Taking a little break......

I try to post at least 2-3 times a week on Sam's Amusing World blog. This week I've got nothing floating in my head to post, talk about, ask questions, start discussions, cute photos or ideas. What I do have floating in my head is the fun stuff for:  wedding 1 plans, ideas, questions, suggestions, lists, lists, lists, reservations, more lists, lists, lists, shower planning, shower doing, lists, lists, lists of things to do. Then there's baby, baby, baby, first grandchild excitement, shower doing, reservations, flight plans, baby, baby, baby. And not to forget wedding 2 plans, lists, ideas, lists, where, what and when things to do. Trips, schedules, tickets, dates, fielding phone calls, answering and sending emails, organizing to keep it all straight in my head and on the calendar. All while trying to keep up with Attic Whispers postings 3 times a week, keeping to a new fitness schedule & household duties. At least, I'm retired from the out in the world workplace, if I had that on top of it all I'd be yelling: TILT! Yup, I finally hit the OverLoad button. 

 

I'll be back folks when my head has space to include writing, posting ideas, ask questions, make statements and Amuse you. In the mean time enjoy Attic Whispers web site and I'll be back here soon..........

 

 

My awesome daughter-in-law (I have one - soon to have two more) is always showing me interesting sites on the Internet highway via her blog, Sagebrush Coast, that I had no idea existed and have been for a long time. Here's a recent discovery: Lists Of Note plus there is a companion site called: Letters of Note with scanned letters from mostly famous people or addressed to famously, well known people. I get lost reading other people's mail. 

The following little tid-bit caught my eye and I just had to share it with you.

10 Rules for Wives

In 1923, the Legal Aid Society of New York City published some advice to wives in the area, in the form of the  following list of rules.  (Source: Family (Great Contemporary Issues.)

1. Don't be extravagant. Nothing appeals more strongly to a man than the prospect of economic independence.
2. Keep your home clean. Nothing is more refreshing to the eyes of the tired, nerve-racked worker than the sight of a well-tidied home.
3. Do not permit your person to become unattractive. A slovenly wife makes a truant husband.
4. Do not receive attention from other men. Husbands are often jealous and some are suspicious without cause. Do not supply the cause. Friendly attentions from others may be received in a spirit of perfect innocence. When reported by the busy-body they become distorted, often criminal.
5. Do not resent reasonable discipline of children by their father. Mothers should not assume that all chastisement of a child by his father is severe and unjustifiable.
6. Do not spend too much time with your mother. You may easily, in such a way, spend too little time at home.
7. Do not accept advice from neighbors, or even stress too greatly that of your own family. Think for yourself. Have a plan of your own for solution of home problems. In all causes consult freely with your husband.
8. Do not disparage your husband.
9. Smile. Be attentive in little things. An indifferent wife is often supplanted by an ardent mistress.
10. Be tactful. Be feminine. Men, in the last analysis, are but over-grown children. They do not mind coaxing, but they resent coercion. Femininity attracts and compels them. Masculinity in the females repels.

                   They forgot #11. Stay barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen

All I can say is: Really??  Really??

They followed me home.....

I started going to Pinterest a few times a week, then it was 5 times a week, then it was daily and I will admit it -- I was hooked. Hook-line-and-sinker! I'd fritter away an hour (or two) gazing at what other people felt was important enough to post - repost - and post again. One day, I told myself: STOP! So now I visit Pinterest when I'm bored, have nothing else screaming at me to do, or just want to see what other people have posted - reposted - and posted again.

and...these neat ideas just followed me home.

I have a stack of old windows just waiting for a new life and I think one just might make it out of the storage shed to become this.

This is so simple - yet - so creative. I have 3 large bins of scrapbook paper scraps -- hum....

What a great idea for tight spaces and I love the cork board lined lid

Photographs printed on vellum,

put on cheap wood frames

attach 3 together

put a battery powered little (IKEA?) light inside

and whol-ahh -- magic!

 

Not an idea but an awesome waterfall from Uluru Waterfalls in Australia

Enchanting - Surreal - Awesome

 

Monday Monday

Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it?

My answer:

I prefer to be behind the camera -- Seldom have I seen a photo of me that I like: "That's not me - it can't be!" But, behind the camera I get to capture the world as I see it and document the person, place, thing or event.  And I've got the bookshelf filled with the scrapbooks to prove it.

