Happy Holidays Out of my Comfort Zone

Happy Holidays!!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.

I spent the weekend in Dallas with my brother's family and my mom and even my sweet son. 

Me with my mom and brother.

Growing my bangs out...ugh.

Nothing worse. 

My absolute favorite picture of the weekend.

My great nephew playing Pokemon with the Big Guy. 

Also had the chance to see some friends so it was a pretty perfect time. The icing on the cake was I got to get on a plane- not much makes me happier- and on the return trip I spent a night in Denver with my friend Diana and her very sick daughter and her not sick son-in-law.  LOVE having a place to stay in the Mile High City as the drive to and from the Denver airport is the pits. 

And now I'm back at the cozy cabin in the woods, watching the snow fall outside my window. Don't think the temp has been above freezing at all today. The pellet stove is blazing and there is chili in the crockpot for dinner. 

Mina on my lap, fire in the pellet stove.

Cozy in the woods.

Need to put the Christmas tree up.

And last week I really got out of my comfort zone. The hospital had a craft fair which I went to last year...but wasn't brave enough to sign up for.   Cheryl, the nurse I work with, does beautiful photographs that she puts on cards and canvases. She sold things last year and encouraged me to try it this year. And then she reminded me and nudged me just enough that I turned in my fee and committed.   

Honestly, selling stuff I make has always intimidated me. Lots of doubts of  it "doesn't look professional enough", it isn't "creative enough". Whatever. Lots of excuses to not try. 

So with a shove from Cheryl, I tried.   I made some beads...necklaces and earrings and fun wrap bracelets. Then I made some banana bread and apple pies. And then I made some seasoned salt. My fabulous nephew, Andrew, who is über creative and much better at computer design than I, offered to help me with a label for the salt. I had a basic idea- he cleaned it up.   So it was an interesting table of items for sale. 

Andrew's improved version of my label.

After setting up, I wandered the other tables and despaired a bit that I was not as organized, creative, professional and then decided "F*@k it. I don't care."  This was an experiment. Would anyone buy anything? Would I take everything I came with home again? 

Lots of little salts. 

And some earrings. 

Needed a little work on the display but o well.

Well, guess what?  I sold half my salt, most of my bracelets, all of the banana bread, all but one of the pies (Fools. I should have sold all of them as they are really yummy.) and some  earrings and necklaces.  I probably made a $120 profit, which, considering I had zero expectations 
and I only started working on things November 1, was not bad. I had someone come up and tell me they had bought one of my bracelets for her daughter for Christmas. Really?? I made a Christmas present?

Would I do it again? Sure. But I would plan a little more- my presentation needed work-and start creating a little sooner. 

So. If you create, share it with the world. There will always be people that are more or better but there are also people willing to spend cold hard cash on your ideas and creativity. And that is such great validation. 

Put yourself out there.   And have a wonderful holiday season. 

No. 70: Go to a Presidential Library

No. 70: Go to a Presidential Library 

Wow! Actually accomplished something on my list for a change.

Last weekend while I was in Texas, I attended a wedding in Dallas with many of my High School traveling friends. We had Saturday morning free and Martha Anne suggested a trip to the George W Bush Presidential Library. Hey! Visiting a presidential library is on my list, Number 70 to be exact.  So we went.

I wasn't sure what to expect...a museum? A library with books? Boring?

Me, the library entrance, 

and a beautiful Texas day.

Museum most accurately fit the bill.  As a bonus there was an exhibit on the First Ladies and their accomplishments.

In the beginning, the most a Presidential spouse could hope for was 

recognition of her "Hostessing" abilities. 

Gotta start somewhere. 

Lady Bird Johnson made life more beautiful.

She reigned in the highway billboards and sowed wildflowers.

The world can always use more beauty.

Laura Bush was a teacher. 

I love this quote. 

Allison, Kathleen, and Martha Anne watching a movie 

on the First Ladies. 

