Northern California has an earthquake!

I was just sitting here on my computer a moment ago thinking about what to write and all of the sudden the screen started to shake.  I have not felt an earthquake since the big one in ...whas it '86?  Living up here in the hills we don't usually feel them at all, much less to the point where they are shaking objects in the house.  And we had just been talking about what happened in Oakland with the police after the occupation protests.  This is some apocalyptic stuff going on here in California!

You've heard of the Take Away Show...Here is the "Dine-In Theater".

Coming at you straight from my dining room, please enjoy episode one of Dine-In Theater.  This week, my most talented children and I perform a sing-along to our favorite Fleet Foxes song, Mykonos.  Notice the little guy singing, he isn't even 1 yet!  I love them!  Tune in every week for another amazing episode of your new favorite web music show that you didn't even know you always dreamed of, haha.

claiming for bloglovin! oh yeah, hells yeah!!

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The top ten reasons that I love my little town!

I used to imagine living in a big city.  One full of lights and excitement.  Finally, at age 23 I had gotten my chance.  It was 2005 and I moved to Seattle with big plans to bring my daughter out there and start a new life in the big city...That only lasted a few months!  I moved back to my little town in California, where my daughter was waiting for me in the care of my parents, so that I could give her something that the big city could never offer.  Now, at age 30 and with another child, I have come to appreciate the little town that raised me.  So I decided to list the top ten reasons that I left my big city dreams behind.

1. Everyone knows who I am here:  Once, my daughter was walking downtown with her dad who rarely comes up.  Before the day was through I had received over ten phone calls about my daughter being seen in town with a man they didn't recognize.  I felt so safe!
2. There is only one stop light.
3. I am surrounded by trees and the beauty of nature.  I rarely worry about air quality (unless there is a fluke forest fire.)
4. I leave my car unlocked, with the keys on the floorboard and my purse on the seat, and it is all there when I return to it.
5. My garage is open right now and I never have to lock my door...ever.
6. The newspaper police reports typically contain headlines like "Man knocks over trash cans, police are called."  
7. I can get free coffee, free meals, personal credit at boutiques and I have never ever paid to park anywhere.
8. Three times a year the main street is closed off for street fairs, and wine drinking is encouraged.
9. I pay 1000 dollars a month for a four bedroom house with a rose garden in the back yard.
10. My children are safe here.  It's like 1955 but with better cars! 

I could never imagine leaving now.  Sure, the taste of the city still whets my palate.  The idea of having more than one option for nightlife can be appealing at times.  I have to drive over an hour to get to the nearest in and out burger...But I wouldn't trade the sound of frogs and crickets at night for the sound of sirens for all the money, fun or food in the world.  I will grow where I was planted, and what a lovely little garden it is!

How to score big at the thrift store

Go often. Keep your eyes peeled!  These little angels were only fifty cents each!  I am sooo amped.  And they kicked off the quiet launch of the old brown shoe's blog!

My Blog is what a kid with ADD's brain looks like, and my house is it's bi-polar cousin Melvin.

I have been attempting to clean my house.  I border on the fine line between collector, and hoarder.  I have accumulated many items over the years to "sell" and have fallen in love with many of them.  My love affair is an abusive one though, I leave these wonderful items in boxes and I have converted my home decor to "vintage, pile-chic".  I seem to get caught up on the needy rooms which always need attention or they start to cry an odorous rant.  The rest, well, neglect comes to mind.  I am now selling many of the pieces on my little etsy store, The old Brown Shoe.  I will be posting about my progress, and offering up some tasty finds and tips.  First though, I must show you a glimpse of what I am working with.  I am going to be extremely candid in these before shots...I am not proud.  In a life-long attempt to clean up my head, blog and business, I will first attempt to clean up the root of all of this chaos. My living environment.  Wish me luck! (Disclaimer:  All items seen here are MY mess, laundry,etc.  They are not the items for sale in my store which are neatly tucked in a closet ready to ship or awaiting my discovery of them in the neatly sealed box they currently reside in, in which case, you will see them soon.)

This is mad man!

I just sold an item from my etsy vintage shop, the old brown shoe.  Here is the clincher... I sold it to the prop master for the TV show Mad Men!  I am so flattered that one of my items is authentic and quintessential enough to that time period to make it to the show!  I feel famous by default.  I can now safely say that I knew those old Columbia records recording tapes when they were just sitting, collecting dust in a box in my garage...Now they've hit the big time!  I hope they remember the little people.  How exciting!