Goodbye August.

 

On the last day of August, it's been very
cloudy, rainy and windy. Not the best

end to a good month but one we need

for the rain. So much cooler now and I

am loving the sound of the rain on the

roof. It's supposed to rain tomorrow as

well. We're starting to see some yellow

and orange leaves. Fall is definitely in

the air. My favorite season and I'm very

hopeful it will be a long one this year.

~ Chy

Love Journaling.

We've been married a long time (37 years) and together even longer (40 years). I love being in a relationship where we both try to always look for new ways to stay connected.  Recently dh suggested we write to each other every night, at the end of a busy day, to share our thoughts on the day but more importantly to write out our dreams and goals for now and the future. We used to write letters to each other and then life got busy with kids and careers. I love this idea and we haven't missed a single day since we started back in July. We went on a little shopping trip and picked out our own journals. And now every night, before we crawl in to our cozy bed, we write. It's worked so well and when we go off our little trip, the first things packed will be our journals. Do you and your lovey write notes or letters to each other? Or are you a journal writer for yourself to capture your life?

                                     ~ Chy

Pyjama Buddy.

After a long day of landscaping last

week, we all took showers but two of

us decided it didn't make sense to get

fully dressed again. So, into pj's it was!

~ Chy

Foggy Mornings.

Our current drives into the big city

each morning have been quite foggy.

Very eery but so very beautiful all at

the same time. I personally love it!

~ Chy

Dream ....

My latest charity shop find for $1.00.

It's a good size, at least 12 inches and

heavy. It's a lovely cream color, with a

couple of fabric flowers with buttons.

And a quote that I love for my little

counselling office. There is a slight

flaw on the left corner ~ I think there

may have been another flower there.

From my scrapbooking stash, I have

gathered a couple of paper butterflies

and some hearts, and will add a bit

of moss for some green. I will post

once I have this little project done. I

love coming across treasures like this.

Have you had any great finds lately?

~ Chy

Still Colorful.

From our smaller Morden Blush rose

bush. A tiny but mighty gift each year.

I've done a great job of ensuring that

the bouquet I received from dh lasts.

Every few days, I take the flowers out,

replace the water and add plant food.

Blossoms that continue to thrive, even

though they are not on the rose bush.

This is more than a week later and these

blooms still look amazing and so fresh.

We'll see how long these will last. I'm

going to add in some baby's breath too.

~ Chy

In My Kitchen.

We emptied our tiny veggie patch last

week and this is all we got! A few onions

and a handful of potatoes. It was not a

year for gardening with no rain until now!

We spent a good part of that day in the

patch but also getting a few other things

in the yard finished up. I gathered and

emptied my pots and dh figured out the

small issue he was having in the shed.

It's all fixed now and can't wait to fill

up the shed with items in our garage

that are taking up too much room. It

will be lovely to have this space to stay

organized and keep the garage lighter.

After this busy day, I relaxed with a

fizzy drink and lemon and lime slices.

A great way to end last weekend and

move forward towards Fall. Namaste!

~ Chy

Rained Out.

The concert held in Central Park last

week was rained out. Such a shame.

And just as the rain hit there, we had

some rain all through the night and

right through the following day. That

was NOT something I was sad about!

~ Chy

Celebrating Ciara.

On the 21st of August, we honored our tiniest baby,

Ciara~Rose Kennedi. She was stillborn @ 8:00 pm

on August 21, 1998. I had only been in labor for a

very short 20 minutes and we had her at home. We

will never forget her short time in our lives and we

 love to remember each year. But wish she was here.

Do you have someone you miss each year?

~ Chy

A Dearest Friend.

 

On the weekend, our dearest friend T
treated us to lunch at the Olive Gardens.

There was no wait to get in, the server

was lovely and the food was amazing.

I will also love their salad and warm

breadsticks. But the best was the lovely

conversations as we caught up. T is an

amazing man who has been our dear

friend for just under 40 years now. He

was my dh's best man and has been

through all our journey's with us. And

we with him. Yet he is also someone

we don't see on a daily basis. But he's

always there. I hope that made sense.

