LIVING LIGHTLY OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
If you read my blog regularly (thank you if you do!) you'll know I chose "Live Lightly" as my Word(s) Of The Year for 2023. I've made a pledge to myself to chill out a little this year and to take things as they come, rather than trying to push too hard or trying to control everything. I hope my year will reflect taking life at a gentler pace and stepping lightly and slowly.
So, on that note, to wrap up July, I'll be sharing a few little highlights that contributed towards a lovely month....
FAMILY HIGHLIGHTS
July means school holidays and that means a visit from the delightful grandgirls. We had them staying with us for a few days, so there were visits to playgrounds, visits to the shops, visits to places to eat, and also lots of time at home to enjoy each other's company.It's always a special time when we get to be together and I think their parents also enjoy having a bit of adult time while they're gone!
HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS (CONT)
I'm not great at spending money (frugal is my middle name!) but last month we refreshed our kitchen with new benchtops and tiling. It seemed like once we were on a roll, it just kept on going! We called into a furniture store near the tiling store, and before I knew it, we'd ordered a new contemporary dining table and chairs, and a large corner couch.The dining suite was delivered fairly quickly, but the couch isn't due to arrive until next month (it's being made to order). We were eating at a trestle table in between selling our old table and chairs and our new dining suite arriving (it's in the pic below) and it was nice to feel civilized again. We're sitting on a couple of lounge chairs moved from another room until the couch arrives in a couple of weeks.
After having a painter in the house for five days (and moving a lot of furniture around) it was nice to get our house back to ourselves again. She did a great job and I'm really happy with the light, soft beige tones that tie in well with the greys (a tricky combination) and I love how refreshed it all looks. I haven't included a picture because a beige wall is a beige wall....
BLOGGING HIGHLIGHTS
Things on the blog have been going smoothly. I shared about my operation in case anyone else ends up in the same boat as me (apparently one in 50 women over 60 will end up with a hyperactive parathyroid at some stage). Then there was the 6 month update on my #WOTY "Living Lightly" and also a poet whose work I wanted to share. Links to July's posts are below if you missed any of them...
- What It's Like To Have A Parathyroidectomy
- Giving Up What Weighs Me Down
- Discovering A Poet Who Spoke To My Heart
- Finding My Self-Worth Outside Of Productivity
CREATING HIGHLIGHTS
I've continued on with my new book of collages with cut-out sections in each image. It's a fun change and I'm enjoying thinking a little outside the box. I've also been busy reading a book series, hence I've been cutting and glueing less this month - so I only have two finished collages to share...
HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS
Just a little update on my parathyroid journey. I went back to the surgeon for my final follow up appointment (after yet another blood test!) and he was pleased with my operation. The parathyroid gland he removed was 10X its original size (which explains why I had so much parathyroid hormone pumping around). Now it's out, my body has to readjust - the other parathyroid glands need to wake up and start doing their job again - for some people that rebalancing takes a little time.
It turns out, I'm one of those people - so..... my bones are trying to get back as much calcium as they can - depleting my blood calcium levels and making my remaining parathyroids work harder. This is secondary hyperparathyroidism (you learn something new every day). Fortunately the cure for this is to take calcium and Vitamin D supplements for 6 - 12 months and to have another blood test in 6 months to see if things have evened out. I figure that's pretty do-able and I'm okay with swallowing a few extra pills each morning if it keeps me on the road to a full recovery.
JULY'S LIVING LIGHTLY QUOTE
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I remember when we were repainting Kings Rd before we moved up here - choosing the right colour white was a nightmare - half shades, quarter shades, full shades... Love your new dining furniture...
ReplyDeleteYes, the painting dilemma is real! I was so relieved when I actually liked the colour I chose once it was up and the second coat done. The dining suite has turned out to be great - especially the chairs - super comfy!
DeleteHi, Leanne - I am delighted to read that you are on the road to full recovery. Taking needed supplements sounds like a very doable thing (if pill swallowing is a drag for you - putting the pill in a spoonful of yogurt or applesauce works wonders)! :D
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - I'm getting good at all the pill swallowing - but it would be nice to not need them. I'm grateful that a few tablets keep me off the operating table - so that's a win in my world!
