Notes from A Cottage Industry

A slightly random post for Wednesday and some shoe confessions.

I was going to share a charming (and cheap!) project DIY I have been working on in the evenings this week, but my paint didn't dry quite fast enough last night.

Well, that isn't entirely accurate. The rest of the reason is that I got a little too engrossed in the first part of the American Idol Finale and forgot to put on the last coat of paint until way late. (Are you watching it this season? Who are you pulling for? I'm all about Phil Phllips, while my Rock n' Roll Buddy is cheering for Jessica Sanchez...they're both good, but, truth be told, our hearts both still belong to Colton Dixon.)

So, yeah. We'll blame American Idol for my lack of an exciting post for today.

Oh. Wait. Maybe I do have something I can share that is of interest, at least to some of you.

Did I tell you I got a new pair of shoes?

They're yellow.

And I heart them.

Now, I am not  a yellow shoes-dresses-home-decore person, per-say, but a while back, on Pinterest, I found these shoes.(I can't beleive I forgot to share them with you when I got them!)..
and the next thing I knew, I had ordered them. (At the time I had not a clue what I would wear them with, mind you.)

Turns out yellow is the new tan.

Or neutral.

Whatever.

I wear them all the time. They go great with jeans and a white tee and a black cardigan, or with my charcoal grey sweater.(See how versatile they are? I can't even remember what I wore before these entered my life. Thank God I bought them!)

Okay, so anyway.

Last week a friend from work asked me to run to the mall with her at lunch, and I was happy to oblige her. That's where I found these babies...

Mmmm hmmm. Another pair of yellow shoesies.

Wedge sandals.

(And surprisingly enough, from that same shoe company.)

(I know. Too cute, right?)

I had to have them.

'Coz apparently yellow is my color.

On an entirely different topic (since I didn't get the DIY project done and I am rambling on here...) I am thrilled to provide you with a bit of shameless self-promotion.

Remember my couple of ice cream posts? The ones with the  cute ice cream containers I dolled up from Garnish? (These will be available in my etsy shop soon!)Well, the nice folks at Garnish shared my craftiness on their blog,complete with shout-out links to my blog.

I heart the folks at Garnish too.

I'm out for now, but you'll be seeing my latest DIY project before the week's end, I promise.

Hope you all have a blissfully happy Wednesday, people.

 

Picture perfect packaging.

Ohmygosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you ever so much for all of the input you gave me through my survey yesterday regarding etsy and online shopping! I am more stoked than ever about stepping things up online.

Speaking of online shopping, just as I was getting all focused and excited about expanding things online, and re-branding my business, I got home yesterday to find the most fabulously packaged little purchase I had ordered last week, waiting for me in my mailbox. (Funny how that happens!)
Anyway, I thought I'd share it...'coz it's just that stinkin' cute. I mean, all of it. The adorable custom charm on the delicate chain. (It was rather hard to photograph, but it reads, "r + t". If you think that's cheesy, that's okay, but please don't tell me. I may be 55, but I am a completely incurable romantic.)
The logo'd packaging, and the sa-weeet little bag sent me straight to the moon, Alice.

No lie.

I was quite literally swooning. And my mind is now spinning, filled with ideas that I cannot wait to get started and share with you!

A question (or two, or ten...) about etsy and online shopping in general.

I had every intention of posting this morning, but then...it never happened.(I hate it when that happens. Makes my day not feel quite right.) I'm at a point of doing a lot of soul searching about what direction I want to take my blog, and my Cottage Industry. I guess I am trying to find the center of my creative passion, and focus more on it...fine tune it...you know?

I think this girl got me thinking about all of this. And this girl as well. And I am so glad they did. I am feeling inspired about my blog, and writing, and creating, and baking, and...well, everything, in a way that I haven't felt in quite a while.

So, I have a question for those of you who shop online. For handcrafted things. And for one of a kind types of things.

Do you typically go straight to etsy when you are looking for custom or specialized themed things like party invites, banners, and decorations, or when shopping for unique gift items like jewelry, and home decor items? Or, do you google an item on a website? Would you just as soon make a purchase  from someone's blog (or website) than be directed to an etsy shop?

Do you have an etsy shop? If so, do you do anything extra to market it?

I'm getting ready to launch some fairly big (for me) changes here on my blog, appearance wise, and I am also contemplating adding a new line of items for sale. Currently I have an eensy-weensy-oh-so-teeny-tiny etsy shop, (So small in fact, that some of you might not even have been aware that I had an etsy shop!)and I sometimes wonder if anyone goes there, except through my blog. If that's the case, I may as well sell my things right here from my blog...right? Wrong?

See? I have a lot of questions buzzing around in my head these days and I am searching for direction.I'd love to hear (to read!) your two cents worth!

Finally, something a little different, and whole-lotta fabulous.

I recently shared that I have forever had a magazine addiction...passion....interest, and I shared here how I gave them up for a long stretch, for economic reasons, and because I was dealing with a lot of surplus paper around my home.

Well, I stumbled up a new publication...a Premier Issue of Romantic Prairie Style, in Home Depot at the check-out, of all places, and...Ohmygosh! (I am apparently the only person in the US that didn't realize Fifi was doing this magazine...)It's fantastic.(I will admit that the price was still rather daunting at nearly ten bucks..)
It's got color, not simply more white-on-white-on-white-and-weathered decor (Which I personally do adore, but how many issues of the same look can we get inspired by?) and oodles of great decorating ideas, and...the best part...is that I haven't already seen a bazillion pictures from before the magazine issue launched sharing "sneak peeks" which turn out to be nearly all the pictures in the magazine on writer's FaceBook pages and websites. Am I the only one disappointed when a magazine arrives in my mailbox, and it feels like deju-vu experience because I've already seen three quarters of the photos online? (Why buy the magazine? (It makes me wish I hadn't subscribed to one new magazine in particular for that very reason...)

Anyway.

Romantic Prairie Style. Fifi nailed it. I loved this first issue. Loved. it. All. 

Check it out and let me know if you agree.

**edited to add: Thanks Dawn for sharing that you can find the magazine at WalMart as well! (they are discounted there, you know...)**

Going Postal, and wondering if you do too.

So, yeah. I was checking my list and that's just one of my New Year's Resolutions for twenty-twelve.

I plan on giving the good ol' Post Office my share of support this year with sending out lots of love in the good old snail mail. (Cross your fingers. I am a creative spirit, which is why I think I am totally....completely...somewhat disorganized, and I struggle with keeping my resolutions.)I love it when I open the mailbox and I find a nice little surprise waiting for me, like a card, or a box. I imagine my friends must love that too, and so I put this on my list this year of things to resolve to get better at. Think about it, people. If we don't use the Post Office, it could actually become a thing of the past, like eight-tracks, and typewriters, and liquid white out. Then we'd have no need for cute mailboxes surrounded by pansies out at our curbs, and so on and so on, and that would be tragic, as far as I am concerned, because I find mailboxes to be charming, if done up right...and I am all about adding charm, you know. (Oh! I think I just inspired myself to get a new mailbox for our nest, as well as some pansies and some coral colored geraniums...)

Oh, yes.

Wait.

Okay, true confession here: I have to admit that, five months into this year, and I am failing miserably so far at the sending actual card by snail mail. I missed sending out birthday cards to two of my besties in April alone. (I know. What is up with that, anyway?! I appall myself sometimes.)

Whew. I feel better getting that out in the open.

Anyway.

The thing is, that for me, nothing arriving in my inbox compares with receiving a hard copy invite (especially a cute n' clever one!) or a card, or a letter. This got me wondering...do you mail much these days? Do you still send cards? Little prezzies to friends and family? Or....do you rely on e-vites, and emails, and gift cards? Am I alone in this one, packaging up goodies to grand-babes for Easter, and sending hard copy birthday cards (when I have my act together) with cheery little notes inside?

I'd love to hear what you all do!

Paper vs. Pinterest.

I used to be a complete home decor magazine junkee. I subscribed to no less than 6 monthly magazines, and I picked up more whenever there was anything that looked inspirational at the grocery store.

