Tag: Houndstooth

Photo Friday, No. 696

Current Photo Friday theme: At_Home


This is the middle bedroom, also called the Quilt Room and Pooh Corner and the Second Guest Room. I sleep in this room when I need to get up very early and don’t want to disturb Tom and the dogs (for example, transport days or 5 AM work sessions). Right now, based on recommendations from the CDC (because I listen to doctors and scientists), Tom and I sleep separately and have always used separate bathrooms, so we are in compliance. I’m high-risk and still have to go to doctors’ appointments or take Debby (also high-risk) to doctors’ appointments. Tom’s going out when we need things from stores. So we’re both protecting the other, and it’s also recommended that high-risk people not sleep with or cuddle their pets. Both guest bedrooms have gates so the dogs never go in them.

I tend to compartmentalize what I do on my different devices. The laptop is always my work-away-from-home computer. Since I’m not leaving home, I’m hoping to turn it into my writing computer. I haven’t been writing. My head is not in a writing place. But maybe by setting up my laptop away from my work computer, in this little nest, I can get my head back into a writing place.

If not, I also have my Nook and my iPad where my Kindle and Kobo ebooks reside. I can always read.

My Day

I have photos in my camera but again, can’t upload them, so here are some phone photos. Happy birthday to a real Aries.

I made a spaghetti dinner that we ate outside because it was a beautiful evening with a breeze and no mosquitos at least for a while. Tim ate inside, since he needs to work and is in contact with a lot of people while Tom, Debby, and I are quarantining. But he came outside and stayed a few feet away to sing “Happy Birthday” with us in preparation for eating my delicious chocolate birthday cake made by Debby.

Flowers on the table were courtesy of my lovely parents-in-law. They never forget my special day. The best birthday I could have is all my friends and family social distancing and staying well.

Working Together

Per his company’s orders, Tom is working from home for the foreseeable future. Instead of working in my office at the second desk, he’s taken over the dining room table.

The dogs are happy. And while people warn me this can get taxing on the nervous system, I’m actually much calmer now that he’s here. I’ve worried about him having contact with so many people. I don’t want him to get sick.

We’re fortunate to have jobs we both can do from home (I always have, so it’s no change for me). It’s also good that we have extra rooms to spread out. Plus the living room with the TV has always been his domain. Whatever I watch, I watch on a computer.

And as I reminded someone, a couple of years ago, Tom and I and three dogs were living in one room while the rest of our house was being restored post-Harvey flood. For a couple of weeks of that time, he was home, and there we were piled together 24/7 in a room jammed with furniture and clothes. Part of that time when tile was being laid, we couldn’t even use our bathrooms but had to go to Tim’s or Debby’s apartments as necessary.

So this will be fine. We generally either get along or ignore each other. We’ve learned a few things through the decades. =)

Tiny Tuesday!


I went looking for my tiny leprechaun to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and demonstrate the safest kisses during social distancing. Plus…chocolate!

He was in a display cabinet that’s been packed away since the Harvey flood. It previously hung in my office, but I used that wall space for something else. So now I’m thinking: another project to complete during the time of quarantine!

All of these little plastic things will be appropriately organized and moved to the toy chest.

I hear ya, buddy


A few days back I relocated and reorganized my essential oils cabinet. I put photos of that process on Instagram, and I was trying to remember if I ever posted the finished project here. I had no idea. As I searched my mental file cabinet, a line from one of my late friend Riley’s poems popped into my head: My mind is a jumble.

Need to find that poem and see what he’s trying to remind me of.

Stitchy Woman

These are wonderful pieces sent by cross-stitching Marika to Tom and Tim at Christmas. Thought she’d like to see them in their natural habitat.

Adding to Tom’s Star Trek collection:

They hang in the office over the Magic Cow:

Closer up, you can see how playful they are:

On Christmas Day, Tim and his new friend peek over the pile o’gifts.

And here’s a look at this distinguished guy inside the Fox Den.

They loved their gifts, Marika! Thank you so much.

How we Saturday

Tom did this on Friday night.

And had most of the lights on it by noon Saturday.

I gathered up the few ornaments I bought or was given over the past few months.

Then we had dinner, and afterward, tree trimming! Courtesy of Debby and The Brides.

My Christmas socks match an ornament!

It’s been a few years since we all did this together–it made Lindsey as happy as I was!

Jack and Pepper hung out with us. The other dogs couldn’t be bothered. Scrooges.

There is a better photo where Debby is smiling, but it had less dogs, so this one won.

Only Delta was missing, and here she is.

Now it needs the tree skirt, the picket fence, some missing ornaments, and some GIFTS!

But it’s still pretty sweet.

Decorating Houndstooth Hall continues…