I heart pudding

Those of you who know me well probably know that my white trash guilty pleasure, especially around the holidays, is chocolate pudding in a pie shell.
I love it.
It has been my favorite treat for as long as I can remember.

You also probably know that I love to bake, and I'm a snob about it.
No mixes, thank you very much.
All my baking is from scratch, using the highest quality ingredients.

Except for this.

I have tried multiple recipes for pudding pies, and chocolate pies.
I have tried multiple brands of gourmet chocolate bars and pain stakingly chopped each one.
I have not found anything as yummy as, I'm embarrassed to say, Jello brand.
And it has to have that skin on the top that recipes say to get rid of by refrigerating the pie with plastic wrap on the top.
Why would you want to do that?!

The only thing possibly better than eating the entire pie a slice of pie is taking a spoon to the pan after you've emptied the contents into the pieshell, and licking up every last drop (equally as delicious as licking the beaters after mixing cake batter. I am still eight years old when it comes to the delights of baking in the kitchen).

This is ironic considering I'm attending nuitrition school, and am learning to shun processed foods.
Sigh...
I'll keep trying new recipes, but for now the Jello stays.

That being said, today in the mail I got a package from an unfamiliar address.
Inside was no note of explanation.
No letter of reference.
Inside was one box of Jello brand chocolate pudding.

Interesting.

Whoever was so thoughtful: I thank you.

Random quote...
"Your face makes my soul want to eat chocolate pudding!"
~Andy Milonakis

I promise I will get back to regular blog posting again.
I was without a computer for awhile, so I got out of the habit, and Facebook tends to fill the gap.
But I have multiple catching up posts of gifts received, a trip to Seattle, etc.

And bear with me if some of my photos aren't visible.
I am trying to get my pics off Flickr, but not finished yet.

Unlikely Friends

This little skunk and raccoon have come to my mom's back door for several days in a row now.
At first I figured they happened to come to eat at the same time, and just put up with one another.
But considering I've seen them several times together now, I have to wonder if maybe they're friends?!

Sorry for the glare and the blur, but I took this through her sliding glass door on a zoom and on my phone camera.

Pics

Oh my gosh, poor neglected blog!
The days zoom by so fast, and Facebook takes up more of my time than blogging lately.

For now, a couple of pics around San Diego.

Outside the La Jolla Music and Arts Library, The Atheneum.
I took my mom to see a three-part series by Professor Bruno Leone, where he told stories, sang, and expertly played the grand piano.
The series highlighted the lives of George Gerswhin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers.
Absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend signing up for any event given by Bruno Leone.

Huge vase of flowers that appears to be a paper-mache sculpture, inside the Atheneum. Huge meaning it was about ten feet tall.

A red leather (or vinyl...I'm not positive) couch at a local thrift store that I am absolutely coveting.
Looks brand new, and I'm on a red kick, but I can't afford it right now.

I've always thought of this as a lifeguard tower on Fiesta Island, but it may actually be for some kind of judging or for spectators. I'm not sure, I just know I walk by it often.

Reese, at Fiesta, pre-daisies.

My little three-legged kitty, Kai, is getting all grown up!
He's around 7 months old now.
He's actually quite smaller than my other cats, so I call him my "weenie".

Enough!

We've had non-stop rain in Southern California, and that's really unusual for us.
I've been home sick from work, and it's a blessing not to be out on the road.
Southern Californians don't drive well in the rain.

My mom's driveway this morning

Beside the fence is a stream that is currently street level


Water was threatening to flood into the house this morning. Ugh.
My poor seedlings in my garden are probably washed away.

I'll bet the scene at the beach is really something right now.

Ooh, pretty

I just have to say that I am completely coveting this dress.So simple yet timeless.
So flattering.

The fabric is navy silk jersey, designed by London-based fashion label Issa.

I want a knock off!

In case you've been living under a rock, these photos were taken at the engagement announcement of Prince William to Kate Middleton.
The color of the dress matches the 18-carat sapphire engagement ring (the same ring Charles once gave to Diana).

Speaking of roses...

