Day in the Hood

I love little neighborhoods.  And I am aware that every city has different areas with different feels, but I must say that I'm partial to the ones here in San Diego.

Maybe it's the constant gorgeous weather that makes everyone happy.

The hubs and I live in the middle of City Heights. It's a true melting pot.

Yesterday I took a walk to the local library and watched as the signs changed from Spanish to Vietnamese to Ethiopian and on and on and on.

Sitting at a cafe is like listening to the sounds of the whole world.

The warmth and the sun bring people out, mixes them together.  It's beautiful.

The sun asked me to put a hat on

Another owl.  Hoot Hoot

This belt was kind of a bitch.  It wouldn't stay on.

backyard living

Just look Up.

favorite kid ever

Clown Love

Favorite Meal

Welcome to the West Coast

Mosaic Jesus Loves You

I'm slowly building my tan and quickly falling in love with all things San Diego.

What do you love about where you live?  Are there some secret spots that are gems in your little living area?

Hope you are taking it easy on this beautiful Friday.  I want you all to have the energy to have a crazy, love-filled weekend.

--Weeds--

Things I Dream Of Thursday

ORGANIZATION




Like most of you.  My current living space leaves much to desire in the second word of that pairing.  Space.  I feel like I need much more of it.


It can be so infuriating to just not have any place to put anything.  To always feel like you live in a haphazard, cramped and frustrating place.


This Thursday I want to share with you my dream to become organized.


I'm actually kind of scared of that word.


Being such an outdoorsy person.  
I usually sort of shrink away from things like


offices


taxes


safety


Anything too adultish is something I don't usually like to do.


Being organized used to be something I didn't care in the least about.  
But, trying to make my home seem like a home has been a challenge. 
I think that organization will help.


I'm going to dream about having a home that is small, but well put together.  Minimal and clean.


Like these.

Colorful and not too 'neat'

A space for everything

A craft closet that isn't similar to a death trap

Drool

Mellow Yellow (and not frantically searching for the cinnamon)

Lofts may not be romantic, but look how much storage there is!!

Clean, cheery and organized :)

So, here is to living within your means and making the most of it.

I would love any suggestions or tricks that you are using to maximize the little spaces of your life.

--Weeds--

Every Morning the Maple Leaves

The Hubs and I went thrifting in downtown  on Sunday.

Sunday is the time to visit San Diego's historic Gaslamp District.

The meters are free, but more importantly the gobs of people that are usually milling around the streets making parking horrendous and filling up every place are gone... sleeping somewhere?

Anyway, we found a few different shops.

I love the feeling I get at the beginning of each thrifting rampage I go on.

It's like being on the edge of the unknown.

Maybe not so serious sounding though.

The feeling of not knowing what surprises and treasures you might find is intoxicating though.

Each new store has the possibility of dusty, unloved magic there.  It's great.

Even though I now live in Sunny SD, I find that I want a cozy sweater to wear on days when it dips in the sixties (ha, that's for all my friends in the colder climates) and I need a thicker layer on.

I found this sweater and immediately wanted to pair it with some boots and a belt.  Which is exactly what I did.

What do you think would be another good way to wear this?

Here's my friend again

My hair is flipping out behind my ears... I don't know what to do about it.

B and I have been trying to cut back on our non-necessity purchasing so this is my first clothes/thrift purchase in a while.  It was a whopping 2 bucks :)

I think I'll cherish it for a while.

Does anyone have any thrift store suggestions for the So Cal area?

This sweater makes me want to stay home drinking tea and reading myself silly.

What do you like to wear when you want to be the most comfortable?

A Favorite Piece

Like way too many people, I have a love for owls.

I could tell you a lot of facts about them.  They are the world's great hunters.

I have even taught a class on Owl Pellets...  interesting right?

I now have bookends, earrings, necklaces and so on with this animal on it.

My family knows how I like them, so it's a go-to gift for me which I fully appreciate.

