Monday, January 27, 2014

Weekend Update, Crazy Cold Edition






Look where we went this weekend...That's my sweetest at the Brooklyn Bridge! Sadly, we were not in Brooklyn visiting our sweet babygrand, but at Ikea...walking the store just to get out on a Friday night. Sad perhaps, but safer than walking in the neighborhood. 


Snowdrifts, ice and wind have made venturing outside a hazardous affair.


Call the Guinness Book of World Records...all I bought were some sandwich


cookies that have a heart on them.  I couldn't resist.


We got in a good walk with all hips intact.






I was sitting on a gift card from Target from my dearest of SIL's Elizabeth.  So I shopped some of my favorites, Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena candles and Dr. Bronner's castile soap on sale!  I plan on making my own pump soap from the lavender soap.  You start putting things you need into the cart, the detergent, dishwasher tabs, I'll take this, we need that and you get to the checkout and gasp.  How did I spend so much?  The amount seemed high but out to the car I went.  Back in the car and protected from the Arctic blast, I checked my receipt.  They charged me 8 times for my bar of soap!  So not only going back out into the wind, but lugging everything I bought back to the store to prove that I bought eight one dollar Valentine chocolates, and only one bar of soap.  Oh Target, why to you keep doing me wrong!  They were very nice and apologetic.






I hear my dear Mom in my head, "You have to watch!"







I made a batch of hand cream.  It's a simple recipe I found on pinterest...Hand cream, coconut oil and vitamin E cream.  I used Aveno cream and Vitamin E oil with the coconut oil.  It is the best hand cream I've ever used.  I used it on my nose when I was sick and it kept my face from becoming raw from the constant wiping.  (I used 5 full boxes of kleenex!)  I just made 2 jars before Christmas.  Elizabeth took one.  She is a floral designer and her hands get really bad in the winter.  She loves this cream and uses it at night with cotton socks on her hands.  






A few scores at the local thrift.  Four mason jars for one dollar. YES!  Must make more cozies! ;-)






Honey walked this tool trug over to me and asked, do you want it?...Heck yeah!






I also found this great wooden bowl.









Filled it with projects...hearts and such.



A little color!  These cuttings I took for Melanie before the first frost.  They are surviving on neglect, but I took them down from their perch on the windowsill.  Even with double paned windows it was too cold to leave them right next to the window.  Mel are you still interested?



Speaking of perches...I am sad to inform you, at this late date, of the passing of my parakeet Blue, aka Blueberry Pie.  She actually died right after the new year.  I miss waking her up each morning and covering her at night.  She was beautiful and gave us many hours of pleasure.  Abandoned in a apartment with her friend, Mr. Dilbert Pickles, I reluctantly took them in many years ago.  When Dill died, Blue was seemingly unaffected, but I felt sorry for her loss.  In lieu of flowers, feed the birds ;-)  My friend Jean actually sent a sympathy card!  That's the kind of sweetness I am blessed with.  No more pets...really mean it this time Kristen!



Son Mike is still suffering from strep.  He was back to the doctor, this time for a shot of penicillin and a new prescription.  Without getting too graphic, he was in so much pain and could hardly swallow.  I'm hovering, but like his father, he would sleep continuously...forgetting his meds, or to eat or drink. Moms worry, no matter that he is a grown man, he is still and will always be my baby boy!  (Sorry Mike.)



I started to read Laura Ingalls Wilder's book The Long Winter again.  If you haven't read her books, or haven't read them since you were a child, pick one up again.  I first read them with daughter Kristen. The harsh life the pioneers endured is unimaginable.  We are so fortunate today.  Central heating, hot showers, polar fleece, food in abundance.  Really put my reality in perspective. No more crankiness! So with a new attitude I start this week.  Hope all is well with you my friends. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this beautiful day.



Love, Penny



3 comments:

Melanie said...

Hi Penny ~ can you believe I did indeed go out thrifting today?! I didn't go to Savers; went to Goodwill instead. I love that big wooden bowl you found. Your hearts and yarn look so pretty in it. It looks like you and Tyke have some very exciting nights; almost as much as me and Brian when we go to Barnes and Noble! ;-) At least you guys got some exercise. I'm definitely still interested in those coleus cuttings. They look beautiful! Hand cream...I use either my mom's all-natural- no chemicals or preservatives - creme (did you know she makes this stuff?...she also makes an all-natural herbal salve) or Trader Joes coconut body creme. At night, I use organic coconut oil around my eyes and on my neck. Oh my goodness, I was so sorry to hear about Blue. How sad. Are you sure you don't want another pet though? You know, there's a lot of cats and dogs in shelters out there that are waiting for a loving home. :-) Hey, maybe a new pet would cheer up Mike while he's sick?! lol You are right - us moms always worry, no matter how old our kids are. Even though Tim is 23, he's still my "baby". I haven't read The Long Winter in many years. I loved all those books. Stay warm, my friend!

Lynne said...

Great post Penny. The hand cream sounds like a winner. Difficult to make?

Sorry to hear about your bird Blue . . .

I hope Mike starts to feel better . . . Maybe that penicillin will do the trick.

I liked the picture of a Tyke on your "Broadway" walk. Keep that inside walking happening, much safer in this dreadful weather . . .

Be safe and warm my friend!

Debby said...

So sorry about your sweet birdie. We had a couple of cockatoos once. The firs one didn't live long. So we got another since the first one was a birthday gift for our son. That one lived a few years but died trying to lay an egg. She kept laying eggs. If I too them out of the cage she would be so sad. So I left them in her cage. Poor baby.
I hope your son feels better. He must have had strep badly. Make sure they test him for mono. I remember when you always got a shot when you were really sick. Not any more.
I wish our Ikea was closer. We have one in Cincinnati but that's two hours away. I have only been to Ikea two times and both times it was in Denver.
It is terribly cold, Wind and snow as well. I stay in if I don't have to watch the littles. I do like winter but it is getting a little hard with these temps. Our pipes have frozen twice now . Dreading tonight as it is supposed to be really cold.
Take care my friend. I love those crocheted hearts.