Friendship Cottage

Summer Fun

2011-08-08T10:25:00.002-04:00

Just returned from our annual cousins reunion...

Above are all but one of the Call grandkids with their

grandmother - my Aunt Marjorie

Niece Samantha had her hands full with the newest members

of our family Kailyn (LeeAnnes youngest) and Lydia Edvena

(Jessica's newest and Edvena was our grandmother!)

Earlier in the summer Emma had a friend come over after their

last day of school. A picnic on the deck with lots of fun that followed.

A moment in my front garden - there's a
small green bicycle planter under all those
flowers!

Something new this year - Morning Glories growing up a
trellis on the shed. Love the colors!
A summer that's gone quickly once again, but
have to say I'm ready for the cooler temps!!!

Spring....catch-up

2011-05-28T08:38:00.002-04:00

How time flies!

Facebook has replaced my time on

blogging it seems.....

that or taking photos of all the snow

this winter just didn't seem interesting!

But...spring came bringing with it

the beautiful tulips and other assorted

blooms....

...with spring has come T-Ball.

That would be Emma actually ready to catch

the ball should it come her way....

....and the birth of Lincoln, seen here

with my friend Maryanke. He was only

3 days old...

....this was Lincolns first foray into the outside world.

Tentative at first, he soon was running round the

paddock, under the watchful eye of mother Regina.

What a treat is was to watch him!!

Hopefully it won't be so long between updates, but

only time will tell.......

December Fun

2011-01-17T06:38:00.002-05:00

Been awhile since I last posted....I blame facebook

which makes sharing so easy!

December brought many occassions to spend time with

family and friends. Above are my "girls" celebrating

at our Christmas party. Wish all could have been there!

Of course there was Christmas Day...

Fancy Nancy came dressed in all her finery

(notice her mama's high heels)

Santa brought her jewels and grandpa chose the dress!

The best gift for all of us was Meg being able to join us from

Savannah! Emma was sooo surprised - ran and jumped into

her arms... Oh how she loves her "Megatron"!

Earlier in the month we celebrated Aunt Norma's 98th birthday.

She is an amazing woman! Still spry - hard to keep up with her when

she starts walking! A fun afternoon with my brothers and cousins.

What more will this month bring....today no school so I'll have

Miss Emma for the day.....surely there'll be stories to tell!

Fall Beginnings

2010-09-22T19:20:00.003-04:00

The beginning to a beautiful day in Frankfort on the shores

of Lake Michigan.....
...was a little chilly out, but the sun made up for it!

Across the street was Betsy Lake....I'd forgotten how charming

this little town is....

Many of my cousins gathered for the wedding

of Becca - cousin Susie's & husband Leo's daughter.

Here are the 3 Call "boys" (Susie's brothers) and

DJ Dan, who spun the tunes for the event.

Michael, Dan and Rick bonding???

Dear Aunt Mary and Michael's wife Nancy. Notice the rows of seats

in the background......

.....the nuptials and reception were held at an old

movie theatre! Very charming and unique!!

The bride and groom browsing the concessions.....

.....Becca & Kris, Mr & Mrs Smith.

A wonderful wedding and good time

celebrating with family!

More Summer Fun

2010-08-14T10:45:00.002-04:00

Last week-end we had our 31st Sinclair cousins party

in Benzonia. Lot's of dancing!
Fun times on the Crystal Lake beach - Emma's 1st time
being buried in the sand....ok if Aunt Meg did it too!

3 of our younger crowd exploring the woods....

....the week before was brother Brian's 60th birthday!

Celebrated with a surprise party thanks to Samantha!!

...and of course time with my sweetpea. She selected the glass

(it's applejuice btw), but frighteningly the pose is her own.

I swear she's never seen me drink out of one of these glasses...

A fun summer, but I must say something I never thought I'd say,

I'm ready for cooler temps!!!

Summer Happenings

2010-07-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

Been awhile since I've posted....very frustrated trying to

figure out the new configurations...like my title foto which

is cropped to 1/4 of the foto....

Anyway it's been a fun summer with lot's of time with

Emma. We spend an hour together every morning before

she goes to PEAK...although quite often she convinces me

to let her spend the whole day with me!

Did some shopping at TJ Max one afternoon and guess

who got the new clothes - she loves her new dresses!

Cousin Libby came down for a week-end and we went to visit 97 years young Aunt Norma in Lansing - she is simply amazing!

Another week-end was my 40th class reunion in Caseville. How can it be 40 years??? It was such a good time and wonderful to reconnect with so many friends.

Over the 4th I spent a couple days with Jim & Cheryl at their cottage on Wixom Lake. They were very much in the spirit of the day! All in all a great summer so far and more to come!

The Wedding

2010-05-24T07:21:00.004-04:00

Brandon and Samantha were married over the week-end!

Mama Samantha and flower girl Emma pre-wedding....

daddy Brian and the Bride on their way down the "aisle"...

...a merged photo of the bridal party before and after...

what a difference a day makes!
Mr and Mrs Wheeler just after saying "I do" !

.....the cake sharing....

...and a before and after of the sisters

Meg and Samantha. The day was beautiful, we are

so happy that Brandon is now officially part of our family!

It was also special to have our Meg home for the week-end.

I am so blessed to have these girls in my life!!!

More photos to come at another time....

May Happenings

2010-05-13T08:56:00.002-04:00

May has been a busy social month. It began with

a Kentucky Derby Party hosted at the beautiful home

of Doc & Jayne. "Chic Dress & Derby Hats required", read

the invite and everyone looked the part! Our hosts are shown

above...

Next came a bridal shower for neice Samantha given by her future

mother-in-law! Shown here Peggy (mother-in-law holding one of her

grandkids), 3 of the bridesmaids and one of their kids. Meg is the Maid

of Honor, but living in Savannah, she couldn't make it.

Bride to be Samantha and (of course) Emma, who decided

they needed flowers in their hair.

A beautiful cake and sherbet punch topped off the afternoon.

....and today....Guri has found a comfy spot to laze in the

rainy weather....thunder is booming in the distance, so

guess I'd better shut this down....

Treasures

2010-04-22T13:52:00.003-04:00

The past week I have worked at one estate sale, shopped at another one

(today) and visited our church's Treasure Sale with the Yaya's.

These 3 pieces I picked up at the church sale - I just couldn't resist them!

The water color on the bottom shelf I purchased at the

estate sale last week for $12.50! It is perfect for my newly

redecorated office (which is where all these treasures are

sitting at the moment)

The table, lamp, message board and adorable bunny candleholder

I picked up at todays sale.

Now for those of you who know how much "stuff" I already have - rest

assured I donated 6 boxes of it to the church sale! Of course then

Libby ended up buying 2 of our aunts things I'd donated..... ah well,

all for a good cause!

Spring Happenings

2010-04-03T07:42:00.003-04:00

With Emma on spring break, we got to spend the day together

on Tuesday. Miss "no fear" turned the cat tree into her own personal

mountain and about gave Nana a heart attack!

My neighbors Henry and Polly came to play too...
...Henry and Emma making their first attempts to climb, with
Henry's dad Jason ready to help....

Sarah and I adorned the altar at our church yesterday - all ready for Easter Sunday

services......

...and last night we celebrated friend Sue's birthday. A few

of the women (and Nolan) watching Sue open her gifts.

The amazing aspect of this is that we were outside at

7:00pm on April 2nd in Michigan, and as you can

tell by the attire, it was warm outside!

The yummy birthday cake...

and because Sue and I have an agreement with each

other to post only the most flattering photos of each other

and my inability last night to capture the perfect photo....

you'll just have to trust me that she was in fact at her own party!

Signs of spring...

2010-03-22T12:47:00.002-04:00

Mom would have celebrated her 92nd birthday this week...

I miss her so much. She loved her family and being outdoors, so

this photo captures a bit of that....

mom, Samantha, Meg, Brian and Emma.

...and with the signs of spring - crocus in bloom, the sighting of
my first robin yesterday and warm weather begging for a walk....
I can't help but think of mom. I am grateful for the appreciation
she created within me for nature and especially spring

March Musings...

2010-03-13T10:57:00.003-05:00

Not sure where Feb went.....and the first half of March!

I've spent many hours at the hospital gift shop

playing (and filling in shifts for the snowbirds)

I really enjoy the people I work with, the customers

and decorating the shop with all the fun things

we get in.

...sometime in Feb I decided to get rid of the stark blond

I'd been wearing for 8 years or so.... took a few days, but

now I like the change!

Went one evening to watch Emma perform her gymnastics..

a joy to watch the little kids have so much fun.

Emma had quite an entourage following her around as

her Mama, Daddy, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa and of

course Nana all showed up. Let's say she knows she's loved!

...another day of cooking in my kitchen. She's wearing

an apron from her 97 year old great-great Aunt Norma's

collection. Her comment, "wow, she's almost 100" - guess

she's learning in kindergarten!

Yesterday my neighbors came over - this is Jason and 5yr

old Henry, who was pretending to be a cat, since neither

of mine would come out to play....

...and this is 11mth old Polly (sitting on mom Julie's lap)

She has a smile that lights up the room.

