So, weekend before last, John and I spent Saturday at the Huntington Library. It was beautiful and the book room made me breathless. I literally had to stop and breathe. Here's an example:



This was, like, the least cool book we saw and it's actually pirate booty. Are you catching this? Captain Morgan's (yes, that Captain Morgan) pirate booty was the least impressive book we saw. Ponder that one. Two words: Gutenberg Bible.

Jim and Adam were here over this past weekend. They went back to Atlanta yesterday morning. And John and I still haven't quite recovered.
Here's John getting home Thursday afternoon and finding his buddies hanging out in our living room. He didn't know they were coming...hence the odd, confused smile he's wearing.
Here are some more pictures. We had a fantastic time. I didn't want them to leave. I laughed almost the entire time they were here.

Labels: books., company., friends., travel/tourism.

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I just finished my yummy lunch from Village Gourmet and researched the Dell recall. My lovely little laptop is safe, since the Inspiron 5150 isn't listed as one of the "exploding battery" notebooks.

I had an idea that I might go out and look around at a craft store this afternoon...but the nosy neighbors I can't stand are camped out at the pool and I'd really rather not walk past them. I wonder if I could sneak out the bedroom window...

This weekend, John, Anna, Adam, and I attended a mini craft fair called Felt Club in the back parking lot of Meltdown Comics, which included free classes. Sweet! Anna and I took a class on spinning yarn and John joined us for a class on needle felting, which were both taught by the lovely folks at Mary Jane's Attic. The three of us also took a class on making charms out of shrinky dinks, which was taught by Sylvia of Chebang.

My favorite booth was Handmade Pretties, where I bought a really cute felt brooch from Lara. Runners up included: Sewing Stars, where I had to stop myself from buying a blue monkey; Cake Mountain, which had cool bags made out of upholstery fabrics; and Ohma, who had adorable vintage designs.

I'm full of the crafting spirit! I wanna buy felt! Plus, it sounds like the kids in the pool were fighting and the neighbors I can't stand, 2 women whose kids apparently fight with each other, have yelled at them all to get out of the pool. Maybe I can just walk out the front door. Is that too easy?


my mess o' homespun yarn

Labels: food., sewing/crafting.

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Yesterday, in the check-out line at Von's (buying a cart full of groceries I will, in fact, have to actually cook at some point, starting tonight), I was made a victim of smart merchandise placement. I impulse-bought a magazine on interior decorating with the most adorable pillows I've ever seen on the cover. Lavender, sky blue, lime green, and teal. Patchwork. Plus, the couch they're on looks a lot like mine.

The thing is, of course, that my couch already has purple pillows on it. And the entire magazine, though breathtaking in some points, led me to similar conclusions. For example, there is this really neat spread on how to make curtains with maps. Our windows have blinds. Huge blinds. Vertical blinds that smack each other and make obnoxious noises when we have our ceiling fans on (which is always, because we live in The Valley). Each slat is about 3 inches wide. Even Rand McNally himself couldn't cover these windows.

Everything in the entire magazine was adorable. And I can't incorporate any of it in my apartment. Before I went to Von's yesterday, I thought I had a cute apartment. I hate Von's.

Labels: apartment.

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So. John is in New Orleans, knocking/ripping out muddy mildewed rotten sheetrock and carpet from houses ransacked by Katrina. It's hot and steamy humid. There was a shrimping boat in the middle of the road.

Meanwhile, I've just watched my Meg Ryan movie of the night. Tonight's choice: When Harry Met Sally (Preceded by: Monday, Hanging Up; Tuesday, You've Got Mail; yesterday, I.Q. Followed by: Friday, my favorite, Sleepless in Seattle). Admittedly, Meg Ryan is a guilty pleasure, of sorts. What better time for guilty pleasures than when you're sitting (literally sitting) at home alone while your husband is out doing manual labor in the hot sun in, like, 80% humidity to help those in need? There is no better time! I've also watched 3 Diane Keaton movies, including Annie Hall, which I'd never seen before.

On the plus side, while John's gone, I get to drive the car we park in the garage. And, when not at work...I've been in pajamas all week. There's really no need to be dressed to the nines for Meg Ryan.

In the car: the Flaming Lips on repeat on the CD player I gave John for his birthday a few years ago. I thought today, "If I were thin, I'd be a hipster like Anna." I don't even use the word "hipster."

Labels: movies.

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