Appreciation

Just take a moment to appreciate what you have.  When things go wrong as they sometimes do in life step,back and remember how truly fortunate you really are. How blessed. 

The ladies of Covington

I'm reading a delightful book today recommended by my friend Jeanette. It's not a new boo (2000) but its the first in a series of books written by Joan Medlicott. The title is The Ladies of Covington send their Love. Sometimes it's nice just to read a soft enchanting book where you can read at a slow and leisurely pace enjoying the adventures of three women of a certain age who inherit a farmhouse near Ashville, NC. It's a great read on a quiet day. 

Cautious Grace Singleton, uncertain of her place in an intimidating world. Outspoken Hannah Parrish, harboring a private fear that may change her life. Fragile Amelia Declose, shattered by devastating grief. Circumstance has brought these disparate women of "a certain age" to a Pennsylvania boardinghouse where three square meals and a sagging bed is the most any of them can look forward to. But friendship will take them on a startling journey to a rundown North Carolina farmhouse where the unexpected suddenly seems not only welcome, but delightfully promising. And with nothing more than a bit of adventure in mind, each woman will be surprised to find that the years they've reclaimed from the shadow of twilight will offer something far more rare: confidence, competence, and even another chance at love...

Sometimes a little change is good

For quite a while now Don and I have been talking about switching from cable to Direct TV. Why is it when you are older change is harder for you?  We finally made up our minds and the installer is here running cable to our TVs and putting up that HUGE satellite dish. My sister and sons have it and tell me how much I will love recording on the DVR. I don't like commercials and even press the mute button and talk during them. But now I will be able to record shows and breeze through all the ads. I think I will really like it. Now if I can get used to seeing that large dish on the breezeway roof. 

Random thoughts

The Buffalo Garden Walk

There were so many beautiful gardens to look at yesterday on the garden walk. It is amazing that right in the heart of Buffalo there could be so many neighborhoods that display such wonderful gardens in their front and back yards. Here are just a few examples of what we saw. 

Off for a fun day

Yrsa and I are off to Buffalo today. It's an hour and a half drive to the big city and we feel,like we are in a different world there. We are going to the Garden Walk. Every year on the last weekend in July 380 homes allow you to tour their gardens. This is all for free.  Several years ago my sisters and I went for the first time and were amazed that in this northern climate that the flowers would be so tall and full. There are lots of varieties and styles as well as great ideas. They also allow,you to go in the backyards of many of the homes. It will be such a fun day. I will be sure to take plenty of pictures to share with you. 

Summer showcase of homes

I love, love love to peek inside the decorated homes of fellow bloggers. It is better than leafing through decorator magazines or books. These are real people who usually combine antiques, thrift store find and do it yourself projects to make their homes stylish. 

  I am not in the showcase but thought it might be fun to post a few pictures of,the inside of my home too. Just take a little glance. 

Ipad update

Well, it seems that the ipad either fixed itself or something that I tried finally worked. Anyway the email seems to be working today. Yippee!  Now it's off to walk with Sadie and joan and then coffee with friends at the Derrick City Diner. It's going to be a lovely cooler day.  Don't you love me on the Glamour cover?  Love the fun apps!  This one is Phot.to Lab. 

Don't worry...be happy now

Do you remember the song Don't worry, be happy?  Such a simple little melody. We're times more simple and happy then?  Some things seem so complicated now. You used to call and talk to a person who would be very willing to help you solve a problem. Now,you press 1, then press 5, and so on while recorded messages direct you to keep pressing numbers on your phone and picking option after option. All you want is a person who can help you. And in the end you might finally reach a person only to be put on hold listening to music for such a long while that you think maybe you should hang up.  But then you realize that if you hang up you will have to start the whole process again. 

  Is this really progress? Or am I just being old fashioned?

CAN YOU SAY “FRUSTRATED”?

I love computers as much as the next person but we all can find them frustrating at times. We have not grown up with pushing all these buttons and wizzing from one page to the next. I have had to learn slowly, one step at a time. Luckily being a teacher I had access to computers and could ask for tech help when it was needed. But now I’m on my own.
   So…for some unknown reason I decided to change my password for my email. No problem. done.  Except that now I can’t access my email with my ipad and don’t know how to change the password there. Yikes! After googling all the help I could find and trying several things…it still doesn’t work. Ok, leave it alone for awhile. You know how it is good to walk away from a problem for awhile and then maybe a new solution will come to you.
   So I went to my big computer because yesterday I discovered a new site called Photosnack.com.  I’ve been wanting to make a slideshow quickly and put it on my blog and this promised this and more. So I made the slideshow easily. But getting it embeded on my blog caused me to pull out my hair. It looked so easy…just copy the code and paste it on the blogger site. So I clicked on their “embed” link, got the code, put it on my site and voila! ….it didn’t work. So I tried again and again, and in another way and still….here is where you shout..”Frustrating!” 
    Well, there happens to be a live help chat so John and I had to have a little talk. And , you know what…he couldn’t solve the problem either. After looking at the code I was embeding he said that wasn’t even their code. But I got it by clicking on your link (I sigh). His final advice to me was to remake the whole entire slide show and try again.
     So I went back to do that, but thought, “let me try this one last thing”. So I right clicked on the code and then embeded it in the blog and Voila!
   Do you see it at the sidebar? I did it.
To start the show just click on the little speaker in the left top corner. I’m happy with the show, hope you enjoy it.
   When I’m in a better mood I’ll tackle the password issue.

Does your dog talk?

They may not know the English language but dogs can communicate sometimes better than their human counterparts. It may be just a look....or a whine under their breath.....sometimes it's a paw tapping on your arm but they find ways to make you understand their needs. They show emotions not through words but you can sense sadness or excitement or fear in the way they put their head on your lap and look up to you for protection. They speak more with their eyes than people do with their words. 

Sadie

You know that Jack Russels are very smart.  But I think Sadie takes the cake. How many dogs know that when that beep...beep...beep comes over the tv that it means there will be a storm coming?  As soon as she hears that she starts showing anxiety and comes to be held while she shakes.   Sadie has been afraid of storms ever since we were in Tennessee one time and left her alone in a back room with a baby gate while we went out to dinner. There was almost a tornado in Knoxville that night with howling wind, thunder and lightening. The power went out and by the time we got home she had chewed through the baby gate and was petrified. Ever since she trembles at the sound of thunder. Luckily tonight the storm missed us. 

Get away

You know, I think everyone has those days.  Yesterday I had had it! Too much heat and humidity, not much that I felt like doing. And then having to eat soft foods because I choked (again...it's an ongoing esophagus problem. I was grouchy! Have you just wanted to get away?  Me, too!  Just get on a plane and have an adventure. I love traveling and seeing new things. But that isn't happening so instead I went down and cleaned my basement. I know that the best remedy for the blahs is activity and that did the trick. I put a lot of stuff in boxes to sell at a garage sale. Other things I threw away and what I didn't I organized I felt a lot better when I was done. It's good to accomplish something and if you can't get away it good to take your mind off your troubles. Don't worry I'm fine today and back to normal, if that word can apply to me..Lol 

Mosaic Monday

I'm posting this today at Little Red House's Mosaic Monday. The phlox are so pretty this year. 

You have to have flowers

The phlox are blooming abundantly