Friday Night Party

So on Friday night, I finally did something exciting, earth shaking, I went grocery shopping.

The kid was attending a financial seminar on investing and while he was excited about that, I thought it sounded a lot like having a root canal with no anesthesia so I planned to not attend.

Now on most Friday nights, I have the fireplace blazing, the candles burning, a lovely deli spread dinner, a cold diet mug root beer and a movie on my lap top. I have all my hair piled on my head, make up removed, and my most favorite t-shirt on. It is just wonderful. I look forward all week to Friday nights.

We headed out to the event and I wondered around the book store for awhile. It was strange, it is a very different crowd at night. Though I don't know how cool of a crowd you actually are if you are carousing a bookstore on Friday night, but I pushed that thought aside and thought I was pretty cutting edge. Then I headed over to the grocery store.

Sweet time to shop. No crowds. None of those ridiculous children carts that are the size of a small semi and take up most of the aisle. No long lines at the deli with people purchasing 2 slices of a meat product. It was quiet and almost was fun. Then I went to the milk aisle. Now in our grocery store, the milk aisle is right next to the wine/beer/wine-cooler aisle. Wow! that was a happening aisle, no, not the milk aisle but the wine aisle.

It was packed with people. Since the grocery store is right next to the University of Washington, I am assuming they were college kids. They were loading up and from the looks of it, some pretty fine parties were happening later in the evening.

The guys were buying beer, all sorts, all kinds but all had one thing in common, they were the big packs. The girls on the other hand, were very entertaining. They were stuck in the wine cooler aisle.

Now when I was young, many many moons ago, drinks were rum and coke. Coke to mask the taste of rum. We didn't get the option of wine coolers. I stood and listened to these girls debate the merits of cranberry vs. pomegranate coolers, lime vs. lemon coolers, kiwi-strawberry vs. banana-mango. On and on it went, the boys were practically comatose but still the debate raged on. Each girl was adamant on her selection and what it would bring to the table.

I stood there with my non-fat milk and watched this funny ritual. Finally the boys had had enough and started up towards the checkout. The girls stood and watched them go, flipped their hair, and each grabbed their wine cooler of choice. They took off after the boys.

I finished shopping and loaded my car. Watched kids go in and out of the store, boys with beer and girls with a lovely array of wine coolers. I picked up the kid, who was on his own kind of high from the investing dude and we headed home.

Blazing fireplace, candles burning, my favorite t-shirt and a lovely episode of my latest TV show on my laptop, is how I finished my Friday night. No beer, no wine-coolers, no parties.

Turns out I was fine with my Friday night plans. I enjoy watching the younger crowd, I just thank god, I don't have to be them.

Emma Bridgewater

Today for our collectible, we are going to do Emma Bridgewater pottery.

This is what I am currently collecting. I mostly have the Black Toast & Marmalade line. She also does Polka Dot, Kitchen Garden, Speckled Hen, and Dinosaur & Circus. I also have some of the Chatty Penguins but I am not sure what line that is from.

Three of my pieces, the Chatty Penguins and the Peace/Love & Cocoa are older pieces and I bought those used. All of my other pieces are new and still sold in stores.

The moo creamer I received for Valentine's Day and it is one of my favorites.

These are hand made pieces from the United Kingdom and are absolutely beautiful. They are a little pricey but because of their unusualness, I think they are worth it. I received mine for Christmas gifts and it was the best gift.

I have been watching the secondary market (or Ebay) for other pieces. I would like to find the cups that match the cocoa pot. It is slightly funny though, I own 4 or 5 chocolate pots and never once have used them for cocoa. I just make cocoa in the microwave and use the little chocolate pots to hold a cup of extra coffee. See very versatile.

All of the pieces have sayings on them. Like:

The very smallest cup - smallest presents are the very best.
Moo
Happiness is a cup of coffee & a really good book and a piece of cake.
2 pints - a quart - that's 1/4 of a gallon - is that enough?
A very useful mug
Peace Love & Cocoa
Hurry up
Keep going. Are we nearly there? wait for me! form an orderly queue watch out Gosh, it's cold

I use the Happiness is a cup of coffee every day, sometimes multiple times! It is the perfect size and I love books, coffee, and cake, so I am cheerful every day. At least for 5 minutes.
I haven't lit the little candle yet but maybe this weekend.

This is a great collectible. It isn't something that just sits and looks good, you can actually use them.

So hopefully you have a store near you that sells Emma Bridgewater or you can find her on the Internet. When I start to downsize some of my other collectibles, I hope to purchase quite a few pieces of this pottery.

Shaken not Stirred.

Being single brings up all sorts of new things that I must learn. I have now decided I need to know how to make a Martini.

I drink red wine. Cold red wine. I have no idea how to make any sort of cocktail. I drink drinks I learn from TV. How sad is that? I like the ones that sound fancy, which is why for a while I drank Lemon Drops. That was fancy and tasty. But sticky.

So now I drink Absolute Martini's, thanks to the L Word. I have only had two but I really liked the olives. I'm pretty sure I should like the whole drink but the olives were the only tasty part.

Yesterday I decided it was time to make a effort to learn how to make a cocktail. I bought the glasses, the shaker, the cocktail book, and the lovely sticks that hold the tasty olives.

The liquor store was a little daunting. My ex had a drinking problem so we couldn't keep hard alcohol in the home, so I hadn't been in a liquor store in years. It was very shiny and I had no idea what I was doing. Luckily the salesman was happy to help. I left with all the supplies, I needed.

