Share a Book, or Two, or Three...

Earlier this week, I did a portfolio review with one of my clients... the only client whose home I go to, to meet with her. Mrs. W is 79 years old and she is handicapped. Her husband became my client first. A robust cowboy, "born and raised" right here in south Texas. Two years ago, Mr. W passed away from cancer, leaving Mrs. to fend for herself. She has a couple of adult children, but they both live out of town so she doesn't see them except weekends. I think she spends a significant amount of her time alone. I see her about every 6-months. Each time I arrive at her home, she's already unlocked the door; so I knock and walk in. She always has an opera or a symphony playing one of the great composers... her favorite (and mine) is Debussy. I think she plays Debussy when she knows I will be there.
This week, she was complaining that she hadn't been to the library in several weeks because her children didn't come on Saturday... they came Sunday instead and the library isn't open on Sunday in her small town. I asked her what kind of books she likes to read, and whether she prefers the written page or an audio version... "Oh I like to read everything, especially if it's full of murder and mystery!"

Lucky for Mrs. W, that's just my kind of book too! I've got stacks of books that I've finished... stacks in the living room, stacks in my office, stacks in the bedroom... Ricky frequently makes suggestions on what to do with the stacks of books, "Why don't you take those to the Goodwill?" or "Why don't you sell those on eBay?" Both of those are fine ideas... but for some reason, I could just never bring myself to part with my treasures in either of those fashions...

Tonight I told Ricky... "I've decided what to do with those books... I'm going to give them, a box at a time, to one of my clients who likes to read but doesn't have the money to buy, nor transportation to get to the library"... Ricky thinks that's a great idea! (I didn't have the heart to tell him that Mrs. W promised to get them back to me as soon as she finished reading them...).
Looking for ideas on sharing a book, or two, or three... down here in French Lique...

The Etsy Shoppe is Now Open for Business!

My crafty sister has made a beautiful apron for my booth in Geronimo... but while I'm waiting for it to arrive in person... I'm listing it in my new Etsy Shoppe...

The fabric is Robyn Pandolph Wild Rose Farm Pink Roses on Jadeite... a beautiful fabric from my favorite ebay fabric seller, Susan at Urbangardens.

I buy the fabric, my sweet sis does all the work, and then I sell it! Not a bad deal for 2-sisters living nearly 600-miles apart.
This is a photo of the back... a big bow sash... I love it!
So if you'd like to buy a beautiful handmade fancy bib apron...
just link right here...
and visit Dixie's Etsy Shoppe...
with handmades by Lili Angelique... aka Dixie's Little Sis...
and that's what's happenin' today down here in French Lique...
Thanks Sis!

Too Much Work... Not Enough Weekend...

When I was younger, I kept house like a woman on a mission. Every Saturday was a housework marathon... Before the sun set, the house would be spotless (not that it was ever very messy)... Every bed freshly made, every dirty sheet washed; floors vacuumed, swept, mopped and waxed... Laundry washed, folded and put away... everything organized... no clutter... no dust bunnies... but then...

I turned 50 years old a few years back... the youngest daughter flew the coop... I married Ricky and life changed.

Nowadays Ricky and I can manage to find something fun to do with every spare moment. We like to travel, so we do. We like to go out to dinner, so we do. We like to go to auctions and junk sales.. and you guessed it... so we do. Heck, we even went out this week just to celebrate the fact that it's raining again!

This weekend I told him that it was housework weekend... to which Ricky replied "Huh?"... Ricky doesn't get housework weekend... we don't have them very often... and I realized that I really don't much care for them myself anymore. What use to take me two hours, now takes me a day. I get sidetracked too easy... I take breaks... I stop to make a nice chicken salad... and then I have to eat a sandwich...

I mean... a girls got to keep up her strength doesn't she? So this weekend, there was just too much work and simply not enough weekend. I may have to bring in recruits... Merry Maid sounds good... what do you think...? How about a chicken salad sandwich and a glass of iced tea... we'll sit out on the porch and talk about it... down here in French Lique...

When I Think of You...

It rained all weekend while we were in Dallas. The sunshine didn't peek through, not even once. It reminded me of when I first moved to Dallas in 1983. It was late July... it was hot... it never rained. I had moved from the southeast, where it seemed to rain every week, year round. To move to a place where it never rained caused me to fall into a deep depression. I was a young mother then, with two young daughters and a husband that worked too many hours. I was alone in a city where I knew no one... and no one knew me; a city that never rained...

Then late September came, and with it... the rain. It began to rain the last week of September 1983 and didn't stop until mid-October. It rained buckets and buckets of rain. I finally came to understand why there were so many parks in "flood plains"... when it rains in Dallas, those flood plains become creeks and rivers. Everyone that I had come to know in the previous few weeks, became moody and depressed... too much rain. Me... I was happy! I felt joy! Ahhhhh... Rain!

