I know I am not supposed to . . .

but yesterday afternoon, I did it anyway . . . I snuck in some time in the sun . . . I mean unabashedly luxuriated in the warmth of the spring sun . . . cold drink and magazine in hand, I was instantly back in the day when I would spend every non-working moment at the beach frying to a delicious crisp, reading a tale of unrequited love, slurping down diet Pepsi and scarfing down an occasional chili dog from a beach concessionaire and of course cooling off in the ocean only to lay back down and bake some more . . . OK, OK, I know it's bad for you, I have the wrinkles to prove it . . . I am sending my dermatologist's children through college . . . but Lord, it felt so good. Every bone in this old body started to relax and say ahhhhhhh . . . long and loud. My reward? A new smattering of freckles and a pink blush. Now seriously, does it get any better?

!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . .

This week we learned some amazing stuff like blending photos, hand stitching, (boy do I ever stink at that), more masks. This stuff is so stinkin' addictive. What a great class! Thank you Jessica Sprague!!! http://www.jessicasprague.com/ Oh, oh, oh and did I mention, we made that green paper from scratch!!!! Not that you can see from here but it even has texture!!!! Doing a happy dance!!!! So exciting!!!!!!

Credits:

SP Lima background papers: From Monoblendz Paperie - Lima paper pack by Anna Aspnes
Rounded corner square die cut: from Border Templates pack by Katie Pertiet
Striped patterned paper: from Bohemian Garden kit by Mindy Terasawa
Dirty Journaler Label: from Dirty Journalers set by Katie Pertiet
Grunged Up Photo Block: from Grunged Up Photo Blocks No. 2 set by Katie Pertiet
Staples by Katie Pertiet

Design by Jessica Sprague

The Truth (Vertigo)

Amazing. And . . . another goose bump raiser. Thanks for the link Kelli!!

Ed Ames - My Cup Runneth Over etc. (2007)

I am a child of the 50's . . well, in truth, born in the late 40's but that sounds so old.

Anyway, last night Frank and I were flicking channels and finding nothing, settled for flipping between a PBS 50's revival and America Chopper . . a little schizonphrenia . . . no biggie.

Ed Ames appeared singing My Cup Runneth Over . . . my goose bumps went into over drive. So this morning, there I am downloading the song from iTunes. I don't think I have heard the song since I married Frank some eleven odd years ago and this song so says it all.

P.S. There is a glitch in the video but hang in there and it will continue.

small blessings . . .

. . . most of you know I share my house with a lunatic. No, Katie, I am not referring to your father. . . . well, at least not in this case. Snoopy, my now oldest cat, came to us as a teenager from a feral colony in the woods behind the house. It took years to pet him, years more still to pick him up. He has never been a sedate cat . . . he is tense, nervous and jumpy. But he is also really sweet and at age eleven, will finally, of his own volition, come sit in my lap to be stroked. I love this beastie. But, truth be told, his rating at three different vet's offices reads: BAD. And yes, I guess it is deservedly so since he is officially blood brothers with two separate techs . . . but back to the story at hand . . . Yesterday, he woke up feeling punky. So punky in fact that for the very first time, I was able to cradle him to my chest. He was limp, hot, lethargic and would not eat. Getting him to the vet is a major production and hard on him and his already compromised nervous system, so Frank and I decided on a wait and see approach. Snoop hid most of the day, finally coming out in the early evening. A small mewl for a treat told us there was hope. And by midnight he was eating and drinking again. This morning he is his old cantankerous self. Hooray! Thank you Lord for prayers answered.

get smart and do something nice for others . . .

FreeRice

I did it . . .

. . . week one, layout one, DID.

Well, since you all haven't seen what the layout is supposed to look like, you can't tell how many boo boo's there are. But I learned tons, including the upper limit of my frustration tolerance. What a ride this course is going to be . . .