Another bed video & random thoughts.
I wanted to include this video in last week’s post, but I needed to switch video-hosts (my free trial had expired and the service was too expensive,) and I waited until the last minute, and then ran into tech difficulties… No surprise.
Anyway. After I posted the first bed-video, the dominant response was:
A – your husband is a saint.
B – how sweet that he secured you to the roof.
And I would like to say:
A – oh really?
B – before you canonize him, you need to see the unedited clip.
Now. About the final result– some of you felt the end result was fantastic, but some of you thought I should take further steps to truly make the bed fit the mattress.
However, my only requirement for this bed was owning the fanciness. Once it was mine, all goals had been achieved. In fact, so great was my satisfaction with the end result, that I was actually surprised anyone expected something more elaborate.
Obviously it is fine if you would do it differently… I do not know how to explain the formula in my head for determining between too-broken and perfect-item-as-is; when I love something, really, really, really love it– I don’t need it to be any different than it is.
Paul would tell you this is why we have a house full of half-assed, half-broken stuff no one is supposed to touch… And I would tell you I am fine with half-assed, half-broken, as long as it is also giant and fancy.
The giant fancies do not even need to serve any purpose, so the fact that this bed actually does is a step in the right direction.
Example:
No part of me is bothered that the bed hangs over a few inches. The bed could hang off another 3 feet, and I would be totally fine with it. I would’ve still driven six hours for it. And I still would’ve paid what I paid for it. Even if it fit the mattress perfectly, I would not love it any more.
I think generally I am overly-detailed in a way that blinds me to the big picture. This house has illustrated to me over, and over, and over that whatever minuscule detail I am spending ridiculous amounts of time focusing on will not matter at all a year from now.
No doubt, I am really happy with my final tile-choice… but I wonder retrospectively if the time/stress/thought devoted was evidence of superior taste in flooring or a sign of mental illness.
The only thing that breaks my rigid adherence to whatever imaginary perfection that lives in my head is when I REALLY LOVE SOMETHING. Then, all decisions are made for me. Compromise is not an issue. I can barrel forward with the blind certainty that space, time, and structural issues will all fall into line from the sheer force of my faith.
Now, random thoughts:
1. Speaking of mental illness – when I was getting ready to take some photos of the bed, I decided I should iron the sheet. I got the ironing board up from the basement, found the iron and a spray bottle. Then, once I started ironing and getting irritated about why ironing boards are so small and why are sheets so large? I realized that is the wrong question. The RIGHT question is – WHY? AM? I? IRONING? A? SHEET?
2. A friend of mine is giving away a ticket to Design Camp in Las Vegas. Apparently this is for people who are really serious about interior-design. (If I win, they may not even let me in.) If you live in the area, or fancy a reason to plan a trip to Vegas… Maybe you would be interested. PS –She also has gorgeous taste in kitchen counters. For those of you who are obsessed with marble-alternatives, you’ll like her Super White Quartzite. (Her kitchen is not too shabby either.)
3. SPOILER ALERT: in case you were wondering how Mad Men is going to end?
4. IMPORTANT NOTICE: this blog is now a Mad-Men-free-zone. I do not watch until all the episodes have aired and I can snort view them all in one go. If you are confused about who that very real and alive person in bed with me is… Here is some form of explanation about Don Draper (as much as the above can be explained at all).
5. Every week in the comments, you make me laugh so hard… But once in a while, you make me mad by inadvertently showing me how something I wrote could have been 57,000 times better.
Example:
Laurel reminded me about the to-be-shredded folder’s counterpart: the folder to-be-stored-permanently-in-a-temperature-and-humidity-controlled vault: a place where all misdeeds are recorded and cataloged for all time.
Paul likes to go in there sometimes, just to take inventory.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:07 am
LOL on the pictures of you in the bed, and the kitty. Thanks for having a sense of humor.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:12 am
You go girl! I was shocked by some of the negative comments concerning the bed also. I love it, and I whole heartedly agree with your attitude!! Let them get their own bed and modify however they please! Yours is fabulous as is!!!
