Can you accept a rainy day?

There are some people who complain about the rain. They love a sunny day and go all grumpy with raindrops. But a rainy day for me makes me relaxed. It's a great day for a cup of tea and a book. The things that are imperative on a sunny day don't seem so important when it rains. It's a good excuse to kick back and catch up. Enjoy the rain...soon it will be turning to snow. 

How you can tell its fall

This is a repeat of a former post. 

It’s definitely fall.

Ways to tell it’s fall: 
1. I got out my leather jacket. 
2. I turned on my electric heating pad beneath my mattress. 
3. The lights go on in the daytime. 
4. I lit candles to “warm up the room” 
5. The dog goes for less walks. 
6. I’m thinking about wearing scarves. 
7. Even Sadie walks out the door and turns back around. 
8. Cuddling seems back in style. 
9. Those colored leaves are decorating the lawn. 
10. It’s time to put away the air conditioner and turn up the heat. 
11. Mornings call for the fuzzy white robe. 
12. Tea time becomes a really good idea. 
13. I’m visiting the library more often. 
14. I see pumpkins on my tables. 
15. My favorite time of day is “jammy” time. 
16. Casserole recipes come out. 
17. I’m looking at the outdoor chairs and wondering if we’ll get a few more sunny days to sit out yet. 
18. TV becomes a way to pass the time. 
19. I’m thinking."only 100 days till Christmas” 
20. It’s time for my Literary Club to begin its season (and I’m president this year). 

 
Just a reminder of what last October was like.

A trip to Erie

Today I returned to Erie for a checkup on my head. There was a good report. Everything is doing well and he feels he got all the skin cancer. I was certainly happy to hear that and don and I celebrated with lunch at thenLonghorn steak house. After a little,shopping at the mall we returned home by way of the Allegany  Reservior. The water is already down. The Kinzua dam was put in place to control the waters of the Allegany River and help with flood control going to Pittsburgh. We have this beautiful pristine lake very close to our home. 

Fast fleeting fall

In the blink of an eye Fall is quickly passing by. The leaves are dropping and the weather is changing. I found these images on a blog called On Sutton Place. They are helping me hold on to,Autumn just a little longer. 

Ask me questions ill tell you no lies

When you are blogging daily sometimes you run out of things to blog about. My blog is just my everyday journal and the topics vary as much as my days do. Right now I am staying home until my head heals a little so I am borrowing an idea from another blog today and answering questions. I love photography and was reading My Corner through the lens. There are some wonderful photographers out there and they inspire me with their work. Today she answered these questions put to her. So I thought I'd dothe same. 

1.  What pivotal event in your life changed you for the better?

   I think that having children made me a different person than I would have been without them. I had always liked kids.  Growing up in my neighborhood I was one of the oldet and took a lead role in games and play times. I was the oldest of three sisters and mothered my younger siblings too. I became an elementary teacher to continue to share my love of children. When I had a miscarriage after I got married and couldn't get pregnant I thought that being a mother was not going to happen to me. How fortunate I was to have two sons later. Those boys changed my life in ways even I can't fully realize. They completed me. 

2. Oldies? Contemporary?  Hip hop?  Jazz? Blues?  Rat pack?  Polka?

  My music taste might contain all of the above and even include zydeco too. I've always been a music lover. I had piano lessons as a kid, tries to teach myself to play the guitar one summer (and ended up with calluses on the tips of my fingers) and even played the accordion and keyboard. I like all kinds of music. On my player you will find James Taylor, broadway songs, Paul Simon, Norah Jones, Dixieland, movie themes, ..oh, and I love Blurred Lines. 

3. spring or Falll

    No question about it Fall has always been my favorite season. I love the sweaters, the leaves, the crisp air. There is a cuddly feeling of being in a warm house that is like being tucked under a warm blanket. 

4. What is your favorite comfort food?

When I am feeling low or hurting I want a dish of ice cream every time. 

5. What is your favorite creative activity?.

I like arranging. It can be making a wreath, putting together a flower arrangement, making a door decoration or putting a vignette on a surface. I just love pushing and placing things in a way that satisfies my artistic eye. 

6.  Looking back on your life what era would you like to live over?

 As far as having fun I'd live over my college days. It was the most carefree of times in the sixties. I loved the college atmosphere and being around people. I was dating Don then and looked forward to the weekend when he would come home from the Navy to be with me. I remember those days fondly. 

7.  Barefoot or slippers?

There's nothing like a warm fuzzy slipper when it's cold. 

8.  How would you describe your decorating style?

Evolving.  I have not been one to keep the same style throughout the years. I've gone through a country phase than completely changed to more links and blues. There were ducks in my kitchen....and then roosters. But at the moment I would say my style is traditional with a touch of garden. It's a comfortable style where it looks pretty but you aren't afraid to live in my house. 

9.  What evokes emotion in you?

  Seeing injustice in the world makes me cry. I don't understand how we can have so much and other countries struggle for their daily lives. Good romantic movies make me cry too. Who doesn't love a good love scene? 

10.  What one thing do you want to accomplish before your life is over?

  I would like to master photography. I love the camera and what it can show. I'd like to learn to take better pictures. 

Better days

Me in better days 

Bouquet day

My girlfriend Kay stopped by today for a visit and brought me a lovely fall bouquet. It was nice to see someone even if I do look bad. I have a bandage in front of my left ear where the plastic surgeon took the skin for the graft and a huge yellow sponge sewn to my head covering the skin graft. Tuesday I go back to Erie for a checkup and hopefully the sponge will come off then. Tis is the second surgery I've had for basal cell carcinoma. The first was in 2006. My husband is taking good care of me, even cooking my dinner tonight. 

