Sheils Writes

Just an 80's girl in a modern world!

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60+ mid life ramblings, Scorpio, she/her, former nutmegger, current Floridian, forever dreamer

  • Lately, sometimes…

    … I have no idea what I’m doing …

    I’m doing lots of things but I’m not finishing them.  I have a vision of what I want, but it doesn’t come together.

    I have a recurring dream about packing to catch a flight, not sure to where.  However, I never make it.  I’m stressed, overpacking a suitcase, looking at a clock, heart racing, then wake up and am grateful it was just a dream, but I repeat and repeat this dream.  It’s stressful.  I googled the meaning of this type of dream and was intrigued by one of the meanings…

    “You’re worried about missing an opportunity.   The plane represents something in your life that you’re hoping will take off & reach new heights (i.e. a project)”

    Bingo! 

    I am new at this, trying to find my voice, wanting to write, not knowing what to write, but I know it’s something I want and I will just keep going.   I’ll get that suitcase packed, I’ll sit on it to zip it shut, and I’ll make that flight!  Just need to keep trying.  This won’t be another unfinished dream.  I’m getting older, I want to do one thing that can be successful.

    This adventure of writing will get bumpy at times, but I’ll get on that plane one day and fly away!  Parachute pants, I’ve got you packed!  Stay tuned!

    #truth

  • Loss.

    Recently I visited my childhood home.  The time has come to say some goodbyes. I’ve been thinking a lot lately of all the memories made here.  Many right on the famous back porch, pictured below.  Birthday cakes, bbq’s, spontaneous card games, many, many conversations, laughs, loud voices to be heard over the neighbors lawnmower.

    I have been saying this house holds the secret ingredient to happiness which is love & laughter.  I was very lucky to have had this house as a steadfast character in my book of my life, the one who always has your back, in good times and hard times.

    Loss is coming at me fast & furious lately.  I’m trying to let it do its thing, come & go, but damn it’s hard.  Are we lucky to get older, to have to deal with loss?  Yes, I guess, because it’s the memories that remain & those are the cherished pieces to our life puzzle.  Just missing a few from my box right now.  When the sadness eases and I find them, they’ll fit a little differently. They’ll be a bit broken & torn at the edges due to the grief process they endured, but I’ll be grateful that all the happy memories made the journey with me and I’ll have them back to complete the puzzle of my life.

    Porch pic

  • One year ago, today…

    I arrived in Florida!

    We decided we wanted to live here for warmer weather & a better quality of life.  Not yet retired, but we’ve downsized, simplified & are slowly learning a more relaxed style of living.

    “They” said, “you’ll miss the change of seasons”, not really.  “They” said, “but it’s so hot”, yes, that’s true.  Bikram yoga enthusiast, eh, just do some postures here & there, no studio necessary.   “They” said “you’ll miss pizza & bagels”, well, ok, you got me there…although Colony Grill in St. Pete has given me a Connecticut bar-style pizza fix when I need it.

    Culture, this state has plenty of culture…any Friday night trip to WalMart has got that covered!  Acapulco Tropical just down the road, empanadas aplenty right there!  Bunker Hill vineyard & winery in Duette appropriately located in, well, a bunker, in the middle of nowhere.  A must visit for all new to the area!  Need I go on.

    Hurricane prep, been there, done that.  Stocked up on dry snacks at the Dollar General and got the “it won’t be so bad” from the cashier.  Ran with that and we were OK, thank goodness!

    A few other faves that need a mention:

    LECOM Park in Bradenton — Spring training! ⚾️

    Anna Maria Island —

    – The Beach Hut, best ice cream on the planet! 🍦

    – The Porch!  Best fine dining in the world! 🍷

    Scavengers Marketplace in Palmetto for treasure hunting!  💯 A few faves here are:

    – Paper & Twig! (best handcrafted bookmarks & journals!)

    – Shuffle Furnishings (best custom made chairs!)

    – BB’s booth!  Grab some nostalgia and trinkets to spruce up your home!

    However, my favorite place to be in Florida is in my home.  I’m comfortable & relaxed, sitting on my porch, doing absolutely nothing at all.

    Sunshine state of mind 🌞🌴🏖

  • Coaster craft!

    I had so much fun making these!  I used the Diamond Painting Sealer (link below) to keep the gem  dots in place.

    Craft therapy is new to me.  I’m enjoying discovering what helps me forget any worries, keeps me busy, less doom scrolling on my phone & less mindless snacking in the evening hours.  I like the end result too!  Try it, you’ll like it!

    Coasters!  https://amzn.to/3uWWrDm

    Diamond Painting Sealer!

    https://amzn.to/4c0cHnI

    Yowza!

  • Scrapbook for Mom’s 90th birthday!

    My Mom hit a milestone birthday!  90!  We marked the occasion with a house party for her with friends & family!  However, I didn’t know what to get her as a gift.  Then it hit me, I decided a nice book of memory for her of all the pictures I took at her party and a few before and after!  The result was more than I could have imagined.

    I used both my phone to take pictures and a disposable camera for a different perspective on the day!  Here are the links to both the book I used & the disposable camera!  I’ll be planning now for her 100 year memory book!

    Order scrapbook here! ⬇️

    https://amzn.to/3wO7sar

    Order disposable camera here! ⬇️

    https://amzn.to/3Io5dgM

    Memories for Mom

  • I can do hard things but..

    I don’t want to.

    I’m at a point in my life where I am quite content to do mostly nothing, maybe crafts, sometimes walk and then sit on the couch.  I’m happy to be right here.

    I see so much spiraling around me about “doing hard things”.  Today opening a new jar of pickles was pretty hard for me, and you know what, I even opted out of that.  My husband did it for me.

    I took a 1-2-3 punch in 2018/2019 and was cured of stage 3 colon cancer.  I was 53 years old.  I decided to let that be my last hard thing.

    I’m here on behalf of all those who are happy to wake up, shower, get dressed and go to work, 5 days a week.  That’s pretty hard.  Accomplishing that feat repeatedly earns you your time to do nothing if you choose.

    Join my crusade to not do hard things!  We got this!  Pickle jars and all!  Let that sh*t go!

    Today’s challenge

  • Craft therapy!

    I really enjoyed doing this gem/dot craft!  It kept me sitting still, and also kept me from boredom snacking!  One of my ongoing struggles.  You can order this at my Amazon Associate link below!  I’ve got a set of retro coasters on order!  Can’t wait to get started on those!

    https://amzn.to/42S1dyA

  • I’m a Winter!

    Flashback Friday!  Who remembers this craze!  Treated myself to this throwback of “Color Me Beautiful” from, wait for it, 1980!  Such fun!  I originally borrowed this book from the library back in the day, eventually went to the bookstore and purchased a copy because there was no Amazon.   Unfortunately donated my original copy many moves ago.  Glad to have one back in my hot, colorful, hands!

    What’s your season?Order your copy of Color Me Beautiful here! https://amzn.to/3I9p8zH

    Coloring as “therapy”!  Order this 1980s fashion coloring book here!

    https://amzn.to/49CPHJl

  • The kitchen table

    Me: “Mom, mom, I need a jar”.

    Mom: (puts down dish towel) “ok, give me a sec” (not “what for?”)

    Me:  “hurry, hurry…please!”…”hey, Dad, can you poke some holes in the lid?”…”quickly”!

    Dad:  “ah, ok, ok” (puts down newspaper)

    I’m probably 8 or 9 years old.  I dash out the back porch door of my childhood home, it’s a hot summer night, I put fresh cut grass in my jar, I fill it with lightning bugs (aka fireflies).  I’m barefoot.  I’m in pajamas.  I feel the dampness of the grass on my feet.  I’m happy.

    A memory now that fills me with a longing for those days.  The backyard, the pool, the wooden chairs with damp towels thrown over them until the next day when you realized you forgot to bring them in.   The full house I grew up in, bustling with so much excitement.

    Picture of me below, probably 16 or 17, sitting at the kitchen table.  The one where I laughed with my sisters, cried doing very hard Geometry homework, had birthday cakes with elementary school friends, signed my first real job medical insurance papers, selected my Community College classes on the big piece of paper you did that type of stuff on back then, learned about taxes and 1040EZ forms (ugh).  Kitchen tables are crazy places for memories.  The many meals, the conversations that would go for hours.   Big things happen at kitchen tables!

    Curious what I was thinking here.  Something important maybe.  Like what record album should I buy at Caldor tomorrow with my library paycheck!  Wonder who snapped this pic.  I’m happy for whoever did.

    Been thinking a lot lately about the house I grew up in.  I moved there in 1968 when I was 3.  Lived there until I got married in 1989.  I was 23.  Made many more memories there with my husband & kids.  Grateful for all of it.  Grateful for the kitchen table. The table may have changed, the conversations gotten sadder, but still I remember laughing there just this past January.  I’m lucky for that.

    Next time I see a firefly, look out, I’ll be running into my new house and getting a jar.  I need to keep that 8 year old excitement in me.  Setting that jar briefly on my kitchen table (then releasing the firefly so it can continue on its journey and so can I).  The journey of life moves on, keep the firefly spark alive.  Laugh often.  Love lots.  Sit at your kitchen table.

    Circa 1983, the kitchen table

  • Burger Time

    “I’m so happy” is an understatement.  So gnarly might cover it!!

    Take me back to the good ol’ days, the 1980s arcade!  The decade of FUN!

    This just arrived on my doorstep and I’m transported to my happy place in seconds. The sights, the sounds, the tokens, the acid wash jeans, the feathered hair!

    I was never overly good at arcade games but I had hope I would make all the burgers on one token and add my initials as the top chef!  The 80s were my hopeful years.  These are the accomplishments I strived for!

    Ms. Pac Man, bring it!  I’ll be ordering you next!

    Want to start building your own mini working Arnie’s Place or Game Shack??  Do it!  Here is a link where you can start!  See you on the floor!

    https://amzn.to/49wEl9W ⬇️

    Mini Arcade!  The 80s!!