My Two Cents | Bead Happily Ever After

My Two Cents – Doctor’s Appointments!

Posted on August 5, 2009 by crystal

At the risk of dating myself, I remember a book written years ago by television personality Art Linkletter called: ”Old Age Is Not For Sissies”.

I’m not exactly old-old 😉 – but as the years go by I can certainly begin to see that old age is not for busy people either!! I’m talking about the increasing “need” for doctor visits once you have a certain number of birthdays under your belt. It can almost become a part time job keeping up with a whole slew of appointments!

An annual physical and a couple of trips to the dentist are to be expected, but all of a sudden it seems as if those few yearly visits have given birth to numerous checks and double-checks!

A once basic eye exam is now embellished with extra screening for glaucoma which equals two additional appointments – one for special testing and another for a re-check and test results.

Then the dentist recommends a consultation with a periodontist. Follow that with the doctor’s request for a colonoscopy, a mammogram, a regular gyn appointment, repeat lab work because iron looks a tad low, and referral to a dermatologist for a freckle check. Yikes!

I am very grateful that my health is good, but honestly I don’t know how people keep up with all these appointments! I’m losing an awful lot of beading time, here!!! 😉

Daring to De-stash

Posted on July 28, 2009 by crystal

Knowing when to de-stash is easy, right?

But actually doing it?

That can be another thing entirely!

If you buy a new book and you can’t slide it into the bookcase, no matter how hard you try – then you know it’s time to let a few of the other books go to a new home.

Or if every time you attempt to put away the clean clothes in your dresser; you feel as is you’re stuffing a Thanksgiving turkey; it’s usually means there are a few sets of threadbare underwear, holey socks, or a well-worn nightgown that should be turned into rags to free up some precious drawer space . . . and pronto!

But those are the easier de-stashes. How about items that are treasured gifts, or souvenirs from a special occasion, or handcrafted art – either your own or someone else’s? There are no hard and fast rules for those things.

Last weekend, I was diligently trying to make a little space on the shelves in my craft area. I consolidated supplies from a couple of boxes into one compact box, and put a few magazines in the recycle pile. As I scanned the shelves in search of something else to eliminate, I discovered that it isn’t easy to de-stash a doll – even if she is very out of style at the moment.

I made this YEARS ago, when soft sculpture was all the rage. Maybe it’s the fact that it is a Momma and baby, or maybe it’s because I put so much time and care into making it; all I know is – I can’t part with it . . . yet.

I remember hearing Jerry Seinfeld on the Tonight Show saying that, in a sense, we all manage huge trash-processing/recycling centers –— our homes!!!

Things come in and we decide how long they will stay and be used before they are moved out to be recycled or designated as trash. Seinfeld joked that it’s just a matter of time before most things move through that cycle. It’s kind of interesting to think of it that way. You buy a dress; wear it for years; cut it down for a daughter to wear; she outgrows it and eventually it might be used to polish the furniture! Finally, it leaves the house as trash.

But back to the doll . . .

She’s not going anywhere for a while! 🙂

Reader Requests

Posted on July 8, 2009 by crystal

Recently I asked for blog topics and I promised to respond to them. 🙂

So for today’s post, I’m going to try to answer Clenna’s request:

“I’d love to hear about connections with ones who have passed on.”

Well, Clenna, I have always liked to think that the people we love continue to watch over us after they have passed on. I can mention a couple of experiences that I have had . . .

My grandmother was born and raised in Ireland but came to America as a young woman. When my siblings and I were growing up, she delighted us with wonderful stories of her childhood. Nana died many years ago. Some time later, my sister and I made a trip to Ireland to visit my daughter who was studying in Dublin. One of the highlights of the trip was our journey to visit Nana’s childhood home. I was thrilled that I was finally going to be able to see not only the country, but the townland, and even the farm that Nana had told us so much about.

During the long drive from Dublin to the beautiful southwest coast, we had an unexplainable feeling that she was with us. As we continued on, we began to see road signs that told us we were getting close to the farm. I’ll never forget the incredible sense of love and warmth we felt as we came to the top of a hill – just at the town line – and saw before us a breathtaking rainbow! It had to be Nana welcoming us. The timing was too perfect. It was the only rainbow we saw during the entire trip.

My mother-in-law was a sweet and generous woman who loved her family above all else.

She was also what I would describe as a “cookie lady” – someone who is famous for making and giving delicious cookies to family and friends.

Several months back, I wrote a post (see it here) about her being a cookie lady and even included one of her recipes. Then I realized something amazing . . .

The idea for that post had been on my “blog topics” list. Why I chose that particular day to talk about “cookie ladies” and my sweet mother-in law, I’ll never really know. It was not planned for that day . . . I just looked at my list and grabbed a topic. I could have written about it weeks earlier or weeks later. I could have chosen any other topic on that list that day.

As soon as I finished the post – it hit me!!!!!

It was her 100th birthday! I hadn’t remembered it until that very second!!!

It seems so appropriate and also an amazing coincidence that I would talk about her on her special day! I think she must have somehow “wanted” me to share her recipe!

You asked; I listened!

Posted on June 18, 2009 by crystal

For one of the “giveaway” questions this week, I asked for topics that you would like me to write about here on the blog.

I’m thrilled with all of the responses – so many great suggestions! Thank you! Keep ‘em coming. 🙂

You’ll definitely be seeing your topics sprinkled in with my regular posts.

Today, I’ll begin with Elsie’s suggestion . . .

She writes:

“I’d love to hear about YOUR answers to the questions you ask…these are fun questions, by the way!”

Thanks, Elsie! Believe it or not, it has occurred to me that readers might like to hear my answers to the weekly questions. I’ve hesitated though, because I didn’t want to set the tone for how to answer the questions. Actually though, now that I think about it, whoever comments first could be setting the tone anyway, so I might as well jump in, too! Here goes . . .

If you were stranded alone on a desert island what 5 items would you want to have with you?

1. My husband – “Sir Beads a Lot” 😉
(By the way, he doesn’t actually “bead”, but he is surrounded by beads – those we sell and those I am constantly working with to create jewelry! He’s involved in the sorting, shipping, and many times in the photography of beads!

2. A tent made of mosquito netting.
What can I say? Bugs just love me, and I’d like to be sure I can get a little sleep! (I’m one of those people who always seems to have a bite if there’s a mosquito around.)

3. A BIG box full of books.
If I had to, I could live without a computer, TV, phone, crafting supplies (waaaaaah! crying very loudly, now!) as long as I had lots to read!

4. Matches
For cooking, warmth, and romantic evenings!

5. A tool kit
So that we could build a shelter and eventually – a boat! 🙂