I'm in love

I've rediscovered the San Francisco Public Library!
You see, when you live in the city the public library tends to be crowded with homeless people, incompetent and bitter employees, and a faint smell of burnt crack. But the other day I took the long way home and saw a pleasant little branch nestled in the foggy outskirts. Surely this library would be cleaner and more mellow than the Main Branch right smack dab in the middle of the city? YES! It was! Why hadn't I thought of this before?! No need to purchase a cup of mediocre coffee to sit in a cafe with wi-fi and the relentless buzzing of the espresso grinder. No need to ask employees if they can look up a book for you. No need to PURCHASE anything, say amything, smile at anyone.
I stayed there, curled up in a comfy chair with a pile of books on varied subjects, for a few hours. I fell in love. I went back a couple days later and checked out a stack of books and a couple DVDs. That's right, DVDs! Hamlet and My Fair Lady. Free!

And though my life as an urban homesteader is going 'just ok', I do love it. My rosemary died pretty quickly. Apparently the sage it shared a pot with couldn't handle the loneliness cos it kicked the bucket shortly after.
In the meantime, I'm still up early to grind my own coffee beans in this:

Isn't it beautiful? It's my late grandmother's, on my dad's side, so its truly a French antique. Thanks Grandma.
I'm still using my plastic coffeemaker until I get my stovetop percolator, but at least in the meantime I'm making myself the best cup of coffee I've ever had. Then I drink it from this glorious mug/cup gifted to me by a classmate after I gushed over its charm.

 She said I would value it more than she did. I accepted it with a gasp, only slightly embarrassed (who gets blown away by a cracked mug? Jeez, Kendra!).

Also I tried my hand at baking my own bread, but the results were so sad. The yeast never rose! I've no idea what I did wrong. I used my friend Emily's fool-proof recipe, and after giving the ball of dough an additional 6 hours of a chance to rise, I texted her in desperation. She said to try and bake it anyway.

 It was 'Eh'. Edible, at least. I'm curious to see what would result from a rematch with the yeast. Yes, I will try again.

Also, after seeking advice for my failed rosemary, a coworker brought in a giant bagful of the stuff from her thriving garden. I've been chopping it into everything, and then I saw a recipe for and made my own rosemary salt!



Speaking of work love, I crafted this Queen of Hearts wreath out of tissue paper roses (some white ones painted red, get it?), leaves from painted paper towel rolls, and old playing cards cut into hearts.

My Droid photo doesn't do it justice, you see, because it was such a hit, they hung it and asked me to teach a workshop to make it, just in time for Valentine's Day. 

We'll see.

current mood: busy

current music: edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros -  home