Rainy day post...

Yikes we are having a storm!
Thunder and lightning are not that common in these parts...
the cats were freaked out by the noise and the forked white lighting quite unhinged me.

Now the skies have opened up and we are getting buckets of rain.

It's a great day to stay inside our Humble Bungalow
hunker down and cocoon,
just keep warm and dry.

The LG machines are swishing through their cycles as I conquer the laundry.
Not that I am a domestic warrior but I do feel powerful when it comes to getting the job done...
especially with these sturdy and reliable workhorses.

My new morning routine seems to be falling into place...
I tidy up as I move from room to room.

Last night I washed the Le Creuset frying pan and left it to dry with a few other utensils on the mat beside the sink, this is a new habit for me leaving dishes to air dry overnight. It used to really annoy me when I was working to wake up and see things that I needed to do before I left for work...
as a retiree spending more time in our Humble Bungalow as this is my domain.
I work here!

Making lists of things that I need to do helps to keep me organized. My lists are short as I try to get them done in a timely fashion.
Do you use lists to keep you on top of things?

Achieving a rhytmn and balance on my daily round is a work in process.
One that I am figuring out as I go along.

Yesterday I spent the morning playing with our lovely grand-daughter Isla and I held wee Henry while his mom did some laundry. He is a very calm and content baby. I loved looking at his small fingers as they curled around mine.
He is such a gift...and I cannot tell you how beautiful and sweet he is! I can try but words seem to fail me.
I promised not to show pictures of my grandchildren here on the blog so you'll have to trust me!

It is so heartwarming holding a newborn child,
it is rather overwhelming gazing down at the wee man in my arms knowing that he is our grandson.

Do you remember this felted bag?

I made it several years ago when I was on a knitting/felting binge!

I'm knitting a baby hat.

I love this yarn as it is so bright and cheerful.

KNITCOL ART.KN

Adriafil superwash Italian virgin wool

(~ virgin wool ~ ?)

You can find great patterns at Churchmouse Yarns.

This one is easy peasy

a perfect little project to have on hand for a rainy day.

Thanks to my friend Claire at Boutique de Laine in the Estevan Village,

she is super friendly and very knowledgeable when it comes to knitting.

Do you knit?

Where do you like to shop for yarns and patterns?

Online or in person?

Must close for now and put the kettle on for some tea...

and pick up my knitting.

Cheerio,

Hostess

OOTD ~ Double Denim and cheap jeans!

Double denim...
still not too sure about this trend.

I tried it my way this morning.
Opting for a new pair of dark wash skinny jeans that I found at Walmart.
Red ballet flats by Nine West.

I am not too sure how you readers will feel when you read that I have started shopping at Walmart.
It's true! Let me explain...

I drink gallons of Perrier and they have cases for under $20 and I have been paying $6.99 for 6 at Thrifty Foods so it's a no brainer for me now that I am on a pension. Mr. HB's Gatorade that he sips when working outside on the home and garden projects is also a substantial saving...$4.97 vs. $7.99 at Thrifty Foods.
The cat food is currently on sale at $.57 each vs. $.99 and their fruit and produce is lovely and much less expensive so I think it's worth the drive.
Meat and dairy is purchased at another market as I prefer free range organics.

Lands End navy and white Polka dot top

(so old we might call it vintage!)

Blue Willis denim jacket

years old and still going strong.

vintage pin ~ a gift from darling daughter

I love this pin

a big baroque pearl in the centre surrounded by channel set crystals

I think the black detail is ebony....

I weighed in at WW and have lost another 1.3 pounds this week for a grand total of 23 pounds.

Still have to lose a few more pounds before I hit the re-adjusted goal that I have set for myself.

If I lose just a couple more than my original 25 I can be a lifetime WW member and attend the meetings and weigh in for free...that is good incentive for me so I am trying to get there in the next few weeks.

When I hit that goal I plan to go out and buy a pair of black dress pants,

(I have no black pants and I find that they are such a versatile classic)

  a nice quilted vest to keep me warm when I pop out to run errands,

maybe a black and white plaid Burberry wool scarf.

 (because I've earned it!)

That's it, 

that's all I have on my wish list...

(well maybe a cashmere sweater as my others are all very large but I can belt them or just wear them a bit big!)

Hope that you are having a great week!

What's on your fall wardrobe wish/shopping list?

Be Well

Hostess

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