• The body in the suitcase…

    June 22, 2013 / 10 Comments

    One Sunday not long ago, I heard laughter coming from my living room as my daughter and I were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on Sunday lunch.  I found my grandchildren reading aloud the titles of all my books in my living room library.  They were obviously entertaining themselves.  They were stuck on the books by one of my favorite cozy-mystery authors, Katherine Hall Page.  Each book title (and I have all of her books) begins with “The Body in…”.  My shelves are filled with all types of books – from English and American literature (I was a college senior and an English major prior to switching to Nursing!), mysteries (especially FBI mysteries), poetry, sewing, painting, romance, romantic comedies and many others.  However, they were drawn to “the body” books!  I love the cozy-mysteries – especially those by Katherine Hall Page.

    This suitcase is well traveled…it has been many places.  Unfortunately, it is broken beyond repair and it’s time for a new one…and, hopefully, lots of new places to go along with it!

    This morning as I was cleaning the apartment,  I decided that my now deceased suitcase (the zipper finally broke beyond repair on my last trip to Florida) would make a good container to carry empty boxes and other things to the large trash container – two flights down, across the tarmac and beside the garages.  I would deposit everything – suitcase included – into the trash.  Clearly, the suitcase was heavy and I wondered if anyone else in the building had as vivid an imagination as I do?!

    As I hauled the suitcase down the stairs, I was reminded of one of my all-time favorite classic movies:  Rear Window!  I loved Jimmy Stewart and he was wonderful in this film.  Raymond Burr was also memorable as Lars Thorwald…the no-good husband who really does put a body (well, okay, if you want to get technical, parts of a body in a suitcase).  😉  All done in the classic good taste of the 1950’s.  Come to think of it, I think it is time to see this movie again.

    Lots of empty boxes made the trip to the dumpster in the old suitcase…I wonder if Katherine Hall Page has ever considered a book about The Body in the Suitcase?!?  Hmmm….

  • Thirteen years ago…

    June 18, 2013 / 6 Comments

    Thirteen years ago today, my firstborn’s firstborn arrived…a beautiful baby girl.  Early on, they had shared with us that the ultrasound had revealed she was a girl but kept her name a secret for nine long months!  When my son called to tell us the happy news, we were beyond excited.  After informing us that mom and daughter were both healthy and doing great, as well as the vital statistics, my son then quipped:  “Mom, don’t you want to know her name?!”  Finally!  Of course I did!

    As I’ve watched her growing up, I’ve been amazed to see so many of the talents that, apparently, each of us grandparents had passed down to her parents…and to her.  This sweet girl loves writing and art – two of my gifts and passions.  She is also athletic – that would have come from her parents, her paternal granddad and maybe her maternal grandparents!

    She plays the violin beautifully and is in the youth symphony in the city where they live.  She loves music and has a lovely voice.  She spent almost 7 years of her life living in Peru where her dad was a missionary doctor, and she has been bi-lingual for much of her life.  At this point in her life, she wants to be a pediatrician when she grows up – like her dad.

    I’m glad they are now back in the states but just wish they didn’t live eleven long hours from me!  I would love to see all the milestones for myself!

    Happy Birthday, sweet girl!  I love you…

     

    The early years…

     

    Above:  With Granddad, her late paternal grandfather, at the Memphis zoo…

    Below:  Thanksgiving 2012…

     

     

     

  • Porch dreams come true…

    May 7, 2013 / 10 Comments

    My daughter and her two youngest surprised me this morning with a beautiful delivery…an early Mother’s Day present from her and her family and her “baby brother” and his sweet wife and daughter!  As she kept carrying everything up the stairs to my apartment, I was amazed and ever so grateful!  A beautiful wicker settee, wonderful outdoor pillows, two lovely ferns, tons of gorgeous flowers and hummingbird nectar and an angel hummingbird feeder sculpted by one of my very favorites:  Jim Shore!

    I will look for a small companion table and a side chair to go with this delightful setting, along with two small, cheap tables to hold the ferns.  It is so exciting!

    I swept the porch (including the popcorn that I had fed MamaBird who is sitting on her nest above the porch lamp) and it is looking great!  I have told MamaBird to hurry up and hatch those eggs so she and the little fledglings can be on their way!  I want to curl up on the settee with the sweet pillows and read a good book in peace…

    Note:  If you recall, I wrote about my “porch dreams” here.  My daughter had already purchased everything when I wrote that but, at the time, I was sick with a bad cold and contagious and they couldn’t come over.  She said that she worried that I would have preferred two rockers but, to be honest, this settee is a better idea by far!  I love it all!!! 

     

    I love the angel hummingbird feeder by Jim Shore! All I need now is a hook to hang it from the porch roof. I almost hate to put her outside but I will…and will enjoy hummingbirds all Summer!

     

  • Classic movies…

    April 15, 2013 / 2 Comments

    Sometimes I think I was born a couple of decades too late.  I love the classic movies set during the forties and fifties…all depicting life as we will never know it.  Drama, mystery, romance, romantic comedy, film-noir, the suspense of a WWII movie set in Berlin…all a different time and place coming to life in timeless black & white.

