Unemployment - Day Two

The day began in the usual fashion. That's getting old isn't it? Ha!

Well, here I am. Unemployed. I'm singing 'F I R E D' to the tune of Tammy Wynette's D I V O R C E....it's quite catchy.

After today's post, we shan't be talking about me being fired or unemployed any longer. It's getting to be old news, and I am employed!

I went to Garage Sales today. Nothing newsworthy. A few little treasures, a little bird feeder, etc. Found an awesome vintage tablecloth on top of a pile of clothes. Oh my, as I was standing in line to pay for it, I imagined I'd bring it home and soak it in OxyClean. What a wonderful prop it would be for some fun blog photos. As I handed it to the lady to pay for it, she looked mortified and exclaimed 'That's not for sale! That was my grammie's!"

Two things I've realized today. First thing I realized is that I don't have 'the knot' anymore. 'The knot' that I had right below my breasts, smack dab in the middle of my chest. It's gone. I didn't even realize I had it til it left. I was that used to it! That used to 'what time is it?' 'Aaron, this is what you have to do while I'm gone'. All the pressure that I carried around daily as I rushed so to get everything done.

The second thing I realized is that I'm exhausted. I mean dog dead tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Wonder why?

What's funny is that I'm half killing myself for the last couple of days. Working like a maniac! I think in my mind I feel like I'm just off for a few days, and I'd better take advantage of it. I was making my bed at 4:30 this morning, and pulled out the vacuum at 5. Is this really necessary anymore?

I'm still weird about being fired. I don't like it. There is such a negative connotation about it all. Yep, I screwed up. Yep, I knew the policies. Couldn't I have just gotten a good spanking?

And that my dear blog friends will be the last you hear me speak of policies, and firing, and my mixed emotions about it. I've started writing little notes to all my former co-workers and managers. I want to write to each of them what I treasured about them. I'm planning on bringing in a nice tray of cupcakes. I just got the best recipe for frosting! It's full of Ex Lax. *evil grin*

There are so many other fun things to talk about. Vintage treasures, recipes, gardening, decorating and chickens.

And with that...I wish you all a good night. Try to breathe. Let's all make a conscious effort to slow down.

Til tomorrow.....

Unemployment - Day One

The day began in the usual fashion. Up, talking to chickens, looking for eggs. Strong, sweet coffee, bacon, bed making and Aaron bouncing in at 7:30. This time was different. I was still in my nightgown, and I was reading the paper when he came in. I went to bed before 10pm, as usual. I couldn't sleep a wink. I was making mental lists all night and practically squealing aloud thinking of all I could do now. I got up at 11:30pm and greased the cast iron pots with bacon grease. I'm not kidding. I sat up til 1:15am looking at sewing books and poking around on blogs.

I got up at 5am to make Glen's lunch. That's m'job.

I'm having a lot of mixed emotions. I applied for unemployment. I'm still maintaining my good attitude, and secretly I'm on my knees thanking God for this, but I do feel that it was wrong to get fired over this. Policy set aside....it's just wrong. What if I were a single mom? Or just single and needed this job to survive? Then what? How does one go to work when they have the flu? I'd been told in the past that I needed to 'save' my sick days. I get like five a year. You know what? Not worth talking about!

You know what is worth talking about?

This Pot Roast. Oh my. This is my secret plan. This is my job security. The recipe will follow at the end of the post. It's from an Amish cookbook. Secret ingredient? Coffee. I figure if I keep putting meals like this on the table....I won't get fired from 'this' job!

Here's another yummy I made today, from the Pioneer Woman's website. It's that Cast Iron Apple Skillet cake. It was 'good'. Not three sticks of butter good. It was a pretty cake, very rustic. This isn't a very good picture of it. Doesn't really do it justice. Aaron loved it, ate almost half of it.

Made some Banana Walnut bread today. It's a new recipe, from my Garden Club cookbook. It has vinegar in it. The proof will be what it tastes like tomorrow. If'n it's good, I'll share the recipe.

After school was over, we went out and power washed the Happy Squirrel. Oh how I love the Squirrel. I worked on the east side of the house, power washed it, worked on the garden there. How I've neglected that side of the house. I was gonna show you, but, then I'd have to kill you, and I like you too much for that.

While dessert was baking, I sat on the couch and closed my eyes. This is new. A nap in the afternoon. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. I loved the way the sun was coming in the window. I just dozed off and the oven timer went off!

