Pampering Myself

For the past few days I have been thinking about some things I want to do. These are things that will require nothing except an investment of my time. Some of my time will be spent on practicing floral arrangements and painting. First though, I need to dismantle Christmas at home and rearrange my possessions to make room for the new ones.

I'm older, don't move as fast as I used to and if I continue to spend so much time on the internet I won't get done all the things I want to get done.

At the hairdressers this past Friday, she asked me what kind of things do I do for myself. She believes that my new hair color should be considered something I'm treating myself to and I need to think about having it done again, when the time comes. One thing I know is that it's made my hair far more manageable than it ever has been and I like that. She also mentioned it makes me look younger, but that doesn't matter to me. I apparently don't have much of the Vanity genetics. However, pampering myself isn't necessarily vain. I just have no idea what I do feel is pampering myself.

I dislike being touched by strangers so I doubt massages or mani-pedis will be a thing with me. Maybe a Reiki session since that's a vibrational thing. I'd like to learn more about aromatherapy so I need to find out where I can seek assistance locally for that. I'd like to find a Tai Chi class for beginners sometime after it warms up. This cold spell is making a hibernating bear out of me. This cold is also drying my skin out so I'll be spending time with the moisturizers trying to cure the alligator that appears to have grafted itself onto my skin.

Something happened this Christmas that allowed me to connect in a joyful way with the spirit of the season. Yes, life is harsh and people are inhumane. I'm no Pollyanna when it comes to the real world, it's just that in the middle of chaos I connected with something positive and I liked it. Now that I know it's there, I feel the need to take time off the internet and nurture it.

I'm just going to keep trying new ideas until I see what works best for me.

Sometimes The Best Gifts Are The Ones You Didn't Know You Wanted

This is the newest addition to our menagerie. Her name is Miss Kitty and she lived here before we did. She actually lived here with my niece and her boyfriend in the home that we tore down and replaced.

The 4 neighbors to the right of me are her aunts and uncles on the maternal side of the family, we represent the paternal side. We knew nothing about this cat when she showed up at our door wanting to come in. They did and they weren't kind enough to tell us.

They knew she was abandoned, one of them caught her and took her to my niece's home where they felt she belonged. How she got back here is pure speculation but she arrived the first week we lived here. We thought she was a barn cat from across the street and so we ignored her. I feel guilty for that because she spent the first winter we lived here outside in the snow and cold without someone to love her..

From Thanksgiving 2016 to March 2017 we have no idea where she was, but we didn't see her. By the time we did see her again, my sister-in-law had called me to tell me about the cat and give me her name.

With the fact that we have 2 cats to start out with, we made the effort to find her a home. When we couldn't find anyone to take her we brought her into the house, had a visit with the vet to bring her and the others up to date on their shots. She's healthy and hasn't tried to leave the house since she came in. Even with the stress of being not very welcomed by the 2 neutered males that live here, she doesn't run out the door even when there is an opportunity to do so.

Our niece claimed the cat won't stay in the house. Our closest neighbor mentioned to my husband that it's too bad such a sweet cat won't stay in the house. All I know is that she came inside in October and despite the fact that our other cats eat her food, use her litter box, torment and bully her every chance they get, she shows no sign of leaving.

She shares my craft room and stays out of whatever I'm doing unless she wants attention. She's content to play with her toys, look out the window and snooze in my chair. When out in the house she likes the couch and the attentions of my husband. She seems happy to be here and although I never really wanted a multiple cat home, I'm happy to have her. She's a little sweetheart and she's ours.

I'll Get Right On That, Tomorrow

I have a habit of walking through my home a few times in the morning to limber up my joints. After doing that and grabbing a cup of coffee I sat down here and looked around. I realized that I just spent 5 or 10 minutes walking past things that need to be picked up and disposed of in the recycling container. For a minute here I thought that combining the two activities would be a great timesaver except, I'm retired and saving time isn't my priority. If I did both together I'd have more time to sit, which isn't as healthy for anyone as moving is.

While thinking about the upcoming Christmas Eve gathering with my family, I remembered a remark my Uncle made last year. He said I was stronger than my Mom was at the same age. There's no magic involved in that. I simply move more than she did.

Somehow she had the idea that because she was of a certain age, she didn't have the strength to accomplish the things she hated doing. She was lazy to start out with and aging gave her an excuse. Older equaled weaker. She'd whine about not being able to do things until she found the receptive ear attached to someone who would do it for her. When faced with something I don't really want to do, I look around and somehow there isn't anyone here to do it except me. I'd whine about life not being fair, however, I suspect that's why I'm healthier than she was. Without someone to con into doing it for me, I get to do it myself.

When it comes to lazy, I have my days. I just spend a day or two getting a grip on myself and then I get up and git er done. I do need to be doing more of the git er done and less of the lazy, which gives me a goal to work on in the new year.

Today I need to go grocery shopping, wrap the rest of the gifts and I probably should do some housekeeping since the maid appears to have quit. Maybe I'll do the housekeeping tomorrow since the other tasks I have planned involve enough movement for the day.

Christmas At My House

I created the wreath, garland and the floral arrangements on the divider shelf. I even made the bows.  My friend of 20 plus years who always took care of whatever florals I wanted, sold her home and moved to the Asheville N. Carolina area. She has a sister and her family living there. She gave me some pieces to work on, some ribbons and flowers, but I used Dollar Tree items because I wanted to save the quality items she gave me until I learn what I'm doing and can make florals for gifts. 

It may very well have been the loss of my friend to another state or a need to shake myself out of a rut, but on December 1, I had my hair dyed plum.

At first it was something I planned for Christmas and once it had faded away or whatever it does, I wasn't going to do it again. Well, as soon as I saw it I loved it and I'm going to keep it for awhile. The desire to do it came out of nowhere. I was looking at a Facebook post that showed different colors of purple that one could have their hair dyed. I saw the Plum and there it is. 

My hair is resistant to perms so we aren't sure how long this will last. With that in mind I'm trying not to wash it more than once a week. The first wash nearly caused me a heart attack when the suds that rinsed off were plum colored. I thought it was all gone, but it wasn't. I'm just not willing to take any chances since I want it as vibrant a plum color for Christmas as I can have it. 

When I get tired of this color, who knows? I just might try Teal. Then again, I might just let it return to it's normal salt and pepper state and let the memory of plum dancing in my hair put a smile on my face.