Don’t Be 1 in 12

One of the beauties of the Internet is its ability to spread PSAs. I'm using my blog that way today.

One in 12 – that’s a rather sobering statistic. It’s the number of people worldwide living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. And it’s one too many. Consider:

• These two viruses together kill approximately 1 million people a year.
• About 500 million people around the world are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C. (Or, a number of people equivalent to the population of New York City – times 55.)
• One in three people have been exposed to one or both viruses.

Today is World Hepatitis Day. Are you number 12? It’s a very scary question, especially if the answer is “yes.” You can find out more about these viruses that attack the liver here.

Be sure to check out this blog and consider supporting this cause on your site today. Don't be Number 12.

I Won! I Won! I Won!

Wasn’t I just writing about how fabulous giveaways are?

While I didn’t win the one I focused on here … yet … I did manage to score a prize from our friends at Charles and Hudson!

What a pleasant surprise it was to start the week with an email letting me know I’d won a copy of The Domino Book of Decorating. Aren’t I lucky?! I can’t wait to see it. And, it’s always nice getting a nod from Charles & Hudson. (Even if they did shave a decade off This D*mn House's age. They can shave a decade off me anytime they’d like!)

What’s funny is, I didn’t really realize I was entering anything! I just happened to read a C&H post that started out by saying: This Mother's Day forget the gifts and instead pick a project that you and your mom can share in building together. We're not talking about remodeling the kitchen or laying tile (unless you and your mom are up for it), but rather projects that are low stress and can be completed in a day.

Low stress. In a day. Yeah. Right. At This D*mn House? I, of course, had to comment by saying that the mother and I ARE redoing the kitchen. In fact, I took her floor-shopping on Mother’s Day! Well, that IS what she wanted to do, and it was, HER day. Too funny.

Now if I can only hit Powerball. (And if not, I’ll be perfectly happy with the SKIL tools!)

Pimp My Bus

It looks like the Color Splash dude or the Design on a Dime team – both of whom can always be depended on to produce at least one exceptionally loud color in their redesign on their respective HGTV shows – hijacked my bus.

All I can say is that it’s a good thing I already had sunglasses on when I boarded! Our bus interior has gone from a sedate blue plastic frame with a nondescript slate upholstery (and not really enough to keep you from feeling the plastic) to Attack of the Killer M&Ms. See for yourself.

And this photo does not begin to do justice to how bright these things are either. I was the first one on today so I had the joy of watching everyone else’s expressions as they boarded.

This will definitely wake you up in the morning, no doubt about it. I will say that the seats are actually padded, something my butt appreciates beyond expression and, we actually have windows you can slide open. (Previously, it was just a single large piece of Plexiglas. The transom window across the top could be flipped open instead.)

I’m not sure if they just bought new buses (they look the same on the outside) or if they are redoing the interiors of existing ones and slowly rotating those into the mix.

It will be fun to see what tonight’s bus looks like.

CART-ography

This has nothing to do with map-making. No, this post is about the woes of looking for a kitchen cart.

The mother saw a few at Big Lots recently and wanted me to check them out. I did one night last week. The one she liked was nice, but more than a foot longer than our current one. But what I think really enthralled her was the stainless steel top.

Admittedly, this was nice and a perfect feature or the soon-to-be-new kitchen decor.

So, over the weekend, I spent some time online looking at cart. Holy Mary! Do you have any idea how many different kinds, styles, sizes, finishes and price ranges these little beauties can have? I didn't. I looked at probably 100, showing a handful to the mother who found fault with every one of them (usually price was the final straw) until I hit this ...

YAY! It was instant love for both of us. It was cheaper than the one she'd seen across town (by about $10), and we wouldn't have to pay tax, but the savings would be eaten up by the almost $75 shipping charge!

But, this company also is offering a $25 rebate. And, since this one already has the drawer pull style that we're putting on the cabinets, that's an expense we're spared over the other option. So, that means it's not that much more than the other one!

There's still one variable: what the counter surface is made of. We decided that we like the black (since the stove and microwave will both have black, the color is great). None of the online descriptions I found on this said what it is. Laminate, marble, what?!

The dimensions were another consideration. It is about 6 inches wider than our current one and only about 4 inches longer. In our tiny kitchen, every inch counts. Even so, this should still work.

Here's hoping that the surface material isn't a deal-breaker ...

The Empty-Nesters

When we returned from our shopping trip yesterday, we'd noticed that our mama robin wasn't on her nest. Sometimes, she would fly off as the car entered or left the driveway, so we weren't too surprised.

Off and on during the evening we would peer out the window. There was still no sign of her. "She's abandoned the nest," the mother said. "She probably moved them." I wasn't convinced.

When I woke up this morning, the mother said there was still not sign of the mama bird. As I went outside to check, I spied the mama bird on the end of the nest, busy serving breakfast! I couldn't really see a baby, so I decided to check to make sure. It got quite chilly last night and with no mama around, maybe it had perished.

I came inside and the mother yelled, "Oh, God!" A bird had just struck the kitchen window and dropped down. As I went outside to check, I saw a bird, an awkward-looking robin, fly off. When I went back outside to retrieve a ladder, I saw my neighbor standing in his yard. "One of our babies just hit your window but it got up and flew off."

He told me that they didn't know what had become of the second bird, but that this one had been flying all week and they'd tried to keep tabs on him. Later in the day, I saw the bird again in their yard, identifiable by the tiny bit of down sticking up on his head.

My ladder wasn't tall enough to let me look over the nest (it's pretty high up) but I could see a tiny head and a small clump of tail feathers prostrate across the nest. All I could see was one. Without disturbing it, I clambered down. The mama bird watched cautiously from the adjacent tree and then flew off.

Later in the day, while I was mowing, I saw not one but TWO little heads bobbing up on the nest. At one point, I could see two little bodies jockeying for the upper berth in the nest. It was a sight to behold.

I don't know how long those two will be around, considering that the babies next door have already flown the coop. I worry with the nest being so high that they will either go SPLAT! on top of Ladybird, or on the driveway below. With luck, they'll fall into the sideyard.

Here's hoping for the best!

A Lazy Saturday

As it turned out, I didn't have to work. That became clear at the end of the day Friday.

Since I'd already canceled my RSVP to crop, I just kept it that way. Instead, I slept. And slept. And slept. It was a beautiful thing. I didn't realize how much I needed some extra Zs. (It was a particularly rough week, too, so I was shot.)

It's probably a good thing I did sleep. I ended up not feeling all that well so I can imagine how I might have felt without the extra rest. I was in my pajamas until almost 5! Then, the mother and I did some household shopping. We avoided the hardware stores as we'll have to go there soon enough once the tile arrives.

