Spring Clean

I actually love spring cleaning. I love the feeling of everything starting over – just like the flowers and trees – a brand new, clean beginning. How’s your spring cleaning coming? I’ve just barely begun, but I’m excited to continue on with each project. My husband is less excited.

I washed all my husband’s sweaters and have them bagged and put away. I also noticed that some of them are over 10 years old and perhaps need to retire.

I cleaned out my medicine cabinet and found these pills dating back to 2001, but most were between 2004 and 2009. Tubes of this and that were thrown out, too.

HELP! This closet is begging me to please get started on it.

Spring give away WINNER!

Congratulations to Shahara—our winner. Your Spring bulbs will be sent to you this week. Thanks to everyone for naming your favorite spring flowers. I was surprised to see so many different “favorites.” They all make Spring perfectly beautiful!!

Our Daffodils after the storm.

Edit: I found this cartoon a few days after I posted the giveaway, and it just seemed to fit perfectly with my theme, so I'm sharing it now.

Spring is almost here give away

OK, it’s officially still winter, but tell that to my Daffodils! They’ve had just enough warmth to spring out of the ground and give me encouragement. Spring is just around the corner. To celebrate a new season (coming soon), the winner of this give away will receive a nice assortment of spring bulbs—a nice mix of Daffodils, Tulips and perhaps some Hyacinths. Some can actually be planted now and others may need to wait until fall. Make a comment and tell me your favorite spring flower. Give away ends Saturday, March 5th at midnight (EST).

These pictures were taken during a thunderstorm with a tornado warning.

Nothing is going to stop Spring from arriving.

The gift of self

OK, this is the last post about the year of turning 64. I made a very mild request to my son-in-law, Allen, to sing the Beatles' song "When I'm 64" to me for my birthday. But that's kind of a big request, especially since Allen wasn't familiar with the song and I honestly didn't expect it to happen. So when we were all gathered and after opening gifts, I was totally surprised to see Allen bring out his guitar from the closet and sing "When I'm 64." All my sons-in-law are great! But I just wanted to say thank you on my blog for this gift of self from Allen to me.

I took this picture to remember the event:

:

He still loves me..........

A week later and he still loves me. Hope everyone had a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Turning 64 -- will you still love me?

My daughters took me out to lunch to celebrate 64 years!

When my husband turned 64 seven years ago, I pulled out the Beatle sheet music “When I’m 64” and played it for him singing every word—over and over. I so enjoyed it, that I was excited to be turning 64 this year and renew the song. Of course, it’s really a man that should be singing it his true love, but here I am singing it to Russ again.......all week as I celebrate 64 years.

“When I’m 64” trivia:

It was written by Paul McCartney (but co-credited to John Lennon) and released in 1967 on their album “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I love that it was released in the year that I was married to my true love. I like this version of it.

It actually is supposed to be a younger person singing about years later when he turns 64, but I find it just as appropriate to sing it when one is actually 64.

McCartney wrote it when he was only about 16 years old. Amazing! Supposedly he put lyrics to it in honor of his father’s 64th birthday some time later.

Julian Lennon, John’s son, recorded a version of this that was used in 2002 commercials for Allstate insurance. If you want to hear Julian’s version go here.

It was used in the Robin Williams movie “The World According to Garp.”

I’ve always been a Beatle fan. My teen-hood was during their most popular years. So this week I’ve turned 64 and it feels good and Russ still loves me!

A bed is a bed is a bed

Lori’s blog inspired to me post about another “bed” in the family. This one is about 40 years old and still in use. (frame, bed, mattress, and box springs—all original) It was purchased in 1970 for the then 20-month old Troy. His sister, Lisa, was due to be born and needed his crib. To guarantee that Troy wouldn’t fall out of the new big-boy bed, we put it in the corner of the room with the head board opposite the end wall, and then used a side rail. It worked great.

When Julie came along, Lisa graduated to the twin bed. And it continued down the line: Julie, Joel, Brad, Lori. Disclosure: Lori, being the baby of the family happily stayed in the crib until she was approximately 3 ½ years old. We just put the side to the crib down and it looked kind of like a day-bed. But once Lori graduated to the bed, she stayed with it well into her teen years. We did change out the head board to make it more “teen-ish.”

Lori - 1987

1981 - Walnut Creek - Brad leaps to the "bed"----------------1984 - Lori in her new big-girl bed

And then there were grandchidren----When Lori moved on to a queen-sized bed, our sweet original bed became the grandchildren’s bed and continues in use today, as demonstrated by Lydia and Afton.

We have no plans of putting this bed out on the curb. Great-grandchildren, it will be right here for you.

Original tags still in place; spots and stains from 40+ good years of use



Note: The mattress stains are covered with a good mattress pad, as well as a comfy egg-carton and we’ve heard no complaints from the grandchildren.