Sunday Smiles

 

 

This seemed appropriate today - considering the topic of Hermione's Sunday Brunch ....... pop over and add your 'identity' to the list ............. let's make a wondrous alphabet soup !!

Changes

 

 

So ....... I have been feeling so bloody old.  I look in the mirror and I look old... tired and old.  It was getting me down ya know???  (and deep down inside I worry about how Sir Steve sees me....... I know I shouldn't but I can't help it.... )

Then this week I was looking at some 'memories' on Facebook.  and I realized my hair has changed....... well not my hair but my hair style.  Almost a year ago my hairdresser went on maternity leave..... and the new hairdresser didn't cut it the same and by the time MY hairdresser came back she had to work to improve the style.  I knew it would take time.... but somewhere during the waiting period the whole hair style changed and I realized I HATED it!!

Yesterday I had an appointment with my hairdresser..... I brought along some photos of my old hair style....... and we 'talked'.  She admitted to completely forgetting what style she used to give me...... I reminded her I liked a funky / cheeky hair style......

It took awhile  but she did it!! It sorta looks like this........... 

 

Only I am virtually completely white.

 

I came out of there feeling perky and cheeky and a little bit happier....  

Surprise!

 

Yesterday - just after lunch - there was a knock at the front door.  As I made my way to the door - I was running through my head what deliveries were due...... none!

I opened the door to a gentleman standing there holding a bouquet of flowers.......... I was stunned .... who ? what? why?

The card said "Just because I love you".............. and of course I knew the who.....Sir Steve had picked out an amazing spring arrangement and sent it to me........... 

 

I feel very spoiled.
 

Casulty of Covid?

 

 

We start our day watching our local news on the TV..... Once Sir Steve leaves for work and the lil one for school - I get on with my day but I don't turn the TV off.... it's background noise ya know??? and sort of comforting....... 

Yesterday about mid morning.... a talk show was on and the topic was how covid has affected 'date nights'.  That's all I heard...... but it got me thinking..... We haven't had a date night in over 2 years.  OH we had ordered in dinners and tried to pretend it was a date night...... but it just wasn't the same ya know?  

Date nights always involved showers  and dressing up complete with make up and perfume ....... ordered in dinners were eaten in front of the TV and some movie...... we didn't sit alone at a table and make conversation like you do when you're at a restaurant on a date........

I realized I am missing date night...... and it has affected our relationship a little bit.  I don't feel that sexy bond to Sir Steve ...... sometimes I look at us in my mind's eye and see an old married couple - and it worries me we're losing that 'spark' ... that thrill. and maybe the passion?

I made a decision a few weeks back to take a pride in myself again..... to do my hair more frequently - to put on make up every day (BUT make up isn't a whole lot for me - it involves eye liner and mascara and a touch of lipstick.  Lipstick!  who wore lipstick when you wear masks every time you go
out?? )  To start wearing my 'nice' clothes ... to make more of an effort ya know?  Sir Steve may not notice (though I suspect he does) but it does something to my mental outlook .......... makes me feel more feminine .. makes me tease more... laugh more... it actually lifts my spirits.

So tell me - how has covid affected your relationship and date nights??? Are you ready to find a way back ?? What steps (if any) have you taken to find your way back??? 

 

 

Too Much......

 

 I don't know how many of you remember back 2 years ago - pre-covid days - when the lil one tried out for the competitive dance team at her dance school..... and got a spot on the team!  We were prepared for the cost (sort of) and the demands on all of us.... 

Of course the competition got cancelled in 2020......... The lil one hasn't been in dance class since then.... only started back this fall.  

We got notification of this year's competitive dance - it is in April and in Niagara Falls!!??? that's a 6 hour drive from home.  And to make it worse - it runs from the Thursday to the Sunday which means  - are you ready for this? 3 days out of school and 4 nights in a hotel for all of us.    Sir Steve and I were in shock..... we are looking at a bill of close to $1,000 just for the hotel! never mind food and costumes and finding somewhere for the dog............. RIDICULOUS!!

So Sir Steve and I made a tough decision - our lil one will not be dancing in the competition.  Sir Steve contacted the school and explained the distance was just not do-able.  (usually the competitions are about 2 hours from home) The school says they understood our withdrawal and tried to explain their choice by saying they haven't danced in 2 years.  Yes ....... so????  And then they said they think there may be another dance competition in June 2 hours from us.  So why?? are they insisting on the Niagara competition??!!  I'm thinking it is a whole lot more about the school's name/status than anything to do with the girls dancing.... especially 9 year olds who just do it for fun/exercise.

Tonight Sir Steve will talk about it with the lil one and explain why she's not going..... another lesson on the realities of life.........

Challenges

 

The weather was  mild last week - well above 0 degrees  - and the snow started melting.... and .................... the gardens started to peak out.  

My initial reaction was ' GARDENS!  YAY!!' ........ then the snow melted some more... and I got more than a bird's eye view of them......... and I felt (feel) sick.   We were told we have raspberry and blueberry bushes.. and a pear tree. (who knows where) BUT there's also a whole lot of nicely laid out gardens - or they were nicely laid out way back when.  What we have now is overgrown choked flower beds of questionable plants.  I have identified a rhododendron bush in the backyard......... 

 

but as for the rest of it??? There might be a wild rose bush and maybe a 'real' rose bush.  

The grass hasn't been taken care of - and the driveway has been abused - cars and snow clearing has torn up what grass was between the actual driveway and the end of our property.  

There are 2 major lakes in the yard....... 

and there are dead leaves.... tree branches.... dead flower stalks and garbage strewn over the entire yard - back and front.

My OCD is kicking in big time........ I want it all cleaned up and fixed yesterday!  AND because I am ME - I am worried how we're gonna work on the gardens/grass all summer while we are at the campsite for the summer........ 

AND then I can't help but think here at the house we have everything we have in the country....... everything we didn't have at the old place - yards and gardens and peace and quiet - parks and splash pads for the lil one and KIDS!  AND we now have a barbecue !!  which we couldn't have at the old place.  We even had our first barbecue of the season on the weekend........ 

I can't help but think how much it costs to maintain two properties - almost 5,000$ a summer for the country place!!!   OHHHHHHHH the things we could do with that $5,000!  BUT then we'd miss seeing eldest daughter and SIL every weekend....... But then I think about the stress of packing everything up and moving it to the country - and the stress of getting the groceries and laundry and messages run one day a week... 

Right now I'm gonna try and focus on one thing - the gardens/yards.  

We have some challenges to face this spring and summer - and some tough decisions to talk over ..........

 

Sunday Giggles

 Thought I'd try some 'thinking' humour this morning......... 

Saturday Smile.......