some changes coming soon

i've got lots i want to write about, but this week has been one of those "short" weeks -- tomorrow's already friday!! monday i had off & built the bed (thank you to all who have commented on it!! i linked it & my kitchen lights post to savvy southern style's wow us wednesday post & have made some new "blog friends"!!!) tuesday night was "stamping with doris" but i was sorting an order & she got a headache, so she went home early. i went to bed early that night! last night was church & prayer meeting & tonight i FINALLY cleaned off the table in the craft room!!! i even had some time to stamp a bunch of images that i had borrowed from doris & laurie! then i read a couple new blogs.

tomorrow night my friend laurie is coming over & she's going to re-design my blog!!!!!!! she's a super talented stamper & crafter & she's become a blog designer......and she's GOOD!!!!! so get ready for a super-cute-rusty-woody-country-lookin' blog soon!!!! (& maybe she'll be able to get things back to their proper places on here - don't know why they've moved all over the place & everything's different. why does blogger, facebook, etc, have to keep changing? just when you get used to something, they change it!!!)

and saturday i'm going to play in the dirt all day!!!


(sorry for the lack of pictures in this post. i'm too tired lazy tired to load any!!!) good night!!

i made my bed today .....all by myself!!!!!

it's been a beautiful weekend in the virgin islands!! saturday i mowed the front yard for the 1st time since i had the trees taken out & new grass put in. my yard has doubled or tripled in size!!!! it's all grass now!!! yesterday i had friends over for lunch after church & we grilled. I grilled. and everything turned out perfect--except the gumbo was a little salty, so i guess i haven't MASTERED it yet!!!! but it was all still good!!!! this morning i even SLEPT IN til almost 10 am!!!!! then i got up, put on my swimming suit, ate breakfast, & made my bed.

not THIS one:

THIS one!!!!

isn't it cute!?!?!?!!!! i'm so excited about it -- can't wait to get some dirt & plants in it!!!!


when "amwacs" fixed the gate i told him to save the post because i might be able to make something with it. my sister in law gave me an old iron bed headboard & footboard. i've always wanted an iron bed flower bed so i was VERY EXCITED!! i'm going to use the footboard for something else..............stay tuned!!! the headboard is the headboard for my FLOWER BED!! i cut the fencepost for the legs - i was able to get three 18 inch legs from the post (minus the rotten part!) and "amwacs" left me an 18 inch piece leftover from the new post!


here's the old post being cut into legs:

and here's all that was left!!!

i got my own circular saw!!!!!

of course, i'd rather have a man with a circular saw cut my boards, but sometimes that's just not always feasibile. so i just went & got a little "girly saw"!! i was having a problem getting the nut off to put the saw blade on, so i went down the street a couple houses to a neighbor. he put the blade on & asked what i was going to cut. i told him & he said, "i can come down & cut those boards for you if you want." ha ha ha!!!! i thought, "ha! he's going to try to take over MY project!!!!!!" so i politely said, "no, that's ok, i really want to do this myself." he said, "do you know how to use one of these?" i said, "of course i do - i used the circular saw more than john did, but it was his so he took it with him when he left." he said, "ok, but if you need me, i'll be glad to help!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought "nope, buddy, you're married - i don't want you cutting my boards!!!" ha ha ha!!!!!!!! so i came home & cut all my boards, drilled pilot holes in them & then screwed the boards to the "legs". in no time i had a box for my bed!!!! there was no way to screw the headboard to the frame, so i came up with a plan to cement the legs of the headboard into concrete blocks. so i had to go to ace hardware (closer than lowe's) for concrete. i carried that 80 pound bag of concrete from the back of the garden center at the back of the store to the checkout on my shoulder all by myself -- passed 3 male ace hardware employees on the way & did any of them offer to help?????? funny - men will offer to cut boards or screw in a light, but they won't offer to haul an 80 lb. bag of concrete!!!! and WHY do they have to make those bags of concrete 80 lbs. anyways?????????!!!!!!! i'd pay 1/2 the price for 1/2 of that if that's all i needed!!!! now i have about 70 lbs. of concrete that i'll need to find something to do with!!!!! (i'm sure i'll think of something!!!!!)



anyhow ---- here are some more pictures of the bed ---- i'll have to have some dirt delivered & then i can plant flowers in it!!!!! can't wait to show you how it looks when it's ALL DONE!!!! i want to make it look like it's got pillows & a quilt on it!!!! it'd be kinda cute to put some sort of "bedskirt" on it too!!!! a lace one!!!! it's a big bed -- it's 54" wide & 8 feet long!!!!

it's even got "bed posts"!!!!!

after i finished making my bed i weeded the other flower beds. the blackeyed susans are so pretty!!!!

hopefully by next weekend there will be flowers in my bed!!!!! take care & linking to:

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/05/wow-us-wednesdays-68.html

1 year anniversary of my "trip" to the virgin islands!!!!

i just remembered this morning that it was 1 year ago that i "went" to the virgin islands!!!!! i'm gonna call my friend betty & see if she wants to go with me again this year!!!! she was all set with passport & $$ last year!!!! i sure have had lots of fun there & this weekend i'll be there again!!!!

