Ten Years Ago Today....

Yeah, I don't think this is really the sort of anniversary one celebrates, but I couldn't help remembering that day....  OUCH.

Getting ready for a garage sale, I wanted to ask my darling hubby if it was OK if I sold one of the old pictures he brought to Washington from Hawaii....  I was trying so hard not to break the picture as I fell.......

Oh yes.....I did!  I DID save the picture.

Not such a great result for my leg.

Still, ten years later not totally healed....  but so incredibly grateful that I've been on my feet for ten more years.

Thank you Jesus.

If you're so inclined you can read my story here.

And, today's a big day for my sweet hubby.  He'll be baptized in water tonite at our church.  He was baptized as a child...  this time he made the decision to live for Jesus himself.  I can't wait.  I am so happy.

And, as we celebrate Memorial Day, I'll be grateful for my ability to walk, but so VERY grateful to those who fought for our country.  You are heroes.  God bless each and every one of you.  And to your families who have done it all in your absence.....my heart goes out to you........you are heroes as well.

Have a safe weekend my dear friends.

Huggies and Lovies too.....

Spence

Beautiful, Beautiful Hawaii

We're home from a wonderful and restful 10 days in the islands... 

We stay........as usual.........in the very bedroom where my husband stayed as a boy....  his mom has lived in this house for over fifty years....  that's the view everyone has enjoyed for so long.....  Easy to see why she doesn't want to move.

She turns 89 today...  and sadly has Alzheimer's.  We heard many of the same stories over and over but she was so joyful in sharing them that they were new and fresh each time....   She's been very independent since my father-in-law's death over 20 years ago.  And, actually played tennis until about 3 years ago and was involved in a lot of charity work and her church....  much more content to be at home now.

It broke my heart when the end of our trip was nearing and she kept asking us to stay, to come back soon, she had plenty of room, could we move in, and telling us how much she'd miss us.  Bless her heart.  She stood in the driveway watching us leave until we turned the corner.  Boy, that was a tough departure.

Happy Birthday Sweet Maggie...  and yes, we'll be back soon.

The view above is looking left from her home....

This view is looking to the right.......isn't it fabulous?

Soooo beautiful........

This shot is from our first morning....  we always go out to watch the sunrise...  Not too spectacular this morning, but it's a great place to have your morning cuppa!

On our way home from Hawaii Kai...

Diamond Head..........OH MY GOSH........there are some spectacular homes and views up there.  Unbelievable...

Love the courtyards.  So many homes all over Hawaii have them.  They're not allowed in our little community, but oh how I wish they were!

Blue skies and blue, blue ocean....  I wouldn't mind coming down this road to make it home.......

Many homes have gates like these.  I wish I'd taken more pictures.  My darling hubby isn't as patient as I am in the picture taking department.    :-)

Look at that HOUSE!  WOW!  Wonder who lives there.

Lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company...  Ala Moana.  Even that little place has a view.......

My favorite lunch........Kona Brewing Company...  It was FAB.U.LOUS!

A good get-a-way is wonderful, but it's always so great to get home.  I left my bathroom remodel mid-stream so it's good to get home and get back to work on it.  I'm anxious to show you.....  Lots still to do.

And, I have some other pictures of some homes to show you.......they are incredible.  

I'll post them in the next few days.

So, until then...........Aloha....    :-)

Spencer

xox

Portland Finds....

Hey Chickies!

As promised..... the pictures of the goodies we found on our recent trip to Portland.  Gosh I love that place.  We had such a good time and the shopping is super.

I really shouldn't buy a single thing.  I have enough to fill two houses and am ready to sell off some of the overflow, but when one is a treasure hunter, it's really hard to give it up...  I just can't!

Love, love, love vintage seam binding.  I have about 47 gazillion yards of the stuff.  I've had a "thing" for ribbon for a long, long time.  I could put bows on everything I own for the rest of my days and still wouldn't use it all up.  That's just how I roll....  Everything's cuter with ribbon, right?

