countryroadprimitives

It's Been Awhile...

2010-10-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have been a slacker on my blog. I suppose the entire reason in the beginning was to promote my crafts and then it became somewhat of a journal somewhere along the way... Remembering that October was not only Breast Cancer Awareness month, but also Domestic Abuse Awareness month as well, I thought I would allow my blog to be seen on my Facebook page again JUST in case there may be someone bored that may actually read my blog and find my store of abuse. Again, if I can help one person, or touch one heart, then I would have accomplished why I wrote my story to begin with :)

Much has happened since I wrote last. My husband underwent a gastric bypass surgery, Taylor graduated high school, Morgan started high school and Paige went from being a toddler to a precious little girl. OH!! AND we got a pool. It's not a beautiful inground surrounded by landscape with a waterfall and gorgeous hot tub next to it, but it's a pool. It's an above ground 24' round and I spent the last few weeks figuring out what was best placed around it. My conclusion was scalloped bricks and the area from them to the pool edge I filled with lava rocks.

Of course, the pool (Doughboy) installation seemed easy enough, since we decided to go with a professional pool company, however, the pool wall has slight indentions in it. Fortunately, the pool company gave us a choice of $300 credit or a new wall and we chose the new wall~~ hands down. We also had to get 3 trees taken down, one of which was a gorgeous white oak tree.

Well, my computer play time is now spent on Facebook playing Farm Town and Mafia Wars, and I need to make sure I have harvested all 6 fields (YES 6 FIELDS) and see if any of my mafia family members need help on a war or mission before going to bed shortly. Take care and I'll try to be a little better at updating my blog. Be blessed xox

Holdem!!

2010-02-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

A little over a year ago, I joined Facebook. My husband followed and found a game called Texas Holdem that he had been playing on his cell phone. I started playing as well and could not believe that I was going to absolutely LOVE playing it as much as I do. I made a few very nice people and my poker buddy list grew each time I played, now having approximately 900 poker buddies. When I played more often, it was not uncommon for the room to be full and other poker buddies chatting from the "outside". We often said we needed bigger tables :)

A year later, I still love logging onto Texas Holdem and can sit for hours on end playing one game after the other. The thrill of waiting for the cards to flop has only increased with time. Many stories and feelings have been shared during our long evenings and nights at the poker tables and bonds have been made that will always be remembered and cherished.

In December of 2009, our County voted on table games. This was the second time we voted on them and we were thrilled that the they passed. After being laid off of my part time job, I really missed working and even more, I missed socializing. The thought of me becoming a dealer at the track was entertained and I started to seriously consider it. Who wouldn't want to play cards and get paid for it?? ;)

I went for an interview and immediately purchased clay chips to start practicing. A couple of weeks later, I had my background check, credit check and drug test completed. Of course I passed, and I started my Intro to Casino class on 2-1. Four hours for a class sounds like a long time, but the time goes by very quickly for us. While we are practicing, we sit around the table and share bits and pieces of our lives and we help each other out if we figure out ways to explain a technique in a different way that may click better for someone who is having difficulty.

Tomorrow is day 3 of the class, as we were snowed out today. Yesterday, we had to take turns sitting at the table in the dealer spot and we had to riffle, slide and cut our deck and then deal to poker chips (called checks in our casino) placed at each seat. The object was to hit each poker check. I made my way into the back of the others and eventually took my turn. I was 5th from last.

Our instructor told us that we must get used to people staring at us... tournaments, guests, bosses and there was no time like the present :) I sat down and saw nothing but the cards in my hand and the table around me. I spun off the hand of two cards and my instructor nodded in approval and I had to spin off two more cards to join the others. After I finished, he told the class that I was the best at that point and that I deserved a hand. I immediately felt my face turn red and I was bursting inside with such pride and happiness that I simply accomplished what I was asked to do and obviously that time, was better than anyone else.

Wish me luck!! Tomorrow is another day~~~

More Snow :)

2010-02-03T19:14:00.001-08:00

Six inches of wet snow fell on us while we were sleeping last night. It's so nice to be home before the snow storms come and roads become slippery and dangerous. Forecast for this weekend is a minimum of one foot. I hope it starts after the girls are home from school and I am home from class... I love to watch the snow fall and even more so, stand outside and feel the silence around me. It is beautiful here, with the mountain views beyond the bare trees... The sunsets kissing the mountain tops with color that no camera could ever capture... I am blessed.

Playlist.com

2010-01-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

I apologize I have neglected my blog for months and have not had time to update my Playlist. My music selection is a little outdated, but I hope you enjoy it regardless. I love music and no matter what is going on, turn up the volume to your favorite music and you are certain to be uplifted. If you have a blog and would like to create your own Playlist, you may do so at www.playlist.com.

I Closed My eBay Store...

2010-01-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? After 5 years of selling on eBay, I closed my store. It wasn't a difficult decision. I wanted a change and was simply soooo burned out on eBay and being chained to the computer all day that I got a "real" job. No more working in jammies and sipping coffee at my leisure... I got a job at a craft store called Ben Franklin. After two weeks of working there, the owner announced he was closing the store. It was fun while it lasted. Although there are always people that you work with who are intimidated, jealous or simply haters, it was nice to be out talking to the customers and assisting them in what they were looking for or needed at the moment.

Sprint Bill and Plans...

2009-08-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that if you have Sprint as your cell phone carrier, you most likely have free roaming charges. I have been billed for roaming charges over and over and have to call Sprint to have them removed. They advise me to put my phone on the Sprint only roaming option, but I remind them that I live in a rural area and many times we go into roam and that is a perk in our plan and I will NOT put my phone in Sprint only... *sigh*... So, check your Sprint bill and call and get the credit you deserve and was promised on your plan.

Facebook

2009-08-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

Have you tried using Facebook? I have found it to be a perfect place to gather with old friends and meet many new ones. Facebook offers a way to connect and find friends from the past that have also signed up there. There are many games to play, where I have met so many nice people and have become facebook friends with them as well.

Do yourself a favor and take some time to sign up. It's easy and it's free. You will find joy in connecting with high school friends, college friends, friends that you have worked with in the past and past and present coworkers.

The Passing of a Friend...

2009-08-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, she complained about her back hurting... then with a hug, she received a couple of broken ribs. From there, the pain overtook her and she found out there was a mass when she was xrayed for her ribs.

Nancy sold on eBay and was known as PrimsandFancy. I haven't blogged for awhile and am checking my links to the right today and found hers there. I don't have the heart to remove it. It was the link to her eBay store.

About a year ago when the economy starting going downhill, she started closing some of her retail space and asked if I would like to help her sell some of her items. She would ship number 7 boxes filled to the top with her made in China wholesale items. She was a PowerSeller on eBay and strove for perfection everyday, every moment. She emailed me at least 5 times per day, giving me information on my listings, advice, and informing me of our competition and what was selling. She knew the business inside out...

A month before she passed, her emails diminished to one every three days or so. She told me she loved me in every single one of them, something she had never done in all the years of our friendship. The pain was so intense, that she could not sit at the computer for any length of time. She gathered some items together and sent me one last box. The hardest thing after she passed was looking at the items that were next to me on the floor, waiting to be listed. I eventually gathered up the strength deep within me to pick her things up and place them in the family room, with unsold items that she refused to "give away", and had been listed since the beginning of time it seemed...

Now, I am boxing up the items and dropping them off at the local Goodwill shop. Some things I am throwing into the trash next to me, as I sort through each prim and decide if it is worthy of keeping... deciding if Nancy's items would be someone else's treasures.

I am unlisting many items on eBay and will be relisting my quilt items again soon. The items that are not handmade by me, are most likely Nancy's goods. Remember... we are not promised tomorrow. RIP Nancy. I love you, too.

Black Eyed Susans

2009-08-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

I love Black Eyed Susans...

They are one of the last perennials to bloom in my yard.

Cicada Time in WV

2009-08-13T09:51:00.001-07:00

The sounds of cicadas fill the woods this time of year. It is nice as we affiliate the noise they make to the lazy days of summer. Here is a very informative website all about cicadas: http://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/

eBay Store and Sale

2009-08-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I have been selling on eBay for approximately 5 years. They have recently changed many things, including how little store exposure we receive. I spent much of the day unlisting items and reducing many that I feel are worthy of listing. I will be making more handmade items when the girls start school and listing pumpkins before that time... If you are looking for Americana signs or other decor, primitive items, fabric strips, eBay templates, dolls, handmade bowl fillers, Christmas decor, please stop in my store and purchase while it is available. The wholesale items and signs listed that are not handmade by me will not be relisted. Once the merchandise is gone, that will be it. Thank you so much for checking out my eBay store and I hope to hear from you there :)

School Starts Soon~~~

2009-08-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Can you believe school will be starting soon? This summer has certainly gone by quickly for us. The leaves, walnuts and hickory nuts are starting to fall. I have to be extra careful now mowing under the walnut trees. The walnuts to NOT feel good when they land on your head... We got our school supplies shopping done and it was fairly painless. We hope to get one more camping trip in before winter and then we will winterize the camper and get ready for the snow to fall :)

The Web

2009-07-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Before you even realize what is happening, your abuser is manipulating you, controlling you and breaking down your self esteem. Your abuser could be your husband, wife, grandparent, guardian, boyfriend, girlfriend, older sibling... anyone in your life that is hurting you could possibly be an abuser.

Charlie had many issues from childhood that were unresolved and still are unresolved. He was abused and I truly believe that if you are with someone that has been deeply hurt and or abused, they have the potential to abuse you, especially if you are a submissive or passive person. Your kindness is seen as a weakness and they will be able to zero in on what makes you tick and what they can do to break you down, continuously and gradually, without you even knowing that it is happening.

Some, as Charlie did, begin to try to remove you from what you are familiar with and from the people that love you and have been in your life for you. They want you out of your safety zone and into their own web where they can shut you off from people that may try to influence you and be there for you to possibly get you out of your relationship with them.

Charlie had the ability to make me feel on top of the world one moment and the next so low that I would cry in silence. No matter what you do, you cannot please them. You can have an immaculate home, most professional looking landscape, dinner on the table, looking like you just stepped off a magazine cover, and they will find something to pick about or dig at you for not doing right or for not doing at all. An abuser is never happy. They are never happy or appreciative of you or what you do. They only want to control you and hurt you because when they succeed in doing so, they somehow feel that they are overcoming their own pain and hurt. To see you hurt, makes them feel better and even successful within themselves.

