Noury's Creative World…

As you have heard me say before, I love my new home in Florida.  It is a small city in Central Florida and it has many amenities to offer such as museums, a small college right downtown, a fabulous library, many boutiques, several ethnic restaurants, bistros and a beautiful park where the terminal for my friendly trains is located.

One of my dear friends  is having a birthday coming up, so we decided to hang around my downtown.  I discovered a new place to park the car for three hours, but need to move it when the three hours are due, because as we were told, the friendly police will ticket you.  We went in and out, in and out of the many shops.  I was holding very tight to my dinero.

The pains of hunger started to knock on my psych and when we were passing by a guy giving out samples of quinoa salad, that was the catcher.  It was so good.  It reminded me of tabouli, with red pepper, tomato, lemon juice sprinkled on and maybe parsley, and some goat cheese . We shared a chicken Panini made with free-range-chicken and all the good stuff they give the bird to make it safe and good for us.  No hormones.  There it went out of the window my vegan intentions.  The chicken was really tender and juicy.  It had some tomatoes, and very slim pieces of squash and other veggies.  Highly recommended!

Then at the end of the day, we went to try…let me see how to say this without making anyone blush.  We went to see how we could lift and perk up the girls.  To my female audience, no explanations necessary.  To my only male audience guy, just pretend you don’t have the foggiest idea of what I am talking about.  Better for everyone.

Have you ever been to a fitting session?  It is so stressful!!  And it is not cheap to look all perked up.  All in the name of looking good and feel that we are with it, it does not matter if the rest of the body is holding on to dear gravity with all its might.  Finally, after making a purchase, and walking out with a very nice looking shopping bag, there we went totally exhausted back to the car.  I try to rationalize it as follows.  It is an investment in myself, right?  Have to check with the girls to see how they like feeling all alert and higher up.

I feel a bit too daring with the above paragraph, but life is short.  Perk it up!!

So…it was today…8 November, 2011…a day to become a rambunctious carnivore for the day and fight gravity in high places.

Your Happy Contessa

“Reflect that life is composed of small incidents and petty occurrences.”  Samuel Johnson, English author, biographer, essayist, editor.  18 September, 1709- 13 December, 1784.

Today, on my way out to drop my garbage, sometimes I do it two to three times a day.  Do not like bugs.  Oh yes, on the way to the big garbage container, I almost stepped on this snail.  Can you imagine the energy and time it took this beautiful creature to get right on my path.

Then, of course, I needed to go back to the apartment and get my camera (ccc) and take an impression of this coincidental moment.  According to the wise guys, nothing is coincidental in the universe.  So I took a few pictures, turned it a little to see if I could catch a glimpse of the little fellow inside.  No way.  It didn’t feel like entertaining visitors at that time.  Just like me, I thought.  Sometimes I love my silence and peace and quietude.

What’s the meaning behind this encounter with Mr. or Miss Snail?  Probably that I need to slow down my pace, and stop to be in the moment and be happy to be here and now.  I have been reading a book, Quantum Wellness, where the author states that being happy can only happen in the present.  So…there I go, trying to capture my happiness with my surroundings as it happens.

I think that animals, plants, snails, and other creatures never think about the next moment, tomorrow or yesterday.  That’s where we screw things up.  We love to worry, plan, be concerned about what impression we make to others and so many more hang-ups.

I need to stay in the moment, be grateful for said moment and be grateful for whatever it is that is happening as I type.  So I am!  The sun is shinning brighter today than it was yesterday, when I allowed myself to have a small pity party with moi and myself.  Not such a good idea.  Life is good!

So…it was today…7 November, 2011…a day of catching up with the friendly snails of the neighborhood.

Your Happy Contessa

“Get out of my way, that I am in a slow hurry.”  The snail to the Contessa.

I already had something working on for today’s posting, but my good friend Lucy sent me an email that contained a story of a young man named Kevin Schombert, a senior at his high school in Frederick County, Maryland.

He was named Homecoming King.  According to some of his school mates, he has the highest school spirits, participates in sports at his school and has a great positive attitude.  He has Downs Syndrome.

