A New Hope....

Well, after a MUCH too long absence from this blog; I AM BACK!!! I was finally able to sign into my Blogger account after losing my password over a year ago! 

If you follow me on Facebook then you k ow what a terrible year 2020 turned put to be for our family and especially my sweet hubby I won't blog about it all right now; we are just Praising God that things are getting better here! I will try to catch you all up in future posts. 

For now, I am just so HAPPY to be back and writing again! I am now typing on my little phone and it is so different! I am getting used to it all. 

I hope you are all having a beautiful autumn and getting ready for a blessed Thanksgiving, too! 

Much love to all,

Charlotte

A Walk Down Memory Lane....

Good Sunday morning, my dear ones, 

     It is a chilly morning here in our little town; 45°F right now with a few clouds in the sky. It is only supposed to reach 49° by the late afternoon. Still, for February that is about the norm. I stayed home from church this morning and watched Charles Stanley, instead. I really love his sermons and the one hour version of the broadcast always includes a song and two sermons. I truly get a blessing from it.
     While I was watching I opened up a box filled with old greeting cards that I have saved over the years. I have several boxes of old cards; some that my mom saved, some that I have saved. There is just something so precious about greetings from friends and loved ones through the years. I just cannot bring myself to part with them~it seems such a shame to do so. I do try to keep them orderly and contained, however.
     This particular box is filled with beautiful cards from my younger life from around 1979 to about 1992. There are greetings from my High School graduation, my first wedding, cards from my first husband to me and our children, Christmas cards, and so-on. Some of them are really bitter-sweet to look at, especially given the sad ending our marriage went through. I save those, for the most part, for our children to have someday if they so choose. The cards from friends and the letters written by my now-gone loved ones bring memories filled with such sweet emotions to my heart. I have a few letters from two of my mom's sweet sisters who lived in Ohio that could never be replaced. The words written by them spark pure JOY within me!!! I have a couple with nice notes written by my best friend of 50 years, too! She and I are still "besties"! We have gone through a lot of changes over the years, have had our share of good and bad in our lives, but still have a bond that is closer to being sisters than just friends. We feel that our main bond is one of being Christian sisters and that is something the world cannot destroy. I really enjoyed looking over all of these precious memories!
     I wonder, sometimes, if I am alone in my keepsake collecting. Do you save greeting cards? Have you ever used them for crafts or bookmarks? Where do you keep them if you do? Let me know in the comments, sweet cottage friends. I hope that you are all having a wonderful Sunday and staying warm as we wait for spring to arrive!

Stay Cozy Dears,
Charlotte

 

Bloggin' on a Rainy Afternoon

Good afternoon, my sweet cottage friends!!!

     We are having a cold, wet Monday here! It is really coming down out there! The thermometer says that it is 50°F out there, but believe me~it feels much colder~BbbbRrrr!!! I had a doctor appointment in Charleston this morning and had to get a ride on our town's senior citizen bus. It is a wonderful service offered by our town through the amazing generosity and efforts of volunteer drivers. This morning the driver took me and one other lady to the same building and then had to take someone the opposite direction before coming back to pick me up. You just give him a call when you are ready and he comes to get you! Bless his sweet heart, he really runs the road for people that need the ride. I am what I would call a young senior; I am only 59 years old. I am so very glad for this service and especially now with us not having a vehicle at the time. We are saying many prayers that the Lord will provide us a way to get some kind of car or van as ours has a bad head gasket and we were told it would be too costly to fix considering the age and the mileage on the vehicle~SIGH! I know that God will provide a way in His time to meet our need. But for now, I am just so very glad that He has provided the Dunbar senior van service to get us to doctor appointments and to our local grocery store, if we need them.
     Yesterday was our 24th Wedding Anniversary! We were blessed with a visit from our good friends Pam and DeWayne who brought us pizza and stayed for a good, long visit! We love spending time with them!!! DeWayne had taken us to the grocery store the day before and we got a good portion of our monthly grocery shopping done. Tomorrow my sweet friend, Teresa is taking us out to SAM'S to get our prescriptions and do the balance of our shopping for the month. We mostly buy meat, cheese, dairy and baking supplies out there. We do love their frozen section, as well! I feel so very BLESSED to have good friends who will help us.
     I am sharing a pretty picture today that reminds me of myself. I love the wistful look on her little face as she admires the bird on the tree branch. The kitty beside her reminds me of my Mochi Kitty as he loves to sit on his window shelf and look out our kitchen window. I hope that you are all well and having a good Monday! Remember, we are only 38 days away from SPRING!!!! 😍 Sending you all much love, hugs and prayers! 💖💝💗

Stay Warm and Cozy!
Charlotte

Dreaming on a Saturday

Good afternoon, sweet cottage friends! 

    I hope that everyone is enjoying the first Saturday of 2020. We are having rain today and the temperature is dropping from 50°F this morning down into the 40s this afternoon. It is supposed to hit into the 30s tonight with some snow in the mountains. We are in the Kanawha Valley region and not expected to get any accumulation here, though.
     I am having a quiet Saturday and am just hanging out on my computer and Facebook today. I am stopping, from time to time to get some little house chores done, however. Lately I have been giving some thought to returning to work. No, not in the capacity I once enjoyed, rather just some form of part-time employment. I have looked into the idea of a receptionist position, but most of those seem to be full-time or located farther away than I care to drive. I also think a lot about how my Fibromyalgia and other health conditions would affect the way I work at the job. For example, I would have to get up much earlier than I do now, get a shower, do my hair and make-up, have a proper breakfast, put on (pinch-y) business casual attire and shoes and then face morning or afternoon traffic in order to get where I am going. Then there are the interactions with others; customers and co-workers, which tend to drain me now. Add to that the days when my Fibro takes a major flare-up causing it to be necessary to call off, and lay under a blanket on my sofa for a few days and I think you all get the picture by now~(sigh).
     I do think about doing some sort of work-from-home Tea Party type business with a friend or two. I think it would be fun to have a traveling tea party for showers, birthdays, ladies groups, etc. I would love to bring my pretty china and silverware for groups of no more than 20 or so, along with finger sandwiches, scones, petit-fours, clotted creme and specialty teas. If I had a couple friends in this along with me, we could all come together to make sure things went along smoothly. We could also limit the number of parties we would do any given month. I think this requires some prayer and research before it  would become a reality. We will just have to see.
     How about you? Do you have a dream for the New Year? Maybe you want to start a new business or return to work. Maybe you dream of leaving work for a simpler life like I did back in 2006. Feel free to share your hopes and dreams in the comments. For now, I hope that your weekend is lovely and enjoyable, dear ones. 😍💝

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

     

Welcome to 2020

Good morning, sweet cottage friends and Happy New Year!!!!

     My hubby, our son, and myself all stayed home last night and watched a bit of the New Year's Rockin' Eve celebration with Ryan Seacrest and assorted singers. I remember watching it every year since the time when Dick Clark started hosting back in the 1970s! The music has changed, but it still remains a staple in our house. I love when the beautiful Waterford Crystal ball drops at midnight to ring in the new year!
     I am hoping that this year will be a very good one for our family and yours. While I no longer declare New Year resolutions; I now place everything into God's tender care and only ask that His will be done in my life by His grace and mercy. I do, however have things that I HOPE to accomplish and commit to in the months to come. I am hoping to become more involved in our church and community, I hope to find some type of little job or hobby income that I can make from home, I hope to become more physically fit (maybe by starting a light exercise program and eating more healthy), and I hope to enjoy more time with family and friends, too.
     My prayer is that the Lord will bless you all in this New Year! I also pray that He will help you all to realize your hopes and continue to answer your most fervent prayers, too! Much love to you all!!!
I look forward to writing many more posts for you here in the next few months. 

Stay Cozy!
Charlotte

Last "What's Happening" Journal Post for 2019....

Dear cottage blog friends, 

     Hello and happy last day of 2019! Tomorrow starts a whole new year and new decade as we enter 2020! I am just lollygagging on my old computer today; not a whole lot to do around here with the exception of some laundry to fold, dishes to do, a pot of chicken soup to start.....well, on second though....LOL!!! 

     I did want to take a few minutes to enter one more of my little journal posts here on my blog. I know that there are not too many of you who come here very often, but I do enjoy writing here from time to time. It is good therapy for me, if nothing else. For those who do come here, Thank You and I am wishing you all a bright and blessed New Year in 2020. Now here is my What's New entry....

What's Happening... well, firstly I have changed and added to my prompts for my journal entries. I have tried to make them more cohesive in order for them to follow along with the "What's Happening" theme of the posts. In other news, I am hoping to become more involved in our little town and especially with the group of Senior Citizens here~of which I am now a part. They have a wonderful group and get together to do crafts, have exercise equipment available at our Senior Center and serve lunch there every day for us, too. My hubby is 66 and he is thinking of going with me to give us more things to do together. He is also going to start teaching me Chess this year. Good luck with that one, sweetheart~lol! 

How's the Weather...  Right now it it 42°F outside, Mostly Cloudy with an expected high of 45°F and 10% Precipitation, Wind at 7 MPH and 61% Humidity

What I Am Reading/Watching... I am getting ready to start reading The Timepiece by Richard Paul Evans, I am always reading my Bible and Devotional books and my poetry, too. 

What I Am Thankful For... My list is just TOO long! My family, our home, good food to eat, clothes to wear!!! Thankful that I can go before the Throne of Grace each day and talk with my Heavenly Father through the power and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. 💖💓💖

What's Ailin' Me... this is the new prompt for my Fibro and Arthritis updates. Right now I am not in too much pain with the exception of my feet. My Neuropathy has been bad lately, but it is probably due to all the sugary foods that we have been eating~ooopppsss! Oh well, back to normal next week. 

What's For Supper... I am making a nice crock pot full of chicken noodle soup for us. We are having snacks later this evening, too. 😍

Where All Have I Been... not too many places right now as our poor old van is STILL giving us trouble. It is back at the garage and we are hoping that they can get it fixed for us. I am getting tired of not having reliable transportation. BUT, our kids have been great to come and take us to the store when we have needed to go. 

Who Have I Talked To/Visited.... I have had a phone call from our grand-girl Tamika this morning, we had a visit from our daughter Jessica and her husband yesterday and several of our kids and grand-kids were here for Christmas Eve, too. 

Here's A Pretty Picture For You...

A pretty little vintage New Year greeting for you!

There you have it, friends; one last little post for my blog for 2019. I hope that you have a wonderful day and a safe, warm and Happy New Year! See you all in 2020! 

Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

Saturday "What's Happening" Journal for November 16, 2016

Good afternoon to you all!!!

     I can't believe another week has passed us by! I almost forgot to pop on here and post my Saturday journal entry. I am trying hard to make this a regular habit as I do miss blogging. Well here we go.....

What's Happening: Today I have been busy playing on Facebook and listening to Christmas music (classical) on YouTube. I did wash the little rugs from our upstairs powder room and sat out back with our kitty Mochi on the back porch for a while, too. 

What's For Supper:  Gee, not really sure just yet. We had baked shrimp, rice and Broccoli Normandy (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) mixed veggies last night. I might fix some kind of soup for us tonight or we might just have sandwiches.
What am I Reading and Watching:  Still reading the book of Jeremiah in the Bible and some of my poetry books, but that is about it as we get ready for Thanksgiving~lots to do, so little time. 
Today's Weather:  Not too bad, a little warmer than earlier this week~ 47°F right now, sunny with 0% Precipitation and 52% Humidity here in good old Dunbar, WV.  

Fibro and Arthritis Update: Moderate pain level; mostly just a bit achy. Here is the update:  Fibro Pain: Moderate, Arthritis Pain: Low, Energy Level: Moderate, Brain Fog: Low 

Chores for Today:  I got the upstairs powder room cleaned yesterday and a couple more door facings and doors wiped down, too. Today I have my usual dishes to rinse and put in the dishwasher and the little rugs from the powder room to wash. They are drying out on the front porch right now. 

Phone Calls and Visits:  Our grand-girl, Tamika and her beau, Auston came by and took our Caleb out with them for a while. They will be visiting when they come back.💝

Drives, Walks and Outings: We didn't really go anywhere this week. Too busy with our house chores~lol! 

Pretty Picture for Today:

     I am thinking of adding a couple more prompts to my little weekly journal here. I am trying to decide on what they will be~nothing too hard. Remember, if you want to copy and paste these prompts to your blog or Facebook page and fill in with your own answers, you are more than welcome to do so. Hoping that you are having a relaxing Saturday! Love to you all!!! 💓💕💝

Stay Cozy!!!

Charlotte

What's New Wednesday Addition....

Happy mid-week, dear ones!!! 

     I am taking a minute away from my chores to type you all a few lines. It is really cold here today. Our high has been 35°F for today and yesterday we had temperatures in the low 20s and an inch or two of SNOW!!! Too early for me, but it was pretty. The snow has put me in the mood to listen to Christmas music, though! LOL!!! The roads stayed clear so it wasn't a hindrance to people getting to work or school. We are supposed to be back up into the 50s by the weekend. I will be looking forward to that. 

     I had a little good news to share that I forgot about on Saturday when posting my journal entry! We now have a screened in back porch!!! Our son was over the weekend before and finished the main part of the job and it looks really good! He still needs to do some trim out work and also to paint it white, but for all intents and purposes it is functional and finished! YAY!!! Our kitty Mochi LOVES it! We have gone out there with him to enjoy it on the sunny days since it was finished and it takes a little time to get him back into the house~LOL! I will post a photo at the end of this note. 

     I am still working on the house and trying to get caught up on some of those little jobs that go undone until they just NEED to be done. I worked on cleaning the items on top of my kitchen cabinets and also on cleaning the cabinets themselves. I have taken down the curtains in the bathroom downstairs and also am cleaning all of the door frames and the baseboards, too. Our daughter and her husband and son are coming in for Thanksgiving this year so I want everything to feel fresh for them. 

      Well, that is about it for now. I need to go in and start our supper. Tonight I am fixing some Broccoli Cheese soup for us from scratch. It is just the right kind of day for it~MMmmmmm! I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying your day. Heaps of love, hugs and prayers from me to you!

Here is the picture of our back porch....

 

Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

What's New This Week (11-09-2019)

Good morning and Happy Saturday, cottage friends!!!

     Well another week has come and gone and here I am feeling bad that I did not post as I had hoped to do on Wednesday. My goodness, why is it that time just seems to get so much shorter the older we get?!?! I am going to make the better of it and post my little Saturday journal entry and invite you all to do the same on your pretty blogs, too. My prompts are pretty easy and not a long list. You do not have to use any link or even refer to my blog, unless you want to. Just copy and paste them to your blog or Facebook page and fill them in according to your own specifications. If you do not suffer from Fibro or Arthritis (or any other malady for that matter), then just eliminate that one. Here is what is new this week at good old Cozy Home Cottage....

