CLEANING OUT CLOSETS

This past Saturday I spent a good deal of the day cleaning out closets. When we moved here 13 years ago, we had 2 teenage daughters at home. We each had a closet. Mine & handyman's is a small walk in closet and the girls were just standard, guest room size closets. Ours was such an improvement over what we had previously, I never thought we'd need more space. Well, when the girls moved out, I started moving out of season clothes, too small, too big clothes into their closets. I ended up with all 3 closets being stuffed full. There were a few things that had holes in them and they were put in the trash, one box was filled to donate and two plastic tubs were filled with those clothes that are just a little too small. I'm working on getting back in them, so they're going to the attic for a while. The closets look a lot better, but I still need to work on the shoes in one and boxes of home canned green beans in another. The third one has toys for the granddaughers along with a portable crib which I had planned on putting in the attic until I recently was informed that another grandchild is on the way. As for the beans, handyman husband has filed an application with the city and after we receive approval (hopefully) he will start construction on my new laundry room/pantry which will be filled with washer, dryer, canned foods (including the beans), big pots, canner, roasters, etc. Once that project is complete my old laundry room will be converted into a powder room. I can't wait!!

KANSAS SNOW

KATE

GABBY

I just couldn't resist posting a couple of these pictures of our granddaughers taken yesterday. They had several inches of snow and it was Gabby's first time to get to play in the snow. She looks like she's having fun.

FACEBOOK

I've been listening to others talk about meeting up with people on Facebook for a while, but didn't ever intend to join up. However, after hearing my daughter talk about what she was seeing from cousins, friends, etc. I decided that I might as well 'bite the bullet', so to speak, and get on it. I must say that it can be addicting. I sent out several requests for friends yesterday and got some back. When I got in bed last night, I kept wondering if anyone else had gotten my request and had sent back for me to be their friend. When I got up this morning that was the first thing I thought about, but made myself wait until after breakfast to check my email. It's been nice to 'talk' to some of my old high school buds that I hadn't seen in quite a while. I'm sure that once I've hooked up with my friends I won't be spending so much time on Facebook. As interesting as some of the games, tests, etc. look, I think I'll steer clear of them because I can see where you could spend all day on it.

KANSAS VISIT

Gabby bringing me a book.

Kate with her Paw Paw


We got back yesterday from a wonderful visit with our 0ldest daughter, her husband and our two granddaughters. It was so nice to get to spend some time with all of them. We left here on Friday afternoon, spent the night in St. Louis and arrived in Kansas on Saturday afternoon. The girls had both been napping, but Kate heard us come in and came down right away. She's always been such a loving, entertaining child. For a three year old, her vocabulary is extraordinary. She can keep you in stitches. When Gabby came down from her nap, she wasn't sure what to think. We haven't gotten to spend as much time with her as we did when Kate was that age. We could tell by her "look" that she wasn't too sure about us. I left her alone for a while, but then I just couldn't stand it and went and gingerly took her away from her daddy. It wasn't long before she cuddled up to me. We quickly became good buddies. She loves being read to, just like her big sister before her. I spent hour after hour reading books. We'd finish one and Gabby would take it and put it away and bring me another one. 8, 9, 10 books---one after the other. Then I needed to read to Kate too, so for a while I alternated, reading Kate's book request and then Gabby's. I loved every minute!!
Randy had his birthday while we were there. Kristy baked him a cake and Kate couldn't wait to give him his card and present. Paw Paw got to use their "I'm Special" plate.
I'm not sure I'll be able to wait for them to come to visit this summer. I just might have to make another trip to Kansas before they get here!!

I was looking for a spring flower arrangement for our dining room table and found this. It wasn't quite what I was looking for but the price was right. I think it needs something under it, maybe a white round placement would help. What do you think?

GETTING A GOOD START TO THE DAY

I was reading over at "The Inspired Room" on an entry from back in January. She was talking about her routine in the morning to jump start her day. If I waited until the morning to start I wouldn't get done before time to leave. Each night before we head off to bed, handyman husband & I make sure that the dishwasher is unloaded. We leave out on the stove all of the dishes needed for breakfast, get the coffepot ready so it makes itself while I'm in the shower, and try to have my lunch at least planned out. In the morning I go straight to the shower. Then while handyman is showering, I cook breakfast. We've been married for 36+ years and he still likes to have bacon, eggs & toast every weekday morning. I've got it down to 7 minutes. After breakfast he puts the dishes in the dishwasher and then makes the bed while I finish getting ready for work. We usually meet upstairs for a few minutes before I head out for work. Now that he's retired, he probably spends a while on his computer before he starts his day.

SEA SHELLS BY THE SEASHORE

When I was little girl, my paternal grandparents went to Florida each winter. My grandfather loved to fish and spent his days fishing with a friend. My grandmother would go to the beach on Sanibel Island and pick up shells. She had quite a collection from over the years. She loved to get the shells out and look at them. But when she went into the nursing home, she couldn't take them with her so she gave them to my mother. I'm not sure if she really wanted them or just didn't want my grandmother to feel bad that no one wanted what she had spent so much time gathering. My mother kept them in the shirt boxes that my grandmother had so loving layered them in between the cotton batting. My mother was afriad that after she died no one else would want them. So, I decided to find a way that I could take them. I didn't want to just hide them away in a drawer somewhere, but I also didn't want them displayed where I would have to dust them constantly. I decided to display them in a large apothecary jar. That way they would be out to enjoy, but not be a bother. I know my grandmother was proud of her findings as she would tell us the names of each different kind of shell she had found. I have sand dollars, sea horses, starfish, clam shells, turkey feet and lots of others that I don't remember the names for. They constantly remind me of my grandmother who collected them and also my mother who lovingly kept them until someone else stepped up and said 'I'll take them now.'

WINTERS LAST HURRAH

It's snowing! We've had so little snow this winter and they weren't predicting much for tonight and said it would mainly be on the grass. Well our road is presently covered with the stuff. So much for the forecast. I presume by the looks of our street here in town that schools will probably be closed tomorrow. Assuming the temperature stays down (which it is supposed to). It's been really pretty coming down. Big fluffy flakes. The pictures are from a couple of hours ago, but the snow is still coming down.

CAMP LOUCON

Our church camp had a lot damage from the Ice Storm of 2009 so a bunch from our church spent the day at Loucon cleaning up a little corner of it. The camp has 700+ acres and most of those acres are covered with trees. And most of the trees had some damage from the ice storm. We had 6 or 7 chain saws going and the rest of us were just stacking logs or piling smaller limbs that will be put through the chipper for mulch. We had a variety of helpers today - a couple of young boys, one was preschool age, their pregnant mother, 3 girls from the youth group and adults ranging from 20's - 60's. Camp Loucon has provided a Christian atmosphere for campers for over 50 years. There are a variety of camps for all ages - elementary school thru adult. We are blessed to be part of church where there are so many who are so willing to help out when there is a need. I'm sure tomorrow morning our bodies will revolt when we start to get up, but I imagine most who were there today will make it to services in the morning.