Dec2

Beginning to feel like Christmas

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Forgive this shot, it’s from my phone. I was so happy to create a little merriment (for me at least) in the chaos. I think I’ll be cleaning and decorating until the big day!


This is my handmade ornament tree that you probably remember from past year. I am adding small things on the metal willow tree behind the feather tree. I’ll need a taller tree soon!
I will have a busy weekend at the store. I work 4 to 9 on Saturday(I so dislike eating dinner at 3 pm) and then Sunday I’m doing gift wrap from 1-3. I like to gift wrap and I get to sit down! I’ve been hurting at night, mostly my knees and I wear a brace on either one or both at times.Think of me trying to wrap gifts like Martha Stewart on Sunday! I couldn’t get moving until 4 this afternoon. I got paid and wanted to hit Big Lots which I did.
Then I went over to the Dollar store to pick up stuff for some things for gift baskets. I saw a really sad sight and I can’t forget it. An elderly woman was all soiled and wet. She had black pants on, but you could see that she had an issue. And the urine smell was strong. She didn’t seem to care. She also had sores on her face. I had never seen anyone out like that. She was alone (and wearing dirty sandals) and I saw her about to get behind the wheel of a car. Now she has to have mental issues and there she was about to drive and it was getting dark. I couldn’t go up to the register for a few minutes. When I got in the car I used hand sanitizer. There is another elderly person being sweep under the rug and not taken care of when she can’t take care of herself. I came home and just sat on the sofa in shock a bit. You wish you could do something, but then she would have been embarrassed and she did look really dirty. I hope she gets help.

Nov30

Rose Tree Tavern

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Today I went down to see my mom as I wanted to take her to dinner and shopping. We didn’t go to that many places in the mall though. I’m not seeing that many gifts that I wanted to buy, but I did get a few things. I happen to get a good coupon for the dinner-  $15 toward $30 meals. We went at 4:45, so got the early bird special-we both got prime rib, mashed potatoes and a big salad. We got beverages and a piece of cake and I had to pay a little more, but I haven’t seen my mom go after a meal like she did this one (me too). It was a bit salty, but I got over it. : )

Before we went to the mall and the restaurant, I wanted to stop at the Rose Tree Tavern that use to be on the corner of a busy road where my bus went by all the time and on the National Register of Historic Places . They moved it back and renovated it. I was dying to see the inside as a tourist bureau, but they had it locked up at 3:30! I did take a few photos though.

From the back with my Ina

From the front-isn’t it lovely for a 272 yr old building? I know they didn’t have to redo the stonework.

From the side with the 1739 cornerstone

Be sure to click the highlighted link to see the various steps of renovation. Someday I’ll get to see inside!

Nov29

Good move

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I went to a new doctor today who was young with a MS and DO after her name which means she has a bit more training than an MD. She sat and talked with me over 30 minutes. I can’t remember the last time a doctor did that with me. I felt like she was really interested in my well being. As usual, my blood pressure was high the first time the nurse took it. At the end of our chat, she made me lay down and took my blood pressure again and it was 12 points lower. I had to get blood work, so went ahead and got that done in the next building. This was the same doctor who said Brian had pneumonia last week. I told her he still had a terrible cough and she said he could call and talk to her about getting a chest x-ray. Call her without an office visit? Wow, that is nice. I’d never hear that from the other office. And at the other office I put my foot down when the last doctor left me waiting in the exam room for 20-25 minutes or more, like my time isn’t important-this happened many times. So I am to continue the medication I’ve been taking a while now. I was happy to weigh my lowest on a doctor’s scale in a while, about 12 pounds since the last time.

I did better at work. It’s rainy and wasn’t crowded.  I was also on a register by myself. The only thing I had an issue with was when a lady wanted to pay her store bill with a debit card (sent her to another register after trying a few times). I did a return and several coupon orders. I think it’s sinking in! I got to leave 45 minutes early as it was so slow and I closed the register. The manager helped with the last few steps.

I may go see my mom, but my brother who lives with her has been sick and I hope the germ isn’t in the house. She’s been a bit depressed as her car needs repairing and she can’t drive. I should take her shopping a bit.

Here’s a gift tag I made for the Bookmark in the other post:
Christmas tag

Update-I added a few more Cross stitch items to the tab above. You will go directly to Paypal and check out and I will mail the item off to you the next day.

Nov27

Reading is ‘fun’damental

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Bookmark for Art n’ Soul, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I was itchy to dig into my paper stuff and that’s what I did in the late afternoon yesterday. I needed a few hours of vegetating as I was achy all over. Not use to standing over 20 hours and so many days in a row. Some may call me a wimp, but I do have issues with my knees, etc.. I’m going to a new doctor on Tuesday to get a check up for the medication I take. That and to ask her if she thinks I have widespread arthritis or something. I blame Lyme Disease on that. When I am able to go to Longwood Gardens, it usually is a day I feel strong and able to walk. I thought for sure walking for up to a mile a few times a week for a month or so may help me be able to stand on my feet. I guess I was wrong. So now I’m looking for a child care position and did contact a lady I had a few weeks ago. I know I can surely do that as I would be ‘sitting’ and helping the kids with homework, etc. Crossing fingers.

So back to the bookmark! My group on Flickr is having a bookmark swap. It had to be shabby chic with a touch of lace. I found the little girl and she’s about to read a book, so perfect! The key is suppose to be her’s that she tied to her bookmark not to lose. : ) The background paper and ‘read’ stickers are Tim Holtz designs and I even shared them the bookmark with him on Facebook.

I may go to ‘the store’ to do some shopping as I have that discount and a 30% off coupon. Since they didn’t plan to keep me past the beginning of the year, I may just do some power shopping. : ) Please be good knees.

Nov26

Photo Hunt- Hand Written

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Back of the Mary photo card, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

A few years ago, I scanned a lot of ‘family’ photos as I didn’t know who most of the people were. This little saying was on the back of Mary Caswell’s photo. It says-‘The friends thou hast and their devotions tried; Grapple them to thy soul with hooks of steel.’ I guess that is it.

And my own handwriting. I think we wrote this every year until 6th grade. I believe this was 3rd grade.
3rd grade writing practice

Nov26

Gazing at the Stargazer Lilies

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A very trying and busy week has crept along since my birthday. The stars did not align favorably for me, a new employee and Brian being the sickest he’s been in the 29.5 years I have known him. Everyone is tired and grouchy. The added pressure of having to cook Thanksgiving dinner and working on Black Friday was hard. The dinner was pretty good, though the turkey was kind of bland and a bit dry. The side dishes were better. The taco soup I made the night before was delicious and I’ll make it again…


My mom and brother sent me flowers last week and none of them were open last Saturday. Slowly they started to open and the smell from them is wonderful!

Aren’t they lovely!

I am so glad it’s the weekend as I don’t know which end is up as I’m so out of whack from not eating when I am use to it and standing and standing and wanting to do stuff around the house. At the store, I sometimes just sit on the floor in the home ware department and tidy up something to get off my feet. I ran into a crate the other night and have a 3 inch bruise on my right leg shin. All this for 7 weeks or less. Yep, signed a paper to say I wasn’t guaranteed employment after that time. It was quiet the last few hours the store was open on Black Friday and I did a lot of vacuuming. I did a little shopping-the said I only had 15 minutes, so I got a few select things, didn’t get to look as much as I wanted. Think I’ll go back tomorrow and look around a bit more.
Not really in the mood for decorating yet. My mom said my brother put up a village of lighted houses and a little tree with dog ornaments and polka dot ribbon. I’m so glad to hear this!
Have a great weekend!

Nov24

Happy Thanksgiving

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Cooking at Thanksgiving, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I hope everyone had a nice dinner!
I’m a bit late for a post as we are now finished dinner and waiting a bit for the clean up. All was pretty good-The turkey could have come out of the oven and rested longer. The side dishes were good-sauteed Parmesan Brussel Sprouts, ‘Smashed’ Yucan Gold Potatoes, Fresh Green Beans with sauteed mushrooms, Amish Sweet potatoes and Cornmeal stuffing with apple, pear and onion. This was the first time Brian ate good for a while. Sean is working overnight and is a bit anxious about that. I didn’t take any photos as we all look so blasted tired. : )
(Painting by Doris Lee)

Update-Sean left almost an hour ago for his overnight shift at Walmart. I go in from 4-8 pm. I’m still getting sore feet and knees. Ah the joy of standing so long! I go tidy up a lower shelf and sit on the floor sometimes.

Nov23

Good things come in paper packages

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I now get Southern Living magazine in the mail until April as the entertainment.com coupon offered it for $2-that was a bargain for such a lovely magazine. I put it up on a pedestal with Martha Stewart Living, but I think they each have their own uniqueness. Southern Living had some yummy recipes and they out did themselves with this issue:

Soups, Cookies, Roasts, decorations…I’m talking things I want to make. Sometimes MSL has recipes that I just don’t know what it is or where to find an ingredient. I will probably make the taco soup from SL tomorrow as I have to be to work from 5-10 pm. The store closes actually closes at 9, but they are getting ready for Black Friday. I don’t know where they will squeeze another thing in there. People can’t walk through racks without knocking stuff off as it is.

Speaking of the store, 4 hours was better as was the second day. I did write a note to the manager if I could have 5 minutes to sit down after 2 hours, I’d appreciate it. He wasn’t in, and I didn’t sit down. The chitchat lady (see my reply to Zoey yesterday) was watching me all day! She put me back in  the ladies dept. and I like that sales lady there better. They all whip through those registers so quickly! I bet they couldn’t whip through the internet like me! I only made a few boos boos, one actually I think wasn’t my fault. I did a few returns and the customers weren’t given the receipt to sign.  The customer used a debit card and she didn’t sign the receipt. Another assistant manager had to approve the transaction and she needed to sign the receipt and she didn’t. I think she stuck it in the receipt bag without the signatures. I’m only suppose to be shadowing the sales people anyway, so if I forgot a step, it’s really their mistake as they are suppose to be watching me. I’m getting it! If Brian hadn’t been sick (he’s somewhat better-temp down to 100.3) I think I could really concentrate ‘fully’ on what I’m doing. I like helping the customers the most.

I was really happy to see J.R. Martinez win the mirror ball on ‘Dancing with the Stars’. He’s the 28 yr old former soldier who got burnt so badly several years ago. He is a sweet guy and I cheered him on the entire time! He’s a great dancer. Last week, he twisted his ankle and it effected his performance, but he and Katrina bounced right back this week.

Nov21

Rough Monday

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Brian is sick with probably walking pneumonia or pneumonia after a visit to the doctor. He is laying down with a 103 fever. He coughed until 3 am, so not much sleep in this house.
I did get up and go in the store from 10-3. I didn’t get to take a break until 2 and I am very achy as I’m not use to standing more than a few hours at a time, plus being fatigued. I have to go get us dinner soon as I sure don’t feel like cooking. I am bummed I hurt so much, but hope by the end of the week I am better (two days are evening hours).  I used the register a few times and there are a few steps to follow until I get the hang of it. They accept lots of coupons! Wow!

There’s always babysitting.

Nov20

The countdown…

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Tomorrow morning I’ll be an employee for Peebles! I am still not sure what kind of clothes to wear-tops with sweaters, etc. as I don’t know how hot and cold it is there. I wore a corduroy jacket to the training and we were in the break room and I was warm and removed it. I did see a space heater on the floor in there though. I have a form fitting top pulled out of the closet for tomorrow-it’s a bigger size than I have been wearing, but believe me, I have plenty of outfits to chose from! One reason is because I was looking for some slacks I purchased last year over the past week. I bought 4 pairs as they fit me so well-but they weren’t in the closets or armoire. Brian hadn’t gotten down all my clothes from the attic (for a brief second I thought I had gotten rid of a ton of clothes-ha ha-nope)! I poked my nose up in the attic and pointed to a few bags, one of which was a Peebles bag! It contained stuff at least 8-10 years old. I think the stuff had been in the guest room closet and I needed the room, so it went up in the attic. Found a little girl’s dress, it had to be mine and it was home sewn, a pretty yellow gingham with a yellow ribbon around the bodice. I’ll have to show it to you. Needless to say, I filled up two bags for donations with the old clothes. I did kept a sweater my late mother-in-law had brought me back from France (with a UK label). It’s very 80s looking. I guess I’ll have to show you that one too-lol.

I went to our church’s bazaar yesterday and got the bushel of white mushrooms, so tonight I had to make an early dinner for Sean, so made an onion and mushroom fritata with a side of asparagus. I’m waiting on Brian, but I’m getting hungry, so I’m off to eat!

I’ll let you know how tomorrow goes…be good sinuses. : )