Today It's Just Gonna Be.......

('You and Me' Wood Letters by SheShell)

         I'm not forcing it today! I'm just gonna relax and go with the flow. After all...it's my Friday Virtual Date Night'! I'm allowed to just...'BE'...today! :-] And if you wanna join me, please do! It'll just be you and me....'being' us!

       There will be no 'grown up talk' today. I'm gonna be and talk like a kid...'virtually'. :-)) In fact, I may or may not even be tall enough to reach any grown up subject today! LOL

(Personalized Butterfly Canvas Growth Chart by KidODesignStudio) 

       Instead I'm gonna try on all the jewelry in my jewelry box that I haven't been wearing...all of it, if I want to! ^_^

 (Sarah Coventry Dark Topaz Glass Bracelet by fransway)

 (Bead Embroidery Bracelet by KateTractonDesigns)

      I don't think any of mine is as elegant as the two above pieces... O_O ...but that's not the point today, right?! I'm just gonna put jewelry on...and wear it!.....Whatever it is!....because......JUST because!...I love jewelry! ^_^ {By the way, YOU can wear whatever you want! LOL}

     Also, because I'm not forcing it today, I'm gonna spend some time just sitting and staring out into the backyard. :-) It's a good time to do that too, because hubby's flowers are growing so pretty out there. He took these close ups of a couple of them yesterday...

       Aren't they beautiful?! :-] ... They're relaxing me...and making me wanna chase the butterflies that have been flitting all around them in the backyard too!....Maybe today I will! :-) ...Why not?!

       What else am I gonna do?!....Crochet, of course! :-) 

 (Organic Natural Linen Fabric storage basket by JeanieDeans)

         I didn't do anything on my new crochet project yesterday. It required more brain power than I could muster. :-)) ...I did make some flower brooches though! Making them doesn't require any kind of deep thought anymore. I move my fingers and they almost make themselves! ^_^ I'll show 'em to you tomorrow...I couldn't muster up enough energy to photograph them yesterday either! LOL

        And, seeing as it's Wimbledon semi-final time, you can just about guess what else I'm gonna be doing today, right?! ^_^ ... Yep! The same thing I was doing yesterday...every time my eyes opened I mean...(Oooo Whee! I was doing some sleeping!!)...watching tennis!

            Yesterday it was the Wimbledon women's semi-final matches, between Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska...(The photos below are from the Wimbledon Facebook site)

          Radwanska won.

        ....After that match, it was Serena Williams versus Victoria Azarenka...

         Serena won.

      They were both good, but they were straight matches. Predictable straight matches...The men's semi-final matches today are NOT predictable!

      The first match will be Roger Federer versus Novak Djokovic...And, after that, Andy Murray versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga! {I'm still missing my 'Baby Boy', Rafael Nadal, being in it though ;_;}...This is gonna be good, edge of your seat, tennis y'all!!...If you've never watched tennis before, and you're wondering what the big deal is, today would be the day to watch and find out! ^_^

       I picked a good day to just 'BE', don't you think?! ^_^ ... Now tomorrow I have to put my big girl....Well, you know what I mean...I've got to get back to the job of choosing my husband a gift, and cheering up a certain someone with some devastating news hanging over their head. :-( ...Like Scarlett O'Hara though, from Gone With The Wind, 'I'll think about that tomorrow...because tomorrow is another day!'

      Have a good weekend, Everybody!

Why I Love Sports

When I see something done at it's best,
When I see the hard work and the skill,
When I know they could give it no less,
and if more could be given, they will,

When I hear in their voice the request,
to be put in, yes, even if ill,
When the time that they're spending is pressed,
and the love for the sacrifice real,

When the rules of the game they've addressed,
and for them, the price well worth the bill,
When I've felt them embracing the test,
then I love it, and I always will!       

Royalty, Front Page...And Other Stuff!

(Striped Straws Photo Print by EricaLeaPhotography)

      Do you have a childhood memory, from when you were a kid, of waking up on the weekend to the smell of bacon frying?...Of walking slowly toward the kitchen, maybe dragging your 'blankie' with you, and seeing your mom, all smiley and in an over-exuberantly good mood, offering you a big hug and a large glass of cold, frothy chocolate milk with a red and white colored straw in it?!

     Clearly I do!...and it's those memories that fly into my head when I see photos like the one in the header photo above. First class memories! Memories that give you good things to think about even when bad things are happening all around you.

