changes

green willow was the color i chose for a wall in the hallway six months ago. it was a green i had wanted on a wall for as long as i can remember. it wasn't long after the paint had dried that rich and i agreed the color was too saturated. i told him we'd get used to it. and we did. but last week i decided with all the clutter clearing and the 6-month renewal on our lease, that it is time for a new color. this time we went with a much more subdued hue. it's still green, pale parsnip, much more soothing.

i bought rosemary and lavender plants yesterday. i hope they get enough sun inside the loft. if not, they may become gifts for friends who are fortunate to have a yard with available spots with lots of direct sunlight. i also potted some cosmic kitty herbs, we'll see if they sprout. the seeds are a little old.

almost to the other side with the clutter clearing. a few spots left to be cleaned, organized, and purged. i'd like to be done by the end of the month. then once a week, i plan to maintain. we need to get a bookcase for rich's office area. i'm going to donate his old sofa to someone who will come collect it, but we haven't found a new solution for the space yet. oliver's claw sharpening habits are creating a problem. josh told me last night about rubber covers you put on their claws, it's a humane solution, and humorous too. http://www.softpaws.com/ rich doesn't understand that declawing isn't an option. i don't want to buy anything oliver will set out to destroy. it's a dilemma.

my other dilemma with the cats right now is changing their diet to organic. i wish i had started it when oliver was a kitten. i made some homeade cat food last week, they didn't want to have much to do with it. so we bought some organic wet food to mix with the remaining conventional dry. when that's gone, i think i'll get the organic dry and make homeade organic wet food. i'm switching their litter too. i hope this doesn't prove disasterous, though they mostly adapt well to change. i wish i had done this originally too, i didn't do my homework.

a styling job starts today. it may be a two week job, i hope, instead of just one. we'll see.

obama rama

i went to reunion arena a couple days ago to see barack with loren and my mom. we got there around 10:15, the lines were daunting, we didn't know if we'd get in. after moving about 5' in 30 minutes, we joined a rush of people into a new line, and ten minutes later we were in our seats. i've been to mavs games at reunion that weren't as full. it was exciting, all the positive energy. i am ready for the change. we need barack and his inspiration. and we need action from the people. i've heard several women say they feel guilty for not suppoting a woman in the white house. but it's flawed logic. it's not about a person's reproductive organs, nor the color of his skin. it's about the message and his vision. if hillary were president, it would just be more of the same. we are a country so desperate for a positive transformation.

pobrecito simon

simon started growling last night when i pulled out his 2-door deluxe carrying case. understandably, he doesn't want anything to do with a trip to the vet. first he had an ultrasound to check his heart murmer, they shaved a spot on his chest. then friday he had seven teeth pulled. we knew he'd have to have one pulled, it was in bad shape and digging into his lower gums. but holy moly, seven teeth, he hardly has any left! but he's happy now and frolicking around, which he wasn't before. so that's good news. he wishes he had some narcotics left, but he'll forget about them soon.

other good news is that i've finished the design for my website and secured hosting, so it should be live very soon. i'll post the link when it happens.

infinite clutter

believe it or not, i am still clearing clutter! melissa came over saturday night to have dinner and knit. while she added length to her scarf, i rummaged through shoeboxes and purged stuff i haven't thought about in years. the oldest momento is the cast from my broken arm, it's 20 years old. i've decided i'm going to photograph it and toss it. more recent things included my first driver's license and first speeding ticket, my eyebrow ring, photos and letters, lots of letters. i'm going to photograph those too and finally put them into a collage, or just send them to the recycling bin. i have lots of work ahead of me. this morning, going through more stuff i found more shoeboxes under a table in my closet! geez.

last week i did have an exciting find. in an old american express travel bag my dad used to carry his camera and lenses, there along with an unbelievable telephoto lens were two books of matches. (my dad has collected matchbooks since before i was born.) one book was from pizzeria due on wabash in chicago. (it still exists!) and the other is from brick church pipe shop in ridgewood where my dad used to buy his tobacco when he smoked pipes. as far as i can tell, it is no longer there. richard nixon used to go there as well. both books are full, never been used. i can't throw them away. but i will use them in photos.

in that book of birthdays, i remember it gives you a thought to consider, mine says something like, "imagine having to carry everything you own." i'd be totally screwed.

i'm off to tackle the remaining shoeboxes.