He comes home every day and says “Mom, today was the best day of my life, I think today is really going to be hard to top.”

You know, sometimes in my life I am going through some days that are not that hot.  I don’t mean weather hot.  I mean emotionally challenging.  Today was one of those days.  You know, some days are hotter than others.  Do not like to minimize the days when I am not that chipper.  They are part of my life, just as are the very exciting and joyful ones.

But, my incredible Creator knows exactly what to do and when to do it.  I turned on my computer to type my posting for Monday with an idea in mind, but decided to check my emails before.  There it was.  Thank you Lucy for being the vessel that the Almighty used to make me see the extremely fortunate and blessed that I am.

Also, thanks to you, Kevin, for being my angel for today and reaching out to someone you will never meet in person, but already has influenced my life.

The picture above is a small painting my lovely daughter made over fifteen years ago when she was going through her wanting to be a painter phase.  I have always kept it inside my Bible right on the page of Isaiah 41.

So…it was today, 6 November, 2011…a day to see the rays of sunshine high above the clouds.

Your Happy Contessa

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41, 10.

All of us love the idea of the weekend.  We look forward to it as something that will liberate us to do what we really love and just to chill.

It is as if we take a breather from life itself.  We feel excited, relaxed and look forward to doing so many things, even though if by Sunday night, we just did nothing much.

But then, we have Friday all over again to do and plan all over again.

Weekends make all of us happy.  We are in a better disposition and feel different also.  Mood is good, and I think it is like when you let a bird out of a cage.  That’s the feeling I am trying to describe to equate it to the thought of the weekend coming up.

I am starting my weekend tomorrow.  In Florida,  Friday is the first day of all yard sales, so it is like an extra day to find some treasures.  Even though I do not have a job outside of doing what I feel like doing, Mondays through Thursday night are about the same for me as they are for you, I mean, for those of you that have to dress up and go to an office or place of work.

I am looking forward to my weekend.  No French class on Saturday.  Teacher is in New York having fun I guess.

I wish all of you a lovely, fun, happy and relaxing weekend.  See you next Monday for the grinding of whatever it is in schedule for all of us.

So..it was today…3 November, 2011…a day to think about the coming weekend.

Your Happy Contessa

“Every man must find his own philosophy…his attitude toward life.”  Lin Yutang, Chinese writer and inventor.  10 October, 1895 – 26 March, 1976.

Today I had to run an errand “downtown,”  so I prep very well, with my blazer, my scarf and looking real fall weather like.  The high was supposed to be mid-seventies, so I thought, this is my chance to look real cool.

Well, as soon as I opened the door, it was like “welcome to the Florida Fall.”  But I refused to take any of the pieces of my cool looking outfit off, and just suffer.  I blasted the air conditioner unit and said “let’s roll, even if it kills me, I am not caving in, it is looking cool and never let them see you sweat.”  So there I went.  Found the perfect parking spot, far away from the office where I had the appointment, so that gave me an opportunity to really show off my “perfect Florida Fall outfit.”

Then, at the office, there were guys suited up to the T, you know, playing being high rollers, knower-all-of-nothing, etc., etc.  You get my drift.  Forget about the women.  Using language that sounded complicated maybe to themselves, but sounded like a bunch of daily crapola to me.  Lawyers’ office.  Up there in the scale of stress, competition, spending all their salaries on their fancy lunches, driving leased cars they cannot afford, and watching their investments going down the street to meet the occupiers of that famous street in New York City.  The games we play.

That’s when I thought…I remember when I was there.  In that make pretend world.  I am so glad I am here at this space in my journey, just having one person to impress, and that is…Moi!  I am easy-going on myself.  Except when a scarf and a blazer are the order of the day.

Where am I supposed to go with all of this little story?  Hmmmm….this one has left me on the left field with no wisdom…oh, yes, the moral of the story is…all of us need to play the games of life sooner or later and the better we are at it, the more funny it is when we look back.  Lots of stories for your children.  Embellishments permitted.

