Wordless Wednesday

Rainy Monday Musings

First off I'd like to thank everyone who visited my Practical Magic Blog Party post! (See prev). I had so much fun setting up & taking the photo's for the slide show then putting it altogether. And what a delightful time I've had dropping by other participants posts to see their creativity!

And now for something completely different-
For me, lugging out the Autumn & Halloween decorations is like opening presents on Christmas morning! Makes me down right gleeful it does!

I'm battling my first head cold/sinus/throat thing of the season. Been sick since Saturday but doing much better today than I was. Par for the course as they say.

We got nearly an inch of rain today which isn't enough but we'll take what we can get. (More rain tomorrow & Thurs - thunderstorms tomorrow!). Only bad part was that the humidity rose every time it Stopped raining! While raining, 70 something % humidity. When it wasn't raining, 90 something % humidity! I finally realized it wasn't me (I had a fever Sat & Sun) and turned the ac on late this afternoon after checking the weather on my cell. (Not much into day time television).

There are 3, count 'em 3, jalapeno pepper plants growing in my garden out front, in 3 separate containers, none of which I ever planted seeds for! I didn't even notice the end of last week while I was watering & caught sight of a pepper. Talk about a garden mystery! (Aka squirrel madness!) *Update: I believe I've found one more pepper plant growing out back, 9/28/10.*

We finally have grass growing in all but a few patches of the back yard! Perhaps the "third time's a charm" after all. I love watching it grow in! We'll see what happens once this coming Winter passes.

Looks as though the weather has canceled lunch plans with the gals tomorrow. It's supposed to be thunder storming most of the day. Since neither of them have a car and I can't drive again yet, we were all walking to & fro our destination down town, on the water. No need to take a chance and get stuck outside walking there or back, especially with all of the trees in our neighborhood. But we've got the book club meet up Thurs evening so not all is lost!

Speaking again of Thursday, Hubbs & I will schedule my day-stay surgery for asap in October and find out if the kidney tube comes out that same day or if I'll need a 2nd day-stay for that procedure. (Unless the test they do the morning of the initial day-stay shows the obstructed stone is gone, then surgery is canceled and the tube comes out). I cannot wait for this to be over & done with.

Hope you had a great weekend and a smooth start to your week!

Sending love, hugs & Blessings...

An Enchanted Garden Party

Welcome to my

post!

To visit other participants,
please head over to the Practical Magic Blog Party 2010 blog.

I must say that while I think Practical Magic the movie is adorable,
I think the novel is incredible.
And that is where I gleaned my inspiration from for these festivities.
Gardens are mysterious, magical and enchanting, don't you think?

Now follow me out into the garden, I have everything all ready for you,
including music! (Turn your volume on).

*Update: Music has reverted to my regular Fall soundtrack, 9/28/2010*

For all of you non Practical Magic Blog Party folks, head on over to NJ Through My Eyes where I've posted 2 new slide-shows today; one is a preview of a new project I'm working on!

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Joy

(Pun intended)

Head over to NJ Through My Eyes for my "Wordless Wednesday - Autumn's Light" post.
Scroll down here to read this week's Monday Musing's "In The Works" post.

Monday Musings - In The Works

Hello there Monday. We meet again. Comes too quickly, the start of yet another week, doesn't it?

If you scroll down the left hand column, past "About Me," "b.w.o." and my countdown to Autumn button (which seems to be a little ahead of itself), you'll come to an enchanting notice about the Practical Magic Blog Party coming up this Saturday, September 25th. Having recently read the novel (by Alice Hoffman) for the first time, I jumped at the chance to participate after stumbling upon it but until this weekend didn't have idea one for my post. I'm very excited to get working on it this week! Have you read the book or seen the movie? I've done both now. The movie is cute but I loved the novel. I was enchanted from beginning to end, no pun intended!

Oh, the idea for my Practical Magic Blog Party post, you ask? You'll just have to wait & see until Saturday my pretties...

And then there's the Halloween (Blog) Party on Saturday October 16th, just announced by Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist! Last year's party was SO much fun. I haven't started planning that post yet.

Another as yet to remain top secret mission, er, project of mine is that I'm working on a personal essay piece for a site which isn't my own! I'm tickled to pieces for the opportunity. (fb can be useful! lol)

Late last week, through fellow blogger Leanne's At The Good Life, I discovered several blogs written by women like myself living with chronic pain & illnesses and I cannot begin to tell you what a welcome sight they are for my sore eyes!
Over the last 9 months and especially since my unexpected illness and surgery this Summer, I've held back on that area of my life here (for many varied reasons) and while it's felt deeply wrong (because this is part of who I am), I've been unsure as to how to become comfortable again with sharing this part of myself. Until I discovered the writings and kindness of these women. They've inspired me to once again be who I fully am here and I couldn't be more thankful. You'll find their blogs in my "Those Like Myself Living With Chronic Illness, Disease & Pain" blogroll in the left hand column.


