August Break 2013 – Week Five
August Break 2013 – Days 25, 26 & 27
“Sunday Morning”, “Yes” & “Number”
Sunday morning we were up at the crack of dawn. Monkeyboy Junior Jr. had a very “ouchie” tummy, and it took two different antacids, some salteen crackers, and cartoons on the TV to settle him down again. We were all feeling a bit under the weather (all the boys with head congestion and/or tummy troubles, me with sleep deprivation issues), so we took it easy and watched a lot of television all day. By the evening, however, fevers had set in and Monkeyboy Jr’s cough had worsened. Blech.
After a restless night trying my best to comfort the boys, and similar morning catering to their illness-induced neediness, I myself needed a bit of a break. I sneaked in a few minutes of self care when I could – some Emergen-C, silence, and dark raspberry-filled chocolate. Yes.
Today, things are slightly improved – a bit more peppiness all around, although still nowhere near normal. But since the last bout of illness resulted in emergency room visits for Monkeyboy Junior Jr. not once, but twice… I’ve been rather vigilant about watching his numbers. Making sure his oxygen levels stay well in the 90s, his heart rate not getting too fast… and his temperature not getting over 104F (and making sure it responds to the Tylenol if it gets too close). Whew. Not a terribly exciting blog entry, I know, but hey. Kids happen. And it still counts. 😉
August Break 2013 – Day 28
“Smell”
I love the smell of lavender, of roses, of hyacinth in the spring. The smell of the garden after it rains. The smell of the west coast rainforests. The smell of the ocean. The smell of a fragrant tea on a cold day. The smell of my essential oils. The smell of good food cooking. The smell of clean children and clean clothes. Even the imagined smells that trigger deeply ingrained memories.
But today, I am loving soup. Not just because it is tasty, but because it is unclogging my sniffer a bit so that I may enjoy smelling still. Summer colds suck.
August Break 2013 – Day 29
“Your Favourite Thing”
The “thing” is… I can’t pick just one. I have so many favourites! And they are constantly changing and evolving as I do… it’s hard to keep track. *sigh* Not that I’m complaining! I guess it’s just that I believe life is too short to “save” the nice things for later. They are meant to be taken out and enjoyed and loved – right here, right now. Better to have a bunch of happy memories of something you’ve used (lovingly) so much that it is in ruins… than to keep it tucked away in a safe place… until perhaps you’ve forgotten about it, or no longer see it’s value, or no longer have the time to enjoy it. With that in mind, here are a few of my everyday treasured items.
My current favourite tea mug – a giant Dunoon fine china mug with all sorts of flowers on it. Pictured here in one of my favourite spots to sit and enjoy a cuppa – on my front porch.
My glass sea star that we picked up in Maui, Hawaii earlier this year – not only is it a pretty little trinket that triggers happy memories of a wonderful vacation (and a place that I love), but it glows in the dark too!!!
My Kelly Rae Roberts cuff. A reminder of the work of an artist I love… some good advice… and something that actually fits nicely on my strangely small wrist. So valued that when Monkeyboy Junior Jr. lost my first one (he “borrowed” it on a hike, and it must have slipped off of his even smaller wrist as we were walking…) I tracked down another one and ordered it. Happy memories by proxy.
I don’t know whether it’s some sort of backlash at growing up with a relatively masculine mother… or living with 3 boys now… but I am finding myself drawn to a lot of pink things lately. Here is some bedding that I picked up for use on my (now defunct) office daybed. I really need to redecorate my office soon, and I’ve been thinking a dusty pink would be nice… but maybe a bit overkill? We shall see.
This salt crystal lamp that my husband just brought home for me out of the blue one day. I have been admiring them for a while now, but couldn’t really justify getting one, and I hadn’t said a thing to him about it… and then one day, he saw them on sale and figured I might like one. He was right.
Sweet peas. Planted annually in memory of a my dear, sweet Beckett. And one of the few nice looking spots in the garden right now. Plus, they smell absolutely heavenly.
My arty Boom Box Fox shirt, bought from Mister Dressup. I love this thing so much, I ordered a second (for when I destroy or wear the first one out)… and then because it made me so happy and sassy-feeling, I bought some more for my besties. So. Darn. Cute.
And another super cute, makes-me-feel-happy mug. Except I don’t use this one for tea. I eat my breakfast, or fruit, or snacks out of it usually. The texture… the colours… the way it fits into my hands… awesome.
My newest agenda (with my current favourite pen). A place to keep track of upcoming sales and deadlines and whatnot. A place to be accountable for daily “improvements”… however I choose to define that. Plus… Even. More. Pink.
Anyhow. I think you get the idea. I am very much a person who is affected by their environment. As a result, I like to surround myself with things that no only function… but do so beautifully. That make me happy to use them. It’s that whole elevating the mundane thing… they don’t need to be the most expensive or the “best”, just beautiful and useful and just more somehow. At least to me. =)
August Break 2013 – Day 30
“Sign”
Tonight, I got a night off of mum-hood and headed to a hotel downtown. “S” is for sign. “S” is for Sheraton. “S” is for sleep!!!
After dinner at a Japanese grill, I noticed this sign for a lounge in the hotel. I had already had enough wine and sake already, so I decided to take a hot tub instead. 😉
The next morning, it was off to explore Chinatown.
Chinatown signs (and advertising in general) are the best!
Of course, random “signs” are good for the soul too.
August Break 2013 – Day 31
“Smile”
This is me when I am comfortable and not stressed out and content. I don’t get to see her too often. I miss her.
