NEW THINGS FOR DOWNSTAIRS

My new Cat Palm (Chamaedorea Cataractarum). Home Depot had a special sale for $10 each. I will see how it goes. They are more work and need a lot of watering but I will have to be careful that it doesn't get root rot. A lady was buying two of them and said hers only last about 6 months. She also was buying a Snake plant and had not had one before so I was able to tell her how to take care of it. They are practically maintenance free as I mentioned before. I have never had a Cat Palm before so I will see how it goes. They prefer medium light and do not like full sun. I have my Snake plant on one side of the sliding glass door and my Cat Palm on the other side.

My Snake plant is doing extremely well downstairs.

This is a picture of my new mini-blind in my bedroom and a valance I made for it. Donna measured and cut it with her fancy little cutting tool and I sewed the whole thing myself. In order to have the valance in one piece, I had to make a French seam. I did that on my cafe curtain also. Donna was working on her quilt and I was working on my valance so both of our sewing machines were humming away.

I had originally gone to Costco to buy a light-weight Hoover windtunnel upright vacuum. The vacuum here in the house is too hard for me to drag around. I use all my energy dragging it around and don't have enough energy left to vacuum. Costco didn't have the one I wanted so we went to Home Depot. They did have the one I wanted but on the way out of the store I saw these beautiful Cat Palms. So I just had to buy one and also a rolling plant stand to put it on. I have a rolling stand for my Snake Plant too. Donna was trying to figure out how we were going to get it home. Donna put it on the floor in back of the car and I sat and kept watch on it so it did not tip over. It took up half of the back seat area. It is as tall as my Snake plant but much bushier.

My vacuum works great. I wanted it because there are no bags to worry about and you never have to replace the filter. The filter is washable. Also it has a setting for wood floors.

We went to the Church building for a Valentine dinner which is a fund raiser for Girls camp. Donna and Laif took off for Portland right after the dinner so Eloise and her husband took me home. Eloise and I have to work in the library Sunday by ourselves. This morning Eloise called to see how I was doing. She seemed concerned about me being alone. I assured her I was fine. I get along fine by myself. Always have my cell phone and try to be careful what I do.

One other thing Donna said I have to tell you is that I now can go up and down curbs without holding onto anything. I have been working on going up a curb without hanging on and finally got that down. I have not been able to get down off a curb without hanging on even if it is just someone's finger. I know Debbie is very aware of how I am on curbs. So, anyway, Donna has been trying to work with me but I just couldn't put my foot down by myself. I know you are all probably laughing by now. I would get to a curb and I would absolutely freeze. Anyway a couple of weeks ago Donna and Laif were both at church trying to tell me I could do it but I stood there and looked at the curb which seemed to grow taller everytime I looked at it and I said "I can't" so they helped me down. When I got home I realized how silly this whole thing is and how embarrasing. Donna put me in training. Everywhere we went, I had to go up and down curbs. I panicked a few times and did the finger hold but she made me get up and do it again. I know it was all in my head. I finally have been able to conquer my fear somewhat. I think the fear will always be there but Donna is very proud of the progress I have made. I have gone up and down off the curbs a couple of dozen times at least. I just walk up to the curb and put my foot down, if I don't just do it without thinking about it I will freeze. I am still in too good of health to handicap myself with that silly fear.

CAFE CURTAINS

I know I haven't written anything for awhile. I have been busy crocheting on an Afghan and reading my Kindle. I didn't think I would like the Kindle that much but it is so great. Now Donna reads books off my kindle on her phone and her netbook. I have read ahead two books for the bookclub and now I am reading "Wuthering Heights". I have only seen the movie and never read the book. It has so much more material in it and carries on into the next generation.

As you can see from the top picture, I finally have my Cafe curtains up on the downstairs window by my table. I just got the instructions off the Internet. Donna did the measuring and cutting and I did the sewing. We just got them hung up last night.

I cleaned and polished up the hutch. You might not be able to tell too well by the picture but on the lower shelf I have a three piece ceramic canister set. On either side of the canisters, are some mugs with a Sunflower design. On the center shelf I put some plates with the Sunflower design. The plates and mugs are from an eight piece place setting that I got from Penneys. The set has 8 salad plates, 8 dinner plates, 8 soup bowls and 8 mugs. I got them at half price. The set was only $40. We were looking at Wal-Mart and comparable sets were $40. for a 4 piece set. The canisters were on close out for $20. Originally $80. I ordered the dishes and the canister set at the same time because Penneys was doing free shipping.

The top shelf has an old clock of Donna's. It is a nice clock and probably still runs but Donna can't find the key. Also I kept the two cute touch-on lamps Donna had. Also a couple of figurines of Donna's and the little gold clock that was my mother's and a little fur seal that Richard got me years ago from Alaska.

