Yellow Carpet

Earlier in the week yellow cake, today yellow carpet — everywhere!


Somebody's got some work to do...


There's no excuse not to...


Even Emmy Lou...er Claudia...is helping.


Have a wonderful Saturday, Dear Ones!

A Surprise and an Interview

Imagine my standing at the kitchen sink washing up breakfast dishes quite late in the morning when the phone rings. I wipe my hands quickly on the nearest dish towel and cross the room to answer. (John is tethered to his neck harness.) The lovely voice at the other end says, "Hello, Vee?" I rack my brain trying to think of someone who knows me by that name. (Long story.) I listen and realize that I am speaking with Linds. Linds! Our own dear Linds. What great fun to chat with her and, let me tell you, she has the most lovely, refined feminine voice. Oh it was great fun to have a conversation with her. I hope that I didn't sound the total ninny as I am so fond of accents (of course, I don't have one) that I can slip into mimicking a person. Did you catch me, Linds? I only slipped once. I hope. Thank you so much for the day brightener, my friend!

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I spent a leisurely afternoon and evening with my grandmother yesterday and decided to ask her some of those questions that a few of you have been interested in. Here's something of how the conversation went.

Me: To what do you attribute your long life, Nan?

Nan: Guess that the good Lord didn't want me yet. The relative who lived the longest only lived to be eighty so it can't be good genes or maybe Grammy was going to live to be older before she got typhoid fever and died.

Me: Do you have any beauty secrets?

Nan: Well I was always told that I have a nice smile. I think a good smile is a woman's best secret. I wouldn't get a facelift or anything.

Me: Why not?

Nan: Because I have always felt that I should be happy with myself no matter my age.

Me: What keeps you going?

Nan: I'm very interested in my family and I'm very curious about a lot of things. I always have been. So I keep reading and playing the piano and having good conversations. I like to go places.

Me: What's the biggest change that you've seen in your lifetime?

Nan: I really don't know. (She pauses to think and screws up her face.) I guess that I would have to say the computer.

Me: How have you gotten through tough times?

Nan: Well, when your grandfather died just 24 days after a cancer diagnosis, I spent a lot of time asking God why me. I mean there were some real bad men who didn't have anyone or anything and they wouldn't have been missed, but your grandfather was such a good man and I loved him so much. He did almost everything for me and I was totally lost without him. Finally, I just said to myself that I had to go on. I had to go on living. Life is for the living. With the help of the good Lord, I was able to move on.

Me: Any advice for mothers or grandmothers or great-grandmothers or great-great-grandmothers?

Nan: Just love. (She pats my hand and repeats, "Just love.")

Me: *Sniff* Thanks, Nan.

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By the way, just in case anyone didn't already know that Miss Sandy is a genius. Check out her comment on yesterday's first post about how to disguise a tv. I am beside myself at the possibilities. Thank you so much, Miss Sandy!

Yellow Cake and More

(Imagine a big old slab of yellow cake with chocolate frosting on a white plate with a red border.)

About the time that John and I were getting married quietly in Vermont, just a hundred miles north of us, the final shipment of yellow cake arrived in Montreal, Canada. Yes, yellow cake the "stuff" that President Bush warned us all about after the Twin Towers were destroyed. You know, the "stuff" that creates weapons of mass destruction. You know, the "stuff" that didn't exist. (Google it. You'll find all the information that you need.)

Today I marvel again at President Bush's leadership of this country and how often he has taken the ridicule of the world knowing full well that he could not say a word for fear that a volatile situation would erupt. Let us not kid ourselves, we have been living through some extremely dangerous times. Usually, we have not been aware.

Last night's debate, I watched it. Probably you did, too. I took lots of notes. One thing that I discovered for myself once again was how smooooooth Barack Obama is. McCain is an honorable man...a man of integrity, but he is not smoooooth. At one point, I turned to John and asked him if I was nuts or if the question on the table was not abortion with Obama then calmly discussing electric cars. And all with such smoooothness that I barely noticed, but then I was taking notes...literally. John, on the other hand, kept saying that the camera was moving away from Obama because he was flustered. Did anyone see that?

I have another couple of links for you. The first is an article that Mari-Nanci has posted HERE called Pinch Yourself. It's short; it's scary. The second is from You Tube right HERE called Barack Obama and Friends. You'll find enough in this six (separate) parts of Sean Hannity's documentary to curl your hair.

This is the conclusion that I have reached with all the information available: In order to vote for Barack Obama, one must have eyes closed, fingers shoved solidly into ears, and be shouting "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" to the rafters.

(I've made a conscious decision to allow comments thanks to all those who sent me emails. I'm going to hear from you one way or the other so we might as well all know the discussion on the table.)

Easels, TVs, and Trunks

Today, I'll probably be writing two posts. One as promised with my nonchalant "Don't worry things will be back to normal on Thursday" comment and the other in response to a debate that, as of this writing, has not yet happened. Also, my commenters gave me a few things to consider.

