Laundry Closet Make-Over

Since I have not been able to sell my townhouse, I have decided that I will have my laundry closet re-modeled.

I really think that there ought to be more women in the home construction business! Maybe there are...but it appears that their opinions are not sought more! Tell me why, in a 1540 square foot townhome, you would put the laundry closet in the dining area of the kitchen??? Right there, in the only place you could possibly put your dinette table, are the bi-fold doors to the closet that houses your washer and dryer. And did they design the doors or space to be pleasing to look at? NO!!!!! I am sure that this is a design most women would not approve of!!!

So, three years ago, shortly after I moved into my townhouse, I was perusing the latest Southern Home magazine and came across this one page article on how someone hired a builder to re-design their laundry closet WHICH WAS ALSO IN THEIR DINING AREA!!! What an ingenius idea! You would never know that a washer and dryer were in it!!!

So, toward the end of this week, my kitchen will be torn apart and re-construction will commence. Stay tuned for the "After" picture!!

September in NC

Rain....much needed rain...but as of Saturday, late morning, the rain stopped. We had rain for 2 1/2 days straight! The sun peeked out Saturday afternoon enough to tease us, but then mostly clouds.

Today, Sunday, there is not ONE cloud in the sky!!

As I sat on my patio--my little piece of solitude (I love my patio!)--drinking my coffee, I noticed that my passion vine had several flowers on it, but had not quite opened yet. I read the newspaper, finished my coffee, and looked up....the flower had opened!! I just had to take a picture of it!

I got a good pic also of the hollyhock flower that had opened. They just loved the rain!!!

Maestro, determined not to take a backseat to the flower picture taking, stuck his face in front of the camera as well!!

Have a wonderful day!!

Comfort Zone Sabatoge

You know, sometimes you've just got to muster up the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Why, without taking that leap, you will never leave your lily pad!!!

There are times when I can be very shy, reserved, and just plain boring. And, I've read various cute email stories about "older" women who have reached that point in their lives where it just doesn't matter about certain things...things that the youth of today fret and anguish over...which, happen to be the same things we "older" women did when we were their age!!! But today I stepped out of my "comfort zone" and it turned out to be a good thing... yes!

Over that last few years, I've learned to "say what you need to say" instead of keeping things inside....and that is alright! I've learned to go ahead and ask certain questions, even if the answer may be no. I've learned that sometimes I have to make the first move if anything is going to happen...and that is okay! I've learned to be comfortable in my own skin...even if the skin is bigger than it should be (I am still the same person inside). There are many other things I've learned in my older age, but don't need to go into detail in this blog!

My thought today is, at some point in your life, you need to reach beyond what is comfortable...no matter what the outcome may be. You will never know if it will be a positive or negative experience, or a yes or a no!

I like the words to John Mayer's song "Say What You Need to Say"....some are excerpted below:

"Walkin' like a one man army

Fightin' with the shadows in your head

Livin' up the same old moment

Knowing' you'd be better off instead

If you could only

Say what you need to say ...

Have no fear for givin' in

Have no fear for givin' over

You better know that in the end

It's better to say too much

Than to never say what you need to say again

Say what you need to say...

Even if your hands are shakin'

And your faith is broken

Even as the eyes are closin'

Do it with a heart wide open

A wide heart

Say what you need to say...

(Copyright by Specific Harm Music)

Friends

Ever have one of those friends who, without even realizing it, can do or say something that will change your mood for the better??

I am blessed to have several friends who do that...and it always amazes me how they can come up with such clever, witty remarks -- which seem to happen off the cuff -- like they don't even have to think about what they say...it just comes out and is so funny!!

I was sitting here listening to the sappy love songs playing on radio 102.9, checking my emails, and I get an email message from a good friend, who also happened to be my neighbor before she decided to move to Virginia last year. She is one of those who come out with things that make me laugh right out loud. My friend, Mary, can do the same thing. Boy, are they quick-witted!!! And then there's my friend, PJ, from CT who can call me on the phone out of the blue and get me laughing with her so much I almost wet my pants!!

