cff September 2017 | Simple and Serene Living

Monday, September 25, 2017

GOOD GRIEF, AM I GETTING OLD?

I can't believe I used the O word. It almost feels like I am swearing on my blog. 

(Some days I still feel like that sassy little girl)
There are many reasons to believe that I am getting old, but when I read a comment from some twenty something year old on Facebook last week that anyone on Facebook who is over 40 is irrelevant I thought....

WHAT????

That means I have been irrelevant for over twenty years and didn't know it. HMMMM!!!

(other days before I look in the mirror I think I might still be that teenager)
I take exception to that. I bet when you are asking your parents or grandparents for money you don't think they are irrelevant. 

I may have more aches and pains these days, and one or two more wrinkles, but I have news for you Mr. or Ms. Millennial, I have a vast store of knowledge and experience that you won't have for a very long time. 

(if I was still one of those other two ages I wouldn't have this crazy girl)
So show a little respect. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have your own ideas. I welcome your ideas. I love hearing what you have to say. I also welcome debate, and promise that I will never disrespect you by saying you are irrelevant.

Am I getting old? I'm definitely getting older, but then we all are.


Tuesday, September 19, 2017

AS TIME GOES BY

Where does the time go? Just when I vow to start posting twice a week I suddenly realize that the week went by without a second posting. 



I seem to be so busy anymore. So busy that I have had to cut my Rook playing down from two nights a week to one. 

By the time nighttime rolls around, if I don't have something scheduled, which I seem to have many nights, then I just want to get into my pj's and curl up in my cozy apartment. 

I love being able to close my door and shut out the rest of the world. 



I recently signed up for Britbox. I already subscribe to Acorn TV so between the two of them I have nonstop British TV. I don't have cable anymore so I watch everything over the internet. I also have Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Directv Now. When I want Netflix I just cancel one of the other services for a month or two. Rotating them around really saves me money.

On another topic, I made a discovery recently. Who knew we had a casino right here in my city.

I knew that the Red Mile race course had opened a venue to bet on horse races a couple of years ago, but what I didn't know is that it is actually slot machines. At the bottom of each slot machine there is a little race showing. 



Interesting. My friend and I decided to go on Saturday. We each were given ten dollars to gamble with and I took along a few of my own dollars. 

When we walked in I felt like I was in Las Vegas. We had a ball. I lost eleven dollars, but I had allotted myself twenty dollars so I didn't feel bad about it. My friend won forty two dollars so she was thrilled. 

With all of the daily bad news it is nice to have some distractions. 



Speaking of distractions. My new throw arrived and I love it. The colors are perfect. I've tossed it over this chair for now, but it will be nice and handy when the cool weather comes back. 

My yearly eye checkup is this afternoon. Doesn't seem like it has been a year, but time does go by.




Monday, September 11, 2017

FALL IS IN THE AIR

Fall is definitely in the air here. Cooler temperatures and cloudy skies are urging me to start nesting, but they are also beckoning me out into the countryside. 



I'm trying to do a bit of both. 

The last few days I have been looking for a throw for my living room. Something that will pull together the colors of the room, and that will also keep me warm when the days and nights get colder. 

This morning I finally found something on target.com that I think will work. I've ordered it and it should be here on Friday. 


I love the free shipping both ways if I decide I don't like it. I'm always a little afraid to order something like this online because I never know if the colors are how they appear on the computer. 

Can't wait for it to arrive because I have been feeling a bit chilly the last few nights while sitting in my chair. 



I do think it will pull together the red, gold, and blue in my settee. I'll let you know after it gets here. 

I hope that everyone who has been in the path of the latest hurricane is safe. We have rain from Irma moving in overnight and rain is forecast here for the next three days. 

Looks like it will be perfect for some more nesting, and I may even pull out some fall decor. 

Have you started planning for the cooler weather?

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

GO AWAY STRESS

Wouldn't it be nice if we could tell all of the stress in our lives to just go away?

Unfortunately it isn't that easy, and these days stress seems like a vise that is continually squeezing the life out of us. 


The hate that has reared it's ugly head in our country. The fear that millions of people have of losing their health insurance or of being deported . The threat of nuclear war with North Korea. Misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia.....it can be overwhelming.

Stress can affect every aspect of our lives. It affects our physical and mental well being. It affects our jobs and our relationships. 


Over the last few months I have been suffering with red itchy blotches on my face. Although I have had this problem intermittently for a long time, it always went away. This time it didn't. 

I decided I couldn't stand it any longer so I went to the dermatologist. Turns out I have two types of dermatitis on my face.


When she said it could be caused by stress I just went hmmmmm!!

After I got home I sat down and thought about all of the stressful things in my life. There was quite a long list and so I decided to start making some small changes. 


I know I can't do anything about a lot of the stressors out there, but I do know I can manage the small things and learn to change how I react to the large things. 

For now, when I start to feel stressed I just loudly say 

GO AWAY STRESS.


Friday, September 1, 2017

SEPTEMBER MORN

September blew in this morning on the remnants of Harvey. It reminded me of why I love the month of September, and why I would love for September to stay awhile.


September sneaks in with subtle changes.  The leaves begin to display their pretty colors.


The light in the sky mellows as it peaks between the trees.

 
Summer flowers are replaced with the wildflowers of Autumn in shades of purple


and yellow.

 
And cooler days bring paths that beckon to me for morning walks. 

Rainy windy days bring out my nesting instincts. I begin to feel the tug towards getting my home ready for the cold days that I know will come.

So I say...

Stay for just a while
Stay and let me look at you
It's been so long, I hardly knew you
Standing in the door
Stay with me a while
I only wanna talk to you
We've traveled halfway 'round the world
To find ourselves again
September morn
                                Neil Diamond