      Speaking of first class...and photos...look at one of the photos that was on the Wimbledon Facebook site yesterday!...

      It's Prince William and Kate! They came to see Roger Federer and Andy Murray play!!...and Roger and Andy did not disappoint. They both won! :-)

      In fact, there was all kinds of royalty at Wimbledon yesterday!...even tennis 'royalty'...

           ...which included the likes of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf! :-) ...Oh, I miss seeing them play! Talk about good memories!...Oh Well.......Moving on!

       I spent part of the day yesterday looking for good things to put in my head....besides sleepy dreams I mean, cuz OH YEAH!...I did some more sleeping!! :-] ...So, I popped over to the front page of Etsy...just to see what kind of crazy stuff was there!....(I do that sometimes...and you probably wouldn't admit it, but you probably do that too! LOL)...What did I find?!...Not crazy stuff at all! But these two cuties...

(Blue and White Gingham Hearts Bouquet by lalunadianna)

     Aren't they delicious?! :-) They look like little homemade lolli-hearts!

     And then there was these cuties...a set of 4 too!...

(Red and White Placemats and Napkins by ladaridari)

      Don't you just love the little pocket?!! I'd never seen a placemat like that before! Perfect for the front page! ... or the front table at dinner! :-) 

     No, I didn't spend my whole day online or sleeping. I also did a bit of crocheting...of course. :-)) I wanted to show you the wedding boutonniere we finally decided on...

       The two shades of gray and the purple passion look great together. But I couldn't decide whether to put the dark or the light gray in the middle (the light gray is in the middle in the photo above). The customer left it up to me!

     I finally decide not to put the light gray in the middle...because the silver button wouldn't show up as well against the lighter color...Here's the finished product...

       What do you think?!...Honestly, I still miss the 'iris' color. It would have really popped with that color in the middle! But I think the groom will still look pretty handsome with this one on his lapel! :-)

      After I finished the boutonniere, I was looking around for something fun to work on...something new....This is what I found...

         Do you know what it is?! ^_^

      If you do....you're good!! LOL I'm gonna work on it some more to day. I'll show you what it is when it gets further along.....assuming that I can figure out the pattern! It's kinda patchy! :-]

     Okay, back to bed....and some more childhood memories! :-)

(Mustache Pacifier by thestachestore) 

        What do you want?!....I'm working on my mood! :-] ...I am feeling better today too. More determined than weepy. And I hope you are too!...Have a good day, Everybody!

Feeling Better

There's no card for "Feeling Better"!
But I think that there should be,
when my friends have sent good wishes;
and been loving up on me.

When they've sent good food to eat,
flowers, cards, emails, and calls.
When they've made it bearable
watching T.V. and 4 walls.

I'd like a card to send them back,
with a smiley face there too,
saying: "Feeling so much better;
and it's all because of you!"     

Funny How Things Happen......

(Cat Photograph by VanillaExtinction)

        Funny how things happen. One day you're doing a blog post, going on and on about crocheted boutonnieres, and then the phone rings...and all time seems to stand still...and you wonder why you were wasting so much time talking about trivial matters like crocheted boutonnieres! :-(

     I'm struggling about how to do this post without boring, offending, protecting and respecting everyone's feelings. I'm sure someone is not gonna be happy. So, I'm just gonna be me. You can choose whether you want to read on or not.

 (French Carriage House Art Object by POAST)

      I've talked about my friends numerous times on this blog...numerous times! And I've talked about my loving and even losing dear loved ones numerous times. I've even shared my poems about it. So you can't possibly know how my talking about THIS friend is any 'different' from my other friends that I've told you about...but it is. And I wanna tell you why.

      This friend was not initially a friend I chose. We had a commonality in that I was friends with her two daughters. Very good friends with one of them. {We were 'Pioneer' partners...(a 'Pioneer' is a witness of Jehovah who volunteers a certain amount of time a year to the ministry of helping others learn about God and the Bible)...and we were fellow poets. :-)}

      So, with my friend being a mother to my other friends, and a fellow congregation 'sister', and kinda always just being around...we also became friends. That's a simplified way of me trying to explain how we got to know each other and be friends ourselves. But it was much more complex than that...just saying. :-]

(Modern Rainbow Stationery-Set of 8 by SparrowNestScript)

      She became, as southerners say, my 'Ace Boon Coon'! The friend that was my partner in crime...the crime being surprise parties for other people, jokes pulled on close friends, letters written and phone calls made to get something or the other done NOW!

