For those of you who come for inspiration and the pretty pictures... you would be Golden to ignore the text today. *LOL* Seriously... this is my DISCLAIMER portion of the Post! *Winks*
I want my Blog to be a thing of Beauty and Passions... primarily my Love affair of Found Treasures, all things Old & leading a Bohemian Lifestyle... but also keeping it 'Real'.
And that can mean the occassional Rant...
Yep it's true... sometimes there's even trouble in Paradise! *Smiles*
Truth be told, not everyone loves all that is Old... actually in this Familia... I'm the only one. The rest would just as soon have everything new and a lot less work or creative living.
Yeah, "creative living" is what I choose to call it when you 'make do'... and work around issues and things that aren't yet up to par and are a Labor Of Love...
So the rest indulge my Passion for it and tolerate it... but it's not their thing. And when you have a Love of Old you accept that Old things often have fragility or deferred maintenance or need restoration or upcycling... it just comes with the territory. But those without that Love, well, they see it in an entirely different light... *Winks*
And so, I spend a great deal of wasted time waiting for help in those areas that require more than one older Woman to perform... or more resources than are available... and reconciling myself to the reality that in fact, that help is very likely not coming. So, if I don't do it... well, it's not gonna get done... ever... and that can be discouraging and disheartening. But it was MY choice to live in my Historic affordable Dream Home and fill it with the Love of Old... and I'm tenacious about living out that Dream... because that's how I roll... and I do in fact LOVE this ole' House and what I choose to surround myself with... even in it's state of disrepair and waiting on Miracles...
And often my dilemma is that my priorities and energies are directed towards Single Grand Parenting the wee ones most of the year, as they should be... because I'm in complete agreement with the Sage Wisdom of Financial Guru Suze Orman, "People first, then money, then things." Truer words were never spoken as to how priorities should be IMO.
And so... when I get ready to tackle a big project... OR ANY project for that matter... I'm often facing this kind of challenge... see above photo. *LOL* Notice the disparity and telltale Warning signs... Skulls and Crossbones on the ensemble, rubberized faux spiked Punk Slave bracelet mixed with the unlikely word "Sweet", unkempt locks and THAT expression! *LMAO* Yeah, she dressed herself this day... the Beast Princess... and when it's gonna be one of THOSE days... forget about getting very much done in the way of restoration, deferred maintenance projects, creating a Dream Space, cleaning, editing, purging, having a Life... or whatever WAS on the Agenda... NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!! And she has a Tag Team Partner... the Prince R... so I don't stand a chance...
And this tends to be his usual stance and outlook on Life... "Don't Worry Be Happy" and when all else fails ignore everything and take a Siesta when Gramma is insisting that things really need to get done and she's in OCD Mode about rising to the challenge of all that has remain undone around here... *LOL* "Ah, good, I can't hear her ranting anymore..." or at least I'm pretending not to!?! *Winks*
And actually... after a bit this starts to look like a good idea and outlook to this tired, worn out, exhausted, overwhelmed and under-resourced Gramma... so I usually join him... hey, don't they say if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em? *Smiles*
Hey, they're babes, how much help do you really think they could be even IF they were "all in" with my "Lets Make A Miracle Happen" optimistic spurts to get things in order and transform the ole' Homestead into the Vision I have on the canvas of my imagination... *Smiles* So the Truth of the matter is... most days we opt to just do something pleasurable and enjoyable to at least salvage the Day... even if we can't salvage the ole' Homestead this Day at least...
I do have the BFF Tina... she's a Trooper... and a more mature Single Gal holding it all down too... so her encouragement and "Can Do" attitude is priceless when I'm feeling overwhelmed and inept to do the things I don't feel are probably a one older Woman Job... or even a two older Women Job... but we'll give it our best shot... even though that will mean splitting time between her place and mine to attain our Visions and Goals... this is like the Olympics in Projects though... and I'm wondering... do we still have what it takes to win the Gold?
At this stage of the Game I'd settle for any of the precious Metals mind you just to have a Victory! *Winks* Or even some Testosterone thrown into the mix to help a Sista out!!! *LOL*
Is there anyone else here in the Land Of Blog that has a Vision bigger than what they are presently capable of attaining and thus often face the darkness of wondering if they should tenaciously move forward and keep on keeping on in an attempt to get to the Promised Land of their Dream?
I have few regrets about the Life I have chosen to Live, it is a Beautiful Life and I'm richly Blessed... and though often filled with some daunting challenges at times that threaten to derail me... I am an incurable Optimist by Nature... I always see the Glass as half Full...
I am thankful for the opportunities, Friends, Family and Beauty that surrounds us.
I recognize that many of the challenges I'm facing are self made choices with easier options should I choose to throw in the towel at any time, but I could think of living no other Life... and I've never been a quitter or taken the Easy Road and Path Of Least Resistance rather than what I believe to be the Right Road worth whatever obstacles might attempt to block it at times and the sacrifices necessary to travel it...
I still believe that anything precious and worth having will come at a great cost...
So the million dollar question really is... are we willing to Pay it?
There is no question for me that I will... because I still believe it all to be priceless.
And I guess most of my frustration lies in feeling quite alone in the process... and pressed above measure and beyond strength to see it all through to completion...
And failure is just not an option... I refuse to even allow it to be part of my vocabulary...
The stakes are too high... and I'm too Invested...
So yeah, after the passing of a Pet I'd had 20 years... and a Burglary... and the G-Son getting Suspended for fighting back and hurting a kid at School when cruel bullies taunted him about his absent Mommy... and pretty much none of the urgent and not-so-urgent Projects not getting done around this ole House...
We decided to have a Fun day and just all go to the Gardens and shop for priceless Beauty to capture through the eyes of the lens and share with you this day. Was it the 'Right' choice... well, that's all a matter of perspective I suppose... I Believe it was... and it kept us all Centered and Close during some difficult times...
Because some things are bigger than all of us... and are best left up to Him to sort out... in due time...
And when I look around and am reminded of all that He Created... and Proof that there is even amazing Beauty among the Thorns...
I'm also reminded that His Back is never turned away from us... if we Trust Him and entrust Him with our issues of Life...
So I know that in the end it's gonna be alright...
Dawn... The Bohemian