My oldest daughter would love these. She collects giraffes and has since she was a very young kid. She was fascinated with them even when she was a baby. I posted them to her and told her I wanted to get these for her, and she loved them. I indeed might try to find out who makes these. I found this on an actual shoe site, and then someone emailed me a bunch of photos that these famous shoe designers had made. Some were quite bizarre, but others were very cool!
Happy Birthday to my little brother
Where does the time go? My little brother turned 50, and it’s hard to believe. Memories flood back of him coming to my house after school and I would make him chocolate chip pancakes. Back then, the chocolate chips came in mini size. He loved the pancakes and I think that is the reason he used to come over. That and to play one of the very first electronic games that came out…sort of like Nintendo, but I can’t remember the name of it. I never could figure out the controller, so I never did play the thing, but my little brother loved it. He did end up getting it from me.
So.. Happy Birthday Chief! I hope you have a wonderful day and all your wishes come true!! I love you!
XOXXO
Finally a great pool supply place
Since my kids that are home are older (…15,18,20 yrs) and much taller than when we got our pool two years ago, I want to get them a new pool come Spring, but dread going to the pool supply place that is closest to home. Every Spring and through the Summer, for two seasons I’ve had to hunt stores and the pool supply shop for the items that I need for our pool It is a good size round pool, that is about three feet deep, and not big compared to the one I would like to get this Spring, but it was very pricey for the up keep.
The worse problem I had was finding pool filters after June. It was a terrible experience that I would rather not go through again. I had to actually make my old filter work somewhat, but with leaks and spurts and lots of duct tape, since the stores in town ran out or didn’t stock them, and the pool supply shop had to “special order” the filter I needed for my brand of pool, with a “IF we can,” type answer I got when I asked.
To me, this is not my way of spending my summer. So…I got online. I don’t actually know why I hadn’t thought of it before, but I just didn’t. I think since I didn’t want to go though what I had the last two seasons, I wised up when I friend of mine recommended Dohenys Water Warehouse, where she bought her supplies from. The prices are great and they even have free shipping, not to mention the filter I may need if something happens to the one that will come with the pool. Now for sure I am going to surprise the family with an big above ground pool. I even have a guy who will build the deck for me. I’m going to be a happy swimmer and so will my family!! I’ll never have to get my pool supplies from anywhere else!
A great gift from a friend
My friend who I call Radiogal, or Radio, sent me a wonderful clip board she made especially for me. She has been buying clipboards and then decoupaging little pictures of things that remind her of whom ever she is making the clipboard for. It’s really thoughtful and also handy to have.
The clipboard she made for me, had a lot to do with sewing, and also my other hobbies. Clay jars, collecting buttons, a certain sort of stationary I use…things like that.
The clip board is going to come in handy she said, when I have surgery and am feeling great and want to write a letter to her. While I’m in the hospital, she said that I’d need something to prop on my lap to write on. I love this woman. She is so artsy and thoughtful. I am going to make her something special once I have surgery and am able to move well enough and bend my neck again.
Lists and coupons
Thinking I’ll make my life a bit simpler, I’m getting a jump on Saturday grocery shopping. I’ve got my list partially made up, and coupons cut…thanks to my daughter. I even feel somewhat organized.
I’ve been going through the freezer and the pantries, and throwing out things and at the same time, organizing…with the help of my youngest son, foodstuff. Also we all have been looking at the two refrigerators to see what we are running out of, then writing it down on the list.
Saying that I feel like Suzie Homemaker is really stretching it, but I am feeling a bit more organized. Now, if I don’t forget my list and coupons when I go to the stores I need to go to, it’ll really be an accomplishment.
Help with resort and hotel supplies
Living up here where there are plenty of lakes, is great place to vacation. My friend Lynn owns a Resort right on the lake and I’ve been helping her out with redecorating. She needs a Hotel Supplier & Restaurant Supply, just to name a couple services. Her place is awesome. She lives in a beautiful home right next to the resort and it is all tied together by a terrace and flower garden that I helped her plan and plant. I’m very proud of it, I must say. Since she and her husband got a divorce, I go up there when I can and help her out, especially in the summer months when she is at her peak of business.
She doesn’t have a restaurant, since her resort and the neighboring restaurants give one another business. However, the way her place is arranged, there are hotel rooms in the front of the building and in the back overlooking the lake are apartments. Everything one needs is in the apartments, from tin foil to cooking utensils, bedding to new tooth brushes. All one has to do is is bring their food and clothes. She needs to get how ever Resort Linen Supplies & Catering Supplies. At least new supplies to go with the new themes she has picked for each room and also each apartment. And a lot of the amenities that restaurants would have for the kitchens in the apartments, and also the hotel rooms.
She showed me the items online at PeachSuite Hotel Supply & Restaurant Equipment Company and we decided they have everything she needs to outfit her place in the style she couldn’t do before. I’m really happy for her and the up side of this, is because I love to help her with these kind of things, she always gives me the greatest and biggest apartment for a week in the summer so the family and I can have a nice little vacation and visit with her.
Memories through photographs
While the kids and I are in the process of some heavy cleaning, I’ve been sort of going through photographs. Believe me, as an amateur photographer who’s passion is taking photos, I have hundreds and hundreds of loose pictures. Some are in photo boxes, some are in a photo tower that as five shelves stocked up with loose pictures, and then there is my cedar chest and a big plastic bin full of pictures I have take over the years. These of course do not include the library of albums I have.
I worry about fire. I’m terrified of it. Photographs capture moments in a lifetime, that can never be captured again, and while going through some of the photos, I have to admit that some are pretty darn good. They look professional. I’m not trying to “toot my own horn”, but when I’m taking photos, I know instantly if they will be good or not. The right lighting and post or not a pose…which ever. Most of my really good ones were taken with my old trusty Pentax Zoom 60X. I love this camera, and now to find film for it is nearly impossible. Not to mention that it doesn’t work for one reason or another and there is no one around here that will touch it. I’ve got to still keep trying to track down someone to fix this camera for me. I don’t like digital cameras. When I find a camera I love, I’m happy and this Pentax was the best camera I ever had. It “fit” me and the photos were excellent.
The memories that flooded back while looking at some of the photos that I did last night, were nearly bitter sweet. There are moments I am so glad I captured.
Great savings at Sears with coupons
I’ve shopped at Sears for as long as I can remember and now I wish I would have paid attention to the fact that Sears offers lots of coupons and promo codes to use while shopping. I actually am really bad about taking my coupons into stores. I forget them, nearly every time. Usually I don’t remember, until the cashier asks me if I have any coupons. Getting them from Sears and also the promo codes though, is an extra plus shopping at Sears.
Some of my fondest memories growing up, were my Mom and my Grandparents, getting the Sears catalog. We kids could not wait to look through what we called, our “Wish Book.” Because we spent a lot of time at Papa and Nana’s house, we had the advantage of both worlds. A wonderful childhood at home, and also there with them at our second home, as I always thought of it as. My mom would do a lot of Christmas shopping out of the Sears catalog. I also remember the Mother, Daughter dresses they used to carry. It was something special when she would get us matching dresses.
For years, there was a Sears in the city near here, but it seems that the city is slowly loosing a lot of the stores, since the factories are all closing, and now the Sears is going out of business in the mall. I’m really sad about it. I get everything from my tools to my eyeglasses there, and it’s not going to be the same with out being able to shop there when I want to. I know a whole lot of people this will effect also. My oldest daughter’s very first job was in the shoe department at Sears. She learned a lot about the other various departments also, but the main thing she learned was independence and responsibility. I was so proud of her when she came home and told me she had gotten a job there. She made very good friends, who are going to be out of a job as soon as the doors close for the last time.
A lot of guys I know buy their tools there because of the great deals and the fact they are durable and a very popular brand. It will effect them. Having to drive a great distance now, is going to be expensive, with the gas prices the way they are. I am however, very glad that Sears offers lots of coupons and promo codes. It will make the drive worth it. I’m going to have to pass this info on to more of my friends!
Family pulling together
Yesterday, I wasn’t feeling the greatest at all. I have a surgery coming up and I’m not supposed to really be doing too much lifting, bending and other stuff. My kids decided to tear apart my kitchen and clean it from top to bottom. Bless their hearts…they really put their all into it. I have to admit, that it is a big help with what they have done so far. They don’t clean like I do of course, but they are learning. I clean the old fashion way, and the kids take short cuts. But at least they are trying and I give them every credit in the world.
Monday when they go to school, and my oldest son is still asleep, I’m going to go over a few things that no one actually notices except me. But they really did do a great job and were helping me out a lot!
Preparing for income tax returns
Yes, it is that time of year again and I’ve seriously thought about learning how to become a tax preparer. I can not believe the amount of money some people I know have been telling me that they are paying to have their taxes prepared, in order to get the biggest refund they can. Most of the time, if they even took their taxes things to just a regular person who know how to prepare the tax forms, they would still get the same amount of money back, but in hopes of getting a higher amount, they still spend all that money. To me, it’s rather senseless, but hey…it’s their choice.
I think if I were to become a Registered IRS Preparer, I’d have a good shot at making a decent income once a year. It’s something I’ve thought about before. Like when my husband took our tax things to this one person who charged an arm and a leg, just to tell us that we had to pay in to the IRS. That was a total bummer.
I really don’t like surprises, so I think that if I were able to prepare our own taxes, it would save me the surprise of not knowing if who does our taxes is going it right or not. I’d be the one preparing them, so I’d know if the numbers were right and if our refund was correct. There is other great information about tax courses that are really helpful.