It's Been a Long Time

(This has nothing to do with the post.  I just thought it was funny.  And so very, very true!)

I'm back!

I had forgotten how overwhelming and exhausting a new job can be.  Even though I've only worked 20 hours this week, I feel like I've put in a 60 hour week.  I go home after a 4 hour shift cashiering, and all I do is collapse on the sofa.  And soak my feet in epsom salts.

I had also forgotten how cranky customers can get.  Geez, lighten up, people!  I'm new;  I can either do this quickly, or I can do it correctly, but I cannot yet do both!

Last week was my last week of unemployment, so I did have some time to do a little rearranging in my house. 

I moved a shelf that had china in it to the other side of the fireplace, and put in my milk glass, which is my smallest collection, along with framed black & white family photos.  I love how the color of the white frames & the milk glass just pops against the periwinkle blue & green of the shelf.  Some of the china that was previously displayed in the shelf will be sold in the Etsy shop that I'll be opening sometime this summer.

The other side of the fireplace got a simpler look.  There's so much china on that side of the room, it needed something simple (well, simple for me. A minimalist, I'm not!).  I love Asian parasols; this one isn't old, but I love the green.

I love this photo of my mom.  She (well, her photo, anyway) replaced the roses (in the previous photo above) when they died.

I moved old photos to the mantel, as well as above it.  I'm going to have to find a new mat for my dad's army picture.  I'm surprised that Dad, a man's man, hasn't sent a bolt of lightening to strike me down for pairing his photo with a PINK mat.  I think the green mat with Mom's photo looks so much better.

I also framed a piece of barkcloth that I purchased from Etsy last year.  I didn't want to cut into it, so framing it was a good alternative.  I like how the swirley design frames the mantel clock.

A quiet corner.  I love my Art Deco waterfall chest.  I have my eye on a waterfall sideboard that I saw a couple of months ago at a local antique store.  If it's still there when I get a couple of paychecks ahead, it's going on layaway.  It will replace the dresser that currently holds my TV.  It sags in the middle (the dresser, not the TV).

I love these 1940's/50's airbrush pictures.

This china cabinet, which previously held books, now has china back in it.  All of the china in the cabinet was thrifted.

You will notice that the only rooms I've ever shown you pictures of are my living room and my kitchen.  There's a good reason for that: the rest of my house is a mess!  In my bedroom, the bed is almost always unmade, and there is a large pile of clothing on the floor.  The bedside table has a mish mash of books, magazines, kleenex, hand lotion, aspirin, and other stuff that I just can't live without.  Another bedroom just has books lined up on all the walls until I can afford to have bookshelves built.  The third bedroom is currently a very large walk-in closet, with many, many boxes, that I have yet to unpack, piled high.  My bathrooms and dining room are boring and need more help than I can afford right now.  They're relatively clean & uncluttered, just boring. So, yes, you now know my secret: the public parts of my house are neat; the rooms where I can shut the door are a mess.  I am a closet slob!!

One more photo I had to share.  The rose bush from the house next door:

I LOVE how it's shaped like a heart.  I'm disappointed though; the house sold, so I'm not going to be able to swipe roses anymore : (

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Thanks so much for your visit!

A Great Day!

Today was a great day.  It started with homemade cinnamon rolls and freshly squeezed orange juice.  How can a day be bad when it starts so well?

I thought I was going to start work on Monday, but I just went in to fill out paperwork (W-4, etc.), and to take a drug test.  Since my employer is still waiting for the results of the test, I'm not official yet, so I have a few days left to goof off all day. I spent my day at the library, then in the garden.

Even though this isn't a large urban area, we have an excellent public library, and for that, I'm very grateful.  In spite of the fact that I probably own a couple thousand books, I faithfully go to the library every week.  I haven't been able to buy any of the latest books since I stopped working, so I've been lucky that our library has them.  I am a BIG murder mystery fan, and I usually have a book in my purse, no matter where I go.  I fully expect to be buried with a couple of books when I die.  Just in case.

