Hope you get more treats than tricks! :-)
31 October 2017
29 October 2017
Sunday Shape Up Series : Week 5
Today is a dreary, rainy day here in Philadelphia, but last week was really nice and fall-like, so that's fine with me. Yesterday we celebrated our 39th (!) wedding anniversary, so it's been a nice weekend.
After a few very successful weeks, last week was pretty much a bust with my goals. Overall, it was kind of a weird week anyway, and I felt out of sync with myself most of the time.
The big news for me is that I *did* finish the sweater I'd been knitting, by finally binding off the neckband! I'm pleased with it, and hope to get a picture to post soon. So it wasn't all a total loss. ;-)
Since I didn't get any of my other goals even started from last week, I'm carrying them all over to this week:
1. An uptick in my activity/exercise
2. Organize the "true" summer clothes (tank tops, shorts, etc.) and not just get them ready to put away, but actually start putting them away.
3. Bake gingerbread muffins. I was actually gonna do that today, but The Tim is busy in the kitchen baking bread, so my baking will wait for another time. Which is fine, so no big problem there.
Unofficially, I'm trying to decide what book I want to read next. I just finished three books I'd been working on, and for the moment, don't know what I want to read. I read a Halloween-themed book, so that pleased me, but now I just need to look at the bazillion titles on my to-be-read list and make a decision.
I hope all of you have a very Happy Halloween, with treats but no tricks. See you again soon.
After a few very successful weeks, last week was pretty much a bust with my goals. Overall, it was kind of a weird week anyway, and I felt out of sync with myself most of the time.
The big news for me is that I *did* finish the sweater I'd been knitting, by finally binding off the neckband! I'm pleased with it, and hope to get a picture to post soon. So it wasn't all a total loss. ;-)
Since I didn't get any of my other goals even started from last week, I'm carrying them all over to this week:
1. An uptick in my activity/exercise
2. Organize the "true" summer clothes (tank tops, shorts, etc.) and not just get them ready to put away, but actually start putting them away.
3. Bake gingerbread muffins. I was actually gonna do that today, but The Tim is busy in the kitchen baking bread, so my baking will wait for another time. Which is fine, so no big problem there.
Unofficially, I'm trying to decide what book I want to read next. I just finished three books I'd been working on, and for the moment, don't know what I want to read. I read a Halloween-themed book, so that pleased me, but now I just need to look at the bazillion titles on my to-be-read list and make a decision.
I hope all of you have a very Happy Halloween, with treats but no tricks. See you again soon.
24 October 2017
Just Not What I Expected
Hi there! Well, it's a gloomy day here in Philadelphia - as well as being ridiculously windy (or as the weather people say, "gusty"), we are supposed to get downpours this afternoon. Other than walking home later today, I don't have to be out in it, so I'm not too disappointed that it's not a perfectly beautiful day.
Moving on from the weather, I wanted to talk about something that has struck me lately. I read quite a few blogs about various topics, and for the most part, I enjoy them. I like hearing several different voices talking about things like reading, cooking/baking, fitness, etc. because like the knitting blogs I read, everyone has something different to offer.
But I have to say that the ones that puzzle me the most are the ones where every single day, there's a post showing what is called an "OOTD" - or Outfit Of The Day. These are people who generally write about lifestyle - traveling, cooking, how they spend their spare time - you get it. But they also have a photo - or 5 - of them wearing their OOTD.
I "get" taking pictures of a recipe that you are making as you do it, and/or a shot of the final dish. I also understand photos of things you saw/found/bought when you were out and about, particularly if it's something unusual, or if you got a good bargain. I don't quite get taking a picture of yourself every day in what you are wearing. That seems like a WHOLE LOT of work to me. Granted, some of the photos are clearly snapshots using selfie sticks, but quite a few are like magazine modeled photo shoots. Who takes these photos? Who has time every day unless they do not have to work to organize the whole thing? And who has a completely different outfit for every single day? And by "outfit" I mean an organized, put together look, not the lazing-around-the-house clothes you change into when you get home from work. (For me, even those "outfits" are not different every day!)
Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I disapprove of this practice. I don't really care, and I've even been known to look at one and saying to myself that "Oh yeah I never thought about wearing it that way." I guess it's just not what I was expecting, since none of the blogs I follow are primarily fashion or style blogs.
(Above image from the blog "What Katie Wore" which is no longer current. But as you can see, Katie wore some interesting combos. I actually kind of wish I'd known about this one, I think it would have been entertaining.)
I know a lot of people wear a "uniform" every day, in that they have some clothes that they have consciously purchased that all coordinate with each other, so that getting dressed for work is easy in the morning, and I actually can appreciate that. I guess I just don't have the wearwithal or the desire to make an effort every day to create, wear, and photograph an "outfit."
Do you do this at all? And who *does* take the photos? Inquiring minds want to know. :-)
22 October 2017
Sunday Shape Up Series : Week 4
Wow - that was a quick week! But it was especially good at the end, since yesterday I had a wonderful, fun day with Dee, and then got to meet her husband Steve in the evening when we all went to dinner and hung out. It's so nice to get to spend time with someone of a like mind. I have lots of acquaintances, but don't really get together with them much IRL.
And I am pleased to report that I accomplished all of my goals but one this past week! The one I didn't get finished, was the neckband on my sweater, which I fully expect to finish today. I was at the point of binding off the neckband and I didn't like the way it was looking, so I did some "crowdsourcing" to ask about preferred neck bindoffs. I looked into the different suggestions, and I think I know the one I want to use, which is a sewn bindoff. I'm gonna try it this afternoon, so wish me luck!
Here's what I'm hoping to work on this week.
1. An uptick in my activity/exercise. I've managed to get back into a certain kind of groove here, but want to do at least a bit more, because I still need to work a bit harder.
2. Organize the "true" summer clothes (tank tops, shorts, etc.) and get them ready to put away. I switched out my summer shoes last week, so now I'm moving on to the next stuff. It's not feeling fall-ish enough for me here yet, but I also know I'm not gonna be wearing the summery-est stuff anymore, so why not get it together to put away until next year?
3. Bake gingerbread muffins. I love gingerbread muffins, and the recipe I use makes a lot of them, and they freeze really well. Besides being nice for breakfast, they are a good snack with some tea at mid-morning at work.
And that's it. I really do think that doing these posts is helping to keep me focused on doing things and making an effort without being overwhelmed. I hope if you are trying things too, that it's working for you.
Have a great week!
And I am pleased to report that I accomplished all of my goals but one this past week! The one I didn't get finished, was the neckband on my sweater, which I fully expect to finish today. I was at the point of binding off the neckband and I didn't like the way it was looking, so I did some "crowdsourcing" to ask about preferred neck bindoffs. I looked into the different suggestions, and I think I know the one I want to use, which is a sewn bindoff. I'm gonna try it this afternoon, so wish me luck!
Here's what I'm hoping to work on this week.
1. An uptick in my activity/exercise. I've managed to get back into a certain kind of groove here, but want to do at least a bit more, because I still need to work a bit harder.
2. Organize the "true" summer clothes (tank tops, shorts, etc.) and get them ready to put away. I switched out my summer shoes last week, so now I'm moving on to the next stuff. It's not feeling fall-ish enough for me here yet, but I also know I'm not gonna be wearing the summery-est stuff anymore, so why not get it together to put away until next year?
3. Bake gingerbread muffins. I love gingerbread muffins, and the recipe I use makes a lot of them, and they freeze really well. Besides being nice for breakfast, they are a good snack with some tea at mid-morning at work.
And that's it. I really do think that doing these posts is helping to keep me focused on doing things and making an effort without being overwhelmed. I hope if you are trying things too, that it's working for you.
Have a great week!