I was cutting up veggies tonight for homemade minestrone soup, and when I sliced off the root-end of a bok choy, oh my gosh, look at how gorgeous it is!

Remember as a kid, doing stamping with shapes cut from a potato?
So I was thinking it would be fun to stamp wrapping paper with this, or even fabric paint on a shirt--like a border of roses!

Who knew a cabbage could be so pretty!

A rose by any other name...

I know I introduced you to the kitten as "Trey", but I'm not totally sold on that name yet.
I never could figure out a name for my last cat, so now he's stuck with "That Baby", since that's how I always referred to him.
I'd better figure out what I want as the new kitten's name, or this kitty is going to be stuck with "Little Boy", or "Little Guy".
And that's just not right.

Hmmm...maybe a combination of Li-something. Liam?
That's cute.

Other contenders are inspired by that cute little circle on his chin.
It kind-of reminds me of a halo.

Halo.
That's nice.
I tend to like two-syllable names.
And he most certainly has had an angel watching over him (as well as being an angel himself).

You know what else that circle looks like?
An eclipse.
Well, it does.

And no, that's not a good name, but it sends me on a Twilight tangent, and I wonder if Edward might be a cute name.
Just sayin'.
Yeah yeah yeah....I admit I read all the books in that series.

But Trey is still nice too.
I don't know.
Sadly, on his vet papers they think his name is "Feral".
Sheesh.

I guess I could go "Ferrell" but "Ferry" just doesn't sound right.
Sigh...
Why is this so hard for me?

I watched an old episode (well, from the newer series in the 80's) of the Twilight Zone recently, and all of sudden all the words were different, and everyone was dialed in except this one guy.
Like all of sudden "dinosaur" was the word for "lunch".
He had to learn all over again.
An interesting concept.

ha! That's cute

This cracks me up.
Ice cream cone from Chick-fil-A (they have awesome ice cream), that says "Eat It All"

Where's my pot of gold?

View behind my mom's house tonight

Kinda cool--the clouds look like a man's face...
like the North Wind maybe, or a Genie in smoke.
You could see the rainbow's beginning, the full arc, and the other side, plus a partial double on the left side.

Bedroom corners

Interior Design isn't fluff--your home really needs to be your sanctuary.
And that means surrounding yourself with colors and art and items that scream who you are.
Forget trends in style or what some 'expert' deems appropriate.
I used to date a contractor, and he had clients who filled their homes with the latest imported whims...but why?
Just because something is currently trendy doesn't mean it's applicable to you or what you love.

I admire minimalist design, but I could never live in it.
It's often beautiful, but I personally find whimsy and a bit of clutter holds more character.
That's just me.
My own style is sort-of Shabby Chic and Romantic Home magazine combined with an artist's studio.
Maybe cottage style at the beach.
I like making little vignettes.

I figured I'd share a couple corners of my bedroom, just for fun.
Just because they make me smile.
Yeah, they're probably an interior designer's nightmare.
So what.

I bought the mirror at a thrift store, intending to mosaic it, but the color was such a good match to the dresser, it looks like they belong together.
Encaustic crow atop mirror is by Jennifer Conway.
Vintage tiered metal basket displaying a collection of vintage seed bracelets.
The dresser is covered with a scarf I bought at H&M that happened to be the perfect colors of my room.
One of my favorite books, The Tarot Garden, features the art of Niki de Saint Phalle.
Fun, whimsical.
Wire man made by a guy I sat next to in sculpture class (I wish I had kept more of the items he left behind).
I made the flapper potholder.
Joy angel a gift from Mary Ann.
Top tier holds the card Jen made, and a magnet I love
The chihuahua statue is a like a Magic 8 Ball!An interior designer would say there's too much clutter, and it's too juvenile.
I say if it fuels my inspiration, then it stays.


Vintage enamel bowl by Catherine Holm.
Architectural book in Spanish. Cookbook by Tessa Kiros.
Sparkly candle from Indiana--a gift from my friend Michelle, to have something beautiful in my room.
One of the several metal banana leaf-shaped trays that I collect.
The bracelet is blown glass.

