Monday Monday...

One of my cheap and cheerful French souvenirs 

a wee jar that held the most delicious yogurt.

I have popped a beeswax votive inside the jar

and 

 loving the subtle scent that emanates from the wax as it slowly melts.

I finished the book on Bunny Mellon...

her life certainly had its ups and downs 

Throughout Bunny maintained her poise and composure.

She found solace puttering in her garden and decorating many homes.

Her life was enriched by the many friendships that she cultivated...

Jackie Kennedy, Balenciaga, Givenchy to name a few.

 There were many delightful surprises as I flipped the pages.

I recommend this book...

Bunny had a strength of character

lots of energy

a zest for life

impeccable style

a lifelong passion for gardening

tasteful flair for homes and decorating

a collector of fine art and antiques

loyal to her staff 

Bunny loved being out in nature.

This story will resonate with me forever.

I don't usually keep books but this one is going to stay on my shelf.

It's a "keeper!"

New silky black camisole...

I love wearing this under my cashmere sweaters.

These two products are fabulous for dry skin...

the body wash is emollient and the scent is subtle.

The moisturizer is pure, light and silky.

Self care is so important.

It doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

Perhaps you can afford a full day at the Spa...

 (which would be fabulous!)

Or you may just take an extra 5 minutes here and there to treat yourself.

Speaking of treats...

Isla and I made some bath salts together last week.

The recipe is on my blog in a December post a "Hostess Gift."

I'm a bundled up in the Michelin Man puffer coat!

The weather this past weekend was marvelous...

we had some sunshine and it was such a welcome tonic after weeks of rain.

Following up on my post about the intermittent fasting...

I am enjoying the results.

I have lost a few pounds and feel way more energy!

It was difficult at first not eating breakfast and then 

only eating during the 8 hour "window"  

There are books and You Tube videos that discuss the health benefits of fasting

if you are interested.

I would love to hear your thoughts...

Please note: to comment on my blog you'll need to use a Google search engine as Safari will not work for some reason.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sleep Quality ~ a quick report.

In an earlier post I pondered if the double bed in the guest room, although very comfy, was responsible for the lack of restful sleep.

I found myself yawning in the mid afternoon and craving a strong cup of coffee.

Caffeine is a sleep disruptor so I didn't want to try a cup and opted for decaf tea instead but I still felt weary...

We had been sleeping in a double bed while renovations were being made in our master bedroom so I considered that it may have been the size of the bed but now I am not sure that's true.

I have been quite busy researching sleep, what constitutes a good night sleep, the amount of sleep we need, things that contribute to a poor nights sleep, over the counter sleep aids and their effectiveness and side effects.

What started out as a simple question in my mind turned into hours of online study...it was as if I had fallen down a rabbit hole!

Several readers commented on the use of magnesium supplements to help with sleep, so I looked into that on The Mayo Clinic site. It turns out that I may have a magnesium deficiency...many of the issues associated with a deficiency are things that I have been recently experiencing...
numbness, dizziness, poor sleep, heartburn, irregular heartbeats, muscle spasms, and fatigue.

Magnesium is found in avocados, leafy greens, beans and legumes, whole grains, bananas, almonds, cashew, hazelnuts, popcorn, peanuts, oats, cocoa, dark chocolate seeds - pumpkin, chia, sunflower.

I do not regularly eat nuts, avocados, or chocolate...as they are high in WW points.
Leafy greens of all sorts in salads, various beans, and bananas are consumed frequently.

I have oats in the fall and winter for breakfast but not every morning...
this is a habit I may need to change!

According to one site I checked out approximately 75% of people are deficient in magnesium!

Will follow up with my doctor and have an appointment booked.

I have started taking a pill with my dinner and my FitBit has already registered the imrpovements.
REM is twice what it has been previously and the DEEP sleep is much longer.

I woke up fewer times and feel much better when I wake up in the mornings.

The pharmacist mentioned that many people are experiencing better sleep when they take this supplement. She handed me a pamphlet with a lot of information about magnesium which she encouraged me to read.

After I finished reading about the benefits of the supplement,

I decided to give it a try

she suggested this gentle 200mg dose.

The cost was under $30 for a 4 month supply.

My husband is trying it out too.

I found a new body lotion at the pharmacy...

it absorbs into my skin quickly after my shower.

I have shared this information as it is helping me sleep better...

 I suggest that you check with your physician before trying this supplement.

If you are deficient, a simple blood test can test for the level.

Wishing you a lovely week.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Energy ~ Sleep and OOTD

A decent night of restful and restorative slumber is bliss.
It gives one an energetic start to the day...
often times we wake after a fitful night of tossing and turning...
this is more common for me.
When these nights occur I try to be gentle with myself and start the day slowly...
I have not tried sleeping pills and asked the nurse at Hospice if I should try some after Mom passed away and she suggested that I try Gravol.
I purchased a small package and have tried them on several occasions...
they do work, but I wake feeling groggy so I am not planning to use them often.

Coffee helps wake me up 

 a good book

 transports us away 

it helps to gain perspective

put our troubles aside for awhile.

Once I hit the shower I am wide awake...

ready to seize the day.

Dressing for more energy means wearing some of my favourites...

OOTD

Moto leather jacket ~ Danier

Hermes scarf

NYDJ boyfriend jeans

simple white Tee ~ Joe Fresh

my birthday shoes...

Ferragamo from darling daughter.

These shoes make me feel happy!

I wore this outfit to run errands and I had so much energy that I very nearly forgot to stop and eat lunch.

Parrot tulips from the grocery store...

spreading a beautiful energy 

into The Humble Bungalow Kitchen.

Home style meat loaf, mashed potatoes and carrots...

the ultimate comfort food.

Refuelling with tasty food provides me with more energy.

I made a double batch of this meat loaf so that tomorrow evening all I need to do is reheat the spuds and the meat loaf and boil some peas.

The recipe is from Best of Bridge...

here.

I broke the chipped Emma Bridgewater bowl I used for soap

when I was washing it the other week...

it just slipped out of my hands and smashed into a bazillion fragments.

Fortunately it did not damage our farmhouse sink.

Hooray the Hellebores are blooming!

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely.

What have you been doing?

Anything exciting to share?

Please don't be shy!

Hostess

XO