Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cinema Paradiso

Chugging along on my resolution to watch 5 foreign films this year (with the new stipulation that no more will be French) Sunday night I watched the Italian film, Cinema Paradiso. Wow. First off, I'd never heard enough about it before to know that there were two different versions- the original and a later released director's cut with almost an hour of extra film. I ended up watching the director's cut, simply because that was the disc that Netflix sent me. Somebody (I guess me, huh) should tell them that their sleeve however gives the running time of the original version. I can't say I would have watched the movie when I did had I known it was actually much longer, as I started it rather late. But I am so glad that I have seen this movie. I can't say anything to the original version, since I had no idea that wasn't what I was watching and some people have complained that the extra scenes make it too long, and change the storyline of the original which was already a wonderful film. All I know is I absolutely loved this movie, and found myself crying for probably the last 30 minutes. As corny as it may sound I think a part of me really identified with the movie-loving main characters in part because of my years working at a theater myself. If you can sit still for the long haul you should definitely watch this film.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Rain Drops

Rainy day here, which is not the summer norm for us. Especially since it's supposed to continue on and off the rest of the week. When I was in second grade our teacher would play this song at the start of every rainy school day. I hated it. I'd hardly say that I love this song now, but I think it's engrained in my deepest gray matter to think of it when it rains.

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Sleep in
-Be lazy in bed for a bit, watch a movie
-Clean house
-Shower
-Catch up on Google Reader
-Welcome Josh home
-Drop prescriptions off at Walgreens
-Hit Target for new Ghostbusters game and Clue
-Grab some Chipotle
-Eat and watch some Arrested Development
-Bust some ghosts
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Sleep in
-Mango smoothie and cinnamon-oat pancake toast for breakfast
-Organize product info and manuals for house and appliances
-Purge a few office cubbies, reorganize house and inspiration binders
-Get ready
-Head to in-laws, then Luby's, and back again for Grandma Dorothy's birthday
-Pick peaches, have cake and coffee, and visit with the family
-Pick up prescriptions on the way home
-Make popcorn and bust more ghosts
-Hit the hay

Sunday:
-Rise and shine
-Bit of coffee and cereal
-Make menu plan and grocery list
-Get ready
-Return bedside lamps and grocery shopping
-Unload cargo
-Quick pb&j and apple
-Clean and prep veggies and lunch for the week
-Tidy up kitchen
-Composting
-Shower
-Start laundry
-Catch up on some dvr'd shows as storm moves in
-Josh home from practice, grab some Sonic
-More laundry
-Start Cinema Paradiso
-Finish laundry
-Finish movie, boohoo!
-Get ready for bed
-Read a little bit
-Sleepin' time

Friday, July 24, 2009

Better

I've been having a weird week. Swinging from feeling so very happy when I fell asleep Sunday evening, to having my mind clouded up with frustration and negativity. I'm feeling better right now at this moment though. Maybe it was a fun night with friends. Maybe it was cleaning the house. Maybe it's the night of fun with Josh in store for me- quick errands, Chipotle and games. Maybe it's all of the above. Whatever it was or is, I think the Joni Mitchell I've got playing right now is helping too.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Things Bought

Josh and I have been very, very lucky in that the recession stuff hasn't negatively affected us (yet). Knocking on wood, throwing salt over shoulder and keeping an eye out for ladders, black cats and sidewalk cracks. I am still keeping an eye on our spending, and sometimes I worry that we spend too much. But we have a sizable emergency fund, and we're putting more than 30% of our monthly income each month into our retirement, mutual fund, house, car, vacation and tax funds. So doing our part to stimulate the economy isn't so bad, right? I figure not.

This weekend we bought a new TV for the bedroom. Our old tube TV took up so much space in our cozy bedroom, and despite having a similar sized screen the new one takes up less visual space making the room feel more open. And actually giving me more space on top of our dresser, so that I was able to put my grandmother's mirrored tray up there.














Yesterday I received a new necklace in the mail and I'm in lurve. Literally. I ordered this sterling silver Lurve necklace from Etsy seller KatyScudieri after a week of hemming and hawing. And I'm so glad I landed in the "buy" column on this one. I use "lurve" all the time to express my adoration for people, places and things. The necklace itself is wonderful. And what could be better than having a Woody Allen reference hanging around my neck?
















