now that it is the end of the first month of the first year of the new decade, I have decided to start my blogging adverture anew. my year has started off slowly but sweetly. and my new 'resolution' has been to get into shape. even as I say that, I see the word takes on dimension.
first. physical. I look in the mirror and see a middle-age (I like to think) woman. not overweight, but not as trim as I'd like. so I have started walking. alone when I have to, but best shared with with a dear friend. I am in love with walking. whether keeping step with chit-chat or music from my ipod, the 3 to 5 mile trip passes quickly. and to complement the trek, today I bought a variety of dvd's to add a 'work-out' to my repertoire. dance. pilates. or (dare I even think it) shred (even the word makes me sore). here's to losing 25 pounds.
second. mental. I have a husband whom I adore. children I love dearly. friends I cherish. a job I enjoy immensely. a life of joy. I am happy. but that contentment presents a challenge to set personal goals and grow. to continue with my attempt to learn French. to cook more. to garden even more. here's to teaching an old dog new tricks.
third. spiritual. I know He hears me and believes in me wherever I am. whenever I talk with Him. however I ask Him to grant me patience (and others patience with me), kindness, strength, forgiveness. in this new year, I am looking for a new path. I volunteer, but I would like to make a positive impact. this is an on-going project ... a self-fulfilling mission. here's to finding my way.
other aspiring thoughts, floating like bubbles, take form. be more positive. don't be afraid to try. share. care. take time. laugh more. love more. here's to a happy beginning.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, October 16, 2009
today is my birthday.
a bit of rain started the day, but it didn't dampen my blueberry pancakes. I mean, what is better than going out for breakfast? the sun broke out on a lovely autumn day as I puttered around the house. the hubs finished his workday (a light load for me) and we ventured off to the new organic grocery near by. (I can be low maintenance at times!) before I knew it we were off to an early dinner at a cute new Italian restaurant on the Square. we watched the vendors setting up for the fine arts show this weekend as we ate our dinner, chatting about this and that. coming home, sipping a glass of wine - swinging on the front porch, life is good.
now can a day get any better? only with a piece of pumpkin pie (my choice of birthday cake). coming right up.
did I say good ... make that perfect.
a bit of rain started the day, but it didn't dampen my blueberry pancakes. I mean, what is better than going out for breakfast? the sun broke out on a lovely autumn day as I puttered around the house. the hubs finished his workday (a light load for me) and we ventured off to the new organic grocery near by. (I can be low maintenance at times!) before I knew it we were off to an early dinner at a cute new Italian restaurant on the Square. we watched the vendors setting up for the fine arts show this weekend as we ate our dinner, chatting about this and that. coming home, sipping a glass of wine - swinging on the front porch, life is good.
now can a day get any better? only with a piece of pumpkin pie (my choice of birthday cake). coming right up.
did I say good ... make that perfect.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
sounds of silence
i turn into a pumpkin around 9 pm. i just can't help it. i prefer to go to bed when i am tired ... versus the hubs who snores from his recliner.
when i lay me down to sleep, and pray the Lord my soul (among others) to keep - i do so to the sweet sounds around me. two talkative owls who-whooing in the aged pecan tree. tiny tree frogs chirping the latest gossip. and occasionally opera from my dear neighbors house (she is a bit deaf and turns the volume up up up).
of course, i know my delightful neighbor, M. but i have yet to make the acquaintance of the other evening anchors. perhaps sometime soon i'll sit starting at dusk to sneek a peek at my companions. part of me prefers to imagine them dressed in their waistcoats and spectacles (i read too much Beatrix Potter) - chatting about the days events and what plans for the night to come. part of me welcomes the favor of a brief glimpse, a nod of recognition or a wink in their natural glory.
or perhaps i'll remain content to just drift off to sleep to their beautiful lullaby.
hello darkness, my old friend.
when i lay me down to sleep, and pray the Lord my soul (among others) to keep - i do so to the sweet sounds around me. two talkative owls who-whooing in the aged pecan tree. tiny tree frogs chirping the latest gossip. and occasionally opera from my dear neighbors house (she is a bit deaf and turns the volume up up up).
of course, i know my delightful neighbor, M. but i have yet to make the acquaintance of the other evening anchors. perhaps sometime soon i'll sit starting at dusk to sneek a peek at my companions. part of me prefers to imagine them dressed in their waistcoats and spectacles (i read too much Beatrix Potter) - chatting about the days events and what plans for the night to come. part of me welcomes the favor of a brief glimpse, a nod of recognition or a wink in their natural glory.
or perhaps i'll remain content to just drift off to sleep to their beautiful lullaby.
hello darkness, my old friend.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
wedding day
this evening I got an email. the email was one I usually delete immediately - a 'chain letter' so to speak. but this one intrigued me. it was intended to record wedding dates of friends (and soon-to-be friends) in an attempt to fill in a whole year calendar. happy news.
