My Colonoscopy at 41....a bit early but never too late.

My Loves

 THE SWEET LIFE

I don't play around with my health.  I take it very seriously.  I think I'm more serious than the doctors most times.  I want to talk about the sweet life and what it means to me, why I decided to write this blog and more.  The "Decorated" tag line is more than furniture, antiques or collectibles, it's all the ways your life feels and is complete and wonderful.  It starts with being healthy, inside and out.

All my life I've waited to feel "whole" and satisfied and the photo above taken over the weekend in North Beach, Maryland shows a happy family. We are that. We aren't a happy family all the time. We don't always have sweet moments.  We argue, we disagree, we feel sad at times but we always make up for it but recently my health has been under fire.

When I lived in New York with new babies at home, I rarely saw specialists, never thinking I'd need to see a Gastroenterologist.  I went to my yearly physical with the local doc in town and crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's.  I was fine, a little stressed being away from family and close friends, raising my daughters in a small town in upper New York state.  I did what I could; exercised, tried to eat more veggies and lean meats, but never quite going at it 100%.  I ate my girls' left overs most times and retired with a glass of red wine at the end of a long day.  

Most doctors were a half hour away in another town and most times these appointments would interfere with our daughters nap times or otherwise growing schedule.  It just seemed overwhelming to me, all of it; it could wait I said to myself.

Now just shy of 41 and back in my hometown and close to fantastic medical facilities (I gave birth to my girls 5 minutes away at the hospital here in Maryland!) I'm more aware of my medical needs and the special parts that need attention.

After the stress of moving and finally settling in this year, I felt just not right that's all I can sum it up to, not sweet, just "off".  I was experiencing major tummy troubles, some symptoms not nearly as evident as before: trouble going to the bathroom, infrequent bm's, and pain going to the potty (I still call it that).  Not good.  The bloating and gas becoming more frequent and persistent and extremely noticeable.  One nice walk with my family in the mountains in Virginia led to another nice family asking me "what was I having....a boy or another girl?"  I was devastated by that comment, not that I wouldn't want to have another child because I would but the question was innocent and I did look five months pregnant-she was very curious to ask me-I just wasn't pregnant, I was experiencing major gas!  I wasn't comfortable and it didn't seem to pass with anti-gas medication.  I needed to make some major changes.  

How could this continue I asked myself?  Why would I continue to suffer these inexplicable symptoms and be okay with it?  I now was clearly not okay with it and it was time to head to the tummy trouble doctor. You see I wanna be around for my family, my life line, my soul mates, my loves in the photo above.  Would a Colonoscopy be necessary and the right thing to do?  I'd find out.  Can I have a female doctor please..................

After my consult with the physicians assistant and discussing my experiences and symptoms with her, we both decided it was the right path.  To check for polyps would be a plus.  With the colonoscopy scheduled for tomorrow at 1 pm, I'm a little nervous but hopeful they don't find anything; a preventive exam and most of my 40,000 mile check up completed. Ahhhh........

Let the cleansing begin.................I've got frozen fruit bars and chicken broth to get me through the day before the procedure.  I'll be back on Tuesday of this week with the final results.  

A side note: one of my two favorite actresses and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn died at the age of 63 I believe her age was when she passed of colon cancer, leaving this world much too soon.  She loved her two boys and gardening and being at home with her children and dogs like I do.  This procedure is a must have.  I wanna be around and very healthy for a long time.  Let's get on with it.

With her son.

Timeless.

  

A Surprise Perennial....our White Cone Hydrangeas

When we moved back to Maryland after living in the Hudson Valley part of New York for four years, I had no idea how my garden would look.  We didn't believe we were coming back south, we thought we were New Yorker's now and we were staying put.  That's not what the Universe had planned for us.

Back in 2008 when we built our house near the United States Naval Academy, we didn't have a plan for our front garden or the back.  We had no plans other than two precious buns in the oven.  I was pregnant with twins and awaiting their arrival in the winter of 2009.  Actually my baby shower was planned and a fence installed.  Yes, yes I wanted a fence for the backyard!  Pronto, get on that!  In the winter I knew I would cherish the water views of the Naval Academy and the Severn River;  the river that pushes into the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.  On with nesting.

Those were the plans. Build the house, move in it, baby shower, put up fence, and nest.  The gardens were an afterthought.  We built the house to our specs and a friend of ours that knows landscaping helped us out by picking and planting the perennials.  He choose builder grade this and that.  It's sad I don't know the name of those this and that's because the green leaves turn a gorgeous red in the fall and this variety is quite hardy so it's a shame I don't know it's Latin name or even it's American origins!

A lovely addition to the side of our house!