Now it is all set up on a lovely cocktail tray in the dining room. Last night I broke out the cocktail book and it looks hard. Very, very hard. I'm thinking now that I have invested quite a few dollars for a drink I don't really like all that much, that maybe I should have just bought a jar of olives, stuck them on a stick, and called it a day.

I finished the evening with a lovely glass of chilled red wine. Tonight could be the night I learn to make a Martini or that I just really like to decorate things on cocktail trays.

Wax on, Wax off

Whoo-Hoo! Today is the day of pain, also known as Wednesday.

So today was the second time for my eyebrow waxing and I have to say it went better than I expected. Both eyes did not squint and neither of them tried to vacate my face. So I consider that a success.

For the bikini waxing I had no frame of reference and the friends I had talked to all had different feelings about it. It is a lot like mammograms. The first time you go you are shocked that they can actually be squished that far down and still return to shape. It is like you have had way too much to drink and are having a grope fest with a machine and the lovely assistant. She pushes and pushes your breast on the glass plate, pushes the top down and announces you are not to breathe. No problem, I will just stand on my tippy toes and wear this giant ton of machinery on my breast. Absolutely fabulous.

Now at the ripe age of 45, I am a pro at the mammograms but some of my friends quake in fear and will cancel the appointment repeatedly. Bikini waxing is like that. Some friends said it was horrible pain, just like labor I was told. Some friends could dip their entire body in hot wax and rip off the tape without a flinch. I found it easier than my eyebrows. Of course, I did hiss and one time I almost ripped the technician's arm off of her body. Still I was able to finish, so I'm going with what a successful woman I am!

But for the second time in two days, while I was explaining my relationship status, I was told the same thing. "But you are gorgeous!" Very nice thing to be told. Both times I have said thank you and continued with the conversation. Today though I paused after she said it, because it seemed that if I was unattractive this would be an OK scenario. That unattractive people somehow deserve what happens to them and attractive people do not. Who picks who is attractive and who is not? Society? The media? It doesn't ring true to me. This didn't happen to me because I was pretty or not pretty enough as the case may be. This happened to me because someone was unfulfilled in their own life and the grass looked greener outside this marriage.

My outside appearance has nothing to do with the person I am. Sure I want to look good and I work hard at it. I think everyone works hard at it. But I like the person I am inside more than I did before and that is what counts in my book.

So the day of pain ends on a high note. I am hairless. I am learning how to make a martini. I have a new Robert B. Parker book. Success!

What a Jolly Day this is - NOT!

Have you ever had one of those days where if it can go wrong, it will? Oh, not normal wrong but huge catastrophic wrong. That is my day. I could handle one wrong thing but nope the universe in all of its wisdom has decided to dump the mother load on me. And because I woke up happy and gleeful, it decided today looked like a fine day to test me.

I was very proud of myself this week. I grocery shopped on Saturday. Now for most normal people that is hardly earth shattering but for me I DESPISE GROCERY SHOPPING. Always have. The planning of meals is lost on me. I can hardly plan for the day I am currently residing in, factor in what I might want for dinner on Thursday and I have a melt down. Maybe Thursday will be a wonderful day and what I have planned will sound good. Maybe the food I purchased for the dinner will not have been halfway consumed by the herd of locust that is also known as my kid. He won't take it all of course, I will be left with an onion and 2 end crusts of a loaf of bread. What the hell do I do with that?

This week $167.00 of meals resided in my frig. I was kicking some serious butt in the meal planning department. Last night the frig broke and all the food has now been heated up to a lovely 55 degrees. Fantastic. We now own 12 cans of warm diet mug root beer and a jar of mustard. Dinner is looking like it will be quite the gourmet feast.

The pool has decided to drain the water. The car when you turn it on just keeps turning over and over. The printer prints ever other page and then spits out twelve empty pieces of paper, as if that is helpful at all. What a jolly day this is.

All of this is mine to handle. I will handle it, me and twelve cups of coffee but I am not happy about it.

So I am off to make more phone calls, explain problems, and hopefully my two hour window for repairmen will actually happen.

But just to round out the horrible day, all I have left are the cookies that look like they have flies in them. *Sigh*

Must Love Dogs

So my baby leaves for college in September. For the first time EVER, I will be by myself. I am both sad and happy all in one. It is a lot like being one of those chocolate/vanilla mixed cones. Today I am more sad, tomorrow more happy. By September, who knows.

Since I can't figure out if I am more happy or more sad, I decided to be more tired. I have signed up to buy a puppy in August.

All of our pets have been a family decision. By that I mean, I decided and then I pleaded and pleaded some more. Fights broke out. Finally I would give up.

The lovely Herbie was bought in San Francisco during a job interview that the ex had. I went along for a mini vacation and found a puppy I couldn't live without. The ex wanted to take a job that would require him to be out of town for half the week, so he bought the dog with a lot less argument than I was use to. A bribe.

So he became a family dog. I got up in the middle of the night for potty runs. I cleaned up the messes. I took him for his shots. Yep, a family dog.

But now my family is changing and I need to build my own family. I'm starting with a Bernese Mountain Dog. A female puppy. She will be named Anastasia Beaverhausen or Karen for short.

Now you might be saying "My god, what a mouthful! and you would be right. It is from Will & Grace. Whenever someone would meet Karen in a bar, she would explain that it was not Karen but was Anastasia Beaverhausen. I thought it was hilarious and always thought I would name a dog that. Now I can.

So September will seem not quite so lonely. This new puppy will be part of a new stage of life. It will shake us all up. And when we rearrange ourselves, we will be a whole new family. Me, the kid, Herbie, and Anstasia Beaverhausen. That has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?

A Delightful Author - Joan Walsh Anglund

Today for Book 'em Sunday we are doing Joan Walsh Anglund.
Her first book, A Friend is Someone Who Likes You, was published in 1958 and she has been going strong ever since.

The books feature round faced characters that are just delightful. The drawings are so well done and the attention to details is amazing. The little captions are sweet and kind.

You can also find prints and original art. With over 90 books to her name, you have a lot to choose from.

I own three of her books. Two are first editions and one is newer (1998). I prefer the older editions and these seem to be harder to find. But you can still purchase quite a few of her titles new.

She is next in line for collecting all of the titles. I need to finish Betty MacDonald and then I am on my way. I have these sitting right by my computer and whenever I need a little pick me up, I grab one and instantly feel better.

I hope you will go out and buy one of these cute little books. I guarantee you will feel wonderful with your purchase.

Exercising is hard!

On Monday I start my exercise routine again. Yuck. Some people enjoy exercise. I do not. It is an means to a ends and so I plod through it.

I had a heart murmur which went undiagnosed for quite some time. During this time my ex went down a path of inappropriate behavior. So while I was having test after test run, he was having an affair. I went through this alone. Alone and scared. Basically it boiled down to the fact that my home situation was causing unbelievable stress to my heart. I could change or I could die. That simple.

So I kicked the ex out of the house and have spent the last few months rebuilding myself. Like the Bionic Woman. Better. Stronger. Healthier. Happier.

An hour a day you will find me in the garage on the treadmill. My I-pod blaring out songs. The bottle of water tempting me. And a giant full length mirror to remind me of why I am doing this.

At first I could hardly last twenty minutes. I thought I was going to simply die. I had to keep stopping and monitoring my blood pressure. Then I built it up to thirty minutes. Now it is almost five miles and 1 hour. I still think I am simply going to die, I just now know I'm not.

With the exercise routine comes the eating healthier, which I am bad at. So I eat the same thing every day. No exceptions. It works for me to not have choices. I cook two different meals, one for the kid and one for me. His looks great. Mine does not. But means to an end, so I continue on.

I love the way being thinner makes me feel. After the last six months I look great. I have a ways to go. My cardiologist has one goal for me and I have a different goal. His goal is to have me weigh what I did in TENTH GRADE. Mine is to be something I actually have the ability to achieve and more importantly maintain!

Knowing myself, I don't want to continue this much exercise every day. I hate it. In a previous life I was a sloth. While I don't want to go back to the person or the shape I was, I don't want to have a life ruled by exercise.

For the last two months, I got a reprieve. My blood pressure is lowering itself. The heart murmur has quieted down. 75 lbs have been removed from my frame. My BMI index went from obese to normal. I have gone from a size 22 to a size 12. I won't lie, it feels wonderful. It was hard work. It was no fun. But it has been worth it in every way possible.

Deciding to save my life forced me to wake up and see what was around me. My home life, my marriage, all were working to show me that what I had become, was not what I wanted. I listened. I changed. I am happy but more importantly, I am finally healthy. Both in body and soul. Just how it is suppose to be.

Collectible Friday - Animal Nodders

Today's collectible are animal nodders. These aren't that unusual. I can remember seeing these bobbing in the back seat windows of cars when I was little. Finding animals other than dogs, are a little unusual.

I have sixteen that reside at this house. Two more live at the beach house. I haven't bought any for quite some time because I haven't found a animal I don't have.

Most of my nodders are dogs. With the exception of the Taco Bell Dog, which was new, all of my are old. The way you can tell is the head will have a large metal neck. The neck will have a small metal hook that will attach to the body and this will create the ability to nod.

If they are newer, the neck part will be plastic. Also, the older ones will have seams from the molds and the bodies will be covered in flocking. They are heavier than the new ones and once you get them nodding, they will go for quite some time. If you continue to watch them nod, you will start to feel nauseated. Just a side note that I wish I had known in the beginning.

I like the more unusual ones, like the lion or my favorite, the elephant. The elephant was a Christmas gift years ago and I have never seen another one.

The plastic cat is by far the ugliest one I own. Those rhinestone eyes are just frightening and I have no idea who would have purchased that one new. Again, it was a gift and I am not sure if the person giving it to me, actually liked me or hated me.

I have a few animals that are pin cushions with nodding heads and a few people that bob as well. But the animals are the best of the bunch.

Some are banks but most just sit and look serene until you get them bobbing away then they just look funny.

It is a fun collectible and you should give them a try. They don't need to eat or be walked and they will always agree with whatever you say.

Shopping and Wine

Another delightful day in Portland. Though we did have a minor morning meltdown when we felt rain. Now you might be thinking if we live in the lovely city of Seattle we would be use to rain, and that would be true, unless you are an eighteen year old boy dressed in all of his finest attire. In which case you have a very cranky mother and a horribly loud son having a lovely family moment on the street corner.

I bought an umbrella and we started on our way.

