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

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  • who am i
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whatcha readin'? {goal 45 - books 7-10}

June 23, 2025 Arlene Giddings

Time for a little
bookish catch up…
(I am sooo far behind in posting).

7. This Time Tomorrow - Emma Straub
❤️❤️❤️ 1/2

Might not be a fair rating.
I didn’t know it was about a daughter
losing her dad.
Or I wouldn’t have read it.

8. Go As A River - Shelley Read
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Notes from my journal:
”the writing was lyrical and
the story was strong…
I liked how she described peaches
and nature and love.

9. The Joy of Sketch - Jen Russell-Smith
❤️❤️❤️
I finished this in March and enjoyed working
my way through it practicing some of exercises.

10. Circus of Wonders - Elizabeth MacNeal
❤️❤️❤️
I really, really wanted to love this.
I had been looking forward to reading it
but I was very frustrated with the writing in the beginning…
it was pretty…but I found it hard to understand
what the importance was of her “oddity”…

This doesn’t catch me up yet…
but getting closer.
Which is good because summer is
reading season for me…
beaches, deck, parks
just plant me in one spot
and give me a book
and maybe a doughnut
and I am a happy girl.

whatcha readin’? :)

In whatcha readin' Tags avid reader, books, book lover, book round up
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tuesday truth

June 10, 2025 Arlene Giddings

the truth is
elusive….
sneaky,
loitering around when
i am not ready to hear it…
hanging around the outside of my brain
crunching on chips and
drinking a dr pepper
and then when i think i am ready
to listen,
it wanders off pretending
it saw a kitten over there
or a 10.00 bill that just blew down the road
and let’s go look for it
and see if we can also find your sanity
while we are
at it.

and then i forget what i came here to write.

In tuesday truths Tags tuesday truth, truth on a tuesday, gibberish, words
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friday i'm in love

June 6, 2025 Arlene Giddings

It’s Friday and
the sun shone all day…
it was so sunny,
I actually burnt my arms
unexpectedly
but I am not complaining.
It was a perfect day off.

I got the yucky stuff done
(mainly changing kitty litter)
and then spent some time talking to
Drogo (my chat gbt) about
the garden ideas I have,
a little blue egg I found in my driveway,
the tree that is randomly growing
far too close to my house
amongst other weird things.

I used cardboard as a weed barrier
(Drogo approved of this plan)
and picked up soil, seeds and some tomato plants.
I am excited about this.

Other things that I am loving today:
🌞i am drooling over these shoes!
🌞 normalizing getting ready for bed at 8:30 and not judging myself for it
🌞 chat gbt (Drogo) making me feel like I can literally do anything….which might be really good….or really bad. heh.

Also today was NATIONAL DONUT DAY
i had a bit of a panic thinking i might not make it
to get caked donuts in time but i did…just barely
and scored this little bit of sweetness!
This is the birthday cake donut….so good!

In friday i'm in love Tags finnegan, national doughtnut day, get caked donuts, i like sugar, summer
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a cottagecore kinda weekend 🌼

May 31, 2025 Arlene Giddings

Last weekend, I had the chance
to stay at the sweetest little cottage
in Mill River….
the weather was going to be yucky
all weekend so I stocked up on
books and treats of all kinds
and 3 different kinds of pjs,
packed up Fred and my art supplies
and off we went.

The cottage was so adorable
and cozy and welcoming.
I always get a little stressed about
places I don’t know or when I am not sure what
I am supposed to do..but the hosts
made it all so easy for me.
And left me the sweetest card AND
chocolate covered strawberries
AND some canned diet coke. Heeheehee.

Even though it rained a lot,
I was able to try out the hot tub
in the evening
and the next day was spent
exploring the beautiful trails
close by with a best friend.

and sooooo much reading…
and playing with paints and markers…
and sugar.

If you are looking for a sweet little
getaway spot
or you have family/friends coming to the island,
I 1000% recommend this place.
You can find it here:
Ford’s Riverview Cottage and
on Facebook!

Fred completely agrees with this review.

In FOCUS 2025 2.0, grateful, i take pictures Tags weekend, cottagecore, 2025
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friday i'm in love...

May 30, 2025 Arlene Giddings

Such a perfect Friday.

Some decluttering.
A mid-morning nap in the hammock.
A bit of a trail walk.
Some journaling by the water.
A lot of time reading.
Bare feet in the long wet grass.
Delicious doughnuts & a cold can of diet coke.
Messages from best friends.
A little bit of garden planning.
Picked up some gifted hostas & lilies.
Saw some ducks.

(and in case you think it’s
allllllllll
sunshine and lollipops
in the big orange house
i did also
step on a
half eaten hindquarters of a
dead mouse
complete with entrails
WITH MY BARE FOOT
and so…yeah….
that happened.)

To take your mind off the mouse entrails,
please look at these
frigging amazing doughnuts
i got today….
caramel ice cream cone & raspberry lemonade
from Get Caked Donuts

I did not eat both of those donuts at the park…
but did I eat both donuts today?
Yes. Yes, I did.
Sigh.

Other things I am loving (not everything is about sugar)….
* these cookies (ok, yes, I realize they also have sugar…)
* finding out that goblincore is a thing. (and yes, it might be my thing).
* my chat gbt explaining my color analysis to me…apparently I am a deep or dark autumn. 🍂

Tags friday i'm in love, friday adventure, get caked donuts, scales pond, spring, books
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