I would tear out pages and put them, by category, in manila folders for inspiration at later dates. Some of them had been in these folders for years. They were always a great inspiration for me in the evenings, curled up in my bed, with a cuppa cocoa, and my basket of folders, laid out by room, or topic.

After moving so many times in such a short time span, I began to see that schlepping all this paper everywhere wasn't the easiest thing to move, nor to find storage spaces for. Also, I was spending a decent amount of my mad money on magazines. I wanted to be more efficient. More thrifty (thrifty-er?) frugal. More organized.

Then, along came Pinterest.

Let me tell you, it rocked my world.

I quickly migrated from in-your-hand magazines, to snagging pictures form anywhere and everywhere online. Inspiration  abounds, on all topics online, from how to make ice cream to cute outbuildings and log cabins, and to be able to save pictures (Along with links back to the origin to re-read up on things!!!) has become my replacement addiction to old school magazines.

Thousands of pins later, one day while getting groceries I landed on the magazine aisle. Whoa, baby. There were many new (to me at least) publications. (I was shocked for two reasons. First off, the economy, and second...Pinterest.)There were several on the topic of Flea Market Decor, including Flea Market Gardens. There are also many, many new ones popping up online, with the option of buying the magazines either electronically to read, or, for four times more you can get  hard copy mailed to you via snail mail...obviously a lot of us still enjoy hard cover magazines, whether the budget is tight or not.

Anyway.

Before I knew what hit me I had loaded several magazines into my cart and whisked them home. I was like a crack addict, I tell you.

That got me thinking later that night, while curled up in bed perusing the magazines, with my laptop sitting on the nightstand, (feeling oh-so guilty that I had paid nearly full price at the grocery, as opposed to a subscription.) about my old friends I'd been missing, (Romantic Homes, and a few other favorites) and so I ended up subscribing online right then aand there, to three magazines that I had said goodbye to more than a year ago.

Now, I am torn between feeling guilt ridden for having slipped back into my magazine addition, and wondering how many more weeks until I find fabulous new issues in my mailbox.

So.

My mind is now whirling and twirling with questions for you: Do you still buy, and read, hard cover magazines? Do you Pinterest for your decorating fix? Do you do both? (like me?!) If you do buy hard cover magazines,how many do you buy? Do you subscribe? What do you do with them when you are finished with them? Do you share them? Toss them? Dismantel them???

Do tell.

I'm dying to know!

Doing the right thing isn't always the easy thing.

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer, and I do not believe in coincidences. I have had many, many "God things" happen to me personally, so I know first hand who is really in charge of my life, and I know (although I can be stubborn about my own will sometimes)everything will always be all right in the end, if I put my faith in Him.

I've put off writing this post for a good long while. For a few reasons. First off, it's about something so close to my heart that, every time I think about it, (let alone speak of it aloud) the waterworks come. A literal flood of tears that I cannot seem to stop. Second, whether I share this or not doesn't really matter, because it is no ones business but my own, anyway. Lastly, some people may not understand why I did what I did.  (I am a people-pleaser by nature, and it weighs heavier than it should on me when I feel I have disappointed anyone, for any reason.)

So.

Moose.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I have moved multiple times in a rather short time period. Each move took me to yet a smaller home, with less windows, and none of them have had yards. (Often how it is when living in a townhouse, duplex, or tri-plex) Working a 40 hour week, then running home for a fifteen minute visit before running back out for several more hours, to run errands, or go out with friends doesn't make for any sort of life for a big yellow dog. Moose was living a life of solitary confinement of sorts.

This weighed heavily on my mind and heart for months. Thirty minutes of quality time a day cannot make up for 23 and a half hours of night-time-sleeping, and sit-around-the-teeny-tiny-living-room-and-watch-the-front-door-for-Tracey-to-finally-come-home.

I confided in friends and family about what to do.Repeatedly. What was best for Moose? This all went on for months. Then, at the end of last summer, after much angst and guilty feelings and endless prayers for guidance, someone told me I should try listing sweet Mr. Moose on Craigslist.

I know.

Unthinkable.

My selfish heart broke at the very thought.

I couldn't do it.

I looked at Moose, laying on the floor at my feet, hoping for a little attention.

I cried.

Hard.

I decided to just look on craigslist to see how many others were out there, trying to re-house their large pups. I typed "Yellow Lab" into the search box on craigslist under Pets.

Here is where God stepped in.

Again.

The second ad down on the page said "Wanted- Mature Yellow Lab". My heart stopped for a second. I felt an oddly peaceful wave come over me, and my stomach knotted up instantly with fear to find out what it said, all at the very same moment.

I took a breath, and opened the ad. I read. A family of three (a couple and their young adult daughter) decided to put an ad on craigslist because they love labs and  found re-homing an older lab really suited them. About eight years ago, after being dog-less for close to a year, they were looking at a pool table at someones house who was moving. They ended up with a pool table and two gorgeous labs. The owner was downsizing and was moving to a house without much room. These labs were about seven years old and were amazing dogs.

They had lost the last of the pair almost a year and half ago to old age. Their family loved them and it took them awhile to be able to think about getting another lab. They weren't really wanting a puppy and would love to give another mature lab a great home for the rest of his life.

The ad had been on craigs for nearly a week, and today was the last day the ad would have been listed. They were not planning to re-post the ad, but rather just see if "it was meant to be".

I wrote to them, asking if they were still looking for a dog. Yes, they were. In fact, they had gotten no responses at all, except mine. (Keep in mind that there were apox. five ads on Craigslist with folks trying to give away or sell their lab.) I asked why they took the route of placing their own ad and not looking at the ads listed for giveaways, and I was surprised to hear that it hadn't ever occurred to them. They just put the ad out there in good faith that the right dog would come their way.

I knew this was meant to be. When I asked how big their yard was, they sent me a picture along with a wonderful detailed email....
Seven acres which (including a Christmas Tree Farm) for Moose to run around and chase birds and squirrels and balls. A Dad that works from home, with a rug by his desk for a dog. I got goosebumps reading about the possible new home for Moose.

(I almost asked if I could move there too.)

We talked on the phone several times, and a week later, we took Moose out to test the waters, and see if he might be happy there. I did a lot of praying about all this that week, asking God for more confirmations that this was what would be best for my sweet Moose.

Any tiny doubt I had about sharing Moose with this wonderful family disappeared the moment we got out of the car and his new Dad showed him where the water bowl was on the front porch.

Thank you, God.

We stayed about an hour and a half, all of us visiting on the back deck, while Moose checked things out and fetched the ball. These caring people said we were welcome to come back to visit Moose. Anytime. Even to take him home for a weekend. Or whatever. They understood just how hard this all was for me.

I knew it was what was best for Moose.

I held it together really well, knowing God had once again worked things out for the good, in his right and perfect time, but when we went to leave, Moose thought he was supposed to get in the car, and he came bounding after us to the car. His new family held him, and told him that, no, he was staying. I disintegrated into a puddle of uncontrolable tears right then, and couldn't look back as we drove off down the road.

That picture up at the top there was taken a few weeks after Moose's move, by the daughter in his new family, (see his unmistakable smile?) and here is a little more recent shot of him doing what he does best...
She later shared with me that Moose seems to like exploring the property. (Although he apparently doesn't like to walk inbetween the christmas trees, he walks around them, which is so typical of fraidy-cat-Moose!)

Not a day goes by that I do not think of Moose, nor a night go by that he is not on my prayer list. My heart trembles ever so slightly, and my eyes always well up a little bit every time I see a big yellow dog. But I am confident, and at peace knowing without a single doubt that it was God's hand that brought the perfect family to me to give Moose what he needed, and deserved, that I could no longer give to him.

I'm not sharing this post to get sympathy, nor do I want to read comments that I am a terrible person and an uncaring pet owner to give up my oh-so-beloved pup. I'm sharing this post with you because I think of you all as friends, and I've never been anything but honest here on this little spot here in  blog-land. I don't plan on changing that.

Menus and tablescapes and errands, oh my!

Easter weekend will be here in less than 48 hours and I am still trying to fine tune my menus, clean house, pick up groceries, and wrap-up-finish-get-started-whatever about thrity-two twenty-six twelve projects around the house.

