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Easy breezy sunny sunday…

Emily
The cats behind the patio window looking out at me.
Little Vladdie (short for Vladimir), he’s growing so big.

Sweetness, adorable and such a good personality all rolled into one cat.

Fletcher and Markee lazing away on the table.

Just some pictures of the cats basking in the sun on this lazy, beautiful Sunday.

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Wednesday night ramblings…

Emily

I am so into reading these days…I have Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil going now, in addition to Icy Sparks, and now I’ve begun, Eat, Pray, Love. I love where books take me. I take something wonderful and inspiring from each novel I manage to devour. These books will take me to Savannah, Ga, Kentucky, Italy, Indonesia and India, respectively.
I look forward to two weeks at the lake where I can delve into these books and hopefully finish them. I will feel like I really accomplished something if I do.
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Today I had a bit of pampering-I decided on the cheap route and went to the local cosmotology school and had a manicure, pedicure and hair cut-all for $41. I love to have my hair combed and sectioned off and trimmed. It feels so good. Except, there’s always that time while getting a shampoo that the girl always seems to miss that itchy part at the base of the back of my head. I’m lying there looking up willing her fingers to that spot with my mind. Sometimes I get bold enough to tell her “Can you get right here?” and I proceed to show quickly show her the spot.

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I’m contemplating getting a tattoo somewhere on me. I only want one, and although I used to think they were a negative thing to get, I now think of them as something that could be an expression of my artsy personality. I don’t mind a little something fun to look at on my skin. I’m thinking of a spool of red thread with the thread going around my ankle as though it were an anklet. Hmmm…I’m not sure.

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There are so many times I wish to just lop off my hair and have a short style for a while. The only thing holding me back is my husband who would DIE if I did that.

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Lately, it’s been nice to wake up refreshed in the morning. I changed my habits a bit and am now staying up a bit later and waking up a bit later. I don’t feel tired like I used to. I feel refreshed. It helps that the days are so much longer now that summer’s almost here. No more feeling like a Lazy Jane all day because I am pooped.

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Lilly is coming to the lake with us this year. She and I will walk two miles a day (God willing and if my will power endures). I also plan on art journaling to my Soul Journal prompts. This is going to be a good year. This all, in additon to spending some quality family time together.

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I’ve been reading a bit of Sylvia Brown lately. I’m unsure if what she says is true. I would hope that she wouldn’t be a huge bamboozler. That would be terrible. Just awful. But, if what she says is true, she gives me hope. I wonder if spirits visit their families, and watch over us. I believe in ghosts. Do you? I’d love to see one.
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Rambling thoughts

Emily

My coffee this morning is particularily delicious. I love, love, love, Dulce de Leche creamer. It’s theBEST.

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Sometimes, I feel like I give too much of myself to people. I reveal too much.

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I hate days when the inbox is stagnant. I love emails from friends. They cheer me and make my heart happy for brief moments in time. Do I need to get a life?

—
Birds are one of my favorite animals….I love to see them in my yard. Every day, I try to throw out stale bread for them. Today, I went the extra mile. I filled up the broken bird feeder and set it on the grass by the willow tree. I hope they appreciate the extra treat today. The damn seagulls are chasing away the sweet black birds. It’s the black birds I really love.
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Last night I had a dream we were moving into a lovely old house. I discovered the basement late in the dream. It was glorious with 10 finished rooms, one better than the other. The possibilities of what I could do with each of those rooms is endless…one especially for an art studio. I was so excited when I was sleeping!
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I am getting tired of people calling me and asking me to do stuff for them. When I think about it, I don’t really ask anyone for anything. This past Thursday at 8pm a person I don’t hear from very much called me and asked me if I could type up their resume for them.
WHAT? NOW?
NO.
Maybe tomorrow, I said. They never called.
GOOD.
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No good deed goes unpunished. Just when I think I’ve done something good for someone, they surprise me by doing something completely out of character and basically slap me in the face. It makes me think twice about doing nice things again. Maybe my perception of what nice is, is distorted. Maybe the problem is with me.
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I’m considering going back to school to begin a whole new chapter of my life. My husband has given me encouragement to go back and start. He’s never done this before. It’s like I’ve entered a room with the freshest of air and all of a sudden I can breathe much clearer. Silly, I know, but that’s how it feels to me. I’m excited about my new beginnings.
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I love the longer summer days. I look out, the suns still shining and then I realize it’s almost 7:30pm. It’s so lovely having long, lazy days to look forward to.
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I know, in the near future, this mama bird is going to witness a birdie leave the nest. It’s scary and saddens me, but yet, I know it is the course of nature. The advantage humans have is we continue on relationships with our birdies long after they are gone. I’m sure animals don’t see eachother after they leave. That is very sad to me. I’m glad I’m not a bird.
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I have an urge to lie down in the grass and feel the wind in my hair. I want to look up and see the birds and the clouds and breathe in the scent of the outdoors.
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Tuesday nite Honesty Scrap

