Mothers and Daughters

For my beautiful daughter:

Mothers and Daughters
~

Here's to good women

May we know them,

May we be them,

May we raise them.

Carpet Day!

After many months of waiting it's finally carpet day. Bathroom project was first so all the plumbing in the basement could be finished before the new carpet went in. I hope it all comes together well. Anxious to see some of my furniture from my house in PA down there. It will be a major difference for the men of the house. I just hope Scottie and the boys can keep it tidy once completed. We worked until 10:00. PM last night getting it all ready. I will be so glad when all these renovation projects are completed so we can relax a little. It's been a long year of painting, painting,and more painting. Between this house and my house in PA it seems that's all I've done.

It's a rainy fall day. They are calling for rain all week. Hope my leaves don't come down with the rain before the weekend. I'm looking forward to getting away with my wonderful hubby to see the beautiful fall colors. (c: I must figure out where we are going today. I know so little about NY, especially western NY. On the eastern side of the state between Albany and Vermont would be a good place to start, but with a short weekend that is not on the agenda. I will share more after our trip.

Well eldest granddaughter is no longer upset over losing her phone for the night. She is such a beautiful 16 year old ... but how I remember those teenage years with her mom. I tell her it will get better, but she is not sure I'm right. And I smile ... I thought the same way at that age. Two birthdays coming up in early October. Zane will be 10 and Kaiya will turn 13. Another teenager! Eldest son, her father, says she has acted like a teenager for the last year. Mmm ... another house working through the teenage years. Just wait until the second daughter becomes a teenager too. Then he will have 2. And again I smile ...

After all the hard work yesterday ... my knees and back are hurting ... I'm taking it easy today. I had to double up on my Celebrex last night ... and iced them before bed. Feeling better this morning. I never know if that will help or not. Some days I am ready for knee replacement ... others no. I know that will not help my back ... at least I don't think so. Maybe I walk differently and throw my back out. Who knows ... so today while they work on the carpet, I will take a step back in time and read a little. Ahh, life is good!

Sunday Mornings

It is a bright sunny Sunday morning here in western NY. Looking out my back window I see the beautiful leaves on the mountain in the morning sun. The dew sparkles on the grass and the birds are flying by looking for breakfast. I have been lazy filling the bird feeders all summer. Now that they are migrating I need to make sure I fill them. Hubby and I will be going to a car show at BOCES today. This is the next to last one. One more in October at Tioga Downs. I have enjoyed getting together with our friends this summer  ... Bev & Byron; Bill & Gloria ... some of the very best friends one could have. We all travel to the shows together and the ladies talk while the guys check out the cars and vote. Good to have a fun day after hubby worked so hard in the basement yesterday. I still have to finish the painting before Tuesday. Oh well ... I always get it done. I am so anxious to get my things in the family room and out of the garage where they have spent the summer. Then it's time to clean up the yard. We need to plant grass where we had the big pine trees cut down out front. And I need to clean up all the flower pots. Fall wreaths are on the doors ... but I haven't had the chance to get the fall decorations out inside. Maybe this week.

Fall Changes

The leaves are starting to change  ... just barely. Further north I'm sure there are more changes. Hubby and I am planning a little weekend trip to see the leaves next weekend. One of my to do items is to get him to Vermont for some true leaf peeping ... the best colors are there. Not sure if we will head north or northeast and hit more of the eastern mountains near the Vermont border. That would be best (c: I am one of the luckiest women ... my hubby is such a good man. I am happy ... and loved deeply. Life is good here in NY. I love fall. There is something so peaceful and restorative about this time of year ... my favorite time of the year. Summer hustle and bustle is over ... life settlers down to more of a routine ... and I become very reflective while enjoying the fall colors. My window view of the mountain behind us is a great place to sit and think. Great spot when it snows or in spring when the Blue Buntings come for the apple blossom season. Quiet, peaceful, relaxing. I find that sitting in front of the fireplace as well. Lights off, room quiet and the flickering flames of the fire just calling my name. Soon the nights will cool down even more and we can have the fire going ... it will be snuggle time with hubby. One of my favorite places to be. Ahh ... peaceful.

