Pre Preps

Pre preps for imminent, irritation Irma are on going this weekend.  I’m writing this on my phone Sunday night, as my desktop apparently decided it was time to desert this earthly travail.    Argh!!          (update:   Monday it came back to life, after I gave it mouth to USB port resuscitation!)

Talk about frustration!   How am I supposed to blog about hurricane preps on my tiny little phone keyboard??   Vewwy vewwy cawefully!!

Anyway, I took pix, and since I’m on my phone, they should be easier to insert.    Let’s hope!!

Water is always a first essential.    Got it covered.

Fresh water- yay!

My new best friend!

TY PopPop!              That’s for drinking.

Second essential is potty. Got that covered:

(I was gonna take a pic of all the tp, but you know what it looks like!)

Flush water- sooooo important!!

Next is food.

Brownies!!         Then peach Coke- of course!           I think that’s all we need.       ( I have lots of other food, it’s just not that important!   lol)

Lights:

Lights- check!

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DD1 took babies out of state.  So I know they’re safe.   DD2 was already out of state, so all’s good there.

XH had to evac his mobile, so I demanded asked him over here.   After all, somebody’s got to piggyback my fat butt outta here if the flooding is too bad!   Plus he has a 4×4 truck!

Us!     Partying like it’s Hurricane Charley!

(He certainly seems to be happy to be here, doing all the prep work, doesn’t he???)

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PopPop is safe at his work.

Grandmama’s building IS a shelter.  So she’s all good.   She’s having a sleepover with friends, in the laundry room!

Sister’s house is Cat 4 rated, so her and kids are safe.   Bubba and Shirley have a sturdy block house, so they’re good.

Let’s see who did I forget??   Oh yeah, Rose was already overseas, so she’s good.   And neighbor Jeannette went to a safe place as well.

All’s well that ends well, for us.    God protected us!!  

Praying for the millions still without power, and that lost their homes.

And still praying for Texas, and Louisiana.

Thanks everybody for all the prayers for us!!

❤  ❤  ❤

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An Irma post.

#1        #2- Pre Preps, this one 

Lucy’s Lingo

Well, I might as well make this an official “thing.”

I’m going to repost all my old posts, in order.       What a great way to avoid having to get those pix off my phone!!        lol!!        I’m all for taking the easy way out!

But no, it’s not for me!        It’s for you, my readers!!          Most of you have not been with me from the very beginning, so now you’ll know “the rest of the story.”        Thank you, Paul Harvey!

The 3rd day of my blogging adventure:

https://purpleslobinrecovery.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/lingo/

With bonus features!!        The alliterative titles, I mean!

The photos were added later.

DD2’s a Dr!!

The photo of me and DD2, was from her graduation as a Dr!!

And the reason there are no photos of my babies: DD1 has a strict no online presence policy.     Which I used to fight her about, until I learned about all the dangers.

Melinda’s Mothers Morning

Mother’s Day, May 14, 2017          

Happy Mother’s Day, Melinda!

It was a wonderful day!!    OR “wunnerful”, as Laurence Welk used to say!!      (Google him, millennials; a famous band leader, had a TV show).

Went to church with DD1.     DD2 called.    I had a Steak-n-Shake Garlic burger, fries, {What GF diet??} and a purple milkshake.    

Only the best purple shake in the world!!

 [Thank you Sweet Friend, for giving me the gift card!]     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talked to my Mama; Sis, Brother, and Shirley texted me.

Went to new house, and had a Nap!!      Very important part of any great day!!

When I got up, unpacked 4 boxes.     Purged a small Walmart bag of new stuff from crafts, and threw away a half way full, small moving box of old legal papers.       They were from getting my disability in 2012.     But first I tore off all my names, addresses, and Social numbers!!     I shredded the tiny pile of that stuff, by hand even!!

By that time I was starving, well no, not literally!!      So DD1 got us each small pizzas.     She likes pepperoni, yuck!!      I only want cheese.    

      Or, hamburg, and onions, if we’re getting fancy!!

Then, Sweet Friend came over, and asked where the screws were to put together the beige leather recliner.     How would I know??     I didn’t take it apart!!        And the take-apart-ee, never mentioned it to me.      But, DD1 and I had already decided we didn’t want it, due to its poor condition, and lack of space for it in living room.    

