Surreal America

Nashville is out of gas. I've been meaning to write about this latest fiasco on good ol' American soil, but I have been so preoccupied with other things (that I will write about later).

I admit, sometimes I just flutter about totally oblivious to some things going on around me. I guess I was fluttering about this week when a shortage of gas began here in Nashville. I had an appointment on Thursday to get my hair cut and got so sick in the afternoon (nerves) that I had to cancel and make it for Friday. So, I made it there on Friday and I'm sitting there next to a woman on her cell phone (of course) carrying on her personal conversation for all of us to hear. I hear her start talking about not being able to get gasoline. My ears perked up and she proceeded to tell (all of us within hearing distance) that she was unable to find a gas station that had any gas in the area. Wha? Ok, I filled my buggy up before Ike hit and before the prices were raised, like almost two weeks ago. I still have over a 1/4 tank left in the car. I did drive by a station in my errands Friday morning and glanced over to see how much gas was. The station had taken all the number off the sign. I figured, like any other American, they just don't want to tell us how much they're charging us today. I drove on by.

Then I sit in the chair with my hairdresser. She goes on to tell me the lines trying to get gas the night before in MY neighborhood were over a mile long! Over an hour wait to get gas! OMG! I couldn't even believe it. (These photos are borrowed from The Tennessean.)

{Rant On} And so, yes indeed, we are completely out of gas here in the Nashville area. Mind boggling. You'd think after the shortage in the 70s, America would have kept their eye on continuing to push out cars with a better fuel efficiency or at least purchase the ones that get more than 6 miles to the gallon. But no. We had to elect a president who gave tax breaks to purchasers of big gas guzzling SUVs. What? What the hell? And idiots bought into it. You wouldn't believe how many Hummers and Range Rovers and big old trucks and SUVs drive around the streets of Nashville with their pretty little "mine is bigger than yours" driver behind the wheel (who normally keep their gas guzzlers running while they pop into the store!). OMG! We are in the thick of some scary times people. Let's all WAKE UP! {Rant Off}

Ok, I'm going to go and flutter about now.

Finally

I made this piece several years ago for a swap. The theme was a "framed ATC." Well, of course, I couldn't just frame an ATC in any normal way. That was just too easy. So I purchased a paper mache egg and cut the front off. I made the ATC so it was removable from the egg. I kinda liked the piece. I never heard from its recipient. Don't know if she ever got it or not. Tsk tsk.

Regardless, I've had the front piece sitting around for like, well, years. Lord knows I keep just about everything if I think I can use it again. Several weeks ago, I started work on this piece. I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I just started collaging and paper macheing more onto it--old sheet music and pretty papers. Then I painted it. And painted it some more. Then I added leaves to the bottom. As you know, Autumn is my favorite time of year.

Then I found some pewter legs. Ok. I need a faerie peeking up from behind the leaves. Then I found some molds for faces. I made some faces. Painted a few.

I had this resin butterfly that I found at the V&A museum in London (I have since seen them here in the states) and I added that for the body. Eyelash ribbon for hair and a faerie you will see.

Pulled out some old German newspapers from our last visit there (way back in 2006) and found they were from Oktober. Perfect.

I finally finished the piece tonight. Introducing Oktober.

Shhh, don't wake her. I think she's sleeping through September. Wish I could.

Where Are You Going?

Where have you been?

I suppose this little feller came off my tulips as he was just sitting below the vase. I gently scooped him up and put him outdoors on a plant where perhaps he could grown into a big feller.

Unfortunately, when I opened the door to let the little guy free, I found this. And such is the cycle of Mother Nature. Thank you Dave for that lovely present. At least there wasn't a body.

The Hands of Time

I've always loved my mom's hands. They were always so pretty to me. I remember when the teenager was young, he used to take nana's hands in his and just rub them and rub them, smoothing out the wrinkles. He'd say "Nana, you're old." She would giggle and reply "Well, yes I am" just as proud as punch. She'd then grab him up with a big bear hug. I remember her showing me how thin the skin on her hands had become and she too would smooth the wrinkles out as we talked. I miss all of the mundane conversations we used to have.

Today, I brought mom something a little different. She loves her chicken nuggets for lunch, just about every day. But today, I brought the little chicken sandwiches, you know the square little ones. By the time I made it down to sit for lunch, she had already put her pj's on. She was confused as to what time it was until I told her it was only noon. She seemed happy that it wasn't time for bed.

I put the camera on the table and snapped a few. I've been meaning to take pictures of her hands for a while now, for some reason. Here she's grabbing her vitamins and medicine. Sometimes she gets confused as to what to do first, take a sip or put the pill in her mouth. I normally try and let her figure it out herself unless she starts chewing one of the pills.

I wonder when my hands will begin showing the signs of time. I suppose I have plumpness on my side. Mom never did.

Autumn in the Air

We awoke yesterday morning to some cooler weather. Dare I say, Autumn is inching its way in? Let's hope. (Although, today, it's in the 80s again, yuk.) I opened every window and door I could to let all the fresh air in. It didn't take much to blow the petals off most of my tulips.

Still pretty, even sitting on the counter. That orange is so lovely, isn't it?

I've been putting some of my fall things out, trying to get the house in some type of order. Sometimes, I feel as if I'm just spinning my wheels. I'll start doing something in one spot, then move to grab something and start doing something totally different in another. Pretty soon, the hub will come home and find me just wandering about. I started this on the fireplace mantel yesterday before moving off to start something else altogether, I suppose.

Val had sent me these wonderful Halloweenish tags when I ordered the tea cozy. She's the sweetest. I stamped them for October and hung them on a string. Voila. Instant banner. (Yes, I know it's only September--I guess I'm one of those crazies preparing for Halloween a month early like some begin preparing for Christmas, like NOW? I swear, some stores have Christmas stuff out! Eeeee gads!)

Love them!

I received the sweetest little note from my Aunt Ann who still lives in Maryland. She enclosed some old family photos of me and my brother. It's always fun to see old pictures you had never seen before, isn't it? Aunt Ann and Uncle Johnny were friends of my parents. They aren't blood relatives, but they were always family to us. My brother Johnny was named after Uncle Johnny, Aunt Ann's husband. She is in her 90s and is as sharp as a tack. She still calls mom to talk with her even though she knows mom can't really talk. Aunt Ann asks her questions that she can say yes and no to. So thoughtful. I look to be about two or three in this photo. It was torn to only show myself playing with crayon, that she probably brought, and her in the background. (I wonder who was torn out? hehe.) Looks to be one of my dad's photos he shot.

I was so thrilled with the photo that I had to make something for Aunt Ann and send it back to her. And this is the page I came up with. Photoshop is amazing stuff. I used Mo Jackson's doodads to make it. The wedding picture to the left is my parents'. Awwwww. I can't wait to hear from her and see what she thinks. Fun stuff.

Well, it's time to start cooking dinner, and I don't have any inclination of doing so. Maybe I'll just go wonder about and start a couple of other projects instead. Or maybe I'll just wonder about.

The Weekend

It was a busy weekend for us but we got a lot accomplished. My flowers of the month came in on Friday with tulips, which I adore. I kind of liked the movement in this photo. It's about how I feel right about now.

We started out Saturday finding a new restaurant that serves dim sum, The Ouyang House. I am so happy! Yay!

Served with jasmine tea.

After we returned home, I finally went into the teenager's room to begin demolition. You'll remember, this is the way he left it. Love him. Such a considerate kid.

This is what it looks like now. Saturday, the kid and hub made one trip to the dump, his Element filled to the brim with such thing as clunky old broken speakers (you know, the three foot high ones?), an old cot, desks, etc. I had told the teenager to put everything he wanted to keep somewhere safe. Obviously he didn't care that all his stuff was going to be thrown away or he didn't think I would. Well, I did. There were at least six lawn bags full of junk that is going by way of trash truck, say Thursday when the trash is picked up. What a mess. I have a few items left on his bed that I need to sort through, but the rest of the things I thought he would want to keep are all stored in a plastic trunk. That's his life's accumulation. (Wish mine would all fit in one small trunk!) The next picture you will see is after the carpet is torn up and it is replaced with hard-wood floors. Then I will paint. The kid is contemplating taking this room now that he sees how large it is. Plus, it has a walk-in closet and is attached to the bathroom. I'd take it in a NY minute, I tell you. My room growing up would fit a twin bed (tightly) and a parson's table. Period. That's it. I swear. Five of us shared one bathroom that wasn't any larger. Yep, I would have taken this room in a second! No questions asked!

Today, the hub took me on the adventure to the dump. It's a beautiful ride.

Ike kind of skimmed us today and we had some wind and a little welcomed rain.

We took part of the Natchez Trace on the way back home. Neither one of us had ever been on it and have always wanted to. We were on it for about 15 minutes.

A close up of one of the tulips.

Bella wiating for the sun to set.

The hub left for the Carolinas, stopping in Knoxville and dropping the last of the three bags of clothes the teenager left behind. He now has every piece of clothing he owns. Not that he has the room in his tiny dorm, but he wanted them and I was glad to get rid of them. I also sent a couple of bags of groceries (junk food) via the hub. I'm waiting to get a call from him thanking me. That is, if he calls to thank me. Boys.

Ok, time to settle in for the evening. Already took a shower and have my jammies on. Wonder if anything is on TV. Hmmmmm.

Update: The teenager did call to thank me shortly after I posted this, the good boy he is. hehe.

Date Night

Yay, I'm glad the weekend is here. Today, I found tiny, bite-sized chocolate cupcakes complete with a pearl on each. Too cute to eat (NOT!). I only bought six. Ya think they'll last until Sunday?

The hub and I had a date night tonight. We hardly ever get out by ourselves and it was nice. We went to the pub around the corner and had dinner (and a pint).

I'm not sure if it's all of Tennessee or just Middle Tennessee, but a few months' back the restaurants had to decide 1) If they allowed smoking in their establishment, it had to be 21 and over or 2) No smoking and anyone can come in. Well, of course, our little pub went with the smoking so we can't take the kid with us any longer. I love their food, but it's rare that the hub and I go out without the kid. So tonight was just us. We got in before the crowds arrived and got a seat away from the bar area (where everyone is smoking).

The hub and I have been anticipating the new Coen brothers' film Burn After Reading. It opened tonight so we even got a movie in! I never go to the movies, hardly. Like most Coen Bros. films, I need to see it a couple of times before I can appreciate their humor. I loved watching all scenes filmed in Georgetown though. I looked for our old row house on Q Street (that we rented when we were first married), but it never appeared. Oh well. It was fun seeing my old stomping grounds regardless. And who doesn't love George? The thought of him running around DC while I wasn't there just makes me crazy jealous! ha.

It seems so early yet it's already after 10 p.m. I told you I wasn't used to going out! Guess it's mamma jamma time. I have a feeling I'll be up late tonight. (Probably should have skipped the coffee at dinner time.)

Hope everyone stays safe in Texas with Ike approaching. That thing is huge. Scary stuff.

September?

Yes, I'm still chugging along, pretending it's fall. Almost 90º out there. But, I'm not letting it get me down. I woke up grumpy and just pushed that yucky feeling away as much as I could.

I made two new tea cup arrangements for fall. I figured it was time to take the spring ones down. hehe.

Then I got rid of the poinsettias from Christmas that had white flies breeding on them. Ew. When I was making the invitations a week back, these little "gnats" kept flying about.

When I inspected the only place they could be coming from, I discovered they were white flies eating my poinsettias. Ew. So, I just threw them out. They were doing so well; and while I know they were from Christmas last year, I just allowed them to keep on growing. Until critters took over. Me and my critters. Geesh.

So, I'm rid of my Christmas stuff and my spring stuff. Ya think Autumn can come on and get moving already?

Tonight we have the kid's high school open house. I'm waiting on the hub to swing by and pick me up--gonna be late, late for a most important date.

Oh. I forgot to show you what was in my mailbox yesterday. This is no lie, one day. No wonder I can't sit down and get through my catalogs each day. This is utterly ridiculous!

Orange

I found this orange table square at a thrift shop the other day. In truth, I bought it for Val. You see, Val makes these wonderful tea cozies and sells them in her Etsy shop. Thinking this linen would be perfect for her to use for more cozies, I bought it, for her. I have several of her cozies, each one better than the next. So, as I was looking through her shop the other day and spied this one above, I knew I had to have it for fall. You see, I really am trying to get fall moving here, even if Mother Nature is not. Well, long story short, when I opened the table square to see if it needed laundering before mailing it out, I noticed it was in absolute perfect condition. And, once I spread it over my kitchen table, it matched perfectly with its surroundings. It just so happened that the new tea cozy arrived about the time I was "inspecting" the table square. Can you see what I'm talking about? Is it not a perfect pair??? They had to stay together. Sorry Val, I'll make it up to you, promise.

Well, seeing those two paired together in all their orange brilliance, I began looking around at what other oranges I have in the house. It was actually kind of fun. I hadn't realized that I had this much orange lying around. So, for your orange viewing pleasure, this is what I came up with. (Pardon my ignorance with Flickr. I hope this works.)

Pretending It's Fall

Yesterday was miserably hot and humid. But in the afternoon, I pretended it was in the 50s with a little breeze blowing the falling leaves around. (As long as I didn't look outside or open a door, I was fine.) I made myself some tea and sat down to go through my ever growing stack of catalogs and newspapers. Can't figure out why I can't sit down, like once a day, and go through what comes in. I suppose with the holidays around the bend (can you believe it?) that the catalogs are beginning to come in at extraordinary speed. The trees are shaking in their roots.

I had made an appointment with a local podiatrist for mom so they could trim her toenails. Don't know about you, but that is on my list of nails down the chalkboard yuk. Even my children will tell you that it was always up to the hub to trim their nails. (The teenager learned at an early age to bite his.) Dogs? Couldn't even go there. Just writing about it makes my fingers curl in. Ouch. Mine, no problem. Silly, isn't it. At any rate, I don't want mom cutting her own nails any more because the last time she did, she cut her big toe. (Fingers' curling.) She did fine at the doc's office. I never know any more what she understands and doesn't. Me on the other hand was looking away as if they were pulling blood out of my arm or something. Heeby jeebies! (Fingers' curling.) Ok, 'nuf about that!

On our way home we stopped and got some cherry limeaids and she was just tickled pink. It always makes me happy when mom is so happy. Now, if I could only get rid of this crazy colored striped velour jacket she wears, I'd be really happy! (What was I thinking when I bought it for her?????)

Bella was in with me regarding the "pretend it's fall" thing.


She sat with me bathing herself in the sun as if it really were 50˚.

Whatever it takes, I say. Suppose we'll be pretending for a little while longer cause it's hot again today. Sigh.

Happy Birthday Mary Jane!

A big shout out to my dear SIL, Mary Jane.

Wishing you a day full of joy and love.

Sunday (FT) Snippets

I just love perusing through the weekend Financial Times when the hub's finished with it. I can normally find him on the front porch on Saturday morning devouring the papers. When he's finished, he puts them aside for me to look through.

While I didn't find a whole lot of anything in the House & Home and Life & Arts sections this weekend, it was bonus time with the How to Spend It pull out, a big ol' magazine chock full of delightfully decadent (and out or reach) items. While I've never had a hard time "spending it," it's always the finding the money to spend which can be the problem. Am I right? And at my stage in life, I just don't need anything. But, it sure is fun looking!

I would love to have my entire house filled with beautiful rugs, but, of course, I've always found the ones I'm attracted to way too expensive for my blood; so I just ogle over them in catalogs. And while I'm not really a pillow person (I hate having to move a lot of fat pillows when I sit somewhere), this did catch my eye from The Rug Company.

And, I adore this wall hanging. The website is just delightful, I might add. Yes, I would LOVE to have any one of their rugs indeed.

From there, I moved on to Judith Michael & Daughter's site. Pitter patter. That was my heart beating when I opened the page and began looking through the shop. A definite on "To Visit" list on my next trip to London, guaranteed. I can see myself coming home with this vintage bunting paper.

Perhaps even another pillow (you know, I'm not much "into" pillows--grin).

Is this pottery not amazing? I found Di Marshall's site from South Africa. I'd love to get some of this stuff.


But, the pièce de résistance is the Teron Conrad-inspired boat sofa made by Ben Fowler.
Can you imagine this piece at Riverside, a whole bunch of us just curled up in it just giggling? I certainly can. That is if I had room and if I could afford to commission one.

Ok, back to reality. Snap.