Monday Monday~Bits and Pieces

 Good Monday Morning! I hope I can get this posted while it is still morning! Of course, now that we have that "extra hour", I should get more done.  When I say "extra hour", it's because since we turned our clocks back, instead of sleeping for that extra hour, my body still thinks it's time to get up and so do the cats! Our "Blink" cameras on the back porch go "ding", to tell us that there is action on the porch, meaning one or both of our kitties are out there, and their feeding time does NOT change in their minds! So I might as well get up and get the day rolling! 

(these pictures of Sunshine and Blackie were taken on another morning, when it was daylight!

It's still too dark out there this morning to take any pictures!)

I entitled this "Bits and Pieces", because I have a little of this and little of that to share, tying up some loose ends and answering some questions about previous posts, so buckle up, get your cup of tea or coffee and let's go!

We'll start with this...

Looks perfectly fine, right?  Well, last night I was moving this lovely china cannister from underneath  the cabinet where it is currently being stored until springtime, and that lovely lid slipped off, hit the floor, and the sweet little heart shaped topper broke off the top, Of Course!

In the picture above, it is waiting for the super glue to dry...while I was in the bathroom dousing my thumb and index finger (forefinger) with acetone/fingernail polish remover, Dawn soap, and filing between them with a metal fingernail file, why? Because dummy me got my fingers stuck together with Super Glue! (no pictures of that, but let me tell you, the struggle was REAL).  And I had tried SO hard not to let that happen...I don't even know how it did, but it did, and they were stuck good! But because this was not my first rodeo, (yes, I've done it before), I knew about the Acetone and the fingernail file trick, and the internet (thanks to hubby looking it up) also suggested the warm soapy water, and after about 15 minutes of working on this calamity, they finally came unstuck! And I didn't even lose any skin in the process!  Note to self: Next time, wear rubber gloves when using Super Glue!  And note to you, if this ever happens to you, be sure you have some fingernail polish remover (Acetone) on hand. It works the best, but you will need all of the other items listed above as well to get it completely unstuck without too much damage to your fingers!  I just thank the Lord I didn't touch my face or my eye with that super glue on my finger! Or any other tender spot on my body! That could have been disastrous!

Okay, moving right along!

Some of you wanted to know about this little Thanksgiving Vignette from my Sunday post:

The only "new to me" item in this picture is the little cast iron wood cook stove! All the other pieces and the sweet thankful people I have had for many years, well except for the little wooden table and chairs...that was a gift from my sister in law Peggy a few years ago for my dollhouse, but they are actually a little too big for Pamela's Victorian Cottage, so I was happy to finally come up with a way to use them here.

This little cast iron stove is a new to me item, found this past Saturday at our church's thrift store yard sale! I knew when I saw it there that I wanted it, but I tried to talk myself out of it. My first thought was that it would go in Pamela's Victorian Cottage, but it is actually too big for it.  But, after walking away from it and coming back again, this little black beauty finally came home with me.  Once I got it home I had to figure out where it would go, and that's when I remembered that it was time to bring out the Thanksgiving people for the month of November, and guess what? They are just the right size for this, and so the Thanksgiving Family Dinner Tableau was created!  I must say that even my hubby remarked about how special it was and he was pleased...so that's something!   Usually hubby doesn't pay that much attention to my little "creations" and decorations, but he actually noticed this and liked it, so I guess it was worth the donation I made to our Thrift Store to make this a new part of our family holiday traditions.    Plus, it reminded me of one that my mother used to have, and I don't know what ever happened to it, but you know how it is when you see something that reminds you of a loved one who has gone on before...? Yeah, I'm that sentimental...

Okay, next bits and pieces...Many of you had some good ideas about what I should do with my leftover Halloween Candy that didn't get passed out due to lack of the large number of Trick or Treaters we usually have...

Some of you suggested that I take it to church or something like that. Well, that's basically what I did. First off, on Saturday morning we headed to a Farmer's Market where our son was selling more of his wooden items.  I gave him a bag full of the candy bags to pass out to the other vendors and/or any customers who came by. And so he did, and he managed to get rid of quite a few...

And although I didn't take any pictures at our Church Thrift Shop Yard Sale, I took the rest of the candy bags to them and they also passed them out to customers, and if there were any left they were going to take them to Sunday School on Sunday.  (This is a picture of the Thrift Shop on a normal day):

Oh, and the only thing I bought at the Farmer's Market where we visited earlier was a loaf of homemade Cinnamon Raisin Swirl bread, with which I made some scrumptious French Toast this morning for breakfast:

And yes, that's SPAM!  Don't knock it unless you've tried it, especially with some warm maple syrup on it!

That little blue and white corner of a dish in that you can see in that picture above reminds me of these other "bits and pieces" of pictures I took not too long ago:

I was washing this Currier and Ives Butter Dish, and I couldn't remember if I'd ever shown you pictures of my Currier & Ive's china or not! So, apparently this was on a day when I didn't have much to do or to show you in a post, so I saved these pictures for some future "blog fodder".  Yes, I have a lot of these dishes, and I used to have even more, but I gave quite a few pieces away to some dear friends who were helping me when we were packing up to move to this house.  If you don't mind, here's a few more pictures of the ones I have left. I think there's still at least 10 of these dinner plates left as well as the other side dishes as shown below:

Dinner Plate

Sugar Bowl and Creamer! Does anyone use Creamer Pitchers anymore? Someday I may do a post on all of the various creamers I have, but not today...

The lid of the Sugar Bowl

A Teacup, and somehow I managed to get rid of all the saucers for the tea cups, but I only have two of these left anyway. They are an awkward size to use, so I rarely do.

I have only one of this salad or sandwich size plate

Meat Platter

Another serving platter

Soup Bowl...I have at least 8 of these.

Vegetable Serving Bowl

Cereal Bowl

Small Berry or fruit or jello salad Bowl

Another large Vegetable Serving Bowl

Large Round Platter

Small Dessert  Plate (in the middle)

Many of these dishes were accumulated over the years by gifts from family or friends, and a few I may have picked up at yard sales here and there. We usually use these at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but this year I plan to use these new plates for Thanksgiving:

Many of you will recognize these as coming from the Dollar Tree:

Dinner Plates...I have 10 of these.

And I love these little dessert plates...don't you?

I have accumulated these over the past few years from the Dollar Tree, and so hopefully we will be able to use them this Thanksgiving.  Those plans are still up in the air as to who is coming, but one way or the other, they will be used, even though our youngest son (Scott) informed me that these dishes were made in China and may have lead paint and he's not so sure he wants to eat off of them...yes...some people can be too picky, but hey! He can use whatever plate he wants just so long as he comes to dinner and helps clean up in the kitchen afterwards! LOL. Gotta love him!

Okay, one last Bits and Pieces...

You remember how we've had trouble with stray dogs coming up on our porch and terrorizing the cats and eating their food? Well our son Benton finally was able to get a gate built to put at the entrance to the porch from the steps,,,

with a little help from Blackie...

He was showing how he could still get back and forth around the gate...

Yes, hello Blackie...Say good morning to everyone:

Anyway, we thought that would be all that was needed until a new set of stray dogs came the next day and got right on the porch around that gate just like the cats do...so Hubby got busy and put these board on there to block them...

And so far so good. So there! It may not be perfect, but it works.

Okay, it's time to put this post to the publisher and get a move on! 

Here's some food for thought for today from 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

"6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

Good thoughts for this Thanksgiving season as we ponder how we may be able to bless others during these upcoming holidays...

Have a blessed and wonderful day my friends.