Pretty blue walls

So, I finally finished with my office transformation.  Over a year ago I built the desk.  Even before that I had picked out some paint samples.  Earlier this year, I finally got test patches on the wall.  This week - a friend helped paint it.  My office is now a turquoise-robin's egg blue with brown (almost the same color as my desk) on the bottom and white trim.  The walls are all bare right now and I am thinking about what I to pick to decorate them.  Right now, I am just enjoying the thought of possibilities.  I ordered some frames for kid's artwork from dynamicFRAMES.  I hope to keep the kid's art clutter contained.

In the past I had lots of little pictures, but I think I want some big things this time around... oh what can I do...  Of course, the first order would be to try to keep the actual desk clutter to a minimum!

But that's my happy thought for the day - pretty blue walls and the possibilities...

Down in the dumps

I have been feeling guilty about everything lately - or at least all the things I think I should do that I JUST DON"T WANNA!  I should do the budget to make sure we keep money working for us - yes, I have been taking the easy way out and just keeping an extra cushion in checking.  I should be playing with the kids instead of letting them watch hours and hours of tv.  I should be making dinner rather than resorting to going out for breakfast 5 - 6 days a week. I should plan dinner too - more than just - fish sticks? quesadilla?  or getting ready to heat foods from the farmer's market (although, I guess that is better than fast food, right?).  I should pull those pesky weeds.  I should do the laundry before we run out of clothes.  I should exercise - those 10+ lbs. I gained this year are not going to disappear if I wish hard enough.  I should call my friends - because I know if I talk to them, I will feel better.  Heck - I should go visit some of my friends too...  so many live far far away.  I should paint the half tested blue walls of my office - a sign of laziness to face every work day.  But, I just don't wanna!  I want to curl up on the couch and read books and watch bad tv.  I want to sit by a river and watch it go by.  I want a lap cat to pet (but ours is an attack cat...).  I want all of these things to magically do themselves.

But for today, I am going to take my aching head out to the Day-lily Farm in Amador - maybe tomorrow I will wanna do something...

Frazzled - smile more

So, I am overwhelmed - at home, at work, at life.  I am tired, I am over-committing  myself.  In the face of overwhelming responsibilities (both externally and self generated), I tend to pile on more things I should do.  But last night, I did stop and enjoy a quiet moment.  I sat in the dark with a cold beverage and watched a small fire with Higgy.  That makes me smile more. 

Of course, today when I had to find a way to fit in all the things that I didn't do last night.... cranky!  I need to find some balance.

Meet the monster tomato plant

We've had the strangest summer - unusually mild. It has meant fewer tomatoes - but this plant has gone crazy! It broke two different tomato cages. Now we're trying a three panel screen that used to hide the air conditioner. Hopefully, it will work.

Preconceived notions

We all have preconceived notions of who we are, what we do, and what we like.  But sometimes it pays to think about them a minute.  It all started for me when I was reading The Happiness Project - she has a resolution to Be Gretchen.  Now, you might be thinking Be Me?  how can I not be me? 

Well it all starts when I go on auto-pilot.  I default to my preconceived notions of myself.  I am a shirt and jeans kind of girl - um wait, except in summer when I wear dresses 6 out of 7 days.  I don't wear pink - um, well, 2 of those dresses are pink and so is my only cashmere sweater...  I like to cook - um, then why don't I cook more, why do I eat out whenever I can?  oh wait, I like to eat :)  I like to read - yes, yes, I do - I'm almost back on pace with 3 - 5 books a week.  I like to go to the movies - um, then why have I only seen 4 movies in the theater in the last 3 years?  I like to travel - yes, except not for work - or at least not every single week for work.

For a long time, I lost who I was.  I let someone else define it.  I need to make an effort to think about what really makes me happy, what I enjoy.  But when I am tired and overwhelmed, I fall back on those preconceived ideas based on who I was.  I guess I need to work on Be Me a little more.

Feeling like the Grinch

Since I feel cranky and rather Grinch-like, here's some things that make me happy about the coming holidays

1.  Lights on houses, trees, fences and all other stationary objects
2.  Pecan tarts, Yummy Carmel Bars, Sugar Cookies, and Lemon Bars - the familiar holiday cookies.
3.  The first Christmas song after Thanksgiving (all the early ones don't count)
4.  Decorating the tree and the house
5.  Vacation days - use it or lose it - I end up with a few extra days at the end of the year

Where has the time gone?

It's been a busy few months - with many happy thoughts to keep me going...

• Spain - good food, long walks, and beautiful gardens, cathedrals and palaces - and art, wonderful art - enough for art overload.
• Birthdays - we've celebrated 7 in the last few weeks - lots of parties, cake and ice cream
• Parties - friends, food and dancing
• Friends - those near and far, old and new
• Books - not reading as many as I would like, but enjoying the ones I do read