25 February 2011

Pretty in Pink

This house sat vacant for so many years, it was actually quite sad. Then one day last summer, I noticed some action happening around the house. Someone had bought the sad little blue house.

One afternoon on my way home from work, I looked up in surprise as the house had been transformed into a pink flamingo color! As I drove by, I gasped a huge breath. The drastic change shocked me.

The following day, I looked again and smiled. The house made me happy. Next door, the house is a deep, strong green and just prior to that is a burnt orange house; equally as strong of a color and much like the Boston Baked Bean candies! So the intensity of this pink fit the neighborhood.

I heard through the grapevine that folks have actually knocked on the door when the owners were there working and asked them how they could EVER paint a house this color! Comments like how stupid are they anyway.... How inconsiderate, etc., etc. were made towards these people. Just mean-spirited things before ever getting to know the family. I also understand that this color is considered spiritual to this family. Hey, it's America, folks! Fortunately, we can paint our houses with florescent polka-dots if we so choose. Heck, make that glow-in-the-dark polka-dots for me!

More work was done but after all this time, no one has moved in. The house is still empty and awaiting a family to make the inside as happy as the outside.

Here's to individuality!!!!!


24 February 2011

Snow Dance

We were told that we would wake up to 2-5" of snow today. Hmmmmm... didn't happen.
Whomever did the Snow Dance must have run out of steam! This means I'm off to work instead of painting our new closet space. I'm sure Jack will save some painting for me to do this weekend.

21 February 2011

Pink Mountains

The mountains turned pink as the sun was slipping down to the other side.
I love this time of day.

13 February 2011

Turn About is Fair Play

This expression rolled around in my head yesterday as I walked in methodical circles attempting to find my shopping cart! I had done most of my variety store type shopping when I needed one more item. The row was crowded with people and carts so I parked my cart at the end of the row. When I returned, my cart was gone.
Since my memory isn't consistently reliable, I walked around and around searching for it.
Gone. Vanished out of thin air.

I had to backtrack through my shopping list and grab the things I had already picked out. Geeze.
I met Jack back at our car as he had gone into the hardware store. I explained my delay when he said, "Finally someone else does to you what you do to folks at the grocery store!"
He was right. I frequently add items to a cart that is not mine and off I go with it until either Jack or the person I stole it from bop me on the head!
So yes, turn about is fair play!

12 February 2011

We've Got Power!

Once again I found myself reading by candlelight and heating my left over coffee on the wood burning stove. We do rely on electricity for so many things, don't we? As you can tell by my posting, it's back on again. Yay!

10 February 2011

2 Year Check-Up

Danette had a PET scan and the results are awesome....she is cancer free after two years since her last chemo. Evidently, those with her type of lymphoma who undergo the treatment she completed, have a 15% chance of the cancer coming back within two years.
We are dancing a celebration jig tonight!
Her hubby, Joseph, is also cancer free after 10 years since his lymphoma.


07 February 2011

Stylish Blogger Award


A blogging friend of mine, Terrie, just awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award! I don't think I've ever been connected to the word "stylish" in my life until now.
This is a fun way to look into other blogs and learn about folks all around the globe. There are some rules with this award:

Post linking back to the person that gave you the award.
(Terrie's blog is amazing. She lives in Hong Kong and is crafty beyond words. Her photos are beautiful and we get to see a glimpse of the world where she lives through the lens of her camera. Check her blog out by clicking above on her name in blue.)


Share 7 random things about yourself.
1) I AM random!
2) I am a grandmother of 5 awesome grandkids...(of course!) One girl and four boys from 4-15 years old.
3) I have been married to Jack for nearly 42 years. WOW! That means only I could ever put up with him and only he could put up with me. We are a strange couple but madly in love after all this time.
4) I am drawn to clouds. I guess I better start painting some of them!
5) Ever since my trip to France, I am constantly thinking about returning. I speak in French in my dreams and in my daydreams....with a limited vocabulary!
6) I hate television, I'd like to boot our right over the cliff but Jack enjoys it and he enjoys having me sit in the living room at least an hour to "be with him". I've noticed how he now plays movies when I'm in there.....longer than an hour! That bum!
7) I love British humor. BBC is my favorite. I know this thanks to streaming Netflix.

Award 15 recently discovered bloggers
Drop them a note, and tell them about it.

