Happy List: #177

Hello, hello!

I hope the week has treated you well.

This week I shared why I love old houses so darn much. The funny thing of it was so many of you related to my sentiments on the subject. That said, don’t begrudge me if someday I move into a house with light switches in every room. Heck, I’d give up the light switches I do have right now if it meant I could have central air-conditioning.

I also shared a round up of my latest thrifted finds. It’s taken me all summer, but I did find a few things that came home with me. In fairness, I might find more things if I left my house more often.

On Facebook or Instagram stories this week I shared progress we’ve made patching up the walls of our Carriage House. The kids have been helping!

I also shared a sneak peek of the finished shelves on our back porch. I felt utter delight stocking those shelves with all of our bottled and canned drinks this week. It feels so good to have a proper place for things in my home.

Here’s the Happy List!

POTTING SHED

For all you garden lovers, you need to check out Kim’s potting shed over at Shiplap and Shells.

Are you drooling? Her view is pretty spectacular too!

(image: Shiplap and Shells)

KID CONVERSATION

Earlier this week my son asked me to play a game with him in the pool. This is the conversation that transpired.

Son: I just made up a game. Will you play with me?

Me: (groans internally because I had been floating so peacefully for 18 seconds) Sure! What’s the game?

Son: *spends 10 minutes explaining the rules of the game*

Me: I think I understand. (I didn’t.)

Son: So how you win is…you don’t win.

Me:

Son:

Me: Sounds fun!

Son: I know.

It probably won’t surprise you to know that 5 minutes into this game my son was upset that I didn’t try to win.

CENTERFIELD

“Put me in Coach. I’m ready to play!”

I’ve always considered this song fun and playful, but never beautiful and moving. Until now.

MILLWORK

The millwork in this home is stunning, but the window is what I caught my eye. Or rather, the way the window intersects with the wood trim. It’s like BAM! Nature!

Go check out different angles of this room and the rest of the home at la SHED Architecture.

(image: la SHED Architecture)

KETCHUP

I listened to THE MOST FASCINATING story on the history of ketchup. Who knew ketchup had this whole back story?

Did you know the word has its origins in China?

Did you know that back in the early 1900s the U.S. Department of Agriculture had a Poison Squad? It was twelve men who tasted meals laced with your garden variety and possibly poisonous food additives like Borax and formaldehyde.

If a lot of formaldehyde can preserve dead bodies, then maybe a little bit of formaldehyde can prevent food from spoiling! Yes, that was the logic of food producers! If the additives made the Poison Squad sick, it prompted the Department of Agriculture to take action. Thank goodness!

Did you know that the reason Heinz ketchup was so much thicker than its competitors was because they used ripe tomatoes instead of not ripe tomatoes? Ripe tomatoes have more natural pectin.

Go read or listen to this story on Science Friday because it is definitely info you need to be able to casually drop into conversation at your next socially-distanced BBQ.

DIY EARTHENWARE VASES

Everyone is making over vases and lamps lately. Have you noticed that?

Not me, but I march to the beat of my own drummer I’m usually late to the game. Ha!

Kate’s (Centsational Style) DIY earthenware vases look the most realistic (especially that pitcher!) of any I’ve seen lately! Her tips and tricks seem pretty straightforward – I think I could actually handle it.

(image: Centsational Style)

GAG GIFT

I really hope Covid doesn’t ruin the White Elephant Gift Exchange this Christmas because I found THE BEST gag gift for you to give.

May I present the Bogeyman Egg Separator. TADA!

How gross and hilarious is that? The egg yolk stays in the mug and the egg whites come out the nostrils.

It costs less than $20, but no one purchase this egg separator for me.

LAVENDER

I have made exactly one decision about plants for our front yard. I want a whole bunch of lavender.

That’s all I know. Seriously, that’s it.

(image: Charles Mayer courtesy of Edmund Hollander via House Beautiful)

I don’t know when I’ll buy the plants or when I’ll plant them, but eventually I’ll make those decisions too.

SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO

“I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks — who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Thank you, once again, for reading The Happy List.

I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend. As for me, I’m going to work on my sauntering.

I’ll see you back here on Monday.

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