                                                                    (Old pic)

So, when he said “Well, I can’t put it back together without the screws!      And then you can’t sit on it!”    We both looked at each other, with smiles on our faces, and said in unison, “Put it outside, by the road!”      He was flabbergasted!       We couldn’t really mean that!                 Yup, we did.           I said “Watch!    Somebody will take it!”         (I’ll be watching to see if that’s true.     But even if they don’t, trash pick up is in the morning, so 1 way or another, it will be gone!!     And I don’t care which way either!)

So, my first purge, at the new place has already occurred!       And I couldn’t be happier!!

Finally, to finish out my perfect day, I got kisses, and hugs,

Pinterest.com

 

 

 

 

 

from the girls when they came back from their dad’s!!

Nothing could be sweeter!

Seven Seconds Scullery Scaffolding

Boy, I hope I get outta the Scullery soon!      I’m running outta alliterations!       Nooo!!!!         I can’t believe it!         Don’t test me!

   The series so far.

http://simplydesigning.porch.com/7-hours-to-a-decluttered-home./

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Seven Seconds

Second Seven Seconds

Second Seven Seconds Sequel

Seven Seconds Scullery

Seven Seconds Scullery Spices

Seven Seconds Scullery Scape

Seven Seconds Scullery Sunder

Seven Seconds Scullery Scrape

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Alright, now we’re in the midst of Seven Seconds Scullery Scaffolding.         What in the world does scaffolding have to do with the Scullery??         Well, here’s my take on it.     Google defines it as “a temporary structure on the outside of a building, made usually of wooden planks and metal poles, used by workers while building, repairing, or cleaning the building.”         So, I’m taking the cleaning part, and applying it to the fridge.           Got it?      No, not that it matters to you.

So, the inside of the fridge is a fright!!

This is the top shelf.      Can you see those open cans??      Look behind the pie!

                                                            Yeah, had to trash those!

And later, I found out, thanks to PP’s discriminating taste buds, that the milk was rotten too.       Sorry, baby!       Omie didn’t mean to!

     (If you squint, can’t you see how the wire shelves look like scaffolding??)

Second shelf, the 2 dozen eggs that I bought for DD2’s birthday breakfast.       On Feb 23.      At least it was 2017!!       And at least 1 of the yogurt boxes was completely empty.      Huh.         And more open cans.        Can you say yuck!!          I thought ya could!

The 3rd shelf.        Green eggs, (I’m sure by now)   and ham.     (At least I think that’s ham, all bundled up under there.      Probably it’s green by now too.)          And that yogurt is at least 7 months old.       Another toss without opening.

Close up of ickiness.

Yay!     At least 2 cleared, if not clean, surfaces!         Oopsie!      That cantaloupe is way past it’s prime.     Unless old as the hills is prime time now.       Poor PP, never got her ‘loupe.

Why do I have 2 lemons, for goodness’ sake??         I don’t even remember buying 1!     And I sure don’t remember using it!        But, it was amusing when PP opened it, and tried to drink it!       Bless her little heart!!          Oh, since I don’t remember which one it was, guess I better ditch both then.         Probably for the best!       And sadly, that Fanta is not peach.         It’s mango.      What a nasty trick to pull!

All this goodness (note the sarcasm) that I was “shelf”ishly keeping all for myself!     

I’ve never seen flat mandarin oranges before…

I didn’t even bother recycling those cans.      They just all went to the trash.       I do recycle, but I have my limit!

The aforementioned empty box. Recycled, of course.

The mac n cheese didn’t look so, so bad, in the first pic, so I had to dump it out some.        Now you can see the true depth of the nastiness!

You can see the nastiness of this moldy mac n cheese, even with your eyes closed!

     Yeah, the red stuff is cranberry sauce, from Thanksgiving.       (I’m thinking about just chunking those 3, without even opening them.)       Wise move, I’m sure!

So, that took the whole 15 min.      Pulling it all out, and dumping it.       I’m still dithering about the 3 plastic containers.

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But, since a sweet lady at my church just gave me new ones last Sunday, I think I can probably just let them go….

