fancy sheets

About twenty years ago I went to a garage sale that was a like a dream come true to me. I bought a 16 place setting of Rogers silverware, lots of rhinestone pins and a gift box containing this top sheet and two pillow cases. Hand crocheted and gifted to someone who never took them out of the box. I thought how sad to not use something so beautiful...hide it away so no one ever sees it. I brought them home and put the box in the back of my linen closet. It's a full sheet for a double bed and regular size cases. We have a king bed and king cases.

In the past couple years now that Jay has moved away from home I have found myself sleeping in his room, the guest bedroom, my bedroom. I like to sleep with night lights, shades up. I like to fall asleep reading and I like to stay up late. B likes to sleep in pitch black rooms. He falls asleep instantly. Goes to bed early. Now I find that I sleep in my bedroom every night. I was putting sheets away in the linen closet and I saw this box tucked away. A perfect opportunity to use and enjoy my fancy sheets. It is a pleasure climbing into bed every night with these sheets. I feel like a princess. The cases are the same as the sheets. This is a reminder to all not to die with beautiful things tucked away waiting for that special occasion.

failure to communicate

I won tickets to a Sabre hockey game tonight. B came home from a bike ride. Went to shower. I am waiting and working at the computer. We are going to dinner first. Leaving at 5. waiting waiting waiting....then I look out the kitchen window and there he is in the car. Has been there awhile. I said why didn't you tell me you were going out to the car. He said why couldn't you look out the window and see I was out there. More words were spoken then quiet.

just sayin'

Almost everyone has a nicer kitchen than me

i don't know what to think

So I don't know what to think about this. Today I'm cooking away. I made Chocolate Chipotle cookies because I discovered a recipe for them involving a chocolate cake mix. I was looking for a recipe for cookies that I could use these little micro marshmallows in. I bought these marshmallows about a year ago and while cleaning the pantry I saw them and wanted to use them up. I'm making both cookies today.

I've also always been enchanted by chestnuts. I buy them every year and let them mold and throw them away. A few years ago I roasted them and found I like them. I have a recipe for Cream of Chestnut Soup in my wooden recipe box that B's sister, Mary, gave me years ago. The box, not the recipe. So today I made it. I've always wanted to make one of those desserts with chestnut creme filling also. Someday I will.

But to get back to this. I announced that I love to cook. It is one of the things that makes me happiest. B replied that that is something new. I haven't always liked to cook he said. I said I've always loved to cook. Why do you think I don't like it. He said...you don't like to cook because you never know what to make. I said....sometimes I think you don't know me at all. He said something like....F'ing A.... with a big sigh. I said....I do better when I just don't talk at all.

box of fun

Open me on Sunday...Dress Barn sparkly red top with frog closure and sparkly red rhinestone earrings and Avon's little black dress colgne

On Friday I stopped at an Amvets that I don't get to very often. It's very large and always has a few wonderful items waiting for me to discover. This time I kept coming across nice Alfred Dunner tops...the kind my mom likes. I came home with seven tops for her. After laundering them I started to put them away to include in her Christmas present. But then I thought....she gets so much for Christmas. Maybe I should send them now. Her best friend and her best friend's husband are quite ill now. I thought maybe this would help cheer my mom up and give her something to look forward to each day. I sometimes send her make-up and cologne that I've bought and then never use. She has always enjoyed getting those things too and tells me that she always uses them up. So this is what I did. I went through my cologne and found seven bottles that I don't use. And then my earrings to find seven pairs I could part with. I plan to wrap a top, a bottle of cologne and a pair of earrings to make seven gifts that I'll label....Open me on Monday....Open me on Tuesday etc.


Open me on Monday....Vicki Wayne's white quilty top with fake diamond solitaire earrings and White Shoulders ( I had two bottles)


Open me on Tuesday....Alfred Dunner red, white and blue sweater top with little red earrings and Clinque Aromatics Elixir (I'll have to keep that word in mind for Words with Friends)


Open me on Wednesday....Alfred Dunner striped zipper front top with tiny pink and silver earrings and Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely


Open me on Thursday....Alfred Dunner yellow, navy and white top with gold earrings and some Avon cologne I don't know the name of. Can't think of the name for that zigzag pattern either. Aargh!


Open me on Friday...Northerrn Reflections tan sweater top with embroidered pink roses, pink flower dangle earings and Avon's Extrodinary (I had a little trouble parting with these earrings but they looked so much like the roses that I had to let them go.