What's Happening: Today I am planning to do a little more organizing and cleaning around here. I am hoping to bake a little apple cake for us to snack on in a bit, too. 

What's For Supper:  Chicken breast patties with mashed potatoes & gravy, and some kind of vegetables.
What am I Reading and Watching: Reading One Shenandoah Winter by T. Davis Bunn and also Strange and Bizarre Stories from the Bible by Jesse Waggoner. I have also started reading the book of Jeremiah in the Bible this week. Very interesting! 
Today's Weather:  COLD!!! Right now it is 33°F and we are supposed to have a high of 49°F today, mostly cloudy with 82% humidity, 0% chance of rain and winds at 0 mph. It is supposed to be back up in the 60s tomorrow.  

Fibro and Arthritis Update: Today I am feeling a moderate pain level; mostly just a bit achy. Here is the update:  Fibro Pain: Low to Moderate, Arthritis Pain: Low, Energy Level: Moderate, Brain Fog: Low to Moderate~seems to be holding steady lately! YAY!

Chores for Today: Organizing items for donation and tidying up in anticipation of our upcoming Thanksgiving's Day celebration with the kids and grandkids! 

Phone Calls and Visits:  Not planning for any visitors today, but who knows. 💝

Drives, Walks and Outings: My hubby and I took went out to SAM'S and to our local Kroger's store on Thursday of this week. We had lunch while we were out, too. I love our little "dates"~lol! 

Pretty Picture for Today:

     A familiar little picture to those who follow me on Facebook; this is one that truly reminds me of how I envision myself on a cold, wintry, snow day! I only have on little kitty, our Mochi cat, but could see myself surrounded by many of the little furry angels while sipping a nice, hot cup of coffee or chocolate~aahhhh, sheer bliss! 

     So, there you have it~life here in my little corner of the world. I pray that you are all having a sweet Saturday where you are, too. Sending you all much love, hugs and prayers for today and the rest of the week, too. Hope to post again on Wednesday, but don't hold me to it~hahaha! 

Stay Cozy!!!

Charlotte

A Little Saturday Journal Entry

Good Saturday morning sweet friends!!!

It has been a while since I posted a CHC Journal entry, so I thought that Saturdays might be just the day to do that. I made my prompts quite simple and easy to copy if you want to join along. You don't need to include my blog link, but can if you would like to. I started doing mine as a way to share some of my daily life with you all and to keep some record of what is going on in my world. I hope you enjoy today's entry....

What's Happening: Today I am planning to get a little dusting done around the house and pass out Trick-or-Treat candy to the neighborhood "Goblins" from 5-7 this evening. Our son Greg and grandson Draven are coming over to mow our grass and fix up the screened porch on the back of our home. I have started back to going to my Bible Study group on Tuesdays and regular Sunday Morning church services, too! I am trying as I am much too young (58) to let this Fibro stop me from taking part in life!

What's For Supper:  I am thinking soup and sandwiches for supper tonight. Something easy, unless I change my mind.
What am I Reading and Watching: Reading One Shenandoah Winter by T. Davis Bunn and also Strange and Bizarre Stories from the Bible by Jesse Waggoner. I have been watching some of our DVD movies more this past month, too as we no longer are subscribing to any cable TV service. We need the money for other things. 
Today's Weather: Right now it is 40°F and we are supposed to have a high of 51°F today, partly sunny with 80% humidity. It was 35°F when I got up at 7:45 AM...Brrrrrr! 

Fibro and Arthritis Update: Today I am feeling a pretty low pain level; mostly just a bit achy. Here is the update:  Fibro Pain: Low to Moderate, Arthritis Pain: Low, Energy Level: Moderate, Brain Fog: Low to Moderate

Chores for Today: Kitchen Duty, Going to dust as much as I can and maybe vacuum a little, too. 

Phone Calls and Visits:  Greg and Draven are coming by.

Drives, Walks and Outings: My hubby and I took a little drive on Wednesday just to get out of the house for a bit. We stopped and got Hot Dogs and Fries at one of our local favorite places; Husky's Dairy Bar.

Pretty Picture for Today:

Just a pretty little GIF for you today. I love all the pretty pictures that are on FB and the internet! They add a little cheer to my days! Praying that you are all doing well and having a lovely Saturday!!! Comment if you decide to share a journal entry on your blog or FB page. (((Hugs))) from me to you!

Stay Cozy!!!
Charlotte

Happy November!!!

Good morning my sweet cottage friends!!! 

