It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life: Treating ourselves royally in 2010

[Arabella]

I did well over the weekend but slacked in a few spots -- nibbling while cooking, having a snack on the couch. OK! Back in the saddle. We walked over to the gym this morning and did the circuits, walked back home and did yoga, walked back over to work.

I tell you, I would deffo stay home today if 'twould be just me and the cat. Me, the cat and the carpenter not sufficiently cozy, though.

Tonight's choir practice. Over the weekend I started to try plunking out notes for myself on the keyboard and have made some headway. Wish I'd tried that earlier. But I may have just enough time to pull it out of the fire.

so necessary today. Oh my!

DH and I are planning a little getaway weekend soon. Had been looking at something grander but it's more practical to go closer now since we've got to go to Ohio in the summer.

BUT -- I insisted on at least three stars and must have pool, hot tub and sauna. One of my favorite ways to relax is to alternate among those three until all tension is gone, gone, gone.

Anagram, me too -- was leftover turkey with leftover gravy. All-new veggies, though. And it was good.

Oh, sixty degrees! How lovely. Spring really is on the way, then. I'd best get some of this weight off.

Yes, missing all ly folk and wishing them well.

Let's take this day and make it WORK for us!

[Arabella]

I woke up just before 4:30 and didn't feel like I could go back to sleep. So here I am again. The bathroom doesn't look to me like it's going to be finished tomorrow so I guess I resign myself to another day of scooting out of the house when I might prefer to linger over

I'm thinking some drastic action is going to be called upon to renovate the flower beds this year. Seems like it would be easier to dig them out, fill in some top soil and compost and replant. They were overgrown and neglected when we moved in and I've never managed to fully reclaim them yet. But hope springs eternal.

I think, while I'm up, I'll do a little practice before Tabata time. Let's make this a good one, lies!

[anagram]

Ah, yes, Arabella, not good to be too cozy with carpenter (even w/cat). And my beds could use some of same. Nephew is supposed to come this spring so I can share some plants with him (some that came from the yard of the house his parents brought him home to) and I may get him to move some things while he's at it

At 199.6 two mornings in a row. Yet another almost 60 day today. Have done a teeny bit of yard work each day. Would LOVE to go all out but back will not permit.

Yesterday I tried on a Royal Blue Silk Dress from back in the day (I'd mentioned coming up with it earlier). Gorgeous, classic. Well, good news is the shoulders fit, the sleeves fit, even the bust and hips fit. HOWEVER, I am way too well endowed still in the pooch-between-breasts-and hips department. Still,it gave hope and I have it hanging where I can't miss seeing it to hopefully give me some motivation. It also would need to be quite shortened but that part's easy (take it to someone else to do).

I must now dig out a blue suit from the same period and see how much further I need to go on that.

Well, ladies all, here's to Tuesday.

[Amarantha2]

Woot, just recovering from 1.5 days of almost no sleep as so much deadline work.

Eating good, sorry for the me-me postie.

Huzzah to all!

[Arabella]

The guys said that they'll just have a little bit of work to do tomorrow. Maybe I'll be able to stay home and just wait them out? I like having the office to come to but this forced march out of the house first thing in the a.m. is contrary to my idea of freedom.

But... the bathroom is going to be lovely. I'm happy with the fixtures and vanity and etc. It looks old-fashioned and quietly, home-ily elegant. Soft, warm buff-y walls and cream wainscotting. Dark wood vanity with a granite top. And neutral ceramic tiles that look like stone. I'm going to get little half-shades for the sconces either side of the mirror.

It's been sunny here and a little above freezing, which is good weather for hereabouts this time of year. I took myself out for a little walk midday yesterday and intend to do the same today before I'm too braindead from sitting here working to enjoy it.

Diet-wise, I'm thinking I'm going to do the WW program again. This winging it doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I bet when I start counting points again I'll suddenly understand why.

Anagram, maybe it's a good thing your back prevents the all-out effort. Although I love the idea of spending hours and hours labouring, it tends to be too much for me. Which makes me feel pathetic but what are ya gonna do.

Amarantha, I hope you're through your work and rested up!

Let's hit it, lies!

[anagram]

Hope you had a good long make-up snooze, Amarantha.

Your bathroom sounds SOOO lovely, Arabella. Use if for a week and you'll have forgotten all the inconvenience.

We are having our sixth sunny, springy day in a row. Way better than norm. Rain was supposed to start today but it's been pushed back and worst should be tomorrow. Planning to stay home, make Irish soda bread tomorrow. Well, home except for tai chi.

Raked a tad again today. May actually just get the job done myself this year. Maybe not the best job but...........we'll see. Going out again in a bit and also hope to get in a nice walk before the weather changes.

199.2 yesterday and 199.4 today. I think that's six days in a row the # startd with the beloved "1". Maybe it has something to do with the weather.

Trying to get January's postponed trip rescheduled. Next few months almost two busy. Ridiculous but so. And of course, must coord w/sister's schedule.

[wsw]

anagram- huzzah on being in the "beloved" ones for such a long jag! woohoo!

arabella-that's great---only one more day of bathroom renovation! it sounds beautiful. enjoy!

amarantha-hope you are now rested, or on the way towards being caught up on sleep, anyway.

--and hello to all our marvelous queenlies, mentioned or -un!

sorry to have been away again for a while. ms technical difficulties have been kicking my more than ample derriere of late. definitely starting to feel better now.

it was my birthday last thursday, and my dear friends gave me 5 (yes, i did say 5!) dozen roses! they are so gorgeous, and smelled divine. i put bouquets all over my condo. and everywhere i looked there were magnificent flowers. i couldn't wipe the grin off my face this past week. if i could skip, i would be skipping from one room to another. lol! they took me out to dinner that night, which was fun. i got lots of phone calls from friends who live in other places, and had nice long visits with them also, which i enjoyed. i am 57 (ugh!), which sounds so much older to me now than 56 did, for some reason. lol! very grateful just to be around though, so i can get used to this new number just fine.

176. have been staying op, and exercising, though not as much as i normally can, due to recent ms technical difficulties. proud of myself, though, for doing as much as i can. it just means i have to continue to be a bit more creative. well, dear royals, i have missed you all. take care, and hope everyone has a good evening.

[anagram]

Every time I think of giving up, dear wsw, I read of your fantastic (and hard earned) progress and I am remotivated. So good to hear from you and I can't even begin to imagine 5 DOZEN roses. Wow - and belated Happy Birthday.

Rainy this morning - expected to get worse but I should make it to tai chi before that happens. Off and running - figuratively speaking.

[anagram]

200.4 today - sigh - but I did a little binge last night and it doesn't take much.

[wsw]

thanks, anagram! hope you got to tai chi before rain got worse. raining here too. so glad it is rain though and not snow. this winter sure was loooong and cold! sure know what you mean about it not taking much for scale to sneak in wrong direction. those demon scales!

going out to dinner with some friends tomorrow night, which will be nice.

well, a good evening to all royals. take care.

[Arabella]

The carpenters are gone and the bathroom looks lovely. A couple of tiny spots where the painting was not quite as meticulous as it might have been and a mark on the ceiling from a ladder, though -- should have looked it over before they left. Also the ceiling fixture should have been more thoroughly cleaned before it was put back. But, on the whole, it looks lovely and just as envisioned.

I'm proud of myself for asking them to repaint the trim around the cupboard. The woodwork was all cream and they painted the trim around the cupboard to match the wall, which didn't look right to me at all. They also painted the bathroom window shut. I sometimes just let things like that go, so I felt good about speaking up.

We've got cold overnights here but it's been warming up over the freezing mark and beautifully in the daytime. Really just glorious. I'm going to go for a walk soon -- or maybe I'll even sneak through to my path and do a woods woggle.

I'm making an Indian dinner tonight. DSIL and DBIL and neice are coming for dinner. It will be blameless but for the dessert: Kulfi, a fruit and nut ice cream infused with rosewater and cardomom. Which I'm making -- I've thought of trying it many times over the years but this time actually going for it Anyway, it will be a treat and not as calorific as most desserts.

I had such a lovely compliment on Twitter yesterday. A woman recommended that people follow my account, where I post mostly from my grammar blog:

"Superb content. No nonsense. Valuable guidance on the use of good grammar. (EVERYONE on Twitter should follow her!)"

WSW, happy belated birthday! WOW! FIVE dozen roses? That's an image and a memory that could make us smile forever. How beautiful! What color(s) were they, so I can envision more clearly?

Your wonderful friends are a real testament to your own wonderfulness. Of which, of course, we are well aware.

Anagram, much as I love the sunny days, a rainy day can be so cozy and domestic. There's nothing much nicer than puttering about one's domain baking and etc. while rain comes down outside.

The snow's receding here enough that I should be able to do a set of tai chi in the back yard. I hadn't been practicing at all but then one day started a set in the corridor at work (there was nobody there ) and it felt very good. Why deny myself?

My, I would love to see our missing lies. I usually end up PMing but I don't want to bug them... Hope they return!

Have a lovely weekend, Queenies!

[wsw]

thanks, arabella! the roses were yellow, pink, and white----just gorgeous. glad new bathroom is looking lovely. good for you for sticking up for yourself with carpenters! certainly not an easy thing to do. dinner you have planned for this evening sounds divine.

175 today. woke up way too early this morning, but at least was able to make good use of my time, so not so bad after all. hopefully, i can get a little rest this afternoon though so can completely enjoy dinner out with friends this evening. thinking too of all our queenlies out there. hope it is a good day for one and all.

[anagram]

oOOH, those roses sound so marvelous! Hope you enjoyed your dinner wi/friends, wsw.

Good for you, arabella, for catching the little "errors" and speaking up. I, too, oft let things go but maybe soon the "new" me won't so much. It's so nice too when things work out to look as you had planned. Luxuriate!

And, yes, a wonderful twitter tribute.

Did bake and putter yesterday. Felt satisfied w/day. Still rainy today but more pleasantly so with less wind and only showers. A beautiful week promised as of now anyway.

Thrown off a bit by the "spring forward" thing but had nothing major planned anyway so have puttered about little things. One more clock and my watch and car clock to change.

199.2 yesterday and 200.4 today. fresh start Monday coming up.

And SPRING coming in only five days as well. Noticed tips of a blue and a pink hyacinth starting to come alive. Ta Da....................Onward and downward, Royals.

[wsw]

that hour forward always throws me a bit too. never like to lose an hour for any reason, i guess. surprised how many watches i had to set forward. had forgotten about a few fun watches i had, and wore one today, in fact.

love that spring is official in only five days. i am ready!

had lots of fun last night at dinner with friends. we laughed a lot, which was a pleasure.

good evening to all royals. thinking of you.

[Amarantha2]

Hello, queenlies! Am ('n the Demon Kitty, the dog bein' elsewhere on the premises) hath been readin' through the royal thread 'n seemingly there is a bit o' a spring thing goin' on here with home renovations, colors, flowers 'n kulfi 'n much more.

Arabella, that is so nice re the compliment the lady gave ye on Twitter.

I find in my work that people who like what one does almost never say so while the ones with a gripe almost never don't lol. It is good when people think to speak up when they have something nice to say.

On that head, Am be embarked on a positive challenge for spring & summer that she calleth SET FREE (it is not a quasi religious movement or anything lol, it is just, ye see, that a sprite ... Celtic she was ... who said her name was SET FREE whispered in Am's shell like ear a few days ago when she ... Am ... had one o' those days o' late wherein she hadn't slept because of work 'n she ... Am ... compensated by eating six cinnamon rolls ... not huge ones but six nevertheless ... anyhow, SET FREE suggested that Am should work to set self free from negative thoughts, behaviors and influence ... it is a long story but anyhow ... Am is workin' on it all ... 'n workin' on losin' the five pounds put on by too many cinnamon rolls).

So that's Am in a nutshell ... mentionin' that today has been a stellar eatin' except for breakin' ranks with cinnamon again (this time a pop tart).

Took two walks, now going to go play with new fancy phone. Huzzah!