     And we've been each other's ear to bend, and shoulder to cry on, at any time....when our teams lost, when the movie was good, when some family issue was trying to steal our pleasing personality, or simply because we were happy. :-] 

      Considering that we are from completely different sides of the track...so to speak...it's a wonder that we are friends at all!...She has New England fishing attitude. I have barefoot southern girl attitude...She's white. I'm black...She's been comfortable financially most of her life. I was a welfare child, and was a paycheck-to-paycheck kind of girl, most of my life...I could go on and on about our differences...but I won't. :-]

      We have so many, many more things in common!...We both have had husbands that spoiled us rotten! ^_^ In fact, our anniversaries were both in July! I can hardly think of my own anniversary without thinking of hers...She lost her dear husband to Cancer a few years ago. So, while I smile every year in July that hubby and I have made it another year, I also shed a tear for her...that her journey in this life is now without the male 'Ethel' to her 'Lucy'. :-] 

     Other things we have in common are that we both have strong personalities. We love ourselves and we love other people...We don't go looking for controversy. But nor do we back down from it, when it comes looking for us!...We're fiercely loyal. Hate unfairness...and diets. :-) We're up for just about any fun thing at the drop of a hat!...and we've proven throughout the years that we'll travel any road...no matter how long...to help someone in need.

     I know! I know!...You've all got friends like that. But your friend is not THIS friend....and your friend may not be in the battle of her life FOR her life right now. Mine is. :-( That was the phone call I got yesterday while I was blogging about boutonnieres. :-(

      Her daughter...also my friend....called. This friend, her mom, is in the hospital. She didn't even tell me she was going to have surgery. And I know why. :-( She probably thought she could get through it without me finding out and she wouldn't have to worry me. :-( That's how she is...she was looking at surgery, but worried that I would worry!

(Set of 8 DIY Mason Jar Lantern or Flower Vase Hangers by TheCountryBarrel)

     As it turns out the stage one Cancer she was thinking would just get removed...upon opening her up during surgery, is more than they thought. It's actually stage four! :-( And there is other complications as well...which I won't get into for her privacy.

     I'm not telling you all of this for conversations sake. I'm telling YOU because it's kind of a way to tell myself! I'm going back and forth from almost non-belief, to sheer terror at the thought of her going through chemo-therapy...or dying!!!! *_* I don't want to think about it...I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT!!!...but I have to! I have praying to do!!...Now is no time to evacuate my mental stability and my conversations with God!! Now is the time to ramp them up!...in her behalf! 

      He already knows her. She's made sure of that!...I just want to let him know that I know her too! :-] And she could use an extra hand to hold right now...so to speak...since I can't physically be there to hold it for her.

     Ever since yesterday I've been crying and sleeping.....Yes, SLEEPING!!!...*shaking my head*...In fact, I slept almost the whole day away...when I wasn't crying I mean...Enough of that now!! How am I gonna help her through this if I can't keep my eyes clear of tears...and open?!...{She would be laughing at me right now if she saw that last line! ^_^}

      So, no more 'Woe Is Me' talk! I'm not the first person with a friend battling Cancer. Even stage four Cancer!...unfortunately. And if this system continues, I won't be the last! And besides, she needs my sense of humor now. And my threats of busting her out of that hospital. And my surprise 'file-in-the-plant-soil' to help her saw her way out of that airy...and no doubt ugly...'johnny' (hospital nightgown) I know they have her in! LOL

       I'm feeling better now...and awake...and on a mission! :-) Have a good day everybody! PLEASE!!!! :-] I'll try not to be so wordy tomorrow.....Who am I kidding?! LOL

Let The Poem Say It

Yes, you've been my friend.
For many years you've born that chore.
But we've really been 'heart sisters'
for what seems like many more.

I didn't know I'd love you so.
Although it seemed right from the start,
that we could giggle over nothing
and never want to be apart.

I was friends first with your daughters.
One, a Poet, just like me.
The love for you and your dear husband
poured from them so soft and free.

But we were 'sisters', 'partners', 'gals'.
The apples of our husband's eyes.
(Good men who spoiled us both a plenty!
The skies from which our suns would rise.)

