When life hands you lemons… what do you do?

I’ve said it before… you make pink lemonade with fresh raspberries and serve it up in pretty cups with pretty pink straws.

 

New Chandy - AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Well… as you can see by this photo, that’s not exactly what happened.

In the wee hours, just as Friday was beginning, we had a storm.  Despite seeing the trees flinging their branches around like they were demented our neighborhood wasn’t hard hit.  Across the river from us, winds were clocked at 90-100 mph.  Needless to say, there were lots of trees down and tree debris everywhere and 149,000 homes and businesses were without power and the internet.  Even the mall was closed.

Fortunately, the sun came out mid-morning and a few hours later our power was restored. But, not our internet. I must say that being without the internet is better than being without power.  There are some still hoping for power, even today.  Me… I’m awaiting the call that says my internet has been restored.

So what’s the upside to all of that?

Getting projects checked off my to-do list!!

It’s amazing how much a gal can do when she can’t get online.

Sure, I could have gone to the library or Panera Bread, or somewhere there’s WiFi… but I have to say I was having a great time with my creative endeavors.  Plus, I got in a little shopping and dinner with one of my besties one night and Tim the second night.

This afternoon, I ran over to the library to let you know what I’ve been doing.

Seriously, I missed you and I didn’t want you to feel like I’d left you high and dry.  I know that those of you who read my weekly JoyDay! posts have been wondering, for sure. Sorry, we’re going to skip this week, but you may click here to see the JoyDay! archives and choose something from the past.  (I do that myself from time-to-time and am amazed that I can be encouraged by my own past posts.  Who would guess a writer would be blessed by her own writing?!  Not me!  I think that is a Holy Spirit thing.)

On Thursday evening I was working on a post that has something to do with what you can see in the upper left corner of this photo.  I didn’t get the post finished and hope to in the next day or so… internet willing. {wink}

 

Coming up on the blog - AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Also, the out of focus portion of the photo is a tiny glimpse of a new summer tablescape.  Wednesday, it was the subject of my latest photo shoot and I can’t wait to share that with you.

But, back to my accomplishments…

  1. We moved the dining area pendant light to the living room.
  2. The rummage sale chandelier was repainted and rewired and hung over the dining table (that project had a few challenges).
  3. I entertained my 10-year-old neighbor and invited her to enjoy lunch with me.
  4. A new floor cloth was created for my balcony garden (hint-hint).
  5. The dining area curtain was taken down and replaced.
  6. Two pillows were made for my balcony chairs out of the dining area curtain.
  7. My dining area “art” was moved into the bathroom (Looks great there!).
  8. A free “brass” table lamp underwent an entire transformation.
  9. For fun, I remade two fresh but tired floral arrangements to get more life from them.
  10. And… we put together a new bed frame.

I think I need to lose my internet more often.

Okay… I really don’t mean that.

But it was eye-opening to me to see what I can get done when I’m not online.  Hopefully, I can make some serious changes because of the experience.

Meanwhile, I’m truly hoping for that phone call saying that my service has been restored.

UPDATE: After leaving the library where I wrote and published this post… I got a call that my internet was up!  YAY!

Now it’s your turn.  What have you been up to since Thursday night? 

If you were away for the holiday… be sure to check out my Fourth of July tablescape.

 

Thanks so much for popping by today!

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Comments

  1. Gail says

    I administer 2 FB pages for 2 animal groups so I’ve been fielding questions about adoptable animals, arranging collection of supplies, and posting lost/found animals pics. We took a guest bedroom bed to a “hand -up” charitable group. I read a book. Went to a memorial service, And all the other usual things a homeowner does to maintain the manor during summer months. And I napped. Good times

    • Gail, what you do for animals is so important and I know, very rewarding.
      I’d say you have accomplished quite a bit… including the nap! 🙂 Yay for summer tasks!

  2. Debbi Saunders says

    I can’t wait to see all your completed projects in a “Home Tour”!!! How Fun 🙂 I love seeing the before and afters!! As soon as I get a little further along in my purging, I am going to re-purpose some things I already have… I am excited to “shop” my Home!!
    Hope your reveal will be soon!

    • Awww… thanks, Debbi! I have a little ways to go before taking photos… but I’m almost there with one. 😉
      You are accomplishing a lot! All the fun you will have “shopping” your home to make everything new and fresh again. I’m so happy for you to have had this summer off. 🙂

  3. nancy says

    In the process of switching phone/internet providers, our old provider jumped the gun and cut service before the new provider came to hook us up. We had no telephone or internet or cell phone service for six days!!!! I could drive a mile or so to get enough bars to check my email on my iPhone, and had to do so several times a day…what a pain. The upside was….drum roll….no telemarketing calls for nearly a week. LOL Felt pretty safe…we have a San Francisco policeman across the street and a California Highway Patrolman three doors down. If anything happened, I could stand on my front porch and yell “HELP.”

    • Oh my goodness, Nancy! That was inconvenient, to say the least! I totally get having enough bars to check anything on my phone…. such a pain! I LOVE your upbeat attitude about it. You ARE extraordinary!! Have a great day!

  4. Gwen says

    This was such a fun summer post!!!! Blessings in posts. I too am blessed by things I write. I believe it is because The Holy Spirit influenced our sharing. So we too can be blessed.
    I’ll open a joy Day too!!

    • Diane says

      Gwen… your words were like the warmest hug! Thank you so much!!!

  5. Gwen says

    Oh PS. I got sick ? And spent my days not feeling well from Thursday through today Tuesday. I felt better tonight. Not fun as I was disappointed. I missed my daughter’s second baby shower. I’d been looking forward to it for so long. But I’m thankful I’d been well the weekend before when I had planned a tea party baby shower for her! God is good.

    • Diane says

      Yes!! I will celebrate the good with you, Gwen! How fun to have been able to plan such a sweet baby shower for your daughter and experience it with her. 🙂 Glad you’re feeling better now. Thank you Jesus!

  6. Malia says

    Great post Diane! Sometimes those “forced” breaks are the best although it sounds like you were pretty busy.
    I feel like I have been driving my kids everywhere over the past week or so and it’s a huge time sucker… I need to be more intentional about what I am doing and plan more stuff for myself before my kid’s activities totally overtake my days! xo

    • Awww… thanks Malia!
      Kids have a way of sucking us into their vortex. LOL
      I think we’re all happier when we live with intention… it’s taking those first steps that are the hardest… don’t I know. 😉
      Hope you’re able to make many memories this summer with your family and have time for some self-care, too. {hugs}

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