Mixed Bag

I don't have a honey do list,

I have a damn I have to do this all myself list,

and guess what?

S**t gets done.

In the process of a "check off all this crap on the list" mania,

 I have been known to get a mite

uh... crabby, moody, frustrated, irritable...

OK generally pissed off

that King Putz planted trees that were way too large for my postage stamp yard,

that they are all deciduous requiring major leaf cleanup and that they were all given to me as Mother's Day gifts so the guilt of 

chopping them down and making stump seating and/or ash plate chargers out of them that I could boast about on pinterest

is out of the question.. 

and my affordable yard cleanup guy who always helps me

this time of year, is in jail.

BREATHE

Allergies, my newest friend the past 4 years

are loving the exposure to all the pollen, leaf mold

and pine buds I am exposing them to.

They are flourishing and rewarding me 

with cotton throat and itchy eyes. 

If you add that to the torn yoga pants,

coffee stained, once long sleeved t-shirt that I unceremoniously cut the sleeves off, (while I was wearing mind you), braless with the pendulous wonders hanging free, and throw in 

my needing to be dyed, 1 inch root showing hair pulled back

in a pony tail so tight, I have an "eye lift" ensemble

well, is it any wonder I do not have a honey

 to "DO" the to do list?

Is it a sign of my age that I no longer care who drives by and sees me in the front yard in this condition? They all speed by way too fast, so I am just a blur anyway. I do however try not to bend over with the uh "posterior" of me facing the street.

One does need to follow some neighborhood decorum.

BREATHE

The backyard is the target today,

as much as I can stand before my eyes swell shut.

Yeah, yeah hilarious...

I'm organized and hilarious but not a size 2.

The universe has some sense of fairness.

Mixed bag of indignities 

from an old bag who loves ya

Z

going in the bucket

The Neighborhood

Headed outside via the back porch early this morning.

I just had to see the roses some more while I sipped some Joe.

Ran into this sweetheart, a pair of them have been  hanging out back here. I need to spot the nest. 

First bud on the rose bush from my dearest son.

 First bush to bloom each year right 

after the banks roses.

A riot of color

Aggressive little bugger. See it reaching up to 

embrace the mesquite tree in the middle of the yard?

That will be clipped, 

but I cannot bear to until the blooms are past.

The trumpet vine woke up yesterday.

Another faithful performer.

This lady lasts all summer and drapes over the wall to a walkway.

The association gardeners slice off everything on their 

side of the wall.

Idiots

These have been on the outside porch table since September?

Wish I looked that good that long...

I cannot help it.

 I love the light on this porch.

 I have recently met some wonderful new folks

 in the blogging neighborhood, 

new to me, not to blogging,

 and I was talking about it with my friend Chania.

( A brand new Grandma as of this morning)

We discuss just about everything, like old friends do, and in the course of the back and forth emails I wrote this to Chania..

"I view it as a neighborhood. There are those that come in for coffee and stay all morning, and feed the dogs while you are away..then there are the ones you see at the mailbox now and again and you both ask about the kids at college and comment on the blight affecting the ash trees in the area and after 15 minutes you wave and go home. Then there are the neighbors you see watering their lawn as you walk the dog and you nod and say good morning and wave at each other's cars as you leave for work. Then there are the neighbors in their car who slowly drive down the street, open the garage door before even turning into their driveway, pull into the garage and begin closing the overhead without even exiting their car. The ones in the neighborhood no one knows...Hey I think there is a blog post in that last paragraph...lol maybe this weekend.."

I often get emails from new bloggers and just as often they bring up trying to grow their blog etc and I always refer them to 

"big" bloggers with the same goals as they have.

I still have this post from October 2010

on my sidebar, explaining my decisions about blogging.

Yes, my numbers have grown since then,

but my attitude remains the same.

Those of you that have known me for awhile

 know where I stand on this, my goal has always been, not in the numbers etc but on the relationships, friendships that have flourished here and truly, I mean this from the bottom of my heart,

ENRICHED my life.

We are a neighborhood with various tastes, wants, desires and needs. There is room for everyone.

Now and again someone crosses your path

and WHAM you connect, and it is magic how 

the friendship unfolds.

That does not negate or lessen the relationships

that are more casual, just as friendly, just as lovely.

They are all precious gifts.

Who wants a neighborhood where 

they're all made out of ticky tacky

 and they all look just the same?

Have a great week.

Z

It's Sunday

Be kind out there today.

Always A Little Sunshine And Roses

Each year since I planted my Banks Roses I am rewarded with a

blanket of blooms dripping over the wall on a sunny morning. A few tentative yellow spots appear as they did yesterday, and then

POW! the next day this is what occurs.

Unfortunately just like last year, we are expecting huge winds today and tomorrow so this display will be fleeting.

Always, a little sunshine and roses can lift my spirits,

as did the wonderful response to

 my latest totes from yesterday's post.

I also received some special orders. Yahoo!

