Trial Run

Well they look a little crooked in the picture but they turned out OK for someone who hasn't sown in years and whose first attempt was buried in the trash.
I off to Wal Mart to buy some more material. I am sticking with the el cheapo material till I get it right.

Shorts - what shorts?

Well I guess you can teach an old dog old tricks because I am learning all over again how to sew. Forgot the first rule - measure, measure, measure.

Forgot that I always had to lengthen patterns for me. So yes you guessed it the first pair of shorts turned out to be too short for me - they were way beyond hip huggers. I have lengthened the pattern but think I need to lengthen it a little more. Know how the pockets go in though - only had to take them apart three times.
It is a good thing that the material only cost $1.50 - I will be out and about today so I may stop and get more material. My mind is set I am going to get some shorts made.

Pictures will be posted the second I manage to get a pair done.

Rain Dance

Does any one know any rain dances? The more the merrier. I even killed a spider in the house as this is said to be a sure way to make it rain. Well a little black cloud did hover over me for two seconds and spit out all of about fifteen rain drops. We are really having it rough with the dry weather and the water shortage. At least they have the wild fires under control down here. We were getting smoke from Georgia - now that was something - I am all the way down in Tampa, Fl.

I am keeping watering my potted garden - I suppose there is no restrictions on potted plants - it is mostly the people who think they need to pour a ton of water on their grass every day that the water police are after.

Shorts

Shorts that is what started it. After a useless hunt through all departments - men's too - I have decided that there are no shorts out there to fit me. If they go around my waist they are so baggy else where they look terrible. So I found myself doing something I haven't done in years - buying material and a pattern to make my own shorts. Haven't sewn anything except mending and a curtain for years. Surprising how much has come back to me. Maybe it is like riding a bike once you learn it sticks with you.

Have to start a writing campaign to the big honchos at Wal Mart. They have taken the sewing materials out of all of their stores but the one by us. The lady said they are going to give it three years and the only way to keep it is to call and write in for them to keep that section in the store. The only other place to get material is in Brandon and with the traffic it makes it almost not worth the bother. Guess I bettter stock up LOL.

Those green tomatoes are really tempting out there - just a couple fried up - yummy, I think I am getting hungry.

Library Displays

My daughter works for the library and gets to make these wonderful displays. This is about antique bears. With the help of her mother in law who has a collection - my daughter was able to put this lovely display up.
This display has some small figures of a librarian in it. As you can see by the sign it was aimed at students who may want to pursue a carer. My daughter has a lot of friends and once again called upon her friends for figures for the display.
This is the panda display. It was really nice. My daughter has such an artistic eye. She comes up with so many ideas that she carries a note book with her to jot down ideas.

She has been sick lately but went to the doctor and got some medicine and hopefully is on the mend now. Things are slow for her at work at least.

I wanted to show you the picture of the wonderful cheese cake dessert I had but for some reason it is real small and if you enlarge it you can't make out what it was. So I will just have to say it was cheese cake, very prettily presented and tasted heavenly. Could only finish half of it - took the other half home but round midnight it was calling to me and I finished it off.

New Computer

You won't be seeing pictures of the new computer because I took it back. After a very frustrating day of trying to get on line and even email I was pulling my hair out. It wouldn't load any programs and wouldn't copy the pictures I had in it to a CD. It kept telling me I didn't have enough RAM for my photo shop - despite the fact that the resources was telling me very little of the memory was used and the second drive had nothing on it at all. I could email - sort of - it kept sending the same email to my friend despite the fact that I even deleted it - it kept coming back. This just went on and on till I was fed up with it. They have a fourteen day policy that you can take anything back even if you don't like it. Well I didn't like the Vista. Talked a man at Best Buys and he said that in a couple of months they are going to come out with a program that will fix a lot of the problems. I was also told I could have Windows XP put on instead of the Vista. The man at Best Buys said you could order one like that but I didn't ask him how much it cost.
Meanwhile I am using old tried and true. As long as I take care of it maybe it will last for a while longer.

Craft Fair

Here I am at my daughter's craft table at the Craft Fair on the Green. She has such a creative touch. She thinks up a lot of stuff. She carries a note book with her all the time so when an idea comes to her she can write it down.

Here are some of the angels she made. I thought they were ready nice.
This is a picture of some cool boots that a youngster wore to the fair. Never saw anything like them.

