Ready for the Masses tomorrow!!

My son Andy carved one of the pumpkins,,,,oooh, scarey scarey Devil! And I bought about a hundred bucks worth of candy for the little gremlins.....I mean dears! So we are set!

If you live OR work in Snohomish and you want to stop by for something other than a sweet treat, come on in for a cup/bowl of White Chicken Chili, Spiced Cider (or as my kids used to call it "Spiced Spider") and all the acoutrements,,,albeit casual because of the trick or treat crowd!!!

Hope everyone has a Spooktacular Halloween!!

Shell

Wow! This has been a REALLY special month.....

Okay, so here's the deal, I figure the payback for my month of extravagance and indulgence means I need to:

A) Work on Taxes
B) Schedule at least one Root Canal an perhaps a deep gum scraping.......
C) Clean out the fridge and closets/ especially those caverns that have remained the same for 10 years or more.....
D) Think of all the other mundane and anxiety producing tasks that I have put off or have "filed" away.

Because-This has been SUCH a great Month! Birthday gatherings/ visits-Shopping trips, times spent with Old and New friends. I mean I am feeling guilty because of all the joy in my life. Ever feel that way? It's like you are on cloud nine and stop and think, "Okay, this is really really good, but if it's this good now, what is going to befall me in the near future??? Silly, I know. And Hey!, I'm an optimist,,,,but I think we've all felt that way when life just felt SO good!!

I got a belated birthday present from my bestest new long distance  friend  and blogging  dear, Lulu today! She is a whoot and a  love and she and I relate SO well,,,,,,I think her friendship may be my "bestest" present this year,,,This whole blogging thing and meeting like minds,,,,,It's amazing! So anyway, today I got such an awesome package from her,,,after she has been SO sick and taking care of family and her Craft orders and all......She is amazing!!!! There are pictures above of some of her hand crafted items and her "Marie" faux cupcakes, I will be showcase soon, because where in the heck and WHAT in the heck did I do with all my footed cake plates??? And she sent me awesomely scented candles and the cutest "Cake Day" (that's what I am calling Birthdays from here out!) 3-D Birthday card- which features tons of active Cats and dogs,,,,,which of course we both have and probably started our bond in the first place!
Well,,,,a "Luluism," She's been busy as a cat in a litterbox!!  Thank you my dear, SO much, from the bottom of my heart!

Now again today, I was REALLY REALLY bad!! I went to Molbaks----SO much more than a nursery and as those of you that live close you'll be nodding your heads,,,,,,,It's a GOOD and BAD place.....There is SO much eye candy and Kelly  and I made a good dent (after breaking for a while in the FABULOUS Cafe' for Quiche and Salad that was to DIE for!!! I'm not showing all our "loot," as mine is going to be on the home tour but I took a fun pic of Kell-Bell in her Elfin hat and of our Polka Dot Trees,,,,,,,,I am SO going OVER the TOP this year!!!

Wonderful mixed media bannerr from Lulu! (I LOVE CROWS!)

Again,,,,,the wonderful package from Lulu w/ all her goodies and a day with Kell,,,,,,I don't think life gets much better,,,,,,,,Hope you enjoy the pics!!!

Kell Bell sporting her Elfin hat,,,,,,,,how CUTE!! And here are the cute pom-pom trees she and I bought!

 I absolutely LOVE this "Paris" Banner Lulu made me! And the Candles she sent took me "back" to Europe!!

I love this banner on my French cabinet!!!

Life is Good, and I'm so BLESSED to have such good friends!

Shell

Monday Nite Madness at Moms! Too funny!

Well, as some of you may, or may not know, my Son Andrew and his friend/roomie have moved into my little rental cottage in back.

