Granted Little Bit (his real name) is known as, "Mommy's Little Puppy,"  there are still some things you shouldn't do to a puppy -

whether he is a boy puppy,  "Mommy's Little Puppy," or whatever!

                            
                                     You just DON'T DO SOME THINGS TO A PUPPY!

And, *I* didn't do this to my puppy, but the three little girls did!!!!

                                          ************************************************************

Not one to be without a project, I have grown tired of looking at the mess in my closet. 

My things are all in baskets of various sizes and I can find everything fairly easily,

but, the shelves look cluttered, I think I could do better, AND I've found some unused space.  

                
I've color coded my clothes (that comes from years of working in retail clothing stores!).

                                 
                                          The skirts (other than the denim skirts) are light to dark
                                          as are a few dresses, and my shoes are in a hanging bag.

                  
                                         The shirts (camisoles to long sleeved blouses/shirts) hang light to dark.

                                               
                                                                As you can see, there isn't much room left
                                                                 except for some space on the lower rack.
                                                                      AND, a long shelf above the shirts.

I put a Rubbermaid drawer organizer in the closet to hold my underwear, and I LOVE having those things next to my clothes.  When we first moved here, I hated having to go back into the bedroom to the dresser, because I forgot to bring my underwear with me when I bathed. 

My dirty clothes basket is next to the drawers, on top of a box full of gifts I keep on hand.

So, I began to think about some new possibilities.

What *IF* I cleared out most of the built-in shelves and put those things in attractive boxes on a high shelf (above my clothes)????

I could stack the boxes one on top of another and still reach them when necessary.

THEN, I could use the built in shelves for my winter sweaters.  They'd be folded and not hung!

No more hanger marks or dents in the shoulders of my sweaters!

No more crowded winter clothing rods (sweaters take more room that thinner summer shirts),

                         
                                                 AND, beautiful boxes to look at,
                                    instead of baskets of this, that, and the other thing.

I bought these photograph boxes at a craft store for a total of $20.00.  One end has an opening you can use to label the stuff you have in each box.

Right now, my things are in ziploc bags that make it easy to see the contents.  Contents like:  the claw clips for my hair, make up I don't use often, lipstick and chapstick refills, different scented soaps, nail files, etc.  Those things aren't used on a daily basis and would be perfectly happy up high on a shelf.

Even though the weather isn't cold enough to wear sweaters each day, I'm getting that nesting instinct that makes me want to fluff the nest before the cold weather begins!

Now I'm accountable to everyone.  I WILL get this new project off the ground

and soon!

Be Blessed  ~

                                          
                                               (As each person arrived, a picture was taken.)

So, back to the topic of fall . . .

I have been trying to exercise patience, regarding the arrival of fall.

I admit, my patience is wearing thin!   

We had a tease of fall weather last week, but today we reached the low 90s again!  

I ended school early, today, and Jesse took us to lunch (McDonald's) and grocery shopping.  It was good to be out of the house, but I have to admit - my 3/4 length t-shirt made me too hot.  After shopping, my neck was drenched in perspiration.  I was grateful for the a/c in the Suburban! 

I still haven't received word about the results of my MRI, done last Wednesday.  I guess if the results were something really serious, I would have heard from someone sooner.  I called today and a recording said the doctor's office was closed.  ? ? ?  I can't imagine why.   

                           
                                      Valerie is wearing black & white. We met in Jr. High.
                                          We've remained close ever since we graduated.
                                                   Barbara is standing.  We met in H.S.
                                             Babara is battling cancer, multiple myeloma.
                                                       Please pray for her comfort.

I continue to lug around my 92 million pound walking cast.  I'm wearing my thrift store shoes (well . . .  "shoe"!!) on my left foot and the cast on the right!  I guess the two pairs of $4.00 thrift store shoes has turned into a wise investment!  And I bought wisely, too, a black pair and a brown pair with 1.5" heels. 

My foot bothered me more today than it has in a long while.  I didn't do anything particularly strenuous, but I have had a shooting pain that runs across the base of my toes and a bit of a pain on the outside of my ankle.  I came home and laid down for a while with my foot up.

I'd like to say it's old age and the aches & pains are because a cold front is getting ready to blow into Oklahoma, but I would be a liar!  Something isn't right and it's still tender.

As you can see, I finally edited a few more pictures from my class reunion.  If I don't post them soon, another ten or twenty years will fly by and everyone will look older . . . AGAIN!!!

                             
                                                                    Same people in a less comical photo.

I really can't remember what I wrote in the past blogs about the H.S. reunion, but one thing I noticed . . .

There isn't a distinction, like there once was, between the beautiful people, or the nicest dressed, or the most talented, OR the "most likely to succeed."  There was a sort of "level playing field" at this reunion.  All of us had to squint to see the high school yearbook's senior picture on our name tags (to find out who we "used to be"!!  LOL!!!) and many had to pull reading glasses out to see better!    

Even when asked how to pronounce our new last names, many people also cupped their hand behind their ear and leaned closer to say, "What?  I'm sorry!  The music is so loud, I can't hear a thing!  Isn't this music awful?  It's SO LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yep!  That is the 58 year old version of us!  

                                 
                           The gal with the blue blouse was one of the 2 ladies who planned this event.
                       Lee and Carin keep the group together and, somehow, know how to find most of us!

Yes, we were all the same age.  All the same age and in one room.

It took a while for the fact we were all 58 (or close to it) to sink in. 

One guy I talked with said, "Well, let's see . . . you were born in 1953, so that would mean . . . "  his voice trailed off in my brain as I wondered, "Now, how in the world does he know what year I was born?  I can't believe he remembers the year I was born!!!"   

Then, the fact dawned on me (once more), "Oh yeah!  Everyone in this room was born in 1953.  We're *ALL* 58 years old!"

                                  
                                                   I don't think I met Linda until my senior year. 
                                                           We were in drama classes together.

True, I'm a bit slow and, more likely than not, everyone else wasn't as slow to process the fact: we have all become our parents! 

Even worse, we are our parents' ages - RIGHT BEFORE THEY RETIRED!!!!!!!!!  

                              
                                               I believe Ralph and I were in drama all 4 years.
                                    He was the one that really nudged me into going to this reunion.
                                         I told him repeatedly, "Thanks for making me go to this!"

I'm still stumbling along with my "r" less keyboard.  Jesse has ordered a new one, and I AM patiently waiting for it to arrive.  Yes, I *am* being patient about the keyboard!  I'm just getting antsy for fall. 

            
                                                        This is my favorite picture.
                                          Me, with my two closest friends from high school. 
                                    Valerie (blk/wht dress) and Janell (black & white stripes)
                      Janell and I sat together in Freshman English and she taught me how to draw!

Last night, I went to a great party hosted by the C.O.C. church group (the church I usually go to on Wed. nights).

It was a "Ladies Night Out" party, and we were supposed to wear pink.  Many of the younger girls don't dress in pink (not a problem for me!!!) and they came up with "creative" costumes/attire.  The girl who won "the most pink award even had on a shocking pink wig with a pink flower pinned in it.  TOO CUTE!!!! 

We played a terrific party game - an ice breaker game to get to know each other better.  The hostess passed around a large container of pink colored candies with a scoop.  She gave us a paper cup and said, "Take as much as you want, but at least take one piece." 

After we had our candy (I had 31 pieces!!!), we were asked to tell something about ourselves for each piece of candy we had taken. 

Me, being the talker I am, didn't have a problem plopping my candy back in the cup with a short fact about myself.    

Some of the stories were hilarious.  We all laughed so hard and I think everyone had a really good time.  I don't usually go to things with groups of women, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this one.  AND . . . I got to sit next to one of my favorite people -- Emily! 

I will end this here, as I am constantly having to double back to hit the keys that my clackety clack fingers are failing to hit!

Be Blessed  ~

I'm still without the letter "r" and several other "hard to work keys" (like the   "   key, I just found out doesn't want to work), so this will be a picture post of my family in CA.

I'll only type a few captions or explanations.

"WE" need to shake loose of some money around here (hint! hint!) and buy a new keyboard!

               
                                     Brother in law Bruce; nephew Griffin, and Griffin's girlfriend Lauren.

I love Lauren.  She baked these darling cut out cookies and I raved about how good they were.  Each day she came to see Griffin (I think EVERY day I was there), she brought more cookies!  Yum!

          
                                                        Me with the same couple!

My two brothers - Bill and Rich.  Bill is 2 years younger than me and Rich is the adorable "baby" of the family.

                                                    
                                              Brother Bill's son Trevor and Trevor's youngest son.

            
                         Trevor (my nephew) is about the same age as my oldest daughter, Stephanie.

           
                                                     Brother Bill, me, and brother Rich.
                 Our sister, Nancy, took these pics and she's  (ummmm) vertically challenged (short) !!!!!!!!!
                                        That's why you can see up our noses so well LOL!!!!!!!! 

            
                       Our oldest sister Penelope, sister in law (Bill's) Kerin, and our youngest sister Nancy.

           
                                       Oldest sister Penelope, me, and sister in law Kerin.

        
                                   Penelope's husband (my bil) Michael, me, and nephew Trevor.
             We were waiting for Michael to smile and my sister said, "He NEVER smiles in pictures."
                I think my clowning around might have produced an itty bitty smile, don't you think?!

                                           
                                                     The "always serious" bil Michael.

 
           
                        Nancy's youngest son, my nephew, Miles with my great nephews (Trevor's boys).
                                              Caught with my mouth open - as always!!!

Remember my huge lemon picture I posted last time?  They're from Nancy's backyard lemon tree.

                 Not to be out done, brother Bill produced the world's smallest cherry tomatoes!

                        
                                            And they were fully ripe and very sweet! 
                                   We had a good laugh about our family's green thumbs!
                              And the fact, I kill everything that I own, except silk plants!
          

And, that's what I love about our family.  There is a bond of love between us all and many, MANY moments of laughing and just kidding around!!

  
                              Brother Bill and brother in law Bruce, Nancy's husband.

Nancy and  Bruce, thanks so much for letting me stay at your house and making me feel at home.  You are wonderful parents and have the nicest boys.  Your family is awesome!

Thanks for the Saturday mini-family reunion.  It was so good to see everyone in the same room as myself.  Eight years away from home was too long!

There you have, my dear friends.  This the FAMILY Portion of my trip.

Next time, I will post some of the pictures from the high school reunion activities.

Be blessed  ~