J, my new housemate, told me I was a good influence the other day. I laughed, and simultaneously cringed. My immediate internal reaction was something like, “Oh, no, I’m so boring!” That was not what he meant, I know, but I’ve thought a lot about it since. I’ve also written a lot about it since, but I keep deleting everything I write. Apparently my feelings on the subject are quite complicated.

That being so, how about a post with a lot of pictures?

I’ve always had a tendency toward indecision leading to inertia when it comes to things like putting up photographs, but I’ve been really determined to make my new room cozy and homey. My two recent additions:

photos on a wall over a desk

I had some lightweight photos printed via Snapfish to decorate the wall next to my desk. I’m not 100% pleased with how they turned out, but I’m 90% pleased, and I very much like how they fill that space.

closet with curtain hung as a door

The closet had no door, so I hung one of my old curtains in front of it. But it was too short and too sheer. Four visits to thrift stores and one failed experiment later, I found this shower curtain, which works well with my blue & white quilt and the white walls. For $8, I’m pleased!

The big nesting event of the weekend:

Christmas tree

J and I got a Christmas tree yesterday and decorated it. It’s been years since I had a Christmas tree, but I’d been carrying all my old family wooden ornaments around with me the whole time. Yep, taking up room in the van, and room in the tiny house, with no real possibility of using them. Hanging them on a tree was a little bittersweet, but also satisfying.

On Friday night, Sophie and I went to downtown Sanford’s Christmas tree lighting event, with Christina, Greg, and J. That was fun, although the music was surprisingly… okay, well, a polite word might be jazzy, but the honest word would be Muzak-y.

The Christmas tree before it was lit, early-ish in the evening.

the lit Christmas tree, complete with fake snow.

The lit Christmas tree, complete with fake snow, and a lot more people.

Afterwards, we went and hung out on the patio of a nearby bar, and planned future fun events, like a trip to the Magic Kingdom (taking place tomorrow), and a game-movie-pizza day for later in the month. Sophie roamed a little, but mostly hung out by the table, peaceful but alert. It was so nice to be sitting outside, on the first day of December, with my most lightweight hoodie tied around my waist because it was too hot for it.

fire table with dog

We enjoyed the fire table and lights in the backyard one night. Which, to be honest, we will not be doing again until the mosquito repelling electronic device that I’ve ordered from Amazon arrives. (<–affiliate link, if you have any Amazon shopping to do.) But still, it was very beautiful. Sophie’s not really having a close encounter with a ghost, that was just a camera artifact. Looked really cool, though!

Apart from some pictures of food, that about covers it for my photographic adventures of the past week or so. In life without photos, I also got to hang out with my friend Joyce one night — we wrote, but also visited thrift stores — plus I went to small business Saturday in downtown Sanford, plus the farmer’s market, plus… hmm, maybe that’s it. Well, plenty of walks with Sophie around the neighborhood and a lot of time in the backyard throwing the ball. I’ve been researching local jobs and thinking a lot about what I want to be doing with my life. But that’s getting into “good influence” territory again, and I have literally been working on this blog post all day long — it’s now 7:20 PM! — so I’ll save those thoughts for later.

Tomorrow, the Magic Kingdom!

Wednesday, back to Cici. I swear I will get her out of the pickle she’s in someday. Someday!