Anyone who knows me is not surprised.

I work best under pressure, apparently. Do you do that? Think of oodles of lil' things you are going to do around the house, and think of grand ideas that will absolutely make the room, or tablescape, or party (you fiill in the bank...)....think on 'em some more, and then, suddenly, you're having company and you want them all done..yesterday.

For instance, I tackled the new piece for the livingroom, and then, I spent a pretty good portion of one evening this week framing family pictures that I finally got around to having printed at Walgreens. (I've still got tot dust the hutch adn figure out exactly where all of these newly framed photos will fit...)

Actually, when I consider that it has only been since the Superbowl that we got things rolling with decorating around here, that doesn't sound so starnge to have so many projects still on the to-do list.

(I seem to use major events or holidays as my motivation I am noticing.)

(I guess I should start thinking about Mother's Day now.)

(And remember to be thankful that we will be out of town for Memorial Day weekend.)

*sigh*

Do you think I have time to pick up some pansies and get them potted after I grocery shop and hit the Post Office after work today?

My blog has moved...back!

My log has moved back here to Typepad.....

Please update my URL address on your blog roll if you have me listed, or grab my button. I want to thank everyone that reads my blog. I appreciate you and love hearing from you!

Tracey

Catching up.

Well. 

It's been another long stretch without a post. I know. Try as I may, life has been ca-razy busy, and, well...

Let's catch up, shall we?

Far too much has been going on to cover it all in one lil' blog post, so I'll just cover a couple of the highest points.

Let's see. Where do I start?

Work has been busy, with me prepping for a project I have been working on, which included quite a few evenings at home tweaking handouts, and creating props. (And you know how I love a project like that!)

We got the Sewing Queen all semi-settled in up here and she is in the middle of unpacking moving boxes and trying to find some of her sewing accessories as I type this. We are thrilled to have her here!

Then, I spent this past weekend with my two daughters, celebrating a milestone birthday for Carter and Coen's Mama. (How can she be 30 when I am only 42?!) We had a fabulous Girl's Weekend, complete with an overnight trip to the Allison Resort and Spa for some much appreciated foofifying and relaxing, laughing our heads off, as well as a marathon shopping expedition, and eating way too much.

On the home remodel front, our projects are getting buttoned down and things are looking aaaaah-mazing! 

Let me interupt myself here to say that my Rock n' Roll Buddy deserves a shout out here. He has been the driving force behind making this fabulous make over happen in record time, not to mention being the ultimate egg-McMuffin of bargain shopping, swinging some of the most eye popping price deals I have ever seen. Now, this is extra hard to picture if you know him, as the house has been in the exact same state as when he first moved in, back in the 80's. (We are not talking about a guy that typically embraces change here, people.)It's truly been a fun time and we are both pretty thrilled with the outcome.

Now, back to my post...

I have been waiting to share pictures because the plantation shutters took three weeks to be made. Since we were having them installed in every room,(pinch me!!!) there was no way to really capture any room without it looking undone due to a window without anything on it. (Unless you count the sheet we swagged across the living room window to shield us from the sun while we watched the Superbowl.)

Anyway.

The exciting installation was yesterday, and so I am gearing up to share our grand reveal. (Doesn't that sound dramatic? Trust me, the change is incredible and we both keep saying how it feels like we live in a brand new house.)

Here's a lil' peek at the installation process in the family room. The sliding doors got "Slide-By" shutters and my-oh-my! I adore them! The look of plantation shutters with the ease of sliding them open to go in and out the door, or let cool air in in the summer time!......

We're down to the accessorizing stage now, and I must say, that is my most favorite part of decorating. You know, adding touches that reflect our personalities really warms up a room. I can't wait to show you everything...room..by room..by room!

Good news, bad news, good news, good news, bad news, good news.

The last two weeks have pretty much been an ear-to-ear-grinning happy blur of home projects that domino'd into more home projects, (good news!) but I haven't had television, nor internet for that entire time, (bad news!) so I couldn't share any of it with you!(God only knows what crazy looks Steven Tyler has given folks on Idol these past couple of Wednesday and Thursday evenings that I will never see, and who's still around on The Bachelor?....)


Yes, plenty of late nights and early mornings spent picking up supplies and greeting workers, all without my trusty MAC and the world wide web.

Not too worry, as I have photos to document pretty much every step of the fun progress, (good news!) starting tomorrow!

How big of an undertaking was it? Well, let's just say that in exactly two weeks we accomplished a home re-do project that would have typically taken the average home renovator two months. (Good news!) We literally got the kitchen back to operating order,and the furniture back in place just in the nick of time for our Superbowl party. We should have had our ehads examined, after pulling a nearly all-nighter (we made our way to bed at about 4:30 a.m. for a couple hours sleep before setting the last minute things up for the party....) with my Rock n' Roll Buddy tweaking the surround sound system and me hanging pictures, fluffing pillows, and removing the layer of sheet rock dust that seems to be everywhere.In the end, it was worth every minute of sleep we lost. (You'll see, starting next post!)

Now then....

I'd like to address a comment (bad news) that I got a couple of days ago from someone that signed her name Carol but chose to post as "Anonymous" rather than link to her own blog or email address so that I could reply privately. I don't get these kinds of comments to terribly often, and when I do, I usually leave them alone. I respect all of you out here in Blogland and I honestly think (I hope) most of you realize that sometimes life gets busy and...well, things happen, like no internet due to a remodel project that required you to unplug all of your electronics including your wireless modem. Couple this with not enough time after work to pop over to a nearby Starbucks to write and publish a blog post, because you're back and forth fifteen times to Home Depot with your new best friend in the canned lighting department each night till they close at nine.....

Anyway.

Here is her comment in it's entirety: (or read it yourself in the comment section following my last post here. )

Hi Tracey,

I'm excited to see what you're going to do with your new home. Finally. However, I've noticed that you hardly ever post anymore. How come? I've been reading your blog since before Mr. whatshisname left and you used to post every day or nearly every day. Surely, you can come up with SOMETHING for your readers....a recipe, a table presentation, a light fixture or paint color you like. I have a friend who has an acquaintance who writes a blog and she gets paid for it by how many clicks she has on her blog. I'm assuming you get paid for this blog. You are jipping your readers if you are getting paid because people are clicking to see if your posting. It's been TWELVE days since you've posted ANYTHING!!!

Carol 

*sigh*

Well, thanks, Anonymous Carol.

I guess it's a good thing that it didn't turn out I hadn't posted due to a hideous family emergency.

Being snotty and snipey isn't pretty and frankly, it just isn't my style. (And it's not appealing on anyone else for that matter, Carol included.) I'm sharing this comment because I do care about all of my readers (Anonymous Carol included) and I hope you're not mad at me for being away. Please know that I was thinking of you, and that should be confirmed with the amount of photo documentation I did during our big-fat-remodel adventure..truly, you will feel like you were there with me, every exciting, dusty, messy, take-out-mealed step of the way.

On yet another note, I am at last announcing the winner of the Word of the Year Banner. (Still more good news!) I did the drawing on the 28th but had no way to share the news...

The winner is Amber, with  her word being "Bloom". Thanks to all of you who entered my giveaway, and continued to check in here for blog posts!

On Golden Pond.

You know I pretty much never remove my rose colored glasses. That's just who I am.

I always see things in a kind of romatic-fantasy-fairy-tale kinda way. One of my best friends calls it "Tracey-ville". When I start talking about a place I love, or even the way I plan on setting up a room, or a tablescape, she will interject, "Oh, you're living in Tracey-ville again".

I'm okay with that....'coz they say that, for a thing to happen, it must first be a dream.

Here's an example of that-

Way back when, in 2007 to be exact, I wrote about a wonderful. magical little town up here in the Pacific Northwest. That charm filled little spot was Camas, Washington. I shared how I'd love to live there...and.. Wow! God heard me, and a couple of years later I found myself living..here. In sweet, sweet Camas, Washington.

