Tuesday 8 July 2014

The Simple Woman's Day Book . . .

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FOR TODAY, July 8th, 2014

Outside my window ...
It was quite showery yesterday, but it looks to be a clearing.  The sun is shining brilliantly off to the right of the window which I am sitting in front of, although there is somewhat of a dark cloud overhead.   A mixed bag perhaps?  Quite like yesterday I suppose.

I am thinking ...
 ✻ღϠ₡ღ✻(¯`✻´¯) 
          ✻ღϠ`*.¸.*₡ღ¸.✻
"If you want to be remembered; do thinks worth writing, or write things worth reading."
~Benjamin Franklin

Clearly another age . . . nowadays if you want to be remembered you need only do something notoriously stupid, or be a fake celeb, etc.  Things I would much rather not be remembered for.   I think I want to be remembered rather for the kind of person I was and by people who I love.  It matters only to me that my family remembers me really.  

I am thankful ... Mitzie had her grooming appointment cancelled last week as the groomers wife was in hospital.  Thankfully they were able to make it up yesterday and she is now fluffed and puffed and looking and smelling quite nice.

In the kitchen ...


An oldie but a goodie . . .  Chicken Rarebits with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.

On my "To Cook" list ...
roasted green chicken curry

Roasted Green Chicken Curry from Donna Hay.  I love her recipes.

I am creating ...

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I did this at the weekend.  I wasn't sure I liked it at first, but it has grown on me.

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Then I did this.  Still not sure . . .



Cute button bracelets.  I love button bracelets, probably because I love buttons.  There is a complete tutorial on Hope Studios.

Mod Podge DIY glass clings

Mod Podge DIY Glass Clings.  I love Mod Podge and this whole blog is devoted totally to doing things with it.   Very clever!

I love these favor boxes.  They are so cheap to make you could probably grab all the stuff from the Dollar Tree

These little animal boxes are so cute and easy to do.  Found on hellobee.

I am going ...
I am hoping to go to the Doctor this week to see about my thumb.   It was excruciatingly painful all yesterday and by bedtime last night I was in agony with it.   I sure hope that I hear something back about the x-ray soon.  I've been dealing with this for about 7 weeks now, and the index finger is starting to hurt on the same hand as well.  I cannot push anything, open anything, even a letter.  It has literally no strength at all.

I am wondering ...
We are having a student board with us beginning on the 11th of August.  I am wondering how that will go.  I am a bit nervous about it.   What if she doesn't like us?  What if we don't like her?  What if it ends up costing us money we don't have?  So many what if's . . .

I am reading ...
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Fall On Your Knees, by Anne-Marie MacDonald

Fall on Your Knees is a novel by Canadian playwright, actor and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald. The novel takes place in late 19th and early 20th centuries and chronicles four generations of the complex Piper Family.  I have only just started this but am already totally enthralled with this book.   First of all it takes place in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, which is compelling in it's own right.  Spent most of my growing up years in Nova Scotia, and have never been to Cape Breton, not once.   Secondly the characters are rich and thirdly the story is fabulous!  

I am hoping ...
We are going to go to a charity shop today to try to find a wardrobe for the student's bedroom. I am hoping we can find one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  We don't have an arm and a leg to spend.

Makes me smile ... 
What a group

This looks like Mitzie with her siblings when we went to pick her up.   I love dogs.   They make me smile.  We only had cats for the most part the whole time I was growing up.  I have decided in later life that I love Dogs more.  Dogs love you back unconditionally and with abandon.

I am learning ...
Self control.   I have always been impulsive.  I am training myself to think first and act later.   It's only taken me almost 59 years!

Around the house ...

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Looking back at photographs and seeing the tidiness of our house and the space we seemingly had when we first moved back here to Chester 4 1/2 years ago, has made me long to just get rid of so much stuff.   We have collected far too much.   I really need to cull.

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It sounds a lot easier than it actually is however . . .  charity shops are getting really picky these days.  First of all they don't want books.  We have a lot of books.

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I just am longing for less clutter.   Watch this space  . . .

I am pondering  ...
Apparently my Craft CD sold out on the shopping channel and they are thinking of doing another show.   I am wondering how much I actually made from it.   It remains to be seen, but in any case it is more than I had.  ☺

A favourite Quote for the day ...
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`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
  ¸.•´¸.•~♥♥♥~•.~    

He has made everything beautiful in it's time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
~Ecclesaistes 3:11

One of my favourite things ...
Lay's® Ketchup Flavoured Potato Chips- Things I miss the most!  

Ketchup flavoured potato chips.  It's a good thing we can't get them over here.  At least not like they taste at home.  I did find some once, but they were yukky.   If we could get them here I would not be able to resist after not having had any for so long . . . I don't need to be eating potato chips.

A peek into my day ...
  

If only real dust were fairy dust.  I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time dusting.  It just goes on forever.  I no sooner do it than it needs to be done again.  Sigh . . .

