Muguet de Bois....it's MAY!

Greetings from our Humble Bungalow Garden!

I picked a posy of flowers.

they are fragrant and pretty

Our darling daughter is moving into a fabulous condo with an urban vibe

it's a downtown heritage restoration

brick walls

high ceilings

it's going to be a stellar place to live...

I'll be doing a post on her home when she gets unpacked.

~ ~ ~

I will be away from my blog for a few days...

We will be attending

a 60th birthday

 sneaking a peek at a new grandchild (my friend's first)

ther will be a ferry ride and some fun!

~ ~ ~

"Stop Blending In" or Accessorizing the scarf on Easter weekend.

How are you warming up your wardrobe for Spring and Summer?
Have you embraced the new focus on the Bright Shades that are popping up in every shop?

The black, white and grey gal that I am is taking baby steps adding colour and doing it very prudently...
I do not follow trends per se but I do not want to look like I have "given up" either.
So I walk a fine line...a line which I am sure that many of us almost 60's walk.

What I choose to wear is a reflection of who I am, what I consider to be an honest representation of my tastes and socio economic class, the middle class, conservative, and becoming more mindful of consumerism and frugality.
There is an inner struggle going on, a voice that whispers...buy me,
when on the other hand the level head says you do not "need" it.

Do you want it?
Do you need it?
Will it last for many seasons?
Is it something that will give you pleasure every time you put it on?
Is it well made?
Does it flatter?

All these thoughts co-mingling together as I stand admiring a simple scarf...
A scarf, I know! How silly!
I hesitate as the clerk comes over and gushes about these scarves and the wonderful colours that they come in...
she has 3 of them already and loves hers. I move on...
circling the department and come back,
not once but twice.

Mr. HB mentions that he likes the green and blue together.
Really honey? That definitely sounds like encouragement.
That casual observation might nudge me just a little.
I put the scarf up to my face, yes the colours work...
tha fabric is dreamy, soft and wispy.
It's not too expensive...
it's versatile and pretty.
It would perk up my greys and blacks.

Nordstrom's scarf

a wispy dreamy scarf

a little bit of soft colour to light up my wardrobe.

I'm thinking now that I will need to pull out my ethnic silver and turquoise earrings

they now have a partner!

ah yes!

maybe NOT!

Perhaps...

certainly!

Haggis anyone? 

Vintage Bakelite ~ when I'm feeling artsy.

Hosting out of town guests...

maybe strangers in a strange land?

an after 5 soiree...

walking the dogs...

NO! I have two cats.

date night...

afternoon tea with Mother

This scarf is so versatile!

I am imagining all the outfits that I can wear it with so it's a wise and prudent purchase.

Storing a scarf when not in use is minimal.

Our wee Humble Bungalow has teeny tiny cupboards 

so I always need to consider that when I buy something...

anything

where will it be stored when not in use?

Do you think before you buy something?

I had fun with this post and I hope it might have made you smile.

On the news front...

Jumping for JOY!

a new grand baby is on the way!

Happy Easter!

~ ~ ~

A Very Happy Hostess!

Shower snaps...

The baby shower was last weekend and I have been so busy with out of town family visiting that I've had very little time to sit down at the computer and blog.

Darling daughter and I blew up some dotty balloons 

then she tied them to the railing out front of the Humble Bungalow.

Maps had been given to all those invited but this was a quick clue as to which house they were coming to.

I raided Miss Isla's toy basket and spelled Baby in blue and green blocks.

I bought some paper plates for the appetizers

(diaper pins for the table!)

I rarely use paper but this wee pram pattern caught my eye.

I love prams, especially vintage ones.

We had mimosa's in champagne flutes to start.

Equal amounts of fresh orange juice and bubbly.

I used Cooks for economy

because

when mixing these cocktails it's more about the fizz and bubbles 

 the juice is the big pop of flavour here.

Tea and coffee served on the built in buffet.

(I pushed the family photos to the back to make room!)

(photo by J)

I love all white china

it makes mixing patterns a breeze.

(photo by J)

Assorted cheeses, dried apricots and dates.

3 kinds of crackers

sundried tomato basil dip from The Best of Best of Bridge cookbook

vegetables and dilly dip

deviled eggs

pickles

(photo by J)

I like to use cheeses that are different and label them accordingly.

home made chocolate torte with strawberries

(photo by J)

(photo by J)

(photo by J)

Lovely daughter has a friend Emily who is a talented graphic designer 

 the two of them made a banner for the shower.

You can see more of Em's work here.

Emmett's Mom will be able to keep this for his room or it may come out for future birthday celebrations.

I wish I had had one of these for my children when they were young.

I love the idea.

We did play a few shower games...

a Baby word scramble 

and 

a necklace game

each guest upon arrival was given a gaudy plastic dollar store string of beads

whenever you said the word baby you have to give up your necklace to who ever heard you say it.

There were two winners in the end and fortunately I had wrapped three gifts.

It's been years since I've hosted a shower

 I don't think I could have pulled it off without help from my clever daughter.

Thanks darling!

~ ~ ~

Some of the photos used here are the property of darling daughter 

I have indicated those by adding her initial "J".

Burts Bees...baths and grandbabies.

My hands get much abuse on a daily basis...
washing the dishes, shelving books in the school library,
gardening, painting, and all things domestic.

Over the years I have employed many a hand cream that promised to deliver but disappointed.
I seek out the most natural additive free products to minimize the toxic load
good news...I have finally found a winner!

It has transformed my dry chapped hands...

and the winner is...

