The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Favourite Things: March 2024

Are you ready for it? (And yes, I totally have Taylor Swift belting that lyric out in my head…)

First up, a few travel favourites.

CLEAR TRAVEL TOILETRY BAGS

I think I got this idea (and maybe…

Barcelona: Planning, Getting There, What It Cost…and an Unexpected Footnote

I’ve recycled a bit of the text from my Rome travel summary because, not surprisingly, we plan trips in similar ways year over year.

PLANNING

At this point, we’ve settled on a fairly clear division of…

Barcelona, Organization, Planning, Travel
Apr, 10, 2024
30 Comments

My (Easter) Lesson In Being Easily Delighted

I am a pessimist. Really. It’s in the title of my blog and it’s so true. My natural inclination is to look on the negative side of life and situations. But as I get…

Easter, Holidays, Joy, Life
Apr, 09, 2024
18 Comments

Barcelona Day Six: Bubbles, Whimsy, and New Friends

It’s always good to finish a trip on a high note, and we broke glass with our operatic crescendo on this one! Day Six was wonderful (I still have a special place in my…

Barcelona, Travel
Apr, 08, 2024
21 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 5 April + CBWC Update

It feels good to be back with a “normal” Happy Things Friday post. I am glad to have survived March and April is starting off with promise.

Let’s dive in…

POTATO SCALLOP

John and I have a…

Top Five/Bottom Five: Makeup

It likely will not surprise you to learn I am not really a makeup gal. I mean, I wear it. I like it. But I own very little of it. This was an easy…

Creativity, Favourite Things, Minimalism, Top Five/Bottom Five
Apr, 04, 2024
33 Comments

Barcelona Day Five: Cacti (Ouch!), Stadiums, and All Kinds of Art

Another day – a day I was determined to approach slowly. And we did just that. We didn’t wake up until after 8 am and, again, had leisurely showers before heading down to the…