For nearly a year now, I’ve been up to my eyebrows in housing madness. Our family had outgrown our little bungalow that had been the Casa di Diva for well over a decade. It’s a seller’s market, they’ll tell you, and they’re right – but we also needed to buy. We visited houses that were masterpieces of creative photography; stepped into houses just long enough to say, “They’re kidding, right?;” were outbid; found one we thought we could make work only to discover (at the final walk-through, no less) that we were wrong, wrong, wrong; took a break and got back on the house-hunting horse; changed our “must/want” list and managed to stumble on to the right place. We’re still a couple of weeks from having everything signed, sealed, and delivered (knock wood), but we’re past the Big Flaming Hoops of Homeowner Daredevilry. Clearly, it’s been an interesting time. Not quite as funny as the Cary Grant/Myrna Loy classic Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, but the lengthy search has had echoes of that.
This past week included me actually going to the current owner’s estate auction and bidding on a number of pieces of furniture that we wanted, but that they wanted to include in the sale. People are so used to particleboard flat-packed furniture that you put together with a flimsy Allen wrench that the quality good were going for a song – and I crooned the “Greatest Hits” album! (By the way – if you haven’t ever tried your hand at an auction, I heartily recommend it. I grew up with those, but hadn’t gone to one in quite a while. And no, you won’t wind up buying a grand piano because you used your auction number to wave away an errant fly. Pack a lunch – or eat at the event’s food truck; there’s almost always one there – grab a friend, and try your hand at picking up something cute for under $5. Just don’t go in expecting to get an undiscovered masterpiece for a few dollars. Buy what appeals to you.)
Tuesday, May 24 was International Tiara Day, which (1) is a real thing and (2) should be regarded as a High Holy Day for Divas. I didn’t have anything planned with my lovely Sparkle Sisters – we hope to get together soon, though – but it’s a day that does make for a good occasion to stop, look around, and take stock of wonders. For me, I went daydream-strolling and was pulled out of my reverie by loud cawing. I looked up just in time to see a young fox being chased by two extremely angry and highly focused crows – certainly not something I see every day.
Then today, I finished a “virtual race” I had started well over a year ago. I should have finished it months and months ago, but Life had other plans. And that’s okay. It’s my race and it was finished at my pace. I’ve already signed up for the next one. There are all sorts of websites devoted to these – try here, or here, or here (as well as here, which is the one I’m currently using). You run, walk, bike, or swim and enter the distances – there are even medals when you finish! But be careful in the heat and be sure to stay hydrated – and use sunscreen! The RACE may be virtual, the SUNBURN is not!
Just be sure to balance your outside time with some time working on your interior – read, sing, paint, dance, write – whatever you enjoy, just make time for it.
Every day.
Spread joy, Divas!
Leave a Reply