It is time for another Teaser Tuesdays, hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading.

My teaser this week comes from  Aunt Dimity Digs In by Nancy Atherton. 


"Sally's words had a pathetic ring of truth to them.  No middle-aged woman in her right mind would want her neighbors looking on while she did jumping jacks."

Ok, it is sort of funny until I think about this middle aged woman doing jumping jacks.  Scary visual!

Today's Question at Musing Mondays over at Should Be Reading hosted by Miz B is "how many books do you read in a week? a month? a year?"

I never kept up with my reading totals before now.  I would just read.  Some books went quickly, some took  forever, and some didn't get finished at all.  However, now that there are a number of reading sites out there which host all manner of challenges, I have become more aware of how much I read.  I rarely complete a book in a week -- I am easily distracted.  Most would be done in two weeks.  I can read a couple of books a month if I put my mind to it and I have read about 18 books this year -- to date.  I had a goal of 25 but it isn't going to happen.  I am definitely not a fast reader but I am, what I would call, a steady reader.

Jingle Bells, Jangled Nerves -- What a Horrible Week


This past week was horrible. Not the whole week -- just the latter half.  Up until Wednesday we were having a really great time getting ready for Christmas, putting up the village and having a babysitting day.  Wednesday was planned to get some Christmas sewing done and finish some decorating.  We were having a ball around here just relaxing with the gorgeous weather and getting into the swing of the season.

Then the call came.  It was around lunch time on Wednesday when my phone rang.  It was my daughter's best friend from San Antonio who now lives in Austin.  It was unusual for her to phone, we talk on the computer from time to time but she never calls.  She lives on Ave. G in Austin, two doors down from a little, independent church which was begun by my cousin thirty three years ago and which he still pastors.  She had met my cousin on a number of occasions, once when we were visiting her.  She called to give me bad news.  My cousin and his wife had been killed in a horrific accident outside of Austin on a highway that was undergoing construction.  I simply couldn't process what she was saying.  I have never felt such shock, it was like I had been slapped.  We are supposed to go visit this young woman and her new baby and I had been planning on taking my cousins to dinner.  I was planning.  What was she saying?  This just couldn't be.

After much internet searching I found news story after news story, photo after photo and video after video.  I watched them even though I knew I shouldn't.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  It was horrific and tragic and my cousin was gone.  I spent the rest of the day trying to get information.  I called his church and was told that I couldn't be a relative, he didn't have any relatives.  They were rude.  I was hurt.  I had to break the news to my aunt and her daughter -- it was so sad because he was to officiate the wedding of my cousins child in January.  

I had a strange relationship with this cousin.  He was my father's first cousin, my second cousin, even though he was only three years older than I.  I know him even though we didn't talk on a regular basis.  I called on him many times for help and he was always there to help me.  I always looked at him as someone who would always be there for me  because he was always there for me.  I counted on him for strength and guidance on a number of occasions and I will really miss him. He was really a great guy.

His wife had said that she didn't want either one of them to "go" first and either one of them to have to live without the other.  I find it very comforting to know that is exactly what happened.  That just shows me, once again, that God listens and knows what is best for us.

I have been very sad but on Thursday, as I traveled to my daughter's house in the dark of morning, I could see his face and hear his voice telling me "we are fine (in the Texas drawl he had) -- don't be so sad -- just get on with it.  We are fine" and he was chuckling as the vision faded.  I know they are fine but it is really hard to not be sad.

The Unveiling of the Brinkley Christmas Village -- 2011

Christmas Crafting


I have always wanted to do more crafting at Christmas but I never seem to find the time and, before you know it, it is too late.  This year I started early -- like in the summer -- but I can't show you photos of those endeavors as they are gifts -- that will be a later post.  However, I did decide to do a little crafting for our Christmas Village.

As you might know, I have been collecting Christmas village houses for absolutely years and years and it was always a joy to play with at the holidays.  The last couple of years, though, I have gone apathetic toward it --probably because of my former cat -- (he is still a cat, he is just not mine anymore).  This year, however, because the Hubs is home, we decided to get an early, relaxed start on it so we could actually enjoy the process.  You can see earlier photos of the village here. 

There is a tree in the middle of the village that we decorate -- sort of like Rockefeller Center if you use your imagination!  The year Hubs had his surgery, he couldn't really manage the big tree so we opted for this little one and it served the purpose nicely.  In fact, I am considering not putting the big tree up this year at all.  I digress.  Anyway, this year I decided to go with a "natural" look for the town center tree and this is what I came up with -- pine cones, paint, glitter, rusty jingle bells, ribbon and candy canes.  I think it came out rather nice, actually.

Adding little eye screws to the pine cones wasn't easy

All done

creamy white paint to add "snow"

that was a quick snow storm!

Added a little gold accent to the rusty bells -- later added white paint

clear glitter

never have used clear glue before -- it worked really well

can't see the glitter but it is there

wasn't really happy with this but it was done so I left it alone

added the ribbon hangers to the glittery pine cones

Hubs in the beginning stages of the "process" -- it takes a while to build a village

Uh - oh , the book props are coming out

Next blog you will see the finished village! We have added things from those first photos a couple of years ago and we have tweaked it until we think it looks "right".  Can't wait to see what you think!

