And I am on the No Call/No Solicitation List

I am so popular these days. I had 23 saved calls on my voicemail and that was in just 2 days. Candidates for every office have been calling me, even Pat Boone called me about somebody, an NFL quarterback called me too and the past Governor George E. Pataki. I like Governor Pataki, he is a nice man. I wish he was running for some office here in New York; but I really didn't want to listen about another candidate. Pat Boone didn't sing me a song but he did remind me that he sang "Love letters in the Sand" and I am sad to think that I remembered that song and his white buck shoes too. So if you are lonely, remember you can actually listen to all these political solicitation calls and save them too and play them back again and again!!

But that won't change our current political situation or the economy. I say, vote all those in office out and in two years do the same thing again!!! What do you think?

Cha-Cha-Cha Changes!!!

Fortunate changes as we age!

Isn’t it fortunate that as we age our tastes seem to change as well? For instance, I no longer stare with dropped mouth at young men with tight butts and rock hard abs; but would rather spend time with those of my own age. A little silver at the temples is a sexy thing to me now.

I would rather sit quietly on the back porch with a good friend or even a good book than prep myself for a night out at the local pub. Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy a good pub night with friends; but I no longer need to do this once a week.

I would rather bake for my friends than go to a bakery and fill myself with gooey and fattening fair. This is another good thing as my middle seems to expand on its very own without the added sugar.

I would rather live in my “denim uniform” (jeans and a faded denim shirt) than dress for a formal affair. It is a good thing that I have less and less of them to attend these days!!

I would much rather walk around a farmers market than shop in Manhattan which is also good as my income has dropped while my age has increased.

I no longer long for a huge mansion but would rather live in a little country cottage by the side of a dirt road with small flower gardens; which is fortunate as the cost of fuel has risen to new heights.

Oh Dear, it seems I would also rather write, Blog, IM, Twitter and Facebook than get my butt off this recliner and see people face to face!!!!! This is not a good change……….

Fresh Eggs

Back in the early 1970's my children were young and we had a sweet little farmette. We had peach trees, blackberries, elderberries, gooseberries, grapes, and
raspberries Galore. In addition to all those wonderful organic ingredients we raised chickens for their fresh eggs. I baked all my homemade breads and of
course there were oodles of jams and jellies to sweeten our breakfast fare.

Right now we all remember the gas embargo of the '70's. We had all kinds of time to turn things around with gas shortages but we didn't have the fortitude to do it.
We always pay more for procrastination.

While my kids were having the fun of gathering eggs and helping bake and eat homemade bread with jams and jellies, others were losing out on setting an example
for lifestyle change.

Rhinebeck was along the leading edge of what is now known as holistic food consumption. It wasn 't long before we were selling organic fruits and vegetables to the Pawling Health Manor. The women enrolled in these courses were considered impossible to help. Pawling Health Manor proved to them that a lifestyle change with their eating habits would indeed make a change in their over all well being. Many articles were printed in the N Y Times around the success of their program.

Once again my family and kids were living a relaxed lifestyle with lots of culinary benefits. Fresh Eggs gave us a wonderful way to live and learn.

We had a frog named Willoughby. Nobody really “had” Willoughby. He chose to visit when he wasn’t doing anything else. We (Reenie, Debbie and I) chose to believe that he was ours. He lived, we thought, under the boat dock at the summer camp we shared on Silver Lake in Clinton Corners, NY.

He was a tremendous Bull Frog with a deep “Gaaaarumph” that could be heard all the way up to the cabin and across the lake where we swam. It never occurred to us that there may be other, friendly yet unknown, bullfrogs making the same sound in different areas of the lake. The frog spawn that we saw around the lake was made by lady frogs; and, I think, we thought Willoughby was married to all of them.

He was ours! He was big and greenie black with lots of bumpy warts and a throat that would expand like the largest bubblegum bubble you ever blew. That part of his throat was yellow when it blew up. We wondered if one day it would pop.

Willoughby was ever present. We would see him whenever we took out the boat. We would see him when we brought the boat back. We would see him if we went to the dock to skip stones and he would always make that loud “Gaaaarumph” which we loved to hear.

At night he would sing us to sleep as we imagined all sorts of pictures on the ceiling of the cabin which was severely water stained. In the morning he was singing when we woke up. Willoughby was ever present and he was our special frog.

Every summer we would go to the cabin. We would run down the road to the boat dock to see if Willoughby was still there. There he was.

Years passed and every year our friend would great us. How reassuring to have him there always waiting for us. It was like knowing which Tree Ornaments went where on the Christmas Tree every year. We always knew where to find Willoughby.

Eventually we stopped using the cabin regularly; but on the rare occasion we went there, we would individually or collectively stroll down the road to the boat dock to see if Willoughby was still there. Years had gone by and we were always surprised when we saw him, reassured that all is right with the world-with our lives-with our families; because Willoughby was there and he certainly was a part of our childhood when the world was safe.

Our parents passed on about 15 years ago. Eventually I took a ride out to the old cabin, now owned by someone else. The boat dock was still there, no boat; I walked down to the dock just to see by chance if Willoughby was still there. I could hear him. I couldn’t see him but I knew he was very close. I waited. “Gaaaarumph Gaaaarumph ” He was there, though I never saw him that day; I knew that he was there especially for me as a sort of message. “I’ll always be here, he seemed to say.” “Your days as a child are still here and so are your Mom and Dad” Smart Soul that Willoughby!!!!!
“Gaaaarumph Gaaaarumph ”

YOU ARE WORTH IT TOO

Not long ago my sweet cousin Betty came up here to Savannah for a visit.

