A Place to Sit a Spell

Not much new here.  As a matter of fact, I am typing this post with my left arm propped up on a towel on the arm of my desk chair.  It helps provide some cushion, and it, along with all of the acupuncture and doctor visits, is helping to resolve this pinched nerve.  Which is good, because patience is NOT my strong suit!

I have never been one to do things part way, which is how I got the pinched nerve to begin with.  I have been planking as part of my new exercise routine and apparently you aren't supposed to do it for as long or as intensely as I thought was appropriate, nor should you do it on a floor that isn't properly padded!

The one benefit of being pig headed is that sometimes our bodies force us to stop and slow down a bit when our minds would otherwise prevent such reprieves.

See that little hole in the vines draped from every branch of the huge poplar tree?  It is one of the favorite parts of my yard, I feel like it is my own little looking glass onto the creek.  Now that I have lots of computer free time, I often go out into the back yard as the light is waning and just stare through it as though it is a magical camera lens!

I haven't been using my camera much lately but last night I decided to take it along on my evening outing.

I always have company when I'm outside, and last night Misty Belle decided that a ball would help her entertain us while we sat.  She was correct as she acts like a complete loony toon when she has her favorite ball outside with her.  She doesn't expect us to throw it, in fact she prefers we not touch it at all, but she thoroughly enjoys playing with it, and in the process brings great joy to us, the onlookers.

The view if you look sideways from our chairs is out towards the field and the setting sun...it is always lovely this time of day.

We also have a hammock in this area, but last night I chose to sit in the chairs...having options is a wonderful thing don't you think?! ;)

Our Cosmos are just beginning to bloom and they look beautiful!  The foliage of Cosmos is almost as lovely as the blossoms themselves in my humble opinion.  It is a delicate, almost fluffy plant, topped off by flowers in shades that range from deep lavender to bright white in the mix that we purchased.  The petals spread wide to the heavens as though they are cupping every last drop of sunlight, while the foliage seems to hug the spindly blossoms and give them a cloud like base from which to grow.

After my jaunt around the yard, it was time to head back inside as the sun was setting.  Back inside I was greeted with the fact that we no longer have a proper place to sit in our living room.  We gave our son our old sectional couch for his new apartment.  I was thrilled at the possibility of replacing it, even though it was still in amazing shape, and I decided it would be fun to go out shopping for a new sofa after all of these years.

It turns out that as I get older, shopping really isn't my thing anymore.  I think it may be because I know exactly what I want, and I either can't afford it or I simply can't find it?!  I was tempted to rush into something that was "good enough," but instead I think I will take my time and wait until I find just what I want.  That of course means that I need to decide between color or neutral, skirted or not skirted, slipcovered or not, three cushion or two...the list goes on and one...hence the wait.

For now, I will simply enjoy the sad wing chairs we dragged together in one part of the room and my lovely coffee table which I hope will fit the new vision for the room.  I would LOVE to hear your opinions, experiences, etc. on different brands of sofas as I begin this quest to find a place to sit a spell.  Right now I'm leaning toward Lee Industries and maybe Hickory Chair...thoughts?

Excuses and Regrets

The great thing about doing a photo shoot for a magazine is that it gives you a perfect excuse to buy flowers...sometimes lots of flowers.

And this time of year, fresh flowers are a perfect pick me up for very little money.

It also makes you take a long hard look at what you "want" to see in an image, which often leads to editing down to the bare essentials...something I'm striving for these days anyway.

This past weekend I bit the bullet and ordered the boots I wanted...the boots that had spoken to me for so long.  It's a rare thing for me to spend a lot of money on clothes or shoes, I'm way too much of a bargain/clearance shopper for that.  I love the thrill of the chase, and am rarely regretful if something slips through my fingers as I stalk the manufacturer waiting for their bottom basement price, but this time they won out.

I love nice things, I just don't love paying a high price for them.  I think this harkens back to the days when I was a sales rep for high end children's clothing and accessories.  I did clothing shows in New York, Charlotte N.C., and the DC metro area, and so I knew the cost of manufacturing verses retail and I was never really able to go back to full retail after that eye opening experience.

But at the same time, I can appreciate the cost of some things...furniture, antiques, jewelry, and apparently boots in the perfect shade of saddle brown!  They were on sale after all, and I justified my purchase by telling myself that I will wear them every day, of every week, of every month...hah!

Just as I rarely regret losing the clearance tug of war from time to time, I have no regrets when I put my money on the table in other instances.  The pie safe pictured above is one such example.  It was purchased when we were young, didn't have 2 nickles to rub together, and I had to pay for it over time.  It has been with us for 25 years now, traveling from home to home, room to room, and I still love it just as much as when I first saw it in a local antique store.

My father used to always say, and my mother too, that if you really want it, you better go ahead and get it or it might not be there later...something a wise reader reminded me of in her comment on my last post.  I guess from time to time we have to splurge a little, on those special things that speak to us and which we can't get out of our heads.  I doubt I will ever lose my cheapskate ways, but I'm betting I also won't regret strutting around in my new boots either!

What do you splurge on?!...do tell!