Since moving up here to the Pacific Northwest, I have discovered many other wonderful places and destinations near by. I'd have to say, (and in fact, have said it so many times to my friends that they can finish my sentences about it)far and away my most favorite discovery since relocating up here has to be the incredible Birkenfeld Country Store, located in Birkenfeld, Oregon, population 12.

*sigh* Little teeny-tiny slice o' heaven on earth. That's what it is. 

Sooooo...Over the past year and a half, we've traveled the picturesque hour and forty-five minute(each way)car drive to the Birk for many band gigs. The fabulous people I told about in this blog post have become our friends.

I had tried many times to figure out just why so many amazing people lived way out there, some of them opting to drive an hour and a half each way all week into Portland for work, and then congregating at the Birk on Saturday nights for music, socializing and Wendy's world famous smokehouse burgers. 

Well, now I know.

It's Fishawk Lake.

Last weekend before the band gig, we were invited to stop in for a visit with some of our Birkie friends at their home on the Lake, which is just a few (Four? Five?)short miles from the Birk.

Oh. My.

We took a turn off the main two lane road, onto a smaller two lane road. It meandered down and around through beautiful trees and over a little dam. We both pretty much uttered breathy wow's at the same time as we made the turn and caught our first glimpse of the lake. It reminded me of the movie "On Golden Pond" and "Funny farm" both at the same time.

Peaceful, quiet beauty. Homes of various styles and sizes nestled in under the trees and on the water's edge. Everyone had little boat docks and I swear I could feel the friendliness and charm just oozing out of this little community. 

Our friends have lived on Fishawk lake for fifteen years...anyway I think that is what she said.(What do I know? I had her name wrong when I wrote about them the first time!)I hope they don't mind that I'm sharing their picture...they're just such a cute couple!

As I was drooling all over my sweater while I  looked out their living room window at the lake, she shared with us how they have a "Dock Crawl" where they do open houses at different times of the year and everyone has so much fun. (Be still my heart! It's Stars Hollow on the lake!)Summer time finds the lake filled with paddle boats and ducks out in the yard at the water's edge.


Some folks live at Fishawk Lake full time and commute to work, others are retired, and still more use their sweet Fishawk Lake-home as a get away for summers, or weeks and weekends.


I can tell you that if I were to have a get-away place, it wouldn't take me two minutes to tell you where it would be. Forget Hawaii, or Mexico, or the Caribean, or the grandness of Lake Tahoe for that matter...I'd take a lil' place on Fishawk Lake, in Birkenfeld, Oregon, thankyouverymuch.

Let it snow!

After the driest December on record, and January starting off the same way (And please, do not think for one minute that I am complaining!) We got a dusting of the white stuff last night! Such a nice lil' surprise for our new year....

Baby steppin' on into Twenty-Twelve.

I bet you thought I have been just so danged busy getting myself organized that I haven't had a minute to write a post.

 

Ehem.

Oh, how I wish it were so. I have been busy, yes, but the getting organized part, notsomuch....not yet anyway. I am easing into my New Year's Resolution thing this year. You know, baby steps. (Think of the movie, What About Bob? and you'll know what I mean..)

Anyway,speaking of New Year's, I came across the sweetest lil YouTube duet from Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and even though I am rather late for New Year's Eve 2011 (or maybe I am incredibly early for New Year's Eve Twenty-Twelve?) I just had to share, 'coz I think it will make you smile.

See? Pretty cute, huh?

Back to my New Year's Resolutions... just so you know, getting organized isn't my only resolution. I also have stuff like drink more water, get on a better budget, and the rest of the typical list most of us think of when it comes to New Year's Resolutions. Actually, I always have the exact same resolutions every year. (It makes them easy to remember, and there always seems to be room for improvement.) 

Anyway.

Becoming more physically fit is always on the list, and this year, I have actually embraced this resolution and have started working out. In the past, I always had used the price of a gym membership as my standard excuse, but all employees were given a completely free health club membership through my job, so I felt God was trying to tell me something.) 

While I am not 100% into my fitness routine,(I'd say I am about 77% there though..) I can tell you that I am going to the gym at least three days a week (shooting for five, but...aaah.... Baby steps.)

...and I have begun to collect some semi-cute work out clothes. (As the fabulous Coco Chanel said "“I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” How can you argue with that?) 

So, I've been (and continue to be) a busy lil' bee, between work, and working out, and band gigs, and fun with family and friends...and I am striving to get organized, but I am going easy on myself so as to improve my odds for success...time will tell, and we'll see how that goes.


Baby steps.

Kiss last year goodbye.

I still can't quite believe it's New Year's Eve, 2011 already, can you?

You know I am a fanatical baker. This week I finished up my holiday baking by doing cookies and dipped pretzels for the neighbors and a few more friends. (I ran out of treats and time last week to include them all.) I stuck with my white theme, but changed the theme of my tags to New Year's.

Speaking of New Year's Eve..what will you be doing tonight?

We will be out of town with my Rock n' Roll Buddy's sis and her hubbs, and we'll be listening to one of the best local bands around... Do you ring in the new and celebrate the old, or do you call it a night early? 

Whatever you are doing, I wish you a wonderful and prosperous twenty twelve, filled with everything your heart might desire.

My favorite Martian.

(Photo Source)

**We had a very Merry Christmas 'round here, and I hope yours was wonderful too, but that's so not the theme of my post-holiday-blogpost today...**


So, I am aware that I may have already lost some of you with my title and the photo above.(and by "some of you" I mean everyone under the age of 35. If you're confused, you can get up to speed right here.)

You know how that guy wrote that book about women being from Venus and Men from Mars? Well, okay, so I never actually read it myself, but I am fairly certain the concept is that women are all about thinking (over-thinking?)..er..feeling...with our hearts (hence the Venus, Goddess of Love reference) and men are...well, I have no real idea (maybe I should have read the book?)except that I think they are much more basic, and logical,(or maybe that should be illogical...) although not any less complex to women. 

They are most definitely not as touchy-feely-heart-on-our-sleeve-ish as we girls are. (Apparently that is where the Mars reference comes in. They are Martians, for Pete's sakes. It's no small wonder we have trouble communicating with them.)

Anyway.

I have been pondering all of this lately because I am realizing that I am rather a novice level girl in the boy-girl communication department when it comes to getting my thoughts across to my Rock n' Roll Buddy. Maybe it comes from not having a long list of men on my relationships list, and having spent multiple decades with one man...er...Martian.

That other Martian and I developed our own way of showing our feelings and communicating in a particular way that became familiar...a habit.

For. Three. Decades.


Then, I spent five years solo. I didn't realize it, but I grew fairly comfortable with making my own decisions, both the itty-bitty-little ones and the ginormous ones.

Take all that into account, and add the fact that I am..well, let's just say it, fif-fif-fifty five. We are both older, and  more set in our ways wiser, and finding a way to blend our material belongings (while trying to figure out which of the other person's items hold sentimental value to them...) along with discovering ways of communicating our opinions (along with two cents on definite home-decor ideas from both parties) without injuring anyone's heart, become a rather delicate task.

For five years,I didn't have to ask anyone if they liked the giant vintage firewood holder I  ran out and bought for the living room. I just went with my gut. 

And now,....well,I get on auto pilot, like we all do on Venus, and assume just how my Rock n' Roll Buddy will respond, (Que in background music and pan in to Tracey-ville, USA, with Ward Clever smiling in lustful admiration at June as she shows him the fabulous wood holder, making his life oh-so-complete.)I assume he will appreciate certain things I do and say in the same manner that the other Martian did for thirty some years.(I came to this incorrect conclusion by the way, by surmising that, after all, they are both Martians, right?)

Only, that isn't what happens.

His response is...different than I was accustomed to way back when. Different than I expect. (Typical Martian....)

*sigh*

Me, being from Venus, with all of my romantic notions,(mmm hmmm,very clearly a Venus girl all the way, what with serving him his heated syrup in a sweet lil' pour-cup for pancakes, and having lil' felted wool birdies in snow hats adorn our winter-time table scape...)while he, quite obviously has to be from Mars.(How else can you explain the need to keep two working microwave ovens in the same kitchen, and three cordless drills in the garage?) 