     Welcoming the month of November this morning and having my second cup of coffee for the morning! I got up to a nice, warm house this morning as my hubby forgot to turn the thermostat down last night. It did feel good, but I know we will pay for it~LOL!!! I fixed myself a nice hot bowl of Grits with cheese for my breakfast. Nothing tastes better on a chilly morning than Grits in my humble opinion. MMMMmmmmm!!!!
     The weather here yesterday was dismal! Rain, winds, cold temps~yes, just what Winnie-the-Pooh would have called a "Blustery Day"~oh bother!!!!Our trick-or-treat night has been re-scheduled for tomorrow. SOOOO, you know what that means.....we broke into the Halloween candy last night!!! We at WAY too much! I haven't had candy for a while and it tasted much, much too good! My hubby said that he would go out and buy more for us to pass out to the kidders today.
     I got a little piece of mail out on our mailbox to my cousin this morning. Is it just me or is there something so very satisfying about fixing up a card or a letter and placing it on the box to be mailed out? I do love doing that and also getting a pretty piece of mail that has been lovingly sent to me! I think there is nothing more pleasant! I think it reminds me so of days gone by and of my dear mom who also loved mailing out and getting mail. I only wish that I had a never ending supply of postage stamps at my disposal~hahaha!
     Well dear friends, that is about it for today, I pray that you are all well and having a beautiful first day of November! Sending you all much love, hugs and prayers for your day!!!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Color Forever!!!

Good afternoon and Happy Sunday to you all, sweet cottage friends, 

     I have had a pleasant morning here at our cottage. I got up and turned on our heat as it was a bit chilly here this morning, had my coffee and toast and watched Doctor Charles Stanley on television. I have been reading some of your blogs also. I love to visit and see what is new at your pretty cottage homes and with your families, too. I love that we all have such interesting and different ways of interpreting the cottage style of living and decorating our homes.
     Lately I am noticing a real trend in doing most everything in white and beige with only subtle pops of color here and there. It is a very clean look and one that I admire in other homes, but not one that I will be trying here. As for myself and my family, we love color. Don't get me wrong, I have had walls painted white during my lifetime though I have never had white furnishings. Too many children, grandchildren and pets for that I am afraid~lol!!! I have thought about it albeit the thought was short-lived. I have simply always just loved color!
     It all began with my first box of Crayola Crayons back when I was a year old. My mother would always tell me of how I loved to color in my little coloring books and that I knew my colors by the tender age of 18 months. Not only my primary hues, but she said that I knew the difference between the tertiary tones, also. She said that I would pick out orange-red from red-orange or blue-green from green-blue when asked. She would have them all laying out and have me point to the color as she called it out to me. A God-given talent, no doubt...hahaha! Anyway, so began my romance with the world of hues, tints and shades.
     My next clear memory of color was my little book The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown. It is a Little Golden Book and the tale of two kitten brothers and their search for the formula for making Green. It is an excellent first tool for teaching basic Color Theory to children. I would look at it over and over again and have my mom read it to me for story-time. By the time I was four years old I had it completely memorized. I still have that little book and have read it to all of my kids and grands, too.
     Finally is the childhood memory of watching Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color every Sunday evening at our home. Now, up until 1972 we only had a black and white television set, so lots of imagination went into mentally interpreting those images into any kind of color~hahaha! We did have neighbors who had color sets in their homes and sometimes, usually in the summer months, we would have the treat of watching shows there. Let me tell you, the THRILL of seeing Tinkerbell waving her wand and transforming the black and white into a full color spectrum for the first time was almost too much for my little heart to handle~WOW!!!
    I believe this was all God's way of whispering in my little ears that His plan for my life was to involve my being used by Him in the world of design and decoration for His Glory. In His beautiful creation of this garden planet called earth He used LOTS of color! Every hue, value, tint and shade was made by His hands and for His Glory and our enjoyment. I praise Him for them all and loved to incorporate them into my designs, drawings and in our own home. I try to emulate our Creator with the use of color, texture, pattern, light, scale and harmony as I select the decor for my little cottage.
     So you see, dear reader, although I do love the clean and orderly look of white, it is just not something that I am ready to commit to for myself. I will just be content in admiring your lovely homes, for now anyway. Hope that you are all having a beautiful and blessed day!!! Heaps of love.

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte 

Few and Far Between......

Hello to you all, my dear blog friends!!!!

     I hope you are all having a lovely autumn Friday afternoon!!! We are finally having a bit more autumn like weather in our neck of the woods here in good old Dunbar, WV! FINALLY!!! After the 90 plus hot days that we have been experiencing for the past week! (Whew), hot, hot, hot!!! 
     I have really been thinking about my little blog a bunch lately. I feel that I haven't really had much to post about here as of late. Life is just cruising along on auto-pilot, it seems. Not much new here. I am not complaining, I am grateful that my days are smooth and not overly complex. I have been having some new issues with my Fibro, tummy issues that you really would not want me to be blogging about~really! I have had everything checked out with my doctor and all came back A-OK, so it is just something new with my Fibro. I am always amazed at how that happens; just when I think that nothing else can change~WHAM!!! Oh well, I guess that's what keeps life interesting, huh?!?!
     I do think that I will (once again) try to make an effort to post something here more often. I have been thinking about putting up photos of my life through the years, my three little houses, my children and grands (most of whom are now grown people) and my sweet pets. I have a bunch of photos that I could share, lots of good memories, some not so good, but all a part of my life and who I was and am now. I hope you will enjoy them.
     For today I will just post a pretty autumn angel picture and wish everyone a wonderful weekend!!!!

