Is today Wednesday or Saturday? It's a mystery to me.

So I was sitting on the little white couch looking in this direction.....

When I heard a certain little miffed meow, which caused me to  look over and see this....

He's cute, even when he's miffed. 

Happy Wednesday.

Tuesday afternoon (period).

Fabulous....

Fabulous...

Fabulo-so...

Miraculo-so....

I love black and white....it's nice no?

Slow day....wishing I was here.....

With....

having this....

or this....

We are off to Washington D.C. on Sunday....do you folks have any recommendations?

Vet Visit, Ram Horns, and Director's Chairs...Oh MY!

Handsome my cat my son went to the vet today.  He hasn't been for a while, and no that doesn't make a bad cat mother, it just means that he's been living life inside on a cushion.  I'm proud to report that he acted purrr-fectly like a cat.  You may interpret that however you'd like.  He got his back paw nails clipped and a shot (which he didn't enjoy, but who does enjoy a shot in the rump?) He came right home and has been hiding in one of the upstairs closets since then.  Three cheers to the folks at Central Animal Hospital in Midtown Memphis for their wonderful care of my beloved friend.

After dropping Handsome off to his house, we looped back around to our neighborhood Starbucks, which is currently undergoing renovations, rest easy the drive through is still open.  My day has been slightly ascew because they were out of soy milk....I know, hold the phone...that's serious.  It's okay I guess...they are undergoing a facelift.  Perhaps I will be able to overlook it, eventually. 

One the way home we passed one of our Central Avenue "interior stores"...as there is a big row of them....and I all but forced Geoff to throw on the breaks.  I had spotted something that needed to live on Landis.  He did what any good husband would do, he asked me if he should pull over.  What a guy!

As we pulled up to the parking lot, I jumped out like a track star (which is highly irregular for me) and bounded up for a closer view. They were better than I could have imagined!  3 of the greatest words ever...Ram...Horn...Pedistal!  

From a distance I thought they were going to be made from concrete, which would be impossible to move.  When I got closer I discovered that they're actually made out of plaster, which is fabulous for the inside of our house.  

Because the top of them are not even, I went to Lowe's this afternoon to pick up 2 pieces of glass to put on the tops so I could put them to use.  Because they were a totally unplanned purchase, I'm not sure where to put them but as of now this is what they are doing...

I kind of love them....they're weird.  I like weird. 

Now...speaking of Lowe's......Guess what else I found this week at Lowe's!

(you can see it in the right hand corner of the above photos)

Again, not a planned purchase but I la-la-laved the price. This I will share.  The chairs in total  cost $14. The frame, which is surprisingly sturdy, comes in lacquer black and lacquer white.  Then, oh yes the fun doesn't stop there, you get to pick your seat/back color.  They have white, black, green, red, blue and...hmm maybe yellow?  They were hiding in the garden section.  I really like them.  They come with fabulous feet on the bottom which protect the wood floors from scratching, they slide easily and are light weight.  I have put them to good use as extra seating in the sunroom as well as the seat I pull over to the piano while I am teaching lessons.  It is quite comfortable! I highly recommend you run, not walk, to the closest Lowe's you can find to purchase some of your own!  Did I mention that they were on sale...AND it only took me 60 seconds to have it out of the box and rocking and rolling?!?!  Had been $40, now $14.  It's a deal, wouldn't you say? 

lovely day.

Wednesday was a super exciting day 'round these parts.  When the sconces in the living room were installed in March I promptly ordered 8 shades to put on them.  (Please note this was in March.) Well, guess what they arrived yesterday. 

I am so thrilled.  I ordered them from lamps plus.  They were exactly what I wanted, minus the 3 months wait for shipping. 

I also had a nice gardening day yesterday and pulled a few glads out of one of the front beds.  They were starting to fall sideways!  I'm quite proud of the flowers thus far this season.  At least some of them....

Fails and desires.

Last year my parents planted the most massive bundle of sun patients.  They looked amazing.  People would stop by their west lawn just to look at them.  I thought they looked lovely.  So this year I wanted to attempt to do the same.  

They planted them around 2 large trees.  The trees are approximately 15 feet from one another, so the 2 big masses of flowers looked amazing.  This is just one of the sections pictured below. 

One of the things I knew going into the project was that it was going to take A LOT of water to get them to look even remotely like this.  Dad had a soaker hose system installed in these two beds so that they would get a reasonable amount of water.  Along with all this beauty though, comes a really big water bill.  This is not desirable.  Why don't they put that on the plant tag...."This plant is REALLY expensive because you have to water it every 20 minutes"....that would have made me re think this option and move on to something else.

While our whole lawn is in transition right now, the grass looks more brown (because of the treatments to kill weeds) than green and my flowers are consistently looking wilted because I'm not out there to water them every 20 minutes. Geez.  I really went wrong this year on the gardening.  Bummer.  Though, it is only June, perhaps things will get better.  I don't see how it could possibly get hotter than it is right now...it's already readying 100 daily in Memphis with the heat index at like 242 degrees.  Yuck.


