Random (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's Day 922 of my 30 Day Blog Post.

At this point all is anarchy.

Anarchy, I tell you! Why even bother sticking a scheduled writing plan when pandemics are on the loose?

You folks doing okay?

I feel like we are all living in some poorly written dystopian novel written for preteens.

Minus the zombies and the vampires.

Other than that mess, there are all sorts of cray cray happening.

Some of you have LOST YOUR MIND.

Don't try and tell me any differently. I see what you're posting on Facebook.

I, myself, have different ways of coping.

I may or may not have done some stress shopping at my favorite online boutique. I realize that I really don't have any place to wear some of this cute stuff. Though I did style a really cute pink and navy floral blouse the day before yesterday on my daily walk. I'm sure the neighbors were appreciative to see me in something more than my stretchy pants ensemble.

I may or may not have read too many murder mysteries. I refuse to read something perky. Makes me nauseous.

Yesterday, I participated in the use of Modge Podge. Yes, I did. I Modged Podged some paper mache eggs I had in my craft storage. THIS is exactly why I've hung on to all my craft supplies. I knew I would need all the things during a pandemic!

My most brilliant accomplishment has been to keep all these people feed. Josiah has been eating like he's an 18-year-old boy. Probably because he is an 18-year-old boy.

Sometimes you have to take the win where you can get it. Know what I mean?

I don't know what tomorrow is going to look like. Probably much like today...only with a different pair of stretchy pants. I would say that I am anticipating the day when everything goes back to normal, but then I might not appreciate what the present holds.

Day 963 (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's Day 963 of my 30 Day Blog Challenge. I should have been finished a couple of weeks ago, but I got way off topic and way behind.

It happens.

And truthfully, I think I should be allowed a little grace. It is my blog. And it is the first time I've ever blogged during a pandemic.

I actually had a post about a thrift store haul scheduled.

Let's face it. I haven't been to a thrift store in a month.

I really, really miss the Goodwill, ya'll.

Sigh.

Currently, I am in the middle of printing something for Josiah to do for his schoolwork. I also made an impulse purchase of a creative writing notebook for him to go through. I plan on doing it with him. Though, frankly, my "to do" list is growing by the hour.

In about 33 minutes, I plan on walking out my backdoor and heading to the left...right around the block and back again.

I have no excuses. It is a bright sunshine day. The extra 524 pounds I have gained since moving to Indiana (you do realize I'm exaggerating) isn't coming off by wishing it away. I don't have any pressing appointments. Just a road, a busted up side-walk, and my tennis shoes.

I really struggled this weekend.

I'm sure many of you did, too.

I am generally an optimistic person. My optimism has kept me alive and kicking through many a dark day. But I also have to watch myself. Watch out that I don't sink into a gopher hole of too much news, and too many opinions.

It's hard to know. It's hard to understand. Unless you live under a rock or in a cave, this has affected you in some way.

More than myself...I worry about everyone else. Are my people taking care of themselves? Do they need someone to run and get something for them?

What is easy to do is to wrap myself up on the comfy couch and hunker down with a good book. But then my home suffers and I begin to smell like 2-week old hot dogs. It's all I can do to not eat my feelings. Last night I found a box of stale raisins.

What I should have had was a hot cup of tea and a good attitude.

Just being honest.

So I've made myself do all the things.

Wash the clothes. Mop the kitchen floor. Twice.  A pot of beans is in the crockpot and there is only a dirty coffee cup and spoon sitting in the sink.

Later on, after I've taken care of the people that live with me, I'll find time to dive into that murder mystery I have waiting for me beside the comfy couch.

I have plans this week to draw on my eyebrows and put on some lipgloss. It might even happen tomorrow.

Be safe, my friends.

Pandemic Favs (the simple list) 30 Day Blog Challenge

It's Day 982 of my 30 Day Blog Challenge.

Actually, it is probably 20 or something like it, but I have just lost track completely of day/time/month/year.

I was going to spend this blog railing and complaining about the lack of consideration for other people folks are showing each other.

People hoarding food they don't need. Stealing masks and gloves from our local clinic (true story).

I realize people are scared. But goodness.

So I will direct my attention to things I can control. And I recognize that fear causes people to behave all kinds of ways.

In this post, I want to share some things with you that I am currently loving. We will call them My Pandemic Favs.

1. My endless supply of Hot Beverage choices. I am a tea bag hoarder, ya'll. I also have an unreasonable supply of sugar-free specialty syrups. I actually ran out of my ginormous supply of Kcups. I had to order some from the Walmarts when I had a pickup order. AND I ordered a Double Mocha Sugar Free Espresso mix from Amazon. On my to-do list is to make up a batch of sugar-free hot chocolate mix.

Talk about self-care! Keep in mind that I AM THE ONLY PERSON in my house who drinks hot beverages. The Muffin might enjoy a cup of hot chocolate socially...but he is not in the habit of imbibing.

2. Libby. Libby is my online library connection. I last went to the physical library over two weeks ago. That stack was read ages ago. I have a hearty collection saved on Libby shelf. My only criticism is that Libby doesn't have a lot of older books. And there is a wait for the bestsellers. Why? Isn't it digital? I guess it doesn't work like streaming a tv show. Some libraries use Overdrive. Our library has that option, as well.

3. Our Daily Walks. Yes. It's happening. We didn't take one a few days ago because of the stinging sleet that was falling from the sky. We aren't walking a long distance. But the boy and I have been strolling around our block like we own the place. It's been good to get out and breathe in and out without worrying about catching the coronavirus.

Plus, it makes me feel smug. Sure. I have a couch. And I"m sitting on it. But I'm doing my best to walk it out.

4. Time. I meant to get my kitchen floor mopped yesterday. But I went over to the church and helped bag up take-out suppers for our free meal (we aren't doing dine-in). By the time I got home and ate myself, I was ready to sit down with Pinterest and my 42nd cup of hot tea for the day. Instead of beating myself up, I just got up and did it today. I had time.

There is something nice about taking one's time with household tasks. Tomorrow I plan to pull some stuff in my living room away from the walls and sweep. Actually, who are we kidding? Josiah is going to pull stuff out for me and then I'll sweep. 


That's all I have for today.

Be Kind and a free coloring page to print (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's Day 19 of my 30 Day Blog Challenge!

I actually missed another day because of STUFF.

Besides going on a walk, I haven't been out of my house since Monday.

It is now Saturday.

I'm sure you can relate.

I did make an order for Grocery Pickup at the Walmarts last night but was unable to reserve a time until tomorrow (Sunday) @ 2.

We still have toilet paper but my stash is slowly running low. Goodness, gracious. I can't believe all the mess over toilet paper.

Today I am committed to working to do some spring cleaning in my bedroom again. I have been spring cleaning in my bedroom for days.

With extra breaks and time off for good behavior.

It really isn't all that bad. I just get distracted.

I wanted to give you a little "heads up." The Muffin is going to hijack my youtube channel and the blog for the day tomorrow. He's recorded (actually I recorded) a little devotion. He has no inclination on becoming a TV evangelist. But we all do what we got to do.

We are going to try and put it on a variety of platforms. Everybody is doing Facebook Live but not everybody in our church has Facebook. We wanted to make it possible to have something available we could even make a DVD available for some of our folks to don't even have the internet.

It's crazy times.

It's easy for us to shut ourselves away and become wrapped up in our own concerns and worries. It is also hard for some of us to think outside the box of what we have known or what we think is possible.

But just a little gesture of love and concern can go a long way.

Just this week...

I received a card telling me that someone was praying for me. I'm sure this lovely lady sent many cards but it was such a beautiful gesture of care.

A church member was at the store and picked up a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs for me. We got to keep the troops fed.

Some pastor friends of ours dropped off some extra "goodies" that thought our family might could use. Someone had given them an abundance so they wanted to share.

We all have our part to play. Even if it is to be kind to those who are checking out our groceries or stocking the toilet paper. Everyone's nerves are a little frayed.

I know it is easy to lash out when you are afraid for the safety of your loved ones. I know when money is tight is it hard to count your blessings.

But we have to keep on giving each other grace. And loving each other.

And keep on being kind.

If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that my momma and I created a collection of doodles to print and color. My creations are decidedly a little rough looking  But I thought the one I am about share with you is appropriate. Just click on the link and print off as many times as you need too.

That's all I have for today.

When You Are BORED (30 Day Blog Challenge)

I don't remember posting yesterday for my 30 Day Blog Challenge. But I think this is Day 18!

Actually, who are we kidding? I can't remember what day this really is.

My days are dazed and confused.

We are currently watching Frozen 2 on Disney Plus.

Me and The Muffin.

I am going to make up a movie list we can enjoy during the evening. I am going to take matters into my own hands. Otherwise, I am going to get to old Packers game uploaded to Youtube. Or the entire JAG series. One. Episode. At. A. Time.

A girl's gotta do.

I still have plans to do some of the topics I listed on my 30 Day Blog Challenge page. I just need to get my act together.

Today I VACUUMED out my food pantry. Just because I could.

So do you want to hear about my superpower?

My superpower is being able to occupy myself for days on ends without outside stimulation.

There are a couple of reasons for this.

For one, I am an introvert.

The main reason, however, is that for the entirety of my childhood I was THREATENED with an overabundance of chores if I even hinted at the "B" word.

BORED.

Don't even look bored around my momma. She will give you a whole list of stuff to do that doesn't involve any kind of fun.

Guurrll. I know how to occupy myself. For reals.

Need to avoid that sink full of dirty dishes?

I'm your woman.

Another big reason for my superpower is that I have been forced into my own "self-quarantine" during several seasons of my life. Bad health forces you to sit a little more than you would like, at times.

It has allowed me to explore ideas and hobbies and topics that I don't personally have experience with. Or it allows me to follow rabbit trails that further my personal education and interests.

