The weekend

We had a fun weekend.  It started well actually - on Friday. Very lovely chat with my sissy Shona. 

Here she is with her hubs Les.  Anyhoo, it was good to talk to her.  I've really missed her.  Over the past 12 months we have gotten alot closer than we have been in years and that's been such a blessing.  It's been the usu for us to have long email chats - she's a very good writer....but she's just taken a new role on (she works for the NZ Airforce in a civilian role) and she's been so busy.

So ... a good start to the weekend.  Saturday we got up early (we being the hubs, the ss Elliott and moi), the idea was to have a yummy breakfast (check, blueberry waffles and red grapefruit) and be in Monroe for the Rust and Ruffles vintage flea market at 9am (fail)... we ended up chatting with El about "the future".  I can hardly believe he's going to be 17 this year.  SEVEN TEEN.  Incredible where the time goes huh!  One of the things we have promised each of our three is that upon ontime graduation we will take them individually to New Zealand before they start college/work/other chosen thing.  So we started having a discussion about this and ended up youtubing a bunch of things..finally at close to ten we got out of the house!

I don't know why, but the boys were as excited as I was for the show!  They have all kinds of things that you never knew you needed.  Case in point - this clipboard.  I had no need for a clipboard, till now - isn't this wonderful?

and who would have thought about using old tape measures to make a pendant, but I j'dore!

and don't you love these tiny shoesies? 

I don't know what any of this crap is but it would be wicked in Castle Allen

I touched these about 70 million times thinking about having them, they seemed a good value only $27 for the carrier and 4 flagon bottles - but what would I use them for?  So I left them

DARN, I should have got them, just suddenly thought of what to use them for!!  Full of lemonade at a summer gathering, or full or hoochie punch at a party.  DARN IT

I think this is the best use of a bicycle Ive ever seen.  So cheery and you don't need to get sweaty

I really loved this little cup of joy, it was only $8 but sadly, this store only took cash, of which I had zero so I had to leave him behind

 I really loved this store - it had a whole lot of stuff that had absolutely no use at all, but I know some clever person will make something spectacular out of the bits and bobs.  Don't you love this calling card from Mrs Ernest Mortiz with the message on the back "may life's best joy be yours" ... that's beautiful!

 she had everything here from buttons to scrabble tiles and more!

the hubs and ss (get a haircut dude) and unknown man in the daffodils

I know this is just cray zeee but I REALLY wanted this mannequin head, sadly NFS

alot of the ladies dressed for the occasion including this woman.  Her outfit included gloved that she had trimmed with flowers and she pulled a little shopping cart that was all lined and trimmed also.  Some might say she was a little crazy, but I have to say she was like a ray of light (and I told her so)

and outside - the universe was in full glory.  This is a completely UNTOUCHED photo - check out the blue sky

I finally got around to finishing up a few pro jays about Castle Allen - one was the following.... this is a carriage clock ($4.99) with the clock taken out and its gold base painted Churchill Vanilla.  Its the perfect container for a treasure...like this dandelion captured in resin.  Its a paperweight and I balanced it on an etched vintage glass - and et voila - lovely kitchen spring time display, the first spring display I have this season..

I also finished fixing up the bird cage (the hubs has always wanted one).  This was $9.99 at Goodwill and was filthy dirty, obviously had lived its life outside and was covered in vines when we got it. SHAZAM - spring time display part deux

and guess where we went for lunch.  Eddie's Trackside for burgers.  I only ate half of mine but it was a sensational half and perfect bite of meat, bacon, cheese and pickles...and who can knock a tot?  In the forefront is El's bbq burger, or barf burger in my opinion...onions suck.  Who's with me on that?

Toes up

I sure how this birdie will recover soon, this is how I found him in the bathroom

Finally, she succumbed

My friendly Hay Hansen has never been a fan of my favorite candy - ALTOIDS

I know what you are thinking and you are right - WHO in the right mind would'nt enjoy a curiously strong peppermint treat?  I'll tell you who, HER.

It was somewhat of a running joke between her and I that I would offer her one (even though she's shunned them repeatedly in the past) and she responds "NO, thank you", and then we break down in fits of laughter.

