Category: Sometimes Mondays

welcome summer 6.21.21 …

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Summer arrived with a vengeance ! Temps are in the 90s – even in Washington state! Yesterday, Norman’s son was visiting and as they are wont to do: solved all the world’s problems – I wish – in between watching baseball games and other TV events.

I took my sister to Laurel and decided, since I was near, to make a quick run to Savage Mill. I needed help with a couple fountain pens that were not writing ( probably becuz the ink had dried, duh!). It was very quiet, i.e, I didn’t hear any cicadas; perhaps their time is over – or at least winding down. I was delighted to see my friend Patti, owner of The Queen’s Ink; I’ve know her easily 10 years and last saw her Dec, 2019. She looked great; her hair was especially delightful – you know color – my 2021 word. And the t-shirt she was wearing was stamped with outlines of cicadas – her cicada had a crown! If you look closely, you can see the tips of the crown on her shirt …

In addition to ink, I bought a couple 3.75 x 5.25 sketch book journals – the paper is ideal for drawing, sketching & journaling with pencil, ink, crayon, markers, pastels, etc – and the eight signatures are sewn! I also bought a 3″ x 5″ GELLI printing plate. Playing with it, the sketch journals and my fountain pens is going to be sooo much fun!

I am eager to resume my WANDER journaling/sketching dates to the National Museum of Art’s Sculpture Gardens. When I do, guess what’s coming along with me?

Trust it’s cooler in your part of the country .

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 5.17.21

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Tho’ the morning began @ circa 6 am, I was almost wide awake and looked forward to the quiet start of a new day, a new week. Last week I participated in week in the life – using the DayONE app on my iPhone and iPad. And tho’ I don’t do QWERTY ( aka “I don’t type” ), I found doing my morning journaling in the app was indeed a good method for practicing and improving my typing…now, if I can only learn the QWERTY row on the keyboard, perhaps I will break myself of the habit of typing oyu for you. Mornings, my journaling is generally an overview of daily plans, etc. I’m also trying to decide if/how to meld the analog and digital systems: I still intend to hand journal – perhaps close out the day by hand… something to ponder.

Before the air fryer…

We have several new toys, er uh, tools in the house… one is an air fryer. A week ago this past Friday, our oven died. Replacing the oven is more than a notion so we/ I decided to try an air fryer. Saturday, the cook, moi, attempted to bake chicken tenders …they were tasty but fried to a crisp! – aka tough. Of course I will give the chicken tenders another try … or perhaps return the air fryer oven. To be continued… the jury is still out. Any and all tips are welcomed!

Here’s to a good week!

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 5.10.21 …

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today begins Ali Edwards’ (at least annual ) Week in the Life documentation of one’s daily life. the week always starts with a big bang, lots of excitement and determination to see the project through with the same intensity at the end – sunday – as one began the previous monday. this year, I decided to use the DayONE app to document my days; it’s available on all my iTools : Mac; iPhone and iPad … and I really do need to learn the program. with the app, I can write in both type and cursive; the latter using the Apple pencil or my finger to scribble – the software converts to type… that’s pretty cool.

it is now 1:30 pm; I looked at my DayONE notes thus far – I haven’t recorded anything since 10:30 am, +/- when my sister arrived – we started a family text chat with her daughter/granddaughters…and then, life got in the way and then, time to join Daily Pages…

so here I sit, at the Mac; Daily Pages have ended and true to my vow to myself last week, I am drafting a post for today. also on my agenda for the rest of the day:

  • send email re: tomorrow’s Recent Reads Zoom session
  • make today’s LOAD entry
  • take out trash for tomorrow’s weekly collection
  • prepare/eat dinner and
  • settle in with a good book or two…

the day’s turning out to be quite lovely: morning clouds have moved on, the sun shines, the temperature is 64 degrees – a perfect invitation for a walk.

on my way !

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 1.25.21

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…are grey and dismal and cold. a winter weather advisory – mixed precip: possible snow accumulation, 1-2 inches and ice — in effect until tomorrow AM.

…are not a good day for calling a business…apparently everyone who has business with the same company as I, chose to call today. one listens to the message and choices and then, after selecting the “speak to a customer service rep,” a prerecorded voice comes on the line: “all service reps are busy …” and the call is abruptly ended. C’est toute! irritating, to say the least.

…are the 25th day of the new year, 2021 and one month since Christmas Day of the previous. we were ever so eager for 2020 to come to a close and are thankful that the protracted victory of the presidential election and installation of POTUS 46 has transpired. a deep sigh of relief…

…and a note: Carolyn of youroneword is hosting the 2021 monthly One Little Word share/linkup. So mosey on over to share your 2021 word and see what others’ words are, too.

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 10.19.20 …

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“Self-care is a deliberate choice to gift yourself with people, places, things, events, and opportunities that recharge our personal battery and promote whole health — body, mind, and spirit.” ~ Pass It On

Today, this morning, for a brief moment, I saw the birds flocking towards the sunrise …they fly so fast that I can’t train my camera eye to catch before they are out of its view…but, that’s OK, I tell myself : the image is indelibly imprinted in my mind. I watch for Canadian Geese – so far, I’ve seen none.

Life is slowly adjusting to the new normal – a term we hear and say too often. This morning, the temps dropped low enough to kick in both the furnace and the heat pump – both are working on all cylinders. Thankfully. Especially after replacing the A/C-HeatPump this summer at ruinous costs. We’re set for winter and it appears, based on the ten-day forecast that we may not have a brief reprise of summer weather/temps before November.

