Before I forget...

I saw many pilots at Comic-Con this year & the one I recommend the most is "Chuck" on NBC. The producers described it "Alias meets The Office". It really made me laugh. Watch it on Monday Sept 24th!

I am kitty, hear me roar...

I have pictures of the house & of the family visit and have a rant or two I need to let out, but I have a migraine today so instead you get another old photo. Here's me in my ballet heydays dressed as a kitty just like Diva Kitty but with less "Diva-tude" than Sophia:

Old Photos

My brother, Dave, has taken up the monumental task of digitizing all of our old family photos. Here's one of me -I'm not sure when it was taken, but I think that's the old house so I'd say I was around three or four years old. :) Clearly, I'm ready to go yachting or to Sunday brunch:

Yard sneak peek & Table Dilemma

I'm down-sizing - the house's living/dining room area is much smaller than what I had in the apartment. I suppose, ideally, I should get rid of my large-ish mid 90's sofa sleeper & my awesome if large Ikea table and get something appropriate for the space. But I'm po' right now (since all my money has gone into making the house livable) so that's not an option. Socal thought (and I agreed) that a plan might be to sell the dining table (and its matching sidetable) and get a table for the patio which would become my "dining room."

I liked this idea a lot - it would give me more room in the living room (I could move the club chair & ottoman back to the living room & have more space in the office...like, say, for maybe a treadclimber...). So I started hunting for outdoor tables & chairs, hoping that I might get lucky with the July 4th sales. As I started checking measurements, I very quickly saw that most tables were about the same size as my awesome IKEA table and the chairs were generally larger. Should I go through the hassle of selling my table & buying new stuff or should I just "weatherproof" my IKEA table & chairs? (The chairs have a water/stain resistant faux suede microfiber, but I can easily change that to a more "outdoorsy" fabric if I wanted to.) [Because of the size of the patio, round tables block the "flow" so I'm sticking to rectangular tables...unless I got a little bistro table, but what's the point in getting a teeny table that barely seats 2? :) ] That's my dilemma-of-the-week. Hmm. Maybe after the exterior painting is done, I think I will "test drive" putting the IKEA table back there to see if I'm comfortable with that.

Anyway, what you really want are pictures:
My hibiscus:


Our little orange tree:


Here's Lola showing off the new lawn in the backyard:

Erratum

The color of the Behr inspiration house is "Ripe Wheat" not Rice Wine. I have no idea how I got that mixed up. BTW, I have decided to go with "Ripe Wheat" and not "applesauce". [Priming starts on Thursday!]

Quick House Update

The new grass is growing! Hibiscus has been planted! [More pictures later.]

I was poking around the Behr website looking for the exterior accent color, when I came across one of their "inspiration" pictures with the basic color scheme I want for the house. So I thought I'd share. The only difference is that I will use some brick-red color for accent. I'm undecided about the body color -"rice wine" (which is the one in the inspiration picture) and "applesauce" (which is very similar to rice wine but has a teeny more yellow in it). Rice wine seems more "earthy" & more in line with the architecture of the house, but applesauce is a little brighter. I have samples & will make the decision soon. There's another color 1 shade lighter than "applesauce" called "banana cream" [yummy!] which made it to the short list by virtue of the name alone. :) Alas, when I brought the swatch home, "banana cream" looked too pale in the bright glare of the So. California sunshine. Hmm...coming up with names for paint colors must be a fun job...

Book Meme (only b/c J invited me)

Many months ago DKM invited Jessica to complete a book meme ...and Jessica invited me to complete one, too. I've had to think long and hard to complete this list, for a few reasons: (1) How can I pick just one?? (2) I have found that, honestly, it's hard to remember sometimes (I guess I'm getting old) and (3) I, regretfully, haven't read as *much* as I would like.

#1~One book that changed your life: Well, how about a book that would have changed my life? That's The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. If I had read this book when I was a teenager, I have no doubt that I would have followed a different path in my life. Alas, I read it when I was in grad school - too jaded by life. [Demolished Man was good, too...I like Bester's work a lot...much more than Asimov, but I digress.]

#2~One book that you've read more than once: How 'bout I answer this when I post my comfort books?

#3~One book you'd want on a desert island: This week I might have to go with The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Even the cover (on my copy's cover, it calls itself "A Hot Fairy Tale") makes makes laugh. It makes me laugh & smile & believe in True Love. :) I don't get tired of it. [On a different day, I probably would have chosen Mort by Terry Pratchett. *giggle* And on yet another day, I might pick a collection of Shakespeare's comedies or Homer's works or some Greek plays - things I've wanted to read in their entirety, but never had the time. On the island, I'd have plenty of time on my hands...] Although...I am a city girl so maybe something of the "Surviving on a desert Island for Dummies" variety might be better...

#4~One book that made you laugh: I'll give this honor to the first book that I remember that made me laugh in what my teenage mind thought was an "adult" manner (i.e., with satire, parody & puns) - Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin. I would sit on the couch & read & laugh out loud and it was so fun. Good times. I hadn't really felt that way while reading a book until I started reading the Discworld series (thanks, J!). I ought to read that Myth series again...


