My, Oh My.

I cannot believe how long it's been since I've posted anything.  I don't think I've ever gone this long.  I've been thinking of just quitting, but I've had a time of introspection, which depression causes one to do, and I think I'd be better off forcing myself to continue.  The last couple of months I've gone underground.  I seem to pull the blanket over my head, ignoring all and everything that makes me happy.  I play the silly little FB games - keeps my mind busy. 

I've got another blog I purposely set up for the blah, blah, blah, I'm depressed, poor me, blah, blah, blahs....
Now, the thing is - I need to use it!  I want my friends to come here and leave feeling better than they did before. I want to give, not take. 

So, here we go.  I've missed all of you so much, but I'm not going to waste more time on navel gazing - at least, not here!

The windchimes are in my backyard.  Don't you just love the way the pine tree had it's limbs whacked off?  The heart is for all of you.....

A Gray Day Downtown

I have no idea what this building is - I need to go back and find out.  I love the little niche in the middle of the turret.  Linda - I'm a big disappointment because I'm posting w/o checking.  I love that the leaves here and below echo the colors of the building, and I love the burgundy trim on the windows below.

I'm nuts about this clock.  I like the lines and style, especially the way it pops against the more modern lines of the building behind it. 

The Return of the Jam Jar

 "The Little Chapel by the Lake"  When I was little, I would sit 

in the little booth with Florence and help her take tickets and sell 

the transfiguration picture of Jesus that was shown in the chapel.

She's the lady in the photo, dressed in period clothing.

My Little Jam Jar, come home to roost....

Most of you know of my connections to Knott's Berry Farm.  I started the saga with my parents meeting way back in the last 30's and marrying in 1941.  After the war, my dad, mother and my mother's sister started a business.  It was called Art Glow Studio.  They had the shop where they created items on our home property, and they employed maybe 5-6 women.  (Why can I remember most of their names but I can't remember the name of the book I'm reading????)  They had two concepts:  One was the "Art Glow Studio," which my aunt operated.  It was at Knott's, across from the Little Chapel on the Lake, where the Inspiration House would be in later years.  They made plaster figurines and painted them with phosphorescent paint.  You held the item up under direct lamp light, turned off the light and the object would "glow in the dark!"

The second aspect of the Art Glow Studio was jam jars and creamers.  You know that the "berry" in the farm was the boysenberry, which was developed locally by Luther Burbank. Walter Knott grew boysenberries and they sold pies at the original berry market (where my mom, aunt and dad all worked)As Knott's became more popular, along with the restaurant (Chicken Dinner Restaurant), they started selling souvenir items, one of which was the jam jars.

My folks had three or four huge commercial kilns at the shop and they made a lot of different ceramic decorative pieces.  I remember plates, figurines, lamp bases, vases, things of that sort.  And the jam jars.  The jars were baked in the kilns, then they were painted, baked again, then the decals were baked on.  I can see my mom using a sponge dipped in (I think) gold leaf in liquid form and dabbing the gold around the edge of  the lid and the bottom of the jar.  The leaves and berry were hand-painted.  (After my folks started the Inspiration House, Knott's bought the jam jars and "outsourced" them and they all carry the stamp "Knott's Berry Farm." I have seen a couple of those...)

It's a shame that we aren't blessed with foresight because I had no idea that one day I would wish that I had kept one of  those little jars.  I started looking for one years ago when I would find myself in an antique shop or second hand store.  I have found a lot of our everyday dishes that came from Kresses Department store, and some of them are actually stamped "Made in Occupied Japan."  But I never found a jam jar.  One night a couple of weeks ago I checked out ebay.  Guess what?  I found three of them!  All with the "Art Glow Studio" stamp!  I can't tell you how I felt!  One for me and two left over for my girls!  I love looking at the gold lettering and realize that my mother wrote that...  Little joys in life and heartfelt pleasures mean all the world to me.

Greetings from Fogville...

Well, we're kinda socked in with Tulle ("toolie") Fog.  Nasty stuff, really, as it causes major accidents, and the air quality control folks have your neighbors rat you out if you dare light a fire.  Since our air quality is so bad, I do kinda get that, but what's a cold, drippy, foggy night without the option of a roaring fire?  Okay, I don't even have a fireplace...but wouldn't it be nice?

I made some nice hot chai tea and munched on some cinnamon crisps.  Totally decadent woman that I am, I even chewed off a bit of dark chocolate, consoling myself that it's all for my health.

I took off yesterday for my second venture to Costco because they didn't have my meds Friday.  On the way home, I meandered through downtown B-town with my trusty little camera.  It was grey and drippy - a perfect day for some architectural shots.  We have some lovely old buildings here.  There were no people to speak of so I didn't care if I looked foolish hopping out here and there, but, as luck would have it, my battery went dead.  I did get a couple of really neat shots I'll post later.

