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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Danger! Danger! And Some Pretty Stuff, Too

Beware . . .
In your very own home, you could be at risk for serious injury!

For instance, this looks innocent enough, doesn't it?


Looks are deceiving.
This is the sofa in our Parlor, which we ordered with carved paw feet.
Mistake.
We had no idea we would be taking a ruthless homicidal maniac into our innocent nest.

That middle foot, pictured above, sticks out a bit past the edge of the sofa. It's diabolical.

As you pass by, it reaches out its hairy paw and smacks your toe, stubbing it smartly.
For those of us who like to go barefoot, even on the seagrass rug (floor treatment by Torquemada, you just must see his showroom!) which is murder on the soles of your feet . . .

. . . where was I?

Oh yes, for those of us who like to go barefoot, this toe-stubbing routine by this sofa can result in . . . a broken toe.

As I was taking pictures for yesterday's blog post, in the Parlor, you may have heard a blood-curdling shriek; that was me. The sofa (clearly annoyed that I was not snapping his picture, but only using him as a dumping spot for the curtains) had reached out in a fit of pique, and broken my toe.

How one suffers for one's art.

But I managed to travel with Howard anyway into deepest, darkest Pennsylvania to pick up a pine cupboard. I'm not going to tell you how little we paid because you would say, Holy Smokes those people are cheap! Craigslist, of course. And we didn't have to pay extra for the inch-thick dust and spider webs.

A peek:


We're separating the top from the bottom, and what we are doing with it involves paint, butcherblock, the Kitchen Isthmus, muscle and tools, and a partridge in a pear tree. Only not really that last thing. More like, cup hooks and new knobbies.

If you are wondering what the Kitchen Isthmus is, it is our Kitchen's problem child. More here.

And, yes, my toe swelled up big time during the long drive. No pictures.

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But it's a fabulous, glorious Spring day here in New Jersey. One of those days that is just flat out a special gift. Howard took a walk around the borders this morning . . . .

The tulips are done for this season.


But coming up in their midst, and in spots all through the borders, are iris. Irises? Iris? What is the plural?
Well, no matter -- they are well and fully in bud, and I can't wait to see them unfurl in all their over-the-t0p Iris-ness.

Peach:
And purple:
The chives are beginning to open their blossoms:
I think it's best not to let them flower; you get more chive leaves that way,
but I love their goofy little blooms. They look like sea urchins.
Right up against the back of That Old House, an old sprawling rose:

This one is slated for complete destruction by the deer, as soon as it blooms.
Poor doomed little buds:
The obligatory grapevine shot. It is doing nicely!

Now, see this slope, below, which runs parallel to our driveway? Our yard ends just before that grass up top, right where the little bush sits. Our neighbor put in a row of stones along the crest this weekend.

You can't see them from here; they are behind the mulch. The rivulet is new.

Then, we got heavy rain.
Notice the channels along our slope now, and the dirt that washed into our grass.
Hmmm . . . how did that happen?

Maybe we will have to send our Attack Elephant up the hill.

Except, he is only 2-inches tall.
But he looks pretty fierce from this angle, doesn't he?


And now I am going to put my foot up again, before it looks like a bowling pin, and watch Howard do something useful while I read P.G. Wodehouse and laugh out loud. -- Cass

25 comments:

  1. Aah, so sorry about the toe, I've been there and done that !
    It will take a long time to heal, or at least mine did, because I wouldn't stay off it.
    At least you got your pine cupboard, and everything beginning to bloom around the place....so lovely.
    Take care of that toe !

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  2. Cass, I'm SO sorry! And SOOOOOO jealous!! I'm getting the feeling that you're doing what I've been dreaming of. Does it involve a gorgeous pine hutch with open shelves?? Please say yes so I can live vicariously through you!
    xoxo Pattie

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  3. Cass, OUCH! Broken toes are really painful! Especially for busy peoples. Hope you have your foot propped up for a while.

    You were in PA and didn't stop by. And my husband is a doc. You could have made a reverse house call!

    I love, love, love the pine cupboard. Can't wait to see what you are doing with it!
    Yvonne

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  4. I am so sorry about your toe. I think sometimes I'd rather break an arm than stub and toe and this must have been a doozy to break it.

    Until I read the two previous comments, I thought maybe you had the makings of an island. So...I'll have to stay tuned!!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  5. Cass..
    sorry about the toe..
    keep ice on it while it is propped and you are reading..
    can't wait to see what you and Howard are up to this time..
    hugs..smiles too!!
    Loui♥

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  6. I HATE stubbing my toe on little things with murderous intents!!!

