Home is where the heart is...or dress

Have you ever walked into your house, took a deep breath and knew you were home? Not just because you were surrounded by all of your belongings, burned a candle earlier that day so the room is filled with the aromatic scents of sparkling vanilla but felt so calm and relaxed. So at peace because as your heart swells, you know.

This is it.



This most definitely is NOT it, but I needed to get the shameless wall off of my chest and out for all to see.

Maybe it’s a sentimental piece of artwork made by a child or friend, a family portrait filled with a keepsake moment, or a ratty dog toy (stinks to high heaven) that just couldn’t be left behind.

When I was growing up, my family had these ridiculous family portraits taken at a glamour shots type of studio. All four of us were decked out in our best clothes; my Mom in a stunning dress. My Dad wearing a suit and tie, both my sister and I wearing dresses and pearls (thanks Mom!).

The icing on the cake-all four of us wearing a fake nose and moustache pair of glasses. Glamour con uglified. There was no shame in our household that’s for sure. Those photos were tacked out to the fullest. That year our family made Christmas ornaments with the pictures and gave them out to EVERYBODY known to man, family members and non-family members. Business associates and random grocery store clerks my parents were friends with. Outrageousness.



In the front room, the picture hung on the back wall for years until finally as a family we went back and took full glamour shots sans the glasses. That picture made the house feel like it was our home, it suited our eccentric family with our joking nature.

From the past several years up until now, there isn’t a single time when I walk into my flat (locations have changed) that I am not smiling. While the space is filled with furniture and a bunch of plants that really need to be outdoors, it’s a random picture that rests on the refridge that god willing will never leave the grip of a magnet. And if it does, it’s to be bronzed or placed in a scrapbook.

Several years ago my closest friend came to visit, if anyone knows the weather of the NW during the winter it’s predictably filled with rain and high winds for the most part. I lived in a scenic part of town and she wanted pictures from a lookout so we headed out before drinks. Unfortunately the wind came with us.

We were bundled up with scarves, hats, the works. But in dresses nonetheless. While taking a photograph with the city in tow, the wind struck and our dresses went right up around our hips. So while we’re trying our hardest to keep the dresses down, this random guy taking our photograph was trigger happy and greedily snapping pictures. With our dresses revealing everything to the fine city of Seattle. Lovely no?


Those poor women know the pain.

We managed to get one good picture taken that didn’t involve our dresses high and dry but it got over-ruled by one of the flasher photos. I don’t think we could have given that guy a better show if his life depended on it! That scandalous picture has traveled far and wide and is one that goes down in this blondie’s moments.

Without that in my home, it would feel different. Sure there would be things scattered about that are personal and filled with memories but that photo alone sums everything up. It was random, it was a fluke, it was something that could only have happened right then. It completes this home that travels around from city to city trying to find permanence (which hopefully almost has) and brings it all together.