And for someone who did next to nothing today -- and who got extra sleep to boot -- I'm exhausted.

So I guess I'm going back to bed.

Those Fabulous Give-Aways!

We long ago established that I have a thing for tools and if they happen to be power tools, well, so much the better! That’s why I’m a might excited about the current give-away going on over at One Project Closer.

The winner gets a SKIL Lithium Ion Drill/Driver and SKILSAW combo kit – a retail value of $199. Here’s what’s included:
· 2-Speed Drill/Driver, Model 2895
· Includes 2 Double-Ended Bits
· 5-3/8″ SKILSAW, Model 5995
· Includes 5-3/8″ 18T Carbide-Tipped Blade
· 2, 18 volt Lithium Ion Batteries with Charge Meter
· Lithium Ion battery charger
· Rugged carrying case

Now I really do love my Black & Decker cordless drill. It’s already seen me through a variety of projects since I got it for my birthday last year. But the SKIL giveaway items are 18V—almost twice my 9.6V. That would be a welcome upgrade.

But what I’d most like to have is that SAW! Lawrence has a B&D version of that baby circular saw and I love that thing. So, maybe I can score a very early birthday present.

(By the way, you can win, too! Leave a comment on the site to enter. Subscribe to their email and you get 10 more entries. Blog about the contest, and you add 50 entries to that! You’ve got until May 31.)

Mail Call

Sometimes jammed between the catalogs, flyers, and junk, there is real, genuine mail. This week there have been a few pieces that qualify.

First up was a letter from our Secretary of State informing me that my driver’s license expires on my birthday. So, I have to schlep over there, pay my $10, get the ever-dreaded mug shot, and renew it. And, this year I have the added extra joy of having to take a WRITTEN test.

WHAT?! I haven’t taken one of those since I very first got my license a million years ago. Sheesh. Guess I’m going to have to brush up on the Rules of the Road this summer, just to be sure I know them as well as I think.

Thinking ahead, which I don’t always do, I purchased a few graduation cards a few weeks ago. In my circle of nearest and dearest, there are two graduates this year. I was just reminding myself that I needed to deal with those, too. What should appear in the mail? An invitation to a party for the elder of the two graduates (one is high school, the other eighth grade). And, it’s at the barn!

I haven’t been to the “party barn,” as it’s more affectionately known, in a while. It really IS quite the place. The barn used to be an antique store. On its first floor, is a ginormous garage and a gift shop area that the current owners have kept in tact. Instead of selling anything, it now displays a model car collection and a variety of curiosities.

Upstairs, in the loft, think neighborhood bar. It has a stage, karaoke machine, and several tall, bar-style tables. It has been the scene of many a raucous night for my friends.

And no description would be complete without mentioning that the barn property also includes a gorgeous, ante-bellum mansion. Love, love, love that place!

I guess that’s one card I won’t have to mail. I think it’s safe to say that Pearl and I will be there.

Rethinking the Order

Thanks to the sound advice about the tiling (thanks Gene and MG), I’ve decided to not tile before Lawrence comes.

As for removing the commode, I don’t think we can go 24 hours without one, so I’ll just have to cut around it as I have previously. (Except for last time. That’s when we got the new commode so I just cut to allow for the ring. And since it was vinyl, put it down and walk on it was fine.)

That won’t be the case this time, that’s for sure! Everything I’ve read says minimum of 24 hours and ideally closer to 48 BEFORE grouting. And then THAT has to dry. D*mn. This sounds like an awful lot of work, especially in a tiny, little room. Now I’ve read so much stuff about the process, I’m even a little paranoid about it. So, probably best to delay and take a few deep breaths.

Instead, I think I’ll work top to bottom. The mother is supposed to be painting two more ceiling panels today, for a total of four. (I may need a fifth, but I’m not sure. Going to have to measure it again.) After Lawrence puts in the exhaust fan next week, I’ll know what I need to allow for it (whether it’s bigger, smaller or the same as the current one). Hopefully, the Michelangelo Project will go smoothly!

We’re in for more rain tomorrow and into Saturday. I have some business to do on Saturday, so I had to cancel my plans to crop. Instead, I’ll probably try to finish the shed on Saturday afternoon if it isn’t raining. For right now at least, there’s no rain on Sunday, so that will likely be yard day. Ugh.

Babies!

They aren't ours, but the low-lying nest in the neighbors' pine tree is a busy place these days. Somehow, while I was busy with other things, this

turned into these!
How cute are they?! We've all been watching so they don’t fall victim to the prowling neighborhood cats. There are only two, so not sure if the third one didn't hatch or just didn't make it.

Then, yesterday, the mother called to tell me that we have baby birds! Or, at least one. Since our nest is so high up, it’s hard to say. If we didn’t occasionally see a bobbing down-filled head, we wouldn’t even know. We wondered though because we've occasionally spied her standing on the edge of the nest since Sunday.

I’ve only seen one head, but when she feeds, it appears the mother bird goes deep inside the nest, so there may be at least one other. I’m hesitant to get a ladder and take a peek, but I may do it this weekend just to see!

I checked on ours this morning, and in spite of last night’s storm, the nest is still firmly in place. The mama was busy serving breakfast but since she stiffens when I’m out there, I didn’t try to get a shot. Those young’ns (or singulary if there is just the one) need to eat!

A Microwave Under the Table

Work geared up in a big way at the end of the day yesterday. (This is good news, though for right now, it adds to the chaos and may cost me the extended holiday vacation time I’d requested. It will also likely cause me to alter my weekend plans.)

The microwave was purchased and the bathroom floor ordered last night. Since we don’t want to put the new microwave out yet with all the work that’s still ahead, right now it is jammed beneath the dining room table, unboxed, and adjacent to the still unboxed 7-ft. pieces of egg and dart molding.

While Pearl wasn’t meant to be a workhorse, she hauled the microwave home. I put plastic and carmats across the backseat since the box was too big to fit in the trunk. (It barely made it through the car door!)

The mother was only able to paint two of the bathroom ceiling tiles yesterday. The tiles are so light and the wind was so rugged, she couldn’t keep them under control. She’s hand-painting these as they will be the same glossy black that is on her bedroom ceiling. If she had been trying to do the kitchen panels, which are being sprayed, she would never even have started. The wind was just too much.

I need to remeasure the kitchen and then figure out how much tile I need and what I need to put it down with. I’m trying to decide if I should start tiling the bathroom the night before Lawrence comes and get to the commode and have him take it up while he’s there, tile that and then put it back before he leaves. Can you put a commode back down onto a recently grouted floor?

Now there’s a question I never thought of before! And, would he be able to put a stepstool on it to take down the overhead light? Hmmm. Logistics, logistics, logistics.

Glad I’m thinking about this stuff now. (You know, as opposed to when I've tiled myself into a corner ... without a crapper.)

Book Break

Yeah. Like I have time to read. As if.

Nevertheless, earlier this spring I waited patiently after preordering Unbelievable. The subtitle says it all: Investigations into ghosts, poltergeists, telepathy, and other unseen phenomena from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory.

A little over a year ago I read author Stacy Horn’s Waiting for My Cats to Die (thank you, KayO) after which I discovered Stacy's personal blog. That’s how I first heard that she was about to release Unbelievable.

Unbelievable? Well, that all depends on you. If you’ve ever had a paranormal experience (and I’ve had a few, spending part of my young years in a haunted house) you might not find it so unbelievable. Even if you haven’t, Stacy’s approach to the book may leave you open-minded.

And if you plain just don’t believe, the book will introduce you to J.B. Rhine, who founded the parapsychology lab at Duke University. He didn’t seem to believe either, but even he had to concede that some of the encounters he reviewed defied a scientific explanation – as much as he might have liked to assign them one.

Stacy had the rare privilege of combing through the files of the parapsychology lab and looking at decades worth of cases that J.B. Rhine and his associates had to pick from. While Rhine himself focused almost exclusively on ESP/telepathy, the book highlights some of the requests the center received through the years ranging from investigating mediums and séances, poltergeists, spectral hauntings, to missing children. Some of these were cases the center explored while others were politely declined.

It’s a factual account with Stacy seeking out some of the subjects of the decades-old cases for interviews, or quoting directly from the files themselves. It’s a balanced approach as Rhine certainly weathered his share of criticism.

This is not a Stephen King page-turner, nor is it intended to be. It is, after all, facts not fiction. (And sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction.) The book doesn’t seek to build a case for one view or the other, just puts all of them out there for the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.

I found it fascinating that people have been trying to come to grips with the unseen for centuries and that nearly a century ago, scientists were trying to provide it with definitions and explanations. This book is definitely a good read.

Put it on your summer reading list!

The Return of a Familiar Face

It’s been a crazy year and except for the shed, the mother and I have been reduced to collectors of DIY materials thus far. That ends today.

After I picked Pearl up and finally got home last night, the mother said that Lawrence had called. He must be psychic as I’ve been making a mental list of “Lawrence to-do’s” for weeks now. It’s just been SO crazy, I never got around to calling him and suddenly, Memorial Day is almost here!

I’m trying to score vacation days around the holiday so I can have a good deal of consecutive days in which to work. Ideally, that starts next Thursday when Lawrence is going to come and do a variety of odd jobs. That will include removing the light fixtures in both the bathroom and kitchen and putting up a new exhaust fan in the bathroom.

Today, the mother is painting the ceiling panels for the bathroom. That will give them plenty of time to dry before Lawrence arrives next week. It means I will have over a week to get them installed before he comes back to put the light back up in the bathroom and put the new light up in the kitchen. And, it gives us some time to find a nice medallion to put around the light. (It will help break up the black ceiling by having a ring of white around the light and a square of white where the fan is.)

So, things are getting started. The painting will have to wait as later today and for most of the rest of the week, rain is forecast. Luckily, next week looks drier. Here’s hoping!

A Floor and More

The kitchen plans are progressing – but changing all the time.

We aren’t getting a new countertop, at least not this year. The mother can’t find one she’s happy with and we can’t agree on a color scheme. So, for now, those will stay. (Plus, that’s a big help costwise, too, and expands the budget a bit.)

The cabinets are going a slightly darker woodgrain, not white after all. But, that should work with the stainless appliances, the tin ceiling and backsplash ( I won that argument, ahem), and this floor. It ain’t exciting, but it’s neutral enough to pull it off.

What’s odd is that it’s the same floor we looked at more than a year ago, and brought a sample home. A sample that is still sitting on the kitchen counter!

While finding a kitchen floor was the main focus of Sunday’s trip, Lowe’s managed to milk a bit more money out of the visit. We took a few pieces of the kitchen tile over to the appliance department and stuck it in front of a stainless stove. We liked the result.

As we rounded a corner to return to flooring, we passed a display of microwaves. The mother saw a different GE model she liked and it was just $5 more than the model we were going to buy at Home Depot. (Now I’m really glad I hesitated.) And Lowe’s had the best price out there. (Sears wanted almost $70 more for the same one!)

Returning to flooring, we decided to see if we could find anything for the bathroom. (I’ve always found Lowe’s to be great for flooring.) Booyah! We found this.

We both instantly liked it. The bad news: It’s kind of pricey. And, it’s special order. (I HATE SPECIAL ORDER anything.) The good news: It’s on sale! The better news: Most people have closets bigger than our bathroom, so we won’t need very much of it.

I worried that it might be too busy in the bathroom, so we brought home a sample. When I laid it in the bathroom, I changed my mind.

I think the white floor will be the perfect complement to the black tin ceiling and the little black accents will really make the black ball parts of the gingerbread pop. (And, it will reverse our current white ceiling/black floor scheme.) So I think that it will all work quite nicely.

What do you think?

Mine For a Day

I had to take Pearl back to the dealership today to have the promised paint touch-ups done. It didn’t get off to a good start.

First, when we got home with the car last week, I noticed a tiny windshield chip. Initially, I thought that it was bird doo or dirt, so it was easy to overlook. Though it’s an easy enough fix, I think the dealership should take care of it. Fat chance. They’re doing me a “favor” and having it repaired at “their cost.” Gee. Thanks.

You’d think for something so small you’d be willing to go the extra mile with a new customer, one you could potentially see in the future. Think again.
It’s small, but it still pissed me off. Makes me wonder what it will be like if something warranteed happens.

Then, this morning, I arrived at the dealership within 5 minutes of the service center opening. My salesman had given me instructions on where to go and said a loaner car would be waiting. The service tech looked at me like I’d walked off a space ship.

“I don’t have a record of anything like that or of a loaner car,” he said. “I’ve got nothing here.” Then, and here’s the kicker, he says: “ Maybe you called XXXXx.” That ‘s a dealership down the street. I quickly pointed to the company’s advertising license plate/holder, still on the front of the car that I purchased from that very location NINE DAYS AGO. Yeah. Stupid woman doesn’t remember where she bought her car!

He went off to get a manager. I was on the road in a loaner car five minutes later – which brings me to the topic of this post.
It’s not a bad-looking car (even if Consumer Reports does have it on its Worst of the Worst list). But once you’re inside the 2008 Pontiac G6, it becomes clear pretty fast that this ain’t Pearl!

