PRE~SPRING RAMBLINGS

It has been a slow week here and I've been very cooped up.  I do not like this time change, it's too early to go to bed and too late when I get up.  Yesterday it was sunny and in the 50's.  I opened the windows but didn't feel the mojo to actually put on shoes and go for a walk.  It's muddy and slushy and not very pleasant looking.  Overnight, we are to get 9 more inches of snow, so our little respite wasn't long.  

After getting up today and feeling a little cranky, this arrived on my doorstep. Yes, my latest order of dried hydrangeas sent direct from Concrete, Wa., via Ebay.  I usually make an order like this once or twice a year, depending on if I'm sharing with Emily.  I also received some "broom blooms" and some blue globe thistle.  This is such a great way to get away from faux flowers and I get a minimum of a year of use from them before they fade too much.  Aren't they pretty?

Have you ever had the experience of reading a blog post, having a light bulb go off in your head and just jumped up full of inspiration and energy to "get er done"?  Okay, maybe not the  jumping right up part.  I was at Mary's blog last week and she had a vision of adding a lower shelf to her kitchen island for some additional storage.  You can follow the link to read about how she accomplished that.  As I was reading this on my laptop at the kitchen table, my head jerked to the right to look at the lower shelf of my island.  What a waste of space!  This is an "after" picture above.  Before...well that large basket which was once so stylishly used to hold potatoes and onions until I had an invasion of fruit flies, was now holding a bulk package of paper towels.  To the right, vases of every size and a colorful collection of half burned candles sat gathering dust.  Don't ask why. And the drawers...don't ask about those either.  Think: a lot of plastic straws.  I start off organized and unintentionally veer terribly off course.  

I judiciously decided what needed to be in this space the most (it's across from the sink and stove), and cleaned out a cabinet with a teetering mish mash of pots and platters and Tupperware.  I sorted and tossed and decided on what I needed at close hand.  Pots and platters and serving bowls are no longer jumbled together and are within easy reach.

When I was last at Homegoods I picked up a serving platter thinking I could really use one.  Well, it sure looked that way because I had them here, there and everywhere!  If you think the shelf under the island looks good, you should see that messy cabinet.  I can fit my crockpot, toaster and food processor in it along with that darn Tupperware (a love/hate thing for me).

I washed and sorted my pot holders but I didn't have the heart to throw any away.  They are old and worn and well used and loved.  When I'm gone I wonder if my kids will open this drawer and sigh, "Oh, she could never throw away a pot holder." (Cue tears falling).  Or will it be, "Oh.  More crap to toss."

And here's the weekly pet photo and it looks like it's Layla this time.  She's holding her dainty little paw up as she is known to do when she's caught being bad.  Barking!  With the sun and the warm temps, we have had dog walkers, baby walkers, joggers and kids and delivery people, oh my!  She and Milo wore themselves out in front of this window yipping and howling and moaning and groaning and you know what?  I let them!  They needed it.  Their vocal chords needed it.  In the summer I pull this chair away from the window a lot.  But for that day, I let them ROAR!

Speaking of furniture...my new coffee table and end tables are being delivered on Thursday.  I'm trying to remember what they look like.  I am worried about the area rug and painting I bought.  The rug came from Natural Area Rugs and I have ordered from them before and love the quality and prices.  The problem is, I ordered a 9 X 12 because the next size smaller was unavailable.  I am so afraid it's going to eat up the room.  And the painting came and I swiftly brought it downstairs, as the whole room is a surprise (shock) for The Husband.  The box is huge.  It's for over the fireplace and I actually think it's going to be humongous.  Oh, why am I so bad with proportions?  I know I should open the box but somehow I think I'll be able to figure something out.  Emily is coming over Friday morning and we are putting the whole living room together; arranging the furniture, hanging the new curtains, laying the rug, and doing the accessories.  I'm really hoping everything turns out.  The Husband has been playing along quite nicely with this whole "surprise" ruse.  When I returned the tables I didn't like a few weeks ago, I picked out new ones in exchange and told Emily, "Just put the order in, I'll show him later."  She ended up telling him it was a surprise.  So as I have purchased other things (over time of course, I have bills to pay and food to buy!), I just hide it.  So basically now, we are ready, down to the candles and the dried flowers as I showed you above.  Eeeeeek!

Lunch today.  Enough said.  

And in attempt to end my posts with something bright and happy to think about while we await the end of this crazy winter, here is a short list of what I'm dreaming about to do at the lake this summer. :)

sitting on my beach

farmer's markets

getting the summerhouse ready

grilling outdoors

eating fresh tomatoes with s&p

bonfires

looking at the stars on clear nights

seeing the fish jump

sleeping under cool sheets

eating al fresco

the croak of bullfrogs

reading on the porch swing

that first swim

XO,

Jane