day 1 - self portrait

first day of the photo challenge and if it weren't for krista, i would've already quit because i HATE taking pictures of myself.  

so i kinda cheated.  oh well, you get what you get.  

this is going to be hard for me to stick with because i'm hyper critical of everything i do and coming up with something i like every single day for 30 days might just break me.

we shall see.

telling myself "if you wanna be better, you hafta practice"

 

weekend play-by-play.

happy 60th birthday to papa.

getting it started at Saint Ann's

the loon-style drinks (can you even stand to have more than one of their mixed drinks in an evening?!) started flowing and folks started enjoying themselves. 

nice that eric was there to entertain michelle and michelle was there to entertain eric.

we then took a vote and moved the party to Lee Harvey's.  and thank god.  i can only take so many gals -- actually i'm not gonna do that.  (ok, but i do want to know when super-thin yoga pants, no panties, and those super stacked, strappy heels became the hostess uniform.  it was fucking stressin' me out watching those gals try to get around - it's like a cirque du soleil act.  i wonder how often someone breaks an ankle up in that joint.)  so let's just say i was thrilled to be at Lee Harvey's, eating fries, drinkin' whiskey-diets, and listening to Boys Named Sue.

also, hanging with this guy.

i had to give him a good pat.  and a french fry.

and suddenly, my brother, Reid, loses his mind.

he screams across the yard to some girl walking up the sidewalk.  it just happened to be the bitchin'est Top Chef contestant, Casey Thompson.  so there might be a wedding soon, i'm not sure.  i think there was some kind of proposal.

i think casey thompson is his john cusack.

(we're almost done - hang in there.)

so then, Cierra falls in love with one of these guys even though they don't live here and also suck.  just kidding.  i don't know that for sure.  i'm just trying to receive the message they're trying to send with those cheek piercings.

i'm sure it's a very nice dumpster they live in.

to be fair to Cierra, at least he loved her back.

it's really sweet.  i have nothing else to say.  well, i do but i'm not gonna.

and then all the drunkstations went home.

the end.

saturday i made lots of new jewelry of which i cannot make any pretty 

pictures because i live in a cave.

and sunday, i made a new earring holder for to store all the earrings i 
make and never wear (and i swear it looks a million times better in real life.)

Exhibit A: i am in dire need of a photography set-up at the house.  and a better flash.  and other stuff.

Exhibit B.  i'm embarrassed to even post these pictures.

so there you have it.

that's all i got.

more favorites at the casa

i love knickknacks.

i like to think it has something to do with my creative side but it probably has more to do with the family packrat gene on my father's side.

i think we all like to have things around that remind us of good times.  some just have a less discerning eye, perhaps, than others when it comes to making these keep-forever-and-display-at-home choices.

i'm pretty sure my collections run the gamut.

anyhow, the point is that one of my collections is another thing on the "stuff i now love at casa de tres" list.

my photojojo dinosaurs. 

they're the next best thing in the package you get in the mail from photojojo, the first, of course, being the actual thang you ordered - unless it's a gift you ordered for someone else and don't get to keep in which case the dinosaur is the first best thing.

they even list them on the invoice:

(1) RAWR  $0.00

the anthropologie ornament ain't bad either and since it's about all i can afford there, it's a treasure all on its own.

something new.

sometimes i forget about the positive things that are happening so in an effort to recognize the things that i like on a day-to-day basis (pema calls this cheerfulness practice), i want to share some of the things that i now love about casa de tres.  

to fully be able to appreciate this shift, you would have to know how much i hated -- and i do mean hated -- this house, for so long. i missed my cute little forest hills house, with the charming crystal door knobs and tiny little black and white 

bathroom floor tiles. then i came to this house - blah and more blah. and for some reason, for years and years, we just lived here. didn't paint a wall. didn't hang a picture. didn't plant a flower.
  

but at some point, the house won us over, we decided to stay, 

 and i got busy ignoring all the rules and making this house 

a place that i love. 

and this kitchen wall, though not yet complete, is one of my favorite things. the wall is truly the color of a tropical flower, and who wouldn't smile at that? 

the board is everything i love - a little bit industrial, 

a little bit fun and full of pictures that make me happy. and of course, the latest addition, our plastic gold pegasus, 

acquired at the deep ellum arts festival this year. 

 

she can lick her own elbow.

vintage effect + helvetica type makes things pretty.

a sad day at casa de tres.

The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

— Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart   

my sweet Bruce.  

my sweet grey, who, when he looked down that long, long nose at you, strangely resembled barbra streisand.

he was my favorite.  and he will be missed, but remembered with a smile.

easier said than done.

p.s.  if you or anyone you know is looking for an absolute lovebug of a dog, greyhounds make the best companions.  they require little more than a spot on the couch, a walk now and then and all the love you have to give.  they're great family dogs, get along with just about everyone (maybe not the best friend of cats), require relatively little exercise and do great, even in apartments.
please visit Greyhounds Unlimited to learn more about the wonderful world of greys.
http://greyhoundsunlimited.org/