* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING - DAY 5 *

* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

Speaking of thankfulness, I was very thankful to have the day off today...and my sweet Vern allowed me to sleep realllllyyyyyy late! (after his one-quick-go-outside-come-back-in-trip at 6:00am)

 

Then I spent a mostly lazy afternoon and evening, watching some football on TV, did a couple of loads of laundry and folded towels that were still in a basket from ___ days ago! (How grateful I am to have those clothes and towels, and electricity to clean/dry them.)

 

 

I also got a few groceries (of which I'm so appreciative)... lunch type snacks to take to work, and a small pork roast, red potatoes, and frozen corn and peas. My supper will be all ready for me when I get home from work tomorrow...because it will cook in the crockpot most of the day. Yum! I can hardly wait to get back home tomorrow!  J

 

And speaking of food, combined with my countdown to Thanksgiving.....below is one of my newest sets of Salt & Pepper shakers which I purchased at a nearby Kirkland's.

 

A turkey in a roaster

Take the turkey out of the roaster,

 and voila' ...

the turkey is the Pepper

and the roaster is the Salt!

 

These are almost as small as they look. Each piece is about 2-1/2" wide. I think they're just so cute! (The least expensive items always bring me joy.)

 ~~~



Oh, I almost forgot to mention that one of my favorite "weather events" happened yesterday....snow flurries! It was so pretty coming down and obviously didn't stick since our weather has been fairly warm.

~~~

 

 

 



“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” — Cynthia Ozick



* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING - DAYS 3 & 4 *

 

* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

I forgot all about yesterday's post! I'm so sorry! I worked long hours, (and have the same schedule today) so I thought I better do my post now! J



 

One of my favorite coffee mugs! Harvest Blessings on one side.......



....And a scarecrow on the other!



This is the first cloche I made. (I'd never even heard of them until I saw a post on Marty's blog http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/search?q=Marty

All of these things make me think of autumn, obviously, but especially of Thanksgiving!

Have a beautiful day today/this evening.....wherever you are!

* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING - DAY 2 *

* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

 

I never spent Thanksgiving at my grandparents' home when I was a little girl. I'm sure it was because they lived hundreds of miles away from us and time just didn't allow it. I sometimes wished we could be there with them, and would go around our house singing the song in the You Tube video below:

 

 

 

And of course, my wishes also included the snow and the horse-drawn sleigh! 

 

 

 

 

"I suppose I will die never knowing what pumpkin pie tastes like when you have room for it." ~Robert Brault http://rbrault.blogspot.com/

 

(Ahh, my friend Robert Brault has written more amazing words of wit and wisdom than anyone else I know! His books can be purchased on Amazon.)



* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING *



* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

 



It just occurred to me that I'd like to post something about Thanksgiving, beginning today and "hopefully" every day until the Big Day, November 26th. (I wrote "hopefully" because I am working a lot of hours right now, but I'm sure I can at least post something short and sweet if I'm totally worn out!) I'm not even sure yet what I'll write about, but I will be sharing a variety of thoughts and feelings. 

This morning I thought about one of my favorite movies: Planes, Trains & Automobiles. There are several parts that I love to watch over and over, and others I tend to skip through (thanks to DVDs, etc.) It's fun seeing the St. Louis airport and watching Steve Martin walking near it, and through it. Some of the quotes I laugh at the most aren't going to make it to this blog post, due to the "language," but they are hilarious!

Here's some I'd like to share (all three quotes are in totally different scenes) and if you've seen the movie, you'll definitely recognize them:

Neal: He says we're going the wrong way...
Del: Oh, he's drunk. How would he know where we're going?


State Trooper: What the hell are you driving here?
Del: We had a small fire last night, but we caught it in the nick of time.
State Trooper: Do you have any idea how fast you were going?
Del: Funny enough, I was just talking to my friend about that. Our speedometer has melted and as a result it's very hard to see with any degree of accuracy exactly how fast we were going.


