~IT'S ADDICTIVE...SPRAY PAINT..~

It seems once I get started with the spray paint...I keep finding things I want to get done..and I can't stop.

So..the bar stools are finally done. In black! What is good about spray paint, is that when you are tired of that color..you can always change. The way I figure it, by the time they get back to "stripping" everything again...I won't care. *smile*

This is the way the stools looked. They came in a sort of light oak...and I have hated them from the beginning. I don't think I will buy furnature on ebay again! Not a great experience.


After living with them for two years...they are now black. Yeah. I like them.


Now I know everyone will be nice and say they look great..but I have to ask anyway. You are all so nice..no matter what you think..you will say they look nice.

Di will say, "well, if YOU like them, that's all that counts!"
Now you KNOW darn well that it isn't all that counts! We want EVERYONE to like them.

I cannot seem to get away from the French Country thingy in the kitchen and family room...but the living room...a different story.

I am off to bed. Nice Day.

Yep..sending more love and hugs.
Mona

~ANOTHER CHILD TURNED 50 TODAY~

This is Danny.


Danny was born in La Mesa, California. The fourth of our seven children. Yes, he is a middle child. He is the one that has had everything happen to him. I am fortunate to have him because he is the one that lost both kidneys due to working in a furnature finishing business from age 15. His sister donated one of hers and he is doing well. Still...I watch Dan. I worry. I try not to hover and tell him how to live.

On Danny's birthday I remember that when he was born we were alone. Just he and I at the hospital. His father was on a ship on his way overseas. He was a Marine.
When I went home from the hospital, there was just Danny and I and three young children, the oldest just starting kindergarten. Not an easy time. But I had Danny and a photo of his Dad sat on a table nearby. By the time he was a year old..he knew who "Dada" was. When we met the ship at the San Diego Navel Base and they let us up the ramp...Pat took us both in his arms as we stepped onto the ship. And Danny knew his Daddy. He went straight to him smiling.. Danny was just beginning to walk when his Daddy saw him for the first time.

I don't have Pat anymore to share things like this with, but I treasure all seven of my children and I hope I get to see every one of them turn 50. Only three more to go. Only ten more years. I can do it. You just watch me!
On nights like this when I can't sleep and memories creep up on me...I miss Dan's father terribly, but I am so grateful that I have a dear friend and husband in the next room that loves Danny and shows it. Somehow, I think Pat knows we are all alright and that I am happy.

Love and hugs to all...
Mona

~I FEEL SO BAD, I'VE GOT A WORRIED MIND~

I do. I lost my last post and all my precious comments from all of you. Di, at THE BLUE RIDGE GAL. She helped me try to fix my sidebar which disappeared to below my comments. I also lost my lovely frills around the sides.
She finally had to delete my last post which had an error in it and caused this to happen.
While she was in there I had her enlarge my header..and she did a few little extra's for me.

Is that not a friend?? Now I have a pokie dot border...but that's ok. I can always change it back but then I would have to go back to my small header. I don't know how it all works.
I wish I knew how to do it all myself..but I have a fear of losing my entire blog...and that would be a true disaster.
Anyway..it was a day of stress, blogwise. You know?

I finally got the nerve to paint my big old coffee table. It is solid oak and I kept saying I was going to refinish it..but never did.
Then I decided to do it black. I found it on a curb for just $30, so it is not as if I am ruining an expensive table...still...oak... *sigh*






Anyway...it's done. Finally! I am on a paint kick lately..told sweet husband...just keep movin' or you will get painted...
He ALWAYS looks at me when I say things like that...like he believes me! Well, two years together...I mean, he was used to someone MUCH sweeter than me. *sigh*

So..today I lost MANY of my sweet comments, my 7 little known facts about me..(I will redo that one) and my frilly trim! :(
Thanks, Di, for all your help. I am so delighted to have my sidebar back..plus the extra things you added for me!!
Love and hugs to all of you,
Mona

~THINK BEFORE I TITLE MY POSTS...~

I really must remember that from now on! Thanks, Rebecca! LOL
My original title today was "use it or lose it..." NOT good! :) I meant painting...lol..I really did!

See that little foot stool? Well, a long time ago, I bought it from my best friend who was moving away. Well, actually, she and her husband decided to travel full time in their motorhome (never could do that!) and they sold nearly everything they had and this was one of the items. It's good solid wood..and ever since I got it I've been meaning to paint it...some color. I painted it white once...and it got kicked around a lot in my kitchen..and finally...

...this morning when I got up, I decided today would be the day. So sweet husband went off to Home Depot and bought some more red paint...my favorite red!
After I painted it...it seemed to need something...so I got out my little bottles of paint..and found out quickly that I was OUT OF PRACTICE! Yikes! Would you look at that? I can't even paint grass anymore..


...that's a little better..but not much...

...but I kept trying and finally decided to quit while I was ahead.
...and settled for a few daisies. I need LOTS of practice...
That old saying is right..."use it or lose it!" :)

Love and hugs from "ye auld master painter". *giggle*
Monet ...OOPS!
I mean,
Mona

~SUNFLOWERS AND SON~

The View...

...from the pool..

...and the afternoon visiting around my son's pool..

....the sunflowers that nearly surrounded us..




