tgif| 11.20.20…

Published on by Honoré9 Comments

 

IMG_0568

thinking

  • looking: at the calendar – amazed that there are just 10 days left in the month*;
  • calculating: 41 days left in this year;
  • wondering: could that really be so?

grateful

  • reminiscing: Norman and I both celebrated trips around the sun; it is fun that our age numbers are reversed and that the sum for each of our two digits is the same;
  • enjoying: the crispness of a lovely autumn day;
  • appreciating: the good days vs the not-so good ones as we navigate N’s type 2 diabetes…

inspiring

  • afternoon walks through the park;
  • listening to a variety of podcasts – my fave still: Happier with Gretchen Rubin as a walking companion;
  • the joy and ebulation of the election..

fun

  • Wed evening, I joined Modern Mrs Darcy’s Book Club’s visit with Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow.  She is a delightful person and the book is definitely on my TBR list.

 

Have a great weekend!

Cheers~

*A note: I realized, looking at the calendar that 24 November is the fourth/last Tues of the month. Since it is so close to Thanksgiving, I’ve decided to schedule the link up for Tues 1 Dec. We’ll wrap up 2020 with the last OLW link up Tues, 29 December.

 

practicing gratitude |

Published on by Honoré10 Comments

Sunday: Norman’s birthday. Now, he’s a young 87 years old! We had a quiet celebration with his son … I managed to capture the Oct/Nov full moon …

Monday: New carpet for basement & first floor steps… I love the look, the smell …

Tuesday/Today/Election Day: We voted by mail several weeks ago – the District mailed ballots to all registered voters. .. and here we are on election day! Finally! I guess … I hope.

About mid-day, I took a long walk through our neighborhood park – almost deserted. Probably because the weather’s turned a tad bit chilly. The sun on the changing, colorful leaves left my heart and me warm… and for that, I am always grateful.

Time to hit publish, watch the setting sun, prepare dinner … and wait.

Cheers~

one little word/oct 2020…

Published on by Honoré10 Comments

Two months left in this year for time with my word: habit. This is my second go-round with the word and even tho’ 2020 is soon to end, I’m sure my relationship with habit will live on…how could it not? One thing I’ve learned – or at least had underscored this time: habits are made without one’s really realizing that’s happening. Some are good; others, not so. Some are easy to establish; many – and perhaps these habits are the most important to cement – are difficult if not just plain elusive.

Thirty days ago, I announced a plan to create an art activity following the 12 noon Daily Pages session, thinking to so do would make a natural progression. In theory, yes. In actuality, no. It didn’t happen. Something or someone (as in moi ) generally upended my momentum. This time around, I think I’ll try before rather than after.

My agenda for these next 65-66 days of 2020 is full – in addition to just the stuff of life. Plans and ideas conceived in 2019 abruptly cancelled by Covid-19. Some may still come to fruition. Others abandoned. New ones imagined. Usually, this time of year, my word for the new year has arrived; this year, not yet.

In the meantime, I shall continue with finding the sweet time for creating art.

How has your word shown up in your life this month ? Please share via the link up and if for any reason you have a problem, do include a link to your post in the comments. Thank you for joining in and sharing your one little word experience.

Cheers~

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter

day is done …

Published on by Honoré9 Comments

…seems I was up before sunrise – now, the sun’s set, the moon glows and I’m wondering : “where has the day gone ? what have I done or not?”

In the done column:

  • shopped for groceries – 2nd day in a row …
  • walked to/through the park – my first time all week …
  • cleared off the tops of the bookcases on the second floor landing …
  • played with scraps of card stock during the Daily Pages session today …
  • and it is time now to make my 23rd LOAD layout – it is destined for my 2020 December Daily album

I went downstairs to take chicken out of the oven and stopped to look out – the moon was gorgeous, begging to be captured :

~ a perfect ending to this October day ~

Have a great weekend!

Cheers~

PS: Next Tues, October 27, is the one little word roundup.

unraveled wednesday | 10.21.20 …

Published on by Honoré12 Comments

…yesterday’s plans and promise were shot to the wind…c’est la vie. Today is a restart, a refresh, another opportunity and for that, we are grateful.

@2014 graduation from UMD/University College

Today is also Cissy’s (my niece/namesake’s) birthday! That is hard to believe that this once little girl, her bother’s little sister – hence Cissy – the mother of three grown daughters and “Mimi” to two grandsons is also now 52! We shall mark the occasion with a Zoom party this evening…

I am in between books and stitching projects:

  • toying with the idea of starting a brand new knitting project;
  • trying to decide what to read next? And still
  • needing to bring outer order to my sewing room so I can move on to planning “sewing school.”

Ah! So many projects, so little time – Hah! Probably that’s the problem – too much time on my hands…

Joining and Kat and friends.

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 10.19.20 …

Published on by Honoré10 Comments

“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~

tgif | 10.16.20 …

Published on by Honoré12 Comments

thinking : or as they say: best laid plans of mice, men and Honore´ … I wrote a draft of todays’s post earlier today but then got involved in sorting and planning several memory keeping projects for the balance of 2020. Can’t believe there are just 10 weeks left in 2020! Who-da thought we’d have the ride we’ve been on and are still on ???

grateful : for a stirring to resume a couple stitching projects – just as soon as I finish reorganizing my sewing room. one project on my agenda is “sewing school” for my nieces – they each want to learn how to sew and I have a few spare machines – one for each ( i.e., 3) plus a major supply of fabric, tools, etc. I think that with Zoom and my sister’s plus quilting friends’ help, we/they can do this…and heaven knows there are books ( many that I also have) and online resources to round out the curriculum. Christmas will be early this year…

interesting : “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” our neighborhood drugstore (Walgreen’s!) is still without rubbing alcohol – it’s been over three weeks. they are well supplied with hand sanitizers and masks and alcohol wipes and other COVID-19 related items… just no alcohol. truly a curiosity.

fun: October is another LOAD (layout a day month); I have been enjoying capturing autumn memories during this unprecedented year – COVID-19. The photo above was yesterday’s creation …

Have a great weekend!

Cheers~

unraveled wednesday|10.14.20 …

Published on by Honoré12 Comments

I began the morning thinking I’d engage in MSQT on my Mac, upstairs in my craft studio – a fancy name, for sure. Fixing my morning tea, waiting for the tea kettle to boil, I gazed out the window at the this tree. It occurred to me that I’d not really taken a close look at it for a while – Oh my! Against the backdrop of a cloudless blue sky, irrefutable evidence of Mother Nature’s work as the autumnal season moves in/on… I decided to stay at the table to engage in my morning’s activity that refuels my soul : MSQT! As vital as a good night’s sleep, which I also enjoyed.

I have no idea how this – or any – day will unfold; I just know that at this time, I am so grateful for it’s return to normal :

  • Norman preparing his breakfast; the smells and sounds make a nice background…
  • My niece Dolly sends a text saying Chris was taking a practice reading assessment this morning and passed 100%. Next week: the real deal; I wonder why?!
  • Chris’ grandmother sends a text: “the Professor is awesome!” I laugh out loud!
  • N’s daily listen… CNBC – stock market program…
  • I contemplate today’s agenda:
    • Create today’s LOAD – 14 . (LOAD is a Layout A Day, the last month-long daily sprint for 2020)…
    • Noon Daily Pages break followed by a 1 PM Zoom session with another group of memory keepers …
    • Walk and listen to Happier with Gretchen Rubin, my fave podcast …
    • Continue listening to The Mountains Sing. I am also reading it on my Kindle – trying to see if I like that combo…
    • Cast on, again for the 99th time, stitches for the second sock !!! I am determined to succeed!

It is time to move on with the morning and thus the day. I still have my AM reads and breakfast to eat. Joining Kat and friends for this week’s Unraveled Wednesday.

Cheers~

PS. My new blogging schedule got off track, right fast, yesterday. I had two appointments scheduled 1 – 3 PM. Today is a new day and another opportunity to start again for the first time.

a habit update:blogging …

Published on by Honoré16 Comments

…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~