This was a gift from my sister and my nieces that I have been wearing all the time lately.

It's an owl necklace that IS ALSO A CLOCK.

I love it.  I think of them each time I wear it and smile and miss them.

Whenever I work at Anthropologie I wear it and I get more compliments on it then anything else.  I also get asked if I got it from there.  I of course didn't, because I have to be able to afford anything from there (even with my discount), but that's another story.

It is definitely a favorite piece of mine.  

What is a piece that you can't help but smile while wearing?

All things Pi

Something you discover when you are low on funds and entertainment is the local library.

We have one only a few blocks away which has been a safe haven for me in the last few weeks.

One of my first check-outs was the audio book of "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel.

It has won my heart.

I have been told by many, many people to read it.

I finally listened to it.

The reader was perfection.  The story was perfection.

It filled my head with images and heart with happiness.

It's a gem.

I finished it today...

on Pi day...

Also perfection?

I think so.

Just a few images to pique your interest.

I'm sad that I've finished it.  I'll miss you Pi.  I'll miss you Richard Parker.

Don't you love how characters come into your life during your brief entanglement with their pages?

I do.

I hate saying goodbye.

Somewhat unrelated--I had a dream last night about the funeral of a friend of mine I lost years ago.  My pillow was soaking when I awoke.

I'm not sure why I'm adding that to this post, but it is still in my head.

"The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity; it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can."
— Yann Martel (Life of Pi)

Listening to that book was such a beautiful experience, as was knowing and losing such a great person.  Those things are related, but not related to each other.  

Have you ever felt that a part of you would be missing forever when you put down a story?

Anyway, enjoy a piece of pie and think fondly of your math teacher today.  I'm wishing my mom, a high school math teacher, was here with me to sing some of her songs that she has created just for Pi Day.

Happy Pi Day Everyone!

P.S.  

I hate to do this, but I need HELP with my layout.

I want the blog to be wider--the full width of the screen.  Everything is out of whack and I don't know how to fix it. I want to clean it up and fix it.

HELP?!

My Friend Didn't Stay Too Long

Check out these gems of a find

These are some chandeliers that Brad salvaged from a recent job.

They were perfect.

Right above where a table will be (when we can afford one)

It was going to be the romantic corner.

One broke last night.  

Just broke.

Shit.

I Want To Kill You First Then Take Your Name

I have had a lot of free time lately.

So much free time.

Unwanted really.

I have watched movies.  Read books.  Cleaned.  I have made a few things.

I have even went "jogging"  (I can very loosely use this word to describe what I do).

It's nice.  Quiet.

and

Maddening.

One movie I watched a few days ago was "The Romantics", it was an alright movie.  There was a song by Lorene Scafario called We Can't Be Friends in the movie and I can't stop listening to it. I immediately looked it up when I was at a cafe with the internet (it sounds like me and the internet are friends and just hanging out and having a few laughs).

All in all.  Having free time is a curse and a blessing.

Give me some work to do already.

This song doesn't really 'fit' where I am right now.

But Hell, when I sing it you wouldn't know

I wanna pick you up, I don't care what time
I wanna drive real fast to some place in town;
I wanna stress you out;
I wanna make things hard;
I wanna take your hand;
I wanna leave this bar;
I wanna wake you up on a driving train
that led it's tracks down inside my brain

I wanna hear your band;
I wanna give it advice;
I wanna meet your girlfriend, she sounds nice;
I wanna take you home;
I wanna feel my age;
I wanna freak you out on a different stage;
I wanna show my teeth;
I wanna keep you fed;
I wanna get you drunk and let it go to your head

so i guess this means we can't be friends

I wanna be unique;
I wanna be your kind;
I wanna make you hate me then change your mind;
I wanna wear a skirt;
I wanna make mistakes;
I wanna kill you first then take your name;
I wanna tear you apart;
I wanna make your bed;
I wanna break your heart;
I wanna break your head

so i guess this means we can't be friends