🙂 Good and productive week off, donations ready for a Salvation Army pickup today, roof project in progress (though permit issue has provided a big hiccup that I still haven’t resolved)
🙂 Angel tree gifts all ready to be wrapped for delivery to church tomorrow. It’s also our mission casserole week so I’ll have a full load to deliver in the morning.
🙂 Fun day Friday at the annual craft fair a friend and I go to every year in Pomona at the LA County fairgrounds (near the border of San Bernardino County close to our mountains). Although one of my favorite vendors was missing this year (Colonial Woodwrights). I normally don’t find many gifts at the fair, a lot of it is just kitschy: “zombie feet” (I didn’t look at that booth), wind chimes made out of strange items, too-cutesy country saying wood signs for the house.
It always attracts a crowd mainly of middle-aged (and older) women wearing shirts with cutesy appliqué things ironed on them and hauling wheeled carriers on which they can load all their purchases. 🙂 We buy very little (I bought a pair of celtic-style earrings, friend bought a fabric cross-body bag). But for some reason we like going every year mostly just to look and to see the spectacle (the entertainment is also predictably goofy — a wandering Santa on stilts, etc.). The colonial woodworkers are usually one of the few cool/classy vendors there each year, so they were missed — at least by me. 😦
😦 Probably not going to decorate outdoors this year, my house looks very needy of more basic things — like paint and some kind of new landscaping. All in good time, but it won’t get done before Christmas. Stringing lights on it would just look kind of sad.
😦 The dark side of home ownership.
🙂 While it’s back to work for me on Monday, I’ll get yet another week off after that. Love this time of year.
🙂 Local bazaar at the Legion today. Got all my Christmas baking done in one stop!
🙂 A friend who enjoyed coming with me – I usually end up going by myself.
😦 My cousin’s accident 🙂 She’s going to be okay, but it will take some time.
🙂 Decorating for the community potluck – so much fun! Kim, I am doing rustic, white, bling this year and the table will have blue accents. Crocheted snowflakes, pearls, birch trees, hazelnut branches, pinecones, etc… oh, and lots of twinkle lights and candles everywhere!
🙂 Put a massive amount of red and blue lights on our elm tree last night – so pretty!
😦 Husband goes away again next week for 11 days! I will miss him.
🙂 Lots of Christmas shopping done – now to organize and get them wrapped.
🙂 Misten loves her new bed. Pretty much she is either outside or lying in her bed. We walk by that spot multiple times a day, so she can watch everything that’s going on and get petted, and snooze in comfort. I hate to see her getting old, but am glad that something like that can please her so much.
😦 The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. Last week I kept saying I couldn’t wait till Monday; as much as I knew I’d enjoy Thanksgiving and multiple events of last weekend, it was really “too much,” and I was looking forward to it being over. My husband said earlier today, “I’ll be glad when it’s Monday,” and I thought, “Yeah, this weekend too.” Not as crazy busy as last week, but just too many obligations this week.
I love blue Christmas lights. They’ve always felt peaceful to me. Then last night I was reading in a book called Captivology: The SCIENCE of Capturing People’s Attention that blue is not only considered the color of calm across cultures, but it’s also been used to lower crime rates in volatile areas.
There was a city in Japan (Nara), a few hundred miles west of Tokyo, where city workers installed blue lights at crime hot spots and train stations, after they’d heard about how blue lights had reduced crime in Glasgow, Scotland.
The interesting thing that happened in Nara was that not only was there a 9% drop in crime, but suicides at Nara’s train stations completely ceased between 2006 and 2008 under the blue lights.
Likely there are several reasons for those statistics — blue and green being more calming colors, as opposed to, say, red and yellow (a study using a psychological test, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, that measure a subject’s anxiety, showed those results). Narrow-bandwidth blue light is also effective in treating seasonal affective disorder.
I’ve also read in decorating books that blue is a good color for a bedroom, as it aids relaxation when you want to sleep.
