A Haven for Vee

Friday, October 28, 2016

Tying up Some Loose Ends


Praise God it's Friday. Don't the weeks roar by?! 


I finished up at The Ponderosa this week. Yes, I sorted the final box, packed the last book, took my last trip to the transfer station, vacuumed throughout, and will drop off old paint and varnish at the hardware store this  morning. (They participate in a recycling program.) There is some work that I can do around the outside of the buildings and I did do a walk-through of the rental so there are some final tweaks to be done there. Other than that, things are right on schedule.


So today I want to show you what I was thinking of when I left you yesterday. And I also want to show you what I found at my sister's on Monday. Then I want to share a sandwich...yes, you can have half, if you want it, and, finally, what I purchased yesterday afternoon for $3 and for which the clerk made fun of me. ☺


So here we go...




I looked at that black mailbox and it looked exactly like a big old chalkboard to me. Did it to you as well? Since it really is only written in chalk, the next four days of rain will prove a test. 




 ~Inside~


~Outside~



Kim and Steve (sister and brother-in-law) were very busy last weekend getting in this large set of windows. They look great and you can see that there are walls now.




My ham salad sandwich was so delicious! Some folks prefer mayonnaise and I like mayonnaise, too, for many things, but for tuna salad, egg salad, and ham salad, I like Miracle Whip better. Did you see the Spam can? That's because my friend Nancy told me that she always uses Spam to make ham salad. Her ham salad is stellar, trust me. So I made mine for lunch yesterday and it was excellent if I do say so myself. 


Miracle Whip, a bit of mustard, a scant tablespoon of relish, and a scant tablespoon chopped onion is my recipe.


Oh, yum! If you like ham salad, I think you'd enjoy making it with Spam. I'm not proud, are you? ☺


Yesterday, after the aforementioned trip to the transfer station, I took the opportunity to do some errands. The location of our transfer station puts me several miles nearer. I wanted a leaf blower and hoped to find one at Wal*Mart. No such luck, but I did find these.




Three dollars for both plants! I know that their time is short and they are almost fully opened and that frost will wipe them out soon, but even if I cut them for a bouquet, they'd be worth $3. My clerk, an elderly gentleman, grinned at me and said, "They'll be dead in a week." Gheesh, Mr. Sunshine, get a grip.


Thanks for reading, my friend. I appreciate all the comments you have left and all the help you've given. 


Do! (Come back now) Have a good weekend. I am over and out until November...


Thursday, October 27, 2016

Yes, I Do Pay Attention

Close attention. Very close attention. And, if you tell me something or show me something adorable, I might just have to copy you. It is the sincerest form of flattery after all. Remember: I myself have not had an original thought since 1976 so I depend on you to think for me. 


The first thing I want to show you is my kitchen window. What? Stop laughing. You know that I am in love with that window, though I have to say that my new view is frightful. Why? Because those new neighbors like stuff. Lots of stuff and it all sits in their yard. We do not share the same sensibilites. To me, neighbors who do such things are giving the rest of the neighborhood a collective shove it. Did I say that?! Out loud? Yikes. I am slipping.





Yes, I have a sink full of dishes. Sorry, but THEY have a yard full of old vehicles, including a race car, a hideous aqua blue race car. 




The fun garland idea, turns out, is from Aunt Ruthie of Sugar Pie Farmhouse fame who now has a new You Tube channel. I watched a couple of them last night and enjoyed the second one best. I think that you would like them, too. You won't see this idea, but you'll see the kitchen sink and other similar ideas.  




Then, didn't Brenda from Coffee Tea Books and Me waltz in yesterday and tell  me all about a cute idea she had for a house number. So cute, I copied her. Yes, I did.


I do not know if Brenda stuck her chalkboard house number in a deck railing box. That can be my little contribution to originality. Ha!


It's amazing how hardy those marigolds are. The rest of my flowers are visiting with me in the living room.


The thought of letting them go is painful. I will probably be making some bouquets. Of course, I will let the mums carry on. (There is talk of snow...)




This is a view I don't often show from the north side of the house. This is the front door and you may know where I am heading with this...




