Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Tabled

Here is our dining room table getting spruced up for fall. The tablecloth was an urgent necessity, which is why I didn't take the time to iron it. If you believe that, you are obviously new here. You see, something happened to the table. Well, I realize you actually don't see, because while I am willing to tell you what happened, I am not quite ready to show anyone. 

The lighting in our dining room makes our succulents happy, which in turn makes me happy. I am in charge of keeping a great number of my daughter's plants alive while she is away at school. Due to her nature as a collector, this has become quite a collection, and outgrew the little bench there in front of the window. The next logical place to put the overflow was on the dining room table, thoughtfully displayed on a runner. I sure do like for the dining room table to be a feature player at holiday time, even more than I liked it to be a dumping ground for every odd and end that had no other home when the kids were small. I carried the plants that were going to impede my decor flinging progress to another sunny location, and set about making autumn happen.

Then I remembered that I have a more fall friendly runner for the table. Just a quick flick of the wrist to take that other runner off the table, and...oh no...oh no, no, no! So much water damage. For all of the times I watered the plants, wondering if any water was seeping out or if the runner was an effective barrier, perhaps I should have actually checked. This was not one of those stupid mistakes that happens quickly while you try to feverishly back peddle, no, this took time. I immediately called my mother. I'm not exactly sure why, but maybe I thought I needed someone to share my shame with me. I kept telling her "as bad as you think the damage is, I assure you it is ten times worse". I could not bring myself to send her a photo either. She let me confess and carry on until the panic left my voice and I had successfully found my bin of tablecloths.

I have had a few hours to sit with what happened, and have several thoughts trying to steal the limelight as the major theme. Obviously, this whole incident goes to show why I cannot have nice things. When I was first married and living in our first home, on two occasions my grandmother gave me fragile sentimental items, and both times they broke at my clumsy hands. Neither piece held a special place for me as she dug them out of some depth I was unaware of, which was good I suppose, but each meant something to my grandmother, which I suppose made it worse to know I couldn't keep them safe. It was almost as though these relics had been removed from her house before their time, as if they were not intended to exist out of her care. When my grandparents' house was beng emptied after it sold, I was so leary of taking anything needing bubble wrap, certain that I'd be sweeping shattered pieces off the floor in no time. As if the procelain knew it was time to go, it has held up strong on my shelves.

Truth be told? I do not remember this furniture as it existed in my great-grandparents' dining room, not how it was situated nor what was behind the glass doors of the hutch. I suspect there was often a tablecloth draped over the table protecting it for several years. The pieces are still sentimental to me though as I remember the people who owned them. (I wrote a post about an adventure with the set years ago here, and one about the chairs themselves more recently here.)  Every time I would put a leaf in the table, I admired how well my grandfather refinished them, while feeing a little pang of guilt over the wear the rest of the table had taken with little dings here and there. Now I've really done it though. I keep reminding myself that it was never about having this set in pristine condition, nor whether it was the most practical look and feel for its space. I staked my claim on this furniture so many years ago, when my great-grandparents' house was being cleared out, before I even knew who I would share its eventual home with. It has lived another life with us as a place to gather, and much like the indentations in the kitchen table where names were printed with small, yet heavy hands, it shows. 

It's funny - I get these ideas sometimes that just keep running in loops around my mind. It is almost like an earworm, in how they say the best way to get rid of one is to sing or listen to the song in its entirety. I have to tell the tale, figure out the story, where it starts and ends. I am not always completely satisfied with the result or convinced that I got to the point, but can move on. Thank you for being here!

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Still finding random!

Just when I think I've pulled all of the intended to be random photos off my phone, I happen to scroll past another one! Before we get started though, a moment...
...for the Queen.

