We went here after our trip to Monticello. Thomas Jefferson was an amazing man.

(I wrote this post in November, and forgot to put it up.)

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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I created a post in November with pictures from our visit to UVA's Rotunda (designed by Thomas Jefferson). I forgot to put it up, so I've scheduled it for this upcoming week; this is an image from that trip.

I'm solidly booked (with work, travel, M's birthday, and a family visit) between now and April 14, so I know I probably won't post anything here until at least then. I think about it often, but things are just too busy right now.

I'll be back eventually, with house photos! Yes!!

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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The night we closed on the house, we came over with a bottle of champagne and our two cats (because we are insane). There was a cat hanging around the back stoop, watching us through the window. She was there every time we came to the house, meowing and purring and generally being sweet. We talked to our new neighbor and realized that she was a stray; the girl who lived in this house before we bought it had been feeding her, then abandoned her.

Anger doesn't even begin to describe how we felt.

We immediately brought her some cat food, and she ate it so fast I'm not sure she chewed—but at the same time, she kept coming over for pats. It was like she didn't know which she needed more: food or love. At first, we thought she was the drooliest cat we'd ever met, but we came to realize later—with utter heartbreak—that she was drooling because she was starving.

We debated about what to do; she was very loving and gentle, but we already had two cats, and we were worried about bringing in a cat who's used to going outdoors. Our cats are indoor cats only; Oliver (the ragdoll) is not fast enough or smart enough to anywhere there are predators, and Lucy is just used to being an indoor cat from years of living in Boston. We didn't want to be unfair to anyone, but we also hated the thought of this sweet cat living outdoors in the rain and cold. We talked about taking her to a shelter, but we didn't know that she would find a home that was wonderful, and we just didn't want to take that risk. We were hesitating.

So we caved. We took her to the vet, had her tested for all the bad things and got her shots, and brought her inside. The vet said she is about two years old and had been spayed, and she took to the litterbox and scratching post immediately, so it brought us even further heartbreak to know that she had probably either gotten lost or was abandoned at some point. We followed some great advice and introduced her to our cats very slowly, and though Lucy is just generally a jerk of a cat, things have gone pretty well. Just this morning, they were all asleep on the same bed together.

So yes, we have three cats. It's something we tell ourselves often as we shake our heads, but we wouldn't give up our sweet new Emily. How could you with that face?

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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We are in the house. The stray cat is in the house. About a million boxes are in the house. My camera is in the house, somewhere, but this is an old photo. I wish we were in New York enjoying delicious Stumptown coffee!

Never. Moving. Again.

I unpacked most of my office in the beginning, and have been working this week, a welcome distraction from all of the boxes.

I will be back later with photos, stories, and all that good stuff.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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The zoo in San Diego was beyond what I even expected. We did a behind-the-scenes tour, and my favorite part was interacting with the rhinos.

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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This is obviously a very special entry in the Home column; the first glimpse of our new house! There are BEFORE before pictures, showing the old paint color (tan, including the ceilings), but they also prominently feature the previous owner's furniture, which I don't want to show you. So just trust me when I tell you HOW MUCH BETTER this already looks! The paint color is Westhighland White by Sherwin-Williams. We adore it (even the painter said he loved it and was going to use it in the future).

Pardon the one blurry photo; I didn't realize it wasn't focused properly until I got home. Yes, the fourth photo is taken from our walk-in (really, walk-through) closet. And the last photo? Oh, that's just my VERY OWN OFFICE! The kitchen is not what we would have chosen, but it's brand new and it's pretty neutral, and trust me when I say it looks MUCH better against the white paint. The shady-looking items in the fireplace are pendant lamps that we're getting rid of; we'll add recessed lighting above the bar, where the lamps were, since we're eventually putting in a hood and a gas stove (M, a trained chef, is rightfully insisting!).

This weekend, we moved in a TON of things: all the kitchen cabinets are filled, the closet is organized and partly filled, and there are some random pieces of furniture scattered around the house. Next week, we get new windows and have some other work done, and then WE MOVE IN.

Pardon all the caps; I'm just so excited. My first house. Here we go!

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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I loved being in this house; you could feel the history.

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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We have been buried in a pile of new-house work, which we of course expected. Last Sunday, some good friends saved us by pulling us away from it all. We drove down to Montgomery, Alabama, to visit the Civil Rights Memorial designed by Maya Lin and the house where Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald lived for a brief time. While there, we took a stroll through the neighborhood of the Fitzgerald house, and stumbled across a house that Helen Keller visited frequently, as well as many other charming homes. It was a perfect break from work! (Photos of the Fitzgerald house are on the way.)

All photos by Erica Midkiff. These photos (and more!) can be found on my Flickr page.
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I was so thrilled (and flattered) when the lovely Lillian asked to feature my home on her site. I talk about some of the things that make a home for me! I look forward to doing another feature once we've moved into the new house.

She has great features; take a look at the rest of her site!

 
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I'm so thrilled to be contributing on Rena Tom's site. My first (introductory) post went up yesterday!

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