The Ya Ya Sisters

Someone sent me this in an email and I had to first laugh and second share it with you. Be sure to read the diet at the end

AND REMEMBER: GOOD FRIENDS ARE LIKE STARS. YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE THEM, BUT YOU ALWAYS KNOW THEY ARE THERE!!!!!!

Breakfast 1 grapefruit 1 slice whole wheat toast 1 cup skim milk Lunch 1 small portion lean, steamed chicken 1 cup spinach 1 cup herbal tea 1 Hershey's kiss Afternoon Tea The rest of the Hershey Kisses in the bag 1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips Dinner 4 glasses of wine (red or white) 2 loaves garlic bread 1 family size supreme pizza 3 Snickers Bars Late Night Snack 1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer) Remember: · Stressed spelled backward is desserts. · Handle every stressful situation like a dog. Tinkle on it and walk away.

A Twinkle In Your Wrinkle

I absolutely love this. Read through completely.

This is wonderful…and the thought at the end is so true!





















Never look down on anybody, unless you're helping them up.

Please read the following quietly then send it back on its journey

To realize the value of a sister/brother,
ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years:
ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years:
ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year:
ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months:
ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month:
ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one minute:
ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second:
ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one--treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member: LOSE ONE.

Remember… hold on tight to the ones you love!

Do not keep this letter.

Send it to friends & family to whom you wish a good, long, happy, life.

Pretty Roses

I love picking up crocheted doilies at thrift stores and yard sales whenever I can find them. I usually don't end up putting them on tables around the house because I have so many other nicknacks piled up.

Recently having moved onto a farm with a sweet lady we call Granny living right next to us, I have gotten to love talking with her about her favorite hobby . . . crocheting.




I showed her this rose doily and she asked me if I wanted her to "stiffen it". Not knowing what process this was I told her only if it was no problem to her. She was thrilled and headed home with a smile on her face.

The next morning she appeared on my doorstep with the most beautiful piece of work I had ever seen . . . my rose doily!!!

Granny said she got the look on my face that she had expected -- one of total surprise at the transformation after her "stiffening" process.

My daughter fell in love with this piece of art and told me she had the best place to put it. Now her wall above her bed displays the transformed rose doily. Granny thought it the perfect place also, especially since my daughter's name is Savannah Rose.

Sunsets Of My Life

"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you." November 5, 1994: From the letter in which Reagan announced his Alzheimer's diagnosis — five years after leaving office.

My heart has been very heavy for the past few days now after receiving a phone call from a relative of a person in my past. I was told that her sister has been given 1 year to live, but now I have received another phone message from a call I missed last night that reports a sudden turn for the worse with the doctor's wanting to "pull the plug" on her kidney and that the end will come within the next few days.



This saddens me as she is just 44 years old and the mother of three children -- two of which are grown but one that is still a teenager and has been "floating" for a year now during this period of her mother's illness (surgery and then chemo).

It has set my mind to remembering this special sweet lady. I will always remember her smile and the happiness in her voice no matter what she was going through. It has my heart crying knowing that she has been struggling for so long trying to hold on and that her battle is being lost.



That was the worst part of the care I gave to my in-laws for 6 years knowing I was losing a battle, one that I saw as not winning. Then I was finally able to come to terms towards the end in understanding that they were so tired and their body was giving out even if their spirit was strong to the end. I always tried to keep them comfortable and happy or pleasant in talking to them, getting them to reminisce about things they enjoyed. I find I do that even now in working on the personal care floor at the hospital.



So it is with these thoughts that I tie together recent pictures of sunsets here in Fort Benton, MT. They are true masterpieces and my youngest (Avery) and I could not help but keep saying "wow" while shooting these. I am thankful and hope to have many more sunsets to enjoy with my family. I am still saying a prayer for my friend. Her name is Sherri (she lives in Georgia) -- say a little one for her too if you don't mind.

5 Things in Life

Got this from a DEAR FRIEND... There are 5 things in life you cannot recover: A stone...after it's thrown. A word...after it is said. An occasion...after it's missed. The time...after it's gone. A person...after they die. Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile, Enjoy Life!!

Time and Friends

“There is no hope or joy except in human relations.”
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery
* * * * * *
“The bird, a nest; the spider, a web; man, friendship.”
-William Blake
* * * * * *
“‘Tis the human touch in the world
that counts—the touch of your
hand and mine—
Which means far more to the sinking
heart than shelter or bread or
wine
For shelter is gone when the night is
o’er, and bread lasts only a day
But the touch of the hand and the
sound of the voice
Live on in the soul always.”

-Spencer M. Free
* * * * * *
“The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cherub Creation

This little cherub was stitched right around Valentine's Day, but I didn't get the mini quilt put together until a thought of how to complete a colorful border around it came to mind. On my birthday last May, a dear sweet friend had sent me a stack of squares of different fabrics all of pinks and reds. They had been sitting on my table just waiting for use. I still have more left of the squares and will continue to think of Judith when grabbing them for future projects.

My Dresden Quilt Block Center

A dear sweet friend of mine made me a paper pattern of the spokes of this Dresden Plate quilt block pattern. I have been goint to town cutting up my pieces of scraps -- I hate to throw anything of fabric away!!!!

Here is the first attempt and I have just had my creative "boost" of how I am going to finish this one off. It will be a bigger finished quilt top, probably a throw to snuggle up in. I already have 8 embroidered cute pieces to add as parts of borders around this.

Now, only to find my ruler -- fingers have been walking away with them off my table recently and it takes time and makes me frustrated to find things. Still looking for my favorite pair of scissors and had to break down and buy another one.

Bambi & Thumper ....really do exist!

This was taken in Alberta , Canada in a back yard...Very cool!
Bambi & Thumper ....really do exist!

"Bless This House" Gift

I completed this free hand machine quilted piece that I had hand embroidered "Bless this House" for a dear friend of mine in Tennesee.

I shadow machine quilted "Faith", "Hope", and "Love" in the stitches. It was my first time making letters or words machine free-hand. I tried to capture the word "Love" in this photograph.



I sent a snail mail card to Twila saying that she could use this as a wall hanging, table mat or even turn it into a pillow panel. No matter how she chooses, I hope she knows it was made out of love from a friend who is now far away and missing our crafting visits.

Mountain Top Retreat

Savannah and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Mountain Top Retreat off Cottonwood Canyon Road in Bozeman, Montana this past weekend. The scenery was lovely and the company grand!





One friend was celebrating her 70th birthday. The party planners decided on a Hawaiian theme -- grass skirt,leis, sunglasses, hula hoop,and pretty flowers. Laughs were had by everyone as Kathy is a character out of costume, but even more animated in one.



These are friends I have not seen in over 9 years. They all had not changed in appearance or personalities very much. What a joy!!!



I love this picture of Savannah blowing bubbles at the party.