I feel very much like I am trying to master a foreign language of some sort. There is a learning curve in blending personalities and belongings from two such different planets, and I am grasping little pieces of wisdom....most importantly, I can tell you that he is definitely my favorite Martian. 

Oh, how I LOVE a surprise!

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!!! I..we... had the most fabulous surprise this weekend!

I shared a while back that my first born daughter had gotten engaged. Well....since then, no date for the wedding had been set, and all kinds of ideas had been tossed around; a destination wedding, a quiet trip to the courthouse with a party afterwards, a planned elopement...but no date set and no progress on the plans. Trust me, I threw out all sorts of suggestions, and themes (a Christmas wedding? New Years Eve? How about something in a barn? A fabulous dinner after watching them burst out of the courthouse?) and even began gathering pictures for ideas on my Pinterest board...(you know how I love a project, right?)

Anyway.

We were invited to Multnomah Falls Lodge for a dinner to meet my daughter's future in-laws, who are visiting for the holiday's from out of town.

I had seen an idea on Pinterest for little cards for the table to use as an ice-breaker of sorts...you know, a conversation starter. I ran the idea by the happy couple and then whipped them up. I popped the cards in my purse and we headed to the falls.

Little did we know, but once inside the charming room upstairs in the Lodge, the dinner was not just a dinner...it was a surprise wedding! Not a detail was forgotten, with both of my girls planning and plotting and organizing....Old silver pitchers and canning jars from home filled with white roses adorned the tables in the banquet room. There were favors of mittens and scarves for everyone to wear as we were escorted outside to a spot near the falls. We were given cups of hot cider and cocoa along for the chilly walk.

The happy couple were decked out in their wedding attire, and my daughter had the most incredible overcoat (from Anthropologie!) that was cut slightly higher in the front, and showed off the bottom of her vintage reproduction dress....breathtaking!

We took our seats and witnessed their vows...(The little men were entertained with raisins...)

...then we all returned to the upstairs room in the Lodge for a wonderful wedding dinner and cake. My pictures came out terrible due to some screw-ball adjustments I made to the shutter speed or something or other. (Sheesh...) Thank goodness the professional shots should be here within a week or so and I can share more then.

I am still smiling as I remember the complete and total surprise upon realizing we'd all been tricked (some were told it was a charity event, others a dinner, and who knows what all else!) and what a spectacular day it was.

edited at 4:00 PM to add: here's a link of just some of the pictures from the photographer!

Happy Turkey-Day, my friends.

 Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.  They are consumed in twelve minutes.  Half-times take twelve minutes.  This is not coincidence.  ~Erma Bombeck

I came across a photo from Thanksgiving 2007 and thought I'd share it again. (such a beautiful and delicious pie my daughter-in-law made!)

Wishing you all a cozy Thanksgiving, filled with love, and laughter, and gratitude.

I know it's only rock n' roll, but I like it.

I am thankful for...

my Rock n' Roll Buddy.

If anyone had told me five years ago that I'd love going for rides on the back of a Harley, (including one spur of the moment ride at nearly midnight) that I'd actually look forward to Sunday Football, (even if the Seahawks are borderline pathetic this season...) or that many Friday and Saturday nights I would utter the words to a new acquaintance, "I'm here with the Band" I would have done a double eye roll...as soon as I finished laughing.

Watching Monday Night Football, and hearing the announcer repeat, verbatim, what my Buddy just said on the sofa always make me laugh, (seriously, it's like there's a three second delay and the guy has an ear phone to repeat what he said...) listening to old reel-to-reels of  Rock n' Roll from his earlier band days, or snuggling up in a blanket enjoying a really late-night (early morning?) private one-man-guitar concert,(complete with moments of Name-That-Tune from him and some song requests from me...) are all things I would never have pictured myself doing...(actually, having a blast)...but I do, and that is what is so great about life. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing. Different can be better.

Finding someone who is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get person is very different for me, and I mean that in the best way. (Trust me, after spending three decades with a guy who's motto was "You are what you drive." this is so refreshing, and welcomed.)

I consider one of my all time favorite dates the time we stopped at the grocery and got frosted animal cookies, milk and two paper cups to share in the car on the way to a Brew Pub to watch the vikings lose play and share some two-for-a-buck tacos. (I can't tell you how much fun that was...and that's definitely something you would never have seen me doing in my old life.)

Mmmm hmmm,  I'd have to say that I am very thankful for my Ralph, and for a second chance at sharing my heart.

A slightly belated Veterans Day Post..

I shared this on FaceBook already, but it certainly bears re-posting here.

I am thankful for all of the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. of A. and I want to  say thank you to all of our men and women in uniform today, and in our past. You are our true heros, and I count myself forever grateful for having been born in this great country.

Wrapping things up.

Carter and Coen's Mama is having a group of girlfriends over this Sunday and I am going to be sharing my tips and tricks for fancy gift wrapping with them. I've been prepping and gathering lots of little adornments and such to show along with my signature wrap- brown craft paper, as well as other snazzy jazzy wrapping papers.

I keep my wrapping supplies organized these days in clear plastic tubs- tissue paper in one, colored shred in another, and ribbons in yet another. It makes it easy to get things wrapped quickly, since I typically use only the brown craft paper or handled bags, but sometimes I opt for a more colorful option.

I couldn't resist this paper for the two grandson's birthdays coming up. 

Today I am thankful for...a slice of time at the end of my day, where I can get my craft Jones satisfied by creating special little details for friends and family.

Why does less still FEEL (And look) like MORE?

Thanks for all of the "moving" love yesterday.

The movers came last night after work, and during probably the heaviest rain we have had in six months, loaded me up in Vancouver, and unloaded me, back in sweet lil' Camas.

You know, with each move I have made, I have moved to smaller, more compact places, (from a nearly 5,000 square foot home, down to less than 1,000 and everything in between!) and I have tried to get rid of things I do not use or need. 

It's hard for me, because I always think I am going to do "something" with pretty much everything I come across. This last move I was determined to be brutal with myself and truly pare down. 

After three full truckloads of items to GoodWill, giving oodles more things to some of my fellow vintage  booth friends,and selling a few items on craigslist over the past year, I was feeling pretty lean and mean and proud of myself....

So.......... if I got rid of as much stuff as I thought I did,then why are there are boxes,(and boxes, and boxes, and boxes...) and baskets, and furniture, and you-name-it from the floor to the ceiling in each and every room at Mr. Rock n' Roll's house today?

*sigh* I've got my work cut out for me. (Aaaah! I so love a decorating challenge!)

P.S. For the couple few several  readers that were somehow puzzled and thought my Rock n' Roll Buddy was Gay (Really? Really?!)...

Well,I myself am  puzzled that you were puzzled,'coz I kinda pride myself on my communication skills..(I had a good laugh about it at any rate..) I can only guess that you are mixing my Rock n' Roll Buddy up with my best Buddy from Camas Antiques...

...and I believe that confusion came from an old post where I said, "A big gay man in a camouflage hat and a straight guy in a rock n' roll band can turn out to be your best girlfriends in your new town." (See? They are definitely not the same guy, but two very different-and-wonderful-in-their-own-ways guys...)Anyway, I hope that I have now added some clarity on this topic.

NEVER say never.

Never say never. Isn't that what they say?

I know for me, any time I have ever uttered that word, it has come back to bite me in the behind.

I will never let my baby have a pacifier.

My kids will never do that. (throw a tantrum in public, stay out past curfew, you fill in the blank here….)

I would never go to WalMart in my slippers. (Okay, I only did that one time, and my slippers kinda-sorta looked  like wanna-be Uggs.)

I’ll never be divorced.

I’m not moving ever again.(I said it when I moved to Norman Drive in the biggest little city, and three more times since...)

In my family, we will never live with someone without marrying them.

There.

Those last. three. nevers.

Not all that many years back, I recall voicing my holier-than-thou opinions loudly when each of my three children were getting serious with their now spouses/fiance' and decided to move in with them. Each of them politely listened to me lecture from my decoupaged soapbox,(Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free, marriage is a sacred thing...) and they then proceeded to make their own decisions and choices on the matter. 

