SOUND the ALARM

 I have been in the garden pulling up spent plants and making room for the planting of greens and other fall seeds in the morning.  When this blog post came across my facebook memories, I smiled.  I am often surprised at how many things I do in cycles.  Life is funny like that, isn't it?  Observe your life and seasons and you will see some cycles happening year after year.  The goal is to keep the good ones and get rid of the bad ones.  I changed the pictures here because oh my....my photography has come a very long way since first writing this post in 2011...

I hope you enjoy the read....

While I am trying to find myself, I thought I would share some pictures from a late summer garden..it is when plants start to turn brown around the edges and I know that their days are numbered.  they have produced their little hearts out but it is time for a change of seasons....they will need to be uprooted and pulled out of their places to make room for new plants or seeds....isn't that the way life is too?  There are things in our life that are just in dire need of going onto the compost heap....and if we let them stay right where they are, they turn brown, die and eventually decay right in the very spot where they were so productive at one time.  I am learning that when it is time to move on, DO NOT  resist it...but to do it...it is the only way to remain fresh and relevant...Some people would argue that reliving our past is a good thing but it can be sneaky..it can pull you into a place that you have no business being...it would be like replanting a spent tomato plant and taping tomatoes on it and saying SEE..no harm here...but it would not be real...only superficial.  I see one of the biggest traps of reliving the past is that we see it the way we want to see it...kinda rewriting it according to our own prejudices....taking out the people we wish had not been there and thinking we were a lot more than we were..

I have seen several pages on facebook lately about reminiscing about the places you were from...they are very popular right now..and it is also reunion season so there is a lot of reflecting and talking about the past...I have been pondering this lately..I think that our present state in the nation has become so painful that a lot of people are escaping into the past...it was safer then..it was seemingly less risky..it was beautiful because we can make it like we want it to have been.  I think it is fine to remember our heritage but to dwell on the past and become nostalgic is dangerous...it gets us out of living in the present and looking toward the future..it can rob  us of hope for tomorrow..like a drug, it is subtle...drawing us backward into a so called better world....

I encourage you to stay present and accounted for in today's world...we need all the people to stay alert and focused...to be the nation we are supposed to be NOW...not the one that was there once upon a time...we are not living a fairy tale...this is real life and we only get one shot.....

LIVE IT FULLY  and STAND UP AND BE COUNTED  in the PRESENT!!!!!!!!
all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.....if we are focused on where we have been, we cannot see where we are or where we are going.....glance at where you came from but......leave it in the past....and LIVE TODAY....that is all we are promised.....TODAY.......so make yours count....

thank you for getting to the end of this one...I appreciate every one of you and love to get comments..please leave yours here...they mean a lot....and we all need to be encouraged.....

This Present Day

Today I am reposting a blog writing from several years ago....it came across my memories of this day on facebook and as I read it, ...well, I hope you are touched by my words.....

From 4 years ago...........


As I stepped into my yard this morning, this is what I saw....it almost takes my breath away  when I see my yard every day...I am so thankful for this gift from God..it is a dream come true..to have a garden for a yard.  and I love to share it with you....so.....

Let's take a closer look at the things growing here. I hope you enjoy..I know that there is no way I could have done this without Divine intervention in my life..there is a purpose for this place we call Winterpast and we intend to fulfill it...it has become a well watered garden in the midst of a drought and even though it was a pitiful sight when we bought this place 8 years ago...I am a very thankful woman..

zinnia queen red lime

my boys

figs

cherokee trail of tears bean

Monroe white liriope

my kitchen after visiting the garden.

 this place we live is indeed a case of being in the right place at the right time...this is the time in my life I am supposed to be living on this land growing this garden and most of all ENJOYING it..  there is nothing else that can touch knowing that you are in the place where you are supposed to be, doing the things that you are meant to be doing....that, my friends, is contentment.....