This is me drawing the winning slip for the Mother's Day Basket. Since I was the only mother who wasn't registered - because my daughter was the one who put it together - I was elected to do the drawing. The lady who won was very pleased with her basket of goodies.

Felicia's Fluffy Flowers

Here I am once again shamelessly urging everyone to visit my daughter's site.
http://fluffyflowers.etsy.com/

She hasn't had a good week and needs some cheering up. While you are at Fluffy Flowers there is a link to her Etsy store - even if you don't buy anything there are some cute creatures to look at.

Trimmed my big tomato plants back. My neighbor told me that a farmer had told her when they get that big trimming them back is all you can do. There are tomatoes on the plants now. I hope trimming it solves the problem of it falling over. It kept almost pulling the roots lose which wasn't good for the plant. Now with the trim and lots of water it seems to be coming round. Next time it will be one plant in the pot no matter what Steve says - all I have to do is remind him of this years troubles.

Right Side UP Photo

Here I am right side up. Now no one needs to bend to see me in the post after this one. I just forgot that the photo was sideways and too late thought of how to fix it.

Micanopy

On our way home my daughter and I stopped by Micanopy. It isn't very big and it's claim to fame is all the antique shops that are there. We had lunch at a nice cafe. We ate outside on the patio which was very nice.

you sort of have to turn side ways to see the picture of me - now I think of how to fix it! I will repost it right side up. Had the best coffee - pressed rich French roast. My daughter and I treated ourselfs to cherry chocolate cake. Put the word cherry in front of any thing and I will eat it.

We even had fine company at the cafe. A snoozing cat just seemed to add the special touch. Before we left the cat woke up and decided to grant us the pleasure of petting him.

Here is a wild house we saw in Micanopy. I don't think it was a store - just someone's house.

Marjorie Rawlings

This is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. She is most famous with writing the Yearling which was made into a movie starring Gregory Peck - there was a remake of the movie in 1994.

This is the actual typewriter that Rawlings wrote her novel The Yearling on and many more novels and short stories about Florida. Vacationing her one summer she returned in 1928 and made Florida her home.

This is me at the sign at the entrance to the Rawlings place. It is declared a national park. There are trails you can follow but my daughter and I stayed in the yard of the house. The house was closed but you could look in the windows.

Me again standing by the bell that summed dinner or danger depending on how it was rung. The bell is rusted in place now. It makes you wonder who was the last person to hear it ring.

This sign is just inside the gate to the house - if you enlarge it you can read what it says. Rawlings works have been my passion for years. She even wrote a cook book and a children's book. Her books have been translated into 32 languages.

Tomatoes Gone Wild

Returned home to my tomatoes going wild. Steve and Dawn were trying to tie them up but were not getting very far.

Resorted to proping up some of the limbs that had grown outside the cage.

Should have put one plant in there. These are just starting to set tomatoes. My Early Contender has a lot of tomatoes on it. I guess I will let them get ripe I came home from Georgia with green tomatoes I bought at the craft fair. All ready had one patch and thinking of cooking the rest.

Steve did a pretty good job of taking care of the plants but he doesn't give them enough water. I like to soak them then water every other day - until the heat starts in good then I guess I will have to water them every day. Afraid to feed them they may take over the yard.

Home Again

Top picture is of my son in law and Ginger watching us get ready to leave. The dogs were upset they saw boxes and suitcases and didn't want to be left behind.
The second picture is of us on the road with my daughter driving. We only got lost once - we stopped in this little town full of antique shops, ate some lunch, then set out to find Margorie Rawlings place. We found it and as soon as I sort out some pictures I will post them. We couldn't go in the house but could look in the windows and there was a lot to see in the yard also. On the way back we missed a turn and ended up we didn't know where - well three people later we found our way back to the little town and from there on knew how to get back on the interstate - there were signs. It is so peaceful in that area - not conjested yet like some places.

My Vacation

Well it wasn't weaving baskets but I did cut out a zillon circles for my daughter to use as price tags on her craft items. I enjoyed doing it for her. Got it down to an easy way of doing it. We are using folders she bought for something- they are thicker then just paper. Only have one folder left.
Everything is quiet here right now - I am on my own today because my daughter and her husband had to work and my daughter didn't get a chance to come home for lunch. I have been having fun finding out what this computer will do and of course cutting out circles. The animals are nice company - though at the moment Lucky is snoring.