(I should add here that at the time of this last "never" speech, I myself was married to their father, and was thoroughly convinced that I was well on my way to the finish line in the happily -ever-after race.)

Ehem.

(Well, we all know how that turned out.)

Anyway.

Since then, I have come to realize that the things that are truly important in life aren’t things, that following your heart is the best GPS for finding happiness,and that you should never say never....

I’m moving.

And I’ll be sharing my new home (and my heart) with my Rock n’ Roll Buddy.

I feel for the first time in a very, very, very, long forever, happy. Content. Equal parts comfortable and excited, looking forward to what comes next.

 

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

…or do you? I recently got an e-vite to attend my thirty-fifth high school reunion.

Gulp.

Wait.  That’s wrong. I mean… that can’t be right... can it?  Let’s see, take 1975 from 2011… carry the one… ehem…. Yes, it seems to be correct.

My first thought (after completing the math…) was, “Oh. My. Ga. What will I wear? Do I have time to drop those nasty six …or sixteen pounds I have managed to accumulate over the past decade?  Will anyone recognize me? Do I look older than I am?!”

Now, normally I would not say that I am a vain person, but the thought of facing 100 or so of my peers from a point in my life that can only be described as the dorky years makes me feel like I really need to pull out the big guns before facing this crowd of grown-up kids that potentially could look either amazing or appalling. Seriously, it makes the hair on my neck stand up.

It occurred to me that attending a class reunion is a rare opportunity to make a great first impression… for the second time.  I am well aware that my genes weren’t swimming in the same pool as Ali McGraw’s, but I want to look (and feel) the very best that I can these days, with or without the help of the genetic makeup the good Lord gave me, and any and every tool man has created to enhance my appearance, within reason.

Thank God for COVERGIRL.

I may struggle to drink my gallon of H2O each day, and avoid that Jillian Michaels Shred DVD as much as I can, but makeup is a girl’s best friend in the fight to continue to look and feel attractive.

Case in point, my COVERGIRL LashPerfection™ Mascara. It never lets me down. My lashes look long, full, lush, and it doesn’t ever run. The simple fact is, that when we look our best, we feel better. Our confidence goes up six bars and our energy level soars.

It may sound funny, but after passing the half-century mark, a girl needs to feel attractive and confident while facing everyday life, especially when it includes milestone events like the 35^th class reunion of the graduating class of 1975 from Silver Creek High.

While we’re on the subject of make-up and looking great, you might want to check out the “Looking Your Best” [ http://goo.gl/K1rSL ] posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great application tips and ideas for switching up your look for fall!

Want a chance to win a $50 gift card to drugstore.com? In the comments, tell me about a time when using makeup gave you the added confidence you needed for an important event in your life.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.The Official Rules are available here.Enter between October 4th – November 4th.

 

Can you relate to this?

I am not at all sure which sounds more fun, my annual Pap exam, a root canal, or jean shopping. It's a toss up.

For me, jean shopping is such a traumatic experience that I put it off as long as humanly possible. Currently, my favorite jeans are down to the thread-bare-out-of-shape-and-very-nearly-out-of-style stage, and have been in this state since last spring. I was able to ignore the situation through summer, because..well, it was summer and I was able to wear skirts, sundresses, and shorts. Now, that Autumn is here (on the calendar at least...thankfully we are still enjoying temps in the mid 80's here...) I have to face the fact that sometime soon I need to brave the mall and go jean shopping. I just need to try and get in the right mind set to be able to do it.

Maybe you can answer some of the questions my inquiring mind has regarding jean shopping...or not. I'm just thinking you can relate....

First off...who was the guy that came up with skinny jeans? I want his name and number. Seriously, nothing screams look-how-big-my-bootie-is louder than skinny jeans.

And, when did we decide having the rear pockets half way down our patooties was a look we could all pull off? It feels weird, having my pockets down that low. I feel like they slid off my rear end. It may work for the Olsen twins, but I won't be rockin' that look, no matter what the folks at Buckle want me to believe.

Could there be a more expansive product group than jeans? I think not. Every designer makes them, and some of them even attempt to lure us in with cheesy names (Not My Daughter's Jeans? Oh, pul-eease. I can't quite bring myself to even try those on.) Let me say here, loud and clear, I would pay any price to find a pair of jeans that would make me look aaaah-mazing. I've tried all the brands...from affordable, to you-might-need-to-take-out-a-loan-and-make-payments and I haven't found a brand that works that kind of magic on my body...yet.

While we're at it, who designs fitting rooms these days? What happened to the old school hinged three piece mirrors so you could catch every angle of yourself? How are we supposed to see how the low slung pockets look on our patooties when there is only one mirror in the fitting room? (Hmmmm....come to think of it, maybe that is exactly why there is only one mirror..maybe their hope is that what we don't know won't hurt us?) I stand there trying to glance over my shoulder to see my rear and kind of end up chasing my self in a slow circle like a puppy chasing his tail...I once even resorted to holding up a compact mirror from my eyeshadow to see if I catch a view of how I look as I walk out of a room...without much luck.

Whether I am successful or not at making a purchase, my jean shopping trips historically end with me feeling so fat and frumpy that all I want to do is find a Dairy Queen and console myself with a Peanut Buster Parfait.

But, maybe that's just me...?

Live and learn.

I have been trying to write this blog post for over a week now, but the time kept slip-sliding through my hands, and my computer. 

Well, that, and the fact that I am fairly certain I am addicted to Pinterest (Is there a twelve step program for that? If there isn't maybe someone should get one started.) Seriously, internet surfing aside, I just haven't made the time to sit down and post, mainly because I have been feeling like my writing well has run dry. 

After over five years of blogging, (Really? Really.)sometimes I feel like I am being repetitious and-or boring and I wonder if you all are sitting there looking at my blog on your computer screen, shaking your head thinking things like...

"Sheesh, does she really think I wanna read about this?!" 

or....

"Exactly how many times is she gonna re-hash that topic?" 

or...

"Good Gawd! She's showcasing those little cupcakes of hers again! I get it. She bakes. Woo Hoo." 

and surely you're thinking...

"Oh pul-eeease. no one's life is that amazing and fabulous!" (Okay, I just threw that last one in to see if you were still reading. Are you?)  

Anyway.

I looked at the calendar the other day..all right, eight days ago, and I realized that it has now been two years, and three addresses since I first relocated up here to the magnificent Pacific Northwest. Funny, it feels much longer. In fact, it feels like a lifetime ago that I lived in the Biggest Little City. I feel like I've lived here all my life.

That all being said, I made a little list of some of the random things I have learned this past year, and I thought I'd share them today:

Volunteering at a race at six in the morning out in the boonies can be a whole lot of fun.

Worrying about something doesn't help. Ever.

Living in the rain nine months out of the year gives a girl to opportunity to get lots of cute umbrellas.

No one should wait all the way until they are 54 to see their first professional baseball game in person. (If you haven't been to one yet, put it on your bucket list now...and don't forget to take some Cracker Jacks and peanuts along to share with a friend.)

Putting the needs of someone else first is always the right way to go...especially if that someone is a big yellow dog.

It turns out that I am a girl who will go to a WWE Smackdown - Monday night Raw show...at least once.

Seeing the Pacific Northwest from the back of a motorcycle is totally the way to do it.

Pistachio ice cream can make any day just a little bit better.

Sometimes doing what's right can be the hardest thing you've had to do in a very long time...but in the end,  you'll sleep a lot better knowing you made the right decision.

Real homemade french fries are a gift from God, and the folks that make Crisco.

Little towns with a population under 25 can turn out to be some of the funnest places in America.

One of the sweetest things in life are grand babies. (Of course, I already knew that, but it bears repeating.)

What ever you put your energy into, grows, for better or worse.

A ride in a lil' silver convertible bug can put a smile on anyone's face.

The thing I am best at is being myself.

Watching football on a rainy Sunday with your Rock n' Roll Buddy is time well spent, even if the Vikings were pathetic.

And last but certainly not least.....

Even on my worst day, I am blessed beyond measure.

Fifty may be the new forty, but it's a full time job.