They brought me these pots of flowers as a thank-you for watching
their home while they were gone on Jason's sabbatical the past
couple months. Wonderful neighbors - glad their back!. Wish
you could smell the flowers!
So that sums up the past month. Now spring is arriving which will bring
time in the gardens, finishing projects around the house (I'm in the middle
of a couple...more on that another time....) and well, who knows what else!

Valentine Memories

2010-02-06T15:46:00.002-05:00

As many of you know my mother was a "keeper"

of treasured things. This collection of Valentines

was hers and now I have the honor of being

the keeper of them in my home.

Most have gathered on some shelves in the

kitchen.....

Some date back to the 1920's - perhaps one is from as

late as the 1960's .

All of them make me smile (there are more, but these are
my favorites)

Many have moving parts....

These 2 walk with their rotating feet...

...these girls all have moving arms....

...this sweetie has eyes that disappear...

....as does this soldier, who also salutes.

Hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as I

do!

January Wrap-Up

2010-01-31T17:57:00.003-05:00

Hurray - the last day of January! It seems I've missed a month of

posting - where did the time go....

Emma got her hair cut - 10" to Locks for Love...

...Stella developed a urinary tract infection, so the day I was

to be in airports heading to Florida, instead was spent at the vets!

Her final check-up is tomorrow and I hope we're through this
illness....

The Yaya's gathered in Benzonia at Susie's cottage -

for once we all were there!

Miss Emma paid me a visit and redecorated my bedroom....

...we played outside with my neighbors Jason & his son Henry....

the "hill" between our houses is just big enough for some sledding.

...and the month ended with an overnight visit last night with Em.

I hadn't seen her in 3 weeks and was having serious withdrawal!

Of course we had to do some "cooking" - not sure what she was thinking of

doing with this jar of nuts.... We did make pancakes this morning with the

pancake mix and Pure New England Maple Syrup my friend Nancy gave

me for Christmas. She knows how much Em likes to cook! They were

delicious - Em added some Cinnamon to the batter (neither her mom, nor I

know how she knew to do that....)

Picked up a few things at the Hospital Gift Shop the other day -

do you think I might be ready for Spring? Going to redecorate

my little office. The new things are resting on the chair in the office

(otherwise known as Marsha's bed...as it opens into a twin bed....)

and I think they'll be perfect. Yesterday I bought and installed a new

doorbell. I'd taken the old one down to clean it, it has 2 brass cylinders that

hang down - has to be 40yrs old - well it didn't clean up very well! To top it

off the rubber gaskets fell apart in my hands - afraid the whole thing bit

the dust! Never did like how it was off center on the wall anyways! So even tho

the new one works - an electrician is called for to move the whole thing to a better

location. I don't do wire moving!

Hoping Feb. flies by as fast as this month did - Spring is around the corner!!!

One more thing.....

2009-12-25T08:28:00.002-05:00

....a heartfelt thank-you to all of you who sent cards this year.

mine unfortunately are still in the box....

and to Sue who gave me 2 of these fabulous pillows and this

adorable vase! "Things" still have a way of making me smile!

I'm even thrilled with the new steamer mop I received from

my family (it was on my wish list - I know, a plug-in). Used

it already and it does the trick!!!

Thank-you one and all for your kindness and love this year!

Christmas - Memories...

2009-12-25T07:45:00.003-05:00

We had an early Christmas celebration this year -

one which our front toothless Emma filled with joy....
Bill and Meg busily preparing dinner....

...and look who's old enough to help clear the table now!

....attempting to put a jigsaw puzzle together is always a must.....

Brandon, Samantha and Emma begin the gift opening....

...new shoes - "oh yeah"....

....scenes around the house.

The tree and little presents are new this year

(love my job at the hospital gift shop...)

and was amazed at the beautiful cards I

received that matched! (Also the scrubber holder frog

my friend Cheryl gave me last year)...

...the living room tree - no rhyme nor reason,

but similar colors....

....the fireplace in the family room.

My favorite season to decorate for!

Sadly all was not joyous for us this year. The Saturday before

Christmas my awesome cousin Tom passed away unexpectedly.

He had been living with colon cancer for the last year and a half - had

just received news that the new protocol was shrinking the tumors-

but pneumonia crept in and he wasn't able to fight it too.

He leaves behind his beautiful wife and best friend Lynn, 2 daughters, a

son-in-law and his 2month old granddaughter Skyler. But as the crowd at his

memorial service, the words spoken about him and the tears shed showed - he

was loved by all who had the blessing of knowing him.

Death and it's sorrow have been too much a part of our lives

this year....Aunt Wilma, Uncle Royal, my dear Mother, their

cousin Dorothy and now our Tom....

...and yet there have been times of joy and gladness too.

I have been blessed to have had them all as family -

to have an extended that family that is so close and loving -

to have friends that are with me through good times and bad -

to have the Peace within me that only Christ can give.

May you all have love surround you on this Christmas Day.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T09:11:00.002-05:00

This year I celebrated Thanksgiving at the home of Samantha's
future in-laws, Gordy and Peg. They open their home to many family and
friends and the food was delicious and plentiful!

- 2 little new ones join the party...

...Samantha and her dad Brian "chill" after dinner

...and poor Emma was just worn out. I am so grateful

for all the invitations I received for the day! I am blessed with

so many dear friends!!!

Week-end of Fun

2009-11-20T05:52:00.005-05:00

Sunday afternoon we decorated the hospital gift shop getting it ready for our big sale

on Monday and Tuesday. Gretchen popped up in front of the fireplace scene...
Sue (our volunteer coordinator), Debbie and Gayla amongst the
chaos. Somehow we found a home for everything. This meant setting up
6 tables in the hall - 3 of which were empty by noon of the first sale day!

The yaya's were here for the week-end. We stepped outside the box, with fear and anticipation,
and actually burned 3 novelty candles! (they were in fact warped on the bottom
and could no longer stand alone)

Brian, Samantha and Emma stopped by for a visit. Here
Samantha regaled Brian and Libby with Emma stories....

Birthday girl Jeanne, sisters Susie and Marsha (otherwise known as
the Call girls) prepare to eat the birthday cake. Angel food cake with whipped
cream and chocolate - Jeanne's choice - very good! Susie by the way came right from
her teaching job where the theme for the day was western....

Marsha and Libby enjoying an apparently very funny b-day card!

The beautiful gift cousin Linda made me...the doily's are from Aunt

Norma's collection, the buttons too and the flannel background

from our great aunts remnants of fabric. Wasn't til we saw the photo

that we realized the resemblance to a woman's anatomy....

...and last night Samantha and Emma came by for dinner. Emma played

pbskids cames on the computer..

...and showed off her new toothless smile.

Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T08:02:00.002-05:00

My cousin Libby's son Calvin and

his H1N1 jack-o-lantern...
....a much more beautiful pumpkin...

....amateur photographer

...neighbors Henry (the firefly - he had a balloon w/a glowstick

on his back), baby Polly and dad.

Princess Emma and her friend Madison patiently waiting in

my front hall - "Let's go trick or treating!"

...one of Emma's shots....

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Emma

2009-10-19T07:31:00.002-04:00

Emma turns 5 today! We celebrated a couple days earlier...
.....she's still shy when we sing to her
(or our singing is bad....)

When it's your birthday you can ask for and get

the center of the cake....and take a lick before

your fork arrives....

Hello Kitty - the theme of the day!

Daddy moves her closer..... needless to say her eyes were

bigger than her tummy!

The years have flown by since Emma entered our lives

and changed us forever, as children always do - filling our lives

with love & joy.

Happy Birthday Emma!

October Happenings

2009-10-15T19:11:00.002-04:00

I'd like to introduce you to my new beau.....

hey a girl can dream. Actually Carter was Grand Marshall

at CMU's homecoming and I managed to accost him in the

hallway outside the Presidents suite (bet he wished he'd stayed

inside) He couldn't have been nicer, nor could anyone be

more handsome!!!!

The day started with a gathering at Dave & Cindi's -

wish I'd taken a photo of all the yummy food they had, but

I forgot my camera! A hot cup of coffee and...

.....outdoors for the CMU Homecoming Parade, which conveniently

goes ride by their house! Samantha & Emma had a sleep-over at

my house the night before.....my awakening was at 6:15 (hence the coffee) with a sweet

voice saying "Nana is it time to get up?" It wasn't but we did!

Here they are with Aaron & Angie's adorable kids - Taylor, Riley and Aidan.

Emma made fast friends with Princess Jazmin -

Dave & Cindi's lovable doggie. A fun day! Unfortunately

in my attempt at glamour, I wore 3" high boots from

9am to 8 pm. Couldn't even put shoes on Sunday morning!

(I'm SURE Carter appreciated the effort.....)

Earlier in the month the infamous Yaya's gathered in

Rockford at cousin Jeanne's new home. These are the 3

Call girls - Jeanne, Marsha and Susie. As always, a great time

together. Rockford is a fabulous town - lot's of shops to browse and

spend money in! Wish we could get together every month!

New Beginnings

2009-09-21T07:41:00.004-04:00

Fri night our family had a going away dinner for Meg who

is moving back to Georgia. We will all miss her, but especially

Emma who love her "Megatron".

(and when did she get that piercing in her mouth.....)

Emma and her daddy Brandon ....

....4 going on 16....

