pocket purses

Today I had Casey & Sydney decorate Pocket Purses. I saw the project in a children's activity magazine & went for it. Just have to cut the back pocket off the rear of a pair of jeans (used ones) and decorate. The two large ones are from Brian's jeans and the two small ones from a pair Casey had outgrown. Pretty cute?

Baby pictures

Here she is. Such a cutie.







And here is her mom (holding her), her grandma on the left and her great grandma on the right.

Then of course we had to get a picture of Uncle Christopher, Mom (Jessica) holding Anessa, and Aunt Kimberly. Don't you just love it when the kids all smile?

Arizona

Well, we made it to Phoenix without any problems. It is hot here.
The baby is addorable (of course). I will post pictures when I get home as I do not have the capability of downloading pictures onto this computer from my camera.

Bat flowers

One of the girls in the pool told me about this little plant, (Firecracker Cuphea). She and the
nursery attendant call it a bat flower because, if you have a good imagination you can see a little bat face and big red bat wings.

It's real name is Cuphea purpurea. There is another branch of this plant that they call little mice. Much the same in configuration but with smaller red petals.

They say that hummingbirds love them. We shall see.

Red hat lunch

Our original plan for today's Scarlett O'Hatties gathering was to go to Lake Coeur d'Alene and take a cruise around the lake. The weather has been cold, stormy, windy, wet and only two ladies were going to attend the event. HMMM. My thought then was to change the venue of the meeting to something a bit closer (the lake is 30 minuts away) and less expensive (cost of the cruise if $15.00 plus food). Therefore I opened my home to a lite lunch. The same two ladies who were going on the cruise were the only ones in attendance. Go figure.

The best part of that whole scenario is that my house is all clean (company coming clean) and we have less than a week before we go to Phoenix. With any luck the place will be tidy when we leave so I won't be coming home to a sloppy house.

Phoenix has been having 95-100 degree weather. Ours on the other hand has a time getting into the 70s. I'll pack lite - shorts and t-shirts.

Sewing room organized

As you can see, I had a big mess on my hands. Stuff was brought into the sewing room and placed where ever there was room. Since the room is smaller than the one I had upstairs, rearranging has been a challenge. I have finally gotten the bulk of it done.














Now I can actually get to my machine and find room to cut out a doll dress or two.





My grand daughter, upon seeing that the room was tidy again, said, "can I make a purse"? I had to take some pictures of a clean room before she started.

Now If I could only find my small box of elastic I'd be all set.

My garden

After being scratched this spring by my "attack rose bush", I told her that she had better be spectacular or out she was going. See, she really is outstanding. She stays.







As does the docile, "nice white bush". The first cuttings I brought inside lasted quite a while. Then came the rains and the second cuttings did not fare as well. I think I have to snip off all the spent flowers now to ensure a healthy bush, right? I sooo know nothing of roses.








I had the grass removed (dirt area to the right and in front of the gas meters) so that I could put flowers in. I put sunflower seeds in front of the gas meters. Should block that view in a month. Trouble is the meter readers have to have access to the little dials on the front of the meters or I'd box them in entirely. This

More rain

This rain just won't stop. Yesterday the hillside next to a well traveled road near us washed away and took part of the road with it. We have now broken the record for rainfall during the fiest 13 days of June set in 1888. We officially have 2.73 inches this month. The last time June was this wet was 1983 whe we had 2.85 inches for the entire month.

Rain Rain go away

I suppose the farmers love rain but I, personally, am getting a bit boored with it. Sure it makes the grass green and the flowers grow but it also makes weeds grow. (Now I remember why I didn't want a yard to take care of). I only have a small plot so I really shouldn't complain. It will give me something to do when I get boored of sitting on the patio sipping a tall glass of crystal clear water.

Went to "A Chorus Line" yesterday with seven of my swimming companions. We have asked our instructor to incorporate some of the dance steps into our swim routine. That could happen, right? "step, together, flip kick, turn, slide , slide" all in the deep end. Ha Ha We are taking hats today for the routine. I'll let you know.