But today we are busy working on our family room in the basement. Out with the old and soon in with the new. Old carpet out ... and Tuesday new carpet in. Today is floor cleaning day for Danny and I am painting the back wall and stairs. We have a beautiful tongue and groove paneling on the other walls. Adding the furniture I have been saving from my house will be great. We've been storing it in the garage. With the cooler temps, it is time to move it indoors. Another warm and cozy place to snuggle. A corner fireplace, pub table and chairs, and sofa and recliners ... it's a kick back place to relax. But lots of work to be done the next week. Time to go ...

Blessings

Have you ever felt so blessed, so happy, so content,  that you feel this little nagging doomsday insecurity tapping you on the shoulder? Go away you say. Life is good .... I am happy ... and you banish the thought from your mind. Whenever he sits on my shoulder, I read this poem and relax.

PLACES of the HEART

So often in our search of the heart, we feel confused and lost.
Each of us looks for love ... that tender touch of grace that fills us.
It's in all the story books.
It's as old as creation.
It's all around us.

We may touch upon what appears to be the feeling,
as we travel through our lives
but often, as is the case with all things in time
appearances can fade, and we are once again in search.

Throughout our search ... we bend and mold
trying so hard to find what it is that makes us appealing to others.
often losing sight of who we are.
Such a loss that is.
Losing our own identity for the sake of another.

More often than not, it was who we were, that was the attraction.
However, we forget that over time
and expend enormous amounts of energy searching
and we become lost in the changes of time
and lose our way
searching for all the wrong things.

In the gentle passing of time alone,
we begin to discover ourselves.
We no longer have to please anyone else.
We no longer have to fret over who is looking.
We find we're right back at the beginning.
We are ... WHO we were.

Hopefully ...
stronger, wiser, and more content with ourselves.
Assured of the quality within ourselves.
And knowing ... regardless of all else,
we are always the one who will be there.
When all else fails ... and in the quiet of the world,
when we need someone to rely on
we can say to ourselves THERE IS ALWAYS ME !!!

And just when we thought we should give up the search
for this enigma of love
it creeps up on us ... flitting through our world
as delicately as a butterfly in flight
as gently as a soft breeze
as sweet as the fragrance of wild flowers
as quietly as the setting of the sun.

We find ourselves in the midst of the most amazing creation.
It is a touch of grace.
It is the knowledge that we are loved.
Not the "passing fancy" love,
not the love that roars like a fire, necessarily.
(which usually dies out as rapidly as the flame burst forth)

But instead ... we find ourselves in peace
we find ourselves in a haven of gentility and quiet.
We realize that we are loved.
We know the joy of having been touched by grace

We are loved for who we are
not for something someone else needed to create
not because we fit someone's mold
but because we are strong enough to be who we are
and loved because of that.

Copyright © 1998 by Cougar Vision

Have a great day!

Bathroom Remodel

Posting for the first time today. It's a beautiful fall day here in western NY. Wishing I had time to sit down and create on my computer again. My friend Jana is always an inspiration to me and it has been so very long since I did any creating. Unfortunately that will have to wait. Upsetting news today ... the bathroom remodel we just finished has so many issues to be corrected. We were so excited to update everything and now it's a day to day nightmare. New tub and surround, new toilet (which was rerouted away from the corner), new sink and vanity top, and new tile floor. We have had to call them back 3 times to fix the tile. Today I found out why the grout keeps breaking and cracking. There is no way to permanently fix it without replacing the whole floor. I am heartbroken. No green board behind the tub ... no backer board under the floor tiles. The light has only one screw holding it in place because the contractor could not tighten the second screw. He states the box is full of wires. H E L L O ... that's your reason. The sink does not hold water. Makes me wonder what other issues are lurking behind the walls that we cannot see. To top it off I just painted and added a new wallpaper border before we realized so much had to be corrected. We were told by the contractor that a grab bar (which we wanted anyway) would tighten up the back of the surround. OK ... but now both ends are flexing and the caulk seal is broken on all 3 sides. He tells us he cannot put green board behind the walls ... ??? I think we need help and a second opinion. If ever I wanted to start a project over, this is the one.

As I sit here and write about my bathroom nightmare, I am transported to the memory of recent pictures of the devastation from TS Lee near the homes of my children. And I hang my head in shame. But for the grace of God, I too, could be one of those suffering the loss of all their personal belongings or even their home. I am reminded that the things we place such a high value upon are just that ... things. They age, they fade, they break, they become lost, or packed away in a closet or basement. If you could walk out of your house today taking only 5 items with you ... what would they be? When all our "things" are stripped away ... who are we?