During a time of deep, profound sadness I want to cry for hours, but I also need to know someone else has felt this way.

I googled ‘songs on loss’ and was thouroughly underwhelmed. My heart will go one and I will always love you came up. Repeatably. I don’t think Dolly Parton herself would argue that there isn’t really a whole lot of emotional traction there. Those are songs written as an excuse to hit high notes, not express something meaningful.

So I compiled my own list. These are the songs that I play in my car when it’s time to openly sob (car crying is like invisible crying).

1. Keep me in your heart by Warren Zevon

Lyrics that will rip your heart out:

Sometimes when you’re doing simple things around the house

Maybe you’ll think of me and smile

You know I’m tied to you like the buttons on your blouse

Keep me in your heart for while

Hold me in your thoughts, take me to your dreams

Touch me as I fall into view

When the winter comes keep the fires lit

And I will be right next to you

I actually heard this song for the first time in Funny People, but I love it. Told from the perspective of the dying person, there’s a peace here. It comes on my iPod and make me cry on the subway (subway crying is not invisible, but it’s a great way to keep the seat next to you empty).

Let me commit to the public record that this is the song I want played at my funeral.

2. Up to the Moutain (MLK song) by Patty Griffin

Lyrics that rip your heart out.

Sometimes I feel like

I’ve never been nothing but tired

And I’ll be walking

Till the day I expire

Sometimes I lay down

No more can I do

But then I go on again

Because you ask me to

It’s a rare song that combines soulful lyrics with strong vocals, but Patty Griffin is an extraordinary woman.

Good – but highly specific – songs on loss

For Good performed by Kristen Chenowyth

I’ve heard that Kristen Chenowyth performed this at fellow West Wing actor John Spencer’s funeral. It’s a great song that gets overshadowed by the barn-burning Defying gravity and the crazy-fun Popular. It’s a song about parting with someone you love, but there are also hints of conflict in that relationship.

Long ride home by Patty Griffin

A sad song about an old man losing his wife. The premise is a bit hard to relate to completely, but it’s a good reminder to really love your people every day.

Bitter end by the Dixie Chicks

Did you know that the best Dixie Chicks songs (Let him fly, Top of the World) are really Patty Griffin songs? Anyway, bitter end is a nice song when you lose a musician friend, and you’re an international recording artist.

And a song to bring you back

Hands by Jewel

I’ll end with the regrouping song, while there is still a feeling of sadness here, it’s a hopeful song.

I’m getting ready for a Kentucky getaway in a few weeks. Every year I head down to the Kentucky Horse Park for the Saluki Specialty. While dog shows don’t always make for a great vacation (especially since I started covering them in a professional capacity), this dog show does. I’ve been making the annual trip with my Mom and the dogs since before… I was born?

The show is laid back, and these days I set up my little store (more on what I’m working on, to come). The food is good and the shopping is almost exclusively Target. Which means I am getting my pre-shop on.

It started as a hunt to see if I should buy those Nine West epadrilles that I’m coveting or buy a pair down there. Turns out that Target has a whole showcase collection with that island feel that I’ve been in love with since Florida. These are my favourites from the Calypso  St. Barth Collection for Target. I found my new epadrilles, and so much more.

$30 and adorable. They will be mine, oh yes.

Dinner wear to match! Target is my go-to for chic and cheap picnic wear. These run $12.99-29.99

This bracelet is $14.99

They called this an 'organizer,' which makes me feel like it's so practical that I need it.

I have (and wear) a lot of scarfs. I do not have an orange/candy cane scarf, which feels like a bucket-list scarf

I feel like I don't have enough necklaces (I'm a bracelet person, really) but I like this. However, does it look like the short of thing that you'd see in QVC's Eat, Pray, Love collection? Oh, it's a thing.

You can see the whole Calypso St. Barths Collection here.

About a month ago I ran away to Florida for five days. Before the trip I was totally burnt out, which was probably obvious by the lack of blog posts. I found myself void of inspiration and zest for life. It happens, I suppose. My parents had rented a house in Hutchinson Island for the month. It was a bad time.

I hopped a plane and ran through the terminal when I saw my Mom waiting. After one walk on the beach my shiny blow-out was reduced to messy curls. My lips tasted like salt, I wriggled my toes in the ocean and felt good again.

Of course, it was never that easy. My time in Florida was wonderful. I walked on the beach every day, ate fresh, wonderful seafood. I ordered Key Lime pie at the end of every meal. I visited with injured sea turtles and shopped at thrift stores.

When I came back things got a little dark again. So I did the simple things that make me happy, I started planning a makeover of my bedroom. A Florida makeover. I’m painting  turquoise paint patches on my walls, shopping for crisp white linen. I put up the sea turtle postcards and bought a sand-piper painting.

Spring is coming, and once again I find myself with energy to burn. Soon it will be warm enough to throw open the windows and paint the room.

For now I am gathering things that remind me of my Florida, and finding new blogs for inspiration

Paint colour: Jamaica Bay by Behr (through Home Depot)

Fabric: Jo-Ann

Tea towel: Target

Duvet cover: Ikea

Plate and shell bowl: Garage sale finds

Shore birds by Catherine Gillespie

Shells: Hutchinson Island Dog Beach

Blogs for inspiration

House of Turquoise

Lime in the Coconut

Flea Market Style