You need a strategy

Karin wrote something last post that really made me think.


In a real life how do you take care of yourself in a reasonable way?


I guess that was behind my question about the nails. 


And of course it's not just about the nails. Although I have to say it's cultural too. Three months in the South I can tell you there are more nails painted here than up north in Nova Scotia, where really so many women of my age don't wear much make-up a lot of the time. Unlike say Montreal, where I spent formative years, where grandmothers were seen with false eyelashes at 7:30 skating practices on Saturday mornings.


Back on topic. 


What you don't do is as important as what you do do, I have decided. Otherwise you just wear yourself out and that's not the point.


So here's my shocking not doing list, which of course will be totally different than yours:

• I don't colour my hair anymore and I threw out most of the products my old hairdresser insisted I use. You know the one who straightened my hair and was a proponent of the "you have to suffer to be beautiful" school. Listen I don't have great hair but letting it go natural to me is part of self-acceptance.

• I have decided to let it get simple at home. The house has been heavily used by all the people who have lived in it. Assorted family, kids who have come and gone, even friends of kids who have lived with me at various stages. We put in a new kitchen because the old one was falling apart but that's it. I think we just need to repair, repaint and maintain but that's it for me. I am not into investing any energy in decorating or renovating or major landscaping. From here on in I'm into easy. The no maintenance yards here in Florida appeal to me - although I think my next door neighbour would stroke out (you know the one who dusts each blade of grass and looks over to see if I am doing the same - nice woman but not a sewer). I have lived very happily here in a someone's else's space and there is a message there. I am going for stress free house not necessarily dream house. To me personally it's what you do in a house that matters.

• I have given up on collecting "classics." I actually have more fun with costume jewelry and I lost one of my diamond earrings years ago. To me nail polish is sort of like jewelry. Investment dressing? For what? To me that implies tomorrow will be the pay-off day, not today. That's for bank accounts not wardrobes IMO.

• I am determined to sew only what is:
•  Comfortable 
•  Fun to sew 
• Makes me feel cool. 

Think about that, it really eliminates a lot of projects.

So that's where I am today.

I also want to keep trying new things and on that note is are some shots of my husband and I last night when we went out for dinner for his birthday. I never would have made a maxi dress and never would have made anything with green in it. Goes to show.

The usual bossy shot