Which Comes First...

...the chicken or the egg? Well, in my sister, Jennifer's case---it would be the chicken. Then came the eggs.

She goes to her farm every weekend---where her husband already lives. It's in Salem, Missouri. She loves it out there. They have big plans. They've started with the chickens. She has taught us so much about the eggs. The chickens like to hide them when they lay---even though they have a nice hen house. It's like and Easter egg hunt every day!

As long as you do not wash the eggs, they can sit out on your counter for 3 months! That's unbelievable. Janet brought me a dozen about a year ago. I immediately refrigerated them. Of course, that meant they had to stay refrigerated. Now I know better. I like the idea of them sitting out. You see that in magazines, but I just thought they did it for the photo shoot.

They are definitely some good lookin' eggs. There's nothing like farm fresh eggs.

 She has made labels for her eggs. She sells them for $4.00 a dozen. If I lived closer, I'd buy them every week!

Just so you know exactly where they come from.

So, there you have the answer to that age old question: Which came first---the chicken or the egg? At least for Jennifer, it's answered!

Monday Memos, Mail and Me

I got a few things in the mail this past week. 

I got two of these ceiling fixtures. I had planned one for my closet and one for Butch's. But then he informed me that he has two lights in his closet, so I guess both of these will go in there. My closet has florescent lighting, but I was going to take that out just so I could have a nice looking fixture. I still might do it---thinking about it. This light reminds me of my new chandelier. I don't have that yet.

It's official. I'm OLD! Finally, after all of the problems, I got my card. The one thing I don't understand: our social security number is supposed to be sacred. You are supposed to be very careful about keeping it secret and not letting anyone know your number. So, your medicare number is your social security number with a letter added to the end. It's right there on the card for all the world to see (and memorize and commit fraud)! Since you never know who you can trust, I've covered mine up!

And then, there's this. I didn't get this in the mail, but I got this image via EMAIL! I'm counting it. Sandy sent me a really good recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos that uses these. Maybe I'll share it after I serve it at our farm crop at the end of February.

So that's about it for mail this week. I'm really enjoying this meme. Thanks to Sian for starting it from High in the Sky

Friday Funnies

Heading to St. Louis for a long weekend with Butch's brother and family. In the meantime, enjoy these funnies!

Memos, Mail and Me

Thanks to my friend, Sian From High in the Sky who has started this meme for 2017. It's about what interesting things you got in the mail the past week. I'm a little late to the party, but here goes.

I was looking forward to getting this large box of 12x12 scrapbook papers for AYM (A Year of Memories). I sorted it and figured out what I'm going to use together for the kits this year.

 I'm pretty excited about all of the choices. It's going to be a colorful year for our book of "story starters." One of my favorite things to do is to put kits together for my group. If anything, they've learned that you can make any story and photos work with any papers. They are becoming quite the storytellers. I'm very proud of them. After all, it's about the story and that's why I still do this!

And then, there's this. I got not one, but two letters from Social Security. Apparently, I'm on Medicare as they are quick to send what extra I'm going to pay. Yet, I still have not received my "welcome" post or member card. As a result, I had to postpone my new treatment. The longer I have to wait, the more nervous I become!

This next week, I'm expecting a few fun things for the renovation. I should have something more fun to show on Monday.

The Library

I'm so excited!

Probably a year or two ago, Connie told me that she was getting her books for her Kindle from the library. I went to my library to apply for a card so I could do the same. At the time, my library did not have electronic books. I live in a different county than her, so couldn't go to her library for them. Anyway, I just called the other day to find out if they now have electronic books. Yep! They do!! I'm so excited about that.

I got it all figured out and "borrowed" a book to see if I did it all correctly. No problem. Well, except one. I borrowed the book for just a week and am not ready to read it yet. So, I returned it right away and emailed Connie. I was trying to figure out how you could borrow a book for longer. She directed me to the settings. I set my borrowing time for 3 weeks. That will give me plenty of time to work in a book I've possibly waited for. I average about a book a week, but don't need that pressure when borrowing a book. Problem solved.

Anyway, today, I "borrowed" Gillian Flynn's newest---not really a book per se, but more of a short story. Still, it would have cost me $2.99 to buy it for my Kindle. I love her and have read ALL of her books---she only has 3, so that's not really saying much. She's the author of Gone Girl. Her book Sharp Objects is really good too. Sorry, I digress. When I start talking (or writing) about books, I can go on and on!

I started the Clifton Chronicles series by Jeffrey Archer on Connie's recommendation in December. There are 7 books in the series. I'm on book 6 now. I have This was a Man---book 7 of the Clifton Chronicles "on hold." That means when it's available, I'll be able to get it.  I really didn't want to commit to a 7 book series, but he is one of my favorite authors. If you've never read Jeffery Archer, start with Kane and Abel. I am #83 on the waiting list for 10 copies. Apparently, a LOT of people use the libraries electronic books. Another thing I don't understand---why wouldn't books in cyberspace be unlimited?

That's one of the things I don't like about the Kindle and purchasing electronic books---you can't lend them. Okay, some you can--but they are usually older books or lame books. Even if it's lendable, it is only lendable one time.  What we should have done from the very beginning is to have ONE family account. That way ALL the books anyone in our family purchases would be available to everyone else.

Anyway, since I purchased the first 6 books of this series already, that means I paid $60.00 already. That's a lot of money a month to spend on books. Still, spending money on books is a necessity for me. I'm a prodigious reader---meaning greater than avid! I read 48 books in 2016. I love that I can keep track of the number on my Kindle. Connie is the only person I know who reads more than I do. But then, she stitches less than I do! We only have so much free time...

I'd do anything for books---including selling myself. Okay, that would only buy me the "Cliff notes" these days! Does anyone remember "Cliff notes"?

I am going to save so much money! Gotta' love that.

What is the best book you read in 2016? I'd love to know.

A Few Things

I love these "few things" posts. It allows me to use a bunch of random photos.

I always thought my Aunt Marie was beautiful. She's my godmother and even lived with us for a year after our dad died (heart attack at 36---I was the oldest of 7 and 15 years old  at the time)---putting off her own wedding. She is what I dreamed the "good life" was all about. This photos was taken during her modeling years. My sisters and I didn't know she modeled or for how long. She was single until 33. She had many boyfriends and dates, great designer clothes, a brand new turquoise 57 Chevy convertible and had her hair and nails professionally done. In my eyes, she had it all! And she did!

Anyway, at nearly 83, she still is beautiful--inside and out! I'd give anything for her great hair!

My cousin, Judy, gave me this old cookbook for Christmas. It was among her mother's things. This was our childhood Church, that my grandmother and her family also went to. My mom has some of her recipes in this book. I'm thrilled to have it!

It's the cleaning of things like this that makes me continue to love Margarita. She does so many "extra" things that I don't always know about. I had no idea she removes the knobs and cleans the vent on my cooktop. Love her! I'm proud of my cooktop---22 years old and still looks like new!

Mindy sent me this picture of her enjoying her new shoes I got her for Christmas. They are the cutest wedges. The color looks a little deceiving--they are black---matt and patent leather.

I know my friends are sick of hearing about Hello Fresh, but we love it so much. The amount of food they send for two people is ridiculous! These are fingerling potatoes---I put the lemon there for scale. Probably 5 of those would have been enough for the two of us. 

 Downtown Nashville is busy all the time with pedestrian traffic. 

This is around 10 a.m. I'm not sure where all these people are going as most places are not open early on a Sunday. On the other hand, since we're a tourist destination maybe they are. We locals don't go downtown much. Mindy lives there. I was on my way to her condo when I snapped these pictures at a red light. 

Our grocery stores just started selling wine in the summer. Now there are beer bars inside! I guess while the "little lady" does the shopping, her husband can have a drink!

Just a few things until the next time I post a few things!

Remodeling Update

The powder room is almost finished! Just waiting on the sink. 

Before:

 I've always liked the powder room. But this faucet (which I love) has to be replaced---no fixing it. So what the heck---why not just gut the whole thing and start over?

The floor was marble. The toilet is new---just replaced that about a year ago. Remember how I like a toilet that meets you half way? It's a little taller than most.

