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Quaratine Can be Dangerous 480 640 Mari Bickmore

Quaratine Can be Dangerous

Day 432 of my quarantine. Oops, got that wrong again. Heck, I don’t even know what day of the week it is. I thought it was Saturday all day on Thursday, but I think it really is Saturday now. Wait…I’m not quarantined anymore, but I don’t even think I hated quarantine…am I not supposed to say that?

What new things did you do during quarantine? Well, I should really ask, are you still quarantined? I think some places still are. The first few weeks I did a lot of things: reading, playing the piano, painting, and genealogy. That was the first few days anyway. Then, since it was almost spring, I took advantage and did some deep spring cleaning (hahaha…as if I do spring cleaning every year). As if. I tried to have projects everyday. We just moved into this house at the end of August. Then I was gone all of September, most of October into November, and then there were the holidays, so all those boxes that I just unpacked and put the contents somewhere I thought they should be…sort of willy-nilly…actually got put where they should go. My husband is super weird and wants all those moving boxes unpacked and taken away pretty much immediately. So it seems like you have a lot done, but in the end you just have to organize it twice.

So the first project I had was to organize the pantry. I got a little kick in the butt to do that first, as my children had gone together and given me some organizational items for the pantry for Christmas. Is that like getting a vacuum cleaner as a gift? In any event, I must’ve ordered more bins, food storage containers, and spice jars, etc., from Amazon; Bed, Bath and Beyond; and the the Container Store a dozen times, just ordered three more, but now I’m just about done…still waiting for my last order to arrive.

Then I started working on sorting my huge boxes of photos, at which time I whacked my head on the lowered ceiling under the stairs and received a pinched nerve/bulging disk in my C-spine. I still haven’t figured out how I could have hit my head that hard! May I tell you that pain is more than excruciating. For the first two weeks I just tried to find a position that would alleviate some of the pain. I gained a whole new understanding and empathy for those who have chronic pain. By day 22, although I still had residual pain and two fingers on my left hand were numb, I was able to do some small things, albeit on medication, and started working on some client’s projects thank goodness. Had an MRI which wasn’t so good, so I had to get a C6-7 spinal injection. What fun! Top that off with my mother-in-law passing away (not from coronavirus) and slicing a bit of flesh off my thumb with a mandoline (and leaving the bandage on too long so it stuck to the wound). Suffice it to say January and February were just as bad, so 2020 can just….

In any event, that was 3-1/2 weeks ago and and you can imagine how immensely grateful and blessed I feel that I was able to start playing tennis again this past Monday. I’ve been able to stay on top of design projects, even though providers are not working or working more than before, or hard to get in touch with, which has been an issue and still is. Life goes on and I hope that we get back to normal soon, even if has to be a new normal for a little while.

No exciting photos this time, but nothing exciting happened. Certainly didn’t get anyone to take a photo of me when they were sticking needles in my neck, or during the worst of the pain. So…this is what you get. It doesn’t look like an ad for pantry containers, because this is a real, working pantry and everything is not all the same color.

Quaratine Can be Dangerous 480 640 admin

Quaratine Can be Dangerous

Day 432 of my quarantine. Oops, got that wrong again. Heck, I don’t even know what day of the week it is. I thought it was Saturday all day on Thursday, but I think it really is Saturday now. Wait…I’m not quarantined anymore, but I don’t even think I hated quarantine…am I not supposed to say that?

What new things did you do during quarantine? Well, I should really ask, are you still quarantined? I think some places still are. The first few weeks I did a lot of things: reading, playing the piano, painting, and genealogy. That was the first few days anyway. Then, since it was almost spring, I took advantage and did some deep spring cleaning (hahaha…as if I do spring cleaning every year). As if. I tried to have projects everyday. We just moved into this house at the end of August. Then I was gone all of September, most of October into November, and then there were the holidays, so all those boxes that I just unpacked and put the contents somewhere I thought they should be…sort of willy-nilly…actually got put where they should go. My husband is super weird and wants all those moving boxes unpacked and taken away pretty much immediately. So it seems like you have a lot done, but in the end you just have to organize it twice.

