It's been a goddamn while....

     Seems like every year I pop this thing back open and start to peck away at the keyboard. I have not felt the urge to write or expel the secrets to life lately...but I have been inspired by something and someone.
     It is amazing when you meet someone that brings out a different side than usual and it is quite refreshing.  I feel that after laying dormant for so long having someone say, "Hey, look around, things are awesome, you are awesome, life is pretty damn good" is really uplifting.  No matter what the situation is you really do need to make your self happy, and some times that means putting your self out on a limb with no safety rope.
      At 49 I am still fighting the same self hatred battles I have had since my 20's, regardless of my ability to smile, encourage others and find the beauty in every damn thing except myself.  At 49, I'm still in a situation which is not conducive to my needs, wants or my soul, yet I keep trying, because I am definitely not a quitter. At 49, I had someone tell me I was more than I see in the mirror, and that has not happened since I was in my 20's....and it felt good. I'm not sure if it was some sort of validation for myself but it made my heart warm to a level which I have not felt in a long time. Im not going to say I didn't love it.  It's important to remember love is real and it can happen to good people....and as I have told some close friends and now whoever reads this....I pray to the Gods of my future, please don't let me die without kissing someone again, feeling a loving touch or having sex. please, please please....( the situation at hand is not in my favor)
      People know me as the crazy, sometimes inappropriate, tell it like it is, redhead. I am that....but I'm more than that.... working in healthcare I give almost every piece of my self to caring for others.  To holding hands when they are scared to laughing with them when it is all out of our control, yet I have yet to meet anyone who fills that need for me, or better yet wants to. I am too demanding and have been told that I am unpleasable.  That no one will ever meet my standards.  That is really a bummer. I don't believe it.  If I can, so can you. The only problem is that you cannot make adults do what they do not want to....( at least I have learned that in the last 20 + years).
     

(you know who you are)

    I have mastered hugs in the last few years.  Yes I am a hugger, I don't care if you think it's gross.  I like them. I am about to graduate with my Bachelors of Nursing (finally) and I am hoping to start taking more time for myself and my needs, without too much guilt. After typing this little bit I feel like there is quite a bit to unload here....

      soon.   

write ya later,

m  and my new friend Lenore (picture above)   I would really adore her more if she was a redhead

hey Bitches....

I'm almost 48  ,   I don't know maybe almost 49   

....I think it was 48 my birthday is 1/23

...I'm tipsy tonight on this Thursday night.  I used to always type on Thursday.   Then I stopped...old age, work, lazy ...you know.   

Anyways , I'm now typing.

courtesy Baddie Winkie  xoxoxo

So, my birthday coming up I'm feeling pretty good.   I'm working....I'm still sassy and although my hair is turning grey, my hairstylist won't let me go grey because I'm a true redhead.  damn it.  I love grey hair.

My heart is still broken.   I need more in my life. ( please send resumes)   I feel like I'm in my prime, yet I know I'm visually past my prime....it sucks ass. Sex is non existent but the hopes are high.  I continue to run and workout. and shave my legs....that's a plus , right.?

here's the truth.  Getting old isn't hard.  It's not even depressing, really

it just is what it is.

I wish I was male so that I could get my young trophy pony.  pay what I needed and pay for what I need.   But THAT is not ok.

Especially if your are with someone.

please leave a comment for any suggestions 

BECAUSE

if there are no good explanations or reasons

I'm gonna start eating cake and gaining weight

xo

m

Traveling to Costa Rica -- Our Budget

So we have been wanting to go to Costa Rica for a vacation and we bagan planning a good 9 months in advance , well, because that is how I roll.  Plus I am cheap and like to know what everything costs and get the best deal.  First and foremost:  I signed up for hotels.com and we also have a southwest credit card.   I paid for everything on the CC then repaid wth the money I had saved through the year. This way I had the money. I was't accruing debt and when I paid the CC bill I also was able to get points for future flights.  I love this!   But please....dont make debt for a vacation.  Save ahead. Plan ahead

We are traveling as a family of 3 and my sister decide to go too...so if you want to go by our budget this would work well for 2 couples sharing a room or if it was just a family of 3 it may be a bit cheaper.   I'll tell you as a couple you could do this for less....but I will break it down for you,

This budget is for 9 days, hotels and tickets but no food or incrementals .  Ill try to include that after the vacation for those planning ahead.  Once I know exactly how much everything costs.

 It also includes the exit tax which I heard was needed to leave. :)

(except after the election, we may not want to come back!)