Okay, on with post number one: I need some advice...I've been storing this easel for a certain someone and I really like how it looks in the space...what say you? (Yes, I am guilty of listening to Bill O'Reilly. ;>) The thing is...with the temps getting colder and the heat turned back to conserve...all that glass looks cold.










And one last thing before I leave that space...I am looking for a good way to disguise big, ugly tv sets. Anyone have any ideas? Cheap ideas? Know of a blog that's dealt with this? Anyone?



You guessed it. Atop that antique trunk sits one ugly tv.

Catch you all later...I have sooo much catching up to do with all of you!

I'm Blaming Somebody

Warning: Political Commentary Below

Ahhh, so there you are. I'm always a titch nervous about spouting off. I prefer to discuss dishes and drapes, but every now and then...

The final presidential debate is scheduled for tonight and the state of politics in the US today has me concerned. Very. (I know that I'm not alone.) Sometimes I am so concerned for my country that I feel frustrated and angry...like blaming someone. Whom to blame...whom to blame... Guess I'll start with the mainstream media.

Yes, I am definitely blaming a mainstream media for unethical, substandard, biased reporting. Thankfully, they've begun, just begun, to report on ACORN and the voter fraud that is rampant across the country. They've consistently failed to report on those Democrats who have lied their way through the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, among others. When Democrats in Congress are confronted, they always and without fail point to the nearest Republican. That's usually President Bush. They cry that McCain is going to be more politics as usual...just another four years of a Bush presidency. (I'm tempted to expound on the ways that that wouldn't be a bad thing.)

McCain's opponent does a lot of finger pointing when asked questions. He conveniently does not answer and then sets off pointing fingers when it is his party who is actually guilty. Worse...sometimes it is he himself who is guilty. It is a trick as old as time, but we don't have to fall for it. Do we? One thing that I plan to do while watching tonight's third and final debate is to keep a checklist. Did McCain answer the question? Did Obama? Did one or the other deflect the question to point a finger? Did that candidate misrepresent the facts? Does one merely echo the ideas already stated by the other...ahem, Senator Obama, that would be you. I'll be counting the times. By the way, did you know that the ratings for the second debate were as high as the 1992 debate between Clinton, Perot, and Bush Sr.? At least, we're watching.

Oh, lest you do not believe that some Democrats are to blame for this recent economic crisis, I challenge you to watch THIS posted at suburbanpsychosis.blogspot.com. It's actual footage; it'll take you about 8 minutes; decide for yourself after watching.

And Here's a Wee Bit of Levity first posted at Truth Seeker. I don't usually point folks to Saturday Night Live skits, but in this case I'm making an exception.

My pal Kari over there at Just Livin' Large has written some wonderful political commentary as well. I challenge you to check out what she has to say right HERE.

Closing with Just the Facts from Sweet Cottage Dreams. It reads concisely and well and won't take you but a minute or two.

The stakes are so high. They always are. We must be informed. We must follow up on the tough questions. We must not allow the contentiousness of politics lull us into denial. Working from emotion or feeling alone will get us all into deep trouble. We must do our homework!

I, for one, don't want change for change's sake alone. Not ever.

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Comments have been turned off so that readers may simply read without having to respond. ( Edited to Add: Oops! Oh well, they've been turned off now; although, I have decided to leave the comments that were already made. I believe that each one has an interesting point of view.)

Lady in Red

Hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. I think that a lot of you enjoyed turkey with all the fixings, which makes me happy because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Warm, cozy gatherings around the table are some of the best times of the year.





My parents will be home later today and so ends another week with Nan. Nan who still loves to get out and about even though it can be quite a challenge at nearly 99. (Her birthday is the day after tomorrow.) She really did enjoy the leaf peeping and she also enjoyed getting out to L.L. Bean on Sunday afternoon to purchase some new shoes. We had a late supper that night at a restaurant right here in our own home town. Seafood all the way around with Nan and I opting for haddock and John deciding on scallops. Thanks, Nan, it was delicious! As we finally got through the door at day's end, my grandmother said, "I feel as if I've fought the Boar Wars."

As lovely as the "Lady in Red" is, my favorite picture of Nan this week shows her in her warm fleecy robe seated at the piano. Oh her hair's a bit of a mess, but my she's lovely. Wish you could hear how well she played that night, too.



Sometimes, John would join her for a song...and they'd laugh at their mistakes and say that they should or could practice this song or that one. They chided me for laughing and accused me of making fun. It wasn't making fun at all; it was relishing the moment.



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Join me tomorrow, if you dare, when I share what's on my mind concerning politics. But never fear, it'll be back to business as usual on Thursday.

Now Thank We All Our God

Now Thank We All Our God


Now thank we all our God,
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices;
Who from our mother's arms
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in his grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The son, and him who reigns,
With them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

Comments are off...have a wonderful Sunday!

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