The Mole

I had a tiny mole on my back removed today.  In my usual style, I sweat through my robe while waiting for the small procedure to start, and I rambled like a lunatic in an attempt to calm myself down:  "I feel like I'm about to get a tattoo.  If I was getting a tattoo, what would I get?  Hey Dr. Lee, I have an idea!  You should punch moles out in cool shapes like those craft paper punchers in the shapes of stars and hearts.  Then people would have cool-shaped scars."  She laughed quietly, "Um, that's not exactly how it works."  Doctors--always gotta wreck a girl's dreams.

I had Tommie with me for emotional support...or so I thought.  He was supposed to hold my hand and tell me how brave I was, but halfway through the procedure he leaned against the wall and I noticed that his pale complexion had become even more pale.  So, as I lay there with a hole carved in my back, the doctor and I start comforting Tommie--telling him everything is okay, I'm doing great, and that he can go sit down, have some water, and turn on the air.  He blames the balmy 75 degree temperature in the room.  (Sure.)  He kept trying to get back up and stand by me, but he was getting whiter by the minute and I didn't want him to faint on top of all the sharp objects lying around so I told him to sit back down. 

I survived the process, and Tommie, while not exactly doing his job the way I had planned did manage to distract me from my own discomfort by having me worry about his.  

Again, I am reminded of our very wise decision to never endure childbirth.  We can barely make it through a mole...I mean, we're wicked brave...it's just that it was a swealtering 75 degrees in the room.

Taking House Notes

Sometime in the next year or two, we hope to become homeowners.  In the meantime, we take note of all the things we like in other peoples houses. 

Here are a few things we liked about the rental house near Charleston, SC where we recently stayed.  (Let's momentarily suspend the knowledge that we can't afford a place like this.)

1.  Open floor plan.  We loved the way the kitchen overlooked the dining area which overlooked the living room.  Even though it was a large space, it was separated perfectly, allowing each part to feel defined and comfortable.

2.  Pocket doors.  Pocket doors are great, especially in tight spaces when you can avoid having to worry about the placement of swinging doors.

3.  Screened-in porch.  I love being outside and being able to open doors and windows to let in fresh air.  What I don't love is paying for it the next day with 100 mosquito bites.  If I could have the best of both worlds, I would be a happy camper. 

4.  Modern fixtures.  We're not ultra modern people, but we do enjoy clean lines and more modern looking lights.  Tommie liked this fan a lot.  This is something we could work to upgrade if we got an older home.  I also liked the use of pendant lights all around the house, including in the kitchen. 

4.  A nice kitchen.  We like food, so having a good kitchen someday is important to us.  I liked this yellow kitchen--it had plenty of space, an island, and a really nice gas stovetop.  

5.  A marsh/creek/ocean/yard.  I realize I'll probably never own a place near water living in Durham, North Carolina in the middle of the state, however, outdoor space is important to me.  I like yards and gardens and decks and patios.  I like looking out the window and seeing something natural and peaceful.

What are some of the top items on your house-hunting checklist?

Welcome 2013: A Four Year Review

It took me far too long this morning to figure out that I have been blogging for four years.  (I'm really bad at math.)  Here are some stats about my four year tenure blogging that Google helped me figure out.

Since I began this blog just before the start of 2009, I have moved from California to Massachusetts to North Carolina.  We have lived in four different apartments.  That's almost one state and one apartment per year.  Maybe it's time to settle down.

I blog an an average of 40-50 posts per year, which is half the amount of posts I completed in my first year.  I guess the "newness" blogging rubbed off a bit after that first year.

How to make Soup Can Luminaries is my #1 viewed post of all time, with almost 700 views.  Pinterest surely has something to do with that.

I have 246 comments total--most of which are from my family, though a few brave cyber readers share their thoughts here and there.  Thanks brave cyber readers...I appreciate knowing it's not only my family reading.

Obviously, most of my page views come from the U.S., but the second largest number of views come from Russia.  Who would have thought?  Then it's Canada, The United Kingdom, and India.

Today, I begin my fifth year of blogging and wish everyone around the world a great start to 2013!

Cutest. Houses. Ever.

Once we started walking down some of the small side streets of downtown Charleston, I couldn't stop. There were just so many adorable homes and perfectly manicured gardens to look at. It wasn't just down one street, it was the whole area that was just so perfect. Money helps, of course. 

What I loved most was seeing ideas of how to make even small spaces so beautiful. Skinny yards wedged between homes were extravagant gardens, tiny driveways were well-landscaped, and patches of grass were highlighted with bricks and moss.

 

Christmas in Charleston

It's hard to go home for the holidays when you move away from home.  Our families live in different states in the Northeast which means planning a long, costly trip; trying to avoid snowstorms; stressing about finding a potential dog sitter during a busy time; and chaotically traveling between celebrations trying to please everyone, and in turn, pleasing none.  So, with a half-guilty conscience, we found a dog-friendly vacation rental and drove five hours in the opposite direction to Charleston, South Carolina.

The truth is, we needed it.  We haven't had a good vacation since our honeymoon over a year ago, and I have barely seen my husband since he started his new job.  Tommie needed some time away from his computer to unwind.  

The place we rented for four days was located on Folly Beach (about 20 minutes from downtown Charleston).  Being able to get up each morning and walk Maya along the ocean in mild December weather was perfect.  We miss the coastline most living in Durham.  We liked going during the off-season because the beach community was quiet.  Restaurants were still open, but there wasn't any traffic.

Charleston was a charming place to spend the holiday.  I do feel bad knowing I wasn't with my family, but I'll just have to work on convincing them the south is better in the winter months.  After a couple big snow storms, I don't think that will be too hard.  

My Mom would have liked peeping over people's walls and into their windows with me.  The houses and yards in that city were the most adorable and stunning places I have ever seen.  (More Charleston creeper photos to come.)

Duke Basketball

I'm not a sports person.  I spend more time pointing out the funny outfits of fans in the background than I do actually watching the game itself.

Basketball, at least, is on a short list of sports I don't completely mind watching.  It's fairly easy to follow, the game moves quickly, and the uniforms don't involve helmets and pads so I can actually distinguish one player from another.

We got to do something that's a pretty big deal in Durham...go to one of Duke's basketball games.  People go nuts around here for college basketball.  I'm hardly worthy, but it was fun to be able to see a game in the small student-filled stadium and pick out my favorite player with big arm muscles...that's how everyone watches a game isn't it?