April 24, 2014 @ 10:15 am
NO WONDER you chastised me for saying that thing about he-who-shall-not-be-named (because I can’t remember the old dude’s name right now, even if his face is right in front of me) You are watching the whole season at once. Have no fear – it was left-over feelings from last season anyway. No characters had done pretty much anything this season when I made my ‘suit’ statement.
I love the ‘undedited’ version of your video. Elvis is not amused, though.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:18 am
NEVER EVER APOLOGIZE FOR BIG FANCY THINGS! It’s life’s biggest lottery and when an awesome item comes up, you’ve got to grab it. You must check out “Second Chance” in Baltimore. Lots of awesome architectural salvage from old homes in the area. It’s located close to Ravens Stadium. I thought of you and you BFT fettish awhile back when I saw a dark wood bar with columns and carved heads.. It was all sorts of gloriousness that I thought could be retrofitted into a kitchen. The longer an item sits at Second Chance, the lower the price goes. Check out the website to see if the inventory interests you.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:23 am
I think the bed looks fantastic. Who cares if the mattress doesn’t fit perfectly. Who’s looking at the foot of the bed when it’s obvious they should be looking at that spectacular headboard!!!!
April 24, 2014 @ 10:38 am
Me, I’d pick Elvis over Don Draper as a bed snuggle anyday…
April 24, 2014 @ 10:38 am
Everybody knows that the finest judges of quality and comfort are kitties and Elvis clearly has given her stamp of approval.
That’s all I need.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:39 am
Besides a bed isn’t properly made until your cat has climbed in. Mine used to scootch between the sheets while we were making the bed just to be the first one in.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:46 am
Like this?
April 24, 2014 @ 3:50 pm
Patricia
APR 24, 2014 @ 15:47
Yup, fresh sheets and just a cat tail hanging out. That’s a properly made bed. The only thing that saves us nowadays is that our current cat is too fat to jump as high as a bed…
April 24, 2014 @ 4:57 pm
Love it! Ha Ha, Elvis has left the…no, wait…there he is! Had a thought about those awesome finials on the bed. Wouldn’t they look great adorned with huge, ornate tassels? ELVIS would love them!
April 24, 2014 @ 4:58 pm
Oh, and I forgot…my mom used to iron the sheets while they were ON the bed!
April 24, 2014 @ 5:00 pm
Oops…Elvis is a GIRL??? Lol!
April 24, 2014 @ 10:49 am
Love the grandeur of the headboard; not to mention the amusing way you describe the obsessive missions to acquire such treasures. I won’t even extoll the virtues of your husband- just clone him. please-
But, who needs the end of the bed anyway? A new metal frame with center supports is less wonky & provides a better foundation for the bed. But, if I were you, I would not consider unsolicited advice from someone storing an antique brass & marble in the backyard as well as a cottage Vctorian bed in the garage.
April 24, 2014 @ 3:47 pm
Yup, fresh sheets and just a cat tail hanging out. That’s a properly made bed. The only thing that saves us nowadays is that our current cat is too fat to jump as high as a bed…
April 24, 2014 @ 10:57 am
You have the honor of being the only blog that 1) I share with my family and 2) they run over to read and/or view pictures/videos over my shoulder. And my daughter loved the name Elvis. Until she discovered it was a girl. That rocked her world just a little too much.
Coming to Exton anytime soon? 🙂
April 24, 2014 @ 11:01 am
If Paul would agree to another cat, I would get a boy and name him Cher… You know, just to round things out.
xoxo
April 24, 2014 @ 11:06 am
Paul has a choice? I have 3 cats myself and he had no say with the adoption of any of them lol, cats are great for amusement, btw have you seen the cat diary on you tube lol phenomenal lol
April 27, 2014 @ 10:11 am
I had to pause Sad Cat Diary at least three times because I was laughing so hard I could not breathe.
thank you for that.
April 24, 2014 @ 10:57 am
Is it only me who finds your choice of throw pillows giggle-inducing? I can’t be the ONLY reader with a mind like a 4th-grader, can I?
