Waiting...

~I'm a spring leaf trembling in anticipation~Maya Angelou(My garden house Cat Daddy built for me from reclaimed materials.)

What a difference a week can make!

Details To Follow!

How much time do y'all have right now...'cause it would be to your advantage to go and get a snack as this may take me awhile! That's the drawback to not posting as often...I have to cram so much into one post!

There are a couple of things I need to mention before I get very deep into this post. One being today would be my mother's 85th birthday. Sadly, we lost her in 1998, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't see her in something. Maybe it's a song or an old movie...sometimes it's in my grandchildren's expressions...sometimes it's the smell of White Shoulders...but she is always around me. I love you Mother and I miss you every day.

Second, I would like to ask y'all to keep Witt and his family in your prayers over the next few days. He's such a special little guy and is in the process of recovery from heart surgery. Also in need of prayers and lifting up is Malissa and the love of her life, Lurch....again heart surgery recovery, although Lurch isn't such a little guy. He is the center of Mal's universe and I hope y'all will join me in a prayer circle for both of these fellows. Y'all always know just the right thing to say and how to say it. Goodness knows...y'all got me through one of the most difficult times in my life.

To say I'm overworked and underloved would not be a totally true statement. Over worked...yes! Underloved...no? Not when there are some wonderful ladies out there who just amaze me with their thoughtful and generous hearts.

I am two...count 'em...two ladies' Valentines! Laurie and Jodi each sent me their hearts through the mailman...or as I like to call him...Cupid! If that wasn't enough, Tracey at French Larkspur held a giveaway lately and I was the recipient of this gorgeous pillow cover! I'm in the process (among other things) of changing my guest bedroom and this will be going there. In fact, I'm going to have to order another from her to place on the daybed. I'm reworking it for my girls. Don't you think they will love it? Tracey's blog is a never-ending source of inspiration. The tiniest of details are in every photo...I love to go over and just sigh! I have so much still to learn and thank goodness for friends like these who can teach this old dog new tricks...such as art for heart's sake. Jodie at Everything Vintage is a gifted artist and she made the heart box from an empty chocolate box down to the tiniest detail of a sweet, little rolled-up note to explain the missing candy mystery. She ate the candy during the process, but more than made up for it by sending me the darling heart dangle as a replacement! Thanks Jodie for the special gifts and for saving me those calories! In honor of Mardi Gras (after all...she's from Louisiana) she also included my tiny mask. Bring on the gumbo...I am ready!

Now would be the time to go get a refill on your DDP 'cause it's time for a word from our sponsor!

Jennifer has talked me into helping her set up an Etsy shop. As you know, she has taken time off from work to stay home with Bella through RSV Season and she would like to continue to stay home for a while longer. (Can you believe it's been a year since Jenn first went into the hospital with Preeclampsia and that Bella will be a year old in less than a month? Where does the time go?) Our Etsy Shop is fittingly called Cat Daddy's Shop and along with our trash, I mean quality merchandise, she will be selling things she has made. I'm telling y'all this for a couple of reasons. If you go take a look and I hope you do...I'm open to any and all suggestions to make it better (like how to add it to my sidebar) AND I'm hoping to get the word out. Blogging is the best advertising I know of. Hopefully, she will generate enough sales to offset lost income from her job.

Now back to your regular programming!

My Southern Honey Baked Ham sent me this for Valentine! Laurie's jewelry is just 2die4 and I have several pieces. Look at the details on her packaging. Again, this is one talented lady who can do it all...including trying to steal my man. She's going to be selling this spring at Marburger Farms for the first time! I cannot wait to see what she whips up and out. I sure hope Texas is ready for the likes of her!

Laurie,

I love you.

Do you love me?

Please check yes or no!

The one thing all these ladies can teach me is the art of presentation. They just don't wrap things up with newspaper and stick it in a box. Nosireebob! There are extra little excitements tucked in...pretty paper to be folded and saved...confetti to scoop into a jar...tiny paper birds lovingly crafted to be saved...business cards and notes that just scream perfection. Don't get me wrong...I love the gifts, but getting down to them is 90% of the fun...well that, and squealing like a stuck pig upon opening the mailbox! Details Debbie, details...gotta remember the details!

There is one more thank you that I have to do. As you all know (unless you've been living under a rock the past months...don't believe me...google Barn House Boys and see what you get) The Barn House Boys (the guys who are the masters of details) just recently launched their MarketPlace with a giveaway of BHM cash. Generous...HA...you don't know generous! These guys gave out some serious cash for shopping and while I didn't win...they graciously presented me with a honorary award of $25! I KNOW!!! I just love you J&J for doing this. BTW, they are also featured in the brand new issue of Flea Market Style and I am on the hunt for a copy. Seems it's selling out as fast as shipments come in. Who'd a thunk it? Uh, that would be us and that's for dern tootin' Skippy!

I think I have taken up enough of y'alls day for now and I really don't want to overstay my welcome. I do have a post coming up on a couple of fun awards I've received...but that is for a later day.

