It’s almost Friday again and time to ponder some favorites from the past week! Visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to join in or to see other Favorites!
So on Sunday we flew back to Southern California from Washington. In a lot of ways my daily life in Southern California is easier than when I fly back to my house in Washington.
1. At the very top of my favorites this week, and probably for several weeks more, is the fact that my 911 neighbor, Summer, and her boyfriend are gone for good! I didn’t even realize the stress that their presence had on our quality of life until this week and the amazing difference we have experienced! We have peace. Peace is amazing. Peace with God is the most important thing in life but daily peace in your living conditions is way up there, too. I don’t have to tense up when I hear them come home. I don’t have to hear the yelling and screaming. I don’t have to get jolted out of a deep sleep with loud thumping on the floor and screaming. The photo of the empty deck in my collage is the deck that had their stuff on it before. That emptiness is such a welcome sight. Oh how sweet it is…
2. Starting to walk regularly again with Willow is another favorite. OK, so I put on way more poundage than I imagined and I need to cut back on food and increase my activity. On a more positive note, it’s great here in Southern California to still see roses blooming and other plants flowering with lots of color. The Yellow rose is a photo from one of Willow and my walks.
3. Dear and I have also started walking together when he gets home from work and before we eat dinner. This has been a good time to talk and check out the neighborhood. The Sunset photo is from one of our late afternoon walks.
4. Meals for two. How easy that is. That’s one of the bonuses of my lifestyle in Southern California. We have actually eaten in for 4 nights in a row. That’s good for us. Don’t worry though, tomorrow we’re headed back to El Tecolote for our meal out!
5. The last favorite is seeing some beautiful sunrises this week. There’s something about the quiet of dawn that is wonderful to experience.
Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007 to 2015 hostage and has replaced them all with ugly black and grey boxes asking for a ransom to have them re-published. Such a frustrating bother as I go through each post to delete the ugly boxes.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Hurrah for #1!!! That is a big New Year’s blessing indeed. I need to follow your lead on #2 and #3. I can’t take the damp air, though, but something must be done!
#! is a relief I’m sure.
Wow, 2 walks a day?? Good for you Ellen. I am pulling out my walking video today – that’s a promise – (hold me to it please 🙂
Beautiful sunrise and gorgeous flowers. I’m enjoying yellow roses here too – only indoors 🙂
Happy weekend!
Once again, what beautiful pictures! I certainly agree with you that peace in our living conditions is so important.
Have a wonderful weekend!
gorgeous photos! I am ready for spring… the yellow rose is gorgeous! I need to get out and see what winter has done to my roses!
I am glad your life is more peaceful now
Glad to hear you were able to return to SC and enjoy the change. It’s been quite the few weeks in the Pacific. NW and it continues! When you rest up you will be thinking of your return up North! 🙂
Love the pictures and thoughts behind them! A yellow rose right now is just what I needed! Tks!
Number 1 would definitely be a huge relief! That must have been very stressful! Yellow roses in January. I can’t even fathom as I’m looking at all the snow out my front window.
Great list, Ellen!
I’m so impressed that you take two walks a day! I just wish I could talk myself into one. Or even two a week!
Peace is worth it’s weight in gold. I’m so glad you now have some.
Meals for 2 are nice, especially when there are leftovers.
And stressful neighbors are the worst! Glad they are gone!
beautiful photos.
Who would want to go out when you set such a lovely table for 2?
Hi Ellen,
Yes, peace is very important in our daily life. I love what you said that peace with God is of utmost importance, but peace in our daily life is essential for one’s sanity. I have noticed that peace within oneself and one’s home is precious!
Blessings!
Hooray for the end of the 911 neighbors. I only thought I knew how much the neighbors were getting to me at the old place…until I knew the peace of our new neighborhood. It has done me a world of good, although I have been so happy and distracted that I haven’t blogged much. Oh well.
I adore, adore, adore that table setting.
It makes a huge difference when you can sleep at night!
We can keep up our walks and increase our activity level and both lose those little extras we found over Christmas. Pedometer on? Ready, set, go!
Heavenly. Sounds like a good plan you have going …
Wish we could take a walk, wouldn’t that be great?
Enjoy CA …
Sounds like a peaceful week all around! Nice to be able to walk in the evening before dark, together!
peace and quiet,,, number one on your list!!!! walking (humm… that is my new years resolution… Yellow roses,, Gorgeous!!!!! Beautiful sunrise to start a beautiful day!!!!
these are all good!!!!!
Mine is up too…. http://aussietalks.com/2009/01/my-holiday-fave-five.html
see you around… I’m a 1st timer for Friday Fave five
Hi Ellen, Thanks for stopping by my blog. I am sure you feel relief for #1! Walking is great exercise, best of luck to you and Willow. P.S. This is the link to my fitness blog http://crosstheabyss.blogspot.com/ .
So impressed with the walking! That is the next thing I have to get back to 🙂 Thanks for visiting my blog!
Good job with the walking. I hope we get around to that today. It looks like a beautiful day here in Northern California.
Ooooo, it is so lovely when peace is restores and the stress is gone–love that! We are trying to get out and walk more, too–we all have to keep each other motivated! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by-
Tabitha