Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Sign of the Times....

Here we are in the middle of one of the happiest seasons of the year and I am feeling a bit sad. It is no secret that I am terribly attached to cotton quilting fabric. It holds a special place in my heart. It is a form of therapy that not many people understand.
An institution in downtown Garland is closing it doors. It is part of the square that houses a variety of family owned businesses.....those old friendly places where people know your name and shopping is personal.
I spent many hours inside of these walls. Much of the paycheck I earned each month went toward paying their rent!!! Some people find enjoyment in shopping for clothing, some love kitchen stores, and some are into home furnishings. I love fat quarters...and now it is over.
Yes, other places sell fabric but it is not the same. Only a quilter would understand this.
I can still sew. I have enough fabric stashed to keep me in business well past when my eye sight and my mind will be able to focus on my sewing machine but gone will be the days I can just walk in and look. That is half the fun and it is over.
So, during this season of Ho Ho Ho and jingle bells I am a bit remorseful and wishing that there was a way to save the quilt shop. It just will not be the same. It is probably strange to be so sad but as I said goodbye and walked out of the door for the last time I was weepy.
If this is a sign of the time then is is not a very good sign. The big box stores just don't get it.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Happy Anniversary to Me!!!....

Okay so that sounds a little self serving, but it was a great anniversary weekend. It started on a wonderfully cool, rainy Saturday with Sara gone to the movies and Jimmy and the dogs headed to check on things at the lake. ALONE!!! No, not sad, not lonely...it was just what I had wished for. A whole day in an empty house with a stack of Christmas cards to address. I have been in the "Deck the Halls" mood for about three weeks now. So it was me, the Hallmark Channel and a day of sappy Christmas shows. I watched five...yes, five in a row and addressed cards as slowly as possible to savor the peace and quite to the fullest. Heaven sent is all I can say!
Sunday brought a beautiful day and a return of hubby and the dogs. My normally bah humbug husband actually drug out all of the outside Christmas decor and smiled while he strung the lights!!! What a treat.
You've gotta love a man that looks like he is actually enjoying what he dislikes the most!
Penguin unpacked and ready for assembly. I really think the reason for the enthusiasm is the purchase of the 8 foot inflatable bird! I have had an aversion to the things forever but in the spirit of the season I succumbed and bought the man his toy. My reward....
Outside decorations up and a smile on the man of the day!!
So I call it a great weekend to celebrate 41 years! I will take it over a fancy dinner any day!

Friday, November 25, 2011

The Day After Thanksgiving.....

Really known to almost everyone who has any form of communication device as 'BLACK FRIDAY'. Oh no, I am not a believer. I actually had a friend ask me last night if I wanted to go along with her to Walmart to get in on some of the "deals". Not just "no thanks" but "are you totally crazy?". Not me. There is not a thing I can think of that would cause me to partake in the madness of the midnight sale.I really think it is a type of female sport. Men hunt deer, women hunt cashmere sweaters that cost $28. It is the thrill of the conquest. It is the ultimate high. It is that special find that only comes from beating 2000 people to the last waffle maker that costs $9.99.
So, while everyone else was loaded with Starbucks and enjoying the hunt, I was in total bedtime bliss. However, this morning I could not resist. Surely the stores were cleared out by 9 a.m.!!! So off Sara and I went. SCORE! Still plenty of bargains left and no lines anywhere. We managed to locate the last few items we needed and then headed off to locate the last thing on our Christmas list.....

Two pairs of full fledged cowboy boots. No, I do not mean the stylish slouch boots that most women find appealing. I mean the kind that only a Texas Tech grad could love. One for Sara and one for me. So the question my fam asked when I showed them my purchase..."are those going to fit around your calves"? What are you implying??? My legs may not be the ones of my youth but I can two step with the best of them...in style now!!! Blame it on Footloose....I am hooked!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Time Out....

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I love this time of year. I even LOVE to be in the kitchen. It just feels right. I loved being in my grandmother's kitchen when we had the opportunity be there on the holiday. It was small but it was busy. Everyone sat and watched all of the preparation in that tiny area. Maybe it was special because the smells stayed in there. They did not drift off to some other part of the house....the part where the men gathered.


Standing here in the peace of my "space" I had time to think about how much I have to be thankful for this year so I am taking time out for a moment to be grateful for....

A son who is home for Thanksgiving for the first time in 14 years.
A less hectic life now that I am in retirement mode.
Another son who has finished a year long project many miles from home and has hung in there when I know it was tough.
A beautiful granddaughter who gives the best hugs in the world.
A daughter in law who fits in so well and makes me feel needed.
Drew's "special friend" who has become an important part of my family.
Amazing friends who are totally irreplaceable in my life.
Sixty three years of good health and endless energy.
A daughter who sees nothing but good in people and is so grateful for the gifts she has.
A house that is warm and cozy and filled with everything that makes me know it is my HOME.
Enough to allow me to continue to take care of our special "adopted" son in Kenya. Letters from across the world are so important to me. The ability to continue his support is a priceless gift.My list is so much longer than this but it is time to get back to the kitchen and the pies in the oven.

And no, I did not forget my beloved spouse of 41 years who continues to amaze me with his support and encouragement every year during the hectic holidays. Thanks for pitching in....I really do need for you to keep in touch with your iPad while I prepare for tomorrow! I will let you know when dinner is served!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

24 and Counting!......

