Resurrecting Scarlett Begonias: Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

Resurrecting Scarlett Begonias: Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?: Where were you when the world stopped turning? September 11, 2001 - forever after known simply as 9/11 It was a beautiful...

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

September 11, 2001 - forever after known simply as

9/11

It was a beautiful, sunny, early autumn day. My granddaughter (my MS for those of you who may read my other blog) was just 2 years old. I dropped her off at her daycare every morning on my way to work. Her mama was doing her nursing school clinical rotations and had been on the road for more than an hour. It was the kind of day that just made you smile at the thought of pumpkins, trick or treaters, Thanksgiving turkey and Santa. The weather had turned crisp and fresh.

**

I dropped my MS off at daycare and made my way to my job a few miles away. My morning routine included signing onto the MSNBC website each morning for a quick review of the morning news. I clocked in at 8:30... walked to my office... booted up my computer... and...

All of our lives changed forever at 8:46 a.m. when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

**

I didn't grasp the severity of the crash immediately. I saw the report that "a plane had crashed into the tower" and while I was horrified at the thought, initially I assumed it was a small aircraft off course. Leaving the page open and the live news feed going, I walked to the front of the business to share this tragedy with my boss. He walked to his computer and tried to pull up the coverage and already the internet was so jammed you couldn't access the feed.

**

Very quickly we all came to understand what had truly occurred. I was able to keep the connection to the site all day as we kept up with everything that was being reported.

**

I called my husband and my children. The school my daughter was attending ended class for the day and she hurried to the daycare to pick up my MS. I just wanted all my chickens under my roof. I wanted to hold them and if the unspeakable thing happened we'd all be together.  My husband was a police officer with the city of Atlanta. He was immediately called in. All off days cancelled indefinitely. On his way to work that day, he stopped at Circuit City and bought me a little TV and brought it to me at work so that I could watch the coverage from work. I still have that little TV. It doesn't work of course - it's not digital. But I will keep it. 

**

No one realized at the time, but the United States of America was preparing for war on our own soil. We were under attack. Fighter planes in the air. Airports closed. All air traffic forced to land. And none of it was in time.

**

The second tower was hit by another plane.

Both towers fell.

The Pentagon was hit by yet another plane.

And one more was making it's was to Washington, DC.

**

American Heroes thwarted that attempt and brought that plane down in a field in Pennsylvania. Sacrificing their lives for their country.

**

And at the end of that single day, more than 3000 lives were lost. Thousands more over the course of the war that followed.

**

I ask you to do one thing

Never Forget

Never forget what it felt like that day and the days that followed. If we forget, then we are likely to let our guard down and become hardened to the heartache and tragedies we were dealt that September morning.

**

Remember.

Remember every time you wait in the security line at the airport.

Remember every time you have to wait for your friend or family outside the security gate at the airport.

Remember when you use your plastic silverware on the plane, or take your 1 oz or shampoo and conditioner.

Remember when you have to take your birth certificate, and other proof of who you are to have your driver's license renewed.

Remember always and honor the lives that were lost.

God Bless You and God Bless the USA

Life's little side trips

                        Up and

                          down 

                                   the highway of life I have traveled.

I married young.......probably too young, but you know how young folks are. 

I was barely 19 and he was just 20. 

However the odd gods favored us and we had three wonderful children and 30 

better than just good years

together before that road took a wrong turn. 

More than a just a detour.

More like a dead end with no turn around access.

I enjoyed the footloose and fancy free single lifestyle for about 27 1/2 days. 

And the road curved again and I met the penultimate 

Mr. Wrong

for all the wrong (right) reasons.

He was a tricky son of a biscuit maker.

And kept his wrongness cleverly hidden from me for a while,

 and from no one else from the beginning.

He was foxy and sneaky like that.

and he knew Carlos Santana 

and Grace Slick 

back when they lived down the street from him and played in their garages....

yeah right

Would I have listened to prenuptial warnings? 

Probably not, because you know how middle age folks are.

I was older and oh so much wiser. 

HA HA HA.. go ahead and laugh

and tell me you told me so.

I can take it.... now

tris·kai·dek·a·pho·bi·a

   [tris-kahy-dek-uh-foh-bee-uh,tris-kuh-] noun

fear or a phobia concerning the number 13.

(doesn't apply at all, but it tickles me...)

Anyway one day, just like Popeye, I had "took all I could stands, I can't stands no more"!

and showed him the door.

He went through it, but took all of my furniture (almost) with him.

