THRIFTING.......

I had such a busy week, let me tell you....
There was something or somewhere I had to be everyday... but the highlight of my week was my day spent 'thrifting'.

My city girl came out to spend a couple days and she wanted to go to thrift stores. She was specifically looking for old jewelry, chains to be exact, that could be remade to use in her jewelry creations. So, readers, clean out your old stuff and send it to her.... or me, to forward to her.

Anyway, we headed out. Off to her college town, where she had some specific shops she wanted to hit. Getting there, we found a primo parking spot, headed to the 1st store, only to be told that whole side of the street was without power. REALLY???? She came all the way from Chicago and this? ERGHHH.

We headed to the south side of the street, and killed an hour or so, headed to another block, pawing through more cast offs of other's lives, only to find nothing she 'needed'.

Finally the electricity came back on and we were able to go into the store I really wanted her to go into. See, a week or so before, my friend and I were in there, and saw this lamp... it was just such an interesting find.... and 'so' my funky daughter.  She definitely decided she needed it, so we got it, an early birthday gift. 

Kinda leaves you speechless doesn't it?

AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO MIGHT ASK.....

ARE YOU EVER HOME?

To which I'd have to say, lately, NO.

We were gone over the weekend. To my sister in law's fab cabin in Northern Wisconsin. We had a great time. Drove up on Friday, got there around 5:30ish, and began enjoying the weekend.

Saturday morning, we got ready for 'Winterfest' on the lake.

Yep, in February, we were heading to a party on the lake. The frozen lake. We jumped on the 4 wheelers (well, I reluctantly agreed).

Those of you that have been around a while, know I HATE THEM and why, and if you are a new reader, you can see why here. 


My husband and I following his sister and her husband slid down the icy road to the trail that took us to the lake access.  They headed out onto the lake, zooming along until they cracked through the ice.  Ah,  yeah, not far from where their poor neighbor did the same thing last year and unfortunately died....

Anyway ~

My sister in law jumped off, we came to a screeching halt, and watched, as her husband rocked it back and forth out of the 6 or so inches of water.  The lake was frozen, like 20 inches frozen, there was just a bubble there. With slush and water.... it really was scary.

We turned around, loaded up the Land Rover and drove AROUND the lake to Winterfest.  Everyone was very nice and welcoming.  There was food and drink a plenty.  Golf on the ice;

 

 

ice fishing; cars, SUV's trucks and 'shanty's' on the ice. 

NOT my SUV , however.

After spending the day, we headed back for dinner and and evening of games.  They love to play games and we always have SO much FUN when we do, I don't know why we don't play games.  Then again, I suppose it helps if you are in the same state when you are playing.  Silly me.

So unfortunately, we all had to head out earlier than we wanted because a major snow storm was hitting Wisconsin. We saw no fewer than a dozen cars in the ditch, drove through snow, sleet, and finally rain.

So, I'm home.  Who's to say for how long though.....

...AND WINNER IS.....

drum roll please.........

SHARON

from http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Sharon, forward me your information and I'll send you your little bag!

I had such fun with this, I think I'll do another giveaway, so keep checking with me I'm working on the flowers for it now!!

CLEANING.....

So, when we bought this house, a hundred years ago (or so it seems) I was SO EXCITED. It was like stepping back in time. Oh my, there were marble sinks, MARBLE!! And RADIATORS! And HARD WOOD FLOORS all over the house. And the windows have 'runny glass' you have to look through them 'just right' to see clearly. Oh, and let us not forget the transoms above the doors... wow... so what if they don't shut tight- aren't they cool? Ah yeah.

Twenty + years later, I still like the marble sinks...but am always wondering if I'm cleaning them right? Probably not. Oh and there is the problem with the one that had a large chuck fall out of the bowl.

We glued it in and it seems to hold water...but...yeah, for how long?