Anthropologie cabinet from a garage sale, over a smaller dresser, featuring some of my collection of seagull items.
Note the 'B' that I posted about yesterday.

Along with two saints ;)

Vintage photographs,
handmade ceramic seagull planter (ebay purchase),
and blue bird vase/planter by Haeger.

Sculpture/fountain of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The metal seagull was a hood ornament (I'm told).
Vintage postcard from Folies Bergere, with a woman dressed as a mermaid.
Vintage books, including Rebecca (still on my "to read" list), and Aunt Jane of Kentucky.

Easy transformation

I found this brass 'B' hook at the Thursday Club rummage sale earlier this year.
Ironically, they also had the initial for my last name, but I only bought the one.


I'm not really hip on brass or gold, so I roughed up the exterior with some steel wool, and used a nickel-colored spray paint with just a touch of sparkle to transform the hook into something a bit more modern (and a bit more 'me')


Ta da! Silver hook with new silver screws, holding an ornament I purchased at Rogers Gardens


It's amazing what a little bit of paint can do!
Tomorrow I'll show you more of my bedroom

Well excuse me...

I have been posting photos on this blog via Flickr, but so many "upgrades" to that site has really made it not user friendly.
So my aim is to take all the photos since 2005 (my God it's overwhelming) and replace them with a permanent copy.
You see, if you delete a photo on Flickr, it evaporates from your blog.
Poof! Gone.
I intend to exit Flickr altogether, though I will miss some of the groups there, and the comments, and the social interaction.

I have a lot of vintage patterns posted on Flickr (and many also on the blog), and I get so tired of people asking for copies, or if they can buy the patterns.
What gets especially old is the people who "just seen (sic) it" and demand a copy.
No "please", no "thank you", just "gimme gimme gimme".
Okay, some people are polite, but the end result is the same.

I mean, I've given a lot of the items away, and the rest are in storage, so they're just not accessible.
I try to help people out when I can, though I'm not always successful.
Even if I could find the pattern, it means a trip to the copy center (if it's even possible to copy the big pattern pieces found in clothing patterns), and then the post office...
and I basically just suck at getting it done.

I had a lady contact me yesterday asking for a pattern, saying she wanted to use it for a noble cause, to help disabled kids.
I directed her to ebay, to the library, to amazon, and gave her search ideas.
I mean, that's all I can really do.
I have no clue where the pattern I posted a few years ago is, or if I even have it anymore.

She responded "thanks anyway, obviously you don't want to share, so you should really take this book off of your blog, It really isn't helping anyone is it?? And Thank you for compassion also, this would have been for a very good cause. But I will continue to look further, I'm hoping to find someone that will be helpful. Good bye and Have a nice day!"

Okay, really?

First off, I didn't even have to respond, but I tried the best I could.
You really need to slam me for not wanting to be compassionate?
Geez.

Blogs and Flickr are, in my opinion, fun places to post vintage stuff that we can all admire.
People post vintage collections of things like old needle packages, old apron patterns, maybe old cookbooks.
They're not posted to "help" or to sell, unless it's on etsy.
It's just a hey, look what's out there...look what once was.

Ruby

I was craving an old-fashioned shake, so I stopped in at Ruby's Diner for a mint shake, but walked out with a pineapple one.
While waiting, I thought it would be fun to photograph the huge rotating waitress statue.
She reminds me of roadside architecture, which I love.

Sign

Someone messed with the "no U-turn" sign at the Interstate 5-North onramp off Seaworld Drive


A closer look


It cracks me up!
I remember a girl in 6th grade who always pronounced 'didn't' as 'dint'.
She was so beautiful and popular that several of us copied her for awhile.
Funny.

Jellyfish

In the last month or so, there have been a lot of purple jellyfish washing up on the beach.
My friend who is a surfer says that's an indication that the water is warmer.

Evidently these are called Black Jellyfish, and are rarer than I originally thought.
More info here




They sadly seem to be dotting the beach, especially on Fiesta Island.
The dogs don't seem to be bothered by them, nor interested in disturbing the jello-ish mass.

