Updated on September 10, 2019
WEDNESDAY WOMAN: MY FRIEND BETTY!
Hi Guys,
Hope you are having a really lovely week and taking the time to do something nice for yourself each day. It’s important to be a good parent to yourself, celebrate the struggles you have overcome, and appreciate what a wonderful human being you really are. God does not make junk! Love your life and celebrate each day. That’s exactly what my Wednesday Woman of today does, which is why she is my WW!!
My Wednesday Wow Woman is my friend Betty and she is all of 97 years young! I find her a very inspiring woman because she makes the notion of getting old not such a bad thing after all! When I’m with her I feel like a teenager again!! If I’m blessed to live to that age, I would love to have her positive happy-go-lucky attitude to life. Betty is a widow, has raised her children, worked as a secretary during the war years, has grandchildren, but most importantly, she is her own woman!
She continues to thrive and enjoy her life in a down-to-earth, good-humoured way. I would describe her as an archetypal Taurus in that she is solid, consistent, and has an air of calm about her. She is also big into astrology, another thing I love about her! She told me her 102-year-old Virgo sister taught her everything she knows about astrology. Her Virgo sister lives alone, and is also thriving!! It amazes me how good all her faculties still are and she is only a few years short of 100!
We met at our weekly TOPS weight loss group several years ago. I loved her positive attitude and good humour right from the get go. Her brain is as sharp as a tack and she can tell you the sign of every member of our group — not bad for 97! Betty takes the time to dress herself nicely every day. She always wears her jewellery to our weekly weight-watching class and a pretty coloured top — pink and turquoise being her favourite colours. In addition, she walks two miles daily with that walker to keep fit. I don’t think I have ever heard her complain about a single thing — ever!
She just smiles her way through life. No big ego. No big noise. Just easy peasy to be around and takes life as it comes — warts and all!
What a lovely lady!
Hugs,
Patricia xxx
Updated on September 9, 2019
MONDAY MUSINGS: GOOD NEWS FROM ‘UP ABOVE’.
Hi Guys,
Hope you all had a lovely weekend and have made that tricky transition from Summer to Fall. Certainly, the evenings are getting shorter here in Victoria and the clothes a tad warmer!
Since it’s Monday, I thought you would like good news! The super news is that Saturn, aka ‘The Celestial Policeman’ is finally turning direct on September 18th, having been retrograde since April of this year. To those of you striving to achieve goals, and feeling like you’ve been banging your head against a brick wall, or that certain doors seem forever closed to you, this news could herald the start of progress. Take heart!
So while your life may seem to have been at a standstill, as long as you are committed and sure of your direction, simply keep plugging away. Saturn doesn’t give anything away for free. You have to work to earn his rewards! As long as you keep striving, have clear goals, manifest, and make sure your feet are pointed towards where you want to be, then yes, you will get there — but not overnight.
This past summer has not been an easy one for many. With Saturn retrograde, people prone to depression and mood swings would have felt this even more acutely during this period. There has been a lot of unsettling planetary stuff going on ‘up above’. And as you know, As above, so below! We had Mercury retrograde for a few weeks in July, which some people found frustrating, and in addition, Saturn being retrograde would have caused delays, disappointments, and downright frustration especially for job seekers. So all in all, not the best summer for some, but it’s getting better now! You should begin to see clear signs of progress over the next few weeks.
Just remember: ‘When you listen to your inner self, you will hear the answers you need’
Have a wonderful week and tune in again on Wednesday to hear all about my Wednesday Woman!
Hugs,
Patricia xxx
Updated on September 6, 2019
FASHION FRIDAY: GOODBYE TURQUOISE – HELLO AMBER!
Heidi Hi Boomerbabes!
Did you manage to get your Fall wardrobes sorted out yet? Difficult, especially when the weather outside is still in summer mode. TBH I’m getting a little bored with all the hot pinks, turquoise, brilliant whites and sunshine yellows of summer. Halloween in the shops has put paid on summer for me!! I have my Halloween costume already chosen, so I guess it’s goodbye Summer, hello Fall!
