Demolition underway

A beautiful day today...not to warm (in the 60s) so Alan began

to remove the pond foundation. He bought a power hammer...like a jack hammer to make the job easier. What he discovered is that  when the pond was built those many years ago it was built very well.... totally reinforced. The task is not complete... it will take a few more days of drilling. Murphy is right there to pick up stones, weeds and dirt. Before Alan began the pond he had to fix a leak in the irrigation line...

Murphy was front and center then too. So, they spent a good part of the day working while I sat around. We seem to be having trouble resetting the irrigation timer so I will need to call someone in.ir
So often I see pictures of cats helping at the computer....now Murphy sits on me lap with the occasional  paw or nose onssss the keyboeard as he  is   nm now. See what I mean!  
I am happy to report that my heel is almost healed and that the pooches incision is healed. I am trying to remember just where I stored my hankies forf my quilt... obviously they are in the garage craft area.... I am sure of it. At the moment Alan and Lisa are preparing dinner....so off I go.  
Always so nice to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.        .

Mid-week

It is always so nice to wake to sun and warmth....it seems Arizona will be returning to warmer days this week in the 90s. So, ideally I will get up and out into the garden early and errands and chores finished early. Time was when that was my mornings....awake and out of bed early... not so much now. Times do change. Still waking early but more inclined to slow down until at least 6am! It is not a bad thing.
Returning home after having dinner out on Monday night, there it was... a coyote at the beginning of my street. Looked up and then returned to business... no need to explain. Have not seen any during the day recently...but they are always around. Alan took a picture with his phone but being dark it did not translate to a clear picture for the computer.

This Rubbermaid tool storage was how Dennis had our garden equipment for 12 years…. hopefully the trash will lake it as is... if not I will be taking it apart today for the next trash pick up.

this is how it is now. I saw this in Lowes so it was ideal. Instead of lifting out and over my head, it is simple to remove from the open front brackets. Next will be shelves above this area. Much better for my back.
Lisa was keeping busy with her iPad and then showed me what she was doing. Then Alan downloaded the app to my Tablet...

an electronic Adult Coloring book. Very relaxing. No colored pencils dropping or trying to decide on colors...just tap your finger.
I did find in my WIPs (which I have few) a Mill Hill kit that I will be working on. It is a SW design that I started a while ago.
An update on the Dove nest...have no idea what these 2 birds are doing. They leave the nest for long periods and I am sure that the 2 eggs are not viable anymore. I will give them one more week then I will remove the eggs. Maybe first timers? All part of accepting nature whatever way it shows itself.
Time to enjoy this first cup of coffee before going to the garden and out for errands. Feeling tired so I will keep it easy today. Happy to have you visit today and all days. thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

I either have too many studs or not enough!

Oh the weather outside is frightful is getting hot already. They say up to the low 90s this weekend. I really think I am having weather related headaches and sinus issues..... or whatever. I give up. Yesterday morning the fragrance from the Daffodils was really bothering me so they are now out on the table in the Lanai. They are visible each time I walk into the kitchen. The back is just okay. I have been doing nothing and there is the possibility that I will call the doctor Monday.

My April Origami Star is finished. I like the colors and how it feels like Spring. These are easy and enjoyable to make. I like that I have all the months prepared so that I can just sit and make in just a few minutes.
I  decided to replace the garden tool storage rack in the garage. I want to have a storage on the garage wall. So of course first I need to find the studs. Were you thinking another kind of stud from the title????? ... anyway, I found the stud finder (of course Denny had one...only one in the cupboard) and read the directions. Read them and read them again. I was doing what it said but could not successfully locate studs then all of a sudden there was one almost on another. Something obviously was really wrong. I texted both Bobby and Don for advice. Bobby got back to me with directions but I still could not find my studs. Don call and said he would stop by and he did and showed me how to use the tool but even he had to admit they were not lining up right. Glad it was not my inability to follow directions. After we chatted and he gave me advice on how to mount the rack  he kindly added the last 2 bags of soil into the pond. Ta Da…. just going to let it settle then plant. I have also decided to remove 2 Yucca plants that cause me serious cuts from the sharp leaves. Things are progressing nicely.
Wednesday lunch with Vicki was delightful. We chatted and munched on Fettuccini and salad at Olive Garden. I forgot to link up her 2 blogs....one here and the other is here. Be sure to check them out.
Okay, time to move on..... glad you stopped by. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Can't believe it is Friday!