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So far 3 hrs 17 min Scullery Time, plus today’s 15, equals:  3 hrs 32 min  

 House Time was 5 hrs 28 min.    Adding today’s 15 , Total House Time: 5 hrs 43 min

Wow, this scaffolding sure needs more support!

Fish Fatality

Today I’ve decided to tell you why I hate fishing.     No, better than that, I’ll SHOW you why I hate fishing!

I don’t know what I was thinking- maybe that we were fishing for pets??         I certainly don’t remember!

All I know is:  My Daddy KILLED my fish!!

And I was traumatized!    And to this day, I still hate to fish.        But that has never stopped you from tearing up some fried mullet, or catfish, has it??        Nope!!         Those fish on my plate are not Freddy (May he RIP)!!       They come from the kitchen, or the store or somewhere.   They didn’t innocently eat my worm, and be murdered!, right in front of me.

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In an effort to not poison my girls, for life, I agreed to go fishing with them.       BUT!!   I made Dad promise “No head cutting off of fish in front of the girls.”

They look like they’re having fun, don’t they?       I even baited hooks for them.        That’s not the part that bothers me.      Look!    I’m even smiling!       But ya sure don’t see me with a line in the water, now do ya??       NOPE!      Ain’t happening!

(I have such cute babies, don’t I??      Never mind that now they are both grown adults!     They are still both my cute babies!)

DD1 sure looks happy, and proud of herself!!        And Grandmama is proud of her too!!   And then the fishy went back to his family, and we all lived happily ever after!

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(I know fishing is an excellent survival skill to have.       I’ll be grateful to know how, if I ever get stranded on a desert island.     Which, btw, is HIGHLY unlikely, since I like boating just as much as I like fishing!!      I’ve made it a long term life goal to never have to do either one ever again!       But, if the worst happens, sure hope I have my babies with me!     At least I’ll stay fed!!)

Quazy Quilt Queue

Here it is the end of July, and still haven’t finished Kim’s Kwilt.   (When I first started this post.)            And the final deadline was May 20!        Majorly disappointed with myself.      But, I’ve been so busy with the girls, nannying, and full time taxi-ing for DD1, that I have felt like a chicken with its head cut off. Sorry Carmen!

Now she has a car again, {DD1, not Carmen!} and steady day care, so maybe I can git ‘er done before Winter!

Update:   I finished the infamous kwilt, on Saturday, Oct 22, 2016!!

I’m almost having a headache from that lattice pattern spinning!

The back, above.                                                                                     The front, below.

It was already folded in half, cuz I wanted ya to see my face!

And all the angels sang: “Hallelujah!!”

And all the readers screamed “YES!  Finally we can quit hearing her whine about that pesky kwilt!!”

And SF mailed it that next Monday.

And she (DD2) liked it!  She really liked it!     She said, and I quote,      “Thanks, it’s awesome.”

Okay, now that is off my mind!!      I can go on to the rest of my quazy quilt queue.      And it’s a long one!!

• Shirley’s.    My brother commissioned this one when they were dating.     Their first anniversary was back in August.     This is my progress so far.  

  Getting there!!     So close!!

                                                                                 

• PP’s Panda quilt.     DD1 commissioned this one in 2014.      Ahem   (Can’t find the pieces.     EEK!!)
• The Campbell twins.      They’re only 5 months old, and I have all the squares cut out already, so hey, doing really well on this one!  

Oops!  No I don’t have all the squares cut out.  I have 3/4ths of the squares cut out!  

This fabric has me flummoxed!!      I want each square to be 1 flower, (or “buttehfy”, as PP called them), but how do I do that without the squares going wonky??      I surely AM NOT gonna cut each one individually by hand!

So, I’ll just be as careful as I can…….

• A bigger quilt for PPJr.      Her wonky quilt is WAY too little for her already, and she’s only 8 1/2 months old!!     (Haven’t even decided on the fabrics yet.    Yeah.)

• Aulani’s.       She was born about 12 weeks ago, and I’ve already done this much.    

  Woo hoo!        On a roll here!           

 

Then, I wanna do one for ..      STOP!!          What?   Why??         Until you get all those done, I’m officially declaring a moratorium on saying you’ll make more!            You can’t do that!        I think I can, cuz I just did!

