:: Jade Eyes

jaded

adjective

1. tired; worn-out; wearied
2. dulled or satiated, as from overindulgence

Have you heard the phrase “to look at something with jaded eyes”?  I don’t recall where I first heard the term; perhaps it was something my mom would have said; she was always saying things like that.
I can tell you where I was sitting when I first learned it. Well, it popped into my head…and I completely understood what it meant to see things with jaded eyes.

My kitchen table…

:: Packing, Donating, REcycling and Awards

 
 
I spent the better part of the weekend, packing.  I also took the time to load boxes of things I do NOT want to move. I cleaned out cupboards—and oh, this was pretty simple because some of these cupboards I had already cleaned and organized over the HOT summer months.   However, I came across one item—that is an item of necessity for this family and is used at all large gatherings. 
I thought I’d share a cute little text exchange I had with my oldest daughter this afternoon; after all, she is the PARTY PLANNER in the family.

As with many things that are handed down from one generation to the next- it is my honor to dub thee "GLUE" that holds this family and all that it stands for "together".  So on this auspicious occasion you are awarded,not just any award, not a statue, or even a plaque; No.
You are awarded

The Punch Bowl --

So that on many occasions when We gather under your roof and at your precious PARTY PLANNING HANDS, with family and friends;  there may be EATING, DRINKING, and Merry MAKING!
She text me back promptly (because she is prompt)
YES! I ACCEPT.

**** In other news--- I loaded the trunk of my car and took 5 boxes, 1 electric skillet, and 1 broken Scanner/Printer (for recycling) to Goodwill.  I’m not going into the whole Goodwill profits or nonprofits, etc.  I called them and they take electronics for recycling, did you know that?  I didn’t—but I saw an ad for a Goodwill in a paper from another city advertising this, I called our local shop and they told me they’d take them. So—that’s what I did.  I also called the nearest Office Depot and they’ll take your recyclable electronics but you have to pay according to the size box it fits into?!?! What, really?   So—I took it to the questionable for profit Goodwill organization—for FREE!



‘Til next time, Be Blessed!
                 Patricia



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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing

:: W. I. P.

While I’ve been under the weather— T.H.  has started on some projects that we’ve had  in W.I.P. (waiting in pile)  OR Work In Progress; which ever works for you!  Currently, he’s been clearing out some brush along the fence and he has created a scrap metal pile; that will be hauled off eventually, hopefully to get a little bit of money for it. That will go into the savings jug!  In the mean time—he’s taken to putting the pallet wood on the bedroom wall!  


Yay!
I’ve wanted this pallet wood wall for a while.  After talking of moving I didn’t think it was going to happen. He went ahead and started on it---without me.  I’ll get to enjoy it while we’re finishing up here and getting the house ready to sell.  
I HOPE it’s an attraction and not the other way around!
I’ve used what spurts of energy I’ve had in order to keep up with everyday activities. But today I HAD HIGH-ENERGY! I felt like my stamina is coming back. 

• I was able to wash the few dishes we’ve used-- when you pack your dishes away, cleaning up is quick!  I think I’m going to like “less is more”!  The next thing I’m going to work on is wardrobe. 
• I did laundry today.  It was only 2 loads… and I was able to take a break in between hanging each load and letting them dry. 
• By late afternoon—I was feeling well enough, to sweep, take down and fold all the laundry; and we grilled with the kids next door.  My daughter told me they were firing up the grill, to bring something over and make some supper.   I noticed when I was walking back with our chops… I was feeling refreshed. It felt good to get some deep breaths, fresh air and exercise!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes and prayers for getting well.  I truly do appreciate each and everyone of your encouraging words!
Y’ALL ARE THE BEST!
‘Til next time, Be Blessed!
                  Patricia



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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing

:: An Emotional Wringer!

 

The flowers are as confused as I am!  The Four O’clocks, don’t really know the time of day or the season…anymore than I know if I’m coming or going!

After spending most of the weekend being under the weather—I’ve taken the slow and steady wins the race approach on the packing front.

I’ve not packed one box since last week—uhg!  I do get frustrated.  But rather than worry about it.  I take my tea to the porch swing with Vince and swing, until his little sleepy eyes can’t take it anymore—I put him in the play pen. 

…and then I jump up and get to crackin’!

No.

I take a 15 minute nap myself!!!! 

