Life throws a few curve balls our way.

Hi there. Remember me? Well, since we last talked, I have spent hours and hours on the road, back and forth to a hospice center in Arkansas to be with my friend. She is dying. There is no other way to say it. She has been my friend for 46 years. I am barely older than that number.

She has been in good spirits. She cheers us all up. She keeps us laughing. She entertains her nurses. She puts a smile on her doctor's face. She refuses to lie there in a hospital gown in her final days, opting to wear a sweater, hat and scarf or vest every day. She puts on her lipstick and earrings. She said, "I might as well have a good attitude about this." Wow. While this might not sound like a human being who is about to take their last breath, there is no doubt about it, her days are numbered, and not very long.

Needless to say, my painting, furniture shopping and lake going has come to a halt. It's okay. There are more important things in life than home decor. Although my friend would have a hard time agreeing. Laying in her bed, the first few days she was in hospice, and the doctors have since said they were not sure she would make it thru the night, she uttered the words, "Would you say this is taupe or tan?" I had no idea what she was talking about. Her nurse looked at me very oddly. But I knew without doubt, that was what she said. Two days later when she woke up stronger and benefitting from a steroid they gave her, she proclaimed she did not know what color her room is, but she wouldn't have chosen it. Ha ha! 

So apparently room decor is pretty important.

Which leads me to an unfinished project. My step son's room and the adjacent bathroom. Ah well, they will be finished eventually. And when it is done, it will not be taupe or tan. On that, you can depend. And it will no longer be referred to as the stepson's room. No. It will be the g-baby's room, for when she comes to visit. So, with all of life, rebirth and rejuvenation are the key to going on. 

It will be hard to lose a friend who has been with me my whole life. I can't imagine ever replacing her. But one thing I have learned is to keep friends who are dear to you close at hand. And make room for more.

Just when you think all is well

I know I started blogging again, then I left you for weeks with nothing to look at but sausage. And now I give you this unimpressive photo of a cappuccino. Well, sometimes life gets in the way. My apologies. I'm not trying to win any blogger awards, obviously.

I can't remember where I got this cappuccino, judging by the formica table top, the painted plate, and the oversized bowl/cup I would say it wasn't the green mermaid place. But I could sure use another one about now.

I have a lot going on. After months of waiting, years really, I am reclaiming what was once my youngest step son's room. Now I know some of you would say how could I? How cruel, etc etc. But listen, you don't know the whole story, so stop your judging. And something must be done because the persistent odor of smelly tennis shoes still wafts by my nose, and the sheetrock, well, let's just say, a whole lot of texturing going on there. Still, in about 48 hours, I should have a significant change in color and things will begin to look normal in there again. A person could actually go sit in there and enjoy themselves, soon, I hope.

And since we last spoke, I had a rather interesting/offending meeting with a so-called interior decorator at our lake house. Which has left me feeling like I don't need no stinking interior decorator and will never ever step foot into THAT shop again. Now I just have to find an electrician, carpenter and painter there.

Lucky for me, I mentioned this to my wonderful painter here at home, and he mentioned that his schedule in December slows way down, something about painting around Christmas trees doesn't appeal to his clientele. And he would be willing to go one day to quote the job and then go back and stay over a couple of days and get the whole job done, in December, pronto! Excellent idea I say! But there goes the idea of having a nature/water inspired Christmas tree at the lake. Now I just have to pick a color. That could slow me down a bit. QUESTION: Do you think white walls to set the tone of the beach house look, paired with creamy white trim would look ridonculous? Cause I do not want the expense of repainting my trim, and it is more a creamy white than a pure white, but I was kinda wanting white walls!

I've had this other little dilemma of ugly furniture at the lake house. Oh it is not THAT bad, my MIL thinks it is all very nice and she is so sweet to have come to see it and spend the night with us. And listen, it is decent furniture, just not my colors/tastes, as we have before mentioned. So, I decided use what makes sense to keep, repaint a few pieces, reupholster a chair or two, but basically, replace the bulk of things. I started backwards, with trinkets, cause trinkets can really make you feel like the place is not yours when the trinkets were not chosen by you. Then I moved onto linens. Dishes. pots and pans. I know I know, Do I really need new pots and pans, isn't a skillet pretty much a skillet? Well, yes but they had these sweet aqua blue non-stick pans at TJ the other day so I got new pots and pans too. NOW, finally, I am to the stage of picking out furniture, and this is where the rubber meets the road. I am stalling, hesitating, wishy-washying. So hard to get it right, and I hate making buying mistakes with things like... sofas! Cause it is so hard to undo and then you end up living with it, working around it, etc etc.

All this has been going on, as well as, some very bad news, and I have a hard time discussing it. But one of my dearest friends has been dealt a serious health problem blow. The kind that there are no words for. And she is my lifelong friend who has always been part of my life. And that's all I can say about it because she made me promise not to talk all about it on the internet. Bless her heart, like I would do that! And I haven't really been able to spend much time with her. She is very weak, needs her rest and I think, maybe having a hard time facing me, too. So, I have to wait, until she is wanting to see me. And it is hard. But I also understand. But I am also maybe burying myself in other things to keep busy?

And there were the earthquakes this weekend. How can I not mention those? Yes, we felt them even though we're about 90 miles from the center. But we haven't felt them like my cousins have. Two of my relatives have had severe damages to their homes. The worst one has a crumbled chimney, a torn off roof from the brick falling on it, and many structural cracks and damages to the foundation. Scary stuff, and no insurance either. Because who buys quake insurance in Oklahoma? So, lots of prayers and concerns going that direction.

And there is one more thing I have been preoccupied with, in fact, I might even make myself a Preoccupied t-shirt and that is the Occupy movement. Now surely you know that I am a staunch conservative, but I can't stop reading about all this stuff. But I need to. I need to divert some energies into healing, wholeness and peacefulness on the inside. Too much going on to be distracted, disengaged and divergent with the real needs of family and friends right now.

I guess this was a long winded, poorly written post, and not too many pretty pictures. It's what you get from me when I wake up at 4 a.m. and can't go back to sleep. Have a wonderful Monday and be in your own life, as present as you can be, today. And I will try to do the same. Love, Dana and Daisy

My idea of comfort food.

Oven Roasted Bratwurst with Potatoes, etc etc.

In a non-stick baking pan, coat the bottom of pan with 2TBS of olive oil.

Add: 2-3 new potatoes per serving, quartered, skins on

one onion, cubed

several small cloves of garlic peeled (I used 4)

one or two tart apples cored and cubed, skins on

A generous tablespoon of mediterranean sea salts and spices

Toss to coat with oil.

Top with bratwurst (thawed but not cooked)

Bake in 385f oven for approximately 1 hour, turn brats half way through cooking time.

check brats for doneness by cutting into one, there should NOT be any pink inside.

Serve with crusty bread if you like and a nice white wine.

Then sit back and enjoy the savory fullness!

Ahhhh!