Oooh, I like this one but I don't think I could get back out of it.
I love them all! Which one is your favorite?
Images from Restoration Hardware
Saturday, April 9, 2011
What's Your Favorite Chair?
Oooh, I like this one but I don't think I could get back out of it.
I love them all! Which one is your favorite?
Images from Restoration Hardware
Thursday, April 7, 2011
French Farmhouse Style
I love Restoration Hardware and as with all stores, they are constantly updating their furniture line. Their new line of French Farmhouse furniture is right up my alley and because I am a huge fan of French Farmhouse Style I thought you might like to take a look at what's available.
I love the rustic look of recycled wood used to achieve this style. Add fabric covered chairs with nailhead trim and you have a more formal look or plain chairs for a more vintage casual look.
I would have a hard time making a decision on any of these styles but love the pedestal base on this one.
Any of these designs would make for a warm and inviting dining area. If given a choice, which one would you prefer?
Images from Restoration Hardware
Have a great weekend!
Monday, April 4, 2011
What's Your Pet Peeve?
I walk everyday and one thing I find that annoys me to no end is how cars encroach upon the crosswalks made for pedestrians. You know, I follow the law and I wait for the "little green man" to show on the sign before I cross and it never fails...cars are speeding up to and crossing over the walk for pedestrians.
I'm a quiet person by nature and don't generally like to raise a "stink" BUT this has really gotten to me. I have resorted to shaking my finger at the driver while walking around their car but they refuse to look at me when I do this. I have hollered "Hey" only to have them look the other way. I have nearly let them run over me only to hear "sorry I didn't see you". How can you NOT see me? I have also used my hands to motion for them to back up. (Just like a policeman directing traffic.) I follow the rules and I wonder why it is they think they don't have to. Enough said!
What is your pet peeve and how do you handle it?
I'm a quiet person by nature and don't generally like to raise a "stink" BUT this has really gotten to me. I have resorted to shaking my finger at the driver while walking around their car but they refuse to look at me when I do this. I have hollered "Hey" only to have them look the other way. I have nearly let them run over me only to hear "sorry I didn't see you". How can you NOT see me? I have also used my hands to motion for them to back up. (Just like a policeman directing traffic.) I follow the rules and I wonder why it is they think they don't have to. Enough said!
What is your pet peeve and how do you handle it?
Popcorn And A Movie - Welcome To The Riley's
This movie is a drama and stars James Gandolfini as Doug Riley and Melissa Leo as his wife Lois. After losing they're only daughter in a car accident 8 years prior Doug and Lois go through the very painful process of trying to go on with their lives... but not very effectively. As they go through this process Lois refuses to leave the house and becomes an (agoraphobic) while Doug goes through the motion of working in his Plumbing business.
A business trip takes Doug to New Orleans where he meets (Kristen Stewart) who is a prostitute and the two of them form a platonic bond with Doug thinking he can bring back his daughter through Kristen Stewart. When Doug decides not to go back home and calls his wife to tell her, she decides to drive to New Orleans to find him. Armed with brown bags to breathe into for oxygen and unfamiliar with how the car works she plans her trip and calls him when she arrives. Surprised beyond belief that she left the house and drove to find him changes what could have been the end of their relationship and turns it into a new beginning for them. It is at this time that he tells her he wants her to meet someone and that he has been staying with her and it is not what she thinks. She is not at all happy with the situation she finds her husband in but sticks it out and in the end what could have derailed their relationship turns out to be the inspiration that saves their marriage.
This was a good movie and while the reviews weren't especially great I thought this an inspiring story. I am sure that anyone who has lost a child can relate to how a tragedy can forever change the lives of the survivors.
I would rate this movie ****** stars out of 10. If any of you have watched this movie, I would be interested in your take on it.
(See Trailer Below)
Friday, April 1, 2011
Here They Come...Paris Fashion Week
Love the boots in #1 and the look of #3.
Aren't these tres chic! I love the jacket and shorts of #3...but I don't think I could pull it off as graciously as she does.
How's this for an Easter look?
The pouty lips, the well dressed eyes...The look you have to have to model. I'd say the "eyes" have it.
Images from Wallpaper Junction
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Time For A Ride On A Train
All Aboard...Come with me as we take you on a train ride...a 12 hour train ride from Milan, Italy to Theux, Belgium about an hour from Liege, Belgium
This is the train station in Liege now....very modern. At the time, it looked nothing like this!
This is a funny tale of a train ride daughter and I made traveling from Milan, Italy to Liege, Belgium 17 years ago or so. It wasn't funny at the time but thinking back to it now I find myself smiling. We were traveling to Theux, Belgium, a lovely little town about an hour outside Liege so that daughter could go back to visit the host families she stayed with her junior high school year as an exchange student. My husband was in Milan on business and this was one of the several trips to Europe that I was very fortunate to go on with him. This time, taking our daughter(who was then starting college) along with us.