NO MORE QUILTS

Well then, yes ma’am!        I’ll get back with ya on my next recipients, soon as I’m done with these.         So, mid 2027, would you say??          That’s kinda mean.         Is it mean if it’s true??      Well, it has been true so far…..

http://grammysgrid.com/blog/

 

devastateboredom.com

strange struggle

Right now, I’m struggling to post every day, due to circumstances going on.   Namely, having to babysit 2 grand babies, while my daughter, (DD1) works full time, without a vehicle!   Which mean Vanronica is running her little legs tires off!   And as taxi driver, I have to get up early, and stay awake late, to get everyone where they need to be on time!

We keep having sitter troubles, for one reason or another.  In Poor Post, I talked about the outrageous cost of day care.   There is help, but to get help, you first have to be working.   And to be working, you first have to have day care!!    Quite a fine catch 22 there!

And babysitting full time, or part-time even, is physically stressful for me, due to all my physical problems.  

I still haven’t posted about my latest fall, over a month ago now, or very much about my groin problem, which makes it difficult to even get up outta my recliner, much less get up with an 18 lb. baby in my arms!!   Sometimes, even when I do manage to pull myself upright, I can’t take a step, and just fall back into the recliner.   So, I need help whenever I have my darlings over.  And, requiring help makes it stressful on whoever is helping!   2 of my helpers, PopPop, and Rose, work full time themselves.

Anyway, when I have the girls, they require my constant attention.   Then, on my “off” days, all I want to do is sleep.   Last Sunday, I slept 22 of the 24 hours!!

So, cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc, falls to the wayside.  (And to my shame and embarrassment, it also means Kim’s Kwilt isn’t done either.   Poor girl!   Will she EVER be able to sleep under it??   I’ve learned the hard way, sewing when I’m tired only leads to double the work.)

And blogging??  As much as I love it, it falls way down on the priority list.  It bothers me to not have posts lined up, but I’m fully confident in my choices to put my daughter, and grand daughters first.   Blogging is NOT my life, they are.   Even though blogging is an important part of my life.

God is priority one, but I have even slipped some there.  On my “on” days, sometimes I don’t get up early enough to read my Bible, and pray first thing.   And, I’ve missed church the last 2 Sundays, because it was the only day I had to sleep.  God knows I can’t function in a state of sleep deprivation for very long.  Then, when I fall into bed at night, I’m so tired, my prayers are shortened, and then I’m zonked out.

I’m not saying all this to complain.   Just explaining what’s up with me lately.  Ya’ll know I’m nothing if not transparent!   Messes, warts and all!  I’ll tell ya more than ya ever wanted to know about what’s going on in my life!!

And exhaustion causes me to eat worse too,

The vast vat was almost empty when I remembered to stop and take the pic. Should I get another one to retake the pic???

These are ice cream sandwiches.

 

So then I feel worse, and the cycle goes on…

But, loving, and taking care of my 4 girls, (even though I’m too far away from DD2 to do anything physically for her, I love her and pray for her) is the right choice, and priority right now.   After all, PP and PPJr will only be little for 18 years!!  Lol

So, if I miss a day or two here and there, please bear with me.   I know y’all will, cuz y’all are the best!!   I try really hard to stay caught up, but something has to give.

Now that I’ve written this tome, I need to go do the dishes.   But, instead, I’ll probably go to bed!!  After all, dirty dishes will still be there tomorrow, a well rested me might not be!   (And yes, Claremary, I have used paper plates lately.  They just don’t make bottles and sippy cups in paper!!   Or pots…)

Dr’s Donations

DD2, yes the Dr.!, left lots of stuff behind, when she graduated and began her “grownup real” life.   She was driving up to WV, to start her job, and couldn’t take everything with her.   That’s how I ended up with her full size bed.   (Can you imagine trying to drive all the way to WV, with a bed strapped to the roof of your car??   Wise choice, my girl!)

youtube.com

Notice the arm clutching the mattress!   That’ll hold it for sure!!

Anything that she had outgrown as a student, and wouldn’t need as a professional.   Also, things from her apt that her new roomie already had.

As none of the clothes would fit me,

You saw her in the grad. pix, she’s small!! But tall!

