HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME~Where have the years gone?

A Big hello to all of you out there in Blogland...
Happy Day to all of you and Happy Birthday to me..

That picture was taken 10 years ago today as I celebrated my Birthday with all my friends in the Casino on kelley's Island...

This was taken 7 years ago .....that's my boat that I'm sitting in..looking back at all my past Birthday Pictures really makes me miss her so much... some things we simply have no control over like Boat repairmen...
Its so hard to beleive that I have owned my own boat and have been coming to the island for fun and work for 10 years.. It seems like yesterday that this picture was taken.. I remember all the fun we had dancing all night long... LOL.. I couldn't dance all night long tonight...if I tried...

Do you ever wonder where all that energy you had 10 years ago went?
I can remember it was nothing for me to go clean 4 houses.... then meet up with my friends at the boat and then dance till 2:30 and then sit around on the docks and talk till 3 or 4 in the morning..... get up and do it all over again the next day...

This was taken 8 years ago and we seriously did dance all night long that night... maybe that's what I need to go dancing it certianly keeps you in great shape... that's probably why I could work all day and dance all night back then...LOL....

Many Friends made and many memory's made here on my little island get away.. and maybe I can't dance all night long anymore but I still meet new people all the time and still have memory's to tuck way for those Birthday's in the future when riding the waves of Lake Erie, enjoying the peaceful sunsets and sharing an evening with friends on the back of somones boat is long gone...

In many ways boating and blogging share some of the same treasures... Both have brought new friends into my life, both have shown me all the other treasures in life..that I may not have ever known had I not ventured into those worlds...
Bless you all for being a part of my world and sharing a part of your world with me...

Hugs
Tonya

Want a laugh? Go ahead open this one!

Howdy from the long lost ...Aren't my corn Flowers just beautiful... I didn't make it home to see how many more blooms there are so thought I would share them with you and enjoy them myself...What a long week here on the Island. We had what we call Islandfest last weekend the biggest weekend of the year and yes every rental and personal house on the island is full... so busy busy for everyone for 5 days straight!
Finally a break and here I am... exhausted and homesick...but enjoying the breeze and the peace and quiet..

Remember I told you all about having to move my camper well there is a lot to be said about all us who choose the strange life of working and living on an Island in the summer... Now I am here to tell you that there are some who think renting a nice little house with air conditioning and a view is all wonderful but those people just think they are having the time of there life living it up in there fancy rental...I'm here to say they don't have anything up on me... I've got some real fine air conditioning in my summer room...its got three speeds too!!

and look at my living room it is carpeted with some real comfy chairs and a really stylish end table 

Just look at the great view of the great outdoors. where the birds sing and the bunny's play!!

I got myself a fine Kitchen with running water and a sink too!


With a cupboard for my fine china!!


 A real nice Fridge with a freezer ,a micorwave and even one of them there fancy Blenders.
If you look real close you can see my other Air conditioner...bet them fancy rentals don't have two air conditioners...



 Now check this out I even have myself an office with my computer

Now of course you all know that this is all in my summer room!
Its just off the main house I shared with you all a while back...
There you can see the main house and just look at the wonderful sidewalk with night time solar lighting..


This here is a view of my patio ....Now if you notice there is a silver tarp covering my summer room well that there tarp reflects the sun and helps cut down on my air conditioning cost...Plus it insures that my summer room stays dry during all the storms that come off the lake...


 Now you ask what in the world is this..well it is another one of those silver tarps attached to the back of the main house.. Why you ask...well the sun being so hot was shinnin directly on the back of the main house/camper and so I had this great idea to hang a tarp from the top and stake it to the ground  so that there was still a big space under it so the real air conditioner in the main house/camper could still work properly to keep my critters nice and cool and see if reflecting the sun away would help keep it cooler inside... Well it was one of my better idea's.... it dropped the temp in the camper 15 degrees. Now it stays around 75 to 80 degrees inside and all my fur babies are safe and cool all day long..me too when evening comes...
And all those people renting places on the island think they got something special...Ha...I got it all and alot cheaper then they did..hehe!!
Now don't get me wrong.. its not better then living on my boat...but it is second best...

I sure hope you enjoyed the giggle.... and my Corn Flowers!!

Time for me to go but until we meet again may your day be filled with Sunshine and happy Moments!!