We have an addition. No, not to our immediate family yet (but it won't be long)....but to the Shubzda clan. This time it is not a wedding but a baby for my niece Tammy and her husband Gary! It is exciting and we are so happy to have a girl cousin for Brooklynn. Tammy and Gary have waited a long time and welcoming Peyton Isabelle was a dream come true for all concerned.
I am in love. She is just too cute and there is nothing like holding that newborn to make one Gramma extremely anxious for the pending arrival of our next grandbaby. The girls will be close enough in age to have a junior version of the "Shubzda Olympics". Maybe will will create some truly unique kids games to go with the adult festivities.
Congrats Tammy and Gary and welcome to the family Peyton. We are a pretty crazy crew!!!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Epic Fail....

Yes, it was me a few short weeks ago that said in print that I would not get sucked into the "Christmas too early" craze that sweeps the entire planet as soon as the kids have emptied their Halloween pumpkins. I absolutely would not drag out one Christmas related item until I had cleared the Thanksgiving table that was appropriately decorated with fall colors, pilgrims, and turkeys. I was going to completely concentrate on being thankful and season appropriate.
I FAILED miserably. I could not help it. When I turned on the car radio and 103.7 was playing Christmas carols I was bit by the bug. I went home and started digging through the plastic tubs. I rationalized. It makes perfect sense you know. I mean Christmas is just by nature a hectic time of the year. So much to be done, so little time. Being a step ahead of the game (I don't think Nov. 15th is too early, do you?) just means more time to enjoy the season.
Shopping to be done, cookies to be baked, presents to be wrapped, cards addressed....the tree just has to go up now!! I will surely never finish! So I failed. I am not sad. I am relieved to have a jump on the tasks at hand. I am sure if Walmart and Macy's do it then it must be okay. I can still be thankful....that from now until December 25th I can take it a day at a time and not be in panic mode during the most wonderful time of the year.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Switched.....

It is that dreaded time of the year again. Yes, I love fall, but it means up with the summer and down with the winter. I am blessed. I am not making the switch from a closet in the garage like I did before we moved. I simply have to drag in an 8 foot ladder and move what is up down and what is down up.
This job has been calling my name for about three weeks and when the temps dropped below 40 degrees, I knew the sleeveless shirts had to go.
This is the time of the year when I envy Oprah Winfrey and Mariah Carey. One look into their California style closet and you know that bringing in a carpenter to do some closet redesign would be a woman's dream. Mariah's 200 pairs of shoes are neatly color coded and arranged by style and design. My twenty shoe boxes have no rhyme or reason to where they are stacked. A picture on the end of each box? Hmmm...that would mean I would actually have to rummage through and assess the value of each pair. That would probably entail pitching about 50% of them and replacing them with new ones. Oh, what a great idea!!!
However, not cost effective right now with Christmas approaching. Guess they will be fine where they are until the spring switch!
So, no, the shoes are not organized but the clothes are and there are four giant sized bags of clothes on the floor that are purged from the mess on the clothing rods. I am season appropriate and ready for cool temperatures. Still I would not be sad if Oprah sent a professional organizer my way!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

It Takes A Village.....

Yes, three men, three women, and a two year old to assemble these four boxes of poorly marked wooden pieces into what we hoped would be many hours of recreation for Brooklynn. With a new baby sister on the way, Brooklynn needed her own backyard park to entertain her while mom takes care of a newborn.

And so on a sunny Sunday afternoon (in the middle of football season) we set out to construct a swingset for Brooklynn. Long gone are the metal swingsets our children enjoyed. We have moved on to complex fort, play yard, picnic table structures. Little did we know that these boxes full of what seemed like a combination of legos, lincoln logs and an erector set would take about twenty hours of non stop labor. Mandy called it "a family bonding day". I am sure that the men had a totally different name for the time spent!
As all women are inclined to do...we wanted to hurry the project along by sorting pieces and
distributing the screws. Sadly enough, our efforts were not always appreciated as there was only one set of instructions and men that were on a mission.
So, we watched....
And finally...a happy Brooklynn! And three men who would gladly call the 1-800 number on the box for professional assembly the next time one of these has to go up!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Boo Ya'll!....

I love Halloween! Kids love Halloween! The month of October is spent picking out costumes, picking and carving pumpkins, and enjoying the fall.
Our neighborhood must love halloween too! Each year we hold a carnival complete with bounce houses, clowns, cake walks, and cotton candy. It is time to get out and visit with the neighbors. People that are always in a hurry take time out to hang out. Front yards are full of lawn chairs and kids get to play in the street. Free dinner is included so who is going to pass on the opportunity to enjoy a free meal...NOT ME!

This year gave Brooklynn and I a chance to make an impromptu visit to the pumpkin patch. Walking on them was a lot more fun that picking one to take home. Must say she was not nearly as fascinated by the white pumpkins as I was.
Then the big night comes and it is a race to see who can fill their bucket the quickest!
My kids always loved the day. Maybe not nearly as much as I did. I was the guilty parent who could not wait until their kids were tucked in so I could raid the sacks of candy. It was M&M's all the way for me. So...that is what I buy now. There is always the remote chance that we may not pass out our allotment and the remaining ones can be hidden for those days when a little sugar is called for.
Now the "Monster Mash" is put up for another year and sadly enough the Christmas trees are already adorning every retail establishment. Some how we totally bypass Thanksgiving these days. I am guilty of dragging out decorations WAY too early...so this year I am going to avoid the trap. I will serve Thanksgiving dinner with fall decorations still up. It may mean hurried evenings to get the Santa's in place but I am determined. I am going to enjoy the month of November just like I did the Halloween season in October and count my blessings because this year I have so much to be thankful for.