ok, I've been putting this off, but I've been tagged a few times and I can't run and hide anymore. So, I hope I don't bore you too much. Here are eight facts about me that you didn't know or ever even wanted to know. I am going to throw in an free fun fact. That person above is MOI, ready to go to the beach, talking on the cell phone, as usual. I refuse to wear a cricket Bluetooth because they are SO ugly! For some reason I think a black cord hanging out from my face is prettier. Here goes 8 fun facts:
1) My husband is my best friend. We were born exactly 11 days apart, so we're both Scorpions and we are very much alike. We are both homebodies who say "there's no place like home" every time we get back from vacation. He lets me decorate my (our?) house all I want and never says a word about it - good or bad! He's much nicer than me, though. Wherever I go, people are so nice to me when they find out I'm married to Ben. Places like the dry cleaners and people like the Fed Ex man - everyone loves Ben. He's so cute, do you blame them? Here's Ben, talking on his cell phone:
2) I am a magazine junkie. I need a fix every day. I go from grocery store to bookstore to grocery store picking up copies of magazines. I don't like to subscribe to them because they don't come in the mail as early as the stores. The few magazines I do have subscriptions to, sometimes if I see the new issue in the store, I'll buy it anyway because I can't wait for it to be delivered to see it. That's sick, I know.
3) I'm also a political junkie. Democrat all the way, baby!!!! This picture of an elephant was taken by my nephew and niece this summer on their African safari:
4) My love of country french furniture comes from my mother, Betty Rae! For those who don't know me in real life, she's really my step-mother, but we don't like that word, step. The first time I ever saw French furniture was at her house and I've been hooked ever since. She has the best taste of anyone I've ever known. Thanks, BR!! This is a picture of my french day bed, my french chair inherited from Betty Rae, my french wine tasting table, and my french Buffet a Deux Corps:
5) I don't like food and never have. Neither does Ben. He eats cereal for dinner and he's happy with that. People don't get that I don't like food, but I only eat because I get low blood sugar. I eat the same thing every night for dinner because it's easy and I don't have to think about what to eat: Wendy's Caesar salad. I know, it's horrible and sad. You'd think I'd be skinny.
6) This is REALLY hard to do!!! ok, as I'm listening to the waves, I LOVE the beach. Ben and I are going to retire on a beach someday, hopefully sooner than later. That's our dream and always has been. No lake, no countryside, no mountains - it's the beach, any beach, any time. Our favorite beach - South Padre Island, Tx:
7) I don't care about clothes shopping. In fact, I hate to clothes shop. I only like to house shop. Ben says it's a bad day for me if money hasn't been exchanged some way. OK, I'll admit it, I'm addicted to shopping for my house. Candles, throws, antiques, design books, sconces, dishes, blue opaline, transferware, Masonware, flowers, etc. - anything that makes my house cosier, warmer, more cluttered, better smelling - I'll buy it. Here's an example of excessive buying:
8) And lastly, I wish I had had more children. Having one child makes the time as a mother go by too quickly. I loved being pregnant and I loved having a baby. I wish I could have done it more than once. I mean, who wouldn't want more of a child like this?
Ta da! I'm through and so are you. Thanks for sticking with it. So now, I have to tag 8 people. I have to think about who.
Love,
Joni aka Cote de France
Ok, enough of the beach, time for shopping. For years, there has been only one store on the Island worth shopping at. This year, I was very pleasantly surprised to walk into a new store, Park 100, that was actually worth shopping. Check out these darling hot pink and green pillows and throws:
Dainty Lewis, the owner, accessories her stores with shabby chic type antiques. It's all very charming and original..JPG)
And, finally, how do you keep a lonely 16 year old teenager happy at the beach? Why, have her picture taken professionally, of course. Except, this "professional" photographer gave us her Myspace address which advertises her Slovakian punk rock band! I kid you not. Actually, the pictures came out rather good, much more artistic than I expected:
Is there anything more romantic than a woman's vanity? Full of beautiful perfume bottles, some old, some new, silver hand-held mirrors and natural bristle brushes, old cut crystal jars that hold lotions and oils - a vanity conjures up images of a daughter sitting on the floor, gazing up as she watches her mother put on her jewelry and fancy dress for a party that night. Vanities represent grown up 
A modern vanity, accented with pink prints - this is an example of a non-working vanity.
A built in that's been skirted to give the appearance of a freestanding vanity.
Californian designer Madelyn Stuart places a vanity in the bathroom.
Mirrored vanity with Tiffany blue interior.