Good luck our sweet Meg!

Saturday we went shopping for a wedding dress for Samantha.

She was beautiful in every dress, but I'm sworn to secrecy on the

dress she picked! This was one of many - notice who else had

to try on flower girl dresses....

...a small skirmish over who is the bride here.....

...okay we know the real diva....

ready for my close-up!

The wedding date is May 22, 2010....

a simple outdoor wedding is planned, but

the girls have to have their dresses!

...and a new beginnning for cousin Alan and his new wife Joyce.

They said their "I do's" on Saturday at her home.

Congratulations and welcome to the family Joyce!

My Greatest Joy

2009-09-11T11:06:00.002-04:00

Emma spent her last day before starting kindergarten with me

on Wed. After a walk collecting leaves and crab apples, she

decided we needed to "cook" them. Obviously this was near

the completion of her dish.

It turned out to be a good time to empty my cupboards of

expired spices (there were many....) baking soda, powder,

corn starch and some oil. (Evidently I don't bake or cook often

enough) Oh the fun we had!!! Needless to say it wasn't something

we even taste tested!

A picnic at the park, some play time and

time to chase some squirrels. A perfect day
in every way.

The thrill of getting on the bus! Emma is sooo excited to

be able to ride a bus. This is today, the second day of school.

It was not easy for me to resist being there for her first day

of school, but I thought that was an experience she and her

mama should share. Fortunately for me, there was a 2

hour fog delay today....and I needed to run some thera flu

out to her mama - who unfortunately has the flu. Our little ones

grow up so fast, but I am grateful for all the time we've had to

spend together. Thank goodness there will still be vacation days

and before too long....snow days!

Back to College Days...

2009-08-16T11:02:00.003-04:00

Got to together yesterday with "old" college friends

for a day of memories and laughter. Our host Jared

modeling a b-ball shirt from the 70's.

The guys...

...more guys
enjoying a pontoon ride

...friend Sally - who has changed the least!

Ruthanne, a high school classmate and

husband Dave a college friend....small world!

Patty in the appropriate tie-dye,

Steve & Peaches sharing a photo

Best buds Mike, Duane, Randy and Tom - wish I

had a photo of them together in the 70's when they

all had hair well below their sholders!

My first love Ron - I was 16, he was 19 - wow, 40 yrs later!!

Still good friends and will be for life...

Peaches and Ron

Duane, Jared and Mike. I had a great day reconnecting

with everyone - we are the Woodstock generation!

Some things never change.....

Friends and a Wedding

2009-07-28T10:28:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Facebook I've reconnected with friends I've known since

elementary school. Yesterday 4 of us met in Saginaw and spent a few hours

catching up on a lifetime of memories. So much fun!!!

Over the week-end I attended the wedding of my cousin
Jeanne to our newest family member Matt.
Here a few of the cousins gathered pre-wedding including
cousin Peter (far left) who I hadn't seen in 10years!

Jeanne was escorted down the isles by son's Tyler (in his Coast Guard uniform)

and Brady. Her daughter Morgan served as Maid of Honor and Matt's son, Andrew

as Best Man. Very touching.... as they surround their new step-daddy Matty!

Matt & Jeanne during their vows....

Jeanne surprising Matt by singing to him. A beautiful song, bride and voice!!!!

The deed is done! Congratulations to the Peter's and

their family!

Sisters Susie and Marsha...

Cousin Jeff back for the occassion from Alaska -

one of my favorite people! Someday I'm going to

go visit him!!

Jeanne and Andrew hitting the dance floor

and about to dip....

Michael and Nancy taking a break from dancing to attend to

a bit of clean-up.

Mackinac Island

2009-07-24T06:06:00.003-04:00

We're off to the island - cruising over on the ferry for a few days

of.....

....relaxation???

fun in the sun...

....whose idea was it to take that valence down??

All freshened up now....

....a bit of swiffering on the porch

ahh, a moment to enjoy the floral displays

...and the freshly dusted cottage

...a joy to clean the fabulous antiques in the

cozy family room.

Time to explore the neighborhood.

This log "shed" is tucked away in the woods...

....this beauty right out front on the East Bluff.

It was the tree that caught my attention this time.

The "Baby Grand" is also along the Bluff, so named for it's

similarities to the Grand Hotel.

Gorgeous flowers greet us as we return back to the cottage...

...meanwhile Maryanke (our hostess) and Susan are getting

Pearl hitched up to the antique carriage for a spin around town...

The 1st annual "Festival of the Horses" is this weekend on the Island.

Sandy & Alex relax in the family room -

2 of the most loving and lovable dogs ever!

...where did the week go...but what a week of fun and laughter we had!

Aunt Wilma

2009-07-04T09:27:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated the life of my Aunt Wilma.

She passed away on Jan. 14th - it was fitting to have

her service on a beautiful sunny day in the summer.

Her final resting place is beside her parents

...with her husband at her side.

We reflected afterwards

...her grandson Calvin says good-bye

...his older brother Boone talks with his mom..

...and cousins stood together not wanting to leave

this place where so many of our decendents are buried.

....but cousins Susie and Leo opened up their home to us...
my brother Bill was explaining to Jeanne & Matt the

legal aspects of their upcoming marriage (heehee)

and the laughter began

and went on for hours.

Meanwhile indoors - Wilma's 2 remaining sisters and a few more

cousins sat and looked through photo albums - gathering

memories long since forgotten. A sad day, but a day also

of celebration and gratefulness for the family that we share.

Featured Home

2009-06-28T05:35:00.003-04:00

I was honored to be July's featured home in

Mt Pleasant Monthly magazine!

The magazine is the creation of Candi Purtill and is a fantastic

addition to our area. Full of vibrant photos, informative articles,

a calendar of events and much much more.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly add one more piece of

furniture to my home, we needed to find a safe place to keep

this curio cabinet - other than my garage. Surprise - this little

nook in my family room turned out to be the perfect spot!

Filling it is still a work in progress.... The little chair was also from

Aunt Norma's and at least for now works fine by the cabinet.

The prints above the cabinet I got at our church's rummage sale last year.

The cute little candle sconces I purchased for $.25 two days ago at a

garage sale.

The rocking chair was my grandparents. My parents had it in their

home, re-upholstered it and it was in mom's apt. until now. I have

always loved the comfort of this chair!

Okay, now no more furniture!!!!

Mom's Memorial

2009-06-25T05:38:00.002-04:00

For those of you who were unable to attend- a photo cousin

Steven emailed me today. The bouquet of peonies came from

Bill's garden - the rest from family and friends. I think mom

would have been pleased with the simplicity and the beauty.

Mom collected turtle figurines - this stuffed one was given to her by

her granddaughters a few years ago. It stayed with her in her bed her last

2 weeks adding a touch of comfort. God Bless you mom, we miss you.

Wedding Day

2009-06-23T05:40:00.002-04:00

Saturday was the wedding of my dear friend Sally's daughter

Jessie to Matt. A beautiful day for a wedding outdoors at

CMU's Warriner Mall.

Jessie and her father Jim - she was gorgeous...

...my friend Sally and my godson Nick...
A great way to end the day because....

my garage sale ended at noon and I was ready for

some fun and relaxation! The sale was a success, but

everytime I say "never again"!

Scenes from June

2009-06-17T09:56:00.004-04:00

An array of bouquets filled my home -

as friends and family shared their love-

and their condolences -

for our beloved mother.

This little lamp lit mom's room

and the guardian angel watched over her.

The bouquet is from my dear friends at church

lovingly put together by Sarah.
Thank-you to all.

Family gathered to play....

...reminisce and fill my home with even more love.

Emma has spent a couple days with me, which as always

is fun. Here she is with my neighbor Henry getting ready

for a ride compliments of Henry's dad Jason, who has the

energy to bike with a trailer attached!

This is my bedroom 1 hour after Emma arrived!

Okay the ironing board is my contribution and I actually got a

few items ironed while playing house...

My new furniture compliments of Aunt Norma.

I'd been coveting the dressing table since I was a

little girl. Emma's first comment was "Nana, is

this for me?" A new coveter in my midst!

...and this is my garage. All ready for the sale

except for the pricing. Most of it is from Aunt Norma as

we moved her from her apt. into assisted living. Some

beautiful treasures to be had!!!!

Life

2009-06-05T03:57:00.002-04:00

Life goes on - never to be quite the same.

Our mother gave us a lifetime of memories...

She'll be with me when a robin bathes in

the birdbath,

as I rake the leaves of fall,

as I enjoy the words of a good book,

as I worship our Lord.

There will be few places I won't feel her presence

and her touch upon my life.

Emma and I will miss our visits to "GG",

but I will be forever grateful that they had

a chance to know each other....

and life does go on , through the sorrow

there too is joy.

My Mother

2009-05-25T05:37:00.002-04:00

Prayers for my mother please, as she passes through these final days on earth.

She seems comfortable, quite joyous at times as she relives moments in her life

and a desire to go "home".

God Bless her as she continues on this journey and fill us with Thy strength, peace and love.

Spring

2009-05-01T07:57:00.002-04:00

The trees have flowered...
...the birds are bathing...

...a second tooth has gone off to the tooth fairy....

....a spring rain, with puddles to splash in...

....life is glorious and magical! Praise God!!!

YaYa Week-end

2009-04-28T06:29:00.003-04:00

We began our week-end with absolutely beautiful weather

An evening on the deck overlooking Spider Lake....
Our hostess Libby reading one of the many letters written by
our parents and grandparents in the 1920's - 40's. Thank
goodness our mother's were "savers" of history.

Bride-to-Be Jeanne writing in the YaYa journal-
wedding in July!

A couple of the next generation dropped by for a few minutes -
two of Libby's kids Calvin and LeeAnne .
Congrats to LeeAnne - another baby coming in Oct.!!!

.....another guest stopped by too....cousin Alan's travel companion
Otis....this little guy has partied around the world. So glad he could
entertain us for a bit.....

Loss of First Tooth

2009-04-23T19:15:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Emma lost her first tooth....hard to tell here, but it's one of her front lower ones.

Thank goodness not a top one, cause something tells me it could be a year before a new one grows in. No sign of a new one coming in yet! She is only 4!

Sunroom Refreshment

2009-04-09T07:21:00.003-04:00

Chaos anyone? As the sunroom floors were being sanded and refinished the family room became one of the "storage" areas for all the furnishings etc.

A view from the kitchen (which also became a "storage" area) through the visqueen

which did in fact keep most of the dust from traveling thoughout the house!

The floors are done! I'll leave the visqueen for the painter to remove....

Well....so long as the room is empty, may as well repaint the walls right?!

Went with a deeper, fresher blue, which I love!

Oh, and the window trim which I'd planned on painting white....

in the end decided it was too much of a project

and ended up just restaining.

Ahh, the finished product! Spent all day yesterday putting the room back together

and am almost done! Threw an old quilt over the table and brought the Patricia Woods chairs back into the sunroom. Even had dinner in there last night with friend Sue M.

Retrieved the green chairs - one from the family room and one from the living room.

Now they are together again which is how they belong!

A few finishing touches yet to go...like getting the valences rehung....maybe yet today....

In the meantime need to figure out what to do with the item that didn't make it back into the room!

Bag Lady or Acting Green....

2009-03-26T17:58:00.002-04:00

Hit my first estate sale of the season today....

found the set of 60's Pyrex casseroles-

Isn't the color fun - couldn't resist and they are

the perfect size for small casseroles and microwaving!

Found some good books - especially excited to read "Wings in the Meadow" -

the life history of a monarch butterfly and the life system of a meadow.

...and now to the bag lady or acting green purchase...
that refers to the grocery cart (I haven't used one since I was a kid!)
Since I live on the same block as a grocery store and often walk to pick-up a few things
(and Emma is too old for her stroller now,
which use to be handy for hauling home the groceries)-
I figured if I'm brave enough to wander down the street with my cart, I can
save the gas (and the environment...) by walking to pick-up all my groceries.
So why do I feel sooo old when I imagine myself shopping this way!!!

...and now for spring. The crocus have bloomed

Projects and fun

2009-03-19T09:52:00.002-04:00

Time to repair the damage done by leaky roofs/plumbing or whatever caused water stains and peeling paint! The living room had ceiling and a bit of wall damage....
The sunroom got the worst of it - leaky skylights. So while the painter is in there working....
decided it was time to paint the trim around the windows white. This required moving all the furniture to the middle of the room....day 4 and the painting hasn't begun in here yet....

In the meantime....Sat. night the fam got together to celebrate Samantha's 24th birthday!

Meg and Emma were having a bit of fun after dinner...

Samantha and Brandon posed for the camera!

Happy Birthday Sam!!!

New Rug

2009-03-03T09:15:00.003-05:00

Just thought I'd share my great find! While strolling from one end of Meijers to the other - on a mission to find what I can't remember - this rug caught my eye. It is 5 x 9, has the same checkerboard pattern as my kitchen floor, in similar colors and was only $50! Not that I had expected to spend any money on a rug that day, but I had been looking for years to find one to center my family room seating area. This one had the cottage look and was sooo reasonably priced for that size! Yeah!!!

( Just discovered that the rug was an even better deal, evidently was on sale for $37.49!)

"Frosty" Visits

2009-03-01T05:16:00.003-05:00

Frosty the snowman made what I hope is his last visit the other day.

I have enjoyed winter more this year than since I was a child myself!

Playing with Emma gave me an excuse to be outside,

doing what kids do when snow is plentiful!

...but I am ready for spring!
.....so ready in fact that spring cleaning has already begun!

The kitchen was first on the list...and after a good cleaning with bleach/water

of the cupboards, counters and floor...these little shelves by my sink

seemed the perfect place for a few pieces of my Scandinavian

collection. Someday I'll have to have the trivit translated!

Winter Fun

2009-02-24T06:38:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Emma and I did some baking after pre-school. Her concoction post cookies

was flour and water and whatever else she could mix in...

Em models the apron my friend Sarah made and the oatmeal cookies! Hard to say which had more flour on it - Emma or the floor!

A visit last Fri. from my mom's 2 sisters, 3 nieces, my brother Brian and I filled my mom's room with laughter. Pictured here are my brother, cousin Jeanne, mom and Aunt Marjorie.

Aunt's Marjorie & Mary and mom enjoying some time together after lunch.

A bittersweet time as we mourn the loss of their sister, our dear Aunt Wilma.

So glad they came to visit.

Winter Musings...

2009-02-01T08:37:00.004-05:00

January's over - spring is moving closer!

I have this photo of Emma, Samantha and Brandon

playing in the water of Crystal Lake last summer as

my screen saver. It reminds me daily of warmer days!

In the meantime I found some ambition to paint the closet

in my dressing room. In the rush to move in 5 yr ago it had

only recv'd a primer. Having to empty it so the "guys" could

get to the attic access, seemed a good time to finally finish it.

...and the finished product. The photos definitely don't show the

difference, but trust me it's mucho better...

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T07:59:00.002-05:00

Today is inauguration day! Watching the coverage on CNN, I am overwhelmed by the

crowds of Americans and others gathering in our Nations capital to be a part of this historic day.

Watching the sun come up over the Capital building with the throngs of people in front - it is just such a hopeful scene. May God Bless all on this day and keep everyone safe.

In the meantime.....Christmas decor has been stored for the year,

except for these plates depicting winter scenes. They remind me

of the fun and beauty that can be found on these long, cold, snowy

winter days!

The Sinclair Sisters

2009-01-14T17:45:00.002-05:00

Today Aunt Wilma entered God's kingdom of heaven.

She lived nearly 90 years on earth and blessed each of us who knew

her with her laugh and gentle soul. She will always be a "Sinclair girl"-

4 sisters who put family first and knew the value of that connection.

The lower photo was taken in 1939 - the upper in 1995. Ironically

they all lined up the same way 56 yrs later with Aunt Wilma in the middle

of the top row. Although it doesn't look it, the photos were taken in the

same spot - their parents home where cousin Tom & Lynn live now.

The poem below was written by my cousin Alan's friend Joyce.

She captured the last moments beautifully.

To my cousins Alan, Libby and Chris my deepest sympathy and love.

Tears and Comfort

Tears of sympathy flowed from his heart as he watched her slip away
But his tears were not for her, they were for those who’d stay.

The years had taken their toll on her body and her mind
And he knew that letting her go now was the act that was most kind.

And as family members stopped in to say their last good byes,
His thoughts turned to their years of sharing, and tears swelled in his eyes.

He thought of brighter times when laughter and kinship ruled the day
When sisters hugged and shared secrets and talked the night away

He thought of the history shared amongst the family’s blood.
He thought of ties that never break and that seal the bond of love.

His mind knew all too well that the end was coming soon,
And he fought back his tears, to comfort the others in the room

And while a piece of his heart was breaking he heard a trumpet blow.
It was the sound of peace, and it brought comfort to his soul.

New Year

2009-01-01T08:10:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

Just to get my homemade candle out of the freezer decided to use it as the centerpiece for dinner on new years eve. It was quite pretty until the ice began melting and a few cranberries fell in and snuffed the candle out! Earlier in the season I had one outdoors greeeting guests as they arrived - snow put that one out.... Fun idea, but needs some tinkering before next year!

May you al have a healthy blessed New Year!

Leaky update

2008-12-28T17:09:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update on my drippy kitchen....Glenn, a man who has been doing yard work, snow removal and other odd jobs for me for nearly 20 years, came by and cleared all the snow from my roof. He has been a Godsend on many occassions for me! The dripping has stopped. Of course it is 20 d. colder today also..... Now it's wait to find out if I need to gut the wall behind my cupboards due to moisture, in which case new cabinets will be in order. The thought of that makes me smile - tho the mess to get there doesn't!

Even though this was a hassle, I am sooo grateful to have a warm home (well not so warm when the power went out for 5 hrs this morning...) There are so many people suffering from much worse. God bless them all and give them strength.

Joys.....and not so much....

2008-12-27T05:42:00.002-05:00

Our church was absolutely beautiful Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day our family gathered at my home. Emma loved her new Hello Kitty earmuffs!

She was our little elf, passing out the presents. Tho in this photo she was giving her uncle and grandpa a hard time at the jigsaw puzzle... I found her hat the day before at the drugstore - perfect for our princess!

....and then there's today...the ice dams on the roof are wreaking their havoc and I have water dripping through the roof and down through the kitchen cupboards.... So why am I sitting here instead of finishing emptying those cupboards! Denial!!!! Oh well, this too shall pass and I may get a new kitchen out of it!

Snowed In...

2008-12-19T11:38:00.002-05:00

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....

well, perhaps not if you love snow

My neighbor and his son

Henry decided to go for

a walk.... didn't get too

far before dad ran back

for the sled.....

...Thanks dad this is better!

The view through my closet window - yikes!

Think I'll stay indoors and enjoy the holiday decor...

stay warm and safe!!

Season of Celebration

2008-12-18T07:14:00.002-05:00

I have been joyfully occupied the past 2 days celebrating the season with dear friends.

Tues night our PEO sisters gathered at my home ....
....we had rescheduled from the week before when our gathering was snowed out, so our numbers were smaller, but just enough to fill my family room.

Last night Sue hosted our "girlfriend" get-together. 10 lbs. of crab legs

which were oh so delicious...

....peppermint mousse served in these delightful candy cane dishes - can't tell you how yummy these were!

Sue set a beautiful table in her little cottage -

felt like we were part of a magazine photo....

A blessed time to be with friends.

Merry Christmas!

Winter Fun

2008-12-12T08:11:00.002-05:00

The foot of snow we received on Tues. was perfect for at least one thing - PLAY!

After 2 days of no pre-school, Emma was with me yesterday and "we" played outside for an hour and a half. Guaranteed, this is the longest I'd been outside in quite sometime!!!

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-09T06:34:00.003-05:00

The snow fell last night as we slept

creating a beautiful winter wonderland.

I love this time of day-

before the rest of the world starts moving -

before the snow plow comes through-

before the committments of the day "should" be started....

Hope you have a blessed day!

(The 2 bright green lights in the left window are not from a tree -

they belong to my cat Guri who no doubt is thinking,

"what is she doing now?")

Holiday Progress...

2008-12-06T07:22:00.002-05:00

...more Christmas decor has made its way out of its year long hibernation.

A nod to my Swedish/Norwegian heritage decorates the pass-through from the kitchen to the

family room...

...The santas have taken over the mantel and adjoining shelves....

...and the tree has been adorned (along with most every other flat surface in the liv. rm.)
The 3 angels by the candles have special meaning - the 2 white ones were made by cousin Linda from linens collected from our great aunts and the pink angel is the one given to me on my first Christmas (1952!)

....and of course there are Christmas things for Emma to play with. Sitting in the center of the tree skirt my mom hooked for me years ago, she surrounded herself with all the stuffed creatures I've somehow collected through the years....

She was with me all day Mon. due to a cold.....which as of this morning she has officially passed along to me....

....back to Thanksgiving....this is the pecan pie that niece Samantha made. I was sooo impressed with the perfection of her pecan arrangement! It was as delectable as it looks!!!

Hope all your Christmas preparation is going well as we near the celebration of our Saviors birth.

....and so it begins....

2008-11-18T08:51:00.002-05:00

...with a Christmas party at my home on the 9th of Dec - Thanksgiving prep between now and then....decided yesterday to begin decorating. So far I've found most of the snowmen that reside in the kitchen....
....and the Santa's for the family room. By the time I stored all the "treasures" that adorn the shelves the rest of the year, removed the dust that had collected on the higher shelves and hauled from the basement 4 platic bins of Christmas decor....

....this is as far as I got!! To top it off I realized that since I have a builder coming to add more trim to the fireplace (in an effort to hide more of the brick and give it a more finished look), it would be silly to hang the greenery until it's done.... Hopefully he will arrive soon!

On to another room.....

First Snow

2008-11-16T17:27:00.002-05:00

After a gloomy day we were treated in the waning hours of daylight to a light dusting of snow and a beautiful sunset. This photo doesn't do it justice, but my sleeping porch is the only spot I could capture it....

This past week has been so much fun with my friend Sue up visiting for a few days. I could drop by her guest house for a cup of coffee in the morning, had a delicious dinner with she and some of her family one night, out with our girlfriends another night and even cooked a pot of goulash myself a third night, which I shared with Sue and her daughter Dana. Since her daughter/daughter in-laws and grandchildren were often visiting with her too, I had the chance to visit (and play) with them as well. We miss you Sue!!!

Yesterday Samantha, Emma and I shopped at a couple of the many craft shows here in town. So much talent out there!

All in all my favorite kind of week filled with family and friends!

(Cheryl it's all fun, but missing you!)

A Visit Home

2008-11-10T06:30:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my mother and I spent a lovely day in the town where I grew up and where she spent over 40 years of her life. After a warm welcome at our "hometown" church, we joined some friends for lunch at mom's favorite restaurant. Lot's of laughter, catching up and reminiscing.... ....time for us to depart, but not before a photo for the blog, which all these gals visit!
Judy, cousin Linda, Jean, Joann, moi and Jean (mom)
Each one has touched my life and taught me lessons, especially that of humor in the face of challenges. Joann also taught me how to knit when I was about 8 or 9 - I still remember those pink bootie slippers you helped me create!

Thanks for making our day so special!!!

Fall Fun

2008-11-01T08:42:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween

Emma came as Cinderella - somehow after an hour of Trick or Treating

her tiara was gone, her hair fallen and she preferred the Vanilla Wafers grandpa

put in her bag to candy...

The most fun for her seemed to be once again passing out candy at my house to the 250 or so

kids that came by.... and yes, I prefer painting my pumpkin as opposed to digging out all the goop and risking slicing myself open as I try to carve!

The day before Halloween we raked up the leaves in a big pile for running and

jumping...

....and then made a house...tho the interior walls kept disappearing....

a fun fall day in beautiful weather. Yesterday was almost 70, which in Mich

is gratefully enjoyed this time of year!

Celebrations

2008-10-25T05:15:00.002-04:00

This was a week of celebration for me starting with Emma's birthday last Sun. and my own on Weds. On Tues the "Island Girls" (pictured above last summer on Mackinac Is.) got together for pizza & suds and to catch-up on each others busy lives.
Weds. night I celebrated not only my birthday, but 2 other girlfriends, one of whom turned 50 the week before, the other who turns 60 next weds. (a few of the gang are in the photo - I forgot my camera both nights....perhaps a good thing.....but neither of the other birthday girls are shown....) My friend Cindi volunteered to prepare the dinner at her home and how I wish I had photos of all the delectables she fixed! She started us off with a platter of gourmet olives, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, salami and artichoke hearts; served with warm bread & oil. Dinner was her delicious linguini with clam sauce and spaghetti too! We also had "Good to Go" salad, which we are all addicted too.....
Sarah made what I would call a "Death by Chocolate" cake - it was soooooo good.
Such a fun night and the perfect way to celebrate!
Also pictured above is the beautiful twig candle holder and the silver frame given to me by Sue.

.....and there were more gifts!
Barb gave me this "diva" wine stopper and the sweet "fun and fabulous friend" ornament....

Cheryl missed the party, but stopped by to give me this unique stone and iron cross. I love the gift, but it was bittersweet as she was leaving that day to spend the winter in Florida.... I shall miss you my friend, but I will be down to visit!!!
Other friends spoiled me with a variety of gift certificates....I have some serious shopping to do now! Thanks to one and all - it is your friendship I treasure the most!!!!

....and what would my blog be without a photo of Emma.... We'd just gotten home from

pre-school.... todays snack a fudgesicle. The hour and a half we spend together each day is such a treat! Fortunately Oprahs on again at 10pm, cause if the tv's on we're watching "Arthur" and "Word Girl" on PBS....

Autumn Surprises

2008-10-20T06:09:00.004-04:00

While cutting back my garden I discovered this hyacinth that seems to have its seasons confused....
...a final bloom of what I believe is the Lavatera "Barnsley"
...and no surprise for this time of year some mums.

The outdoor furniture is stored, the gardens at rest until spring,

and firewood stacked for cozy winter fires .....

waiting for the trees to finish shedding their leaves....

a final job of raking

and await the winters snow.

Birthday Girl

2008-10-19T08:19:00.001-04:00

Just a moment to wish our sweet Emma a Happy 4th Birthday today !

You are pure joy in our lives!

Love - Nana

Homecoming

2008-10-14T07:30:00.002-04:00

Good friends Dave & Cindi began the days Homecoming festivities with a Parade Party at their lovely home. The dining table was filled with sweet treats....
...the Marching Chips stretched out for blocks and stopped to play CMU's fight song right in front of us....
Sue enjoyed the parade with her grandkids and our friend Dani....they collected lot's of candy tossed to them....
Amy Roloff from "Little People Big World" and a CMU grad, was the Grand Marshall....
Cindi had her home decorated for fall inside and out. These 2 pieces were on her patio.

She found them at our local farmers market. Aren't they adorable?

We went on to the game, which the Chips won! and then to the after celebration.... a long

fun-filled friend-filled day!

Thoughtful Ya-yas

2008-10-07T06:36:00.002-04:00

Not only did I get to enjoy the company of my cousins, but they brought gifts!

