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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Keeping Room

We just finished redecorating what we formerly referred to as "the fireplace room." Usually, in the winter, we do not use our living room, we live in front of the fire. This was a room that we had not done anything to at all. Ever. Other than occasionally knocking down the cobwebs, it remained untouched.

I found this "keeping room" sign in a shop in Pendleton and thought it would be perfect for the center beam of the room. When I researched the meaning of a "keeping room," I learned that it was often a room with a fireplace or a hearth. Often, it was off of the kitchen. In our house, the living room is off of the kitchen. This keeping room is on the lower level of the house which was added to the original home at some point.

Here is Milo, investigating the "new room." Doug painted the room in the paint that I picked out - "toast," and I took it from there.

Buckeyes from Kathy R's neighbor's yard. Pine cone candles that were gifts from my daughter, Laura.

The valences are from the kitchen of my former house. I am also using a throw rug that I had in the kitchen. The burgundy works well, don't you think? The table is a family piece that was my great- aunt's. The rocker was a Road 40 find - I think that I paid $45. for it. Isn't that great?

The love seat in front of the fire is where you'll find me. Along with Doug, Chelsea, Milo and Tree. I'm hoping to buy some new furniture for this room soon. With all of our fur-kids, it is a little crowded.

"Ah."

More "ah."

This about says it all.

"For me it is sufficient to have a corner by my hearth, a book and a friend, and a nap undisturbed by creditors or grief."
-- Fernandez de Andrada

Friday, November 21, 2008

Photo contest

The HT is having a photo contest. The classification is "Indiana environment." I entered with these two: (only two entries allowed)
The tree photo was taken at Gnaw Bone Camp.
The sunset photo was taken out behind the house on our road. Doug was mowing the yard and yelled "Honey, you might bring your camera."
The winner gets a composter. Runners up get a canvas bag.
Do you think I have what it takes to be a winner?

Monday, November 17, 2008

One Year Anniversary.

The was the little house in New Castle that we lived in for eighteen years. My children essentially grew up in this house. It wasn't the nicest house, but it was home. I had a one car detached garage - it had a patio out back and great trees (as you can see) out back. I planted the two evergreens in the front yard in 2001.
I loved the screened in porch with the metal roof and the awnings because you could hear the rain. Some nights, if a storm was loud and woke me, I would go out and sit on the porch and just watch and listen. I loved it that little house. One year ago I moved to Bloomington. I love it here. There is a wonderful sense of safe community here. So much so that it was recently voted as the number one get away destination by this magazine. We have great cultural events. Farmer's market on Saturday, every restaurant and store you could ever want and many local shops and restaurants. New Castle is two hours away - so not so far that I can't get back.
When I first moved here, putting our lives together was quite an adjustment. We did long distance for two and a half years. I had my own home for eighteen years, Doug - seventeen years. Two captains, one ship. Now, a year later, things are smoother. Doug is very willing to adopt most of my suggestions concerning home improvement. Before I moved in, his house was something akin to a locker room. He and his sons used it in a very utilitarian way - place to sleep, eat, shower, change clothes before going to the next sports event. For the most part, we threw out his furniture and stuff and use mine. We have redecorated the guest room ("Laura's room") and the living room, the entry way, the bathroom and now we are redoing the family room or as we call it "the fireplace room." We have also removed carpet in the kitchen and dining room. We feel that carpet is unhealthy and eventually, I don't believe we will have any at all. We may put ceramic tile in our bedroom! The house is a bi-level and we may put ceramic tile in the entire lower level.
One year later, I'm in a better place in my life. In many more ways than one.
Those is my Cardinals!

Letterman: â€˜Chirp! Chirp! Itâ€™s Bird Time.â€™

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Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Painted Veil (2006)

The Painted Veil (2006)

Last night, we watched a movie that Doug rented with his account. If I haven't mentioned before, we have separate accounts, because, he kept getting "guy movies." Now, I have my account and I get "chick flicks." We try, whenever possible, to watch our movies together. Painted Veil was an excellent movie for us because I love Edward Norton, (meow! Perfect at eleven years younger)(oh, hush). And, Doug loves Naomi Watts. We noticed that the movie was produced by Norton and Watts and Doug said "hey, let's make a movie and star in it!"

The movie, from the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, by the same name was shot in China. It had a cheesy tag line: "Sometimes the greatest journey is between two people." Gag me.
Naomi Watts plays Kitty Garstin. As her mother puts it "how long are you going to depend upon your father to support you?" So, they are hot to marry her off and she obliges by marrying Dr. Walter Fane (Norton) although she doesn't love him. Dr. Fane is a bacteriologist (what?) studying infectious diseases and they move to Shanghai where he is stationed to work in a government lab.
Socially, Kitty meets Charles Townsend (Liev Schreiber) and has an affair with him. The man is a typical womanizer and a creep. (Yuck, bleuck, tooey!) After Walter learns of the affair, he threatens Mrs. Fane with divorce, based upon adultery naming Charlie, unless she accompanies him to the interior of China where he is to help fight the cholera epidemic. True to a player's colors, Charlie says some mumbo-jumbo about how a divorce might not be well for "his station," and Kitty accompanies Dr. Fane to the interior.

After a two week journey traveling in this style:

This is where Cheryl's favorite most obscure moment of the movie occurs - neighbor, Mr. Waddington asks if the journey was terribly arduous and Kitty Fane's response is this: "terribly." What else would she say. But I ask you - how bad can it be when you are sitting on a chair, she is sheltered from the sun and dust, give me a freakin break. It wasn't like she traveled in a Conestoga sitting behind the asses of a couple of oxen!

The most sensual scene (sensuous?) in the movie occurs with the same neighbor, with whom the Fanes develop an intimate relationship, mostly from lack of any other neighbors, or Caucasians.

Isn't that a lovely scene?

I won't give away the entire movie. You'll have to rent it to see for yourself, but I will say that I was cheering for Kitty when five years later she runs into Charles Townsend on the street of London while she has her son Walter by the hand. Charlie once again tries to make a play for her and she basically tells him to eat sand. When she and her son walk away, young Walter says "who was that, Mummy?" and Kitty replies, "no one." YAY Kitty. Men who cheat are scums.