'Virtual' Friday Date Night - Hmmmm...What Should I Wear?!

 (Vintage 1950s Photo of Couple Going Out for a Night on the Town from TwoDiggingDivas) 

     I loved seeing this old photo of a happy couple heading off on their own 'date night'! :-) It reminded me that hubby and I didn't corner the market on 'date nights'! ^_^ And it reminded me that the week is over!! Phew! I thought this week would never end!! O_O

     It's been a rough one...rain...a friend's death...finances low...allergies kicked up and out of control...and the weepy realization that the 'Parks' sausage company is no longer in business!! O_O No more delicious rope sausage!...and I could've used that comfort food this week too!! Boooo..hissssss!!

      Oh Well...my motto is...that is, if I have a motto! ^_^ ... that when you can't 'eat' comfort, you should 'wear' comfort! :-] So here's my choices of comfort for my 'virtual date night' tonight...

 (Linen Skirt Pants by idea2lifestyle)

 (Two collars two sides unique pockets blouse by KelansArtCouture)

 (Hand Knit Eco Cotton Oversized Woman Sweater by MaxMelody)

       And if we end up going somewhere fancy...because I'm not quite sure what hubby's plans are tonight...I'll wear a comfortable green dress...

 (Green Chiffon Maxi Dress by YL1dress)

     ...and pin one of my handmade flowers on it...

 (Men's Tiny Olive Green Crochet Lapel Suit Flower Boutonniere by Wuglyees)

      ...or a handmade flower from VeraJayne!...for my hair...around my ponytail! :-) ...

 (2 Chartreuse Green Hair Ponytail Holders by VeraJayne)

        Flowers are always the perfect accessory, aren't they?! :-) ...

 (3 Lace Chartreuse Navy Blue Rose Wedding Clutches by LeelaPurse)

     ...Especially if you have a pretty purse clutch (above) to pin them to! :-)

       Yes, I could've spent this time telling you about how many tears I shed yesterday, or how much sadder the day was with rain shutting down the tennis in France, but no! I thought that focusing on the positive...'virtual date night' with hubby...and the fact that tennis is on right now!...was a better choice. :-] ...By the way, Nadal is in a battle with a player I never saw play before! O_O 'Baby Boy' (Rafael Nadal) better not lose!...or else tomorrow's post is gonna be another 'Poetesswug-is-in-a-bad-mood' post!! LOL

       No worries! With so many people playing well...Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic...I'm sure I'll find a smile for you! :-) ... Right now I have to find a smile for some breakfast! :-) Later on I'll try to find a smile for my hubby too! :-) ...

(4x6 Mixed Media Friday Date Night Collage by artsyfartsytrelan)

       Have a good weekend, Everybody! :-)

Yes, I am distracted

Yes, I'm gonna be a bit distracted.
Yes, I'm gonna seem a bit aloof.
Yes, I probably will annoy you,
sorta like rain through a leaky roof.

Yes, I'm gonna need your forgiveness.
Yes, your patience would be sublime.
Yes, I know it's asking a lot,
but, people, it's French Open Tennis time!!

Unexpected Sadness...and Then A Smile

 (Friends 7x5 Illustration Print by majalin)

        Sometimes when the phone rings these days I get a little jolt of uneasiness. That's because I've been getting so much bad news lately. Friends going through chemo for cancer...going through stressful family issues...deaths.

       So when the phone rang yesterday, needless to say, I wasn't expecting good news! O_O But I wasn't expecting the news I got either!! :-( A girlfriend of mine...or should I say 'woman' friend, because we were real WOMEN together!...unexpectedly died!! :-( ...

 (15x22 Wrapped Watercolor Painting by AmandaNutzman)

     I won't get into the details, but suffice it to say...I was expecting to hear that any one of the other three friends of mine that I've been nervously waiting by the phone for to have died. Not her! :-( Actually, I didn't even know she was having a surgery! O_O That's how she was. Not wanting to worry anybody. :-(

     So, today I'm kinda sad. Remembering my dear, dear friend. Remembering wonderfully deep conversations with her...Remembering how she LOVED my cheddar-wurst and home fries with onions...Remembering how I had to teach her the 'correct' pronunciation of the word 'focus'. Her Spanish accent when she said it made us cringe and giggle every time!...until she found out what it sounded like...O_O...and forced herself to slow down and say it in slow motion every time after that! :-))

      I'm remembering how we talked endlessly about how crazy the world seems to be getting, and the beautiful future we both spiritually looked forward to when the whole earth was new again...

