The Cluny Chronicles

More on Bedrooms

2012-01-23T17:30:00.000-06:00

I am finally back from Africa where I had a wonderful time visiting my family. We spent Christmas at a wonderful resort in Swaziland after spending some time at their home in Mozambique and touring some beautiful countryside in South Africa. We went swimming on Christmas Day; it was hot and fairly humid. I am glad to be back in a colder climate however; I don't want to miss the snow for anything! I've made New Year's Resolutions which include getting the townhouse very clean and very together!

Our guest bedroom, a work in progress. The curtains are a faux silk moire; the walls are pale yellow and the curtains have pale yellow checks. Scalamandre fringe trim in blue and yellow will go on the edges. These are simple rod-pockets from Country Curtains. I had originally planned to let them hang straight, but decided against that once that were hung. There is a shade that matches the beige in the curtains that will totally black out the room.

My bedroom is slowly coming together. Above is a gold leaf candelabra with an icon I bought on the Greek island of Patmos below it.
Below, we will have matching lamps in the bedroom and different bedside tables. These are a stopgap until I can go "shopping" at our house in Arkansas. Oh, and the "bump" in the bed is Cluny the cat. He loves to crawl up under the covers and nap, and I didn't have the heart to move him because he is so happy there!

The curtains here are temporary. They are not lined (although because of the shades and because I like the lamplight from outside coming into the room at night, they don't need to be)and were a great bargain at Marshall's. I decided to go ahead and hang them from the special rods I bought (they are keepers) because I was tired of bare windows with only the shades. They do provide a more relaxing ambiance and can be replaced as soon as I find my dream curtains.

A favorite painting by Eleanor Cooperman that looks perfect against the pale peachy-pink walls of the bedroom.

Some of My Favorites!

2011-12-04T14:05:00.001-06:00

These are some rooms that I absolutely love! If you see the previous posts, you can see where I am going with my own bedroom. And you will certainly notice the prevalence of peach and pink - colours that are beautiful in interiors (um, also in exteriors, especially in the tropics).I love the oval gold mirror over the bed.

The curtains here are especially nice, I think, with the wide banding in another fabric. I think it was Sister Parish who said that curtains should always have some sort of edging. Again, note the colours.
A favorite peachy colour here.

This bedroom's layout is very much like mine with the windows on either side of the bed. I also have large double windows to the right so my bedroom has tons of light. I already have the curtain rods to put up (like these) and I am getting cream silk curtains with edging trim. I really like the two little tables here although we will not be replicating those since we have more tables than we know what to do with at our house in Arkansas. I also have a chair where you see one in the picture; mine is a cream-coloured slipper chair with a bottom fringe about 4" long. My bed is bigger (a queen) and my chandelier is smaller.
Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, the picture dilemma: I brought down one of the paintings and added another Val Blackwell watercolour that I had to the right of the large center watercolour. I think that I need to lower the center picture, too. As you can see, there is an awkward access to the attic below the bottom picture (there is another one on the other side of the room). Someday we may open this and make a rooftop patio.If you recall, this space is awkward because above the blue is a 3 foot slant before the wall actually reaches the ceiling. The second picture really shows the slanted ceiling. I also have this interesting bit of space behind the railing - this is the top of the stairs.

The exterior of our townhouse. What is amazing is that I took this picture today. I don't have any Christmas decorations up yet, but the geraniums are real - they are blooming like crazy even on the fourth of December. I can hardly believe it! They have been beautiful, and I am definitely NOT known for having a green thumb.

Decor and a Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T23:12:00.001-06:00

Hurrah! As always, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year. Usually I like to cook a big dinner and have relatives over to eat, eat, eat, and drink wine. Since I have not lived in my hometown for about 40 years, those who come usually stay with me making my house full and happy. This year, however, we will be going to a restaurant instead of staying at home to cook. And for once, I am glad this is so, since I have been extremely busy lately and finally I do have family living in the same area I'm in.
Because I'm not cooking this year, I have more time to ponder the problems of decorating the townhouse. Above is our small entryway. Two problems here: do I change the little lantern-like light fixture and put a small chandelier there - or a different kind of lantern?
The other problem is with the sidelights - the little windows on either side of the doors. In his book, 101 Things I Hate About Your House, decorator James Swan criticizes those who leave these windows uncovered. However, with the different floors we have, it's not likely we will be running around the living room without clothes so that someone could see in . I like the light they allow in during the day, and since the living room sits above street level, I think we're safe from passers-by staring in.
Below is another problem: the square bay window. The bay's ceiling drops down from the tall living room ceiling. I'm not sure what to do about curtains. And once again, should I curtain the sides of the bay or leave them open. I have some luscious coral silk I bought in Brazil that will make wonderful curtains - I'm just not sure how to style them.

Finally, above, should I put a different mirror or keep the round gold one. I do have a French mirrour that is longer and a creme lacquer like the bed. I'm going to have to try it. I do love having the gold pick up the gold in the little chandelier though.
Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-16T15:44:00.001-06:00

I was out and about today in the November drizzle, going to the post office, dropping by Filene's to see if anything I couldn't resist had suddenly appeared on the racks. Despite its being November and the rainy day, the temperature is in the 60's, so it's actually quite pleasant. It's a good day to work!
I've been trying to make up my mind on curtains - for every room! Thank goodness the bedrooms and bathrooms have shades or we'd be living our life on a stage (that's what it looked like from outside the breakfast room before I put the simple curtains up there). I happened to look up one night when walking back from a restaurant after leaving the light on and was shocked - it was just like a stage! Inexpensive linen-weave curtains went up that week, and I didn't make anymore midnight forays into the kitchen dressed only in my gown or pajamas! Below you can see the trees turning through the breakfast room doors, and the great chandelier that I had rewired ( a better picture is coming). It was in my husband's grandfather's farmhouse dining room many, many years ago.

I finally got our electrician over to install the little chandelier in the guest room and the front exterior light. In the guest room, a little Maria Theresa chandelier works well with the French beds and the flower prints I bought in Paris. I am thinking about using checked blue and yellow silk curtains at the double windows.

Above, Cluny is talking to me. He doesn't really like it when I am up and down around the house. He prefers that I stay in the living room where he can curl up in a chair in the bay window, or on the fourth floor where my studio is and I spend hours on the computer. I have a cat tree for him there and he's very fond of it.

Finally, another decorating problem involves the fourth floor. To the right is a wall of bookcase and the large flat-screen tv. At the opposite end of the couch is my studio. I put some of my favorite paintings here (2 by Val Blackwell, including the large center picture) so that I could look at them often. The problem here is that the ceiling is slanted. The wall goes up as far as the blue, then for 3 feet it slants before it hits the ceiling. I wanted the painter to take the paint all the way up 3 more feet, but he said that the edge would not be straight since there was a slant, but no molding. Hmmm, maybe I just should have painted the ceiling blue, too? But the large room is wonderful, full of light with large sets of windows facing both south and east. When I sit on the sofa in the summer evenings working on the computer, I can look to the east and see the full moon rising. Beautiful!

Life in the Townhouse

2011-11-10T15:16:00.001-06:00

I am blissful this Fall season as I enjoy the crisp Fall weather and rainy days here in the Washington, D.C. area in my own townhouse. We can see lovely trees outside almost every window of the townhouse; the leaves have turned yellow, gold, red, and a pretty chestnut colour. I can hear cars go by constantly, a sound I love, since we live on a major thoroughfare. I never feel alone because of the city sounds and the many buildings surrounding me.
My two cats are jubilant. Because the townhouse has four floors, they have stairs galore! And each flight of stairs twists and turns so that Cluny and Cuervo have a ball chasing each other up and down. And sometimes, the exuberant Cuervo just runs up and down for fun.

You can barely see Cuervo on the landing. We are having difficulty finding window coverings for the large stair windows since we want to preserve light, yet also have privacy at night; the situation is more complicated because of the position of the stairs.

No curtains in the bedroom yet, but we do have accordian shades for total privacy.

I love the mirroured wall, but am having problems with the placing paintings on the left wall.

Cuervo peeks through the third floor railings watching for people to come up the stairs.
The townhouse is coming together and I'll be posting pictures. Trying to get all of our furniture in the smaller space is challenging, and, of course, we'll never get all of it in here; we won't even try. I still want to keep the grand piano though, and when we finally move it up here, it's going to be an ordeal!

I Knew It!

2008-03-17T18:21:00.000-05:00

What Alice in Wonderland Character Are You?

You are The Cheshire Cat

A huge grin constantly plastered upon your face, you never cease to amuse. You are completely confusing and contradictory to most everyone.
Take this quiz!

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Tarot Card?

2008-02-24T01:05:00.001-06:00

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Eventually the Truth Always Comes

2007-12-15T21:10:00.000-06:00

I love this story, even though it is sad because it reminds us that Truth comes in different forms and sometimes when we least expect it.
Thanks to Buddhism Kalachakranet Organization
THE LOST SON
"A young widower, who loved his five year old son very much, was away on business when bandits came who burned down the whole village and took his son away. When the man returned, he saw the ruins and panicked. The took the burnt corpse of an infant to be his son and cried uncontrollably. He organised a cremation ceremony, collected the ashes and put them in a beautiful little bag which he always kept with him.
Soon afterwards, his real son escaped from the bandits and found his way home. He arrived at his father's new cottage at midnight and knocked at the door. The father, still grieving asked: "Who is it?" The child answered, it is me papa, open the door!" But in his agitated state of mind, convinced his son was dead, the father thought that some young boy was making fun of him. He shouted: "Go away" and continued to cry. After some time, the child left.
Father and son never saw each other again."
After this story, the Buddha said: "Sometime, somewhere, you take something to be the truth. If you cling to it so much, even when the truth comes in person and knocks on your door, you will not open it."

If you think you have nothing to learn from this story because it has a Buddhist context, read this:
"Don't try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist;
use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are."
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

2007-07-10T23:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, here I go again!

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

What's Goin On?

2007-04-28T16:09:00.000-05:00

I'm with Cluny Camillo; what's going on around here? Okay, family, send me an e-mail!

I'm from South Philadelphia

2007-04-01T03:51:00.000-05:00

Okay, this one is really funny! You've got to take this test!
P.S. I'm from Arkansas.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Midland
The Inland North
The South
The Northeast
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Cluny Camillo & Cuervo Sebastian: Deux Chats Extraordinaire!

2007-03-26T22:59:00.000-05:00

I know you've all been waiting for these. I believe that they are in chronological order. Just look at how these cats have grown!
The big news: Cluny Camille is Cluny Camillo!
Cluny is a boy!!! The vet happened to notice (happily) when we took him/her in to be spayed and he ended up neutered!
The pictures are over the last 3 months or so.

Cluny loves to stretch out! This is the way that he sleeps! Only he usually has his front legs over his head so that he's stretched out end to end!They do love each other most of the time!
They look so little here!Cluny has discovered how to go under the bed, then climb up the back of the headboard to get to where he sleeps - stretched out across the middle of the bed horizontally.

The bathroom belongs to the cats now. A favorite activity is throwing anything into the sink, and everything onto the floor - especially my hairbrush.

Look at those blue eyes! And at Cuervo's little pointed chin!

Cuervo is fascinated by water. A nice little steady stream can delight him for hours. (Of course, he drinks from the sink also.Of course, he'd prefer to drink straight from the faucet, and he often wistfully paws the knobs trying to turn the water on. If he ever learns how, we'll have a water bill from hell.

This is still Cuervo's favorite place to sleep - all night.
This morning, they were waiting for me. Cluny wanted me to SEE the hairbrush going on the floor, and Cuervo wanted the water turned on.
Doesn't this give you a new visual for "couch potato"?
Why Cluny is licking his lips, I've no idea unless he's doing it for the camera.
He does tend to pose, and he's very accustomed to getting his picture taken. Look at that lovely tiger-striped tail - he's so proud of it!
These cats are so clever, so beautiful, and so loving!
My life is now punctuated by the sound of purring; I measure time by the sound of kitty mews.

