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Mar/27/07spring

Hi. Today is the 27th of March and, oh my, it is so beautiful here in the scenic city(Chattanooga, TN, shipping headquarters of Stray Dog Designs). Everything is popping. The red buds, dogwood, cherry blossoms, pears, forsythia, viburnum--everything. It smells good, it looks good, the air is soft and delicious. We went out to Cessna and Elizabeth's house on Sunday. They are our lovely and talented artist friends who happen to live in the most beautiful place in the world. It was a perfect day. They had rescued a baby squirrel and the children got to feed it with an eye dropper. They have a pet duck(don't ask me why) and Franny got to give it a bath. And Pete fished all day. Stella led the gaggle of geese to the pond. And then Franny and Cessna danced to bluegrass music in the cherry grove. Truly a perfect day. The kind of day that can only happen in spring. So, it's spring. Be happy. (and take about 8 Benadryls)

Posted by Stray Dog at 2:13 PM

Mar/ 2/07jealous, jealous

i cleaned out my pantry this weekend…oh, dear god! what a freak show! we have lived in that house less than 3 years and you cannot believe how nasty it was...the pantry is right off the kitchen (where all pantries are, i guess) and it houses the vacuum cleaner, mops, brooms and dustbin, the dog and cat food, art supplies, tools, electrical cords, all matter of weird party supplies that i have accumulated, i.e., chinese lanterns, witch mobiles, mexican papel de fiesta, bunny napkins, etc., etc. there are also vases and containers, dog leashes and dog brushes, artwork and school work of the children's (that i feel weirdly compelled to save), platters and serving pieces that don't fit anywhere else, an obscene number of mary jane bags, etc., etc., etc., etc......you get the picture. we live in an old house with out much storage space, so everything gets shoved in the pantry. floor to ceiling crap.

and, to make matters worse, franny -- our 2 year old -- loves to feed the animals, so there are little dog and cat food kernels sprinkled everywhere. nasty. why we are not overrun by rodents of an unusual size is beyond me.

so, i cleaned it out (which put me in a foul mood all day sunday) and threw all manner of nonsense out, and placed many other things in more logical places (why did we need to store a collection of swimming goggles in the pantry?), and now it is lovely and organized and not laced with kernels of dog food, and almost even martha stewart-like (but, not quite).

which brings me to the whole thrust of this blabbering.....how do people do it? how does martha do it? how can anybody be so wonderfully organized and color coordinated all the time? and sit around cooking all those elaborate dinners?

i'm a designer, i'm creative, i like for things to look good, but, goodness, i cannot seem to get it together...why is that? is there some magic pill that nobody will tell me about? or am i just missing the clean gene?

here's what i suspect...martha and her ilk (the squeaky clean domestic goddesses) have got to be angry all the time...you would have to be, right? who could possibly work, keep a beautiful house (and i mean one that is not littered with leggos and polly pocket shoes), make a well-balanced, wholesome and delicious dinner every night, whip up some crafty tea-cozies or whatever, and still have the energy left to smile (and i didn't even mention helping with homework, feeding the dogs, taking out the trash, blah, blah, blah).

anyway, that is my rant for the day…clearly, i am just jealous.

jane gray/designer/straydogdesigns


Posted by Stray Dog at 10:47 AM posted-icon.gif Comments (1)

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RECENT COMMENTS

Jun 24 - Elisabeth said:

I have called you far worse than "Luddites." I am rude because I have misplaced my charm (but not my cell phone), exhausted my charisma, and failed to live up to my potential. There is little left to do but call people names.


Oct 12 - loretta said:

Greetings-
Having been in Haiti in the early 70s, your description corresponded with my mental picture. I'm glad that you found it a little more politically stable. I've forgotten the name of the rambling hotel in Port au Prince where Graham Greene stayed, but there was an old, wizened and wild painter of "primitive" art who hung out on the porch, telling stories and hinting he was more than he seemed.


May 30 - Jo MacDowell said:

MAY DAY ! IT REALLY IS AS YOU "MAY'D MY DAY" WHEN I FOUND YOUR FABULOUS LIGHTING IN AN OLD RATTY ISSUE OF COASTAL LIVING WHICH HAD BEEN OUT ON MY SUMMER PORCH FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, ABOUT TO THROW IT OUT I THOUGHT I'D BETTER CHECK THROUGH IT AS I AM ALWAYS CUTTING OUT PRODUCT IDEAS FOR DIFFERENT DESIGN JOBS. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PROJECT FOR A WONDERFUL FAMILY IN BIRMINGHAM WITH 4 ADORABLE CHILDREN. IT IS FOR THEIR ROOMS I AM ORDERING THE "PERFECT" LIGHTS! IT'S AS IF YOU MADE THEM JUST FOR US!! THANKS, KEEP UP THE GREAT IDEAS & SEE YOU IN ATLANTA!


May 18 - Tommy The Magnificent said:

Ok...so I danced around the pole, frolicked in my garden, planted some tomatoes, and I shopped for a bikini. NOW what?

Hey kids! I was just checking out the site. it looks very very nice. See ya in July!

Tommy B


May 9 - MikeyP said:

Oh good lord - even Jane has a blog? Join the ranks with Mark Cuban and Martha Stewart.


Mar 28 - Sarah, Carolyn, Louisa said:

Hey Jane, we're in here at Coptix and enjoying your website. We're really enjoying your blog, it's hilarious, we're real proud of you for being so "techie".


Jan 21 - Laura said:

I sit here researching the companies that most impressed me at AmericasMart (yours being the most impressive) and find that I am further intrigued by your "dogma" and blog. It is encouraging that you are willing to expose yourselves so and that you have such optimistic hopes. I know from my personal experience that it is difficult to do in business. Capitalism is such creative distruction. However, I find myself inspired by your vision, for I too share such visions. I import from Mexico, because i love it, I believe in it, and I hope that the items that I import bring vicacios life to hum drum houses reminding people that art is everywhere and that we can support it and in my case, the beautiful families that produce it.


Jan 17 - Raoul said:

saw your stuff in person at the Atlanta Gift Show and was thoroughly excited, especially after seeing your items in various magazines for the past couple of months...keep up the great work!


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