Doctors

How could I forget to tell everyone about Steve. He has a BMG test set up for Tuesday. I have never heard of it but it is suppose to see if there is nerve damage. On Wednesday he goes for another MRI. I like this doctor a lot better then the other one who just wrote Steve off. I hope if it is nerve damage they can fix it.

Slash the Cat

As soon as they got the bed ready in the guest room Slash the Cat decided it was his bed.
Slash goes into the bedroom when ever I am finished making the bed. He tried to sleep with me one night but I toss and turned so much he wanted out of there.
He is getting me back though he sat in the chair I sit in on the porch - every time I would go out there he would still be in the chair with a well you took my bed attitude. They have one young cat named Piglet who is very scared of strangers. She is getting a little use to me and let me let her in this morning but once I got up again to let her out she ran off.
The dogs are so relaxing to be around. They are both getting on in years and don't get around like they used to but they can still bark at strange noises.
Looks like I have the house to myself today. Felicia had to work and Kevin is off to work. My daughter asked if I wanted to go to work with her but that would be just too long a day sitting around - at least here I can play on the computer, rest when I need to and I am cutting out circles for tags for my daughter's craft items. Sort of a day of rest for me before the drive home.

Here is my son in law with his mother Mary who we spent a nice day with.
Is it a cat sleeping on the chair. When I walked by I thought my that cat is sleeping heavy - it is a stuffed cat and Mary says she gets everyone who comes over with the cat. It looks so real. So OK this was suppose to be under the last picture and the first picture is of my daughter. Still working on figuring out this computer it looks like it will only up load one picture at a time but that may be blogger. Shucks I could have written right under the pictures I think. Have to try it next time.
We are suppose to be heading home on Tuesday but they have so many roads closed because of the fires and the smoke we don't know if we will get through. The next day my daughter could take me home is Sunday. She has commitments of giving a lecture and some other stuff. Oh well I guess I will get home when I get there. Starting to miss home now.

Pictures

Here is a picture of Kevin's workshop which you can imagine he is thrilled with. The next picture is me at the library. I may have posted this picture all ready but if I did here it is again.

Felicia woke up early this morning to find out their computer was dead. Kevin got busy and fixed it - said it was a power problem. It would be nice to have him around to set up my new computer. But he is helping me learn about this one while I am here. He set it up so I could get used to it.

Well we are off to Dublin where Kevin's mother lives. We are all going out to eat.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL.

Mother's Day

I recieved my Mother's Day gift a few days early. After a nice dinner - first time ever I had a Greek salad, it was good - back to after dinner : my daughter and her husband wanted to stop at Best Buys and look around. Well I knew they were in the market for a new computer so that is what we were looking for. After looking at every computer in the place they narrowed it down to two and then asked me which one I liked best. It was my mother's day present. How wonderful of them to buy that for me.
Kevin, my son in law, has set it up here first since I will be here a few more days so he can show me some of the stuff on the computer. There seems so much to remember. This computer has Windows Vista and I am used to Windows 1998!!! I have to remember to save stuff from my old computer like pictures, etc. then transfer them to the new computer.

I am still so excited. Couldn't sleep last night was up before five this morning but then laid back down and took a little nap.

Riding

Yes that is me with my son in law on a tandem bike. He rode me around the yard. First time I had every been on one.

Tandem bike. Bicycle built for two.

Peaceful Morning

Bed early - up late, for me at least. My daughter and her husband are off to work so I have a little space to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Except for Lucky, one of the dogs, who is snoring away - though he doesn't out snore me.

Just tried to load some pictures but forgot to bring my software so the computer can't find my pictures. Wait a minuet I don't have software for the camera it loads its self - I think. Oh well no pictures till I get back home.

Really wanted to show you a picture of Kevin's workshop. It is huge. The people who lived here before had semi trucks and the shop is big enough and tall enough to drive the semi into it. Kevin already has his projects in there just waiting for him to find time to get to them. He is going to build a boat - sort of like a kayak. Got to see his Mandolin and it is really nice. Just a few more minor adjustments and he can learn to play.

Well time for some more coffee.

Library

You would never guess where I am posting from. My daughter had to come in to work for a while and they turned me loose on a computer and I figured out real quick how to access my blog. So I have gotten the tour of the library and all the neat displays that my daughter put up

Of course we had to stop at the big Good Will store. My was I surprised when I looked at a shirt that looked really familiar until I looked down at the shirt I was wearing - it was the same thing only a different size. Found a nice box for pictures - which I have been threatening to sort out for a couple of years now. My daughter found a nice basket with fold down handles that looked brand new. We just love to hunt for treasures at thrift stores.

