The Barbie Dream Kitchen

I had a few days off last week, so I decided to Flip This Kitchen...

What started off as ripping down some wallpaper and throwing down some new lino...

Ended up being nailing down a tongue and groove bamboo floor and trimming it out with new baseboards and quarter-round...

Oh yeah, and then the house is being shown on Saturday morning and I'm having a disco party Saturday night...

For Missa Deb...no problem.

She's Crafty!

People are constantly asking me, "So, what are you going to do now?" Like I don't do enough already!

One of the things I like to do is make stuff! I have been into knitting cool things for about a year and some of my Canadian friends have resparked my interest in creating cigar box purses again!

It is nice having an adoring public to design for...

I quit my job blowin' leaves...

I finally stood up and told that money hungry, slave-driver boss of mine to take this job and shove it! My resignation letter is on her desk!

Goodbye bruised shins! Goodbye dirt-stained clothes! Goodbye repetitive motion syndrome! Goodbye broken fingernails! Goodbye cuts and scrapes! Goodbye black boogies! Goodbye Oasis Landscapes!

So how were your holidays, deb? BUSY!!!

I was a social butterfly this holiday season!

On Christmas Day I made six stops...First to bestow oatmeal cookies on the ex and his mom Becky and Captain Jim--Jim approves of the cookies. Then it was off to downtown Savannah to the Sea Bolwd Crew House--never let South Africans start a grill! Next to Princess Marianna's house with the gift of Chinese Medicine. Oh yes, I did get a meal with Tara and Lou, my favorite Jersey folks...We ate lasanga and I supervised while the men tried to set up the new flat screen TV during a football game! Halfway back to Tybee I had a glass of wine with the Bretons and their neighbors...and a final stop on Tybee to visit one of the Becker boys and the ex again!

OK then it is New Year's Eve. Stop by Diego's to try to get some of this hangi. I believe it is a Kiwi thing where they roast a whole pig in the ground...30 more minutes and then we'll dig it up...oh well. My mission is to park the car for the rest of the year! So we cab it to Il Pasticco and dance in the New Year, 007 that is! One last stop at Venus di Milo before I put on my PJs and sleep well!

Good Morning New Year!!! This is the second year I have celebrated a fresh beginning with a plunge into the Atlantic Ocean! In black leather no less!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!!!

The Coug lives on Tybee!

John Cougar Mellencamp's New Beach House on Tybee Island

OK, he doesn't call himself the Cougar anymore but I call him the Coug anyway. Still would like to meet the new neighbor in Tybee style. Get together a bicycle posse, a 12 pack of PBR, and knock on the door--hey Coug! Welcome to Tybee Island.

I will blog more about this crazy island I love.

The mommies who lunch

Friday I had lunch with my favorite brand-new babies' mamas. Nikky B is pictured with Britt's 2 month old, Phillip Jr...and Miss Britt holds onto Nikky's 6 month old Sophie loaf!

Zee Pain is in Zee Mind

A book found its way to me on Sunday evening. It appeared on a coffee table and no one knew how it got there. But I knew it was meant for me. Healing Back Pain The Mind-Body Connection by John E. Sarno M.D. Without drugs/without surgery/without exercise

I have been suffering from pain in my right shoulder for the last three years. Two weeks ago the other one "went out". I've been to the doctor and had x-rays but nothing physical shows up, I still have full range of motion...but the pain persists. Sometimes it is so severe I cannot work, sometimes I think I am healed and feel no pain at all, but it always returns.

I know many other people who complain of this pain. My ex-husband suffered severe back pain: the house is filled with heating pads, ice packs, painkillers--we even bought a hot tub. But I knew all this pain was something else...

TMS: Tension Myositis Syndrome...your body is producing physical pain to divert your mind from some repressed anxiety or emotion. Have you ever seen the "depression hurts" commercials? The good doctor's premise is that tension-causing events or situations in your life coupled with a restricted flow of oxygen to your muscles create this pain.

I have only read 20 pages of this book and am better able to control my shoulder pain. When the pain strikes I put myself into a more positive mood...I've been asked, "Well, how can you do that if you're stressed or things are out of control in your life?" You just do...it's better than being in pain.

I can think of at least 4 people who need this book as a Christmas gift. He has another one too---Mind Over Back Pain.

Be Healed!!!

Ice Hurts!

Every year at Christmastime I partake in the ritual of Skatefest at the Savannah Civic Center. Cathy organized a good group of 8 people to go iceskating this Tuesday evening. I must say I get worse at iceskating each year!!! I fell three times--not counting the time Albi dragged me down. I didn't know my butt could bruise like that! Poor Albi spent most of the time face down on the ice but was always ready to go around one more time. We licked our wounds at Mercury Lounge where the ladies celebrating a 21st birthday left the boys feeling no pain.

Pregunta del dia

How do I reverse the polarity of my loser magnet?

My clock on this thing does not work...I am on Greenland time or something...beleive me, I am not blogging at 6 in the morning...

December Beach Day!!!

74 degrees and sunny...dragged some friends from town to entertain me on the beach!!! And entertain they did! These people could have fun in a wet paper bag! Between Dana's thoughts on text messages and Henry's feats of whatever??? (apple toss, wagon ride) I was thoroughly entertained...

THEY CRAZY

These people are so much fun!!!

Zoom in on this pic!

The Cheese Grater

Last week I did a full landscape install for my next door neighbors...Everything that could go wrong did...

1. the irrigation guy trenched through the phone AND cable lines
2. no key to get into the garage to install controller
3. one-third of the plants were not available or looked like crap
4. sod delivered a day early
5. the pitiful laborers I hired Friday really roughed up the plants
6. not to mention my shoulder pain

But this is how I like to explain the story of the job to everyone:

It feels like I've been put through a cheese grater and came out with a fat check!

We've got spirit, yes we do!

Ah, the holiday spirit invades Avalon with a tree trimming party last Friday. My Christmas gift to all! Neighbors, friends, Tybee folk, and yachties alike warmed my little cottage on a cold winter's night.

Yarrr...they be happy pi-rates! 4th of July 2006. Beauford (Bo-fort) North Carolina...U s of the A

I choose life

I could not settle for settling...

I chose to choose life no matter how unsettling it might become... I could not be content with being content... I wanted to feel... Feel it all: Anger, worry, pain, confusion, doubt, love, elation, depression, repression, obsession, regression...and now I feel it all... No, I haven't failed, I've acheived and I am releived AND I STILL BELEIVE... Life is a ride best meant to be taken in the driver's seat!! love peace and happiness DEBBS