CUPCAKES FOR DINNER

I wanted to get a little post in before we went off to the lake early tomorrow morning.  I'm trying out a little change in format to speed things up and perhaps, bore you less.  Here goes.

Cupcakes for Dinner 

So sorry ladies.  I've gone on a radical diet.  I've brought out the big guns.  Suz and Julie...you know where I'm coming from.  Yes, the "D" word...no calling it a Nutrition Plan or Healthy Eating Way...it's a big a** diet that is going to make me miserable.  You won't agree and I don't expect you to.  I will not bore you with it, but when I am (hopefully) ready to shout from rooftops, I hope it will be within your hearing!

So, for my last meal I baked and made cupcakes,  They were good,  "nuf said.

 

Don't We All Loathe Our Glasses?

I broke my glasses.  They were about six years old and I desperately needed a new pair.  In the meantime I switched to these glasses from about 15 years ago.  (don't we ladies save everything??) I have to move my head in slow motion to keep them from flying off.  I found out we had switched insurance that just may cover new glasses.  Yay!  But in the meantime I have these wicked glasses that fall into my soup.  Don't you love this photo with no make up?  I'm so brave!

 

My New Flannel Shirt

I watch my girls very silently to see what the trends in clothes are.  Abigail has been wearing a lot of flannel and plaid shirts so I got myself one.  I remember stealing my Dad's flannel shirts (he totally lived in them during the winter) to wear over  low cut  lacy shirts and then tuck them into my jeans.  A real juxtaposition.  And a little racy, but hey, I was 20 and quite fashionable.  When he passed away 3 years ago, I looked through his closet and chose a flannel shirt to remember him by.  It just may be one I wore back then.  Most importantly, it was one he wore.

Note:  This is the third day in a row that I've worn my trendy flannel shirt, and a shower is in the works tonight.  So...with no make up and crappy hair, I did my best to look glamorous for you.  Definitely not something worth posting, but I said...this is not your regular post.

 

The Target Experience

Emily has Thursdays and Fridays off now...you know we hang together on her days off.  She wanted to go to Target to get a few bulk toiletry items.  Once there, she decided to just do her 2 week shopping trip.  I have never done that there and expressed my apprehension.  Anyway, we did it and as we approached the checkout, we guessed by looking at the amount in her cart...$250.00.  Well ladies, it came to $185.00 and made me a believer.  She  was so nervous, she gave the check our lady back a candle she had in her cart that she thought was frivolous, but when she got that total, she said, "Give me back that candle!" :)

 

In Memorandum

I have an affinity with people older than me.  Someday I will tell you about Henry.  I don't like to post about the past...maybe a little here and there but I am a person that is very focused on the present and future. However.

Up at the lake, we were befriended by so many people that first fall/winter there.  This  picture is of a wonderful lady named Dawn.  She arrived at our house in December (we moved in in September).  She came in a  beautiful Cadillac wearing a fur coat, and with a flourish handed us a fancy invitation to her annual Christmas party.  Oh, I wish I could tell you that this was a happy meeting with this glamorous-in-my-eyes  cultured lady originally from Wilshire, England, who had incredible and innate class and grace.  My daughter Emily...five years at the time, on a dare by her older brothers, stood on the balcony directly above Dawn, and dropped at minimum, 6 raw eggs on her.  The Husband and I froze.  Silence.  And then Dawn gave a deep throaty laugh and said, "She's definitely going to find her way in this world".

Rumor had it that Dawn had had a facelift.  Oh horrors.  Great fodder for all of these lake/country folk.  I do admit, she looked pretty darn good to me.  But she also carried herself with grace, dressed beautifully and stylishly.  Her blonde hair was worn in a simple bun and her cornflower blue eyes sparkled and were accented with the perfectly applied make up.  She was widowed way back in the 50's and had worked for years in a men's clothing store. Everything, everything was rumor.  She lived just up the road from us.  After the Christmas dinner at her home that year (that surprisingly she actually wanted us to come to after the egg embarrassment),  I started stopping by her home on my walks or bike rides.  In short, we had a very large age difference, and I'm not going to play unawares, we spent many a sunny afternoon in her sunroom, talking about her life and mine.  She gave me so much.  Me, maybe I gave her company.  No...I know I did and yes, I'm proud and happy I did, but it came so easily and naturally and with such love for this lovely lady.  And I truly know in my heart that I got so much more from our friendship.  No doubt.

I haven't been to the lake since August.  The last time I saw her she was complaining about her arthritis (I always chuckled inside because she pronounced it "Arthur-itis" :), so it was with great sadness that I heard she passed away in December.  I feel...well honestly I just feel incredibly sad for a myriad of reason, unexplainable...you all do understand I'm sure.  But I will tell you, when I read her obituary, I learned she was 89 years old.  Oh my!  She had us all fooled!  And she carried it all off so gracefully.

Rest in peace Dawn Eileen.

XO,

Jane