Sunday, July 15, 2012

A stormy Date Night

Mr. HB and I left our Humble Bungalow under sunny skies with plans to eat outdoors on the Inner Harbour.
Red Fish, Blue Fish serves up fresh seafood,
it's a local food kiosk that is so popular that people stand in line to be served
and often the wait will be 45 minutes.


I had the tempura cod tacone
it was a little bit of heaven on earth
I ordered two, thinking for $9 they'd be small
but they were very filling so next time I'll be wiser and order one.


this is where we sat


yummy


and then the clouds rolled in...


Thunder and Lightning and Torrential Rain
we had to run for cover
along with all the other diners!



We walked along the harbour after the rain let up.


Did some window shopping in The Empress Hotel


Souvenirs anyone?

The lobby was full of people enjoying High Tea Empress style
3 cruise ships were in town and the town was hopping.


Drinks were ordered in The Bengal Lounge




we watched outside the window
thunderous booms and flashes of white
the storm had become electric


look at that rain!

After sipping our drinks we made a run for it...
fortunately we timed it right and dodged the heavy rain and made it to the car just before it started up again.


The storm continued well into the night 
long after we were safely tucked into bed.

Thanks for another adventure honey!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Something new...

These are handmade locally by a clever young woman and her partner.
Loving Labradorite the way I do I could not resist these simple earrings.


longer than my usual styles


usus
a team of two young women
created these lovelies


they are more visible with my messy bob


Grey, black and white are "my colours"
the wardrobe basics
easy peasy
plus they work with all my pearls.

I bought 2 new dresses
both are patterned and are not black white or grey!
One is for the garden wedding
it's at the tailor's getting shortened
the other is a navy and white number
I haven't had navy in years.
I'll show you both of them in a future post.

The brand is Precise Petite
both were on sale for 50% off...
so it made them more affordable and I was able to buy two!
How's that for rationalizing a purchase?

Good news on the renovation front...
our tile person is returning this week to work on the ceramic tile in the bathroom!
That means when the tile is finished the plumber can return and then I'll be adding a few touches
and then we'll be able to flush and shower downstairs!

We had quite the thunder and lightning storm and it was date night so I'll pull up my sox and get working on that post soon.

Hope that your weekend will be grand
perhaps you'll find time to steal a few moments of bliss.

~ ~ ~



Friday, July 13, 2012

OOTD...what I wore running errands for Mother.

The sun is shining and Mother is feeling much better
my stress is starting to ebb.
Mother gave me a list of things to do for her as she is not quite ready to step out of her condo and pop herself into her BMW convertible just yet.

I finally got to wear my newest grape drape bamboo dress by Gilmour.



I paired it with my newest Hermes silk scarf.


donned some artsy earrings
these are as old as the hills
made by a creative girlfriend 
I have never tired of them and they have survived every jewelry purge.


I took myself out for a bite of lunch before returning to Mother's condo.
Beet, orange, feta and kale salad
I sat outside among the plants on a French iron chair and a matching table
in the nursery/cafe that is known as The Demitasse.

I took deep breaths and savoured the tastes of the delicious ingredients and sipped a tall cool glass of water.
Kale is so delicious and nutritious
it was just what I needed.

I had my hair cut and tinted today
and 
I feel refreshed.


I bought this in Seattle on my hour at Nordstrom's.
baby soft linen
unconstructed with a relaxed summer
vibe.


off white on the outside pure white inside
this will be going out with Hermes peinture fraiche at some point

Did you see what clever ideas Janice from the Vivienne files came up with for my scarf?

I bought two new tanks for layering
women in mid life know all about the advantages of layering
it's not a secret that
we can keep our cool with grace.


can you see the theme going on here?
Peinture fraiche
is inspiring me no end
~ ~ ~
since having discovered bamboo clothing 
I think I could live in yoga pants and tanks all day long
and be very happy inside my wee Bungalow.



The kind of happy that says a freshly brewed cup of tea, 
take one magazine
a sunny spot
 a comfy chair
and 
in view of some gorgeous roses...


Mother's on the mend and I am feeling so relieved
immense gratitude is filling me up.

I've booked myself into the spa for a manicure/pedicure next week
so I am taking care of myself
and thank you all for your kind comments. 

If anyone knows where I can find another bread tin like this vintage one please let me know.
Peg from Comox covets mine and I'd like to help her find one.

Today
give yourself permission to be lovely and beautiful.
Hostess
XO

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Keep calm and carry on and The Humble Bungalow roses

Mother's illness has brought stress into the forefront and try as I might I cannot shake this feeling.
With no time for Yoga I am trying to concentrate on my breathing.
Short shallow breaths have made me feel anxious...
closing my eyes and focusing on my breath offers some relief.

Fortunately we live close to each other so I can be at Mom's in minutes
it's a pleasant walk and one that allows me to clear my head a bit.
I've been waking earlier than usual and feeling like I haven't really had a restorative sleep.
Spending more time talking on the phone with my sister keeping her in the loop.

