When Good Ideas Go Bad

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I wonder why?
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http://lagirlsweetea.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-good-ideas-go-bad.html

Thanks for stopping by.

When good ideas go bad.

What a mess I made!

I redid the mantle and it looked
pretty good, so I decided to
do what I keep reading about,
"shopping in your own house".

I took things from different walls
in the house and tried to put
them different places to give things
a somewhat new look. 

How did such a great and grand idea

go bad?

I've seen others (in Blogland) do this
with great success.  But, it's totally
not workin' for me.  What I've ended up
with is naked walls and a mess of things
thrown up on the kitchen table and propped
up around the room.  Things are in such
disarray that we ate dinner in the

dining room (rather than the kitchen),
simply because we couldn't get to the
kitchen table.  My bad.

I'm making an emergency run to
Hobby Lobby tomorrow.  I've got my
40% off coupon and I'm geared up
to use it.

Shopping from your "own walls" is not
nearly as fun as shopping the usual way
and it takes a LOT more energy and
designing skill than I've got.

If I can remember where everything was
I need to put everything back in place -
if not guess we'll be having a garage sale soon

then yet another run to Hobby Lobby.

I'm trying to remember why I thought
this was a good idea to begin with.

No! Not gonna happen.

My popularity quotient within our home
has tanked.  Our 17 yr old Princess is
flat out "bummed" at me.  She says
I say things that hurt her feelings.
Imagine that!
The word "No" hurts her feelings.

Geesh!

Remember when I told you about the
new boyfriend and his parents who
came to our fair city to "check out"
Princess and us, a few weeks ago?
(you can read about it HERE  if you're
a new Follower and want an update)

Well, the boyfriend is going on a 12 day
school trip to Italy and surrounding areas.
Gee, wouldn't it be great if Princess could
go too?  uh, NO!!  "Mom, that hurts my
feelings - it's like you don't trust me."
Not gonna happen.
Besides the cost and all the unknowns
of such a sudden trip, this sounds almost
like a honeymoon.  "Two hormonal,
teenagers tour Italy together as part
of a travel group."  Not on my watch!!

Besides, this guys mom would FREAK
if I suddenly announced that Princess
would be going on this trip too, and I

wouldn't blame her.

Don't you wish you were here spending
Spring  Break with us?

If you say "No", it will
hurt my feelings.

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

Just FYI,
I have a "Secret Group" on FB
(I don't like the term "Secret Group" but
that's how FB lists it.)
which several of us belong to.
Interesting private chatter among "just us",
not shown except to the members.
If you would like to join this group please
send me a "Friend request" on FB
"Debbie Cavitt"
and include a note that gives me the
name of your Blog, and I will add you
to our private group.
FUN!

Empty Shoe boxes and Old Pens

I'm pretty ruthless when I clean closets

and drawers.  It doesn't take me long

to de-clutter/purge and get things to a

manageable state.

HOWEVER,

I've noticed I have a "thang"

for shoe boxes

AND

Old pens.

I find it hard to throw either away.

I always think I'm gonna need

a good shoe box and not be

able to find one.  Probably a left-over

feeling from when our kids were small

and often needed shoe boxes for

school projects.

Old pens?

I think if it doesn't write once

it might change it's mind and

write the next time.

It's bad reasoning.  Bad.

Now that I've come to realize

these two "purging flaws"

there's not a pen nor a shoe box

which is safe the next time

I clean closets.

Anything you tend to hang on to
when you're purging things?

When "like" turns to "LOVE", almost

Here's the story -
Last week I bought a new rug for
the living room (replacing an old one).

 

This is the new one.

When I got it home I decided I liked it,
but I didn't LOVE it.  So, I was gonna
take it back to the store...

Then, (I hope Mister isn't reading this)
I discovered I had lost the receipt.
I could take it back to the store and
probably "discuss" it with them and
get a store credit for it since the original
ticket is still on the back of the rug,

BUT, I have decided that would be
waaaaay to much trouble.  It is actually

easier to learn to LOVE the new rug,
doncha think? 

"The path of least resistance"
is sometimes the path I like to follow.

Check out the New Guys in Town!

This is new to our town
and it has been a BIG deal here
as everyone stops by to give it a try.

 

When you order a "regular" burger

it comes with TWO meat patties.
Please note this was Mister's burger - not mine!

Soft drink, "regular" Burger, and a cup of fries.
Mister LOVED it!

I had a small burger (1 meat pattie)
and a few fries.

Mister gives it a "9"!
I give it a "6" - I like Sonic burgers better.

