When Mr. T got the offer to come to Florida, he was so excited about it he pretty much packed up our entire house even though I wouldn't be moving for at least 4 months.
When we left Florida and came back here to our beloved cottage, we knew it wasn't going to be permanent as the owners of the cottage (our family) have plans to either sell it next year or move back themselves so we were hesitant to unpack most of the boxes just to have to pack them back up again in a few months.
Today, with a little too much time on my hands, I decided I'd had enough of living in boxes (and without my cool stuff) so I unpacked a few favorite things that I've missed since December.
First up - my turtles. I love turtles, they stand for wisdom and longevity and they're just plain cute. I don't collect turtles (I hesitate to collect anything because it gets out of hand so quickly) but I will admit to having more than one.
My dad was given this mask years ago in Hawaii as a thank you for his work there. He named it Charley after all the Charley's Taxis around town (a company that still exists) and I instantly fell in love. I will have Charley with me in the nursing home. I'm so happy to have him back on the wall in our family room, I have missed you, Charley old buddy! Doesn't he look happy to see me again too?
A newer acquisition is this shabby chic chalkboard that we found at the San Juan Bautista Antique Fair last year. One day I'll actually get some chalk and write something on it. For now all it needs to do is hang around and look pretty.
There are a few more things that I haven't uncovered yet but while I was rummaging around in the box-filled living room, I decided to make a little change in there too.
I have wanted to replace the cushion on the wicker couch for a couple of years now. This is the cushion that came with my wicker set when I bought it 25 years a long time ago. It fit perfectly with my Victorian-style living room back then but times and tastes change.
There's nothing wrong with it except it is a little outdated and I really wanted a new color but I haven't been in a position to buy anything when all the new stuff
comes out each spring. Maybe that was for the best because I got the
exact color I wanted at an end of the season clearance sale this week. Yay me!
Notice all the boxes? Yeah, that's a small taste of what I've been living with since the beginning of the year.
I liked the cushions but it still wasn't exactly the look I was going for so I decided to show the other side of the quilt.
Ok, better but still not quite right.
Yes, that's it! It's time to rediscover the lovely wicker that I fell in love with in the first place. I love all that white with the pop of the aqua cushions.
Perfect!
At this point I don't know if we'll live here for for one month or six or more. Who cares if I have to pack it all back up again? I've decided to actually live here and not just exist in limbo while waiting to see what's around the next bend in the road.
It's hard to believe it but I'm almost through my 100 happy days - less than 15 days to go!
So, at 86 days and counting, am I happier than when I started?
The answer to that is a definite YES. I am so much happier than I was on May 22...BUT I can't really say that it's due to the fact that I participated in the 100 Happy Days challenge. I'm happier because our circumstances have changed and we've moved away from the cliff. We're definitely not lounging about in the sunshiney meadow just yet (I don't even remember what being in the meadow feels like) but at least we're no longer dangling over the edge so that's a whole bunch of happy right there.
Anybody who truly believes that money isn't an important component of happiness never dealt with my mortgage company. It may not buy happiness (I'm not entirely convinced it doesn't) but it buys security and my experience has been that it's very hard to have happiness without at least a bit of security. Your mileage may vary but wait till you've spent the last 5 years hanging over the edge by your fingernails and then we can talk.
Oh but wait, I was here to talk about happy, wasn't I? Got distracted there for a moment, I'm back now.
One thing this lovely challenge HAS taught me is that every day has happy moments, moments I'm so grateful for. Each meal is a blessing, each laugh, each smile, each sunny day, each puppy wiggle. The other day I went out to my car and it wouldn't start - dead as a doornail. Right then and there I thanked God that this hadn't happened the past few weeks when I needed that car for work and rather happened on my first day without a temp job. Then I thanked him again when, after wiggling the battery cables, the car started right up and hasn't had a problem since. THAT was a happy moment.
There are so many of them.
I'm grateful.
I still like having money rather than not having it.
Here are a few of my happy moments from the last month
Don't we all have a favorite travel spot - the place you long to go when you need a little break from life?
For us, this spot is Cambria, California. It's about 2 hours south of us so while we have frequently made it a weekend getaway, it's also a perfect day trip.
Recently we traveled down for a day. How I would have loved to have stayed at our favorite place down there - Cavalier Resort - but that wasn't in the budget.
Frankly, even the day trip down to Cambria wasn't in the budget but we really, really needed an escape. So we packed some sandwiches (no visit to the Main Street Grill on this trip, sob) and hit the road.
And the road was HOT. We watched the temperature climb higher and higher each mile down the highway but we knew it would drop dramatically the minute we turned toward the coast.
Even so, Charlie was very happy when we stopped for a water break
Cambria is quirky, that's what I love about it
I kind of really want that turtle/batman poster
When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping...or at least window shopping. Cambria has some really wonderful shops and I was the queen of window shopping that day.
Looks like Mr. T and Charlie are tired of shopping and are heading off for pie without me...hey, wait up guys!
Good thing this was our next stop
Oh look, more shopping at the pie store!
and best of all they have this amazing puffed corn snack that I crave. I limited myself to 2 bags and I've been pretty good at rationing them out, I still have a little bit left but I think I see the need for another trip down in the near future.
All too soon it was time to head back home. It was fun sharing such a happy place with Charlie. We have many good memories of being here with Jasper and Shifu. It's been great sharing it with you too!
The vintage cabinet jewelry organizer is finished, don't you just love it?
This is how Charlie feels about my painting
I think it's beautiful just like that but, of course, it needs to fulfill its destiny, right?
This part of our bedroom now feels complete.
Thanks for stopping by!
