A LA-DE-DA LIFE

Guest bath idea and catching up

2010-02-12T14:42:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'll start with the good stuff first.

We are expecting guests this next week.
As you all know by now,
we sold our home and are temporarily renting until we decide
where we want to retire and live permanently.
So, please excuse the stuff
I can't change.......countertops, flooring, etc.

I wanted to somehow customize this plain ol' blah
guest bathroom and make it an inviting place for our guests.

Pookie is gone all week, so I had nothing but time on my hands.

I tried to figure out what could I do without changing the
things I couldn't change.

I rummaged thru drawers, cabinets & my sewing kit
and this is what I came up with.

I'll start with a cute little cheap idea that I haven't seen out there in
blogland yet.

In a drawer I found a metal scrolly antiqued napkin ring
that I only have 3 left from the set.
I ended up stuffing it with Q-tips.
Can't get easier than that, eh?

I also decided to elevate all the necessities from the counter top,
onto a decorative tray that has a scrolly iron base with handles.

Normally, I use this for entertaining, but I think it looks
quite at home there on the bathroom counter.

Next, I went looking thru my sewing kit.
Which is a total mess.... an atrocity actually..lol

See, I told ya. It's not for the faint-of-heart. :0)

I did find this ribbon that I had purchased from Ballard
Designs a couple of years ago.
And, I thought it would look cute as a trimming for a set
of kinda boring towels that I have.

And this is how they turned out.

Last of all, I had a lone iron candlestick and a little iron tray
that wasn't doing anything.

I put the iron tray on top of the candlestick (with a little
dab of hot glue) and plopped a couple of fancy-schmancy soaps
on the new pedestal.

A little note:

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me and given me their
support during a difficult time for us.

After my our beloved Pop passed away, 2 days later my MIL
fell and broke her hip.
Less than a week after that their sweet little dog
of 14 years, Shadow, died.

It's been a tough time worrying about Birdie and missing
Pop. She seems so lost without them both.
She's recovering physically though and we're very grateful for that.

The rest will come with time, I guess.

A couple of weeks ago, Pookie finally decided to retire and
filled out all the paper work.
His last day will be March 12th, and I think he's getting
excited about it.
His company did dangle a large 2 yr. project that is in Honolulu
to try and tempt him to stay.
He actually turned them down and is sticking to his guns....so
far anyway.

So, thanks again to everybody. I love you all. And,
your emails and support have made all the difference!

Have a wonderful Valentines Day weekend!!!
Hugs,
Gayle

Bye for now

2010-01-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

Hello sweet ladies out there.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving
such nice, comforting messages for me and Pookie.

If I've learned one thing from this blogging experience, it's
that you don't have to meet someone face-to-face,
to grow to love them and appreciate them.
:0)

As you know, my father-in-law passed away
on December 28th. But what you don't know
is that two days later my mother-in-law, who is
81, fell in a parking lot and broke her hip.
It was quite a bad break.
They had to delay surgery to try and stabilize her
blood pressure which was over 220.
She isn't doing as well as expected.

I can't seem to get excited about blogging or decorating,
or anything for that matter.
Believe me, I've tried to psych myself up.

I'm just worried.

I've lost my "oomph" I guess, and can't seem to
find it. Anywhere.
Maybe some time will help?

So, for now, I'm going to give each and everyone of
you sweet ladies out there a huge hug and an even
bigger THANK YOU for being my friend.

You are all so wonderful.

Do you know how special you are???

What sweet spirits you possess???
I hope so.

I wish you all nothing but the wonderful things you deserve
in the new year.

All my love and deepest heartfelt thanks,

:0)
Gayle

Sad News

2009-12-29T03:14:00.000-08:00

Mike's dad died on Monday night.
December 28th, at 9pm.

Surrounded by his family,
he passed away peacefully.
We are so very thankful for that.

I appreciate everyone who emailed me their love and support.
It is such a comfort and means
everything to me.
And I love each and every one of you.

And I love you, Pop.
I miss you already.

Gayle

WOW 2 Posts In One Day!

2009-12-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Since I posted earlier this afternoon,
I've received a couple of emails asking for some closeups.
In that time, I managed to decorate the mantel and thought
I'd include that too.

*Please see the previous post for the background
information on most of the decorating.

When Pookie and I got married in 1982,
he started a tradition of giving me a heart ornament every year
at Christmas.
Some were new, some were old, but I loved
every one of them.

The first things I searched for when I looked
at the tree all pretty and decorated were my
heart ornaments.

The very first one I got from him was a beautiful large
locket that opens.

Etched on the outside of the heart is:
First Christmas Together 1982

The next year it was a pretty bisque heart within a heart
that simply says:
Love 1983, in gold writing.

And one year it was this gorgeous blown glass heart.

That's just a little example from my collection.
I could post all 27 but that might be overdoing it. :0)

A little closer picture of the tree.

I was so excited about what my sweet neighbor had done,
(see other post)
that I got out some things for the mantel and in a few hours I'd
come up with this:

The mantel runs the whole length of the room so
I had to divide the pictures.

Left side:

Middle:

And the right side:

I love the Santa and the metal snowflakes.
I've had both for years.

I also put out my absolute favorite Christmas card
ever.
It's from 1984 and it's a Mary Engelbreit.
I just love the sentiment.

When we moved this past summer, Miss LaDaun was there
helping me unpack.
So, as I came across all my favorites
I told her all the stories behind my beloved goodies,
so she knew where everything was and how much they all meant
to me.

One person emailed me and requested some more pics
of the table setting.
I think it looks just as gorgeous at night!

Hey, look what I found out you can do with
the Kodak picture program.

How fun!

This is using the "cartoon" option.

The now famous Miss LaDaun,
(she's married with 5 kids, so I don't know why I call her Miss LaDaun)
was my realtor and I moved in right across the street from her.

She was the one who told me about the "Pink Palace / Mauve Mansion"
to rent.

(For that explanation you'll have to go back a few posts)

The owners left their dining table and chairs for us to use, as
I had sold my set to the couple who bought
our home....along with almost everything I owned.

That too, is explained in a previous post.

Here is a closeup of the china and crystal:

Unfortunately, I don't know the pattern name for
the clear crystal.
They are antique and have been collected over the years.
The same goes for the knife rests. I have eight
and most of them don't match.

The china pattern is from Johnson Brothers, England.
Pattern name is: Dorchester

Okay, I'm pooped now.
I'm sure you all can complete a post alot quicker than I can...lol

This has taken me hours!

Pookie and I are back on the road tomorrow.
I'm not sure when we'll be back this time.
I might even have my mother-in-law, Birdie, with us then.
It's all up in the air at this point.