But on a day like this,
with the sun high in the sky,
food is merely secondary.
We both give the weather a "10"!

Do you have a "Five Guys" in your area?
What's your favorite burger place?

Starting over.

I would lie if I didn't admit to dealing
with a bit of a "frustration factor"recently. 

I began a "healty diet and exercise"
program mid January.  I noticed some
FB friends did the same.  Just this past

week they mentioned hitting the 18-20 lb
mark in weight loss. 

Not so with me.
Zip.

Zilch.
Zero.

I was scheduled for a routine blood test
last week and the results showed my
thyroid levels were waaaay off.
(my thyroid was surgically removed
so I take thyroid replacement daily)
For years & years my levels have
remained "right on", but since menopause
they have been a little tricky to control.
Sooooooo - all those miles I spent
walking around the park and all the
chocolate cake I have denied myself
have all been in vain. 
Boo Hoo!

Yes, I know I still get the health benefits,
but let's be honest here - we gals want
to see some "poundage" disappear.

Soooooooo - I begin again.
It feels a bit like running a race and
just almost being at the finish line only
to be told you must start all over.

My meds have been adjusted so I laced

up my walking shoes and headed to the
park again today. . .

I AM thankful
"It is never to late to start over".

Was this a blunder?

I am naturally curious.
I wonder about a lot of things.

Why do "One a Day Vitamins" recommend
you take two each day?

Why do dishwasher manufacturers advise
users to "overfill" the soap dispenser?
Why not just make it the right size
to begin with?

When a nurse/tech (whomever) draws
blood from one's arm is it more
difficult to find the veins in a black
person's arm?

When I had my blood drawn last week
it was by a friendly, dark-skinned
black woman.  And I must add
that she was ooooooh-so-good
at finding my deep-set, teenie,
tiny vein. (Thank you God!)
She also obliged my nervous
chatter as I confessed my reluctance
to having my blood "sucked".
I asked her about the difficulty
of drawing blood from a black person.
She explained that she was trained to
draw blood by "feeling" the vein,
rather than by sight.  She chuckled
at my question but didn't seem offended.

When I got home and relayed my newly
gained knowledge to Princess & Mister
they were both "taken back" a bit
that I had asked that question.
"Why?"
I thought about it before asking
and couldn't think of any reason
the question would seem rude.

What do you think?
Would you have asked the question?
Do you feel it was too personal
and/or sounded rudely racial?

I really want to know
what you think.

As seen from the Bayou

It's a rainy day on the Bayou.

And this is how we puddle...er

muddle through it.

Boudxy is afraid of the thunder

so he huddles close to "Mom"

while she does school.

Some newly planted baby flowers

snuggled safely on the porch

away from the heavy rains.

"Irony"

A hose among the plants

as rain falls all around.

I think this little guy is goin' in for a swim.

Garth, our "Guard Gator" seems to
be enjoying the rain.
What?
You don't have a "Guard Gator"?

Then, you obviously must not live in Louisiana.
Now, if we could only teach him to catch mosquitos
we could clone him and become millionaires!
Everyone needs a rainy day dream and this is mine.

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

I'm not very motivated on this rainy day,
so if you play "Words with Friends"

please search for me
User Name - Boudxy.
"Game on!"

Lucy and Ethel

My BFF and I went shopping yesterday.

We shopped.

We lost the car.

We found the car.

We shopped.

We lost the car.

We found the car.

We ate lunch.

We shopped.

We lost the car.

We found the car.

Are we the only ones
who consistently forget
where we've parked?
Just askin'. . .

"Friends don't let Friends shop alone";
especially when they can never
remember where they parked
the car.

Dinner malfunction.

It had been a busy day.
I took the lazy route and threw some potatoes
and corn on the cob into the Slow Cooker
to "sauna-tize" till time for dinner.

25 min before taking this gourmet meal
to the table, I went to the freezer to fetch
a box of frozen popcorn shrimp (which
is a quick fix - into the oven and out in 20 min.) 

I dug and I dug; beyond the potato chips,
deeper than the hidden cookies, and
far beneath the long-forgotten
bag of cauliflower. . .
I searched once.
Then I searched again.
No popcorn shrimp!

Then I called Mister on his cell phone
and declared "dinner malfunction"!

He stopped by Popeye's and brought
home chicken.  I love that man!!

Maybe if we eat the old bag of cauliflower
it will make up for the yummy, greasy,
 extra crispy, fried chicken
we enjoyed yesterday.

Had any "dinner malfunctions" lately??