The rest of whatever we might of planted were my solid go-to favorites: the hydrangea.  Ever since I saw the film "My Fair Lady" in my 20's I've been hooked on hydrangeas.  I remember thinking they look like snow cones and who doesn't like a snow cone!  Hydrangeas are gorgeous and those blue and purple blooms!  In the early stages of my pregnancy in May-June 2009 I remember choosing two hydrangeas, one for each baby.  They would bloom each year as a reminder to care tenderly for the plant, never water at night and nourish with special plant food (sounds a little like parenting a little one).  My special potion for the special plant: banana peels and coffee grinds in warm water, right out of a rinsed coffee pot.  I love it and they do too.  :)

What I didn't know those few years ago is that I choose the White Cone Hydrangea variety.  The interesting part about this choice was I don't remember doing it-pregnancy brain maybe?  I came back to our home in Maryland and saw two very different bushes when I arrived in January 2014.   I thought they were dead, gone, the roots growing under the front stoop, not salvageable-sad.  I wasn't sure what type of plant this was-there was no undergrowth or buds as we moved into Spring.  My husband and I decided to dig them up as the branches were running wild at the entryway-ouch!  We moved the two anonymous plants to the side of the house, added local Maryland compost (yeah!) and watered them lovingly.  We staked one and waited.

Thank goodness we didn't do away with these mighty ladies.  They are so sweet and add a freshness to the house that wasn't there before.  I cannot wait to see what they mature to as the years progress (if were still here!) Happy Gardening until then and just wait.

Taking down those trees that threaten your Home. Replacing it with beauty.

Overpowering our House

I don't think anyone wants to take down a tree or do they?   If it comes to that then we must.  We had a monstrous tulip poplar tree standing close to oh I don't know 200 feet or so.  It made its presence known in our backyard and owned its stance there first.  I'd say in the late 1700's maybe.  It was gigantic, something reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.  It was taken over by ivy and it littered our backyard with these little bulb like things-what were supposed to be the flowers, the tulips I guess.  It was ugly.  We had plenty of shade from our neighboring trees so this one needed to go.  It stood direct center to my daughters' room, the living room, the foyer of the home.  It had to go, now.

I knew this for some time.  I guess I just thought that after two tree experts assessed it and said that it was strong, I guess that was good enough for me.  My husband leaves each week for Philadelphia; he's gone maybe 1-2 days for meetings and whenever he leaves, there is always a storm.  Sometimes those storms are wind storms and I wasn't waiting for that tree to land on my house.  No, no I said, I would find the right guy to tell me the tree was bad and bad it was.  When we yelled Timber! and the worker guys gave it a go, it was rotten solid through the core up to 10 feet!  Thank goodness it fell straight between the fence parts they removed!  I clapped with relief and later, shortly later tears fell down my cheeks because I did something right, something right for my family and I knew it the moment that poplar tree fell.  Hallelujah I say it's gone.  

Another company in affiliation will take the healthy wood to a factory in Lancaster, PA where they will make kitchen cabinets with it.  We decided to use half of the tree to create wood chips for the out of control brush next to our property which is littered with snakes and possibly other snide creatures.  They need to go too.  For now, I'm happy that the tree is gone.  We've started placing the wood chips where they need to go to eradicate years and years of weeds that have overtaken the abandoned property next to us.  Can anyone say yuck..............

Sometimes we have to do the hard work to keep our family safe indoors and out.  It's not fun all the time but in the long run, the cost and time involved saves us the heartache later.  I'm so glad I called the company out of the Clipper Magazine and with the 25% off coupon and the fact that this is his company three times removed makes me heave another sigh of relief.  I could go on and on...................here are the photos. Don't judge me please!  I felt bad for the tree on some earthy level. We plan to plant a crimson maple in the front yard in exchange.

Making the cuts

10 feet of rot right up the middle!

A special thanks to iTree Services of Severna Park, Maryland and to Leon for calming me down!

Attending Luckett's Big Flea Market (Leesburg, VA)

The road to the Old Luckett's Store

Yep you said it, Design House and my forehead

When I shop flea market's, I too have ideas in mind for what I need in my house and garden but never gifts for Christmas!  Here at Luckett's I was sandwiched (thankfully) besides two jewelry makers, albeit two very different jewelry makers.  I'm really glad it wasn't a French country booth or someone who sold these beautiful vintage doors as you see above.  That wouldn't be fair because I would get no selling accomplished!

I love antiques, I love old stuff, I love interior design and architecture, probably always have.  I think that was inspired by my Mom's love of comfortable home.  We always had nice homes, beautifully decorated, antiques sprinkled here and there and my Mom's reupholstered items on view because we couldn't afford to buy new furniture!

I didn't know any different as a teen so it didn't matter, it all added up to a unique and pulled together look. It felt right and I think there I was inspired to make interior design love.  Lately and for the last 15 years I've also dabbled in refinishing furniture.  I get a kick out of it.  The power sander is awesome and white paint even better.  You can use sponges, old paint brushes and if you have them lying around your kids' paint brushes (they handle the details like a PRO!).

This past July I had the privilege and honor of finishing my clients secretary and mirror for her Maryland beach house.  I believe sometime in early summer I thought I would follow my dreams and start my home decor business and it might start with attending Luckett's Design House & Flea Market August 1-3rd.

The finished product

I cannot express how excited I was to be a part of what Luckett's was doing with clients and customers so I signed up, paid my booth fee and chartered what I'd be packing in my mini-van!  Oh the possibilities are endless so my brain started working in overtime!  I'm glad it's over though. I know I cut right to the chase there didn't I?

Besides the weather being hot and humid and the customers being very selective in their choices (I can relate!) it was a very productive weekend.  I sold quite a few chalkboard signs and frames, some old still life floral prints on canvas and my custom children's chalkboard table!  Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I had success and it felt great but even better were the neighbors to both sides of me.  The human condition for the most part is a good thing and it operates nicely when all parties are in agreement.  For example,

When I arrived at the flea market, my new neighbor helped me set up my tent, she helped me with the layout of my tent and she even offered to keep my wares in her tent overnight just in case it rained!  She was a lifesaver, just the kind of neighbor you want on a rainy day!  Okay great I thought this is going well.

My other neighbor just to the left of me kindly paid it forward by packaging up one of her lovely necklaces as a gift to my best gal pal from Jersey whose turning 50 in September.  It was her treat for all the free leads and festivals I thought she could attend in Annapolis!  She and I were both grateful for the encouragement and positive talk we both gave one another.  She so wanted my chairs to sell and I so didn't want to take them back to Annapolis with me but for some reason or another for $35 a chair, my lovely Parson Chairs weren't budging.  Bummer.

Pretty right?

All in all I'm glad I did it and I would do it again.  Luckett's was supportive too.  My Mom who attended the first two days with me got a flat tire along the way and a Luckett's man in a hot pink shirt named Henry was willing to change it for her.  Due to the heat my Mom stayed clear of the tent on Sunday and I ended up selling most of the rest of her pink Depression glass.  She was happy and I was happy for her.  Isn't the friendships and bonding that occurs over these type of events, isn't that what it's really about?  I meant the money of course is great and we can sock it away in our kids college funds or pay a bill but the moment we forget to be human and help another person, we loose a part of us somewhere.  I gained so much from this weekend at Luckett's and for that I'm eternally grateful.

For more information on the Old Luckett's Antiques Store in Leesburg, VA please go to luckettstore.com

Happy Antiquing on the road and be safe out there!

Visiting Broadway in my 40's.....how it's changed

The Book of Mormon

I didn't know what to expect from this Broadway show.  Needless to say I didn't think I'd laugh out loud the way I did.  I was in stitches, just another way of saying it hurt to laugh.  I'm so glad I wore my comfy clothes: my self made Brooklyn t-shirt, stretchy long skirt and even longer cardigan.  I wanted to be comfortable when placed between two very tall men (which I was).  I was straight on and right in the middle of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on West 49th St.  It was a glorious feeling to come out at intermission (the photo above) and feel like "Wow, you know what it's not my personal feelings, it's art, it's somebody else's interpretation of their art.  I can appreciate it.

Written by the creators of South Park (Comedy Central), Matt Stone and Trey Parker created a skillful take on the satire.  The lead actors played by the understudies in this Saturday night performance was done with such perfection, I the harsh critic had not a word of judgement (a complete pun if your considering the work of the playwright here).  

The lead songs at times seemed long but nothing where my restless leg syndrome kicked in.  I couldn't help but feel for the 6'4" of 5" man sitting next to me with his likewise tall daughter.  As I recall not a person flinched in this majestic theatre; it was as quiet as central Manhattan could be.....we'll until the sing-along tune "Turn it Off" was heard by the both of us.  When my husband is at attention when ten men are singing on stage and it's not Imagine Dragons, we'll then you've done well.  

In this play-musical I had to pay attention, no wait, really pay attention. There is religion and the talk of Mormonism and to get the nuances and the sarcasm as a Christian was we'll a job but I didn't mind.  Once again it was the playwright's art and not necessarily his belief's or feelings about Mormonism.  I choose to look at it that way and understand that my feelings about religion and spirituality are rooted and strong and sacred to me.  Laughing was a good outlet in this venue and I have to say in my 20's I just wouldn't of gotten the whole deal, the play, the concepts. 

The 30's on Broadway were reserved for Man of LaMancha, The Producers, and Disney musicals I know you know (before kids by the way!).  Now in my 40's I have an ethereal appreciation for the art of theatre.

On my way out of the theatre after such hearty laughs, my husband asked me if I missed the stage and my answer is still no I don't. After I gave birth to my daughters in 2009, my thoughts never strayed to the stage.  From 1997 to 2009 I worked on stage, behind stage, and in between.  It took over.  I thought about going back and directing in my beautiful hometown of Annapolis, Md and then a few short months before the read-thru's I opted out.  It was the right decision.

I wanted to spend the summer with my family, my garden, and work on my bustling new home decor business.  Theatre is still sweet and perfect and fun but it's obvious that it takes long hours and a sincere commitment to make the art work and convince the audience you believe.

In the Book of Mormon's performance on July 19th, I was convinced this cast knew what they were doing, liked what they were doing and it showed.  I dedicate the photo above to my dear friend, actress and model Anastasia Summers who loved the art of make believe, the camera, and make up artistry.  Rest in peace my friend: 1974-2009.

  

  

Hell's Kitchen Flea Market and that one dress

When I visit the great big and wonderful New York City, I never get to a flea market and Hell's Kitchen Flea Market on 39th & Ninth Avenue was a special surprise!  It was on my to-do list in life and voila, I stumbled upon it!  My partner in life, husband and soul mate (lucky me!) and official photographer of this blog gave me a special birthday trip to the city which included a cruise around the Statue of Liberty and a Broadway show! But no one ever mentioned the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market................happy.

Part of the trip was funded by his employer and HBO and the other, us.  I couldn't wait to get back to the city again.....the excitement, the people, the action, all of it bustling with activity and wonder. A flea market: bonus.

As Patrick and I headed out after a yummy omelet at Lenny's we turned a couple of corners and what do you know, we ran into the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market!  Okay this is when I shut down with my husband.  Like most people who shop a flea market, you should get focused, have your dollars stashed away, and be ready to make the deal.  I was not prepared for this.  We moved from the Hudson Valley part of New York so I was always ready to purchase.  Here I was in a constant daze.  The weather was overcast and the booths were lined up like soldiers ready to attack.  This is New York City I say to myself.  I got this. I got this.  My husband is so super confident and skilled at handling my meandering, it's not unlikely that we get separated and ultimately he finds me pondering at item only to tell me, I wouldn't.  He means, "I wouldn't buy that......I wouldn't buy that waste of time.....I wouldn't it's junk." He knows.

In Patterson, NY  at the Patterson Flea Market I was famous for coming back home with something.  Even my kids would come back with the cutest things, an iconic children's storybook or an adorable Beanie (wash these once at home) but as luck would have it, I was not having much chutzpa at the HK market.  As a matter of fact I was searching for some kind of a buy.....desperate for a piece of McCoy Pottery to scream out BUY ME but I managed to avoid those purchases too!  After a satisfying run along the Hudson River to downtown Manhattan, I promised myself I would return to HK and be successful and thus I was.  Smile.

Walking to a tent filled with Indian clothing, I happily stumbled upon a pretty little dressy number, a dressy number just my style.  Totally casual with flowers, very Woodstock.  The lovely lady running her shop gave it away for $10.  I was one happy Momma and will decorate my dressy number with long gold and silver chains I've inherited over the years.  Sweetly Decorated, just the way I like life and my surroundings.  What do you look for at flea markets?  Please share with me, I'd love to hear about it!  For more information on the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market go to hellskitchenfleamarket.com 

"What to Expect When You're Expecting", a warm hug and wisdom

I was extremely fortunate to meet the incredibly wise author and mother to all Heidi Murkoff. I don't find myself at many trade shows but in my career as a former struggling model/actress/struggling writer I've had the good fortune to meet several talented authors, actors and musicians. Let's just say I've been extremely blessed.......

On a 15 minute break from working the booth at Miralax (the powder that helps you go potty) I was able to walk the show floor and explore the various booths in attendance at the annual Pediatrics show. I saw stacks of the books "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and people crowded around an obviously pretty lady: the author, Heidi Murkoff.

I'm not sure what propelled me to fall into her arms and divulge my current terrible two woes concerning my twin daughters but as fate would have it, I would confess my wrongdoings as a parent and hopefully Heidi would offer up some miracle cure as to when my girls would subside in going 15 rounds with one another. :)

I was graciously given a warm hug and told it would get better.  She did ask me how I was handling it and praised me for how I've handled it thus far. I can't remember exactly what advice she gave but I do remember feeling relieved I met her and then she signed a copy of her book " What to Expect the Second Year."  I left the trade show floor at 4 pm with the other zillions of imports fleeing D.C. to get home to their families thinking how thankful I was for that meeting with Heidi Murkoff, how safe I felt in telling her about my failings as a parent and how grateful I am for my husband and sweet little daughters. Nothing is perfect in family life. We have to remember that. Sometimes the tough parenting is the hardest part and the sweet stuff follows-you hope and pray and that's all you can do. It turns out, I'm in the throws of the terrible 4 1/2's......

Remember Billy, he's doing the best that he can." -Ethel Thayer, On Golden Pond-1984 (my favorite film)