RANDOM RAMBLINGS

I have blogger's block. If you haven't noticed, it has been over a week since I have posted. It makes me worry about my creative side, if I have one. There has been absolutely nothing interesting going on in my life. Is it because it is January? Is anyone else feeling like life is a bit mundane lately? I took all of the Christmas decorations down yesterday (actually Emily did and I helped a little. She likes to earn money) and although I like the clean look and open space, I miss those darn lights! I loved to sit in front of the fire with the pretty ornaments reflecting the lights on the tree. But alas, Fir Elton John had seen better days and he is now at the curb waiting to go into the old chipper. But I have to admit, packing everything up seemed daunting and loomed over me every day as I put it off to the next. Now I have to find something else to worry and brood about.
So what have I been doing since my last post when I was snowed in at the Lakehouse? Well, Abby is home from school so I have had her and Emily in my hair and I have been forced to cook in the evening because suddenly they do not like or find take out food to be healthy. So now my Julia Child/Paula Deen method of cooking with tons of butter and wine is being deemed 'healthy'. To be honest, I don't want to lose my love of cooking. Come 4:00, I'd be out in the kitchen banging pots and pans and throwing ingredients together like a mad woman. It seems as we get older, our fervent love for some things turns into simple, once in awhile pleasures. I don't want that to happen with my cooking, or any of my domestic skills for that matter. I am an 'at home working girl' and proud of it.
Reading. I have turned into my favorite lady friend at Aunt Amelia's Attic and am reading 3 books at once; Shelter Me, Emily's Ghost and Chin up, Honey. The last book is written by a wonderful author who has a blog that I frequent, Curtiss Ann Matlock. She has written some great novels and they can be found on Amazon. I am enjoying every one of the books I am reading and sit for awhile every evening with one or the other.


Creatively, I am planning to start working on a floral arrangement under a cloche for The Husband's conference room at his office. I have been putting this off because of the holidays, but in actuality, it won't take that long. Maybe I am a little apprehensive. I get that way when I feel there might be some element of failure on my part. I can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to projects...It has to be fear of failure. I have to get over it. The same goes with learning how to sew on that new machine of mine...I WILL learn to thread it! And I am going to start sewing! And I am going to use those 1000 yards of drop cloth that I have.


So that is pretty much all that is going on in Blondie's world. Outside my window is about 6 inches of frozen, dirty snow. Layla got stuck in it the other morning and I panicked. Out I ran in my pajamas and bare feet to save her. After I came in with what I was sure was frostbite of my feet, she ran off happily to play with Milo. So...I really haven't been going out much but I have been checking out all of the white sales online. I love the large selection you can get by going to Macy's or Kohl's or Target's websites and I have been getting some great deals. I have also been going to Pottery Barn's clearance section every couple of days (they sell out quick) and they have incredible deals. I just ordered some outdoor pillows, for $4.99 each. It doesn't get any better than that.


Finally, I want to tell you about my friend Beth from The Stories of A To Z. She is having a mantel party every Friday. It sounds like so much fun and I am hoping to glean some ideas because I really have a creative block when it comes to decorating my mantel. And I think it will be fun to change it around every week for the party. Beth has a great blog, visit her.


I hope you enjoyed the random pictures I took for lack of anything better to post and that everyone is having a good week. Are you cooking? Reading? Starting or working on any projects?? I hope so. Let's get through January!