Farewell 2009 & Cleaning Out the "Digital" Closet!

As 2009 draws near to a close I would like to take a moment to say that this past year was a phenomenal one - and thats partly due to YOU!

I was not planning to post today as I am between painting my finger and toenails, having a beauty nap and then preparing for a romantic New Year's Evening alone with my most handsome Mr. He's also sprucing himself up and has bought and brought home a selection of delicious and exotic morsels which he himself is going to cook up and serve me later this evening. Yes, our daughter had planned to be here but now won't arrive till tomorrow. I'd looked forward to seeing her but then again... there is something COMPLETELY special about spending this momentous evening with the most amazing man in the world, my husband.

I was thinking about what 2011 will bring, and though I do not make New Years Resolutions, I prayed and was led to think that 2011 will be a "Giving" year. In that train of thinking I would have loved to build a new wonderful digital kit to give here on my blog, but with time of the essence I simply cannot. So... I rummaged around in my digital archives and dusted off my "Junkyard Garden" kit which I created under the name of Olivia Dorazio when I designed for the Sophia Sarducchi Studios - which folded last year. I do not even have time to change the graphics, so I am giving this kit "as is" with the old info from Sophia, you will just have to ignore that. I will GIVE this kit for FREE (for Personal Use) over the next three days - the papers today, the alpha tomorrow and followed up on Sunday with the elements pack. I hope you enjoy!

In case you wonder what ever happened to "Sophia" herself, that would be Saxon Holt who now designs for Scrapbook Elements - and you can find her amazing products by clicking HERE. I sure miss you Saxon, you were a wonderful "boss-lady" and my experience designing in the digital world was a very positive one!

I also will post a digital layout in the next day or two featuring my wonderful New Year's Eve romantic celebration using my friend KimB's new kit called "A Fresh Start" - If you are looking for a gorgeous kit to scrap your New Year's memories you can't go wrong with this kit!

Just click HERE to be taken to Kim's blog where you can find instructions on how to get to her store (elbowing your way through the stampede)

And now I will take myself off to the closet to riffle through and find the absolutely most pretty thing I own to amaze my Mr. with! Here are the previews to my full "Junkyard Garden" Kit and then the link to the papers pack! Don't forget to visit over the next few days to scoop the alpha and papers! I would love to see how you use this kit! Thank you for all of YOU who have visited my blog this past year.

Barb Derksen (aka Olivia Dorazio)'s Junkyard Garden Kit
Papers Pack download link, just click
HERE

I Like...

I must confess that I always wait to see if I get tea towels for Christmas. I was fortunate to recieve this pretty one from someone dear to me. I have hung it in a very visible place where it will be used often, therefore I will think of my 'gifter' often as well!

I also fortified my supply on Boxing Day as well. I'm swapping them out right now, in fact.

Did YOU recieve tea towels as well?


-- Post From My iPhone

A Special Prezzie

And what should be waiting for me when we arrived home? A parcel, a prezzie ~ from my dear friend Valinda! I was all aquiver to open it when my Mr brought it in. Ahem, good thing you did not see me shred the wrap V! I'm sure I had it off in ten seconds flat.

What a lovely assortment of pretties! I will not go through each item in detail for reasons I can't disclose at the moment but all will come clear in the future.

This is one of many presents I've been blessed with from my blog friends - tangible evidence of the deep, rich and lasting relationships which are born through the blogging/scrapping community over the years. I totally treasure each item. I look forward to blessing back ~ over time as I find the 'just right thing(s)' for everyone.

Thank you Valinda and Christy for these lovely gifts and the amazing card (picture does not do it justice). I wish I coud hug you across the miles!



-- Post From My iPhone

The trip home

After waving goodbye to Mom and Dad (always bittersweet) we made it to Chilliwack where I took the photo on the previous post. Actually my Mr. stopped me to a thrift store we discovered before leaving there where I managed to zero my holiday cash. We fueled up Seb (our van) at the chevron and ourselves with coffee at Starbucks - both high octane.

The roads were good, no falling snow unti we got to Keremeos.





This is K mountain which is the backdrop to this small town. Can you see the K?





The clouds and sun played together to create some nice scenes along the way.





The river like a ribbon of chrome.





I always wonder at this fence made of tires. This is just a tiny portin of it at this ranch. It must get very hot in our desert climate. And while I think it's a clever way of recycling the rubber I wonder if it might not pose a threat for west Nile virus with water standing in it at times.





