Not Sure How it Happened ~

 

 

Am I really turning 65 in a few short months?  How did that happen?  I guess I am now a senior citizen.  ARGH!!!  Almost daily I am getting solicitations in the mail from companies trying to sell me insurance.  Medicare is sending me things.  OPERS (kind of like government "Social Security") is sending me things.  I am so confused.  Do I want Medicare and Medicap coverage?  An advantage plan?  Holey moley it's confusing.  Today I met with a volunteer from the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program.  She is certified through the state but is strictly a volunteer.  She spent two hours explaining things to me and even followed up already by phone on a prescription issue.  Now it's time for me to do some research and make some decisions. 

 

 

Last weekend I headed out to play in Seville, Ohio.  Seville Antiques is a wonderful primitive shop.  Most of the antiques are too "primitive" for my style (and too expensive), but sometimes I manage to find a treasure or two.  I added a new stuffed pug to my collection.  Now I have triplets.  (The pug to the left was a gift from Joanne who used to blog at Snippets and Scraps of my Mind.  It was a kit that I never got around to sewing.  It sat in my closet for many years and was beautifully sewn by Melinda of Merry Wind Farm.)

 

 

Don't they just have the sweetest face?  Just like the real thing . . . sigh.

 

 

I also got a strap of old sleigh bells from Tweedthistle Primitives (Gabriella can be found on Facebook) that will be put to good use at TubaChristmas ~ a Christmas tradition for DSO, grandson Jake and me.

 

Tomorrow's the day my #1 bad boy arrives from California.  I have to pick him up at the airport bright and early but I'm not complaining.  It will be so nice to spend time with him.  Both my boys have grown up to be fine men!!!  What more could a mom ask for?

 

Thank you so much for all your comments on my last blog post.  It warms my heart how kind and sweet you all are.  Sorry I did not respond to each of your personally, but life (and decorating) has gotten in the way.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

 

 

The Big Tree ~

I don't know why, but I always save the big tree for last.  Last of the decorations to go up and last to come down.  My tree does not have a theme.  It is a hodge podge of ornaments.  Ornaments made by my niece 40+ years ago.  Those made by my boys 30+ years ago.  A couple ornaments made by my grandson Jake.  This year I had a really hard time putting up some of the ornaments.  My mom did beautiful ceramic work and I have many ornaments she made.  Then I came upon a few friend Judy (Ellie's mom) had given me over the years.  Remnants of ornaments still saved from when the tree came crashing down a few years ago.  I was feeling very melancholy.  Then I found a Santa ornament DSO had bought in Alaska, and on the bottom was written "from Loocie 2010".  Well, I lost it.  It's been about 8 months since Loocie unexpectedly died.  We still cannot believe it.  Ellie was hard enough, but the double whammy of losing Loocie so soon afterward is still more than we can bear.  Then I came upon the ornament my brother had made for me.  A picture of Loocie and on the back it said "Merry Christmas 2015".  I just started to sob.  Anyone who has lost a beloved pet surely understands :(

 

In addition to decorating, I've been binding two small mats.  Still need to cut some fresh greens.  Write cards.  Grocery shop.  All before my son arrives early Thursday morning.  I'm so excited to have him home for a few days.  It will be wonderful to celebrate Christmas with him even if not on Christmas day. 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

 

 

Much Improvement ~

Great progress has been made in the living room.  (Oops.  Vacuum cleaner is in the picture.)  All but a couple boxes have been hauled to the attic.  Swags still need to be hung on the cupboards.  I was going to change the bows but decided not to.  The last major hurdle is the big tree.  Tomorrow I am going to play so hopefully Sunday is the day :)

 

 

The paw print mat is ready to be bound.  With three rows of black (thanks for letting me know it was needed), the finished size is about 13" in diameter.

