Happy the errands are behind me!

I hadn't planned waiting until evening to send out a hello. However, it was another very long day and I couldn't get computer time until now. I knew Tuesday and Thursday of this week would be busy but I didn't count on the heat and humidity (and a car with no air conditioning) bringing me down. I'm exhausted and yes, my feet are complaining.

We had scheduled getting our tire fixed (after another flat last week), an oil change for the car, and our "Super Target" (it has the best organic products...reasonably priced) shopping today in the bigger town close to us .

I'm certain a glass of (diet) lemonade and a good night's sleep will help me feel much better. Fortunately, my family is used to working around mom's "good days" and "bad days" so we stocked up on whole wheat crackers, fruit, and cheese...which is tonight's dinner. :) I'll plan on something special tomorrow.

I did get some good "stuff" while we were in town the two days. On Tuesday, I found two pretty teacups and one vintage type (1930's-1940's) cup at Goodwill (which is near my favorite grocery store). I collect both types of cups. All three were only 49 cents each since they were without saucers.

If I'm only going to use them for display or to hold items (like Splenda packets), I don't mind a missing saucer. I also found six gorgeous embossed (glass on glass) tall stemmed dessert glasses for 39 cents each. They are already in my china cabinet and they look beautiful.

Then today I stopped by a favorite store that is part country/cottage decorating shop and antique mall. My husband had to pick up something from a nearby store and he KNEW I would want to look around my favorite store instead of going with him. Since I had my allowance money with me, he didn't worry...much. :)

There were a lot of items on discount but I ended up with a soy candle in a canning jar (honeysuckle) for only $3.00 and a very pretty glass candle holder with an old fashioned looking glass "globe" (very Victorian looking) on clearance for $7.99. I knew exactly where I would place it. He was happy that I used great restraint for that place sells the kind of items I absolutely adore.

For some reason (hmmm...wonder why?), I am missing a vintage looking flag that I use to keep in an old fashioned thread holder. It has been missing since I had company. Wonder where it is??? Anyway, the candle holder looks wonderful replacing it on my breakfront/hutch.

When we were at Target today, I (finally) remembered to purchase a spring-type curtain rod. As tired as I was, I pulled a chair up to the kitchen sink and placed the rod, now holding a Dutch lace valance, underneath the hunter green and cream checked valance I've had over my kitchen window for about a year.

I had seen that look in a magazine and since I already had a Dutch lace valance stored in my closet, it was easy to try it and see how it looked. Beautiful! It's almost like the checkered valance has a pretty undergarment showing...although very tastefully done, mind you. I just love getting ideas that do not cost much to incorporate. Isn't it fun when something so small and inexpensive creates a big difference in a room?

I stopped by the library near campus while my son was teaching a fencing class. I checked out the beautiful book by Tovah Martin (gardening editor for Victoria) called A Time to Blossom; Mothers, Daughters, and Flowers. It is an amazing book, gorgeous pictures. She and the photographer Richard Brown were also the authors of Tasha Tudor's Garden.

For pure fun, I checked out I Like You, Hospitality under the Influence by Amy Sedaris. I happened to be watching Martha Stewart (which is rare since I'm usually busy at that time) when she was on the show and I don't think I've laughed so hard watching Martha...well, ever. If you like kitchy vintage 1960's kind of hospitality, this is the book for you. Now, I haven't had a chance to read it closely (only skimmed it at the library) so I don't know if there is anything inappropriate in it but it looks good at a glance.

Tomorrow I'll post a book review for one of the books Zondervan sent me to review. I (finally) finished reading it yesterday. It didn't take me that long because it is not a good book, on the contrary I liked it. It's just that "reading in summer thing". I get distracted so easily in the summer by everything there is to do outside of the house. Which is also why my Summer Reading Challenge leans a bit to the lighter side (a bit?).

I'm hoping to start re-reading A Wrinkle In Time early next week. I'll definitely read the original Time Trilogy but I'm not certain I have...the time...to read the fourth in the series...which, of course, caused it to become the Time Quartet...and people think I do not have a mathematical mind.