Lots of nature happenings around our home, so I thought I'd take a few photos of the action. Speaking of action, now I see why Japanese beetles have made a comeback in our area.
Here's one of our lovely daylilies. Although this isn't just any ordinary daylily, it's a Chicago Fire Daylily. Mark made sure I knew that.
Mark finally installed the birdhouse that I bought him for his birthday. It's situated in the front of house, right near one of the windows in the addition. I hope something takes up residence so we can observe undetected from the inside!
Finally, last year we were graced with the presence of one of nature's littlest wonders, a hummingbird! We are very happy to see his return this year, and it's become our habit to look out for him at all times. It's gotten to the point where even from our kitchen I can spot him hovering around the bee balm all the way across the yard. Of course, I thought I would be a big time nature photographer and get some cool photos of him. Out of around 50 photos, this is the best I could come up with. I'll try again sometime, but I think I need a faster lens. Until then, I'll stick with mating beetles - at least they're stationary!
Today I read an interesting article on Apartment Therapy called, The Ethics of Shopping Cheap. Just last weekend, we purchased furniture for our addition, all of which came from either Ikea, Pottery Barn or Pier One, so the article got me thinking about the overall contents of our home. In fact, Mark was just lamenting that too much of our furniture has come from Ikea, but looking around, I think it's more 50% store bought to 50% second hand, the vast majority of which is antique or at lease vintage, depending upon how loosely you use the word "antique."
We started purchasing second hand furniture sometime around the year 2000. One of our earliest purchases was a four post bed, found at an antique fair for $50. Lauren sleeps in that bed today. In fact, all of the beds in our home are second hand. The bed in our spare room pictured above was found in an antique store, while the nightstand next to it was from in my nursery when I was a baby.
The desk in this photo is also in our spare bedroom. Believe it or not, one evening before trash pickup day in our old neighborhood, we passed by it sitting on someone's curb. I begged Mark to go back for it, because it was the kind of desk I always dreamed of having when I was a little girl. So yes, it was free. Right now, it's serving as my sewing desk (although it doesn't see a lot of action).
One point that is made over and over again in the comments to the article is how difficult it can be to find quality second hand items, so difficult that we're often forced to buy brand new at the big box stores or else go furnitureless. This is very true. If given a choice, Mark and I would have nothing but second hand stuff, but it can take sometimes years to find what you want. Much of it depends on the region where you live, and in our opinion, our area of Western Pennsylvania just isn't that great for antiques. Because of that, many of the items that we have were purchased outside the area. For as long as I can remember, Mark has been searching for a desk of his own. Over the years, he has seen many on eBay that he liked, but they were all located hundreds of miles away. Rather than settle, he goes desk-less in hopes that he'll eventually find one within a reasonable distance from our house.
Still, Ikea isn't so bad. We still have a pair of dining chairs that we bought in 1997 when we moved into our first apartment. So who knows - maybe they will be the desirable antiques of tomorrow.
I'm disappointed in myself for updating the blog only five times in June. That's an all time monthly low. Even when I was crazy busy last May, I managed to squeak out seven posts. I've tried to analyze why this is. I primarily blame it on the lack of time. After all, since February I've been working longer hours with a longer commute. However, back when my scheduled hours and commute were shorter, I usually went into work around a half an hour early, and sometimes didn't leave until a half hour to an hour later. So I think that it might actually be a bit of a wash time wise. I'm also having to go to bed earlier, which definitely makes a difference. I love staying up and sleeping in, so I literally go to bed at the last possible moment that will give me a reasonable amount of sleep. Even still, on any given day I feel anywhere from mildly sleepy to grossly exhausted.