I filled in our wedding date (now married over 30 years) and went to select 20 friends to continue the chain. much to my delight, it was hard to only select 20 friends whose marriage has stood (or will stand) the test of time. alright, I chose 22 - but who's counting!
in a throw away society, it is comforting to think that there is so much love around. love and determination. love and determination and patience. love and determination and patience and sharing.
so happy anniversary. and to my neighbor, thank you for thinking of me.
I filled in our wedding date (now married over 30 years) and went to select 20 friends to continue the chain. much to my delight, it was hard to only select 20 friends whose marriage has stood (or will stand) the test of time. alright, I chose 22 - but who's counting!
in a throw away society, it is comforting to think that there is so much love around. love and determination. love and determination and patience. love and determination and patience and sharing.
so happy anniversary. and to my neighbor, thank you for thinking of me.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday dilema
with the hubs out of town I am home alone. presented with the decision of ‘what to do today’. my answer, absolutely nothing. well. not nothing. there’s laundry (always laundry). and a little work. but the plan is to stay home all day.
my dog, Chaz, doesn’t mind if I sit in my pjs ‘til noon. or take a nap in the afternoon. or eat ice cream for dinner (as long as I share). what a lazy luxury.
a day at home presents a challenge to me as I have trouble concentrating on one task. I am easily distracted. Harry Potter three is calling me (especially now that friend T has loaned me volumes four and five), the kitchen temps me, a work project taps its impatient finger, volunteer duties pile up on my desk, the screen porch wants a visit, the internet needs searching; all have a lovely appeal.
for now, I’ll finish watching the final stage of le Tour de France. withdrawal tomorrow.
procrastination is my middle name.
my dog, Chaz, doesn’t mind if I sit in my pjs ‘til noon. or take a nap in the afternoon. or eat ice cream for dinner (as long as I share). what a lazy luxury.
a day at home presents a challenge to me as I have trouble concentrating on one task. I am easily distracted. Harry Potter three is calling me (especially now that friend T has loaned me volumes four and five), the kitchen temps me, a work project taps its impatient finger, volunteer duties pile up on my desk, the screen porch wants a visit, the internet needs searching; all have a lovely appeal.
for now, I’ll finish watching the final stage of le Tour de France. withdrawal tomorrow.
procrastination is my middle name.
Monday, July 20, 2009
what not to wear
you would never guess from my closet, but i love In Style magazine. it is part of my pedicure routine. step One feet in the hot bubbly water; step Two open magazine; step Three wish that i could wear stiletto heels (sigh).
as i scrutinize each page i often think, didn't i have something like that in my closet (mumble) years ago? 'everything old is new again' is the mantra in the fashion world - or i should be politically correct and say the trends are recycled. so i decided to Google 'fashion trends for fall' to see what i should start looking for at Kohls (or keeping from Goodwill).
Can you literally cry deja vu?
as i scrutinize each page i often think, didn't i have something like that in my closet (mumble) years ago? 'everything old is new again' is the mantra in the fashion world - or i should be politically correct and say the trends are recycled. so i decided to Google 'fashion trends for fall' to see what i should start looking for at Kohls (or keeping from Goodwill).
Can you literally cry deja vu?
Ten Fall Fashion Trends 2009
- Eighties redux
- Studs and rivets
- Shoulder pads (gasp)
- Prairie styles (plaids, ruffles, tweeds)
- Jumpsuits
- Over the knee boots
- Cut out clothing (one shoulder-ish)
- Metallic shine
- Carrot pants (full at hips, tapered to the ankles)
- Black is the new black (with a dash of neon)
stop the madness.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
viva le Tour
i look forward to July. for three weeks i can cycle through France and its borders. vicariously, that is. i love the Tour de France. i am not a cycling enthusiast. i do not ride. but, oh, how i love the journey. the scenery spectacular. the team strength incomprehensible (oh, what can be achieved together).
several years ago after watching le Tour, we were inspired to reroute an upcoming trip to include a town le Tour passed through, Beaune. we were intrigued by the intricately tiled roofs of the buildings. this small town was a discovery at every corner. wonderful shops; including a fabulous tapestry pillow shop, delicious (non-smoking) cafes, and friendly folk.
