Things that have come into our house recently that I like

You know, I'm not super-materialistic, but it's true sometimes a thing can really make me happy.



1. Guy with a blond pompadour and a club beating the hell out of a giant stinking oyster

Ok we've had this since 1998 but it cracks me up every time I come across it. It's a petit point hand towel from a set we bought in Kodaikanal, India.




2. His new scarf

The first scarf I knitted took 4 months. The second took 3 nights. I multitasked - I knit while watching #10 until the wee hours.




3. the colors on this can of jackfruit




4. New York Architecture Game

Big thanks to A & J for this: it has been a real source of fascination in our house.


5. The Way Things Go. Basically a 30-minute video of a 100-foot chain reaction created by two Swiss installation artists. Fun for all ages and you'll have to either take my word for it or I'll put the kids on the phone. I tell you you've never heard children under 6 enthuse about ephemeral sculpture until you've heard the Big Man and Mr. Three clamor to watch this DVD.





6. www.wearehappytoserveyou.com

A gift from The Talented Cousin Rachel right after we moved to Baltimore from NYC. Not only do these mugs have the tromp l'oeil thing going for them, they also fit in a cupholder. Just bought a set for our friends up the block, who miss New York too.




7. adders

Hokay, this I bought for 10 bucks on eBay mostly b/c me and the Big Man were born in the Year of the Snake - but I did have an idea that it was pretty old. The seller knew nothing about it. Turns out to be an illustration of horned adders from Historia Naturalis de Insectis. Libri III. [bound with] de Serpentibus et Draconibus Libri II, by Iohannes Ionstonus (1603-1675). It was published in 1653, making it the oldest printed thing I have.


8. Ta-dah! by the Scissor Sisters. This week I need to hear "I don't feel like dancin'" like about 5 times a day.





9. The purple weighted hula hoop I got as a hand-me-down from Juliet's marvelous mom. I try to use it on days I don't get to the gym. Roll out the disco playlist on the iPod and 5 or 6 songs later you can really work up a sweat. Supposed to be good for the abdominal obliques, which is apparently the part that craps out on us formerly pregant people. Photo by Big Man.


10. Last but so not least: It was a box set xmas. I'm up to Season 3 of the greatest show since Laugh-In and I am in heaven.