Hugs
Tonya

Look what the Birds Planted for me & an update

A Good Afternoon to all my prim friends out there .. As you all know my decor is sunflowers and the bird must love me because they planted sunflowers all around my trailer here on the farm...and they are just beautiful. I'm amazed with all the storms we have had with great gust of wind that they are still standing.. I did lose one but I plucked it off the stem and put it in a vase in the trailer...
They are as bold and bight as there name .. it seems they really are enjoying all the sunshine much better then we are.. LOL...
I've been home for a little over 36 hours and I have been on the run the whole time...Had to go get tags for the Van, Camper, Boat trailer and a sticker for my boat... I couldn't beleive how long the line was.. took me two hours...not to mention cost a fortune... I had to laugh I thought I was going to be ahead this month... NOT... always something that needs paid for ...
Then of course had to fill the gas tank for my next road trip.. YeeHa...gas was down to $3.40 a gallon.. I can honestly say I never thought I would say YeeHa to $3.40 a gallon gass but much better then $3.70 or more a gallon.....
Then I stopped by John and Laura's to do a little cleaning for them. Laura is still in the hospital but doing much better out of the coma, up and walking around...I was able to take time to go with John and visit with her last night...it was good to see her doing so much better...not sure when she will get to come home. For now I think it is best she is in the hospital where they can make sure that she is going to do good once they release her this time...    Thank you all for all your prayers. I knwo that each and every one of them helped.

It is so hot here in Ohio that my little air conditioner isn't even making a dent it seems in cooling down the trailer.. still 93 degrees in here in my office a little cooler in the living room..where the air conditioner is 83 degrees... I tried opening all the windows and letting air flow threw but it went up to 104 degrees within 5 minutes and that would kill my fur babies and me... so back on with the air... and 3 fans running to circulate the air..
I love summer but this is as rediculious as our winter was.... one extreme to another...

The thought of packing the fur babies, Lucky Blue, Puddles and I back in the van with all our needs for the week just doesn't sound like much fun at all it is going to be a long hot trip north today... I'm considering waiting till early evening to leave when it will be a little cooler..I think I just made my mind up going to wait till later... just to hot...

I did make it out to the shop lastnight to create one little gathering.. that was my down time to relax.. and if it hadn't been so hot it would have been much more enjoyable but none the less I did enjoy myself... I created a darling little Necessary Room Chest gathering...Hope to find time to list it this weekend if not when I get back...

Time to run need to go tot he grocery store and pick up a few things for the week.. I hope that you all stay cool and enjoy your day!!

Until we meet again Smile...

Hugs

Tonya

  

Way to HOT here in Ohio today to be cleaning houses...

Yes it was hotter then fire here on the island today and everywhere else from what I have read in your Blogs..Lucky for all of you who didn't have to work today.. Hopefully you all were able to find something cool to do..Teresa said in her blog she hoped to get to sit on her porch today.. All I wanted to do was lay down infront of an air conditioner... Even tho all my houses were air conditioned they were still hot..I felt like I was a faucet that wouldn't turn off...LOL... drip drip drip...I very seldom take a nap but when I finished working I was so light headed, shaky & dizzy feeling ... I decided I needed to find that air conditioner and just lay down for a little bit and cool off.. so I drank a big glass of water, turned on the well pump beside my camper and let the cool water run over my head and then I dried off and crashed for two hours...
Thank God for air conditioning when I woke up it was dusk, about 20 degrees cooler and I wasn't all shaky and light headed.. I think I got a bit dehydrated working in this heat...
One more house to clean tomorrow morning and then I am off the island for two days... I can't wait to get home and visit with the kids, and all the critters on the farm...

I met with my new realtor Friday and I really liked her... the house is offically back on the market with DeAnna the realtor.. god willing she will have better luck selling the house.. she really liked the house and the yard..she must have said 10 times how cute it was and how it reminded her of an English Cottege with a darling English garden... I'm guessing she is going to push it using that lead in.. it is very much the French/English decor especially my little garden. We shall see how it goes.. more prayers.. I wish I could read gods mind like he can read mine so I knew what his plans are for my house and me ... sure would make life easier...LOL.. to bad it doean't work that way...

Well my dear friends time to call it a day... I hope your sunday was a happy day filled with happy moments!!

Hugs
Tonya

Updates~Updates & More Updates

A huge Hi everyone... I just wanted to stop in and give everyone updates on JULY..
Above is picture of my little pond in my flowerbed at my house in Port Clinton...The house I'm trying to sell. I guess I will start my updates on the sale of the house... Ugg..Not sold yet.. My realtor and I decided that I needed to change realtors because he is so busy on the the Island working that he doesn't have time to go to the mainland to show the house or do any open houses.. So as of yesterday he is no longer the realtor. I have an appointment with a new realtor Friday at 3:00 to start all over again...she promises to do some Open houses ASAP... so we shall see how that goes...

Update #2 I have my van back with a new Transmission and it is running very nicely now..If I can make it threw July with no further Van problems I will be one happy lady...LOL..Thank God for a the good mechanic for working so quickly to get it fixed so I was able to spend less on the car rental and be back on the road in my van.. A huge Thank God for John for helping me get the funds together to pay for the repair..