DeleteTime with the grands sound just wonderful and that new dining set is fabulous. Hopefully the calcium and vit. D pills will help!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo - the grandgirls are always a joy to have (and then we also appreciate the peace and quiet that returns when they head home!) I'm loving the dining suite - it's always good when you're happy with a big choice.
DeleteHow nice to freshen up the kitchen, off-white colours certainly have good variety! I once did a translation job for my sister's company, to translate a wallpaper business website into English. If you knew how much work that was and how much same-same colours they had!
ReplyDeleteNot counting your medical issues, it certainly sounds like you're in the swing of things when it comes to living life lightly.
Hi Susanne - that translation job sounds like a nightmare! I do love the names of some of the colours though - and I had to be careful to not be swayed by the name of a colour. It was such a relief when I was happy with the one I eventually chose.
DeleteI laughed at your "so many shades" because I totally got it. When we were re-painting our kitchen cabinets, I pulled a lot of white paint ships to share with the refinisher - to show him what I wanted and didn't want - it was a white with no yellow/pink undertone. It worked and he said he knew the shade in the kind of paint he uses for cabinets...and I love it. Next year we are re-painting our exterior... and that's gonna be a huge decision. I'm leaning yellow... and yes, there are lots of shades of yellow too!
ReplyDeleteHi Pat - our previous paint shade in all the rooms was beige, but it had a tone to it that I just didn't like, sort of a "bone beige" and that was a big determiner of what shade I wanted to change to - then I just had to figure out how to get that without ending up with something that I wasn't happy with. Who'd have thought paint would be such a dilemma? It all comes back to too much choice!
DeleteHi Leanne. I haven’t been here for so long, or on any blogs, even my own (The most-of every moment) but I’ve missed the community and I’m trying to find my way back. I’m sorry to read about your health problems but glad you are on the mend. Your remodel sounds lovely! And I love your words of the year.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan - I haven't "seen" you for ages! I'll have to pop over to your blog and say hi again. Glad you're back on the blogging scene again and I'll make sure I stay in touch as you gather momentum and find your way back. I think of giving up now and then, but then I get a second wind and off I go again...
DeleteHi Leanne, your grandgirls look like they are having a great time - cake and ice cream are always good. I'm pleased your health update was so positive and that you can now concentrate on living your lovely life. I really like the dining table and chairs.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth - I figure there's nothing like a treat or two for grandparent time when they're at this age. My DIL closes her eyes and says "what happens at Nan's stays at Nan's" :D I'm relieved the health stuff is sorted out too - and it's nice to not think about hospital anymore!
DeleteLeanne,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have been busy with the remodeling and freshening everything up!! Glad to hear you are feeling better and now it will take a bit of time for your body to adjust....But it sounds like everything is now on track....Thanks so much for stopping by!!!
Hugs,
Deb
Hi Deb - yes, everything feels like it's back on track - my house is sorted and looking good, and my health is as good as it's going to get for now - so I'm feeling pretty happy right now :)
DeleteWhat fun you've had Leanne, the grandgirls visiting, painting, new furniture, spending money and you're well on the road to recovery after your ops - sounds like a great month!! All the best for August :)
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - it felt like a month where we ticked off a lot of little boxes. This month is starting a lot slower, and I quite like the different pace - and having myself and my house put back in shape again :)
DeleteIt sounds like July treated you well, Leanne. Your granddaughters are so cute, and I love the new dining set. I think I may have mentioned last month that we really need to get our house interior painted, but I am dreading the disruption. You have inspired me that it will be worth it. Also, I'm happy to hear that your recovery is going well, with only additional supplements required. Here's hoping those other glands get to work!
ReplyDeleteHi Christie - choosing the shade of beige was my biggest challenge in the whole process - which is ridiculous when you think about it! My husband did most of the furniture moving, and we only had one person painting (she was amazing) so she could work around larger items - which was a godsend. I just love how clean and fresh everything looks - and I finally like the colour of my benchtops and walls after 14 years of "not minding" them :D
DeleteGreat update and I hate it when there are so many choices of paint colour...warm/cool white? Anyway, you did it and I am so pleased for you and the house refresh. The health news is pretty good, and lets hope the body has done its thing with what's been added. The girls looked like they had an AMAZING stay. I remember those times and they were fun but tiring!! Your collages are very precise in cutting out. I see a former politician's head there...lol. It was so good to see you link up your blog post this week. Thanks for being part of the community that IS Wednesday’s Words and Pics! Warm wishes, Denyse.