It's just after 7pm, and I'm putting up the chickens and heading to bed. What cost me my job in the first place (being sick), I'm still not over.

Thanks SO much for all of your kind, thoughtful, encouraging comments! I had no idea I had so many readers!! I'll try to make this much more interesting from now on. :-)

Job Security Pot Roast

3# chuck roast

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup coffee

2 bay leaves

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 300. Do not pound or flour the meat. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over high heat, then sear meat on both sides.

Meanwhile, in large roasting pan, combine the remaining ingredients (hold back one onion). Tranfer the browned meat to the roasting pan. Top with the second sliced onion. Cover and back for 4 hours, basting every hour with pan juices. You can add more coffee and soy sauce if needed.

I always add a generous portion of potatoes and some carrots in the last hour. I also thicken the juices with flour, and make a gravy before serving it. Just take out the meat and veggies, plate those, and put the pan on the stove, add about a 1/4 cup of flour, and simmer til bubbly and somewhat thick.

A New Life Unfolds...

The day started in the usual fashion. Strong sweet coffee, talking to chickens, looking for eggs, making the bed, enjoying the beautiful cool September morning. Aaron comes in for school around 7:30. I baked him some delicious Apple Streusel muffins for breakfast. We worked on vocab and his Photography Unit study. I had to leave by 9:30, leaving him on his own to finish up Math, Science, Music History and his Olympic Unit Study.

I went to work. It's what I do four days a week, five hours per day, at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in our little town. I love the girls I work with. I love most of my customers. Just a side note here....please do not go in a public government office and act a fool. Please do not use the term 'you people'. Thank you.

I put in my time, ran over and filled my antibiotic prescription during my little lunch. All in all it was a beautiful day. I was due off work at 4pm, to come home, look over Aaron's school work and make supper. It's all good.

3:57pm.

I'm called in to the office by my manager.

Remember when I took off three days for having what I do believe was the Swine Flu? Well, I'd taken off two days in a row, without any sick time available to call off. I was in bed with a 102 degree fever. I got up to pee, and I was lucky to do that. I felt better, and went to work for a few days. Woke up last Thursday morning with both eyes glued shut. Soaked them open, had pink eye in both eyes. Coughed up a spleen. Went to the Dr. where I was sent for a chest x-ray. I missed work that day. It was all I could do to get home from the Dr.

Ok...three days. Off. No pay. 'Lost time'.

Today I got fired.

Fired.

I got fired.

That looks weird to see it in print.

I've never been fired from a job. EVER. My last review at the BMV I 'exceeded expectations' in my customer service. My manager was crying as she was firing me. I was shell shocked. I cried. I thanked her for the opportunity to work there and told her I would truly miss my friends at work. It's just BMV policy, that's all it is. You can't fight it. Had I even KNOWN I'd be fired, I would have had to call off. I was just that sick.

I cleaned out my locker.

I turned in my name tag.

I got fired.

I'm so freaking excited!!!!!!

I feel that a new life is unfolding for me. I'm fortunate that I do not have any bills, and the house is paid off, and Lord willing and the creek doesn't rise, I can stay home now. I have a job. It's being a homemaker. It's teaching my nephew. It's taking care of this land and my chickens, and cats and bunny.

It's bliss.

I can't go out now and buy new things for the livingroom. I can't do a lot of things I've been accustomed to. That all pales in comparison to this:

I'm home.

PS Please note that I'm replying to your comments in the comment section. :-) Thanks SO much for the comments.

Wanting Your Opinion

Just thought I'd ask ya'lls opinion here. Isn't it ironic that I wait 21 years for a new window, and I can't even see it. I 'know' it's there though, and that gives me peace. I still have to spackle and touch up a spot over the window that I scraped, and the windowframes themselves need a touch up.

Here is the 'finished' product, after I put the furniture back. My question is, do you think I should pull the curtains back, or leave them as they are? I just can't decide. Now that I think of it, I so should have enclosed a pic of the curtains pulled back. Doh! It's too dark now to take it. Do you guys think that the lamp is too big for the table?

I need to go shopping for some new doodads for the living room. I have an entertainment center, and some shelves over the couch that are in dire need of merchandising. That is what I call decorating. I used to work at Pier One, and we would 'merchandise'. What is it about fall that makes you want to nest? I plan on shopping soon, buying whatever strikes my fancy, coming home, playing with it, and then returning 90% of it. It's the way I roll.