I know you all back east, except for you Floridians, are suffering with all of the really cold stuff, so I'll quit my bellyaching.  But you all know how I prefer the cold to the heat (sorry, Sandee and Bee!!!). 

I hope the week ahead treats all of you well and may blessings abound!

(Reading a very good book:  "Just Do Something, a Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will, or How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Impressions, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, Etc." ---Kevin De Young)

My Resolutions and Other Stuff

I don't usually make resolutions but I figured most of these

would be easy for me, especially the next-to-last one!

This is my very favorite picture of my great-grand, Ryleigh!

Do people not own mirrors anymore???   

Or is her head on backwards?

After all those years working at Knott's I didn't think anything

could shock me when it comes to people's personal appearance.

But this one got me.  That black stuff you see on the lady's head 

and hanging down her back?  IT'S HAIR!  (Or a reasonable facsimile).

Wait - what's reasonable about this mess?

We're off to a good start for the new year.  At least Madame Pelosi had her gavel 

taken away from her.  I just wish Boehner had whacked her with it.  And he kissed

her!  YACK!  That would mean some serious mouth washing with some Jack Daniels!!!

"...and to all a good night!"

Part of the Tribe...

 Yes, I know.  I'm absolutely adorable....

 We ran out of gas.....

 Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!

Look at me!  I gradiated!

Happy Birthday, Sarge!!!

 Have a splendid birthday!!! I went shopping for you and found these really neato cakes...see what you think!

 And here are some funnies for you...
(This is Nancy Pelosi before make-up!)

Happy Birthday, My Hero - SARGE!!!

Snooping Complete

That's Hubman with grand-dog, Norma Jean.  They're having a great discussion about playing fetch, I think!

Well, I finally found out a little more about the folks across the way.  I always take Homer with me when I go out and get the mail.  He thinks it's his job now.  So I had him in my arms at the mailbox and noticed Ray was outside so I took a chance.  I meandered over and asked him if he'd like to meet my new pup.  That opened Pandora's box.  He petted Homer and started telling me about all the cats that they have.  There are several feral cats he's been feeding because he said he couldn't stand to see them out in the cold.  The "Cat People" are coming with traps and neuter/spay them and try to find them homes.

I asked him how things are going - remember, he's quite hard of hearing and I speak softly - lots of yelling going on!  He said that Bertie is "near being dead," and that she's back home.  He said they can't be together more than five minutes that they're not arguing, although he said he's trying real hard not to.  He said that he has to help her up during the night several times "to urinate on the port-a-potty, but she dribbles."  TMI!!! 
But I let him go on.  They're looking for a convalescent home for her, and he's got help during the day.  He also told me that Bertie is 93 years old!  Remember me telling you that she was still driving to the store?!?  She doesn't look that old at all.  I would've guessed mid to late 70's. 

So that's that.  I didn't want to ask him any questions about the fire truck that comes and goes all the time.  When I told him goodbye, I told him that we were praying for them and he broke into tears.  I hugged him and he recovered and thanked me.  Gee.  Talk about breaking your heart!  So....now I know and kinda wish I didn't.

Me and Wally at the Beach....

Okay, this isn't nice but why the heck do people do this?!?  I saw so many "odd" wardrobe malfunctions while working at Knott's, you'd think I couldn't be shocked, but this one almost takes the cake!  (Must be somewhere in Europe, I'm guessing!)
(Ooops.  I should have clarified that that's me and Wally on the left....she snickers)

Still Snooping...

Still no answers...but family and friends have been in and out.  The truck, "Fire Attack Unit," comes and goes on a regular basis - at all hours.  Ray and Bertie are their names.  He spends a lot of time working on his rose bed and petting his calico cat.  His kids bought him a golf cart so he can drive around the park and not feel as if he's totally dependent. Up until a few weeks ago, Bertie was still driving to the grocery store with Ray in tow.

Several months ago, a deputy sheriff pulled up and wound up hauling Ray off.  I got the mail at the same time as my neighbor who told me that Ray had "gone off" and was flushing Bertie's pills and pushing her around.  A couple of weeks later, family came and took the furniture out and hauled it off.  Bertie went to stay with family and Ray was allowed back in the home - by himself.  Since then, Bertie - and the furniture - all moved back in.  But earlier in the week a  realtor posted a "For Sale" sign in the yard.

It's made me somewhat reflective.  I sure hope I don't lose my cognitive skills - the few I have left anyway!
I've already apologized to hubman for things I may do in the future.  I have a vivid imagination, and I guess that's why the saga of Ray and Bertie has piqued my interest and concern.    There hasn't been any notice in the paper so I'm hoping that things are going well.

When hubman found out about his diabetes, he started walking 1-2 miles a day.  By the end of the first week he made several friends and probably knows everyone's name by now.  I'm such a "recluse," I don't really know a soul.  I guess it's true that opposites attract!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week...