Gloria Pushed and Now I've Fallen

Fall is Gloria's from Happy to Be favorite time of year, and she's about to celebrate her 100th post. Gloria is one of those ladies who loves antiques, and she has a house full of treasures. If you haven't met her yet, pay her a visit. Tell her that Sally sent you.

She had a Fall giveaway, and I won! Yep, Gloria from Happy to Be gave me a push, and now I've fallen. Yesterday, a big box full of Fall things all separately wrapped, came for me to use to decorate my place for the Fall season. Look at all of this good stuff!



Inside the box, Gloria had this beautiful note, covered with pastels roses and a sparkly pink G in the center. It says,

"Dear Sally,
Thank you so much for being one of my followers. Glad you won as you have been with me since Day One. You're the best. May you enjoy.
Hugs & Smiles, Gloria"

Now, isn't that the most generous thing? She thanked ME, and I won all of these goodies!



Look at this! It's filled with recipe cards for pot pies and casseroles. I flipped through it, and some of the recipes look easy enough for even me to make! (You know, my kitchen is a low maintenance one!) In addition, there are coupons at the back of this book.



I absolutely adore these pumpkin salt and pepper shakers. Can you adore salt and pepper shakes? Shelia says, "Yes!"





A new oven mitt and a matching towel came in the package.




Look at this sweet pumpkin plate. I can use it for all sorts of things, but I like to just look at it with its pretty green vine curling downward.




A black crow came along to guard over the goodies.



The table runner has this cute guy sewn on each end. He says, "Happy Harvest."



Now, this is the size candy corn that I could gobble down! Only trouble is, they're both candles. Aren't they cute?



A BIG thank you to Gloria, and Happy Fall y'all!

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

Abused China Cabinet

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

We moved from South Florida to the Tampa area. I wrote about the experience with the movers here. Today I'm showing my damaged Drexel china cabinet, which we just discovered on Tuesday morning. What a disappointment. I've had this piece of furniture for over thirty years.





It seems that this is the sort of thing that happens when furniture is moved--even when movers are good people. We've found and hired a furniture repair person who will come and fix it on site. He's a busy man who promised to call when he has time. I hope that is not too many more days away. You KNOW I'll be posting on that experience, and I'll show before and after photos!

Our apartment looks like home. All boxes have been unpacked except those in the warehouse. Pictures have been hung. The kitchen cabinets are not organized, but the cabinet doors are shut. So we look a good bit more settled than we are. And, yes, I'm tired.

To answer Picket's question about toilet paper from yesterday:  I did have a box clearly marked "master bathroom" and another clearly marked "guest bathroom." Both of those boxes had some TP in them. Those boxes were opened first. Then the bed got set up and made. That way, no matter what else happens, we can sleep!

See you in a few days for Blue Monday!

Daddy and the Bisque Baby

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

My father adored my daughter--his first grandchild--to the point of allowing her anything her heart desired. One day, when Debi was about one year old, my mom and I went shopping and left Debi with Papa. When we came home, she was on the floor playing with this: Mama's prized bisque baby.

Mama made a squawking sound and snatched it up! "Vince! Why did you give her this?" she demanded as she replaced the precious baby back into the china cabinet for safe keeping. 

Daddy replied, "She wanted it, and I was sitting here, watching her play with it. She didn't hurt a thing!"

By now, Debi began to voice her objection to having "her" baby taken out of reach. Mama thought fast and explained that it was breakable, and that she would keep it safe, JUST for Debi. "One day, when you're a BIG girl, I'll give it to you. It'll be yours." That placated my child and time passed.


Each time we visited Nana, Debi would point and announce, "MY baby!" All would nod and agree with her. Mama turned it over to me when Deb was in college. I've had it for years.


Now, I've carefully packed it up for our move. Since Debi is grown with four children of her own, I probably should turn it over to her when I unwrap it. Think it's time? I know what Daddy would say! "Let her have it!"

Take note on my sidebar of the books I am giving away.
If you're interested, click and enter!

Look What BJ Did

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

BJ from Sweet Nothings sent me a package. I hope that you all regularly visit BJ. She's one of the happiest ladies in Blogland. She loves her family and her red, black, and white kitchen. Zip by today and tell her that Sally sent you. 

Inside the package was this darling card, two packages of cookies, and some tea.

The card reads, "The next time you feel a smile coming on for no particular reason at all... maybe that's me, remembering you. 

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3"


The package came on my birthday, and I assumed that it was from my daughter. BJ did not know that it was my birthday; no one did. I am at the age where I'd as soon forget that day is coming.

I didn't even look at the return address. I just ripped it open!

I confess that in my excitement, I opened the ginger lemon cookies and gobbled one right down. Johnny sampled one too before I realized that this was not a birthday gift. I resealed the cookie box to take a picture. Yummy, are they delicious. 


The tea is special. It's Lipton Raspberry Lime REVITALIZE tea mix to go. BJ wrote that she sent it because she knew that I was "going to get tired" when I moved. Isn't that the most thoughtful thing? 

Here's the best part of this special package of goodies. The most darling set of bookends. You know that I love to read and have my book blog where I review and give away books.


Children tugging on a rope. The details are amazing. Look at that hat turned sideways! 


The counter is dark, so I placed the white dishcloth there so that you could see the action.







Now you see this darling set of bookends doing the job it was designed to do.
Thank you BJ. You are a thoughtful friend. I cherish these book ends and will think of you each time I look at them.  Meanwhile, Johnny and I will enjoy the snacking and try not to smack our lips.

Check out my book giveaways on my sidebar.

Neutralizing

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

I follow HGTV, and they say that in order to sell a home, you must neutralize it. That is, remove all knickknacks, personal items, and pictures of family members. Here's my before with my seven grandchildren's pictures:



And here's how I neutralized that wall:



I found this metal thingy at Home Goods for $14.99. I like it enough that I plan to use it in our future home.

This idea of framing would work on any wall to "enlarge" the wall hanging.

Show and Tell Friday - Back Porch

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

My back porch had an ugly floor. See the cracks? You might need to click on the pictures, but they're really ugly.

Here's a shot of the other side.


First, we hired two men. Next, the porch was emptied. Then, it was pressured cleaned.


The cracks were filed in and a tape applied.


A concrete material was applied. Now, I'll bet you can see where the cracks were!



Here's the other side all patched up. It was sanded down and then new color applied.


The finished porch.




Now, I like the way my porch looks!

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See you Blue Monday!