Monday, January 15, 2018

Renewal: refreshed, recharged, re-energized and "retail-ed!"

The past weekend was full to the brim with simple joys and bright moments which have left me feeling energized.
I have come out of a dark mood and into the light...

My morning cafe creme routine starts with counting my blessings,
I sit quietly reflecting on all the good things in life embracing and adopting the attitude of gratitude to set the tone for the day. I have found this to be very powerful and it changes the way that I see and interpret life events.

Mr HB and I walked in Chinatown...through Fan Tan Alley.


Victoria's Fan Tan Alley


My husband took me out for lunch at The Fan Tan Cafe, a popular Chinese food restaurant in our city's historic chinatown. It was busy, the service was great and we sipped our tea and chatted while we waited for our food. The food was not "totally WW friendly" (noodles were involved!) but the seafood chow mien was chock full of veggies which were so lightly cooked that they were still rich in colour, crisp and delicious.


Here's my fortune cookie and the fortune inside...

I did a wee bit of shopping at the Fan Tan Home Decor and Style shop.


A black dress by Angela Mara made in Italy.
Soft, cozy and the fabric is heavy enough that it does not cling but skims the body which is just the way I like a dress to fit.
It feels like a warm hug.

It was 50% off so I pounced on it and I said YES to the dress!
I plan to keep my eye on this shop as they have quite a few styles that I like.

I wore it out to dinner on Saturday evening when we dined with friends.


This lovely bouquet was a thoughtful gift from my nearest and dearest friend.
She bought it from those darling gals who run Thorn and Thistle Flowers.
They carry such pretty flowers and their plants are amazing...
our Christmas Amaryllis is an indication of their high quality plants.
They sell other things too and now offer coffee and treats
and they now located are in my old neighbourhood.

Sunday I cleaned house and went for my walk.
I opened a new bar of fragrant Verbena soap 
 it is currently scenting our main bathroom.


This soap was from my Mom's condo...
she loved the Verbena scent but she never used it as she loved her Pears soap.

While on the topic of fragrance and scents...


It was time to open a new scented candle.
This one was in the box from 
My Stylish French Box.

I am busy trying to finish my latest knitting project so that I can start my new one!

Have you got a project on the go?

Hope that your week ahead is positive
and filled with 
 lightness and cheer.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Friday, January 12, 2018

Easy peasy dressing...
it's not a salad dressing!

It 's a simple minimal curated wardrobe
that has evolved since retiring.


This boiled wool skirt gets worn at least twice each week.
The Chelsea boots are my go to for Fall and Winter.
Opaque Hue tights offer warmth and help to create a longer silhouette.
I have a pair in grey and another in black.

The cashmere V neck sweater by Black Goat was a Christmas gift from my husband.
I prefer a cozy longer sweater for extra warmth 
 the length is versatile 
allowing it to be worn with leggings 
or 
the skinny ponte knit pants that I wear frequently.



I've been wearing my Masaii print dress weekly since I found it in a local consignment shop.


 Newer Eileen Fisher striped dress 
priced quite reasonably so another workhorse joins the group.


 Knit pants and a Cut Loose top...
so simple.
This cut loose top pairs well with the boiled wool skirt.

Having separates that mix and match helps to stretch the budget and makes it easy to put together many versatile outfits.

Previously jeans and a tee top with a cardigan were my "uniform."
Recently I have felt a shift...
in how and what I wanted to wear.

Black Goat cashmere have a lovely soft grey cardigan that I have my eye on...  
it may be a wise purchase sometime soon as the grey shade fits into my wardrobe effortlessly.


Blogging from the kitchen table 
while Jane Green's Mom's rib recipe bakes in the oven...
(copyright laws do not allow me to post her recipe)


easy peasy dinner tonight
potatoes
coleslaw

Must close now and work on my knitting project.

Hope you have some fun things planned for the  weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Wednesday thoughts January. 2018....


I finally purchased a new IPhone case...
my other one was chipped and the coating was peeling off
 every time I looked at it it made me cringe so why it took me so long to find a new one is beyond me.


I'm experiencing disrupted sleep
it is most likely stress
but
like many women of my age 
who frequently find that our sleep wake rhythms change
the nights feel rather long when one lies awake 
listening to the ticking of the clock
I am trying to come to terms with these new sleep patterns
but it is not easy.

