Happy Saturday

this is a test of the Cece Emergency Broadcast System

The Gift...

"In the hope of

reaching the moon,

men fail to see flowers

that bloom at their feet."

~ Albert Schweitzer~

With love...

The answers are below and now I have to go. I'll see you around August 8th.

With much love,

Me

Part Deux (Closed for Repair)...

I'm still closed for repair, but have to share a funny story that involves a climbing rose bush and garbage (yes, that climbing rose bush and that trash bin). However, first I must tell my dear blogging friend "Cinnamon" she's still #1!!! Thanks for commenting and yes, it WAS there. I just deleted sooner than expected because I woke in absolute panic! I'm 49 and still afraid of my little sister. You and I know he won an Oscar tonight (don't spill the beans).

~

It's my fault. I planted a garden all around the trash/yard waste/recyling bins to beautify America. It's all my fault. I walked outside to dump the trash in the rain. Yes, it's raining here. (If it's raining on "Just Bob's" or "Random Chick's" blog it's usually raining here, and this storm came from their neck of the woods, so technically, they share the blame.) I didn't turn on the light because I know where the trash bin is. I just walked out into the storm and winged it. The next thing I knew a wind kicked up and damn if one of the climbing rose canes didn't grab hold of my leg. I screamed. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!" It wouldn't get off. I had to pull myself away and in doing so ended up with three long, painful, 6 inch gashes on my leg. What did I ever do to that rose bush to deserve this? I feed it. I prune it (well, not lately), I admire it, I pick it, I love it. And what's she do to me? She abuses me. Even if it's raining tomorrow, I'm going to go out there and prune the hell out of her.

~

Our darling Australian friend, Kylie, has a fun game going on over there. I'd link to her, but you know me by now...I don't have time to learn all the fun stuff you all know, so just wait till she arrives or page down to my blog list and click (I've finally (partially) reinstated my blog list!!!). Here's what I'm going to do. Give you a series of questions. You answer to the best of your ability (yes, "effort" is required), then I'll return and answer them truthfully. It's a hoot.

1. My birthday? I'm a Leo. A very proud Leo. August 8th!!!!

2. Color of my hair? Grey.

3. Real color of my hair? Yup, think that's still grey!

4. How many cats? Way too many, but worth all the effort.

5. How many dogs? (That's a trick question!) Our darling T-Bone.

6. Shoe size? 7 1/2. That's one big foot for a little lady!

7. Bra size? Now this is a funny one. Most of you know, 34B. That's incorrect. I just took the test about 10 times to figure out my current size. Things changed since college!!!!! I'm a 36, but would buy a 38 because you know how I HATE tight stuff. But this is what shocked me. D. I look down and can still see my belly button. I don't believe that for a second. I'm going with C (and to think, I laughed at Cinnamon cuz I still thought I was a B!!!). So I'm going bigger for rib size and smaller for cup size. What's wrong with this picture? Babes pay big bucks for implants, but me, nope, I prefer the smaller cup because I don't have to knock into myself all the time. Seriously. I don't have time for boobs. Don't get me wrong. I love them. Think they're beautiful, but working around them? No, that's just not me. No wonder I'm having so many accidents lately. I'm trying to navigate my new boobs! Yes, I hear you. I'll try on the right size and check out the fit. It may change my life. I'll keep you posted. Wow, it's a good thing I asked this question otherwise I would have never known. Seriously.

8. Favorite food? Tomatoes. I would die without them. My favorite? Cherry. I eat them like candy.

9. What do I do every day around 9:30 am? You all guess it!

10. Favorite sport? Absolutely, tennis.

11. Favorite color? Leah, you're so good. Green, but pink, blue and purple are a close second.

12. Can I cook? YOU BETCHA!!! (Thanks honey!)

13. When I cook where do I usually put the food? (Now that one made me laugh!!!) Where else? On my shirt.

14. What am I reading? (Keep in mind I'm reading 3 books and a whole hell of a lot of magazines.)

1. Stokes Nature Guides "A Guide to Nature in Winter,"

2."A Pennine Journey" The Story of a long Walk in 1938 (I recieved this as a gift from the Chairman of Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. Those of you who live in England probably walk over him and his dad every day. Dr. Jenkin's manhole covers are everywhere. They're actually in memory of Dr. J's dad. a very, very famous Environmental Engineer in London. Dr. J spoke in England, then in Africa while I worked as an executive assistant for him. He loved me and me him (just like daughter and father, nothing more). I received the book from England and a gorgeous leather wallet from Africa embossed with an elephant on the front. I just disposed of the wallet this year. It was in absolute shreds after over 20 years and I couldn't let it go until my money just started falling out. Literally. You know me an animals, and leather, but that wallet meant the world to me. I loved that man with all my heart. I still do. Those where some of the best years of my life. UC Berkeley is the bomb. Third book, "A Year Along The Gardening Path." And magazines. Oh God, don't even get me started!!!