Guess what happened today.  We were at work, I opened my Altoid tin and sadly saw only two left - course I had to ask Hailey if she wanted one, she declined and I THREW the candy in the air and she caught it and promptly popped it in her mouth.

As we speak, she has fresh minty breath and is a soon to be altoid addict like I.

It just goes to show - being persistent pays off.

Guess what we are doing Saturday?

if you would like to join us the show is 9am - 4pm on Saturday and here is a little $3 off coupon

More Friday

I have to share a picture of the delicious pie I made last night, its innards are Chicken and Mushroom and friends, good golly, this thing was scrumptious.  I was a bit sad to cut into it because it was so pretty - but it was a delicious delight.

I like how the milkglass looks in the background too.  I don't know whether you knew that I collected this - particularly wedding boxes that you can see there.  I love those things, they are so pretty.

I was expecting snowmageden when I awoke this morning but bittersweet - it was bright blue skies, puffy white clouds and sunshine instead.  Point one for joy.  Mr Big is still at home sick but needed the car for later in the day for pixie transportation so he drove me to work.  I made my blueberry waffles (only 190 cals for 2) and we headed out into the sunshine together.  I love riding into work with Mr Big - its just another chance to spend time with him.  Point two for joy.  And then something amazing happened  - feast your eyes on this as I queue the angels singing:

No friends, this is not a piece of stained glass, this is a blueberry eggo waffle with the sun streaming through.  Ain't it perty? Point 3 for joy.

But then...something odd happened 5 minutes from work.  The car stopped accelerating.  When we stopped to see what was up this is what we found

the pedal somehow completely dislodged from its normal hanging out place.  Subtract joy point.  10 minutes late for work (thanks for rescuing me Brumfield!).... I'm sure the day will improve from here.

Friday

I am ridiculously homesick right now. 

Homesick for my peoples and my land.  I've been here for almost 8 years and I gained so much in choosing to come to America.  The world's most incredible hubs (love you Mr Big), a lovely group of friends (mmmwha!), and another family in the Allen's (Gary's Kids Elliott, Geneva and Dorothy, his Mum Evelyn, and sibs Teresa, Mindy, Pat, Dan, their husbands and wives and all their kids ) but I lost so much, quite unexpectedly, in the loss of my NZ family.  My NZ family are front and foremost in my mind - every day.  I think about all of them all the time and have pictures of them all over the place, at the office at my desk, and at home.  They are never out of sight out of mind for me.

That's a picture of our kitchen, waffles cooking and up above a photo of my sister Shona, niece Laurie and BIL Les at there home in Whenuapai - its a great place for their photo so I see them every morning when the toast is cooking, and when I am in the kitchen during the day

I was really sad last night pondering this "loss" and the hole that opened up and remains my life as I was laying in bed.  I had to laugh a little when I realized the irony of the meditation that was playing in the background - entitled and themed "let it be".  Roger big guy in the sky - I will be letting it be. Sigh.

My nephew Mr Riley

He's so beautiful isnt he?  He's the best and so incredibly handsome

Sunshine restored

Ya know how I was talking about recovering my sunshine?  Guess what?  It arrived today in the form of one of the worlds most perfect beings.  No - not President Obama....No - not George Clooney....No - not Nelson Mandela.  IT WAS LIL O.

What a completely wonderful little man he is.  He popped his little head over my office and all was well from there forward - how could it not be?  Just look at his lil self (with Momma Carrie)

and yet again

Come visit again lil nug.

V-day fleurs

You would not believe the number of desks laden with flowers in my office today - specially in my row of ladies, it was like a virtual florist shop here at PEMCO - plus the other weird thing....customers wishing me a happy Valentine's Day.  That's never happened before. 

Anyhoo one of my work colleagues kindly pulled some flowers out of her vase so I would'nt feel left out and this is what you see about. 

I dig them in the coffee cup - its very urbane darling.

My Immortal Beloved

Oh, a love letter.  Mr Bigand I traded a few of these in the early days of our courtship.  Though this is not one of said letters, isnt this just a delicious letter:

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.


ever thine

ever mine

ever ours

V-Day

Before I start to talk about Valentines Day I think I should start by talking about something non-romantic.  Like eggs.  Devilled eggs to be more precise.  Over the weekend we were at Safeway grocery shopping.  One of my favorite areas of the store is the deli.  They have all manner of favorite foods of mine but quite unexpectedly guess what showed up there this weekend?.....DEVILLED EGGS.  Woah.  That's the bomb dot com.  I was feeling a bit low, a bit blue as one does and for some weird reason their sunny selves cheered me to no end - till I noticed this tray of eggs was a visual of how I was feeling - surrounded by beautiful eggsies filled with sunshine - and one lonely eggsie with a major part missing....its sunshine. 

Rest assured, I am on a sunshine mission.

And now - speaking of sunshine....the weekend.

The weekend was a delight and started with a trip to a vintage market in Seattle.

they host this in an old hanger at Magnuson park - I love the creativity of people, even the way they display everything in their little stores - so impressive

I thought this was really cool, an old outdoor umbrella with a mosquito net over it gave a totally vintage feel to this little store

There was even a little place where you could make Valentines cards

this was wonderful and I am definitely going to borrow this idea

I loved these vintage darts.  I would have purchased the whole lot - but $10 EACH?  I think this was wayyyy more than their actual worth

Mr Big chose to celebrate V-day one day early this year and did a wonderful job in making a lovely evening for us.

First up was getting ready time.  I ended up getting item after item out of the closet and there was a pop up Mt Kilimanjaro in the middle of our bedroom floor following this.  I finally chose nude heels, cropped pants and a top with a sprinkling of beading...the best I could hope for.  Here I am waiting for my sweetheart

I hate the hair right now - and because I took this photo with the light behind me I look like I have all my hair cut off, but it is there....somewhere....next was a drive down to Monas.  The dining room is just gorgeous here

they had candles everywhere which made for a lovely ambiance, but didn't make for a good accompaniment to my carefully chosen outfit when one of them came off the table and splashed up my black trou (adieu lovely black pants, I will miss you)

there was nothing left to do but have a beverage - Basil lemon drop held promise but wasn't basilly sadly

Mr Big is a tres handsome hubs at the best of times, but somehow his gorgeousness is elevated when he puts a freshly starched and ironed white shirt.  Hubba hubba

I love the ring he has on his right hand.  I got it for him last V-day, its silver with the inscribtion I am my beloved and my beloved is mine.  Isn't that lovely?  Its an old Hebrew saying.

After dinner and the candle incident we went to the triple door to a burlesque show

they all had wonderful names - Ruby Mimosa, Fanny on fire, Indigo Blue and I decided I too needed a burlesque stage name.  My alter ego is now Miss Suga Snap.  Love it.

What are you doing this Valentines?

Thursday

Hi friends, sorry its been so long - its been one of those weeks!  Actually - the whole first part of the year have been " one of those ".  Sigh.  I think my needs are pretty simple, so its so frustrating when even the most simple needs in your life are not met.  It leaves a little kiwi feeling quite...deflated.  So I've very much not been myself, and I miss me.

Luckily I've had the good sense to bombard myself with exterior positivity which is a nice quick "fix" and also I've found some great online inspiration.....www.bravegirlsclub.com - ladies, you should check this site out if you havent already seen it.  It's so inspirational and its like a spa for your attitude.  I'm really looking forward to attending their online "soul restoration" class in April. 

Also http://vintagewannabee.blogspot.com/ is just wonderful. 

So, back to me...is what I am looking for, whoever that is!  Maybe its time for the next grandest vision of myself to step forward, a new season of me.

Easily pleased

Mr Big has such a good memory for certain things. Case in point, $5 Friday the Friday before superbowl = $5 for a rack of pre cooked, pre sauced ready to heat and eat pork ribs. A good memory indeed. Here is Mr Big cradling his rib babies

Joy of Love, Day 2 - The Essence

Day Two

Essence

The brief today was to capture the essence of our loved one. 

This is my Gary, my husband, my best friend, my family...my love. He laughs and smiles easily and loves well. This picture is quiet and relaxed and its perfectly the essence of him.  Love you honey.