Tres Bon?

Trois mots...

FAB U LEUX!!!

The (Perfect) Four Letter Word

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

A (Pretty) Four Letter Word

Here are my obligatory snow photos. Our power has been fluctuating last night and today, but hopefully I can get this posted...I wouldn't want y'all to miss seeing one more snow snapshot!

Here in Texas (especially North and East) we are going to be like old veterans of some far off war, swapping stories of how we survived the blizzard of nought ten!

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promised one day to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

and miles to go before I sleep."~Robert Frost

"Snow, I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow."~Irving Berlin Reckon I could use those bed rails for skis? "Snow, oh to see a great, big man entirely made of snow."~Irving Berlin

"Snow, those glistening houses that seem to be built with snow."~Irving Berlin

I was born and raised in North Texas, McKinney as a matter of fact and the closest thing I've ever seen to this was the ice storm of '78. We went to bed New Year's eve and woke to everything covered in ice....with no power for a week!

This was amazing to see. There was no wind, not even a breeze and it came straight down in these lovely, huge, fluffy flakes! I tried to take a photo of the back yard last night...everything was pink...but it didn't show the color. You'll just have to trust me...it was the most beautiful rosy pink...sky to ground!

"A year of snow, a year of plenty."~French Proverb

"Snow, I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow."~Irving Berlin

"I'll soon be there with snow.

I'll wash my hair with snow and with a spade of snow

I'll build a man that's made of snow."~Irving Berlin

Trust me, there's an Exploder under all that white!

"Unpredictable, irresponsible,

unbelievable, unreliable.

Ever since the world began

are Cupid and the Weather Man.~Irving Berlin

"I'd love to stay up with you, but I recommend a little shuteye."~Irving Berlin

"Go to sleep

and dream

of snow, snow, snow, snow."~Irving Berlin

Love Letters Straight From The Heart!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I have been feeling the love this week. Case in point...for those who haven't noticed, I'm a big girl now. I now have a really cool banner AND an official Talking Trash button thanks to my girl Amy! (I smell trademark!)

I guess it's true what they say about "cold hands, warm heart" 'cause it is really cold where Amy is and she definitely has a warm heart. She created my masterpieces (as much as I would like to take credit for them...c'mon...y'all know better) and sent them to me last night. She also took the time to walk me through getting them into the right place. Y'all know I don't like to play favorites, but I gotta tell you...this girl holds a special place in my warm heart. Tell me the truth...doncha just love it and her! I do because she gets me and that isn't always an easy thing to do.

Now it's my turn to try and return the love to her. (This just gets better and better, trust me!) Amy has been selected along with nine others to compete in an online competition called "So You Think You Can Decorate"! I KNOW!!! 10 designers...10 challenges...10 weeks...how much fun is this? Each week the one with the lowest vote will be eliminated until just one is left standing. Now y'all...we just have to make sure my girl is it! (Have you seen her bedroom redo...2die4!) The voting will start February 28 and believe me when I say I will be riding y'all like little ponies to make sure you are voting each and every time! I may not can do much of anything else, but I promise you up and down...I can nag (get it...nag?)! Mark it on your calendars and start exercising those pointer fingers!

I have to warn y'all...I've got several thank you posts coming up. I'm having one of the best weeks ever and I can't wait to share, but just a little at a time. I wouldn't want y'all to get the idea I'm some kind of pampered pooch!

I will give you a little hint...think BMH, EV, FL and KUWTR...that's all I'm saying!

On a quieter note, but still with love, I would also like for y'all to go over to Witt's blog (there's a button on my sidebar). This little guy will be having heart surgery in the morning and the family sure could use some lifting up and prayers. You've heard me talk about him and his whole family before...please join me in praying for them tonight, tomorrow and as long as they need us. Thank you so much.

This Is A Test!

Notice anything different?

Stay tuned!!!

Pluperfect

I read the most beautifully written post today by Tricia at The Domestic Fringe. She expressed perfectly what all of us should be doing. I'm not going to tell y'all what it was about...I want you to go over and read it for yourself. It's not very long, but it succinctly says everything we (especially women) need to strive for in our lives. Tricia is a young mother whose age belies her wisdom. Please take a moment and go and read her powerful words and I promise you...this time you really will thank me.Her post also served as a reminder that I forgot one key ingredient in my recipe for THE PERFECT WOMAN in my previous post. I'd like to take this opportunity to correct that error.

She would also need the faith to walk in God's will, taking each day as the present it is from God. Asking no more than that one day...trusting God with her tomorrows. I had the supreme honor of seeing that walk this past year and I thank God every day for letting that woman be my daughter, Jennifer. With God's blessing, I think I may have actually gave birth to a near PERFECT WOMAN for real...Thank you Lord.

I have a really big thank you post coming up, but that's for another night! In the meantime, please read Tricia's post and let her know she should be writing pieces like this for us on a weekly basis.

(First photo courtesy of David)