And then of course there was dear eldest son...napping...
It was an exciting day! :)

Peace! Exactly what we pray for.. *smiles*
Mona

~GOD BLESS AMERICA~

~SECONDHAND ROSE HERE..~

BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH has some of the most glorious tablescapes you will ever see anywhere! If you haven't seen them, but surely you have, do go take a peek! You will be amazed!

Well, not everything is secondhand.
But...I did make a sinful meal tonight. A large pork roast with baked beans and a tossed green salad. Jammin'bread huge cupcakes with Vanilla Bean ice cream on top.
So...I wanted to use some of my favorite dishes...and I did. Even a bit of candlelight. The candlestick was won on a giveaway. Lucky me!

The dishes are Neiman Marcus. "Rooster" is the name of them by Queen's china co.
The flatware is by Towle and I love it. I don't recall the pattern. The little teapot napkin rings are silver plate and were gift from my daughter, Mary. Well, not exactly a gift.
She was going to give them to Goodwill and I rescued them. She "rescues" a lot of things from me too...and usually things that do NOT need rescuing!
The apples? Who knows. They just looked nice sitting there so left them.
The placemats with the open cut were just beautiful and I bought them at a garage sale. I bought six of them and the price was almost nothing. They are my favorites.
The pretty little etched glass in the pictures were bought at an estate sale, 10 for $6.00. I think they are from Princess House...but who knows. They are crystal and just beautiful.
The footed tray was also a garage sale item and it was $1.00. The silverplate service was $6.00 at another garage sale. I bought twenty eight napkins for $5.00 at the same garage sale.

Daughter Mary carted off a dozen of them. No matter, I have plenty left. :)
I tend to buy my things at garage sales as some the of stores that sell things for such great prices are not near me. Bummer, huh? :)

Well...that was fun! Have a great Thursday and those of you with all that wonderful rain..send some our way..ok?
Love and hugs,
Mona

~JUST PERFECT...~

I love to find great recipes that some of our bloggers share, print them out and save them. As of last Saturday, for just 50 cents, I found the perfect way to keep them. No more printing folding and sticking in other cookbooks. It was brand new! Never been used. I was delighted!

(if you are interested in getting one, I just found them online. Just type in the name of the book and it will pop up for a very reasonable price!) :)
I found this absolutely great notebook put out by Betty Crocker to save my recipes in. I usually use a recipe box..and of course I will keep the one I have, however...
This is just so sweet. I love it!
Like a regular cookbook, it has the usual..
..but it has little special things like sheets of plastic to protect the pages...
..and what cute pages they are! There are a lot of them but you can also print more, as many as you like! Nice? :)
I loved the colors, the checks and the little decorative pictures on each page.
You can cut out recipes from magazines and glue them on, and be as creative as you want, like a scrapebook!
You can print out a recipe such I have done, from October Farm, perforate it and ...


just find the right catagory it fits and add it...or...
...just slip it into this handy dandy pocket provided on each page!!
Would you just look at those adorable polka dots on both the front and back page?? :)
I LOVE it when I find something that is so useful! I can put it right up there on my counter with the rest of my cookbooks and know exactly where that recipe I cut out of that magazine or printed from a favorite blog, is!

It's one of those neat little things in life that make me smile. :) Yes indeed!

Soo...what do you think? Do you like it? I hope so!!

Love and hugs,

Mona

I joined A SECOND TIME AROUND today. Please visit Diane at
A PICTURE IS WORTH A 1,000 WORDS and see what others have to share. You could get a great idea..yep!

~ANYTHING GOES...~

....as long as it goes with red!
And pink is a color that for me...goes perfectly! It's funny, because I didn't used to think so.
My little kitchen timer...

...and if you have seen it before....well, darn it, look at it again!! :)

My favorite clipboard..however, when something is clipped to it, you can't see the blasted roses!

My collections of file folders. Everytime I find some with pretty roses, I buy them..and therefore..

I have a lot of them to go with my file holders behind my desk. LOVE IT!

And my desk phone? Roses of course!

A sweet blogger I bought something from enclosed this with my purchase.

This little desk organizer is a favorite. Books, etc. on top, and drawers for small things below.
(I need to do some serious sorting...and soon.

I love these for magazines or papers or whatever needs a place to rest before filing..

And that's it for now. I wanted to join Beverly for Pink Saturday, but I realized I had to register at a certain time on the EAST coast not the west coast..so I missed out.
I love Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday...but..missed that too.
Then, alas and alac, I couldn't join the rush to join the Bloggerette Sorority! Now that one really hurt! Yes it did! I couldn't think of a single thing to do with that cute old photo..so...I'll just go see what others did with it! (I'm feeling SOOO left out and I'm very sad. I wanted to be SOMEONES Bloggerette "sista"...*sigh*

I'll try to do a thing for Monday. How's that..or...I could tell you a story...or?
Never mind. I'll think of something. Have a great weekend!
I love you guys!
Mona

~ROCK? PAPER? It really doesn't matter...~

Today is our SECOND anniversary! What is that one..paper? Rock? Well for me it's a box of See's Candy..and a precious card.
We are only 73 and 76...so please do plan to join us when we celebrate our 50th! Ok? :):)
Love and hugs,
Mona