I audibly groaned when I had to manually slide the seat forward and then had to try to manually adjust the seatback (from a position practically lying in the back seat). Where’s my Memory Seat?! (I am entirely too spoiled. And after just nine days!)

Fortunately, the stereo seemed comparable to Pearl’s so I popped in the CD I’d been listening to on the way to the dealership to soothe me for the drive downtown. I pulled into a big parking lot across from the dealership to turn around, rather than fight traffic to get into the appropriate lane. I felt like I was steering a Sherman tank. (Steering Pearl is pretty effortless.) When I needed to get a little “giddyap” to get around traffic, this car did it, but begrudgingly, making a lot of noise in the process.

I’ve only been in the world of 21st Century driving nine days and I’m already irreparably spoiled. I’ve come a long way since the last time I really loved a car. (My first – a ’74 VW Super Beetle. A 4-banger with absolutely NO power of any kind. Not even power steering. It’s probably the only car where you’d have to scrape the INSIDE of the windows in winter. It was already a teenager when I got it, but I loved that car, nevertheless.)

I never did get the G6 seat into a comfortable position, so it’s lucky that I only had a 15-minute or so drive. I was telling one of my colleagues about my adventures, and much like the techs at the service center who watched me struggle to adjust the seat, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “When you get older, I think it becomes more important that you’re comfortable when you’re driving,” she said.

Then I thought of how the mother would react to the various cars I owned during Ladybird’s tenure. She was less than a decade older than I am now and she would constantly criticize the lack of power, the brakes, the seats … in the three cars I owned between 1993 and 2001. They all seemed OK to me – then. D*mn. It all makes so much sense now. Clearly, I’m now old and very spoiled indeed.

Here’s hoping that my car, my beautiful Pearl, is in better shape than when I left it this morning and that I can get this dog of a loaner safely returned to them. It may be newer and have just a few less miles (only around 10,000 fewer) than Pearl, but they can have it.

A Final Resting Place

My dear, dear friend CD made a recommendation some time back about a sweet shop/gift shop and a garden store in a neighboring town. She followed this up with an email flyer about the two businesses last week.

Her timing was perfect as when we were returning from lunch on the day the mother had all the tests done, we drove right by the garden place. (In my mind, I thought they were at the same location. So, it looks like we have yet another adventure on which to take Pearl in the near future!) I pulled in.

They not only have a nursery, but all kinds of nifty decorative and gift items. There was a smaller, flat version of this, but the second I saw it, I knew I had to buy it. As our longest-standing dude – either right at or just shy of 17 years – Tigger definitely deserves it. This now marks his space on the other side of the window.

And now that I've managed to mow the yard, it looks even nicer. In fact, the yard looks great.

The mother even said yesterday that it would be great if the yard “could just stay like this.” I couldn’t agree more.

Anyone know about a product whereby you can shellac a lawn? You’d make a billion dollars with something like that!

Happy Mother's Day

It's the hugest job I think anyone can ever undertake: being a parent. And while dads are certainly an important part of the equation, there's something about a mother.

From the minute a woman finds out she's pregnant, she truly is a different person. Before she can ever meet her child she goes through a physical and psychological transformation that to this day, continues to amaze me. I, of course, have only seen it second-hand, but have been awestruck by it just the same.

Everyone's mother is different. And every mother-daughter dynamic is different. (No offense guys, but we have a completely different relationship with mom than you do.) But, if they're a good mother, they really are all the same. While they may go about it diffently, mothers just want their children to be happy and healthy.

As we age, it becomes so much easier to see our parents as people, not the iconic figures they are to us when we're 3 feet tall. We see their fears and shortcomings and sometimes even their unfulfilled dreams.

But, we also get to a place where we can fully appreciate their achievements, their better qualities, and the things they overcame to be where they are today.

My mother drives me crazy. Sometimes, she can be the most stubborn and immovable person I think I've ever met. (Should I wonder where I get it?) She is honest, sometimes brutally so. She does not issue a compliment readily. She is impatient. She has expectations that, by design, are made to disappoint. She makes me repeat myself -- constantly -- something I hate to do.

But most of these are pluses. That iron will -- it has gotten both she and I through more than one difficult time, times when other people would simply have crumbled. When she truly wants something, no is not a word she utters or hears. The brutal honesty? When she does pay a compliment, you know she truly means it, she's not just being nice. And while the unreal expectations can at times be disappointing, she's taught me to not only expect more, but to achieve it.

The mother is entirely too hard on herself, never giving credit for the many skills and gifts she possesses. I've never met anyone who has the design vision that she does. She can decorate an entire place inside 15 minutes -- in her mind's eye.

She has a gift for handling creatures that rivals Dr. Doolittle. She's nursed back to health, and comforted in their final hours, more creatures than you'd find at any zoo.

The mother is generous to a fault. (She scares me sometimes because I'm afraid that one of the people she thinks she is helping, may help themselves to more.) She can be compassionate and kind. And a friend? This is loyalty that most of us only dream of generating in others.

And she's a crafty sort, always good at making or modifying things. She wraps gifts that or so pretty people don't want to open them!

While it might not always seem so, I'm proud to have her as my mother. But try to do something to her, I think you'd find out pretty quick just how fiercely and how much I love her.

And I know that's a two-way street. (Everyone should feel that loved.)

Seeing her excited about something is a kind of happiness I can't describe.
We have our moments, the mother and I. We work together, play together, laugh together, cry together.

And I can't imagine my life without her. Happy Mother's Day to my mother and all you moms. (And moms-to-be!)

Halfway to Normal

The mother got half her results back from last week's tests: normal. That's half. We're still waiting on the other half. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. They've gotten us to the halfway mark so far!

She's still pretty psyched about the house and I was given strict instructions not to do anything for Mother's Day. Technically, I did get her a refrigerator, so I shouldn't worry about it.

More than anything, I just want her to be OK. And we're halfway there ...

I am wiped out. I started the day doing six loads of laundry. Then I mowed the yard which was a nightmare. I loaded five bags of clippings and took them to the dump. Then I put my wash away and changed my bed.

I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I've got to go and get some sleep. Tomorrow (or technically, today Iguess) we're going floor shopping.

Stormy Weather

The storm clouds have rolled away. They only made a brief appearance, arriving last night around sundown and then disappearing until late morning. And now, the sun is out!

But last night, we had showers, a few brief downpours (very brief), but hours and hours of lightning. I decided to see if I could get anything with the new camera.

Not much. Timing is everything with these kinds of shots as you can see below. If you look just above the weathervane you’ll see a single, fading vein of what had been a rather impressive strike trailing off into the distance.

On this shot, I reacted a split-second too soon. Just as the camera was completing its capture, the whole sky lit up.

