JanuaryHOPE for the New Year!!

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1289685/#new

It seems that we have another opportunity to express our hopes for the New Year. Tell us what your hopes are for the coming year.

I am borrowing this from a friend of mine, Vicki, on another internet forum:
"My HOPE is that I will practice what I preach - enjoy more sunrises and sunsets, laugh more, enjoy the moment, and I always hope and pray that those I love are blessed with peace, health, and safety."

You ladies are included in that group of "those I love". :)
Hugs to each of you!!

I'm including this photo of the decoration we have had on our front porch all during December because we can all use more "JOY" in our lives!!!


This message was edited Jan 2, 2013 12:00 PM

Marilyn thanks for the new thread and I am sorry to hear that your New Year day was spent feeling so bad!!! I hope you are feeling better now!!! You are so right that the world needs JOY!!! With that it would be so much more enjoyable to go anywhere. I'm looking forward to 2013 and even though the country is in such turmoil, I pray that will all settle down and it be a prosperous and yes, joyous experience for us all!!!

Thanks, Jeri, I am much better now--on the mend, for sure. I agree with your hopes and prayers for the New Year.

Marilyn sorry about your food poisoning. That was what I was afraid of during the power outage as we had to eat out every day. We were very careful about where we went and tried chose places I thought would throw away the old stuff away. But you just never know!

For 2013 I plan to just continue to enjoy life! One thing that really struck me about 13 years ago is how God puts the right people in my path! I was going through a really stressful time and he put some people in my path and put me in some places that really helped me deal with the stress and were the kind of people I needed to be around! . I've been very conscious since then that he has continued to do that in my life! I am happy content and pleased with my life although it's certainly not perfect! With age I've learned to let go of a lot of things! When we are younger we think we have to have all this '"stuff"! Then you reach my age and realize that not only do you not need it but what in the world are you going to do with it! I've also learned there is very little you can actually control. Just go with the flow and see where it leads you and enjoy family and friends! Those are the important things in life!

I have to agree 100% with you Charlotte!! I have found that the most important things in life are family and friends. I pray that I can be the type of friend to each of you that Yall have been to me!!! If I didn't have this fourem to vent some days, I think I would explode!!! You are also right about our needs and priorities. My need is to down size and clean out the clutter and hope to achieve that goal this year.

You all are right about "stuff". I finally got Jerry to clean out his clothes yesterday, he had 2 garbage bags full of things he doesn't wear any more. It sure made a difference in the closet ! I usually throw away and organize closets and drawers in Jan, but did a pretty good clean out already. I have been giving things to a lady that yard sells for a living.
I love my tech stuff, and I bought 8 new towels from Kohls sale, they had their "big one" on sale from 9.99 to 2.99. Now I need to clean out some raggedy old towels. When you live in a metal box there is not much room for storage.
Family and friends are the important things, Judy is not doing well, I wish I could help her, but I know she has to work through her grief. She is still coughing, says she feels better but has a horrible cough.
How is Ashley feeling, Jeri? I hope this year is the healing year for her. She is so young to be so sick all the time.

Marilyn, just noticed the title of the thread !!!! We do need HOPE and we need to HOPE in The Lord ! Great title


This message was edited Jan 2, 2013 4:58 PM

Sandra I do like my tech stuff too!! LOL I gathered up a car load of clothes a month or so ago and took them to two different resale shops. Of course I have ended up buying some new stuff this winter but at least I got rid of a lot of my old stuff that I wasn't wearing.

I have a few really nice pieces of jewelry but I just don't wear my good jewelry any more. I had a necklace I thought my DIL might enjoy wearing so I took it out to her when I went Christmas. I didn't give it as a gift. I just handed it to her in a zip lock bag and told her it was eventually going to be hers anyway so she might as well start enjoying it. I will probably give her more along. I have given them several things for their house (furniture and china) that I knew they would enjoy but I can certainly do without. So I am trying to gradually start passing some things along. Why wait until you die!

Sandra being a good friend to Judy is one of the best things you can do for her. I'm sure she knows how much you care for her and that you are there for her if she needs you. Like you said there are some things you just have to work through on your own. Every person is also different in how they handle grief. I have a good friend named Judy too and we have been close friends for over 30 years. I know she would do anything for me and she knows the same about me. It's a great comfort just knowing you have someone you can call on for help if you need it.

Also Sandra as tattered as your old towels are there are people that can use them. I have a friend that collects old towels like that from people and gives them to homeless people.

Hello and Happy New Year again y'all! Thanks for starting the new 'Hope' thread, Marilyn. Sorry you had food poisoning and glad you are better.

You are all so right about setting all these new goals for 2013. I'm so glad I have gotten to know many of you better this year! It has enriched my life to meet you all and I hope to meet more of you this year. It does mean a lot that we can converse on this forum. Sometimes I think we are able to convey our thoughts better on paper once we can sit quietly and type them, rather than unload verbally. It's better to have a sounding board of like-minded friends who won't judge, but will listen and care about us when we need it the most. Jeri, you are right about that!

I have to go back to work tomorrow and I am NOT looking forward to it. I do use this time of year to clean out, purge, and straighten up things around the house, and I have been busy. It's been so nasty outside, I guess that's what I was meant to do this year. Yesterday is my usual day to watch some football and clean out the file cabinet and shred stuff and that's exactly what I did half the day. The rest of the day I was still putting away stuff from Christmas and clearing out closet and attic space, breaking down boxes and throwing away. I don't know that you could tell I did much, but I do have a couple of closets and some drawers that look a lot better, and we made a good haul to charity (Goodwill and the Habitat Re-Store) before Christmas.

Charlotte, if you lived closer, I would start selling off some of my old stuff I've held onto all these years. I somehow was left with a bunch of my grandmother's and mother's old stuff and it's still in boxes in the attic. Maybe one day I'll just open up a booth here and try to sell it, lol! I also don't know why I hold on to a bunch of my crystal and stuff when we hardly ever use it and I'm sure my kids don't want it either. Probably will sell off that stuff one day too.

Sounds like several of us use this time of year to clean out!! I have 3 full size professional file cabinets plus 2 more two drawer file cabinets. They have got to be cleaned out!! I started shedding stuff last winter and never got it finished! So rather than get this years stuff mixed in with the old I've been putting it in a big bag which is now overflowing! Rather than shred I burn mine in the chiminea. Much faster when I finally get around to it. I did a bunch of painting in the house last winter and didn't get all of my cleaning out done. As a matter of fact I still haven't gotten the space behind my big china cabinet painted!

Elaine I have a bunch of really nice crystal that belonged to Richard's mother. I don't use it and have just been keeping it for his daughter. I tried to give it to her and she doesn't want it!!!! Said she doesn't have room for it! Don't know what I'm going to do with it! I hate to sell it.

Elaine forgot to say that sometimes I think we just need to hang on to things just for sentimental reasons. My mother died in 1996 and I have some of her kitchen things that I will never use and are certainly not valuable but just needed to hang on to. I'm just now to the point that I'm ready to let some of it go. I also have a pair of lamps that I got when I was in the 7th grade to go on my dresser. I have a lot of memories around those lamps. My dad took me shopping for them and embarrassed me to death by making a real scene (at least in my eyes) by having the manager come to the register and he tried to sell the shades back to the store! I didn't want the lampshade that came on the lamps and he bought me two new shades. That was so my daddy!! Amoung the kitchen things I've hung on to are things my mother used every day and I can just visualize her using them when I look at them (a red aluminum pitcher she kept tea in and an aluminum cake cover). I also have a whole box of recipes she had clipped from magazines and some she had hand written. I'll never use the recipes but again that was so "her". Everyone in the family wanted some of those clippings with her hand written notes. I have her old wooden biscuit bowl and I'll never get rid of it! She always kept flour in it and when she made biscuits she just added the ingredients and more flour. I have even written a note and taped to the bottom of it so my son will know what it is! All to say that maybe we don't have to be too strict on ourselves in getting rid of "stuff".