And lastly I finallyfinallyFINALLY found some boots. And I have a big, hearty recommendation for endless.com. I ordered these boots from them last week. They are on clearance, already marked down 45%. On top of that there was a special offer for $20 off a purchase of $100 or more, and I received free two day shipping. And as if all that weren't good enough, the shipping didn't even take that long. I placed my order Thursday afternoon and the boots arrived on my front porch Friday evening! It's not quite boot season in these parts (although we've had rain the past three days, hallelujah) but I am so excited to get some great fall/winter dresses and skirts to wear my new boots with!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Dudesssss

I'm kind of beyond excited. I just got ordered our tickets to see Paul McCartney in 1 months time. Oh man, can't wait.

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Sleep in a bit
-Quick breakfast
-Clean master bed & bath
-Clean hall bath
-Sweep
-Clean giant living room window, change cushion covers, vacuum rug, and dust
-Put Bye, Bye Birdie on the laptop for some cleaning/cooking entertainment
-Scrub dingy kitchen counter grout with baking soda paste
-Sweep and shake out rug
-Make pineapple upside down cake
-Shower and get ready
-Make guacamole
-Welcome guests and give house tour
-Make enchilada sauce while chatting
-Enchiladas in the oven, rice on the stove
-Dinner and chatting
-Boys making music and girls chatting in the living room
-See guests off
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Rise and shine, get ready
-Haircut appointments
-Hit Best Buy for new TV for bedroom
-Home to set up new TV, remember that the closest plug isn't three pronged.
-Target for outlet adapter, few other house supplies
-Josh finishes up TV set up
-A little "home spa" time for me, while Josh and Matt work on music
-Chips & salsa snack
-Wash sheets, duvet cover and foot-of-bed blanket
-Fix mattress topper
-Fresh sheets on bed
-Eat some watermelon, mmmm
-Loosely arrange dresser top (now that ginormous TV isn't there)
-Holly comes over, show off new boots
-Put duvet cover on
-Order pizza
-Watch movies with Josh and Holly till the wee hours
-In to bed

Sunday:
-Oversleep
-Shower
-Breakfast
-Make menu plan and grocery list
-Grocery shopping
-Unload cargo
-Start laundry
-Clean and prep veggies for the week
-Rain!
-Change couch cushion covers back
-Eat leftover pizza and watermelon
-Fold some laundry
-Start ironing
-More folding
-Make some popcorn
-Watch Masterpiece Mystery with popcorn
-Finish folding laundry and ironing
-Bedtime

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Entertaining is Fun!

We've invited some friends we haven't seen for quite a long time over for a bit of a last minute dinner Friday night. I was already going to make Vegetable Enchiladas and Mexican rice for dinner, which serves 4, so there's no problem there. There's a pineapple upside down cake from Smitten Kitchen that I've been meaning to try for a long time and I have all the ingredients for it on hand. I was already planning on making a batch of homemade vanilla ice cream this week, so no extra cost or work there and it will go great with the cake. I've decided to make some guacamole so I'll need to stop by the store for the ingredients, and also pick up some yummy Mexican beers, extra tortilla chips and flowers for the table. Since it's all a bit last minute I've made a little schedule to make sure I'll be ready on time.

Last night: Made ice cream
Tonight: Take Mom out for birthday dinner, stop by store for missing ingredients/supplies, prep 1 pan of enchiladas for the oven and put 2nd in the freezer, arrange flowers
Friday: Finish cleaning by 3 (4 at the latest), make the cake, shower and get ready, make guacamole, make enchilada sauce, finish up any last minute things, put rice on the stove, enchiladas in the oven, and welcome our guests

Good thing I just finished re-reading Entertaining Is Fun!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Breathless

I finally got around to watching Breathless this weekend, which I've had at home from Netflix foooorever. I thought it was good, but it doesn't oust any of my favorite foreign films from their place at the top. I did lovelovelove Jean Seberg's style in the film though. Her dresses, hair, all totally lovely. Now that I've gotten a start on my foreign film resolution I've tossed another one to the top of my queue. I've decided to not watch anymore French films though, and instead am saving them until next year when I'm hoping to really focus on learning French. So, next up on the foreign film list is Cinema Paradiso.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Sleep in
-Breakfast
-Clean house
-Grab some Chipotle with Josh
-Eat
-Watch TV in the bedroom while Josh and Matt jam
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Sleep in
-Shower
-Tidy house
-Get ready
-Meet Steve, Meri and Leah at Chadra's for yummy lunch
-Back to the house for some coffee and visiting with everyone plus Cory
-Tidy up post visit
-Watch some TV and Breathless while Josh works on music
-Night of pizza, movies and games with Josh
-Lose Risk, win Yahtzee
-Bedtime