Susie found this milk bottle at an antique store and discovering it was from the town where I grew up, she got it for me! Even tho I don't recall the creamery that produced it, we did use to have our milk delivered, so it brings back fond memories for me!

The "Fresh Cut Grass"scented candle and dish are from Libby. She remembered I'd commented on that being one of my favorite "smells" and found this in her Longaberger catalog

(which she is a dealer for....if anyone wants to do some shopping!) I'm saving it until the snow falls and I'm craving the scent of spring!

Linda, who creates something beautiful for us everytime we get together, made these adorable hanging "vases" for us out of lace fabric from our great aunt's farm. We had the choice of these, bells or circular Christmas ornaments. Lucky me - I got to pick 3! (one is Meg's, which she'll get someday.....) Linda is so talented - don't know how she comes up with all these ideas, but glad she does!

Almost time for the Ya-ya's to depart, but we enjoyed the sunshine in my front garden for a bit, not wanting the week-end to end.....

YaYa's

2008-10-06T07:18:00.003-04:00

This past week-end was our semi-annual gathering of the YaYa's! Some are sisters by birth, all are "sisters" in spirit and all are first cousins! This time we stayed at my house for the week-end - here we are at O'Kelley's for lunch after a morning of successful shopping at TJMax...
Fri. night we were joined by a couple of "petites ya-ya's" (as the offspring are called in the book- we were thinking "yahoo's" might fit better....) Samantha, LeeAnne and Susan, a friend of LeeAnnes stopped by for awhile on Fri. nite and thoroughly entertained us. Thanks to LeeAnne for our cute Halloween dishtowels! So sweet of you, but then you've always been a sweetheart...

and yes you made the blog!

Fri. night was also Linda's birthday - another reason to celebrate and eat cake!
A visit to Aunt Jean's apartment after we'd purchased our novelty headbands. Last time sandals this time - silly hats. What will we find next time..... and yes we wore them all over town. Needless to say we got lots of smiles and couldn't help but laugh at each other!One of the Sinclair "girls" who is responsible for the Ya-ya's (my mom) She joined the fun too while we visited her!

Being together with these special women is always fun and renewing!

Fall Cleaning...

2008-09-30T08:14:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Sue at www.howtokeephouse@blogspot.com and her inspiring blog about cleaning her living room...I gutted my much neglected living room...

...and here it all is - washed and ready to go....
I edited out quite a few things, but oh how nice it is to have it clean!

Oh yes, the curtains are still waiting to be ironed and rehung....

It looked and smelled so good that the next day I gutted my office! Another friend Sarah had told me about stripping paint off metal with Lestoil (who knew they still made it...), so just in case I ever had the urge to do some metal stripping, I bought a bottle. I used it to clean the walls, shelves and floors and it left everything smelling and looking clean! An oldie, but goodie!

Mardi Gras

2008-09-27T08:48:00.002-04:00

Yesterday our downtown was the site of the annual Mardi Gras. Has nothing to do with Lent, but gives us an excuse to collect and wear beads (no flashing necessary) and roam the streets listening to live music, partaking in some New Orleans cuisine and just have fun! There were 2 parades - Sacred Heart Homecoming at 4 and the Mardi Gras parade at 6:30. By then there were hundreds if not thousands of people downtown!

They also have many activities for kids including face painting. These 2 sweeties (Nicole and Rachel) are the daughters of my ex Joe and his wife Nancy. Thought my cousins would enjoy seeing them.....
...and this beautiful girl is Megan, daughter of my former brother-in-law Todd and his wife Mary. Can you tell she and Rachel are cousins? Love that hair color! This photo was taken during the Sacred Heart parade and later at the game, Megan was crowned Homecoming Queen!
After the first parade we went upstairs to the "penthouse" apt. of one of my friends son. He has this fabulous deck overlooking the downtown area. I had no idea such a view was possible from downtown and I've been here 38 yrs!
It was interesting to see a portion of our downtown from a more lofty view - especially with all the trees beginning to turn color.
The mighty CMU Chips play today. Fire Up Chips!!!!

Evening Project...

2008-09-16T09:37:00.002-04:00

While going through our father's workshop after he passed away (8yrs ago - hard to believe), we found these oak leaves he had cut out of wood. I'm not sure what his intention was for them, but a couple years ago I painted a few of them. This year in my attempt to be doing something creative while watching tv in the evening, I completed the project and finished all 14 of them!

They add a special touch to my "hint of fall" decor.

First Day of School

2008-09-08T18:14:00.000-04:00

Emma had her first day of pre-school today! I get to pick her up everyday - and really she was excited to see me, not as terrorized as she might look! She's growing up soooo fast!!!

Sanctuary From Repairs

2008-09-07T10:14:00.000-04:00

During the week of replacing the roof, my bedroom became my welcome sanctuary at night.

With temperatures dipping into the 40's at night, it's time for the down comforter now at the foot of my bed...
This corner is across the room from my bed and as you can see flows into the room which is my closet/laundry/sewing room.....
A nook which faces the street - the chair, a $10 find at a garage sale that I recovered with an old pair or blue & white stripe seersucker curtains....
My dressing table just off the french doors leading to the sleeping porch....(okay, you caught me...all the things I'd cleared off are reflected in the mirror on the little chest....)
Another little nook....extra quilts below and a new wall shelf above...it was just too cute for me to resist... I hope you enjoyed this more than my roof photos! I know I did!!!

...and on it goes.....

2008-09-06T08:15:00.000-04:00

The work continued on the roof, but tear-out and reshingling took only 2 days!

Unfortunately the night of day 2 we got the most rain we've had all summer and oops, some drips found their way around the skylights into the sunroom.... I am grateful it happened while the guys were still finishing up soffets, so by the next day it was fixed.....I hope!
Perhaps only I can appreciate the beauty of this roof after looking out at the ugly, black
membrane roof for 5 yrs! It is now Sat and a couple of the guys have just arrived to finish up the eavesdrough and to put a soffet under my screened porch, which previously I had left open. Must have been trying to save some $'s at the time, but the open rafters have been a haven for bee hives. Not conducive to enjoying time sitting outside! Hopefully my next post will be about something much prettier and fun!

It's Not All Fun....

2008-09-03T06:37:00.000-04:00

This is not fun....another dumpster in front of my house - more on that in a minute.....

Labor Day was celebrated with my my family at my house. Since I'm not a "griller" (something about propane tanks just gives me the willies - perhaps it's the fire we had during a party a few years back when we had to evacuate the house till the fire dept. came....) anyway, the chicken was cooked in the oven, the corn on the cob boiled etc. Here's mom and Emma enjoying some time together. This was fun!
Brother Brian brought this table to me (at my request). I purchased it new 30 yrs ago at a time when my decor tended towards more comtemporary....my taste changed and I passed it on to Brian and his family. Sometime in the last 5 years it went into storage....until I remembered it. I've been looking for a pedestal table and somehow this came to mind! It needs to be refinished and I'm still debating whether to paint it white or restain it, but in my efforts to recycle and reuse, it will work perfect (especially since it has 2 leaves and was free!) This will be a mixture of fun and not so fun....
....and then there's the membrane roof on the rear of my home.... Having had it recovered 5 yrs ago, I was assured it would last 20 yrs.... It's been leaking for all 5 yrs and the installer has gone out of business..... so.... nothing to do but have it replaced.
.......not pretty pictures by any means, but this shows some of the rot that they have discovered.

Not only were there 2 membrane roofs, but below the backer board for those was a layer of gravel and tar roofing (put on no doubt before the days of membranes). This too was wet and the board below that soaked too. I feel fortunate to not have had my ceiling fall in on me! When it's done I will have a much more attractive shingled roof to look at out my second floor windows and sleeping porch. Anyway now you know what the dumpster is doing in my front yard.

This is not fun!!!

Going Scandinavian

2008-08-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

My dear friend Sue gave me this book a few weeks ago, knowing my enjoyment of Scandinavian decor. It has inspired me to do some redecorating. Nothing like yard sales to pick-up some new pieces to achieve the look I love.....

The past couple weeks I have had great success at yard sales - found this charming wall shelf for $2.00 Sat. A bit of white spray paint over it's cream and gold gilding and it was good to go!

Sue, does it look familiar? I have always admired yours and was so thrilled to find one for myself. Now have to search for another one for Sarah, as she is coveting mine for her newly remodeled bathroom!

A collection of my recent finds - the .50 tissue box, which was a brown basket with unpainted wooded tops; the floral trivet, which also had stained wooden trim - $1.00; the fabulous hydrangea print (it's from Paragon) - $10.00; my fave the shelf; and my .50 tray with the watercolor florals I cut from a $1.00 book. All to be added to my "in the process" redecorating schemes.
My family room before was done in reds, greens and yellows. Lovely colors, but since this is the room I spend the majority of my evenings in I decided to fill it with the blues and pale greens that are so Scandinavian and sooo soothing to me. You can see the new Hydrangea print, a couple more floral prints "stolen" from the guest bedroom, a teacup vase from the master bedroom and blue floral plates from the china cabinet.... Just turned Sarah's beautiful quilted throw over to it's gorgeous blue background backside and a couple pillows from the sun room....
The shelves have been transformed from red and green to much lighter shades of blue and white with a bit of majolica.... the prints that Sue gave me (she knows my taste better than I do!)
Yes, I even covered the black speaker with blue & white checked contact paper - still trying to figure out how to disguise the cable box.....

