Pony Rides and Rambling 12/4/2013

I invite you to visit my pinterest to see all the beautiful rooms, gardens and eye candy I put on there. I now have 12,870 images and 10,030 followers. It really is quite delightful to visit there. I have absolutely nothing to gain by pinning or doing it, just the love of seeing gorgeous images and to dream. I just love looking at beautiful things as I'm very visual.
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As Alexandra Stoddard once stated in a pamphlet, "No one should deprive themselves of the joy of color because color choices, unlike most choices, aren't a matter of money. You are free to select the colors that put a smile on your face and edit out the rest. Living with refreshing, life-enhancing colors in your room, in the clothes you wear as well as the paraphernalia in your handbag and and the accessories on your desk can do wonders to your spirit. Color to me is one of the gifts of grace that is ours to select and a tool to help us live beautifully."
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My sweet little 3 1/2 year old great granddaughter is now doing something I taught her. When she meets someone, she is to shake their hand and say, "I'm dazzled to meet you." She picked that up real fast and people are astounded how well-mannered she is. That is NOT to say she's perfect because that little chick is a pip, trust me! She also was treated to a very nice surprise from a friend of mine who lives in Mt. Home, Idaho. She arranged for Caroline and Juliette (1 year old great granddaughter) to have a ride in a pony cart last week. Caroline loved it! She was in a cart that held 3 people and then she got to actually ride the pony. She had the most excited expression on her face and talked about it all night. When we got home Caroline told her mother: "I had a great adventure tonight, mummy."

A sweet red bathroom. It looks tiny but still has space for a cupboard. See what you can do with small spaces? They don't have to be ugly and frumpy. They can definitely be gorgeous.

I don't think there's anything more enticing than ice cream with cherries or strawberries on top. I remember years ago eating them at our local drug store in Norfolk, VA. and having a Coke with it. Those were definitely th' days: drug stores with counters for shakes and even sandwiches.

I just loved this entrance with the curving of the door, the mailbox right outside and a bench to sit on. Gorgeous.

Snow coming soon. I can't wait. I wish it would snow a lot this season. I love snow and it gives me an excuse to stay home and be a slug!

Cute potting room. Maybe it's part greenhouse also. Just look at all those vegetables.

You do know I love sparkly bottles, right? Well, this owner has outdone herself. Beautiful!

Love the lace garment with ribbon/fabric flowers decked across a French wicker chair.

One of many colorful buildings in a foreign country. Looks to be like Italy or France.

A stunning dining room.

And a stunning kitchen. I love a white kitchen. Have you seen the new ranges/ovens that you can put in 3 big cookie sheets? I just saw one the other day in Sunset magazine and lusted for a bit. Just a bit though. Because if I had it I'd have to cook/bake more and that ain't happening!

I could live with this little beauty, but at the moment I'm very happy with the little footstools I've made over with duck cloth. Plus I saved a lot of money doing what I did.

Hold me back!!!! I love chocolate on chocolate on chocolate.

This is one of the styles of furniture I love. Isn't it gorgeous?

This looks like it's cordoned off so I'm guessing it's a display somewhere. But it is beautiful and I'd love having it in my home.

Now, I have to admit that this little beauty and this setting would definitely entice me to go camping. I shan't mention it to Love Bunny or he just might try to go out and find one so I'll camp with him again. But this is a beautiful dinner setting for a trailer.

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Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie. The Day the Blender Died.

Reminder about my Pinterest page. I now have almost 9,300 images on there that you won't see on here for a long time. Also, a reminder about the giveaway I'm going to have. It'll be on 6/12 so be sure and be here to check it out.
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This is a long post so be prepared.

Some people who read my laundry post emailed me with a homemade detergent recipe. I had read blogs extolling its frugality and effectiveness, but I'm lazy and didn't want to make it. Not all that stuff works well for some of us. Plus I have a year's supply of Tide. But, hey, I'm game to try it out if so many of you see results. So onto the shopping list went Fels Naptha, Washing Soda and 20 Mule Team borax. Hubs wondered why in the world it was on our shopping list and I told him and he remembered his mother using Fels Naptha and I remembered the same about my grandmother slicing it up into her round ringer washer and me helping her with it, so he was game for it. (Any conversation of this sort fondly recalls memories from his childhood and I have to listen to—get the pleasure of hearing him tell me the stories. That should have been my first clue. ;-)

So on one of our twice weekly visits to Wal Mart the items were purchased. I also read the instructions from one particular blogger that said it works really great and it was cheap. Cheap never enters into my shopping decisions. I've been thwarted more than a few times; no, make that more than a lot of times. I simply don't care if something is cheap or not if I want it. I know some of you understand that. Of course, I always watch the circular that a store here in town sends us for Pepsi so I can get 4 cases for the price of 3 cases. Other than that I don't care.

