Yawn...maybe I should make something up?
I am in a writer's funk and wonder what I can do to spice things up...
Do you ever get yourself in one of those moods?
It's like school when struggling and emergent writers are ready, pencil and paper poised to start and then realize that they are stuck...it's time for a story starter!
Those random few sentences that inspire and fuel the imagination...
"Leslie was sitting in her car when a police car sped by at top speed side swiping her Volvo estate with such force that her Starbucks coffee spilled all over her beautiful Hermes scarf!"
It's kind of weird for me...not having anything that I feel excited to write about...
Maybe I am ebbing low...like Springsteen sang "man I'm tired and bored with myself"
So here goes people...
I am attempting to cobble together a post with a cup of tea and a lemon shortbread cookie in my mouth.
Don't judge me too harshly if it is a crummy post!
I treated myself to some flowers...actually it's a limey shade of white hydrangea.
I'll keep it in the house for a bit and then plant it in the garden.
The morning light filtering through the blinds...
Love the size of these blooms.
Distressed and funky jardinere...
a freebie from the boulevard.
Someone has polished the silver so much that the base metal is showing through but I thought the pattern was nice.
I think it might be a Tudor Rose.
Our new DKNY coverlet on the master bedroom bed...
chrysanthemum like blooms stitched to form a pattern.
The cats seem to like it and one of them threw up on it within the first 30 minutes...
I was able to wash the spot and thankfully it did not stain.
I haven't seen Mother for over 3 weeks now and she tells me that she is feeling tired...
I have asked her to make an appointment with our GP and see if her B12 is low.
Perhaps it is her heart?
It's such a worry.
She says that she misses seeing me and I reassure her that I will see her as soon as the last of my cough has gone.
I do not want her getting ill with this nasty business.
I think it will be this week that we can arrange an outing...it is long overdue.
Lovely daughter and I had a delightful thrift shopping adventure this weekend.
She found some great vintage leather boots, some modernist Finnish glasses and we were able to buy her a retro sapphire ring which I might add is stunning.
See for yourself...
She has a great eye for design and manages to find quite a few bargains.
This was a wee extra gift as she just had her birthday and we have yet to celebrate due to illness.
I am looking forward to our dinner out and getting dressed up and enjoying a glass or two of bubbly.
In the meantime I am off to the nursery to buy some plants and perk up the deck and porch.
There is nothing like digging in the dirt and getting my hands dirty to perk things up.
What do you do to shake things up when you are in a funk?
55 comments:
I liked that post very much so I think you worked through the blog-block nicely!
When I feel tired of writing about things or just low in general I tend to stay away from my blog as I just want to press "delete blog". Probably something I will regret later though sometimes it is very tempting...
I hope you get to see your Mum soon and that your cough leaves immediately!
The small details of your life are beautiful to me, I don't live in a world of beauty as you do, I'm quite blinkered day to day.
I'm with Dani, I often want to hit delete.
One woman's 'blah' is another woman's delight I guess. The hydrangea, the shopping trip and the lemon shortbread.......great ingredients for a post!
I agree. A very fun post.
I can never tell when I'm going to write saying, "Oh my god this is so fun!" vs. when it's going to be like plucking chin hairs:).
Love the hydrangeas. think you pushed through your block just fine. although I am curious what happened to Leslie after the police rushed past her and the coffee ended up on her lap . . . :)
Are the Finnish glasses by ittala? I used to love Scandinavian design in an earlier life. Is there still Georg Jensen in Victoria? I used hydrangeas in my maid of honour's wedding bouquet. I think writing is about making some random connection.
Lovely hydrangea and sapphire ring and and bedspread. I always get a laugh out of your felines. How typical. Inspiration is a funny thing. I usually have too many inspirations and feel frustrated that I am unable to indulge them all. I love to cook, to garden, thrift shop, go for long rambles, read, do fine needlework and embroidery... I find inspiration in unexpected places,quietly lying in wait until I stumble upon it. It cannot be forced, can yet? And yet, your post is full of little inspirations... I am glad that you are feeling better. Violet.