They both come "up front" to my house periodically for various finds/favors and FOOD!! So,,,a couple of weeks ago I decided to create an event that I would HOPE would put a damper on their attempting to forrage through my kitchn or expecting regular meals from moi,,,,,,SO, I told them we would have "Monday nite Madness/Mayhem" at "Moms." I would provide them dinner and they MAY get a cooking lesson or two in the works,,,,they clean up and take the "hounds for a walk.

It's worked well,,,,,for the most part. Although they still pop over to my house for TP, a pan, my pepper mill, etc. ,,,,,But they are learning. . .

Here are some fun pics of the "manly men" helping and learning in the kitchen,,,enjoying the "fruits" of the labor and some doggie play time..How CUTE do they look in their aprons??? Only REAL men can wear ruffles and florals and still get the job done!!!

Funky Junk Finds

Make a Smilebox slideshow

As you can tell, if you watch the slideshow, I really had FUN shopping at Funky Junk and in Sumner! Thanks again, in part to Dani who taught me how to bargain a bit! And thanks to the helpers on the bus freeing our hands so we could peruse further and faster!

I'd love to see what some of the other bus gang found! The bounty was plentiful!

I didn't buy much in Sumner, other than a few vintage Christmas finds and some lovely papers and ribbons at a GREAT Stamping store called "paper Muse." What a gorgeous shop! It's probably a GOOD thing that it's not closer to home, I could do some serious damage in there, baby! I think by the time I was done in there, I'd pretty well reached sensory overload!!!

Dani's wonderful Chocolate Chip cookies helped with my stamina though, mid afternoon!

Time to put some of these new goodies to good use!! The way it is raining here today, it's a good day to hunker down and GLITTER!!!

Slideshow of our Funky Junk Bus trip Today

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I had an awesome time today on Timi's "Come Junk with us" Bus to Puyallup
(for out of Staters that is pronounced "pew" "al" "up." Where we hit the Funky Junk extravaganza in the morning and then headed to Sumner, WA after lunch. It was SUCH a beautiful day! The weather and colors were gorgeous and Mt. Ranier was spectacular enroute!

Timi did an awesome job! We had prizes and discounts and wonderful goodies and Starbucks coffee and gifts and maps and "helpers" to take our buys to the bus for us, and, and, and.........I cannot truly give her enough praise for her organizational and yet FUN aspects of our trip!

We all were 30 something in number and her hubby Jay followed along with a truck for major puchases.......

The vendors and booths at Funky Junk were awesome! Good prices, great selection, gave us LOTS of discounts and freebies!!!

I found SOooooooo many fun things that I will post about that entirely separately tomorrow or Monday. But it was truly a Banner day at the Show and in the cute little town of Sumner! They rolled out the red carpet for "Timi and her girls."

I hope you enjoy(ed) the slideshow and think about "Junkin'" on Timi's buses in the future!!

Shell

(PS...I just have to say that I had a lovely day exploring it all with my friend Dani. And I'm Annie "left" the Cherub lamps for me-because she knew I would like them. And I don't know who bought all the Madonnas Annie, you or Mary, but I SO need to buy one from you Girls to keep that dang Jehovah Witness lady off my porch!!! Those Snohomish Girls,,,,,gotta love em! Where's my Madonna? We can negotiate,,,,,my Angel lamps for a Madonna!)

Is there such a thing as a Burlap Headache???

I'm headed to the Funky Junk Show this Saturday via Timi's, "Junk Sisters" Bus-Girlfriend and shopping extravaganza and I've been crafting a little "freebie" to put in her gift bags for the "JUNK Queens."

I won't disclose my little gift, other than to say that it involves burlap, of which I cut QUITE a bit today! And I've had a sinus headache ever since,,,I'm thinkin' it's all the fibers from the burlap. Ackk! Okay,,but they WILL be funky, and hopefully fun!

I'm still tweaking a crown for Anita (almost done, promise!) Working on some Christmas crafts, ordered name tags graphics for the "bus," nametags,FINISHED "the pink bus" for breast cancer auction, yadda, yadda! Busy day, but I'd like to think I'm making SOME headway!!!

