Houses are also a canvases of other journeys: the places we've been, the people we've met, even the people we used to be. Taking out photo books in order to paint or move a heavy piece of furniture took me down the sentimental journey where I saw past places, younger faces, and kinky hairstyles that make me wonder: What was I thinking? In 1974, I had a bottled frizzy white-girl Afro!
Chris just left and I miss her already! She's so easy to be with and we enjoyed two luxurious girlfriend days of shopping and talking over good meals that neither of us cooked. We met years ago in San Marcos at a Story Circle conference and recognized each other right away as kindred spirits.
At Off My Rocker, I bought a vintage garden wagon from Germany that will become a side table. Chris found a box of thousands of huge turquoise-colored beads, and I bought the whole heavy box, cast-offs from someone else's journey--possibly garlands for Christmas trees. Christ almost bought a camel saddle from Morocco to use as an ottoman and she looked for footstools to cover with her hooked rug pieces. We both love poking around consignment stores and buying (and just looking at) things we can re-purpose for something else. It's like borrowing pieces of someone else's story and working them into your own.
At Kathleen Sommer's we tried on clothes, bought some things, and chose a birthday present or two for Carlene's upcoming 92nd birthday in August. She found her footstool at Old El Paso and I found my just-right coffee table.
We traded book titles and helpful hints about hand exercises if you happen to have arthritis and she helped me choose tiles and the table. It's been a great journey of friendship and relaxation, and I love for friends to visit and spend the night in the casita.
The journey continues....
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