All this makes me want to go out and buy some blue lights now. 🙂
The first year I decided to do outdoor lights it was late in the season so all I could find were strings of all-blue lights. But it worked, I kind of liked the look. 🙂
Michael’s was crazy today, I was looking for plain wrapping paper (as I have decorative ribbon I want to use, but it would clash too much on busy wrapping paper). I’d found some plain tan (burlap colored) paper a year or two ago but couldn’t remember where and my role was almost gone.
Finally found it at Hallmark, they had 2 rolls left (not thick, but it’ll hold me for at least 2 years).
Gardener came today and cleaned up some of the leaves and branches they left behind from the tree trimming job in the back. I think they just cleared out, which is good. It’s off to the dog park.
I think all colours are Christmasy – I grew up with multi-coloured lights and ornaments on the tree. Our real tree is always multi-colour, but I often do the ‘extra’ trees in only one colour. The tree in the guest room is pink this year as my son’s girlfriend loves pink and she’ll be staying in that room. 🙂
I have a collection of angels that I put on my tree along with crocheted snowflakes. I am looking forward to seeing those decorations again in a few years.
Some of my angels I got at a craft faire and they are made of wood, very simple.
nothing glitzy for me
🙂 We are at Surfside Beach.
We went to the Brookgreen Gardens’ 100 Candles” It was pretty. It was interesting.
Not sur it was worth $36.00.
😦 The Wi Fi at this place is sllllllllllllooooooW
🙂 Just in from seeing the local JC production of Mary Poppins. Fantastic!
🙂 We then bought Chinese for the whole family and ate it at my son’s house.
🙂 Home and I feel like it’s time for bed at 7:28 PST.
🙂 😦 Very busy tomorrow: early service, Sunday school, singing second service while preparing lunch for the voter’s meeting following second service; home an hour or two and then to the pastor’s Christmas party. Would probably skip the party except the food is so good and then I won’t have to cook . . .
🙂 Stargazer is here and returns to LA Monday morning to work for a two weeks, home for Christmas, back to LA, and then home again. Still applying for jobs. One of his childhood friends from Hawai’i is helping with leads this week, at his company and a few other spots.
whew, Michelle. Just makes me glad that I am quietly sitting at home today.
I did get to Skype my friend whom I am meeting in New Zealand. We discussed the email and the response. God is working.
Seemingly random prayers over the years are being heard in detail.
Outward signs of change are showing up, but waiting to see heart change.
😦 Salvation Army didn’t show as they said they would today so I had to haul all 5 (heavy!) bags back up to the front porch tonight. I will have to call them to schedule a pickup in the coming week.
🙂 michelle makes us all feel tired. 🙂
🙂 Casserole is in the oven and a little while ago I heard the USS Iowa’s big guns go off — tonight is the Christmas boat parade in the harbor. At least I think that’s why the guns went off …
I still have to wrap the Angel Tree gifts, I may do that in the morning. We’ll see.
We saw some more snow today…not much…but it sure did make it more festive whilst Christmas shopping 😉 …and I do believe people were smiling just a tad bit more around town!
Chas and Elvera are visiting our favorite garden? We went both days we were in Myrtle Beach….in the rain and thunder…that place will always hold precious memories for us….
The grandkids are coming over to meet Lulah tomorrow…hopefully she will be well behaved and not try to use them as chew toys!!
That was 1000 candles. Mote likely a million lights. Traffic was terrible.
Off to FBCMB, our twice a year church.
I suspect we attend more than some of their mmembmers.
Wandering Views 
🙂 God is faithful.
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🙂 It isn’t as cold today as it was yesterday. Off to do things with the Girl Child
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🙂 Christmas is coming
🙂 Good and productive week off, donations ready for a Salvation Army pickup today, roof project in progress (though permit issue has provided a big hiccup that I still haven’t resolved)
🙂 Angel tree gifts all ready to be wrapped for delivery to church tomorrow. It’s also our mission casserole week so I’ll have a full load to deliver in the morning.
🙂 Fun day Friday at the annual craft fair a friend and I go to every year in Pomona at the LA County fairgrounds (near the border of San Bernardino County close to our mountains). Although one of my favorite vendors was missing this year (Colonial Woodwrights). I normally don’t find many gifts at the fair, a lot of it is just kitschy: “zombie feet” (I didn’t look at that booth), wind chimes made out of strange items, too-cutesy country saying wood signs for the house.
It always attracts a crowd mainly of middle-aged (and older) women wearing shirts with cutesy appliqué things ironed on them and hauling wheeled carriers on which they can load all their purchases. 🙂 We buy very little (I bought a pair of celtic-style earrings, friend bought a fabric cross-body bag). But for some reason we like going every year mostly just to look and to see the spectacle (the entertainment is also predictably goofy — a wandering Santa on stilts, etc.). The colonial woodworkers are usually one of the few cool/classy vendors there each year, so they were missed — at least by me. 😦
😦 Probably not going to decorate outdoors this year, my house looks very needy of more basic things — like paint and some kind of new landscaping. All in good time, but it won’t get done before Christmas. Stringing lights on it would just look kind of sad.
😦 The dark side of home ownership.
🙂 While it’s back to work for me on Monday, I’ll get yet another week off after that. Love this time of year.
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Charlie Brown’s tree, home addition?
LikeLiked by 5 people
🙂 Local bazaar at the Legion today. Got all my Christmas baking done in one stop!
🙂 A friend who enjoyed coming with me – I usually end up going by myself.
😦 My cousin’s accident 🙂 She’s going to be okay, but it will take some time.
🙂 Decorating for the community potluck – so much fun! Kim, I am doing rustic, white, bling this year and the table will have blue accents. Crocheted snowflakes, pearls, birch trees, hazelnut branches, pinecones, etc… oh, and lots of twinkle lights and candles everywhere!
🙂 Put a massive amount of red and blue lights on our elm tree last night – so pretty!
😦 Husband goes away again next week for 11 days! I will miss him.
🙂 Lots of Christmas shopping done – now to organize and get them wrapped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I can string some lights on the stump that once was the bougainvillea ?
😦
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The massive tree trimming needed to be done, but now adds to the look of “this poor house” 😦
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Donna – I think you should still decorate your house. I was gonna say something about Charlie Brown’s tree, but Mumsee beat me to it. 🙂
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Kare – I love the color blue, but. . .blue is not a Christmas color, in my opinion. 🙂
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Blue is a gorgeous Christmas color. Reminds me of eternity with God through the work of Christ. Blue sky going on forever. The river of Life.
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🙂 Misten loves her new bed. Pretty much she is either outside or lying in her bed. We walk by that spot multiple times a day, so she can watch everything that’s going on and get petted, and snooze in comfort. I hate to see her getting old, but am glad that something like that can please her so much.
😦 The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. Last week I kept saying I couldn’t wait till Monday; as much as I knew I’d enjoy Thanksgiving and multiple events of last weekend, it was really “too much,” and I was looking forward to it being over. My husband said earlier today, “I’ll be glad when it’s Monday,” and I thought, “Yeah, this weekend too.” Not as crazy busy as last week, but just too many obligations this week.
🙂 I think next week should be sane.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Karen
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Your teapot looks kind of Christmasy, Karen. 🙂
I love blue Christmas lights. They’ve always felt peaceful to me. Then last night I was reading in a book called Captivology: The SCIENCE of Capturing People’s Attention that blue is not only considered the color of calm across cultures, but it’s also been used to lower crime rates in volatile areas.
There was a city in Japan (Nara), a few hundred miles west of Tokyo, where city workers installed blue lights at crime hot spots and train stations, after they’d heard about how blue lights had reduced crime in Glasgow, Scotland.
The interesting thing that happened in Nara was that not only was there a 9% drop in crime, but suicides at Nara’s train stations completely ceased between 2006 and 2008 under the blue lights.
