Spring Where are YOU?

It's been a hard winter for us weather-wise. Last week it was warm and spring-like. I spent time outside with the pruning tools and found lots of green tips poking out of the soil promising to burst into color in a few weeks.

This week it has rained all day, every day until Thursday when it SNOWED.

We all seem to have the same longing on our hearts. As I wander around town I hear snipettes of conversations about the weariness of winter and being anxious for spring.

Just looking at seed catalogs and the photos on Flicker has given my soul a shot of hope of things to come.



I could stare at this all day long.

rita

Kitty Paradise

I know it'll be awhile before the Cottage Master and I can be pet owners again but that doesn't stop me from dreaming.

While visiting DD I mentioned that I was thinking about building something so an indoor kitty can go outside to go potty in an enclosed area so that there would be no kitty litter box smell which the Cottage Master disapproves of so strongly.

DD stared at me as if she was wondering if the time had come to put me in "the home".

I grabbed her computer and went searching and found so much more than I even expected. Not only has someone already thought of the idea but many more kitty lovers have taken the idea to the extreme.

If you like these photos and want to see more here is the website they came from. You can click on the photos to enlarge them to see more details.









These last three are all the same space from different angles.

rita

Brows and Nails

Why don’t my finger nails grow as fast as my brow hair?

I’ll pluck out all of the offending eyebrow hair and then two days later I’ll catch a glimpse of a forest growing in the exact same place. It’s exasperating.

It's a nice look on a dog, though

Why is this woman smiling?

It ain't fun

On the other hand, or rather, at the end of my hands are my nails. They grow as slowly as a glacier moves down the valley of a mountain. They are paper thin and break under very little stress.

I have always envied women with long nails. I love to see them painted pretty pinks and reds.

Even a man can have nicer fingernails than I can!

These may be too long but look at that luscious color

I like the stickers that are available

Toes are a completely different subject -- maybe for another day.

rita

Rambling . . .

I’m participating in a class entitled “Living Free”. The purpose of the class is to uncover stumbling blocks in life that hold us back from becoming all that God intended when He created each of us. Fear, anger, hurts, and habits such as passivity and procrastination all keep us from living life to its fullest. When we are aware of these potholes we can fill them in with a healing patch. And in the future we can spot the rough roads when they appear again and not be knocked off our path. I’ve always been a reflective person and quick to forgive. I’ve done a great deal of work in these areas over the years so there are not any big surprises, no big bumps in the road that knock me to the ground.

However, this weekend something happened that pointed out to me that even after I’ve confronted the issue, worked on healing and have put the past to rest it still attempts to stir the pot of pain. Well, there it is again. It still can make me sad. It no longer has the ability to bring my life to a halt. It no longer brings the small child out who wants to scream and throw things and demand that it stop.

But, it still has the power to cause me to reflect and wish things were different. And that’s okay. This world we live in is not perfect, nor is there perfect justice, thank goodness for that because I’m guilty of failing, too. I’m wishing everyone in my life a wonderful week ahead.
Rita

Pay it Forward

Lyn is participating in a PAY IT FORWARD, so I left her a comment and promised to play too.


She will be sending out a little handmade gift to the first three comment's on her post! Then those three will do the same for three more and it grows exponentially!

Lyn says, " The goodies you send do not have to be elaborate or expensive. The only rules are that it's handmade by you and must be sent out within the next year."

Those are the real rules but I'm changing them just for me. I'm aware that trying to find three people who even READ my blog is a stretch but I'm willing to make a fool of myself by participating.

So I'm boldly saying that ANYONE leaving a comment will get a gift handmade by me.

For those of you who do not have a blog of your own, you can comment anonymously and leave a name so I know who you are if you want.

Don't know how to leave a comment? Click on the word "comment" at the end of this post and it will take you to the comment window. Write what you want, then below that check "anonymous" radio button and then click "Publish Your Comment".

That's all there is to it. The gift I'll be making and sending can be used by a man, too, so that my brothers, who occassionaly read this blog can participate.

Going to go do the laundry now. rita

Newest Diversion

As if I needed any more excuses or ways to spend time with the laptop computer -- my DD introduced me to the Hulu website.

I've been spending my afternoons watching episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Something that I never noticed the first time I watched them (as a very young child -- yeah, right) is that the bad guy always gets caught in the end. Maybe not at the end of the story, but when Alfred comes on after the drama he tells us that the authorities discovered the evil deed and the price was paid before it was all over.

Today's dramas, as well as real life crimes, don't always have a satisfactory ending. Maybe that's why I like watching "Cold Case" so much. The bad guy finally gets what's coming to him!

Then there is the wonderful irony of casting such as the episode about a man who hated to spend money played by Dennis Day.

Yesterday's treat was watching an episode with Peggy Cass. I miss her dry wit.

Rita

Boring just got ugly

After my eye-opening experience with the 98 Things exercise that I did yesterday exposing just what a boring person I am I decided that I needed to get out of the house.

It dawned on me that for the last six weeks I have gone nowhere except to the grocery store and to church. So I climbed into my trusty beloved periwinkle truck and proceeded to have an adventure.

As I approached an intersection and needed to stop for the traffic light I was mesmerized by the amount of moss on a building across the street.

