Category Archives: Exercise…sort of

Hey 2013!

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I’m not ready to say good-bye to the holidays! waaawaa (hot tears crystalizing) The welcoming glow of the Christmas lights, the comforting decadence of home-made eggnog, the omnipresent scent of cedar & cinnamon as I walk through the door…parting tis not sweet at all…

In fact, why can’t we have our Christmas lights up all winter long?! Who was the big Grinch that decided that was just outré ? Probably the same wet blanket that mandated no white trousers after Labour Day or long hair after 40.

Well, let it be known, I mean to be a flame-spitting hellion in 2013 and break all the rules ( I’ve been breaking at least two of them for much longer than I care to admit anyway)

I’m still in Sun Valley and loving every frigid minute of it. Two nights ago it plummeted to minus 12 degrees at our property! To be outside for just a couple of minutes was positively giddifying. The landscape was sparkling like diamond dust, the air itself glistening, no longer the invisible element. Even though I had to sleep in my long johns, as the cold was finding every possible avenue of entry, it was still pure magic.

God bless youth, my younger son and his friend decided it would be the perfect night to take a jacuzzi. Outside.

890A5740I went out for two seconds to check on them and spotted these tracks on the jacuzzi porch.

890A5744 The boys came in shortly after.

890A5749By early morning you could see another set of interesting tracks leading down to the partially frozen river. The big ones on the left are my snow shoes but the single line on the right is an animal. Upon closer inspection they appeared to be left by a light footed deer wearing Manolo pumps, possibly Louboutins, definitely sober. No tracks back, so…did she jump into the frigid water? The first broken heart of 2013?

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890A5599More of my tracks along the side of my house. Gawd, I’m sporty. It’s a whole New Me in 2013.

But let’s not speak of resolutions just yet-it’s only the 3rd. You know how I hate to be rushed.

890A5563my fellow ‘shoers’

890A5631Let’s just have one more hot toddy on my  birchbark screened porch and ponder how cold it must be on the ski lifts right now :)

I heart Sun Valley

Happy 2013!

xox

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Header image via Tumblr

Nice To Be Home

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No matter how much you’ve enjoyed a long trip, it’s always nice to come home, isn’t it? Funny how that works. Your own bed & comfy sheets, the way your home brewed cuppa tea in the morning tastes so much better than any hotel tea (except maybe in London)

Other than the unpacking, and the stack of bills awaiting you, it’s a grand feeling.It’s especially nice to come back to roses on the 11th of November!

I know we should be cutting them back, but it’s hard when they’re still making such an effort!

Some of them are about 7 to 8 ft. high.

About the same height as my bills and catalogues.

I’ll be back in a day or so-I went to a much needed “Restorative Yoga” class tonight and my bed, my wonderful bed, is calling to me :)

Namaste Friends

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Ten Things I Know on This Birthday

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Ten Things I know for sure on this Birthday

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1. I know there aren’t too many things that give me more pleasure than having the luxury and time to arrange flowers from my own garden.

Mother Nature is The best therapist.

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2. I know I’d love to keep a gardening diary but probably never will.

Instead, I’ll diarize (I say it’a word and it’s MY birthday) vicariously through Monty Don’s beautiful books, the newest of which I’m eagerly awaiting delivery of;

“Gardening at Longmeadow”

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From “Gardening at Longmeadow” by Monty Don.

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3. As my birthday coincides with my newly official “Empty Nester” status, I know the future is ripe with new opportunities.

Not quite sure what they are yet, but I’m certain they’ll be presenting themselves in short order.

Or, perhaps I must go in search of them…

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4. I know my passport(s) are buffed and ready at a moment’s notice.

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My fellow climbers at the summit of Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka.

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Travel is, without a doubt, one of the greatest pleasures in my life.

except for the packing.

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5. Speaking of multiple passports, this will be the FIRST time in my life and the first time our entire family will all be casting a vote for the Presidency of the United States.

And I know my vote COUNTS. :)

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6. I know that getting up early and running the other morning felt great.

Well, not the actual running part. but making the effort to do something so out of character felt wonderful.

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7. I know that I was truly inspired by the incredible athletes and their stories this summer and I hope to hold on to that inspiration until the next Olympics.

Or, at least until hockey season.

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8. I know that all my laugh lines are well earned but considering how funny my friends and family are I could actually look a lot worse.

Besides, I’d rather laugh than be totally smooth.

I’d like smooth hair though for my birthday.

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9. I know that after telling myself I was too old for leather leggings last year I now have a new pair hanging in my closet.

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Apparently I got younger over the summer :)

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10. I know that I’d like to try writing a book and if I put that thought out into the Universe it might actually come to fruition.

  I might just need the pressure of saying it to DO it.

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11. I know that every few years my husband will happily re-watch “Withnail & I ” with me and we’ll laugh our asses off and I love that about him.

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“Withnail & I”

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12.I know I have to stop and smell those roses.

THAT, I really do know.

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13. And I still know that math is not my strong suit.

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14. I feel a bit like a kid with a brand new binder and a shiny case of sharpened pencils on the first day of school-

I want to shoot for straight “A’s” this semester!

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Lastly, for those of you that missed this on my Slim FB page;

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Is this me, you, US or what?!

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Until Rio…

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Well?

That was fun, wasn’t it?!

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So happy everything went so well in London tonight!

Cheers to all the athletes, all the competing countries

and let’s not forget  those who worked diligently to keep everyone safe and things running smoothly-God knows it must be an Olympian task.

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Congratulations to the U.S. for securing the most medals!

As for the closing ceremonies, I must say the blinged out taxi cabs did tickle my fancy

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Spice Girls seem to be holding up quite well.

It was nice to see Annie Lennox again, though didn’t love the dress and George Michael can still sing live- it’s been awhile!

Hey- just me, or did the Eric Idle bit go on a bit L O N G ??

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A perfect 70 degree evening in London- how lucky is that?!

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I love that they matched the stadium to Alexander McQueen’s iconic Britannia clutch  :)

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While we’re on bag chat,

 coveting this cute Charlotte Olympia perspex charmer

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especially love the clasp!

available on Net A Porter.com

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Slim Paley Photo

A salute to Britannia in the Penhaligon windows in Paris

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I was a little disappointed with the “Fashion” segment of the show weren’t you?

It was a bit of a nothing really and poor Ryan Seacrest didn’t know who any of the models were besides Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell

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Couldn’t someone have texted him for goodness sake?!

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Still, a fine time appeared to be had by all, including Kate and her brother-in-law

Where the heck was hubby??

Me too!

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We’ll just have to order the newest tome from Taschen for our London fix.

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It’s groovy baby, yah.

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By Kyle Bean & Victoria Ling

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Make yourselves a nice hot Horlicks and

Sleep tight Loves.

xox

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Happy Summer!!

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It’s HERE!

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

Music for your stroll;

 

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Get out in the garden

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Be Exuberant 

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.Perfect your Marguerita making skills

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.Make home-made gourmet popsicles

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Get to the beach

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.Entertain outdoors as much as possible

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WHATever

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Read your face off

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.Wear hats & sunscreen

Always.

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Eat fresh & healthy

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Buy a cute suit

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Indulge in a little fantasy

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Embrace summery details

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Never be too old to build a fort

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Pack a gourmet picnic and go to the Drive-Inn

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Make home-made vice-cream

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Cherish chubby toes

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Break bread with good friends

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Headfirst

xoxo

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(non-Slim Paley photos  via Pinterest, except my son’s toes (photo Christopher Briskoe)