Party plus

I mentioned a while back they we were going to have a birthday fiesta party here and this weekend is the date. What I have discovered is that knowing you are going to have 40 guests
over inspires you to............................

The problem is that I am not as energetic or happy as this picture! However, it is a plus because things always need to be done and it is a kick in the pants to go do it.

Foods

Dieting makes people crazy...........

Let's eat!

Everyone has some type of food combination that is unusual they like....a couple of mine are:

Lettuce on a hot dog

Peanut butter on apples

and my Dad put salt on pumpkin pie.....................How about you?

Another home

Yesterday my hubby and I were invited to cowboy artist John Hill's home for some homemade chili and some cowboy singing. Now you need to know that he is multi-talented and single so his home is filled with the things he loves.....saddles on stands, guitars on stands and paintings. There is no decor theme and only one couch for a seating arrangement somewhere in a back room but there were paintings everywhere....walls, lined up in the hallway and every nook and cranny. Relaxed and casual would best describe it..........a wonderful time and the chili was mmmm good and you haven't lived until you have heard a group of old men singing their favorite old western songs:)

This is one of his more famous paintings done for Parada del Sol in 2003.

"It's been a good ride"

I am convinced that variety is the spice of life:)

Check out his web site for a gallery of all his other works

Home

Yesterday my husband and I were invited to the home of and out to dinner with friends, these particular people happen to be very wealthy and their home is a museum of Indian artifacts and history. As they showed us the different things I was struck at how they both loved each aspect and item and how they had both been involved in the finding, researching and purchasing of it. It clearly was not my style and I would not have any peace in that environment but they loved every single detail and have spent years creating it...........now for the big question.................................. If I stole into your home, what would I learn about you? How would your home describe the way you live, the things you love? Is it a unique expression of you and your family? Does it have soul?


My home is filled with things that have been passed down to me from my parents. I guess as an only child it is one way I can have family continuance:) but everywhere I look is a captured memory. All my colors are soft and muted....hmmm maybe boring to some:) Organization is important to me and I have to be careful not to take it to extremes (all the books lined up in proper height and etc.) and in fact I struggle to add something unexpected for that special pop as they say. Putting your feet up and curling up for tv watching or reading is a must and our pets are crucial to our comfort and fun. What about you?

The Wall

The wall we painted...............

From the inside looking out...................................

I tried to post the picture from the outside looking in but blogger doesn't want to cooperate.

Celebration

I did it!!!!! I have been procrastinating for years about re-painting a stucco wall that surrounds my front courtyard and today it got done........I can't tell you how thrilled I am (pooped too). We added the wall for a special effect and painted it with the wrong color of paint (did not match exact the rest of the outside paint) and I have absolutely hated it but today is VICTORY......it's the little things that count with me:)

Movie Review

The Bank Job

Watched this movie for 30 minutes and walked out. In the 30 minutes I sat there I may as well have been in a dark adult theatre for all the graphic sex scenes. Was not what I expected for sure but the good news???? I got a pass for another movie by complaining to the manager. Never be afraid to speak up.

Head scratching

This picture totally expresses my morning with this computer....It seems to have a mind of its own!

Old home place

My hubby and I stayed at this place at least once a year in the past, due to a yearly competition in the area. I love it. The lady that owns it has a wonderful talent for decorating and has done wonders with this old authentic 30's dude ranch.

Many of the rooms surround this beautiful courtyard that is filled with plants and birds. A morning breakfast is included and if you click on their web site Rancho Sonora there are more wonderful pictures and some music to match:)

All the rooms have a western theme with special decor and several have had these really cool little showers with the arched stucco entry.

In one of the rooms we liked she took an old antique wood door and turned it sideways to make a headboard for a King size bed. She does magic with paint and frames things like "no smoking" and etc. She is always changing and adding things and this time there was new carpet throughout.

We no longer have the competition here and it is an out of the way place so am afraid that this may have been our last time to stay here:(

It's a hit!

The 50th anniversary party was to be held in Florence, AZ. which is a few hours drive from the Phoenix area. We originally thought we would go down south to the Harrah's casino and spend the night there but when I checked online the rooms were going for $269.00 per night and that did not include tax! It is bad enough to lose your money in the machines but to get robbed with a room was too much sooooooooooo I found a new place we had never been in Casa Grande, Az. the Francisco Grande Resort.

What an interesting place....it was originally built in 1960 by the owner of the San Franciso Giants as a spring training facility. The then owner, Horace Stonehan carried the baseball theme to the max with the parking lot to mimic the outline of a baseball diamond, The overhang on the main building to resemble the brim of a baseball cap and the swimming pool shaped like a bat and the wading pool like a ball.
They left in 1970 and it is now a beautiful golf resort.

We stayed in the tower and this is a couple of pictures of our view overlooking the golf course......

Don't you be fooled though because just to each side of this luscious golf course is the natural terrain of Case Grande, Az.

That good old Arizona desert------It is amazing what water can do:)

More tomorrow----------------------------------------------------------

Another juant of sorts

Hubby and I are off on another jaunt of sorts...friends are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversay so we are going to stay a couple of nights in different hotel/resorts...will bring back some pictures and some info on them :)

Deja vu

I am in the process of planning a threesome birthday party for my husband, a friend and myself....truth be it is more for me because I am the one hitting the highlight age (60) while the other two are past that:) Well, anyhow we all decided to pitch and and have a party that would be a Mexican Fiesta. My daughter offered to help me shop and decorate:)

Now when she was young and living at home there were MANY shopping outings for all sorts of things but the worse ones were for proms and military balls and etc. because everything HAD to be just right and EVERYTHING was important.


Well, nothing has changed...we have miniature pinatas, matching plates and napkins, hanging things and even a Mexican CD to play softly in the background:) What fun we had even if the bill was $90.00 and three bags full!


I hope you have someone to let loose and just have fun with...

It's never too late...........................

How did I live without the computer

On Kenju this morning she talked about getting her first computer and how did she ever live without one.......it sure struck a cord with me. I got my first computer in the early 80's by asking my hubby to buy me one for Valentines. I didn't have any idea what I was going to do with it but it was the up and coming thing and felt I needed to learn about it.

Little did I know how much I would come to use it. My first accomplishment was to create a Christmas label list....you have no idea how proud I was! Then came playing solitaire...yahoo, no shuffling required.
Much later I learned how to do a spreadsheet for the Union dues of our men that I needed to keep track of and even later yet......I did the payroll for 20 men. That was heaven after doing it all by hand. I am sure the men were happy too because there were no errs:)
Then came the Internet...........I wanted to learn how to do that so took a college class................after two weeks of a very boring class, I dropped the class and simply signed up for AOL and I have been using the Internet ever since. I do all our travel reservations, I have done our family tree, I wrote the book via the computer, keep our business books, blog, play games and on and on and on.............................
How about you? When did you get your first computer and what was your first accomplishment?

Fun with a cause

I don't know if I have mentioned it before but I am a Red Hatter

Thursday I was one of many who attended the "April in Paris" Ms. Senior Arizona "Follies"
at the Union Hills Country Club in Sun City which included a wonderful lunch and entertainment of singing, dancing, and comedy that was presented by the Red Hat chapter "Dynamite Dolls of Sun City West". All the proceeds went to Eve's Place which is a safe house for women and children.
How many times do you have an opportunity to simply sit and have a good time but know that you are helping someone at the same time......................................remarkable!

April Fool

Watch out for those pranksters!!