Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!! Phillip and I spent the evening together - alone! No kids, no trick or treaters way up here on the mountain. I miss the knocks on the door. I miss the screams of "TRICK OR TREAT!" I miss the creative costumes. One of these years we should have an awesome Halloween party or Haunted House. Wouldn't that be so much fun? We could all dress up for the night and be someone else.

I loved Halloween as a kid. I always had the best, thrown-together costumes. I even won a few contests! Mom always dressed up as a witch. Complete with wax warts, long red fingernails homemade from layers of clear tape and fingernail polish, green food coloring mouth/tongue and the creepiest witch-y laugh you've ever heard. It was more like a screech, but it was always convincing.

A few times, we even had a haunted house - in our house. The whole place was transformed. The kitchen was a surgeon's lab, the living room was the morgue, and the enclosed from porch was a maze of creatures and scary "boos". One year, I laid on the kitchen counter and had real raw meat pieces and tons of fake blood on my exposed stomach that the "surgeon" operated on with real knives. What were we thinking? Another time, I was a crazy, dirty, barefooted, screaming cave girl behind bars - complete with burlap tunic and teased hair full of sticks. I yelled and screamed for hours. The next day, I could hardly talk. That was the last year I played that part!

Times are changing. The little costumes I threw together for the boys are packed away in the Black and Orange Halloween totes. I can't bring myself to throw them out or donate them. The Kermit the Frog, the Dopey, the pirate, the clown, the bone man, the pumpkin head.....Maybe someday, there'll be other little ones (grandkiddos) that might want to wear what their daddy wore???? Probably not, but it's fun to dream.

Until then....RIP little costumes!

Can you imagine?

So, as I was rinsing out the bird bowls this morning, this little face appeared in the bottom of the sink. They are Hooligans fruity bird pellets all soggy from his water bowl. For some strange reason he has always "dunked" his food in his water bowl. Funny how three of the soggy, wet, bloated pellets formed a cute little smiley face. I can't stand cleaning the water bowls, but at least this cheered me up and made me smile! Maybe cleaning the bowls isn't so bad after all...NOT!!!

On the flip side, the other photo is of a piece of honeycomb-like cereal that A.J. found in his bowl several months ago. I don't know why we felt compelled to save this little piece of cereal all these months, but we did and I couldn't help but share the picture of it too. Believe it or not, it IS a conversation piece that sits on a shelf in the breakfast room.

I guess if you look closely enough, you can see emotion even in inanimate objects. You just have to use your imagination. Kind of like being a kid - laying in the grass on your back looking up at the clouds and seeing all sorts of imaginary things.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Albert Einstein

10/31/2007 PS - if you look closely enough, the little soggy yellow pellet has a face too! It looks like a sad face on a crescent moon.....I didn't notice before. Am I crazy or just plain bored???

Fall Favorites.

Canvases are so much fun. I love being able to add details that I wouldn't otherwise use on a scrapbook page - like sticks from the yard. Poor little, unsuspecting stick! One minute it's lying peacefully in the front yard and then WHAM! into the pot of boiling water - boiled within an inch of its life! But it was a necessary evil to get it to lay straight on the canvas. I apologize, little stick, but at least you didn't get mulched!

These are just a couple of canvases I've made this year. The 12"x 12" is one of Ty when he was so very young. It's hard to believe that he will be 20 in December. This was always a favorite photo of him from a Cub Scout field trip in Washington state. That leaf he found was huge. I don't think I've ever seen a leaf that big.

The other is of Maggie, Brian and Sandy's pride and joy. It was a gift for them and they could not believe she sat still long enough for me to get these pictures of her. I forgot to take a photo of the finished canvas before I mailed it to them, but fortunately when we visited them at their "cabin" in Tahoe, I was able to get a picture of it.

Old Soul????

Sometimes, I think I'm an old soul re-born. I just love the old country farmhouses, fresh eggs, the thought of a simpler life. Although, I'm sure life "back then" was much harder. Up at dawn, bed at sundown. Real bucket-drawn well water, outhouses, wood stoves, ice boxes, candlelight, oil lamps, gardens and farm animals.

This kitchen and laundry are two of my favorite photos I took at the Tallac Historical Site in So. Tahoe last month. Any fellow old soul should visit the buildings and walk the grounds to get a flash-back of life back then. What a great place to reflect on a "simpler" time.

Someone's in the kitchen with Tiiiii..na....

