Learning To Let Go

Today is Monday, September 24, 2012.  It is looking like it is going to be a gorgeous day today, now that Fall is here, no rain for the last  two days.  Knowing we really needed the rain for the water tables to build I really didn't say much until I realized that we had no summer, none. It rained ever day and the yard is going to take months to dry out.

My youngest son, 16, was and has been ready to buy a car.  He has is money put away and is holding tight to it.  I am so very proud of him for hanging on to it and not just blowing it on junk stuff.  A couple of times a week he would come and say mom what are you doing? Can we go look at a whatever it was. Sure we can.  He never allowed anyone to pressure him into buying something that he didn't want. Kudos to you son!

So Thursday there was  one in Gainesville which is an hour away, no big deal but being that far away and hubby still working I thought we needed to wait until he got off to go.  So got everything ready for dinner so when we got home just had to turn on the burners and oven.

Well he is the proud owner of  a 1996 Ford Mustang! The love of his life. He is a Mustang man, loves older cars. The man selling him the car said he had never sold a car to a sixteen year old and he paid cash.  Then the guy wanted to say that he couldn't own it by himself. Yes he can as long as he has insurance and he does.  It is not that a sixteen year old can't own a car, it's what people have been told for years so they believe it. Don't believe everything you hear.

So we got the car home and now his little check list is going.  Have to get the parts for a tune up ordered so that "we" can get that done tomorrow.  Then while I finished dinner they went and picked up the parts for the tune up.  

We ran out of daylight so it was put on hold until Friday.  Well dad had to work so mom was home. He is fired up and ready to get busy working on that car.  He informs me that he is going out to change the oil.  I think you need to wait.  Why? I have read how to do it in the book and I am going to go do it.  Okay.....son if you need help I am here.  Suddenly I realized that I had to let go of my last one, my baby, he is no longer my baby, he has grown into a fine young man. I noticed the deepness in his voice and wouldn't know him on the phone. He is no longer my baby......

He changed the oil, of course I had to go out and see how he was doing and make small talk with my coffee and he did a fine job.  So then he put the fuel injector cleaner into the tank and started changing the wiper blades. Dad got off early, I think he wanted to get his hands into that car too.  So the two men in my life we happy playing with the newest toy in the yard.

So I will stick with my baking, cleaning and sewing.  My sister daughter wanted a tote in orange and blue which I thought were her favorite colors only to find out she and her mom are Gator fans.  Sorry, I don't do football and have no clue.  This is the tote that I have started for her. I would love to have it finished up by tomorrow. Have to clean house today and make a lemon meringue pie. Bar Be Que burgers for supper tonight, life is good, life is very good.

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today.

A Fantastic Day

Mom loves these mints

Today is or was Saturday, September 15, 2012.  It was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining, so warm to the skin with a gentle breeze.  Fall is right around the corner and I am thrilled this year for this. Never have I ever wished my summer away like this summer.  It has done nothing but rain and it still continues to rain everyday at some time during the day.  

Last night I asked hubby if he wanted to go to Tampa and see his mom and dad for the day.  Things seem to work out best for us if we just plan at the very last minute to do something. 

His dad has lung cancer and is undergoing treatment.  He has one more week of radiation left and he thinks one more chemo.  He is not wanting to eat and lost five pounds. Well it's time for me to go and give him the what for.  Stop the nonsense and eat. No nothing tastes like it used to and yes it is hard to swallow. However, if you don't start eating like you should, well you will get the ole' G tube placed in your belly.  The up side to this is that you are at the worst of the side effects now and it will start getting better.  So man up and eat like you are suppose to gain the weight back.  He ate two pancakes and drank a couple ensures.  I took him some chocolate Atkins shake drinks.  They are high in protein and he needs that to heal his body.

We had a wonderful visit with them.  His poor mom has no one to talk to.  So needless to say when she has someone to talk to, she talks. LOL Bless her heart she is a retired school teacher and is used to having a whole lot of people to talk to. I am trying to get her to go and volenteer at the school or even the VA Hospital. It would be so good for her and her mind.  She agreed, she needs to be doing something. Mom loves her mints that I make during the holidays so when we go to see them I make a batch for her.  She doesn't share them, which is very unusual for her.  She also like the bread, this time it was banana and she did share that. We spent several hours with them and then we had to hit the road to home.  We have about a two and a half hour drive each way. It is always hard to say good by when it is time to leave....always.

But tomorrow we have son number two and his wife and two babies. Those babies are just awesome! They are the two that I have been making the clothes for. Tomorrow we will have a Mexican dinner and enjoy each others company.

When we returned home about seven, I started prepping for tomorrows dinner. One of the two pans of enchiladas are ready for tomorrow.

Then to get the dessert ready, two blueberry cream cheese pies are ready.

The chili rellenos are stuffed, trayed up and ready to cook.

The lettuce, tomatoes, onions are cut up and the meat is cooked, will only require a little heat and then eat. So cooking the taco shells and chili rellanos are the only things that I will have to do in the kitchen tomorrow. Spending time with the family is always so much  more fun. 

Oh and lets not forget Leann's peanut brittle, she calls it cookies.

I am thinking that I will have plenty of time to make Kaden's no bake cookies and the peanut butter fudge before they arrive. I am so looking forward to tomorrow.

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today.

