A long weekend boating adventure...

We have been out on our new boat this weekend!

Meeting up with friends and family on beautiful Pender Island over the long weekend is a tradition.

We have pot luck dinners, share appetizers, have cocktails and play disc golf. There is a trophy for the winning team...this year two teams tied. Lovely daughter and her fellow participated and were on the winning teams.

We took the cats with us which was quite an undertaking...

they didn't like it when the boat was underway but seemed to enjoy exploring all the nooks and crannies when we were at the dock.

They liked being able to be out on the back deck under the canvas as they could see other boaters, sea gulls and dogs which intrigued Chester but not Pepper!

It's a very cozy salon.

the compact interior requires creative storage solutions and minimal galley gear!

the ledges come in handy

our first dinner aboard 

Pepper is snug and dry even when it rained

both cats liked the dashboard

Pepper snoozed on the cushions

Chester hung out on the dinette

(which I had to clean every time I used it!)

the boat handled very well

it helped that the seas and wind were favourable

we had a great cruise and lots of fun this weekend

and have a list of things that we want to improve and a few staples that we want to purchase.

I'm hoping to get over to visit Henry Brian and Isla this week.

I thought about our new grandson while away and I was fortunate to get several photos on my IPhone 

from our lovely DIL!

Cannot wait to have another snuggle...

 I have gifts to deliver

and I think I'll cook them a meal so that they can enjoy an easy dinner.

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

It will feel odd not going back to work as I have done for the past 25 years!

What was your weekend like?

New life...

I am thrilled to announce the arrival of our grandson!
He came into this world on August 28th, 2013 two weeks early, weighing in at 7 pounds 12 ounces.

Isla has a baby brother

Henry Brian

Vegetarian chili

While my daughter in law was in labour I needed to keep busy.

I got to work in the kitchen preparing food for them.

 When they get home from the hospital there will be lots to do and little time to spend in the kitchen.

They will be adjusting to the new routine and very likely tired.

Something nutritious to eat for the new family...

Blueberry Muffins

I had several cups of coffee

as I had been up since I got the text that her water had broken at 5:00 am

Perogies 

Grammy knit this for you Henry...

I can see you swaddled up in this cozy blanket.

I thought you might be a boy!

My BFF left me this beautiful Blue Bouquet while I was out delivering the food to my son and DIL's home

 I had a small window of opportunity while he dashed home from the hospital for a shave and a shower.

delphinium blooms are so pretty

I wish they liked my garden soil, 

 that they might thrive 

in The Humble Bungalow Garden but alas

 it is not to be...

beauty in blues

New life and babies,

   a miracle in so many ways...

 a humbling and emotional experience

and not one that I can find the right words to describe my feelings...

I'm overwhelmed and bursting...

saturated with Joy.

Baby Henry, 

you've been born into a family that will honour, love and support you.

Welcome into the fold...

Love Grammy and Grampa.

XO

OOTD ~ the basic black dress

The basic black dress has been my best friend throughout my recent weight loss experience.
I have been alternating wearing two Gilmour black dresses...one is to the knee and the other one you see here.

This Gilmour bamboo shift has been worn many many times in the past 4 months...
the fabric is cool and comfortable in the heat and the style is simple yet able to be worn for day or evening.

The hemline is slightly higher in the front ~ longer in the back

It is versatile enough to wear to the beach or to a BBQ...

when I am running errands I wear a summer weight cotton cardigan over top by Velvet.

The fabric is weighty and drapes beautifully as it skims the body.

I wore this OOTD out for lunch with Mother.

In this picture you can see why older women often wear scarves and turtle necks...

it's probably the reason Nora Ephron wrote her book...

I Feel Bad About My Neck.

 I miss her writing...

Seriously though, 

do we honestly believe that we are going to look the same as we did when we were in our 20's or 30's?

If we do I think we are kidding ourselves.

Either that or totally brainwashed by the advertising that we are bombarded with in almost every magazine...

baby boomers are the largest demographic group so you'd think the pendulum might shift sometime soon.

My grandmother was a wonderful woman filled with passion, wit and energy.

I never asked her, but I would be surprised if she looked in the mirror and lamented on her wrinkles and slack jaw.

Her no nonsense approach to life was an inspiration.

In her day she did not wear much make up...

 a bit of red lipstick, perhaps a light dust of face powder and a spritz of Yardley's lavender scent.

She was the wholesome soap and water kind of gal who used Noxema...

do you remember the blue jar and their signature scent?

