February 28, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 8 Comments
Yesterday was an excellent, fabulous day!
What made it so great? Well, 3 major things, but there were other smaller things that added to the fabulousness. 
My day started with a great cup of tea and a nice bowl of oatmeal with golden raisins and dried cherries added to it. I’ve cut back on my tea so that I only drink 1 large mug of caffeinated tea in the morning and then switch to decaf or herbal for my post-lunch cupt of tea. This means that in the morning, I kind of end up nursing my large mug in an attempt to really try to savor it. So, I did that yesterday.
I had a nice breakfast while talking to my dad and hanging out. Then we worked together at hanging most of the decorative glass pieces around the house with fishing line and coffee cup hooks.
Here are the pieces in the front window. They sparkle more in person, but you’ll at least get an idea of what I’m talking about.
Here are the pieces in the kitchen window.
There are still more to go. But now, I walk through the house and I see them when I turn corners or walk into a room and they bring me such joy.
I also had an excellent lunch. To top it off, my dessert was half of a Caribou chocolate chunk cookie! I still have one cookie left, so I’m kind of spreading out the joy of the 2 cookies over a 4 day span. *grin*
One of the three major events yesterday that made my day so great was a gift from my parents of new shoes!
It has been a couple years since I got new shoes. I was way overdue for shoes since I actually had worn a hole in my old pair, but even with the hole I just never made the time to go do it. Also, my shoes for exercising were so worn down that I was walking with my feet turned inward (pronating). I went to the best store ever for my ‘problem feet’ – Foot Solutions. This is the same place I went to right before Texas Seestor’s wedding to get a pair of heels that I could actually wear for 8 hours and feel okay in them. The shoes are the most comfortable ones I’ve ever owned. They just feel perfect.
The second of the three major things that made my day so great was also a gift from my parents. I had an hour long full-body massage! I specifically asked the therapist to focus on my head, neck, shoulders, and back, because I carry a lot of tension in my back. Sure enough, my therapist had his work cut out for him trying to work the knots out of my shoulders. It was really fantastic. I even had some knots in my upper arms, in my hands, and a bit in my jaw that he worked out. That was really amazing.
And then, when I got home, I found the third major thing that brightened my day. A package from Therese and Jim, my ‘second mom and dad’ who I mentioned to you before in the tulip picture. Therese wrote this wonderful note to go with the present, and I want to share it here because it is clever and fun and is like a poem, but also so that it is archived for posterity.
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Tea is always for two.
Chocolate is for the inner core of you.
The book – I don’t know – but it’s you – you know.
A dream can come true – it can happen to you.
Plant your garden – watch it grow
write them down – then you will know
which flowers have the most beautiful show.
The candle in the moonlight will cast a glow – for you and HB – well, you know!
The journal is a journey of your life -
look at the colorful cover and always remember “the little girl” in you.
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Isn’t that neat!?
The tea is a Wedgewood brand from England it is strawberry!
The chocolate is choxie and has raspberry in it which is just perfect.
The book has a note of it being by the author of “The undomestic goddess” which just made me laugh and laugh.
The dreaming part refers to this beautiful silver bookmark with a cut out of a flower in it that has a beautiful quote by Henry David Thoreau “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.”
Isn’t that perfect?!
The garden gnome is the cutest little guy. I’ve decided that he needs to have a little bit of soil to live in on my kitchen window.
The journal will be a perfect spot to track my flowers. It is the cutest thing and is covered with flowers. It even has little beeds glued to it that are blue. I’m sure that when Therese was picking it out, she was remembering the time that I visited her and Jim and how I pulled out my journal of the landscaping that we’d done on our new house. I had made a journal where I’d glued in ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of the front of the house, but also had included individual pictures of flowers and a description of where they’d been planted along with the little plastic things that come with the plants.
And to end the perfect day, HB made a wonderful supper of salad with chipotle dressing, salmon (I put dill sauce and capers on mine) and my favorite rice pilaf!
It was just an amazing day, and it wasn’t even my birthday yet! I hope you are having a nice day too.
February 26, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 4 Comments
I spotted this the other morning and I really liked the way the slats of the deck, the frost, and the sunshine created a beautiful pattern of light. I didn’t change the contrast or anything in Photoshop, it is simply cropped.
February 26, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 7 Comments
“Shake your groove thang. Shake your groove thang. yeah yeah.”
How did you do at shaking your groove thang this week?
Amber, did you unpack lots?
Texas Seestor, did you work out on the elliptical trainer &/or your cycling trainer?
Momo, are you out there? How are you doing with exercising at your mom’s?
Victoria, you ran last week! impressive! How did it go this week?
Squirl, let me guess…
…more bedroom exericise, right?
Anyone, anyone?
February 24, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 5 Comments
Special delivery from some very special friends. They are like a second family to me; Therese is my second mom and Denise is an honorary sister. One of these days, I’ll blog more about my childhood and growing up with Denise and her family. But for now, I want to just share these flowers with you.
I love looking at the tulips and the hydrangea that HB gave to me.
And the tulips are just stunning.
They are such a joy to me. Not only because the flowers themselves are beautiful, but because when I look at them, I think of the friends who sent them. And that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
February 23, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 0 Comments
Today is Texas Seestor’s birthday! Yep, she’s a fishie, just like HB (March 5th) and me (March 12th).
That would be a piesces, if you weren’t sure what I was referring to.
For her birthday, I’m posting a few of the gorgeous photos she took from her honeymoon.
Surprise, Texas Seestor! Hope you don’t mind that I’m posting them! I thought maybe you’d enjoy seeing them online.
My favorite is this one with the lizard and the flowers and the cool leaves.
And the hibiscus ones are just fantastic too!
This photo really makes me smile too.
Happy Birthday! I’ll get to see you soon! 
Love,
Danielle-eeeee
February 23, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 8 Comments
Today is Texas Seestor’s birthday! Yep, she’s a fishie, just like HB (March 5th) and me (March 12th).
That would be a piesces, if you weren’t sure what I was referring to.
For her birthday, I’m posting a few of the gorgeous photos she took from her honeymoon.
Surprise, Texas Seestor! Hope you don’t mind that I’m posting them! I thought maybe you’d enjoy seeing them online.
My favorite is this one with the lizard and the flowers and the cool leaves.
And the hibiscus ones are just fantastic too!
This photo really makes me smile too.
Happy Birthday! I’ll get to see you soon!
Love,
Danielle-eeeee
February 21, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 8 Comments
Yesterday morning, I spent some time sitting in the sun and singing to music.
Mom actually took this picture of me today, but replace the laptop with my journal, and you can imagine about what I looked like yesterday.
Yesterday, I started off my music listening with Ginny Owens – Without Condition. Her music really speaks to me at a very deep, faith-based level. And better yet, we both have a similar range, so I can sing almost all of the songs without straining at all.
Next, I sang along to a compilation CD that we used for practicing when I was in the Praise Chorus at my church back in MA. I jotted down the titles of the songs and some of the lyrics in my journal.
I attached a beeded bookmark to my journal that I made as my craft project at my church’s Women’s Retreat a couple of years ago.
I like how the rays of the sun shining through the beeds refracted and also created interesting shadows.
I am not quite up to full-blown storytelling yet, but I wanted to share some of the other pictures I’ve taken lately.
Mom gave me this angel and I hung it up in the window yesterday.
This morning, HB left before sunrise, and he looked pretty sharp and sexy with his blue shirt, red tie and matching cufflinks, chunky watch, and live strong bracelet.
And the sunrise this morning, was comforting.
Mom and I are going to go for a walk today, but right now, I’m enjoying the sun on my face and legs and am listening to Joshua Kadison’s album.
February 14, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 7 Comments
Hi Everyone –
HB here. Danielle is going to be away from the blog for a bit wrapping up some things for her dissertation.
Don’t panic – all is well – and I expect you’ll see her back here in a week or so.
All the best,
HB
February 12, 2006 - Posted by danielle- 7 Comments
“I got chills their multiplying, and I’m losing control, for the power your supplying it’s electrifying.”
“You better shape up, cause I need man. And my heart is set on you. (HB) You better shape up… you better something-groove and let it move. You can keep me satisfied.”
“Yes I’m sure, yes I’m sure down deep inside.”
“Your the one that I want. You are you are you are. Oooooo ooooo ooooo”
“honey.”
“the one that I want”
(HB)
(The rest of you have to go pick your own one.)
I’ve heard this song in the post office and the car lately and it was an option for open mike night at the bar attached to the hotel. However, I am no Olivia Newton-John with my alto voice.
How was your activity this week?