Loved that little loom.  It looks like it might be painful to use, but I'm going to give it a whirl one of these days.

A cute little biscuit jar for my kitchen re-do.  I've been collecting things for a couple of years now.  I'll be happy to finally get moving onto that project.

Cute drawer........has dividers.  No clue what I'm going to do with it. 

Any ideas clever girlies??

Those little apples?  A whole bag of them at the Goodwill for 4.99.  What a buy!

They say that number 8 is the number of money.  I need some of that, for sure!

We've been working on the master bathroom.  The first room in the Spring Cleaning lineup.  It is going to be SO darn cute.  I'm excited to show it to you.  It's going to be a few weeks from now, however.  We're leaving in the morning for Hawaii.   :-)

  

Whooopeee!

Some good eats and shopping are in my future.

Better go pack!

Spencer

xo

Tip Of The Day!

I FINALLY have started the 'ol Spring Clean!

I fully intended to start right after Christmas...yeah.....didn't make that timeline for sure.

Which really has nothing at all to do with this post, does it?  

Except that I wanted to replace all the moss in my pots as I work around the cottage spiffing things up and I found this AWESOME deal at Dollar Tree.

A BUCK!  I've purchased dearfoot/reindeer moss many times, and usually use my Michaels coupons, but have never gotten the stuff for a buck.

So, hurry right on over and pick yourself up a few bags!

Thanks Dollar Tree for the great deal.

It's a decent sized bag too!

The second part of this story is that I bought four bags full of items and only made it home with two.  Why can't they give you ALL of your bags?  I was NOT happy.  I am in the midst of totally tearing the place up around here and did not have time for a return trip.  Grrrrr.

I always start with my bathroom (aka the master bath)...  and I'm so excited to show you all the improvements.....  It's a rather LARGE project which is why I was procrastinating.  As usual.

Ok girls........Start Your Engines!

Spencer

xo

Beautiful Portland

I'm so far behind on posting I don't know that I'll ever catch up...  :-)

I don't know where the time goes.  It seems to older I get the busier I am.  I always thought that by the time I was a grandma I'd have white hair and be sitting in my rocker all day doing a bit of needlework.  Yeah, well.....  that just isn't real life around here.  I'm lucky if I can squeeze some "fun time" in during a MONTH!   And, any discussion about haircolor is strictly off limits.......okay?    :-)

However, last month, my daughter, grandson and I went to Portland, Oregon for a few days.  We can drag B along everywhere with the promise of a hotel stay.  I don't know why he likes it so much, but it really makes the kid happy.  Well, that and a promise for a nice Voodoo doughnut.  Can't go to Portland without a stop by that little place.

I had to share this adorable little neighborhood with y'all...  It reminds me of Leave it to Beaver or Father Knows Best......Whew.......dating myself, huh?  It seems like neighborhoods like these are a thing of the past.  So many planned developments now........including ours.

I had a much better photo of the house on the top but somehow managed to delete the darn thing....  Isn't it so sweet?

I'd put lace cafe' curtains in the windows if this was my home...  I have them in our little cottage, as a matter of fact.  They just look so darn cute, don't they?

Looks like this one is either for sale or already sold.  I'll bet it has lots of stories to tell.

We loved this one......it looks so cozy, doesn't it?  I think a little grandma lives here.....  maybe sitting in a nice little rocker doing some needlework?

A tiny house with a little turret......sweet.

Loved the big window on this one........and the little, bitsy one to the left.

And, all this cozieness on this sweet little, tree lined street.

Home Sweet Home.    :-)

I'll be back SOON to share all the great purchases.  We found some wonderful things.  Not that I should be buying anything!!!   I have no more room and no more need, but it really is all about the thrill of the hunt, right?

I've really missed all of you dear chickies...  I'm going to have to be a better blogger. :-)

Huggies and Lovies,

Spencer

xo