Christmas 2021

Enjoying every minute

Sometimes you fall back in love with your home.

For so many years - decades - I've always felt I would be

moving soon mostly because of "I need to".

Then came years of "I want to" to be closer to Darling Daughter

and Dearest Son and now Darling DIL, but that couldn't happen, 

dear lord, the cost in CA!

I've pared way down, but to you it looks like still so much,

but the closets and almost all drawers are empty. I store only 

holiday decor and tools, supplies etc.

The holiday decor is plunked down into existing decor 

and snow is thrown over, and greens added in abundance.

Many of these greens I've had over 20 years.

After 29 years in this house,

 I have made few major changes, other than paint

here and there, but I am getting inspired to maybe 

add some architectural changes in 2022.

Carpet is to go - for new, or perhaps

manufactured woods- depends on cost.

Anyway, my point is, when I came back from CA

and walked into my home I felt such joy and peace.

I like this place. I've kept only things I love

and enjoy- so many are memories of my folks

and of PA that I still miss, though I haven't been

back in 18 years, and even then it wasn't to my home town.

I was back to spend the last weeks of life for my parents. 

I am so blessed to have found a way to stay in my home.

I need to continue to care for her and to make 

her a haven for my family, and friends, but most of all

for me.

Holed up here for 15 months alone with Walter

was weird but not really awful

because as I just said-

It is a refuge, a place of peace and nurturing solace.

I pray you all have the same. 

Z

 

More- Always More

I'm still unboxing as quickly as I can,

so bad photos, but thought you would enjoy seeing some

of the treasures I uncover daily. 

A huge thank you to those shopping and buying.

What a huge help and relief for my friend. 

Right now we are not shipping- that is too much for 

both of us right now.

If that changes I'll be sure to let you know.

Look at this beauty - 1 inch yo yo's with a triangle edge!!!

 

Goodness Me

Just a few quick, badly lit, shots of 

what I've been doing.

A good friend needed help downsizing her vast collections,

so I volunteered to help and thought you might 

like to see some fun things.

There is so much more to come, but for now I'm just sending

 out emails to my old email list, and local folks can buy. 

I'm paring down myself and trying to resist any of the goodies,

but I did grab an old 8 foot peg rack that will go in my 

long hallway by the spare rooms. 

First I need to repaint hallway as it's been thru a lot in 28 years.

Fun huh?

 

It's a bottlebrush and deer holiday

Bottlebrush, deer and greens 

make decorating 

so easy.

Just doing wee bits at a time and 

my holiday storage I designed years ago

makes no mess at all.

The tree is the smallest I've ever done 

but I'm happy with it.

It has cotton balls on stems and frosted 

eucalyptus and lambs ears tucked in all over,

and then a few green and white paper ornaments

join some vintage mercury glass and

the requisite birds nest.

The red is only in the den. Last year it was

the porch, but change is good.

The lighted village is on my coffee table,

 so nighttime is very cozy.

The bedrooms I will do after Thanksgiving,

while I blast holiday music and most likely 

the new Adele. I still get chills when 

I remember her concert that was treated by Hannah.

SO much has changed for all of us since then. 

I'll get some clear shots 

with my camera in daylight soon,

if I can find the thing after 2 years of non use. 

I was never good at it anyway, and it's old.

Z

 

Fall

I didn't haul out all my pumpkins this year, 

as I started late and will quickly switch to 

Christmas in a blink.

SO a little Fall

and a

FALL

Bent down to pick up a dropped pen

 and my office chair on wheels went out from under me,

 flipped over and backwards and one leg

shattered through the lower half of this glass cabinet.

Landed on rump so I wasn't hurt, but cleaning 

up the glass explosion was laborious 

as doggie feet are frequently here.

Not sure if I will bother replacing the glass.

Anyway too much stuff ahead of it on my 

to do list.

Z

Random

Random 

My hair will never look this good again.

wedding hair- professionally done, why 

it will never be again.

Jenny, Hannah's writing partner, and very dear friend, dog sat for me

the entire wedding weekend.

He sat mostly ON her- A bad habit I allowed since a wee pup.

 

I unpacked and someone said

"nope, not again"

"The writers"

Hannah and Jenny

They just won the fellowship starting in October

 and now semi finalists in slamdance

Perpetually parked here or ON the keyboard.

Walter making it impossible to type so good day!

Z

 

Fourth Time Is The Charm

 Fourth Time

After nearly 2 years and 4 reschedules

and Covid and Indoor - Outdoor

It was a three day event of nothing but love.

I cannot even begin to tell you.

It's all so much

love

laughter

joyful tears

more love

 champagne

wine

incredible food 

friendships old and new

My heart is bursting with joy

and the tears flow in an instant

with each memory.

https://instagram.com/akikoliuphotos?utm_medium=copy_link

Ivan, who I think of as my 2nd son and Darling Daughter Hannah

Hannah was Ben's Best Person

All you need is love

Living Room Toss Up

I was doing a living room deep clean

 before the troops arrived from CA last weekend.

I had rolled up the carpet

 (later a dispute over calling it carpet versus mat occurred),

and had put rollers under the bakers table that weighs a ton.

Since I could easily shift things around, I started playing.

I have always hated the bowling alley feel of the room and tried multiple

times over 27 years to adjust using sofas but it never stuck for long. 

After about 20 minutes I landed on this and then

waited to see what the weekend brought.

Other than the dispute over what to call the carpet/mat,

the opinion was to keep the new arrangement.

We ended up sitting in that room several times over the few days,

which NEVER happens.

I also ordered two new lamps from HOME DEPOT, 

pleasantly surprised by their selections.

They are incredibly well made and terrific price points.

Both by JONATHAN Y

It is not ideal, perhaps not even meeting any requirements

for "design", but I like it.

The old LR made it into several design magazines

but just always felt cold to me. 

This way, everyone was in a chair actively engaged with three small 

pups playing in the center, and one large pup

asleep near the dining table.

If I'm going to be confined to this house again this fall,

due to pandemic reboot then I want cozy.

...and there are 2 spots for Christmas trees 

without changing anything, so plus plus.

The Bucket

It's been quite awhile since I felt the need to 

make a deposit in the 

**** It Bucket

Today I had to

If you don't know about it

go on over to the side bar and click on it.

To see today's rant by me or to add a rant of any sort 

of your own scroll down to comment.

Whew that felt good.

We all have had 17 months of ranting about Covid and

politics and climate and loss and on and on. 

it is exhausting and although screaming at the tv and 

just hollering in general inside your home helps some, 

it doesn't replace the satisfaction of pounding on keys

and getting your thought into a semi lucid order.

Here is the place to rant about whatever 

is stuck in your craw.

You can be unknown if need be.

No judgements unless you are a #45 supporter. 

But then you would never have followed me in 

the first place.