Monday, February 29, 2016

MULTI COLOR MONDAY #5

In a desperate effort to find color in a world ( my world ) that's filled to the brim with sensible neutrals - I'm dedicating one day a week to colorful vignettes that have caught my eye.

Color me Monday ................SUMMER !

PINTEREST

PINTEREST
PINTEREST
PINTEREST
PINTEREST
It's always the grayest and coldest and darkest just before Spring ..............and today is just horrid out there so these photos fill me with hope and a reminder that it's almost here everyone - !
There's just so much of this that one can take 



before you desperately need color




and maybe jellybeans too ....................


Have a wonderful day everyone - hope it's not as gray in your corner of the world 
Hugs
Me


LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES !

BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH                                 SAND & SISAL
STONE GABLE                                                                  FLUSTER BUSTER
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE                                            FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE              THE INTERIOR FRUGALISTA                 
HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON

Friday, February 26, 2016

A FRIDAY CHAT ( about this & that )

Good morning - come in !

Insert idle chit chat here..................yaddy yadda yaddadadadadadada !  yadda da da da ?
YADDY YADDA YAYAYA DADADA MOMMA MIA !!!!

Now on to the real stuff

I came across a blog last week where it said the author was a Lifestyle Expert.

How is that even possible?

How can someone be an expert on a lifestyle for anyone's life other than their own ( and even then I can't seem to get my own right let alone others )

I'm always suspicious of any blog that proclaims itself to be " expert " in anything.  At. All.

What a presumptuous description !
Can people actually buy into that crap?

You really do get wiser as you get older ( trust me - I'm an expert on that )
_________________________________________________________________________________

I have a few addictions I've never discussed here.
One of them is fries,
I know they're bad.
I know they'll probably shorten my life span.
BUT. I. CAN'T. GIVE. THEM.UP.
and
to
make
matters
worse
they
have
to
be
deep
fried.
Don't suggest that I bake them in the oven - because they taste like cardboard that way.
I don't eat them nightly - or weekly - but I can't go a month without whipping up a batch.
( and now I'm being completely dishonest because it's more like twice a month )

I go on these healthy eating binges - and then - WHAM BAM THANK YOU SAM - I'll have a fry with that salad !

They say you are what you eat - how gross that I'm a greasy slippery french fry.
But to be honest with you being a carrot stick isn't that appealing either, is it?
Anyway that's the only addiction I'm willing to talk about this week.

There's another one that rhymes with BROCOLATE - but I'm not ready to talk about that one just yet.
_________________________________________________________________________________

The thought crossed my mind last week that if Marco Rubio is the next President of the U.S. then the entire continent of North America will be ruled by 2  44 yr olds -  ( Justin Trudeau - our Prime Minister is 44 years old as well ) what are the chances of that happening again?  Here or anywhere else on the planet for that matter?  These are fascinating facts people and please remember where you read it first.
_________________________________________________________________________________

I was clearing out some pictures and I came across this one of Soda ( and fell apart for a little bit ) look at her tiny paw prints in the snow.......sniff


And the next day I was cleaning out some drawers in the front porch and came across that very same jacket ( and fell apart for a little bit )

Now what do you suppose that means exactly?
She hated the cold as she got older ( so do I )
She jumped around in it as a young pup ( so did I ) but really hated it over the last few winters.
I think she's telling me to let go.........that she's nice and warm where she is now
And if that's not the most pitiful feeble attempt at comforting myself I don't know what is.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Ok - lighten up for crying out loud ..........
CRIKEY !
I wish I lived in a reality where I could say CRIKEY and not sound like a complete jerk !
I always thought it was just Australians that said it - but I've heard it said on Downton Abby now as well.
I tried it on John a couple of times this week.

Suzan says - CRIKEY ! CAN YOU FIX THE WIRE ON THE VACUUM BEFORE I KILL MYSELF PLEASE?
John says - The what-what?
Suzan says -  Oh CRIKEY - I think you're going deaf
John laughs out loud
Suzan says - What's so CRIKING FUNNY?
__________________________________________________________________________

Just because I have twins - and this fascinated me



_________________________________________________________________________________

I bought a glue gun.
A long long time ago ( when the earth was green and there were more kinds of animals than you've ever seen )
And I have no idea where I've put it.
So...............I've emptied every drawer on the premises and still can't find it.
The good thing is that everything is pretty organized right now.
The bad thing is I need to buy another glue gun.
The good thing is they sell them at the dollar store now.
The bad thing is that once I buy it I'll find the other one nestled somewhere
The good thing is that then I'll have two of them

That's it -
You can only milk so much out about a glue gun on a blog post
_________________________________________________________________________________

I'm pretty sure I've told you this before - but I have a certain " condition " in that when someone talks about a condition they have e.g. a cold - strep throat - a root canal - a bad cut from a knife - tendonitis - a bad knee - etc
I mysteriously end up with it
All of it.
I'm not joking about that either.

So...........last week when my girlfriend called me up to tell me she had hemorrhoids so severe that the Doctor claimed he'd never seen anything like it - I went into complete panic mode.
Of course I feel bad for her - terrible in fact - but she knows what happens - WHY WOULD SHE TELL ME SUCH A THING???????

