YOW!!

How is it mid August already?!

I have rocked this summer with all I've had...I've been outdoors daily. I rarely use the AC. Crazy, I know. But the last two winters here have been so long and awful, that I must have open windows and stagnant and humid (if not fresh!) air!!

Curtis says hello. He's 3 years old now!

He loves: Car rides, multiple walks per day. Treats. Yelling at people who walk by our house....and US!


We also have a new sibling for Curtis..Miss Paisley. She's a rescue dog from West Virginia. You can take me out of the south (I lived in Tennessee for two years) but you can't stop me from going back AND gathering  new family members!!

Here she is! In a dream I didn't think possible, we managed to find ourselves ANOTHER labraweinie!! She is 2 1/2 yet she seems to act as Curtis' older sister. Very loving. She cuddles and kisses 24/7. Loves blueberries, squirrel patrol and oddly...red gingham! On this day, she said she was going for "Full Barbecue Regalia" as she searched through my fabrics. I couldn't say no!


This is true of both of our kids. Thank God for the barking. It is probably all that has kept us from being murdered over the past few months.

Finally..my sweet friend Tina from What We Keep blog (also known as TOT) sent me this a few months back and I LOVE it:

A great reminder! I love her embroidery. I honestly didn't think I liked embroidery anymore until I've had the good fortune of owning some of her lovely creations.  http://www.tinacarlson.com/

And..I'm off! The nice weather is calling...I believe there's another iced mocha to be had, a Better Homes and Gardens to peruse and then..back to work!

Rock This Wednesday!
xo~

T

Rest in Peace, Daisy May.

Hello Friends!

It's hard to explain where you've been when you've been gone for so long.


We lost our sweet girl Daisy in November. Just a few days before Thanksgiving.

Needless to say, I didn't feel very celebratory for the whole holiday season. I mostly sat it out. I got sick around Christmas. The season was a bust. Daisy was 13 1/2. She was like our child. A family member. Very loved and cherished. I'm SO glad we spent the summer just hanging out with her. We bought her a pool after I saw a lady with a disabled dog use it for therapy.

We put it up and she didn't stay out of the pool from June-September. She swam every day. Always clockwise. Never counterclockwise. It was hilarious. This is my nephew Emerson pretending to drown my husband Brad. Why this is funny? Daisy didn't care what was going on! She'd only growl when they got in the way of her laps.

She was old and had arthritis and joint pain (sidebar: Cosequin works like MAGIC for that in older dogs. After a month on it, she was running again.) and the pool was good for her. She lost a few pounds after a summer of swimming!

"You're in my way, Dad!"

It's hard to look at these photos without feeling incredibly sad. I can't believe she's no longer here although obviously..she hasn't been here since November.  I take solace in the fact that she had a very good life and was healthy until the last few months. I'm also SO glad I stayed off of the computer for the summer and LIVED life with her. She had lots of walks, swimming and she loved smelling flowers in the yard.

This was her favorite spot to hang out. I truly believe she thought "I could watch my Dad work ALL day!" That's where her pool was in the back (large, round, dead-of-grass area). We took it down because she had a bad rash that would not go away (not due to the swimming pool but an autoimmune disorder that she had.) Look at those cute spots!

She had the softest fur. My best friend said she looked like she should be in a shampoo commercial. AGREED! I loved to kiss her head and it always smelled faintly of fruit. How is that possible?

Going out on the flower walk with her sidekick, Curtis. This is sweet because as she aged, he became her eyes and ears.

Making the rounds. She's buried back here as it was her favorite spot. Peonies and sedum bloom here and we'll add some daisies and other plants here soon.

Regardless of how warm it was, she was chilly after her swimming. We'd dry her off and get her cozy and she'd spend a few hours napping.

He misses his sister, but is well overall. The saddest part (and there were many that were devastating) was when we buried her in the backyard (with her favorite toys, blanket and some gifts from Emerson, our nephew and the only child she ever loved.) and Curtis tried digging and then sat there crying. It was heartbreaking.



So...this is where I've been. I don't want to be a bummer, but I want to honor her life. She was here. She mattered. She is still loved. And she's so very missed.

She also always believed she was a "fall" as far as colors!

She loved:
Us
Curtis
Emerson
Carob cookies (dog kind. Found at Petco)
Vanilla sandwich cookies (dog kind.)
Flowers
Swimming
Adhering to schedules

She HATED:
Doorbells
Commercials with doorbells (she'd freak out)
Most people. It seemed everyone was a stranger to her!
The word "Oof"


Rest in Peace and Love, Sweet Girl.

xxoo

All Things Fine, Volume Two?

Who knows anymore?

I feel like I had a post a long time back named something similar...did I? The  memory is GOING! I swear to you all, if it's not on the list, it does not get accomplished! I can no longer be ashamed.

it is what it is!

Did anyone know that the Honey Boo Boo family dressed up as the Kardashians for Halloween?

Brilliant!

Where I spent the bulk of the last few months. I may have shared before, see memory "issue" above.

Have a huge HUG coupon or Jared Fan in your life? Please print out this coupon and ENJOY!

I found this on a blog the other day and loved it! I can't recall which blog (The Stanley Clan?) but know this is NOT my image. Honor, truth and sharing!

I've got to get back to work and the ice cream cone I crave isn't going to EAT ITSELF, so I am off!

Happy November!

xoxo~

T

Where are my wings?

Really? Where are they? Image via Pinterest.

It's raining here and our older dog is on steroids.

