Friday miscellany: what’s new chez nous

It feels like August has just flown by! While I’ve taken a step back from my regular blogging schedule, it’s still been a very full few weeks!

Color wheel for seasonal color analysis: warm and cool color seasons.

My primary focus for the month was to finish preparing to launch in-person color analysis services. I just have a few more moving parts to get in place over the next couple of weeks. I’ll have more details soon!

Backyard seating area with pergola for shade.

We’ve also been tackling a bunch of overdue projects around the house. Some are strictly maintenance. But we did a few improvements too, like adding this wooden pergola over the seating area in the backyard. It will support the trumpet vine that provides shade, but had become overgrown and heavy, and was sagging down. (No, we didn’t build the pergola ourselves 😆, had the professionals handle. 🔨)

Lucy the dog trainer gives Bella a belly rub.
First meeting: Bella and Lucy the dog trainer extraordinaire

We’ve also been working with a dog trainer (@thehappydogclubla) to help Bella be calmer on her walks and less reactive to other dogs. She’s shown amazing improvement in a very short time! Not only is she more relaxed on the leash, but is also calmer and better behaved at home. Win-win!

And I’ve been getting caught up with routine doctor’s appointments and screenings that I kept putting off due to Covid. I’m in good health, but a family member is having medical issues that will require some regular appointments, so we’ll need to be available for those. Which means, among other things, we’re putting any long-range travel on hold for the near future.

Check back Monday for something special…

A very last minute surprise landed on my doorstep that I think you’ll love. I’ll have details on Monday, so be sure to check back.

I’ll be resuming my regular blogging schedule at the beginning of September, and am really re-energized and excited to share some new ideas I’ve been working on! And I’ll be relaunching my newsletter on a twice-monthly basis, with exclusive content for my subscribers. Subscribe now to be sure not to miss a beat…

Bon weekend!

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10 Comments

  1. I love the style hub addition Susan. Glad you’re having a good month off although you do sound very busy. My best wishes for your family member who needs care right now.
    I look forward to Monday’s posting and for the launching of your new color and style analysis!

  2. Hi Susan, I am looking forward to getting my color analysis done. How do we set up an appointment? Your dog is adorable. Our mini- labradoodle was boarded out for a month for training . The trainer also came to our home with her during this time. It was the best doggie investment we ever made.

  3. You’re the third person I’ve recently heard say they’re catching up on medical appointments they put off during COVID. I thought I was alone in doing that. I need to take inspiration from you all and do so.

  4. Your pergola is beautiful! And so nice you’ve found a good dog trainer. All the little rough edges of life, a little smoothing out is good:)

  5. Love the pergola, and those chairs look very comfy! Instead of ivy, how about something more fragrant like jasmine? Or perhaps something with beautiful flowers like passion vine. If you choose the right variety (and get both a male and female plants), you can have fruit too. Clematis vines also have lovely flowers if you don’t want the fruit. Just a thought. Best wishes!

    1. Thanks! I was writing in a hurry last night and mis-spoke when I called it ivy. It’s actually a “trumpet vine” that produces gorgeous red/orange flowers in the spring and early summer. It’s one of the few vining plants that’s reasonably drought tolerant and grows well in our climate.

  6. I love the pergola! Congratulations on successful dog training. My dog does great with other dogs if she is off leash. But, when she is on her leash she is terrible. She just wants to play with the dog so she barks and pulls to try to get to them, it is so hard for me to handle her then. If we don’t see any dogs she is perfect on walks.

  7. Glad you ( and I hope your readers) are catching up on those missed screenings/ medical appointments. My SIL had put off a mammogram due to Covid, something that as a retired RN and cancer survivor she is usually on top of. Found a lump in the previously affected breast which lead to a mastectomy. It’s all good and she is cancer free with no plans for chemo. She told me that she was so glad she hadn’t waited any longer for her mammogram. The diagnosis wouldn’t have changed but her prognosis might have been very different.