Showing posts with label transformation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transformation. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Living Room Dancing---a Heart Healthy Way to Clean !

Yes, you heard me right- dancing while cleaning makes it downright fun! Actually, in my past life as a  full time pediatrician, I was blessed with alot of assistance both at my office and at my home. 
I had a secretary, nurse, medical assistant, physical trainer for teens, a massage therapist at the office.- 
At home, I had a part time Nanny who cooked dinners, great food from Cape Verde, a cleaner, an occasional gardener, and pool specialists ----all this to say that I had absolutely superb back up for maintaining an organized and clean environment---Well, then we moved to France, and right, we simplified, downsized and you can guess who is the obsessive cleaner, secretary etc- MOI!  

Yes, I was spoiled before,stateside because I worked long hours but, it has just occurred to me why, in writing this post, that things seemed easier- hellloooo- with a staff it should have! Now I am the official toilet paper fairy, bathroom scrubber, duster, flooring cleaner.... I am not complaining, well kind of, but, to reframe this domestic charge I have adopted my new technique-
Dance N' Clean 
  1. need good music, cleaning products, no audience , good light , a towel., a duster !!
  2. protocol in place , music at high volume- dusting to classical or a slow song for these long feathery strokes... 
  3. vacuuming with headphones and timer ,I use the Dyson vacuum because of the dogs and allergens and right, the dust bunnies which seem to seep out of these ancient french homes and threaten the dogs!!
  4. Then instead of a soft mop, I use a soft bristle broom, kind of like a long handled scrub brush, get it, and off to the  upper & lower body aerobic work out- music, rock, R&B, Salsa
  5. For drying the floors I use the towels, using both feet , a swishing rhythm, until the ancient tiles are buffed dry. 
Results:
  • clean house AND
  • pediatrician morphed into a whirling dervish, germ hunting, dancing mom, with hopefully, more toned legs and arms.  
Have a great weekend!
photos mine

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Injecting some coziness on a decorating budget of zero!



well,my perhaps, naive belief is that it is a piece of cake to design exquisite spaces if one has a large budget but, to use only things on hand in new ways, transforming old curtains into say a new duvet cover,à la Sound of Music's,Marie, or an old window pane into a vehicle for light refraction and reflection.... that feels like something of value to me- ok, I tell myself, beauty is an ever changing perspective, a new lens for enjoying old things!
Like my Grandma's old ice cream chairs from her ice cream shop from the early 1900's,infused with memories from long sunny afternoons under grapevines among family and friends!
Like a tati couch comfy from lounging covered with say, an old set of curtains !
Saint Thérèse's tender black and white photos taken by her sister Celine inspiring me to embrace that there is a gift in everything!
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That is why I adore the blog - all things bright and beautiful - indeed this is a perspective of beauty in all shapes and forms!! And Decor8 noting that she is away now, but has some grat leads---and of course another expat,Corey Amaro ,a gifted writer and fine inspirational individual and Tongue in Cheek !!!these are women with a focused lens for beauty and style makers!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

avec la joie de vivre- I AM BACK FROM MOVING HOUSE MANIA!!!!

oh,yeh poppies are weeds here! too cool!
may it be said we all try in our own ways to find a ray of light, a little or alot of humor, a rosy outlook! where we do it does not matter,what does, is the intention of looking for the good, the bright ,the beautiful, the simple, the bizarre and often mundane truths in the ordinary aspects our lives---a cup of coffee beside a sunny window, the smile of an elderly neighbor, a thank you on the road, the smells of the beach or the newly mowed lawns .... call it a focus of passionate appreciation for our own lives and the spaces we live in with those we love!!for me it is in the South of France, the Midi a region of red earthed mountains and a teal sea....it can be afunny note from a friend or a good joke that has us reeling in laughter like kids ...
for me eventhough today, I have a virus of some form which has my energy on real low-I wanted to begin again with my blogging where i have met such fabulous people with incredible talents and oodles of creativity!