Chapter 45.1

She Says: What am I thankful for this day after Thanksgiving?
#1 I am smart enough not to be out with the Black Friday shoppers. #2 The condo is open to visitors (maybe these two are out of order, but yes the rug is down, shadow wall up and book shelf organized)! Still need a name...Chateau de Shalimar can't be outdone.

To continue with the tradition of bad iPhone pictures for the blog... We had our debut and hosted the immediate Watkins family for the feast. Despite your critical thoughts on our chosen diet, the millet and cauliflower "mashed potatoes" and mushroom gravy where a hit! The debut was well received and Jason and me had a big sigh of relief. After five months we have a home:)

New this Thanksgiving (for me) was the after dinner pull out you iPhone or iPad as the meal settles. This new tradition/strategy gives one hope that with time you will have room for the pear dessert or Marcia's famous whole wheat banana bread in honor of John Jrs upcoming birthday (ooh good idea for breakfast).

And for my I love being an urbanite portion of the entry, I look forward to soon trying out the skating rink on the art museum plaza!The State graciously printed a section giving tips to Southerners about stopping and falling safely on ice. This former Yankee should be less cynical, but I just can't be! Look back on Sunday... in that issue I'll prove that I was right and Jason can can successfully use a power tool!

Chapter 45

She Says: Where do I begin!?!?! The rehab is 99% done, yippee:) Jason proclaimed today as fun day (too much going on) so clean up and putting things in their rightful places will commence tomorrow. I intend to do an update dedicated to the stories of Will and Clayton and their work soon...

So, urban life...it is great this week! Vista Lights was a blast.

The Eau Claire marching band kicked off the event. Had some competition from a great drum band, .but the Shamrock (Eau Claire) dance team stole the show...pretty dancing ladies will do that. Saw lots of friends and colleagues, but no suburban friends (?). It was the place to be in Columbia. Missed the tree lighting and the Mayor, but there was to much going on to see it all.

I had been avoiding City Art. I knew I'd fall in love with art work that is out of my price range. But who knew I'd go crazy for a wax "painting" by someone I know! Tim Floyd is a multi-medium talent!!!!! Learned that what appeared to be over-sized spools of threads when viewed through a smart phone can become a biblical face (I should know who it is, but I don't and am O.K with that). Jewelry, vista landscapes and more. Guess I need to start buying lottery tickets again.

Jasper magazine was having their artist awards and Ed Madden was a winner! Haven't seen Ed in too long, a problem that will soon be corrected. The pressure is on me now... he wants the blog link. Poet/English Professor/ Woman's Studies Professor/my co-winner for Leadership Columbia's most liberal award winner reading my writing? At least my blog isn't for credit...

Horrible picture, but had to include. The people watching was fabulous. This anonymous gentleman wins (hands down) the sexiest metro-sexual dad award. He stopped Jason and me dead in our tracks! The stroller was even sleek.


And it appears that we can't end a night out in the Vista anywhere other than Mezza. Their celebratory contribution to the evening was a very confident belly dancer. They did run out of cider with some "amazingly good" spiced moonshine, will have to look for that. Missed the opportunity to get a picture of the kitchen staff in their  hunting garb, it was cold (and funny). Mezza is about to roll out their new menu! Maybe we will have to eat there twice a week...

Today? Well the Gamecocks play Wofford at 1:00 p.m. Then on to Boyfriend Ronnie and his wife Kitty's backyard oyster party. My contribution?  This non-oyster loving lady got BIG shrimp from the Rosewood market farmers market. I will from now on be a regular customer.

Chapter 44

She Said: A first! The blog did not enter my mind until I was walking down to join Jason in Five Points. I'll blame it on the paint fumes.

Homecoming for the Gamecocks today... Think our holiday card will be with the huge Gamecock by the statehouse. Gotta love Columbia South Carolina! 

This week was my 13th wedding anniversary! So how did we celebrate? We ate out every night: Mezza on Monday, Mojitos on Tuesday, Camon on Wednesday, MVista on Thursday, Blue on Friday, and tonight a home cook meal at Junior and Nancy's:) Guess the two workouts with Angie and walk to Five Points through the the Horseshow will help with the over indulgence. Right?

Side note about Wednesday... we also saw Samsara at the Nickelodeon. Great film! I encourage all to find it and see it.

The election on Tuesday, yeah I am OK with that. New precinct allowed Jason a one hour wait a 7:00 a.m. Me at 10:30, I was in an out in five minutes:) Sorry to the friends who had 4 or more hours  bonding with neighbors. A nice perk to our city living!

Last week was the annual chili cook off and Blues Festival in Five Points. Highlight was Eddie Turner.A late picture, but a worthy plug to all to attend next year.

