Stereo action..

I absolutely love music!

I mean really

love it.

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It gives us a way to praise God, deal with tragedy, deal with happiness.

Music is a wonderful gift to this world.

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I also love records.

They are way cool!

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Growing up we didn't really have too many records, we would have parties when I was a teenager and tell our friends to bring their records. My folks would be at our parties, no booze allowed, no drugs, smoking was okay outside at the butt can. Amazingly, we would have a lot of kids show up. (The kids at our school usually preferred keggers and these were the good, 90% going to college kids). Once we had over 60 kids when my folks stopped counting. We lived in a modest 3 bedroom house in Beaverton, Oregon at that time.

We had record players my mom would pick up at garage sales. There was one I can remember hating to change the record because you would always get a little shock. (I don't think we had that one too long.) See one of our record players top left.

So that brings you up to date on my record playing youth. I had a Fisher Price record player when my kids were growing up to play their records, and mine, on.

My first son Danny, me, and gumdrop. Gave up my partying youth for the better opportunity of raising this guy, well worth every moment! Alas, I digress...

Well, some years back I bought this beauty.

Now, it's nice. But,

it also plays CDs and cassette tapes. As such, the record player volume has to be turned up very high to hear it. Has something to do with how the music is recorded for CD versus vinyl. So you can't exactly blast Queen or Meatloaf and that is a pure shame!

So here's why I am excited.

Got this beauty on ebay, $10.00. The radio works great, great sound, the light is really cool, doesn't shock you at all! I have not tried the 8-track, never had any of those. I am not sure if the turntable works or not. It turns but needs a new stylus, which... I have on order!!!!!

So, wish me luck. If you hear Meatloaf blasting, you'll know it's me!

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Ran across these pictures, how cool was my dad when I was in high school! My sister and I made him have those sideburns, it was cool at that time.

Love my daddy!

Teacup Tuesday!!

Teacup Tuesday

Sponsored by Kim at http://shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com/

Looks like this will be our last official Teacup Tuesday. It has been a fun journey together! Thanks so much Kim.

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My offerings today are my newer cups, I have two of each.

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First...

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This is Royal Doulton Expressions English China Carmel. It is dishwasher, freezer, oven, and microwave safe. The trademark is 1991. This is a nice big cup and I do use it for coffee too.

Next,

This too is Royal Doulton, made in England, fine bone china Elegy, trademark on this one reads 1976. That was the year my big sister graduated high school, she of course being much, much older than me. I graduated much, much later (in 1977).

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My oldest daughter at one point said that of all my teacups this pattern was her favorite. She is such a sweet daughter and a lovely person.

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So, now we move on from teacups to teapots. Do I have teapots? DO I HAVE TEAPOTS???? Oh ya, I've got teapots!!!!

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Tomorrow (Tuesday) is little companion's first day of first grade. She will be treading the halls of public school this year for the first time. We are all pretty excited. These public schools here in Florida offer so much for the kids if they are willing and able to take advantage of it. She will be taking the bus, all so exciting and new!!!!

Thrifty finds....

I just have to share a couple of things I found today.

First is this really cool little tea table. It's old. The top is kinda bubbled so unless I want to refinish it (ya, right) we'll keep a large doily or tea tablecloth on it.

Got the cute little tray behind the teapot for 50 cents, it was made in 1989, or at least it claims to have been!

Next....

How cute is this!!! It's a perfectly proportioned little teapot, a little Thumbelina (Hans Christian Anderson) teapot.

I think it must have been restaurant ware, just the perfect size for one. A bit pricey at $2.99, but it feels good to be a big spender occasionally.

and.....

Oh ya, we know what this is don't we... WEDGWOOD made in ENGLAND.

It's in perfect condition and it's sweet, well worth the $1.99. I'll have to find just the right trinket to go in it.

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Got some great news. I put in a schedule change request and was approved. I will have kind of a split shift Sunday (not church hours) through Wed and then 4 hours on Thursday. It will take effect in about a week. I am really looking forward to not working into the wee hours of the morning any more. I will also be able to spend time with my granddaughter before and after school and not be rushed by having to start working.

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Boy, are we gonna have fun!!!!

Teacup Tuesday

Kim at http://shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com/ hosts Teacup Tuesday. She has some beautiful cups displayed this week and has a beautiful blog to visit.

I did not let her know I was participating this week but even though I am a little late will participate in my small way.

This is a Devon Royal Standard bone china teacup and saucer. It has a little pink, a little red, a little blue, and a little yellow in it, what else could you ask for!

