~A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING~

Hi everyone. I am just popping in with a quick post before the weekend. I'm not sure yet if we are going to the lake...it has been raining for the past two days but Sunday is supposed to be in the 80's, rain or shine. As much as The Husband and I would like to get our projects done up there, the actual thought of pulling out the paint cans and brushes doesn't really leave us with a lot of warm and fuzzy thoughts. So, maybe we are procrastinating. We are wondering if maybe we just need a quiet, relaxing weekend up there just taking inventory of what needs to be done. :-)

We celebrated daughter Abigail's birthday yesterday at a Japanese restaurant, the sort where you all sit around a big table and the chef comes and cooks on a big hibachi grill. Fun, fun, fun.
The blur of his hands show how fast he is working. I've always wanted to be able to chop as fast as Rachel Ray but now I have upgraded my goals. And I want to be able to twirl my knives and pop an egg in my hat.
I had steak and calamari, but of course, forgot to take a picture of it. It also comes with miso soup, salad, noodles and rice, and for dessert ice cream and cookies. My fortune read, "Much love is coming your way". I like that.
This is Abby and her boyfriend, Tom, who came home from school for the occasion {her birthday, not the dinner...but who knows}. Our present to her was a Coach purse and you can sort of see her holding it in the picture and she looks happy. Later she told me she wanted the one with the long strap. I really thought I had got it right this time, I'm notorious for getting almost the right thing. The one with the long strap is $20.00 cheaper, so I get a refund and that's fine with me.
From Tom and his family she received this gorgeous Vera Bradley tote and cosmetic bag, perfect for when she visits Tom at school. I'm a little jealous, not owning one Vera Bradley item. Okay, I'd prefer the Coach purse. Which would you rather have?
I rarely get good pictures of Layla...I'm not sure why. She is a lot cuter in person. Milo is just so darn photogenic. But I want you to take a look at all sweet eight pounds of her. Because...
...this is what we have living in one of our trees in the backyard. Actually there are two of them making a nest. It's hard to see the face, I was standing {cowering} next to my car when I took this picture. I think it is a falcon. We have had them for the past couple of years, but never a nest. Rumor has it that the mayor of Chicago decided to bring some of these guys in to control the pigeon population. What I am afraid of is that it is going to reduce my pet population by half. I know a lot of you live in the country...I am wondering if you have to deal with hawks and big animals and how you do it with small pets. I doubt one of these are going to swoop down and carry Layla away, but don't they get a bit testy when they have a nestful? At the lake I don't worry much because most of the wild animals stay in the woods next door, but here...I'm worried. Am I paranoid?

So anyway, this is my short post. The week has breezed by. I started shopping for my trip to Asheville. I am assuming it is going to be warm, so of course I have to pack away some of these winter clothes, go through last years summer clothes and supplement. So far I have done the supplementing at the mall and Old Navy. Oh, the cute sundresses they have. I am in love. I could wear one everyday. And the wedge heeled sandals, totally impractical for walking and sightseeing, but they are so cute! What do you wear on vacations? Do you choose style over function?

I hope you all have a good weekend. Any plans? I hope the weather is good where ever you are. See you next week! :-)

A PARTY!!

I am so happy to join Shelia at Note Songs for her Heart Of The Home party, Show Us Your Cupboards. Well, in true form, this is really not a cupboard as such, but it takes the place of a cupboard that I spent much time looking through for herbs and spices when I was cooking. When our kitchen was being designed, the carpenter was going to make an enclosure for the refrigerator and I suggested some shelves for my spices. I drew up a little diagram and he scratched his head and said, "Do you really need all these shelves?" Yes, I did!
This is the upper portion on the unit. It's made of pine and simply coated with a clear finish. He carved the bread basket design that is also on the stove hood. He was really talented.
The lower shelves hold my cooking spices. As I took these pictures, my back was against the stove and sink area so you can see how I have the perfect set up for reaching what I need. And no...we don't use a lot of salt, I just happened to hit a sale.
The upper shelves hold more of my baking supplies. I don't really like to bake, but I love to decorate cakes and cookies. Again, the basket design.
There you have it. A wonderful alternative to a cabinet which I couldn't imagine being anything else. Drop by Shelia's for more beautiful cupboards and inspiration.
By the way, I caught the dreaded cold going around, so I am getting ready to crawl in with this guy in a little bit for a much needed nap! See you later in the week!

~A LITTLE DECORATING, A LITTLE GARDENING~

We have had sunny and warmer weather all week long and I have been loving it. I can't believe the week is almost over. It was a busy one with a lot of errands and shopping and a doctor's appointment. Not only is The Husband still sick, both girls caught it and everyone is feeling terrible. I have a few symptoms, but nothing like my family. I checked in with my doctor to make sure I had all the necessary asthma medicines should I come down with this head and chest cold. I have also been cleaning like crazy, running around with a bottle of Lysol to keep everything as sterile as possible. And since it has been in the 40's, I have had the windows thrown open periodically to blow some of the germs out.
The cafe curtains from Country Curtains arrived Monday and Emily and I got them up pronto. I love the ticking stripe and I also love the privacy they give me. This is my favorite place to sit and blog and sometimes when I can't sleep I like to sit here and catch up and it could feel eerie with just a valance at the top.
I think this picture came out a bit lighter. Can you see how the light fixture I bought with my win at CSN goes with the wrought iron legs of my table. I'm really pleased that I was able to match that up. Our old coffee table, which is now up at the lakehouse, was also from Pottery Barn and had the same legs. It was just too big for my living room here...someday I will have to take more pictures of inside the lakehouse.
Today is slow and sunny and the perfect time to get some seeds planted for the herb garden. Most of my plants can't survive the frost so I have to start with new ones. I buy most of them but I thought I would start some indoors this year and perhaps have some windowsill herbs handy to cook with. I especially love rosemary as I can pop it in vases alone or with flowers and it looks and smells so pretty. I hear that in the warmer climates, it can grow as large as a shrub. I am hoping that I will be successful bringing the pot in over the winter without killing it. I'm pretty good at that with indoor plants..
I started with these little pots that will disenegrate once they are popped into the ground... don't even have to remove the plant.
I planted some sweet peas that don't climb, they just trail over a pot...very pretty and then I have chives, basil and the rosemary. I spray them with water a couple of times a day to keep the seeds moist and once they have roots, I can pour water right into this tray and the pots and soil will suck it right up. Years ago when I was a real gardening fanatic, I used to start a lot of my vegetables indoors and the table in front of my sunniest window was covered with miniature plastic greenhouses of sort. It was like planting twice, so now I just sow my seeds right into the ground when it's warm...usually mid~May.
So that is what I have been up to today, playing in a little dirt and getting my hands messy. I will keep you up to date as to how my little babies do. I hope you are all having a great week and that it's sunny in your neck of the woods. See you soon! :-)

SATURDAY RAMBLINGS

It's a very cold and blustery Saturday here, temps in the high 20's {Why do I always give a weather report in my posts?}. Today has been busy, but I took some time to hunt for my box of spring things and although I didn't find it, I found a few spunky things to hang. The Husband came down with a bad chest cold so we canceled going to the lake again. Next weekend brings us into April already...Wow. And unless I come down with the cold, we are going. Too many things to accomplish there, painting, working on the loft and starting on the guest rooms. We are putting hardwood floors in them and giving them a new coat of paint. Then the fun will start when I can pick out new bedding and curtains and all the fun stuff. I will tell you all about it as we work on it. I am just mentally making lists.
I hope you don't mind a random post today. This is the first time I have really sat down today after cleaning the house and going grocery shopping. Of course I spent more than I should have. The Husband is conducting a little experiment with me to see if I can save more money by having cash as opposed to a credit card. It has been difficult for many reasons, mostly of course because I can't go shopping online, but in my heart I know I don't have room for another object in this house. It's also hard because every time I open my wallet, I see exactly what I have or don't have. I'm not liking this too much, but I can say I was pretty frugal at the store today. I almost wished I was a coupon person. No, I am that person that asks for $20.00 over so I can buy lotto tickets on the way out. Are you a cash or credit person? Do you have any tips for saving money on groceries?

