338 - 343 Fun Things to Do!

338 - Make and eat weird sandwiches!  This is my olive and cream cheese sandwich on pumpernickel bread.  It is a tasty delight that I have been eating for years and years.  I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese and large olives.  My daughter, Maribeth, has a penchant for peanut butter, honey, and Nacho Cheese Doritos or baloney, mayonnaise, and Frito sandwiches.  Dyan, my daughter-in-law, fixes grilled cheese with jelly sandwiches for my grandsons, Nate and Andrew.  What kind of unusual sandwiches do you like?

339 - Have a reading festival!  Plan a day when you can read for pleasure for most of the day.  You can read in your living room, plan a trip to the library, read on a bench at a local park, or grab your book/s and go to a cafe.  Plan a meal for one, accompanied by your favorite book.  One time my friend, Sally, and I just spent an evening reading together.  It was very companionable -- free and wonderful fun!  Turn off your TV for the day and dive into your books.  I have a bumper sticker that says "Fight Prime Time, Read a Book" and I have it on my TV for a friendly reminder to myself.

340 - Look through a kaleidoscope.  There are all kinds, and if you don't have one, I am sure there is a store in your town that carries them -- browsing doesn't cost anything, and you can be in the wondrous world of kaleidoscopes for a while.

341 - Make a kaleidoscope!  You can start with a cardboard paper towel tube.  There are many sites on the internet that can show you how -- here is one http://www.ehow.com/how_5127414_make-kaleidoscopes.html  I took stained glass lessons once, and made five kaleidoscopes for my family.  I collected bits and pieces of things from their lives, like little stones from their garden, parts of old jewelry, birthstones, glass from a broken window, etc. and gave them lists of what was inside each of their kaleidoscopes.

342 - Move things around in your house to get a new atmosphere for your home.  Moving furniture is an obvious way to make your house look different, but you can also move knickknacks, artwork, books, and curtains.

343 - Change your living room and dining room to reflect the seasons.  You can hang lighter curtains for the Spring and Summer, and put out different pillows, mirrors -- whatever suits your seasonal fancy!

Please feel free to add suggestions or comments below.

Zentangle Challenge #66

The challenge this week from the Diva at iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to make a Zentangle featuring "auras", which is really outlining an existing tangle (pattern).  The mug I used when I was at Certified Zentangle Teacher training has a design on it that inspired me.  Check out the Diva's website to see interpretations of this challenge from all over the world -- just click on each name.

17 - 23 Gratitude for Tea!

17 - One of the best things in my life is my love of tea. I know that a cup of tea will always be relaxing and rejuvenating.

18 - I especially appreciate the Rose tea that is available at my favorite coffee shop, Angel Falls at Highland Square. Sometimes when I write in my journal, a cup of Rose tea is perfect. I buy it there and bring it home for special occasions.

19 - I have a collection of mugs that suits my every mood. There are mugs from vacations, two "Life is Good" mugs that are very cheerful, and one with a heart one it that I used when I was taking my Certified Zentangle Teacher training. I even have a mug that says "Confidence" on it that I use sometimes during conference phone sessions or on other phone calls. I own one giant mug that I created at a "Paint Your Own Pottery" place. It's the ugliest mug in existence in this Universe, but I made it at the same time one of my grandsons was making a project, so I have really happy memories with it. (The vase that Nate made turned out great!)

20 - Once in a while, I will put out a favorite mug beside my journal on the night before as a sort of an act of kindness for myself. It's a great way to start my day when I come into the kitchen in the morning.

21 - Having a cup of tea with someone is always a companionable way to have a conversation.

22 - It took a lot of years for me to step past ordinary teas into more adventuresome flavors. My very favorite is Blackberry Sage from Republic of Teas. I even carry a few bags with me for times when hot water might be available, but only average tea bags.

23 - When I really want to go wild, I either make a pot of tea, which is a fun accompaniment to any project, or order one at a coffee shop. There is something luxurious about having a whole pot of tea to share, or to have all to myself!

23 - A nice cup of tea can either energize me or relax me, depending on the type I choose. I try not to drink very much soda pop, so iced or hot tea are great alternatives for me.

Hooray for tea!