Yesterday was an excellent, fabulous day!

What made it so great? Well, 3 major things, but there were other smaller things that added to the fabulousness. ;-)

My day started with a great cup of tea and a nice bowl of oatmeal with golden raisins and dried cherries added to it. I've cut back on my tea so that I only drink 1 large mug of caffeinated tea in the morning and then switch to decaf or herbal for my post-lunch cupt of tea. This means that in the morning, I kind of end up nursing my large mug in an attempt to really try to savor it. So, I did that yesterday.

I had a nice breakfast while talking to my dad and hanging out. Then we worked together at hanging most of the decorative glass pieces around the house with fishing line and coffee cup hooks.

Here are the pieces in the front window. They sparkle more in person, but you'll at least get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Here are the pieces in the kitchen window.

There are still more to go. But now, I walk through the house and I see them when I turn corners or walk into a room and they bring me such joy.

I also had an excellent lunch. To top it off, my dessert was half of a Caribou chocolate chunk cookie! I still have one cookie left, so I'm kind of spreading out the joy of the 2 cookies over a 4 day span. *grin*

One of the three major events yesterday that made my day so great was a gift from my parents of new shoes!

It has been a couple years since I got new shoes. I was way overdue for shoes since I actually had worn a hole in my old pair, but even with the hole I just never made the time to go do it. Also, my shoes for exercising were so worn down that I was walking with my feet turned inward (pronating). I went to the best store ever for my 'problem feet' - Foot Solutions. This is the same place I went to right before Texas Seestor's wedding to get a pair of heels that I could actually wear for 8 hours and feel okay in them. The shoes are the most comfortable ones I've ever owned. They just feel perfect.

The second of the three major things that made my day so great was also a gift from my parents. I had an hour long full-body massage! I specifically asked the therapist to focus on my head, neck, shoulders, and back, because I carry a lot of tension in my back. Sure enough, my therapist had his work cut out for him trying to work the knots out of my shoulders. It was really fantastic. I even had some knots in my upper arms, in my hands, and a bit in my jaw that he worked out. That was really amazing.

And then, when I got home, I found the third major thing that brightened my day. A package from Therese and Jim, my 'second mom and dad' who I mentioned to you before in the tulip picture. Therese wrote this wonderful note to go with the present, and I want to share it here because it is clever and fun and is like a poem, but also so that it is archived for posterity.

======
Tea is always for two.
Chocolate is for the inner core of you.
The book - I don't know - but it's you - you know.
A dream can come true - it can happen to you.
Plant your garden - watch it grow
write them down - then you will know
which flowers have the most beautiful show.
The candle in the moonlight will cast a glow - for you and HB - well, you know! ;-)
The journal is a journey of your life -
look at the colorful cover and always remember "the little girl" in you.
========

Isn't that neat!?

The tea is a Wedgewood brand from England it is strawberry!
The chocolate is choxie and has raspberry in it which is just perfect.
The book has a note of it being by the author of "The undomestic goddess" which just made me laugh and laugh.
The dreaming part refers to this beautiful silver bookmark with a cut out of a flower in it that has a beautiful quote by Henry David Thoreau "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams."
Isn't that perfect?!
The garden gnome is the cutest little guy. I've decided that he needs to have a little bit of soil to live in on my kitchen window.
The journal will be a perfect spot to track my flowers. It is the cutest thing and is covered with flowers. It even has little beeds glued to it that are blue. I'm sure that when Therese was picking it out, she was remembering the time that I visited her and Jim and how I pulled out my journal of the landscaping that we'd done on our new house. I had made a journal where I'd glued in 'before' and 'after' photos of the front of the house, but also had included individual pictures of flowers and a description of where they'd been planted along with the little plastic things that come with the plants.

And to end the perfect day, HB made a wonderful supper of salad with chipotle dressing, salmon (I put dill sauce and capers on mine) and my favorite rice pilaf!

It was just an amazing day, and it wasn't even my birthday yet! I hope you are having a nice day too.

Posted by danielle at 09:18 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

I spotted this the other morning and I really liked the way the slats of the deck, the frost, and the sunshine created a beautiful pattern of light. I didn't change the contrast or anything in Photoshop, it is simply cropped.