15 October 2017
Sunday Shape-Up Series : Week 3
Hello there - I didn't mean to be quiet for a week, but last week was both busy and draining.
It was good in the sense of what is happening here though, because I met my goals, and was also able to keep some things going, and that makes me happy. I am most pleased that I am slowly but surely getting back to exercising, since that is not just good for me overall, but it helps my osteoarthritis keep from making me miserable.
This week my goals are modest, and I also want to keep going on the things I can continue. Hopefully I'm on a roll!
1. Finish putting together a sweater. I was able to work on this during the week one evening, and I'm hoping to finish seaming it together today or tomorrow so that I can knit the neckband, give it a good after-seaming block, and then actually wear it! It's supposed to cool down, so in theory I could wear it sooner rather than later.
2. Putting away summer shoes. It's not like I have so many, but a couple need to be thrown in the wash before being put away until next year, so I'd like to get that done.
3. Planning at least one meal ahead. I used to do better at this, and it was useful. And I hate coming home from work and realizing I didn't give any thought to dinner. And it's especially annoying when, if I had only thought ahead, I could have pulled something out of the freezer to thaw, and would only have had to heat it up when I got home.
4. I want to give the cats a brush at least once. Another thing I used to do more regularly. They all enjoy it, I'm sure it feels good to them, and it controls some of the shedding.
There you go. How are you doing with any of your plans for the week?
It was good in the sense of what is happening here though, because I met my goals, and was also able to keep some things going, and that makes me happy. I am most pleased that I am slowly but surely getting back to exercising, since that is not just good for me overall, but it helps my osteoarthritis keep from making me miserable.
This week my goals are modest, and I also want to keep going on the things I can continue. Hopefully I'm on a roll!
1. Finish putting together a sweater. I was able to work on this during the week one evening, and I'm hoping to finish seaming it together today or tomorrow so that I can knit the neckband, give it a good after-seaming block, and then actually wear it! It's supposed to cool down, so in theory I could wear it sooner rather than later.
2. Putting away summer shoes. It's not like I have so many, but a couple need to be thrown in the wash before being put away until next year, so I'd like to get that done.
3. Planning at least one meal ahead. I used to do better at this, and it was useful. And I hate coming home from work and realizing I didn't give any thought to dinner. And it's especially annoying when, if I had only thought ahead, I could have pulled something out of the freezer to thaw, and would only have had to heat it up when I got home.
4. I want to give the cats a brush at least once. Another thing I used to do more regularly. They all enjoy it, I'm sure it feels good to them, and it controls some of the shedding.
There you go. How are you doing with any of your plans for the week?
08 October 2017
Sunday Shape-Up Series : Week 2
Hello and happy Sunday! I hope your week was OK - mine was fine, pretty much what I expected. The good parts are always the time at home and with friends.
I did pretty well with my goals for last week. There were only two that I didn't catch up with at all: I didn't write in my notebook at all, because to be 100% honest, I couldn't find where I put it! (I have since found it today. Someplace that was extremely unlikely. Who knows.) And I didn't start knitting any socks, mainly because I am sort of obsessed with finishing the bottom border of a top I'm knitting. I am more than halfway through though, so the socks should happen this week.
Those two are still on the list to just even start. The others from last week have either been accomplished or are well underway. I managed to exercise three times last week, which made me feel like I'd really done something good for myself. The Tim and I together made biscotti so the baking goal was met. And though I didn't do perfectly, I did manage to hold things together more than I was expecting I could do at work.
Hoping I can keep the positives going, here are my goals for this week.
1. I want to get some cards and packages organized and in the mail. All of them are late, but I want to get them to the people they are for before they become TOO late.
2. Now that I found my notebook, I do hope to write in it a minimum of two times.
3. I hope to do some cleaning up around the house. In some ways, I can't do a whole lot, since we are still living surrounded by the "in process" aspects of The Tim's various projects, but I still need to get some things cleaned up/off.
