What does One do To Process (Grief, Winter Blues, etc?)

Hello Friends!

  After Monday's "Oh woe is me" post, it hit me like a ton of bricks that the Winter blues that normally hit me by December held off this year.  The unseasonably warm temperatures allowed me to be outside much more than usual for this time of year, to do work around the (Funny) farm, to walk the dog, to go on hikes...I even took the boys and Papa fishing once or twice before the weather got a little too cold.  I was feeling so good, in fact, that my Heaven-sent "Happy Light" ( For a picture and info about the amazing Happy Light Click Here) has seen very little use over the past few weeks. Needless to say, it is back on.  :)  The days are getting longer but there is still a tragic lack of sunshine in Northern Illinois... and My Happy Light is just what I need to get back on track.  Believe it or not, this is not an advertisement for Happy Light, I've been in no way compensated to pitch them (although... Verilux.... if you're up to it, you got a free plug, how's about sending me a freebie for another room?)  I kid. I kid.   Point of the story... It took a while for the Winter blues to hit this year... but they did, in full force and since I am still actively processing grief, that is how it manifested itself this year... dead sister to the forefront.

  So, before I was able to put my finger on "Winter Blues"... I know now that they were coming on, I felt OK, but could feel my little "manicky" traits coming out... not so much "manic" as the desperate need to change things up.  I'm happy to report (well, my husband is happy to know, anyhow) that I managed to get no new tattoos and no new piercings (something I lean heavily toward when I'm craving change).  My hair, however, did not fare as well.  There is much less of it now.  Then it was dyed red. Then a friend highlighted it a lighter red.  And finally, now, I got foil highlights in platinum blonde.  By all accounts, it looks great... but my poor, over processed hair (all this in a gal who tries to diligently avoid chemicals!) has paid the price.

  So has my bank account... little bit of shopping occurred as well.  It makes me smile because my idea of shopping is mild in comparison to a "real" shopper... but for me... there was a bit of shopping.  It was fun... but now that I have put my finger on the issue, I've moved on to more productive things. 

Baking these:

Pretty cute, huh?  Royal pain in the ass to make... but very cute.  I can't eat them, either... but again... very cute.  :)


And last night, more shopping with my hubby... but productive (no more purses until AFTER Winter... I promise this to myself and my family... unless I see a really cute one...) shopping.  Picked out paint colors for our bedroom.  After being here for 4 years, I'm taking on yet another project.  Old farmhouses are fabulous, but the white walls and dark trim are for the birds... Time to change that... And the colors are:

Ought to be pretty!  The yellow is much more gold - actually pretty pale, than what it shows in the pic.    No more white walls for me!

And last but not least... This morning, I am tending to a work project that has to be done... The mountain of copy paper (with my Happy Light on) will keep me busy until I take Mom shopping in a bit.  Shopping?  Yeah... but no purses... I'm looking for curtains.  And bedding.  And a box spring... because I burned my last box spring last time the Winter Blues  hit.  Not kidding.  'Nother story for another day, I suppose.

 Have a great day, Friends! <3