What happens when I don't post frequently is that all the flotsam jetsam I think to share with you all builds up like so many dust bunnies under the bed. NOTE: I do NOT have dust bunnies under the bed. I am speaking metaphorically, obvs.

Anyway-- herewith follows a most ungainly blathering with one too many dangling modifiers and an ungodly number of unnecessary photos.

THE STORMS ARE GONE

At our board meeting Tuesday night, every single person around the table shared their war story of power outages, trees down and broken roads?when it came my turn all I could do was shrug and say, ?solar, baby.? At which point they drove their pens deep into my eye sockets and scalded my flesh with their hot, hot coffee.

Hey, what can I say? We?re fully solar-powered and never lose it due to storms. What we can lose is our internet service as that is satellite based, but it just so happened that it didn?t go out this time. We did, however, have a pine tree split asunder during the raging (raging!) winds?it?s right out front and we haven?t taken it down yet, but when we do I?ll show you the before and after.

(Thrilling, I know-- never let it be said that I don't provide thrills and chills at this website, albeit intermittently).

COMMENTERS & VISITORS

I can only imagine you believe me to be some kind of heinous wench.

You stop in, leave the loveliest commentary and do I EVER respond? Even in an email? No, no I don?t do anything at all which is really such bad form?I?m sure that somewhere in some blog etiquette book someone is writing right now I would be flagged for BAD FORM?all I can say in my defense is, I?m equally rude in person. So from that perspective, perhaps this blog reflects me with some degree of authenticity.

Please accept my apologies for not being a better person. I'd like you to know I do visit all your sites?I?m just a lazy, rude wretch.

SOON SOON

Two wonderful books came to me in the mail.

The first was a copy of Seeing by Jose Saramago. It?s a thrill for me to receive books directly from the publisher and this isn?t the first time a certain kind gentleman at Harcourt has surprised me this way. But, I haven?t read it yet. I?ve carried it around with me fully intending to settle in and be transported by the great writing?but the right moment hasn?t presented itself. Soon, however?soon soon and I will be sure to opine.

((SEGUE the first-- I now officially recant my love of The Wire. Season 3? Sucketh most profoundly. Don't know what they've done-- new writers? new producers? No idea. All I know is the show died for me when they killed D'Angelo. I guess, it all boils down to I loved (most ardently) season one. And, whoops sorry for anyone thinking of starting out season one-- didn't mean to spoil it . .))

The second book is a big, beautiful blank journal that Selkie has sent me as part of a traveling art journal project?again, this is such a pleasurable activity that I want to be able to delve into with full focus and the time to do so is nigh?soon soon. (Please don?t give up on me Selkie!)

SLAYING THE DRAGON THAT IS MY INSECURITY WITH HOME DECOR

What was that living room project I mentioned?

Voila before:

And, after:

Oh well, I?m not sure how I feel about it, but for the time being it stays (although my husband?s first remark upon seeing it was, ?hmm, kind of like a funhouse.? Needless to say, that did not boost my sagging d?cor insecurity)-- but screw him, right? I mean, have you looked at HIS closet recently? Alright then.

When we?ve got (or made) fabulous canvases of art?then these mirrors will come down and the art will go up. (I may even reduce what?s there by 40 percent and goup just a cluster of them over the sofa?but seeing as it took me nearly a year to decorate this room?chances are I won?t be back to add improvements until the year 2017).

And, although I like having this room done?now it makes the dining room look like a job site?ugh.

Exhibit A:

But I do have a light fixture on order so those balls will be gone soon?provided the light fixture works?I mean, who orders their chandelier on line? Am crazy, non?

For those interested in the process, I bought a bunch of old frames at second-hand stores for 3 ? 5 dollars each, except for the wrought-iron garden mirror and the big white one on the left?those were already mirrors and I bought them for $20 and $25 respectively.

Then I distressed the frames.

Took the frames to our local hardware store and had them put in mirror.

Meanwhile, T painted the room green (which I love unconditionally?the photos don?t do the color justice?it?s perfect) and I painted the side table a bright red.

And voila?wall o?mirrors. Or, as T likes to call it Versailles Gone Bad.

SUNSHINE

So this weekend will mark the first time a blogger* has visited Soliden. It feels a bit different?sure I?ve met bloggers before: Coquette, Clotilde, Jess, Molly, Lauren, but that was always in the neutral zone of a city?Paris, Boston, New York?never at my house. I?m a little apprehensive of what they will see when they get here in the ugliest season of the year?we got no grass. We got no flowers. What we got is dirt, old snow, broken branches?but today? We also got sun!

And, the butterscotch boys are way better in person than in photos so that?s gotta count for something?and, there?s a certain little miss who is waiting to meet them?so stay tuned.

*In fact, two bloggers are coming! Lizardek (and her mom) and Christina

Let the Wild Rumpus begin!

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