Another Boring Friday

Yes....Fridays are typically boring around here. We did the local thrift shops...did a few garage sales and even wandered through Menards. Nothing!!

We do have a couple of projects for the weekend....hanging my microwave over the stove...cleaning out the square foot garden and upgrading the soil....working on a grow light over the LSB. The arugula was large enough to transplant into the LSB today so we will see how it goes!

I heard from Heather that PLD is better today...talked to Todd and they all are enjoying themsleves....waiting for Shannon to post a photo of her new hairdo!

So almost hitting 80 today the windows are open and everything is growing like crazy outside! I can see a trip to the greenhouse in my future.

Looks like chicken oriental stirfry tonight with water chestnuts and sugar snap peas! Maybe even breakout the last Netflix movie before we close it down for the summer. OOOOH Baby sounds like a night on the town for us!

Have a good start to your weekend whatever you choose to do!

Dilly

70 and Sunny

Looks like today has real promise as being wonderful. First of all we will be home and that always makes me happy. Work around here is piling up, between yard work, getting back to painting the house and finally all the projects we having going sure keeps a girls feet hitting the ground running!

Long day yesterday, but we had fun and it looks like we will start replacing the Kitchen cabinets. We got a great deal on a new microwave and I will need some new cabinets to hang it under. We knew the cabinets were on the list of things to do, but the current cabinets over the stove are to low and 75 years old, so time to make beads and start accumulating the $$$.

Got the phone call that Heather's family made it safely out to Creede to be with our son and his wife! Xavier is having a ball and enjoying himself!

Good thing I took the time to clear off the dining room table this morning. While stuffing some reciepts into the Tax envelopes I realized there were a couple of envelopes in the 2008 papers. Yup, I checked, we thought the tax preparer had electronically filed them. NOPE, we still need to send them in to the State and Feds! I guess they are so late whats another couple of weeks. Shmigal..frigal...frackity...frick!!!! (I am practicing to keep my mouth clean so little mimickers don't pick up on Grammies bad language!)

OK....I am off to finish the second cup of coffee....figure out what I am doing this morning! A good day to you and huggies all around for everyone!

Dilly

We have sprouts

Hello all!

Another sunshiney blue sky day in the neighborhood! The seeds that PLD and I put in the rock wool, Yup real spun rock, are starting to sprout! I will be able to send him pics of the sprouts when he is on vacation in Colorado at Uncle Todd's and Auntie Erins house!

I got a photo yesterday of a soon to be new member of the family. Here is a photo of LUCY....who will be my sister and brother-in-laws new sweetie. I am so happy for them and looking at the photo you can just smell the puppy breath. I know Glenn can't wait to utter those words "Lucy I'm home". With puppy feets scampering into his arms. You can't beat that!! CONGRATULATIONS Lucy is a very lucky girl to get the two of you for her parents!

We hit the road yesterday and ran our route to Kalamazoo....didn't get home until after 7:00 but did manage to fill up the back of the van. A few new things we haven't found before so that's always exciting to expand the knowledge base!

I am headed out for lunch with DD, Heather and PLD. I wanted to see them before they leave tonight. They plus Kirk, will head down to the Detroit area tonight. Stay at a local hotel, where they will leave their vehicle and have a shuttle take them to the airport at 4:30 a.m. catch their flight and be in Denver at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow morning! Pick up their car drive the 5 hours to Creede and be giving Todd & Erin hugs by early afternoon! I am so jealous but I am sending special sloppy hugs and kisses with Xavier to share with them!!

Shannon just so you don't feel left out, what are you doing the next couple of days? Love ya too!

So down to the studio...I AM melting glass. It might not be much but I am promising myself that is on todays agenda. Oh, and I started my day out right and did my walk on the treadmill this moring! I am trying, it's not much to ask of myself, so how come it's so darn hard to do??

Well I am off. Have a great day and Huggies all around for everyone!

Dilly

A rainy day in paradise!

Good Sunday to you all! Just finished lunch and thought I would set down and bring my blog up to date!

First of all the LSB is doing great. We need to add some more of the growing medium to the tank, but before it can be added it has to be rinsed. That got cut off because it was thundering and lightning and we were getting wet washing it off. We will get to it when the rain goes away. Everything is up and working all the fishys are swimming life is good!

Little Dude and his Mom stopped by to kill some time while their house was being show by a realtor. Just before he left, he helped Grammie put the seeds we are going to grow in the rock wool for sprouting! He did a great job and if he didn't cram them down to far we will have little sprouts when he gets home from his vacation! If they don't pop their little heads out, I will reseed them, but I would much rather PLD gets to do the honors!

Kylee is eating again, but I am cheating. I made up some chicken broth and put it over her food. Hey, you gotta do what ya gotta do!

I am on my afternoon decaf, it's chilly with the rain and it sure sounded good! I was right YUM.

I really have to kick my butkuss into gear and get some glass melted, I just can't seem to get inspired. I was making some real beauties before we started on the LSB. I need to get back there. If you see a glass melting bead making muse out there running around could you negotiate with them to stop by and hang out at my house for a little while.

Have a wonderful finish to your weekend. I wish you all well! Sis, I hope you are having a safe and quiet return trip to Maryland. Todd & Erin...you are so lucky and I hope you are looking forward to your visit from PLD and his Mom & Dad.

Big Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly

A quick fly-by!

Evening everyone. It's been a busy day here, what with even more tweeking of the siphon system for our garden, a run to the hardware store, followed by a run to the grocery store, followed by 3 hours making 3 salads. Then a quick clean up and change of clothes and then an evening at DD Heathers house to see my sister and BIL who were in town along with the rest of the local family. Yes, Shannon that means you. Shannon complained that I don't write about her often enough on here. So we must pay more attention to Shannon!!! Love ya kiddo!

Well only a couple of days and Heather, Kirk and PLD are flying off to Colorado to visit our son Todd and his wife Erin. Sorry Shannon, lets see that leaves you home with Dad and I. We will have to get together, we dont want you thinking you are forgotten or anything! LOL

We had a nice visit with my sister Michelle, and BIL Glenn, good food, lots of laughs remembering some of our daughters dating venues as they grew up!!! No wonder I have gray hair remembering some of the potential son-in-laws that got paraded past us! OMG, we are lucky to have the two we have!!! Yeah Shawn and Kirk!!!

I am whipped and sporting a back ache and sinus.....so off to beddy-poo for me. Have a wonderful evening and see you tomorrow!!

Dilly

I have been busy, spring is busting out all over and I am playing catchup. We have had beautiful weather with some rain headed our way, but what's spring without rain!

So I have been helping hubby get our LSB ~ Living Salad Bar ~ Aquaponics Indoor Garden up and running. Yesterday was sanding the final parts and giving it a finish. I think I will be ok with it in my dining room. We got that all done yesterday added in the aquarium, then the grow bed on top, finally rinsed all the grow media and installed the plumbing. Fish are next and as the bacteria grows we will be ready for the plants.

Here is the LSB with the aquarium in. Next the grow bed, which still needs more media for the plants, we are off and running to Kalamazoo to pick that up along with some additional goodies. Finally here is the set up with the front access panel installed, I know you can't hear it, but the water is going in and the siphone gurgles and sucks about every 10 minutes emptying the water out of the grow bed.

I'll be cooking tonight and tomorrow my sister, Michelle and my Brother-in-law Glenn will be visiting tomorrow evening for a family picnic. We will be hanging out at Heathers house and enjoying being together.

Have a great weekend and pass those huggies around!
Dilly

Leaving Comments

OK....so a few have asked how to leave comments on my blog. If you go up to the top left and see FOLLOWERS....use the follow with Google friend connect. You can sign in under your twitter, yahoo, etc account. That will allow you to become a follower on my blog and then you can rant and rave and basically add your 2 cents or in some case $100.



I posted the above Maxine cartoon before my day really got underway. I should have know that posting that would open the window for stupid from my husband. He is just lucky my shoulder is crap and I really don't have the strength to beat him upside the head. If you don't want to spit your favorite beverage all over your monitor, or you are at work and don't want your boss to know you are reading something that will make you scream with laughter be very careful reading the next paragraph.