Am I still excited about moving?  Yes and no. In my PRACTICAL SIDE,  I’m over-joyed with the prospect of debt reduction.  I’m thrilled with fewer bills, and liquidating build-up!  Oh, yes!  packing a few boxes to be dropped off and never seen or heard from again ---at the local charity thrift store, it sounds wonderful to me. All the practical aspects of moving, I’m excited about. 

It’s the emotional aspects—that keep me faltering and second guessing myself. 

Things like the porch swing.

The PORCH!  I waited a long time to get my front porch!

No, not really.  It’s not the swing or the porch. It’s packing up the memories--- of all the times I’ve sat on the swing doing the same thing I did today, and yesterday.  Listening to the creaking of the chain in the anchor bolts; and swinging the baby ‘til their eyes are so heavy—they fall asleep in my arms.

Then, I have to say SNAP OUT OF IT!

GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!  This is going to be an adventure.   I dry my eyes…

and move on!

I put myself through an emotional wringer!

 

 

‘Til next time, Be Blessed!

Patricia


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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing

:: We’re All Children

 

Last Wednesday was my “Dad” day. 

I pick him and we run his errands.  He gets his check, we grab a bite to eat, he insists on putting gas in my car and we make a day of it. We drive through the back roads, from my country house and “sneak up on” and out of the city.

This particular day—I had my camera and asked if he minded stopping at the cemetery on the NORTH east side of the county. He obliged. 

I have no idea why I’m drawn to old cemeteries lately.

Honestly.  We don’t visit our own dead in my family.   It’s not something we do. 

The beauty in the old monuments is a big draw for me.  I don’t take flowers.

The love and celebration of life is overwhelming. 

The PASSING, the passed and the distant past; meet here, in the cemetery.  All walks of life. The military. The married. The husband. The mother. The infant.  Lots of infants.

We are all someone’s child.  Given life by a parent.

I edited the photos. I gathered them all here—I thought about these people for a moment, people I’ve never met.  Then it occurred to me.  I didn’t snap one picture of my dad.  Dad doesn’t like his picture taken. I guess instinctively, I just didn’t point my camera toward him; because of that reason.  I would like to think—I’d be more mindful of that in the future--- and sneak a picture or two. That’s how we get most our pictures of dad.

As we walked through the cemetery he talked of my mom.  How she too, liked looking at old monuments; but didn’t care much for graves of family. He spoke about the plague in 1918 that took the lives of so many, we noticed; including his young grandmother.(not buried here)   He also talked about Historical Monuments. There wasn’t one here at this cemetery, though I have to wonder why not.  It’s called Blackland Cemetery

NOTES/ THOUGHTS::  I searched online for a little while and found nothing really about it.  I have to wonder—because of the name and the region why it’s not marked “Historically” .  I also wonder if it’s a Black Cemetery.   I mean no disrespect… so please I hope anyone reading this doesn’t take it the wrong way.  But, I know up until a few years ago—some black families still lived in the area.  I also know that Crandall, the nearest town is well known for raising cotton for years and years (100+).   It could be that after cotton grows—the soil becomes depleted of good nutrients and become black and gummy.  It could be that mostly black families are buried here.  Either way, the area, the agriculture of the time;  the amount of deaths during the plaque and several military headstones… I just think this cemetery aught to have some recognition.  Surely, someone has some information on it other than where it is on the map.  

 

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
            And in Your book were all written
            The days that were ordained for me,
            When as yet there was not one of them.

~Psalm 139: 16

 

‘Til next time, Be Blessed!




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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing

:: A Lesson in Being Open

So yesterday… I was just really worn down.  

Sick as a dog.

:: When You Don’t Know What to Do- Sew

Over the weekend I made zippered pouches for WEST AND EAST…
I made one little flaw in my sewing on Saturday.

I didn’t close up the sewing machine.

Miss B.  got here today and took one look at the machine sitting out, in all it’s radiant glory…

:: Making Mental Checklist -

Today I puttered around the house. While doing so I made mental checklists of Things To-Do before putting the house on the market. That sounds so odd seeing that in writing. But it’s true.  It looks like it’s going to happen.

I took the curtains down in the kitchen window and both the curtains from off the lower cupboards on either side of the stove and washed them.  It was chilly outside…but the wind blew like the dickens.  So after washing and hanging them out—they dried pretty quickly. Not to mention,… did I mention the wind?  The curtains were wrinkle free!
 
Yes!  high winds take the wrinkles out!  I thought about standing outside and let the wind blow past me and see how well it worked!

