Take My Breath Away FNL

ethereal morning on the lake

Mother Nature's selfie

another day comes to an end

dreaming

Mantras

I'll be gym-less for the next three days.

I gotta make this morning's workout count.

Coffee and mini preworkout snack:  check.

Devotions:  check.

Workout gear: check.

And off I go to kick it.

Today will be a fabulous day.

Broken

Ever watch something happen as if in slo-mo, and you know there’s NOTHING you can do to stop it?

That’s what happened to me today.  Taking a break from proofreading a transcript -- at home because it’s Columbus Day, of which I’m most grateful to Mr. Columbus -- and decided to do something purposeful while on my break from the monotony.  Fact is, the transcript needed proofread and finished.  Today.  But I can only proofread so long before I start to itch and squirm and yawn and feel as if I’m ready to scream if I don’t get up off my ass and switch gears a minute. 

Vacuum.  I’ll vacuum a bit.  Just a quick sweep… and then as I turned to unplug the vacuum, I saw the impending danger, the cord having wrapped itself around the beautifully curved base of one of my favorite -- if not THE favorite -- candle holders.  I watched from a few feet away as it came tumbling forward onto the hardwood floor, me screaming helplessly, “NOOOOOOO!!!!!”  And then it crashed.  Countless little shards of glass scattered everywhere. 

Heartbroken, I knelt down and surveyed the broken glass.  This can’t be…!

But it’s only a candle holder?  Right?

Which proves that “stuff” really can make us happy.  Little simple “stuff,” like a candle holder.  And besides, this wasn't just ANY candle holder.  It was artistic and timeless. I truly adored it, thinking back on all the times I’ve watched double-paned flames from a candle flicker through the beautiful metal tongs of the outer vase, warming my heart… often, its light chasing away whatever dark had begun to imprison my heart. 

Yes, light from a simple candle has that effect on me.   I’m not sure what that says about me.  Quirky, perhaps.  Not important.

And now it lay broken on the floor.  It was gone.  “Broken…and I don’t feel right when you’re away…” remember that song?  It came rushing into my head.  Funny how that happens sometimes.

I’ve set it aside for now.  And I’ll be on a mission from now on to find a substitute globe that might fit inside its awesome curved, metal vase.  It won’t be perfect.  But I can’t part with something I love this much.  It HAS to shine again.

Authentic

remembering summer 2015...

Just Breathe

It's one of those songs that just gets stuck in your head.

Ya know?

Giving Autumn a Welcome Party

• Remove all spring and summer deco from porch
• Sweep the porch
• Remove all cushions, rugs
• Hose the porch
• Squeegee the porch
• Stain sign/board
• Put spring/summer floral away
• Decorate porch with fall deco
• Replace rugs and cushions 
• Prepare baked spaghetti casserole for dinner
• Vacuum entire downstairs
• Shop vac garage
• Take a break in the sun on the patio
• Shower, wash hair, get dressed
• Go to local market to get weird gourds
• Stop by Sherwin Williams for paint
• Get groceries
• Arrange gigantic gourds by front entrance
• Spray "tired" grapevine garland antique white
• Sand and paint sign base coat
• Trace lyrics on sign
• Hand paint lyrics
• Chill with a glass of wine and YouTube's Secrets of Ibiza, Mix 6, Beautiful Cafe Del Mar Mix 2015 ... and listen to the rain on my clean back porch

Ahhhhh...it's a good Saturday.

My beloved antique cherry pie safe...I'll never let it out of my sight!

Raffia, baskets of leaves and sunflowers shout autumn

The honeysuckle vine from NC, adorned with fall leaves

and Indian corn...my bunny vase holds autumn potpourri.

A .99 cent Goodwill bargain--a rusted brass vase,

painted to resemble silver birch

Fall sunsets drench the sky in breathtaking color

Stage one...a wedding gift

...and on to the finishing touches...

Intuition

I had a feeling I was headed for a successful week.

That whole in-the-zone feeling

that one gets when the furnace is burning hot.

Since I'm leaving town today,

I had to weigh in one day early.

Now I just gotta keep this momentum up.

I'm halfway to goal.

Better energy.

Better rest.

Better focus.

Improved confidence.

Less aches and pains.

Yes.  THIS is more like it.

Now if I just don't go and blow it this weekend at the lake,

Labor Day festivities with friends.

Included in my arsenal:

green tea cocktail

plenty of lean meat

veggies

fat-free cottage cheese

almonds

whey protein

Oh, but there WILL be wine on Friday and Saturday.

I'll just have to factor that in.

I've made slow but steady progress.

Let's keep it lit!