I do have a few rabbit trails that I have followed through the years that I would like to share with you. Maybe these ideas will spark something in you.

We can't have you BORED.

Did you know that you can watch Julia Child perform her culinary magic on Youtube?

A few years, I picked up the cookbook from her television show for .50 at a Goodwill. It's one of my favorites. Another good, basic cooking series is America's Test Kitchen. But you can't beat Julia Child. We still use her French Onion Soup recipe.

I love the Ballet. You can find countless complete performances from professional companies all over Youtube. I have subjected my guys to many ballet watch parties. But did you know that you can actually do a Barre workout or exercises from a real ballerina? Kathryn Morgan is a soloist for the Miami City Ballet and a former soloist with the NYC Ballet. Her story is incredible. She also is engaging and puts out a lot of content for ballet students AND there are workouts even I can do from my living room.

Let's face it. I just like pretending I'm a ballerina. Can I do all the things a ballerina can do? Not even close.

Have you heard of loom knitting? This might be one you need to get supplies for. I have ordered looms from Amazon and generally, Wal-mart has plenty of yarn and supplies. Start those projects for Christmas now.  There are tons of tutorials on Youtube. Here is an easy one for you to check out.

I'm making plans for a small container garden this year. I really want some herbs. I also know my ability to kill plants in containers is strong. So I'm getting ready to do a little research.

Research is my favorite.

This video looks like something that will give me some good tips for growing my herbs in mason jars. Maybe this is something that would interest you, as well.

This might be a good time to read that classic novel you have always wanted to read. My favorite book (evah) is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Audiobooks are a good way to "read", as well. A completely free source for audiobooks is Librivox.com. These are public domain books read by volunteers. Some of the recordings are better than others. But, hey. They are FREE. You can find one of the Jane Eyre audiobooks here if that is something you want to add to your list.

They also have a great selection of children's audiobooks. Currently, I get most of my audiobooks from Audible. You can also check out a list I created for some of my favorite audiobooks several years ago.

That is all I have for today, my friends!

I'll talk to you soon.

Laugh! (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's Day 17 of my 30 Day Blog Challenge! 

At this point, my blogging schedule has gone all willy nilly. 

Who knew just a few weeks ago that the world would be practicing "social distancing?" I try and do that as often as I can. Really.

Introverts all over the world aren't too worried about being bored. We are used to occupying ourselves without the benefit of other human beings. 

Now. If my wifi went out? If I couldn't binge-watch something completely random on Youtube (like real crime stories or obscure crocheting videos) then my life would become more complicated. 

But then...I do have that little library I have in my office. I always knew there would come a day when I would need to have my own personal store of books to read.  

This has really been anything unlike I have ever seen in my life. 

Even 9/11 didn't disrupt much of my personal life. It was horrible to see and plain heartbreaking. But I certainly didn't have to worry about stockpiling toilet paper. And it's important to put things in perspective. 

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the constantly changing situation. It can be really hard to keep up. 

I watched a really encouraging video today. It reminded us to laugh. 

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

We all have different things that tickle our funny bone. 

The Muffin loves the old Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis movies. He will laugh until he cries. 

And I can't tell you why, but The God's Must Be Crazy is a movie that leaves me howling. I also enjoy some good British humor. 

The point is to laugh. And laugh often. 

This video has circulated around Facebook for a few years. Every time I see it I giggle. And I've seen it often. 

Everybody needs a little Elvis. And maybe a Cockatoo.

A Pandemic Bucket List for Home (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's my birthday! And it's Day 16 of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge.

Oh Child. It's Day Whatever of the Coronavirus Quarantine. We did do a little bit of wandering for my birthday. We didn't go crazy or anything but I saw some of you at the Walmarts.

What were you doing with all that toilet paper? For now, we have enough but then I'm expecting ya'll to share.

For reals.

Of course, the subject at hand is the Coronavirus. Some are panicked beyond belief. Some are near convinced it's a vast conspiracy.

I think a little healthy concern is good. At the same time, we can't be obsessed with every minute by minute play.

Sometimes you have to turn off the social media and the news.

I also have to admit that I am one of those who would be thrilled not to have to go out. Up to a certain point. I remember the days I wasn't allowed anywhere on my own. I eventually get squirrely.

So I am planning on making the most of things. I won't get hours of uninterrupted productivity (or non-productivity) time. We are still homeschooling. We are still having church.

It all looks different but my time is not always my own.

But I have plans.

Yes, I do.

Before I tell you what I want to do, I want to make sure that you understand that I understand the brevity of the situation. The majority of the times that I have had to stay isolated and quiet is because I was in critical health. First and foremost, I want to make sure that I am praying for those who are in distress and hurting....for those who are scared and anxious...and for those who have to make the decisions for all of us.

I also want to be mindful of the gift I have been given of time.

Here is my Pandemic Bucket List

1. I am learning to crochet. A sweet lady from the church is teaching me. I have decided that I don't need to have it mastered in a week and I can take my time getting it right.

2. Josiah and I are going to watch all of the Lord of the Ring Movies. A little Middle Earth action will make us feel better about the end of days.

3. I am going to finally get my bedroom the way I want it. Mainly...it will be clean. I also am thinking about painting all the trim, moldings and doors white. I haven't told the Muffin yet. I figured I would start on the low stuff. He then would be obligated to help me with the tall stuff.

4. I have started rereading all of Anne Perry's Inspector Monk series. This is usually one of my summer mystery binge-reading goals but I can start early. Nothing to set a mind at ease like a good "who-dun-it."

5. Josiah is into World War II right now. I promised him we would dig up all the documentaries that we could stream for free. We also have a good collection of novels set in that particular time period. Nothing like a healthy obsession for history.

6. I am going to make a ton of flowers out of old pattern pieces for our Mother's Day Lunch at church. Our theme is "Stitched Together." I found patterns at a thrift store for .29. I've still have a little bit of time before the day, but now is a good time as any. I've made them before. Here is a video you can see how they are done.

7.  Josiah and I will work through a series of drawing lessons on youtube. I have all the things. All the stuff.

8. My goal is to take a short walk every day. We still have some fairly wintry weather from time to time. If it gets slick I can't walk outside. We shall see what happens. Momma needs some Vitamin D.

9. I am going to go through Josiah's clothes. He has a tendency to keep everything that has ever touched his body. The boy only needs so many clothes. Plus, I have a sneaky suspicion we are going to find several missing socks.

10. This is a perfect time to sloooww down. I am going to sit longer with my hot tea. Take longer baths. Take my time folding the laundry. Spend a little extra time chopping up veggies for supper. There is no hurry. Just the need to savor the moment.

Do you have anything special planned?

5 Recipes that I Use Over and Over

It's Day 15 of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge! Woo Hoo!! I'm halfway there.

I am about to set you up. As I type everyone is hunkering down. The coronavirus is a pandemic and folks are preparing to spend a little more time at home.

Be it without any toilet paper.

We all should have a little more time for leisurely meals. I am going to share 5 recipes that I use over and over. These are also ones I have found online over the years (or posted to my blog).

Edie Wadsworth Best Ever Beef Stew

This one is one of those that takes all day and worth every minute. I make a simple crusty bread that bakes in the oven in my Grandma Freeda's old dutch oven. This recipe is similar to the one I use.

Lentil Love

This is my Momma's recipe that is here on my blog. It's cheap and scrumptious. You can serve it with brown rice and a big salad. Or just eat the lentils. It's yummo.

Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti Sauce

This is a really good recipe. It can also make use of some of that canned sauce you have in your cabinet. Nobody has to know. I also love making meatballs. The Muffin loves them cooked right in the sauce. This recipe is a good one to use.

Baked Chicken Teriyaki

I have used this recipe for years. I substitute the sugar and make a pot of brown rice to serve alongside. I also like to makes green bean fries or an Asian slaw when making this dish.

Mississippi Roast

Oh, Yas! This one is good for potlucks, easy weeknight meals or "need to impress the company" meals. This recipe uses a chuck roast, but I especially like using a pork butt roast. You will wonder why you never made this.

Hope you have lots of family togetherness and good eating.

Stay healthy, my friends.

5 Beautiful Movies (30 Day Blogging Challenge)

It's Day Something of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge!

I did have a different post scheduled for today. I was going to share a few of my favorite outfits. However, I have been doing a bit of spring cleaning in my bedroom today and didn't get around to grabbing them out and getting pictures.

I'll get to it.

For now, I am going to share a completely escapist post. 5 Beautiful Movies.

As I write this, the world is overcome by a fear of the coronavirus. I'll talk more about some of my thoughts in a later post, but for now, I want to give you something completely mindless and random.

This will also give you a few more choices to add to your binge-watching list while you "self-contain."

You are welcome.

The movies I am about to post are some of my Favs. I love these beautiful movies for different reasons.  But mostly I love them because they are romantic and lovely and don't leave me worn out and frustrated.

Enchanted April 

Four English women, after World War I, who are unhappy with their lives, and their time away on vacation in a beautiful Italian villa.

I saw this movie when I was recovering at home from my car accident. I couldn't walk. I had just been through a near-death experience and I was all kinds of emotional. I couldn't tolerate high action movies. My senses just couldn't handle it. This movie was lovely and a balm. It is slow going for those who require a lot of bells and whistles. But I still watch it from time to time when I need a little beauty in my life.

The Man from Snowy River

In 1880s Australia, after young Jim Craig's father dies, Jim takes a job at the Harrison cattle ranch, where he is forced to become a man.

I first saw this movie when I was in Junior High. My siblings and I were spending the weekend with a close friend of my mom's and her family. She was a pharmacist and spoiled us kids with homemade sundaes and movie night. This was one of those movies. I don't know what my younger brother and sister thought of it...but I was enchanted.

The horse with young Jim on his back charging down the side of the mountain will give you goosebumps.