So the first project I had was to organize the pantry. I got a little kick in the butt to do that first, as my children had gone together and given me some organizational items for the pantry for Christmas. Is that like getting a vacuum cleaner as a gift? In any event, I must’ve ordered more bins, food storage containers, and spice jars, etc., from Amazon; Bed, Bath and Beyond; and the the Container Store a dozen times, just ordered three more, but now I’m just about done…still waiting for my last order to arrive.

Then I started working on sorting my huge boxes of photos, at which time I whacked my head on the lowered ceiling under the stairs and received a pinched nerve/bulging disk in my C-spine. I still haven’t figured out how I could have hit my head that hard! May I tell you that pain is more than excruciating. For the first two weeks I just tried to find a position that would alleviate some of the pain. I gained a whole new understanding and empathy for those who have chronic pain. By day 22, although I still had residual pain and two fingers on my left hand were numb, I was able to do some small things, albeit on medication, and started working on some client’s projects thank goodness. Had an MRI which wasn’t so good, so I had to get a C6-7 spinal injection. What fun! Top that off with my mother-in-law passing away (not from coronavirus) and slicing a bit of flesh off my thumb with a mandoline (and leaving the bandage on too long so it stuck to the wound). Suffice it to say January and February were just as bad, so 2020 can just….

In any event, that was 3-1/2 weeks ago and and you can imagine how immensely grateful and blessed I feel that I was able to start playing tennis again this past Monday. I’ve been able to stay on top of design projects, even though providers are not working or working more than before, or hard to get in touch with, which has been an issue and still is. Life goes on and I hope that we get back to normal soon, even if has to be a new normal for a little while.

No exciting photos this time, but nothing exciting happened. Certainly didn’t get anyone to take a photo of me when they were sticking needles in my neck, or during the worst of the pain. So…this is what you get. It doesn’t look like an ad for pantry containers, because this is a real, working pantry and everything is not all the same color.

Shaking but not Moving 1024 683 Mari Bickmore

Shaking but not Moving

Well, I guess it takes a pandemic and an earthquake to get back on track! Luckily I’ve been keeping busy whilst sheltering in place! I’m going to have this hermit thing down pretty soon, but I can do without another earthquake! My first one and I hope my last. Nothing last being shaken awake in the morning by your house!

So, so many things have happened since I last posted to this site. Where to begin? OMG…for one thing, how could it have been almost THREE years since I last wrote? Like water going downhill. At the time we were living in El Dorado Hills, CA, and in the summer of 2018 we moved to Holladay, Utah. Now I’m living by my daughter’s family with two of the most darling grandchildren possible. Can’t get much better than that, other than all of my children and grandchildren moving here. If I could pull that off, nothing could ever be better.

Circumstances involving our move were not ideal, but so many great things followed. Like my daughter, Amanda Bickmore Crane, and I get to work together. How fantastic is that!? We already had formed Bickmore Design, LLC, and have renovated many houses over the years. Prior to this I was the owner of Posh Interior Design in Columbus, Ohio, and Minneapolis, MN, switching names to Bickmore Design in Kansas City, KS. Gosh I know right!…following a corporate husband sure does have its ups and downs.

Keeping busy with renovations and design work, I’ve also completed the state real estate course, tested, and obtained my Utah State Real Estate License. What a difficult profession. I’m with Equity Real Esate – Solid in Sandy, UT. Those two professions should go hand-in-hand and I’m working to make that happen. Not sure how that’s going to work going forward after this pandemic crisis. My heart bleeds for those who are losing their jobs and for the economy in the short-term. I hope and pray that we will all recover quickly, both physically and economically. What a difficult time for our governments dealing with something no one expected. I am not happy with the people pointing fingers as if our leaders caused this. It seems to me that they are dealing with it as best as they can under the unfortunate and adverse conditions. I feel so blessed to have safe shelter and food to sustain me. If you live near me and need anything, please let me know.

Just dropping a few photos of a renovation and design project that are full of color and make me happy.

