Tag: OLW

one little word | 3.28.23 …

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3.26, was Friendstitch Sunday … the six of us always, always look forward to these monthly gatherings, now in the 9th year. This past Sunday, we met at Michelle’s and were greeted with gorgeous spring flowers: daffodils and amaryllis. For Christmas 2019, I gave Michelle (and the others, each) a bulb… Michelle has the magic green thumb. We were delighted to see the amaryllis in full bloom. In addition to being treated to a spectacularly colorful array of flowers, we had an absolutely delicious meal. Yum! The memory of Sunday makes me happier…

My walks, most days, weather permitting, I am greeted by the constant display of signs of Spring: magnolia and cherry blossoms, daffodils, maple trees and forsythia bushes. Delightful.

For the past year, I’ve focused on s-l-o-w-l-y retelling my AmaZe – about me, A-Z – life story that I hope to publish as a memoir style photo album/book. My goal is to have completed this project close to June 1, 2023…If I meet this self imposed deadline, I’m confident I’ll be happier!

The star is a needlepoint I found as I’ve been weeding my stash of projects – a project long overdue but also one that has very tangible results. And this too, makes me happier.

You know, happier is a good place to be! What’s making you happier these days?

Cheers~

simply a moment | 2.15.23 …

Published on by Honoré17 Comments

~ 8:28 AM…

Daffodils ! Can Spring be Far Behind?

Slow start to the day; grumpy: Don’t have any decent AM tea! – didn’t like the cup I brewed. My hand hurts when I write – YUK! Grey. Cloudy. 50 F – why is heat pump on? How does one type the“degree” sign? Hmm… look up… Didn’t complete “Ten.10.X” last night – will do next. Agenda created: If I do all the items on the list, I’ll be waaay ahead of the game…

ORGANIZE is a word I have in the index: Spent time last week RE-organizing and it seems that I’m now “back to the future”! What’s needed is a “restructure,” a fresh and different approach. A shakeup. Yeah! Or perhaps acceptance of what is: “I am disorganized!” [deep sigh]. Perhaps I’ll begin my blog post – t’is a Simply A Moment day…why not? …TBC!

Continuing …it’s currently 5:54 PM.

Earlier, during Writers’ Hour, at 8:43 AM, I wrote: I interrupt my daily AmaZe entry into DayONE, my digital journaling tool of choice, to begin my ONE LITTLE WORD – Happier – entry for the month of February. Heart themed of course, since this is the month of Valentine’s Day, just passed yesterday and birthday of a dear -also, passed – friend and today, the anniversary of my Dad’s passing 39 years ago and , and , and. Tho’ sadness describes these feelings, I am eternally grateful that they and many others, graced my life …

As I look out the window, the sky – cloudy and grey. Tho’ the thermometer sez it’s 50 degrees, the heat pump belies, for it busily churns away (adding to the electric bill). I think: As I pass houses on my daily walks through the neighborhood, I see more houses with solar panels on their roofs & I make a mental note to pursue that for this house. And oh yes, I cannot forget the plumbing. Does it ever end? Who indeed said home ownership was a dream. Nightmare perhaps a more accurate descriptor.

8:55 AM – Writers’ Hour is nearing the end – our hosts are reading text comments and preparing to call on two, unsuspecting – always – writers to share a bit of their writing achievements during the past “50 focused minutes.” I was once called and totally surprised. Thankfully, I indeed had the morning’s written words to consult. Somehow, re-reading my words to myself versus aloud to an audience of “writers,” is just not the same… But one survives .

I’m not sure when in the past 10 -12 years I started blogging on a fairly to somewhat regular basis ( minus the past two years or so). I believe 2019 was the year I actually blogged daily, 365 days. I should verify that stat.

Each day, on my list of things to accomplish: “slow stitchin” – my stitching project for 2023. Since mid January, to “prepare” for the project, I’ve read – borrowed and/or bought- at least 8 new books on the subject; written I know not how many notes, capturing inspiration and ideas; created order out of the chaos that lived in my sewing “studio,” barely used during these years of Covid and major disruptions to all our lives, most noticeably, the passing of loved ones.

Writers’ Hour has ended. It appears that the cloudy sky is eventually going to give over to some sunshine; patches of blue begin to peek through. I end the session with this note: “489 words*, thus far…tbc!

PS. And thus were the moments on the 15th day of February… It is now the morning of February 16; Writers’ Hour is underway and my goal is to hit “publish” on this post – now *645 words. This morning, as I was preparing my second cuppa tea before the session began, I saw a flock, albeit a small one of five Canadian Geese flying northwest. The first I’ve seen since the migration season began. My heart was filled…and that makes me happier.