#5~One book that made you cry: I actually try to avoid books that make me cry; age & hormones often make me cry at random things. The book that made me cry "for reals" most recently was, believe it or not was the audiobook version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as read by Jim Dale. Dale had given the characters such life and at the end, when Dumbledore is talking to Harry about the sacrifice his parent's made, his voice cracked just so. I immediately thought of my parents and what they had sacrificed so that I could have a "better" life. Then again, maybe I was PMSing. [BTW, I've never actually read a Harry Potter book; I've only heard the audiobooks, and I highly recommend them.]


#6~One book that you wish you had written: This is the toughest one for me because I admire writers for different reasons and want to write like them even though their style is not necessarily my style. So what can I do? Pull them all off the shelf, put them in a box, close my eyes, shuffle them about with my hand & pick one? I don't know if that means I need to think about it more or that I need to read more. :)

#7~One book that you wish had never been written: One that I've actually read? Or one like Mein Kampf, which I haven't read, but I'm pretty sure whose absence might have made the world a better place?

#8~One book you're currently reading: current read is If Chins Could Kill by Bruce Campbell; I had started it a while back & never finished it & only now have I gotten back to it.

#9~One book you've been meaning to read: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. I keep putting it off because I know it will make me cry and make me angry.

#10~Invite others to post their list: I invite D., Wes and SoCal.

A Shoe Story

The story begins innocently enough - a need to replace two pairs of old shoes.

Pair #1:
I need new Lola walking shoes. My current pair is a comfy pair of Sketchers:



I like them because they are easy to slip into in the morning when I really don't have the skill to tie shoelaces. In fact, this is the second pair of (essentially) the same pair of Sketchers that I have owned in 2.5years. The problem? They get wet (from dew and/or sprinkler moisture practically everyday & the man-made materials don't hold up too well. So, even though I like these sketchers, I'm looking for new Lola walking shoes.


Pair #2:
My favorite shoes in the whole world are these Merrell shoes:



They are super-comfy and have that awesome burnt tomato color. They were my "Go to" shoes - the ones I could slip on to go to the mall or a quick errand or a movie or a plane flight or... well, you get the idea. They are still structurally sound, even though I've had them for at least 7 years. In the last couple of months, however, the sole has finally started to deteriorate - there are no holes, but they are starting to get really, really worn. (They have become my "walk around the grassless sometimes muddy yard" shoes and that's why they are so grungy in that pic.)

So, of course, I went shoe shopping, intent on ONLY getting replacements for the aforementioned shoes. I was quickly reminded why I shouldn't go shoe shopping without someone to be the voice of reason.

First, I found these pirate shoes (with hearts!) from Rocket Dog on Super clearance at Macy's:



Then, at DSW, I found some really cute (also on super-sale) Rocket Dog flats similar to these, but the print was the British flag (I couldn't find them on their website)...luckily, they didn't have my size & I had to leave them. :(

DSW is evil, because there I found these replacement Merrells:

[They also come in red, but the red color looked..hmm...more like a really bright Day-Glo red, if that makes any sense, so I went with these.]

So they are not in a super-fun color, and therefore not "strictly" a replacement, but they are oh-so-comfy. They are cloth and will make a great "Go to" shoe for the summer. As I poked around the Merrell website trying to find Lola walking shoes (I saw a few that might work), I discovered that this style also comes in leather. Oh, the temptation!

And of course, because DSW is evil, as I walking out with my "replacement shoes", I walked by a stack of Pumas on super-duper clearance. They had these in my size:



$16 for comfy purple & lime green leather Pumas? No way were those staying at the store! (Come home with momma, kitties!) I'm saving these for this year's Comic-Con.

If anyone has any suggestions for Lola walking shoes, please let me know; the criteria: no slides, no velcro(Lola's hair gets stuck to it), no shoelaces and no thin soles.


Sigh. Shoes.

The kidnap Room (and the Patio)

It looks like a regular shed...


(side)

Pull back the corrugated aluminum door to reveal glass sliding doors...


(front)

Inside it gets creepy... a window...



carpet, lighting (there was a phone line & electricity)...


a closet...


Several neighbors have confirmed that someone was sleeping there. Creepy


Now...Lola has a real yard:


This is what the patio looked like the day I moved in:

(click on it for some notes)



This is what is looks like now:

(still not organized or anything...but little by little it's taking shape)

The landscapers should be done on Tuesday... yay!

Eat My Monkey

I felt like having sushi the other day, but I was in a bit of a rush, so I stopped at a Whole Foods Market for some from their takeout counter...which is right next to the bakery stuff. That's where I saw the monkeys:



Very yummy. [The eyes are upside-down white chocolate chips; the ears & mouth were cookie. Yum.]


Pictures of the kidnap room before & after coming later this week.

aaack!

Has it really been that long since I posted? Sigh. Well, summer's here so hopefully, I can post more regularly. I need to spend the next couple of days emptying out the kidnap room before its demolition...in the meantime, entertain yourself with this:

What would Jesus blog?

:)

Sorry I've been away - life got crazy the last couple of weeks.

Rosebud(s)
The house came with a little rosebush - honestly, I think it's the law in Pasadena to have at least one rosebush on your property. It looked a little sick when I got here - or maybe it was just overrun by this other velvetty plant that's growing right beside it. I dunno. Anyway, I trimmed it, watered it, and such. Soon there was...



The buds started to open...showing pink...

...and then it BLOOMED...



I don't think I would have kept it if they were pink, but I like the yellow with the pink edges. Fun! Also, huge - it's about 7inches in diameter now.

Easter Bento
I made a very plain paella for Easter dinner. It's "plain" because I didn't have any crab (or wanted to go out for some, and, yes, cuttlefish is usually stocked in my pantry) and I don't really like the peas & red peppers that should be in a paella. Leftovers with some soup, grapes and guava fruit bar from the corner bodega made a yummy lunch:


Visitor
I caught this guy in the bedroom which is currently undergoing crack repair & painting:

[That is a dragonfly or some type, right?]

Bedroom Preview


oooh...what that's thing(not the boob lamp) on the ceiling, hm? Could it be a vent for the new A/C? Maybe. :) Okay, yeah. :)

This Week's Mr. RoBento

[Vigo Red beans & Rice with Chicken/Turkey/Basil sausage; Tuscan tomato bisque; Trader Joe's key lime pie; oyster crackers & Kiwi gummy candies. ]

Sometimes I eat beans that are not black. Sometimes. :)

Boys on the Brain

I think I have a crush on Mike Rowe of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs. I really like his sense of humor, I love that he used to sing opera and that he's willing to try just about anything. I think "liking him" became "luuving him" when, once on Dirty Jobs, he was describing how his co-worker fell into some mud and he said, "That wasn't a pirouette. It was like a tour j'ete [sp?] or somethin." Hee! Ballet jokes! Hee!

Reasons to see 300:

• Half-naked Gerard Butler (and another 299 half-naked Spartans)
• Mostly naked Rodrigo Santoro
• Peter Mensah has a small role (yay!)

Sigh. Pretty boys. :)

Double Arigato, Mr. RoBento

The very kind & generous Jessica gave me a Mr. Bento for Christmas/B-day/Housewarming and I finally get to unveil it! I coveted her Mr. Bento and it was very thoughtful of her to get me one.



Mr. Bento reminds me Klaatu, the robot from The Day the Earth Stood Still. I commented this to Dr. D who quickly christened it Mr. RoBento.

This is tomorrow's lunch - the first meal in Mr. RoBento:


(click on it for a bigger version; grilled chicken, DKM's coconut rice with a little B-Man's teriyaki sauce, spinach with currants, golden raisins, sunflower seeds and sugar plum grape tomotoes (not shown), grapes & Girl Scout Thin Mints [Where are the Samoas, you may ask? In a box, in my desk for, you know, emergencies. :) ]

I'm not disciplined enough to post every one of my Bento's, but I will try to take post the more interesting recipes.

So, double arigato, J - I really love Mr. RoBento. :)

My Beachin' Bathroom

(The floor looks a little darker in this pic than it actually is - it's actually pale sand color.)

The bathroom theme is the beach - sand & surf. :)

So, yes, the old tub is gone - it was in bad shape. I prefer showers over baths, so I put in a shower. The wall for the fixtures had to be put in; the fixtures couldn't go in the opposite wall b/c that's where the China cabinet is.

Here's another pic which is not that great (I'm not sure why the floor came out so dark), but you can better see my pretty shower doors (Solstice by Kohler). [They're actually prettier than in this picture.] It really looks like rain flowing down the glass. :)

Bathroom Sneak Peek

See how the blue for the walls was inspired by one of the blue stripes on the bathroom accoutrements? The paint is Behr's "Gulf Winds".

I'll take more pictures tomorrow in the daylight.

Front Porch is now Screenless!

A little more curb appeal, yes? :)


(also in this pic are the bedroom & closet doors, temporarily being stored there on the porch)

(ALSO, notice a certain Jindo looking out the bedroom window)

In a way, it was a small change, but now you can really see the house. I like the French door(even though it's in bad shape), BUT I don't feel particularly secure with that as my front door so I'll be getting a new one soon.


[I've been contaminated with some mutant flu bug...more pics in a couple of days.]

Pictures! At last!

The painter is still working on some details, but here's a pic:

BEFORE:




AFTER:



Sorry about the glare on the next one (but you can see the awesome yet-to-be-restored vintage stove & the new floor & the non-apartment fridge):

Bathroom Before

The bathroom was in pretty bad shape. There was water damage along the back wall and termite damage under that nasty floor. The old tub, though pretty, was cracked and in too bad a shape to save. I prefer showers anyway so I didn't mind losing the tub. The sink, though retro, reminded me of the sinks in an old hospital & had to go. The toilet was pretty nasty & probably would have been fine with a good cleaning & a new seat, but new toilets are relatively cheap so I got a new toilet, too. And, no, I don't know why there was such an extensive filtering system in the bathroom.







There's still some painting left to do in the bathroom (and my camera is still missing) so "after" pics will have to wait for a bit (but hopefully by next weekend!).