Rainy Thursday

Ceiling still not done.  geez.
Another cozy, rainy day today.  Visited with PB and her lovely family the other day.  So nice to spend time there.  Lots of peacful vibes.  Trying to arrange a little get together with some of the ATC alum for hugs and remember whens.  Will be fun.
At Grams today for some tlc - give and get.  Went to brunch and movies (Moneyball - excellent baseball flick!), pedicure, chores around town, enjoyed "grams world famous spagetti and meatballs" which are ohmygod delicious.  Afternoons crafting and chatting.  Taco feast with #1 son and fam tonight.  Nice few days.
Pulse --> checking in

Famous Flats

Ceiling still not fixed.
Got a book on Tuscany, some hot and sour soup and went to watch the tide go out.  Seems there are 4 seats left on the trip. Talking to Gram tomorrow then booking it!  Yahoo!  Headed to the mountains this week for some mountain air and maybe some harley cruising - or snow mobiling... depending on the weather :)

Pulse --> contemplative

CCRT to the Bog

Sunday was another beautiful day in Brewster - perfect for checking out the CCRT (Cape Cod Rail Trail).  Decided to walk to the bog in Orleans and see the sights along the way. Cranberry bogs are on my favorite things list.   Headed out at 8am -  feel good at 8am.  Took about 7 minutes to get from my doorstep to the trailhead and I was off.   The birds were chirping and the woods were fragrant with crunchy leaves and scrubby pine.  The sky was that October blue, pines rich dark green, maples and oaks vibrant reds... what a morning. The sun was warm on my face and the salt I tasted this day was from the inside.   All senses fully engaged!  Very spirit soaring.  A few bike riders and a few joggers whizzzzzzed by me.   Show offs.  I want to get a bike and do some whizing too.  Am looking into that.  I walked down the incredible CCRT - a paved trail that winds through the Cape Cod woods passing lakes, ocean, cranberry bogs, marshes, state parks... so totally awesome.  These days, this is my kind of hiking :)    Made it to the cranberry bog in Orleans and sat with a coffee right in the bog.  Ha!   Faced into the sun, head up and eyes closed and did some soul healing deep breathing to quiet all the noise inside.  Had a nice conversation with NOB.  Comforting.  Am thinking of taking Gram on another trip but am a little worried about her $ situation.  He said to go for it - she can't take it with her and she deserves to have fun.  OK.  Will do.  Checked in with the queen bee - she's good.  Happy to be with her sister.  Watching her sons and wondering what the heck.  I know, I told her.  I'm off script here.  Tangled up in stuff dreams are not made of.  Just have to hold on tight and see where life leads... crossroads....  Good conversations in my head.  I am grateful for them.  Then I started back.  Had a date with Jane to watch some football.  The faster I walked, the quicker the blisters ALL OVER my feet screamed.  I think they were both dripping blood my the time I got home.  What a wimp.  Also on my list are good walking shoes and socks.

Football game was fun - more face in the sunshine.  Lost the game but enjoyed the company.  Jane is good company.  Took me to lunch to celebrate crossroads and sabbaticals.  Excellent listener.  Wise woman.

 Read through all the literature I've been accumulating and found a trip to Tuscany in the works with the Cape Cod Cultural Center.  Now that sounds like fun.  They are going in March - even better!  Seems very reasonably priced and all the organization is done - just pay and participate.  Excellent.  Thinking of asking Gram to go with me.  I want to make sure seats are available before getting her too excited.  Fingers crossed.

Last - another one of my favorite things and I found it along the CCRT.   Cape Cod just seems to have it all.  What a place!

Pulse --> trying hard

Cape Cod Light!

What an extraordinary day on Cape Cod - 65 degrees, golden sunshine, salty breezes - geez it was spectacular!  I can't get over the light.  This must be a famous attribute. Will have to read up on it.  It's incredible.  Waited until noon for the fixit guy but no show so left the key under a rock and headed out.

I started the day checking out the Cape Cod Harvest Quilt Fair at the Cultural Center in Yarmouth.  I met many quilting geniuses and seems several of them live here at the Colony!  They all want to be friends and gave me numbers and club dates... Wonderful.  The Cultural Center is pretty cool too.  It has lots of different activities including monthly dinners where you speak only french (!) and another one where you speak only spanish (!) and another for italian(!)  I think I am going to get the rosetta for one of them and get the basics down then join one of the dinner groups in January.  Which one????

I wanted to get to the beach this afternoon because the light was really something and I wanted to see it there.  OMG what a sight!  This is Paines Creek in Brewster, late afternoon, tide going out:

I walked through the creek watching the light change and thought about all these beautiful sights I have been missing while sitting in windowless conference rooms for years and years and years..... Yes, I realize that those windowless conference rooms got us through the obligations of life and helped me get to this day - ready to enjoy the changing light on Cape Cod!!!!!   Now that I am sprung from the windowless conference rooms - I cannot wait to see what is out there!  10-14 Yahoo!!!!
Pulse --> joy

Day 5 - End of Week 1

A BEAUTIFUL day today on Cape Cod - warm, sunny, peaceful.  I decided to soak in a few of those rays and do a little beach combing.  Nauset beach is on the ocean side and the waves were crashing today.  I have learned that I like to walk west, into the sun ( I like to drive west and ride a harley into the west too).  I like to feel the sun full on.   A few people out with their dogs, a few joggers and a few fellow solitary walkers were on Nauset this fine day.  I saw several talking on cell phones.  I don't think that's a good fit for paradise.  No phones in paradise :)  I walked 45 minutes into the sun - glorious - then turned around and looked for treasures on the walk back.  I need to get a treasure pail - a blue one (!)  Beach combing on a warm October morning is pretty darn awesome.

Then I decided to get another book.  I still freak myself out a little bit at night and like to read late then crash to keep the monsters away (!) Jane turned me on to Elin Hilderbrand and I just finished "The Castaways".  Excellent storyteller.  I like her style.  Easy breezy reading - perfect for night time.  I went to a bookstore in Orleans and asked the lady next to me if she'd heard of "H".  She not only heard about her, she told me all about ALL her books.  She also recommended Kristin Hannah's "Firefly Lane".  I bought it.  It's a nice fat book - yummy.  I'm looking for a book club to join.  No luck yet.

Then I came home and finished my assignment - 9 WHALE Tea Towels.  They are BEAUTIFUL.  Whoever buys these will be DELIGHTED.  Oh you must go to the shop - unitedthread on etsy.com  and see all the beautiful things for sale.  HURRY! UNITEDTHREAD ON ETSY

10-14 Week 1 was good.
Pulse --> determined

Day 4 - Evening

Went to see the condo lady, affectionately known at the Colony as "the dragon lady", to ask for help and support for all the rain damage.  I have seen her in action - not pretty.  But, I know that deep down, there is a nice person in there so I decided to appeal to that side of her and was prepared to take a little crap in the process.   And wouldn't you know, she responds to kindness!  Who doesn't, really?  She sent the fix-it guy over who had his own version of my woes but with some kindness thrown his way - listening to his stories, lots of drinks of tea - he is on the job and will have me good as new by this weekend.  We'll see.  Right now, I have a hole (but he is back tomorrow and I'm brewing up lots of tea;)

Once he left me and my new hole to dry in the wind, I got to work on today's assignment -  9 Bird's Nest Tea Towels.  I had country music on the bose (soothes me - I like how the cowboys treat their women ), windows open to the sunshine and sea breeze and a deadline of completing this before Grey's Anatomy.  Viola ....all done for the day with a few hours to spare!  The real test will be when the artist, my Lovely girl child, reviews my work.  I'm a little nervous about that....All in all, a good day.

Pulse --> Kindness matters

Day 4 - Morning

Sad start today.  Yesterday's torrential rain seeped under the living room ceiling and is dripping into my beautiful new condo.  Several spots on the ceiling are rain stained and soft and mushy.  I hope it doesn't all fall down and ruin everything.  Now going to see the condo lady then calling the insurance and continuing to move furniture around so nothing gets too ruined.

Wish I was here again -->

Day 3 afternoon

So it's still raining like crazy.  Beautiful day in the neighborhood!  The wind is howling and my windows are rattle-ing.  Don't you just love when that happens?  Well I finished 4 OWL pillows and 4 NEST pillows today.  They came out pretty not too bad :)  Tomorrow I'll tackle the tea towels.

I also joined a Wine Tasting club - ("The Grapvine" ha!) - to get myself out there and meet some new people.

And I joined the "We Can" center - to give back.

WE CAN changes lives. For 10 years, WE CAN has empowered Cape Cod women of all ages to successfully navigate challenging life transitions such as divorce, career change, job loss, illness, retirement, isolation or personal loss. WE CAN --Women's Empowerment through Cape Area Networking-- furthers women's development through:

Cape Cod's "We Can Center"

All in all, it was a good day.

Pulse - anxious

Day 3 and First Day on the Job

Today I start my first assignment for Shell - I am to make 6 OWL pillows, 6 NEST pillows, 6 WHALE Tea Towels and  6 BIRDS in the NEST Tea Towels.  My spirit is soaring!  It's a beautiful rainy day - pouring and howling.  Makes me think of a little ditty I once heard - "here's to you my little love with blessings from above, let's begin the day.."!  Oh yes - lets' begin:

For more FABULOUS art, see the shop --> Unitedthread on Etsy

Day 1

Me and T started Day 1 with champagne and a picnic lunch on Coast Guard beach - one of the "10 most beautiful beaches" in the USA.  Beautiful day, warm sand, bright sunshine, salty breeze - so nice.  After a long walk and feeding a few gulls, we headed to the "Bookstore" in Wellfleet and hung out with Sam Adams and Don Julio - so very nice.  Then it was off to Ellis Landing to hear the sizzle and back to the condo for a long nights rest.  Peace and love.  A very nice day.


Inspiration -
"Take it easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
Don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
And take it easy..."                          

Pulse --> thankful

October 14, 2011

Independence day.  Transition day.  Stepping off.  Opting out.  Path less traveled.  Cross road. The last day of Corporate life and a whole new Beginning.  Now what? Oh bring it on! 

Which way?

So I will take a "pulse" every day and leave a word or two to describe the state of things...

Pulse --> hopeful