Emily

There are a few requirements to accepting the Honest Scrap Award and they are as follows:
1) Risa presented me with this neat award, so thank you very much Risa!! Please visit her artsy blog at: http://risasmuse.blogspot.com/
7 honest things about myself
1. I’m a bit of a hypocondriac. When I was a little girl, I used to live next door to this woman who had contracted polio when she was a kid. She had a hump on her back from it and I was always thinking I could catch it from her, not realizing I was inoculated against it and would never get it. To this day, I hear about some disease and I’m always thinking I might get it, catch it or
whatever. Oh, yes, after watching the Farrah Story, I’m already thinking this hemmoroid on my butt from birthing 5-10lb+ babies is going to turn into anal cancer…better watch that, it just might! (See, I am nuts.)
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2. I hate fish. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get myself to eat it. On the rare occasions I’ve tried it, I can’t help feeling grossed out the entire time its in my mouth, thinking about the ugly fish that I’m eating that smells bad and it’s just so disgusting be making contact with my tongue. I don’t mind shrimp. Go figure…they are uglier than fish.
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3. Fingerprints give me an uneasy feeling-especially if I see a person’s fingerprints on their hands, say when they’re talking….and using their hands. I get a secret shiver up my spine if I catch a glimpse of them. They’re gross. I hate finger print smudges anywhere.
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4. I have a slightly intense fantasy crush on Chris Noth, the guy who plays Mr. Big on SATC. Incidently, I tend to go weak in the knees at the sight of any tall (6’4″ perfect), dark haired, blue eyed, handsome man in a suit. I secretly, think one day he will come to his senses and sweep me off my feet….lol…My husband just rolls his eyes.
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5. I have a deep desire to grow into a wise, hip, long white-haired old lady who finally has her crap together (despite her minor hypocondria!).
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6. I’ve always had this inate feeling like in another life I lived on the East Coast. My soul seems to pull towards there. My distinct thoughts are, I might have been a whaler’s daughter. Just the thought of the sea , saltbox houses and harbor towns make my heart skip a beat. When I visit the east, I get such a feeling of belonging there, of familiarity. It’s almost scary.
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7. I say I’m a city girl, but in all honesty, even though I live in Chicago, I don’t explore my city much at all. I actually prefer peace and quiet to the city (although, I do love NYC, and crave it on occasion), and I dream of one day having a quiet cottage on a lake with a porch, lots of books, an easel, paints, and grandchildren in the yard.
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8. One more for good measure. I watched a show called the Science of Human Attraction, and in one part it talked about when you find someone you’re attracted to, you tend to love their smell. It’s something with the man’s sweat glands blending with a pheramone. I agree with this. My husband has a smell that I absolutely love. I can’t describe what it smells like, but it’s really nice, and it’s just for me. When he’s not in bed, I can smell it on his pillow. No matter what happens, that smell keeps me coming back for more and just might be the glue that keeps us together. He tells me he loves the way I smell, too-especially my hair. He says I smell like his Emmy. Aw….now, isn’t he sweet? And a keeper?
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I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog which I have proudly done!

I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links so here they are listed
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Clever Meme with Song Titles-Try it!

Emily

Using only song titles from one artist, cleverly answer these questions:

Pick a band/artist: Elton John

1. Are you a male or female: “Island Girl”

2. Describe yourself: “Sweet Painted Lady”

3. How do you feel about yourself: “Blessed”

4. Describe an ex boyfriend/girlfriend: “Blue Eyes”

5. Describe your current boy/girl situation: “Sacrifice”

6. Describe your current location: “I’m Still Standing”

7. Describe where you want to be: “Take Me to the Pilot”

8. Your best friend(s) is/are: “Honkey Tonk Women”

9. Your favorite color is: “Grey Seal”

10. You know that: “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting”

11. What’s the weather like: “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called? “The Bitch is Back”

13. What is life to you: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

14. What is the best advice you have to give: “Mama Can’t Buy You Love”

15. If you could change your name what would you change it to: “Nikita”

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Resist the urge to eat by doing these things…(yeah, right.)

Emily

I saw this little article in a magazine and I ripped it out a while ago, and I can’t believe how dopey it is. Doing most of these things makes me want to eat, or, at least eat afterwards. Some of them make sense, but most of them are laughable. What would you suggest doing instead, to get your mind off of eating?

1. Curl up with a new magazine or a riveting book

2. Volunteer to pull your elderly neighbor’s weeds, or better yet, pull your own weeds. (Holy crap, what works up an appetite more than hard, physical labor?)

