This was a very tough year for a lot of people, including many people I love. I am taking this time to count my blessings and remember the things that kept me going this past year.

1. My suburban-hippie sack - I spent 10.00 on a Stuff n' Go Bags and it might just be my best purchase of the year. I use it nearly everyday.

2. Josie - I know it is an internet cliche to wax rhapsodic about ones cat. But I don't care. Josie-cat has been a great boon to my happiness this year. So cute! So cuddly! 
3. Honey crisp apples

4. ID 101 - After taking some time off of my one-at-a-time college career, I am really excited about this class that I am wrapping up. I learned a ton about design, but more importantly about myself.

5. It seems that with the right tools, I can draw. FTW!

6. Abstaining - I learned this year that giving up flour and sugar is the most painless way for me to take control of my eating. To the tune of 47 pounds.

7. Vampire Fiction

8. LeakyCon - This year I semi-came-out as a real lover of all things Harry Potter. To prove it I attended a HP conference. The best part was making new friends and spending quality time with my sis-in-law.

9. Curtains - For my birthday Mi Mama and I made a valance for the kitchen and I made sheers for the french doors. 

10. Angel - The whole darn thing. Melissa gave me the gift of the Angel box set. Rich and I watched episode after episode until we saw the whole thing. 

11. The Fluent Self - http://www.fluentself.com/ Havi Brooks is busy helping people with their stuck.

12. Summer Fruits and Veggies - I had some of the best peaches and corn of my life this year.

13. Christmas Shopping with Cash

14. Professional painters - When the project requires a scaffold it is time 

15. Planning the Cruise of a lifetime - April 2010  Transatlantic cruise from Florida to Barcelona Spain. Planning is nearly as fun as the trip itself. This is going to be epic.

16. Rearranging the living room - New paint, new desk, new direction. So much better!
 
17. The love and support of my friends and family - This is a perennial point of gratitude for me. This year my loved ones have really shown me their true colors and I couldn't be more pleased. 

18. Being Married - I don't know how my husband and I found each other but I am so glad we did. I am looking forward to the day when any two consenting adults can marry and share their lives and Rich and I can.

19. Babies - Stella! Nathan! And all the wonderful little people who let me sniff their baby heads this year.

20. Freedom of Choice - Lord knows the US isn't perfect, but I am truly thankful to live in a society where if I can dream it, I can do it!


I am still aglow with triumph after reinstating order in my closet. It is a wonderful feeling to have a closetful of choices to choose from each morning - nearly all perfectly wearable. The only exceptions are a handful of inspiration items, My Mom's wedding dress, and a pair of jeans one size too small (zipable, but not wearable if you know what I mean).

While digging through that closet, I was amazed by what I found. Hand-me-down sweaters from Jords that were previously too small, my old go-to Ann Klein suit that now fits again plus Blouses and sweater I had forgotten about.

From a secondary closet I have also unearthed my old red coat, my old standby that has served me for so many years. It is great not to have to think about buying a heavy coat when the temps drop, which will be sooner than I think.

If you have never struggled with weight you might not realize that along with your clothes, jewelry can also be outgrown. I was thrilled to find I can wear my Honeymoon Watch again and do nearly everyday. Most of my bracelets fit better and even my wedding rings are looser.

I have been riding the weight rollercoaster long enough that by now I should be a bit more jaded or at least pragmatic to protect myself for future weight gain. I am pleasantly surprised to find myself just enthusiastic to move forward and proud of bow far I have come.

Closet Case

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We have laundry issues.
 
Flounder and I have been sourcing our outfits each morning from all over the house. You would find us pulling fresh pants out of the dryer, wrinkled shirts from the guest bed, mates to single shoes from the back of the closet. You get the picture.
 
It is hard to admit, but these issues are mostly my fault. In the world of divided household responsibilities, Flounder washes and dries (and carries most of the time) and I sort, fold and put the laundry away. That is what I was supposed to be doing anyway. I realized I was the source of the laundry problem while complaining that when my brother and his GF dropped in earlier in the week we had a giant basket of unfolded undies on the dining room table and how embarrassing that was. They wouldn't have been there if I was holding up my end of the bargin. At least they were clean, right? No, not good enough.
 
So I started musing. If I had all of my clothes clean, folded and ready to put away, would I have anywhere to put them? The answer was No. But I don't have that many clothes, right? I don't even have enough cold weather pieces in my current size to go to work dressed appropriately*! Whatever will I do?
 
