* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

 

 

Wow, this is my third Nostalgic Sunday in a row!
Will I be able to keep this up??

 

 

 

I borrowed the below photos from a blog post I wrote on November 18, 2011. Usually when I look back at memories, it doesn't seem like anything was so long ago, but for some reason, this particular memory does seem like it was five years ago...or even more.  

 

I think it's because we've moved twice since we lived in that home. We downsized both times and I've always been happy...or maybe the correct way of saying it would be "I chose to be happy" and "I've always bloomed wherever I've been planted."

 

 

So, why am I posting photos from almost five years ago?! Here is that link: http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-wonder_18.html#comment-form 

 

Because I made two homemade apple pies this afternoon and everything looked just like these photos! I used the exact same recipe which is so simple, even I can bake great pies! And I love using my apple peeler/slicer/corer thingy, which still works great.

 

 

 

Today, I did use different apples because my local grocery store had some on sale. I used Honey Crisp and Sweet Tango. Yummy! 
(I've always used a variety in one pie: granny smith, gala, braeburn, cortland.)
 

 

I used my go-to pie crust - Pillsbury!
Sprinkle the apple slices with a cinnamon sugar mix.
 

 

 

The topping is flour, sugar, and butter. 
 

And...voila' ! 

 

(When you click on each photo, you can see a LARGE view!)


My husband, Ron, has already eaten almost half of one!
(Good reason to make two at a time!)
I'll be happy to post the recipe if anyone would like to see it.


How about it, everyone? Who likes to bake pies? Do you have a favorite recipe to share? Or do you prefer cakes? Now that the weather is finally cooling a bit, I'm ready to bake homemade bread, which I really haven't done in YEARS!
 



* MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT *

I haven't intentionally kept my major announcement a secret from y'all, but with all the other things going on the past few weeks, it just didn't seem the right time to share it. But tonight....

 

 

 

After Ron and I had to say goodbye on May 16th to our beloved lab/mix Vern, we both said, "Never again!" We truly believed that Vern was the last of the Best Dogs in the Whole World. We didn't even want to look at other dogs. None could ever "replace" Vern, we knew that of course, but we didn't want to ever feel that devastated again...

 

But time has a way of helping people look at things differently. We discovered we did want and need another furry member of our family. We still had lots of love to give, and we wanted another "older" shelter dog. And once again, serendipity worked its magic...

 

We are delighted to announce the adoption of...

 

Charlie: an 8 year old Beagle/mix

(I've always wanted a beagle!)

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the day he came to our condo for a "meet & greet" he appeared to feel very much at home with us. We've had him now for about a month and every day he gets cuter, and more fun, and more loving! Isn't he adorable?? (How could anyone leave this beautiful, sweet guy at a shelter?? Well, because they did, though, Charlie has a new, loving home, and Ron and I are so happy and full of joy again!)

 

 

 

Snoopy is a Beagle....Charlie is a Beagle/Mix.....

Get it?! Your comments will make Charlie happy! J

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

 

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

I can't believe it's Sunday already...

