Tip for a Tuesday....

A book recommendation....

I purchased a copy of this newly published book last week to add to my collection of Alexandra Stoddard's books. She is a philosopher of contemporary living, author and interior designer.  I've been reading her books since discovering them as a newlywed.  

I've nearly finished reading this edition and have found it as enlightening and interesting as her previous works.  Alexandra also has a website: 

www.alexandrastoddard.com

I make a point of checking out her site at the beginning of each month to read her "newsletter." 

I highly recommend you do too!

A Monday memory....

Anyone remember these?

I saw a similar photo last week and was surprised by the clear, strong memory it evoked.

I suddenly felt like I was back in a moment in time, standing on my parent's driveway, watching my Dad.  He had a case just like this, filled with keys.  After getting out of the car, my Dad would flip the ignition key back into the case so he could snap it shut. I must have watched him do that a hundred times or more.

After years of being carried in his back pants pocket it would start to look more like this.

We would be grateful to see it eventually wear because it meant we might actually have something we could buy him for Christmas or his birthday.  The man was impossible to buy for!

Funny, isn't it, how the sight of some of the most innocuous everyday items can propel you back to your youth.  And how swiftly that ache of missing someone you love can rise back to the surface.

Friday Fotos....

Saddle up, girls! We're bustin outta here....

       Lickin the flour off the top of Grandad's homemade        bread....

Before cell phones....

Anyone remember the original "Princess Phone"?  This is mine.  I saved up all my babysitting money so I could have my own phone line installed in my bedroom.  I don't recall the initial set up costs, but it was $1.25 a month thereafter.  I spent hours on this phone.  Worth every penny!

This is a "panoramic" photo of our living room, or "lounge" as referred to by the Englishman.   He took this photo using a special app on his IPhone.  It actually does feel as peaceful as it looks when you sit in there.  Which was the goal I had in mind as I decorated it.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, sunny weekend!

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

                                 (This popped up on Facebook, courtesy of "Silent Journey.")

That's what I believe and taught my daughters.  

Each one of us has many gifts.  

We are meant to use those gifts to help others.

That's how we can show our gratitude 

for all we've been blessed with.

Pass it on....

Wednesday's wisdom....

Work with what ya got.....

           


          Anyone else remember these instruments of torture?

Soft curls, falling round your face was the look most young girls sported when I was growing up.  Which was fine, except I hadn't been blessed with curly hair.  Mine was straight as an arrow.  In order to overcome this, my mother spent hours putting pin clips, bobby pins and rollers in my hair.  Then there were the perms.  I can still remember the smell that would permeate the bathroom, the lotion sliding down my neck, the stinging sensation on my scalp.  Sleep was nearly impossible with these bits of metal, sponge or plastic, held tightly in place with netting. And I still ended up with straight hair!

Fast forward to the high school years and thankfully,  fashion dictators made an abrupt turn around and straight hair was the going style.  Phew!  Now the girls with naturally curly hair were the ones having to endure hours with brushes, hair dryers, rollers and irons.  Not curling irons at first - those came later.  Irons - like the ones you use to take the creases out of your shirts.  I had two friends with waist length hair who literally laid their long tresses on the ironing board and ironed it!  Risky, yes.  One was quite successful, the other often arrived at school with a few shortened strands due to bad timing.

Over the years I have sported countless hair styles.  Some were a result of a look I might have seen in a magazine and some were rash decisions in which I told the stylist to "cut it all off."  Recently, perhaps in an attempt to push off my impending thrust into another decade in age, I've been letting my hair grow longer again.

And the other day, I paused, looked in the mirror and thought, "Hey, I remember you."  The face looking back at me felt so familiar.  She actually looked like the young woman I once was. And it was so nice to see her again.  (Though that was probably more a result of not having my glasses on than the length of my hair.)

I'm finding I feel more like "me" when my hair is longer, center part, hanging down to my shoulders.  Or when I pull it all back into a pony tail, a style I often wore in grammar school or dance class.  And whether that is the "in" style at the moment or not doesn't matter.  It's how I feel when I look in the mirror that counts.

I think I 'll keep those glasses off for the time being when looking in the mirror.  Nice to still imagine I look young, though my aching bones tell me I'm not.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Aromatherapy

So it turns out that the hours I spend perusing Pinterest are not in fact completely wasted.

The other day I came across a suggestion that was quite helpful.

In order to create a soothing atmosphere in a room, spray the top of a lightbulb with a favorite scent and then turn the light on.  The heat will cause the scent to subtly fill the room.

I tried it with Molton Brown's Relaxing Yuan Zhi Ambiente - a sample of which I had from a previous stay at a hotel in London.

