It's a struggle to keep up with what we do. When I'm with Gordon, I feel like I understand what's going on. When he's not there, my design sense fades pretty fast. I never have time to write all I want. But today was a short shopping day (because it was a workday for us) and I almost remember what happened.

Today we bought a jungle rug - a leopard print - for JoAnn's office. Maybe it's a cheetah print, I've got to bone up on my big cats. So, we've got tiger striped shades for her chandelier, a tiny bamboo table, a wicker chair. Gordon dragged a couple of Warhol prints of a zebra and water buffalo out of the kids' rooms to put in there. From our renovation 17 years ago her office has grass cloth wallpaper painted dark green. Gordon hated her office. He still hates the office mess but now it's a room folks want to be in. When the rug comes, well I just can't imagine.

So we headed for JJF, Inc. dba Carpet Liquidators just off Peachtree Industrial one of Gordon's favorites. It's a junky showroom and a super junky warehouse. John Flack helped us. There was a non-wool print with a lighter background. We decided on the wool with a darker mottled background. We ball parked a measurement and headed home to measure and fax back the measurements. Mr. Flack will cut and bind the edges.

So how do you measure a five sided room for an area rug? We did it somehow but the details are hazy. Last week we were thinking of diagonal in line with the doors. That would have looked great because we simulated the look with some sheets on the floor and quite a bit if measuring.

Today we worked on the theory that the bigger the rug, the bigger the room would look. Thetrick was measuring so that the corner we cut for the doors would be perfect. It that angle is wrong, it's going to be real bad. It took a lot of measuring, a lot of thinking, and a lot of math with fractions. I got lost. Finally we faxed Mr. Flack and asked him to figure out the rest. He called back to say he'd handle it. I've got to trust him.

Here is the room:

Today I hung the new track lights for the laundry hall that will shine on 8 black framed pictures. All we need now is some touch up paint and something to go in the picture frames.

Pretty dramatic for a tiny hall. On the other hand,
the hall is visible from the dining area and kitchen.
Dressing it up and David's picture at the end
make a huge difference, but all I can think of
right now is the laundry piling up just through the
door to the right.

We went back to Flora Dora today to take our kitchen vase to be stuffed with an arrangement. It was JoAnn's first time. I had warned her never to go there. It's not just the silk flowers, it's beautiful decorative things often stuffed with beautiful arrangements. The best thing is owner, Tony Pernice. I think he's quite a talent with the kind of transplanted Yankee personality that charms us southern folk. Plus, he knows they aren't real flowers and enjoys the real things.

But if he has an arrangement in mind, he doesn't have to worry about the season, shipping, and keeping fresh flowers, he simply goes into the back room and get's what he needs:

A small part of the "raw" inventory.
There were at least 20 different varieties of hydrangea.

We found a great Christmas wreath for the front door. It's just a bunch of  sticks with red berries. It cost less than a real wreath at the Christmas tree lot, and we'll have it for next year.

It's just a bunch of sticks!

JoAnn couldn't resist the blue vase:

It picks up the colors of the screen, the ceiling, and "The Drawbridge."

We got this for our bathroom. It has needed a shot of color for that last 17 years:

We also went to Atlanta Water Gardens and nearly bought a fountain. It was my third trip and JoAnn's second. I had my credit card out. There were 4 great ones in stock and several great ones on order.

I don't know, the idea of a big fountain inside our house is bodacious enough but I think we've bought into it. The impact of a fountain in the entrance hall is a very cost effective way to wow folks when the walk into the door. I'm sure it will wow me overtime.

Today we were anxious about noise and splash. The ones we liked the best seemed wet and noisy. Waterfall designs make the least noise and splash but for our money the were small. Not a good decorating value. I was depressed when we left empty handed. It was the right thing though. They'll call when their newest fountain arrives in a few weeks.

So tomorrow I hope to exchange the glass shades at Home Depot, look at outdoor light kits, install the rest of the kitchen hardware, invent or find a large magnetic bulletin board, hide the rope light cords ...