Woman in Real Life

Sorry I crapped out on last week's Vintage Bliss Tuesday. My family and I were being filmed for a VisionTV Christmas special! I can't wait to tell you more about it (like when you can watch it - gulp). More later. In the meantime, let's get on with the Vintage Bliss Tuesday fun, shall we?

My sister very thoughtfully picked up this lidded dish at the thrift store for me recently. She knows how much I like owls. In fact, I recall having some other dishes with this pattern when I was younger. I don't know if I eventually broke them or decided to donate them, but it's kind of fun to have this pattern around again.

I keep telling myself, "Enough with the owls already!" But then I see another adorable, wise, sweet owl face on some kind of home décor item and I simply cannot resist. Like this owl pillow that I found at Goodwill on my last thrifting outing with my sister. I mean, come on, isn't it so cute? I also picked up this crocheted granny blanket. I have about a bazillion blankets already, but this was such a cold winter I developed an even fonder attachment to blankets of all sizes and types. (My sister just gave me an electric throw blanket and I'm in Heaven about it!)

In my "Small Town Shopping" post last week, I showed you a few of the treasures I found while browsing the thrift stores in the small town of Dunnville, Ontario. I have just a few more goodies to share.

My husband and I went shopping without the kids, much to my daughter's dismay. I promised I would bring her something back. I found this cute owl piggy bank, above, at the Salvation Army shop. When I brought it home, she said, "Is that all?" Well, I like it anyway.

After a very busy weekend away, it was nice to return home on Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, we had taken some time to tidy up before we left. Nothing worse than coming home to a giant mess.

March Break, Day Five - Back at home. We returned with several gifts from my sister (because we hadn't seen each other since before Christmas). She gave me this lovely wooden owl. March Break is officially over for me as I have several writing deadlines looming. The kids and husband are still hanging about.

With all the effort that goes into holiday meals, sometimes we just feel like slacking off the rest of the days, don't we? Well, I do.

This What I Ate Wednesday, I have a few meals from the last week to share, but not many, because I just didn't make much or take many photos. I have spent a lot of time in pajamas.

Above, on Saturday I put together a lunch from whatever groceries were left in the fridge. I boiled a sweet potato and some regular potatoes and made a mash. I baked tofu in teriyaki sauce. I used leftover pesto on pasta. We had rapini and roasted veggies left from the day before. Finally, I boiled some carrot slices. I quite enjoyed the mishmash of tasty stuff.

It's Friday. And we're alive. I don't pay too much attention to end-of-the-world stuff, but I'm happy it wasn't true. You know what's bad? When people are disappointed that it's not the end of the world, because now they have to finish the stuff on their holiday to-do lists. I ran into a neighbour while walking the dog this morning and that's how she felt. She's kidding, of course, but it just goes to show you the stress that Christmas expectations can cause.

On to Insta-Friday, now, and sharing simple cell phone photos from our week. I bought myself an early Christmas present. These two owl mugs. They were like five bucks for both at Winners. Unfortunately, I broke the handle off my favourite owl mug. I dropped a bowl on it. It's now on my husband's work bench with the many other odds and ends requiring repair. So, for the next couple of weeks, I'm using these puppies. Not that the mug will be fixed in a couple of weeks...it's just that these mugs are for Christmas and I figure I gotta stop using them some time in January.

So many readers have admired the owl mug I got from my husband and the kids last Mother's Day. That's why, when I saw these hand-painted folk owl mugs at Anthropologie.com I just had to share a pic with you. They are $14 each. Not too bad.

Happy Friday! How many of you are going shopping? I'm not sure how long Black Friday has been a tradition in the US, but it just started happening in the last couple of years in Canada. Because we celebrate Thanksgiving in October. Not that I'm complaining. A sale is a sale, and I am a woman, after all.

It's time to share simple cell phone photos from our week. Around here, we have been spending a lot of time at my son's basketball tournaments. His sister is getting used to watching.

Last week, I talked about thrifting with my sister while visiting my parents in their small town. Besides the goodies I got at local thrift shops, I also came away with more vintage stuff from my mom.

But, first I want to show you some of the cool things my parents own that I haven't taken home...yet. 

My mom isn't going to be too happy to see the cobwebs in the photo, above, but the collection is up by the (high) ceiling and I didn't feel like dusting all these objects. My parents live by the lake, which means lots of spiders! This is just a part of my dad's collection of beer steins, etc. My favourite item is that little guy who pours shots. He actually moves. I loved it when I was a kid.

Turns out, my family included several of my favourite self-nurturing items in their Mother’s Day gift, which they presented in a charming little suitcase.

So, I figured, why not a comfort box rather than a comfort drawer? It has the added advantage of being portable, which might just come in handy if you would rather sit and mope in front of the fireplace than in your bed.

My husband and the kids went shopping together, and picked out a magazine, some books, a movie, sweet potato chips, body lotion, chocolate and some Swedish Berries.  I am quite impressed by their choices…these are many of my favourite small comforts.