Do you think the berries in the vase on the coffee table is redundant, since there is a vase on the floor with berries? These are the kind of things that keep me up at night. It's terrible. If you only knew the extent of my disorder. It's frightening. I'm sure there's medication for it.

This winter when there aren't so many outside chores screaming my name, I plan on scanning pictures of the house when we first bought it. Oh my. How it smelled, how sad it was. The livingroom has gone through quite a few changes. I used to be VERY country primitive. Then, not so much....more traditional. I'm not sure what I am now. I really love Pottery Barn. I want to incorporate a few more rustic things in. Big Flea Market in Kane County, Illinois that I'm going to in October. I sure hope to find some treasures.

Thanks in advance for all your comments and help!

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait....and Wait

Twenty-one years in the making. When you have a house that is 140 years old, your to-do-list piles up. See that upper right window? That has been a Plexiglas window since we moved in here 21 years ago! EVERY stinkin' year we had it on the 'list'. Today, Glen gave me the honor of knocking it out. I almost peed my pants with excitement. I feel weepy now. Oh how I've waited. Ohhhhh how I've waited.

Patience is a virtue.

Pour a Chore

Just when you think that I couldn't possibly be any stranger, (know anyone else that finger paints with a chicken? I rest my case) I introduce to you.....Pour A Chore.

Everything has to be fun for me, or I at least try to make it fun. Chores are no different. On days and weeks when I feel a tad overwhelmed with my to do list. (Um, everyday) I look to my Pour A Chore to help me through.

Today's list was well, frustrating to me. I had over 20 things to do, besides home schooling and working at the BMV. Granted, these were things like phone calls, emails, cleaning out the chicken coop, the car, making appointments and the like, not big deal things. The little things that just eat at your mind, that only take a minute. I get squirrely in the head when I have a lot of those on my mind.

The first thing I do is write it all out. Now, I don't write things like 'redecorate the bedroom' on this list...this is the list that needs to be done NOW, or at the very least, tomorrow.

After I write it out, Aaron will cut them up and fold them.

Then (this was his idea, because he is like the KING of procrastination...gee...wonder where he learned THAT at?). We put them all in the coffee press.

Then, he gives it a good shaking. We pray that something quick and easy will fall out first. We always make a pact that we'll do whatever falls out, even if we don't 'feel' like it.

It makes a little game out of it in a way. Sometimes I even use this method with cleaning the house. I put all the rooms in the jar, or we do it for school, each subject on a little separate paper. It seems to motivate Aaron to see all those little papers disappearing.

Give it a try!

Mother Wilma's Peach Crumb Cake

Allow me to introduce to you Wilma Imogene Keckler. She was my mom's younger sister. There is not enough free space on the Internet for me to profess my love for this woman. I hope to tell you more about her this winter, when time allows me to scan photos.

She is the mother to my cousin Jim, that I spoke of a few posts earlier. Everyone called her Jean. I called her Mother Wilma when I was goofing around with her. She'd hate it if she knew I titled this Mother Wilma's Peach Crumb Cake!

Isn't she beautiful?

When she passed away a couple of years ago, I went to spend some time in Missouri with my cousin Jim. He asked if there was anything I'd like. I now cherish her hand written recipes, and a few of her baking pans. Ultimate treasures to me. Jim even found a little journal that she kept where she jotted down the date, and how many eggs her hens layed that day. Priceless!

This is a delicious coffee cake type of cake. I'm imagining it would be just as good with apples, or blueberries. On days where I miss her terribly, which are often, I reach for one of her hand written recipes and I feel connected to her again, as I go through the same motions she went through when she made this cake. Food is a strong bond.

Here's the recipe:

Peach & Crumb Cake

1 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. yeast

2 Tbs. oleo (margarine..I use butter)

1/2 cup hot water

1 egg, at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 T oleo

1 16 oz. can peaches (I used fresh)

Combine 1/2 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add 2 T soft butter and water to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add egg and 1/2 cup of flour. Bean on high 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup flour to make a stiff batter. Spread in a 9" square pan. Combine remaining 1/4 cup flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut in butter til crumbly. Sprinkle over cake. Arrange peach slices on top. Cover, let rise in a warm place, til doubled.

Bake at 400 degrees, 25 minutes or til done. (Mine baked about 35 minutes).

Glaze. It simply says 'glaze' which I love. I used about a cup of powdered sugar, a blob of vanilla, and enough milk to make it drizzalalalalbe. :-)

Let the glaze harden before cutting.