Why do you continue to stay in your situation? Are you financially stuck because you have been a stay at home mom for your children and you have no job, no sitter, no one there for you? Do you feel that the person you are with is going to change? Do you believe them when they tell you that you are all that they have and all they ever wanted? Do they have a way of making you feel more loved than you have ever been loved, even though they continue to chip your heart away and shut you down? Do you feel that they are the only person that you can have a relationship with? Are you afraid to leave them for fear worse will happen to you? Is it possible that you can say yes to all of the above? YOU ARE NOT ALONE and this is a situation that is so much more common than you think!

People that are being abused usually do not open up and tell others what they are experiencing. You feel as though you deserve it because the person you are with manipulates your mind into thinking that you could have gone to the store to get the milk you forgot or that the dishes in the dishwasher should have been put away... however they convey to you in their own way, an abuser is able to make you feel that you deserved what you received, whether it be verbal abuse, mental abuse or physical abuse. NO ONE DESERVES ABUSE.

Do not let anyone make you feel that you are less than a person. Are you embarrassed because you are abused? Are you ashamed and afraid of how others may view YOU? Is the church you are going to telling you that divorce is the wrong thing, not biblical? God made all of us and God does not want us to suffer or be abused. He does not want us to stay in a situation that hurts us in anyway. Our God is a forgiving God and above all, God knows our heart and God sees everything, feels everything and will help those who ask for His help.

Think about yourself. Forgive yourself. LOVE yourself.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Martina McBride ~ Independence Day

Please copy and paste the link and insert...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYENO6r5vVo

One Foot Still In the Door

2009-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Charlie found a place to live, but asked if he could keep his things in the garage. I didn't see any harm in that, not realizing at the time that he simply wanted to keep one foot in the door, as he continued to find excuses to come over because he needed something out of the garage.

A mutual friend of his and mine, who Charlie grew up with, had just gone through a divorce himself and was trying to "help" me understand that I could not wash Charlie's clothes for him and do little things for him because he was mistaking my kindness as a weakness to continue to be in my life. I was torn about this, but later realized that this was very true.

Charlie was very cooperative. He was paying the bills and coming over to get the girls to spend time with them and seemed as though he was truly making an effort to change. He was still going to therapy and was keeping me up to date on his progress, all the while still pleading with me to give him one more chance. Seventeen years of marriage... one more chance... Would I ever regret not giving him ONE MORE CHANCE?

The paperwork came for the hearing date for the divorce. I caved. I drove to the courthouse and let them know that I would not be continuing the divorce proceeding. I allowed him to move back in and within one week, he was back to his old self again. I could not believe it. I received a call from one of my job applications, and after a very positive interview, started a new job and in the same breath, told Charlie to get back out of the house. I filed for divorce again, kicking myself for not keeping a copy of the first packet that I filled out only a few months prior.

Why was Charlie so willing to leave? Many people were told by him and think that it was out of the "goodness of his heart" that he "gave" the house to me. In reality, he received over $40,000.00 cash and his untouched retirement benefits, which I was entitled to share, all of his almost 900 hours of PTO time, half the amount of alimony that the court ordered him to pay and all of his guns, which value at well over $20,000.00 or more. I received the house... no cash... but was happy to be able to keep the house for the girls and me. Charlie knew he was guilty of abuse... guilty of years of abuse to me and the girls were old enough to share with the courts and could answer any questions they had in regards to our life with Charlie.

The Beginning of the End

2009-06-28T13:58:00.001-07:00

Funny how people say they will change and can change when reality smacks them in the face. I personally do not believe people can change. My life experience and the lives of my very dear friends have shown me that people simply do not change. This is my personal view and if you disagree, that's okay with me.

I mustered up the strength to go down to the courthouse and get a divorce packet. The divorce packet was almost a 1/2" thick and very intimidating. I filled out the divorce packet and asked Charlie to please leave. I had been sleeping in the basement for awhile and I had no desire to allow him to touch me ever again. He cried, pleaded, begged, got on his hands and knees and told me he was sorry and he would change. He told me that he knew that he had hurt me and that he was sorry, over and over and over again... I felt nothing. I had nothing left to give. I had nothing left in my heart. I had to fill out the packet if not for myself, but for my girls.

We had the paperwork notorized and Charlie went to therapy for two or three months. He was determined to show me that he would change. I had filed for divorce and there was not a day in my life at that time, that I did not take the girls to the bus stop and come home and lie in my bed and cry for hours at a time. I had no job. I had no idea what I was going to do financially... I was so confused and lost.... felt so alone and so ashamed of my life and what I had accepted as treatment from a man that didn't deserve the time of day from me, much less two wonderful children. I had to be strong, if not for myself, for my girls. Every day, I would get into the shower and I would cry and pray. The tears of hurt and sorrow washed down the drain and my strength was renewed enough to get me through the day. God's voice, every single day was telling me, "...this too shall pass...". That was my ritual... every day for weeks...

My Second Baby Girl

2009-06-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

As I watched my first daughter grow into such a beautiful, sweet child, it weighed heavy on my mind to decide whether or not to have another child for her to share her life with. She was extremely close to me, but as she grew older, she showed a little more interest in her father, who was happier to spend time with her when she was out of diapers and potty trained. He never changed her diapers, so rarely would take her places or do things with her unless I was nearby. Her father loved archery and for Christmas one year, I purchased her a little red bow out of the Sears catalog. With the purchase of her bow, a bond began between her and her father and she loved more than anything to see him smile at her hitting the target. We had started going to 3D shoots and enjoyed the time we shared, walking through the woods and watching everyone in awe of a little girl with a pony tail letting go of a tiny arrow and smacking a target dead on from a few feet away. She was the youngest to ever compete in the IBO World Championship held in Flatwoods, WV approximately 13 years ago.

Archery didn't last long when Charlie started to try to change her and the simple things that she was used to. He began to turn something fun into something he wanted for her and of course, for himself, which was more competition. The fun was replaced with a release and expensive bow that she had no interest in picking up. All she wanted to do was shoot her little red bow without conditions and new equipment. That was the beginning and end of archery for her...

My second daughter was born when my first child was 4. She was a quiet baby and slept all of the time. I remember asking the doctor what was wrong with her. I would find her in various places through the house sleeping... on the floor, at the bar, under her bed... He told me to feel fortunate that she slept, as many babies did not. My second daughter was extremely close to me and seemed to cling to me constantly. She was always a very sensitive little child.

I had become as much of a buffer as I could when it came to disciplining the girls. I knew too well what Charlie was capable of doing and was always on guard and on edge, watching and waiting for every moment and movement that he would make when one of the girls did something that he was not fond of. He was extremely tough on the girls and made them eat at the bar instead of the table with us because he didn't want them getting food or prints on the oak dining room table. Shoes were and had to be left at the side entrance door and he had a sign made that was professionally engraved that read, "PLEASE REMOVE YOUR SHOES. THANK YOU." This sign was placed on the kitchen entry door and when someone did not remove their shoes, I had to hear about it after they left. No eating was ever allowed in the vehicles. He had a habit of kicking their toys out of his path and then screaming about it. If he got annoyed at the girls, he would lift them up by their arms and sling them into their bedrooms.

My oldest daughter started to have coughing spells late at night. Charlie went to bed early and got up very early to go to work. I would take the girls to the basement with a snack and water and keep them down there until bedtime so they would not wake him up. My oldest daughter woke up one night and could not stop coughing. Charlie was livid. He jumped out of bed and screamed at her and yelled that HE had to get up early and could not sleep and slammed the bedroom door. I went in with her and tried to help her stop coughing. I finally decided that I was not able to do anything for her and took her to the ER. The ER doctor immediately diagnosed her with asthma. There were many trips to the ER until I figured out what worked best for her here with her nebulizer and how to control her asthma before it got to the point that she needed an ER trip. This was simply an inconvenience to Charlie and he still would get annoyed at her for coughing and more annoyed at me for not being able to quiet her.

One evening, I walked by my second daughter's room and saw her sitting on her knees on the floor with a Barbie Corvette and scotch tape. I went into her room and knelt down beside her and asked what she was doing. She told me that daddy kicked the car and broke it and she was trying to fix it. At that point, my heart exploded into tiny pieces and the realization came to me that Charlie had not only hurt me, but was hurting my children.

Time To Move

2009-06-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

The log house had served its purpose, but the cold winters and maintenance on the logs were a bit more than I cared to continue to deal with, as did Charlie. The winters were so cold and the dusty gravel road that we lived on left a film on everything constantly. Our well had gone dry and we paid to have another drilled that only produced 4 gpm. I wanted to get rid of the house before the second well went dry and I was simply tired of the woodpeckers, bore bees, and money spent on sealant for the exterior...

The property went up for sale and $40,000.00 was profited and put into our new home. I had no regrets and was happy to get rid of the house. It seemed to have drained me emotionally, financially and physically. I had used a hand saw to cut trim for the doors and mopped plywood floors until we were able to afford the walnut flooring that we wanted. The two woodstoves to keep going was overwhelming by myself, especially when Charlie was gone to hunt the huge black bear he never got, or that record breaking white tail deer, and wood had not been carried from down over the hill closer to the house. We had electric baseboard heat, but if you have ever had it, you know that it will eat up electricity and leave you with extremely high electric bills.

I live in the house that we built after we sold the log house. My daughter and I LOVED being in the yard every spring, summer and fall, planting bushes, trees, perennials and annuals. Everything was planted for a reason and in a specific place. I edged every tree and garden and mulched every inch that was bare. Spring was my favorite time of year, as God rewarded me with the most beautiful blossoms on everything I planted. Every spring was a new beginning for my garden, a new year for me and a step further away from the past...

My First Child...

2009-06-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

As tormented as I was about my life and what to do next, my "biological clock" was ticking away, so I was told by all of the friends around us that already had children. My logic, as much as it could be called logic, was telling me that things were pretty much as good as they were going to get and the outbursts that were bestowed upon me no longer effected me emotionally, as I had learned to let them bounce off of my heart and memory...

In April, my first baby girl was born. From that moment on, my priorities and my life changed once again. I protected her with all that I had and immediately began preparing her to become and independent little being. Still tucked down inside my heart and the back of my mind, I could not completely diminish the thought that someday Charlie would harm me again. I wanted my child to be ready if anything was to ever happen to me and be able to do things by herself.

At the age of two, she was able to sing her ABCs and speak in complete sentences. She was with me everywhere I went... in the yard, in the house, my constant shadow. She absorbed everything that I had to offer her and then some. She could dress herself and brush her teeth with ease. Sometimes her tiny clothes were on backwards and didn't match that well, but she could get dressed. She learned to brush her long beautiful hair and could pull a chair to the cabinets and counters, under my watchful eyes, to get herself a snack. By the time she went to kindergarten, she was well advanced and very bored in school. She enjoyed helping her peers reach and attain the goals she had met long ago. As she grew older, she continued her successes and habits that she learned at a very young age...