I can only say that it was not at all like riding a train in the United States. Because my Grandfather worked for the railroad and we were able to ride on the trains in the United States for half price. I fondly remember once riding the train from Indiana to Georgia with my Grandmother and brother. But this was not anything like that!
The train schedule showed two travel times for traveling to Liege, Belgium. In the early morning or late evening. I was looking forward to going in the morning so that I could view the different countries we would be going through during the day but because arrangements were made at the last minute, we could not get on the early morning train and instead had to ride on the evening train which left the main train station at 9:00 p.m. This was to be a 12 hour train ride with one layover in Luxembourg and because we were traveling on the cheap we did not bother to get a sleeping car. (What for? This was to be an adventure) So, we boarded the train, found the right car and took the first compartment we came to. There were already people sitting in two of the three seats that faced us so we sat across from them. The gentleman ( who was a frequent traveler on the trains) told us to close the curtain (each compartment had a set of curtains that you could close) so that people would think that all of the seats were taken. (I thought those curtains were really quaint) So we did. Of course, never traveling on a train in Europe before we did not bring any water, food, pillows, or a blanket with us making it very hard to be comfortable with no where to lay your head. Because of making the arrangements late I was unable to be on a car that allowed smoking (back then I smoked) but no problem, I could just go right outside the door next to our car and onto a little area with a rail around it that had little pull-out seats to smoke.
So, as our journey begins, the ticket agent tears open our curtain and very curtly says Passports. We in turn give him ours and he checked our passports looking at us and looking at our passport, looking at us and looking at our passports making me wonder if he was going to allow us to even stay on the train. No smile, no thank you just a stern look and off to the next person. Of course, I could only speak English and had to rely on my daughter to translate for me (which she did very well) and because she could speak French translating other language was easier for her. Of course, we could not speak any Italian but thanks to daughter when people smiled and asked questions she could pretty much figure out what they were saying....As for me, I was pretty much lost the entire time. (Sigh)
As we travel through all the large and small cities in Italy, and France and everyone is either sleeping or reading I decide now would be the time to go for a cigarette. So, I exit the door directly outside our compartment. It is pitch black, the train is moving fairly quickly (I'm not sure about the speed but recall that it was moving very fast) and I am leaning over the side of the railing deep in thought and starting to get really tired when all of the sudden another train traveling on another track going in the opposite direction comes flying by and sucks me up against the outside of the car. My heart was beating 50 miles a minute and I think this is it! I'm going to die out here. I couldn't even push myself away from the side of the train while the train was passing. After the train passed and being pretty shook up, I decided NOT to go out for another cigarette until morning, when I could see.
About the time we are nodding off, and I decided to use my cape as a pillow against the window and daughters head laying on my shoulders the train stops in Basil, Switzerland the first city you enter into Switzerland. Let me tell you, it was just like something right out of a movie. Two police officers enter the train and yank open the curtains flip on the lights and say "passports". While this is happening, I hear dogs barking and entering the train. About that time they are in our compartment sniffing us and everything in the car. The two policemen reminded me of how Officers would have been during the Nazis Invasion and literally scared me to death. After they left our compartment (It seemed like we were on that platform forever) as I am looking out our window, I see those same two policemen yelling wildly at a man with their clubs raised like they were going to hit him. I quickly asked daughter what was going on as they were speaking French and she said the man did not have a Visa and they just threw him off the train! I could not believe it! Just like that!
The train finally had the clearance to leave and off we go again. By this time we are EXHAUSTED with little sleep if any and still several hours from where we are supposed to layover. I don't know if it was because of the constant stopping and starting, the roaring of the train, lack of sleep, no food or the frightening scare in Switzerland but we both had the starting of a terrible headache that would last until we got to Belgium.
When we finally arrived in Luxembourg it was around 7:00 a.m. and we still had two hours left on our journey. Having only 30 minutes to use the bathroom, grab something to drink (we did not have the right currency for anything else) and find the right train going in the right direction the train was boarding. So we hopped on with banging headaches until we reached Liege. This is where the host family was to pick us up. As we are standing on the platform waiting, waiting, and waiting, I am starting to get worried that something is amiss so we decide to go out onto the street thinking they are out there waiting for us. When we go outside the station I immediately start to smell something that smells like fried food and become sick to my stomach. My daughter tells me that is Belgium waffles that I am smelling (which are supposed to be delicious). But, by this time, I just want to lay down and sleep...to close my eyes so my head will stop hurting and wanting the motion of the train to leave my body. Not seeing anyone she recognizes we go back to the platform and wait some more.