1. Amy - the one responsible for getting me to blog. I followed hers for ages before starting one of my own. She is a homeschooling mom in Virginia, scrapbooking queen, and very creative.
2. Kalba - a blog I stumbled upon when looking for places in the French Pyrenees. Her blog is filled with photos of her area in France and a major remodeling of a soon to be B&B. (Yes, it is on my list of places to visit.)
3. Midge - someone led me to this fun blog. She lives in England, makes adorable teddy bears, is surrounded by pets and lives in an ancient cottage. Again, her photos of England are remarkable.
4. Lucy - If you want to wake up to bright colors of warm yarn, this is the site for you. She is a young mom in England, a different part than Midge so we get a totally different view. You need to look at some of her photos to see the colors that she surrounds her family in.
5. Anne - lives in Newfoundland. What a woman. In my next life, I want to be like her. She hooks original rugs that are a reflection of her home.
6. Kate - Kate is a prior student at our middle school. She married when I was in France. We have kept in touch via snail-mail, e-mail, Facebook and through her blog. Her hubby is in the Airforce so peek in on her blog because she has flown to Korea to be with him for awhile. She is such a sweetie and her photos are fun and many of them are worthy of a photo contest.
7. Michael - I discovered this blog through an artist friend, Wechoyot, on Facebook. I love the way this man writes. I want to spend a day inside his head...it must be better than any wild amusement park ride! Since I don't have a cell phone for Twitter, I can't even notify him that I have bestowed this honor upon him!
8) Meg - My sister's pen name, I guess. I had to twist her arm and leg to get her to start a blog. Now I look forward to the days when she posts snippits of her world for all of us to see.
9. Susan - An amazing, award-winning quilter. If you are into quilting, you must check out Susan's blog. She will be teaching at the Houston International Quilt Show this year! She is the one who led me to the Sketchbook Challenge.
10. Marcie - My nephew's wife has had her blog for a long time. I love when she posts something new. She is very creative and her scrapbooking is amazing. I've noticed since she became a mommy, scrapbooking has taken a backseat. Hmmmmm, how can that be?!
11. Clare - according to her, she is an English woman living in France. To me, she is a tiny link to the Dordogne region that I fell in love with. Not only that, but she is a quilter! Her words are strung together in a way that will bring smiles to the reader so check her out!
12. Leeann - shares amazing photos of France that just sucks me right in every time. I look forward to her posts as they help add to my dreams.
13. Leah - a quilter. She has started a project where she is coming up with a new quilting pattern for every day. If you love machine quilting, you'll enjoy this site and the information within.
14. Alisa - if you love crafts and good tutorials on how to make them, this is the site for you. I don't want to work away from home any more just so I can have time to try some of her ideas.
15. SatoriaList - is a fun blog if you are into fashions. The photos are taken in Paris (this is how I found this blog...I was looking into French fashions)....and other major cities. The comparisons are fun to see from one city to the next.

So these are some of the blogs I follow - some are new and some I've been following for a long time. In my opinion, they are all worthy of sharing. Take time and visit and tell them Sandee says "hello"!

06 February 2011

Sketchbook Challenge - Opposites

I've never done a sketchbook seriously before. Here is my first drawing for the month. It is just a bunch of ideas that tumbled out of my head. Opposites: Jack/Sandee (cover the face down the middle to see our features...haha) - cutting/sewing - cutting/gluing - drinking coffee/going to bed - ying/yang.

Heck, I'm nothing but one big opposite myself! For what it's worth...here it is.

05 February 2011

Mushroom Cloud (Non Radioactive Kind)

Last evening, I looked out and saw this amazing cloud formation.

04 February 2011

Opposites

The Sketchbook Challenge theme for this month is "Opposites". I am having so much fun thinking of opposites that I might just draw more this month. I'm going to start by sharing just one way in which Jack and I are oh so opposite: in the bathroom! (Toothbrushes)

These pics are of our toothbrushes. I know, who the heck would post photos of your toothbrush? Check these out. We have a brand new electric toobrush. I have the small brush head on the right and Jack's is the larger one on the left. Notice that my bristles are all brand new looking.....we've only had this for about 2 months at the most. Jack's on the otherhand are starting to spread out.


And these are our non-electric brushes. Bought at the same time....used the same amount. Doesn't it make you feel sorry for his teeth? I'm surprised he has any enamel left in his mouth at all!
Every time I look at these, I just shake my head because it is one of MANY ways in which we are totally opposite.


01 February 2011

Homemade Goodness

...and I don't mean the kind you can eat. It's the other kind that you just soak up and enjoy for ages and ages. The fact that both grandkids loved the clothes I made for them!
Kai dressed himself and then came out of his room to show off his new shirt. Zoe had just asked her mom for a new dress for a school program that is happening this week...only to find two new dresses in a box on her front door step from Grammie! Not only from me, but by me! She has decided to wear this one for the program.
(sigh) ... Does my heart good.