The shelving on the other side of the fireplace.... I really don't mind the brick of the fireplace, tho would like to cover a portion of it with 6" white trim.....someday......

Sinclair Girls

2008-08-21T20:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday mom and I traveled to Benzonia for a visit with her sisters. What a wonderful day filled with laughter & love. Cousin Susie hosted us with a luncheon at her home on Crystal Lake. It is sooo beautiful and what a setting. I grew up visiting this area and all my relatives. Here Aunt Wilma & Susie are listening to Libby relate something evidently very interesting!
A view from the sun room overlooking Crystal Lake. Aunt Mary is the youngest sister and she's 80 something......

Project update....

2008-08-14T09:47:00.000-04:00

Most of the flowers have been cut - still have to put a couple more coats of paint on the tray and decide what trim to put on the edges and then the decopodging can begin! It's been a fun project to work on in the evenings while watching the Olympics.
I moved my farm table into the open space in my family room for a craft table...
and my table from the kitchen into the sunroom, which I like so much better with my french chairs from Patricia Wood's shop....
....in the meantime my daytime project has been the scraping and sanding of the shed in the backyard. Now just have to work up the energy to slap the paint on! Guess I'd better go get busy.....

Week-end finds...

2008-08-11T06:29:00.001-04:00

My friend Cheryl and I hit the garage sales on Fri afternoon (10 or 12 in all!) and I found some treasures. This tray for $.50 - which I took outside for a quick sanding.
Found this beautiful book filled with these watercolors of flowers - perfect for browsing or using for a decopodge project! Yes, it is difficult for me to cut up such a lovely book, but occassionally one just calls out for a new purpose..... It was $1.00.....
The tray has it's coat of primer and the first of many flowers have been cut out with the

exacto (sp) knife....many more to go, but a fun project for a rainy week-end and many evenings yet to come..... I also found a few other books including a biography of Florence Nightingale, which I'm finding really interesting. Another amazing determined woman from history who changed our lives for the better. Along with Vol. 1 Eleanor Roosevelt (Vol. 2 has arrived - it will be next), I've also read "Founding Mothers" and "Ladies of Liberty" by Cokie Roberts. I find these biographies of women who faced such hardships and made huge strides for women inspirational and along the way I learn much about the history of our country! It makes me appreciate all the blessings we enjoy and sadly sometimes take for granted. I recommend any of these for anyone who wants to learn more about some extraordinary people.

after the storm...

2008-08-08T09:06:00.001-04:00

This photo was taken last night after a storm passed through my friend's Cheryl & Jim cottage.

Isn't is awesome...and yes that is a Tiki Bar here in Michigan. A place where many fun afternoons and evenings have been enjoyed!

Cousins Gathering

2008-08-05T06:58:00.000-04:00

Saturday was our 29th annual Sinclair cousins party.

We gather here at my grandparents home, now owned by cousin Tom & his wife Lynn.

They have graciously provided their home every year for us - thank-yous are hardly enough!

We welcomed our newest member to the Sinclair clan, Winston Nieman Call, son of Warren and Marina and little brother to Sophia. Not even one month old!

3 of the Sinclair girls stopped by - Aunt Marjorie and Uncle Royal pictured above.

Oh the stories they can tell about growing up in this home!

Cousin Jeanne's 3 "kids" - we remember when they were the little "tow heads" running around the yard......

Our host Tom firing up the grill for hot dogs and hamburgers and Michael "supervising"...

Our day began with a trip to Crystal Lake beach where Brandon, Samantha and Emma braved the cool waters of the north....
Back at the party Samantha and friends found a blanket and a shady spot to play....
Cousin Marsha bonded with her granddaughter Ella.....
.....and Emma developed a crush on cousin Calvin.
Scott helped keep our "fire man" Steven (in the hat) company. He started the fire early so we would have corn on the cob for dinner. Always a highlight for all of us!

This is the fire much later in the evening - and the log tunnel fire Steven created once again .....
Cousing Alan entertained us throughout the day and night by changing his t-shirt every half hour or so....
...til finally late in the evening his stash was raided and a group of 10 or 12 cousins showed up to surprise him by wearing his tee's!
A champagne toast was offered to cousin Jeanne and Matt, who announced their engagement!
Congratulations and welcome to the family Matt!
Cousin Michael proposing the toast as we all gathered around

The YaYa's were there in full force and all had on our sandals we had bought at our gathering in April. Great minds think alike!!!
A few of the faces to go with the feet.....
Dr DJ Dan spinning our tunes. He set-up a professional system and had us dancing the day and night away....thanks Dano!
Me thinks this is the twist....
....and the dancing went on and on.....til next year.....
What a blessing we have in each other!!!

Sidewalk Sales

2008-08-01T06:40:00.000-04:00

Our annual sidewalk sales were this past week-end. Above is a photo of my friend Sarah at her "craft" booth. She makes the most beautiful aprons and not surprisingly sold many of them over the course of 3 days! She is soooo talented and meticulous!
A sidewalk chalk artist came from Orlando to share her talent. This is her rendering of "Girl With the Pearl Earring". Quite remarkable!!!
Another local artist joined in the fun. My mom and I strolled through the streets just soaking in the atmosphere of fun and community.

The Pets

2008-07-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

For my final chapter on our trip to Mackinac thought I'd share the pets. Alex and Sandy are 2 of the sweetest goldens and even tolerated Sally and I posing them on the swing. Not that they are camera shy!
Maryanke and Susan returning from having Pearl shod and well it looked like so much fun that Maryanke took me for a spin through town..... Isn't Pearl magnificent!!!

After her work pulling us around, Pearl go her bath in the paddock area behind the cottage...
Regina patiently looked on.

Bathrooms Anyone....

2008-07-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

This particular bath was mine to use for the duration of our visit to Mackinac Island! I mean really now - who has art work in their shower!!! Talk about feeling pampered!
Even the toilets are charming!
A beautiful pedestal sink and a gold gilded mirror...I hated to come home!
This is another bath off the Jamaican room that we didn't even use! I loved it's tile work and claw-footed tub.
Because I haven't taken the time to learn how to add more photos to each blog....continue to scroll down to see more of this home on preceding day.....

More inside....

2008-07-26T06:56:00.000-04:00

The formal dining room......(be sure to click on the photos for close-ups)
...the tiffany glass ceiling in the kitchen
....the chandelier in the "breakfast nook"
.......the staricase in the turret
.....a glimpse into the master bedroom suite. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. As grand as this lady is, she is welcoming, comfy and filled with love.

Inside the Grand Old Lady

2008-07-26T06:34:00.000-04:00

Thought you might enjoy a few photos from inside the "cottage" - the fireplace in the

turret living room....

....the moldings on the circular ceiling...
...this fabulous lamp that lights the way between the living room and the front door....
....the moldings in the foyer
.... the moldings where the foyer, formal living room, dining room and staircase meet.

I was just in awe of the workmanship and elaborate nature of these ceilings and moldings! Hope they give you some idea of the grandeur of this Victorian Lady....

More from the Island...

2008-07-25T06:08:00.000-04:00

The day begins with coffee or tea on the veranda....Alex still thinks she's a lapdog...
After a morning of "chores" we wandered over to the Grand Hotel's pool for an afternoon of sunbathing....

Our walk home took us by this charming cottage....
...and here we are ready for an evening on the town....

but we were having so much fun we never left the veranda other than a few forays to the kitchen to create a meal...

Yes, those 187 stairs to climb after an evening downtown helped make me content to stay at home!!!

A Slice of Heaven

2008-07-25T05:39:00.000-04:00

This lovely cottage was home for a few days this week, as 4 girlfriends and myself made our annual trip to visit our friend Maryanke on Mackinac Island. (She gets to call it home all summer long!) It is as glorious as it looks!

Click on the photos to make them larger!
We ferried in the same day as the hundreds of sailboats running in the 100th Chicago to Mackinac race. This view is from the front veranda looking towards downtown. You can see all the masts docked in the harbor.....the day starts early for some. Maryanke and Susan are coming back from an early morning walk with Sandy and Alex...
....and then Maryanke is off for a riding lesson on Regina.
Alls quiet this morning, but the night before the town was filled with hundreds of people on the island for the race or just to soak up the island's charm. There was music late into the night, fireworks and for us anyways, lot's of laughter and fun! More to come....

Off to the Island

2008-07-21T18:37:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I'm off to Mackinac Island with 5 girlfriends for a couple days of r &r. One of them has a home on the East Bluff that is right out of the Victorian Age, but with all the modern updates. Our plan is to sit on the veranda and lull away the hours. Will be sure to take photos!

Have some from last year, but after my computer crashed, they are all on a back-up disc..... no time to search for them now! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Little Gifts

2008-07-18T07:19:00.000-04:00

Inspired by Dana @ dana moore designs with her adorable laundry room, I decided to cute my area up a bit. All these little linens were hiding in a drawer. They were collected by my mother and many of them created by my great aunts. They add a bit of new life to laundry time!
Picked these delicious berries up at the farmers market here. Most of the blueberries have been frozen for future eating next winter when fresh aren't available. We have such a great market here, filled with all kinds of fruits, veggies, flowers and bakery goods. A fun way to spend a thurs morning!

