WINTER DECOR CHANGES & LIFE IN BLONDIEVILLE DURING THE 2016 DEEP FREEZE!

Hi!  I think I've made good time in coming back (as if all of you have been waiting with bated breath).  I mentioned in my last post that perhaps I should make my posts shorter and do them more often.  I was really happy with those of you who commented that things are fine the way they are.  A relief, I just don't know if I could deliver anything less.  I'm back just five days since my last post and yet I feel I can go on forever, but I'll try to spare you.

After I took apart of all my Winter Wonderland mantlescape  I was left with something more barren than any sort of snow covered landscape.  Zippo.  Nada.  For days.  Once in awhile when I went downstairs to do laundry, I'd roam around my little hoarding room but just couldn't conceive what I could do with this huge mantel.  I seriously have not felt any creativity or imagination lately.  I just started to bring things up, beginning with my favorite pieces and then a mix of shapes, sizes and a bit of rustic and more refined.  Can you see that in my gold gilt framed prints and then the pitchers?  I really love to combine things which The Husband refers to as "my weird and not normal" side.  Anyway, I like it and I'm not going to fiddle with this again till spring.

This cabinet is somewhat of a challenge for me, too.  Mostly because of the high side and low side.  Does this sound crazy?  I usually stick with the tried and true but this time I added the galvanized French flower pails and added dried roses from my son's wedding in August.  A woven basket and pretty candle container on the upper part.  

I stepped away for this shot.  It makes a little more sense--the height.  I took these pics in the evening but it always looks better this way.  I'm silly, I don't know why I'm rambling like this.  Do you have a space that you struggle with?  I'm just relieved I finished it up.  I seriously had nothing anywhere for over a week.  I think my family declared me clinically insane.  Even the kids that think I have clutter everywhere.  

I had my granddog, Tulo, overnight Friday.  We ordered pizza and made Mickey Mouse pancakes Saturday morning.  The poor guy is just huge.  Although he isn't supposed to jump on people, he sometimes loses all sensibility (like when we make brief eye contact with him), and when he does, you need to grab hold of anything in sight.  He is a moose.  My house is not big at all and his tail can knock over everything and anything I have on my coffee and end tables. But we love him, he looks forward to running around with Milo, finding all the dog bones mine hide away, and jumping on beds and furniture---something he's not allowed to do at home.  Isn't that what being at grandma's house is all about?  

For a dog that's not allowed on furniture at home, he sure knows how to get cozy here!  We love to spoil him.

Abigail left a crate full of books she told me to donate when she moved out in February.  I'm so on top of things I just never did.  The other day I was feeding Nina who we keep in Abby's old room/guest room.  Nina is our pet vulture, I mean parrot.  She hates everyone but The Husband.  She is a total hussy, especially since I'm the one who feeds her and risks having my fingertips bit off. Anyway, I digress.  I found this book in the crate and read it in two sittings.  If you like suspense and really good writing, crime and well developed characters in a small town, this is a book I highly recommend.  The Husband is currently reading it.  I'm really happy to be back in a book reading mode.  I try to read at least 1-2 hours a day, which is nothing compared to a few years ago.  Being on my laptop so much and also watching 'new to me TV', I have to set aside the time.  Reading is knowledge and so important, especially to someone like me who has always treasured getting lost in a great story.  Have you've read any good books you'd like to recommend?

I won a giveaway from Kris at Junk Chic Cottage.  This is called a 'wine purse'.  It's insulated inside and has a clever little zip pocket as you can see which comes with it's own little corkscrew.  I had never heard of such a thing but I have no doubt that I'll figure out how to use it. ^^  Thank you, Kris.

In my 2015 Year Review, I failed to mention that as of March I had the wonderful opportunity to begin writing for a newspaper that serves a large portion of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana on a monthly basis.  I love writing about decorating, gardening, cooking and pretty much the same sort of things I do on my blog.  I was really honored to take up, err...have the opportunity to write two full pages for the December issue.  I worked a good week on it; one day writing, 6 days proofreading! lol!  The Husband kept asking me why this was taking me so long.  When it came in the mail he looked at the two pages and said, "Amazing".  I was so chuffed.  Some of you had asked about this recent endeavor so I tried my best to take a little picture of the article.  I was really complimented when I received a nice card from the editors over Christmas with a generous gift certificate to a wonderful steakhouse near the lakehouse.  Great people.  

I also failed to mention the two trips The Husband and I took with our friends, Cindy and Dan, to Door County, Wisconsin in May and Cedarburg, Wisconsin in November.  How did I miss that fun?  I adore Cindy, we met through blogging as I'm sure you know.  So I wish I had planned my posts a little better.  Love ya, Cindy, and we look forward to visiting you this year in your neck of the woods!!  :)

A quick dinner tonight.  I love fajitas because there are so many ways to make them and I love the combo of meat and veggies, perfect low carb food.  I usually do them with slices of sirloin but tonight I sautéed a mix of Chorizo sausage and lean ground beef.  I love to pile on the onion, green pepper and tomatoes along with lettuce, cheese and guacamole, so I can't even begin to fold it up in a tortilla.  Never do this on a first date.  Definitely a sloppy affair.  

It was a bit of a slow week here in Blondieville.  We've had a lot of cold weather  and last night we slipped into the single digits.  Right now we are at 1 degree, and I appreciate it's not -1 degree as somehow that sound so much worse when we go negative.  As much as we Northern states detest cold weather, we love to milk it...I really do think that.  The shock value.  I ran to the grocery store this afternoon.  It was 3 degrees.  Doesn't that make me sound so brave?!  Geez, 30 seconds from my warm car to the inside of a well heated store.  Came home, pulled into the garage and carried my  bags into a warm house.  Whew!   Still, it's extremely dangerous for anyone who has to be out for a prolonged period of time and I stand near the window when I let the dogs out to do their thing to let them back in immediately,  Layla's little paws are the size of my fingertips, can you imagine them on the frozen ground?  Very dangerous in spite of how I make light of it.  

I do have a busy week ahead.  Did I mention Milo was able to pluck one of my hearing aids off an end table (and I know better)? Thankfully, my audiologist and manufacturer were able to save the wiring, etc., so I'm going Tuesday to have the sound adjusted in both (the new one and old) and I will be as good as new (well almost--I'll never hear like you guys but I'm grateful for what I have).  Then I have the dreaded female sort of appointment Wednesday and will have to schedule my mammogram.  How painful is that?  And on Friday, I finally made an appointment with a specialist for my arm.  I feel like  I broke it yesterday.  I simply want to know if this is as good as it gets or if there is something that can be done.  That's the long and short of it.

So as you can see, posting more frequently doesn't mean a shorter post.  Ah, well...that's just the way it is. :)

Jane x