Thanks to your comments, I was able to finally come in for a landing. Barbara from The Brown Bungalow told me not to put my sign anywhere where it could be stolen. Good idea! That meant that it would not be outside. My 14  from Ramsign is now on the front door protected behind a storm door. 



Say, are you thinking what I'm thinking? Check in next time and see!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

At Home at The Hodge Podge


1. Besides your very own house, describe a place where you feel most 'at home'?


I feel at home in many people's homes. Give me a cup of coffee, a cookie, and engage me in good conversation and I'm "at home." The ultimate "at home" experience, in former years, was at my parents' home and my grandparents' homes.



2. When did you last 'hit a home run' with something? Explain.


It must have been a long time ago because I don't remember it.



3. Tell us about something you love in your house or kitchen that is 'homemade.' 


So many from which to choose since homemade is my favorite. I suppose that the crocheted table toppers my mother made are in the love category.



4. 'A man's home is his castle'...which of the world's ten most captivating castles (according to The Travel Channel) would you most like to visit and why-
Mont Saint-Michel (France), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Glamis Castle (Scotland), Windsor Castle (England), Chateau de Chambord (France), Hampton Court Palace (England), Prague Castle (Prague), St. Michael's Mount (England), Leeds Castle (England), and Swallow's Nest (Ukraine)




Alas, I am not a traveler so I will simply tour castles in my dreams. Any of the Scottish castles will do. I note that my beloved's family castle is not included in that list. ☺ He didn't like those outside stairs.



5. What's a recent or upcoming plan or project that's required you do a little homework before getting started? Did the homework cause you to abandon your plan or adjust it in some way?


The entire personal representative of an estate thing has required a fair amount of homework, which is ongoing. I like nothing about this project so I am eagerly looking forward to the day when it is ended.



6. In your opinion, is homework an unnecessary evil or a valuable practice? 

It has all the potential for both.


Should schools be done with homework?

No, but homework should be reasonable and limited and any teacher who assigns a major project over vacation weeks ought to be canned. ☺


Why or why not? 


Homework should not be eliminated because parents need to see how well their children are doing and students need reinforcement of new concepts. That said, homework must be limited. A family does not want to spend all its time together in the pursuit of homework. 


7. Share a favorite memory of your childhood hometown. 


Since I still live in my childhood hometown, this will be easy. Thinking, thinking, thinking... Okay, no it won't. 


Trying again here. There has been a major change in my town, since childhood, and that has been the loss of the elm trees. They lined all the major streets and things have not been the same since they had to come down. 


8. Insert your own random thought here.


I promised to show where the 14 is now. It's temporary, just want to look at it longer. (It's directly across from my chair.) I'll do something more "with it" soon. Check back on the post prior to this one for an important update at the end.


Thanks to Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for thinking of these fun questions!


Monday, October 24, 2016

How Selfish Can I Be?


Terribly, as it turns out. You see, I was offered the opportunity to give you a Ramsign gift and, instead, I chose to take it myself. Yes, I am blushing even as I write this.




I have admired the classic and sharp-looking porecelain enamel signs in the Danish Tradition over my years of blogging. I was so happy to have a giveaway once upon a time and told myself that some fine day I'd order a number sign for myself. Fast forward, I forgot, and then this opportunity.





The package arrived in a timely manner. 




Directions enclosed... 




My town, like many communities, has strict rules about displaying the house number. Mine are supposed to be 4 inches high. I actually have two sets of house numbers in addition to the decals on the mailbox above. Anyway, you can see why I am so charmed by my Ramsign 14. It's a big step up from decals.





Of course, there are many ways to use a beautiful Ramsign house number. They themselves offer suggestions here. I have had a lot of fun trying to decide what I will ultimately do with mine. (I think I will surely have to order another.) And I am also thinking of reasons, besides house numbers, to order them. Birthdates, names, and more. If I still lived in my 1840 house, that might be a good choice, but 1955 doesn't have quite the same ring.






One would look very nice between the garage doors. 




I like it on the shelf.





On the window...





On the door, one way or another...



