Coming Clean & Spring Cleaning

Alright, well, I have to tell you I had a little break-in at my place. The bars were ripped from the bathroom window the night before I left for the states, and all that was taken that night was a bit of cash I had in the bed side table. Prior to the landlord replacing the bars, the thief (who must have been extraordinarily small to fit in the tiny bathroom window) returned and stole the other items small enough to fit through the bathroom window: the electric kettle, the alarm clock, my skype camera, my sleeping bag (!)... i think I have finally checked all over for all those things and they are officially gone. Rosie, from whom I sublet, lost a few small things too, and she came while I was gone and moved some of her stuff to storage, like the TV (thank goodness) but not the piles of knick knacks and broken radiator (dammit).

This is "coming clean" because I didn't want to tell you folks at home about the break-in: didn't want you to worry? Embarrassed that I had left the window unlatched with the washing machine hose running out the window - a clear invitation to thieves? Also a bit scared myself, feeling security threatened? Strangely motivated to cover up the incident, not sure exactly why. Sorry for not being honest.

Anyway -
Time to take ownership of the event, of the place, of my space. Time to stop feeling like I'm living out of a suitcase and make it feel "homey." Time to get my own furnishings and stepwise replace Rosie's stuff. Time to paint the bathroom green:



Only the little bit around the head is green, the ceilings will be white (and the ceiling molding, hows that mom!). I will do the rest of the bathroom, bedroom and living room in a very light buttery yellow, and the kitchen will be periwinckle blue with the white tile.

In a related 2nd-hand store splurge, I purchased this 5-mug, cream pitcher, sugar bowl hand-thrown set with beautiful blue glaze - now just need a tea pot -

And as if a cosmic endorsement of my homemaking kick this week, I found an enameled cast iron pot that matches my La Crussette skillet, and bargained it down to R10: The enamel is chipped a bit but I think I can cook a lovely cake or casserole in here. Hot dish anybody?