Oooo Christmas is next week!

(edit) NOTE TO SELF: Buy more sparkly lights and decorations next year!! I haven't bought new decorations since my red baubles from Walmart 12 years ago. 99% of the others were bought at Pier One Imports in Orem what, 15 years ago?? Yikes. Overdue!!


So! After a short hiatus, I am bok. Here are some pics! And my wee wonky tree. I always seem to choose the lonely wierdie ones! The place I bought it from offered free stands with purchase, so I was like, yeah!! Of course it was a cheap plastic stand, and even my 4 ft tree tipped over when it was secured in it. So, thankfully, my barbells were put to good use to counter-balance. I think the barbells are just thrilled they're being used. Seriously though, my wee tree loks a lot better in person, and I'm a bit disappointed the sparkly lights didnae show up. It looks kinda glum!

I also included a pic of framed photos of my Ba and gramps Turner; one's their wedding photo and the other an anniversary pic (anyone remember which year??). My brother RJ looks sewwww much like my grandpa, same smile, same nose, same squinty eyes when he smiles, and I think my little sis Rachel has her smile. I bought the poinsettia because Ba used to be fanatical about having one every Christmas. No one was safe until she did!

And I included updated photos of my kitchen with my framed CATbox Art Studio veggie/fruit prints and Dia de los Muertos cards. I love the vibrant colours; they really set off the walnut and glossy black of the kitchen.

What's in Your Hoose? Part 6

Happy Halloween!!

I'm sitting here watching a scary movie, since it's, you know, Halloween, and I thought taking a pic of the entertainment unit with the movie playing would be good. Or something. So! This is the entertainment unit!! It was handmade by a fellow who works out of a wee workshop - he takes ages to finish but when he does......magnifico! Behind those doors lies a plethora (thank you El Guapo) of whirring and clicking electronics so intricately installed I dare not touch anything. As long as it wuuuurks.

To the right is a fabulous ceramic sculpture of the Sir Walter Scott Monument in Edinburgh by Glasgow ceramicist, Noel McKenna. Quote: “I like to take the image of the familiar ‘static’ building and distort it until it’s twisting and moving in space, almost as if it’s ‘growing’ up from a central point." I've been after one of his sculptures for ages!! I first saw his work a couple of years ago displayed in a shop in Edinburgh, and when I went back everything was gone and I found that was practically the only shop his work was sold in. I kept in touch with the shop for months and months, and finally they received more stock. Yooin and I rushed over and snatched this one up. Now it's my 'preeeeeeciousssssssss'.

A Little Bit of Halloween Candy.......

Chomp chomp!!!

Boil Boil, toil and trouble!!

Yep, here we have a cauldron CHOCK FULL of CUTENESS!!!

Jared says BOO!

Where's mah candeh??

What's in Your Hoose? Part 5

SO I'm a little late to the party as usual. BUT! I have an excuse. I have family over!! After nearly 11 years, my dad has finally decided to visit. Wow. So I been a wee bit bizzy!

Okay, so here's my pic - my antique hall stand.



One day we got a flyer through the door - an antique shop had opened up about 5 minutes from the house in an industrial park, so we decided to go for a look-see! This hallstand was featured on the flyer so that's what we were specifically interested in. The place was owned by a father and daughter; they both traveled all over to personally choose pieces for their wee shop. they were really nice :) We ended up purchasing this stand and an old wood chest that currently resides in my 'wee nook'.

Anyway! On the right of the stand rests various caps of Yooin's; they don't really 'go' with the feel of the stand, but......whatevs. On the left hangs a few of my lovely scarves, and perched on the bench lid are the flowers I pinched (stole) from the entertainment unit in the livingroom. Teehee! There's a wee drawer we keep various bits and bobs in, and just below is an umbrella stand, although we don't own any long umbrellas. The carvings and knots in the wood are wonderful. Oooo, you can also see my bathroom door refected in the mirror! Boss!

What's in Your Hoose? Part 4

My Kitchen!!

To atone for my non-participation last week, I've photographed my whole kitchen! Yay! No single item pic here!

