Thanks!

Thank you all for your concern! I'm feeling real good, just can't sit up straight too comfortably or bend over. I worked in the shop today and it was fine, except that I drop things! I took extra time off at the store because of the lifting so I don't go back until Friday. I'm not good at asking but the kids have been great. All I have to do is call Laurie at Walmart if I need anything and she picks it up for me. I had to call Kim, my son, to take the newspapers out to the curb to be recycled for me. I won't get the lab report for another week and a half.

I'm anxious to get to work on my bedroom but I have a small problem. When I stripped the border, a thin layer of plaster came off with it. The next thing I knew I had a water feature in my bedroom. Water was running right down the walls. Apparently the tarring I did wasn't enough. I'm just waiting for some estimates from roofers. Thank goodness the weather has cooled down again so the water fall stopped! One guy said he wouldn't do anything until spring. My whole wall could fall down by then!

I have been visiting a few people at a time but haven't commented so please bear with me. Thanks, again!

Update

Hi It's me Laurie. I thought I would let you know that Mom is doing pretty well tonight. She is a little sore, but the pain isn't too bad (YET). She is just kicking back and relaxing for the next couple of days. She isn't working either job and she isn't babysitting Jerzie this week so she can just take it easy. Most of you know my mom pretty well. So you know she won't be down long. Thank goodness Kim beat her to her house because the snowplow filled her driveway and there is no way she would have been able to take care of it. Have a good evening.

I'm stripping!

Wall paper, that is! I've been working on my bedroom the last couple days. This border matched my old comforter and isn't the look I want now so I decided to get rid of it.It hasn't been on too many years and it was good paper so I figured a couple hours and I'd have it down. Boy, was I wrong! I worked at it a few hours yesterday and 3 more today. Now it's history!
I decided not to do anything else today because I still have to go to work tonight. I couldn't even get at my computer for awhile there.
I'm not sure when I'll get back to it. I have an appointment with a dermatologist near Buffalo tomorrow to have a mole removed. With my history of melanoma, I'm always glad to be rid of moles. I had to ask Laurie to go with me in case I can't drive home. I'm sure you are wondering why that would affect my driving. Let's just say that the mole is below my waist and shaving will be involved! I'm guessing it will be a little uncomfortable to sit up straight for a while. We aren't expecting any bad news but the Dr. feels I shouldn't take any chances and I completely agree. I'll be back when I can sit comfortably!

Award winning letter

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American companyProctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really getsrolling after the first paragraph... PC Magazine's 2007 editor's choice for best web mail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,
I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or Dry-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.
Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?
As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior.You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants...
Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.' Are you freaking kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory. For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to Slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?
Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately,there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best, Wendi AaronsAustin , Tx

Finally!

I decided this year I was going to spend my Christmas money on a new bedspread. My customers are very giving at Christmas and I had a little over 200 dollars. I never really loved the last spread I got so I was determined to get what I loved this time, no matter what. I found this quilt at Bed Bath and Beyond and thought it was perfect. It was a Liz Claiborne and a little pricey but I had a 20% off coupon and that would help. The only problem was the quilted shams that matched were $50. each! No way was I paying that even with 20% off. I got the quilt and figured I'd find something that would work. As soon as we got home from Erie I went online and started searching.
I found these shams for $25. each and decided I liked them better than the quilted ones. The fabric is my favorite one in the quilt. When I checked out I found out they were buy one get one! I got them both for about $32. with shipping.
I have been tracking them and they were supposed to be delivered today. They finally showed up at 3:45 and I love them!
I am tired of my sponge painted walls so I'm going to repaint with the darker purple. I still have 3/4 of a gallon of paint so that should do it. I've also decided to change out the border if I can find one I like better. I can keep everything else in the room since green was my accent color already. It'll be a cheap makeover.

Free lunch

When I was out shoveling yesterday morning I noticed these indents in the snow in the back yard. It appears that I had a visitor with a great hopping ability! I noticed that the visiting bunny was eating the seeds that were left under the bird feeder. It's always a mess in the spring so I'm happy to have the help.
Next I noticed that it had taste tested the holly bush and found it too tough or too prickly.
Obviously said bunny had been eating pretty well by the time it chewed on the volunteer toad flax that grew along the basement window on the side of the house. I thought I was only getting a picture of the bunny tracks when I took this!
Can you believe that rabbits like rose bushes? This is the Knockout Rose bush I got for my birthday. The dead leaves are on the ground and the stems are gone.
Clipped off as if I had pruned them. I had pruned this bush in the fall but not this short. I wouldn't think the thorns would feel too good going down but must be the stems tasted so good it was worth it.
I'm guessing it won't hurt the rose bush at all. I did have another experience with a bunny eating my burning bush one winter and it made a full recovery. I'm thinking I'll have to protect this bush next year.