15. Favorite shoes? You all know me well. FLIP FLOPS!!!

16. Favorite color? Green.

17. Why do I do so much laundry? Too many slip covers.

18. Who's my doctor? My darling Dr. P.

19. If I could travel anywhere in the world, where would I go? Well Leah my dear, I would love to come to NY. That I can afford and I believe where I'll ultimately end up. But in all honesty, I would love to visit England, Ireland, France and Italy. Then a few other places!!!

20. What do I do best? I think listen. I cherish all my friends. I may screw up, say the wrong thing, write the wrong thing, but I alway, always listen. And I always care. I'm not perfect, but I do my best.

With so much love,

Me

Closed For Repair...

"Ohno"

~

I love cats.

I love their grace and their elegance.

I love their independence and their arrogance,

and the way they lie and look at you,

summing you up,

surely to your detriment,

with that unnerving,

unwinking,

appraising stare.

Joyce Stranger, from "Kym"

~

XO

Cats may not be our servants

or out defenders,

but give us life.

Lying softly in laps,

tuning their heartbeats to our own,

singing away sorrow,

easing the mind,

unravelling the day.

Sharing the empty dark,

Like flowers,

inexhaustible in beauty,

Like flowers,

most necessary,

in ways

we scarcely understand.

Healers.

Companions.

Mysteries.

~

~ Pam Brown~

~

You all know I need to go away for awhile.

However, I've decided to let you speak

because not doing so just killed me.

You know me.

I just can't do that to all of us.

Not after what we've all been through.

Just enjoy yourselves here.

I'll be back eventually.

My greatest joy will be to see

all of you enjoy this space.

I love each and every one of you.

You know that.

XO

Kylie, who I love, asked me not to leave. I do have to leave however because so much is demanding my attention. But I decided to leave on a good, funny note rather than on the pathetic one earlier.

Gig and I talked tonight and she said something so precious. She reminded me that I'm a good person and that everyone I love so much in blogger land understands my passion. I would like to be a better person. I would like to do no harm and yet I do. Life is complicated. But I love Gig for loving me despite my mistakes. I know there's hope for me. I do.

It's true. I love sheep. I think I'm British! (Well I am, but that's a whole nother story!) I always wanted a field of sheep. Not for food, just beauty! I wanted to look out the window and watch them. I also have a thing about closets. I want to open them and see beauty, so of course all my closets are beautiful. This one in particular is filled with sheep because they're hand made by a dear friend in Florida with real fleece. The kitties go nutty and try to eat them. So they're now in the linen closet. Unfortuantely I also have a thing about fabric and collect it. So the linen closet has become one of the fabric closets! By the way, the sagging shelf is an optical illusion. It doesn't look like that at all!

My darling Mickey helping me work.

My beautiful tree that is no more.

The "Red Hat Society." I'm almost there. Just a few more months. I'm trying to make her look older. I'm almost there!

The bathroom linen closet. Yes, it's true, I love angels.

My beautiful park. I enter at the second big tree to the left!Mr. T!

Happiness.

Absolute beauty. Mickey.

Love.

Funny. Exhaution after grooming!

Our beautiful Maestro and our beautiful tree that no longer exits.

Our beautiful tree.

Mickey.

Sweet Pea. Pure elegance.

Maestro searching for comfort. He looks like he's in a marching band!

My darling, sleepy Ohno.

Newman.

I miss Newman every day. I wish with all my heart he would just walk back in to our lives. There's a full moon. I was amazed. It's been a month since he left. A whole month and yet it feels like yesterday.

~

I'll be back. I have alot to get done. When I'm through, I'll be back. I love you all very much. Thanks for putting up with me. It matters.

XO ;)

Closed.

This is the photo Kylie wanted. My boo-boo is on the right side of my head. (This is all I'm giving you young lady!!!) This is also it for me. I'm going on vacation. Not a real one, a fake one. I have lots of yard and house work to get done and I can't do it blogging. So, I'm off to do what I do best. Well, that's a complete lie. I'm off to do what's necessary. I do promise to finish my reinstated blog roll and will check in now and then, but probably not comment, much to the joy of many of my non-fans!!!
~
Just so you know, I'm healing properly and should have a really decent scar in about a week or so. When I return I'll give you the full monty. Oh, sorry about that, I mean a photo of my happy cyst gone bad. Until then take good care of yourselves and the Wild Onion. I love you all.

XO

P.S. I've noticed I stand with my hands on my hips alot and so do many of my nieces and some of my sisters. I Googled that. This is what I learned. It's a sign of confidence. Someone should have told me! All these years of misery for naught!!!
~
***Many of you really smart bloggers will notice something interesting. The photo of me and Mickey to the right was taken in 1990. In 2009 I'm still wearing the same style shirt, the same earrings and my hair is the same length, just grey. Life is so wacky!!!!

Happy Mud Month...

February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 29 days in leap years, when the year number is divisible by four (except for years that are divisible by 100 and not by 400 in the Gregorian calendar). In common years the month has 28 days. (God, ya gotta love math!)

I had to slip it in!

