This little Biddy went Weeeeee!

 This is one very nice Double Bingo. They paid me $100 for it. Weeeeee! :P

I also had a few waits for the jackpot but that didn't work out quite as well for me. ;-)

Today is the last day of October. Honestly, that just doesn't seem possible to me. This whole year truly has been flying by in a blur.

Being the last day of the month means that I have one more day to try to add a few $$ to the bottom line of the best month in business I've ever had. I do hope great business continues.

And of course it is also Halloween. I did not buy any candy this year because we just don't get kids here at the Swamp. That means I'll be going to bed early, as usual.

At the Yellow house MotherDear and I would sit out on the porch wearing our Witch's Hats and black and orange.



What? You don't have a Witch's Hat?



We handed out candy until about 7:00-7:30. It all depended on how tired we were, how many kids were out Trick-or-Treating and if there were any mosquitoes out. I do NOT do mosquitoes. As soon as I see or hear one, I'm done.

Speaking of the Yellow house... Things are moving along. They had the house inspected. There were a few minor things they want done and I've hired someone to take care of it. I haven't heard if they've secured financing but my Realtor says they look good so I won't worry about it. Next up is the Appraisal. We're on target to close on November 30th and I'll be able to put a period after that chapter.

Oh... My iPhone 4S gets delivered sometime today! Woohoo!

Don't forget to put some YAY in your day!

Goodness, Gracie!

Yup. That's my girl!

Yikes! I'm not believing that Nor'easter wreaking havoc up nawth, are you?!

Welcome to Snowtober!

Based on the forecasts I saw before I went to bed I was expecting 4-12" overnight, depending on the area. When I got up I read reports of 29" in the Berkshires!

That's a 20... with a 9 after it!

And I also saw a report of 27.8" with gusts of 61 mph on Cape Cod.

Coincidentally, this happens to be the 20th Anniversary of the Perfect Storm... the 1991 Halloween Nor'easter that caused 13 deaths and more than $200 million in damages.

It began as an area of low pressure off the Canadian coast, which later evolved into a nor'easter. That storm later absorbed Hurricane Grace, and the warmth and humidity of the hurricane greatly increased its strength.

I also saw some Facebook updates from the sisterdears and nieces. They are without power. Hard to run the heat without power! I DO wish somebody would take a sisterdear's advice and get a generator!

Hello?

So today is a few mundane tasks and BWTB this afternoon.

Some mundane is good. I hope you have a bit of it. :P

Have you seen him? Because I'd sure like to find him.

A boy makes his girl jealous of other women. A gentleman makes other women jealous of his girl. ~Author Unknown

T is for Tracking Numbers

I have some.

After 20 days on backorder my iPhone 4S is finally on its way! Not pleased with how long that took. You'd think Apple would be better prepared.

I finally decided to just DO it and ordered my iMac 27" and my Wireless All-In-One Printer/Copier/Scanner/Fax. Although they told me the All-In-One was on 3-4 week backorder, it shipped the same day and was delivered yesterday!



And immediately high hosey'd by Whitey. :P

And this morning I awoke to find an email announcing that my iMac has shipped! According to the Tracking it should be here next Thursday. I can't wait to unpack it, set it up and take it out for a spin! I better get it in gear and figure out what I have to have in order to run Bootcamp and  my Windows programs.

I need to figure out how/if I can use my online Carbonite backup. I may end up bringing my PC and new iMac to the Apple Store to have them move my all my files. Unfortunately, the closest Apple store is about 2 hours away... meaning I'd probably have 2 trips... One to drop off and one to go pick them up. Grrr...

Sometimes, living in the boonies stinks.

But I'll figure it all out eventually and all will be well.

Eventually. :P

a few Meow-ments from yesterday

Shouldn't you be opening a can of something for me?

It's the end of the world...

...in my dream.



I don't usually remember anything about my dreams, at least nothing that I can put into words. However, last night I had a doosey of a dream. It all pretty much took place here at the Swamp and included some of my neighbors who like to play Swamp Golf.