Sunday:
-Sleep in
-Cereal and coffee
-E-mail recipe and blog links to Meri
-Make meal plan and grocery list
-Yoga
-Leftover pizza
-Reply to inquiry about coffee table on Craigslist
-Call about bed frame on Craigslist
-Out to Richland Hills to pick up bed frame
-Grocery shopping
-Unload cargo, clean out fridge
-Watch most of Funny Face while cleaning and prepping week's veggies
-Composting
-Shower
-Read while Josh finishes up chores and shower
-Mac & Cheese for dinner
-Finish reading The Spectrum
-Try to sleep, unsuccessfully
-Couple of episodes of As Time Goes By
-Finally fall asleep

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Lola's

Holly and I are hopefully going to Lola's tonight to see Josh's band mate Tony along with Chris Johnson from Telegraph Canyon. I am really looking forward to a nice Thursday night out, especially since this week I'm back to my regular no-work Fridays! Here's Telegraph Canyon at the Modern Art Museum earlier this year.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Missing Ingredient

I'm not sure what it is. I've got this feeling that there is just something missing. Can't tell you what though. It's like I'm on the precipice of something. What that something is I also don't know- discovery? creation? inspiration? perfection(ha)? But, like, if I had this missing thing my whole world would bust wide open. I would GET IT. I assume IT is life, or something like that. Hmmm.

I'm having minor breakthroughs here and there. I have done some shooting in manual, which was previously a scary no-man's land to me. The living room design/decor is nearing completion. I've been posting more over at Small Time Cooks. I love my husband, my kitty, my friends, my house.

But yet, this feeling that my life isn't quite exactly where I want it to be keeps popping up. Not sure what the missing piece of the puzzle is, but I'm determined I'll find it eventually.














Photo via flickr

Monday, July 6, 2009

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Sleep in
-Get ready
-Head to IKEA
-Make return and do shopping
-Finally make it out after THIRD time through the checkout
-Grab some Chick-fil-a
-Wash new duvet cover
-Put together new file cart while watching half of The Seven Year Itch
-Put new duvet cover on and make bed
-Grab some Sonic for dinner
-Put together storage boxes, fill with books and arrange on shelf while watching Golden Girls
-Reorganize some of the books on shelves
-Bedtime

Saturday:
-Sleep in
-Shower
-Make pancakes and bacon
-Re-pot and water plants
-Caulk hall bathtub and kitchen back splash gaps
-Put posters in new frames while Josh installs Carbon Monoxide detector
-Wrap water heater with insulating blanket
-Get ready and head to Matt & Ashley's
-Dinner at Johnny Carino's
-Fireworks by the reservoir!
-Hang out and get a free facial from Ashley
-Head home late
-Hit the hay

Sunday:
-Sleep in
-Make meal plan and grocery list
-Make muffins and some frozen yogurt to use up leftover foods
-Get ready
-Lowes for trim, hose for front yard, other miscellaneous house stuffs
-Container Store for file folders and desk accessories
-Drop stuff off at house
-Grocery shopping and grab some dinner while there
-Unload cargo and eat
-Check and mark all our breakers
-Install programmable thermostat
-Start organizing office while Josh mows and waters
-Hang posters in the living room
-More work in the office
-Shower
-Nighty-night

Friday, July 3, 2009

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy July 4th! If you need something yummy to make for the occasion, click over to Small Time Cooks. Yay Independence Day!

DC 33

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Office Progress

What I've gots:






























What I'm getting:























Problems yet to be solved:
.chair
.storage for outdoor stuff that needs to be kept near back door
.miscellaneous organization that will undoubtedly be needed, but has yet to show itself

Oops

Didn't mean to be quiet for so long. Had a long, but good, weekend and a busy week so far. I'll eb back later today with a real post. :)