So I pulled out my blender to use as I don't use it much at all anymore. In fact, it's in a closet in our 4th bedroom. I use a food processor now for all things I have to make/cook. This is in lieu of eating out, which I prefer above all. Need I say more? No!

I cut the chunks into small pieces after setting the blender up. I took off the cap in the lid to drop small chunks in. Well, it went flying all over the kitchen. I immediately stopped. If you look very closely at the buttons, between the last white button on the left and the 14 Speed Blender on the right side, you'll still see bits of Fels Naptha. It was a mess, so I had to stop and clean up a bit.

At that point, I'd stop the blender when I dropped a new chunk in, put the cap back on and blended again. We're talking soap here so it was a bit waxy/clingy. That's when the blender started smoking—big time. I thought my kitchen was going up in flames. That brought about the ambivalent feeling of "do I let it happen and eat out for weeks" or "should I try to put out the fire and cook for the rest of my life." I had to stop and think about that one. Saving my house and the embarrassment of explaining to the firemen was the biggest consideration. (I've already had the police here with our security alarm going off and me not remembering the code or contact person. The policeman told me that's one and I only get 3 of these alerts before they start charging me for trips to my home. Sigh. But that's another story that I've probably posted about before on here and can't remember at this point.)

I then poured the 2 cups of the other 2 products into a bowl and emptied the blender stuff into it. I'd forgotten the smell of Fels Naptha from my youth. It isn't bad; it just isn't Tide's smell. I could get used to it I suppose. But it didn't blend as well as the instructions said it would. If I ever do this again—and that's pretty iffy at this point—I'll grate it with my grater that I was afraid I'd thrown out but found later in the day. (Due to the availability of cole slaw already chopped at the stores now, I refuse to grate another cabbage! In fact, most times I'll even buy the salad greens already chopped in their neat little bags. I'm all for someone else doing it for me.)

I'll let you know after a few times of washing how it does. I guess putting in the fabric softener will dull the smell a bit. The nice blogger said she'd gotten used to the smell. I doubt I could because I'm such a fanatic about good smells, especially in my home.
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Now, onto the second item of business here.

When we moved into this new house, there was a large mirror over our double sinks in our bathroom. I thought we needed more shelving over our sinks before we needed a huge mirror. So we took it down, gave it away and put in 2 medicine, or in my case, makeup chests instead. It worked fine but now I thought we needed more shelves in there as my counter was becoming crowded. I then saw this photo on the internet and asked him to make me one. That was a marriage-killer right there, let me tell you.

  My hubby has to get it perfect or try. It is NOT perfect but you'll see the photo down among the flowers below here. He drove me nuts. I wanted 4 shelves but he said he couldn't do it with our ceiling height and the light bar over our sinks. Fine. Adjust it. Then he had to go shopping for special lumber. Heaven forbid, he doesn't have we'll-use-this-sometime-in-the-future-lumber out in the garage or his shed. But off to Home Depot he went.

I wanted bars across it to hold items better. I didn't get them as he said it wasn't high enough between shelves to lift a bottle up and get it out. Then he wanted to spray paint it after he assembled it. I told him it would be easier to paint before assembling but he's his own man and did it his way. Is it perfect? No. But it's definitely better than having 3 mismatched shelves in that space, plus there's more surface to put things on.

I wanted them done in a timely manner. Riiiight. That'll never happen around here as he's involved in too many things. So my makeup and few random items sat on the countertop for several days before I made a deal with him. I offered to do a task for him one night while he installed the shelving. I have to say it's not what I expected but it'll do fine. He's such a good husband that I don't want to burst his bubble. And he is going to do a perfume shelf for me in our bedroom. That will have the cross-bar to keep my plethora of perfumes from falling. I've just about destroyed my dresser top from spilling perfumes and oils on top of it. I'd redo it but I just don't have the energy and it would take a lot to haul it outside to refinish and that's not going to happen—due to the energy problem, mine, not our natural resources.

This is the blender sitting on a small freezer in our garage. I put it there so the garbage can wouldn't catch fire as it was still smoking. He just happened to be walking in as I was taking the blender out to the garage. I told him what happened. He didn't even flinch. He knows me too well.

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This is the first peony of the season. Hubs sure can grow beautiful flowers.

One of our rose bushes. Sorry, he hasn't had time to weed them yet.

Another gorgeous rose. I usually only buy David Austin roses. They're very fragrant smelling and have performed magnificently for us in this hot summer desert.

It's very hard to have a favorite but this one is at the top of the list. Perhaps that's because I love pink and yellow above all other color combinations.

This is the shelf hubs made. Sigh. It actually looks pretty good there between the 2 medicine chests. We could only go so far in the width but lower than the 3 mismatched shelves we had there before. Plus the shelves are deeper so that worked out even better. You can see the birdcage I have hanging over our garden tub also.