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - well spotted with the collage identity - I thought she scrubbed up pretty well in forest colours :) And yes, it's so nice to have the house looking fresh, and to be feeling on top of things health-wise too. I really hope that I can give up the suppliments at the end of the year - but I can live with it if I have to keep taking them - fingers crossed!
DeleteHi Leanne. I'm happy that I finally get a chance to visit your blog, today. Things have been a little crazy and we're up to our eyeballs, completing this renovation. Tim and I are painting our kitchen cabinets. Once the cabinets are done, we can move on to other things. This part of the job has been very time consuming, but we are working with a paint that takes a while to dry. It leaves a nice surface, though which will be easy to keep clean. The good news is that the workers finished the kitchen tiles and doorways a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully I can get a video up soon. Lovely catching up with you, and I'm glad to hear you are having a good winter. From your photos, it looks like you are really enjoying yourselves. Take care. xx Christina Daggett
ReplyDeleteHi Christina - I'm looking forward to seeing your kitchen renovation. We left the cabinets in their light wood colour rather than try to figure out what to change them to. I love my new benchtops with their little bit of inbuilt sparkle and the tiles are so luxe compared to what we had before. It was a relief to also get the paint colour right after second guessing myself several times. Your choices will be braver than mine (I still really love your wall colour) so I'm dying to see how your kitchen turns out.
DeleteThat end quote is great and very you. Is that Julie Bishop in the last collage? She looks so young (not your point but that's wehre my head went, sorry). Hope the vitamins get you where you need to be....#WeekendCoffeeShare
ReplyDeleteHi Lydia - I loved the end quote and yes, that's Julie Bishop - I've been chopping pics out of magazines for my current collages and she was the right size with an outfit I could remove to use the background instead. I think of it as liberating her to a higher purpose :D
DeleteThank you for your weekend coffee share, Leanne. Looks like you had a joyful July. I’m glad you’re feeling lighter and happy. Your new dining set looks great. I’m not good at choosing paint colours either. Too many choices and they look a lot alike to my eyes. Wishing you an amazing August.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie - I'm not sure how they come up with so many shades of the same colour (and then you can get them in full, half and quarter strength - just to add to the confusion in choices!) It was good to have settled on one and to actually like it!
DeleteLeanne, you've had a colorful July. I'm glad you are feeling better. Hope your August takes you sky high! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Marsha - I think my August might be a little less full-on than July was - the house re-fresh should be finished and my health should be more under control - so fingers crossed for a restful month!
DeleteHow fun to visit with the grands. So cute. Love your table and the color of those chairs. So glad things are looking up with your health. Great update Leanne
ReplyDeleteHi Kirstin - I'm loving the new dining setting, and our new lounge just arrived and ties in beautifully. All the house refresh boxes are ticked now and it's so nice to see it all.
DeleteI have been focusing on trying to let go of the what-ifs...what if this or what if that. Had one meeting with a hospice counselor who was pretty straight forward in July. She told me that I need to focus on the things I can control and to stop imagining the what-ifs. And I am trying to heed that good advice.
ReplyDeleteWhat a chic, sleek table and chairs. My bunch would have that stained in one meal!! Love the blue of the upholstery. And your kitchen refresh is very nice. Looks so clean and bright. I would like to have the house painted but truth is, there are only spots that really need to be touched up. And the baseboards look pretty scuffed and dingy. Our walls are such a dark camel color. Would like to lighten them but I imagine painting would be a pretty penny. Not sure it is in the budget right now.
Love your collages. Did you cut out the clothing from other pages or papers? Really well done!!
Hi Leslie - our walls weren't too bad either, just a little scuffed and I really didn't like the shade of beige they were painted. It's nice to have them all fresh and for the colour to be softer and more "me". Nobody would notice the difference, but we do and that makes it worthwhile - but it is an expensive thing to have done (all tradesmen seem to charge a heap these days - they'll all be driving luxury cars at the rate they're going!)
DeleteAnd yes, trying to figure out the 'what if's' and 'what's nexts' does your head in. I figure if God thought we could handle all that was in the future, he'd let us see it. It's probably a lot better for us to deal with it all one step at a time - and grow into the challenges slowly. :)