A Book I Read

If you've read my blog for awhile you know that I am not a chick flick-type chick. I love action movies and books. After all, I'm married to a retired Marine and my son is a former Marine and relatives are Marines also. My brother-in-law is a professor at the War College in Pennsylvania.

I read a book several months ago and started laughing immediately. Now, this wouldn't be remarkable except this wasn't a book of humor; it was a murder mystery. Let me tell you about it.

These 2 guys—cops— are looking for a certain bad guy. The main character, one of the cops, in the book—let's call him Bill—goes into an old barn where some bikers have their Harleys and asks for a certain guy. Of course, none of the bikers will give their buddy away since this is obviously a cop looking for one of the bikers. They act tough, talk tough, threaten Bill, and then they hear a noise.

Somewhere outside the door someone is humming the Ghostbusters theme. The bikers seemed a bit confused at that. Then the door bursts open and in walks this guy looking like a ghostbuster with a flame thrower. (I'm laughing so hard just typing this I can hardly type.) He points the flamethrower at a wall of lockers inside the barn and incinerates the whole wall. The bikers try to look and sound tough and then the ghostbuster turns his flamethrower outside the door where their Harleys are and incinerates one of the Harleys. They give up their friend faster than slick on snot. (Forgive me, but I love when the bad guys whimper!) Then all but the one wanted biker get on their Harleys and get out of there faster than a 747 jet airliner. Bill and the flame throwing ghostbuster—a cop also— look at each other and Bill said: "Was it something we said?"

I laughed so hard I barely made it to the bathroom. I loved that book! :-)
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This dining set is adorable. Love the way she has enchanting pillows on the chairs.

Who could resist such a lovely florist?

A darling home with roses-covered picket fence.

This could be a place on a side street of Carmel.

My absolutely favorite food—donuts!

Sparkly covered boxes.

Another darling cottage with pond.

Simple eye candy.

Love these rose wreaths.

Not sure what it is but it's cute.

A place to dream and dream about.

Beautiful decorated bottles.

I know it's not usually snowing this time of year, but isn't this scene gorgeous?

A secret place.

I'd take this chair in a heartbeat!

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Tidbits:
Hot dogs take more than 20 years to break down in landfills.
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Linking with NMH. 

Just A Few Thoughts Today

Has anyone noticed that for the past several years that cakes are becoming a fashion statement? I see the most elaborate cakes all over the internet. Some look like they've taken days or even weeks to assemble. And the cost has got to be prohibitive for the average person. But they are gorgeous and works of art!
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I'll never be beautiful. I've accepted that and it's really okay. I have a beautiful spirit though. I've been told I am but I'm definitely a realist. At most I'm attractive, meaning I attract attention. Even at 70 I get looks from men. But truly, I'm not gorgeous or beautiful. BUT I feel beautiful and that's a start. If you're so down on yourself that you have to have surgery then you don't have the confidence that you are beautiful. I truly believe everyone has a beautiful spirit and if you think you're beautiful, pretty or striking, you will be. And I've got a smile that can dazzle them. I'm always smiling. Maybe they wonder why I've always got a smile on my face. I don't know, but the moment someone starts talking to me I smile bigger. Always have.
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The other night hubby came around the corner while I was in the kitchen and we hugged. I looked up at him, smooched him and asked him how he could love an old, fat, nagging, wrinkly woman. He said, "You're not wrinkly." I said, "Yes, I am." He repeated his statement. I felt better. :-)
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Our house is rather open, meaning the kitchen, dining area and living room are in close proximity that smells cover all three areas. Our cathedral ceiling allows the cooking smells to waft over the wall in the kitchen, which doesn't go all the way to the ceiling. It's one thing I don't like about our house but this is our last house and I deal with it. But if I know someone might be coming over, I don't cook fish, beans, hot dogs or sauerkraut. Nothing smells as bad as those foods to me. If someone drops in, I quickly spray the house with Scentsy if I catch them coming up the walk. I love those foods...well, the sauerkraut not so much but hubby does... but they sure smell the house up horribly. If someone drops by when I've had fried potatoes with onions or a roast, I don't worry because I'm always greeted with "Gee, it smells so good in here" when cooking those 2 foods. And they're right!
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This is another room I like, especially the curtains.

Another darling vignette with brightly colored tins, plates and cups.

Romantic flower vignette.

Wouldn't small matchboxes be cute covered in this paper?

Stepping through these doors could be a bit hazardous.

I love rain. I love hearing it, seeing it and feeling it.

Geraniums always remind me of California. We had many when we lived there.

This is a room I'd feel right at home in, but the walls would be pink.

Pretty linens are always nice to have.

Why not put netting around a table for a party?!

A little girl's room that a mummy decided to make froufrou and gorgeous.

Love this shade of lavender.

More pretty linens.

A pretty kitchen. I like the blue counter top, too.

A breakfast of croissants, fruit and juice in Paris.

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Tidbits:
George Washington was the only president to have been unanimously elected.
John F. Kennedy was the first president born in the 20th century.
Jimmy Carter was the first president born in a hospital.
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Our Very First Home In California

When we first moved to California in 1961 we lived in a motel until we could get military housing on Camp Pendleton. We had left our belongings with hubs' parents and didn't get them for a couple of years so we basically had to start from scratch. We went to a local hardware store and bought 2 plates, 1 mug because I didn't drink coffee and we only needed one, 2 forks, 2 knives and one spoon as I didn't need a spoon. We had to be frugal. We somehow had a radio and I listened to that all day long. It was very boring for several weeks before we got housing.

