Half of Infinity

This morning, E & S left on their summer vacation and stopped here on their way out of the state. As we mom's do, I went to get my camera...lol

S said this was like those between-mirrors pics, those INFINITY mirrors, only implied...lol

Yes, it is! We could get into philosophy here, couldn't we?

Oooo--Stuff!

Remember the George Carlin quote about home being where you store your stuff? The flip side, I suppose, is that LOTS of stuff make it more 'home'...lol

I was in the garage just now, putting the wheelbarrow away. It hangs from a hook on a rafter since there's no wall space left. Up above the rafters, there are boxes. Of stuff.

I didn't go look what they hold, because I know it's truly nothing I NEED to keep.

One is a box of fabric mallards and roosters I made in the 80's....another is a box of cornhusk dolls I made in the 90's. (Truthfully? There are TWO of those...at least). Silk flowers....empty suitcases...birdhouses...my wedding dress...and second-hand stuff that my mother couldn't pitch either....so now I store it.

Why? It's been there all this time because...well, it's not hurting anything being there, right? What real difference would it make if I had empty rafters?

Thing is, clearing the garage would lead to clearing my downstairs craft room, and then the basement "attic" of stored junk....and then my office...and then, closets...lol

To what purpose, though? These days, I think long and hard about acquiring almost anything because I'll have to deal with it, physically, in my house. I quit garage-saleing years ago, and thrift-store shopping, too.

I don't need more stuff.

The only advantage of clearing those spaces now would be so that someday, my kids won't have to.

They're both sentimental and would keep some stuff just because it used to be mine...the same reason I have some of mom's stuff...lol

Would an empty garage or basement or craft room feel good to me....or just feel empty?

Do I rent the dumpster, or do they?

A NEW toy

I found a new toy right here on my computer...it's the Windows Movie Maker program, and man is it fun! See if you "get" this, ok?

Blowing the Sun Up

LOL...turn up your sound!

A Spring Thingy

CLICK HERE then move your mouse over the center of the page...voila! A spring garden!

Soooo Moggie!

Taking a break...

My dearest friend Mog just got home from a ten day working trip to the mountains of Guatemala, where she was on a stove-installation crew. (Evidently, the incidence of asthma in kids is rising there, so efficient stoves and decent venting is a good thing).

She went with a group from the local hospital. They've gone every spring (for 30 years) to do small surgeries and other medical stuff in the area. Somewhere along the line, non-medical people wanted to help too, so projects like this were added.
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I just really like the picture...lol

More pics

Should a person be allowed to have this much fun?

Think of all the stuff you LOVE to do...the most rewarding stuff you can think of, m'kay?

Spending two days with little granddaughter was more wonderful than whatever you thought of, trust me. It was non-stop playing (lol), and watching her do all kinds of "big girl" stuff, like feeding herself, and letting me know what she did not want right now.



For whatever reason, her most-used "word" is Geesch...like geek with an sh instead of the k. It's an all-purpose word that means.................?



Her parents say we need to get used to calling her Big Girl 'cuz she won't be the baby after July, when we'll all realize just how MUCH she's grown after all. So, BG it is....but in this family, random nicknames can stick for the rest of your life...lol


Honest, she was leaning into me right then...but Da was taking another picture and NOT holding her!

Earlier in the day, she saw my camera on the end table and touched it with one tiny finger. I almost missed her saying "cam-ra", but she DID say it....it's remarkable partly because cameras don't all look alike, yet she knows what they are...(and of course she wouldn't say it again...lol) Cool, huh?





I'd post more pics, but everyone must be on-line tonight (same reason I quit trying Wednesday night)...I'll try to add a few more tomorrow, ok?

Todays best pic

Little granddaughter and I had a GREAT time playing together today...lol She seemed more receptive to the camera after I showed her that it plays a little jingle when I turn it on....and also when I used the no-flash feature.
She completely refused to take a nap today, which made me remember that her dad quit that boring ritual early, too...lol When I mentioned it to him, he recalled being surprised that naps were a part of the Kindergarten day. By then, he didn't remember EVER needing a nap...lol

For an hour or so this afternoon, she pretty much entertained herself...I was sitting on the couch and she was busy chattering and working on the toys. Back and forth to the deck windows, waving at the neighbor's dog out the front window, carrying whatever she had in her hand when the spirit moved her. She would 'check in' with me ocassionally, but it was perfectly ok that I wasn't involved.

