Been Awhile...

Twenty months.  One year and eight months.  It's been awhile but I thought I might just start blogging a bit again.  This is not my New Year's resolution, will get to that at a later date.  Just was thinking it was time.

I lost both of my pups last year.

Minnie passed in April.  She was 15, had hip issues, and had an enlarged heart.  Every time she laid down her heart was pushed into her throat and the last days were so hard.  My favorite kid keeps changing, but Minnie was my favorite pet.  My dog completely.  She was mine and I was hers.

I still had Maggie.

I missed Minnie terribly.  So...I decided to foster kittens.

Willie

Birdie

They are not related but roughly the same age.  I had them for three weeks.  Emily graduated from college (Yay!  and she has a job!) so I got them a few weeks before she came home and then she helped for a week.  Let me just say, they were cute has hell but shit all the time.  Willie was fantastic.   He had personality, was fuzzy soft.  He used the litter box.  Birdie had a round tummy, big eyes, and white whiskers on one side of her face.  She shit everywhere and played in the litter box all the time.  After three weeks they were big enough to be adopted.  I decided I wanted a cat, not kittens.

Everyday I checked the website to see if they had been adopted.   Three days later they were adopted.  Time to get Hunter, Maggie, and me a cat.  Guess who was still at the pound?  Yep,  Willie and Birdie.  WTF?!  And they knew me...it was awful.  Thankfully Emily was there to keep me focused.  (they were adopted, for real, within a week). Ta da:

Papa Bear or sometimes Papa Cat

Got him in June 2018.  He is seven years, owner surrender, and was not neutered until we adopted him.  Kept him indoors for three weeks then it was time to let him go outside if he wanted.  He disappeared for one night.  Sigh.  Two weeks later he disappeared for five days.  I could not sleep, I was miserable, I was not worthy of any more pets.  We put out food, Hunter threw his poop that we had from the litter box all around our property.  He came home.  We also acquired two opossums who liked the food we put out.  He has never left since.

Late August, Maggie passed.  She had a tumor on her spleen that ruptured and she was bleeding severely.  She was 14 years old.  She was the last of my children's pets.  Her death was a bit too sudden and unexpected.

After Thanksgiving, I started looking fo a dog.  I wanted an large adult dog.  I got a medium puppy....

Harley

Good thing she is so cute.  She walks and stays with me in the woods.  She loves her toys.  She was secretly pooping upstairs.  Not anymore.  And she adores the neighbors dog Sunny (who has been visiting us for seven years).

Harley and Sunny

It's a Nice Day for a...White Bedding

Enjoy some throwback while we talk Sheets!

I always thought it was just a "Hotel" thing, but white bedding is everywhere on Pinterest, Houzz, etc.  It looks so soft, and cozy, and I can bleach the piss out of it when dirty.

Let's give it a go....

How'd I manage to screw this up.  Looks like jail bedding.

I swear there is a duvet in the duvet cover.  Ain't working for me.  Love the headboard and pillow.  Any suggestions?

Side note:  I recently learned the sushi roll way to place a duvet into a duvet cover.  I still struggled because sometimes I am just incompetent, but I am hoping it will get easier with practice.  Thanks West Elm!

I have been getting a catalog from a company called The White Company.

Has pretty stuff.  

Right now they have 25% off plus free ship over $100.  Let's give it a go.

Loved this...

My version:

Love the pom-poms

 Yep, I have zero originality.  Pretty much copied the look.  Just not so many damn pillows.  Oops, I just counted and I have exactly the same amount of pillows.

This is actually a quilt so it has some texture.  I think that helps.  

We are headed to Winston-Salem, NC  this week end to see Emily and her team compete in DIII Women's College Ultimate Frisbee.  Go Elon!!

Where Has the Time Gone?

And just like that...it's over.

I have realized Tyler has a big head.  I should have worn color...damnit.

Hunter's 50th Birthday was Friday, Tyler's college graduation was Saturday, and Mother's Day was Sunday.  Busy, busy, busy.

This is for the old folks...

Marvy Mike has a HUGE head.

And for the sister...

And for my sister...