Then we received word we had a place to live in on base—a trailer that slept four people. That's one bedroom and a fold-down sofa with a tiny kitchen and a tiny bathroom that we couldn't get in together. The shower was the bathroom. We were thrilled to get it even if it was tiny. We even had a clothesline though. Geraniums lined our little path from the street and we loved it.

Then a couple of months later our plumbing backed up and since there weren't any 4 sleeper trailers, we were given a 6 sleeper trailer. We loved the extra bed. We didn't qualify but since I was pregnant and would have our daughter soon they let us "upgrade" to that trailer. We were stylin' then!

When we were still in the motel room we lived just a few blocks from the beach and I remember we walked along the beach on Christmas day. It was wonderful. And the very first thing we noticed when we arrived on the train was the orange trees and the smell. It truly did smell like orange blossoms. To this day when I smell the orange blossoms, I remember stepping off that train.

We looked at rentals on the beach but they were so far out of our budget it wasn't even funny. I think they were $125 a month. Today they're probably that for 1/2 a day! But we loved it. We were so young and stupid then. ;-) Much wiser now.
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A quilted-type sofa.

Notice th' rug...th' rug!!!

Darling wall sconce. See what you can do with a little imagination!

Another gorgeous decorated bottle.

Another quilted-type sofa.

Elegant living room staircase.

Another cute sofa.

Bavarian homes.

I really do like that pinkish counter top.

Requisite roses. ;-)

Beautiful living room.

I love this old mannequin with the handmade roses on it.

Christie Repasy is one of my favorite artists. I wish we lived near enough to her to attend her Flea Markets.

Sweet little shop in Europe

Love this darling chair and the homeowner was very brave in her colors.

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Tidbit:

In Chico, California, the city council enacted a ban on nuclear weapons, setting a $500 fine for anyone detonating one within city limits. (Your tax dollars at work.)

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My Answer To Hubby's Questions

Even though my hubby is wonderful, there are a few things that irritate me to no end. One of them is this: When he's away from home during the day, sometimes teaching a class and sometimes volunteering for something, he'll call me when he's on his way home. He's very good about keeping in contact so when he occasionally forgets, I get worried, but that's not common. Anyway, it's gotten to the point of this discussion verbatim.

He: I'm on my way home.
Me: Good. Drive carefully.
He: What's for dinner? (Can you hear my teeth grinding here now?)
Me: Not sure. But be prepared to travel. (Dine out, get it?)


Another thing is when we eat out he never, ever leaves enough food on his plate to bring home. For me, most dinners out at a restaurant are at least two dinners, not for th' hubs. He eats it all. Incomprehensible to me how someone can eat all that food on the plate.

Another thing is dessert. Usually I don't order dessert, but when I do, I don't share. I tell this to hubs beforehand. Invariably, he'll try to take a bite of my Black Tie Mousse Cake at Olive Garden. The last time he tried that I snatched it away so fast it almost flew over my shoulder into the wall! I said I don't share dessert. Of course, there have been times when we're trying to lost a bit of weight that we order dessert and eat it together but the waitress cuts it in half for us so there's no fight. (This one waitress at Olive Garden knows us well. ;-) ) When I'm as hungry as a painted cannibal coming off a fast, you do NOT want to mess with my food.

He graciously helps me make our bed now that he's retired. I never really asked him to do it but with the things I've gone through this past year he just does it or helps me. So, here's the conversation:
Me: Make sure you have enough blanket on your side.
He: I do.
Me: I think the quilted bedspread needs to come over to my side a bit. Get the 3rd ruffle even with the edge.
He: No, it's perfect.
Me: I'll tell you when it's perfect. ;-)


I think I'd better stop while I'm ahead here on this discussion. ;-)
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I was on the treadmill the other day and had the radio on out in the garage while walking. I couldn't believe it but I heard a commercial for borrowing money. It was pretty much the ones you hear with low or no interest if repaid by a certain time. It had a few more creative things, which I can't remember now. But when it gave out the name and phone number, I was stunned. It was an Indian Casino! Since Indian reservations are sovereign nations they don't pay taxes and can do pretty much what they want, but that was a new one for me.
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If you are ever in London, this is the place you want to visit for yummy cakes.

Clever idea using vintage wallpaper.

Beautiful vignette using perfume bottles.

I used this photo to do one of my own. I had all the basics and didn't have to buy a thing. I love mine! You can do this also.

A gorgeous living room. Love just about everything about it. I'd put in pink of course.

Stunning winter display.

Vintage tins.

A magnetic tray.

Old doors set up in a garden. Lovin' it!

Pretty office in an old loft.

Beautiful ranunculaceous.

Pretty pink clock.

I fashioned the chandelier in my dining room after this one. A few differences but I couldn't find the chandelier shades like this one has. Had to adjust my thinking!

Darling, darling home office out of a closet.

Love these old trailers but don't want one or Love Bunny would insist I go camping and we all know how I feel about camping!

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Tidbit:
Walter Anderson's two claims to fame: inventing the hamburger bun and co-founding White Castle.
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