* I FOUND IT! *

I found it, I found it! The cute header I used years ago. Still trying to make it the correct size, but this works for now.

I've been reading A LOT and getting close to finishing Good Riddance. Even though it's about 10,000 degrees here today, I might venture out to the library...although I do have that stack of TBR books 😉

Have I shared any photos of our view? 

Here's our view from our front porch! 

(This is an enlarged photo. We're not 2 feet from the lake, but close!)

Part of our screened-in porch. I've wanted one all my life!

And white wicker? Yes! One of my best friends, Sherry, got two chairs,

a love seat and a coffee table for FREE.

  A neighbor of hers was throwing it all away!

Sherry and her husband live a couple hundred miles away now 😥 

but she comes "home" quite often. She piled all the furniture into 

her car and brought it to us. 

Note: I got the beautiful armoire on Facebook's Market Place

which is where people buy and sell used items.
I got it for an amazingly low price!

It obviously opens and has so much storage space!

Looking forward to checking out all y'all's blogs! 

ENJOYING OUR SCREENED-IN PORCH

Charlie finally believed me when I said he'd see much better from the love seat than standing on the floor.

If this works, you'll see part of the porch, my feet, a cup of coffee and the beautiful chirping of birds. 

We just love it here. 

So relaxing, beautiful, great neighbors.

* SOMETHING FOR ELECTION DAY IN THE USA *

This is what I posted on Facebook early this afternoon, and decided I wanted to share it with my blog friends:


Just got back from taking Charlie for a walk. It's drizzling here, but not too bad and not really cold. Stopped and talked with a neighbor friend, who was sitting on one of the boardwalk benches, with a rain poncho on. From a distance, I couldn't tell who it was, but thought to myself.....Only _______ would sit out here in the rain and look at the lake! And yep, it was him! We had a brief discussion about the election....glad it's over, and hope "your" person wins, without saying who we voted for. And on the way back home, a calmness came over me, and I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The weight of all the junk we have all endured the past few months. And I knew right then, that no matter who wins tonight, it is only for four years, and life will go on. I'm happy to live in the USA, and definitely will NOT be moving, no matter who the next president is!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAYS *

It's Time Again for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

 

 

 

Hello wonderful people who take the time to stop and see what I've posted! I'm working at the shop today which I volunteered to do since my family gets together on different days to celebrate different occasions. Happy Mother's Day to all the fabulous moms out there!

I've written blog posts about my mother quite a few times and particularly on Mother's Day each year. (She died in 1989.) Although we loved each other, we never had that closeness that some mothers and daughters are so fortunate to share. It makes me think of the marvelous review Theresa Sanders wrote about my memoir, and posted on Amazon. Here is part of what she said "... her bumpy relationship with her sometimes distant mother..." Thanks again, Theresa (Sistah Teri!) I couldn't have said it better myself.

And also, I'm reminded of something my dear friend, Rita (now deceased) said during one of our thousand conversations. It made such an impact on me that I included it in my memoir. The chapter title is "Thoughts on Love & Forgiveness," and is primarily about my feelings toward my estranged dad. Here is what I wrote: "A wise friend once told me she believes part of our journey here on earth is to forgive our parents."

Ah...so true. I miss Rita every day because she was genuine. She was thoughtful and caring and spiritual and absolutely hilarious. (I sometimes referred to her as "crazy Rita" because of the funny things that would happen to her and the way she described them.)I know, too, that she would LOVE our little condo. Below are four of the newest photos I've taken. I hope they make you smile.

A close-up of a large bowl of petunias I bought.

A close-up of the gorgeous irises the previous occupant planted.

The bird feeder I bought and filled.

Shelves and cabinets above the kitchen sink.

I've had fun changing things around, trying to decide what to put where.

The fish is a one-of-a-kind piece of art created by our friend, Bob.

It's lightweight wood, covered with floral fabric. I just love it and think I found the perfect place to hang it.

"Sharing tales of those we've lost is how we keep from really losing them." - Mitch Albom, For One More Day