Why I've Been Busy!

2006-12-10T16:33:00.000-06:00

Okay, all my friends and family. Here is why I haven't been writing the way that I should. I've fallen in love! Here you find the objects of my affection:

Cuervo Sebastion was given his first (and used) name when the few first times he meowed, he sounded like a crow cawing. If we had to rename him today though, we'd probably have to call him "squeaky." Cluny is Cluny Camille, named after, well, that's obvious, and the Camille is from my niece. I do use both names for her. She seems to be a bit older than Cuervo; she is a bit bigger, but still a kitten.
The two cats are unrelated, but get along very well together. They love to play although at first I was afraid that they were fighting since Cluny likes to make a lot of noise. However, I soo n learned that she was the aggressor most of the time. She sneaks up on Cuervo, then does a backflip and lies there as though she is helpless (ha!) while Cuervo unwittingly attacks.
Both cats are in love with my laptop; they want to chase the cursor. They know they aren't supposed to walk on the laptop, so they will lie on my lap with their heads where the mousepad is (I use a real cordless mouse though, but sometimes they do give me a bit of inteference.DH was extremely happy because they both took to Darwin's old spot immediately; they also both regard his sink as their own private drinking fountain and get a bit perturbed when there isn't water in it. Darwin must have left a sign around somewhere that said,"Fresh drinking water this way" because they both slurped up the water without any prompting and have been going `there ever since. Oh, the little backwards apostrophe that you see in front of the word "there" in the sentence before is Cluny's contribution. She's just joined me, and had to step on one key at least to see what would happen. (The first day they both stepped on so many that my laptop shut down and when I turned it on again, all, ALL, my bookmarks were erased!

Well, Dakota, Darwin, we miss you, and thought you'd like to know what was going on here. I hope you both are having fun in the big city while these country cats stay close to home!
By the way, they have found "mousie", you know, that yellow furry mouse with the long tail that got lost a long time ago. Mousie suddenly reappeared and we still don't know where he's been. But he must have been to a spa because he's very active now!

cats pets animals photos kitten kitty

The Experimenter

2006-08-17T23:13:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, - another test!
you're a Type 5 - The Experimenter

Friends, family, and colleagues probably appreciate your probing intelligence and open-minded approach to life. They're also apt to know that when they come to you with a problem, you can be counted on to give them a carefully considered answer based on keen observations. As an Experimenter, you're likely to be seen as a capable and competent individual with a visionary outlook.

Being a member of this type puts you in good company. Renowned painter Georgia O'Keefe, with her reclusive nature and intense focus on her craft, and Albert Einstein, with his groundbreaking theorems and unprecedented view of the space-time continuum, were also Type 5s.

This means that compared to the eight other Enneagram types, you have a strong sense of perception as well as a curious and innovative mind. In fact, like many Experimenters, you have a strong drive to understand how things work.
Go Enneagram Test

Find beautiful and unique handcrafted jewelry at Cluny Grey Jewelry and watch for our new look!
enneagram tests Cluny Grey experimenter

Advocating Creator

2006-07-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

Advocating Creator

It's Been A While, I Know

2006-06-09T19:16:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am going to continue with this blog; I've just been too busy!! We will take up with the Armadillo and myself on the Algarve after we look at the Turtle's graduation pictures.

Where I've Been

2006-05-08T14:05:00.000-05:00

create your own visited countries map

Sorry I haven't written for a while. Shoulder is still hurting; getting ready for Leslie's Rhodes graduation.
And for all of you who have deplored (and snidely laughed at) my bagphone from about 1991 - I'm gettin a phone that is like everyone else's - I can actually put it in my purse! It's a hand-me-down; I'm getting Jeff's old phone because he just updated to a sleek black thing. I just have to activate it (soon) and change from my old bagphone.
Ah....it's the end of an era!

The Cluny Chronicles cell phone graduation maps Weblog Cluny Grey Jewelry

Me, Illogical?

2006-04-04T00:15:00.000-05:00

How Logical Are You?
Go take this test to see just how logical you are. Then, I'll tell you my score if you'll tell me yours!

Weblog logic philosophy Cluny Grey Bracelets

Smile, Smile, Smile

2006-03-26T00:25:00.000-06:00

Getting DH to smile is almost impossible. Doesn't he look as though he has the weight of the world on his shoulders?

husband picture The Cluny Chronicles

Religious Test: Do You Pass?

2006-03-03T17:53:00.000-06:00

Oh, boy! I did my best to answer honestly, and here are the results. I think that it is interesting that I have more in common with Islam that Roman Catholicism, and that Catholicism is last on the list, especially when one considers my reverence for the rituals, the happiness I have in a cathedral, and how much I enjoy attending mass, not to mention my fascination with the lives of the saints and early martyrs and my collection of retablos and other Christian art. I also thought I would rank higher on Hinduism, though I not surprised at all about the Buddhism.
Be blessed! Peace to All!
Cluny

Your Results:

The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa.
Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Mahayana Buddhism (97%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (93%)
4. New Age (92%)
5. Liberal Quakers (83%)
6. Reform Judaism (80%)
7. Hinduism (77%)
8. New Thought (74%)
9. Bah�'� Faith (73%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (72%)
11. Sikhism (70%)
12. Scientology (68%)
13. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (68%)
14. Jainism (59%)
15. Orthodox Judaism (59%)
16. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (58%)
17. Taoism (55%)
18. Orthodox Quaker (53%)
19. Islam (48%)
20. Secular Humanism (46%)
21. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (33%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (33%)
23. Seventh Day Adventist (27%)
24. Nontheist (25%)
25. Jehovah's Witness (21%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (19%)
27. Roman Catholic (19%

I did expect to score high in the Hindu and Buddhist religions since I know I have commonalities there.
By the way, I am going to take the test again, and watch how I "weight" each answer more carefully; I don't particularly like being branded a "Neo-pagan." Good, very interesting test. To take it, go to:
Religion Test

religion Christianity Personal Islam Weblog Neo-Pagan Buddhism God Catholic Hindu

Okay, Is This Getting Weird Yet?

2006-01-29T22:45:00.000-06:00

Above you see one portion of one of my bedroom walls; it is covered in religious art. A couple of people were in my house not long ago and I saw them looking at the walls and I thought, uh, oh, have I wandered into the weird with all of my artifacts?
The top painting is an original retablo, or folk art work made by someone or commissioned by someone to say thank you to God for some boon or miracle. It is done on tin and still has the nail hole in the top where it was nailed to a church wall or to some kind of display in the church. Below that is a plaster replica I got of an icon from a monastery on the island of Patmos in Greece; I love it because it is an icon, I bought it in Greece, and it has my favorite colours of peach and gold. To the right of it is a tryptych that I received from my son and daughter-in-law who are living in Portugal. They know how much I love religious icons (I was terrified I would lose it on the flight home somehow). I love this one for itself and because they gave it to me.

In this picture you can still the two "santos" or little wooden statues of saints that I have on the pedastels on either side of the mirrour. Beautiful colours delight me! (These santos are reproductions).

Finally here is a portion of my bedside table covered more artifacts: an old religious card framed in a mother-of-pearl style and rhinestone decorated frame that my sister Gaye bought for me (she's gotten me lots!). In front of it is a little firgure of the Virgin and Child I got in Granada, Spain, a lovely old metal framed Madonna that my daughter-in-law got for me from Portugal, and next to it a silver tryptych with a gold Madonna inside that I bought in Seville, Spain. To the right is my favorite porcelain bisque Infant of Prague figure - bought for me by my sister Gaye. He has on a peach robe edged in gold and he has blue rhinestones in his crown; I have never seen another one like this with blue rhinestones. It is a real treasure to me. My newest acquisition is the little blue and white church (you can't see all of it in the picture) that my daughter-in-law brought me when she came to visit from Portugal this week.
Okay, so is this weird or what? And if you think that this is weird, wait until I post pictures of the things in my study, the den, and the living room. This is a collection, but it is certainly a "loaded" one, not just with my memories.
Have I overdone it? (You can't even see all the rosaries I have, and, by the way, I'm not, nor was I reared, a Catholic).
Cluny Grey The Cluny Chronicles religion Madonna Virgin art artifact Portugal santos retablo icon Catholic Cluny Grey Jewelry

Okay, I Know, Enough Already (But I Love These Things!)

2006-01-26T23:28:00.000-06:00

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.
You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.
You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.

Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.
You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.
Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.

At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.
You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.
You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

life daydreamer Cluny Grey Jewelry introvert

Okay, So It's Been A While!

2006-01-22T15:38:00.000-06:00

Imagine having to pack up not only this cut glass, but twice as much that you can't see! We're selling a lot of it, somehow, but it will still have to be packed! Oh, and I haven't even mentioned yet the huge heavy furniture that has to be dealt with.
Sorry I haven't posted here lately, and I do mean to continue with "Travels with My Aunt" the Armadillo's saga of motoring and testing the beverages around Spain and Portugal. But meanwhile, my father-in-law's house has been sold and there is an unbelievable amount of work to be done to divide the various things in the house and deal with the cut glass. Also, my DIL just arrived last night from Lisbon to spend about a week with us and the cats. Meanwhile, Valentine's Day is coming up and I need to get the jewelry made and posted if I am to sell it for that holiday.
The Turtle is doing great in D.C. (more than great; one Turtle that never gets flipped on her shell, but so far lands on all fours with tail wagging and little head poked out curiously). The Armadillo has moved into a house in Fayetteville, and I'm waiting (anxiously) to hear from him about it. I've got to get there and to D.C. in the next month or 2 and I don't know how I'm going to do it!
Travels with My Aunt Armadillo weblog The Cluny Chronicles cut glass

Am I Cool Or What?!

2006-01-11T22:39:00.000-06:00

Your Life Path Number is 11

Your purpose in life is to inspire others

Your amazing energy draws people to you, and you give them great insight in return.
You hold a great amount of power over others, without even trying.
You have the makings of an inventor, artist, religious leader, or prophet.

In love, you are sensitive and passionate. You connect with your partner on a very deep level.

You have great abilities, but you are often way too critical of yourself.
You don't fit in - and instead of celebrating your differences, you dwell on them.
You have high expectations of yourself. But sometimes you set them too high and don't achieve anything.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Cluny Grey Life Weblog

Surprise!!!

2006-01-09T00:18:00.000-06:00

How evil are you?

The Last Letter from Lisbon

2006-01-05T08:14:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is the last letter, since we'll be flying home tomorrow morning and I have no idea when I'll ever be back in Lisbon. This was my 5th trip here and I've grown to love the city; it's a human-sized city, seemingly small in many ways, with much to see and do.
Last night, as a fitting farewell of sorts, we went to Parreirinha de Alfama and heard fado, the mournful national folk songs of Portugal. Fado is what jazz is to New Orleans, the blues are to Memphis and Mississippi. We heard 4 great fado singers, and the 2 oldest women were definitely the best. Son says that fado is sorrow and anguish born out of experience, so it makes sense that one must be older to sing it well (These 2 ladies were in their 60's-70's). In a crowded part of the old Alfama we walked out into a square, then through a doorway down into a long low-ceilinged room that was whitewashed and had blue tiles. We ate dinner first: delicious sea bass; in honour of the Armadillo, I washed it down with a bit of vinho verde, even though it wasn't the right season for it. It was still good though.
So tomorrow we do nothing but fly and fly and then make the drive home from Memphis. Lisbon has so much: the sea, the city, the hills, proximity to many places; I just wish it were a little warmer in winter! The Cluny Chronicles

Third Letter from Lisbon

2006-01-02T05:33:00.000-06:00

Let me tell you what not to do when you are in another country and you want to make every minute count: get sick. I haven't had a cold for over 10 years, but last Tuesday I had the grandmother of all colds just to make up for it. I didn't get out of bed until Saturday, and then during a visit to El Corte Ingles, I got so overheated, I went to bed again when I got back to Son's. But though weak, I'm ready to go to the Chiado, Baixa or wherever, and I've got to make the next 4 days really count!
We're going to go out to lunch in a minute, and believe me, I am starved to death! Thank goodness I waited until after Christmas to get sick! I'm looking forward to some good Portuguese food, but not necessarily bacalhau (cod) as it is seldom fresh. During the last few days, I was too sick to work on jewelry, even read, so I am now going stir crazy.
Since it's Monday, all the museums are closed, but I may see if I can go to the Alfama and go to the Cathedral de Se, a Romanesque church that may be the oldest in the city.
cathedral Lisbon Portugal

Another Letter from Lisbon

2005-12-26T03:02:00.000-06:00

Hello, All! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
I am now the owner of my very own yad, which for those of you who don't know is the pointer used to follow the words in the Torah since it is forbidden to touch the pages of the Torah with human hands. I forgot which century this is (still spacey from flying-(18th?) and it is solid silver, beautifully chased, and just wonderful! My family were amazed that I knew what it was when I opened it; they had all seen it in the antique store and not even John knew what it was. I don't think I've ever seen one for sale in an antique store before. There were a couple of others and they were bought to go into a museum in Coimbra (the beautiful University town here in Portugal).
We went to the one star restaurant in Cascais and it was unbelievable! I thought of my friend Jorja almost the entire time. The view was lovely, a grey day, but wet-suited surfers were beyond the windows trying to stay on the Atlantic breakers. We had a Portuguese chardonnay that was heaven. Scallops that melted in the mouth like butter, sea bass with truffles, the others had venison with chestnuts, but I just had the vegetables being vegetarian although the chef just couldn't send it out that way and had the waiter tell me he was going to give me fresh cod - the key word being fresh here. It was the most delicious cod I've ever had, and Portugal is the land of bacalhau. We had a buche de Noel, pot de chocolat that was absolutely one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth, with a cafe ice on the side, and still more. Sorry Jorja, I can't think of the others right now, but I'll write them down when I do so that I won't forget. The meal was truly worthy of the praise John, Son, and DIL had given it.
We drove back home along the coastline so that I could get my fill of the waves splashing on shore (not that I ever could). It was one of the best Christmases I have ever had. Portugal yad cuisine Cluny Grey Jewelry

Letter from Lisbon

2005-12-24T20:19:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, Everyone! It is Christmas here already in Lisbon (2:00 a.m.) . Christmas Eve has been very busy, and I just got in yesterday. Stepped off the plane at 8:00 a.m., then stayed up all day (and I don't sleep on planes) visiting with John Davis, my son's "adopted" brother, and didn't go to bed until after 11:00 or 12:00. I slept great, even though that Angola airplane that leaves every morning awakened me, but it was the best awakening because I realized I was in Lisbon in a very comfortable bed and I didn't have to get up anytime soon. Bliss!
We saw "Narnia " in the afternoon. The talking animals which could have been cutesy weren't; they were just perfect. Of course, Disney made it a little "Disney-ish" in places where it should have had more a "Lord of the Rings" mood or that sense of realism (the snowy Narnia is beautiful, and no one gets red noses or really cold; I think the snow should have been frightening). Of course I know little children should be able to see this too. But when I remember reading the book in grade school one of the things that I remember is that there was a sense of harshness in the world (which children certainly understand) and indifference (which children definitely understand) that made what went on in Narnia important. But Aslan was right - and they could have done him badly but thankfully didn't.
I need to go to bed. Tomorrow we have first seating at a Michelin Guideone-star restaurant that Son and Daughter-in-law went to 2 days ago and adored. They were with John who carried on a wonderful and knowledgable dialogue with the sommelier so that the wines were absolutely superb! I can't wait! Disney sommelier Lisbon Portugal

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-17T00:54:00.001-06:00

My idea of a wonderful Christmas!!!

Cascais

2005-11-25T00:57:00.000-06:00

I haven't been posting lately because I have been so busy with jewelry. But on to Cascais, a fairly short train journey from Lisbon which the Armadillo and I did for a day trip. Yes, people do go topless on this beach, although the only topless pictures here will be of the Armadillo. We loved Cascais. The train station is right on the beach and the beach has great resources (chairs, umbrellas, plenty of places for food, drink, sunscreen) yet for the first of June was remarkably quiet, I thought. There weren't thousands of people going topless, but there was one young attractive girl who, obviously not Portuguese, preened, stretched, and otherwise did everything she could to call attention to herself. I was fascinated, but the Armadillo didn't seem that enthusiastic.

Portugal

The Armadillo Captures the Castle

2005-11-01T21:15:00.000-06:00

More Travels with my Aunt

There are so many places to go in Lisbon, so little time - even though we know we're staying around for a month - but we do have to go to Spain. One of the first places that we go is the Castelo de Sao Jorge since it affords a wonderful opportunity to see Lisbon stretching out to the Tagus River. The castle was an hilltop citadel of the Moors, and in 1147 King Afonso Henriques turned it into the residence of the Portuguese kings. It was in ruins after the 1755 earthquake and was rebuilt beginning in 1938. We go from the Baixa or low part of the city and take a trolley up to the cobblestone streets of Santa Cruz where we walk the rest of the way. The observation terrace is great, and we walk the ramparts imagining that we belong to another century. I try to get pictures of the Armadillo with almost nothing but the city and river below him so that he looks dangerously high - these are to show his mother! (Second picture, studying Portuguese late at night out on the balcony at Son's apartment in Lisbon; across the street is a park).