Our Sausalito Sojourn 1024 768 Mari Bickmore

Our Sausalito Sojourn

SUBTITLE:  Things you should never do

Just last October, my Texas Travel Buddies and my Norwegian daughter took a little trip to Sausalito.  May I just say that I LOVE Sausalito.  Always have, always will.  I would retire there if funds were not an issue.  By the way, I identify as a wealthy woman.  Will the government supply the funds to ease my identity crisis now that we are dealing so positively with these crises?  Or perhaps making an undocumented withdrawal from the bank would be looked upon favorably?  I’ll have to make enquiries.

In any event, what a lovely trip.  We rented accommodation from an AirBNB owner that had a fabulous view.  It was actually in Mill Valley–Suki’s Mountain Retreat.  I’ve driven all over Europe,  more than a few places I shouldn’t have driven, but that driveway that night scared me.  I didn’t know if the car was going to make it up such a sharp incline without rolling backwards.  Okay, not as scary as Paris in the afternoon when the sun is truly blinding you and you don’t know where you’re going, but fairly scary.  Anyway, it was an interesting place.  Kind of like staying at your grandmother’s if your grandmother had a fantastic view and fruit trees that you were allowed to pick from and bougainvillea dripping off the house.  Those oranges weren’t perhaps the best oranges I have ever tasted. They WERE the best oranges I have ever tasted.  And it was quite near Muir Woods which is a magical and wondrous place to take a hike/walk.

My first story about the trip falls in the category of:  THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO.   It was my friend Beverly’s Birthday and we went to a lovely place to eat, Buckeye Roadhouse. As you can see, they have wonderful food.  Seated next to us was a nice-looking family…mom, dad, son, daughter.  Somewhere along the way my friend whispers “can you hear what they’re saying?”   The conversation was really unbelievable.  Mom and dad proceeded to tell their children, In A Restaurant, that they were splitting up but that things were going to be wonderful!   They tried to make it sound like they would live in a perfect world now.  The daughter, around 8-10 years old, was crying and the 14-year-old boy was trying to keep a stiff upper lip.  THEN…get ready for it…they pull out a birthday card for the little girl!  No really…it was her BIRTHDAY.  Those chose to impart this bitter message in PUBLIC on her BIRTHDAY.  I see a lot of therapy in her future.  So I’m just telling you, this is something that you should never do.  What ever possessed them to think this was a good idea is beyond me.  It has just occurred to me that it was the little girl’s birthday and Beverly’s birthday.  Maybe I thought about it at the time but that’s a little foggy.  I’m not too foggy about the food…it’s a definite return again visit and that was a return visit itself.  The empty plate was the dessert..enough said.

My second story is much better.  Next morning we drove down our steep driveway (much easier on the way down) to spend the day in Sausalito–art galleries, cute shops, and lovely food spots.  Looking for a place to park we saw a young woman go to her car so we put our blinker on to wait for the spot…and waited…and waited.  My brave friend Beverly decided to very nicely ask her if she was leaving or not, so out she jumped.  Then they started talking…and talking.  I saw another spot just up the road slightly and took it.  Turns out the poor girl had just been dumped–and had a baby.  She was looking for God and had went to a church the night before and sat in the back but no one had approached her.  My friend had kind words and counsel and had come along at just the perfect time to a perfect stranger to be a shoulder to cry on and some help along theis journey we call life.  I cried, she cried.  Maybe you  had to be there, but it was truly inspirational.

My last story is just a series of disjointed events really.  Next day we went to San Francisco and had great tacos, but I don’t remember the name of the cafe.  We shopped around awhile but had to leave in time to get my Norwegian girl to the airport.  We got to our car in plenty of time to have her there a few hours before her flight, or at least we thought we did.   In two hours we went maybe 4-5 blocks.  Needless to say, we never even got out of the city in that direction, gave up and went back to our little house in the sky.  She is fairly sure her boss never believed that story.  But I’m here to tell you its true.  It was a week before she went home.  So she got to go with us to St. Helena the next day.   Oh, Bev got that genuine fox coat at a Buddhist Temple Rummage Sale for $5!