I totally agree with Dani and Tabs about the delete button. The truth is, I love to see how you live and hear your thoughts. It is a worry about your Mom, so I do hope you're good and finished with this nasty bug soon. I don't know how I shake things up. I frequently worry that I bore my readers to tears...xoxoJennifer
Oh my, I am sure Leslie immediately limped home in her injured Volvo to quickly take care of the coffee stain in her beloved Hermes scarf. The Volvo repair could wait, but the scarf must be tenderly hand washed in gentle detergent and painstakingly rolled in a towel to wring water before spreading to air dry.....perhaps! I think you did a splendid job of writing through your blahs. More often than not, I don't know what to write and unlike you, Dear Hostess, wind up saying nothing! Your hydrangea is stunning, the ring an absolute magnificent find for your dear daughter, and now you are feeling better. Sending you good wishes for healthier days and a lovely visit with your mother! Susan
Enjoyed the photos of hydrangeas. Glad you are feeling better and hope you will be well enough to visit with your mother soon! I often have ideas for blogging but usually at times when I can't make notes and I have forgotten them by the time I can :-) . Time is the biggest problem for me, just finding a block of time to write.
Great hydrangeas, one of my favorite flowers, and a lovely sapphire ring on your daughter! I was just in a funk last week, which resulted in, I kid you not, a crying jag on a residential street near where I live. I think my mailman saw me too. Oh well. Once I made it home I steered clear of the computer, and magazines, books, and TV, hung out with my cat, then the kids when they came home from school, and tried to give myself a break. It worked. I hope you are feeling better! XO, Jill
Oh I think you pulled together a lovely and entertaining post. I do hope your cough clears up quickly so you may have a nice visit with your mom, and celebrate your daughter's birthday. Have a wonderful week!
Great post no worries there. I would like to hear more about your knitting and local yarn stores.
Do you knit for yourself? If so what, what patterns do you like, etc.
Hi, I have been reading you for several years and love you. Love the pictures and your life. I am always comparing blossoms as I live in Seattle, fairly recent transplant from Chicago. So enjoy the PNW.
May be coming to Victoria with a friend from LA. Any recommendations for dinner in Victoria?
Would really appreciate. Best
Live on the other side of the world so I love to see the different seasons, plants, and the lovely everyday world which is so different to mine.
I liked your daughter's ring very much.
Perhaps you are feeling a bit let down after being so ill?
Sue
Chin hairs made me laugh…sometimes I have them when the waxing is overdue! Tonkath
Lovely post despite the Funk. I wrote more and then hit delete…
Tonkath
I like so much Tabitha's comment about your "world of beauty". You do live beautifully. And I enjoy all the details you share with us. I was in a funk all winter due to major medical issues in my family. Now we're adjusting, spring is (almost) here and we're finally out in the garden together.
Sweet post and your daughter's ring is fabulous.
Everyone seems to go through times where it seems creativity has departed, then something comes along and adds just the spark we need to get us excited again...posting seems to follow this route also, yet you have given us a very interesting post with lots of fun in it.
I hope you feel completely well soon.
I live in fear that I will accidentally delete my blog or that one of the cats will walk across the keyboard and delete it!
I think we all live in a world of beauty...if I were to visit your part of the world Tabitha I am confident that I would find beauty at every turn....
Oh yes those pesky chin hairs.....:-))
She rushed home and laundered her scarf!
Madame there is no Georg Jensen shop here in Victoria. I do believe those glasses are Ittala! Hydrangeas wilt so quickly when I cut them...there must be a secret to keeping them fresh in a bouquet. Did you do anything special to keep them fresh?
You sound like a very creative soul Violet....I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
I don't think you need to worry about boring us! I like to feel like I am tagging along as you take us on your adventures...your grandson is adorable and I understand what a fabulous gift grandchildren are!
Yes it is all about priorities....saving the scarf then dealing with the car!
Making notes is a great idea! Finding the time might be a challenge but perhaps you can schedule a few minutes everyday? Allowing you some time to think, perhaps over a cup of tea to get those creative juices flowing?