We followed behind this vehicle for many nervous miles - it kept creeping WAY over the line.





I wonder if it was due to cell use? If it was I hope they got their fill because come January 1 it will be against the law. I say ABOUT TIME. Though I did observe one lady driving while eating fries and gravy, with a fork- on our way down to the coast...





As we neared the top of the Richter pass which is very near to home we were treated to a few miles of landscape which was flocked with a light hoarfrost.





These tiny pictures don't really do it justice.





And finally I always feel like we are home when we come to Spotted Lake. It's about a ten minute drive from home. This lake is fascinating at any time of year.

So now we are home safe and sound and snug. I look forward to a few quiet days before our daughter comes to visit. By then I will be ready to make a big creative mess with her in the kitchen and crafts room. But for now I have a date with the treadmill.



-- Post From My iPhone

Location:89th St,Okanagan-Similkameen A,Canada

Heading Home

Waiting for my man in the parking lot of Safeway on the way home from holidays. He's in there buying salad items to get us thru recovery from "Christmas at Mother's" which always wreaks havoc on our waistlines.


-- Post From My iPhone

Inspiring Video - Pink Glove Dance

My friend Joy sent me this inspiring video and so thought I would share it with you!

Cool Satellite Site!

I recieved an email with this cool site in it today and thought I would share it with you.

Its called SIMPLE SATELLITE TRACKING and this site allows you to feed YOUR country and town into it and then it gives you a PRINTABLE sheet which tells you exactly when satellites are flying over your place! It also tells you how bright they will be and which direction to look in to see it.

AND if you have a mobile phone, you can sign up to SPACEWEATHER PHONE on the site and it will tell you when a satellite is passing - almost in your backyard!

To visit this cool site just click on the following screenshot (I took of MY town's satellite schedule)

Sharing, Sharing! - FREE Recipe, CD and Scrapbooking Elements

mustn't complain

Life is BUSY! Good busy. Would not have it any other way. Thanks for all you who keep reminding me to post. Without your reminders I'd just hole up here all winter like a hibernating type of animal. I'll jump right into my post.

Last week I enjoyed a luncheon with my church family and I decided to make two easy recipes. They are both ones which can be prepared the day ahead and then cooked on the day OF your event. Real COMFORT food for a chilly or wet day.

Barb's Easy Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Warning! NOT a diet recipe though you are welcome to give it your own healthy makeover.

Take:

About a cup.

Just enough to 'enhance' the flavour - this is in place of 1/4 cup white wine. I think I used about 1/4 cup apple juice and 1 tbsp vinegar. Add it bits and keep tasting - you'll KNOW when its right/

Cook for 6 hours!

Ok - from this point its your choice. At home I put some in a heat proof bowl, add a toasted crust of light bread (french - or 1/2 kaiser bun) Top with a slice of Havarti and toss the works under the broiler till the cheese is nice and melty. Obviously its so delicious I did not wait around to take a picture of this.

And the crowd pleasing and time saving recipe is Oven Grilled Cheese. I was thinking - how can I speed up the two sandwich per pan sort - well, by doing it in the oven. Its like this: Preheat oven to 450. Butter 9 slices of bread, lay them butter side down on a foil lined cookie sheet. Add a cheese slice ontop of each, top with another slice of bread. Butter all the tops. Put in oven, bake 6-8 mins on each side till golden brown.

*****

Keep some opinions to yourself. Say what you please of others, but never repeat what you hear said of them to themselves. If you have nothing to offer of yourself, laugh with the witty, assent to the wise; they will not think the worse of you for it. Listen to information on subjects you are unaquainted with, instead of always striving to lead the conversation to some favourite one of your own. By the last method you will shine, but not improve. I am ashamed myself ever to open my lips on any question I have not written upon.

~ William Hazlitt

*****

I was thinking the other day as I was baking, what things I would keep of my Gramma's had I had the choice in it. Other than the beautiful woodpecker toothpick holder, which my lovely friend Shirley sent me a ways back (I treasure it each day, Shirley - it sits right above my kitchen sink) - the other items I'd have wanted of Gramma's are:

Bible

Knitting Needles

Sewing Machine

Pin Cushion

Wooden Spoon

Canner

Her Reading Glasses

Cookie Cutters

garden spade

These are the things which make me think of her most. I think of HER whenever I use these things of my own at home.

What would YOU have kept had you had a choice?

