15

I've been married 15 years. Yep.  My friend asked if I still liked him (my hubby). After I got done laughing, I said yes, I liked him still....and I even loved him more. He's  a great guy--I know I'm partial. (It wouldn't do to be married to a man you didn't like or love or respect.) But he really is a great man. He's a good rational role model for our kids (I'm a little sketchy on the rational sometimes, you know).  He's pretty smart. and if he doens't know something on a subject, he'll study up on it.  He makes himself better. He doesn't always demostrate it, but he deeply and geniunely loves his family and friends. He is a loyal and trusting friend and partner.

15 years is a long time, I think. I know the whole time progression thing, but it honestly doesn't feel like we've gone 15 years (16 yrs. if you count the dating stuff). We've gone through a serious accident, job loss, first new house, new cars, new jobs, and 2 kids. And we've had some really blessed and fortunate happenings too. Maybe that's why I don't connect the actual time that's passed--'cause I tend to focus on the good stuff and put the hardships away in the box.  We have a really great relationship; we love each other; we respect each other talents and forgive our lesser qualities. (and believe me, I'm high maintenance. Don't think I don't know I'm hard to live with)

I love my hubby. Its not the same 'newly-dating' feeling. I don't always get that rush of 'new love'.  Its like a constant hum--which is better. I like the constant hum of knowing that we have a good life together. It makes me smile in the car on the way home because he just texted me "when are you coming home?" The hum makes me chuckle in the middle of the store because I remembered something funny he said. Its the knowing that I can be snarky and mean and witchy and he'll just carrying on like nothing.

I am a fortunate woman. I look forward to the next 15 or 50 years....

Oh the Poms!!

Just look at these pretty little guys.  These couple of clusters, I saved out of the pile because they were different. They grew together in two's and three's. I love nature when it does funny stuff.

 Hubby and I were so happy about this harvest this year.  Last year we didn't get a single pomegranate to eat. Not a one. Sad face.

Look at all the yummy little arils (that's what the red seeds from a pom are called) from 1 dozen poms!!  Hundreds and hundreds of tastey morsels. This year, we were smart and checked with the Almighty google for the best way to de-seed the pom.  Oh, google....the answers it has.....so, we found a really good way to de-seed the poms--less messy and fairly easy. Happy face. LMK if you want me to share my de-seeding knowing-ness....

I think, because we have such a large bounty, I'm going to try to make pomegranate jelly/jam. I'm hopeful that the jelly batch will be good--'cause the pears worked out so well.

Spook-tacular Halloween Stuff

 I've been making these adorable little pipe-cleaner spiders every year for about 10-11 years. I love them!  And because I only make them during Halloween, they are even more special-er. (I know, bad english...just get over it and go on) :o)

 When I first started to making spiders, I could only find solid colors. But someone in the CraftWorld heard my prayers and started making different colors and textures.  So, I honor their gift by making sparkly, striped and glittery spid-y friends.

 Meet Willa Witch and Trick-r-Treater Timmy. I make these happy characters. I do.  They have friends too.  There is a Ghost, a Scarecrow, an Elf, a Snowman...its a small village.

And I'll tell you a secret:  their bodies are made from recycled 2-liter soda bottles. (didn't know I was a eco-crafter, huh?) Hence the name 'Sew-Dang Cute" (that's what I named them.) I was so industrious one year that I made and sold about 50 different ones to friends and family.  Made quite the little stash for the holiday, I did. 

I think I'm going to make more this year.  I can't resist the fabric...and the fact that if two or more are gathered, I start talking to them....I think if they answer back, then I've got serious cause to consult a professional. Until then I'll chaulk it up to ghostly flashes of my crazy DNA popping out. :o)

Busier than I Want

I've thought about posting to my blog often. I just can't find the time somedays.  For the most part I'm not terribly busy or stressed, but occasionally, I find myself busier than I like. I help out at the kids school. October is a big month at the school. Lots of preparation for the school Fall Festival.  Silly busy.  Both kids are in scouts--girl and cubs. So, that means completely different activities--at different times during the month. The holidays are coming. I'm thinking about Christmas gifts for the family, dinners, decorations, paying bills...all sorts of nonsensical things.  This month, I'm busier than I want to be.