And that's it for this week. I would like to say one of my goals is to get fall weather to return, but that's completely out of my hands ... :-)
Have a good one!
I did pretty well with my goals for last week. There were only two that I didn't catch up with at all: I didn't write in my notebook at all, because to be 100% honest, I couldn't find where I put it! (I have since found it today. Someplace that was extremely unlikely. Who knows.) And I didn't start knitting any socks, mainly because I am sort of obsessed with finishing the bottom border of a top I'm knitting. I am more than halfway through though, so the socks should happen this week.
Those two are still on the list to just even start. The others from last week have either been accomplished or are well underway. I managed to exercise three times last week, which made me feel like I'd really done something good for myself. The Tim and I together made biscotti so the baking goal was met. And though I didn't do perfectly, I did manage to hold things together more than I was expecting I could do at work.
Hoping I can keep the positives going, here are my goals for this week.
1. I want to get some cards and packages organized and in the mail. All of them are late, but I want to get them to the people they are for before they become TOO late.
2. Now that I found my notebook, I do hope to write in it a minimum of two times.
3. I hope to do some cleaning up around the house. In some ways, I can't do a whole lot, since we are still living surrounded by the "in process" aspects of The Tim's various projects, but I still need to get some things cleaned up/off.
And that's it for this week. I would like to say one of my goals is to get fall weather to return, but that's completely out of my hands ... :-)
Have a good one!
04 October 2017
Gather These Rosebuds!
Have you ever tried this lip balm? Well, actually it's one of those products that people use for various purposes, but I LOVE this stuff as a lip balm!
Smith's Rosebud Salve. In an old-timey tin. With a happy pink shade, which does not actually show up on your lips. With the *faintest* scent of rose, which dissipates immediately. This stuff is ridiculously wonderful, people!
I had seen and read passing references to this stuff for years, and frankly thought it was one of those "remember when such-and-such was manufactured, why did they discontinue it" products. Then a couple of years ago, I was waiting in line at a Sephora, at holiday time, because I was going to purchase a couple of gift cards (when all else fails and you are buying for a makeup junkie, it's a good gift, trust me!). In the area where you wait in line they have these bins with small and/or sample/travel size products. I was waiting, most likely thinking of cake or wishing I was buying something for myself (because, duh), when I started to poke around.
This was in one of the bins! It still exists! And it's $8.00 for the tin, which I was willing to pay because a) I wanted to try it, b) it was an old-timey tin, and c) it wasn't a super small size, so I figured it was worth it. Plus, Sephora accepts returns, so it was a safe purchase. Because my life is relatively dull, this turned out to be the highlight of that day.
Now you should know that the absolute minute the weather cools down - not when it gets cold, just when it cools down - my lips become severely chapped. The kind of chapped where I actually get little cuts. I've tried plenty of lip balms, and of course some are better than others. But I'm picky, in that I don't like things that are too thick, or things that are too oily, or smell weird, or have ingredients (i.e., mint) that hurt the little cuts in my lips. I think I've tried nearly every product on the market, and there are some I do like and use.
But people - this is the one that is NO competition for the others - hands down! (Lips down?) Just a teeny amount of this on a finger, smoothed over your lips not only immediately feels wonderful, but is just the perfect consistency. It feels soothing without feeling "medical" and stays on for just as long - if not longer - than other products. I especially like to use it at night when I go to bed. Sometimes I'll even slather on a little bit extra, and when I wake up in the morning, my lips have not dried out and they feel so good.
Clearly I am a fan of this product. But you want to know what's even better? It's cruelty free!!!
Add to all of that the fact that the tin lasts for a loooonnnng time, so the price is worth it on a per-use basis. Win-win! It also comes in a tube, but as you may have guessed from reading this, I'm a fan of the tin. The company makes other products, which admittedly I have not tried, but I'm guessing they are just as good.
