Under a Blue Moon

 

Happy Friday Everyone! 

I hope everyone has sunshine and gentle breezes this weekend.  We are planning on going to the Sacramento Antique Fair on Sunday.  I hope I find some treasures or at the very least some good photo opportunities.

If you are in the US or Canada don't forget to spring forward on Sunday.

 

Belle loves to come into my office/dining room and sit between the two sheer curtains. 

I think she is looking out the window to see if the rain has stopped.  She's feeling a little housebound and has taken to tearing through the house, chasing imaginary mice. 

My goodness those sheers sure look rumpled.  They dried that way when I line dried them in the Fall.  I'm not quite sure how to uncrinkle them.  If I took an iron to them they would melt. 

I have this thing about curtains.  I hate them.  I always think they are dusty and heavy looking.  This particular window (actually sliding glass door) has morning sun streaming in it that blinds me so I put the sheers up to block some of it.  Plus we have neighbors out that direction and it affords me a little privacy.

Our house is rather secluded so I can get away with no curtains for the most part.  I did put up plantation shutters in the bedrooms because houseguests aren't always as comfortable with my exhibitionist ways.

 

Here's a project that got finished at our house.  Only because it wasn't one of MY projects.  Rick had some scrap pieces of wood trim and beadboard and so he made a headboard for one of the guest room beds.

It turned out quite nicely, I think.  Very Pottery Barnish.  That is one of my favorite quilts too.  Irish chain block in the most beautiful faded florals. 

  

Just a little montage of my favorite color combination.

I think there used to be a blog around here some place.  Has anyone seen it?  I have been so unispired lately.  I don't know what my problem is.  I think the unrelenting rain we've had this past couple of weeks is wearing me out.

I know we need the rain I just wish it would do it while I was sleeping and then have the sun come out during the day.

I dropped my dad's car off to be smogged this morning and while I was waiting I walked to a Micheal's that was a couple of blocks away.  Even wandering around the aisles there didn't inspire me.

I don't like this trend of crafts having entire sets of perfectly coordinated bits and pieces.  Removes the creativity right out of the project.  You don't get to stretch your imagination at all. 

Little Miss Sunshine, I am today. 

In brighter news I've lost 2 more lbs.  It's day 9 of the 30-day Exercise Challenge and I've worked out or walked every day.  Today is supposed to be my walking day but I have my doubts.  I may have to through in the workout DVD instead.

 

Rick is recovering nicely.  Thank you for all the well wishes.   He's a very good, appreciative patient. 

The picture above has nothing to do with this post.  We are going to talk about killer abs.  And I don't have a picture of them that I can share (okay – I don't HAVE them to begin with).

I got back on the low-carb, low-cal bandwagon last week and instantly lost the five pounds that I've put on since Christmas.  Now I'm back at my pre-holiday melt down weight. 

I decided I need to start exercising more too.  To help things along.  I'm at a certain age where all my pounds are very fond of me and don't want to leave.  So I thought I would make them do crunches and jumping jacks and see how they like that.

If you follow The Biggest Loser (I admit to a perverse fascination with how fast they lose weight and how they look when they are done) then you know who Jillian Michaels is.  She is one of the two trainers on the show.  She has a take no prisoners approach to training.

After hearing some rave reviews for her 30-day Shred workout dvd I ordered it from Amazon. It is an intense 20 minute workout.  The feedback on it is it is hard but the misery only lasts 20 minutes and you can usually stick it out.  There are three levels of workouts and I'm starting with Level 1 and it is kicking my butt.   She's not as mean on the dvd as she is on the show.

I put together a 30-day Exercise Challenge with some on-line friends of mine.  Our goal is to do some kind of exercise every day, for 30 days.  Can be anything – working out in a gym, spinning class, workout dvd, walk.  I'm hoping that if I stick to it for 30 days exercise will become a habit instead of a chore.

My plan is to do the 30-day Shred dvd two days, then walk the third day and then start over again.  That way my body gets a rest from the more intense working out.  

I'm hoping that at the end of the 30 days I am ten pounds lighter.  Stay tuned. 

 

Rick is in surgery as I type this.  I ran home to get the house in order and make turnovers for him.  He is having surgery on his shoulder.

The surgeon said that shoulder surgery is very painful.  VERY.  I think he mentioned it half a dozen times.   The nurse asked if we had a recliner (which we don't) because it would be best if he just sat up for the next week. 

So I've been rearranging furniture and fashioning ottomans out of empty storage boxes and pillows (artfully draped with a blanket). 

Our furniture is comfy but it is not meant for convalescing. 

Meanwhile I am pacing and waiting for them to call me up so I can pick him up.  The surgi-center is just 10 minutes from our house.

I've not been a very good blogger lately.  I apologize.  I'll get back on track.

Quick update for those that were following my now defunct weight-loss blog.  I fell off the wagon during the holidays and struggled mightily to get back on.  I finally did last week.  I am at my pre-holiday weight (25 lbs. lost to date) and have started a 30-day exercise challenge.  Some sort of exercise every day.  For 30 days.  It started yesterday and today I can barely walk. 

What have I gotten myself into?