Do you have a dear friend like T?

What makes them special to you?

~ Chy

Tie~Dyed Roses.

My flowers from our anniversary are

now 5 days old and still looking very

healthy and full. I'm so intrigued by

the roses which look like they've been

tie~dyed. I'm going to dry them when

they are almost at the end. So pretty!

~ Chy

Unfinished Projects.

I had some extra time on Friday after our day out and after working outside to finish up a few projects. I'm trying to get everything done so when we go on our holidays, I won't have a list of things to tackle when we get home. I started chalk painting these pieces in the Spring but then set them aside as we had an event. And of course, after an event, it never just ends once the event is over. There are loose ends to tie up and reports to write. I finally had time to get back to finishing up these pieces. The tall cabinet has a door and some shelves inside. Probably will end up at the back door to store mitts and hats. The shorter cabinet is for the guest bedroom as a bedside table. The top is marble and I'm excited to see how this looks once it's all done. There are a few other pieces that are quite visible in this photo but some are frames and one is a box that is going on my desk to hold paper, envelopes, etc. I may have a few more pieces to tackle in the future but I'll leave those in their storage spot in the garage to work on over the Winter. Do you have any projects you're working on at the moment?

                                     ~ Chy 

Finally ....

Yes those are rain clouds! Finally, after so many months of no rain and extreme heat, we're turning the corner. It spit a bit off and on yesterday but today, we woke up to the pitter patter of rain on the roof. Such an amazing and welcoming sound. It's supposed to rain all day. And then the best part .... even more rain tomorrow! I know parts of the easter U.S. are struggling with the rain today with Hurricane Henri, so please know I am thinking of all of you. But we truly need this rain here. The hot left a solid week ago as well. Now it feels like Summer should feel like. At night and in the morning, it is starting to feel a bit like Fall. We have a few yellow leaves there and there popping up. I mourn the beautiful Summer we really didn't get but hoping we'll have an amazing long Fall, my favorite season of all. 

I've been not feeling well for a few days. Just achy, hot and cold, and super sleepy. I just woke up (it's just hitting 11 am here) and feel asleep around 10 last night. Hoping I perk up today as this week at work is full of meetings and projects. And getting ready for our trip. So I need to be well. I am going to help dh with the last few pieces that have to be added to the new shed we built. We can do this in the rain as it's the snow load pieces that need to be installed and the shed is cozy and rain free, so we can get this task done pretty quick. The rest of the day I plan to finish up the last bit of laundry, set our suitcase out on the guest room bed so we can start gathering what we need to pack, tidy up my office (paper everywhere!), put together a letter I need to send tomorrow, plan out the week so we're on task, then I hope to sneak in a tiny nap and finish my book .... finally! 

Hope you've had an amazing weekend.

And your week this week is even better!

~ Chy

Vintage Look.

My all time favorite view in our kitchen.

I love the vintage look of our AGA and

the colors we chose to make this space

eclectic and unique. I think we hit it!

Enjoy your amazing Friday.

~ Chy

Beautiful Bouquet.

A surprise delivery today to the hospice

for me, from my dh, for our anniversary.

I have never seen such a beautiful bouquet.

I'm sure you'll see a few photos all week!

~ Chy

Our Wedding Anniversary.

Today is our Wedding Anniversary.

On August 18th, 1984, we said "I

Do" to each other and that began a

lifetime of adventures ~ good, bad

and everything in between! Today,

we both worked but came home in

the afternoon to enjoy a delicious

Chinese food dinner, watched our

favorite show, ended up having a

short nap, then woke up to have our

favorite pie .... key lime. It was a

quiet celebration but we'll do more

on the weekend. We truly believe

these small moments make life fun!

~ Chy

New Cottage Dreaming.