25 More A-Musing Thoughts.....

1 - I still think Robert Redford is dreamy
2 - I like people that really listen - really listen! And
     intelligent minds that know when to speak and
     when to not. I'll be quiet on that subject.
3 -  I hate grape juice - guess that's why I never got
      into wine.
4 -  I could soak in a bath, reading for hours -- wait I
      do soak in the tub reading for hours. (and the
      inside joke: Bombs away - mom's in the bath)
5 - I have strong opinions on organized religion,
      politics, and labels - but will never discuss them
      here.
6 -  I think of myself as a back-up singer for Dixie
      Chicks - although I seldom listen to country
      music.
7 - I taught my kids to talk into the fan to hear their robot voice.
8 - Put on a song from the 60's and I can sing along, matching every word.
 But, can I tell you what I had for dinner last night - nope, nada, still scratching my head.
9 - I hate drivers that come right up to my back bumper at a stop sign - are there cars that don't roll
      backwards - I think not.
10 - I don't understand why we don't already have 50 states that allow same sex marriage -- I just don't
       get it. Opps, I guess I just violated my #5
11 - I could dance til the cows come home.
12 - I have not had an alcoholic drink in over 40 years - ugh, poohie, I hate the taste
13 -  I love the Bad Boy in every show
14 - I collect pretty tea cups and saucers, photographs - whether I know the people or not, and paper -
       all kinds, stories, memories.
15 -  My childhood imaginary friend's name was Sally -- wait, there's Sally now (she had to dump me
        for a while, her friends didn't think I was real)
16 - I'm so happy to finally have learned how to fit physical fitness into my life - I've got the best coach
       (thank you Chris!)
17 - I think spelling is over rated - if it looks right and is understood, why not?
18 - I hate the labels that the world puts on people. Just stop it!
19 - Seeing people change isn't what hurts, what hurts is remembering who they used to be. So true -
       So true.
20 - I have a soft heart for bison and wolves, whales and eagles.
21 - I wish I understood all the electronic things floating around my world - at least how to program
       them.
22 - I hate it when someone starts talking over my talk - just wait a moment, I'll listen to you, too.
23 -  I hate running out of mayonnaise, peanut butter or pop corn
24 - If I believed in reincarnation - I know I was a Lakota Sioux in a past life.
25 - Hearing the rain helps me sleep better -- although, having my kids giving, forcing, enabling me
       with coffee recently may have something to do with sleeplessness (yum-coffee!)

Color Points

I love looking at a fabulous photograph and pulling the colors out to form a natural palette of color. Mother Nature knows it best when it comes to coordinating color points. 

A photograph of Antelope Island, The Great Salt Lake, Utah

 by Scott Mansfield. See his other work at Mountain Over Water.

The soft hues of the photograph creates a wonderful, layered scope of combining soft and sharp brown tones with the subtle gray, sage green mist of the water to the ominous blue sky. Earthy. So serene and simply lovely.

 

Another photograph of Antelope Island, The Great Salt Lake, Utah

 by Scott Mansfield. See his other work at Mountain Over Water.

At first glance this photograph looks to have two zones - ecru and blue. This time the island blends into the lake matching the sky within a brilliant blue territory.  I love the rusty reds at the base of the seasonal flora sitting on a landscape of soft, downy grasses.  Could almost be translated into denim, khaki, and reds - my favorite color combo. Wonderful contrast.

More Just Musing....

 I've been racking my pea brain for something to blog about (since I started Attic Whispers I feel like I write everyday and I do, but for another site) and I'm going to take a page from Suzanne at Meridian Road's blog post and do a 25 list.  Here goes......

1 • I'm usually up by 4:00 AM - what's with that? - when I had to get up early to get my kids ready and out the door for school, I'd punch that alarm clock a half dozen times for just another 5 minutes of sleep.

2 • I hop into sweats when I get out of bed and could stay in them til noon -- wait, I do stay in them til noon.

3 • I love how close my kids are to us and one another -- we're far between in miles, but never in our thoughts, hearts or phone call.

4 • I use Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion - daily!

5 • My favorite color is RED and love it even more when it's in a plaid pattern (I'm not Scottish for nothing)

6 • I'm driving my dream car -- well, I wouldn't mind a little red sports car to run around in with the top down and the wind blowing in my hair with the radio blasting 60's rock-n- roll hits.

7• I love being in the middle of a good book and a good streaming TV series.

8 • My recreational reads are all mysteries -- I've read thousands.

9 • I love the seldom seen sunshine streaming in our two story windows - but hate how it shows up all the cob webs lurking in every corner that I will then attack with my telescopic duster. Living in the woods has a few draw backs.

10 • I love making hearty soups -- yummy!

11 • I surround myself with my family snapshots - here, there and everywhere - I miss you guys and gal!

