September 28, 2025 AD

It is almost the end of September and again I am wondering how it has passed so quickly. It hasn't been the kindest month to me (lots of appointments and sickness), but yet I can't complain too much about it. It has been very mild in terms of heat. Heat is still lingering, but not oppressive heat like usual.  I have slowly added some fall decor which comes in waves for the entire season. I like to add it slowly based on the occasions of the months. For instance, 

my kitchen table usually has placemats, cloth napkins, and candles adorning it, but they change with the months of fall beginning with burnt orange and navy to start football season (it looks like it will be another long non fun one for us). Then it moves to a more orangey look for October and more browns and greens for November. I have no pictures to share of that, so you will have to use your imagination.

I did add the pumpkins on my dining room table. I still love the pumpkins I picked up at Joann's about 12 years ago.

The sideboard will get its Pilgrims and Indians with the cornucopia in November. That is one of my favorite decorations. Now, my mom would pull out her turkeys in October because I don't think I ever saw any Halloween decorations at our home growing up. For now, our doggies decorate the top. 

I have been in a ribbon mood this year. I have no explanation for it because that can happen some years and others I find them detestable.

It is a brown gingham that has been sprinkled all around the house this year.

I had grandiose plans for September and quite frankly not much of it happened. That just comes with the territory sometimes. I have stitched and read good books so that is a win. 

We kept Tucker and Palmer for Lindsay and Tyler to go out to eat Friday evening for her birthday. Normally, Lindsay and I share a party for our birthday but as I said, my plans have all been turned upside down for this month.  Jeff and I along with Valerie did pick her up from work to go to lunch this week. I do plan to celebrate with a dessert and all the family over in October when we have our normal weekend all together in Auburn. We have been doing this in September for the past few years, but we switched it up this year. I will probably just keep that surprise a secret. 

On Friday evening, I took some owls that I got at the Dollar Tree to put together. I wasn't sure they would have any interest in doing them, but they surprised me and loved it. We played outside until dark. They were getting along and coming up with things to do without any arguing. Mimi enjoyed herself immensely. We then came in and played some games before the parents got home. I wasn't even tired at all...reåson?... they got along. I told them so too.

I finished my Christmas gift stitch. Isn't it cute? I will love bringing this out in December.

I buy entirely too many books but I have tried to allot that in to my budget. I figure if it is one that Mom, the girls and I will all read, it is worth it. I have 3 to be delivered in October by 3 of my favorite authors; Sean Dietrich, Karen Kingsbury and Jan Karon. I should have plenty to read for the remainder of the year. I keep my list of books read on Goodreads. I really thought I had read more fiction this year than nonfiction but they were close in number. Fiction will win out with my 3 latest books coming. I have made an intentional effort to add more back into my life and it has been a good and positive thing.

I did read the latest Fannie Flagg book which is a collection of short stories called Something to Look Forward To. I enjoyed it and definitely think it is geared to the older more mature :) reader. I would probably say wait until you can get it at the library though. My favorite book of all time of hers is Standing in the Rainbow. I can only say that it is quirky and reminds me of my childhood which had a lot of hard times with so many deaths in my family, but the book hugged me in that the descriptions of things such as Christmas decorations made me think of the good in that decade of my life. I choose to think of standing in the rainbow rather than all the sadness...if that makes sense.

The picture below is testament that I gave the door and the surrounding casing a new coat of paint. I chose to share the full setting of said door to show you the dilemma with that door.

The tower would seem as though rain wouldn't be an issue since the overhang on the tower is pretty far out, BUT the tower doesn't have an issue with rain. Rain in northwest Florida is hardly ever a sweet little shower. When it rains, the bottom falls out and we get torrential downpours. Literally almost every time. What happens is the rain comes pouring around that tower and is supposed to go into those gutters. The rain is usually too much for those gutters and it just comes down so hard that it wets the windows to the left of the door and the door. This will be the second time in 12 years we have had to replace the casing around the door due to water damage. This time a composite material was used and I have often suggested a storm door might help. Jeff will not hear of the storm door idea. For 41 years we have mostly agreed on every issue, but this one not so much. The window casings had to repaired and the door now. It has been caulked multiple times and no one really has a great idea to help the situation.