Best if eaten the same day.

Take Me to the River

I was going to name this blog 'Freak Accident in Kankakee River ....Woman Loses Rearend' Tell you more about that later!

Today was an interesting day. I knew there was going to be an article in the paper about me, and I was excited, and nervous. Let me preface this by saying that Phil Potempa is a sweetheart. Such a nice guy to talk to. I thought he did a great job on the article, and it appears that I have a few new readers here to boot! Welcome!

I let the paper lay in the driveway until after 9am. I'm not sure why! I felt nervous. I finally looked at it, and I think they did a nice job. I'm not sure why my one arm looks so much larger than my other arm. Maybe the lens they used.

Other than that, it was a quiet day. I knew my sis was going to stop by around 1pm, so I felt a little stuck in doing anything. I didn't really want to get started doing something, only to have to stop it, so I putzed. Gosh I'm good at putzing.

Made this delicious Lemon Cream Pie today. If your gonna putz, do it right, and make a pie!

After sis and crew left around 4, I just felt so restless. I didn't really want to work around the house, I didn't want to sit down and plan Aaron's lessons.....argh...I just wanted out.

Glenco and I took a little ride down to the Kankakee River in the old little boat that he's been working out. It's a cute little runabout from 1956.

Here's me on the boat, playing around with the camera. The first thing I think when I see pic, is like, girl, you need some conditioner!

We rode on down to a little restaurant in Hebron called Marti's Place. I got a steak, Glenco got a Philly Sandwich. It's a pretty restaurant. They have a LOT of flowers. Here's a peek at the patio where we ate.

Here's our little boat docked at the restaurant. Looks so cute doesn't it? I pretended that we lived on an East Coast island, and that we had to take the boat everywhere. I imagined coming home with little paper sacks of groceries for our little island cottage. Life would be so charming there.

On the way home, it was about dark, and it was.....COLD. COLD. I shivered in the fetal position in the hull of the boat while Glenco captained us home. So dark it was hard to get the boat on the trailer. I froze my hiney OFF. It's gone. Poof. It's going to be quite uncomfortable sitting here blogging without a butt.

Vintage Finds and More

After reading Dogwood's blog about Friday pinks, I felt inspired. I'm sure the pink eye had something to do with it too. I snuck out of the house yesterday to go to the Antique Store in town. I was like a junkie needing a fix. I needed me some vintage goods.

I'd already had the bowls, but I just used them to stage the new dish cloth and buttons I got. The pic is a little dark, it doesn't really convey how lovely this is. Makes my belly ache.

Then....I found this nice hunk of vintage fabric. It said it was from the 1940's. It's in perfect condition. About two yards. I've no idea what I'll do with it, I just needed it. I did. Maybe curtains? A tablecloth?

Just a nice little thing that happened this week. That sweet Wendy, over at Long Days, Short Years sent me the nicest little note with some jelly. I've just loved meeting new friends through this blog, and staying in touch with old ones. Ya'll are great!

Found this at JoAnn's last week. I'm not a huge Halloween fan, I like the cute little vintagy decorations. I don't like the gore. Isn't this CUTE? I'm planning on making an apron out of it, cause every farmgirl needs an apron for every occasion. It's in the farmgirl handbook. I swear.

Another thing every good farmgirl needs is a little book with husband pleasing recipes. This is a little advertising cookbook from a shortening company called Spry. I have to do a little investigating. I've never heard of Spry. Only Crisco.

This falls under the vintage heading cause this is my dear dear friend Renee. She's the oldest friend I have...not in years, but in years of being friends. So she is my vintage friend. Look at those aprons we have on. Cupcake aprons...for making cupcakes of course! (Please refer to fifth paragraph in this blog) Renee stopped over to celebrate National Cupcake Day with me. She'd finished an apron I started long ago at her house, made zucchini cupcakes, and even brought me little farmgirl gifts! She is incredible. Sweet, thoughtful, and every other positive adjective you can interject here, she's it. She even brought White Castle hamburgers. It's a South Side Chicago girl kinda thing.

Lastly, I thought I'd show you my pincurl hairdo. LIke the little vintage earrings? Nice touch. Oh shoot! Just realized I forgot to take a pic of all the vintage dress patterns I got from Etsy. Anyhow, as you can see, I've a lot to learn, but not bad for the first try.

