I am not now, nor have I ever been a morning person. I've never really had a sleep schedule, except when I needed one. When my older children were teens, I didn't get up until they were done fighting over who got the bathroom. Every.schoolday.morning. We had two baths, but one had better lights for hair and makeup. After they were both beautiful, then I would get up with the younger ones. With five kids in ten years, there was never a dull morning. I enjoyed staying up late at night, when it was quiet. That's when I was at my most creative.

Spending nearly five years as a fraternity house mom didn't help my sleeping patterns. The House was pretty noisy til after 2am, and there were often fire alarms, police visits, general rowdiness, and cars slamming into our corner drive in the middle of the night. There were eight accidents while I lived there. It was a bad corner! Thanks to my now husband John for being my Prince Charming and rescuing me. (I really did enjoy my frat house adventures. Most of them.)

Just from my past history my brain doesn't want to go to sleep very early. I try to be in bed by midnight, but that doesn't always work.  Unfortunately, the earlier I retire, the longer it takes me to go to sleep. Tossing and turning. Wondering and worrying.  I love to stay up late at night, for a few reasons. I still like the quietness. Sometimes I watch tv, or read, or write, or sew. I drink herbal tea . And then I go right to sleep when I finally go to bed. However, I no longer have the stamina to follow that schedule more than a few nights in a row. When I stay up too late, I get cranky and need a nap. And not just a little nap. And if I don't take a nap, I want to sleep late on the mornings I don't have to go somewhere and be social. Then the only thing that makes me want to get up is the thought of coffee. I love coffee in the morning. I consider it essential. Curiously, I am mostly decaffeinated now, so that isn't my motivator.

This morning, after going to bed at 2:00, I accidently woke up at 6:00 and decided to be productive. I celebrated with freshly ground regular coffee in my french press. It was a gift from a friend, and I enjoy it when I am having an occasion.

          I always believe in occasions. 

Weekly on Wednesday

 

Bye, Bye, Birdies

Many years ago when I was much younger, my husband and I were looking at houses to buy. When checking out the kitchen, I opened a cupboard door. The inside was covered with pictures of birds, articles about birds, and information about feeders and seeds. We looked at one another, and laughed a little, because, obviously, this was a house that belonged to old people. Much older than us.

But now, I have noticed that I am very partial to birds. How does this happen? Is it a rite of passage to the world of Elderly? I think it must be. I notice that I am not alone. 

I enjoy a lot of British television, and I have noticed that birdwatching is often included in the plots. I did a little research and discovered there are three distinct varieties of people involved. They are the Birdwatchers, the Birders, and the Twitchers. 

The birdwatchers enjoy seeing birds in their natural habitat. They might like to take a little stroll and look for birds. Maybe they will take their cameras and binoculars, but basically they just want to enjoy the sights.

The birders want to take a little more time and equipment. They are ready to record every little detail, and maybe even report their findings to somewhere official.

And finally the twitchers. For these super explorers, it won't get much more serious. It sounds like they are on high alert most of the time, just waiting to find the best and most unusual of the species, and willing to travel miles to observe them. 

Of course, in my favorite British mysteries, someone is often likely to be murdered along the way!

In addition to the real thing, I notice lots of little birdies in my decorating style. When I look around my house, I see this:

I guess I started collecting pictures of birds without even knowing that it was happening

How could I resist this sweet little family?

I love these dishes. Unfortunately, I only have one lonely little saucer.

This charming little hat needed a bird. Many were endangered during the nineteenth century, when they became popular for millinery. The Audubon Society helped to protect them

More pictures!

Birdies hiding about the house.

There are many more, but I think I have proved my point.

Before we moved, we had two birdfeeders outside the kitchen window, and really enjoyed seeing our visitors. We left them for the new owners because our neighbor has countless feeders in his yard, so we get to watch them.

As with most items I keep, there are many legends about birds, and many stories about the things they mean. Goldfinches are bright and shiny messengers of good luck and optimism. Robins bring hope and synchronicity. Seeing a wren tells you that all is well and that your creativity is blooming. Sparrows signify love. Bluebirds are my favorite. They are associated with love, happiness, and harmony. They symbolize life and beauty. Cardinals often remind us that those we have lost are near.

Weekly On Wednesday

 

Weekly On Wednesday

Recently, I have been trying to put my life into a notebook. I feel like I need to have it written out, so that I can just look things up. The things I need to do, want to do, forgot to do, and will never do. Do other people get this feeling, or am I living just a little bit on the wonky side of life?

There was a time that I did many things. I raised five perfect children. I was the Queen of the Carpools. I kept everyone's schedules in my head and in my planner, and mostly got them all where they needed to be. I had a job that I loved. I made and sold creative things. I volunteered. I wasn't much of a cook, but I kept them all fed. Most of that was my husband's department. After all, we owned a restaurant. No one starved.

Now I have lots of time, and less to do. I feel like I am frittering it away because I don't know where the time goes. I just know that it goes much too quickly. That's why I'm working on the (book!) notebook. Throughout my life, I have kept several notebooks and journals, but purely in a disorganized, mismanaged way. Now I am going through these notebooks, and trying to make them all more coherent.  It may not happen as I plan. I have noticed that my thoughts haven't changed a lot in half a century of writing. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. I like the same things and I have the same faults and values. I am basically the same as I was as a young woman, except on the outside. (And that's another story.)

And that is one of the reasons I am going through all the writings. I  have mentioned before that I like to follow rules. But I have discovered that I am really not too good at following routines. When a routine changes, either for the better or the worst, everything falls apart. And then I need to make a new routine.

 I knew right where things were in the last six houses that I lived in. I love to label things and put them where they belong. In my favorite house I had the best cupboard ever. I bought it at an auction and it had 119 drawers. Unfortunately, it was too big for the room. We had to modify it into two pieces with shelves at the ends. And then we had it built in so I couldn't take it when I moved. That was supposed to be my forever home, but I have moved four times since then. I will always miss that house. I had over 300 drawers and several bookcases. I felt very organized.

John and I moved more than a year ago. We plan to be here until we are even more old and feeble. I love this house. It is a good place for us. We downsized a lot, which was a good plan. However, I am still looking for things. I used to know exactly where my Irish tea set was. And the battery charger to my dremel craft tool. And my spare set of car keys. And the notebook that listed what was in all my little drawers and boxes.  And all of my craft supplies. But now, there is chaos. Our lives have slowed down a lot but the days haven't and every day ends before I feel that I have conquered that chaos.

I still have a few of my labeled drawers. One is metal and I know John doesn't like it. But I think it's charming in an industrial sort of way.

Most of my things are in small boxes and drawers now, and I spend way too much time trying to find what I need. 

My dream is still to find the perfect cupboard again even though I know my dream should be to get rid of the things I like to put into drawers.

And It's May!

 

And It's May!

 

Sometimes I feel like I barely turn around and the season changes. May is only minutes away, but I feel like it shouldn't even be Spring yet. Time goes by so much quicker than it used to. I always thought that the days were supposed to stretch out as we got older. Maybe that is true if you are alone. John and I spend a lot of our time together, which is very nice, but I'm sure there were many more hours in the day when I was by myself for several years. We have been married for more than five years now, and it feels like only a minute. We've recently had a few health related kerfluffles, which always makes me feel like the Grim Reaper has my address. Nothing serious, but it makes me think about the future. I've decided to start curating info about vibrant, interesting, and active old people, and stop reading obituaries of unfortunate souls who are younger than I am. I don't know why, but my mind is jumping all over the  place tonight. There was a time when a friend told me I was on her list of unfortunate souls. Fortunately, I snapped out of it.

Changing the subject, I finally got the Easter (and Valentine and St. Paddy!) decorations put away, and a new wreath made for the door. This was quick and easy fabric strips puffed and tied on a wire frame. I added a lace and fabric bow, and glued on some carefully opened seed packets. I didn't want it too permanent because I plan to use the fabric for another project.

We sprinkled the seeds in various places around the yard. It's not exactly a flower garden, but I want blooms for cutting. The additional flowers and a small container for herbs will probably be the only additions this year. I am still hoping that my sense of smell will come back, but I am starting to feel that it won't happen. That takes away a lot of my enthusiasm for gardening. We do have several small areas of flowers. I've already brought in daffodils, and some beautiful pink ones that I haven't been able to identify. It is fun to move to a new house and to see what the previous owners left as a garden surprise. This will be our second summer here.

I just realized that it's May Day, and I should have made May baskets. I guess that is another example of time getting away from me lately. I am actually trying to incorporate a schedule into my life again. I used to live by my calendar. I'm really glad not to have to be so regimented, but I feel like I barely get things done and then the day is over. Right now I could be making baskets or I could be going to bed. An easy choice tonight. Goodnight all.

UNDECORATING

 

UNDECORATING

 The Twelve Days of Christmas are officially over on January the sixth. This is the traditional official time to put the holiday away. According to Irish custom, everything should be back to normal by that day. If it is all packed away by Epiphany, that brings good luck. I am all about the customs that promise luck.

I've been undecorating for the past several days. I saved the tree for today. I know a lot of people do it earlier, but I think it looks a little forlorn,  now that it is ready to be put downstairs in the storage area with all the boxes. Some want everything gone by December 26th. Since our celebrations are usually later, I don't think I could ever handle that. And to me, it just feels like much too soon. I really enjoy the decorations. I also enjoy the undecorating. I like packing every thing away in small boxes and big totes. I wrap a lot of the ornaments in tissue for safekeeping, and because it feels like a surprise when it's time to unwrap them. I enjoy that I have such a variety of ornaments, ranging from handmade for my first tree over fifty years ago, to ornaments from friends, and from places we've traveled, and ones that John and I have collected. This was our sixth Christmas together. Our decorated tree contains a lifetime story.

One thing left to do on January 6th is to put all the small nativity sets away. The Epiphany is the day to celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings. They are also called the Magi or Three Wise Men. It just doesn't seem right to put them away any earlier.

Another Irish custom that I've discovered is Nollaig Na mBan. This means "Little Christmas" or "Women's Christmas". Since January 6 is the end of all the Christmas cooking and decorating and undecorating, it's time for the women to finally take the day off. Organize a women's party or just a cup of tea and a visit with a friend.