Good morning from chilly, but not rainy, Portland.
I surveyed my front and back patios to see if the leaves had taken over.
So far, the score is 1-1.
A friend loaned me a leaf blower so I have an advantage.
I hate using a leaf blower…so loud plus, I can use the exercise. Still, I am grateful to have it for the sidewalk and driveway.
When I am not in a hurry, raking leaves makes me slow down and smell the leaves.
Continue reading “Saturday Morning November 12, 2022”I am so close to resolving my window shade problem.
For several months, I battled Hunter Douglas and Home Depot for replacement of defective shades.
Four of the five shades fell apart and could not be repaired.
I paid a workman to take them down and bought temporary paper shades to cover my windows and protect my furniture and hardwood floors from the blazing sun.
So, instead of custom shades from Hunter Douglas in my living room, I had paper shades. Really sad!
Continue reading “Crossing the finish line”
I have a love/hate relationship with this tree.
It frames the window of my office and brings me joy all year long.
In spring, soft green buds appear.
In summer, the leaves are a rich green.
Fall brings leaves that are gold, yellow and orange.
Even in winter when the leaves are gone, the bare branches offer a lacy pattern against the daily gray skies.
So, what’s the problem?
Everyday, for what seems like weeks on end, I sweep and rake the fallen leaves.
I go out at first light, often in the rain.
I clean up the leaves knowing that I will repeat this the next day and the day after that until all the leaves have fallen.
Like many beautiful things, there is a price to pay.
In this case, well worth it.
Today is the first day of a three-day weekend for most Americans.
On Monday, July 4th we celebrate Independence Day.
The day will begin with a neighborhood parade. It is sweet in the way that hometown parades often are. There are no flashy floats or celebrities, just local groups. You always see someone you know.
I walked in it one year along with members from my church. It was fun. The parade route was not very long but long enough that my feet started to hurt, thanks to my fashionable shoes. Ah vanity!
At the end of the parade, folks gather with kids in tow for ice cream, music, face painting, and best of all, a pie eating contest!
In the evening, we gather at the park for a concert and a laser light show.
But today is Saturday.
Chores and my little dog Riley are calling.
She needs a walk.
My house needs dusting, my garden needs watering and weeding.
I need to cook some vegetables and a pot of black-eyed peas.
I will sign off now and get busy so that I will have time to enjoy my weekend.
Thank you for reading.
Be well,
Lori
A warm weather favorite from Tea Bar in Portland, Oregon!
Decadent and healthy.
I love the peaceful Scandinavian decor found at all of the Tea Bar locations.
The locations are
1055 NW Northrup
Portland, OR 97209
503-227-0464
10am – 6pm Daily
4330 SE Division
Portland, OR 97206
503- 477-5896
10am – 6pm Daily
855 SW Yamhill
Portland, OR 97209
503-719-7577
*Temporarily closed*
1615 NE Killingsworth
503-477-4676
*Temporarily closed*
Slow start this morning.
Slept in until 8. Unusual for me.
Now on my second cup of coffee.
Cloudy skies, cold and damp outside.
My dog is sleeping by the fire.
This could be a dreary day.
I can’t give in.
My antidote
Turn on lights,
Tune into some happy, upbeat music.
Do little household projects to get moving.
Dust and water inside plants.
Text my sons.
Text my friends.
Send a thank you note to the emergency clinic staff who saved my dog’s life.
Send a thank you note to my two new doctors who are taking excellent care of me.
Play with my dog.
Gather my art materials and create a masterpiece. 🙂
Wow! So many ways to feel happy, connected and creative.
It’s amazing— just writing this post energized me.
Happy day to my blogging buddies! What are you doing today?
~Lori
It’s funny how you remember people.
Take Linda.
I thought of her today.
She is not a friend, a neighbor, not even an acquaintance.
Her number is not in my phone.
I don’t know what she looks like, who her children are, if any.
She is a random person in my life from years ago.
I had one encounter with her.
I don’t remember where it was.
I remember the day.*
I remember her talking to me.
I did not answer. I may have nodded. I’m not sure.
My head hurt.
I felt weightless. There was nothing tying me to earth.
Her words came from a distance.
You have tough times ahead. You must take care of yourself.
Over the years I have often remembered her words.
Unsolicited, barely acknowledged,
Granting permission to rest a bit,
To give up being in charge, in control, always needing a plan.
She reached out to a stranger in pain, in shock.
I am grateful.
~Lori
*The day I learned my Husband had a year left to live. In writing this post I wondered what made me think of Linda. Then I realized, tomorrow is his birthday.
So pretty to look at!
I love seeing all of the trees, plants and flowers starting to bloom.
However, this is why I generally stay indoors with my windows closed.
This is why I take an antihistamine daily. It helps but I still feel terrible at times.
New carpet
Adding more pain this year is my new carpet.
After the installation almost a month ago, I still find tiny bits of fabric everywhere.
There also is a fine layer of dust everywhere.
I am cleaning everyday and know that “this too shall pass” but feel really drained.
Argh!
Adding more insults, I washed two Helly Hansen jackets so that I could put them away for the summer. The upshot was that there is now a fine scattering of lint (?) all over the jackets and, worse, all over my washing machine. I believe that the lining on one of the jackets may have disintegrated.
I have run the rinse cycle several times, wiped out the drum with paper towels and a sheet from a lint remover.
Thinking that the problem was resolved I washed some clothes only to have them covered in this fine lint.
Short of buying a new wardrobe and a new washing machine, I shall have to keep a lint remover with me at all times.
Truly small problems in light of the world today.
Time for a cup of tea and then soldier on!
A true story.
A five-year old girl grabbed her Dad’s whiskey and tried to gulp it down like the cowboys do in the westerns.
Furious, her Dad yelled, “Don’t spit it out! Swallow it!”
With tears in her eyes, she choked it down, gagging and crying.
Not a nice Dad in my opinion.
The little girl is now a grown woman with grown sons of her own.
She is a great mother.
Her Dad was always tough with his three children.
He was still alive when she told me this story. More than once I witnessed him being mean to his children and grandchildren.
I was not intimidated by him and found the presence of mind not to respond when he tried to bait me.
But when he was mean to my children, I put on my boxing gloves.
I stood up and went over to my children. I took them each by the hand.
I ignored the old man.
I spoke loudly and firmly to my little boys. I told them that he was a bully and that they should ignore him.
Having said that, I glared at the old man. He said nothing.
Even to this day my grown sons will laugh about the time Mom “took on this old man”.
It was a departure from everything I had been taught about treating my elders with respect.
Years later, thinking about his behavior still makes me angry.
My friend never had a good relationship with her father.
She is a wonderful artist and a really kind person.
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Auf wiedersehen, Dilbar!
The Germans seized the super luxury yacht of sanctioned Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov. At 512 feet in length, the Dilbar is one of the world’s largest yachts, complete with a swimming pool, a 30,000kw diesel-electric power plant, two helicopter pads, a sauna, a beauty salon, and a gym.
Lori Greer in Portland 