(from last year) God is so good!!!! after my post a couple days ago about not feeling "worthy", yesterday's p31woman devotional was about being worthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love Him so much!!!! i wish i had had these devotionals 15 or 20+ years ago!!!!!

(from christmas day --- it's WAY HOTTER than that right now!!!!!) last night i turned off the computer & was ready to go to bed & wanted some more iced tea, so i went to the fridge, opened it & out JUMPED a bowl of gumbo!!! ALL OVER THE FLOOR, THE WALL, THE PANTRY DOOR, UNDERNEATH THE PANTRY DOOR, ALL DOWN MY LEG & FOOT!!!! EVERYWHERE!!!!!! why is it when i don't have a lot of time, i end up having to clean up a mess that takes a lot of time?! this gumbo had chicken & sausage in it. greasy!!!! as any good blogger would do, i was tempted to run & get my camera to take a picture because my 2nd thought (after the 1st thought being not so nice!) was, oh, this will make a GREAT blog post!!!!! but then i thought, "no, this looks like vomit. i don't want to gross anyone out....." so i just proceeded to clean up the mess. and after it was all clean, i was regretting not having taken a picture for the blog!!!!!!! for a SPLIT SECOND i thought about dumping the rest of the gumbo on the floor & recreating the mess to take a picture!!!!!! now THAT is the sign of a true blogger!!!!!!! but then i thought came to my senses & decided i didn't want to have to clean that mess again!!!!! so y'all are spared!!!!! gumbo might be pretty good stuff to eat, but it sure is gross when it's all over the floor & walls!!!!!!! i've got big plans for the weekend!!!! so glad it's finally here ---- tried to leave work early like the whole rest of the company & got 1/2 way home & had to go back to the office to let one of the guys in. he left all his stuff for a 5:00 meeting with a client AND his door card key ON HIS DESK! if i had been just a LITTLE BIT closer to home, i would have said SORRY BUDDY!!! but i'm too nice...............besides, it reminded me of the time a couple years ago when i was locked out of the office on new year's eve.......had to wait 2 hours for someone to come & rescue me!!! i wrote a post about it here http://texascountrygirl28.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-not-to-do-on-new-years-eve.html anyhow, back to the weekend - i'll be working on the flower "bed" in the virgin islands!!!! anyone want to join me???!!!

there's hope. and all is well.

i have to keep reminding myself that. for the past 15 years i've worn 2 rings on my little finger. one says "Jesus" & the other has the word "hope" all around it. they remind me every day that my hope is in Jesus.

(sorry for the blurry picture - didn't realize it was so bad until i saw it on here! & i'm too tired lazy to take another & upload it!!!!!) anyhow............the past couple weeks have been a struggle. i've come several times very close to giving up. i've had a hard time fellowshipping with God, had a hard time spending time in the Word & have even had a hard time talking to God. i haven't prayed at prayer meeting --out loud, at least. i've wanted to, but just didn't feel "worthy" enough. today's p31woman devotion was on hope. it reminded me that God is right there with me ALL.THE.TIME. even when i'm not feeling like being with Him, He's always with me, still loving & caring for me. i almost didn't go to prayer meeting tonight. i was feeling so tired & thinking, "what's the use? i'm not gonna get anything out of it or pray anyhow." that was satan talking. so i pushed myself to go. and when i drove up in front of the church, my hope was renewed!! i thoroughly enjoyed the lesson & i was able to pray out loud & thank God for his faithfulness & love & forgiveness. there's hope. and all is well!!!

attention ladies: how to get a man to do what you want

........start doing it yourself!!! especially if it's a job that a man should be doing anyways! men don't like to be "shown up" by women, so if you start something that they should be doing, they'll take over "because you're not doing it right." and even if you only want them to do one little part, like unscrew 18 inch screws holding up a fluorescent light in a ceiling or cut one little board, they'll take over. men want to be "the hero" so they'll just finish the project! case in point: "can i borrow your circular saw?" "sure, i'll be glad to cut that board for you." next thing you know, you've got 2 shelves!!!! or like today, i was changing out the lights in my kitchen. i did the easy one first, the one over the sink. then while taking down the fluorescent fixtures, i was having troubles getting what seemed like 18 inch screws on molly bolts out of the ceiling. i got one screw out - make a nice sized little hole in the ceiling but then since i only have 2 hands, the fixture slipped & tore the other screw that i had started to remove right out of the ceiling, molly bolt & all! made a big hole which i now have to patch & that means paint the whole ceiling, which i didn't want to do but now that's a forthcoming project!!!!! so i'm "this" close to calling a man with a circular saw, but no, i want to prove that i can do this myself!! so i call my friend joyce to see if she can come hold the fixture while i remove the screws. i got her voice mail so i left a message & kept at those screws. after a little bit the doorbell rings. i'm thinking hoping it's a man with a circular saw riding up on his white horse red pickup truck to rescue help me!! well, lo & behold!!!! it's a man who owns a circular saw but not A MAN WITH A CIRCULAR SAW! it's my friend joyce & her husband bruce! he said his usual "i'm here!" & asked if i needed help!!! so WE took down the other fixture & then bruce proceeded to TAKE OVER MY PROJECT!!!!! it became HIS project & he put up the other 2 lights!!!!!! it was mine & joyce's job to just stand there, watch & make cute comments!!!! so bruce was the hero & i got my lights done!!!! in a way i wanted to do them, but what the heck!!! if a man's gonna be willing to do something for you, LET HIM!!!!!! here are the pictures:

when doing electrical work, this helps!!!!!!