Suzan says - You know  I'm feeling a little nervous
Girlfriend laughs - I know - I was very hesitant about telling you

By the way - I'm in the process of having a root canal - a totally unexpected one - 2 weeks after this particular girlfriend mentioned hers to me.

I keep calling and texting her to remind her that she has to have this " thing " taken care of .
She seems touched by my concern - so we'll just leave it at that..............for now.
_________________________________________________________________________________

That root canal?
One of my daughters is a Dental Asst.

Mom says - I'm falling apart - literally I'm falling apart.
Lindsay says - Ok Mom - enough with the dramatics - you need a root canal
Mom says - My teeth are going to start crumbling in my head now ...........

Lindsay's been laughing about it since I said it - she keeps picturing my mouth turning to dust and when I open it to speak just dried dust tumbles out.
SICK.
She has one hell of a SICK take on things.
These are serious issues.
_________________________________________________________________________________

So.........I babysat Evan last night


Who was a perfect little monster almost the whole time - he cried and screamed his little heart out.
I tried to feed him but he cried so much he started choking on his bottle
I laid him on his tummy - he howled - I tried to rub his little tummy he kicked and screamed louder
I bounced him on my hip walking all over the house and singing to him the entire time - he just bawled.
I brought him upstairs to my bed and rocked him till he fell asleep and then I sat there beside him a virtual prisoner.
There was no way I'd move an inch........no how.
Until I needed to blow my nose and went into a complete panic.
I ended up opening a drawer as quietly as I could and blowing my nose in a pair of socks.
DON'T JUDGE !!!!!!!!
That's how much I love him ( well that's my story and I'm sticking to it )
I can tell you I've never done THAT before so it must be love, right?

His parents came to the door and I wearily came downstairs only to have him start bouncing in my arms with the biggest smiles and giggles you can imagine.
I may love him but he loves THEM !

Ok - I'm off here - I have tons to do this weekend and I need to get some writing time in -
hope you all have a wonderful one and that Spring is inching it's way toward your part of the world.
Hugs
I'd blow you a kiss but I'm nervous of dust flying out of my mouth.
Me








Wednesday, February 24, 2016

I WANNA live there Wednesday # 151

Good morning everyone !

There's a little humor involved in this week's pick - I don't know how many of you have heard of Cape Breton Island but apparently there's been a surge in real estate inquiries - from American citizens who are nervous of the election outcome.
You can read the article at the ROLLING STONE magazine.  

Cape Breton Island is a magnificent part of the Maritimes here in Canada and part of the Province of Nova Scotia ( off the Atlantic ocean ) with strong Celtic roots. So.......after hearing about this "surge " I decided to check out the real estate situation and I just may move there myself !

I'll show you a little of the island itself first and then show you what you can get 

BAY FERRIES LTD
FORTUNE.COM
FODORS.COM
WHALE WATCHING
CAPE BRETON . COM
PINTEREST

Ok - ready ?
I'm going to show you 3 homes - different price ranges !
Here's the first one - please remember this is just to show you what's available - not a commentary on the way the homes are decorated - we all have different tastes with decor !

390,000 CDN - 283,842 U.S. dollars
I'm in shock - seriously in shock over what you get for your money with this one in terms of outdoor space
 !
Waterfront Farm 
3 beds
2 baths
2400 sq. feet
Set on 6 acres
Renovated top to bottom over the last 7 years.
Realtor - LYNN ZAVITZ

Take a look at this !  Can you believe it?



















For more pics of the interior you can click HERE - this post is going to be really long LOL 

HOUSE # 2 

158,000 Cdn - 114,992 U.S.
Small Farm with 12 cleared acres
4 beds
1 bath - 1 half bath
1959 sq, ft
Pond on property
Mature hardwood trees including fruit trees
3 stall barn ( including large hay storage ) 
Several out buildings.
Realtor ALICIA COOPER  ( not Alice Cooper - Alicia ) 


















HOUSE # 3

This is being sold privately I believe - and the photos are kind of terrible but.................

Waterfront Property
67,000 CDN - 48,500 U.S.   ( Under 50,000 !!!!!!!!!!!! ) 
4 beds - 1 bath ( for that price you can add a second bath before you complain lol ! ) 
Wood Stove
It needs work but it has some redeeming features to be sure !
Found HERE


PAINT - PAINT - PAINT - CHANDELIER - PAINT PAINT




I spy with my little eye the bottom of a chandelier LOL !






Ok - so there you have it - 3 different price points.............

And you can stay here while you're house hunting !
Cottage rental - 181.00 U.S. a night
Sleeps 3
2 beds - 1 bath
Minimum stay 7 nights  ( oh I could spend 7 nights here in a heartbeat ! )










This is so you Americans feel at home !  ( Ugghhh - I have to tell you I find eagles terrifying to look at ! )

And a Hudson's Bay blanket for us Canadians LOL !




Booking and availability HERE

WELL !
This was a pretty exhausting post - I need a vacation now !
I know where I'd stay now anyway :)

Here's another link if you'd like some more information on this beautiful place  NOVA SCOTIA

And I'll leave you with this.  ( just in case this post wasn't quite long enough ! ) 





Have a wonderful Wednesday !
Hugs,
Me


LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES!

ART & SAND                                              THE ESSENCE OF HOME
FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE                       BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH
SAND & SISAL                                            STONE GABLE
FLUSTER BUSTER                                             SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE
LEHMAN LANE