All hope may not be lost in my electrical endeavors. The small writing notes a repaired circuit in the receptacle box. I did at least one correctly!

I have said it before, but the end I believe really is near for condo rehab. I hope next weekend to be super busy cleaning and moving furniture and pictures back to their final destinations.

Chapter 43

She Says: Wow, what a weekend and week and it is only Thursday... A brief intro to the past week
via pictures.

 Isig turned 22 (and them some) on the way to Jason's reunion. All I'll say about the weekend is prank had its ups and downs in the aftermath and UPS made a nice profit as a silent auction item was mailed back. Correct destination?  Debatable. I will say that Jason has written another poem...will let him share the stories.


You know you live in the city when you see rats. At least this one was only trying to move into our parking place. Picture doesn't due the tail justice. And no I did not hit it, it just decided to take a permanent nap between the time I came home from the gym and headed to work. Jason left about 25 minutes before me and swears he didn't see it.

The highlight of the suburban to urban tale is that we may make our goal of a pre-Thanksgiving completion of round two make condo home project.  Rug and final pieces of furniture have arrived.Will has started painting!!!!!  We are optimistically thinking two weeks... Sanding started today... (I love living in a construction zone, I love living in a construction zone, I love living in a construction zone). At least the cats did find time to play. Either that or they are hinting that I start knitting again.

42.2

She Says: Super fast update... Guess I feel like I can say this since we live in Fort Knox and my blog hasn't gotten the book or movie deal I anticipated, but we are headed out of town. Going to Jason's 20th high school reunion... Hope to see the Mexican Governor or Ce Loo Green, will share more after the fact. I just pray the wives wine tour doesn't get out of hand.

Sad news from the old hood. Our neighbor frmo across the street lost a short but fierce battle with cancer. Don was a great, caring and sincere man that will be missed.

Urban to Suburban updates... few. The floating shelves came in. Painter dealing with life, some anxiety that the Turkey day deadline may not be reached...

The cats, not sure if they are the three amigos or the three stooges, but all (but one) are fat an sassy so I assume happy. Momma Mary will be looking in on them (and then hitting the Vista!) with Poppa Tom:)

42.1

She Says: Pride and Prejudice was great! Even Jason enjoyed it, well he did make sure that I knew if the Gamecock's hadn't lost he would have been elsewhere.

Go if you at all like this type of theater. Diverse and friendly audience. I did have a primarily polite but one way conversation with some teens about how they  sat right in-front of us and were blocking out view... so I would move if they promised not to move an sit infront of us or anyone else... 

Lessons learned: 1. Show up around 6:00 and sit on the front row. 2.  Bring a chair or more than a blanket to sit on to save butt and back (concrete ampatheater). 3. Bring screw top wine (everyone else was more conspicuous).

The Mezza shot show down?  Started with a wine that tasted like Niquil to me. Robbie's Breakfast Shot won... And learned a pickle shot can't be done with Lebanese pickles... Pick up our Italian wine Monday!

Off to the Nick! Hope to see Arbitrage, not sure with new volunteer program guidelines. Beautiful day vs Richard Gere (and Susan Sarandon), will let fate decide! Or will Jason actually join me and we will walk up together!?!

Chapter 42

She Says: There is just too much to do in this city! Sad to miss today's gay pride parade (they finally figured out nobody wanted to stand in the blazing heat) but happy to attend the celebration of the soon to be Hair clan member Thomas. Brandon and Julie have commenced procreation for this generation!  So I won't be late to the baby shower I will have to be brief in today's update.  Battle of the Mezza shots will have to wait for the next edition ... that will also include a review of Shakespeare in the park (AKA Pride and Prejudice 7:30 p.m. in Finlay Park tonight!).

Semi slow week in the decorating world. Waiting on the paint and molding/counter estimate... Still hopeful all will be done by Thanksgiving. Have finally found stands to hold the bowl (oh, another picture idea!)... But #1 in decor news is Mom's painting is re-framed. The new frame and mat compliments her talent in a much more beautiful manner (my home will soon be the scene of a painting heist)!!!!! Jane said we needed color so fake lemons and limes it is with a little of John's Mardi Gras beads (need to go back so we can add green and fill it up). Wine corks in a bottle just cause it is the best best I could think of to recycle them (or re-purposing our former door stop).

What else is new?!?! Yes, we will be going to Willie Nelson on December 8 (sorry upside down)! I was 15th in line with a lot of 50+ white males (couldn't figure out a tactful way to take that picture).

And news flash! female cats are smarter! Pictured is the Slovak cat who was first to discover how fabulous the Lotus Cat Tree is.

Happy Sweetest Day! Just so you are in the loop... Sweetest day was created by candy makers as an opportunity for women to treat their men to even out the valentines day holiday.