EXPECT NOTHING...

quote, Alice Walker, author

Just had our taxes done.

NO refunds --- in fact, we OWE more money!

A bit disappointing... 

we got lazy & didn't pay attention to our withholdings.

Next step - an appointment with the retirement counselor!

Still on our list...

updating our trust!

decluttering & getting rid of a storage unit!

creating a timeline for some condo updates!

:: goodbye ::

cottage cheese ceilings & 14 year old carpet

:: hello ::

new flooring upstairs

(bedrooms & bathrooms)

replacing master shower

(may have a mold issue?)

and, most importantly,

dusting off my paintbrushes!

(picking new colors --- ummm, that could be difficult?)

not sure why I chose this quote for this post!??!

P52 {WEEK 8}

Although blurry, I love the background colors of this picture. I spent some time on the patio, crouched below the hummingbird feeder, waiting for the "bully" to sit on his perch. I say "bully" because he keeps all the hummingbirds away, even though there is plenty for everyone.

We had a tad of rain, followed by clear blue skies... the tree outside our bedroom window has a FEW leaves left... but, did you notice the buds are growing and will be ready to split open soon... Like during the next warm spell.

Put away the Valentine decorations... do you decorate for the holidays?

Made tuna salad for lunches this week! I really don't think it will last more than a few lunches. Favorite way to eat it --- with Trader Joe's pita crackers! {no, I didn't get paid to say that; nor did I get a free box as compensation}... although, one of my girlfriends does work there... 

Once again... thank you TAMAR for hosting P52... check her blog to see who else participated. 

As for the Academy Awards: Jennifer Lawrence was my pick for BEST ACTRESS! with nine contenders, it was a difficult selection to pick BEST PICTURE... but, Argo was a fabulous picture.

Which movies did you see this past year?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 2.24.13

Lola's "DREAMY" eyes

This week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY words appeared to be meant for bloggers with children, but the more I thought about it, the more I was able to put "my 60+ year perspective" on these phrases...

 

TIME TO EAT, GETTING READY, PLAYTIME,

SWEET DREAMS, SCRUB-A-DUB

I'll be spending some time checking in with the participants found at ASHLEY'S before the Academy Awards starts...

what a relaxing way to spend a Sunday!

Our "bluebird" is back!

He {I'm sure it's a HE} was pecking at the edge of the fence, sharpening his beak & then flying near the sliding glass window to get our attention. Of course, my nature "guy" had to connect with our "visitor from nature" & offer him a snack. Then, off he {the bluebird, not JPE} flew --- taking his walnut with him. Definitely TIME TO EAT for him.

My patience paid off --- after GETTING READY to capture a water drop, I was lucky enough to catch the action.

One of my favorite statues at the Huntington Library in Pasadena {had to pull this picture from my photo archive}. I think it represents PLAYTIME .

Another archived photo {sorry about that}... We babysat Lola this past summer... took her to the cabin... all that fresh mountain air! She certainly looks ready for some SWEET DREAMS.

There's something "very meditative" about washing dishes by hand... think it's the bubbles? warm water? the light reflecting off bubbles? rubbing the sponge over the dishes? ah! for me, it's about the water dancing over my fingertips. SCRUB-A-DUB!

Off to watch the Academy Awards... My vote for BEST PICTURE? BEST ACTRESS? oh, you'll have to wait until tomorrow... to see my prediction.

LUCKY GIRL...

On Monday, my TRUE LOVE made scones for me...

I thought I lost this photo... found it (finally) on my i-Pad mini.

Tasted even better than this picture... YUM!

P52 {WEEK 7}

Due to a birthday AND last week's events, I'm posting this series of photos... ONE week late.

For a California girl, watching snow fall is meditative... I'm sure if I had to travel to work, school or run errands in the chilly, drifting powdery stuff, it might lose its appeal. But, having two full days at the cabin to enjoy the quiet of nature was pure heaven.

"reason birds fly South"

"perfect for a chilly nap"

"PEACE is found downtown too"

"rainbow particles? fairy dust?"

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 2.17.13

i've MISSED

my favorite time of the year!!

****

MID-FEBRUARY!!

i LOVE the 

cheerful colors  ::  curvy shapes  ::  sweet smells

hence, my SHS focused on my "near" misses!

check in with Ashley to see the adorable pictures captured by everyone participating in SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. 

 this week's words are: 

CANDY, RED or PINK, LOVE, KISSES & SMILE 

CANDY Hearts or Cinnamon Red Hots

are a staple in my baking section!

Didn't have time to make any cookies, but I did eat a hand-ful of red hots
while setting up this photo.  

 Adorable RED & PINK measuring spoons.

I was LOVED and pampered all week long!

Mom & JPE brought me cold compresses

{actually bags of frozen peas}, applied salve to my eyes,

cooked tasty meals & entertained me

while I kept my eyes closed.

JPE, I'll shower you with my love & KISSES

whenever you wish! 

My family kept SMILES on my face!

Mom ~ thanks for calling the girls with updates

{I know how much you like to make phone calls ~ ummm, not!} 

Stephanie, Allison & Tasha ~ I appreciate your LOVE

{& wishes for speedy healing}

Stacy & Brett ~ thanks for meeting us at Snapper Jack's

 {& saving Mom a trip home on the train} 

this picture is a bracelet Allie made for me

{don't you love the heart charm?}

she also made the beautiful piece of paper

underneath the bracelet!!
{sorry for the blurry pic ~ vision tends to be blurry still}

My family is amazing! & kept me in SMILES!  

 

Just so you know,

that wonderful surgery women consider in their 60's,

the one to make you look younger 

{ha! don't know about that}

the ole eyelid lift!!!

well, my eyelids were affecting my vision,

so, my insurance covered the cost to surgically "fix" the problem!

 

Gosh, the bruising has not been the worst part...

BUT... not being able to read. blog. watch HGTV.

was one problem I hadn't considered...

AND, the most annoying part is the scratchy stitches inside my eyelids & outside the lids.

Sutures are to be removed in four days ~ counting the days! 

{the recovery room nurse told me, the eye DR has excellent "running stitch" skills ~
Mom, being a quilter, had a laugh about that!}  

Planning to get back to blogging again,

so I hope you'll check back!  

    

YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BDAY!!!

ALLIE-BUG!  SUNNIE!  ANNIE!

even though you are 30+ years old
I will still think of you as my baby!

You are my SUNSHINE...

Sending you birthday wishes & LOVE!!!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 2.10.13

NO!! this isn't a button!

but... it could be...

This week's SHS words are very unusual...

I'm certain you'll find many interpretations when you visit

Rambling & Photos - Ashley's blog! 

 

SMALL THINGS, ILLUSTRATION, VALENTINE, WORK OF ART, & WINDOW BEAUTY.

Aren't these SMALL THINGS adorable? Salt & pepper shakers.

Ummm... we love our hot drinks (coffee in the morning & tea in the afternoon).  

A perfection ILLUSTRATION for our kitchen?

Pulled this from my photo archives!

You'd think I would be able to capture a heart 

(after all, 'tis the season)... but, blurry VALENTINE'S 

just aren't getting posted! no matter how cute! 

Here's a VALENTINE heart from my mom's house.

Okay... this might be a "stretch" for some of you.

BUT, this light bulb is certainly a WORK OF ART in my eyes.

I love the delicate wires...

WINDOW BEAUTY... we certainly saw lots of incredible

snow & icy windows the past several days

{we're at the cabin in Big Bear}.

Enjoying nature's beauty!

CARTOON TIME...

JPE & I are MISSING these two...

doesn't seem right that we're AT the cabin...

& these two AREN'T!

BUT... we're 

enjoying the snow, the fireplace, a movie & being cozy!

BEAUTIFUL...

Friday morning, we woke to snow...

and spent our day watching the wind blow the snow drifts away,
only to replace the landscape with new designs... 

8:00am

It's difficult to sleep with the intermittent 

gusts of wind slapping the side of the cabin!

9:47am

 Ummm... coffee, computer-time & watching the weather

11:27am

Time for some shoveling...

11:36am

The worker-bee...

11:53am

LOVE IS...

QUICK POST...

COME BACK TOMORROW...

AFTER WORK TODAY,

JPE & I ARE OFF TO

(fill in the blank?)

P52 {WEEK 5}

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK

The week seemed very short!

I don't have much in the way of photos to show what happened.

In fact, I had to check my calendar to see where & what took place.

Posting these photos with

Tamar @ Random-osity. 

FUZZY

I dumped most of my photos --- blurry --- which happens

when I don't take my time to get myself situated

before pushing that button.

Today's another week!

new photo ops!