Wednesday, August 25, 2010

...man in the moon


It is oddly Autumnal in Chester County, PA. Weeks of hot temperatures have given way to coolness. Even some leaves have begun to fall. It may be a hoax from Mother Nature tho'. My guess is that it will get hot again. I have figured out how to get my Bichon to eat. I tear pieces of cheese and place them on top of his food. He still thinks that the Moon is made of cheese, but he's still little. "The Great Moon Hoax" was a series of six articles that were published in the New York Sun beginning on August 25, 1835, about the supposed discovery of life and even civilization on the Moon. That supposed 'life' was part human, part bat with strange wings attached to backs. The stuff that dreams are made of. Better yet, nightmares. The discoveries were falsely attributed to Sir John Herschel, perhaps the best-known astronomer of his time. What a teaser! Tonight's moon will be 99% full as last night was a completely full one. Cheese or not, howl at it. Shown today? Board mounted, Box Pleated Valance.
"They succeed, because they think they can." Virgil

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

...for the record


I sometimes work with a gentleman named Mike with slow processing skills. He does not have good personal hygiene, and at about 45 years of age, can act like a small child. He is hearing impaired which also affects his speech so communications can be tough. He is also amazingly adept at repetitive actions and can do these kinds of tasks to perfection. There is a place for him in this world and it is a beautiful thing. I would miss him if things change. When we do work together and something goes awry he gets very upset, flailing his arms and yelling out loud as if a bomb had gone off. Trust me, one does get used to this. Speaking of bombs and for the 'record'... Karen and Richard Carpenter are back in the news. Here is the link for a giggle or two. On this day in 1941 Adolf Hitler ordered a temporary halt to Nazi Germany's systematic T4 euthanasia program of the mentally ill and the handicapped due to protests. Hitler may have changed his way of thinking without protest had he too met Mike.
"Nobody can bring you peace but yourself." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday, August 15, 2010

...keep the home fires burning


The temperature dropped in Chester County, PA and it is no longer as hot as well, a flame. I am calculating for carpeting in a contemporary home with open staircases. Talk about math! It is a very Frank Lloyd Wright-esque styled home with similar lines and layout. My carpet installer is excellent so I have no worries regarding that. The clients create a warm, comfortable atmosphere and every time I visit it is a Zen like experience. Speaking of warmth, home and hearth...on this day in 1914 a male servant of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright set fire to the living quarters of the architect's Wisconsin home, Taliesin, murders seven people and burns the living quarters to the ground. Perhaps he was denied a well deserved raise? Be nice, work hard and use caution when striking a match. Today's photo is from a refurbished home that caught on fire. The family went through hell but no one was injured thank God.
"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."
Stephen Sondheim

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

...cheers


A simple gesture can go a long way. Putting a handwritten 'thank you' card into a borrowed book, holding the door for someone, allowing somebody to be first, not slapping the person who sneezes behind you in the movie theatre without covering their mouth, and so on. For those of us who do practice this simple lesson, cheers! For those who don't, please give it a try. You will be amazed at how these things start happening back to you. (Not the sneezing part tho'.) My installation apparently has been changed to tomorrow and that is fine. Flexibility is paramount. Where's the Dom? Oh yeah, on this day in 1693 Dom Perignon invented Champagne. He and his kvetching girlfriend at that time, (a young Joan Rivers) were sitting by the fire and she just wouldn't stop whining. He took the bottle, shook it to shoot at her and it fizzed up like you wouldn't believe. Thus, champagne! Cheers, be nice and don't kvetch.
"The less you know, the more you believe." Bono

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

...inventing the wheel


I am delivering two custom area rugs, installing window treatments and quilted bedding on Thursday morning. After doing it for 20 years, it should be something that is down pat, but often it is like reinventing the wheel. Probably all industries are. I actually prefer Yokohama tires, but who asked me anyway? On this day in 1900 the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company was founded. Thankfully they had a few years to stockpile inventory and were ready for the Model 'T' that was produced from 1908 through 1927. If the cart before the horse isn't a good thing, (and where else should it be located?) then tires on a car are paramount. Work hard, study hard and play hard also. If it feels that, on some days, you are reinventing the wheel you probably are.
"A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it." Henry Ford