Saturday, March 16, 2024

Twas a good week (plus update)



By all accounts they had a fabulous time on my girl's bachelorette weekend in Puerto Rico. My nieces told me this group of six was a perfect easygoing meld of good vibes, and my daughter confirmed that with a Friday cocktail class, a Saturday boat ride, pool afternoons and dancing nights, everything couldn't have gone better. Then on Monday, I met my daughter and two nieces (the ones on the right, above) in Dallas and we spent the week thoroughly entertained by little Harper, below with her Titi Kai.


And now I'm back in New York, wrestling with tile choices for the upcoming bathroom redo. I want blue hex floor tiles the color of the ocean I grew up with. White for the wall tiles and a light oak sink vanity, and 2"white and gray hex tiles for the walk in shower floor, accessorized by a cute free standing shower bench in teak. I'm also thinking brushed nickel fixtures instead of shiny chrome. I considered gold, but I'm a seventies child, and back then, gold fixtures looked dated and gaudy, so even though they're cutting edge now, I can't quite go there. I'm still uncertain about all my other choices though. My desire for color collides with my desire for classic neutrality. I’m trying to remember it’s not that deep.  

Update on Sunday, March 17: I spoke with a dear friend on the other coast this morning and she told me something I never considered. I lamented that I was so stressed over renovating a bathroom and how ridiculous that was given that children are dying in Gaza. She said that my stress wasn’t about the bathroom; it was merely a convenient place to put my angst about the state of the world. We can’t keep it all inside us so we find ways to spend our existential despair, bit by bit, on whatever and whomever is before us, and in this way, we survive. She counseled me breathe while whispering a Tonglen mantra—“I breathe in suffering”—inhale—“I breathe out love"—exhale—and to honor my angst regardless of where and how it shows up, to let it flow through with judging it. I think she has no idea how much her words helped. I am thankful for wise friends. 


6 comments:

  1. That baby child has my heart.
    Of course your design sense can be trusted! Your house- your choice. So please yourself.

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  2. That baby is divine! And I think you can trust your design choices -- your photos, your eye, your home as you describe and photograph it are testament to that!

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  3. Harper baby! Delicious little girl, I so want to squeeze and kiss and play with! Such a darling.

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  4. lovely week for lovely people.

    gold fixtures would not go with your other color choices. I also went with blue (wainscoting), white (walls, sink, toilet), brushed nickel (fixtures), and mottled beige (floor) when I redid my little bathroom.

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  5. The wise words from your friend make so much sense. Thanks for sharing them. It's so helpful to me.

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  6. Your ideas for the new bathroom sound very nice. With a more neutral basic colour scheme you can chop and change colour with towels and flowers etc.
    Love the photo of the girls, and that baby is so gorgeous!

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