And finally for Hunter's folks, who do not know about this blog...

Maybe we should catch up.  Maybe we should start fresh.  Hope all is well with you and yours.

Much Love.

The Cows Have Come Home

It's that time of year again...

The Cows Have Come Home

We started with two.  Then six came through the other day.  Today there were three.  They even had the balls to lay down.  AT this rate, I WILL NOT be mowing my lawn in the spring.  Hunter's job.

The kids are back also.  

Tyler went from Yeti

To Ron Swanson or is it Ron Jeremy

To Engineer Looking for a Job

I was informed he needed two suits, two dress shoes, dress shirts, dress socks, ties, undershirts.  Wow!   Also found out he had no idea what a shoe horn is.  The salesman gave him one.  I'll need to get him a lint brush....no clue there either.

Emily is back from her adventure abroad.  She even made good grades.

She left "the friend" back in Australia.  Poor baby :(

Emily is full on spoiling us.  She now does all the prep and cooking for dinner and sometimes lunch.  We have eaten very well.  We also have snacked like pros.  Drank like fish.  And lounged like no tomorrow.

Needless to say, I am fat and happy.

So, whatcha having for Christmas?

I seriously considered Vegan so I would never be fucking asked to do it again.

Then, I saw this:

Smoked Cheddar Bacon Hamburgers on a Glazed Donut.  

Reconsidered for another day.

Menu

Smoked Turkey

Butternut Squash Gratin w/Onions & Sage

Dressing w/Apples, Bacon & Caramelized Onions

Bacon!

Sautéed Pears w/ Bacon & Mustard Dressing

Can never have enough bacon.

Salted Caramel Apple Snickers Cake

Now that's a gut grenade.

Sigh.  Let's Do This!

I'm Ready.

Merry Christmas.

A Very Belated Thanksgiving

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

At least it is not December quite yet.  Let me tell you my Thanksgiving story (it's a little long)....

We left November 21st for Vegas!  I really wanted to go somewhere for Christmas this year since last year was such a joy.  I was told I could not.  Emily is now traveling about New Zealand (she'll be home this Sunday...yay!).  That left Hunter, Tyler, and I.  Let's do Vegas.  Marvy Mike and Sassy Sandy decided to join us.  Hunter's parents did not.  We shall be home next thanksgiving.

There they are...Marvy Mike, Sassy Sandy, and The Yeti

We had a great time.  We ate, we drank, we gambled, we bonded.  From 6:30 AM to midnight.  A lot of bonding time.  Of course Tyler is on a different schedule than we are.  We get up, have breakfast, go for a walk, play some slots, get ready to rest, get a text  "I'm up!", find him, have lunch, gamble and walk some more with him...all day, every day.

When we go to Vegas, we always go from Sunday to Thursday.  So our travel back home day was Thanksgiving.  Wednesday I did not feel quite right.  Our plane was leaving at 8:30AM on Thanksgiving so I went to bed early.  

In the hotel, they have a Master Switch to turn off the lights.  If you hit this, you can not turn individual lights on until you hit the Master Switch again.  That evening and all through out the night, my tummy hurt. I was in pain. It cramped.  I'm a belly sleeper.  Could not sleep.  Sometime in the night I had to poop.  No lights. I know, too much information, but I'm a wipe and look kinda gal.  I like to know I got it all.  Hunter's a wipe, wipe, wipe again and hope for the best.  Not me.  I couldn't see!  Too miserable to care.  Back to bed.  Up at 5:29AM to poop again...not the runs, real poop.  I felt awful.

Dressed, brushed my teeth, deodorant, nothing else.  Not sure I even combed my hair, no make up.  Now most taxis our gas efficient.  OUR taxi driver drove a Mustang.  Who drives a Mustang as a taxi?  Of course, Hunter commented about horsepower, speed, etc.  The driver decided to gun it, swerve, basically beat his chest and show off.  By the time we got to the airport, I was sweaty clammy.  You know that feeling.  In the door, to the bathroom, throw up out my nose, out my mouth.

