Pins And Needles

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

Ah, this interminable spending freeze is almost over. I have only one week left. A mere seven days. I wish I could say it has gone by more quickly than I had ever imagined, but I can't say that's true. I also, oddly enough, can't say that I have spent any less these past three months than in the past. Part of that has to do with us taking a couple of trips, some assorted car repairs & the usual house & garden whathaveyous. Part of that also has to do with the simple fact that 'spending freeze' is not a very good description for this exercise. We could spend, of course, one must, but the trick was to eliminate unnecessary purchases & to buy used goods, or better yet, to make do whenever possible.

To that end, I think this experience has been very positive. I really learned a thing or two about thinking before bringing anything new into our lives/home & also learned a very uncomfortable lesson about how much a part of my life those unnecessary purchases had become. I'm remembering one particular weekend, a few weeks in, when I was feverishly scanning the classifieds for estate sale listings. Surely, there must be one! Even a bad one will do! There was something lurking behind it all that seemed so low & desperate to me, I felt ashamed. I think that was my big detox weekend. I did find an estate sale after all, but it wasn't a good one and there was no joy in it.

After that, I got more into the stride. Our weekends were spent in the parks, at the creeks, puttering in our yard, meeting friends, reading books, & building things with our hands. I say, more of that, please!

Friday, March 27, 2009

It rained & it was good

The rains came & left behind some beautiful mushrooms.

Rose's pencil sharpener thought this would be a nice place to take a little rest & catch her breath during her garden rambles.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Valentina

The jacket, the sweater, the hair, the glasses: I am in love. Pretty lady, may I have your clothes, please?

via Garance Dore

Monday, March 23, 2009

The Lost Generation

Last weekend, I finished reading the marvellous autobiography of Gerald & Sara Murphy, Living Well is the Best Revenge, by Calvin Tomkins. It got me thinking about F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, so I had to then go reread Hemingway's short & very readable A Moveable Feast.

The Roaring 20s have a fascinating hold on my imagination right now, as we slip away from our own gilded age. We'll survive, of course, but we'll be smarter, warier, thriftier, and more likely to save bits of twine & hoard old margarine containers.

F.Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald via Life

Gerald & Sara Murphy dancing on the beach at East Hampton via AT

Ernest & Hadley Hemingway via the JFK Presidential Library

Spending Freeze: Weeks Nine & Ten

We've been busy, so it has been easy to steer clear of temptation.

Instead of buying unnecessary stuff, we:
Went to the San Antonio Zoo & marvelled at the restless lions, swimming hippos, Kimodo dragons & a silly, rubber-necked ostrich. (Sidenote, did you know that silly, rubber-necked ostriches can actually run 45 mph & kill a lion with a single, deadly kick?)

Planted a garden full of tomato plants, herbs & squashes
Had friends over & hung out in the backyard
Started sewing a rabbit for M's Easter basket
Cleaned house & organized
Read books (I finished two!)
Took Baby M to the Travis County Rodeo fairgrounds