vintage by {h}art

...sweet day... Including...

...feelin' good & grateful...

{...that's how it goes...}

i'm going to sit right here and attempt to catch up and post as many blog posts as possible in the next while. you see, the blog police have been trailing me, nudging me, giving me warnings. i'm overdue. and as i have approximately 3 readers {third one being myself - as this is my own random blurgnal}- and as it is poor bloglandia etiquette to leave readers waiting- ! -well then... i've no choice but to get with it.

 it's been another one of those wonderful, blissful days at home. rare. i love it here.

 
a day 'off'. lots of work here, but loving being here so it doesn't feel like work.

there was a time a few years ago when i dreaded being home alone. i had been so sick for so long, and being 'left' home alone felt like punishment.

kind of like a fluffy, airy, nothingness salad. that feels like punishment to me. but i digress...

started early this a.m., coffee with hubby, kissed him goodbye..., threw open all doors and windows, put on music, {must!} started straightening piles, moving things, cleaning this, going to and fro, running up and down, like satan in the book of Job {Mrs. Rachel Lynde was channeled just then}, started the garden sprinklers and the timer; in and out every 5 minutes, playing chase with kitty, she even took to the roof - i did not..., facebooking, picture-taking, moving more piles, cleaning other things... and around and around we went. i lime-away-ed some things, hot-tubbed, sunned, did self- mani and pedi -cures... and so on. {oh! and jammies 'til noon.}

i do like to think i have some form of ADD - adult onset... but i only found myself in a room -asking said self, 'now, why did we come in here again?' -twice! not bad...

and besides, eventually it all works. who says it all has to be done one thing at a time and in order? not me.

as kitty is used to the house all to herself almost daily, this whirlwind of activity apparently make her ill... she was out all night -as cats like to do in the summertime, and i suppose... planned on sleeping all day. she was trying to keep up with me -and trying to talk to me about something. i wasn't listening. she got a little crazy. normal for her. being psycho and all...

pretty soon i hear that urpy noise coming from the main thoroughfare room of the house- where she usually does her urpy thing -so as not to be missed. her whole breakfast. yep. and more.

after my best motherly inspection and little talk with her about just chewing on ice for the rest of the morning, i came away to find clean up stuff. of course, i was distracted by one of the other dozen things happening; i believe it was the timer telling me to move the garden sprinklers...

soon, she was following me around again, murmuring. something like, 'don't you have something to clean up in the main thoroughfare room?'

 

so i went, paper towels and favorite window cleaner in hand. i love the smell of that stuff. use it on everything. it's a good thing i don't have kids at home anymore. they'd be shining like glass... -so i cleaned it up. she watched. she made little gagging noises and licked her chops... and kept looking at me supervisingly...

no sooner had i started tending to a couple of other tasks- all at once-mind you -in the kitchen -and she walks in, looks at me, says something, and proceeds to her little kitty dish... munch, munch.

so far so good. she has been passed out, kitty style, for hours now on her highness's throne; aka- the ironing board. i checked on her once. she said she was alright; and thanks but no thanks to ice chips. grass maybe, but no ice chips. and we have really good ice chips. i think it's that she doesn't like that the ice machine sounds like a little army marching through the house. makes her nervous...

and so she sleeps.

anyhoo- the day started out overcast and nice, got blasted hot, and is now cool and overcast again...

now- for the next post!

see you there. all of you.

 

Maddie. isn't she quite lovely? ... here she was- bird watching... intently.

 jpb

oh, and that would be me... downtown NYC. random, i know. my sister took it, but maddie put it in.

fred's rick burg {and bed} ...er, and breakfast!

 
...i took this in downtown fredericksburg, tx. neat old garden, door, and of course a bed. a flower bed.

it was all so fun. went with my 16 year old daughter. rented a little cottage for the week. met up with sister #4 (of 6). we shopped and dined and lounged around. we drove to Sonic in the evening for ice cream in our PJ's. and it was Spring. and it was perfect. 6 years ago! oh! the German bakeries... sigh.

remembering with photos... love that.

jpb

{for today}

...{simple woman's daybook}...

{2.1.2010}

 
...i wonder what her Monday was like... of that particular week...  how i'd love to know. time travel... as a bird. maybe that's what birds really do... i knew i loved birds... just look at that handmade lace in her hair! 

{painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Il Ramoscello, Bella e Buona, 1865}

{outside my window} clear blue skies, morning sunshine on icy, drifted snow... millions of sparkles and pretty blue-grey shadows. ...brrr.

{i am thinking} i still have some swelly belly. more ab-work!

also thinking...  'oh joy, oh rapture, unconfined... a monday morning at home finally is mine.' not really doing what i should be. grin. wink. -list a mile long awaits. 

{i am wearing} really tacky, cheap black sweats that pill and leave little black 'bugs' all over, but are so soft and comfy that i can't resist, a long sleeved grey T, an ugly oversized teal hoodie that i don't wear out of the house and new sale priced fox river wool socks. i'm still cold.

{i'm remembering} my friends who are looking for jobs. my cousins who are lovingly nursing their dear mother -who is bravely battling for her life. my kids who are taking on the world, other friends who have recently suffered the loss of several family members. God be with them all. Please. Thank you.

{i am going} to attack my long list for today, do what i can, and teach one Pilates mat class at 4. also planning on asking my dh for a 'date' tonight -to do a stack attack with me... paperwork piling up... could be fun...! or not. depends.

{currently reading} A Severe Mercy, which i can't finish, 'cause i can't find it. recently finished A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith by Lori Smith which i highly recommend if you are a fan of Austen. The author goes to England to trace Austen's life, faith, and the lives of her heroines, etc... paralleling those with her own life/struggles/faith/loves. was also reading in James. about the tongue. then in Titus about being adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit. then remembering too, {i always enjoy remembering this...} that Proverbs 31 was written by a man to men. smile. just sayin'. 

{i am hoping} that i can lose this weight and more... which i gained during my recoup from surgery. hoping for early Spring mornings, outings, walks, hikes, biking, photo ops. also hoping that these knees stop sounding like rice crispies.

{on my mind} the 365 photo challenge. i have, after all, carried a great little camera on my person for over a year now... so... why not? might as well use the pictures. originally ali edwards idea... -see her blog listed above with my faves. {e} i'd like to start today. who says it has to start Jan. 1? ...so it'll be interspersed with other posts on this blog. and i've decided they can be old photos. not always of that day. sometimes i might even post several at a time if i have gotten off track. {good to plan ahead for r-e-a-l-i-t-y ...and it's so fun to break the rules!} ...just random, fun, whatever! challenge, yes. burden, NO. 

{i wish} that i could read art blogs all day. and sew/scrap/create the rest of the day... if there was any left. 

{noticing that} i'm a lot messier than i wanted to believe i was. 

{words i'd paint on my 'studio' wall} "A Creative Mess is Better than Idle Tidyness."

{pondering these words} 'Better is one day in our House...(courts) than thousands elsewhere...'  Ps. 84.10

{from the kitchen} a lot of leftovers, a turkey breast to go in the crock pot for dinner, blessings of food in the pantry. half a beef coming to the freezer soon. cup overflows. mercy all. grateful.

{question for God today} would you please let all of us that are willing take on some of Auntie's suffering and ease hers? CS Lewis asked this of you for his wife and... you listened. 

{around the house} dust bunnies, little piles, blessings. one very, very bad kitty. i'm worried about her salvation ...and stuff. {please say that you watched Nacho Libre.)

{one of my current favorite things} t-i-m-e for inspiration.

{a picture to share today} - being day one, 02.01.2010 of {project 3 sixty 5}  Yay!!!

hmmm... what'll it be??? just a sec., i'm lookin'...

 
ok! ...this is the view out our front door! little garden house closed up for winter. waiting for first signs of spring weather... inside are seeds, pots, garden tools, potting bench... waiting ... until ...   "For lo, the winter is past...The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come" (Song of Solomon 2:11,12).  ... that font is called 'spring frost'!

May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp, and peace in your heart. -Eskimo Benediction 

lovely re-gards,

jpb

-want to join Simple Woman's Daybook? {click}

...more {totally} random...

...because when you're under the influence of 3 cups of really good coffee, the only hope is randomness. so what's going on?  

it's the second day of the new year! 

and a nice saturday morning at home in jammies, listening to Pandora, the make-your-own free online radio station. i've made a Steve Tyrell station. this online music service will put a station together of artists with similar qualities of the person you choose. quite nice. although, one song by Diana Krall was making me blush so i gave it the thumbs down. Popsicle Toes. Gosh! get a room! but i've got Dean-O, Sinatra, etc. crooning to me. ooohhh, Michael Buble now... all behaving well. 

kitty lounging on the ironing board next to the window near me. hubby calls it the glorified cat stand. just because there's a blanket there for her and some toys. and she spends all of her time perched there keeping track of the valley outside. it's a very sunny spot for the morning, and i'd do it too if i could fit.

learning a new iMac. a lot to learn but loving it so far. we went shopping and got a really good deal on a floor model...

so i can't even upload any photos yet. soon, though. 

i have piles all around me. papers. stuff. all good and important. just need dealt with. i really dislike clutter. but i'm the one who made all of the piles. so much to do. 

i'm especially happy (ok, elated) about the surgery i had (two days short of 6 weeks ago) and the recovery/healing. one day after my 4 -week check-up with the surgeon, i was able to start back to Pilates... carefully. this past week i was able to do more and more. yesterday i was actually doing roll-ups and teaser, etc... it was blowing my mind as i did it. i kept saying to myself that i couldn't believe i was able to do this!!! it didn't hurt at all, but i was really sore by evening. i slathered on some emu oil. who cares if you smell like chicken grease? (it was recommended in an article for healing after surgery. 'heals everything.'  i'm convinced that it helped my incision heal so well... so fast...) it's also for sore, achy muscles. no achy this morning!!! (what's that funny smell?)

my girls and i have also gotten back to our several times a week brisk walking routine. i thought it would be too miserable in winter... but we often end up in a cozy little coffee shop warming up and the feeling of such happy energy (aka. endorphines) makes it all so worth it! the surgery 'site' feels rock solid during the walks. i am soooooo thankful. it's hard to express.

{mmm... Tony Bennett now... have you tried Pandora.com?}

i feel like i have a new life. girlfriends who had also had hysterectomies told me i would feel this way. 'free.' still planning a post about that whole decision/experience. the unknown... the hardest part. over. 

today the plan is to pack up Christmas. i put the tree, etc. up in mid-November knowing i wouldn't be able to after Thanksgiving, which is when i usually do it. surgery was Nov. 23. it was so nice to have it all done -and so cheerful to come home to! i absolutely love our sparkly tree with all white lights and my collection of ornaments from the past 27 years! strange that i can have been collecting that long, since i only feel 26...

i just want to sew (corn bags now) and scrapbook, learn Mac, play with new Christmas and Birthday stuff... but duty calls... ( i shall get pictures to post... when the fun continues.)

{now John Pizzarelli... all my favorites! 'be careful... it's my heart.'}

what else? laundry. clean sheets. stack attacks. (paper stacks, mail, etc.) dishes, something everywhere. kind of overwhelming. better get started. i paid my daughter and daughter-in-law to clean our house this past week. they did an amazing job. what a luxury. i hadn't been doing much of that these past 6 weeks... 

the Loft (vacation rental downtown) was rented over the holiday, so need to clean that and have it ready for the next guest.

really need to study and practice Pilates. (instructing.) back to it this week! i lay awake at night going through it in my head... a mat class, or equipment routine... so much to know, to learn. and i need to write an article on breathing. are you breathing? really?

dinner out with friends tonight. fun. 

the Holidays were fun! a Joy! i feel so overwhelmingly blessed. 

a friend gave me a book called A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith, '...a journey into Adventure, Love & Faith'  ...it's fun. the author actually went to England to trace Austen's footsteps, so to speak, through life, love and spirituality. it's a sort of journal, as she is sorting out the same things in her life as she goes. i'm halfway through, and it's fun... the thing i like most is that she is being so honest, witty and even sarcastic -as a Christian!!! yep. that's what i like most. but i really like it all. she has a blog that i haven't looked at yet. i'd like to right now, but i think i'd better hang it out there in front like a carrot/reward- and get some chores done first! 

oh look, i found a picture to post!

 
this was the girls and i yesterday after our walk. we stopped by the bridge to see what was happening at the river...

jk... it's a Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema,  'A Coign of Vantage' 1895... i'm imagining this means something about a really good vantage point from which to watch the rowing teams... (or to be watched by the rowing teams...).

ok, off to conquer the mountain! more coffee too. this took it all out of me...

jpb

ps- my new years resolution? not to make any. who keeps them anyway? why set one's self up for failure?

pps- {disclaimer} probably not very well edited after this much coffee...