I wish I could say my drive back home from Ohio on Monday was uneventful, but unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. About 2-1/2 hours from home, as I was passing a red and green 18-wheeler truck on my right, suddenly one or more of its tires blew apart. With A LOT of tire tread headed straight for my windshield at interstate speeds, I braked hard and swerved to avoid it as much as I could while still … [Read more...]

Update: I've had a few readers email me indicating they thought I was saying in this post that I would no longer be creating posts here on at the blog. Don't worry, I have no intentions of stopping blogging, you'll continue to find new posts here several days a week. I just won't be stopping by Facebook to link my blog posts there. Please read on for the reason why I'm making this change. Just a quick … [Read more...]

Welcome to the 509th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! I had hoped to post a lot more while traveling across Egypt. Unfortunately, fast WiFi has been sadly lacking in many of the hotels. It reminds me of the days of dial-up--remember those? Ugh. I wish I could fast-forward technology right now so every hotel in the world would have high-speed internet. Dreaming! Fortunately, I was finally able to … [Read more...]

Aloha! This is the theme I just loaded onto my phone, thanks for giving me the little push I needed! Thanks so much for all the wonderful tips and ideas you left in the comments of my last post! Sooo appreciated! I can't wait to share Maui with you for Metamorphosis Monday! If you're not already, be sure to follow on Instagram where I'll be posting photos regularly during this trip. You'll find the … [Read more...]

Thanks for all the great suggestions for desk chairs. I think some of the recommendations may have been a bit more expensive than what I had in mind, but I will definitely look into the ones you suggested in the comments on yesterday's post. Thank you for that! When I returned the chair I had purchased back to Staples today, I asked the guy who rang up the return what chair was their best seller and the … [Read more...]

How are your Thanksgiving preparations going? I'm not hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year, so I've been busy working on other things, including getting the wreaths up on the windows.   Hanging the wreaths is usually the first bit of Christmas decorating I do each year since it's pretty much my favorite Christmas decoration of all.   One of the best parts about hanging … [Read more...]

A month or so ago, I was in Marshalls and came across these lanterns. I love shopping in there this time of year because they always get in the cutest holiday goodies and you literally never know what you'll stumble upon. I'm not sure if these will end up in a table setting or on one of the porches for a little Christmas decorating. They may just show up in both.   These lanterns came with … [Read more...]

Do you have a drawer somewhere in your home filled with these? These were all in two small drawers in my family room. They date all the way back to the 80's and contain so many memories like birthdays, baseball games, ski trips, beach trips, scouting award ceremonies, swim meets, Christmases, trips to Disney World and Epcot, and a lot of "firsts" like the first time my son rode his bike without training … [Read more...]

It's so beautiful outside today!   Grab that glass of iced tea and let's head out to the porch!   I had several ideas about things I could share with you today, but then I had a better idea. I'm always a little worried that I've missed a question you may have left in a comment. It would be easy to do because if I'm away from my home on an errand during the day, I'll often pull … [Read more...]

I'm not going to say I'm unscammable, because no one is, but I try to do everything I possibly can to avoid being hacked or scammed. I never click on links I don't recognize in emails. I have my phone number listed on the National Do Not Call list and I don't answer telephone calls from unknown numbers. I have long and complicated passwords for everything, as well as two-step verification for everything … [Read more...]

If there's one thing I've learned during this process of having my DNA analyzed with AncestryDNA, it's the more you learn, the more you realize how complicated and involved this whole tracing your DNA heritage can be. The more you learn, the more questions you have. This stuff is intense, but every day the process is getting better and better. So here's how this process went for me: I ordered the kit … [Read more...]

Yesterday I had plans to post taking you on a  fun antiquing trip to A Classy Flea, followed by a historic home tour or two, but fate had other plans. The last couple of days my friend, Linda, has been visiting along with her aunt, Diane. You may remember Linda from when I shared the week we spent together touring over 13 historic homes across Louisiana and Mississippi. (See some of the tours I've posted … [Read more...]

I haven't been shopping for tablescaping goodies in a long time. Today is the first day I have felt like getting out since I became sick with whatever it was I had. On my first trip out into the real world, I treated myself to a visit to Marshalls. It felt so good to get out of the house and just be normal again...well, as normal as I ever get. ;) I found some cute things for summer entertaining and I … [Read more...]

I'm working on a little project at my son's house, I'll be sharing it real soon. Today it involved putting together a table.   I love the city where they live. I need to take some photos of some of the houses I saw today. They were wonderful! The streets in this area are wide, tree-lined avenues with sidewalks on both sides. As I drive down the streets, I feel like I'm in another world, … [Read more...]

On Monday evening I drove into Atlanta to visit a store inside Phipps Plaza.   I purposely drove in late to avoid the end-of-day, going home traffic. I finished my shopping just before the store closed at 8:00 PM.   As I was leaving, something caught my eye.   We get a finite number of sunsets in our lifetime. So much beauty and it's completely free. Stop and … [Read more...]

I listen to a lot of books on Audible...around 8-10 each month. If I'm driving on an errand, sitting in traffic or on a long trip, a book is playing. If I'm sorting through the way-too-many pictures I've taken for a post and cropping or editing them, a book is playing. If I'm washing dishes, folding laundry, staining the deck, planting shrubs, spreading pine straw or cleaning out the garage, a book is … [Read more...]

We've had the mildest winter so far here in Georgia. As I type this, it's 67 degrees outside. That's one of the things I've always loved about living here, winters are usually a mix of cold temps with surprise weeks thrown in when you would swear spring had arrived. Georgia weather always keeps you guessing. Despite this beautiful sunny day, I know the cold temps are coming back. The last few years I've … [Read more...]

Sunday, time to sit back and relax a little. You've worked hard alllll week.   A good book...   ...and a "Rustic Retreat" candle, I'm totally addicted to the scent.  They can be found in Walmart but don't buy them all because I'm going back for a few more. ;)   Then there's this: Loved it so much...   I went back for more. I also bought the Caramel … [Read more...]

Last winter I put together a list of a few of my favorite things that help get me through the cold winter months.  I ask in that post what helps you survive the winter and your comments were filled with wonderful ideas and suggestions.  Thanks so much for sharing your fave winter survival tips. Since we're well into the throes of another winter, with at least two months ahead of us, I thought it would be … [Read more...]

Sometimes you see something on TV and it hits home. A couple of weeks ago, I caught part of the show, 60 Minutes.  They were interviewing two young ladies who had been kidnapped as children but were miraculously able to escape a few days after their abduction. That virtually never happens...escaping. The abuse they suffered permanently altered their lives in very negative ways.  They still struggle today … [Read more...]