It's important to note that this was at 9 something at night, so it was pitch black out. Even so, I didn't get much. This was as close to getting anything as I'd get.

What I found out this morning was that a few hours later, wind ripped roofs off of buildings and leveled some historic shops in a town about 15 miles away. Pretty freaky!

Pea Soup

I tried to capture some lightning shots last night. We had one of those wonderful light shows that comes with only a few drops of rain, but a burst of lightning in every piece of the sky.

So I tried to capture lightning with the new camera for the first time. I didn't do so hot. I might share one or two of the more ominous-looking ones later.

However, the pea soup that has enveloped our area today, can be captured quite nicely. I shot these while I was waiting for the bus at the main depot.

In the shot above there is a car coming down that street! Can you see it? I couldn't while I was taking the shot. I only noticed it after the camera was away from my face and the car was rolling through the stop sign.

It really was kind of spooky. Like something out of a John Carpenter movie or a Stephen King novel. This was the view RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. And that space off to the left. That's where the buses pull up. You could see NOTHING there. Not that I could tell. Luckily, there was at least some light outside or this could have been a whole lot worse. Of course, I did drive across town in it. It doesn't creep me out the way it does the mother. More than the scary, I tend to think more of the last part of Gone With the Wind where Scarlett is running home through the fog to Rhett from the Wilkes’ house. The fog which is both a literal and metaphorical symbol of her love for Ashley. (Yeah, I skew to the hopeless romantic side. God help me.)

Even so, standing in the middle of an area that is somewhat desolate to begin with at 7 a.m. when it’s not all that light out yet, can have just a bit of an edge to it.

Work Imitates DIY

Today, my worklife began to imitate my DIY life.

You know – those projects where you know it’s going to take a little time, but you’ve planned it out and you figure you have all the right tools. Then, when it comes time to actually do the work, it’s a whole ‘nother story. Well, that was today in a nutshell.

On the plus side, 7 a.m. rapidly became 10 a.m. which politely turned into 12:30 which almost instantly transformed into 4 p.m. And from there, 5 p.m. was a blink. I love when that happens.

I did not hear from the mother today. I’m guessing that means that the mother didn’t hear from the doctor. (Not surprising. This guy surpasses my doctor when it comes to the failing to call you back category.) Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean good news. So I guess we wait until tomorrow.

After a brief darkening of the sky, the sun is out again. If it’s not raining when I get home, I really should try to mow the yard. It’s a mess – and with rain on tap for tonight and tomorrow, it’s only going to get worse.

I guess we’ll just see how I feel when I get there and what the weather looks like outside.

Something Resembling a Plan

The mother was worn after spending yesterday morning being poked, pushed and prodded. It was with some surprise then that I heard her say, “You want to go to look for a microwave?”

After lunch and a brief rest, we did just that. It was a very welcome distraction and quite an enlightening trip. We found out:

1) Frigidaire is coming out with a new line of appliances in the next month or two. That could explain why the range we’re looking at is being marked down at so many places, including the one we will ultimately buy from.

2) The mother prefers the stove we are currently looking at to the new model coming out. She got to see the stove in person AND a picture of the new one coming out. She preferred the one in her presence. (This makes me very happy as I like it, too, and it will probably mean spending $400-$500 less for something that doesn’t look as good and doesn’t really have added features.)

3) What the underneath of various range hoods look like and which ones we liked.

4) That the range hood we really liked can be had for just a little more online than the in-store model (and its predecessor) we initially felt compelled to go with.

5) That it looks like Home Depot really does have the best deal on a microwave.

So I think we have worked out all of the appliances. I think. (Quick rundown: Refrigerator -- purchased. Stove -- Chosen. Range Hood -- Chosen. Microwave -- Chosen.) Next choices: countertop and flooring.

Again, thanks for all the prayers and well wishes yesterday. They really do mean a lot. Remember us today, too, as we wait to hear the results.

With Sincere Thanks

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your kind words and loving support. It really means a lot to me and I genuinely appreciate it.

The mother was a super trooper today though I suspected (and turned out to be right) that she really wanted to punch out the gal administering the breathing tests. Everyone was very nice and very helpful today, even though it's not a medical facility I have much faith in. If we DO find out that something is wrong, we are NOT dealing with these people.

We didn't hear anything before we left the hospital this afternoon, but it sounded like all went well. I'm hoping that is what we hear tomorrow.

One of the things I saw in the waiting room today was a list of all the changes that occur in your body when you stop smoking. I'm proud to report that the mother is on her TWELFTH smoke-free day. I already recognized many of the changes in the mother that this paper described.

If you know me in real life, then you know what a tolerant non-smoker I am. I am against bans and think that some laws to prosecute offenders are unConstitutional. And I truly appreciate how hard it must be to quit. (Luckily, this wasn't a habit I ever picked up.)

But I have to tell you, those near and dear to me who smoke (you know who you are) or, if you have someone near and dear to you that smokes, I wish you would quit. Don't make me worry this way about YOU!

There. That's all. No big speech. I'll even love you for trying!

Priorities

It's a rainy Wednesday morning. Ordinarily, I'd already be at work. But not today.

The house. The new car. The job. All the sources of both joy and pain, and usually the focus of so much of my real and virtual life, seem really unimportant today.

Based on the doctor's appointment she had a few weeks ago, I'm taking the mother in for a series of tests today. It's a little unnerving to step completely into the parental role, but it's what I need to do, so I'll manage it.

Appreciate prayers, happy thoughts, and all manner of good vibes you can send our way today!

Perils in Appliance Shopping

I dreamed about appliances last night. I don’t know what the dream was or what transpired, but I clearly recall a blinding amount of stainless steel. Hmmm. I wonder why that could be. Maybe because appliance shopping sucks?

It could be that since the weekend, I know I’ve glanced at at least 1,000 different ranges, range hoods, and microwaves. (We got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliver reh reh eh eh ehs) Sorry. My brain tuned into the 80s for just a minute and I had a college flashback. Could be all that time I've spent either in a store or online lately comparing appliances!

The reason I’ve looked at so many is because we changed plans and then changed them again. We decided to look at “slide-in” stoves which open directly to the backsplash and to find a coordinating over-the-range microwave. I’d narrowed down a few suspects when it occurred to me that these microwaves were pretty tall. There didn’t seem like there would be a lot of room between the top of a pot on the stove and the exhaust fan/light above it!

So I began searching for some kind of guidance on how much clearance between stove-top and microwave is needed. I don’t remember right now what the minimum is (I want to say 30 inches), but whatever it is, we don’t have it! That meant we had to go back to full-size ranges.

