Holiday House Rules

A bold idea.

(Rugs USA)

What do you think? For the Bun's room. 

I'm kind of into it. The bed quilt might have to go, or at least go under a duvet or something. But, as a transitioning out of little girl-room bold step?

Hmm, I will be thinking about this...With the Wild Aster walls...it could be kind of awesome. If it's soft. I wonder if it's soft? Her current rug is Pottery Barn kids and it's kind of dirty. We have had it cleaned, of course, but it's still kind of dirty. And sometimes sheddy. 

But this would be a departure for me. Bold.

 

 

London cabbies.

Did you know that cab drivers in London take some huge test and are supposed to know where every single thing is? I mean, it's a big city! And an old one - so, you know, tons of winding streets. I swear, there is no such thing as a "straight line" way to get anywhere. So, if this test thing is legit, I'm impressed.

How did I hear about the test? Well, I stumped a London cabbie, that's how. The dude was seriously distressed, too. I, being from Boston, where you are lucky if your cabbie speaks English, and it's a bonus if he also knows how to get to your destination (Want proof? Just today we got in at the Park Plaza Hotel and said "Broad St." and the guy was like, "where??" Ugh. Seriously, dude?" These are the basics...) well, I just expected the cabbie to pull up a GPS. NBD.

But it was a big deal, the guy unfurled a map and apologized profusely and told me all about the test. 

Where was I trying to go? Well, I was at the London Zoo and I needed to go - here:

The King Edward VII Hospital. A very, very, very unassuming place in terms of curb presence (see that little brass plaque on the right? That's all there is to tell you that this door is not just an apartment building). And, as we were there I totally joked that it was more like a country club than a hospital. It was like, club chairs in the rooms and paintings of royals on the walls and "nurses" who offered you a drink if you were sitting in the lounge looking bored. I imagined there was a back door for secret access by the rich and famous needing to enter discreetly and convalesce from their nose jobs. Oh, how right I was!

Not about the nose job, perhaps, but about the secret back entrance, since Kate up there probably did not look so grand when arriving post three-days-of-vomiting. Hell, I am mighty impressed that she's in a skirt upon discharge. I tend to leave hospitals looking a tad worse for wear. 

But, I'll bet all the cabbies know where it is now!

Merry Christmas to me.

We have a rule around here: no buying things for yourself in the holiday season. And, due to JWH's late November birthday, that pretty much means he is cut off from consumption around mid October. So when I come home on an autumn evening and see a box from Amazon and some new book or gadget for the husband, I lose my shit. I'm all like, "Dude, you know the rule!" And he's all like, "lady, chill, it was $14!" But deep down, he knows I'm right. It's not the 14 bucks, it's the fact that he's hard to shop for, so if there is something he wants, and will use, and he can just hold out for 6 weeks so that my mom can buy it for him, put it in a "very nice box" and wrap it artfully, with all edges folded, of course, then he is the one who needs to chill. 

This is our rule. 

The rule that I broke this week with the ordering of an iPhone 5 for my little self. Do I feel guilty? No. No one is going to buy me an iPhone for Christmas, because, as we found out, you can't. JWH tried to get one for me at the mall recently, but even though he is my legal spouse, was in possession of my only child, and has a phone on the same account and access to the online account...well that is all not good enough for Apple. You need to be there to get your own damned phone. Which of course they were out of when I next made it to the mall. 

Ugh. 

So, I ordered it. And, more to breaking of the holiday non-shop rules, I also ordered 2 cases. Two. While my iPhone 3G remained blissfully caseless, unsheathed, recklessly free for 4 years (and, oh, yes, it's pristine, thank you very much), the 5 will get some protection. See, the 3G was so perfectly weighted, the backing so finely grippy, yet smooth enough to easily slide into a pocket (Insert here JWH's advice for the women of the world: "Do not put your phone in your back pocket, it makes your ass look bad."*). Anyway, the 4 and 5 models of the iPhone are hard to hold. The aluminum shell or whatever the hell it is, is just plain old droppy. So I need to case that sucker. 

Here are the 2 I ordered. One is cool and minimalist, the other is, well, protective. If you are going to completely cover up all the industrial design coolness of the actual device, you might as well cover it up in something that will protect the device from more than just scratches. 

(Quirky)

(Amazon)

*The asterisk is because I do, indeed, still put my iPhone in my back pocket. At work, almost every day. And thanks to JWH I now think, every time I do it, that now my ass must look like utter shit. And then I remember that I'm at work and my ass is hardly the point. They value me for my brain and my uncanny ability to get shit done. Like now, when I must leave you all and go see about ordering a 10 foot topiary and constructing an indoor croquet court. Easy shit like that. With my phone in my damned pocket.

Well, aren't you nice.

For a spammer, or a bot, or a person learning English via blog commenting. Who, you ask? This guy:

"I know there are many good writers out there, but you really stand out from the crowd. I had to let you know how much I appreciate the info you have in this material. Thanks."

So polite, so thoughtful. Awwww, you shouldn't have. 

Especially in response to a post about pretty pillows where I  wrote something like 55 words. These words:

"Lately I have been seeing a lot of blogging about pillows. Specifically, not-too-expensive pillows. Perhaps I'm not the only decor enthusiast who is not willing to even consider shelling out $300 for a throw pillow?

So, I'll admit, some posts have led to click-throughs, and these were my favorite shops for not-crazy-priced pillows."



Or, how about this nice fellow:

"The quality of this article is unsurpassed by anything else on this subject. I guarantee that I will be sharing this with many other readers."

Totally restorative and inspiring feedback...to a post about the dress my kid wore to her first day of Pre-K.

Look out, world, I'm apparently a real good writer now!

 

And, if, indeed, you are a real person - lost among the amazing amounts of spam I seem to suddenly attract in my comments (or people with really good access to prescription drugs are just hot to share with y'all) - well, then, I am sorry for unjustly accusing you of spamminess. Drop me a line and we can talk all things textile and childrearing.

 

One little hint.

See that bottom right corner there in this picture?

What is it? Next to the step stool, below the coat?

Here is a hint:

Errol Flynn H-------, aka, "Flynnie"

Oh, and do not worry, dear Indigo, we still think of you often. You remain the "best cat ever," but this one, so far, does not steal food. But he is also not as soft. So, you may well end in a tie.