There's nothing new to report with respect to my kidney nephrostomy tube and stone situation. Hubbs and I have the first appointment with the in-network urologist this Thursday so an update will likely follow here shortly thereafter. (Nothing new unless you count that today I've finally figured out how to shower (instead of taking a bath) with this darn contraption sticking out of my back & side - only took me 2 plus month to figure it out but I'm glad I have! It's much easier to shower than take a bath with this thing).

I've been trying to make the best of this situation as much as I possibly can but truth be told I'm having a hell of a time and not just physically but emotionally as well. It's been a royal kick in the soul to say the least. Defeating. Discouraging. But, for now I digress. I just can't seem to get into much detail about all of this, even in my journal. One day I know I will. That day isn't today.

Switching gears: Autumn is nearly upon us and I really am just so excited! Halloween decorations are already going up little by little, the leaves are changing colors, my roses (as you can see in this post) are finally on their second bloom of the season (normally I've lost count by now) as are the tomato's (normally I'm swimming in tomato's, not this year) and the windows & doors are open wide to the crisp, fresh air from sun up to sun down. We've had a couple of days of wild, scary weather last week when nasty storms passes through (Thursday's storms included 3 tornado's, one in NJ and 2 in NY!) and I'm hoping that's the last of it for a while.

Hubbs reseeded the back yard on September 11th and we have grass growing again. Hopefully with daily TLC it will continue to grow and stick around this time. If not, it's patio stone time come Spring. (This is the third year in a row we're trying to get the grass to grow & stick around out back - I know when to say when).

So you've noticed there haven't been many gardening posts this year, eh? Well this has been my worst gardening season Ever. Was it the atrocious heat & humidity this Summer? Was it my inability to be there for my garden and care for it, aside from watering it, since July 4th weekend? Likely a little bit of all of that and reasons only Mother Nature herself knows. I've always said gardening is a lesson is patience, perseverance and letting go. This year is no exception!

Now I'm headed back to reading Gone With The Wind, which I'll be leading an online discussion of starting October 1st with the group Chicks On Lit. Maybe I'll see you over there! I've also got to get cracking on this month's in-person book club selection, An Arsonist's Guide To Writers' Homes In New England. Next year I'll be leading the (in-person) group discussions for Eat Pray Love (which I've read) and The Help (which I haven't read) both of which I'm really looking forward to! The book club has really turned into a great experience and I've made two, good friends from it and I'm enjoying our get-togethers in town. (With my closest long time friends spread out all over the place it's nice to have women to actually go out with again!)

If I think about it all, I start feeling overwhelmed!

Until next time friends...

(Pardon the appearance of this post towards the end! It looked great in draft, not sure what happened when I hit publish).

It's a "Two-fer" Wednesday!

Happy September Garden Blogger's Bloom Day
and
Wordless Wednesday!

To get in on all of the Garden Blogger's Bloom Day fun,
head over to May Dreams Gardens.

September 11th

It is a beautiful Fall-like day here today, though the sky isn't as brilliantly blue as on the day that changed my world, our world forever.

Nine years have passed since September 11th, 2001 yet, for me, it always feels like that terrifying day just happened recently. As I listen to the names of those innocent lives lost, the tears come as freely as ever. It's difficult for me to reconcile the fact that nine years have passed and so quickly.

This is one of the times of the year that make me take stock in myself and my life (the others being my birthday in May, Halloween and New Years) and this year I find that I am truly disappointed in myself overall. It could be the lingering blah's from my Summer illness. For the most part, I feel like I could have done more with the time given to me since September 11th... But is that just a natural, human feeling even though you may have done the best you could with what you've had? I don't know. I need to journal on this. Hopefully that will help me to see things more clearly.

(Time to switch gears and for me to get up on the 'soap box' for a moment)

It's so important to remember and Never Forget. And not just for those of us who, for whatever reason, weren't at The World Trade Center, The Pentagon or on any of the planes used as weapons against the United States that morning and were given the chance to continue on, but for our Nation and World, who so often and quickly forget, letting history repeat itself time and time again. Unfortunately, it seems as though today is over with, many do forget again. Look at the recent events in the news here! Terrorists want us to be afraid, of one another and of those unlike ourselves, they want us to turn on one another and on those unlike us, they want to change who we are as a Country; we are supposed to be better than that but the news shows other wise. It's heart breaking.

(climbing down from soap box)

I have mentioned this day often as well as shared with you the story of my September 11th in previous years. To scroll through the posts, click here. If you're new to my blog, I hope you'll take a look at my September 11th post from 2009 to find out where I was when the world stopped turning.

The song playing on my blog today, "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)," by Alan Jackson is the best and most heart felt song I've heard about what happened. It brings me to tears every time.

Where were you 9 years ago today?

The memorial candle is lit on the mantle, the names are being read on the tv, flowers to bring to the County Memorial picked out...

What are you doing to Remember today?