Continued tolerance...

2009-06-16T14:18:00.001-07:00

Working full time and coming home to yard work and maintaining the house, dirt track races on the weekend and much time spent on the river banks made things tolerable for me. I had become accustomed to insults, critism and constant belittling and passed my time working in the yard and playing with our beagle. Many times I had thought about leaving, but where was I going? I settled for what I had. I held onto every positive, happy moment in my life and accepted it. In my mind, he had made a vast improvement over the previous years and I loved living in the log house on the mountain ~ my serenity as much as it could be...

The log house was gorgeous and comforting, although the winters were cold and harsh, as it seemed every crack within the log walls allowed the cold air to chill our home. The logs were D shaped and had insulation strips between them. The woodstoves we had simply could not heat the entire home. The addition had a cathedral ceiling with tongue and groove and exposed beams and the heat loved to linger there.

Seemed as though things were falling into place, as much as they could with someone who was always in pain and constantly taking it out on me... but I was strong and endured... and appreciated what God had blessed me with...

Wedding day... our first home...

2009-06-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

The wedding was small and performed in a church that did not allow music. Guests consisted of friends of Charlie's and the neighbors. One of Charlie's best friends gave me away, the bride's maid was a friend that he grew up with and another lit the candles before the wedding started. Aside from Charlie hesitating and asking the preacher to repeat what he was supposed to say, it went fairly smoothly. It was surreal. I had no one there for me and it was my own fault.

After the wedding and a couple of days visiting his friends and ridge running, we came back home to VA. Things had settled down to some degree... the assaults went from him hitting me to him throwing objects at me and using his words to cut through me. I thought this was a GREAT improvement over what I had been experiencing and saw it as him attempting to change.

We both had full time jobs and were able to save $10,000.00 by saving every penny. We had found a fishing shack in WV that we saw great potential in and that was to be our dream home. The owner allowed us to spend the night in it and although it was tiny and needed much TLC, we were extremely excited about purchasing our first home.

After our move to WV, we focused on remodeling and adding onto the small once empty cabin. We fixed it up enough to get a loan against it and were able to build a huge log addition onto it. Every paycheck that I earned was used to purchase hardwood flooring, bathroom furnishings, ceiling fans, carpet, insulation and everything else required to finish our addition to get out from under the high interest construction loan we were paying on. It certainly paid off, as the bank appraised it much higher than we both anticipated and we were able to get a great interest rate on our mortgage loan.

I married him...

2009-06-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

He continued to come around me. He lived to find me, beg with me, plead with me, stalk me. Where were my parents? My parents did not like the fact that I moved out at 18. I was so done with them and would have moved out sooner if I could have. I did call them after the kitten episode and my mother told me to follow my heart. As I sat in the living room, on my knees crying, that was the best she could do... My girls know to this day, if ANY guy EVER laid a hand on them, they would be gone so fast and I would be certain they never came around them again... no matter what... My friends who I always disappointed because I let him back into my life, were there, just not in the capacity of discussing my relationship with Charlie...

Charlie and I took a drive out to the park, walked hand in hand on an old boarded trail and he asked me to marry him. I was 19. I was so tired of fighting to be away from him. I was so worn down. Besides, what is the worst thing that could happen? Didn't it already happen? Maybe if he was married to me, I could sleep at night, knowing that he was next to me and not lurking outside my window or waiting near my car the next morning. Wouldn't it be easier just to cave in and stop trying to get him away from me? Wouldn't the devil in my life be easier to deal with in front of me always?

More of the same...

2009-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Our dates were fun... with Charlie, I had the highest highs and the lowest lows. He could put me down in an instant and make me feel like a million dollars the next. He bought food for our kitchen cabinets that were empty in the townhouse and filled my gas tank, which I had mastered driving on the last fumes... He was winning my heart and if not my heart, he was controlling my life, my movements, my thoughts, my feelings...

One night after work at the Hecht Co., I decided to buy him some new jeans and shirts. When I arrived home and turned on my light to my bedroom, he was in my bed. He raised up and started screaming at me. He was a welder and had flash burn (so he claimed) and the light bothered him. He came towards me and shoved me, yelling at me because I was late coming home. He grabbed the bag of clothes that I had purchased for him and threw them across the room. He knocked over a plant, spilling dirt everywhere and pounded his fist on my bird cage and busted it. His eyes turned hard and cold and he bent down and swooped up my new kitten and threw it across the room. My kitten hit the door frame, where my walk in closet door was open, and fell onto the carpet. As I rushed to pick it up, blood was coming out of his tiny mouth and out of his bottom. He was limp, like a wet wash cloth in my hand.

My heart fell and raced at the same time. Another nightmare within seconds was unfolding in front of me... I screamed for my roommates and Mitch threw him out of the townhouse. Mitch's girlfriend at the time, worked for a vet and I drove the dying kitten there. I stayed up through the night and when the vet's office opened, I went in to see my kitten. It was walking around its tiny cage, banging its head against the cold metal. Its eyes were crossed and I asked for it to be put to sleep.

I told Charlie, no more... never ever again under any circumstance did I want him to come near me. He continued to show up. He continued to call me. He continued to lurk across the parking lot where I worked. Restraining order? PLEASE. This was the early 80s... cops wanted you to file a complaint, yet there was no protection or guarantee that they could protect you from the monsters lurking and stalking you. Calling the police and going to court only fueled the fire...

I met up with a friend at the bar. Charlie had followed me there. Another friend tipped me off that Charlie was there and I ran out to get into my Mustang. I could not get into my car fast enough. Charlie grabbed me by my hair and pulled me to the ground. He was screaming at me and yelling at me and I managed to get into my car and lock my door. He jumped onto the hood of my car, stomped on it and kicked my windshield in. I started my car and he jumped off. I drove as fast as I could, not sure where I was going. I saw a cop in a shopping center and pulled over for help. They told me to drive to the station, file a complaint, and make sure that I had pictures of the damage done to the car. I did just that... While driving to the station, I rubbed my head and ran my fingers through my hair. I was scared to see the tremendous amount of long blonde hair in my hand. I dropped it to the floor and cried.

Meanwhile, Charlie is still lurking, calling, popping up right behind me when I turn around at work, telling me how sorry he was, crying, and never ever leaving me alone. I was relieved when the court date came. Funny thing is, he got more time for hurting my kitten than he did assaulting me. Where was the justice? 500 hours of community service and he walked out smiling. I did have a witness show up from the glass company that replaced my windshield. I remember him telling the judge that he vacuumed more hair out of my car than he did glass. Amazing the words that stick in your head forever...

I'm Sorry

2009-06-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

I did not ever want to see Charlie again, but he continued to show up. He showed up at my home, he showed up at my job and he pleaded with me to go out with him again... to give him another chance. He told me he was so sorry and cried and started opening up to me about all that he had experienced growing up as a child.

When Charlie was two, his mother left him and his 3 siblings. His older brother has filled in the blanks recently to my daughter and I on exactly what happened when they were all very young. Their mother was abused by their father and that is why she left. The children were placed into different homes and Charlie was raised by a very poor lady that had several older children and was an alcoholic. She found company with a man half her age that lived with her until she passed a few years ago. He basically grew up doing what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it, but always carried with him hatred for his mother, as he felt she abandoned him.

Unless you knew someone or was related to someone that already had a job in one of their few plants there, you did not have work. Many people were in the union and waited on long lists for their turn to work, and the money they made had to be used to live off of the rest of the year while they were waited to be called upon again. Charlie packed up his bag and left there and went to VA looking for work. He had moved in across the street from where I lived and that is how and where we met...

Being the naive, trusting 19 year old that I was, and growing up in a home that I witnessed my father consistenly hit my mother, I was reluctant but accepted Charlie's apology at giving him another chance. My roommates and close friends were not thrilled with the idea, nor were my coworkers who saw right through the bruises and the stories I told them about how I received them. I was too embarrassed to tell many how the bruises landed on me. I felt as though I somehow maybe deserved them, especially since that is what I was constantly told.

Self esteem? I had none... I was hit with belts and switches from a forsythia bush through all of my years of growing up as a child. I remember crying alone, so they could not see me weak, rubbing my welts on my legs and thinking how ugly they were on me. I cannot to this day, even tell you why the welts were placed on me. I only remember the pain that I felt that my mom and dad wanted to hurt me in that way... But they loved me, because parents are supposed to love their kids...

My Life... My World...

2009-06-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

I was 18, stepping out of my 1980 something Mustang, when a guy walked up to me with a dark tan, black hair and the prettiest hazel eyes you would ever want to look into. That was the first day of the rest of my 18 years with him. He had a huge smile and could charm anyone within 3 feet of him. He asked me if I knew how to hook up cable tv.

I had just stopped dating a guy from Iowa, no less, that was a wrestler in the marine corps and stationed in Quantico. "Steve" had informed me that he had a girlfriend back in Iowa and I really wanted no part of falling for someone that's heart already belonged to someone else... The last thing I wanted at the time was another relationship... and here was "Charlie".

Being the "quick thinker" I was as much as you can be at 18, I informed this gorgeous guy from nowhere that one of my roommates may know how to hook up the cable line. My roommates were guys, two of them in fact. One worked at Taco Hell with me and the other was a bouncer at our local bar called KCs in Manassas. We all three worked together at the Hecht Co. "Steve" and I worked in The Sideboard Restaurant and "Mitch" was a security officer. I thought maybe having guy roommates would deter Charlie from wanting to chat with me further, but he was not bothered by it and came right into the townhouse with me to meet my roommates.

Charlie was from the part of WV that many would never see. The huge mountains and small homes, all with front porches and built along creeks, pronounced "cricks" there, was an extremely rural area and definitely backwoods country. He was the high school football and basketball star and everyone in town knew him. One of my first trips back there with him consisted getting ready to go to "town". When he proceeded to drive 80 yards and park in front of a small building that had a sign that read Library on it, I began to wonder when we were going to go to "town". A few of his friends stopped and parked next to us, catching up on the time he had been gone and when they left I asked him when we were going to town. After about five minutes of laughing at me, he informed me that we were there. This small town didn't have a red light and one main street was the town.