this is when "MY project" became "HIS project"!!!

they're not as bright as fluorescents, or as bright as some people would like them, but i like them!!! they've got a sort of a "romantic softness" to them!!!! and for the amount of cooking i do, they'll do!!

i had designed what "amwacs" called "barbed wire chandaliers" - i really wanted them, but these will do!!! they're old-fashioned looking, country farmhouse looking, they're ME!!!! (i love the old fashioned "edison bulbs"!!) now a salad for dinner, a sam elliott movie & another pitcher of frozen margaritas......a perfect end to a busy day!!! linking to: http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

i don't know where the days go............

seems like just yesterday it was last week & now it's already the end of this week!! saturday after the church stamping workshop, i came home & planted 4 rose bushes & 2 irises in the front/side flowerbeds, had the "field" mowed by some mexican guys who were mowing a yard down the street, pulled weeds in the back flowerbeds, watered the grass, washed the car, did 3 loads of laundry.....and i had a security system installed because the day before my neighbor's house was broken into. they took ALL their electronic stuff -- 2 tv's that were bolted to the walls, etc.....AND they found the car keys & drove the car right out of the garage!!!!!!!!! the police said they were "professionals" because they didn't leave a single print!!!!! i've lived here 22 years without an alarm system. the area's still one of the best in houston, but that's getting a little too close to home - literally!!!! i pray every day when i leave for work that God will protect my home - & i trust Him, but still, it feels good to have something to scare them off with. i know it's just STUFF, & it all belongs to God anyhow, but still, it's stuff He's let me have & i don't really want some jerk stranger taking it without my permission!!! the bluebonnet field is gone & the yard is back!!!!

gotta work on some weeds & fertilizing & i want to make some new flowerbeds - one of them a real flowerBED!!!! (project!!!) sunday suzanne, me & my sister in law surprised grandma with lunch at her favorite chinese restaurant for mother's day! g'ma didn't know dana was going to meet us there!!!! her face was priceless!!!! it was nice to spend mother's day with my favorite family members ----sorry, maggie, wish you had been here too!!!! tuesday was "private stamping lesson day with my 2 little old young-at-heart ladies from church!!!!! (sorry, girls, just HAD to do that!!!! i mean it all in fun---you're not old, you were just born before me!!!!!!) gonna have to find a cute name for our little threesome!!!!!! maybe we'll be "the sam elliott stampers" because we've started watching sam elliott movies while we're stamping!!!!!!!!!! it's so cute to watch them swoon over him!!!!! but he's MINE girls!!!!!!!!

isn't it cute how that black-eyed susan grew itself up in the wheel of the plow?! like it's giving it a hug!!!! bluebonnet season is over & now it's black-eyed susan season!!! i just love these "baby sunflowers"!!!!!!!! one's growing in the middle of the yard too!!! it's so cute there all by itself!!! last night was bible study & prayer meeting. i prayed silently, but just wasn't in the mood to pray out loud. i kept praying that i'd get in the mood, but didn't. my prayer life has been pretty poor this past week. God & i have been wrestling this past week. not the way He did with Jacob, but in a way i wish it would be like that. i need God to just pin me down & take control of this area. but He's given me free will & unfortunately, i've used it. i've CHOSEN to not pray sometimes, or to get distracted. and then i feel bad. i've had that "what's the use" attitude lately. i've let that stupid man, loneliness, back into my life. mr. loneliness brought a friend along with him this time, mr. insecurity. i haven't journaled my prayers in a long time. maybe i need to do that again to stay focused. today at lunch i went to the christian bookstore & found a book about ME!!!!! it's a novel -- needed some summertime reading material -- and the main character sounds exactly like me & what she's going through is exactly what's happening in my life right now!!!! of course, i know how the book's going to end - at least i hope! - & i'm praying that that's what happens in my life too!!!! it's eerie how similar it is!!!!!! i've already read almost 1/2 the book & i just started it on the way home from work!!! (i read at stop lights!!!) not gonna tell ya anymore about it right now!!!!!!

this was my swap card last weekend. there were only about 7 people swapping. i made 15 cards. i came home with 11. huh????? i don't think people knew what my card was, so they didn't take it???????? this is my "sam elliott card" -- it's a mustache for pete's sake!!!!!!!! i have several projects i want to get started on, so i'm glad it's the weekend! a couple of them are pretty big & a little daunting, but i THINK i can pull them off!!!! another is just gonna take NERVE. i'm lacking in that right now!!!! i think i'll tackle the others 1st!!!! stay tuned for pictures!!!!!