Day 24: Something That Makes Me Smile

This picture...

Every damn time...

Day 23: Eight Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I have freakishly long fingers.
2. I love DE Stevenson books.
3. I have been 5’ 11 ½” tall since I was in the sixth grade.
4. I love to buy chairs, books and kitchen implements.
5. I will pick something out of someone trash, no problem.
6. My husband and I met when we were both selling cars.
7. I don’t like to think about the future.
8. I am a fallacious speller.

Day 22: What I Love About My Job

I LOVE my job.  I really, really do.

I get such a kick out of the people.  Some of the things I get asked on a daily basis are truly unbelievable.

When someone only remembers they read a book once that had George Washington riding on a dragon on it's cover and I can walk right to it on the shelf, it just makes my day.

I love to talk to people and to make them smile.  I want everyone that comes to my library to remember that nice library lady that helped them.  When I was a kid the ladies at my library were mean and a little bit scary.  It is my deepest wish that no kid walks away and thinks that of me.

Of course, there are the idiots too, but damn if they don't crack me up.  I love a good fool.

Day 21: A Self-Portrait

Uhhhgggg...

This one is hard.

I hate pictures of myself.

I always think, "Holy Shit is that me?"

My beautiful daughter has had a camera in her face since the beginning and she is so photogenic.  All I have to do is say "smile" and there it is, the perfect shot.

I love to take pictures of my husband.  I think he is gorgeous.  He is rugged and sexy and has the sweetest smile.

Did you see what I did here?  Did you forget I am supposed to be showing a picture of myself?

Damn.

Me?  Not so much.  I am the picture taker, and that means there are few pictures of me to choose from, thank goodness.  I have my favorites, but they are few and far between.  My drivers licence has the best photo of me, taken a few days before I married my sweetheart.  I will use it until I die.  My daughter has taken a picture or two of me that I really like and many years ago a local photographer used to take pictures of my sister and I to practice.

I love my soulful eyes...

Day 20: Something That Means A lot To Me

I definitely have a thing about pictures.  I torture myself sometimes and make myself decided what I would take in an emergency and what I would leave behind.  I see the "hoarder" in me when it comes to my little bits of paper.  Even though I have 1000's of photos saved to an external hard drive.  I can not make myself click delete on them, it just seems wrong.

Because I have lost someone so important to me I cling to the memories I have.  Pictures are a HUGE part of that.  I love to look at pictures, I love to take pictures, I love to make everyone else look at my pictures.

Every one of them is important to me ♥

Day 19: Myself, One Year Ago

Last year, according to this blog, I was counting my blessing on this day and realizing that while I may not have all I want I certainly have all I need...

I am grateful...

Day 18: What I Wore Today

Well, today was a big day in my usual, scruffy, unwashed  weekend routine.

I went to movie.

In the afternoon.

Outside, amongst the peoples.

Therefore, I was wearing real jeans (not yoga pants), a real bra (not a sports one) and shoes.

UNHEARD OF ON A SUNDAY!

I should have had someone take a picture....no one will ever believe it...

Day 17: My Family

I am so lucky.

I have so many people in my life that I consider family. I have people that love me and except me.  I have friends I wouldn't change for the world and family that has been through so much with me.  Everyday, when I feel frustrated or depressed, I try to take a minute and remember,

Having a place to go - is a home.  Having someone to love - is a family.  Having both - is a blessing.  ~Donna Hedges

Day 15: Three Blogs I Always Read

1. Wonderfully Made

This blog is written by my dear, sweet friend Lynne.  She taught me to knit, which I will forever be grateful for.  She and I also used to work at the same library.  She started blogging the same time I did, but has never faltered like I have..  She is funny and talented and her husband JR is a dear.  I love to see what she is knitting or sewing or decorating her home with!

2. Posie Gets Cozy

I have read Alicia's blog from the start.  She is someone I feel like is my friend because I have been so involved in everything on her blog.  I have drooled over her dream craft room and laughed at funny stories about Andy.  I cried with her when an adoption feel through and now that they have their precious daughter I cried with them again, in joy.

3. knitorious

This is another oldy but a goody!  I have read Vicki for years and marveled at her knitting skills.  You can feel how much she loves Rusty in every word she writes about him.  I love to hear about her girls, and realize how grown up they are getting.  She made me knit Parcheesi, just because I coveted hers so much!!

I read lots of blogs, but these are three ladies I never get tired of hearing from!

Happy Birthday Mom

Today has been a long day.

It started with a meeting, then a busy day of work. A horrible fight in the parking lot between two teen girls, with their mothers egging them on.  Questions to be answered, groceries to be bought, dinner to be made, just another day.

Except it wasn't.

Behind all the routine and drudgery of another Wednesday is the knowing.

The knowing that sixty-two years ago today my sweet grandparents had their first of five beautiful daughters.  They named her Carol Ellen, I am sure they thought it was the most beautiful name in the world.  She was their first and until her sister Nancy came along, the most precious thing in their lives.

She would grow up to be funny and sweet.  She would would love her family and her sisters would be the whole center of her little world.  She would be caring and her lifetime of nursing others would be seen in her from a young age.  She would be daring and wild.  She would be a pirate and a gypsy and pioneer.  She and her sisters would have countless adventures.