Mark attributes my lack of motivation to our lifestyle. After a long day of work followed by a long commute, who has the energy to commit to a time consuming activity? For example, the last blog post took about two hours to put together, and that doesn't include the time that I spent going through the photos the night before. So this theory does have some merit. For awhile, I had a regimen where I would come home around 5:30, cook dinner (or eat take out), play with Lauren, attempt to get in an hour of exercise, watch a little television with the family, get Lauren ready for bed, get myself ready for bed, read a little and finally slip into a fitful coma around 10:30. A little over a month ago, I did something to my leg and decided to forgo exercising until my leg stopped hurting. And lo and behold, my evenings don't feel so cramped any more. In fact, shortly thereafter, I lost 1.5 pounds. I guess my giving up exercise wasn't such a bad thing! My leg still occasionally hurts, but I think that it's caused by running to catch the bus while wearing heals and carrying The Heaviest Laptop on the Face of the Earth. I really need to stop that.
So I hope to do better during the month of July - getting back to writing about the everyday things that go on here, rather than just the special events. If you haven't already noticed, I also started to Twitter again, 'cause if the Iranians can do it so can I. That's my motto.
This weekend we hosted our annual cookout. If it falls just right (on the weekend), it also happens to be the 4th of July. And it's more picnic than cookout because I can't grill food to save my life and instead serve hot dogs fresh off the George Foreman and BBQ beef from the slow cooker. However, if you ask Lauren, it's not a picnic, but a party. Thank goodness we took the time to clear that up!
Over the past few years, everyone has come to look forward to Crazy Uncle Craig's fireworks displays. Here in Pennsylvania, fireworks are supposed to be illegal, but the law has gotten a little unclear as of late. Growing up, all you could get in-state were sparklers and those paper snap things that you throw which make a big mess on the sidewalk. However, if you were lucky, you might get your hands on some smoke bombs or snakes which also make a big mess on the sidewalk. And if you were really lucky, you knew someone who went across the border to Ohio and smuggled some firecrackers and roman candles in the truck of his car.
Today, peddlers set up tents filled with explosives on practically every street corner, and not to miss out on a buck, all the major chains and grocery stores sell fireworks too. Everyone has a theory on how this is possibly legal. Some say that it's legal to sell fireworks, but not to buy them. Others say that it's okay to buy them, but you can't actually set them off. Still others think that it's the type of fireworks that makes a difference, and as long as it stays on the ground and doesn't shoot off into the sky, the local fuzz will leave you alone. Since the law is up for interpretation, like good Americans we plead confusion and blow stuff up anyway.
So as soon as we finish dinner and start cleaning up, our guests begin to ask, "When are the fireworks?"
This year, we kicked off the event with what I like to call "The Lawrence Pranty Memorial Sparkler Run." You see, not only was my Pap Pap an egg dying and jury duty dodging expert, he was also a sparkler aficionado. He oversaw the whole 4th of July operation, making sure that everyone's sparkler was lit without injury and that all extinguished sparklers were disposed of properly. He would then close out the evening by running through the backyard holding two sparklers aloft. Here, Mel C and I demonstrate:
My nephew Noah watched from the safety of the swing. Smart boy, that Noah!
Then it was time for everyone else to get into the act. These people really love their sparklers.
I mean, they really love their sparklers.
We then convinced Lauren to hold a sparkler for the first time.
She was...tentative. Well, let's just say that she didn't prance around the yard with it, that's for sure.
But the sparklers could only satisfy their cravings for fire and destruction for only so long. It was time to bring out the big guns!
And Crazy Uncle Craig did not disappoint!
There was much "Oooo-ing."
And "Aaahh-ing."
And cuddling with Daddy when things got a little too loud.
I cuddled with Mel C.
Speaking of Mel C, she acted as our very own Homeland Security, vigilantly keeping us safe from the flames and occasionally "accidentally" squirting Crazy Uncle Craig in the process.
Lastly, to close out the evening, our very own Flying Wallenda, Pappy Bruno surprised us by performing a harrowing balancing act over our fish pond.
Check out these awesome theater style chairs that Mark found on Craig's List today. They actually came from a local synagogue. The seller was even nice enough to deliver them. Photo opportunities abound!
(Okay, that wasn't much of a blog post either, but I'm trying to bump up the post count for June!)