Thanks SO much for all of your sweet get well wishes. I appreciated them all so much. I do think I'm on the mend. I got a little canning done yesterday, and I'm in the mood to move furniture. It's a good sign.

Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

A Cup of Love

Today is day 7 of sickness. Pink eye in both eyes. Had a chest x-ray yesterday as the Dr. was sure I had pneumonia. I don't. I have to say I do feel better today that I've felt in a week, other than the feeling that my eyeballs have been rolled in kitchen cleanser and my throat feels as if I've swallowed bleach. I'm on the mend!

As I lay in the fetal position in my favorite chair, my little sweetpea Aaron made me a cup of coffee. The coffee I drink is quite a process. No ordinary coffee will do. It has to be Starbucks Verona. 2 portions of ultra thick syrupy espresso made with one cup of steamed skim milk. 2 teaspoons of sugar. I like my coffee like I like my men. Sweet and strong. Life is much too short to drink bad coffee.

What hit me today as I lay there suffering, was hearing all the little noises coming out of the kitchen. Spoons and cups clinking, espresso brewing, drawers opening and shutting. The sounds of life. The little background sounds that we all hear, but do we listen? I felt overcome with the sense of being loved as I heard Aaron in there clinking around making my coffee, knowing exactly how I like it. The look on his face as he brought it to me was priceless.

I'm loved today.

That fills my day.

Listen today for sounds of love in your house. I betcha you'll hear them.

Meet Stubs

Look at this pretty little girl. Boy, does she have a tale to tell. She was one of the original birds I got, and one of the little chickens that's on my banner. She is also the egg layer right now. Yay stubs! Love this little bird. She was called a 'Production Red' when I bought her.

She is the top hen. I was really surprised to find this out, since I re-introduced her into the flock after some time. She was the oldest, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not. I thought with her disability she would get pecked. Quite the contrary! She does the pecking!

She is ALWAYS the first bird out in the morning.

Here's her poor little chicken feet. I'm assuming a raccoon chewed her toes off. Have I told you lately how I hate coons? Oh yes. The feeling festers. While we were camping, a friend of mine kept my birds, and they were just little babies. She kept them all up in a rabbit hutch. Well something held little Stubs down and chewed her toes off! My friend kept her and nursed her back to health. I had Helen at the time. It was a regular chicken rehab around here!

I was so concerned that Stubs wouldn't be able to walk up the ladder, or do other little chicken things. She can't roost, or prepare her dust baths. Helen dutifully prepares them for her. She can't scratch her head, so I do that for her. Other than that, she's a full fledged chicken bird.

She's the first one to come a runnin' when I call the birds. She seems like she likes to be held. I play with her little 'flapples' all the time. I think they are called wattles, but I like calling them flappies. So there.

I told the girls all about our trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Stubs was quite intrigued. I think she feels a little left out with all the creativity about the coop. She can't hold a needle like the other girls. She wanted to try her hand at painting. Of course, I obliged. I'm never one to squelch a creative mind.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that it just looked like chicken scratch to me. She was SO pleased with herself. I'll hang it in the coop to encourage her. She's wanting oil paints, but I'll only get her the non-toxic latex paint. Can you imagine cleaning oil paint off of those claws?

She's pretty good at rolling out pie crust too. The other girls claws get in the way and shred the crust up. I can tell by the look on her beak that she takes great pride in that.

Oh little Stubs. How I love you. I'll scratch your itches and play with your flappies all day. You are my little baby sweet bird.

Barbies, Sisters, and Other Feverish Musings

Thursday night I went to bed clearing my throat a little and thinking that I must be getting a cold. Friday morning I woke up in a pool of water with a 102 fever. I called off of work, even though I've no sick time to do it. There was absolutely no way I could even get out of bed, let alone take care of customers. I flat out didn't care if I lost my job. Calling off without accrued time is a 'no no'. Saturday morning was the same scenario. Another call off. Another 'I don't care'. I don't even remember Friday or Saturday. I remember sweating. Calling Glenco's name alot, and requesting things like pretzels, rootbeer, popsicles and canned cinnamon rolls. He obliged, he's good like that. I don't get all that crap without a lecture though. You know....you really outta be taking some vitamins and drinking juice. He sounds alot like the voice of the adults on the Peanuts cartoons.....'waa waa wa wa'. Bring on the popsicles.

