I'm On Mrs. G's Open House Tour!

Mrs. G. of Derfwad Manor had a great idea. Let's everyone

post photos and write about the heart of our homes.

So, come on in . . . or as the little sign in my

mom's kitchen said,

"Come in, sit down, relax, converse.

Our house doesn't always look like this.

Sometimes it's even worse!"

Don't trip over the dust kittens.

The two most expensive window seats in the state of WA.
I had to have 'em.

Aforementioned window seats, the piano,
and the fireplace. Comfy chairs for reading,
plenty of room for people and animals to lay around.
We spend a lot of time here, listening to D. play the
piano. He can play ANYTHING. Dog.

One view of the kitchen. Not quite the
heart of the home. More like the elbow.



I do love my new pot rack.


OMG. The cutest fur family EVER! This is Elica's bed
and the stuffed animals are hers. The real ones are ours.

Summer evening in the Pacific Northwest. Chilly, cloudy.

Flowers trying desperately to conjure up some show.

The good thing about our weather? There's
never a bad time for a nice hot bath.

That's it, folks. A tour from the front door to the back deck. Do come again.

And next time, bring some wine!

Post # 104 Titillating Things About Me

I've noticed other blogs celebrating their number 100 post. Well, I apparently missed mine, so let's just do this now.

How about 104 things you didn't dare to ask and had no idea you could live without knowing about me?

1. I'm a Leo.


2. I'm number 8 of 11 children.


3. I'm the fourth, and final daughter.


4. I have seven brothers (obviously, do the math).


5. I love and adore all of my siblings.


6. My parents are 82 and 81.


7. They've been married for almost 61 years.


8. My mom is older than my dad.


9. All of my sisters married younger men.


10. My husband is 7 years younger than me.


11. My best friend in the world grew up down the street from me.


12. We were born 4 months apart.


13. We've been friends ever since.


14. Even though I once pushed her down the stairs at my house. Ouch.


15. I have been married before.


16. More than once.


17. First one didn't count.


18. I had two miscarriages.


19. They were with husband #2.


20. He was a BIG ASSHOLE.


21. So I'm glad there were no children to raise alone.


22. Not many people know about #16 or #18.


23. The older I get the less that concerns me.


24. I have been married to D. for eleven years.


25. He's the ONE.


26. I had an emergency appendectomy when I was 12.


27. It was ruptured.


28. I almost died.


29. But my parents knew better than to come right out and tell me that back then.


30. I still used my "illness" to get away with all kinds of behavior for several months.


31. Then my parents wouldn't have it anymore.


32. I was quite the drama queen.


33. Stayed that way for many many years.


34. I was a straight A student.


35. Until my junior year of high school.


36. In my senior year they almost kicked me out.


37. And still, no one tried to figure out what was wrong.


38. I was accepted everywhere I applied, but I took a year off before college.


39. And then I decided on a program for Respiratory Therapy.


40. And I hate hospitals.


41. And I pass out cold whenever a needle is within 50 feet of me.


42. I have passed out completely unconscious on an airplane.


43. Twice.


44. You should see the commotion they make when one passes out on a plane.


45. I quit college in the middle of the program.


46. So I could work at the mall.


47. I also worked at 7-11.


48. I smoked cigarettes there.


49. I got fired.


50. Not for smoking.


51. My mother inspired me to get the hell out of Upstate NY.


52. I moved to South Carolina.


53. I continued my career, working for international corporations.


54. They were Pizza Hut and Burger King.


55. Someone there showed me how to avoid ringing up cheeseburgers and to pocket the money.


56. We put it in our shoe instead of our pocket.


57. It was the first time I ever stole anything and I felt too guilty so I stopped.


58. It wasn't Catholic guilt, despite my Catholic upbringing.


59. My previously-mentioned best friend has enough for both of us.


60. And all of you.


61. I used to work for a sporting goods (i.e. guns and crap to go with them) distributor.


62. Turns out I was really good at sales.


63. I had a special chair to signify my status.


64. There was much jealousy.


65. I used to smoke there, too.


66. We would let co-workers buy cigarettes for a nickle if they were out.


67. This was 80's perm and shoulder pad time.


68. I got married.


69. Didn't take.


70. I lost 40 lbs.


71. Soon I took up with THE ASSHOLE.


72. I moved to Virginia.


73. Married him for some unknown reason.


74. Left him after five years, but stayed in Virginia by myself.


75. With my dog.


76. Met some of the best people in my life there.


77. Including D.


78. He asked me how old I was on our first date.


79. Which was to see James Carville and Mary Matalin speak.


80. I was so excited when he asked me to go with him


81. He was so excited that I knew who they were.


82. It was love at first sight.


83. We got married 5 months to the day from that first date.


84. Even though I freaked out a week before and begged him not to marry me.


85. He was undaunted.


86. We lived in a house with a pink and green bathroom.


87. Together, we adopted our second dog, who was three.


88. Among other similarities, our child-rearing philosophies drew us together.


89. And we have no children.


90. Didn't even try.


91. People still tell me "it's not too late."


92. I'm almost forty-six for chrissakes.


93. It IS too late.


94. And that is just fine.


95. People think we don't like kids because we don't have any.


96. I just wonder where all the money we didn't spend on kids is.


97. When my first dog died at 15 1/2, I cried for two years.


98. When my second dog died at 13 1/2, I cried for two months.


99. I don't want it to get easier.


100. Our newest dog is 3.


101. I adore her, too.


102. She was a rescue.


103. I don't believe in buying from breeders.


104. I don't believe in heaven or hell, either.

I could go on. Believe me, there's more. But really, isn't this enough? Thanks for helping me get to number one hundred four, yo!

Summer Solstice Wake Up

The Solstice sun breaks the horizon; instantly, light streams through the crack in the curtains and dream images are interrupted by semi-rational thoughts.

Ugh. Friday. One more day to get through and then it will be Saturday.

Wait.

It IS Saturday.

Is it?

It IS!

Smile. Roll over. Fifteen more days. Just fifteen.

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! Today in Bellingham the sun rose at 5:07 and it will set at 9:17, for 16 hours and 10 minutes of daylight. It will be light outside till almost 10 p.m. Now, if the sun actually pokes through the clouds, all will be right in the world.