Category Ordinary Life
Solstice!
Shortest day of the year. Is it mystical? Ummm… maybe to some. For me, no. Most years I find the darkness fascinating and almost wish it would continue to Nordic levels. But this year it’s just been dark and grey and hard to get up in the morning. I’m really happy to be on the […]
From guest bedroom to home office
When my company announced that we’d be working from home at least through June, I decided I’d had enough—it was time for a proper office. You see, when I designed my house I intentionally went with a minimal setup. The idea was to have someplace to pay the bills and check personal emails. Work was […]
Christmas party within the pandemic bubble
This is the darkest time of the year and we don’t have all the usual Holiday parties to fill the calendar and make it bright. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be festive. The halls are decked and candles lit—it’s basically hygge 24/7 around here. And last night Amy and Carol joined us for […]
Christmas at the back door
Thanksgiving was lovely and I’ll put up some pictures when my sister sends me some… and in the meantime we’re moving full steam into Christmas! This year I decided the back yard needed some Christmas cheer. Little used in prior years, during the pandemic it has become my primary entrance. It’s cozy and private (surprisingly […]
Autumn and crafting and cozy in bed by 9:30
It’s 9:30pm on Sunday. I’m curled up in bed, cocooned in a mountain of flannel and down, and—weirdly for a Sunday night—I feel good. For the first time in months, I didn’t do a lick of work this weekend and the “Sunday scaries” are just a murmur reminding me to set my alarm a little […]
This is 41
A full day at work—then dinner with Justin (takeout from Revel served on my favourite blue and white dishes!), followed by gifts (wireless desk gadgets! nose hair trimmers!), a FaceTime call with Heather (candles, singing, and apple pie!), and the latest episode of The Voice—or at least as much of it as we could get […]
Tile and the election
At about 6:15 this morning I had an epiphany of what I wanted my bathroom to look like at the end of its upcoming remodel (the result of the last remodel turning out to be a real hack job that only made things worse). By a few hours later I had visited the tile store […]
My bedroom is so famous
Look what Ashley found on Pinterest! A pirated photo of my bedroom with “bird wall art” photoshopped onto the wall by Etsy craftspersons. As a lawyer, I’m supposed to be indignant at the infringement of my copyright. As a designer, I question the adulteration of my ensemble with uninvited decor. But as a human being […]
Fresh air!
Normally I’d welcome the return of rain with a little melancholy. It means the short Seattle summer is over and we’re heading toward the dark and wet of autumn and winter. But after a week (more?) of the thickest smoke, the rain also meant a cleansing of the air and a refreshing of the parched […]
Air quality
We’ve had a rough run in terms of air quality this past week. Smoke from the wildfires in California and Oregon has swept up the coast and sat on us like a cat. Gone the rosy mornings and hazy afternoons, replaced by chalky grey everywhere. And the air quality index has gone through the roof. […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 