Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Busy Business....


Life is marching on.  I feel like if I blink fast, then it's going to be Christmas!  I was sick on Sunday afternoon and Monday (which was my last day off) so that put me terribly behind for the week.  I had a lot I needed to get done on Monday, but I ended up just rotating between the bed and the couch.  Thankfully, my wonderful husband was kind enough to take good care of me and I felt much better on Tuesday, just in time to head back to work.  Which, was good because if I hadn't gone back to work I would have been that much more behind.  But, my clinic is cleaned and mostly in order, and I'm ready for open house tomorrow!  (Will be a LONG day....)  
Anyway, I end my day today tired, but satisfied that I did all I could and so very thankful for the wonderful relationships we're developing at church.  
Sorry for such a short post, but, note the  "tired" from above....

Friday, July 24, 2009

Abandoned Astrid





This poor chair was found up for adoption at a local church. It's coat looks sadly worse for the wear after being abandoned and left for lost in a storage rooms for the better part of probably twenty years.

One leg has also been broken and poorly repaired.  But, immediately, we had a connection.  It's proud, strong heritage shone through it's disrepair, and it showed me that it still had long years of service left to offer a loving owner willing to lovingly care for it.  So, I loaded it up and brought it home.   It's thoroughbred line traces back and shares ancestry with this proud chair, the "Astrid."


And I am hoping that with a little minor surgery (new upholstery and legs) it will prove to be just as fine of a specimen!  Without the $1,298 price tag of the original pedigree!

  I also found a few other treasures that I was able to rescue from the cages of local antique stores and offer an extended useful life in a loving home.




















This "Saturday Evening Post" from May 16, 1959 with this very telling picture of a Norman Rockwell painting will be a lovely conversation piece hung on my wall.  Sadly, the titles of articles inside are "Our Gamble with Destiny" and "Warning to Young Men".  How appropriate given the picture on the cover of a father lazily reading the sunday paper and smoking as his family head out to church with mom.  Notice the close attention his son is paying...hmm......

These lovely old bottles will get added to the collection I have displayed in the guest bathroom, and the old Kerosene lantern in a lovely navy blue will be put to use out on the porch.  














Finally, just a few fun things I thought were pretty.  The tin up top is an old watercolor tin.  The actual watercolors are still in the tin!  

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Day by Day

So, it is starting to sink in that I have to start back to "work" next Tuesday.  NEXT TUESDAY!  Where did the summer go?  Along with the "sinking in" is the beginnings of being overwhelmed.  There was so much I wanted to get done but didn't, and with the start of this new school year I have a few things in the works that are going to be new at the school.  Combine that with the fact that I started last year in October, so this is my first "beginning of the year" and it moves past the "beginnings" of being overwhelmed straight on to being overwhelmed.  What's a girl to do?  Take it one day at a time.  I leave you with a few sage words for the amazing DCTalk.  Why, oh why, did they ever break up?? This is a good one to run to...

I live a simple life, I take a day at a time
I spend my mornings with God before I hit the grind
The subtleties of darkness never cease to amaze
As a physical world creates a spiritual haze

Blinded by distractions
Lost in matterless affairs
Reaching through the darkness
Trusting you will meet me there
Day by day, day by day
Day by day, day by day
Oh dear lord, three things I pray 
To see thee more clearly 
To love thee more dearly 
To follow thee more nearly 
[i got to take it]
Day by day 

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The blessings of Laundry

I have a thing for organization.  Well, more than a thing.  It makes me giddy.  Literally.  And organized AND pretty is enough to make me actually clap my hands and giggle like a nine year old.  Imagine me doing this, as I show you the final result of my latest project.  The Laundry Room.  (well, closet.) 

It makes me so happy!  The front loading washer and dryer came with the house (which was one of God's blessing to us in the process of moving back to GA from TX, because this enabled us to leave behind the ones we already had, which helped us strike a deal with our landlord to break our lease early) and I already had the drawer sets.  They originally had clear drawers, but I took some wrapping paper that I liked, cut it to fit the front of the drawers, and the attached it with contact paper.  It covered up the contents of the drawers.  I spent a total of about $14.00 on the fabric for the curtains which cover up the random items we have stored on a shelf above the washer and dryer.  
Another blessing of living where we do is this wonderful place called the American Mills Outlet.  I can find decorator fabric for $5.00/yard.  Plus, they have already made pillows and seat cushions for less than $10.00 a piece as well as wonderful deals on rugs, towels, sheets, tablecloths...just about any type of linens you could desire. The fact that this cost so little money, and really only took me a total of probably 3 or 4 hours only adds to the giddiness!  Now, I will at least enjoy the process of opening the doors to the laundry, if not actually doing the laundry itself!  I know what some of you are thinking...she needs kids.  And, yes, I agree with that!  But until God sees fit to bless me with them, I'm going to enjoy organizing and decorating my little corner of the world he gave me.  

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

If Heaven were a place on Earth...

I think I found, today, what my mansion in heaven could look like!  Remember my love affair with white?  Hello....Can I move in?  Tomorrow?  The white, with all that fresh green...the copper roofing...the mountains in the background...I swoon!  You can't see it the way the pictures posted, but off to the right of the second picture is a beautiful seascape. So...white house with amazing lawn, architecture and porches.  Check.  Mountain views from porches. Check.  View of the sea  from porches.  Check.  Gorgeous blue sky.  Check. Yep.  It's perfect. 




