lifefullyinhabited

Happy Feet

10 Sep 2015 Leave a comment

Yes, these are my tap shoes. They don’t have too many miles on them yet, even though I bought them about five years ago. It was one of those mid-life impulse buys.
Yes, I used to tap dance. Too many years ago to count. That would be embarrassing. Maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to post an old photo. But not today.

So just last week I decided to sign up for tap dance classes and actually put some scuff marks on these bo-jangles.
I found a class for those “of a certain age”, a class for those 50+. I figured I might be able to keep up.

It’s an intermediate level class. And just challenging enough. I probably have enough tap in me to do an advanced class, but I don’t have enough lung power for that. Intermediate is just right. Basic tap would have bored me to tears.

So here’s the scoop: balancing while shifting weight from foot to foot is HARD! Even with all the yoga I’ve been doing for the past four years. Maybe its the amount of weight I have to shift! Ha!

Doing turns while tapping is HARD! Hello Vertigo! At least half the class was as dizzy as I was after that little combo.

These ladies can DANCE! It’s exciting and refreshing. It felt like coming home. I think my mom would be happy that I decided to do something that would make ME happy. I know I’m happy that I decided to do something that would make me happy.

I think the shoes are happy. After all, these shoes were made for tapping. They were lonely and silent just sitting in the box.

Blast from the Past

03 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: 70's, afghans, crochet, granny squares, yarn

Blast from the past! Remember the groovy earth tones from the 70’s? I was totally into all that. Had my crock pot in avocado. Had my electric skillet in harvest gold. And crocheted like the world was ending any day.

This far-out groovy afghan was the very first I made. Of course it was granny squares! I found it this week.
All the memories wrapped up in this yarn: bought on sale at the new Target store, probably 69 cents a skein.

It has weathered the years well. For cheap yarn and beginner crochet skills.

Well over 40 years of living has happened since this baby was created. I think I’ve weather the years pretty well too.

Random Projects

26 May 2015 2 Comments

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: creative energy, dandelion lotion, spring, vintage train case

Spring has unleashed my dormant creative energy. I feel like doing everything, everywhere, all at once.
Of course, by noon, I am all done in.

Balancing and harnessing the energy is challenging. Focusing on things that really matter is challenging.

I am a work in progress!

So here are a couple things that got my attention.

Dandelions

Made Dandelion Lavender Lotion and Lip Balm from all those lovely, free, dandelions!

Vintage Train Case

Found my mom’s vintage train case in the basement: quite a disaster. And I transformed it with a little fabric and hot glue!

Not A Usual Monday

20 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized

Well, today was Monday. Not a usual Monday. Not for me. Maybe you heard the ground rumbling under foot. Maybe it only felt like that to me.

Today was the day my world rocked.

My family surprised me with a lunch out to celebrate a special day just a few days early. Shout out to Honey Pie café in Bay View. Amazing chicken biscuit pie.

Not only did I get a great lunch with some of my favorite peeps, they geeked me up with an Apple iPad mini.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would own one. We are not in the top 1 percent. Heck, we’re not even in the top 1000th percent.

I don’t have a dishwasher, never have I had one. I don’t have granite or marble countertops in my kitchen either. Can you imagine, I prepare food on 50 year old laminate. The same countertop that my grandma prepared her food on. My appliances are white.

Not stainless steel.

All my kitchen knives are dull. Which is why I sliced off part of my thumb while trying to be healthy yesterday. Cutting up cucumbers. It would be easier to slice veggies with my fingernails than with my knives.

I don’t want sympathy. I am perfectly happy with my situation. Its just that now I have an iPad mini tablet and I am not sure who I am and my place in the world anymore.

I hope my friends will still love me for me and not just for my geeky toy.

Thanks for listening.

Happy Monday

Cardinal Update

13 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: birdfeeders, cardinal, jealousy, joy

My cardinal is still visiting me everyday. I can still catch a glimpse of his outlandish plumage in the leaf-bare treetops most mornings. Sometimes he visits from farther away, but I can still hear his beautiful love song.

But there is treachery in his bold red heart. He eats from the next door neighbor’s bird feeder. Can you believe it?

How could he do this to me?

He’s MY cardinal.

Their birdfeeder is one of those kind that attaches to a window, and they have it ruthlessly attached to their kitchen window, 2nd floor. I can see it from my porch. I can feel the green bile of jealousy frothing in my veins.

I need to take a deep breath and back away.

After some time to think about this more clearly, I decided to try to be generous with my forgiveness toward man and bird.

The cardinal may be here visiting our neighborhood for someone else in addition to me. Maybe someone else is dealing

with loss and needs the comfort and joy that this sparkling red bird brings to us every day.

Maybe I need to get to know my neighbors better.

Still, I wish that little guy would come closer to MY kitchen window.

