Monthly Archives: January 2026

Once a window, now a table.

26 Monday Jan 2026

Posted by in Daily Life, Mosaic and other crafts

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As you all well know, I am cheap.  Well, I mean, I am frugal.

During the building renovation we had to have a window replaced.  It was under warranty from the prior owner, so we didn’t have to pay for the window.  But we did have to pay for a boom lift to the tune of $900.00 to replace the hurricane window on the 3rd floor.

When they came to install it, it turns out that the window that had been delivered weeks before was the wrong size.  So, everything had to be rescheduled so that a new one could be delivered.

They didn’t want to take the wrong window back and said we should throw it away.  I can never throw anything away.  I always need to find a new home for it.

After checking with neighbors and acquaintances and having no takers, I decided to make it into a table top.  We got a small little wooden table and put the very heavy glass on top.

The sides didn’t look finished, so I decided to glue some marble beads on it.

It is not for everyone, but it fits my whimsical side and goes with my whimsical rug 🙂

And if I grow tired of it, I can try different tiles and colors.

“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” ― Osho

Ping-pong anyone?

23 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in Daily Life

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This is one of my Christmas gifts: a ping-pong table.

Michael had a very sweet response when I acted very surprised to get a ping pong table.

He said: I saw how much fun you had when you played ping-pong with your sister on the cruise.

Michael continues to surprise me with how thoughtful he is and how much he cares for me.

So now, we play at least a few minutes every day.   The table sits between the kitchen and living room.

The table doesn’t go with the decor.  Well, really, we have no decor.  Unlike most of our neighbors, we chose not to update our place after we had already paid thousands of dollars in assessments. So, we still have old floors and cheap furniture.

We decided not to invest too much money on it.  We buy whatever we need to be comfortable.  I am so glad that Michael and I are on the same page about expenses.  We both rather spend money on experiences and not material stuff.

Today, I found out that another couple in the building is getting divorced.  I think the stress and cost of the building renovation is one of the causes of these breakups. It is important for couples to be on the same page with finances, and how they choose to spend their money.

Next month it will mark 3 years that Michael and I are together.  We are not sure how we will be celebrating it.  Perhaps a cruise, perhaps skiing (if Colorado manages to get some snow), perhaps a casino, or we can always play ping-pong 🙂

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ― Marcel Proust

Always grateful!!

16 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Finding Me

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“Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. It almost always makes you willing to be of service, which is where the joy resides. It means that you are willing to stop being such a jerk. When you are aware of all that has been given to you, in your lifetime and the past few days, it is hard not to be humbled, and pleased to give back.”― Anne Lamott

2026 will be an amazing year!!

Why?  you may ask.

Because I said so! :–)

Well, this is the year I am turning 60 years old.  That thought it is hitting me like a ton of bricks.  It is daunting to think I will be 60.  What happened to 30, 40, and 50?  It feels like it all went so fast.

At moments I get a bit down about it.   60 feels heavy.  It feels like I have done nothing with my life.

Then I remember and realize how blessed I am, and how much I have accomplished.  Age is just a number. What is important is to live every moment to the max. It is important to not to waste this beautiful gift called life.

So the best thing to do is to live it up, no matter what the number is. 60, 70, 80, or 90 like my mom.

I have so much to be grateful for.  Everything is a matter of attitude and perception. Today I am choosing to remember all the beauty and blessings. My family, Michael, health, home, work, friends, a great mind and great heart.  My breath, the ocean, my bike, French bread with butter… and the list goes on and on.

I am even grateful for the hardships that made me strong and successful. 

What I have today is even more than I ever dreamed of.  Not to enjoy it and be grateful would be a sin!

Enjoy it all!

But remember, until March 28 I am still in my 50s! 🙂

 
An old Portuguese prayer of gratitude:
And what do you want the coming year to bring you?
Nothing, I don’t want it to bring me anything. The only thing I want is for it not to take anything away.
May it not take away the roof that shelters me, the food that nourishes me, the blanket that warms me, nor the light that illuminates me. May it not take away the smiles of my loved ones, my health—which is my treasure—nor the work that sustains me.
May friendship, companionship, hugs, and kisses remain.
May it not take away my dreams, nor the pieces of my heart—formed by the people I cherish—that I always carry within me.