These Boots Are Made For Walking

Deb is hosting a boot party today! These are my favorite boots. I found them in Canton at the Trade's Day with Amanda and Barbara last year. They just make me happy when I pull them on. Rainy, gloomy weather... no problem.



Since the end of September, East Texas has enjoyed (endured) a mini-monsoon. We have many areas standing in water... rivers out of their banks... gray, cloudy, wet days... I smile and pull on my zebras! =) I also have a pair of leopard ones from Amanda! Too fun.

Hook-In at Marla's Lakehouse - Primitive Rug Hooking

Today, I went to Marla's lakehouse. It is on a small private lake north of town. Cute as a button! The purpose was fellowship and food... a hook-in for the "hookers". Rug hooking is amazing in that five women could be working on the exact same pattern, even using similar materials and they would all be unique to that woman. It is an art started by women who used the burlap feed sacks and old wool clothes to create rugs for their homes. Now, many patterns are on fine linen and the wool is hand dyed... still... the art goes on...



There was a dozen of us who brought food and whatever we happened to be working on at the time.




I didn't really start taking pictures until late in the game, so I missed some folks... and some projects that were really cool.



This is Dee and Sue. Dee led me to this group SEVERAL years ago and I only realized while I was uploading pictures that I MISSED photographing Dee's project! That she finished today... only to be talked into working on mine (while I knitted... imagine that). Sue is prolific! Most of the rugs pictured in here are hers, including the cute sheep guys at the start.

This is Sue's current project.

A wonderful fall scene... scarecrows, pumpkins and crows, who obviously do not appreciate the fact they are supposed to be "scared" away.

This is Marla... she was the hostess with the most-est today! Thank you for your warm hospitality, Marla!

She is very close to finishing her project, too.

It will be a beautiful table runner when it is finished.

Martha is another prolific hooker!! She can finish a room sized rug before I have time to do a place mat!! Her constant theme is America... red, white and blue. Nobody does it better.

These are some of Sue's ladies...

And, her dog friends... Hers is the little angel in the lower left corner... with the halo. =)

I had a great time today... the fellowship was fabulous... the inspiration, outrageous... but, let me just say, these little cakes were the favorite part of my day!! Thank you, Kerry!

Proprietary Photos

My daughter is thoughtful and sends me "special - Noni only" photos. I love feeling like I have some moments with Little Man that are just for me... since he is 1200 miles away and we don't have that many moments. I loved the pumpkin patch shots. He looks like a wise little old man... like he has a secret only he knows... I'm sure he would share it with his Noni.

After seeing her new post this morning of my "special" thumb sucking photo, I have realized I better hurry and post my other special photos while they are still special! LOL! I love these little brown cords! I wrote and told her I thought they would be great with the sweater I am knitting for him. However, I found out that he was already out growing them... Love you, Little Man!! Big hugs and lots of kisses from Noni!! Thank you for the special photos, Amanda! Love you and big hugs and kisses to you, too!

Playing Tag...

I was tagged by Nanny! Who was tagged by Solar!

The deal is: there are five questions to answer and then there are two people to tag!

The questions are:
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

• I had to really blow the cobwebs out of my old menopausal mind to have a clue what I was doing 10 years ago. After remembering, it seems more like 20! I was still working for an Orthopaedic Surgeon, spending time in the office and the OR. Worked out and ran like a little fiend. It was no problem to cruise through 12 miles just to clear my head. I was single. I was close to God. Life was good. (Delete... Just started telling about my children and realized that I would save that info for one of my taggees to tell herself... ) My favorite songs of the moment were Life Uncommon by Jewel and Truth of the Heart by Melissa Etheridge.

2. Five things on my to-do list:

• Call the lawn service.


• Finish the sweater for Little Man.


• Pick up more paint chips for possible color change in the Bungalow.


• Go by the bookstore to see about the book by Diane Kress, R.D., The Metabolism Miracle, because I NEED a miracle! LOL.


• Keep up the exercise!!