The change and inspiration these women have brought about in their unelected position is amazing. (I'm waiting for a First Man so the exhibit can be changed to First Spouses. I'm also waiting for our current First Lady to do SOMETHING. Or maybe not. Maybe she is doing us a favor by not doing a thing.)  Thrust into the limelight, they became style leaders, opened up our eyes to addiction and mental illness, made breast cancer a subject that could be discussed rather than brushed under the rug and beautified our nation.

Fully inspired, we headed into the permanent museum exhibits.   While I'm  a Texas girl, I wasn't a huge fan of George W.   Truthfully I didn't think he was that smart. At least he did have the brains to surround himself for the most part with people who were smart. That helped. I was proud of the way he handled 911. And he was and is a good person.

The exhibits are fun.  Interactive. Educational. In his eight years as President, George W. dealt with a lot.

His most Presidential moment was his response to the 911 terrorism attacks on New York City and the Pentagon.

Wow. 

Steel from the Twin Towers. 

Just this in the middle of the room.

So powerful.

Some of his other highlights included Medicare Part D which is the Senior prescription drug plan, creating three national marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean that protects almost 200,000 square miles of aquatic life, his relief for AIDS which has saved lives and helped prevent the spread of that horrible disease, and his capture of Saddam Hussein.

He had his failures too. Those weren't exactly the focus of the library.

There was a wonderful film of his daughters talking about their life with a Presidential father. Bush is a family man and it was nice to see that aspect of his life. His dogs were highlighted. Loved those Scottish terriers.

Was he a great President? Probably not. But he did the job as best as he could. I love this quote and wish our current President would read it.

Respect.

Earned, not a given.

Easily lost. 

My favorite part of the library? 

The Oval Office. 

I got to sit at a reproduction of Bush's desk. Complete with the magical red button. 

Don't I look comfortable and in charge? 

Sign me up. 

I've raised teenagers,

I'm sure I could run the country. 

We finished the day with lunch at the attached cafeteria. Just like Disney World, the library empties into a gift shop and there's a restaurant near by. A winning formula.  Café 43 had surprisingly good food and it was a wonderful way to end our visit.

Me, Martha Anne, Allison and Kathleen 

Great friends,

great day,

great visit. 

No.70 is in the books.

Another New Restaurant or I'm Rocking No. 63....

Another New Restaurant aka Rocking No. 63

(#63: Try at least 12 new restaurants in 2016)

Well, I'm not getting much done these days but I am getting out to eat occasionally. 

Yay for that. 

Last weekend involved a road trip to the Dallas area with some friends for another friend's surprise sixtieth birthday party.   The party was actually east of Dallas but on the way we stopped right in downtown Big D for lunch.

I would show you some pictures but my phone died. Crashed. Cratered. Actually it was wearing prison stripes as its home screen. Not a good look for it, either. It's the first time I've had a phone die without being dropped in water or otherwise abused. 

Anyway, lunch. 

We went to Lark on the Park which wins the prize for most fun name ever. Doesn't it just sound like a place you would love to visit? 

Hey wait! Sweet Peggy took pics and she shared them with me/you. 

It's one of those just too perfect spare urban restaurants with seasonal cuisine, a good craft beer list and a great view of -duh!- the park across the street. I had the grilled cheese- perfectly hedonistic- and the most sumptuous sweet potato chips ever. 

But the thing that makes the restaurant really special to me is the artwork. Giant chalkboards cover the walls and every quarter they have different artists come in and draw huge murals. Past walls have included work by tattoo artists, graphic designers, jewelers, students and professors. What a wonderful way to share art on a regularly changing basis.

 Unfortunately their website does not have info on the current artists.

 This was my very favorite.

Something about prisoners(?) in kitty caps? 

Or adults in kid pajamas?

It spoke to me. 

So much effort for such an ephemeral piece.

Art: it does a body good. Or something like that. 

And the birthday friend? She was very very surprised!

Happy happy birthday, Liddy!

Next week we go to Colorado to watch Bunny graduate with the rest of her class. She's been out of school since December but she's not official until next weekend. 

I can't believe I haven't seen my Twin Sisters since they were dressed in snow. Wonder if it is all gone now?  

The Twin Sisters

Posting will be sparse but I promise to check in at some point.