Hi. This is me. One of my alter egos. I am not sure what her name is. Do you happen to know? She may have told you and not me. Yes, that must be it…
You see, a couple of days ago, I was in the garden doing some major work. I mean major. That sort of, lone homesteader woman work, and I was beyond ready for a bath and tons of rest.
Then I received a note from Hong Kong that read…
"Vanessa, you missed your deadline…."
Oh no! I had a deadline that I wrote in my calendar as May 31st, but was supposed to be May 21st. Now, for someone like me, who has a bit of OCD, this was a knock on the head. I have standards of work ethic, that are probably too tough for my own good. So, I almost fainted.
Then, I buckled up and did what any hard working elf would do.
I pulled a couple of all nighters and got everything wrapped up.
Magic in a (proverbial) box + shipped off (virtually) = exhaustion.
I wish I could report that I wasn't here bright and early on Monday because I had fallen into a fairy tale book with him…
Or him…
But, I can't.
Although the one thing I can say is, working in the garden for several days (months even) at 5 a.m., doing hard labor, and then pulling two all nighters is proof that, you are no longer 17.
You can't stay up all night and wake up with orbs of glowing youth springing off of you in abundance. Or at least, I can't 😉
Plink, pling, bing.
No siree.
I don't feel old. But, I don't feel like all nighters are something I am up to any longer. So, I best be more careful about what I write in my calendar 😉
Lest I feel like a trampled rag doll…
Or more like a fading youth, turning into a grumpy old man 😉
The only way I can kick that yucky all nighter feeling is by drinking lots of fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. It hits me like a jolt of heaven, I tell ya.
So, I may not have the finest story in the world to share today…
But it's a story. Of the truest, most honest variety.
And now, all I want to do is sit in my garden…
Hang out with giant growing…
Sunflowers…
Or maybe, I'll just take a wee siesta and get my energy levels back up…
Yes yes, that is just what I shall do.
What happens to you if you pull an all nighter? Can you handle it?
Or, am I just being a big wimp?
I have had this song's chorus in my head since 5 a.m.
On Saturday Night Mister and I danced under the moon. Then I curled up inside of my nightgown (whilst in the garden chaise) and dozed off, while he played his guitar and sang. I sang along through waves of sleep, "….and, lover's await the break of day, why do they fall in lu-huv…?" And he kept saying, Dovee, wrong timing…
Anyhow, I better go rest and get back up to par. I have something fun for you on the horizon!!!
Lovely, fun & easy! I can't wait to share it 😉
Glad you got your work done. I pulled all nighters before, but I had to write 20-page papers. Take a siesta, that always helps me.
Vanessa, what a very nice write-up in Website Bakery! I totally concur with it all. : ) Oooh so sorry you missed that deadline. I know you must have been horrified to have fallen victim to the misplaced calendar notation gremlin! I’m glad you hopped to it and got it done. No, you are not being a wimp about the all-nighter. Not my cup of tea either! Looking forward to the something fun you will share with us!
I had to chuckle when I saw that little paltry doll. I can imagine you feeling that way after an all-nighter. The last time I pulled one (several) was a few years ago in Vegas. I was fine, but I think I was high on the excitement. The only thing that will help is your head resting on a pillow. Put some lovely smelling flowers inside your pillowcase. :o)) Sweet, sweet dreams my dear.
Ooo La La on those Fairy Tale Book “hims”! Thank you so much for the video, tickled my fancy. 🙂 Did you and Mister dance to music under the moon? If yes, I wonder what kind? You seem like the type that could dance without music, but if there was music I really do wonder what is was.? !
Hope you get some good rest! I can’t wait to hear about all that you’ve been creating. Don’t know about all nighters any more…I couldn’t do it! I would have to sleep all day! Sending you hugs, sweet friend! 🖤
Oh me, V…I have done the wrong date in the calendar thing before, ugh! My last mishap, was when my daughter wanted to sign up for a club at school, and I put the ‘start sign-up date’ as the ‘end date’ by accident and when I went to sign her up, it was closed and full 🙁 I felt soooo bad!
