Eleven

Happy Blogger-versary to me! Eleven is a good number. It's a prime, which makes me happy. If you have stumbled across my blog by accident, you're welcome here. If you show up regularly, then you know what you're getting into. As of now, page views log in at 543,004. My posts, including this one, come in at 3268. 2154 is the number of comments thus far. The number would be significantly larger if I counted the spam. I know you're thinking, how can one woman possibly have so much to say? I can tell you, my brain is still pretty full of random thoughts and opinions that for some reason I feel compelled to share. There are likely cute cat pics I have not yet shared. You might have noticed that I have failed miserably this month at my self-imposed, one post per day goal. All I can say is, I'm taking a more relaxed attitude toward blogging at this point. There may be weeks when I show up daily. There may be weeks when I show up very little, or possibly not at all. Either way, there's a sizable backlog here to peruse if you choose to scroll or click back in history. In any case, I still enjoy this outlet and am grateful for my readers, even more so for those of you who give feedback in the comments section. See y'all next time! 

For Your Thursday Amusement

Click on the image for a larger, more readable version.

It's Over!

It's been a month since I got electronic word from the state department of revenue saying I owe them nothing. Today, the letter bearing the same news arrived. There was an SASE* tucked in, too. Are they expecting a free will offering from me? Out of the goodness of my heart? Maybe a mooshy love note? Otherwise, what does an envelope cost? Let's just file this under your tax dollars at work.

*Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. Though the second S doesn't apply, it was not stamped. 

Sally Draper's Pillow Cases

Sally has had a difficult time adjusting to the arrival of her new little brother. We see here in Season 3, Episode 6 that she now has her own room. It's painted pink and she has some lovely sheets decorated with yellow rosebuds. Definitely a girly room.

Something was strangely familiar about those pillow cases! As you can see, I have an identical set. I don't remember if sheets came along with them when I was a newlywed, these linens moved in along with my husband. I peeked at the label expecting to see a worn and faded one, but right there, bright and clear were the words J.C. Penney. Which means Betty Draper as well as my mother-in-law shopped at JCP. It seems reasonable that my MiL bought things for the house at Penney's, there wasn't much else for shopping in northeastern South Dakota in the 1960's. I would have guessed Betty for more of a Bloomingdale's or Macy's sort of gal. One thing I know for sure, though. I own a set of antique pillow cases. Maybe just vintage. Around here, they're just the spares.  

The Ides of January

Welcoming our California girl with fresh snow!

Dining room with a view.

Irony

For the last three days I've been thinking I really ought to trim my fingernails. To preserve them from breakage while doing carpentry sort of tasks. Like tearing out a weird 2x4 frame to pretty up the area around the furnace room. And assembling a couple of cute cabinets for bathroom storage to go in that space. And figuring out how to put the louvered bi-fold doors up to hide the furnace and water heater, but allowing access to storage space and changing the furnace filter. But all I did was think about it. At the end of working each day, it seemed more necessary to find a beer or a glass of wine and some food, followed by relocating to my big, comfy chair and some Mad Men. 

As you can see, the thumbnails survived quite nicely.

As did the other four nails on my left hand.

My right hand, however, is a different story. The nails survived the heavy work only for me to break off the ring finger nail while making my bed this morning. This nail survived handling power tools and lumber! And snapped under the stress of picking up a pillow! It's time to make the other nine match, I suppose. Might even improve my typing skills. One can hope.

I Want to See the Other Fifty-four

Powerful Stuff

Talent Show Fail

In the name of all that is holy, why would a person with zero musical talent treat abuse his social media friends with a near half hour video of himself playing a juice harp along with recorded music?* This is an example of an exponential selfie. On steroids. If natural ability could be expressed as a body part, this video would be showcasing dysmorphia incarnate. All I have to say is, any person who has employed a BeDazzler or created a Cake Wreck or used a hot glue gun in shame has now been exonerated for fashioning something hideous. Every last one of you is absolved. You have been bested, or more appropriately, worsted. And I mean that in the best possible way.

*In the interest of conveying benefit of the doubt, I at first considered that he may have posted the video as something funny. With further consideration, I dispensed with this theory upon remembering that he does not have a sense of humor. I will confess that I snortlaughed through the couple of contiguous minutes that I watched in disbelief.

Melting Carpet

Easy A

For the Birds

Staying warm in January sometimes requires the intraspecies cooperation of geographically diverse populations. Here we see flamingos and penguins providing fleecy comfort to a human.  

Longmire Screenshot

Let's just file this under, IIWABPIWFTPSFH*.

*If I were a better person, I wouldn't find this photo so freaking hilarious.

2018 Forecast