I'm Growing Up!

My hair has been driving me crazy for a full 2 weeks now and I finally went to visit my stylist this afternoon. She knows me well and has been gently leading me into having what I call 'real hair.' That means hair I can feel on my neck. For 16 years I have kept my hair super short. This was a big change from the long hair I wore my entire life. However, LIFE as I knew it was changing for me along about that year of 2000. I acknowledged the change with having my hair cut - short!

I've pretty much kept it short since then until this year. Last year I tried to let it grow but ended up in the same frantic condition when it got on my neck and insisted on getting it cut short - again.

Something seems to be happening to me this year that gives me the assurance that I'm still growing up.....even at 67 soon to be 68 years old.....I'm still growing up! I can feel myself letting go of something I cannot even identify. I may not know exactly what or why but I can FEEL the change in me. It's kind of exciting.

This is the picture my sweet stylist took after my hair cut.....or trim.

I was amazed at what a change she made in my hair and how little she actually cut off!

Notice the bouquet of flowers??

She bought them for me!!

How sweet is THAT???

You better believe that come September First, I shall be giving HER a batch of my Spiced Pumpkin Muffins. Perhaps she will come over and join me for tea! September First is a time to celebrate like a holiday so OF COURSE I should invite some friends to tea!!

I had fun figuring out where to put my bouquet,

I was afraid the candles would flare up and singe the flowers so I relocated them to a prominent place by the entry way to the den.

I even used the pretty tangerine colored fabric to tuck into this bouquet of faux sunflowers.

Waste not - want not!!!

I seldom waste a thing!!

Something else that makes me think I am still growing up - I stopped biting my fingernails!

I stopped about 2 months ago and that's the longest I've ever gone without biting them all off in a fit of frenzy.

I have been a life long nail biter and wore fake fingernails for a few years when I was working because that was the only way I wouldn't bite them.

I remember a cartoon I saw back then that was so funny.

Let's see if I can tell it right.

This woman was a real nail biter and one day she bought a package of artificial nails to wear to a special event. Her husband glanced over and saw them then quipped, "What?? Now you're eating them right out of the box??"

I'm actually encouraged that change is possible - and growth - no matter how old we are!

It's probably symbolic that I am GROWING nails and hair and that makes me feel more like a GROWN UP!

Well, today was THE day!

Louis Dean promised to help me get all the fall decorations down from the attic.

You can tell by the look on his face that he was dreading it.

But he IS my Knight in Shining Armor!

He got it ALL down!

Decorating for fall is a combination of deep cleaning and decorating.

It's hard work.

I decided to do this year as I used to do - one room at a time.

This means the house is pretty much trashed for several days as I go from room to room, but we have a fairly open agenda with not much going on for the rest of the month.

I did something today I have wanted to do for a long, long time!

I took down the green blinds!

I forgot to take a pic of the first set....

but this is going to be so much better.

It is a temporary fix for fall and by winter I will need to find permanent window treatments.

This fabric has been around a long time. My sister, Deanie, gave it to me after using it for a multitude of purposes in our mother's house and then in hers.

I used it as a backdrop in our old gazebo last year,

Now it's in the den and I am already loving it!

One last area I can feel myself growing up is in the fact that I am throwing away things.

I'm also not using every single thing I have for fall and will drastically cut down the amount of Christmas I do this year. Both seasons will still be 'Over the Top' but it won't be as much as I usually do. I am finally and at long last feeling like I can let things go.......a little at a time.

Louis Dean is going to be so relieved.

I wonder if HE is going to be able to throw out some stuff?

Nah! Probably not!