(Third picture at left) The Armadillo captures the castle!

(Fourth picture at left). The castle captures the Armadillo.

We leave the Barrio Alto (the high part of the city) and go to the Chiado (sort of the Rodeo Drive of Lisbon with Hermes and Lalique and other boutiques). There the Armadillo experiences a true rite of passage: he orders his first glass of vinho verde from the waiter who doesn't even blink. A young wine for a young Armadillo! And this vinho verde(green wine) was heavenly. On past trips, I rarely drank it, but this time it was my beverage of choice besides guarana and diet Coke. It was also to be quite a favorite with the Armadillo.
The Armadillo is in the middle under the umbrella; click on the picture (any or all of them) to enlarge it to full screen. He appears quite sophisticated for someone trying to ignore the middle-aged woman who is trying to take his picture from across the way!
Armadillo The Cluny Chronicles Portugal

Travels with my Aunt

2005-10-28T00:28:00.000-05:00

Want to have some real fun in life? Take a 17 year old boy (aka the Armadillo) to Portugal and Spain where you will spend part of the time with your handsome son and devastatingly beautiful daughter-in-law in Lisbon, travel to the beaches and sights in the surrounding areas, then rent a little car and the two of you go off to the Algarve and wander around the beaches and hills and cities of Spain. Wow! And you thought you had a life! By the way, if my sister ever reads the Graham Greene book or sees the movie -Travels with My Aunt I'm in trouble!

Omigod! Gucci sunglasses! You mean you can SHOP on this flight?
(Uh,oh, the Armadillo can outshop the best of them! My purse feels lighter already!)(Trans-Air Portugal just after boarding our flight in Newark for Lisbon). Yes, that curly hair is natural.
Not a really long flight; leaves about 8:00 at night and you arrive at Lisbon at about 6:00 in the morning. You lose 6 hours along the way. Of course, after finally getting through Immigration, etc., we go to the apartment, but is there any rest for the weary? Of course, not! Luckily on the corner of the block is a little restaurant I like, appropriately enough Tatu - which means - yes, Armadillo. Fate is a funny thing, isn't it? And some people believe in coincidence!
A few hours of sleep, then Son and DIL come home from work; Son takes us downtown where the Armadillo is delighted no end because on his first night, someone actually sidles up to him and asks him (in Portuguese, which is really good) if he wants to buy some hashish!
Now I ask you: Can Armadillos smile?
The answer is "Yes!"

More blogs about armadillo.
More blogs about cluny chronicles. cluny chronicles

Like I Didn't Already Know This!

2005-10-25T18:05:00.000-05:00

You Are A: Kitten!

Cute as can be, kittens are playful, mischevious, and ever-curious. Like you, kittens hate getting wet. Kittens are often loving, but are known to scratch or bite when annoyed. These adorable animals are the most popular pets in the United States--37% of American households have at least one cat. Whether it is your gentle purr or your disarming appearance, you make a wonderful kitten.

You were almost a: Pony or a Bear Cub
You are least like a: Chipmunk or a Mouse What Cute Animal Are You?

Studio G Jewelry Cluny Grey Jewelry the cluny chronicles kitten

Millicent and Agent Orange

2005-10-04T02:10:00.000-05:00

Interesting title, I thought, but actually Millicent and Agent Orange have nothing to do with one another except that each has a connection to me.
Millicent is my sister's new cat; a female who is less than 1 year old, who has had one litter of kittens, all given to good homes, and who, of course, was a rescued cat by my sister and her husband. She is currently giving the cat and dog in residence hell! I am happy for her - that she has found such a good home, and once she realizes that Coolio and Darcy like to play - she will settle back and enjoy her good fortune. Right now she is following old teaching advice: for the first few weeks of the new school year, be mean as hell, get your bluff in so the kids don't run over you, and then you can relax later. Smart move.
"Agent Orange" as I refer to the cotton defoliants that are currently being sprayed all around me (and yes, I live in town, not in the country, but in a part of Arkansas surrounded by cotton fields) has made me a prisoner in my own home, and for right now in my bedroom, bathroom, and studio where I have 2 air filters running at top speed so that I can breathe, and so that maybe the sores in my mouth and nose, and my blistered lips won't get any worse. Can you believe that people do this to themselves? Everyone here knows what is happening, but apparently a cotton crop is far more important, and to be fair, while the whole town goes around with "allergies", a "cold", and mutters about the defoliants, not everyone is necessarily affected as much as I am - although I am sure that there are some people who are probably feeling worse, especially if they don't have air filters. C'est la vie, c'est la morte.

cats agent orange defoliants Cluny Grey Jewelry Studio G Jewelry

Chinese Proverb

2005-09-24T03:56:00.000-05:00

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.

Cluny Grey Jewelry

Studio G Jewelry

The Armadillo Speaks

2005-09-12T01:50:00.000-05:00

I had one of my favorite kinds of conversations this evening - which will surprize those who know me for a couple of reasons:

I was on the phone
I mostly listened instead of talked

My nephew, hereafter referred to as "the Armadillo" is a college freshman this year. He called me tonight to talk a little about school - and whatever- and although I have spoken to him a lot and we communicate almost every other day through the Internet, today was especially nice.

He had finished doing his German homework which had taken him quite a while; yes, he is taking German, a rather difficult language to learn, I think (ask my son), and difficult for the Armadillo who loves languages. His enthusiam was great; his voice was excited; he is thinking about getting a tutor so that he can learn faster, and so that he can practice speaking. He still had homework to do, and the German had worn him out, but he was still excited. He had also joined the German club and gone to the professor's house where they had cooked a German apple dish and watched a movie about the last Austrian princess. This is from a college freshman who is often about as silent as his namesake.

What I loved about the conversation is his excitement about Learning: yes, Learning with the big L. He talked about how fast he could finish his math class which is done on computer, and a little about what he had done over the weekend. Now that excitement is the most virulently contagious kind to me; a conversation like that can keep me awake at night with happiness - and with nostalgia, for some of my happiest nights have been spent in an insomniac state induced by my son's enthusiasm for learning - and with his sharing it with me - especially when he was in college far away in Atlanta.

