a resounding yes.

yes, i will be watching the pomp and circumstance.  love the history, i'm learning about... like jeff the confessor (or whatever his first name is) ... and i adore england.

the media is having a circus with all of this.. but, if it were me... i'd be asking the really tough questions.  questions like:

a.  has the queen of england ever watched the tudor's, on dvd?

b.  what's in her purse?

c.  does she have any normal habits that she does when she's all alone... like, singing off-key to Prince's, Raspberry Parade or eating a whole bag of cheese puff's?  not that i've ever done either....

d.  if her skirts are long enough... does she opt for knee socks instead of pantyhose?

e.  has she ever sunk her teeth into a grilled cheese sandwich?  dipped her french fries in ketchup, with her fingers and smacked two pieces of pizza together and chowed down.

see where i'm going with this?

smile, wink, nod.

outside:  crackling thunder, raindrops and lightening.  i LOVE storms like this.  i'm sure the peas i planted yesterday are singing with joy.

looking forward to:  the royal wedding. my invitation was lost in the mail (so,they say!), so, i'll be enjoying it in my lazy boy under my fleece blanket.  and instant coffee.  seriously, i'm looking forward to the pomp and circumstance.  the dresses, flowers, KATE, and of course the royal kiss on the balcony.  i truly think diana would adore kate. 

around the house:  my knees.  first time in the week that it happened, i just cried from the pain. so tired of being in pain.  it takes a lot for me to expel tears.. but... not yesterday.  i should clarify the accident:  i was going 3.5 at a 2 incline.  i did NOT have my safety plug on, and i was wearing shaper tennis shoes.  our treadmill has a wall behind it.. hence, the wall prevented me from rolling off the back... so my knees kept grinding on the tread.  i was stuck. until tommie came to the rescue. 

today:  will find me guiding my son through a thesis and essay.. due before midnight tonight.  and listing things on ebay, in between. 

future:  looking at my calender yesterday, i sure do have the days and weekends quickly filling up with shows.  here's a peak at what will be in my vintage suitcases for sale...

happy rainy day.

smile, wink, nod.

on saturday afternoon, i hosted a teen-aged birthday party at the mansion... it was a young queen victoria theme.. with a beatrix podder murder mystery (misspelled on purpose) twist.  the party guests brought their own cake (above), which i thought was incredibly adorable.  i've never saw a cake plate like this one... but would love one! 

it's a rainy monday, today.  cold and damp.  the dog is snoring in the chair.

  my legs are holding me back from my normal activities. i'm pushing on with all my might.  but at times... the pain drives me insane. motrin.  i'm happy, the third disc of rosemary and thyme came in the mail via netflix.  sally dee... if you're out there reading this... you must rent it.  you too, jamie!

my knee, today... one week later.  it's as if you took a razor blade and carved out 7 layers of your knee.  biggest lesson:  always use the safety plug on treadmills. 

and since i'm being, Mrs. Good News today... gas is $4.17 in my town. 

thanks for all the kind thoughts and wishes in my previous post.  i am mending slowly. 

i swear, i won't ever take my knees for granted again.  my sweet neighbor, loaned me an ancient (1970's) tube of ungentine.  it's a retro-remedy-lotion for burns, scrapes, etc.  it worked fabulously.  sort of smells like vick's vapor rub, but without the burn.  no doubt, this old tube was waiting for me and provided excellent temporary relief.

today, for the first time since sunday, i managed to pull myself together enough to drop tommie off at the library (he's taking a really excellent writing class).  i even managed to waddle through goodwill and kroger's produce!  you have no idea how bad cabin fever was setting in.. and the feeling of carbs expanding in my fat cells!

 a couple of bouquets, still going strong, from a couple of weeks ago.  one of the perks, at setting up at the sunday market!  free bouquets from my florist friend! 

my nose is buried in this book.  certainly isn't a new york times best seller.  but it's light and fluffy and cheap entertainment.

in spite of my legs and body being 90% immobile... we've pressed on and homeschooled. 

yesterday and today found us in india at the taj mahal.  oh! the things we've both learned!  the rabbit trails we went on and the speculations we made. 

didn't know this until today....

• it took 1,000 elephants to haul supplies in to build it.
• sri lanka is a tear drop shed from india
• there all all sorts of imported gems, embellished throughout the taj.
• there is a well in one of the tombs.
• there are 22 rooms around the top of the dome.
• the pillars on the outside of the taj are built slightly leaning away from the building... in case of an earthquake!  the pillars will fall away from the dome instead of damaging it.

happy thursday night!

smile, wink, nod.

 it happened again.

i fell.

not down the stairs.  nor off the curb in front of a police car, not off my backsteps... but on the treadmill.  this is the fourth time since january first.  i'm thinking i need one of those, "help! i've fallen and can't get up," alarm necklaces.

glad was i, not to be wearing shorts... i'm sure my patella would of be exposed.

wearing a dress today... exposing it to air...it seems to be healing quickly.  my wrists and shoulders feel like i was dragged behind a peterbilt truck.  today, i was able to make the best of it, by sewing and.......... 



 watching rented flicks from the library:  the tudors.  privately, that is.

smile, wink, nod.

bragging up my young friend, cheyenne today.  rightfully so!

she is a phenominal nature photographer... capturing jaw-dropping shots around her home and nature center. my favorite?  her bobcat snap... imagine a bobcat in your yard.  she's a local gal... which means we must have more bobcats around then i realize.  cheyenne has won many contests and i'm quite certain, she'll go far with her passion and talents.  here's a link to her blog..

cheyenne's blog

  plus, i'll be putting it up on my sidebar! 

way to go cheyenne... keep up the awesome work! 

 

where have you been all my life?

netflix delivered this dvd, the other day. i'm over-the-moon about england...the countryside, the cottages and the horticulture..within 30 seconds into the first scene i was hooked.

here ya go... click here for an overview of the movie:  rosemary and thyme!

other things i squeezed in..

homeschooled, made gluten-free artisan bread--enough for four loaves, sewed 8 pair of wool mittens, and dodged and ducked out of the way of my migraine. 

now... how about heading over to netflix and renting yourself the dvd i mentioned.

(thanks to my pal rhonda for suggesting it!)

how to be 76.

meet my aunt joyce. 

today, she turns a young 76.

she's been a sensational example on how to live life with titanical zest!

she has never let any grass grow under her feet.... this is just a little of what an inspiration she is:  zip-lined through the rain forest, international tango dancer, stock market guru, world traveler, successful wife, mother and grandmother, antique expert, family scrabble-champ, girl scout leader, ballroom dancer, tennis player, bowling with perfectly manicured nails, tj maxx fashionista, wonderful aunt and sister, always on top of daily current events, avid reader, and always game for everything.  she has time to listen to others and see both sides to everything.  today, she jumped up and down (literally!), because she received a kindle for her birthday.  she drives a pt cruiser, with mardi gras beads hanging from the mirror...
and i can't sign off of here, without out telling you how adorable she looks in her low-rise boot-cut jeans... blinged up jewelry and sparkly belts!  tulip-colored lipstick, too.

god-willing, i will be just like her when i'm 76.  what an example.

love you to pieces, aunt joyce!

xoxoxoxooxoxoxooox

indeed.

hip, hip horray!

it's bike riding time in michigan.

my bike, is no where as spunky as this one... not yet, anyway!

and what, with the price of gas just pennies under $4. a gallon.... locals may just see me peddling around town in something like this.

i mean, just because we're in hard times... it doesn't mean we can't have fun with it, right?

wink.

i'm pushing aside, atlas shrugged and have my nose buried in mr. darcy and me.... and also the maker's diet. 

today, netflix delivered 3 volumes of rosemary and thyme-- suggested by my friend rhonda.

lasagne filled the crockpot, today. 

i spotted 2 coyotes, today.  first time i've ever seen one, in real life. they're pretty creepy.

indeed.

seriously.

seriously.

one of the best salads i've had in forever.  i did.  i ate the whole darn thing.  couldn't help it.  couldn't stop. 

(i'm looking forward to the royal wedding, how about you?)

sunday logbook

(copied this meme from my friend lisa w.)

current mood: feeling extremely uncomfortable.  ate way to much for dinner.  ugh.

outside: dark, cold, damp, snowy, rainy, slushy, wet, add a mix of afternoon thunder.   

wearing:  my favorite long johns... scroll down, see them on my sidebar, a sock-monkey flannel shirt, brad's reading glasses and wet hair.

tunes:  pulled out an old french dance-mix c.d. and ran like a maniac on the treadmill.

family is:  watching swamp-loggers on cable, picking at each other and giggling.  dog is looking at me, waiting to go to bed.

made me laugh:  the vendors at the flea market, next to me, today.  such a colorful group of wild people.

made me sad: ?

made me drool:  the pickle plate, bird pocket-wall planter and other goodies, TO BE ANNOUNCED, that i picked up for cheap, today at the flea market.

blessings:  facebook!

reading:  atlas shrugged and the book of job (thanks to a friend's son's recommendation).

watching:  fox news.  is there anything else?

considering:  getting back into the yoga groove.  did a 30-minute yoga abs video, today.  effective and easy.  must slim down... i'm getting thick.

working on: office work for my mom this week, and scheduling forthcoming junk shows.

accomplishments:  wrapped up homeschool co-op, until fall.  taught two great classes.

lessons: using switched-on-school house as a spine, finishing teaching textbooks and organizing tommie for his environmental-agriculture class competition at... michigan state university!  sure wish i could go with him... but it's his "thing."