Musing Mondays


It is time for another Musing Mondays hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.  Today's question is -- "Will you be buying books for the holidays, this year.  If so, for whom and why?"

I have already done.  I buy books every Christmas for almost everybody on my list.  My hubby is always looking at some sort of woodworking or barbecue book.  My kids and their spouses read and, of course, there are the children.  I don't think there can ever be enough books in the home of a child.

A View From A Window -- Or In My Case -- A Door


A while back, Jane from The Maple Syrup Mob began a weekly Thursday post of a photo taken from the same window.  It should be interesting to see how the scenery changes throughout the year.   She invited anybody who wants to join in to--well, join in.  So, here I am, playing catch up, as usual so I have two weeks worth of photos.  I will honestly try to do better this week but, in all fairness to me, this last Thursday I had to chop pickles and make dressing and quietly supervise the bird roasting or rather smoking -- my hubs does a mean turkey in the kamado.

Anyway, here we go.  These photos are taken from my back door, with me inside, of my back garden.  It is  a little shabby right now because the weather was so horrible over the summer and almost everything went dormant and now it thinks it is spring and everything is coming out -- including the weeds.  There is no keeping up with the weeds.  The first three photos were taken Thursday week.

The next two photos were taken this past Thursday, Thanksgiving Day.

I don't see much difference between the two except I think the hollies have more berries in the more recent photos.  Can't wait to see what is left of the garden this next week after these horrible winds we are having.

Just Letting You Know--


I am not dead.  I am just swamped.  Have been doing some babysitting and planning a birthday party for my 90 year old mother in law whose birthday is tomorrow.  I said I didn't want to plan this party -- I said it loudly -- yet, here I am planning the blasted party which just goes to show that when I tell people they don't listen to me, I am right no matter how much they protest!!!

I have been in the mood to Christmas shop but not in the mood to go shopping.  Clearly there is conflict there.  So, I have been letting my fingers dance around the keyboard and am shopping online.  This weekend is a special weekend here in North Texas -- we are all being encouraged to shop  at our favorite local, independent, small business.  I would love to but -- well, I went by my favorite little independent, local, small toy store today and everything is twice or three times as expensive in the store as it is online.  It used to be a very unique little place but now, yeah, not so much.  So, I don't guess I will be doing my bit for local, independent businesses this weekend.  Well, except for the party venue so that must mean something.

So, if anybody has missed me, that is where I have been --- sitting, sitting, sitting, planning, planning, planning.  Now I have get in the mood to cook for Thanksgiving.  Whew, I think I am tired already.

The Forwarder I Go, the Behinder I Get


Thirty days of Thanks --

November 11 -- thanks for the veterans ( my dad, grandfathers, uncle, and cousins) and for our current military personnel.  They do a vital job and yet are so under appreciated.

  November 12 -- Thankful for a fun activity today.


Current Read:  Still reading The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin.  I am behind because I left the book at my daughter's house on Thursday but I will catch up tonight.

Diet and Exercise Update -- What diet?

Update - Update - Update


Thirty days of Thanks -- Day 10

I am thankful for these early mornings.  Really.  They are quiet and I have a little while to do a few things that require quiet.


Diet Update --

Yes, well, have fallen off the program again -- after years of keeping a food diary I just can't do it any more.  However, after doing it for several days I am aware that it isn't my calorie intake that is causing me problems but more my lack of exercise.  So.....yesterday I began an exercise program.  I walked on the Tony Little Gazelle for 20 minutes -- need to start slow and I did some sit-ups.  My goal is to do this every day and see if it matters.  I received some old photos of my dad from a dear friend this last week and I have to say that if heredity is mostly to blame then I am doomed.  I am just the female version of my dad and there is nothing much that can be done about that so maybe, instead of focusing on appearance, I need to focus on health, put on a big smile and just carry on!

Current read --

I am currently readiing "An American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin.  It was loaned to me by my daughter who still had loads of library time on it.  She reviewed it as "Jane Austen only readable" and I have to agree.  It is very Downtown Abbey with a whole lot of America thrown in and it is very engaging.  I have already located a copy at the bookstore around the corner just in case I don't get done before it is due. 

It is hard to believe it is Thursday, already but then it is hard to believe it is close to mid-November.  I think the days are doing double time the older I get.  For some reason, the time change has really bothered me this autumn -- it usually doesn't but this year it has been a bear.  Does the time change bother you?

Well, the quiet time is drawing to a close and time to start the day.  I will check back later to see what excitement all of you have been up to today!

Opps -- I slipped -- Thirty Days of Thanks


Yep, got busy and just didn't post -- oh well, making up for it now.

November 7, 8, and 9 -- I am thankful for our good weather, aspirin, and the internet!

Why you say?  Well, the good weather is a great blessing after the horrible summer we had.  I just hope the horrible summer isn't a precursor to a horrible winter but for now it is really nice.  I am thankful for aspirin because I seem to need more of it these days what with the allergy issues and the aching knees.  The internet is the last, probably the least, and the diciest of all -- but think of the world it has opened up! Yes, there are bad things out there but those can be ignored.  Just think of how much information is out there to be gleaned and for somebody whose childhood was filled with days of reading the World Book Encyclopedia it is like a candy store!