Last weekend, I ceremoniously put away all my turquoise and summer bling and replaced it with all my lovely rich amber jewellery. I bring it out for Fall. Yes, even jewellery goes through the seasonal changes this end of the pond!
You really don’t need to buy a lot of new things. My rule is as long as you have the Fall colours, and play with them as I have done in the outfits below, then you’ll have lots of FALL FASHION FUN!! After all, fashion is another way of expressing yourself. Be YOU!!
Outfit 1:
My vintage LV bag looks great with all my Fall colours. Here I have teamed it up with a fur collared shawl I bought a few years ago in Bennetton, Dublin. The yellow beret is vintage — like me lol! The only newbies are the skirt, which is a knock off Anthropologie don’t you think? I saw a similar one in H & M which was twice the price. The newbies were a bargain at my favourite store, Winners! (TK Maxx in Europe). The blouse on clearance for a mere $20! and the skirt a bargain if ever for $24.99! So that outfit to put together only cost me $44.99. Not bad! Even if I say so myself!!
Outfit 2:
Nothing new needed for outfit two! Hey, that rhymes!! The pants were purchased two years ago at Zara, Dublin. They fit me better now which is a good thing! I teamed it up with a very sassy long sheer burgundy top, also Zara 2 years ago. Long burgundy scarf a great buy from the Bay several years ago. I overdosed it with my amber, which I purchased at various flea markets. No bites from the fleas yet thank goodness!! Total cost of outfit this year — None!
Outfit 3:
Same long burgundy scarf from previous outfit. Only addition here is a fabulous orange velvet designer dress with the label Uterque — a new one to me! I purchased it last year at a wonderful consignment shop in Dublin. It is called Siopa Ella on Wicklow Street. Got lovely stuff there! Great value too! Total cost of outfit this year — None! I shopped in my own wardrobe, which is always a good idea! Shop local first!!
Outfit 4:
This ensemble is so easy to wear and shows off my favourite burgundy velvet DKNY boots which I bought at the end of Summer Sales at the Bay for 75% off two years ago — don’t you love those killer deals!! I teamed it up with a sweet tweed skirt I bought a few years ago at Talbot’s store. I liked it for my Fall wardrobe because of the colours and potential cost per wear!! Only addition here is the wine coloured throw which is as light as a feather and can fold in my handbag! It caught my eye going over on the ferry to Vancouver last weekend. At $50, I felt it was worth the investment. I’ve already worn it a lot!! Cost of putting this outfit together this year was only $50!
Outfit 5:
I had to have a khaki green teamed up with warm mustard to give an outfit the real Autumnal feel, besides I like those warm colours against my skin tone and hair colour. The mustard blouse I got a few years ago. It’s a Ralph Lauren, my leave-me-never kind of guy! The khaki leggings from God knows where a few years ago. Think maybe Dynamite. The long Khaki dress was from Forever 21 3 years ago. Sadly, I heard recently that F21 are closing down soon. Another one being gobbled up by Amazon! I miss having shops! I better get shopping quickly while there are still some shops in the Malls!! Any excuse to shop lol!!
Hope this inspires you to have fun putting your own Fall Fashion together. Be sure to show me on FB or Insta!!
Love you lots,
Patricia xxx
Posted on September 4, 2019
WEDNESDAY WOMAN – MY MOMMA TEETA!
Over the years I have been blessed to meet many inspiring women. I’m dedicating Wednesdays to women whose lives have really touched me in some way – big and small!
My first Wednesday Woman is my Mother, Therese (a.k.a. Teeta). She was born Marie Therese Brown in Dublin, Ireland, on the 3rd of September 1922 and died on the 8th of December, 2016. Yesterday was her birthday. She would have turned 97, but in my heart she is forever 29! Beautiful, elegant, wise, hardworking and kind.