It's been fun sharing my Christmas decor with you
wonderful ladies out there.
Getting to know you all has made each day a little
sweeter for me.

Thank you for your friendship, it is greatly treasured
and appreciated.

HUGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Gayle

Thanks and updates

2009-12-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

A huge thankyou to all my sweet friends that have
emailed me their well wishes and prayers for my
father-in-law, Pop.

We snapped this picture of him on his last trip out
before we sold the house this last summer.
Look at him.....he's almost 83 in this picture and
I have more wrinkles than he does!

He remains on life support at this time.

Pookie is designated as the person to make any decisions for him and
he just can't let go yet.

We all remain hopeful for that elusive miracle.

When we left abruptly in October, I gave my sweet neighbor
a key to the house,
and when we returned this last time, she had done this:

And this:

I just love my little house, it's one of my favorite things.

I wish I could just crawl in there and live all year long.

And she found one of my antique paper mache Santas:

She'd called me periodically to see if there was anything she
could do to help us.

One conversation I mentioned how I was going to miss all my
Christmas decorations and ornaments, but that I just wasn't
going to have time to decorate.

NEVER DREAMING in a million years that she would do this!

She even set the table and the little tree up in
the dining room. Just in case we had time
to have a nice dinner together or the kids came down
from Salt Lake City.

All my favorite things were present.....

My good china from Johnson Brothers, my antique crystal knife rests that I've been collecting for years.......my Grandmother's linens.

Pookie and I wish each and every one of you the happiest of holiday seasons.
We have learned not to stress over the small stuff and lifes little imperfections.
Just love and appreciate your family and friends, and the precious time you have with them.

All our love, hugs and best wishes to each and every one of you!

A special thank you to Miss LaDaun, for all your hard work.

We so love and appreciate you!

Not good news....

2009-10-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

When my phone rings at 6am I know something
is wrong.
Mike's (aka Pookie)dad was taken to the hospital this morning.
He's 82 so a trip to the hospital is never good.
I'm leaving for California from Utah this afternoon, and
Pookie is leaving from Colorado.
We'll meet up in San Francisco and then off to the
hospital.
I love Pop. He's been my dad for almost 30 years
now. I can't even think about not having him
here.
:0(
Say a little prayer for us, would ya?
I sure would appreciate it.

Hugs,
Gayle

Our Disneyland Vacation, Part 1

2009-10-20T22:08:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know some of you are thinking Disneyland,
what's the big deal???

I've been to some interesting places.

I've lived in Turkey, and quite a few states
in the good ol' USA.
I've vacationed in Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico,
Italy, Greece, England and Canada.

So, when Pook asked me where I wanted to go
for my birthday-anywhere in the world that we
could get to and back within 9 days-
of course I said DISNEYLAND!

Uh Duh! lol

I hadn't been there for a few years, and I
had a hankerin' for the happiest place on earth!

So, we took off in the car and I couldn't wait to
get there.

Pookie had made reservations at The Grand Californian Hotel
and Spa, right there at the park.
We usually stay at the Disneyland Hotel,
but we hadn't visited since the new changes,
which added The California Adventure park,
Downtown Disney and the new hotel.

We had trouble with my camera and I lost
quite a few great pics. So the pics are from
mine, from Dh's camera and some I found
online so you could get a true feel for the place.

We arrived on the last day of "Gay Days"
One of my closest friends, Mike, is gay, so I had
Pookie pose for this picture outside the conference
room at the hotel.

When you check in, you are in the most gorgeous lobby!

It is decorated in the Arts & Crafts style and no detail
was overlooked.

The floor is done in the
most intricate mosaic tile work
I've ever seen.
It was stunning!

When we got to the room, we were pleasantly
surprised.

We had a beautiful suite with a park view.
This picture doesn't do it justice.

The room was wonderful and the bathroom was great.
They supplied us with
the most heavenly smelling shampoo, lotions, etc.
Mouthwash too.
I'd never seen mouthwash in a hotel before!
(It takes so little to thrill me...lol)

The location was convienient too. You could walk right out of the
hotel and you were at the entrance to both parks. Or, take the
monorail right into Disneyland. On the way to the monorail you
walk thru all the great cafes, restaurants and shopping
at Downtown Disney.
I was in heaven!

After we got settled we walked out to Downtown Disney and did
a little shopping.
The Pookster is enamored with pirates and says "ARRRRRRR"
any chance he gets..lol

Usually he's a quiet guy, but place him next
to a pirate and he can be a real
knucklehead. :0)

Some more of Downtown Disney, on our way to the monorail.

The Downtown Disney shopping area is just as pretty at night.

We were blessed with perfect weather,
day and night.
Not very crowded either.
I guess it pays to be born in October, eh?
:0)

I'm going to stop here as it's after midnight
and I'm pooped.
I'll post the rest of the trip tomorrow.

Hugs, Gayle

We're a little bummed :0(

2009-10-18T11:14:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, we sold our home this last
summer because Pookie was asked by his
employer if he would consider
relocating to the Colorado Division.
They wanted to be able to bid and go after larger jobs
and Pookie has that kind of experience.

Before he had to show up this past Monday, we took
a vacation and celebrated my birthday in Disneyland.
(Pics will be posted soon)

A few days after we returned, he headed off to Colorado.

That was last Monday.

Because he was supposed to retire 5 years ago,
(promises promises..lol) we decided
not to move the whole house to another
state, until he knew for sure
that he wanted to keep working.

Another consideration was that
my whole family is here, and I'm living in a very
safe place, (chief of police is right next door, and the city planner
is across the street, the mayor is right at the end of the block)
in a great interim rental home.
It's the pink palace but it's a great home.

And, my trusty 9mm is loaded and right
beside my bed, just in case.

No worries.

I did see a home for sale in Colorado that I was
excited about, but didn't want to move on that
until we know exactly where we'll end up.

So, Pookie left and last week was the first week he was gone.

They've been very nice and gave him every Friday off, so he could drive
or fly home and we'd still have some time together on the weekends.

I'm doing pretty well.......but Ziggy.....that is another story.
From the minute Pookie left, this was what I was dealing with...

(click to enlarge.)

Do you see his head tilted up, looking at the doorknob???

(Just to let you know how tight these two are, the picture shown
below was taken the evening we moved into our wonderful
old Victorian fixer-upper, a little over 6 years ago.
We were exhausted.
Everybody had just showered and cleaned up and I went into the kitchen
to make a little dinner. I hadn't been out of the room 20 minutes
when I saw this....)

