Wednesday Slushy Headed Girl

I've fought this stupid cold? flu? bug? CRAP!!! off since last Thursday. Today it has overtaken both my determination & my good humor. Mostly I miss my Mom, who sent an email that yesterday she stood in Beatrix Potter's home, not only that but in her bedroom!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In fact, here is Mom's portion of the email: 'Well ... so what can I say?? We had a wonderful time at the bed n' breakfast [The Lake District]...it's a beautiful place to stay.
(Above: Hilltop Farm
Bottom: B&B in the Lake District) We took several walks...this morning we found a house where Beatrix Potter stayed as a child on vacations, and supposedly the garden that was Mr. McGregor's garden in the Peter Rabbit book!! The countryside is so absolutely beautiful that there really are no words to describe it. We had a lovely day with all sunshine and no rain...can you believe it?? When we went to Hill Top Farm (Beatrix Potter's home), I was totally amazed at the lovely furnishings, etc., that she had. There's no way I can describe it here. As Klaus said, I did cry a bit at the end of the tour...just so overwhelming to finally be some place you have always wanted to be.
Just like my approaching Venice at night type of experience (Klaus says only better!!).

The lakes in that district are beautiful...very large...all surrounded by green, green vegetation. I won't be able to come back to the Phoenix moonscape now!!!
Tomorrow we are going to go to Chatsworth House...really looking forward to that.' [googled photo of Chatsworth House, below]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It's strange to me -- for over 2 months now I've absolutely had my FILL of craft shopping. I don't need anything else, I don't WANT anything else, I can't stand to look at anything on-line (all the old websites that used to make me slobber), I don't want to visit Joann's or Michael's even with 40% off coupons in hand, I'm frustrated by the sameness of everything in all the craft-related magazines, even Stampington! What I'm in dire need of is what Jerome gave me a short, small taste of -- feminine frills, flowers in the garden, hand-sewn aprons, that woman's touch by way of dish or decoration or window covering or vignettes on table-tops. I want to go to Savers & buy 3 mismatched saucers covered in flowers, a set of girly bowls I can use for my paints instead of my icky plastic palette, an embroidered hand towel someone else doesn't want anymore, a big chunky warm man's sweater for mornings on the patio. I need what Julia Cameron calls an 'artist date' where I just go and absorb, take in, inhale, ingest, images, colors, creations, settings or set-ups, sounds, flavors, scents. I haven't been in Cost Plus in over a year -- WHY NOT?!!!!! Or Williams Sonoma where I really just took my time & looked at everything, even all the cookbooks! & now I can't go to SAS cuz they burned down. But I have nothing to give in my studio because the well is dry. DRY. The trip to Jerome kick-started some things again, and I've been doing a lot of just writing -- but the visuals are on lock-down & so much of my stuff is at a complete stand-still until I can turn those faucets back on.

I want to go back to San Francisco with Double BB, but this time I want us to go to China Town. (I've been watching movies like Indochine, The Lover, & The Scent of Green Papaya, so I'm under an Asian influence ... ) Below is The White Swan Inn ... I'd love to stay here.