It's not the green . . .

I love me a St. Paddy's day!
It has nothing to do with the Irish
or the "wearin' o the green",
though all those things are great.

But it does have to do with the
fact that I brought our first baby
home from the hospital on this
fine day, many years ago.  And
yes, we dressed our little
6 lb 6oz red-haired bundle
in a green dress for the ocassion!

I wanted to scan a photo for you to
see but Mister is napping and I can't
seem to figure out how to do it.

On "going home day" our little
family went to my parents house
to spend the first few days.
I feel so fortunate to have had my
Mom "teach" me about caring for
a newborn, as we were young and
there were no classes available
and I hadn't a clue what to do with
this precious miracle wrapped in
a blanket.  No books needed as
Grandma was a wealth of information.

Those were sweet days.

If you want to visit my grown up red-haired
bundle of joy you'll find her blogging
HERE.  Please tell her that "Mom"
sent you by to say hello.

Did your Mom teach you about babies?
Did you teach your adult child about babies?

I am reminded of a story about this daughter
when she brought her first baby home from
the hospital, but I'll save it for another day.

Happy St. Paddy's Girlfriends!

When reality bites, mashes, and bleeds.

I saw this on Facebook and had to

roll on the floor belly laughing  smile.

It also served to remind me that it's

time for me to make an appointment

for my annual mammogram.

I really don't mind having this done;

just hate to take the time to do it.

But I will.

It's also time for me to go into the

lab and have my blood  sucked  drawn.

That I mind.  I mind a lot.

I'm a terrible needle-phoeb.

And getting older has not lessened

my phobia.

But I will do that too,

on a day I'm feeling particurly brave.

(actually, just posting this photo

makes me a little woozy.  Really.)

Have you had your yearly
medical tests?

You know we gotta keep our

maintenance work up to date, GF's.

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere.

Believe it or Not - I am actually

HOME ALONE.

When you homeschool this never seldom happens.

I need to make lesson plans, grade papers

and weed the flower beds.

But I think I'll have a margarita instead.

("It's 5 o'clock somewhere")

"Wide Open Spaces..."

"It's all about the journey".
I've heard people say that.
Beautiful words.

I remember a song often sang in
church when I was a child,
"Wouldn't Take Nothin' for the
Journey Now"...I understand the
sentiment behind the words,
but if you're not a good traveler
then the journey is not something
you enjoy.  Just sayin. . .

I love me some Rascal Flatts,
"Life is a highway, I wanna ride it
All night long."  Sorry guys,
I don't wanna ride the highway
"all night long", not even with
the likes of you!

I listen to the radio.
I listen to audio books.
I eat.
I play games on my ipad.
I wiggle.
I squirm.
I eat.

I get restless. 
I get bored.
Can we all say, "Grumpy Bear"?
I want to arrive - that's when the
fun begins for me.  I'd like to travel
the "beam me up, Scotty" route.
Wouldn't that be great?

I love life and if you're using life
as a metaphor for travel, then it's
all good, but if we're really talkin'
get in the car, or on the plane,
then I would love to fast-forward
through that part, or skip it all together.

Are you a good traveler?
Do you watch the scenery?
Do you sleep?
Do you daydream?
What the heck does one do to entertain
one's self  "on the road"?
I guess I was born before the
days of "self soothing".
I'm more of a Dixie Chick
kind of girl,
"I need wide open spaces...".

We've got lots of roadtrips
planned for the next few months.
I need to find a way to get
into travel mode.
Mister is in for a real treat
with my fine company across
all those miles.

Bridge to Nowhere

I have several new FOLLOWERS.

Thank you so much for signing on!

Sometimes I feel like the

"bridge to nowhere", but I'm glad you're

with me so I don't have to travel there alone!

And to those of you who come here regularly,

you know how much I enjoy doing life

in Blogland with you!!

We managed to dodge heavy rains

most of the way to and from Oklahoma

this weekend.  It was a great time of

celebration for our oldest daughter, Amy.

I am so proud and so thankful for her.

Besides being a wonderful daughter

she is a great friend to me and to

others.  She is also a beautiful,

Godly woman all rolled up

in a lovely package and topped with

a mane of strawberry, red hair.

We also got to spend time with our

oldest son, Grey, and his fiance, Antoinette.

They are excitedly looking forward

to their June 2 wedding date.

So am I!

If you care to "follow" me even closer

you can read more details

here on FB.

If we're not already friends there

just send me a friend request and I will add you.

Off we go now,

into a brand new week!!