Anyway, back to this:

That dog would not budge.
I called him,
I petted and loved him up,
I tried to discuss the matter with him,
finally trying to tempt him with
his favorite dog bone...a little ice cream......etc.

He knew something was up because
Dad had packed a suitcase and that's never a good sign.

He stayed right there, staring at that door knob for HOURS!
And, that is no exaggeration.
Literally..... for hours!

Finally, I picked him up, which was no easy task,
he weighs 40 lbs!, and forced him to go outside in
the backyard so we could play and have some fun.
You know, try and take our minds off of everything.

Then I got this......

He's looking for his Dad's work truck that is usually parked right
there in the driveway when he's home.

And, he stayed, and stayed, and stayed,
just like that.....for a long long time.
I went back in the house, did some dusting, laundry and went
back out to check on him.

And there he was....still.....

Poor Ziggy.

It's going to be another long 4 days......

I promise I'll post my vacation pics. I'm
just been a little bummed at the moment.

Hugs,
Gayle

And fun was had by all. :0)

2009-10-15T22:05:00.001-07:00

Lots has happened since we returned from vacation.....
but, let me start with what led up to
the actual birthday-day and vacation.

A day before we left, when I
was trying to get everything ready for the
trip, I heard ding-dong and these
were left for me.

My favorite roses.
From Pookie.
And they smelled divine!

They kinda remind me of apricot and raspberry sorbet.
Then, about 15 minutes later another....ding dong.......

And, these beauties arrived from my mom.

I placed them on the kitchen counter to detract from
the mauve.
I am so good!

Why you don't even notice it anymore, do ya??
LOL
(Remember, it's a rental. Have mercy)

I was feeling pretty darn special at this point.

Then, I received a call from a local furniture store
telling me that my iron bed that I'd ordered a few weeks before
was in and could they deliver it today?
Uh...YEAH! lol

I was so excited!

I had an antique iron bed in my previous home, that when we moved, went to my niece.

This was her first official family heirloom being passed down and she was SO excited!!
Do you remember the old bed from the RMS days?

It took me FOREVER to find an actual IRON bed. They
makes tons of them from steel, but I wanted one that
was iron, and made the old fashioned way. After weeks
and weeks of searching, I found a company, in the USA that
make them.

So, I contacted the local store to see if they could order it for me.

They were so nice to help me and I ordered this one. And I love it!

It took awhile to arrive as they make them when the order is placed.
You can choose whatever finish you want.
They did a gorgeous job.
I chose black because that's what I had painted the antique one.

NOTE:

Please remember, I sold all my bedding from every bedroom
when we sold our home, so the bedding is just temporary until
I can find the absolute perfect linens to go with the new bed.
That will be my next adventure.

:0)

Okay, I'm pooped for today but will post the vacation pics tomorrow.
I've GOT to get around to everybody out there and
say hi.

Hugs, Gayle

Vacation

2009-09-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yippeeeee, we're on vacation!!!!

We're on our way to the happiest place on earth.

And for me, it really is.
I love Disneyland!
I've been all over the world, lived in foreign
countries, vacationed in exotic spots but there
really is no other place like Disneyland for that
little California girl that still lives inside of
me.

Look at that Minnie....what a fashion plate!! Even with
blue eye shadow too!
She's my favorite.
Always has been, always will be.

And then there was Tinkerbell.

Ah, Tinkerbell!!

I was enthralled with that cute little fairy since I
first caught sight of her and her magic
wand in the opening for The Wonderful World of Disney.

Remember that?????

In fact, I was so fascinated with Tinkerbell that I got
Tinkerbell slippers at Christmas, a Tinkerbell pin,
necklace and many more Tinkerbell accessories
throughout my childhood.

My Grandpa, who passed away when
I was 10, used to call me Tinker.

He said I reminded him of that
little fairy that would ZING here and ZING there....never
standing still for too long.
My Grandpa left me with wonderful
memories of my childhood.

I love you Grandpa and I miss you!

And, then there was this guy.

How can anyone be unhappy watching this cute lil'
guy BOING BOING BOINGing all over the place???

I'm so excited and I'm going to hunt down each and every
one of these wonderful characters and have my picture
taken with them.

Poor Pookie....lol

But, I think secretly he gets a thrill just
knowing that I'm so excited.
And, I love him SO MUCH for taking me
anywhere I wanted to go for my 51st birthday.

Even if that place is Disneyland!! lol

Fall Colors and Big News!

2009-09-28T20:39:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year when all the leaves
are changing to their gorgeous yellows, oranges
and stunning reds.

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Pookie, in his wisdom, decided this last
weekend that it was time
to take his beloved Packard up the canyon to
view nature at it's best.

This being the first time he'd taken it on such
an uphill climb, we thought it might be
prudent if I followed in the Jeep.

(Not that I don't have complete confidence
in the Pookster's ability to totally rebuild
the unit)

But, just in case....lol

We stopped just a little ways into the
trip to make sure everything was ok.

Ms. Packard was doing great! See
no smoke or anything.

So, onward and upward!

There was a nice peaceful place to stop and have a little
something to eat. Birds were chirping, squirrels were
running amuck.

And, the colors were getting more and more
brilliant as we toodled up the hill.

After taking a little walk, and
enjoying this beautiful scenery,
it was time to head back.

There he goes......

Wow, he's going fast....

HEY WAIT UP POOKIE!!!

Now for the big news.
It's official, we are moving
back to Colorado in 2 weeks!

I think we'll land back in Evergreen
where we lived before. We loved it
there. The mountains and the wildlife
are just incredible.

But first, we'll be celebrating my birthday
next week in Disneyland,(my choice)then drive
up the California coast and visit some friends
and his parents before we head back to get
ready to move....again!! lol

The big guys with their big truck will be doing
the heavy lifting and driving this time,
thank goodness!

So, I hope everybody out there is enjoying their
own beautiful scenery and this gorgeous fall
weather!

Soon I'll have some really fun
and different pictures to post for ya.

A big hi and hugs to all my friends out
there in Blogland!!

A Surprise!

2009-09-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

I was up at 4am to see Pookie off on his
business trip.
I was running around in my favorite
flannel santa sock monkey pj's,
(it's already cold here in the mornings)
trying to get his breakfast made and
make sure he had everything he needed for
Colorado.

And to slip a little love note into his briefcase.
:0)

See, I told ya. Santa sock monkeys. I actually have
two sets...lol

Okay, to tell you the truth I was relieved when
he was all ready and walked me back to the bedroom,
with Ziggy trotting right behind, to say goodbye.

Pookie is a morning person, and I am not.
By any stretch of the imagination..lol

So I told him I loved him, to have a safe
trip and to call when he landed.
Whew.....now was my chance to drift back to lala land for
a little while.