I'm going to be...ehem...celebrating my fifty-fifth birthday this coming December, and that means there is no more denying it...I will have to admit that I am in my mid-fities. No more will I be able to cling to the "early-fifties" title, and, truth be told, I am pretty okay with it, for the most part. 

I mean, life is good these days. I like my job, and I focus on doing what makes me happiest. Where I am having a bit of a struggle is in the area of health, wellness, fashion, and fitness. That is to say,I am at times caught off guard by that girl I see looking back at me in the mirror.

One of my best girlfriends told me recently that this is the age when we should start adding a couple of years to our ages when asked, so people are impressed at just how good we look for our age.(She has coined the term " Plus 2" for this and claims it works great for age or clothing sizes...)

Yes, the place where things most dramatically change as we enter and progress though our fi..fi..fif..fifties. It's our appearance, and our health.

Oh, and maybe a little bit of our short term memory. I find myself wondering why I came into a room in the house and have to retrace my steps back to the point I started at so that I might be able to remember why it was I had gone to the other room in the first place.

Now, where was I? (Let me go back and re-read what I wrote so that I can remember....)


Ehem...As I was saying, the older we get, the more obvious the extreme differences are in appearance and health in our age group. There are women in their 50's that remind me of Opey's Aunt Bee..

 and, at the opposite end of the spectrum,there are lady cougars like those gals on the Real Housewives of the O.C.

Trust me here, I live in the real world a pretty good portion of my day, and I know I am not going to achieve the Real Housewife status of outward beauty, but I also can assure you that I do not aspire to be anyone's Aunt Bee.(God bless Francis Bavier, I am sure she was a wonderful gal. I just don't wanna look like her.)

This being said, it ain't easy trying to be cute morning, noon and night, at this stage of life. It takes more time and effort to maintain...everything.

Manufacturers are more than happy to come to our aid with a massive assortment of creams and lotions, procedures, and various little hand held machines all designed to help us look our optimal best. I for one am an easy target for these items, since I am an eternal optimist and believe in miracles. (If only I could find the time to use all of this stuff. Poor, poor Jillian Michaels stares a disapproving hole through me from her DVD case each morning as I run around getting ready for work, promising her that tomorrow I will make time for her, really, truly, I will.) 

I am enjoying the freedom that comes with being the age I am,however I have to admit that I am slightly time management challenged. (Either that or I need an additional three hours in my day so as to be able to use things like the supposedly incredible little face machine.)

That, coupled with the fact that I haven't found an exercise activity I love, or at the very least, don't dread.(Never say never, 'coz the next sport I'd like to give a try at is golf...and it just might be "my thing". We'll see.)


Then, there is the issue of age appropriate fashion. I want to look "hip" (oh Gawd, does that word date me?)but I don't want to look like I'm trying to be twenty four.


I guess you can see by my seemingly mindless rambling on this topic of attempting to age gracefully (and trying my best to stay active...and cute, at the same time.)that this has been weighing heavily on my mind of late. It occurred to me that if I am obsessing thinking about it, maybe many of my ...ehem...similarly aged girl pals online here may be spending a fair amount of time pondering it as well. 

That made me think of Cindy...and I am sure you know Cindy. (Let me interject right here that I am pea green with envy over Cindy's fit and fabulous upper arms, and I am dying to know her secret. I only pray that her secret isn't being born with good genes.)

Cindy and I have been online friends since...when? 2006 I think. We actually met in person a couple of times at fairs. (and wouldn't you know it, neither of us had the foresight to get a picture of us together either time!)It turns out that she lives very near my Dad, so I am sure next time I make my way to northern California, we will try and connect again.

Now, Cindy is a few years younger than me, but still in her oh-let's-make-them-fabulous fifties. (She's even got a new blog dedicated to this very topic!Check it out right here.) She has recently discovered mountain biking, hiking, and ...gasp!....Fitness Bootcamp. 

Here is a girl that can share some real insight for all of us on how to go for the golden ring and make the most of our age, whether it be thirty one, or fifty five...or seventy eight. Thinking about Cindy gave me the brilliant idea to interview her and get her perspective on things.

Cindy has some great information, insight, and inspiration for us all. So...without further adieu, let's get this party started, shall we?

me:Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Cindy! You know we have a lot in common. We're both single girls in our 50's who love to decorate, cook, blog and who knows what all else. What has been the biggest surprise for you as you enter your fabulous fifties? 
    
50 and fabulous Cindy:The biggest surprise is that I like it, I'm actually enjoying it!  I still don't feel 50 and I'm about to turn 51 in September!   This sounds so cliche but I've realized that it's all in how you look at things...you have a choice...you can be depressed that you're 50 or you can enjoy it!  I remember when I turned 40, I woke up that morning and cried!  That seems so silly now, 40 is so young! When I turn 60 I want to look back and say "Wow, my fifties were some of the best years of my life"  It's all about your attitude and we are the ones in control of our own attitude! 
 

me: I've gotta say that I love your attitude Cindy. You've got it right. What sparked the inspiration in you to become more physically active?  
               
50 and fabulous Cindy:The fear of being "over the hill" is what did it.  You see two types of people over fifty; the type that slows down and grows old or the type that is fit and active and although they are still 50 they look amazing.  I used to look at the second type and wish I could be like them.  It was sort of a "light-bulb moment" for me.  I realized I could be that type of person...I just had to do it!!!   It's more work but it can be done. I'm still not where I want to be but I'm in a much better place than I was when I weighed 50+ lbs more and got no exercise!  Also, I saw my mom's health deteriorate over the last 25 years because she wasn't active. My mom passed away this year and it was very hard on me. I really realized how important it is to stay active as we get older! If you want quality-of-life in the later years, you have to use those muscles!
 
me: Yup, it's that Aunt Bee or Real Housewife of the O.C. thing all over again. You know what they say..."use it or lose it". I guess that's true of everything.
How did you end up getting into hiking, and bike riding? (Did you join a club? Was it suggested by a friend?) What's your current favorite sports or fitness activity?   

50 and fabulous Cindy:I hiked with friends a little but it was hard to get our schedules in sync and I knew I needed to do it on a more regular basis.  I went to www.meetup.com. There are so many different groups you can join there!  I found numerous hiking groups and joined one of them. On my first hike with that group I met a woman that ran her own hiking group with her husband. She gave me her email address and I've been hiking with their group ever since!  We hike 8-14 miles every Saturday morning! It takes up 1/2 of my Saturday but the results are worth it. My legs haven't been this firm since I was in my 20s!  As far as biking...that was a little more scary for me. I hadn't rode a bicycle in years but I started dating someone that was really into mountain biking so I gave it a try and I was surprised how much I liked it!  It's really hard to pick a favorite because I enjoy doing both of them! Since they both use different muscles I plan on continuing with both. 
 
me:That's awesome.I guess it's all about trying different things out, and finding something you really enjoy.Meetup is a very cool thing too, and it's everywhere! 
Speaking of enjoying an activity...Tell us about Fitness Bootcamp....(is it as scary as it sounds?!)   

50 and fabulous Cindy:No, it's not as scary as it sounds! They don't scream at you...they let you go at your own pace. There are people of all ages and fitness levels there.  I did a trial offer through Groupon.com. It's only for 1 month. It's rather pricey so I'm not sure if I will continue once my one-month trial is up.  It's Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:15 am.  Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com have some great deals for many things. I just saw one in my area for Zumba lessons so I may try that soon!  
 
me: The coupon sites are great things too! I love how you are trying things out in all sorts of different areas...that's how we find out of we really like an activity, after all.
Since I myself am just about to hit the big five-five, I know turning 50 beats the alternative, but...how do you really feel about entering your fifties? 
 
50 and fabulous Cindy:Tracey, you look amazing and you certainly don't look like you are about to turn 55! 
 (Thanks so much, but I feel the need to jump in here to also add that after 50 our eyesight seems to take a nose dive as Cindy has clearly demonstrated...) Honestly I wish I was in my 30s but I'm not. I think it's important to feel the best at whatever age you are.  The one thing I do like about this age is the wisdom that comes from all those years of life experience.  I would 't trade that for anything!
 
me: Hmmm, I am not so sure I feel like I am the wisest woman out there sometimes, seriously. I guess I am wiser (more wise?) than I was at 30 though, now that I think on it. What would you say is your best gotta-do-everyday beauty tip?    