    I enjoy a step back in time seeing the vintage homes and furnishings.  I love the fashions of the forties and fifties.  I remember as a small child my older sisters wearing just such ensembles.   I’ve slowly gathered a classic movie collection.  Granted most are in VHS, so I must keep a VHS player that works!  It’s not an impressive collection…but large enough that, at a moment’s notice, I can enjoy an evening with Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy and Jean Arthur among others.  These are movies that have stood the test of time.  These are actors who have set the standard against which today’s actors measure their performances.

    I began this post with the idea of choosing my ten favorites.  Impossible.  Let’s just say the following are among my favorites.  If you haven’t seen them, check them out from your local library or video store and spend an enjoyable evening with a few legends…

    • Rear Window (1954)  with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • Spellbound (1945) with Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • Vertigo (1958)  with Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • Rebecca (1940) with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • North by Northwest (1959) with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • The Talk of the Town (1942) with Cary Grant and Jean Arthur.  Director:  George Stevens.
    • It Happened One Night (1934) with Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert.  Director:  Frank Capra.
    • It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.  Director:  Frank Capra.
    • Christmas in Connecticut (1945) with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan.  Director:  Peter Godfrey.
    • The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison.  Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
    • Suspicion (1941) with Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine.  Director:  Alfred Hitchcock.
    • Roman Holiday (1953) with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.  Director:  William Wyler.
    • Laura (1944) with Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews.  Director:  Otto Preminger.

     

    I found the following clips below on  YouTube.  The Talk of the Town with Cary Grant is one of my all-time favorites.  Watch these short clips and I think you’ll want to see the rest of it!  😉

     

  • A windy Sunday afternoon…

    April 13, 2013 / 6 Comments

    I enjoy having my daughter and her family over for lunch after church on Sundays every other Sunday or so (although tomorrow I’m going over there!).  It’s a bit of an endeavor in that my sweet son-in-love and my oldest grandson must trek down to my basement storeroom and bring up two extra dining chairs, but they don’t seem to mind.  My daughter and her youngest two children were with me when I chose the dining furniture and my young granddaughter informed me that “it had to be able to seat all of us”!  This round table has a hidden leaf which comes out to convert the table into an oval.  There is plenty of room for all of us!

    The last Sunday they were over was Easter and it was such fun.  My daughter brought their Easter baskets and we hid the colorful filled baskets for them to find before lunch inside the apartment.  The apartment is only 1200 sq. feet but we still managed to hide them successfully.  The three youngest grandchildren stay behind with me for several hours after their Mom and Dad return home.  Their older brother usually has to study so he returns home as well.

    That afternoon, we worked on art projects with my granddaughter’s new fairy design set.  They love exploring the apartment and found my old costume jewelry and other “treasures”.  My 9 year old granddaughter fell in love with my Mother’s locket…her maternal great-grandmother.  She wanted my photo in it and we found one that fit.  I know that she will take good care of it.  Now, she wears my photo around her neck!  My 13 year old granddaughter found some treasures that she wanted to take home with her as well.  It amazes me that, at this young age, they realize that sentimental treasures aren’t always about monetary value.

    Later, we decided to go for a walk but realized that their coats were in their car which was now at their home!  We improvised and they all wore one of mine – including my 4 year old grandson…which was a funny sight!  We headed out for our walk and, too late, realized that it was so cold and WINDY!  No one, including me, had a hat on and how I wished for one.  We walked down to the park next to the the nearby elementary school.  They played for a while on the jungle gym, then we headed back to my apartment for warm apple cider and a snack before I drove them home.

    I love that, the very next morning, my daughter said that my nine year old granddaughter asked when she “could see Grandmom again”!

    Chilly and WINDY Sunday afternoon and we were walking to a nearby park. They’re all wearing one of my jackets…including my 4 year old grandson! 😉

     

  • Sewing days…

    March 30, 2013 / 10 Comments

    I’ve spent the past few days sewing a vintage-look apron for my daughter…who spends so much of her time in the kitchen.  I used Simplicity pattern #4987, view 5.  We both fell in love with this delightful fabric from Michael Miller fabrics entitled “lil’ cowgirl” at Hobby Lobby.  I also purchased the adorable “lil’ cowpokes” boy fabric and the accompanying red and blue bandana prints.  The fabric is a soft, high-quality cotton.   I used a cream colored high-quality cotton for the lining.  My two sweet daughters-in-love will be happy to know that I am making one for each of them too since they are also terrific gourmet cooks!  Eventually, I’ll make one for me as well even though my time is the kitchen is definitely limited.  😉

    I have also been busy knitting and sewing baby blankets.  I have not ventured past “knitting and purling” and am still a beginner (so, all of you fabulous knitters don’t look too closely!)   I don’t think my precious 18-month-old granddaughter will care though.  So far, I have knitted two blankets for her…this is one of them.

    I love this soft fleece blanket below which isn’t as orange as it looks in the photo. 

    I mitered the corners and did a blanket stitch around it with the sewing machine.

    The quilt below is one of my favorites!  It is a soft high-quality cotton which will only get better each time it is washed.    The quilt is filled with white Soft & Natural cotton batting which is warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  I have hand-quilted around all the designs of the Suzy’s Zoo pattern. 

    It is so cute and I think she will love it!

    I’m in the process of sewing several other quilts and blankets for her and her baby sister who is due mid-August.  With two babies, lots of blankets will be needed!  Can you tell this Grandmom is excited?!  I will be there for a visit on April 20th but I will mail these ahead of time since there will not be room in my suitcase!