Soooo.... I repainted the casing and gave the door a fresh coat of paint. Looks pretty nice at the moment, but for how long?

Valerie is officially a crawler and that has actually made her a little happier. She can now move around and entertain herself more. She gets places quickly which has me on guard.

We went out to the beach Saturday morning and the Gulf is still very warm, so we can't let our guard down for hurricanes just yet. 

September is about to move on out and October is coming in. I see no sign of fall temps in the extended forecast. Time will tell --- I just don't want anything stirring in that southern Gulf so I guess I need fall to come on and get here.

Until next time,

Sandy

September 16, 2025 AD

First up...

I am done trying to come up with titles for my posts. I am over it! From now on, a title will only have a date, a holiday, month or season in it. 

I didn't mean to fall off the radar, but I couldn't have forced a post last week with the news had I not had good reasons for my absence. The news of Charlie Kirk just was too much to muster up any energy to write or engage about. Those things go in my paper journal which got quite a few pages of my jumbled thoughts.

Thank goodness for paper journals...they are my release.

In my last post I had mentioned I had to take Mama to 3 different doctor appointments (dermatologist, ENT, and pain doctor for an injection) the first week of September and somewhere in all of those I got myself a case of pneumonia. I have been down for the count on feeling so poorly and ringing in a birthday too. I was sick all last week and finally decided I wasn't going to get better on Thursday, so I called the doctor's office and went in. He gave me an antibiotic, some steroids, and cough medicine. I even thought I felt a little better Friday evening, but when I woke up Saturday morning I couldn't get a good deep breath. Jeff immediately said we were going to the ER, and I balked big time. He pulls out the oxygen meter and I made him change the batteries because I just couldn't register that it could possibly be correct. Not enough O2 to the brain I suppose. I lost the battle and he watched football that day on his phone.

I am just so weak now, but I am much better and feel certain with a few more days I will be fine. It has put a lot on Jeff. He had to take Mama to the doctor today. I have no idea what I would do without him. His knee is healing but he is still on a slow roll himself.

I promise to try and talk about only the good stuff in the blog which I would imagine we could all use some, so I will try to jog my memory for some of that stuff over the last 2.5 weeks and then I am going to do my best to go visit all my friends here in Blogville.

When we arrived back from Auburn on the 1st, I had an early birthday present waiting from my friend, Arlene. I mean look at all this goodness. Pattern, linen (gorgeous pinky color), floss, and the board to finish it. I dove in stitching on it right away. I am honestly very close to finishing the stitching but I will wait to share the finish. 

The pinky color doesn't show up. I tried twice. Hopefully, when I am done adding all the red stitching to it you will be able to see it. I will try another location to photography it. The linen almost resembles peppermint to me.

I kept seeing this fabulous card in the package too and finally figured that it popped it up and out and oh my....how cute it this?! 

It has become part of the fall decor that I am slowing letting come in. I always am reluctant to let fall in for some reason. I am not this way on any season other than fall. One would misinterpret it -if you think I hate fall. I really don't. I think it just means the year is going to fast and if somehow I hang on it won't go so fast. Once I accept it, I find it to very a nice season. One thing though is it that it remains warm here and it is harder to feel all the falls, but doggone it this September has been so mild. 

We have a fall blooming azalea flower that has been loaded with butterflies and dragon flies and the bottle brush shrubs have even attracted some hummingbirds. Those have been such rewards when hopping outside.

On another plant note, I planted the one geranium this year rather than going overboard. Usually by the end of August they are completely done. This year I kept it watered, but didn't fertilize it at all during the hot months of summer. I sort of let it go dormant. A couple of weeks ago, it just popped up with a bunch of blooms. September has been milder than usual and I guess it felt it could try again to produce some lovely blooms.

I managed to actually fully finish Valerie's Christmas ornament. It is all ready for her this Christmas. I backed it with the traditional tartan plaid that I have done the others' in but gave her an oval shape.