I woke up a few hours later to this:

(Just look at that mauve countertop! She didn't
miss a beat did she..lol)

And included with the flowers was a little note
telling me that he'll miss me and that while
he's gone I should take it easy......in this!

I do not know how he got those things in the house without
me hearing him!
That man is one sneaky bugger!

I just love it!
I adore needlepoint and the colors are
so pretty.
It even kinda matches the mauve, don't ya think? lol

It also goes well with a little antique
footstool that I've had for decades.
Something that I managed not to sell along
with the house.

I don't know where he
found it...or when he
bought it.

But, I think it might look perfect in the house
(see last post) that he's going to check out while
he's away.

I'll keep you posted.

I hope everyone out there has a wonderful
day!!

UH OH.......Look what I found!!!

2009-09-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I'd never be excited about any
house again......look what I found!
Isn't it BEAUTIFUL??????

The Pookster is going to Colorado tomorrow
for business and he's going to take a closer look.

Here are a couple interior pictures which show the house
decor is dated, frilly, has dark green carpet throughout
and "goo-gahs" hanging and sitting upon every single
available surface in the house.

See, I told ya........dated.....frilly...
dark green carpet......major goo-gahs...lol

BUT, all the original mouldings and built-ins are still there
and that's all that really matters.

It's got 4 bedrooms, formal living,
formal dining and a den.
2 3/4 baths
garage, carport and shop

On paper it looks perfect!

Oh my, I've got goosebumps.
I think that's a sign.

I'll keep you posted.
:0)

Minimizing The Mauve....maybe???

2009-09-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

After recouping from the FLU FROM HELL, I've made
a couple of changes around here and thought you
might enjoy seeing them.
(click on pics to enlarge)

Now, go easy on me...remember I don't have the wonderful
taste and creativity y'all have out there.
Your homes and your blogs put mine to shame and I'm
a big enough person to admit that. :0)

AND, I'm in a rental house right now, so that curtails what I'd
really like to do, which is paint over all the mauve walls,
and rip out all of the mauve carpet!
Just for starters..lol

But, I have tried to minimize these things and kinda
warm up the place.
So...a few days ago I went shopping, and put together some
old favorites (that I didn't sell) along with the new.

In the spare bedroom, I got some new bedding and put that
on my grandmother's bed.
Then I spread out a large
vintage hooked floral rug over the mauve carpet.
Do you think it detracts from the mauve mess???

Just a little maybe????

Next, because I sold my beloved slipcovered sofa,
leather chair and everything
else in the family room of our old home, I had to
get some new goodies for the den/family room.

I asked Pookie what he wanted, since he was
so sweet to live with a floral slipcovered sofa
for years, he chose leather.

We finally settled on THE most comfortable leather sofa and
chair/ottoman that my behind has ever had the pleasure
of perching upon.
It's like BUTTAH!

It's an espresso brown color and a very traditional style.
I got my traditional and he got his leather.

If you know me at all, you
know I had to add some floral something somewhere....
hence the needlepoint pillows.

Next on my list was a desk.
I shopped and shopped and shopped for one that I liked but
didn't find one.
Then, I found some really cute smaller green
tables.
I stuck them together and put them in the office for
the time being.

I'm going to separate them and Pookie is going
to make a top to go across.
It might be just perfect.
Ya think?

{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} and a huge thank you
to everyone who stopped by to say hello and email
me their get well wishes.
They worked and I appreciate each and every one!!!
:0)

P.S. Does anyone know why the spacing gets weird
sometimes and you can't correct it???????
AND, I can't get my music thingy to shuffle....what the????????

My sentiments exactly, Ziggy

2009-09-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

(click on pics to enlarge)

I was pulling off all the bedding to wash this morning, left for a
second to get something to drink, came back and Ziggy was
sacked out.

We've had a rough few weeks around here. I'm recovering from
the Swine Flu...H1N1...whatever it's called this week.
So, when you see the count for Utah of verified cases, you
can think of me.

Anyway, I'm still moving slowly but thought I'd post a little
something to say hi and send my hugs to all my friends out there
in blogland.

Have a wonderful day and remember to be thankful.
:0)
Gayle

Little by little.....

2009-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

It's weird, but I feel like I have no reason to blog
since I'm not living in my previous home anymore,
and posting the projects that we worked on.

I did buy a new bed and a little antique table.
Don't look at the decorating...I just plopped a lamp
on there until I get everything situated.

Here's a closeup

Isn't the table cute?? I paid only 25 bucks for that puppy!

A teensy baby step toward replinishing all my
belongings that I sold to the woman who
purchased our home.

She just loves her new old home, and called again
to thank me for selling her the house and all the goodies.

I remember feeling that way, so
excited about the house when we first moved in.
I'm happy for her....most of the time..lol

We are currently renting a place that is decorated in the
early 90's motif. I know..I know..lol
Think mauve and vertical blinds. But, it's a beautiful
custom home if you can look past the decorating.
It's got all the bells and whistles, a laundry/craft
gift wrap room with a 9 foot counter, corner jacuzzi tub
in the master bath, an unbelieveable walk-in closet,
and a 3 car garage that Pookie is in love with.
(He didn't even have a garage at the old place)

It holds his Packard, with room to spare.

Excuse that picture...but Pookie walked up behind me whilst
I was doing this post and he said..."Hey, why don't you add the
picture of the Packard??? They would enjoy that!!!"

Earth to Pookie....lol

The property is on 1/2 acre and it's gorgeous.
You know this excites the Lawn Nazi in me.

Here's the Pookster, talking to his mama(he's a good son)
and bbq'n this afternoon with Ziggy waiting
for something to drop. His usual M.O. lol

I mean really.....look at that lawn!!

And a welcoming entrance.

Everytime I walk thru all 5400 sq ft of it, I think....ohhhh, if
I just changed this or that....it could be soooo pretty!
Who knows.....as we wait to
hear if we go to Colorado or not....you never know what we
might do.

It's a crap shoot..lol

Maybe...........

2009-08-17T17:54:00.001-07:00

When we were in the title company last week
signing away our home, I was thinking....
maybe we shouldn't sell.

Maybe Mike should retire like he's
been promising me for the last 6 years.

Then, maybe we could stay in the old Victorian
(aka Vicky) we love so much, and not
have to relocate due to his job.

Maybe.

I feel sick today.

Maybe it's because we made a mistake?

Maybe it's because I ate my #6
from Mi Ranchito
(2 beef tacos, rice & beans) too fast?

Maybe I have a kink in my intestines???.....

Maybe I picked up something from the woman at
the title company that was coughing.....

Maybe.

Maybe I'll find happiness
in a new home that needs our love and care.

Maybe I just need some time??

Maybe

A LOVE STORY

2009-08-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take a second today to give tribute to
the long journey that our home has taken, since it
was built in 1893.

The only original picture that I know exists is this one.

I always wondered who's the kid that was sitting on the fence?

It was a pretty big deal to have a picture taken back in 1893.
So, maybe he was a neighbor that couldn't resist all the excitement???

Here is a closer shot of that picture.

The man who built this house, was Oscar M Booth.
And, this was his family.

Thank you Oscar. Ya done good!

Since we began with the renovation, we have
found a couple of very old marbles, some love letters
and some really old things that were stuck in nooks
and crannies in the walls...but more on that later. :0)

I don't know much of the history between that
original picture and this one.....the infamous BEFORE picture.

After the first year of working non-stop on the
interior, I begged Pookie to please, please, PLEASE
build the porch. I couldn't take the ugly exterior
anymore.

And so he started on it.

Thank you pookie!

It looks just as good in the winter......

As it does in spring and summer.....

We were so busy during the last 6 years that sometimes I
forgot to stop and take pictures.
Darnnit!
I regret that now, but I
was usually covered in concrete or paint spatter,
or was otherwise occupied holding something up for Pookie
while he did the attaching part.

One very vivid memory that I will never forget happened
in the spring of 2007.

I was awakened at about 7:00 am, one Monday morning.
Ziggy was going crazy......barking, running up and down the
stairs......barking...barking....barking. (He is not a barker)

Well, if you know me, you know that I believe 7:00 only comes
once a day....at night..lol
I'm not a morning person.
So, I get up....all cranky because Ziggy woke me up...
and I hear this sound....

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...moooooooo...MOOOOOOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOO

moooooooooooooo.MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I thought, what the???????
I looked out the window and there was a herd.....
and I don't mean one or two....
I mean a FREAKING herd of cows in my front yard!!!!

They were all the way over to the right,
at the end of the vinyl fence where
we also had some temporary chicken wire fencing up that ran
along the street that helped support my rose bushes.

So this herd of cows, the mamas and the babies, about 25 in all,
were wedged there and apparently didn't know how to back up.??

They were in a panic, to say the least.

There was also a crowd gathering near my front porch.

All the neighbors didn't want to miss the action.

Poor cows, they were just beside themselves. MOOOOOOOOOOOing
and MOOOOOOOOOOOOOing.....and pooping!

Another thing I learned that morning was that cows don't just poop
and it plops to the ground.

OH NO......it's liquid-sprayed-out-poop!
And, it was now covering my vinyl fence, my lawn and the other cows to the rear.

Then the police arrived...animal control and the sheriff himself.
They all tried to assess the situation, but nothing changed..

The MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOing and the fence ramming
and poop spraying continued.

Then, about 10 minutes later, up rode 2 cowboys on horseback.
Hats, boots, ropes, the whole deal.
And cell phones...lol I thought that was kinda funny.

The cowboys just calmly rode up to the poor freaked out cows,
herded them up and away they went back to their home
about a mile down the road.

True story. :0)

A unique memory for a city girl, wouldn't you say?.

I'll try and post some more tomorrow.
Have a great day everybody!

SOLD

2009-08-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

It all started back in November of last year,
when a nice woman, a complete stranger,
walked up the steps and knocked on our front door.
She said she loved our home from the outside,
and would we please, please let her have a tour of the inside.

We actually have quite a bit of people that
ask to see the inside, so we didn't think anything of it.

In she came.

Before she left, she asked if we would sell our home and
made an offer. What she didn't know was that this summer,
we knew there was a possibility that Pookie
would be going back to Colorado
for a big job there that was scheduled to
last at least 2 years.

Knowing this, and knowing that we probably would
be putting the house on the market in the Spring,
we began negotiations and finally came to an
agreement.
Appraisal and inspection went great and soon we were at
2 weeks till closing.

If you remember back late last year,
the mortgage companies were going a little crazy,
and they made some changes in her financing
that she couldn't handle. They wanted more down payment.

So, the deal was off.

I felt bad, but was secretly relieved.
I just wasn't ready to say goodbye yet, even though
I knew we would probably have to the next year.

I wanted one more Christmas in the home that we love!

Well, spring came very quickly, and the house was listed.
We had painted the shingles and the trim so it looks all spiffy.

After just 1 week on the market we had another really good offer.
But, once again, their mortgage company changed
their requirement, and they couldn't swing it.
He was a self employed person, and they wanted him
to be on the job for 2 1/2 years, instead of the the
previous requirement of 2 years.
There's nothing you can do about a time frame.
It either is or it isn't.

Then, 2 weeks ago, we got another couple
that walked up to the door,
and asked if they could see our house.
They'd retired early, and were looking
for a second home near their family in Provo, Utah.

They made an offer that day.
2 days later we had the inspection and appraisal the same day.
Then we left for Colorado for a couple of days.
And we are supposed to close next week.
The realtor said in her 35 years of selling homes,
this is the fastest closing she's ever had.

AND, the buyers want to up the price and buy it fully furnished.
Right down to my sheets and towels, dishes, furniture...
everything.

I am freaking OUT!

Is there such a thing as SELLERS remorse?????????????????

This afternoon I was sitting on my porch, all
by my lonesome and feeling completely overwhelmed.
Right there, rocking in my favorite wicker chair
that I had painted black.

And I sobbed....and sobbed...and sobbed.

Pookie came out looking for me and just stood there and
said, "Bunnie, grab my hand....come off the ledge...it's going
to be ok"

I think it will.

I hope it will.

It's going to take me some time.

What a weekend!

2009-07-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

(click on pics to enlarge)

Whew, what a weekend!
Pookie and I were in different places but
we both had a wonderful time.
I love that man more than anything,
but c'mon, a girls gotta have girl time.

Am I right???

As I said in my last post, my niece came for the weekend.
We relaxed, watched movies, stayed in our PJs all day
saturday, ate goodies and laughed and giggled and laughed
and giggled some more.
It was wonderful!

On Saturday night, because it was Saturday night, we were
still in our PJ's and fuzzy socks, and feeling a little
goofy, we went to my jewelry box and put on every single
piece of jewelry that had diamonds.
Then we watched our favorite Tyrone Power movie,
THE LONG GRAY LINE, whilst we were all gussied up.

I mean, really......LOOK at that guy!!

They just don't make 'em like Tyrone anymore.
We had a great weekend together. Just the three of us. ;0)

Hey, don't you think Pookie looked a little like Tyrone??
Just take away the mustache. Do ya see it?? lol

I know, I know.. but, to me he does. ;0)

The guys came back late Sunday night. A little scratched up, banged up
and the biggest smiles on their faces I've ever seen.

They had gone to Zion National Park in southern Utah
and did a hike called, The Subway.
It's a 12 mile trek that takes you thru all types of terrain.
They hiked, waded thru water, rapelled and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Let me just interject here. I don't understand the whole nature and
hiking thing. I mean, why do that??
Don't they have calendars with all the pretty pictures, already?
It's a mystery to me..lol

Okay, back to the story.
The hike starts before dawn.
You can see a teensy bit of light in the top right corner as they
got their gear ready.

They each have a crazy hat they wear when they go off hiking.
I don't know why...lol

Nate already found some water.
That kid is like a water magnet..lol

Beautiful scenery, isn't it?
See the silly hat?

And then, things get a little treacherous.

"Okay Nate, you go first, I'm right behind ya"

UP AND OVER

"OKAY UNCLE MIKE, READY?"

"UH, how deep is this exactly???"

(The water was murky is some deeper spots when the mud
got stirred up with some light rain.)

"SWEEEET!"
They made it!

After this point, I was told, no pics were taken as they
were all exhausted.

Pookie said he told another guy to take some pics for him
or his wife would kill him.

MOI? lol

Then came the hike out and back to the motel to regroup, eat,
relax and relive their adventure all over again.

On their way home, they stopped at BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK and
took a few pictures right from an easily accessible pathway.

They were all stiff and sore..LOL

Isn't it beautiful????

This is a view of what's called THE AMPITHEATER.

Doesn't it kinda look like stone people down there??
(The bottom middle area.)

They're called HOODOOS.

And, an awesome arch.

It was hectic and they were exhausted when they got back home,
so I didn't take any photos.

There are better bloggers out there than me, that would
have captured every moment.

The guys probably would have locked
me in a closet if I tried. lol

But, we all had a great weekend.

And, I hope y'all did too!

What's up for this weekend.

2009-07-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

Tomorrow is a state holiday in Utah.
It's Pioneer Day!
And, it's a big deal here in the Beehive State.
People are all geared up, dressed up and ready
to whoop it up, Utah style.
I won't have my camera, but it's just parades and
stuff down here. You know how I feel about parades..lol

Pookie, my nephew Nathan, and a group of guy friends are
going down to Zion National Park
to hike The Subway.
There's water....there's cool rock formations, etc.
He's taking my camera and has
promised to take pictures or have someone on the hike
do it for me.

Do you hear that Pook???? You promised!

(pics can be enlarged by clicking on them)

Meet Nathan.

Nate just returned in December, from a 2 year mission
to the Philippines.
I'm soooo thankful he's home and safe.
Unlike going into the service where you have some protection,
they just go out into the world, with one other companion,
and it can be a little scary.

I'm staying home because other than the ocean, I don't "do" nature.
If there is a chance for snakes, Gayle won't be attending.
Don't even try.
:0)

Anywho....my niece is coming down for a girls weekend
and I can't wait.
I've made all her favorites. Coconut cake and pineapple
upside down cake.

I also made an apple pie for the guys, at their request.

Not to worry, I have my little mini Hostess 100 calorie
cupcakes with the white squiggle across the top.
I'm on it!

Meet Miss Blair. Aka Blair bear, Miss Blairsy, Princess B.

She got married a couple of years ago, but still comes down
to visit her Auntie Gayle.
Her hubby, Josh, is a sweetheart
and lets her whenever she needs some girlie time.

Thank you Josh. :0)

Blair and Nathan are very close, which I'm thankful for. They
lived with us for quite a few years, so I feel like they're mine.

Brother and sister share a hug right after Blair got married.

I'm prepared with our favorite girlie movies.
Moonstruck, The Wedding Singer, Fools Rush In, and
anything with Tyrone Power in it.(We loooove Tyrone!)

All the goodies are lined up.

Hmmmm, somebody already cut into the apple pie.
That was supposed to be for Nathan too!!

And the silly pj's and fuzzy socks are waiting.

Blair gets the polka dots, and I get the stripes.
(If Ziggy will relinquish them)

I can't wait for the weekend to start!

Everybody out there in blogland, have a wonderful weekend!!

UPDATE on the diet:
4.2 lbs and counting. YEAH BABY!

We're back!

2009-07-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

Tis a mystery no more.

:0)

He took me to our favorite spot in the United States.
Cambria / San Simeon, California!!

It's quiet. It's peaceful. It's romantic. It's got stunning scenery
everywhere you turn and great little shops on Main Street in Cambria.
Uh hello? What more could a girl ask for!!

I didn't take pictures on the way, as there is nothing thrilling
about that part.

I'm going straight to the good stuff!

This is a view of the ocean, obviously, but it is the view
we had right outside our room.

Oh how I had missed hearing the waves breaking and the seagulls.
And, that great ocean smell.
There is nothing like it.

We used to go to Monterey & Carmel when we lived in California,
but it just got sooooo crowded that one vacation we decided to
venture south and we found this little town, Cambria.

Now, darn it, I forgot my camera when we went into town.
And I was having so much fun I didn't
want to go back to the hotel.

Ah.....the hotel.
It was wonderful!!

Here's a little snapshot of the path you walked down to the
beach from our back patio /french doors.

The hotel we stayed at is very doggie friendly,
and there was a nice lawn area you
could go out to and Ziggy could be a dog.

Of course, we always "make the pick" so
other people could enjoy it too, without watching where they step.

When we checked in, Ziggy got a little bag of doggie treats and
his own beach towel. lol
He also had his picture taken!
They have a bulletin board of all the pets that have
accompanied their owners during their stay, and it's really sweet.

Of course, he couldn't WAIT to get to the beach!

HI EVERYBODY!!!!!

C'mon Dad.....get the lead out!!

(see the plastic bag hanging out of Pookie's back pocket?
He's always prepared...lol)

We enjoyed just goofing at the beach for the rest of that day.

We walked along, holding hands and
forgot about everything else.
We watched the sunset. It was spectacular..and you could
hear everyone clapping when it turned orange and pink.
Pure bliss!

And yes, I took a picture, but it didn't turn out! :0(

Then it was off to dinner.
We had an excellent BBQ dinner
from this little restaurant on Main street.

They have THE best brisket I've ever had. Really....
the BEST brisket I've ever had. :0)

I actually managed to stay on my diet...(pretty much)
More on that tomorrow!

The next day we got up, sat out on our patio and enjoyed
a wonderful breakfast while listening to the ocean.