Great finds!

I got these darling cherubs at Michaels craft store on Monday. They are only about 4 inches across. I'm not sure what I'll do with them but once I figure it out I'll probably be sorry I only bought 2. They were only 1 dollar each!I found this rustic metal sign at Marshals. They had 4 different patriotic ones but I liked this one the best. It will work great in my window box with my patriotic display. A steal at 2.99! This family sign is perfect for me, don't you think? I haven't figured out where I want it yet. I don't have a shelf long enough and the tops of my dining room furniture aren't flat. I'll just leave it on the book case for now.
I do love it even though I'm not sure what to do with it yet and it certainly is what means the most to me.

A day late!

Since I went shopping yesterday Jerzie came to spend the day today instead.

Seems some of the things I bought yesterday made a hit. Jerzie seemed to like her new toy box. She put her toys away as soon as I showed her what it was for.
She also liked her new puzzle. She especially liked putting the pieces upside down to tease me. To make it even more fun she knows the sound effects for everything but the horse.
The best thing of all was this 3 dollar blow up chair! The 40 dollar zebra sits untouched in the middle of the floor but she sat in the chair all day! When she wasn't sitting on it she was playing with her toys on it.
She really enjoyed bouncing up and down on it.
Jerzie kept wanting her Mommy's scarf awhile ago so I gave her one I didn't use anymore. She spent half the day with it around her neck.
She has quite the fashion sense wouldn't you say?
That is until she decided it was time to go see her friend and my neighbor, Anne.
When she's ready to go she sure lets a person know it!
As usual we're having a super day!

Martin Luther King Day

Winter wonderland!

Out my window

I have a couple bird feeders and suet feeders under the deck and out my beauty shop window. It's always dark and hard to get pictures. If you look close you can see a cardinal on the feeder and a woodpecker on the suet feeder.
The female cardinal is waiting in the pine tree.
The downy woodpecker is here every day once I put out the suet feeders. See the little red spot on it's head?
The male cardinal picking up leftovers.
These shots were taken from the deck above. It was a gloomy day and the cardinal was so bright you couldn't miss it.
It sat on that branch for a long time but wouldn't move closer.
My customers can see the feeders thru the mirror when I'm cutting their hair so they really enjoy watching the birds.

Show and Tell

Today for Show and Tell I'm showing you another memory from my childhood. I grew up in a very small town and we shopped at the Red and White grocery store. At one time they sold small collectible dolls. I believe they cost 99 cents with a grocery order. If I remember right they were from different countries. I remember the dolls on display. They were in square boxes with a clear round front. The dolls dresses were folded up in the back to form a circle. For some reason I remembered that I had a nun doll that was my favorite.When ever I visited an antique store ( I didn't have a computer or know about e-bay back then)I kept my eyes pealed. My daughter found one once but with one look at it I knew something was not right. It was the same doll I remembered but someone had changed the cross. This doll had a gold cross and I knew mine had a white cross.

I finally found the doll just as I remembered in an antique store. I just had to have her. I think I love her now as much as I loved her as a child.

I know I had other dolls in this set but cannot remember any of them. I hoping that some day I will see one that will again jar my memory. Do you remember these dolls from the late 50's?

For more Show and Tell posts go visit Kelli's House.

The winner!

I had the drawing for my "Snowman package this morning.
Since there were only 7 signed up I decided to use cards to determine the winner. I gave everyone a number by the order of their comment.
Laid the cards out...

...and drew #5.
The winner is Zoey from Perennial Passion!
Congratulations, Zoey! E-mail me your home address and I'll send your "Snowman Package" right out.

My winter mantle

I decided to keep my mantle decorated for winter this year. I just removed the the Christmas bulbs and a couple angels and added some birds. I even left my bead wreath up.Laurie gave me the bird under the dome a couple years ago and the angel this year. She's so cute I didn't want to put her away with the Christmas stuff.
Laurie also gave me this adorable cloth bird on a small glass pedestal this year.
I'll put it back like it was in the spring. I like change in the spring, especially when it's rainy and muddy and too early to get outside.
Remember to sign up for the drawing for the "Snowman Package" by 7:00AM tomorrow.