In regards to rooms and everything else...

"A room should have two things: wit and opinion. If everyone likes everything, then perhaps I haven't done a very good job."

-Ken Fulk via House Beautiful Jan 2010 via Caitlyn Creer Interiors

Italy, Violets, and Sunset

Cup of Jo posted about a perfume based on the most romantic kiss in a movie ever. I saw the 1985 Room with a View with Julian Sands and Helena Bonham Carter when I was a senior in high school and still list it as one of my favorite movies.

That makes it sound like I graduated in 1985, which I did not. 1996 for the record.

Also, that clip doesn't give much context, but it was the best one I could find. Watch here if you have time to kill and want a little background on George and Lucy.

Confrontation

Menu this week...

Mon: Chick en croute with spinach salad and shaved parm
Tues: Lemony salmon on brown rice with steam broc
Wed: Enchiladas with lime-flavored side salad
Thur: Chick stir fry with carrots, broc, green onions, snap peas on brown rice
Fri: Pizza with ricotta, toms, and thyme
Sat: Taco soup with cheddar cornbread

I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy all supplies for the week. I cannot stand going to the store for one or two things everyday that I need for dinner. Cannot stand it. Makes me angry. Therefore, I try to be very strategic in food aquisition.

While I was selecting my very last item yesterday in the store, a woman approached me.

She said, "Is that your basket over there? Over there with the purse in it?"
Me, "Yes."
She, "Your purse is in your basket, and your basket is unattended."
Me, "Oh..."
She, "I just wanted to let you know."
Me, staring and silent.
She, "I was watching you as you got your pesto and watching your basket, and at least SEVEN people walked by your basket. Your basket was unattended."
Me, staring and silent. (She had big, intimidating, saucer eyes.)
Awkward pause.
Me, "Thanks."
She, feeling vindicated in having chastised me sufficiently, walked away.

I, feeling annoyed with a stranger's meddlesome condescension, will be more likely to leave my purse unattended out of spite.

Cleaning Out Feels Good

In honor of our brand new 2010, I cleaned out our files last night. It was awesome. I shredded all the old stuff and came up with a more organized system of filing all the car titles and insurance junk and marriage license and transcripts, so I feel better about the loose papers and info and what have you. Yeah for consolidating!

I also painted and Wipe On Poly-ed this garage sale desk this weekend, so I was able to clean out the old messy desk and move everything over to the new glossy almond desk.


Here's the desk before.


And the chair before.



Here everyone is after a little straightening and primping. (Something needs to happen to the cork board, but I had other priorities yesterday.)



Look inside! I was also able to classify my crafting and wrapping supplies in the big, new desk. All my little friends each found a new clean home: ribbons, stickers, office supplies, papers, bags, yarns, et. al. It's like a cute little crafting condominium.



Did I ever show you the bed after it was painted? Here it is. The bedding is making me squirm a little, but what are you going to do?


Last, because I was cleaning and classifying the desk innards, I decided to get things together in the guest room closet, as well. It may not look like much to you, but it's considerably better than the tornado it used to be. Please note my letter jacket hanging there with the drill team patch on the shoulder. FYI, I was drill team captain. Captain of all the losers who couldn't make cheerleader. We wore heavy red lipstick and thick tan sparkly tights and sometimes feathers in our hair, like Las Vegas showgirls. I had a whistle, too. Oy.

Berry Good Table

Brace yourselves. I found a six-foot, trestle table at Berry Good Buys for (wait for it) $125. Thank you Monique for the alert!



This table is perfect for five reasons: 1) the soon-to-be picked up and refinished pew will snug up to it like it was made for it; 2) the five turquoise chairs fit the other side and ends exactly; 3) the color blends with the floor, the chairs, and the soon-to-be refinished pew; 4) the six foot length fills up the dining room but still allows for ample space to walk around it into the living room; and 5) the style of the table isn't too country, and it isn't too contemporary. It's just right! Not to mention the price!



Here's the top. Ignore the scrabble box and gifts that need to be returned.

NYE

I ended up wearing the magenta dress because I put other one on, pranced around, and C told me it was too dressy, but I could have gotten away with it. Lesson: people like to dress up for New Year's, so don't be afraid.

I'm horrible about taking pictures, so these are the only three I have. What kind of hostess goes around taking a bunch of pictures anyway? I had other things to tend to.



The buffet included a cheese tray with crackers and fruits, Greek olive mix, spicy garam masala snack mix, chocolate bark, and the coup de grace... homemade caramels. We had a lot of the caramels left over, and I've had to limit myself to one a day because they are unbelievably bad for you, but ironically, unbelievably easy to eat five at a time. (Also, please notice the green bamboo cocktail napkins that I found at Tom Thumb. Cute, right?)



The bar. As if you couldn't tell, all these are phone pictures so just deal with it.


Some sparkly, sister and sister-ish guests.

Happy New Year!

I forgot Christmas.

It snowed Christmas Eve. We loved it...


except when we first got stuck in traffic and then later really got stuck on an icy and impassable summit on the way to my parents' house. It was tense in the Civic for a minute or two.



But I've found getting snuggley and warm in the house and decorating cookies tends to melt away all tension.



I like to decorate cookies for the fam.


This one was the sweetest.