*****

I am going on a REAL DATE tonight with my husband - I'm very excited about this - saw these gals on our local TV station.

*****

click on picture to visit Kristi's Site!

With Christmas a short time away its time we are all in preparation. What better way than to begin to prepare our HEARTS first - then all will flow from this? If your thoughts are turning to the real meaning of Christmas you can find inspiration in the music of Christian Music Artist Kristi Northrup - she's giving her CD album away for FREE (option to donate to some great missions if you feel led to do so) Why not get into the GIVING early by passing Kristi's website to a friend who needs a lift? Help spread THE WORD!

******

I am still planning on making some more Brass Plate words in the future - still have to find time to take photos (using Mr.'s camera as my flash is broken) In the meantime I've been experimenting with some nice swirls and created you this Overlay/Embellishment set - hope you enjoy! They are provided as a FULL PSD file, or smashed down into both a nice 12 x 12 overlay - one with/one without emboss. Download is BIG.

PuhLeese don't share this yourself - at least have your friends come download for themselves. Click on the preview photo to get :) Won't you send me a snap of how YOU use these pretties so I can "TOOT" you here?

First Snow of 2009!

We had our first snow of the year, yesterday! It did not stick except on the tops of the hills and even lightly then.

Its a beautiful day today. I've pre-prepared (is that a real word?) a crock of french onion soup for tomorrow's luncheon at our church and also juiced fresh Pink Lady apples from the orchard. My hunny bunny is taking me for Dim Sum in a few moments. The little bakery downtown used to offer it EVERY day, then they took it away but have begun again - due to popular demand. Oh happy is me!

I'll share a random thought here. I make my husband blush all the time with the questions I ask people. The questions are out of my mouth before I think of them sometimes. For example, when I was at the dentist the week before last, I asked "Has the power ever gone out when you were working on a patient?" (Yes, but it did not create a problem) and when I overheard the assistant say she could not locate a certain tool and they seem to be getting lost I asked "Has anyone ever had light fingers and lifted equiptment or tools when you leave them alone in the room?" (No, not that they are aware of) Haha, will they be watching ME now?

Anyways, I LOVE to ask people questions. I have an unexhaustable curiousity and I'm very often rewarded when I ask. I DO have a line I draw when I query - I don't try to PRY. One blessing I've found is that some people LOVE to be asked.

How about YOU? Do you like to ask, or do you refrain?

Rememberance Day - Visiting a "Land Army Girl"

click to play my interview with Eileen

I had the pleasure to spend Rememberance Day (Wednesday, November 11th here in Canada) with my dear friend Eileen. To be honest, I had no idea at the time she was a Veteran. I was so thankful to have visited at this exact time for had I not she may have not realized it was even Rememberance Day at all! After she shared her story we made sure she pinned her medal on her sweater and sent her down to the lunchroom at the home where she lives. I mentioned the medal to the care-aides so they might query her on her story.

If you would like to know more about the Women's Land Army, you can click HERE.

I'm Really Really here and I'm Really Really Posting!

Oh Me, Oh My, what HAVE I been up to? I've been recieving emails to ask if I'm "OK" because I have not posted in so long, and I thank you for caring!

VALINDA - you are ever so patient, always faithful and you are the sort of friend I hope I am to others. You never let more than a few days go by without checking in on me. I truly appreciate you.

KIM, you keep tabs on me too - and you're almost spooky in the way you seem to send lil encouragements my way at EXACTLY when I need it. OMGosh, OMGosh x 100 - I just went to your bloggy and Judy's and its confirmed I missed (or should I say MESSED your birthday) Sigh sigh. Forgive, please. Everyone else, pls, hop over to Kims and wish her a happy old live long day for me? She's got some great giveaways to celebrate her milestone as well!

And MELANIE, dear daughter, I did not realize you get your "Mommy-fix" at my blog. That alone is reason to be more diligent.

So what HAVE I been up to? {and speaking about daughters, encouragement in the same breath} I have been working on my health and beauty regime. On the inside, trying to eat healthier, on the outside (if I were an insect you might say I have been working on my exoskeleton) - I've been RUNNING!!! and working out on an elliptical on a regular basis. Ok, yeah if you have followed me for a long time you're shaking your head asking "running?" for I have creaky knees that grind, will eventually have to be replaced. Well, its a foregone conclusion they are going to wear out all on their own, I may as well enjoy running and being in great shape so that WHEN that transpires the road to recovery will be faster and easier. I can't tell you how good it feels.