Each of us has a purpose and we will never be satisfied or content until we find the place where we are suppose to be in this life..  Getting to know God and letting Him direct our path is the ONLY way to live a fulfilling life...I do not want to get to the end of my life and say I wish I had lived differently..and I don't want anybody else to experience that either...what a wonderful world this would be if we each found our place and lived our life there...and let everybody else alone....we will be like a grand symphony if we each play our own part...I will let you in on a little secret..when you are NOT living your intended life, you are like a musical instrument that is out of tune...everyone else knows it..and can hear it...so it is so worth pursuing the life and purpose that is tailor made for you...then we will all play and sing in tune with one another.
.
As we looked at these pictures, we focused on individual flowers and things in the garden.. but they all come together to make a big picture..each is beautiful in it's own right but as a whole, it is breathtaking....so, if you are a zinnia, BE A ZINNIA..if you are a bee, be a BEE...if you are a bean, BE A BEAN...

BE WHO YOU ARE MADE TO BE!!!!!!   BE BE BE......what are you meant to be?????answer that question and your life will never be the same..it will be worth it all....

thank you for reading along...and visiting my garden.....see you soon...

Searching for my WHY

Indeed it is a NEW YEAR!  and that means pondering and thinking about my life....do you all do that too?

After listening to some very wise teachers this week, I realized that I have a very strong need to know WHY I do things..the purpose behind my actions.  I like to know the why behind you too but not in the same way that I need to know mine.......

So, I have decided it is a good time for me to take a little blogging break and find my why.  it seems to have gotten misplaced this past year.  I no longer even know why I write a blog..  If any of you run across it, please send it my way.  I am in need of it..I am just not a very good mingler and small talker...give me the deep things of life and we can really connect.  I realize not everybody enjoys these kinds of conversations so I have kinda let them fall by the wayside....   but now I am questioning myself and what it's all about.
I have talked with some of you and enjoyed every comment and exchanged email..I hope for many more.  Cyber friendships are out of my comfort zone but I am learning..and enjoying them...thank you to all of you that have taken the time to get to know me....

I found a saying while reading a book on interior decorating  that shook me from my slumber.......

When I started out, I believed part of my purpose was helping us all see the truth in this statement.  It was the woman in the home that made our homes successful or not.  It was and is the state of our inner being that is expressed in our surroundings....so, therefore, it is important to become and stay an emotionally healthy homemaker...  so that our homes reflect a healthy soul.....and radiate safety and warmth...

Who knows how much time I need to rejuvenate.......I just know I do.....
I will be popping in and visiting and will be back before the snows melt..  (well, before the daffodils bloom)...and before my 4th blogging anniversary...

Just hoping that somebody misses me......or that I miss blogging.....

Love, Mona

A Time To Speak

Today I ran across this blog post and really thought it was worth reposting today...I like my deep thought self and think I need to go and find her and bring her back to life..I hope you are inspired by this post from the past....

Last night I woke up with these verses running through my mind......


 ¹ There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
 ² A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
³ A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
⁴ A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
⁵ A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
⁶ A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
⁷ A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
⁸ A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

¹¹ He has made everything appropriate in its time.


When I looked at my facebook page this morning, here are two quotes that I saw....one from a friend and one from a stranger.....

"When you decisively cut off and end what must end, you CREATE THE SPACE for NEW things to show up." 

and  this one......

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill

 

I have always thought I was someone that could easily let go of things..well, I am here to tell you..that is not the case...I am beginning to see that there are some good things in my life that I am reluctant to let go of...grin....they are not things that necessarily hurt me...just things that take up space that needs to be occupied by even better things...anybody hearing this?  wink, wink....

I can make a home with the best of them but is that REALLY what I need to be writing about????  it is so easy for me to set a table and to cook a pretty meal or to plant a flower or to pick some vegetables...but is this really what I AM SUPPOSED TO BE DOING???    I am amazed at the most wonderful, beautiful blogs and the creativity and the passion and the anything.you.ever.wanted.to.see.or.do.pictures  that are out there in blogland..we are truly a generation or two or three of amazing women and we are TELLING and showing the world who we are...or are we???

