Pink Lah Dee Dah

Saver's is a nationwide thrift store chain that benefits Big Brothers/Big Sisters, an organization that pairs children with adult mentors.

The organization does great work and the Saver's thrift shops are terrific, so that makes for a perfect duo.

A new Saver's, with supermarket proportions, opened recently in a nearby city. It's clean, organized, and makes a great day trip for bargain shoppers.

On a recent excursion there, while perusing the vast array of clean "chotchskes," a little sculpture stopped me in my tracks. Standing on a shelf, among hundreds of other items, she captured my rapt attention.

Dressed completely in pink, including a fluffy wrap around her shoulders, she looked quite splendid. She also wore earrings, a necklace, and pink gloves and shoes. Slender and petite, the sculpture even had a pretty face and was showing a bit of her slender thigh!

Picking her up between my thumb and index finger, I got a closer look. She was absolutely darling.

Automatically, I put her back on the shelf. The last thing in the world I needed was another nick knack. As I walked away, however, I looked back at the sweet lady. Hey. She cost only $2.99 and it would go to charity! Big deal. She seemed to be calling to me. This was not good as my resolve to refrain from buying what I didn't need was definitely melting. Into the shopping cart the little sculpture went.

Now she stands stylishly on a kitchen windowsill, squished between a Mexican ceramic bird and a perpetually dieting white piggy bank.

She almost winks when you walk by her. Who could resist this fancy little showgirl? Not me and I'm glad!

Yee Haw! It's Christmas Decorating Time!

Got this little Santa and the Mrs. at a yard sale for 25 cents. It was a tree decoration so the hanger was removed. The figures look festive on the kitchen windowsill! Looks like Santa's ready to kiss the Mrs. goodbye.





The days after Thanksgiving are huge for shoppers but not in our house.

Once Tom Turkey has disappeared, I head up to the chilly attic and start hauling out boxes. Time, once again, to start decorating for Christmas! Oh boy, it's a massive amount of work but worth every back breaking second. When it's finished, the house looks very festive and ready for loved ones and dear friends.

Having been collecting and decorating for more than three decades, there is too much stuff and way too many boxes. Sometimes the thought runs through my mind to start weeding things out. There's absolutely no way to take all the decorations out of the boxes and use them. The house would look like a crammed store.

Discernment is the key. Plus, this year, I shared some of our decorations with our adult daughter. She and her husband recently bought their own house and are having a blast decorating it beautifully for the holidays. It was great to share and I'll enjoy seeing some of my own things in her house!

So, chilly attic, here I come. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la."

The Best of Betty Crocker

One of my many collections is cookbooks.

It began innocently enough, many decades ago. Working on a newspaper, one of my delightful tasks was to review cookbooks that came into the newsroom. If no one else wanted the books being reviewed, I got to take them home and keep them!

From that point on, cookbooks became a kind of obsession. In used or new bookstores, my feet went automatically to the cookbook sections. Same at yard sales and thrift stores.

A shelf of cookbooks in the home library quickly became two shelves. Over the years, an entire section of the library became dedicated to cookbooks.

There was even a time when I stopped cooking for awhile but still loved reading cookbooks for fun!

No matter how many cookbooks passed through my hands, my all time fave was, and remains, Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

Time and again, looking for a new recipe or an old standby, I always rely on "old faithful." Eventually, the cover fell off and the pages started getting very worn. The index totally separated, causing frustration in finding recipes for specific dishes.

Imagine my delight when, at a yard sale, an intact Betty Crocker's Cookbook showed up, barely used, with a perfect cover, index, and pages! With only a second of regret, I bid my old Betty Crocker's cookbook "adieu" and put its replacement on top of the refrigerator, for easy access.

Betty's my best buddy and I hope we will never part!

Keep On The Sunny Side

Movies and books can have a huge influence on our lives.

The messages they convey can illuminate, soothe, make us laugh (or cry), and change the way we think, act, and live.

One of my favorite movies, previously mentioned on this blog, is O Brother Where Art Thou. The music is delightful and influenced me to learn to play the banjo. The message of a song from the soundtrack, "Keep On The Sunny Side" is a great way to live. (See words to the song below)

The book that ranks #1 in changing my life is Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking." Its message of keeping positive resonates through my entire life. Whenver copies of the book are found, I buy them and give them as gifts to friends.

So this Thanksgiving time, thanks to everyone who worked on O Brother Where Art Thou and thanks to the late Norman Vincent Peale. My own life has been so enriched by the movie and the book.

Keep positive and "keep on the sunny side"!


Here are the words to the song from the movie, O Brother Where Art Thou:


Title: Keep on the Sunny Side (The Whites)

There's a dark & a troubled side of life
There's a bright, there's a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view

[chorus] Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

The storm and its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear;
Clouds and storms will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.

(Chorus)

Let us greet with the song of hope each day
Tho' the moment be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour always
Who keepeth everyone in His care

(Chorus)

And Let Us Give Thanks

It's here! Thanksgiving Day. The day of delicious food, friends, family, and, of course, Tom Turkey!

It's also the day to truly give thanks for an avalanche of blessings. Anyone who can read this post can give thanks for the gift of eyesight. One can only imagine what it's like to live in darkness.

Anyone who can go to the oven and take out ol' Tom is lucky....lucky to have a turkey to cook, a stove to cook it in, and a house or apartment in which to have a stove and so on.

I'm so thankful for all the veggies, turkey, and side dishes. Also for friends and family members with whom to share.

Today, I wish each and every person in blog land a wonderful, peaceful Thanksgiving. Each of you is another reason for me to be thankful this year. Writing again makes me so happy!

To everyone (and anyone) who takes the time to read my blog, THANK YOU. You are very special to me.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Something From The Oven

Part of the joy of homemaking is the smell of something baking in the oven.

Because of dietary constraints, baked goods are not part of my food plan. However, that does not prevent me from baking for others. It's fun to be able to give a small loaf of freshly baked bread to a friend or family member.

In my favorite cookbook, Betty Crocker's Cookbook, there's a fool-proof recipe for Pumpkin Bread. This is a perfect time of year for it, too. It smells divine while it's baking and can be served with slightly softened cream cheese or butter.

In looking for canned pumpkin, make sure you buy just plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.

Here's the recipe, compliments of good ol' Betty Crocker:

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup shortening (I use butter)
2 and 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 16 ounce can of pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cups coarsely chopped nuts (I've used pecans as well
as walnuts. Both good.)
2/3 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 9x5x3 inches, or 3 small loaf pans. Mix shortening and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs, pumpkin, and water. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes clean, abut 1 hour and 10 minutes, cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. To store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 20 days.

NOTE: The baked breads, well wrapped, can also be frozen and saved for holiday giving so if you find canned pumpkin on sale, stock up!

Attitude of Gratitude

Seen on a billboard in front of a church was the following: "Keep An Attitude of Gratitude."

What a great mantra for Thanksgiving week as well as for life!

When we are thanking, we are not complaining.

When we are thanking, we are not whining.

When we are thanking, we are not lamenting about what we don't have.

When we are thanking, we are appreciating what is already ours.

When we are thanking, our hearts are open.

When we are thanking, what people say doesn't bother us.

When we are thanking, each day of life is precious, special, and treasured.

When we are thanking, we are happy.

When we are thanking, life is abundant and good.

When we are thanking, we are in close touch with our Spiritual side.

Today, I will choose to be thankful.

Shine, Shine, Shine

An important part of having guests, and preparing for holidays, is cleaning the house.

Old habits are hard to break. One of my clearest childhood memories is of my maternal grandmother washing all her windows before Easter! Nothing could be baked or cooked until the house was spotless.

While it would be so wonderful to hire someone to clean, that's out of the realm of possibility right now. Cleaning day came one day last week . Beds had to be stripped, sheets washed, and replaced.

Down on the knees in the living room, polishing the wood floors, was not the way I particularly wanted to spend my time but I liked the way the floors came out.

Vacuuming, polishing, washing, shining, and on and on continued throughout the day.

Looking at the dusty, tarnished brass candleholders, I knew they had to be polished so I covered the kitchen table with newspapers. Using paper towels, I poured the new brass cleaner purchased at the supermarket and got to scrubbing.

The towels (and my hands) turned black and the candle holders started to gleam. Their newly shining surfaces reflected the light. The polish worked perfectly and the effort put into rubbing them was well worth it.

Now, ready for Tom Turkey by candlelight!

Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something that meant a lot to you? It gives a new lease on life when, at last, it shows up again.
That happened to me with a diamond ring my husband gave to me on our wedding anniversary last year. I immediately loved it far more than my original diamond engagement ring. It was a sparkler, especially in the sun.
One day, rubbing my ring finger against the baby finger, the realization came that the ring was missing. Where had I put it? On the windowsill near the kitchen sink? Nope. On the dresser in the bedroom? Nope. No ring. Upstairs, downstairs, and everywhere in between, I looked for that ring but the multiple searches turned up nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Sad, but resigned, I tried to put the ring out of my mind. After all, it served as just a symbol of our love. It was a material thing. The ring could be replaced, the love could not.