 I've had this paint color since we moved in---1995. It's been repainted a couple times.

 Kind of a salmon colored marble counter. 

During:

 Everything gone. It looks like the chair rail is still there, but it's not---this is just what was under it.

Love the new floor---marble tiles with brown grout. I liked that it looked kind of like latticework. Brown is my least favorite color, but I loved this.

I'm keeping my Waterford chandelier---I took it all apart so it wouldn't get damaged. You can see how dirty it is due to drywall dust.

Originally, I wanted to use shiplap in here. I decided against it since is such a small room as that would have gone from the floor to the ceiling. After scouring Pinterest, I came up with this idea instead. Plus, I still love this paint color! After 22 years, I have not grown tired of it. I especially love how well it goes with the new floor. I'm actually a big proponent of changing your paint color when you re-decorate things. But not this time. I'm not sure why I'm so taken with this color, but I am. 

 My brothers, Ronnie and Matt painted it originally. Matt called it "baby poop." I prefer Grey "poop"on!

I didn't even know there was such a thing as "pretty plumbing!" Christy (my friend and designer) said I needed "pretty plumbing" since it's all going to show with what I'm putting in here. This is such a little thing, but I'm so excited about it. I just love that old fashioned---what do you call it---handle, knob? Whatever, I love it. I can't wait to see what the sink plumbing is going to look like.

I cleaned all of the crystals and we got the chandelier put back together. The prisms are all individual pieces. It's so sparkly and shiny when it's clean. Butch hasn't put the chain cover back on. I washed the old one---cream moire---which really isn't washable. With something like that, I figure you have nothing to lose---if it doesn't work out, it needed replacing anyway. Both ends sort of unraveled, but I think it will look fine once it's up as those ends can be tucked in. I did order a new one---silk---from Ballard Designs. If I need to use it, I will. I'm planning on that for my new chandelier in the master. I love crystal in the bathroom!

Getting a new vent, light and cover too. I want everything to look new. I mean, if you're going to do it, why leave any little thing undone? At least that's my philosophy!

It will be another couple of weeks before the sink is in. The next update with be when it is completed and decorated! Can't wait.

In the meantime---the shower and toilet area of the master has been gutted. Steve is putting in the new flooring. The shower was just about completely rotted out. He has had to add new joists and other stuff to fix it. It's going to be a long time for the master as there is so much to be done. 

That's why I wanted to start with the powder room. It fills that instant gratification need in me---even if it's really 4 or 5 weeks to completion. We're figuring 3 or 4 months for the master bath. It's going to be a long ride...

A Few Layouts

It's been quite awhile since I've posted any scrapbook pages. Here ya' go:

When it came to the sister-in-law lottery, I hit the Jackpot! This layout is about my sil Janet and is the truth! She's the best!

 This isn't FUNNY--- is about my sister's intervention with her dogs that nearly cost her---her finger.

Son-in-law status---is about how my son-in-laws fight over me. Okay, they don't really, but I like to pretend that they do! They just are all very thoughtful towards me and it's become a competition (in my mind)!

 Let me tell you about my girlfriends---about my high school crew.

 He's the BEST at taking care of his girls---about Butch and all the things he does for us.

My time to SHINE---about the volunteer award I received from the National Association of Fund Raising Executives back in 1994.

 How could something so SIMPLE be so hard?--about my new bike and all of my falls.

I designed a Christmas album this year for all of my friends. All they had to do was to add their own pictures and stories. I kept all of the pages very simple. "Handing out the presents." A simple patchwork.

 Setting the Christmas table---a few 4" squares cut on the diagonal.

All Wrapped Up---the title is on a glitter star. I couldn't get anything to stick to it---the letters were adhesive backed, but that didn't work. I tried my little X and glue dots. Nothing worked. Then I came upon with the idea of just using tape. After all, it's a page about wrapping presents. What could be more appropriate?

This is the end page of our AYM (A Year of Memories) album this year. I cut this paper for everyone and totally botched it---several times! I was determined to use it anyway. Nothing meets up as it should. I just used the quote block to cover the mess!