It was not immediately evident that Charlie had any issues or the slightest sign of a temper. He was very congenial and everyone that met him, loved to hear his stories told with his thick country accent and his smile and laugh made everyone feel comfortable and at ease with him. One evening, I let Charlie drive my Mustang and when he proceeded to turn left on a green light in front of oncoming traffic without waiting for the green arrow, my mouth flew open and I started laughing and informed him this was not Walnut Grove and the green arrow was not on for him to turn left. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, his fist went up against the side of my head and I saw stars. At first, I was simply dazed, not understanding or grasping what had just happened to me. Again, another hit from his fist and repeatedly until I realized that I needed to get out of the car, jump out if I had to... He grabbed my arm and would not let me out. I bent over and took off my high heeled pump and started hitting him with it. It wasn't until then that he stopped. He drove me back to my townhouse and carried me into my bedroom. Dazed, hurt and confused, I started to scream for my roommate. He blocked my bedroom door and held his hand tightly over my mouth. I told him I was hurt and needed to go to the emergency room, so he drove me there...

By the time I had gotten to the emergency room, the entire side of my face, ear and head were a deep dark red, purple color. The ER doctor wanted to do an xray on my head and as I sat crying in disbelief, I really just wanted to die. I told him no I would be okay and thought at that point if I had a blood clot or something in my head, that maybe I would simply die in the nightmare that had only just begun.

Moved the Computer!

2009-06-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

On hubby's only day off, he and I moved my computer to the living room... It was in the bedroom, as we have another in the office... My favorite room in the house is the living room and I am extremely happy to now be in this room much of my day. I took a pic to share with you, but please note that it will most likely never look like this again. By the way, are you vacuuming your tower out on the inside? DON'T DO IT! The computer tech in town advised me not to do that, but to use canned air to clean out the inside and to let your computer sit for at least one hour before turning it on. I love looking out my large window next to me, but now see the tall grass that I need to go mow :) Enjoy your day all and be blessed!

Border

2009-05-31T08:17:00.001-07:00

Shortly after getting the camper, I couldn't wait to replace the border with something more primitive and country. I have this same border in my foyer, but with a burgandy check towel instead of the blue... It's sunny here today and I am headed out shortly to work in the yard, but not before listing a few more of my primitive quilt items. I'm in the process of listing primitive throws now and will eventually get to the bedding. Enjoy your day and be blessed :)

Yard Work ~ Flower Pictures

2009-05-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Iris, azaleas and annuals... this spring is going by so quickly! I feel behind in my edging and yard work, but I guess if I refuse to work in the rain, then I have limited time doing yard work... I'd much prefer to play in the rain than work in it... The dirt is simply too heavy and clumpy and doesn't cooperate when too wet :)

I love my little sidekick helping me in the yard... She tried to move a bag of mulch for me, but found out quickly that it wasn't possible. A special friend of mine once told me that children step on your toes when they are young and step on your heart when they get older... I hope my heart doesn't get stepped on too much by them :) So far, so good!!

Enjoy the pictures and happy gardening!! xox

The Legend of the Dogwood Tree

2009-04-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Two thousand years ago, few trees in the Middle East were big enough to construct anything. However, one tree was valued above the others for its thick trunk and fine, strong wood. When the Romans came to rule over Jerusalem, their government used this same timber to build the crosses for executing criminals. A group of workers were assigned to gather wood for the crosses. Before long, every Roman official knew the best wood came from these gatherers of execution wood, so those workers became popular.

One day, the wood gatherers received a special request. An officer of the Roman court came and said, "The King of Jews is to be put to death. Deliver an extra-large cross made from your finest wood." So, a fresh tree was cut from the forest of the trees with thick trunks and fine, strong wood. An extra-tall (and extra-heavy) cross was quickly made and delivered.

Three days after the death of Jesus of Nazereth, the chief wood gatherer got alarming news. "All of our finest trees are withering!" the messenger whispered. The wood gatherer hurried to the forest and saw that it was true. Several years later, the chief wood gatherer heard that, every spring, many people visited the old forest that had once made his job so easy. Despite his advancing years, he set out to discover why. He saw the remains of forest, now like a salty bottoms, with only a few trees still standing tall, bare, lifeless and rotting. But what was this? As he drew closer, his feeble eyes could make out the people walking among thousands of beautiful, flowering bushes. Seeing one of his own workers there, the old man said, "No one could ever make a cross out of this twisted wood. Our finest tree has gone to the dogs!" He noticed the beautiful white flowers, each blossom looking as if it had been burned from the touch of a miniature cross.
As told to Ben Baston by his grandmother, Louise Brown.

There is a legend at the time of crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus nailed upon it, sensed this. In His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering Jesus said to the tree: "Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross--two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."

The pink dogwood is said to be blushing for shame because of the cruel purpose which it served in the Crucifixion. The weeping dogwood further symbolized the sorrow. The red dogwood, called the Cherokee, bears the color to remind us of the blood shed by our Savior.

Blooming Trees ~ What Else?

2009-04-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Kwanzan Cherry... Dogwoods and Redbuds.. ahhhh the fruits of my labor and blessings from God...

What's Left of the Bradford Pear

2009-04-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

My dad cut the broken limb off and cut it up into perfect pieces to take camping with us for a campfire. You can buy bundles of wood there for 5.00, but it is usually pine or poplar and burns up very quickly. The picture shows the original split in the tree that I found a few weeks ago. We have to take the rest down soon...

Bear and Bees

2009-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Bear loves to eat bees... He will jump off of the ground to grab one in mid air. He caught this one on the porch today when I was outside with him taking pics... He curls his gums back and bites the bee continuously until he kills it.

A Couple More Spring Pics

2009-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Redbuds are indigenous to our area. I stood in front of the dozer when clearing the lot if he came too close to a couple of them :) The others I transplanted from saplings that grew underneath my mature ones. They are throughout our woods and I love them. Their leaves are shaped like hearts and they are perfect to put near your house and are very hardy.

Red is one of my favorite colors and it looks so vibrant in the spring with all of the yellow flowers. I am not a fan of tulips, but the squirrels are... :)

More Spring Blossoms

2009-04-18T08:53:00.001-07:00

I love this little spot in my back yard... It is full of perennials and is pretty with the split rail section behind it. I lost a dogwood tree a few years ago and would love for the stump to be cut down shorter, but buried on a honey do list somewhere... The hyacinths and daffodils are so pretty together...

My friend Iva Mae gave me a piece of this gorgeous Bridal Wreath... I have several of these now in the back yard. This one is the largest.

My friend Donna gave me the purple phlox. It has spread nicely and it is a great fill in. I enjoy sitting here and watching the girls chalk on the driveway and play basketball with their friends... when I'm not participating as well :)

This is one of a few white dogwoods that I planted. It is starting to open and will have huge gorgeous blossoms in a couple of weeks or less.

... more pretty daffodils ~

HAPPY EASTER ~*~

2009-04-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny arrived! Little info about him...

The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season.

The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s.

The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs.

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.

~*~

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Easter! He is risen!

Weeping Cherry Tree is Blooming!

2009-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite trees in the yard... I wish I could blink and make it bigger, but it is rather slow growing and I love it anyway... I have to prune the bottom so I can duck my head and mow under it. I think it looks better pruned evenly.

Englander Pellet Stove

2009-04-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

We purchased this Englander Pellet Stove from Home Depot and it is now hooked up and running. I absolutely LOVE it! I filled the hopper with pellets yesterday around 12:30 and it has hardly used any pellets. I turned it off through the night and back on again this morning. Our home is very well insulated and I have had the setting on 1, which is the lowest setting. If you have been thinking about purchasing a wood stove vs. a pellet stove, I would definitely go with the pellet stove. It is so easy to use and much cleaner than the wood stove. I am seriously thinking about putting one in the family room within the next few years to replace our woodstove. We'll see how the wood supply holds out ;) I still need to find a more appropriate hearth pad, but using this one for now. I would prefer a corner hearth pad and a darker color. Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Split Bradford Pear

2009-04-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

We had high winds here on the mountain the other day and they split my Bradford Pear tree... Oddly enough, there was a large split at the bottom of the branches, however, the split was on the other branch. We cleaned up the broken branch and will have to take the rest of the tree down soon. Bradford Pear trees are known to have soft wood and break easily.

Pellet Stove Installation

2009-04-01T04:31:00.000-07:00

The pellet stove pipe installation kit is complete. Because the vent on the back was in line with the electrical outlet, I decided to run the pipe up on the inside out then out, alleviating having to reroute the electrical wire to have the pipe outside. The pellet stove installation kit is galvanized, so I painted it flat black. The piece on the outside is galvanized and looks nicer than I thought it would. (I'll post a picture later of the outside piece.) Fortunately, my dad's roto saw did a great job. I couldn't believe how much drywall dust landed over the entire living room, just from cutting the 7" or so inch piece out.

The second hearth pad was shipped and it was white with missing grout and a chipped stone, damaged during shipment. The company that I bought it from said to keep both and offered to send another pad out as soon as I approved the picture they emailed to me. The pad that the pellet stove is sitting on is not for a corner, but at this point, I want my money back and I will purchase one from a local woodstove dealer when they stock this fall. I prefer one that is darker and more rustic and is actually a corner pad.

We still have to install the air vent to the outside. It is a small vent to assist the draft. After that, we will test it and make sure it is working properly and hopefully I'll be able to relax and enjoy it this fall ;) I'll let you know how well it heats after the test run... xox

Good morning Wednesday~

2009-04-01T04:13:00.001-07:00

Last summer when we went to the beach on vacation, we also visited a beach where wild horses live called Assateague Island. I took this pic from the vehicle. We didn't get out and explore because we could drive and see them on either side of the road... I would have much preferred to park and walk and enjoy, but was outnumbered ;) I found their link if you are interested in checking it out. http://www.assateagueisland.com/

Cloudy here today and calling for rain. I managed to sell a few things on eBay, so I was happy to see that this morning. I suppose someone told my buyers that the economy is bad :)

Enjoy your day and be blessed. xox

Thank You Iva Mae

2009-03-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, my friend Iva Mae's husband came over and opened his trunk to reveal a five gallon bucket of daffodil bulbs. Iva Mae sent him over to give them to me. She loved her flowers but was not always able to work in the yard. She was not healthy and suffered with emphysema and diabetes, and died not before she told me that she loved me. Every spring I look out into my yard, back and front, and smile when the daffodils begin to bloom one by one. I will always think of her when I see them. Thank you Iva Mae :)

More Spring Pictures

2009-03-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

Daffodils, grape hyacinths, forsythia, Bradford Pears, the first few weeping cherry tree blooms, hyacinths, and new growth on my red rose bush ~

It's late, but I wanted to post the pictures I took earlier today because if I don't do it now, I may forget :) Enjoy and God bless xox

Tuesday's Spring Gifts

2009-03-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

Before I post the spring flowers, I wanted you to meet my oldest and one of my dearest friends... I affectionately call him, "Mr. G". He will be 94 in September and comes to visit me every now and then. He used to live down the street and moved a couple of years ago because he was "tired of being a slave to his yard". Sometimes I would sneak down there and pull weeds out of his beds for him, but he always caught me and pulled me inside to enjoy a hot cup of tea with him and a surprise cake or danish that he bought just for us to enjoy. He has 4 children and has lived through 2 wives and recently lost his girlfriend. When he talks to me, it is as if he can see right through to my soul. He is very close to God and attends bible study regularly. He lives in a retired senior citizens complex and teasingly tells me the women there are all too young for him :) I always think of him when my primrose blooms, under my bedroom window because he purchased it for me long ago.