April 24, 2014 @ 6:30 pm
I’m totally with you Kate – boobs!! Ha!!
April 24, 2014 @ 10:58 am
Your blog is my favorite right now! Home design and hilarity all in one? Sign me up!! You need a TV show – seriously!! And I think my husband would join any support group your husband might want to start.
April 24, 2014 @ 11:01 am
Elvis winking on cue! You have him trained almost as well as Paul!
April 24, 2014 @ 11:03 am
Ahhh Victoria how ever did I fill my days before you. Thank you so much. Your Hubby is still awesome and Elvis a cutie, the bed is magnificent. Next project please lol no pressure of course lol.
April 24, 2014 @ 11:07 am
I swear people take themselves too seriously — I love your blog. You make life fun and I’m sure Paul never knows what to expect. It is very important to keep them on their toes 🙂
April 24, 2014 @ 11:09 am
I love your style your home and your husband. If Bravo put you on for 1 hour each week I would watch you guys!
April 24, 2014 @ 11:10 am
My favorite accessory on the bed is Elvis, that is the best thing about cats. They only sleep on wonderful furniture that is worthy of their presence.
xo,
Karen
April 24, 2014 @ 11:26 am
as for the length of the bed, I can not overstate how impressed I am with your solution to banging an ankle/shin every time one rounds a footboard too closely. You did not just “make do” with the mattress, you created a much needed bruise free turning radius! Kudos.
please continue to make me laugh out loud…especially when I recognize my own insanity in your musings.
June 3, 2014 @ 7:29 pm
I TOTALLY agree with you, Joanne. My Mom has a cute French Provincial Bed. It is gorgeous. It is fancy. It has corner posts at the foot of the bed that drape gracefully OUTWARD toward your unsuspecting shin. It looks so beautiful – almost as beautiful as the giant, colorful bruise adorning your shin the next day! We have all been bitten by the thing. We have all yelled awful things about sawing the stupid posts off. 45 years later, there they remain in all their glory, waiting to bite again…
April 24, 2014 @ 11:32 am
I merely exist at all other times, because I LIVE for this blog! Twins separated at birth, you capture the pure essence of my yard/garage/estate sale obsession… except I take my sister in-law with me to help cram stuff into the SUV. So not only is the inside completely packed, we strap items on top and down the sides as well!
Many an unsuspecting motorist has run off the road at the sight of my dear, beautiful, strong sister in-law clutching an oversized iron coffee table, iron garden trellis/bench, poker table, solid walnut dresser, etc. hanging off some portion of the OUTSIDE of my vehicle as I fly through busy Saturday afternoon traffic with a maniacal grin of ultimate acquisition victory plastered across my face. Yup! Paul would be downright proud of her.
I once unloaded an entire big, monstrously heavy, bedroom suit out of and off of the car and into the house all by myself, such was the adrenaline dump coursing through my veins. It can be done! Forget single handedly lifting a car off a loved one smashed underneath; I could easily do the same for a long sought-after treasure or “find” under a cement truck!
You go girl! And know that your (slightly heavier) identical twin is admiring you from a distance… though I think I can actually see Pennsylvania from my front door. I’m off now to peruse Craigslist until Saturday morning’s next round through the mean streets and back alleys of Kentucky suburbia!
April 24, 2014 @ 11:37 am
First of all I think you are so delightful. Your blog feeds my soul as I sit at home recovering from knee replacement surgery.
I want to encourage you in 2 areas-
#1 Your husband sounds like a keeper. I hope you love, cherish, appreciate him every day.
#2 Nothing in life is perfect. Mattresses don’t always fit lovely antique bed frames, scratches, dings and brokenness come with life. I think you have a got hold on this. Sometimes when I am entertaining I leave something undone-don’t vacuum, leave of pile of papers somewhere, just so people will see I don’t have it all together and nothing in life is perfect.
So keep it up Victoria Elizabeth. You are delighting and encouraging hundreds thousands??? of people around the the country. klv