Heavenly!

This tip worked a real treat - filling the air with just a hint of fragrance.

Easey Peasey.

In the past, I've tried using fragrance oils, but they tend to be messy and leave stains behind.

I find using a scented spray to be easier and cleaner.

Might try some of my perfume next time.

Just to keep things interesting around here....

A Monday memory....

With diploma in hand following my college graduation, I headed back up to Boston in September of '76 in search of a job. Not a career.  A job. I don't think we thought about it in any other terms in those days.

First order of business was to find living accommodations.  My freshman roommate and I found a basement apartment just outside the city, halfway between Boston University and Boston College, off Commonwealth Ave.  That turned out to be the easy part.  A job?  A bit more challenging.  

After a month's searching, I finally landed here.  The center building of the Quincy Marketplace in downtown Boston had just reopened after a major refurbishment.  Up on the second floor was a brand new restaurant and the source of a paycheck - The Proud Popover

  Popovers. 

Appetizer.   Main course.   Dessert.

All served on popovers.

What are popovers, you ask?

Well, according to the blurb written in the menu:

"The Popover is a uniquely American invention, a speciality from the hearths of New England."

(I suspect the Englishman would take issue with that statement.

In reality, a popover is merely a small, round version of Yorkshire pudding.

From the hearths of Yorkshire, England. Not New England.)

It is a batter made up of milk, flour, eggs, and the drippings from a roast pan.

And it is delicious.

Anxious to attract business, the managers were keen to spread the word of the impending grand opening of the restaurant. Bear in mind that this was back in the dark ages, long before social media existed. So how exactly does one spread the word in '76?

Why with pamphlets, of course. 

And how does one put those pamphlets in the hands of potential customers?

Why you send out a recent college graduate dressed as a Colonial girl.

  (My uniform was comprised of a cap, such as the one above, a white peasant blouse, black laced cummerbund, mid length gold skirt, thick black stockings and white apron.) 

Embarrassing? Absolutely.

Did I mention I was in need of a paycheck?

There I was, standing outside the State Street T Station, handing out papers and urging people to come to The Proud Popover.

Business men, in particular, seemed to find it quite amusing.

A few struck up conversations with me. Oh yes, I said, my father was quite proud after having spent thousands of dollars on my education that I was now passing out leaflets.  

Well, not really.

As an added bonus, there was a parade planned to mark the occasion of the Marketplace's reopening.

The managers sent me to that, too.

I was on the evening news.  Shame my parents back in New Jersey couldn't see it, right?

I worked at the restaurant for the next four months as a "hostess" - the person who brings customers to their seats.  Overall, it was an interesting experience.  If nothing else, it certainly motivated me to actively search for another line of work.

But that's a story for another memory.....

Friday Fotos....

This week....

  



Spring finally made an appearance in our garden.

A pair of truly beautiful yellow birds arrived - you can just about see them, one on the feeder and the other to the right, on the arm of the stand.

There was heavy duty cleaning and much moving of furniture around the house.  Clearly, Dudley was exhausted from all the activity and simply collapsed on the nearest spot.  That spot turned out to be the back of a chair I was in the process of negotiating through a doorway, which was lying upside down.  Seriously, Duds?

The Englishman baked what I consider to be his finest loaf of bread so far this evening.  And yes, I had three slices with my dinner.  It was fabulous! 

And then there was this....

Miss C

 Daughter #2 stopped outside our house on her way home from the pre-school pick up.  As we were chatting, C reached for her sunglasses, opened them up and settled them on her face.

Girl's got attitude.

Don't ya love it?

Wishing everyone a safe and quiet weekend.

Prayers continue for all those affected by the events of this week, both in Boston and Waco.

And especially for all members of Law Enforcement.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

“The real things haven't changed.

 It is still best to be honest and truthful; 

to make the most of what we have; 

to be happy with simple pleasures; 

and have courage when things go wrong.”

 ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

True when she said it.

True still today.

Wednesday's wisdom....

Keep it simple ....

Sometimes I'll have grand ideas about things I want to do or projects I want to take on.  Which is all well and good.  But most days "grand ideas" can get lost among the ever growing lists of "must - do" that crop up through out the day.  And the fact is I'm not being very realistic about what I actually can start and finish.

So I've tried to scale back a bit on my plans and ask myself what a simpler version of my vision might be.  For instance - I've wanted to send a package to one of my nephews who is finishing up his last semester at college.  Nice thought, but so far it hasn't happened.  Solution?  Knowing full well I was not going to be able to get the items I wanted today or anytime soon, instead I picked up a Starbucks gift card and sent it off in a card with a short message.  Not as much fun as a package, perhaps, but at least I put something in the mail instead of just writing reminders on my to do list.