She has about 15 words these days...none of which actually help her get me to understand....but when she runs to my knees and opens her arms, I know it means "Up!" and my Grandma heart does flip-flops...lol

It was around 40º today, so we've started going out on the deck again. She's as fascinated as she was last spring...watching for birds, trying the wind chime, seeing the branches dance in the wind. We were playing at whispering out there, and her little pointer finger went to her nose and she said "S-s-s-s-ss"...took me a minute to realize she was meant "Shhhh"....mom and dad beat me to that one!

"Pie" and a Pic

I don't know about you, but I've always felt that recipes were really just suggestions for a fairly good combination of ingredients....that if it calls for 2 cups of something, well, 1 3/4 probably works too, just like 2 1/2 cups would...lol

That's why, when I found a recipe for Banana Bread that called for the zest of one lemon, I figured I'd use the rest of the lemon for THIS recipe.

Sure, it calls for THREE lemons and a pie crust...but how 'bout most of one lemon, less sugar, and 4 eggs baked in the brown casserole bowl? It's in the oven right now...we'll see!

(Frankly, this attitude is most likely why my family thinks I'm only an "adequate" cook...lol...but they didn't starve, right?)

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Here's little grand daughter, asleep on my shoulder this week...it's tough to aim a camera at arm's length!


(I get to babysit again on Tuesday and Wednesday this week...I imagine we'll have MORE pictures then!)

A one-year-old's birthday party :^)

Wanna see pictures?


The birthday girl!





You know everybody wanted her to DIG IN to that cake. Instead, she very nicely fed herself bits of frosting, without a mess to speak of....lol

When her dad asked her how old she was, she held up one finger (more or less) and said "One!", and these days, she'll give you a kiss and a hug...what a sweet lil' girl!







The big blue thing is a fabric tunnel. With her dad on the other end, she crawled right to him...and then, back through it to mom...lol

(She's really into putting things over her shoulders. The green thing she's holding is a sleeper from another friend. It only ticked her off when she stepped on it and then couldn't move...lol)

Snowy Day pics for Rainy Dae...lol

Here ya go, Rainy--the flock yesterday about noon....


...and just now...lol

I'm truly loving it...being laid-off has definite benefits. I only need to be plowed out by tomorrow afternoon, as that's lil' granddaughter's first birthday party--whoo-hoo!


BTW, here's my driveway this morning--it WAS shoveled (barely wide enough for the truck to get out...lol), but I think I'll call the plow today. A nice clear driveway is as pretty as this is...lol
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I understand, according to MPR, that Winona got some 30 inches...Sis could send pictures for our edification if she wanted to. I'd publish 'em here, really!

Why, yes, we DID get snow!

Ahhh...we've been waiting for "the other shoe to drop" here in Minnesota for YEARS. Every winter we hear that this time it'll snow like crazy, but then the storm waltzes right on by...I mean, who thinks of New York as a snowy state?? We're loosing our bragging rights and the snowmobile dealers have even closed-up shop around here...can you imagine?

BUT---


...we actually got a good FOOT or more yesterday. I woke up this morning because there was NO sound--and I live next to a 4 lane highway. Wha...?
LOL...it wasn't till I went outside for a little shovel-fun that I saw the huge muffler on the roof. Isn't that COOL?

Wanna see how deep it is?



Ok, that doesn't look like much and it's always deepest right there in front of the garage, but it reminded me of this picture circa 1955.

(Yes. You're right. There really was more snow when we were little...lol)


xoxo,
Bird

A tiny puzzle

What happened a YEAR ago this week? Click HERE for a fun way to find out...lol

Gopher

Once in awhile, you write to a friend and think--"Hey, this would make a good blog post, too!".
With apologies to Larry for its additions and double use... ;^)

There's a goofy store in St Cloud that's been there as long as I can remember. It's on the "bad" side of town, where all the sad industrial businesses are--Sally Ann, scrap iron, cut rate and salvage businesses--and this one: "Gopher Bargain Center".

Yesterday, we decided we needed an adventure, and since we found ourselves on the East Side, we had lunch at the Copper Lantern, and then stopped at Gopher.

It used to be all merchandise salvaged from fires or disasters, so lots of it had smoke damage, and the whole rabbit warren of a store always smelled of Pine Sol and smoke. These days, there's a huge wholesale Gopher-equivalent somewhere...and their merchandise is just ordered in (we asked...lol).

There are whole aisles of "brain fart" products that make you shake your head...lol...and hardly any evidence of smoke damage.