3. Snacks I enjoy:

• Almonds
• Chocolate
• Almonds and chocolate
• Did I mention chocolate?
• Did I mention almonds and chocolate?

4. Places I have lived: Yes... they are all about the south...

• Sweetwater, Texas
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Calvert City, Kentucky
• Hardin, Kentucky
• Mobile, Alabama
• Loraine, Texas
• Shreveport, Louisiana
• Longview, Texas
• Tyler, Texas

5. Five things I would do if I were a billionaire: I think this subject would require more thought!

• Buy Evan a Mariner Rolex and a Porsche presented with a note that said he didn't have to work anymore. =) Love you, Honey!


• Create a non-profit to help people... not by enabling and rewarding crippling behavior, but by teaching and rewarding life skills.


• Hire a really good property manager, who would love my Old Girls like I do.


• Buy and save more old homes and duplexes.


• Recruit a great chef and some other businesses for my favorite little shopping strip (which I would buy).


• Buy Evan a "compound" so that he could have a place to hunt and play outside.


• Take my family on lots of trips!! =)

I am going to tag my newest blog friend, Linda, and my reason for starting this blog, Amanda!

Nanny, thank you for the fun!

Tag, you're it!

Fitness Project - a.k.a. The Wagon

The toe-hold grew tenuous after Little Man's visit to Texas. For those of you who might not know, I started a "boot camp" re-entry to fitness in September. It was brutal; I survived. Then for eleven days I did no exercise. Zero. Zip. Nada. By the way, I gained three pounds in boot camp... that was eating exactly as prescribed... and making all my camp days.

So, I admit there was a little wavering on my commitment to get strong and fit. Okay, a lot of wavering. You lose momentum when you sit on the couch. Inertia sets in. The conversation goes, "Well, it wasn't working anyway. You were gaining more weight. It will be really hard again. Why does it really matter? Why don't you just accept that you are old and fat? Acceptance = Peace. Blah... Blah... Blah... " You get the picture. We all know how persuasive that voice can be. Downright mesmerizing!

But, I am most happy to report that for two weeks straight I have stayed on my own program of weight training and running. That's right. I've started back running. Apparently, a resting heart rate of 54, that I had come to believe was my natural birthright, was not. I was quite surprised when I started using my heart rate monitor again... amazing how far one can fall while not paying attention. I think that applies to all things in life. We don't pay attention... they slip away.

This morning, I am celebrating two weeks firmly ON THE WAGON! Woo hoo!

Starting on Christmas...

Lately, my days have been spent with plumbers, carpenters and, today, the electrician. It is weeks like this that make me question the wisdom in my master plan of saving the historic multi-family properties AND developing a stream of income for retirement. But, I have played some, too...



Yesterday afternoon I went to Rose Path Weaving in Lindale. Oh, my goodness... my senses were on overdrive... so much beautiful yarn! All kinds! The textures, the materials, the colors... oh, my...

I went with the little pattern pictured above in hand...

The Plan = Making a sweater for my Little Man's Christmas present.

I held out the pattern to the lady in the store with the request to help me find what I needed for this sweater.

"Do you cable?" she asked (in a way that made me almost back down... because, no, I don't cable).

Without missing a beat, I responded, "Not yet."

She eyed me and seemed satisfied, "Good answer."




They helped me choose an appropriate material and weight... Material that can be spit up on and washed... Weight that will hopefully create the right gauge (size)... and color that will be easy for me to see my stitches for my first attempt... AND, that I find pleasing for my Little Man... it will look good with his brown eyes... =)

Did I tell you that the good news is, it will be easy for me to see my stitches?

Did I tell you that the bad news is, it will be easy for me to see my stitches?

Good news = Easy to see if you mess up. Bad news = Easy to see if you mess up. =) Doesn't that just about sum up life! LOL

BTW... it ends up being a "cable 2 twist" not a true cable... but, plenty for me this round!!

