Eye lashes on car picture

Just two painted things, but they are different than others middle has done

These are two things middle painted for other people.

WOW stands for something on campus.

The paddle was for a fraternity event.

Thanksgiving Day Tips from Our Lady

10 Tips to a Calm, Peaceful and Happy Thanksgiving.
-or-  
10 Tips: How to Eliminate Emotional Eating On the Most Charged Food Day of the Year

1. Avoid Mad Dash Syndrome – Plan and do as much as is comfortably possible ahead of time, avoiding the mad dash!  Create a time line and stick to it.
    
2. Keep It Simple and Graceful – Remember that less is more.  Five types of sweet potatoes is not necessarily better than one incredible mash!
    
3. Set the Table Early – Set the table either the day before Thanksgiving or early that morning.  Set it with the intention to create an organized, calm and beautiful Thanksgiving.
    
4. Declutter – Clutter takes up space and blocks energy. Clutter never feels good.  As best you can, clear your space for the people, the food and good energy.
    
5. Pretend to Be a Cat  –  Cats observe. You be the observer.  Let the rest of life spin around you, while you stay centered.  Let others spin, chase their tails, and/or run in circles; while you stay centered.
    
6. Breathe / Meditate – Periodically, throughout the day, take in 5 deep belly breaths; exhale through your mouth.  Ahhhhh ….   You can’t help but to feel more centered and calm.
    
7. Add Wonder to the Table.– Nature is a grounding force that connects us to the Source, to God, to ourselves.  When we encounter a beautiful flower, we can’t help but to be in awe.  Wonder arises.  Place a beautiful vase of flowers on the table, perhaps a plant or two and/or a pumpkin at your front door.  Let the wonderment flow.
    
8. Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy works by stimulating smell receptors in the nose, which, in turn, send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system — the part of the brain that controls emotions.
   
   It is believe that the following essential oils can create a pleasant serenity:  Lavender, melissa, myrrh, bergamot, cardamom, chamomile, cypress, frankincense, rose, pine, vanilla, marjoram, neroli, nutmeg, patchouli, and orange/lime.
   
   Place a few drop of your favorite essential oil on a cotton ball, put in purse or pants.  Take in deep aroma breathes throughout the day!
    
9. Play Soft and Slow Music  – Music causes the body to release endorphins.   Slow music slows the breath and the heartbeat. Music calms!
    
10. Feel Comfortable in Your Own Skin… Is (your name here) happy with(your name here)? The most important element to a peaceful, calm, happy day is how you feel about yourself.  Love and accept yourself.   Let your calm ripple out, be happy, and enjoy!

Remember that the goal of the day is to be happy with yourself, feel comfortable in your own skin, to stay calm, present, to radiate love and peace and to be thankful for all that you do have, indeed!  Follow our 10 tips and you can't help but to avoid emotional eating!




This came from Our Lady's Newsletter. 

Handyman was at my house last week (yes, there are pictures) - 16 days and counting

Added later:
living room window seat included in this post.
oldest's window seat in this post.
window seat from youngest's current room further below in this current/today/same post.

I took this picture to show you the last two window seats. I am not showing middle's side of the room as it has her name all over the place. So, this is half of middle's current bedroom. This half first belonged to the youngest when she was little and then to ME (our girl from the middle east who was with us a year). Now this half of the room is used when middle has friends home with her or sometimes when youngest has friends here on a school night and they need a real bed. When I say half of middle's room, there is another half, identical to this one, with different decorations, behind the half wall you see with the desk/wall/shelves. There is a wall/desk/shelf on that side. So where you see the wall jut out in this room, middle's desk is in that space on the other side. Where the desk is on this side, the wall is on middle's side. Middle has a window seat identical to this one. So, yes, there are two in this great big room.

Here is a closer shot of the headboard

Just so you weren't wondering, this is the headboard from middle's side of the room. 

TODAY'S ORIGINAL POST -

I had a small list of handyman things that needed done last spring.

I tried to get on the schedule of one handyman all spring and he never had time.

I tried a second handyman all summer. Never got him to return calls.

Last week I found a third man. Not only did he return my calls, he also scheduled a time and then came and did the work.

This is youngest's room in June. The heavy curtains were on a suspension rod.

Opening the curtains on the suspension rod meant sometimes the whole thing fell on her head.

This is an installed rod with pull backs.
She likes to have her windows open and now that is easily done.

Handyman also hung hooks in youngest's closet. This is a small walk-in closet (not attached to her room) built into a nook across from youngest's room. That door actually leads to the attic.

That door is the closet door. Two sets of hooks, end to end, were hung also.

This mirror came in the truck from my husband's mother's house. LOVE the mirror. The mirror was leaning against the wall, in this same spot, for months, waiting to be hung. I thought I would love it (there). After I looked at it (hung) for two days, I hated it in this spot. Proportions are wrong. (This mirror is 28" x 44". It is very heavy. Handyman screwed it directly into stud. He was able to use the same holes used through frame in past.) This mirror is better suited hung above a piece of furniture (to anchor it).

If you are trying to picture this spot in my house, it is the stair landing.
This picture is taken at the top of the stairs looking at landing. You can see the mirror (left side of picture). To give you an idea of the scale: ledge is 13 1/2" x 85". Landing is 85" x 50". Flag picture (that is a framed quilt top behind glass, yes, I made it) is 50" tall by 53" wide.

This is standing at bottom of stairs, looking at landing. The kitchen is to the right of this picture, the laundry room and studio to left. The open doorway in the right background of the picture is the living room. You will find more house pictures here.

This is not my house. This is a screen shot from JC Penney's online catalog. This mirror is 31" x 65". Original price was $160. It was on sale for 79.99. I had a 20% coupon. Shipping was free. I paid $68.47. It is coming by truck. It will probably be here the week of my surgery. If it doesn't work (but I think it will be perfect) I simply have my husband return it. I had two additional jobs which required prep work. The handyman can switch mirrors when he returns (after my surgery, before holidays).

New Kitchen Rug

Celia Sandys (pronounced Sands), daughter of Sir Winston Churchill's eldest child, Diana, and Cabinet Minister Duncan Sandys

I am not sure if I have ever written about this. 

There was a special on PBS. 

The topic was Winston Churchill and it was narrated by his granddaughter. 

From a cursory search, it must be Chasing Churchill. It is available on Amazon, I have put it on my wishlist so the next time I order, I will get it. 

I never saw the whole show. 

I would watch for a tiny bit of time and her very soothing British accent would put me to sleep immediately. 

My whole family was much amused by this falling to sleep thing. 

It was highly effective on nights I could not sleep. 

I used it for a very long time. 

I should never have deleted it because it was so effective.

Contemporary, dressier jeans, looking for suggestions - 33 days

I had a fabulous pair of Geoffrey Beene women's jeans somewhere in my weight loss process. I think it was long ago, like part way through the first 60 lbs. so those jeans are long gone.

I saw a woman in a very similar style yesterday.

Middle and I have learned, when you see something really great - go ask. They will not mind.

Total side note: they will not mind, but middle will not tell. She likes to have original things. Usually she can honestly say that she does not know (because I bought it). But even if she knows, she will not tell.

So I asked the woman with the jeans yesterday and she said Talbots.

I do not have anything on the calendar today/Friday.

So I am making the drive and checking out a Talbots.

Hopefully they are well stocked on sizes/styles.

On line information said they have tummy control panels, which REALLY helps with my excess tummy skin and also provides lower back support.

If you have any other suggestions of dressier jeans companies to check, please leave a note.