 
I received the beautiful 14 from the Highlander Collection in exchange for this post. I can certainly say this: this sign more than met my expectations and I highly recommend the product. My thanks to the good folks at Ramsign for their generosity.


Where do you think I should place mine? I'll show you what I ultimately did next time I post.


Have a great week!


Postscript: Penny at Enjoying the Simple Things has graciously invited all my readers to her blog where she is having a Giveaway for a Ramsign product. Check it out!

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Got Any Tips?

Let's see, how long did blogging every day last? Eight days. Pretty good for me. Of course, I am hoping for sanity in posting from now on. Not that you everyday bloggers are insane, of course. ☺ See how I so easily stick my foot in my mouth?
 

What I really want to talk about today is how different it is to eat properly these days. I mean why bother? Just make a piece of toast and be done with it I tell myself. Recently, I began to feel sick as if I were not eating properly. Ya think? Besides all those carbs...not good.


So when I went shopping a few days ago, I asked myself what I really wanted for supper. 

Fruit. I wanted fruit. And a piece of toast. And a cup of chamomile tea.



The next day, I wanted cole slaw. Cole slaw? 



 By Friday, I decided to bake cookies since the weather was not cooperating for working at The Ponderosa. 


Ready for freezing, which I did and now there are nice frozen individual cookies in a freezer bag at the ready. There are also, unfortunately, some in the cookie tin.


On the one side a rainy day, though with all the yellow it looks as if the sun could be shining, and on the


 other side, a snack and QVC. If Lori talks about those pillows one more time...


How in the world did my tv stand get so off? (I have fixed it you'll be happy to know.) 


So do you have any suggestions for me? I think I need some help.


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Feeling Loquacious

Please forgive me. I may have slipped into bragging lately. It's just that the natural world is so beautiful in this late middle October. The light is gorgeous from morning until night and it changes from moment to moment. It doesn't take much to fascinate me.



The photo above was taken for that little patch of red leaves (and the light, of course). The red leaves are actually deep, blood red. In actuality, it is a very different scene from what I captured.

 

The morning light was pretty, but as I looked at the photo above, I decided that I could do better because my carpenter's tool box holding the pumpkins was not quite right. Yes, I fret over the stupidest things. Oh my, how I have loved my beautiful dahlias since they arrived from The Mennonite Girls Who Can Cook after John's passing. They were displayed at his service. They have made a remarkable comeback from the heat of summer. I love it when flowers are still going strong this late in autumn.


So I plumped up the box with lots of leaves. I think I can still do better. Maybe it's time to look for the burlap.


This is the only Cinderella pumpkin I've been able to find. 

This week's "Dad Day" was a few days ago. Both my father and I have been limping along since. Why? Because I found him on the floor when I arrived at 7:45. For the next too long a time, I struggled to get him to his feet at his insistence. When we were both thoroughly worn out, I called 911. This was a learning experience for me on several levels. One does not have to listen to her dad no matter how he barks when his safety and her own is at stake. Good heavens! You'd think I'd be intelligent enough to know this. Something about an upset parent can put one right back in child mode real fast. 

The rescue crew arrived from the next town over and the first thing the EMT said was, "I've been here before." 

"Why?" asked my father.

"To get your ask up off the floor," said the EMT.

This is just the kind of response that my father appreciates and he laughed heartily.

I was told, in no uncertain terms, never to attempt what I had attempted again. Two men had a bit of trouble getting him to his feet. Now this is my second time with his falling. The first time, believe it or not, I was able to get him back to vertical. My sister has been through this 17 (!) times. Yikes. 

~a quilt panel kit~


My dad's day turned around completely when we received a call from his baby sister saying that she and her husband would be over for a visit.  They brought lunch and gifts. Wow!



~a cute apron pattern~

~a tea towel~
The tea towel gift blessed me because my aunt said that the moment she saw it she thought of me because of the artwork that hangs in my living room. The one that always "fretted" John because he could see all the work that needed doing. =D

So all in all, except for the aches and pains, the day turned around. Warm thanks to my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Billy. My dad mentioned multiple times what a good day it had been.