I think of tears as a release...you must have needed to get them out.
I am sure that mailmen have seen worse than a woman in distress.....cats are really good at listening and snuggling. Hope your week is off to a gret start.
I knit for others...we have a fabulous wool shop on Douglas Street called The Beehive.
I like ravelry for patterns and Churchmouse Yarns on Bainbridge Island in Washington state.
I like to knit for babies and toddlers and give handmade gifts for baby showers and new arrivals. I find knitting very calming.
I can only suggest places that we love and I think you might want to go online to check these out in case you are curious as to their menus.
Zambri's, Cafe Brio, Brasserie L'ecole, for finer dining...Rebar, Pure Vanilla, Pagliacci's, Milestones for casual fare and for breakfast...Blue Fox, Bubby's Kitchen.
Pizzeria Prima Strada for exceptional pizza in our neighbourhood. For afternoon tea....The White Heather, Abkhazi Garden or Blue Poppy at Butchart Gardens.
There are tons of great spots to eat!
You are probably right and hearing Mother confess how she misses me and feels so tired is obviously affecting my mood.
It is a delicate balance when our family has medical considerations to cope with....I hope for your sake that the issues are better and at the very least being managed.
Spring is a time for renewal and rebirth....enjoy pottering in your garden.
Well you have cured me of these well to do women with time on their hands blogs. Seriously? You are ina funk?myoumlive in one of the nicest neighbourhood s in Victoria. You spend your days sipping tea, reading, walking and shopping. Have you never faced any real hardships?I would suggest you volunteer somewhere..maybe the single parents resource center... then you would see what real funks nd difficulties are. Done with these ridiculous blogs. I enjoy reading about our beautiful. City but have had enough of the self indulgent moaning by you and your ilk.
I was commenting that I am in a "writer's funk"...it is when one has writer's block. It is not uncommon even for professional writers to experience this at times. I take it that you have some issues with my lifestyle, retired after working for most of my life at various jobs since I was 15...stated out as a waitress at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, followed by a decent paying government job with the province and then a break for motherhood when I did a stint doing in home daycare to help make ends meet when the economy tanked in the 80's and then a 25 year career with the school district which I retired form in June of 2013. I think I have more than paid my dues and have no need to justify my position as a lady with "time on her hands" I am busy tending to my home, garden, helping my Mother and enjoying my adult children and grand children. I am walking to keep healthy, reading for fun and writing this blog as a hobby. It may be a ridiculous blog but it is mine and I am proud of it.
As far as hardships go we have had our fair share... I opt not to share them here on the blog.
The blog is not a place to air the dirty laundry...I appreciate that there are many people who face constant challenges and many people turn their lives around everyday. I hope that you will find some comfort and solace in your daily round and you are very wise to avoid blogs or people that upset or annoy you. Walking around in our fair city on a beautiful day like today is as uplifting a tonic as one could wish for. I hope you get to savour some of this delicious sunshine.
I actually like these kinds of posts, they are more natural. That ring is a stunah, well done you on the hunting... that would go nicely with my good blue frock I'm wearing to a gala - will look for something similar I reckon.
Thank you for your kind words, Leslie.
I always enjoy your posts. There is so much beauty in the ordinary if you stop long enough to look.
Well said.
Leslie, I am not retired yet, but my husband is and I know that retirement can be busier than working. All of us go through hardships, some very serious, and understandably a blog is not the place to air all that ~ unless of course that is the purpose of the blog. Many of us carry our burdens in silence and without complaint. Taking note of the beauty that surrounds us and enjoying simple pleasures is a way of expressing gratitude. I applaud your gracious reply above. Violet.
Anonymous at 11:33 is the person with issues--or at least a very very narrow viewpoint. Most everyone I know (including me) has gone through tragedy that we never thought we would face. Leslie's blog is a true oasis. Most who have been reading for a while know about her career and her well deserved retirement. I want to thank the Hostess for her delightful blog which has been a real solace for me at times.