There is nothing like breakfast when you're on vacation.
Am I right????!

It's weird......I almost NEVER have breakfast
when I'm home.
But, when I'm on vacation, it's a must. I look
forward to it and I must have it!

Go figure. lol

After breakfast it was off to a certain beach,
a little north of San Simeon.

Elephant Seal Beach.
What a sight to see!

Those seals are so silly.

They lay out in the sun and every once in a while,
they'll flip up sand on themselves to cool off.
Roll over....bark at each other.....then they'll
flip some more sand....lumber off back to the water,
and do it all over again.

See all those lumps along the beach??? Those are the Elephant Seals!

They are HUGE, but it's amazing how fast they can move
when they want to.

Hey fella. Say CHEESE!

And, there is always the cute little critters that come up
to say hi and get a little goodie from you.

We didn't go to Hearst Castle this time,
as we've been quite a few times before.

We just relaxed, smooched, ate, shopped and slept in. :0)

This is a pretty lighthouse that was nearby.

And, before we knew it, it was time to leave for home.

Bye bye Lighthouse.
Bye bye cute seals and squirrels.
Bye bye Ocean.

The trip home was uneventful, which can be a good thing.

Pookie is always good to stop for me.

At every outlet mall, every antique shop and
nearly every In-N-Out burger on the way. lol

Before you knew it, we were back home.

When we arrived, I went out to check on
the flowers in the front yard, and this beautiful creature
was there to welcome us home.

Can you see it???

What a wonderful time we had.

:0)

Woooohoooo. A surprise!

2009-07-16T21:06:00.001-07:00

"Ziggy....WAKE UP!"

"Dad just called from work and says he's got
a surprise for us!!"

Oh....this is just what I needed!
I'm so excited.
Pookie is very good at keeping
secrets....the little butthead.

C'mon...C'mon. The time is dragging by.

"Where is the surprise?? There's nothing up here!"

"MAMA, I SEE HIM!! HE'S PULLING IN THE DRIVE WAY!

And, there's something next to him in the front seat!"

Oh, my, these are so pretty.
And they smell wonderful!

And, a brand new chew bone for Ziggy!

The deluxe beef flavored rawhide with the
knots at the ends. His personal favorite.

(He's already taken it upstairs to hide it..lol)

Ah Pook,
You're the best!!!

What...wait.... there's more you say????

Pack my bags, enough for 4 days.???
Casual only.

And, that's all the information I got!!
I have no idea where we're going.

We leave tomorrow morning.

Wooohoooo!

Have a great weekend everybody and I'll have
pictures when I get back!

Keep Smiling!

Gayle

UGH!

2009-07-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

Wednesday is behind us now and
day 3 of the diet is complete.

I'm not going to weigh myself everyday.
Just once a week.

It's 1am Thursday morning, and I couldn't sleep.
Probably because I didn't get up until 10 am???

And that's probably because I haven't had
a Diet Pepsi since Sunday. Maybe?

I stayed on my diet, but......

I didn't exercise.

I didn't get dressed until after noon.

I feel like a slug!!!

UGH!

A good day

2009-07-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

I was doing my wifely duties today......

Dusting.

Vacuuming.

Unloading the dishwasher.

Mowing the lawn.

I LOVE to mow the lawn!
Don't know why, but I do.
I'm like the neighborhood lawn nazi.

Poor Pookie just shakes his head.

For Mother's Day--he always gets me
something on account of Ziggy--I asked
for a new lawn mower. And, boy did
I get one!

A top o'the line baby, with more
power than I know what to do with.

I lOVE IT!

I've said before, the first time I used
it, it was like a 2 year old attempting
to walk a Great Dane.
I could barely keep up.!

(I also got a gorgeous pair of pearl and
diamond earrings...but, I really love my
mower!! Shhh, that'll be our secret)

You can't tell from this view, but I keep the
lawn really short.
There is a reason for this.

I read somewhere that snakes like to hide in long grass.
And, just beyond that bench is this...

And, I'm SURE there are some little water snakes
slithering around in there.
EEEK!
We'll, they're not gonna hide in my yard!
I cut that lawn like a golf course!

There will be no surprises.

Not on my watch.

When we moved into the house, not only
was the house in horrible condition, so
was the yard.

This is right after we moved in.
We had to put up some temporary
steps so we wouldn't fall thru the
old ones that were rotted.

This is what that same area looked like, right after
Pookie built my special SNAKE PROOF fence,
(you can't be too careful) and
we laid the flagstone patio.
I told him I wanted
a little Zen area. So he also built the arbor
and mounted an old porch swing that he had
bought me a few houses back.

I think it looks better now.

The concrete owls were salvaged from an old Library
in Salt Lake that was going to be demolished.

Pookie brought them home
and now they watch over the backyard for us.

It's weird to look back at the before pictures.

We've done all the work ourselves.

We've sweated,
given up weekends when we could have been
whooping it up somewhere else....

And we put all our love and effort
into our little place that borders on Salt Creek.

It's not a stunner by any stretch.
Some of the homes I've seen out there in blogland
should be in a magazine!
I just look at them with awe.
They are so, so beautiful!!

But, we love our home.

It's us.
:0)

An update:

I did great on my first day of my diet!!!
Yippeeeeeee.
One day behind me, and about 364 more
days to go.

I can do it!!

Thanks to everyone who took time out
of their busy schedules to stop over
and say hi.

You're all sweethearts and I think the
world of you.

You know that, right??!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Monday is the day!

2009-07-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

Many of you know already, last year I went
thru a health crisis. Well, I survived....so far so good.....
but I did learn a couple of things about myself.

I'm not a patient person and I'm an emotional eater.

In that order...lol

Everyday was filled with stress, waiting to hear if the Melanoma
had spread, imagining the worst,
worrying about Pookie worrying about me,
wondering if I'd be alive in a year to see my nephew again.
(He'd left on a mission for his church in the Philippines.)

The list went on and on.

So I stressed and I ate. And I managed to put on 10 extra pounds.
I already needed to lose 15.
UGH

Everytime I went to sit at the computer in the office, this thing
was staring back at me.

(Look at the dust on that thing! Yikes.)

Okay, I absolutely HAD to do something.
So, this past weekend I took action.
I told Pookie my plan. He told me I looked great,
(liar liar pants on fire) but that he was onboard if it
would help me feel better about myself.

I went to the refrigerator and freezer, and I tossed
anything and everything that wasn't healthy.

Goodbye old friend. :0(

And, I'm exchanging that for these little gems. Have you tried
these??? They are SOOO good!