This week really has passed me by. Maybe it is the crazy weather here in Arizona. First we are in a freeze warning and the overnights were cold...then it warmed up then we actually had a day of 70. We had some rain and now they say we should have more this weekend. Why would I be surprised; it is winter after all and this is what is winter here. The high country had snow. Speaking of the high country... the end of December Shelly's post began with song lyrics and she asked who knew them and I was the first to comment and I won...yes, a gift certificate to 123 Stitch! What a surprise. I already took a look and found several Mill Hill beaded kits...now to make my selection. Shelly is one of those who is in the high country and gets snow. 
I also ordered the coating for my Russian Leave earrings. I plan to use it on other beaded projects that could be better if stiffer; my Santa earrings for example. Yesterday I began to get the garage straightened out. Amazing what the Holiday Faeries did out there. Trash pick up was today so that made it a good day to bag and toss. Some of the garden debris too. The Brother Alan and I have new plans for the pond. One of these days I will get to show you; that will be when he is back out here in a few months. I am sure looking forward to their return. I know they are eager to be here.
Do any of you follow Jenny's blog? She writes such a lovely blog and designs beautiful things. Her embroidery is so lovely. I always feel relaxed visiting Jenny. Stop over when you have a few minutes. 
Well it seems that the House Faeries are not coming to clean today so it will be my turn. It is always so nice to chat with you. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words. Thank you for your friendship. If the Faeries are at your place please remind them to stop here!

A different Amaryllis

A chilly morning...but still very nice. My appointment for noon just showed up (8am)....I really do not mind because then it is over with. It is the electrician for the HOA....who knew there were reset buttons on the lamp post electrical outlets!?
Yesterday when I went to Lowes to construct a simple birdbath for the garden, I remembered to buy my Christmas Amaryllis...

 have you seen this kind yet? It is encased in handmade wax and needs no water! I was told that it is true and will bloom without needing to be cared for...just put it on the counter and leave it alone. While there I also bought a lovely red Poinsettia; both of these are a Christmas must.  I did buy 2 small bushes for the front area... Eremophia maculata Cupid known also as the "emu bush". Where do these names come from. As soon as there are blooms I will share a picture. It will add a bit of color to the porch area. These may be mauve in color and will be good for the hummers.
Today needs to be ---organize the Christmas boxes to the shelves in the garage....should not take too long. After that I plan on doing...if you guessed nothing you guessed correctly. I have dough thawing in the fridge for doughboys...also known as fry bread for later. Time to finish my coffee....before the electrician returns from getting part for the lights. Always nice to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for caring. Thank you for your friendship.

An Elf in the garage

This crazy Arizona weather! Oh I know, many states are having crazy weather issues. One day it is quite warm here with the AC on in the car and then the next day the heater is used to get that chill out. Doors open on one day and not the next....short sleeves  then wearing the long sleeve shirt. This week should be around the low to mid 70s...but who knows. Sorry for all those who are having the early snow storms…..be careful out there!
Yesterday an Elf showed up in my garage.