She would fall in love with a boy.  He would be the first boy she fell for, but it wouldn't matter.  He would be all she needed for the rest of her days.  They would pine for each other when they were apart and they would laugh and love when they weren't.  They would get married and have the first of two beautiful daughters.  They would name her Lisa Marie, because they knew it was the most beautiful name in the world.  They would have another beautiful daughter and they would be a family.

She would laugh and love and she and her daughters would have countless adventures.  She would work all day and go to school at night and she would achieve and accomplish all that she thought impossible.  She would care for others and be there for them when they were sick or hurt.

She would be happy and sad and the routine of life would go on.

She would live a full life, but not long enough.  When she was gone every one's heart that she had touched would break a little, but still beat and go on.

So today was a regular day, expect it wasn't.

Day 13: Something I'm Proud Of

This girl I made ♥

Day 12: The Last Item I Purchased

I hate shopping.

Let me clarify, I hate shopping for myself.

I will shop all day for the ones I love or for groceries or for things for our home.

So, it goes with out saying that my purchases are usually less than exciting.  Yesterday I went to 4 stores, and not all at once.  I made 4 separate trips at 4 separate times of day, because I forget things or because I don't know I need something until the moment comes that I want it and it isn't there.

Hence the 4 trips to the store.

The last thing I bought yesterday, before I said the words, "Do without, because I refuse to go to the store again!" was a package of flour.

A package of all purpose flour to bake the bread I was going to serve my guests in an hour.  A package of flour I didn't know I needed until I was ready to make the bread.

Home once again and the bread in the oven, our daughter comes outside to let me know she was going to make her boyfriend some sandwiches and we were out plain, white sliced bread (the only kind he eats) This is bread I buy for him especially and only our daughter makes his sandwiches for him (I think you see where I am going with this), so I didn't know he was out of bread and a 5th trip to the store was not happening, not on my watch!

The flour was the straw that broke the camels back!

Day 11: Three Years Ago Today

"Carol and I are off for a day of Christmas shopping in the city. First stop Gloria Jean's for an espresso to motivate me!" 

-Facebook 11/11/2009

My poor memory is a gift from my father and it is not getting any better with age.  I would be hard pressed to tell you what I did three days ago, much less recall three years ago.

Thankfully with Facebook's timeline feature I am able to see that three years ago today I spent my day at the mall with my 12 year old daughter.....and everyone made it out alive.

Day 10: A Favorite Recipe

Some things you eat take you right back to being a child. This soup is my instant return to 1979.  It was my mothers favorite and we had it often.  Now that I'm older I know it's probably because we didn't have money for anything else.  My mom canned her own tomatoes and a few vegetables and some barley were inexpensive enough.  She'd make some bread and we would eat it for days.  It only got better...

This is one of the first things I made for Jon when we started living together.  I remember him saying "Soup....of hamburger?"  He was doubtful, but the magic of hamburger soup won him over too.

Just a few weeks ago I stopped over to my grandparents house and my sweet grandma had just made a pot.  This, of course, is her recipe and my mom learned it from her.  She and I leaned over and smelled the steamy goodness and she looked up at me and said, "I made it for dinner, but we might have it for lunch too!"

The magic of hamburger soup...

Day 09: A Close Up of My Day

source

Day 08: Three Inspirational Quotes

I love a good quote, unfortunately most of mine are from movies.  I have found Pinterest to be a real treasure trove of quotes that make me go, "Hmmm, that is perfect." for lots of my life's little moments.

Here are three that really inspire me on a daily basis....

Yup, that's me...

Day 07: A Song For The Day

Yeah, You could be the greatest
You can be the best
You can be the king kong banging on your chest

You could beat the world
You could beat the war
You could talk to God, go banging on his door

You can throw your hands up
You can be the clock
You can move a mountain
You can break rocks
You can be a master
Don't wait for luck
Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself

Standing in the hall of fame
And the world's gonna know your name
Cause you burn with the brightest flame
And the world's gonna know your name
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame

You could go the distance
You could run the mile
You could walk straight through hell with a smile

You could be the hero
You could get the gold
Breaking all the records that thought never could be broke

Do it for your people
Do it for your pride
Never gonna know if you never even try

Do it for your counrty
Do it for you name
Cause there's gonna be a day

When your, standing in the hall of fame
And the world's gonna know your name
Cause you burn with the brightest flame
And the world's gonna know your name
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame

Be a champion, Be a champion, Be a champion, Be a champion

On the walls of the hall of fame

Be students
Be teachers
Be politicians
Be preachers

Be believers
Be leaders
Be astronauts
Be champions
Be true seekers

Be students
Be teachers
Be politicians
Be preachers

Be believers
Be leaders
Be astronauts
Be champions

Standing in the hall of fame
And the world's gonna know your name
Cause you burn with the brightest flame
And the world's gonna know your name
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame

(You can be a champion)
You could be the greatest
(You can be a champion)
You can be the best
(You can be a champion)
You can be the king kong banging on your chest