I’ve managed to narrow that to two for the mother to pick between. (A GE and a Frigidaire, both quite nice.) I also found a few nice range hoods, though they aren’t fancy. (The ones I like cost five or six times the ones I’m recommending to the mother.) But microwaves. Ah, there’s the rub!

We want a full-size countertop model in stainless finish and the mother insists that it have a handle similar to the stove and refrigerator. The odds aren’t working in my favor. Almost all the countertop microwaves with handles are small-sized. The ones that have the handles that I need to see and that are the size we want are over-the-range models.

In general, full-size countertop models don’t have handles. They’re designed that way to be “sleek and unobtrusive” on a countertop. Makes sense. Our current, almost 14-year-old model doesn’t have a handle. You mainly find them on smaller units, I'm guessing so that the latch mechanism doesn't take up space on the control panel.

Even so, I found a few to recommend to the mother. I even found a couple I like, including a Panasonic model, which is the brand we have now. And, in all these years, nary a problem.

I also found an ideal Whirlpool handle – no microwave, just a handle. Wondering if I could incorporate it onto one of the handle-free models I like …

Tuesday ToolTalk: Mr. Clean Erasers

I bought a new tool last week but I’ve not yet had the opportunity to use it. So, today, I’m highlighting a cleaning tool that’s been in This D*mn House since it was put on the market: Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

The mother swears by these things. She uses them both inside and outside of the house, and she’s gotten me to use them, too. They’re great for removing the errant scuff or ground-in mark from painted walls, ceramic and vinyl floors – and sometimes, even your shoes and handbags!

They’re equally good at wiping grub and grime away from bathroom fixtures and around other wood and metal surfaces like door trim and baseboards.

And that’s what brings me to this post: I discovered a new use for them yesterday.
The mother, being a female version of Felix Unger (the Odd Couple neat freak immortalized by Jack Lemmon on film and Tony Randall on television) has been distraught over a thick band of dirt/discoloration across the middle of Pearl’s driver seat. Except for the occasional chip or gouge, the car is in virtual showroom condition, so leave it to the mother to agonize over a minor flaw.

I went online to see if I could find anything that might remedy it. As leather automotive seats are more the rule than the exception these days, it didn’t take me long. Someone had posed the very question I did: How do you remove ground-in dirt from a leather car interior? The answer: Mr. Clean Magic Erasers!

Within 10 minutes of relating this to the mother last night, she was in the car trying it. She had some impressive success, too, as that band has diminished significantly. (She’ll be back at it today.) A few things to bear in mind if you try this:
· If your stain is in plain sight, try this on a spot where it isn’t, just to make sure that it won’t discolor your surface.
· Rub lightly, gently increasing pressure to get to a level where the dirt disappears.
· If you do use this on leather (upholstery, furniture, shoes and accessories) after buffing it lightly and allowing to air dry, follow up with a round of replenishing treatment like leather lotion to avoid over-drying and cracking your leather.

I thought maybe Procter & Gamble would offer a coupon on their site, but they did not. However, if you still have your Sunday newspaper, you may find a coupon for buy one/get one. We had one in ours and I guarantee it will be put to good use. These really are a remarkable product.

One caveat: They do dissipate quickly. So if you hope to cover a lot of ground or a particularly dirty surface, have plenty on hand.

The Mighty Mississippi

Luckily, we didn't get the rain that had been forecast over the weekend. I'm afraid to think what the river would look like if we had considering it looked like this today.

I'm glad we cut that break since we're now going into yet another round of rainy days, if the forecast is to be believed.

The only way you can get down Lenore K. Sullivan Blvd. right now is by boat!

And if that additional rain happens, we might not see Lewis & Clark for a while. In fact, you can't see much of them right now! What? You can't see them.

Look closer. Just to the right of the cluster of highway signs ...

Yep. Hat in hand. That's all you can see of the famous duo.
Even their boat isn't doing them much good.

From a Distance

It’s still surreal to see that car in the driveway. From across the street (where I catch my bus) it looks quite nice. It truly looks as if it belongs there, that car that I now almost know enough about to drive safely. I still don’t know exactly how to run the climate control system but I think I have the wipers down pat now.

Trying to teach all this to the mother –who has trouble with the cable remote control – has been hilarious. But she’s been an eager student. In fact, she has been every bit as excited, if not a little more, than I about it. And for me, that’s a bonus. The mother just doesn’t get that excited about too many things. So, between the car and the refrigerator, she’s floating. We find out about the insurance today and I have a feeling that’s going to ground both of us!

I had to almost wrestle the driver’s seat back from her Saturday, even though she had refused to drive it at the dealership and she insisted that I drive it home. After a few short trips and several visits out to it after consulting the manual, the mother seems inifintely more comfortable with it. And that’s a really good thing, because I didn’t want to buy anything she wouldn’t be comfortable in.

But the weekend wasn’t all about the car.


We now have a tentative plan and a very clear focus on our house plans. The room of the moment is the kitchen. The refrigerator comes in six weeks or maybe it’s seven. At any rate, late June. The goal is to have everything ready in the kitchen to just appliances into place. The current appliances, instead of being hauled away, will go to my late great-uncle’s house since they’re newer and nicer and will ideally help it show better and help our cousin to sell that house.
So there’s lots to do between now and then.


First, we have to decide about the cabinets. Stain them more of a cherry (currently a pecan) or pain them white? I initially was leaning toward the cherry, but now I’m leaning more toward the white. (The room is SO small. And I’ve since seen several kitchens with white cabinets and stainless appliances and liked them. I think the brighter color will make it look bigger.)

From there, we’ll have to pick a countertop and floor. And that means I need to call my buddy Lawrence. (We’ll need a new subfloor in the kitchen for me to tile on.) I’m a little skeptical about this time frame, but always up for the challenge.

Rewriting A Love Story

After all but passing out before midnight last night, I found I couldn’t sleep in this morning. I just couldn’t sleep. I laid in bed for an hour before finally just getting up. Must be leftover excitement from yesterday.

I still only have a cursory understanding of how things in the car work, even after going through a “cheat sheet” pamphlet and thumbing through the 2-inch thick owner’s manual. I made a quick run to the milk store by myself last night just as the sun was going down and nearly jumped through my skin when I pulled in the driveway, turned off the car, and the interior lights came on! This car does everything but drive itself which is scary in a way because that means there are that many more things that can go wrong.

In all the excitement of the car, I nearly forgot what I had done on Friday (and confirmed yesterday during the mother’s and my decadent shopping trip).

Remember the refrigerator that the mother fell in love with that would NOT fit in our kitchen. Well, I found a Maytag that, while not the same brand as her unrequited love, LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE IT and, WILL fit! And here’s the most beautiful part of all. You’ll want to pay attention to this if you could use something from Home Depot.

