Thankful Thursday

G'morning!   

Just for today, I'm NOT going to dwell on

... DISH Network dropping ABC-TV from their menu
... nor a certain insurance company's reluctance to honor the terms of its home warranty
... even Hurricane Alberto, who pitched a hissy fit in our driveway yesterday morning.

Nope!

Today I'm joining Rebecca Jo's Thankful Thursday klatch.   Come on in, won't you?  Pour a cup!

Yes. I suppose I over-reacted when I was cuddling little Grace last week and discovered a flea.  Then two, three.  Upon further inspection, we discovered her twin was also an unwilling host.  Toto, I don't think we're in Arizona anymore.

So thankful that our grand-pup's veterinarian was able to see the girls quickly -- and didn't make me feel like an awful dog mommy!

... That our pest control serviceman made time to come out the next day for a touch-up.  He never fails to calm my fears; and in fact, seems amused by my revulsion for anything that buzzes or crawls.

... Thankful for blog friends who provided links to keep our grounds relatively free of nasties.  Thank you so much, Sandra and Debby!

I'm thankful for good neighbors!  Because our driveway was still blocked by debris, Tom had to ferry me to my hair appointment and missed a call.  Jacob's voice mail:  "I noticed the tree on your wife's car, and I'm coming over with my chain saw."  At least it wasn't one of the much bigger trees that line our drive!  

Feeling blessed that Tom is developing friendships with members of his RC club.  When the weather radio siren went off at 3:00AM he went ahead and got up.  It wasn't long before I heard the unmistakable sounds of incoming texts.  Another of his buds in nearby Prattville was also awake, monitoring the storm.

(Me, I'm fine staying inside, not needing to socialize with  anyone except y'all -- but I've been concerned about Tom getting acclimated.)

Finally!

There's nothing fortunate about the flooding that's occurring around the state  ...  but I'm enormously thankful my DIL's parents are OK.  By the time rescuers were able to reach them by boat, water had risen to the windows and was half-way up the refrigerator!  Thank God their dog and cat were also evacuated safely, but it's feared their home, their autos and equipment will become casualties of Rice Creek.   Prayers are appreciated!

As always, I'm thankful for you!  Be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

Rain, rain go away!

  

A Royal Hodgepodge

... Volume 353, that is. 

Click HERE to play along!

Last place you visited/patronized where you felt like you were given 'the royal treatment'?

It's been 30-ish years, but cruising aboard the (now-defunct) Sitmar line isn't something I'm likely to forget.    Compared to today's mega-liners, their more intimate ships and all-Italian crew combined to make me feel exquisite!  

Ah well.   These days, when my hairdresser shampoos my head I feel pretty special.   Little things mean a lot!

Last task you completed that was a 'royal pain'?

The last year spent at my former workplace.   At the risk of sounding melodramatic, it was nearly my undoing ... I don't know that I could have (psychologically) survived another year.

How have your strengths helped you succeed?  How have your faults hindered you?

Succeed?  I'm not sure perseverance counts as success.   I have to credit my parent's example of dogged determination.   On the other hand, my insecurities and failure to stand up for myself probably led some people to believe I'm not terribly smart.  

If you found a remote that could rewind, fast forward, stop and start time, what would you do with it?

Oh, were I only noble enough to toss it into the Coosa River!   But no.  There's definitely a 'line in the sand' I fantasize about erasing. 

Any special plans for the Memorial Day weekend?  Will you in some way honor or recognize the meaning of this day (remembering the people who died in service to their country)?  Have you ever been to Arlington National Cemetery?  Does your town do anything special to mark the day?

I've honestly no idea!   We've always enjoyed PBS specials from D.C. and, of course, the Indy 500.

Because Troy and Lois are travelling to Nashville for the U-2 concert, I'm hoping our grand-girls might come by.   

Speaking of grands!    I've no real memories of having visited Arlington with my parents ... but Sarah flew to Virginia a couple of weeks ago to visit her fella.  She wrote, "In 4 hours we managed to walk 10 miles and tackle Arlington National Cemetery, witnessed changing of the guard, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool, WWII Memorial, Washington National Monument, Museum of National History, National Archives Museum and North Gate of the White House." 

 

Love that girl's interest in our Nation's history!   

