darn it!!

 

Hugs and love,

Mona

~MY FAVORITE TABLETOP ...

Mele was NOT a happy camper when I snatched her off the floor to decorate my tabletop!

Actually, this is my real tabletop doggie that I found at a garage sale on Friday ..  I've been looking for just the right one.  I wanted a Yorkie so much once but couldn't afford one and now my little Mele is just perfect to me.  Still....  :)  Little Yorkie's are awfully cute!

..and that's my "Tabletop" for this Tuesday!

Hugs to all,

Mona



I am joining Marty @ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com  

What could be a better thing to do on a Tuesday? 

Go see all the pretties



~BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?~

I cannot believe how fast the time has flown by.  I have not had a new post since the 11th of February.

I had decided not to take down the Valentines, but when I saw everyone else was cleaning up and organizing and getting ready for Spring..

Well...so down it all came!  Put away for another year!

I found this lovely little heart compact in my favorite  Thrift store in the alley for $4.00. 

The photo in the background is of my youngest, Dawn and her Daddy.  He passed away 14 years ago this past December 15th.

 The photo was taken at Disneyland in Orange County, CA.

 Here is that little girl years later in Hawaii.  She was performing at a Hotel for tourists, where they have Hula competitions each year. 

The heart compact closed.

I found these brand new Brambly Hedge books at a garage sale for $3.00 for the four of them.

They go perfectly with my luncheon set.  (A gift from my daughters years ago)

See?  Matches perfectly! :)

I bought these at my favorite little shop in the alley for $9.00!  Daughter Mary whined and called me "Mommy" so I gave them to her for her birthday.  :)  She will get lots of use out of them..I just wanted them to decorate with! So..you know..

These sweet pearls are signed.  Can you see the signature?  I have never seen this before.  Have you?

And that was our Saturday...at least some of it.  Much more..and would you believe I found a gorgeous plaid Pendleton shirt.  Brand new for just $15.  It is beautiful..

Does Patient Husband get it...or...not!  It is so cozy and warm. 

We'll see.  I mean I did give up the foot stool..and the pearls.. I'll show you the footstool tomorrow.

:)

Hugs,

Mona

~MY CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH LOVE~

The girls brought me these for the coffee table.  I love the ruffled pot. *sigh*  I am sooo spoiled! :)

I found this in my favorite shop in the alley  for just $12.00!  I love it.

It hangs in my dining room window now.

I also found a little polka dot heart to add to my others.  So cute.

Little hearts here and little hearts there...and by the way...you should see what bj @ Sweet Nothings has been up to!  She is amazing!

I am pea green with envy...and was so overcome I asked her to be my Valentine.  I did!!  I lost my head!  Pearls, baked goodies...hearts..just...EVERYTHING!

Here is the reason I don't bake.  Daughter Maryalice arrived today (moral support, bless her heart) and brought a box of these.  She does make beautiful cookies. 

It's very early in the morning of another garage sale day and I have decided I should lay off the hunt for more silver plate!  I hate to put it all away..I love looking at it..but I guess it's about time.. :)

I wonder why people want to practically GIVE this stuff away, but they do!  If they could just see it all polished..Ooooh well!  I think it's watching it gleam when it's all cleaned up that keeps me looking. 

Have a wonderful weekend...and thank you!!  Thank you for wishing me well.  Thank you for always being there for me with encouragement!  I love you for it.  My cup runneth over!

 I am in for another surgery..but it's nothing big.  Just a clogged artery.  I was hoping for just one of those "stints" but guess that isn't going to happen.  What's one more scar.  :) Heavens, it could be worse though.  I am lucky it was discovered.  Very lucky. 

 Beside, garage sales will make me feel better!  :)

Love'n hugs,

Mona

~MY WONDERFUL DAUGHTERS..~

My Sandy...and her sister Erin beside her.  We are in my back yard this past Sunday afternoon.

I have written a bit about  my daughter Sandra, in the past.  So many of you have been so kind to ask about her.  Well, here she is!  She is doing well.

She and her husband and little Grands are on my sidebar.  She has had a tough year. 

Let me tell you a bit of what happened.  She and her family live in Georgia and all of us live in California.

I've had a small health problem the doctors are delving into and I have had to have some tests.  Just old age stuff. :) Nothing serious.

Thusday afternoon Husband and I went in to the Imaging Center and daughter Mary wanted to meet me there but I told her not too.  It would take too long and I would be fine.  Not a problem.

I finished filling out the forms..glanced across the room to see daughter #2 Erin, coming through the door of the waiting room...and..right behind her daughter #3, Maryalice.  I was stunned, but not half as shocked as when I saw Sandy my eldest daughter who was supposed to be 3000 miles away, walking toward me through a very crowded waiting room.  I have not seen her for a very long time....I think I screamed.  I thought I was dreaming!!

I know I tried to get up and couldn't..and then they were all three there, holding me and we were all crying!  In a crowded waiting room!!! 

Somehow they got me outside.  I just kept touching her, cuddling her, I could not believe she was in my arms!  We were all laughing and crying at the same time.  Patient Husband went back inside to wait for my name to be called smiling from ear to ear!

She had flown clear across country because she knew I have not been doing great.  I did NOT tell her..but her sisters must have.  She did not need the worry but gets extremely upset if she is left out of anything concerning the family...so they must have caved and told her.

Just to hold her, and feel her hair and skin...her hair is all curly now since it was all cut off.  Isn't she beautiful???  Isn't she just fantastically beautiful??

She left today and flew back to Georgia.  How I hated to see her leave.  I wanted to hang onto her but you have to let them go...again.

Aren't daughters wonderful?? :):)

Love and hugs,

Mona

~YOU REALLY SHOULD TRY THIS..

Of course that is if you haven't already!  It's honestly like being on a treasure hunt.  I think the best part is watching my daughter as she enters this new world of treasure hunting.  The trick to finding neat things is to go every week..make it an outing..

I turned and snapped these pictures of Mary admiring her finds..

A like new grater and a white wicker magazine rack. 

You see, we put our finds in the trunk of the car.  Not Mary..

She has to hold them..look them over..she is such a hoot.

Taken from the car as we drove.  Riverside is situated in a valley.  In one direction are the mountains you see in the distance...and the other way is the beach.  The best of both worlds...

Here we go tracking the signs.  I bought an old trunk, the silverware I showed you in the previous post and two books.  Would you believe "Dr. Zhavago" and "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn?"  Yep...and I am already knee deep in "A Tree..." which sold for a quarter.  Originally sold for $5.00. 

So far I am loving this book.  Fiction or no..it's wonderful.  I know those times happened..but it's like being there.  How did I miss reading it?? 

After breakfast we stopped by an interesting shop that was situatied in an alley.  Yes..an ally, not a street.  Things just spilling out of it...daughter was back in the car almost immediately saying..she was just spoiled for this kind of shopping! 

However, my eagle eye spotted a few things and the on Monday when PH took a long walk I took a short drive right back to that little shop in the alley.  :)

and I found...

a couple of Victorian Valentines for my colletction.

.

An old wicker basket..

A little candy dish, a crystal that I tied to the top with a red polka dot ribbon..and filled with glass hearts of pink and red.

A little Victorian cream pitcher for my collection..

and this sweet little cherub.... 

I do love shopping alone somethings.

A sparkly cupcake tag that I tied to my other candy dish..

...a page of Victorian stickers that I stuck to my red lace hearts and added to my shelves..

Pink and red glass hearts to just play with..

Little glass hearts with sparkly red cherries on them...so sweet..

This old crocheted lace topper for just $4.00. 

I admit to going on a binge.  I admit to loving to shop alone and I admit to blowing my little allowance but it was fun.  The most expensive thing I bought was the little wicker basket..at $9.95, but the work that went into it...so much work.

Mary makes our week and we laugh from morning 'til noon!  :)

Do you enjoy shopping alone or would you rather have someone with you?

It's bedtime and I am off to wrap up in my warmed towels.  That's what I heat the bed with..unroll them and then crawl under them...and..we don't even have snow!

Love'n hugs,

Mona