Book Love - Wait for Me!

North American cover

I'm reading the memoirs of Deborah Mitford.  Actually I'm listening to them on CD.  I don't usually listen to books but my schedule has been challenging and I find I have little time to read.  So I decided to make use of my commute and listen to a book.

The Mitford sisters were so interesting.  I'm not really sure why.  Maybe because some of them were outrageous (one was a Fascist who married Sir Oswald Mosley, and another was a Communist, while still another shot herself in the head when she realized Great Britain declared war on Germany).  Deborah is probably the most conventional of all of the sisters and the youngest of them.  How funny that a Duchess would be considered, "conventional".  They had an interesting childhood and her writing is very "listenable".  It helps to have a good narrator in the way of Anne Flosnik.

Even though the girls didn't have a formal education (their mother was big on what we would be something akin to homeschool and she cared little for exams), they were so creative and witty.  All of them were voracious letter writers and their words have been preserved in various books written by them and about them. 

Most people know of Nancy Mitford, who wrote books about her family, thinly veiled as fiction.  You know my love of portraiture, be it human or dog or horse.  This is a portrait of Nancy Mitford I discovered and I love it.  She's a bit pointy looking in it, but I love it nonetheless.  I tried to find information on the artist but came up empty.

Nancy Mitford portrait by Mogens Tvede

The guys are off to Cub Scout Camp and I have three days to myself.  I'll be cleaning my filthy house, but also doing some stuff that will be more enjoyable.  Like staying up late and reading!

A chance to finally sit down

Not my porch...but I do have a cute porch with a rocking chair...

We have been going at a break-neck pace for the last week or so.  Lots going on that all needed to go on at one time. 

My sister has moved across the alley from me.  Yes, you heard me right. Across  the alley.  In our neighborhood we have driveways that are set behind the houses and you can stand on your back porch and talk to your next door neighbor.  Or your neighbor across the alley.  Some folks think it's crazy that we live so close but we're both quite happy with it.  We do a lot for one another - I take her dog to the groomer and pick her up, do stuff for the tea room, etc.  She watches the CO Boy every Monday and has even picked up a spare child in the process (Augie's friend usually joins them).  So it's quite wonderful to have her so close.  The CO Boy is already used to it.  Like she's lived across the alley forever.  And all the little kids in the neighborhood know "Tia Margo", because of the CO Boy.

So that was the first thing that had to happen.  She had to move into the house because she sold her old house across town.  Now I didn't help much, but I had stress just so I could share. You know, sisters and all...

Then we had Auntie come for a visit.  She lives in L.A. and needed her CO Boy time.  Before she booked her ticket I told her we'd be out at the horse stables during this holiday weekend because we were helping Miss Kim with an Independence Day celebration.  Auntie, in what must have been a deluded state, said, "Oh that'll be fun."  Auntie is a CITY GIRL.  But check out this photo of her with the Monte and Scott from the chuckwagon



This was taken at the end of the day, after she'd been stuck under a tent selling water and sodas to folks.  By then she'd had a tasty dinner, courtesy of Monte and Scott.  Plus the sun was going down and it was still stinkin' hot but shaded at least.

So Auntie's visit was the second thing that was happening.

And then the aforementioned Independence Day party out at the stables ocurred.  The Roping Dummies were playing the event and I helped with various parts of the event.  It was our first rodeo for this event, and while there were some kinks (I spent six hours taking money on the dirt road and directing folks to a field for parking), it went well and everyone had a great time.

The CO Boy getting ready to show off.

Biscuits from Monte's chuckwagon

Don and The Roping Dummies

So that was the third thing happening.

May not sound like much but I'm just one tired pup.

So today we are having a semi-pajama day.  We're taking Auntie to lunch and then coming home to be lazy and maybe, just maybe, I'll get my kitchen cleaned.

The Roping Dummy got a vacuum for Fathers Day

Not just any vacuum but the Hoover Wind Tunnel Pet Cyclonic vacuum.  Sounds serious, huh?  Actually we were at Home Depot and I saw it and knew I had to have it, as our vacuum has lost that lovin' feeling when it comes to pet hair.  The RD was thrilled.  Right.

Seriously, the whole Father's Day thing is something the poor man has to create on his own.  I'm the absolute worst at doing all the stuff you're supposed to do.  I mean, I birthed the CO Boy, what could I possibly do to top that?  So for his big day we went out to the stables and I rode a horse.  Yes, I rode a horse. Not him.  Just me. 

But let me explain.  I haven't ridden in oh, 15 years and I am in love with equines.  Truly, I don't really need to ride them but I do need to be around them.  So he got Miss Kim to give me a lesson today.  I've wanted to go back and learn a lot of the Natural Horsemanship methods, but with the CO Boy riding regularly, there is only so much money to go around for lessons.  At first I protested but then he made me shut up because he said I was ruining his fun.

