It's officially Flip Flop Envy season here at Casa De Megan. I cannot wear flip flops, the traditional thing between the toes variety. (Or well, anything at all between my toes.) And I am bitterly jealous about this. I have tried to wean myself on to flip flops. I bought a pair of cute ones and brought them with me to work and changed into them when I got there. Oh my god the pain, it was unbelievable. And when it didn't feel like some super sharp new material composite turned into toe torture device was stuck in there, like when I was sitting at my desk, the feeling was something more like "omigod what is this? this is not good. Take this right out of there. Now. I'm serious, this was not meant to be. No. Really I mean it. Get it out of there." So I am relegated to the "slides" category and so many of them are not cute, and way more expensive. (Side note to the Gap: I know you're evil but whatever, about two summers ago you carried these non-thong flip flop things and they were perfect and instantly comfortable and oh dear I would do anything if you would sell them again, pretty please. I lost one shoe of a pair last year and phoned every place I had been that day and desperately miss it and still think longingly of my missing anti-flip flop.) Flip flop wearers, cherish every flip flop wearing moment, you lucky little things.

It seems like everyone is deeply relating to their Pantone Birthday Color, except me. My month, October, is Lavender - Peaceful, Poised, Balanced. I don't like lavender, and I'm just about the most anxious, awkward and unsteady person I know. And my day color, the ninth, I like even less. Smoky Grape. I don't like purple, or even the flavor grape. Just thinking about it makes me grumpy, I'm so far away from anything smoky or purple. Maybe I was adopted and they didn't know my real birthday so they just picked a day, maybe my real birthday is April 10th, or May 10th, or June 13th or the 23rd.

Some things I saw at Target:

• beaded lightbulb hanging fixture thingy, also one with pretty pink flowers
• purse with a light inside that lights when you open it and shuts off when you close it via a magnet contraption, not on the web site.

Help - I need a recommendation for a small lawn mowing service in Seattle (Wallingford neighborhood). Our grass is obscenely long and I'm just too intimidated to phone some random place from the phone book because I always get some gruff guy who leaves me feeling all man-hater. We have a very small lawn, but one that has grown enthusiastically ever since spring hit. Anyone have a service that makes them happy?

Someday I'm going to have to buy a mattress, when that day arrives this thread at Ask Metafilter is going to be helpful.

There is a nice community garden near us and during a little walk around yesterday I was so so happy to see that someone is setting up an herb spiral (scroll down a bit). I first heard of herb spirals from Loobylu, a few years back I think, and find the whole thing charming.

There was also a bed which was filled with clover while it was resting for a while, I found a few four leaf clovers that were to so big I couldn't bring myself to pick them, so I took photos instead. Click here (pop up) to see more.

more goodness from boing boing - how to make a soft boiled egg cake* and Kaze was inspired by the dress at the umbrella project, and made one of her own in a Gothic Lolita style, very nice.

* This is a series of cakes in a Is My Blog Burning? theme (? not sure what to call it) and they are all drool worthy, I'll track them all down later.

you are now a ninja, how to transform an ordinary t-shirt, via kottke

how to paint your floors and not screw it up, via megnut

Last night Scott and Michael opened for Josh Kelley. It was a good show, the crowd was enthusiastic and responsive, we sold lots of cds (I got to be merch girl!), and Josh was great. He had one guy onstage with him, Ben Peeler, who was amazing. For one of the last songs Ben pulled Michael onstage to play mandoline, which turned into a duel. They sounded fantastic, and a good time was had by all.

Things I'm interested in - pens with a light source (for signing up for email lists in the dark) and, completely unrelated, mini kites, or tiny kites. I first saw little kites at in Santa Cruz near the boardwalk, they were called pocket kites I think. Does anyone know where I could buy them around Seattle or online from the US? The only places to order online I can find are in the UK - tiny kite and kite company.

And, check out Michael's Interactive Guide to Home Brewing (Flash).

These Snacks panties are super cute! But even better* are the adorable little cupcake containers! I want cupcake containers for all of my undies. Via Evany, the bestest.

* no offense to the panties I just have a strange sense of focus