If you are looking for a really wonderful lip balm, I can highly recommend this one. And just so you know, this is not a sponsored post, and I am not in any way affiliated with the company that manufactures Rosebud Salve. All opinions are my own, so know that I do not benefit from writing this, other than hoping that some of you might be able to find a lip balm that you love if you decide to try it. :-)
01 October 2017
Sunday Shape-Up Series : The Start
Hello there! Happy October 1st, a day which is a good one as far as I'm concerned. It's the start of the months where (at least theoretically) heat and humidity leave the area, leaves start to change, the weather is cool and crisp, and anticipation builds. In our family, it's the start of what is known as the Birthday Marathon, since there are a ton of birthdays beginning today through December 31st. October 1st marks the day I first became an aunt, at the age of 13, to my nephew Chad. And this year, it's the "official" start of my Sunday Shape-Up Series.
I'm hoping I'll do well with this. I may not, and as long as I feel like I gave it a fair shot, I'll be able to live with that. But I'm hoping it will help me get back to some things, start some new things, and start being mindful about life and the world around me again. I'm hoping to turn some iffy habits back into good habits.
In that vein, here are the things I would like to accomplish in the next week.
1. I would like to exercise at least two days this week. It doesn't have to mean going to the gym, rather I would be happy with two nice walks after dinner, or a nice leisurely walk on the weekend. Cleaning up the garden would count, and I'm even hoping I can take a Pilates class, if not this coming week, at some point during the month.
2. I want to write in my notebook at least twice this week. Nothing elaborate, if I can jot down even three things that make me happy, or that I am grateful for, or even things that annoy me and need to be let go, that will count.
3. I want to start knitting a pair of socks with this yarn.
I'm 99% decided on the pattern - well, I've at least narrowed it down to 2 choices ...
4. I want to bake something. I'm thinking a cake, since we are having a friend over for dinner on Friday, and her birthday was yesterday. But we'll see what happens there.
5. I want to make a special effort to keep myself on an even keel emotionally. This week is one that I know will be particularly challenging (and not in a good way) at work, and I'm sure to have a hard time keeping it together. But if I can work hard to stay even, it will be a huge help to my overall feeling about things.
There you go. Nothing major, nothing drastic. I want to start with things that are challenging but also achievable. And if I am even just able to make one of them work, I'll count that as a win.
Let me know if you're gonna give anything a try. I'll be back next week to give you a report on how well I did or did not do with my list. In the meantime, I hope your week goes well. :-)
I'm hoping I'll do well with this. I may not, and as long as I feel like I gave it a fair shot, I'll be able to live with that. But I'm hoping it will help me get back to some things, start some new things, and start being mindful about life and the world around me again. I'm hoping to turn some iffy habits back into good habits.
In that vein, here are the things I would like to accomplish in the next week.
1. I would like to exercise at least two days this week. It doesn't have to mean going to the gym, rather I would be happy with two nice walks after dinner, or a nice leisurely walk on the weekend. Cleaning up the garden would count, and I'm even hoping I can take a Pilates class, if not this coming week, at some point during the month.
2. I want to write in my notebook at least twice this week. Nothing elaborate, if I can jot down even three things that make me happy, or that I am grateful for, or even things that annoy me and need to be let go, that will count.
3. I want to start knitting a pair of socks with this yarn.
I'm 99% decided on the pattern - well, I've at least narrowed it down to 2 choices ...
4. I want to bake something. I'm thinking a cake, since we are having a friend over for dinner on Friday, and her birthday was yesterday. But we'll see what happens there.
5. I want to make a special effort to keep myself on an even keel emotionally. This week is one that I know will be particularly challenging (and not in a good way) at work, and I'm sure to have a hard time keeping it together. But if I can work hard to stay even, it will be a huge help to my overall feeling about things.
There you go. Nothing major, nothing drastic. I want to start with things that are challenging but also achievable. And if I am even just able to make one of them work, I'll count that as a win.
Let me know if you're gonna give anything a try. I'll be back next week to give you a report on how well I did or did not do with my list. In the meantime, I hope your week goes well. :-)
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