I tried first to give them to family members.   My nieces had already gotten new clothes for school, so no go there.   A few of the T-shirts were so small, PP could wear them as big sleep shirts.   The rest I donated to Salvation Army.

Shockingly, there were brand new school supplies!   Lol     Some of these went to Michelle’s Living Liberty Camp, which teaches kids the real history of the founding of America, including that our Founding Fathers were Christians!!   Others went to Harvest Church, for their back to school outreach.

The coffee pot went to SA, cuz I don’t drink the nasty brew.

The George Foreman grill, went to a friend of Rose’s.

(And did I remember to take pix of ANY of this??   Why nooooooo, of course not!)

The shoes were my size, in length, but my feet are nowhere near as skinny as hers!!    So, I even missed there.

However, the scarves!     Those, I could fit!!                                                                                   Too bad, I hate scarves.

This is my not happy face.

Anyway, more stuff purged from my house!   YAY!!   (And it wasn’t even my stuff to begin with!   But, once it’s in the door, back out it’s got to go!)

 

DD2’s a Doctor!!

YAYAYAYAY!!

As of May 20, 2016, DD2 is a Doctor!!   If you heard a tremendous noise that Friday, around 5 pm, EST, it was our family screaming for her, as she walked on stage to receive her doctorate!

Just hearing her name being called, (for the 3rd time in a graduation ceremony!!!) made me tear up with pride!   She is so smart, and dedicated!!   After HS, she has persevered, and labored for 9 long years, for this achievement!!

Kim has always been determined.   When she declared she was going to be an eye doctor, I knew she’d do it!!   When she puts her mind to it, nothing is impossible!

Here we are, after the ceremony.

Proud Mama and Doctor!!

 

(Lookit the pretty flowers.  They’re a whole nother story!!)

Here’s some of the family.   (At Golden Corral, after the ceremony.   Can’t celebrate without food, amiright???)

Me, Cuz Britt, Aunt Sherry, Dr. Kim

YAY, Grandmama! Thanks for the flowers!

 

Celebrating!!!   {I just can’t get enough of saying Dr. Kim!!   My baby is a Doctor!!}

 

 

“Good night, y’all!”

 

Dr. Kim saying a final bye.  

[Oh yeah, Vanronica is photobombing!  OR is it Dr. KIM who is photobombing Vanronica??]

Dr. Kim’s on her way to being the Surgeon General of Optometrists!

What??   There’s no such thing??    Trust me, she’ll MAKE it a thing!!

 

Congratulations on your success, Dr. Kim!!!

 

Valuable Valentine

DD1 was my biggest and best Valentine ever! (9 lbs 12 oz- imagine if you can…Very valuable!!   Almost 10 lbs. of pure sugar!!)   Also known as Baby Strawberry Giant.

Her first heart outfit, that I made.

 

All natural birth with NO drugs!  (Until the numbing shot when the midwife was sewing me up!  That shot hurt worse than the sewing!  I refused the next one, and said “Just git ‘er dun!”)

I’m so thankful for my baby girls, both of them! They are my treasures.   DD1 is my Valentine baby, and DD2 is my Washington’s Birthday present to myself!

When they were little, I had the tradition of sewing them matching Valentine-Birthday outfits.   Poor DD2, she never got a Washington’s BD outfit!   (What would THAT look like?? A tree with an axe at the root??)   She always had to have hearts.   And, of course since their birthdays are only 8 days apart, they had to share birthday parties too.   And you can guess what the theme was- every year!!

Here’s one of DD2, also known as Newborn Strawberry Giant:  

Here’s DD2! DD1 is holding her.

 

(This taking pix of pix with my phone is horrible!   Now, I not only need a REAL camera, but I need a scanner too!!!)

 

 

Why can’t I find a pic of both of them in an outfit I sewed???            (Ummmm, can’t be because I haven’t organized my pix yet!)

Oh wait, here’s one!    Not a great pic at all!!   But, they’re both in it, wearing their dresses for that year!    I’ll take it!

In their 2nd and 4th Valentine/birthday dresses.

 

I love you DD1!   Happy Valentine’s Birthday!

And Happy Valentine’s Day, and Happy Birthday, DD2!   I love you!