Five things: kitchen

It's been over half a year since my first five things post (living room) ... so I figured it was time for another one. Here are five things I like in my kitchen:

1. Wine rack. I can't remember exactly where I found it, but I know Paul and I were walking around a strange city (strange as in "neither of us lived there," not strange as in "weird") and saw it sitting out on the curb waiting for a trash pickup. I'd just realized that I was in need of a small wine rack, so I picked it up instead. Wherever this was, I had to take a plane to get home but Paul did not. So it happened that months later, during a visit to Wisconsin, after I'd all but forgotten about the wine rack, he delivered it to me. Thanks, P!

2. Le Creuset tea kettle. It's actually embarrassing how rarely I make use of it these days, but it's a nice, ornamental red. It lives on the stove.

3. Food-related wall art. I picked these three postcards up separately, not intending to put them together in any way. But at some point my new condo's kitchen needed decorating, and the theme suggested itself. I believe the three-part frame came from Target. Voila!

4. Vintage aluminum pitcher and cups. The fact that they're up on top of a shelf probably indicates how often I use these, but I love seeing them up there. I should make iced tea this summer and serve it from this set. And brew the tea in my kettle! It's all coming together.

5. Miró magnet. I bought this at a museum in Madrid, probably the Thyssen-Bornemisza. It was a museum that had some Miró paintings, some of which featured stars. Hence, the magnet. Ha ha. I can't pass the magnet on the fridge without saying the phrase out loud, always trying to perfect my accent on "las estrellas."

Bad neighbor

I live in a townhouse-style condo. Each building is made up of four units. We each have our own driveways, garages, upstairs, downstairs, and basements, but four condos - two on each side - face each other across a larger, common driveway.  There are a total of four buildings.

I'm not a bad neighbor in the obnoxious sense. I don't bang things or blast music at odd hours. I don't have a barking dog or loud children. But I have lived here over four years, and from a lineup I could pick out ... maybe five of the people who live in those twelve units. Total. Probably tell you their first names. And I was the condo association secretary for three years.

My next door neighbor has owned her condo for about a year. Once she stopped by while looking for her cat and we introduced ourselves, but I can't remember her name. I know she has two daughters. One of my across-the-driveway neighbors is - I think - a single young woman ... but maybe her boyfriend lives with her too? Maybe he's even her husband? She or they have been here for about six months. Next door to her is another woman with a live-in boyfriend and two sons. I do know her name and her boyfriend's name, but they've lived here as long as I have.

We all wave or smile and sometimes say hi if we pass each other outside, but that's it. I have no clue who lives in the condo that shares a back wall with mine. I never formally welcomed the newcomers. Does this make me a bad person? I think about my neighborhood growing up, and we kids were out playing with the neighbor kids all the time. All of the parents knew each other, and the non-parents, too. My mom and dad still exchange Christmas cards with most of them. Were they just friendlier than me, or have times changed? If I'm guilty of being a bad neighbor, then I suppose my neighbors are just as guilty.

Five things: living room

Inspired by some of Allison's recent blog entries, here are five things I like in my living room:



1. Coffee table. I don't know much about its history, only that it belonged to my grandma and then my mom, it spent a lot of time in the basement, and I stole it when I bought my condo. It once had a glass top to protect the wood, but that broke a long time ago. The surface has seen better days, but I love the scalloped edges and the bird and flower inlay.




2. Curtains. I bought them at a store that was going out of business - I no longer remember what store - but they were something like 80% off.




3. Statue. He's about seven inches tall, and stands in the alcove above the fireplace. When I was in Senegal last year, our hostess was packing up to move at the same time our trip was drawing to a close. She could only pack as much as could ride with her in a crowded sept-place, so she asked if I'd like the statue. An local friend had given it to her as a token of friendship, and she wanted to pass that on.




4. Record cabinet. In a rare burst of productive creativity a few years ago, I fashioned this myself out of an old crate down my parents' basement. I pried off a bottom cross-board so records would fit, removed old wheels, painted it black, and included a little 45-adapter detail. The picture was taken soon after I brought it home. Now there are more records inside, and - more importantly - an actual turntable on top!




5. Clock. When I went to Russia in 2001, my companions and I stopped at the home of a wood carver in a tiny village called Zarechye near Lake Baikal. He proudly brought out many items for our perusal, and I fell in love with this clock. I found a place for it in someone else's huge suitcase on the way home, and it's been keeping time for me ever since.

Springtime

These are the tulips in my front garden. I can take no credit whatsoever for them - beyond weeding - because they were planted by the previous owners. It was fun to watch them coming up, though, and try to guess what colors they would be. I'm pleased.

If anyone has a recommendation for hardy summer flowers I could put in, I'd love to hear it. Hopefully something that requires little to no attention unless there's a massive drought.

Vacation day tomorrow, and I'm off to Missouri. Perhaps there's another trip to the City Museum in my future.