    At school there is ANOTHER hazard - - - it is those BOOK BAGS. I swear, when I try to go up or down the aisle, I HEAR them whispering and plotting as to which one will stick a strap out to trip me and KILL me right in front of all my students!

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  7. My perfect husband is a chronic toe stubber. I checked our living room couch and at least it doesn't stick out past the sofa. I can't wait to see the completed treasure. And I really, really like the photos of your garden, just incredible. Thanks for the post and I hope your toe heals well. I've had a couple of broken ones and it is very annoying.

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  8. Ouch sorry about the toe! I have a coffee table with claw feet. I will be thinking of your toe as I'm carefully walking passed mine today. Hope you heal fast. Have a great day! Denise@cottagesisters

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  9. Hi Cass! I love the claw feet...dangerous though they may be! And your garden pics are fabulous! Can't wait to see what you have going!...hugs...Debbie

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  10. Ouch! Sorry about your toe, Cass. But your cupboard look good from the little that I can see. The flowers are looking great....Christine

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  11. Oh no, that will take what seems like forever to heal. So sorry about your toe. I do love your sofa though. I can't wait to see what you got. The peek looks good. Hugs, Marty

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  12. I feel your pain! I don't think I have a toe on either foot that has not been broken. There's not much to be done -- ice and rigid soled shoes - and whiskey doesn't hurt!

    Scribbler
    http://scribbler-unfocused.typepad.com/

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  13. What a mean couch! Who would of known?
    Hope your toe is better soon!
    Looking forward to seeing what you are up to now.

    Melinda

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  14. Oh, dear, I could feel your pain. Of course, you did the right thing and picked up your goody before attending to your toe. I mean really, first, things, first!

    P.S. Feel better soon ;)

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  15. Sorry about your toe. Can't wait to see what you do with your new "find". Love & blessings from NC!

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  16. I've broken or sprained several of my various appendages over the course of my lifetime. NONE hurt as much as the broken toes I've had!! (3 different toes at one time or another!) Makes my feel light-headed just thinking about it! Hope you heal quickly! Wicked, wicked sofa!!

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  17. Cass

    I heard that a blood-curdling shriek clear across the Rockies to Oregon. Sorry about your toe -- Lovely couch and sea grass if that helps a little.

    Great macro photo's especially the one from the chives. Mine are already opened. Yes they do look like little aliens, that is why the pixie told me they keep the bugs away from the roses if you plant them together. Elephants sleep on the job I though you knew?-- you need one of those fierce looking gargoyles sitting out in the night.

    Happy Outdoor Wednesday,
    Joanny

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  18. Cass, ouch my aching toe. I hate when a piece of furniture jumps out and attacks like that. My bed did that to me last summer. Took three months to get back to normal. Great floral photos. Look forward to you project you are working on.

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  19. Ouch! Bet it did hurt. I have heard the sisal rugs are are on the feet also. Is there anything you could spray or put on the roses to get the deer to leave them alone?

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  20. BIG sympathy! I once broke my baby toe in Fort Lauderdale. No claw footed-sofa involved there - just the back of The Great Dane's foot, a hotel corridor and a cooler of refreshment (no more need by divulged here in an open forum). Now get busy with that pine cupboard - we want photos!

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  21. One has to wonder why the Victorians made feet of chairs to resemble feet when feet were often considered "not proper" and should be covered in a turtleneck. How many toes have I broken, having to repair with duct tape and popsickle sticks? I care not to remember. The pine cupboard is glorious. It looks like oak. I have not seen a pine that mottled and dark. It is lovely. I love antique shopping on Saturdays too. Love to visit your B&B one day! New Jersey sounds lovely! Are you near Princeton?

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  22. Ouch! My toe hurt just looking at that picture!

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  23. Ya know, I was wondering what that noise was! Your floers look just beautiful!

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  24. Ouch! My toe hurt when I read your post, I remember the pain. I have broken the same toe twice on exactly the same kind of foot on my couch. Hope it heals well. Be careful going up stairs. I rebroke mine once on the edge of a stair and that hurt more than the original brake.

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  25. So sorry about your toe. Ouch. I think we have the same white sofa. or very similar. But since I have a coffee table quite close to it (similar to yours) I've never stubbed a toe. Next: your two blue fabric chairs, very similar to ours and probably the same fabric. Lastly, your blue and white dishes my sister has ...I guess we share so many similar tastes!

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