BOO! It’s Halloween!

I Will you be dressing up today? Can’t figure out what costume is just right to trick or treat?

 Well, you could be a lumberjack…..

or… you could dress up as a nurse …

 Could be devilishly-witchy…. (like the Phillies will be against the Yankees tonite)

Hope your Halloween brings all treats and no tricks!!

Have fun and stay safe!

(these are all from the ‘net, of course. My fur ball is entirely to dignified to dress up!! LOL)

Phillies are rockin tonite! (I hope!)

We are having a cool  rainy evening here in the big city, and how nice it is! I guess about 99.9% of the Philly-ites are patiently waiting for the first game to begin (like in the next hour in NYC, only 107 miles away). Yes, indeed, I think even a sports-dork like me who doesn't really appreciate a golf-ball from a hockey puck has Phillies-fever. Here’s an interesting sign of the times – everyone is worried that ‘if’ we win the series (which of course we will), there will be another crazy parade, and no one knows who will pay for it, cuz the city sure can’t afford it. You go, Phillies!!!

I don’t have too much to share with my blog buds this fine evening. It’s been a very busy few days—another sign of the times –short staffed and more work.  So, I was thinking that this time last year I was immersed in crafting goodies for the holidays, and now I don’t have the time to do any of that.  I am doing second hand crafting by enjoying all the great stuff the rest of you are doing! You guys are something! So talented!

Hope to have some tweaks and some goodies in my next post.  Grabbin some popcorn and off to watch the game!

 

Goodies in the Mail!

Isn’t it wonderful to  come home to a package outside the front door? I not only had one – I had TWO! (ok, so one was my Ulta makeup.) But the other?? My wonderful goodies that I won from Dale at A Country Shop!!! I have to show them off, because she sent me such nice Autumn things!

This is the collection of goodies—all of it Fall-themed. Wonderful stack boxes, great smelling candles, and…

This perfect  candle mat!! Don't you just love these colors?? and the pumpkins??

  The little tin has the most delicious smelling candle inside. I’ll burn it on Sunday when I have some friends over. They will love it!

Thank you again, Dale! I love everything!!

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So, here we are at the end of another week. We’re having a cool, rainy, windy night; tomorrow more rain but 70 degrees (boo hiss)—the leaves are just about at their peak of color now, and it is beautiful. My ride home from the office is from a somewhat rural/suburban/big old houses neighborhood, and I just love how it all looks now. And when the nights get cold, I have a four-legged blanket keeping my tootsies warm! What a face,huh?

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Craft shows start next week, but I just don’t know if I want to stuff into a cramped school gym during H1N1 threats, with people coughing and snarfing all over me. I must sound so neurotic! But, I call it cautious. LOL!  So, I may just pass this year. Because of shortages of both vaccines, I probably won’t even get the seasonal shot until late November!  My doc hasn’t even gotten her stash yet. And H1N1 vaccine – by the time the vaccine is ready, the season will be over!

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Some of you may remember my BFF Stacy who goes to Aunt Daisy’s with me. She finally got her own laptop yesterday, so with her  being totally ignorant of anything technical, I was a buddy and went over to her house last night to set her up. She’s trying to learn Facebook, so here we were-- dumb and dumber last nite! I can’t quite get down Facebook, either – so if you see dumb posts on my Facebook page, it’s cuz I’m trying to teach her how to find her friends. LOL.

Have a great Fall weekend, everyone! Hope you have great Fall weather.

Some redos...and Go Phillies!

 

 Hey Blogbuds!

I’m trying to learn how to use Live Writer (not as easy as I thought, but not too bad) so if this post looks like a mish-mash, forgive me. I had no idea that the Live programs were free downloads!

After a winter weekend, we are back in summer! It’s in the 70’s here (a little tooooo warm for my taste!) but I must admit these are beautiful Fall days. Gives me energy to do stuff in between some long hours at work.