I didn't even care 'bout that

The first night he was gone, I called my sister and said, 

"Guess what I am watching on TV"? 

"Everybody Loves Raymond"!!!

JUST BECAUSE I CAN!

My baby sister bought me a mattress.....  Thanks 'Nessa

and my daughter in law gave me her old bedroom set.... Thanks Karen

That gave me the help I needed for a new start.......again.

That was in 2009

I pretty much lost my way for awhile.

But, last year I decided enough was enough and yanked myself out of a funk and began, yet again, to pick up the pieces.

I've discovered that I love refinishing, re-doing, re-purposing furniture. 

I've discovered a love for my home.

It was only a house before.

Now, the more I love it and pamper it and make it pretty, the more it becomes my home.

So this past weekend, I decided to paint the bedroom set that my precious daughter in law gave me two years ago in my time of bedless need. 

I mixed up some paint.....  old white and a smidgen of french linen and started on her in my bedroom. No way I could have moved that dresser by myself. 

I was real careful when I got close to the carpet!!!

Took off the round wooden pulls.........

and added a little feminine frill to her with glass pulls

(i've been itchin' to put some on something)

Distressed her just a little around the edges

and waxed her good with Annie Sloan's clear wax.

She's a pretty girl!!!!!

I'm working on the bed right now and pondering what to do with the night stands. 

I'm thinking about doing them in another color. 

What do you think?

Doing some gossiping 'bout how I LoveLucy!!!

** Update on Lucy**... scroll down to read all about it!

I've always had a really strong love for 

I Love Lucy

I can remember watching the unforgettable sit-com for forever!!

My mom and Lucy were expecting little 1950's style bundles of joy at the same time. 

That makes Little Ricky and I the same age.

I think I was cuter!

I actually had crush on "Desi" back in late elementary school and junior high school when he was in a band called Dino, Desi and Billy ~ playing the drums of course. He's the one in the middle.

I mean.... he was cute dontcha think?

Dino was Dean Martin's son, Desi the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and I have no idea where they found Billy. A quick google says he was the son of real estate moguls in Beverly Hills.

This was the biggest hit off of their one and only album.

Anyway, Desi and I always had a connection of sorts.

How can I get so off track?????

That wasn't why I started this post...

But, I do love Lucy!!

and Desi Arnaz, Jr.

And I loved when the Ricardo's and the Mertz's moved to Connecticut.

I think it was their house that I really loved!

Even though I was just a little, bitty snip of girl child.

My mamma had schooled me from early on that the Ethan Allen catalog was second only to the B-I-B-L-E.

The pages were well worn from where she dribbled and drooled over the Early American loveliness within.

She would clip dimensions and pictures and mail them to my Papaw 

(who was a carpenter)

and he would recreate them for her.

Happy were the days when the big trucks pulled up in front of our little Florida stucco house and off loaded the goodness of a hand crafted dough box or a coffee table or a marble top end table.

As I was studying this picture of Lucy's dining room in the Connecticut house a longing filled my soul.....And then I saw it.....

I have Lucy's chairs ~ six of them ~ around my dining room table.

Without even being aware of it, I had picked out the same chairs around 20 years ago from a thrift store. 

They are on my re-do list... so don't look too closely.

And I sooooo need a new camera!

And, earlier this year at my Beloved Goodwill, I found the little gossip bench that sits in the far left corner of Lucy's dining room. 

Forgive me for not having a before picture of her. 

In my excitement of sharing her as one of my "favorite thrifting finds" with Mr. Goodwill Hunting, I deleted it from my camera.

She was pristine birdseye maple when I found her sitting in the corner of GW. 

(nobody puts Baby in the corner ~ I love Dirty Dancing too!)

I paid a whopping $18.00 for her. 

I painted her with one coat of Annie Sloan Scandinavian Pink then a second coat of Old White except inside the "desk". I left that Scandinavian Pink.

I slapped her around and roughed her up a good bit and then waxed with 

Annie Sloan Clear Wax and then Dark Wax.

I'm looking for an old Black Rotary Phone to set on her desktop! 

I just love how she turned out.

Guess what I named her???

Lucy

of course!

Karen

Ya'll come back now, ya hear


** Just as update on Lucy for ya'll.**


After I posted my Lucy story, a curious thing happened. 
I heard from an old high school friend who had read the post.
(not that she's old....  but high school was a longggg time ago. 40 years ago to be exact)


It was wonderful to hear from her.... and she asked for my address and said that she wanted to send me something. 


Ahh, a mystery... and I do love mysteries!!


So, I gave her my address and waited for the surprise to come.


Honestly, I couldn't even begin to guess.
Sure enough, a few days later a package arrived in the mail.


I love to get packages in the mail, especially surprise ones.
As long as they don't have IRS in the return address.


I whipped out my handy-dandy little multipurpose "mom" tool that my son had thoughtfully given me for Christmas and ripped into her.


And there she was.. all nestled safely in amongst the tissue!!!!

Now Lucy was complete!!!
I was and still am overwhelmed at the thoughtfulness of my friend from long ago. 
She brought a ray of sunshine into my life
and the best part of it is


She works!!!


I plugged her in and sure enough that old timey ringie dingie rang through my house the next time I got a call!


Linking up to


 http://missmustardseed.com/2012/04/furniture-feature-friday-link-party-favorites/


http://www.addicted2decorating.com/addicts-not-so-anonymous-link-party-13.html

http://debbie-debbiedoos.com/2012/04/coastal-living-house-colors-newbie-party-started.html


http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/

Snow on the rooftop

Ya know how sometimes things can be analyzed to death???

Or maybe I'm the only one who does that. 

I ponder, consider, imagine things far too much. 

Putting off the final decision as long as I can. 

Like whatever choice it is I am making is set in stone and changing it would be impossible.

Some decisions deserve extra careful thought.

Some things are world changing decisions.

Some things have far reaching effects on 

lots and lots of people.

Things that have people much smarter than me making those decisions!

Other things not so much.

So... here's what I've been struggling with.

I know that because I have had lovely 

yellow (blonde) hair

and lovely orange hair

and brown hair

That of course you all assume that I am a 

youthful 18  years old.

(me circa 1972)

So, I'm confessing my biggest secret to you guys!

I am really 58 years old

and

There is a lot of snow on that rooftop!!!

Bet you would never have guessed that would you?!?

I let my grey grow once before

and it wasn't so bad

but peer pressure took it's toll

(yes, kids there is still peer pressure even at the age of ancientness)

and I revisited the bottle.

My sisters and my daddy have all embraced their lovely natural locks ~ Mama, not yet....

I love Jamie Lee

And Helen

And Judy - no one would EVER question the attractiveness of  M!

and Meryl 

and of course the Butter Queen, 

Her Majesty Paula Deen!!

I mean, really now... have you ever tasted her 

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake???

So, it's time for me. 

Time to embrace Father Time 

Resurrect the Grey Roots

Hit the golden years of my life head on!! 

Accept my senior citizen discounts freely

(yay)

I do hear that grey's are tough ole buggers. 

I tried to take a picture of the New Growth...

but it's not showing up real well, even though there is almost a half inch of pigment deprived hair.

I'll keep you posted!

Will you stick by me when I'm skunky looking??

There may be snow on the rooftop..........but there's still a fire in the furnace!

Ya'll come back now, ya hear? 

Karen

Good Friday + Easter Sunday = Best Weekend Ever!!

Once upon a time, in a country far, far away there lived a man.

This man was no ordinary man. He was a most exceptional man. But He was still a man.

The life He led was full of highs and lows, just like yours and mine.

He was born pretty poor in a stable full of poo-poo and jack asses.

He was a rascal of a little boy and worried the stew out of his mama and daddy especially when they lost him in the big city!

He could do all sorts of neat things

like

walk on water

make one basket of fish and chips feed a party of 100's

take some water and make some tasty wine out of it

make boo-boos all better

and He shared a special story with everyone he met.

He had some guys who joined up with him to help him share that story.

It was a story of

HOPE

A promise of

LIFE ETERNALLY IN PARADISE

In a City with streets paved with gold

And the King of the Land got scared

He was afraid that the Man was trying to sneak in and take over his job as

King

even though he wasn't very good at it

That King

was so silly!

That wasn't the kingdom that the man was talking about!

So the King and his helpers whipped up some false charges and had the Man arrested.

He was beaten and scourged

And on

Good Friday

He was nailed to a cross

CRUCIFIED and DIED on that CROSS

for You and Me

so that we could live in that fabulous paradise for all eternity.....

if we only

BELIEVE

in

Him

and then the most spectacularly, fantastical, unbelievably stupendous thing of all happened.

He Arose

Luke 24 >> New International Version 1984

---

The Resurrection

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8Then they remembered his words.

9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

I wish for you all the wonderful Peace that loving and embracing the Life and Promises of my Lord, Jesus Christ can bring you.

Happy Easter My friends.

It WAS the best weekend ever!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M-zwE33zHA