Then, one day, while dusting inside the dining room china cabinet, I picked up a crystal candle holder and something inside the hollow, where the candle goes, rattled. It was the ring! How in the world did that ring get into the candle holder? There was certainly no recollection of it in my memory. Bizarro.

Then I thought, "Who cares how it got in there?" The most important thing is that it is now found. Once again, I could put it on and be reminded of how sweet and thoughtful my husband is.

Lost then found. Thank goodness.

Birdies,Birdies, Everywhere

Among the myriad of living creatures, birds are quite fascinating.

There are so many hundreds of varieties in all colors and sizes. The sounds they make can be pleasantly melodic or blackboard scratching unpleasant. Crows can sound very annoying, especially if they are in fighting mode.

The turquoise glass mama bird in our house arrived alone. She was discovered on a table at a yard sale. Lo and behold, two baby turquoise birds showed up at an estate sale, for less than $1 each. They joined their long-lost mother.



Mourning doves truly do sound as if they are grieving. Their cries in the morning sound sad and melancholic.

Hummingbirds are among my favorites. They are so tiny and move their wings so fast they seem transparent. Seeing one always makes me wish I could hold it in the palm of my hand and feed it a tiny bottle of nectar.

When out on the tag sale or thrift store prowl, my attention is always drawn to birds.

This little fellow looks longingly out of the kitchen window, probably waiting for spring, like the rest of us.



Currently, cardinals with red feathered wings are being sought for tucking in between Christmas tree branches.

That's it for birds for today. Tweet tweet.

Count Your Blessings

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. There’s so much to do it makes my head spin. With a guest arriving for the week, the house must be thoroughly cleaned. Daily menus must be planned and grocery shopping done.

More important than anything else, however, is to get down on my knees and thank God for my own good health and that of my family.

A friend asked me to accompany her to a chemotherapy appointment. Several patients sat in chairs with IV tubes attached to them as the chemicals flowed into their bodies. Although remaining calm, thoughts of running out of there and into the nearby woods crossed my mind.

The only thing in my power is to ask the Lord of all abundance to bless my dear one by restoring good health.

My heart breaks for my beloved friend and for cancer patients everywhere. Such a fate screams of unfairness and one can only hope, and pray, to be spared. Sometimes there is just no reason why cancer hits. It's not any kind of punishment, but just something that happens and then must be dealt with.

Life is precious and so fleeting. A single diagnosis of a terminal illness can spin our lives out-of-control and change everything in one, devastating moment.

Thanksgiving is a week away but deep gratitude for endless blessings has already begun.

Food For The Soul

Every human being needs food for the body. Otherwise, we would perish.

Well, human beings also need food for the soul, to nourish the spiritual side of us. For me, flowers fit the bill.

No matter how low my spirit is, it can be perked-up with flowers. Even in the dead of winter, fresh blooms can be found. Luckily, attractive flowers can always be bought in supermarkets.

Roses, of course, are among my favorites. I love mixing colors such as yellow with red or white with peach colored roses. They make splendid bouquets for the kitchen or dining room tables or the bathroom counter. Everyone has to use the "necessary" room daily so why not make it lovely?

The picture of the roses at the top of this post came out so good I used it for the computer screen background! Now I can look at gorgeous roses every time I go to work on my blog!

Baby's breath enhances rose bouquets and if I ever find "silk" baby's breath, I'm going to buy a huge bouquet to keep on hand. Honestly, nowadays it's hard to tell silk flowers apart from real ones. ( The Chinese are incredibly inventive people and masterminds at creating startlingly real-looking flowers from silk!)

Carnations last longer than roses and come in various colors. Pink, of course, is my first choice. My all-time favorite lily is the stargazer. The scent is so intoxicating it can fill a room. Gardenias, the flowers of my mother's bridal bouquet, are also very fragrant.


Whenever thrift store shopping, I constantly look for nice vases to use for birthday and other occasion floral bouquets. Have a stash on a pantry shelf at all times.

Today there were two birthdays to celebrate. Both birthday girls received rose bouquets with baby's breath. (One of the bouquets is to the left.)

