Nesting mission complete. Dishes not included.

I bought a new jade plant and a new cactus (the last two met their fate last year by way of the toxic twosome, Esme Jules and Ruby Claire). Esme actually chews on the cactus. She is a strange, strange animal.

That led me to re-pot my umbrella plant and Jenny Thomas, my amarylis. Yes, Summer, the original pot has been placed in storage, traded in favor of a red pot to go with the living room decor. I will save it, however, and put one of Jenny's future children in it.

To my horror, after I introduced Cactus Jr. and Jade Jr. to my slumpartment, my amarylis Jenny Thomas was found unconcious and de-potted on the floor three days in a row. The plant stands were no match for le femme nikittens. I purchased a sturdy console table to act as an arboretum. It blocks my a/c vents, but it's big enough for plants and cats to co-exist. Harmony prevails.

I bought some new picture frames, rotating and adding pictures for display. I finally displayed on my of my favorite pictures, though I'm not sure why it's a favorite: Max patiently reading the newspaper during March Madness 2002 at BW3s.

I then realized I could no longer stare at the boxes of my bookshelves. They've been harbored in my apartment since Christmas 2005. I've run out of excuses to put them up, knowing I would most likely be in the slumpartment for more than a few months. Red Beard stopped by and, within the hour, my living room shrunk by the shear massiveness of the shelves. But, I did clear two bins of books I've been avoiding in the cats' bedroom. (Hey, I'm a single female in a two bedroom. It's only reasonable they get a room of their own).

As a final touch, I added a Martha Stewart Tiffany-Style floor lamp to the living room. My previous $15 lamp with the dented metal shade has been relegated to the kitchen.



Plants: $25.00
Pots: $20.00
Table: $100.00
Lamp: $40.00
Bookshelves: $0
Cluttered Living Room in Magic City Slum: Priceless.