There are 20 boxes here which means I would have climbed the step ladder 20 times up and then down and back up again.... well let's just say too many times. A few of the boxes are not so lightweight (but not too heavy). The phone rang with the offer to come and assist me.... and voilà! a few minutes later and ….
Thank you Glenda for coming by and lending me a hand. I will rethink my storage at the end of the holiday this year. The trees are in the lower cupboard so they are not an issue. The garage storage has already been rearranged once but I see anther day or two of moving things. I can start with putting something else up in the high cupboard and having the decorations in a more accessible spot. Yes, I think I already have it figured out. One last container to get down...the outdoor stuff and I will be ready to work after turkey day....Wow, I just looked at the calendar....Thanksgiving is Thursday!...this Thursday!!!
Yesterday was supervising the finishing of the courtyard transition from grass to rock and then I started another beaded snowflake with white and silver. Today will be washing the window to change the sheers in the living room and that will be ready for the tree placement. The laundry will soon be swishing and a second cup of coffee brewed. The Bissell and I will take a walk and the Swiffer will follow along. That is what I will be doing today....hope your day is not too busy. Nice to chat with you today....thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. 

Where do things go??

Last evening proved to be very stormy around Arizona and here in The Valley too. Wind...thunder and lightening with pouring rain. Some areas flooded (not here) and there were reports of hail. For now it is over and the morning is starting to be sunny and comfortable but the forecast is for the temps to return to 90 for the weekend. Crazy weather for sure. The Brother Alan commutes from Providence RI to Boston MA daily for work and I worried about his train ride...but all went well.
I cannot find a few things...things that I need for my beading and such. Why? Well with starting to change things around here for the eventual move of The Brother from RI to Arizona, I have begun to move this and that. Mainly it is my storage of craft supplies. The second bedroom which is now his and was my sewing/craft room with a full closet of storage has meant that my storage has changed to my bedroom closet and the garage. I have begun to weed out many things that I will no longer need or want and will continue to do so but when I put something away I seem to be loosing it.  Getting used to the new storage is not easy ! There definitely must be gremlins who have moved in. Where are those small clear bags? What happened to the Tatting thread? Who has the hand held hole punch? the rest of this week will be trying to locate said items. Yesterday I rearranged one shelving unit in the garage and have a few kits to offer up. I am on cross stitch hiatus at the moment.

This Mirabella has linen and specialty thread and beads....if I have not stitched it by now I most likely will never. When I think of the money spent and it sits in a box.

These kits are also from that same box. Do not get me going on the many patterns that will also be going. I have lots of Blackbird Designs that are in the never to be used category. I just had to have them. I added quite a bit of paper to my recycle bin yesterday...you know all those free patterns that you print out but never get to.  My goal is to really de-stash this week. Maybe I will even find those bags that I need...of course once I go and buy them I will find them. So in between beading Santa and trying to convince the gremlins to give me back my things I will be in the garage the rest of the week.
Glad you visited today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. I will try to report back in the next few days as long as the gremlins do not take me away!

Chilly in Arizona

The winter temperatures have finally arrived and I am not happy. No indeed. It is almost Spring and I do not like to put on socks and long sleeves now! It will soon be March and to me it means Spring. The garden is not happy either.....a few plants look unsure of what to do next. So far the "alien" Snail Vine is not slowing down but my lovely geranium is thinking about calling it quits. So spoiled I am with the usual Arizona warm temps.
I should begin by telling you that my legs are finally feeling better, still very tender in certain areas but a lot better. It is a longer process than I thought it would be. Still using all the prescribed medications so I still start my morning a bit scattered in the brain.....some would say not too  different for me! I did keep busy yesterday.....I started tatting another Snowflake

I would have been a littler farther along except I cut the wrong thread and voila! had to start over. So I took a break

moved to my sewing corner and cut out the clothing for Dolly. All set to sew...almost. Trying to decide on the dress part...so I took a break.....brought something into the garage and decided to start to paint my mail box. Our "mailboxes" are really a mail slot from the outside of our garage and the mail drops into the garage. In my case the former owner had built a box for the mail to drop into. The inside area is now painted and today I will do the outside which is still inside...right. The only time to do this is from Saturday afternoon to Sunday as there is no mail delivery. Just adding a bit of color to an all white garage interior...which is quite boring. So, as you can see I did start a few projects and took a few breaks and today will hopefully get back to all of them. Finishing just one of these projects would be nice.
I did enjoy the Olympics especially the Curling and the skiing. Not so much the skating this time. I am not a big baseball fan so sports for me will be on hold for awhile. Guess if it gets warmer I can turn to gardening. Finally found the number of the guy to sharpen the tools so I will be calling him today. He is a mobile van and will sometimes come to you. Getting organized is the goal. Well, I think I need to go sit for awhile until the sun rises and my light-headedness lifts. Thank you for taking the time to visit and for your kind words. Thank you for your friendship.

