Sunday, May 03, 2015

Finally They Got Out of the House

                                              Spring green!



So over at Facebook, John Maxwell shared this:


"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character". -Albert Einstein


... and it helped me burst through the temptation to, again, loll around the house another Saturday morning with Tom after my 6:30 a.m. supermarket run. 

Finally, after six (or so) months, we went out expecting adventures and found some!

My favorite one? We discovered an ancient 3-story house with a moving sale and, because Tom doesn't do stairs unless there's a darn good reason, I ventured upstairs alone and stepped into--get this--two old Lucy-and-Ethel-worthy apartments. Oh, they sucked me into a time warp and I wandered through each one-bedroom place, noting the bay windows, retro kitchens, front entryway (with a dreamy coat closet) which led out to a covered porch, two retro kitchens and also, bathrooms with old-fashioned tile and huge bathtubs. (Lois Lenski's vintage regional books also came to mind.)

A day later, I'm still reeling and still kicking myself because I didn't take my camera and so can't show you photos. Yet I've a feeling the 1940's ambiance wouldn't have come through, anyway. Alas.

But I did think of you, my fellow lovers of all things vintage while I stepped over the oak floors in the nearly-empty rooms up there, expecting to glimpse Ethel or Lucy around every corner.


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At a yard sale, ol' I-only-like-cats Debra, lost her heart to a silver lab puppy like this one:




Ooooo. I wanted to take the little bitty thing in my arms and walk out to the car with him. But instead, I went and dragged Tom away from the tool tables so he could see the baby (he also fell in love) and then we left before our emotions made us do something foolish, like bring home a puppy from the shelter to Daniel and Sammy who would never forgive us.


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We drove to yard sales in an area which feels like the countryside in the city and at one, I bought this because it reminded me of Gladys Taber and because Tom said he really liked it:



These are the kinds of dogs we can handle.  :)

After the sales, we browsed through Salvation Army where I found a nearly mint old copy (with dust cover) of Please Don't Eat The Daisies which has become my new 'car book' then we ordered lunch to go from a new Mexican restaurant which Tom finds incredible, but I think is average. 

Home again, we ate lunch while watching Blue Bloods then I puttered outside in the sunshine and Sally and I called to each other from across the street. I could hear people out in their yards, released from Winter's grasp, and neighbor Mike and I chatted and then I read awhile until a couple small motorbikes and a leaf blower drove me insane inside.

But mostly? What a remarkable early Spring Saturday, a sign of other such days ahead as long as I burst through my home-loving tendencies and laziness to experience them.


My snow-in-summer plant is beginning to come back. I appreciate that thrive-on-neglect plant!



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"You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out."   ... Deuteronomy 28:6


Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. -Zig Ziglar



The previous week, my Herb and Etc. Garden was just a pile of dried old brown leaves. There's more to be done, but it's a good start, I think.


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4 comments:

mabeane said...

Oh it sounds like you had such a delightful day. I'm glad you got out. Here in Maine the temps rose steadily to a lovely 68 degrees. Today it should be even warmer. I got to watch my husband cleanup the raised beds in anticipation of a spring planting of peas. I quickly ran out of energy when my hypersensitive airways realised the pollen was in the air. My husband is gracious about my inability to function and kids me about the coming birthday numbering 72! God is so good. I have done so many things in my life and now I'm heading into a season of rest.

Deborah Raney said...

This cracked me up: ...drove me insane inside.

So glad that winter is gone and spring is there in full force!

I think I need to start looking for ceramic cats on our garage sale forays...I keep having this longing to get a cat again, and I KNOW in my heart it would not be a wise thing at this time in our lives. But I miss having cats! :(

Terra said...

How good you two got out and about and had some exploring adventures.

Debra said...

Jan--that's wonderful that your husband is such a help and it really sounds like you've come to respect the seasons in our lives--many people never do! :)

Deb--glad you liked that line. It was one of those that just fell into place. I know what you mean about maybe getting a ceramic cat--we have farm paintings on our walls and a few ceramic dogs--all different ways to enjoy something without owning it! :)

Terra--thank-you for enjoying our day with us by way of my post!

Thanks, Ladies! Blessings, Debra