~ONE DAY AT A TIME...SWEET FRIENDS AND CARING HEARTS...

I want to thank all of you for your support during this VERY difficult and heartbroken time of my life.  It's Spring, and I am trying to pick myself up and go on.  I will go to pieces now and then and even scream until my throat is raw  at the injustice when I am alone, but I am trying hard to cope.  I probably will for the rest of my life.  My poor family is my main concern. 

 

I have working outside for the past few days..replanting my little Fairy Garden in my old wheelbarrow, trimming here and there, pruning and watch things come to life.  Tiny peaches on my little peach tree and blossoms blowing through the air is a wonderful thing. 

I know from experience that healing takes a lot of time.  It's nothing you can rush and everyone goes through it differently.
One day at a time, sweet Jesus...

 

I love my yard and it is great therapy!

 

I haven't planted a single thing this Spring, but it's ok. 

 

We nearly removed these vines because they were so difficult to control but I am so happy we didn't.

As they mature they just get more and more beautiful..like people.  Like my daughter did.

*********

 

These two sweet and beautiful ladies came to visit and cheer me!  You cannot imagine what it meant to me.  It was a wonderful day but it did go by in a sort of blur.  Tomorrow, if I can, I want to post more photo's of these two wonderful blogger friends, Marydon and Tanza gave me so much joy that day...they made me smile and even laugh.  Both are absolutely delightful. 

 

This is about all I can do tonight..it is 2:30 in the morning and it has been another sleepless night when my mind won't stop wandering.

 

Bless each and every single one of you out there for caring, for your loving comments and for your comforting words.  You fill my heart with joy every single day, and I love you for it.

 

Mona

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



~WE WILL HAVE THESE MOMENTS TO REMEMBER~

 ~Sandy~

 

I will hear her laughter in my memory forever... 

 

Sandy and Jeff and a new grandson...a happy, happy moment! 

 

 

Sandy and baby sister Dawn.  Their last visit together. 

 

My beautiful girl fought with every ounce of her strength to live.

I am proud of her!!

 

 



~NO WORDS...~

My precious baby girl, Sandy.  
Her sweet husband Jeff never left her side for a moment.

April 5,1959-February 22, 2013

Thank you for all your prayers.. 

My life changed forever on Friday morning.

Love,
Mona

~SOMEWHERE IN TIME..~

...is exactly where we are.  A book I bought at one of the garage sales brought that movie to mind.  Did you see it?  By todays standards, perhaps not all that great...but back then I loved it. 

I'm a romantic. 

Anyway..Saturday dawned warm and sunny.  It's a bit early for the garage sales to begin in earnest, but we had to get out there and look.

There is snow on our mountains and more is supposed to be here by Wednesday, they say.  It will fall very low..but none on us in the valley. 

 

This lovely hand embroidered tablecloth was $5.00.  It smelled so clean and nice.

All those tiny french knots....just beautiful.  Lots of work there....

 

The tablecloth is linen and a nice large one. 

Well worth the price. I always have to wonder why they don't want it anymore.

Free of stains!  Free of holes!  WHY?? 

No matter.  It has a good home now.

 

And these pocket history books.  Copyright 1920.  The color is RED.

Price $4.00  Home they came.  There are 8 of the books.  I forgot one in the car.

 

I gently leafed through a couple of them and the pages seemed intact. I came across a bit of history about California and how we took it from the Mexicans and Indians.  Exactly what I want to read and am very curious about.  It might be very interesting being that it was written so long ago.

Probably rarely used, and since I love history..a mere $4.00 was a great price to me.  He wanted $5 but took $4.00!  What a nice fellow!

 

 

And this little hand painted dish.  The bottom only says "Victorian china" handwritten.

in gold paint.  *shrug*  It goes nicely on my desk to drop my earrings in..or whatever.

Anything with roses on it... price was $3.00 and it was priced at $8.00.  It's fun to do a bit of bargaining.

 

Of course I am always on the lookout for books.  You know, to add to that overloaded bookcase you perhaps saw earlier?  :)

JOHN GRISHAM...I love his novels.  This was one I didn't have...and "Still Me" by Christopher Reeve.  I picked it up with a feeling of sadness.  This was a part of Christopher's life I have avoided knowing much about.  It was a terrible accident to have happened, and then to have his beautiful wife follow him such a short time later, leaving a young son alone.  I bought it.  He deserves a place on my bookshelf.

Did I ever tell you that my baby brother is a quadriplegic?  He had a terrible auto accident years ago and has been in a wheelchair ever since.

