Skipping at the other end of shabbat because according to the Buffista Calendar today is one of those lovely double Buffista events: it's both sj's birthday as well as Beverly and her DH's anniversarry.

Happy birthday, sj! With lots of wishes for a great day and a wonderful year!

Happy day, Beverly & DH! With lots of wishes for a wonderful year together!

I have been to the farmers market, took two prints to get framed (which means no new dresses for me), watered the garden, washed the siding on one side of the house. The one thing I really needed to do was get to the vet and buy cat food. I remembered about 5 minutes after the vet closed.

Thank you wonderful Buffistas. Yes, our neighbors do really like it--when I am out weeding or watering, people stop all the time to say nice things. People even slow down their cars and yell compliments out their windows!

Vortex, the rug is a printed woven sisal from Pier One. It was wicked cheap, too.

I don't know if the episode is going to be online--I will check and see. I think it may be repeated later today, HGTV does that.

One last show thing--looks like you will be able to see the episode online at the HGTV site. Don't know when they put it up, though.

The carpenter on the show, Carmen De La Paz, was adorable!

Check out her bio: [link]

Carmen De La Paz is an interior designer, carpenter and decorative painter

Carmen has extensive knowledge in techniques ranging from Venetian plaster, wood graining, gilding, stenciling and furniture refinishing. Along with her vast knowledge in decorative paint, she has extensive carpentry and masonry skills to complement her design work.

In addition to private, commercial and residential design work, Carmen has worked as a production designer and art director in the television, film and theater industry.

Outside the realm of design, Carmen's artistic talents run deep. Her credits include a Broadway debut at New York City's Lincoln Center. She plays nine instruments and has an amazing vocal style.

We had a slightly traumatic vet visit this morning (the fact of it was traumatic, not any results, to be clear). Then I went out to the Division farmers market. I couldn't see the bus coming so I decided to walk a few stops and let it catch up to me. Which it did, a full two miles later and half a block from my destination. WTF, CTA? Now I'm all sunburnt and thinking about naptime.

There's a house for sale on my street for quite a bit more than I paid for mine 3 years ago. The decor is little-old-lady-30-years-ago, but they have an small addition on one side, and have reconfigured the kitchen/DR. I hope there's an open house, because I want to see how they've remodelled the main floor. (Almost all the houses on my street started out with the same plan as mine.)

Gee Brenda, your transit sounds as helpful as ours.

Then I went out to the Division farmers market. I couldn't see the bus coming so I decided to walk a few stops and let it catch up to me. Which it did, a full two miles later and half a block from my destination. WTF, CTA?

I used to do stuff like that before the CTA bus tracker thing was available. Really, it's like magic.

Carmen was so much fun. We had a great time geeking out about NYC theater--her time overlapped Jason's time and so we know a LOT of the same people. Also we got to meet her wife, Lydia, who is sweet.