Time for dinner ~ I'll post the flowers shortly :) xox

Friday ~ The Weekend Is Here!

2009-03-27T14:25:00.001-07:00

Paige is now officially five :) I love this pic because it shows her little feet ~ Just wanted to share with you so she could make you smile :)

Friday already... eBay is so slow for me that I have been doing other projects around the house and last weekend, which feels like it was only yesterday, we rented a UHaul and picked up wood and unloaded it... all in one day... Needless to say I was a bit tired the next day and was sooo glad to get the last piece off of the truck and jump into the shower... I am guessing we have an additional 3 cords now, but it needs to be split... another time ~ another day...

We have yet to uncover the camper. I can't wait to get it uncovered so I can sneak off for a quiet nap ~ I love sleeping outside...

The red raspberry patch is already sprouting. I pruned the back side of them so the mower would fit behind them. Paige and I love running outside to see how many berries have ripened since the day before :) We sometimes eat them sun warmed, right off the vine, but don't tell ~

Last fall, I removed all of my iris from the side of the garage and planted grass seed. There's nothing like the feel of new green grass under your feet... It's so bright and fresh! I planted a Kwanzan cherry next to the garage years ago and it has now cast a shadow on the iris bed and they didn't flourish there any longer.

Thanks for stopping in and I'll update you on the hearth pad and pellet stove installation as soon as I get pics taken :)

YouTube vs WMG Warner Music Group

2009-03-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

I was looking at my blog and clicked on my WV video to watch it and it has been removed due to copyright issues. Although the pictures were mine, the song by John Denver, Country Roads is supposedly under a WMG... please click on this link and this funny guy will explain what is going on... Please be advised he uses foul language at times, but the point is expressed as to what is going on with YouTube.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hla7KMY8OFA

Happy Saturday ~

2009-03-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

I went outside to play with the dog for awhile and it is so cold... It got down into the 20s here last night. I think Bear likes this weather though because he still has his nice, thick winter coat and hasn't started shedding it yet. The forsythias are blooming out and everyday, more and more daffodils are blooming :)

I love the revamp playlist.com did on their website. I was finally able to get my password from them and change a few songs on my playlist. I love listening to the music while working on the computer.

I hope you are staying warm and enjoying your weekend xox

Pellet Stove Installation Update

2009-03-20T14:35:00.001-07:00

The pellet stove was delivered and they were kind enough to carry it in for me and placed it on a blanket. It came with the brass trim, so I was excited as I do not want to pay 99.00 plus shipping for the "pretty accessory". The silver item next to it is the outside air vent package that should be installed if your home is air tight. It is simply an air source to assist with the draft.

This is the hearth pad that came... The packaging was excellent. It was packaged in 2x4s with plywood on either side and foam insulation sprayed on the inside as well. This is not the correct pad. This parcel weighed 102 lbs and was expensive to ship from Colorado. If you will notice, the edges of the pad are cut off at an angle and this pad is for a wall, not a corner spot. The pad for a corner is 1/4 circle. The company called me and informed me that they are aware of their mistake and they found the ORIGINAL choice that I first purchased, in great condition. They had several listed, so I am glad they found one tucked away, as it has color in it and is not so bland. I received an email later that stated I could keep the pad shipped in error. I am not sure if I will try to sell it locally, or put it at my gate to the back yard :)

I have decided to spray paint the installation kit flat black to match the stove. Because the install kit hole in the back of the stove is low, I am certain it will be in direct line with the electrical wiring for my outlets. By installing the pipes inside, this will avoid the wire, although it will be less attractive...

I will keep you posted on what happens next :)

Pictures of My Signs of Spring

2009-03-20T14:10:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the Air

2009-03-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to take pics of the daffodils and crocus coming up and have been waiting to do so before I blog, so I decided to pop in and say hi and hopefully will get pics soon to post :)

The hearth pad came, but it was the wrong one. The one that arrived has two corners cut off for a wall placement. I notified the seller and they are sending out the correct one. Today, I received a phone call from a guy and I told him I didn't know him and he said, "Yes you do, I sold a hearth pad to you." I started laughing... I am so rude to callers on the home phone, as it usually is the ex calling on it LOL!! If it's not jerko the ex, it is a telemarketer.... even though I signed up for the "no call" list. Regardless, he told me that he found one of the original ones I chose and it is in great condition and he is shipping THAT one out. Later on, I received an email that said I could keep this one, as it would be pretty with garden pots sitting on it :) I plan on putting it at my gate to the back yard, but would LOVE to purchase vinyl fencing to replace my old wooden picket one that I have to paint every spring and it is beginning to rot :(. So, it will be another week or so before the pad comes.

The pipe that I bought is silver. I have decided to buy some flat black paint and paint it because the pipe is now going inside to avoid the electrical line and I want it to match the stove. I also had to purchase high temp caulking on eBay because no one has it in stock. It is "out of season" so glad an eBay seller had some :) hehehe! Let's hope I get the right caulking!

Tired so going to close now... I am hoping to get the craft bar cleaned up tomorrow. I am thinking about putting it all away for awhile. With sales slowing down on eBay, I would rather spend my time outside gardening then sitting and crafting something that is not going to sell. I still have alot of made in China items to list and sell, so I think that may suffice for awhile... until the end of summer maybe...

I hope all is well with you ~ Thank you for stopping in :)

Great Deals ~ Get Them While They Last!

2009-03-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to shop! If you have any extra money to spare, now is a great time to shop for bargains. I went to Ben Franklin yesterday and found this gorgeous snowman on a sled and purchased him for 14.00. I'll either keep him for our own decor for Christmas or give him as a gift this Christmas. I am currently having a 20% off sale in my eBay store, clearing the way for my new primitive handmades and shuffling my stock. If you sell on eBay, a website, or a shop, you will find great bargains in my store now through the next few days. Be sure to browse craft stores in your area as well to find great deals on leftover Christmas and Valentine items. Happy shopping!

Alternative Heating - A Pellet Stove!

2009-03-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

Have you thought about alternative heating? Are your heating costs in the winter getting to be rediculous? We have a heat pump and are very blessed to live in an area that our electric costs are fairly low, however, we also live in an area that many times our temps drop below freezing, which hinders the heat pump's ability to run efficiently.

As alternative heat, we enjoy our Vermont Casting woodstove, which we have in our basement in our family room on a beautiful 1/2 circle brick hearth. For the first time in 15 years, we have had to purchase wood. The cost right now is fairly low because many people in our area are out of work and sell it at a great price. We purchased a cord and a half for next year.

Because of President Obama's tax credit which you may view information about at http://www.englanderstoves.com/taxcredit.html, we decided to purchase a pellet stove for our upstairs living room. Through many hours of research and googling, I have learned much about pellet stoves and thought I could share some things with you if you are thinking about purchasing one and I hope that I can provide you with the information needed in one spot :)

Harman pellet stoves are the best made pellet stoves you can purchase. They are gorgeous and the top of the line, however, be prepared to pay almost double than other brands. From what I have read, they have a very high rating due to performance and overall lack of service needed for replacing parts.

Pellet stoves generally work the same way and are engineered under the same principal of the method in which they work and perform. This link http://www.englanderstoves.com/index.html is the manufacturer of the pellet stoves sold in Lowes and Home Depot. I have read their testimonials and I have spoken to their representatives twice and can verify that they are extremely helpful and their products are made in the USA. You may browse their information regarding the tax credit and you can print out the paper indicating that your model stove is acceptable to purchase to receive the tax credit.

There are a few things you need to purchase before you can fire your pellet stove up. If you are putting your pellet stove in the basement on a slab, then you do not need to purchase a hearth pad for it. We are putting our new pellet stove in our living room on walnut wood flooring, so we had to purchase a hearth pad. You must check the fire code and installation requirements in your area to get the exact information needed to suit your needs. We purchased a corner hearth pad, which is 1/4 circle, to sit our stove on. They come in many varieties and price ranges.

If you purchase your pellet stove from a stove dealer, be prepared to pay much more for the stove and some do not offer to sell the installation kit separately, but will charge triple what the installation kit costs that you can purchase online or at Home Depot or Lowes and they will install it for you. Our local specialized woodstove dealer wanted 899.00 to install our pellet stove and did not offer the kit separately. They are having a sale now on their pellet stoves, and they do sell Harman and a couple of other comparable pellet stoves, but we elected to go with the "Harry Homeowner" Home Depot model, which we received free shipping on the stove.

Englander stoves are made in the USA. http://www.englanderstoves.com/englander_.html You may read more about them yourself and of course, depending on your budget and word of mouth, may already know what brand stove you would like to purchase.

There are a few options that a pellet stove may possess. If you would like to purchase alternative fuel other than wood pellets, you may purchase a stove that burns cherry pits and corn as well. The corn is not plain grain corn from the feed store... it is a special dried corn specifically for pellet stoves. If you do not live in an area where corn is abundant or cherry pits are available, save your money and simply purchase the wood pellet burning stove. You will gain nothing by purchasing a "do it all" stove unless the other alternative fuels have the potential to reach your area and perhaps if you wanted to sell your stove, someone may like the option of pits and corn. The installation kit on a corn and cherry pit stove may be different than the one you purchase for wood because corn burns at a higher temperature than wood pellets. Check with your local authorities on their codes for pellet stove installation.

Ash pans... The stove we are getting has an ash pan. I am told from friends who have pellet stoves, that they do not have to empty out their ash pans until they have burned about 1 ton of pellets. That tells me that their is hardly any waste to burning pellets and you really get your bang for your buck. We have to empty our woodstove ash pan out every 3 or 4 days and we have an extra large woodstove. I prefer having the convenience of an ash pan over standing there with a shovel and dipping it into a pail. I have had a woodstove without an ash pan before and it is much messier than the one we have with an ash pan.

Another option or feature on pellet stoves is a thermostat. On the newer models, there is an actual degree you can choose and your pellet stove will actually kick on at the temperature you have selected, just like your thermostat for your heat pump or furnace. Other models have a low and high option for the blower and do not have the thermostat.

