1.17.13

This song is annoying.

I only watched it because the Hubs made me, because of the exciting tidbit I am about to share with you:

At 1:18ish, and then again throughout the video, the scene is shot in THE Value Village in Capitol Hill that we lived up the block from when we lived in Seattle.



And by "lived up the block from," I really mean "spent all our time in."

Ah, I am so famous.

Love, J

New bath

Okay, I really cannot find the "before" photos of our bath remodel.  So instead I will describe it: 

Moldy tub enclosure; rotted out grout; dingey linoleum; stained walls; the vanity and towel racks were faux wood finish and looked like something you'd find in an RV.  The toilet paper holder was shaped like a little outhouse.  There was no fan, so any shower in the winter totally steamed up that side of the house.  The mega-tub came to about 10 inches or so in front of the toilet, making the room uneccessarily cramped.  And the door had a 4' mural of three wolves howling at a full moon decapoged on its front. 

Basically, it was not a nice room.  (The Habitat Store did take the outhouse TP holder though, if you're in the market for some tacky.)

Then hubs gutted the room to its studs, and DIL worked his contractor magic.  Now we are revelling in our:

~ New, bigger window.

~ All new fixtures, including a short, deep tub reoriented to take up less space.

~  Linen closet.

~  Tile.  Oh, the tile!

~  Radiant floor heating under said tile.  I'm officially about as glam as J Lo.  Life goal acheived.

Plus a fancy fan, wolf-less door, nice lighting, and on and on and on.

And now may I present, the during and after photos, bath remodel edition:

Brandi

Grandma and I went to see Brandi Carlile when she was in town last month.  Amazing.  

If you don't have awesome speakers on your computer, do yourself a favor and wear headphones for this:



Listening to her makes me feel like I can do something great.

Love, J

1.2.13

LOVE Emma Stone:



Love, J

Last year and this

Source: flickr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Here just over the threshold of 2013, things are a touch different than they were a year ago.  

Life feels more stable, more secure.  And while anyone with half a brain will agree that apparent stability is no guarantee that the world won't turn upside down tomorrow, it is still a nice feeling to have while it lasts.

And I cannot say for sure, but I think overall I have grown more calm and more accepting of the people in my life; made less anxious by their supposed flaws and also by the flaws they allege in me.  I have always had an easier time finding Zen in life situations rather than in relationships.  But this year I really feel I have inched closer to a peace that makes me less critical of those I love and more able to simply meet them where they are.  I really hope to continue to cultivate that peace, because living without it is both frustrating and damn exhausting.

I've got my resolutions all lined up for the coming year.  There is something to learn; something to accomplish; and some virtues to nourish.  

Fresh years are such pretty, blank pages, but each day is new too, and I think we all do better when we can see the new start in each morning, or even each minute.  Taking things one year at a time is too overwhelming.

Baby steps.

Love, J

Source: erhondeau.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest