Thoughts on women...

Living in a 1913 heritage home has taught me a lot about acceptance.

The Humble Bungalow is over 100 years old

full of flaws and imperfections 

which 

we could amend and improve 

we have not.

One thing I regret in our efforts to improve the kitchen

 is that the floor re finishers sanded

the dipped worn area in front of the kitchen sink 

this is where several generations of women stood doing dishes...

I specifically asked them to leave it and work around it 

but that afternoon many years ago 

I came home from work only to discover a level freshly sanded floor

and felt sad...

I remember brewing a pot of tea and staring at that spot.

I may have even wept...I cannot say for sure, as it was so long ago.

I had to accept that change but I have never forgotten that worn out spot.

where bone weary women would have stood

looking out the same window

at the mighty oaks 

growing and stately standing 

on the rocks 

above The Humble Bungalow.

Our home has a history of women who were widowed 

were the major bread earners and were responsible 

to tend to the children and keep the home fires burning.

Wearing many hats must have been a challenge back in the 1930's and 40's...

perhaps even in the 1950's 

when many women "stayed at home" 

 life and times were simpler.

Staying at home was not a "free ride"...

the days were filled with hard work.

Women

mothers, grandmothers, daughters

whose job it was to keep the homes running

the family needed to be fed 

the soiled clothes washed

the house cleaned

 the garden planted and tilled.

Today 

I am thinking about, and honouring,

 these women 

who worked diligently and toiled even when fatigued

the same women who raised and  nurtured the children 

in this home 

over a hundred years before us...

 Women have influenced society 

while tending their homes and nurturing their children

taken a stand against and fought injustices

spoken out 

marched when there were issues that they felt strongly about

wrote letters 

fund raised

baked

got dressed up

put lipstick on

smiled in the face of adversity

and

made our world

a better place.

Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing. Whether it's sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.  

~ Phylicia Rashad ~

In the light of recent political changes

women are rising up again...

we have a voice

let us unite and not be silent

nor complacent

harness the collective power

speak up and if need be, rally

if only for

the future of our children and grandchildren

 consider the possibilities

the risks

assess

and

act.

I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, 

but so that those without a voice can be heard...

we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.

~ Malala Yousafzai ~

I am not sure what will happen next...

We will do whatever needs to be done.

In the year of the rooster...

expect change

Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits.

source

As you know my blog is not political...

these are just a few personal thoughts and observations

that have been percolating 

and 

I felt the need to write them down...

Please be kind and respect others...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Update on the weight loss journey and a reunion.

It has been several weeks since I started a health and wellness journal.
Several readers have asked me to elaborate on what I write in it.

The daily habit helps me try and stay accountable
it acts as a motivator...

It is a convenient way to document my thoughts,
to track my Weight Watcher Points and to record my weight.

Its been a busy few days

so writing has been brief and done just before bedtime. 

I like to set the mood before writing by lighting a scented candle

brew a pot of decaf tea

(caffeine later in the day does not contribute to my sleep)

I will sit in the quiet and reflect upon my day.

Here is an excerpt from the journal when I started...

A few snippets

my weight

the meals.

I often add any food temptations

 how I coped or did not cope with them.

The exercise that I did that day.

Thoughts of gratitude, things that made me smile, quotes that inspire...

the journal is very personal and I am free to write a rant if I so desire.

When I write first thing in the morning 

I often write my goals for that particular day.

If I start my day with a positive theme it continues throughout the day.

It also helps me to exercise if I put my fitness gear on right after my shower.

This is a signal for me to get that out of the way before commencing with the rest of my day.

Exercise is on the agenda and I am not going to change into my dressy clothes

until I go for my walk or do my kettle bell workout.

Fruit makes up the bulk of my snacks and is the basis for any dessert.

I track my WW points with the handy counter.

If you are keen to change or influence your health and wellness

I firmly believe that a journal can help.

The support that you get at WW meetings is incredibly helpful 

if you are struggling with your weight I would not hesitate to recommend WW.

My weight is not moving very much and I admit that I am feeling frustrated...

I may be signing up for WW again but plan to up my exercise first.

I try not to obsess about a few extra pounds

 but I do feel much better, 

have more energy 

and like how my clothes fit when I am lighter.

A reader emailed me about a gym in Oak Bay that offers classes for 55 and older 

they have exercise machines and a punch card is available for a modest cost 

so I have made an appointment and will see if it is something that I would enjoy.

A bunch of former alumni got together for a reunion at the home of one of the teachers.

There was a great turn out and it was lovely seeing so many of the staff.

We all worked together at a local community school and it had been quite a few years since we had everyone gathered together.

So much history, so many shared experiences and oodles of memories.

The animated chatter and laughter filled the afternoon to the brim.

XO

How was your weekend?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD and a few snippets from The Humble Bungalow

Blue skies, sunshine and fresh air greeted us this past Monday.

 The weather put me in a happy state and I felt I had a bounce in my step 

with oodles of energy.

The garden is in transition...

bulbs are popping up and things are looking lush and green.

The freesias are still as fresh as the day that I purchased them...

their fragrance is out of this world.

a closer look

offers me the opportunity to

breathe in their intoxicating scent

Flowers from the local merchants are particularly welcome at this time of year.

The garden has not yet emerged from its winter slumber 

 so it is nice to have a few vases filled with blooms in The Humble Bungalow.

I have been busy cleaning out closets, drawers, the pantry cupboard, 

 weeding out my books and cosmetics 

washing and ironing

donating goods to the thrift and charity shop.

Life here is ticking along...

nothing out of the ordinary.

My OOTD today is pedestrian and simple.

I am channelling a matronly vibe...

it is comfortable, cozy and conservative...

well maybe a hint of a rebellious woman wearing leather boots and vest.

I expect there will be critical comments as a result of me putting myself out there...

that happens on the blog these days.

(moderation will weed out the rude and blunt from the constructive and polite)

OOTD

Grey tights

grey boiled wool skirt

white top with lace at the hem

vintage leather vest

chelsea boots

It is a challenge trying to take a decent selfie...

(in the laundry room with the graphite grey LG washing units behind me)

I am still lacking in this area but you get the general idea.

How about this Topsy Turvy image?

The Diptyque Ambre candle is almost finished...

How is your week going?

Any highlights that you care to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Dinner in the dining room of The Humble Bungalow...

We are fortunate to have a decent sized dining room in The Humble Bungalow.

In the home where I grew up, we had a sardine can sized dining room where guests were squeezed in around a table, and once you were seated you had to stay until the meal was over.

The white fairy lights are plugged in for special occasions

opting for simple white Sophie Conran china 

and

French Bee glasses.

There is plenty of crystal and Royal Albert china tucked away in the buffet.

Those pieces come out for bigger gatherings like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Fragrant freesias from Thorn and Thistle Flower Merchants,

my favourite spot in town for fresh flowers and plants. 

We gathered together with darling daughter and her husband to watch their honeymoon video.

For starters

a plate of cheese, crackers, fig jam and olives were served.

Beef tenderloin cooked on a bed of mushrooms 

in a black bean Asian fusion sauce. 

Recipe is in Susan Mendelson's cookbook page 135 

 Mama Now Cooks like This!

(I cannot find her recipe online and for copyright reasons I cannot print the page so I hope you can find a copy of the book in your local bookseller or library)

Served with green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.

The garlic mashed potatoes are from The Barefoot Contessa's Paris cookbook 

(recipe here)

Mixed fruit and berry crumble which we topped with coconut ice cream.

I used Ina Gartens's basic recipe from her Paris cookbook 

substituting apples for the plums.

(recipe here)

Late Evening Tea Time

decaf Yorkshire Blend and a scented candle.

Time to reflect on the day

count my blessings 

then write in my journal.

It was a lovely evening...

Today

Mother and I walked the Esplanade this afternoon 

then we went for a coffee.

Our usual cafe was closed for holidays.

The blue skies and sunny weather were a tonic 

I am feeling a bit unsettled and persnickety.

I seem to have developed 

a headache

after purging our filing cabinet 

which took me several hours...

and 

has left me with a stack of shredding

that I need to attend to in the morning.

(UGH!)

We

also need the dishwasher motor to be replaced

we could opt for the whole new machine but I do not think that very green or eco friendly so we will replace the broken bits and hope for the best.

I plan to wake up with a fresh attitude

brew my cafe creme

sit and reflect on the good things.

Then

put on a crisp white shirt, pearls and my NYDJ boyfriend jeans

and seize the day!

Do you ever have a day where you just feel like someone has hijacked your life?

Don't be shy...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Shoes...the basic low down.

A reader asked me to write a post on my thoughts about shoes...

Before we go too far let me just say that shoes are not my forte...

I don't really know what my forte is...
seriously, I am not an "expert"

Maybe I could be considered "gifted" at growing roses
making the most of enjoying doing the laundry
or washing dishes at my farm house sink..

Shoes?

Well you asked, so I am going to share my thoughts...

Shoes MUST be comfortable for walking.
I cannot condone discomfort when it comes to footwear...

bleeding blisters and bunions ugh!

If I were to own shoes that I only wore to sit and look beautiful on my feet,
like jewelry,
I suppose I could justify buying seriously high heels
but that seems like an extravagance
not a reasonable or justifiable expenditure with my budget.

Shoes that cost over $250 are considered too much for my budget...
I like to buy mine on sale.

(BTW I am still lusting over those long wished for red Ferragamo Varinas.)
Yes they are on my "lottery win list"
IF I won, do not think for a second that I would not run out and buy a pair...

if the lottery was vast I could buy two in different colours and then I would have to distribute the wealth to my family and local worthy organizations.

Fashion and style come second over comfort.

Colour for me is basic...you may already know where I am heading...
yes it is classic black...
I deviate once in awhile and buy a cheery colourful pair of walking shoes for spring and summer but for Fall and Winter I do not stray.

Conservative, practical, affordable.

Fall and Winter Shoes...

2 pairs of boots

3 pairs of flats

2 pairs of short sturdy heels

not shown

(one pair of black kitten heel pumps are in the downstairs closet)

Vintage shoes

these are years old and still going

Amalfi and Stuart Weitzman

(did you notice that I like gross grain bows?)

Flats that I wear with my jeans and ponte knit black pants.

(more bows!!)

Clarks are what I like to wear when I walk many many kilometres.

These came with me to Paris and my feet were happy even after 8 hours of walking.

My current crush

are these Chelsea Boots

by Clarks

I wear them with dresses and skirts with tights, 

and with socks and leggings, pants or  jeans. 

I have black Sperry rain boots and Saucony walking sneakers 

but that's it for my footwear.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Do you like to wear heels?

What do you consider when you buy new shoes...

comfort, style, fad, fashion, price, designer brands?

Will you pay upwards to $1000 (or more) for a pair of shoes?

I won't be offended if you think my collection of shoes is boring and unimaginative...

So please share your thoughts.

We had a fabulous weekend...

Bad news is our dishwasher is on the fritz,

good news is that the repairman is coming by...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~