I love collecting photos with ideas for

our future cottage down the road. It

would be our 2nd build but our last

home. All the pieces we've dreamed

about forever would be in this little

house. I dream of a sweet round door

that has panes of glass for light and a

pretty color on the front. Isn't it sweet!

~ Chy

Dollhouse Renovation.

I'm almost done my first dollhouse and hope to begin working on this model. I'm going to have to dig around to find a picture of it in its current state. But just imagine quite a bright pink, with green window trim and doors, and a stained deck. Roof is cedar shakes and the inside will need a "refresh" as well. Not quite the look I want but it's what I have to work with. I love the model above with a more subtle hint of pink, with a darker hue, green, ivory and grey. I've kept this photo as my inspiration. We'll see how close I get! I may switch out the burgundy for light green or grey. 

Do you have any projects you're

currently working on this Summer?

~ Chy

Homemade with Love.

Living a lifetime with crazy food allergies means that food is always an issue. I'm thankful on a daily basis for an incredible man who loves to cook and keeps me fed with his creations. He always makes the  majority of our dinners from scratch, or as my gramma would say "homemade with love." When I was growing up, I really never had the chance to try new foods and homemade was saved for Sunday dinners or special holidays. The rest of the time, I ate the same things over and over again, and eating out was not really an option. Lots of packaged food though, as my mom could read the label and know I could eat it without spending the rest of the night in the ER. I grew to hate eating, which started an eating disorder and many years of battling my then skeleton body. My dh finally came along and made me healthy and whole by figuring out what he could make that I wouldn't get sick after eating. Now food isn't something I hate. And even though it still hurts when I eat, food is now enjoyable. The best though is when he creates from scratch, my "homemade with love" meals like the pizza that after decades of never being able to eat pizza, I could now eat it every day! Fresh dough from the Italian Centre, fresh grated mozzarella, rosemary ham, alfredo sauce and fresh pineapple chunks. Oh so good! I can't wait for dinner tonight!

Do you love to cook meals from scratch

and create "homemade with love" food?

~ Chy

Rainbow Greeting.

We bought a new mat for the preschool and love the rainbow greeting. I can't wait for the littles to see their new mat on the first day of school. We're gearing up for full classes this year, after a year of small groups. Excited but anxious and everything in between. Hoping for a great year!

Do you have littles who will be back to

school soon? Are you excited or anxious?

~ Chy

Missing Guests.

 

Covid has been hard. The isolation from

family and friends is the part that I've

hated the most. Now that we can visit

with each other again, it's getting better.

But sadly, our beautiful spare room is

very empty and not likely to have guests

anytime soon. Everyone is taking extra

care and not travelling too far. We are

heading to the West Coast for our son's

wedding but no other plans for us either.

Do you have any travel plans in mind?

~ Chy

End of Day.

Always my favorite time of day, even

when the sun doesn't shine through

the lacy curtains. A quiet time, full of

reflections of the day and plans for the

coming days ahead. Dreaming at the

end of day is worth the work all day.

What is your favorite time of day?

~ Chy

Work in Progress.

I didn't get the best shot of our sump pump pipe but I think you can see it close to the veranda skirting. It works really well ensuring that the rain that falls doesn't get in to our basement. But it is pretty forceful and the water tends to pool beside our little walk way (currently covered by the pond liner above), so it was time to figure out this issue. Today, we cut the pond liner to fit, then took some wood scraps and attached them to the bottom of the skirting to firm up this area. It was low and dirt was creeping under the veranda so this has now created a barrier. We then used the wheel barrow to bring over 2 loads of fill and starting at the veranda, we created a lovely swale that once the pipe is cut back and fit with an elbow, and the pond liner is set in it's place, the water will now flow towards the forest at a different angle, leaving our walk way free of water ~ no freezing in the Winter. Yeah! We'll fill in the open spaces with rocks all along the "creek bed" and then cedar chips on the outside edges up to the garden on one side and the walk way on the other side. We do plan to plant some bushes and plants to fill this space in as well. And the veranda decking needs work and color too. We're getting there. Little steps at a time. It's frustrating sometimes when the weather doesn't cooperate but we're committed to get every task done, even if it takes us years! 

Can't wait until this project is done and I can share some lovely pictures. For now, it's a dream but finally, after lots of planning, a work in progress! Soon, soon it will be done.

What's on your task list?

Any "work in progress" news?

~ Chy

Right Here. Right Now.

I rarely paint my nails. But recently I

started and just had to show you today!

What I'm wearing .... my light yellow sundress with my pale green cotton slip underneath. Two long braids and bare feet.

What I'm reading .... still reading the same book. I apologize!

What's happening in my kitchen .... quiet for now but dinner will be starting soon. Homemade pizza with dough we bought from the Italian Centre. Looking forward to it.

What's outside my window .... another dark day with huge clouds dropping rain, lightening and thunder, then an hour of sun, then a storm again. So grateful for the rain. The storms are not welcome at all. But the rain is very much needed.

What I'm thankful for .... a weekend full of tasks that are checked off our list, time for fun, relaxing and sleeping in, and creative endeavors in the now very tidy art studio.

What I'm smelling .... the snack we just ate while watching a movie. A mix of cashews, raisins, nuts and white chocolate.

What I'm hearing .... we're watching "Guess Who's Coming for Dinner" for the first time. So good! So progressive!

What I'm crafting .... windows for the dollhouse arrived this week. I may try and put them in tonight. Then flooring and walls and it's ready to go back to dgd. I hope she likes it.

What's on my mind .... the sale of our old house that feels like it's taking forever. Many showings, which is a good sign. 

Words to live by .... "You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die." This quote is special as it is the philosophy of Dame Cicely Saunders and the philosophy of the hospice I am privileged to work in. We have used this quote for years. A favorite.

Namaste, my blogging buddies.

~ Chy

Sweet Gift.

Most women are showered with lovely

diamonds and pretty flowers. But my guy

knows that I love tools, so be brought

me home a smaller version of his weed

eater so we can weed eat together. He

even bought me an extra spool. True love!

~ Chy

Hydrangea Blooms.

I'm very patiently waiting for my Hydrangea to bloom in our little Secret Garden. It's got tiny buds now, but now blooms. However, the ones at the hospice are amazing, full and blooming liking crazy. I "borrowed" one the other day ~ maybe I should say I "rescued" it as it was falling over with the weight and laying on the ground. Yup, gonna go with "rescued." Wink, wink, nudge, nudge! A pretty addition to my desk. Love them! When I need a break from my intense grief work during the day, pretty flowers keep me grounded. 

Once I'm done my work today, we may venture in to town to pick up some fresh food. It's supposed to storm, so we'll have to watch the skies. This weekend, we hope to tackle the last bit of board and batten work in the lower level ~ a great task if the weather will be rainy. We so need the rain and I hope it pours the entire time. Plus it will get us motivated to get this project done so we can get it started on the main floor ~ mudroom, staircase and upper hall are all next on the list. Truly a Fall project but if we can't work outside, a great compromise. Last weekend, we tackled the garage and are so happy with our purging and redefining spaces. Now we have to donate the items we no longer need and then work on dh's workshop area. We were at Ikea yesterday and found a great system to hang tools and screws. I love the clear containers that will make finding little items much easier. And you can add to this system as needed. I think we'll end up going this route and have a lovely spot for dh to work on his projects. I'll post once we have it all installed.

Tonight, I'm planning a marathon of "Good Girls" while dh watches the football game. We taped all the episodes as it's on so late at night but haven't had time to just sit and watch. Loved this series and sad it's now been cancelled. Hope it doesn't end with a cliffhanger! Tomorrow we haven't figured out just yet but we won't be going out for sure. We truly love our Sundays at home with no busy schedule.

Enjoy your weekend, whether it's full

of a list of tasks, or you get to just chill. 

~ Chy