   I pray for a cure for spinal injuries.

 

The books were a 25cents each.  Perfect condition.  A nice addition to my ever growning library.

 

And that was my Saturday finds.  Not many sales out there but well worth the drive and it was a lovely outing for us. 

 

Sending positive thoughts to all of you for a lovely week ahead.

Love,

Mona

 

 

 

*To my daughter, Dawn. CONGRATULATIONS  on your engagement, my darling!

(Dawn is my latest follower!  Can you believe that?  I..think I may have arrived! :)



~GOD, PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY MEMORIES FROM ME~

It was so quiet today.  I slept a bit late and have found out that my hearing loss is ..not fun but interesting.  If I am sleeping on my left side, a ringing telephone just sounds like a cat purring.

  Found that out today.

 

My world is quieter, that's for sure..but now I am beginning to wonder if my piano playing sounds as good as I think it does. :)

 

See his little UGGS?  Yep, Grandma Duffy bought them for him!

 

My neighbor called me, rousting me out of bed early..BEFORE my first cup of coffee.

There was an Estate Sale within walking distance and did I want to go?

Sure, but give me five minutes. 

 

Brushed  teeth and washed face..

Wadded hair up into a big bun on the back of my head and secured it with a BIG clip...

Slipped on a pair of jeans, my UGG loafers, a toasty sweater and I was ready.

Oops!  Warm day.  WHAT?  Would you believe it reached 80 today?

*sigh*

Off came the sweater!

 

So much for Winter but they do say that it is suppose to begin cooling on Monday and be raining by the middle of the weekand through the rest of the week.  THANK HEAVENS!

 

Not ready for a season change just yet. 

Our grass is green as can be..and things are beginning to bloom, so Spring is definitely around the corner. 

No real Winter to speak of.  Except in the mountains  of course.

Would you believe in one direction, we are within about 45 minutes of the ocean and in the other direction are the San Bernadino mountains..

and of to the East is the desert.  Palm Springs, no less.

With all the rain we have gotten, Southern California is going to have a spectacular Springtime.

And of course we are only a few hours from Las Vegas...

 

God's country! 

See?  This is why I can't leave California.  I have to have sights like this...and in the other direction the ocean.. I need to be able to get to both.  I need to be able to drive to San Francisco where I spent my honeymoon with Pat and lived for the first six months of our marriage.

 

San Francisco.  NOW there is an exciting city! 

Who did I see?  Well, let me see....

Marilyn Monroe, Joe Demagio, Joe Louis, Mel Torme', who, I might add came right up to me and asked me where City Hall was and chatted with me!  He was really sort of flirty.  I was working at my first job as an usherette at the Strand Theatre on Market St. in San Francisco.  I was only 17 at the time and he was an OLD man, for heaven sakes!

He was 27 years old!  I have to laugh at that now.  I remember him being short, blondish and very, very sweet.

One evening while walking home from the theatre, I always had to walk by interesting places and one was a little club like place with a heavy velvet curtain hanging across the door.  Guess who was playing that night?  Gene Krupa.  You don't know him?  Only one of the most famous drummers ever!

I couldn't get in but I stopped and stood next to the building listening to crowd inside and Gene bang away on those drums.  He was famous but there was only one of those folding signs sitting on the sidewalk with the words "Gene Krupa Appearing" The doorman smiled and spoke to  me..and I listened awhile and finally walked on home.

Today...I would NOT have been safe. 

Times have changed.

Famous people playing everywhere and many of the places I walked by every day, but at 17 and 20, Pat and I were way too young to get in. 

I walked that city from end to end.  Hyde Park, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, China Town..all of it. 

I stood and watched the little cable cars get turned around at the bottom of the hill..

Sometime I rode it...

I remember sending my mother in San Diego a post card with a cable car being turned around and made a little circle of where I was standing that day.  I think it tickeled her.

 

 Pat had just come home from Korea but couldn't get in a night club. Can you believe that?

Well...probably for the best.  You know...we were very young.  But HOW I wanted to see the stars.

Margaret Whiting was singing at THE FAIRMONT HOTEL just around the corner from our apartment!  I would, again just walk by and watch the people arrive.

I remember it all so well.  The smells of China Town and Fisherman's Wharf, the sights, the sound of the cable cars, the old lamp posts that lined Market Street, and the people.

And Pat.  I had Pat.

We had only just begun.

 God has been good.  He has given me these memories to share with you.

 

It's late.  I haven't taken any picture of my Estate Sale finds, but I will tomorrow. 