Of course,a few rose stragglers got "left behind" and look fabulous in my old-fashioned Victorian cut crystal pitcher. Today, my soul is well fed!

Barnyard Table Runner

Die hard thrift store shoppers know that treasures can be found for pennies.
On one occasion, I was lucky enough to find a whole "barnyard" of a treasure. It's a table runner that was stuffed among cloth place mats, table cloths, pillow cases, and so on.

Loved the bright pumpkins, just in time for fall, embedded in the fabric, along with the cows, sheep, pigs, and several different kinds of chickens and roosters.

Into my shopping cart of treasures it went. Much to my delight, the runner cost less than $3.00! It has added a cheery, country look to our table this fall.


Sharing some close-up photos of this table runner. Talk about a "baa-tiful" addition to the table. Placing dishes on it is a "moo-ving" experience. Ha! Hope you enjoy seeing this country treasure!

Sweet Baby Love

One weekend we traveled to Long Island to visit with dear, long-time friends. Excitement sizzled in the air as I anticipated catching up on old times and seeing them once again.

After the hugs and a warm welcome, one of our friends ushered us into the guest room. Depositing suitcases, my eyes glanced around the room and stopped exploring when I saw her. On a table in one corner of the room stood the most adorable, dear and perky doll.

Some people collect stamps, coins, or models of ships. None of these interest me. But show me a doll I love and whammo! Another baby gets added to my burgeoning collection.

The darling doll standing on a table in the corner had huge brown eyes with long lashes. She wore a silky pink dress, bloomers, and sassy shoes. Dark curly hair tumbled out from a fancy hat, worn sideways, that matched her dress.

The doll had a sweet expression on her face. Her bottom lip tucked under her full top lip. Could I possibly have heard her saying, "Please take me home?"



It was love at first sight. However, the doll belonged to my friend, not to me, the guest. What nerve to want her, I thought, and tried to put her out of my thoughts.

A few days later, when we were about to leave, my friend asked me if I had seen the doll on the table in the corner of my room. She had picked her up at a tag sale for only $10. The doll certainly had a far higher financial value.

"She's for you," my friend said.

"What?" I gasped.

"You can take her home with you. I know you love dolls."

"Oh no, I couldn't," I said as I headed right toward the doll. Well, on second thought, maybe I could, and I did.

My Long Island baby has now happily joined her huge family of sisters. She's happy and so am I!

The Wonderful World of Blog

For decades, the World of Oz has been pretty wonderful, with Dorothy, the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, and , of course, the Yellow Brick Road. But the World of Oz is nothing compared to the Wonderful World of Blog.

Just slightly more than a month ago, a blurb in the local newspaper told about a free, three-part blog workshop being offered at the library and I immediately signed-up to take it. The term “blog” had come up occasionally and, always being curious, I wanted to find out more about how to write one.

Writing is my passion. It’s just as important to me as breathing so, naturally, I wanted to find out how to blog. Loved every second of the workshops, although, at times, I felt like crying due to not being very techie and feeling so inadequate. The computer world is new territory to this baby boomer and it could be filled with landmines and language that sounded like a cross between Chinese and Swahili.

Like a person ready to jump out of an airplane for the first time, I created a blog and did my first post. What a thrilling experience it turned out to be. That’s when I discovered, like Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole, the fascinating world of blogging.

“Where have I been?” I thought to myself, “Hiding under a mushroom somewhere?” Holy “crumbmolie,” the blog world is a whole universe unto itself. Since that fateful beginning, I’ve viewed awe-inspiring blogs from all over the USA, Ireland, South Africa, and on and on across the world! Not a dime has gone into airfare but I have already traveled to several countries. How incredulous!

Bloggers tend to be wonderful, genuinely good people who often help and encourage each other, and generously share their lives through words and, at times, breathtaking pictures.

Humbly, I feel the best of the blog world, as known to me, is yet to come. With all my heart, I want to hear from readers and more and more readers and then MORE readers! I love every single Follower! It's like having someone else believe in your writing efforts. Every morning and evening, (and any available second in between), I check to see how many people paid my blog a visit and to see if there are any more Followers.

Comments are cherished, just to let it be known that someone really is reading Writing Straight From the Heart posts.

Please, if you are reading this, stop for a split second to write a hello comment. You are so welcome here and if you lived near me, I’d send over a loaf of warm banana bread or chocolate chip cookies right from the oven.

Welcome! Come in and stay for awhile! Love, Susan

Good Philosophy Of Life!

