MAKING RAG WREATHS

I can't knit or I'd knit a new house probably

I can't sew ( shamefully I'm the daughter of a seamstress ) 

But I CAN tie pieces of cloth together and create something out of fabric :)

I wanted to make a wreath for Evan's room and had no idea where to start - until I saw John destroying fabric swatches from our business
( we represent fabric lines from Europe and so we always have swatches ) 

Suzan screams - OMG - are you throwing those out?

John says - Yeah - why?

John says - They're little bits of fabric - you can't do anything with them

Suzan says - as I'm scrambling around emptying the trash bin - SHAME ON YOU !  These don't belong in the landfill !

John says - Are you going to go through the garbage every time I throw something out?

Suzan says - Well I'm certainly going to start inspecting it before it goes to the curb !

They're very small pieces so I cut each one into 3 strips

and tied them together

so each strip ended up having 4 " tails " which worked great for fullness !

I used embroidery hoops 2 sizes - small and medium -  because I had a few on hand from a project long long ago and tied each strip on them

At one point my fingers started hurting a little

John says - You're going to ruin your hands permanently if you keep up with these " projects "

Suzan says - I want my hands to be completely used up when they bury me - 

John says - You're the most morbid person I know

Ahhh.............but I can make a rag wreath.

Aren't all the little bits of cloth just perfect together?
They're my " wreaths of many colors "
I made them while watching t.v. in bed - repeats of Downton Abbey to be precise - the next morning John woke up with lint and threads all over his boxers - I burst out laughing

Suzan says - You look like a human lint brush
Suzan says - Wait I want to get a picture

But he threatened to break my fingers...............you know - the ones he was so concerned about the day before?

Suzan says - Wreaths are very expensive to buy - think of the money I saved !
John stops ...........
John says - Really?  Why don't you make a ton of them and sell them?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.  My fingers John - think of my poor fingers

John says - Well YOU said you wanted to use them up.
Suzan says - You're what the Chinese would call a Capitalist Pig
John snorts - China's full of capitalist pigs - probably more than here

Have a wonderful day everyone
I'm off to google why a communist country is filled with capitalist pigs.
And then I may just  make a few wreaths to sell !
( maybe I could sell them in China ? )

Hugs,
Me

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HONORING SODA..........................and a give away

Good morning everyone..............

It was a rough weekend - actually it was a rough week but the weekend hit us particularly hard.

It's the " firsts " that kill you -

The first morning without her - the first time not having to walk her - feed her - cuddle her - kiss her and if that doesn't do you in - well remembering the " lasts " most certainly does.

I tried to pack up her things ( and she had a lot of things ) but there are so many items you don't think of - you know - like dragging myself into the shower and seeing her shampoo sitting on the ledge - it's hard to wash your hair while choking - or pulling out something from the pantry and seeing a jar of her favorite cookies.
For a small dog she filled up this house and her absence from it makes it seem cold and lonely.

Somewhere in the midst of this and completely unknown to me -  I reached the 2 million mark 
in " hits " and though I'm not so much in the mood for celebrating - I really do want to celebrate Soda and show my appreciation in some small way to all of you.
Your comments and love touched John and I deeply - I read him every single one of them.

While surfing the net for anything and everything dog related this weekend ( I was obsessed in my grief I tell you - you have no idea ) I came across this amazing site called I HEART DOGS - it's a California based company - and every product you buy goes toward feeding shelter dogs.

When I came across this necklace and saw the paw print in the key I knew I had to have one 

            This product feeds 10 shelter dogs - Learn More

                                         

           

                           

I bought 2 of them - one for me and one for one of you - as a give away - so Soda's love helps feed 20 shelter dogs - and because she herself was a rescue angel I can't think of a more fitting way to honor her.............and to say a heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Just a small token of our gratitude - a paws for the cause so to speak.

You all left so many comments on my last post that I feel a little guilty telling you that you have to leave one again................but you absolutely HAVE to this time so that you have a chance to win !

Whether it's in memory of a beloved pet or a current one - whether it be a cat or a dog ( sorry gecko and snake lovers ) or to give to someone as a gift  if you'd like the chance to win just drop me a line.

Delivery can take up to 4 weeks but I'm sure it'll arrive sooner than that - I'll draw the winner's name the day I receive them.

Much love - more than you can imagine - to all of you
Thank you for being a friend

Hugs,
Me
( forever Soda's Mom )

You CAN measure love..................

I know people say you can't but I swear to you - you can.

In our case love weighed 12 pounds 3 ounces of pure raw adoration and was never not by our side.

It weighed enough to leave a small indentation at the foot of the bed where she slept for 16 years.

We said good-bye this morning to Soda - our precious little side kick - our 3rd daughter.

We left the house with that love bundled up with 2 of her squeaky toys - the ones she used to frantically bite whenever we walked in the house.  I held her while John drove - tears streaming down both our faces.
I opened the window because she so loved the breeze on her face - she glanced up but didn't have the energy to lean over and so I lifted her to it - letting it gently blow on her one last time while memories flooded through my system threatening to almost kill me.  Dramatic?  No..........it's how I truly felt at the moment.  I think it's how we both felt at the moment.

Remember how she used to jump through the snow with all her paws in the air - I asked John
Remember how she used to bury herself under the blankets at night - John asked me
Remember?

The moments are tattooed on our hearts with indelible ink.

I was always telling her to " stay ".

In the mornings when John would get up to go the bathroom - she would get ready to jump off the bed to follow him

Stay - I would whisper - he'll be back.

She would rush to the front door whenever he left -

Stay - I would admonish her - he's not gone for long.

She would run off when we walked her - to the nearest tree stump - sometimes trying to cross the street

Stay - I would say loudly - it's dangerous.

Today - more than any other day - I wanted to cry out " Stay Soda -  please sweetheart - Stay "

Instead I leaned down close and told her what a good girl she was and always had been and how loved she was and then I told her it was ok to go.

I'm so sorry Soda if my tears and my sobbing brought you any anguish - I tried so hard to be strong but you always were my weakness you know.

I'm not sure how I walked out of the clinic - but I know I couldn't stand once I opened the door - I fell in a crumpled heap on the sidewalk clutching her squeakies and her leash to my chest - heaving - wondering how on earth I was going to go home without that 12 pounds and 3 ounces of love by my side.

And I have a message to the people who left her in a sealed box 16 years ago in front of the SPCA - covered in her own feces - battered and bruised and starving.

Thank you.  If you hadn't been as neglectful and cruel and as evil as you had been - we'd have never known the joy she brought to our lives.

You lost.  We won.

12 pounds and 3 ounces of pure raw adoration - that you were not worthy of anyway.

I'll be eternally grateful she chose to share her life with us.

Wherever you are right now my love - please - stay - until we can be together again.

You CAN measure love - I feel its weight on my heart today and trust me - it's as heavy as a ton of bricks.

Thank you Soda
for everything.

All our love
An eternity's worth

Mom and Dad
xoxo

Cecilia - the first thing John did when we got in was put her painting on his end table by the bed.

A BLOGGING BREAK

Hello?
Is it me you're looking for?

I think I may have forgotten to you let you know that I'm taking a blogging ( well actually all social media ) hiatus.
I feel I need to get out there and walk in piles of leaves and listen to the crunch instead of just writing about it
I feel like I need to look around me with my eyes instead of the lens of a camera
And most importantly I just need a break to rejuvenate myself because believe it or not I'm running out of things to say -

I'm aiming for a 2 week break - it may end up being a month - so.................
You all have the most wonderful of Novembers !!!

Here's me stepping out into it in 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1...........................

Hugs -
A months worth at least
Me
Suzan

French Onion Soup

It's one of my cold weather staples and we eat it quite often in this house in the winter................ for some reason it tastes especially good when it's miserable outside.
( and boy was it miserable yesterday - the skies opened up and poured down.................hail stones )

I'm also trying to do my bit with eating less meat.
For my health and the health of the planet.

It's made with beef broth - but I'm NOT a vegan or vegetarian so that's ok.
I'm still not throwing a pound of flesh onto the grill or in the oven so I feel like I'm doing my bit - if I'm not please don't tell me about it because I can't give this soup up.
And my warped reasoning works for me ( sort of......kind of )

French onion soup is also considered a cure for hangovers - unlike taking a swig of pepto bismol - not that I'd know if it actually works or not :)
I CAN tell you that it's a cure for cold weather blahs though !

These are the ingredients
Olive Oil - and a sliver of butter
1 heaping tablespoon of flour
1 onion per person
1 tin of beef broth per person
Worcestershire sauce ( a dash )
Browning sauce
Garlic powder
Swiss and Mozzarella cheese - gruyere if I have it in the house - but I didn't
Pepper

Heat olive oil and butter

Slice onions into thin rings ( separating them while in the frying pan ) and cook on low

I cook them for 20 minutes or so - caramelizing them - but you can just cook them till they're translucent -

While they're cooking I cut up small pieces of baguette ( relatively thin ) and place them in the oven to toast

Once the onions are ready I add the flour

Stirring constantly until it looks like mush actually

Next you add the broth and a splash of worcestershire sauce ( a little goes a long way )
Notice the Canadian stove in both languages - Hot - Chaud?

and then I add in my browning sauce ( the flour lightens it up which is the only reason I use it ) my garlic powder and black pepper ( a pinch of each )

I simmer it for 10 minutes or so and then fill the bowls partially - adding the toasted bread
You can use as much toasted bread as the bowl will allow - sometimes when I'm pretending I'm on a diet I only add a couple of pieces - tonight we were hungry

Pour the rest of the soup on top of that - and sprinkle shredded cheese over the entire bowl

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or so - and then put the oven on broil just long enough for the cheese to bubble and brown and Voila!
Hangover winter blahs be gone !

It's absolutely delicious - oh my gosh - just writing up this post I'm ready to make it again lol
Winter does have its advantages after all :)

Have a wonderful first day of the week everyone !
Hugs,
Me




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JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES !

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HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON              GRACE & GOOD EATS
THE CHARM OF HOME                                        BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH
FLUSTER BUSTER                                                 SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE
CRAFTY ALLIE                                                      KATHE WITH AN E         

A FRIDAY CHAT ( about this & that )

You all know that my brain works in correlation with songs, right?
Almost all circumstances will leave a song in my head with words that fit the situation.
But now?  It's even happening when words sound like other words.............
This is a little crude but here goes.............
John walked Soda early this morning - came in and said
Wow - Soda went for a massive 2 shits................
And now I can't get THIS song out of my head............
( I swear to you I'm donating my brain to science - somebody HAS to figure this out )



_________________________________________________________________________________

I started writing a book last winter - rather earnestly - than stopped.
WHY do I do that?
Did I ever mention that I started writing one in my 20's - and had a publisher accept it in N.Y.C. ?
Got all of 5 chapters written and stopped.
I have the letter of acceptance from the publisher still.............it's my version of a Pulitzer's.
Anyway .............

John says - I thought you were writing a book?
Suzan says - Yeah........well............I'll get back to that this winter
John says- What's it about ?
Suzan says - Oh...........you know - this & that
John says - FINISH it - maybe we could buy a golf course or something
Suzan says - You're lucky if we can buy a golf TEE with my writing buddy.

BUT................I'll show you the " introduction " to it

The Consequences of an Inconsequential life

By Suzan Sweatman

Oh Wow - a reader !

THANKS for buying my book - you now belong to an exclusive club - there's 2 of us in it !  My advice to you would be to start my fan club before it gets too high in numbers - this book could easily hit 10 - 20 ( and dare I dream? ) 30 sales.  I'd start the fan club myself but I'll probably be all over the place giving interviews and such - you know how it is when 30 people want to know all about you !

Just so you know - this book starts off where the last book ended except I haven’t written the last book yet.

You have to trust me – it’s a New York Times best seller – filled with adventure, mystery,  intrigue and forbidden love -  I just have to get around to writing the damn thing – for now you’ll have to be content with the sequel – which is NOT about mystery and intrigue and forbidden love ( are you intrigued yet? )

It’s just about me, a Suzan, living my daily life which may have you hanging off your seat in terror because my life could so easily happen to you - it’s a warning of sorts -  never settle for mediocrity – it’s boring and mundane – and mediocre…………and I never wanted to be THAT person – I had grand dreams of being the girl who left her hometown and went on to become a famous actress – returning for events and such in a gown and heels while adoring fans fell to their knees at the mere sight of me.  It hasn’t quite worked out that way.  YET.  There’s still time – I’m in my 50’s at the start of this tome – and I just may be 65 by the end of it but hey, 50 is the new 40 – so I may end up having 1 fabulous star studded year – or at least enough to have a face lift.  I just need Oprah to read it  Oh and I have to fill it with fake experiments ( just enough to get her a little miffed – I certainly don’t want her full wrath or anything because that could put a cinch in the works to say the least).

Book One will be available at some point or another - because I do everything ass backwards.

Now excuse me - I have to sort the laundry......................

Which has already been washed.

_________________________________________________________________________________

There's a caterpillar up in the corner beside my front door - I've never seen one like it - it's black and super furry with a brown middle.
I googled it as soon as I saw it - apparently it's called a Wooly Bear Caterpillar.

Suzan says - OMG - We've got a Wooly Bully Bear Caterpillar
John roars
Suzan says - Laugh all you want but it brings bad news
John says - Harbinger of death I suppose?
Suzan says - No - it means it's going to be a severe winter
John laughs out loud
Suzan says - I'm serious !  I just read it !

John comes outside to take a look

John says - Oh those - we've got tons of them in the back yard.

OMG - tons of wooly bear caterpillars is very very ominous.

I knew it you know.
I just freaking knew it.
The Farmer's Almanac says it going to be a bad one too.
The enviromentalists - the scientists - the people who KNOW all about El Nino and it's affects say it's going to be a mild one.
THEN HOW DO THEY EXPLAIN ALL THE WOOLY BEAR CATERPILLARS ON MY PROPERTY?

Uno, dos, one, two, tres, quatro
Suzie told Johnny about a thing she saw.
Had two big horns and a wooly jaw.
Wooly bully, wooly bully.



_________________________________________________________________________________

And I'm ending my chat on a serious note because I've been outraged over this since it happened.

I'm a capitalist - there's absolutely no doubt about that - John and I are small business owner's after all.
But I'm a capitalist with a heart ( or so I'd like to think ) and I really do believe that socialistic aspects are fundamentally important in society.
So did Jesus.

Wealth Is a Gift from God to Be Used in His Service

Jesus saw wealth as a gift from God to be used in His service (Matthew 25:14-30). Those who have been blessed with wealth must share generously with the poor (Matthew 25:31-46), and avoid the sins of arrogance (1 Timothy 6:17-19), dishonesty (Exodus 20:15, Mark 10:19, Luke 3:12-14) and greed (Luke 12:13-21).

Those of us who are blessed with wealth beyond our need have a responsibility to share generously with the less fortunate. We should view our wealth as a gift from God, entrusted to us, to carry out His work on earth.

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (NIV, 1 John 3:17)

So when I read about people like Martin Shkreli who increase a pill from 13.50 to 750.00 overnight I want to puke.
ANYONE ( and that includes all the corrupt pharmaceutical companies - because he's not alone in this - far from it ) who can justify getting rich off the backs of disease - well - they simply have no place in society in my humble opinion.
Their greed obviously knows no boundaries.
D.I.S.G.U.S.T.I.N.G. parasites - feeding off the desperately ill.
_________________________________________________________________________________

You all have a wonderful weekend - relax if you can !
Me?
Hey..................I may back to Massachusetts

Hugs
Me

I WANNA live there Wednesday # 144

Good morning !!!

Well we're back in New Orleans this week - I can't seem to stay away for too long !

ZILLOW READS

Breathtaking Historic French Quarter Estate c.1803 gorgeously & extensively renovated within a block from world famous Royal & Bourbon Streets across from the Marigny with gated parking. Sold FURNISHED with Timeless Antiques. 5 separate apts in the back for guests, domestic help or rental income. Grand foyer, soaring ceilings, medallions, crown molding, chandeliers, courtyard, cabana, exquisite MBr & bath are just some of the amenities of this 1-of-a-kind beauty. Beautiful balcony overlooking Esplanade.

New Orleans - French Quarter
Built in 1803 - now that's a home with history - and it's sold furnished - WOW - I'd die for some of those pieces 
$ 1,715,887
5805 sq. feet

These must be the apartments in the back - LOVE the brick walls !

From the other New Orleans homes I've shown in the past this one seems to be a steal - especially with all the potential renting revenue here - Oh I most definitely WANNA live in this beauty !!!

I can just see strings of light strung across the patio - music playing - talk about " laissez les bons temps rouler " !!!

All info and images sourced from ZILLOW

Have a wonderful day everyone !
Hugs,
Me


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