****there are 8 more days in the countdown****

Just when things seems to be going good.....

Things are going well around the Horton House. Until I discovered that the irrigation system is watering without my help! For some reason it is running on it's own  but with a leak somewhere. I guess I will have to call Robert  to check it for me. This is not a gracie can fix thing.
I did fix the Blue-ray DVD player. Your are reading correctly; well, I unplugged it and replugged it and it reset itself. That I learned for Denny. I did pay attention most of the time. Not looking to spend anymore money right now. Today is the start of the front porch/walkway. It should be completed tomorrow. Ah yes, tomorrow.....I start a writing class at the library. It will run for 6 weeks every Tuesday morning from 10 to 12.
The garden is really looking good.

This is my Cherry Tomato plant and it is nice and healthy. I always have Marigold with the plant. By January I hope to be munching on freshly picked gems. I will take a picture of the Snail vine which is climbing up, up away. Blooms have been opening and I think it will do okay.
The mail brought a few good packages last week

Sis Linda sent me my pepper biscuits....one package is just about finished. I do wish I could get them out here. I know there are recipes to make them but I really am addicted to these. I grew up munching them. I ordered a replacement for a gift that Denny gave me years ago...a Dream Pillow. I was going to replace just the insides, but it was less expensive to just buy a new one.

It is the same company...they have been around in Taos NM for quite sometime.  This time the cover is Celestial but the scent is the same wonderful herbs. I also bought a sachet of Desert Sage...to ward off negative spirts. It also smells nice. You know this will be put by the doors!
The garage was my work space the other day. I told my sis that I would stop and relax for awhile...but I remembered putting something of Denny's out there and when I went to find it...well, well one thing lead to another. First of all the other day when I rearranged the Kachina/tea cups, I could not find the lighter weight of the 2 hammers out there. Obviously The Brother Alan when he used it put it someplace else. So that was what caused time to completely re-do the tool section. I found 6 indoor extension cords (various lengths), 9 outdoor extension cords and at least 5 outdoor spotlight posts. Denny was going to be prepared for anything.

Look how everything has a place and a label and all is right. I have asked my garage Faery to watch over anyone who opens these doors! Easy to find and easy to put away.. I like to be organized. As a result of this I have gained another shelf in the other cupboard for my crafts. I hate to search for something. Looking for and needing to search are two different things.
Well laundry #2 is in the dryer and I need my morning coffee. Then it is off to the bank early to be back for the workmen for the front walkway. It has been nice chatting with you today. Thank you for the kind words and most of all thank you your friendship. 
There are friends who wander in and out as it is convenient for them but then there are those who are always with you.

Project complete

The rain gutters are complete and it was interesting to see how they are formed.

Ray had a roll of the material on a machine and once inserted it comes out all formed

Ray measures out what is needed for the run, cuts and attaches brackets and then hangs it. I am very pleased with the outcome and the great service received. No more floods when the next rain comes.
I mentioned that I wanted to move a few things around in the kitchen...I said I would wait. I did.....about a few hours then I moved the curio to the tea cup spot and  the tea cups to the curio spot

I like the arrangement much better. Al the pictures are re-hung and the floor washed. I love the way my home looks and feels. I am very content with how it makes me feel. Denny and I worked to make this so and it is a comfort to me to have so much of him still here. Just as my yard is a pleasure to relax in.

Look at the new additions to the garden. They are metal bird houses which remind me of Fairy houses. They at solar and so at night they look adorable

See the tiny light that looks like a flower? This is the red one which faces the kitchen window and there is one at the pond and one which is visible from my bedroom. I love how they are scattered around and add a whimsical touch to the garden. Denny created this lovely garden and it is so nice to be outside day or night. I love how it looks and feels. It really is so complete as it is. Just as I like it.
I must share a gift  I received yesterday

My dear friend Glenda brought this to me. It is so lovely and the picture does not do it justice. The flowers are pastel and delicate. It has been added to my display. I think it may be time for a tea party!
I did get to the market yesterday for bread but forgot the milk....so I must leave now as I have not had my morning coffee yet. Thank you for visiting with me and for your kind words. Thank you most of all for your friendship.

The things you find in cupboards

Just when I think I know what it where in the garage I find something else. I found a Utility Pump...now that would have been ideal when I had to completely empty the pond! I thought we had one but I had not as yet cleaned the cupboards when I was working on the pond. Now it will be on the shelf where I can get to it for the next time. I did remember that I had a box with some drinking glasses. I have not yet emptied the upper cupboards so yesterday I poked into one and

here are 1977 McDonald  Burger King Star Wars glasses. Picture on one side and explanation on the back. There is Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, R2D2 and C3-PO as well as Darth Vader. Then there were some wildlife glasses and Ronald himself and also

Wonder Girl and A&W Rootbeer little mugs. This was when free glasses with a drink were the thing...real glass not plastic. Wonder what else I will find the next time I climb up the ladder? I know there are a set of 12 Betty Boop plates in a box. All will need to wait until a cooler weather arrives. We are in a heat advisory again today. Yesterday hit 110 and the same for today. The yard needs a sweeping and the pond could use a vacuum, but not today. Out to water a few pots and that is it. So glad the watering system is  reconnected and working just fine.
I have a light headache to start the day and it is probably the weather but I will take something to help it disappear and just relax for a few hours. Still working on my tatted Denny's Angels...before I know it Christmas will be here and that was the idea behind making so many of these.
Thank you for stopping by today and for your kind words and for your friendship. I appreciate all of you and feel very lucky to have you in my life. Did you know that The Brother Alan will be arriving soon?

Ready for more Monsoon

The rain we had Wednesday evening did not amount to much but they say more "storms" for the weekend, so here is my boat so I can float! Okay, so it is only paper origami....it is always the thought that counts. My thought this morning is to thank Keith for sorting out my computer issue yesterday...good neighbor and friend are they; Keith and Al. I tatted on 3 of the 5 Denny's Angels yesterday but they will all need their halos before picture time. I also cleaned another of the cupboards in the garage....I own 7 fry pans...that is right and they are all different sizes. I also found a set of sauce pans (not needed) and the Waffle Iron and a Cool Daddy (also not needed)...guess there will be a Fall Garage Sale. I still have the upper cupboards but this is getting done slowly. A conversation with sis Lynowl earlier this week and she asked me what she could send me...I asked for and got my favorite Rhode Island biscuits..

Palmieri Bakery Pepper sticks....not one bag but 4! I will tell you that I can eat one bag a day easily...but I am behaving. They are not available out here in Arizona. I wish I had the recipe for these....wonder if they would share it? Be right back....
I had put a small wash in and it was ready to leave the washing machine..in this heat you can not leave clothes in the washer too long. The garage is not air conditioned.  Anyway., on to the Word for today is Caring

It can mean to feel love, feel concern and protection. I certainly felt al these with Denny. I miss his smile that said I love you....his holding my hand which gave me protection and his worrying about me.

He loved to plant roses. Back in RI we had several lovely bushes in our garden, out here he had little to no luck. His favorite was the Lincoln Rose....When we sorted through looking for embellishments he asked that I include this someplace...my tatted rose. I told him maybe  I should make many to hang in the garden...he rolled his eyes....but it is here. A rose for my Denny.
It is very cloudy out today, I think maybe I should make a fleet of sail boats! Glad to chat with you and thank you so much for the kind words and for your Caring thoughts for me. Thank you most of all for your friendship. Let's have a good day.