All Decked Out

D & I all decked out for our night at the National Arts Centre to see the Cos -

isn't that the coolest fedora?

Grateful Friday a Day Early

A few things for which I am grateful tonight ...

• experiencing Nia over the past eight weeks - re-claiming my physical health and re-connecting to my Higher Power through joyful movement, is there any more fun way?
• being able to move my body in ways I couldn't a month ago
• candlelight and Loreena McKennitt's To Drive the Cold Winter Away
• my overall financial situation - I'm hard on myself when it comes to details, but sometimes I need to take a step back and gain perspective; it's really not that bad
• savouring my first clementine of the season - I associate clementines with the Holidays; D. and I bought our first crate this week and my first bite was bursting with juicy sweetness
• taking a course in the Byward Market this week, bussing it there and not having to drive in crappy weather
• feeling much lighter and Zen-like for the past two to three weeks - I know, I'm stumped too! :)
• tickets to see Bill Cosby's stand-up show tomorrow night at the National Arts Centre
• plans to put up the Winter/Christmas decorations this weekend (yippee!)
• my new snowshoes
• friends and family
• D, Cassie and our cozy home

Holy smokes it's been a good week! Lucky me to be so blessed.

Till the next time ...

Bits & Bites

So many things to write about, so little focus to come up with a coherent post. Ergo Bits & Bites:

- The Holiday season is creeping up quickly and brings with it a need for me to find that delicate balance between Christmas à la Laura Ingalls Wilder and Christmas à la Martha. I struggle with this every year.

- The past few weeks have been amazing. Everything feels soft and gentle. I feel giddy and light.

- I'm working on a creative project that's testing my ability to a) take a risk by trying something different, b) be disciplined enough to produce output, and c) focus on my own journey and not worry about anyone else's. Stay tuned ... if I decide to go ahead with it. :)

- I just bought a pair of snowshoes and can't wait to try them out! D and I are each buying a pair as our "couple" Christmas gift to ourselves to a) try to keep in shape during the winter and b) get out there and enjoy the fresh air. Mine have flowers on them.

- I seem to have a fondness for lists in short paragraphs 'cause a) I did it in the two previous paragraphs and b) I'm doing it again.

How Bright Are You?

"Bright people have the capability of freaking out faster and more dramatically than anyone else."
- David Allen, Getting Things Done

I knew I was a bright person! ;)

Grateful Friday

a groggy (and possibly annoyed) Cassie

I went with a "Five Senses" theme for today's gratefuls:

• Sight - blue skies, golden sun, a smiling baby
• Smell - freshly brewed coffee
• Hearing - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker suite, sentence overheard at a vegetarian restaurant that made me chuckle: "You don't see much FISH here do you."
• Taste - the gooey sweetness of organic onion chutney and the decadence of chocolate cheesecake
• Touch - the cool air against my cheeks, the ground beneath my feet, the softness of Cassie's fur on my fingers

Till the next time ...

Peace

leaf on my doorstep (Nov. 2007)

I am cocooning. I am sensing a need to slow down, to enjoy my home and its comforts. I am carefully evaluating my commitments and outings, choosing to stay in, lighting candles, writing, connecting - with myself, D., friends, family and the Divine. I am making space. I am creating, cuddling and basking in comfort and Love. I feel at peace.

Dearest November

Dearest November,

Dreary and grey, you lead us into the darkness of winter

Necessary to re-embrace the light come spring.

One More Grateful

This lazy, rainy Saturday. It's 2pm, we just finished our second pot of coffee and we're still in our PJs. I love it!

Grateful Friday

A few things for which I am grateful on this Friday night ...

• good food, good company and good conversation on a girls' night out
• trying bubble tea for the first time (Chocolate Mint latte sans tapioca please!)
• sitting at the beginning of a three-day weekend
• my home
• dinner with friends, laughing until it hurt
• feeling that I have choices in my life, in my outlook, in my career
• trying Rock Band for the first time
• D and Cassie

Till the next time!

On Productivity ...

Sis and I got a chattin' today over the phone and, triggered by an earlier post of mine, the conversation fell on the subject of productivity.

It got me thinking about why I geek out on productivity books, blogs and list-making; my intent lies not in wanting to produce more, it's more along the lines of wanting to produce something. Period.

When my head starts spinning with to-do's or my soul binges on a flurry of creative inspiration, I can easily get overwhelmed. When I feel overwhelmed I either get stuck in a state of inaction or set forth in so many directions that loose ends abound and nothing gets done. Minimal forward movement.

Soooooo, as I indulge in a little self-reflection (I think, therefore I blog), my intent is not necessarily to learn how to do more in a day - I enjoy rushing about as much as I enjoy vacuuming individual strands of Cassie fur off the couch for 60 minutes straight (!). My intent is to find a way to alleviate the anxiety and feelings of inadequacy that come with having so many good intentions sitting stagnant; to practice patience, capturing thoughts and projects for a rainy day; to manage the abundance of ideas for which I am grateful in a way that simplifies my life and keeps me moving toward my goals.

Or maybe, just maybe, it all boils down to the feeling of satisfaction I get when I cross "Write blog post" off the list.

Remembering ...

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae

Vintage Treats

vintage patterns & transfers

Another year, another Ottawa Vintage Clothing Sale. Purchases this year include:

• two pairs of sheer white gloves - one with tiny black polka dots and another with an argyle design
• one funky orange plastic hand-shaped ring holder with blue flowers and a butterfly
• one silver bracelet with red crystal that perfectly matches the vintage ring I bought last year
• one Irish linen tea towel
• two Simplicity dress patterns from the 1950s, one apron pattern from the 1940s and one package of golden metallic transfer Christmas motifs

Fun, fun, fun!

ps - D. came with me this year. The deal: I paid his entry fee and he'd leave for coffee when he got bored, leaving me to browse to my heart's content. He even managed to find a cool hat before scooting out!

Bits & Pieces

A few random and not-so-random musings ...

~ Fellow blogger comments about the US election and Barack Obama videos brought me to tears this week. Sitting North of the border, I am filled will hope by his words and vision. Yes we all can dammit! I especially enjoyed this behind the scenes video I found at Colors on my mind (approx. 15 minutes).

~ Left brain issue: I am SUCH a productivity geek. I just bought The 4-Hour Workweek and am now engrossed in a book called Getting Things Done, trying to soak it all in before it has to go back to the library. I get all pumped when I read it and before you can say "tickler file" my mind is out of control swirling with projects, to-do's and ideas for home and for work. I need help.

~ Right brain issue: I have so many creative ideas in my head that I don't know what to do with them! You'd think a productivity geek like myself would be able to handle that, non?

~ This week is my first working part-time; I have every Monday off and work an hour less a day. My first Monday at home was anti-climactic: I slept, I surfed, I chatted with Mom on the phone, I ate, I surfed again, I slept again. Not the delightfully creative and homey day I originally envisioned (think Emily Carr meets June Cleaver). I did however spend Tuesday's extra hour painting and that felt gooood.

Wild Success

"Have you envisioned wild success lately?"

- David Allen, Getting Things Done

What would it look like? I'm curious.

A Walk in the Woods

It's food for the soul I tell ya. For the first time in four months, D. and I loaded Cassie into the car to hit the trails for a morning hike and oooooohhhhhh so lovely it was.

I inhaled deeply, soaked up the sun and entertained a chickadee on my palm. I felt buoyed.

Here are a few pics:

blue skies

brown earth

a spot of red

golden curlicues

golden sun