I'll be spending most of my day with Mother keeping watch.
She has colour in her face and has been able to keep food down
so I am guardedly optimistic that she is on the mend.


 I made lunch at 2 o'clock after I had tended to Mother and walked back home.

Part of me wanted to have something comforting like a grilled cheese sandwich
but my inner voice said don't go down that road...
bread has not passed these lips in many weeks.


The little fry pan is one of the newer additions to The Humble Bungalow kitchen.
Chartreuse green in sturdy cast iron.

I think of this dish as a hot salad...
I think it was Lisa from a mid life of privilege who suggested hot salads
thanks Lisa.


Add a free range egg for the protein portion of the meal.
Protein has been instrumental in my improved eating regime.
Colourful vegetables elevate my mood and excite my taste buds.


Aren't these cheery cherry tomatoes?

Roses can take me to a happy place...
I am nothing if not passionate about growing roses.


the glorious fragrant climbing Royal Sunset


Joseph's Coat


Abraham Darby
heavily scented


the name of this rose escapes me at the moment


Constance Spry
a hardy climber and a reliable repeat bloomer


Graham Thomas

 There are many more roses growing in our soil
tended lovingly by The Hostess.

"Hostess Rose Tips"

If you want to grow roses you must be willing to put in the time.
Dead head spent blooms
when you cut a rose make certain that you cut above the 5 leaves on the stem
feed them a handful of epsom salts once a month during flowering and water well
water during the day to avoid getting black spot
prune hard in March
buy roses that are fragrant and preferably from a reputable grower like David Austin 
opt for repeat bloomers
choose an array of colours
don't be afraid of cutting some and bringing them indoors to enjoy
and always bring a bouquet with you when visiting friends
sharing your passion with others just feels right.



Kenneth Cole Reaction
cheap sandals from Macy's
superior comfort
for easy walking
and I will close and be off to see Mother.

Hope you enjoyed the brief foray on The Humble Bungalow roses...

Thank you wonderful readers for your kind, thoughtful and supportive comments 
they have really been helping me put on my brave face and go forward with what I need to do.
~ ~ ~ 
Keep Calm and Carry On
is the mantra of the moment.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Mother.....

For those of you who have read my blog for awhile you'll know just how close a bond that Mother and I share.
How often we do things together.
Our Seattle trip had been planned for several months and eagerly anticipated by us both.

We had just checked into our suite when Mother felt very tired and she said she needed to go to bed for a nap.
She is 85 so I put this down to travel fatigue and so did Mother.
She assured me that she'd be better after a nap and she shooed me out the door to go and do some shopping.

I left her for an hour
but a second sense, a voice in my head, kept worrying about her while I was out.
I am not one to ignore that little voice...I call it intuition.

When I returned she was feeling really sick and said that she needed to go home.
A few hours later she was vomiting had trouble walking to the bathroom as her legs were weak and she felt dizzy.

I suggested that we go to the hospital as we always travel with extra medical insurance but she refused...
I informed the hotel concierge who set about making arrangements for us to leave.
The staff were so understanding and helpful.

I was terrified,
and my thoughts were that she might not last through the night.
I don't know if I was over reacting, or becoming hysterical with worry,
so I phoned Mr. HB and told him the situation...he helped to calm me down and reassured me.
(Thanks honey)

Alone and afraid and feeling very responsible I thought I should stay up all night and keep watch.
I lasted until 11:30 when fatigue overtook me.
I fell into a deep sleep and woke up at 4:30 when I decided to get up and get ready as we needed to be ready by 6:15 to depart.

We were gone less than 24 hours and went straight to our family doctor when we got back. He was booked up so we saw his partner who ordered some tests and sent us directly to the ER.
We spent an agonizing and tedious 6 hours in and out of the treatment rooms while Mom had a multitude of tests...
then surprisingly they sent her home and told us if she didn't improve in a couple of days to come back!

I have been taking care of her and am sick with worry.

She is pale and tired and if she doesn't start to improve tomorrow I am taking her back.

Mother has a tough constitution so when she is sidelined like this I am beside myself.
She keeps saying she knows her own body, that she's just tired and for me not to worry, but I do.
It's not like her...


I picked my favourite roses for her today, David Austin's Jude the Obscure.

She is resting in bed and I have fed her some scrambled eggs and tea...
Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I'm not even excited that I found some new things in Seattle.


I took this when we first arrived and I had such hopes for a wonderful holiday.

We always book the same suite 
2 beds
2 bathrooms
a living room
and a view of The Space Needle from the 10th floor.


My trip could be summed up 
"Sleepless in Seattle"

I will be hovering very close and monitoring Mother.
Feeling over tired and stressed to the max
on the verge of tears
I really need to keep my wits about me.

I cannot let Mother see me like this 
or she will start to worry about me 
instead of putting her energy into getting better.

Will keep you posted.