Gratitude

I brought my husband home from the hospital last Monday,
one week after his heart attack.
He is doing a little better each day & I am so very grateful to still have him with me.
Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.
It amazes me how even the smallest thing he is able to do now can make me
grateful for this gift of a little more time with him.
Like helping to empty the dishwasher or take out the garbage!
It can be a single moment of time together or a simple, random act of kindness,
like a hug & a whispered "thank you".
Gratitude is such a feeling of pure thankfulness, counting your blessings
& just noticing the simple pleasures.

Gratitude changes your focus from what you lack in life
to the abundance that is already present.

His humor has not left him.
Yesterday, while making his breakfast, I dropped something behind him & startled him.
Immediately, he quipped

"What are you trying to do....give me a heart attack?"

We put up our Christmas tree yesterday.
He was able to assist in draping the pearl garlands &
pointed out several bare spots that needed another ornament.
He's always been good at delegating. *wink*

I will take pictures as soon as the sun returns to Ohio.
It has been very dark & gloomy these past few days &
not conducive to photographs with my antique digital camera.


Prior to his heart attack, I had taken some photos,
hoping to participate in Marty's Cloche Party at A Stroll Thru Life.
He was in the hospital that week & I never got to share them, so here are a few now.
I am also finally getting to participate in Susan's
Deck the Halls Party at her beautiful blog, Thoughts From Over The Rainbow.


Remember I used this apothecary jar with the beaded apples for my sewing friend's luncheon centerpiece.
The attached heart shaped key is actually a bottle opener &
was a favor at hubby's grandson's wedding this past June in Chicago.

I switched the apples for some white iridescent Christmas bulbs &
used my deckle edge scissors to cut up one of last year's Christmas cards to tie beneath the key.
A bow of white & gold ribbon ties it into the color scheme of my holiday decorations.

I placed a hemstitched linen hand towel that I embroidered
an angel on last year next to it....again, white & gold.

As I walked around the house looking for something that would resemble a cloche,
I thought about this little Christmas tree.
I'm pretty sure it was an Avon collectable item from years ago.
The 3 lights blink in random fashion when the battery switch is turned on &
it looks really pretty sitting on my Mikasa Christmas cake plate.

This could be considered a cloche, don't you think????

On the dining room table, I had another cake plate keeping some homemade kolachi fresh.
I'll try to remember to post the recipe for Foodie Friday.

I made the free standing lace ornament that is tied on top
with my embroidery machine last year &
used the same white & gold wired ribbon to tie it into the color scheme.

That works as a cloche, right?

The frosted glass block next to it was something many of us made when we lived in FL.

Our husbands drilled a small hole in the side....that was the hard part,
as they had to keep pouring water over the drill bit to keep it cool.

We spray painted them to look like they were frosted with snow.

We stuffed a strand of 50 mini lights inside, leaving just the tail of the plug out.
Wrapped them with more wired white & gold ribbon & added a holiday pick.
They look beautiful lit at night but you can't leave them on too long.
Heat builds up, even with just 50 lights & they will burn out quickly if left on too long.

As I continued to walk around, I spied the perfect little cloche that I've own for years!
It sits on an end table next to Miss C's photo.
It is HER little candy dish....nobody else ever eats the M&M's in there.
I'm surprised her brothers don't devour them but they don't seem interested in it & never touch it.

I moved it over beside the glass block so you can
see just how little it really is.

I switch the colors according to the season & she is always surprised by what she finds.
Last month they were orange & brown.
In the spring, I will do pastels.

I hope to get some more decorations up to share before
hubby's son & wife arrive from Australia for the holidays.


It will truly be a very special Christmas indeed this year
with a new appreciation for every single day together!