12 • We told our kids to follow your Bliss, over and over and over. And they did

13 • I cry at happy endings and sad ones, too. Commercials, a story, a thought, a surprise announcement, taking my kid(s) to the airport/train station

14 • I don't miss working in the work place - retirement is wonderful and luckily enough to get a big jump on that date was more than great. I do miss not meeting and making friends that working out side of the home brings to the mix.
15 • I love my new web site: Attic Whispers -- I can't stop writing and have over 120 stories yet to post.
16 • I've had one driving violation - a speeding ticket, I was 5 MPH over the limit and the judge laughed and said, really? get out of here.
17 • I hate all my clothes in my closet, right now -- I need a new wardrobe!
18 • I could sit on a beach for hours and hours and never speak a word
19 • I miss my girlfriends from my 20's -- all the hopes and dreams we shared and fun we had
20 • I love to travel (and get antsy at the thought) especially when it's with my kids -- they are so much fun!
21 • I wish I could write like Alan Bradley.
22 • Surrounded by mountains, lakes and an ocean - I make myself travel the view of at least one of them every time I leave home.
23 • When I read a book, I NEVER read the last page first -- no no no
24 • I could go camping every week, if the weather would only cooperate.
25 • I love moonlight - I just love moonlight.....

Just musing......

Do you have a nickname? I bet you refer to someone, some place or thing by a nickname everyday. I call my automobile Sassy. Our other car is called AMR (Ammer) which stands for Arrest Me Red.  In it's day it was a fast, sporty, red car that was on every officers radar to follow, stop or ticket.  We give monikers, or dub, give as a handle, label, use pet names or tag to everything. Since the 1400's in Middle English, nicknames have been with us, used by us, referred to by us. Babyface Nelson, Bloody Mary, Ivan the Terrible, Butterfingers Moran, Snookie, Emerald City, the Rose City, the Big Apple.  If you've ever watched a episode of Lost, you'll hear Sawyer (that hunky bad boy) throw out nickname titles willy nilly.

We give nicknames to our wee babies; snookums, punkin (with a "n"), bugs, sweetie. We give nicknames to our partners; hot stuff, babe, honey. We give or have been given nicknames due to our size, hair color or personality; slim, pee wee, fats, blondie, ginger, whiz, scooter.  We use a person's initials when referring to them; BA, AR, KC, SAM, Dee. Some of these monikers are given as affectionate tags to be spoken only once in a while and some stick with us for life.

I've been called S.A.M. before I was born - yes, dad wanted a boy for his first child (sorry dad). Once when he and I were in a grocery store, when I was about 6 years old, a lady came up to us and chastised my father for calling me a boys name -- we giggled and walked hand and hand out the store (it was our little pet name). But, it stuck. If I ever heard my full given name, Sandra Aleda -- I knew I was in trouble. I remember doing that to my kids, too (sorry kids). My school teachers called me Sandy, people who don't know me call me Sandy thinking they've got the nickname for Sandra. Nope, not me. I often tease my husband that I married him because his last name started with a "M" and that would make my nickname official. S.A.M. Cool! Better than the nickname he was given as a child.

When my husband's family moved into a new neighborhood and meeting the kids from the block, they asked him what his name was. Bruce will do, he replied. So, from then on he was called Bruceldo.

12 lessons for 2012

Recently, Brand and Bloom's business coach, Andrea Mansfield, was asked by Design Sponge to share some fundamental goals for small (medium or large, too) business owners.  Her 12 lessons for 2012 is a concise, well written start to focus on what you want to get out of your business (or life) starting now.  Here's your link to the article:  Design Sponge

And it keeps on coming.....

From our little 2"-3" snowfall the last few days overnight we got another 7"=10" I measured it around the house at various spots and had a reading from 7" to 12". And the BIG SNOWSTORM is suppose to start late this afternoon throughout Wednesday. Oh Goodie....

I know for those east of the Cascades, Rockies, or Mississippi River our snowfall seems puny, small, nor worth mentioning - but here in the NW it's making the news, keeping everyone over the age of 17 indoors and brings our city is at a standstill. When our rain freezes and blankets us as snow - we pull out the cameras to document the event, hunker down and wait for the sun, rain and warmer temperatures to arrive.  

Some shots I took this morning - just snapshots nothing artistic

 

 

 

 

Bellingham finally got snow, too

 

There have been many times - many - when the weather forecast announcement is:

Bellingham Washington

rain mixed with light snow flurries

disappearing overnight

HOWEVER, at the Mansfield house

there will be snow

disappearing maybe by the end of the week

We have seen the snow zone start at our driveway and end next door - they along with the rest of Bellingham will have rain, we'll have snow.