Since we are composting because of all the fresh fruit and vegetable rhinds that we have at our house, approx 5 lbs a day, yah we weighed it. Anyway when you compost you must add in more Brown than you do Green. Since brown is in short supply for us, one way to do that is to shredd your useless office paper. We have been looking for over a week for a shredder that was heavy duty enough for what we wanted. Picked one up after lunch today and came home and opened our snail mail. Yup you guessed it, the State of Michigan Income Tax Refund check of $800+++ dollars was in there. Hubby just wanted to try his new shredder out and YUP, HE SHREDDED THE CHECK!!!!

After some phone calls and web research we taped the check back together and sent it back to the State. In 30 to 45 days we will get a reissued check. Until that new one comes back, I get to harrass hubby for being a frigging moron! I can not believe he did that, he isn't stupid, but please god give me patience!!! Thanks Maxine for the Heads Up this morning!

Dilly

A long day on the road!

I really really planned on staying home today. But, hubby made a deal that he would help a little more around the house. I feel like I am drowning when we have these projects going, and then we hit the road 2-3 times a week for over 12 hours. When I get home first of all I typically just want to settle in my favorite chair and crash. But I am looking at my kitchen that is uck, everything needs dusting, the garden needs cleaning an I need to get started on the front yard, along with all this green stuff we are working on !!!! I am DROWNNNNNNNINGGGG! Gulp, Gulp! Blech!!

OK, so maybe I am just a little stressed, and why I ask. I am my own worst boss about these things! Good thing I was never in real management, sucky, sucky, sucky!!!

The good news is we have realy progressed on the Aquaponics Indoor Garden System. This setup that will be in my dining room will be affectionately referred to as the LSB, Living Salad Bar. First of all that is what it will provide mainly greens, and it reminds me of one in its shape and design. Once the LED grow lights are installed all we will need is a plastic sneeze guard! Here is a couple of photos of it. I still need to finsih the sanding, stain, install the adjustable height feet, and then set-er-up. Then the fun begins and we will see how many fish we can kill before we get it all figured out!



I am cutting todays post short, must get meds for sinus headache before head explodes along with everything else.

Have a good one and Huggies All Around!
Dilly

So whats on your schedule this week?

To be honest, we really don't live by schedules around here! I guess that's cool to some people, frustrating to others. I am somewhere between the two on that subject. We worked hard yesterday trying to finish up our Aquaponics project. Unfortunately not everything cooperated. So maybe by the end of the week we will see water in it.

Now that it is mostly encased for that upstairs look, I think I will call it my "Salad Bar". Which of course it will be, but it reminds me of one too. It will even resemble it even more when we attach a hood to hang our LED grow lights on top. We have decided to go with the $$$ LED lights. Not because the leave a small heat footprint so Helicopters can't pick them up with their heat sensors and send the DEA in to check us out. Yup, that's one of the big selling points!! LOL But, because the unit will be upstairs where I would prefer not to increase the heat this summer with some big ass grow light spilling an extra 10 to 20 degrees into the main part of the house. If the DEA breaks down the door expecting to find Mary Jane at our house they are in for a big suprise when I shove a big Ass tomato in their mouth!! You think they will cart me off for that? Oh well, life is an adventure just waiting to happen.

Kylee is doing much better, got through that not eating and acting weird, chewing grass spitting up thing. She was hauling behind yesterday zooming as I mentioned and here's a photo that I promised. Man I wish I had her energy! She is running with her big old plastic bat. Everytime PLD sees one of these bats, it's point and "DAWG" to his Mom. He knows that Kylee needs one to play with!

I should get this day started. I am making organic pancakes, turkey breakfast sausage and I sprung for the real, from the tree, natural with no additives maple syrup. I should probably hop on up to Vermontville, MI next weekend and pick up a bottle of Maple Syrup at their annual spring Syrup Festival!

Have a great day and Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly

Sunday not Sun Day, because it's cloudy!

Another day is fading fast here in Cereal City! I have managed to whip out a couple garden projects while hubby continues to work on the Garden Set-Up. I can hear the router whining as I type. We have run into problems with ripping some of the pieces, and we can't get the saw blade off the table saw which frustrated hubby to no end. You all know how hubbies are when they are frustrated, give them a wide berth! Add that he is in pain and that isn't making things any better.

Here are some photos of my garden projects, the first is of a garden candle light that can hang. It is warpped in copper wire and of course has one of my beads on it!