Mark Graham for The New York Times

This weekend, it began to rain in Dallas. It came down in buckets. The roads flooded, lawns flooded... flood plains became creeks and rivers. The rain flooded me with memories of being a 20-something mom, with two little girls at home and a husband that worked too many hours... The girls are all grown up, and now the 2 are 3... the husband is married to someone else but still works too many hours, or so they say... and me... the Rain still makes me smile... and feel joy and happiness...

so Dallas, when I think of you, I think of Rain...

and yes... the Rain has even come to us... Down here in French Lique...

Random Thoughts...

Today is 9-11. Eight years ago today, most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news of the twin towers... first that an aircraft had stuck one of the towers... then, a little later, another plane. I remember that I was in my office listening to my radio and working when the news broke in. I thought "a second plane, that couldn't have been an accident"... Then the news that the U.S. was under terrorist attack... My first thought was of my own family; if they'd heard the news; if they were okay. I will never forget that day, and where I was, what I thought, how I felt. Remembering is a good thing...

and now... the random chatter...

Since the end of my summer bloggy break... I've really not had much to talk about. My work schedule has become quite hectic thanks to some stock market improvement and positive economic news... so days previously spent lolly-gagging (is that a word?) at home, are now spent in the company of clients and potential clients. My enthusiasm for my work has returned, and I've been very, very busy.

Things at my booth at Blue Hills are going well too. Last month I made almost enough in sales to pay my rent... not bad for a first month. This month, not only will I be able to pay rent, but I'll even have some extra take home money... now that's what I call S-U-C-C-E-S-S... (I'm channeling my inner cheerleader...).

My middle daughter and her hubby purchased their first home last month, and this weekend Ricky and I will travel to Dallas for the "Blessing of the Home" and an open house party. While neither Ricky nor I like Dallas that much, it should be a quick and fun trip. I can hardly wait to see the new house, and of course my daughters and grandchildren...

Rain.... yes... we're getting some significant rain in south Texas right now.... The weatherman said that we were behind 40-inches for the past two years. This week we were blessed with about 3-inches... only 37 more to go! The rain makes the temperatures drop... today's high was 82... but next week we'll be back to the low 90's... and all those temps better than the 60+days of 100-degrees or more this past summer... Ahhhhhh.... Autumn.

I can't leave without sharing a photo can I? Here are a couple of Teacup Chandys for sale in my booth. (thanks for the inspiration Sally.)

Vintage Rose Teacup Chandelier

Vintage Franciscan Desert Rose Teacup Chandelier

So now you'll all caught up with what going on, down here in French Lique...

Wordless Wednesday

Join Heather for more Wordless Wednesday...

I won! I won! French Garden House Soy Candle! Merci!

Is there anything more delightful than winning a blogger giveaway (check it out here)? Something really special that another chose to share? I love when the package arrives...

FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE... must be something really special!

all swaddled in this beautiful tissue paper... what could it be?

It's a beautiful Soy Candle from Lidy's special line...

and so beautifully packaged with a note and a little cup of real tea...

a true delight for all the senses.. and you can buy one if you'd like, just visit French Garden House...
I love my new candle fragrance... thank you Lidy, from down here in French Lique...

Hooked on "Cal-Lee-Forn-Ya"...

There's no way to go on vacation and not come back "Hooked on California". These aren't photos of the California that most people think of when they think "California"... but they are California for me...

Beautiful tall, soaring trees...

right in your own back yard...

A fantastic vacation home in the mountains...

or a pretty red barn at a dairy farm...

guess I can see why there's all those "Happy Cows" trying to get here...

Or maybe you'd prefer a pretty Victorian in Wine Country...?

Or maybe a little dip in the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean...? I'm more of the mountain kind of gal myself... and though I'm back home in Texas... I guess I have to admit... that I'm Hooked on California...

Now visit Julia at Hooked on Houses to see what everyone else is hooked on this week... and thanks for stopping by and visiting us down here in French Lique...

I want that!

On Sunday, Ricky and I took his #2 daughter Jen, out to dinner for her birthday. We take our adult children to the restaurant of their choice for their birthday... just to give us the opportunity to spend a little time alone with them, talking and catching up with their life... On this birthday... Jen chose Saltgrass Steakhouse... excellent choice...

When ordering our drinks, I asked for a flavored ice tea... my waitress rattled off the list that they served... I chose Decaf Ginger Peach.

My tea arrived in a tall 16.9-ounce glass bottle (accompanied by a nice glass of ice)... bottled by The Republic of Tea... I guess I've been hiding under a log or something, because I've never had this tea... cost... a heaping $4.75 per bottle (about 2-glasses)... I could have had a margarita... but oh my! was this some delicious tea.

At the end of the meal, our waitress saw that I'd peeled the label from my tea bottle... "you can buy this tea on line", she shared... and so...
When we got home, Ricky got on line and found my tea... and while the bottled tea was $4.50 each if you bought a case... the tea bags were much less expensive and right up my alley. I skipped the pretty Republic of Tea container with 50 tea bags for $11.50... and went right to the bulk 250 tea bags for $40. I love a bargain... and I love a delicious tea.

Now, I think it's time for a nice glass of decalf ginger peach iced tea... or will I have it hot? decisions-decisions... down here in French Lique...