Last of September is here!

Can you believe it? October is already knocking on the door! This year just seems to be "flying" by! I'm hoping that Mother Nature will remember it is fall and finally turn down the thermostat here, it was 93F again yesterday! This was a very busy weekend around here! Friday, I met with a friend for some shopping and a late lunch. The State Fair of Texas opened on Friday, the Red Bull Flying team was here and the weather was very cooperative, if a little warm! At least the humidity was not so high....and the clouds stayed away so that we could have a great view of the Super Moon too! Did you get to view it?  I thought it was awesome (even if the mosquitoes wanted to bite)! I didn't get any photos of it with my cell phone, but I did watch it from about 9:10 to 9:50 and as it began to "peak" it really was a pretty shade of deep red/orange! It would have been better had I gone out of the city (lights) but with all the porch lights off in the court, it was pretty clear to see.
I got to plant 36 pansies around my mailbox on Saturday morning before it got too warm! On Sunday I took my friends to the airport to pick up a rental for their trip to Ohio for a wedding. Other than that, I pretty much just cleaned house and watched TV while snuggling with my fur babies...it was fun! I am to take my neighbor out to the airport for her trip on Thursday....and then pick her up on her return the following Tuesday, then on the 8th I take the friends to return the rental and then another neighbor needs a ride to the airport on Oct. 30th....maybe I should start a shuttle business....LOL!
Amy sent me a photo just a bit ago of Annabeth and Hayden....I just put it in a QP for her and sent it back to her phone...aren't they adorable? The QP is a freebie by Louise L called Magical World.

I also snapped a few photos of the fur babies...playing, hiding, snuggling, and of course, sleeping!

MzKitty hiding in the stacked boxes....yes, my living room is there play room...LOL!

I'm on the couch watching TV, MzKitty is on the back (above) and Sideways is on my feet (below)

 Can you find Oreo? she is hiding in the paper bag....the boxes are on the couch and MzKitty is playing in all of them...they are very entertaining...I am in the rocker across the room!

 Here I am on the bed with Sideways snuggled next to me, then Oreo (she licks her fur off from allergies), Misty is next to Oreo and MzKitty is on the brown bed...Pumpkin is asleep on the floor next to the bed...they just have to be where I am. 

Isn't this the sweetest face?  How can you not relax when you see a sleeping fur baby? Right now, I am in my computer room with Sideways asleep on the rug next to my feet, Misty is on the window sill to my right, MzKitty is on the desk just above my keyboard, Oreo is in the doorway on the floor and Pumpkin is in the box on the floor.  I am still surrounded by them....loving it!!
Sideways has finally learned to drink from the faucet....he is so funny, when he is through he needs me to dry him off...(with him being mostly blind...he cannot jump up onto the counter, so he meows until I put him up there)....here is a photo of him drinking and one of all the water on his face.

Can you tell I love my fur babies? Probably too much??? Nope, they love me unconditionally and rule my world for sure...they do keep me hopping taking care of them, but....I would be lonely without them!
OK....time to get my hiney out of this chair and get busy...I need to clean floors today... and I should get dressed and go to WalMart....I think the fur babies need some food and I have a RX to pick up, so that's it for today....y'all keep on making those memories to share and I'll chat more with you later! Have a terrific week! Hugs, Mat

Good Sunday Morning Y'all!

It's 6:30 a.m. on a muggy "yucky" Sunday! I'm sitting here drinking a cup of coffee with the fur babies all surrounding me...they just had their "bath" so it is relaxing time.  They really don't get bathed each morning, but they get wiped down with a warm wash cloth (they love the routine now...:) and it keeps the dander down for me). They have all been fed (inside and outside babies too) so now it's sleep time or let's pester "Mom" time....LOL! We had a small front pass through yesterday that brought some of us a little shower (less than 1/4 inch) creating a bit of STEAM to surround us.....this afternoon it is to recede back north as a warm front...go figure....FALL is nowhere in sight for us!  Oh well, can't do anything about it, but stay inside and crank up the AC again and hope to keep the arthritis in my hands at bay a little.  I will probably binge watch football again today (broken by the NASCAR chase races)! Rough life, right? I can hear you laughing at me!! Got my outdoor plumbing issue taken care of, all the laundry is done, folded and put away, the floors have been swept and mopped, the kitty nose art has been erased and is ready for new ones (clean windows),  the bed made and all is right with the house, so my plans are to lounge in my PJs all day and just chill. 
I did manage to get some scrap pages done of the great nieces and great nephews this week and finally posted on Facebook last evening...(before my hand just refused to cooperate)! So, here goes (they need to be in my Blog Book to be printed at the end of the year)! First is my lovely smiling niece Sebrina in a page I created using a background from ADB Designs and a cluster from SnickerDoodle at Digital Scrapbooking Studio and wordart from Ginger.

Here's the Missouri kiddos....Jade, Ruby and Jayson....the girls in their school photos and Jayson asleep in the car! Jade is in a frame by Fecnikek, Ruby's QP is from Studio 4 (Fabulous Fall Freebie Page Stacker) and the cluster frame is from djfs called Love to Learn.  Jayson looked so sweet I put him in a QP from Marzia's Place called Colorful Summer so I could use multiple views of him.

Now we go south to Georgia for the 4 down there....Calvin with his Oreo just looked so cute in this QP by mhos7jo (sorry no designer info with TOU to link to) called Fins, Feathers & Fur. Hayden is in a QP from KimericKreations called KK amix-RAK-frd.

And these 2 photos just seemed to go together although they were taken a couple of days apart. Annabeth just loving on her Eliza...I hope these sisters stay close like this for years and years to come...Amy sent these to my phone so they are not real clear, but look pretty in this lovely frame by Neli and wordart from Linda.

Okay, these only took a couple of minutes (during the week) to make....using freebies from all these awesome, talented and so very generous designers! If you hover your mouse over the names you can find links to their sites for the freebies to use. Thanks to all of you for these lovely gifts, making it easier for me and my (sometimes) uncooperative fingers ! I appreciate all of you very much!
It is now 7:30 a.m. and time to stop rambling...get off my hiney and turn this PC off....get my shower and fresh PJs on to watch some FOOTBALL...y'all have a great Sunday making lots and lots of memories to share with us! Until next time....HUGS, Mat

Happy 2nd Birthday Annabeth!

Can you believe a whole week of September is gone already?  AND that little miss Annabeth is 2? Boy how the time is just flying by! Here is a photo of Annabeth that Amy shared on my Facebook in a frame by Neli and the alpha is from Digital Scrapbooking Studio! She is just the cutest little thing.  She had a birthday party with the two make cousins that will be turning 2 next month....before then her cousin, Jayson will turn 4 at the end of this month...lots of birthdays...whew!  I need a secretary to be able to keep up! ROFL!!

I was awakened at 3:30 a.m. by thunder and rain.....yes, rain finally....about 2 inches of it and with the front that is pushing through it is supposed to drop our temps by about 10-15 degrees...but the humidity hasn't dropped yet.  We so needed the rain.  Not really any to speak of since the end of June.  We had triple digit temps over the long Labor Day weekend, so the 10-15 degree drop will definitely be appreciated.  Just hope it lingers a while, but....until the State Fair is over at the end of the month....we can expect some more HOT temps.  Only 16 days officially at 100+, but unofficially, more like double that many!  Just too many for comfort....!!! I know B*T*H...right? never happy! ROFLMAO....I don't like hot weather anymore.  I think there are a lot more folks saying that this year too, not just us "older" Texans....LOL!

Well, not much happening otherwise....I've been binge watching some programs I have missed and staying pretty bleary eyed...LOL! Y'all have a great rest of this week and weekend...chat more next time! Hugs, Mat

August is Gone...September knocking!

This has been a very hot and steamy summer all around the world, not just us in Texas...ROFL!  I will surely be glad to see autumn arrive....if for no other reason than that the temperatures will begin to decrease.  I haven't been too busy, except at being lazy and binge watching TV!  I went with my friend Teri for her EGD/Colonoscopy on Friday....cleaned house and washed clothes yesterday and today, I hope to catch up on my blog reading!
Here's a couple of pages I created for my Cousin (by marriage) from some lovely photos she posted on Facebook that I got her permission to use.  Her family had attended another family member's wedding and these shots were taken. The one of Sugar by herself is in a free QP I created for Miriam's Scraps. The one of the family I created to go with the photo using a background from Kyra at With a Russian-Dutch Heart and frame from Miriam.

