A sweet, well deserved afternoon tea.

AAAhhhh, what a weekend this has been.

 Four glorious days totally saturated with the people I luv the most.....

..... the men in my life! 

You know, it should be illegal to feel this way about them, but I can't help it.

I look at them and I get this sweet squishy feeling in my tummy.

you know the one.. yes. That feeling.

Thursday, while the most of our great country were cooking and eating Thanksgiving dinner, we took off for the coast.

We got up early, packed all the fixings for a Grandma Carole picnic and loaded the car up and left!

We had had a rough few months. Both  the Mr.  and I have had health issues and the Monday before Thanksgiving , I was cleared!!!

He got his clean bill of health 2 weeks prior.
Did you hear that? We were both well. 

ohmygoodness.
The best news since this all started in June of this year.
So, we decided to take off. Just us, the original 4.
No one else... just us, St. Augustine, cold sea breeze, fresh air, sunshine and luv!

Oh, and Grandma Carole sandwiches.

Turkey, cranberry slices, cream cheese, lettuce  on toast. YUM!!!

We walked all over St Augustine in the cold. 56 degrees with wind gusts of 14 miles an hour. We had pink cheeks and a good appetite.


When we came back, tired and happy. We agreed to do the turkey and all the trimmings as a Sunday meal, and invite the girlfriends. 

Plus... PLUS, to make it an even more special meal, to decorate the house and unveil all the trees at this dinner.

I must be NUTS!!!!

This means, I get help with a few trees and all the rest of the interior falls to me.

Wait a minute here.

Something is wrong with this picture :-)

Sooo we started. The Mr. drug all the crates ( enough decor for 13 trees and the house) from the attic.
He put the big trees up. 1 8 footer for the living room, 1 6 footer for the sun room, 1 4 footer for the master.

Whew....

Sooooo, after the trip, which was wonderful!

After the decorating ( the lads did decorate the tree in the sun room , their trees in their bedrooms, then they bailed on me!), and the cooking...

I called a break!

A relaxing tea break. It was a  cool day today, so a nice hot cuppa was just the ticket.
The sun room was relaxing. I laid the try on the coffee table, but Master Vic thought he was invited, so we had to move to the dining table. 

It was still nice....

The tree is really pretty and the sun was shining so nicely.
Everything was in the oven....

and dinner was scheduled for 6:30.
Always time for tea....

and laughter, and lots of luv!!

This was a wonderful weekend. A busy one, but enjoyable!

Will be sharing the trees soon.

How was your weekend?

Here's to a wonderful week!!!

Cheers, Gee.



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Beautiful Cotton Bolls.

Have you ever had a day at the office that wore you out?

A day that showed you who's boss?

Well, Tuesday was one of those days.

It kicked my ......  sigh , it did!
Tuesday just wore me out.
I came home, tired.... 

got out the car and went to get the mail. 

I begrudged walking across the street to check the mailbox .

I opened the mailbox with tired hands, and pulled out the contents.

There was a package inside..... 

.... a box.

A package from South Carolina. Hmmm.....

I looked closer at the address ,

and grinned!

I grinned a grin that perked me up.
The kind that made my eyes bright and my insides giggle.

I knew what was inside. 

I did a little happy dance and everything .
Yes, I happy danced right there in the middle of the street.
Me, the tired one.... who had their butt kicked by Tuesday.
I was energized!! 

I had a package.... 

A wonderful surprise from a sweet Blog friend!!

Me in my office clothes and 5 inch heels skipped across the street , and up the driveway. 

Yup, I was ready to reclaim my day... 

I had the upper hand. 
I was home, and I had a surprise in the mail.
I had cotton!!!

Jane put a new spin on the day.
Happiness in a box!!

Think about it, I live in Florida, have for the last 25 years.

That is South isn't it??

Yes, but....

but I have never seen cotton before. 

I mean, the plant. The bolls. 

The little white things growing in a field. 

Now, I am all about cotton...
American cotton!!!!

Cotton sheets , cotton towels, cotton shirts and jeans.

The all American girl in her dark blue, or faded shredded jeans. Aha... 

But, I have never seen the plant, the Bolls, other than in the movies, and in pictures.
But now, thanks to Jane , I was holding it.
I had real, organic cotton in my hands. 

Now that is awesome!

My heart was happy..... my mind was racing with the possibilities.
The arrangements I wanted to create.
I had already planned a 'Natural Christmas'  ... and now I had Cotton Bolls!!!


I had COTTON BOLLS!!!!
Cotton Bolls from my friend Jane .
Thank you Jane.
I was so happy to show my family.
They had never seen it either.
It was touched... handled, awed over. 

I now know why it was/ is so hard to pick by hand.
Ouch!!! Those little buds are pointy, and sharp.... but beautiful.

I will have to dedicate a blog entry just to how I incorporated them into my
' Natural Christmas' .
My hands are itching to get started...

Thank you Jane!!!
You made my day... my week!!
My week has been conquered. I have cotton :-)

Cheers, Gee
xoxo

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Lest we forget!

May we never forget.....

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


So many were lost for what we have and take for granted today.
May we honour, respect  and may we never forget!

 A Poppy for remembrance.



To all the men and women who serve, who has served and given of themselves. 

The men and women in uniform....

All my undying gratitude and respect.

Cheers, Gee

xx

Weekend treasures!

Over the weekend, I decided to follow in the footsteps of some of my smart Blogging friends and go  check out some yard sales.

Something I have not done in a LONG time. 

It was fun!!

The sweet little table had good lines, but someone had abused it so.
Crayons and nail polish spills. What a sad mess.

But I have plans for it....

I am imagining this pair filled with cinnamon scented pine cones .
Or maybe painted with some roses on the sides...

Hmmm.......

Corbels!

Now these little beauties.

I cleaned them up and they are proudly serving as book ends . Will post about that later . 

 I just luv the way they look.

Urns...

  Haven't decided what to do with these as yet.

For the moment they remain as is and are gracing the antique Singer sewing machine in the Sun room.

   Although not identical, they are close enough to look like a set.
Few chips... but I don't mind that.

Adds to the character of the pieces. 

Got some Hazel Atlas Apple glass dishes. 5 cups and 5 plates.
Already did a post on the ones I inherited from Great Grand ma, so I did not take pictures . 

(picture form previous post re Hazel Atlas Apple dishes)

 I am slowly adding to the set to make it complete. I had the dessert bowls, the salad bowls, the big fruit and salad bowl ( serving size), cups and saucers, dessert plates, but now... 

..... Now I found the luncheon sized plates.

**happy dance**

  I need 3 more for a complete service for 8.
I am so excited!!

My junking weekend was a success!!!
And all I spent was $10.00.
For the entire LOT!!!
YEAH!!


How was your weekend?
Cheers, Gee

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