Someone's in the kitchen, I know.oh.oh...oh....Someone's in the kitchen with Tina, but there's NO BANJO!!!! Can you believe these two. Wonka-doggish and Lil' Dude just laying in the walkway - the ONLY walkway into the kitchen whilst Phillip and I make dinner. Neither one of them have ever had a table scrap handout, (that we know of!), yet here they both are, just in case we change our minds???!!!

Too dang cute. I was only hoping to grab the camera quick enough to not disturb them. Of course, one shot, then it was like Dude was looking at Wonka as to say, "Did she really just take our picture? Oh, there she goes again! What's with her anyway?"

I have to admit, I am really a cat person, but after we got Wonka a little over three years ago, I actually like dogs - well, I like Wonka anyway. I'm still not much of a "dog" person, but he can stay!!! He is really part of the family - just like "dog" people always say about their dog(s). I don't dare ever get another one though, cause no other one could have a place in my heart like this one has. He doesn't beg. He opens and closes the front door all by himself. He sits patiently for his food and then he doesn't gobble it up like it's his last meal. He sits perfectly still for the vet to draw blood and/or get his shots. He just the perfect dog that I never thought existed!!!

Way to go Wonka!!! Then there's Dude! We'll since the futon has been exhiled from the house, he hasn't had any more pee-pee "on-purposes". Thank goodness!!!

Gotta go. Dad's home with Pizza. (The kitchen is in shambles. No cabinet doors. Contents all over the counters. Well, how else would I prime and paint the insides? Huh? Tell me, Huh?) It's the make-shift re-muddle until I can afford the demolition and re-build!

Off to enjoy pizza with paint fumes!!! See ya!

Tea Anyone?

So, I can tell it's October at our house. The leaves are turning all sorts of beautiful colors - red, yellow, orange AND I'm finding all sorts of creatures out and about. Like this guy.

Actually, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays so Phillip surprised me with this guy last Saturday. He seems to fit nicely on my Black and White hutch display. Although he may seem a bit creepy, he is very lovable and just wants to share a teeny, tiny cup of tea or hot chocolate????

I found the "Made in Germay" tea cup with the saucer (on the left) at my favorite local Salvation Army for pennies on the dollar. There was only one. Then, as fate would have it, the very next day, after dropping A.J. off at school, I saw the sign - BARN SALE. I had never been to a barn sale, so of course I was curious. Good thing, cause I found a mate for my little german cup. It has no markings but it was a perfect little companion cup. I wonder how many hot chocolates I could drink at this size and not feel guilty.

Here's to Fall. Cheers little creepy fellow!

Chocolate Sedation

So this little ditty hangs on the wall at a very good friends home in Tahoe. It is so fitting for any chocoholic I know - that would be every woman I've met!

I had to take a picture so I would remember these words for my own sign.

I truly believe you can never have too much chocolate. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. There's my three wishes!!! Sometimes I wonder what a chocolate bath would be like. Not chocolate milk-y water, but creamy, thick and rich chocolate. A whole claw foot tub chock full. I imagine it would be warm and smooth. Ok, so much for day dreaming again.

Back to reality. I always grew up thinking bubble baths would be the best, but as I've grown up, I'm not really fond of the bubbles. I've tried all brands of bubbles. After much experimentation, I prefer salt baths. Hot water, salt baths. Ooooh, just the thought makes me crave one. Now all I need is a nice soaking tub - with a view of course. Someday soon the master bedroom/bath addition that I envision will be a reality.

Dreaming and planning all we want to do with the house is so much fun. I just wonder, what ever will I think about when it is all done???? Will I still read Better Homes and Gardens, New Old House, Country Living, Cottage Living, Country Home magazines?

Or, will the new magazine of choice be Conde Nast Travel, Budget Traveler, etc...
because everytime we travel, my mind goes on overdrive and I can't wait to get back home to try some comfy decorating or gardening technique. I love my home. I love my family. I love my life!

Husband, Family, Home, Chocolate. Life is Sweet!

What the heck is a Patinamarie???

So yesterday I was asked by a dear friend what Patinamarie means? Well, in short, it's just a play on my name and my most favorite past time - treasure hunting and collecting objects that call out to me to take them home. A home, mind you, that is full of unopened boxes of "treasures" - so many even, that I when I was talking to Phillip the other day, I could remember that I have a stained glass kaleidoscope - like the ones we saw at First Friday Art Walk downtown - and some glass fairies - I think!??? I know I "collected" some kind of glass somethings that were cute and fun...I guess it'll be like Christmas when I finally open the boxes again...someday!

