C.H.A.O.S.

"Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome." I gots it. It doesn't matter how much I try to avoid it, it takes such a short time before everything I own gets pulled out and piled on the floor.

I remember touring the Filoli mansion with Michael years ago (it's a stunning estate south of San Francisco). We were both smitten with the green ballroom. Michael said the only way he would ever be able to live in such a lovely space was if he died and haunted it. I said, "Me too (I thought that was a great idea)" but Michael firmly said I was not allowed to come help him haunt the ballroom. His reasoning? I would just line the walls with unfinished craft projects. He's right. I would have.

I recently tried to declutter my house and really, really clean. I started with my bedroom and removed everything black. I love my Parisian inspired barkcloth drapes but they were falling apart and full of holes so I took them down (I still love them though). Out of the room they went.

I then removed the 1940s floral hooked rug with a black background that I was always tripping over. And then I just starting taking out everything that even slightly bugged me. Single socks? I didn't have any patience anymore with the idea that their runaway mates were ever coming back. Out. And there were way too many pillows in that room. Out. What was all that stuff that got crammed under the bed? I didn't even look inside the boxes of whatever that had been under there for years. Out. 

And once I took everything out and washed, dusted, sprayed, and dry-cleaned what was left, this is what my bedroom looks like now (I am still stunned that this photo was taken in my house... my house!). 

Astonishing. 

Also astonishing is what the rest of the house looks like now...

Ha ha ha. That bra hanging off the chair in front is a nice touch. Gawd.

A day to remember, November 4, 2008

Early in the evening yesterday, my sister called from Michigan saying the election results were leaning heavily in favor of Obama (Michigan is a blue state). I hadn't thought to check for election results yet because the polls hadn't yet closed in California. When I turned on the TV to watch the election results for Missouri (a red state) the election seemed like it was heading for a McCain win. The idea of a Republican win just made me ill. But then I had to interrupt our conversation and our speculation of the results in our two different states because just that minute,  I heard a noise coming from the back door. And when I looked, somebody was in the process of getting that screen door open. It was the "bold, brazen article" whom I have not seen since last month. I had to hang up on Colleen and attend to the door because those little raccoon hands were as focused as a turtle is on peony shrubs in the spring. I had to react immediately.

...which was to hand over as many white grapes as I had in the refrigerator. I hadn't seen this little guy for a month so I was very happy to see him again. Raccoons are so damn cute. I know they're destructive but look at that face!!!!

I think he ate about two dozen grapes before he realized he had eaten too many because the last one or two could not be forced in. They just fell out of his mouth back onto the deck. So we moved on to cat food (I think that's what he preferred anyway).

It was a very windy night. There were clinking sounds, wind chimes, dog barks, sudden gusts of wind which would send dry fallen leaves flying. This raccoon had absolutely no fear of me but the occasional little weird noises really spooked him (he found the dog barking very disturbing). When the grey cat that smells like cigarettes arrived for his dinner, that spooked the raccoon so much, he had to get to a high place immediately.

And pretend he was invisible.

After the grey cat left, he came back down...

...looking for either more food or something fun to do or both.

He nosed around for some more grapes and when he found that they were all gone, he grabbed the stems, rolled onto his back and started playing with them.

There were some more scary noises that weren't too scary but scary enough so he waddled under the glider and continued to play with the grape stems there. Raccoons strike the most ridiculous poses. But he eventually decided he had eaten and played enough and waddled off.

And then.......the possum arrived. It was time for his dinner.

Yesterday was an historic day, a day that hopefully will change the U.S. and the world for the better and how will I remember it? Me lying on the floor taking pictures of a little raccoon and possum who were trick or treating a couple days too late.

Gawd.

Preening the fritters

When Starlinka (the starling) was a baby, she couldn't quite get a handle on the pronunciation of "feathers." In the early stages it came out sounding like "fritters." She quickly learned how to pronounce "feathers" but I instantly learned a new way of mispronouncing it. 

You know how sometimes you hear a word that is so grandly mispronounced, you can't resist using it yourself? I remember when I first moved to Kansas City and heard someone in a store pronounce designer Evan Picone as "e-VON pe-CON." I can't say it any other way now..."e-VON pe-CON." Say it out loud. It will make you laugh.

Anyway, this is a little movie of Eli visiting all the birds yesterday while they were out on the deck enjoying the gorgeous, sunny fall weather. He's the cat I mentioned in an earlier post that was feral his whole life except for a couple month stint with some former neighbors down the street. He didn't like it there. He didn't like their dog....or them....or their cat.....and one day he just took off and never went back.

I heard the birds sound out a gentle alarm that something a little amiss was going on and looked out to find Eli very politely sitting there with the birds. He was so good about not bothering the birds that I served him a plate of food. He's still confused about this civilization thing as you can see. Doesn't know what the hell he's supposed to do.

But he eventually figured it out. It was the time of day for everybody to preen their fritters.

All Souls Day

Today is All Saints Day. Sunday is All Souls Day. In Mexican culture, these are the Days of the Dead, the days to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away.

In the spirit of remembrance and in recognition of the Day of the Dead/All Souls Day, I want to write about the niche in my kitchen which holds my collection of good Spanish people, devils and cabbages (the cabbages just seemed to go together with the other two for some reason). They aren't exactly Day of the Dead decorations (no skulls) but I prefer to look at them as the good and "bad" that is in all of us, what makes us who we are. 

The large priest in the middle is a ceramic piece made by Lisa Smith that was purchased in Madrid, NM about 15 years ago.  

His hat, his head and his body are made in three separate pieces.

When you turn him around, he's a completely different person.

On one side he is a good strong priest and on the other side, I'm not quite sure who he is supposed to be but he looks like a dandy man out for some fun.

I think all of us have a little devil and hopefully more than a little good in us. 

These two priests are part of a procession made by a Peruvian artist which was purchased in Austin, TX about 15 years ago. Salt and pepper devils might seem a bit weird but at one time, devils were considered a symbol of good luck. I think it's interesting that the priests and the two devils are the same yellow and have similar red detailing. They're an oddly compatible pair of pairs.

I'm not sure what this little figure is but I think she's from Japan and I'm assuming she's supposed to hold candles. She's a mysterious little thing...

...but very, very focused. I imagine her hoping for good for everyone who needs it.


One little senora (who has just about had it from the bad girls behind her).

One bigger senora (still full of crema de cacao from the 20s).

And her Senor Matador (still full of Anis liqueur).

And then, the bad girls...

who apply their eyeliner...

as bad as the good girls.

Last year and this year have been big transition years for a lot of people I know, including myself (April was a numbing month). I don't mean to make light of some really serious things that have happened by tying them in to some dumb collection but this little collection of good Spanish people and devils has a lot of meaning for me. I don't know why. I see something different in the interactions between the characters whenever I take the time to look at them. The relationships, the symbols, the designs, the colors, the beauty. 

I got a call this morning from my dad who told me that his best friend Jack had passed away. I didn't know him that well but from what I've heard about Jack, he was full of the devil and had just as big a heart. The best kind of person you can be.

Supposedly on this one day, November 2, it is easier for the souls of the departed to visit the living so they can hear the thoughts and prayers of the people who loved them. To Jack and Bonnie and Ken, Uncle Bob, Aunt Helen, Aunt Dottie, and Uncle Ort, Lucy turtle, Bert, Natalie and Jack cat, all my love.