Sleep, you’re messing with me! Goodness, the last two nights have been, shall we say, somewhat erratic. It was so cold outside last night that I shut the windows and, since I run hot, that was not a good choice. I almost always have a window open at night. My mistake.
Sigh.
I found this set of four vintage hanger boxes (with hangers inside) yesterday. Such great graphics! All four for $6.00. I had to have them. They were discovered in the midst of searching for more small Shiny Brites, because I ordered a 2 foot tall white tinsel tree from Target yesterday. I like my little aqua tree, but I’d also like something taller. I’ll figure out how I’m going to use both of the trees when I get to the apartment.
Perhaps I should put the same amount of effort into finding some gifts for my husband?
I’m still reading Elizabeth George’s A Banquet of Consequences. I’ve been busy, of course, running errands, shopping and prepping for my work in Hartford, so I’m not able to find time to read as much as I’d like to. I really like her writing, but I find her books to be a slow read. That isn’t a bad thing, there’s simply a slow build up to the actual crime because George is setting up the characters and their back stories.
It’s different, that’s all, and rather welcome at this time of year. Slow living (hopefully), simple Christmas, slow reading.
Night tree.
And, because I have to play around with bokeh during the Christmas season:
It’s a bit of a challenge with a smaller tree, but I like a challenge. Expect more bokeh!
Little Z has made his visit to Santa and his Christmas list is heavily weighted toward Paw Patrol and a wagon. Talking to him during the evening is a true highlight of our day. He is very funny and he makes us laugh. I so wish we could see him on Christmas morning, but that wasn’t going to happen this year given my work commitments. Ah, well.
Happy Saturday.
Your “night tree” is lovely! My mother used to have smaller white Christmas trees in her sitting room and I always thought them very pretty. I love the vintage ornaments – you have me on the lookout for them now!
I always sleep with a small fan on a low setting in the room as I find just being indoors too stuffy. I hate not being able to open the windows for fresh air, but it’s so cold this week it’s not safe to be outdoors for more than a minute.
It’s pretty cold here as well, but probably not as cold as your neck of the woods! Snow is on the way and now we’re trying to figure out how to get everything clear by Monday morning as Don has an audition in the city.
It is so hard at this time of year, not to be distracted by all things shiny and bright…ahem….that we often forget what it is that we should be focused on…like hubby’s gifts perhaps? Sorry…someone had to say it…lol! Love the bokah! I am so out of the toy market, I’ll have to google paw patrol and see all that I am missing. Enjoy your day…we are to get snow later…lots! ;)
I just ordered something for him! Trying to make up for lost time!
Paw Patrol is very big with kids now. It’s a show on Nik, I think.
My nephew loves Paw Patrol and he is about Little Z’s age. Tiger doesn’t watch it so his interests are different. I think the little $1 tree is too tiny for anything but I’ll enjoy it this year in my bedroom just for the glow of the lights. I have some tiny shiney brites I wish I could get to you but afraid to mail anything right now. Lots of illness with the Grands this week but they are all starting to feel better. Sunday evening I am the narrator for the choir’s Christmas program at church so I’m trying to take care of me and my voice! Stay warm but not too warm! Hugs!
It’s really cold here today, Linda. Snow on the way tomorrow! I can see Don right now – he’s outside trying to get the snow blower started in preparation for the snow! Fingers crossed!
I love seeing vintage Christmas graphics…like them even more if the price is on them such as your Shiny Brite Ornament Hangers with a price of 10 cents for 100 of them…The bokeh is so pretty with a Christmas tree in the background…How lucky Meredith is to have a little one at home for Christmas morning…I miss those days so much…sigh..
10 cents! Amazing.
I know that Z will make everything shiny and bright on Christmas morning!
Hope sleep problems don’t continue to beset you, especially in Hartford. But you’ll be working there so perhaps you’ll be very tired at night and sleep well. We bought a little $1.50 tree for my Dad at assisted living. The “branches” are flat, rounded triangles attached to the metal trunk, and the entire tree painted gold. The branches have a couple of holes punches through and there are four little ornaments (beads) hanging from the holes. I plan to see Dad tomorrow and will bring my jewelry tools to wire more sparkles to the branches so he has a full tree. It’s only about 6-8″ tall and he probably doesn’t understand it’s significance, but it brightens up his nightstand.
I think right now I’m on hyperdrive, constantly thinking of what I have to do before I go, what I need to buy, what I need to pack. That’s probably messing with my sleep.
The tree for your Dad’s room sounds lovely, Wendy. xo
I get that way also, Claudia, when I have multiple tasks to do, like settling my Uncle’s estate, dealing with attorneys, cleaning up his house and getting it ready for resale, arranging movers to get some of the furniture to my brother’s and my house, arranging for non-profits to go over and take what they want, etc., on top of dealing with every day stuff… I keep a notepad by my bedside and scribble my thoughts and ideas on it before I turn off the lights. I find that I don’t dwell on things when I’m trying to sleep if I feel the thoughts are “safely” on paper so I don’t forget.
Good advice, Wendy!
Buying present for spouses can be a challenge. We stopped years ago, we now do just a stocking which by my family rules has a toy,something useful and a sweet. Maybe you may want to go this route next year, makes for buying easier. Yes if something doesn’t fit in stocking you can leave a piece ( puzzle) or a clever hint. Our adult children (save one) do the Secret santa deal, of which we are included. The hold out is my son he does not like Secret Santa but likes to buy me something, since I love toleware lamps he is always on the look out for a new color ( just not white)or style.
You know, it’s only the two of us, so we really like to surprise each other with gifts. We, of course, give each other ideas, but we like to spoil each other. Some years have been very lean for us and then we try to be very creative within a budget. This year is better, so we’re going to have fun!
Your tree is more beautiful each time we see it!..Shiny Brites are the decorations I grew up with in the 40’s and 50’s , and I do believe they have a rich depth of color (and charm) modern decorations don’t. Most likely the silver and paint used was different than used on today’s decorations. Graphics/art were a very prominent part of everyday life in the 40’s; from hand painted billboards to packaging to original artwork in magazines and books. Children’s magazines were full of original artwork from cover to cover. Artists really could earn a living producing original artwork enjoyed everyday by the public. From something as simple as the Morton Salt girl with her umbrella to Norman Rockwell to the Haddon Sundblom (Coke) Santas. It was all an important part of our daily lives……For me, modern computer graphics just aren’t the same. Glad to see older packaging is just one small example that is being appreciated today……….Dianne
I love older graphics, Dianne, always have. Just like I love vintage children’s books and Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish (who was a children’s book illustrator, too.) There’s just something about them!
Hope you’re reading the Elizabeth George on your Kindle! That was a heavy one!
I have my tickets for play and can’t wait. :)
Love the bokeh. Enjoy!
Not on my kindle, but in paperback! I do have an older George – Believing the Lie – that I got at a discount and it’s in hard cover. Whoa! It’s heavy, for sure! (I have yet to start it, maybe because it looks so intimidating!)
More bokeh! I’m all for it. Couldn’t BE a better time for it than the holidays either. A match made in Photography Heaven. I love your little “night tree” too. I used to have one myself, on a timer in my dining room. Lasted about 5 years, then the lights burned out. I tried to remove the old lights string & replace them, but getting the old ones off proved to be MUCH more difficult than you’d believe. Ended up tossing the entire mess. A real disappointment. I really should look around for another one though – just having other decorations doesn’t quite do it for me. It did make Christmas seem closer to have a tree. Glad to hear little Z is doing so well – I bet Santa will be extra-good to the sweet little guy this year – he certainly deserves it. ⭐️🎄
I took all the lights off this one last year. They weren’t working any more and it was a long and frustrating job, but I had looked around and there was nothing like this tree out there, so then it made sense to me to put in the work! Glad that’s over! Now I just add the lights every year.
I love the Christmas reflected into the window. It’s wonderful.
What we do for gift giving is to have the recipient make a list of things he/she might like. Things in all different price ranges.
It’s just Don and me, so we always give each other ideas about what we’d like, Trudy.
What a great vintage find! I love your tree!
Blessings, Joanne
Thank you so much, Joanne!
Your tree is beautiful! A friend of mine recommended Elizabeth George’s Inspector Linley mysteries, so I started with the 1st one last month and am currently reading the 2nd one, Payment in Blood, and am enjoying it very much. I have a long way to go before I get to the more current books!
It’s a wonderful series, Debbie. Enjoy them!
So happy to see your tree again! It’s so pretty! Just perfect.
I hope you sleep better tonight. It is hard to sleep when you have so much you need to do, and so much on your mind.
I did sleep better, thank you! Too much going on, Lily!