See there I went, off on a tangent. A bit of ADD? Maybe. Not formally diagnosed, but.....??? Off rambling about my treasures and I didn't explain Patinamarie. Well, my given name is Tina Marie and since I love all things with "patina" and a little character, it just seemed fitting - Patinamarie.

The little guy pictured here is a character that I stopped and looked at at the local Salvation Army (one of my favorite places to shop - better than a Mall any day!). I put him down and kept browsing. Then upon walking past him again to the register at the front of the store, I couldn't just leave him there. What kind of person would I be??? He has a tiny little chip in the back of one ear, but who doesn't like a little chip on your mouse with cheese? Even my youngest son, A.J., loved him when he saw him sitting in the hutch in our dining room. A boy after my own heart.

Best of all he was less than $1.00! And he still has his removable red plug underneath to add the Parmesan cheese. Spaghetti anyone????

Ciao

I love Saturdays!

I have to say, Saturday is my favorite day of the week. No school. No work the next day. I just love Saturday.

Today, I made a huge pot of chili, removed all the cabinet doors in the kitchen, laid on the floor in my "someday it'll be finished" craft room and played with Dude with a string. Funny how much a kitten loves a piece of string. Much like the boys loved playing in the boxes at Christmas time more than their toys. Boxes and string - how simple.

Finally programmed our new house phones - everyone still has house phones right? - with the numbers of frequently called and received #'s. Should be a nice addition to caller ID with those
"wireless caller" and 1-800 #'s. We got your number now!!! I hates telemarketers! Especially those who call my cel phone and business #'s now. How dare they.

Got a nice little surprise today - Kyle's senior portraits. What a photogenic guy! I can't believe it. The photos captured his personality so much. Can't wait to get some photos of the two other boys and even some family shots. Maybe then I'd have some professional shots to scrapbook with. Way too cool!!! Thanks Kristin. http://www.kristinmichaelphotography.blogspot.com/ Grants Pass, Oregon.

Oh, and a congrats goes out to my mom. She just entered escrow on her soon-to-be-hers house in California.

PS To my own P.S. - Thanks for visiting. I love you more and more each day. Thank you for all you do for me, being by my side - even when I'm cranky or too emotional for my own good, for always thinking of me and the kind little gifts you always bring me. You are so thoughtful. And yes, I'm always impressed!!!

Good day!

Today is Tuesday

So it is. Started off the day by discovering another spot on the futon. I've bleached it and bleached it. The cat box is clean and the darn cat is loved. Why, oh why then is he doing this to me? To torture me. Or does he really want to be an outdoor cat??? I want him to be indoors. My friend, Sue, in WA says her de-clawed, indoor cat lived happily outdoors for 12 years. I don't want an outdoor cat. I don't. I don't! I'll keep my fingers crossed. Gotta get busy on my altered bottles.....and my scrapbook page challenge, and my "me" club page-of-the-month. and...and...and....so much to do and such a bad management of time...gotta work on that too. See ya.

This is it....my first blog.

Today is Monday October 8. I'm sitting in the leather recliner (that my dear husband convinced me was a good idea to buy last year - and he was right -I sit in it everyday) with my laptop - the adorable kitty, Dude. He is sleeping soundly at the moment on the wonderful hand crocheted blanket my friend in WA state, Sue McC...made for me years ago. (Thanks Sue!) He has become somewhat of a "butt-nugget" the last few days. He refuses to allow me to be in a room without him. Close the bedroom door, and he yowls for attention. Go to shower in the morning and his little paws appear under the door. Try to paint the kitchen cabinets or cook dinner and guess who's present - sleeping in the middle of the floor. Guess he appreciates his stay of execution from a couple of weeks ago.

Since I adopted him for free from Craig's List back in June from a couple who found him at about 3 weeks old in their barn up in Roseburg - over an hour's drive up the road from Grants Pass - he's peed on our new king size bed, he's peed on the new-ish queen sized futon downstairs - three times - and he clawed all eight seats of our new-ish - less than one year old - leather dining room chairs. Needless to say, I was at wits end with this cute little fuzzball creating so much damage to everything we've worked so hard to get. The boys are finally grown up enough to curb their damaging ways and I just wanted a little furry buddy to spend some time with. Who knew a 5 month old furry kitten could cause more damage than three kids?

So, after his neutering and front de-clawing on Friday, at the suggestion of family, friends, and the vets office, hopefully, he will appreciate the loving home we are providing him and we will be able to fully appreciate his presence without the undesirable behavoir - because everyone in the family really likes him.