With the divorce rate at more than 50% and all of the children having to be shuffled between hostile parents..where are the voices for these women and children?  where are the blogs that say..I have lived through difficulty and not only survived, but have flourished??and this is how I did it..

and the voices that say--- I have a dysfunctional family and DIFFICULT family members and here is how I learned to be victorious and walk without becoming bitter??

I am one of those voices..I had much rather post pretty pictures, but that is not really what I am all about...I can do pretty.. after all, I went to charm school!!

But even better for me is to write about LIFE..the real kind..the down and dirty kind that really hurts and cries out for someone--anyone--to listen...well, I am listening....and I intend to share my journey so far..how I have overcome...and WHAT I have overcome too...it might step on some toes and it might hurt some feelings but most of all...

IT MIGHT SET SOME PEOPLE FREE!!

and give some hope in a very dark and lonely place....I have been through a LOT...a very much LOT and most of it I never had any idea it would be part of my life......really, on the inside, I am just a young woman wearing a string of pearls and a cashmere sweater and sitting quietly on a church pew somewhere being sweet.....HAHAHA..that was MY PLAN!!  but it is not what I got when I surrendered my life to my God......He got me up off of that pew and made me LIVE!!

I am a divorced and remarried woman...I have a strained relationship with my sister..a mother in law and sister in law that want me GONE!!...a stepdaughter that..well...  I.have lived with lots of money, and with little money....have been accused and rejected..well, you get the picture...my Mama died too young and left a void in my life and my Grandmother died less than a year later..leaving me feeling very alone...and my very own personal JUDGING committee that likes to write ridiculous and hateful and threatening comments on my blog.....

soooooooooooo....

I understand a little about the dark side of life...

buttttttttttttttttttttttttttt...

I am here to tell you that we do NOT have to live underneath all of this..not at all.....we can OVERCOME!!!!!   ALL OF IT!!!!!!  YES...ALL of it.......

we can live 

FREE from the fear of what man can do to me.....

there is real hope..choose life.....

Just like in this picture of my garden..it is apparent that seasons come to an end...as you can see........
I am so thankful for the ending of this season of my life and the BEGINNING of a fresh, NEW one......

This garden did what it was supposed to do and it did it well..  but it is time to move on..pull up the spent flowers and vegetables and  to plant some new ones....some that can withstand cooler temperatures...

It is a new season....let's embrace it......

Letting go is important..even when letting go means losing something that we are comfortable with...there is something new and better that will take it's place......but first..we have to let go...

so happy to have you here today..on a fresh path...

I would love to hear from you and what you think....

 

I am sharing over at Marty's  Inspire Me Tuesday  

and Efforts and Assets

come and visit.... 

Uniqueness

When something is not clear, come closer...Be still and observe....Be quiet... and take the time to ponder..to meditate or pray and it will become clearer..

 Clarity..it is something we all need about many things in our lives..

We are all the same.. we are human beings

But we are oh, so different and unique..Each one of us has our own specific makeup..different giftings and talents..even callings on our life..  it is not best to try to be something that we are not...

these trees would look just plain out silly even trying to be an animal..  they serve their purpose without any effort..they give us shade, bark, and beauty to name a few...

Celebrate your differences, your uniqueness...realize the beauty you carry by being YOU!

We are all trees but we all have different bark...

.and together it is a gorgeous mosaic.....

Life in Focus

Lately I have been finding myself trying to bring things in my life back into focus....it seems like a lot of the things I want to do with my life have become a little blurry...kinda like this picture......

There is still a lot of color and prettiness here but I just can't really make out the sharp edges that define the objects...

Sometimes it is a struggle because I realize I have already lived over half of my life and I want to spend the rest of my years choosing wisely....but then I forget to have fun and try to do way too much...
and being tired makes it even harder to see clearly......

I have been taking some time this past month or so and reevaluating some of the things in my life....and resting so that it can be easier to bring it into focus once again......

There are so many, many things I still want to accomplish in my lifetime and there are so many interests that I want to pursue.....but I know I can't do it all....but maybe I will try.........how can anybody ever be bored? there is always at least a book to read.....or something to sew..or cook....or a flower to pick...or a weed to pull...or a creative project to start..or something to collect......or a person to think about and smile....or best of all...PRAY.

