Seattle is enjoying an extended summer, though we have cloudy gray mornings. I still haven’t had to turn my heater on, and we still run fans every night to cool the house. I drink iced tea in the daytime still, but crave hot tea at night.
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Check your fruit bowl – anything that needs to be thrown out? Something tasty you can enjoy as part of your lunch or dinner today? Need to make a trip to the store for some fresh fruit, or maybe some heirloom tomatoes if they’re still available where you are?
- Need to vacuum a room or two today? I’m making myself vacuum both sets of my stairs today, a much-hated but much-needed task.
- What are you doing for fun this next weekend? Today’s a great day to make plans so people have enough advance notice to join you in an activity.
- Do you keep a diary or journal? Do you need to update it with your adventures from the past two weeks? It takes me only ten minutes to update my diary usually – the hard part for me is carving out the alone time to make a cup of tea, sit down and actually reflect and write.
TODAY’S PROJECT: Dusting
Today’s project is dusting. I’ll start with my pictures, paintings, mirrors and artwork or anything else hanging on the walls. Several of them are visibly dusty, so that’s what reminded me to pay attention to this particular project today. Both fireplace mantels need dusting, as do the staircases and wooden railings in my home.
Next come the three televisions in my home (living room, family room, and kitchen). I won’t just wipe off the screens, I’ll dust the sides and backs too. Then it’s time to dust the mail table, dining table, coffee table, curio cabinets and side tables.
Upstairs, I’ll dust two nightstands, the hope chest in my bedroom, and the several bookcases we own.
I’ll skip the window sills as they get cleaned at the same time I do the windows, and they don’t look visibly dusty right now. Instead, I’ll finish by dusting my three standing lamps, six bedroom lamps and the lamp in the family room.
I expect this project to take just thirty minutes out of my day. I think it will be quite pleasant actually, lilting around the house rubbing my beautiful wood furniture with orange-scented spray, while I listen to lovely music I’ve put on in the living room.
LOVELY BLOGS: Chronostyle
Chronostyle is “any act in which an individual revives some aspect of a previous time and successfully integrates it into a contemporary mode.” Recent posts I’ve enjoyed include Raiders of the Lost Arts: Letter Writing; Peach Boysenberry Pie with Vodka Cheddar Crust and a post on 1960’s inspired fashion. There aren’t many posts here, I hope they’ll continue and post more often!
http://chronostyle.wordpress.com/
LOVELY ENTERTAINMENT: Cirque du Soleil “Totem”
This touring show from Cirque du Soleil “traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.” Currently touring to just three cities (Washington DC, Miami and Atlanta). I hope it makes it to the West Coast, I would love my three boys to see an amazing show like this if we could afford it!
Totem, at Cirque du Soleil.com
LOVELY TELEVISION: The Paradise
I really hope this costume drama comes to the US sometime soon. It’s a romantic drama set in Britain’s first department store, in the 1870s. Though we here in the US aren’t allowed to watch the first couple episodes online at the BBC site, there are at least several gallery pics to browse through. I’m so looking forward to seeing this!
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
After School Snacks: Baby Carrots Planted in Little Pots (Spoonful)
Devilish Eggs with Spiced Mustard (Chatelaine)
Eleven Hard-To-Get-To Hotels Worth the Trip (Concierge)
Fall 2012 Fashion Trend Report (Elle Canada)
Floating Homes of the Future (Forbes)
Global Bacon Shortage Unavoidable (CBC News)
Maple Syrup 101 and Sweet Maple Syrup Recipes (Canadian Living)
Mom, May I Have More Spinach? (Babble)
Nine Hot Trends in Kitchen Design (Boston Globe)
Pound Cake is Anything But Boring (Canoe Lifewise)