...49

This stared at me the other night at the concert.  The chair in front of me. Ironically, not only was it the number  of my own chair, but the number my age is...today.

forty-nine

Will I be old next year?  Am I old now?  I guess that depends on who you ask.

I do believe you are as old as you feel and act...to a point. I feel pretty much the same person I was 35 years ago. However... my body doesn't physically feel the same...that's for sure. I have more aches and pains than I ever imagined.  BUT... I am healthier than many.

me @ 2 yrs

Reflecting can be interesting, I seem to dwell on a lot of the past. But, I am getting much better at embracing what the future has to bring. Seeing how I can bloom in my surroundings and grow...even at nearly half a century old.

Today has been grand.

what's up w/ my hair?

I enjoyed my Hubby and a big breakfast.  (had to share my Birthday w/Father's Day.. Not the first, not the last time).

again w/ the hair?

  And I loved getting time with my sweet Daughters.  I was thrilled by an early morning Thunderstorm ( love the rolling rumble, especially when it rattles the house).  

I got this wonderful hand painted wine glass from Annie.

it says, "I Love My Pets", so true

Annie & I enjoyed Starbucks & Antiquing (where I found a fabulous Green Depression Glass Princess Cracker Jar.. at a fair price).

We had a wonderful cook out~ Chicken, Brauts (pork & turkey for Em {Baby~ I'm so sorry you got a pork one by mistake... I promise it won't kill you}, roasted corn on the cob, fresh Green Beans, Rice & Red Beans, saluted mushrooms, and Red Velvet Cake. yummmmmmmmmmmm

Hubby also got the official photograph from meeting President Obama in May from the White House staff.

He looks pretty proud (and easy on the eyes too Hottie Hubby!) You have to know my Hubby... he rarely will smile for the camera... And this is a priceless moment where I see his smile.

President Barrack Obama & Sergio Gonzalez 5/6/2011

Not to shabby! Sergio said he was just lovely to chat with (okay...he did not say lovely...more like very interesting, personable and extremely respectful).

I got about a hundred birthday wishes... Thanks to the social network of Facebook, as well as email and the telly.  I picked out the sewing machine I am getting from the Girls & Hubby.  And look forward to a get together with a Bestie next weekend.

I am sitting outside, enjoying the evening breeze. Got Riley by my side & crazy Izzy playing in the grass.  Hubby is on the phone with business.  Emily is back in Muncie now and Miss Annie is off to watch movies with her girlfriend.  The birds are chirping, and there is this wonderful peaceful feeling.

This Birthday tops them all so far.  Nothing major, but... I am learning it is more about the minors. The peaceful, loving, simple minors.

♥Life is good♥

Antiquing With My Sis

Julie & Janis @ Claddagh Irish Pub

I had a splendid afternoon with my amazing sister, Julie. I called her this morning and very spur of the moment talked her into meeting me at a Antique Mall. I love her so much, she was very much up for it and ready to go.
We met at a big ole antique mall in Plainfield, Indiana. (Gilley's to you Hoosiers that care).

Oh how I love to wander down memory lane...especially with someone that I made so many memories with!

Julie and I enjoyed row after row of fun, old, and weird things.
We laughed, we chatted, it was just lovely.

Julie would find things she wanted, then changed her mind. I think she had 4 or 5 items through out hunt, but ended with just one. A divine red ceramic divide dish with a beautiful painting inside the bowls...yellow flowers I recall. It was a great find! I know she will use this and enjoy.

I found a real special heirloom that I had actually seen on another Bloggers page. I think it was one of my Utah friends and will go back to look. When she posted her find, I feel in love! Never had seen these and knew it was fabulous. My Blogger friend had much more detail. Mine is more simple.

 

Aren't they wonderful?Precious measuring spoons with the sweetest measurements. Can you read them?

A Pinch of Joy                1/4 teaspoon on back

A Dash of Tenderness    1/2 teaspoon on back

A Spoonful of Affection  1 teaspoon on back

A Heap of Love              1 tablespoon on back

I love them! And paid only $6.50 for them! So darn cute! And, yes, I will use them.

After all our searching we were hungry so we went over to Claddagh Irish Pub. Which I have always pronounced Claadack and Julie pronounced Clawdaw. We asked the waitress how to pronounce properly and she told us think of a Pina Colada... It's C'La dagh...Hmm Interesting. Julie was way closer. I like Claadack better & will probably continue to say it wrong. (I have been calling it this for twenty-some years!). I will try though.

Fabulous lunch! I had the Calm Chowder and Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls (oh yummy, yummy in my tummy!) topped with a white Zinfandel. Julie enjoyed the scrumptious Claddagh Catch sandwich and her first Martini ever! I suggested the Dirty Martini which she loved the olives but returned her Martini and settled for a fruity martini that was sweet instead of sour.

I love opportunities like this afternoon. We live an hour away from each other but try to get together more often. There was a time she lived three states west from Indiana, another when she was three states east of Indiana, and I missed her dearly. Once she lived withing a couple of miles when our kids were little and it was a joyful walk over for them to play & us to visit. We even lived side by side in a duplex as twenty-somethings.

I am very Blessed to have this Sister! Thanks Mom & Dad!

Don't Be a Labking!

I have recently joined the world of eBay. Oh what fun! It is like going through an antique store and marveling over lost treasures. I actually first checked them out many years ago, however, recently, a friend of mine and I have been joyfully looking for our childhood doll friends. Pat (remember our trip to Barbie World?) and I found our old Kiddles during a break at work one day. Then we started checking through others. Pat has been searching for her old Mrs Beasley while I searched for my old Suzie doll.

I started venturing out and discovered great finds especially with dishes and glassware. I ran across a Pink Depressed Canister Jar, that I was quite fond of. It was cheap too. A small flaw was keeping it from being a true collectors find, so I bid on it. Much to my surprise I "won" it.

I quickly went through the payment process and anxiously awaited my first purchase.

When it arrived, I was slightly disappointed. I feared it was broken as it was poorly packaged in a box it did not fit (sticking out on top). The silver electric tape also was an indication that I was not dealing with a professional. Once opened, I was thrilled that it was not broken but again disappointed that this item was rather dirty with grim in the depressions and a sticky tape across the bottom. At least, it will clean up. At least I got a great price on it.

Days later, after ignoring the emails from eBay requesting feedback, I decided I should go ahead or I would just keep getting the emails.
I mentioned how much I loved the piece, and what a great price I got on it. I mentioned the downside as being poorly packaged, and dirty. However, I gave a "Neutral" rating rather than a "Positive" or a "Negative". I also checked that I was not sure I would shop with this seller again.

Wow. Did I piss someone off.

I started getting messages from this seller:
labking**"How date you give me a neutral. That went through the dishwasher and was in mint condition. I will respond to your neutral and absolutely block you. You have buyer's remorse and are bitter. don't ever come near my auctions agains".
labking**I have just blocked you and you can never bid on my auctions. That is a VERY poor way to start your experience with ebay. Once that happens, additional sellers will block you also. Too bad you wouldn't contact me and you were so bitter. I am a wonderful seller to work with and have never had a problem except with you. That was absolutely a mint, cleaned item. Too bad you're old and bitter. Good Luck and you will need it.

janis** "Wow...good thing I didn't give you bad feedback! I felt it was priced very well, pretty & I love it. I kept getting reminders of feedback and I was only being honest. It was poorly shipped, too big for the box. It had dirt in all the depressions. I had to scrub the dirt out. It had a strange sticky substance on one side like a piece of tape (like the electric tape you used on the box perhaps) had been stuck to it. Don't fret, I have no intention on shopping with you again. FYI~ not mint condition and "dare" is not spelled "date"

labking**First of all it came directly out of my dishwasher so it would be perfect. The sticky tape might be on the cookie jar. The box was the just the right size. Hey if it was too small the cookie jar would have broken. I have sold hundreds of items and this is my first time someone has been such a b....h. If this is your first ebay transaction, I pity anyone that has to deal with you. It was NEVER stated in mint condition. Need I remind you I mentioned there was a tiny chip in the lid? Or did you think you were going to "steal" the jar? If that chip wasn't in the lid you would have paid more than 20 dollars for it. FYI-it just shows how bitter and miserable you are by correcting me on my spelling. Your sneaky and that is a real negative in the ebay community. I've notified ebay about blocking you. They have a box that is checked that asks sellers if they are willing to deal with "difficult" buyers. Even when I started I refused to deal with ugly people because life has way too much drama already in it. I hope you can be decent and respectful of the next poor seller you'll be deal with. Don't ever contact me again loser."

Okay Doky..I got me a winner. I quickly sent this to the "inappropriate mail" people and said, this is why we don't want to give honest feedback. I didn't even give negative feedback. Block this scary person from being able to message me.

So hopefully, this Kookoo will keep her distance. She has my real name, and address, from mailing me item. Great. At least she is from another state. How can someone like this do busy an a regular basis.

My friend, Pat and I now have a new saying when someone is being just a little overly sensitive and crazy... "Labking".
So, remember, Don't be a Labking!

Glamorous Miss Kitty

This is my fabulous Grandma Kitty when she was known as Kathryn Garner. This photograph was taken March 28th, 1946. It is one of the Head shots from her modeling portfolio.
My Mother gave it to me this Christmas. I had never seen this particular photo.
I love it.
My favorite Christmas gift.
My Mom knew that this would mean alot to me.
I am now on a mission to the Antique Shops in search for that perfect 1940's frame for this picture!
Isn't it grand? She is so beautiful!
Thank you Mom!

Aunt Jemima Came to Live With Us!

Look what I got!!! Now as you know, Lynn & I are passionate about antiquing. We each have our items that we search for. Lynn is big on ashtrays and political pins. Me, I love looking for Cookie jars and old black dolls, Aunt Jamima items, and Sammi items. Once I found a Humpty Dumpty Cookie Jar in mint condition, on sale for..$495. Slightly out of my price range! Someday though, I want to have a cookie jar collection in the bulk head of the kitchen cabinets. I want an old house and do my kitchen very retro.

When we had our Girls Weekend, Lynn & I dragged Sher & Deb to an Antique Mall. Low and behold, I found not one, but two Aunt Jamima Cookie jars, in perfect condition! But, even though they were priced very well ($35 & $40), that was my weekend girls money and choose to use it on the weekend rather than myself. Sneaky Lynn, asked which of the Aunt Jamima's I preferred. One was wearing a blue dress and the other white. I felt the white was more authentic and looked better.

Today, I was surprised by Aunt Jamima on my dining room table! Stinkerbell Lynn went back and bought her for me!

Isn't she lovely? I am blown away. I haven't had something like that done for me in a long time.

I LOVE IT & I LOVE YOU LYNN!

What a great friend. I am a happy girl today ( :