My Mr. and I have so many fond memories tied up in running. We used to run AT NIGHT, thats right middle of the night, but safely, down bike paths with loads of moonlight. It still plays in my head like a romantic moonlight movie score. I see the silhouettes of trees against the bruised black/blue night sky, with silver ribbons of light playing from the edges of the clouds. I see the moon ringed with frosty translucent pastel rainbows, shimmering. I see stars twinkling like studs in a velvet sky. I see bright streaks of colour painted onto the undulating water on the lake in a perpetual cycle. Ahhh, so do you see how running is so much more to me than just a way to stay in shape?

I'm into eating healthier. I'm not a breakfast person EVER except on very very special events, but I do have a date with my Magic Bullet each day and I whip up fresh, slushy fruit drinks to start me out. I never know what colour will happen. Sometimes pumice, sometimes fuschia, sometimes green with little black seeds (kiwi). All the blueberries, peaches, pears etc that I froze in the heat of the summer is blessing me now with a delicious bit of the okanagan in my mug each day.

And I'm really REALLY into salads. I'm sort of stuck on ones made with leafy baby greens/herbs, peppers, carrots, apples (picked straight off a tree practically right outside my window) toasted pecans - all tossed with a smidge of extra virgin olive oil and apple balsamic vinegar.

Then, for more of my OUTSIDE, I've been experimenting with make-up. Our daughter Melanie shared links with me for KANDEE the Makeup Artist. Have you ever seen her? Watched one of her YouTube Videos? Visited her blogs? If not, you MUST. Talk about talent, she has a true gift to 'do make-up' and she's a tremendous encourager as well! Here's one of her Video's so you can see what I mean.

Our daughter sort of went wild experimenting one day and this is what she came out looking like - is that pretty cool? Now I have never seen her looking like this and she assures me this is NOT her daily look LOL! But it is impressive nevertheless! I've been playing around with some of Kandee's tips and hints for makeup and learned a lot.

Melanie, Good Goth Girl!

I've been knitting! Ok well, I'm sure everyone agrees its nice to recieve a hand made gift. I wanted to make something for my sister Nina for her birthday and after looking at a lot of ideas I thought I would try to knit some 'wrist warmers' Well... they certainly are NOVEL, and I really will be surprised if she ever does wear them, but they were my first and she can just treasure them in a drawer somewhere. Since my effort at hers I've been working on more - actually refining the basic pattern I had and adding in a few features. I did learn how to knit using a set of circular needles from watching a YouTube video by a lady who tells us to think of the one needle not in use at any given time as a 'swinging udder'. Sounds strange, but it works. I do NOT know how to crochet. One day, one day I am sure.

I've been LEARNING Adobe Illustrator and digital photography at the school where my Mr. teaches. I'm loving it, managing to attend twice a week.

Leena and husband Jussi

And lastly, I've been doing quite a bit with our Women's group at our church. We've begun hosting the occaisional crafts night and have established a weekly bible study group. Its been a wonderful time of connection and growth, though it calls for a lot of commitment and hard work. I also maintain a blog for our Women's group and you might want to check that out as I just updated and posted a beautiful song sung by a guest last Sunday - Leena, singing "Standing on Holy Ground" Click HERE to be taken to our OCC Women's Blog

And, I did manage to make one small teensy giveaway. Kristy YaYa (blog reader) suggested all sorts of wonderful boy/guy type words to be fashioned out of the brass stencil I have. Kristy, more WILL come, but I have to confess this is all I could get out of an entire shoot last time. My camera's flash is DEAD and gone and I need to purchase another. Out of 50 photos I took only this word turned out clear enough for me to cut out. Look for more words in the future, I will borrow my Mr's camera if I have to.

DOWNLOAD
{personal use only}

MORE Happy Birthdays!

MORE birthday wishes (November 6th) going out to.... (drumroll!)

Nina my sister and super duper card maker. Wishing you an amazing, special happy day. I hope you had a good sleep in & I love you more than words can say. You're catching up to me haha! Here you make cards for everyone else in the universe (see her cards and wish her a happy birthday on her blog HERE) - I hope you get them all poured back, Sis!

And to Candy - I'm ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you're going to be pampered by your family. Can't wait to share via your Mom's (Judy) blog in the near future.

And now, a cute little birthday vid!

Happy Birthday to My Man!

The Recipe (Blushing) and a Free Brass Word Element

 

I certainly didn't win any favour when I did not include a link for those delicious Portuguese Buns I posted pictures of.  Well, I wanted a big build-up ok? 

Actually I did not have any shortening the batch I made, and they were small and so I decided I was going to wait and make them BIGGER and put the shortening in as well - THEN I was going to share but thats not going to happen this week due to a hectic schedule, sooooo You can find the recipe by clicking on the picture of the buns, below.  I found out the OFFICIAL name for these is Papasecos

 

 

I hope yours turns out as good as mine!

My poor husband is under the influence of some virus - could it be swine or H1N1?  I don't know but its certainly not good.  I was forwarded Dr. Oz's Prevention Rules and I guess, even though its too late for our household they might help yours. 

 

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don't trust salt).  *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm

*****

Lastly - I've not created anything to give away for a while so I decided to make a small gift for you.  I will be making several words in this series and would love your suggestions.   These were based from a set of antique brass stencil letters I picked up at our local thrift store last week. This can really be used as a stencil too.   I've left it without a drop shadow so you can add your own.  Enjoy! 

Click on the preview to be taken to the download site.  (PS - I would LOVE to see how you use this in a project!)

PERSONAL USE ONLY

Nummy Buns!

Ha, I have SO MUCH to blog that I think I will only blog one little thing. :|

Osoyoos has a large population of Portuguese people and we used to buy the most delicious Portuguese buns from a magazine shop on main street. That's right - a magazine shop! The buns were baked in Vancouver (I was told) and they would get trucked in to various locations around the valley each Saturday.

It was always a good idea to 'reserve' a few dozen because if you didn't they were GONE within an hour of arrival. And this was hundreds of buns! They were so good the tourists and locals alike would flock to the store to purchase them. On the rare occasion the buns were not sold out the owners would store them in the freezer and you could buy them that way as well.

Then, the magazine shop suffered a fire, and we could no longer get the buns. Oh woe was me (and a lot of other people as well) - until I found out we could buy them from an East Indian Market this side of Oliver... then eventually even they stopped getting them. Sigh sigh, what to do - by now I was totally addicted to them!

WHAT MADE them so special?

A light as a feather bun with an angel food cake soft inside and a chewy, nutty roasty flavoured crust (which when toasted makes a crackly, satisfyingly crunchy toast) Sometimes they arrived all coated in flour which had a roasted flavour and made them 'shish' against each other. And the aroma? Indescribable!

So, I decided the other day to look for a recipe on the internet. It was not easy to track down a genuine one but after much searching I found one which brought me very close to the original ones we used to buy.

We used to buy ones shaped like this - like little footballs - and sometimes they came round with the indent down the middle. Mine are on the small size, the ones we used to get were about twice as big.

Here they are ready to pop into the oven after rising!

And here they are in their full glory! Light as a feather, nicely browned, and the smell........

Now I will not have to long for them again. My Mr. has made me promise NOT to bake them too often - he cannot resist!

Ok, so I am sort of laughing here because I KNOW my friend Betty will be by at some time and is surely going to be drooling over MY post. So, its sort of a revenge thing - travel on over to Betty's blog and you will see what I mean - (SHE posted a recipe on hers that looks DE-LISH!) and I made the mistake of visiting her ON AN EMPTY TUMMY. Aarrrrghhh - I had a binge after that haha! Click on the preview below to visit Betty.

A Visit With My SIL!

I'm such a BAD blogger lately. Its funny how it goes, sometimes you can't find a thing to blog about of interest and other times life is so rich and full and BUSY that there's simply no time to blog, thus creating and overabundance of bloggable materials.

Such has been the case for me and I keep telling myself "I'll blog tomorrow... " but then my tomorrows are as busy as ever. I've been meaning to journal about my last visit with my (SIL) Sister in Law, Judy. (this is THREE Sister in Law visits in one summer! Woo Hoo!)

Judy's visits with me are always a whirlwind of activity because we share a love of all things digital + scrapbooking and so we use the time for her to pick my brain and learn new things. She's so much more talented than she ever gives herself credit for - which is quickly apparent if one visits her blog - just click on the picture below to do that.

At any rate we fit a LOT into our visit. We managed to go shopping, thrift shopping, dining out and all sorts of fun activities.

This is our friend Alison (left) with Judy (right) at the viewpoint just south of Penticton.

And here's me and Judy! We did a zoom-zoom trip into town where we tore up the stores and thrift stores and then tucked into a buffet Chinese dinner. I don't think we could have felt like posing afterward so its a good thing we took our pics before.

While Judy visited we also did our rounds to get some fresh tomatoes and also an always profitable and entertaining drop in to the local packing house to get apples.

When we drove into the packing house parking lot we could not resist the pull of the brilliant golden hues of these brushes against the rich reds of the apple bins.

Then it was up the other side of the valley to the viewpoint and vista at Anarchist Mountain.

And finally, my favorite photo of all -

Thank you for an awesome visit, Judy - it was the nicest visit we've ever had and I enjoyed my time with you completely. You are very special to me and I love you dearly.

<><><><><>

I am starting some courses at the Learning Centre and a Bible Study with the women from my church on Tuesdays and slating Wednesdays to be my 'creative day' (won't be answering the phone or nuthin!) ... well what I'm trying to tell you is that if you don't see as much of me its because I am trying to get organized and ahead and blogging seems to be a luxury. Don't give up on me - one of the courses I'll be taking is Adobe Illustrator so I'm hoping some of my lessons turn out to be some items I can use for giveaway! Thanks for still coming to visit me even though I've not been able to visit all of YOU!

Happy Anniversary - Belated Birthday and Who's Running This Show?

Dave and his NETI-fish!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to our brother Dave and our Sister in Law Neti! And belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Neti - was a few days ago. Sigh sigh. And a belated HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to KimB too (I so SUCK at being on time for events lately!!)

A Gift

You have a gift that’s sweet
And rare.
It’s just that you’re a perfect pair.

The years go by
With no regret
Because you are a perfect set.

What matter if this thought is sappy?
So long as both of you are happy.

Happy Anniversary!

by Denise Rodgers

And you ARE a perfect set. From the moment Dave and Neti "Met on the Net" they connected in almost every single way. Though Neti was a City Gurl and Dave was a Country Boy they found they had so much in common and it was not long before their long distance relationship flourished to the point where (GASP!) our forever bachelor brother Dave chose Neti to be THE ONE to share his life with - and they married! It must be love for Neti to marry into this weird and wonderful family LOL!

Among their many shared joys are travelling, camping and - you got it, FISHING!

My Sister in Law Judy and I enjoyed a visit together recently and we decided to create some fun to honour them - so we made these post cards combining the best of both worlds for them. Click on Judy's Blog photo below to see the complementary card to this one! *grin* (She may post later than me so keep peekin' if you don't see her pic posted yet)

And my Sister Nina made a beautiful Autumn themed card for their anniversary as well - I'm assuming its the one she posted on September 25th (OOPS - haha, Neti saw it BEFORE hand) Neti said you're right - the blog photo does not do it justice in all its pretty shimmery glory! Click on the image below to see all the other pretty cards my Sis has created!

I have much, much MUCH more to write but have other obligations which I have to fulfill first.

So...

Each day I wake up with a "to do" list and a PLAN but each day has turned out to be something entirely different. I will try to post tomorrow to catch everything up. I have lovely pictures from my visit with Judy to share. Sigh Sigh...

PS - This is what is happening with me I believe coz I ain't getting NUTHIN done what was on MY list!

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

Remember... your steps are ordered by God, so obey the orders even if they seem to conflict with your plans.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21 NIV)

Remember To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Your plan may be ok but the season may not have arrived yet, so be patient because ultimately “it is the Lord’s purpose” not yours that prevails.

Just Stinks!

I've always abhorred the smell of PineSol, Mr Clean and any of those pine-based cleaners. Does it somehow remind me of hospitals? Over-zealous day-cares where a baby's mouth is wiped before it even manages to drool past the lips? I don't know but I do know that sometimes I have used it because I think I "should" (something taught me by my mother?) - then I immediately regret it. I don't think its necessary these days with many yummy smelling products available. I'm a fan of bleach - the smell does not linger. I also LOVE baking soda.

I think it could be because many people accociate SCENT = CLEAN. I DO want people to think my house is "CLEAN"

I'm going to avoid it from now on. Do YOU use/like PineSolly cleaners? If you've tried something else that cleans and kills germs dead - tell me!

And I'm not letting a french fry past these lips for the next month. I said it here, you can keep me accountable. Perhaps I'll start a "No Fry" zone calendar here.