Funny Face 

An impromptu fashion shoot at a book store brings about a new fashion model discovery in the shop clerk. 

I could have chosen any of Audrey Hepburn movies. I have many favorites...however...this one also stars Fred Astaire. Dancing. Lots of dancing happens. And the fashion is exquisite.

Pride & Prejudice 

Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome his or her own pride and prejudice? 

This is the movie version (which cannot be confused with the television version with Colin Firth). Now I cannot express my deep love for that version of Pride & Prejudice. But it is longer and meant to enjoy in a binging situation. I had mixed emotions when I first saw the movie version with Keira Knightly. It is loverly. It's all the things. 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society 

In the aftermath of  World War II, a writer forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war.

This is the movie adaptation (found on Netflix) of one of my favorite books. It doesn't completely cover all the books finest moments but it sure does a good job. Beautiful. Heartwarming. Lovely.

Collections (Decorating with Them) 30 Day Blog Challenge

It's Day 12 of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge.

Today I am going to share some of my favorite collections.

Don't worry. I'm not going to lay out every teacup and saucer of my vast vintage china collection.

I've got stuff to do. But I am going to share a few ways I use my "collections" in my decorating style.

I have mentioned before that I enjoy decorating with vintage items, original artwork and cheap thrift store finds.

You will probably see all of the above in my pictures today. The majority of my decor you won't be able to find at Hobby Lobby or Home Goods...though I still consider Hobby Lobby the happiest place on earth.

 I didn't get a pic of a few things I enjoy. Like Great-grandma Freeda's vintage red and white enamelware. I took a picture of the pot I store my extra K cups in, but it didn't get into my pictures to post.

Such is life.

I'm going to start throwing some pictures at you.


I love vintage china. The china I primarily "collect" is by Homer Laughlin. You have probably seen some while at fleamarkets and antique malls. I have a few different kinds of patterns I primarily collect.

I use this china quite a bit. It gets used at church functions a couple of times a year. I have used it for Ladies Tea, Our Mother's Day Salad Luncheon, Valentine's Dinners...you get the picture.

I also was using several pieces as my primary dinner china. However, we were unable to use it in the microwave (the gold edging makes sparks!) and I had to add some sturdy stoneware to the mix.

As well as using it for its intended purposes, I use it in some of my decor. 

I learned by happenstance and dishware tragedy not to overwhelm this little hutch. I just keep a few pieces on it instead of loading it up with all my favorites. One time the contents fell on my head.

True story.

I also have a few little plates and platters hanging on the wall in my dining room.

Another little look at one of my patterns.

Another little love of mine is cake stands. I have a few copper-colored ones that are adorable.  I didn't get a picture, of course. But here is this one The Muffin got me last year when we were driving through somewhere.  I occasionally make a cake to put in one of my cake stands.

I don't have a ton of this stuff, but I do like this hobnail milk glass. In fact, I have a bunch of milk glass vases that I use at the church every once in a while to decorate our fellowship hall.  My favorite kind of hobnail milk glass is the kind I find for next to nothing. This lamp leans a little bit but I found it for around $5.00.

Another love I have....books. I  have quite a collection of vintage books. I use them quite a bit in my decorating. This picture shows not only some of my books but a few of my teacups, as well. Some of these I have actually read (the books not the teacups). However, I do have a few that are unreadable. And several that I have no desire to read.

I didn't get any pictures but I also have a few books that were my Great-Grandma Leona's. She, too, was a voracious reader.

The last picture I am going to show you today is of my owls. I think grouping collections like this together makes more sense and looks interesting. I do have several more in my decor storage. I can switch things out or use the ones in storage more seasonally. The watercolor below is one my mom did for a children's book she illustrated. This is the original.

That's all I have for today! Riveting, I know. I'll talk at you again.

A Bucket List (of sorts) 30 Day Blogging Challenge

It's Day 12 of my 30 Day Blogging Challenge. I almost didn't get this one in this evening.

Because Daylight Savings.

That is all.

Today I am revealing my Bucket List.

I honestly have never created an official bucket list. I am a more "life today" kinda girl. Probably because there have been a few days I thought I might not survive.

I am not trying to be a "debbie downer" but those kinds of days make you think a little differently.   I don't want to spend my whole life in anticipation of big events and big dreams.

I want to make today count.

I want to savor small moments.

I am also unbelievably unambitious.

So my Bucket List isn't going to involve in sky diving, trips around the world or climbing the highest peaks in the world.

For one...it sounds EXHAUSTING. And there are some things I would have to consider.

Would I have a good place to stay? I don't need much. Maybe good Wifi, good air conditioning, and a poshy bathroom.  Camping on the side of a snowy mountain sounds miserable.

And, really. Is hurling your body out of a plan entirely necessary unless you are involved in an international top-secret rescue mission or invasion.

But if you enjoy a quiet night at home with a book and a cat...then I'm your girl.

So what's on my bucket list? I do have a few ideas.