 

 

If I'm going to get more gifts made for Christmas, I'd better get busy!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Glorious Mess ~

Does your house turn disastrous when the Christmas boxes come out?  I hauled all the boxes down from the attic (MANY trips) and put them in the  pile I showed in the last post.  Now they are everywhere.  Some empty, some still full, some partially empty.  I seem to be totally disorganized jumping from one thing to another rather than finishing one area at a time.  Of course I had hoped to get more done today than I did. 

 

 

Celluloid Santa and reindeer ~

 

 

Sweet faces ~

 

 

 

Some vintage, some new ~

 

 

My dear brother brought me an early Christmas present today ~ a truckload of wood for the fireplace.  What a sweet guy, but I helped unload and my back is killing me :(

 

I'm almost done with my first little hooked mat for a dog lover.  Several more to go . . . sigh.  I'm thinking I'll add a row (or two) of black for a border.  Opinions welcome :)

 

 

We had another exceptionally mild day today ~ 60*.  It was so nice hanging the outdoor swags without freezing.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

'Tis the Season ~

Thanksgiving is over ~ time to put the turkeys away.

 

  

Now the mad rush to Christmas begins.  Every year I am going to be organized and not stress.  Maybe next year . . . sigh.  At least Thanksgiving was early this year and the fact that I am retired (though I still don't believe it) should help.  My niece and family along with my grandson stayed with me for the holiday.  It was wonderful having them here, but I am back to peace and quiet and loving it.  I started hauling boxes down from the attic but then took a break to mow my lawn.  WTH?  It's almost December.  I find it easier to mow the leaves than to rake them.  Even though we've had a freeze or two, I have a few straggler flowers blooming.  No complaints from me.

 

I still plan to hook a few Christmas gifts, but I have not even started them.  I think I'd better get busy.  They will be smallish, but still . . .   Are you like me and wait until the last minute?  I also need to make an ornament for one of the hooking groups I recently joined, fill a pair of socks for this week's guild meeting, shop, wrap, write cards, mail packages, blah, blah, blah.  So what am I doing?  Spending time on this dang computer.  No one ever accused me of being too bright . . . lol. 

Will I simplify this year?  Probably not.  My decorating style is very eclectic.  A few primitive pieces, some antique/vintage, things my boys made when young, decorations received from friends/family over the years.  Upon opening the boxes, I just can't resist putting them on display.  Sure wish I could say all my boxes have been hauled down from the attic :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren
 

Happy Thanksgiving ~

May this be your best Thanksgiving ever.  We have much to be thankful for in this great land of ours.  There is no better place to be.  We are truly blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving and may God continue to Bless America.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Finally ~

 

I'm finished with Ned.  I didn't think I was ever going to get him done.  I had so little to hook on it for so long . . . I thought when I retired I'd have hours to hook every day.  So far it has not happened and there have been a few days where I found no time to pick up the hook.  Maybe if I stayed home more???

 

I re-hooked the flower pot and stem and am happier with it.  I also added a scraggly mane.  Caroline Twigg (class teacher) thought it didn't need one because of the directional hooking of that body area, but I'm glad I added it.  I took pictures both inside and outside and couldn't get decent color.  The gold and teal are not nearly as bright in person.  Now it will join my growing pile of rugs needing binding.  (On a positive note, I did start to bind one of them.)

 

 

Our trip to Ikea was fun.  I've only been there once before for a very short time.  This time we spent a few hours walking around.  There is just so much to see.  For the most part, their furniture is not my style, though there were a few things I could easily live with.  

 

Rebekah's class was great.  She is such a sweetheart.  I don't have a finished ornament yet to share.  It was about an hour away and we ended up driving home in some near white-out conditions.  Ever since crashing on ice a few years ago, driving in bad weather frightens me, but thankfully there were no issues.

 

Cirque du Soleil.  What can I say?  The performance we attended was called Ovo (egg).  It was absolutely breathtaking.  So unreal what some people can do with their bodies.  We really did enjoy it, though we haven't a clue what it was about . . . lol.

 

I really must get busy cleaning and baking pumpkin rolls!!!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren