Monday's Daybook

From the simple woman website see side for blog:

For today:

Outside my window: A large cedar tree.

I am thinking: I need to get ready for work earlier today so I can walk at the mall before work with my friend Becky.

I am thankful for: the city library!

From the kitchen: a banana and fruit smoothie.

I am wearing: turquoise polka dot pajama pants and top.

I am reading: a book on taste by Letitia Baldridge, also a book by Pat Ennis about being a gracious woman (I can't remember the exact title right now!)

I am hoping: to exercise by walking more this week and not to eat junk!

I am creating: still knitting the rose-colored baby blanket, which I will donate to the Children's Hospital in Seattle via my mother in law who is in one of the guilds for the hospital, as soon as I am finished with it.

I am hearing: the tv on downstairs

Around the house: the dogs are shedding, vacuuming is needed almost on a hour by hour basis!

One of my favorite things: Knitting

A few plans for the rest of the week: drop off stuff at Goodwill or similar place, go out after work Wednesday night with work people to celebrate our last week of summer hours.

Picture to share: Tank with his brothers when they were very little!

Sunday's musings

It has been a fairly low-key weekend so far. Yesterday Tim and I went to Petco for dogfood and to Sarrs for groceries. Tim's union contract renewal for the Machinists union comes up for vote Sept 3. I am trying not to panic because we've been through strikes before, but I am praying the company makes a decent contract offer so that the machinists (Tim) doesn't go on strike. One strike lasted for 3 months! No pay for 3 weeks, then $150 a week strike pay from the union. We have made it before, and Tim says that if they went on strike for a few weeks in September it wouldn't be so bad because he could go hunting and not have to use vacation.
I want to pay things off though, and a strike will delay that. I have been staying away from shopping at the Mall this month...although I got a call from one of salesgirls I know at the Estee Lauder counter at Macy's telling me there's a great gift with purchase coming up around Labor Day. I really like the toner and cleanser in the pink containers for dry skin and I am almost out, but I should just go to the drug store and get cheaper versions of both, especially with the possibility of the strike looming.
Next week is our last week of summer hours...getting off work at 4:30 pm. After Labor Day we go back to 5pm (start still the same at 8:30am)....the bosses are taking us out this Wednesday night after work to Red Robin for appetizers and drinks to say goodbye to summer so that is nice of them.
It was hot out yesterday, still 79 degrees in house last night at 9pm. Seems cooler today so far. I am going to eat breakfast, take a shower and go to early church service at 9am, Tim is up too so he will probably go. Michael and his friend Nick were supposed to start working on replacing our front yard fence this weekend (Michael is my youngest stepson, age 26) but Michael hurt his back at work and had to also work Saturday so they are planning to do it next weekend. Tim is going grouse hunting Sept 1 & 2, taking the dogs, then he comes back 9-3 for the contact vote. So I will have a few days next week totally to myself, no hubby no dogs! Maybe I'll rent a couple of movies as I haven't seen anything for ages.
A friend of mine at work and I are supposed to start tomorrow on weight loss. I want to lose 10 lbs, and she wants to lose not quite that much. I picked up a 3 lb weights yesterday to do some arm exercises...just holding one of them made me think that 3 times that weight is what I want to lose and even one 3 lb weight felt like a lot. I think my back will feel better if I lose 10 lbs. But I have such bad habits eating junk like Cheetoe or chips, or snacking on candy bars at work. I know the drill, like don't buy that stuff, etc. and I am going to try to go less on portions and move more. I used to walk a lot more than I have this summer and I need to get back to it. It isn't going to get any easier the older I get. I just feel uncomfortable where I am right now, and some of my clothes for work are getting tight. I wore these nice pants I like on Thursday and all day I felt miserable as they were tight in the waist, and when I bought them last fall, they were fine. I just have to remember I am not 20 anymore and I can't eat like I was. I don't feel good about myself right now. And I wonder though, is it the culture, is it the magazines which are always so focused on being thin, the tv, the pressure I feel from others (comments made by unnamed people about my weight recently) that make me want to lose or do I really want to? I think I really want to, for me.

Here it is

The other picture of me and Greg Rolie from Journey. 30 years ago!

note the pack of Kool cigarettes in my purse!

Yikes, I am glad I gave up smoking!

A long long time ago

30 years ago, to be exact, I loved to go to concerts in Seattle with my friends. I was just going through some pictures and found this one. I was 20 and my friend Kathy and I had just met some members of the rock band Journey. Kathy snapped this pic of me and Greg Rolie, the keyboard player. He used to also be in Santana. I have another picture somewhere of us with me looking into the camera. This was after the concert and Kathy and I were hanging around waiting to see if we could see any of the band and get autographs. 1978. I can't remember who they played with now. Back then, there were a lot of good concerts in Seattle at the Paramount Theater or the Arena or Colesium, many times, three bands, like AC/DC, Cheap Trick, and Kiss or Edgar Winter Band, UFO and Climax Blues Band. I was really into rock and roll in my teens and early 20's....I got autographs from Tom Petty and Elvis Costello when they were just starting out. I've seen Paul McCartney, once with Wings in the 70's and twice on his own, I would have loved to see the Beatles, my all time favorite group. My, time has flown by. I look at this picture and see youth and a skinny body!! I wouldn't really want to go back to that age. But I wouldn't mind having the body and the natural hair color that I used to have! It was prettier than I remember...I always called it brown, but really, there was quite a lot of natural red/copper tones to it. As the years have passed, of course it's turned darker, naturally, blonde, not naturally!!

I just looked on YouTube and there's lots of videos of the Greg Rolie band. He's still out there rocking! And here is a picture of how he looks now.....

I will have to see if I can find that other picture.....

Carolina Herrera - Classy!

There's a good little article in the recent "More" magazine about Carolina Herrera's personal style. I think she is very cool and classy and a good role model for dressing, especially after turning 50 which I just did in June.

A few pics showing her great style....one thing the More article talked about was that she loves to wear a great crisp white shirt (I have two white shirts in my closet and they are old and not all that crisp!) and also she loves a good bangle bracelets (or many, as the picture above shows with the yummy gold bangles with the black sweater).

I will never be able to afford her clothing line (although I do have her perfume, Carolina Herrera, about a third of a bottle left from a few years back and I am wearing it today) but I can emulate her style and class within my budget. A black turtleneck sweater and gold bangles are very doable, and the white blouse with the pink scarf and leopard accessories are really cool too. Another thing the article talked about is going light on wearing a lot of prints, and I have noticed this is something I've been doing for awhile. I like to keep the prints in a scarf maybe as opposed to a whole skirt anymore, and I used to be the queen of long floral skirts!

My Daybook for Monday, August 18, 2008

Outside my window: It is grey and looks cool outside, a welcome relief from the past extremely hot three days.

I am thinking: About reading Proverbs 6, 10 & 12 this week after reading today's Proverbs 31 women email devotional this morning talking about gossip.

I am thankful for: that my husband made it home yesterday before the serpentine belt on our car broke, so he wasn't stranded (the belt broke the second he pulled up to the house after driving 15 miles). I am also thankful we were able to buy a new belt yesterday and he was able to install it so my car is good to go now!

From the kitchen: Fresh pot of coffee brewing

I am wearing: a purple tank top and white and rose cotton pj pants

I am creating: baby blanket, shawl and a new scarf (I finished the blue scarf this weekend, have now started a multicolored lavender one for a gift)

I am going: to take a shower

I am reading: The Red Scarf

I am hoping: to stay more on track with work things this week.

I am hearing: pay attention, and stop and savor the moment!

One of my favorite things: I tunes library, listening to David Crowder band right now

A few plans for the week: read the Proverbs listed above, keep on working on cleaning up upstairs and take another bag of stuff to the Goodwill, take my husband's glasses in for repair, walk before work at least three days this week.

A picture I am sharing: Baby twin granddaughters

For more Daybook posts from others, visit Peggy at the simplewoman at the blog listed on the side.

Quote for the Day

"I have six granddaughters. They're all beautiful. They don't think so. One doesn't like her nose, one thinks her stomach isn't flat enough, one thinks her hair is too flat. The list goes on. The only one who doesn't complain about her looks is the baby. She hasn't learned to yet. She's two. I can identify with my granddaughters. I started a list of things that were wrong with me a long time ago. And I kept adding to it. During my life, I've spent thousands of dollars on my hair, my makeup, and my clothes, trying to look prettier, because I grew up believing that prettier girls had happier lives. I'd be a lot happier not if I had that time and that money back."
From the book "Makeovers at the Beauty Counter of Happiness" by Ilene Beckerman, published 2005

"If you don't get it, you ain't there yet!!"