I want to go somewhere to the beach. I want to get a little cottage close to the water. I would spend a good number of hours parked somewhere comfy with a stack of books that I have never read.

I want to go on a real vacation with my family. Where nobody knows my name and we can spend our days exploring museums and eating at places we don't see at home.

I would like to see one of the Eight Wonders of the World. My choice would be Macchu Pichu in Peru...but I'm not picky. Of course, this would involve leaving my cat for more than a few days so I would have to think about this one.

I want to write a real book...one that has a beginning, a middle and an ending. I am not sure what I will write about yet. I am doing good just to ramble for 30 days during this blogging challenge.

I want to walk in a 5K. This is a bigger deal than one would think. I have artificial parts in my legs and hips. But I can at least try.

I want to crochet a beautiful delicate blanket for my bed. I am currently learning to crochet (again) from a sweet lady at church.

I want to learn to make the perfect pie crust that never fails. My baking tends to be a hit or miss situation. I would like to hit that pie crust 100% of the time.

I would love to go back to school. Not sure what I would do once I got started. That is another thing to ponder.

You can see that I have a few things on my Bucket List that are more immediately achievable than others.

For now (while I work on my granny squares), I want to continue to work through my everyday goals.

Have I told my guys that I love them?

Have I filled my heart and mind with soul-quenching words?

Have I been kind?

Have I been good to myself with food and exercise?

Have I enjoyed something fulfilling and beautiful?

That's all for this evening, my friends. Talk to you tomorrow.

DAY 11. It's getting real now. I'm doing this thing. I realize that writing for a whole 30 days doesn't sound like much...but. It's good for me. I need to be consistent. It's goal stuff.

Today I want to write about A Perfect Day.

We all have what we think makes for a good day. Sometimes it is just a day free of drama.

Unless you are one of those who makes your own drama. You know what I am talking about!

When I think of what would constitute a perfect day it would look something like this.

I would wake up in the morning. Brilliant, I know. But there have been some days I've wondered.

I would feel energized, refreshed, and skinny. Just sayin'.

I would make my bed and tidy up my cozy, but exquisitely decorated bedroom.

My breakfast would be healthy and filling. When I settled down to do homeschool with my son, he would zip through his subjects with all the smarts and dedication I know he has.

I am pouring myself a second cup of Earl Gray tea when I hear a knock at the door. Who could it be?

It is my parents! Making a surprise visit from Missouri. The Muffin shows up from his office across the church parking lot. We head out for a perfect flea marketing day. We find a booth that is practically giving away all their beautiful china, lovely antique linens, and restored furniture.

Blessed be!

At some point in the day, we enjoy some sushi. And I make my way to my nail salon for a much-deserved pedicure.

When we return home from our day out that afternoon someone has cleaned my entire house! We spend the evening making French Chicken and cheesecake. I end the day with a hot soak in the tub and a long book.

Just before my perfect day ends I find out that I have one a huge gift card prize from my favorite online boutique.

Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Blessed be.

Obviously, my perfect day has been filled with people, good bargains and some fun treats. And most importantly some of the people I love the most are enjoying it with me.

Except I can't imagine the Muffin, Josiah or my Dad really appreciating the pedicure.

What a waste.

All of my daydreaming is fun, but I have learned some valuable truths in my almost 48 years of life. A perfect day doesn't have to consist of big adventures or even bigger closeout sales. Maybe all you are capable of this point in your life is enjoying a perfect moment with a cup of tea and a minute of quiet.

It's the moments and minutes that we can't let pass by. And perfection is simply in the eye of the beholder.

To be honest, most days a perfect day for me is one in which I can appreciate the blessings I have been given. The roof over my head. The food in the refrigerator. The relationships in my life.

Books I Loved When I Was Young (30 Day Blog Hop Challenge)

DAY 10!!!! I'm moving through my 30 Day Blog Challenge like I'm on a mission.

Today I am going to list a few of my favorite books from my youth for you.

This was really a HARD post. I had so many books I loved. I also read (and still read) like I was reading to save my life.

There were many that passed through my hands. I am going to list the special ones. Most of these I still have a copy of and have shared with my son (with the exception of the Judy Blume book :<)0.

Some of you probably have a favorite here, too.

1. Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I loved Laura and the adventures of her family. All of her books were special to me, but there is something about the wildness and her descriptions of living in Indian territory.

2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
This one has to be on your list too. I was so enthralled with the story that I read it over and over again. These were some of the first books I introduced to my son when we started reading chapter books together.

3. The Hobbit - JR Tolkien
An absolute treasure. I am still obsessed with it. Josiah and I have listened to several versions of the audiobook.

4. The Girl with the Silver Eyes - Willow Davis Roberts
My 5th grade teacher read this book aloud to us. I was hooked. I do enjoy a bit of sci-fi so it was right up my ally.

5. "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" - Judy Blume
This is a growing up book. I read it 100 times.

6. Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell
This book is about a girl who is stranded on an island. I did not realize until years later that it was actually based on a true story.

7. Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George
This book is about an Inuk girl. She escapes an abusive marriage (!) and runs away to join her pen pal in San Fransisco. She is lost in the Alaskan wilderness with only a wolf pack to help her survive. I also only discovered that this book was quite controversial for its time because of the themes and descriptions. I did not know this. I guess my parents decided I was capable of handling it.

8. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare
This is a historical book during the time of the Salem Witch Trials.

9. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
This is another treasure I read over and over. One of the sequels, "Little Men," was another favorite of mine. I still have my original copy my grandma got me for Christmas.

10. The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden)
I had a hard time with this last one. I had several I could have plunked right here. But nothing does a body good like a good mystery. I loved Nancy Drew AND Trixie Belden. This is the first Trixie Belden novel and I have a copy tucked with my books. Good stuff.


That's all I have for this post. I'll see you tomorrow!

What's in my Purse (30 Day Blog Challenge)

I've missed a day AGAIN. It's Day 10, but I am going to post Day 9...right here. You can check out the whole list of my 30 Day Blog Challenge here.

I do have a good excuse. We are having a special service at church in the morning and I have been busy doing church stuff.

It's for the Lord.

That's my excuse.

Today my topic is WHAT'S IN MY PURSE?

I do have a confession.

I actually cleaned the trash out of my purse so I wouldn't have to admit I had so much trash in my purse when I wrote about the contents in my purse.

Shew!

I guess I did just kind of "out" myself right there.

I also took out my planner, a rough copy of the church directory I am working on, and a notebook for all my "list-making."

It didn't get back in my purse this morning because I was busy making lists.

This is the deal. I am all about a cute purse.

My current purse is a sparkly Coach purse The Muffin bought me for Christmas at the Ladies Resale Shop in town.

It takes quite a bit of abuse. I can't do a small purse. It would be really impractical for me.

My very favorite purse EVAH is a scrappy woven purse my momma made me. It's gorgeous.

I don't have a picture of it...you'll just have to take my word for it.

But I do have pictures of what is in my purse this very minute!

This is the purse in its usual state. Drives the Muffin crazy that I don't keep it zipped up.

I took things out in groups and I'm going to identify the items in each section. Here you see my Dollar Tree shades. That cute little Coach bag in the back has all my monies in it. Mostly quarters for Aldi. The Muffin got the bag for me (at the same resale shop) for Valentine's Day.

You can see a peek of some gold dangly earrings in the bottom right corner. And my key chain. I have to keep it large and this one I got just before Christmas at my favorite online boutique (glamourfarms.com). I also got a few for gifts.

Yet another bag (Coach) that The Muffin got me along with my purse. I'll talk about what's in this one in the next picture. Here you can also see my generic Tylenol purchased at Meijer, my blood sugar monitor and the granny glasses also purchased at the Dollar Tree. I don't use them as often as I should. My mom has pairs of them all over her house. It's like an alien invasion. It is quite possible that these came from her house.

The bag above has some hand lotion, lipstick, lip gloss, and dental floss. I didn't bring out the lipgloss or the second tube of red lipstick. There is also another small container of dental floss.

One never knows.

Here you see a peek of my red wallet (given to me by my Aunt Phyllis), a prescription of my vertigo medicine, and crochet needles.

I'm prepared. Anybody need anything crocheted and I am on it. You can also see my favorite pen, a nail file, and cinnamon gum. I LOVE cinnamon gum.

Here are some odds and ends. I have a couple of gift cards that didn't fit in my purse. There is some left of the Nail Care (pedicure, here I come!), a gift card for sushi (all from the Muffin), a checkbook, some sweetener and.....wait for it....a toothbrush. 

There is no way I am using that toothbrush. Just sayin' 

I think at one point it did have a carrying holder on it. For years, I carried around a little toothbrush and toothpaste for Josiah in my purse. I also got in the habit of having one for myself. But I also was better about keeping them contained in something sanitary. 

I guess this one is there the next time I need to do some detailed cleaning around the faucet at Walmart 😝 Yucky. 

That's it! What do you keep in your purse?

The 80's (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's DAY 8! My 30 Day Blog Challenge is moving right along.

Today I spent a few hours in the afternoon at the home of a sweet older lady who attends our church. She is teaching me to crochet. 

She is actually "reteaching" me to crochet. I have done some crochet, but only minimal projects like edging borders to blankets. But that was years ago. 

She is teaching me a granny square initially. 

I've got a ways to go. 

I would share a picture of my progress, but it's just plain messy.

So today I am going to hit you with some memories. Keep in mind that life in the 80's looked different for everybody. I grew up in the hills...much further south than north. I was born in 1972 so my teenage years were consumed by 80's pop culture and historical events. 

Some of you probably remember the same kinds of things. 

First. We must discuss hair. It was vital that the 80's teenage girl's bangs be as high as possible. This was achieved with a whole lot of teasing and Aqua-Net.  My fine hair never fully reached the level as some of my peer's bangs. You've seen the pictures. 

A group of friends and I at a church youth group dinner. I am sitting in the chair. You can see my hair doesn't quite reach the heights as some of my friends. Bummer. 

Just google 80's hair and you will be treated to all kinds of do's that best not ever see the light of day again. 

The Mullet.

Need I say more? 

I saw my first purple mohawk in San Fransisco when I was 12 (or there abouts). It was AWESOME. It made the young man wearing the mullet at least eight feet tall. At least, that is what it seemed to me. 

I grew up in the hills of North Central Arkansas and then moved when I was 14 to Southwest Missouri. Basically, we were all hillbillies. But despite stereotypes everywhere we did try and keep up with the fashions of the day. 

For example, parachute pants. I had a purple pair when I was in Junior High. In High School, we moved on to more sophisticated forms of pant-ware. We always cinched our jeans at the ankle and rolled them up to give them a stylish cuff. 

I was appalled with the large pant leg styles came out in the 90's. Really? This is fashion? 

Music was a big deal to 80's kids. I know I am not the only one who used to use a tape recorder to tape my favorite songs off the radio. All you would need to do was place the tape recorder right next to your radio and wait until you heard what you wanted to record. You would just need to hope that there weren't any loud interruptions around your house. 

In my house, we were only allowed to watch one television show a night. We could watch more on the weekends if we had our chores done.  We only had one TV. Unless you count the little black and white TV my brother had in his room. It only got PBS. We were big PBS nerds. I can remember watching an entire series on PBS on that little black and white TV. It was the Six Wives of Henry VIII. It actually was created in the 70's, but our little PBS station would run it every once in a while.

Other TV shows included Night Rider, The A-Team, Doctor Who (best show ever), Hee Haw (yes, we did), The Barbara Mandrel Show, Family Ties...and I adored Growing Pains. Kurt Cameron was dreamy. Yes, he was.

We also did not have a remote. The children in the house WERE the remote.

On Friday nights, my mom would take us to the movie rental store. Before time began there was the Betamax Player. There wasn't a Redbox or Digital Download. And there certainly wasn't digital streaming. We rented some strange movies from the movie rental store on Friday nights.

But it also was where we rented The Last Starfighter, Goonies, The Dark Crystal, and E.T.

There were a few movies I saw in the actual theater. We went and saw the Star Wars Movies, a couple of the Indiana Jones movies and Supergirl. I saw a few others, but it was on those Friday nights that my movie education took place.

Keep in mind that there wasn't as easy access to current events and news as there is today. And certainly, not as many opinions about the news given on television. It wasn't an easy time in the world. Vietnam had just ended in the '70s. We still were in the middle of a cold war. The Middle East was in constant turmoil. But most of the time, you didn't care if your neighbor was a Republican or a Democrat. And you certainly didn't know how the anchor on the evening news voted.

I remember the day that President Reagan was shot. I remember being incredibly sad and worried. I also remember the day The Challenger exploded. I was sick at home from school. I believe space launches were still being shown live on TV in those days. I do remember seeing it and the camera moving away from the scene.

I remember the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. It is sad, really. When you think about how that fairytale turned out. At the time, however, the world was obsessed with Princess Diana. Even when I got married in 91 the first wedding dress I tried on was very Princess Diana inspired.

I think the best thing about the '80s was that social media didn't have to watch me grow up. I was able to do my bad choice-making and awkward living in private...without the internet evidence. As an adult, I have been able to put a more reasoned and maturer (literally) face to the world.

There are things that I do love about today's world. The ability to watch an entire season of a television show in just a couple of days is awesome. I can check out books on the library on my phone and then READ the books on the same phone without ever leaving the house. I can shop for almost anything and get it in two days. I can call my Mom in Missouri when I'm at the grocery store and ask her what spices go in her French Chicken.

Not to mention that I get a whole platform (called a blog) to write about my hopes, dreams, and recipes for random coffee cakes all to myself. That is pretty neat.

That's all I have for today. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

True Confessions/Bad Habits (30 Day Blog Challenge)

It's Day 7 of my 30 Day Blog Challenge!

If I had dusted off my math skills, I would be able to give you a percentage of posts completed.

But that's not the way I roll.

Today I am talking about my Worst Habits.

Oh honey child....

I don't think this post is even going to do my bad habits any justice.

I don't smoke or drink. I don't do drugs or watch naughty movies.

But...

I have been known to inhale an entire bag of Dill Pickle Chips when stressed or sad.

I grind my teeth.

I am not that good at hanging up my clothes after I wear them.

I am entirely too inconsistent when it comes to doing laundry.

My laugh sometimes sounds like a) a donkey's bray b) a chicken's cackle c) all of the above.

I stay up too late sometimes reading.

I don't clean out my purse often enough. I have been known to find used utensils at the bottom.

I do realize that some of these aren't necessarily bad habits...they are just downright gross.

Am I right?

Point is...I'm not perfect. And at any rate, I'm frankly too old and to worn out to indulge in some, more popular bad habits.

So what about you? Have anything to confess?