If you are replacing a woodstove, you may run the installation kit up your flu instead of drilling a hole to put the pipe through your wall. It is recommended that you put your pellet stove on an outside wall. You may need to review your house plans to ensure that you do not drill through an electrical cord when cutting the hole to the outside. You will also need to cut a smaller air hole to the outside as well. Due to the homes being built so air tight now, a small 3" pipe is required to put through the wall to the outside to assist with the draft.

There are options that you can purchase for your pellet stove. Included are brass trim, fire logs and they even make backup batteries for some models. You will have to purchase the backup battery at your local specialty store. Home Depot does not have these at the present time in our area. Because the pellet stoves need electric to operate the blower and thermostat, the backup battery is a great option in case you are relying solely on your pellet stove for heat and if the electric goes out, you will have the battery for your stove. I was told the backup battery lasts approximately 16 hours.

Make sure you put your installation kit together and that you have all of the parts needed before you assume everything is there. This is the end of season for selling heating items and you may not be able to get a missing part this late in the game, or you will have to pay alot for it on the web or from a specialty store. If you are putting your stove caddy corner, you must purchase a 45 degree angle pipe. These can be purchased on eBay and at specialty shops. I am not sure if Home Depot or Lowes has these at the present time in stock or not.

Pellets... We purchases a nominal amount of pellets because as I learned, the supply now is low and the price is higher and it is best to purchase these at the beginning of the season when the price is generally lower. They come in a 40 lb bag and the ones we purchased were premium pellets from Home Depot. I was told that you may want to buy from several places to see which pellets burn best for you. I was told they come in different grades and some burn better than others. People that use their pellet stoves 24-7 go through approximately 2-3 tons per winter. One bag costs approximately 3.00 - 6.00, depending on when purchased. There are 50 bags in 1 ton. Most places deliver, but it is best to ask before you purchase. The pellet bags are about the size of a bag of mulch. The other drawback to burning corn pellets is rodent infestation. Ewwww. What a mess that would be! hehehe I guess you would have BIRD infestation with cherry pits... :)

We are expecting our hearth pad and pellet stove within the next few days. I am hoping of course, that the hearth pad comes first. It weighs about 100 lbs and it would be much easier to have that in place before the pellet stove is delivered. I have to purchase a 45 degree pipe piece, too.

I hope that this has helped give you a general idea of what is involved and what is needed for a pellet stove purchase. I am not a dealer, representative, electrician, stove expert, pellet stove expert or anyone that knows specifics on your ordinances for installing these stoves. I'll let you know how our installation goes when the time comes and will post pics :)

Gorgeous Weekend ~

2009-03-09T05:00:00.002-07:00

We had gorgeous weather over the weekend here on the mountain... We worked in the yard all day yesterday, trimming back the lariope and cleaning off the oak leaves that always fall late and cover the beds and tuck themselves into every nook and cranny around the yard. I have a few more beds to rake out, but not sure if I will get to them today. Even though you may feel it is a little early to clean out your flower beds, you may want to check to make sure the layers of leaves are not hindering or smothering new spring growth. I have some primitive handmade tulips to make and get listed and my usual Monday cleaning that must be done after such a busy weekend outdoors. I hope this finds you well rested and ready to start your day. Are your daffodils blooming yet?

Primitive Cutter Quilt Eggs

2009-03-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

More Easter primitive handmade Easter eggs. I love these! I accented them with sweet Annie, rusty pins and bells... just in time for Easter! I have these listed in my eBay store and soon to be Etsy and my website at www.country-road-primitives.com Thank you for stopping by! xox

Shamrocks... March is Approaching Quickly ~

2009-02-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

Cute primitive shamrocks are available now in my eBay store... eventually they will be on Etsy and my website at www.country-road-primitives.com. Are you ready for March? I can't wait to see the daffodils blooming :) They are popping up now...

Primitive Handmade Easter Eggs

2009-02-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

I love making these... they are made from vintage cutter quilts. I added some cheese cloth and rusty pin and bells to each of them. The stained hang tag is hand stamped. My friend Deanna gave me a set of letter stamps and I LOVE THEM! I use them for almost all of my tags. I have a couple of heart stamps and star stamps, but the letter stamps are by far, my favorite. Deanna, thank you again for your thoughtfulness :) You can find these eggs in my eBay store and eventually on Etsy, and on my website at www.country-road-primitives.com. Thank you so much for stopping by! I have been so busy spring cleaning and crafting that I have not had much time to blog... Stay warm and be happy!

Pretty Hearts For Throughout the Year

2009-02-19T10:23:00.001-08:00

I love hearts! I made alot of them for Valetine's Day and am still working on some that I didn't have time to finish. Gingham is so pretty and this material is perfect for hearts and bowl fillers. I love the touch of cheesecloth and sweet annie on these... so prim! These can be found on my website at www.country-road-primitives.com, in my Etsy shop and my eBay store at some point this afternoon :) Thanks for popping in and I hope you have a touch of spring in your life today!

Stained and Rubbed now...

2009-02-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

As I sit here and look outside, the wind is howling and the snow/ice is falling and blowing in all directions. I must go out and check my parcels on the porch that are awaiting carrier pickup. I took a picture of the tulips grunged. I didn't grunge heavily, but just enough for that prim touch :)

I am going to go start the woodstove now. The temperature was 40 this morning at 6:30 at the bus stop and now they are much cooler, especially with the wind blowing...

More Primitive Tulips

2009-02-18T22:04:00.000-08:00

Busy bees! My girls and I spend alot of time now in the dining room crafting... We made more tulips and I need to get them listed on Etsy and in my eBay store, but for now, they are available on my website at www.country-road-primitives.com. Thank you so much for stopping by ~ will chat more later! xox

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

2009-02-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!! Hubby got me this cute little guy that's ears pop up throughout the song "Shout" :) I also received these

He bought each of the girls their own gifts as well... Valentine's Day is a fun holiday for us... It isn't that expensive and we get nice, fun, thoughtful gifts.

I still have heart bowl fillers left in my eBay store, website at www.country-road-primitives.com and in my Etsy shop.

I hope you all had a special day :) Thank you for popping in... xox

My Handmades

2009-02-09T20:14:00.001-08:00

More Snow...

2009-02-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

School was on time today and we were shocked, until we drove to the bus stop and sw the roads were clear. We got about 3" of snow last night. It was so pretty falling in the light that it almost looked fake. I took that picture from our back porch this morning and the one of the front yard.

After the sun started shining, I grabbed my camera again...

The best snows for us come in February and March. The orginal forecast for our 3" was 1 foot, but we'll take the few inches as it is better than none and so good for our wells. This is the best kind of snow... pretty to look at and the roads are heated enough and still treated that the snow melts off of them.

Spring Time On Grandma's Hutch

2009-01-31T20:53:00.000-08:00

These are so fun for me to make and I can't wait to make more with different fabrics. These handmade primitive tulips are on my website at www.country-road-primitives.com. They are currently sitting on my Grandma's Hoosier in my dining room and look so pretty... like a breath of Spring inside while the snow is still our view outside :) I hope that you have a little touch of Spring in your home to help with the winter blues...

Snow and Ice Have Paralyzed Us...

2009-01-27T20:31:00.001-08:00

The snow and ice that we received and are in the process of getting is a mess. We have about an inch of sleet on top of the snow and we aren't going anywhere tomorrow. There is no school here again tomorrow. I am glad... better safe than sorry.

Looking For A New Look?

2009-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Victorian Heart quilts and bedding are absolutely gorgoues! We offer many styles including Americana, log cabin pattern, 9 patch, postage stamp and many other varities in warm colors as well as shabby designs. Stop by my website at www.country-road-primitives.com to find everything you need to make your bedroom and primitive paradise.

www.country-road-primitives.com

2009-01-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

I have been working on my website and wanted to let you know that most of the merchandise can be found on my website that is in my eBay store, with the exception of auction templates. I have included shipping in the prices in my store and the prices are less than what I offer them on eBay, as I can do this by subtracting the eBay fees. I'll be transferring more merchandise as time allows, so if you see something that you would like and need an accessory, let me know and I will skip to it and put it in my store. I have handmade primitives, Americana items, and quilts and quilt accessories.

Spring Time and Easter Goods

2009-01-25T10:14:00.000-08:00

These primitive flat egg tucks are so cute and great to display. Great bowl fillers... Shoppers are already looking at spring items and purchasing them to stock in their own stores or to get the items before they sell. You know ~ the early bird gets the worm :) It's been cold here for the past couple of days, but only one more month of COLD weather and spring will be here.

The daffodils will be popping up all over and the forsythia will be blooming... the robins will be pulling worms out of the soft ground. ahhhh I can't wait ~

Inauguration Thoughts

2009-01-21T08:41:00.001-08:00

This was my favorite moment of the Inauguration. I watched much of the events... I really enjoy watching body language and facial expressions and the moment that touched me the most, was "the hug". It looks like Bush is hugging a son that he is proud of going off to college. I feel that the first time President Obama was briefed by Bush that he had a very big "uh oh" moment. At that point I think he realized all of the things that Bush had done was simply because he "had" to. As what is surfacing now, President Obama cannot make the promises he campaigned to do because his hands are tied, due to all that encircles him. The one thing that I have always loved about President Obama surfaced yesterday (I voted for McCain and volunteered many hours on his campaign) was the eloquence in which he delivered his speech. He is an excellent orator and his voice and delivery alone can mesmerize even the biggest Republican fan. Let us hope with God's touch, President Obama can pull the country out of its economic woes and put us on the path of energy independence. God bless us all.

Valentine Heart Bowl Fillers

2009-01-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

We've been crafting most of the day today and finished up several sets of these to list on eBay and of course, if I have time, Etsy. These heart bowl fillers turned out so cute! I love plaid and gingham ANYTHING. Thank you for stopping by my blog and if you get a chance, please visit my eBay store to see all that we have to offer.

Quilted Throws to Cuddle Under These Cold Winter Months

2009-01-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

This GORGEOUS Tea Cabin throw amongst other beautiful primitive throws and Americana throws are available now in my eBay store. Don't you love to throw a nice quilt over your legs while curled up on the couch or your favorite chair reading a great book or watching your favorite tv show? Winter is definitely upon us and I hope you give yourself a treat and purchase a nice warm throw for yourself :)

USPS Carrier Pickup

2009-01-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

Have you ever used USPS Carrier Pickup? I absolutely love it! We live in a rural area and to go to the post office feels like it takes 1/2 day to get there. I use carrier pickup all of the time. You have until 2:00 am to request it the night before and if you live 100 yards or so (you'll have to confirm the exact distance with USPS) from your mailbox, your carrier is required to leave your parcels on your door step and pick up your parcels using the pick up option.

