Soooooo

So another Monday done--yea!!!! Not that I want to wish my life away-just that I love it when it is done for the week. It was very windy, rainy, snowy--YES Snowy!! overnight. Just rain this am and sunny this afternoon. I obviously had on a light coat and short sleeve shirt--just not ready to admit it is fall yet. Everyone at work is wearing sweaters. I did buy some new ones--just need to wear them.

I finished my fatbook pages. I had the letter M with a small part of a poem--I think they turned out well. I cut out the letter M with my BigShot and one of my Sizzix dies. I first did it with paper then wanted more dimension so I used a piece of cardboard and wrapped it with floss...

I also received my September swap Mermaid ATCs which were originally lost in the mail so the gal made another set for me... Aren't they cool???

I have so many really cool paper artdolls, I need to display them somehow-- I might use the shadowbox I got from Creative Memories.

I finally put my electric blanket on my bed--a newer one I got from My Mom and for some reason the ON switch won't stay on--I need a clamp to hold it on--all of the ones I have a too small--I'll keep trying because it makes for a long night to lay there and hold it on!! LOL

Fall is here

It has been raining, cold and gloomy the past 2 days. At least I made it through the week--let's just say I don't want to work with some people anymore but.....

Today I slept in--it was great and the cats loved it--they slept in all day!!! I just took my time to get up, dressed, read email, drank coffee. I then worked on finishing my Photo art journal pages, made an Asian artdoll to swap

and continued to work on my fat book pages. It wouldn't take so long except I kept changing my mind on what I want to use an embellishments.

I did play around with my new Big Shot and Cuttlebug today. I need a couple of mats that I don't have for the Big Shot.

I am doing some 0nline Christmas shopping and also found some new candle lights for my front windows--my old ones died over the past 2 years so I need to order these. They are run with batteries and not plugged in so should be good.

Frosty morning

It was a frosty morning-nice to have a garage after scrapping the windshield for so many years. It turned into a really nice day--sunny, clear blue skies. It was really busy at work and then I went right to my Mom's house and picked her up. We went out to eat at Arbys and sat and talked as the sun went down a long time. We then went back to her house so I could do a few jobs for her and give her things I had bought for her. My niece Heidi stopped by briefly while I was there. Now it is near bedtime--I get up too early too stay up late.
I am working on a fatbook of a poem where we each have a sections and we will find out entire poem when we get our books back. I have the letter M

Fall Sunday

Despite being cooler, it has been beautiful--sunny, a few clouds, a little breeze. all the leaves changing color. The Sumac is brilliant red this year and all the yellows are so vibrant.
Sandy came over yesterday after I mowed and deactivated the sprinkling system and she with my help pulled up or cut down all the stuff in the back-about 9 30 gallon bags worth. We then hauled the bags to her Mom's house and dumped in woods to decompose. I could barely move when we got done. I also started taking in patio furniture for winter-all done except the table which I need help with. I need to dig up dahlia and canna bulbs this week. We also need to bag stuff from vegetable garden.
I did 5 loads of wash, straightened up the house, got caught up on the newspapers and did some bills.
Today I talked with my Mom and Sandy and made a new header for Sara's blog--hope she likes it. I also went online and ordered some new clothes-mainly some shirts and a vest.

cooler

It seems that fall has come to Michigan finally--much cooler and leaves are turning and falling. Frost over night, plants dying. It poured and blew Wednesday night.

I went out with Phyllis and Dee for Dee's birthday to the Macaroni Grill--the weather was terrible!!! I had the Chef's trio which included a Caesar salad, "layers of lasagna" and dessert. We had their great bread and shared an artichoke dip appetizer. I had enough lasagna left for dinner the next night!!

It was also Joann's birthday at work so we helped her celebrate all day.

Today at work we had a lot of fun as it was Shari's 50th birthday--we decorated her desk and brought goodies in plus 10 of us had lunch in the cafe at 1pm--took an hour lunch--we gave her a bag of very necessary items like Milk of magnesia!!! It was a super busy day so nice to have a break for once.

Gayle gave me a new book to read. It is called"Dewey" and is about a small town library cat--looks very good.

I got a great card in the mail from one of my swaps I do.....

surviving the week

I made it through 2 days of work--very busy but I am learning to tune most of my loud co-workers out with my ipod--probably go deaf but it is worth it. It is still summer like here with temperatures in the 70s and sunny. We did have some rain this morning and very windy but beautiful sunset tonight. It is supposed to get colder later this week.
I was just reading a gal from Canada's blog and they just had their Thanksgiving which makes it hard to believe USA's is a little over a month away. Not that I have any family Thanksgiving to go to-it will be a nice quiet day at home. I am not taking any extra time off so will work before and after every holiday this year. I figure other people have families and would like it off more.
Tomorrow is my sister Dee's birthday and us 3 sisters are going out to eat at the Macaroni Grill for dinner--should be fun.
Sandy came and pulled up the zinnias and tomato plants yesterday

weekend fun

Yesterday was another warm sunny day-- I actually was sweating as I mowed the yard--still have lots of flowers blooming--I see a tomato is ripe also and a few peppers still growing. Hard to believe it is the middle of October.

Last night was the Gala evening for everyone from Spectrum Health who has been employed there over 20 years--it was my year to go and I asked Sandy to go with me. Officially I have been there 25years but really have been between the 2 hospitals 32 years but oh well. It is semi formal and takes place in the ballroom at the Devos Place--very elegant. There was a live band and singers, two table of cheese and crackers, veggies and dips to start, cash bar and you could have picture taken. We then sat in round tables of 8 except for those that had been there over 40 years and they sat at a long table--22 of them plus their guests. We sat with Shari B(30years), my co-worker and Kathy N(30years) another coworker plus a gal we had worked with on pediatrics at Blodgett in the early 70s. We had a bunch of people from our dept there along with spouses and friends. The dinner started with salad and bread. We got a choice of main course and we choose the Bourbon BBQ steak with garlic potatoes and asparagus spears--it was all wonderful. The table got to share 2 bottle of wine. The dessert was cheesecake either plain or one with chocolate and nuts--I had the chocolate. It was all served so efficiently. We had a great waitress who kept water and coffee cups filled. We then had a short talk by Blodgett president and SH president. The entertainment was a comedian/magician who had some of the audience up there so very fun-we laughed so hard!!!

As a present, we got a paper weight that is heavy glass and has a white tree inside-very elegant looking. Sandy left her Mom alone and she did well-getting stronger every day.

Sandy is going to try and work some this week.

Today is another beautiful one--over 80 degrees. I did some rubber stamping as I had to make a bunch of cards for some swaps and birthdays this week. I finished fixing some little shadowboxes for Dee. I had made them years ago and they need new fronts.

The cats are laying in the sun-I told them to enjoy it while they can-it will be cold soon...

Max in the sun....

Bird on the deck rail....

friday frenzies

The week has gone by so fast--all work and long hours--I am so tired of it--so many people in a small office and so noisy and I have to listen to everyone's conversations and phone calls--no wonder I am tired. We had a cake today for one of the gals that is leaving.

The weather is beautiful--sunny 70 degrees today--I had to water the hanging baskets and lawn needs mowing--hard to imagine that it is the middle of October.

I really haven't done much this week. I did clean out my pantry in preparation for food drive tomorrow--just all those extra canned goods and the like.

Double Delight Rose still blooming like crazy--thinks it is summer I guess.

monday's musings

Another busy Monday done for this week--yea!!! It was kind of rainy this morning but cleared off by the time I got home from work--chilly in the 50s today.

I got my Mom signed up for online banking through her credit union-more so I can help her when she is stuck with her checkbook. She doesn't understand it but is OK with it. At 89 years old, it is amazing to her.

Yesterday I went to Phyllis and Sherwin's house for dinner and to see Sara and Steve since they are visiting from Arizona along with my Mom, Sherwin's Mom and Stacey and Kyle. We all went to Whistlestop Park and I took pictures of their family for them.. I got some good ones.....

Sara and Steve

Stephanie and Stacey

Sandy's Mom seems to be doing a little better-actually got dressed and got out to see the therapist today. She has more doctor's appointments so will get a work out this week
Their new sewer connection seems to be working well. The front lawn needs to be fixed now but grass will grow.

Fall asters

Interesting week

t went from warm last weekend to freezing last night--it seemed to get most of the zinnias and ageratum but dahlias look fine--it was pretty white everywhere this morning.

Week went fast---

Wednesday night after work I did some shopping at Sam's Club and did a few other errands. Thursday night after work I went to my Mom's for dinner and took her to store so she could pick out some greeting cards--it was pouring rain of course so we both got soaked.

Friday night I went and bought cat food and checked out the adoptable kitties at Pet Supplies Plus then came home, mowed the lawn, and worked outside until it got dark which is getting earlier every night!!!

Sara and Steve are visiting from Arizona and announced they are pregnant so her and Stacey are due 5 days apart in April!!!

Work was the usual hassle--my actual job is great-it is just all the stiff going on around me--it was a real mess as a new set of people started some new assignments--talk about no leadership for them. Then on Friday we get an announcement that the doctor who started this whole mess is taking another job within Spectrum so they have to get an interim doc plus look for someone else. You just know their philosophy will be different so it goes on. We did find out what they are going to do for the holidays--thank goodness--no short staff days which were always are farce anyways.

Today I met over at Judi C's house and she drove us to Arnie's in Greenville for a fun 2 hour class using the Cuttlebug with both embossing and cutting techniques. It was taught by Sue Nelson from http://www.heartprints.com/ She had so many fun ideas and techniques. If you have never been there, it is a wonderful store full of all kinds of art and craft supplies--worth a road trip

We had a fun lunch after at Applebees in Greenville than back home. I picked up Sandy's mail and did some shopping for her and went to visit her and her Mom.. Had to see the Sewer reconstruction they had to have done this week.

It is only 57 degrees and the clouds look like fall to me--supposed to rain again tomorrow.

We have a family dinner with Sara and Steve tomorrow-- I am supposed to take some family pictures also.

I even did some digital scrapbooking layouts this week....

I used "seashore splendor collab" kit from nbk and tempus furgit--both live in Germany and it is perfect for Caribbean pictures I have.