a very happy day in the cave . . .

Katie missed the sign up for on-campus housing for next year. Slots were already closed by the time her category was even supposed to open. Ugh. But on the bright side, it means that she will have to get an apartment, (already picked out) and when she gets an apartment, she will need furniture, and since her budget is low, and I have ulterior motives, I am donating the furniture in the loft, which of course means I will have an empty space and come August I will have . . . . drum roll please . . . my very own dedicated scrap room. So I am thinking . . . pale blue walls, white trim . . . white Ikea shelving . . . . white counter tops . . . tons of IRIS carts or cabinets under the counters, the freedom to use the walls as a huge project. Ooooooh, I am so happy, ooooooh Frank's eyebrows are so far up his face . Ooooooo, this is so exciting!!!

finally the insides. . .

Yes, I am a procrastinator. I finally finished the inside to the Cocoa Daisy post on April 15. This project was actually fun once I got going. Terminal scrapping stutterer, I am, working in bits and pieces. Of course it was after I added the child of the 50's to the outside that I realized it was really going to be 1948 -54. DORK! Sigh.

those odd things we do . . .

Since we are both retired, we have plenty of time to do the things we enjoy. Frank spends a lot of time at the gym, I spend mine on my paper fetish. Those are the two biggies, but we often find ourselves in other genres . . . like house snooping . . er hunting. We love to check out models, new developments, parades of homes, etc. Today we investigated an area he had seen in the paper. They were, well, honestly . . . atrocious. really! As in dead-dog ugly. Tacky. But on the way, we passed another small neighborhood we had yet to investigate. A quick U-turn and we fell in love. The houses were gorgeous. Stunning. Jaw dropping. How had this jewel escaped our outings? I want to live there. I need to live there. We came home and Frank noticed an open-house in that very neighborhood. Price tag? A mere 1.5m. At least we have good taste. Good thing I love the cave. Still, what are the chances I could win the lottery?

"take time to be quiet"

I just ran across that quote and it reminded me that sometimes I go full tilt and don't stop to hear the life that goes on around me. So laying here quietly in early evening, I am listening . . . and the sounds are amazing. With two opposing windows open, I hear a symphony. The crows are mad about something and chattering their disgust from the tall pines behind the house, raising quite a din, while the morning dove is hoo hoo-ing his evening song out front. In the distance, a train is whistling his warning and I know soon I will hear the clatter on the tracks. Now and then a plane passes overhead with its' engines whirring through the clouds. I wonder where they are headed and if the passengers are excited about their new adventure or tired and glad to be headed home. The neighbors air condition unit is humming along, reminding us that soon the heat will be unbearable and summer is on its' way. From the next room, I hear Frank paging through the Sunday paper. I know by heart which sections are his favorites and which ones he barely glances at. It's nice to know he is there. Solid sounds reminding me that my life has a rhythm of its own. What do you hear?

cocoa daisy rocks . . .

just got my new Cocoa Daisy kit. If you are not familiar with them, check them out at http://www.cocoadaisy.com/ The kits are amazing. This month had the "small purse kit" from 7 gypsies and I had a ball altering the outside. Still working on the inside which is an eight fold accordion file. Doing a child of the 50's theme. Yep, i am that old, plus a couple of years. hee, hee, hee.

abode or appetizer???

Way back in middle school, Katie decided the electives for boys were more fun than those for girls, and took shop. Our keys still hang in the hall entrance from the hook she made. . . wood carved into the letters of our last name; the paper napkins in the kitchen are still dispensed from the acrylic and wood holder she fashioned; and last but not least, her birdhouse has been sitting proudly but forlornly empty, nailed to a tree in the back yard. That is until this morning when Frank, trying to enjoy his breakfast, went to investigate a very annoying, and constant rat-a-tap-tap. I was oblivious to all this until Frank, at the bottom of the stairs, yelled for me to look out the window at the birdhouse. We have visitors. A couple. Mr. and Mrs. W. Woodpecker. Have they come to check out the real estate? We are not sure if Mr. is trying to install a more fashionable double door to their new abode or has merely found a new source of protein and fiber. Whatever, we are happy for the company and hope when they finish the renovations that they will stay for a long time. Rent is free.

Easter ramblings. . .

No more Easter egg hunts at our house. Katie is past the point. She did get an Easter box for her roommates and herself. Headbands with rabbit ears, fuzzy Easter socks, bunny Pez dispensers, Easter lights for their room and an Easter greeting for the door as well as the obligatory candy and peeps. But eggs hunts alas, are no more. I miss them. The white one was always worth a dollar until the year that my then 10 year old reminded me that they were studying inflation in school. Humm. LOL.

This year was relatively calm and yes that is supposed to be a pun. Steph and Kaity were in the Carolinas, Craig and Stacie were with their mom and yes, Stacie, I need that Prime Rib recipe. So it was just Katie, Frank, Joe and Jackie and me. Enough. Enough food, enough laughter, enough friendship, enough sharing. You can never have too much of "enough".

And Frank of course didn't forget my holiday flowers. I particularly love these. They just shout SPRING! So happy belated Easter everyone, I hope you were surrounded by the warmth of family.

hooray!!!!

There is much happiness in the cave. Katie is home for Easter!!!! There is nothing better then getting to wrap my arms around her when she pulls in the driveway. Of course, she brings her obligatory mass of dirty clothes . . . I have never been so happy to do laundry. Sooooo good to have her home . . .

tappity .. tap.. tap. . . doing a happy dance....

I spend a lot of time scouring my local RSS for scrapping goodies. However, I rarely buy stamps. I know, I am strange. But stranger still was a conversation I had last week with the owner. She asked if I would consider making "kits" for her to sell in her store. The only stipulation was that I would need to use items sold in her store. Ummmm??? During our second conversation, she mentioned she wanted something "beachy" in a gate-fold. Ummmmmx2!!! My usual non-committal self took over and I left with a couple of new goodies.

After thinking it over, I thought what the heck and started playing around. This is the prototype I came up with. So, with baited breath, I took it down to the store. SHE LIKED IT. She gave me all the goodies and an order for six sets to sell and one sample for her. I am so flipping excited. The problem is I don't know how much to ask for and she doesn't know what to pay me. Any suggestions from others doing this would be gratefully accepted.