Mickey, Newman and Sweet Pea

(No, I don't iron slipcovers...are you nutty?)

~
Historical names for February include the Anglo-Saxon term Solmonath (mud month).

~

HAPPY MUD MONTH!!!

Additionally:

1. If you plan to sow your plants from seed, and your target date for outdoor planting is May, you'll need to start some varieties in February.

2. Take advantage of February's occasional warm spring-like day to prune late-summer blooming trees and shrubs. (Keep your grubby little hands off the ones that are about to bloom, prune them later!)

3. Fix fences. Clean pots. Organize your shed. Hire someone to do the housework so you won't have to.

~

Special thanks to Mary Engelbreit's Gardener's Journal for the tips!

~

This was supposed to be at the Wild Onion. I screwed up!

~

XO to all ;)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

The roses are about to start blooming again at Rose Cottage!

So get ready...

for a new season...

of fun and beauty!!

~

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

~

To my European and Australian friends...

HAPPY SATURDAY!!!

Something odd happened yesterday. I stopped at the gas station to fill up before going to the park. I walked in to pay and saw a young 30 something guy who looked like a young James Taylor. His hair was shorter. To his ears, but I remember thinking "Oh my God, he's the spitting image." I walked past him and paid, then turned to exit and there he was, holding the door for me. I smiled and said "Thanks." He was so close I could smell him, and he said "Your hair is beautiful." And he meant it. I turned and said "Thanks." Then I paused and took his arm and said "No really, thanks, you made my day. It's been such a difficult morning so you have no idea how much this means to me." We stopped in front of my car and really looked at one another. My hand was still on his arm. He said "I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. You don't realize how beautiful you are, do you?" I wanted to cry. I swear to God I did. But I didn't. I just looked at him and thought about life and the moment and I was so grateful. We hugged and I said "thank you." I honestly believe he was an angel. I do.



I grew up around Woodstock, NY and James Taylor always came to play at the Joyous Lake. My dear friend Diana and I tried to get in one night, but the bouncer knew we were just shy of 18. No go. I could hear his voice, but wasn't able to see him. I love that man and I love his voice. Yesterday I met his twin and experienced absolute grace.



XO

My friend Rob...

Off to the park!

I have a dear friend in Massachusetts. Rob (aka Hunter). As most of you know we met on the "Meet ~n~ Greet over on IV's blog months ago and just hit it off. I adore the guy. He's a hunter and I'm a vegetarian, but as Obama has so brilliantly pointed out, it's our similarities that unit us.

~

Rob, his beautiful wife and two children sent us an amazing box of goodies for Christmas. This is my new pink Boston Red Sox cap!!! Isn't it gorgeous?! Don't look at me, just look at the cap. I hadn't taken a shower and was still a whole lot sleepy! Notice the little shadows on my one and only good white tee shirt? Yup, you remember the cupcake batter incident...well it gets better. Stick around.

This is the full content of our gift box. Cat food (salmon and rice), toys for the kitties, a football for T-Bone and two gorgeous hats. Oh, and the kitties got a beautiful little box of catnip that didn't make the photo. It's all beautiful, isn't it?

So, so pretty! Oh, and very, very well made. There's actually a slot for the extra tab at the back. I can adjust the tab to custom fit my gigantic brain and tuck the tab in the slot! Brilliant!!!

I arrived home from the park with my beautiful new pink hat and made soup. Cauliflower/broccoli/potato soup to be exact. The phone rang. It was Mom. She was a hoot. She usually is.

We were laughing along and I said "Mom, I have to turn on the emulsifiying blender." She said "Okay," and kept on talking. I turned it on, we kept chatting. I lifted it out, but forgot to let go of the little green button. "OH MY GOD!!!" "You okay?" "No, I'm covered in hot, boiling soup and so is the kitchen." "Oh good Lord."

My one and only good white shirt is a gonner. That shirt was just a magnet for disaster. You should have seen the kitchen. That soup was like glue. I guess because of the potatoes.

~

Yes, there's some nipple action. I hate bras and apparently was excited about taking my photo. But Cece will be happy because I'm still in something resembling clothing. Usually I throw this crap off the moment I return from the park and snuggle into my nightie! If I'd been in my nightie I'd have burns. Trust me. Life is always exciting at Rose Cottage. Mom said "You okay sweetie?" I said "Yup." She said you aren't a very good cook are you?" I said "I'm a great cook!!! She said "You aren't a multitasker, are you?" I said "Shut up."

~

XO to all,

Suzy

Newman's last day on Earth...

Newman, we all miss you. Every single day we miss you. I finally washed your blankie the other day and everything in this house has gone haywire. I shouldn't have washed it . Ohno and Maestro are having the most difficulty. I wish you could just walk back in. God I miss you so much. Sometimes it seems as if you're here. When the lights are low Ohno and Phatty Foo Foo look like you and for a second I think they're you. Daddy told me he says "good night" to you when he goes to bed and "hello" when he wakes up. You are so, so missed. We love you so much. I'm sorry.