Estate sale.

This afternoon Mr. Macho and I traveled across the state line to attend an estate sale. We visited with Daughter and family. Ate lunch with them. Then we all loaded up and drove to the sale. After walking around the house 3 or 4 times this is what I purchased....

For $15. This wooden salad bowl is not hand made. Nor is it fancy. But I have wanted a wooden salad bowl. Now I have one. 

This small wooden rocker set me back $40. I like it. Not sure where it will be placed in my house. But I like it. 

Good afternoon.  Good weather. Good family time.

Hope your day has been successful, too.

Perfect weather.

Not a cloud in the sky. 64 degrees. Had a wonderful 3 mile walk to the playground at the Lake and back. The sun made diamonds sparkle on the lake water. A slight breeze kept me from breaking a sweat. So many shades of green - a feast for the eyes and balm for the soul. Brings to mind the poem by Joyce Kilmer...
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree...

Propellers. Maple seeds.

I love this tree. We dug it from the woods that used to be behind our house and planted it as a crooked young tree. I can't put my arms around it now. 

Amaryllis bud. Not sure if this is the pink one or the red one. 

Anyone have thyme? I do. 

I love this maple tree, too. The seeds are small and appear pinkish against the apple green new spring leaves. 

Azaleas. Need I say more? 

Go outside and enjoy the day. 

Postponed.

The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray. I was hoping to drive to the coast yesterday so I could help organize Dad and Mom's taxes today. When I woke up yesterday morning the muscle ache I had been experiencing for over a week was ratcheted up a notch. Felt like I had to keep moving to make myself comfortable and every so often my back/shoulder would catch and knock the breath out of me. I could not imagine driving 4.5 hours like that - especially since the weather was rainy and nasty and I would have been tense driving in it. So. I made up my mind to stay put and go to the clinic to see what was going on. Turns out I have an inflamed muscle/tendon connector right under my left shoulder blade. I think it is better this morning. I have some anti-inflammatory med and a muscle relaxer. I have been icing it frequently then I get this rubber ball and place it between my back and the wall and go up and down for a massage effect. This morning isn't near as bad as yesterday morning.
Hopefully I can reschedule my trip to see Mom and Dad next week. Mimi will work by herself this morning trying to gather and organize Mom and Dad's tax info. So, so sorry that I won't be there to help.
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Last night Son in Town and Sweet Pea came over and ate supper with us and played for a while. She is learning so much right now.

I couldn't pick her up 'cause of my sore back. I could sit on the floor and play with her. And I did.

Mr. Macho and Sweet Pea sitting in the hoola hoop. She loved it. She would sit in the circle and pat the floor. She is the ultimate director - without even saying a word! 

Here we are almost at the weekend. Hope yours is full of adventure. 

Construction starts.

Our contractor is Mr. Macho's brother -in-law. Heretofore he will be referred to as Uncle Jay.
Uncle Jay came over and with the help of his trusty side kick, Russell, got our little project under way. Rain prediction for tomorrow kept them from completely removing the chimney. But here is what it looks like so far...

Uncle Jay starting the demolition on the chimney before 9:00 this morning. 

Late afternoon and the chimney is off down to the roofline. Had to stop here because of threat of bad weather tomorrow. 

One last photo by the fireplace taken before 9:00 this morning. (Is that Vanna? Oh no. C'est moi! In my post exercise glory.)

Mr. Macho checking out the fireplace - sans gas insert, sans mantle and notice the beams are gone from the ceiling. 

I know we will live like gypsies for the next few months. But where there is a beginning - there is and end, and I am getting very excited about that. 

Good foot.

The weekend and St. Patrick's Day brought happy faces and baby kisses to our house. It was good to have children's voices around. More renewal of my spirit.
Out of Town Son brought his dog, Petey. Tucker and Petey made a fast friendship.

Tucker spent the better part of the day ordering Petey around the back yard. 

Niece Lynn and her two girls and my sister came over for a late evening visit. And then there was .... 

... a couch full of girl cousins! 

That was a fun visit. Later we enjoyed corned beef and cabbage and Daughter bathed the chillluns and put them to bed. Out of Town Son left for home. Daughter and Husband and the two of us enjoyed a game of Mexican Train Dominoes. We got all the way to the 4's, I think, before we realized that it was late and we were tired. 

Yesterday afternoon the house got quiet. Mr. Macho washed the car. I put a load of towels in the machine and started reading the borrowed book "The Hunger Games". I will be finished late tonight or early tomorrow. Gonna see the movie next weekend. I hope. 

Before the sun went down I snapped this pic of our back yard...

The photo is poignant because it will not look like this for much longer. Construction of the addition will commence in about a week. Daughter was feeling a little nostalgic. Happy. Sad. I have to admit that it is a little scary. I have wanted this addition for so long. I have lived in this house for 29 years. And now it will be different. Same. But different. Better, I hope. 

Change. 

Spring things.

I am typing and looking over my shoulder out the window. Spring is here. The grass is so, so green. Red buds and dogwood have popped all over the place. Temps are especially warm for March. I am stopping myself from buying potted plants because of the impending construction project. I don't think I will have the time/place/energy to keep them alive. The sun and warm air are renewing me.
Wednesday Son in Town and I made a shopping run and got a quick visit in with the Daughter and her family. I got some baby kisses and we played a fun game of Clue. It charged my battery. Then last night Sweet Pea came over. She ate a good supper. She loves green beans. And she loooves strawberries! Just like her dad. We played outside and she was so excited to visit with the neighbor's dogs. She does this cute 'rock in place' thing when she is excited. Sorry I didn't snap any pics.
Tomorrow Daughter and family are coming to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with us. Out of Town Son will also drive up for a visit, too. 'Twill be a fun day - complete with corned beef and cabbage.
I have much on my plate today. Maybe I will even get a little sewing done.
Don't forget to wear something green tomorrow to avoid any pinching!
Top 'o the morning to you!