Zibaldone | january 2022 …

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Snow: Today we have S-N-O-W! Easily 5 inches, maybe more.The snow has now stopped; the sun shines; the sky is blue and it’s a tad cold : 28 degrees.  All lovely – a welcome surprise on this 3rd day of the new year! Perhaps this is Mother Nature’s way to curtail the spread of Omicron, at least for a bit here on the east coast. T’is a nice thought… Words: My one little word for 2022 is Zibaldone, Italian for occasional thoughts, notes, quotations, lists, etc ~ all the things we manage to capture in notebooks, journals, on index cards, bits and pieces of whatever piece of paper might be in an arm’s reach or a note, jotted on our smart phones, via type or verbally or photo. All designed to capture a moment, a fleeting thought, idea, quote, task, memory, weather event such as S-N-O-W… Zibaldone: Why? I like the word – it has often intrigued me and has been on my bucket list to explore since 2018. The choice came to me out of the blue, about December 15, 2021. I’d recently ordered and received the book – a mean 2502 pages of tissue thin paper. As I picked up the book and examined some of those 2502 pages, the thought went off like fireworks: “This is it! My word for 2022!”
I have absolutely no idea, preconceived thoughts or expectations as to how the word will show up, shout out, over these next 362 days of 2022… based on my experiences with previous words, there will be all sorts of surprises. Just as today’s snow! In a way, and this may be a stretch, I see Zibaldone as a quilt patchwork, made of bits and pieces of fabrics that hold all sorts of experiences, meaning and  herstory . I look forward to experiencing and sharing my Zibaldone adventures in 2022. Hopefully most will be as surprising as today’s snow. Cheers~

weekending labor day style | 2019 …

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Thursday had to be the perfect- it’s – almost-Fall day. The Thursday  Stitchers had lunch outside and just enjoyed the weather! Brunch:  margherita pizza and fresh watermelon. Yum!

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I have an idea for rearranging the living room. Friday morning I went to IKEA to see if there are any furniture pieces – as in bookshelves and tables – that might fit the bill. I arrived early for their Swedish American breakfast (the restaurant opens 30 minutes before the showrooms). Seated at the window, I  looked up and saw a flock of Canadien Geese, yes – heading south. By the time I got my iPhone on, I was just able to catch the formation – upper left corner…

IMG_9735Saturday was the Library of Congress’  National Book Festival, held in the Washington Convention Center. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg was the star attraction – more than 4000 people were in the audience for her segment – some having arrived at 4 a.m to get in line. I opted to watch on TV – at home; best seat in the house. A quick google search will pull up the program, broadcast on C-span2/Book TV, if you want to see it. Later that morning,  I ran errands, finding myself away the balance of the afternoon. T’was a pleasant outing.

IMG_9740Sunday! Welcome September, Fall (meteorological)  and the September prompt  from Ali Edwards for one’s One Little Word. We spent the day relaxing – tho’ I did take a brisk walk. Otherwise, Norman watched TV;  I set up September calendar and plans.

IMG_9749Today, Monday! Labor Day! No work done around here. I toyed with the idea of cleaning out the refrigerator and mopping the kitchen floor but opted instead to take a leisurely walk to the coffee shop and treat myself to an iced caramel  almond milk decaf latté.

And that’s the way it was this Labor Day weekend… a wonderful way to greet the new season! What was the highlight of your weekend?

Cheers~

 

TGIF| welcome March 2019…

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(selfie taken 1 march 2012 ~ pre iPhone days! )*

Thankful: Yesterday, Thursday, the last day of February, I’d fully intended to post…our WIFI had other thoughts. Shortly before noon service was restored, thankfully  – but by then, we had to leave for Norman’s doctors’ appointments.  He was given a clean bill of health – for which we are both thankful and that his next appointment isn’t until April. 

Goodness: It always amuses me that Feb and March calendar days usually follow same pattern, e.g.,

  • Feb began on a Fri and so does March this year;
  • it snowed Feb 1 and it’s snowed today, March 1…

Rumor had it that Phil (as in groundhog) predicted early spring…not if March continues to mimic February, just sayin.’

Inspiration: This morning found me organizing my March life and wrapping up February. My notes and thoughts and to-do lists are all over the place – in this journal, that notebook, those scraps of paper. Been here! Done that! Oh sooooo many times before – grrrr! This month, I.am. DETERMINED. to. ELIMINATE. this. BAD. HABIT! My beacon? Gretchen Rubin! Her new book Outer Order Inner Calm is published on Monday and YES! I have pre-ordered. In 2015, at the end of March I attended her book tour : Better Than Before, a prequel to this newest book. The best thing: She finishes her book tour here in Washington DC, March 28. YES! I have a ticket…

Feeling: Confident; Calm; Productive; Relaxed; Determined; and excited to live the month of March, focusing on my word: Habit. I’ve lots of ideas and incentives. Stay tuned!

Have a good weekend – and hopefully a sunny one! We’re scheduled for rain!

Cheers~

*  I believe then I was thinking about growing my hair; that was short-lived!

habit quest| february 2019…

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(sunrise  ~ 6:36 am)

Today, Morning Solitude and Quiet Time, extended  beyond noon. T’wasn’t in the plan but it just felt like the right thing to do on this last Tuesday of February.  I was busy reading, thinking and plotting –  focused on  my 2018 word: habit … and also becoming acquainted with the latest iOS for my Apple iPhone and iPad. I am not one to rush to install those upgrades…I usually wait til the kinks are worked out. I took several selfies and looking at them using the “LIVE” feature had me howling. Kinda creepy…but fun! That, however, wasn’t contributing to my focus for the day: zeroing in on [those] daily activities that translate into healthy habits that are good for me and help me fulfill creative urges and experiments.

Not that I’ve not known this for probably all my adult, at least, life: habits are hard to make and break! Be that as it may, I shall press on… and one day, someday, I’ll have succeeded in accomplishing my quest. Watch this space. Are you working on making or breaking a habit?

Joining Juliann and others for a monthly word update, here!

Cheers~

 

a word or two…

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This photo is of my youngest grand niece, Kayla, circa age 4. Today, she celebrates her 18th birthday!  A family gathering  for dinner at Maggiano‘s was planned; she wanted to celebrate on the actual date. Hey, one only turns 18 once. Well, as luck would have it, today’s weather forecast is calling for rain, snow, cold – courtesy of the Polar Vortex –  to begin around PM rush hour traffic. So, she cancelled and will reschedule. Of course! We all  applaud her for her graciousness in handling her disappointment.  We are all disappointed. Looking at the variations of her name, its meaning and synonyms, I have to say her mother picked the best name for this young woman; she’s going far! Adulting is hard work and I think, know that she will meet the challenge with aplomb!

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Speaking of words: according to quora, the OED – Oxford English Dictionary – second edition contains 171,476 words in current use, and 47,156 obsolete words. The number count varies due to a variety of factors… In my craft and sewing studios are wooden words that have been my guides and touchstones, my one little word/s, over the past nine years… This year’s word, in some ways, has been elusive; it sort of misses a bit of intrigue, verve.  I keep trying out (other) words and find myself coming back to one – habit: Design. Action. Practice.

There are some habits in my repertoire I want to grow, strengthen, refine, cultivate,  curate, and others I am determined to jettison. Watch this space…

Join(ing) Juliann and others on the last Tuesday of the month in sharing our experiences with our word/s. Have you chosen a one little word – OLW- for 2019?

Cheers~

TGIF …

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Thinking:  I’m glad that the weekend is here, I’m tired and it’s only the 4th day of the year/month! I spent yesterday having a lovely IKEA breakfast – all of $3 including coffee (unlimited if purchased before  10 am ) – joined by friend Diane. After eating and catching up, we shopped… I bought some household items I probably didn’t need and stuffed husky dogs for the little boys.  Chris took to his tout de suite; Elias…not so sure… After breakfast, I had a medical appointment with a new ENT doctor. That always takes more time, filling out papers, etc…after, I drove to pick up my sister. By the time I got home, it was about 5:30 pm; I sat down to watch the news and the House proceedings…and found myself glued to the TV for most of the evening. Long story short, I never made it to my computer to post … “first thing tomorrow,” I told myself.

Grateful: Today dawned with great promise. I arose at my usual early hour, 5:30-ish and settled in for an extended MSQT, especially since yesterday’s was somewhat abbreviated (for a good reason). My plan for today included

  • writing an early morning post;
  • taking the tree down and putting away the last remnants of holiday décor;
  • gathering items from the basement and the garage targeted for donation or discard to put in my car;
  • doing a couple loads of laundry.

Inspired: During MSQT, I spent a fair amount of time looking at quotes and definitions for my 2019 word…I’d not settled on one. I’ve been contemplating continuing my 2018 word: mindful/mindfulness using it as an umbrella and focusing on several subsidiary words per quarter, sort of like the spokes of an umbrella. After breakfast – cereal and yogurt – I decided to take the tree down and put away the other holiday decorations. Just as I was finishing with the tree, about 11:30 am, my sister arrived. Several hours later, getting ready to take her home (she’d borrowed my car Thurs eve), I couldn’t find my house keys…YET AGAIN! After spending another 20 minutes looking for them, in the house, I gave up. Blame it on the Time Thieves, I told myself…and her. We left; I dropped her off and returned home. About 3:45pm, I put a last load of laundry in the dryer, fixed a snack and for some reason, put my hand in my back left jeans’ pocket*. Dah Dah Dum!

Fun: Guess what I found? I’m almost ashamed to admit: Yep! My keys! So, that settles it: I’ve been toying with the word habit for a while and yes, I am choosing it to be the first spoke of my umbrella. I am too thru with spending time looking for keys. I’ve decided that there are only two places in this house where my keys will reside. .. certainly not my back jeans’ pocket! * And yes, I sat on my keys and no, I never felt them!

Keeping my fingers crossed, practicing mindfulness habits and wishing all a lovely weekend!

Cheers~