Just Some Thoughts Today 4/12/2013

I recently lamented to th' hubs that when I used to work—full time—in California I was able to do this on Saturday: wash clothes, vacuum, dust, mop, grocery shop, have dinner on the table for the 4 of us and have all the clothes put away in that one day. Now, it takes me 3-4 days just to do the laundry. He, sarcastically, said, "That's because you let it sit in the dryer for days." Smart..." Well, you know what I'm saying. He's right of course. I'm just not as young as I used to be. ;-)
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If you lived in San Diego in the 60s as we did, you might remember Chicken Delight. I don't think they exist in most areas of the U.S. anymore but I absolutely loved their food, plus they delivered, which for a stay-at-home mom at that time was a Godsend! They delivered the food to your home on plates at no extra cost. I usually ordered the fish because I just love fish. It was so convenient and good I can't figure out why they now exist only in Canada.
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As I've said many times before, I read. A LOT! Recently, I found a few new authors with action-packed stories. I love them!!!! What some of those heroes can do in 24 hours is astounding. Kill killer whales about to eat their friends, have a hover craft race to get away from the bad guys (this alone was about 30 pages long!), fall over an ice cliff, get to an iceberg, discover an old U.S. station there and get back to the mainland, in this case Antarctica, rescue multiple of their comrades, kill multiple of the enemy, swim through the Antarctica water to rescue multiple people, and SURVIVE! It was the most thrilling adventure book I've ever read.
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I also read a book about a rich young man in a private school trying to impress his father. It was really a sweet book. But the thing that struck me is that when his mother died, life went on as they had a maid/housekeeper to keep things going. So there were no disruptions in his life as most people losing a mother would have. They still got their meals at dinner, wash was done, beds were made, etc. He realized he didn't have the concept of how life would go on after his mother died as a school mate did when his mother died. Life went on as usual. Thought provoking.
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I simply loved this photo enough to show you.

And this peaceful deck looks like a nice place to sit.

Do I even have to tell you how much I like this settee? Hmmmm? ;-)

And this little vignette is adorable. Looks like it could be a store.

A beautiful pillow on a beautiful chair.

Now this is a flea market but I'd go camping...maybe...if I had this. Maybe!

The most gorgeous ceiling I've ever seen.

Isn't this cute for soap? I wonder where you would find these little wire holders.

Gorgeous roses.

My dishes drying never look this cute.

Yum!

Isn't this clever as a light?

Just pretty pillows for you to view.

Gorgeous box with roses.

This looks like a crown swap. It's absolutely stunning to me.

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Tidbit:
Accident-prone Orlando Bloom has broken his skull three times, both legs, a finger, a toe, a rib, an arm, a wrist, his nose, and his back.
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Linking up with Dedicated House.
and also Create with Joy. 

Some Gorgeous Rooms

I recently was at a website that showed simply gorgeous rooms—living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, family rooms—but all just gorgeous designer rooms. I thought I'd share a few of them today, along with a few other photos. More will definitely come later. Plus I'm guessing that some of you get tired of my stories so I'll spare you today.

This is one of the most elegant blue rooms I've ever seen. I'm sure there are more elegant ones, I just haven't seen them yet.

This is one of the "other" rooms. I think it's a darling area of a small kitchen though.

I'll never stop loving red checks, especially in bedrooms. This one is stupendous in my opinion.

I like this room but the wallpaper, while beautiful, is a turn-off for me. It's simply too busy a room for me. But it is a very pretty room in an old farmhouse.

This dining area in a kitchen is so adorable. I love everything about it. Quaint, yet gorgeous.

 I've seen this house in a magazine and the pillow on the chair is one she bought from me when I was selling on eBay. I loved her home.

Another elegant sitting room, office or library. I think I like the chairs more than anything though.

A shabby chic dining area. Love her punch of pink roses and wreaths for color.

A kitchen I might learn to love to cook in, if I was really interested in cooking, that is.

That window is what drew me in. It makes the room much more elegant.

I just love the colors in this room. The sofa looks comfortable and that's important to this woman.

A room by Charles Faudree, a famous interior designer. I fell in love with his decor in the 70s and 80s. He's a master at the art of French decorating.

It looks like a bedroom in the background so this must be a sitting room for the master suite. Gorgeous though.

Again, the wallpaper is a bit overpowering for me but it looks like a room by Sister Parish, a very famous designer. I don't know if it is, just looks like her style. Very homey and family-oriented in an elegant way.

My favorite room in all the ones I've seen. Well, one of the top ten of my all-time favorites, let's say. The pink and white striped chairs, the pink print sofa, the scroll of the table legs and the vivid yellow curtains. Just a comfort room for me.

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Tidbits:

Every year, the U.S. produces enough plastic cling wrap to cover the state of Texas.
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Linking with NMH Open House Party.

Summer and Winter

Summer is approaching rapidly in our state. Beautiful warm, 60s, for us. We'll be getting the hot weather soon enough but the 60s are my favorite temperature.