*****

I turned 65 despite spending the day before in the ER missing all the college football goodness. I have a good husband who took good care of me and what more could one ask for. 

I am truly so blessed. I learned long ago that birthdays and aging are to be celebrated ---not moaned over that one is getting old. I lost my dad at 32. I remember waking up to my 32nd and looking at Lindsay and thinking I would never ever moan about getting old. I would always look upon my birthday as a gift to watch my children grow and now watch my grandchildren grow. 

I accept wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots and all that with grace. I do my best to take care of myself but no one can avoid all germs and sickness. I have felt quite awful this past week, but I will be ok with some time.

The kids are so busy and both have had many challenges lately, but they loved on me well and we had a quick meal on Sunday evening, my actual birthday. Long time readers may remember that the past few years Lindsay and I have celebrated our birthdays together since we are about 10 days apart, but she felt I needed one alone this year for 65 I guess. I didn't argue.

I will be popping in trying to catch up but I am sure many of you are like me...

the current events have zapped  me. 

Sandy

Hello September

Here it is September once again... how can that be? It is a full month of birthdays and our anniversary. We celebrated 41 years together today. We are home from Auburn rested for all the busy days ahead. After so many health issues that try to paralyze one with fear, we are so grateful for 41 years of marriage. We know every day is a gift. 

The weather was spectacular in Auburn for the weekend. I am so grateful to have the home in Auburn. It is such a different setting than our primary coastal home. It is truly the best of 2 worlds. Auburn played away, but it was still bustling with energy in Auburn. Our little neighborhood is very close to the action, but yet very quiet and restful. It is surrounded by oaks, not live oaks like at home, but all kinds of other ones. It makes for a peaceful outdoor setting. 

I said I didn't decorate for fall right away, but I sat there looking at the built-ins at Auburn and thought they are just naturally a more fall look with the browns, cotton, squirrels and more fall colored items on them. It helped me get in the mood although I am still hanging on to summer a bit.

Auburn usually helps me prepare for the transition from summer to fall. It lends itself to a more fall setting than living at the beach. There is such beautiful farm land in northern Florida along the border between Florida and Alabama. In the summer the fields are so green and lush with crops, but this time of year the cotton has been planted. Once I see that I am usually able to start thinking about letting fall in. Once it blooms in a few weeks, it is like a rite of passage for fall to me.

I did quite a bit of stitching, walking, watching football and general easy living. We spent time with friends and ate out mostly while there, so tomorrow is back to reality of eating right. Mom has 3 doctor appointments on 3 different days this week, so as I said, September will start off busy. 

I did get my stitching mojo back and it felt so good. I started 3 new things in my excitement. All 3 are mostly small but still have lots of stitches in them. I will share more when I get farther along on them. I even sewed my latest stitch into a pillow. Need to trim it. Here is a preview of what it is to come.

I also arrived home to the cutest stitching present from a good friend. I will wait until my next post to share it. So good!

We went out to eat with good friends on Sunday evening and the restaurant was so kind. They brought out champagne for our anniversary.  Many of you know I don't drink alcohol (I don't think there is anything wrong with it- just a personal decision with a long story behind it), but I was so impressed that I smiled sweetly and had my picture taken. 

We don't look like those kids from long ago, but we are blessed indeed.

Lindsay and her family went with the in-laws over to Cape San Blas and had a fun weekend at the beach. The weather was supposed to be rainy all weekend in the south or so we thought. They had good beach days. I thought their picture was so good.

Paul Allen and family hung out at our house for a good part of the weekend enjoying our waters. Katie got a sweet picture of the kiddos in their Auburn attire. Valerie's outfit was one I got for her. 

I am so happy to have my turn keeping her. 

Back to reality tomorrow, but one last note. I think I have had many new readers and here we thought blogging was on the way out. Anywho, I decided to add a little more to my About Me page at the top of the blog. I added the characters you see here on the blog so you understand all the names.

Happy September,

Sandy