There.........it seems to be coming back into focus......

 I even have new glasses to get used to...a sharper image to look at.....bringing details with clarity.........

I don't want to waste any of the time I have left in my life..I expect it is several decades but there are also several decades gone....time goes by so fast....children grow up so quickly...and grandchildren cause us to once again slow down and smell the roses...and appreciate life and all it has to offer...

When I looked at my oldest grandson yesterday, he has become a boy....teetering on young manhood...he is no longer a little boy or a toddler but a boy, one that can carry on a conversation with me...and really thinks about things..I cannot even put it into words but one glance at him as he stood in my doorway with  both of his little hands in his pockets....I knew he had turned a corner in his life.....a season has past and he has changed....6 yrs old in a few weeks..he is wise beyond his years and he absolutely has my heart.......in less than 2 months, I will welcome my first granddaughter...the first girl of this generation in our family.....yes, maybe my life is becoming more focused.....being grandmother to these children has definitely taken a more prominent role......it is the role of a lifetime and I don't want to take it lightly.....having their arms around my neck causes everything else in life to pale in comparison.......

YES, I am a lot more focused now.......

thank you for coming by today...

please come again soon....

Mona

Having Dirty Hands

Yesterday as I was clearing the debris from a plot of ground we have just newly tilled, it dawned on me...........

The first thing that caught my eye was my diamond ring....it stood out so much more against a background of dirt......the sun would catch it and even if my hand was covered in dirt, it would shine through!  hmmmm

That got me thinking about a diamond in the rough, light shining in darkness, and I was in my element then....pondering...I love pondering.........

How many of us are willing to really get our hands dirty?

 I don't think we can live a very fulfilling and meaningful life if we are not willing to dig a little in the dirt.....and get our hands dirty.......it is very easy to wash and clean our hands AFTER the job is done...but it seems like too many people now days are not even willing to get them dirty to start with.....wanting everything done for them...let someone else get their hands dirty...

I don't mind the dirt...I rather enjoy digging around in it....because I KNOW I can get clean after the work is done...

We are entering into the part of the growing season that I had rather skip over...and that is maintenance...pulling weeds..  and keeping the critters off of everything that is growing and producing....most of the planting is done for the summer..the tomatoes are ripening, the cucumbers are overflowing, beets, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, eggplant, beans, beans and more beans, peas are planted, and lots and lots of flowers...now the fun part of seeing every morning what is newly blooming..and what needs picking.....

It took a lot of hand washing to get to this point in the season.....my hands have seen a LOT of dirty days...they get rough but there is lotion for that...and soap to remove the aftermath of digging and planting.......

and another thing I thought of yesterday..we have really rocky soil....makes me miss my south Georgia upbringing where I never saw rocks in the soil...hardly ever...we have enough to build walls and walkways with..but I digress..I will never get used to removing the rocks from the dirt before I plant..but it is a necessary part of gardening here...so I do it..it made me think about our hearts as I was raking and gathering all of the rocks to get the earth suitable for planting....how many of us have all of these hard places in our heart and we just plant right over them and then wonder why the seeds we plant don't thrive and grow well in our lives???

It would serve us well to do a little digging in our hearts..to remove the stones..to get rid of the hard places...to do a little maintenance first before we plant something new in there.. to forgive that person that you don't want to forgive...to let it go....get rid of that hardness...get that heart to a soft and easily cultivated place so that seeds will grow well........

and if that is not the case, then do a little maintenance...get those weeds out before they choke the new growth..don't let them just continue to grow alongside the healthy plants in your heart...they will overtake the good things....and grow long tap roots and be most difficult to remove if we do not get them out early..as soon as we recognize them as weeds.......

I want my heart to be healthy and fruitful...to be able to look at my heart and say..It is well with my soul......as evidenced by the fruit of my life..........I want good fruit.....a soft heart...a safe place for healthy plants to grow...

and I want these things for you too.....

so get your hands dirty..it is where diamonds shine..through the dirt....and when the stones have been removed...wash your hands clean and get some lotion to heal the rough spots........