I was in a fevered delirium. I wanted to know who was going to milk the cow? I haven't got a cow yet if you remember correctly! I didn't know day from night, or night from day. I remember Glenco walking in the bedroom at some point and showing me two brown eggs. The chickens have started laying! Sunday late afternoon when I finally woke up, feeling human, I double checked. Sure enough. Two pretty brown eggs. It begins.


Something that really thought about as I lie there sweating, Barbies. Barbies ring true to life. Listen to my story, and tell me what YOU think.


I'm the youngest of four girls. No brothers. My oldest sister Vivian was 14 years older than me, so she doesn't sorta count. She didn't play Barbies anyway. She just tormented us, and called us 'rat feefs' when we'd try to take the perfectly good purse out of the garbage that she'd just thrown away. We'd torment her back saying we'd light the 'stove match'. I'm laughing now, cause I don't even know what the 'stove match' was, but it made Viv mad, and that is the result we were looking for. Good times on Ewing Avenue. My poor mother.


Glenda is the next in line. She is four years my elder. Cindy, (Aaron's mom) is two years older, and then there is me. Maybe it was just our ages, maybe it was just my sisters growing out of Barbie love...but this was the scenario.


Glenda ALWAYS, and I'm not joking, made her Barbie pregnant and on welfare. She actually made little welfare checks out to Mary Scot, the name she'd given her Barbie. She dressed in the rattiest doll clothes she could find, and wore a bandana on her head. She would literally play as if she was poor, on welfare and about to deliver an illegitimate child. What in the world?


Cindy...Cindy just didn't give a hoot. Her Barbies were a tangled mess. I would sit and cry, as I hung all her doll clothes back up, organized by color or item, and rematched all of her little go go boots and shoes. How I would pray she would keep them like that! She was too much of a tomboy to really care about Barbies.

My Barbies were socialites. They held parties, and dressed fabulously. Their 'houses' were made up of what ever I could find around the house to make furniture. A checkerboard made a lovely kitchen floor. A discarded tin from the top of Hershey's cocoa made a lovely platter to serve Barbie drinks in. I would even take my dad's shaving cream and make 'pies', sprinkled with paprika for garnish, and Barbie would walk about 'serving' her guests. An old sifter made a great washing machine. I loved Barbies! The Country Camper was a dream come true.


Fast forward about 40 years. I'm not saying anything about anyone....but life has mirrored our Barbie role play. I'm not a socialite, nor do I dress fabulously....but I make a heck of a pie. I still help Cindy with her closets. Glenda hasn't had any children out of wedlock, but she has had her share of struggles. They are both two fantastic sisters though. Love them with all my heart.

What's your favorite Barbie memory?

Crazy Chicken Lady Goes to Chicago

One of the things to do on our 'Before Summer Ends' list was to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. So I packed up Aaron and my pincurls and headed out. I didn't take too many pics today girls, just cause. Cause they didn't want any photography in the exhibits, and it was raining all day in Chicago, and I just plum 'twernt in the mood. K?

Our trip to the big city was as smooth as a hot knife cutting butter. I didn't tear any gas pumps apart or anything.

The museum was quite inspiring. Here's a pic of Aaron at the main exhibit. Aaron loves anything and everything that is modern, contemporary or stark. I love watching his eyes as he sees something that moves him. He wants to be an architect. I will do anything and take him anywhere to fuel his passion.

I even felt artsy as I went to the bathroom. Snapped this pic. My gallery showing is next week. Ha!

Recognize those Rocketdog shoes? I'm thinking they'll be in every shot now.

I did not take the following pictures. Photography wasn't allowed in the exhibits.

This is a tunnel of mirrors and light. It was like the portal to heaven. We spent a lot of time in there. I was awed by how long it must have taken this artist to create this.

I'm ashamed to tell you that my first thought when I saw this was "What the heck is wrong with you Jayme....you can't even paint your house trim and this guy is building stainless steel abstract art".

This room was hard to describe. It was completely black, with a light hanging down, and a small mist of water. I kept waiting for Count Dracula to come out and scare us. It was ethereal. Beautiful. Inspiring. Really was delightful.

The rest of the museum was 'ahem' interesting. Not really my style of art, but I did feel inspired, challenged, confused, confounded and like I was on Candid Camera at times. I mean, come ON....seriously? Art? THAT? Why a 2 year old could paint that......

Had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. Visited Crate and Barrel. Oh how I hankered for so many things in that store. Actually purchased a few little things. Went to the Apple Store and a few little funky boutiques. Got a Green Tea Smoothie and threw it in the trash. Gak.