So onto my Mental Checklist--

• I swept the kitchen floor.  (made a note that something will definitely need to be done to the kitchen floor)
• I wiped down the upper cupboard doors.  (NEEDS FRESH PAINT)
• I added FAN REMOVAL / SWAP to my list.
• Last week, I began dusting all the ceiling fans in the house.  They were over due and I’ll be reversing them soon for better heat circulation—Do you reverse your fans in the winter time?  Ceiling fans are a must for comfort here in TEXAS.  We heat the house with wood…and the fans help to circulate all that stagnate hot air up at the ceiling.  Makes a big difference.  The key is slow speed.  I was working in the kitchen today and those fans have already been cleaned and dusted.  
• There are two fans in the kitchen.  The one over the dining area needs to come down and a light fixture needs to go up instead.  It should then be swapped out with fan on the kitchen side—as it is more cohesive with my Farm House kitchen.  The one in the Kitchen side—needs spiffing with paint and new blades and put into the master bedroom.  The old one quit in there. 
• Ceiling needs paint.
• Shampoo Both Rugs and Remove one; keeping only one rug for under the table.
• Remove 1 table – keeping the smaller drop leaf and 4 Chairs.
• Get boxes and begin purging dishes and appliances.  Packing up will be one of the first things!

That's just a small list of things that popped into my head while I was cleaning.

After all that cleaning.  I got busy cooking. It was chilly though, like I said.  So I made chili and cornbread for supper.  It was quick and easy.  I’ve post a recipe for you here.  The oven warmed up the kitchen nicely too.

Over all --- it was a pretty productive day.



No.  It was a wonderful day. 

‘Til next time, Be Blessed!




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Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.~ Ephesians 5:15-17

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing

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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9

:: An Infamous Legend- Bonnie Parker

More of My Walk Through Town--

It Reads…

~KEMP CALABOOSE~

Built in the early 1900s the calaboose was used to jail offenders of the law.

It is legend that Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie and Clyde fame) and one other member of the Barrow Gang were held here in 1932.

Marker donated by supporters of the Kemp Development Fund

:: I Took a Walk-

Recently , with camera in hand…
Through my Home Town.

 

It’s sort of weird calling this my home town,because well… I wasn’t born here.

:: Rag Sheet—Not a Sleazy Newspaper

¹rag

noun \ˈrag\

Definition of RAG

1:

• a :a waste piece of cloth
• b plural :  clothes usually in poor or ragged condition
• c: clothing <the rag trade>

2:  something resembling a rag

3 : newspaper; especially :  a sleazy newspaper

Merriam Webster

Yesterday, I did some work around the house and yard.  I have an ongoing list of little things to do—some of which only take about 10 minutes… THINGS LIKE:  washing switch plates and doorknobs, or emptying a drawer, or dusting a lamp, so I spend about half-hour doing three main rooms this week, next week I’ll do the same list in the other half of the house! (with a few modifications)  I’ll include a link at the bottom where you can get your own list and print it off!

During the afternoon, while Honey stepped out to fish; and then later in the evening, I had time to make a scrappy little craft.

1. Small oval thrift store mirror-

2. French Fry basket

3. Scrap Sheet (torn into strips) and Scrap yarn

4. Wait ‘til Honey leaves and cut lots of Rag Strips for tying
5. Fold Strips in half push through French Fry basket pull ends through folded/ looped end
6. Every other hole for starters randomly all over the basket
7. Cut Yarn strips (not shown)  Fill in to your liking--

Pop oval mirror into French Fry basket with  scrappy yarn strips tied on …

TA-DAH! 
I made it for my grand daughter—to put in her room. Now I’m on the look out for other small oval mirrors because I have a whole stack of French Fry baskets from the dollar store, I’m no longer using.
It’s cute.  It’s easy. It didn’t take hardly any time at all. 

Like promised here is the link to another 31 Day blogger (the imperfect homemaker)  she’s already done the hard part, you just have to print it, Grab a rag and do 10 minutes at a time!
DEEP CLEANING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HARD

Here’s a picture for you to pin!
‘Til next time, Be Blessed!




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For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing 

:: Specifics Bob OR Ambiguity?

 

~Blogging 31 Days- My Personal Challenge to Write~ 

It’s day 8 already and I’m grasping here at what to write.  Part of my struggle to write is SPECIFICS. I swing between short and sweet OR  long and detailed.  S-T-R-U-G-G-L-E!!!!  No joke. This is only my second year to participate in the Write 31 Days Challenge— I like to use the time to be a little introspective, and that’s why I make it a challenge to myself.

There are lots of blogs out there giving away free advice.  Yours for the taking, if you’re willing to click on their link…and read it through. Free advice on how to blog. Free advice on how to blog and make money. How to write a post that keeps your readers wanting more. How to clean your house. How to … HOW TO!

How much do I want to share?  How detailed?  How wordy?

:: We Suffer from RUSH- and we got RAIN!

On Monday I had my 3 month check up.  I was diagnosed in June with T2 Diabetes.  They want to keep track of you progress every three months. 

My gracious—the only thing I can compare that to is 4 years in a row that I was pregnant!  Seriously, all my kids are 1 year apart, give or take, and at one time I had 4 children under 4 years old.  I was Super Mom!  :)

That ship has sailed.

:: Dear Diary-

di·a·ry

noun \ˈdī-(ə-)rē\

: a book in which you write down your personal experiences and thoughts each day

: a record of events, transactions, or observations kept daily or at frequent intervals : journal; especially :  a daily record of personal activities, reflections, or feelings

Merriam-Webster

• Saturday turned to Sunday---I went to bed so late.
• Slept the standard 6 hours…but later in the day than usual.
• No getting up at the crack of dawn—when you don’t go to bed until 4 am.
• Spent the day in REST mode.
• Drank coffee on the back porch with Buster at my feet.  He just wants me to ‘give him pets’. He’s such a good boy!
• Got a second cup—I went down to one cup when I dropped sugar from my coffee; but now I’m back up to 2 cups again.  Coffee- with half & half, no sugar.  Not so bad.  Took my pill—and had half a bagel with cream cheese.  Moved to the front porch—with T.H.  (the honey).
• Still trying to get pictures of the flock of sheep up the Farm-to-Market Rd… so, I welcomed the opportunity to ride to town with my daughter before the Football game.(They are big COWBOYS FANS).   She had to get her paper with COUPONS. She’s a power shopper! :) 
• The sheep were a no show. They don’t come as close to the fence like used to—STILL, I want pictures of them. So, I tried after the game—T.H. WATCHES THE COWBOYS AND ROOTS FOR THE OTHER TEAM. A little family competition. ;)  He rode with me to try and get pictures.. We made a special trip and we needed to fill the car up for the week.
• Came home—popped the chicken wings in the oven, made mac/cheese and beans. The Chicken wings were BLAZIN’ WINGS… they were so hot!  So good. Yummie!  Love the hot wings.
• Made out my menu for the month – waiting for COLUMBO to come on;  I used to watch this show with my Mom when I was a pre-teen; I think they were already Re-runs at the time.  It is the only show I watch with regularity. I PLAN TO WATCH IT. 
• Fiddled with the laptop… deleting more programs- that I’ve not used since I was initially given it. It’s running better.
• The best part of the day?  REST. LAID BACK. NICE AND QUIET.
• It was a good day.

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One year for Christmas I got the a set of books; it was a locked diary and matching Autograph book.  I took it to school and let my friends in my class sign it. When I wrote in my diary—as a girl, it was 

just like this—a laundry list of things that I’ve done. Did you ever have one of those DIME STORE DIARIES?   I had a couple. The one that came with a lock on it and 2 keys?  I always wondered who the other key was for?   

Til next time, Be Blessed!




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For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

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I'm participating in Nester's annual -31 Days of writing 

:: Do Something Spontaneous

The life of a spontaneous moment is fleeting. The longer it is allowed to hang there, unanswered;  the faster it dies off.  - Patricia R. (me!)

I can be spontaneous. 

To me it’s normal. When I do something spontaneous—it’s all me.  It’s usually JUST me.
My spontaneous moments are usually alone time (unless my grand daughter is here).

You know why? 
Because—it’s my idea.

:: Telling the Old Stories-

I noticed the light changing outside. It was too early for the sun to be setting. But the sky was an eerie color for that time of day. As I stepped out onto the porch there was a golden yellow glow and the sky overcast…immediately I knew.  FIRE!

:: Don’t JUST do Something; Stand there…

Yesterday was such a busy day for us!

GARDEN: I finally got the front garden beds emptied out from the dead vegetation.  I’ve not planted anything yet—considering it.  I did some inspection on some very small very young Plum trees that Honey planted last year.  I thought the grasshoppers had eaten them up. But after looking closely…

:: JOT SHEET

Like a good student I’ve written out my JOT SHEET.