On My Soapbox Today

I've been down more than I've been up lately—physically, I mean. I mentioned to hubby I've been a bit slow on the uptake when we started running out of undies. He's pretty good about reminding me though. Work has been gnawing at my heels but I've pretty much resisted. Trying to keep house is a real chore but I do manage to at least change the bed linens and vacuum and mop.
*

I read an article that a school, I think in NY, is paying kids $5.25 an hour to attend summer school. Now, why in the world would they do that?! We pay taxes for them to go to school and then they turn around and give them that money to attend? My thinking is they should be glad to go for free to get an education. Education is their future. What's going on with this world? The Japanese kids go to school 6 days a week for longer days than here in the U.S. and are excellent students and have become smarter than most nations. Typical school day in Japan:
8am - 4pm: Classes at school
4pm - 6pm: Clubs and sports at school
6pm - 7pm: Time for a quick dinner
7pm - 10pm: Juku classes—extra classes for entrance to University
11pm: Back at home to do homework.
After midnight: Time for 5 to 6 hours of sleep.

A lot of our kids today are lazy for the most part, but they have so much potential and are just wasting it. I love kids and want them all to succeed. It's a shame. If you don't count yourself among the them, count yourself blessed. Please, please encourage your children. They are the future of our country.

When we've gone to our children's and grand-children's graduations from high school and college, it's been the students from other countries who are the top achievers. That's a sad comment to have to post but it's been accurate. This is in California of course where there is a high percentage of ethnic groups. I wish them all well. I absolutely love seeing kids whose parents have given up much to come here and make fruitful and successful lives for themselves. My daughter-in-law was one of those people. After all, this country of ours, the U.S.A., is the greatest country on earth.

Well, I warned you I'm on my soapbox today! ;-) 
*

Good morning, and yes, you are!

Darling bedroom but I would put some curtains on that window for sure. Look at that teacup floor lamp.

Any chair can be covered in this fashion every day not just celebrations.

Imagine the hours of drawing this gown must have taken the artist.

A place so private you don't need doors, just sheer curtains.

Or a private dining area so secluded.

Vintage collection of dishes in blue and pink.

An exquisite lamp.

Another exquisite one of wood that casts the shadows carved into the lamp.

I love froufrou!

A beautiful brooch.

I was thinking of this kind of sofa/settee, but I don't think we'd like sitting on it as our primary sofa.

Creative homeowner has 3 shower curtains so she can decorate with any colors she wants.

Aaaaaaah, I do love this entrance to this home.

I'll never again look at old used cake pins the same way. ;-)

~*~

Beautiful Cakes and a Rant

What is the revolution, or could it be evolution, with themed parties for the last several years? Weddings, children's birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, grooms parties, or any ol' plain party for that matter. I think I've seen them all while searching for cakes.

I'm seeing the most elaborate cakes, decorations and themes I could never even have imagined. Some are just parties for no reason at all with what could only be several hundred dollars spent on the little cherub for whom the party is being given. I'm lucky I can even remember to get a cake for hubs' birthday, if even that! Caroline had a cake on her first birthday but no glittery decorations. Am I missing something here? Is this really for the kid or are the mommies competing to see who can throw the most elaborate Hollywood-type party for a kid who has absolutely no clue what is going on? I'm talking ELABORATE parties, the likes of which I've never seen or truly never even imagined—fantastic cake and cookies and candy and designer lemonades, candy beyond lollipops but handmade gorgeous candies, popcorn in designer holders, pretzels dipped and done up in gorgeous hangers, just beyond my imagination.

In doing a tiny bit of research on the cost of cakes, I found that they can be priced from $17 a slice to $200 a slice! Can you believe paying that much money for one cake? So if you're having 250 people, which I'm guessing is a close to average number for a middle class wedding, you'd maybe be paying $3,400 to $50,000 for a cake? Beyond insane in my book.

For Love Bunny and me, we've stopped going to most weddings and receptions as most of the couples have gotten a divorce within a few years. That's even in the Mormon community. What's up with that? We've gotten invitations to weddings that we've never even met the kids. I think they just scatter the invitations around for gifts. Well, I'm old enough now that I don't have to do anything I don't want to because I don't care what other people think. That's the advantage of obtaining senior status. ;-)

Rant over. Now, on with showing you some gorgeous cakes.

This one is French looking.

Is this chandelier divine or what?

This is actually a tiered cake that looks like it has tiered cakes. Very clever. However, it is not the prettiest of cakes; it looks more like a silo on a farm.

Cute decorated bottles in a very vintage container.

A ruffled cake which is one of my favorites.

Sweet decorations for a luncheon. I'm getting ideas for one I'm having soon.

Cute for a kid's party.

Neat storage idea for bathroom items.

This is a crêpe cake. One of my favorite desserts is crêpes stuffed with blueberries and whipped cream.

I would call this cake Nutcracker Suite Cake.

Oh, yeah, my idea of a great craft room!

I tried to see if a local bakery would make some like this but they said they would be cost prohibitive. I didn't care about price but they seemed reluctant to take on the job.

Can you even imagine having these in your garage to store items, much less somewhere in your home? Darling idea for a cottage.

Is this a sweet sweet shop or not? I'd love to visit it but I have no clue where it is; however, you can rest assured it isn't in Idaho!

My all-time favorite cake—coconut. Actually, my favorite dessert is coconut pie. Just love coconut!

And this actually is a cake. I don't know how they did it!


And this apple basket cake.

We all are lusting for this look in our cottages.
*

In Hollywood a marriage is a success if it outlasts milk.

I'm thinking age is a very high price to pay for maturity now that I've got it. ;-)

~*~