In case anyone is wondering, this is how I've been spending all my time.
(Be sure to keep an eye out for special guest, Daisy Dog!)
(P.S. Real blog post coming soon - promise! Also, Mark will invariably make fun of me for saying this, but I'm so shocked and sad about the passing of Michael Jackson. He was was such a big part of my childhood and teenage years that it feels like part of youth in gone. In spite of his troubles and all around strangeness, I will always enjoy his music.)
I love the month of June. Maybe it's because my birthday falls in June. Maybe it's because the weather is usually pleasant - sunny, but not too hot. Maybe it's because the whole summer is laid sprawling ahead.
Maybe it's because there's lots of fun stuff to see and do. For the second weekend in a row, we went antique shopping. This time, we visited Ligonier, PA for the bi-annual Antiques on the Diamond. Mel C came along too, and got to experience all the usual highlights of the trip, including getting your photo taken with the giant Playmobil figure and eating the best pulled pork sandwiches in the world served in a church basement. We also saw a man with a parrot tongue and none other than the Hamburgler himself, in the flesh, at McDonald's. Mel C also claims that I convinced a man to lower his price on a blanket chest from $375 to $300 with just a shake of the ruffles on my shirt, but that's largely an exaggeration.
I purchased a couple things, like the baby globe on the left. I've been looking for a smaller globe, but I found this one hard to resist at $9. It even has Pittsburgh on it! I just love old globes and maps. I'd also like to collect Eiffel Towers too, but I never see any. No one must visit France around here.
Of course, Lauren couldn't resist giving the globes a spin.
I also found another braided rug for $10 (My ideal price!). This one isn't vintage - I think it may be made by Pottery Barn Kids. It needs a little repair here and there, but it cleaned up real nice in the washing machine. It's going in Lauren's room.
June is also the time of the year for book sales. Books are so darn expensive these days - if you add them together, the cover price of all these books comes to $124.24. I paid roughly...$9. I also purchased a boatload for Lauren's library, although I'm certain that once she's able to read she'll wonder why the inside covers of most her books say things like "To Kevin James, Merry Christmas! Love, Aunt Beatrice."
Lastly, some quick blog related notes. Last week, I had some photos featured in Apartment Therapy Los Angeles. There's some really great stuff there, and I'm not just saying that cause they liked my photos!
And a couple of shout outs:
To Anonymous, who commented on the last post: Thanks for the nice note and the tip about the other blog! I always like to hear from readers who lurk. Please feel free to post anytime. :)
To ladybrick: Jody - how nice to hear from you!! How are you doing? Are you still in LA? Are you a famous writer yet? You wouldn't know it from reading here, but I miss the days of dolls, anime and cels. I still have the pillows that you gave to Lauren (This may call for a photo!). If you see this, please drop me a line at melissannross(at)comcast.net so that we can get caught up.
So, yeah, today I turned 37 years old. As I was pondering my age, it occurred to me that it's not so much getting old that bothers me, it's that my options are slowly diminishing. When you're young and have your whole life ahead of you, the possibilities are endless. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm never going to be a Victoria's Secret model or President of the United States (Although I probably have a better chance at the latter), but I am struggling with the fact that my reproductive years are coming to a end. While Mark and I have not firmly decided whether or not we are going to grow our family, I wish the opportunity could continue to be available to us.
But enough of that pensive crap. I had a really good birthday. I took the day off from work, not because it was my birthday, but because today was Lauren's 4th year checkup. Like last year, she did very well, giving the nurse a high five and bonding with Dr. Butler over their mutual love for Banana Nut Cheerios, but we couldn't quite convince her to cover one eye for the eye exam. And also like last year, she was in the 60th percentile for height and weight and didn't get any shots. Next year will not be so pleasant, as she will get three.
After Lauren's appointment, we went to our local Japanese steakhouse, Miyako. Miyako is my favorite restaurant, and I couldn't wait to take Lauren there. The chefs cook at your table and perform all kinds of wacky tricks with fire and shrimp tails.