50 and fabulous Cindy:I make sure I wash my face really well every night before I go to bed!  I actually wash and rinse my face 4 times to make sure I get all my make-up off.  If I miss just one night of doing this ritual I can tell a difference in my skin!   

me: Wow, four times? (I am now wondering if I am cleaning my face well enough.) It's a great tip, and so true. Okay, slight change of topic here, but I know you have lost weight in the past year, and you are looking great! How did you do it? What kind of advice do you have for other women out there wanting to get fit?    
50 and fabulous Cindy:I joined Weight Watchers and I love it!  Years ago, my doctor had told me that he has many patients trying to lose weight and the ones that lost the most and keep it off are the ones on Weight Watchers.  I've tried just about every diet out there and I really do think Weight Watchers is the best. It really teaches you how to eat for the rest of your life! It's so much more than a diet...I hate that word any way! I associate diet with starving! It's so much better to look at it as a way of life! I still allow myself to have treats because I really hate the feeling of being deprived. If I make the majority of my food healthy; lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains then I can have sweets (which are my weakness) every once in awhile. 
 
me: That sounds like a good, smart, livable plan. The idea of a diet just sets us up for defeat.
I have definite opinions on my next question, but I want your take on this first...Do you feel that being a single girl adds extra pressure to feeling the need to look your best, or do you think it's simply a girl thing?   

50 and fabulous Cindy:Oh, I think it adds a lot of extra pressure especially if you are out there dating! The competition is fierce on the online dating sites. I always feel like so much emphasis is put on how we as women look that it sometimes it makes me feel so inadequate. I try to focus on looking the best I can with what I have and be happy with that. Perfection will never be reached and I am what I am...a 50 year old woman and nothing I do will make me 30 again and I'm okay with that. After all, 30 year olds  have no clue how much more wisdom they will have when they are 50! 

me: I couldn't agree more. Being single in your 50's most certainly isn't for sissies...at least not in the dating realm...and Hollywood hasn't done us any favors either.On the flip side, who knew dating as a Gramma could be so much fun? Anything else you'd like to add Cindy?

 
50 and fabulous Cindy: I just would like to add,  if you are wanting to lose weight and firm up, don't focus so much on the end result you want to see in the mirror...have that in the back of your mind but more importantly, enjoy the process!  I can feel when I've lost just a couple pounds and it feels great!  I can feel my legs getting firmer every time I go hiking!  I guess what I'm trying to say is...Enjoy the journey, don't just focus on where you ultimately want to be. The amazing thing is you will feel and look better all along the way to your final result!

me: I totally agree. I don't even own a scale, because I get too focused on hitting a silly goal, and then end up depressing myself and heading for a bag of Oreos, instead of working on today,on now. Thanks so much Cindy, for taking the time to share with us.You make a great role model for the rest of us fifty-somethings!

Wow.

I don't know about you, but I am feeling so inspired this morning that I just might have to crack ol' Jillian outta her case and try getting my groove back with the 30 Day Shred....right after I go wash my face.
 

Wow.

.....They say it's called a "garage".

See?

ga·rage/gəˈräZH/

Verb: Put or keep (a motor vehicle) in a garage.

Noun: A building or shed for housing a motor vehicle or vehicles.

Niiiice.

Breakfast for dinner.

...that's what I made last night. 

Hash browns, bacon, eggs (Scrambled for me, over-easy for my buddy) and plenty of toast with raspberry jam.

Anyway, that got me thinking...How unusual is that, really? Do you like breakfast foods at breakfast time, and dinner foods at the end of a day? Are you a formal meal person, with meat and potatoes and a veggie or two, or a big ol' sandwich and a cuppa chowder on the side?

Living alone, with my kids all grown, I'm not so much the formal meal person I once was, as much as I am a comfort food nut. Grilled cheese and tomato soup, french toast slathered in melt-y butter and maple syrup, hot chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows, or good spicy chili...not mixed together, and certainly not all at once, but..give me any one of those items on the right day and time, and all's right in my lil' world.

Now, my Rock n' Roll Buddy, he's definitely a breakfast- for-dinner person. Yup, there is no doubt about it,so....about every three or four weeks I treat him to breakfast for dinner. (He gets his favorite meal and I get to indulge myself cooking, which I so enjoy, and don't do often enough these days!)

Mmmmmm, comfort food, for sure.

Maybe it's NOT about the happy ending, maybe it's about the story.

I think I think too much sometimes.

I know that I've told you this all before, but.....My life used to be a nice neat package, all tied up with a pretty organza bow. A steady stream of very predictable activities from day to day, with no major surprises. (Mmm hmm, just the way I like it.) I went about my daily duties of raising a family and keeping a home, feeling secure and blissfully content. I was one happy camper all right, filling a role that I adored and felt I was meant to be doing.

When all of that changed, about two months shy of five years ago, I started on a long and winding trail of self examination and discovery. (Oh, the things I have done in the past half decade that I never dreamed I would do!) The ups and downs, (mentally, emotionally, financially and geographically...) and the highs and lows of starting my life over at the half century mark have been anything but predictable, and full of surprises!(And I must also add, looking back over these past few years, much of it is better than I could ever have imagined.)

By far the biggest adjustment has been the fact that my future doesn't "look" like I ever expected it would look. Learning to roll with the punches is one thing,and being at peace with not knowing exactly how the future is going to look is entirely different. This being said, please understand that I am not saying I am not happy these days, I am just saying it's been an entirely different ride than I thought I had bought a ticket for....(I am guessing that many of you feel like I do, whether your life changes are brought on by divorce, death, the lousy economy, or any number of other events.)

The simple fact is that I assumed that I had the happy ending to my story all dialed in. (And we all know what they say about when we "assume" things...)Way back then,I thought I knew precisely how that ending would look,some thirty plus years ago.(Aaaah, the stuff we think we know when we are young!)

Now, not-so-much. In fact, I don't have any idea how my little story is going to end, and I realized that this is what is constantly nagging at me. That whole I-wanna-skip-to-the-last-chapter-of-my-life-'coz-I-need-to-know-now thing is not living in the present.

Nope.

I am learning, ever so slowly, that maybe, just maybe...it isn't about zeroing in on the happy ending. If I'm obsessed with lurching ahead and focusing on the ending, I'll miss the whole rest of the story, and that is where all of the adventure really lies.

PS....

The post where I return from a week long sabbatical and write about apparel quandaries.

Wow. Time does fly.

It's been an entire week since I last posted. Sorry. Sorry... Sorry!

I'm not going to ruin this apology by making a bunch of excuses, rambling about how time got away from me, and my life is just oh-so-busy and all that. Just know that I am making a renewed effort about my blog posting frequency, and I am feeling very inspired about that. (By the way, did you notice that I finally got my blog roll moved over to the new blog? It's here.)

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's move forward to today's post, shall we?

Do you know what this is?

No, my home was not ransacked.

I'll tell you what it is. It's this morning's I-can't-make-up-my-mind-what-the-heck-to-wear-to-work-'coz-I-do-not-fully-trust-the-channel-eight-weatherman-and-I-am-feeling-kinda-bloated-today pile of potential  clothing items for my workday. (and for the record, this situation also occurs on non-work days as well)

The reason there are shoes there as well (in case it isn't obvious to you) is that I need to put on the entire ensemble before I can confirm that the outfit isn't gonna work (at least not on for today......) Do you do this?

I have a fair amount of pieces of clothing that I could swear looked good on me in the store, and yet, each time I pull them from my closet and attempt to wear them I feel either: Fat, Frumpy, Dorky or simply not like "me" at all. (What is up with that?) I made a rule for myself about a year ago to not buy anything I didn't absolutely adore, and so...I really haven't bought much of anything new to speak of in a year or so. (Ehem...except for shoes. I seem to have no problem finding things I adore in this department...)

Anyway, now I had to go home on my lunch break today and spend three quarters of it reloading all of this back inside the closet...and I telling myself this is not going to happen again....