The lens of the writer can be tricky, but I can honestly say that I try to keep my focus tight to the truth, albeit, my truth.

I sometimes pinch myself to check my presence in the midst of remarkable events and people I meet. This has been ever so true this weekend with a most engaging couple renting one of my apartments for Homecoming at The University of the South, Sewanee.

I usually insert *pretend* names when I blog, but I don't think this couple will mind being named. Jamie is my beloved Sanssouci's brother - Martee, her sister-in-law. For the last two evenings before they've headed out for Homecoming festivities, we've spent time together.

When they entered my home the first evening, Martee and I squealed with delight for having finally met. After a moment or so, I swiveled my head around to locate Jamie. He had quietly slipped past Martee and me, and was giving my stove an appreciative eyeball as he opened the oven door to peer inside.

Okay. It's quiz time. How many guests, especially people you were meeting for the first time, have you had enter your home and gone to the stove to eyeball it? Any hands up on this one?

Martee immediately inquired, "What are you doing Jamie?"

He liked my ordinary stove - not anything fancy like a Viking or Molteni or a $100,000 Electrolux. Just a plain, simple Whirlpool.

After inspecting the stove, Jamie moseyed over to my kitchen counter and gently touched small potatoes in a small colander. He then glanced to another counter and spotted a blue crockery bowl with brown & white eggs and inquired about them.

As I poured him a bourbon on the rocks I explained that the colors were pleasing to me, and that instead of flowers I fill my home with bowls of fruits and vegetables.

I shared a vignette about the time someone asked what I was planning to do with a large bowl of lemons. The tenor of the question was tinged with judgment - that I was wasteful. I responded to her question with a question, "What do you do with your $50 flower arrangements?" I eat most of my decor - how many people eat their dying flower arrangements? .

Anyway, this is how I met Jamie & Martee. It became ever so clear that Jamie and Sanssouci are related because she would've entered my home and moseyed about just as her brother had. I was head-over-teacups delighted.


Below are photos of the items that caught Jamie's attention.











On the backburner is curried carrot soup simmering for dinner tomorrow night when Janice arrives. Yum!