All's Well in Phoenix

Here's Benji at day care today. he is the life of the party. After 3 hours of nonstop play they were worn out.

The Paradox of Choice

Hi.  A friend shared this link to a lecture with me.  It's all about how we assume, in our capitalistic and industrialized world, that more choice is a good thing, always.  This psychologist, Barry Schwartz, talks about how too much choice often stymies us, wastes our time on non-essential thought, and makes us less happy. 

I really liked this.  It has me thinking about all of the times I've been lost wandering the aisles of a store because I'm overwhelmed and can't decide what to buy.  Which facial moisturizer, which jeans, which salad dressing, which paint, which wallpaper, which couch?  We are influenced by advertising to think that we can express ourselves by our clothes, our hairstyles, our home decor.  It all boils down to wasting too much time thinking and laboring over things that really don't matter much. 

Wouldn't we be happier with fewer choices?

http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html?quote=132

"Winter Grass"

The gardner guys came to the door about two weeks ago and asked if I wanted "winter grass".

I said, "I don't know, what is it?"

They said, "It's grass you put down in winter, to make it green and pretty."

I said, "How much does it cost?"

"Seventy dolla"

"OK. Sounds good."

So they put it down and set the sprinklers to water several times a day. It looked like hell at first because they roughed up the existing turf.

Now I have this. My friend Kendra's dogs who visited last night found it to be a wonderful and curious thing.

Catch-up Post for My Birthday

Thanks all for the great wishes and presents.

I partied hardy and had more alcohol than I'd had in two months!

Hilarious card from my friend Page.

And amazing hand-crafting from my sister. A beautiful hand-woven bead bracelet.

Pumpkin Carving Party Yesterday at My House

It was a great time. Three dogs, seven people and six pumpkins. And "bloody truffles" made by Kendra. They had red velvet cake inside and knives sticking out of them, with bloody red frosting.

Everybody Loves Sunshine

My friend Page brought me these flowers Monday evening when she came to dinner. They hsd been staying fairly closed and arranged symmetrically as I had put them. Then this morning I opened the blinds because it's cooler here today and within two hours they had all done this.

Space Shuttle Endeavor Over Indian Ridge

My better informed neighbor got even better photos.  Nice ones!

"The space shuttle Endeavour was shuttled from Houston to California this morning (September 20). It dipped over Tucson to honour Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly."

The Space Shuttle Went Right Over My House

I saw the space shuttle about a week ago when it was in town on the way to LA where it will be in a museum.  I was sitting in the back yard eating and watching Benji and this HUGE thing came over!  But lots of interesting things come over sometimes because of the airforce base here. 

I thought, "What the heck, it almost looks like the space shuttle, but I would think that would be bigger.  I wonder what it is!"  And by the time I recovered my senses enough to snap a photo, it was nearly out of site.  I heard later that it was the space shuttle I had seen.  So I've blown this up and shown you.  That's my back yard fence and the neighbor's oleander in the foreground.  You may have to scroll right to see it well.

My Neighbor's Distinct Aesthetic

I just love what she has done to decorate around her front door, it's wild and sculptural and all Arizona.  The little pot is about the size of a golf ball.

Curb Appeal

I've been making a few changes around the house.  I had the front walk and back patio re-grouted and stained to match the house better.  There was a sort of pinkish brick there with a concrete stoop and the house is decidedly orange burnt adobe.  This looks much better, and I found a beautiful rope mat on Etsy.  The second photo is better color-wise.

A Recent Craigslist Odyssey

I recently picked up some living room tables in the deep wilds south of Tucson.  The home was fabulous and I had a great time seeing it and talking to the guy, but when I headed back a different way than I came, to go to the chiropractor, I found myself on a road that looked like this.

And it went on for miles and miles like this.  It didn't look any different on my map than other paved streets.  Portions were washed clear away from the monsoons.  I wasn't sure my car was ever going to be the same, but I didn't want to turn around and be late for my doctor's appointment! 

Then, this!

It's a free range cattle area down south of Tucson.  That freaks me out, frankly.  Cows are rather large animals to hit.  But this mom and baby seemed to know to cruise the side of the road.  They were just following it along.

Chair Assembled in No Time

The only problem was my drill is not strong enough to get the back screws in all the way.  I will have to enlist the drill and kindness of a neighbor or my handyman.

The Aeron has arrived!

Needs assembly. Package weight 150 pounds.

Now let's see if I can pull it off and not hurt myself...

New Office Chair!

The Herman Miller Aeron chair is the only one that I have ever used that I could stay in comfortably all day.  That was at Cedars Sinai.  So, since I have been in AGONY lately with back and shoulder pain, I decided it's time to replace the 15 year old chair I've been using with a really good one.

So I ordered the Aeron chair!  Fully loaded, baby!

Murphys Pond is for rent again

I received notice yesterday that the tenants are moving out at the end of October.  They purchased a home.  They would have liked to purchase the condo, but I could not afford to sell it to them in its underwater state.

At any rate, if you know of anyone who may want a nice place, let them know.  The rent is $1025 and there are two bedrooms, two baths, greatroom, laundry room and 2-car garage.  And as you know, it's pond-side, which is just the greatest.  I miss that pond.