I Love Lucy.....but I hate September

It really pains me to say it but I hate September

I would always correct my kids when they said they hated anything, but this is the exception.

September has always historically been the month of bad news, accidents, loss, hurt, tears, soul searching, raw pain and practically living on adrenaline and this year sadly has been no exception. Every year I give September a fresh chance and it laughs in my face and hates on me....and forces me to learn new lessons, have more scars and walk through fire.

I have used every visual, spiritual, bohemian, organic and philosophical tool in my tool kit but it's been a rough one.  Honestly, the truth of the matter is what got me thru was the love of my family, my best friend and reruns of I Love Lucy....

In San Diego the I Love Lucy show is shown at 2 - 5 a.m. which is right when my insomnia kicks in.  It is a great escape and a welcome relief of lightheartedness.  We laugh together.....and cry together and it gives me the strength to start another day with a better attitude.

Not to worry - I am not down and out (I refuse to be), not a victim (I refuse to be), but have been pushed in too many negative directions....however, I refuse to give in to the negativity and am grateful for these precious perfect moments in September Simple Things....

Simple Thing # 1 - Finding this fun vintage graphic mid century modern puzzle of the USA

 Hello Uncle Sam...Hello Canadian Mounty

 Hello beautiful Southwest and spacious skies

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Hello fun new visual in our family room.....

 Simple Thing # 2 - cutest lunch date ever

 Simple Thing # 3 - Chick Flick time with my Bestie....

 Simple Thing #4 - A few more fall decorations went up.....

 And a little squirrel from Crate and Barrel found me!

 Simple Thing # 5 - Setting a little buffet for my little all star's team...

 And watching them enjoy it....

 Simple Thing # 5....Realizing a huge accomplishment for the city of San Diego....

 That I had the pleasure of working on this this fine man.....and believe me, my part was tiny...

 That I got to share with my boys

 Because for over 80 years this beautiful staircase was not used and the tower was closed

 And now is open for all that visit to see and enjoy breathtaking views of our incredible city...

 Simple Thing # 6 - Taking my sweet grand's to the pond for fishing....oh how they love it

 Simple Thing # 7 - Being invited to the stadium for a very special meeting....

 With All Star Matt Kemp that just hit for the cycle.....who was so engaging....

Sweet, generous, kind and loving to my boys.....

 

Simple Thing #8 - So happy my hubby was able to go on his reunion fishing trip with his high school buddies and have a wonderful time and come home safe and loaded with salmon!

 

 

So many more simple things and lessons that I am grateful for and I take my solace in the fact that :

  I am fearfully and wonderfully made!  Amen!!!!

100 of Something I still don't understand and a Mummy Makeover!

It was one of 'those' kind of weeks....most of the time was spent as Nurse Jacque after a lot of these:

While the grandkids were off doing a lot of this:

And I really wanted to be doing this:

Unfortunately I found myself sequestered in the sick ward.....and I have done my time in there you can be sure.  Luckily I have my hoard stash of projects so I worked on a few.

I wanted something easy to do in the 'no brainer' category so I would be able to finish it between appointments and nursing. 

I picked one of my projects which was to do an upcycle of these 80 pennies, 1920-2000, that I gave my dad on his 80th birthday.  It has long faded and some of the pennies were falling off so I thought it would be oh so fun to do '100 years of pennies' so I decided to get 5 years earlier and 5 years later than the 80 and have 100 years of pennies!

 

Little did I know at the time this project would launch my OCD and processing anxieties through the roof.....It started so simple - I took off the pennies from the 80's frame....put them in order...enjoying my coffee and the morning news shows......  check and done

On to step 2 with a smile!!!  I started laying out the pennies 10 down and 10 across starting with 1915 and was going to end on 2015 = equaling 100 years of pennies when I was done - right????

 I was totally thrown off by what happened....I had an extra penny and it was dated 2015.  I thought maybe I duplicated one, no, I thought I messed up the order - no, I double checked my math 2015-1915=100 yes 10 x 10 = 100 yes!  Why the heck did I have 101 pennies. 

I worked myself up into a dither - I had people on txt, email, phone, in person trying to figure it out....in the end only The Addie could explain to me and he could explain it but honestly I still don't accept it.....

So the only consolation to this was that I have 100 pennies - not 100 years of pennies and I am very sad because if I added 2015 to make 100 years of pennies it would throw my OCD into overdrive and I have enough going on.

 

The finished product does fill the space I wanted on the wall but I can't help to think it is mocking me every time I look at it.

Then I moved on a Mummy Makeover.....I got this mummy at the 99 cent store - I don't like scary mummies - I like happy mummies.  I knew I could make her over to enjoy being a mummy more!

 

I painted her ugly skeleton face white.....

 Re-wrapped her a little....and gave her google eyes....

 And when I told her about the 100 pennies - by the look in her eyes I could tell she was not happy!

 And if Mummy ain't happy ain't nobody happy.


 

My Muse.....and Fall-Ing

It would be an understatement to say I am particular....almost to a fault.

Living in CA for over 35 years and especially living in SD for the past 28 years I have always wanted a oil painting of the ocean for our house....sounds easy right - there are literally thousands to choose from and I have been to every art show and antique store to be found.

 

  Trouble is,  it has to be the ocean the way I see and enjoy the ocean...Artists do great paintings and their views are amazing but I did not want any that were....

 

 

 too fake like this one.....

 

 Or too grey like this one....

 Or too mean like this one.....

 Or too unrealistic like this one....

 

Earlier this summer on one of our many trips to OB Steve and I met this one, which instantly became my muse....I went back  several times so it could taunt me and we could get to know each other better and decide if we wanted to commit. 

I went with my bestie in SD, Annette,  and she loved it but I just wasn't sure....then another visit with Edie from AZ and she loved it and I carried it around the store for awhile but just could not commit....then back with my bestie Tracy from Florida who insisted I put in a bid on it and came to my house and scouted the area for me for a perfect spot.  She, nor I, could really find the perfect place for it so when I did not get a call back for a week I just decided to let it go...if you love it let it go and if it is real it will come back to you (70's poster flashback) 

 And like the lyrics from one of my favorite Eagles Songs....I got the call today.....

 and I am so happy I did

 My muse will entertain and make me happy for along time.....or until the next muse comes along...

 

 Although the calendar says September and I have called an end to summer the weather just is not complying with my demands! 

I decided to encourage fall to come by decorating just a little for it.  The summer lantern was looking faded as it should be by September!

 I had some fall items to up cycle so I took this wreath apart with some gourds I had....

 And put it out for fall to embrace....

 Oh and a little owl as well.....whooooooooo wants fall???? I do I do!

 Another up cycle project this week - repurposing this wreath, ping pong balls and Google eyes...

 Removed the fall décor and painted the wreath black....

 Glued on google eyes on the ping pong balls....

 Had a little help....

 And made this google eye wreath which I will take to the boys house in a few weeks with some fake spider webs on just for fun....

 It was fun to get out thrifting a little this week....I found these great bookends for my vintage baseball boys.....

 And this cast iron salesman sample stove....with all the pieces.....too fun and cute...

And the boys asked coerced me into yet another trip to the pond.....

I really love to go and watch them enjoy themselves....

And catch and release and catch and keep - only the big ones....but they hate to leave! They want to control when we leave and they can't!  They do not like to release control....they want to demand!

 Summer  also is hating to leave.....time to stare at my muse and my fall décor!

And accept the fact that the apple does not fall far from the tree!