Tomorrow some of my children will be here to visit..and..

my dearest daughter in law just emailed me that she has my CAKE for me! 

OH JOY!!

 

 

Bless her little Irish heart!

 

Love and such,

Mona

 

The Man Hunt...

p.s. What happened up in those mountain I don't even want to talk about. 

 Already there is a controversy about the million dollars.  Should it go to the..man in the pickup truck with the dog..or the two housekeepers he tied up.  Both called in.  One housekeeper was able to get out of her ropes and call for help.  Question, which was first.  If you don't think there is going to be a lot going on about that million dollars...think again.

They will probably say it goes to no one because he was not apprehended and arrested. 

Watch and see.



~LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU..~

...or not!
This is one of the walls in my office.  There is dust, a bit and a lot, depending on how tall you are.
I recently bought a long handled duster and things have improved..at least they had.

 Since this is MY office I put all sorts of stuff on these. However...
 

 ...the truth is, I just recently got into a conversation via email, with a sweet blogging friend, Lilly.  We both love books and she shared her book cases with me.  So..I thought "how neat!" and snapped a picture of mine.  AND THEN I REALLY SAW THEM! 

 

 

 Have you ever (not you, Marty) :)  proudly shown someone something and then looked at it through their eyes??  Suddenly, you see the dust.  You see the disarray, but it's too late.  They have already seen it.  They would never, ever say anything to you like..for instance..." You really ARE a bit of a hoarder, you know!"  or "WHAT a mess!  How in the world can you ever find anything!" 

  

Of course they wouldn't say those things!  Never!  These shelves are directly in front of my desk so I look at them every single day.  I just...never...saw!   

 

Why am I showing you this mess, you may ask?  I honestly do not know.  Even the runner needs straightening, for pity sakes!  I need to go through them..sort them out...blah, blah, blah!  I won't do  it and I knew it as soon as I began to type that line.

I...just won't and I know it. 

 

One last heart.  Ok?

 

Awwwww.... :)

 

 

Three of my four daughters,,,

Maryalice  Lillian                             Sandy Rae                                         Erin Kathleen
And three little words..
The little hearts were given to me by Sandy when I was with her in September.
 

Baked by Maryalice.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! 

You sweet bloggers have added so much to my life, and my life was already SO full.  Imagine, just imagine what it is now with all of you in it. 

~Love~
Mona

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



~PLEASE DON'T BE TIRED OF HEARTS YET...

Oh..well, when you run out of something to post about, which I do, I just look around the room and start snapping.  Yes, yes, MORE hearts and I know you've seen some of this stuff before..but..it's all I've got right now.

 

I freshened up my cute little Rooster bottle by taking off his black screw on cap and taping his head securely on, and adding his heart to his bow....

 

. 

then I checked to see if his little polky dot heart was beating. 

It was!

 

..I dug out my old Valentines..

 

Also got out all of my old Valentine boxes  that came with candy over they years.

 

This Valentine one is hard backed.  I tucked it into my other things on my hutch.

Those battered little Beatrix Potter books were my youngest daughters.  She will be 43 this August.

Her first attempt at her name...I think.. is in one of them.  A treasure.

 

These I found more recently but have no idea where.  They are double  with a 3-D effect.

Love 'em!

I tied polka dotty ribbons ...

 



to everything...

 

and added these old flowers from the shed..

 

 

I love hearts!

 

Mine beats for thee...

 

Can one get tired of hearts?  Not yet, not yet..

 

Love~

Mona



 

 

*  A very tense night on the news for everyone here.  Waiting.  Sadly another officer is dead tonight. I noticed yesterday when I drove by, that the flowers are stacking up on the corner...and a huge wreath is now there.

 



~CAKE ANYONE?"~

Fresh cool raspberries with chocolate?

My sweet daughter in law baked cakes for an auction today.  A most worthy cause benefiting women. I had her take photo's while she was decorating it and I was happy when she sent me this collage of photo's from the bakery.  She was on the phone with me part of the time... (she is SO patient!)

She has taken honors for the past few years for bringing in the most money for her auctioned cakes.

 

I love this one..I should have asked but I believe it's devils food triple layer with a raspberry filling.

She and my son own "Jammin' Bread bakery" here in Riverside, California.

She does such a wonderful job.  Thank you for the photo's, Cheryl!

 

I took a dear friend out to lunch at Jammin' Bread this afternoon.  Cheryl's pasta salad it fantastic.

Still...HOW I would love as slice of this lovely cake!  

Doesn't it look good?

