Going home...

So my husband and I took a trip this evening to my home, the place where I say I was born, my favorite place in the world- St. Augustine. It's pretty cool that we only live 40 minutes from the greatest place on Earth. First we had dinner at one of our favorite places- The Tasting Room, while listening to the music (and witty banter) of Goliath Flores, a local musician who plays acoustic Spanish guitar, the mouth trumpet, the foot tambourine (among others), and sings. It just so happens he sang at our wedding, as well. And did a killer job. After dinner, we went for a walk. The sun was just about set so the sky was a dark cloudy blue. We set off down St. George street, over to the Huguenot Cemetery, and then to the fort. But when we got near the fort, we saw a gorgeous house (which just so happens to share a lot with my Neverending tree, as seen on my etsy site). So we decided to take a walk down the street and look at all the houses. This is something I LOVE doing. Just driving or walking down different streets in different places, admiring the beautiful houses, making fun of the ugly ones, and imagining what it's like to live in each of them.

Well, let me tell you, these were the most gorgeous houses I have ever seen. Big huge houses of a style that might have originated in the early 20th century, with huge wrap around porches, amazing gardens, brick chimneys, old white iron gates, picket fences, huge yards filled with giant oak trees, dormer windows, and a story. I think that's what bothers me the most about houses today. They are so bland; they tell no story. These houses were so magnificent you could just picture the children running around in them or the ghosts that haunted them. And, of course, I got a case of the "I wants". This is a dangerous affliction that still bewilders me.

I love my house, though I wish it were a tad bigger, but it's great. It's pretty, it's in a nice neighborhood, and it's mine. I love it. But, what if we had the big yellow house with the white porch and the brick fireplaces and huge garden? Wouldn't my life be happier? Better? Who knows? But I try not to go there. Money is this thing, this concept, that is so blinding, to say the least. There's never enough. And our society is so wrapped around it, it's hard to even see life apart from it. Almost everything we do revolves around money. And it's pathetic.

I'm not gonna lie that I don't wish we had more. And, I dream of the day we don't have to stress over bills, if there is such a day. But, I wonder if we were to suddenly make thousands more, would it change us? I was at the Town Center yesterday in Anthropologie for the first time, and there was this totally cute Jennifer Aniston shirt I loved. For $98. Of course, my reaction was I'll go to Target and get a cute shirt for $5 and wear it for 10 years. But then I thought, what if I had more money, I would totally buy that shirt. That Gap lookin shirt. And that, in a way, kind of disgusted me. Then, today I saw a photo of Gwen Stefani shopping for shoes for her 6 month old baby in Barney's New York. Barney's. For a 6 month old. Really? He's gonna outgrow them in like 6 hours, anyway. Is this what money does to us? (And by the way I mean absolutely no harm to my girl, Gwen.)

It makes me appreciate what I have so much more to step back and realize that I am not dying because I wear Target underwear instead of Victoria's Secret, or Payless shoes instead of Manolo Blahnik's, which I didn't even know how to spell til I just googled it. I'm sure Carrie Bradshaw would be totally aghast at my wardrobe. But, if more money just buys stuff, not even necessarily better stuff, I'll just stick with my house. But it really was a beautiful house. :)



A ghost? Nope, it's just my shadow. But if I had to choose a place to haunt, it would definitely be St. Augustine. I could certainly spend the many days and nights of eternity lost in its magic. It's just frustrating because I find it impossible to relate in a photo or a word how much I love this place, how much it feels a part of me, and how enchanting it is.

***By the way, I did not start my writing today. I know, I know. Goal-less process. I will though. I actually did work on another story today (I have 3 I'm currently churning in my brain), well not the story, but the illustrations for it! This one has to remain top secret though, at least for now!