Posted by danielle at 07:28 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

"Shake your groove thang. Shake your groove thang. yeah yeah."

How did you do at shaking your groove thang this week?

Amber, did you unpack lots?

Texas Seestor, did you work out on the elliptical trainer &/or your cycling trainer?

Momo, are you out there? How are you doing with exercising at your mom's?

Victoria, you ran last week! impressive! How did it go this week?

Squirl, let me guess...

...more bedroom exericise, right? ;-)

Anyone, anyone?

Posted by danielle at 07:12 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Special delivery from some very special friends. They are like a second family to me; Therese is my second mom and Denise is an honorary sister. One of these days, I'll blog more about my childhood and growing up with Denise and her family. But for now, I want to just share these flowers with you.

I love looking at the tulips and the hydrangea that HB gave to me.

And the tulips are just stunning.

They are such a joy to me. Not only because the flowers themselves are beautiful, but because when I look at them, I think of the friends who sent them. And that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Posted by danielle at 07:46 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Today is Texas Seestor's birthday! Yep, she's a fishie, just like HB (March 5th) and me (March 12th).

That would be a piesces, if you weren't sure what I was referring to.

For her birthday, I'm posting a few of the gorgeous photos she took from her honeymoon.

Surprise, Texas Seestor! Hope you don't mind that I'm posting them! I thought maybe you'd enjoy seeing them online.

My favorite is this one with the lizard and the flowers and the cool leaves.

And the hibiscus ones are just fantastic too!

This photo really makes me smile too.

Happy Birthday! I'll get to see you soon! :-)

Love,
Danielle-eeeee

Posted by danielle at 11:33 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Yesterday morning, I spent some time sitting in the sun and singing to music.

Mom actually took this picture of me today, but replace the laptop with my journal, and you can imagine about what I looked like yesterday.

Yesterday, I started off my music listening with Ginny Owens - Without Condition. Her music really speaks to me at a very deep, faith-based level. And better yet, we both have a similar range, so I can sing almost all of the songs without straining at all.

Next, I sang along to a compilation CD that we used for practicing when I was in the Praise Chorus at my church back in MA. I jotted down the titles of the songs and some of the lyrics in my journal.

I attached a beeded bookmark to my journal that I made as my craft project at my church's Women's Retreat a couple of years ago.

I like how the rays of the sun shining through the beeds refracted and also created interesting shadows.

I am not quite up to full-blown storytelling yet, but I wanted to share some of the other pictures I've taken lately.

Mom gave me this angel and I hung it up in the window yesterday.

This morning, HB left before sunrise, and he looked pretty sharp and sexy with his blue shirt, red tie and matching cufflinks, chunky watch, and live strong bracelet.

And the sunrise this morning, was comforting.

Mom and I are going to go for a walk today, but right now, I'm enjoying the sun on my face and legs and am listening to Joshua Kadison's album.

Posted by danielle at 09:17 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Gonna make you sweat - Everybody dance now!

How did you do this week?

Posted by danielle at 05:21 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Hi Everyone --

HB here. Danielle is going to be away from the blog for a bit wrapping up some things for her dissertation.

Don't panic - all is well - and I expect you'll see her back here in a week or so.

All the best,
HB

Posted by bstrawse at 08:55 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

"I got chills their multiplying, and I'm losing control, for the power your supplying it's electrifying."

"You better shape up, cause I need man. And my heart is set on you. (HB) You better shape up... you better something-groove and let it move. You can keep me satisfied."

"Yes I'm sure, yes I'm sure down deep inside."

"Your the one that I want. You are you are you are. Oooooo ooooo ooooo"

"honey."

"the one that I want"

(HB)

(The rest of you have to go pick your own one.) ;-)

I've heard this song in the post office and the car lately and it was an option for open mike night at the bar attached to the hotel. However, I am no Olivia Newton-John with my alto voice.

How was your activity this week?

Posted by danielle at 05:34 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

After a day or two, the yellow roses that I showed you previously opened up and were simply breathtaking.

Posted by danielle at 09:22 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

I only have a sec before we go out for appetizers and to hear 'open mike night' at our hotel bar (more about that later).

But I didn't want to keep any of you in suspense any longer.