Google

I have to say that I love how Google plays around with its logo, especially on holidays.
Today is a PacMan theme, complete with sound effects, but I couldn't get the pic to save.
Here are some other fun ones:

Miscellaneous

I'm loving Urban Threads makeover on Sunbonnet Sue.
The new girl is having a lot more fun!
Urban Threads sells embroidery patterns (machine and hand)


I just bought this pattern to make these adorable felted slippers.
God, aren't they CUTE?!!
Pattern by Melynda of FrenchPress Knits (etsy)
She offers seaming tutorials or her blog.

Jen, of The Felt Mouse, posted a really fun recycling idea:
turning eyeglasses into pins.
I suggested that you could go one step further and copper tape the edge then solder it.
I have to try this

I can't wait to try Bobby Flay's Frozen Mojito

Snapshot

I haven't been blogging as often, because I got into "micro-blogging" on Twitter and Facebook.
Twitter is okay but commenting is minimal, and Facebook just changed their layout so I've lost interest.
Which means I'll probably be blogging more often, even it's just minor subjects.
Minor subjects, after all, catalog day-to-day activities, and therefore often become significant.

I got together with my friend Cindy today, and we took her two Golden Retrievers, and the Australian Cattle Dog that I'm watching, down to play at Fiesta Island.
Cindy and I never run out of things to talk about, so time always zooms by when we're together.

Anyway, we were walking by the water, and a Basset Hound followed us.
She was a small dog that we initially thought was a puppy, with very defined markings. and a cute temperament.
Anyway, a couple approached, with the guy saying he had Bassets at home, and he just HAD to say hello.
He talked to the dog, and barked with her.

It was adorable.

And um, so was he.

Cindy and I spent quite awhile talking with them.
Turns out they both graduated from Tufts last year, then traveled to China to teach (yes, they speak Chinese).
They're out visiting her mom.
The girl threw the ball for our dogs and her own, and we all chatted about various subjects.
When we finally parted, and they had walked away, Cindy and I turned to each other at the exact time with the exact thoughts.

He was the epitome of the perfect man!
Tall, good body, handsome, gorgeous teeth, smart, educated, college degree, traveler, loves dogs, talks to dogs, can be silly, friendly, kind, and for God's sake can hold a conversation.

What a concept.

Cindy and I had to laugh.
She's happily married, but for me it gives me hope that maybe there really are men out there that might suit my needs.
Honestly, it's the talking to the dogs part that I love the most.
I want someone sensitive and kind like that.
Someone who will smile at funny stories.
But it was funny how Cindy and I were both talking to them, but at the same time registering so much information.
Like how his eye teeth made his teeth almost flat (a characteristic I adore).

Remember that old movie 'Annie Hall" and how they're on a date and they're talking, but you can hear their thoughts and insecurities and questions?
It's so interesting how our brains are so busy.

Anyway, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon--
walking the beach in the sunshine, throwing the ball for the dogs, the dogs full of joy, talking with a friend...
it was a snapshot of life at its simple best.

Recharging my Batteries

Day off work + sleeping in + meeting a friend for coffee + talking and laughing + window shopping...
= perfect ingredients for a Saturday.


Now relaxing in front of the eletralogs...
Aaahhh

I'm okay

One of my regular readers, Gina, emailed me to ask why I hadn't posted in awhile.
She asked if everything was okay.
It is.

What have I been doing?
I guess I've been distracted by Facebook lately.

Too, I worked non-stop on a group project (well, it was supposed to be a group project, but I got stuck with 90% of the work) for my Japanese Gardening class.
It was insanely time consuming and difficult, but it was really an accomplishment to finish.
We had to present a drafted backyard in front of the class, to a professional Landscape Architect.
There were also three professionals in my class, though I'm a new student.

What else have I been doing?
I've been eating cornbread with honey butter.

And, ta da...I finally bought a digital camera!

On the advice of a guy I work with (who is also a professional photographer), I bought the Panasonic FS15.
This is huge news--I've wanted a camera for so long.
Hopefully I'll be posting more now that I can capture moments.

Oh, btw, I have had to add moderation to comments because of repeated spam.
It's annoying to have to continually delete spam, so moderation makes it so much easier.