Hmmm…not too pleased with today’s posting, but it is what it is.

So…it was today…2 November, 2011…counting down to Thanksgiving, and then…

Your Happy Contessa

“I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds.”  Russell Herma Cornwell, American minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer and writer.  15 February, 1843 – 6 December, 1925.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with my floating list of things to do.  But this morning, I wrote down all things I would like to accomplish for November, but some of them I must do.

While the floating list was existing inside my cranium, I felt somewhat anxious, because on top of the regular stuff, the holidays are approaching at the speed of a bullet.  This is so suffocating.  So many things to do, and just thinking about going through security check at the airport makes a southern belle like me get all discombobulated.  I don’t need much happening in my life to feel that way.

I sat and wrote down all my duties for November, 2011.  For some unexplainable reason, I feel more in control.  I can add, I can cross out, edit, etc., etc.

Now all my little neurons can relax and enjoy the journey for this month.  In that way, I can save some space for the unexpected and surprising.  There’s a lot of that stuff floating around my fan.  I already posted to that.

I feel like the cowgirl ridding the burro and having somewhat control over the beast.  Productivity at 7:26 a.m. is unbearable, 100% right now.  Maybe I’ll peak at 8: a.m.

So…it was today…the first day of the eleventh month of the year 2011.   1/1/11.  How nice!

Your Happy Contessa

“Ay, Dios Mio”  Translation – Oh, My God.  Contessa’s favorite expression from the moment she gets up to the moment she goes back to bed.

By now you get it…raining all day.  All my ambitious plans went down the drain.  Lunch will be a lame soup made of celery, carrots, some leftover rice and leftover salmon.  Don’t know how that brew is going to taste, but today is spirits’ day.  I like to make my own holiday.  I call it the Good Spirits Day.  Do not believe in evil, so only good angels are allowed in my mind.

So…I have cereal, water, no raisins, no lettuce, and nothing else much.  But there is a lot of junk stuff in my pantry.  Just in case we have a hurricane.  In an emergency, junk is allowed.  At least that was my excuse for not throwing away the stuff.  Thanks God for my logic.

A lot of time in my hands.  Imagine.  Me being typo A, it is going to be a challenging day.  Oh, yes, the on-demand tai chi.  I can do that.  Need to.  Bones and muscles have been irritated due to my lack of walking and moving them around.  What gives!  Today we celebrate having muscles and bones.  Maybe after lunch.

Parles tu francais?  That too.  Can practice my French.  I better stop looking for things to do, or I will be too overwhelmed with the possibilities.  Keep it somewhat dull, as a French young man in Paris said to my lovely daughter and me, that he liked the gloomy days, so he can have time to get depressed and ponder about life and the universe.  We just looked at each other, and said, ooookey…

Maybe I should just enjoy the gloominess of the day and ponder on my life and the universe.  That sound very easy to do, but “know thyself.”  It won’t work with me.  Because that’s what I do every day.  Don’t need a gloomy day.

Well…my dear friends, it is going to be a long day.

So…it was today…31 October, 211…a day of pondering about the meaning of the universe and the rainy days.

Oh, oh..the sun came out…what a dilemma!  All the plans for a gloomy day need to be revised.  I am so tired…I’ll think about it tomorrow, after all, tomorrow is another day.

Your Happy Contessa

“We are all in this together, and now what?”  From Contessa’s arsenal of sayings.

Wow!  My lovely daughter called me earlier this afternoon to tell me that it was snowing in the Washington, D.C., and the Northern Virginia area.

Here in Central Florida, the temperature dropped early this afternoon little by little, and right now is probably low 70’s.  Yes, I know…I have it really good.  It depends, though…don’t ask me about my hair on humid, horribly humid days.  My hair and I have serious issues on behavioral inclinations.  It thinks it is supposed to be wild, unruly and all split ends showing at all times, and that’s when we differ.

Yes…I know, let’s go back to the weather’s conduct.  What’s going on?  We have really annoyed the heck out of Mama Nature.  And at the end, she rules!