Unfortunately, I cannot move in.  This B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L location is in New Zealand, and is called The Hart.  You an just flit right on in and land your personal helicopter on their helipad!  Needless to say, you need as much money as God to stay there.  But, don't these pictures just make your heart sigh?  I think I'm happier knowing a place like this exists in the world.  God was good enough to give us beauty.  On that happy note, I'm going to say good-night and dream of white mansions in the sky...where I can eat dinner in this dining room and wake up the next morning and stroll here.  All the while basking in the glorious knowledge that as beautiful as this place is, it isn't even a shadow of what heaven really will be!  And I get to spend eternity there, without the noise of helicopters, or worrying about maintaining all that white paint, shrubbery, and lawn!  Blessings indeed...  

Monday, July 20, 2009

Hammocks and basil.


I love summer.  Well, I love summer days like today, which seem like what summer days really were meant to be.  Sunny, in the low 80's, slight, cool breeze, and a free schedule!  Blank slate!  My husband would tell you that if I know I have a day off, I have something planned.  And, sadly, he's right.  I'm a perpetual planner and I also have a perpetual to-do list.  If I don't accomplish something in a day I usually feel like I wasted it.  Which is why today was so awesome!  I was supposed to work at the hospital, but got put on call, and then didn't get called in.  I love that!  It's like being given the gift of time. So, I spent time relaxing here in my hammock and then made this yummy dinner.  

                                                                 

One of the best things about summer is the fresh produce.  One of our church members was kind enough to share his crop of tomatoes, and while the huz doesn't appreciate, I'm LOVING them.  I made one of my favorite salads with them.  I had hoped Aaron would grill for me, but he didn't want to,  so I improvised this recipe for basil grilled chicken for the oven.  
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/basil-grilled-chicken-recipe/index.html
I just seared it in a pan first and then baked it until it was done.  It came out great!  
The tomato and red onion salad is simply ripe cherry or grape tomatoes halved, a red onion cut up, and some crumbled feta cheese.  Add a little balsalmic vinagrette salad dressing and toss.  It is SO yummy!  Add some crusty sourdough bread and sliced nectarines and you have the perfect meal to enjoy out on the porch!  I just wish I had sweet tea made to go with it!  

Mari is thoroughly enjoying the lovely weather as well!  

Jack of all trades

Somewhere around two years ago  while working in the Cardiovascular ICU I printed a “list” (list of patients he had in the hospital) for a surgeon.  Normally, the secretaries do this sort of thing, but none were around right then, so I thought, “Hey, I can do this, let me try.”  I did it, quite efficiently I might add.  When the surgeon expressed his surprise that I knew how to do a task that I wasn’t really responsible for, I smiled and said “I’m a jack of all trades!”.  I was pretty proud of myself, I’ll admit.  Until he smiled back and said “Master of none?”  Ouch.  And double ouch because it’s pretty much true.  I seem to be the master of being mediocre at a lot of things.  

My granny likes to say that I’ll try and do anything!  And, it’s pretty much true too.  If I think I can do it, I’ll try it.  At least the one time.  I may never do it again, but I’ll try it once.  There are at least two instances I can think of where this has rung true.  I sewed sofa covers out of painter drop cloths (cheap fabric!) for some old sofas we had right after we got married.  They looked fine, but I will never do that again.  The process was too painful.  The same can be said of this Martha Stewart baby block cake I baked for a friends baby shower.  It was cute, and everyone loved it, but I will never again make that cake.  At least until I forget how painful (and LONG) the process was to make it!  (FYI, this sort of process applies to many Martha Stewart projects, just in case you were wondering!) What’s the big deal you ask?  Well, the big deal is that I get frustrated with my lack of mastery at things.  I think that is why I have put off doing a blog for so long.  I LOVE to read so many (It’s the nosy introvert coming out in me.  It’s fun to read about peoples lives from the comfort and convenience of your own couch, on your own time.) But some of them are SO amazing, and I fear mine would never be.  I am not some awesome baker, decorator or even crafter whose ideas you are going to swoon over and have you coming back daily for more.  (Like my sister in law.  Yes, Kirsten, your creative genius intimidates me sometimes!  But, I’m also super thankful to have you around as a resource and for ideas.  You’re amazing!) I don’t even have kids to liven things up.  That has been my other hang up.  My life is pretty boring. It’s just me, Aaron, and the cats Tabitha and Mari.  We don’t do much that I would imagine would interest the rest of the world, even though we love our life.  So, how, you may be asking did I arrive here?  

Well, my lovely friend April has a great blog.  And, it hit me when I was reading it that there is nothing extra special in and of itself in her blog.  (Hang with me April...this is really a good thing I promise.)  I mean, she blogs about her kids fishing out of the toilet, what amazing deals she got using coupons, thinking of planning a yard sale, and what chores she has left to do that day!  But, I love reading it, because I love her and it’s fun to see what’s going on in her everyday life.  I mean, that’s really where life is isn’t it?  In the little things you do on a day to day basis?  

So, I may not be Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, Beth Moore, Jane Austen, Mozart, a marathon runner, or Florence Nightingale, but I can keep a clean, nice looking home, bake a good cake, teach a bible study, read music, run a 5K in less than 30 minutes, and take care of sick people, thank you very much Dr. Nazarian!  And, well, we’ll see if the blog thing becomes yet another check on the list of things to never do again.  For now, well, I’m going to give it a go.  I’ll be flattered if you come along for the ride!