Reflections, thoughts and musings...on a sunny Monday morning.

Arbutus tree outside the living room window.

Looking back, I do not feel that much older than when we moved into our bungalow, yet here it is nearly 28 years later.

Time does seem to go faster as we get older.

A friend suggested it is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end the faster it unrolls.

Our darling children spent their childhood growing up here.

Our home is much quieter since they moved out, Mr. L., the cat and I are not noisy. Except of course on hockey nights when shouts arise when goals are scored.

Bronzed Baby shoes.

Does anyone still do this with their babies first shoes? We were recently in Birks and I noticed that they still provide this service, how comforting to know that some things never change!

We have 2 children, a boy and a girl, they are adults now, and have created lives of their own. JAL our daughter has a great job and a lovely character apartment filled with mid century teak and art glass. She has a trained eye when it comes to antiques and collectibles, the art history university background has helped her recognize quality pieces.

 SBL our son has a lovely wife, they live in a large home with a view which is full of mid century teak and art glass as well. They are expecting a baby in early June and are decorating the babies room at present.

I love my family and want to spend time with them. I do not want to smother them or appear desperate or needy. It is a fine line and I do not want to cross it.

 I am eager to invite them back for Roast Beef Sundays and enjoy the friendly banter and chatter that accompanies their visit.

Monday evenings, JAL comes over to do her laundry, we drink some bubbly, make dinner and watch The Batchelor. I do so love the regular Monday night visit.

 I am grateful for so many things; children who live in the same town, who are connected and share with us, much of what is new in their lives.

I am kitting out the pram and have a knitting project on the needles at present.

Grammy's knitting project #1 box blanket in off white yarn.

Knitting in a quiet room, the sun streaming through the windows, does lend itself to reflection.

The soft sound of the bamboo needles as the stitches slip over top to the other side...counting, concentrating, feels a bit like Yoga for the hands!

Tie one on.....another Hermes scarf, and a cheery red the colour that makes me happy.

Bright and cheerful, this vintage, late 60's Hermes scarf is red, white and blue with a touch of gold....equestrian theme.

Hermes have cards and booklets which are full of photos showing various ways to tie and wear their scarves, maybe too many ways!

I stood in front of the mirror trying various knots but with this one I like to loosely toss it casually around my neck so that all the colours show.

I wore this scarf to an orchid show and a fellow volunteer commented on how she had stood in front of her mirror that very morning fussing and repositioning and tying and untying her scarf only to rip it off in disgust. (sound familiar!)

She was admiring the way I had done mine. I was embarrased by all the fuss but explained that it was easy,  just one loose simple crossover and I left the V at the back...et voila.

I believe the secret to wearing scarves is just to wear them with an attitude of confidence. It is not perfection, it is colorful silk draped simply encircling the neck or tied on a handbag.

Don't take it too seriously, it's meant to be FUN!

Accessories are the workhorses of my wardrobe, and generally they are affordable items.

I shop thrift shops for vintage pieces. There is a thrill in thrifting something of detail and beauty.

I have been thinking about red boots recently.

I swooned over a wonderful pair that  mater blogged about at Christmas.

Ah, the power of suggestion!

I have admired Hunter boots and have seen them in English Country Living magazine which I read every month.

 These boots would walk along the waterfront, on the beach, to the market, and trudge around the garden look cheerful, and keep my feet dry. I think I am convnced!

Those red Hunters are sold out in my size and will not stock more until March.

I'll be dodging puddles until then....

P.S.  The sun made it's debut today after many days of rain and Mr. L and I went for a walk along the waterfront. (as did most of the neighbourhood!)

The skies were clear, the water calm, the air fresh.

People were smiling.

Clumps of pure white snowdrops are popping up in the garden.

Bulbs have started to grow.

The flower venders have bunches of yellow daffodils in their buckets.

I have a sneaky feeling that Spring is coming early this year.

Water, water everywhere...some are tears...snapping out of it I hope!