the original route for the trip: fly into Paris, head east to see the Christmas markets and the town of Grosbliederstroff, my ancestral home. but le Tour allowed encounters with small towns that would have been otherwise ignored in a drive by – many barely visible on the map.
the touted markets in Metz were a disappointment, commercial and tacky, but the trip was delightful. our favorite, Nancy. amazing architecture. charming cafes. gilted fountains. cobbled streets. our timing was only marred by a world cup soccer match that had happened the day of our arrival. and not the match, I am a fan, but the rowdy (defeated England) fans celebrating in and outside the bars afterward, culminating in a police raid. sadly, as those fans awoke in the French lock-up the following morning, the night before was a blur. and they went home to celebrate another day. the diversion to avoid the drunken crowd, however, did provide for a delightful restaurant discovery!
we meander under a schedule (drat!) on our way to Grosbliederstroff along the German border. as we arrive we are hungry – so we stop by a pub to grab a bite. we walk in and everyone turns to stare, er, glare. The proprietress shouts, ‘no room’ (or get out, our French is iffy). we leave. odd, the French are usually welcoming … no, seriously. so we wander across the road to a little Greek hole in the wall – a delicious decision.
after lunch, armed with daddy’s family history we find what we think is the family chapel. and find disappointed that in the town cemetery, there is no sign of my heritage - excited at the adventure nonetheless. the town is situated along the River Saar, and we walk across the ornate iron bridge, Pont de l'amitié (Friendship Bridge), into Germany. amazing.
before we head back to Paris and home, we venture further south on a recommendation from a friend (thank you, Ellie) to Lyon. there is old Lyon and new. night and day. age is beauty.
watching le Tour on television is scenic. driving through the countryside is surreal. vineyard covered hills. stone buildings. flower filled gardens.
this year as they ride through Saint Fargeau, the sunflowers cover every inch of the countryside. ‘the flowers turn their backs on the riders’, the commentator reports, ‘they only smile at the sun.’
i jot down where those sunflowers shine.
several years ago after watching le Tour, we were inspired to reroute an upcoming trip to include a town le Tour passed through, Beaune. we were intrigued by the intricately tiled roofs of the buildings. this small town was a discovery at every corner. wonderful shops; including a fabulous tapestry pillow shop, delicious (non-smoking) cafes, and friendly folk.
the original route for the trip: fly into Paris, head east to see the Christmas markets and the town of Grosbliederstroff, my ancestral home. but le Tour allowed encounters with small towns that would have been otherwise ignored in a drive by – many barely visible on the map.
the touted markets in Metz were a disappointment, commercial and tacky, but the trip was delightful. our favorite, Nancy. amazing architecture. charming cafes. gilted fountains. cobbled streets. our timing was only marred by a world cup soccer match that had happened the day of our arrival. and not the match, I am a fan, but the rowdy (defeated England) fans celebrating in and outside the bars afterward, culminating in a police raid. sadly, as those fans awoke in the French lock-up the following morning, the night before was a blur. and they went home to celebrate another day. the diversion to avoid the drunken crowd, however, did provide for a delightful restaurant discovery!
we meander under a schedule (drat!) on our way to Grosbliederstroff along the German border. as we arrive we are hungry – so we stop by a pub to grab a bite. we walk in and everyone turns to stare, er, glare. The proprietress shouts, ‘no room’ (or get out, our French is iffy). we leave. odd, the French are usually welcoming … no, seriously. so we wander across the road to a little Greek hole in the wall – a delicious decision.
after lunch, armed with daddy’s family history we find what we think is the family chapel. and find disappointed that in the town cemetery, there is no sign of my heritage - excited at the adventure nonetheless. the town is situated along the River Saar, and we walk across the ornate iron bridge, Pont de l'amitié (Friendship Bridge), into Germany. amazing.
before we head back to Paris and home, we venture further south on a recommendation from a friend (thank you, Ellie) to Lyon. there is old Lyon and new. night and day. age is beauty.
watching le Tour on television is scenic. driving through the countryside is surreal. vineyard covered hills. stone buildings. flower filled gardens.
this year as they ride through Saint Fargeau, the sunflowers cover every inch of the countryside. ‘the flowers turn their backs on the riders’, the commentator reports, ‘they only smile at the sun.’
i jot down where those sunflowers shine.
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