This is a seriously cute little town.  There is even a castle there…Castello di Amorosa.  Well here’s another little story.  We had just gotten out of our car here at the castle and there was a couple there who looked pretty serious, so we walked really slow so we could eavesdrop (just being honest).  He was proposing to her with a ring and flowers  and everything.  Oops!  She said no.  At least he didn’t do it on the screen at a hockey game!  Yet they stayed and walked around the grounds, but they looked so sad after that.   He did take the flowers and everything and put back in the car, probably so we wouldn’t have to look at them and stare.

On a brighter note!  I would highly recommend that you all visit Farmstead in town, on a warm day so that you can eat outside.  The food was oustanding.   I wish I had filmed us eating so that I could post it like a travel show.  You would be salivating and wishing you were there, kind of like I do when I watch “I’ll have what Phil’s Having.”  Why was there only one season?!?!  I plan to visit next month with a friend who is coming in from Ohio.  Perhaps I will film it then.

RIght now I’m in the D.C. area for  my daughter-in-law’s baptism and feel so blessed!  Planning on some Maryland Crabcakes.  Tata and Happy Trails!

It’s A New Year! 768 1024 Mari Bickmore

It’s A New Year!

…as if you didn’t know–but who’s still writing 2016?

I was thinking about resolutions again, so I looked back at a post from New Years two years ago and still have a lot of work to do on those resolutions, namely:

1. Try not to waste so much time; i.e. watching too much TV, spending too much time looking at random things on the internet.
2. Focus on learning, expanding my base of knowledge, self-improvement; i.e. really learning a second language, scripture study and spirituality, take new design classes, or find an entirely new business to try.
3. Make a bucket list and start marking them off; even things that seem unrealistic. Go big or go home, know what I mean?!?! Someone told me that dividing it into categories, such as weekend-type items, week-long items, month-long items, etc. might make the list easier to use.
4. Try to have a healthier lifestyle; i.e. eating, exercise, work hard with physical therapy to get my gimpy foot healed enough to jump back into tennis.
5. Work at relationships; expand my circle of friends, let my family know how much I love them all the time. As an aside to this, I want to perform some type of service for random people as often as possible…I am not great at thinking about this, so it will be a definite process for me. I know “pay it forward” is an old cliche now, but that probably sums it up.

I told my daughter yesterday that I was just going to try to do something constructive every single day.  There are so many options that I should at least be able to do that.  I’m thinking that just getting my to-do list done for the day is something constructive!   I started painting a few months ago for the first time in my life, after years of wanting to try it, and it is my obsession right now, so working on a painting would be constructive.  Here’s what I’ve done so far over the past few months…so you see I’m just a beginner; therefore, taking some art classes would be constructive.

Helping someone, working out, making a new recipe…anything from the above list.  See how easy that is going to be?  I’m fooling myself, right?  Maybe I should revisit this philosopy at the beginning of each month and see how I’m doing.  Onward and Upward!  I wish I had had this mindset years ago.

Right now I’m doing something constructive everyday just by helping to take care of my new grandson and my daughter.  He just gets cuter everyday!

But that will end before I know it and I’ll be back in the real world.

My oldest granddaughter just turned SEVEN this week.  I can’t believe she is that old! I soooo wish I could have been with her on her birthday!  Right now I believe she loves me and likes to spend time with me…but how many more years do I have with her like that?  or with her younger sister?  They are are the apples of my eye are more beautiful and amazing everyday. And they all live so far away.  THANK GOODNESS for FaceTime!

 

Obviously I need to make sure to contact all of my family often.  I also need to try doing things that are out of my comfort zone.  I will work on figuring that out.

Just get out there and live and do good!

Winter Wonderland 1024 768 Mari Bickmore

Winter Wonderland

Have I written more about renovations? Did I finish my Gram Camp saga?  Did I write about the outcome of the presidential election?  About those great new cookies.  About my last trip? About all the atrocities Islam continues to commit Every Single Day. Anything?  No, no, no, no, no and no.  (I did do a little victory dance on election night that the barely-human Clinton woman didn’t win and I think I’ll wear my Adorable Deplorable T-shirt for months to come.)  I would love to say that it’s a new year and I’m turning over a new leaf for blogging, but I just can’t commit because I don’t want to mark that in the failure column.  I will say that I have every intention of writing more.  Not just intention–I want to write more! and that is probably something I can succeed at since I’ve written so rarely; more could be not very much at all!  Truly, it doesn’t matter because hardly anyone reads this so it is really just like journaling and that’s just fine.