To change the subject completely, you all know that I have been thinking about gardening nonstop. I suppose you guys have too, and many of you have posted gardens that are well on their way to looking spectacular. We have a bit more of the cold stuff here in the Midwest before we can dig in the dirt. But I am looking for a new rototiller, one of the smaller types, of course. I just found out that The Husband broke mine trying to use it on the beach. I don't know weather to laugh or cry. So if you have one you like, pass on the name as I have to start looking.

Okay, the weather, grocery shopping and rototillers. What else can I babble on about? Oh, we had the whole family here for dinner the other night. Eight of us. I actually set a really nice table combining my white everyday dishes with some floral springtime dishes and 2 separate sets of napkins. Because I was in the middle of cooking and making drinks, I never took pictures. That would have been interesting for this post. We had a good time though, I made breaded steaks with red sauce and Parmesan cheese, Alfredo noodles, mashed potatoes, corn, a salad and bread. And for dessert, a strawberry cheesecake. I really should have taken a picture of the buffet, it was spilling over with food.
Well, we are settling in for a cold night at home. I am going to make another fire and we will probably watch a movie. I am in between books right now. I will be honest and say I did not finish Pride And Prejudice. I read half of it and saw half of the movie. Somehow that seems to make it work. I should have watched the 2nd half of the movie. I do like the classics, but P&P was a lot like Jane Eyre, where you struggle through 4 pages of dialogue before a point is made. And the book of short stories I was reading...I would call it modern, and yet I found myself scratching my head at the end of each story trying to figure out what it was really about. I don't mind not finishing a book of short stories...just as long as it is not in the middle of a story. I have a shelf full of books to choose from tonight, so I think I am just going to stick with a little fluff. Are you reading anything good? Let me know.

I hope I haven't bored you out of your mind. Maybe it is a cold Saturday night or Sunday in your neck of the woods and you don't mind reading a little fluff! lol! We are in for a cold, cold week so hopefully I will find something to paint or decorate to post about. Oh, and a reminder, Mildred Pierce is on HBO tomorrow night. If you haven't seen the original {or if you have} tune in because I loved the first version and this should be good. Did you know I am an old movie type? Read: insomniac. But that's for another post! :-)

OUT AND ABOUT

I think if you were to skim through the pictures in my posts, you would think, "Where the heck is she going with this?" I don't blame you, but I do have a story {as always}. These flowers are just for your viewing pleasure. I thought this weedy little bundle almost looked like wildflowers, so I put them in a little pottery vase a friend made me and now you have something to smile about.
I have decided to go back to my low carb diet. I tried Weight Watchers for 8 weeks and it just wasn't working for me. I really followed all the guidelines and kept track of my food and measuring of it, but after 7 pounds, my weight didn't budge. So I am back on the old Dr. Adkins diet and I have had much success with it in the past. Last week I ordered a case of these babies from Amazon. I like to have one for lunch or a snack once in awhile.
And since my running shoes were 20 years old, Abby gave me these.
And I have been meeting up with Emily at this lovely little spot about 3 miles away in the burbs. I have always enjoyed walking in the country, at the lake for instance, over walking my city streets. Less to trip over, I guess. And the view. Look how beautiful this is.
This was Monday and it was a little gloomy and sweatshirt weather {actually flannel weather...I saved some of my father's shirts, his favorites were flannel and I just love layering them over T~shirts}. I don't want to put it in writing, but we are expecting snow. All the gals East of me are probably cringing right now...I get blamed for a lot of the snow they get.
We walk sometimes 3 miles. The fresh air just gives me energy. I have been a walker off and on for a long time. The last time I got in great shape was when I worked in downtown Chicago. Although I sat a great deal at my desk, I was up and down and covered a lot of city blocks in one day. So I know I have to really incorporate exercise into my lifestyle.
Wouldn't you love to live in one of these spectacular homes? I would, just for the beautiful views. But I do have the lakehouse, which is becoming a vague memory, and that's enough for me.

I'm linking up with Susan for Outdoor Wednesdays and Barbara for Watery Wednesdays. See you later in the week! :-)

COUNTRY CURTAINS

Happy Spring!! Whatever will I complain about now? These are some of my tulips from last April. Right now I only have small shoots that seemed to pop out of the ground this past week. Today is rain and thunderstorms, but that's okay, we had the most beautiful, warm, sunny week. It's hard to imagine that we might get another frost or snow, but anything is possible in the Midwest.

