musings of a melancholic

Thanks to everyone who left comments about ways they

found to celebrate themselves last week!

The True Random Number Generator sayz:

The winner is:

JAMIE!!!

(see her blog here)

Her comment:

"SUCH a good idea. Sounds silly, but I really need to schedule some time for myself. For some reason it is the hardest thing for me to justify - can you believe it ? I struggle justifying doing nice things for myself!"

Jamie, I'll be contacting you with the details. Thanks everyone.

I hope it's become obvious that it's not expensive or selfish to celebrate your soul.

Unless of course you want it to be; now THAT's my kind of self-care. ;)

Be it with a glass of Sangria

Or a cuppa hot tea.

(Brit-style with milk and sugar, thank you very much)

~crm

A few years ago, I lost a considerable amount of weight on Weight Watchers. In the time since then, I had lost my motivation to care as vigilantly for my physical being and gained back over half of what I lost. These last weeks, I've been beating around the bush (and beating myself up) about getting back in the saddle and re-prioritizing this here goal of mine.

Because when the shiet hits the fan, this little lady heads straight for the corner baker's.

I decided to dust myself off, kick up my spurs

(can one kick up a spur? I fear I've reached the end of my cowgirl acumen) and get back in the fight.

So I knew I needed to be creative about new ways to comfort myself. This week, I set up a little goal. If I lost any weight at all (even 2 ounces), I would treat myself to a much needed manicure/pedicure.

Well, the week went by and it was harder than I remember.

That first step usually is, bein' all out of the habit and such.

But I stepped on the scale Tuesday night and

HHHHOOOOOTTTTIIINNNANNNIEEE!

(is that what cowgirls holler?)

I had lost! And MORE than an ounce, by god.

Last night, I took my tired old feet and my worn out old hands, and I did right by them.

After all, they sure do a lot for me.

I wanted to make sure they knew I appreciate it.

That got me thinking about YOU.

How have you celebrated yourself this week?

Tell me!

(Don't make me come over there and pistol whip you)

In fact, I have decided to host a little giveaway. Just leave a comment below answering this question, and one lucky cowgirl will be chosen at random to receive their choice of nail polish from OPI. If you happen to be a cowBOY, well then I am sure you can have your choice of nail polish too.

WINK.

SPIT.

Well shoot.

Have a dern great weekend, and I'll see you next week to let you know the winner of this here contest.

~crm

It has been recently discovered that humans who look at fresh flowers daily report higher positivism and mood elevation. You can very well then imagine our heightened saratonin levels as we wandered through Carslbad Flower Fields.

They were selling frozen lemonade, but I wanted to buy the lemonade stand!
(some people didn't appreciate my humor)

We then decided to crack out on happiness
by driving home via the coast on Highway 101.
(Strange to think that if I had only driven north for 800 miles, I could pop in on her)

The next day, we hit the beach again! I tell you, my mood has never been so elevated.

(nor my shoulders so burned! I felt like a retarded Washingtonian (no offense, everyone I love) who
doesn't know how to handle themselves in the sun and burns to a crisp)

We went back to the cove that I saw on Easter to check on the momma seals and their pups.

This lovey lady had an itch.

Momma and pup during a swimming lesson.

Clara was quite taken.

On happy ocean overload,

crm

Welcome to the 80th installment of The Weekend Report.

Our schedule is such that tomorrow marks the beginning of the week, so this is our own type of Sunday night and so nice to enjoy San Diego on Mondays because NO ONE is out!

Today was PERFECT weather:

80 degrees but breezy...warm enough to sun-bathe, but cool enough to stand it.

I sat for an hour or so contemplating the waves, eating an apple, writing a letter.

Yesterday we went to a natural flower reserve, the Carlsbad Flower Fields.

The rinoculous were ridiculous!!!!!!

So many more pictures to come...of course.

Until then, grab someone you love, turn up some weird 80s tunes, and sing at the top of your lungs!

~crm

when rebuilding a life

while standing in the rubble

examining the stones that made up

who

you

were

one begins to lay new mortar

picking up old bricks

handing them to another with questions

"what about this one?"

"does it need fixing too?"

because after such a devastating earthquake,

the last person's construction advice you can trust

your

own

but then. time...it passes.

it flys by flippantly

throwing up your skirts

tangling your pristine hair.

gasping for breath, you finally stop spinning.

all

silent.

and you are standing in front of a wall that once was.

it's shattered to the ground.

without knowing from whence they came,

people start to hand you bricks.

you recognize them, both the faces and the stones.
they

love

you.

your hands know how to mix the new cement.

your eyes recognize the ingredients that will no longer work.

your heart trusts your building experience.
because this time
you
have
help.

each stone is unique

in texture

in color

in shape and size.

but every few lines of bricks, randomly placed

magically found,

a stone appears.

its color never before seen.

its texture never before so smooth.

its shape perfection.

has it been there all along?
you had no idea
you had such beauty
hidden below the fallow soil.

i call these milestones.

this week was filled with them.

so we begin to build.

a stronger,

sturdier,

softer

fortress of the heart

never

there

was.

__________________________________________________

We had a lovely week indeed. Here are a few shots from Balboa Park, San Diego
(location of all shots above, as well)