ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY!

I'm a week out of surgery, at home watching basketball, etc. and doing well.

I have three more weeks of not doing anything --- just laying around --- becoming more lazy than I already was.  Hopefully, I will do something post-worthy soon.

Till then -----

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAVORITE SON, MIKE!

HIS WHOLE LIFE, HE HAS TAUGHT US THINGS WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED!

 NOW HE TEACHES HIGH SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE.

IN ADDITION, HE WILL BE SPENDING HIS SPRING BREAK TAKING STUDENTS TO JAPAN TO LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURE AND THE WONDERS OF THE COUNTRY.  

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN TRIP, DR. SAULMON. WE'RE ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHAT YOU LEARN NEW ON THIS, YOUR FOURTH TRIP TO JAPAN!

GRANDSON HAS ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!

Our special Valentine present in 2002 was this little cutie ---

His big sister was so proud!

And, now he is 17 years old already -- how did that happen?

Caitlin is still proud; and they have a great relationship.

They still think they are in a Peter Pan movie!!

Happy Birthday, Wyatt!

and

Happy Valentine's Day, Caitlin and Wyatt!

Keep dreaming, sweet kids.

TINY TREASURE

For some reason, our local antique stores are usually quiet the day after Christmas.  That makes it a great day to get out, walk around, and maybe find a tiny treasure.

A tiny 2 1/2" brown transferware butter pat for $3.00!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

OUR HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS, 2018

As always --- a lot of red and plaid!

Our flags fly year around!

The family tree with 60 years of accumulated ornaments including a red ball added and dated each year of our 60 years of marriage.

 Santas collected from travels.

 Antique Christmas postcards and pictures from previous Christmases plus a row of stockings I knitted for each family member.

 Tree with glass ornaments collected from travels and gifts from friends.  Also, there are glass ornaments and roping inherited from family.

Our decorations don't change much each year.  I love tradition too much!

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES #6 - BAKED CHICKEN TAQUITAS WITH QUESO SAUCE

NEW CUPBOARD

For 20+ years, I have had this strange, little corner made by the wall that covers the side of my refrigerator in the kitchen.  It adjoins the dining room.  I've never quite known what to do with the space trying various arrangements of small furniture, etc.

Finally, with my ever-growing collection of brown transferware in need of space; we came up with a permanent solution.

Bob built and installed a cupboard that matches the kitchen cupboards in design.

Problem solved ---

storage ---

and another surface for seasonal displays!

Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone.

Then on to the wonderful celebration of Christmas ------

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON MY BIRTHDAY

Another milestone birthday has arrived.

Thought #1

Both Bob and I were fortunate to grow up in a close-knit, small town with lots of friends from our pre-school years through high school graduation.

My 4th birthday party

Celebrating another party together

We went through high school with these kids, and still keep in contact and see a lot of them regularly.  One thing about having childhood friends is they always know how old you are!!!

At our last lunch get-together, they gave me this pen --- it's hard to forget your age when it's printed right on a pen.

 Once a Meloneer, always a Meloneer!

Thought #2

I had a younger cousin whose birthday was the day before mine.  We shared a lot of celebrations together.  Then, our daughter, Jenni, was born two days before my birthday.  Naturally, we've shared 46 joint birthdays.  I've never minded sharing --- it takes some of the pressure off the idea of getting older.  But, this year, a family friend sent me half of a birthday card; and said he was sending the other half to Jenni.

 Is that tooooooo much sharing?

Thought #3

I've discovered the REAL fountain of youth --- it's having grandchildren.  My talented granddaughter brought me these flowers she had arranged.  She knows how much I love garden flowers especially combining orange, burgundy, and yellow this time of the year.  

A card from both Caitlin and Wyatt was enclosed with a note about their appreciation.  I was touched; they always make me feel so much younger.

Thought #4

Actually, I am 26 days older than my husband of 60 years.  So, now we are in that period of the year that, on paper at least, it shows me to be a year older.  He will often remind me of the fact.