I have lost a boatload of weight. I was large and now I am less large. Or as I say, I lost a third grader. I have lost over 75 pounds and while it was hard, I love the shopping for new clothes. New expensive clothes. New expensive clothes that make me look hot. The Diesel store in the Pearl District of Portland helps me achieve this. I appreciate them. The kid can wear anything and look like a million bucks. I have to search harder and the Diesel store makes this search very easy. Plus, I now wear a size 32 and will be celebrating later with the free wine cocktail hour in our hotel.

Wine and judging the other hotel guests just say party in my book. I am shallow in some ways.

After clothes comes coffee and then Books. The wonderful Powell's Book store did not disappoint me. I only made it through one floor but still left with two bags of books. Tonight will be a delicious night for me.

We ended the day with a mid afternoon viewing of the movie "He's just not that into you." Very cute movie and I enjoyed it a lot. It was the perfect movie for a raining day on vacation.

A Mini Vacation and Wine

Well we are off for mid-winter (ha! it had better not be) break and decided to head down to Portland for a few days.

The weather is remarkably like Seattle, in fact if it wasn't for the no sales tax, this could easily be Seattle.

Portland is more bohemian than Seattle, which makes it one of my favorite cities. It has quite a few galleries and boutique stores in addition to the big department stores. Unlike Seattle, it hasn't tried to destroy all of its downtown history. So stores that look like they just stepped out of the 1950's coexist next to modern new buildings. The little bubbling drinking fountains that are on every street, still bubble with water.

It is a very easy city to walk and mass transit is everywhere. If you do need your car, you can head over to my most favorite place in Portland, the Hawthorne District. A lovely neighborhood of cute shops, little bakeries, bookstores, and wonderful old houses.

Plus, Portland has the reason best reason to come here. Sometimes the only reason I need. Powell's Book Store is here. It is a huge bookstore that is loaded up with everything you will ever need or want to read. I bring an empty piece of luggage just to haul books home with me.

We are staying at Hotel Monaco which is super cute and dog friendly. Though we left the dog at the doggie spa to have some work done. It was time for his 50,000 mile check up. They upgraded our rooms to lovely suite rooms for free and they have a free wine tasting from 5-6 pm in their extremely darling lounge. Sweet!

After driving here with the kid I need a glass of wine. Actually he was wonderful but the retarded navigation system in my car was a giant PAIN IN THE ASS. Maybe it is because my car is British and they have no idea where Oregon is, but for some reason we ended up touring the industrial section of Portland as well as two separate gravel yards. I know, that does sound fun but trust me when I say, it was NOT.

After it tried to drive us into a lake to find our hotel, I took matters into my own hands and actually drove us here. I was amazed myself. But I was on such a high after my fantastic weekend, where I backed in at an angle. It was truly a sight to see. A beautiful sight to see. And it was almost between the white lines. A success.

So I am heading off for a taste of wine. Tomorrow, it is a shopping day. Something for you to look forward to.

Book 'em Sunday - Still Life

Today for our Sunday book, we are doing Still Life by Louise Penny.

I read a lot of mysteries. They are my genre of choice and I go through about 5 a week. Therefore I need to find new authors. I have been reading quite a few from Japan and Sweden. Which are fun because they have been translated and some of the sentences are quite funny when translated into English.

Canada authors are wonderful as well and Louise Penny is absolutely fabulous!

Still Life is her first novel and Wow! how proud she must be. The setting is in a rural village called Three Pines, just south of Montreal. There has been a suspicious death and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called in to investigate.

The writing is so engaging, you are drawn in right away. I actually felt that I wanted to move right away to this little village, even with murder happening there!

The characters are true to life, with flaws and faults. The plot is tightly woven and the descriptions are brought to life right before your very eyes.

There are three more (so far) in the series. A Fatal Grace, The Cruelest Month, and the newest, A Rule Against Murder. All of them are just wonderful.

I find that I read them in just one sitting. I have tried to budget my pages, but alas, it is not to be. I am engrossed in the writing and am finished before I know it. Always, slightly mad at myself that I just didn't slow down.

Hopefully, you will pick up one, or all, and enjoy them for yourself.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love holidays. Any reason to have a small party, I am so there. Valentine's Day is no exception. Heck, even Groundhog Day is a party in our home.

These are some of the items I made this year.

We eat these little butter cookies during the Christmas Season. I love them! Though the little round ones with raisins in them are not my favorite. For some reason, they remind my of cookies with flies in them. Now you might be saying "Wow! how many cookies have you eaten in your life that have had flies in them?" and I would answer "none." Therefore I have no idea why that thought comes to mind, I just know it does. Of course, I still eat them.

Anyway, I keep the tins for craft projects. I keep everything for a craft project. So I primed it (yep, with my very legal primer) and painted it. Then I just used a variety of scrap papers I had and decoupaged the tin. Filled it up with little gifts and gave it to the kid for his valentine gift.

The XOXO's were bought at Michael's for about $3.00 for all of them. I just used more scraps and decoupage, and they were done in a jiffy.

The little love banner was just cut out with the remaining paper and I tacked it up by the fireplace.

All super easy and took only about a day to create.

Today we have enjoyed some heart shaped cinnamon rolls. I have received flowers, a lovely heart shaped fluffy pillow and a beautiful cow creamer made by Emma Bridgewater, my newest collectible.

So hopefully you are enjoying the day of love as well!

For the love of Books.

For collectible Friday, I am doing the collection I LOVE the most. BOOKS!
I have always been a reader, well, maybe not in the womb but pretty close. In high school I worked in the school library (I know, nerd alert but oh how I loved it) and always read the most books of any kid in the school. I worked every summer and after school so my love of reading could be fulfilled.