This one of Sebrina I created for her first day of her tenth year back at school! She loves being a teacher! I used background papers from Scrapiness Down Under and the cluster is a freebie from Digital Scrapbooking Studio by skd-pbs' Schoolhouse Kit

This photo I snagged of my friends Jan and Bill at graduation from high school for their neighbor's son Chance. It was such a nice photo that I created a memory page for her using a frame double layered by Neli at Lugar Encantado da Neli.

So, I did a few pages...but that is about all, maybe when the heat, humidity and awful air quality relaxes a little, I can muster up some more energy to do something but be lazy.  Well, guess I better get off here, headed to Jannette & Mike's house for lunch and some homemade ice cream....yummy, yummy for my tummy!  Chat more with y'all later, in the meantime, have a marvelous week of making lots and lots of memories to share! Love y'all! Mat

Yippee!! a "fall" day in August!

A weather front paraded through on Wednesday, the temps started falling and falling and falling and on Thursday we actually got 1/4 inch of rain at my house (41 days with no precipitation), almost 1/2 inch at the airport (official) and more south of us as the front marched on through.  The best thing,  we had lower 70's Thursday morning and only 78 for the high yesterday.....almost broke records for the lowest "high" temperature this time of the year! But soaring back up into the mid 90's today!  Was so very refreshing for the one "fall" day, so I got out and worked some with my flower pots...the string of days of 100+ really did a number on my geraniums and my "Live Forevers" (succulents) are beginning to bloom way too early, but....so is the wandering Jew.  However, my hibiscus' are just loving the lower temps as they are over producing blooms...4 & 5 blooms each plant, each day and oh so pretty!  Look!!

 Some open, some just closing and others waiting to open, this one is just outside my door!

This one is on the other side where my renters are, these are redder and there is one on the back side!

My verbana is full of blooms too, which is surprising in the excessive heat...but it did survive!
I made a birthday tribute page for my mama's birthday on the 18th, but failed to post it to Facebook as I was busy with some friends (at doctor's appointments) and just flat did not turn on my computer for a couple of days...so I posted it yesterday as TBT post. I used a Memories kit by Chey0kota.  The photo is from 1983 that I desaturated to black/white. From left to right: Kathy, Penny holding Jeff, Mama holding Sebrina, Me and Pepper with Jason.  Last time Mama saw all her kiddos and all her grandkids together (at the time Penny had not married so her 3 were not born yet)! This brings back lots of memories. Seems just a few days ago, yet seems a lifetime ago as well!  I got lots of nice comments from friends on Facebook remembering my mama and what a terrific cook she was.  Just so enjoyable to read their comments!

Last week on throw back Thursday....I posted this page from 1960 or 1961 of  "cousins by marriage" (l-r) me, Willis White, Quinton Finuff, Laura Jane White and Kathy sitting on the hood of the White car in Attapulgus, GA.  This one too got lots of comments that brought lots of memories. The QP is by Studio Manu and the wordart is Miss Boots'.

Another page I created for Kathy's grandkids for their first day of school, which started the 13th of August. Sorry I forgot to write down the information on the page...but thanks for the freebies!

This page was strictly for Amy as she wanted one of the girls with their sign she put up in their bedroom.

I used overlays from Miriam's scraps and some clusters by Arlene don't remember who the creator is for the wordart...the photos are Amy's of Annabeth and Eliza!
I also did some QPs for Miriam using her soon to be released Autumn MK21 (when she returns from her summer break) that you might want to check out.

Okay, that's about it for this post....I have changed my bed and washed the linens that are ready for the dryer and got all my trash and recycle bin out for pickup, got all my critters fed and watered, my plants all got a drink too, the litterboxes are clean and now I must run the dust mop so I can jump in the shower...going to lunch at my favorite place, Babe's Chicken with my friends Jannette and Mike! Will chat with y'all a little more later...have a terrific weekend and make lots and lots and lots of memories to share! Hugs to all! Mat

Goodbye July

Jade & Ruby in a free QP by Arlene using Kyra's (With A Russian Dutch Heart) Kit Galina

Bud (Jayson) in a lovely freebie QP from Eudora Designs.

 Little Miss Hayden in a lovely free QP by my friend Edna at Miss Edna's Place

 This QP was made using a freebie QP by Miss Boots at Random Thoughts at Linda's Place and 2 backgrounds and some flower elements from Kyra's kit Breathless.

 This photo was made by Annabeth's Aunt Hannah and place in a cute freebie frame by Neli at Lugar Encantado da Neli. The bottom photo is of sweet Eliza being held by her daddy at church in a cute free QP from My Memories by Sugarmoon called Lovey Dovey.

The bottom three pages are free QPs I created using a soon to be released kit by Miriam's Scraps if you want to zip on over to her site and pick them up.
Today is the last day of July, can you believe we are ready to start the 8th month of this year already? School starts for many in 2 weeks. Seems like it's been a really short summer, but probably because we had rain for most of June and high humidity and heat for July, so have been stuck inside a lot.  Now with all the West Nile Virus carrying mosquitoes being trapped & sprayed for, you can't even enjoy going out after the sun goes down (not that the lower 90's and upper 80's at night is cool, but the sun is not beating on you)! Today we have a cold front pushing through....yippee....dropping from the 104 (heat index of 107) yesterday to only 98 today....but the main thing it will be pushing the humidity out...so it will still be hot, but not as unbearable.  Our electricity regulator board put out a request yesterday by text messages to conserve the use of electricity between 3-7 pm so they would have enough to not have to do rolling brown outs...so, I closed all my drapes and blinds, upped the AC to 78 (from 75) and shut off everything extraneous (computer-lights-ceiling fans-chargers-lights, etc) and stayed in my cool bedroom with only the TV going...I did my part! LMBO!!
My nephew, Lamar, had to have an emergency cholescystectomy on Wednesday, all went okay and he was released to go home last evening...the doctor told Penny half of the gallbladder was green or already dead so it had to come out and he was hit with massive antibiotics.
Other than doing regular house chores and taking care of my fur and feathered friends...life has been a little dull but oh so enjoyable around here.  I did get to reorganize some of my scrapping files and clean my computer hard drive and catch up on some books as well as binge watching some things on Netflix. In other words, just being really lazy and enjoying the heck out of it....ROFL!!
Well, off here to make sure all the trash and recycle bins are out for collection...all the wash is caught up, so I need to clean 2 bathrooms and sweep, vacuum and mop and will be finished with the house chores...maybe an hour or 2, then I can settle in for another series to binge on. Y'all have a marvelous weekend ahead, make lots and lots of memories to share! Chat more with you next time.  Hugs, Mat

Miss Me?

I've taken a little break from my computer....needed to give my arthritic neck and right hand a break...seems like I have been away for a month when it hasn't been 2 weeks!  I've been binge watching a series (5 seasons of 20+ episodes each season) of Pretty Little Liars...totally addicted to this TV Crime drama...ROFLMAO! Guess I just have that kind of personality where I get addicted quickly....glad I can't do any drugs....legal or not!
It has been typical July in Texas with the heat and high humidity this year...not officially hit 100 at the airport, but all the surrounding areas have hit it several times already, including the one I live in, and the temps have not dropped below 80 at night in a while now....sooooooo...I am staying inside as much as I can. (good reason to watch my Netflix too...right?)
I did manage to create a birthday page for my "first" nephew Jason on his birthday the 16th...born 39 years ago...man how time flies, he is a grown, married man, father of 3 wonderful kids of his own, the one that started calling me Aunt Neenie...love you Jason.  Here is the page I created for him using a photo from his wife's Facebook of him "aping" for her....LOL...I used a kit from A [space] Between called Birthday Wishes.

A few days back I created a QP for Miriam's Scraps using her soon to be released Autumn kit (when she returns from her summer break) I called simply pretty...if you would like it...go to her website to download it.

Here it is with a photo of my 2 greatnieces...Annabeth and Eliza (or Ziza as Annabeth calls her)...I used a filter called canvas on it and it looks really great in a larger size...not so much in this smaller one.

Here's the same photo in a QP by (will have to find this and add later...sorry)

Here are a couple more QPs that are freebies on Miriam's Scraps that I created using the upcoming kit

Well, as you can see, not been very active, but I hope to remedy that soon, guess I will get off here and finish up some things I need to do...chat more with y'all next time...in the meantime...make lots and lots and lots of memories to share with us. Have a wonderful weekend upcoming! Hugs, Mat