The Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY March 18th, 2014

Outside my window...
Its another sunny day in store for us today. I sure have been enjoying all the dry weather and the sunshine.  It is long overdue.   Mitzie is enjoying it as well as she can finally be allowed into the grassed area of our back garden for a good old sniff after a long wet winter!

I am thinking...
`•.¸.•´¸¸.¸.☆¨What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.
All that we love deeplybecomes a part of us.
~Helen Keller

I am the sum of all my parts, all of my experiences.  If I can turn the bad into good, then it's all good, and that can't be bad!

I am thankful...
I am thankful for the love of friends.   I had a lovely time with my friend Sheilagh yesterday.  It had been far too long since we had been able to spend time together.   We chatted and laughed and chatted and laughed.  We set the world to rights.  It.  Was.  Good.

 In the kitchen... 

 

A Light Chicken Taco Salad!  Yum!

I am wearing...
A steel helmet, boots and a space suit.  No, not really.  It's the same old nightie et al.  I just thought I would shake things up a bit. lol

I am creating...



I just adore these little crochet cherries I found on Craft Gawker. If you have never looked at Craft Gawker, you should.  It's like Food Gawker, except it's crafts.




I found this little guy on Spud and Chloe.  Isn't he cute??   I think he is adorable, as far as frogs go!  There is a tennis ball inside.   I love it!



Is this not a beautiful example of French Knot Embroidery.  I think it is just gorgeous.   I found this on  One Crafty Mama.   I love to sit and embroider in an evening.



This is a felt candlemat I have been woring on since before Christmas.  With any luck it will be done before next Christmas.  I got the pattern from Cath's Pennies Designs.  I love working with felt.  All I have left to do now are the smiles on the snowmen's faces and their buttons.



I just love this felted wool blanket made from old sweaters.  I think it is just gorgeous.  You can find a tutorial on how to make it on Yellow Suitcase Studio.  People are just so smart!


I am going...
I am going to some friends with Todd for lunch tomorrow.  I am looking foward to that.  It's always nice to spend time with friends, and when you get to eat, that's even better.

I am wondering...
We seem to have hoardes of gulls here all of a sudden.  I don't remember there being as many as we appear to have now in the past.  They are making a right noise this morning.  I wonder why they are here all of a sudden.  What's the attraction.   And it better not be our fish and frogs.



Sane New World, taming the mind, by Ruby Wax
Comedian, writer and mental health campaigner shows us why and how our minds can send us mad and how we can rewire our thinking, especially through mindfulness, to calm ourselves in a frenetic world. Ruby Wax - comedian, writer and mental health campaigner - shows us how our minds can jeopardize our sanity. With her own periods of depression and now a Masters from Oxford in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to draw from, she explains how our busy, chattering, self-critical thoughts drive us to anxiety and stress. If we are to break the cycle, we need to understand how our brains work, rewire our thinking and find calm in a frenetic world. Helping you become the master, not the slave, of your mind, here is the manual to saner living.  It's early days yet, but so far quite an enjoyable read.  I was telling a friend how bad my insomnia is and how I can't turn my head off at night.  She recommended this book.

Still figuring ME out.  lol

I am hoping... 
 It is rather windy this morning.  I hope we are not in for a storm.  That could be why the gulls are here.  Perhaps it is really stormy on the coast, which in reality is not too far from here.

Makes me Smile...    




This is a picture of my sister and our friend Wayne which was taken on the evening of August 24th, 1974.  I know the exact day, as it was taken at the reception of my first wedding.  My sister is still wearing her bridesmaid dress and a goofy smile, probably because she was  getting away with drinking beer without being noticed.  She would be about 16 in this photo.  I was 19 and she is three years younger than me.  She looks pretty happy. ☺ Wayne was such a help to me last year when I was home at my mom's, driving me in and out of Halifax to see her.   And he wouldn't take any money at all for petrol.  He has always been a good friend.   He's been in our lives for a very long time.  Friends like that make me smile.

I am learning...
That the more I think that I know, the less that I really know.  I am learning every day.  There is always, always something new to take on board.

Around the House ...  



How to paint Cupboard doors from BHG.  It's a great tutorial.  I love BHG.  They have a lot of information on their page, not to mention oodles of recipes.




Look at this amazing use of space from Houzz.  I am always looking for more storage space.  I clearly need to think things out a bit better!   Normally this space would be going to waste.   Instead it's all being used.  I think it's great!



No source to share but I am loving this inventive use of wall space as a gallery wall to display all your favourite photographs.  It would be a bit of a nightmare to dust, but I love the concept!



 I love it!  NOT the wall colour, or the messy room, but the concept of family photographs set out into a heart shape.  What a special way to highlight the important people in your life.  From Marie Claire Ideas.



I need, NEED this kind of help.  We have such a small house and so little space.  60+ innovative ways to organize your kitchen from DIY Crafts.  Seriously.   WE have no room for anything.  Todd calls it the collapsy house because every time you move or open a door some thing falls over or out!   It is immensely frustrating!  We need to simplify.

I am pondering... 
The sister missionaries are coming for their tea tonight. I am making moussaka.  I am wondering if that is too different, and if maybe I should change my game plan??? Hmmm . . .  what do you think?  I was going to do a rice pilaf and Greek Salad with it, along with french bread and yoghurt and blueberries with hob nobs for dessert.

A favorite quote for today...   

 

`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
  ¸.•´¸.•~♥♥♥~•.~ 


Don't postpone joy until you have learned all of your lessons. 
Joy IS the lesson.
~Alan Cohen

One of my favorite things...    



Sheilagh's Laugh.  It truly is one of my favourite things.  If she could bottle it and sell it, she'd be a millionaire.  It's just priceless.

A few plans for the rest of the week ...
Not a lot really.   The missionaries today and lunch with friends tomorrow.   We will have to see what pops up.  I am longing to get more creative.  So we shall see.  Watch this space!!

A peek into my day...



 There is far too much cooking and eating.   Mostly too much eating.  If I could only figure out how to do the one without the other . . .   then I'd be a millionaire!

⋱ ⋮ ⋰
   ⋯ ◯ ⋯ 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!