Camouflage dressing...

Waterfall style sweaters seem to call my name...

I gravitate to them whenever I see one in a shop.

They do a good job of camouflaging my wobbly bits and when fitted properly they skim the bumps and drape nicely. 

It would be nice if I was slim...

who am I kidding

it would be fabulous!
But that's another post altogether!

For the time being...

I found a new sweater and it feels much lighter and springy than the tweedy black one I have been wearing all winter.

Oatmeal toned

lacy light and loose knit

great to pop over a white tank

here's a close up of the pattern detail

I have been eating rabbit food for lunch for weeks

raw veggies and hummus dip

an apple

I thought this might help shed some weight but so far the scale has not budged.

Yoga is going to be the exercise I opt for after my swimming and back injury fiasco.

Which BTW is still not quite mended even after several massages

but I have little to complain about

 as it is getting better.

Lovely daughter is having her birthday this month

she'll be 33.

She wanted clothes as a gift so we blitzed the mall and came home with some great stuff.

She's a tiny gal and she looks great in anything she puts on.

We'll be hosting a family dinner celebration and we are ordering in sushi

and she wants a cheesecake for dessert.

We have a long standing tradition

that you can have whatever food you want on your birthday.

I do love traditions.

It's my MIL's birthday today, 

you can imagine how excited she was when our lovely daughter was born on her special day.

Coincidentally there was a great grandchild born on this day as well

3 family members all celebrating today.

Happy Birthday to all.

Must be running as I have a long list of things to do today.

Cheerio!

Paris Tea and The Titanic.

The lovely reader Peg sent me some teas and I am in love with Paris Tea!
Nothing says luxury better than a cup of tea brewed to perfection
served in a beautiful patterned bone china cup and saucer.
I highly recommend it for what ails you...

My favourite china tea cup is by English maker Royal Chelsea.

I love the deep wide bowl

and the pattern is so pretty and the gilt is thick.

I hand wash this very carefully, never ever will it go in the dishwasher!

I do love a special teacup to celebrate the simple pleasure of taking tea.

I cannot imagine life without tea.

It's a life saver...

The Titanic is in all the newspapers

 100 years ago that she was launched and then sank

such a tragic disaster

so many lives lost

the story still haunts us

stories that have come out years after her sinking are grim reminders of how fragile and precious life can be...

Julian Fellowes production Titanic is on the TV

it's worth a look...

I caught up on some blog reading here at Slim Paley's blog

she is a clever and talented woman

you really must not miss her blog posts

just browse her amazing photographs 

and you'll be hooked like her several thousand followers!

(of which I am one)

Life is infinitely better when sipping tea.

It elevates my pedestrian life to meet up with those of the titled and privileged.

Hostess

XO

I'd love to see your favourite tea cups

perhaps you'll send me a picture

it would make a fun post to show all the cups here in a future post.

There's your challenge people

send me your tea cup images

or link up a blog post on your tea cups for a virtual tea party!

Weekend Doings and Thoughtful Musings

Weekend Doings and Thoughtful Musings

Abkhazi Gardens

Cheryl and I strolled through these lovely grounds on Saturday.

Beauty was all around

every nook and cranny sported blooms.

Easter Lilies

so pure and delicate as they nodded in the gentle breeze.

So much has been packed into a short time

the weekend is almost over...

The weekend has flown by

Cheryl and I went to the spa

while Mr. HB and John went to a brew pub for lunch

I took Cheryl to the Abkhazi Gardens

we all walked along the sea front and watched the wind surfers

watched the movie Crazy Stupid Love

catch up

share laughter

we did our best to serve delicious meals

and offer comfort and hospitality to our friends

it was great to see them as they are off to France for the next 6 months.

Bon Voyage John and Cheryl!

The Humble Bungalow Blog was started on a whim and has become a large part of my routine.

I can't quite believe that I have arrived at the 603rd post, 

it's rather staggering when I seriously think about it.

Our life here is so simple...

we are humble

and go about our daily round

expecting little

joys are often found while doing chores

they pop up and surprise us when we least expect it.

This morning is a good example

we had said goodbye to our house guests and I was tidying up

the vacuuming was finished and Pepper was in the front hallway

I was just about to take a load of towels downstairs to the laundry room

when I was stopped in my tracks...

