The World of Book Kerfuffles Makes me Titter

I have not read that book derived from the Twilight saga, and I don’t intend to read it. (Not that I didn’t try to steer my book group towards it so as to have an excuse…)  However, I can readily acknowledge that there is something titillating about having an easy if awkwardly phrased read that broaches topics we might not otherwise be willing to gobble up outside of the Penthouse Forum Letters.  (What’s that? Never heard of it.)  In fact, I was only mildly surprised to see the BDSM book displayed in one of the LAST places I expected: Grove Pharmacy! The old school neighborhood pharmacy had the two sequels proudly displayed on the counter next to the cash register yesterday.  Ka-ching!  Good for them.  Although, I’d suggest offering a discount on Neosporin and gauze with each purchase.  You know, in case people want to relive the magic that is many shades of grey.

Working Class Dog

The prize.

We were going to be sewing book covers, and I had gotten last pick of the material. I folded the brown cloth flecked with green three-leaf clovers into a loose rectangle and rested my chin in the palm of my hand. I watched the second-hand jerk through the last-minute before class would begin.

I had Home Economics as the second period of the day in eighth grade. Mornings were lonely that year.  None of my friends were in my homeroom, Honors English still intimidated me into silence, and Home Ec was filled with girls in Lee Jeans and feathered hair.  The boys weren’t any use to me either.  I was too shy to even look them in the eye, let alone be funny or cute.  I was just about invisible, partly because I had perfected blending into the background by this third year of middle school.

Weed Wars: A New Hope

A gift from a friend.

If it weren’t for my husband, I’d probably be wading through weeds and crabgrass to get to the recycling cans.  Wait, is crabgrass a weed?  So, weeds.

A little love from the previous owner.

As I’ve mentioned a few times, the previous owner of our lovely home had a very green thumb.  And time and passion for gardening.  She even left us a large folder with a gardening map and lists of what was planted and how to care for it.  It’s still in a plastic rolling cube under the little table in the kitchen.  It’s dusty.

Glad I Saw It: Curbed Firebird

Isn’t this a pretty, pretty car?  I’m far from a fanatic when it comes to car stuff, but I do appreciate a lovely piece of automotive history.  Since Bloomfield has a pretty regular car obsession, we get our fair share of lovely metal boxes driving around.

I was lucky enough to get to ride around town in this Firebird last week. Fun!  It really does make you want to wave at people with joy.  I restrained myself from waving and shouting “Wheeeee!” on the five minute drive, but it was tough.

Glad I Saw It: Lovers on a Pedestal

Who needs trying-too-hard fan fiction when you’ve got friends like mine?

Not only did this home have gorgeous paintings by the father of the mother of the birthday boy. (Good luck figuring that one out.) But talk about making kiddie parties much more fun with art!

First I got to see naked people on my beloved Brooklyn Bridge, and now I’ve got vertical sexual acts in the living room. Next to the buffet, no less!  This statuette is gorgeous.  I love it for the curves and the passion and the fantasy.  And the mirrored pedestal.

Considering that we have a nude in our living room, it’s nice to know that there are compatriots around our way.

It Hurts on the Inside

Seeing the swelling, just a year after the first time, brought a frown and then a shrug of denial.  Swelling didn’t have to mean what she feared. And it was possible that it was attributed to the little knee banging into the coffee table. That had just happened yesterday.  It was possible.

And yet, thinking back to the last week of complaints about knees and elbows “hurting on the inside,” she knew it was most likely another bout of arthritis in her daughter’s joints.  And this time the doctor’s reluctance to officially diagnose the three-year-old with Juvenile Arthritis would become obligation. The shrug in the shoulders became a slump, and the frown softened into sad resignation.

On the Cutting Edge: Parlor Hair Studio

The bowl of quarters on the front counter of Parlor Hair Studio says it all.  Clients at this downtown Montclair salon get caring treatment for their hair and skin, and also for realities – like parking.  There’s not much that will take away the relaxation of a scalp massage before your haircut faster than a parking ticket, and the staff at Parlor want the calm of your visit to last.  And if my visit to Parlor is any indication, that’s a calm worth preserving.

Glad I Saw It: Green Dragonfly

This is a small part of the wall outside Over the Moon, a children’s clothing store on Valley Road.  We like to play “I Spy” when we walk past.  It’s amazing to me how specifically placed the pieces of pottery and tiles are – I do not have the patience (or artistry!) for this.

I’ve never been inside the store, but we appreciate the outdoor decor!

The Great Mother’s Day Irony: Parking in Pink and Blue

Something struck me as a chuckle when I saw these spaces for expectant mothers (or someone with a great deal of bloating) taken up with the abundant flowering plants available for Mother’s Day.

Frankly, I find this sort of parking adorably unnecessary – I mean, shouldn’t there be more handicapped parking here instead of across the traffic lanes? – but it’s the thought that counts.

With or without a parking space full of fragrant, flowery gifts, have a fantastic day – and that goes for everyone!

Glad I Saw It: Elegance in the Front Yard

I’ve never been a big fan of irises. I don’t like frilly things in general, and that’s how they look to me. But now that I am re-seeing the world through my children’s eyes, I have to admit that yes, they do look like a butterfly party. And yes, they actually are very beautiful.