Live life on purpose...don't just sit around admiring manicured nails and clean hands that never get dirty.....help someone else if you are already perfect and don't need this........

from dirt comes a lot of fruitfulness if it is handled correctly.....

thank you so much for coming by today....I appreciate each and every one of you..

I read all of your comments and they are like little gifts to me..thank you.....

I hope to see you again soon...

Mona


I am linking up today at  Inspiration Friday

come and join the party

It can happen to YOU

During this week between Christmas and the New Year, there  is usually a lot of soul searching and rethinking and planning in very small doses...  :-)    Some people make resolutions, some people take inventory, some people think about what they want to do in the coming year.....but nevertheless, ALL of us will enter a brand new year in just a few days...

As we take stock of our lives.....  or not....  I encourage you (myself included)  to dream...dream BIG!!  try the impossible...let go of the fear of risk taking...begin to say to self...why NOT me????   life is not just for others...it is for ME!!  choose life...to embrace it and live it...  Let's see just what we can allow ourselves to do in this coming year...make it better than the last one.. go forward.......

these 2 little songs say a lot.....IT absolutely CAN happen to you.......

When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream

No request is too extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do

Fate is kind

She brings to those to love

The sweet fulfillment of

Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue

Fate steps in and sees you through

When you wish upon a star

Your dreams come true

 Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you’re young at heart
For it’s hard, you will find, to be narrow of
mind
If you’re young at heart

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the
seams
And life gets more exciting with each passing
day
And love is either in your heart or on it’s way

Don’t you know that it’s worth every treasure on
earth
To be young at heart
For as rich as you are it’s much better by far
To be young at heart

And if you should survive to 105
Look at all you’ll derive out of being alive
Then here is the best part
You have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart

And if you should survive to 105
Look at all you’ll derive out of being alive
Then here is the best part
You have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart

thank you for stopping by this morning....let's live this life to the fullest.....

at the end, I don't want to leave anything undone 

JUST ONE CRAZY WOMAN....

That is all it takes...just one woman or one man.....and the courage to do something different....one of the sayings my husband has quoted often is this one..... 

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results

but you know what???? it is not easy to change things..especially when it is the way things have always been done.. in  a family, or really, in any situation.   There has to be a resolve to stand firm even when it is against the status quo...I heard a famous psychologist. say that 'we teach people how to treat us'..and when there is emotional abuse in a relationship, WE have to be the ones that say NO MORE!   you cannot treat me like that...self respect is costly..and not popular  but it is necessary for life...and peace and a life submitted to God...let no other person call the shots over and for your life..Be a woman of freedom...FREE to be ME!!!  or you!! 


so it is with real joy that I share this video this morning...it just absolutely hit the spot.....I know you will see better after you watch it...







"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."


thank you for stopping by today....be courageous...live your convictions...and let's stop the madness...one woman at a time.....hope to see you again soon...

He restores my soul

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.  

 

  He makes me lie down in green pastures ; He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul ;

 

He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; 

 

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies ; 

 

You have anointed my head with oil ;

 

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, 

 

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever . 

 

 

this is one of my favorite Psalms..when I saw this green field, I was immediately reminded of it...these verses have been a hiding place for me for many years.. 

I love that He MAKES me lie down in green pastures and He restores my soul..I think that these two actions go together...because I yielded to lying down, my soul is being restored.

Life has been hurtful..people have been unkind..sometimes it has been very hard to get over the betrayal of close relatives.

but

then I remember He prepares a table before me..

my cup overflows..

it is all about perspective..His perspective..

and the healing begins all over again.

He truly, truly does restore my soul.

and for that I am forever grateful to Him

does your soul need restoring?

let Him make you lie down

thank you for stopping by today....please come again soon..