But I am like you…with the deadlines and OCD and needing to get things done when I say I will, etc. I am a people pleaser (like you 😉 Maybe that’s why we love our art and running our shops, tee hee!
Glad you got it all done though. And yes, I still pull all nighters all of the time…but I just can’t keep up with myself anymore…times are a changin.’ Like I pulled a 3am one last night, got up at 7am and now I can’t seem to keep my eyes open!
Time for a siesta….
Jamie 🙂
p.s. love the rag doll! She reminds me of Ragged Ann 🙂 🙂
p.s.s. lovely write-up in the Bakery! All is true…you are wonderful V 😉
OH dear. I can imagine how you feel…worn out. I haven’t had an “all nighter” with a legitimate deadline since college. Now I drop like a sack of potato’s at about 2-3 AM. lol – I’m wimpy and spend the next day paying for my adventures.
Go take a long, hot, bubble bath and afterward curl up on a quilt, and read a book to your beloveds. Let them make up parts of the story. Sure, some will be sung in guitar medley and other sections will be in Dog-ese…but we all speak the Universal language of love. Everyone will recognize the premise of your sweet story. ‘:)
This is my song I love slow dancing to: “I Only Have Eyes for You” by The Flamingos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nlhoda2MY
V~
Oh Santo & Johnny…love that song 🙂
Sorry to hear you had a couple of all-nighters…:( The latest I can go is midnight. Pretty pathetic 🙂
Have a nice relaxing evening Miss V!! Put up your feet and have something sweet 🙂
ah, vanessa, you weave a tale…
you could live in any time period and the way you tell these tales would be topical and lovely.
anyway, here’s what i want to tell you: i can make it staying up one night without much sleep but not two. I used to be able to do two. I can’t do two anymore.
are you walking around your yard strutting and delighting in your garden’s appearance?
i;ll bet you are.
love you, ms. v. you are one unique chickie.
love
kj
oh you two! You are the most romantic two ever. I wish that I could say that I danced in the starlight to such a wonderful tune, but that just doesn’t happen. But all nighters, let me tell ya, they happen almost every night. I always say that concealer and coffee are my best friends. But my almost 42 year old self cannot keep this up much longer. Something’s gotta give. This staying up late only to get up early (6 o’clock is early when you go to bed at 1am!) is wearing me out. I always say that I need daylight hours to create. That would be my dream. But that would require a herculean leap of faith and a lot of cash that I just don’t have, so all nighters it is!
Enjoy the day, V!
xo
E
Jubilee… that’s what she told me her name was. But I get that she’s something of a trickster… so she could be teasing me 🙂
I’m glad I found your blog… you have the most wonderful shower (last post)… and your life seems dreamy. At least from here it does…
Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of yourself… you make me dream of the potential of my own self…
Hey,
I hear ya!
I’m retiring on June 10, after teaching special education for 34 years and while my heart is willing my brain and body, just aren’t there any more. It’s just too much for me to keep up with and I really don’t want to any more. That’s my equivalent to your all nighter.
I’m ready to start enjoying a whole new phase of my life. Slower paced, more time for creativity, and travel.
~elaine~
This was a very ‘feel good’ blog post, Vanessa, dear.
I needed something like this before drifting off into fairy land.
What wonderful words the Website Bakery had to say about your lovely blog and those who follow your every nuance. (And don’t ask me what that word means, it just ‘sounds’ good!)
Hee,hee!
Well, I’m glad your reading the dates wrong still turned out for you, even though you had to pull a couple of ‘all nighters’ to get things finished. When I get sleep deprived I HAVE to sleep ‘in’ at some point, then I am OK. But I am a night owl, my body seems to wake up when the sun passes the zenith in the sky…that is when I get all of my energy…maybe I’m a vampire…(just kidding).
Oh, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ with Johnny Dep comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD on June 1st…just in time to get our giddy, mad, mind-sets ready for the Mad Tea Party!!!!
Your fresh orange juice or grapefruit juice pick-me-up sounds refreshing…
Sweet dreams to you my friend…
Were you talking about the doll being your ‘alter ego’? And asking what her name was? Well, you could name her ‘Scarlett Hair’
Thought you’d like that one…
WELL DONE for managing to finish your work so quickly & working so hard! What I do – hm, what I *don’t* do is write a long, beautifully illustrated blog post which others can enjoy when I’m that tired!
you live such a magical life. but I would not be able to survive allnighters. What a total mess I would be. I hope youve properly recovered by now!
hugs
vivian
Hello there,
When I’ve gotten too little sleep and feel in a fog the next day – I think a little extra caffeine helps. But, I do look forward to rest and going to sleep the following night a bit earlier than usual. I was up last night in the wee hours with my daughter who wasn’t feeling so good – so, I’ve lost some sleep myself. I’m not going to fight it, I’ll accept it – I’m going to be a bit tired today. It’s just one day, right? I’m really looking forward to that first morning cup of coffee 🙂 Love your blog!
I think you’re doing well, surviving two allnighters.
I take it you have no small children, and therefore is not used to too little sleep?
Of course you get used to it, and after a while it becomes almost pleasant to be always half dozing in at least one part of your brain.
After 4 years of such, I thank you for reminding me of Santo and Johnny- sleepwalk is now on repeat, and suits me just fine 🙂
Thank you for entertaining me.
Marvelous review in Website Bakery – and true, true, true!
I remember while in college in NYC, we would go dancing at 1am and stay out all night, and from the clubs, catching the subway to make first class of the morning.
Now I fall asleep during the 11o’clock news.
I’m not sure when I turned into an old grumpfart – but it happened. sigh.
I absolutely adore you alter ego!!!
oh my! i can’t even imagine pulling an all nighter anymore! at my age (ha ha) midnight is late…
Oh dear! I gave up all nighters some time ago. But I will say that whenever I am involved in party activities at my “real” job, I usually am up all night with no problem. I get excited about hosting the party and making sure everyone has fun. Otherwise, I’m usually in slumber land all evening long! LOL Can’t wait to see the fun little things you have to share with us. Theresa 🙂
I can only pull an all-nighter when I’m in love. Isn’t that silly? Then nothing matters and I walk, live, and dance on air…I need nothing. No food, drink, or sleep…But, I noticed after I was interrupted by such fantasy in the middle of the night this week, that even that half hour of flirting made me yawn a lot more than normal the next day…I think I could pull an all-nighter, but ONLY if I could rest up for a couple of days afterwords…I hope you rest yourself my sweet!
I can no longer do all nighters! I just don’t have it in me any longer. My prescription for you is a nice hot hot bubbly bath, soothing music, candles, and sleep…a nice long nights’ sleep!
Then you will be as right as rain.
Hugging you
SueAnn
I think she looks like an Anabelle. All cindered and worn, but still pretty.
Oh yes, I think that her name is Extremely Raggity Ann. Love the photo of her lying on the floor about to be trampled by fur baby feet! Fabulous photos again…I love seeing through your Magical Eyes. **blows kisses** Deb
rest, rest, rest…it’s the only way I can get my energy back. a few naps and lots of water. Love the dolly!
Me again,
I meant to say ‘Scarlett O` Hair’
Whatever…
Thank you for creating such a lovely space : )
I’d like to invite you to win a piece of my fine art through a giveaway on my blog.
http://walterhelenaphotography.blogspot.com/2010/05/whp-giveaway-two-of-twelve-clouds.html
I wish you all my best.
WHP
Calendar? Calendar, what calendar? Oh, that hot pink thing in the bottom of my bag. I rarely look at it and often forget it exists and never would I write down a date for dinner of fish head soup between its covers. But when something is REAL important I sometimes pull it out and scribble notes on the lines, but then forget that I wrote the notes to remind me of the very important dates. Oh dear, where am I going with all of this nonsensical chatter? No where probably so I should just stop babbling ;-).
PS: I had pizza yesterday for lunch…it was most delicious!!!
xoxo Cori
Ooh, that must have been truly frightening to find out you missed a deadline when you thought you were in control. Feeling terribly worn out after an all-nighter is not the best way to find out we’re not 17 anymore buuuut at least you did your duty and you’ll be double checking every date from now on. What am I saying? Triple checking. 😉
I’ll be the one singing Night and Day all night now 😀
Well, the days of all-nighters are over for me. This recent move almost took me out of existence. Your idea of fresh squeezed OJ sounds divine…love it so much! Can’t do the grapefruit, as much as I would like to. I think a shower or bubble bath, nice lotion, clean sheets with a spray of lavender and a back rub by Mr Lovee should help.
