Dear Reader:

Another new word to add to our “how to stay in the groove” contemporary vocabulary!   “She-Shed”!

For years now the term “man cave” has been recognized as the coveted spot in the home where the man of the family can disappear -to watch sports in peace, eat pizza, drink beer with his buddies, and catch up on a few “Z’s” while he’s at it.

Realtors say that when showing a home these days the man is always looking for an extra nook, basement, or attic where he can find his “get-away” retreat from too much family sometimes.

But now it is a new day…and the women have started looking for a retreat too…and many are turning to old sheds, garages, and yes…even renovated tree houses. They prefer their retreats outside.

As cool as it would be to have a tree house “she shed”  behind the garden…it would definitely have to have a ramp (like the one in the title photo) going up to it.

When I did the blog on the tree house (in the back yard) a few months ago…it took me five minutes to catch my breath from climbing up the rather loose, wiggly, ladder steps and propelling myself through the square opening….

Whew…if I had to do that every day to get to my “she shed”…I would quickly “shed” the idea.

There are all types of ideas when it comes to “she-sheds” from aluminum sidings to elaborate separate “cottage” she-sheds. Here are a few ideas:

I, also, thought that I could use my garage as my “she-shed”…there is really one big problem with that idea, however, I would have to clean it out first….Ouch! Ugh!

I can’t believe Tim hauled a packed trailer full of “stuff” last year from the garage and it is still full of junk…I swear “stuff” reproduces like jack rabbits in there.

There are some other problems too…like no electricity is hooked up (to save money since the upstairs is just full of the children’s left-over “stuff” too.) And the outdoor staircase is mighty shaky!

Owning a home is a continuous job isn’t it…something is always “gasping” its last breath….from appliances, to air conditioning/heater units to roofs…Old homes remind me of hungry monsters…just waiting to gobble up more of our savings.

So as much as I would like to dream of another little abode…outside the home…my garden really provides that for me…and it doesn’t demand anything monetary…just some weed pulling and flower plantings…the skies don’t need fixing (like a roof) and there are no walls (to paint)…just beautiful colorful, floral blooms.

A special segment was done on the CBS Sunday Morning Show about “she-sheds” and it was very funny. Faith Salie had me laughing out loud at her “she-shed” in Manhatten. Do take a couple of minutes to watch and laugh at her commentary! It will make your day brighter!

Faith Salie: A shed of one’s own  (it will take a minute to come on…you can also read the commentary beneath the screen)

So until tomorrow….it is important to have a special spot to go and reflect on life and our role in it…to thank God for His many blessings…but I think a park bench in the woods or a chair on a deck or perhaps a bench by a fountain might be a lot cheaper and just as unwinding. (Because you aren’t worried about having to pay for the “she-shed”….or opt to live in a parallel world.)

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

• Look who Mike Burrell “hob-knobbed” with yesterday at The Greenbrier Golf Course.  You go Mike….and by the way, Lee Trevino is holding his own…two good-looking men! Honey said they did “Bunker Duty” together.