Granted we do live in a forest that I like to call the thousand acre woods and our driveway climbs hundreds of feet up from sea level to our house but when it snows it's the driveway from hell.  We just stay indoors and admire the winter wonderland going on outside and wait a week or so until it's all gone. With all the tower trees the driveway is protected (nor sees the light of the sun) and it will be a long time before we'll venture out (or down). 

Do you see the little red barn below - that's on the street level entrance to our home. We have 5 hairpin turns (you're looking at turn 3 - or as we call it The Clincher (it'll get ya if you're not careful), climbing up to the house and when it snows I'll give the neighboring kids five minutes to grab their sleds or skis and come play on the snowy slope. Of course this packs the snow into ice and takes us an extra couple days of warm temps to melt and let us use the driveway - but, it's fun watching them zoom down the driveway taking those turns like Olympic athletes.

We've had snow at our house since last Friday.

The rest of Bellingham finally caught up to us this morning --  it snowed!

It's time to snuggle up next to the fire, grab my crocheting project or read a book and put a pot of soup on for dinner, cause right now looking out my window the snow is really coming down hard.

At least it is at our home.

Let Me Entertain You!

It's Entertaining

It's Fun

It's all new to me.....

Join me at my new blog, Attic Whispers located at

www.atticwhispers.com

Bookmark it, Spread the word and follow me to
Attic Whispers

(during the transition set-up, you might have to use:

www.atticwhisper.blogspot.com

for a few days.

Sam's Amusing World isn't going anywhere -- it'll be here with new posts -- I now have two blogs 

One completely fictional and entertaining

and One for a little of this and a little of that

Apparently, I'm Gray Mouse. What's your superhero name?

Just a little fun, today.....did ya find it? huh? huh? huh?

Fabulous!!!

3 glorious days of music! Blame Sally, Chris Isaak, M. Ward, Robert Earl Keen, Hugh Laurie, Ricky Skaggs, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Broken Social Scene, The Low Anthem, Dr. John, DeVotchka, Buddy Miller, Elbow, and Gomez just to name a few of the stage acts we followed, rocked to, danced to, and thoroughly enjoyed along with thousands and thousands of Golden Gate attendees. We missed not having March 4th Marching Band roaming the stages, but we rocked out just the same. It was sunny and warm then foggy and chilly -- that's San Francisco at it's best. Plus, we topped off each evening with some absolutely wonderful eats at local eateries. 

Now to wash off all the dust, do some laundry, take some make-up naps and get back to the ordinary, usual daily routine and look forward to the next Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival!

Good Idea(s)?

Found some great ideas on Pinterest and brought them home to share with you.

Rubber bands to mark your sewing measurement

Empty ketchup bottle to hold pancake batter

for the perfect pancake size

One summer swim tube - cut down the center

Old shoe box with a cut out to hold the tube halves

Bag of marbles

I love this idea for some racing fun!

Ah, the beach

 

I just returned from a few days on the beach - the Oregon coast beach. (more on that to come).

Before I left - I did another Jessica Sprague site challenge. Using the words "day off" in the title, we were to create a layout page of what we'd do with a full day off. Since most of my retirement days are "days off" I used what I'd love to do most if/when I had a day off the grid and my usual daily routine.

.....Head to the Beach.....

(photo from web search)

You're Invited

Taking a page from Pinterest and from Meridian Road blog post -- I created my new cabin on the lake. New cabin? (as opposed to an Old cabin?) Lake? (what lake?). That's the fun - create your own get-a-way place and dream.  And the best part is that it can change, move, or dream it again without prior notice.

So you're invited to come for a visit - stay as long as you'd like.

The doors always open, the coffee pot is on and the games are all set up to score.

I'm still building the hot tub - but, it'll be ready when you are.

 

The living room is cozy for those afternoon reads or evening fireplace conversations.

The meals will be entertaining with good food and great conversations.

The game table (not my first choice) has to be round, roomy and always up for the challenge.

 

Big-Big-Big Kitchen with loads of light, open cupboards, farmhouse sink.

There can never be too many cooks in this kitchen.

 

Bedrooms for everyone - magically added to accommodate one and all. Quilts, farmhouse antique finds and all with a view of the lake.

Glass enclosed showers and soaking tubs with a view. There's more than one or two or three.

Come on over to my place, stay awhile, relax on the deck or swim in the lake.

It's all good at Sam's Get-A-Way Cabin on the Lake.

(I hired Pinterest, the web and Sarah Richardson's web site - love, love Sarah Richardson's style - 

to put together my little cabin. See ya there.)