So, check out my next post to see what I've been doing.....its cute stuff, I tell you. Cute (with a a capitol 'C')

Road Picking

There is a relatively new show on the History Channel called American Pickers. Its about 2 guys (friends since jr. high) that travel the US in search of 'hidden gold'--the "the Honey Pot" as they call it.  Hubby and I watch this show all the time.  We sit there watching, laughing and wondering about the craziness of it all. These 2 guys have a real business where they dig around old sheds, basements and barns. They buy other people's trash. And call it treasures. And then re-sell it for double the price they bought it for.

I secretly think I could be a collector of hidden treasures. Of trash. I've got it in my bones--sunk way down deep in my DNA. My grandfather (J.R.) was a king at collecting junk. He would stop in the middle of the road to pick up a forgotten tennis ball. My crazy Aunt Velmarine (J.R.'s sister) is a queen. She has mountains of "treasures" piled up in her TX home. I know I could easily succumb to collecting.

So, hubby and I made up this scenerio while driving up to Salt Lake City.  As a hobby during retirement, we would take the 'picking' one step further. We would be Road Pickers--'cause we're too lazy and fearful to pick thru peoples old barns and basements (mostly me because I don't like crawly things) We would pick-up stuff from the road.  We laugh like loons about this. The kids even started making up a theme song for business. We laugh mostly because all we've seen to pick are broken coolers and hubcaps and trash. What a business.

Well, I had my first 'Road Picking' experience the other day while I was doing my morning walking excerise.  I found a clean, blue 3-ring notebook! I know, right? In perfect condition.  It even had a set of page dividers and half a ream on notebook paper in it!! Bonus for me!! I was so proud of my first pick. I laughed all the way home (which was another 1/2 mile away)  I'm sure people thought I was touched--holding my notebook and laughing. Makes me laugh even now as I write this. I am a goof.

I brought my trophy home and waited all day to proudly show the family. They were not impressed. Not at all. Although, hubby did laugh. He thinks I'm a goof.  And now my daughter uses the notebook for stuff that 9 yr. olds deem important--whatever that is.

Sometimes I think I want to be a Road Picker. It would be fun rooting around for lost treasures. I would love to hear the stories behind the collections and I would find the people fascinating. But I can't be a picker. It goes back to knowing that I have this DNA flaw. I would turn into my crazy aunt talking to dolls set up on the couch.  I would be crazy.  Not dangerous-lock-me-up-crazy, but crazy all the same.  I know I would. And that's why I won't. Isn't knowing how crazy you could be a good thing?

At the car dealership

Well, I'm thinking I am pretty clever this morning. I'm sitting at the car-getting place waiting for an oil change and a changing of the tires. I like looking at all the pretty cars lined up in neat little rows. They look so happy. I'd like to take a couple home with me--but honestly, now--I'm not a total idiot!! When would I ever have the time to drive all them? It wouldn't be fair. So, here I sit with my complimentary diet pepsi (I think it would be more complimentary if they offered Coke, but I'm not in charge), blogging my gnome-y thoughts on the fly.

AND did you happen to see my successful uploading ofthe pictures. Ever so clever.

Here's something else rattling around in the brain: I write this blog with the suggestion that people are reading it. But you aren't. Not yet anyway. I haven't shared this blog stuff with anyone. Not a one--no one. What's that about?

All my pretty little pears--peeled, chunked and canned. Yummy!  I think its funny that I canned a batch of these gems and nobody but me will eat them. My family doesn't know what they're missing. Nope, they don't.

Trying to figure this business out...

So, I haven't been in bloggy land for about a week now. Really? What's my excuse? Eh, I don't really have a good one right now.

I want to figure out how to stick some pictures up on this thing--be patient.

I went camping with the daughters Girl Scout troop over the weekend. Absolutely lovely weather!! Cross my heart it was so good.

I canned a batch of pears the other day. I'm that good. In fact, they are fancy pants kind of pears. Infused with vanilla and cinnamon kind of pears. When I figure out the picture uploading thing, you'll see how pretty they are. :0)

I'm pretty proud of myself for figuring out to blog on the fly tonight. I'm listening to 18 crazy 10 year olds do girl scout stuff. And I'm in bloggy land at the same time. It's special. Or I'm special. Whichever