FINALLY, she sees them... Kisses on both cheeks, Bonjour's to welcome us, introductions and we are finally off to what I hope is a warm bed, coffee, and food for these two weary travelers. What a ride! All I can say is that we wanted an experience and we had one! Well, time to depart the train as we have arrived at the station. I hope you enjoyed the ride and will travel with me again. LOL I have several more stories to share but will save them for a later date. Always an adventure when traveling with daughter! HA
I leave you with this beautiful church in Liege, one of the many beautiful sites that you can visit. I think it has a very old world feel.
This is the train station in Liege now....very modern. At the time, it looked nothing like this!
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| Liege Train Station Image via ~ www.mimoa..eu/projects/belgium |
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| Liege Townhall Images via ~ www.eupedia.com |
I can only say that it was not at all like riding a train in the United States. Because my Grandfather worked for the railroad and we were able to ride on the trains in the United States for half price. I fondly remember once riding the train from Indiana to Georgia with my Grandmother and brother. But this was not anything like that!
The train schedule showed two travel times for traveling to Liege, Belgium. In the early morning or late evening. I was looking forward to going in the morning so that I could view the different countries we would be going through during the day but because arrangements were made at the last minute, we could not get on the early morning train and instead had to ride on the evening train which left the main train station at 9:00 p.m. This was to be a 12 hour train ride with one layover in Luxembourg and because we were traveling on the cheap we did not bother to get a sleeping car. (What for? This was to be an adventure) So, we boarded the train, found the right car and took the first compartment we came to. There were already people sitting in two of the three seats that faced us so we sat across from them. The gentleman ( who was a frequent traveler on the trains) told us to close the curtain (each compartment had a set of curtains that you could close) so that people would think that all of the seats were taken. (I thought those curtains were really quaint) So we did. Of course, never traveling on a train in Europe before we did not bring any water, food, pillows, or a blanket with us making it very hard to be comfortable with no where to lay your head. Because of making the arrangements late I was unable to be on a car that allowed smoking (back then I smoked) but no problem, I could just go right outside the door next to our car and onto a little area with a rail around it that had little pull-out seats to smoke.
So, as our journey begins, the ticket agent tears open our curtain and very curtly says Passports. We in turn give him ours and he checked our passports looking at us and looking at our passport, looking at us and looking at our passports making me wonder if he was going to allow us to even stay on the train. No smile, no thank you just a stern look and off to the next person. Of course, I could only speak English and had to rely on my daughter to translate for me (which she did very well) and because she could speak French translating other language was easier for her. Of course, we could not speak any Italian but thanks to daughter when people smiled and asked questions she could pretty much figure out what they were saying....As for me, I was pretty much lost the entire time. (Sigh)
As we travel through all the large and small cities in Italy, and France and everyone is either sleeping or reading I decide now would be the time to go for a cigarette. So, I exit the door directly outside our compartment. It is pitch black, the train is moving fairly quickly (I'm not sure about the speed but recall that it was moving very fast) and I am leaning over the side of the railing deep in thought and starting to get really tired when all of the sudden another train traveling on another track going in the opposite direction comes flying by and sucks me up against the outside of the car. My heart was beating 50 miles a minute and I think this is it! I'm going to die out here. I couldn't even push myself away from the side of the train while the train was passing. After the train passed and being pretty shook up, I decided NOT to go out for another cigarette until morning, when I could see.
About the time we are nodding off, and I decided to use my cape as a pillow against the window and daughters head laying on my shoulders the train stops in Basil, Switzerland the first city you enter into Switzerland. Let me tell you, it was just like something right out of a movie. Two police officers enter the train and yank open the curtains flip on the lights and say "passports". While this is happening, I hear dogs barking and entering the train. About that time they are in our compartment sniffing us and everything in the car. The two policemen reminded me of how Officers would have been during the Nazis Invasion and literally scared me to death. After they left our compartment (It seemed like we were on that platform forever) as I am looking out our window, I see those same two policemen yelling wildly at a man with their clubs raised like they were going to hit him. I quickly asked daughter what was going on as they were speaking French and she said the man did not have a Visa and they just threw him off the train! I could not believe it! Just like that!
The train finally had the clearance to leave and off we go again. By this time we are EXHAUSTED with little sleep if any and still several hours from where we are supposed to layover. I don't know if it was because of the constant stopping and starting, the roaring of the train, lack of sleep, no food or the frightening scare in Switzerland but we both had the starting of a terrible headache that would last until we got to Belgium.
When we finally arrived in Luxembourg it was around 7:00 a.m. and we still had two hours left on our journey. Having only 30 minutes to use the bathroom, grab something to drink (we did not have the right currency for anything else) and find the right train going in the right direction the train was boarding. So we hopped on with banging headaches until we reached Liege. This is where the host family was to pick us up. As we are standing on the platform waiting, waiting, and waiting, I am starting to get worried that something is amiss so we decide to go out onto the street thinking they are out there waiting for us. When we go outside the station I immediately start to smell something that smells like fried food and become sick to my stomach. My daughter tells me that is Belgium waffles that I am smelling (which are supposed to be delicious). But, by this time, I just want to lay down and sleep...to close my eyes so my head will stop hurting and wanting the motion of the train to leave my body. Not seeing anyone she recognizes we go back to the platform and wait some more.