I'm keeping my beloved
banana popsicles.
They only have 45 calories each!

There is a God.

My fridge is now stocked with Slimfast and Lean Cuisines, lots of
fruits and veggies and those really
good itty bitty 100 calorie Hostess cupcakes.

I'll have a treat when Pookie has his dessert.

The next move was to angle the
treadmill so I have this view out the french door.
That's motivating....right????

I've got my Billy Idol music, Soundtrack to Grease
and other assorted fun songs to sweat to.

So, when I wake up tomorrow and put on my walking shoes,
I'll be thinking;

I'm thankful I'm alive.

Exercise won't kill me.

I can do this.

Wish me luck!!!

I'm a tweaker.

2009-07-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Below are some pictures
of our upstairs guest bathroom.
We completed the remodel late last year.
New paint, tile, vanity, toilet, fixtures and beadboard wainscott,
the whole sha-bang.

I love this color. It is the softest, most peaceful green I could
find out there.
It's a BEHR color called Lion.

We're really lucky to have a large closet in
this space, too. We have looked at
other Victorian homes before, that didn't even have A closet.

Can you imagine???? No closets???

This is the floor that I toiled over for days. I laid the tile
myself and I think it really works well in keeping the feel of
the house.

Okay, I thought everything looked fresh, clean and had that vintage vibe I
was going for.
But, something was missing........hmmmmmmm.

What was it??..............

Pretty handhooked wool rug........ check
Vintage style brushed nickel faucet....check
A little wood table for interest..........check

hmmm............

And, then it came to me!
That area, shown in the first pic, with the two pictures?????
It was crying out for some shelves.

So, in about 20 minutes, Pookie put these shelves up for me and
I painted them the creamy white trim color, Eggshell Cream.
Kinda gives the room a little spa-ish oomph to it.

And now, finally, I LOVE my upstairs guest bathroom.
I'm tweaked out.
LOL

P.S. No, my house
doesn't actually lean like that. lol
Leaning pictures and wall discolorations are the fault
of the camera or the picture-taker, me.

20 things.........

2009-07-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Since my blog is only a week old, I thought I'd better
introduce myself and tell you a few little snippets about
myself.

1. No Coke, Diet Pepsi. :0)

2. I hate parades. Yes, even the ones at the Magic Kingdom.

3. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. I don't care how little
they are.....non-poisonous, more scared of me, good
for the garden...blah blah blah
I HATE THEM. period. (only exception to #8)

4. I won't go in water if I can't see my feet.

5. I lived in Turkey for a year and could still
hold my own in a conversation. If they talked
really really slow. lol

6. I was the first one in my Jr. high school to have double pierced
ears. I did it myself. (I stopped after my belly button)

7. I'm extremely claustrophobic.

8. I am a major animal lover and could never be friends
with someone who wasn't. Just couldn't do it.

9. Finished top in my Auto Mechanics class my Sophomore year.

10. I didn't want my Senior picture taken with my braces on,
so after 2 years of wearing them, I removed them myself.

11. I never use my cell phone unless I'm on vacation.

12. I LOVE Banana popsicles.

13. I worry....about everything....all the time.

14. I was married before, at 17, to my high school sweetheart, for 2
years. (and no, I didn't "have to") I barely got out alive.
Literally. I left with my purse and the clothes on my back.

15. When I first laid eyes on Pookie, (5 years after my
divorce) I turned to my supervisor
and said, "That is the man I'm going to marry". And I did,
4 months later. :0)

16. I'm always cold.

17. Things I say daily:

What's the worst that could happen?

Love you Pookie

Ziggy, get down.

I'm starting my diet tomorrow.

What the?????????? (see below)

18. My first job was at Macy's in Womens, Better Sportswear.

19. I can place and finish concrete, mud & tape drywall
and lay tile like a pro.

20. I'm usually game to try anything once.

Update on the weekend:

Our fireworks got rained out, believe it or not! It started pouring,
complete with thunder and lightning, about an hour before
the extravaganza was to begin. What the???????
We still had a great BBQ earlier that evening and sat on the
porch during the storm, cocktail in hand and a 40lb Cocker
Spaniel quivering on my lap.
We ended up having one of the best 4th of July holidays ever!!
Goes to show ya, life is still filled with wonderful surprises. :0)

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY 4TH EVERYBODY!!!

2009-07-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is Pookie's favorite holiday!

Yes, even above Christmas, Easter and

Thanksgiving, if you can believe that.

He's a Vietnam Vet. He served in

the Air Force from 1968 - 1972.

Life was alot different back then as you can

see from his graduation photo from 1968.

That skinny tie and slicked down hair.

(He still has every bit of that hair too, it's gray now,

and even sexier!)

He went straight from high school to boot camp

and then overseas. It's kinda different, but he

doesn't like to talk about it, doesn't like to think

about it and doesn't participate in any VFW activities.

He's just Pookie......quiet and tender hearted.

He can usually be found earlier in the evening, at

the barbeque, cooking something that makes

the backyard smell WONDERFUL! Of course, there

are patio chairs hanging around just waiting for the

skies to darken enough for the city fireworks to start.

We have a perfect, unobstructed view from our backyard.

Just over that tall Lilac bush in the corner is where
all the action happens.

The neighborhood families will stop to visit when

they're walking by on their way to the park.

We'll be treated to the occasional

squeal from some little boy or girl that just can't

contain their excitement!

So, that's how it'll be in my tiny town this 4th.

I love my Pookie, and

I hope he has a wonderful 4th.

And I wish the same to all of you.

:0)

Tidbits........

2009-07-01T14:22:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my neck o' the woods.

For those of you who don't know me,
I live in a Victorian home that is
listed on the National Historic Register.

We recently completed a 6 year restoration,
that just about did us in. lol

I share my home with Pookie, my wonderful husband
(AKA Mike) of 27 years and
our sweet Cocker Spaniel, Ziggy.
We weren't able to have children,
so you can imagine how spoiled
that pup is.

I hope you'll enjoy this little online diary
of daily life here in my teeny little town
in the middle of Utah.

We're about 25 miles to the nearest
Walmart or McDonalds......I didn't even
know they had towns left without
those hotspots???!

We've got one traffic light, but
there are rumors of another one
coming soon. Ohhh, the thrill!

Okay, starting this blog, adding pics,
the format, etc., has taken me 3 hours!
The first two were spent trying to
come up with a name for the blog. YEESH!

Obviously, I'm not the fastest, most
clever computer whiz you'll meet online
today, or any day for that matter.

In fact, as we speak, I'm having to go
back and forth because the dang font
keeps changing.....What the?????

Oh, Ziggy says hey. :0)