The clean up continues.

Crafting and sewing storage

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I've been pretty darn quiet on all my blogs over the last couple of weeks. I've done no writing, no crafting, no scrapbooking, no doll making, no art. Basically I've been so focused on the declutter that other things have been put on hold. However, Jayn's small birthday party went well, and the girls learnt how to play charades. I heard a lot of laughing from the other room.

Latest Donations - lots going to the nursery school my neighbors kids attend - rest to Goodwill.

My big clean has been wonderful. We took another load to the Goodwill yesterday, and yet another load to storage. James said that it looked like our storage unit was getting full, but I replied, "You can still see the ceiling".

The empty, tidy hallway.

It's funny how small things can give so much pleasure. I put my vacuum cleaner away inside the hallway closet, and it felt wonderful. So now it is just the bedroom, the bathroom, and one small corner of the office. I'm not doing that today though. I have a Halloween costume to finish.

Meanwhile I'm at home hoping the phone does not ring. Because my new doctor has a "no news is good news after a week" policy. There are ultrasounds and mammograms and other lab tests to wait for - mostly just routine stuff. Get your mammograms ladies. It doesn't hurt anywhere near as much as purported by humor. The worst part is that it might pinch your skin just a bit. It's not even pain, but just a little bit of momentary discomfort, and pressure that is probably less than from your too small underwire bra at the end of a long day. And a mammogram is not a long day. Just a half a minute per image.

A Tale of Two Tiles

Ancient tile work in a fountain - The Getty Villa, Malibu 

Modern tile work in progress in our shower - Coburn Casa, Playa del Rey

Actually they have just about finished the shower. Right now they are putting the silicone sealer around the door. Another contractor has to come and repair the wood door jamb and seal and paint the concrete on the outside of the shower recess. The project will have taken three weeks on Wednesday.

I love the Getty Villa. We visited on Friday. They have the Pompeii exhibit going at the moment, which is about the works of art and photography inspired by the event, and the re-discovery and excavation of the site. The curators have been thoughtful and clever. My favorite moment is the contrast between this romantic painter's idyllic vision of buxom young women with petal pink skin hauling baskets of rocks away from the dig site, and an actual photo of the dry and dusty (fully clothed) swarthy male workers doing the actual work, along with their super carrying a hefty stick to keep them going.