Playing for Change - Stand by Me

Just finished reading my e-mail for the morning. In it was a link to a youTube video sent by one of my oldest and dearest friends, Kathy. Her note said, "If this doesn't make you want to dance, nothing will!" Amen. It is from a documentary Playing for Change. Music is a common language... taps common emotions... allows us to rise above... do more... maybe, be more. Evan recently took his iPod with him to the gym to use while he was on the elliptical machine; he was so tickled at how the time passed and he felt like he could go on forever. This version of Stand by Me makes me feel like we could all go on forever... We all need someone to stand by us. I am deeply grateful for my peeps who stand by me and pray for a day when we can all stand by each other. Thank you so much Kathy! GO! DANCE! Stand by someone...

A Special Prize for Noni

I love my special e-mail prizes... =) Thanks to my babies...

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Correa! We love you.

Morning Sunlight

The morning sun streams in on this little violet...



It is on my kitchen counter...




I love sunlight... the way it illuminates... and casts shadows...




I finished the little blue and white striped blanket...




It is so soft and snuggly...

So that I could START on the pink stuff! =)

Which is quite soft and snuggly itself! I do have one comment that may not be so positive... When I left Laura's house with the yarn, it was still damp from the dying process. I left it in my car over lunch... a warm car. When I opened my door, it smelled like sheep had taken up residence inside!! =/ It smells fine now... I'm just wondering how well I will love my snuggly pink scarf should it ever get damp! Baaaaa.... I'm just sayin'...

Oooooh... So soft!

Yesterday, I went to rug hooking... not to hook (I was knitting), but to enjoy the fellowship of this group of ladies. Some of the faces change... some stay the same... I can go a year or more at a time without showing up... and they welcome me back with open arms... Really quite phenomenal.




Throughout the year, it is most always at Laura's house. She is the big instigator of primitive rug hooking in our little neck of the woods. She has taught and inspired countless women over years of hooking hours. She is the most gracious and kind and creative being.




This year, she is branching out to have a shop in Lindale with a bunch of other wool-lovers... including women who spin and dye and knit wool straight off the back of the sheep! I'm impressed! Laura has started spinning, too... and knitting... along with her hooking.




When I arrived at her house yesterday, she had been knitting a scarf with this yarn. Oh, my gosh it is so soft! And, I loved the pinks... She had had one of her friends dye two skeins for her to make scarfs as gifts.... Ends up, she only needed one skein. Lucky me! =)

So, now I have this beautiful batch of wool to play with myself! I am almost finished with a blanket I started earlier this year... then on to play with this!

Laura has recently started a blog, though she has had a website for a long while. I am looking forward to seeing more photos of the beautiful things she has hooked... and maybe some knitting, too! Take a look: Bee Hive Rugs

AND, off Laura's blog... I was highly amused by this one: Yarn Harlot Quite a witty little writer/knitter. =)

Candlelight Home 2010

Each year the Tour (Historic Tyler on Tour) has more or less six homes open to the public for touring one weekend in the spring... A weekend that the azaleas are breathtakingly beautiful... and that resurgence of life abounds...



It brings together the beauty of new life and old craftsmanship... character... and history... One of the homes is open only for the Candlelight Party, which is the opening night of the Tour. During this first evening of celebration, all the homes are open, including the Candlelight Home, and there is a great party to boot! This is the only chance to tour the Candlelight Home and it is always fun to see!




Candlelight Home 2010.

Letter from My Little Man

Imagine how delighted I was to find an e-mail from Little Man this morning:

"Hi, Noni.

Mommy and Daddy took me to the pumpkin patch yesterday. We had lots of fun. Mommy took this special picture of me just for you and Pop Pop. I hope you like it. I miss you lots.

Love,

Little Man"

Thank you so much, Angel! Noni misses you, too! Love you big!

Grateful Pop Pop and Noni

This is the sweetest Pumpkin around... He just coos and smiles...




And wraps his Noni's heart right around this little finger...




I love how he just looks like he is working so hard to communicate something incredibly important!




Of course, he and Pop Pop had discussions about Krav Maga and IDPA... boy talk...




Me... I just told him how his Noni adores him.

We are grateful to have had some time with this little wonder.