Stay Cozy!!!!!
Charlotte 

Sunny Sunday

Good afternoon to you all!!! We are having a cool and sunny Sunday here in good old Dunbar, WV! Our high temp is to be a nice 83°F and the sun is supposed to shine all day! YAY!!!
I have been just puttering around the cottage today and have changed out my issues of Ideals Magazine on my living room coffee table from the Mother's Day issues to the Friendship, Americana and Children's ones. I have quite a few as I inherited my mom's, my mother-in-law's and was also given my cousin's large collections when she moved from WV to Ohio a few years ago. I have them stacked in order of season behind a wing chair and under my built-in bookshelves in our living room. I love to put them out and read them over and over each season. They bring about wonderful memories of afternoons with my mom when I was growing up and also times I shared their pretty poetry and pictures with my own little ones.
I am trying to push ahead with some of my clearing out around here, too. We have accumulated so much over the past few years! I love much of the pretty things from my mom's home and my mother-in-laws home, but added to what I already had here, it is making things a bit more fussy and cluttered than even I like~lol! I am evaluating what I really love and what really means the most to me and donating the rest to our favorite local thrift store. I did some of this earlier this year, but there are still things that can go. Most of my donations are things that I had bought through the years so that I can keep more valuable family items, instead. I still have the closet in my home office/craft room to address. This one is filled with my college interior design projects, old magazines, books and other miscellaneous items. It is going to be a real challenge as I tend to be emotionally attached to many of these things for some reason. I think that I will dis-assemble the Inspiration Boards and place the materials and drawings in smaller, individual boxes in order to compact those. The magazines are already in wooden magazine organizers that my hubby made for me a number of years ago. Some of the issues might go, but most of them I will be keeping for now. I also have quite a few things leaving our bedroom upstairs. I will probably be working on much of this in the coming week.

Inspiration Boards from College projects

I am thinking of fixing some homemade Mac-n-Cheese with Peas-n-Carrots as a side dish for our supper in a bit. Wishing you all a wonderful, sunny Sunday!

Stay Cozy!
Charlotte 

Just Get Up And Blog...

Good morning, sweet blog buddies!
I am having a blessed and beautiful Friday here at the cottage and have had my toast and coffee, visited Facebook and read my email on AOL. I am getting ready to go in and do a few daily chores but wanted to stop by here and post a little something before I get started on my day.
Last night I had a dream that I was applying for a retail job at a well-known department store and during the interview they wanted me to draw out a floor plan in Auto CAD!?!?! LOL!!! I know, right?!?! Who knows why we dream the things we do, except with this one I think it has a great deal to do with the fact that I really miss working AND I really miss drawing out floor plans on Auto CAD. I still do draw out floor plans on 1/4" graph paper sometimes just for fun. I still draw out front elevations for fun, too. However, I haven't drawn anything on CAD for fun or for clients since I got my new computer back in 2013. My operating system won't support my favorite old CAD program and I just couldn't justify spending the extra money it would take to update my program.  Anyway, back to my dream; I did not get the job but was presented a lovely bound book of everything I had ever designed in CAD, including all of my college projects!!! Go figure!!! I woke up thinking, "Huh?!?" and made a face to reflect that thought~heeheehee. 😏
I have been drawing with my colored pencils and markers a bit recently. I love to practice writing words in my most attractive handwriting and then drawing out flowers, birds and cottage-inspired pretties to go along with them. I know that I will never be another Susan Branch or Mary Engelbreit, but I can have fun trying. 😍
Here is my latest little effort....

I am going to try to start posting some more of my artwork, old photos and latest happenings as I  once again have more free-time, energy and interest in blogging about my life. I pray that you will all have a wonderful day and week-end!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte 💝

Waiting For Spring to Come

     Hello, dear cottage friends! I am back to blogging after an extended break over the past few autumn and winter months. Sometimes a girl just runs out of things to type and talk about~LOL! I have been keeping myself busy around our home with the usual daily chores, watching movies, taking care of kitty Mochi and such. I am really starting to look forward to warmer springtime weather and to the beauty of flowers blooming again in our little valley. I am planning to get out and take some photos this year and to post more of them here on my humble blog as I once did. I really miss doing that. I am starting to do more craft projects with paper, pen and also felt crafting, as well. So, I will be posting some photos of those here for you to see in the near future as I finish them.
     My battle with Fibro continues, however, I am learning better coping mechanisms in order to deal with the pain and the brain fog that comes my way. I now have my medications better adjusted to my body so that they are helping me to cope with all of my symptoms. It has just taken time and some therapy to get this far from when I was diagnosed a few years ago.
     I am going to keep things short for today, but do plan to check in here more often and to post at least once a week. Wishing you all a beautiful day and hope to have some pretty spring flowers to post here for you real soon!