Simple. Quick. Done.

Tip for a Tuesday....

This was the first post I saw on Facebook this morning:

"Mr. Rogers' mom told him to look for the helpers in a tragedy. Mine told me to "clean something." When I'm anxious, cleaning something keeps my hands busy and gives me something productive and mindless to do to stay busy, when there's nothing else I can do. Crocheting is also a good idea, if you can't clean. Tonight, although I spent all weekend cleaning my house, I cleaned the kitchen again. And felt a little better."

Fabulous tips!!

As I read it I thought, that mom gave her good advice. Sounds like me. And then I realized.... it was me the writer was talking about.  The post was written by daughter #1. (She changed her profile picture, which is why I didn't recognize it was her at first!)

Starting at an early age my mother taught me to "clean something" or keep busy in times of trouble.  When her first grandchild, my nephew Billy, was two and half years old, he was diagnosed with leukemia.  I could always tell when Billy was having a treatment or bone marrow test because my mother would get out the ironing board. She would iron for hours, waiting for the phone to ring with news of how things were going.  During the nearly three years Billy fought the disease, my mother cleaned out closets, reorganized the kitchen cabinets and pantry closet, and just about ironed everything in sight.  It did nothing to change what was going on but it kept her sane during those awful and anxious days.

I too, had just set up my ironing board yesterday when I stopped and saw the reports coming in about the explosions in Boston.  I was grateful to have something to concentrate on while praying and waiting for answers to text messages.  Thankfully, my college roommate and her family, who live just outside Boston, were all safe and accounted for, as were two of the sons of a dear friend.   Further good news came through that a close friend of daughter #1was also safe.  

So take a tip from us - when the going gets tough - get out the ironing board.  Or vacuum.  Or wool.  Keep busy.  Keep your sanity.

And say a prayer ..... for all of us.

A Monday memory....

Thoughts and prayers are with the people in Boston affected by this afternoon's explosions.
Little concrete information is known at this time.
Clearly, it is a frightening situation for everyone in the area.
I pray for the victims, first responders, law enforcement officials, as well as family and friends of everyone who has been touched by this tragedy.

Sadly, like many people today, I have a personal memory of a bombing. The Englishman and I were in London in December of 1983.  We had just spent the morning with his parents and family, shopping and enjoying the sights of Christmas around the city.  We returned to the hotel to rest before heading out again.  Suddenly there was an enormous "boom" which was followed seconds later by a "bang".  Looking out the window, we could see a plume of black smoke rising not far away.  One of the kids sort of laughed and said it sounded like a bomb.  My father-in-law looked over at me, nodded, and mouthed the words, "It is a bomb."  Within minutes news reports came across the television confirming his statement.

A car bomb, planted by members of the Provisional IRA, had gone off outside the famous department store, Harrods.  Six people were killed that day - three police officers and three civilians.  An American was among the dead.

Among the many reasons this incident has stayed with me is the fact that just twenty-four hours earlier, I had been shopping in Harrods.  I had been in the men's department, which is located on the ground floor, near the side entrance. Where the bomb had gone off. Ironically, I was purchasing a bright red tie for the Englishman.

They say timing is everything, right?

Friday Fotos.....

This little sweetheart gave her parents - and grandparents - quite a scare last Friday evening when she required a trip to the Emergency Room. 

Difficulty breathing and a barking cough turned out to be croup.  

Within minutes she was diagnosed and began receiving treatment.

Yes. There was a lot of praying, in between texting among family members.

  

Several days later....

Miss C was soaking up some vitamin D and stuffing rocks inside the drainpipe.

It's the little things that amuse this almost two year old.

And it's the color back in her gorgeous cheeks that makes her Grandmom breathe a sigh of relief.

Wishing everyone a drier, warmer weekend.

And no trips to the ER!

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Just read this one for the first time today.

So very true.

And then there's this one ....

Also true.

Wednesday's wisdom....

I've been sitting here, racking my brain, waiting for a burst of inspiration and a "message" for today's post.  I finally asked myself, "So what have you learned this past week?"  
And despite feeling that I have to come up with an inspiring lesson of sorts, the truth is I have learned a lot since last Wednesday.  And in no particular order, here are just a few.

I've learned.....