Pepper was pawing frantically in the air trying to catch the dust particles that she could see moving in the sunshine.

It was a glimpse of something unexpected and it made me smile.

Tell me about your weekend!

Rhapsody in colour, a prescription for Happy!

Let the sun shine today please...
in the absence of full sun today I am protesting
and engaging colour
by posting a myriad of images that shout happy.

the simple tomato

sunny T shirt and scarf

semi precious sunny drops

window display 

South Granville

snowdrops

a rhapsody in white

lush green lawn

acacia limbs

soon to be firewood

Any thoughts on a great apple tree to plant in it's place?

Pepper's slurping up her morning H2O

she only drinks from the tap

loves her water cold and fresh.

(We do indulge her)

Could that be sunshine peeking through the clouds?

small but charming

Soon the roses will start to bloom 

 in The Humble Bungalow Garden

and I can't wait!

whatever the weather brings

have yourself a very happy weekend 

we've got house guests

one functioning bathroom

and the reno is still in an unfinished state

I've cleaned up the mess

dusted

vacuumed

and 

good friends are on the way!

You know they are good friends when they'll line up for the loo

and have to navigate a worksite to get to their room!

Think sunny thoughts...

I know I am:-)

XO

A quickie with a few tidbits and snippets of our trip.

I've been busy getting back in action here in The Humble Bungalow and late getting to my blog.

Weekend wrap up
highlights...
we wined and dined and visited friends aboard their boat in False Creek
we walked in Stanley Park
meandering
leisurely
poking in shops
window shopping
serious shopping
reading
sleeping late in the most comfortable beds...
PURE BLISS!

19th floor

digs for the weekend

Wetizman "party shoes"

snapped just 

before we tripped the light fantastic...

Black Symplii dress

 jersey knit

rolled in a ball in my suitcase

unrolled and crinkle free

travel friendly

Debra Kay necklace

OOTE

 Italian dinner 

 before sipping a nightcap high above the clouds

42nd floor

(if memory serves)

looking at the city lights

and there were fireworks below!

When we got together with our friends

I wore a LBD sheath style with little room to lift a leg

and getting into the minivan model taxi was less than lady like!

Boarding the boat was virtually the same 

thank heavens no one was following behind me!

We had bubbly and some nibbles before we went to the

French bistro

The food was amazing and the atmosphere subtle

every table was in use

and most people were enjoying themselves...

except for one unfortunate couple who were engaged in a very heated discussion within earshot 

my friend Cheryl and I were treated to a list of expletives that made us turn around.

A couple in their late 50's to mid 60's were having a full on domestic dispute!

I've never been in a situation quite like this one.

The waiter came over and told them to take it outside!

They left promptly leaving us wondering what could have gone wrong in such a romantic establishment.

New handbag

made in Canada

by ROOTS

cross body saddle leather

in black

the tangerine cellphone case was a gift with purchase

now in the hands of lovely daughter

an everyday basic

simple

hands free

with pockets and compartments inside

easy peasy 

I'd call this bag a work horse.

Next stop was Hermes...

busy place on the day we chose to pop in

Birkins on the wrists of most of the well heeled customers

(Mr. HB whispers "what recession!")

Terre d'Hermes for Mr. HB

Voyage d'Hermes for my sister

(we wear the same scent!)

It took about 30 minutes to choose my new scarf

this was my first choice and I kept trying others with more splash and colour

but I kept coming back to this painterly pattern.

Hermes scarf

Peinture Fraiche

by Dimitri Rybaltchenko

White background

grey design

conservative

Hostess style

(it looks great with pearls!)

Belated Happy Birthday Hostess!

There's more shopping adventures to follow when I have more time

so please stay tuned...

In the meantime we have to eat so

 I made a curry for our lovely daughter and her friend in appreciation

as they house and cat sat.

We lunched at Rangoli in the Tony South Granville neighbourhood.

it's Vij's casual eatery.

The food is amazing Indian fusion

the food and flavours are complex 

my taste buds did a happy dance!

I made the chicken curry

served it over rice...

Prosecco for the ladies

beer for the gents.

I'll close with this image of a lone native plant 

which is bravely blooming in the rocky area of the school grounds.

It reminds me of my favourite Mary Engelbreit quote

"Bloom where you are planted"

Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers!

Hostess