agenda:  spring cleaning this week.  drawers, book shelves, cupboards... etc.

missing person's report:

have you seen these homeschool moms?

pam, amy, jacque, me, and lisa l.

last seen? 

sneaking out of homeschool co-op during first hour!  with looks of bewilderment, curiosity and giggles!

homeschool mom's never ever miss the opportunity to scoop up, pluck and examine roadkill. 

this is my dear friend jacque.  we've been friends since we've been eleven.  she really liked holding this female pheasant!  she liked it a lot!

we learned from lisa l., who was busy snapping these wonderful pictures.... that the bird's adrenaline was soaring....which explains why plucking pheasant feather's could be challenging.  easier to pluck, the longer the bird sits.  i'm thinking the bird relaxes more and "let's go" of the feathers.

you'll be happy to know...

all of the homeschool mom's were safely returned to the homeschool co-op building, in time for second hour. 

and nobody even noticed!

smile, wink, nod.





tonight finds me resting my legs on the couch and watching, all about eve, starring bette davis and marilyn monroe.
i am head over heels in love with the scenery, the ornate antiques, the fashions... including the hair styles ... and for sure the jewelry.  oh!  the jewelry!  if it was up to me... i would of chose to be born in the 40's or 50's. 
kitchy sweet!

here's a snap of my beautiful mom and me.. in 1966.  we loved shopping, even then!

******

i don't like to complain, here on my blog.  but today i am. 

my blog = i'm allowed to whine!

i suffer from restless leg syndrome.

always have.

but, it's become increasingly worse.

the only relief i can find is to continuously move around.  walk around, treadmill, stretching and standing.  the prickling.  the tingling and the spontaneous leg jerking is exhausting.  this morning i awoke at 5 am, with a dull throbbing pain, down both sides of my legs. the worse thing about it is, trying to sleep with my husband.  the spontaneous leg-jerking happens about every 40 seconds during my sleep... which makes sleeping with me insane.  hence, he opts for the couch.  speaking of couch, the other night, i fell asleep on the couch and he and my son watched my legs jerk around and flip in the air.  (think of a fish flipping).  i know there are so many people who would trade places with me... in the big scale of things:  japan, libya, Israel, terminal illnesses and financial ruins..  i do know it's nothing serious.. it is hereditary (thanks dad!), but imagine, always being tired and having your two biggest muscles aching 24/7. 

i popped two aleve and now i wait. 

standing up, of course.

smile, wink, nod.

ooooooh-la-la!

this is the most scrumptious salad, i've had in a long, long time!  my mom introduced it to me.  it's called a BLT salad.  you serve it with crackers! 

here's the very simple recipe:

a couple of roma tomatoes diced up

scallions diced up  (chop up as many as you wish... we love them, so i add lots!)

1 bag of turkey or bacon bits...

(the good stuff, not imitation)

mix into mayo.  we used heart smart and just eye-balled it... maybe a cupful? 

use as much or as few of these ingredients to suit your taste!

YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS ONE!

smile, wink, nod!

flea market finds!

at the flea market on sunday, i just couldn't pass up these cute little dishes!

i especially love the tiny legs on this one!

 and i for sure, couldn't pass up this splendid cake plate.  complete with age cracks and without any chips.

i would bet the lady who owned this plate, made the best chocolate birthday cakes for her family and it was a special tradition to use this plate!  (never mind me.... i love making stories up about my new treasures!)



total splurge?

8 quarters.

in my last post, i mentioned stock piling in these economic hard times.  i thought i'd pass along a couple of good items, which work very well and are from the dollar tree.

laundry soap

and

dish soap

(big whopping 50 oz.)!

do tell.. what items on-the-cheap, work well for you?

happiness today is:

beautiful snow falling
 delicious farmer's casserole
 a new bottle of pantene hair conditioner
new homeschool curriculum success
2 miles on the treadmill
a new hot pink work-out top
plugging into our church's podcast
listening to our governor,
rick snyder on t.v.
finding a great deal on reynold's wrap and stock-piling it!
netflix dvd about george westinghouse


*************

according to glenn beck, we should be stockpiling food, etc.  have you started to?  if you are... what items are you tucking away? 

you're invited to take a little peek at friday night's murder mystery....  i wrote the script, "who killed little larry leprechaun?  click here... and yes, that is me, trying to figure out what's under his kilt?!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=175022095878767&set=a.175020595878917.33445.124680764246234&theater

just a beautiful day, today in michigan.

replaced my snow boots, with wellingtons and took a little-bitty spring walk, around the yard.

why look down...

it's my rhubarb plant

saying, "happy spring," to me!

watching rhubarb grow... is indeed, pretty special.  no, seriously... it is!



looks like someone was hungry... and kept the food chain rolling...



i almost stepped on this rabbit foot.

i'm guessing a hawk dropped it.