 (LUQUILLO BEACH in PUERTO RICO 16x20 Fine Art Photo by ElizabethThomasPhoto)

      I'm remembering how much I'm gonna miss those conversations, until I see her again. :-( ...

 ("Live to Tell" 50x56 Framed Oil Painting by KatherineFraser)

      *sigh*...Even tennis, crocheting, and music are gonna need a nap in between for a few days, while I get my 'sea legs' back under me again...

 (4 Kitten Cat Greeting Notecards/ Envelopes Set by ASLICEINTIME)

       Thankfully, because of other dear friends, I still have the ability to smile...

(1,000,000 Artists on Facebook)

      When I saw this illustration (above) it really made me smile! :-] I think the reason was partially because I have a wall hanging, photo, that it reminded me of!...

 

     See what I mean?! :-)) This was given to us by another dear friend many years ago....So, I'm remembering a lot of friends today. Some with sadness. But always also with smiles...because there were, and are, always smiles! :-]
      I'll try to be less sad tomorrow. See you then...Have a good day, Everybody.

 Reasons To Smile

I don't really need a reason,
to let out a great big grin;
But I do from time to time,
just to exercise my chin.

Sometimes I do it just to see
what reaction I will get,
in the places where I've gone,
and the people that I've met.

Sometimes it's just for me!
To amuse some silly thought;
Or to show just how excited
I have been at what I bought.

Sometimes a smile can change my mood,
when weather forecasts make me blue;
Or when I see a baby playing!
Oh yes! Oh Yes! I smile then too!

Truth is, I really don't need a reason.
Frowns just,frankly, aren't my style.
I could sit and write about it,
But even that would make me smile.

Is "Ooo La La" French For 'Rainy Tennis'?!

 (After the Storm Photo by UninventedColors)

     I shared the photo in my header today, which the description from the shop says was taken on Deer Island, a barrier island off the coast of Mississippi, because it looks sorta like my backyard this morning. Although it's not "after a storm" in my backyard. It's 'during' a raining of cats and dogs!! ^_^ UGH!

     We had a glimpse of sunshine yesterday and I thought maybe...just maybe!...we'd be able to 'skirt by' the forecast for rain today. But no. Once again, the weather people were 'right on'. UGH!

      I'm not gonna rant and rave, and get all huffy about it though, because I have tennis! :-) I'm watching Jo-Wilfried Tsonga play right now! :-)  I'm looking forward to a day of rain-free enjoyment! (The following photos were all taken from the Facebook site of the French Open at Roland Garros.)

      It wasn't rain-free in France at the French Open yesterday! O_O...

     In fact, I wasn't sure I was gonna get to see much tennis at all! It was 'pouring' at Roland Garros!!...But thankfully the clouds parted later in the day, and I got to see Novak Djokovic move on to round two. :-)
       I also got to see Marion Bartoli fight from behind and move on...

     ...and I also got to see Gaël Monfils go five sets with Tomas Berdych...and WIN!!!...
 

    Gaël has a new hair-do this year, and it seems that he has a new, more calm and cool, attitude this year too! And I think it's working for him!...the attitude I mean. I'm still not sure about the hair-do. :-)
     Anyway, that's all I have today. I've got tennis to watch!! ^_^ With two whole weeks of tennis I might end up with tennis elbow...of the eyes!! LOL 
      Have a good day, Everybody!...See you tomorrow....come rain or come shine! :-)

All The Things I Love

If I listed all the things I've loved
I could rattle on forever!
Whether by 'order of importance'
or by a poetically quick endeavor.

Right now it's Tennis...Well, all sports,
and reading informative magazines.
And crocheting, food and music.
Well..that might be in my genes!

I've loved teaching and line dancing,
So many things in my short life.
But I've never jumped from a plane,
or whittled anything with a knife!

With every passing moon
I find some other thing that I love.
Whether grassy patterns on my lawn,
or phenomenal skies above.

Yes, if I listed all the things I loved
my words could fill all space,
It comes from curiosity,
and an Ooo-ing Awww-ing place!

"Hubby, This Is Not A Test!"

 (Mini Owl Pillow by LittleSideKick)

      My hubby and I have been married for more than 30 years now. And the more time we spend together the more I like him! :-) Of course, sometimes I still wanna kill him...but the times that I want to kill him are getting less and less. ^_^

      Of course, when I think about why it is that we get along so well...I'm dumb-founded. There's no rhyme or reason to it ^_^ Here are the facts: He's not much of a talker. I am!...He needs to be doing something every minute. I like to nap every chance I get...He likes scatty type Jazz music O_O. I'm not that big of a fan of it...at all!...

