Not sure if you've already seen this, but if you haven't, Behold! The least offensive Christian song I've heard all year!



(Okay, so some of the visuals are a bit racial profile-y, but the lyrics are good, and the song is catchy.)

So, believe me when I tell you, that police story is much better in its one line form. The actual experience just involved a lot of waiting around and dozing on the couch.

On Saturday night, we met some friends for dinner in Long Beach (where they live). We went to dinner and then returned to their apartment for dessert. (Cue sinister music)

Then THIS happened. (Note, we had no idea what was going on at the time.)

We tried to leave around 10:00, and were told by the police to get back in the apartment, lock the door and close the blinds. We heard yelling, running, and gunshots. Then there was a helicopter and dogs barking. Richard looked out the window and saw the SWAT team. At 11:00, we tried to leave again. No dice. Since there was no end in sight, I fell asleep on the couch. Richard stayed awake all night in full Batman alert mode. At 5:00 am, the police knocked on the door to take a statement. We asked if we could leave, and he said he'd ask his supervisor. They finally let us leave. The street was completely silent, but there were 8 or 9 police cars just hanging out. We drove home, and took Charlie outside to use the bathroom (the little trooper held it for nearly 12 hours). Then we called our mothers and went to sleep.

So there you have it. Much better in its one line form, don't you agree?

Hooboy. We had a crazy adventure last night that involved being held hostage inside a friend's apartment by the SWAT Team and Long Beach Police Department for nearly 7 hours. No kidding.

Instead of that story though, I'll share pictures of my other big Spring Break project: the dining room. Long ago, our dining room looked like this.

It was nice. However, due to our apartment complex's insane policy about wood furniture in the garage (It's a fire hazard, you know. Unlike other things people put in the garage. Like gasoline, and cars.), our dining room has been doubling as an office for Richard. In addition to his fine conversational skills and charming wit, Richard has books. Lots and lots and lots of books. And it's okay- I was aware of this when I married him. But the book ownership had taken a rather predictable turn, and Homeboy was out of bookshelves. And our dining room was beginning to look a little like something from Hoarders.

(Not an ACTUAL picture of our dining room. And perhaps an ever so slight exaggeration.)

So over Spring Break, I decided I could handle it no more and I went to IKEA (by myself) and purchased and loaded up boxes and boxes of bookshelves. I should also tell you that while there, my cart broke and I had to move the insanely heavy boxes from my original cart to a new cart. I am awesome.

So now our dining room looks like this.

It still looks cluttered, but is a vast improvement over the previous arrangement. Richard even has room to grow with several empty shelves.

And a small, but functional workspace where he is busy daily, creating works of genius.

So there you have it. Our new and improved dining room/office/book storage facility.

Spring Break Projects

Spring Break proved to be a time for me to do all the projects around the house that I've been thinking about, but have had no time for. Exhibit A: The patio.

This is what our patio looked like last summer.

Pretty nice, right? Peaceful, even. Now imagine that scene with all dead plants and pots full of dead snails intead. Slightly less peaceful, and perhaps even a bit disturbing. Due to the unique circumstances of our weather & patio locale (no rain, very sunny but not on our patio) added to the fact that I forgot to water the plants for 6 + months, our deck was a little sad. Okay, a lot sad.

I use the patio almost everyday when I get home as a place to decompress with a cup of tea and a book. Out chairs were really uncomfortable wire things that did not make you want to sit out there for very long.

So, about a month ago, I went to our local botanic garden and talked with them about the weird situation of our deck. It is basically a full-shade patio with the exception of a month or two in the summer when the deck gets about two hours of sun in the middle of the day. Plus, all the plants had to be able to live in containers. Plus, they had to be able to live if neglected for months at a time by their preoccupied owner. There were five plants that fit that description, and I bought them all.

The low tan planter appears to be full of dirt but actually contains wild California strawberries which should fill in the whole pot over time. We might eve get a few strawberries to eat if Charlie would stop eating the flowers.

The succulents were planted last summer and managed to survive (and even thrive) under my reign of neglect. Our new plants seem very happy in their sunless, waterless home.

We also got a new love seat for the patio which is a huge upgrade from the previous table and chairs situation.

It is very, very comfortable and nap-worthy. Our deck is now less of a snail-plant graveyard and a more restful place to relax and study. Wouldn't you like to come visit us so you could sit here, too?!