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Don't pass up a "sign"

The question was asked "Would you ever consider living in the best kept secret in Southern Indiana"?  "Oh, I don't know.....

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Men and Wallpaper



My friend of ilovemyhouse blog's post yesterday reminded me of what my best friend and I went through when we decided to redecorate her guest bedroom. Men and the cost of WALLPAPER~they just don't understand it.
Several years ago, one late spring afternoon, my best friend and I decided that we were going to change out the outdated duck border in her guest room, so off we went to the department store and found a Martha Stewart border...it wasn't very much money actually, but enough that we thought we had better clear it with her hubby. We went back to the house, braced up for adversity, as we were accustomed to confronting~ all the while rehearsing our plea for the need of the demise of the duck, duck, goose. There we sat, across from hubby who had his face completely covered with the paper version of the news of the day...sat side by side muttering our rehearsed pleas of need which seemed to be running out of our chins beneath our bowed heads. The newspaper stayed in the same position..then the question...How much does it cost? Pinching ourselves (so that we would already be hurting when we heard the negative response and then it wouldn't hurt so bad) we spewed out the answer in the most enthusiastic positive voices we could muster..."Only $40.00"....The newspaper came down and hubby looked like a deer in the headlights...$40.00!?!!he grumbled.."No, you know we have to start the swimming pool maintenance and that costs money.." My friend's head bowed lower with disappointment. Mine went higher. "Ok, thanks friend's hubby". "You are probably right."
My friend looked at me in surprise as we left the room and I told her not to be discouraged..."this presents me with a challenge since I am so used to negative responses from my "No,the answer is No~ no matter what it is, NO" husband (not KennyRogersLookAlikeBeforeThePlasticSurgeryWentWrong~ the one before who looked like a Polar Bear). Come on, let's go upstairs and see what we can do". She opened a closet door in the duck room and inside were leftover rolls of pretty flowered wallpaper from the former home owners. "Ah, I said. "We work in your decorating shop, we are both very creative. We are going to make our own border out of this flowered wallpaper. I'll cut while you get the ladder and remove the little waddlers". Late into the evening till my back ached from curvature of the spine, I sat and meticulously cut individual flowers from the sheets of paper while my weary friend tore and scraped till she and I were both about to whine. "Lets just keep on, I prodded from underneath a bed of flowers. You are almost done and then you can rest and I'll start wetting and pasting." In another hour and a half we had the flowers scattered artistically across the tops of the walls as if blown by a gentle breeze. We were so pleased with our selves for having made the bed, arranged the vignettes on the dressers, hung pictures and fashioned a creative window treatment..all by 11 pm.
Hubby peeked in while on his way to bed..."Uh huh,looks nice. It's getting late, girls." We winked at each other..I wonder what he was really thinking...we love him! He feeds our imaginations!
We went downstairs and had a wonderful late supper of hot dogs on bagels...she can make a wonderful meal out of anything!

Monday, January 17, 2011

A Major Award


I've won a Major Award! A Major Award! And no it's not that leg lamp from Christmas Story ..although I have one..did you doubt it, my dears? AdrielleRoyal of Challenges Met gave me a Stylish Blogger Award..I love her inspirational and lovely blog and am so happy to have found her.

It works like this:

•Thank and link back to the person that awarded me
•Share 7 things about myself
•Pay it forward to recently discovered bloggers
•Contact those bloggers about the award

Some things about myself:

..I love music but cannot play an instrument of any kind
..I love the wonder of words
..I paint murals on my walls on Sunday afternoons
..My kitchen drawer is full of paint tubes for when I get the urge
..I would like to step back in time just for a few days
..I am the genealogist of my family and friends
..I would rather write,and read and feed squirrels than cook

And now I pass the award onto these recently discovered stylish bloggers:

Ted and Bunny ...makes me laugh and I love her Kit

ILoveMyHouse ....feel like she is related to me thru my new Dutch Son-in-law

Woolfenbell ...so creative and she makes me laugh w/every day correspondence

Serendipity ..such a tender person and inspirational friend

Trashsparkle la femme anglaise...she makes me laugh so hard...I love to laugh

DaveandAllie ..not only is he my Godson, he is an incredibly good writer

Found,Now Home ..interesting decor & photos by an U.S.girl in England

A Heron's View ...my Irish poet buddy who sent me his 100 poems in his own voice

Can't pick just 7 sorry!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Connections in Life



Interesting how people come into your life and you instantly are drawn to them by listening to the stories... you learn a lifetime about them in just a few minutes...some people you can know all your life and not know anything much about them...what they think, why they have become who they are, what they aspire to, what they dream, what their life has been like.
I met a lady like that today...she was fascinating and I only talked with her for a few minutes...the conversation never lulled and we found each other sharing things that we would not have imagined sharing one half hour before. I am fascinated by people and their stories.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Straighten Up and Sit Right



Well, well, well...in the midst of trying to find new homes for or stow away all these 'treasures' as my friend Norma calls this clutter (the gal that keeps her table tops as dance floors for me) I went to Marshall's New Year's day and saw two leopard chairs I just couldn't live with out...So I told KennyRogersLookAlikeBeforeThePlasticSurgeryWentWrong..that even though, we have 2 chairs we just bought about a year and a half ago...I think I would like to have these. We have such a tiny house and I thought they would fit better. He said if I wanted them he would get them for me...go put them on hold and he would pick them up after work....Whoa...really? I skedaddled right over there and put a hold on them, for sure. He picked them up and brought them home...they weren't exactly what he would have picked...says he'll have to sit up straight in them but oh well..and his face was not that happy...I later learned that it was because he was missing some of the football game that was on and they were neck and neck. After, he said 'they were fine...that I'd been looking for a long time for something I really thought would work'...Does that mean he likes them??? My son came over...said "Mom, people will have to sit up straight in here now." Well, Well...does that mean he doesn't like them...Well......but I like them...I think...just don't take the tags off yet...

Saturday, January 1, 2011


Happy New Year 2011,
Interesting couple of days ending the year 2010! 19degrees, then an earthquake..more like a sonic hum than a rattle, next day 52degrees, snow melted all away~looks too brown and muddy now~ and then thunderstorms at the transition of the Old year and the New year...I also think I heard the tornado warning yesterday at about 11:30am...unless someone was asleep at the horn and set the 11am Friday siren off a little late. Well, what more could you want...about 3 seasons in 3 days!
I don't know if you are into New Year's resolutions~I never can challenge myself with something I HAVE to do...so we'll let that slide. KennyRogersLookAlikeBeforethePlasticSurgeryWentWrong and I celebrated quietly eating pizza, sitting in the sun room listening to Sinatra Style Jazz on Windows Media Radio Tuner, savoring too many pieces of boxed Christmas chocolates and enjoying the lightening and thunder. Perfect evening, we think!