December 2020 - Week 2

Someone I know travels to see new things. I like doing that, too. But, you only see what you l-o-o-k at and there are small beauties all around us, every day. Be still and look.

Something to remember as we move into this new season.

Books: Reading as a form of de-stress is priceless. Seriously. Books and the worlds in people's heads are a gift.

- Umbertouched (Kindle) by Livia Blackburne is the 2nd (Rosemarked) was the first. It's called a Young Adult novel but there is no forever at the end. Just a sunset on a short life. That said, I liked the series.

- Midlife Ghost Hunter by Shannon Mayer (Kindle Unlimited.) I adore this series. Seriously. Could this please be my life?

- After the Rain by Alexandra Elle (actual book). Some chapters I enjoyed. Some made me think. Some didn't resonate. But, if you have been going through an emotional storm - this may be a book to help. (Full disclosure, I thought about Little Free Library'ing it because a few flipped to chapters did not resonate. Then I started at the front. And there is too much good to give up but I might be buying a few people copies!)

Cooking: Making up that Hungryroot! I'm telling you, this may be the best thing I've done in a bit. Food and recipes delivered to my door. Now there is a learning curve as they figure out what you like but I've yet to have a full delivery where I did not like anything. We're down to one or two items a delivery - then I just mark that and they don't send again! (And the next one, thanks to a few edits, looks perfect!)

Gratitude: Sunrise over the river. Cute dogs (even when stinky). Cuddle cats. Creating order. Breakfasts with friends. Downtown shopping at cute stores. Small, shiny things; because everything you touch should be beautiful. New dog friends, who trust you when other humans made them scared.

House: I like to call unpacking "unfurling". Because you are releasing your belongings into the space. Still have about 10 boxes. I'm down to figuring out new homes for things that went somewhere ELSE in the prior house. (Not all houses are configured the same. Space changes.)

Good news - No major repairs! Although the city did put in the start of a new water pipe. So happy I painted that wall last week.....  

Listening: Apple has a whole holiday channel with different kids of holiday music - country, jazz, classics, etc. This may be heaven. Also a couple of the usual suspect podcasts - Redefining Wealth and Don't Keep Your Day Job. (Not that I don't like my day job but she has good guests.)

Watching: Gossip Girl. (It's going off Netflix. Gotta get it while it is there.) As I was watching, Chuck Bass said his mother's birthday as Bart Bass's safe combination. And I realize...she's 3 years older than me. OMG. I was old even when the show was new! I'm also over the headbands but on to slouchy purses and scarves.

Wearing

Perfume

People. I went exclusive to one brand for the week. Mostly to one scent, too!

Sucreabeille

- Troll Food - Scent notes: melted chocolate, toasted marshmallow, sweet honey graham cracker.  I get the honey and marshmallow in the scent layers but still find traces of cinnamon and caramel (the latter may actually be graham cracker). Continues to smell like I'm delicious food that would go well with a latte. It lasts pretty well, most of a business day, on my skin. I did kill the tiny sample bottle, so we are off to new pastures!

- We Are Stardust - Scent notes: Daisy crowns and sandalwood, a bouquet of peace lilies, vanilla cream fresh from Max’s dairy farm, and a drop of patchouli. I needed the reminder. We are stardust. And I still don't understand how Sucre came up with a patchouli that I don't mind and how I don't get daisy (cat pee) off this!

Skin

I think my skin is starting to show my age. I am less than pleased. Changes will happen.

 - Day time - Standard in-shower wash of tea tree cleanser followed by a third finger (gentlest finger) tapping into the skin of 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream, then the Votary serum and topped with the Votary day oil (yes a switch). And I've added the Votary cream some days because my skin is starting to be dry for the winter. Moved the shot of Monastery Aloe Hyaluronic Moisture Boost on the forehead and neck to days when I have Zooms!

- Night time - 1st cleanse with 100% Pure's Blood Orange Cleansing Balm following with a 2nd cleanse with my DHC Washing Powder for a little extra exfoliation. Liking the Naturallogic Elemental Advanced Hydration Red Wine Essence (last month's Boxwalla) as the first layer to restore moisture and fight off lines. The follow up moisture set has remained Votary night oil and cream (via the Boxwalla). Plus the Grown Alchemist eye cream.

(Boxwalla has a every other month beauty box that is the BOMB. Highly recommend.)

