The last few days it seems that I’ve been spending a lot of time in my room desperately trying to catch up on emails, blogs, and other computer related endeavors as well as unpacking and setting up a personal space in someone else’s home.  And all I can say is thank goodness for Pandora.  I’ve been stationed into The Weepies & Laura Marling for the perfect aural environment.

My new accommodation includes a view of a golf course and a very nice little patio nook.  I like going to the large sliding glass door in the mornings and just watching… everything.  I forget how green it is in Southeast Texas, year round.  I also forgot just how many bugs and critters that come with living below the mason-dixon line.  Yuck.  (I can do w/o that cultural experience thank-you-very-much.)  I guess we’re all trying to (re)familiarize ourselves with our new surroundings as the kitties are making their own adjustments too.  Dutch saw his first squirrel and Manchester is trying to figure out what to do about being at eye level with neighborhood cats that come up onto the porch.  I didn’t realize just how insulated those two little kitties have been in our 2nd floor home.  And that’s made me think: maybe I too have been a little too insulated in my life…

7 states, 2 cars, 2 kittys, 22 hours and we made it.  we’ve been here 4 days and b is already in the middle of a bathroom remodel and i’ve finally just gotten my bags unpacked for a bit.  the weather is just lovely and we spent the afternoon on the lake yesterday.  75 degrees in november.  i think i could turn into a snow-bird after all.  10 years of shoveling snow may  just have given me my fix… at least for this year.  we are still, however, looking towards our move to bean-town in the coming year.

i can’t believe that it’s thanksgiving this week already.  my days and weeks (and month) have been all turned around upside down.  after the usual feast on thursday i plan to spend some much desired time with my mom and sis.  and maybe, just maybe i’ll fit in a little holiday crafting.  my type a personality is going to have to go on vacation until i can figure out what sort of routine i’ll have for the next several months.  postings my be more infrequent, maybe they’ll be twice a day.  i don’t know.  but i still like coming here to this space, may space with all of you!

it’s finally here.  we will leave michigan tomorrow to an unknown destination.  well, that’s not exactly true, but i like the way it sounds!  we’ll be heading to the motherland for an unknown period of time…and that is exactly true.  it’s time.  many things are lining up for us to make this transition, and most importantly, we want to be there.  with my dad gone, the family heart strings are tugging pretty tightly.

there are so many unknowns like: will our building ever sell? can i really get a job?  are we really going to be able to go to school in the fall? what happens when/if we change our course?

those are just the tip of the iceberg.  i have so many more fears, desires, questions i need to process.  i’m looking forward to sharing some of that uncanny childhood of mine with my husband.  sure we’ve been for visits before, but i don’t know that he really knows what it is to be texas.  i’m looking forward to the rediscovery myself.

so here’s to new adventures…

…and blogging from TEXAS!

i’ve seen a lot of alphabet posters & books lately.  i love most all of them.  and i especially love this book from PASTE magazine.  i particularly thought of you katie!

this is a perfect gift for all the parents of little ones who want to make sure their offspring learn their ABCs from the right perspective!

…
We don’t need a lot of money.
We’ll be sleeping on the beach,
keeping oceans within reach.
(Whatever private oceans we can conjure up for free.)
I will stumble there with you
and you’ll be laughing close with me,
trying not to make a scene
etcetera. Whatever. I guess all I really mean

is we’re gonna be alright.
Yeah, we’re gonna be alright.
You can close your eyes tonight,
’cause we’re gonna be alright.

So come on now,
I can almost see
that place
on a distant shore.
And courage is a weapon we must use
to find some life you can’t refuse.
…
is we’re gonna be alright.
Yeah, we’re gonna be alright.
You can close your eyes tonight,
’cause we’re gonna be alright.
All that I can see is your eyes.
Close your eyes.
…

linford detweiler
over the rhine
etcetera whatever
good dog bad dog

If the overcast skies and winter hues start to get me down this year, I may have to consider investing in dream about one of these fantastic rugs from Amy Butler.  Ok, so I won’t have my own house to decorate this winter, but I’m thinking for the future.  Although I have enjoyed my patterned furniture, I would like to have a solid colored couch with a nice bold rug to compliment it.  But I will have to store away and save up, because these babies aren’t cheap.

The waiting is palpable.  I thought by now I would have an answer.  But alas, more waiting.

Despite the fact that we are supposed to receive an offer on our house on Thursday, I have continued to arrange and rearrange the little things. This time it was the one shelf with “knick knacks” on it.  While cleaning out our storage room this past weekend, I came across two photos I thought I had lost in the shuffle.

Five years ago when I first visited Michigan, Brad’s family wanted to let me know exactly what I was getting into and showed me a ton of his childhood photos.  When I saw one with daffodils in the background I remembered I had one similar as a child too.  The next time I was at my folks place I dug up the old photo and couldn’t believe it really was the same background.  Although separated by 1500 miles, our childhoods were not all that different.  Our mothers used the same tuperware; our neighborhoods looked eerily similar; we could basically share childhood memories.  It’s kind of weird actually.

And now that these photos have proper frames and prominence in our house, I’m not quite sure if it’s not all a little too creepy.  We don’t have children nor do we see them in the future, so it seems strange to me to see these two little people on our wall…

I may have just convinced myself to relocate them again!

The only time I’ve ever won anything was in 1996.  I was working for a CPA that summer and spent most of the day in and office with the radio on.  The original Lilith Fair was in town and the local radio station was giving away tickets to the 5th caller at some designated time.  I heard the Sarah McLachlan song they were looking for and my fingers went to work.  Usually you get a busy signal, but this time the phone rang…and rang, and rang, and rang.  Just as I was getting ready to hang up I heard a voice on the other end say, “Hey, who is this?”  After I state my name,  bells and whistles ring out and the d.j. pronounced me the proud new owner of sold-out tickets to the summer’s hottest show.

Well I’d say that I’ve been on a bit of a dry spell since then.  Nothing of pure luck has come my way.  No lucky numbers, or a sock to never wash and I’m at the bright side all the time.  I mean, I can’t even win at $1 scratch-offs.  (My mom and I tried at every gas station between Texas and Chicago!)

However, 13 years later my luck has changed as the splendid SistersGulassa have deemed me their lucky give-a-way winner!  Last month they decided to give away an original piece of mixed media artwork and I’m so pleased I will get to hang it on my wall.  Yeah for original and unique art!  I am a big fan of their lovely designs and products and so glad I will get to look at something so lovely every day.   Thanks ladies!

I finally went to the printers yesterday and got some prints made.  One specifically I wrote about last spring I have finally framed and is ready to go for my friend.  I’m really happy with the way it turned it.  11 x 14 matte finish.  The frame was on sale at Michael’s and I’m so excited to give it to the new owners this weekend.

***I haven’t quite mastered just how I’m supposed to take a photo of something with glass so as to not get the reflection, strange light, etc.