A Busy Week And Going To Be A Busy Weekend

Her Pajama Bottoms

Today is Friday, September 14, 2012.  It has been such a wet and I do mean wet summer that I can't wait for it to be over.  However, yesterday was gorgeous, Fall is in the air.  We opened up the house and enjoyed the fresh, cool, dry air. Oh how the house needed to be opened up and aired out.  I am going to be loving this Fall.  We even fired up the grill and enjoyed smoked ribs.

This week has been busy and I have loved every minute of it.  Felt so productive.  Monday cleaned the house from top to bottom including young sons room.  While cleaning the house I decided to use the left over ham in the frig and make some bean and ham soup for lunch the rest of the week along with some homemade biscuits. Yummy, haven't made soup in what seems like forever.  The crock pot burned out a couple of months back and I guess that's what ended the soups and roasts slow cooking. 

Then Tuesday did all of the laundry before the afternoon storms rolled in.  And then to start sewing! Yes! I was able to finish up her pajama bottoms, which we have to call lounge pants, because of fire, rolling eyes at the craziness of the laws. Then I started doing the appliques.  

This was something that I have wanted to do just wasn't sure how to do it.  When Granny came over last week she showed me how to do them and goodness, it is so much fun.  There is just so much you can do with them. So I made him a pair of shorts with a little monkey and her a little jean dress that I used an old jean skirt. These kept me pretty busy, but in a very good way.

One Side of Her Dress

This is the other side

These are the shorts for him.

Then on Wednesday grabbed up all of the bedding and headed for the washer then to the lines.  YES! Was able to get all of it dry again before the rains. Then made some banana bread, the guys love it. Thursday was awesome! Hubby was off he worked in the yard most all of the day and then smoked the ribs.  He really does great with the smoked ribs. 

So today, well it is going to be a normal Friday, groceries, pick up chlorine, go to the produce stand and whatever else has to be picked up.  But this is my life and I wouldn't change a thing......

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today.

Never Say Never

Today is Tuesday, September 4, 2012.  It looks like we might just have a nice day today.  Yesterday was pretty close until once again, the rains came.  However, was still able to get a load of laundry done and it did dry.

A couple of years ago you would not have convinced me that I would be sewing.  If a sewing machine seen me coming it ran.  It would take me no time at all to mess a machine up and do a real good job of it too.

Well about two years ago I purchased a rag quilt pattern for this really cute tote.  So once again I tried my hands at sewing and this time it worked!  Now I did have to use that trusty little seam ripper a couple of times, but in the end the tote came out cute and I was on my way to sewing.  To my surprise I was enjoying it, no really enjoying it.

I made table runners, dresser scarves and quilts.  To my surprise the quilts brought much joy not only making them, put to the people I had made them for.

Then I met a friend, "Granny" we call her that told me I could sew and if I needed help just send her a message.  This lady back in the day that they did quilting by had won first prize at the fairs.  She does beautiful work.  So when she told me that I could get help with whatever I needed, I decided right then and there to learn to sew clothing.

I started with pajama bottoms for grand kids from a pattern that I had made and then made it shorter to make him shorts with the same pattern.  Now they are not much to a lot of experienced sewers, however I never would have thought I would have sewn these.  In the last week or so I have made "pillow case dresses" for my grand daughter. Changing the design just a little with each one of them.

This is the front.

This is showing the back with a tie.

This one has no tie and has pockets.

This one I changed the direction.

These little dresses are great to make to use up stash. You can make them with just pieces and the more the merrier.  These can be worn with a little shirt under them or with leggings, or even a pair of jean. So may ways to be worn.

So many things that I want to make and will make, still have pajama bottoms to make for her and a couple of pair of shorts.  Am working on pot holders right now, they are very much needed.

My CT PET Scan was a good one, the lumps were muscles.  So will have another one I think it is scheduled in October. It has been 13 months cancer free.

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today.

First Post of Dede's Day

This is the "Bell Tower"

Today is September 1, 2012. Still not believing that it is already September.  Our summer if that is what you want to call it has been terrible.  Nothing but rain every day and I do mean every day.  We may have had a week that we haven't had rain.  "Debbie" brought the floods and it has been nothing but rain and huge mosquito's since.

The Steel Magnolia's Healing Arts Festival at the Stephan Foster Folk Culture Center was today and it was a gorgeous day!  For years we have been wanting to go and have just "never had time" or whatever excuse for not going was handy at the time.  I can't believe the things to do there. Everything is handmade by the person tending the booth, park rules and not expensive at all.  In fact I know where I am going to buy a few Christmas gifts or any other occasion that I may need a special gift.

You can actually do the craft, like the weaving which I thought was totally awesome.  Watching this woman at the loom, she had some kind of rhythm working the yarn and the foot pedals along with the arm to compress it all together. Talk about beautiful items made on this loom, just fabulous.  The colors and textures are so appealing to the eye.  And the price for a scarf? Twelve dollars!

The pottery was terrific too! I have always had a thing about handmade pottery, it has always had a place in my heart.  You can also do this too for a fee of $5, five dollars what can you do any where for five dollars? So in a couple of weeks we will be returning there and I will spend my five dollars to create something wonderful. Or at least I will think it is wonderful.

When we returned home we sat and had our lunch together then he had his chores to do like work on the brakes on the RV and of course I had my chores to get done like giving the dogs a bath.  It was to nice of a day not to get that chore done outside.  They are much to large to be doing in the house.  Neither were happy but they do look and smell so much better and they will be happy with a treat.

Now that dinner is finished and the kitchen cleaned, the boys are going to go bowl a few games. Now for a little peace and quiet. Bailey and I can sit together on the couch while I blog. She isn't upset about her bath any more.