Catalogues

My friend, K. (the catalogue queen), is going sailing for a couple of weeks, so I am taking care of her cats - Chessie & Peake - while she's gone. I love being there for many reasons, not the least of which is that she gets ever catalogue known to woman. From Title Nine Sports to Source Perrier, from Neiman Marcus to the Chicago Art Institute. It is such fun to sit and read through these and see what's out there.

I am a very tactile person and need to feel the heft and hand of things before I buy them. I want to feel how the fabric feels, whether the lines are crisp and clean and the glass is smooth. Then there's the whole issue of ordering, because I am not home to receive things, and I certainly don't want them left on the front steps - I live in the heart of the city.

Catalogues are another good way of educating your eye towards what's current and what's classic. Which are your favourites?

The other reason I love staying at K's house is because she's got full digital cable. I didn't even have a television until about two months ago (again, courtesy of K, who upgraded to a flatscreen), so cable is well beyond me. But it is fun to sit around working on my knitting and watching HGTV, Style TV and BBC America.

My favourite show is Isaac, which is just the funniest combination of trashy gossip, style hints and interesting guests. I once saw John Waters, my hometown hero, with Issac and nearly fell off my chair laughing. This promises to be a lazy weekend of watching TV, watching the cats and reading catalogues.

K&N, I promise to take great care of the kitties, even when they're doing disgusting things!

P.S. It was rainy and bleak most of the day, so I didn't feel too guilty about watching hours of HGTV and Style Network, and reading the new spring catalogues that came in today's mail!