hi.

we've been in OUR HOUSE for who knows how long now, and you know what?  it is still a disaster.  as in i'm embarrassed when anyone passes and i'm entering through the front door.  the boxes and paper and clothing and shutters and random pillows and strange pieces of furniture lying ALL OVER THE PLACE do not look like the inside of any respectable person's house.  in fact i do believe we might qualify to be on an episode of hoarders.  it is simply horrifying.  i haven't yet broken down and sobbed uncontrolably upon returning from work, but i think i am close.  poor mas, every night our conversation goes something like this :

c : i'm gonna loose it if we don't get it together.
m : i know, i know.
c : NO REALLY I AM GOING TO LOOSE IT IF WE DON'T GET IT TOGETHER ... SOON (said while shaking ever so slightly and with a completely crazy look in my eyes mind you)
m : i know, i know (offering up a hug instead of doing what he wants to do, which is get the hell out of there)

and then we have the schedule conversation.  we promise to spend the rest of the night organizing some corner, and the next night too.  only we go upstairs to the bedroom and then promptly pass out.

but this weekend, well this weekend it is going to be different.  i already made mas call our out-of-town friend from high school and cancel the plans i set up because i might LOOSE it if someone that isn't mas or myself walks into this place.  i've decided that i do not need to repaint the horribly colored laundry room before we actually set up some shelves.  and you know what?  the trim in the entire house - well it will just have to wait.  we can move furniture away from the walls after all, when we are ready, and have some actual free time.  and oh yeah, our kitchens are being pulverized and rebuilt sometime in the next two weeks.  i keep telling myself that once we can actually put all of our glasses and plates away we might be able to walk through the dining room.

but dc is lovely and so is that new shiny job of mine.  mas is pretty happy too.  turns out this move is going to be worth it ... one day ... when we aren't tripping over piles of t-shirts and margarita glasses.

{image via remodelista .. on a side note, we'd take that light}

life lately.

ohmygod i cannot even start with the stories of the past two weeks, but they kind of involve the following :

- movers coming and "packing" our stuff.  they say they are going to give it all back to us, but it's been a week and we've heard not a peep.  it's interesting, and slightly worrisome.
- TWO stomach flues ... for me alone.  one might have been food poisoning, or maybe not, but either way it sucked.
- we moved out of our hotel and into OUR HOUSE!  ok so we're in the basement apartment ... or as they call it here ... the in-law suite.  the kitchen doesn't exactly work, and the internet is still unavailable due to comcast taking their sweet time getting us our modem, but the shower sprays hot water and we have a working ac unit.
- the floors upstairs are nearly done being refinished!!!  you guys, this owning a house thing is FUN.
- mas has started work, frances has become insanely popular amongst her neighbors and i've, well, i've gotten a job.  this working for myself has been fun, but it's also been a bit lonely.  when we found out we were moving to a city, where people actually live and work, i kind of got excited about being a part of something again.  and let me tell you, i think i scored the jackpot.  i'll be working with Suann and helping her set up her new shop, Fifteen Eleven!  you can read a bit more about it, and check out my summer MUST HAVES on her blog. 

for now i must run back home and save frances from the fumes that are trickling down from the refinishing of the floors.  i'm not sure exactly what we are going to do this afternoon but it might involve the weed-fest in the front yard.

{ginormous ring from catalina brenes, from my summer picks, which i'm pretty sure esb linked me to a while ago though can't remember when or where.}

confession #2.

every time i get out of the shower i place a small dollop of moroccan oil in my palms and douse my ends, it smells delicious.  i then take a fair amount of that MOST AMAZING PRODUCT, bb texture, and massage it through all of my hair.  it's gooey and weird, but seriously does the most amazing things to my hair.  and then after my bangs are mostly dry i spritz them with some of that renee furterer dry shampoo ... you know to keep them from going all gross and greasy.  yet still EVERY.SINGLE.DAY my hair is up in a top knot.  i might make it five minutes at my desk before it gets there, but without fail it's up before lunch.

maybe i need a haircut (ok that is a definite) and maybe i am a little lazy (another definite) but i'm starting to feel, well, a little lame.

confession #1.

