This is a cozy condo kitchen in Canada that we took from grim to great in just a few weeks. I always find these before and after photos so inspiring- Quelle difference!
Note to C.C. – We chose honed marble counter tops and, over a year later, word has it they are holding up beautifully- no stains!
Sun Valley, Idaho
Time to share another favourite product with you! These electrically heated ceramic stones from “This Works” are absolutely fantastic for diffusing aromatherapy oils. They scent an entire large room for hours and are a perfect alternative when candles are not safe or appropriate. They get just hot enough in the centre that the oils heat evenly without ever burning, yet they stay cool enough around the edge that you can pick them up. You may buy the “This Works” oils that go with, which are very nice, or simply choose your own from your local spa, yoga centre, or hippie shop 
Now I’m not suggesting that you leave them plugged in all day, or overnight, or for 3 days, (who, me?) but I’m just saying that if you did happen to do that…. nothing happens.
You know how you can love a million songs, but there are just certain ones that no matter what kind of day you are having, you hear them and you absolutely cannot help but start dancing around like mad?- even if you’re in your car?!
Click HERE for one of those songs
Side note: The lead singer, an adorable boy named Ben, was my neighbour in London.
This cat lived in a Buddhist monastery in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I sensed he was even more chill and sorted than ordinary cats-and that’s pretty damn chill and sorted. Is it OK to say damn and Buddhist in the same sentence? Anyway, he has nothing to do with the song other than the fact the band is called “Curiosity Killed The Cat” and it was a good excuse to use my Cambodian Cat photo and carry on the “cat photo” theme from my previous post for some of you cat lovers out there. You know who you are!
Slim Paley Photo
Books I’ve loved about Africa that I forgot to recommend :
Before The Knife Carolyn Slaughter Memoir of growing up on the move in Africa in the 50′s and 60′s with an extremely abusive father. Sad but good.
When a Crocodile Eats The Sun Peter Godwin The state of affairs in Zimbabwe since Robert Mugabe came into power. Shocking. Well, not shocking as much as disgusting.
The Africa House Christina Lamb The true story of an English gentleman named Stuart Gore-Browne who realizes his dream of building an incredible sprawling country estate in the middle of nowhere in Africa beginning in the 1920′s.
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight Alexandra Fuller Fuller’s memoir of her family’s experiences living in Rhodesia as it became Zimbabwe is heartbreaking without being sentimental. Great book.
I Dreamed of Africa Kuki Gallmann Gripping memoir but whatever you do, don’t see the movie. Bad bad.
And lastly, my younger son highly recommends Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe A novel about African tribal life, both the conflicts within the tribes and their clashings with European culture.
Slim Paley Photo ………………………..Tanzania
Slim Photos
You are probably looking at these photos and thinking two things; Is S.P. obsessed with bathroom sinks and why are the lights on in the middle of the day? To clarify; no and no. I just wanted to share these as I think they are so brilliant (no pun intended). Because the south and west facing windows in this bathroom are quite far away from the north-facing sinks, I decided this was a case for Solatubes! These are simply skylights and though they do come with or without light fittings, this photo was taken around 6 in the evening and that is pure natural light still pouring in- nothing artificial. Incredible, right?! They are not expensive and take only a few hours to install. Paging Al Gore…
PS. I own NO STOCK in this company, but Click Here if you want to learn more. Just trying to save the planet in my own little way.
