Anyway, let's get on to the miscellany before I write a whole blog post about how I miss the civilized conveniences of the first world while still living in America.
ONE. I knew when I moved here I would need a desk. I used to have a hideous desk that I hated. *Lesson learned: even if it will save you $10 and you're a poor law student, do not buy the hideous desk. Spend more on a desk you actually like.*
My desk in Big City was gorgeous and granite and built into the apartment. Because I figured they wouldn't appreciate me asking the Boyfriend to bring down his shop equipment (whatever it all is...) and tear that baby out, I started looking for a desk. I lusted after one at West Elm, clearly I wanted all of them at Pottery Barn, and I even considered an Ikea purchase. West Elm was going to cost me about $300, PB was a dream at about $1,000 and Ikea was $150 + shipping.
the west elm beauty
I was entering my debit card information into the computer when one of my new co-workers returned to the office. She knew I was looking for a desk and was basically appalled that I was about to spend $300 on a vintage-look-a-like. She happened upon an estate sale that day, saw a desk she thought I would like, and bought it.
No joke.
I guess I'll stop complaining about civilization because people in Small Town are JUST NICE.
TWO.
I want to make some changes to it, but because it is a legit "antique," it has different dimensions than today's desks. Case in point: I'm currently sitting at it using a dining room table chair. Also, I went to Home Depot last night to change out the handles (I have all of them, but two are missing screws, so clearly I need all new ones).
They are 2 3/4" apart and the standard is 3" so I will need to find specially sized drawer pulls or use two knobs on each one. That would be fine, but at about $3 a piece, the knobs would cost more than the whole desk. Which, did I tell you, was $25? I paid her a $5 finders fee because I didn't have change from $30.
twenty five dollars!
Three.
Because I am sure you're all dying to know what a morning in the life of Brittany looks like, here's how it looks now. I originally didn't want drawers, but I love them. They hide all of my ugly supplies.
FOUR. Also this weekend I went about unpacking a lot of my stuff. My first priority was my coffee mugs. I have always had one mug at the Boyfriend's house, so I have been using the same one every day. Washing it every morning was getting annoying, and there's just something about drinking out of a pretty coffee mug in the morning. The first one I used was from the church where Beth Moore taught the Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration. LOVE.
I kind of have an instagram addiction... #confession
The one in the picture above is from a trip to Anthropologie when my good friend Natalie was in town. I bought one that said "B" and one with the Boyfriend's initial when I was living in Big City so that when he came to visit he would have his own mug. They are VERY affordable and super sturdy.FIVE.
As I unpacked my kitchen stuff, the pantry was haunting me. I just couldn't take it anymore. The Boyfriend will spend thousands of dollars on snowmobiles, but ask him to throw away expired food and he thinks it's a waste. I started while he was around and learned (from experience, and a text from his mother) that if he KNOWS I'm throwing food away he will tell me to keep it. There are two FULL grocery bags of (extremely) expired canned goods on the pantry floor. After he went to the shop to do manly things, I got to work on the rest of it. I threw away food that expired in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. I don't know what happened in 2006. He must have been hungry.
I explained to him that I SAVED HIS LIFE by throwing it away, but he still wasn't pleased with me. Whatever. If you don't eat something EIGHT YEARS after you bought it, it belongs in the trash. Sick.
SIX.
Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It ends tomorrow. It is for three GORGEOUS, inspirational Christian prints from a super cute easy store.
