A Haven for Vee

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Candles and Cream, Et Cetera

My absence around here — hate it! Apparently, my addiction to Blogdom is every bit as bad as I suspected so being away is even tougher than I thought. I cheer myself by saying blizzard weather is coming. ☺

Have I exercised? Only if one counts partially cleaning two houses, mine and his. His is now ready for a new tenant; mine still needs a sewing room straightened and several trips to Goodwill. Today and tomorrow I'll be walking, though. Really. Would I lie? *Gwen, don't answer that. Speaking of Gwen, if you haven't seen her post about our meeting just one week ago today, *here's the link.* My suggestion is that if you have any illusions about me at all that you'll not visit.  Do.not.go. No, no, it's okay, please go and see why I need to push myself away from this computer screen and do something.

Did I start the new diet?  Yes. Monday. John, too.  We're starving. Please send M&Ms. STOP.

***

Seems as if I have unfinished business...let me check my file...oh, yes, *Becky* sent John and me two wonderful candles. Wait, I think they're just for John because the card says, "In my humble opinon John puts up with so much blog craziness that he deserves his own candles." He puts up with blog craziness? Are you kidding me? Look at'im! He loves every minute of it.


***

Aunt Ess and Uncle B were over the other day bringing along Aunt Em and her dear high school friend with whom Aunt Em had reconnected about twenty years ago way before Facebook. Pretty cool. Anyway, they came bearing gifts.
 

Two per cent milk and cream in glass bottles with a special cap there. I'm so happy. (I have a wee bit of cream in my one cup of coffee a day.) I was a little concerned about the 2% until I learned that it's only twenty extra calories a cup. (We usually use our milk allowance on yogurt.) My Aunt Ess purchases these bottles so that she never has to use plastic for lemonade or ice tea or any beverage that she stores in the fridge. I love that idea and see that nice grip on the side of the bottle? It's going to be so easy!

*** 

In other news, because I don't have enough unfinished projects going, I'm starting a new afghan. I think it'll be the Pretty Flower pattern from Free Granny Square Patterns from Tip Nut. It's pretty and  it's for beginners. I might stand a chance.

***

My Patch of Blue

 Have always meant to show you who holds the patio door. It's not the cat; it's the bear!

***


And now for the best part, and it's not the lantana: I can bring this ridiculous post to an end and skip off merrily to  read blogs. Wait, I've got to walk first, but I'll be back and I'll be visiting you!






*Gwen and I had a little discussion about poetic license. Do you use that technique? Someday, I'll explain a few times when I have.


53 comments:

  1. Good Morning Vee,
    I am having my breakfast with you. Coffee with half n half and shredded wheat with 2%.

    I just can't give up my half n half...

    Love the picture of John....look at that smile!
    Hugs,
    Penny

    ReplyDelete
  2. {{Vee}}--I have missed you! Sorry, friend, can not give up my caramel coffee flavoring. Sigh, I can remember as a child, we use to get Charles Chips (or is it Charlie?) delivered, their in a brown cansiter, I know, far cry from the cream, so jealous of your glass bottles. Ok, I am rambling now.:) Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  3. I believe you mentioned two particular fragrances that would suit John.....I could only provide one of those....LOL.

    That is a fun photo!

    I am so jealous of your get together with Gwen, but I've already mentioned that.....One day, perhaps, we can meet.

    Milk in glass bottles is quite appealing. We could get it that way at our Dairy but I resist. I would have to remember to take them back. Sigh...

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOVES the Granny Square, have bookmarked the page for future reference, all drinks taste better if kept in glass in the fridge, esp. water,(I float a slice of lemon in my water jug), yes bloggy/internet addiction is one tough nut to crack, good on you for attempting to get it under control,
    have a wonderful exercise-y day!
    hugs
    Niki

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ok, you HAVE to walk. I am trying to take a short walk about a mile a day, and a long one at night. It has made me feel like I am somewhat in control of at least a tiny part of my life. That feels good. Even if you only walk a little bit it helps.

    Yes, unfinished projects...you need MORE and MORE...it keeps you young and vital.

    Maine, it gives me life. I so wish that my grands could make the trip here. It would be so good for them.

    Sending love and thanks for stopping by for a good visit.

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well your world is aflutter with small happy things. Best to focus on those while dieting so one can feel full in other ways. Great photo of the lovely lantana, especially the geometric bud.

    Missed your comments...you come across so neighborly and fun.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good luck with the walking. In order to do that I need (1)somewhere interesting to walk to (2)someone to walk with (3) cooler weater, I hate a sweat bath. Eating and staying indoors is so much easier! :(
    Deb

    ReplyDelete
  8. PS. I think I'll pick up some bottled milk (when I next see some) and save the bottles to store milk in! Like the look and idea! :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good morning, Vee! It's so good to see your post, we miss you around here even if you're just gone for a day or two.
    I understand about the blogging addiction. I'm totally addicted myself. There. I admitted it. At least to the reading part. I could spend hours reading blogs. Your photos are great, John looks happy with his new candle. The milk bottles reminds me of days of old when my grandmother used to leave the empty bottles outside her door and the dairy man would come around and bring fresh milk. Do they even do that anymore? Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So have you got someone to walk with? That makes the steps go by much quicker...in fact, you don't even realize you are walking if you are talking!

    Love those milk bottles! My milk is usually in
    tupperware...straight from the farm. But if the grands are coming...I must run buy pasteurized milk with labels on it!

    If poetic license = 'the distortion of fact', I will admit to that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. No, Judy. I walked alone because the carpenter is busy with the house. Tomorrow, he'll join me. Phew! Glad that I'm not the only liar in Blogdom. ☺

    ReplyDelete
  12. Vee
    I love your patio bear. He looks happy standing guard over your place.
    Oh, and the milk jugs-do they ever bring back memories. I love it that you can still get it in a jug.
    What a neat gift from your aunt.
    I need to be walking too. But DH won't take time away from work on our MIL cabin to go either. And I'm afraid of the bears! I'm going to make bell anklets to let them know I'm around!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ha! It certainly does look like hubby is none the worse for wear over your blogging endeavors. Sheesh...I FINALLY managed to fit a walk in yesterday. Goodness me. Love the bear by the way. Now I'll have to go over and see what tales your bloggy friend has to tell...

    ReplyDelete
  14. How wonderful to find your post this morning. Loved reading this post and seeing all of the new photos. I'm off to visit your link to Gwen's blog!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm back and you are far too critical of yourself. I can't seem to lose weight anymore and I'm blaming it on all of those years that I worked so hard to keep my weight down. I gained a lot after surgery two years ago and can't get it off. I'm even on the treadmill every morning.

    I know you'll be successful so please share your secret!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Me'thinks we'd all be wise, to store things in glass. Especially things like OJ and summer drinking water. We do the latter, the former comes in waxed paper, from a local trusted store. :-)

    Look at the beautiful flower photo. And look at the intricate pics-in-a-pic. Oh you are so techy. :-)

    Starting a new project, before others are finished? Hehhhh,,, That's my middle name. Not all crafting things, like you. But I have stuff needing to be done. So what did I do?

    Took out water colors and played with them!<--NEW PROJECT! -sigh-

    Course, I immediately tried to do beyond my capabilities. Got discouraged. Put 'em on the shelf.

    But! Hang on, there is hope to this story! I realized a different way I can use my limited knowledge of water colors... Right Now! See.... Told I had a happy ending.

    But! Won't be an "ending," till I do the easier project, which I thought up!!!!!!! -chuckle- In other words, I can STILL quit. -moan-

    The other stuff, is for backchannel. :-) Not a long, long, long one though! I'll really try to be a-woman-of-few-words. Hehhhhhhhhh... Stop laughing! I can hear you! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Not that you asked but my advice about diets is stay away from them. If you want to loose weight you can still eat whatever you want just cut it down to half of what you would normally eat. You will be surprised how well it works! You don't crave foods either.

    Anytime someone says they walk it makes me smile. : )

    I remember buying milk in glass bottles and we had a top just like that one!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Karen~

    Wish your method worked for me. I've tried it. It doesn't. I am not an "in moderation" kind of gal. (I probably need meds.) It's one of the most difficult things for me...the maintaining of weight. I can lose weight well. I have a lot of trouble keeping it off. I'm hoping that that's where walking will help and there are some days when I'm hurting too much to walk, but we'll see. We'll see.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, how delightful to see your post this morning. And so full of verve! - Would that be vervish? Hmmm.