Even though the library's CD section is small, I've been able to sample a lot of music.  Some of the artists are old favorites, and some I've never before heard of. 

My latest picks?

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These ladies are amazing; their harmony is incredible.  If you're a fan of swing, jazz and pop standards, you will love this CD.  Except for a couple of tracks, all the music is from movie musicals. The arrangements are very inventive, and it's fun to listen to.  This CD is going on my Christmas list this year.

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What a voice! I love these old songs.

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My favorite singer.  Jane Monheit has an incredible voice.  I have her 5 latest CD's, but this is one of her earlier ones.  A fabulous singer!!

As for the garden, we seem to be bypassing spring altogether and going straight from winter to early summer.  I've got the A/C cranked up in the house, but I spent a good portion of the day outside weeding, and enjoying all the great stuff growing in the garden.  Luckily, the weather wasn't too hot (summers are VERY hot here), so the time spent in the garden was a pleasure, not a chore. 

I had mentioned in my last post that I was going to my first meeting of a gardening club that's been around here for many, many years.  Each month, the club meets at the home of one of its members.  After seeing the first garden, I realize that I have a lot of catching up to do! Karen's garden was INCREDIBLE.  She had a Lady Banks Rose that was phenomenal!  I wish I had thought to bring my camera to share her garden with you; I'll have to remember next month at another member's house.  These ladies are master gardeners, and I'm just a novice, so I was a bit intimidated, but I had a great time.  When the conversation about getting rid of gophers started with, "First, I bought a gun", I knew it was going to be a fun evening! (don't worry about the gun, they live in the country on 10 acres)

So, I have a lot to do in the weeding and planting department.  But I'm enjoying what's already there, too.

See all those orange blossoms?  I'm going to have another bumper crop of oranges in about 6 to 8 months. 

The blossoms smell heavenly. I can even smell them from the open window in my living room late at night (I'm a night owl). I had to fight with the bees to even be able to take these photos.

The volunteer roses have a couple of buds!!! However, you may be able to tell from the photo that they also have a lot of aphids & other bugs.  I guess I need to go out to buy some ladybugs.

More volunteer plants.  I love sweet alyssum.  I know it tends to go wild and take over, but it smells so sweet, and is so easy to care for.  (Please ignore any weeds you might see in the photos)

I think this groundcover is called Pratia.  At least that's what my Sunset Western Garden Book says, and since the Sunset Western Garden Book is THE gardening bible if you live in California, I guess I have to trust them.  Well, whatever it is, it just appeared one day, and I like the tiny blue flowers.  I'm trying to weed around them so I don't pull any of it out, but it ain't easy!!

I have no idea what this shrub is, but I absolutely love the bright blooms.  There are three of these planted in my front planters, but I didn't put them in.  If anyone knows what it is, let me know.

The rose bush next door.  This is ONE bush. It's HUGE.  There must be at least 50 roses on it now, and there are another 20-30 buds. 

Which is why I have these all over the house:

I have so many plans for the backyard, but many have to wait until I have a few paychecks saved up.  I'd like to put in some sort of patio, and this will be my patio roof:

I love my tree in the backyard.  It's like having a canopy over half the yard.  The bright blue scrub jays flit from branch to branch and I can hear the dove sweetly cooing (I'd like to shoot the crows, though. Maybe I can borrow a gun from one of the garden club ladies! Hmm . . . )

Well, hopefully, the drug test results will be in soon, and I can start work within a day or two.  I need to start earning some money!!

Thanks for your visit and for your comments.  I love reading my comments and am enjoying getting to make new friends.  And if you haven't yet signed up to follow, feel free to do so.  I'm planning a giveaway when I reach 30 followers and wouldn't want anyone to miss their chance. 

Have a great day!