(I think of her whenever I get a whiff of that scent.)

Look at the grey creeping in...

I like to think of them as tinsel highlights.

I've been keeping my hair bobbed quite short throughout this process.

I explained to my hairdresser that I did not want to look like a skunk as we transition to grey.

Having had my hair coloured for so many years I was not sure how much grey to expect...

 so far it's just a smattering here and there.

Still it is an obvious indicator of the aging process...

but it's an honest reflection of myself.

I am comfortable in my own skin.

It might have taken me a few years to get here but thankfully I have finally arrived.

 I will need to add some brighter shades to my winter wardrobe...

perhaps a plum or robin's egg blue cashmere cardigan 

to wear with jeans and the black pants in smaller sizes that I still need to buy.

I have been wearing softer lip colours 

(not the nude that they are showing on the runways though as I look positively ill wearing that shade!) 

I love the creamy texture of the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters.

They are full of moisture and silky on the lips with a lovely assortment of colours.

The price is good too, a budget friendly basic.

I've been noticing a lot of DD or double denim in the stores and in magazines...

not too sure if I will embrace this trend 

as I can still hear my lovely daughter admonishing me when I wore it many years ago!

"Too matchy matchy Mom!"

Things that match top and bottom are what old ladies wear!

Her style expertise has stood me in good stead over the years and I appreciate her honesty.

Speaking of DD 

I think the cosmetic industry has taken on a new way of marketing their products...

rather like the alphabet mystery writer Sue Grafton.

 AA (anti-aging)

BB (beauty balm)

CC (colour correcting)

DD (dynamic do-all)

Do you think they are working on an EE cream?

I might suggest Excellent Epidermis...

If you are a cosmetics company executive please feel free to email me if you'd like to use my idea...

I am "retired" and living on a pension and I am in dire need of a new basic wardrobe...

Today it feels a bit like Fall is in the air so these LBD's will be far too chilly to wear much longer.

Hope that your week is off to a great start!

Hostess

Sea Ray...our Waterlust.

Mr. HB and I have been boatless for less than 2 months
and we have really missed summer not being on the water....
we've missed it so much that we started looking at boats for sale online.
Actually I started looking at boats online and I arranged to look at several smaller fibreglass power boats.
I like to think of them as "Go Fasts."
The first two that we looked at were tired and badly maintained which was such a disappointment as the ads stated that they were "immaculate" or "pristine."

Then we saw a gorgeous 27 foot Sea Ray Sun Dancer...she was and is a real beauty.
So we wasted no time in having her hauled out of the water, we had her surveyed and the mechanic gave her an inspection. We liked what the experts told us so we bought her and brought her home to the marina.

It's been a busy weekend cleaning and getting her ship shape and buying some new gear.
I'm tired and achy but very happy.

I've replaced the glasses above the microwave with clear acrylic stemware.

When a boat cruises at 20 -25 mph one doesn't want to have glasses flying about in the cabin!

Scotty manufactures marine products 

downriggers, safety equipment, and even these glasses!

Our friends, whose family own this company have grown up with us.

We have many wonderful memories of times spent cruising in the local waters...

Mr. HB and I introduced the president and his wife and they have been together and married for years.

(we have never dabbled in match making since as we think once is enough!) 

Acrylic "wine" glasses

short stemmed so they do not tip over as easily!

French press from Starbucks

two thermal stainless Starbucks mugs 

they keep the coffee hot longer and fit into the cup holders on the deck.

The dinette makes into a large bed

but we plan to sleep aft on the queen size bed

that way we can keep this made up as a table and the first one up makes coffee...

while the other lays in bed longer!

(thanks honey!)

I bought some large pillows to make sitting more comfortable...

we can have quite a few guests at the table.

I plan to keep marine blue as the theme.

I chose Tommy Hilfiger striped navy and white sheets and pillow slips

and the duvet cover is Tommy Hilfiger's preppy and crisp red white and blue.

Plenty of comfy seating out on the deck.

I have a few more basics to buy but storage is at a premium

so I am keeping it all the gear to a bare minimum

as we still need to bring food aboard!

I am so sleepy I'll need to close now

and get myself off to bed.

Sweet dreams...

( I hope you had a fun weekend!)

Busy weekend...

It's a busy busy weekend here in The Humble Bungalow!

I am taking a wee break to get some things done and hope to be back blogging next week.

Hostess

XO