Finally, flowers!

My good friend, Beth, graciously gave me this Royal Ruby vase from her late dad's depression glass collection. It's been sitting on my kitchen counter, patiently waiting for some flowers. It now holds some, at last!

October's on it's way out

and Christmas is just around the corner! I remembered to squirrel away my Christmas savings for this month. My charity of the month however, wound up being my class reunion! I spent a small fortune on decorations and people searches. It was well worth it! Everybody who attended seemed to have a great time, so much so that those of us who can are getting together at a classmate's restaurant on Thursday.

There's nothing like seeing the people you grew up with!

Mmmmm, it smells like Christmas!

It's been unseasonably cool and rainy here today, so I hunted out a "cinnamon roll" candle and lit it. It didn't just smell like fall, it smelled like Christmas!

A little early shopping

Which reminds me, I renewed gift subscriptions for my mom, my mother-in-law and my daughter. I do this every year as part of their Christmas gifts.

Instead of an order

When I received an invitation from my little neighbor's school to buy magazines, I declined. Instead, I took her a check for a donation to her school. The school will get all of that money, and I don't have another magazine subscription that I don't want.

Christmas Money

Christmas is only 4 months away. I just barely remembered to get August's contribution socked away!

Catching up

Here it is late August and I am finally feeling back to normal after the surgery I had in mid-May.

I helped a friend and bought a sketch pad for a an inspiring young artist in July. The money I gave the local sherrif's fund in June also helped pay for the Fourth of July fireworks, so I'm pretty pleased about that. I left a party at a friend's house to take my mom to see those fireworks and was blessed with a visit from two former students.

Of course, the best blessing is the baby my daughter is expecting in February! I have been having a grand time knitting and embroidering for him/her. I'll have to post photos on my craft blog.

For this month's extra charitable giving, I'm considering giving to the Triad Flight of Honor, a program that will fly 100 local WWII veterans to see their war memorial in Washington, DC in October. I will, of course, donate in memory of my dad.