It’s always a waiting, unpredictable and oftentimes frustrating thing to go through a house redo. One person is late, another never calls and materials need to be shipped. I have to throw up my hands and say, “It is what it is” and “All will be well.” Who knows why but most times even delays work out for the best.
I have been prepping and cooking all morning.
In between, I have been catching up on taped shows and the news.
Also, I have been practicing my painting whitewashing technique on an old table. If it turns out any good, then who knows?
Today, so far, I put together vegan parmesan, cashew cream, baked mac and cheez and vegan burgers. I ate soooooo much I could just burst! Yesterday, I even had the audacity of partaking in two, not one, berry cheesecakes topped with fresh raspberries. I didn’t expect my husband to come home with vegan treats from a drive, but lo and behold, I didn’t let it last long.
The recipes today were culled from my new favorite vegan cookbook I picked up at the vegan fair called, Eat Like You Give a Damn – Recipes for the new Ethical Vegan by Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten whom I met. They are the founders of Herbivore Clothing in Portland and have been vegan since 1999 and they have easy recipes, helpful tips and entertaining stories to introduce each recipe. The book holds more than 100 recipes and tons of photographs they took themselves. Of course, I tweaked their recipes and it’s even encouraged.
I have been covering up our French doors with shades and drapes for years because of moisture that got trapped between the double panes which destroyed the whole point of having them. They look into our covered patio that looks over our expansive yard and I have missed the view. Finally, my friend suggested just getting new glass, not just whole new doors! And so, the glass man came and measured, quoted me a decent price and next week we will have new (no panes in the middle like a graph that might obstruct the landscape) low E, double paned and insulated windows installed on our dining room French doors! Of course the only drawback to this is: Now I have to keep the patio swept and dusted at all times!!
The stair man came and next is the quote for new banisters, skirt, spindles and post. We need to do this before the stairs get new flooring. I am dreaming of grey washed oak grain and decorative iron.
By the way, you must know what you like and want because these installers have no clue who you are and what your vision is, they haven’t lived in your house for more than an hour and cannot dream creatively or outside the box like you can. I bring this up because it is a trend I am noticing and I was especially taken aback by the stair man’s taste. Most are not artistes, designers or visionaries, they are contractors.
Our new AC/Heating unit was installed yesterday and it took three guys all day. Literally from 10am-8:30pm they were here. They took just one break around dinner time because they had to hit Home Depot. So now, our bathroom finally has a register, our side of the house (where we live and sleep mostly) has its own ducting, we own an LED thermostat and we have a modern (read-more efficient) AC/Heating system.
Our order for our block out, honeycomb, remote controlled blinds for our Master Bedroom is in with our local Budget Blinds and I chose Mushroom Linen as the color. It is a neutral greige/sandy color. I believe it will go with everything. Our Levelor Silhouettes were gorgeous but alas, they have been ruined by the sun, worn by use, do not have block out so I had to add drapes and Lavender is just not what we are going for anymore.
I suppose I should be adding before and after pictures, duh.
Our look is turning into contemporary cottage/French country/modern glam if that’s a thing.
This weekend hopefully will prove fruitful. I would like to declutter some more, go window shopping with the love of my life so we are on the same page when the time comes and make a few vegan dishes to last me the week.
Have a great weekend, Y’all!
Oh – and we got rid of a dead pittosporum (variety Victoria Box) tree that had been here since I imagine 1958 when the house was built and were planted all along the perimeter of our lot – and added four bushes that will fill in quickly, supposedly.
The picture below illustrates the ugly mess of redoing anything and the hole where the tree once was.
Believe who people show you whom they are by their actions. When people are impatient, stubborn or mean, take it at face value. Don’t make excuses.
I don’t care what your background, childhood or situation is, you can always be kind, courteous and respectful. Of course – enough is enough sometimes, but in general, you can depend on repeated rotten behavior to be the norm for some.
And some are just not genuine and they exhibit false advertising all day long depending on whom is in front of them and who is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
It takes self awareness to identify your character flaws. Then, it takes acceptance to wrap your head around it and process solution. Finally, it takes action to change the things you CAN change, which is only usually yourself, your attitude, your response or your perspective. And, the hardest thing for a human being to grasp, is changing themselves.
I call it the triple A or AAA. Awareness, acceptance and action and – in that order.
You are going to see people behaving badly in the media or making it in the news reports.
But there is another side. I see people behaving heroically and generously all the time if you look for it. Yes, the barage of info we get is usually negative, but look for the good and more of it will show up.
That being said, there are some items that are omitted from your radar because these entities do not want you to know about them. I am specifically aiming this light on Big Agra, Big Pharma and Big Animal Agra. You can be better informed if you dig deep for it, but don’t expect the violent ideology to stop unless you are willing to be in a lot of pain, anger and disgust. It takes guts to stomach what goes on behind stronger than penitentiary walls, in the slaughterhouses.
I am blessed to have had the opportunity to pursue a practice in yoga, train for yoga teacher training and then instruct others in the embodiment of meditation, body and movement.
Sharing yoga with my yogini ladies is creative, revitalizing and profound.
With them, I have connected deeper to the sacredness and the discipline of yoga ethics. It brought me back to my values and true self.
These women and our time together has enhanced and liberated my being.
My spirit speaks to me. I am elevated. My insight is raised.
Sometimes I am sooooo thankful, I could burst!
When gratitude wells up inside me like a crescendo, then I know how truly divine it all is!!!
My saving grace is teaching and experiencing yoga, having the best husband and kids eva and the relationships I nurture and treasure with wonderful, healthy wise ones.
But – Everyone is a teacher for even the unhealthy teach me how to cope, how to outgrow and how to move forward – never mind, how to discern.
Feeling very lucky and inspired!!
I had to be ruthless to get my bookshelf to look like this and this is just one purging – I have eight other bookshelves to go.
Decluttering, letting go and giving/throwing away has been my new passion!
And as I go, I find a home for everything (in a location that makes sense) and I get to organize.
I have been encouraged to write down my wins, even if it is just a drawer. I have also taken some before and after pictures that would make you all proud of me. Keep encouraging, giving suggestions, taking my surplus and supporting me, please.
PS: Before I discard or donate anything – I have been thanking my articles for giving me such pleasure once and allowing them to recycle or re-purpose themselves somewhere other than my home any more and to someone else.
I am a capable, competent woman who is filled with strength and confidence.
I see with harmony, gratitude, health and praise.
I now create a life I love to build, strengthen, organize and write about.
I see with love and joy. I now create a life I love to look at.
My world is full with connections, safety, acceptance, freedom and unconditional love.
I expect to protect myself from toxic situations and people – no matter what or whom.
It is all about the balance, isn’t it? It’s the Ying and Yang, the male and female, the happy medium between two extremes, or the juggling act of many balls up in the air.
Today, right this minute, let’s feel centered.
And when my deeds, actions, words and thinking correspond with my ethics and values, then I am truly authentic and feel balanced.