Did we ever get snow!

Wow, I should wish for a million dollars because my snow wish paid off.  For those of you that get snow on a regular basis it is a curse but in Atlanta it's a real treat.  We got about 7 inches at our house and were snowed in!  I puttered around cooking roast, making a cake and stitching away while watching the flakes fly.  It was heavenly but then reality set in because we needed to go to work on Tuesday.  Mark dropped me off at the bank at 8:30 and I was the only person that could make it to work so I opened the drive thru by myself.  I just sat there with my stitching from 8:30 to 1:30 and only had 4 customers total.  I still can't believe that 4 people managed to get out of their homes much less to the bank.  The entire metro Atlanta area was at a standstill and everyone worked reduced hours for the remainder of the week.  It was so pretty but I have to admit, I'm done with snow for this year.

We went thru bank conversion on Monday and I have to say that it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.  Now we still have 3 people in the branch helping us but things have gone much smoother than I thought but ask me next week when I have no help how things are going!  

I'm suffering from a horrible head cold and cough.  I felt so bad Thursday that I thought I'd just crawl under my desk and sleep for a few hours if I thought I could have gotten away with it.  My sinus' are killing me so guess I'll be off to see the dr tomorrow.  My ribs hurt from all the coughing and Clarice has given up sleeping with me because I keep waking her up with my cough.  She's bedded down in a cardboard box that Mark's shoes were shipped in last week.  She's just snuggled in so guess that's where she'll sleep for the next few days.  This will tell you how bad I feel, Mark's in Korea and I had all these plans on re-arranging the tv room and shopping and I haven't done ANYTHING!  I haven't even watched tv in the tv room just piled up in the bedroom every night.  I so wanted to tea dye the living room and bedroom curtains while he was gone but guess that'll have to wait.  He'll be home Tuesday so all my far fetched ideas will be put on hold until his next business trip.

I did finally finish my Clara Ellen Blackbird Design for my SAL.  As you know I did mine to honor my Great Aunt Flo and it turned out gorgeous if I do say so myself.  I'll try to post some pics later this week.  I ran out of thread so had to wait on the mailman to get my delivery here on Friday so I could finish it.  I'm almost done with my Evergreen and not sure what I want to start next.  I'm thinking since I'm obsessed with the Anniversary series that I'll do Farm House but haven't committed to that yet.  Gotta keep my options open at least for a couple more days until my head clears up.  I did spend a little of my Christmas money a couple of weeks ago so here's a few of my treasures.

Look at this cool, iron  floor lamp that I got at the flea market for $40.  It looks great sitting next to the prim chair in the living room.  Also the basket is a thrift store find for $2 and holds all Clarice's downstairs toys.

This great iron rush candle holder looks great on the dining room drysink

My pewter collection from thrift store finds...3 plates and 2 mugs less than $15 total

Already owned the creamer, sugar plate, cone and nippers and those 2 plates but found the coffee pot and bowl at a thrift store for less than $8

My winter mantle for 2011.....I've had these ice cream collectibles for years but don't they mix perfectly with the snowmen

Living room table

Last pic of the table in the entrance hall

Have a great week everyone and hope you like the glimpse into my winter decor

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I'm sitting here on Sunday nite praying for snow just like I did as a kid so I didn't have to go to school.  They are predicting 5 to 7 inches for us tonight along with freezing sleet and rain. The schools are already starting to cancel classes for tomorrow and not a flake has fallen yet.  I hope we get snowed in for at least 1 day because I just love puttering around the house with snow falling, something yummy and hot simmering on the stove and something baking in the oven like cake.  So everyone cross their fingers and wish for snow right along with me!

We're gearing up for conversion at the bank next week so life is about to turn again.  New policies, procedures and operating systems...gee sounds like a fun party....anyone else want to attend in my place?  LOL!  Thank goodness I've actually used the operating system before so it won't be completely greek to me or maybe it will be because it's been almost 7 years since I used it.  Not to mention that my CRS is getting worse by the day...heck, let's me honest by the minute.

My little brother lost his cat, Grady last night and my heart is just breaking for him.  I called him last night and we had a good, long cry together.  I sure wish I could reach out and hug him because he's hurting so bad.  Times like these make it hard to be away from my family.  I understand how he feels and it did bring back all my feelings about losing Maggie again.  I spent most of the night tossing and turning before finally just giving up at 5:00am to stitch.  There is nothing that calms me quite like stitching.  I used to love to read so much but now it's like I can't clear my mind long enough to read.

And speaking of stitching, I'm working on a special sampler by Blackbird Designs for a SAL which is in honor of my great aunt Flo.  She was such a special part of my life that the minute I saw this sampler for a "Dear Sister" that I had to make this for her.  She passed away in March 1987 which is the same year that Mark and I got married such a long time ago.  She really wanted to see me in my wedding dress so I quickly found one and had my portraits made so she could see it.  But that wasn't the dress that I actually wore because the wedding shop screwed up the alterations so I was scrambling to find a new dress. 

I spent a few hours yesterday going to my favorite primitive country store, flea market and thrift stores.  I found several great items and I didn't spend a fortune so Mark's happy as well.  I need to find a place for everything and take some new pictures of the house to post.  Maybe tomorrow when I'm snowed in will be a good time for that to happen.

Well, enough for now because I've got to watch the weather channel to make sure it's gonna snow before I call it a night and hit the sack.  After last nights emotional toll, I'd like to go to bed early.  Remember everyone wish for lots of snow tonight in Georgia!

Happy New Year 2011

As a kid, I just couldn't wait for another year to pass so I'd be one year older and more "grown up" but dang it, now someone needs to stop the time from flying by so fast!  My momma always said don't wish your life away because it goes by fast enough on it's own but I thought she was just an "old lady" because come on, a year is 12 months every year!  What could she possibly know?  Well now I admit, ALOT!!!!!!  It seems like I just blinked and the year had passed.  I also realized that my baby niece will be 13 in March so no more little ones in my family.   We've also been gone from home for over 10 years now and it truly doesn't feel like "home" now.  Don't get me wrong, seeing all my family is home but driving thru the town things have changed so I don't always recognize landmarks any longer.

We finally got news on what's been plaguing my momma's health and it wasn't good news.  She's got a rare kidney disease so we're waiting to hear that her dr was able to get her into a specialist in New York.  I'm worried, she's scared and daddy's just determined that we can "fix" everything....I pray that he's right.  I can't lose my momma....she's my sunshine on my darkest days, my cheerleader when I'm feeling overwhelmed, she's my laughter when I honestly can't think of anything to laugh at and best of all, she's my momma! 

I've got to take my Christmas stuff down and pack it away today.  I've got to get it all done before the week starts or it'll still be up a month from now.  We start conversion in a week so I'll be busy, busy for a few weeks not to mention that I'll be going to New York whenever momma gets an appointment.  Mark was going to fly out Tuesday morning for Korea but that trip has been postponed until the week I start conversion.....smart man!  You'd think he's been thru a couple of these before with me....LOL!

Well he just woke up and wants pancakes for breakfast so I''m off to cheer him on while he cooks.  Gotta love a man that cooks breakfast.