Check Out Instagram

Sometimes I take a photo here and there and never share it on this blog so today I am sharing some photos I posted on my Instagram account. 

I turned an old post office box into a tea caddy. The dividers are paint color samples.

I used to keep flour in this glass canister. I decided to put tea in it instead.

I was asked to do an open house for a million dollar condo in Beacon Hill. This is the view from the dining room.

And here is the dining room. This is one of three fireplaces in the home. Sigh!

My friend Don came over and he tried to get a good shot of Oscar who is very camera shy.

A display at Maison Décor in Reading. The background is a paper panel made up of vintage wallpapers. I want to buy a sheet just not sure where I could use it in my home.

I represented my company at a homebuyer fair in South Boston. We Bostonians call this part of town  Southie.

This was dessert at a work function. I can't believe I ate the whole thing! Who remembers that commercial?

I am signing up for a photography class at the Griffin Museum in Winchester. I love this door.

This building is so cool and sits on a pond near the center of town. I am looking forward to the class.

Percy and I shared a lazy Saturday morning with coffee and home décor books.

A lovely antique buffet sits on a checkerboard floor at Brackett's Oceanview Restaurant in Rockport. Every time I see this piece I want to take it home with me.

A friend invited me up to her rooftop deck and we had an impromptu appetizer party. It was a gorgeous afternoon.

So there you have it, lots going on as usual. Sometimes I just forget to share it all with you.

My cat is gifted

Which cat you may ask? Well Oscar of course!  I always knew he was smart but he's smarter than smart. He's gifted!

Right now, Oscar has a small vocabulary.  He can say why, no, and Mum. But lately he's been talking in complete sentences. It's just a matter of time before he speaks fluent English.

And then could talk shows be far behind? I can see him on Letterman, maybe Regis and Kelly, definitely Animal Planet.  We'll do the talk show circuit.  Maybe some commercials, by the way, he eats Wellness Cat Food.

Of course, we''ll need him to drop his Boston accent. I'll have to teach him to say his R's.

Don't worry, his brother and sister will keep him grounded.  As I write this post, Percy is biting Oscar's neck and then I am sure they will chase each other around the condo.

We have to make sure he stays as sweet and loving as he is today.

An original

"You've gotta be original, because if you're like someone else, what do they need you for?" Bernadette Peters


Tomorrow, I'm off to Cape Cod for a daytrip. I'll tell you all about it in a few days.

The perfect Valentine

Here's my man for Valentine's 2010. I know it's a little early to be thinking of Valentine's Day but the more I think about it the more I'm convinced that Oscar will be my best Valentine.

I mean just look at those soulful eyes! He is attentive. He knows how to relax. He's not a morning person and neither am I. He's a good cuddler.



He keeps himself in good shape, he's lean but muscular. And he's not afraid to show his sensitive side, I've heard him cry on occasion.

Oscar and I met on Valentine's night two years ago. So I think it was meant to be. He will be my perfect Valentine for 2010.

Oscar's Anniversary

One year ago today I rescued Oscar. At the time he was living in the parking lot of my old apartment building. When my landlord wouldn't let me take him in the building, I knew it was time to move. Some say Oscar is the reason I bought my condo. I just think it gave me the push I needed to make a move. I wasn't happy where I was living anyway.

As you can see, Oscar is healthy and happy and loving life as an indoor kitty!

My One Year Blog Anniversary

Exactly one year ago today, I started my blog. Without a plan or any idea what I was doing, I got myself to that blogger template and started playing around. Pick a name, ok. Pick a layout, ok. It was really pretty easy.

The hard part was picking something to write about. I had writer's block and I hadn't even done one post. I decided to title the post Starting from Scratch which led me to write about the stray cat I had been feeding since Valentine's Day. (Read Starting from Scratch under blog archives
May 2008).

Those of you who follow my blog know of Oscar, my cat but you may not know the entire story. Here he is in a camera shy mood. And here he is in all his handsomeness. His journey over the past year has been a long one. After feeding him for 3 months, I rescued him, bringing him indoors. Again, here's the recurring theme, without a plan or any idea what I was doing, I decided Oscar needed me to save him from himself.

Oscar was living in my apartment parking lot and depending on a number of good people who lived in the building to feed him. Anyway, June 22nd I grabbed him, threw him in a cat carrier, and thought now what? I brought him to two animal hospitals before he could get an appointment. He was given an exam and shots. Amazingly, he did not have any diseases and they guessed he was maybe a year old.

I arranged to have him neutered and I paid for his exam, shots, and surgery and to board him for a week. I immediately started asking around if anyone could give him a home. My landlord was fed up with me for feeding this stray cat and he would not let me keep Oscar.

My sister did an email blast to everyone she knew. Her friend Debbie said she had a friend who might take Oscar for the short term. She had a big house and one of her cats had died recently. So we made contact by email and sure enough, this guardian angel of a woman, Diane said she would take Oscar for three months.

I checked Oscar out of the animal hospital ( two weeks and $650 later) and drove him to Diane's. Diane's house is fabulous and is surrounded by woods. She did not let Oscar out but he had plenty of windows to sit in and watch the local wildlife. He flourished with Diane and her partner Michael. Michael built Oscar a scratching post and Diane gave him daily loving. Diane let me visit Oscar every week!

I moved out of my apartment and away from the animal hating landlord ( I'm being kind here).

I bought a condo, some say because of Oscar. Oscar moved in with me on December 30th. Yes if you do the math this is way longer than three months. Diane was so sweet, letting Oscar stay much longer than I expected.

Diane and Michael still visit Oscar and they have become my friends. They are always welcome in my home and Oscar will always have a special bond with them.

Anyway, here's his silly pose when he thinks he's a circus performer. He loves this cushion and has claimed it as his own. Who would sit there anyway? Unless you want cat hair on your backside.

Anyway, here's the before photo of Oscar. Skinny, dirty and desperate for love. The look in his eyes told me he needed help and of course I needed to be his guardian angel. I don't like to look at this photo, it makes me too sad to think of his "street life". The main thing is he's happy and

healthy today and the dangerous life is behind him. The journey has been worth it.

And back to the blog anniversary. Another story of jumping in without a plan. Sometimes you just have to take the leap of faith and if you do, something wonderful can happen! I've enjoyed every minute of my blogging experience. I hope my readers have enjoyed the journey too!