Saturday, April 26, 2014

Pretty, Pretty ... and Not So Pretty

So many of you enjoyed the azaleas in the last post, I figured I'd better give you more of them before they're gone. Azaleas here in the U.S. South grow large, so I backed up to give you a broader view of them.
They can easily cover the front of a house. We have many hot pink ones.
And some salmon-colored ones. These look more pinky, but they're actually an orange/pink/salmon.
And some pale pink, which are so nice.
And some white, which are so fair in the spring.
We also have some lavender/purple colored ones. I'll hunt up a few more.
All this, while I tootled around town on my bike. In the basket there are a bag of potatoes and some lettuce; I biked to the grocery one morning for them.
Oh! I have a couple more:

There's nothing quite like pedaling along the waterfront on one's bike on a quiet morning while a lone sailboat glides through diamonds.
This is a Very Happy Thing -- a local man is building a treehouse in his yard for his grandkids. He is Julia's art teacher. I know she's secretly hoping she'll be invited to play in it!
Okay, all of that was the FIRST pretty thing. Now we move on to the SECOND pretty thing: I found treasure at the local thrift store! Yes, I did! Looky-here ~~
Yarn and china. Does it get any better than that? What two things do I have oodles of, and don't need anymore of? Yarn and china, of course!
There were two salad plates, two bread plates, and a cup/saucer in this delicate pattern. I fell in love immediately. Ever since being a guest in Mrs. Jean Belz's home and enjoying her lavender flower tea set (or something like that ... lilacs perhaps?), I've been partial to china with little purple flowers.
Brain asked: "Do you need them?"
I answered: "No. But they need me. They need a home. If I leave them here, who knows what china-breaking criminal might come along and snatch them?"
Then I turned a plate over ... yes, it's Haviland.

That black marking tells you that the plate cost $1.
The teacup is light as air, the china is so thin. The gold leaf edges are in excellent condition. I'm thrilled!
As for the yarn, there were five skeins of this: 
And quite a bit of this:
All the yarn together was only $4.75. Yippee!
Alright, we've done two pretty things, and now comes the ugly thing. Adam went for his doctor's visit, and I took photos, so if you don't like a picture of a wounded leg having its staples removed, now is your cue to CLICK AWAY!!
The nurse pulled up his x-ray from that morning on the computer screen. So I took a photo of him taking a photo of a computer screen ... with his iPad. Aren't we silly these days?
He wanted so badly to get a new brace, one that allowed some bending of the knee. But the doctor said no, that the most precarious part of his recovery is the healing of the tendon that runs down the front of the knee. It must be allowed adequate time to heal, without the pressure of bending. If it is damaged again, he said, it would be a chronic (i.e., life-long) problem. "Yes, sir!" we replied.
Then a nurse came in with a funny little device and crimped each staple and removed them all. Adam said he didn't feel anything. {{{shiver}}}
He starts physical therapy next Tuesday. He goes back to the doctor in a month. He's still so easily exhausted, which tells you how hard his body is working to heal.
It was lunch time, and we were an hour and a half from home, so Adam chose a watering hole for lunch called Moe's Southwest Grill, a Tex-Mex place where the meals are assembled much like at a Subway sandwich shop. It was fun! Qdoba is like this also.


We each got a burrito bowl, basically the ingredients of a large burrito, without the tortilla. I love tortilla chips, but I'm not a fan of one big tortilla.
It was very good, and huge. I ate half and took the rest home for dinner -- so, two meals for the price of one. I firmly believe the best way to lose weight is simply this: learn how to tell yourself NO when your tummy begins to feel full. If we all did this, no one would be fat. Somehow, we think it's better to say, "I'm never eating bread again!" instead of, "I'll eat one piece and stop for now." Why is that?
Chips and salsa come with each meal, which is nice. I also took most of the chips and the queso home for Julia to enjoy later.
And today, after a long morning at the farmers' market, I'm enjoying a cuppa in my new teacup.
You should have some too!

13 comments:

mysteryhistorymom said...

"They need me!" I love this. And they do, indeed. Love the azaleas and the darling treehouse. I want to come and play, too. ;) Lori

Kezzie said...

Mmmmm, I'll eat some of that too please!!!
The tree house is SO exciting!!! I hope he does ask Julia too so you can post photos and I can live vicariously through them!!
Oooh, the staples are fascinating-reminds me of Frankenstein's creation (sorry Adam). I wanted to ask you how YOU are doing through this ordeal/recovery x

Dasha said...

Now apart from the cupboards downstairs groaning with the overindulgence in the fabric department, my other vice is pretty glassware. I just love the finely etched glasses which were so popular in bygone eras, and have more than my fair share. In my defence I use it all. The fabric and the glassware.
Love your gorgeous teacups. They are so dainty.
Always enjoy your photos of the lovely place you live, and the walks you take.
Good to see that Adam is mending.
Hugs, Dasha

Leslie said...

BEAUTIFUL china! What a wonderful find. I found some plates this week, too, but nearly as pretty as yours. The purple is perfect for spring.

Una said...

I'm already a yarn collector. I could easily become a crockery collector if I lived with people who were a bit more careful....maybe one day. As for those staples, it must feel so much better without them.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Love your yarns and your sweet china.

Poor Adam! Those staples, YIKES! I'm sure he's glad to have them out. Physical therapy made me cry as it was so painful but the therapy was necessary to get everything working again. (I had a broken arm from a car accident.)

May his recovery be smooth and as much as you would like to, don't try to rush things. Healing takes time.

Love and hugs to the both of you ~ FlowerLady

Deborah Montgomery said...

Sorry that your hubby is going through such a long, slow recovery, but pray that the healing will be perfect in time. The azaleas are gorgeous, how nice to have such big ones! And of course, you couldn't leave those china cups as orphans!! What a great find! And those grandchildren getting that wonderful tree house with such a great view -- how fantastic.

Lisa Richards said...

The treehouse is fantastic! What a great place for it. Hope Julia gets invited over.
I love the china, especially that the teacup is so big. Most china cups are so small that I bypass them for a larger mug. This one is pretty and practical! :)
So glad that the staples are gone. You guys mind the doctor! ;)
Beautiful azaleas!

Mary Ann Potter said...

Pretty vintage things always need new homes, or they'll languish in a shop somewhere. So glad you gave them a home with you! Sending hugs.

Ida said...

I love Azalea's. I have 3 in my front flower bed. One is Orange & is just about ready to bloom. One is yellow and sadly will not bloom this year because the doggone thing bloomed last spring and then again in October because we had a warm fall. The other one is apple blossom colored with just a hint of yellow.
Your pink one's are so pretty.
Oh OUCH on that staple photo. I think I would have passed out or at least had to look away while the nurse took them out. I'm pretty squeamish when it comes to things like that.

Ida said...

Oops I forgot to say I love that China cup you bought, such a pretty pattern.

Nancy said...

Wow, so much to share! Between the Haviland (LOVE it!), flowers, patchwork of staples, and a good plate of food...I'd say things are looking up!!

Anonymous said...

My favorite azaleas are the pale pink. :-)