We had looked at VRBO and other places. There are so many amazing places to go and stay, but we decided for our first venture we would use Hotels.com.   

I was able to use my sign in acct and on Fridays they often had 50% off so many nice hotels are cheap. I will update and review the hotels once we travel.

So here is the breakdown of the costs.  We flew SW.  

Ill keep you posted on more as I figure it out .

write ya later

m

DIY Garden Glass Globe Mushrooms

It is still not full blown Spring here in Colorado, but in between blizzrds we get some nice 78 degree weather.  Still too cold to start gardening, but we do start tidying up the beds.

It keeps all of us gardner types happy for a while.

While taking a break from pulling dandelions I decided to make a few things.

I like the way mushrooms look and I really wanted some yard art for my , well for my yard.

I was flipping through Pinterest and saw some glass mushrooms.

Easy enough.

I see light fixture leftovers at every thrift store so we went on an excursion to find them.

$4.25 later I had the makings for 2 LED garden mushrooms

~~~SQUEEEEE~~~~

you , too, can have these.

Junk you need:

(for 2 mushrooms)

4 vase like sconces or whatever you think will work and look cute for mushroom stem

2 Large light fixture bowls

(see picture)

2 LED light candles *or you can use real candles just be careful

lock tite glue or gorilla glue

 Here are the old lamp parts

I put a piece of tape here to hold the little LED "flickering candle"

But if you are using candles, do it like a pumpkin, or you could use those LED little string lights.

See ,stack it up .

I actually did not glue anything but if I was going to glue I would only glue the "stem" and leave the cap removable

There they are.

They are going to look great when all the little flowers are popping up around them

Enjoy,

m

Easy Patio Chair Cushion Recover. DIY

So, as I cleaned up the deck, the one day the weather was nice, I noticed the chair cushions were nasty...nasty ....nasty...

The female that I am headed to the Home Depot to get new ones.

They were anywhere from $18.00- 32.00 each!!!!

Holy Heck.

So just like I did when I covered the swing chair cover, I decided to cover these old things, again.  This is the 3rd time I have recovered.

I wanted to do an easy tutorial because , even though I sew and read and follow a ton of tutorials, sometimes even the most "simple" ones are not so simple.

I guarantee if you can cut a shape (no pattern needed), sew a line with a sewing machine...you can do this one

junk you need:

2 yard+ fabric.  

I needed 2 yards of large bolt upholstery fabric

 and this was actually weather resistant.

I purchased it from Hancock Fabrics, on sale, in the crap section, for 9$ a yard.

Thread

Sewing machine

Scissors 

pins? 

OOOH yucky 

 Step 1: lay out your fabric (doubled) and figure out how those cushions will fit so that the shape can be cut.  

 Step 2: Cut out leaving about 3/4" or so all the way around.  no need to be perfect.  just cut out the shape, like kindergarten.  Remember, the fabric is doubled so when you cut you are cutting out 2 at one time.

Step 3: Probably cut out all at once, but I cut out one pillow at a time, because I like instant satisfaction and I want to see what it will look like.  

Once cut, put RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.  You can pin at this point almost all the way around , but leave one side open so that you can get that ugly cushion inside it.  

Step 4: I start my sewing, with right sides together, about 3 inches up and head south, turn and go all the way around then stop about 3 inches into the las side.  that way it leaves the opening for the cushion cramming.

Remember! right sides together... and I sew about a 3/4 seam, but we aren't picky.  Just sew! we don't want difficult.

Step 5: put the ugly cushion in the new cover.  

Oh my, that is a lot of pattern going on there.  Sorry, its the ironing board cover clashing with the cushion cover.   

 Step 6: OK...the hardest part.  Now that the cushion is safe inside take the opening and iron the area where you are going to sew it closed into about a 3/4 fold.  it will match with what is all ready sewn. 

This just makes it easier to sew it closed in a few.  If you are super crafty feel free to put a zipper in, but if you know how to put a zipper win, you won't be reading this simple tutorial. 

Open....

 Step 7: This is where I pin the opening closed.  see?

Closed

 Step 8: Now take it back to your sewing machind and sew it on the outside at about a 1/4 inch topstitch.  I just line the outside of my presser foot with the fabric and sew that hole closed.

Don't worry if its a little wonky, your rear end is going to be sitting on this. If one of your friends looks that closely, they need to be scolded.

Step 9:  Pat self on back and go buy a 20$ bottle of wine because you will still be ahead on cash flow after the wine!

good job!

I'll take final pictures when the snow melts from my patio chairs.

Write you later,

m

feel free to share.