My Solitude

Reminding you again of my Pinterest page. I now have over 9,100 pins of the loveliest photos you've ever seen. I scour the internet regularly for these images. There are only images, no funny sayings or anything like that, just beauty you'll love to see. I promise! So click on the logo on my side bar or the link here. I've made it super easy for you. I just want to share the eye candy I find. It's become a passion of mine.

Also, don't forget Google Reader is going the way of the dinosaur in another month or so, so be sure and get another reader if you're a blogger or if you like to keep track of your favorite blogs. A lot of us have chosen Bloglovin' and you can follow me by clicking on the logo on my sidebar at the very top.
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I love my solitude. (Some may call it free time, but to me it's solitude that's important.) Our house is very quiet and that's my choice. No radio or television (don't have one) blaring, ever. Just quiet with the ticks of a normal house—clocks, heating/cooling, creaks at a certain place in the living room, the fountain and the wind chimes tinkling through the security camera on the front of the house, which plays on the small television I have here in my office for that purpose only, things like that.

Many mornings I awake before hubby. Sometimes, it's 4 or 5 am and I'll either read or come in here and prepare posts—one of my favorite things to do. But I let him sleep. I shut the bedroom door, don't turn on many lights and walk softly. I need the solitude as much as he needs the sleep. I don't need as much sleep as he does, I think. He works much harder than I do. He volunteers at our Family History center one day a week, another day he's in the Temple all day volunteering. Then he has the VFW, Marine Corps League, teaches classes at a career institute several times a month and is a leader in our Church, which means he gets called out a lot to help others who may need it. At 72 years of age, I don't know how he does it. I'm going to post this photo of him as he wouldn't mind at all. Does this look like a 72 year-old man to you? Not to me, he doesn't. He was giving me the evil-eye when I took this photo. He's also very funny sometimes and will tell people the biggest lies about me! They're sometimes surprised when they meet me.

I think he needs his solitude also, but he's gotten this huge desire to help people in any way he can lately. But his favorite thing to do is play cribbage on his computer or iPhone. He can do that for hours.

Anyway, he'll give me this look sometimes. He's a big ham also. And he's quite attached to his great granddaughters. I've never seen him so happy as when those munchkins were born or when we visit with them.

Back to solitude. I think we all need some of it just to get centered or get our lives in order where we can function. I know myself well and am very honest to myself about myself. If I don't balance myself I will lose the feeling of being centered. We all need some time to ourselves at least once a day, even busy moms. Sometimes, it's bathroom time. Sometimes, it's garden time. Sometimes, it's shopping for yourself time. But there's always a need for me time for everyone. Try and find what yours is. Mine is reading. I read voraciously. That's what I need to be taken out of this frenzied world sometimes. Remember: water cannot be drawn from an empty well. Give yourself the gift of time.

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Another lovely setting for some me time.

I'm partial to the rusticity of this wood and gate. Beautiful elements together.

Tiny vase of roses sitting on the floor.

Gorgeous white and very pale pink roses.

Not particularly elegant, but a beautiful bedroom nonetheless.

Donut holes in an elegant cup with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I'd have put 3 scoops on there though. ;-)

What a beautiful closet and what beautiful things the homeowner has put in there. Love the shutter doors also.

Do I even need to say anything about this kitchen?!?! I'd love to have this one. Even though I hate the grind of daily cooking, I could just show it off. Right?

Can you imagine the amount of roses it took to make this tieback? Those definitely look real and not fake, too. Gorgeous! I doubt I'll be trying this one in my home though.

A stunning small dining room. Very elegant.

I like this idea also. You can hang anything you want on a chandelier.

I've been trying to find this Washi tape to use but haven't found the flower kind yet. I'm still looking.

And this is a chandelier!!! I've never seen one like it but it's fantastic.

One of the prettiest tablecloths I've ever seen. I have many tablecloths that I've given away to granddaughter but have a few left that I think I'll start layering on our dining table. I love that look.

Probably Italy, but I just love the quaintness of the streets and houses close together.

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Tidbit:

In 2011 the French actor, Gerard Depardieu, was on a CityJet flight on his way to Dublin to film a movie. The plane was delayed on the tarmac at the Paris airport. Nature called and Depardieu got up to use the bathroom. Flight attendants told him he'd have to wait until the plane was in the air. Depardieu, who suffers from prostate problems, couldn't wait—so he relieved himself on the carpet of the airplane, in the aisle, in front of other passengers. [I think he was well within his rights if they refused to let him do it the proper way—in the toilet. Especially with prostrate problems, you cannot wait.]
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Linking up with NMH Open House Party and Pink Saturday.