Did you ever click on a blog and find it was nothing like you expected from it’s name? I hope it is pretty clear what you will find when you click on the blog name Behind My Red Door. I do show you stuff from Behind My Red Door all the time. And not only that, when I comment on other blogs, my signature is published as Grammy Linda/Behind My Red Door. And my name in forums and on Picture Trail is Behind My Red Door. I have set up my accounts that way in hopes that it is easy enough for prim friends to know that it is indeed me no matter where in cyber space we happen to meet up. But not everyone does that so I have to be honest here and admit to something. I sometimes have a hard time keeping track of prim friends because they use different names everywhere. And since I have already confessed to having to CRS – Can’t Remember SH Stuff – or as my friend Kathy calls it – Mentalpause - it doesn’t take much more to mix me up. Not only blogs are a problem but some of those same gals have an online picture storage site like Webshots, Picture Trail, Picassa, Flickr, Photo Bucket . They may also have more than one blog and more than one blog signature and which don’t even always match. And then mix in different forum names they use and how about email addresses that give no clue as to who you are, and maybe throw in emails signed with just a first name. Well then I am just totally and officially confused! I can keep track of of several, but I have way more than several to keep straight. CRS or Mentalpause aside – that is just a lot to keep straight. I was thinking that what we need is a clearing house where we can register our own distinctive name to be used in all of those avenues, don’t you think? So until that happens, does anyone else think it would be helpful if more of us used our blog name in our comment signature and possibly other places? Not to pick on anyone by these names, but I know maybe 5 Karen’s online (and a Caren and a Caryn and a Karyn!!) and probably 6 Sue’s and that is just for starters. Is anyone else having the same problem? Anyone else raising their hand or I am I the only one spending too much time online?
Speaking of CRS, there was another reason why I brought this up – now what was it? Hummmm… OH now I remember!! So if you email me, or comment to me in a forum under one name but go by another totally different name on your blog and I just don’t put two and two together – PLEASE forgive me. This old brain is struggling to keep hundreds of you straight. And that ain’t no exaggeration my online friends!
I feel bad I worried a few of my good blogging friends and they wondered if I was OK because I was not commenting on their blogs as often. Like most of us, I am just busier with life at some times than at other times. With a new grandbaby and other things happening in our family, life is very busy now. I don’t have enough time in my days for everything I want or need to do. Because of that, I only post once, and on a rare occasion twice a week myself. So a busy life and many blogging, online and forum friends is why I can’t always comment on every single post that every single one of my favorite bloggers makes – especially those bloggers that post several times a week. I try hard to get to everyone one as often as possible. Sometimes I read more than I comment. And since I often have 450 or more visitors almost every day but I only get 30-60 comments on a post, I know I am not the only one reading and not always commenting. and that’s really quite Ok with me too. I know you all are busy too and we all do the best we can to make time for each other as well as for our own blog. I do appreciate each and every peep that stops by and and each and every comment. I hope you know much I enjoy your blogs too!! If you don’t already have a site meter to see what kind of traffic you are getting, I suggest you do. It’s fun and pretty enlightening. Just click on mine on the lower right of my side bar to get your own. And I want to say thank you to all my International peeps as well! I am always amazed and delighted to see that peeps from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and many more countries have stopped by each week. It really is a small world after all!
This past week we babysat this angel a few times and she is just the light of our lives. We are forever changed in such a wonderful way. Each time we see her, she has changed in some way and it is so much fun to watch those changes. When she smiles, all is well in the world.
We are so blessed that both our kids live close by so that we can remain a close family and see each other often. In this ever expanding world, that is not always possible for many families. I am so thankful that our DIL Angela is comfortable leaving Liliana in our care. Mr. Red Door has had some time off this month so when he isn’t playing golf, he has been babysitting with me and has been enjoying extra snuggle time with Brady too - if you can even call it snuggling when the dog weighs 165 pounds!
This weekend my friend Jill was here and we could not have ordered better weather for our day out on Saturday. It was in the low 70’s, dry and a light breeze made it picture perfect. A rare August day for sure.
When Jill arrived, she had some hostess treasures for me. These old books…
and this fabric covered box. They are perfect!
I sent Jill home with a pillow just like this one…
We had a quick snack of the yummiest Blueberry Cheesecake Bread. I got the basic recipe from Colleen over at And Baby Makes Five. Her recipe called for a mix, but I used an old blueberry muffin recipe and went from there. Her recipe also called for a crumb topping, but when I made the bread, I wasn’t sure if we would be packing it for our lunch, so I left that off. It was still yummy! Here is the muffin recipe I used and click on Colleen’s blog name for the rest of the recipe.
Blueberry Cheesecake Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well; stir in milk. Combine dry ingredients and add to the mixture; stir to combine. Gently fold in blueberries.
I let Jill decide where we would go based on a previous trip we took and a shop I learned about my from friend Carol. That shop was first and was over an hour from here in Williamsburg, MA. The Pilgrimage is a small shop but the wares were just the kind that Jill and I both love. We found it to be well worth the drive. It is a definite must for a trip in the fall during foliage season! Jill and I both found some treasures there. Jill really hit the jackpot with some tavern glassware she has really wanted– I’ll show that a little bit later.
Next we took off for The Primitive Peddler in Athol, MA – which just happens to be the town where Colleen lived as a child. This shop (no website) is another small shop but chock full of prims. Again – we both got some goodies.
I know this next picture is a bit blurry but can you see the pewter in the corner cabinet? It was gently used and at unbelievable prices. Jill and I both snatched some up. 
After this, we stopped along a river for a picnic lunch that I had packed. We feasted on my chicken salad with cranberries and almonds, a couscous salad with dried apples, onion, raisins and walnuts with garlic, lemon and olive oil dressing, and some whole grain bread. Jill loves nuts and dried fruit and so do I!
Next was a stop at Country Mischief in Templeton, MA. I have blogged about this shop a few times. Jill found some treasures here as well.
And the finally it was on to one of my favorite places and a spot Jill requested we return to, Homestead Primitives in Fitchburg, MA. Charlene and Roger make a great team! He makes the primitive wooden pieces you see there and Charlene picks the best smalls and accessories to go with them. We both found something there. To see pictures of their shop that I took last fall, click here. I can’t wait to see what Charlene has when she decorates for fall this year! I am due to take more pictures for your viewing pleasure so I’ll be sure to do that next time I am there!
Okay, on to the goodies! Jill was so excited to find this tavern glass decanter and beer glasses at the Pilgrimage – she has wanted these for sometime and was hoping to find it on a shopping trip and that she did! They are hand blown true reproductions.
The rest of her goodies stayed packed but here are some of my goodies. A few of the things I got are gifts for blogging buddies so I can’t share those!!
I love this colonial inspired lampshade. You know I love my red and this is just the touch I needed in the living room.
This is the pewter piece I got at the Primitive Peddler in Athol, and the runner is from the Pilgrimage in Williamsburg. They haven’t found homes just yet.
The placemats and wonderful hand forged nails are from Homestead Primitives. I have a project in mind and will be using the nails for that. I hope to have time to get to it in the next week or so.
It was another fun trip with a dear friend. Jill and Jim are moving to South Carolina when her home in Maine sells, so these shopping trips will be coming to an end, but I hope to make the trip south to visit her at least once a year once she is settled. She promised me a comfy guest room. I am counting on that!
Well peeps, Mr. Red Door is looking for his lunch so I am off to do that. Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me!
Until Next Time - Hugs, Grammy Linda
