April 2011 | Page 3 of 4 | Kate's Point of View

Molly

On April 18, 2011

Isn’t it nice when you fine someone who has your same sense of humor? Someone who, when you spot someone with their sweater tucked into their pants you can point and know he or she will laugh with you? Someone who gets as big a kick out of Your Mom and That’s What She Said jokes as you do? I’m lucky in that I found that with Wonder Boy. I’ve found lots of other people who share by 12-year-old boy sense of humor. But not as many people see the humor in Mollie.

Quite a while ago, Wonder Boy and I were going through a weekend circular for coupons and come across one of those ads for porcelain dolls — you know, like replicas of Princess Diana. Only this one was of a monkey named Mollie. It was awesome. It was also more than $100. Wonder Boy clipped the ad and shared it with a co-worker. Who went ahead and ordered herself Mollie.

We now have Mollie…. on loan I ~~hope~~ think. Friday night I stayed home alone with a head cold but had Mollie to keep me company. Quite a sexy date, don’t you think?

Dreams Deferred

By Kate

On April 17, 2011

In house

I am not a big planner. I think about lots of stuff I want to do but I don’t set up many goals for myself. Truly. I am driven and think people perceive me as very goal-oriented. Alas, no. Wonder Boy and I share this trait and I’m not sure how healthy it is. There is one goal on which we agree, though. We know the area of town we want to move to and we know the style of house we want to buy. In fact, we know the very house. It’s extravagant, big, expensive and completely unnecessary for only two people. And yet, we love it. And loosely, our plan has been to save our butts off and move in about 3 years.

So the other day when Wonder Boy called me at work practically jumping out of his skin with excitement to tell me that the house was for sale, time stopped a little bit. It isn’t time yet. Our bathrooms aren’t done yet (even though the project started on early January and is becoming the bane if my existence). And more house… am I ready for more house?

But it’s the dream. And for dreams, you work a little harder. So Wonder Boy got pre-approved for a home loan. He scheduled a home tour for us. We worked out budgets where we could (barely) afford the house.

And when we saw it, it was beautiful. It was mid-century splendor. The chairs I’ve been collecting like a sick hoarder every time I go to an auction or garage sale? They would look beautiful and fit in perfectly with the style of the home. The yard was huge and sunny so we could garden. The street was quiet and almost, dare I say it, suburban, but you could still walk to restaurants and a movie theater.

We both tried to be so cool as we walked through the house, asking insightful questions to the realtor and acting like the house was totally within our means. And we got home and talked about it. And while not perfect, we could both see ourselves in the house. The dream house. So we walked through the math once more. And it was tight but it was doable. Make the leap? Go for it? Then we stumbled upon the property taxes which were substantial and suddenly the house was completely out of our reach.

Our dream house will be someone else’s house.

But, now we have a goal. Our new goal is to save our behinds off and buy a house like the one we just saw. My chairs need a place to shine.

Let’s Combine Some of My Favorite Things

By Kate

On April 16, 2011

In animals

Crazy Cat Lady Maybe?

By Kate

On April 15, 2011

In animals

I have gotten comments from family and co-workers that imply I might be a crazy cat lady. I think I defy that stereotype because I am 1) married and 2) have never had more than three cats at once … that are mine because fosters don’t count.

So maybe just a little crazy? But when you see this guy, can you blame me?

He’s only two weeks old and so, so sweet. Also, very hungry. Here’s a shot of me feeding him.

That’s so cute I didn’t even try to Photoshop out my extra chin!

Hanging My Bling with Eez

By Kate

On April 14, 2011

In reviews

In my ongoing reviews of As Seen on TV gifts I have received, I want to share thoughts on bling eez. As in the past, I will be rating this item based on inventiveness, practicality and, most importantly, does it work.

bling eez comes with 9 racks that you can affix into a flat surface and from which you can hang jewelry. Used at full capacity, bling eez has space for hanging 200 pieces of jewelry. (In that count, I believe one pair of earring counts as 2 pieces of jewelry.)

bling eez comes wrapped in three sets, making it easy to use only as much of the product as you need. Each set has one rack for necklaces, one for rings and one for earrings. You open the packaging and put some stoppers at the end of the necklace rack. Then you peel off the backing on double-stick tape and affix the racks to wherever makes sense. It was a challenge for me as to where to try this. In the end I decided on my door, mainly because I was afraid of having to remove these things from plaster walls.

The racks really hold jewelry well and it’s easy to get your baubles organized using bling eez.

So how to rate the bling eez?

Inventiveness? Some
Practicality: Yes but probably more for people in more temporary housing – these would have been great in my dorm rooms with their cinderblock walls
Does it work? Definitely

The Product of Creative Frustration

Month: April 2011 Page 3 of 4

Molly

Dreams Deferred

Let’s Combine Some of My Favorite Things

Crazy Cat Lady Maybe?

Hanging My Bling with Eez

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