Blue Monday

Sometimes you just have to feel it. But quite often, you should do something about it/write something about it. That isn't working here today, the DIY approach; but who needs to write a thing when someone put together 101 Ways to Cheer Yourself Up? (No. 23 is on our list for tonight.)

ciao/xo

PS: It occurs that this post about unblocking is really a good list for cheering up, too.

(photograph by Melanie Rodriguez; her lovely online portfolios)

Sweet Dreams

Officially under-the-weather. Back on Wednesday. If you cannot fall asleep for a nap or at night, you could visit the much-improved Keats-Shelley House (in Rome) website as we are today. Those Romantic poets can make having a fever seem (sort of) welcome. xo/GGCM

Update - still not well. Back on the weekend.

(photograph by the amazing Anka Zhuravleva)

Une Petite Pause

There is no way around this: we have to take a little break. GG will be back in time for St. Patrick's Day. (There will be tweets & pinning, though; you didn't think we could give those up, did you?) Have a great week! Update - Enjoy St. P's & your weekend. We'll not be back for a few more days.

ciao-meow/GG Central

(photograph by kimmika)

Blueberry Blues

Achoo! Aches & pains. Wah!

Well that's out of our system; if only this sudden onset of a terrible summer cold were gone. We just had a market delivery & Giulia does not eat blueberries in great quantities. So we're researching blueberry smoothies. (Did you know that July is blueberry month? Neither did we.) Here are five things to do with one pint of berries.

If you have more recommendations, do send us a tweet @juliethecat.

ciao-sniff-meow/GG's kitchen

(photograph by MonikaElena via Cup of Jo)

GG's Winter Break

Update - Watch Egypt news on Al-Jazeera Live, here.

How unpleasant to be under spam & hack attacks. While we sort this out & try to feel better, too, a mini-break. GG & her editor plan to be back in time for Valentine's Day. (Update - we didn't make it back but hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day. Message from GG's editor, here)

For a dose of a great big talented heart, visit Jeff Bridges's fabulous interactive website. Dudes, you will totally feel better. Guaranteed.

ciao-meow/GG's editor

(photograph by Heather Pauline via Rebecca Shley on Pinterest)

Some Fun Tonight

GG's editor is under-the-weather. We'll try to be back later this week. Meanwhile, you can listen to your Beatles music. Nothing makes us feel better than that. You can read fun facts & play the video of their first concert in America (here in DC!). (photograph via Amy McGarrah on Pinterest)

ciao-yeah-yeah-yeah-meow/the Mgmt.

Damson & Slate - A Breath of Welsh Air

We're awfully floopy here at GG Central. So, here's a recent post from GG's editor's blog. (To avoid the first-person pronoun--oh it's exhausting, truly--the text is here.)

Looking at the Vogue Knitting Holiday 2010 magazine + Dylan Thomas birthday + hand-washing Laura Ashley Welsh knit scarves & lacy cardigan = Damson & Slate website gazing. Just about everyone on US design blogs talks about Toast. (They are terrific, but here is a site that actually toots their Welsh horn.)

ciao-cariad-meow/the Mgmt.

(image via Damson & Slate)

Autumn Approaches - Week's End

It's not here yet, but on the way - next week. We hope to begin posting more about Darfur Peace & Development Organization's latest activities & the basket collective very soon. Have a wonderful weekend. (photograph via bohemea tumblr)

ciao-meow/GG Central

GG's La Rentreé Delay

Dearest Friends,

Upon looking at last year's entry on la rentreé, we realized that this state of affairs is not new. GG's editor is quite busy with an investigation as to why she is under-the-weather & how to come out from under it. Giulia, as we all know, hides her secret opposable thumbs & is of no help. She maintains that she is a publisher-muse, not a suffering writer. What cat suffers willingly? Or does anything uncomfortable?

Therefore, for the next week or so, we will run some popular posts from the archives that have been tweaked somewhat for timeliness, better photographs, & so forth. GG's editor's bricolage blog is up & running but at half-speed. We welcome your input on either blog. (You can make comments on GG on Facebook). There are excellent links on both pages. It's been a rather difficult summer here in Washington, DC & so we beg your indulgence.

ciao-meow/GG's editor

[This lovely photograph by thexmunichxromance reminds us of university days in Strasbourg, France. Via deviantArt]

One More Cup of Coffee

Buona mattina, bambini. Some photographs while waiting for espresso. (Giulia is still asleep.) We hope to be back today; allergies & such have laid us (GG, too) quite low. Mimph.

ciao-meow/GG's barista

[Coffee Break by Emiliano (credit); sleepy cat-your life, it seems extravagant, & Napoli, beauty in everything/tumblr, both via we heart it]

GG Nests - Week's End

The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.-Zora Neale Hurston

As GG's editor tries to catch up, clean up, read, write, & rest, here are some pretty pictures of the future. It seems far away today. (Giulia, being a cat, remains unconcerned & asleep.)

ciao-meow/the Mgmt.

Update: Posting will resume by March 1st. St. David's Day!

[photographs via end of march/tumblr & ashley spirals loves/tumblr ,via we heart it]

GG Wants a Petit Mouton

While we are (still) under the weather, we're still grazing for images. This little lamb is so cute (of course) but the amused facial expression sets it apart from other cute lamb photographs. GG still wants a little lamb following her about...it's not going to happen but she will meet a little lamb later in the spring. There will be photographs.

Several networks will televise the Hope for Haiti Now telethon tomorrow evening. If it takes an MTV dog & pony show to reach some people, so be it. We know well how the interjection of celebrities into disasters can make, frankly, a mess. Don't get us started. But when a recent study asserts that many of your children spend 7+ hours (!!!) a day connected to electronic devices (& we don't mean vacuuming the house), & you seem unwilling or unable to remedy this appalling situation (you know who you are), well then. And anyway, George Clooney (the telethon ringmaster) does walk the walk. You just don't always see him doing so.

Please don't forget Darfur Peace & Development, Made4Aid (they are directing money to Haiti at moment instead of Darfur, updates as they are available), & the various Haiti aid links on GG, bricolage, & other blogs you visit regularly. Many thanks.

ciao-still-cheeky-meow/GGCM

[adorable Yorkshire lamb photograph by Karnaphuli via flickr]

Swan Sunday

UPDATE Tuesday, 17 November 2009. GG Central is under-the-weather again. (What a bore.) Please visit links, especially Made4Aid & Darfur Peace & Development Organization. Ciao-meow...cough...

Have a lovely Sunday. [black, mute, & whooper swans via animalphotos]

Everybody Wants to be a Cat - Week's End

Everybody wants to be a cat,
because a cat's the only cat
who knows where it's at...--The Aristocats

Some Thursday afternoon fun via stlyrics. Update: The video disappeared from stlyrics but we found the person who made the YouTube video (bea142 --thanks!), here.

ciao-meow/GG Central Cinema

Deer Ears

GG's ears aren't this big, but sometimes it seems so. (Fabulous ears-on-a-deer by tnt.dc via animalphotos.) It's Sunday night & we're already behind due to illness. Meanwhile, you might take a look at Darfur Peace & Development (DPDO), Made4Aid, or Enough Project for updates, videos, interesting photographs, & ways you can help (very easily). Thanks so much.

Have a great Sunday evening & Monday (to the Aussies & Kiwis who look in--hello!)

Under the Weather - Week's End

Archive + Update:

GG & her editor are both under the weather. So a little preview of the The House of Mouse on Etsy. This is Grace the Nurse Mouse & we need her services. We feel better just looking at her. The charming Anna of The House of Mouse in Amsterdam creates scads of adorable mice characters (including 'occasion' mice); the mouse of your dreams is but a few (mouse) clicks away. [image used with permission]- (from November 2008)

Update: Anna has an adorable blog & lots o' mice and she's going to have a baby. Congratulations, Anna! We just saw Life, craftiness and everything else. Go give her a visit. We're waiting to hear if she is full-up for holiday orders but you can ask her too. Plus there's a free mouse giveaway every month. More from The House of Mouse, soon.

ciao-sneeze-meow/GG Central

Grace the Nurse Mouse to the rescue

GG & her editor are both under the weather. So a little preview of the The House of Mouse on Etsy. This is Grace the Nurse Mouse & we need her services. We feel better just looking at her. The charming Anna of The House of Mouse in Amsterdam creates scads of adorable mice characters (including 'occasion' mice); the mouse of your dreams is but a few (mouse) clicks away. Visit the THOM, here. [Note: Anna's cut-off date for U.S. holiday orders is Friday, 21 November. If you're in Europe, you have more time. Check the shop profile here for dates.] photograph/image used with permission of Anna Greaves/The House of Mouse

ciao-meow, bisou
GG Central