Gone to the Movies | To Catch a Thief

I decided to watch the old classic "To Catch a Thief" starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelley. I was caught off guard by the great dialogue. It's quite witty & a bit quirky, to the point that I laughed out loud several times. The costuming was a treat as well : ) A few of my favorite quotes & outfits below.

Frances Stevens: Are you sure you were talking about water skis? From where I sat it looked as though you were conjugating some irregular verbs.

John Robie: You're here in Europe to buy a husband.
Frances Stevens: The man I want doesn't have a price.
John Robie: That eliminates me.

John Robie: Say something nice to her, Danielle.
Danielle Foussard: She looks a lot older up close.
Frances Stevens: To a mere child, anything over twenty might seem old.
Danielle: A child? Shall we stand in shallower water and discuss that?

Frances Stevens: I bet you told her all your trees are sequoias.

More of these kinds of movies, please.

SJW

The Annual List

Every year I make a "wishlist" for my birthday & Christmas & send it to my mother. It tends to serve as a time capsule year over year. Here's what made the cut for 2016:

clogs. clogs. clogs.

Paper Source calendars

a large clutch

a fun jumpsuit

pleated accordion skirt

classy tunic top

colorful table lamp

pretty classics

nice cookbooks with pics

Living like I'm 26,

SJW

A Poem | The Me in Media

Sucked in. Spit out.
Facebook. Blogs. Instagram.
The social is meant to be social. Other people social. True.
But when I look. I am alone.
At a stoplight. Walking home. Waiting in line. On my couch.
How social is this?

The feed is chronic and enticing.
The people. The pets. The vacations. The views.
The brunching in cute cafes.
The engagements. The weddings. The anniversaries. The babies.
The where I went. The who I saw. The what I did. I soak up this feed.
But what is it feeding me?

I am what I do. I am who I see. I am where I go.
I am Cool.
Stylish. Sophisticated.
Experienced. Exciting.
But really.
Aren't I just Consumed?

Passive passivity.
Comparing comparison.
Judgmental judging.
Envious envy.
This is not who I want to be.
Can I stop?

#CanYou?

-SJW

On the Shelf

My reading list sometimes spirals out of control. Here's what's on the docket:

Personal Growth:

I'm hoping these four reads will help me learn how to set new rhythms, better approach my "free" time, be more productive, & make healthy decisions. 

Pure Enjoyment:

Just some books to read through for the fun of it! A couple memoirs (one of my favorite genres), a story set in Seattle, & a magical read : )  

Just Because:

Found most of these in the "Little Library" stands in my neighborhood. Drawn in by the front cover & brief summary on the back, I'm interested to find out if any of these are winners. 

Turning pages,

SJW

Whistle While You Work

I pulled a Snow White the past few weeks - stuck in my little cottage, cleaning away. Unfortunately, the Lower Queen Anne squirrels, birds, & deer were neither as savvy nor helpful as their Disney counterparts. It's just been me, 409, & a lot of paper towels. The scrubbing, painting, wet-vacuuming, dusting, wiping, & washing all paid off though. Our former little unit was immaculate by the time we handed over the keys to our new short-term tenant.

As for the furnishings, we were able to reuse several of our old items & locate inexpensive pieces through OfferUp (my new favorite time suck). Some generous souls in our community even gifted us items they were no longer using including the standing lamp, dishes, & bedroom dresser!

 Here's the finished product for our furnished little rental unit.

Feeling grateful & happy & contemplating the words of Snow White, "Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine."

SJW

Life Wright Now | September

Watching
I stumbled upon the movie trailer for Genius & am intrigued by the true story of Thomas Wolfe & his editor. Historical films regarding literature with an amazing cast is a good sign in my book : ) It's next up on my Netflix list & I might just add "Look Homeward, Angel" to my classics reading list!

Eating
Mr. Fleece & I are utilizing Blue Apron through October in an effort to build up our recipe repertoire. My strategy is to make the meals provided for the week & then purchase the items from the grocery store the next week to see if I can make the same great-tasting dish on my own. Having made the first meal with all the ingredients handy makes it less intimidating/overwhelming to make it a second time. Making the same meal so closely together is also a good way to help learn the steps and make it go faster for future editions. We often double the recipe the second week so we actually have leftovers : ).

So far, this meal-planning approach is working. It's not super sustainable in the long run, since Blue Apron is still rather expensive per meal, but it's been a helpful tool to get me in the kitchen & grow my culinary knowledge & experience. For example, I blanched green beans for the first time : )

Reading
After reading "Bringing Up Bebe" I decided to continue my education on French culture/parenting & picked up "French Kids Eat Everything." I've become somewhat fascinated by the French approach to food & have taken notes for myself & future family.

 I'm inspired to create the table as the happiest place in the home & enlightened to a different way of inviting children to eat. Vegetables don't have to be covered in ketchup & young toddlers don't need to constantly snack between meals. Though there are standards & expectations in France that make it far easier for this to be accomplished (like daycares that craft three-course meals including leeks, cabbage, & fish for toddlers...) & it certainly takes time & energy, the fact that it's possible is encouraging!

Listening
Mr. Fleece played the song "Lights Burn Out" by Prinze George (coming to Seattle on October 29) during one of our first dinners in our new house. The fact that we can now eat meals facing one another, rather than side by side at a bar & extra mood music made for a more romantic meal than normal! 

Hands in the air,

SJW