Sigh.

What’s up mayonnaise?

07 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: healthy eating, mayonnaise, natural food, real ingredients

Here is a shameless product endorsement. I found a “natural” mayonnaise. I like it so much, I’d like to share it with you.

This is not a “low fat” or “low calorie” or any kind of diet food. This is just a real food product. It makes sandwiches yummy and I also make a yummy ranch dressing out it.

It has real ingredients. That you can pronounce.

You can buy it at Thrive Market (look it up on the “interweb”)

this is the ingredient list. Compare it to the old stuff I used to buy:

Yuck.

https://thrivemarket.com/ Seriously here is the link to Thrive Market.

Hope you have happy shopping.

Season of Hope

31 Mar 2015 2 Comments

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: grief, hope, rain, spring, tulips

Spring

In my new season of grieving, life moves at a different pace. Since my mom died, I have had really wonderful days

and really difficult days.

Like this painting, my days have color and form, but no depth.

Flat.

This is far better than days that feel gray and lifeless.

I am eagerly awaiting the tulips. I planted lots of bulbs last fall, hoping to bless

my mom with lots of colorful blooms this spring.

Now, I guess, they were really for me. I didn’t know how much

I would need that hope.

That longed for colorful bloom.

For the world to erupt in beauty, color, form, and depth.

The spring rains have begun, gloomy days continue.

But I have this hope.

It will look like this again soon:

Early Spring: the Reality

23 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: clothes, Easter, mud, spring

The unglamorous realities of early spring in Wisconsin.

We, here in Wisconsin, don’t really understand why. Why do stores start stocking shorts and tank tops in March?

Why do they try to sell flip-flops and sleeveless Easter dresses? Why is everything pastel and flimsy?

The reality is, we have not yet put away our winter coats and snow boots. Guess what? Our world is brown and muddy

and cold and yes, we could get a few big snowstorms in March, April, or May.

We relish those few nice days when you can go outside without a coat

but you better have back-up jackets and mittens in your car.

We could have days when they skies are an eye-popping blue. (Notice the very bare branches on the trees)

But we could just as easily have skies that are so cloudy that it looks like a great grey dome of depression has settled over the city. And it could last for days and days.

Spring is a slight improvement over our winters. I have put away my sub-zero jacket. That bulky parka that is essential for

wind chills and polar vortexes.

I have put away the huge fur-lined gloves that go along with the parka.

A chilly day doesn’t have fear hanging in the air now. Most cars will start on a 30 degree day. 30 below zero, well, that’s

our winter worry.

But you can forget about children prancing through the tulips for an Easter egg hunt around here.

Your children better be in snow pants and mittens, ready to make an Easter bunny snowman.

Because that’s just how we roll here in the Midwest.

Just like this seed pod bundled up for the coming of summer, we are ready and waiting.

When the time is right, we will make a mad dash to the stores for our shorts and flip-flops. Maybe late June.

Until then, the stores would sell more, perhaps if they had realistic clothes for our climate.

Something that co-ordinates better with mud, perhaps!

My Sassy Cardinal

20 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized

my sassy cardinal

A Cardinal Experience

19 Mar 2015 1 Comment

by lifefullyinhabited in Uncategorized Tags: cardinals

I have been drawn to the birds, cardinals for a few years now. I have always admired their striking plumage and their cheery unique calls, but I have felt a different pull towards them. I found myself buying Christmas decorations with cardinals the past few clearance seasons.

I even went so far as to buy at a thrift store a small cardinal figurine, something I never go for. Was there something more behind this longing?

I bought a book about attracting cardinals to your yard, detailing the habits of the birds and their preferences. I was a bit dismayed when I read that they like bushy plants to nest and hide in. We had pruned all our bushy plants last fall. How would I get to see more of them. I hungered for a glimpse of their flashy feathers.

Someone told me that cardinals have a spiritual significance, if you’re into that kind of thing. Like spirit animal theories, etc.

I dismissed it as hippy-dippy hooey. I am much more practical than that, I thought. I mean, who would believe that a small bright red bird could represent the loved ones you have lost and long for?

Then a week after my mom died, I woke up one morning, let the dog out, and was greet by that unmistakable cardinal song.

It was a bit surprising and I searched the sound out and spotted the brash male perched in the next door neighbor’s tree singing his lusty heart out. We have never had many cardinals around this house, so I have been delighted by our newcomer.

He sits high in the trees surrounding our yard on one side or the other, morning and evening every day now. And I have spotted a muted colored female cardinal at our birdfeeder that usually only attracts sparrows and chipmunks.

I have been encouraged by this little red bird. His presence all of a sudden after mom died. Is this a sign? Is this a special blessing from God to cheer me up?

I smile every time I hear the song and see the little red feisty bird. That seems like quite a sign and blessing to me.