Purloined Roses and Other Stuff

You've probably already guessed from looking at my china collection, that I love flowers. I especially love roses.  It will probably be awhile before I have any roses of my own, so I've been swiping them from the bush at the empty house next door.  I know, I know, I should feel terrible about this, stealing ROSES, for crying out loud, but the bush is right at the property line, and it's my water that's been keeping those roses alive (The house has been empty since last July and the water has been shut off since then).  I also deadhead the bush from time to time, so there are probably about 50 buds on it right now!  And, oh, aren't these roses just gorgeous?!!

Their scent is divine!

I'm going to be very disappointed when that house sells!

I start my new job on Monday, so I'm enjoying my last few days of complete freedom.  I've been watching these:

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I love the first two movies of this series.  They are excellent adaptations of the series of books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. (In fact, I've found a website all about the movies.  Click  here  to visit). Anne Shirley is such a wonderful heroine with an indomitable spirit and such an appreciation of the small wonders of life.  I cannot watch "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea" and stay in a bad mood. 

I'm also reading this for the billionth time:

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It's one of my favorite books of all time.

I've also done some planting, but am still working on the weeds. Unfortunately, it will have to wait for the next couple of days.  We had heavy rains and a thunderstorm yesterday, and there will be more rain today and tomorrow. 

I'm going tonight to my first meeting of a garden club.  A new friend from my church Bible study invited me to go, and I'm really looking forward to it.  She said that some of the members of the club are master gardeners, so I'm hoping to learn from some of the best.

Hope you all have a great day.  Thanks so much for your visit!

Happy Easter

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O SONS AND DAUGHTERS

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O sons and daughters, let us sing!

The King of heaven, the glorious King,

O'er death today rose triumphing.

Alleluia!

That Easter morn, at break of day,

The faithful women went their way

To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.

Alleluia!

An angel clad in white they see,

Who sat, and spake unto the three,

"Your Lord doth go to Galilee."

Alleluia!

That night the apostle met in fear;

Amidst them came their Lord most dear,

And said, "My peace be on all here."

Alleluia!

When Thomas first the tidings heard,

How they had seen the risen Lord,

He doubted the disciples' word.

Alleluia!

"My pierced hands, O Thomas, see;

My hands, my feet, I show to thee;

Not faithless, but believing be."

Alleluia!

No longer Thomas then denied,

He saw the feet, the hands, the side;

"Thou art my Lord and God," he cried.

Alleluia!

How blest are they who have not seen,

And yet whose faith has constant been,

For they eternal life shall win.

Alleluia!

On this most holy day of days,

To God your hearts and voices raise,

In laud, and jubilee, and praise.

Alleluia!

Jean Tisserand

A VERY HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

To hear this 15th century hymn sung beautifully (in Latin), click here



Good Friday

Nothing more can be said.

So Blooming Happy!

It has been a gorgeous spring day today.  Not too cold, not too warm.  There's a nice light breeze and . . . .

The amaryllis have finally bloomed!!

The colors are just gorgeous.  I love amaryllis. Such a big, showy flower.

The roses at the empty house next door have bloomed, as well (Shhh, don't tell anyone, but sometimes I swipe the roses).

and



I GOT A JOB!!!

It's not the office/clerical job that I wanted, but is at a retail store. Not what I had planned, but that's okay. I'm thrilled to finally have a job, and definitely grateful to have one in this economy. It will be wonderful to have a paycheck again, and will be wonderful to have something to do during the day (and the money to be able to put into action some of the plans I've been making for the past couple of years).  And, I can continue to search for the job of my dreams, without the pressure of the desperation that unemployment can sometimes bring.

A HUGE thank you to anyone who said a prayer for me, and for all the encouraging comments you've made.  I really appreciate it.  Such wonderful people in the world!

Now that I don't have to concentrate so much on the job hunt, I'm planning on posting here a lot more regularly.  I swear, I spent more time (and stress) on searching for a job than I ever had to spend on actually doing a job.  I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Have a great evening.

Thank you for your visit!