Wordless Wednesday (Mr. Tank, in all his glory!!)

Report on no buy month

Well, I haven't bought anymore books or magazines since I started No Buy month...but I have to confess I did cave in today and buy some greeting cards....I realized I have three friends having birthdays in the next few weeks, and while I had a few birthday cards in my card storage book, I didn't like them for sending to these three particular friends and wanted to find something more detailed just for them. While at Dightmans (our local Christian bookstore) I found a box of cards that are 'Encouragement' cards that are Joyce Meyer for Dayspring...12 cards, 4 different designs. Well, I was thinking about a few people I'd like to send a card of encouragement too, and thought a box would be good to get. I actually forgot until I left the store that cards were on my 'no buy' list. So that wasn't good. I remembered tonight when my penpal friend Cindy emailed me to ask me how I was doing with my 'no buy' month!! I thought "oh no, I just bought cards, yikes!!" I haven't bought any lotions or bath products or cosmetics though. Except for mouthwash! So I am about half way through and I think I will do better the second half of the month on not buying cards. Books don't seem to be tempting me right now, I have my library stash so I am good for books and magazines. I am really really going to try to not buy any magazines at the store....I get subscriptions to Good Housekeeping, Victoria, Ladies Home Journal and a few others, and that is plenty, I do not need to buy more!

I am excited about signing up for the Writing Circle from http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/ I think that it will be really fun to write to other ladies and keep kind of a round-robin thing going. I told my friend Cindy about it and she joined too, so that will be great if she and I get put in the same group! The post from the Simplewoman about the writing circle is August 8, and I think you have until August 17th to sign up.

Daybook Entry

I found this lovely website: http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Outside my window: Green fir trees, cars driving by.

I am thinking: Why did I forget to bring my husband's safety glasses with me to the optical shop when I picked up my new glasses at lunch (he needs one of the nosepieces fixed on his, and I told him I would take it with me but I forgot and left it in my tote bag at work. Now I will have to go back sometime this week.

I am thankful for: the fact that the weather has cooled down some.

From the kitchen: I am making marinated flank steak tonight for dinner.

I am wearing: Brown pants, blue top with gold sequin thing in the middle, gold flats, gold hoop earrings.

I am creating: A rose-colored baby blanket (knitting) along with a blue knitted scarf and a cream-colored shawl (three projects at once, I like to switch around).

I am going: to take more time to spend reading the Psalms in the morning

I am reading: The Red Scarf and The Millionaire Next Door

I am hoping: that my back will stop with the achey muscle spasms

I am hearing: Unclutter, declutter, simplify: at work and home!

Around the house: I need to clean and declutter.

One of my favorite things: My new purple reading glasses.

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week: Finish knitting scarf, cleaning upstairs, taking old books and clothes to Goodwill, write a letter.

Here is a picture I am sharing: Lady in Paris

Tired

I don't know why, but I woke up around 3:30am and just could not get back to sleep. My low back has been bothering me the last few days and I just couldn't get comfortable.
I am going down to get my new reading glasses at lunch, they are finally ready. My old ones broke about a month ago. I am getting the graduated lenses this time instead of bifocals, so I hope they are easy to get used to.
Books I am reading right now from the library:
The Millionaire Next Door
The Red Scarf
Plus a bunch of back issues of Health, Prevention, and an Instyle magazine. The library is really awesome and does have just about everything or if it doesn't, you can order it. I did buy "The Shack"...I have read most of it, but kind of lost interest towards the end (I think I still have four chapters or so to go). I thought it was good, but that it was kind of repetitive on certain things. I do need to finish it though.
Knitting projects: Light blue homespun scarf (for me)
Rose-colored baby blanket (for Children's Hospital in Seattle)
Cream homespun shawl (not sure who is getting this yet)
I have coral, red and grape homespun yarn to make more scarves, probably for Christmas presents. I am planning to go really low budget on Christmas this year. My mom mentioned the idea of us just giving to our favorite charities this year instead of picking names (there are six of us on my immediate side of the family who pick names with a $50 limit).

Fall Fashion 2003 - Age of Elegance

Fall Fashion 2003 - Age of Elegance

Hobo International 'Small' Pleated Convertible Shopper - View All - Nordstrom

Hobo International 'Small' Pleated Convertible Shopper - View All - Nordstrom