Whenever a newspaper or magazine prints an inspirational saying, out come my scissors and clip, clip, clip.

Have a couple of fat Inspirational Sayings folders, filled with hundreds of clippings, in my filing cabinet. You just never know when one of them might come in handy.

One of my all-time favorites has been soothing to me on numerous occasions. It apparently is a sign on the wall of a children's home in Calcutta, probably written by the world renowned late Mother Theresa, before she went to her final resting place. However, that's just supposition, not fact. The saying has great wisdom and is actually a good philosophy on how to live one's life. Here it is:

Anyway

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
DO GOOD ANYWAY
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow.
DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,
BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help but may attack you if you help them.
HELP THEM ANYWAY
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT, ANYWAY

How's that for a message to let sink into your mind and heart and then live?

What Goes Around Comes Around

The Universe gives surprises when we least expect.

The other day, a friend asked for help in doing her grocery shopping. She had been going through a rough patch. Now the last thing in the world I wanted to do was go grocery shopping since my own "to do" list kind of ran off the page. However, when a friend is in need, she takes precedence.

On the way to her house, driving up a hill, something on the side of the road caught my eye. A gorgeous dollhouse, in my favorite color---pink----stood on a strip of grass in front of a home.

"Why had the house been put out there?" I wondered.

As if by remote control, the car made a u-turn. Parking in front of the house, I got out and knocked on the front door. The person who answered assured me the dollhouse was up for grabs. It wouldn't fit in the trunk so into the back seat it went and the car zoomed off.

One good promised deed resulted in a wonderful gift, in my favorite color to boot! What goes around definitely does come around!

Will keep you posted on the dollhouse remodeling!

In Memoriam

Today’s post will be short because sorrow has come to visit.

Death came suddenly in the night and took a precious life, young and filled with promise. Those left behind can only hang their heads in disbelief, weeping for all that could have been but never will be. Tragic circumstances have left survivors reeling.

Tonight, somewhere, a mother's heart is breaking.

May this dear soul who died so suddenly rest in peace and know joy and unquenchable happiness in the other realm of life.

Until we meet again, Love Susan

Stuffed Mail Box

It seems that gift catalogs and requests from organizations wanting financial donations fill our mailbox to the brim at this time of year.

As soon as I choose to send a check to a charity, five or more requests for other worthy causes show up within days. Do these charities and mail order companies sell a customer's name to other charities and companies? Hmmmmmm. Makes you wonder.

If I were a millionaire, I might consider giving a donation to every charity that takes the time to ask for help. Who wouldn't like to help orphans, troubled teens, the elderly, or the homeless? Unfortunately, millionaire status evades me like I avoid the Bubonic plague. When extra money does come my way, I'd rather give it directly to someone I know. That way, one knows it's not going to pay office building rent or pad some stranger's pockets.

When it comes to mail order catalogs, they do make great browsing. Love to circle items I'd buy if money were overflowing. It would be great to order lovely fashions, sparkling rings, and add to collections.

As the holidays race toward us, the arrival of the mailman is a bright spot in the day. Bring on the catalogs and the requests for money. Stuff that mailbox til it squeaks. That's one of the best things about November!

Oh goody. Here comes the mailman!

God Bless America

Just asked my husband if he had put out the American flag. It waves proudly from our front porch, a reminder to all of the sacrifices made by veterans of yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

It is imperative that no American ever takes freedom for granted. It's a precious gift with untold worth.

Today, Veteran's Day, all the men and women who have fought, and even died, for freedom come to mind. How hard it is to leave loved ones to go off and fight in wars on the other end of the planet. How tragic to never return to families and loved ones, all in the name of freedom.

My own father got the Purple Heart award for having his hand shot during World War II. One can only imagine the fear and pain he must have felt the moment that happened.

So today, Veteran's Day, is more than just an extra day off. It's more than having a sweet "free" day to go shopping. It's a day to pause and really think what it is to be an American; to realize that freedom comes at a great price.

Veterans have paid that price, sometimes with their lives. In stillness, as the American flag waves under sunny skies, let's pause today and offer a heartfelt "thank you" to veterans everywhere.

And The Days Dwindle Down

November's moment of glory is Thanksgiving Day.

Who can resist the smell of turkey baking in the oven? Of course, there are all the delicious side dishes that go with it like mashed potatoes, gravy, jellied cranberry sauce, and whipped turnips. Yum!