We lived here for years before I knew that our mailman should be delivering our packages. He used to leave them with my friend that lived on the corner by the mailboxes, or we would receive a slip of paper in the mail telling us we had a parcel to pick up at the post office.

One day I received a form to fill out so they could see how happy we were with the service. I expressed my feelings about the drive to the post office and how it was nice that our neighbor accepted the parcels for the neighborhood. It was at that time that I was told I lived within the distance that the mailman should have been delivering our packages all along.

Give it a try and if you are living in a rural area and have been receiving notifications to pick up your parcel, you may want to inquire with the postmaster or call USPS.com to see if you are within the distance to receive that service.

Winter and Cardinals

2009-01-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

We have so many poplar trees here on the mountain and the birds are blessed with their seeds through the winter. The cardinals love them. We watch them through the window take a single poplar seed and run it through their beaks to get to the seed in the end. The other day, we were looking outside and there were several cardinals perched in the top part of our Bradford Pear tree outside the front window. It's nice to see that out of all the spaces on the mountain, they chose our tree right outside our window to rest so we could admire them and watch them. We are blessed!

Valentine Heart Bowl Fillers ~ Pink

2009-01-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

I listed another set of these pretty pink and white polka dotted hearts that I handstitched vintage cutter quilt pieces on today on eBay. I haven't listed them on Etsy yet, and not sure if I'll have time. I attached a small hang tag that is hand stamped with small hearts and added a rusty key to it. You will receive the exact set shown. I hope you like my pretty heart bowl fillers as much as I do. Click on my eBay link to the right to purchase them. Thank you for peeking :)

Valentine Heart Make Do

2009-01-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

I finished this pretty shabby style make do today and listed it on eBay. I used vintage cutter quilt pieces and stitched it onto an antique rusty spring. The rusty key and stained hang tag make it look a bit more primitive. I love the pretty pocket on the front and tucked a bit of Sweet Annie inside it. Thank you for stopping by and to see the whole make do, click on my eBay link to the right. Eventually, it may make it to my Etsy shop, but who knows :) xox

Got Sleep?

2009-01-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

Did you ever start a project and wanted to finish it up and be done with it? Well, that was me last night. I started out listing throws, which I never did, and decided to change my eBay storefront graphics. I had about 24 buttons to do and the whole process took me over 2 hours. I was up until 3AM! I am so tired and thinking about a nap, however, have so much other stuff to do I don't know if I'll have the time. Regardless, I love my new look and now have 3 different store designs to use and switch around when I have the urge. Click on my eBay link on the right and check it out :)

Something About Mary ~

2009-01-08T18:05:00.001-08:00

Very busy day today... sun was shining, but it was definitely kite flying weather here on the mountain. We ran a few errands and now winding down the day. We are watching Something About Mary. It is so funny and we laugh as if we are watching it for the first time every time we watch it :)

Valentine Heart Bowl Fillers

2009-01-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

I look forward to each upcoming holiday to make different things and offer a variety to my customers. I am working on more hearts and an arrow like the ones to the right of my blog and I made these purple calico hearts with a little material that I had left and they turned out very pretty. I normally make more primitive, stained muslin type of bowl fillers, however, I also like to make shabby items too, especially during the Valentine's Day selling season.

I really love these... They are made with pink material with tiny white dots and I have handstitched vintage quilt hearts onto them with floss. I have not stained them because I really love the colors as they are and am hoping others will like them as well.

I have both sets of these listed on eBay. One set of purple hearts has a bid on them, but I have two other sets in my store. Of course, I will be moving one set to auction when the one on auction ends in a couple of hours. Click on the right side of my blog to shop in my eBay store or in my Etsy store. My purple hearts are listed on Etsy as well and I will be listing a pink set on there, time permitting.

Enjoy and be blessed ~

Beautiful Winter View

2009-01-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

Every season, there is a gorgeous view here on our spot on the mountain. During the winter time, even though the branches are bare and the grass is not so green and the camper is covered up in hibernation, there is always beauty around us. I will try to catch a picture of the sunset that we enjoy in the front of the house to post. I love to look at the pretty warm colors behind the bare trees.

Everything is settling back to normal here. Our time together for Christmas break was really nice. Yesterday, school was closed here due to freezing rain, but it is warmer today and school is on time.

When Christmas break is over, I start to look forward to Spring. Even though I know we have a few more months of cold weather, it feels within reach. Pretty soon the daffodils will be poking up through the mulch and the robins will be pulling worms out of the ground. We are blessed to live in an area that we have four seasons to enjoy and appreciate what each has to offer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2008-12-31T15:50:00.000-08:00

What a windy, cold day here on the mountain! The kiddos and I took down the large tree in the family room and cleaned up the needles. We are moving the tv downstairs tomorrow. It will be nice to have the living room back. It's a great place to relax and read in. There are lots of large windows and sunlight...

We are staying in as always this evening. I read that Dick Clark will make his appearance again tonight, so we'll be watching him and the Times Square celebration.

Wishing you the best year ever! May you be healthy and prosperous and may your heart be filled with love xox

Winter Blues?

2008-12-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

I have read articles that discuss many people getting the "winter blues", especially during the holiday season. It certainly is understandable, isn't it? There is always the pressure of getting the decorations out, shopping and hoping to please everyone and paying bills while trying to provide gifts for loved ones, illness... and the many, many people who have lost loved ones and go through the holidays without them...

I think we are simply too busy to have time to get the winter blues. There is always something going on and much to do around here. We enjoy movies and play Texas Holdem, Apples to Apples and have fun planning our summer camping trips. Family time and memories are always a joy to make.

Sometimes though, when the clouds are looming and the trees are bare and everyday life is heavy on your shoulders, it is hard to keep your chin up and a smile on your face. When you start to feel down, maybe you can look at summer pictures to cheer you up. Bundling up and taking a walk is always nice, too! I love the vacation feature on my eBay store and it frees up time for me to be with my family.

If you think you are experiencing the winter blues, which include not feeling like doing everyday things, not cleaning, spending too much time sleeping, having very little desire to leave the house or maybe even have crying spells or very sad times, you may need to take a visit to your doctor. Take care of yourself and recognize the signs of "winter blues"...

MONDAY ~ Monday...

2008-12-29T08:59:00.000-08:00

I'm just popping in to get my blog fix and touch base... We had a wonderful Christmas and yesterday, the weather was absolutely gorgeous here. We were outside most of the day and hubby boxed up the inflatables as I went through our bin of lights and tossed out the strands that don't work any longer. We raked leaves and I got one last hop on the mower and mulched up what was left on our yard. The bradford pear leaves finally fell and a few oak leaves still cling. I cleaned up the dried lillies and watched the sunset. ahhh the joys of gardening :) I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I am off to put more things away and clean... Enjoy! xox

A Wonderful Christmas Story To Share

2008-12-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without so mething hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty, "Stew ... made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken."

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and d rove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time

The front door of th e office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pee shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week ."

George handed the gun to the cop. Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "C huck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?," the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said, "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry.
The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord."

~ author unknown

My Pretty Doll

2008-12-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

My pretty doll sold. I am so tickled and flattered that someone found her in my store and purchased her. I removed her out of my Etsy shoppe. I will miss seeing her. I had her sitting on top of a large fruit basket in the living room. I won't be making another one anytime soon. I put my eBay store on vacation for the next couple of days. I need to get some things in order here and help Santa get ready for Christmas :)

Primitive Star Bowl Fillers Ornies

2008-12-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

These are so nice, prim and priced to sell! Please visit my eBay store for lots of gorgeous primitives at a great price.

Old Man Winter

2008-12-21T20:44:00.000-08:00

Old man winter is here! It is so windy and cold outside now... I just went out to get some wood to put in our woodstove and it is chilly to say the least. Schools are delayed here tomorrow by two hours because it is supposed to dip down to zero with the wind chill. This summer, hubby and I bought rubber moulding to redo our camper ends. Our camper is a hybrid and the ends fold down and canvas tents cover our fold down beds. We bought several types of moulding to see what worked best and decided to keep the smaller moulding to redo our doors. What a difference it has made during these colder months. Stay warm dear friends and snuggle up on the couch with some hot chocolate and a good book or with your little one :)

Christmas Inflatables

2008-12-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Santa is stuck in the igloo... his feet are moving as if he was struggling to get out. LOL! This is the infamous inflatable that hubby was setting up when he sprained his foot and lower ankle stepping off of the sidewalk. His foot is perfectly fine now, but he had to stay off of it for 48 hours. We were fortunate that he had no breaks. I don't know if inflatables are popular where you live, but here in WV, people LOVE them. If they run out of room in their yards, they put them on their porch roof!
Here is my favorite one... We got this one 3 years ago...

Since hubby picked out the igloo, the kids picked out this one...

This is our side porch. The garland has white lights in it. The wind has played havoc on the bows, mini flag and even the candy canes :)

I love our old picket fence... needs to be painted, but painting is good for the soul. (Remind me of this in the spring when I am complaining about having to paint LOL)

Meet "Bear Bear". We bought him 14 years ago. He has a light inside and has greeted us with a gift on our porch every year...

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! We are hoping for snow... even a few flakes would be great :0) xox

500 Million Problems For Madame Secretary

2008-12-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

500M PROBLEMS FOR MADAME SECRETARY

By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN

Published in the New York Post on December 19, 2008
Now that Bill Clinton has released the list of his 205,000 donors who have given close to $500 million to his library and foundation, it is clear why he resisted releasing the list while his wife was running for president.

Now, compelled by the Obama transition team to make it public as a condition of his wife's appointment as secretary of state, it becomes clear that the list is a virtual encyclopedia of conflicts of interest for the husband of a senator - to say nothing of the husband of an incoming secretary of state.

Particularly troubling are the massive donations from Arab governments in the Middle East.

Pardon us for looking such generous gift horses in the mouth, but it is hard to imagine so many governments, monarchs and businessmen in the Middle East giving money unless it was with some hope of a political return. Will that return now come with the appointment of Sen. Clinton as secretary of state?

How can Hillary Rodham Clinton mediate and negotiate conflicts in the Middle East impartially when her husband's library and foundation - over which he has total control - have been bankrolled by the very nations with whom she must negotiate?

The list reveals another key center of conflicts of interest in Kazakhstan, the former Soviet republic, now home to some of the world's greatest mineral deposits and ruled by a corrupt dictator, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who, according to The New York Times, has all but quashed political dissent.

Bill Clinton visited Kazakhstan and met with its president on Sept. 6, 2005, accompanied by Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra.

