The past 2 weeks...

During the past 2 weeks we have traveled the Eastern portion of Canada.

I feel like I need to sing the Johnny Cash song "I've been everywhere".
....or at least something like that. 

I still have 9 more days of travel before a short break...so this is just a check in. 

 Quebec City

 Prince Edward Island 

Confederation Bridge 

 Toronto

Montreal

...and everywhere in between. 

All photos courtesy of Google Images. 

Mine will come as soon as I can sit for more than 5 minutes. 

Happy July!

O, Canada you're nearly here!

By this time next week we will be in O, Canada!

Needless to say my main man friend is a little bit excited about the voyage to his homeland.

Handsome has elected NOT to go on this trip. Or...rather...we elected for him. He has a kitty sitter while we are gone to help him nap and play in his house. We boarded him once at the nicest kitty-condo in the Mid South. We payed for that little experience for months. Lesson learned...get Handsome a 24 hour, in house kitty sitter. To Handsome it's a kitty sitter, to the rest of the world, it's a house sitter.  You see how he rolls?

And as for me...Hello. 

It's hard to pack all of the things I need to do in the next week given I'll then be gone for 3 weeks! Summer School is rolling along nicely.  I'm taking 2 classes that will be finished before we depart on Saturday morning...(meaning: GOD WILLING I get all of my homework done) I'm also teaching 2 music camps at the school I work at. Week 1 was this past week and was so much fun! I had the most precious little (Early Childhood) munchkins. Week 2 shall provide to be equally fabulous, I'm sure. This time with a bit older (Elementary) munchkins. Piano and voice lessons continue as per usual.

My motto through doing this second masters degree has been:

SHORT TERM PAIN....LONG TERM GAIN!

Sometimes it's hard to believe my own words, this week in particular.

Lots to do and all in less than a week.

I would imagine that in a year or 2 I'll look back at this time capsule and think, "YOU WERE NUTS".  It's interesting to see how a blog will serve as a reminder as time and personalities change. 

ON with this particularly shady Saturday, and the mountain of homework that is piled next to me.

The Royals know how to throw a party.

photo

I've been clicking through the plethora of photos from HRH's celebration. 

 There is a lot to see, smile about, laugh about and...gasp about. 

I love this photo.  Kate is just fabulous (to me).

I also loved this photo because my husband pointed out to me 

that he too wore one of those uniforms. Well...there it is. 

The truth lies in the uniform. Or perhaps it's the hat? 

Happy Jubilee, HRH!

I see stripes

Geoff and I acquired this china cabinet around Christmas time this past year.  I was absolutely thrilled to have it arrive in our dining room as it has been something I've desired for quite some time.  To be exact, since we got married and I had china to put in one.  And as they say, good things come to those who wait. This is an Ethan Allen circa mid 1990s. Great construction, very sturdy and the finish is pristine. The only problem is that the finish is pristine.  Yes you read that right.  Knowing my aesthetic, it is very difficult for me to leave something as it comes. I usually have to tweak it in some way and my vision for this involved a big bucket of paint.  Unfortunately, I'm just not going to do it. It is way to pretty regardless of my personal aesthetic.  So...what can be done as a temporary fix that won't hurt the piece.  

STEP 1.....EMPTY the china cabinet.
Naturally Handsome was no help what so ever.  (he was napping as per usual).
This was actually the hardest part of the job the actual project was a snap.

STEP 2...enter the actual project.
When I was at Seabrook (paint store) earlier in the afternoon I was perusing the wallpaper section. I love wallpaper, I'm just never able to commit/afford it. This however was my most lucky day. Not only was I able to commit, it was exactly what I was looking for AND it was on sale. Had been $40, purchase price, $7.99.  KA-BOOM!

As you know, I have a thing for black and white.  As displayed in the vast majority of my decorating, my clothing, and yes my cat. So this print should be no surprise to anyone who has laid eyes on me or my things before.

In less than 20 minutes I had the paper up the shelves back in and was ready to reload the china cabinet.  Reloading was actually fun because I wanted to change the position of some of the pieces AND they needed cleaning.  So, win/win.

It may not be forever, but it is for right now. I'm excited about the paper and the way it looks with the dishes. It matches my curtains and table/chairs and the bright yellow rug that is on the floor.
What's up next? Paint for the walls!!!

For now a little....

                  

Marilyn on Wednesday

May happenings...

I've been sort of a slacker with this whole blogging thing this year.  It is totally a joy of mine and I click on my reader nearly every night while attempting to detox before bed.  Alas, it's nearly summer and I'm trying to come up with a post here and there to bridge a vast gap in my previous frequency of blog posts.