Side Bar: Three of my neighbors are avid golfers who - although they all have memberships at the swanky golf club across town - recently decided to set up a 9 hole course in my next door neighbor J's yard. Because, as we all know, everything is WAY more fun here at the Swamp!

They have been enjoying it so much that they set up another 9 holes in my across the street neighbor M's yard. We have all enjoyed watching them putt and listening to them cajole each other. I even offered my yard if they need a fairway... and I dare say my Swamp would be a pretty respectable Water Hazard! They joked and asked if I had on-site refreshments... I said I'd be delighted to be their 19th hole! Truth be told, they are all quite excellent golfers... scratch to near-about scratch. :)

Anyway.... My dream. In my dream they were golfing and suddenly there was a Loud Public Announcement saying that, "No kidding, folks! This time it really IS the end of the world! It's not like the previous warnings of it being the end of the world. So head on over to your Walmart and stock up on stuff!" So people ran screaming and panicking and my neighbor golfers looked at each other, shrugged, and went back to playing Swamp Golf and me and my mother went back to watching. And sure enough, all of a sudden a big old round blue thing with yellow and red fire searing around it appeared and was pushing its way through the atmosphere right towards my Swamp! And we all watched and wished all the scientists and experts were wrong and it would just be, at worst, a near-miss so the Swamp Golf game could continue.

And it did!

And then I woke up.

FORE!

I figure it has a lot to do with the recent earthquake in Turkey.

Not to mention all of the many recent End of the World Predictions.

And my awesome Swamp-Golfing neighbors!

Who me?

What have I been doing?

Well, a lot of this...

And some of this...

And even a little bit of this...

I also managed to squeeze in a bit of this...

And I had to re-do a few of these because sisterdear didn't know the right size before I did them and they wouldn't fit.

And even a little bit of this... my favorite thing :P

And some other stuff you REALLY wouldn't want to know about. ;-)

I signed more forms for my Realtor.

And Al & Barbara came over for lunch. :-)

Today is probably more of the same, with a little bit of calling in a service call on my upright freezer because it won't freeze anything new but it will keep stuff that is already frozen, frozen.

Exciting. I has dat.

Sweets for the Sweet SisterDear

This is my Gloucester Fisherman. I mean my SisterDear. This is the hat she bought my Dad. Which reminds me... I'm supposed to make him put it on for a photo!



Lynda and Rick went and made some more wine. This time they decided to make a sweet, dessert wine. She asked me quite sweetly to make her another Wine Label.



I'm not a sweet wine drinker, but I DO hope I get to sample some, SisterDear! ;-)

Yesterday afternoon my Realtor Larry emailed me to let me know that the Buyers have moved up the Closing Date from Dec 15th to November 30. How cool is that? And Larry says he'll have more stuff for me to sign for the attorney doing the closing... Holy crap! Lawyers sure keep people busy signing crap, don't they? That must be covered in their first class and they must have it drummed into them at every possible opportunity thereafter. I'll ask my niece Holly about that, once she starts law school next year.

Other than working on my web site, taking lovely orders and vacuuming cat hair, that's all I'm up to lately. I hope your day is much more interesting!

For Jeanie Weanie

This is a little quilt I made years ago. SisterDear2 had it mounted, matted and framed and it's hanging in her guest room.



The white-ish background fabric with teeny tiny blue flowers was one of my go-to fabrics. I bought it by the bolt!



Sorry about the glare and blur. The lighting in that room is limited to a single lamp with a 40 watt bulb and my iPhone can only do so much. It's old and doesn't have a flash... which probably would have made the glare worse anyway.

And I forgot to measure the quilt, dang it! I kept telling myself to get a ruler downstairs practically everyday I was there.

But I totally forgot.

I'm going to say the quilt itself is probably about 18-20". Not a true mini so much as a wall-hanging.