Update#3 I had to move my camper on the Island to a new location due to unforseen problems with some people on the Island... with where it was parked..Rather then fight them we jsut moved it to another friends farm out in the woods... I was very sad that I had to move it because I really like the 80 yr old gentleman who let me keep it at his house. I cleaned his house and spent time helping him in exchange for letting me park the camper on his property. When I told him I was moving it he got all teary and sad..but I promised I would still help him take care of the house and visit with him every weekend...
I actually love where the camper is now.. very private and quiet in a wooded area with fram animals and wood critters all around....I'll take a picture and share it with you next week...

Update#4 I have had very little chance to get outin the shop to work with so much going on in my life with work and broken down vans but last night I got to spend 8 hours in the shop creating two special order gatherings.. I was so tickled to hide away with all my supplies and work...refreshed me totally!!

Update#5 My friend Laura was abelt o return home but is back in the hospital..this time she was in a coma for 2 days. She's awake now and as of last night she had been moved out of ICU.. She is not doing so well and is still very depressed as well as very sick...I'm so worried about her and John too. This is so hard on him not knowing what is going to happen hanging in the air like dark clouds.
So please do keep them in your prayers.

Update #6 The Baby Chickens have decided they really like there new coupe and the freedom they have during the day when we let them out to roam the barnyard... At night Peg scoops them out some food and they come a running to the coupe to have dinner and go the bed for the night...it is so cute....!

We had a surprise today we got a Fainting Goat delivered to our little farm... Some one had to give him away and well all the animal lovers around here all said sure why not so he now has a new home and the kids all think heis just so cool... Pictures to come...

I think that is about it ....time for me to call it a day so I can get up early and chead back to the island for another weekend of makin beds!!

So until we meet again may your days be filled with Sunshine and Happy moments!!

Hugs
Tonya

 

Today I was reminded of why I hate July!

Yes my friends I truly hate July up until about 5 years ago I really loved July. Warm Sunny  days perfect for boating, swimming, hanging out with friends, having a picnic, you know all the reasons we all love summer so much...
Well as of today I formally state I hate July. Why you ask? I've got some really valid reason I assure you.

4 years ago in July 2008 I got really sick and none of the doctores could figure out what was wrong with me until I was really sick... Finally my ear, noe and throat Dr figured it out.  I had 6 stones( like gull stones & kidney stones)  form in my salvia gland and one of them got stuck and closed off the saliva exit. forcing all of the the salvia build up in my neck creating a baseball sized lump. Which became infected and starting being absorbed into my body making me really sick. Surgery to remove Gland and infection..leaving a 6" scar on my neck.

Then the following year 2009 seems a tradition started that has not ended yet...My van broke down and had to be replaced. So I bought a new used van... It ran great and then one day in July I turned into a clients driveway to clean and when I went to back out to leave & pulled forward it went about 10 feet and jolted to a stop...thought I hit something. When I got out to look at what it was I found that the whole front end of my van broke off from the struts forward, the axel was on the ground, the tires were flopped over and laying on the ground and thengine had fallen down. Thank god I was not on the highway.  So that van was totaled.
I had to buy another new used van.

The following year 2010 July 19th I was driving home from the island and my van simply died while I was driving it down the road. I managed to get it to the side of the road and no accident happened but the engine in the van was blown.
You guessed it I had to buy yet another new uesed van but this time I bought a 2002 in great shape with no known problems and it ran like a gem... I totally fell in love with it.. It had a few minor problems since it was used through out the year that my SNL fixed for me, but over all it ran great.

Today July 6th I headed to the post office and my van was acting really strange and wouldn't take off  unless I went really slow and finally it wouls go into gear and move... I made it to the post office and then headed to John and Laura's to clean and I almost didn't make it... by the last stop and go situation it would hard ly move but some how I managed to get it there. Ask john to come look at it and take a rid so we drove around the block and he says sounds & act like transmission going. His mechanic showed up and they took it for a drive and he says it is your transmission it is shot, kaput, broken you name it it is not going anywhere it has to be replaced.
So once again i was faced with what to do.. still owed money on this van so do I junk it and buy another one Does fix it cost out weigh cost a new used van... what to do what to do... Well after calling around and finding no decent priced vans I could afford... and trade in with blown tranny was zip decided I would in vest in fixing it... to the tune of about $1700..
And they can't start working on it till next Tuesday and I was supposed to be back onthe island this Thursday.. Humm what to do... ok I got to rent a car... more money spent...
So in the morning I have to go rent a car for 10 days or more...
 Uggggggggggggg... I HATE JULY is all I can say... 

And with that said I am gona go sleep on all this drama and see if I can dream about something like butterfly's flying all over a feild of flowers, birds singing, Kittens Playing anything but broken down vans...lol..

Have a great day everyone...

