Catching up

I swore I wouldn't let my blog postings lapse as they have been. Not because my deluded mind thinks I actually have fans ... but more just because this is a great place for me to unload my thoughts so my brain doesn't get too heavy carrying them around.

Anyway, here's a short recap of a few things that stood out over this past week, in no particular order:

1. I found out that Charlie dies BEFORE watching the finale of Lost. Bummer. But it's the price one pays for making other commitments on the night of a great TV show!

2. It felt especially great to throw pots this week. I made a bunch of stuff, mostly gifts for specific people, but also a mug and pitcher for myself. Hopefully they'll all turn out.

3. Because of the above, along with some other recent purchases, I have about a third of my Christmas shopping done already! What a nerd I am.

4. I can now say I'm a veteran of the Collingswood May Fair. Wow, it's a big event for our little town! Lots of booths (selling mostly junk), lots of food (some GREAT, some bad), lots of people (the people watching is unparalleled), and lots of fancy cars (everything from souped up dune buggies to vintage VW bugs to Ford Falcons and Caddys). Such fun to walk around with my neighborhood peeps too! I'm a true local.

5. Franklin Mills. Wow. I had somehow never been there until the other night. I didn't buy much, but the reason for going wasn't about me. My friend Alison needed a new wardrobe, and boy did she get it! So fun to see a friend try on clothes I picked out for her. Very gratifying. And she looks terrific in everything she bought.

6. The air conditioners in my place are officially on. The heat and humidity this morning got to me, and I broke down. The unit in my new apartment is loud, but it cranks. Yay! Of course, I say that now, but let's see how my next PSE&G bill looks.

Porch haiku

The porch. The sun on the porch. The awning's shade. A new pad for the chaise lounge. Giving myself a pedicure. A light breeze. A cool beverage. Suntan lotion. Pigtails. Spring Saturday bliss.

Changing the Chi

Ever since moving to Collingswood, I've had the opportunity to blur the often-too-well-defined lines of my life by bringing a variety of friends together. It has been a revelation. In fact, it should have been on my "top 5" for why I love Cwood so much! I get to see all these new, wonderful sides to the people in my life through the eyes of the other people in my life.

Tonight, I had three of my dearest friends over for a walk and take-out. Two of them know each other very well, but the third had only heard about the others, and vice versa. I wasn't nervous about their liking each other or getting along ... but you just never know how such meetings will go.

After dinner, I excused myself from the dining room to have a smoke on the porch. I sat there gleefully listening to the three of them interact—their voices raising and lowering, their laughter bellowing, and the ice cream dishing. It warmed my heart!

As they were getting ready to leave, I looked at the mound of dirty dishes in the sink not as a chore, but as a happy remnant of a successful party. As I cleaned up, the sounds of the festivities replayed in my head.

My new apartment and I love bringing friends together. To quote one, "it changes the chi in the room." Yes, it sure does!

Spring Top 5

Here's my spring-infused Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Collingswood, NJ (my new hometown)

1. A mere 15 minute drive gets me to the Perkins Art Center in Moorestown where I can play with clay.

2. My landlord hung the awning that protects my porch from the elements, and now it feels like I have another room!

3. Cooper River Park. It's fantastic. Plus, my city friends come out and walk with me there. Exercise, fresh air and girl talk... sigh...

4. Quiz Night at the Pop Shop. Local and city friends come together to share the stuff we know, along with fries and ice cream.

5. The ceiling fan in my bedroom. It's a first for me, and my sleep has never been so slumberful.