PUMPKINS

Yesterday I helped my sister with some gardening and then she asked me if I wanted to go get some pumpkins. She had already gone with her family the weekend before and she said that she need a few more and also wanted me to see the place. So off we went to Happy Hollow.

I always say that I'd like to live in a cul-de-sac in a Mid-Century Modern home but then I see places out in the country and I want to live there too.

I was so excited to see goats and then when we got out, we were greeted by kittens.

I was secretly worried about that. My sister's cat just passed away last Friday. They have several cats but Cecil was HER cat. He always had teeth problems, inflamed gums and things. Last Friday he went in to get his last two teeth pulled and while the dental itself went well, something happened afterwards. He had bloodwork done but it didn't detect that he had a problem with his lungs and he passed away. So I was hoping that these kittens wouldn't pull on her heart too badly.

I couldn't believe ALL the pumpkins!

Everywhere you looked. 

We went up and down the rows trying to find the "perfect" ones. 
We were way out in the pumpkin patch when I turned around and saw him.

Oh no.

My sister looked back too and said "Aw" and kept walking.

and he kept following.

My sister said I couldn't put her photo on my blog.

We were both kinda raggedy from doing gardening work...
Finally she stopped the cart and picked him up.

She hugged him and he rubbed his little face on her neck.
She looked at him and told him it was just too soon.

A bittersweet day.

LITTLE EDIE

I've been using the last of my vacation days to work on cleaning, sorting and getting rid of STUFF.
I have TOO much stuff and I wasn't even sure what all I had.
I never work on any art projects because my art stuff is here, there and everywhere. I've been organizing like crazy. I'm filling boxes for Goodwill, tossing stuff and "barbecuing" old papers. (There is a burn ban in this town). I'm putting all my little bottles of paint together, rounding up my brushes, putting buttons into jars and beads into containers. I'm find things in drawers that I've forgotten were in there! Wow! I could probably never buy another ART supply again!
I'm trying on clothes and getting rid of stuff that doesn't fit NOW and getting rid of at least half or my T-shirt collection. I have so many darn MUGS that it's ridiculous. Yep, donating most and listing some on EBay.
I've been so busy inside that I haven't started on the YARD yet, but that is next.
I need to get THAT done before the weather changes.
So what am I doing blogging. I needed a break.
I Googled "Mess" "Clutter" "Unorganized" and stumbled onto a "Squalor" website.
OK, I am NOT in the squalor stage but then I started reading.
Apparently there are MANY stages of squalor.
First stage is being unorganized and becoming messy but still letting people inside.
Ah OH......
Guess I'm stage 2, where I don't want to let anyone in!
A little more than a week ago, the electricity went out on the block and I remember worrying about if the repairmen would have to come into my house to work.
OK, no...messy is not squalor but when I fantasy about modern minimalism, dishes in the sink and dust is embarrassing.
I guess I am secretly terrified  of into turning into an Edie.
Though I'd rather be Little Edie than Old Edie.
Here's just ONE of many videos of Edie at Grey Gardens.
This one makes me want to run outside and start working on the yard!

VACA DAY 2

I'm glad SOMEONE is relaxing and enjoying time in the Fall air.

Oops! Excuse ME! Mimsy! I'll go back inside and continue working on the house.

IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.....

I will be on vacation!

So many plans!

So little time!

.........seriously though, I do have a TO-DO LIST at the ready.
Mainly finishing up projects and cleaning up the yard before it's COLD outside.
Just making it all a little less stressful to come home to.
Probably helping out my sister a bit with finishing up some of her side gardening jobs and painting....
and walking Blue.
and trying to stay off the computer.....

Maybe next year I'll make it to the ocean.

WARNING - NASTY PHOTOS!

Yep! That's the part in my hair! See all the grey creeping out into all the other colors!
NASTY.
So I get to work this morning, I start work about an hour before we open and after I had let everyone out and back in and fed, I asked one of the techs to take a photo of my hair.
They are used to me and my strange requests.
I mumbled something about showing someone what my hair looks like. I don't phase them anymore and they are kinda used to seeing me with my camera.
I came to work with it wet and combed straight and here it is...not quite dry yet and NOT straight.

You can see the problem....
On Wednesdays I work a half day and after lunch I went to Great Clips with print outs of Jenna Elfman in hand.
I have gone to hair stylists all over town and spent all different amounts of money and I find that just because you spend a lot of money, you don't necessarily get a better cut. In fact a couple of years ago a friend gave me a gift certificate to the most elite expensive salon/spa in town and I got the WORST haircut ever!
My niece has been going to Great Clips and her hair is adorable.
So I gathered together my $12.00 and went in.
The stylist unfolded my print-outs and gasped -
ARE YOU SURE?!
YEP!
It's really SHORT and STRAIGHT!
I KNOW, and
I REALIZE THAT I WILL HAVE TO USE SOME PRODUCTS ON IT.
so she gathered it up into a ponytail and asked again -
YOU ARE SURE?
YES!
So she cut the ponytail off. I could see her looking down at my part and grimacing.
I'M GROWING OUT THE GREY.
OH! OK......

Afterwards I drove my van to the other side of the mall and tried to take photos of myself.
That was REALLY hard to do!
AND I HATE to post photos of myself.
I am always SHOCKED at how old and fat I look!
HOW did THAT happen?
So, I kept getting awful photos, just my fat face and not my NEW hair.
Finally I pulled the visor down and took photos with my phone.
UGH!
My make-up has melted off my face.
Did I mention it's in the mid-80's again!
WHERE is FALL? and what happened to my eye make-up?
So, here's the BIG reveal!

Ha! Nita, you didn't think I'd do it, did you! :D

I MIGHT REGRET DOING THIS, BUT....

OH WELL!
Tomorrow, after work I am going to get all my hair cut off.
Not really ALL, but most of it.
As I'm sure that I've mentioned before, I've had just about every color and every style and this time I'm going to try my NATURAL color!
Yep! Who knows what THAT will turn out to be!?!
I've been letting it grow and now it's below my shoulders again.
The color is kinda blonde, but underneath it's brown and where I part it, it's sort of grey/silver/brown/blonde?
All summer long it's either been in a ponytail or twisted and pinned up with a comb thingy.
So, while it is LONG, it's never down.
So what's the point?
I think long hair is much easier in HOT weather. I leave for work with it wet and by the time I get there it has started to get BIG and curly. So, UP it goes.
Now that it's finally cooled off a bit and less humid, I'm going to have all this dry fried stuff hacked off. Hopefully most of the blonde will be gone and the journey to my real NATURAL color will be short. I'm taking in these photos to show the hair stylist.

I realize that she can't make me YOUNG

and SKINNY,

but I'm just hoping that I don't end up looking like
Janet Napolitano - Homeland Security Director.

Wish me LUCK!

$3.74

I am on a self-imposed buying strike. Nothing but essentials.
I'm trying to get RID of stuff and not drag anything else home.
I am taking the last of my vacation days in about a week and since I'm broke, I'm staying home.
Clearing out the clutter, both in my mind and my house.
I would think about having a garage sale but I don't have a garage.
Ba Ba Bing!
Seriously though, the thought of a YARD sale makes my teeth hurt and I really don't think anyone would want to BUY my junk. So I will be bagging it up for Goodwill or dragging it to the curb.
It's amazing what people will take when it's free.
I MIGHT list some stuff on EBay but.....
I kinda just want it all out of here.
We will see.
I'm sick sick sick of all the clutter and I'm bound and determined to turn over a new leaf.
In the future when I need something, I will make every effort to recycle and/or rescue as much as possible.
That being said.....
LAST WEEK, I bought TWO outdoor, weather/water/stain repellent chair pads at a 75% discount at Target.  They had several but only TWO that would go with my DECOR.
And what did I need these for?
DOG BEDS!
I cut all the tags and lacing's off of them and left the little loops.
I figured that if I need to "rinse" them off, I could and then hang them to dry outside by the loop.
At $3.74, I think I got a great buy. I only wish they had a couple of more.

 (Louie)

 (Rosie)

 (Rosie and Louie)

 (Rosie and Louie)

(Rosie, Louie and Ruby)