Called my daughter in law last night - the grandmother of my great granddaughter. Seems the father of the baby is living with them. Now I might be able to agree to such an arrangement IF they couple were married and IF he had a job and was contributing to the household expenses, but guess what? He's not. He has put off asking Jessica to marry him (until after his brother gets married this summer) - what's up with that. He has lost a couple of jobs in the last year and has now been hired by someone who says he really has no work for him. What part of job does he not get? Job is something you do for pay, not something you say you have and do nothing for no pay. Brian must be a saint to put up with this situation.

Garden Project

Yesterday was lovely, not too hot, not too cool, no rain. So I decided to clean up the small bed in front of some shrubs at my front door. There had been a large, old, overgrown sick shrub there and the condo residents voted to remove it leaving a bare hole with the decorator rocks nearly all covered in soil. Simple solution to making it look fresh again was to remove the soil from the rock area and plant a heat loving ground cover/rock garden type plant. Did I say simple? So I got down on the ground and started removing the rocks, separating them from the soil they had rested in for many and many a year. Being as I am, unaccostomed to such activity, I could only work for 45 minutes before I would have to come in and rest my knees and back. It took four sessions of 30 to 45 minutes each. I'm talking a fairly small area here. Dig out rocks, scoop up dirt replace rocks, haul dirt away (thank you Jerry, I could not have lifted those buckets as easily as you did). But I did it and it's done and the portulaca (not sure of the spelling of that) I planted will soon fill the dirt hole that once housed a shrub.


Then I look to the other side of the entry way --- "that's not my chicken". BUT ... it would look so nice if that little triangle were all rocks or all grass. Take your pick. Right now it is rocks, grass, dirt and Thistles. It's only about four feet by three feet. I could do that in an hour. But not today.



Right now my sitting muscles are screaming every time I stand up. They did not like the kneeling position I took for those periods of time. (I finally resorded to just sitting and moving the rocks and dirt between splayed out legs - not very efficient.)

Today it is rainy and gray. Jhary's community had their annual BBQ. They moved it into the staff office. We went early, ate and came home so there would be room for other guests.

Sunday nite

We are completely out of #9. We have signed our part of the paper work and turned over the keys. I sure hope the new owner is the mom not her daughter and small son.
Although we are out of #9 I still have some unpacking to do. I am finding it difficult to find places for all the "stuff" I have accumulated. I hung the pictures last evening so I guess now it is "ours". We even purchased plants for the small garden. It has been raining for the past four days so I do not feel like going out and digging.
As a note to the future, we have decided that we will not accept gifts for various occations unless they are consumable. No more books, fabric, Knick Knacks etc. etc. etc. Comsumables are gift cards for dinner, flowers, candy, food stuffs. This only makes sense. We have crammed every cupboard and closet with stuff that we may or may not every look at except once a year. Why take more stuff in just to cram it into yet another drawer or shelf?

Writers-Winners

Casey took first place for her story of the day her dog got hit by a car and died in the street (she was only 6 when that happened). She took home a $100.00 check. (Shy Casey, doesn't want her picture taken.)













Sydney took second place with her story of the Little Pumpkin who wanted a pumpkin friend but discovered that you don't have to look just like someone else to be friends. She took home $50.00.
















Casey and Sydney, winners in the Coeur d'Alene Library's Writers contest. What a great way to encourage young and older people to express themselves in writing.

Friday already

Jerry has been working all week trying to fulfil his prediction that we would be out of #9 by Friday. He lost Monday and Tuesday waiting for workmen. Monday the patio door was scheduled to be installed at 8 am. They didn't arrive until 10:30. Tuesday the plumbers were due at 8 am they didn't arrive till noon. Sort of shoots the rest of the day. Anyway, he has everything out except the closet in my sewing room (which has no place to go down here) and our everyday dishes. When the place is empty I'll finish up by cleaning the bathroom and kitchen. He loves to vacuum so I'll let him. Just in time as we are suppose to be signing off on it next Friday.

The girls both won a prize in the Coeur d'Alene writing contest. We don't know what prize yet as the awards ceremony is Saturday. I'll cut my visit with the Red Hatters & Elvis short so we can make the trip over there.

BALLOONS

Went to Walla Walla for the Annual Balloon Festival this weekend. They were magnificent.