In my own attempt to live like royalty, I've still been doing grocery delivery. Sometimes the amount of appreciation people show makes it worthwhile...
...other times? There's nothing I like more than anticipating just how far I will have to lug the bags, and knowing ahead of time that the answer is "as far as possible" for this house was extra special. Other times customers just offer friendly "advice" for how we can serve them better...
...like, do I want to meet my coworkers who need this reminder? Was it an option? Do you know how many bags of candy and other delightful snacks I have simply left on people's doorsteps?! This whole decent person persona is causing me to miss out. Since we're talking about snacks (when am I not at least thinking about snacks), this bothered me...
...now I know this typically is not a controversial blog, but I have to make my feelings known to explain my dismay at this. Enough. With. The. Pumpkin. Spice. Apple cinnamon is better. There, I said it! Now to further solidify my spot on the blogger debate team on the madness of these Goldfish, let's start by discussing who I consider to be the target audience is for Goldfish - small children! Is it because Pumpkin Spice knows Apple Cinnamon is better, so they are trying to corrupt a young audience? I understand the flavor blasted fishy crackers keep teens in the game, and may be too much for toddlers, but honestly my adult chidren still snack regularly on plain old cheddar fish. Pepperidge Farms, Goldfish are enough! Stop making them seem like they need to be something else. (Wow, I don't know that I realized I was so hot about this topic. I'm glad I didn't run into anybody I knew when I spotted them!) Moreover, Dunkin', get over yourselves. As a donut lover, I long for the time when you were Dunkin' Donuts and had some concern over the quality of your donut offerings. I really need to move on from this topic! This is not to say I'm out of things to say about it, just that it's time to move on. Should we show what happens when you think you can actually substitute sugar free confectioner's sugar for the real thing? It said so right on the package...
...but my sugar laden frosting doesn't usually spread like mashed potatoes. Those gave off a whole "if 2020 was a cupcake" vibe.

I cannot manage to put out my fall decor when I still see a string of 80 degree weather next week in the forecast, but was happy to visit this year's offerings...
...aaaaand then I was filled with regret! Why? Why the misspelling? If they wanted to be hip, wouldn't "da vine" have been a better option? Or is this to capture Adam DeVine fans? Am I missing something? Maybe I'm just being a witch...
...sweet, I might take an apple, and definitely cookies, from her...
...nope...
...also, no, but thanks in advance for tonight's nightmare. What else?
Um, ok. With the right decor. And along the lines of, "It's great if it has Pumpkin Spice"...
...we have "It's awesome if there's a faux succulent" (fucculent) shoved in it! Something for everyone though, including folks with fall weddings this year...
...who've selected pink, the most fabulous of autumn colors.

Please excuse what clearly became a rather ranty random! I feel better though, aside from wanting a donut or a doughnut for that matter! I may have lost this game of Animal Crossing...
...but my character was living larger than I am!

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Fairly questionable random

I know I keep saying I just did something "for the first time in three years", but I do think this might be the last of such events...The Fair! The Great New York State Fair...highlighted in various past randoms here, herehere and here

And now, the 2022 return to the Fair...just a peek...
"You talking about me?"
"I cannot be bothered"
"Were you talking about a lamb having fur loved right off?"
"And did you also say something about sheep's clothing?"
"Continental Cock means I'm fancy"
"Does this pose make you want to take me home?"

That was a lot to hear from the animals, but this sign speaks for itself...
...and my inner twelve year old heard it loud and clear!

My son just acting casual waiting for his kangaroo on a stick...
...he refused to pose with his snack next to the "kangaroo crossing" sign. Since we've moved on to food...
...the summer cuse pizza...
...deep fried peach pie...
...maple cotton candy, and of course...
...MILK! I went rogue this year and got strawberry. The other reason to wander about in the dairy building obviously is...
...the butter "sculpture". It doesn't fascinate me as much as it used to after seeing a behind the scenes story on how they make it, but tradition is tradition. Its celebration of Title IX may have fair-ed better than the sand version...
...I had just moved into prime viewing position when I heard the group next to me commenting on the perversity of it, and then I couldn't unsee the oddity!

Luckily I was able to calm down for a few moments watching the taffy pull!

We beat the traffic, heat and the crowds, so the trip went in the win column!