Forgiveness.

Working out on Monday morning after an uneventful weekend. Thoughts running through my head as tunes pounded in my ears on the elliptical machine. Sweating. Moving. Sweating. Breathing. Thinking of myself as daughter. Thinking of myself as parent. Thinking of my parents. Thinking of my children. My parents did the best job they could. Nine children. None could have any part of the parent all to them self. I move on. I forgive my parents for wrong decisions and for being one of nine children. I hope they forgive me for the disobediences.  I only wish I didn't hurt them. That is the one thing I would change if I could. I was a fairly good, obedient daughter. But a few times. Well, we all go through it trying to find our own way. I grew up between. Between two very different sisters. Influenced by both.
Parenting my own children. I think I understood growing up better than my parents did. I think I understood that the child will always push the envelope. Always rebel, at some point. I expected it. I looked for it. It begins when the baby is cut apart from you. For all their life they are working towards being apart.  Independence. As it should be. Few things I would change. I wish I had put more trust in their decisions. I wish I had made them feel more important. More powerful. Made them feel like they could do anything. I wish I had given them better and bigger wings. Maybe there would not be one iota of difference. Maybe not.
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Artwork for the day. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. I discovered Jo Lynch and have imitated the artist. And love it.

Water color painting of seahorse. 

I am falling in love with water colors again. 

Solar flare.

Man has it been a funky week. I've had the blues. Just off my game. Tuesday morning I went to art class and all the other girls ran circles around me. They were all engaged in what was going on. We all carved blocks for printing. I pulled my 3 or 4 prints then just shut down. I spent the next hour walking around watching the others have such fun experimenting with colors and pulling prints from each others' blocks. They were planning to frame them and hang them and talked about whose room and what walls the prints would land on. I was not present.
Wednesday was Mom and Dad's anniversary. Dad actually Skyped me Tuesday and Wednesday. I was so glad to see both of them. Dad is the same, really. No better, no worse. Mimi cooked them oyster stew for their special dinner. Marsha steamed some asparagus to go with it. I think Kaye made her famous chocolate chip cake for the celebration.
Later that afternoon Mimi and I had a good phone confession. We both admitted our depression. I wish I could just snap out of it. And I am. A slow snap. Well. Not really a snap. More of a slow climb out.

Wednesday afternoon I found a blank linoleum block and carved another print.  I found a little of my joy again. So I pulled some prints of it and some of a block I had already carved.

Wednesday's block print. 

Carved this in Tuesday Morning Art Class (T-MAC). 

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Anyway. Last night Mr. Macho and I enjoyed a nice meal at one of our favorites - La Fiesta Familia. Then we went to Annunciation Elementary's musical production of "Alice in Wonderland, Jr. " and really enjoyed it.
Am going to enjoy today as much as possible. The weather is inclement. I will work at putting things away today. Clearing surfaces. And I have a book to read. Clothes washing is on the agenda, also. I will work at sweeping out sad cobwebs.
Breathe. Just breathe.

Happy Anniversary!

March 7, 1943. Leonell Josephine Arceneaux married Paul George Bernheim. Tomorrow they will celebrate 69 years of wedded bliss. I love you Mom and Dad. Happy Anniversary.

Mom and Dad on their wedding day. 

This photo was taken 2 years ago on their 67th wedding anniversary at the church in Bay St. Louis where they were married. 

Nancy, Amanda, Stephanie, Marsha, Mimi and Mom and Dad. Five out of nine siblings. 

Because, you come to me,
With naught save love,
And hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,
A wider world of hope and joy I see,
Because you come to me!

Because you speak to me in accent sweet,
I find the roses waking 'round my feet,
And I am led through tears and joy to thee,
Because you speak to me!

Because God made thee mine,
I'll cherish thee,
Through light and darkness through all time to be,
And pray His love may make our love divine,
Because God made thee mine!

(Guy d'Hardelot

Edward Teschemacher)

Hail storm.

Around 3:05 this afternoon we had a wind and hail storm. Sweet Pea and Son in Town were here. We all hunkered down in the middle of the house. The hail hit the house with a force that made me wonder if the windows would break. I texted Mimi at 3:07 that it was happening. Here are picture of the hail as the winds died down and after it stopped.

The wind blew hail onto our front porch and it pounded against the front door.

Shot from the front door. The hail was still coming down but the wind was subsiding.

Hail in the back yard. 

Hail by the front sidewalk.

Hail on the roof. 

Pile of hail that poured off the roof. 

This hail stone had already melted a little before I brought it inside for a measurement photo. 

I don't think we are finished with the bad weather. I hope it gets no worse here and am praying for all who are in its path this day. 

Between storms.

Ah. March. A new month. Great day for a walk. Rain storm last night washed the air clean. 55 degrees. Pear trees and forsythia in abundant bloom. Sweet spring fragrance in the air. Sunshine is present today. Tomorrow there is a promise of more storms.
We celebrated our Leap Day yesterday by using a coupon at our new Chick Fil A. At Mr. Macho's suggestion we went to the movies to see Act of Valor. Lots of testosterone on the screen and in the theater. What can i say? Navy Seals do an awesome job.
 *****
Today I will rejoin my Bible study group after being away for nearly a month. They are a very warm group and I will only feel lost for a little while.
I am ferociously crocheting dish rags. I need to get on some of my other sewing projects. Pretty soon my house will be in total disrepair and I don't know if I will be able to work on anything. Construction and renovation, baby. Yes we are. Waiting on the estimate before we break ground. The ducks are lining up nicely so far.
Happy March, evahbody.