 1. My body is aging faster than my mind.
 2. I do not have to keep every single book I own.
 3. Less is better!
 4. The Englishman is my rock when a crisis arises and he knows exactly how to help me.
 5. Dialing your cell phone can help you find it when you're not quite sure where you left it.
 6. Pale cream colored walls really do make rooms look larger.
 7. It's important to respond to emails.
 8. It feels really good to pass things down to your kids while you are still here to watch them enjoy those things.
 9. I need to take breaks and rest while working around the house.
10. If you've been unhappy with the food at a restaurant in the past, chances are they haven't improved since and you should not go back.

I've also learned it's best to keep these posts short.  So that's it for today's lesson.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Label it!

The Englishman and I are in the process of trying to move a few more items to the "retirement house." Not only does that reduce the amount of stuff here in this house, it allows us to move things at our own pace.

Many items so far have slipped easily into large canvas bags.  They are more portable that way and I can easily see what's inside.  Boxed items, however, soon become mystery items.

Solution?

An itemized list taped to the top of the box.

Easy peasy.

A Monday memory.....

Remembering two amazing, strong women who passed away today....

Dame Margaret Thatcher

I have always greatly admired this incredible woman.  

First female Prime Minister of Great Britain and the longest reigning Prime Minister.

Those two accomplishments alone are truly outstanding.

Yet it was her strength and complete conviction in her beliefs which I found to be truly admirable.

I admit I also loved to listen to her shout her opponents down in the House of Commons.

Today, the current Prime Minister, David Cameron, summed up her eleven year reign:

"She didn't just lead our country, she saved our country."

Then later this afternoon.....

Annette Funicello

The earliest memory I have of television was watching the "Mickey Mouse Club."  My mother often recalled that I would sing my version of the opening song, "Mika Mouse," while proudly wear my Mouse Ears hat. I thought Annette was so beautiful, a sort of older sister who looked out for everyone on the show.

Years later I enjoyed watching her in beach themed movies with Frankie Avalon.  Then Annette came back into our homes once again with a series of Skippy peanut butter ads in 1979.

Annette suffered from the disease of multiple sclerosis.  Its devastating effects left her unable to walk or speak for many years. What a cruel illness.  Yet in rare footage I saw of her after her diagnosis, Annette could be seen still wearing the smile you see in the photo above.

May each of these women now find the peace they so truly deserve.

Friday Fotos....

It's been quite a busy week, filled with sorting, clearing out and donating much that has accumulated around here and now needs to find a new home.  So I've really only one "Foto" to share today.

Not sure if you can read it, but my "MIRACLES HAPPEN" tin sign is rising just above the geranium plant.  Which is appropriate, since I nursed that particular plant through the winter and have been rewarded with a bloom.  It is more easily visible in the reflection on the window.  

In addition, though also hard to detect, the "Christmas cactus" to the left of the geranium has a new flower bud!  If you look closely, center of the plant, towards the pot, you just might spot it. And it isn't even Christmas time.  How lovely is that!

Wishing everyone abundant sunshine and rising temperatures this weekend.

May you find time to get outdoors and enjoy it.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

*Found this on Pinterest

So very true....

Wednesday's wisdom....

Write it down....

Truth be told - I have a lot of trouble remembering things these days.  Who knows why.  Perhaps it's stress, too much going on or a simple case of old age creeping in.  Doesn't matter.  The fact remains that many times throughout the day I forget what has literally just been said.

Solution?  

For the moment, I think the best thing is for me to write things down.  Every single thing .... written down on paper.  

And even then, I may still forget or fail to do.  But I'm hopeful it will give me a chance to stay on top of things better than I have been.

Fingers crossed....

Tip for a Tuesday....

Mr. Selfridge

For those of you who have become ardent fans of Downton Abbey and are searching for something to watch until the series resumes, I have a suggestion.

There is a new mini series currently being aired on PBS entitled, "Mr. Selfridge."

It tells the story of the real life American, Harry Gordon Selfridge, who went to London and opened the  famous department store located on Oxford Street - Selfridges.  

Mr. Selfridge was apparently rather revolutionary in his approach to shopping. I have found the series to be quite informative, as well as entertaining, concerning many aspects of the shopping experience.  What is quite commonplace to us as we wander the malls was often cause for raising many an eyebrow  when he opened in 1909.

I must admit that due to the cleverness of the Englishman, we have already viewed the entire first season of the series and were delighted to see it will return for a second.

Episode One aired on local PBS stations this past Sunday, but many are repeating it again at odd times throughout this week.  So there is still time to catch up before episode two airs on April 7th. 

Jeremy Piven, the American actor, stars in the title role.  If you find you sometimes have difficulty in deciphering the British accent, as I have in the past, Mr. Piven will keep you rolling right along with the storyline.  As with most British dramas, the acting, costuming, scenery, and storyline are all superb.

I highly recommend it!