monday morning chat

 Good Monday morning, my friends. I hope you all had a good weekend.

After three days of being out and about and socializing, I am so ready to

just stay at home today and nest. My day will be full - I have a lot to do

here at home today - but my heart will be full, as well. I love getting together

 with friends or family members, but with being an introvert, socializing tires

me out and I crave and need my alone time to recharge.

 On Friday, a friend came over for lunch - I made a delicious pureed butternut 

squash-pumpkin soup and she brought over salad fixings. Then we went

for a long walk (about 4-5 miles) in the State Park. It was a gloomy day,

but the colors were still wonderful.

 I can't believe how fast the leaves are falling from the trees now.

You know how I've showed you photos of that gorgeous red Maple

tree across the street from me? Totally bare already. Totally 

depressing. Let's not even talk about the time change and how it

now gets dark at 4:30.

 Saturday morning, I met with another friend for breakfast at Panera,

then got my hair cut. Instead of just the normal trim, she did the stacked

wedge cut in back. Since I have fine, wavy hair, I'm really liking all these

layers! The gray is really peeking back, but I always let it go as long as

possible since getting your hair colored (even at a "cheap" salon) is quite

expensive. And no, I can't do it myself. I am terrible with anything to do

with my hair - and she uses a couple of different colors in my hair - 

something I would have no idea how to do. But, it helps to speak up.

I told her why I wasn't getting my hair colored just yet. That I simply didn't

have the extra funds. She whispered to me that she would do it out of

her home for me for a very reasonable fee! 

Brian and I had a really nice date night on Saturday evening. We

went to see "Last Vegas" (matinee - so it was a reasonable price to see

a movie). We haven't seen a movie at the theater in at least a couple of

years. Just something we normally don't do. The movie was hilarious! Brian

is more of a quiet, serious person, so to see him laugh so much and so 

hard did my heart a lot of good. Afterwards, we had a bite to eat at a place

called Freddie's Roadhouse. It's one of those restaurants/bars with casual

ambiance - shiny, worn wooden floors, the higher wooden tables with

tall chairs, the place cozily lit, fireplace going, bar in the middle of the place

with an open food grill in back. Much later at night, the place would be

packed with young people drinking and socializing, but if you get there

early like we did, there's only a handful of people there and it's relatively

quiet. I guess this place makes their money on booze, because their food

is very reasonably priced. We shared a few appetizers and talked and 

laughed. It really did feel like a "date" with my husband of over 29 years!

I was up early and out again on Sunday morning. This time, meeting

two former coworker-friends at another coffee place. On the way home,

I noticed a sign in front of a nearby house announcing a moving sale

and that everything was 50% off. I wasn't going to stop - at first I figured

they wouldn't have anything left. But then something told me to turn around

and go back. Couldn't hurt to at least go look, right? I'm glad I did, as I not

only found a few treasures, but had some lovely conversation with the two

ladies that were running the sale. Turns out their elderly mother had lived

there. She was 92, had alzheimer's disease, and recently passed away.

I promised these ladies that the things I bought would be used, taken care

of, and cherished. Like this gorgeous lamp shade. Problem is - it doesn't

fit the lamp that I had intended it for! I will keep this in my basement until

I find a lamp at a resale shop - or I will see if my mom can use this.

Embroidered pillowcases that are currently in the wash. I will

iron them later.

A trio of vintage pictures...

A pair of valances...was hoping one would look good in my bathroom, but

it doesn't. I will see if any of my friends or family can use them. If not, they

 get donated. They were only 50 cents for the pair!

Small wicker chest being used on my buffet...

 Lastly, this beautiful vintage butterfly pin. (The gold car pin with the two

cats in it is from a vintage resale shop that Brian and I happened upon when

we were in St. Joseph, Michigan in September.) The ladies at the sale only

charged me $8.25 for all of these items. I was taken aback at how little

money they wanted for all these things...I asked her to repeat the price! I

gave her $10 and told her to keep the change. Am I too nice sometimes?

Perhaps. But I also believe that you get back what you give. What goes

around comes around. Nothing wrong with spreading a little kindness.