Hugs
Tonya

Surprise from Angie~Totally a Surprise & I love it~Thanks Angie

Well Shucky Darn if I didn't have the best unexpected surprise waiting for me in my mail keep when I went in the house to pick up my mail that arrived while I was away!!
Angie from LilRaggedyAngie..sent it my way!! God Bless hershe is just such a peach...
She Decorated the front of the envelope with the cutest Raggedy Anns and then when I opened my surprise package I discovered the cutest Prim Star Doll... I totally love her and so does my Teddy..He has been wanting something to hold in his arms and she fit just perfectly!! Not much space in y little house so it was nice when she fit so perfectly in Teddy's arm...
Angie also included a little something for the Fur Babies and they took off with it before I was able to pull it off the cardboard backing.. cutest little Rooster cat toy... they have had a ball with it this morning and they wish to tell you THANKS ANGIE we love it...
She tucked in some make up from avon, Lip Gloss, Mascara and Eye Liner...I can dress up myself this weekend when I go to town for dinner and drinks on the Island...

Thanks you for thinking of me Angie...this was such an unexpected surprise and it made me smile from ear to ear... You are just the sweetest.... ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((BIG HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Only one day home so much to do today... I hope you all have a great day..Blessings
Tonya

Remember our Baby Chicks? they finally got a new Home & My Herb Garden~

A huge Hello to all my dear Prim friends..I sure havemissed talking to all of you.

I've been somewhat missing for a while. My lap top has had an attitude for weeks so I haven't been able to post while I am away on the Island working and on the days I have been home it seems I have so little time and so many projects to get done I just haven't had time to post...You've not been totally ignored I've been reading everyones blogs though and totally enjoying them...

Finally a few minutes so thought I would jump in here and share a few things that have been going on since my last visit..

My big brother has a nasty habit of starting projects and then never finishing them so when I got home last week I told Peg were gona finish the new Chicken coupe for the Baby Chicks they are getting to big to be in that little cage so when Jimmy left for work we went to work and we finished it in about 6 hours. Jimmy had built the floor and the four corner post and top rails and then quit. So we had to cover it with chicken wire and build a door for it... I think we did a great job and the Chicks just love all the space.

It measures 10' tall x 10" deep x 8" wide with a nesting box in the back.

The nesting box is an antique came from an old chicken house that someone was taking down..

They are now let out in the morning to roam and peck around the yard with the bigger Chickens and put back in at night..

Look how big they are now.. won't be to long till we have eggs!!

Remember the Free lattice I picked up along the street. I finally got the two pieces cut and put up in front of my ugly Red Neck Ched and the Morning Glory's aremaking there way up it. Soon it will be all covered and the old red neck shed won't seem so ugly well until winter that is.

My Red Neck shed is made from a 10' x10' chain link dog pen covered with Tarps. Uglier then sin but it serves its purpose perfectly I planted the Morning glory's last year but never got the Lattice for them to climb. Well when Jimmy broke his antique garden Hoe and I sat it in front of the Red Neck Shed I knew I had to get the lattice then as you know I got really lucky and found some free along the road. so now it looks really cool and soon the Morning Glory's will be just beautiful clinging to the lattice...

My Herb Garden is starting to look really good. The sage came back this spring and jsut doing fantasic.. by the end of summer it will be twice this size so I will have lots to dry for my gatherings. It smells so yummy!

Carmen gave me this Lavendar last year and it did very well and managed to make it threw the horrid winter we had and is doing very well so should have lots of it to dry come fall..The dill came back too and is doing great.. I'm going to plant more Dill seeds soon so I can have a fall crop to harvest...
The new Herbs I planted is just now starting to grow. I really need to add more top soil to this part of the bed and some mulch because it is really dry and its not a good enviroment for my Herbs but they are growing. I wish I was home more so I could keep them watered .. I know they are struggling in all the heat we are having but I think they will do fine once I get some more dirt around them and topped with mulch...

I also worked on my storage room in my neighbors barn. She has a loft in the barn and said I could store crafts supplies in the loft. But first Ihad to hang Tarps and create a room so the birds don't mess all over my things. the Walls are done and I started putting shelves in last week while I was home. We got like 20 boxes of my craft supplies carried up there and put on the shelves.
I'm really excited about having this storage space. I waste so much time looking for things I want because I have so much and it is stuffed in the shop which make sit darn near impossible to find anything without making a total mess digging and moving things till I find what i need. When I am done with the new storage area everything will be organized in wire type cube shelves. So all the shelves will be in one area, all the scones in one area and so on... I will be able to walk in there and just grab what I need without all the digging and mess making. I will have so much more time to actually create.

That's about sums up the latest happenings on my side of the world...

Time for me to bid you all a good night!!

Until we meet again may the sun shine on your days and fill them with warm memories!!

Hugs
Tonya