Don't y'all look pretty! Glad you had a wonderful time - it sounds like so much fun.

Happy MONDAY; wishing you all a good week.

This weekend was so full of fun and relaxation. The Sagamore is a beautiful hotel with stunning views of the lake..took my breath away. I truly hope you will all consider attending this event next week. Suzanne, Raeanne, and I remarked more than once that it would be a great way for all of us here to really bond (and share a literal hug for a change).

Raeanne...what can I say? You are amazing! Caring, organized, generous, fun-loving...thank you so much for taking time for us while you had so much to do. Well done!

Back at the office and reality!
[[[[HUGS to everyone who needs them]]]]]
Dee

Happy Monday, everyone!

It's sunnny and only in the mid-60's here today. Gorgeous!

Then I open this thread and see 3 beautiful faces, and my day is complete! I really would like to attend next year's gathering, so I'm going to save my pennies. Glad y'all had a good time together and separately.

I woke up in the best mood today, and I feel like I can take on the whole world right now. Guess I'd better get going on this day then, huh?

Jan, I'm glad to see you posting. Keep it up. Your friends need you right now, too!

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to your week!

They made me hold the wine, I swear!

Dee/Suzanne - I am truly honored and blessed that you joined me this weekend. It was great meeting your friends too - I loved them. Hope we don't have to wait a year to get together again! I have a pile of paperwork to handle and then I will be done for a couple months. Except that I may be planning a fall Adventure Weekend for Women??? It would be for next year if I go through with it. Girls if you ever get the opportunity to meet Suzanne or Dee - just DO IT!

Jan - It was nice to see your post. I think of you all the time and send healing thoughts to you.

Carolyn - that would be a real hoot to have you join us. I love those days when you aren't letting anything get in your way. Keep up the good work.

Sweet Dreams.

I LOVE the photo! Talk about real beauties - that's not wine, it's actually prune juice, right? I'll be there in spirit for the next one, okay?

All my outdoor exercise activities have grinded to a halt with this horrid weather. Can't flip garden dirt that's mud. I'm getting outside today to try and plant a few baby twig trees we got from our local area environment committee. They have an annual sale of trees they propagate from other trees. My indoor seed starts are now getting to large for indoors but it's waaaay tooo cold and windy to even try and harden them off outside for planting. I'm not alone though. I was starting to build on a new rock garden. Maybe between rain spells I can carry a few more rocks to the area and just dump them to place later. Kinda like making a quilt - a little at a time and you get there eventually. No matter what I have to get outside today before I go really squirrelly. On a mental health note - also going to bring out my just packed SAD light again. We're in for 14 days of this straight. May has proven to be a wash out. Darn.

Other planned exercise activities this week are loading up the truck to do a dump run from building debris last fall/winter. There's enough that we're both sick of looking at. Not good for morale. Will be good to get out and accomplish something.

On an exciting note I got new floor brooms to clean the house - I know, I know. What's so exciting about that? Lots for me. I can now spray and wash my floors. I use a lot of vinegar/water around here. Did you know if you have cats/animals the swiffer floor spray can make them very sick? They walk on that stuff and lick it off their paws. At least doing the floors is indoor exercise.

Yup, these dark days are wreaking havoc on my motivation. This weeks challenge for me is to address this. It also affects my eating habits. So that is also getting addressed.

What do you do when it's like this?

Okay, so I have my challenges to tackle.

My weigh popped up a couple of pounds from weekend visiting and eating too much but it will settle down again.

Let's make this a great week! I love those smiling faces - I'm smiling right back - LOL!

Cheers,
Peggy

Good Tuesday,

Rain, rain, rain....go away.

After my Feng Shui workshop at the Girlfriends Getaway I have been cleaning out closets and my laundry room. I just read this on Feng Shui Consultant, Brenda Cary Jenks website:

Rainy days and Mondays can get you down. To combat that lethargic feeling, make a list of small tasks that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. Do as many as you can and reward yourself afterward. Tiny tasks add up and help us to feel better about ourselves and will enjoy the nice weather to come even more because we have taken care of little jobs now.

Sounds like good advice!

Here is a link that might be useful: Feng Shui with Brenda Cary Jenks

Great job, Suzanne. When you run out of closets, you have an open invitation to visit me down in 'Jersey to continue your good work! lol

Speaking of good work, Suzanne was kind enough to present me with a deck of cards "52 Relaxing Rituals" while at our Girlfriend Getaway. Most of you know how I struggle with my inability to relax at times. Today I selected the following card:

"Have a Nice Day -- Before you get of bed, gently walk through your day in your mind. What would make it perfect? What would you like to do? How can you remain relaxed and calm during the day? Can you plan a moment out to recoup, regroup, and relax in the middle of your day? Sometimes you can create your own destiny just by imagining how you would like it to be. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Actually I was dreading today at the office. There is an annual event that I am in charge of here, and it always stresses me.....despite the fact that I begin planning it in January! Today I made sure to get here super early to take my time with the little last-minute details that will help move the event along more successfully.

Watch this space....!!!!

Thanks again, Suzanne. :)

Happy Hump Day!

The 15 minute strategy is a great coping skill. I use it a lot but mine is more along the lines of just get off your arse Peggy and do one small thing on your hit list. It will lighten your load and be gone.

Using that strategy yesterday worked for me too. I was in a grouchy, feeling sorry for myself mood - so I decided to do one thing which led to another and another. Started by relocating our recycle box out of the kitchen to the utility room (we're on one level). Packed away items in the pantry better. Then I spied another tote container that needed unpacking - well didn't it have my summer clothes in there? And surprise surprise - better fitting jeans I bought a couple of summers ago when I was still heavier but wanted to be at goal weight. I discovered 4 pair of jeans that now fit and a pair of jean shorts that now fit. I was going to buy jeans and now I don't have too. Talk about perking myself up. And I accomplished a few things. Our friend popped round about then with a load of red currant plants for me to plant. Yay. It was really crappy weather outside - cold, windy and starting to rain hard so we talked him into staying for a couple of movies and dinner with us. That was a pleasant surprise. So the day just kept improving.

It all started with deciding to do one thing or like the 15 minute rule. Just to get moving - even if it takes a cattle prod to get me going - once I get started I normally feel better afterwards.

Last night I felt beyond tired so I had a sedative - work up at 11am!!!! DH just let me sleep. Must have needed it. My problem is getting to sleep or staying asleep. I think I've caught up again. It's noon now, finished my coffee. I'm hoping it rains a wee bit so I can get those plants in the ground (drives off the black flies). Either way I have to get outside and accomplish some more planting - still have rooted tree branches for balsam fir, butternut and hickory to plant along with my berry plants. We have another week of blackfly season to go then they start to disappear.

It was spaghetti last night - today I'm eating a little lighter to compensate. It's all about balance. Maintenance. To get the weight down I've learned through WW if I know I'm going out for a big meal I can start the day before cutting back and then the following days eating lighter foods to make up for a big meal. It has worked great for me over the years.

How are you doing today? What are your challenges?

NH Suzanne I've never done Feng Shui. Keeping a positive flow in your home does help you mentally. My positive flow will happen as we settle into this new home - get the kitchen cupboards built, remove that clutter...get the storage cupboards with bookshelves on top built, remove that clutter - all in good time then my Feng Shui will just happen here.

DeeMarie I love those cards you got. Do share the positive ideas.

Have a terrific afternoon/evening everyone. ...

LOVE THE PICTURE!!!!!! You guys look great! SHURRRRRRRRRR, they made you hold the wine, Raeanne!
HAR HAR.

I would have loved to have been there. If we sell the house, next year for me! :-)

I was very busy until a couple of days ago with my 6 week old baby. She went to a foster home closer to her parents' place. So now, I am catching up on work because I had her in the office all last week and got very little done.

I am looking forward to this week, as a guy is coming to help move huge rocks into more a natural landscaping look.

I ahve to clean out my garage too...hope to have the house on sale by June 15th.

Change is good!

BJ, I had the glass of wine originally because we wanted to show you all that we were relaxing and bonding in a pub-style restaurant. However, Raeanne grabbed it out of my hand, and downed half of the wine in one gulp just before the bartender took our photo. I swear that is what happened!!!! lol

Here is my Relaxation Ritual card for today:

"Tender Bits -- Give some of those oft-neglected body parts a little lovin'. Micro-massage your ears, face, scalp, feet, and hands as you sit in traffic or at your desk in the middle of the afternoon. It's a simple and portable way to reduce tension any place or any time you need it. And you can swap mini-massages with your friends"

Not sure about the swapping or massage-you-feet bit in traffic, but I tried the hands and ears after lunch this afternoon. Very relaxing.

My event went off better than expected yesterday ... relaxing helped (doesn't it always?) Why can't I remember to practice relaxing all the time?

Hoping you all have a fabulous evening.

I enjoyed the picture of the Getaway Girls.
Raeanne, I still have a photo of you leaning against a tree on a beach, from years ago. I had wanted to do a painting of it, but never got to it.

Re the class on unlocking creative potential, I think I could use a class on surviving mine (creative potential). Hmm, maybe another idea for a book, or at least a book title. I have lots of those, lol.
Feng Shui is something I'd like to follow up on. I've read about it, but never got around to actually trying to set it up in my living spaces.

Has anyone checked out GoogleArtProject.com? I just found out about it today - putting museums online. I learned about it on a TED talk. I watch them on Hulu since I don't have a TV at the moment. Some of them are fascinating, as well as entertaining and optimistic.

Deemarie - I like the idea of walking through the day mentally before you get up. For awhile I did that in the morning and again at night. I agree that it makes a difference, and it's calming, too, and healing. And congrats on your event! :)

Jan - nice to see your post. I think of you and hope you are doing OK.

I like the strategy of 15-minute things. One thing I do to help me with clearing is to make sure I have at least one empty surface in each room - not as a place to put things, but just to value the clear space.

Peggy - good sleep is so restorative. I felt lifted just reading about your sleep-in.

BJ, I'd like to hear about your experience with the baby. Maybe you could share something about it. Did you take pictures? Will the new caretakers keep you updated on her progress? And yes, change is good. I read something online the other day that was something like (if I can remember...) If we don't change, we don't grow, and if we are not growing, we are not living.

On the sadder side, my sweet Heather kitty passed away last Friday. She has been my dear companion for 13 years, so you can imagine I'm going through some difficult days. Especially difficult was my decision to take her to the vet to help her along, as her suffering from mouth cancer was beginning to ruin her days and make her desperate to get away. As we always do, I ask myself what I might have done differently, even though I know better than to go there.
I'll post some pics of her when I can. Re change, when I feel a loss of someone (animal or person), I do my best to take the love they gave me and use it to be a better person in their name. I think of her as one of my angels in this life. I've started to think of as angels, all the people and animals and situations in my life that have helped me change and grow (sometimes with me kicking and screaming). I have heard that the death of a body does not end a relationship, but changes it, and I believe that. I tell myself that she can roam free now and not be afraid.

Take care and eat healthy
(((HUGS))) and love :)
Amy

Amy, I am sorry to hear about Heather. She is your angel and those who live in our hearts can never die. I wish you healing thoughts and the reassurance that you did the right thing for Heather. She will always be with you if you let her.

xxx...ooo

Beautiful ladies!!

Next year I am so definitely going to be there with my sister or one of my dearest friends - hopefully both!

Love and hugs to all.

Got to run.........thundering which will be followed by lightning.

Amy,

I am so sorry abut Heather. I lost my Lacey at almost 16 years old just about 2 years ago. ((Hugs)) and prayers for you.