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the big orange house
Summerside, PE
902-439-4562

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friday i'm in love...with 2020...

January 3, 2020 Arlene Giddings

It’s a brand new year.

I love a fresh start.
I love resolutions and goals and plans and lists.
And I especially love the sound of
2020.

It just sounds balanced and even and fair.

2019 was not an awful year for me.
It wasn’t the greatest, by any definition of the word,
but it could have been worse.
2019 forced me to grow and learn in ways
I wasn’t sure I was capable of.

It was a year of healing but, just for kicks,
the house decided to also make it the year it would
throw major temper tantrums
and force me to replace an oil tank, get the furnace fixed,
buy a new washer and dryer, cut down ALL the trees
in the back yard AND replace the roof.

Which sucked at the time, but I look at it now and think…
I’m still here. I’m still standing. And most days, I’m even still smiling.

And that feels pretty friggin’ good. :)

If you have been here before, you know I pick a word every January
to use as a bit of a compass for the rest of the year.
Last year, I chose unfold and, honestly, it was perfect.
I went into 2019 not sure how a lot of things were going to pan out…
I wasn’t sure I would be able to stay in the house after 2 financial advisors
told me that there was no way I would be able to do it on my own.
I wasn’t sure I could handle the house even if I did stay in it.
Also, I was dating but unsure if I was really ready for that either.

I was just really, really unsure of everything that I had once been certain of.

And my nature is to plan/list/mindmap/analyze my way through things
but I decided to just let this year unfold.
And that was the perfect decision. It gave me the flexibility
to put myself out there but also the safety net to pull back if I needed to.
No expectations. No set goals. Just take it as it comes.

The allowance to unfold served its need in 2019
but now…I am ready for more.
I think I have been quietly building a foundation for some bigger goals
and now it’s time to throw in the match
and ignite 2020.

I am ready mentally to push myself harder this year in some of the areas
that I have just been treading water in…mainly…on the creative side.
I have some big goals and plans and intentions for 2020.

Ignite just felt like the right amount of heat and excitement
and butterflies in my belly. I am kind of looking forward to 2020.

And thanks for coming along on my long winded, sometimes
overly scenic, slightly wordy no-map drive. I definitely appreciate your company. :)

In she's so weird, the adventure continues, words Tags friday i'm in love, fridays are the best days, ignite2020, 2020, one word
3 Comments

boxing day bliss...♥♥♥

December 26, 2019 Arlene Giddings

I know it probably seems like I don’t like Christmas
because I leave everything to the very last minute….
but…I actually love Christmas.

Not the shopping. I hate the shopping.

But I love Christmas day…the excitement
and wonder, the silliness and surprises…

And this year definitely did not disappoint.

Some highlights included:

♥ watching a muppet family christmas with a friend
WHO WAS SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME!
(watch out for the icy patch! always makes me laugh)

♥ my mother in laws eagle brand squares

♥ knowing that the kids had a great time celebrating with both sides
of their family…that really does make me happy ♥♥

♥ 20 telling me not to look in my stocking when he left Christmas Eve…
this was what was in it….and I couldn’t have been more excited. Heeheehee

♥ 24 surprising me with a stocking full of toys and candy…a kinder egg as big as my head…
a charlie brown book, a little sesame street purse heehee…and this smurf quilt which almost made me cry

♥ going to my parents is always my favorite part of Christmas…
my mom saved the big bird ornament for me to put on (which was
even a little more bittersweet this year) and the doll head for 24…heehee

80892149_444855203083904_5429772087386439680_n.jpg 81319461_2513343525593283_1607032945183293440_n.jpg 81459502_824999071270438_5147337516197609472_n.jpg

♥ my dads excitement over his new headlamp…heeheehee

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♥ sweet unexpected gifts from my brothers & parents…gift cards, lots of candy, maritime hardcore hoodies, sweaters and scratch cards and this…heeheehee…

My brother Sandy is the real artist in our family…
I doodle a bit but Sandy really has the talent…and he made each of us
a drawing of one of our favorite childhood stories that we mainly tease
each other about…mine goes like this:

Once upon a time, a poor stressed out 16 year old girl who was
uncannily very amusing and witty and quite brilliant was forced to spend
her summers babysitting her 3 sometimes rotten younger brothers
for little pay and much pain.

After a hard day of slaving over a hot stove to provide a healthy nourishing lunch
to this little group of ungrateful heathens, one of them said he was still hungry.

Being the sweet, caring older sister that she was…
she offered him her spaghetti-o’s which she had not eaten yet.

But, being the rotten little sulk that he was, he turned up his little snub nose
at it because “she had a cold and he might catch it”.

So…she threw the plate at him.

The end.

heeheehee….he will tell you there is a different version
of this but his memory is not to be trusted. :)

……………………………………………………………….

And now…another Christmas is over…
and I am completely happy. ♥♥♥
I was able to spend it with people that I love…
and my heart is just really, really is full right now.

I am looking forward to 2020…
2019 had a few speed bumps but it’s sure out going out
better than it came in. ♥

Merry, merry Christmas to you and yours!

In grateful, my boy, my girl, unfold2019, we are family Tags christmas, merry christmas, family, muppet family christmas, 2019::unfold
7 Comments

it's only wednesday but....

December 18, 2019 Arlene Giddings

I have had a very good week or two…

I have sold every card that I have painted
sometimes before the paint was even dry.

I watched a Christmas cartoon so pretty and poignant
that it made me cry…happy tears…but tears regardless.

Hot, crisp egg rolls.

Sleeping so much better every night thanks to this…
I am telling you, this is like magic for me. I hardly ever hear
the whole twelve minutes and I am out like a light. I have been raving about it
for a while and today Cam texted me to say he tried it last night,
skeptically, but that it worked for him, too! :)

A surprise drive to look at Christmas lights…and
the best house I have ever seen with lights that went in time to music…
I could have stayed there for hours,
or at least, until it felt too creepy to be sitting in front of a stranger’s house…
and the grand finale…a hot fudge sticky sundae with nuts from mcdonalds…
(PLUS I get to check “look at Christmas lights” off my Embrace Winter list)

A yearly tradition of shopping with my mom & sister in law…
I am not a big shopper, I go for the conversation and giggles,
& also because my mom always buys us hot chocolate and a doughnut after
(unless you willingly decide to have spinach…yes..little jab
to my sister in law but she loves me…heehee)
but this year, I spilled half a hot chocolate on my face, shirt, pants & table. Heh.
Can’t take me anywhere fancy.

A surprise gift left for me at work…a charlie brown Christmas tree AND A LINUS BLANKET
TO WRAP AROUND IT!!!

A couple of Christmas lunches with co-workers and friends…and one
where I got to defend my bowling championship (3 years running) but…
by losing it at curling. Blah. Whatever…I am still reigning bowling champion.
You can’t take that away from me.
(PLUS I get to check “try curling” off my Embrace Winter list)

A surprise bag of sweet cookies from someone I sold a card to and then got home
to my neighbor dropping off another unexpected but very much appreciated plate of goodies!!

And … then there was this…
sometimes someone
can surprise you…
can catch you so off guard…
can do something so sweet
& unexpected
that it brings you to tears.

I came home to a FULL TANK OF OIL today
and a surprise gift in my mailbox
from 2 of the sweetest Christmas elves ever…
I am not going to lie
that I might have been a little teary…
this was so something so unexpected
and totally unnecessary but
so incredibly sweet & thoughtful and, well…

I am literally at a loss for words
and I think we all agree that is a rare occurrence.

I might have come in to 2019 with a bit of a rough start
but going out is definitely feeling a little less scary. :)

In words, unfold2019, grateful Tags Christmas, grateful, happy, embrace winter
2 Comments

whatcha readin'? {book 18::goal 25}

December 2, 2019 Arlene Giddings

This book.

Wow.

The true story of a Canadian woman
held captive for 15 months in Somalia.

It was heartbreaking and terrifying.
I burned through this book pretty quick.

I definitely recommend.
I’ll be watching for the movie…

5 out of 5♥♥♥♥♥s
NEXT UP:: WEB OF ANGELS - LILLIAN NATTEL

In whatcha readin' Tags books, book lover, but not a real book review, one book at a time
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embrace winter...

December 1, 2019 Arlene Giddings

the first day of december…

I have been thinking
that this year
I might try something different.

Every year, I fight winter tooth and nail.
I hate the cold.
I hate bundling up. I hate shovelling.
I hate worrying if there is oil in the tank.
I hate, I hate and I hate.

But this year, I am going to turn that around.

I am going to embrace winter.
(ok. Let me re-phrase that. I am going to try my hardest to embrace winter).

I made a list (cause….you know…I love a good list…)
(plus…added bonus…some of these are also on my fifty before fifty…
so DOUBLE WHAMMY…wait…is a double whammy a good thing? haha)

EMBRACE WINTER

  • hot drink recipes

  • ice skating

  • sledding

  • cross country skiing

  • downhill skiing (which i should leave til the last cause I will probably break a bone)

  • snow shoes complete! ♥

  • marvel movie marathon

  • bake cookies complete! ♥

  • make a snowman army

  • make a puzzle

  • cut out snowflakes

  • go bowling

  • winter bonfire

  • board game night

  • pj party

  • walks outside…get sunlight/vitamin d when you can

  • try curling complete! ♥

  • make a winter playlist

  • make snow angels

  • get a new candle

  • sauna/hot tub nights

  • tubing

  • make a snow fort

  • have a snowball fight

  • nap by a fireplace

  • bubble bath

  • blanket fort pj popcorn cartoon nights

  • read SOOO many books

  • go look at Christmas lights complete! ♥

I think that should cover this winter. :)
but it occurred to me that A LOT of these would be much more fun
if done with other people soooo…I may be
looking for willing (or slightly unwilling) volunteers…heehee.

I actually took pugsley out for a wintry walk on the trails today
as an attempt to get a good start on this list right away…
and honestly…it was by far the best choice I could have made today.

and see…in the spirit of “embracing” winter,
I bought myself a pretty red shovel.
……………………………………………………….

oh…and unrelated-but-must-be-said…
the response to this story about my geek girl ink cards
in one of our local papers has blown my mind…
in a very good way. :) I was completely surprised
and sooooo incredibly happy with all the comments, likes,
emails, orders and support.

My heart is full. ♥ Thank you!!!!

In doodles, i might be losing my mind, list-me-up, she's so weird, words Tags embrace winter, winterblues, winter insanity, listmaker, i love a good list, geek girl ink, christmas cards
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