I love summer with all the roses, peonies, gardenias and hydrangeas. The garden looks so forlorn now but Love Bunny will be out there this week sprucing it up and pruning the rose bushes. He does grow the most beautiful roses. Summer? I do love the new growth and lush green lawn but I'd rather bleed than sweat, friends. Truly! I love the fresh salads from our garden and my air-conditioning. But most of all I love the summer fruits: watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries. We are so lucky that we can get most of those fruits all year round except for watermelon and that's my favorite thing to eat.

But I also love winter. For one thing, I hate being hot. I love being cool. Another thing about winter is that our garage serves us well as a place to keep potatoes and they won't sprout. Also, I can keep cartons of Pepsi out there instead of in the pantry and it'll be cold enough when I bring it in. I love the butter being soft also. What are your favorite things about each season?
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A beautiful window treatment in a lovely bedroom.

I remember when we had mailboxes like this. Actually, when my parents moved to Salt Lake City in the early 1960s, we had a door with a mail slot. When I would visit them, I could always tell when the mailman had come with the rattle of the mail slot. I love that because I didn't have to go outside and walk to the mailbox in the snow like I do here in Idaho. Just very nostalgic for me.

Another gorgeous vignette in a living room.

This is another darling laundry room. See what you can do with almost nothing!

I'll have to tell you the story of when we lived in a house that was attached to another house similar to this but not the elegance of this, of course.

What a delightful gift shop.

I've wanted one of these for a couple of years but when I think about it, it seems a bit frivolous and can't bring myself to buy one. One of those things I can "live without." Definitely.

Another photo of laundry drying on a clothesline. Love it!

If this doesn't make you yearn for spring, then there ain't much hope for ya, chicks. ;-)

I'd still like a door on my pantry even though this is a lovely kitchen.

A cute way to hold children's things from school. I can see those trays done in chalk paint also.

A simply beautiful photo of roses in a dining room.

Ruffled lampshade, done very easily.

Exquisite china in pink and gold. Gorgeous!!!!!

A cute shower I'd love to have. I don't think you'd even need a shower curtain if the whole floor was tiled.

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Tidbit:
Theaters during Elizabethan times did not have toilets, nor did the plays have intermissions.

Also, Queen Elizabeth I outlawed wife-beating after 10 p.m.

Our state is #1!
Continuing with the "O", "P", "R" and "S" states and what each one is #1 in.

Ohio:
Library visits
Traffic tickets issued

Oklahoma:
Per capita use of electric and hybrid cars
Women in prison

Oregon:
Solar panels
Homeless population

Pennsylvania:
Covered bridges
UFO sightings

Rhode Island:
Drive-in movie theaters
Per capita illegal drug use

South Carolina:
Lowest gas prices
Strokes

South Dakota:
Lowest personal income tax rate
Per capita Facebook use
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My Decorating Frenzy

I've been on a decorating frenzy for several months now but, truthfully, there is only so much decorating I can do to this house. It's our "forever/retirement" home and a smaller size so how much decorating can you do to 1800 s.f.? But I'll continue to do what I can as long as I can. I get tired of the same thing after 6 or 8 years and feel the need to update or, at least, move around some things. It will be less and less the older I get but it will be done.

But that brings me to blogs I see from time to time where the women are changing things every year or so. How do they do it? Are they that bored? Do they have unlimited funds? I don't see the need to do it every year or two. Seems wasteful to me. Also, are they never happy with what they have? I'm a happy person and love the things I do have. In our 52 years of marriage I have probably changed furniture maybe 8 times. That's with relocating to new places and homes. I don't think that's a lot. But to have the same house and change every couple of years just seems a waste to me. But I'm having to buy higher and higher sofas just to meet my butt at my age! I don't get up off the sofa as easily as I used to when I was 45. ;-)
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A darling spot on the side of a house for a relaxing nap.

More pots of pansies.

Love this idea of hanging stuff needed to hurry out the door very near.

Beautiful roses and hydrangeas.

A queenly bed. Love the bed linens.

Pretty evening purse.

Got any extra teacups? Here's how you can display them.

Clever way to put lights up.

Gorgeous French chair, luxurious sofa and a pail of roses.

A little wire basket to hold mail.

I just loved this photo when I saw it.

You can actually buy these shoes for kids. Look up Joy Folie and check out their cute designs.

Just a cozy corner in a bedroom.

Pretty handmade chenille pillows.

Yes, I love this lamp also!!

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Tidbit:

Our state is #1!
Continuing with the "N" states on what makes them #1 in the nation at. (Terrible grammar but I couldn't think of a better way to put it.)

Nebraska:
Livestock
Domestic violence

Nevada:
Gold mining
Home foreclosures

New Hampshire:
Lowest percentage of people living in poverty
Skin cancer rates for women

New Jersey:
Millionaires
Population density

New Mexico:
Lowest cancer rate
Children who drink alcohol

New York:
Charitable donations
Longest daily commute

North Carolina:
Most diverse population of salamanders
Lowest teacher salary

North Dakota:
Lowest rate of AIDS
Lowest rate of seat belt use


Sir Francis Bacon died of pneumonia. He was experimenting with freezing a chicken by stuffing it with snow.
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