i bite my nails.  it's a BAD habit, i know and i kind of gross myself out with it.  which is why i always keep them painted.  so last week when i saw this i went to my bin full of *crafty* stuff and pulled out those martha stewart glitters i bought before christmas.  finally a use for my michael's impulse purchase!  and let me tell you, it has quickly turned into an obsession.  last week, grey and green.  this week a pale peach (which i cannot find anywhere and can't remember the name of! super frustrating.) and rose gold.  mas thinks i've lost my mind and i'm not sure i disagree ... all of this sparkle, it's not my norm.

washington, dc.

in seven days mas, frances the prius and i will pack up and leave nc.
in seven days mas, frances the prius and i will be dc residents.
in eleven days we will close on our HOUSE.
in twelve days i will return to nc and watch the movers pack us up.
in fourteen days i will watch the movers come back and put our stuff in a truck.

why might there be two days in between the pack up and ship out despite the fact that we NO LONGER LIVE IN NC you ask?  i have no idea.  this move has been a logistical nightmare.  when we first called they told us they couldn't get us out of nc until the end of july.  THE END OF JULY.  are you kidding me?  with a lot of phone calling on mas' part and the world's nicest land lords we finally figured it out.  like today.  we are offically outta here on the 8th ... which should give us just enough time to have the floors refinished before our furniture makes the nice day trip north.  another questionable part of this move ... nine days to make the five hour drive?  whatever.  at least i don't have to pack.

oh, and in fifteen days i will be back in dc, for good.

{image}

new favorite sea creature.

 

mas and i started oceans last night.  started, not finished.  i conked out around the 27 minute mark ... it was a long day ...

but don't you want an blanket octopus now?  isn't it one of the most amazing things you have ever seen?  if you've not seen oceans, i would recommend it* if only for the floating silk cloth that magically turns into a real life octopus.

*i'm actually a bit disappointed with the educational value of oceans.  i've yet to learn anything other than the name of the creature i'm now obsessed with.  it's a quiet and more poetic take on a documentary, which is fine, but not what i was really hoping for.

{image via wired science}

tutu.

the english national ballet has invited a few designers to take on the tutu.  and in case you didn't know this about me ... I LOVE A GOOD TUTU.  and pointe shoes, but that is a different story altogether. 

{1. wright & teague  2.  kinder aggugini  3.  roksanda illincic  4.  giles deacon}

bad day.

apparently that walk this morning ... down the block and around the corner to the market, was just a bit too much.  or maybe she's heard the rumblings about the move?  or perhaps it was the offensive manner in which i tossed cheerios her way?  whatever it was, frances is having a very bad day.

stripes and flowers.

i've spent too much time today talking about finances to have any brain power left. which is maybe why i spent the last hour checking out the resort collections and falling in love with theyskens' theory and stella mccartney, particularly the stripes and floral above.

since we last spoke.

-- we found a DIFFERENT house, signed a contract, had an inspection, and learned the seller's agent is a tart.  all is still well and closing is set for the first week of july, but i'm completely sour on the entire real estate business (except for our field agent, she is a keeper).  i mean really?  STOP FUCKING WITH US.  i hate the games and the back and forth and the lying.  although i am quite happy that the little smoker lady selling the house has someone looking out for her ...

-- we celebrated father's day a week early.  no one seemed to notice though, which was nice of them.

-- there was a ton of in-law time spent in denver.

-- i turned my lt. pink skinny jeans that always looked a little bit, well ok, a lot bad on me, into a fairly decent pair of cut-offs.

-- frances wimped out on every. single. walk. taken in the past few days due to the heat.

-- i made fruity pebble rice crispy treats and realized that if i just PUT THEM AWAY i wouldn't have to eat all of them rightthisveryminute.

-- we sold our second car.  mas' car.  the nicer, newer one that had fewer miles.  but also came with a cloth top, no jedi-like hauling ability and a monthly payment.  we are now the proud owners of one car and an almost house in a city with public transportation.  mas is only a little bit sad (about the car, not the move).

-- i realized that we are due to leave in less than three weeks.  LESS THAN THREE WEEKS.  i'm so excited i could pee.

{the vast wasteland will become one big landscape, 1 by michael cina ... isn't it wonderful?}