Just a Little Story and More Romantic Rooms

We were burglarized twice when we lived in California. The first time we were gone and the burglar broke in and took the usual items he could get—television, tools, microwave. We didn't keep money in the house so he was out there.

But the second time we walked in on them. Love Bunny hit the first one in the head with a mug but still managed to run away and chased the second one down the street and preceded to try and kill him. ;-) Not really, but he hurt him severely. (You do NOT, and I mean NOT EVER, want to mess with a Marine, especially one who ran marathons!) And I identified the first one from a lineup in Alameda with a trip down the Nimitz Freeway in the back of a cop car going 100 MPH. I was clutching hubs' hand so hard he was in pain. I hate high speeds.

Anyway, it went to trial. Let me just say here real trials are NOT like they are on television. They are as boring as watching crops grow, except for grapes, which actually grow inches in a day. Trials seem to take years when you're a witness.

So we went to the Oakland Court House and were put in a room with no books (you'd better bring your own reading material) and 2 wood chairs. I sat there while the other witness, hubby, testified and he sat there while I'm testified. Boring!!!

When I was on the stand the defense attorney tried to trick me into contradicting myself by asking the same question over and over again in several different ways. At one point, I turned to the judge, a very patient, kind black man, and said, "Judge, he's asked me that already several times!" He smiled and just said to answer the question again. I then knew why it takes so long to get justice. After all that, before the jury even decided on a verdict, the two men pleaded guilty. I mean, I saw them and knew with no doubt whatsoever they were the ones. I guess they just wanted to stay out of jail a bit longer. Such is our justice system, which is better than any in the world, but still lacking.
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Okay, time to look at more beautiful rooms, cute vignettes and just all-around pretty things for a while.

This is a room I could quite easily live in. Love the arrangement of the sofas. If I had enough room I'd have 2 sofas facing each other. Oh, yesssss, I would!

Seeing colorful wash on the lines just makes me feel good. I remember hanging my daughter's and son's diapers on the line and then just sitting in the cool California grass with neighbors chatting while the laundry dried. No dryers for us in those days.

I saw this cute clock and tried to purchase one but they were all sold out.

A dream in white.

This almost looks pink, but it's the hue of the wood I think that gives it that pink glow.

I saw these on a woman's website and thought they were adorable. Unfortunately, she lives in another country and I couldn't understand how much they were but I may try and make one for myself. This woman is waaaaay talented!

Another darling kitchen in red and white.

This dining room is one I would love to have but those wicker chairs would have me falling all over the place trying to get in and out of them at the table. I do love this room though.

Yes, I know. It looks like it's somewhere in France or Italy and you want it. Trust me, you really wouldn't want to live in another country. I have a friend of a friend who is now living in England on a mission for our church. We skyped so we could talk about our genealogy programs. She enlightened me to some things about England. It seems they are taxed to death. Carol said it's easier to take a bus 2 miles than it is to drive the 2 miles. The gasoline is out-of-sight expensive. They also have to pay 200 pounds a year for a license just to watch television. That equates to $317.00 at the current exchange rate. That's a year. In addition to the other costs associated with watching television like electricity. Carol was telling me everything is so much higher than here. Homes and apartments are much smaller. They have a 2 bedroom apartment and it's terribly small. We won't even talk about the food. Or the fact that it's dark at 4:30 PM in the winter.

Another creative idea for cabinets and storage in the kitchen—tie on curtains.

Yeah, yeah, I know. But just think of the upkeep and humidity and bird droppings you'd have to clean up. ;-)

Just makes ya wanna smile, huh? :-)

Hubs and I were only yesterday talking about new pillow cases. He wants me to make some; I want to be lazy and buy some. After seeing these, I think I'll make some as cute as these.

My daughter had wisteria on an arbor several years ago. It took the arbor out of the ground. Wisteria is quite strong and can rot wood if left on there for a number of years. Actually, any window box made of wood can rot and cause rot on the house and termites can then get in your house. When we bought our first house, the inspector told us to take it off because of that and we certainly did. Our neighbors got termites but we never did.

We are always on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things.
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