Thanksgiving Week

Another Holiday season is right around the corner.  This week we will celebrate our Thanksgiving with Clint, Chelsea, Tess and Mona in San Antonio.  WE wil be cooking so should be great fun.  I will be in charge of the traditional Corn Souffle and Clint is in charge of the Turkey!  We will drive down on Wednesday and come back home on Saturday and hope to be able to do some shopping at the outlet mall either going or coming but think going would be the best timing.  Will try to stop and visit our nephew, Dave and Anne and see their new home in Austin!  Also hope to connect with our friends, Jim and Jennifer Hamilton if they are in San Antonio.

We are so excited about our new 55" TV.  Amazing how things can be a big deal, even though it is just a TV.  First of all, we had to get the TV on sale!  Next, decided where to put it and the bedroom won out!
We spend much more time watching TV there so we moved our other TV from the bedroom to the living room and it just fit the Cabinet--Whew!  Well, that left us with furniture ro purchase and three trips to Ikea and two 6-drawer dressers to put together.   Lynn is a real champ!  Then is was connecting the TV's up to HighDef!   Not in a rush, we have it done as of this morning!  Yoo Hoo!

It's Fall in Texas

This is my most favorite time of year in Texas!

Lynn and I have been enjoying the cooler temps and we put a blanket on the bed last night and turned off the ceiling fan!   No, not ready for heat but it did feel good!

I have been resting up from my Albuquerque trip and workshop with Lindly Haunani.  It was such fun and I learned lots!  Now to apply it.   If you ever have the opportunity to take one of her workshops, do!  Worth every penny.  It focused on color and mixing color!  That is a very weak point with my art so getting more comfortable with it was a good thing.  

We went to our neighborhood National Night Out last night at or neighborhood park and enjoy it very much.  It good to know your neighbors and we enjoyed the Spring Creek BBQ, also!  I took this pic with my iPhone just after sunset.

It was getting chilly----oh, did I say that?

Our back garden has done very well this last few months and for a time, we called it the jungle.   Now we know what grows back there----will have to work next year to transplant and eliminate some of the plants.   Didn't think we would ever say that!  Lynn took it down to nothing---not a plant or a blade of grass and now it it amazing.  Our moon plant came back and we even had a few to give away.  Now I have seeds---anyone want some?

He had planted one little evergreen and made the path! It's bigger than it looks here.  

Mid summer this year--about 18 months after we started.

We trimmed back this week so we could get off the porch. Our trees have grown to about 30' tall!

We cut back the Moon Flower and harvested some of the seeds.  This plant is beautiful.  At one time we have over 30 blooms open.     

The Flower

The seeds. Very sharp all over.

Hope to collect more and put them in the ground in other places.  Also, had a purple double one in Mineola and working on getting seeds from that one, too.   That would be special as it is one beautiful plant.  

Off to work on my clay and get my studio set up for some card making and cutting with the Cricut---so much to do and so little time.  How did I do it when I worked?

Hot in Texas!

Lynn and I on our 46th Wedding Anniversary

San Antonio, Tx.  July 18th

Today it is going to be HOT!  I am staying in and playing with Polymer Clay.  I forget to write on the Blog and I am going to be better about it, I hope.   This summer has just flown by for us.  We have been pretty busy with family and friends and trips and trying to catch up on the "TO DO" list.   It sees as we get a few more things done, more are added.  Lynn loves to work off of a list.   He is toooooo funny as if he does something that is not on the list, he writes it down and then crosses it off!!!!!  Whatever works to keep him busy and out of trouble.  

I am waiting on a little book in the mail that is a project for me and one of my friends, Shirley.  

Art House Project

http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

What fun this is going to be.  Wish mine would come soon.   Check it out.  Will try to post some of my pages here when I get them done.  

Here is our Buddy waiting for his 4th of July photo shoot.  He just laid down and waited until we were really ready!

He really is a ham and love to have his pictures taken.  

Another Beautiful Spring in Texas

What a beautiful spring we are having in Texas so far. We have never in all the 29 years we have been here seen the Bluebonnets so beautiful! We took a drive thru the hill country on Saturday and the fields were amazing. Indian Paint Brush of orange and some little yellow daisy type and then the beautiful white wild flowers, they just took or breath away. Hopefully on the way back to Richardson tomorrow we will get to take more pictures.

Since I have been on here last time we have remained busy with our home, family, travel and yard. Lynn has most of the garden back yard all done. He re-did the watering system, planted more shrubs and is about ready to stain our wood patio deck. Hope it dries out for a few days so we can get it done. We want to do something with the wall but can't decide what. We have been working bit by bit in our shed and garage getting rid of more stuff and putting like items together. That will make life a bit easier.

We planned on a trip to Alabama the third week of March and we got all ready to go and headed east but before we made it to Shreveport, Lynn turned the truck and trailer around and back we came. I became very sick due to an electrolyte problem and I was as sick as I have ever been. Lynn was correct to turn around. We were almost back to Richardson before I knew it. Much better now!

There was no way to go but to get better. Also, I took a spill this week from my three wheel cart when Buddy and a cat got mixed up and that little 20 pound dog can really pull you over!!! Several wounds that will heal over time but NOTHING broken!!!

We came to Austin on Saturday for Lynn to attend certification hours for being a police officer. 20 hours this year and 40 next so he can remain a Bailiff and Warrant Officer. We go back to the real world tomorrow. He is still loving working for the City and I know it gives him a break from me a few days a month!!! Hee

If you ever want to come and see the Bluebonnets in the spring, let us know so we can join you.

House Closed and We Are Not Landlords Now!

Good Morning! Our house in Mineola did close!!!!! Lynn and I were laughing as we rented the house to them for two weeks and we can say we were landlords now in a resume. Too funny. Well, I never want to be a landlord and on top of the worry about the house, you have other folks in there doing things to your house you might not want them too. Lynn and I put so much of ourselves in the house that we feel it is part of us. Part of our lives. Now it's sold, that part is gone but we had good memories there.

I guess living in a small town can be good but when you are so far from family, friends, airport, craft stores and great food, it's hard to live like you have been used to. Yes, running to the store in 3 minutes and being able to be at Wal-Mart in 4 is easy but there are some things you give up. Your privacy--it seems everyone wants to know what you are doing, where you are going and where you have been. You get to know folks a little better than maybe you really wanted to. We made some good friends there but left Mineola with a sigh of relief when it came to some. Mineola was a learning experience for Lynn and I and I hope we have grown from the experience. I have always thought friends treat you like you treat them but THAT IS NOT SO in some cases and we learned that the hard way in Mineola. We cherish our friendships and family and found that isn't always the case with some. What a learning experience we had in the small town---give me the city anytime. We missed our GOOD friends here in the Dallas area and of course it is great to be back near Jennifer and family.

Life is just to short for all the drama in a small town for us. Pettiness thrives in the small town. It seems in the city the little things go by the wayside and that is really good for my personality.

Another chapter, another learning experience gone past. Looking forward to the next few years here in the Dallas area.

More soon.

February Hello!

Today is strange for me. I feel good and my house is in order, the sun is shinning and all is good. Maybe it's because we are to close on our Mineola house tomorrow. Due to a few problems on their part, we have had to wait a month after expected closing but we did rent it to them for two weeks. I sure do hope they enjoy the home as much as we did. It was a work of love and I think they will improve it even more with putting in new windows! There are 21 windows 7 are 4' x 6' each. I am sure the windows will be very expensive but I hope it will improve the home even more. We did love that house but we really love being here in Dallas area. This home is so right for us. Looking forward to spring and our garden yard. I will miss the 7 Dogwood trees we had out there but maybe we will try one here this spring. Not sure the soil is right?

Well, off to play with my Cricut! More soon.

Starting the Year Off Right

Molly, the Cat

Painted this in 2004, boy, that seems along time ago!

It's January and we have been planning out next year, well, sort of, as it is hard to make a plan when you have so much time to play with. We started out right with cleaning out the pantry, fridge, kitchen cupboards but got off track somehow. Yes, it is easy when you are doing things you don't enjoy. I have done some more in my studio but NOT enough!

Last Monday it was in the 70's here after a week of bitter cold for North Texas so we decided to go out to the lake and bring in the trailer to the Mineola house, clean it up and find a spot for it when the house sells. Took some work as we had built a deck between the other deck and behind the trailer and when we did, we didn't think about pulling out. Well, Lynn tore out the middle deck, salvaged the steps and off we went with our little home on wheels. Thursday we went back out and Lynn power washed the trailer. It really needed it as the front side had black all over it. We did enjoy it out at the lake but felt we didn't use it enough for the expense and we want to go to Alabama in March so really decided to have it more accessible when we want to go.

We will miss the view!

Our Little Fun Finder

Well, listed some items on Craig's List and Ebay today and need to take more pictures for Ebay listings so better get going. I think Lynn is napping with Buddy---good thing to do on a rainy Sat. afternoon.

Happy New Year! 2010

Here is Buddy Joe in his Cowboy Outfit!

He really does watch the game with us and wants them to WIN in the playoffs!

Happy New Year, 2010

We had a white Christmas this year and that was fun! Weather here has been very cold for Texas but I think we might be coming out of it this week. Lynn and I don't like the cold and stay in as much as possible when it is like this. Very fortunate to be able to do it and not have to brave the weather.

Started this year off with a bang! Organized all our kitchen cupboards, front hall cupboard, walk-in pantry and it feels GOOD! Now for our master closet and all those clothes we don't wear anymore! When one is retired, it seems that clothing is just not the same. We seem to enjoy the same "comfort" clothes and the good stuff just stays in the closet. Well, we think we might like to get rid of some of the baggage so one of these next few days, it will happen.

Lynn is working up to his annual tax receipt day or days. In Texas you can deduct you sales tax from your income tax so he keep every receipt and at the beginning of the year, sits down and collects all the sales tax off the paperwork. Now I mean receipts with even a few cents! It takes him time but I guess he feels he wants to do it sooooo it does save us on taxes! On year, about $800. I guess it is worth it!

We are looking forward to Spring and working in our back yard. It won't be as hard this year as most of the plants are there. Now we can decided if they need to be moved or what else we want. More evergreen shrubs and some color.

We have decided to leave the lake. It was fun but we didn't go out there often enough to spend the money. We also want to travel a bit more this year and with it there, it is somewhat "set" and not as available. Hope to head to Florida or Alabama in March or April. We will have these memories and hopefully will find another good place to park it a bit closed to home. We might try our back drive but Richardson some some tight rules about things like that!!!

Check back to see what I am up to with my new toys! More soon.