 

~~~

 

 

 

I'm feeling nostalgic today about music from another era, the 1960s.

 

 

 

One song I love, in particular, is "Moon River" by Andy Williams. It's one of those songs that just does something to me whenever I hear it. I also like it as an instrumental, but only Mr. Williams can sing it for me!

 

 

1960s performance

 

https://youtu.be/flm4xcOyiCo

 

 

AND

 

 

1970s performance

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi0UUP7g-0M

 

 

 

Do you have a preference between the two??

 

 

What about you? Do you have favorite songs from the 1960s?

 

 

P.S. I forgot to welcome my three new followers! - Lee, Delores, and Jennifer.  I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!





* WRITING CONTEST APPROACHES DEADLINE *

How many of you know about and/or read the magazine Real Simple ?

I have subscribed to it off and on and I really like it. It's always full of great ideas for every part of your life, and also recipes for those with more of a "gourmet talent" than I have! (And the pictures are nice to look at!)

Anyway...just today it popped into my head that I hadn't seen or heard anything about Real Simple's Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest. I remembered it was in the fall, so I went to their website, and voila'....there it was - - -

http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/inside-website/contests-sweepstakes/eighth-life-lessons-essay-contest-rules

Here is this year's question:

What was the most dramatic change you ever had to make?

Wow, can it already be the NINTH Annual?? I entered the contest a time or two, but always at the last minute, knowing even before I hit the Submit button that my essay wasn't anywhere near the quality of writing that was required.

There's still time! Here are four reasons why you should enter this contest!

1) It's FREE to enter.

2) The first place winner receives $3,000!

3)  The second-place winner will receive $750.

4)  The third-place winner will receive $500.


So, those of you who can whip up an essay in 1,500 words or less, and submit it online by 11:50 P.M. ET on September 19, 2016 (that's next Monday!)....give it a try!

I wish everyone the best of luck!

...or whatever your writerly drink of choice is!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's time for another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

 

 

All I really want to say on this particular Sunday, September 11th, is how this date in 2001 was so horrible it was beyond comprehension...and it was the day my naivety about the world we lived in, ended.

 

 

 

I still yearn for those days of innocence....

 

 

 

But I'm also so grateful that I was fortunate enough to enjoy

so many years of that innocence.

 



 

 

 

Lyrics from God Bless the USA,

by Lee Greenwood

 

 

...I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away...

 

 

 

(I'll be back next Sunday with another visit to the Andy Taylor residence!)





* I WANT TO THANK YOU...*

Well, as I said in one of my replies to a comment in my most recent post.....

 

BECKY September 7, 2016 at 8:39 PM
 

"Jeanie, thank you very much! After reading your encouraging words, I feel kind of foolish for being so upset over a part-time job that I'd had for less than a year. It did hit me hard, but here...only 2 days later, I'm feeling a lot better. When I do allow myself to think about it, I get my mind off of it as soon as possible. There's absolutely no sense in reliving it over and over in my head...Thank you so much. I'm so blessed to have some awesome blog friends!"

 

 

♪ I want to thank you for giving me the best day(s) of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day(s) of my life ♪

 

 

 

AND, I reminded myself that I'm usually such a believer in inspirational quotes...

as I recently posted on my blog!

 

 

 

Posted on my blog on July 2nd

 

Posted on my blog on August 12th

 

 And what about that sense of humor of mine?

 

 

And so, I already have other ideas floating around in my mind, some of which haven't even materialized enough yet for me to realize what they are! Are they about a job, or writing, or what? I'm feeling so much better and a great deal of that is because of all my fantastic blog friends.

As Bette Midler sang: ♪♪ You got to have friends ♪♪

 

Thank you all so much!

* AND THE ANSWER IS "I'M JUST SO SAD" *

The short version about the happenings of the past few weeks, concerning my part-time job that I absolutely LOVED, but I wasn't pleased about, is this: I turned in my resignation on Friday morning. (via email in response to a hateful email I rec'd)

The fact that I'd worked on various blog posts, and then by Friday they were no longer relevant was because I'd written about the ups and downs at work for the past couple of months, and I was hoping for the outcome that I really wanted...but didn't take place.

It's way too long of a story, and actually probably similar to what many employees go through. I gladly took on every new task given to me, whether it was in my "job description" or not. I always kept my cheerful, upbeat attitude.

When I was given a former employee's job duties, without an increase in pay, I didn't ask for a raise since I hadn't been there very long, and thought I'd ask about it when my one-year anniversary arrived, which would've been this November.

Recently my three days a week, six hours a day schedule was changed to only two days a week, and yet I was supposed to keep up with everything I was barely keeping up with! Then I began to be blamed for things/mistakes I hadn't even done (too many people working on the same project) and the last straw was receiving snippy emails.

It got to be that I never knew what kind of personality I was going to be dealing with the days I came to work. And I could tell things weren't going to get better any time soon. So, I felt the need to quit...Life's Too Short, I Don't Deserve This....kind of thinking.

I had to go in this afternoon, Labor Day....kind of ironic, huh?....to get all my personal things because I was told they do not allow people with a financial position to work after they have resigned.

And in spite of all this ...I'm SO SAD! I loved my job. I really liked the people, both employees and customers, and my boss...when she was the way she used to be.

I feel like I lost a part of myself. A part of my identity. I don't even want to look for another job. I feel like I lost my best friend.... I cried all the 25 miles home.

* AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY *

I've worked on four different drafts of possible blog posts the past few weeks. And as of this evening, none of them are relevant anymore.

Life keeps changing. Yes, I know that is "normal." That's what life is all about. Change.

But at this moment, right after midnight on Friday, I'm not pleased with the way this week is ending. Not pleased concerning my part-time job. "Not pleased" at all...

So, what's the point of this short post? The phrase: "an exercise in futility" popped into my head and I really wanted to use it, because that's how I feel tonight.

Stay tuned, if you care....but if I were you, I probably wouldn't.