Twinkle Toes

This past weekend my Mom and Sister came over for a visit. We decided we needed to hit the local antique/junk stores. My friend Debra has a great thrift store called Thrifty Treasures. My sister found some great linens that she is going to use in her quilt making. I found my passion - shoes. Now everyone who knows me wonders why I have a shoe passion. Because I have ugly feet. I mean really really really ugly feet. And they are hard to fit feet also. I cannot wear open toe pretty shoes. I cannot wear high shoes. Basically I get ugly closed flat shoes. Although I do have one pair of three inch closed toe mules that I am wearing today. Not sure why, because after 10 minutes they kill me. But they make me feel pretty and they actually fit my very very very ugly feet. I used to go for pedicures and try to make my feet pretty. But the pedicurist brought over all the other pedicurist to look at my feet, and they giggled and pointed.  I can only take so much abuse. Even my family does not like my feet. The dogs like my feet, but I am not sure that is saying much because they also like horse poop, their own poop, and basically anything disgusting. Well enough about the feet. What I found at the thrift store was the most adorable baby shoes and ballet shoes. I saw them across the room and the heavens opened. I ran full speed. I might have even knocked someone over to get to them. The sweetest tiniest pair of little white patent leather Mary Janes. A pair of well worn tiny ballet slippers. I held them and wondered what the sweet little ballerina looked like that wore these treasures. My mom came over and told me that I had almost the exact same little Mary Janes when I was a baby. Oh my gosh, you mean at one time my feet were tiny and sweet??? Really, are you sure?

She Wore Red Velvet

She wore red velvet. Or at least her loveseat did. I have been looking for the perfect extra seating for quite a while. I have the perfect spot right across from my new china cabinet. Found a fantastic leather chair and ottoman, but it was too big for the space. Put a wonderful old bench that I found on the horsetrail there, and piled it high with my quilts, but it was not quite right. So off I go a hunting. Went to all my favorite thrift and antique stores. Nothing. Off to my favorite spot in cyberspace. Craigslist. There it was. Just the right size, and oh so pretty. With delicate turned legs and the most perfect faded red. Hubs and I jumped in the pickup and headed out to pick her up. She was even more pefect in person. So soft and sweet. Her original owner had passed the year before and her daughter was finally settling her estate. I told the daughter that I would love her and she was going to a good home. She smiled and said her mom would be happy. I promise I will take very good care of her. I have named her Vintage Rose.

Treasures Everywhere

Lately I have been finding treasures everywhere. Some have been sent to me in the mail and some have been found at my favorite place in the entire world. Craigslist. I adore craigslist. If I could, I would marry Craigslist and have lots of little baby craigs, or would they be baby lists???? My hubs on the other hand, does not love Craigslist. Mainly because everytime I find a new treasure he has to go and pick it up. The last two treasures have changed his life. The first one was so heavy that he can now sing in the Vienna Boys Choir, and the second treasure has him crawling rather than walking upright. It was even heavier! I told him to get over it. Ancient Man took thousands of years to walk upright, he should be there in about a week and 20 or so muscle relaxers. The treasure I got in the mail, was an envelope stuffed chock full of vintage doilies. My absolute favorite. I collect vintage linens, and this wonderful "secret" friend knew that and sent me this wonderful treasure. My second treasure is an absolutely gorgeous distressed white dresser which is now being used to house our HUGE big screen tv. I live in Southern CA and we have earthquakes. When the last one hit, the first thing that hubs did was run to the HUGE big screen tv. He done good. That thing cost a bundle. Tried to find a big screen on craigslist, but no luck. The third treasure is a handpainted China Hutch. That is the treasure that finally sent hubs over the edge. When he managed to peel himself off the floor, he said some very not nice, or politically correct, things to me. I have forgiven him. Not sure if he has forgiven me, but he can't run after me, since well he can barely walk, so it really doesn't matter. Anyway, without further ado, here are my treasures:)

I am old, but not old enough

I know that title makes no sense. Unless you have just hit AARP age, but are still not old enough to get the senior discount. I actually started getting stuff in the mail from AARP two years ago when I turned 50. Today I am 52. Not only does it suck to have your birthday on Tax Day, but I still am not old enough to get the senior discount. Sometimes it is offered to me, and even though it irritates me, I want the discount people! Today my friend wanted to take me out to breakfast for my birthday. We had enough time, so I figured what the heck. I am not going to turn down a free breakfast. We hopped in her car and headed out to Denny's, where America eats breakfast. It is right next door to Walmart, where America shops. I was all happy and glowy and ordered that yummy Grand Slam, with extra sausage. Heck with the calories, it is my B-Day. Calories do not count on B-Day's. It's true, just like drinking diet soda with a meal cancels out all the other calories. I am positive this is a fact, although my hips and thighs are not on board with this. Well I am always up for a discount, so I told my friend that I was going to ask for the senior discount. Mind you, my friend knows my age and she made "the face". This must be a universal face because my mother makes that face when I have done something I am not supposed to. Even though I am 52, she still makes that face. I saw "the face", but I ignored it. I looked the other way and when the waitress came over I bravely said "we would like the senior discount please". Well the little waitress who could not have been more than 12, asked me for my ID. WHAT?????? Matters go worse when she told my friend she was ok. OMG I am definately up a creek without a paddle now. Not only have I been caught, but my friend is now really really pissed off at me. "The look" has now changed over to "I am never ever taking you out again" look. Well needless to say, I did not get the seniour discount. Apparently you have to be 55 to get the senior discount. If that was not enough of a slap to me, after my friend dumped me at my car, I decided I needed another cup of coffee to drink on the way to work. Apparently I was dropped on my head more times than even my mother has admitted to, because I asked for the senior discount again. They gave it to me, but I think it was because they felt sorry for me, or were scared of me. 6 of one, half dozen of another. Little did I realize that I could have gone across the street to Starbucks and gotten free coffee because it is Tax Day. On top of all this, I have not filed my taxes yet. Do you think the IRS will give me a senior discount???