Before I gave up eating pie, my favorite was pecan. There must be about 500 calories in one hefty bite.

I plan to finish all Christmas shopping this month. Then all the gifts will be wrapped and labeled.

That will be a tremendous relief, avoiding crowded stores at all cost. This year all Christmas cards will be addressed a few at a time in November. Already got the stamps at the post office. No long lines or crabby customers to contend with, like later in the season.

Have gotten into the habit of writing a daily gratitude list and will continue that practice throughout this month. That way, every day is Thanksgiving Day.

Some of the words to "September Song" are:

"The days (of November) dwindle down to a precious few."

The days of November, and of our lives, go by rapidly. One can choose to savor every moment, enjoy the warmth of a crackling fire on chilly November evenings, cherish the company of family and friends, kiss a spouse, hug a child, and wait, with expectation, for that delicious turkey dinner!

One, Two, Three, Splash!

Exercise.

Do you love it or hate it?

Sad to say, most of my life I've hated it. Call me a lazy lout or a mega-procrastinator if you want, but the thought of getting an exercise regime going has always given me the "willies."

My gorgeous, state-of-the-art treadmill is referred to as my "dreadmill."

However, as luck would have it, swimming appeals. About three months ago, I signed up for lap swimming and water aerobics at a local, public indoor pool. Three to four times a week, I do an hour of laps plus free-style pool exercises like "scissors" and hundreds of knee lifts. Then comes the aqua aerobics class. Some days I do just one hour in the pool and other days, two hours.

Conclusion: swimming makes me feel GREAT. While it doesn't make a person lose weight, like heavy duty aerobics, it does shape the body and tone things up. This kind of exercise routine I can keep up.

It's enjoyable and energizing. Splish splash splish splash! Hurray! Finally found an exercise I love!

Sunday at Grandma's

Sunday has always been the most special day of the week.

Celebration of this day has changed dramatically from my childhood but the memories remain precious, like jewels in a velvet-lined box.

All through childhood, Sundays meant visits to a grandparent's house. My mother's parents, Polish immigrants, lived an hour away from us. I can still recall walking up the back stairs of their two-story duplex and into a kitchen filled with the fragrant scents of freshly baked bread,(babka), homemade stuffed cabbages (golumpki), and all kinds of Grandma's culinary treats.

On the windows hung starched white curtains with intricately crocheted red and white trim. My grandmother's hands made eye-catching crocheted and knitted items throughout her home. Also a master seamstress, every Christmas of my childhood she sewed a pair of warm,flannel pajamas, without any patterns, for each of her many grandchildren.

Then tragedy struck when she lost her eyesight in the last six years of life. The handiwork from her fast-moving fingers came to an end. Life can be so cruel.

My father's parents, immigrants from Lithuania, lived nearby. There were chickens in the backyard and I remember how petrified I was of their pecking my ankles.

My grandmother grew peonies the size of footballs, in deep burgundy, pink, and creamy white. She, too, was a wonderful old-world cook who took great pride in stuffing her grandchildren to the gills.

Grandma went to sleep one night and never woke up. At the time we were all filled with sorrow but now I realize how lucky she was to avoid physical suffering and the fate of living out her days ill or, God forbid, in a nursing home.

The sumptuous dinners, made by beloved grandmothers, are a thing of the past. Now, we often eat on the run while out shopping or exploring other towns. But I can close my eyes any Sunday that I want and see the smiling faces of the women who were such an important part of childhood. One day we will meet again and I'm sure the reunion will be at a big table, filled with delicious homemade Polish and Lithuanian food.

There will also be hugs and tears, laughter and recollection of all those memories but no backyard chickens!

Diamond in the Rough

Whenever the opportunity comes to go to a yard sale, I jump at it.

It's like going on a treasure hunt and one never knows what might be discovered.

This past summer, in the newspaper, was an blurb about a church yard sale in a nearby town. It has a reputation of being a pretty good one so early on a Saturday morning, my husband agreed to accompany me. We were off!

At first, disappointment reigned since there wasn't a single thing I couldn't live without. Suddenly, the face of a bedraggled-looking doll caught my eye. She was dirty and didn't have a stitch of clothes on her cloth body. It didn't matter, though,because it was easy to envision how pretty she could be. Priced at $8, she was definitely a bargain and under my arm she went to the car.

My husband asked if I bought anything but I didn't really want to tell him there was yet another doll joining my collection so "mum's the word" became my response. Thankfully, when we got home, he disappeared into his man cave and I got to work on my new "treasure."