Stay Cozy, 
Charlotte 

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 1, 2018

For Today

I am writing a post for Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook
for the first time in a long while.

Looking out my window

Our salad tomato plant by our
shed in the back yard

I am thinking
About my plans for the autumn months that
are coming up soon. I can't wait for everything
Pumpkin Spice flavored to start showing up on the
store shelves!!! Some items are already available in our
local grocery store!!! MMMmmm!!!

I am thankful
For so very many blessings!!! In spite of the very negative
and "pouty" tone of my last, recent post; I am very grateful to
God above for our sweet home, family, friends and so very much
more!!! Today I am especially grateful for the sun and the rain that
we have received today, and for the ability and the desire to type this
little post on my blog.

One of my favorite things
I have so many favorite things; but today I shall say
that books of poetry rate very high on my list. I love reading
pretty poetry; and especially inspirational verses! 

I am creating
I am currently working with a friend as we create her
Bohemian living room! Lovely bright colors and
varied patterns and textures all inspired by a beautiful
little box she has had for some time now. 

I am wearing
I have on my blue jeans and a pretty paisley printed tee-shirt
in shades of blue, aqua, yellow and black.

I am listening to

Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits

I am hoping
To finish this blog post before my hubby is ready to
go to the grocery store. I am going with him this time. 

I am learning
To let go of the pain of this horrible Fibromyalgia;
to get used to it and to own it. It isn't easy and I still
hurt~BAD! But, I am tired of being a slave to it. I am
learning to push past it and get out and about, anyway.
I am much to young to feel this old~lol! (ouch)

In my kitchen

We have been eating a lot more sandwiches, easy to fix
meals and salads this summer.

In the school room
My one and only pupil graduated on June 3, 2017!!!! 

In my garden

This year we only planted two full sized tomato plants,
one salad tomato plant and three bell pepper plants. They are
all producing very nicely for us. 

Board room

From my Pinterest Board: Around Our Cottage 

Post Script

My friend Lorna's Etsy Shop:

Lorna's Front Porch

Shared Quote
Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons. ~Jim Bishop

A moment from my day

Time for me to change out my spring and summer

wreath for this pretty autumn one. I am so ready! (smile)

Closing Notes
If you would like to participate in Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook just
follow her link for the prompts and instructions here:
http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/p/httpthesimplewoman.html
Thank you for stopping by my blog to visit for a while and
to read my post. Stay Cozy! 

Feeling Down....And Now For Something COMPLETELY Different!!!

Good Afternoon Blog Friends,

     Today I am just not feeling like posting my usual cheery little note; I am really feeling very glum in spite of the beautiful, sunny day we are having here in Dunbar, WV.  I have spent the morning watching some of my favorite design shows on TV and they usually cheer me up whenever I get this way. Not today! I am having real feelings of the dreaded FOMO syndrome! I am watching these talented designer/decorators and am SO covetous of their work lives! I am so very envious of the fact that they are healthy and have money and can work to make beautiful homes for their clients!!! I have been crying~silent, streaming-down-my-cheeks tears and using lots of tissues, too. I HATE this old Fibromyalgia!!! The past few days I have been hurting all over and, even though I have been trying to do a little housework each day, I feel like I will never catch up again here; let alone EVER be able to do any Interior Design work for anyone else again.... ☹️😟😭
     I have also been REALLY wanting to take a little trip somewhere. I would love to go visit my family in North Carolina or my cousins in Ohio, but our finances simply won't allow for it! I have even begun to stay away from Facebook on the weekends because I get so sad seeing others having fun and going places when I am confined to home! 
     We live on a very modest monthly income of $1260.00~my husband's SS Disability. He is a heart patient whose heart functions at 40% and he has a pacemaker/defibrillator device, as well. He is no longer able to cut our grass or do the woodwork he so loved doing a few years ago because his beloved workshop is in our basement. He just cannot climb up and down those stairs any longer unless he becomes very out of breath.
     At any rate; our monthly bills very nearly take every penny with just enough left for basic groceries; no money for trips. We are buying our home, which we once rented from the family we are buying it from. We have lived here for the past 20 years and it will be 21 years in October. All totaled we have paid (rent and house payments combined) $132,000.00. We agreed to buy the house in May 2011 and signed the papers then. The agreed price of purchase from that date was $119,000.00. We have six more years of $650.00 a month to pay and then we will have that much extra. I am just praying that nothing happens to my sweet hubby or myself during that time! 
     I am sorry that I have not been my usual cheerful, chatty self today, dear ones. I do get this way from time to time, but usually just find something more pleasant to write about. We do have tomato and pepper plants in the ground and are hoping to start getting some fresh veggies from them soon. I am playing the Publisher's Clearing House every day, too. Wish me luck~hahaha!!! Until next time;

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The last trip we took to visit my family 

in NC in May of 2014

A New Journal Post~It's About Time~LOL!!!