Random: I can a-l-w-a-y-s tell when a man's wife does not work. It's in the respect with which he treats my time. If she works, and has a professional job, he treats my time like his own. If she does not, he treats my time as if it is less important than his - late for meetings, canceling on appointments, arbitrarily changing agreed delivery. (And yes, I had that experience this week. I probably won't be doing business with that company again.)

This weekend I shopped downtown at local stores. I did my holiday shopping, which will ship late. And I'm okay with that. I spent my budget, not more, and I feel like I helped the beautiful downtown community. (Pictured, a gorgeous candle - of which I bought more than a few for gifts  - and, above, a light pull to add pretty into one of my spaces.)

Take-away - Remember the starfish story. You can't save them all, but you can make a difference - even if for just one. Who are you making a difference for?

All photos by moi! And you can tell...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  - A new way to follow!

December 2020 - Week 1

No snow. And a fresh month. And a box of chocolates to share. 

Confession, I've never watched that movie with the box of chocolate quote. And I never will. But there is something amazing about having beautiful food to share with guests.

Books: I painted and wrote this weekend. (Also, guests!) So, the only book that happened was an Audible while I did other things. Silverswift by Natalie Lloyd. 

I did start a really fascinating book. Maybe I'll be done by next week...and will share....

Cooking: I actually did cook! I made a tater tot casserole for oldest kidlet in the toaster oven. Apparently, I live in adventure! Because cooking in that thing is like living in pioneer days.

Liking the Hungryroot. Several of the stir fries were very good. But they send a TON of food. And I'm not going through it fast enough.

Gratitude: Friends who get you fun soaps (see below), and that feeling of new when you get to use them. Friends who come to dinner but bring wine, dinner and dessert! Pretty boxes of chocolates. Ridiculous eyeshadow names (night in werewolf woods, strange old shop) that let you have theme days at work without anyone realizing.

House:  I've now done the midwestern plastic on bad windows thing. Basically the whole house needs new windows. Adding it to the Go Fund Me campaign....

Listening: Dolly Parton's Apple Christmas playlist. (And Audible)

Watching: Godless. (3 episodes in.) Gossip Girl. (On the 3rd season.) I have a craving for headbands and scarves.

Wearing

Perfume

Ellis Brooklyn

- Myth - Scent notes: warm florals -  ambrette seeds, jasmine petals, musk. This was a Sunday afternoon spray from a sample and lasted deliciously into the morning. The musk anchors the jasmine petals with ambrette seeds providing depth. This is still my favorite of the set.

Sucreabeille

- Troll Food - Scent notes: melted chocolate, toasted marshmallow, sweet honey graham cracker. I've been very unstoppable about life and nothing short of a troll is going to stop me. (Mythical, not on-line. The on-line ones are nothing.) Maybe this is settling in but this week, while I still have cinnamon and caramel coming off this, I got more honey and marshmallow in the scent layers. Still very "gourmand". It lasts pretty well, most of a business day, on my skin.

Skin

We mixed it up just a little bit this week. Because change is good for you.

 - Day time - Standard in-shower wash of tea tree cleanser followed by a third finger (gentlest finger) tapping into the skin of 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream, then the Votary day oil and Votary serum. And I've added the Votary cream because my skin is starting to be dry for the winter. Moved the shot of Monastery Aloe Hyaluronic Moisture Boost on the forehead and neck to day time.

- Night time - 1st cleanse with 100% Pure's Blood Orange Cleansing Balm following with a 2nd cleanse with my DHC Washing Powder for a little extra exfoliation. Added something new (from the latest Boxwalla Beauty Box) Naturallogic Elemental Advanced Hydration Red Wine Essence as the first layer to restore moisture and fight off lines. The follow up moisture set has remained Votary night oil and cream (via the Boxwalla). Plus the Grown Alchemist eye cream.

Random: Too many anniversaries and special dates and memories of better times crowded around together. Like taking sage and smudging the new house, having visitors to dispel the memories and create new ones is cleansing. I love having visitors at the new house!

Take-away - Life moves in seasons. Sometimes the rhythm is predictable. Sometimes things become unpredictable. Move through change like you would swim through waves. Keep your goals in sight like the shore. 

All photos by moi! And you can tell...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  - A new way to follow!

November -- Week 4 - 2020

 

Kill the month. November is full of dying memories and falling leaves. Wash it clean with a dust of snow and be done. Several movies I love are set in November, and they are sad. I think November is a sad month, despite the protests of gratitude. And it settles in with me like a damp chill.

This is the 4th year my family hasn't invited me to Thanksgiving. (I did force an invitation 4 years ago. Lesson learned. This is the 3rd year I didn't even ask.) It's interesting to be the family black sheep. But I look VERY good in black.

And this is how you kick off a 4 day weekend: a nice drink, a big project, and a stack of books (even virtual).

Books: My feast of light, distracting reading materials continues, unabated. I make no apologies for my reading choices. (I have an unfinished masters degree. I've read plenty of scholarly books.)

- Nikki Kardnov wrote a set of 4 books called the Blackwell Djinn - I barreled through all of them on Kindle Unlimited. I didn't like the 2nd one as much as the others but all were good to a degree and a few hours worth of entertainment.

- Magic Uncorked by Annabel Chase (Kindle Unlimited) And I did not really like this. I won't be reading the others in the series.

- Magical Midlife Invasion by K.F. Breene (Kindle Unlimited) Was the high spot of my weekend. And Austin is the hero to be, folks. (He reminds me of the scene in Red when Bruce is reading romance novels to figure out what the woman he is interested in likes. Do that.) I would buy this set in paperback to revisit like favorite friends on sad days. I may still do that.

- Troublemaker by Kayley Loring (Audible). I was painting the basement. And I didn't see any reason to listen to anything heavy. Some of the banter was laugh out loud funny. 

Cooking: Week 2 of the Hungryroot and I ordered extra due to the holiday. Unfortunately, I did not like much of this week's selection. Week 3 had a holiday delivery day and we'll see how it goes. 

I will say the portions are super generous. And means I have more left-overs than I like. (Example - this recipe made 4 super generous portions.)

Garden: No such thing. Check back May 2021. I think I'm doing something on the patio.

Gratitude: Friends who bring you dinner. Friends who let you vent. The magic of re-creating your life - but damn, girl, no one said it would be easy. The mute button for notifications. The cutest freaking cats on the planet. A good dog. The power of paint to make a space different. A nice newer SUV that makes me feel safe. (Prior car was 14 years old. It had the sullenness of a teenager, too.)

(The dinner my friend brought me. Plus pie! And tea. She knows me.)

House adventures: Now that the lights work in the basement again; mostly, I decided that I should paint the part I want to use as a workout space. Paint is cheap. And I can work.

1) Kilz everywhere

2) Paint the floor and add a rug. Paint some old boxes a brighter color. Not done yet. Have a few more pieces of equipment to put in. 

And I really am serious about the House Go Fund Me. The outside needs power-washed and repainted; some electrical needs done in basement....

Listening: Apple Music had a Thanksgiving play list that rocked it out of the house. Patrice Washington's podcast, Redefining Wealth, is my current vibe.

Watching: Dumplin'. I enjoyed this more than expected. Locke and Key. Not really my thing. Probably bailing. Queen of the South. Shockingly, this is easy watching for me. It really requires no mental effort on my part.

Wearing:

Perfume

Sucreabeille

- Troll Food - Scent notes: melted chocolate, toasted marshmallow, sweet honey graham cracker. I've been very unstoppable about life and nothing short of a troll is going to stop me. (Mythical, not on-line. The on-line ones are nothing.) Maybe this is settling in but this week, while I still have cinnamon and caramel coming off this, I got more honey and marshmallow in the scent layers. Still very "gourmand". It lasts pretty well, most of a business day, on my skin.

Skin

 - Day time - Standard in-shower wash of tea tree cleanser followed by a third finger (gentlest finger) tapping into the skin of 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream, then the Votary day oil and Votary serum. And I've added the Votary cream because my skin is starting to be dry for the winter.

- Night time - 1st cleanse - First cleanse with 100% Pure's Blood Orange Cleansing Balm following with a 2nd cleanse with my DHC Washing Powder for a little extra exfoliation. The moisture set has remained Votary night oil and cream (via the Boxwalla). Plus the Grown Alchemist eye cream.And a quick shot of Monastery Aloe Hyaluronic Moisture Boost on the forehead and neck.

(Let's have a moment on Monastery and Votary as names - the ritual and religion of skincare....)

Random

"I do my duty. I am not interested in the rest."
- Marcus Aurelius (Meditations 6.22)

This. This is who I am at the end of the day. I do my duty. The question is do I want to live way forever? Am I more than my duty? Some days I wonder.

Take-away - The full moon went eclipse on the 30th. Weird energy everywhere the day before and day of. Did you feel unsettled? Does everything from the beginning of this month to the end feel unsettled? It's okay to be unsettled. After all, all the work of becoming a butterfly is done in the cocoon. 

All photos by moi! And you can tell...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  - A new way to follow!