After high school, I worked in a used book store. With the exception of my kid and the dog, there is nothing I love as much as books.

When we remodeled this home about 11 years ago, we turned the downstairs into a library. It seemed so big at the time. I thought for sure it would last forever before we could fill it up. It made it about a year.
The pictures show just some of the shelves that are located in the library. Underneath each set of open shelves are a set of closed door shelves. The library holds about 3,000 books.
I mostly read mysteries and those are the ones that get to reside on most of the open shelves. I have a section for decorating books and another for non-fiction favorites, like Gerald Durrell, Gladys Taber and Betty MacDonald.
In the closed shelves, are poetry, business, non-fiction, sports, reference, vice, true crime.

I now collect antique books and these are located upstairs in vintage bookcases.

My master bedroom has all the books I am currently going to read, am reading, or just thinking about reading.

Now that the X no longer resides here, I have packed his clothes in paper bags and I get to use his closet for even more books. It was a wonderful trade.

I have a huge love of books and probably always will. They are a hard collectible though. The space issue is huge. I never have enough room and am always on the look-out for new ways to provide shelving.

Now that I have branched out into antique books, sun and moisture have become issues that need to be dealt with. I am currently working on Louisa May Alcott and my favorite of all time, Walt Whitman. They share a bookcase and I hope to have it filled by the years end.

But even with the problems, they are a delight. Bookstores are amazing places and used bookstores are the best ever!

So hopefully, you will start your own collection.

Paint this!

Lets talk about the absurd.

Wednesday, being my day of pain and all, also seems to include the moronic as well. I have just gotten use to the fact that "hump day" blows.

Today I needed to swing by the giant hardware store and pick up some primer for a few projects I need to finish. With the amount of primer I buy, I am an expert on the stuff. Ran in, picked up four cans and headed to the cash register.

Now I don't know about your neck of the woods but here, you can have 27 people in line and only 1 cash register will be open. The guy ahead of me will be buying 132 different screws, all of which he neglected to mark the price on the little bag, and the poor minimum wage employee will now have to measure each and every one of them. It will take a grand total of 48 minutes and the total charge will be $4.12 and he will need to pay with a hundred. My pregnancy didn't take this long.

By the time I get up there, I'm not feeling the love for giant hardware store. Plop my four cans of primer and the cash to pay. The helpful hardware employee rings up the first can. I am daydreaming about getting out of this store before nightfall, when I realize she is speaking to me.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I inquire nicely

"I need your birthday" hardware employee states

Now, I'm a little puzzled. I've been carded before but last I looked I was still in the hardware store. I look at the primer to see if it is possible I substituted wine or another liquor product to help my day of pain.

"Why?" I inquire, still nicely. I'm just that way

"This is a controlled product and you cannot purchase it without a birthdate." hardware employee informs me.

"What is the cut off date for primer?" I inquire

"I can't tell you that. What is your birthday?" hardware employee is getting a little huffy with me.

I pause for a moment and try to think how old you would have to be to buy primer. What if I don't make the cut off? Am I then banned from all giant hardware stores and all primer? Or just this store and this brand of primer?

I fork over the information about my date of birth. In which case, no microphone needed, she bellows it right back at me. The entire line of people now are judging my age. All I can think, is thank goodness, I have make up on and I did my hair. Most days that is not a forgone conclusion.

Then at the top of her voice she announces that "Am I sure that is my age? because I don't look 45!"

Now all the people who were daydreaming about ever leaving this store in their LIFE TIME, don't have to do the math to find my age. It was just given to them and the store next door, and half of the parking lot. Thank you very much.

By now, I'm hardly friendly when I state "That yes I am sure."

Finally my primer is bagged and I can escape.

As I leave I ask "What is the cut off age?"

"Oh, it is way younger than 45" I am informed.

Good to know.

I hate, HATE Web MD!

Web MD can suck it.

My son absolutely loves Web MD, I absolutely hate Web MD.

I see the commercials every now and then, with the smiling people talking about their symptoms and how helpful this site has been. So humorous, talking about carpal tunnel syndrome and pregnancy. So maybe the site is helpful, IF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE!

Yet, at our house, the first sign that anyone is sick, that kid of mine whips out his phone and brings up the little person. Then proceeds to point out the symptoms, that generally could really be anything. A cold, a runny nose, just plain shut-up already winter blues, not enough sleep because the homework load is killing me this year illness, or the one that I know I have on a daily basis, eighteen year olds are a boatload of work.

Is that what I end up having? NO, IT IS NOT! I have some sort of cancer.

Not just any cancer, mind you, fatal cancer, get your butt to the doctor right this very minute cancer.

Or last week I had a runny nose. I'm thinking, cold. Stupid, stupid me! The kid runs right down and exclaims "I have nose polyps." Good Lord, what the hell are NOSE POLYPS. He shows me the results of his on line exam of my symptoms and I need to get my ass to the doctor RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE. I guess nose polyps are that exciting.

I do not go, much to the disgust of my kid, who now is planning my funeral in his head and how he will explain to all the gatherers that he told me to go to the doctor for my nose polyps and I JUST DID NOT LISTEN AND NOW I AM DEAD!

The kid uses this application for everything and it very well may be the death of me. A simple leg cramp is a blood clot that is traveling at the speed of light to his brain. Biting his lip is cancer of the soft tissue and am I happy now that his lips will fall off. A stomach ache is a perforated spleen and he may very well need me to rush him to emergency surgery.

