Ah, the weekend. I HATE weekends. The stores are crowded, teevee goes all to Hell, and people do stuff like mow their lawns at an ungodly hour of the morning and wake me up before I want to get up. And to think I used to live for the weekend. No more. We shall be glad when Monday comes.
So... that said... we're low and slow. We had one of those miracles of the inner-nets happen to us today, whereby an old, old friend from 45 years ago found us... or rather found SN1 and then found us, there bein' a natural linkage there... and we shall get caught up later on today. I gave her a ring but the timing wasn't right when I called and she'll ring me back. One wonders where to begin in these sorta circumstances... a LOT of water has flowed under the bridge since 1966... like three continents, several countries, eight states (at least), two careers, two marriages, three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren's worth of water under that bridge.
―:☺:―
We were beginning to think about furnishing an apartment this morning, once the time comes to move. And there's news on that front, said news bein' I received a form letter from Golden Acres sayin' I'd been put on their waiting list. I also got a tour of one of the apartments yesterday, courtesy of DIL Erma's Mom (I did mention the lady lives there, right?). I was impressed with both the layout and the available room, which seems palatial compared to El Casa Móvil de Pennington. We're beginning to look forward to this move.
Back to furnishings. I wasted about an hour lookin' at stuff on Ikea's web site this morning... and I say "wasted" because there ain't an Ikea within reasonable distance of me and more's the pity. I like the look of their stuff and I really like their prices. But I have some idea of what's out there now but it remains to be seen if it's "out there" in P-ville or The Big(ger) City™. I'm thinkin' Swedish Modern ain't exactly BIG around here. I know taste is all in our mouths but that Southwestern School... which predominates in these parts (I wonder why?)... doesn't do much for me, what with its emphasis on large dead animals and old dead cultures. I don't like the colors, either. Just sayin'.
Simple, spare, and angular... that's me. In more ways than one.
So what do I like? Well, I KNOW you're dyin' to know... so here are a couple o' few pics from apartments-past.
My living room in the San Ramon, CA apartment c. June 2002.
Had to smile when I saw the subway map on the wall. (Us, too.)
ReplyDeleteBuck, I never thought I'd say this...
ReplyDeleteYou're a square!
Nyuk...
Danish modern was my Grandmother's taste. At least that's what she called it...and she owned a furniture store.
As for us, we also like simple. In fact, our bedroom furniture came from my grandparents. It is now over 60 years old...clean lines, sturdy built...really looks good with dark mauve walls, etc.
I'm happy for you that you've made the decision to quit rambling around and finally settle down. The place sounds nice. We'll be over asap, and won't stay more than a month or two.
As to the old friend...well...I already e-mailed you my suggestion on that one.
Heh! WV: metoo Nyuk...
Oh, I forgot. Your hatred of the weekends took me back in time to high school when I was required to read Camus' "The Stranger." I know there's a faggot French title for it, but I refuse to use it.
ReplyDeleteHe hated weekends too.
Hadn't thought about old lady Ramey (my Senior English Teacher) in many moons. She loved shit like Camus wrote, and forced me to read it. I'm pretty sure she didn't get enough...or ANY.
That is all.
Buck,
ReplyDeleteI understand your anxiety about connecting again with an old friend. I recently reconnected with a number of my old high school grads (they have a dinner once a month) and, despite the initial anxiety, I've found I really enjoy meeting with them. There's a lot of reminiscing at first, which is okay, but then you get on to what's going on now, and that's even better.
Your room shots from the past have a spare, clean look and the Ikea decor you have in mind seems like a continuation of that same good look.
Note to Andy, I was forced to read Camus' The Stranger and The Plague somewhere along the way. Since his idea was that life and everything we do is meaningless, I wondered why he bothered to write them and why I had to read them.
Barry: That's the famous "Tate By Tube" poster put out by the London Underground in the '80s. I loved that poster... so much so that we had it matted and framed.
ReplyDeleteAndy: I'm thinkin' Danish Modern preceded Swedish Modern by a couple o' decades. Mebbe Swedish Modern isn't even a school or a style of its own, anyway, but I'm talkin' about the stuff Ikea popularized in the last ten years or so.
... really looks good with dark mauve walls, etc.
Ahem. You mean PINK, right? ;-)
I've read a lil Camus too. Why izzit that sorta stuff is always assigned and never just picked up?
Dan: It was good connecting with my old friend again. We talked on the phone for waaay longer than an hour and it was very enjoyable.
Thanks for the kind words on "the look(s)." I just hope I can find sumthin' similar around here.
I love reconnecting - for a little while anyway. Sometimes you hit it off all over again - sometimes you find out that you have moved in separate directions.
ReplyDeleteI like the clean lines of your apartment and the color (or lack of) is very modern and easy. Simple is elegant. IKEA delivered to my sister-in-law - from Dallas to Electra. Maybe they would ship. If not, I'll get the horse trailer/moving van...
So the move is a definite deal--as opposed to a "definite maybe?" OHHhhh NOOOooooo!!!! Come back Shane, come BACK!!! Think of the negative cash-flow!!
ReplyDeleteLike others I'm glad to hear your wandering days are soon to be over. You need some sprawling space.
ReplyDeleteSo the move is a definite deal--as opposed to a "definite maybe?"
ReplyDeleteI WILL be moving somewhere, soon. I need more space in my old age and modern conveniences, Virgil.
Kris: My wandering days were over long ago... I just never acknowledged that fact until now.
Simple, spare, and angular is what I like about you...well, as far as I know of you.....
ReplyDeleteYou do strike me as a minimalist, with a certain joie de vie that comes from living free of the trappings of materialism and excessive consumerism. You accumulate what gives you pleasure, not what the culture says you must have to be "in", like those horrid "McMansions".
However, I do understand your wanting a bit more space and having a cooktop that doesn't have to serve as storage and laundry facilities that don't require a car trip. Just be sure wherever you move to, you can still be "you".....like your cigars aren't forbidden or something.
Red: You are rapidly becoming my favorite Reader. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks yet again for your kind words... and rest assured: I will NOT move into any place that would even think of prohibiting cigars.