Close but no cigar

I have a long history of using creative visualization as it was introduced to me 40 years ago by author, Shakti Gawain. When writing an affirmation, it is important to state it clearly and of course it always ends with "This or something better now manifests for me." 

In my last post I wrote "Yesterday, we almost bought a house on Vashon! So exciting and so close, but no cigar."

The saying comes from traveling fairs and carnivals from the 1800s. The prizes back then were usually cigars or bottles of whiskey. If you missed the prize at a carnival game, the carnie folk would shout, “Close! But no cigar!”

We almost made an offer on a house but after "sleeping on it" decided it wasn't the perfect place for us. It was close, but no cigar!

Thanks to all who contacted me. It's good to know you haven't deleted me from your life after my long absence from this blog.

On another note: each morning I play Wordle. I watch for a starting word as I read the morning paper. Today, I saw the word "trick." Shortly after that my husband used the word in a sentence to me. And, I'm still thinking about the comment from one of you about golden years being trickier than one would imagine. And, now that I have shared that with you, I realize it is just me rambling... 

Back to Wordle and wishing you a good day.

"Gratitude," Plein air pastel of my Studio garden at Mill Pond Cottage

Collection of the Artist

 

The Rest of the Story

It has been five months since I posted here. I'm very active on Instagram but not here, (obviously). That is about to change as I focus more on my "golden years." 

I started this blog in 2013 after a milestone birthday when I was told I was entering my golden years - a time of cutting back, taking life easy, smelling the roses. Somehow the years since then have been as busy as ever and speed by at an alarming rate.

Jay and I have been happily living our dream at our Mill Pond Cottage, the home we built on Lake Sawyer seven years ago. It is the perfect place to grow old but we have one more dream: to move back to Vashon. Thirty five years ago we moved off island and now our plan is to move back, to be near one of our children. 

Life is full of cycles. Growing, accumulating, disbursing, letting go. We are ready to let go of this time of our life and move on to the rest of the story.

Yesterday, we almost bought a house on Vashon! So exciting and so close, but no cigar. Getting that close to finding the perfect place makes it extra hard to concentrate today but I am continuing to pack up the Studio and varnish the last pieces completed for a June show. I'll keep you posted as our search continues.