Friday, last, the hubs left for a long week end off with his motorcycle buddies to do a camp out.  That left me home alone to play as I wished.  And play I did:

I had so very much fun playing in the oils and made up a variety of roller balls and sprays.  I will taking these to work to donate as a fundraiser for the Alzheimer Association. It was so fun finding different recipes and combining a mixture of oils for a variety of remedies.  I really must make up an assortment of these for myself!  I made bug sprays, and smudging sprays, sleepy time sprays, and memory boosting oils, oils for headache, and immune boosting, and so many more!  Notice how I am using the double dickered lazy Susan I found at a yard sale last week?  It is just the ticket!

Speaking of oils brings to mind my focus of my PhD which is all about complementary and alternative medical practices.  I just have to share just how much I am enjoying my latest course, Ayurveda Medicine. The professor is a practitioner and a great part of the learning is applying the principles to our own lives. Since it is a practice that connects mind, body, and spirit the applications are very life enhancing and life giving!  If you are interested in a bit of just what is Ayurveda this website is amazing www.banyanbotanicals.com. You can take a test to determine your dosha type and then get loads of information on how to keep yourself balanced.  I promise the information is so spot on and helpful!

Aside from the oily play, I got a bit crazy with the house cleaning.  Oh boy howdy but I went to town indeed.  See I have all these tile floors with light ivory grout….imagine light ivory grout and dogs and dirt….yeah not a nice picture.  Well it was time once again to get down on the hands and knees and really have at it.  Lord Love a Duck but my poor ole knees groaned with pain, but I got them all done and how lovely they look!  Then I determined I just must do all the baseboards and wash down the walls…boxers and their drooly slime ya know.  Then I had to deep clean the carpets and then the guest bath and then on and on.  The house looks and smells so lovely now and I am very pleased indeed!

Part of that crazy cleaning spell was due to needing to keep busy as my oldest darling grand, my Doodle Bug was in the air on an eleven hour flight to Japan.

She of course made it safely and is having a grand time.  She is there on a language scholarship.  This little brainiac decided last fall to learn Japanese and did so well she won a national scholarship to travel to Japan and do some language immersion.  I could not be more proud of her!  But to have her half way around the world does bring out my worry wart nature….

After all that cleaning I took some pics of a few of my favorite little vignettes through out the house. I did move some houseplants around, placing some out in the breakfast nook to adds a bit of brightness.  I love how plants just add such a lovely touch.

Oh my when I was out on my walking the dogs the other day with the hubs, we happened upon this lovely bicycle for sale.

Since my middle had been looking for a bike just like this, I of course grabbed it for her.  At $30 I think it was a great deal.  It has a light aluminum frame and as she requested no gears and the old fashioned breaks on the pedals.  She was of course delighted.  Now to get it over to her…

Although I skipped one day of sales, I did venture out a bit on Saturday to take a break from all the cleaning.  I found a few lovely bits to bring home with me:

Isn’t this just the loveliest antique wedding ring quilt?  It was under $10.  I just love it so much!

Oh My am I developing a Nancy Ann obsession?!

Sweet little purse to carry my cell phone on my walks.

This little Buddha was actually in a box of crafts below.  The little boxer is just perfect for my collection.

I could not resist this box of beads and assorted bits.

Here is where my latest little boxer sits.  Among my sweet Frassy and Munster and my other little glass boxers that I have found or been gifted.  The cross stitch and little tea cup were from my dear friend Louella, the beaning boxers were from my dear friend Vivian, and the necklace with Frassy and Munsters names was from my Becca.  All so dear to my heart….

All too soon the weekend came to an end and once again it was back to work.  I have been so good at incorporating spin classes and walking into my daily routine.  I do appreciate that my schedule is so flexible.  And so routine returns until the next weekend …. I think it may be the week end to pick up the paintbrush and start some furniture projects?!

Thinking a clean house is a sign of a clear and uncluttered mind,

Patricia