This academic year I've had so many papers to write that I couldn't tolerate the thought of writing another thing, even if it were for fun.  There are times, believe it of not, when I run out of words. (People who have known me for more than 5 minutes, are you laughing over there?) Yes, it does happen, I hit a word limit and, poof.  I'm done.  Today, I just so happen to have approximately 500 words left for the day, of which I will devote to my blog. Not all 500, but you know...enough to bridge the gap. Plus photos...naturally.

I often wonder about this whole blogging "thing".  Is it a fad? Will this post be around forever? Will I read it when I'm older and thing, WOW you weren't funny at all? And what in the world were you thinking buying those throw pillows.  I assume it to be so, since I think that now of things I purchased and put in my home a short 3-4 years ago. Good grief am I in for a sizable laugh over time.

Well...so about those pictures.  I know is all anybody wants to see on a blog anyway...pictures.

I'm currently trying a 2 tone panel sort of thing. 

I'm not sure if anybody thinks it's  good idea...

well, except I like it. Handsome has not responded. 

Both windows in the front room are currently of the two panel persuasion. 

I love jdouglas. They rep high end companies. 

I am currently in love with this sofa as pictured on their instagram page. 

I called them.  It's 100" long and 32" deep....YUM

Now the question, where could I put it? 

My hubs and his boss.  

Well actually it's his bosses boss...

The two of them love a photo opp. 

How often is it that they can find somebody to look in the eye? 

Tall + Tall = Tall. 

The Memphis Boychoir recently traveled to Sewanee. 

That's The University of the South. 

A lovely photo was in The Commercial Appeal today. 

Gooo team.

This photograph was taken by Mahaffey White. 

Mahaffey's husband, Richard was the Organist/Choirmaster at 

St. John's Episcopal Church for decades. She passed away on Friday 

evening after 101 wonderful years of life. She has left her print on the

 world and will not soon be forgotten. 

 Last but never least....

Handsome. 

Me oh-my...it's nearly June. 

This is our last week of school at T-H-E Santa Maria
(St. Mary's Episcopal School Memphis, TN). 

Summer travels will soon be near!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

 Philadephia in 1985.

About the time my brother was diagnosed with Autism. 

 Mom and Dad after their wedding in May of 1968

Mom, Thanksgiving weekend 2011

I think we all have classic stories about how wonderful our mothers are.
They've raised us, picked us up, pulled us along, propped us up, and sometimes even had to sit us down. (And for some mothers more than others!) But, none the less a Mother's work is never done.  My mother is still my Mom even from a long distance away, I know she hates it but we make it work. She's had to learn how to text if she wants to hear from me, even though I'm sure that's not her favorite mode of communication. We have made the US Postal Service and FedEx part of our relationship to carry things back and forth. The emails fly, and while it's tough living away from Mom, sometimes I feel as though she's just blocks away.
Thank heavens we live apart in 2012 and not 1912.
If you live away from your Mom today, call her! And don't forget to say,
Happy Mother's Day!
For my Mother...

Happy Mother's Day, Dr. Mirah Dow
...or as I call her Mom. 

Spring "cleaning"

Well...I'm not into cleaning.  But I am very interested in moving furniture around. So instead of cleaning...I'm participating in "spring moving 2012" (within my house).

When I buy furniture, if I can't put it in at least 2 spaces...I don't buy it.  What this means is a lot of my furniture matches, is within the same color palate and is also within the same size range.

Case in point...this buffet.  As of today, this 3 piece has been in 3 different parts in my house.
This spot (pictured below) is the 2nd place. Prior it was in our dining room.  The truth is, it's actually a little bit on the large side to sit in the hallway.  It works, but the center piece sticks out just a little further than is easy for a passer by.

What did do?  Here is the new set up. 

The moral of this story is that I figured out that I like having

 something in the hallway to set my purse and keys on.  

And the hallway is just long enough that I think it breaks up the long space.

Question: Where did the 3 piece buffet go? 

Answer: The Sun room

In order to move the buffet in...

I had to move some other things around to clear the way. 

The blue velvet sofa just moved to the other side of the room. 

The white chairs on the left are now on the right.

Pause for a break. Or as Handsome says...

"PAWS" for a break. 

I got the two side pieces in easily. 

The had a rest.

The center piece was a little bit more cumbersome.

Insert one of my hide rugs and away we go. 

There.  They're all in place.

Now it's time to play with my toys. 

As of today, things are in a bit of a standstill...

I was tired....and stopped for the evening.

I'm still playing. 

More on the "spring move 2012" later.

move ... the ... furniture

I'm in the process of moving some furniture. Well, moving a few vignettes of furniture around the house. Here is one of the space you can expect to see different...sometime soon.

Stay tuned.

Quote.

Via: Pinterest