As we were leaving Chicago, I stopped at my old neighborhood. I sat in the alley behind my old house for a long time, looking, remembering. Those were the sidewalks I'd learned to walk on. My diapers hung on a clothesline there. So many thoughts went through my head. My mom worked so hard making that yard a little showplace. There was no evidence of her hard work now.

Stopped at the Physical Therapist on the way home for my torture session. Illiotic Band Syndrome. I call it the Idiotic Band Syndrome. It's the muscle that runs down the side of your leg. They use a rolling pin on me....a rolling pin! It's beyond excruciating. I cry. I sweat. I plead for them to stop.

Came home to all of your fun comments.

Thanks so much!

Night night.

Just A Lil' More Summer

Once I was done blogging about summer's last hurrah, I promptly went out in the yard to find a shady spot to break beans. It was beautiful out. I'm already mourning the end of days like these. Like everything else in life, summer seems so short. Life seems so short. I sure hope I live a good long life. There's so much I want to do! I'll be REALLY ticked off if I die young. Seriously.

After reading all your comments the last couple of days, it appears that the majority of you are more than ready for fall. Hmm. I'm still torn. I'm so torn. I guess it's because we've had an unseasonably cool summer. I could live with this weather all year long! The heat didn't really hit our area til the first week in August. The heat and humidity ravaged the garden. Things look spent. But the tomatoes, oh the tomatoes are in their glory.

Can you think of anything better than a BLT with a fresh tomato?

Hello lover.

If there is one thing you take away from my blog, ever, it would be to start baking your bacon.

Bacon and I have a long history. A love hate relationship. Love eating it, hate cooking it. I'm embarrassed to tell you that the last time I fried bacon I acted like a two year old. After being splattered with hot grease for the 19th time, and seeing bacon grease on the walls, I turned the burner off, and walked away, declaring I would never cook bacon again. I could hear the bacon laughing in the pan. It knew better. Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) had baked bacon on her show one day, and it looked so lovely. She even glazed it with maple syrup. Oh my. Iced Bacon. Yum! BUT, she cooked it up on a cooling rack. I did that, and the bacon just didn't taste right to me, and there was still a HUGE mess to clean up. Found out about making bacon like this, on parchment paper, in the oven. The bacon still cooks in it's own fat, which seems to make it super tasty like frying, but NO MESS GIRLS. No mess. Simply let the drippings harden, and throw the whole shebang away.

Thought you might like to see a little behind the scenes photo of the Coop Keeper. Glamorous, no? I'm playing around, trying to learn some vintage hair styles with pin curls. Aaron took this pic, laughing his head off as the breeze was blowing my bandana around. I was too busy breaking beans to look up.

Please please please keep me posted with your summer doings. I know we are all looking forward to fall, but don't diss summer. He'll be gone before you know it.

Love your comments! You've no idea how excited I get when I see them. Keep 'em comin'.

Summer's Last Hurrah

You know how I can tell summer is almost over? I buy new shoes. It's instinctual. It's getting ready for a new year. I like to buy clothes and sharpen pencils too. I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils. It's full of hope and the promise of learning and discovery. I heart these shoes. They make my stomach hurt I love them so much. Rocketdogs. Such a cool name for shoes.

30 actual days of the summer solstice left, 16 days of 'traditional' summer left before Labor Day. How does this make you feel? I feel bittersweet about it. The thoughts of crisp apples, warm sweaters and pumpkins makes me positively swoon. It's almost too much to bear really, it's so glorious. On the other hand, I feel a bit of woe and regret. I just feel that there was so much of summer that I didn't embrace.

It was an unseasonably cool summer here in NW Indiana, and I'm not one to complain. Loved the weather.

The past few mornings have been so fall like. I used to be able to be out in the yard working at 5. Now it's 6. It's dark at 8pm now. The days are definitely getting shorter.

It's hard to see the garden declining, and at the same time a sense of relief! Fall is all about nesting and squirrelling away things, preparing for the cold, stark winter. Preparing for rest. Preparing for stews and books and quilts and more time. Old movies and blogging, Christmas and hopes and plans for a new year..................

Ok...back to NOW. I'm feeling the need to cram some more summery activities into whats left of the summer. I want to ride my bike more. I need to go to the beach just a few more times. I need to drink lots more iced tea, and eat more melons and corn. I need to float somewhere on an inner tube. I need to go fishing fortheloveofGod.

Can you name three summer things that you'd like to do before this summer ends?