Friday letters - May edition

 

Whoa, would you look at the time!   
I'd better get these postmarked before the calendar strikes June!

📩Dear Grocers everywhere,

I'm seeing more and more low-cal and Keto-friendly products on your shelves ... thank you!
But is there a reason no-salt pistachios are so hard to find?
Sodium's not my friend.

📩Dear Millbrook Post Office

Again, y'all underscore my decision to settle in small town Alabama!

I don't know what prompted her distress, but the other day I witnessed a lady in tears, apologizing to the clerk: "I'm sorry, I just can't get it right!"

The next thing I know, the clerk turned around and walked away ... only to appear from a side door with arms outstretched, "Here. May I give you a hug?"
 

Something else.
After my turn was complete and I turned to leave the gentleman helping me said, "May your day be blessed."    

I don't recall ever witnessing that level of customer service in the Big City!

📩Dear Auto Correct,

I think I need a new senior-friendly phone.  One without a texting feature.

When son and DIL recently wrote they "loved" something I'd done, my response?  
"Right!?"

Then, if that's not bad enough -- instead of an "I love you, too", mine came out, "I love you tomorrow."

Like my friend Sally says, "I'm so glad we don't talk in auto correct!"

📩Dear Lemon seed,

Honestly, I had my doubts, but just look at you go!

I think I can, I think I can!

and finally ....

📩To Whom It May Concern,

Whoever's been doing a rain dance,
I hope you break an ankle. (JK!)

On the bright side, I won't have to weed whack for a while!

Come to think of it, there's always a bright side.
May your day be blessed!

Hugs, Myra

 

 

I Can ... I Can't

 

Today, I'm giving a nod to the old saying, "Imitation's the sincerest form of flattery" (Or, is that Plagiarism?)

Anyway!  I'm joining Linda and Billie Jo in their fun 'tell-all' exercise.  Remember parlor games?

Maybe you'd like to do the same?  I hope so!

 Yes, I Can 

Listen carefully -- and retain

Read others' body language

Plan

Recall (most) '60's and '70's song lyrics

Broadway scores, too

Enjoy a 'lumberjack breakfast' ... even a 16 oz. porterhouse steak.  My appetite isn't particularly feminine, but honestly I'm past the point of caring

Serve as a bad example

On the other hand ...

No, I can't (or won't)

Read out loud in front of others (without my throat closing up)

Feign an interest in baseball/softball

Dance. Someone is always watching!

Read sheet music.  In spite of having taken piano and violin lessons for years, nowadays the notes might as well be Egyptian hieroglyphs

Abide watermelon ... any fruit that squirts

Gift wrap pretty-like

Travel by air

Okay, it's your turn!

Hugs, Myra

Friday Favorites

 

 I've a favorite rubber spatula, too!

In all seriousness ...

 

School may already be out for the Summer -- but just like we did in 3rd Grade, I still like playing "Show and Tell."

Here are several .....

Some of y'all may remember seeing this little box ... but it puts a smile on my face every time I sit down at the desktop.

If you guessed the Library used to be one of my favorite places, you'd be right!

It's contents?  Colored and lined index cards ... my guilty obsession pleasure.

I know hibiscus really needs planted outside.
For the time being, however, I love seeing the pops of red when I walk through our sun room.

We normally order our flash frozen chile directly from New Mexico.

Nevertheless, when I spotted this in Publix's international aisle, I couldn't resist grabbing a can.

Granted it's not as good as fresh, but the flavor's unmistakable.

(Aside:  Until a couple of years ago it wasn't unusual to see 'Hatch' labels on lots of canned goods.  When the "powers that be" stepped up and demanded authenticity, however, it's funny how many manufacturers suddenly changed their branding.) 

Meito Modern Windsor Gravy Boat

I need to put mother's wedding china away until next Spring.  On a whim, however, I've decided to keep this out as a repository for random pieces of jewelry.

   and finally ...

He may not have won 'American Idol' (boo-hiss), but I've no doubt John Foster's going bigger and better places.

T-t-t-hat's all folks!

Happy Friday!

Hugs, Myra

Watercooler Wednesday

 

 ..... May edition

Let's do an "Either Or" today.  Your choice!
(There's no bonus points for answering both ... but I think that would be fun.)

😎

1.  You've been given a $100 gift certificate to your favorite department store.   Where are you headed first?  (Sorry, no groceries or cleaning products allowed!)

2.  What (or who) is something you've changed your mind about over the years? 

I'll share my answers in the comments.
I look forward to reading yours!

Hugs, Myra

If this is Wednesday

 

It must be time for the Hodgepodge.
Thank you, Joyce!

What's something you're curious about right now?

This ...

Mother's Day gift from Troy and Lois.  Not my usual genre, but they just concluded the audio version (17 hours!) and speak highly of it.

If you could plan the perfect girl's weekend getaway, where would you go and what would be on the agenda?  Do you have anything like this on your calendar in the next few months?

Ha ... I wish!
Given Macie Ann's recent CHF diagnosis* and Tom's health challenges, leaving home -- even for the weekend -- isn't on my Bingo card right now.

What's the most unique item in your refrigerator right now?

I'd like to say this, mixed with riced cauliflower was a hit.  But no. 

(So why, 'self', is it still in there?)