    I always feel better when I walk. Even though it's really, really hard to get out the door sometimes. Having someone to walk with does help. I wear a pedometer and that helps me keep track of how much I'm walking. Gives me a sense of accomplishment. So important.

    Enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
  20. John looks scared to me. John, do you need help getting away? Just let me know... shhhhh, I hear Vee coming back.

    Oh hey Vee.... :)

    You're on a diet? I just made a sour cream pound cake. Don't come to my blog if you don't want to see it. :P

    ((Hugs))
    Laura

    ReplyDelete
  21. If I could have anything I wanted right now ..it would be nothing to do in the way of administration. .and have everything caught up in the home ..and just a day to sit and read and relax.
    It seems that many of us are in the same boat. I can't imagine every being bored ..can you?

    ReplyDelete
  22. MERCY, WOMAN...did you have more than one cup this morning? You are jumpin' all over your page AND on my comments. I read those this morning and thought, Vee is super hyper this morning. :))
    Then, I came over here and am having a hard time stayin' up with ya. Hey...on second thought...maybe it's ME...maybe just HAVING one cup myself this morning, I am on SLOW MODE. Maybe I need to go fix myself another cup of strong coffee. Then, we might meet in the middle and do one of those stomach bumps the football players do. :))

    ReplyDelete
  23. I try to walk in the park every morning, Vee. I go around the mile cicle x 3 and it takes me around 45 minutes. A friend or two usually meets me and walking with company always makes it go fast and feel painless. If I am alone I put my I Pod on and listen to music. I really think that doing this routine is saving my life as I don't so any other exercise beyond hosework, yet when I went for a cardiac stress test I did really well on the treadmill, so much so my doctor was impressed. I know you can do it! Take your camera along and you can blog about it :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. PS: If poetic license means leaving out the bad or ugly, yes, I am also guilty of that. I don't lie, I just omit.

    PSS Love the photo of John!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Ha ha. You're as addicted as I am! But I am trying to get out walking more too while the sun shines cause soon it will be too cold and windy and snowy and...you know. Good thing we have a treadmill in front of the tv. I really need to use it more in the winter. I like your bear door holder. He's cute. See you again soon. Right? Hugs, Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi! New follower! I love all the pictures of the flowers and of your cat! Too cute! Hope you are doing good!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm having the same problem pulling myself away from the computer screen some days.

    I love those old-fashioned milk and cream bottles! What a great gift.

    I had an uncle you used to carve bears :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. YOU have withdrawl? Think of all of us out here that have to go without our daily Vee fix :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. It's me again. You asked about the bowl and no, it's doesn't have windmills, just tulips. I forgot to mention in my comment above that I think those milk bottles are really great! So practical. My mil always used hers for apple juice and had the plastic snap on caps for the top.

    ReplyDelete
  30. UGH! The dreaded diet word. I have tried. And tried. And failed. It's kind of like staying away from blogger. Difficult to do. I do have plans to walk when the temps drop below 95 again. Even have a partner who wants to go with me. So we are looking forward to cooler temps here without a doubt. Love the picture of your John. Men are funny when it comes to our blogging. They sure do enjoy the treats that come with it! =)
    ~Jen

    ps-I didn't tell dear Audley that he didn't cut my time in half. =)
    He just wanted to play with the knives.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Love the milk bottles, but then why wouldn't I . . . I'm the milkman's daughter!

    Your post made me smile!

    Have a wonderful day!

    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  32. My hubby thinks I live my life using poetic license...he says I exaggerate! But we know that's not true! I lost 26 pounds this past year and now I'm where I need to be...so now I can give advice! heeheehee! Whatever you do...DO NOT STARVE! Find out what foods you can eat and eat LOTS of them! For me it was lean meat and low carb veggies! You can get a list on Atkins.com. If you feel deprived you will not keep it up for the long run! I'm wishing you the best! And sending you special encouraging HUGS! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  33. First I said I exaggerate and then I said I lost weight! That didn't come out quite right! heeheehee! ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  34. When my sister and I and our hubs went on vacation together a few weeks ago I didn't take my computer but she did. She has a case of blog addiction worse than I do.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi Vee, I loved your post. I am supposed me walking thirty minutes a day bit I will do anything to put it off LOL It's amazing to me how many excuses I can come up with in a day. I have been peeking in periodically and readig your posts. I think I'm going to do a little blogging again here and there. It's really hard to stop. I missed everyone to much and I can see you feel the same way. Thank you for visiting me. Charli says woof, woof!

    ReplyDelete
  36. You are probably in bed by now because it is almost midnight where you are. Just wanted to say that this was a really fun post. Love those glass milk and cream bottles. (I save glass juice bottles, and people think I'm nuts. oh, well) The pictures are beautiful (even John)!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Loved reading about two blog friends meeting in person.....God is good!

    The 10lbs I've lost have been so hard for me to lose....now I have 10 more to go....ugh.... I send you inspiration...

    ReplyDelete
  38. If you were moving around more while you were away from the blog then you were exercising. That's what matter, just get up and move around. I look forward to chores. Sounds like you and Gwen had a wonderful time. I'm know you are the dear friend she describes, it comes through in your writing and comments. The sight of the bottles were a reminder of days gone by when we use to have milk delivered. I use to drink two percent milk, I just switched to Fat Free about three months ago. I don't taste much of a difference. I cut out cream in my coffee when I was in my 30s when I had a bad batch curdle on me, ewww, that was enough for me to quit the cream. I'm glad you've come back to us in blogdom. Yours is one of only a few blogs I follow. I missed you, welcome home. Oh yeah, M&Ms will be sent vitually. :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Love the bottles! And loved your post today :-) Can John GET and cuter??

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love this post! Fun stuff - I visited Gwen's blog and just loved seeing you! So cute!

    I was without internet last night and away most of the day yesterday, so I am behind...I need to get to schooling the kids and then do a post....

    Oh, and thanks for the link to the granny squares! You always find great things!

    Deanna

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi Vee!

    Oh yes, I know how hard it is to stay away from Blogland!!! I have been absent for a pretty long time - so much to do, and so little time!

    Love, love, the glass milk jugs! Good luck with the diet and exercise!

    As always, your blog is gorgeous!

    Hugs,
    Barb

    ReplyDelete
  42. You can do this! Don't be discouraged... I'm about 1/3 of the way to where I need to be, so I'm right there with you! Keep walking and going for the fresh stuff and lots of protein.

    Does it sound like I've been on this journey before?? :)

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  43. It's a difficult ride (or walk) my friend, I'll be your cheerleader. Don't ask about my habits - up and down and up and down. Right now I'm trying to get back on track!

    Rah Rah
    Leann

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi Vee - I wrote a long comment this morning and somehow it didn't arrive on your blog...I've discovered that my brain works better in the early morning because now I can't even remember what I commented on. I'll simply say I enjoy your blog and the variety of topics you write about. I enjoyed reading about your meeting with Gwen and Mike. It must have been fun!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love milk in a glass jar. I have missed you but the start of school takes over for blogging. I will be back into it when things settle down. That Becky is a dear, isn't she!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I jogged ..now I can blog guilt free today...go for a 45 minute walk..then you get 45 minutes blog hopping...better than nothing!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I'd love to get milk and cream in glass bottles!! Ours comes in plastic bags ... strange yes but we're used to it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  48. What a fun read! If you actually do skip your exercise for the day will be over quicker and then you can come back to blog land, hee hee ;c)

    Love the photos, especially the grinning John and his candle.

    Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  49. I've been telling myself for months that I'm going to start a diet. I'm constantly fixing cookies and other goodies for my father in law and another nursing home resident, and my grandmother. With all the baking that goes on around here it's very hard to stay out of it. I just need to get in the right mindset. Can't wait to see your new afghan when you get it going. Crocheting is addictive!
    Hugs,
    Cathie

    ReplyDelete
  50. Why do I not know about these milk bottles? This is the first I've seen such a thing... unless of course it was in my Dick and Jane reading book in first grade. I love them, I want them! I'll be doing some research, but if you have time to make it easy for me... :)

    Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  51. It is too hot and humid to walk outdoors still, so I need to find an indoor walking track that's close to home!
    I LOVE milk in glass bottles! It stays colder and thus tastes better!!! I just love the look of the bottles too!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Blogging addiction - don't mention. I have hated that I have not had opportunity to respond to the many comments recently.

    ReplyDelete

🕊
If comments disappear, please don't fret. A simple "hi" will do. The platform surely needs some maintenance.