The Beginning ....

This is a bit of a "quirky" corner in our cottage. I love the curve of the staircase but figuring out how to decorate this spot has been a bit of a challenge. We have envisioned a gallery wall going up the stairs and then when we did the board and batten wall in the lower level down the hall towards the theatre room, we knew then that we'd like to do the same going up the stairs. The painting we found on sale after Christmas and though it does have a bit of the season in the images, I plan to keep it up as it's perfect with all our colors. The board and batten will start in the corner and "bump up" with each change in level then follow the slope of the stairs. This next step will begin soon. We're just finishing up painting the lower level and then we'll begin. The b and b will continue from the top of the stairs and down the long hallway to the art studio. I think this will help break up the high walls so it looks more cozy in the cottage. 

In other news, this has been a hard but good week. I'm super tired today and have a class to teach this morning. Yesterday was technically my day off but I had to pop in to the hospice for a photo shoot (my curly hair was a hit!), visited a friend at his new location for his business (impressive!), picked up some art supplies from Michaels, then came home to change and do a bunch of paperwork, meetings, calls, then dinner after a bit of a break outside, then a class to teach and a Zoom meeting that went almost until 10 pm. After my class is done at noon today, I'm done for the day. We plan to drive in to the Big City to meet up with a friend to get a document signed. There is a possibility we may meet at an outdoor pub but will see how we feel as the numbers suddenly jumped up again this week after a number of weeks of being low. Not sure why the spike but it is a grave concern. We may just chat and then head home. Not sure what the rest of the day holds but I have a list of things to accomplish if I need any inspiration. Hockey game tonight to watch, which often means doing some art for me. I have a sweet project I could start that won't take long. And today I'm signing up for a 3 day course that will be virtual at the beginning of April. 

Tomorrow is a no plan day just yet. It's supposed to rain, which would be good as there is a lot of brown out on the landscape. We can see bits of green popping up here and there. Our rink is now a lovely swimming pool! It was a great run and we're already planning next year's set up. 

Wishing you a beautiful Spring day!

Hope it's beautiful, wherever you are.

~ Chy

It's Spring!

Welcome Spring. Although here it's been so warm

and sunny and Springlike for weeks, today is the

official first day. We are embracing our amazing

weather and hope it continues long in to Summer.

~ Chy

Windows Open.

Spring has truly arrived, even if the

calendar says otherwise. It's so warm

and sunny right now. And having the

windows open to air out the cottage

from the Winter air has been lovely.

Today will be even warmer and we

may even have rain on the weekend.

Hope you are having great weather too!

~ Chy

Thankful Thursday.

I try to and often am able to find things I am

thankful for each day. Some days when life is

tough, it's hard to find even the smallest thing

to feel gratitude for. But I manage! Today, on

Thankful Thursday, here's what I'm thankful for:

* a flexible schedule that allowed me to have a

Zoom meeting with my mom's care providers

today for her annual review. She's doing so well

in her home and for that, I truly am beyond grateful.

* Sunny days, big puddle to walk through, green

buds poking through the dirt and big blue skies.

* the warmth outside that is keeping us from being

inside! It's over 15 degrees Celcius today, which is

I'm sure a new record. Usually at this time of year,

it would be about ~ 2 to ~10 and snowy. Thankful!

What are you thankful for on this fine Thursday?

~ Chy

St. Patrick's Day.

My great grandparents arrived in

Canada from Ireland in 1905, on

separate boats, and from separate

county's. They found each other

and married and here we are. I'm

really not sure how much Irish

this makes me but I'll take it! A

couple of years ago, I was gifted

a copy of the ship manifesto that

show their names, ages, and where

they were travelling from. I'd like

to frame this but want it on better

paper, like a sweet parchment. I

am so thrilled to have this little

piece of history that shows where

our family came from. Our rings

are Claddagh's, and now we have

new Celtic Knot ones. When I

finish up my tattoos on my arms,

I'm going to add in something to

represent my Irish Heritage. I

will reveal once it's completed.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone.

Hope your day was green and amazing!

~ Chy

Cozy Corner.

 

Feeling so lucky leaving my office the

other day. My ED gifted me her chair

from her office so I could set up a cozy

counselling corner for clients. I have

plans for a table in between, along with

a tall lamp behind the chair on the right.

Some lovely art and perhaps a hanging

shelf or some nicknacky items. So blessed.

~ Chy

52 Weeks.

Tomorrow will be one full year, 52 weeks, since

we received word that we were in lockdown. All

of us in the house were suddenly home from work

and school fulltime. Though we had been watching

from the sidelines the events unfolding around the

World, it seemed so surreal that here in Canada,

we were not immune from the experience. Though

we have all worked at home at times, and dh and

I usually would work here at least one day a week,

it was such a shock to be forced in to our brand

new reality. I had already been home for a few

days as dd  had surgery on the Friday before. I

had brought home my laptop and some files to

stay busy while she recovered. A few days after

lockdown started, we were allowed to go in to

work to pick up anything we needed to continue

to function from home. 52 weeks later, we are all

still here, safe, healthy and to date, Covid free.

We had stocked up prior to the lock down, not

knowing it would happen so quickly. One thing

that really helped us cope so well was living in

the country, where we really are removed from

so much. Going in to town once a week to pick

up our ordered groceries became the only time

we'd venture in. Somehow, we made it all work

and 52 weeks in, it's almost surreal again that we

have survived, thrived and made changes to life.

We're not quite back to "normal" just yet but I

am not sure "normal" will return. We all have a

new life now, with a greater appreciation for

every breath we take. I hope you have made it

thru as well and continue to do okay. Namaste.

~ Chy

Cabinet Reveal.

Ta da! Freshly painted and in it's first

spot to try out. But then, I changed ....

.... it by moving it closer to the window,

giving more room to walk by it to the desk.

I'm excited to decorate it up. And have

a spot for all my books and special items.

Maybe a plant or two. My puppets. And

a whole lot of stuffies for the littles who

come in for programs or counselling. I

loved this cabinet before and will love it

even more now that it's making my new

office finally feel cozy, warm and inviting.

~ Chy