CHANGES

I now have a refrigerator-freezer with icemaker downstairs. I still have my small refrigerator which will be handy for pop and other small things. My Snake plant keeps growing even though most of the time it has low light. It is supposed to grow faster in bright light but it is growing plenty tall as is. Measuring from the tallest leaf, my plant is now 58 inches tall. Donna noticed that my pot is starting to bulge so I guess I will have to repot it in a couple of months or so.

I have shown this lower picture before. This was how big the plant was when I bought it.

Snake plants like to be root bound. You are not supposed to repot them until the pot starts to crack or bulge and repot them only in Spring or Summer. You can take leaves and start new plants or take the "pups" from the roots and start new ones. You do need to give them new soil at least every three years.

SNOW ON SUNDAY

It started snowing about midnight on Sunday. Donna and Laif went to Church but came home early. They said they hardly made it up the hill. We got about 3 inches of snow. Now this is Tuesday, the 11th, and we are supposed to get snow this afternoon. Laif went to Renton Sunday afternoon but came home this morning. Donna and Laif bought a new refrigerator and it will be delivered Friday. I am getting their old one. So now I will have an icemaker. I will still keep my small refrigerator. I was checking the dimensons on my small refrigerator to try to decide where to put it. Just for the heck of it, I started reading the reviews on it. It had lots of bad reviews. Most people said it gave out in less than 2 years. Mine is a little over two years and is still going. It is a Frigidare that I bought at Lowe's in Renton. Richard brought it up to the house for me. Other problems that most people complained about was that the freezer stays so cold that your icecream is like a rock and you have to set it out for awhile before you can scoop it out. I do have that problem. I tried turning the thermostat down but then it gets too warm in the refrigerator. I, myself, do not really have any complaints about it. It has been a real good refrigerator for me. I will see how long it keeps going.

NEW FURNITURE

I am very happy with my new couch and chair. As you can see from the picture with Donna, we are under construction again. Laif, bless his heart, has been working hours putting up sheetrock. Already I can tell the difference. It is making it warmer and lighter downstairs. I feel like a queen in my little castle downstairs.

A few days ago, a 82 year old man drove his SUV through the front door at our Safeway. Fortunately no one was hurt. He said he stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake. The door has been replaced but the window was still boarded up yesterday. I hate reading stories like that. I am alert enough (I tell myself) not to let that happen to me. Young or old, driving is a serious responsibility.

UPDATE

A picture of a Sunrise that I took in November 2009 at Debbie's houseNot too much going on. On Christmas Eve, Donna fixed a nice dinner. We had Marge and George, Marge Otte, Kyle, and Mars and her daughter, Zoey. Mars husband did not feel up to coming. At the present time Mars and her family are living in a tent. I hope things get better for them as winter has just started.


On Christmas Day the weather was great. It was sunny but not real cold. Marge, George, Donna, Laif and I, and of course Misty, all walked at Carrie Blake Park.



I have finally decided to get busy and do a couple of projects. My new couch and chair are coming tomorrow. I have started a nice Afghan to throw over it. It is a beautiful pattern and it is in three shades of pink--light to dark-- and it will take me awhile to get it done. Also I bought some pretty yellow fabric with small red apples on it. I am going to make a Cafe curtain for the window at the far end of downstairs. I think I told Debbie kitchen window but it is actually in the dining area.



Also I finally broke down and bought a Kindle reader. I had been wavering back and forth about it for so long. I would tell myself it would be nice and then I would tell myself I didn't need it. But finally due to a generous gift from my wonderful Grandson, Kyle, I finally broke down and ordered it. I have it already. It came yesterday. I absolutely love it. I have ordered the new John Grisham book I have been wanting and also the LDS scriptures. A lot of the books are very reasonable. Some are free, some only 99 cents, a lot for $3.00 and then the others like $9.00 and up. I will just have to watch I don't get carried away ordering books. It will hold 3,500 books. Thanks again Kyle for giving me that little nudge I needed to make up my mind. Already I just love the Kindle.

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Just a few pictures I took at Debbie's at our family Christmas Party. We had our party on the 18th this year. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I so enjoyed seeing all the grandchildren, spouses and great-grandchildren. Donna, Laif and I got to Debbie's Saturday morning. When we arrived, we found the power had been off since midnight. That was very frustrating for Debbie as she always works so hard doing this party every year. Laif and Kent rented a generator and got that hooked up and wouldn't you know the power was back on a short time later. Everything worked out fine. The food was wonderful. Debbie made it a fun time for everyone. She is a great hostess.