Thanks for sharing a lovely post and always, gorgeous photos! I don’t know how you do it but I appreciate it. The article is awesome!
xo
Pat
I used to be Queen of the Night Owls but then Princess Toot formed a coup and I had to abdicate the throne. LOL
good day to you! getting back into blogging after being in my shell for a while and some blogs I follow have changed others gone
but it is lovely to see you are still rambling on about the the nonsensical, small, and not so small things in life, which are, of course, the most important things to ramble on about! x clio
All gorgeous & fanciful! Your blog really pushes me forward with mine by setting the bar high.
Thank you!~D
Sweetie, sometimes it happens to the best of us missing a deadline. At least, you did an all nighter and pulled it off.
Fred and Ginger..ah, they just ooze glam and romance.
Who is the second dreamy guy in the picture? He looks full of beautiful melancholy.
You always have the finest stories in the world!
Love to you and Mr. Lovee!
xox
Constance
Well … Love the article about you… every word she said is true and then some…
sorry about you having to pull an all nighter…. good for you to be so dedicated… in all honesty I cant say I would have done what you did… not saying I wouldnt … just facing reality…
As for the song you and Mr Luvee danced too… swwwwwwooooooooooooooooonnnnnnn….I could listen AND dance to it all NIGHT!!!!!
LOTS AND LOTS OF HUGS FOR YOU AND BABY…
JO
First things first, faeries forget. It is part of the deal when you sprinkle that much joy around the world. So, don’t feel like it was a big mishap. You are a delight and make it up for that once-in-awhile forget one-hundred times over! You are a joy-scatterer and with that comes big fun and responsibility! With four kids and all the artist mentality in my brain, I forget much, but, joy is in my heart and I make-up for the unfolded laundry, and late-night/morning crankies because my heart is always in the right place. You can tell yours is too. I relate. Glad you came out o.k. with the product! Take care dear and keep sprinkling your sparkle over the Earth.
Hi Vanessa,
Even when you are tired, you are so creative. I love that little rag doll and well, you have chosen my favorites, Fred and Ginger and music from the fifties. I can imagine how you reacted when you thought you missed a deadline, to Hong Kong no less. All nighters…tomato juice with a bit of tabasco sauce always did the trick for me.
Have a lovely day, and singing to Mr. Lovee’s guitar sounds wonderful.
Every year at the end of the football season my co-workers and I have to pull 2 all-nighters because we find out where our games will be each week 2 to 3 days before our crew travels. It’s not fun and I feel like I’ve been hit by a semi afterwards. The worst is when you go to sleep around 6am and sleep for 2 hours before having to get up and head to the airport. I am physically ill by the end of it, headache, stomach ache, cranky, tired, dizzy. I dread them months before because I know we have to do it. lol Yuck.
Hope you’re feeling better from yours. Mine is scheduled for December. 🙁
Oh no, I can not do an all nighter! I’ve been working in the gardens too. My rose garden almost got the best of me, I was pretty scratched up from weeding. (but it will be worth it when they are in full bloom)!
Awwww, this made me smile.
aaahhh but i bet the wait was worth it (even if they were not amused by the lateness)
smooches from the other side of the world
xxxx
A little voice came to me the other night, beneath the sound of the typewriter, Maybe it was your visitor, maybe not. We talked for a good long while about absolutely nothing. I must say it was divine. She wouldn’t stop telling me stories of her sister Amelie. She even has her own movie(Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain)… I highly recommend it! Oh by the way, the little voices name was Penelope…
Light Be With You.
So cute!!Sweetie.
Hugging you amiga.
Time flies…
Reading your blog is like leaving the every day boring reality and hopping into a colorful fairytale 🙂 I love it!
American Belle- Crimson Kate Callahan- Criminy K. for short. xoxo