The Stone Rabbit

FRIDAY'S FAVE 5

Susanne, of LIVING TO TELL THE STORY, is hosting our weekly share of some of the special moments that help to make our lives full. 

Last Friday night, my husband and I saw Steve Martin in PINK PANTHER II at our little restored theater on the court house square in Independence, Missouri.   The movie had a very low rating in our Kansas City Star newspaper---and rightly so----however, I love Steve Martin, so he made the show entertaining enough for me.

I think what is most enjoyable, however, is being able to attend the show in this particular venue.  A local lawyer and his wife have brought many a new restaurant and shop to the buildings around the square.  They added the movie theater about a year or so ago and most recently, they revived an old bowling alley!  We haven't checked that out, yet, but a group of friends and us will be doing that soon!

Back to the theater---it's close, it's clean, it has a great staff and it does not have the deafening sound system that the newer, bigger theaters do.  It's just a sweet spot to go watch a show.

After we left the theater, we headed to "downtown" Kansas City---to the River Market area--to eat at Dos Hombres (we had a gift certificate!).  My husband took the scenic route, staying off the interstate, to our destination.  We passed this building---OK Furniture!  This is the spot, some 40 years ago, that my groom and I bought our very first bed!  Yep, for $54.00 we came home with a full-size mattress, box springs AND frame!  It wasn't the greatest quality, but we used it for a few years until we were out of school and able to buy a queen size set.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven! 

On Wednesday, my buddy Bonnie came over.  We hadn't seen each other for over a month---far too long.  We always exchange little gifts on special occasions---such as Valentine's Day!  We enjoyed a cup of tea, a little chat, gift exchange, then we went out for a  late breakfast!

As we were leaving the restaurant, we saw this truck in the parking lot!  The antenna was festooned with peacock feathers!  I told Bonnie, when I was a kid, the folks who lived across the street from us raised peacocks---we loved it when we would find their feathers on the ground!  We didn't love the calling sounds they made at all hours---they sound like they're screeching "HELP, HELP"! 

Finally, THE STONE RABBIT  and I loved putting together  a little Bucket of Love for my Granddaughter.  We hope she has fun with her treasures.  
 

Be sure to visit Susanne's blog for links to lots of other folks who have some of their favorite shares!!!

DANA

FRIDAY'S FAVE 5

Thanks to Susanne for hosting this opportunity for us to reflect on the events from this last week and  select five experiences for which I am so appreciative.

 #1  Watching my daughter-in-law squeal at the top of her lungs and hop around like a rabbit when she realized the box her little girl was perched on contained a new vacuum cleaner--a surprise gift from me and my husband----it was worth every dime to see that reaction!! :)  Then it was worth even more to watch her rip open that box and start vacuuming the moment it was assembled!!  Cleaning the floors had never been so much fun!

#2 Realizing the reason for my Frankie Cat's noisy excitement at our living room window was the wonderful ROBIN who was perched in our little tree!!!

Spring is getting closer and closer!

#3 Finding a wonderful Five and Dime (did you know such a thing existed any more?) just a short distance from my house! 

The building used to house my all time favorite store-- BEN FRANKLIN, which closed a few years ago.  The new owners have amassed the most unbelievable amount of assorted STUFF I have ever seen in my life!!  It looks like they buy overstocks, liquidations, unclaimed freight.....I don't know, but it's awesome!  I probably spent an hour in there just digging and prowling---and left with a huge bag of "needed items" at a bargain price!

#4 When I am leaving our subdivision----stopped at the sign and waiting for traffic to clear so I can get out on the busy street, I can look up and see this amazing sight.  It's the steeple on the church we attend.

When we built our home in this location, having the church so near was just a bonus---THEN, shortly after we were settled in our  house we found out a new priest was replacing the one who had served this parish for years.  The new priest turned out to be one of our all time favorites---he had married our son and his wife.  In fact, he "started out" in one of the churches we used to attend when our kids were little.  The children in the parish all loved him--so he has been a very popular choice as the priest who has married many of them  years later.  Our little granddaughter loves him, too, (he baptized her) and can hardly wait to visit  "Fah-doo Jim" when they attend church with us.

#5 We are so lucky to have our very own Decorating Diva near us!!  Yes, Mary Carol Garrity, owner of Nell Hill's in Atchinson, KS, and more recently a store by the same name in the North part of Kansas, MO, also has a column in our Sunday  issue of The Kansas City Star.

Last Sunday, she wrote about about how we can update our homes on a budget---such as repainting, reworking bookcases, moving artwork around or changing the mats or frames, switching lampshades AND layering rugs!!

As I was studying the details of her photo I nearly fell out of my chair!  Do you see how she has that rug on the diagonal to help create the "illusion that the rug is larger than it really is"?

I was thrilled at the angled rug because I had done something very similar to that!!

I didn't angle my rug, but I angled my dining room table and chairs!

I was having a lot of trouble getting the table to look centered with the chandelier---a long, agonizing story about how I put that light fixture too far in the corner when we were telling the electrician where to place every one of the 1,000 lights (OK, a bit of an exaggeration!) in 12 minutes (another exaggeration, but that's what it seemed like at the time). 

Anyway, not only was the table looking funky under the light, but then the pictures (which I JUST hung after having lived here four years---cuz I was having company) weren't centered with the table either. 

Now I had already turned that rug 45 times (well, at least 5) and when out of desperation I angled the table and realized  "Hallelujah, that baby looks kinda centered now"---and it was veryyyyyy late at night, I decided "That rug looks pretty cool going that way and the table going the other". 

So, when I had my friends all seated around the table the next day, eating brunch, I asked them if the rug and table shooting different directions bothered them.  All but one of my SWEET and KIND friends said they liked it---one, the brave girl, spoke up and said she didn't like it.  OK, I thought four out of five, that's 80%---not bad.

THEN when I saw how Mary Carol worked with those rug and furniture angles--- I was elated!!!

The next day, Beth of my breakfast group, brought me the clipping from the paper.

I said I had seen it and I felt "vindicated"---she said, "Validated?"  YES--that was the word!!

Here is how it looks from my kitchen doorway. (Note Frankie's tail in the lower right corner--there's always a critter nearby--and THE STONE RABBIT who happens to be ON the table!!!)

A friend of ours painted the pictures many years ago--they are overdue for new mats and frame updates.  Also, the spacing isn't great the way I have them right now---remember, I slapped those up pretty quickly! :)

Here is how it looks from the family room.   

The more I have lived with the new arrangement in that corner, the more I love it.  One of these days, I'll be able to have the chandelier moved, the hole patched, the texturing replaced and the ENTIRE ceiling repainted!!  I also hope to get a bigger table and chairs (we can seat six, but it would be great to have enough room for at least eight).  Until that time arrives, I am happy I finally have an arrangement that doesn't scream out, "Hey, she put the chandelier in the wrong spot!!"

THE STONE RABBIT says he likes it like this, too.  He also added that he was surprised it took me four years to figure it out.  Hmmmmmmm. 

Please visit Susanne's blog (the links will be available starting on Friday morning), LIVING TO TELL THE STORY, for more  bloggers who have their Friday Fave 5s to share.

DANA

 

Friday's Fave 5

Last Saturday evening, my husband and I decided to go to a movie.

We started by looking in the newspaper for a bit of guidance in the selection of a wonderful show.

Now we could have seen "BOLT" or "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".  They were each rated "three stars" by our paper-----I'd circled these to show my husband.  Heck even "The Dark knight" or "Defiance" were given the same coveted rating, as you can see.

 

Soooooo, what DID we go see?

Yep, we saw MALL COP! 

                                            

Yahoo Moviesdescribed the movie: " A single, suburban dad tries to make ends meet as a security officer at a New Jersey mall. It's a job he takes very seriously, though no one else does. When Santa's helpers at the mall stage a coup, shutting down the megaplex and taking hostages (Paul's daughter and sweetheart among them), Jersey's most formidable mall cop will have to become a real cop to save the day. "

I have to say, while there will probably be no one nominated for an Academy Award in this film, it was funny.  I really had major doubts about the quality of this show, but in all honesty, we enjoyed it.  You fell in love with Paul Blart---who is just a loveable loser.  However, he does end up saving the day and becoming a hero---just like we all dream about doing once in our own life.  It was a sweet movie that made you leave the theater in a light-hearted mood--knowing you had been entertained without shocking, jolting, dark, or computer enhanced tactics.  I like "feel good" movies---especially in times that don't always "feel so good"!!

So that was the looooong #1 on my list of Friday's Fave 5.

#2 this week would be my Valentine Tree!! 

It's a grapevine tree a local man makes (he sells them at shows around town--in all sizes.  Mine is about 5' tall.).  I keep it on a back patio---it is filled with white mini lights and mainly used at Christmas.  However, I found the hearts at a bargain price and decided to decorate the tree with them.  When I look out the patio doors from my dining room, it just lifts my spirits to see this happy tree looking back at me.