So yes, this is the kitchen. It's clean! We got the old one torn out last year so this is um....still pretty new. I don't think I've yet recovered from the trauma of having builders in the house, taking over the diningroom and creating mayhem and spreading dust wherever they went. But I digress...

As you can see, the counters are immaculate! And as you can see as well, everything from the counters was thrown on top of the fridge. Yooin and I collect magnets from wherever we go, so you can see these lined up nicely on the fridge too; by tomorrow they'll be strewn about haphazardly like they were half an hour ago :D

I like the blue lights installed in the kickplates; we sometimes have wee disco parties. Well, I do. Well, me and my ipod.

So what else can I say aboot the kitchen?

September's The Place To Be!

Why?? Because there's so many cool people birthdays! Let's see, there's Nathan, Lewis, Nikki, Emily, Ty, and now my wee nephew Andrew, who just turned 7 on the tail end of the month. Here's a couple pics of him enjoying the day. Wow! Three wardrobe changes! I may not have had wardrobe changes on my birthday days, but once I tried to make my own scepter with my twirling baton. :drifts: I miss my twirling baton. I remember Sara and I madly twirling them in 'showdowns', and ending up whacking our elbows or shoulders. Hee! :D

Okay! Now for a very serious subject indeed. Cake. Take a look at the chocolatey, sprinkly goodness above. Cake in all forms is gooooood. However, my favourite is the classic sheetcake. The kind you make in your grandma's battered old 9x13 pan she's had for 50 years. After it's done, you turn it out to cool, and while you wait you make a HUGE bowl of frosting. The kind made of butter (or Crisco), powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. And whatever food colouring. So the cake's cool, and you totally slather the frosting on the top and sides, real thick, maybe a couple of inches?? But the BEST, the ULTIMATE fav part of a sheet cake, are the frosting roses piled on one or two corners, and the scalloped edges.

The coveted corner, with even more coveted blue roses.

Now, whenever I went to childhood parties or when my siblings had their birthdays, I positively willed that I would get the rose-encrusted corner. Pined for it. For to me, nothing was more important on that day than gobs of frosting. But whatevs, I NEVER got a corner!! Well, maybe a corner without the roses, but usually I got one of the boring, thinly spread middle squares of cake. Booooring. However, I never lost hope that one day I would indeed be the recipient of not only a mound of frosting roses, but a few huge scoops of ice cream as well. Don't scrimp on the ice cream! Yes, I am a wee piggy :)

PS - I know I'm missing my Thurday post Emily! It's coming right up!

What's in Your Hoose? Part 2

Lol! Okay, I really like this. It's a spoon holder I got from my dad one Halloween. He sends me Halloween care packages sometimes (since I can't get my mello creme pumpkins here!!), and one year, this is what he sent. If you can't read the writing, it says 'Eye of Newt & Toe of Frog, Wool of Bat & Tongue of Dog.' Ewwwww, actually. A note accompanied it, saying 'For my cook spook.' So, this is placed next to my stovetop. :)

Emily, this can go on for yeeeeeeeeerzzzzzz!!

*************************************************************************************

Okay, I decided to add to this post as my single object picture just didn't seem fair. So! Here's a wee corner of the entertainment system cabinet in the livingroom:

The flowers I received from my sister Sara after my wee stint in the hospital. I love Native American pottery, and these are two examples I've managed to bring back in my luggage. The wedding vase was bought while visiting Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, and the wee jug was bought while visiting my sis and her family when they lived in Oklahoma. The flowers are changed every 2-3 weeks, depending how long they last. I love fresh flowers!

What's in Your Hoose? Part 1

So my friend Emily thought it would be fun to post random bits from our houses, or elsewhere, once a week to blog aboot. This week, I picked my chair!! And ottoman :)

I love this chair. When I first saw it I knew I had to have it, and what, 2 years later? It's mine!! This pic was taken when we were still moving the furniture round our wee livingroom, so everything looks a bit close. The slouchy sofa in the background wants to say hi too. Anyway! I loved the look of the chair, but once I sat in it, it's fate was sealed. Because you see, it's also a rocking chair, so I knew right away this was the chair I'd be rocking my babies in, and the cushiony sides and armrests meant no sore arms! Memories of me rocking my siblings in my mom's old wooden rocking chair with a couch cushion under my elbow are looooooong gone.