I follow Churchmouse Yarns from afar and it looks so quaint. It is one of the places that I would like to visit. Knitting is calming to me also. Now I am working to look at my blah days an opportunity. Obviously I need to be blah for a reason...maybe to knit, to think or not to think, maybe to listen to myself or just take a nap. I am having more and more blah days recently. People tell me it happens at my age (turning 50 this year) so I am just trying to enjoy everything, even the blah days.
The appalling rudeness of Anonymous at 11:33 is shocking. For me this blog is so soothing, and a reminder to enjoy the beauty and small happiness in daily life. I am also retired in my early 50s and there are those who may judge my "life of leisure" unaware that I am dealing with some crippling neurological issues. It is always a mistake to assume that the face we choose to show the world (in your case, this blog) is the full story. I hope you keep writing and don't let the commenter get you down. Molly
Bravo, Leslie. I always marvel that screeds like the one above are inevitably written by that prolific writer, Anonymous.
It continues to puzzle me why if someone feels the way she does they keep on reading and cannot avoid to spread around some of her "cheerfulness" without the courage to use her name. To assume that life has always been what it is now to my mind cannot be anything else but ignorance and a sad comment about her ability to move from where she is, or where she was.
At 72 I have had my share of "anonymous" and I always end feeling sorry for them. Only someone with a very deep bitter reason may actually need to do what she does. Perhaps she needs a cup of good tea? or a little love for herself to treat herself to one?
I have come to the conclusion that anonymous comes out when we show any weakness, and goes for the jugular. I used to think it was more harmless, I've come to find it despicable. Sorry you had to experience it, just a note, it's a part of growing readership:(.
Hi - it turns out that Moms said it best "If you can't say anything nice, please don't say anything at all".
I'm sorry someone felt the need to be rude without apparent reason - and your response was lovely. And by the way, all the research shows that people feel free to say things on blogs/email that they wouldn't dare say out loud. Gives you pause - hiding behind a computer makes us all a little less human!
I love your blog , thank you so much . I am anonymous because I am too lazy to sign on with a name and I do not have a blog to link to but I always sign my name . I love what you share and look forward to it daily . Donna
Leslie, what a sweet and perfect reply. You inspire me to remember to stop and notice (and maybe stop being so hard on myself). Thank you.
Thank you for your honesty, integrity, willingness to take a risk, include all comments, and your gracious replies. I believe I may have been rendered speechless and slunk into a corner. You are a wonderful example. I so appreciate all your posts.
I love your blog and come here for the beauty of posted images, and your gentle narratives. Like all folks, I have had my share of hardships, but prefer to move past them and look for the good and the beauty in the world.
I've been reading your blog for a while. I have noticed lately that you seem a tiny bit more melancholy but I believe it is because you are very much aware these days of the transient nature of life. In part, because of your dear mother. I feel that way too as I worry about my mother. A lot. I don't think you were winey - just a touch of melancholy. Your life seems charmed from the outside but everyone who lives knows that no one, not even celebrities, are exempt from loss and suffering. The price of love is pain and you are clearly someone who loves. It may be true that you are blessed to be able to retire earlier than most but that doesn't mean your life is free of stress or trouble. And you should be proud of your blog - it's lovely, takes a good measure of time, and is very creative and reflective. It's not easy putting yourself out there. I wish I had more comments on my blog. They really are a gift and that's why I try to comment here and elsewhere from time to time. On thing I've wanted to tell you but never did is that I adored that house you and your sister and mother visited - the one your best friend once lived in. Leslie, you take us on some wonderful little journeys! You're a mini-Victoria Magazine....Best, Donna from alovelyinconsequence.blogspot
Just checked back. Thank you for the great list, will keep. I'm on the other side of the Olympics from, like to compare blooms with you. Sorry to be anonymous, some problem with google sign in. All my best, vi
I love your blog … it is a beautiful glimpse into a life lived well! Thank you for sharing you … and for your always genuine and encouraging comments on my blog. They are treasured!
xoxo
Tamera
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