When she saw what the chefs were doing at other tables, she kept exclaiming, "It's gonna be exciting!" However, when it came time for the big display of fire at our table, she was a little apprehensive and covered her ears(!) as a defensive mechanism. I was really proud of her because she willingly ate a whole plate of vegetable fried rice.
I also received lots nice gifts and well wishes. Mark gave me a half dozen macarons, EA Sports Active,Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook, and a shirt. You may think that the book is an odd gift, but I actually wanted it very much. Growing up, I was an only child to a stay-at-home mom, so I didn't have to do a whole lot in the way of housework until I left home. I learned as I went along, but I always thought that there must be better ways to maintain a home. At over 700 pages, this book tells you how to do *everything* from how to really get whites white to how to choose a vacuum cleaner. It would make a wonderful graduation or bridal shower gift. I love it!
Yesterday, I received a Macy's gift card from my parents and two cute tops from my in-laws. Then today, I received a surprise package from my cousin, Noreen:
The whole gift was cherry themed: Sour Cherry preserves, Cherry and Peach salsa, a cherry dish towel, and *the* most adorable cherry magnet (No photo, as I'm planning something special with it!). Did you notice that even the tissue paper has cherries on it - how cool is that?! Thank you so much Noreen! You continue to floor me with your thoughtfulness.
Speaking of long distance friends, I also received a birthday card from our good friend Dolores. Thank you for thinking of me today, Dolores! I'm so sorry we missed your call!
As tradition (Okay, I think it's two years running), here's of photo of me today. Wonky eye represent!
On Saturday, Mark and I went on our bi-annual daytrip to the Great Geauga Antique Fair. Lauren stayed behind with her grandparents. This was the first time that Mark and I have gone somewhere alone together since 2005. Yes, I'm exaggerating. It's more like we haven't gone somewhere together since the last time we went to the antique fair, which was a year ago. *That*, sadly, is not an exaggeration.
Anyway, we found that just a small taste of freedom makes us loopy.
As usual, our drive took us through an Amish community. If I wasn't so respectful, I would have the awesomest photos to share because we always see something beautiful /amazing / crazy as we drive through there. This time, we saw a young (I swear they appeared to be around Lauren's age) Amish boy and girl riding in their own mini sized buggy which was pulled by a pony. It was ridiculously adorable. However, it was also a bit concerning because they were riding along the main road heading out of the community. Hopefully, they were just going to the nearby convenience store for a Slurpee, because they looked way too young to be participating in Rumspringa. Further along the road, we saw a older Amish boy rollerblading.
On our last visit to the fair, we noticed that the number of vendors and the quality of items had declined. Unfortunately, that has continued to be the case. In fact, we noticed several new food vendors who had taken up spots normally reserved for dealers.
But hey, who can resist a good London broil, expecially in the middle of a county fairgrounds?
Still, there are always interesting things to see. I thought this vintage swim suit was cute, even though it was slightly reminiscent of an air mail envelope.
We didn't find any of the items that we were specifically searching for, but we did pick up a couple of things. This school desk bench was only $25. The man selling them had several in different colors. We have 5 dormers in our home which are difficult spaces to fill because they are so small. I thought that the bench would fit perfectly in one of the dormers, but I kind of like it in our kitchen. The apple prints build on the schoolhouse theme.
I used to have a nice collection of old braided rugs, but most were destoyed back when our dog Sammie became incontinent in her old age. Five years or so ago, I would pay no more than $10 for a braided rug, but because pickings are so slim now, I stooped to paying $35. Still, it's very clean and well made, so I think I got my money's worth. Mark also bought a duck decoy, but I'm waiting until he gets some friends before I take his photo.
Back to work tomorrow, but we're off on Tuesday for Lauren's yearly checkup. We'll see how that goes.
Except it isn't, but I'll get to that. This past week was a bit of a downer, so I thought, why not post about something else that's sweet? You can't have enough sweet in your life, right (Plus, I still have a backlog of photos to upload)?