The Choices We Make

My class reunion was this past weekend and I decided not to go...there were many reasons but mainly it is just a really busy time of year for us.....But I have seen many, many pictures thanks to my facebook friends...it has been a  trip down memory lane for me... seeing pictures of people I haven't seen in decades..and to see that some are happy where they are in life...and some looked miserable...isn't that the way life is?  it's all about the choices we make..

As I was watering this morning, I began to think about all of the choices in my life that have caused me to be where I am at this point in life....and that is important...our life is the sum of our own choices.

I chose to marry Bryan when he asked me....I had prayed about it for a couple of years and knew it was the right decision for me to make...my choice...I could have chosen to marry another...or to stay single....but I chose to wait for the BEST..not settle for just good or even bad...

I have followed God with my life...not always making the most popular choices...sometimes making really hard ones...but I am sure I have been seeking Him every step of the way...have I done it perfectly?  NO...that is why there is repentance......but I do know this...I have surrendered my life to Him and let Him guide me in my choices....and those choices have guided me here..where I am today...and I KNOW that I live in the place He chose for me and I am married to the husband He chose for me and I am doing with my life what pleases Him..I want to make a difference in this life..to help as many people as possible.....not just live a nice little life with very low impact....and you can do this too...

 I put my life in the hands of the One that can use me to do this..if there is only one, let me be that woman..the totally surrendered to God woman.....here I am , use me....

this movie came to mind this morning..if you haven't seen it yet, it is a good one to watch....it is a classic about making choices....just watch the trailer and you will get the gist of it....


The Family Man



thank you for reading along today...find your place and LIVE there...pour your heart into it.....

Homemaking at it's finest

HOME

Yesterday was one of those days that was spent completely doing homemaking stuff...it was a typical summer day around here...and I thought I would let you in on a little bit of the 'hidden art of homemaking'  you know, the part nobody really sees and everybody wonders what in the world do you do all day?  I could never find enough to do and would go crazy staying at home??!! thoughts.....I have been asked that question more times than I care to remember.. and contrary to popular belief, I do NOT stay at home watching soap operas and painting my nails....so, hold on..here we go...a day in the life of this homemaker.....

Out of the bed and a cup of coffee in hand, I start to plan what in the garden needs picking and watering....drink coffee and put on gardening clothes..get buckets and head for the garden..pick okra, peas, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers...weed a little bit...pull up spent beans..deadhead some flowers.....sweat, sweat, sweat...UGH!!  pull up kale, too...plan  some fall plantings...decide to wait to plant anything..too hot!

shower...ahhhhh..pin up wet hair..will get to it later...breakfast..on the run..answer emails, write blog, check facebook......
fold some towels, see some flowers on the deck that are wilting..go water them and spend an hour watering...
come back in to finish towels...LATER....

get peas and beans and start shelling......and snapping beans...decide vegetable soup for supper   and peach cobbler..
are you getting the picture?

start the soup..it is 4 o'clock..where did the day go??  forgot to eat lunch...oh, well too late now...keep on with soup  cut corn off the cob for soup.....start peeling peaches for cobbler...5 cups of them...put together cobbler...into oven...5 o'clock....soups done, cobbler in the oven..make cornbread......supper on the table 5:45.....oh yes, I set the table at some point during the day with placemats and cloth napkins and fresh flowers.  :-)

ready for the oven

vegetable soup from our garden vegs /.homemade bread and butter pickles

peach cobbler

So, it is all in a days work around here.....and the next time you wonder what do women do that stay at home  all day......this is a little glimpse into the hidden part of homemaking...and yes, most of what we do at home is hidden..that is why it's important to enjoy what we do....I love being a homemaker..it is what I am made to do...it is where I fit....my home...I am thankful for the privilege of staying at home ....and I want to do the best job that I can....
It was funny last night when I told my husband about my day..I had spent the whole day thinking about and preparing food.....and enjoyed every minute of it...but I am so very glad there are leftovers...LOL

and in case you are wondering, I never did get around to drying my hair...I took it down after supper and let it dry then...so much for laying around and eating bon bons...

thank you so much for coming to visit today...and for reading my words....I appreciate you...see you again soon....