Faded rose...

 

Hello friends...

I started this blog in the latter part of 2012 so I think it is only fitting that I, also, close it in the latter part of the year.  Much like the roses of summer, Osage Rose Cottage has faded.  It has been a thing of beauty for twelve years but like most things, it has run its course.  It is bittersweet.  I have loved this little space and it holds so many memories yet I have felt it slipping away for quite some time.  So it is with a heavy heart that I say "Goodbye, my love".

Grace and Peace,

Pam

*I will continue to visit my precious blogging friends so this isn't goodbye to y'all.  I don't know if I will begin blogging again...only time will tell.  I do still have and will keep for the time being "Cottage Granny" blog.  I don't post much but I would be honored if you joined me there.  Really that blog is just some day dreaming and cooking but we can all use some of that.

Go, Go, Go and Thrifting

 Hello, friend!

I hope you are staying cool.  I know there are still many without electricity in the path that Beryl left.  My thoughts and prayers are continuing for you.

I really don't have a whole bunch to talk about.  It has been getting hotter every day.  I try to get my chores done early, in the morning, as well as any errands I have.  This week has been one of those weeks that I have had something to go and do every day!  

Monday, I picked up my new vehicle.  Tuesday, I had to make a run to Sprouts.  I do most of my grocery shopping in one town but I have to go into Tulsa to get good fruit and veggies.  There is a Sprouts in the other town but since I found worms in a bag of bulk pumpkin seeds, I haven't gone back.  Gross.  Anyhow, Tulsa is a bit to much for my brain and I avoid it, like the plague, except for going to that particular store or Trader Joe's, which is right around the corner from Sprouts.  If you have ever driven in Tulsa you know what I mean!  Crazy people!  I digress!

Wednesday, I had to go to the Tag Agency to get a new PikePass and renew the tag on one of the trucks.  The Tag Agency I use just happens to be next door to a charity shop, so I popped in there to see what I could see.  I really am not looking to buy anything since I have been decluttering, as best as I can, and throwing out or donating stuff.  I haven't been to a thrift store in months!  

At that thrift store, I found a practically brand new shirt for my grandson, and a book.  I washed it and need to iron it but $1.25 just can't be beat.  I only spent $2.00, for that and the book, which is rare for me.

On my way home, I had to take a detour and drove by another thrift store so I had to stop there as well.  Just enjoying myself for a change.  Anyhow, at this store I found a skirt, for myself, and a few more books.

I just love all the colors!  I can wear so many different blouses or tshirts with it.  It is a nice fabric and hangs just right.  I know I didn't need another skirt but since that is pretty much all I wear, I don't think I can have too many!  LoL  Justification! 

These are the books I found.  I know the devotional is from 2020 but does the year really matter when it has to do with God's word?  Big NO!  I got excited when I found the Janette Oke book.  I thought I had read everything she has written but this one I missed somehow.  I can't wait to read it but it will have to wait until I finish the series I am currently reading.  Did you see that book at the center top?  I love old books.  They are usually well written and without violence or sex.  It is difficult finding a book now days without it...and in my opinion, are poorly written in general.  Hey, I'm old school!  I like a good story without all the garbage!

Oh!  Back to my week so far.  Today, I had to make a "GrandBlessing grocery run" since they will be here for the weekend.  They have come to expect Granny to have all their favorites...and she does!  Just a little spoiling.  My grandson will be staying with me for part of next week!  That will be fun and chaotic!  LoL  I love it!  I will get filled up with hugs and laughs, for sure.  I don't know what we are going to do, because it is so blasted hot, but we will find something...inside!  Anyways, I will fill you in once he goes back home.

Oh, by the way...I only spent a bit over $8.00 at the thrift stores.  Pretty proud of myself!

Grace & Peace,

Pam

Glad that's over...

Hello friends,

Most of you probably know what I am talking about when I say, "I am glad that's over!".  Yes, the auto insurance drama.  They finally paid the settlement!  I am just waiting on GAP to pay the remaining $3000 and I will be done with that nightmare!  