And I so appreciate that with friends like that, you are never in a "down" mood for very long!!

Laughter truly is medicine for the soul!!!

Senior Moment

Some days I feel that I have totally lost my mind...or that I am blind!! Maybe both :-(

I had arranged to have a "handyman" come to house tonight to give me a quote on converting my laundry closet into a built-in hutch that hides the washer and dryer. I tidied up the laundry closet, rearranging the paint cans and paint brushes so the closet would not look so messy.

When the handyman arrived, I showed him the laundry closet, explained what my plan was for the closet and let him take all the measurements he needed. In the meantime, I was looking through his photo album of work that he had done in other homes. After finishing looking at the book, I looked up to speak to the handyman and noticed...right there on the top of the dryer...in view of all eyes to see...was my black bra!!! Just as I saw it (and felt my face turn crimson), he said that the closet was quite tidy, compared to other homes he had been in, including the nicely folded lingerie!!!! Talk about embarrassment!!! Why didn't I see that thing when I was cleaning up the closet????? We both had a good laugh about it!! But, needless to say, I was still VERY embarrassed!!!!

Fall is in the Air in NC

So, every morning (well, Monday through Friday, anyway...I actually sleep in a little on the weekends) around 6:15 a.m. I take Maestro out for his walk. Maestro is my newly adopted Shar-Pei/Welch Corgi mix 4-year old. As I headed out the door this morning, I immediately turned around, went back in the house, and grabbed a sweater! It has been SO long since I've had to put a sweater on...at least not since May!!

The coolness felt so good in one regard, but my body certainly was NOT prepared for it...and, I must admit, neither was my mind!! The leaves on the trees have lost their shiny luster. In it's place is the dull, almost lifeless leaf, grasping for the last of the chlorophyll before they succumb to the death that lies ahead. Okay...enough of this gloomy talk!!!! Actually, I love the beautiful colors of Fall...the vibrant yellows, reds and oranges! But I must admit, I do not look forward to the Winter that comes after Fall.

Get out, take a walk and enjoy the beauty of God's handiwork on the trees this Fall!!

Okay, so size DOES matter in this case

Okay, so I told you about my shopping trip to Kohl's on Sunday. Upon entering the store, right in front of me was this display of the most adorable camisoles....on a Junior display. Hey, I thought, they have XL...I'm in luck!!! And they are on sale for $4.99....what a deal!!! I bought several in different colors! Great!!

So, today I decided to wear one under my blouse. There is a reason why there is a Junior department and a Misses department.... The bust on a "Junior" is a lot smaller than the bust on an overweight grandma!!!! Whether or not it is XL or not!!! I had to laugh at myself as I tried to get my grandma bust into a junior shelf bra built inside the camisole. Oh well, it was going to be under my blouse and no one but me was going to know that the shelf bra only covered half my bust!! I guess in this case, size DOES matter. Guess next time I'll stick to the Misses department!!

Does Size Really Matter?

Well, it was a day for sorting through the summer clothes to put away and checking to see what fall and winter clothes still fit!! After trying on numerous slacks, blue jeans, and capris, I've decided that I am between a size 8 and 16! Go figure...and speaking about figures, why is it that a 14 will fit over your butt, but won't zip up the front any longer? I KNOW that I am NOT pregnant!!

I made a trip to Kohl's to purchase some work slacks and decided that someone should start a petition to all the fashion designers of the world to standardize women's sizes. Why would I fit into a 12 Sag Harbor (why sag???) and a 16 Vera Wang??? But the strange thing is that my body did not change from the time I tried on the size 12 to when I tried on the size 16! I'd much rather discuss with my friends that I am a size 12 instead of a size 16.

So, I've decided that as long as I find a style that I like and that fits me, SIZE DOES NOT REALLY MATTER!!