Insert your own random thought HERE:

Given my penchant for have to know where the nearest 'facilities' are at any place or time, this cracked me up!

Happy Wednesday, y'all ... be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

Friday Letters meets Friday Foto Friends

Dear Grace and Macie,

I know.  You're not fond of being sent to 'playland'  (aka, poop-land).   Well guess what?  I'm not crazy about being the Bad Guy.

Yes, I championed this temporary enclosure.  However, until daddy finds someone to clear this brush and erect a permanent fence ...

I'm determined to keep you safe.

 Grace says, "I hate you very much."

Macie:  "Relax, kid. I'm working on an escape plan."

Dear Google Girl,

Have I told you lately that I love you?  How well I remember asking my parents how to spell something ... and them responding, "Look it up."   (grrrrr)

Not only do you and Alexa provide instant answers, but also, the correct pronunciation ... even a definition.   That's surely saved me more than a little embarrassment here in Blogville!

Dear Amazon Fire,

Like your AI cousins, sure ... I get that you're over there listening.  Having a clear (albeit, boring) conscience I'm not concerned.

Still, you're full of surprises!   The other evening Tom and I were discussing the best brands of dog food; and I told him about seeing a photo on Facebook featuring the worst brands.  Later, after clearing the dinner dishes I flipped open your cover and saw THIS on the screen. 

Well played AI.  Well played.

Dear Tom,

I'm sorry for not having answered your ringing the front doorbell sooner.  Remember, when I left to take a shower you were working out back.

You know my Love/Hate relationship with our front door.

... my reluctance to step out of the hallway wearing only a towel.

You claimed to have said there was a telephone line down; we needed to call someone.  (But I'm pretty sure I heard, 'power pole.')

Your being a former phone guy, yes.  I should have trusted you when you said it wasn't live and wouldn't zap me to kingdom come if I came anywhere near.  Still ...

New to the area and not having a land line, we'd NO idea who to call! 

Dear Millbrook Police Dispatch,

You guys rock!

No, we don't live in your jurisdiction.   Except, when we called the Coosada PD's non-emergency number at 7:30, there was only a voice mail asking callers to leave a message.

Rather than an uninterested "That's not my department" response, you were empathetic and suggested we sit tight while you made some calls.

 

Sure enough, 30 minutes later there was a police officer at the front door.  The next day an Elmore County Sheriff deputy stopped by.  After cutting and wrapping the cable, he even took time to share directions to nearby fishing holes as well as fields where Tom can fly his RC aircraft.  Blessed!  

Dear friends,

Thanks so much for stopping by ... have a great weekend ... be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

... and co-author, Macie Ann

......my bow-legged girl.

Hodgepodge #352

Thanks for visiting my piece of the Hodgepodge!  Won't you pour a cup and join with Joyce 'n friends?

What would you say is your biggest day-to-day challenge?

I've not an impromptu bone in my body ... so adapting to an agenda-less lifestyle has been a bit disconcerting.  So! I'm starting with a "Y" aquatics program and we'll see where that leads.  Baby steps ...

May 16th is National Biographers Day.  What's a biography you really enjoyed reading?  Is this a genre you read regularly?

Not really; I much prefer mysteries/thrillers.

.....but one, in particular, comes to mind: The House at Otowi Bridge. 

Tho' my family passed by Edith Warner's humble dwelling each Sunday, I didn't read her story until clearing out my mother's belongings.  A remarkable woman, whose accounting underscores my appreciation for my (small, but remarkable) hometown.

How important is keeping a clean home?  Do you need to de-clutter your life?

Sanitary reasons, obviously ... but I'm not obsessive, save the bathrooms and kitchen. 

Right now, everything's pretty much under control except for the office/spare bedroom.

You're the 8th Dwarf.  What's your name?

Let's go with 'Hungry.'

What's surprised you the most about your life or life in general?

That the child I believed myself to be --  invisible ... homely ... awkward grew up to experience an incredible couple of decades.

Insert your own random thought here:

So far, yes ... I'm loving Alabama. 

But the mosquitoes, y'all?!  My forearms look like I've crawled across barbed wire.  (Because, of course, I can't not scratch.)  Forget Avon's Skin-so-Soft ... these spawns of satan sneer at it.  Fabric softener sheets aren't much better.

Aside from spreading molten citronella over myself, have you any advice? 

# # #

Have yourselves a great week ... be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

Water Cooler Wednesday: "and/or"

Hello again!  
... and thanks for your sweet comments on my guest room!  Our little house isn't anything special, but I'm enjoying the opportunity to surround myself with those things that mean a lot.

This week, let's look at the bright side, shall we?   
Rather than focus on the negative ('what was the worst gift?'), I'm interested in knowing ....

What is the best gift you ever received?

and/or ...

What is the best gift you ever gave to someone?

Source

Thanks for playing!  Be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

Foto Friday Friends ... You're Cordially Invited

G'morning!

When a dear 'left-behind' asked me to share photos of our new (old) home ...  why, I jumped at the chance to participate in Deb's Friday Foto Friends!

  

So!  While I'd love to have you all visit us in Alabama, that might not be possible. 

But if you can, here's a peek at your room ...

Just down the hall ... turn left at the linen closet.

My favorite room.

Funny, I'd never in a million years consider myself a frilly, girly-girl sort ... but this is my happy place.

Years ago -- B.T. (before Tom) -- I found this furniture at a thrift shop.  Caraleigh and I spent lots and lots of hours in that bed with good coffee, good books ... even an occasional pity-party. 

See those curtains?  One of the reasons I fell for this house was its existing window treatments.  Tom wasn't wild about relocating them from the master bedroom, but I 'let' him choose between that or moving this furniture to the master and downsizing to a full-size mattress.  (*smile*)

Silly, perhaps, to get excited about a ceramic Kleenex holder ..... but $1 to the nice folks at Goodwill and it was all mine!

Remember my excitement about finding that olden throw pillow last week?

 Because it sits directly beneath this ...

my grandparent's Marriage License:  March 7, 1914.

... Catty-corner from an old print dated July 1895.  I found this in a trunk belonging to my other grandma and had framed.

For now, I'm not doing anything with the contents of great-grandma's jewelry box ... might be over-kill.

or, her well-loved Dionne Quints scrapbook

... but one never knows!  I might be blessed someday to have a little GREAT grand-girl who'll enjoy playing with them.

This olden frame / and chalk-board was spotted at an antique mall .  It's not mine, but I thought it was pretty neat.

Thanks for visiting ... have a great Friday ...  be safe!

Hugs,

Myra

  

May I Hodgepodge?

Thanks Joyce, for facilitating another fun exercise ... and congrats on your 350th milestone!   I may be late to the table, but appreciate you nevertheless!

"April showers bring May flowers" ... or so the saying goes.  Is there a flower you associate with a particular memory?  Explain.

Oh yes!  Since I was born on St. Patrick's Day, my father began buying me green carnations at an early age ... every year until  his untimely death in '81.  Even after all this time, I'm susceptible to the blues when March 17 rolls around and there's no green at the door.

Never mind the corsage ... oh, those awful shoes!

Last time you helped someone?  Tell us how.

I like to think I help Tom every day (as he does me).  Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to appreciate my help input while we're in traffic.   Go figure!

It's National Salsa Month (the food, not the dance), so tell us.  Do you like salsa?  Hot? Medium? Mild?  Homemade, store-bought or from a favorite restaurant?

Not really a fan, no.  (I've never perfected the art of balancing slippery salsa on a tortilla chip without spilling it all over my clothes.)  I much prefer a gooey cheese dip or spicy refried beans.

When I was 12 years old ...

8 weeks of Arabian horses?  = Heaven! 

It's the first of May so let's run with it: 

First things first, don't know the first thing about, first dibs on something, first impression, first rate, first cousin, first string, first-come-first-served, at first light .... which phrase can best be applied to something in your life currently (or even recently)? 

Unfortunately, I don't know the first thing about flora and fauna.  We've a footprint crying for attention!   I really envy our DIL's  knowledge, her passion ... but cringe at the thought of digging in the dirt.  

Insert your own random thought here.

I've not much ... perhaps a bit of levity? 

In the event you're having a rotten day, consider for a moment:  You, too, could come back from the salon with hair the same shade as your dish soap.  (sigh...)   

It's a toss-up.  Do I shampoo with Tide HD or Comet?  Methinks it's going to be a long month!

Thanks for visiting ... be safe out there!

Hugs,

Myra