Soon after, Giustra was awarded a highly lucrative contract to mine uranium there. Now, lo and behold, Frank Giustra turns up having given the library and foundation between $10 million and $25 million and the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative of Canada gave $1 million to $5 million more.

And Clinton got $1 million to $5 million from Lakshmi Mittal, the fourth-wealthiest person on the Forbes billionaire list and a member of the Foreign Investment Council in Kazakhstan.

In addition, Clinton further fished in troubled waters by taking $1 million to $5 million from Victor Pinchuk, the son-in-law of the controversial former president of the Ukraine.

Given the complexities of US policy toward the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, it is hard to see how this massive and incestuous relationship cannot but complicate Hillary's independence.

One of the largest donors to the library and foundation was UNITAID, an international organization largely controlled by France, which donated more than $25 million. And the conflicts of interest are not all just foreign. Corporate bailout recipients and recipient wannabes donated to the Clinton fund. They include AIG, Lehman, Merrill, the Citi Foundation and General Motors.

And, almost as an afterthought, the list reveals a donation of at least $250,000 from Denise Rich, presumably in return for her ex-husband's presidential pardon.

How could a US senator possibly serve dispassionately while her husband was collecting money from these donors on this kind of scale? And how could we have almost elected a president without realizing these conflicts existed? And how on earth can a secretary of state function with these conflicts hanging over her head?

www.dickmorris.com

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

This is last year's pic, but it looks the same every year. I haven't taken any this year yet, but wanted to post a pic of our family room Christmas tree. It is my favorite of the two trees we decorate because it has handmade ornaments from the kids when they were little and sentimental ornaments from friends. I made the quilted ball ornaments on the tree years ago with a matching quilted tree skirt out of the same material. I hope this finds you well and happy and ready for Christmas.

Sunny Day Here on the Mountain ~

2008-12-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon ~ Today we had a 2 hour delay. We got a little sleet and snow last evening and thought for sure it would really amount to something after listening to the weather channel talk about a weather advisory until 11 am today. Shortly after the ice started falling, it changed to rain. To be safe, we had a two hour delay today and that is ALWAYS a welcome pleasure, as we get to sleep in and take our time going to the bus stop. I hope this finds you all warm and cozy with a nice hot cup of your favorite tea or coffee in your hand xox

Do You Cover Your Camper?

2008-12-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

When we first started camping, we had a wonderful small popup that slept 6 people. We enjoyed it so much, that we sold it and purchased a larger camper. The difference is this one sleeps 8 and doesn't fit into our garage AND it has the all important tiny shower and toilet... the luxuries that we did not have with our popup. We were able to winter our popup inside our garage. Hubby researched on the net for information regarding the pros and cons of covering your camper. We did read a few valuable tips that included NOT to use a tarp or a cover that was not breathable. If you cover your camper with something other than a regular camper cover, you may create a mold problem, as there must be air circulation with your cover. The other valuable tip we found was to wait until the last possible moment to cover your camper and uncover it as soon as the ice and snow are no longer a threat. We also talked with a service technician at Camping World and he said that they had to redo many camper tops that were not cared for and covered. So, we purchased the cover for approximately 200.00 on eBay. Last year we looked like Lucy and Ricky Ricardo trying to get that huge cover up and over and around the camper using ladders and rakes and whatever worked. This year my DH came up with a better plan. He tied the straps on the cover to an extension cord and tossed them over the camper... worked like a charm! I had to get upon the ladder with the rake to lift the cover over the ac unit, but other than that, it was MUCH easier this way than last year. He called himself McGyver. LOL!! Happy camper covering!

Folk Art Dolls

2008-12-15T17:15:00.000-08:00

I am listing these folk art dolls on eBay tonight. It is so hard for me to find time to craft, and I love making these dolls. A friend of mine gave me this pattern months ago. I made several of them with different fabrics.

They are stained muslin and their candle bags are stained muslin as well. Most of the dolls have red candles. These candles are wonderful and made of high quality bees wax. They are from beenblossoms. Her eBay store is listed in my favorite links on the right side of my blog.

Thank you for taking a peek and please be sure to visit my eBay store :)

Spreader of Love Award XOX

2008-12-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

I was given this wonderful award from Pam of prims*by*pam. Thank you Pam :) Here are the rules to follow through when you receive the award:
1.Post a copy on your blog.
2.Mention who gave you the award.
3.Pass the award onto 6 others.
4.Leave a message on their blog letting them know the award has been bestowed upon them.
So here are the 6 that i would love to give this award to:
1. Wilma's Wimzees
2. Sugar Bush Primitives
3. Little Sisters Dolls
4. BirchBerry Farms
5. NannyGoatPrimitives
6. Primitive*Farmhouse
Now you can pass on the love..

The Cutest Blog on the Block

2008-12-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

I love going to thecutestblogontheblock.com. She has the CUTEST free blog templates and they are so easy to use on your blog. There is a wide variety on her site. She is very nice and helpful if you email her with a question. Check out her templates and I am certain you will not be disappointed ~

Folk Art Dolls With Candle Bags

2008-12-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

Remember this? It is my folk art doll that I started making this past summer... I made six bodies on our way to Ocean City, Maryland this past summer. I am trying to finish them up this weekend to list on Sunday evening... I have their candle bags finished and 3 have clothes on :) They still need "hair"... I will list them on auction on eBay and then in my eBay store if they don't sell on auction.

USPS Price Increase January 18th

2008-12-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

Shipping Services January 18 Pricing Change

On January 18 prices for Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service, Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International, Priority Mail International, and M-Bags change. As always, we do not impose fuel surcharges, hidden surcharges, or surcharges for residential or Saturday delivery.

The move to January price changes for shipping services is consistent with industry standards and provides a clear picture of the affordable services we offer. Highlights for domestic shipping services include new Commercial Plus pricing, with up-front discounts for high-volume Express Mail and Priority Mail users. On average, Commercial Plus prices for Express Mail are 14.5 percent less than retail prices; Priority Mail Commercial Plus prices average 7 percent less. We are also introducing a new, smaller Priority Mail flat-rate box. The new box is priced the same as the flat-rate envelope and provides a great option for customers sending smaller items that require sturdy packaging and the convenience of flat rate pricing.

Prices for Express Mail and Priority Mail are designed to maintain the Postal Service’s competitive position as the best shipping value in the market, especially for packages weighing less than 5 pounds. The new prices also make Parcel Select, our “last mile” ground product, an even better value for high-volume shippers. For international mailers, Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International and Priority Mail International are the best value in global shipping.

View this information and the price chart at:

http://www.usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm?from=home_ftpromo&page=newshippingprices

Beautiful ODD Day ~

2008-12-10T20:00:00.001-08:00

Today we had to run to town and our weather was a bit odd to say the least. It was in the 50s today with drizzle. As we passed over the Shenandoah River, there was a fog so thick over it, that you could not see the river. It followed the river as far as you could see and was above the bridge. If I had a camera and could multi task, I would have taken a picture. It was beautiful. So, our weather station is telling us now that towards the end of the week, our warmer weather is going to turn our rain to icy conditions. Of course, this will happen when we are snoozing and will have to wait up and watch our local channel for school delays and closings. We love the snow when we are all home. We have round plastic saucers that we slide down our front yard on. It has a slight slope and is fun to slide down. I hope you had a blessed day :)

Quilted Tree Skirts

2008-12-07T16:46:00.001-08:00

This is such a pretty quilted tree skirt. It's not too late to purchase a tree skirt to put under your pretty Christmas tree this year! Be sure to check out all of the tree skirts I have to offer by clicking on my eBay store link to the right. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for checking out all of my items. My eBay store is filled with primitives, handmade primitives, wholesale primitives that are priced to move, eBay auction templates, quilts, bedding, and much, much more!

Steelers Beat The Cowboys!

2008-12-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

Oh we were so relieved to see Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys! Now the Redskins still have a chance... Hubby LOVES the Steelers and I am a Redskin fan, but will cheer for Pittsburgh when they are not playing the Steelers :)

Vintage Quilt Christmas Tree

2008-12-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

... My newest Vintage Quilt Christmas tree on an eBay auction now. This tree is made from vintage tumbling block design quilt. It has mica flakes on it which are more visible in person. Thank you for stopping by :)

Tennessee Ridge Primitives

2008-12-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

A great blog to check out that offers free primitive patterns is Tennessee Ridge Primitives' blog. The addy is http://extremeprimitives.blogspot.com/ Her patterns are very easy and they do not require alot of different craft items to complete, which equals more profit for you. She also has an eBay store and has been an established, popular seller of patterns on eBay for years.

Check out this eBay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/50-Primitive-Christmas-PATTERNS-Snowman-Santas-ON-CD_W0QQitemZ110322821503QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFolk_Art?hash=item110322821503&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A3%7C294%3A50

eBay Shipping Tips

2008-12-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

I sold a flag bunting and was quickly reminded of my carelessness in weighing my items and had to revise my listing. Many times, you can weigh an item and it may be right under the weight of 13 oz. or 1 lb., however, when you consider the weight of a priority mail box, it will easily put your item over a lb., which means you must charge for 2 lbs. The same goes for an envelope. You must remember to consider the weight of your tissue paper, thank you notes and the envelope itself when weighing your items.

EBay has currently made the rule that you must list your shipping information in your auction listing. I have always done this because I want my buyer to know exactly what their shipping will be for the product in which they are purchasing. Because of eBay's new search engine, we are easily found by the buyer if our combined shipping weight and item price is one of the lowest listed. Having the lowest shipping and item price searched will place your listing at the top, if it is auction listing format.

If you offer free shipping to your buyers, your items will get more exposure and if you are a power seller, your final value fees are reduced during a limited time. Many buyers forego this option because what happens is the item price is raised, which will increase your listing fee. For example, if your item is 14.99 and your shipping is 5.05, you will be charged a listing fee for 14.99. If you offer free shipping and must raise your price to include shipping, you will have to pay the higher listing fee to eBay. Is it a good trade off? It may be if you use lower priced items to offer free shipping for.

Don't forget to make your items presentable when your buyer opens up their box or envelope from you. I purchase inexpensive tissue paper to line the box with and wrap my items in tissue paper and sometimes put raffia around them and I always include a handwritten personal thank you. Everyone enjoys a warm fuzzy and your buyers will appreciate opening up their items as if they were gifts. If you can afford to purchase items to drop in their box as a token of appreciation, be careful to choose lightweight freebies, or you will find yourself paying higher shipping if it tips the scale over what you are charging the buyer.

I hope my tips have helped you and I'll try to post more tips in the future. I enjoy sharing what I have learned to sell successfully on eBay over the last four years with anyone that would love to learn.