Home Again…

On our way home from taking my mom to the airport in Atlanta I decided that Aidan and I would take a little day trip to Pine Mountain, Warm Springs and FDR’s Little White House.  My BA is in History (with an emphasis in 20th Century American), and FDR is my favorite president so I’ve definitely been wanting to see the Little White House since we moved here.

The view from FDR State Park looking down into Meriwether County.

The entrance to “Roosevelt’s Little White House”

The front of the Little White House. To be honest, I was amazed at how small it was. No president now would live in a cottage this size…most regular people wouldn’t even live in a cottage this small. But, being a lover of old houses and cottages like I am, I really liked the Little White House. The furniture was all small and fit the cottage perfectly.

“The Unfinished Portrait” FDR was sitting for his Presidential Portrait when he suffered from a massive stroke. The artist left the original portrait at the Little White House in Warm Springs, unfinished. She later completed another portrait which went to the White House in DC.

The Finished Portrait

FDR was stricken with Infantile Paralysis (Polio) as an adult, prior to beginning his political career. He came to the Warm Springs in Georgia to swim in the waters for rehabilitation while he was governor of New York. He founded the March of Dimes as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis in 1938. His face is on the dime now in honor of this.

After we went to the Little White House we went into the town of Warm Springs to check things out (there wasn’t a whole lot there, there was more in Pine Mountain) but we did find some goofy little things to take Aidan’s picture with.

Apparently this was an actual working little locomotive that was used to pull diamonds out of mines in Arkansas. Aidan liked that it was just her size.

My Texas-born, Georgia Peach.

Aidan and the big green bunny.

What a fun, history-filled little day trip, all within 40 miles of home!

We played in the make-up a little bit this morning.  This kid has lashes that are a friggin’ mile long.

I must admit, I judge people who say that they hate to read.  I get if you claim that don’t have time to read (which isn’t true because everyone goes to the bathroom) but reading, in my opinion, is essential to learning.  So, the quiz is only kind of accurate when it says I’m a snob, except I’m more of a reading snob rather than a book snob.

Speaking of reading, I just got 2 new books.  One crafty and one pleasure reading:

I’ve been wanting to see this movie but someone told me that the book is about a thousand times better.  Although, once I read the book, I probably won’t want to see the movie.

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I love finding adorable little vintage pillowcases and sheets and was never sure what to do with them.  This book has some adorable projects.

I’m dreaming of redesigning the master bedroom.  The furniture we have, while nice and only a little over 5 years old, is not really the right scale for an older home which is what we’re in now and what we’re likely to be moving into when we move this summer (I have a love affair with old homes 50+ years).  The scale is more appropriate for a new home with a big bedroom with lots of space to fill.

I’m currently in love with black bedroom furniture.

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$1625

The only thing about this one is that it has brass hardware…not loving the brass, I’d much prefer a more modern designed pull in nickel. 

$3295 for Queen bed, dresser, mirror and 2 nightstands

I like the hardware and panels on this one but not the price.

 $1526.85

Not loving the balls.  What’s up all the balls all over everything?  Bun feet would’ve looked better.

$2339.35 (Includes Queen bed, dresser, mirror, chest.  The nightstands are not included and are $350 each.)

This is my favorite set.  I like the style of the dresser, it’s reminiscent of some antiques I’ve seen.  I would definitely change out the hardware to nickel from the wood, though.

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My living room furniture is looking kinda sad but it’ll probably be a while (ie, until Aidan is old enough to not wipe her grubby mouth or hands on the furniture) before we replace it.  But, I’ll be dreaming of replacing it before too long. 

Spring is coming.  It’s finally started to warm up after West Central GA has sat in a deep freeze for the past month or so and all I want to do is sew, sew, sew.  I’ve spent oodles and gobs of money on fun new fabrics and patterns over the last couple of months to sew up into spring clothes because my goal is to not buy Aidan any clothes for Spring.  Except now I’ve got this big honkin’ finger in the way.  I can’t cut, I can’t pin, and I’m not entirely sure I can run fabric through the sewing machine with much control.  Right before we left last weekend I had cut out an adorable Valentines outfit for Aidan for her to wear to school on Friday.  Somehow I doubt that it’s going to get made, dang it.  It’s not OVERTLY Valentiney, just pink and red, so she’ll be able to wear it later but I’m still frustrated.

I get my stitches out tomorrow and am supposed to hear about a referral to an orthopedist as well.  There’s a possibility of surgery to put a pin in to stabilize all the little pieces that used to be the end of my finger.  All I know is I want to sew so my child isn’t naked!

Aidan and I went to my sister in law and niece’s this weekend for a visit and to attend the wedding of one of Ryan’s friends from high school that was in Nashville (Ft. Campbell is fairly close to Nashville).  My mom came up to surprise the girls and help my sister in law while I was at the wedding.  Shortly after the Super Bowl started Melynn and I went out to the garage to put my dad’s TV into my car.  Melynn couldn’t help me so I got a rolling cart, got the (really heavy) TV onto it and started rolling it through the garage.  At some point the already front-heavy TV got too much forward momentum and it started to fall.  The odd thing is, before it started to fall I thought to myself “It’s just a free TV, if it starts to fall, just let it, it’s not worth getting hurt over.”  So, anyway, it started to fall and I, instinctively tried to catch it, smashing my right middle finger between the floor and the TV. 

I jerked my hand loose and walked aroumd the driveway trying to shake it off, thinking I had only mashed my finger…until something warm and wet hit my forehead.  Then I looked down at my hand and saw that my finger was bleeding profusely.  I said, “Melynn, I think we need to go to the hospital.  I think I cut my finger really badly.”  When she saw the blood she got woozy and called her neighbor, a combat medic (ya gotta love living on an Army post) to come check me out.  He cleaned it up, told me I’d need stitches, wrapped it up in gauze and gave me an icepack. 

Melynn got the kids ready and we loaded up to head to the ER looking like the Grapes of Wrath.  The girls were messy and had untied shoes and we both had blood spatter all over us from me trying to shake the pain out (before I realized I cut my finger).  Thank goodness for Tricare, though, because it was no problem getting right in and getting seen.  I wound up missing most of the Super Bowl and didn’t get to see The Office episode that came on afterward (I threatened my 8th grade class if they spoiled it for me, I’d flunk them.)

As it turned out, I didn’t “cut” my finger, the weight of the TV burst the flesh at the tip and required six stitches.  I was x-rayed and they saw that the weight of the TV crushed the bone at the tip of my finger.  My finger is bandaged and in a splint.  I’m taking Keflex (antibiotic) and Tramdol (painkiller).  The ER doc had me on Augmentin but the Ortho doc put me on Keflex because it’s a broader spectrum antibiotic.  He wants to prevent the possibility of my getting osteomyelitis in my finger and possibly losing it.  Yikes! 

I think I’ve told the story about 50 times today.  I keep accidentally bumping it and it’s hard to find a comfortable way to hold my hand.