Through May 4, you can get 10 percent off online purchases at HomeDepot.com! Just use the code SAVE22. (I did find that there are some things it WON'T let you buy online. Lowe's is a little more liberal in this category.

And, if you’re in the market for appliances, May is “Maytag Month.” You can get a MasterCard giftcard up to $150 when you buy certain appliances or sets of appliances. (The refrigerator is worth a $75 one.)

So, in the past 24 hours, I’ve bought a car and a refrigerator. (Trying not to panic by reminding self that these are things we have been saving for.) Perhaps I’ve changed my name to Rockefeller. This might not be a bad time to check my Powerball ticket.

Beauty and the Beast

I shouldn't be so mean to Ladybird. Really, I shouldn't. She's been a good girl.

So today, I bought her a friend. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Pearl!

She's a beauty, isn't she? I only went to look. Just look. I wasn't even sure that the car was going to be what was claimed. But it was.

And I wasn't sure I was going to get a loan at a rate I found acceptable. But I did.

And then, I didn't think that the car would be ready to come home today. But it was.

I was both excited and terrified, so it made for an interesting ride home with the mother piloting Ladybird behind me. It was horrifying to try to quickly adjust to another vehicle in an unfamiliar neighborhood, navigate traffic, AND not lose the mother.

But I did it.

This was not the day I had planned. We did make some of our planned trips --but we took the car. The new car. And enjoyed it. (You have to remember, we've been driving an 18-year-old car so we're pretty easily amused.) I had to coach the mother on using the key fob and how to unlock the door once you're in the car -- after I figured it out myself. I know this isn't a big deal for a lot of people but it doesn't happen much around here so it was quite the event.

So here they are. The Beauty and The Beast.

It's not a new car. It's a few years old. But just a few. And it has d*mn near everything in it. I do have to take it back in a week or so. The dealership is going to touch up and detail a few road dings on the body. Nothing major. This thing is amazing! I waited a long time to go into debt over a car, so I wanted it to be something I wanted. It also happened to be one car the mother and I agreed on because I absolutely refused to buy an "old people" car.

The mother and I are both enthralled. We both keep peering out the window at it. It can't be a mirage because it still hasn't disappeared from the driveway.

Now, all I can hear is the raspy voice of the gal in the car ad who asks: "When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?"

Yeah. Oh yeah.

A Friend for Ladybird

You know that old line, "I'm going to see a man about a horse?" It keeps running through my head this morning as I'm going to look at another car.

And, if all is as it seems, I guess I may be buying a car. Words can't describe how freaked out I am. I have never, emphasis on the never part, financed a car in my life. With everything as uncertain as it is, it seems to me to be the worst time to embark on such a venture, but I'd really rather not wait until I'm in a "have to" situation should Ladybird decide to completely crap out.

We've been talking about a car for years -- and had planned to buy one now. Even sooner than now, in fact. But this was also the year I'd hoped to finish the house.

We looked at two cars while I was off earlier in the week, one of which was quite nice, and both of which, I thought were overpriced. That point was brought further to the surface when, on a whim, I found another car last night online. It looks almost identical to the one we were so impressed with a few nights ago AND it has a warranty AND less mileage AND it's cheaper. It also lacks one feature that we'd wanted (a sun or moonroof) that the other car has, but I still don't think that justifies the inflated price of the other car.

I'm trying not to have any expectations but as it gets closer to time to leave, I keep sneaking a peek of the open Web site page or rereading the info sheet I printed out last night. I guess we'll just have to see if Ladybird is destined to have company in the driveway or not. (She's going nowhere, my car that thinks like a truck. This would just really ease up the pressure on her as a primary car.)

So, off I go to look.

(Extra) Sandy Claws

I’m not sure how many years I’ve been buying cat litter (most of my life), or how many of those years have included the purchase of the “clumping” variety of said litter. Granted, I’ve only been buying Arm & Hammer for about a year, but regardless of brand, I’ve NEVER had anything like this happen before!

OK, cat owners – has this ever happened to you? Here’s a BIG box of cat litter.

I am a big fan of the reusable pails manufactured by my former brand. (I think I established that by putting mortar, sand, and dirt in them while doing my brickwork last year.)

But I keep one in the laundry room that is used only for litter. What I usually do is rip open the side of the A&H box, let it rest and subsequently empty itself into the reusable pail. (This task takes care of itself while I’m off dealing with something else.)

Imagine my surprise then when I get a closeup of the contents as seen in this cup.

Hey! Who put mortar mix/sand in my cat litter package?!

Cat litter has a high concentration of dust to be sure. But this is ridiculous. The entire box is mostly this dust, with maybe 5-10 percent litter at the most thrown in. Yeah. As if Toby didn't muck things up enough when the mix is mostly litter!

It doesn’t look nearly as odd either until you compare it to what it’s supposed to look like. (This came from a second, smaller box I purchased from a completely different location out of pure paranoia that I would end up with 20 more pounds of the previous!) I think you can see the difference.

It's almost as if someone just stomped on and ground an entire box of litter into dust.

I wasn’t able to call the consumer line this week and since they’re not open on the weekends, I’ll have to try to contact them by email.

And it’s a good thing I had the foresight to save the box, even if it was on trash day, as the lot number and all that rot contains a lot of the information they’re going to want.

Let’s see how they do at making good on this.

Hooray for Storage Boxes

In a tiny house, you're always looking for storage. And this time of year, when it comes time to switch from winter to summer, I'm looking for ways to keep track of things like all those winter accessories.

They started out scattered all over my bedroom floor.

In a recent Lakeside catalog, I found these boxes.

They're not very big -- which is a plus -- but big enough to hold gloves, scarves, earwraps, and even my tiny handbags! I am so loving these. You get a set of three for $6.95.

And if you like brighter colors, you can get those, too. I think they're marketing those as designed for kids but if you like the colors ...

They really would be good for kids, too, to collect all those tiny little parts that their toys come with. You could even throw video games in them.

And one of my favorite features? If you don't need them, just pull out the bottoms and fold the boxes flat until you do!

They also have a slightly larger version -- with a clear window -- for $7.95. I looked at those but I think these are the perfect size for me as I'll probably put them under my bed or on the floor of the closet!

After filling up two of the three, I'm already thinking about ordering another set. Look how much stuff you can get in these things.

True Signs of Spring

While I worked on the shed, our resident mother robin-to-be was none too happy with me. She did not like that I had my saw set up about 20 feet from her (and about six or so feet below her).
As long as I was over by the shed, she didn’t seem to care. She didn’t even mind the drill noise as I attached the boards. Even so, I had to very cautiously sneak this shot.

Meanwhile, at my neighbors, I was able to spy on the nest that another mama robin built in their small pine tree. Since it is so low to the ground, we’re keeping a very careful watch on it.

