Friday, April 20, 2012

My hairdresser listens to me and my OOTD

My hair has been getting me down lately...
too thick and too heavy
so I asked my talented hairdresser to thin it out and crop it into a French bob.
She, my dear readers, is a miracle worker.



All I need is to dry it with my diffuser and add some mousse and voila
I'm ready.


Slightly shorter in the back
with face framing layers at the sides.

OOTD
black Nygaard dark denim jeans
black loafers, Aerosoles
black Symplii tank top
tweedy waterfall sweater by Style & Co.
baroque opera length strand of pearls
sterling bangles


I don't have any plans for the weekend but have a play date with my granddaughter today.
That in itself is a recipe for happy.


loving tangerine these days
especially these roses

Hope that you make time to stop and smell the flowers.
Be good to yourself and others
and don't forget to smile!





Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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!

Monday, April 16, 2012

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!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

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!


Friday, April 13, 2012

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