So, Sunday morning I took a good long look at my closet. In the matter of two hours, I pulled 4 shopping bags of clothes from the closet and clean laundry. When Flounder saw my progress he started going through his things too! Add to that another bag of trashed items that no one would want. I got rid of everything crazy-big (did I mention I have been walking around looking like a bag lady in giant clothes?) or too heavily worn to look decent. I folded and put away all the laundry that was at hand, and Flounder kept those clean clothes coming!
 
I was shocked to find that I had plenty of reasonable things to wear at my current size - I just didn't know it because those pieces were obscured by all the other junk. Our laundry system was stopped up with cruft.
 
Fast forward to this morning. Today (and yesterday too!) I was able to dress completely from the items found in my closet and drawers. Amazing! Incredible! It feels so good.
 
Please, take a moment to enjoy the peace a well stocked and organized closet brings right along with me. It surely won't last forever, but it feels great right now!

 


*Note: Last Friday's outfit involved a spring green tee-shirt and brown cords. I was freezing all day. And looked like I should be grocery shopping.

We Came For The Hoecakes

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Ever since Mi Mama first started watching Paula Deen's cooking shows I have thought of taking a pilgrimage to Savannah, Georgia.  The last year has been an extremely challenging one for Mi Mama and a getaway was certainly in order as Autumn rolled around. Neither of us enjoy hot and sticky weather so we chose October as our time to travel. Oh, Ha ha! We arrived after a 12 hour journey to find the river town steamy and drizzly.  

Despite the less than favorable weather we enjoyed our visit greatly. Saturday we traveled around town via trolley, hopping on and off as we saw fit. We had a lovely lunch at the Pirate House, the haunted former guest house where Robert Louis Stevenson was inspired to write Treasure Island. 

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Historic Savannah is a wonderful city. I will admit that I was a bit disheartened when we first arrived and found mostly strip malls and car dealerships surrounding our hotel. But the truth is  this town is set up like many old southern cities with a historic heart. As the years pass and the city grows the outer edges become less than enticing. But once I got past the highway-commerce part of town, I was completely charmed. 

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As it is well known, old Savannah was one of the first planned communities in the US. The glorious old homes are laid out around a series of squares, giving  the prosperous forefathers and fortunate current residents alike peaceful parks right outside their doors. 

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The people of Savannah, or at least those catering to the tourists are very proud of their city and long history. Mi Mama and I most enjoyed the beauty of the city and very delicious food. Speaking of food...I was disarmed by the carbs of the south and allowed myself to be swept right off the wagon. Though I really do own the responsibility for my choices, I can't help but want to blame Paula Deen and her damn hoecakes.

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Like every other Savannah tourist Mi Mama and I waited outside the Lady & Sons reservation  to secure a seating time for the restaurant. I never really believed I would make it through a meal at Paula Deen's table without buckling under the temptation of the fried chicken and hoecakes. And buckle I did. I buckled hard! Four months of excellent behavior had to come to an end sometime right? The meal was very good, but not the best meal we enjoyed in Georgia. I hate to end this travelog on a negative note, but I do wish I hadn't succumbed to the foodie temptations. Getting back on the wagon has been tough. It really wasn't worth it.

So to sum up our long weekend in Savannah: It was great to get away with Mi Mama. Savannah is beautiful and charming. The food was delicious but not worth breaking my diet for. I am 3 pounds heavier. 

Turning In Project #1

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Today I am slated to present the first of three major projects for my interior design class. We were tasked with designing a living room for an ambassadorial staff member in the USA representing a large West African nation. We were given a floor plan, "a large budget" and told the walls of the room were paneled in fine wood. Each of us is expected to make a plan, draw and render a floor plan and an elevation (that is a scale drawing of a wall) and present our furnishings, finishes and other materials on a board in front of the class.
 
Because I knew I would be out of town all of last weekend I worked ahead of schedule, and thank goodness I did! Last night I only needed to prepare my board while some of my classmates had yet to start their elevations! That could easily have been me.
 
I am really proud of my work. It's not perfect, but I felt confident making my decisions and I didn't waffle once a choice was made. I was resolved to just go with it! This is ID 101 for goodness sake. I am sure I will be nervous in a couple hours when I go to present, but for now I am just pleased.
 
Here are some pictures of my very first presentation board!

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Frameworks

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First I want to mention that I have become a design blog whore. My RSS reader is bloated with gorgeousness every morning. What a treat!
 
On to the important stuff. We are several meetings in and I am starting to get a feel for my interior design class. Prof. Sheppard is direct, available and forgiving - just what a 101 professor should be in my opinion. We continue to do scale drawings that involve math (!) but mostly just measuring and then adding and subtracting. Even I can do that.
 
Last week we finally started to break into more of the nitty-gritty of design work, not just the drawing, but the ideas behind the drawing. We kicked off with a lecture on the elements and principles of design (lines, color, scale, proportion...) and the process of design as well. I had an AH Ha! moment in class yesterday while listening to the lecture. I was hearing the professor lay down the frameworks designers use to create a project (the aforementioned, elements, principles and process) and I realized I was on the right track. This is exactly what I needed. I am sure there are intuitive and artistic types who can san-training make beautiful harmonious spaces of all sorts. I am not that type. I am the type who needs to learn the rules before I try to break them.
 
My second realization was that most every designer in the world is working for this same set of rules. They take the guidelines and then riff on them to meet the need of the client. It is only the maddest of geniuses, the game-changers who walk out in the world and make beautiful things with only their own brilliance to fall back on. I am ok with not being one of those guys. I am just really happy to be where I am getting what I need.
 
Speaking of getting what I need...I am down 34 pounds and thrilled, THRILLED to still be losing. I am sure I had one or ten too many peaches this summer that slowed my progress, but 34 pounds in 3 1/2 months makes me happy, happy!

Evil Ivy

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Poor, Poor Flounder! First he contracted a hideous case of poison ivy. The good man was clearing some weeds from behind our house when he came in contact with the evil vine.
A few days after the backyard culling both his arms were aflame, wrist to elbow with angry rash. He was itchy and uncomfortable but bearing up well. Then, hard-working employee that he is, Flounder spent the entire weekend until wee hours of the morning working on an emergency project. The ivy rash spread, I think mostly due to high stress levels and lack of sleep. Finally the discomfort became too much and he went to the doctor. "Steroids and Antibiotics for you!" she said and "What have you been doing?" It does rather look like he has some sort of itchy plague.
 
I have the plague as well. Just a little bit though. No comparison to poor Flounder the Stricken.
 
And what is the most chilling part of this narrative? For me it is knowing that just under the topsoil the ivy roots are plotting to spring forth yet again and attack. Anyone have a fool proof method for eradicating poison ivy?

Wax On, Wax Off

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This week I may have met my Mr. Miyagi. Her name is Prof. Sheppard and she is the reason I purchased a t-square today. It has become clear that this semester's class is all about the fundamentals. My homework this weekend is to draw a window, door and tile floor to scale using my architectural scale. This means math people, MATH I say! I am not going to lie. The drawing and the math are freaking me out a bit. More than a bit. But I am going to be brave and see this thing through. Who knows? I might even be good at it.

This weekend I have been able to get many little things done that I have been meaning to do. Flounder and I each took half the list on Saturday and set off to run errands. He went to the transfer station and the Salvation Army. I headed to Target, the dry cleaner, and the Lancaster market and then I fatefully turn the car to Butlers' Orchard. On the winding narrow road that leads to the orchard, I managed hit something and hit it hard. I slashed my tire in the process. This is the second flat tire in as many months. Good News: The tire was still under warranty! Bad News: The AAA guy who came to my rescue jacked-up on of the bolts that holds the tire on when he replaced its nut while applying the donut. This little screw up cost us $60. Gah! We will be contacting AAA on that front.

Today was a good day. I got to hang out with Ms. WAS and see how her kitchen/ family room is coming along (the answer - gorgeously!) I also used a burst of energy and the able assistance of Flounder the rearrange our (now shared) office, hang new fixtures in the powder room and hang a picture in my bathroom. I am beat. Energy, spent.

Cuddle Up

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Imagine it - You are a stinking rich, you love fine films, cashmere throws and cuddling with loved ones.

This room is for you!

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T-square

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Pimento cheese was eaten, Chinese performing arts were enjoyed and a ruffled curtain was sewn and hung. That is one good birthday weekend! Unconventional and fun.

I started my semester long class last night. I am excited, but I am still not sure what to expect from the coming months. Apparently I need to buy a T-square. A T-square!?! I know right? Madness! I will say very happily that the desks for this class are giant drafting tables.  
Very sweet. Also right next door to the classroom is a source studio filled to the ceiling with samples of finishes and materials. What can I say, but *swoon*? Oh, and did I mention that we will be going on a field trip? You know you are jealous. 

On another topic, I am crazy excited about running errands this coming weekend. You know all those little things that you mean to do, but those items slip to the bottom of the list? I am going to do all of those things. I have a big beautiful list I am going to wipe out in one fowl swoop on Saturday. It 's going to be great.

And finally, I am not pregnant. So now you know.

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