Hello.World.Wide.Web.

Welcome! "Hey...you look a little familiar!" Well, if you're a DIY'er, you may know me from my DIY blog, DIY Show Off, where I share our do-it-yourself home improvement and decorating and encourage others to give it a try and to show off their hard work. And if you don't know me, "why, hello!!! Lovely to make your acquaintance! I'm Roeshel." Sometimes a girl wants to share other interests. ::::record scratch sound effect:::: WHAT?!! I know.  Believe it or not...there is more to my life than just DIY. Well, sometimes. ;) Like what, pray tell?

Here are some areas that don't always fit into the DIY topic over at DIY Show Off...

• FOOD: Mr. DIY {also known as the love of my life, my partner, my hubby, 'my personal chef' or "Mutz"} whips up delicious 'russcipes' and  I'd love to share them with the www. It's a HUGE passion of his {along with homebrewing...don't worry, I only partake of the 'aromas'}. Of course I can cook. I enjoy it too, but he LOOOOOOVES it. It's a hobby that helps him overcome his stressful day. Sure he makes a mess, but munching on a fabulous dinner puts all thoughts of crumbs and spills out-of-sight. Who am I to argue? Being served makes me feel all royal and spoiled and pampered. I'll take a another helping, please. 

        {spinach ricotta stuffed white fish wrapped in bacon topped with rosemary}

• We're also adjusting to an empty nest. It's so hard. It's heartbreaking and proud all at the same time. I struggle. Letting go of my 2 little girls? Where did time go? Why aren't they always making the decisions and choices to lead the life I had planned for them? Being a mom doesn't end at your child's adulthood so...it's hard to make the transition from "Because I said so!" to only being able to offer wise advice, usually unwelcome. {"I've been there...I'll all knowing now...you SHOULD do it this way".} So well, sometimes I need to talk it over. In writing. With either nobody identifying but me having the chance to vent or having advice of another mom who survived the same experience enlighten me with her words of wisdom. Doesn't happen inside my head. "I should have listened to 'my' mom more."

      

• Blogging. Yep. I'm an addict. I've been blogging since 2007. Six years doesn't make a blogger a smarty pants. I'm still learning everyday. Technology changes nearly every day. It's a challenge. But it's an everyday part of my life so why not a 'lifestyle' blog too? I might be crazy {I so saw you nod in agreement}. I do so enjoy it.
• We like to travel. It's usually almost always beach-tropical-Caribbean-Mexican related because that.is.relaxing. to us.  But now with life shifting, we may get a little wild and go off course one of these days. It's our goal to vacation once a year and we stay on track with that most of the time. I like sharing our experience in the hopes that someone can stumble across my personal review...I wish I had more 'experiences' to go on when searching vacation destinations. Tripadvisor is great but I want to see real pictures and hear real personal details. And if no one cares, that's okay...I like the fact that I have a journal and photo album (online) to refer to when I'm stuck Pittsburgh winter, bundled up and still freezing and missing daylight and sunshine. 
• FURBABY: We lost our dear beloved Niski {meaning "short" in Polish}, a dapple doxie, a few years ago. We've since welcomed a big fluffy ragdoll cat {"Lalka" which means "doll" in Polish} into our home and she is super sweet and bad. But mostly sweet. And because there's just not enough chaos in a house without daughters or dogs anymore, we're rescuing an Italian Greyhound. I.can't.wait. to have a little side kick stuck to my side. They're not called velcro dogs for nothin'!  "Velcro" in Polish is pronounced "velcro". 
• Picture Taking.     I'm still learning. I get a lot of practice with my DIY projects but I also want to work on my photography skills in other areas. I'm often drafted to take what I call amateur professional pictures of my nieces and nephews.
• Beauty & Fashion. I am a(n) (im)mature 40-something-ish girl so I'm never going to be a Cover Girl model but I'm always on the search for ways to maintain my youth. What the heck is it with gray hairs?! Get my hair all styled and "zoing"...some crazy pieces sticking up all shiny white and out of place on my brunette crown. Inherited dark circles even if I slept 12 hours (thanks, grandma!). And my #1 favorite place in the whole entire world to shop for clothes is at the thrift stores. But my daughters and I love being {not always trendy} but frugally fashionable. Before my DIY friends call me out, I must admit...my everyday clothes mostly consist of lounge pants and sweatshirts or pajamas but I do enjoy clothes, shoes and accessories as much as the next girl. 
• Entertaining. With a cook on staff (ahem, "Mutz"), that leaves me with lots of time to plan the details of making a family get-together pretty and fun. I don't have to work around nap time (unless it's my own... kidding!) so creating a beautiful tablescape for seasonal parties or summer picnics is my thang. Nothing formal or fancy...just makin' it special. 
• Reading. I'm a bookworm. I mostly read historical fiction or romance and will pick up whatever's popular and best selling. I'm about to embark on the Harry Potter series. I may be the only person in the world who didn't dive right in but back then I was way too busy. Or something. I don't know. It just wasn't my cup of tea and I had no interest. However, with more time on my hands and seeing how much HP is favored {there are crazies!}, I'm afraid I may have missed out on something. Can't have that! 
• Preparing for retirement? Gosh. That would just sounds old and crunchy until it's right around the corner and it's sounding sort of fun but scary. It's not something I've really concerned myself with much in the past but I think 'middle age' (is that what I'm called?) sort of has a way of making the topic and plans, "necessary". 
• Lots of babbling. I'm actually quiet in real life but once I start writing...I can't shut up!
• Of course DIY and decorating...which I'll continue to keep up-to-date over at DIY Show Off.   
  

So that there is just a start of what you'll see here. Oh...and I'm not going to pressure myself with a schedule over here. It's all about being comfortable. Just a place I've been wanting to settle into. Bored? Happy to have you 'hang out' once in a while!