Every October, I look forward to my favorite catalogue from my pals at Circa Home Living, and this year’s catalogue certainly didn’t disappoint! Some really fabulous stuff in here, and I love to just linger over it. I know what my next purchase will be, but I need to wait until I have the money to buy it!!

 

 

All I can say is YUM YUM!

 

We had a little “Night for Nurses’  the other evening that my company sponsored  and there were some fabulous vendors there. I saw this little candle holder pumpkin and I just had to have it, especially because it was 1/2 off the regular price!

 

 Speaking of candles, my order of McCall's tart warmers came in and they smell delicious.

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I had some paint left over from the hutch project, and didn’t have the heart to toss it, so I re-painted the other make-do in my dining room. I really love this color!

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Finally, here in the big city everyone is going wacko because of the Phillies win last night! We’re back in the World Series for the 2nd year in a row!        

Go Phillies!

So, that’s my news---- nothing too exciting! I haven’t had the chance to get to a TS in ages. Maybe one day next week….

Have a great rest of the week, friends!

Thank you, Dale!

How nice to come home and find that I won a give-away from Dale at A Country Shop! I was so excited! Thank you, Dale! Can’t wait to see my new goodies! WooWoo!

I came back from my business trip and drove right into the nor’easter! I know that there is tons of snow in central PA, but here in the big city we’re drenched in a cold, windy rain (and I admit that I love this weather, as long as I am cozy in my living room sipping a hot cup of coffee!) The trip to Harrisburg was beautiful – all of the leaves turning, the sun shining all the way up the PA turnpike. Started to get cloudy on the way back, and we’ve been getting soaked ever since. I actually had to pull out my winter jacket! What’s really weird is that it will back up to 70 by Tuesday. The wind has forced the leaves off the trees, at least the ones that have turned into those great reds, yellows, and golds.

Last nite, some friends and I went to see the Fab Faux again and wow, it was a monsoon. I was glad to get home safe and sound from the concert. A little dangerous driving, between the flooding and the wet leaves. Some weird weather here in the northeast! I actually had to pull out my winter pea coat—in October! By Thursday, we’ll be back up to 70 again!!

I had another re-paint itch and redid my hutch (again). Since I had some Colonial Red left, I repainted my bedroom desk as well.

Still can’t figure out what to do with my aunt’s chair. I can’t find a slipcover – it doesn’t have armrests, so I think no one makes slipcovers for this type of chair. I might just leave it as is – and change out the pillow cases every so often with some homespun or fabric.

So, I have been thinking about my ABC’s of what I love about Fall. It’s taking me a while, so I’ll post them this week. I love reading what you have all done with these!
It’s a cold gloomy Sunday, so I think I am ready for a hot cup of coffee and then a nap! Hope your weekend is a restful one!

A tweaky weekend

Hi Blogbuds,
We are having a deliciously cool day here in the big city – someone has their fireplace on and it smells delicious! The leaves are falling, yum. I hope it is delicious Fall weather where you are. I saw that some of you had SNOW already!!! OMG! That is so bizarre! It looked like winter out there in Nebraska! And of course our Phillies are freezing out there in Denver where it's cold and icy.

I’m off for a business trip for a few days, but wanted to share a few tweaks from the weekend. Will have lots more to share when I get back on Wed nite! I have a busy week in front of me, but there is always time to read your blogs. You all have such prim-beautiful homes – just drooling all over the place!

And speaking of drool, I was floored when I saw what Grammy and Mr. Red Door did! What a fabulous table! And doesn’t it look fabulous in her DR??

The only thing I really did this weekend was to remove the slipcover from my sofa (how boring!!) Thought the reds and beiges would warm up the room now that we seem to be in cooler weather for real now. And it matches my aunt’s chair, which BTW, my huge Furball has adopted as his own. He loves it, as you can see. Sleeps like a log all curled up on it. And tweaked a few things…

Hope you all have a great week – will post more when I get back from my conference.

I fpund this shelf thingie in the back of my closet, gathering dust. So I primmed it up, and I'm using it as a small end table near the sofa. I just need to find all those wooden drawer pulls I picked up at the TS -- of course I put them away so good that now I can't find them!!

Have a great week, all!

How was your weekend?

We had a beautiful Fall weekend here in the big city. The a/c is back off after a short and unexpected hot/humid Friday, the windows are open, and the breeze is blowing. Sky blue, just the perfect Fall days. On Saturday, I was up at my alma mater doing some career work with the seniors; helping with resume prep, interviewing, etc. They are obviously coming out of college at the worst possible time for job placement. I almost forgot how much I love being with students – teaching was my calling, but sadly, it just didn’t pay the bills. Without a PhD, I couldn’t get full time, and teaching part time was just too difficult financially (even though I did it for nearly 10 years). It was fun to go back for the day and see my old professor colleagues and my university.

Sunday was craft show day, and the weather was perfect for it. Oh, I just love October! Picked up just a few little things, since I am being oh-so-careful with the cash, but can’t go to a craft show without picking up a few little things, right? I love this pillow, and believe it or not, I only had one sign that I won from Beth last year, so I picked up one of those. It was just great to be outside and enjoy the Fall weather. Of course, I forgot my camera, but the leaves are ever so slowly starting to change and the sun is definitely a ‘fall sun.’ Golden and clear.

This is short as I need to leave for work, but here are a few of the goodies I picked up. Have a great day, all!

tree from my window -- leaves are turning!

posing for you-- what a princess~ LOL

October is a special month!

A visit to Kindra’s blog reminded me that our two favorite months of the Fall – September and October—also signify health awareness for two very important causes – ovarian cancer (September) and, of course breast cancer, in October.
The fight against breast cancer is very close to me because being a BC survivor, I know the fear we all live with (first-hand, unfortunately). When I found my own lump shortly in 2002, I knew that I was lucky – found early, diagnosed early, treated early. I did not need chemo, but I did need 7 weeks of daily radiation -- blog buds, my poor boob was fried!!! Ewww, it was so sore and so raw after daily treatments. At the end of 7 weeks, I was exhausted, pale, and sore. In that short time of 7 years, radiation has improved and most women have a much easier time of it. But ever since that time, I have spent every October trying to remind women, regardless of age, to be sure to get their yearly mammograms, do routine self-exams, and don’t ignore anything that feels “different.” Get to know your own breasts, what feels right, what doesn’t. And, don’t be afraid to call your doctor if anything feels ‘funny’ – early detection saves lives. Fear delays treatment! For info on how to do self breast exams, go here. It’s easy and it saves lives!
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

But, that being said, I want to mention a very dear friend who is fighting Stage 4 ovarian cancer, September’s awareness. This lovely woman Joanie, lives in New Orleans, is now in year 5 of difficult chemo. She has been through every treatment there is. On top of that, she was displaced by Katrina right in the middle of treatment in 2005, moved to Houston for a few months where she was treated without access to her medical records, moved back to New Orleans where portions of her house were covered with mold, no a/c,no phone, no electricity... and… a BULL walking around her backyard. Through all of these nightmares, she has maintained a strong Catholic faith, works every day, and worries about everyone else. Ovarian is one horrible disease, and as women, we need to do everything we can to at least help researchers find a way to early diagnosis. She is a daily inspiration and if your are inclined to say a prayer, say one for Joanie, who is, in anyone’s definition, touched by something bigger than any of us.
I often think of one of my former students, whose mom (also a nurse) was diagnosed too late with ovarian and died before she could see her daughter graduate college and law school. She is often in my thoughts.

If you read through our little blog land these past few weeks, many are dealing with something difficult in our lives. Sick and aging parents, sickness, kids without work, -- I think sometimes our prim addiction helps us carve out a warm and comfortable place to just ‘be.’ You are in my thoughts and prayers. At this very important month for women, wear your pink ribbon proudly and be empowered!