No Art Work, Just Work

I haven't had a moment to spare the past few days, as it was time again for our neighborhood fall garage sale. I've been sorting and cleaning closets, trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Where did all this crap come from? YIKES. Trouble is, most of it is mine, and most of it is unused art supplies, or "possibilities" as I see them. Will it ever be possible that I will have enough time to use all this stuff? Unfortunately, most of it is not the kind of stuff you can sell at a garage sale, nor is it anything I want to part with. Anyhow, Saturday dawned and with the help of the Hubster, got it all out, and at least it didn't start raining until about 10:30, and what we had left we managed to get back into the garage and sit there until noon, drinking coffee and visiting with neighbors. With the heavy rains predicted, there was not much of a turn-out, but we did manage to sell several of the larger items we had been storing, and got rid of more than I had expected. The rest goes to donation.

It did wear me out though,and I hurt my shoulder and back moving stuff around. I just loafed the rest of the day, sorted some more art supplies, took a nap, nice rainy day activities. And rain it did, heavy and hard. The rest of the day, and again last night, and again this morning. It has been a nice restful week-end, Hubster and I have just relaxed for a change. Today we met some pals at Starbucks, and tried out their sampling of the new VIA instant coffee, read the Sunday paper, watched a little football, listened to Prairie Home Companion, took a nap, a little more football, and the man is going to cook us up some dinner here in a little while. Then maybe a movie this evening. I have to say, that will be about all the relaxing I will be able to handle. I am getting cabin fever just a little bit and anxious to get some artwork done. I have a couple of projects that need finishing that I will start on first thing tomorrow.

Buckets of Rain

Goodbye Summer. Yesterday dawned with cool 70ish temps. I put on a long sleeved shirt, but stepped out the door to really high humidity, UGH. I so miss the fall/autumn feel of living in cooler climates. At least we seem to have seen the last of our triple digit summer days. This a.m. I awoke around 2 to the sound of heavy rain and it's been coming down ever since. So the first day of fall may actually be cooler than normal. Yay! Hubster and I always have a laugh over the different ways we determine the weather. He is a weather channel junkie, always knows what's on the radar. I on the other hand, just open the window or the door to see what it feels like outside. Yet another example in the difference in the male and female way of doing things.
I did all my errands yesterday, so I say let it rain, I am having an indoor kind of day. Sorting papers, drinking coffee, still cataloging vacation photos, clipping collage stuff. Cocooning, I like to call it. I may even make today a "pajama day" since I don't have to go out for anything.

Shop Windows Reflected

It's a real challenge to take pics through glass, so I decided to just go with the uncertainty of not knowing what you'll get. Sometimes you get a surprise that you really like. These are a lot of the little shops in Tiburon, the lovely town where I was staying.

Shop directly across from hotel


Closeup of skirt and sweater. Chartreuse and grey, yum! Oh, and me, reflected.


Closeup of other window. Lovely colors as well.


Shop next door to hotel


Shoes for Janet


Horse and assorted things


Paparazzi


Gorgeous green dress by the same designer that did the two in the previous shop.


More of my favorite color green.


Bowl of felted stones. For Pat. I wanted to reach through that window and turn the one oddball around. That tag was very distracting!


That's all. These were just some of my favorites. I found a delighful little Thrift Store on a back street, and it was "half-off week". Bought a few buttons and little tid-bits of lace.

Still Basking in the Glow

We have been home almost a week, but I am doing my best to stay in vacation mode. Sorting through the 600 plus photos I took is helping. We stayed in a little boutique hotel that has only 23 rooms, so it was cozy and not at all like the hustle and bustle of a big hotel. The city was small with lots of boutiques and quaint little shops. Hubby went off to work and I just played.

Front view of hotel


Our room


View out the side window, nice houses on the hill


One end of the hotel lobby



I walked miles and miles every day, the weather was so nice and cool. This is one of the benches I sat on for a rest every morning, getting some sun and watching the commuters run to catch the ferry for the daily trip into the city. I met a lot of friendly people who walked their dogs twice a day. I had to practice relaxing the first day, but by the end of the second day, I had it down pretty well. I did a little journaling, but mostly just walked a lot and took a lot of photos.



I think tomorrow I will show you the photos I took of all the pretty shop windows.

"Tripping" day 2

Breakfast is just down the hall. A small set-up, but perfect abundance. Fresh granola and yogurt, one of my favorite ways to greet the day. No-one there but us at the early hour of 6 a.m.


Mmmm..doesn't this granola look delish?


So happy when a hotel has a good brand of tea. I choose Earl Greyer.


We have the deck all to ourselves, just us and the early morning sounds of fog horns and birds.


Watching the city wake up.

A Fantastic Week Away

The hubster and I had a little getaway to San Francisco this past week. We hadn't been on a trip like this for some time so it was much needed and anticipated. It was kind of a substitute for what used to be my yearly birthday trip to British Columbia. It was more than adequate, as a substitute. HAH! Anyhow, I had not been to SF in about 10 years, so this was really nice. Really nice.

The requisite "cloud" photo.


First stop after leaving the airport. In-N-Out Burger. It's a tradition.


Crossing the bridge.


Welcome to The Waters Edge. One of the many seagulls.


We got settled in just in time to watch the fog start rolling in. This is a scene that always amazes me no matter how many times I see it. I guess if I lived there, I'd get used to it.


This was day one. More adventures tomorrow, or after I get caught up on sleep.

I'm such a dizzy dame!

Well, I don't usually answer when the hubster calls me that, but all this week it has been perfectly appropriate. I started having some vertigo on Sunday when out and about, just thought I'd turned my head too quickly. Have been suffering from summer allergies and that sometimes messes me up, so didn't think much of it. I had a few more episodes on Monday, let me tell you, when the room spins round and the furniture breaks up in little segments, it's a weird feeling. Both my Father,Aunt and Sister suffer from Menieres disease....so the first thing I think, is that I may have it too. I did all the things I think I need to do....the dreaded Neti-Pot first, and it helped. Then the Neil-Med sinus rinse...and a Benydryl before bed. YAY! I'm all better on Tuesday morning. No dizziness all that day or evening. Then Wed. morning I wake up and turn over in the bed and the room is spinning again. I rarely talk about my ailments, and I have a few chronic ones. Mostly, I just deal with them. But this is something new, and if I can't get it to go away, I am going to have to see the ENT doc again,and that will involve another round of tests, etc. So I am trying all the home remedies and hoping it will clear up on it's own. Sis gave me advice on what she does when hers flares up. Number one, cut back on coffee...OH NO!!!
Speaking of coffee, here is a card I made a couple of weeks ago for one of my favorite baristas who just got his own store to manage.



And while I was there visiting, I bought these new cups, the first cups I have bought in about 6-7 years. Everyone always seems to have too many coffee cups, and I am no exception, but I will get rid of 3 to make room for these. I could not resist my favorite greenish color on the little tea cup, nor the unusual handle on the white one. The other one is double walled, keeps the coffee hot, and your hand cool. Bought 2 of those.