HAPPY NEW YEAR, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY THANKSGIVING.....

Did I forget any? I am SO bad. I'm so attached to Facebook that I forget I should stop by here more often.

This is a crazy place. This morning it was 28 degrees. When I left the nail salon at noon it was nearing 70. And it's going to be warmer for a few more days. Then we start again.....That's why everyone stays sick around here.

I have to be glad this year is over. It doesn't top the list of the finest! The worst was in July when David's mother died. She was 98 and would have been 99 in another month. It truly was one of the cases of where it was time. The only enjoyable part was seeing family that we hadn't seen in awhile. We went back to the cemetery to check on things before we came home. Guess Michael got a little tired in the heat!

My favorite LNS has closed. Last Saturday was the last day. I will miss indulging my addiction so often, but I think the worse part is not seeing Diane or any of the other girls so often anymore. Of course, there's enough stuff in my stash to last me several lifetimes. Then again, Houston and New Orleans are nearby, so I'll get a fix every now and then.

I was 65 this year. Where did it go? And I've already had the first visit to the doctor for the year.  I've had back trouble for years and during the Christmas holidays it went south! Sooner or later I will have to have it fixed and I really dread it. Sometimes back surgery makes things worse.

As far as crafty stuff, I will try to get some photos up. I've been knitting a lot and have pretty well focused on two stitchy projects: ByGone Stitches Christmas carol sampler and also Anniversaries of the Heart. My goal this year is to catch up on my LHN's ornies. I have a lot done, but need to catch up as I stitch the ones for this year.

Linzie is still the light of our lives. She is so cute and so smart and doesn't like fireworks. She has us trained beautifully! Giselle and Mia still spend a lot of time with us. And I'm glad to report that I didn't see too many of our resident serpents this year. Not that I looked for them.

Since my back has had me waylaid for a few weeks, I've been obsessing on Cranford.  Don't know how many times I've watched both series. Now if  Downton Abbey will just start..

So that's about life here. Dull, I suppose, but keeps moving along. I'm considering setting up a cooking blog. Well, baking, mainly. I'm still thinking of names and how I will organize it.

We're all anxious around here. Monday night is the BCS Championship game. LSU vs. Alabama. We all know where I stand. We lost to them in November, but I don't think we will this time. ROLL TIDE!

Until then, smooth sailing ahead for all of you.

HALLOWEEN IN HOUSTON, FOOTBALL IN ALABAMA

Weekend before last was the great Alabama-Tennessee game. We won-barely.  Here's three peas in a pod: Mike Tabb, David and Deigh's cousin from Mobile;my brother-in-law Deigh and son Michael. It was a little warmer than Homecoming! Thanks to Mike T. for the photo.

Michael went to Houston this weekend. He went to visit John and family but really went to the air show. He took MANY great photos. This one is of John (the Mad Maestro), Laura (Betty Crocker) and the kids. Great photo. Thanks, Michael.

I added and subtracted from my blog section. Added some great ones. I also added a cooking section. I rarely cook these days, but every now and then will get a wild hair and hit the kitchen. I have a map to find my way there!! Cajun Delights is my favorite and Catholic Cuisine ain't half bad. Enjoy!

OLDIES BUT GOODIES!

Well, here are the latest pictures belonging to what is rapidly becoming the "Paula Vaughn" room.  These are two very OLD stitchings. I soaked them and then framed them in two very OLD frames that I had around the house.

I love the Christmas one but, well, the other one, now that I looked at it up close, maybe was an insult to my intelligence! Too easy. Non-descript. Still, it represents time and money, so it gets its place.

This weekend is Homecoming at my alma mater (the University of Alabama, to those who may have forgot!!!!): pep rally, bonfire, parade, game. And it will be fairly cool, too. Plus all those pretty, colorful leaves. And.....it's the fortieth anniversay of my graduation. Jeez, when did I get so old?

Guess I'm slowing down!! Or side-tracked. All of a sudden many of the people I graduated from high school with (bad grammar) are showing up on Facebook. Could be because our 45th reunion is this weekend. I won't be going, but it's been great re-connecting. And seeing how they-certainly not me- have aged. I will say that our class beauty is still lovely. But some of the men have gone a little to seed. My cousin Jimmy excepted. He still looks the same.

On the needlework scene, I'm in the process of having Stephanie at Nouveau Encore design a family sampler for me. I need to send her the info that I've chosen because the more I look, the more I change. It will probably be the largest piece I've attempted and probably the last large chart I will do. There's something great about finishing a piece in a few days and then putting it together or taking it to the framer's.

Have a look: http://www.nouveauencore.com/

On the reading scene, the Jane Austen Stitching Group decided to read a book together. Well, I bought it and have read it. Okay, it was passable. To me, there's absolutely nothing about JA that says detective. But I also made another discovery. There is a series of books written by CJ Sansom. They're about a Quasimodo-like character named Matthew Shardlake. He's a Tudor age attorney who solves mysteries. I'm about half finished with the first one. Very good series and I'm going back for more.

That's all on the home front. See ya'll later.

.

BEAUTIFUL KIDS, BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS

A little earlier this afternoon, son John sent over this photo of my grandchildren. They're sitting in the cockpit of an AirbusA319. They are SO adorable. And it's no surprise that Ann is sitting in the captain's seat! We'll be seeing them this weekend, so get ready. More photos will follow.

I love blogs and I love blogs with pretty pictures. Several weeks ago, I found a blog with photos of my hometown, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Well, I started checking on the blogs on this site and made a great discovery. Here goes:

Tuscaloosa Daily Photo: http://ttownphoto.blogspot.com/
I love visiting places I remember from so long ago.

Occasional Scotland: http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/

Telluride Daily Photo: http://telluridedailyphoto.blogspot.com/

New Orleans Daily Photo: http://neworleansdailyphoto.blogspot.com/
If you go to the bottom of this blog, there are links to ALOT of city photo blogs.

Well, so goes this day. Hope you enjoy the picture and check out these other blogs.







So long for now,

SUGAR BOWL WASN'T REAL SWEET!

The Super Dome: Grand as ever

Deanne's: Dauphine and Iberville Streets
Great seafood

Michael at Deanne's
waiting for everyone to finish

Canal Street

Great place to shop?


Arthur and David

Alabama's Million Dollar Band

National Anthem

Well, January 2nd was to be our big day. Unfortunately Utah came to play and we just showed up for fun. They beat us soundly. But we had fun anyway. Nobody ever expected us to finish this season like we did so this was lagniappe (Louisiana term for "something extra").

We had a special guest: Arthur Lamm, a proven LSU fan went with us. Dinner was wonderful. We went to Deanne's, which is a seafood restaurant in the Quarter. If you're ever there and need a good place to eat this is it. And they serve in quantities.

After a quick cab ride we went on to the Super Dome for the game. Utah scored 3 TD's in the first quarter so that kinda set the tone. We'll just do better next year.

I've done a little stitching. Some Beatrix Potter and I also kitted up the Cricket Collection's Dicken's Ornaments. The new Loose Feathers is a box and I do love doing them so I've started that. Shouldn't take too long for the stitching.