Talbots intarsia sweater with purple and silver Jody Coyote earrings and Givenchy Organza

I'm throwing in a bag of my make-up. Just what every one would want. LOL Happy opening Mom! Have fun!!

ten years younger

Friday evening I drove to NCCC to meet up with B for the annual Employee Recogntion Dinner. B was presenting an award to a woman in his department. We were assigned table 19 with the other V-Ps but B had promised his staff (all women) that he would sit with them. I believe he has a staff of about 30 (all women) and 7 were attending. I had only met one or two of them before and it was obvious to me that they like my husband and were happy with his decision to sit at their table. They asked me lots of questions....like where did B get that cloth bag that he takes his lunch to work in every day.

This was the menu...

Butler passed shrimp & antipasto
Spring greens with poached pear, dried cranberries, and blue cheeese crumbles
Roasted turkey with cranberry glaze
Pepper crusted beef tenderloin
Linguine with julienne of squash, zucchini and mushrooms with garlic olive oil
Eggplant roulades
Oven roasted red potatoes
Whipped butternut squash

It was incredible as usual. It was prepared by the culinary department as usual. The school is getting ready to open a new culinary school and restaurant in Niagara Falls.

So anyway we were standing in line and one of his ladies said to me "So how much younger are you than your husband anyway? You look at least ten years younger."
I replied " Two weeks. Older. Two weeks older."

I do not think that B overheard this little exchange and I did not tell him. But I secretly rolled it around in my head the rest of the evening.

happy birthday

happy birthday to me
happy birthday to me
happy birthday dear mona
happy birthday to me

dinner at the butler mansion

Firm dinner at the Butler Mansion on Delaware and what I plan to wear.

Fushia Coldwater Creek dress with silver sparkly Enzo flats, vintage crystal necklace, crystal earrings, beaded purse and sheer pink ruffly shawl

Thought about black velvet pumps and black velvet shawl but everyone wears black including me most of the time. Decided to go crystal and rosy tonight.

pumpkin mousse

Whip a half cup of whipping cream. Fold in half a jar of pumpkin butter and a squirt of maple syrup. You can spice it up with cinnamon or nutmeg or both.

free fridays

I don't work on Fridays and I think it is one of the wisest decisions I've ever made. I will start working Fridays and even Saturdays again during tax season. But in the meantime I have to say that money is nice, but I really don't spend much of it. Time thrills me more. Time to clean my house and pursue fun activities. One of which is thrifting. Goodwill finds can thrill me as much as a new Jaguar may thrill other people.

Today I'm buckling down and getting some housework done, but last Friday I went to Goodwill and came home satisfied. I found a nice pair of St John's Bay brown corduroy jeans and a pair of Loft black corduroy jeans among another things. Two of my favorite finds were a vintage dress from the 20s or 30s and a beaded blouse. I saw a lady look at the blouse and put it in her cart. I actually waited around and pretended to look through things until she came out of the dressing and hung it back on the rack. That's when I grabbed it and headed to the check-out.
So here is my vintage dress


I know it looks kind of like a baggy sack. It actually looks pretty cute on due to the smocking on the shoulders and the gatherings in the back below the waist.


the tag....I Googled and I believe it is pretty old


shoulder smocking


black velvet bow


back waist gathering


beaded blouse....wore it Wednesday and got a compliment

toastmasters

Today was our open house and I had volunteered to be humorist. I volunteered for this position because I often have humorous things happen in my life that I can relate. This week the only humor I encountered was inappropriate for a Toastmasters meeting. With nothing funny going on to talk about and time running out, I sat down this and penned this little poem that talks about my first Toastmaster's meeting and the events that proceeded.

Reluctant to attend
I sat there, stomach churning
When asked why I was there
I felt my face start burning

I replied that I was terrified
When faced with public speaking
Those words set my teeth a-chattering
And my eyes a-leaking

I sat there feeling cynical
Amidst that smiling crowd
Thinking that I would never fit in
With this group that spoke so proud

Then the speeches started
I got lost in emotions
Drawn into their lives
As if I’d been given potions

I like these smiling faces
I like all this support
And so I joined Toastmasters
And I’m happy to report…

That I have spoken four times
And filled every single role
Although it still is sometimes hard
I’m working towards a goal

Reluctant to attend
I sat there feeling cynical
But my feelings started to bend
And I hope to reach a pinnacle