I have made one true mini-quilt. It was a bed quilt for my niece Holly's American Girl doll's American Girl doll bed when Holly was just a toddler. I really should try to find photos of the quilt... or make SisterDear3 bring it to a SisterDear Gathering so I can get photos of it. And as I recall one of the fabrics I used in Holly's mini-quilt was the medium, darker blue in the Wall Hanging. ;-)

BTW, Holly's now 24, so the doll and all the doll accessories have been stored somewhere in the Black Abyss for many years now.

And Holly is in her senior year of college. She's busy making the Dean's list, participating in Mock Trials and being her dorm's unofficial police, or Room Monitor... or whatever it is they call it. She gets free housing in exchange for keeping her eye on the underclassmen.

Translation: It saved SisterDear3 about $4,000 this year!

Oh. Holly is headed to law school after graduation. It's probably all because I made her that mini-quilt! :P

Remember all those plans for cooking yesterday?

Fahgettaboudit!

My Dad didn't want any of that stuff. He wanted fish. So we had fish. :)

But I did get to Sam's in between many attempts to upgrade to the new iOS5 operating system on my iPad. I tried on my Windows desktop 4 times... and I tried on my Windows laptop 3 times.

Epic FAIL.

I went to Sam's somewhere in there to get away from the frustration. A new iMac won't get here soon enough for me! Just saying. Although I will wait just a bit longer before ordering one... waiting to see what tax-time does for me... or TO me, as the case may be! :)

And just as supper, which was not Chicken Pie, was ready I finally got my iPad restored.

And I was absolutely spent.

Had a glass of  wine on the patio with MotherDear and chatted briefly with a SisterDear on the phone and toddled off to bed. I grabbed my iPad as I passed my office just to have a look-see before heading off into Dream Land.

And dang if I didn't have an email from my Realtor saying that my house was SOLD. :P

 

Saturday Stuffing and other stuff

I had another offer on the Yellow house yesterday. Again, an incredibly low offer. I countered and they have until 6pm today to accept my counter or walk. I'm mighty weary of all this kind of stuff.

So today is de-bone the Rotisserie Chicken Day and make a yummy Chicken Pie Day! And I'll make some bread stuffing and some genuine Baked Potatoes... not the kind you pop in the microwave, which I'm totally fine with... but the kind you actually baked in the oven the old fashioned way... the kind with fluffy 'taters on the inside and crispy skin on the outside just waiting for butter to be slathered on... just the way my Dad loves them!

I'm also going to use up the rest of some apples and make that yummy Swedish Apple Pie again, only this time I'm going experiment a little and make it in my Longaberger dessert bowls. Personal Pies!



And because I didn't have time last weekend I'll be making PW's Pumpkin Spice Muffins. I've been craving them all week! And the weather is finally a bit cooler and that just screams for something fall-ish!

And look what I just saw when I got up for a cuppa coffee...



Whitey and Gandalf napping in the same chair, face to face. How adorable. Let me tell you, I never thought I'd see that when I brought Whitey home. Ever.

I'll also be doing some of that cleaning and laundry kind of stuff. Not as much fun as taking orders but what are you gonna do? It's the real world and life happens! I hope your day is lovely!

Friday Funny

A maid asked for a pay increase.

The wife was very upset about this and asked: "Maria, times are tough. I must make do on what my husband gives me. I'm not getting a raise. Tell me three reasons why you deserve one."

Maria says, "Well Senora, The first is that I iron better than you."
Wife: "Who said you iron better than me?"
Maria: "Your husband said so."
Wife: "I see."
Maria: "The second reason is that I am a better cook than you."
Wife: "Nonsense, who said you were a better cook than me?"
Maria: "Your husband did."
Wife: "Oh."
Maria: "My third reason is that I am a better lover than you."
Wife: "Did my husband say that as well?!"
Maria: "No Senora, the gardener did."

She got the raise.

 

Hat Tip: Functional Insanity

Cupcake?

One of the things you have to be concerned about when you're relocating, especially when you're "a certain age", is having great medical facilities close by.

We has dat! :P

Earlier this week some of the fine folks over at SGMC were especially sweet to my Dad and Mum. I thought they deserved something sweet in return so I made them these Halloween-ish cupcakes.

My Dad said that my Mother no sooner set them down and a nurse walked by and happily grabbed the first one!

Maybe I should have sent more than a Baker's Dozen?

Miss Silver Bell

Some of you may remember the post I did about a month ago about this banjo. She belonged to my paternal grandfather. He left her to my Dad, who gave her to my sister Janice.

The banjo is a Bacon & Day Silver Bell #2. She is being played by a SisterDear #3 (aka Janice). Janice is the only one of us who played the banjo so naturally, she was the logical recipient. She has cared for her quite lovingly all these years. I convinced her to bring Miss Silver Bell to the SisterDear Weekend.

:P


Behind Janice is SisterDear #2 (aka Lynda) holding her sweet sweet grandson Ian, who is clearly being adored by a CousinDear (aka Michelle).

And this is a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.



No! Actually, this is my nephew Mike! He is Lynda's eldest son...and Aria and Ian's awesome Daddy!



Mike also happens to be an awesome Music Teacher.



He tuned Miss Silver Bell as best he could for Janice, given that the strings are VERY old and delicate.

Then he played the acoustic guitar... whose strings are NOT very old and delicate.



Unfortunately, being the Awesome Daddy of a 2-1/2 year old and a 2 month old means that Mommy and Daddy had to bring the kiddos home to go Nighty-Night long before it was Piano Time! Bugger!



But that's OK... Beethoven and Billy Joel will still be there when the kids are older!

Phobias. I have some.

I enjoyed Sandee & Zane's San Francisco cruise. Thanks for taking me along, Sandee and Zane!

Guess what? I've never been to CA. I probably never will. Because I'm a wuss. I just can't figure a way to make myself go to any place where I know that the earth may actually quake under my feet at any moment. I figure there are plenty of places to visit that don't have earthquakes. :P

It's a thing I've had since I was a kid. I use to have terrible nightmares about it. I also use to have nightmares  about buses falling over when they took a sharp turn... while I was in the bus. Scary! And bridges collapsing while I was in a car that was driving across them.

Actually, I'm surprised I ever fly, because if I allow myself to think about the fact that there's no ground underneath the plane, I start to get anxious. Very anxious. But I make myself go because 3 hours in a plane is way better than 26 hours driving.



I have flown out to Colorado to see the Rockies. There were moments when I thought I'd pass out from hyperventilating when we were driving back and forth through the switchbacks and drop-offs. Yikes! But I am so glad I did it once I saw the amazing vistas! I liked it enough to fly back a second time! I sure wish I had a good camera back then! I have photos of me up over 14,000 feet and we were actually above the clouds. Awesome!

Note to self... I need to get into my old photo albums again and start scanning this stuff!

I still have a thing about bridges. And roads with no soft shoulders. But I've driven to Key West and watched the sunset at Mallory Square!



Did you know there are over 40 bridges from Homestead to Key West?!



And Seven Mile Bridge is one of the bridges to Key West. Me no likey that one. Good thing I wasn't driving. That's all I'm saying about that. ;-)

So, yeah. I have phobias. They actually kinda of run in my family. Nature vs. Nurture? I don't know... I'll leave that to smarter people than me. But lots of my family members have phobias. That's all I know. I try not to let them prevent me from doing what I really want to do.

But California and earthquakes may have to wait. :P

My home in the Hamptons

Not!

[caption id="attachment_2131" align="alignnone" width="604" caption="View of the back of the house from the Pergola"][/caption]

The listing describes it as a “Hamptons-style shingle home” for sale in Franklin Lakes Boro, New Jersey. Asking price is $5.5 million.

It has 13,000 sf! And 7 bathrooms to clean. OMG!

Actually, I just want this pooch... and this Laundry Room!

[caption id="attachment_2132" align="alignnone" width="604" caption="This photo was posted on the Realtor.com blog under the headline, “Cutest Real Estate Listing Photo Ever.”"][/caption]

Well... maybe not the black and white tiled floor, but I love the rest of it!

These photos are from a blog post on Hooked on Houses. Do any of you read it? I subscribe to their feed. There are definitely some outrageous homes featured, but I love looking at the photos for decorating, style and color schemes.

And right now, I have a bad case of some serious laundry room envy!

Fried Green Tomatoes and other southern delights!

Day-trip!

Warning! This should probably have been broken up into several posts.

But it wasn't. :P

Bright and early yesterday morning I headed up to Conyers with friends A&B to check on the painting progress of their investment property. OK. Mostly, we went to visit a spell with his brother, one of his sisters and their spouses.

And to meet the neighbor dogs.

BEAGLES!



They were HAPPY to have me come over to visit with them.



MIGHTY happy!



I know y'all know me as a crazy cat lady... but you should know that as crazy as I am about my little darlings, I'm actually a dog person through and through. I miss having dogs something awful.

Anyway...

When Sandy heard I was going to be in Conyers, she said she wished I could come the rest of the way to visit her & MM in Mayberry! Not enough time! But one of these days!

When Miss Bee heard I was going to be in Conyers she said it was so close to Social Circle and Blue Willow Inn Restaurant and that was NOT to be missed. I mentioned it to the group and it was agreed. I made reservations for 7!



If this doesn't drip with southern charm then I don't know what!

The house was built in 1917.



That pretty little blonde gal was our server, Elaine.  Don't you just love that staircase?



Miss Billie stopped by our table and told us a lot of the history about the home's builders and early occupants. I wish I could remember half of what she said but I assumed it would be on their web site. But it's not. Bugger.

My plate... before food!



We had a perfectly southern, perfectly lovely lunch!



See that fried stuff over there on the left? THE best Fried Green Tomatoes I have ever had! Of course, everything was delicious! Corn Confit and Mashed Sweet Potatoes and the ham were my other favorites!



And yes, despite being stuffed, southern-style, there was CAKE! Actually there were tons of desserts and the others tried lots of them but I couldn't even finish my yummy layered chocolate cake and coffee!

After having a leisurely lunch we said our goodbyes and started the trek homeward. We decided to take the most direct route south which took us through some pretty country roads.



I wish these photos came out better, but an old iPhone through a dirty windshield of a car going 60 miles an hour?



We even went through Juliette, GA, home to The Whistle Stop Cafe which was used in the filming of Fannie Flagg's novel, Fried Green Tomatoes. We actually went right past the road and Al offered to stop... but all I wanted at that point was to get home to the Swamp.



My babies and these pretty pink clouds were waiting for me! Home Sweet Home!

CousinDears 2.0

[caption id="attachment_2080" align="alignnone" width="604" caption="Kaitlyn & Leann under The Awesome Hat"][/caption]

One of my favorite things about my recent trip up nawth was the SisterDear/CousinDear weekend.

You're shocked, I know. :P

These 2 gals are Kaitlyn, the daughter of my cousin Michelle,  and Leann, the daughter of my sister Tina.



It was the first time these two had ever met. But they are now BFFs forever! It was THE most amazing thing!



Us Cousins all grew up together. We had birthdays, holidays and family BBQs together. It was easier then because we lived in the same neighborhood in the same small town. It was a wonderful way to grow up! These 2 live hours apart... Tina lives in New Hampshire and Michelle lives down in southeastern MA... in Plymouth (Cape Cod).



Well anyway, they hit it off in the first second. It was one long gigglefest!



They made cupcakes, did hair-braiding, compared songs on their iPods, danced, watched movies and entertained Aria...



In general, they just had a blast the whole weekend.



Much like their aunties and mothers!



I am blessed to part of such an awesome family!