Bouquets

The bad news is I had to have surgery on my head. The good news is the bouquet of lovely roses in a gorgeous green base sent to me by my sister Linda. 

Some facts about fall

One of my favorite photography blogs is Focusing on Life.  Several gals take turns presenting pictures and the shots are amazing. They share pointers and tips on photography. Stop over for a visit to be amazed. 

  Here are a few researched facts from Judy about fall that I thought you'd enjoy.

*  You get "chattier" in the fall.  Researchers found that when the weather cools, phone calls to your friends last longer. So sit down, relax, grab your phone and have a long chat with a friend or family member!

*  It turns out that Autumn is the 'season of togetherness.'  Again, research shows that once the leaves begin to fall, our brains give us a boost of Dopamine, a "happiness hormone."  This boost of Dopamine is said to cause romantic thoughts, butterflies in our stomachs, and the need for lots of snuggling and "such." 

* You may be more dehydrated in the fall than in the summer.  With the cooler temps, we may be less likely to drink as much water as necessary, and instead reach for cups of hot tea or coffee, which are diuretics.  So be sure to add water to your daily drinks!

*  Apparently our memories are better in the fall, and cooler weather (however I have yet to see this benefit from fall).  Researchers actually have found that the cooler and wetter the weather, the better our memory. Imagine all that we will remember by the end of January!  

Fog

Tis beautiful fog picture was taken (not by me) on the hill going over to the neighboring town. We live in a beautiful part of the country. I had my surgery today for skin cancer on my head involving a skin graft. I'm glad it's behind me. 

Top Gun

In a cat's eye all things belong to a cat. 

top Gun is a phenomenal cat. He's a fierce hunter but when people come around he wants to greet them and say hello. He'll sleep on the bottom of your bed if you let him and cuddle on your lap,when you sit down. He's very talkative and has a vocabulary of several different meows. He's not afraid of

Strange dogs at all and knows how,to swipe with his razor sharp claws when necessary. He's the king of the house. 

First bike wreck

We were so proud yesterday when Sean learned to ride his bike without the training wheels. Today he's not so happy. 

Choose to be content

I loved today's post at An Extraordinary Day. (Anextraordinaryday.net). It's all about being content with the things you already have. I think there are two types of,people who shop. Three are those,...like my husband that on,y go to the store out of necessity.  He is perfectly content with what he has and unless he has to go for something specific he stays home.  Then there's me who loves to see pretty things whether I buy them or not. Shopping is sometimes my entertainment. Yu must realize I live in a rural area where Walmart is our only store besides dollar stores.  So,when I have a chance to get to the city I take it. I love looking and seeing such beautiful things that I could never find in my hometown. I don't like online shopping because I like to touch and see items for myself. A perfect day for me is a shopping trip.  How about you?  

Weight watchers

Today I'm trying the weight watchers sample bag....not bad.  Only two points for those of you who are counting. Today my friends and I had a quick shopping trip to a nearby town. I had some library books to return and we spent a short time at the small mall.  We laughed and talked all the way over and back. It was a sunny fall day and the company made you smile.  Just the right thing to do for a day of fun. 

If only

Wouldn't it be nice if only you could just help yourself to good feelings whenever you needed them. We've all,been to the depths and felt that good feelings would never come again. We are human and we know that the bad comes with the good and there are times we will despair. When we come out the other side of our troubles we consider ourselves fortunate. There are those that never make it to the other side.  Some have serious illnesses. There are small children who,have to go through more than they ever should. There are sudden accidents. When we are down sometimes our only consolation is the hope that it will pass. We have to reach deep to claim those traits and feelings that see us through. So take what you need. 

When you have a van

We are on our second van and I wouldn't have it any other way. We have used the space in our town and country van with disappearing back seats to bring all kinds of things home. Since my town has no furniture stores I have to rely on going out of town. When I find something I can usually fit it in. The back is four feet by eight feet with all the seats down. I brought my dining room table and all the chairs, a seven foot hutch, and a console table and baker's rack in it. Recently when Linda and I were in North Carolina visiting my sister in Raleigh linda found this piece of furniture that she knew would make a perfect coffee bar. We also brought home the black mirror that she found at a consignment store. It looks great in her kitchen!

There's no,denying it

The leaves are coming down fast now. The hard rain last night knocked many more off the trees. We are finishing up the outdoor preparations for winter. I am cutting back the dead flower stems and peonies while Don takes the air conditioners from the windows. Next we'll put away the glass outdoor table and chairs and gather up all the decorations that need to be stored for the winter. The sun is out and it was 81 yesterday. A great day for a walk in the woods. Or a country drive. Or to go downtown to the pumpkin fest. 

Do you love books?

FOR SOME OF US, BOOKS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE ON EARTH. WHAT A MIRACLE IT IS THAT OUT OF THESE SMALL, FLAT, RIGID SQUARES OF PAPER UNFOLDS WORLD AFTER WORLD AFTER WORLD, WORLDS THAT SING TO YOU, COMFORT AND QUIET OR EXCITE YOU.

ANN LAMOTT

What are you reading today?  I just finished Patterson's Second Honeymoon. What I love about his writing is that it's a quick read, entertaining and doesn't take a lot of effort. Great for when you are trying to fit in time for reading. Since my eye surgery I don't do as much reading but still bring a lot of books home from the library and cull through them trying to find another outstanding one,,like The Help or Tuesdays with Morrie. Any recommendations?

Beauty

It's not what you look at that matters it's what you see.  Thoreau

Our Karate Kid

Sean began his karate lessons last week.