saturday ramblings

May 21, 2016











I've been wrestling with my computer all morning.  It's so slow, so forgetful, so horribly wonky--and truly it's been like that for months.  I've tried everything I can do to save her life, but I'm going to give up on her. Over the months I've had a ton of encouragement from my kids and my husband to pull the plug, but the time never seemed right--until NOW! Still, it kills me to spend the money and the time on a new one, plus it's just hard for me to imagine that something so new is actually obsolete.  Still, I vow to see you next week with a new computer!

These are pictures from a few weeks ago.  I remember the day was beautiful and sunny so we sat outside for drinks.  In fact it was so pretty, I felt like shifting the table setting from indoors to an outdoor table, but then suddenly a whoosh of cold wind blew upon our little group and we came inside.  That's spring for ya!  

The magnolia in the first picture is from a large magnolia tree in our front yard.  This time of year I'll pick one blossom every few days.  They don't last long and turn caramel colored within a day, which is a fanciful way of saying they go brown, but gives me a reason keep them around for another day. And the fragrance!  They smell like you've just baked a lemon pudding cake.  I can't describe it any other way, but a combination of lemon, sugar and vanilla.  I'll bring the blossom into the bedroom at night and it will fill the entire room with it's lovely fragrance.  So nice.

Aren't the candles funny?  They were given to me years ago and I was always afraid to burn them and ruin them.  I've changed my ways now and rarely save anything for "good", believing that now is good enough.  Can you tell they are little hyacinth bulbs in different stages of growth?  I used tiny clay pots as candlesticks, lit them, and within an hour they were a puddle on my tablecloth.  The tablecloth is a vintage Le Jacquard Francais beauty.  It's a soft chartreuse color that looks so pretty in my house with the dark walls.  The border has a pattern of flatware and serving utensils, with the inside a melange of cabbages, gourds, grapes and other garden goodies. The plates and soup plates are Arte Italica that I purchases for 75% off this winter when a local shop went out of business.  I bought 12 of each and gave them to me for Christmas.  A bowl of key limes as a centerpiece finishes off my pretty table.  On the menu was lobster bisque to start, and because that is so rich, we had lighter fare for dinner--wedges of iceberg with egg, blue cheese, cherry tomatoes, bacon and chicken.  For dessert I passed a platter of chocolate dipped figs, apple slices and homemade cookies.  

Tonight, my son and his girlfriend and a few other friends are walking overnight in the San Francisco Out of the Darkness walk to honor loved ones, raise awareness, and raise funds for suicide prevention.  I lifted this from their site:  In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 13.3 minutes, claiming more than 39,500 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute, with close to one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults 18-65, the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths. This is a public health issue that does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. I'm certain that most of my readers have been touched by suicide at sometime and I grieve with you.  I know this will be an emotional experience for my son, as he is especially thinking of a childhood friend lost last year to suicide.

xo Kristen

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7 Comments

  1. Your computer is overworked, time to move on.
    Your dinner party table setting and menu are delightful. I particularly like the vintage tablecloth. How clever of you to use the tiny clay pots for candleholders. I thought the candles came that way.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Carole

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love those candles, they are perfectly you. Good luck on the computer conversion.

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    Replies
    1. What a week! Saying goodbye to the candles and my old computer! Ha!

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  3. Just over 3 years ago my old computer was slowly grinding to a halt. It took me about 18 months before I admitted defeat a bought myself a new one. The only question I now ask myself is why didn't I do it 18 months earlier. Good luck with getting to grips with your new computer. I love mine and next time I need to upgrade I have promised myself that I won't be such a ditherer.

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    Replies
    1. Yep, I know you are right. Honestly it seems like just a few years ago that I got this computer, it seems so NEW! But I think it's more closer to ten years old. I can't even upgrade anymore. But still, I just hate to have to go through the hassle and the learning curve--I'm so lazy.

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  4. We are used to refrigerators and other appliances that last for 30 years or more so it is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that 10 years is old age for a computer. And come to think of it for a lot of appliances these days also! I love the magnolias and will be rooting around for a lemon pudding cake recipe. I never heard of one of those, or maybe I missed one n your blog? (I wonder if suicide is on the uprise or has it just been under-reported. One of the saddest things I know. I'm glad your son is dong the walk.)

    ReplyDelete

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