That being said, I got a new car today.  I'm not really happy about the payments, but then again, I never have been.  I really wanted to buy a second hand car and pay for it straight out BUT it is difficult to find a decent car with low miles these days.  I would rather have the payment than be sitting on the side of the road in a car with a blown motor because it had too many miles on it.  Especially if I have my Grands with me.  You know...just weighed the pros and cons.  

My granddaughter came and stayed, several days, last week.  We had a lot of fun.  We always do.  Didn't get to do as much as we wanted because one of my furbabies had an accident and had to go to the vet.  Really glad my granddaughter was here because she carried that 57lb baby to the truck and into the vet.  I couldn't have done it, that's for sure!  Anyhow, Ginger is fine.  Princess Sparkles and I went on enjoying our time together.

We went shopping, drank expensive coffee, read books, played games, talked about Jesus... soon it was time for her to go home.  She didn't want to go.  She never does.  She loves hanging out with her Granny and I count that as a big blessing.  

Before she left, she had a bit of firework fun.  Neither her nor myself like loud fireworks but we get a few that aren't so bad.  She had a blast setting them off.  This is her dancing while watching.  She is such a fun kid.  I hope life doesn't take that away from her.

Anyhow, I've rambled long enough.  Thank you for visiting and I hope you will come again soon!

Grace & Peace,

Pam

Burning up

 Hello friends, 

I am sure I am not alone when I say this!  Lord, have mercy, it's hot!  We went from exceptionally cold and stormy Spring to the pits of hell, in a matter of a few days, didn't we!  I am thankful that the storms are gone but I was no where near ready for triple digits this soon.  We don't usually get this hot until late July or early August!  Needless to say, I am staying inside and only going out to do chores and I do those real quick!  I can't tolerate the heat...or should I say the heat with the humidity.  UGH!

My tomatoes have all but burned up.  No matter that I have watered them three times a day and pulled them up on the patio in the shade.  It's just too hot for them.  I do have one plant that is a heartier variety and it seems to be holding it's own but it doesn't look to have any blooms on it.  I was so hoping to get at least one green tomato big enough to fry!  

So far, the one jalapeno plant is doing ok and I managed to get three peppers off of it but I am so disappointed because they are not hot or even warm.  I checked the little plant tag and it says they are hot but when I made a jar of salsa, it turned out mild and I had to add a bit of cayenne pepper to it.  What in the world is going on!  It seems everywhere I turn, things are all wrong!

I am still...STILL...trying to get the insurance company to settle up on my car!  In the meantime, I am driving one of our trucks and it is not comfortable for me and there isn't enough room but I am thankful to have it!  I honestly don't know if I will replace my car.  It is nice not to have that car payment.  We'll see...if the insurance ever gets off their rear ends!  

I don't know who this guy is but he was panting like crazy.  Hopefully, he will get a drink out of the bird bath.  

Grace & Peace,

Pam

Still waiting and Good Morning to you, too!

Hello friends,

I hope this finds you all doing well!  Nothing new to report but I may vent just a bit, if that's ok with you. 

Still waiting on the insurance company to get off the pot!  They sure take my money fast, every month, but oh boy, they are taking their sweet time to pay up on my car.  I've called, left messages, and everything I could do but it has done not one bit of good.  Lordy, I think if I ever have to make another claim I may very well just drive the vehicle in it's damaged condition!  Just makes my head hurt!

My poor sweet Mavi Louise, hasn't been feeling good but she did eat yesterday...and apparently she felt better and ate too much because I woke up to dog upchuck everywhere!  Well good morning to you, too, Mavi!  Ugh!  She is feeling much better now and that is all that matters because she is my sweet baby girl and it really isn't a good time for a vet visit BUT everything else would just have to wait if she did indeed need to go to the vet!  Sometimes we just need to get our priorities straight! 

Can you believe we are staring right into the end of June!?  My word, where has this year gone?  Do I really have anything to show for half a year?  Nope!  I've never felt so unproductive and inefficient!  Do you ever feel that way?  I think I need a change.  I mean, not right now because I don't think my mental state would handle it, but maybe early next year or even later this year if I can somehow get Christmas paid for without touching my mad money.  We'll see...

I hope you have a blessed night and week!