I've watched you, all these years,
be a friend no one could beat.
And yes, I've seen your anger flare,
No, not the flame, just felt the heat.

The two of us have talked for hours,
cried our way through movies...true.
Well, we've cried through many things!
So, tissue companies...we THANK YOU!

I've seen you faithful to your husband,
and to God. Nothing new.
And seen you faithfully strong through Cancer,
though it took your man from you.

I saw you take care of your mother
with such loving, tender care.
That's why I wish with all my heart,
that now, for YOU, I could be there.

You've lost your husband, mother, friends.
Lost your precious eyesight's view.
Lost ability to drive yourself,
or even see phone numbers too.

But through it all you're just as stubborn!
Like a rock, with fist held high.
With a wink upon your eyelid,
and, I knew,  a secret cry.

Now, the trial of life is bigger,
and the battle is anew.
All the support that you have given
will be given now...to you.

I've always felt you could move mountains.
I've seen you do it many times.
So, get to work on this one, sister.
The fearful mountain, though, is mine.

I fear that you will be too helpless.
That the 'YOU' I know won't be.
That the situations coming
will steal your big personality.

If you could see me writing this
you'd probably yell at me and smile.
So, I just spanked my own left hand.
I love you...see you in a while.

Wide Awake!...Tweaking....Tweaking!

(Handmade Mommy And Baby Owl Key Chain by Busaba)

      Once again, here I am talking about my adventures in not sleeping!...*shaking my head*...I know! I know! You're sick of hearing about it...almost as much as I'm sick of myself talking about it!! LOL But considering that all of my activities lately are being done with me in an exhausted state, I thought I should tell you about it...to explain why I sound kinda nutty and scatter-brained sometimes! ^_^

     So...what have I been doing while half awake this time?!...Tweaking the groom's boutonniere on the custom wedding order that I'm making...As I told you yesterday, my customer loves the groomsmen's boutonnieres...

     But the boutonniere for the groom is causing some challenges. The reason is because he wanted his boutonniere made with two different colors than the groomsmen...'Passion' purple and 'Iris', which is a kind of purple/violet/blue...

     Those two colors would have looked great together too!....if I could find the 'iris' shade in a thread....which I can't find.....ANYWHERE! Ugh!

    So, it's been a back and forth about other colors. He wanted to try a dark purple with the 'passion'...

    Nice....but no 'Umph!'...besides which, the dark purple doesn't fit the wedding color scheme...He wondered how silver would look.....Then we moved on!

      Then he mentioned that they will be wearing gray suits. So he thought that maybe gray would work with the passion. :-) Yeah!...But what shade of gray?!...

       Dark gray or light gray?! O_O

     And what button?....This one?...

      Or a smaller one?....Maybe this one?...

     As of in the middle of the night....like around 1 or 2 a.m. ...it was decided!...I'm gonna do three colors! :-) Both shades of gray and the passion purple!...I'll show it to you tomorrow...

      Stream of consciousness: I just got a phone call... ;_; ...spending any more time on this post seems kinda frivolous right now. :-( Sorry y'all. If I can pull myself together, I'll tell you about it later. ;_; I'm so sad right now.

 Let Go

Ever against the tide we row,
fighting our-self, with bent elbow.
(Releasing feelings, tucked inside,
hidden because of foolish pride.)

Fighting just to stay the course.
Using every ounce of force.
(Dreaded emotions pushing through,
trying to get the best of you.)

Waves of feelings swirling round.
Fighting hard to keep them down.
(They're  seeping out on every curve.
Letting them-takes lots of nerve.)

Open quick, your tight-clenched palm.
Feel the water's  quiet calm.
(Released emotions-held too long,
now are righting every wrong.)

Let's Get Back To Our Normal Schedule!

(Bicycle Art Print by eeliethel)

 

       I hope you all had nice weekends!...I did! It was a very accomplished weekend...even though I missed there being no tennis on the middle Sunday at Wimbledon. :-] Thankfully I had the Tour De France though! ^_^ Today everything is back to normal...sports-wise. It's stage 2 of the Tour De France, and the round of 16 at Wimbledon...the round where everybody, male and female, plays! :-) Let the T.V. watching begin!! LOL

      {By the way, the above photo is of my vintage "OLD" orange...(Bakelite, I think)...T.V. It's not the $250 one..."Thanks Again, Leigh Keno"...but I'm pretty sure it has some kind of value also. It may require another email to the Keno brothers to find out! ^_^

      It's time to get back to normal!...barring a change in my sleeping patterns. I wouldn't mind a bit if they become abnormal. The normal routine is driving me a little bit crazy! Grrr!...Anyway! I've got a few cute finds to share with you tomorrow....and a question about a button.
        And today, I wanna show you the finished custom wedding boutonniere set! :-)

 
       These are the 7 groomsmen boutonnieres...