      ...I love to crochet. He's not really that crafty...although I've tried to teach him. Yes, he now knows how to crochet, but he has NO desire to...He also didn't continue latch-hooking, which I also taught him years ago!

       With all of the differences between us...and yes there are many, many more!...it's a puzzlement to me as to why we get along so well!...But I'm always trying to figure it out. ^_^

       Over the weekend when I was looking through some items on Etsy, hubby inquired as to what it is that makes me choose the items I choose to show on the blog. I told him that I just scroll until something catches my eye usually. So he wanted to see what caught his eye doing the same thing. Here are the items we chose. See if you can guess who chose what!...

 (White Floral Pendant Necklace by starlightwoods)

 (Navy Blue Pluto Necklace Pendant by BeautySpot)

 (Polka Dotted Cookie Jar by GrayDecember)

(Handmade Glass Seashell Earrings by GlassRiverJewelry)

 (Beadweaving: Herringbone Rope with Beadwoven "Russian Leaves" in Dark Green by TheHighBead)

(Baby Caterpillar Hat and Cocoon Set by May22)

      I'm sure you think you know who chose what, but do you?! ^_^ I chose the owl pillow in the header photo, the floral necklace, the polka dotted cookie jar and the beaded leaf necklace...The Pluto necklace, seashell earrings, and baby caterpillar set were him!

     So, do I know any more about why we get along from us doing this?!.....Not a bit! ^_^ We just do...Maybe it's the willingness to indulge each other's silliness. I mean, he chose Etsy items with me, and I ate his American Chop Suey!!...Yes I did! LOL...But I put Cheetoes on it! ^_^ ...

     

      It needed Cheetoes...and some more hot pepper seeds! LOL 

     Well, clearly I don't love him for his cooking!! ^_^ I love him though. Yes, I do!!!!! :-) ... Have a good day, Everybody!..."YOU TOO, Honey!" ♥

Men Are Not The Same

Men are not the same.
Women, you know what I mean.
They are complicated, quiet,
not fanatics being clean.

Men are not the same.
They could care less how they look!
Yes, a generalization,
in which I could write a book.

Men are not the same.
On long detail don't waste their time.
They will say the color's green,'
Where we say emerald, teal, or lime.

Men are not the same.
Some things are obvious to see.
Like muscle mass and hair,
and the different ways we pee.

The truth is, girls, we like it!
Our feigned annoyance is a myth.
Because if we were both the same
there'd be no one to bicker with! 

The French Open And...American Chop Suey!

 (8x10 Pasta Still Life Food Photography Print by BLintonPhotography)

       I'm having a good weekend! :-) And yes, I do know it's actually Monday....or at least it is here. :-)) But hubby is home today, because of the holiday here. So it still feels like the weekend to me still!

     Hubby was in the mood to cook too, so that REALLY makes it a good 'pseudo' weekend!...Or does it?! O_O He wasn't making his 'tried and true' recipes. You know, the ones he does great every time!...No, he decided to make American Chop Suey, or Goulash.  

     For those of you not familiar with it, it starts with elbow pasta...

 (1970s San Giorgio Elbow Macaroni Transistor Radio by JanvierRoad)

      The above elbow macaroni is not elbow macaroni at all! It just looks like elbow macaroni. It's actually a radio!! :-) I just had to show it to you because it fascinated me! ^_^ ... But, like I was saying, American Chop Suey starts with elbow macaroni. Then you have to brown some ground beef and add spices, bell pepper, and tomatoes!...

 (ROMA VF Classic Italian Paste Tomato Seeds from seedslt)

      If all of the 'melding' of flavors happens as it should, your American Chop Suey, or Goulash, should look like this!...

 (American Chop Suey from Fat Johnny's Front Porch Blog)

      Unfortunately...hubby's didn't look like this. O_O He used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and it ended up looking like the turkey was trying to fly the coop! LOL "Sorry Honey". 

      His ground turkey didn't brown and caramelize the way ground beef does. It kinda looked gray!...YUCK!...All of that hard work and yet...I didn't wanna eat it!! O_O Or should I say, I was afraid to eat it!!