#3 Would be the scene from our office window this week as a mixture of precipitation rolled across the mid-west.  We were spared the horrible ice storm and, thankfully, just received a small amount of snow.   I was so grateful to look out and only see a bit of white covering the ground. 

#4 Tyler Candle Company makes some of the most wonderful scents.   My friend, Sharleen, owner of Luticia Clementine's on the Square in Independence, MO, carries this line of candles now.  It's always a treat to pull out one of these candles and enjoy the great smell it gives to the house.  I believe this one is called PARIS.

   

#5  This little corner by our fireplace has been dark for four years--ever since we moved in to this house.  I could never find the lamp I liked---for the price I wanted to pay.  However, this week, Hancock's Fabrics was having a 40% off their lamps sale.  I was so happy to find this sweet candle stick lamp for $13.00!!   

As you can see, THE STONE RABBIT and Twiggy the Cat, appreciate the new light in the corner.  They both thought it warmed the place up---I agree. . . .and at a bargain price to boot!  

 

I hope you will visit Susanne's blog for links to other bloggers who have some wonderful Friday's Fave 5s, too!  It's always good to appreciate the little happenings in our lives.

 

      DANA

FRIDAY FAVE 5

I found Susanne's Blog, LIVING TO TELL THE STORY, through one of my favorite bloggers, Ellen of THE HAPPY WONDERER ( a Pink Saturday buddy). 

Susanne hosts a wonderful spot each Friday where bloggers can link on and share five of their "favorites" from the week.  I thought this was the perfect opportunity to help me remember and appreciate the small, but important, happenings that help compose my life.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My car tags were expiring the end of this month.  I dreaded getting all of the paperwork together, just to go stand in an endless line to complete the process.

However, much to my amazement, as I entered the Department of Revenue I realized I was only the SECOND person in the area who needed help with licensing cars (unfortunately for the poor schmucks who needed their drivers license renewed there were lots of them and few clerks to assist.)

Yes, indeedy, it was a moment to appreciate.  The COURTEOUS lady who helped me with my new tags had me in and out in about two minutes--she must've set some kind of a record !! 

I told her I wished I had my camera with me, cuz I was doing a post on Friday about five favorite things from my week and I would have LOVED to have made her #1!  I don't know if she knew what I was babbling about, but she said "thank you".

Of course, I DID have my camera in my car, so as I was leaving the parking lot, I snapped this photo through my dirty windshield!  It was a lovely sight to behold!  Yes, I was attracting some looks from a few folks who were walking in to the building.  I hollered out to them that it was their lucky day and how we have one of the most wonderful DORs in the entire state of MISSOURI!  I think they must've thought I had a couple of screws loose!  Their looks, however, made that great experience even greater! :)

 

On another day, I was out and about running errands and was stopped at a super busy intersection.  As I sat at the red light and  looked across the street I saw this person working to attract customers to a local tax service.  Decked out in a sad looking "Statue of Liberty" outfit, she didn't just wave at the motorists---she was dancing and moving and singing and really getting into the business of being seen.  Her upbeat approach to her job certainly brought her a lot of attention as she was receiving lots of little toots from car horns.  I can tell you, she put a smile on my face!!!

 

I received a pretty good lab report from my doctor this week.  I am trying very hard to "undo" some of the damage done during my less than healthy eating over the recent Christmas holidays.

I found a recipe for Baked Fish With Tomatoes on Tara's blog, DAYS MISSED ON A HAMMOCK.  I want to  add more fish to our diets, so I was anxious to try her recipe!

My hubby and I both enjoyed  Tara's dish (I used cod) this week,  along with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and some roasted potato wedges.  Hmmmm. . . . I feel SO much healthier already! :)

I am a procrastinator.  

I especially procrastinate when it comes to distasteful chores such as filing quarterly sales taxes, paying charge bills, and completing paperwork in general.  

I always feel like the weight of the world is lifted (for just a little while) off my shoulders when I can finally get the pesky forms filled out, checks attached and envelopes in the mail.   

 

Finally, we enjoyed two wonderfully warm days this week.......a rarity for January in Missouri.

The sun was shining brightly and even THE STONE RABBIT and Izzie couldn't get enough of the weather gift.  THE STONE RABBIT told me he had noticed a few blades of grass struggling to be green!!  That made his day!

 

Be sure you visit Susanne's blog for others who have Friday Fave Fives to share!!!

DANA