I can hardly wait until December, when we can be the same age again.

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES #5 -- OH, TO BE IN HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN FOR FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!

ANTIQUING

A trip to Denver never disappoints!

I had a quilt meeting in Denver on Saturday; and while I did my thing, my husband met our son to walk around a couple of favorite antique malls.  We met up again for lunch at a good Japanese restaurant.  They reported that they had seen a bunch of brown transferware; and that's all I needed to hear!

After eating, we headed back to the antique mall so I could check the dishes out.  
What they had seen were nice, but a little pricey for early 20th century transferware.
BUT, in another booth my eagle eye spied this 19th century beauty ---

A large 11" x 15" platter (platters are my weakness) ---

with a beautiful 
scene ---

and exquisite tracery ---

with beautiful borders.

This is the mark on the back.  The kite mark indicates it was made on January 13, 1883.  Transferware from the Aesthetic Movement era is my favorite.
Probably more than I should spend; but with 25% off, I couldn't resist.
Hey, it's anniversary, birthday, and Christmas time of the year !!!!

I'm joining the following:
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES #4 - AUTUMN AND A PLAID PUMPKIN

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES #3 -- HOME-GROWN TOMATOES

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES #2 -- AUTUMN'S FLOWER GARDEN

BIRTHDAY TIME

We had a small family get-together to celebrate granddaughter, Caitlin's 22nd birthday and her boyfriend, Andy's 24th birthday with cake and ice cream.

And presents, of course, including books and also for this book- loving girl a bookcase quilt.

More details about this quilt can be found on my quilting blog -- https://qbits-salmagundi.blogspot.com/2018/10/bookcase-quilt.html

Happy birthdays to Caitlin and Andy!

LONG-STEM ROSE

My rose garden is struggling.  Twenty years ago it was planted in full sun; but now the trees in the front yard have grown to shade the garden.

Therefore, the roses really search to find some sun.

This plant has grown to about 7 feet in search of a bit of sunshine ---- making it the ultimate long-stem rose.

We need to rethink and make some changes next year for this garden!

60th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION -- THIRD AND LAST INSTALLMENT!

After a couple of months planning, it was time for the reception.  The previous two posts show some of the preparation.

But before people started to arrive at 2:00, we had some family pictures taken.

Back row L to R:  Son, Mike; daughter, Jenni and her husband, Gary.
Front row: Granddaughter, Caitlin; Sally and Bob; Grandson, Wyatt

As Caitlin calls us "Ohana".  If you are familiar with Disney's "Lilo and Stitch", that's us --- a bunch of adopted aliens.  I won't specify who is adopted and who is alien.  You can guess.  We are dysfunctional enough to be normal --- how's that for an oxymoran?

Welcome to the party!

This is my Wednesday morning coffee aka quilt group.  We have been getting together every Wednesday A.M. since 1982 -- faithful friends!

Our pastor offering prayer and blessing before we cut the cake.

Good cake, fruit, sandwiches, punch, etc.-----

Some of my 'Church Lady Friends' -- they worked all day in the kitchen to make our day special.

Bob with his sisters

A cousin of mine (with her daughter) -- She, Bob and I graduated from high school together.
She is now the matriarch of my mother's family and has a mission to keep us all in the loop.
Having no siblings myself, she's special to me!

More classmates --
still with lots to talk about after all of these years!





About 100 people came and went to celebrate with us on our special day.

To end this anniversary celebration/reception/hoopla, I had to show this candid picture of me.

  I didn't know the photographer was focused on me as I was visiting with friends and enjoying the day.  And ----- my husband of 60 years said it was worth paying a photographer for 200 pictures just to have this one!

Here's to many more years --- maybe we will even be blessed to enjoy our 70th anniversary. 

Thanks to Beel Photography for photographing our party.

I'm joining Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday