BEACH COTTAGE FOR PINK FRIDAY!

Life's a Beach...Today at Make Mine Pink we are celebrating Beach Cottage for Pink Friday. So grab your swimsuit (see the suit above, it is an actual cookie!), flip flops; you don't need sunscreen to surf the beachy boutiques today at http://www.makeminepink.com/ Here you will find all sorts of goodies to make your Summer beach life a lbreeze, whether it is at the shore, or home in your back yard. Beach Cottage is a way of life.....Life is a Beach. Don't forget to stop my Little Pink Boutique, The Polka Dot Rose (http://www.thepolkadotrose.com/) for more on line shopping fun.

Casey

This is an email I received from my brother, who lost his best friend, his Casey. We have all been very emotional as we are all very close sibblings and when one cries, we all cry, when one laughs, we all laugh. I am grateful to have been there today when he called me early this morning and then again as he rode back to spend time and say goodbye to Casey. It is not an easy read, but something we all have to face one time or another, when we love our fuzzy pets:

'It's with a very heavy heart that I am sending this update. At approximately 11:50 a.m., today, Casey was put to sleep with me by her side, petting her. We've gone through a lot together and I wanted to be there with her when she passed.

I got to bed at 3:45 am and was woken out of my sleep by a phone call from Dr. Nutini at 5:15 am. She said test results showed that she was anemic and possibly had internal bleeding and suggested more testing. Lack of sleep and disbelief was making it impossible to make a decision on what to do... give the okay for more testing or the harder option... having her put to sleep. Susie, thank you for helping me see through the fog. Susie said, "You should do the right thing for Casey." After hanging up with Susie and giving it some thought the obvious thing to do for both Casey and I was to not throw in the towel so quickly... she deserved that much. I approved further testing then laid down to try to sleep... nice try.

Between 9:30 and 10:00 am Dr. Nutini called to let me know that the tests confirmed what they thought was the case. Casey had a large growth in her stomach that appeared to have metastasized (spread through her body). Game, set, match... only one option remained. What a punch in the gut. They told me I could come in and spend some time with her and, if I chose, I could stay for the end. That's what I did.

I grabbed my camera, a pack of tissues and a Milk Bone and headed for the critical care center. I arranged to pay before hand because I didn't want to have to conduct business afterwards. An awesome vet, Dr. Lugones, called me into an exam room. We spoke for a while. She told me how the procedure would go and let me know that the staff gave her bacon and eggs and she woofed it down. She left and came back with Casey.

Casey was in good spirits (which made it all the more difficult). She was happy to see me and kept walking over to the exam room door as if to say, "Comeon Dad! Let's get out of here!" I handed Dr. Lugones the camera so she could capture the last few moments of what was a wonderful relationship (I've attached them below to tear at your heart strings).
Dr. Lugones was crying as she took the pictures (yes, I was too).

Then she gave Casey and I fifteen minutes alone. Then she came back we both sat on the floor with Casey sitting in the middle. First she gave Casey a sedative that basically knocked her out and then gave her the lethal injection. Gone... Good-bye lil pup-pup. I love you and I'll miss you dearly.

One last treat...

Okay... one more...

Kissing that nose a thousand times for those that weren't there...
Best friends to the end ( she looks so happy)...

Feel free to call to console me... I'm devastated. " [Note to readers: Pictures not shown]

Rest peacefully Casey and thank you for loving my brother unconditionally for twelve loyal years. Wait for him at the Rainbow Bridge. http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

Look Who Took Top Billing for my Show and Tell!

Who could resist that face? The basket is one of the treasures I found at a yard sale Saturday. I scooped it up and then filled it will all kinds of treasures. Once I came home and unloaded everything on the table, I put the basket down. This is Hopper aka Velco aka Houdini....he does not miss a trick checking something new out, especially if he can manage to get into it. What a hoot! So, I thought this would make a cute Show and Tell Monday of one of my latest yard sale finds. I just finished wrapping my Secret Sister gift, and geez, I wish I was getting it!

It's An English Tea at Pink Friday!

There is nothing finer than to sit over a cup of tea with a good friend and catch up on all the latest goings on. Don't even watch the clock. You two have a lot of gabbing to do. This Pink Friday we have the pleasure of showing you 'An English Tea' presentation at all the boutiques at Make Mine Pink (http://www.makeminepink.com/). Go make yourself a cup of tea, put your jammies on, shut the phone off, and take your time looking at all the all the fineries that make tea between friends so special. Enjoy!

Susie ~ The Polka Dot Rose

http://www.thepolkadotrose.com/ Click on Pink Friday

It's Always Strawberry Season

Today is Monday Show and Tell at the boutiques at Make Mine Pink (http://www.makeminepink.com/), so pour yourself a nice iced tea and take a look.

It's always strawberry season at my home! June is one of my favorite months because fresh strawberries are out at the farm stands. I try to frequent the local stands and enjoy the strawberries as long as I can.

My pictures for show and tell today is of my vintage table and chairs I found at an antique shop a few years ago. that was done by a local artist. My sister and I went up to Brimfield Antique Show and I was trying to find a new table and chairs. We came home with knick knacks and paddywacks. When I least expected it, I saw this set at an antique shop near home and I had to have it. I fell in love with it. It was fun, whimsical, had strawberries that I loved, and it was a repurposed table and chairs! It even has a little silverware draw in it, so perhaps it is of the 40's or 50's. It did not match anything in my home. I didn't care. Isn't that how you feel when love hits you?

This table brings me joy each day when I see it. I have changed my kitchen/dining room to black and white toile, checks and one pinky red wall. Very striking. I love it!

PINK FRIDAY ~ KITSCHY KITCHEN DAY!!

It's Kitschy Kitchen at Pink Friday with Make Mine Pink! I have items posted on my Little Pink Boutique (www.makeminepink.com) under the site "The Polka Dot Rose" for you to enjoy looking at and shopping if you are so inclined from the comfort of your own home. The picture above shows one of my collections in my kitschy kitchen, yellow ware bowls. I am the proud owner of five, ranging from this small bowl up to a huge bowl I can barely pick up it is so heavy. I use that bowl to make home made bread in at Easter. It reminds me of my maternal grandmother, who taught me how to make bread. She made bread every other day. She and my grandfather, Susie and Frank, had fourteen (14) children. My dear Mom was the baby. Ah sweet memories. Enjoy going to all the Little Pink Boutiques today to look at all the goodies everyone has presented to make your kitschy kitchen warm and inviting. (Just to add I wanted to take a picture of my four large yellowware bowls but I have them up on a loft in my kitchen and it is quite tricky to take a picture of them. One of these days I will bring them down for a Monday Show and Tell). Promise.

It's Another Show and Tell Monday!

This is a few of my latest finds out and about treasure hunting for The Polka Dot Rose website. Notice the PINK clothespins and clothespin container. I don't know about you, but growing up we always hung our laundry outdoors on the line and to this day I still love doing laundry. What better way to hang out wash to dry than with PINK clothespins! I found a lovely bracelet which deserves it's own spotlight to be appreciated. A double leaf candy dish, lovely thank you cards and ballerina stationery. To top it off, a snazzy PINK Summer bag, which could also do double duty as a tote. I was a pink pig in pink mud! I hope that comes across as "HAPPY"!!! Enjoy Show and Tell Monday on all the other blogs on Make Mine Pink.

PINK FRIDAYS ~ FATHER'S FAVORITES!

It is Pink Friday again at Make Mine Pink, a chance to spotlight certain occasions and items from our boutiques to assist you in your gift giving. Today we celebrate Father's Day with "Father's Favorites". My Father's Favorite Selection is for helping Dad relax and unwind...a little pampering goes a long way!

Notice the three debonaire gentlemen in the picture above? Ooooh! Well, I am proud to say, that is my Grandfather on the left, with his two brothers, my great uncles. This picture was taken in Germany and I have cherished it for years. No better tribute to Father's Day than to honor my Dad's Father, whom he was named after: Rudolph. His brothers, Oscar and Otto.

My grandfather came to the United States via England and settled in as a baker. I think that is who I get my sweet tooth from! Now I get it! He met my Grandmother, Elizabeth, a strong Irish woman and they resided in Milford, New Hampshire. They had seven children; my Grandmother had 1 child from a first marriage and together they had six children. (That must have been something back in the day). The bakery building is still in Midford, NH and we visit it every time we are up in New England. When my Dad was 17 the family moved to Long Island, where he met my Mom and the rest is history, as they say. My Grandparents passed on when I was just six months of age and my Dad eight years ago. This is a time to honor them and think of all the Dads who work so hard to make their family life wholesome. Happy Father's Day!