This kid of mine is a hypochondriac and Web MD is not making it very easy on me. Too much information in the hands of eighteen year olds is dangerous. Very, very dangerous! Also, annoying.

Now I am going to go and lay down for I have a headache. Good to know, that my kid thinks I have brain cancer and is planning the division of my estate. Thank You, Web MD! You so rock!

Junk Market

Because I was a lazy ass yesterday, today we are doing Sunday Book Day. These are two of my favorite decorating books. I love vintage! I love junk! and I love salvage, and these books have all of that and more.

Now there is even a Junk magazine/DVD set and a new Junk book is on its way. Hurray!

I have devoured mine so many times that they now stay open to my favorite projects. Sue and Ki give you all sorts of ideas for what you can do with the junk you find. Or in my case, the junk I already own. All different styles are shown, so if you enjoy the cottage look, or the traditional look, or the industrial look, these books have it all.

These are an enjoyable read even if you are not looking for any additional projects. They give you some projects throughout the book that you can make or just get some inspiration for the future.

Now, I am off to make a cup of coffee and read these again. Because I so need another project!

Fireplace Screen Project

I am a vintage gal. Both in age and decorating style. Throw in architectural salvage and I am super happy. I love to remake something old into something new again.

Here in Seattle we have some nice salvage building supply stores. I own all sorts of antique salvage. Our beach house kitchen was remade with salvage supplies. We have an old physics cabinet from a school that was remodeled. Our open shelving is wood that is for stair treads and the bead board that we used for the walls, is actually flooring turned around. We have gotten a lot of compliments and one or two job offers for us to redo their kitchens.

So I am always on the look out for cheap (or even better free) building materials. During the summer I bought a bunch of old shutters. It was $15.00 for the lot of them, which was about 8 or 9 shutters. The first group was used for a mini gate to keep the dog from heading down from the top deck to the bottom deck where the pool is. While he loves the water, he can't swim worth a lick, and would drown. And moron that he is, never remembers this simple fact. Hence, we have had to save him a number of times. Not anymore, since the lovely shutter gate.

The extra ones just hung out in the garage until this week when I decided I needed a new fireplace screen. The old one, while fine for the intended purpose, was unattractive and not a cute vintage one. So I hauled them out and remade four of the remaining 5 into a screen.

While this was a time consuming project, it was simple to do. First I removed all the hardware then I sanded and painted the shutters white, since they were a horrible brown color. I measured a slat and made a template for the size of paper I would need to cover each slat. I went to Michael's and bought a floral paper and a music note paper. This was on sale, at .29 per sheet. It is best to use a pattern paper that is an all over pattern as opposed to a stripe or something that you will have to make sure is lined up.

Then watching Tivo, I cut the paper out. It was a good use of Tivo and I didn't have to feel guilty about the television watching time, since I was accomplishing something. Win, win!

I used decoupage medium but you can use a watered down white glue. Then I just glued away. I did both sides of the slats, because I am anal that way but you can only do the one side that you will see. I also lined up what little pattern I had, again the word anal would be used here, and you certainly do not have to do this. You will need to keep opening and closing the shutters to make sure you do not glue them closed. Even if you do (and I can speak from experience in this area) you just wiggle them and they will open.

I spray painted the hardware chrome because I cannot stand brass but you can either buy new hardware or just use the old hardware. Then I assembled it back as a shutter set and placed it in front of the fireplace. Which by the way, is horribly unattractive. But as I don't plan to reside in this house much longer, see no reason to replace it.

When the fire is going, I can either open the shutters so I can view the fire or just remove it to the side.

With the exception of a can of spray primer and the paper, everything used in this project I already owned.

So there you have a winter time project.

Need a Napkin?

Our unusual collectible today is:

Napkin Dolls

I know, in the old days they thought of everything. No roll of paper towels for these folks, nope a beautiful women whose skirt is made of napkins was the only thing that would do.

I own quite a few. They used to be fairly inexpensive and so I just picked them up when I found them. It wasn't just ladies, I have an umbrella one, a rooster one. They were ceramic or wood. But they all shared the same love of napkins.

The green lady holds napkins and is also a bell. I have no idea how that would work but obviously was a necessity at one time. Seriously, when you ring it, if you are not the one holding it, you will not hear it. Plus, she seems extremely peeved about something.

The pink set, is my favorite. First off, they are all decorated by the most garish rhinestones to be found. The two little girls, are salt and pepper shakers. But in a quest to be multi-functioning, the big lady actually holds napkins, the salt and pepper shakers, her head holds a candle, and her flat plate holds toothpicks for lovely appetizers. In the photo, the plate looks chipped but it is just camera glare. Ansel Adams I am not.
Amazing! Every night I rip off a paper towel and hope the kid actually uses it. I can't even imagine setting up one of these displays. You need to fold the napkin just so in order for it to slide into its slot. On the wood ones, you need to pull back this little rubber band. And in 9 cases out of 10, you accidentally release little rubber band before napkin is in place and it snaps the crap out of your finger. Jolly good time. It holds 15 napkins, which means 5 fingers are going to be in extra pain. So not worth it.

You can still find these around. The ones with the salt and pepper shakers are a little more difficult to find intact, as the shakers break pretty easily. They come in many colors and shapes, but I've yet to see a man napkin ring holder. I guess it wasn't in their job description.