     And even though I don't think I ever would've chosen them to put together myself, the  combination of the autumn red and the persimmon are kinda growing on me! :-) I even like the sewn on pin bar in the back!...And, of course, I love the translucent button with the silver all around! ^_^ ....In case you don't know it...I'm a button nut! ^_^

     The boutonniere for the groom is still awaiting approval. We had a bit of an issue finding one of the shades he wanted. This is the one we finally decided on...

      It's a dark purple in the center, and 'Passion' purple on the outside petals. He wanted it completely different from his groomsmen...with a different button also....What do you think?!

      I hope it's a successful endeavor! O_O

(Skydiving Fail Pin/Button by YellowBugBoutique)

      If not, it'll be back to the drawing board until I get it right!...crocheting like a mad woman....like normal! ^_^

       Speaking of normal, I'm still fretting about what to get hubby for our anniversary, which is......Uhhhh...not our first, but our 30th! And it's Uhhhh...

     ....THIS MONTH!!!...*gulp!* :-0 I've got about 4 weeks to figure it out!!...HELP Y'all!!! {By the way, the desktop calendar above is a gift from Bonnie, on the  going home to roost blog! Just go over to her blog and download it in your size --> HERE.}

       Have a good day everybody!....a normal one! :-)

1st Anniversary

We've had one year
of laughs and fun.
I knew we'd make it,
Honey Bun!

The wedding's over.
The tears are dry.
We're still together,
Sweetie Pie!

Year number two
will be easy-maybe!
We'll make it so.
Okay-Baby?

Making it last
will be our career.
We'll go headlong,
without fear.

For years to come
we'll be right here,
and I'll love you more
each year-My Dear!     

Two Peas In A Pod....Sorta Kinda!

(Vintage Teak Wood Serving Tray from SnapshotVintage)

        This is gonna be a quick post today. I've got a meeting this morning, and a few other things "To Do" that I should have "Got Done" yesterday! O_O So consider this your break from "ME"! LOL....sorta kinda.

       I still want to say a quick thank you to the other "Pea" in my 'pod'....my hubby. :-) He's been enduring my lack of focus on him for almost a month now! Between my crocheting, tennis watching,...

 (Two Vintage Cortland Wood Rackets from MeadowviewVintage)

         ...and naps 24/7, it's a wonder he's still talking to me. :-) But he is! He's been loving. He hasn't been complaining....much. And he's still trying to find ways to keep me entertained....like whistling the theme song to "The Andy Griffith Show". ^_^ ...Note to self: Limber up those lips 'Wug', and learn how to whistle! Your husband needs accompaniment! LOL

      I'm having a hard time trying to think of what to get him for our 30th wedding anniversary...and it's coming up fast! O_O ...I NEED SUGGESTIONS PEOPLE!!!!...Q-U-I-C-K! What's the best gift to get for a good man?!!

     Okay, I'm outta here! Talk amongst yourselves.....Have a good Sunday. See you tomorrow! :-)

(Modern Original Print by hairbrainedschemes)

How Can You Tell a Good Man From a Bad One?

How  can you  tell a good man
from a bad man nowadays?
The truth is there are many,
many, many, kinds of ways.

A good man, when he meets you,
looks you straight into your eye.
A bad man, will look down,
and he can't  wait to tell a lie.

A good man, when he owes you,
pays your money right on time.
A bad man says: "I'll   pay you!"
But he never has a dime.

A good man wants to help you
if you're  ever in a pinch.
A bad man, if your car breaks down
won't  even loan a wrench.

A good man, when he dates you,
is not concerned with just 'right now'.
A bad man wants his milk' for free',
and never buys the cow.

A good man is a good boss,
and a sparkling employee.
A bad man likes to take control,
and complains exhaustively.

A good man brings you flowers,
just because he thought of it.
A bad man, if you ask for them
will quickly throw a fit.

A good man,'cause he's loved by all,
will know the world is his .
A bad man gets a poem wrote
to show how bad he is!