 

Sending you love,

Mona

 

 

 

 

 



~WHEN THE WORLD DISAPPEARS..~

This is not something I  normally do, but I LOVE to play with words...and the blogg party says to write something about the painting..so..
(as if you who know me haven't  already guessed! :) 

 

 

I wrote:
 

Sometimes it doesn't matter
Where you are, just who you're with
When loves sweet passion overcomes you
And that kiss is all there is,
The world disappears around you
And you drown in joy and bliss.

If those that witness that passion
Cannot relate to such a kiss
Feel sorry for them if they scathe you,
For they have never known such bliss,
Of a love that overwhelms them
And the joy of such a kiss!

A writer and poet are going to know right away that this is a  mess..but it was fun.
I am not a poet and certainly no judge of art..but I understood this painting.
This kiss.

My love to you, always.
Mona

I am linking up with Magpie Tales..


~A SOB STORY..of sorts~

 

 I will try and make this short.  I have nothing to post for tomorrow...so I'm just sharing a couple of photos. 

 

 This is a picture of two of my children and a daughter in law.  My children were young, just out of the house and starting their families.  From left to right is my daughter in law, Cindie, then my son Mikie and behind him holding him in her arms is my daughter Sandy.  The one I recently visited in Georgia. 
This picture made me break down and cry.  So carefree and beautiful.  The future was bright.
They were all so young and I sit here wondering where the time went.

I want those times back and I cannot have them.
Sorry for not being uplifting tonight, but life is happening.  I had  forgotten how beautiful they all were..still are..
Mikie lives in Colorado with his wife and daughter, and Sandy, of course lives in Georgia with her family.

So much has happened since those years..
I lost my grandparents, then my parents and then my soul mate, Patrick.  Then later my second husband, Frank.  Can you see Patrick in the background with his 1970's fro??  :) 

I have curley headed children so you can see that son, Patrick, had a fro as did Danny kneeling in the front row next to our youngest daughter, Dawn. 
The three above are in the picture below.
Sandy to the far right.  Mikie next to her and Cindie is sandwiched between son Pat, and his bride, Cheryl.  Got that?  :)

This picture was taken in our front yard the day my eldest son, Patrick (the one in the vest) and his wife, Cheryl, were married, May7, 1978.   I am on the far left next to my daughter, Erin, holding my very first of 14 grandchildren, Kristy. 
You can see the big grin on my face.  Of course my hair was still black, not a gray hair in sight!
Sandy and her husband are on the far right.  Jeff has his arms clasped around her waist.  The first little grandchild was from my Sandy.  Sandy was  is the big sister, the cookie baker, the one who watched over all when I was working.  You know?  She has always been the one who watched over all of us. Always!

This one of the very few pictures of Pat and I and all seven of our children.  There is only one other that I know of.

Was I too proud?  You know what they say about pride. 

Sorry, it's just one of those nights. I know you understand.  I will do better.  I promise.

My love to you,
Mona

 



~WEATHER AND CRIME REPORT~

  Yes, we are in the vacinity of the "manhunt."  You may or may not heard of it, but it's a huge deal here..and would be anywhere.  Poor PH tried to meet his son at our closest Starbucks just down the road from us..and came to roadblocks.  All roped off where the two officers were ambushed.  One killed and one wounded.  EVERYTHING was shut down.  Streets closed.  It's odd to see your own neighborhood on the news.  Frightening.   Sad. 

He is apparently in our mountains or so they think.  My children just spent the weekend there and are all home safely...and then the storm hit.

We are in the Valley and can see our mountains.  Big Bear.  Lake Arrowhead..etc. 

IF he is in the mountains..and this storm has hit...he hasn't much chance..but lots of homes are vacant this time of year..so who knows.

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

To us Southern California folks, this is two feet of snow!  Where ever you are, stay warm, stay home and be safe. 

 

 

My Kindle Fire is on the blink and has been for three days.  I am going through withdrawals and I am a bit ashamed of how addicted I became to it in a VERY short time.

Yep..my dear PH is on the phone right now (and has been for three days now, trying to get it back working.

Below is a picture I took a few minutes ago...

 

 A mixture of snow and ice and...thunder...

 

The rain poured and I began shoving my pretty furniture WAY back under cover!  Thank heavens I had old afghans over them. 

The thunder rolled and little dog zoomed into the house..no help from her!  OH, but I was so excited!  WEATHER.  REAL WINTER WEATHER..(sort of)

 

..a few minutes later on the front porch.....gorgeous sunshine..wha???

 

Hugs,

Mona