Another peony, different day.

This is the little tin that I put the washing detergent in. I'll be sure and let you know how it works after several wash loads.

I'm rather chatty today, but this gorgeous blue in this hydrangea reminds me of a color of Jantzen sweaters that was called French Blue back in the late 50s and early 60s. I longed for a Jantzen sweater that other classmates had before I got mine. I didn't wish for much and rarely bared my feeling to my parents. I don't know why I didn't get one for a long time but when I did, it was a double-breasted cardigan in this color. It was gorgeous. I loved it. When I think about those lustings back in my teenage years, I have to chuckle. I am rarely envious of anything anymore that someone else has. Oh, I see the beauty in some things but I'm just glad I'm this old and alive, have beautiful kids, grandkids and gorgeous great granddaughters. I am truly blessed in this life.

I think this is a gorgeous home. I don't lust for it but I doubt I'd have turned it down when I was younger. Now? Too much yard and too many levels.

A delightful kitchen in aqua and white.

A shop somewhere that I'd love to go visit. I see a couple of things that tweak my interest.

Same with this shop. Notice the beautiful French doors to the entrance and the molding on that doorway. I could probably spend a long while in this shop.

A cheery dining room with a vintage table, chairs and red roses on the curtains. I like this room a lot.

Oooooh, I don't know where to begin on this porch. I want mine to be this pretty and relaxing. I say every year I'm going to do something with ours but I haven't so far. Maybe this will be the year I succumb to those desires and get my bum off the sofa and do something with our large porch. :-)

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Tidbit:
 I've always been interested in English since an early age. I loved English and majored in it in college. But I'm always seeking out the abuses of our language. That's why I find these little tidbits to pass on to you. I'm forever correcting someone's English and grammar, whether written or verbal. Sigh. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. Right, Claudia? ;-)

Just Deserts:
The phrase has its origins in the obsolete word 'desert', meaning that which one deserves. In use since at least the 1300s, it is commonly seen in print as just desserts, as in the sweet final course of a meal. It is pronounced this way, but the spelling is incorrect.
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Linking up with Pink Saturday, NMH
and SSS. 

Tidbits About Me

This sign was made for me; I just personalized it a bit more.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I carry a small note pad in the car (along with a back scratcher in my door pocket) so I can write down thoughts that occur to me for th' blog. That worked, but then Love Bunny thought an audio recorder would work better. I bought one thinking that for once in our marriage he might be right and that it would help me more than trying to write while driving. And it did...for a while.

Then the battery went out and I was too busy to replace it so put it away for a while until I remembered to replace it. Then once again, I forgot it for a little while. Sigh. I always promise myself I'll remember what I wanted to write down. I rarely, if ever, do! I now have the audio recorder working and am using it again. I hate not remembering things I want to blog about!

Since I've been posting tidbits recently from a book I've read, I thought I'd post a few tidbits about me.

I am attracted to anything pink, architectural details, vintage gates that remind me of my childhood, vibrant colors, soft colors, gorgeous sofas, beautiful chairs, chocolate, pretty papers, froufrou images, chandeliers, flowers of any kind and any, and I mean ANY eye candy . Not necessarily in that order.

I love big hair on women and big photos on blogs. I have very fluffy/big hair and my great granddaughter does too.

I went wild this past New Year's Eve by buying corn chips. Yep, I'm soooo exciting! Sigh...

I've had a lifelong dependency on suspicion. True!

I do have a soft heart and am a bit of a sentimentalist, just a tiny bit.

I once did something I'll never, ever admit to. ;-) Nope, it wasn't immoral or illegal.

I am a very uplifting person and try to leave everyone feeling that way. True!

I leave toast crumbs in the butter and am not the least bit embarrassed by it. Butter should have toast crumbs in it.

I once wrote to a very famous interior designer and she wrote me back. I was thrilled. That's not the norm. She was a gracious lady.

I get up in the morning and immediately put on my clothes for the day. I don't change until we go to bed at night. (Hubs changes at least 3 times a day.)

I am an excellent speller and rarely get a word wrong.

I can't eat spicy/hot food, no way. Someone will tell me, "It's not too spicy" and invariably it's too spicy. So I trust no one anymore. I also don't like hot food; I prefer it at room temperature.

I'll never be a politically correct person. I say Merry Christmas and we'll fly the American flag until we die.

I'm a very opinionated woman and that will never change.

I love music from the 60s, 70s and 80s and also love the Big Band songs from the 40s. Also, classical guitar is one of my favorite things to listen to. I love the cello and bass music and most classical music. I absolutely hate rap music and I use the term music loosely in describing it. My granddaughter likes french rap music however.

I made my great granddaughter a music CD with oldies on it and she loves it but her favorite song is Lollipop and sings it at her daycare for them.
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Similar to my new quilted bedspread but mine has 11 ruffles on it.