I wonder if that roof leaks

Driving further I found myself saying, "Oh, look at that!" "Oh, look at that!"

By now you must know that all of these things that caught my eye were everyday objects that other people drove past without a thought.

And then, OH, LOOK AT THAT!

An opossum on the side of the road with tire tracks across its body.

I don't know who to feel more sorry for -- me or the opossum!

boring rita

98 Things

I found this on Lyn M's blog.

I never knew just how boring I am until I did this exercise.
Here are 98 things. Bolded = I've done. Italics = I'd like to do. The rest are left plain.

Started your own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band / orchestra
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than you can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sang a solo
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea
Taught yourself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown your own vegetables
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitch hiked
Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a Marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught yourself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing
See Michelangelo’s David.
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had your portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Gone scuba diving or snorkelling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theatre
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Got flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter
Saved a favourite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten Caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the changing of the guard in London
Broken a bone.
Been on a speeding motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book
Visited the Vatican
Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had your picture in the newspaper
Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone’s life (I suppose not killing an offspring when I wanted to doesn't count?)
Sat on a jury
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Lost a loved one
Had a baby
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee

Try it yourself.

Purge and Organize continues

I took a few days off from my P&O (purge and organize) project but I'm back to join Melissa at The Inspired Room with her 12 months of Goals toward a more beautiful life. Stop by her blog and see how all of the other inspired bloggers are progressing in their goals.

The next room that needed my attention was the family room or what is referred to at Quirky Cottage, the garden room.

I found it more difficult to purge in this room because so many objects had personal meaning to me. I would begin on one shelf and then find an excuse to go do something else rather than continue. I believe it was the emotional impact that was causing me to hesitate. But it had to be done.

First, and this was the easy part, I took down the fake greenery. DD had been bugging me for the last few years telling me that is was SO old fashion and SO offensive to her. Okay, okay, I get it.

I found several books that I intended to read but after they were put on the shelf they were completely forgotten. I moved them to my reading basket next to my chair.

I cleaned all the drawers and shelves of all the furniture in this room. It was this bookcase that was my challenge. When I was finished I had five empty shelves. I moved things around a bit and placed empty glassware on the shelves so they wouldn't look so vacant.

I can't begin to tell how freeing this process has been for me. Only one area left. Our bedroom, bathroom and closet. That all might take more than just one week -- we'll see.
Mrs.RGS

Grrrrrr

Nothing makes me feel more inept and Charlie Brown-ish than do those self-checkout scanners!

The last time I was grocery shopping I tried to checkout myself and to my surprise it went quite well.

So today, full of confidence, I did it again. Over and over the woman's voice told me to put the item in the bag even though I had done so. Twice I had to have the employee clear the computer because it wouldn't scan any more items -- it was convinced that I was trying to steal something from the store.

As my frustration grew I began to put the items in the bag with a little more force than necessary just to make my point with the computer. After the third time of slamming an item into the bag two pennies dropped into the coin return.

If I hadn't been in a public place I would have sat right down and laughed. I've heard of a penny for your thoughts -- but I guess with inflation the computer was willing to give me two pennies for my thoughts.

I was willing to give the computer my unabridged opinion for free!

According to NCR, a business that sells these scanning machines to retailers, customers like them. Their ad states . . .

Attract customers and keep them coming back.

Research shows that consumers are more likely to do repeat business with a retailer that provides self-checkout technology.
The NCR SelfServ Checkout reduces checkout wait times up to 40%, greatly enhancing the shopping experience.
Features a user-friendly interface that intelligently guides the consumer through the checkout process with animated demonstrations.
Makes checking out fast, efficient and fun.

Not for me.

Mrs.RGS

Not Again !!!!!

Before I went to bed I watched the local news on television where the beautiful weather woman (who would never lie because she is so beautiful) said that all of the snow that is coming our way would all fall north of Quirky Cottage.

When I woke up this is what I saw . . .

I poked my head out the door and yelled

Stop it

Two hours later.

Stop it

And another two hours later.

Stop it !!!!!

But this is what we are left with. Thankfully it isn't very deep but it's not going away. On the news the beautiful weather woman keeps remarking how surprised she is that the city of Quirky Cottage got so much snow.

In her defense I must tell you that predicting the weather in this part of the world is very difficult. It is a joke to all how often the experts are wrong. I've even heard of weather predictors who have given up their jobs and moved to an area where predicting the weather is more . . . predictable. Wimps.

Mrs.RGS

Basketball Family

Cottage Master and I enjoyed watching a basketball game played by our grandson's team with our son as coach. They played quite well last Saturday.

You see this frown on the coach's face? I saw that same look on his face just minutes after he was born! Some things never change!

I think he's saying . . .

Is it just me or did they raise that basket since we were here last?

The precious family -- wife and two sons

We don't often have a chance to be together so every minute is a treasure. I just had to show them off.
Mrs.RGS

I Love February

I love February for lots of reasons. First, it's a short month and my money seems to go farther.

We have lots of gray days during February but being able to decorate my house with lots of Red, Pink and sometimes Purple helps to lift me out of what could otherwise be a case of the "where's the sun?"

And then there is the great excuse to make and eat CHOCOLATE.

What's not to love about February?

Mrs.RGS