This Perfectly Imperfect Life

(Said in a hushed whisper: "This is my Favorite favorite flower in my garden right now, a Brown-Eyed Susan that's appeared out of no where!") (Said in a hushed whisper: "This (dinner) was the extent of our 4th of July celebration this year as I ended up sick later this night, all day on the 4th and in the hospital on the 5th. Photo taken before dinner with our neighbors.") Head over to New Jersey Through My Eyes for "Catching Up - Summer 2010," a new slide show of photo's.

My sweet friend Jess over at Tangled Up In Blue has tagged me to share photo's of a few of my favorite things, though I'm doing my favorite things around our home, not just in our/my room. (And I'm doing 7 things instead of 5!) So here we go, in no particular order: As most of you who read my blog know, I love love love Halloween and these delightfully spooky treasures stay up, year round, above our living room windows. (As does that snow man actually!) Another thing most of you know about me is that I love love love snow and this is my collection of snowy paintings & pictures which hang above our computer desk in our room, most of which are set in the country. Most of these I've picked up in thrift shops over time or framed myself. This is Hubbs, at the tender age of 19, within his first year of being in the United Stated Marine Corps. He looks Nothing like this now and sometimes it's hard for me to believe it's really him, but I've been assure

In an attempt to keep myself from sliding further into a funk that started yesterday, (I've had it with being sick and tired, being stuck w/needles, iv's & tubes, having tests, taking meds and feeling like crap - Had It! ) I'm taking a few moments to appreciate some of the simple pleasures I'm enjoying this Sunday (via another list): -Watching CBS News Sunday Morning, something I've done and enjoyed for many years now on Sunday mornings when I'm home. -Laying around with Hubbs, watching bad movies and laughing. -Seeing the smallest Carolina Wren I've ever seen in my garden out back when I got up to get myself some lunch. What a sweet looking little bird! -My pumpkin spice candle from last Autumn, such a yummy and comforting scent. (Walmart's Mainstays candle collection). -Catching up on my magazines; Country Living, Country Living British Edition, Starting From Seed and Artful Blogging. -Watching my new guilty pleasure show, The Fabulous Beakman

Watch the full episode . See more Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. For interview/partial transcript, click here. The parts about gardening and how some feel while they're in the garden are how I feel when I'm gardening and it's the first time I've heard it put into words other than in my own mind and journal. It felt good to hear!

A list for this post: -Love and prayer. -My husband, my hero (yet again). Words cannot describe the love and appreciation in my heart. Had he not acted when he did, knowing something was seriously wrong with me (when I didn't know), I would not be here and that's no exaggeration. -Being home instead of in the hospital. I always appreciate our home after being away, but I never wanted to be home more than I did after Hubbs would leave when visiting hours were over in the evening at the hospital. -My mom. She's driving me crazy by literally following me around the house when ever I move around, lol! I'm thankful for her help since getting home. (Though it makes me feel bad to be 35 and having my 70 year old mother taking care of me!) -My friends. My bff's and all of you out there in cyberspace; Your kind, loving & supportive words, cards and gifts mean the world to me and are helping me get better each day. I especially couldn't have gotten through the

I am finally home, arrived later Friday evening. I still have the kidney drain in because my left kidney is still stick and on the mend so I am home bound for 2 weeks until I go back for them to check my kidney out down in Radiology, make sure it's functioning properly and then they'll remove the drain. They've decided to leave that tiny kidney stone alone because it is so microscopic and another procedure would only put me at risk for exposure to more bacteria and none of my doctor's want that. More home rest and antibiotics to follow that as well and possibly some physical therapy to help regain my strength. Wow, by the time all of this is 'over,' July will be gone! Leaving the hospital and coming home was a little overwhelming, a feeling I've had before after leaving the hospital and it's difficult to explain. I'm a little afraid being home (after what I've been through this last week I'm surprised I'm not in a terrified stupor, lo

For those of you who don't already know, I'm currently in the hospital in an adult critical care unit trying to get rid of a very dangerous infection. (Nothing that's contagious but still has deadly potential). Without going into too much horrifying detail, I've had a drain tube inserted into my left kidney through my back to help it function because coincidentally when the infection kicked in & things swelled, a kidney stone was passing and got trapped, blocking flow. (The stone or stones apparently are not what's caused the infection). They couldn't knock me out for this proceedure because my fever when I arrived here was 103.6 and it was too dangerous. They gave me enough to take away "80%" of the pain. I was terrified (scared out of my every living mind and soul by this point) but thankfully it went quick and there were no complications. It takes 5 to 7 days for this kind of infection to run it's course. Aside from the drain tub

New Jersery Through My Eyes is on a temporary sabatical. Thanks for understanding. If you'd like to know more, please go to my other blog, Diggin' Around. Take care until nest time!

It's been a long time since I did a 'Thursday Thoughts & Tidbits' post. I don't force topics but I sure go with them when inspiration knocks! I've been journaling a lot again and feeling better. I feel totally scattered when I'm not journaling on a regular basis for an extended period of time. I didn't even place in that photo contest I entered last month and no lie, I'm a little disappointed, but if 'at first you don't succeed, try try again!' and I will. When life gives me lemons, do I make lemonade? No, I make zucchini bread! (I march to the beat of my own drum baby!) Our heat wave broke yesterday, it's been breezy with temps in the 70's and I couldn't resist the urge any longer. When I mentioned on Twitter earlier this afternoon that I was baking the first loaves of zucchini bread of the season, friend Lisa (of Lit and Life ) said I should sell them at a local farmer's market. That stuck with me through t