3. Surf the internet (I get hungry surfing the net, maybe it distracts you from eating, but not me.)

4. Update your personal documents and organize them in folders.

5. Watch reruns of your favorite show. (Hello? Popcorn and TV-makes me want to nibble, doesn’t it you, too?)

6. Go window shopping (With a friend, or my daughter, lunch is always a sequel to shopping. Always.)

7. Organize your photos (This makes me want to sleep.)

9. Clean out your computer files and delete things you no longer need that are taking up space on your hard drive.

10. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.

11. Knit or crochet

12. Have Sex (next to a cigarette, what follows sex better than a delicious meal?)
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Eight Things…

Emily
A good book on a breezy, 73 degree sunny day.
Fletcher


Good Coffee


A lengthy pedicure

Eight things that make me happy:
1. Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee. This means someone else was up before me and made some. What would make this better, is if someone brought the coffee to me.
2. Having a clean garage with a working garage door opener.

3. When Larry combs my hair for me after I wash it and continues to brush it just because I like how it feels. It’s very relaxing.

4. Getting a pedicure that is not rushed, with a relaxing foot rub and leg massage.

5. Having the bills paid and some spare cash in the bank.

6. I am happy when I’m with friends who love to get together to create art, have great conversation and lots of laughs.

7. A delicious home made dinner when everything turns out perfect and everyone raves about how good it all tastes.

8. Having special people over for lengthy visits. I particularily enjoy my husband’s aunt and uncle’s yearly visits that last 3 weeks. I’ve always loved having company over-ever since I was a kid. It really depends on who it is. The people who occupy my house must make themselves at home, and not be high maintenance, and not drive me crazy.

Eight things I look forward to:

1. I look forward to someday going to Paris with my husband or a girlfriend if Larry doesn’t want to go.

2. My monthly get togethers with my grammar school friends.

3. Cubs baseball season and breezy summer nights.

4. The Christ Church rummage sale in Winnetka every October. It’s the BEST rummage sale EVER.

5. The next season of Project Runway.

6. The time when I can have an art weekend with my creative friends.

7. My vacation by the lake.

8. Someday getting an Electra Townie and cruising the bike path on a daily basis.

Eight things I did yesterday

1. Cleaned the house

2. Shopped at Old Navy and Target for groceries

3. Got a pedicure

4. Watched the Blackhawks win game 3 of the series against the Redwings

5. Watched the Cubs lose.

6. Helped Larry organize his DVDs

7. Applied for financial aid for both of my college-age sons.

8. Called my mother.

Eight things I wish I could do

1. I wish I could sing like a DIVA.

2. I would love to paint daily and be able to support myself financially solely on my artistic efforts.

3. I wish I could live in a highrise condo on the lake in Chicago

4. I wish I could knit proficiently and read a pattern effortlessly, enabling myself to create countless colorful knitted articles.

5. LOSE 100 pounds.

6. I wish I could see my guardian angel or spirit guide.

7. I wish I could have unlimited will power to propel myself through exercising, so I could be healthier and thinner.

8. I wish I could eat as much cake and French bread as I liked and never gain an ounce.

Eight things I promise myself

1. I will always try to do the healthy thing and watch what I eat to the best of my ability and exercise as much as I can, despite my lack of will power.

2. I will one day get that perfect tattoo after I figure out what image I can live with till the day I die.

3. Next to God and family, I will make art in my life a priority. Simply put, it brings me joy.

4. I will always be an optimist.

5. I will never recommit a wrong doing I did in the past. It’s the only way, I believe to be truly forgiven.

6. I will never do anything I don’t feel comfortable doing.

7. It’s okay to not be the smartest or sexiest or most successful woman. It’s good to just be me.

8. I will speak up for myself /and know when to keep my mouth shut.

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Have you seen Farrah’s Story?

Emily

This documentary aired on TV a week ago and I wasnt’ aware of it even existing, until I was watching Fox News and heard about it. I visited my Delphi Forum and there was a post running about it and someone posted a link to watch it online. It documents Farrah’s two year battle with cancer. It is very inspiring and she is incredibly brave. Ryan O’Neill, her companion, said if you already like her, you will love her by the time you’re done watching this. I agree with him.

I still remember that poster of her in the red swimsuit, with her nips and her beautiful California smile, framed by her trademark thick, layered blonde hair. I remember wanting to have a hair style just like hers. It’s sad to know she is suffering so and near death.

Watch the documentary if you can. I can attest that it did inspire me and give me a respect for her I never knew I had. Especially touching, at the very end when Redmond, her son, comes to visit his mother for 3 hours, after have a temporary release from jail. As a mother, I understand the agony of this. Watch it.

Click on FARRAH to watch it.