I've been living here since December with my baby daughter Krissy. Doesn't matter if you turn 26 this year - cause you are still the baby.

What a gab fest we had. We ran it in free form style. That way we couldn't forget anything too important.

So now you need to know some background information. Betty's father died when she was about 3. My mother had lost her own mother at child birth and our grandmother, GiGi raised my mother. The connection is Betty's father, Edward, was GiGi' son. Betty and I are only 1 year apart.

My mom had this fetish of not spending money on nice household goods. No fine sheets, towels, linens, blankets were to be found. No sir we were just going to find the most common varieties for everyday use.

If we had special company they got the good stuff the little that there was.

I told Betty I had been on a crusade over the last several years to replace all my household goods. After all I'm worth it.

Why should only the occasional visitor get all the pretty treats. So we giggled like school girls with a new quest.

I have made a huge change in the way I buy and I feel so special each time I pamper myself.

Cousin Betty called me a couple weeks after returning home to Florida. She had taken our talk to heart and decided she was worth it too. She hit Marshall's, Targets, T.J. Maxx among others and has made a House and Garden TV makeover to her sweet little condo. And why not. We are each more than deserving of looking around our modest homes and seeing small vignettes that tell a little story about us and who we are.

I hope the movement spreads among our family and close friends.

Those special decorator gifts we are given were meant to be used. Those candles and lotions were meant to be pleasure now and not to be tucked away. Shout it from the roof tops - I"M WORTH IT!! By Noreen Reilly

The Unsung Hero, The Woman Behind the Powerful Man, The Legal Secretery or Paralegal, the Baby Sister

What do all these people have in common, they often go unnoticed. By description they are in the background.

Who volunteers to sit at the childrens' table at holidays? Who knows just when to call to add a positive word and conjure up a laugh. Who, although at one time was a bit of a pain in the butt, would fight to the bitter end to save you? Who has always been there to watch over our children? My Little Sister.

No longer little, a grown woman with children and grand children; she will always be my Baby Sister. So why now, when she should be accepting a little help from friends and family, does she insist on doing everything by her self, so independent-so determined. This is just her way, though annoying at times, of dealing with her battle with breast cancer.

All three of us now have had our battles with this insidious disease. This disease that can develop so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent to ourselves or a well trained doctor.

Symptoms

Early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. This is why regular breast exams are important. As the cancer grows, symptoms may include:

* Breast lump or lump in the armpit that is hard, has uneven edges, and usually does not hurt
* Change in the size, shape, or feel of the breast or nipple -- for example, you may have redness, dimpling, or puckering that looks like the skin of an orange
* Fluid coming from the nipple -- may be bloody, clear to yellow, green, and look like pus

Men get breast cancer, too. Symptoms include breast lump and breast pain and tenderness.

Symptoms of advanced breast cancer may include:

* Bone pain
* Breast pain or discomfort
* Skin ulcers
* Swelling of one arm (next to breast with cancer)
* Weight loss

These facts from the American Cancer Society are worth reprinting but this is not really my story.

This is a story about my Baby Sister, who took care of herself for the most part, ate all the right things including broccoli, was never overweight and always got plenty of exercise. Sometimes you just can't beat the odds. But early detection and a determined spirit with an uncommon sense of humor will serve her well.

We all have to do things our own way; but Sis, we sure wish you would let us help. All three of us are independent types that prefer to withdraw from the everyday to handle our own problems in our own time and in our own way. So, we do understand you quite well!!!

You are awesome in your determination to work through chemo, I know that makes you feel in control. That is a good thing because we all need that.

However, I am reminded of a conversation I had with my very best non-family man friend when I was complaining that Hubs didn't take care of something for me. My friend quickly reminded me that I am so independent and stubborn-- did I think he knew I wanted him to do this for me. Hummmmmmm Perhaps not. My friend also mentioned that I hardly accept help from anyone and sometimes, just sometimes, If I would; that would make my friends happy to help me.

So, Baby Sis, we are here for you and love you so very much, you stubborn pain in my butt!!!

Workshops at Shandells

Dear Friend,

Since the launch of my new website I have been increasingly getting emails and walk-in visitors asking about how to pick the right size lampshade for a lamp, and how long does it take to make a shade, and can I make “this” (whatever “this” is!) into a lamp.

Starting in May I will be extending my hours (Thurs. – Sat. 11-5 and Sun. 11-3), and will also kick off FREE monthly workshops on the second Saturday of each month, to help answer some of those questions, and more.

MAY 8 AND JUNE 12 are the first two workshops, from 9-11 AM each of those days.

Topics we’ll cover include: how to fit a lamp with a lampshade, revamping a dated lamp with a new shade, basic construction of a shade, and different things you can make into a lamp.

I have limited space so reservations will be needed; please email me at thingsthatmakeyousmile [at] gmail [dot] com, or call the studio at 518.789.6603.

The workshop will also include an inside look to “the Lampshade Lady’s” world. Come see my vintage paper and fittings and trimmings collections, and learn about how I got into this, etc.–and have a cup of tea!

Hopefully those who attend will be inspired to spruce up their decors with a new shade or a new lamp fashioned from some treasure they own.

Look forward to meeting you,

Susan http://shandells.com/about/workshops/