     He ate a plate of it though, and he's still alive! ^_^ So I may try it today...after it 'melds' a bit longer! ^_^ What can I say. I'm funny about food that doesn't look, on the plate, the way it looks in my head!! LOL

      He says I hurt his feelings after he did all of that work. :-(  And his argument also included something about how "he" thought it tasted good... "Sorry Honey"...It wasn't my intention to hurt his feelings. And if it tasted good to him...great! But I couldn't eat it....I just COULDN'T!!!! ^_^ I had visions of Salmonella 'coming to get me'!! LOL

      I reasoned with him that it's really not him. It's me!...and that's true! Once I get a vision of what my food is 'suppose' to look like in my head, if the reality doesn't come to fruition...I'm OUT!!! ^_^

     I didn't used to be like that! But now that I'm going through 'the change' I'm having weird food issues. I can hardly stand the smell of cooking eggs or chicken. And don't get me started about the 'texture' of certain foods. Ewwwwwww Whee!!! We could be here for days talking about it!! LOL

      Thankfully I had some crunchy 'Cheetoes' in my stash, or I might've starved to death last night!! LOL... Okay. That's a bit dramatic. :-)) But let me just say...I think hubby's American Chop Suey might taste good with a layer of Cheetoes on top!...I may have to try that in order to get it down!.....Shhhhhh! Don't tell him! It might hurt his little 'slaving-over-a-hot-stove' cooking heart!! :-)

      Anyway!....American Chop Suey is not my main focus this weekend. And it's not crocheting either...even though I had a few sales over the weekend and I NEED to replace the items in my Wuglyees shop!...No! My main focus this weekend is TENNIS!! :-)

(Recycled Compact Disc Clock by TheGolfingDolphin)

       It's that time of year again. The FRENCH OPEN!!!! :-) Oh, the happiness! This weekend has had a good meeting at the Kingdom Hall, a great 'virtual'date night to Jamaica with beef patties and coco bread, sales in my shop, giggle time with hubby, and tennis!!! :-) If I leave the whole fiasco with the American Chop Suey out, it might just be the recipe for a perfect weekend!! :-) "Sorry Honey".

      Enjoy the rest of your weekend...or your day, Everybody! :-)

 For all the Mondays

For all the Mondays that come around,
and all the Fall leaves gently falling down;
For all the wet soil, caked and brown,
and all the worms it must have drowned;

For all the honking, and chatty sound
from all the folks scurrying round the town;
For aching feet and hearts that pound;
and lists and nerves to be unwound;

For bags and keys that hit the ground,
when well-tired bodies fall in a mound;
For deals and prices that do astound,
and all well worth it, pound for pound;

For all the Mondays that come around,
and all the weekends gone with a frown;
For adjectives needed, not just a noun,
Much thanks to Mondays that come around.

I Caught A Hummingbird With My Pancakes!

      Usually on Sunday mornings I pretty much know what I'm going to be talking about here on the blog...and so do you!...PANCAKES!! :-] But today, while I was waiting for my pancakes, I caught a hummingbird! :-)

     You may have to click on the photo to make it large enough to see him...because he is a little bitty thing! But he's there!! :-) And he's been there for a few days now!
 

     I thought, due to the pouring rain we had all day yesterday, that he was gonna be a 'No-Show'...but I was wrong! He showed up...and showed up...and showed up ALL DAY!! :-) At one point, when the rain was pouring so bad that he could have been hit by a stray raindrop and gotten knocked out!, he went underneath the leafy brush of my bushy tree and hovered! :-)

     What a little cutie!! :-)

     He's a completely different hummingbird than any I've seen at the feeder in years past. He's very tiny, and he's got different coloring. He's very dark. I'm not sure what kind of hummingbird he is. I'm not a very good name person for birds. I just like to see them. And the more colorful the better...whatever kind of birds it is! :-)
       I'm sure other hummingbirds will start to show up soon. They always do. But by then this little fella may have 'dibs' on the feeder, and he'll be ready to fight for it too!! O_O I guess hummingbirds are like people in that way. I mean...once I find a comfortable spot, or stake my claim to a certain stack of pancakes...DON'T BOTHER ME!!! ^_^
      Speaking of pancakes, I have to go and eat mine, and get myself ready for my meeting this morning (Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses). But first I wanted to show you a couple of things that caught my eye, besides the hummingbird, this morning...

 (Rose Bloom Ring by FeedYourNeedDesigns)

 (Horse Bookend by EQUINEbyLauren)

       I'm sure you're not surprised that a flower caught my eye, ^_^ but I know you didn't expect me to share a horse, did you?! LOL

     Now, after a hummingbird, a rose flower ring, and a horse bookend, there could be only one thing left to have with my pancakes...MUSIC! :-)

 

(Jazz Club (Rhythm Section) Print by paulspictureshop)

      So I'm gonna share the song I heard for the first time this morning, by a singer I never heard before! Enjoy!! :-) And go get yourself some pancakes too! :-) Have a good day, Everybody!!