Del: You're in a pretty lousy mood, huh?
Neal: To say the least.
Del: You ever travel by bus before?
[Neal shakes his head]
Del: Hmm. Your mood's probably not going to improve much.

~~~

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's time again for another Nostalgic Sunday!

Those of you who've read my memoir may remember the chapter titled, "My Sister, My Mother, My Friend," which was about the death of my sister, Jo Ann in 1984, and how the death of Ray Charles in 2004 related to it.

When Jo Ann died, each of her three siblings: sister Marian, brother Mike, and I were given a few things of hers to keep. Somehow I was the one who received a large cardboard box of 33-1/3 record albums, and most of those LPs were Ray Charles records.

At that time I still had a turntable and speakers, and listened to records quite often, but hardly ever listened to any of hers. With each move Ron and I made, the box came along with us of course, and was stored in a basement or closet. As the years went by, I kept thinking I really should get a nice stereo system and play some of those LPs, to honor Jo Ann. I certainly didn't need to listen to them to think of her. No, that happened every single day.

More years went by and I even considered trying to sell some of them, but something inside me just wouldn't allow that.

Fast forward to now - November 2015. Just a couple of days ago, I noticed on a Facebook photo that one of my nephews had a cool looking stereo system and tons of LPs. Knowing his love of a widespread of music (he was in a band in Texas), I asked if he'd like to have some or all of Jo Ann's albums, as soon as I could get an inventory sent to him. Just from memory, though, I knew there were LOTS of Ray Charles albums. He is thrilled to have them, and others that I'll find when I dig through the box. I am so thrilled this all happened, and Jo Ann's records will stay in the family, and be listened to, and loved!


Postscript: I own a few Ray Charles CDs and listen to them mostly when speeding along the highway on a long trip! J



"I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great." - Ray Charles

 

 

* YIKES, IT'S NOVEMBER *

As most people my age seem to say these days.....

Time is flying by way too fast.

I can't believe it's ________ ! (fill in the month)

Why can't time drag by, the way it did when we were kids?

I certainly say all those things and more. One of my favorites is:

Poster from the 1966 movie, "Stop the World. I Want to Get off."

Alas, that's not possible, and besides, if it WAS, where would I go?? I guess I'd just float around in space, and that would be awful. That wouldn't accomplish anything! So, I've learned to stop thinking (too much) about the passing of time, and just enjoy the Here and the Now as much as I possibly can.


Below are some photos I took about a week ago along the boardwalk where Vern and I go for our strolls. I'm so happy that I did, because the leaves were at their peak! Since then, it's been rainy and windy and the leaves are falling....and I love to walk through them, making crunching noises! Yes, I'm still a kid at heart!

* If you click on each photo, you'll see a much larger view.

"Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” - -  Lauren DeStefano, Wither

* A LITTLE BOOK NEWS *

Have you read any good books lately?

What are you reading now?

 

 

Although I still need to write reviews on my blog for two books I read recently: The Flying Circus, by Susan Crandall, and for Adventures of a Chilehead: A Mini-Memoir with Recipes, by Sharon Lippincott...I did leave reviews for them on Amazon. Loved them both!

I'm currently attempting to read a couple different books, which I've never been good at, especially if I'm really involved in one particular book! I'll have to decide which one to stick with for now, finish it, and then move on...

One of those books is due to having a fantastic day at Dollar Tree a week or so ago. If you're like me, you stop there for one or two particular items and end up spending more than a couple of dollars! I bought FIVE books and they all look like they'll be great reading material. I'll post more about them soon, including the titles and cover photos!

A couple of notes about my memoir, From Pigtails to Chin Hairs: A Memoir & More...

Have you heard of The Fussy Librarian? My memoir is currently highlighted on it: $3.99 for the Kindle edition.
http://www.thefussylibrarian.com/for-readers/books/size/25?GenreID=18&ContentTypeX1=1&ContentTypeX2=4&ContentTypeX3=8


I'm also having a Goodreads give-away which ends October 26 Please stop by and enter if you'd like to win one of four free paperback copies of my memoir. https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/157880-from-pigtails-to-chin-hairs-a-memoir-more 

* DO YOU LIKE TO READ IN THE BATH TUB? *

found on Google on various sites



I've never been able to understand how anyone can possibly read a book while soaking in a bath tub...and actually enjoy it! I tried it a time or two, always with unfavorable results. Maybe I should point out first that I don't even LIKE to take baths. I much prefer showers.

Even if you have a "book holder," what about turning pages? Aren't your fingers wet? And after you've been reading for a while, don't you want to get out of that lukewarm, or actually COLD water??

Call me nutty, but I just can't imagine that being a comfy, relaxing way to read.

SO, when I came across the above photo, I thought to myself, I've just GOT to find someone to make one of these for me! (and for it to NOT cost a fortune!) Since I'm so short, I'm sure I would fit nicely in it!

And it would be similar to a window seat which is something I've always wanted. I remember watching a TV show or movie, many years ago, as in my childhood, where a teenage girl lounged on a window seat cushion, eating a red apple, and reading a hardcover book! (yeah, that had quite an impact on me!) So, it was one of those material things I dreamed about and longed for that never happened.

Nowadays I have a daybed near a window and that would be such a close equivalent...but for now it's one of Vern's beds! Actually, when we moved into our condo, we placed the mattress directly on the carpet, so Vern could take just one step, and voila'. Previously, he'd have to get a running start and jump up onto the bed. So, it is HIS bed until the sad time arrives when it is no longer needed.

This was taken at the townhouse, when Vern was still able to jump up onto the bed.



What about you? Baths or showers?

Reading while in one or the other? J

 

Happy Monday, everyone! Have a beautiful, blissful, "autumnly" kind of week!