My Own Three's Company Episode

Anyone that watched the 1970's Three's Company will recall that every episode was essentially about a misunderstanding.  The misunderstanding would spark a funny series of comic events and in the end, the truth would come out, everyone would hug - See You Next Week!

So anyway, George and I are having a small dinner party on Saturday night and as my good friend, says everyone should have people over at least twice a year because you get your house in order when company is coming.  Needless to say, we decided to finally finish a project that we started 2 years ago.  All the colors are taupes and black/browns with red as the accent color.

New Paint!

We have needed a picture over the mantel on the main wall in the great room, that we could both agree on, for several years.  George's one rule for whatever picture we ultimately chose was "No More Flowers" and I agreed to comply with his wishes.  I discovered Art.com and have become enthralled with the site.  I selected a really cool abstract

What I Ordered

To my delight my picture was ready in just days and was to deliver the day before the party.  It was the final piece in a LONG project and I was eager to see it in person and hang it up.  The package arrived right on schedule in a gigantic box.  George set out to surprise me by unpacking it and hanging it before I got home from work. The packing was intense.  Wired tape, multiple layers, straps, sleeves, and Styrofoam protected my new art it took him 30 minutes to unpack the picture, he was excited too!

Six Foot tall Boxes

He turns the picture over and its a boat.

A Freaking Boat?

He is stunned, at first he's pissed and thinks to himself, "What the heck was she thinking?  This doesn't go!  It will ruin everything.  This sucks!  Hang on, in all the years I have known her I don't think I have ever heard her mention a boat.  I don't think she's ever said, "I love boats" or "I want a picture of a boat".  She doesn't even like boats!  Surely she would not have picked this picture for the Living Room! Oh, no!  What if she loves it!  What if she is so excited and will have her feelings hurt if I insult the picture.  Well, it is a kind of nice boat... but if you could pick out a picture that would not possibly go with all of our stuff, it could very well be this picture.  No, they sent us the wrong picture.  I'd better call her, but I'll play it cool.... just in case."

Now if that would have been a Three's Company Episode, he would have tried to hide the print from me to keep it out of sight until after the guests were gone.  Finally after a huge series of mishaps, I would have discovered the high jinx and laughed about it after the teaching/touching moment.

In the end, he posed it to me in this regard, "Well, your picture got here and I think they sent you the wrong one.  It has a boat on it...."

Having A Party

Abigail and Dolley readers some of you hard core readers may recall last summer when I lamented that We Don't Throw Parties Anymore .  I said it was because the house was not finished and since the advent of Better Homes and Gardens people stopped having people over to visit.  I submit to you, that I was correct in my original assertions, but neglected to mention one thing.  If one would like to have friends over, there is no greater motivation to finish a project and spruce up the house than a party.

The house gets cleaned, the trash gets thrown out, the storage unit gets cleaned out, the walls get painted, art gets ordered, furniture gets moved and bought.... All the stuff that we said needed to get done but somehow never does, well all that gets done for a party.  My good friend's husband says they should have people over at least twice a year simply for that reason and you know what?  I agree with him and will tell him so when I see him on Saturday Night.

Will my friends enjoy the party more now that the house is fixed up?  No, they are coming to see us - THEY don't care what the house looks like.  I am blessed to be hosting new friends and old.  The new friends arrive with a bottle of wine.  The old friends show up an hour early and help you clean the bathrooms.... Luckily, the maid did those, the caterer is cooking the food, and the handyman has finished painting - I am simply going to show up and be the Queen that I am.  Praise the Lord for His Mighty hand of blessings and great friends, old and new.

Free Phones

Abigail and Dolley readers I don't have cable or local TV so commercials often escape my notice all together.  I happened to catch about an hour of local news today and was appalled at the commercials directed at welfare precipitants on free benefits and specifically phones!  Did you know you can get a free cell phone if you are on welfare?  Did you know you can get two months free home phone service?  What the hell!  Go get a job and buy your phone!  I am officially sick; we are broke.

Some Things I Have Learned

Abigail and Dolley readers - I have one of those strange minds that retains facts and bits of information, I know a little about almost everything.

Here are some tips:

If you suffer from dandruff throw away the special shampoos, in many cases they make it worse!  Instead, everyday wet your hair in the shower, use a squirt bottle and put apple cider vinegar on your scalp, rub it in, let it sit for a minute, and rinse.  Wash and condition as you normally would.  Do this every day for 2 weeks and there after when you have a flare up.  Works like a charm and you can wear black again!

If you have really rough sand paper skin on the back of your arms - cut out milk and watch it go away.

If you get an ant bite, mix baking soda and benedryl cream into a paste, it will pull out the poison and you won't have a sore for a week.

Under the skin and cystic acne will respond to Icthammol Drawing Salve.  Simply put a healthy dab on, cover with a bandaid and the drawing salve will pull out the infection.  You won't scar and the pimple won't last 2 weeks!  Take an ibuprofen to reduce swelling and pain.

Kids will eat as much as they need.  Don't artificially over ride their natural tendencies and they won't loose their God given regulatory sense.

Many of us adults HAVE lost our ability to regulate our food intake.  The French say that the first bite of food that you take that is not as good as when you began is a signal to stop eating.  Try it, it works.

If you eat something and your neck, back, or shoulders ache you may have a sensitivity, intolerance, or allergy to that food.

Women - go get fitted for a bra, most of us are in the wrong size.

Check your shoe size - it changes.

Gained a few pounds and the jeans don't fit as well as they used to?  Favorite T-shirt all drawn up and doesn't hang right anymore?  Downy Wrinkle Releaser works wonders on cotton clothes to smooth wrinkles and relax fibers that have seized up.

Pondering All Things

Abigail and Dolley readers as in all creative things, inspiration comes in waves for me, so forgive me if I seem to sometimes be off the reservation!  Ironically, we have worked so very hard over the last two years I find that I need a break from all things political, just for a little while.  We will be vigilant and hold our elected officials feet to the fire to insure they do what we elected them to do, but I am going to gain a little perspective.

It's cold out now and there is tons to do in the garden to get ready for Winter.  We are painting the inside of the house (at least the upstairs) and am very excited for a change.  So I leave you with a couple of my favorite pictures, taken in the Autumn 2008.  God Bless You!