SPEECHLESS

I normally try to keep my personal posts on the Verandah....but some people know me and follow me at Marys Church. I was so touched to find this waiting for me from my friend Joan at www.fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.coms the morning ....I want to make sure it is on both blogs. Yeah yeah - she talks about me....and don't get me wrong - I DO love being the Queen......but most importantly she talks to you ....Take care of your Business !!

THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE

I don't often ( or NEVER ) indulge myself with a post that's just "all about me" but today is that kind of day. It was three years ago today that a doctor looked across her desk at me and said those heart-stopping words "You have cancer". The next year and a half was a succession of major events in my life ; surgeries, chemo, a move across country, more chemo, buying the church and trying to renovate while sick......much of it now seems like a long ago dream.

This week has been a roller coaster ride....had to go in for a check-up and I was over due. I had put this all so far behind me. I was not prepared for the meltdown that occurred when I walked through the door - I didn't want TO BE THERE AGAIN.......down I plunged. All my tests were fine and I was given a clean bill of health .......up I soared. Higher I flew when I arrived for my first painting lesson as it is something I've always wanted to do.......... started a slow downward spiral as I realized how much harder this was going to be than I had thought. But that's okay - I mean who do I think I am ? I'll put in the time and love it and I am climbing up again.....what is that buzzing? BEES ? Bees are coming out of the wall around the window - LOTS OF BEES. I am so tired of having to do everything myself and now I have to deal with bees in my walls....the bottom drops out of my stomach and I think I just can't do this anymore as I take out all the trash and recyclables........... Then I start to slowly climb back up - I "get a grip" and tell myself that those bees have to be dealt with before bedtime .....and I get the step ladder and the foam insulation.

And now today....it is raining - and I am weepy as I recognize the date for what it is. I begin to cut away the excess foam around the windows that has dried overnight - take a break to bring in the trash cans - check the doppler radar to see when I may have a rain break and deal with the bees from the outside.......... I rest on my daybed and look up at the beautiful stained glass windows and the wonderful ceiling and realize I have been bumping along the bottom for too long .

It's time to begin the ascent.

Man it's been a roller coaster ride this week !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcQJ4T9HNfU

THEME THURSDAY - WILD

WILD ANIMALS - nerds optional

It almost feels like cheating to have the theme for this week be "wild " when I've just returned from Africa.....please forgive me ;

and there's more http://www.theafricanqueens.blogspot.com/

SHOW YOUR HAND

Ronda from Ronda's Wonderland invited everyone to play along and post something in their own hand....most agreed they are far more comfortable with a keyboard but I never learned to type!! I am a "hunt and peck" girl and it is painfully slow......I would write all my posts .

Once my father was napping on the sofa in the den and I had to type a paper........I apologized but said I had to do it. He said "You're going to type?? Don't worry about me - I can nap between each peck"

If you would like to share your hand - let us know when you post - it's like a peek show.

A SLICE OF LIFE

What a glorious day.......

under a canopy of towering trees

Going once - Going twice - SOLD

This is a true tidbit of Americana - I went to a farm auction. There are not many real estate auctions these days - most properties have been sold or divided before now. This was in a small town - Gillingham, and the auction was at the town's namesake, the Gillingham estate .......yeah - it doesn't get any better than this. It was very emotional for many - this was their history being auctioned.
I didn't need anything - but it was an event I did not want to miss:

enjoy

and P. S. this exquisite farm house, out-buildings and 16 acres went for 110.00.

THEME THURSDAY - ROOF

This is one of my all-time favorite songs.....I've always felt that we missed the boat here in the USA by not developing our roofs. In Europe there are wonderful roof gardens with flowers cascading down the buildings.....sigh..... whenever I see a late 19th - early 20th century commercial building - I always wonder if there could be a roof garden. Yeah - I know we have some snow issues - but I could make it work !

ENJOY and dream:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABV8oIDecyo

SWING

For Adam - it was the apple...........for me - it was the swing. My desire was insatiable, the temptation was too great.


The little boy across the street was named Billy and he was five. More importantly - he had a swing set. I was four and not allowed to cross the street. This was a HUGE problem for me because there was nothing in the world I loved more than to be on a swing..........when you pump up the energy and hang your head upside down...OH MY GOD......there was nothing better. Everyday when my parents went to work my father would tell me not to cross the street.....and everyday I would promise that I would not. And everyday - the minute they were out of sight I was across that street so fast it would make your head spin. And each evening when he returned he would ask if I had crossed the street and I said no ......and he would say " Mary.......???" and I would hang my head and whisper "yes".......and that's when I got the spanking. And I didn't even care because it was SO worth it. He even drew a line on the sidewalk with chalk........didn't care - crossed the line. I needed to swing. More swing - higher swing - twice a day swing - it was the addiction of a four year old. I couldn't get high enough.


So what happened? For my fifth birthday they bought me my own swing set !!! I'm not exactly sure what lessons I learned from all this............let's not go there and try to make it too complicated and deep.....let's just say that from a very early age ....I was a swinger.