Fascinatin' Faucets

We live in an old house - older than I am, and that's saying something lately. We've updated most of our plumbing at least once in the past 31 years, and I'm planning some more renovating in our "master bath," (a real misnomer in an early 1950's style ranch house!) This time, I can use the internet for my shopping, rather than wandering around in Home Depot or Lowe's. I've been browsing Faucet.com this morning, and I'm completely astounded at the variety of bathroom faucets available. I've been looking at Delta faucets because we have those in our Florida home, browsing through 20 pages of sink faucets, ranging in price from $54.00 to $411.00!

Once I decide, I can make my purchase on line. There are handy information pages to help me choose the correct type of faucet for my sink, a toll free phone number for "real live" assistance, and free shipping options. What could be easier?

I love the internet.

Friday Feast

AppetizerOn a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday? I used to look forward to it immensely, and I still enjoy the idea of remembering the day I was born (all those many years ago!). I just wish I didn't have to keep getting older. As far as a rating - hmmm, I'll say 5, somewhere safely in the middle.

Soup What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of? Suck. Even when it's used for it's actual meaning, and not in the pejorative sense.

Salad Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like? I wear sunglasses more often than I used to (its another one of those age things, I guess). I tend to lose sunglasses, so I have about six relatively cheapo pairs scattered around the house and in the cars.

Main Course If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it? I have written one book (unpublished, but still...) and partly because of the subject matter and partly just because she deserves it, I would dedicate it to my mother. The book I'm thinking about writing now, the one that's marinating in my brain in preparation for NaNoWriMo next month, would be dedicated to my husband.

Dessert Name a beverage that you enjoy. Coffee at sunrise, Chardonnay at dusk. for more feasts, go here

Travelin' South-A Free Raleigh, NC Get Away

I get the urge to take a road trip in the fall, to meander down winding country roads, visit small towns along the way, have homemade apple pie in "mom and pop" diners, and, of course, marvel at the palette of crimson and gold painting the landscape. I've hankered to visit North Carolina for some time, and I was doing some cyber research the other night on the official tourism site for the city of Raleigh. I had no idea this was such a "happening" place for the arts lover...North Carolina symphony concerts, the Carolina Ballet, the Carolina Museum of Natural History and Art, Broadway shows, historic walking tours, Branford Marsalis in concert...some of my favorite things to do. All the attractions of city life, with the charm of a Southern small town.

Because I love fall, I was especially attracted to the fall getaway pages, and I eagerly registered for a chance to win a Free Raleigh Getaway that includes accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott, gift certificates to Bloomsbury Bistro, tickets to the theater and to the Impressionist exhibit at the Museum of Art, and even more.

So now I have my heart set on winning this trip. But feel free to register yourselves - just promise to tuck me into your suitcase if you win!

Tagged (Again)-Eight Random Things About Me

Are there eight random things you don't know about me? I think over the past 18 months I've confided many of my most "interesting" secrets, but since Michele asked so nicely, I'll give it a go.

• I can't stand loud, repetitive mechanical noises, like lawn mowers and gas powered edgers. They make me want to scream.
• I'm claustrophobic, and get really edgy in traffic jams or wedged in the middle of the row at the theater.
• I love animals with a passion, and am so tenderhearted I cannot bear to hear or watch anything where animals are hurt. When I was a kid, I couldn't even watch Lassie, because she was always in some kind of danger during the show.
• I drive fast - too fast.
• I'm not nearly the perfectionist that people think I am ;)
• I have no talent whatsoever for art - drawing, crafting, etc. I really don't. Or for any type of needlework.
• As much as I love working as an accompanist at the high school, I do not like teaching, and, not surprisingly, I'm not any good at it. Years ago, when I taught private piano students, I remember feeling an overwhelming urge to push them off the piano bench so I could play the piece the right way.
• I don't like talking on the telephone or making phone calls, and will put off doing it until the last possible moment.

There you have it~I'm not tagging specific people, but feel free to play along if you haven't already done this one.

Write on Wednesday-Addendum

Visit Writing Time to "cyber audit" a class called "Courage and Craft: Writing Your Life Into Story." Author, teacher, and blogger, Barbara Abercrombie teaches this course at the UCLA Extension Writers Program, and she's sharing some of her class lectures and writing exercises with those of us who read her blog. The class is based on her newly published book by the same title, and promises to offer some exciting suggestions and inspiration. So get yourself a new spiral notebook and a pen, and head over to class. Don't be late!