Ahhhhhh. Of course Yooin's totally monopolizing it right now. Probably because I forced him to move his LaZBoy to his 'man room' - a future 'what's in your hoose?' subject!

My New Favourite Quote

'Singing Mother' storyteller by Chris Teller

When Sara and I were on the phone the other night, she recounted how she made the decision to have another baby (our wee Jared). I loved the story and quote, so with her permission I'm telling it here (in her words):

'When I was trying to decide whether or not to have another child, I found this quote....

"Shared joy is double joy. Shared sorrow is half sorrow." Swedish proverb

As I read it, it occurred to me that I wanted my boys to have the kind of support network in each other that I enjoy, and the more, the better! Hence, Jared. Now, hopefully they don't behave like jerks toward each other! (I do have hope:))'

Isn't that nice?? I think this applies to friends as well, not necessarily meaning you need many, but that it would be great to have a support system within the ones you have. So, to all my buds! Share your joy and pain alike! I'm here for ya!

I found it!!!!

In continuation to yesterday's post, I have found myyyyyy dreeeeeeem Gunnie's! Well, my actual Gunnie's dream dress looks like Sleeping Beauty's dress (the BLUE one!), but this will do! I love it.

Behold!!

Okay, so the pic isn't the best, and it looks a wee bit tired, but I'm sure after a trip to the drycleaner's it'll look sparkling. Woohoo! Now I just need to find some garden party to wander about aimlessly at, looking off into the distance while calling out for an Emily Bronte hero or something.

All these Gunnie's dresses evokes memories of my mom's sewing. She was an AMAZING seamstress. She could make anything. She made me and Sara's 8th grade graduation dresses and all our school dance dresses, and they looked better than anything store-bought. Sara's 8th grade graduation dress had ruffles, pleats, pinktucks.....I can't imagine how long it would've take mom to finish it, but the end result was stunning and Sara looked SO cute!! I really wish I still had the two frocks my mom made for me now.

New ETSY obsessions.....

I might not have San Diego's and the surrounding area's plethora (a word taken from 'The Three Amigos' that I never fail to love to use!) of vintage and second-hand shops, but I do have Etsy! Of course it doesn't replace the sheer satisfaction of combing through racks and racks of clothing for hours to find that perfect dinner dress from the 40's or men's cardigan from the 60's, but it is better than nowt!

Vintage Mexican men's western shirts, art, jewelry, and handmade soaps are just a sprinkling of what one can find at Etsy. Oh, and 80's Gunne Sax dresses, which I have been sharing with my older sister with suggestions (threats) of buying them for her only to be met with horrified 'NO's. I still think it would be fun to buy a Gunnie's dress for each of us to wear while out and about in Boise but she really isn't too thrilled with the idea :D Whyever not, when you find beauties like this??? Isn't it dreamy.....

Here's the dress that freaked Sara out by the way :D

I actually think Gunne Sax's Civil War/Victorian/Prairie revival styles of the 70's/80's are quite fetching and when an occasion arises I am definitely buying one.

As for the vintage Mexican western shirts, I know most I find will be too large for me, but I love the embroidery, design, and soft thick cotton. I might get a few I like anyway just to look at or transform into something I can wear.

So anyway, I LOVE handmade soaps. I have for around five years now. I love the lovely butters and oils used (shea, cocoa, avocado, etc), the exotic ingredients (red/green deep sea clays, honey, goat's milk), and luxurious scents. With names like Black Honey, Pomegranate, Marshmallow Fudge, Black Mission Fig, Indian Clementine, and Eucalyptus Mint, how can I resist??

Here's some of my favourite ETSYans:

EmiliaRo - Besides being one of the nicest people I've ever met, she makes the COOLEST 'dinner plate-big' rings.

CATboxartstudio - Sumptuous Frida Kahlo and Dia de los Muertos art.

JSchubertDesigns - I looooove cosy, and this wonderful lady's handwoven shawls and scarves are perfect to wrap up in while on the sofa watching scary movies or braving the Scottish cold and wind.

Tiger Burning Bright - Freya creates some of the most gorgeous jewelry I've ever seen! And she's local!

Calico Vintage - Pages and pages of Gunne Sax and similar to pore over.

Savor - Home of some of the swoon-worthy, decadent soaps mentioned above.

Dream ETSY articles yet to be found: Beach Boy's 'poor boy' men's mock turtleneck knit pullover shirt, fifties tea-length party dress, black 80's strapless evening gown like Cybill Shepherd would've worn in 'Moonlighting', the perfect clutch, multi-strand true lapis lazuli necklace, a Gunne Sax dress that isn't xxxsmall, and handmade soap that doesn't cost a fortune to ship to the UK!

The search continues!

Things I miss.....

1. Friday the 13th: The Series - This show was chock full of cheese and hilariously overacted but it was just the right amount of scary for a 14 yr old. More importantly, I wanted to look just like Robey when I grew up. Have you seen her 'One Night in Bangkok' video? Pure class.



2. Walking along a beach and collecting shells. Me and a wee bucket, walking along barefoot, sand squishing between my toes, the sea lapping at my heels, and the cool, salty air blowing through my hair.



3. Mexico.



4. Thunder and lightning storms. When I visited Sara and co in Oklahoma there were cloud formations so fantastic with colour and shots of silver lightning they looked celestial.



5. Eucalytpus trees. When I lived in Encinitas I would take walks at twilight. The streets of our neighborhood were lined with eucalyptus trees and the air became heavily scented with them in the cool evening breeze.



6. Trick-or-treating. Being so gol durn excited to get to the next house you'd fall off the stairs while running up them and the homeowner would look disapprovingly while shaking their head but it didn't matter because you were gonna get MORE CANDY.



7. While visiting my Grandma Turner as she served a mission in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we visited a huuuuuge warehouse-big southwestern store (well at the time it seemed big). Us kids were told we could pick one thing to buy, and I chose the most beautiful, smooth, turquoise blue nugget to take home with me. It was the perfect size for my palm, oval and glorious; I loved it. I still miss it.



8. Pinatas. Whilst living in El Centro as a wee urchin I was routinely invited to neighbourhood (and beyond) kids' birthday parties, and I'd say 85% of them featured pinatas. I'd always manage to peek a wee bit beneath the blindfold so I could give the pinata a good whack and get at the CANDY (you'd think I was deprived!). It was fun, colourful, festive, and utterly enjoyable for me as a youngin'.



9. Homemade bread. Again, as a youngin' in El Centro, it was a major event when my mom made bread. She'd make several loaves at a time and would give Sara and I a small portion of dough to make our own creations with. When those loaves came out of the oven......... I knew bliss. We'd be itching for mom to cut slices RIGHT THEN but it was always better to wait a wee while because the bread would slice neater and wouldn't burn our hands. We'd spread our slice with good butter, sometimes honey, and devour it with abandon.



10. My white poet/pirate blouse I used to wear all the time as a junior and senior in HS. It was my favourite! I wore it everywhere. Also, I miss my pointy black flats I found in a dollor bin at one of my favourite second-hand shops in Encinitas......but they met an unfortunate end during one of the parties my roommate in Utah gave while I was at work :grrrrrrrrr:



11. My Grandma Turner. Especially when I was feeling down, I'd call her and she'd always say 'I was just thinking about you! Tell me all about it honey.' She always had a 6th sense about me :)



12. Going to the library in Encinitas. It sits atop a hill, with fantastic views over the ocean, and it's so serene and peaceful outside. I'd check a book out, go outside, find an empty bench, and while away the hours.



13. Stretchy, yummy flour tortillas straight from a tortilla factory.



14. Falling asleep under the Christmas tree with the twinkling lights gently flashing their colours on my face while I sleep.

I'm sure I'll add to this! But for now.......

By request: He Who Needs No Name

This is for you, Nathan! Enjoy! Oh okay, I'll enjoy him right along with you.

I Want To Believe!!

Believe people!! BELIEVE!! Or, like me, at least believe in Mulder!!

I mean, please, how could you not? I totally do.

Was this a Good or Bad omen???

You decide. I thought it was purty innerestin'. So, when I was a wee bairn, in first grade I think, a Shakespeare troupe came to my wee school in El Centro, Ca to perform scenes from Macbeth. We knew of this beforehand, because some students were chosen to play bit parts. Since I was the favourite of everyone (no joke!), I was chosen to play one of the three witches that Macbeth consults. Now, all I can remember was my one line, so I had to do some googling to flesh out my story.

Act 4, Scene 1.

So the witches are muttering curses or whatever to themselves around their boiling cauldron, when in strolls Macbeth.....loving his first line to them.

Says he, 'How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is't you do?'

(I would just love it if someone came up to me and called me a hag now)

So they gab a bit more back and forth, and conjure up an apparition, who says:

'Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane* of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.'

That was my line. (I realize this was the apparition's line, but I guess there weren't enough students to play parts -cuz there wouldn't be an audience otherwise- so they condensed the lines?? Dunno)

ANYWAY. What I find innerestin, is that at 6 or 7 years old, I hadn't any idea Macbeth was also called 'The Scottish Play' (a fun controversial factoid in itself), and that it of course took place in Scotland. All I knew was my line:

'Macbeth Macbeth, beware Macduff, beware the thane of Fife.'

And yeeeeeeeerz later, I married a man from FIFE! So, was this fate? Or was this a foreshadowing in the seventies, warning me against marrying a THANE from Fife? Am I Macbeth? Is Yooin Macduff?? ACK! I could go crazy from the implications. So, was me meeting and marrying my Fifer a curse or destiny? Time will only tell..... wooooo oooooo :scary ghost noises:


* Thane - In medieval Scotland, a person of rank holding land from the king [Old English thegn]. (okay, this is just freaky. Yooin is a property developer too. Shall I run for the hills now??)

A TRUE SCOT

I received this little ditty from my dad via email this morning....I thought it was purty funny.


So it seems there were three men in a pub, enjoying some liquid refreshment, possibly a Guinness (or a Tennant's).

As soon as they were served, the first, a strong manly American boy, noticed a fly in his glass. 'I cannot drink this' he exclaimed, and ordered 'bring me a fresh one!' His wish was granted.

The next man, a stalwart Irishman, noticed that he too had a fly in his glass. A bit more 'man of the world', he deftly picked out the fly, threw it over his shoulder, and happily quaffed his drink.

Our last, a Scot thorugh and through, found his fly, gaily doing the backstroke in his drink. Incensed, he skillfully retrieved this little swimmer, turned it on it's back, and poked him repeatedly on it's stomach, shouting 'spit it oot, spit it oot!!'


TeeHee! And here he is, the teller of this tale, peeking maniacally from behind my wee sister some years ago.

I Couldn't Resist!

After grocery shopping today, I walked through the flower department just for a look, and I couldn't resist these beautiful blues.

Who wouldn't fall under their spell?

HEAVEN

I don't know....is anything else needed in this crazy crazy world??

:edited 17 July: (oooooh EDited..teehee!!)

PLUS THIS PLUS THIS!!! Ugh, I am so predictable.

Teenage Kicks!

Since I just returned from visiting my beloved Encinitas, I was especially grooved to remember I had these pictures from a trip to the Del Mar Fair and the Botanical Gardens in Encinitas with one of my closest friends, Natasha, her sister Jules, and Jules' friend Andy. The above pic of me in Natasha's VW bug with the 'Encinitas Blvd' sign above me is particularly poignant, as Encintas Blvd leads to the street that changed my life so many years ago, Coast Hwy 101. It's a bit yuppified now, but I'll always remember Off the Record, Lou's Record's on the corner, and the tiny cafe I used to buy a slice of pecan pie at. I mourn the passing of time lol! I also threw in some of my fav pics as a youngin'.

This is not a post about Gerard Butler!

Okay, I've decided to take a break from posting about hot random guys and Edward-'lites' to indulge in another of my shallow interests - SHOES!! Shoes maketh the wo/man. I sternly informed Yooin of this recently when he dared to wear a pair of ill-matching shoes with his jeans. I said, 'Yooin, it doesn't matter how a guy wears his hair, what his clothes look like, or what shape he's in. Cool shoes, like sleep and time, cures all ills'. SO! In celebration of one of my life-long loves, I present some of my favourite shoes........

