Author: Rene

How many of you remember evenings on the farm at your great-aunt and uncle’s place? I’m guessing not many. Only my daughter would have that memory during her college years. I grew up visiting my grandparent’s siblings as a “given.” Her grandparent’s siblings lived near her college town so she spent holidays with them, not childhood moments. We were both blessed.

The subtle scent of this evening reminded me of a farm so many years ago. It was warm, calm, starlit, and unending. Tonight I looked up and remembered that feeling of being a preteen, scared in the dark, determined to beat the odds and not be found in the game of hide-and-seek. Farms are fun and scary at night. I don’t remember anything other than that and the warmth of the summer night and lying low from the older cousins.

Now it’s fun to imagine those adults, probably about my age, enjoying the kids entertaining themselves. They had the luxury of spending time with their siblings as we young ones explored and gained independence. It would be great to have a chat with the greats, Frank and Margaret and see what they remembered.

Thankfully, no one was injured hiding under farm equipment, a pretty good spot.

My friend, who has been known to sport a coffee filter on her head at the famed, “music party,” will be visiting her daughter, Sarah. I thought this meme was most appropriate if there happens to be a genetic factor to this behavior.

Enjoy the first weekend of September, friends!

Well, thank you for the accolades on the sewing adventure! It was truly fun and maybe I’m ready to take my 4-H nurtured skills to the big time? Designing and sewing my own line! (Rene’s Recycled Rags)

Not everyone is meant for the big stage though, as evidenced by the concert we attended last night. And the reason we went? When the Goo Goo Dolls were the opening band – fabulous! Headliner? Less than stellar.

The opener last night was O.A.R. The reason I initiated this adventure back in December was to see them and to enjoy another Goo Goo performance. True to our wishes O.A.R. Rocked and was worth the admission. People around us actually left after them because they were the sole reason for their attendance. I predict a bigger audience for them, music critic that I am.

With that in mind I’ll stick to the dining room table, my new “sewing and design office” as we have houseguests enjoying the kitchen. At least I realize I’m only a one-hit wonder.

I have been sewing like a maniac trying to finish the project I began with the dismembering of my wedding dress. I needed the kitchen table returned to a usable state.

Here are the results. Adorable!

Next? Halloween costumes!

My delightful son dared me to write a poem about Formula One competitor, Max Verstappen. Pretend that it works and that his last name is pronounced with a short “a.”

Not much can happen 
Without Max Verstappen.
He’s the one who’ll be lappin’
While your energy’s sappin’

He won his ninth race
At a respectable pace.
Truly an ace
With style and grace.

While Max celebrated his ninth victory, I celebrated my first one last night. I played “Settlers of Catan” again for the first time in years. I figured I was invited to play so someone could at least be out of competition. I won!

Thank you for the pity assistance, you young brainiacs. I’ll look forward to retaining my title. And good luck going for your tenth triumph, Max Verstappen.

Now, I am not a speech pathologist or linguist, and I’m not the grammar police as I do create a misstep or two, but I do think there are a few things which we need to pound into people’s heads. I heard one of them again on a newscast! I thought those people might be vetted for their grammar usage?

“Me and him.” So wrong. “Me and my dog.” In no instance is “me” the subject of a sentence. Yes, newscaster.

Say the word “butter” without the hard “t” sound. Buhuh? Yes. That one became obvious years ago when a prominent newscaster kept pronouncing something without the hard “t” sound. I was beginning to think it was a regional deal since I hear it frequently, until I harkened to it last night on the national news. Many words have a double “t” that needs to be addressed. That poor letter.

I’m reading a biography on Thomas Jefferson, man of many languages and prolific writing. I think that’s the basis for this mini-rant. We have so dumbed ourselves down educationally. I guess it just got to me last night?

Off I go to learn the “word of the day.”

Nothing is more frustrating than folding a fitted sheet – except perhaps placing it properly on the bed!

Yesterday I mistakenly began making the bed by incorrectly beginning in the wrong corner, even though my sheets have nice little directional tabs on them. I understand they need to be fitted sheets, but they sure can be annoyances. I have, however, solved the problem of folding them. I only have one set of sheets per bed. I strip, launder and replace. No need to fold!

I guess my only problem is still the directional dyslexia?

We are painting this morning – a short-lived experiment to be sure.

That sentence was typed at 9 am and that is as far as I got in writing! It was an active day and at 7 pm, I’m ready to call it. Art-filled, engineering and construction-filled, reading and writing, music, Kubota ride, we did it all.

Time to regenerate. Good night!

No. I try to do the errand or task I least enjoy first, then I can relish the remaining tasks. And so it was for a Monday. I scheduled an early morning dental appointment for a crown replacement, and it wasn’t the tiara type.

Having had this specific crown replaced two years ago, I was again “fixing” what the last dentist screwed up. Thankfully my new practice adheres to perfectionism. This comes at a cost – time. Time and with my mouth, a sore jaw. There’s just not enough room in there for dental tools, suction equipment, cheek guards, and saliva. Keeping it open for two hours is a true challenge.

The replacement crown already feels better than the old permanent one did. Things are looking up! Maybe I’ll have some dessert for breakfast this morning! I do have a not-so-secret stash of chocolate.🥳

My keyboard doesn’t have the “cents” sign. I know we don’t need it, but I kind of miss it.

It was only truly bemoaned as I was putting my pattern pieces away and noticed the pattern I’m using was $.45 back in the day. It had never been opened and I’m sure was a product of the box my dad acquired at an auction. There are many more old patterns I’ve never used. A lovely Pinterest hole had me thinking I’d decoupage them on the walls of my closet. Then I looked and realized I can’t see the walls with all of the clothing hanging. Thus, I still have opportunities to resurrect old styles. Yeah. That won’t be happening. I can’t resurrect the old body shape that would have fit in those A-line dresses!

Let me know if you have a need for an old pattern. Maybe I’ll contact Hollywood and ask them?