One of the other things I worked on today is a tower for one of my vines. It is twisted wire with fancy bracelte wraps, a gold glass ball on the top and a transparent blue lentil bead!

Kylee is feeling better and was up to her zooming self running willy nilly through her portion of the yard! I will post a zooooooomer photo tomorrow! I can't believe she will be 2 on June 6th, she sure has grown fast. It was only the other day Todd and Shannon arrived from Colorado and suprised hubby by pulling this beautiful 12 week old pup from the backseat. Randy was so overwhelmed!

I think that tube steaks (hot dogs) are on call for dinner of course the are turkey but hey, once the grill up they smell the same and some fresh slaw sounds good for dinner. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend.

Huggies passed around to all of you. Keep my friend Beth and her pooch Delilah in your prayers, her baby is having knee surgery this week. Also another prayer goes out to Paula who had to make the decision we all dread her beautiful Bull Mastiff, Sadie is playing in puppy heaven. Blessings to Miss Sweetie Pie/Sadie!

See you on the flip side!
Dilly

Saturday is Flying By!

Well I must be loosing my mind because I thought I had already posted on here! What's up with that???

It's been a quiet day here. Heather and family dropped by with their new travel trailer on their way home from camping to give us the 50cent tour! Very nice, and it looks like PLD has made himself right at home. First thing inside the door is his toy closet, why would a little guy ask for more!

Hubby and I hit Menards and swilled away a couple hours pulling lumber to finish off our project for the garden. I was looking for some different gauge wire for some garden projects. Why is it when you go to these places and ask to find something they always ask what for, but in a tone that the know you haven't got a clue what you are asking for. Let's see I said 12 to 18 gauge steel or galvenized wire, prefered to be annealed. Do I sound like I don't know what I am talking about. I want to stick it where the sun doen't shine, does that answer your question. If you say a craft project they just give you that, poor little lady you are a nuisance look. I so want to just smash their little sniveling faces into their blue jackets and walk away! I guess I will hang out at the old style hardware a couple blocks away and pay the higher prices. Mr. Newman takes care of you!!

OK, I am off my soap box, about respect for creative people who think outside the box and use weird stuff to make things! Now I just have to whip up some Navy Bean soup for dinner and relax and enjoy the rest of my day.

Take care and huggies for everyone!

Dilly

Friday Hello

Well Hello Cybyer world. What's Up??? We have blue skies, cool temps in the high 50's and lot's of outside work calling my name. But I can't seem to get out from in front of this stinking computer, it keeps sucking me in. At least all my paperwork is done, I have caught up with everything but posting on here.

I have gotten great pics of PLD and his family camping in their new trailer. Looks like a great time is being had by all. Heather just texted me saying her "kids" we taking a nap and she was out by the fire playing solitaire. Just like her Mom and added that was a Good Thing! That made me tear up, so glad they are making great memories!

Talked to Todd, sounds like all is well in his world and they will be starting to build sets sometime next week! I am excited to see pics of the finished stuff, sounds like some fancy schmancy stuff will be going on! Most importantly is that Todd is loving every minute of their new dog Nika. Here she is enjoying the outdoors!


Shannon and Shawn wizzed by last night after picking up their new to them trailer. The got Heather and Kirks old RV. They are going to upscale it and make it theirs and they will be camping too this summer! What great memories lay ahead for them.

I need to wrap this up, head down to the studio and melt some glass, we will be home the next couple of days and show how we will have the Aquaponic set up done, filled with water and fish and making yum, yum for the plants by Sunday Night! That is my chant, and I will repeat it until this project is done!

Just to prove that hubby and I can crawl around and have a great time, here is a photo of us playing with Hot Wheels with PLD! I didn't mention that the getting up off the floor can be a challenge! LOL


The broile Talapia was excellent last night along with the Almond Parmesan Asparagus and some fresh cauliflower. I think squash and pork loin are on the menu for tonight!

Have a wonderful day and weekend all!