The architectural ones on the bottom left are called 'Moscow', and that's actual embroidery on the wedge heels and toes of the upper left ones. There's just no escaping my affection for turquoise and peacock colours!



These boots were made for dramatics....



For when I mean business....



Hmmmmm, could these possibly be my favourite flats?



But now matter what shoes I buy, they will NEVER eclipse my ultimate shoe, the pair that defines me.....the Monkey Boot.

(Me in downtown San Diego at 18 with my beloved MBs, barely shown)

Some might find my monkey boots ugly, but that's okay. My dad's surprised I still wear them and my DH dislikes them. What do I say to that? Why, I say I have a lifetime supply up in my attic :) Defiance! :shakes fists at the sky:


So anyway, these are merely a sampling of one of my favourite shallow pasttimes. Tomorrow I shall do charitable works to offset this foolishness! (and after I might take pics of more shoes :)

Oh thank goodness!!!

My beloved Gerard is NOT 'dating' Cameron Diaz. Ay dios mio, that was close. I think I need a stiff drink of rootbeer and have a lie down. Another catastrophe averted!! :shakily walks to the kitchen:

Teenage Fervency

I was thumbing through an old journal of mine during my ongoing 'organization' project, having a wee read here and there. A particular entry made me laugh however, so I figure it needed to be shared. The date was November 27, 1987. I was 14, and in major crush with a boy named Ted. I was so so shy in highschool, so my adoration was from afar. Here's an excerpt:


'Anyhow, I'm just so, so, terribly confused. I mean, Ted is really the best thing that has happened to me. I don't know, I'm just so lonely and Ted seems so comforting and his hand was exceptionally so when he shook hands with me. I mean, there's no one to really talk to except Lani (once in a great while) and occasionally my mom. I just need a special friend I guess, and Ted seems so darned perfect. He's so understanding and sweet and sensitive. If only he knew how I felt, how much he means to me, no one could believe. I just wish I knew of some way I could tell him without him knowing it was me, or, dang, I don't know. I'm really mixed up. The thing I look forward to the most is Drama Club, because he'll be there.'


Lol!! Awwww......I actually feel pretty protective over my young sweet self. Oh but I was a gentle maelstrom of impossibly romantic teen angst then. Those were the days when if the object of my affection happened to glance my way, that day became the 'best day EVAR in my whoooole life!!' And of course, the crush on Ted didn't last long. Sorry, Ted.

As I look over and read more entries from that time period, I do think that even at 14 I was ready to meet my soulmate. I needed someone to help me feel safe, to help me feel good about myself, and be my best friend. I was such a hopeless romantic, and in some ways, I still am.

As well, I was the type of person who would either have married my soulmate at 18 and gone on to have lots of children, or would have not married at all. Either or, one or the other, no in between. Ten years ago I was pretty much on my way to not being married at all.

New Amusements

So for a few years now I've been bugging Yooin to find and indulge in a hobby, a little something to break up his self-imposed workaholic days. Maybe a bit of golf for a few hours a week, some paintball even......perhaps mountain biking? But nooooooo, instead, perhaps inspired by the recent trend of Russian billionaires buying professional British football teams, he stormed onto the local Rosyth football team committee and took charge. Half the committee members were let go, some footie players were sold, others bought, new programs rustled up, new positions ladled out, and new sponsors found. All this from the fella who 'didn't want to get involved, just wanted to have a say'. Yeah right!!

Anyway, he's having an absolute ball (heh heh). He attends the committee meeting every week in the local pub (how convenient) or the footie grounds, and goes to every game. In between he answers calls from those who want to get involved, puts flyers up everywhere, updates the team webpage, and designs the programs.

Here's a pic of the team:



Hmmmm, maybe I should start attending games.


They even have Romanian supporters!! They've gone global! :D




Yooin even went and bought a scarf in the team colours, black and red. Awwwwww. I'll post a pic of him before he goes to the next game. Be prepared for one proud papa!