They are pretty and a reminder of a different time. So I suggest you run, not walk, but run and find yourself a little napkin helper.

Be Kind

To Thine Own Self
Be Kind

I saw these words yesterday and they really hit home for me. In my day to day life, I tend to be harsher with myself than with anyone else.

Like most women, I want it all. To be a good mom, to be in shape, to be kind and thoughtful, to be intelligent, to remain on top of stuff, to be a good person. Every day I fall a little short in one area or another.

Last week was a very bad week for me. I have no idea why. Things seemed impossible. I couldn't find peace no matter how hard I searched. I had to have a bunch of tests run and waiting for the results were nerve-wracking, to say the least. My son was having some medical problems as well and I felt that it was too much. I couldn't handle it, at all.

In the last few months, I have had to reach out to all sorts of people. I needed support and help. I was met with kind, compassionate people. People I could call whenever I needed a helping hand. My sister alone has spent more hours on the phone with me than any sister should have too. My friends have delayed their own family life to help with mine.

I didn't feel that I should ask again. So I tried to handle it on my own. I failed. But now I recognize the times I need more support. So I reached out again, and again I was met with kindness and warmth and help. Someone walked with me through a very hard week and everything turned out well.

But I judged myself critically and harshly. I refused to let myself off of the hook for being unable to handle the situations. My mind went over and over my failures, and there were many. I just kept listing them, again and again.

The thing with big life altering changes, is the fact that you have to continue to change. Day after day after day. The changes get easier because you build confidence in your own abilities to handle what is thrown at you. But some days you have to do the change all over again. The same one you already did and you are tired of that change. Tired that every day is yet another thing you need to do.

It was easier this time. Easier to recognize I needed help. Easier to recognize that I am doing a great job. Easier to recognize that I have a lot to handle. Easier to recognize that the last three months have proven I am a strong and capable woman. Easier to recognize the good in myself.

So, while I will let the world judge me, I will not. I will treat myself with kindness, compassion, and love.

And I hope you will judge yourself the same way.

Lovin' that Latte

Starbucks is my coffee house of choice. I love coffee! Could happily drink it all day, I don't because it hard to get anything done if you can't peel yourself from the ceiling. But I love it.

I visit Starbucks once a day. Every day. On my day of pain (Wednesday) twice a day. It is a reward for facing the day of pain. I only face it, I don't make the best of it. And I let everyone around me know it is a day of pain and it is only with the crutch of two lattes, that I do as much as I do on this day. I am humble that way.

One Venti Non-fat Double Cup latte. Every day. It even looks beautiful in type.

For a while, I made them at home in an effort to conserve money. After plunking down a boatload of cash for a lovely espresso maker, which I justified by remembering how much I would be saving. Down the road, of course, since I was already in the hole with the purchase of the machine. Add in coffee. Add in the little metal pitcher to steam the milk. Add in the lovely cup that said "Latte" on the side. This was some serious hole.

The best laid plans and all that. It took friggin' forever to learn how to work the machine. Plus, the machine got hot, very hot, Africa hot, and I spent a lot of time getting bandaged for burns. Steam burns, hot milk burns, hot water burns, I invested in cartoon band-aids to brighten up my hands. I had the whole line up of Cartoon Network on one hand alone.

Then factor in the dish washing time, the readying of the machine time, the cleaning of the machine afterward time, the grinding of the coffee beans time, medical time, cursing time, it was like, forever, to get a coffee. So not worth it.

Moved machine to the garage and trotted back to Starbucks.

This is one of the best things about getting old. The ability to recognize your limitations. Starbucks makes great coffee and I do not. Starbucks wants me to drink great coffee and I want to. It is a true marriage. One of love and respect. Born out of the love for coffee.

And the love of not having second degree burns every day. Sweet!

Let's go Parking!

I suck at Parking.

Pull in parking, parallel parking and my most hated of all, back in at a angle parking.

The pull in parking is the only one I have a chance in hell of achieving victory with. Even then it needs to be the just right spot. Neither of the other automobiles shall be touching or really even near the white line. No giant monster truck shall be by me or behind me, in fact, get off of my floor altogether. I will not park next to any vehicle where major parts are held on by duct tape. Or any bumper sticker that starts with "My (insert dog breed of your choice here) is smarter than your honor student." Especially if said bumper sticker is half way pulled off. Did you get a different breed? Did you find out that honor students are actual people and you have a dog, oh it may be brilliant, but it is still a dog.

The best spots are the ones where no cars are on either side of me. That is like winning the lottery for me. I can open my doors all the way and actually vacate my vehicle normally, as opposed to the open door 4 milliliters, curse your hips, try to squeeze hips the size of watermelons out the opening the size of a lemon, curse your hips, louder, shimmy, shimmy, and finally emerge victories! Only to discover, you have left your purse on the back seat and must now do it all over again. Curse your hips and your lack of brain remembering power.

But at least the car is in a spot.

Parallel parking, not going to happen in my life, EVER. I didn't pass it almost 30 years ago on the driver's test and time has not been a friend in this instance. I have good intentions, I line up my car with the one ahead of the parking spot and then all hell breaks loose. I turn too wide, I turn too sharp, I drive up on the curb, I run into the curb with my car at a lovely 45 degree angle. By now I have traffic backed up for a good mile and I am pretty sure all that long distance honking, is for my benefit. I have had people knock on my window, and actually offer to park my car for me. My kid begs me to just let it go, admit defeat and drive on but I consider it to be a challenge. Daunting, sure. Unachievable, never. And yet, I have never once achieved it. Not even close. I continue to try and I continue to fail. Today, another attempt and another horrifying failure, only I almost got taken out by a fish delivery truck. Who, by the way, parallel parked his ENTIRE TRUCK, just to be a giant show off.

