I spent my past week moving furniture from room to room just ahead of the painter; one more day (for the painter) to completion! 🤞 My aching body has been glad of a few days off to take my time with the aftermath and prepare for Tuesday when painting resumes. So, I decided that today would be a day of total rest; just a lazy day of indulgence. I began with an 8 am brookside walk. 

The 1st part of the path is now covered with beautiful ferns on both sides. If I looked at them too long, everything went fuzzy ..... like looking for the hidden image in one of those maze-type pictures that come across your Facebook page. Whozzy! But so beautiful to walk through these waves of lacy green!

The mornings are still quite cool here - only 8𝇈C (46𝇈F). I was chilled when I got back. So, coffee was next on my agenda. Freshly ground, good quality beans, frothy milk and just a smidge of honey make this such a treat. And I drank it from my new cup (Homegoods). Ahhhh! 

I'll make granola later. And I'll probably walk the path again this afternoon. But for now, I'll catch up on my bloggy friends and u-tubers. And I'll rest, rest, rest. 

I leave you with a Happy Father's Day and a Happy Pride Month. 

Namaste y'all! 💖

NO SOUP (hike) FOR YOU!

One of the most frustrating things for me in this aging process is the way I discover my limitations. Sometimes, it's a simple matter of doing what you've always done but finding out that you aren't as good or as flexible as you used to be (i.e. yoga poses); or perhaps your stamina is lacking and it takes you longer because you need to rest more (i.e. gardening). And other times, it's as simple as looking at something you would have done before and knowing that you don't want to take a chance this season (i.e. jumping into the river from that bridge). Okay! as much as I don't like losing these things, I'll adjust my lifestyle and keep soldiering on.

However, most of the time, I find my limitations by unintentionally hurting myself. There's nothing gentle about it; no gradual decline in ability; no warning bells or alarms saying "Danger, Will Robinson!"; no little voice in my head saying to be extra cautious.

 

AND to add insult to injury, the memory banks are so full that I often forget things like the need to adjust the time I've allotted to something, that I can't do more than one "extra" per weekend, and that my recovery time will be longer and that's it's absolutely necessary. After 60+ years of living one way, it takes a lot of time, love and patience with oneself to relearn or to even let go. (So I keep reminding myself!)

I walk and hike because I love it; nature feeds my soul and gives me renewed purpose. But I also do it because it's good for me: it keeps me flexible, my sleep and digestion are better, I'm happier and it helps me lose weight. But when I'm actively trying to take care of myself and my body rebels by telling me after the fact via prolonged pain and distress that I made a wrong choice, it feels like betrayal. I have met the enemy ...... and it is ME!

Yep, I overdid it last weekend; and then put my back out just by picking up a tissue Tuesday. There was no hike. There was no walk. There was no picnic at the beach with friends. Boo hoo! The smallest violin played for me in my own mind as I rend my clothes and poured ashes on my head!

I spent this weekend fairly inactive. I did go yard saling with my BFF, and afterwards we had tea and sarnies on her back patio in the sunshine. But I spent the majority of my weekend resting with a heating pad at my back watching Netflix (Hello "Last Kingdom" and "Orange is the New Black" ) and looking longingly out my window at the green hills which were calling me.  But then later Saturday afternoon as I was lying outside in my lounge chair, I was struck by the beauty all around me. I was reminded of how privileged I am to live where I do and enjoy the luxury of a sunny day, a comfy lounger, and the joy that can be found in simply existing on such a day in such a place. 
  

I may be slowing down quicker than I like, I may have to wear more strings on my fingers as reminders, I may have to adjust my lifestyle, and yes, sometimes I may be house-bound just because of my own stupidity. 

But life is still beautiful! And I will continue to pursue it and grab whatever beauty I can in whatever way I can. 

Winsome Wednesday

win·some

ˈwinsəm/

adjective

1. attractive or appealing in appearance or character.

   
   

   "a winsome smile"

Yes, I once was a somewhat shallow individual who judged people on their appearance before I'd even become aware of their character. Such is the folly of youth. But as I've aged, not only did I begin to learn that character is so much more desirable but it became more and more evident as I myself began to lose my looks, figure and agility. Aging is one of the greatest teachers of humility and living through the enviable hardships of life is one of the greatest builders of character.