Grace & Peace,

Pam

Recovering and just for fun.

 Hello, Friends!

I hope you are doing well.  I think I am recovering from the past three weeks, or should I say I was until I found out the insurance company is calling my baby car a total loss.  I have insurance to pay it off but now I have to go through the entire process of getting a new one...all the credit apps, financing, and all that jazz, not to mention making sure the new one has everything I need/want at a price I can afford!  Y'all, cars are not cheap!  I hate the whole process and am tempted to just not get a new one but our three trucks are not made for hauling groceries or Grandblessings, nor are they "long emergency trip" vehicles!  They are "putt around town, haul building materials, take furbabies to vets and parks and pull the camper to the lake", trucks.  Oh and get back and forth to work trucks for my Mister.  Soooo...I will do what I must and get a new vehicle because sure as I don't, something will happen and I will have to make another flying trip to somewhere far from my home.

Enough about that...I have been crocheting a bit.  I've made a few quirky things for my home and some gifts for the Grands and of course, I've made a couple of Christmas gifts for my daughter and DIL.  Now, I am working on a few squishies just for fun.  Maybe I will make enough to set up at a fall craft fair or something.  Probably not because I will get tired of doing them and toss it all back into the closet until I take a notion to pull it out and make something.  

I've also picked up a couple of books to read every so often.  I really need to pick up my game in reading.  I tend to read a lot in the winter months but not much in the other months.  I am really picky about what I read and sometimes it is hard to find books that don't have foul language or sexual content, these days.  Or political bull squat!  I am sick to death of all that garbage, to be honest!  I don't even turn the television on most days...unless we are expecting storms.  Anyhow, that is a rant nobody wants me to get started on so...moving on.  

Well, I guess that is all I have for now.  Pretty boring but at least I posted, right!?  

Grace & Peace,

Pam

Breakdown!

Hello friends,

I'm sorry if the title of this post startled you but I promise there was no mental breakdown, on my part anyways, over the past three weeks.  I probably should have had one but God did what He always does and saw me through!  I am not going to post every little detail, in this post, because that would be a very long post and in reality, it will probably be long as it is.  I will post more about everything later.

So long story somewhat short.

Three weeks ago, I got a call saying I needed to get to Texas asap because my sister was in the hospital and very sick.  So I made the 7 hour drive to the hospital and it was very bad.  I talked to the doctors and went to my hotel to take a shower, eat, and get some sleep.  My daughter called, from Oklahoma, as I was driving to the hotel and said I should already be there and in the bathroom because there were tornado warnings.  I got to the hotel and it started storming.  Electricity went out, my car was beat to heck by hail, and I had no way of knowing where the storms were, if they were past me, or if I was about to go home to Glory!  Fortunately, my phone was still working and my daughter was telling me what was happening!  Soooo....I went to the hospital the next morning, talked to the doctors again and they assured me they were doing everything they could for my sister...which by this time was doing much better ( If you don't believe in the power of laying on hands and praying then I'm sad for you).  They assured me it would be ok for me to come back to Oklahoma and they would keep me posted.  That's good because I had nowhere to stay because the power all over was still out and wouldn't be back on for several days, not to mention, other hotels in the area sustained damage and weren't opening for new stays.  

So I drove back to Oklahoma and Siri is an idiot and took me right through downtown Dallas.  I hate driving in Dallas but I made it.  At this point, I was exhausted but now I was two hours later than what I should have been.

After getting back, I had to buy a new refrigerator and dishwasher because my 17 year old appliances just weren't doing it.  By the way, we were also building a chicken house and that was taking way to long so I "took over" the process.  Made my husband mad as all get out because he doesn't like to work that hard!  LoL  

So now I am dealing with all of that stuff and then I called the insurance company...  Y'all!  If you've ever had to deal with a claim then you know what I'm talking about.  Looks like I will be arguing with them and the repair shop until I do go to Glory!  Grrrr....

Mind you, all of this stuff happened in the middle of our remodel, which still is nowhere near done!  I am stressed to say the least!  I need things to get finished and settle back down!  

By the way, my sister is doing much, much better!  I am so thankful to God for His faithfulness!

Grace & Peace,

Pam