The Learning is not just about German - it's about learning your own routine - learning how long and when and how you will sleep when arising is dependent only upon you. It is learning what you can do by yourself - really by yourself - whether it is eating alone or going to a party alone or living alone.

It is the beginning of learning what freedom is - walking across a campus and realizing that you could not go to class...or you could....or later you could take a nap and wake up and do your homework at 2:00a.m. or that you could go and drink coffee and talk about things with friends until you are hoarse or play drinking games.

Learning starts when you realize the infinite possibilities in front of you - and that the next piece of earth that your foot falls upon depends upon where you decide to put that foot. Learning starts when you realize that you are very small indeed in a huge world - and that very fact excites you beyond belief.

The only sad part of this conversation is realizing how very much I miss my son who has decided where to put his foot many times with just about the fewest false steps of anyone I've ever known. He has journeyed so far and seen and done so much, but instead of being jaded, he only seems to realize how much more there is to see.

The Armadillo is poking his head out of his shell - and now he is beginning to see a lot more.

armadillos

Idealism!?

2005-08-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I know that there are a million quizzes to take on the internet, but this one was fun and didn't take very long. Take it - maybe it's that world view that's really screwing up your life! Or maybe (and more likely) it's that not being true to your world view is screwing it is up.

Simplistic? Yes, but it's still fun.

You scored as Idealist. Idealism centers around the belief that we are moving towards something greater. An odd mix of evolutionist and spiritualist, you see the divine within ourselves, waiting to emerge over time. Many religious traditions express how the divine spirit lost its identity, thus creating our world of turmoil, but in time it will find itself and all things will again become one.

Cultural Creative

69%

Idealist

69%

Existentialist

63%

Modernist

56%

Materialist

56%

Postmodernist

38%

Romanticist

38%

Fundamentalist

13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
created with QuizFarm.com

If You Can't Say Something Nice

2005-08-19T15:27:00.000-05:00

How many of you grew up with some adult admonishing you, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"? I daresay quite a few of us did, but very few of us seem to take that adage to heart.
Now I'm not talking about the critique you actually asked for from a close friend or family member or even some professional. I'm talking about how many times we choose to say something negative when we're better off just keeping our mouths shut.
This brings me to another point---what is actually negative? Many people would say that they aren't negative when they are really perceived as being so. If someone shows you his/her new car and your comment is, "My God, I'll bet your gas mileage is going to be awful!" That is not a statement of fact: That is a negative statement. And it's just as bad if you say, "Wow, what can of gas mileage are you going to get with this?" (When you know that it isn't going to be very good).
Shut up. Tell him/her the colour is beautiful; the interior is luxurious (if it is; you don't have to lie). I guess the root of what I'm getting at is this: if you would love to own this car yourself, but don't or can't and that makes you feel bad for yourself or makes you feel jealous---stop! This is the difference between a child and an adult.
The child says, "Hmmm, there's got to be something wrong with this car that I can find because I'm worried about feeling bad myself about not having one."
The adult admits to some pangs of jealousy, then thinks, but my friend/relative /colleague/acquaintance is happy; by telling them how wonderful this is I can make them even happier (almost everyone likes to be admired and by extension for his/her possessions to be admired). The adult says,"Wow, this is great. You are one lucky so-and-so. How about taking me for a ride?"
We make the world better every day by little things.

The Crawling Fear

2005-08-15T01:22:00.000-05:00

I saw a snake the other day, and I have been thinking about it ever since. In the 20+ years I have been living in this house, it is only the second snake here that I've ever seen. This was a baby snake--maybe I should say a toddler snake. He was on my patio between me and the pool and I almost walked out barefoot when I saw him about 3 feet from the door. I took a glass of water and splashed it on his tail until he crawled away (he was probably living next door in my neighbor's jungle which he cleaned out the other day for the first time in years). The funny thing is that he did not send a chill down my spine.
I have always been deathly afraid of snakes. I grew up in the country with them. Seeing garter snakes and especially king snakes in our yard was commonplace. But in the roads and around the creek we also saw rattlesnakes and cotton mouths or water mocassins. My fear of snakes has always been so great that I put off taking Biology in college until the last year and took it in summer school because I didn't have to have a lab. Being in the lab meant being in the same room with a snake. I took the other semester of Biology by correspondance course. In high school, I had a friend find the place in the science book with the snake pictures (there were always snake pictures) and had him or her paper clip those pages together so that they wouldn't fall open accidentally and I'd have to look at them. When I was about 12 my brother chased me around my aunt's house with a realistic rubber snake that I knew was rubber, but I still screamed and ran hysterically from him. I shook for hours. I seriously considered at one time going to a psychiatrist for desensitization---that's how bad my fear was.
I hope I don't see the little snake's parents, but I would regret greatly finding him dead in my pool's filter also. I want the little snake to live, and he can live around my house as long as he keeps out of my way. I don't mind knowing that he's there somewhere. I hope he moves away when he is grown.
Now, the mysterious thing here is why do I feel this way? Why don't I want the snake dead (he didn't look like a poisonous kind by the way)? What has made me develop this sense that I don't have to run screaming from him with a cold pit in my stomach?
Another mystery of age?

The Awful Everydayness of Evil

2005-08-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking a lot about evil in the last few hours; actually, I have spent a lifetime thinking about it, but usually from its flip side of goodness. I think that St. Augustine said that evil was the absence of good, a definition that always felt strangely lacking to me, terribly insufficient when I was in my twenties. Now I know that the problem with an absence is that anything coming along can fill it; if there is no goodness in that void, the chances seem rather high that what falls in and gets caught there may not be very good at all. And surely Nature, being Nature, must abhor a void as much as a vacuum, so that the void fills very quickly, and indiscriminately.
How much evil comes though from the most mundane and everyday actions, thoughts that pass by unnoticed perhaps, until collecting like water from a slowly dripping faucet, these thoughts and actions that are spiteful and petty, but minor, these little digs, little selfishnesses, drip by drip drop into that void where there is an absence of goodness until the level rises and the container is a vessel of evil, until the contents define the container?
Someone else said that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. That rang true from the very first time that I ever heard it; I have always known instinctively that one must fight evil the best one can.

