September ,,,,already?

I cannot BELIEVE it is already September. The local kids started school again yesterday. I miss watching my boys,,head off to new adventures, new friends, new teachers and experiences! How fast the days go!

Andrew, my youngest, is finishing his Associates at the local (Everett Community) College this qtr. With plans of going on to Western Winter Qtr. He's doing this after serving 4 years in the Marine Corps. And TWO tours of Iraq. I try and remember to thank God, every day that he came home safe. Not just in body,,,but in spririt.

I just have to say here, because I am SO proud of him in SO many ways, that he COULD have chosen an easier path. My brother, 10 year older than me, offered to send Andrew to his School/education of choice after High School.  Wowza! What an offer! But my son, chose the Marines and took the GI Path instead.
Pride? Dignity? Conviction to his Path? My son's never really said. As a Mom, I would have preferred that he took a "safer" route, but that wasn't Andrew.  He's working and creating his OWN path....I admire him for that. The "Road less Travellled," if you will.

So Fall in Washington? It's usually one of the most beautiful places you can be! The Colors, the smells, the "Frosting on the Mountain tops of Rainier,,,,,,Baker,  a "hint on the Cascades, the Olympics." Of Winter to come, yes, but just a tease, with days full of sunshine and harvests and hot air balloons and the beginnings of "crunching through the leaves........."

I got a taste, a finality, if you will today of our local Farmer's Market.

I bought a Bouquet of Sunflowers and ornamental Corn........too pretty and $5 dollars as I asked my favorite flower vendor, a Vietnamese woman of a certain age, "Do your hands ache from all this twisting and cutting?" She replied with a smile, "Yes."

Thank you, for making my home a bit more homey. With a week or two more left of the Market,,,,,,,,,I will miss her, and her creations!

My friends Loura and Gater helped me with a Chandelier I'd bought at Sand Point in Seatttle. Gater re-wired it for me and offered to put in an inline switch and plug AFTER I got the needed Chain. But today,,,,I took the fixture he'd rewired back to my old stomping grounds and Seattle Lighting and an old collegue Greg, finished it off,,,,,,,,following the instuctions I'd gotten from Gator.......Gator heads back up to Alaska on Monday,,,,,,I didn't want to bother him anymore! Time with his wife, Loura, is MUCH more important than my measly fixture~ .

So,,TA DA! It's now in the corner cubby of my bedroom! The walls look bright Orange in the pic,,,,,they are more of a Flamingo though....somewhere between a pink and a coral............But I LOVE having the Chandelier there!

Mini Chandelier I bought at San Point,,,,,Gracing my bedside now.......Score! Thanks Loura and Gator! And thanks to Greg at Seattle lighting for finishing it off!

Here are my "Drugs of Choice" this week! I have a love/hate relationship with this Author. Her books are addictive......oh sure, here's ONE more! And I blame my sister in law for not getting anything done for 24 hours! Add a Chocolate Cupcake with Vanilla frosting and welll, life doesn't GET much Better!

Ackk! Crack AND a Cupcake! I am a WEAK woman!

Do NOT start these books unless you are in it for the LONG Haul! Don't Hate me because you learned of these books from Me! HA!

Enjoy the rest of your week! Don't forget to Enter/Post about my Giveaway~

Hugs and love!

Shell