Other fellow bloggers honoring this anniversary:

The Perpetual Page Turner
Witchy Stitches
Faerie Moon Creations
The Candy Corn Chronicles
4:53am
How Sweet The Sound

***Update to this post:***
Please visit New Jersey Through My Eyes to view my "9 Year Later" slide show.

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

Happy Friday!

Just had to share these pics with all of you, taken yesterday.

My other blog abode, New Jersey Through My Eyes is back with my "Labor Day Scenes of My NJ" photo slide show. Head on over to take a look.

Like other students in our area, I also went back to hitting the books this week.

Since my Summer was derailed by my unexpected illness, I'm trying to get back on track and one of the first things I'm working on is my online Interior Design course. I'd like to finish it this Fall or this Winter at the latest.

Our weather has turned cool, breezy and humidity free! I have all of the windows & doors wide open, no fans or ac on. This kind of weather and Fall in general gets me going and inspires me creatively too. I started purging again yesterday. I got rid of 7 or 8 mugs from the kitchen (they were all chipped) and reorganized 2 kitchen cabinets. (Yes, I still have over 40 (well over 40) but I love my mugs!) Then I went to work on the books & video's in our living room and have a large pile to donate to the library this weekend.

Later this evening we're heading over to Mount Mitchell to look across the bay to see the World Trade Center 'Tribute In Lights' Memorial. Tomorrow is the 9th Anniversary of the horrifying events of September 11th, 2001. 9 years later and it still seems like it only just happened.

I've really got to get my arse in gear as I've spent the last couple of hours getting caught up online. I hope you're having a lovely Friday!

Don't forget to check out this week's Wordless Wednesday post.

Wordless Wednesday, Labor Day Scenes

A Lovely Saturday & Weekend To You!

I awoke to find this beautiful Morning Glory blooming on the arbor this morning. What a lovely way to start a Saturday! The gusty breezes and low humidity are making this a fine day indeed. I was able to have my morning cuppa tea on the patio, something I really enjoy.

Hurricane Earl missed us completely and while we're all grateful in this area, we could have used some of his rains with this drought we've got going and not another chance for rain for at least 7 days according to the weather this morning. We haven't had a hot & dry Fall in many years and I'm afraid we're due. (Hopefully Mother Nature flips a weather pattern switch with the official arrival of Autumn this month and we get out of this).

What are your plans for this holiday weekend?

We're heading to our place up north later this afternoon until Monday while one of our nephews has his daughter over here for the weekend. (Didn't I mention we have another nephew staying with us? No? He and his wife are having marital problems, again). I can't wait to get back up there. We took a quick trip up Wednesday to 'batten down the hatches' in case Hurricane Earl hugged our coast and affected area's inland and I didn't want to leave! (Actually, had I planned better, I could have just stayed up there while Hubbs came back down here so he could go to work - ah well, next time!) Time to get my laundry out of the dryer and start packing.

I hope you have a great time this weekend, what ever your plans are!

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday

Happy September 1st!

A little early for Autumn foliage like this, by a few weeks at the very least, (in my humble opinion), but it's here nonetheless. (I took this photo today at our place up north). Seeing the splashes of red & yellow make me happy and I feel the excitement for the arrival of our next season building. (I'll be so glad when this Summer is behind me and not just because of the horrendous heat & humidity!)

Hurricane Earl is coming and supposed to arrive here early Friday. Right now we're already under a tropical storm warning. The weather people don't really seem to know what might happen which isn't surprising. Some reports say it might be on par with the Nor'Easter we had here in March which was bad, but if that's all Earl amounts to, we'll be very lucky. We went to our place up north to 'batten down the hatches' just in case Earl hugs closer to the coast and sends wind and rain that far inland. (Right now it seems as though that's the only area of NJ which will be unaffected by Earl). It seems to be a fast moving storm, which is good.

Tomorrow I'm running out to pick up a few essentials like candles, batteries, canned goods and extra water because it's better 'to be safe than sorry,' especially when you live right on the coast like we do. I'll put away the patio furniture & what not as well and try to position some of the containers so they won't get blown around. Prepare for the worst (a smart thing to do), hope for the best! I hope if you're in Earl's path that you & yours fare well.

Actually, I'm looking forward to Earl! Its' arrival will end this disgusting heat wave we've been stuck in since last week. It was 101* today. Good grief.

A quick health update: Unfortunately, the nephrostomy tube in my left kidney wasn't removed last Tuesday as planned. Apparently the cracker jack hospital urologist only read my ct scan reports and didn't look at the actual scans and there's a very tiny kidney stone lodged in the wall of the tube which leads from my left kidney to my bladder. (The surgeon (who put the tube in) looked at the ct scans, showed us where the obstruction is and tried to call the urologist who was "unavailable" and never called the surgeon back). This was the final straw in a long line of bs we've been dealing with when it comes to this doctor and his staff - I officially kicked him to the curb and will be seeing an in-network urologist later this month. A patient's health should not be taken care of at a doctor's leisure (aka whenever the hell he feels like it or happens to get around to it), especially when the patient's overall health and a vital organ become at stake the longer nothing is done.

And so it continues...