In the morning when I wake up and look in the mirror 
I see that my eyes are puffy 
and my skin has creases on the side of my face
from lying on my pillowcase.

I  googled "wrinkles on the face from sleeping" and to my surprise discovered that if one uses a satin or silk pillowcase that these wrinkles will be reduced.
I was really skeptical 
but with several leading dermatologists endorsing the product 
I thought that I better give it a try...
 after one night of sleep
I am thrilled to tell you they really do WORK!
I did not wake up "Feeling Glamorous like the box indicates 
but I woke up and was happy to see that the deep creases were not imprinted on my cheek!


I also have introduced a healthy product into my skincare regime
At bedtime after cleansing my skin
I apply a small amount of coconut oil on my face.
It is super emollient and feels so soft in the morning.
This large jar was under $10 and it will last a long time...
and you can use it all over the body.

I am taking life one day at a time...
seeking small comforts and snippets of beauty
where I can find it in my daily round...
it is a lot harder to find than it used to be
and 
if I had a magic wand I would wave it and erase all the bad stuff in our world.


I will continue...


to do my best.

Home keeping
cooking
taking care of my husband
offering support to our family
tending to our cats 
and 
walking.


sharing random acts of kindness


Cocooning and recharging....
behind closed doors.


Its also the time of year when I like to replace some of my lingerie
so this is on the top of my list of things to do 
perhaps I'll get around to it this week.

Have you got a long list of things to do this month?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, January 8, 2018

Finding my way...

Thank you so much for your supportive emails and comments on my previous post.
Many of you wrote about your personal tragedies and situations that are much more dire than what our family is going through and upon reflection this past week I have been able to regain my sense of perspective
coming to terms with my feelings of helplessness.

I've put my energies into action 
working on domestic chores
focusing on the jobs at hand.

It is not a cure all but it feels good to accomplish something that needs doing.


I am glad that my kitchen does not look like this one
but it CAN look rather messy if I do not stay on top of the cleaning.


Thank goodness for the auto clean program...
it makes the job so much easier.

I've been chiselling away at my "to do" list...
the feeling of accomplishment 
is a reward
when I am able to cross another job off the list.


Maintaining leather 
Coach bag, shoes and boots pays off as they look better and last longer.


 Fresh Shampoo
for  
my make up brushes once a month...
a simple routine that takes just a few minutes.


This wee orchid was a gift from a friend 
when Mom died on my birthday last March.
It is blooming again!


This orchid has a double row of blooms...
speaking of blooms our Amaryllis is absolutely stunning!


Each stem has four flowers!
There is another stem about to bloom.
We have never ever had an amaryllis like this one.


Low WW point lunch yesterday
after a busy day working in the Humble Bungalow.

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night?
Oprah's speech was so inspiring...
I watched it twice.


A stack of books await...


Speaking of inspiring.

I found this wonderful quote on Pinterest...

Hope that you find some comfort and joy in your week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Goodbye 2017...

We've just said farewell to our friends after spending a few days at Quarter Deck Cottage.
We shared a few idyllic days 
walking, laughing, dining, and chatting...

Good friends are such a gift and I am so grateful to have them in our lives.


It has been a difficult year for us and I am not sad to say goodbye to 2017.

Many things have contributed to the current sadness in our family.

A sadness so deep that it has rocked us to the core.
Shock, disappointment and grief 
emotions so strong that at times it has crippled me.


There is very little that I can do 
to change the situation that affects our family.
It is beyond my control.

 I will help and support our family to the best of my ability.


Craving a space that is calm
peaceful

I find it in simple routines...


The repetitive motion of knitting 
walking along the seafront
ironing linens
chopping vegetables
sipping tea
reading with the cat slumbering on my lap

I am conscious of inviting gentle rhythms 
of everyday living
into my daily round.

Not sure how things will turn out...

it is a situation
which can, 
if I allow it,
 to rob me of sleep
make me weep
prevent me from feeling contentment and happiness.


My wish is for a Peaceful
resolution for our family.

Happiness in the New Year might be awhile coming but I am hopeful.

Best wishes to you all for 2018.

Thank you for stopping by...

Hostess
XO