Thank you my friends.

Only one pair remain for now,  C 

A

sold

C

though many sets are on my studio table, 

waiting for me to return and finish them. 

Also on the docket for today, a battle with my cable company

over them moving TCM to a channel

 requiring a 12.00 per TV charge...I won my own battle,

and will not be paying the extra charge,

 though still believe it is a stupid move on their part,

especially in order to provide more reality garbage TV.

Enough complaints and maybe they'll reconsider?

At first I was told to simply pay for 2 boxes to get

what I had received for free.. "most people do"

Of course most folks I know already do pay for all those boxes..

but I choose not to, since I carefully edit my TV viewing anyway.

Just like I don't text or use my cell unless forced to,

it's almost always dead and it has

 next to none minutes on it anyway.

I don't like FB ( keep just for spotify) or tweet etc.

No, I'm not techno phobic, c'mon I have 2 blogs, an etsy shop,

(OK it's been on semi-permanent vacation), 

I'm even an occasional pinterest user,

 but yet I often feel I need to defend the fact 

that I don't want an excess of technology in my life.

I  live a small life by choice.

I don't mind that others are techno addicts.

Add a plug in to your behind if you want, 

it won't bother me, but your trousers may fit funny.

I am carefully following the debate over "lean in" 

and the backlash "lean out".

Didn't we already do this when women returned to work,

and the battle between "stay at home" and "working mom"

ensued? Did we learn nothing?

 And Damn! When will a father be referred to as 

a working father, as every working mother is?

When 100 % of men finally share 50%

 of the load outside of work?

When there are 50% of corporate women as leaders?

But if you value staying at home, or working and still

making home the priority instead of clawing up the ladder,

isn't that your right?

Personal choices - no mold to squeeze ourselves into.

uh oh

I need to go smell the roses

and bask in the sunshine.

I'm getting riled up...

bet it was the three cups of Joe this a.m

 I mis-measured.

Note to self:

Use the bucket

wear glasses in the house

pay attention

go sew...

Two Totes

TWO TOTES

I love totes

I use totes 

I keep several in my car at all times,

and use them in all stores, not just for food.

My market a block away

fondly refers to me as the bag lady,

 and I get 4 extra points 

each visit even if I only use two totes.

They like my totes.

I've been sewing, selling, and giving totes

as gifts for many years.

A few days ago, needing therapy,

 I decided to hang in the studio, 

sewing up some of the mountains of

home dec fabric I have saved.

High quality favorites, hoarded for years,

 saving the "good stuff" for me;

but really, how much fabric can 

I save for later?

Apparently a lot, so many totes to come.

The totes are reversible, ultra sturdy,

and hold an enormous amount of product.

 The handles are reinforced to hold weight. 

Each is approximately 17"x15"

with a 12" handle drop for comfort.

*********************************

Several sets are available

$40.00 a pair plus shipping

Vibrant bark cloth florals, 

lined with a lovely cream/red/sage stripe

PAIR A 

sold

****************************************

Vibrant bark cloth florals,

lined with quilted butter cream.

PAIR B

sold

****************************************

Textured greys with muted red stripe,

lined with a yummy sage/plum/grey floral.

PAIR C

****************************************

Nubby linen paired with soft blue/beige floral

PAIR D

sold

****************************************

Buttercup/pink/sage/floral paired with two

sizes of herringbone browns

PAIR E

sold

****************************************

Wonderful cream /tan striped linen

lined with same

PAIR F
sold

**********************

Want two totes?

Attractively packaged

so they also make a great gift.

Email me

the bucket

use it

Bucket Bucket - Who has the bucket?

We are off to a good start!

WAHOO

purge that crap

dump those doozies

I have had as many email questions as comments 

and I'm poppin' in quickly to clarify.

The bucket is not just for bloggers,

or specific to blogging issues.

Barking dogs, 35 items in a 15 item line,

(and why are they often in stilettos with their boobs hanging out,

just in Vegas?

"protruding boob permission" to ignore rules?)

WHATEVER has your

knickers in a bunch

Yes, if it's been mentioned before,

of course rant again about your own issue.

Think of it as your own personal spot to vent,

and read the others if you wish to or not.

The idea is to get it out!

Free therapy

If you select anonymous, I do not see any source either.

Several gals thought I could, but nope.

If you don't have a blog, but still want me to know it is you,

then select anonymous but sign the comment inside the box

 Dorothy, Bernice, "the fiddler" etc so I will know... get it?

Again, just plain nasty, intended to hurt another,

 comments will not be published.

Keep the spirit of this please.

A LOT is not spelled ALOT!

It's not.

A lot means to a large extent

Allot means to apportion something

ALOT does not exist

see? anything that grrrrrr

grinds your teeth

Remember this link will remain open

up there in the bucket corner, 

as long as this blog remains open.

uh oh

Anyone see a bus with my name on it 

headed this way?

Oh that's right, I was already run over 

by it last week by the

 King Putz. 