I want my hands to be soft and gentle when I cuddle Isla...

As you may know lovely grandaughter Isla has entered our lives and she is divine.
She is 6 weeks old and I spent the morning with her...
it was pure bliss....
my heart feels full.

When I was there she had a bath and it turns out she LOVES the water!
she took immense delight in the warmth of the water,
her face took on a look of peace and serenity
(grammy likes to soak in the tub too)
She smiled and cooed and kicked her feet...
she's totally cuddleicious.

I love everything about her...
I tickled her fingers and toes...
rocked her gently,
told her how beautiful she is...
and how lucky she is to have such great parents

Her skin is absolute perfection...
pale soft and blemish free...
that fabulous fresh new skin.

I am so happy that lovely DIL invited me on this fabulous playdate.
It's hard for me to find the right words to describe the feelings of joy...
it's humbling, it's wonderful, it's the best ever.
I am over the moon and cannot get enough Isla Time.

Just thinking of her makes me smile.

Children and babies....a family they make.

My darling children

born 21 months apart and all grown up now.

It's been over 30 years since I was expecting lovely daughter.

I can remember how I felt during my pregnancies.

Happy and content.

I remember feeling tired at times and napping during the day, 

something I cannot do now unless I am ill.

I was young and in good health.

I am so grateful that we were blessed with healthy babies early in our marriage.

I needed lots of energy to maintain the home and be a mom.

I look back fondly at our days of play.

We were very fortunate that I could be a full time stay at home mom.

We made difficult decisions and did without in order to facilitate this lifestyle choice.

I walked with the buggy everywhere...we had one car and Mr. HB used it for work.

I had to buy a second set of tires for that buggy as I wore the first ones down to the rims!

We lived very simply, partly out of necessity, but mostly because of the children.

I was devoted to them 100%

They were my world, my work, my pride and joy.

It seems like yesterday...

many yesterdays have come and gone.

Today as I sit here and write I can only wonder at the feelings that a grandchild will evoke.

I am certain that my emotions will well up and spill over.

The grandbaby could be born anytime now...the "official date" is June 9th.

Every time the phone rings I wonder if it will be my son telling me that the labour has started.

Grammy's ready and waiting.

Tick Tock....

I have been pretty quiet on the baby front...

I am getting much more excited!

Lovely DIL looks radiant. 

She is naturally a little weary.

The baby's room is complete and all is in order.

Now it's a question of when the babe will decide to arrive!

I'll be blogging that news for sure!

May Showers....

Today is a very much anticipated day of joy for Grammy!

There will be a gathering of friends and family 

I am bringing cheese and crackers

There will be frosted cupcakes and tea

Time approximately 5 weeks

not long now!

Shopping has been done, presents are wrapped and ready to go!

The knitted blanket has been completed.

A bundle of joy will be coming into our lives

I think it will forever change me

and enrich life here in the Humble Bungalow.

Grammy's Pedigree Pram has been polished and a new mattress and blankets are ready, waiting.

Our guests arrive this afternoon so I may be absent for awhile and will pop in to visit when time allows.

Hugs from the Hostess.

Bangles, bridges, birds, baby boutiques and boulevards....

Good afternoon! We are back at the hotel for a wee break before going for a quick bite before the hockey game. Lovely DIL is positively radiant, she looks so amazing, I feel very protective, son is in fine form too, getting into the tech part of things like baby monitors, car seats, carriages...how they work. He's done his research, they both have, it what the kids do these days, it's all out there on the net.

I feel so blessed...I have a lump in my throat just typing this...tears well up.
I am so grateful for so many things, family is huge for me.

Time to sip a beverage and peruse some blogs, read some comments!

9 sterling bangles

First bangle closest right is a Tiffany, I've had it for eons...3rd one is the new one. I have another picture which is clearer.

New Tiffany is on the top, second down older Tiffany, rest are vintage.

On the way over the bridge to the north shore.

Heading to our fave fish restaurant for lunch...

Seagull on the 11th floor awaiting a snack...lucky fellow had some granola!

Baby boutiques from east to west, to north. (south tomorrow)...covered a lot of territory, saw some pretty cute stuff....it's like "Mothercare gone Sweden" In my days of baby and parenting we had little to choose from so I ordered a lot from the Mothercare catalog, I hand knit all kinds of things and ordered Osh Gosh B'Gosh.

Today they have chic baby garments and fashionable furnishings!

Mr. HB did a mammoth job driving and navigating...we are not used to the volume of traffic but he knows his way around like the back of his hand.

The CD player got a work out...Leslie Feist, Kate Nash to name a couple.

Must be off...cheers for now,

Hostess

Saturday morning, the sun is shining!

We spent most of yesterday downtown walking in the sunshine.

Lots of great window shopping and that promised Christmas bangle from Mr. HB...

I am now wearing the sterling bangle TC&CO...1837.

I wear stackable bangles, 2 now are Tiffany and the rest are vintage finds, and one a gift from mother, who also wears stackable silver bangles on occasion.

Lovely to look at Tiffany's have an interesting blend of traditional and arty jewelry.

Mr. HB also needed more of his scent, which is really more for me...as I love it! 

Free samples from the clerk too for me to try.

BTW, lots of leather bags in store and two women test driving the Kelly and another the Birkin...lovely DIL and I were trying to guess what the sticker prices were after we left the store...one woman was toting the traditional Hermes orange. Oh and you should have seen the packaging!

                                                            View from our hotel...

We are off to explore the baby and maternity shops.

I have a list...and the family are ready.

Must go....bye for now!