This second one is a Bernardaud Limoges France in the Gabrielle pattern. I love the blue in this one. Gabrielle was my mother's middle name, fun stuff!

So, happy Teacup Tuesday!!!!

OH GOOD GRIEF!!!!

Do you ever have those times where in your mind's eye (love that phrase) you see something one way and you gather the tools, do the project, and then stand back to look at your handiwork and laugh and say OH GOOD GRIEF WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!!

Well, I had one. I tried to cheap a window. Don't ever try to cheap a window, they don't like it.

The curtain rod ends up with a half smile snarled upon it's ugly lips. It laughingly mocks you until you throw up your arms and decide you better get to Lowe's as fast as you can to grab a rod that will work before anyone sees the ugly reality that you tried to cheap your window!

You grab a water bottle and crackers to sustain little companion whom you will pick up from day camp and take with you on your quest.

Stop for a photo opportunity, who could pass that up!

With my little companion riding the cart like on the movie Titanic we sailed the isles and found proper rodage to appease our window.

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Quickly through Dairy Queen drive through tonight, no time to stop, and on back to the house. By this time little companion's mother was home and it was fairly cool so we decided to mow the lawn (as the housemate who had agreed to do yard work had abruptly departed, the lot fell to us).

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She started on one side of the mammoth house with her newly purchased gas mower (abruptly departed housemate took the gas mower they had), I on the other with my lightweight electric, and really long cord, and together we knocked out the project in about 45 minutes. Gasping for air and water by the end of the project, we decided to wait on fixing the mocking window until Saturday, when we finally wiped that smile off the windows face.

Ah much better!

With this we were able to block most of the sun's heat while maintaining light through the upper most part. I also really like the curtains that move so easily on the rod.

Then we figured we should do a tablescape.

Here we have the Embassy USA Vitrified China showcased, our green goblets and chargers (Goodwill and Salvation Army) and our Old Country Roses flatware. Little companion's mother did the napkin fold (something she was taught at John Robert Powers in Coral Gables all those many years ago) along with cloth placemats and a freshly ironed tablecloth.

A little bohemian, old mixed with new in a workable way.

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Then we ate pizza, put little companion to bed, and are planning on watching Iron Man II, if the video store has it! Been a tiring but productive weekend. First day of the week tomorrow, get to worship the Lord with like minds, best way to start the week. Wishing you a restful Sunday my friends!

Teacup Tuesday

I am happy to be able to participate again this week in TEACUP TUESDAY!!!!! Kim hosts this party at http://shabbypinkandpretty.blogspot.com/, be sure to get a look at the other ladies cups too.

Today I will be sharing two teacups. The first is Homer Laughlin made in 1954. Very vibrant red with gold leaves.

The fan behind my daughter and little companion brought me back from Puerto Rico this last year when they went on their cruise. I actually use my fans, mostly in church. (Oh ya, everyone is wishing they had a fan as they are sneak fanning with their bulletins.)

This next one I especially like now because I it makes me think of Bunny over at http://creativehare.blogspot.com/

She has a cup that looks a whole lot like this Golden Rose Royal Chelsea on her post on June 8. So I figure if Bunny and I ever meet up we can bring our teacups, sit and chat, and have tea. The thought makes me smile.

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There have been some unexpected changes here this last week that have been pretty rough on some of my family. Ah, that's life. Remembering, as I would insist to my dad that something wasn't fair his words would be... life ain't fair. How true.

But, luckily we move on, storms in life come and go and we press onward toward our ultimate goal of a home with God.

Here's one of my favorite poems again.

The Winds of Fate
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow,
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through life:
'Tis the set of a soul
That decides its goal,
And not the calm or the strife.

Love that poem! Wishing everyone going through something not fair right now the peace that comes from God. Oh and HAPPY TEACUP TUESDAY!!!!

Show and tell

I must show you a couple of things we found this weekend while out on a short shopping trip. First is a doll that little companion picked out.

She is in excellent condition and so detailed.

We asked little companion where this doll was going and she said she thought maybe a prom or church (although she did feel she was a little too dressed up for church) or a dance at the church. Hummm, ya, that don't a happen where we go to church.

Her mama suggested maybe a wedding, she wasn't too sure....

So, this is the doll she brought home, guess how much... I just have to tell, okay she was $5.06. I just find that rather amazing, just amazing.

Now, the second item was a bit more...

It is sort of a miniature china hutch. Now little companion has somewhere to stow her china. She uses these dishes nearly every day. It is so cute to watch her set her place. She did the arrangement of her dishes.

It has been true utter madness here this weekend. But, as Scarlett would say....after all tomorrow IS another day!