It's Not Over, 'til It's Over

I am enjoying a quiet evening tonight.  For one, all those political ads are coming to an end as all the networks cover the results.  I'll check in every once in awhile, but I won't watch it all night.  Even though, with tonight's results, I will have two new bosses in the morning.  I work for my county's school board and will have two new school board members to assist soon.  That is my "real" job....the one that pays {most} of the bills, the insurance, the retirement.  The work I love is another story...

I think I am among many throughout our country who think the races this year were beyond nasty.  I'm over it!  I did my part...I was there to vote at 7:30 this morning.  While I'm glad it's over, I'm glad I had to opportunity.  We {as in "we" women} didn't always have that opportunity.  Hard to believe.  I look at the pictures and read the history books, but it is hard to relate to this....

"During the beginning of the twentieth century, as women's suffrage gained in

popularity, suffragists were subject to arrests and many were jailed. Finally, despite President Woodrow Wilson's opposition, Congress passed what became, when it was ratified in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment which prohibited state and federal agencies from gender-based restrictions on voting."  ~Wikipedia.

So for the women who fought, who were jailed, who screamed and yelled...I humbly thank you.  Because of you all, I have the opportunity to vote my heart:

I bet I'm not the only one who would vote this ticket!!

All pictures via zazzle.com.

Closet Envy

I live in a sweet little 50's style cottage, complete with the original wood floors and crawl space below.  A draw back, as we all know, is storage....or lack thereof.  So it is of no surprise that I swoon just a bit when I see incredible closets.  I must share some of my favorites.....

LOVE THE CEDAR WALL!
Olivia Wilde's closet via peppermintbliss.com



NO COMMENT NECESSARY!
Carrie Bradshaw's closet via peppermintbliss.com



LOVE THE NATURAL LIGHT, THE DOORS, DRESSERS....
Tory Burch's closet via peppermintbliss.com



LOVE the chandelier and the big mirror reflecting into the bedroom.

pic from littlebluedeer.com via vintagerosebrocante.tumblr.com

ELEGANCE PERSONIFIED.
bestofbostonclosetcompany.com

And finally.....my favorite.  I think because it is so feminine. 

I love the mirrored armoire, the ceiling treatment,

a place for writing and for swooning. 

I think I would probably put in a different chandelier though.



Barry Dixon for Traditional Home

The tradeoff, of course, is the charm a vintage home brings.  One just must be creative in one's storage, right?  I use trunks, old canisters, those vacuum bags (do they really work for anyone??  Rarely, me!), and any other thing I can find. 

Just thought I'd share.

Weekend Woes

I am truly feeling my age this morning.  I took a spill off our front steps yesterday afternoon that has me limping and gimping about today.  After a 15 minute downpour, I took some things out to the recycle bin in our carport.  My sandal slid on the tile of the front steps.  In my head I knew I was slipping, but the next second found me face down in the grass.  My right knee was so kind as to break my fall on the concrete sidewalk.  And somewhere in the mix, my big toe must have gotten in the way too as it is swollen and bruised as well.  So....a bag of frozen peas and a big bandage later, I am feeling quite foolish and like an invalid.  Still, I am quite thankful that I was not holding my almost 8-month-old granddaughter.  How tragic that would have been!!  So, for that reason, I will bear the pain with my head held high (or as high as I can get it with the limp going on) just in knowing that she is fine.

As I heard my husband say this weekend, "This getting old stuff is GETTING OLD!"  Yes, I agree!  Maybe I get credit for getting my carcass out of bed this morning, when I really just wanted to lay there with the knee propped up instead.

Okay....enough of my woes.  Here are a couple pictures I took in my back yard a month or so ago.  I love this copper chandy hanging from the big ficus tree.  When the weather is more tolerable, I am going to put candles in it and serve dinner out there.  I can see it now!

 

Window box, old window, and two climbing roses on the side of the shed. 
The roses have grown up to the next rung already!

It looks as though, like my feet yesterday, my fingers were in the wrong place at the wrong time and I already published this thing once before I was done.  Oops!!  I'm going to pretend that did not happen and carry on!!

"You desire to know the art of living, my friend?  It is contained in one phrase:  make use of suffering."  ~Henri-Frederic Amiel

I think I will do just that as I hobble through my day, and most likely, this week. 

 

Who Knew? Cinco de Mayo

Reprinted from my wordpress.com blog dated May 5, 2010.)

I have to confess that once I actually said that I did not speak Spanish so I did not know what Cinco de Mayo meant. As I was stared back at dumbfoundedly, he said, “Uh, cinco, as in the number five…” The light went on. Sheepishly, I said, Oh, yeah. Cinco – five; Mayo – May…the fifth of May. Admittedly, I catch myself saying “blondish” comments like that every once in awhile; thankfully, though, less and less as I age.

I also have to admit that I had no idea what was significant about the fifth of May to Mexico. After a bit of research, I learned that Mexico defeated the French unexpectedly at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Here is something else I learned in that research. There are basically only two entities, worldwide, that celebrate Cinco de Mayo: the State of Puebla (naturally) and……wait for it…..the good ole USA. We just love a party, don’t we?! Not even elsewhere in Mexico is this day celebrated, interestingly enough. Perhaps it is that this country began as the melting pot of people from the world over. We love playing host still and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so let’s be sure to celebrate every countries’ holiday (there is probably more truth to that than we know).

Or another school of thought. It’s all a marketing ploy. Let’s find the common denominator, shall we? St. Patrick’s Day….Irish beer (think Guinness); Oktoberfest….German beer (think Beck’s); Cinco de Mayo….Mexican beer (think Corona). Yes….it is beer. Not being a big beer connoisseur, it never really hit me before, but yes, I believe the beer industry is behind it all!

I’m not complaining, mind you. I’m thankful for the help with tonight’s dinner menu: tacos, refried beans, chips/salsa, and an ice cold Corona Lite (with a twist of lime). I am a marketers dream afterall. To Mexico! To Puebla! Salut!