FINALLY, she sees them... Kisses on both cheeks, Bonjour's to welcome us, introductions and we are finally off to what I hope is a warm bed, coffee, and food for these two weary travelers. What a ride! All I can say is that we wanted an experience and we had one! Well, time to depart the train as we have arrived at the station. I hope you enjoyed the ride and will travel with me again. LOL I have several more stories to share but will save them for a later date. Always an adventure when traveling with daughter! HA
I leave you with this beautiful church in Liege, one of the many beautiful sites that you can visit. I think it has a very old world feel.
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| St. Bartholomew's Collegiate Church Image via ~ www. eupedia.com |
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| Inside St. Bartholomew's Church Image via ~ www.eupedia.com |
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Sad Plight Of The Homeless
We were out running around yesterday and had stopped at a Redbox to pick up a movie when I saw a young man who was homeless, wearing what looked like two pair of pants, one on top of the other. The second pair was faded, ripped, and so thin that you could hardly see much of the original pants. He had dreadlocks and there were leaves and debris covering the back of his head. The soles of his shoes no longer connected to his tops and flapped as he walked. He was headed for the trash can directly at an angle from where I was sitting in the car. He turned to see if anyone was looking and pulled out a pizza box. He opened it up and took out what looked to be a piece of the crust and pushed the box back into the can. As he walked away he kept turning around looking...Looking at me. I supposed to see if I was looking at him?
When my husband returned with the movie and we started on our way to the grocery, I suddenly was struck with the notion to go back to see if he was still there to give him some money. We didn't have much on us ( the use of debit cards have all but erased the idea of carrying cash) but I thought maybe he could use what little we had to purchase something to eat or drink. When we drove back around I saw him sitting on the edge of the curb drinking an orange crush with two packages of cheese crackers laying next to his drink. We stopped the car and I rolled down my window looking at him. His eyes were devoid of any expression...blank and lifeless and suddenly I was overcome with such sorrow and pain that I thought this must me how God feels when he looks into the eyes of one of his children who is suffering. I asked him to take the money for coffee or food but he shook his head no. After urging him to take it three times he looked at me, thanked me but said no. Not wanting to bother him any further we left.
I don't believe I have ever been so saddened by what I saw. His eyes still haunt me when I think of him. I keep asking myself why he refused the money? If, as most people think, that it is not a good idea to give homeless people money and if he was an addict of drugs or alcohol why didn't he accept the money? I still believe that, regardless of the circumstances that bring people to the streets, they still have some pride and dignity. That no one can feel the sense of failure, the desolation, or the hopelessness in their spirit.
I was trying to find a picture of the homeless to attach to this post but instead thought these words might be more fitting than a photo: " Homeless people are spirits sent from heaven to test our true character". So, the next time you see a homeless person seeking shelter, or looking for food in trash cans and you walk right past them without so much as a look ask yourself this: What makes me think that this couldn't be me?
When my husband returned with the movie and we started on our way to the grocery, I suddenly was struck with the notion to go back to see if he was still there to give him some money. We didn't have much on us ( the use of debit cards have all but erased the idea of carrying cash) but I thought maybe he could use what little we had to purchase something to eat or drink. When we drove back around I saw him sitting on the edge of the curb drinking an orange crush with two packages of cheese crackers laying next to his drink. We stopped the car and I rolled down my window looking at him. His eyes were devoid of any expression...blank and lifeless and suddenly I was overcome with such sorrow and pain that I thought this must me how God feels when he looks into the eyes of one of his children who is suffering. I asked him to take the money for coffee or food but he shook his head no. After urging him to take it three times he looked at me, thanked me but said no. Not wanting to bother him any further we left.
I don't believe I have ever been so saddened by what I saw. His eyes still haunt me when I think of him. I keep asking myself why he refused the money? If, as most people think, that it is not a good idea to give homeless people money and if he was an addict of drugs or alcohol why didn't he accept the money? I still believe that, regardless of the circumstances that bring people to the streets, they still have some pride and dignity. That no one can feel the sense of failure, the desolation, or the hopelessness in their spirit.
I was trying to find a picture of the homeless to attach to this post but instead thought these words might be more fitting than a photo: " Homeless people are spirits sent from heaven to test our true character". So, the next time you see a homeless person seeking shelter, or looking for food in trash cans and you walk right past them without so much as a look ask yourself this: What makes me think that this couldn't be me?
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