I may be admitting defeat.

On back in angle parking, I admit defeat. If driving forward is a challenge for me, driving backwards and at a angle, is a suicide mission. I can't remember which way you turn the wheel to go left, which way you turn to go right, and with all the screaming from the kid, I simply cannot focus. Therefore, in Seattle, whole neighborhoods have gone undiscovered, due to the horrible angle parking situation. I take a look around, judge the parking and then head home.

It is good to realize one's limitations. Awsome person. Sucky parker. Fine, I'll take it.

I am a thief

Monday morning:

Kid up and fed and out the door. Anyone with kids, knows this is no easy feat. Some mornings dynamite couldn't get that kid out the door on time. Everything is misplaced, lost, or stolen. Cell phone is dead. Keys have gone mysteriously missing. Wallet has been stolen. Shoes have left the closet on their own volition. 27 coats have migrated somewhere, not on the hanger obviously. The list is endless but it contains one common thread, IT IS NOT HIS FAULT!.

For a while I played the game, "whose fault might it be?", I would ask in a calm manner. Even at the most, there was only three people who resided in the home. Add in some pets, and you had 1 dog, 2 cats, the hated birds, and salt water fish. Now we have two people. And if he didn't do it, well, that left just me.

Yep, just me.

And from the looks of it, I have a serious stealing problem.

Good news on the theft front, I don't steal from actual stores. Oh no, I contain my thievery to my OWN HOME. More good news, I don't steal my own things. Just his.

And I am unaware that I do this.

Today alone, I took, his shoes from the closet, his car keys from the key rack, and his cell phone that was left RIGHT HERE.

I do this just to annoy him. I moved the shoes from the closet to one under his bed and the other in his bathroom. I moved the car keys to his pants pocket. And truly evil kleptomaniac that I am, moved the cell phone to his book bag.

I am just funny that way. Obviously I get my joy in the oddest way possible.

This is an ongoing battle.

Most of the time it starts with some serious running all around the home looking for something. Really not much looking is going on, it is just running back and forth by which ever room I am in, until I finally, out of concern for my floors, ask "Are you looking for something?" At which case one of two things happen. One, the item just happens to fall from the sky and land on him, in which case crisis adverted. Two, a voice that can be heard by the entire neighborhood, announces that IT IS JUST GONE! JUST GONE! IT WAS RIGHT HERE! AND NOW IT HAS JUST DISAPPEARED! DID YOU TAKE IT?

I always have this moment where I just hope the floor will reach up and swallow me, because no matter what I say next, it will be wrong. Not slightly wrong but horribly and stupidly the wrongest thing you could say in a moment like this.

I can say anything and it will be met with utter anger. So I go with, "Let me help you find said item." I then get up and am followed by a seething giant, while I look and he follows behind me with his mantra. "WHY WOULD IT BE THERE? I JUST LOOKED THERE? YOU TOOK IT DIDN'T YOU? THE DOG CHEWED IT UP. YOU THREW IT AWAY, ON PURPOSE. YOU MOVED IT FROM THE COUCH BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS INSIST THAT WE USE THE COUCH FOR ACTUALLY SITTING ON."

A joy, I tell you, just pure joy. And this happens about 30 times a day. Sometimes with less involvement on my part, because I have locked myself in my bedroom and refuse to help.

Oh, said item is always found. Just where he left it. Not me, him.

It is a major catastrophe for him to lose anything. I could lose my entire person and you would be hard pressed to get him to look. I lose anything in this house the same sentence is used. A sentence that if I used would probably cause him to fall to the ground in disbelief and total horror.

"Why can't you put your stuff where it belongs?"

Read me, you'll be happy you did!

Today our book is:

Still Life with Chickens (starting over in a house by the sea)
by: Catherine Goldhammer

I first read this book about a year ago. When I picked it up in a little bookstore in Cannon Beach, Oregon, I was looking for something light. Something to read that night in a hot bubble bath in a house by the sea.

It never made it to the hot bath time. I devoured it that afternoon sitting on the couch.

Catherine Goldhammer finds herself newly separated and at a cross roads in her life. Forced to move, she moves into a dilapidated cottage by the sea. Where the only thing separating her from the ocean is a large salt water pond.

Her and her twelve year old daughter embark on a new life. She begins the transition by purchasing six baby chickens.

While the book is about starting over, it is so much more. It is about finding grace and hope in the most unusual of places. That what is around us, while important, is nothing compared to what is inside of us. Her humor comes shining through in the tale.

I read this when I thought I had it all. When I thought I had played the game and won. Little did I know what was around the corner. Now I have read it again. And it is just as fabulous the second time as it was the first.

This is what I plan to do. Leave this life and head to the calming, rejuvenating ocean waves. A different life, a healing life. My life. Finally.

Even if you are not at a crossroads in your life, this is an excellent read. Catherine writes with such style that you are engrossed right from the get go.

After I finished it, my son read it. And loved it! which is saying something, as we couldn't agree on a book if we tried. To this day it is one of his favorite books, as it is mine.

Plus, you will end up knowing a lot about chickens. Which you can then use to wow your friends. Always fun.