No, don't like warm. I was so excited by the approach of Fall and Winter and now we'll be back up to the mid 80's by Wednesday. I'm wondering if there are going to be issues with plants thinking it's Spring...lol.. Okay, I admit the mornings and late afternoons are pretty good and there is a nice breeze, but I'd like to see more rain soon. It is so good not to be out there watering.....yet.

Thank you so much Christin. If I had the money, I would be going to that junk store every weekday. Not so many people there during the week day, so more to myself. The lady who owns it was so nice. She took the time to show me how easy it was to take that arbor apart and put back together. Then she and I (and her three-year old daughter) put everything into the truck. I also got that arch behind the statue in the garden. The little three year old was so precious and beautiful. Such a sweet child too, and so cute. She followed me everywhere and "helped" me carry things out to the truck, just chattering away. I had to go home to get the truck after making my purchases, and when I came back two hours later, she ran to greet me, her head of blonde curls bouncing with each step and blowing in the breeze. She hugged me and began following again, conversing about anything and everything. I enjoyed her very much. I sure hope the Empress settee is still there on my next visit. Our house was built in 1930. It is a very small Bungalow - too small in fact, and there is now storage - none. The original owner was the village doctor - Doc Davis. There were originally 160 adjoining acres. He didn't farm it, but leased it out to ranchers for grazing and growing wheat, so I've been told. We had the option of also buying the remaining 70 acres. Wish I could have talked "The Heathen " into that. But, we got 3 acres and that is nice enough...for now. Several of the old-timers here have told me so many interesting stories about having their broken arm set here, getting "stitched up", or some such. One man in town lived on the place as a child. His father was the caretaker/maintenance man - he lit the coal furnace for the Misses, and that sort of thing. There was a smaller cottage on the north side of the property where they lived. Just the foundation remains. I am gleaning the old red Iron stones that are loose from the remaining foundation. I had thought of planting spring bulbs inside it. Still would like to do that. It is in heavy shade in summertime, but has enough sun in the spring for flowering bulbs. Would be so pretty. Right now, it is a snake pit - Copperheads. Me no likey that! The house itself is very unique in the sense that it is solid brick, not veneer applied to wood frame. The outside walls are also the inside walls, only coated in plaster. No lath-work underneath, just plaster. And, we have a full basement - not common in Oklahoma on account of the terrible problem with the ground shifting - not safe at all. But this house has stood the years and made it through many tornadoes too. I have visions of it collapsing one day and falling into the basement, especially since we have had some pretty hefty Earthquakes that shook the house and rattled the windows for 15 minutes and longer. Yikes! There was no garden at all when we bought the place. Only a few native trees, and the two woodland areas on the hill above, and a smattering of old daylilies against the northside of the house. Everything else, including trees, I planted. Sometimes when out int the garden working, I think on it, and am amazed at how much I have done to this place. The vines on the house are English Ivy and Virginia Creeper. I planted it the first year in 1996. I love the colorful leaves and blue berries in the fall of the Virginia Creeper, and the English Ivy adds the charm and greenery I love to the cottage. It is not only charming, but it also insulates the house in winter and summer. Birds love to nest in the ivy and creeper, especially the Lesser Flycatcher. Those tiny birds eat thousands of mosquitoes every day and flies as well. The vines and birds lure snakes, but they don't bother us. Our cats and dogs see to that. I did a lot of research to come up with the right type of garden that would look best with the house, and decided upon the Cottage Garden as best choice. I will be keeping a close watch on the junk store - they are struggling to keep it going. So sorry to hear that. Just another family on the brink of failure and ruin in the country. (Grrrrr...) But, if they do end up going out of business, I want to make their closing sale for certain. In the meantime, I am saving my pennies in jars so I can go back to get that settee and the Birdcage gazebo - at least. You ought to see all the lovelies INSIDE their store! ~Annie

Can't you move to California? Just kidding, of course! LOL! I might try a BSJ. I have a sock to finish, a baby afghan, a quilt, an Olympic scarf. (I've always prided myself on working on one project at a time, but I guess I broke my rule about that.) I could start a BSJ when I finish up these projects. Thanks for the encouragement.

Hi everyone! Great deal on your sewing machine Belle. Isn't it amazing how so many of those machines have lasted so long? New ones don't last anywhere nearly as well. Nice that you have one too Punk, they are a "treasure" and make a good table even in a non sewing household. Gosh, Anj, that's a shame about your Mom's. Wonder if you might find an old one with a good top and just switch it out? Anj, yesterday didn't go so well with my friend. She had me all upset and trying not to show it! She gets something in her head and just does it without thinking it though. She had called in her prescriptions and picked them up a week before her social security check would be coming in (and no, she was not out of them yet). She also cashed two checks at the grocery store after that--needless to say, they all hit the bank and cost her an nsf fee! She had $40 in her wallet that would have prevented the fee if only she had left it there a couple more days! Then she was complaining that the pharmacy didn't fill her prescriptions right and was showing me a bottle with only two pills in it. I told her it must be the wrong bottle because the receipt said they gave her a 60 day refill. After much reading and calling the pharmacy to verify what she had picked up. The pill bottle she had handed me had two white pills in it, but the label said they should be maroon. The pharmicist helped me identify what the white pills were, and they were not the same as the bottle she had put them in! I then had her show me where she kept her medicines. Scared me to death when she opened a drawer full of pill bottles! Luckily, those were all empty bottles! LOL Then I discovered that she had kept refilling her medications but had not emptied the prior bottles before starting on the new ones so she had multiple bottles of the same medications. I had to sit down, line them all up, look at exp. dates, milligrams, etc. then I combined the ones that were all the same into one bottle for her and told her to put all the empties in her recycling container. (Turns out she was saving the old pill bottles because she doesn't like to handle the big bottles of vitamins from Costco, so she puts her different vitamins into the empty pill bottles!) I really tried to explain to her how easy it would be to get her medications mixed up and be taking the wrong thing, but I don't know if I got through to her. She tends to be pretty set in her ways. I so wish her mobile would sell so she could go be where her daughter can look after her, I'm just so afraid of all the things that could happen to her. Sorry to unload all of that, guess you can tell I'm still upset about it all but don't know what to do about it. Won't really help to call her daughter, will just get her upset too! So glad your medications is working Anj, and that you are feeling better. I'm sure it is hard for you to slow down and try to not do so much--you are such a perfectionist! Just remember that the kids won't remember how clean the house is--they'll remember their time with you. Punk, my dogs need to see the groomer, not only do they need baths, but some trimming as well. I've been holding off until our rains were over, think it's now time. My friends have a Yorkie named Dootsie and she is going on 11 years old. She's had two litters of puppies and she still plays like a puppy herself! I just love her eyes and how she makes little sounds when you cuddle her. (Big sigh!) Gotta get going, grocery store time. I'll check back in later too. Luvs