Big Huggies All Around for Everyone!
Dilly

Good Evening everyone! Well at least my daughter won't shake her head thinking I wake up before the crack of dawn and post to my blog! Hubby and I took off early this morning and did one of our regular runs to Grand Rapids. We have over 20 Thrift Stores we can hit on that run. We just got home and it's after 6:00 p.m. We did manage to pick up a few things but it wasn't a big winner today. Kylee is typically with us when we do our runs and she sleeps and munchs away her day, just like she does if she is at home.

Nothing real earthshattering going on around here. We saw the kids new trailer and they have already headed off to go camping with it. I hope PLD has a ball like his Mom did when she was his age! Great memories ahead for him.

We never did hear from the lady regarding the greenhouse. Oh, well you know Craigs list is a crap shoot anyway. She did upload photos and we would have had a ball moving it and making it work for us. Now we will just put a polycarbonate greenhouse on our list of things to get up and going this fall. Randy is spying one at Harbor Freight, but if we can find the sheets of polycarbonate we might just whip up something ourselves!

The next few days we will be finishing off the indoor garden project and get the fish in so they can build up the nitrates so we can start the plants in a couple weeks. But, I can start the seeds in jiffy pots to get them going. We will just have to take all the soil of the roots to transplant! When this is up and running I am going to work on a small set up just for herbs, it will be my and PLD's project so he can learn to grow things at Papas and Grammies House!

I still need to make some dinner, Tilapia and Asparagus tonight!

Have a wonderful evening and I will chat again tomorrow!

Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly

A quick flyby for Wednesday!

Hello Cyber World....I got caught up in a visit from our grandson, and daughter. I was just about to post on here when some little cutie snuck up behind me!



Now that I have spent my time, shooting nerf guns, pushing trains around, vrooming with micro machines, spreading lotion all over my body (keep it clean here!!!), and sharing nanaaas, my time is at a premium. You do have to take advantage of these things he will grow so fast.

I am waiting for someone to get back in touch with us for a Craigs List item. Keep your fingers crossed, its a greenhouse we would have to disassemble and move to our house. But it would save us about $900 and what a cool thing to have.

Nothing much new other than that. We are hanging around the house today trying to get a few things done.

For those of you who have asked how to comment on my blog and have had problems it is through google. I don't know if you need a google email, or what. I had an address with them so I never had a problem. I will check into it!

Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly

Overcast and cool Tuesday in the Mitten

I wonder how many Tuesdays here in Michigan can be titled overcast and cool??? I know as a Mitten person we complain a lot, but I really don't want to live to many other places!

Nothing terribly new around here, the taxes are done, filed and little bit of $$$ needs to go to Uncle Sam, but nothing like we were expecting. Listed some beads but never got to the melting part of it.

I did have a great conversation with Todd yesterday afternoon. Sounds like he has some great challenges with sets coming up for production! I am sure he will just put on his favorite McGyver Hat and take on the challenge of problem solving. It may be frustrating at times, but the accomplishment is worth it!

We are happy enough with the siphon system to work so now getting the lumber to "finish" off the Aquaponics system and move it into the house. We are rethinking where we were originally going to set it up. I forgot about the airconditioner and I don't think the plants for the fish would appreciate it! So now we are down to two possibilities!

Heather and Kirk will be picking up their new RV/trailer on Thursday, which means Shannon and Shawn are picking up their old trailer. When Shawn and his Dad get done with it as a project I wonder if it will be lifted up and be ready for 4-wheeling? LOL I know it will be in tip top shape! I am so glad that they all enjoy camping, it was always a wonderful part of our life. We hope to do it again soon!

Well we need to hit the road here in a few minutes, Kalamazoo this morning and then a quick run up to Charlotte this evening! Have a wonderful day everyone!

Hugs all around for everyone!

Dilly

A new week and lots accomplished over the weekend!

Morning everyone! I hope you all had a joyous weekend as you can see by my post we had a great weekend and accomplished a few things around here.

Yesterday we managed to haul the aquaponics set up as it is outside to do some water testing. Because as I have mentioned it is a system that needs to cycle regularly we are working on the mechanics of the siphon. We are at about 80% accomplished, we have a siphon that works, however on occasion the siphon does not break and the water flows out as fast as it comes in. More tweeking ahead before we enclose the system to make it main floor friendly!!


We spent a lot of time just setting and watching the cycle run. I know the neighbors think we have lost it, but actually it was a lot like watching a campfire it held your interest. I am sure I would enjoy it a lot more if there were fish in the aquarium and greens in the grow bed!

One of the highlights of our day was a visit from Heather and PLD. I had been waiting to show him his newest toy that is at Grammies & Papas house. A tricycle that fits him, now he just has to learn how to peddle the dang thing.

Todays plans are to tweek and refine the Aquaponics system, melt some glass, collect some papers for the tax lady, and make a run to Kalamazoo to hit the local stores. Looks like I will be busy today!

For yesterdays menu we juiced fruit for breakfast, chicken salad with walnuts & apples for lunch, home made sundried tomato humus and veggies for afternoon snack, and stir fried chicken and broccoli with fresh asparagus for dinner!

Time for some granola and I need to add a run to the grocery store for more fruits and veggies to my list of things to do! Have a wonderful day!

Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly

The composter is done, good job by Hubby!

Hello grey and cloudy morning! To compensate for that it is almost 50 degrees out and it's only 8:00 in the morning! Sounds like a winner here in the Mitten!


We had a beautiful day yesterday in the 70's and sunshine. I managed to pop out a few freckles so my exposed skin would not glow a pasty white anymore! Hubby worked on our tumbling composter and I was his assistant, fetching water, fixing munching, holding the occasional piece of wood, or passing him nuts and bolts. We only have to figure out where we want some oxy/drain holes and maybe paint it pretty black.


While all this was going on Miss Kylee was taking a sun bath and running and romping. She helped me fill all the bird feeders and kept an eye on the squirrels. To say that she slept like a log would be and understatement. When she crawled up on the end of our bed last night, hubby picked up her butt and moved her to make more room and she only opened an eye and gave him a dirty look!

Finally we had to run to the store yesterday and had found out PLD was home and riding his Choo Choo Train. We stopped by and watched the joy on his face as he went round and round. It sure did bring back memories of his Mom doing the same thing over 30 years ago. He road it until the battery needed to be charged. That was the topping on a beautiful day!

Today's menu involves working on the aquaponic set up. Plumbing will be a challenge so figuring out the siphon that fills and drains the growing bed will probably drive us to madness! You need to fill the grow bed to water and give nutrients to the plant roots, but then it needs to drain so the plants roots get oxygen. It's a continuous cycle, repeating constantly. That is why the plants grow 3X faster in this system. However it's a crazy frustrating fine balance that we have to figure out! Once that is a go, we are ready to move it all upstairs, finish it to make it look presentable, put the fish in and let it run for a while to build up the nitrates so the plants have food. It's a slow set up process but then the fun begins and veggies will be the pay off!

Off to get my second cup of coffee, and pull out the goodies for juicing to start my day!

Yesterday's menu included, Vanilla Almond granola, Garbonzo Bean slaw with sprouts and homemade dressing, yogurt and granola snack, and last night turkey bratwurst and steamed cauliflower with fresh grated Parmesan cheese! I know fresh Asparagus is on todays menu, can't wait!

Have a wonderful day everyone!
Dilly

Its another sunshiney day in the neighborhood! Not real warm yet only in the 30's but headed up to the 60's now that I can live with. Overall pretty good weather here in the Mitten!

Thanks to all that stopped in and checked out my squeaky new blog! I thought I was just putting down stuff to amuse myself and remember half the crap I am doing! Sometimes I feel like my head isn't hooked on! But we do have a family saying "If your green your growing, if your ripe your rotten" I sure haven't had time to be ripe lately, and we do keep learning stuff so I guess technically we fall under the growing part! So, that's our goal, keep learning stuff.

We did get the taxes well on their way, with way less pain than I thought there would be. A little more information for the lady and it looks good! Yes!!!

Managed to pick up a few things up for the business, on our way home. Business trip don't you know! LOL But we didn't get around to working on the compost barrel. So the whip and shackles come out today. We need the gratification of finishing a project so time to lash ourselves to the house and get-er-done!

I finally have the design done to make our Aquaponic garden dooable to set upstairs. Most of the stuff we have come across is a set of blue 55 gallon barrels, or a cobble jockey mangle of aquariums, Rubbermaid Tubs, PVC pipe and rubber tubes, UCK. I found one commercially made set up that I would ALLOW upstairs in my house. Not that my house is anything special, but I am too anal to have just plain frigging ugly upstairs. So we will be working on the plumbing part of that before we enclose the set-up and give it its finished look. Maybe pictures here in the next couple of days so it's easier to understand.

As far as the eating, juiced for breakfast, egg salad and sprout sandwich for lunch, organic granola bar for after noon snack, and a spinach and chicken salad with sprouts, cranberries and almonds for dinner! Throw in some pork rinds, ya I know some of you will gag on that one, but we like them, no carbs, and we cut those off after 4:00 and a girl has to snack on something crunchy!!

I am hoping to go visit PLD and check out his new to him train that he can ride around and around. His Mommy had one when she was his age and would fall asleep on it until she fell off. Since he is heavy into Choo Choo's I am sure this will be a hit. I have been checking the local Amtrak schedule, I think a short ride to Kalamazoo is in his future I wonder what he will think of that one!

OK, I have had my first cup of coffee, the granola is calling my name for breakfast! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Huggies All Around!
Dilly

Hello Cyber World ~ April 9, 2010

I am not sure what I am getting into starting this blog. But there is so much going on in my life I figured I needed to start journaling and keeping track of it!

First let me nail this down with some personal information. Well maybe not to personal after all this is the internet and God only knows who will read this!!

My actual name is Sandy Dillingham-Schafer. I have been married to a wonderful man (don't get to excited he is normal and has his ups and downs too) Randy, for 33 years. We have 3 wonderful children (who as I like to call are pretty normal, but in the entire realm of reality are pretty wonderful) Heather almost 33, Shannon 31 and Todd 24. I will write about them a lot because they are very important in my life, so I will introduce them to you.

Heather is married to Kirk, is now a stay at home Mom and lives here in Battle Creek about 3/4 of a mile away, Kirk works for Comcast! She keeps herself busy doing Ebay resales like her Dad and she gaves us one of our most precious presents, Xavier Russel our first Grandchild. He is amazing and is the exclmation point of our lives right now!!! You will hear me refer to him as PLD (precious little dude) because I already have my little boy, OK so my little boy is 24 and married, but that doesn't change him from always being my little boy!!

Shannon is married to Shawn for close to 5 years. They live in Olivet, MI with our grandpuppies Daisy and Dillon, plus two kitties, Twiggy & Kolbe. Shannon is a Surgical Technician in Lansing and Shawn is a Sales Representative for BDS, which builds lift kits and goodies for those big bad trucks that Guys love to drive!

Todd married Erin last September high up in the Rio Grande National Forest in Creede, Colorado where they make their home for right now. He is the Technical Director for the Creede Repretory Theatre during the season, and has done all kinds of odd jobs on the off season. Erin is working on her masters, substitute teaching and runs the after school program for the Creede School System. Creede is a town of around 400 in the Colorado Rockies that during the summer season is a large tourist destination, mostly because of the theatre. It is BEAUTIFUL!

Finally the little girl that lives with us, shares our bed at night and fills some of the empty hole that was left when our Children grew up is our wonderful, Great Dane, Kylee. She was a gift from our children to Dad and made the trip from Alamosa, Colorado in the back of Todd's car at 12 weeks old back in August of 2008. She travels with us and fills our life with lots and lots of Joy. She is also referred to as Dawg by our grandson.

Dilly as most of you know is my nickname, I have carried it around for close to 60 years. With a maiden name like Dillingham it's pretty easy to figure out where it came from. I really accepted it as a nickname when I started drawing as a kid. I signed anything with "Dilly" and it continues through today. It became my signature when I started melting glass 8 years ago. I use that name in the Lampwork world and anyone who knows me and my glass call my Dilly. It has stuck and it's really only family that calls my Sandy now. Many of my glass family don't even know my given name. Don't worry I answer to Mom, Honey and my favorite Grandma!

So if you haven't guessed already I am a Lampwork Glass Artist and I am sure my blog will be littered with photos of that! I sell my beads to artisans and crafts people who make jewelry or whatever inspires them. My latest interest are fish, along with my raised florals, cameos, landscapes and organic focals.

I am a computerholic, and visit Wet Canvas (a cyber artist community) daily where I am a guide in the Glass Artist portion. I visit Facebook, Craigslist, Lampwork Etc, Etsy and Ebay. I sell my beads on Ebay (search Dilly Lampwork and you will find me) and on Etsy I have a store selling my beads www.etsy.com/shop/DillyDesign.com.

In addition to that Hubby and I keep our business going with a resale business using Ebay. We have done that for over 12 years and Yes, it pays the bills, we won't get rich, but we are our own boss!! It requires regular road trips, visits to thrift stores, auctions, second hand stores, and garage sales. I guess we were into recycling/repurposing before it was cool and necessary!

If you are still reading this, man your life must be boring! Then again maybe mine is so stupid it holds your interest waiting for the even weirder things I do!

So here are some of the things that are going on in my life that I want to journal about. First of all at the beginning of 2010 hubby and I went for the most part organic. I had lost 55 lbs before this and was stuck and hubby had gained over 40 lbs and needed to get healthy! Believe me I have tried every diet known to man over the 40 years I have carried extra weight around. Like most people I have dieted and gained, dieted and gained so many times it is unhealthy. 3 years ago I started drinking tons of water, and cutting back my portions. Thats how the first 55 lbs came off. But to be honest I felt like crap, was exhausted and really wanted to be below 200 for the first time in over 30 years. I was at 212 and couldn't budge. Hubby had gained and his biggest obstacle was portions. I know what we should eat, but willpower goes out the window with the good stuff I was cooking.

We happened to watch one of those great shows on PBS they play when they are hitting you up for $$. It was Jillian Michaels on "Mastering your Metabolism", it made sense and we bought the book. January 1st we cleaned out the cupboards took the bags of food to our daughters and let them have what they wanted. We filled our cupboards with foreign looking stuff and collected cookbooks and looked at our grocery store with "New Eyes". It does cost more, but we are so fortunate that our local grocery store, Meijers, is up front and leading with their own line or organics. Each week I find more and more products and it has been a wonderful adventure finding new things. We have a local health food store, Apple Valley, that carries the hard core stuff, like Veganaise, yup it's good, I do add my non organic Splenda to it (a girl needs her fix of faux Miracle Whip!)

Since the first of the year, hubby has gone from 247 to 206 and I have dropped from 212 to 196. One thing leads to another don't you know and about 2 months ago we found a juicer, Omega II, and we now juice at least once a day and sometime twice. We love the citrus juices we have tried and are still looking for a veggie juice we could have regularly!

With all the fruit skins and vegetable stuff I decided I would like a composter. I had started a garden last summer and enjoy doing a square foot style garden. I would like to add in some wonderful soil to make my veggies grow. In addition we really had been talking about setting up a hydroponic garden so we could enjoy fresh veggies, especially tomatoes during Michigans winter months that drag on. While searching the net for instruction to build our composter out of a food grade 55 gallon barrel we found Aquaponics. I told you one thing leads to another.

You ask what the heck is Aquaponics????? If you are informed at all about hydroponics, the growing of things in water, it a lot like that. However in hydroponics you add fertilizers and nutrients into the water to help the veggies grow. In Aquaponics the basics is that you have two tanks, one is your growing bed for your plants that you run the water through, and the other tank is for fish that create the bacteria and nutrients that feed your plants. You pump the water from the fish into the plants, and drain the water from the plants into the fish tank. It's a plumbers nightmare, but basically the system goes round and round, no additives all natural and you can raise fish you can eat such as Talapia when you get everything in the set up. This process is fanning out across the globe and heavy in Africa, Australia and Eurpoe, but of course us lazy Americans want everything done for us so it's dragging here.

Add in my regular making beads, working on the house, spring is here so landscaping needs to be done and maintinaing my title of Super Mom, and Wonder Grammie I have one busy life.

I think as we forge ahead with the indoor garden, outdoor garden, composter, rainbarrel, organic eating, and anything else we come across I can keep busy keeping track of it all!

OK, are we all on the same page now??? I know I am writing this as if someone else will read this, but right now it's Me, but Hey maybe someday, who knows! Talk to you tomorrow. Todays dance card involves, having the taxes done, and working on the composter!

Keep smiling and if you have an extra pass it around!

Dilly