Saturday evening they inflate the balloons in the evening so you can see them illuminated from

the inside.

Then on Sunday morning we went back to the field and watched as they inflated them for flight. Truely a magnificent sight. I want to ride in one now.

Wednesday

Slowly, slowly, we are getting out of #9 & into #1. Jerry has really done most of the hauling of the "small stuff". All the books are down, all the furniture is down, all the bathroom is down. Notice I did not say put away, only down. Still to go are three closets, one storage cupboard and most of the kitchen. Then the cleaning of #9. Shouldn't be too bad with all the stuff out. I just don't want to leave grime in the bathroom and spilled food in the fridge. After all, I have to live with the person moving in as a neighbor. We still do not know if it is the mom or the daughter and child moving in. I hope it is just them mom, but I'll probably be wrong.

Sunday evening

Spokane hosts a very large running competition named Bloomsday, held on the first Sunday of May. I ran it in 2000 and received the ugliest t-shirt. I vowed never to run it again. So now I volunteer at a water handout station. Last year the weather was pleasant, this year it was 51 with sprinkles and wind. I did not dress for the occation. When I came home I had to take a hot shower just to warm up. The shirt is periwinkle (close to purple) with a strange figure on the front. Oh well, I can wash the car with it or do the gardening in it.

Tomorrow is the day. Computer will not be moved until Tuesday so I'll not be in touch for a while. There is still so much to do and Jerry has been a dear hauling stuff down stairs. I still cannot fathom where I'll put everything.

Saturday morning

Monday is set for the big move. I've been painting the last bits in the livingroom and climbing those *^&%$# stairs more than I normally do. That and the tension from just the IDEA of moving and I'm getting all stiff and sore. I have a massage scheduled for next Friday. Hope I can survive til then.
Ralph comes today to get the China closet. I guess Darla was supposed to call me and ask that I round up someone on this end to help. I didn't get that message. Ralph can't move it (his knees and legs in general are bad), Greg too is loosing leg power. I won't let Jerry help - his surgery is too new and I'm tired already. 64 may be the old 44, just tell my body that.

Thursday

I remember now why I don't like moving. I love the working with workmen fixing up the new place. It's all done. Now, Monday, the movers come. I used 5 boxes just unloading the china cabinet so Ralph can take it on Saturday - and that was only the top half. Then I look around and think "what was I thinking about". Where is it all going to fit?
The walls are lovely and clean, the ceiling is beautiful, the carpet fresh, the sewing room all put together (but not all the stuff has been put in place). Where is that magic fairy that will do all the work while I sleep?

Friday

Yesterday Marvin (#1 boy cat) appeared to have a swollen eye. Probably the result of a "slap on the face" from one of the "girls". So we made an appointment with the vet. Today his eye looked better but we took him anyway. You should have heard the noises he made on the short 1.5 mile trip to the vet. He sounded scared, mad, nervous, angry - all at the same time. Two shots (rabies & distemper) later and he repeated the performance all the way home. His eye was clear. We decided to take the girls in too. One at a time. Much meowing, hissing, and slapping. Just for shots. Well, I hadn't had them in since 1998 so I guess it was time. Polly has real bad teeth. After the move we will look into that.

Other than that the day was rather calm. I did go over and preview the color the finisher had applied. It will look great.
Next week we should have everything finished; Lights, ceiling tiles, carpet and appiances delivered. Then the move....

Wednesday

It's 2:50 pm and the plummer finally showed up. He was due at 9:00 this morning. I skipped swiming so I would be here for him to let him in etc. We installed a tall toilet in our unit two years ago and want to take it with us. So the toilet in #9 went to #1 & vice versa. That chore is done.
The electrician, who I wanted to come in this week, won't be able to come until next Monday. That means that the ceiling guy won't be in to drop the rest of the ceiling in until Tuesday? But the carpet is due to be installed Tuesday.....
It will all come together in the end, I know, but it is rather frustraiting, especially since I was unable to do much else today except wait.....and pack boxes.
I did send my entertainment center and dining room table out to get refinished. They will be stained dark Mahogany to match the chairs and end tables.