getting back into the groove

My husband had actually finished the vintage sewing cabinet (above)

before my accident.

Today he went out to the garage and worked to repair the sides

of this vanity that we found at a Goodwill Store.

He's stripping one of the drawers to see what it might look like to have the top and drawers "natural"

and the rest painted white and distressed.

I ♥ the maple leaf in the center, don't you?

 Yes, indeed!  This will work.

my hospital 'do

This is a simple post about a simple axiom:

Appear as you are. Be as you appear.
(Posted by annie s. on Twitter)

It truly makes life simpler.

I'm currently in the hospital rehabbing after slipping and falling on ice last Saturday.

I got new hip parts in an early Sunday morning surgery.

I was already overdue for a haircut when it happened.

Now the trick is to do SOMEthing with my "bed head"...

This seems to be the simplest.  

Maybe I'll get used to it.

evening shadows

 ...evening shadows in our kitchen

 have a way of exposing flaws

 while at the same time

 comforting and covering the cares and stresses of the day.

 Patterns and wood grains blend

and sleep sends its subtle invitation.

(Everything here had a life with someone else before coming to us...
usage and years add character and a patina
that cannot be achieved overnight.)

puzzling

 We didn't put in a jigsaw puzzle all winter....

Now, just as spring is about to descend (optimistic here),

we completed one and are starting on another.

Both were thrift store purchases.

Always risky when buying puzzles, I know.

The first one was all here!

And we're well into the next!

Its 3 foot width just barely fits on the wing of our table!

It's puzzling to me how both happened to be MAP puzzles!
Besides being a bit addictive,  these are turning out to be
quite the educational endeavors.

Update:  Done!

linoleum

 We took an hour or so out of our Saturday to visit

an antique mall in a neighboring town.

It had been awhile since we'd been there.

We were pleasantly surprised by how full it was
and the addition of many customer-friendly touches--

like baskets throughout with signs inviting us to use one to gather purchases

and well-marked maps to help navigate through the maze of rooms.

Honestly, we don't "do" antique malls to buy things.

We go for entertainment and education.

Do you know what I mean?

After about 1/2 hour, I'd hit my saturation point.  One booth blended into another.

And I left with pictures of...

LINOLEUM. 

Just plain old worn-out linoleum.
Can you imagine how beautiful it was in its day?!?

linoleum