She needed a good scrubbing but could not be submerged completely in water because of her cloth body. Using a washcloth with soap and warm water, the dirt began to disappear from her face. Freckles appeared on her cheeks and she had beautiful green eyes. Then I washed her hair which is brown with a reddish tint.

She has full lips and a rather serious expression but she's really a beauty. Now a little fashion plate, dressed to the hilt in a pink smocked dress, with little white shoes, the doll looks surprisingly real.

So glad we went to that church yard sale!

Make Mine in Technicolor!

Life does not have to be lived in black, gray, and white. Color adds zest and variety to a wardrobe, home decor, menu, and so on.

Why choose coffin gray if sizzling red or cool lilac are options?

At a meeting the other day, in an office, I spotted a filing cabinet that broke through the traditional mold. Instead of drab gray, it was brilliant papaya colored---a mixture of deep orange and red. It lit up a whole section of the room. Awesome!

The most recent room in our house to get a color revamp is the kitchen. The dark green floral Waverly wallpaper that covered the walls would have been great in a bedroom. It made the kitchen dark and busy. So, off came the paper in big strips and stuck-on slivers. On went base coat and a buttery yellow paint called "Morning Sun."

The transformation has been nothing short of miraculous.

Color changes and transforms. It perks up the drab and adds a little "pizazz" to the mundane. So bring on the M&Ms. Whoops. Sugar's not good. For color, better stick to Crayolas!

For the Love of Lambs

I love lambs.

Where the affection began, I have no idea. There is just a soft spot in my heart for these baby sheep. Real or in stuffed animal form, lambs make me smile.

Once, when I worked in the Alzheimer's Unit of a nursing home, there was a gentle giant of a patient named George. He was pretty much non-verbal until it came to sing-a-longs with my guitar. Then he would start to sing, at top volume, in a deep, beautiful bass voice, The Whiffenpoof Song. Now the Yale Whiffenpoofs are the oldest collegiate a capella group in America and they are known for the Whiffenpoof song. Some of the words are:

"We are poor little lambs,
Who have lost our way
Baa baa baa
We are little black sheep
Who have gone astray
Baa baa baa

Gentlemen, songsters off on a spree
Doomed from here to eternity
God have mercy on such as we.
Baa baa baa

Every time I think of George, singing with all his soul about about the little lambs, my eyes fill with tears. The song must have meant a great deal to him and brought memories of his days at Yale. When the sing-a-long was over, he would slip back into silence and disappear into his room.

I also like to think of the concept of God being the shepherd and we, His people, are the sheep. After all, sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd for everything. He provides for them, nurtures and guides them, and protects them from harm, just as God does for His children. That is such a comforting thought.

The picture at the top of this column is of my own little Lambie Pie, found in a thrift shop at Christmas time one year. But he's so adorable, he gets to hang out on a table in my bedroom year-round.

A Perfect Spot of Tea

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Some people are die hard tea-lovers. Englishmen, in particular, swear by their tea consumption.

Give me coffee any day. Guess I'm just not your tea-and-crumpet sort of person. The first time I went to a formal "tea," the cost almost knocked my socks off. The cucumber and creamed cheese sandwiches were so big one could barely see them. The lemon curd came in the tiniest bowl I ever laid eyes on. When we left, my stomach was as empty as my wallet.

Being a persevering person, I've since tried all kinds of different flavored teas. Raspberry is quite tasty, even without sugar. A word to the wise is sufficient. Refrain from adding cream to any berry tea. It immediately curdles and little specks float to the top of the cup. Down the drain it goes.

My favorite teas have come from Celestial Seasonings. This company has many different flavors of herbal tea, which they get from all over the world. Some enhance a good night's sleep. Others have a fragrant aroma and can be drunk without sugar of any kind. These teas are definitely quite palatable and tasty.

Chamomile tea is pleasant tasting as is tropical fruit flavored tea. Tonight in Marshall's I picked up a package of ginger tea. I'm curious how that one will taste.

Green tea is supposed to help burn calories so lately I've been experimenting with drinking it.It tastes better if another flavored tea is mixed with it, like mango or peach. (Actually, I'd rather have a chocolate milkshake.ha ha)
While I honestly could fore go tea for the rest of my life, I love tea sets, particularly in miniature. Several sets sit on a corner nick-knack rack in our home. They are so adorable. The lilliputian people who would sip out of those diminutive cups would, no doubt, enjoy their spot of tea. Some of the cups are as big as the nail on my baby finger.

