The Creaky Shed: Fresh Produce Greenwich UK

I love the name of this shop and the hand-drawn font they used for the sign. The Creaky Shed is a green grocer in Greenwich UK. The gallery of photographs with seasonal displays outside the shop plus more can be seen here. Looks as if they are all set for Halloween decorating with all the pumpkins. See you later with news of my car. Fingers crossed. xo

My Car: Still Not Fixed

The dealer couldn't fix my car. I found my favorite mechanic after he quit the garage near me. I called his sister and he's not that far away. Today, I had a friend take me to the dealership, thinking I could drive my car home and do some errands before taking it to my friend's garage. I left my phone at home too and felt quite lost without it. She waited until I waved her on and then the man I had been dealing with on the phone said he wasn't sure the car would start. Too late, my friend was long gone. Then I had to call AAA from their office phone to arrange for another tow truck. I was hoping the driver could take me home first and then take my car to the shop. Wrong. He said he couldn't. Luckily, I had befriended the men in the repair department and they allowed their driver to take me home. And guess how much my total bill was? Zero. $0.00. That was the best surprise ever. The driver was so nice too. I was so encouraged by all the kindness shown to me today.

I found the money car on Getty Images when I was researching which is better, leasing vs. buying a car. I have never leased. I am hoping I don't have to do either and the source of my problem can be fixed. My friend Greg is an absolute genius and if it can be fixed, he's the one that can do it. He seemed confident when I called him this morning. Fingers crossed.

It rained quite hard today and I got soaked outside while my car was being flat bedded. AAA man was very nice too. Will keep you posted on what transpires tomorrow.

xo

Animal Illustrations by Chris Dunn

Everyone knows by now that I am fascinated by the interiors of animals. This Wise Old Owl by Chris Dunn is a fine example of the kind of detail that pleases me the most. I love how he has decorated his hollow tree and filled it with antiquarian books and scientific instruments. via

I dug a little deeper and found the artist's website and related immediately with this image of Mole's House Getting a Bit of TLC. It is from Wind in the Willows illustrated by Chris Dunn. Is fall cleaning on everyone's mind?

Beautiful Book Cover - Two Views

If you think this one is beautiful, you won't believe the next one.

There are so many talented and creative people out there that make moving gifs to delight me. Isn't this amazing? via

The technician will look at my car today and give me the news later. I'm fine at home today on a dreary day, far away from Hurricane Michael. Be safe if it's near you. I only watch BBC News America and they say the Gulf Coast and the Florida panhandle are in great danger from high winds and waves. All we can do is hope it is downgraded before hitting land and hope for a beautiful sunrise like this one soon.

xo

Washing Dishes: Jessie Willcox Smith

Thank God for dirty dishes;

they have a tale to tell.

While other folks go hungry,

we're eating pretty well.

With home and health and happiness,

we shouldn't want to fuss;

For by this stack of evidence,

God's very good to us.

~ Anonymous

I found this image and poem while searching on Pinterest. I love the beautiful blue and white Canton that this little girl is washing. Just look at the wear on the bottom. Maybe it wasn't valuable back in 1925 but now it's prized. I have quite a few pieces in my corner cupboard.

JWS is one of my favorite illustrators from the first quarter of the 20th century and this image is new to me. This little girl doesn't even have a step stool but has to balance precariously on a little ladder in old blue paint. I've been doing a lot of this lately but on a larger ladder, both outside and inside, dealing with my windows.

I have been a little distracted lately, since Sunday afternoon. I opened my car door for an errand and the car alarm started going off and I could not start my car. It completely shut down because it thought I was trying to steal it. I am still trying to figure out what to do. I stopped using my clicker about 10 years ago and never replaced it when the battery died. I have been using my key ever since. I am depending on friends for rides and will decide today what I should do. Will keep you posted. xo

Tennis: Katharine Hepburn in 1981

She was 74 in this tennis photo. I recently watched part of a movie on TCM entitled PAT AND MIKE with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. I didn't finish it because I thought the plot was too silly. I started watching it because the host who introduced the film said she actually played all the athletic parts, mainly golf and tennis and she was so good at both in real life. She also was an excellent swimmer and sailor but I don't know if she did either in the movie. Her father stressed the importance of exercise and she followed his advice and was active almost to the end of her life at age 96. 

I don't do any sports these days and I try to stay out of the sun. Walking, gardening, lawn work, and housework are about the only things I do with any regularity. Have you ever heard the old saying, "Housework, if done correctly, will kill you." That always makes me laugh. I haven't done mine correctly in a long time and I can see the wisdom behind the quote.

xo

Michael Bastian's Eclectic Livingroom

According to Michael, his rent-controlled apartment home is “a little of everything that’s been smashed together in slow motion over the past 20 years.” The plain cream canvas of the walls allows him to add as many layers of decor and furnishings as he pleases, without it appearing too cluttered.

Michael Bastian is an American fashion designer with his own label after working for Sotheby's, Tiffany's, Bergdorf's and Ralph Lauren. When asked how he arranged the salon-style wall art he said, “it should never just be paintings or just photography, but a mix -- that’s where the real magic is. There should be modern stuff, textiles, framed book covers all hanging together.” Read the entire article here.

There is a lot to see but it all works and I like it. I can aways manage to squeeze in something I love even though I have no more room. I like being surrounded by things that make me happy. The only real price I have to pay is the difficulty in cleaning under, over, and around my collections, something I'm dealing with, big time, right now. I'm not complaining as it is turning out to be very satisfying.

Enjoy your Sunday and be sure to watch the second episode of the new season of The Durrells in Corfu tonight on PBS. In case you missed the first episode last week, you can watch it on the link I provided. I so love this series. xo

Our Mothers Worked So Hard

Doesn't this vintage photo found Google Images make you love your mother more? Mine only had two children three years apart but I still marvel at all she did with no help. She kept our homes beautifully, sewed her clothes and mine too and she even sewed for my brother and my father. She cooked delicious and sometimes complicated food and we ate healthy meals. She always looked beautiful and I don't think we gave her the credit she so deserved. I was so proud to be her daughter and she did know that. This photo just struck a cord of how hard it must have been to hold it all together back in the day. 

I wish I hadn't been so lazy all summer long because it is really hard now. I should have taken my grandmother's advice.

She really did say this, I'm not making it up. I am playing catch up and have the feeling I will never get to the point of having every room cleaned from top to bottom the way she did. I have told you before that she devoted one week to each room for spring and fall cleaning. I just seem to jump around and do the same task in each room instead. Right now it's still windows and I'm almost finished.

Have a great weekend. Thank you for giving me the will to continue blogging. I am enjoying it again and will continue. Thanks for clicking on the ads in my sidebar too. xo