New Life

2008-07-13T09:13:00.000-04:00

Last week while sitting with my mother on her patio, I discovered this mother robin sitting on her nest.
Yesterday to our surprise her 4 little babes had been hatched. What a treat to see them stretching their necks hoping for nourishment....
Mama took a break to attempt to cover them and protect them from the intruder - even tho I was 15' away.... mom's know best!
Back to feeding - mama puts her beak and food right into her little ones mouth - no messy eating here. Several of the residents came out to watch the entertainment God provided for us. It was an uplifting experience for all of us.

Summer Read

2008-07-10T07:19:00.000-04:00

The past couple weeks I've been reading the book Eleanor Roosevelt Vol. I, first printed in 1992.

She was an amazing woman who fought against racism, and injustice and was hugely instrumental in gaining rights for women - including the right to vote and hold public office.

All of this while overcoming personal traumas and struggles. I can only imagine the inspiration she was to millions of women (and men) during her lifetime. I highly recommend it - not just for her story, but the history of our country during the first half of the 1900's. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Vol II!

Playground Searching

2008-07-10T07:06:00.000-04:00

Emma and I have been discovering new playgrounds throughout our community. This one was a new discovery located on the west side of town. She has little fear, but opted not to go down this slide.... Her play keeps the child in me alive and gives me the perfect excuse to enjoy all the slides and swings. However, I didn't go down this one either!

Harbor Springs

2008-07-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

While visiting the quaint town of Harbor Springs today with my friend Sarah, we discovered these two ladies of leisure. More latte anyone?
This delightful little cafe was where we had our lunch. Located behind the deli, it offered a quiet hide-a-way and was full of hungry diners by the time we left.
Sue, this ones for you. Your beautiful Summerhill. Sarah was thrilled that the new owners had installed the railings around that fabulous porch. Something she said your two had always wanted to do. It looks charming! The bottom half of the cottage is painted a bit brighter than the upper half. You'll have to be sure to check it out while you're up north. I couldn't help but think of the fun times I've shared with you there. Most of the day was spent at Patricia Woods shop, which was filled as usual with the fab eye candy and the scrumptious furniture she is known for. Sue, I hope you'll take some photos there. I neglected to.....

Saying Good-bye

2008-06-28T06:57:00.000-04:00

Our sweet Meg has moved to Georgia as of yesterday....Love has called her and I wish her nothing but the best, but I will miss her. Last Sat. night while my cousins Libby and Alan were here, we had a little party at my house. She and Emma climbed to the top of my "cat tree" - enough to give Nana a bit of anxiety! Even my cats seldom go to the top!! My brother stood at the bottom guarding his girls....

getting there....

2008-06-27T21:22:00.000-04:00

No photos today - just got my computer up and running a few hours ago. After 2 days working via phone with techs in India, they gave up and ordered me a new video drive. The Dell tech installed it today.... As yet I haven't gotten my new camera uploaded....maybe tomorrow.....
Hope all is well in blogland. I don't know who the losers were that commented on my last blog, but they have been deleted. Some people need to get a life!

Problems, problems and fun

2008-06-23T07:40:00.000-04:00

For some reason my computer crashed this week-end and I'm now operating in "safe" mode....The garage sale went fine - got rid of lot's of goodies. Unfortunately, as it turns out, the first things I sold were my patio chairs. Seemed like a good thing, until cousin Alan fell over while sitting in my new chair when the metal leg simply bent and broke! So much for that chair! Next to go was the handle on my front door....went out to water my hanging plant and couldn't push the button to get back in.....fortunately cousin Libby was inside and let me back in!

In the meantime we had lot's of fun and laughs!! After a visit on Sat to 95 yr old Aunt Norma, with my mom along - we spent the evening on my deck being entertained by Emma. I have some fun photos, but of course can't get them off my camera.... this one is from a couple weeks ago. And so it goes.......

garage sale....

2008-06-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Well now isn't this just a pretty picture! My garage is filling up as I collect items from around the house, shed and wherever else objects amass and gather dust.... I finally got committed enough to place the ad a few minutes ago, so looks like next thurs evening and fri. I'll be a decluttering my life and hopefully sending my things home with someone else!

Sadly as I'm sitting here I'm hearing the news on the tv, that Tim Russert has died. Of course I didn't know him personally, but he was certainly a person whose opinion I respected and valued.

God Bless his family - I can't imagine the pain they are going through Certainly puts life in perspective in a hurry.....

Reconnected

2008-06-08T07:33:00.000-04:00

After a bit of research at Consumer Reports I set out to buy my new camera. Well of course the store I was in didn't have any of the camera's I had decided upon, but not wanting to leave empty handed I picked out the cutest one..... That process of decision making works well for shoes, not so much for cameras.... Returned the first camera and trekked on to a store with more options where I actually found the camera I wanted. Yeah!!!

These peonies are from my friend Sarah's garden. Her peony bush was huge and laden with flowers - gave me "peony envy" (sorry I couldn't help myself....) Now that I have a camera I'm going back to her home to take some shots of her garden - she has a bleeding heart plant that thinks it's a bush. I have never seen one so big, especially in Michigan!
Okay garden gurus - I don't recall planting these sweet little daisy looking flowers. Do you think they are actually a flower or a cute weed I'm growing
My other purchase's for the week were a couple pillow for outdoors and a huge umbrella for over my deck. My friend Cindi told me that TJ Max had 4 outdoor umbrella's for only $79 - of which she'd already purchased one. I dashed out, discovered one the same color hue as my house and came home with it. The night before I'd been catalog browsing and found 1 that went with my outdoor decor - it was $400! So, all that is to explain why, even after opening it 2 days later (had to get an umbrella stand first...) and discovering one of the wooden poles was broken causing it to sag on one side (see photo), I've decided to keep the sucker! I'm sure with the help of my hardware store owner brother we can fix the broken pole....eventually.....

Hope all of you are enjoying this balmly summer!

Time out....

2008-06-03T08:04:00.000-04:00

My camera is on the fritz, so until I purchase a new one or try to recyle and get mine fixed, I'll be in blogless land for a bit.... These iris came from my grandparents farm, via my parents back-yard and date back to the 1950's at least! Not sure how the yellow one ended up exactly in the middle - just dumb luck!

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T13:41:00.001-04:00

Our town celebrated and honored our Nations military today with a small parade and short ceremony. It was a very moving experience - too bad it wasn't attended by more citizens.

When you think of all these men and women have done to insure not only our freedom, but to better the lives of those who live in all corners of the world, well it seems a small price to pay to stand, watch and listen for a few moments....

.....and whatever happened to placing your hand over your heart when the National Anthem is sung? Did that become passe while I wasn't looking? Even my 90 yr old mother stood and held her hand over her heart! Enough grumbling....thanks to all who have serviced and are serving our country. God Bless America!!!!

Outdoor Decor

2008-05-26T07:42:00.000-04:00

Summer temps finally seem to be here so I've begun the decorating of the deck.
It's quite a menagerie of furniture and odds and ends that catch my eye.... Behind the table are 2 more folding chairs in the same fabric as the chairs below. The table is from my Homecrest set and it raises up and down, so I just can't get rid of it. (the rest of the set will be sold in a garage sale - more about that later....) The chairs are from my fav store TJMax...
This is my new set, found on close-out at KMart. The backs of the chairs recline and I love that each one has an "ottoman" They are so soft and comfy!
My planting station and the shed in the backyard, which you can't tell from this photo, but is in dire need of repainting! Another project....
The full effect - now to find an umbrella, make and hang the draperies for under the screened porch, get more flowers....on it goes......

one more.....

2008-05-13T16:02:00.000-04:00

Today was finally warm enough to open the new windows - just as breezy and beautiful as I had hoped!

Here are my girls on Mother's Day at their dads (my brother). Those of you who know our stories know how important my nieces are to me...and you'll also notice that Meg just got about a foot of hair cut off!

Finished!

2008-05-10T08:07:00.000-04:00

The painters finished yesterday - my window replacement is done! Now for some warm weather so I can open them!
These are my favorite tulips in the garden. A vivid pink with green zig-zagging through the petals....The first photo is in the morning when they are closed...the 2nd during the day in the sunlight. They open up to capture the sun....

My favorite 2 weeks of my garden as the variety of pinks and lavenders dance in the sunlight...

fresh air

2008-05-01T17:47:00.000-04:00

This morning began the replacement of my 2 front windows! The older ones were "picture" windows, as in they didn't open and had storms on the outside that were too large for me to remove myself... So this morning I took a photo to insure the new look is as close to the original charm as possible....
By 10:30am the old was out - fortunately it was a warm day, as the builder left for the lumber yard (and perhaps lunch too) and this is how it sat for a couple hours!
A bit too much fresh air - thankfully no birds visited!
At some point it was decided that the shutters needed to be removed in order to get the new windows in.....Surprise, the old red paint was underneath, except for 4 blotches of the newer house color that show through the pine trees in the shutter (when they're up!) So this is how Friendship Cottage looks tonight - one new window in, one to go....I'm pleased with how the new one looks and can't wait to be able to open them and let the fresh air in!!!