Torrential downpour here...gutters working overtime, spluttering, gurgling...and I am hunkered down inside with my cozy PJ's on and a warm beverage in hand.
I drove through some very deep puddles, small ponds rather, in the car on the way home from work tonight. Hydroplane averted thanks to DSTC on Volvo.
Worried about flooding...nothing serious compared to Haiti how devastating, Reality Check...self talk..."stop whimpering and buck up."
Met at the door by a very hungry cat, meowing at a very high decibal level....ouch, food in bowl before removing new lovely coat, recent purchase, and still in love! Cat still ill, high blood pressure meds once in the morning, mixed in cream cheese smeared on cat lips while bleary eyed owner stumbles around kitchen, oblesse oblige....is the coffee ready yet?
Cat eating 2 cans of food a day after dodging the "bullet" which might have been a few days before Xmas...family meeting, tears and all home excused from work, dire health of cat...who rallied and thrived with all the attention, sorry I am mistaken...bad cat mommy!
I wonder how much longer sick cat has to live...9 lives, how many are left? Stickley...name of cat, weird I know but A&C bungalow, so it fits...cat cannot jump up on sofa or queen size bed of owners anymore, beds of choice, now sleeping under Limbert oak quarter sawn rocker...too much info I know...abbreviate, note to self...almost 17 years of purring, shedding, love and company...do not depart please can you not live forever?
Golden retriever, Rufus, lived to 13...still we mourn...we are a very sappy animal loving family. Will get another when I retire.

On another topic, mother still suffering from a bad cold...several visits bearing lunch and dinners later...she is looking better, get well soon PLEASE! Ordered more Anne Morrow Lindbergh books online as requested....and yes your RIFFs have come due so spend without guilt. Sister still in Rancho Mirage supervising contractor paint and redecorate new townhouse, her partner golfing 24/7...come home soon please, you are too young to be a SNOWBIRD!
Low moment here...like LPC says at Privilege
Ferris wheel should be on the upswing about now....this is not characteristic of me, complaining is bad form...must be all this rain, must go to bed and emerge from the bed chamber re-invented, re-energized, restored, revitalized, renewed, reminted, restyled, rewired, refreshed from zzzz's...the bed is calling my name!
Pardon me for venting....a shameful post I acknowledge that, forgiveness requested if you please.
Humbly,
The Hostess

I am not a trophy wife, but I have several trophies.

I fancy trophies, they represent great achievements.

I have had the honor of winning a rose bowl from the Garden Club for best rose in show. My name was engraved on it and I had it on display, proudly but humbly, on my mantle for one year... I had to give it back as I did not win best rose in show the following year!

This large vintage trophy was a gift from my delightful daughter JAL. It was  filled with white lilac on the occasion of Mother's Day!

I do not think that my mothering skills are worthy of a trophy, I'll take it as a compliment.

I was not athletic in my youth, save that darned grass hockey team that I played on in high school. Grass hockey was a rough and tumble sport and my shins were black and blue with bruises. I was short and and slow so I was an easy mark.  I was very afraid when we played against the private schools as they played for honour, to win and there was usually blood.

Look at that dirty window pane. No one would bestow an award for cleaning here...excuse me, Ms.H (she doesn't do windows) besides the mess is on the outside!

I am told this trophy appeared in the movie The Fog....I wouldn't know.  I do not watch horror films.
I love the racket details, so artistic and finely crafted.

A trophy wife is defined as -

A wife, usually young and attractive, regarded as a status symbol for the husband, usually older and affluent.


"Our romantic ideals are always grounded in economic realities, from the Victorian marriage model to the 1980s masters of the universe for whom a standard-issue trophy wife was a badge of honor."
Source: Deborah Siegel, PsychologyToday.com, "The New Trophy Wife", Jan/Feb 2004.


MOTU...trophy wife! Classifying and labelling are too general as they do not allow for individuality...I am sure there are exceptions to every rule. 
I'll leave that dangling thought as I need to ponder and ruminate more on the subject.....

French chic style...one page at a time, read, digest and adapt.

French Style

How to Think, Shop and Dress Like a French Woman

by Veronique Vienne

Fashion, style, do's and don'ts...what is French chic...what to wear....how to tie a scarf...and much more it's a crash course in French Dressing.

I found this book online and was curious, and it did not disappoint.

...more French books.....

Alas I am not French, nor will I ever be.

I am, after all, simply a hostess in a humble bungalow.

My lifestyle does not involve red carpet events. It revolves around work, dinner parties, lunches with the ladies, lectures, theatre, boating, domestics, gardening and Yoga.

My style is a mixture of regional dressing and fashion, dictated largely by climate, necessity, purpose and  what my heart and pocketbook can agree on.

I dabble in quality not quantity.

I purchase clothing in neutral colors black, white, taupe, cream, grey.

Accessories are what give my wardrobe a more "fashion foreward edge" and I do not "stand out in a crowd" nor do I desire the attention.

Scarves, belts, pearls, diamonds, silver bangles, and some faux brooches are the "workhorses" that I employ.

Check this out.

Secrets of Style French Chic

Parlez vous francais?

Today:

I am wearing grey Lululemon pants, a tee and my grey and white Lulu hoodie, I am off to the studio for an hour to practice Yoga.

My mantra; dress appropriately for the activity or event.