There goes the train of 8:30 p.m.  Oh, yes, the weather and my hair.  This is so so lame, I cannot even take it myself.

The muses came by just a few minutes ago, and I thought I really had a good chance to sit down and type something meaningful about the weather, but the muses just waltzed in and waltzed out of my brain in one Florida second.  They, the Florida seconds, are really like lightning fast.

So now I am left with half of the story told.  You have to come up with the rest of the story by yourselves, because I am totally lost.  If you were one of the precious creatures that got some snow, go tell yourselves a little story and make yourselves happy.  If you are one the lovely creatures that is only getting rain, go ahead and make yourself happy thinking that Noah’s time is really gone so there’s no fear of another deluge.

I am in serious trouble.  Duke FB lost today.  At least it was to a friendly team.  Is there such a thing as a friendly opposing team?  I’d like to think so, right Lucy?  You have the winning smile, I have the sore loser grin.  All in good taste, though.  Even to be a loser, you must have class.  There’s an abundance of that somewhere in this condo.

So…it was today, October 29, 2011…Saturday night and a lot of books to read and magazines to look at.

Your Happy Contessa

“Dashing through the snow….”  What?  too early?

Each one of us has a favorite space in our home.  For some people, it is their bed, their sun room, their studio, their living room and so on.  Even for some of us, their nice and cozy bathroom.

As for me, this is my favorite space.  It is an old chair, probably twenty-five years old and it is the space I use to read my newspaper, because now it is darker early in the morning and the visitors I had, ie., froggies, forced me to find a new space other than my sunroom.

I love the texture of the fabric of the chair, how comfortable it is, especially for my back, and the lamp just gives me the right amount of light that I need.  Also, it makes me be at ease with everything.  It is also my pondering place where I go through my list of gratitude for the day.

In the evening, after I get ready to go to bed, I make my linden tea, get comfortable again and read something that will make me sleepy.  Such as a book about becoming a vegan, and why it is good for you.  Don’t know why, but that does the trick.  I get all sleepy and so relaxed that all I have to do is turn off the light and go to bed two steps away.

I need to reupholster this chair with fabric that will blend with the rest of the decor.  I have been planning on doing this for the past five years.  I guess I have all the time in the world.  Also, this space is maturing as I go along.  Some fresh flowers, and a small table will make it more utilitarian for my needs of wanting to have other things around.  Some place for my cup of tea and paper and pencil, just in case my former muses decide to pay a visit.  Ha!

I am sure you do have a space like this one in your own home.  It is my throne in my castle.  Sorry toilet, you are not.

So…it was today…27 October, 2011…a day of feeling good about my favorite space.

Make it a good and happy weekend.  See you next Monday!

Your Happy Contessa

“Our concern be peace of mind…keep unlovely things afar.”  Theocritus, Greek poet, flourished in 3rd Century BC.

Recently the stuff around my only fan is hitting it at incredible speed.  I am keeping calm, serene, and positive.

When I get up in the morning, I am already ducking and walking on four instead of two, so the stuff constantly hitting the fan, with no break whatsoever, just does not hit me so early, before I have my coffee.

Thanks God for the lovely and fun weekend.  I am even keeping far away from the phone, so the stuff does not try to make an entrance through the airwaves.  Stuff is really getting sophisticated.  The better the technology, the faster the crapola reaches us.

What can I do to make the stuff just reach a level of non-threatening alarm stage?  Turn off the fan, sorry…that is just not possible.  That fan has  life of its own.  It does not respond to any command.  And what about the stuff?  I am here very tranquil, not moving too much inside my condo, as not to generate new stuff.  But…it keeps on reaching the fan level and Bam!  Need to duck on a constant basis.

Probably you are wondering what’s going on.  With me, nada, it is with the others.  I am taking a leave from going out or answering the phone, until things go back to normal stuff and the fan being somewhat happy.

So…it was today…26 October, 2011…a day of evading the stuff coming out from the fan.

Your Happy Contessa

“When it is not one things, it is another.”  Contessa