Ring Around the Rosey - We All Fall Up

Fall has always felt more like the beginning of the year for me. With fall fashion for us to check out and the fall organizing and buttoning up of all things summer it seems like a great place to begin a new thought.

Years and years ago I had a thread on a forum-type place (I got kicked off! ha! So did my friend T! I don't know what we did - something horrible! No we didn't, but we did get kicked off.) named Wrecking Ball. But now that term has been overtaken by a young 'un singer so I need a new phrase - hmm . . . My youngest daughter mentioned a few months ago in passing that she was having the Year of Lorenzo. I like that. I kept saying a year ago that it was my Last Good Summer because the following summer I was turning a certain age, ahem, and life as I know it would be over. Of course it isn't, but I am dramatic. Life isn't. IT ISN'T!

Maybe "They're All Good Summers" or "I'm Forever in Summer" or "Summer is my Middle Name." How about "Forever Fall?"

I'll think a minute longer.

I like beginnings. The thinking, the plotting, the progress charting, the checklists.

Time to turn on the fireplace. Time to make stew. Time to organize our office. Time to bring the kitties home from the lake. Time to begin.

Squeeky in love

Me in love

Love in space

Puppers love

Filling All My Dreams

Absolutely no artwork up anywhere, but here are a few shots around the loft and of the new ceiling fans Pup installed.

I'll be tweaking forever from now on. It's always fun searching for stuff. I have a few ideas for the living room walls.

No more nipple lights. Anyone that has seen newer construction knows what I'm talking about. Bam! Gone!

Our bedroom. We're sleeping on a queen sized bed. It's cozy!

Loft bunk beds. 

That futon turns into a double bed. 

View from top of stairs.

Guest room. When Bella and Spud are here it's their room. 

Living Room - Pup's bachelor couch reestablished 

American Gigolo

Armani

Mercedes

Bottega Veneta

Lauren Hutton

Richard Gere

I was up too early this morning and when I turned on the fireplace and television in the Big Room this movie was on. Swoon on the 80s decor and fashion. Not so swoon on the movie itself. I kinda watched it with the sound off.

But the visuals! Whooooo ha . . .

Are You Ever Done Decorating?

I have a popcorn ceilings with sparkly sprinkles in my house.

I have the mellow yellow hardwood floors with small planks. Old as hell. In a couple of our rooms we think the wood is either over 100 years old or nearly.

I have slatted blinds, some plastic, in every room nearly. Oy vey the dust.

I have rooms that have not been repainted since 2003 or so (I think).

I have newish rugs in the living room and dining room that I regret getting.

I have a loft bedroom that is not not not cute. Could be. Is not.

I have telephones you have to dial.

I have some furniture from Ikea.

I have a bathroom that can only be described as a mashup of the unpopular.

I have a set of antlers up in the Big Room from a deer I hit with a Jeep Wagoneer in the 90s. Just read on a decorating site how "tired" this look is. Sigh!!

~~~~~~~~~

I love to decorate. And I hate it. No, that's a lie. I love it.

This list is not a complaining list. It's just a list. I love my house. But after the holidays you can't help but look around and see a few things that could be changed, things that you will never change, and things that you can't wait to change.

I'm picking slowly!

Meanwhile, here is what I landed on for the new pendants in the kitchen. I'm now on the hunt for some type of different light bulbs. Regular bulbs cast a very harsh light since there is no translucent shade to buffer it. Ideas?

Cat on counter. Don't judge. Mess everywhere. Judge away!  :)

Do I Need a Cleanse?

March 5

It's only March 5th.

Around here much winter is still left.

I'm so tired of my knee boots I want to toss them. They'll be ready to be tossed since they look like crap with all the salt and wet they pick up daily. Blech . . .

My coats look like crap. No matter what natty scarf I put with them they look like crap. I'm not feeling particularly natty.  :)

My chub layer of winter protection is particularly chubby this season. My jeans are snug. My hair dank and listless. My eyes watery and vacant.

Don't I sound pretty? Heh!

It's bleak and dreary, snowy and frosty, cold and blustery. My poor dog George (AmStaff) is a constant pain in the ass. He can't really go outdoors for long as he has very short fur. After five minutes or so his little paws are being lifted and he's shivering like crazy. He thinks he'd love to be out there, but after a couple of turns around the block he's ready to go home. And this is only if I haven't killed myself with the slippin' and sliddin' that I'm doing in my freaking BOOTS!

The kitties are making me insane. See the lamp in the photo in my header? Gone. The baby-kitty broke it. This is the second lamp he has broken. I cried and screamed like my heart was broken as well. It's not. But that lamp was incroyablement frays and I nearly cannot look at my header any longer. :(

Whew . . .

I even went shopping over the weekend with a friend and it bored me to tears. SHOPPING people! I love shopping!

I am laughing a little bit right now. Always when I write my complaints out I feel better. Y'all might be depressed now, but I feel better! It's not fair is it?

Looking Forward

1. A pedicure. One of those always make me feel like Havaianas are not far from my everyday life. I'll scope out my new pair for the season. Should I get the color of the sun?
2. A new handbag. Something lovely and statement-making. I won't even mention what I'm eyeballing because I'll get pounded with handbag-hate. (Givenchy)  Oooops! I said it.
3. Decorating the former Den. I'm thinking and thinking. It's now dual-duty with the Spud (grand baby) so it needs to be a little bit baby and a little bit guest. I'll figure out something. Maybe. And I have to stop calling it the den. The desk is long gone.
4. I have started a new protocol with a new doctor for some of my issues - insomnia being one. And all the bad things that go along with insomnia. I'm entering week three. I see some progress and will report what happens by week six when I see him again. Let's just say I am feeling hopeful and happy.
5. I'm looking forward with a happiness that is unbridled to taking Spud for walks when spring arrives. He and I will have the best summer. This city is full of beautiful lakes and I want to stroll about with the most beautiful boy and have everyone fawn all over him. His smile will light up all worlds! Is that overstated just a bit? Hell no!  :)
6. Pup and I are considering Jamaica for our April trip. Negril's beach looks like the place for a lovely, relaxing time. My new doc said to get my arse in the SUN! I have no desire to disobey for once.

Aaaaaaah! I'm purged! It's good. 

How are you guys coping this long winter season? New haircuts? New purchases? New resolves? Scratch those itches bitches!

Feeling Grace

I don't have an interesting life.

It's fascinating to me, but on the whole - pretty tame stuff.

. . . and February . . . can we talk about February? I need to find a way to love February. It could be Valentine's Day, but frankly, that little day kinda makes me yawn. Although I do love fresh flowers in the house. Lovely.

I seem to lose my joy in February. I'm going to think about that for more than a minute. This could change!

Feeling Grace:

1. The Firm is going better than Pup could have imagined I think. New clients have been pouring in. One directly from my efforts. Wha?? Marketing! No wonder every marketing department I've ever worked for was the first to be cut in hard times. The payoff never looks tangible. It is, but it's  hidden. Deeply hidden. 
2. Even when I'm bored with every damn thing in my house, if I clean it - it looks fantastic!
3. We had a little celebration here and all of that wine did NOT get drank. It's all mine still baby.
4. However, I made a huge dent in that carafe of Maker's Mark.
5. Coffee - I feel an infinity with coffee. Especially in February.
6. When the temperature is way below zero, it is always beautiful outside. Bright, snowy, bluest sky, quite lovely.
7. Even though I have not driven the Pilot yet, I do love seeing it in the garage knowing I will be driving it when Pup goes back to his little summer car. In the summer. Ha! Not that he wouldn't let me drive it now, but he hates my Ruby (Jeep Wrangler) and I love it so why would I make him suffer needlessly? He suffers enough let me tell you.
8. That's a lie - he's a pretty happy guy. Who wouldn't want to be married to me? (picture toe circling on the floor - perfect expression on my face - heh!).
9. I've been smoothing on coconut oil after my shower every morning. It smells divine and I'm as smooth as K-Spud, super baby. For real!
10. I've been getting manicures for a few months now and I have to say I feel happy when I look at my fingers. My nails are pretty. If that's shallow I'll have to live with it, because it's FEBRUARY!    :)

I know many parts of our country is having a WINTER! Many places are having snow when they usually get none, cold where they are not used it, and slippin' and sliddin' is NOT fun. Hang tight everyone. Seriously, stay home if you're not used to bad roads. Stay home and keep it warm if you can. Spring will get here. Sorry comfort I know, but we need to make February our favorite month yes?

Smooches to my sexy-ass hooches.

sorry, hard to not include this guy - love love love

Hot Friday - The Firm Edition

. . . just because. I do love showcasing hot guys, but women are hot too yes? And other things are hot. Shoes are hot. Fall fashion is hot. Yep. There is a lot of hot around. We shouldn't be so stingy!

I've been at The Firm (let's try this name out for a while) for a couple of weeks now. We're heavily into transitioning files and reorganizing. My office is coming together bit by bit. Right now we're moving out ugly vertical filing cabinets and replacing them with lovely lateral filing cabinets. New ones arrived yesterday and we installed them into Pup's office and they are BREATHTAKING. Yup. Who knew this stuff could give me design-boners? Hmmm? Everything is a design opportunity apparently.

We will be moving the laterals we have in our home office into my Firm office over the weekend. So my time has been spent transitioning the client files we bought into the filing system and folder system we prefer. Pup is biz as usual and transitioning all of his client files into the software The Firm will be using. Very dry stuff. But necessary.

So everything looks a hot hot mess at this moment. You know how transitions are. At first everything is flying through the air until it all lands in place perfectly. Like Samantha Stevens' witchcraft. Oh I love that woman.

I have one shot of the office. Don't judge just yet. This is just the first piece. I'll take some better photos when I'm further along.

It will be lovely.

See that globe in the bookcase? I found that thrifting with Deb-oh-rah. It lights up. Touch the base 1-2-3 and it the brightness goes dim-medium-bright. I love it! So tacky.

Offices are tricky to arrange. I redesigned Pup's office last year with new furniture and I made him rearrange. He kicked and screamed, but had to admit in the end it was a good change. Much more efficient set up now. And his office furniture is lovely! He's a professional and his office should look that way. The next step in his transformation will be his style! Heh! He likes me to style his daily look. So we're going shopping for him soonly.

My office fashion has so far been cuffed jeans with t-shirts or the occasional casual long summer skirt. Mostly because some of the time I'm on my hands and knees rummaging through a box or running back and forth between our offices with armloads of hard files. It's fun though.

I've been listening to music through Spotify (smooches to Lorenzo) and one day it was all John Legend and one day it was all Amy Winehouse. Love love love.

Here's a little tribute to working in an office. It's all about distraction.


Amy Amy Amy

Attracts me, till it hurts to concentrate,
Distract me, stop me doing work I hate
Just to show him how it feels;
I walk past his desk in heels
One leg resting on the chair
From the side he pulls my hair.

[Chorus:]
Amy Amy Amy
Although I've been here before
Amy Amy Amy
He's just too hard to ignore
Masculine you spin a spell
I think you'd wear me well
Amy Amy Amy
Where's my moral parallel?

It takes me half an hour to write a verse
He makes me imagine it from bad to worse
My weakness for the other sex
Every time his shoulders flex
The way the shirt hangs off his back
My train of thought spins right off track

[Chorus]

His own style, right down to his Diesel jeans
Immobile, I can't think by any means
Underwear peeks out the top
I'll let you know when you should stop
From the picture my mind drew
I know I'd look good on you

[Chorus]

Creative energy abused
All my lyrics go unused
When I clock black hair blue eyes
I drift off I fantasize

[Chorus x2]

And one more just because. I know y'all won't, but you guys should take a few minutes and watch this one. Fantastic song and if you were/are an Amy fan, very very touching. Kick it up this weekend hooches.

Even Marilyn Did It

Avoided empty carbs that is!

I think that's sauerkraut on that dog isn't it?

This woman was light-years ahead of all of us. She did strength training y'all!

I am digging her workout outfit.

I had a girl day yesterday. Met a couple of friends in a town far away for a little digging and drinkin' and talkin'. Super fun. And I scored a couple of things that made one of my friends look at me with a face that said, "I thought I knew you."

I always have a vision. You just might not like it. Ha!

Yes, that is another skull (have I shown the other one I have? Or the 8-point buck antlers I have from a car-kill I was involved in years ago? I forget. I'll share soon.

And yes, that's another paint-by-number gem. There's a mid-century magazine rack out in the garage as well. I am thinking it will look good in my new office - maybe? I'm still thinking about that one. I'll post shots of the office (still pondering a name for our office - nothing is coming just yet) when it's more towards completion. Still waiting for a few key pieces like filing laterals. Ha!

Smooches to you my friends and let's eat and move à la Marilyn!

What's on My Blackberry?

There was so much random and idiotic stuff in the photo folder on my beloved BlackBerry that I could only sigh and say, "WTH"?

But, there were a couple that made me giggle a little bit.

I have a recipe box exactly like this one. My dad bought it for me when I was in the 7th grade for my Home Economics class. I was so excited that he got such a spiffy one. I found this one in an antique store (holy cow) and immediately picked it up for my Bella.

No memory why I took this one of the Beatles print I put up in The Big Room. I like it though. The Beatles, not necessarily this shot of it. Heh!

Yeah, Calvin helping me make the bed. I know, I know, but he makes me laugh!

I took this shot of the inside of my fridge for another blog. Embarrassing what is and what isn't in there!

Pup's momma is on the right and Pup's auntie is on the left. We took them to dinner a week or so ago. His auntie remembers that her momma was a bootlegger! She was amazing to talk to and I want to see her again and get some of her stories on tape. Seriously amazing stories.

What it is! It's coming! It is!

This glass owl weighs about 10 pounds! I could use him for a weapon! I just may.

Yes, this guy came home with me to be the little brother to the other one I bought a while back. I should hang my head, but I hold it high with my owl love!

My BFF bought this. It is the cutest ugly frog I've ever laid eyes on.

Daisy!

What's been keeping y'all out of trouble this week?

Aaaaaah!

There has been a death.

Yes, the coffeepot I have loved for these six years has shit a brick, bought the farm, broke a big nose (wth??), died.

Oh the sadness! It burgled and gurgled it's last breath RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BREW! I was ready to hop in Ruby with my Minnesota Twins sleep pants, Crocs, and raccoon eyes to get me some Caribou when I discovered that if I slugged the pot on the right while holding it on the left it would gurgle a bit of coffee into the carafe. OH GOD! THE INHUMANITY!

So, off I go, cheerily, (ha!) to Macy's to find me a new Braun. What?? There are no more Brauns??? Not so many white coffee makers? Finding a white coffeepot is like finding a virgin in college (boys and girls peeps - equal opportunity offender here).

I poke around the Macy's Marketplace area and after only spotting pots I DO NOT WANT (really? Black and Decker?? Do I want to saw my coffee in the morning??) (stainless?? really? Another flippin' thing to keep fingerprint-free??) I head on over to JC Penney's where the sales people are few and the layout is confusing (sing that to the tune of America the Beautiful).


I spy a lone, white, coffeepot that doesn't cost $149 (why would I want my coffeepot to vacuum the living room??) nor does it cost $19.99 (pure gristle!). It doesn't promise to do things I don't want it to do and it's white. It brews coffee.

Aaaaah, the coffeepot relief. The promise of coffee delight. Because everyone knows I have to have some caffeine relief in the morning. You do not want to witness anything different.

~~~~~~


Pup and I are doing a mini-makeover in our living room as well. Here's a little sneak peek! I'm excited!

I Love My House

I do. Especially right after I make it tidy. It's tiny and tidy.

I was having a very fun afternoon listening to an iTunes playlist and cooking while having a glass of wine. Dancing around like a spazz. We had Momma B over for red sauce. I must admit I was a tad sauced by the time dinner was served. Is that bad? Ha!