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In a bit of a sudden fit, I'm focused on decorating the house, working on the garden. It's not that I haven't been working on both the past couple of years; but I have somehow reached an absolute point where I refuse to put up with less than good anymore. We put in quite a bit of work on the garden on the weekend, and though it hardly shows I know we're a good step closer to the garden I want. We moved the horrible stand-in-coffee-table and replaced it with the guest room chest, which never quite fit anyway, and looks quite nice in the living room. I have already sandpapered the back (which was unfinished and mottled and messy, lots of little stickers some 20 years old that had practically grown into the wood), and plan to stain it later this week. I'm also eyeing some carved Buddhas for the house; C already has a couple, but we need some bigger artwork and I know he'd love to have more religious representations. Maybe I can find a green Tara?
In utterly unrelated news, C took me to the State Fair here in New Mexico, which, while it can't compare on the grand scale with the Texas state fair, is still very dear. The highlights of the day were lions and Chinese acrobats, neither of which we expected to see; apparently a lion sanctuary does tours to help support the care for the animals, most of which lost their homes (failed zoos? I think was what they said) or were "pets" that the owners realized they couldn't really take care of (shocker). So it was lovely to enjoy seeing them - my God, the male lion acted like a kitten, loving on his trainer, but the lionesses genuinely frightened me; you could tell they were just, just barely, putting up with everything - knowing it was a rescue situation. And the Chinese acrobats were magical; if they had begun to fly mid-performance, I would hardly have been more surprised. Everything seemed very new, and I was so happy it was fall I nearly did a dance. Oddly, the native arts section, which is what we enjoyed most last year, we bought nothing at. The walls seem very bare in the house.
Next week, a friend is visiting us from Texas, and we will take her to the balloon fiesta. I wish I could get the bathroom painted before then, but I think C will not permit it. It is probably chaotic enough, although I am tempted to stencil golden lions on the doors in a fit of magical pique.
In utterly unrelated news, C took me to the State Fair here in New Mexico, which, while it can't compare on the grand scale with the Texas state fair, is still very dear. The highlights of the day were lions and Chinese acrobats, neither of which we expected to see; apparently a lion sanctuary does tours to help support the care for the animals, most of which lost their homes (failed zoos? I think was what they said) or were "pets" that the owners realized they couldn't really take care of (shocker). So it was lovely to enjoy seeing them - my God, the male lion acted like a kitten, loving on his trainer, but the lionesses genuinely frightened me; you could tell they were just, just barely, putting up with everything - knowing it was a rescue situation. And the Chinese acrobats were magical; if they had begun to fly mid-performance, I would hardly have been more surprised. Everything seemed very new, and I was so happy it was fall I nearly did a dance. Oddly, the native arts section, which is what we enjoyed most last year, we bought nothing at. The walls seem very bare in the house.
Next week, a friend is visiting us from Texas, and we will take her to the balloon fiesta. I wish I could get the bathroom painted before then, but I think C will not permit it. It is probably chaotic enough, although I am tempted to stencil golden lions on the doors in a fit of magical pique.