I hear you, Charlotte. I would never get rid of those 'sentimental' things. My brothers and I split up several of those types of things and I treasure those and even use a few of them. My mother was the same way with clippings and she clipped recipes all the time, even tho she didn't try all of them she had them all over the place. She also had loads of hand-written recipes and we treasure those especially.

Funny thing...Earl has been cleaning out his files, and he finally gave up trying to shred it all and threw it all in a big bag and said he's go burn it on the burn pile! We do burn a lot of ours too when we burn. It's been so wet lately we haven't had a chance to burn anything, including all the Christmas trash. I told Earl today I don't remember when we've had such a gloomy Christmas season. It has been rainy and cloudy the whole time I've been off.

I had to smile when I was reading your post, Charlotte about the sentimental things, I saved several handwritten recipies from Mamma's some were here's and some were Gunny's. I put them into a page protector and wrote a note explaining what they were, they are in the drawer with my cookbooks. I found this on Pinterest right before Christmas and I do plan on doing this for Amanda and Cayla, with one of Mammas handwritten recipies.
http://blog.spoonflower.com/2012/07/turn-recipes-into-tea-towels.html

Glad you said that about the towels, I was planning on throwing them in the ragbag, but I know you are right, someone could probably use them. They are like my old chair, so worn, I am just about embarrassed to offer them to anyone--lol ! If Richards daughter doesn't want those things and Richard doesn't care. Why don't you sell them and maybe put the money into the granddaughters college fund?

Sandra that's a great idea for old sentimental recipes!!

Marilyn, so sorry you started off the year sick! That is no fun! There is a very severe strand of virus going around here where people have been really sick - for about 5 days. It is really taking a toll on everyone! Food poisioning is no fun either.... it can be very dangerous too!

Sandra, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of the tea towels with the recipe on them! :) I was just telling Jessica this past weekend about a couple of my Mom's recipes that are in my recipe box that I use all the time,but they are actually in her handwriting. Unfortunately, the paper has stains etc where I have used them over the years but hopefully I will be able to clean them up and get them printed. I will need to get on that right away................. can go ahead and get those done for Christmas presents for next year (well, this year I guess..... can't get used to it being 2013~)

Charlotte, you are so right about the stuff! Since my Mom died, I have tried to USE more of my stuff.... and if I am not going to use it I have tried to get rid of it. Can't say that i have been totally successful with that because I still have a lot of stuff from my Mom or Leigh's Mom that I think they kids might can use when they get apartments, etc . But I am not as prone to "saving" special things and never using them. I have china that I got when I married that i have NEVER once used in 30 years! I have threatened several times to put it all on ebay for sale! I knew i would never use it but my mother in law INSISTED we register this expensive china! total waste of money in my opinion...... but, the things that I do like, I am more prone to actually using instead of saving them for a special occasion. I cleaned out stuff from my Mom's that I know she had "saved for a special day" that never got used....some things I had never seen before and had no idea where they came from such as old quilts etc. I decided then that I wanted to have things out to see or use instead of hiding them away for my kids to get rid of after I die. I am not 100% successful with that yet, but I am way closer now! I have numerous closets to clean out and an entire garage to clean - but I haven't gotten to them yet. :( I hate to even THINK about trying to clean up the study. I will need a burn pile too! ...... Maybe soon. I still want to finish my foundation planting and get that done before i tie into something else, but it has been so cold and overcast that I haven't worked outside in a couple of weeks now! By the way, I love the idea of selling the cystal and putting into a college fund, but you might save one or two special pieces for the granddaughter to have at her wedding...?? sell the rest and help fund an education. Richard's mom would probably approve of that use of her items......