Well, Christmas is over for another year and now we can start counting down for next Christmas – 354 shopping days!

Backing up though, we spent Christmas in Salt Lake City in a really nice, newly and tastefully renovated townhouse we rented just about three blocks from Temple Square and another block to City Creek shopping mall.  (Great location and if you’re looking for a spot in downtown SLC it is VRBO #4053608.)   The owner had even put up Christmas lights outside…it’s the little things!

I LOVE spending Christmas with my grown children and their families, who doesn’t?  But I’d rather do it at home where all my cooking utensils and food are right where they should be and I have everything I need to prepare a huge holiday dinner and all the dinners in between.  If I could just let that go and eat out when I’m out of town I’d probably be better off.  Anyway, this year was different…my youngest child and my only daughter was expecting my third grandchild, so everyone had to be there to welcome our new grandson to the world!

Utah was so kind in delivering us a white Christmas wonderland.  It snowed most of Christmas Day, which made me feel like I was right in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.

My fabulous granddaughters got to play in the snow and make snowmen, which they don’t get to do often in SoCal…well ever.  My oldest son got to go up to Brighton to snowboard a couple of days and the girls got to take their first ski lessons.  We all got to walk Temple Square at night, which is even more amazing at Christmas than any other time of the year. Christmas lights virtually covering everything, twinkling in everyone’s eyes as they walked the grounds that were more than magical.  Just being at Temple Square gives you that warm feeling that makes you remember what Christmas is all about. Makes me want to sing Christmas songs right now (trust me, you wouldn’t want to hear that!!! hahahaha).

Hot chocolate at Godiva afterwards just topped it off!   We had hot chocolate two or three times after that at other places…just a disappointment.  Godiva hot cocoa is maybe the best ever, but when I think back to the hot chocolate at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans I’m not sure.  We also saw a couple of movies, one for the girls (Sing) and Stars Wars: Rogue One for me.  That was my favorite Star Wars since the original ones.

When the fam all comes together, it is sometimes hard to entertain everyone over a several-day visit.  Don’t you hate it when everyone just sits around the house and you know they are bored, but you don’t know what to do?!?!   Or you plan to get up and out early but with that many people it just doesn’t happen?   I tried to find things to do.  The day after Christmas, the day my daughter went into the hospital to be induced, we went to Park City.  I mean we couldn’t just sit in the room and stare at her, right?  I love to walk around Park City and have lunch at one of the cute little cafes.  Well, we missed the cute cafe (hint: don’t eat at the Blue Iguana).  But we did get enjoy Park City and peruse the cute shops and galleries for a couple of hours afterwards, so it eased the pain of driving all the way out to Park City and having a barely mediocre lunch.

Time to go to the hospital and drop everyone else back at the house and let them figure out how to entertain themselves.

Without the gory details…We have a new, beautiful, fabulous grandson!  Mother and baby are doing fine and the baby LOVES his Mimi!  I get to stay on for a few weeks to take care of mother and child while everyone else returns home.  I know it’s going to rip my heart out when I have to leave…but that’s another day so let’s not dwell on it.

I already miss having all of my family all together at the same time.  I will miss them for a long time…forever until I see them again.  I hate it that everyone lives so far away from each other.  We did miss having one child with us at Christmas this year as he decided it would be more exciting to go to Thailand for Christmas then be with us, especially when he is working on Kwajalein and I never get to see him normally.  I mean who would choose Thailand…Bangkok, Chiang Mai, beaches…over Utah and me?

That is not going to play out well for him though!  I talk big, but when he comes home again I’ll be so happy to see him that my ire will probably go right out of the window.

It’s time to get ready for the day.  Lots of errands to do and a baby to spoil.  Cheers and Happy New Year!