Moving forward ... I took these photos last summer in front of Anthropologie in Kansas City.  I love these planters and I love the plants they put in them.   Isn't it an interesting way to prune this shrub?  I think it's divine....now if I could only get my hands on those planter/urn numbers!!!! this may have to be a big DIY (except I'm not very good at that sort of thing).

We need a "yellow" brick road.

Okay kids, we are in need of a little "yellow"brick road right here in Memphis. Our front yard is on the mend from decades of weed infestation.  It was sprayed 2 days ago, treatment number 4 in a long process I'm sure. In the meantime, it is still fun to think about the landscaping options for our yard.

There is a very obvious space for a front sidewalk, there just isn't one there.  As far as I know and from photos of our house in previous years, there hasn't ever been a front walk of any kind.  Perhaps it is time, yes?

When considering the options, there's a lot to consider. (hmm, that sounds funny.)  Do you use poured concrete, or pavers, or brick. And if you use something like brick or pavers, what pattern do you get? If you use concrete do you put a step at the end of the walk that goes on to the main sidewalk? Oh geez. Yet again, more things to contemplate. What a "disaster".   Here are some photos of options that I'd consider.

(google images)

(google images)

So, what do you think?

Master Bathroom

We have been working on our master bathroom since the fall. It wasn't a full on renovation, just cosmetic upgrades. It also, was not a planned project...it just started happening.  Since it wasn't financially planned, it has taken a while to complete.  But because I'm so excited that it has been done (and is almost finished) I'm going to show a few details of the new set up.

New mirror, and new sconces.  The electric was kind of a pain in this situation because new holes had to be wired for the sconces.  I love these lights, they are on a dimmer, which I now call a requirement in every room.  They're fabulous.  At the highest setting, these lights are light stage lights (which is nice for putting on make up, you can see EVERYTHING).  The mirror is also new. It was a tricky process to get the mirror made and the size to coordinate with the wholes for the sconces.  The mirror and the electric was by far the hardest part of this project.  

I would really like to have white italian marble on every flat surface in my house, but as we know it is a little pricey.  I know that there are many complications with using a surface that is white, but it is sooo pretty.  Our bathroom vanity was new in our house when we bought it two years ago, and it is a nice piece. So we decided to keep it.  It will be painted a white lacquer.  With the new countertop came a new sink and new faucet.  I highly encourage a 1 whole faucet.  I like the 8" spread, but it takes up a lot of space on your counter top (ours is only 52 inches long) and it costs less for just 1 whole to be cut in the stone.  

The walls are in the process of being painted.  At this point they have been primed. I will officially file painting bathroom walls under, "things that suck".  There are so many corners and angles, not my cup of tea.  A professional painter will come in to paint the vanity, the walls will have to be paired with that job. 

I do not have an anticipated date for when this will be finished, but at this point all the functional things have been done. The counter top, sink, and faucet are in as is the mirror and electric/lighting finished.  The paint will hopefully follow soon.  When it is finished....someday.....you will get to see the full product. 

Happy Birthday Daddy-O!

June 14, 2010 is not only Flag Day in the U. S. of A...it is also my father's 62nd birthday.  Happy Birthday Daddy-O!  You're the MAN!

(October 1, 2005 Grace Episcopal Cathedral)

(September 30, 2005 Grace Episcopal Cathedral)

I love you Daddy!

Electric Blue-Benjamin Moore, Moore, Moore

I have been a fan of Sex and The City for YEARS...when I say years, I don't mean that I just started watching it when it came out on DVD...I mean when it was on HBO 30 minutes at a time (which killed be between episodes/seasons) over a decade ago.  This isn't something that should sound that outrageous except for the fact that I was watching this (ahem) probably a little sooner than most other young ladies.  I couldn't turn away, the fashions and the decorations were to beautiful.  I was completely enamored with New York City, who as we all know, is the 5th "lady".  It was more of a "learning" experience than it was wrongful exposure.

When I was in college, instead of paying a monthly cable bill I bought a season of the DVDS per month, until I had them all....AND then I got cable (ha).  When the DVDs first came out it seemed like they were oh so expensive.  I watched the episodes with as much attention as I had the very first time I saw them.....All the way from season 1.

I'd have to say that season 3 and season 6 pt. 2 are my favorites.  I have loved how the girls have evolved into NYC professionals and how their personal styles/homes have changed along with them.  That feeling has stayed true right through both movies as well.  As a die hard fan, and yes, I'm willing to say "die hard fan" in this instance....I have loved it all, even the scenes I can barely watch (like when Carrie smashes her wedding flowers on Mr. Big in Bryant Park).

I'm sad that now, after all these years, the series has more than likely come to a close.
Cynthia Nixon, Christ Noth, SJP....whoever....they will always be Samantha Jones, Mr. Big, and Carrie.
No matter what tv show it is, no matter how good they think they can act, that's who they will always be to thousands and thousands of "die hard" fans across the world.  And....that's A-Okay with me.

This bedroom was stunning! I thought that putting the tv in the secretary was a good idea...it could at least be hidden when they weren't watching it.  I thought it sounded like a good compromise for Big (who wanted the tv) and Carrie (who didn't want Big to watch the tv). 

LOVE this coffee table...and let me tell you....If I had that beautiful furniture, I'd sit by my husband on that couch anytime!

The black lampshades on the lamp next to the couch is amazing....where in the world might I find one of those delightful things? 

When SATC The Movie came out I had fabulous dreams about Carrie's apartment renovation. When I was in university, my first apartment in Lawrence was EXACTLY like this apartment.  The bedroom and living room were joined like this with the kitchen just off the living room.  I had windows all along the same side of the bedroom/living room that faced out.  I was on the 2nd floor of a 3 story building, just like the building that Carrie lived in.  It all seemed so cool!  

I didn't think that her apartment could be any better.  Again, as I said earlier one of the things that I loved about this series was that as the years went by, not only did the girls change so did their style.  I would have to say the same about me.  These few years later, as I look at Carrie's renovated apartment and as I saw it again (only for a few briefs scenes) in the new movie, I loved it more than I had remembered.  So much that I am on the prowl for a space in my own home to put a bit of Benjamin Moore's "electric blue" on the wall.  The color is oh-so fabulous!

As a side note....here's my "Mr. Big" on Carrie's front steps on Perry St. in NYC (even though the apartment was supposed to be on the upper east side) on a rainy evening in 2007.  We had just had dinner at Balthazar and walked over to Magnolia for dessert. 

Mom and Dad

I was just thinking today about how my family was here a week ago.  During their visits we usually have various things to celebrate that happen in between visits.  Right now we are celebrating an on going birthday/anniversary season.
My parent's 42nd wedding anniversary and by brother's 29th birthday are both during the last week of May. My father's 62nd birthday is on Flag Day, June 14th. Lots of cake, ice cream and drinks were consumed during this past holiday weekend in honor of these special occasions.

This is my family.  Mom, Dad and Patrick.  This photo was taken Thanksgiving break 2009. 

My only sibling, Patrick, has autism and lives with my parents in our family's home in Kansas.  Mom and Dad don't get many opportunities for a photo alone....Patrick always thinks it is necessary to be part of their photos.  And rightfully so, he's a Prince.

Another delightful thing about our Memorial Day weekend together was that all of Memphis was flooded with beautiful hydrangeas.  And not only are the flowers beautiful, so are the leaves!

There were a few new purchases made for our house.....

This beautiful mercury glass vase and this delightful thing.....

(that's what we refer to it as...."this delightful thing")

According to my mother...."Pier 1 has had those things forever"....unfortunately I didn't notice them until I saw this delightful thing on 9 by Design when they renovated a friend's apartment and went shopping at Pier 1.  I am a perfect example of why thy did that....1. it was affordable  2. things at Pier 1 are assessable to the American public...3. it's cute....and with these 3 reasons (which was enough for me) I went to purchase my very own wicker elephant side table.  I wonder how many other folks who watch the show did the exact same thing?

On the show, Bob wanted to paint the elephant "a wacky color, like hot pink"....I don't currently have enough steam to do such a thing, also it would take about 5 cans of spray paint. I did however have a remnant of white marble from our master bath reno that fit perfectly on the top to give a flat surface to place my morning coffee.  This was enough to make it different, and I love it.  Perhaps I'll save the "wacky" color for another time.

Fleurs do grow...Hopefully the weeds to not

Flowers as of June 3, 2010

Funny story.....So this year Geoffrey and I decided that we would give our lawn a go with a professional lawn care company.  Over the next year they will come spray our yard every 5-7 weeks approximately and with that, they've said that it would be better.  Our house was renovated from shingles to basement and everything in between, but the yard....WAS NOT.  Call it what you want but this yard was full of crab grass/Texas grass...nasty! As of now, our yard has had 3 treatments by this unmentioned professional yard care company.  Between the application of the 2nd and 3rd applications, we received a knock on the door by another representative from the company trying to sell us a year's worth of lawn care.  (Aren't they supposed to know we are already in the system?) Geoffrey listened to his whole speech about how bad our lawn looked and about how much better it would look if we had their service because "IMMEDIATELY" we would notice a difference...or so the salesman said. 

Following this fabulous (memorized) speech...Geoffrey said, "Hmm, interesting that you think we need your lawn care service." The salesman ask "why"....Geoffrey said, "because we have already had 2 applications and apparently this IMMEDIATE difference you speak of doesn't exist."  

Poor salesman, I thought his jaw was going to hit the sidewalk. I've never known of somebody to backpedal so fast.  

This past week my family was visiting from the Midwest and I was thankful that my father, the biggest critic I know, remarked that our lawn sure did look better.  Apparently the ugly grass is in fact going away.  Perhaps not as fast as they advertise it will, but alas....the lawn will look better. In the meantime...we are left with patches of brown amongst the thriving kelly green.  That should be proof enough that it is working, but I guess we all need our Dad's approval once and while.