My house has had it's spring cleaning, well it's as good as it's going to get, and so I have been spending a little time in each room, looking for ways to change things up a bit. Sometimes we live with things for so long, we cease to see them. And this goes for the curtains in my dining area and kitchen.
Years ago when I was going through my 'lace' phase, I made this valance out of a vintage tablecloth I found at an antique store. This is a hard window to dress as it's a bay window, three separate windows.
I picked out this ticking stripe from Country Curtains. The stripes will be vertical...I don't know why I took the picture this way. It's a light brown on a natural linen.
I am going to do cafe curtains with a valance. It won't look too much like this because of the 3 windows, but I will show you when it's done. Plus, this is in green.
This is the scalloped valance I am using for the kitchen window that is over the sink. I really love the style. This will be in the brown stripe, too.
So it looks like I just did a whole post on 2 windows...I told you it is raining cats and dogs out. We had such beautiful weather all week, the temperatures reaching in the 60's. One day Emily, Abby and I went to a big park surrounded by wetlands, with hiking trails. We went for a LONG walk and it felt so good to get a mini workout. Now that the weather is warmer, I need to get out more and walk, lose some of this winter weight. What do you do to get in shape once winter is over? Do you take advantage of the weather?

We have had a quiet weekend. The Husband and I went out to dinner in a little Italian neighborhood and it was very nice. Very cute restaurant. We didn't go to the lake yesterday as The Husband brought home paperwork yet again. Next week for sure. Shelia from Notesongs is having a Show Us Your Cabinet party and I need to take pictures of my non~cabinets at the lake...I have open shelving. Can I cheat, Shelia?

I hope all of you are having a fun weekend and that you are missing this rain. Did you get outside for a little fun? I will be back later in the week...maybe with those new curtains! :-)

DECORATING WOES & A BLOG CRAWL

The weather is getting warmer and soon we will be spending weekends at the lake. This is the time of year that we decide on what sort of projects we want to get done so that when summer is in full swing, we can just sit back and relax. Fixing up the loft is one of our projects.

Once you come up the stairs to the 2nd floor of our house, you are in the loft. The master bedroom, a bathroom and the 2 guest rooms open up off of the loft. The main thing we want to do is paint and reupholster the sofa. I already know that I am going to paint the space in a shade of cream. The only natural light comes from the bedrooms, so I need something that will open everything up. Plus, I love a neutral background. I am sharing with you some of the fabric samples I received from the company that makes the sofa, This End Up.
If you are familiar with This End Up, you know their furniture is very casual and lasts a long time. The cushions on the sofas and chairs are all zip on slipcovers. Very simple an easy. We are ordering new cushions as well, as this couch is 20 years old.

Above are some samples that I thought had a bit of a beachy look. I thought that would be kind of fun. The loft is basically used to watch TV and just chill after a day of being on the water and in the sun. This fabric is durable and looks like it could stand up to a wet bathing suit. I am sort of leaning toward the large stripe.
These are more neutral colors. A little more simple. I like the yellow and white swatch, which is called Vanilla Cord. It has a formal look to it and can be jazzed up with some pale blue accessories. This would make the space pretty as opposed to fun.

Oh...decisions. I love both looks and I just can't decide which way to go. You can look into our master bedroom from the loft. It is done in blue and white with a pretty, coastal feel to it. So, what do you think? Which swatch do you like and if it were your loft, what sort of look would you want?
The weather here has taken a change for the better...today it is supposed to get up to 60 degrees. Definitely a day for a walk. Or a trip to the park on bikes.

I have started some serious planning for my garden and I get my seeds and plants from a variety of places. These seeds just came and they make me feel like spring is just around the corner.
And finally, I thought I should do my little bit about the greening of the Chicago River which takes place every St. Patrick's Day. I am joining Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for the Third Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl.
Every year, 40 pounds of green vegetable dye are dumped into the Chicago River. It's quite a spectacle. See the people lined up on the bridge? And of course there is the big parade. I love living here! Pop over to Kathleen's to see everyone joining in. She has written another one of her fun poems! :-)