Likely there are several reasons for those statistics — blue and green being more calming colors, as opposed to, say, red and yellow (a study using a psychological test, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, that measure a subject’s anxiety, showed those results). Narrow-bandwidth blue light is also effective in treating seasonal affective disorder.
I’ve also read in decorating books that blue is a good color for a bedroom, as it aids relaxation when you want to sleep.
All this makes me want to go out and buy some blue lights now. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
The first year I decided to do outdoor lights it was late in the season so all I could find were strings of all-blue lights. But it worked, I kind of liked the look. 🙂
Michael’s was crazy today, I was looking for plain wrapping paper (as I have decorative ribbon I want to use, but it would clash too much on busy wrapping paper). I’d found some plain tan (burlap colored) paper a year or two ago but couldn’t remember where and my role was almost gone.
Finally found it at Hallmark, they had 2 rolls left (not thick, but it’ll hold me for at least 2 years).
Gardener came today and cleaned up some of the leaves and branches they left behind from the tree trimming job in the back. I think they just cleared out, which is good. It’s off to the dog park.
LikeLike
I think all colours are Christmasy – I grew up with multi-coloured lights and ornaments on the tree. Our real tree is always multi-colour, but I often do the ‘extra’ trees in only one colour. The tree in the guest room is pink this year as my son’s girlfriend loves pink and she’ll be staying in that room. 🙂
LikeLike
I have a collection of angels that I put on my tree along with crocheted snowflakes. I am looking forward to seeing those decorations again in a few years.
Some of my angels I got at a craft faire and they are made of wood, very simple.
nothing glitzy for me
LikeLike
🙂 We are at Surfside Beach.
We went to the Brookgreen Gardens’ 100 Candles” It was pretty. It was interesting.
Not sur it was worth $36.00.
😦 The Wi Fi at this place is sllllllllllllooooooW
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Just in from seeing the local JC production of Mary Poppins. Fantastic!
🙂 We then bought Chinese for the whole family and ate it at my son’s house.
🙂 Home and I feel like it’s time for bed at 7:28 PST.
🙂 😦 Very busy tomorrow: early service, Sunday school, singing second service while preparing lunch for the voter’s meeting following second service; home an hour or two and then to the pastor’s Christmas party. Would probably skip the party except the food is so good and then I won’t have to cook . . .
🙂 Stargazer is here and returns to LA Monday morning to work for a two weeks, home for Christmas, back to LA, and then home again. Still applying for jobs. One of his childhood friends from Hawai’i is helping with leads this week, at his company and a few other spots.
LikeLike
whew, Michelle. Just makes me glad that I am quietly sitting at home today.
I did get to Skype my friend whom I am meeting in New Zealand. We discussed the email and the response. God is working.
Seemingly random prayers over the years are being heard in detail.
Outward signs of change are showing up, but waiting to see heart change.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😦 Salvation Army didn’t show as they said they would today so I had to haul all 5 (heavy!) bags back up to the front porch tonight. I will have to call them to schedule a pickup in the coming week.
🙂 michelle makes us all feel tired. 🙂
🙂 Casserole is in the oven and a little while ago I heard the USS Iowa’s big guns go off — tonight is the Christmas boat parade in the harbor. At least I think that’s why the guns went off …
I still have to wrap the Angel Tree gifts, I may do that in the morning. We’ll see.
LikeLike
We saw some more snow today…not much…but it sure did make it more festive whilst Christmas shopping 😉 …and I do believe people were smiling just a tad bit more around town!
Chas and Elvera are visiting our favorite garden? We went both days we were in Myrtle Beach….in the rain and thunder…that place will always hold precious memories for us….
The grandkids are coming over to meet Lulah tomorrow…hopefully she will be well behaved and not try to use them as chew toys!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
That was 1000 candles. Mote likely a million lights. Traffic was terrible.
Off to FBCMB, our twice a year church.
I suspect we attend more than some of their mmembmers.
LikeLike
Ah, Nancy Jill, she’s cute!
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