We are going to go eat lunch at an Indian (India) restaurant - I have never had Indian food so it is going to be an adventure. I hope I don't get food that is too hot to the taste. My daughter has eaten there before so she can help me pick out what is good. They have a buffet for lunch then table dinners.

While I was writing this my daughter was getting us three tickets to go see the play Ann of Green Gables. I have not been to a play in many years. I read the book a long time ago and don't really remember the story line so maybe that is a plus.

Hope my tomato plants are doing good at home. I am sure that Steve will water them. When I get home I hope to have some green tomatoes to fry.

Bus Ride

No pictures yet - have to figure out how to get them from my camera to blogger.
Other then being a long ride - ten hours - the trip went very well. From Tampa to Orlando I was fortunate to sit next to a nice lady and we talked none stop. She had to change buses and so did I but once again I was blessed with a young lady going to Brea Kentucky - I know that isn't spelled right but it was the closest I could come. I told her I had a friend in Kentucky that I had never met but were good friends. Isn't it strange how things work out sometimes.

The bus stopped at stores that were part of the route every couple of hours so people could get something to eat or drink. I have never used the bathroom on a bus before but I was on the edge of having an accident so there I went all the way to the back of the bus. I could barely squeeze myself into it and then discovered it was like an old fashioned out house. I hope I never have to use it again. My daughter is driving me back home so I don't have to worry about the bus going back thank goodness.

I will try to get some pictures next post. I was amazed I figured out how to post from a different computer.

Plants Everywhere

Those tomato plants that were so small a few weeks ago have filled their cage and are spilling out of it. We have our first tomatoes growing. The bloom that was on the eggplant fell off so I guess it has to get bigger to set fruit. My marigolds are really blooming. I have been promised that my plants will get watered while I am in Georgia. Oh, I am so excited. Hope I can sleep tonight. Bag is all packed and I thought it was heavy but got the scales out and it was only twenty pounds - they allow you fifty pounds per bag - Steve picked it up with his good arm and said yes that was about right twenty pounds. I did squeeze one more thing into the bag but it is busting at the seams now. Maybe I should run some packing tape around it just in case. Worry, worry, worry - time to relax.

I Was Really There

...and here are some pictures to prove it. Not many of me I was behind the camera most of the time. Following posts are about the reunion.

Family Reunion

Here are some of the family getting together at the motel. Tables getting ready for food. There is a wonderful playground for the children to play on.
I will post more pictures when I get more sorted out - after my trip to Georgia which I leave Tuesday for. I am washing and packing and hope to only have a few last minuet things to do Monday.

Old Friends

On the way to the family reunion we stopped by and saw Ray an old friend of Steve's. Here are Amber, Dawn - who Ray hadn't seen since she was little - and Ray.

Solution

Well it looks like this glue is going to work. Bowl is still stuck to bottom of pan. There were a few ants wandering around but they couldn't reach the food.

It is working

So far so good. I kept checking to see if the bowl has come lose but it seems to be really glued down. The real test will be seeing if it holds over night. No Moocher doesn't eat there I just set the bowl on the rail to take the picture. There was one little ant wondering around on the outer pan - looking totally lost. Thank goodness we don't appear to have any fire ants in the yard. Most of the ants I see are little black ones but my there are a lot of them. I am surprised they don't come in the house. But of course I keep every thing clean and all food sealed in a bag or put in a jar. Maybe those ants know it would be useless to try to get into the house.

I am trying to make a list of things I don't want Steve and Dawn to forget to do while I am gone but haven't gotten much past - water my plants! I am sure I will think of some other things that Steve can't do with his arm that Dawn will have to do for him. I feel like I am deserting him but I really want to get away and see my daughter. I just realized the other day that I will be there for Mother's Day.

Glue

Well Wal Mart came through with this glue - epoxy really - that is suppose to hold underwater. I have already mix some and put the bowl and pie plate together, It takes about 50 minuets for it to set but I am going to leave it longer. Tanya commented that in Australia they make pet food dishes with a moat around them to keep out the ants. If this glue doesn't work I will look up Australian pet food dishes on ebay. Thanks Tanya.