The Watchamacallit

I bought this at Hobby Lobby for a jillion percent off.  I paid $2 and some change for it.  So it was not something that was priceless and near and dear to my heart. Although I liked the paint job and shape.

 So when it broke over the winter it was not that big of a deal. It was outside on the deck and apparently the elements got the best of it.  Hubby threw it away when we "summerized" the deck.

I saw it in the trash and thought, "Hmmmm. I know that can't be glued back together (the top is very top-heavy, probably the reason it broke to begin with), but I wonder if a little duct tape would do the trick?"  And then I answered myself, "Yep, you might as well try Lori!"


 So I broke out the roll of WHITE duct tape. You know it comes in all kinds of colors now.  I held the Watchamacallit back together the best I could and then just taped away.

It worked like a charm. But I knew I could not leave it looking all duct-tapish (aren't you glad I am an English teacher with my huge vocabulary???). 

So I broke out another expensive tool.  The twine ball from the $1 bin at Target.

And then I started spinning.

No, not some excercise class...

but the twine around the duct-tape fixit job.

I used just a smidge (another great word) of hot-glue-from

the-glue-gun

to secure the end.

I also a little twine to the top for balance.

Then, after completing my save-the-watchamacallit-project I was feeling pretty good about it.  I put the watchamacallit on the outside deck table.

A couple of days later we had dinner outside. My hubby sits down and says, "I thought I threw that thing away."
My mom, who was eating with us came outside and said, "What is that thing anyway?"

They really know how to make a girl feel good about her watchmacallit-with-twine!

Using dishes of my Mother (and others) for Mother's Day

And she was fair as is the rose in May...Geoffrey Chaucer

What better way to honor Mothers than with a very feminine rose tablescape?
I also chose to use the dishes from my Mother, Grandmother and two Great-Aunts to honor their legacy on Mother's Day.
When put together they made a very beautiful tablescape.

I set the table up outside on the deck. As you can see I had "help".  Appropriately, it was Mama Cat that was watching the goings-on.

Mama Cat did not stick around for long though.  Apparently it was all too boring for her.

I used my mother's Desert Rose pattern for the tablescape. She has pieces of it that I didn't even know they made.

She has the plates, the salad plates, two sizes of bowls, the glasses, the silverware, the napkins, the tablecloth, the cups and saucers, the mugs, the salt and pepper, the coffee pitcher, creamer and sugar, and the serving bowls.

Then she has pink and clear goblets in two sizes,

and plates to match.

In addition she has cute little green dessert cups.

When I was growing up, my mother loved to go to auctions.

She is the one that gave me the "old stuff is great" bug.

When one of my Mom's aunts died, my Mom got

six

Desert Rose dinner plates.

After that, at an auction, she bought a

whole set of the Desert Rose.....

for............

$20!!!!!

She now has 24 place settings!

The little green dessert cups were my grandmothers, and they fit in perfectly.

Although hard to tell here, these little

plates (and goblets) are

pink and clear.

They were my great-aunts.

One piece my Mother has that is beautiful is

a serving bowl.

I took pictures of it upside down

as well as

right side up,

to show all its beauty.

For the centerpiece I cut roses

from the rosebush and put into a hand-painted

vase.

It matched the tablescape perfectly.

I hope you enjoyed my Mother's Day tablescape

using dishes from

 my Mother,

Grandmother

and Great-Aunts,

as a tribute to the wonderful women that

have touched my life.

You will find more tablescapes at Susan's.

It is a true feast for the eyes.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

It's A Dog's Life

With only 11 school days left in this school year (insert huge cartwheel here!) things are busy at the high school.  There are so many events to get through. There are so many ballgames. There is SO much testing. It is hectic.  I barely get everything done I need to get done.

 
I haven't been on the computer as much because I have so much to do.

I knew that I would not be on the computer tonight, so I wanted to get a post done during my noon hour thirty.

What to do? What to do?  I searched my computer here at school for some kind of motivating picture to get my brain in gear.

Finally I found a few pictures of my sweet puppies.

Those always bring a smile to my face.

(The pictures AND the puppies).

I have lots of children.

I have lots of students in my classroom.

I have great family and friends.

But there is something about dogs.

They love unconditionally.

They are ALWAYS glad to see their owner(s).

Their attention is not superficial. They are truly

happy to be around people.

They are loyal companions.

They're always ready for a walk.

They are truly man (and woman's) best friend.

So when work is chaotic and I have too much to do,

I go home to a

dog's life.

A very good dog's life!

Tonight I am going to try and get everything together for my Tablescape Thursday. I'm thinking maybe a Mother's Day theme, but then that puts me in the same category as

everyone

else.

In case you haven't noticed, I don't like to be like

everyone

else!

Hmmmmmmm!!

Call it....then call them!

I've written several times about my love of swimming and tanning, so this magnet instantly caught my eye.

Then I read the quote.

What a great quote.

And how true.

We all need family.

No matter "what" kind of family it actually is!

Have a great day.

Call someone you love today.

Simple Words To Live By.....................

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
                                                               --Ralph Waldo Emerson
                     I have linked with Susan  at A Cottage Industry for other words to live by!