In India, according to the asramas or stages of life, one first is a student, then a householder who rears a family and provides, then as family obligations are met and the next generation is rising , one gradually retires in study and prayer living the life of the anchorite, a person who has properly focused his attentions away from the Things of the world and turned (inward or outward as the case may be) to higher Truth, to God. A renunciation of the material is the start of the journey toward the sannyasin stage where one has risen above the mundane, material, and (my take)one sees what is really important. Here is a culture that sees that one must attempt a natural progression toward goodness.
Hannah Arendt wrote of "the banality of evil", a phrase that makes me shiver and think of the everyday practicality of Nazi Germany's extermination plan. The words that caused dreadful deeds were ordinary words: "Board the train." "Take a shower." They still are: "I want that." "I want more." "I want it all." "That should be mine."
Evil usually doesn't carry a chain saw---just orders from someone else.

In Memoriam: Simon

2005-08-05T14:03:00.000-05:00

This post is to celebrate the life of Simon and mourn his passing.
Simon was my sister's cat, a healthy white and beige male, muscular, light on his feet, quick to curl up next to you, turn on his back, and swivel his head around to see if you were ready to pet him yet. When he purred, he could be heard for miles. He loved to play, but was a gentle cat who never scratched or bit me. I could pet him until my arms were tired.
He caused acute jealousy in the heart of Darcy, the black Scottish terrier who lived with him because his winning ways would often have me petting him instead of paying attention to her. But I'm sure she wonders where he is.
I think he has been chasing imaginary mice today who run from him in a most satisfactory way, skittering across the floors of heaven while Simon proudly feels his catly prowess undiminished by his recent journey.
In the evening, I think that he sits in a welcoming lap while St Francis smooths his fur and tirelessly scratches underneath his pointed chin.
We will all miss him tremendously and miss his affection and furry presence.
There will never be another exactly like him.

Chicago

2005-08-03T02:09:00.000-05:00

We just got back from Chicago where Jeff attended a bankruptcy conference (new bankruptcy rules!!) along with, I think, about 10,000 other lawyers, and everyone of them was trying to get on the elevator to go up at the same time we were.
I've enjoyed Chicago before, but this time there was either an inordinately large number of people vacationing in the downtown area or I'm getting really old. The last time I remember feeling so crowded in a city was in 1996 in Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro) Brazil at 4:30 in the afternoon. I like lots of people around, but I don't like to feel their breath on my bare skin as I walk down the street.
Kitties were glad to see us, I think, they're still behaving snobbishly because we've been gone. Their overall attitude is: "Well, I'll let you pet me some even though you don't deserve to."

Many pardons, Mr. Browning.
A cat's reach should always exceed his grasp, else what's an owner for.

Tchau por agora.

Time

2005-07-26T03:11:00.000-05:00

There's never enough time--and never sleeping is not the solution.

Ah, The Pool

2005-07-23T17:39:00.000-05:00

Finally, the pool is ready. I got in it yesterday to vacuum it some more, clean and of course to be in it. I don't know what the allure of having water surrounding you is, but I really love it; just being in it makes me happy and gives me this overall sense of well-being; it's a feeling that my husband just does not understand. When I was in graduate school the first time, I wrote a poem to my pool (the pool at the apartment complex where I lived); I spent most of my time there, lying in it or beside it most of the days when I wasn't in class, then writing or studying sitting at a table beside the water in the evening, then often going for a swim and chatting and having a glass of wine with friends while floating around at night.
We haven't turned the heat on in the pool, but it feels like a hot bath anyway. Arkansas in July.
I've been working on links for my http://www.clunygreyjewelry.com site, and have added a few in the past 2 days. It's a long tiresome business, but surprisingly, one that I don't mind as much as I would have thought. I hate that the template is messed up at the bottom on the first page, but unfortunately, there is nothing I know that I can do about that except call my webhosting people since I don't have access to it. So what made it mess up?
I need to go and create some jewelry. I only posted one eBay auction this week because I am so tired of eBay and how cheaply everything on auction sells. But I have gotten some good customers and great custom orders from being there.
The kitties are clamoring for attention. Do kitties clamor? If you have to ask, you obviously have never had cats.

Success

2005-07-20T04:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, I do want to speak more about success later, and how I want to define it myself. I just found this quotation from Nancy Astor and I adore it:
"The penalty of success is to be bored by people who used to snub you."
Lovely.

Up All Night

2005-07-19T12:03:00.000-05:00

Ah, once again insomnia rules---along with an aching neck. I'm sure this has something to do with the time I spend at this computer, creating links, submitting links, trying to revise pages, get code right. Who knew that a website (much less 2) were going to be such a pain.
Even Darwin, my grandkitty, who used to sleep in a basket on the desk beside me has been put off. There are too many papers, too much jewelry, and stray findings so that the basket doesn't quite fit the way it used to.
Does anyone ever get a website to the point where it requires very little maintenance? Why do I have the sinking feeling that the answer to that is a resounding "no"?
I'm waiting for the mail to come, the highlight of the day in a small town cut off from any civilized life. New beads, an Amazon box, something from Alibris, I love the anticipation.
The saga of the pool: It's almost ready to get into, and yes, I realize that this is the South in mid-July. But this town is so small that there is no pool service--just someone to open the pump in the Spring and close it in the Fall, so I have been fighting with chemicals and the rain and leaves for over 2 months. Now I just hope my skin does not break out into some ghastly rash after being in it.

The Blog Begins

2005-07-14T18:53:00.001-05:00

This is the first day of something that I have never done before. I am starting my own blog.