This week’s calendar is pretty clear – save for my Daily Pages 12 N Zoom session, still very much a delightful break in the day. More Zoom sessions scattered throughout the week. And as I look at the clock, I think I’d best get a move on for my quilting group’s meeting in just an hour – @ 10 am.

Have a great day and week!

Cheers~

a habit update:blogging …

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…and the days dwindle down, to a precious few…september, november …

I know that I’ve been AOL in this space since September 29th… In my last post, I said I was going to begin habit stacking and every day I awoke with the best intentions to establish the new habit as well as “Blog!” – a standing 5 star item on my daily agenda – at least 3 times a week. Tho’ my best laid schemes gang aft agley are conspicuously absent in this space, they are never in my mind!

Over the past ten+ days I’ve starred, underlined, bolded, highlighted, started, and abandoned posting… mainly because I’ve run out of time and energy. Life in these parts have taken a dramatic turn: Norman’s health has taken front and center, totally throwing previous schedules and plans out the door. These days: glucose readings and blood pressure monitoring coupled with many health consultations by phone are primary. He is doing well but we’re still working on the daily schedule revision. I think we’re finding our stride and settling into the new new normal.

Old habits are h-a-r-d to break; New habits harder to make.

To this end, I’ve decided that my blogging focus time – e.g., drafting, reading/responding to comments and blog visits – will be 1 -2 PM, give or take a minute or so! I plan to post M, W, F plus any special times of the month, e.g., one little word monthly linkup the last Tues of the month: 27 Oct, 30 Nov, and 29 Dec. Last month I designated the 1 PM hour for daily art journaling; I’m thinking perhaps Tu, Th and Sat/Sun for that activity. Time will tell…

To be continued…

Cheers~

summer’s end …

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IMG_1290

Bright blue cloudless sky. Birds sing ” caw caw caw” … September’s air feels good against my face. I’m wearing my winter coat and I have on no hat – but that’s OK !  Despite the cooler temps, it is beautiful!  I  stop, take a look around, capture the sky, sun and also the sound : quiet.

I’ve reached the park. Children’s voices permeate the air along with the sounds of lawn mowers and leaf blowers. I hear the creak, squeak of a swing or two. I’m trying to decide which way do I go:  my usual route or forge a new one? Lotsa children at the playground – don’t see too many adults but I do see a rather large dog.

I  decide to take my usual route and trek up the hill, gathering  just enough speed to get my momentum going. Other than the children, not too many people in the park –  usually there are one to four parked at benches, shooting the breeze; others, at a table: writing; reading; sometimes napping …

Tomorrow is the first day of an astrological event: Autumn.  It feels good to walk through this park on this last day of summer. In a way, it’s a sanctuary. A sanctuary.

Autumn. My favorite season of all.

sometimes mondays |8.24.20 …

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… are like and unlike any other. this morning, at 8:24 am, stillness. the world around appears to still be very much sleeping in. Eventually, the “world will awaken” but for the now, I shall relish these quiet moments.

… as I look out the window, evidence of autumn greets: just the slightest twinge of brown on the leaves of this tree and larger spaces of blue sky show in between branches. against the nearly cloudless sky,  red crepe myrtle dot the landscape.

… in this 5th month of Covid-19, the stealthy, incognito, non-discerning, easily transmitted virus continues to devastate … and yet, the grass continues to grow; clouds form, come and go; birds fly, stop to rest on an electric wire or tree branch or fence; squirrels scamper; bees, butterflies and other flying insects flit their way across my vista. in the not too far distance, I see traffic move and even two small dogs out for a walk.

… in the not too distant future, the sky will be more revealed as leaves from this tree begin to drop. soon to be autumn. I hope your Monday morning was as peaceful.

Cheers~

PS. A reminder: tomorrow is share your 2020 August word experience on this blog.

sometimes …

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  IMG_1078      monday morphs into tuesday… I had the best intentions, plans and ideas yesterday to post … and somehow for some reason, some way, the day got away from me … as it did over the weekend. Perhaps because I was on Zoom, more than off, it seems – I hasten to add, not a complaint, just a fact. I am grateful for Zoom and other similar technologies; not only are we  able to keep in touch with family,  we’re also enabled to:
  1. connect with friends , including those who perhaps we’ve only met online via our blogs and other social media;
  2. learn new techniques in areas of our own personal interests, etc.
IMG_1064      saturday -the 15th- afternoon, I went to Barnes & Noble and managed to spend more than enough on books to keep me company for a bit…more on them tomorrow.  t’ws my first visit to a bookstore since February! I also stopped at a local office supply  – filled with back to school supplies. In normal times, the inventory would be pretty much decimated. I bought the little guys each their own composition notebook, designed specifically for their ages: 6 and 2 3/4. I know that through the balance of 2020, Chris (6 years) will be doing first grade virtually and Elias, of course, will want to do everything his big bro’ (idol) does. I felt a tinge of sadness as I looked at all the school supplies – memories of back-to-school from my childhood, my nieces, flooded over and floored me as the reality of these times stopped me cold. [deep sigh].   IMG_1088      yesterday it rained off -n-on and then of course stormed – just as Norman was putting the trash out for tuesday’s collection. why not? fortunately, tv reception wasn’t affected so we were able to watch the Democratic National Convention.   IMG_1113      today was nearly perfect – low 80s ! Unheard of in the middle of August in these parts. I do not complain!  Cheers~     PS. A reminder: next Tuesday, August 25 is the monthly one little word linkup on this blog!