that time i actually left the island...for another island...

October 18, 2020 Arlene Giddings

for years
i have been saying
i am going to go back
to cabot trail.

when we were kids
cabot trail was the family vacation
for many years…
4 kids (sometimes more)
2 adults (sometimes more)
jammed in the back of a van
with no windows
and no seatbelts
(sounds more like an abduction, i know
but i like to flair on the side of the dramatic…heehee).

this year, i did it
with the help of my brother and his sweet girlfriend
who let me tag along
with two of the teenage kids
and it was so much fun…
(plus i had my own window AND a seatbelt!)

we had to do a pretty quick trip
but it was so fall and pretty and
was also a great time to spend some concentrated
time with family.

i can’t wait to go again.

(also…one more thing off my 50-in-50 list!)

happiness is a full tank of gas...

August 30, 2020 Arlene Giddings

and a good playlist…

no destination
means sometimes
you end up in Greenwich

where the nice park guy
probably thinks you are a nut bar
because the first time you see him,
you panic because you think
maybe you were supposed to pay
to get in and you were going
to come back to a note
on your windshield again
so when he says hello
you say
was i supposed to pay?
i can go back
all panicky

(and no, there was no charge).

and then
when you meet him later
on his bike
you panic again
and say
am i on the wrong side
of the yellow line?
is this where i am supposed to be?
should i be over there??
in a panicky voice.

(it didn’t matter what side of the yellow
line you were on).

these were taken at the beginning of summer
but I am just getting around to posting them now.

blogging has taken a bit of a backseat…
along with everything else
but hoping to get back on top of things again.
:)

the other end of the island...

July 18, 2020 Arlene Giddings

friday was a sweet success of a day…

had a conversation in the gas station
about my polka dot dress and
was called
classy lassie as a result.

met up with a bff for our newly established
friday-at-lunch walk…
made friends with everyone in the line at access pei
while waiting for her to come out
heehee.

drove 2 hours to see another bff
at the other end of the island.
made a pit stop at micheals
(no, not to change in the parking lot this time)
for new watercolor paper….
maybe that will inspire me.

found new beaches,
climbed down a GIANT hill of rocks
and subsequently, back UP again…
stepped on a jelly fish
which is undeniably the grossest feeling
i have had in a long time,
had a close call where i almost ate a
PICKLED TURNIP…
or something…
drooled over bff’s new camper
which was more like a sweet little
fancy apartment on wheels…
seriously, i took my shoes off inside.

drove down a precarious dirt path
in a big truck 4 people jammed in a front seat.

giggled a lot….generally at jokes made at my expense
but that’s how i know they still love me…heehee

came home with 4 more tomato plants,
full of shawarma and rice
sand in my hair and dead jellyfish remains on the
bottom of my shoes,
exhausted and so happy.

yay for making the decision
to get of the house yesterday…
it was the right one.

AND THERE ARE STILL 2 DAYS LEFT OF THE WEEKEND!

wordless wednesday...

July 8, 2020 Arlene Giddings

friday i'm in love...even if it's kinda rainy...

June 12, 2020 Arlene Giddings

I haven’t done a friday i’m in love for a bit…
just a few things that I am loving right now
and grateful for.

♥ i have been obsessed with this show “Bonus Family”
It’s Swedish…and ALLLLLLL subtitles
which I actually don’t mind because it means I can’t
scroll mindlessly on my phone while watching it…
but I seriously adore it.

♥ when a friend messages to tell you to look outside your door
and when you do, you find the cutest little tomato and pepper plants!
and then the same friend offers to show you how to make salsa
AND can it or bottle it or whatever it’s called in the fall
and you giggle to yourself because this friend
obviously
has no idea what she is getting herself into….hahahaha.
let’s not forget the fact that i once deep fried french fries…
in water….just to give some perspective. Haha.

♥ this. I am not sure what it is about the cello but
i kinda love it…

♥ jumbo mr freezies

♥ sugar cones with ice cream

♥ how green and vibrant the world looks after it rains

♥ listening to the radio loud while working from home

♥ that my favorite ice cream truck is opening up again!

Happy weekend! Hopefully the rain holds off
and if it doesn’t,
hopefully you find a nice dry place
to curl up and watch a movie or read a book or listen to music
that takes you to somewhere nice.

Also…taking recommendations on
any 3 of those things! Heehee.