Peace and serenity are the desires of my heart these days. I have found that I more quickly accept those enviable hardships when they come as being part of life and no longer rally about how unfair life can be. I forgive more quickly; I accept differences more readily; I seek out those places of calm during the storm that have sustained me in the past; and I'm constantly looking for new ways to maintain that peace of mind. (My Spidey senses tingle when I come across some new method to try, so I'm always open to what could be interesting, hopefully fun and sometimes even weird ways to cope and/or grow. Whatever works and doesn't hurt others!)

Physical health is deeply connected to mental health, and I want to achieve the best health I can at this time of my life. So, after the initial fear that I often feel when life's shit-storms happen, I'll say to myself: "No Sandy! You can do nothing about this right now, so put that worry aside and enjoy life." Does this pep talk work? Always! It's not always instantaneous, but through practice and prayer over many, many, many trials and tribulations, I can usually find the oasis in the desert. 

All that deep, contemplative stuff aside, this does NOT mean that I don't still try to look winsome aka appealing in appearance. (The vanity's not been entirely knocked out of me by life yet!) So, I put on my makeup, style my hair, color coordinate my outfits, and try to look as current as possible without being "mutton dressed as sheep" and while still letting ME shine through. 

Today is a lovely sunny, warm day again here in western Newfoundland. And I'm meeting old school buddies for an extended lunch, one of whom I haven't seen in 42 years! I'm so excited! 

We'll be sitting at an outside deck under an umbrella overlooking the beautiful Bay of Islands. 

I decided to wear my beige and navy cotton tunic from Papillion, navy 3/4 leggings, and navy Naot sandals. (Even my Dr Who phone cover is coordinated, hahaha!) 

I added a couple of bracelets and a pair of my favorite gifted earrings, handmade down to the blown-glass beads (Katherine Gordon of LaHave NS). 


I'm comfortable, casual, coordinated and, I believe, age appropriate ..... for the mature weirdo that I am!

'Cause that's what it's all about: us being us! 

Boring is Nice Sometimes, Right?

I've spent so many weekends doing day trips and taking the girls for Farm Market drives that I welcomed last Saturday's turn in the weather and a chance for a simple, boring weekend. 

Beautiful boring! 

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh.  

For most people (especially younger people), boring is thought of as negative. It can bring up dreary images or thoughts of dull tasks -- things like regular fall or spring cleaning. (Hahaha! I say that as if this is something I do every spring or fall when, in fact, the only thing regular in my house is me ..... if I eat my salad and yogurt every day! Oops! Sorry! TMI!)


But the experts say that there's nothing wrong with kids becoming bored. For me personally, boring is necessary to my mental health. I can get bored; but I can also be willingly "beautifully bored". 

Beautiful boring fills me with contentment and feelings of satisfaction. For me, it means having the time to hang and home and do little things:  things like changing out my wardrobe, tidying the linen closet; cleaning & purging the china cabinets. It means that I now know how many bottles of face cleanser I have (4 --- and see, that's info I NEED to know before I save more money by buying yet another sale item!); I know how many bars of goat's milk soap I have (6 --- and ditto on the saving money again). Beautiful boring means that tears of joy and self-satisfaction come to my eyes when I see my basement full of bags and boxes to be taken to the thrift stores in the city (because then I can use that 30% off coupon to buy more unnecessary items that in turn bring me joy).

Beautiful boring is ALL about the joy, people!

And what makes these beautiful boring tasks even more beautiful is that they are interspersed with tea breaks ..... or an hour in front of the telly just resting in between tasks ...... or a chance to have yet another look at the Saturday crossword puzzle. Beautiful boring is the luxury of having much needed chill-time while doing mundane tasks. JOY!

Last weekend's beautiful boring also meant vacuuming and dusting the living room and putting out a little Autumn decor. (Although the multi-colored leaves that seem to be constantly in the entrance-way should count, don't you think?)


What have you been doing with your Autumn?
Do you have times of beautiful boring?
Or perhaps you just consider mundane tasks plain boring?