Good Morning to you all!!! June is half way gone and I am really enjoying the warmer weather this year! I guess that's because it took so long to finally get here~LOL! It has been pretty hot around here the past few days; in the 90s, but I am NOT even going to complain as I would much rather have this that all of that freezing COLD!!! I think I saw enough snowflakes for a long while!!!
We had a nice weekend and my hubby heard from most of our kiddos yesterday for Father's Day. A couple of them had to work so they will probably call him sometime today. We didn't have a cookout this year as we had a large family cookout on the Friday before Memorial Day. My hubs was just not up to another one right now~lol! We might have another one for Independence Day~we'll see.
I was in the mood to post a little blog journal entry this morning, so here it is...

What's Happening: Today I have an appointment with my Therapist/Counselor. I go to see her once a month and the sessions are really helping me to come to terms with my Anxiety and Enochlophobia (fear of crowds). I have also started writing in a day book style journal every day and that is helping with my brain fog issues. 

We have also planted three tomato plants and have some beautiful Belle Pepper plants ready to go in the ground. 

What's For Supper:  I am seriously thinking about fixing Spaghetti right now. We have had sandwiches the last couple of nights. It has just been too hot too cook! 

What am I Reading or Watching: Reading You Can Too by Mary C. Crowley for the 100th time. That book just never seems to get old to me. I am also reading a couple of different Bible study books and my copies of Ideals Magazines, too. I have not been watching as many movies lately. I have been spending more time on my front porch enjoying the summer weather. 

Today's Weather:  It was already 76℉ when I woke up at 7:30 this morning and it is supposed to reach 94℉ by the late afternoon! Humidity is 40% 

Fibro and Arthritis Update: Today I am feeling a pretty low pain level; mostly just a bit achy. Here is the update:  Fibro Pain: Low to Moderate, Arthritis Pain: Low, Energy Level: Moderate, Brain Fog: Low to Moderate

Chores for Today: Kitchen Duty, Going through the house emptying out small trash cans. 

Phone Calls and Visits:  No calls yet today. 

Drives, Walks and Outings:  Errands and Appointment at Counselors

Pretty Picture for Today:

My pretty Annabelle Hydrangea at the back of our home. This is the fullest that it has ever been! I would love to have them growing all across the back as a hedge! 

Well, I guess that is about it for now. I might start putting my daily journal posts on here again just to stay active with this blog. I am working on consistency in my life. I am also getting more accustomed to having more time to devote to my own interests again now that I am no longer responsible for homeschooling our son. It was strange at first but now I am really enjoying my free time.
I hope that you all are having a beautiful Monday!!! I am going to take time to read some of your blogs and hope to write a bit more here tomorrow.

Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte   

A Journal Post for Monday, March 12, 2018

I was reading posts on other blogs and decided to come here to my own little blog to post something of my own. It has been a while since I put up a journal entry and decided that was the simplest form to take. I haven't been feeling very inspired to write lately; maybe it's just a case of spring fever, who knows. We have been getting out some and taking little drives, going to doctor appointments and such but I am really wanting to take a l-o-n-g trip somewhere. Not much of a chance of that happening, however, haha.
Anyway, I am happy here at my little cottage and we are getting ready to re-do our flower beds once we get a little warmer weather our way. The daffodils are up and trying to bloom here at our house. We have seen several patches of wild growing daffies in full bloom around our area~so PRETTY! I always love when the daffodils begin to bloom as it is a sure sign that SPRING is on the way! I promise to post more when we begin to re-set the flowers here, but for now....
What's Happening: I am sipping on my second cup of coffee and listening to some pretty music on YouTube. I have a couple of favorite Channels there that offer really beautiful selections of easy listening music from the 60s and 70s. Beautiful string and piano selections for my listening pleasure. 😊

What's For Supper:  Probably some kind of pasta dish made with Bow-tie pasta or soup. I am not real sure right now.  

What am I Reading or Watching: I have been watching a lot of old movies on TCM lately. I love the ones made in the 1930s and 40s~especially the comedies and romance genres. I have been reading my poetry books and magazines as well as my devotional books but nothing too heavy. 

Today's Weather: Today we had SNOW!!! I woke up around 8:00 AM to see fluffy flakes floating down outside my windows. It was 31℉ outside but it felt like 25℉.  

Fibro and Arthritis Update: Today I am feeling a bit "stoved-up" and achy. It probably has to do with the snowy weather this morning. Here is the update:  Fibro Pain: Moderate to High, Arthritis Pain: Moderate, Energy Level: Moderate, Brain Fog: Low to Moderate

Chores for Today: Kitchen Duty, sweeping my floors with a broom, maybe running a load of towels through the washer. 

Phone Calls and Visits:  No calls yet today. 

Drives, Walks and Outings:  None planned for today...

Pretty Picture for Today:
Wishing this is what it looked like here today!!! 😀💖

Wishing you all a marvelous Monday!!!

Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte