While the cat was away...

We have no cat...however, I was the mouse who got to play this week.

Julia is due back in a few hours from her week at Baby Hollywood (aka Bayview Wildwood) with her Aurora family. I've had a call from her each night, detailing all her adventures doing water sports (tubing, knee boarding, tippy banana boat, water trampoline) and how much rice she's eaten each day.

So I've had the week to myself do catch up on life, put some of the house in order, and do some of the running around jobs that she hates. It's a gift to have this time -- a solo staycation of sorts that, thanks to Moe, I've enjoyed for the last 4 years. And this year even more so as there wasn't even Purple Pages to cut into my time.

I wanted to make good use of my time and be organized, so a list was in order. This is the typed version that saw many drafts on assorted scraps of paper scattered around the house.  I had a list going in each room to jot down jobs as they occurred to me. The copy below already has jobs added to it, but I'm also happy to see things crossed off. There are 5 pages of jobs -- perhaps a tad ambitious, but there's a reckoning that happens when you put it on a list. 

A job I couldn't wait to do was make visit to Crate and Barrel. I had received a gift card from a dear friend and colleague who had picked up on my squeals when I was telling my tale of a run-through of the store at Yorkdale. I had visited Crate and Barrel for the first time on our trip to Chicago and had oohed and ahhed my way through three (or was it four) floors of wonderful decor. Needless to say this gift card was burning a hole in my pocket.

Here were my two purchases -- a leather bag for school and a pitcher (stewing sangria not included, but looks how it matches the berry colour of the school bag). 

Inspired by the beach of Southampton and warm summer nights, I combed IKEA and Homesense for some bargain candles and lanterns and found these treasures. 

And was also delighted to find some new patio table decor in the sale bins (on the right) that complimented what I already had (on the left). The summer bargains were abundant and I nosed them out wherever I could. It was like Christmas in July. 

New seat cushions pulled the whole theme together...are you chuckling at my signature green. 

 

Another long awaited purchase was a new chair for the laptop desk in the living room. 

This is where I blog...

Got some mats and frames for some embroidered silk I bought in China. Working out a collage wall in my head with these and some photo enlargements from the trip - a work in progress.

I had a midsummer's night dinner party for my some of my dear teaching friends and colleagues. We've known each other for 20 years, and although some have gone to other schools and one has retired, when we get together no time has passed. 

So many of the treats I purchased this week, had this event in mind...a garden dinner needed flowers, some from my garden and some from another garden that the grocery store has dibs on...I put the flowers in mason jar vases for a whimsical effect. 

Here's the table ready to go -- just add the guests.

Tried a new recipe for grilled vegetables in foil 

and honey mustard chicken.

Silvana, AMD and Helen.

Robert and Glenn enjoy appetisers with the ladies.

Glenn even joked that I had bought green grapes 

to go with the table.

Perhaps subconsiously I did.

This week gave me the freedom to play a little, work a little, purge a lot, and set some goals for the rest of the summer, and dare I say, for the new school year.  I missed Julia, no question, but also loved the time on my own.