I HATE the radiators. The damn things are in the way. Wherever I want to place a strategic piece of furniture, I can't, there's a radiator in the way

...and the heat.  It's DIRTY.  Really dirty.
The windows... still like the runny glass okay, but the breeze that comes in around them...well I could sure live without that. And it blows around the damn dust balls that seem to appear out of now where and are the same size as a guinea pig.

The transoms....nail those bad boys shut. Period.

Then there are the floors... they are lovely, when they don't have the a fore mentioned dust ball tumbleweeds and/or the tracks from wet shoes (a lovely bonus for this time of year).

So with all this said, I decided to hire a cleaning lady. I mean, really, how can one woman do all the things that need to be done to maintain a lovely old home? Right? Right.

So, I gotta go clean, before  she comes. ugh.

SUNDAY = CURRENTS.....

listening: to the dogs bark...ugh

eating: Sweettart hearts

drinking: nothing at present

wearing: jeans and a dog rescue shirt... I'm looking snappy

feeling: blah

weather: WARM AND SUNNY!! The Tundra is melting!

wanting: it to be boating season, really.

needing: a housekeeper

thinking: about heading out soon

enjoying: the sunshine!

wondering: why I'm in such a blah mood?

AND NOW, IT'S TIME TO GO.....

Well, a couple weeks ago, I left home with one LARGE suitcase, and one small carry on with my laptop, book etc in it. After extending my trip another week, I find I must take TWO suitcases home in addition to my carry on. Guess I did a little shopping. It's a curse, I'm gifted that way.

So, frankly, I could really stay. Not a pressing thing to do EVERY DAY. My husband breezes in for a light snack(ish) type lunch, he heads back and I'm left with an afternoon, of NOTHING PRESSING TO DO.

Evening rolls in and he comes home (like a normal married couple) and we have might head out for a walk (weather permitting) then a drink, and discuss where we are going to eat. There are a plethora of delightful restaurants, and my husband is known at them all. Then, often we head back and go to the restaurant/bar on the first floor of his building and hear the live band.

Have I mentioned I love live music? Well, I do.

So, would you want to go home to Chicago, where it is the frozen tundra? I think not.

Sweet home... Houston.... it's got a ring to it....

DEEP IN THE HEART.....

of Texas.

That's where I am. Still.

I came down last week, to hang out with my husband... and miss the blizzard of 2011...

hehehe... well, maybe the hehehe was on me. It's been cold. Not just chilly....but,COLD. Like below freezing cold. And I, savvy traveler, only have a cardigan and a denim jacket. Ah yeah...

I ventured out to Macy's (not the best Macy's let me tell ya) and got a couple sweaters and some gloves, but in reality, I could use a down coat, like the one I left in my car at O'Hare airport in Chicago, buried, under 2 1/2 feet of snow.

The big storm of 2011 dumped serious snow in the Chicagoland area and an arctic blast throughout the Midwest well down into Texas, complete with a FORECAST of paralyzing snow.. 3 inches..whew..scary.

They announced the airport was closed, a few hours BEFORE the dreaded storm hit..

And, of course, it didn't snow, now there was ice, and that really freaked everyone out, so they closed all the roads, including their 'main artery' interstate type roads. Just plain closed.

 

Weird, deserted streets...and the birds... that my husband said have never done THIS before... they know I'm here..

 Just call me Tippy....

Over the weekend, we ventured off to Austin, to see what was there.  Being the capitol of the great state of Texas, we were curious.

It was a nice town, we stayed in a glorious old (refurbished) Texas hotel. In typical Texas fashion it was grand. And I loved it.

The best part of Austin was....I got to see an old college friend, whom I hadn't seen in like (gulp) 25 years... we had a FAB time, and picked up right where we left off.. many memories and a lot of laughs....

So I'm back to Houston, and am staying another week. After all, would you want to go home and dig out your car and face all that snow? I think not. So I'm here for another few days, and I'm hopeful for some springish weather, it was warm over the weekend, like 76 yesterday, today cooler, but sunny, I'll take it! Yee Haw...