Funky Lamp
Originally uploaded by Lady Birchwood.

We decided today to shop for a countertop microwave oven to replace the one that is mounted over the stove and is being held together with duct tape. A range hood only will go in over the stove to replace the hole where the microwave went.

We went to ApplianceSmart this afternoon, an outlet store operation housed in a concrete building in an industrial area just off our I-280 freeway in St. Paul. We found a suitable microwave oven that will tuck into the corner of the counter by the refrigerator. We loaded the new microwave into the trunk of the car, and then Dale said, “Let’s go into that store next door!” It was called River of Goods, there was a BIG SALE sign out front, and neither of us had any idea what they were selling. So we went in.

It was a huge store selling goods from India, Pakistan, and China. They were going out of business and everything in the store was 70% off the lowest marked price. There was a lot of really funky stuff in there, like the footstool with elephants mounted on all four corners and the Victorian-style peacock lamp. The base was the body of a peacock and the shade was stained glass featuring the “eye” pattern of the tail feathers. I liked it but it wouldn’t fit in with my Arts & Crafts simple decor.

However, we found this lamp, and Dale really liked it. It is a simple style resembling maybe Asian, maybe Frank Lloyd Wright Slash Prairie School. Maybe it actually defies having a style hung on it, but Dale kept going back to it and looking at it. We had no idea really where it could possibly be placed in our home, but Dale finally said, “I think we need to buy this lamp.” I said fine.

I was laughing inwardly at the major redecorating that can take place over something simple as buying a lamp you don’t exactly know what to do with. First, you need to go out and buy a table to put it on. Then the old chair doesn’t really go with the new table, so then you buy a new chair. Of course, you need a new sofa to match the new chair. And then the new furniture looks too big in the living room, so you buy a new house. All because you bought a new lamp on sale (this one was $47.00), even though you didn’t know quite where to put it!

We also bought a new rug for the living room. The old one is about 12 years old, and I was in the mood for something new, something with a lighter background. (Doesn’t show the white cat hair as much!) The old one is now under the dining room table and the braided thing that kind of went okay in there at one time and now doesn’t work so well anymore (13 years old) will get donated to someone.

New Rug
Originally uploaded by Lady Birchwood.

And the new rug for Bubba, the long-haired white cat! (This was a steal, too! 47 bucks!)

I’ll let you all know how the redecorating and/or new house buying goes! (Just kidding…. I think!)