Chi-Ca-Go

The sun rose behind us as we made our way toward Chicago early last Sunday.

 A low cloud intercepted the skyline

making for an interesting photo...

We entered the Taft High School where this sign greeted us.

Our son-in-law pastors the church which moved into this new location.

Here, the principal welcomes the congregation.

The school building is projected on the screen behind them.

The movie Grease was filmed here!

The empty auditorium before the action.

It soon held an encouraging number of folk from the old location

a well as several newcomers from the neighborhood.

It was a morning well-spent,

and this was the scene as we headed back south toward downtown,

enjoying the magnificent buildings as we went.

This one, a little north of the city, was particularly

intriguing to me.

I DO love the city.
Quite a contrast to the Pony Parade the day before!

That pony parade I mentioned....

There are a lot more photos

on my other blog.

It was a perfect day for it!

still here

 

 Yes, I am--

 still here... 

older AND stiller.

 Still loving wooden objects

but listing (and selling) these old croquet balls.

 These golden, stackable tables came to me from my parents' home

three years ago.  I still haven't used them.

So they are listed for sale now...

I will miss them.  But not really.

A gentleman will pick these five miniature plates up

this afternoon while we are attending the pony parade.

(Maybe I'll post photos of the parade here or on

my other blog which is updated more frequently these days...)

This is what I'll wear to the pony parade--

thrifted pink top and an even older thrifted black skirt.

(I don't visit thrift stores as much as I used to,

but I still wear thrifted clothes!)

Yes!  I'm still here!

weird

Jon Winokur

@AdviceToWriters

·

14h

Whatever makes you weird

is probably your greatest asset.

JOSS WHEDON

I saw this on Twitter this morning.

It was reassuring somehow.

The older I get,

the more conscious I am

of my uniqueness

(and the less I am bothered by it).

repairer of the breach

...you will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of the Streets of Dwelling. Isaiah 58:12

He spent Saturday afternoon

at the tasks.

This physical skill is frequently

mirrored in his quiet

people skills as well.

I am thankful.

time to downsize

It is time to downsize...

so I listed my small collection

of vintage clocks

on a Facebook garagesale site.

They sold in "no time"!

Always Beauty

 Always changing--the scene at our local Extension Gardens...

 

but always beautiful.

 

 Beauty is sometimes in the close-ups;

 

 sometimes in the overview...

 but there is ALWAYS beauty.

pending

My man painted the frame

and fashioned a simple top

to create a sweet side table.

Apparently someone else thought so, too.

It sold within minutes on a Facebook site.

Pending pickup tomorrow!

wild is my favorite color

It's growing! 

throw aways

Sadly, missing 4 pieces.

Imperfect, but beautiful.

(Not unlike our country...Not unlike ME!)

I'm reluctant to throw it away.

***

I enjoy finding unique jigsaw puzzles like this one at thrift stores.

For a quarter of a dollar or so, I've purchased many hours of relaxation.

To be honest, my husband puts in the most hours,

but there is something soothing to me about having a puzzle in process.

***

When we finish them, we pass them along to friends who pass along theirs to us

or return them to the thrift store.

If pieces are missing, we sometimes discard them.

This one is VERY hard for me to throw away...

 

 

sorting and selling

 Sorting

 and selling...

my blue valentine

We stopped first at a thrift store

several miles from home.

There I purchased this

Fabulous Piece of Pottery.

For $2.00!
After a steak dinner purchased with
a gift card, we headed to
Barnes and Noble where I sat across the table from this man...

The magazines I thumbed through
confirmed the desirability of my
pottery purchase!

Afterward we returned home
to enjoy a soup & salad supper
and table games with some of my siblings.
A near-perfect day!

the hanging

This large floral picture has

been with us forever!  

I took it off the living room wall

some time ago to accommodate

a tall piece of furniture.

Yesterday my husband hung it here--

tricky because of its size,

the height of the chair backs,

and wanting it to be staggered from the level of the shelf above the window.

He succeeded.

I'm happy...