Years ago I had the stomach bug and it decided to leave me after I had drank grape juice.  I have never had grape juice again.  This time, wine came up...hey, I was in Vegas.  Still sick, still no wine.  Anyway, I felt sooooo much better.  Looked like hell.

Flew from Vegas to Atlanta without incident.  Except I forgot to put the lid up for the toilet.  I am a squatter over public toilets.  Now you know everything about me.  Needless to say, I dribbled a bit on the back of my stretchy pants.  Ugh.  For all I know I have shit on my ass, puke on my front, and now piss on my back.  I was suffering.  Back to my seat and back to bed.  

Plane is early to Atlanta.  Say bye to the boy.  Tyler will be driving to Auburn from here.  I'm good as long as I am sitting down.  Try one Delta Crown room but it is closed for the holiday..how dare they.  Second Crown room is a success.  Have I fully explained how miserable I am?  We have a 3 hour layover to get back to Knoxville.  I have three people hovering over me asking what I need, how I am, I am about two seconds from turning into the bitch from hell.  I can't even get the damn wifi to work on my iPad.  Sob.

To make a long story short, across from me is a couple in their mid fifties.  She is sobbing.  He is quiet.  As time passes, I get the story.  What else do you do in an airport but watch people and eavesdrop.  Thanksgiving morning 2015, their 28 year old son had a seizure.  Somehow, someway, he ended up bleeding to death while his wife hopelessly watched.  They were desperately trying to get to him, to her, to Colorado.  

I have not seen nor felt pain and suffering as I did that day.  It was brutal.  Yes, I still felt like crap but I ached for this mother and father.  They discussed what they were going to miss, how they could help the wife, how they knew he was with Jesus but damn it was still so hard, how they wanted to keep their sons truck.   My heart hurt, my gut hurt for their loss.  

So my Thanksgiving...

I did not spend the day holding hands around a table full of food saying a blessing.  I was not wearing plaid, sequins, or fringe.  I did not watch a parade or play family games.  I sat in an airport, sick as a dog, thankful for my children.  I am thankful for their health and well being.  I am thankful for their spirit and joy.  I pray that they are saved.  I have been blessed by God with two beautiful children that allow me to love unconditionally.  I have never been so thankful.

Have I Found It Yet?

Have I finally found it?

The Perfect Housecoat...

The reviews are not promising:

"I looked like a deranged Easter Bunny"

Okay, maybe not.  

*****

How about...

• 
  
  Twenty Bucks!  AND great reviews.
  
  "It is cute, but in a days gone by way"
  
  "My mom (91) likes cool and crisp"
  
  
  Okay, maybe not.
  
  *****
  
  Then there is this...
  
  
  I know.  It's just a robe.  But a beautiful, soft robe.  If they could just put a zipper down the front I'd be all over this no matter the cost.
  
  *****
  
  So, no luck.
  
  This winter I shall be in this:
  
  
  
  
  
  

Out From Under My Rock

I am out from under my rock and I have aged a few years....

Where I have been:

I do miss my personal dumpster.

This is what we have accomplished:

It's getting there.

Laundry:

Everything looks yellow but it's not.  And hey,  finally did the animal print thing!

We switched to all LED lighting and love it.  Now finding dimmers for certain locations, was a bitch. They either flickered or hummed.  All construction workers can not see or hear.  I think we went through five different dimmers until I was finally happy.

Not sure who the kid on the trike is.  I am getting a large print made as we speak to replace the little snot.

Hunter made me drying racks.  Bring on the jealousy.

Mudroom:

I used SW Accessible Beige on the walls and SW sealskin on the doors.  So happy with both.

Again, looks yellow.

I am in the process of getting fabric swatches for the bench seat.

Also awaiting a mirror for above cabinet.

Half Bath:

A bit tough to photograph but hopefully you get the idea.  I used the same tile from my master bath remodel from earlier in the year.

Hunter has found the guest towel holder a perfect place for his reading glasses and pen.

Master Bath:

A bird wanted in badly.  See his imprint on the window?  No sign of him outside so I hope he survived.

I am now waiting patiently for window shades and furniture.  Okay, maybe not patiently, but waiting!