That is all.

Gotcha!

I WILL be back! The weather is turning and I'm working on a lot of projects!

If I can pull it together, I may EVEN have some before and afters!

Buttons & Bowties~

T

Things that make me giggle.

I wasn't even planning on doing any kind of a post today (as I've been lazy about blogging all summer long. I don't think anyone will die..so it's all good. Thank you to my three loyal readers! ;-)  )but I saw this photo and it made me LOL! Enjoy!

Via Google. Paula Patton and  Robin Thicke! FABULOUS!!!




Other things that are making me happy lately. Our yard. It's all fenced in. I can just let the dogs out and they roam freely without worry of cars, running off or Daisy, our senior, running after children!

That's Curtis rocking his Thursday afternoon on the lawn. That dead patch of lawn in the back left is where Miss Daisy's summer pool stood. She held vigil around the area daily for a good four days after it was taken down for the season. :-(   She loves to swim!

I love everything about this neighborhood! We live in the Como area of St. Paul and I am blissfully happy here!

Here is my fave neighborhood hang out. Java Train! I think they recently changed the name to Como Grill. It will always be Java Train to me! You can get a good coffee here, beer and wine and it's quaint and had character. The best part? Not even a block away!

Como Park Conservatory. This is also literally..right down the street. You can walk lazily and bump into amazing things everywhere.

So this is where I've been, friends! It's too beautiful to stay inside and there's too much to see before the "five year winter" starts! (Nod to Game of Thrones. Thanks to my nephew, Nick..we watched all seasons and are hooked. VERY well done!)

Time to hit the backyard with the doggies.

Have a beautiful weekend!!

Pumpkins, Gourds & All Things Fine~

xo~

T

Bill Murray's Birthday! Guest Post by Blake Meredith.

Yes, friends. Today is Bill Murray's Birthday! And I've got a guest post on Bill..or William..or Willard as I'd call him!

If you "believe" the age he's given us (don't all actors lie about age? I feel like Bill wouldn't, but since I don't personally know him and have only heard stories of run-ins with him in the greater St. Paul area, I just can't be sure) he is 63 today.

Is it possible he's ACTUALLY 73? No. I don't think that feels right at all.

Did you see him in Groundhog Day? One of my VERY favorite movies to date! I also loved Lost in Translation...and how can you not love Carl in Caddyshack? He made me snort in The Royal Tenenbaums! I love that movie! My hubby= not so much.

Image via Google.




Our guest today is Blake Meredith, writing about beloved Bill and wondering: Is he a fantastic man having a mid life crisis?  Enjoy!

Bill Murray: Midlife Crisis or Just Fun Wild Antics?

Legendary comedian, actor, and Saturday Night Live alum Bill Murray is turning 63 years old on September 21st and that is a cause for celebration! Murray has been in a huge variety of comedy films including Caddyshack (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), and Groundhog Day (1993). He also starred in 7 of the 8 films directed by Wes Anderson, with the only exception being Anderson’s first film Bottle Rocket (1996). Murray also gained critical acclaim after his leading role in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003).

Lost in Translation stars Murray opposite Scarlett Johansson. Murray plays an actor working in Japan and at the same time going through a midlife crisis. The odd thing about the film is that in real life Murray appears to be going through a sort of midlife crisis himself. Well, maybe it’s not your typical midlife crisis, but then again Bill Murray isn’t your typical guy. After a few questionable stories surfaced about odd behaviors and run ins with Bill Murray and website devoted to these tales popped up. Bill Murray Stories is full of interesting encounters people have had with Murray over the years.

The stories range from Murray crashing college parties to Murray simply stealing a french fry off a patron’s plate at a diner before saying, “No one will ever believe you,” then simply walking away. Murray played kickball with a group of people in New York City one day, just because why not? He wore all camouflage to a golf tournament at Pebble Beach and fed his divot to a fan. It seems the craziness that surrounds Murray has no limits.

Murray has not had an agent in years and instead he calls you if he wants to work with you. It has been reported that Murray has actually missed opportunities because he simply forgot to check his voicemail. In recent years he has performed in more dramatic features such as Moonrise Kingdom and Hyde Park on Hudson.

Maybe these Bill Murray shenanigans are really the product of a midlife crisis, or maybe Murray is just a cool guy enjoying his fame in a way that doesn’t involve being a jerk, unlike some other major actors. Either way, it doesn’t really matter, because the guy is still a well renowned, successful actor.

Murray’s future screen work includes a role in The Monuments Men with George Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, and Bob Balaban, which comes out December 18th, 2013. Murray will also be starring alongside Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, and Jude Law in Wes Anderson’s next film The Grand Budapest Hotel slated to come out in 2014.

Author Bio: Blake Meredith is a film and television blogger for CantMiss.tv where she covers popular television and new releases. Blake has been a longtime fan of Bill Murray’s and is particularly fond of Ghostbusters and his work in Wes Anderson’s films. Blake currently resides in Chicago, IL where she studies writing at Second City, Bill Murray’s old stomping ground.

Life Lessons.

I've seen this numerous times, but it's always worth a re-read to gain perspective. I've made the ones I need to remember BOLD!!

Hope you're all having a wonderful extended weekend!

xo~

T

45 Life Lessons, written by a 90 year old

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short not to enjoy it.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for things that matter.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye… But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful.  Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It’s never too late to be happy.  But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose Life.

28. Forgive but don’t forget.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give Time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d
grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you think you need.

42. The best is yet to come…

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.