Adult sized decorative tea cups and pots come in a huge variety of patterns and styles. I have at least a dozen cups and saucers in all styles hanging in a wooden rack on our dining room wall. Luckily, I spotted the rack for $8 at a yard sale when I first began collecting tea cups. As always, I'm so grateful when I find a bargain!


This is one of my doll-sized tea sets, covered with roses.

Dolls, Dolls, and More Dolls!

Okay, here comes an admission. I'm addicted to dolls.

Like many addictions, it began in childhood. My Daddy built me my own special "house" attached to our garage and there I happily spent hundreds of hours with my "babies." Had dozens of them, including some without arms and legs, and one without a head! (Talk about weird)

As an adult, the same feeling of excitement when I see a beautiful doll is still there. So my collection of fabulous babies has grown, and grown, and grown over the years and has even crossed the country with us when we moved back to the east.

My collection has tiny dolls, no more than three inches, to a three-foot babe in a lavender dress who is absolutely gorgeous. She was a gift to me from a close, dear friend. Some of my dolls have wild hair, others have long curls. Some wear "fru fru" dresses dripping with lace, mostly in pink, my favorite color, but there are also dolls donning other colored outfits. Most have dainty little shoes and one is so homely she steals your heart away.

My inner child is an ecstatic kid who finds tremendous contentment in the many dolls who share our home. With that admission out in the open, I'm happy to say I plan to share pictures of my doll babies in the Life's Little Luxuries column to the right. It might take me awhile to give each doll baby her moment of glory but I'm going to give it my best shot.

Stay in the Moment

Life is filled with hills and valleys.

While our hearts can be overflowing with joy one minute, they can be heavy with all kinds of sorrows the next. We just never know what each day will bring.

One of the keys to remaining positive and free-from-fear is to stay in the moment.

Today really is all anyone has. Not a single person alive knows whether he or she will see the light of day tomorrow. Yesterday is gone forever, leaving only memories in its path.

As cliche as it sounds, I really love the expression "Today is a gift. That's why it's called the 'present.'"

Even if the moment brings sadness, we can survive it because we know it will pass. Good times always return. Nothing remains the same, except for God.

Make the most of today, one minute at a time. Be pleasant with every person you meet. Savor contacts with friends and family members. Really look at the trees, especially the last leaves of fall clinging tenaciously to the branches. Feast your eyes on the clouds that dance across the blue sky. Cherish all the beauty that comes your way today.

Unwrap the gift of today with expectation and gratitude for every precious moment.

A Fragrant Way to Peace

In this crazy world of ours, it’s important to find ways to relieve stress.

Personally, I shun prescription drugs as much as humanly possible. Too many people take too much medicine. Of the “only if in agony” mindset when it comes to pills, I try to find natural means of curing everything from headaches to all kinds of other aches and pains.

One way I’ve learned to reduce stress is to make pomanders. These are fragrant balls that add ambiance and good smells to the home. Making them is an exercise in patience and joy. By the time I finish making one, any stress I’ve been feeling is chased away.

I have an overflowing bowl of them on a table in our front hallway. Guests are usually curious as what is smelling so lovely as well as to what pomanders actually are!



Pomanders start out as fresh oranges, apples, lemons, limes, or even grapefruits, depending on the size you desire. Here are the steps to how I make them:

1) Gather, wash, and dry the piece of fruit you want to start with
2) Pour a plastic bottle of whole cloves into a bowl. I buy these in a dollar store at a local mall where they are the best price. It takes a lot of cloves to make one pomander.
3) Start pushing cloves into the piece of fruit in a line. Work the line all the way around the fruit and continue pushing more cloves into the fruit until it's completely covered. Leave a little bit of space between rows. the act of pushing the cloves in is very relaxing and can be done while watching television, listening to music, or whatever. This is where the stress relief comes in.
4) Next, empty a large container of ground cinnamon into a bowl. Add ground nutmeg, allspice, powdered ginger, and any other spices you desire. Mix gently together with a spoon.
5) Roll cove-studded fruit in the spices until completely covered.
6) Let "cure" for several weeks. The amazing thing is that the fruit will get very hard and will last for several years. You can store pomanders in a plastic bag with the spice mix or keep them out year-round. Personally, I like to put them out at this time of year, through the entire Christmas season.
7) Have fun with this natural stress release project!

Chuck the pills and reach for the cloves!