And there's nothing sweeter than macarons (Except for Daisy.). Not macarOOns, although those are quite good too. Coconut macaroons were my grandfather's favorite cookie. They're quite prevalent in this area.
Macarons, on the other hand, are not. That is because they are a decandent French cookie that's fairly challenging to make. I've been searching for them literally for years. They are also the most photogenic cookie on the face of the earth, and if you search Flickr, you'll return pages and pages of images filled with these lovely cookies. Anyway, the best ones to be had are found at specialty stores in Paris, but there are some bakeries in the U.S. that make them. Of course, being that Pittsburgh is several years behind the times (Sorry Pittsburgers, but we are!), none were to be found here. For my last birthday, Mark, bless his heart, even called the local French bakery to see if they sold them. He was told, "Jean Marc does not make those any longer." Hmmph.
Fast forward to a little over a month ago, when we went to Oakmont Bakery to order Lauren's birthday cake. Oakmont Bakery is the only bakery that I have visited that has several plasma TV's hanging above their display cases. As we were choosing Lauren's cake, my eyes were drawn to the screen right across from the door.
There they were - the elusive macarons. I started pointing and jumping up and down excitedly, so much that people started to stare.
We left with a half dozen of them. And they were as heavenly as everyone made them out to me. They resemble gobs, but they're nothing like them. With macarons, it's as much about the texture as it is about the taste. They are crisp on the outside, followed by chewy, then creamy in the center. They come in all sorts of flavors - fruits like lemon, strawberry and lime, as well as rich flavors like chocolate and almond. They also come in fancier flavors such as green tea and rose hips, but Pittsburgh isn't quite there yet. Baby steps.
When she picked up Lauren's birthday cake, Aunt Phyllis was nice enough to bring over an assorted dozen:
I would have taken better photos, but these were gobbled up pretty quickly.
***Begin American Idol blabbering***
Speaking of sweet, I always thought it would be sweet to have someone completely unexpected win American Idol. Someone who, through the sheer strength of their talent, would beat out the judges / producers favorite.
Wouldn't it figure that the year that it happens, the favorite is the one that I wanted to win?
The funny thing is, I had no idea how much I wanted Adam Lambert to win until Seacrest proclaimed Kris Allen as the American Idol. Adam pretty much owned Season 8, and to have him not take the crown just didn't seem right. So why did America "get it wrong"? Was it because people were tired of being told week after week that we were in the presence of greatness and that no one else really mattered? Was it because the entire state of Arkansas texted for Kris for four hours straight? Was it because Adam is Jewish and uh...you know.
I've come to the conclusion that in the end, people just preferred Kris. And that's okay. Kris is super talented in his own right, and AI doesn't have anyone like him in their stable of winners. I hope that they give him lots of support because I think he could be very successful.
As for Adam, I'd like to think that, despite all this, he's going to be a star. Actually, I think I've grown to like him even more now that the show is over. He's so effortless in his handling of everything that is thrown at him, you just can't help but like him. Hopefully all the attention he's been getting regarding his sexuality will be put to rest soon, as he's supposed to address the matter directly in next week's Rolling Stone. I love how the media has been trying to present it as if he's been hiding something. Adam was out well before the show even began. I myself knew he was gay even before I saw him for the first time on my television screen. So how can you possibly out someone who was never in? And as for him making a statement to confirm it, is there really a need, especially in the context of a singing competition? Over the course of my life, I've been close friends with several gays, and never once did any of them explicitly tell me that they were gay. It was simply understood. I certainly didn't require a confession in exchange for friendship. So why should we require Adam to do so in exchange for our appreciation of his talent?
At least he seems to having fun at the expense of the busy bodies. I for one am grateful to him for the tip on the proper handling of ambroisia salad.
The purpose of this blog is the same as most blogs: to make our ordinary life seem much more exciting than it actually is.
Please feel free to leave comments. We love attention!