The idea of using the old towels to help someone else is awesome too. And if you have some that are really bad, they might could be cut to make wash clothes out of. Also, the animal shelters are always looking for old towels and bedding to help keep the animals warm in the winter time. I heard a plea on the news just the other night trying to get more items when the snow hit LR - because they were having a hard time keeping them off the concrete. I use my old towels for rags to clean too..... and Leigh uses some out in the shop too. We retired some last year that we had used for 30 yrs! They were just a little thread bare! :)

Genna get that china out and use it girl!!! Nothing makes a meal more special than pretty china! When I had family for Christmas or other special occasions I always set the table with a pretty tablecloth, china, crystal and silver! My DIL does the same even if it's just the 5 of them. My grandsons can tell you what china they will eat Easter dinner from! When we celebrated richard's granddaughters birthday last month we drank sparking cider from champagne flutes. Something I started several years ago and really looks forward to it! Makes the occasion really special!

Genna, if you read all the directions, her papers were stained and she cleaned it up in Picasa, I am not very good with picture editing, but think I will soon give it a try too. Amanda made Mammas pink lady cake that she always made for Christmas, this year. She and Pat were arguing who had the original handwritten one--they both said oh but mine has stains all over it-----I have a copy she made me in her handwriting, so gave one we found to Amanda.

Yeah, I did read that - not sure how much my stains could be cleaned up but I'll see....... Mine is just one Momma wrote out for me quickly one day as I was leaving for my house and Alex asked for her Chess Pie recipe. But I treasure it because it is in her handwriting......................something that is fading in today's society! I have letters that my oldest brother wrote me while he was serving in Viet Nam, and I said when my nephew was serving in Iraq that now all the correspondence is by computer. Makes it simple but we are losing the history for future generations. But then MAYBE that generation will have less clutter than I have at my house!! ^_^

Yes, I got 2 new jump drives in today to store photos on.

You will fill those up fast with those babies! :)

I really liked the link to the tea towels. If I start now, maybe I will have some Christmas gifts by next Christmas! I would think you could make other items like pillows or have them framed as well if you did it just right??

I would probably leave some of the 'stains' just as they are and not make them so pristine. But that's just me.

Me too Elaine, I thought the same thing, we know they are old already anyway ! You can order the fabric and make anything you want, it is high but it would be something original for sure !

I'm like some of the other's of you, I like the old yellowed stained look because that is actually how it looks!! You can also actually print on fabric with your computer. Of course it can only be 8 1/2 by 11. But you can buy freezer paper in 8 12 x 11 sheets (they sell it at Hobby Lobby in the fabric section). You iron batiste fabric on to the freezer paper. You have to be sure and trim very carefully around the edges. You don't want any lose threads or for it to hang beyond the paper size. Then you just use it like you would a piece of paper and print directly on to the fabric. Once printed you peel the fabric off the paper. I put some designs on some white linen guest towels I have had for a long time. I just used the pellon fusible that is sold by the yard to fuse mine on with. You could also zig zag all around the edges to make it more secure. Just go to pinterest and do a search for printing on fabric and it should bring up the information.

There are sheets available from other sources that are larger as well. and you can make your own - but it does supposedly matter WHICH type of printer that you have. My printer "rolls" each sheet of paper as it prints it - it is really best if you can have one that feeds straight into the printer without rolling it. I was looking at printing photos on cloth though which is a lot finer detail.

My printer is a HP and is probably about 4 years old. I've printed designs that are similar to photos. I have a friend that has used the same technique and printed photos of dogs that turned out really good. My printer want take sheets larger than 8 1/2 by 11. You can buy another type sheet that already has the fabric attached but it is much more expensive.

I figure by the time I buy the ink and the other things I need, I would be better off just uploading mine !
I hardly ever print anything anymore, I just done have the need to print now that you can use so many free sites to save thing. I have Zoho document app, I use Picasa app, photobucket app, and also have a cubit I save recipies at. I have several print cookbooks that I enjoy leafing through from time to time, but I really enjoy taking my Ipad to the kitchen when I cook something !

They have a tee shirt transfer that I have used but it reverses each object so it probably won't work on the receipe cards.

How did we function before the Iphones and Ipads?

I actually do print a lot of stuff. But what I print usually has to do with my antique booth. I print digital images on card stock and use as price tags. I also make bookmarks, note cards, etc. I was printing the fabric digital design to put on linen towels I already had and needed to do something with. I was doing it for resale so I needed to use the least expensive option available. I do like to look up recipes and just take my ipad in the kitchen. I do print out some things I know I will be continually using. And I sometimes modify things and prefer to make notes on paper until I get it the way I want it.

