an eclectic assortment...

Here is Grandson sitting on elephant sculpture at Zoo. He *smirks* in his pictures just like I do...

Favorite teapot

I'm reflected taking photo, but it looks like I'm locked inside... ???

quilt  friend made for my study

It is Tuesday and I should be at Yoga right now, but my back is giving me a little twinge... so I played hooky. Instead I stayed home and took some pictures from around the house. Nothing mind boggling, but the way the reflection came out in the cabinet shot surprised me. You might need to make it larger to see my arm. It looks like I'm inside trying to get out. Unexpected fun shot!

This was just an 'around the house' snapshot... but look closely and laugh

the cutest thing...

the cutest thing...

Isn't she the cutest thing?  I'm sorry, but she really is (IMO of course).  I know all grandparents feel this way.  It happens the minute you set eyes on that tiny new life... or hold her or him in your arms.  It's an amazing feeling.  She has lost most of the red hair she was born with and looks like a little Q-ball these days.  And don't you just love that tiny foot...

It's Sunday morning and we have been up since about 7:30, had coffee and biscuits, read the paper, played games on grandson's Meep, watched some soccer and football (at least the boys did), made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and prepared a brisket for marinading.  I've not had much experience with cooking brisket.... so this is an experiment. I found a recipe in a magazine that looked fairly easy and delicious, so I thought I'd try.  I will marinade it today (in BBQ rub, onions, onion soup mix,   Lea and Perrins, and Soy Sauce) and cook it tomorrow in the low oven (250) of my Aga for about 10 hours.  We'll see...

I'm going to bring up something here that has come up only recently and I've got to make a decision about it in the next week or so.  A good friend is going on a cruise to Alaska and wants me to go with her. Neither her husband or mine is interested in going. I originally told her that I really couldn't afford it at this time. But her argument is that we can't afford to wait - which I agree to some extent (She's 70 and I'm 67). It is a special fare cruise where IF you book now for the end of April, you get the 2 for 1 fare.  The whole trip from what she says on the discounted rate (her son & daughter have checked it out) shouldn't cost me more than $1000.00.  That's hard to believe, I know.  Anyway, she's already booked and really really wants me to go with her.  I would like to go and probably won't get another chance, but I keep thinking that I would need clothes for the trip which would cost $, and I tend to get seasick (don't want to ruin her trip), etc. But she is a very dear friend, so I said that I would 'think about it'.  I probably should mention that she and I have taken great trips in the past to England, Paris, Ireland... and still take local road trips now.  We get along great and the trips have given us wonderful memories.  I think its just that with retirement, we have to be so careful that I feel guilty even thinking about it.

On another note, I noticed on someone's blog that they had a "live feed" which told them that 'someone from where-ever' was visiting their blog.  I thought that was a neat fixture.  How do you get that on a blog?

And one other question, is my font big enough?  I use the normal default font, but it looks a little small to me.

Dancing as fast as I can...

I'm still trying to 'catch up' since being gone last week.  Have read almost all the blogs I missed... but haven't had time to comment on all.  Hopefully I will be back on track in the next few days.

My pottery classes are already in critiques and that along with Yoga classes (as well as picking up my grandson after school) is keeping me hoppin'.  I need a nap! 

Oh well, I'll survive...

Am behind on a bunch of things like a dental cleaning, eye exam, mammogram, etc. - but only by about 2 months.  Hope to get it all in before December. 

BTW, I did get to go to youngest grandson's first soccer game a week ago.  It was great!  The 5 year olds are so cute.   Here are a few pics.  GS is the dark haired one on the far left.