 From here on out known as KP

 : - D

**** It Bucket

Already I've lost a few of you,
just with the title.....
but please entertain the spirit of this post.

Listen, there are far uglier words out there

than a cuss word, words meant to denigrate, 

humiliate or differentiate human beings. 

Ones I won't say or even type here,

but the regular ones that some replace

 with the word frickin, fudge, spit and such?

The minute those substitute words

burst forth from a mouth, 

they are instantly replaced with the
 original word in nearly everyone's mind.  

There are studies I hear...
OK - OK call it a Chuck it Bucket 
(add an asterick)
Better?

I digress.

Last week, I was faced with information that

ticked me off somethin' fierce,
and nearly brought me to my knees.

The kinda thing you cannot discuss with anyone else,

 and yet want to rant about it somehow,

somewhere, so I had this idea to write it down.

You remember our Grandmas saying

"Write it down and then tear it up.

Don't spill the ugly."

Oh...Only my Grandma?

So I wrote it down, 

but I thought it was rather brilliant,

and did not want to tear it up.

Sorry Gran

AHA! 

I have a blog!

I could write it there ... but

then of course, once would not be enough

I would want to leave several rants...

 frequently

often

over and over

hmmmmm?

AHA!

Yes, I do say AHA out loud a lot 

while roaming around muttering.

What if I had a **** It Bucket 

and could dump each and every

pain in the butt thing that happened to 

make me say more than 

Crapola into the bucket and 

ease the frustration.

My first contribution will be to the 
pitiful, pea brained, pathetic putz(s),
(even though I doubt they have a penis)
who insist on leaving anonymous, venomous
 comments to posts everywhere,
 even innocuous ones,
 like the one I did yesterday
about my daughter.
Really?
This is WHO you are?
a slithering shadow lurking around depositing
ugliness? Pretty sad excuse for an existence.

AHA!

Then I thought what if I 

allowed others to "deposit"

into my **** It Bucket?

Frustration loves a forum of "Hell Yes!"and besides

I know there are so many of you out there

that are so frickin' (see - you thought it didn't you?)

hilarious that I trust you will entertain me.

Please do.

Leave your name - or not,
if you must hide for witness protection.

If a comment is just nasty and intended to offend,

I reserve the right not to publish.

Keep em coming - the link will remain top right in my sidebar,
so click on it and it will always return you to this post,
so you may comment, and perhaps lower your blood pressure.
The next time the world has done you wrong,
pound on those keys, then dump it here, and move on.
Keep the bucket in your own sidebar if you wish,
 to remind you that there is a place to safely rant,
without "spilling the ugly".

unless no one ever uses it but me, then

 **** It

The Graduate

Darling daughter

Moving in day at first dorm at NYU Aug 09

How was I able to leave my baby girl alone in NYC?

Right after this shot, I hugged her goodbye,

 and while weeping...loudly.....I dragged

 two massive empty suitcases down 25 city blocks

back to my hotel 

We moved bedding, pots and pans, dishes,

everything she needed in those suitcases I brought,

and her clothes etc in her own bags

It all goes/went so fast

But look at her now

Completed her courses with honors,

a semester early last December,

but "walking" with her friends from Tisch this Spring

She'll be staying in NYC

She is a New Yorker now,

and I don't blame her

Strong, independent, so loving and kind

an amazing woman

Talented Director and Artist

my baby girl

The Graduate

Totes

The fabric piles are dwindling (sort of)

The hall is filling up with totes ready to sell.

Have I ever shown the hall? Not sure.

Overflow from my small studio... books, magazines

 and of course,

more drawers...always drawers.

The buds are budding which is great,

but it means major yard clean up which is not great.

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns,

or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." 

Spring forward, lean forward, lean in,

be there, be square, 

pay attention, play fair,

let it be,

just be.....

No Matter What Nana

No matter what this day holds for you

No matter how sad

No matter how happy

No matter how scary

No matter how boring

Unless you are

the angriest, nastiest person on the earth

This will make you smile

"I could dance all f***ing day"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/dancing-nana-grandma-dances-video_n_2823349.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share

Happy Friday My Dear Friends

Thanks to Sally Sue for the link

and the 16 phone calls in 2 days

and the many, many, many, oh my lord many, 

years of laughter.

Peppermint creamer in my giant coffee cup,

dozens of totes on my work table,

fabrics grouped, cut and finished,

a semi rainy day,

two very happy, contented, productive offspring.

BUT

What the hell is going on with my 60 year old hair?

Growing like crazy and Curly like Shirley

This shot is late last night after two nights

of SLEEPING on it.

Yes no makeup, no touch up,

sleepy eyes

Wha?

(I want credit for bravery in showing you this horrible shot.

Either bravery, or at my advancing age I just don't give a 

damn any longer......yep that's it.)

BUT

Damn! life is good

I could dance all f***ing day.

From one run around Sue to another..

Z