Sunday Mornings

Sunday mornings are for quiet,
and for music in your ears.
Not for fretting over business,
or for struggle, or for tears.

Sunday mornings are for worship,
or for time to just relax.
Not for schedules that need keeping,
or for dealing with the 'Quacks'!

Sunday mornings are for slowness,
sipping on a cup of 'Joe';
Getting ready for the new week,
when you have to 'Go! Go! Go!'

Sunday mornings are for birds,
crows and woodpeckers alike.
Or for pancakes on the griddle,
or for snowy morning hikes.

Sunday mornings are for color,
and for spousal 'chitter chat',
and for doing a bit of reading,
or writing poems that end like.....that!

Southern Banana Pudding And A Beef Patty...I Must Be In Jamaica...?!

 (P H O T O "In Rainbows" 8 X 10 art print of painted bamboo taken in Jamaica by GMNYC)

        Yes, you guessed it. Hubby and I took a 'virtual' trip to Jamaica last night for our Friday date. :-) I have to tell you though, that I wasn't all that sure that Jamaica was the place I wanted to go!

       The reason I wasn't sure about Jamaica...which is where hubby wanted to go...was because I'd been craving homemade southern style banana pudding for days, and Jamaica is not the south...Georgia...where I could got to get my fix of southern style banana pudding!! ^_^ And I had to have some banana pudding. I just HAD TO!! Ummmmm!

      Now, I'm not ashamed to tell you that sometimes...okay, most times!...food dictates where we go on our 'virtual' trips. :-] And that is a very good thing! Oh, the fun we had in Italy, France, Greece!!!

      But when I think of Jamaica my first thoughts aren't of food. My first thoughts are of that gorgeous water, and sunshine...Now, with all the rain we've been getting here in Massachusetts over the last few days I'm surprised I wasn't thinking of Jamaica!...but I wasn't!
      Hubby was though!!! :-] ...

 (Jamaican View For Two 8x10 by PositiveViews)

      Hubby was also thinking of delicious beef patties with coco bread!! :-) ...

(Wikipedia Commons)

       So, off to Jamaica we went!! :-) We laid in the sunshine like two colorful iguanas, and ate beef patties and coco bread until we couldn't move!! ^_^

      But guess what?!...I was in Jamaica thinking of banana pudding! LOL...

 (Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe by RecipeJunction)

      And since Jamaica was south of where we lived, but not Georgia, we had to settle for some 'jacked-up' banana pudding! LOL In other words, not original homemade banana pudding...the kind you make from scratch with nilla wafers, fresh bananas and homemade pudding (with a pinch of cinnamon...the secret ingredient in mine. Oops! It's not a secret anymore, is it! ^_^)

      We  had to go to the store and buy some Jello pudding cups...and I got chocolate. I had never thought of making chocolate banana pudding until then...but now?....Ummmmmm!!!...

 (Crazy Food Dude Blog)

      I digress. Moving on!! ^_^ ...Then we got some bananas...

 (Banana Announcement Card by thelittlewhimsy)

    ...and some Nilla wafers...And they had to be Nilla wafers!...because...I'm sorry vanilla wafer making people!...no other wafers taste the same!!...

 (Nilla Wafers on Facebook)

       Then we got fancy cups and put our pudding in the bottom, cut up a banana on top....wished we had thought to get whipped cream too! UGH!...and then put Nilla vanilla wafers all around the top!!!! YUM!!!!!! :-)

 (Nilla Wafers on Facebook)

       After that...it wasn't so bad being in Jamaica in the sunshine!! :-)

 (P H O T O "Irie Charlie" 8 X 10 iguana art print by GMNYC)

      Of course, being wet and rained on in Jamaica during a storm might not have been that bad either! :-]

(Bluefields Bay photograph taken during a storm by BricesCorner)

      It was a very good 'virtual' date night! :-) I hope your weekend turns out as well! :-)

The Night We Have A Date

We're  married many years;
Too old to go to bed too late.
We sometimes sit and laugh about it,
on the night we have a date.

Every Friday night is ours;
Time we long anticipate;
When we eat what we've been craving,
on the night we have a date.

We let nothing interfere.
(I recommend this with your mate).
Just focus one night, every week,
as the night you have a date.