In this season of your life, what do you find most challenging?

Accepting and adapting to physical/aging challenges.

Do you collect anything?  If so, why that?

Except for sentimental treasures, I'm all about purging anything that gathers dust!
Nevertheless, I think my dad's old cigar box holding favorite quotes, song lyrics and verses is a collection.  Best, paper doesn't take up much room!

Insert your own random thought here.

This is me!

and me

also me

Y'all enjoy a large day!

Hugs, Myra

*
Macie's doing well, right now and we're praying her vet caught her heart condition in time.  She's on an aggressive prescriptions regimen twice daily, but that hasn't slowed her appetite or enthusiasm.  Every day's a gift!

I remember Momma

Thanks to Sue for giving me the idea to share some of my favorite images of the lady I called, "Momma."

When I get to Heaven one of the first things I want to do is sit beside her and ask all those questions I was too self-involved to ask.

💜

You're once, twice, three times a lady, and I love you.  Still.

Pretty baby
(ca 1916)

 

On her parent's farm - SW Minnesota

Storden, Minnesota co-ed

Girls just wanna have fun!

With fellow nursing students.

Proud nursing graduate
St. Barnabus, Minneapolis

First home in Minneapolis

Young mother

Grandmother

..... and a Great One, too

Pretty sure, her favorite title of all was "Mrs."

I'm so glad she's experiencing Eternity with the love of her life. 

Forever and ever, Amen.

Currently in Coosada

 

Outside my window?

I'll take this!

From the test kitchen --

The instructions read, "Organic preferred."

OK, I bought 7 ...

Notice anything missing?

Only 2 itty-bitty seeds in the lot!

Nevertheless, I've watered and tented ... and spoke softly.  The rest is up to God.

This is why I was never cut out to be a kindergarten teacher!

(re) Reading --

Alex Michaelides'
The Fury

Yes!

While I'd give the story itself a C (maybe a C+), the teller's narrative immediately sucked me in. 

Because it belongs to the Public Library, I went out on eBay and bought my own copy.

Now, at leisure, I can underline and highlight to my little heart's content.  I've unintentionally become a collector of quotes.*

Perhaps someday a child or grandchild will pick it up and know more about me.  Or not; that's ok.

Michaelides says, "We are all unreliable narrators of our own lives."

Looking forward --

To seeing Troy and Lois.
They're coming over Saturday with meat-lovers pizza and I'll put out the wine and throw together a big salad.

Meanwhile ...

I've got to wrest the remote from Tom's hand and run back to the VA for another audiology fix.

... then check out Publix's BOGO's and whatever temptations lay in the deli.  Pick me! Pick me!

Y'all be good!

Hugs, Myra

* If anyone's interested, here's an example.

Tuesday 4: Home is where the 💛 is

 

Good morning,

We've another doctor's appointment later this morning to see if Tom's a candidate for hip replacement  ... 
but their offices aren't far, and the Tuesday 4's calling me to come play.

Let's do this!

Toni asks --

What do you think of this picture ... the staircase.  Do you like how it looks?  Does it say "home" to you?  Would you like something that looks like this?

I'm not especially fond of the floral wallpaper or runner ..... but strangely it works!

I want to grab ahold of that rich wood railing and learn what's waiting up above.  Perhaps a pair of low-ceiling bedrooms like those at my grandparent's farm house -- one with a metal grid concealed beneath a throw rug which, once uncovered, allowed a curious girl to kneel and eavesdrop on the adults' conversations below.

In contrast, this is the staircase in my childhood home.  (I lifted this image from an old real estate listing.) 

Just on the other side of those paper-thin walls, the little boys I used to babysit would ride up and down those steps on their backside shrieking happily -- and loudly.  (But I digress ....)

I love multi-story residences, but given the condition of our hips and knees, that's not so practical anymore.

Did you love growing up in your family home?  Could you live in a house like that today?

I don't remember ever loving it -- or not.  Not until my mid-teens when a "real homes" community began development off the "Hill."

With my little Pepper dog in front of our Unit B

Government housing was the norm.  Today I smile at the song lyric, "... and they're all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same."

Blame it all on my roots ...
I love the idea of living in another tiny (1,034 sq. ft) residence -- less to clean or pay to heat and cool!

What did you bedroom look like when you were a teen? 

More 'steals' lifted from Realtor.com.

This is my 9' x 7' bedroom, once with pale yellow walls and crisp white cafe curtains that my mother sewed.

Because mother disliked overhead lighting, I'd a little table lamp on the dresser.  Probably a horse statuette or two.

 

More than 50 years later, the view's still the same.

I'd a dresser under that window that looked like this

One could switch the colored panels to suit one's own taste

 ..... and there in the corner stood one of these

What kind of vibes or atmosphere do you like to foster in your home today?  Sophisticated? Homey?

We're all about 'homey'  -- comfortable, with a touch of rustic ..... peppered not with objects d'art but those things with stories to tell. 

Not sure what this says about me, but having watched endless episodes of HGTV (House Hunters, etc.), I'm decidedly on Team "Before."

How about you?

🪴

Thanks to Annie and friends for allowing me a brief sentimental journey.
You, too, can play along (click here).

We've come a long way, baby!

Hugs, Myra