Enjoy your week! Hugs,
Shell

A few more Joyworks Party Pics

A few more Party Pics,,,,,,,,

I had to laugh at this picture, Jill, usually THE MOST photogenic of all us us looks like she's struggling to decide how much pumpkin roll each of us gets. Rita, looking on, looks quite concerned about portion control......

For God sake, would someone PLEASE tell me to push my glasses up! These aren't readers Shell, they are PROGRESSIVE!!! I need to work on the old Lady factor if I'm going to remain 50!

Fun Day! I'll spare you all some of the other photos,,,,,and you'll Thank me!

Shell

Fantastic Party at Joyworks Today!!

Rita (from Joyworks)and I share a "Birthday Week." Mine is the 14th and her's is the 21st, we're born exactly a week apart, And, amazingly we're both STILL 50! So, for the last several years, we've been blessed to share our Joyworks party. And what an extravaganza it was THIS year! My heavens!

Lunch (Always a treat from Clarice) was an awesome "build your own Taco Salad". And Jill, our in-house pastry chef made a wonderful Pumpkin cheesecake Roll for dessert. YUMMY!!!

The gifts and flowers were gorgeous (you GUYS!!!!) Jana made me the "Studio" sign above and I LOVE IT!! Now I have to fix up the studio to live up to the signage!!

Sandy made me a darling little spiral notebook with a darling angel on the front and lots of fun papers and little "catch all" envelopes inside! Waaaaay Cute.

Now Jill, We all know that she is the organizer, the wonderful baker and so much more, but her Sweater Squash that she made me is just too darn cute! And her little sweater pumpkins!! Darlin'! I think she may have found a new crating niche'!

All the gifts were SO lovely and SO thoughtful but most of all, it was a great day to spend with some of the Best Gals I know!!!

Love and Hugs and thanks SO much you guys from Me AND RITA!

Shell

PS,,,,I know our dear Luanne doesn't read blogs so much, but you were dearly missed today and are in our hearts, thoughts and Prayers.

PPSS,,,Thanks to all my wonderful other friends for making yesterday so incredible-wonderful phone calls from near and far, visits, hugs and cards, dinners and deserts! Even a bottle of wine from Thomas at the Gas Station! Geesh! I don't mean to gush but, I am SO blessed!

Tomorrow is MY cake day ,,,,,as my dear Lulu would say!

Hi all! Tomorrow, Wednesday is my Birthday, or "Cake day" as my dear friend Lulu would call it. It's not a "notable" year,,,,,,,I'm not 50, I'm not 60 , I'm somewhere in between, and that is OK!!!!

So, If you live in the area, you can stop by at 7:30pm and have either a drink, or a yummy dessert at Collector's Choice here in Snohomish! My treat! It's my Birthday and I get to do what I want!!!

Or,Thursday, Rita Sima, one of my Joyworks partner's and I will have our joint party, complements of Clarice, and the Joyworks gals for the both of us. (Our birthday's are a week apart to the YEAR and I'll have you know we'll both be 50 AGAIN!! (We're going to KEEP doing it until we get it right! Or, I guess, till we turn 60!!)

Hugs and loves, truly to all my Joyworks and Snohomish friends, and IF you want to stop by Collectors Choice tomorrow around 7:30, I'm springing for a drink or dessert!

Shell (Dang, hot flashes, insomnian and joint pains,,,,am I REALLY 53???)

BDay Lunch with the Alligator Hunter, Helen

Today I had lunch with my dear friend Zoe, (former coworker at Nordstrom and mom's helper) and all of our dear friend, the wonderful Helen.

Zoe and I took Helen out to lunch at the lovely Cabbage Patch restaraunt, to celebrate her 90th birthday. Oh my Lord (or in Lulu and friend's case, My Lawd)She is a whoot! She's 4ft somethin' now and cute as a bugs ear. A Catholic by birth and bestest friend to my mother "Lynn" who was a professed athiest -although I will attest to the fact that her "tune" changed and I prayed with her in the last hours of her life....... and I WILL attest that I never knew anyone more charitable, more forgiving, accepting and loving to ALL and I mean ALL, than my mother......