It always amazes me how such a peripheral-to-my-life place can call up such vivid memories: as a kid, going there with Dad and knowing that, if he bought something in bulk, it'd better be something for the garage, 'cuz Mom wouldn't use stuff from Gopher if she could help it.

It was always good for "scores" though--especially massive quantities of crafty stuff like pipe cleaners or "good enough" lace, ya know?

I think about the relative handful of "old" merchandise we have at Scenic, but in light of Gopher's REALLY old stock, it doesn't even compare. There's one whole area of Gopher that's from dead hardware stores, and it's gray, dark, and dirty--like nobody's cared since 1942 or so.

These days, the place is being tricked-out to look better, but it's like painting the roller coaster at a derelict theme park...one spiffy ride/aisle makes the ferris wheel/rest of the store look even more scruffy...lol You know it's fake, and won't last.

Why am I telling you about it? Dunno, except it was vivid...it's a place I always resist going to, but it draws me at the same time.

Yes, of course I bought stuff: a new toilet seat, two oven mitts, a big metal spoon, Speed Stick, and a filigree metal basket for the counter in the bathroom...for $18.36 total.

I didn't say I had high standards, only that I'm a bit conflicted about going there...lol No doubt the sibs and my kids have stories of their own to add...right?

Mr. Deity

I found a website yesterday that's hilarious. It's a tongue-in-cheek series of videos about "almightiness, one day at a time"....and watching 'em again is even better.

"Let there be Light" is a hoot (....although the Superbowl one left me scratching my head).

You'll enjoy 'em!

How can you NOT love this?

Awww....click HERE for a blast from the 60's (70's?)...and watch for the kid in the baby blue jacket. I've watched it four times, and he still makes me laugh....
xoxo

Life IS good!!

Babysitting is fun and exhausting...lol Lil' granddaughter is ALL movement--crawling, walking, clapping, chasing a ball, putting it in the big toy, watching it come out the bottom and cheering...lol She loves follow-the-leader, but it's on hands and knees, and she actually giggles as she crawls along behind.
(It occurs to me that "crawl" implies "slow"....so it really doesn't work here. SCOOT might be more descriptive, or TEAR AROUND, or ZOOM...lol)



She's fairly confident about walking as long as she doesn't think about it. See? She's on her way to get that yellow ball, and she did it with little problem--well, except for the pick-it-up-turn-around-and-come-back part. (She's too little to have large-motor skills yet, right? LOL...give her a week.)





TWO really amazing things happened last night:

1. We were at that part of the evening when she's suddenly EXHAUSTED and dissolves in tears...she wasn't happy being held, she wasn't happy being on the floor. Of course I held her, and tried boring her to sleep, but that skill went to another family member (snort!)

Pretty soon, she pointed with her whole arm and said, "baby". Ah! This must be part of a ritual--so we went to look at her baby pictures on the end table.

Nope. She only smiled through her tears...and pretty soon, I was standing there rocking her again.

"Baby!", with the arm pointing downstairs, to the family room. Ah! It's darker down there...probably more soothing, too...so we went there...lol

"BABY!", the arm, leaning toward the big chair...Duh, why hadn't I thought of that?!

So we're sitting down. The chair's leather and has that comforting creak as it rocks...this is nice. We're settled, right?

"Baby.....", said in the most long-suffering, "working-with-you-is-exhausting" tone...the arm points wearily at the fuzzy blanket on the couch....one more mission to get the blanket and wrap ourselves in it.....ahhhhhhh, so sweet. With a HUGE sigh, she snuggled in and (we) slept...lol

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Oh, and #2 is even more delightful:

Becky asked me if I had plans for my birthday...

How many people know what they'll be doing six months from now? How many people get to plan spending their 58th birthday at the hospital while a grandson is being born, huh?

Birthday presents just don't get better than that.

The familys first vice president!

Wow....this little girl is now a vice president of her company in New York City. She's my niece, Laurel, and we're SO proud of her (but then, we were last month, too...lol)--Congrats, Bid!

Now, fill in the blank: When did I have __________?
xoxo
:^)

Worlds' cutest grandaughter!

The munchkin is almost 11 months old already! Her mom sent these today....see those four little teeth?



Beck called the pictures "Sunshine on a snowy day".....and she really is.

But wait, look at THIS one:





She'd be adorable even if she wasn't my granddaughter...lol Can't you just hear her great grandma say, "Those EYES!"
xoxo

How 'bout another picture?

R&D at the FLORIDA AQUARIUM. Cool, huh?