(You can be a champion)
You could beat the world
(You can be a champion)
You could beat the war
(You can be a champion)
You could talk to God, go banging on his door

(You can be a champion)
You can throw your hands up
(You can be a champion)
You can be the clock
(You can be a champion)
You can move a mountain
(You can be a champion)
You can break rocks

(You can be a champion)
You can be a master
(You can be a champion)
Don't wait for luck
(You can be a champion)
Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself
(You can be a champion)

Standing in the hall of fame

Day 06: A Book I'm Reading

I work at a library and have access to great works of literature, current periodicals and the latest releases everyday.  I could pull any volume of poetry from the shelf and immerse myself in the brilliance of William Blake or Shel Silvertsein.  I could keep abreast of all the most current events and happenings in the world with the four papers at my disposal.  It is all there for the taking.

But I am going to be completely honest with you.  The most recent books that I have read were The Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy, and I didn't read them just once.  After that I read Bared To You : A Crossfire Novel, a very poor imitation of 50 shades.  After that I re-read about 5 Danielle Steele novels and a book by D.E. Stevenson that I had also read before and been searching for these last 11 years, only to find that I owned it and it has been sitting on my bookshelf.  Now I am starting to read my entire set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books, as I do every winter for the last 20 or more years.  I have to start now so that by the time I get to Long Hard Winter we are fully involved in a long, hard winter of our own.

So there you have it, with the world of fine literature at my finger tips I read smut, children's books and thirty year old gentle romances.....

Day 05: My Hometown

My little hometown has been around since 1875.  We are only 25 square miles wide, but we pack a lot of apple orchards and squalor in a tiny place.  Of the 8,000+ people that live here many have peen featured on People of Walmart. The crowning glory of small town America.

Once, long ago, before welfare, the correctional facilities and Gurney's, we were an illustrious community.  We have had many famous and important people call our little town home.  I can't think of any of them right now, but there must have been a few.

We have the Erie Canal and Mount Albion Cemetery which is listed in the National Registry of Historical Places.  We have the most fantastic salmon fishing around and people travel 1000's of miles to experience it.  We also have a McDonalds, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and 2 pizzerias all within feet of each other. People get stabbed at the above mentioned retail location and young girls are murdered and buried in the apple orchards.

My dear friend's son graduates this year and is aching to leave the nest.  Every places he talks of going to is too far away, in mom's opinion.  I understand completely and would feel the same way about my little bird. But then I take a minute and think "What would they do here?  What would they be?"  Getting out seems like a good idea.

I have never wanted to leave, ever.  It's been 43 years and the warmth and love of my family and the familiar has always won over travel and better options, but I know I want my daughter to experience more and have better opportunities.

 I just want her to do it less than an hour away.

Day 04: A Friend I Adore

"Best friends are people you know you don’t need to talk to every single day. You don’t even need to talk to each other for weeks, but when you do, it’s like you never stopped talking."

We have known each other for years, we probably knew each other before, but just forgot.  

I can't even keep track of the amount of times we have discovered another connection to each other. 

We look at each other in a group full of people and know what the other one is thinking.  

We share interests and stuff, dreams and memories, laughs and tears and still there is more to share.

We can make each other laugh so hard we pee and there is no one I would rather fall down with.

I just love my Kelly.

Day 03: Something I Never Leave The House Without

I am sad to say that like most of you I would never leave my house without my phone.  Sad because I never thought I would be one of those people. One of those phone people, hell I remember telling my sister I didn't need the Internet because who wants to email or whatever you call it?  Now I would really prefer to text or email, I don't want to talk anybody...

But unlike everyone else I also would never leave my house with out my knitting!  Nothing gets my knickers in a twist like an unexpected delay and no knitting to fill the time!  I knit at red lights, in line at Tim Horton's, at school plays and doctor's offices.  At the end of it all I have something to show for all those delays and waits!

Day 02: A Favorite Movie

I LOVE movies.  I really, really LOVE movies.

I don't have the time and you don't have the desire to read all that I could say about movies.  I have an unusual ability to remember movies and books.  I could tell you almost any movie if you can tell me someone that is in it or just a bit of the plot.  I can usual do it with books too (which is great for me since I work at a library).  I unfortunately can not remember to pick up toilet paper at the grocery store, even if that is the only item I originally went there to get.

I could tell you all about each one of these movies, but I will just say I LOVE MOVIES.

Day 01: A Place I'd Like to Travel

For as long as I can remember (and let me tell you 43 years is a lot of remembering) I have wanted to go to Greece.  When I was younger my sister and I were obsessed with Greek gods and goddesses. One of our  favorite games to play (besides the one where we pretended we were sisters, true story) as Clash of the Titans. We donned our best bed sheets and pretended we were goddesses and had to fight Medusa!  My little sister and I lived out in the middle of know where and could really imagine the hell outta shit!

When I was older I saw the movie Shirley Valentine. This movie is still one of my favorites  and I have seen it many times. When she gets off the bus in that little fishing village in Greece, I physically ache to be there too.

I know I will never go there.  I know that I will live maybe another 43 years without getting off that bus.  But anytime I want to see my fishing village Shirley will take me there.