⋱ ⋮ ⋰
   ⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
   ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░  


Wherever you go and whatever you do I hope there's a wonderful day planned for you! 

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14 comments:

  1. Marie I struggle with self control every day. Enjoy your day and have some fun. God bless.

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  2. Glad I am not alone in this Suzan! You have a great day too! xxoo

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  3. Hi, Marie! LOVE, love, love your new illustrations! They are very sweet and charming--but do love all the new layers of texture, prings and colors. They're like nini quilts almost! :o) So sorry it's taking so long for something to be sorted out about your thumb. 7 weems seems a very long time for you to having to deal with this. Hope this week's doc visit will reveal some steps toward healing! VERY exciting abour your student boarder next month! Nerve-racking yes... on both ends maybe--LOL! But hoping it will be a good thing for everyone. :o) Goodness, has it been 4 1/2 years already since your move up to Chester?! Time does fly... And with time we accumulate, don't we?! The last two year's we've been culling a good bit--but I think we could do more. TJ's hesitant about the completely minimal thing... more convincing, maybe?! LOL... ;o) Happy Week to you all there ((LOVE & BIG HUGS))

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  4. Love the art..toujours!
    I remember the kitchen pic!:-)
    Fingers crossed for your thumb...

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  5. I'm with you on the clutter. My piles keep growing and I hate to part with most everything so there seems no hope here. Hope there is some relief in sight for that thumb of yours. Thankfully that is not the hand you use for your art. You can still do what you love. Your drawings and the sayings you put with them are delightful. I'm particularly fond of the sparrow quote. I keep a little brown sparrow on my shelf here to remind me. We are in His care. Hope you have a terrific Tuesday.

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  6. Hi Marie, love your new pictures and I'm not surprised your CD sold out, let's hope it's the start of something big! I live in Wallasey and we have a charity shop here for St Johns Hospice that just sells books. It's a fabulous shop and is just like a proper book shop. Maybe there is something similar in Chester? I hate clutter too, my dream job would be de-cluttering peoples houses and cleaning them till they sparkled! The only thing is I'd have to go back every week to make sure they were'nt drifting back to their old ways hahaha! Much love xxx

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  7. Tracy thanks so much for your lovely comment. I always love hearing from you. I want so to go complete minimalist, but it is really difficult to do. Part of me just
    wants to hang onto everything. :-(

    Pam, thanks for your faithfulness in reading me. I miss it when I don't see a comment from you. You've become an integral part of my day. I would love your e-mail address!

    Kate, I could so use your help! My arthritis seems to keep me from doing the things I really want to do and a man can only do things to a certain way. Sigh. He does his best, but still, you know how it goes! I daren't say anything either or he thinks I am criticizing which I suppose I am in a way! lol

    Thanks Monique! You are a dear friend! xxoo

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  8. De-cluttering......that's a task and a half. I have oodles of "Stuff" that I need to clean out. When I do finally decide to let go of some of my treasure, I go through it and then put it back, only in a different place, oh my. As for the ketchup flavored potato chips...I love potato chips and I like ketchup but the two together...I'll need to think on that one. Have a super day, Marie!

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  9. haha Marsha, they may be an acquired taste! You sound like me. I usually end up just putting things in a different place so they look different. I really need to get rid however You have a super day too!! xxoo

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  10. Glad that Mitzie got her hair trimmed etc. It is lovely when they are so silky clean and smell lovely for that first hour or two !! I have taken the name of that book as I think it will be a good read...like you I love anyting about Canada. I have been to Cape Breton so woould be even more interesting I think....Hope you do go to Dr.this week and get some result....I am sure you will do ok with your student, just make sure you are getting the proper "rent" from her.and do set down a few ground rules...My Sarah and John had students for many many years from Bath Uni. and quite a few were actually "adopted" into the family and we think of them still as "our boys" and are still in touch..Have a lovely lovely day. Been a nice one weather wise down here..the threat of rain occasionally but never came to anything xxx

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  11. Nice post Marie! Great artwork!!!
    We are doing the same over here, De-cluttering. It's hard. Even today we have been out in the garage, going through old things and getting rid of some of it. I also found some treasures that I couldn't find. :->
    A sending a (familiar)quote your way:
    "After all," Anne said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."
    Hugs! xo

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  12. Sybil, we are just taking a token amount from her as she is a member of the church and only here for ten months. We'll see how it goes! I am hoping she will become a member of the family. Fingers crossed! xx

    Valerie! I ADORE that quote, but then you knew that I would! I love anything "Anne!" xxoo

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  13. I am sorry to hear about your thumb. I hope that the doctor has a solution to fix it up good as new.
    Let us know what he says. Hugs, Lura

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  14. Lura, my thumb pales in comparison to what you have been through over these past couple of years. ((((hugs)))) I called yesterday to see if they had the results of the x-ray yet and was told I must wait TWO weeks! Outrageous! xxoo

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