So, Helen,Child Alligator Huntress in the depression in the Everglades, God bless her, had her biggest concern today in talking in her afterlife with my mother about THEIR soap, Guiding Light and it being cancelled, and Helen didn't really know who was with whom at the end and she didn't have my mom around anymore,- a friendship that formed, no less, in their 80's,in the Foyer at Safeway. Yeah, they were cute together. I don't know who took it harder when my mother died at 90, me or Helen.

Helen was just plain upset that mom would leave her, I mean the NERVE of my mother...
Mom was there today too, I just felt it. And I held back the tears and felt the love of one woman for another. And Helen was SO sure she'd get to see and talk to Mom again soon.

I left laughing and hugging dear little Helen.

I've got SO many good friends,neighbors and coworkers that I love like family, I feel truly blessed. And, I have such a strong connection to this community. Today though,I gave myself a mental kick in the behind to spend more time with Helen, to learn as much as I can about what she has learned from life. To try and apply those lessons a bit more to my own. And to "see" her and my mom laughing together someday (not YET, Helen said) in the afterlife.

We all need to stop and spend time with our elders. Listen to their stories, their truths, their insights. I think it makes us better people. And, if we're lucky, our children, grandchildren and the likes will maybe take time to listen to us.

Hugs to you and yours, especially those that just WISH we would listen to their stories,,,,,,,
Shell

A "Golden" kind of a Day!

This is my favorite time of year, and it was truly a "Golden" Day, in more ways than one! Once again, the day was gorgeous. As I ran around town I saw bushes and trees that have burst forth in color from the crisp morning and evening air and although distressing the plants, provides such wonderful colors! Indeed, Golden and spectacular!

It was also "Golden" because my Golden Retriever Kodi went to the vet today, a new office here in Snohomish. I'd heard wonderful things about this guy and because my previous Vet retired and the clinic was further away, I thought I'd try this new one to treat "The Code Man's" hotspots. (He's a purebred and doesn't want to talk about the unsightly bare spot above his "exit only" sign,,,,,aka his rump! So we went and saw the new vet and Kodi fell in love. And well, I did too, I mean in an animal lover kind of a way. This guy HAS Golden's and Kodi couldn't stop wagging, even when he got his cortisone shot-he wagged the whole time and gave appreciative sniffs on the way out. BIG fun! Man, I wish I got that excited when I went to the doc!!!

This afternoon while headed for the grocery store (And I've commented before that my car has a mind of it's own and doesn't always drive me directly there) I stopped at Kusler's Pharmacy and Gifts where I also used to work PT to see my dear friend Zoe (who herself is pretty Golden, come to think of it!) And low and behold, Janet (Kusler) and her partner Mary Pat have two new Golden Retriever pups that were up in the offices in their Kennel (of which they will be outgrowing VERY soon) and I had a love fest with these adorable new golden fluff balls.

And, in closing, shortly before this post I enjoyed several more flocks of Canadian Geese winging their way across the Golden Sky.

I think before the night is through I may just need to get out the glitter and well, spread a little more gold!!!

Although tomorrow may have to be a "Black" kind of a Day, because my Black Lab Shadow was pretty bent when she had to stay home while Kodi got a car ride and his breath smelled of doggie treats when we got back home!

Hugs and love,
Shell

Coastal Sister's Giveaway, Ends at 7:00pm tonight!

Stop by today and comment on my friend Lulu's blog to enter to win one of her GORGEOUS faux Cakes!!! Contest ends at 7:00pm East Coast time, so enter soon!

Hugs,
Shell




http://coastalsistersnews.blogspot.com/2009/09/winner-and-another-new-giveaway.html