What I want now is a new air printer! You can print from your iphone or ipad with it. They are not expensive. My son has one and he said he paid around $100 for it. I have also found that the ink for the newer models of printers seems to be less expensive. I had several printers I got rid of just because they were older and the ink cost too much. The printers were fine. Somehow I seem to collect printers!

Whoo! I did not realize I had not been here for two days--you ladies have certainly been "chatting it up"! LOL
When I moved to Harrison two years ago, I sold or gave away a LOT of "stuff". I had to psych myself up to get rid of all of it, but once it was gone, it was a big relief, believe it or not. I did keep a few things of sentimental value for myself but most of the "family heirlooms" such as my mother's dining room set and an antique brass bed, I gave to my son. My daughter didn't need any of it--she already has some of the family furniture. Those items I gave to my son are currently in storage but hopefully he will have a place in this coming year that will be big enough to accommodate them.

I still have two afghans which were crocheted by my grandmother and I do use them. They are precious to me and I feel "warm fuzzy" thoughts whenever I use them. I also have some handwritten recipes that were my mother's as well as one typed in purple ink which I know had to come from my grandmother because she was a free-lance writer and always used purple ribbon in her typewriter. I am going to check into doing the printing on the tea towels. Thanks for posting that link, Sandra!!

Well, my hubby just came in and said he was ready for supper. He has been cutting up a dead tree which he felled earlier today so he is not only hungry but tired so I better get busy!

Happy New Year everybody!!!! My hope for the new year for myself, family and friends: Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. What happens to us may not be what we wanted, but there is always the opportunity to grow in closeness to God and strenghten our faith. And Charlotte is right. He puts people in our lives at times when we need them. They may or may not stay in our lives, but they will always be a part of it. For myself, I have found new friends by being a gardener. I have also had the wonderful blessing of re-connecting with childhood friends and cousins this past couple of years.

I have not been on in a while. As you know from Charlotte's post we had THE snow storn with no power for a few days. Finally decided to get back on my computer tonight and had to uninstall and then reintall the wireless adapter program (I have an old computer). It kept saying I was connected but my wireless Jetpak said I wasn't. Whew! That took some patience -- something I don't have a lot of with computers!

Ya'll are talking to the sentimental queen here. I have tea towels, depression glass, old crocks, baskets, dolls, books, quilts, antiques. Does anybody have one of those bridge table linen sets? You know, the small square tablecloth and 4 napkins? I just got my mother and grandmother's silver plate flatware. There are a few pieces missing, but I have found where I can get replacements so I will have a set of 14. I can't get rid of all this stuff because they are valuable and they hold good memories and I hope to pass them down some day. Just like the hand written recipes. My Aunt Mary Lea ALWAYS typed her recipes (letter too) and I have a couple she sent me that make me smile evertime I look at them. Of course I am a cookbook addict too. Can't help myself. I just love to read them.

I have china, crystal and sterling. I used to use it every chance I got, even when my sons were pre-schoolers they got to use it too. I actually used the crystal and silverplate Christmas morning for brunch, along with the "Christmas" plates! Made that orange juice taste great.

My big hope for the coming year --- get that awful garage cleaned up!!!!!!!

Remember, Spring is just around the corner.

Sarah I don't just have one bridge cloth set, I have several!!! And from time to time I actually use them! I've used them on my dining table over a table cloth on the diagonal. I love to create centerpieces for the table just by going through things I have and seeing what I can come up with. I have a whole box of old linens that I don't intend to part with. Some I use - some I just like to get out from time to time and look at the beautiful fabric, cut work and embroidery. They don't make things like that any more!! I also have a collection of old linen cocktail napkins. They all have roosters on them. All different kinds of roosters - all embroidered.

My Aunt Duck also ALWAYS typed her letters! I have some she sent me that like Sarah said make me smile. She was a very fast typist but didn't take time to correct her typos and that's one thing that actually makes the letters dear to me. That showed so much of her personality!

This message was edited Jan 5, 2013 11:24 PM

Good to see you posting, Sarah!!
I have one of those bridge cloth sets, too! My aunt made it back in the 1940's, I think--not sure exactly. She embroidered butterflies on them with french knots inside the wings of the butterflies. I used to use it on the diagonal on my mother's dining table but I no longer have a dining table (just a breakfast table and it is round). As soon as I can find Al's camera which we always seem to be hiding from ourselves LOL I will take a picture of the set and post it here.

I've got a new thread started for the Chat and sign up, other threads will follow soon!!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1293166/

for the Midsouth RU at my house June 1st.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

So glad to be back! Whew! I am divorced as of yesterday, still have a long ways to go though.

I still have very little of my grandparent's stuff, my mom has a lot more, but I sold most of it when I moved from CA and by then the sentimental value had worn off, and since I have no kids or nieces or nephews to pass this stuff down to it felt like I had released them and actually lifted a big weight off of my shoulders. Since I have been going through my divorce and had to leave my house I have received some of it back, but I know there are forgotten items, hopefully they are still there when I get there. Right now I'm focused on rebuilding my life and as soon as I get over this flu/pneumonia I am going to start enjoying it! Maybe I won't have to work two jobs much longer, my temp job is about to run out of time anyway. I do know that I can't wait to get to my house and dig up some plants that I am going to take with me. I have no idea how things look out there and ..... How would you all like to have a party at my house probably in February sometime??????

Glad your back Christene! I know it is a relief to get the divorce behind you !

I was planning on posting something later this week. I was planning on doing a luncheon on March 9 . Kim is going to be gone most of Feb but will be back by then. But if you had rather have it that's fine with me. Are you going to be able to keep your house?

Crissy, great to hear from you, and a very Happy New Year to you! Glad to hear the divorce is behind you and that you are moving on. You sound like you are more than ready to move forward. Hope you do get over the illness soon. From what I've heard on the news this flu is bad, bad stuff. Take care of yourself. We know you're strong!

I'm finally going to get my flu shot today (yes, I've procrastinated all winter). I know it takes a week or 2 for it to take effect, and I'm just hopeful I don't get exposed in the next week or two.

Welcome back, Christine!! I know you are glad to get the divorce behind you so you can move forward with your life. Divorce is the pits but I know in my case that, once it was over (back in 1980 from my first husband), it was like a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I would love to be able to attend a luncheon with you central AR girls but it is just too far for me to drive for such a short time. Unless I can also arrange a visit with my son and other relatives in the area the same week-end, it is just not feasible for me. I'll just have to wait and see how things work out.

Charlotte yes, I get my house 100%, free and clear. I want to dig up my plants before I put it up for sale, and would love to host a dig party/luncheon since I've never hosted before and have always wanted to. The big problem right now is, per court order on the decree he has through Monday at 11:59pm to get his belongings out, I have a court order so he can't come back unless he wants some real trouble. He's already living someplace else and I have no idea what he's taken, what he hasn't, or if he'll go back between now and then, or what the house even looks like as I haven't been there since mid October. I'm going to file for a quick claim deed to get him removed also, then I'll have my house free and clear. He's still threatening to sue everyone, me for his labor to keep up the acre we owned here in AR, labor for fixing up my house in CA from 2004-2006 (we were engaged and he didn't have a job and so he fixed my house up with me paying for materials, said he would never come after my inheritance, but apparently it was his plan all along to try to get it) and his lawyer because he has bills that need to be paid. It's a very sad situation but I'm muddling through it still and will be alright.

I was going to say if you all want to, and I have some appliances left in the house lol, let's get together and have a dig out!!

Glad that finally all worked out for you!! I know you've been through a lot!
I hope the house is not trashed too bad!!

I think March 9 would probably be a good date for you do have the luncheon, if that date would work for you. You might see what everyone thinks about that date.

hi all,
was just lurking here on your fine thread and enjoying all the comments but wanted to add that animal rescues and humane societies can always use clean old towels. it's always one of the first things on their wish lists.