My Father, My Friend

I have been away from blogging for a few weeks. My father and best friend passed away on March 20th. He was 79 years old. He was scheduled for a very routine gall bladder surgery, but never made it to the surgery. He had a massive heart attack, was revived and on a ventilator for three very long days. This was a very heartbreaking time for my family. I was with him at the hospital waiting for him to be taken to surgery. He was laughing and joking. He told me to go on home and just come back when he was in recovery. We had been at the hospital all morning, and it was going to be another two hours before they took him. This was at 3pm. I went on home and when the phone rang at 5pm, I thought it would be my Mom and Aunt telling me he was just going into surgery. Instead it was my mother crying and saying that Daddy was not breathing. Than my Aunt came on the line and said he was gone. I don't remember much after that. My dear husband said I screamed and passed out. When I came to I started throwing up. The phone rang again and it was my Aunt saying they had revived him and to come to the hospital immediately. This was the longest ride of my life. When I got there and saw him, I knew in my heart it was not good. For three days I sat with him, talked to him, held his hand, and kissed him. Unfortunately it was his time to go, and at noon on Saturday, March 20th we said our final goodbyes and Daddy went over the bridge. Just a few weeks before this, my husband and I were saying that we should be prepared, as our parents were nearing or in their 80's. I had no idea this would become a reality. It has hit me like a ton of bricks, but I have to be strong for my Mom and daughter. My parents would have been married 60 years in November, just 4 days before my Dad's 80th birthday. My dad was a wonderful man. He was raised on a farm, one of 12 kids. He was old-fashioned and he never ever met a stranger. He always had a smile and a joke for everyone. I never ever heard a harsh word from him my entire life. I have many many stories to tell about my Dad, but I am not ready yet. Hopefully I will be soon and can share them with everyone. Until than, go in peace Daddy and someday I will be with you again.

Norman E. Bolia

November 9, 1930 - March 20, 2010

Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather and Friend

I will love you always.

Girls Weekend and the Homemade Stripper Pole

Well hubs is going away for a long weekend to visit his parents in Nevada. What does that mean??? Girls Weekend!!!! I am planning a girls brunch. We will sit ouside on the patio, talk for hours on end, eat great food and drink way too many Mojito's. Last time we did this we ended up hemming my kitchen curtains (they are just a bit crooked), and dancing on my stripper pole in my backyard. Well it is not really a stripper pole, it is a pole in a metal umbrella stand. My hubs made it for me, after I convinced him that it would be good exercise. And I think he thought it might be just a little bit sexy also. Please remind me that a 50 something chubby woman should never, I repeat NEVER, try to swing her big booty upside down on a stripper pole that is not permanently mounted. It did help that I had just consumed a fair amount of Mojito's. The first thing my girl friends said when I called to invite them was "you're not going to hurt yourself on the pole again are you?" Some people are just party poopers. I have been practicing my moves:)

Chinese Food and yes I was wearing underwear

Saturday hubs and daughter and I drove out to Banning to visit my parents and my aunt. My parents are in their 80’s and just a bit quirky. My dad calls everyone Little Girl and my mom is constantly trying to feed everyone. We were taking them out to lunch in honor of my mothers birthday, which was earlier this month. My parents are professional eaters. Really, they are. They live to eat, rather than eat to live. I am basically the same way. What can I say, they raised me. I plan meals days and even weeks in advance. My husband still has not gotten used to this. His family barely remembers to eat. He is always telling me, chill it is not your last meal. How do you know it is not my last meal? And if it is, I want to make sure I am eating something I really really like. Wow, now you know why I am Fat Mom and why I have Fat Dog. Genes are very strong in my family. The other thing that my parents do very very well is saying hideously embarrassing things. Very loudly. My family, especially my mother is obsessed with underwear. This is very creepy. When someone passes away in our family, they give away their clothes. Not to goodwill, but to each other. In particular underwear. I know, that is very wrong. But they are from the era, that nothing should be wasted and underwear costs money, dang it!!! I am the proud recipient of my grandmothers and great aunts underwear. When my mother gave them to me, I told her I had plenty of underwear. I had just been to Wallyworld to stock up. She kept insisting. Finally I told her that I did not wear underwear anymore, that I was going camo. She flipped out and talked about it to everyone for days, months, even years. I figured she had finally forgotten about it. NO she did not. As we arrived at the Chinese Buffet, my Aunt started telling my mom that their cousin was not doing well and that she might not be long for this world. She asked my mom who was next in line to receive underwear. My mom immediately gave me a dirty look and said, well don’t give her underwear to Beverly because she doesn’t wear underwear anymore. Mind you, this was while we were standing in a very long line waiting to be seated. Now everyone knows our weird family secret and that I don’t wear underwear. But I do, I swear I do. They were pink granny pants and they had the cutest polka dots on them. At least the chinese food was good:)