Well, it really was fun.  My fun.

And not just fun, but gosh it was truly relaxing.  Sort of like yoga in paddock boots.  My stress just melts away when I'm around horses.  After I rode, he helped Miss Kim muck stalls and I groomed Bailey, MY horse-:).  I combed all the tangles out of her mane and her tail.  On the way home the RD says, "You know don't you, nobody else combs their manes or tails." 

Well MY horse gets her mane and tail combed.  End of story.

So my lovely husband watched me do ground work, ride and coo over Bailey.

Then I came home and used my Hoover Wind Tunnel Cyclone Pet vacuum!

Learning to fall the right way and a little stunt work

The CO Boy and his papi are doing horse camp this summer.  Every Tuesday the Roping Dummy  takes a playbook out of his stuntman past and teaches the kids how to tuck and roll if they get thrown, keeping their neck safe.  Then for fun they do some old western fight stunt work.  The CO Boy is the RD's assistant and demonstrates for each group of kids.  As you can see from his grin on his face, it's all good.  So please don't call child services on us, okay?-:)

Happy Birthday, Cole Porter

See.  He even liked dogs. 

Happy Birthday, Cole.  He was born in 1891 in Indiana.  Such a debonair fellow to be from Indiana.  NOT that you couldn't be debonair and be from Indiana...

I wish I had a favorite Cole Porter song but I don't.  I just can't choose.  But I suppose, "In the Still of the Night," would have to be up there - such a beautiful melody.  Then I like, "Every Time We Say Goodbye."  Rosemary Clooney has a lovely recording of that one.  And then perhaps, "You'd Be So Easy To Love."  I could go on but I'll stop. 

Do you have a favorite Cole Porter song?  If you can't think of one, just think of something/anything Fred Astaire sang.  He introduced so many of CP's tunes to the world.



The devil is on my drive home from work

It's been so nice to drive home with the windows open in the evening.  One of the best things about living here is the summer evenings.

And then I pass by it.  I pray I don't get the red light at that intersection.  It calls to me. 

The Rainbo Bread plant. 

The smell of freshly baked bread is just one of those things that is just, well, just magnificent.  It's right up there with onions and garlic being sauteed.  Gotta love it.

So I resist the urge to make a hard right and barrel into the bakery attached to the plant.  Like I need bread.  White bread.  My spare tire will increase from one that's suppposed to fit an economy car to one that fits a Dodge 1500 pick up. 

My biggest food weaknesses are bread and pasta.  If you want to throw some butter into the mix, please do.  But you'll have to wait until I come up for air to talk to me.

Slipcover Love

Yesterday morning I came downstairs (the RD was already up and drinking his coffee) and the scene in my living room was enough to inspire another Grey Garden's movie.

The throw which is supposed to cover the old worn green upholstery on the couch, was bunched up and hanging off the side of the couch.  The CO Boy's action figure toys were strewn all over the 1950's ranch burger designed coffee table (pictures of that will come later). And Mercer was sitting on the head portion of the couch, looking out the open back door, waiting for someone to walk by so he could run and bark.  Right about at this moment, Gershwin took his entire 13 pounds and bounded up the sofa to go for the body slam, sending the two pups off the side of the couch.

If a normal person without a boy, without three dogs, without a husband who could care less about a clean house, had seen this...they'd think my house had been abandoned and wild dogs were using it as a hang out.  Sigh.

But back to the sofa.  I love this sofa.  It was given to us by the RD's dead aunt (well she didn't give it to us but her daughter did.  She was dead already...).  The shape is pretty and for a while the upholstery was in pristine condition.  Dead Aunt was one of those folks who had plastic over her furniture in the formal living room.  You know what I'm talkin' about?  But alas, the years have passed, the couch has suffered trauma from two pups who like to romp on it, one old "pup" who thinks she's sneaky when she gets up on it at night, and then the CO Boy who does high falls off of it.

So I need a slipcover, people.  That's what I need.  What do you think of these ideas?

From Houzz.com (I think)
The pink is a bit much to commit to, I think.  But the colors in the photo were appealing to me.  Can you imagine light pink slipcovers with the pups?  Me neither.

From Mustard Seed Creations

I love everything she does on her blog.  But I really like these pretty pleats at the bottom of the sofa.  But I know how long it takes to make those pretty pleats, and I'd like a slipcover before I'm 80.

 From LJC Style

A compromise on the pleats - they're bigger.  Not as cute.  But bigger.  Doesn't this look so comfy?  Makes me want to dive into those pillows which is exactly what CO Boy would do.  Glad we talked all of this out beforehand.

I also saw an article in the Mary Jane magazine that showed how you could use drop cloths for fabric.  Mucho savings because cotton duck cloth is a pretty penny per yard and my couch is not small.  So perhaps a trip to Home Depot is in order?