Crazy July

This month has been crazy: My brother (who is living with us) had a visit from his fiancee, Matt's good friends got married on July 10th, one of my best friends is getting married this coming weekend July 31st, we went to a kitchen celebration party for friends who finished a kitchen reno and we have started to put together our composter which arrived!

In addition to all that craziness (happy crazy, mind you!) my brother is now moving out this Friday!! (Moving to Texas to be with his fiancee) And my last day of work in finance is Thursday! So many HUGE life choices being made!!!

I promise to be back soon with some pictures of the house and my latest finds from craigslist! I found 2 more just this past Sunday!

Be safe in this heat & I will be back soon!

Window Shopping

I spent this past Saturday in RI with my Mum window shopping. It turns out that a lot of places shut down for the entire July 4th weekend, not just the day or observed Monday holiday. So, we ended up in some interesting places that were open!

Our current dining room light situation is something I hate. Abhor is really the word I'm looking for. Matt has made them (yes there are 2 in our small dining area) tolerable for the foreseeable future by changing out the really BRIGHT light bulbs for energy efficient ones that don't make you feel as though you are being blinded by two of the ugliest ceiling fixtures ever. Thus, I have begun the hunt for a fixture for the room that will not be hard on the eyes. The above chandelier I love! And I didn't think I would either! I was looking for some sort of drum pendent with a lovely white shade, etc etc. But here was this Norwell - a lovely blend of old lines with clean modern styling. LOVE it!

However, it might be too big. sigh. We have 8 ft ceilings everywhere in the house. WHICH, I forget all the time since I'm used to our soaring ceilings form the loft OR the 12 ft ceilings of my parents historic home. soooooooo, the salesperson very nicely offered for me to take it home (since it was a display and could not be installed) to hold up and see how it looks.

I can't wait to go back and get it so I can do just that!

So then it was on to the next store!

Table lamp. We need a few. We have none. yeah, you have the picture. OK. Soooo, the lighting store I wanted to visit was closed but guess who had this beauty? The Christmas Tree Shop. Yep! Couldn't believe my eyes!

I picked up two for the living room with the lovely black and red silk shades to go with our new decor for $60!! The bases were each $20 and the shades were $9.99. Yes, you may go back and read that again. Each lamp was only $30!! Brand new!

Well, we continued to shop, and I picked up a cute little embroidered pillow for the bedroom. Turns out when I got home the lamps found their way upstairs and I have to say, both Matt and I are very happy with their current home!

The red adds a little POP of color against the blue walls. The black and white of everything else tones it back down again and the I think the whole thing looks great! (So good, I wish I could jump right into the picture and take a nap!)

I was sharing the above pic with a friend who agreed that having one room of the house pretty much DONE makes a huge difference in mood! I feel like I'm finally pulling things together and blending the house our stuff to make a home.

Currently - my favorite room!!!

PS - to the one who called on Saturday, from halfway around the world, to ask me about a childhood nursery song, to win an arguement no less, you are truly one-in-a-million. Don't you forget it!

Independence Day!

Ah, Independence Day! Has there ever been a more classic holiday for the 13 original colonies? I think not! Some say, Boston is the best place to celebrate, others say Philly, but really - as long as you're in the original colonies where history come back with like a force of nature, I don't think it matters if you're in Baltimore, Boston or anywhere else!

"Never was such a valuable possession so stupidly and recklessly managed, than this entire continent by the British crown. Our industry discouraged, our resouces pillaged... first of all our very character stifled. We've spawned a new race here, Mr. Dikinson. Rougher, simpler; more violent, more enterprising; less refined. We're a new nationality. We require a new nation."

As a second generation American (3 out of 4 grandparents), I am still extremely proud to live in this land of opportunity and work hard for my accomplishments. I love the history of this country and what our Founding Fathers accomplished with what they had. I sometimes feel that those great works have been forgotten and people now celebrate the parades and the fireworks, without perhaps thinking of those that sacrificed so much for us to be here.

ok. I'm down off my soapbox. One last quote, as it's without a doubt one of my favorites.

"Franklin: Don't worry, John. The history books will clean it up.
Adams: It doesn't matter. I won't be in the history books anyway, only you. Franklin did this and Franklin did that and Franklin did some other damn thing. Franklin smote the ground and out sprang George Washington, fully grown and on his horse. Franklin then electrified him with his miraculous lightning rod and the three of them- Franklin, Washington, and the horse- conducted the entire revolution by themselves.
[pause]
Franklin: I like it."

Happy Independence weekend everyone!