TOMATOES TO APPLES AND EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE SUN

I will keep my narrative short as I want to "talk" with you later in my post.  I start with this rather boring picture of my family room.  We finally had new carpet installed last week...maybe the week before (I'm losing it).  The reality is, this room is over the crawl space as opposed to the basement and we have hardwood in those rooms.  Carpet and padding prove to be the best insulation in this room and I personally love the feeling under my feet and just the overall change from hard floors.  I think a lot of people still love carpet in their bedrooms.  Nothing like it to keep your little tootsies warm in the early a.m. hours.  I'm very happy with it.  "

A big glitch in the whole process was getting the furniture moved out.  I did all the little stuff...lamps and accessories and what not.  We don't like to ask our sons for much...they both work and have homes of their owns.  Anyway, the furniture got moved out, the carpet put in and then we sort of stalled as to who could help bring the furniture back in!  The Husband and I don't like to ask for help, so...a few of my rooms were filled with a coffee table here, an end table there, a sofa table buried under lamps here and pillows tossed all around...for 6 days!  And of course in the middle, we had the plumbing problem which led us to use the back bathroom that then led us, mostly turning sideways to fit, into that far removed back bath.  Okay...the cute Irish plumbers finally made it on Monday.  Friday didn't work and we had to be at the lake for some other obligations.  All in all, it's a done deal.  My cute Irish guy recommends we put a new line in as we have really bad tree root in the plumbing lines.   "In 'foive' years it will be a mess"! Can I stand it?  The guys, not the roots.

We were cold at the lake on Saturday.  I made my little trip into town.  I wish there was more to say about our town but it seems every business that starts seems to fail. So very sad and these business owners feel the weight more than we can comprehend. 

 We have our longtime hardware store owned by a family for generations.  And our florist/gift shop.  Most of her profit comes from funerals.  A grocery store, God love them, but the bigger stores are a beacon, so we travel 40 minutes to a major grocery.  Very sad.  And it's happened to small town everywhere.  A friend of mine stopped in...she is a real go-getter, always involved in something.  She actually helped with building two home for Habitat For Humanity in our town.  She had me in tears.  And I'll be darned, an envelope arrived at my home here in Chicago this week with information on the program and how we can help.  I support two other causes and after learning more about this, I'm going to offer what I can.   I was very much  inspired by hammers and nails and hardhats being used by everyday folks with big hearts.  and the thought that maybe, just maybe, I could be  a part of that one day.  I want to help, especially in my "2nd" hometown.

Oops, I forgot about my picture that guides me through my posts so I don't go off on tangents (like I just did!), I found these chairs at a little thrift shop in town.  Originally $7.00 each, I got both for $10.00!  The guy is good...he's making a go of it.  I have that small picnic table I painted white in the spring.  It has 2 detached benches.  I always thought it would look cool with a bench on one side and two chairs (like these on the other side).  So...I am going to do three painted navy stripes down the middle of the table,,,something like you'd see on a grain sack...then paint the chairs navy.  Does that sound good?  I'm psyched!  And the extra bench...hmmmm?

My dear man...he's loving his wood...it never ends.  I suggested we sell some bundles of it...seriously, you can sell a bundle of this sort of wood that has been split on three side for a minimum of $10.00 for five pieces.  Nope...we're good with what we have. If anyone sees our piles I'm sure The Husband will offer  a small supply for pennies...maybe even barter for some work...that's how it works in the country.

Couldn't help it...ran up to Dussell's (our farm market/nursery/grocery) and picked up some apples for pies.  Yup...tomatoes are gone and apples are in!!

As you know, you can find tons of recipes on Pinterest, and I have a few Pinned myself...but then I came across the book that Penny from The Comforts Of Home gifted me with when I was last in Asheville back in May.  Oh, Penny, I'm sorry that I have just now started leafing through this.  And I found this recipe for baked apples in a jar with the crust pressed over.  Isn't this just the best?  I want to make these this week for Susie and Mike, who gave me all the tomatoes and beans.  They won't have to fight over who gets the last piece of the pie! You can also make a regular  8 inch pie with the dough and ingredients but I just happen to have these jars!!  Yes!  If anyone is interested in this book, let me know.  It is written so sweetly by a girl who bought a house that just "happened to be on a farm".  And then it all began. :)

The book goes by seasons and I'm starting reading  in the  fall.  Do you all not love fall?  I think it's one of those seasons when we like to bring the outdoors in.  When we love to see what the waning light of summer does to our plants and tree and skies.  I will never tire of decorating for fall...every year is different.  Actually. of course, every season is different.  I think it's just the way we nature lovers interpret the changing world around us.  I say, "Yeah! Bring it on!"  The pine cones and the tiny little acorns dropping.  I pull  the cattails from the shore, let them dry and put them in tall containers.  A little bit of hairspray keeps the cottony stuff from opening up and making me sneeze!  Bringing the outdoors in has been a ritual for me for years...evergreen and pine cones in the winter, sweet tulips and daffs in the spring, wildflowers in the summer.  And I'm not the most creative person , but I love to make banners.  Simple and straight forward...in November last year I had "Thankful" spelled out.  At Christmas, I had, "Have a Holly Jolly...", and this past spring...just "SPRING".  It's all about celebrating and doesn't have to be more than a word written on a chalkboard.  I think the "words" say it all and I love this...I know it becomes a tradition and celebration of the seasons  for so many of us. 

I have to breeze along here or I'll lose you!  Bought some cool to me colorful pumpkins when I went for the apples.  I actually was inspired from a few pictures I saw on Pinterest.  None on the porch, but can I please have some pretty ones on the table??! 

I love the colors and the imperfections. 

   So here is a pic of my granddog,  Rusty.  Remember him?  He is quite a Facebook celebrity according to his mother (my daughter Emily)  Everyone loves Rusty and you can see why!  Here he is falling asleep next to Mike while he awaits ONE tiny bite of that breakfast cereal!  Nope. Mike's not sharing and Rusty seems to have lost all hope waiting.

And that sullen face leads me to some not so great news.  I'm not one to complain (I can hear my family laughing hysterically).  I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome two  weeks ago after about 6 weeks of symptoms (pain, numbness and tingling in the fingers of both hands and weakness of both wrists).  I also have "trigger" finger in both pinky fingers which is a bit more separate.  I think there are some of you who have had this or know someone who has, so I'm not going to go into that.  I had an EMG today (not fun and I have a very high tolerance for pain).  I get the results tomorrow. Anything above mild will involve surgery.  Blah, blah, blah surgery.  It's the recovery I hate.  6 weeks of recovery...no using your wrists or hands.  Dear God!  No hands?  I will keep you posted.  In the meantime, I wear these really attractive gloves...geez, I can't describe them...sort of wrist bands that resemble fingerless gloves that wrap around half my hand (with a hole for my thumb) and half of my forearm, secured by Velcro.  Apparently moving the wrists at night causes the most pain and is common with those with this condition. Let me vouch for that.  In the first stages I actually paced around the house and cried, not knowing what this was and what I should do.  We (The Husband and I) thought it would get better before worse.  Silly.  I get my results tomorrow.  It looks like surgery with six weeks recovery (as I have been told).  Honest to God...my biggest worry is that The Husband will pack up and leave me if he has to "assist" me in the bathroom.

   

On a somewhat positive note, we leave for Las Vegas a week from Friday.  If you've followed my blog, Vegas is not my favorite place in the world.  No offense to anyone who loves it or lives there.  I think I have been there just too many times.  And vacations to me mean a lot of fresh air and I have to search it out there!  Ha!  So, instead of complaining...I'm going to find a way to get outside more (and that's not the most popular of things to do in Vegas), and I will make the best of it.  The Husband has some very loyal clients that include us every year and that's just my guy...he is loyal to the end.  Now...if I could just get him down to the pool!

I am not a Fashionista!  Well...maybe I am, I do love shopping for clothes,  Heck, I like jewelry and purses and shoes as well.  I do. That's me.   I follow many fashion blogs and Pin lots of outfits I'd love to put together.  I don't need much for Vegas...the casinos are cold, really cold.  And the temps vary from year to year  We almost always go in October.  One year it was 115 degrees and a few years ago it was cold and actually snowed!  I think I brought that on...I'm pretty talented like that.

Here is another top I bought from Kohl's at quite a big discount.  I like that it's a little different...I rarely wear patterns.  Is that odd?  I have a pair of silky sort of leggings, very loose actually with a tapered ankle  and little gold buttons at the ankle.  I think these outfits will be nice for dinner  The top above can be dressed up or down.  It's amazing what people wear there.  I try to be comfy during the day, but still dressed nicely...a scarf and some statement jewelry in the evening.  I feel good that way, too. 

Okay...you have probably fallen asleep.   I went a little above and beyond my usual narrative and commentary.  I always hope that you get to know me a bit more with every post...that you see a sort of rhythm in my life...season to season...in my recipes and decorating.  That it might tell a sort of story in the end.  I so enjoy writing.  I will never believe that I will fit into a certain category such as cooking, decorating, crafts; what have you.  But I have had discussions with my good friend, Brenda, from Cozy Little House.  We go back to 2009.   I asked her for a good critique of my blog...what I might do to get out of what I see as a rut of stringing you along on my day to day living,  For goodness sakes...who cares about my day to day life?  So, I hope to be making  some changes soon.  I hope you will offer your thoughts.  

One last thing!!!  My son and DIL will be finding out  whether they will be having a girl or boy on Friday.  I wish this were a short story...Ha!  MC goes to the doctor Friday for an ultrasound.  He writes the sex of baby down and puts it in a sealed envelope.  MC brings this to her baker.  He makes a cake with a pink or blue filling and frosts it in white,  We will be having  a small party at their house Friday night and they will cut into the cake for their big surprise and for all of us to see and celebrate!!  Isn't that cool?   I just may make a little video!  Shhhh...  :)

Talk to all of you soon! :)

  Jane xx