More pretty bottles, one of my favorite things.

Lovely patio, just lovely!

I really like this house with the pretty tables and stone floor. No cleaning carpets!

Antlers and roses? Sure makes a cute table setting though.

Pretty homes on a street in Italy.

Yes, this is actually a cake. I can't even imagine the time and expertise, let alone the price, of such a creation.

Linens covered with roses.

Pretty hat boxes.

Lovely pearls gracing a hanger.

Beautiful pink chrysanthemums.

A kitchen we'd all love to have. Large farmhouse table with a gorgeous chandelier.

I'm not fond of mirrors but this one is gorgeous.

Pretty vintage tin boxes.

Gorgeous pink fabric. I wish I had it to make pillows.

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Tidbit:
In 1994, there were more than 420,000 accidents caused by kitchen knives, 122,000 by drinking glasses, 29,000 by refrigerators, and 7,000 by dishwashers.
Refrigerators??

Okay, now the "I" states and what each state is #1 in.

Idaho:
Trout Fishing
Highest suicide rate

Illinois:
Pumpkins
Nuclear power production

Indiana:
elevator manufacturing
Divorce

Iowa:
Percentage of residents over the age of 85
Water pollution
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A Few Stories About San Diego

In the mid sixties we lived in San Diego. I loved San Diego. Hubs was a Marine drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot and used to come home with the weirdest stories. He and our son, who was also a Marine, would sit and tell stories in the later years and we would laugh and laugh together till tears rolled down our cheeks. It's really fun sitting and listening to those two talk about the Marines.

He came home with a story about the new recruits. When they would arrive they had to send every single thing on their body, except a wedding ring and a watch, home to their folks.

Hubs told me about young men arriving there on the bus without shoes even. Some had never even worn them. Some had never worn a belt. They were then immediately taken to have their heads shaved. He said once there was a kid with an open sore/cut on his head full of lice. There were other stories I'll have him tell me and post here again later, but that's the few I remember at this point. We're talking really "green" recruits, first time away from home.

He also came home one day with lice. Yes, lice! I discovered them on me one evening and since we had never had them even as children I didn't know what was crawling on me. Hubs, being a Marine and having been versed on those kinds of things as all military men are, knew immediately what those tiny things were. I was appalled and in shock and couldn't sleep that night. But the next day he went to the base and got medicine for both of us. We also stripped all the beds in the apartment and went to the laundromat that night. We figured he got them from the toilets at the base because we were both faithful to each other and, after checking our two kids, didn't find any on them but they weren't even school age then. He was much more careful after that.

But we lived across from MCRD and near a small Mexican take-out-type restaurant that sold taquitos for ten for a dollar. Actually, at that time we could get tacos at Tico's Tacos ten for a dollar also. But I'd run down there in the next block and buy them for me and the kids all the time.

That small house was backed by a huge hill with a retaining wall that came tumbling down in a terrific roar during some heavy rains one year. If my kids had been out there, they very likely would have been hurt at the least. It also sent a huge wood beam through our bedroom in the back of the house. The landlord lowered the rent for us but we had to find another place relatively soon. So we moved up to a house near Kensington. It was fun living in that house because it was bigger than any place we'd lived in previously in a real neighborhood and was close to Mission Valley, which was great shopping for us then, even if we were too poor to buy much.

One day my cousins and I decided to go downtown San Diego. We just wanted to window shop. We dressed in nice pants but a policeman stopped us downtown and told us pants were inappropriate for downtown! We were floored and embarrassed. San Diego is a tourist town with a Navy base and a Marine base in it. We couldn't believe the policeman. I think he might have been flirting but here I was a mother of two kids and didn't even think about someone flirting with us but it was inconceivable that we weren't dressed "appropriately" for a beach town. I imagine now they go into town in their bikinis with the way things have changed! We're going down there next year for a convention and I can't wait to see how things are. We were down there a few years ago at UC San Diego when our grandson was going to school there.
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This is an antique servants bell. I think it's beautiful.

A beautifully clean street somewhere in western Europe.

Glittery handmade flowers with jewelry in the centers.

Just a bit of froufrou today.

This looks like it was or is a porch by the looks of the walls but it's beautiful just as a living room also.

Cute idea for extra cups around the house.

Italian coastline.

More eye candy but actually real so you can eat it!

Lovely arrangement for a cookie party.

Another darling birdhouse.

I couldn't tell if these were fabric or edible but they're fantastic looking no matter what.

Another beautiful road in Europe somewhere.

I thought this was a decorated bottle but it's a jewel with more jewelry around it. Stunning. Maybe it's a pin.

Wish I had a sign like this for my front porch.

Just some romantic roses and peonies.

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Tidbit:
Conakry, Guinea, in West Africa, is the world's wettest capital city with over 12 feet of rain per year.
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