Teeta was an archetypal Virgo – in fact she was the most Virgo-ish of people I have ever known! A perfectionist to the very end. Well maybe not, she had given up chocolate for a special intention and in the last few weeks of her life threw that one out the window and ate chocolate like nobody I knew…well maybe yours truly! Now I know who is responsible for making me a chocoholic! She was incredibly hardworking, pragmatic, dutiful, modest and private. Yet, behind all her shyness, she had a warm and deeply romantic heart. Fortunately, her Prince did come…and she truly deserved all the happiness dear Daddy brought her.
Life in the early days was not easy for Teeta. Her beloved father, John, died when she was just 8 years old and that is when the burden of responsibility and self-sacrifice knocked on her door. As the eldest of three sisters, she then assumed the role of father and worked diligently beside my grandmother in the family Post Office, shop, and guest house. It was a busy life and to the best of my knowledge, neither my grandmother or mother ever had a holiday. It was heads down for both of them as work dominated their lives, you could say 24/7. As Postmistress, telephones rang throughout the night and somebody had to answer them!
When I think about her life, I marvel at her stoicism and the way she accepted life as it was – and not how she wished it could be! She was a city girl at heart but accepted her life in the country managing the family business with my Dad. She was very clever at school and wanted to be a Domestic Science teacher, but had to forego her own dreams to go with the family flow. It was always self-sacrifice, work, and then more work!
My sisters and I were always the best dressed kids in town. Teeta would bring us to a dressmaker a few miles outside town and she would design all our beautiful gowns so that nobody had dresses like us! As a fashionista, she instilled in me a love for fashion and the importance of making the best of yourself. So now I can blame my love for chocolate and fashion on her. What else? She was a firm believer in Astrology and would never hire an employee in her business without first checking out their astrological information. Smart woman! So now, the list is growing…chocolate, fashion, astrology…
Keeping the best for last, she was a very decent human being and believed in the goodness of God, the power of prayer, and the importance of being kind. She had a soft place in her heart for those who were sad and troubled. And did everything in her power to alleviate their suffering in any way she could. Volunteering with the Homeless is something she would approve of 100%.
Rest in Peace Darling Momma Teeta…until we meet again.
Hugs,
Patricia xxx
Updated on September 3, 2019
MONDAY MUSINGS: MR. IN-BETWEEN
I’m probably one of the few people who doesn’t like this in-between Summer and Fall time. You wake up and the sun is teasing you like it’s June again, and the whole Summer is ahead of you! But no, the lazy hazy days are over. I used to feel so sad when my children went back to school, and the house was so quiet and the weather so perfect for playtime. I’d think of all the fun things we could be doing together. Their sad little faces heading back to captivity in a classroom…
I never liked returning to school myself either, so maybe mixed emotions around this time of year. Being a Pisces, the sun is in my polar opposite sign of Virgo, and my energy levels at this time of the year are not as high as they are in Spring. The nearest the sun is to your sign, the higher your energy levels, the furthest it is, the lower your energy. It rings true for me!
Despite the glorious weather outside, Halloween is just around the corner! I know because all the shops are full of Halloween stuff. It seems to be getting earlier every year. They began sneaking in the skulls and pumpkins in early August. Life is so fastpaced these days, I find it hard to keep up. We’re always onto the next excitement kick, months in advance! Crazy!
Labour weekend was laborious this year. I don’t like the word Labour. They should tack on the word ‘less’ and call it Labour-less Weekend. For me, the word labour conjures up images of a Mother giving birth and people toiling in factories and fields. We spent it in Vancouver helping our kids move all the stuff from our condo, getting ready for the BIG RENO job commencing mid-September. So it wasn’t labour-less this end!
Traditionally, after the long weekend, I’d move all my Summer clothing downstairs to the basement and bring up the Fall clothes. But the weather outside is just too gorgeous! I want to cling to the last rays of Summer, don’t want to put my lovely cheery summer stuff away just yet…But when is a good time to do this? Maybe, I should just wait for the leaves to start falling from the trees at the precise time when their lovely changing colours match my Fall wardrobe? Yes, I knew it was just too early today to make the wardrobe changeover. Way too early! Despite the fact, I chose my Halloween outfit yesterday!! Oh dear, I am all over the place seasons wise!!
Happy Day!
Delisha xxx