I'm officially a Ph.D. now!

My talk went really, really well. The defense part was, well, not exactly what I expected but also not terrible either. It was far far better than my qualifying exam that I took the summer after my 1st year of grad school to become a Ph.D. candidate.

I will tell all of you more about it later, but right now, we gotta go.

Thank you to everyone for all of the Good Luck wishes and thank you Alex for the first official electronic use of my new title! (I just had to delete most of my last name out of your comment to protect my whole identity thing). And Jenski! I'm so glad you made it.

HUGS to all of you!

Posted by danielle at 07:53 PM | Comments (17) | TrackBack

In the words of Olivia Newton John "Let's get physical, physical"

How did you do this week?

Posted by danielle at 07:51 AM | Comments (17) | TrackBack

I fly to Boston tomorrow (Sunday) in preparation for my thesis defense on Tuesday.

This week was odd for me, because just as my motivation was really reving up, I ended up with migraines 2 days in a row. I don't think they were stress-related; I think it was "that time of the month" plus the crapola storm front that came through.

Of course, losing 2 days of work didn't exactly ease my mind. I've ended up in panicsville/anxietyopolis the last few days. I've had a list of subjects I wanted to review (does anyone recall the paper explosion where I had stacks and stacks of information I was learning?) that is the kind of stuff I had wanted to review. Some of it I was able to get to already, and some of it, I'll do on the flights tomorrow. And some of it, I'll do on Monday. Which means, of course, that my carry-on backpack will be a wee bit heavier than I'd planned. Some of it will go in my checked luggage. Fortunately, Alex, who went through this a while ago, reassured me via email today, which helped me get it all back in perspective.

The one good thing was that my oral powerpoint presentation was done before I ever got the migraines, so at least that has been off of my shoulders. I practiced my talk earlier today and it was fine.

So, I don't know how much I'll be posting while I'm in Boston. After I defend, I'll definitely post SOMEthing, hopefully late that night from the hotel which I think has wireless internet. After that, I'm staying at my advisor's house for a week, while I do corrections on my thesis. I'll physically go into school everyday, but live at her house otherwise. That will allow me to print out the copies that get bound while I am there at school and deal with all of the final paperwork and signature collecting. And I return on Valentine's Day. If I get done with my corrections faster, I'll come home early by flying stand-by.

Okay, now you know the scoopy-doopy as we say around here.

I'll 'see' you when I can.

Oh, and I probably won't be able to check my blog email while I'm in Boston, but I'll be able to see comments. So, I will likely not see any of that email until I get back.

Okay, I think that is everything. :-)

Posted by danielle at 09:31 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

These were one of the types of flowers that were in the bouquet I received from Mom and Dad. They were just tiny and perfect and so pretty.

Every morning, I'd see them after not having seen them through the night, and would be delighted all over again. I had a really hard time getting photos to do them justice. But once again we Hail the digital camera and the ability to
A) take tons of photos
B) quickly examine the shots and determine what needs to be altered

Can you tell yet that I'm going to get a good string of Friday posts out of that bouquet?

*grin*

Happy Friday everyone. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses. Even if it is just as you trek past the flower section of the grocery on your way to pick up produce.

Posted by danielle at 09:25 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

I was reminded of this photo by Amber's picture of the light shining through the blue plastic half of a piggy bank.

Part of what I liked about this image was that we'd only recently received our new furniture, and HB had cozied up on one of the chairs with a bottle of Tennents. When I turned to say something to him, I realized how the light was shining through the bottle and creating a really crisp shadow of a bottle on the arm of the chair, but that it was curved, and that part of the shadow was green. I guess it is still a shadow... although maybe the part where the light created horizontal cross beams of lighter green light would be considered a refraction of light or something scientific-sounding like that. Physics was never my strong suit, but that wikipedia description looks right for refraction.

I guess my point to this post is that I've always really loved stained glass and colored glass in general. There is this really amazing set of stained glass windows in a chapel in a city north of Chicago. I have film photos of some of the windows, but the next time I am in the area, I'm going to make a point of photographing those windows with Dee-Dee's assistance.

HA! I just realized today is ground-hog's day! How fitting that I have a post about a shadow. ;-)

Posted by danielle at 09:35 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack