What's Been Going On

Wow, the time is flying. I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. I think of lots of things to write about, but then just don't make time to sit down and type it out.

So, I thought I'd just do a quick synopsis of what we've been doing.

First, I've been spending lots of time with friends in the neighborhood. I mentioned Carla in my last post, and she is a big part of my life right now. We have so much in common. We love to cook, entertain, and hit the thrift shops for deals.

Recently, Carla and I hit the Goodwill, Salvation Army and the Thrift Shop here on post for some deals.  I don't have pictures of everything I've bought but I do have a few.
Take a look at the treasures!

Yes, that says $5.00.  Yes, that's a springy Santa that has never been out of the box. I love Santas and I love this one. I can't wait to add him to my collection during the holidays this year.

Speaking of the holidays...I found this box of dessert sized plates and had to investigate. I found these beauties.

There is one for each reindeer and they are all equally cute. I LOVE them. I can't wait to have my buddies over for coffee (or hot chocolate) and some goodies on these plates.

I found this uber cute enamel retro cart. I absolutely loved it and it was $6.00.  After I got it home, I realized that the white color against the white walls of my kitchen just wasn't doing it for me. I really wanted something to put my microwave on to free up some counter space and I thought this was it. So, I got Nick involved and it looks like this right now.

 What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!!! He's spray painting it red for me. I love red. I think it will look fabulous in my kitchen with it's makeover.

 I've also been working on my front porch area. After posting the original pictures of my new house, I realized how plain it was. Here it is now, after some creative placing of planters, pots and flowers.

 This is a new hobby of Nick's and myself. We have discovered the deliciousness that is the Sock-eye salmon that is a local favorite. My neighbors all have smokers to cure their salmon and it's soooo fabulous that we had to invest. Here is our first try at smoking salmon.

 It was good, but could be improved. We will keep working on it until it's perfected.

Here is Max enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather we've had lately. This is what he does when we're outside planting, smoking fish and spray painting.

I do so love it here.

A Few of My Favorite Things

As I'm getting settled and making friends, I'm finding even more things to be called some of my favorites.
First, my friend Carla is helping me make a quilt. Yes, it's quite an undertaking for a rookie but I'm making it as a surprise for someone so I can't give any more details. Carla is quite the homemaker. She sews, quilts, paints and crafts galore. Besides all that, she's an amazing cook and hostess, and she lives just a few houses down from me so we can spend lots of time together.
Last week, I spent the morning at Carla's so she could show me how to prepare my fabric for cutting and sewing. At one time during the morning we took a break and she made lemonade. She didn't squeeze lemons and dump sugar, she made it from a frozen concentrate... which is perfectly fine with me. But, when she brought my glass, it was so tasty and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was different about this lemonade. In a little while she asked if I could tell what extra flavor was going on there.. I said I could not. She said it was this:

Sugar free vanilla syrup you buy for your coffee. Let me just tell you, it makes your lemonade taste like a hint of vanilla ice cream. It's like lemonade ice cream goodness. I think I'm addicted. I've gone through a bottle and a half of this syrup and a whole container of Crystal Light Lemonade. Even Nick loves this and pours himself a glass or two every evening after work.

Another of my favorite things right now is the beautiful weather we're having in the Pacific northwest. I really can't capture the weather, so here is a shot of how I'm enjoying that weather. I love to sit out back at my little patio table with my lemonade. As you can see, I'm equipped with a magazine straight from the mailbox and the ever handy dog leash and poop bag. You just never know when you'll need those when you have these:

No fence in this yard so they spend a little time tied to a stake in the ground. They seem to be OK with it.

Here is my ghetto plant arrangement. Notice the makeshift table...another planter pot turned upside down. The smaller pot with the etching on it was marked 75% off because it has a chip on the other side. You can't even tell can you? Finding things for 75% off is definitely one of my favorite things.

I found this painted rock when I was going through some stuff I haven't seen in a while. One of my girls painted it for me years ago and forgive me, I can't remember which one. I think it was Callie, but I can't be sure. When I found it, I thought to myself, "Carla would have this in her garden"  Carla is an amazing gardener too. I forgot to mention that. She has the cutest stuff in her garden. Tea cups, painted rocks, chipped pottery. It's absolutely beautiful back in her yard. I aspire to have a yard like hers one day.

Even as ridiculous as Cleo looks with her ear all wrong side out, I kinda like her. I would say she's one of my favorite things, but she's a little stinky right now and needs a bath.

This bird feeder is something Nick and I found at a local art show last weekend. It's made simply from old dishes, a jar, and a little chicken feeder. I absolutely love it. However, I got it home and realized I don't have a tree in my backyard to hang it in. I must ask my other neighbor, Nellie what to do with it. She has a beautiful garden too and can make something out of nothing. She's the go to gal on ideas.
So, there you have it. A few of my favorite things right now.

My Mother

I've always known my mother was a strong woman. She is also one of the most compassionate and carring people I know.
My mom is a nurse and has been for a very long time. She has made her life about caring for others.
I watched her, years ago, care for my dying grandfather, my dad's father. I realized then how good she is at it.
For the last several months, my mom and dad have been making frequent trips from Arkansas to Tennessee to care for my dad's sister who is dying from cancer.
First, they were trying to help find treatment and answers. Now, just a few short months later, they are helping keep her comfortable and at peace with her impending death.
My aunt has come to rely on my mom completely. When she awakens, she asks for her. When she sleeps, she wants my mom beside her. If that's not comfort, I don't know what is.
I spoke to my mom on the phone last night to check in on my beloved aunt's status. She told me she's very ill and may not make it through the night. She told me of the conversation she had with my aunt earlier in the day. She told me Aunt G asked how to "go home"  My mom told her to reach out and take it. My mother also spoke to my cousins and told them to tell their mother, "it's ok."  It's ok to go, we'll be fine.
First, let me say I just don't know if I could do that and keep it together. I'm crying just typing this. My mom did it with peace in her soul. I guess it's because she knows her sister-in-law will be painfree and happy again once she goes "home".
I'm so grateful to have had the chance to see this aunt twice in the last few years. She came with my parents to Hawaii three years ago and visisted us. She came last fall to Rhode Island to see us, but even then was starting to suffering from some "strange back pain"  and couldn't enjoy herself.
God bless my aunt and bless the precious woman taking care of her right now. I pray for my cousins so that they will have peace during this terrible time. They lost their father a few years ago and only one short year ago, their older brother.
Here is a photo of my aunt visiting us in Hawaii. I prefer to remember her like this. Smiling, partying, and showing Callie and me how to make her famous fried corn.

This is my mom, on the left, my auntie on the right. Smiling and having too much fun at a Luau in Hawaii.

This is my precious aunt at the Luau with the sunset over the ocean behind her. Beautiful.