This mother was pretty unflappable. I didn't even notice her at one point and she still stayed put, unlike the mother on my side of the fence.

I guess when I went over with the camera though she must have been on a bio break or something because the nest was empty … except for these!


Outside of the never-ending rain, a cycle we appear to have slid right into, and the ultra-crazy temperatures, these are some of the surest signs of spring that I know. Pretty soon, I’ll be seeing cracked shells on the ground and hearing those high-pitched squawks. I can’t wait!

Partially Pimped

My shed is not pretty. What can I say? Here's what I can say:

*The entire exterior surface is now covered in vinyl/PVC siding.

*Together with all the interior work I did on it last year, it's probably 10 times more sturdy than some people's houses!

*It still needs trim. And paint. Those stark white boards just don't do a thing for it, I'm afraid. But painting season hasn't really started.

We've still got a few weeks yet. During those few weeks, it's just going to have to look ugly, awkward, and a little bit on the embarrassing side. Rome wasn't built in a day; you can't rush the proper pimpin' of a shed then, right? It cost a little more than I wanted and definitely took longer, but that's DIY isn't it?

The bottom line is that while it's just not that attractive right now, someday, with some trim and some paint, it will look more like this. (Only without the lattice. That's only on the back.) In this photo you can also see that I got both sides finished, too. Can't wait 'til the gray gets slapped on those.

Maybe then people will quit lookin' at me like I've lost my mind, scratchin' their heads and all but thinkin' out loud: Why are you covering up the gray with those white boards?

And at that point I'll no longer have to explain that some of the gray surface is rotten and the white boards will ideally nip it in the bud. And, those white boards won't be white boards forever.

So , for now at least, pimpin' remains in progress.

Testing Michelangelo

Before it got dark last night, the mother tried the Rustoleum paint we bought on one of the ceiling samples we received. (This is the pattern we ended up buying, too.)

Initial result was good, though the mother later said that hours later it was still tacky. "This isn't going to work," she announced last night. "We'll have to find some other paint." This was disappointing, considering that we already had been unable to purchase our first choice, Behr's Luminoso line's silver.

Then, this morning, she decided that it was the increased humidity that probably affected the drying time so dramatically. "This turned out pretty good."

I think it turned out good, too. If you didn't know this was poly styrene, would you think it was metal? I would.

In fairness, it really isn't paint weather right now. Too much rain and too much humidity. That's in part why the shed is such a priority.

I've wanted to get it done so that when paint weather does finally get here, it's already ready to paint.

But back to the ceiling ... I am quite pleased with it overall. I need to take down the textured wallpaper (in a tintype pattern) that is on the bathroom ceiling right now and then prime the ceiling.

The mother wants to paint the panels for the bathroom ceiling an antique white to match the main color in the rest of the bathroom. I'm thinking they would look cool black. But that's an argument for another post.

Right now, I need to start getting things ready for tomorrow when it's back to the grind. It was a good vacation overall with a good mix of work and play. I already need to start planning for the next round of it as there is plenty to do!

Sheddin’ A Little Light

While I was busy with the board exchange at Home Depot yesterday, the mother was looking at lights.

She’s been searching for a light for the kitchen for quite a while. She even bought one and took it back. She just couldn’t find one she liked. (It’s been nearly as elusive a search as for kitchen appliances that she likes.) It was always “too” something. Too big. Too small. Too expensive.

Whatever. The bottom line is that you have to have a light. But miracle of miracles she found one. Pretty, isn’t it?

I like it. I’m just concerned that it’s going to hang too low. I can see it now: Hi. Welcome to our new kitchen. Try not to dash your brains out on this low-hanging light fixture.

But, the mother isn’t listening, so there’s no point in continuing to voice this concern. Her response: I don’t care. (I love when she goes all 2-year-old in the reasoning department.)

We unboxed it last night. The antique brass finish clashes with the silver scheme that will ultimately be in the kitchen so she’s going to have to paint it. (At this rate, the mother is going to be painting something for every waking minute of her life and still might not get it all done.)

This is my last day of vacation and very nearly the last day of the month. I need to unpack the car (boards) and run and get the city sticker for the car. For some reason, our fine city thinks this antiquated annual practice provides enough revenue to continue it.

Most people I know don’t even bother with it. The mother though is fanatical about it. Even though technically the city gives you until May 15 each year to buy one, the mother insists that the stupid thing is in place by April 30 when it officially expires. Whatever.

So, I’d better get started. The weather forecast is calling for rain late in the day and I’ve got a shed to finish. Looks like I’m on a deadline …

Errrrrr...Detour!

It was a day of detours.

The first one occurred when the mother ran into a childhood friend at Lowe's. She recently moved back to the area from Florida and they started a lengthy conversation. That chat turned into lunch at our favorite Chinese haunt.

After that, the mother and I had to go back from whence we came so we could hit Home Depot. I finally made my board switch (trading in trim and getting the final boards I need for the shed). And we picked up some silver paint to try on one of the samples we received for the Michelangelo project.

The next in a series of detours occured on the way home when the mother spotted a car at a dealership along the highway. We backtracked and went to check it out. From there, we we went to another car place in town. (It pays to compare.) So, i'm anticipating calls from both places later in the week ... if I don't call them first.

I'm just not sure we're ready to do the car thing. I'm still concerned about taking on more debt and much of what's on hand right now is already earmarked for the house.

Decisions, decisions ...

Nesting

Nesting. I've been reading about it for quite a while now.

Before the recession really hit hard, the home improvement stores were all aflutter with anticipation of all the business they'd get from DIYers who were focused on all things home since -- with gas at then $4 a gallon and up -- they weren't venturing that far away.

As little lights have sprung up here and there in the economy, I've started hearing the term again. And, of course, as spring has arrived, it's brought with it a whole new reference.

Granted, this is a much more literal interpretation of nesting. I was, as you can see, able to catch the mother robin on the nest while I was out working on the shed Sunday. She was not at all amused with me working in the yard.

She would frequently fly into the neighboring tree when I would walk to or from the shed to cut or install my boards. I would have thought that after several hours of this activity, she would become confident in the fact that I was not going to harm her. (I never even really got all that close to her on any one of my trips.) But, each time, she would fly out quickly.

And as I would complete the task and return again, she would again repeat her flight to the tree. Her mate would pace restlessly on the ground below, even walking near my work area a time or two as some sort of a show of strength. But he, too, would skitter away if I so much as moved.

I haven't really gone anywhere since Saturday. And yesterday, I barely left the house except to feed the birds, dump the trash, and get the mail. That changes today.

I'm going to Hardware Heaven yet again. This time, the mother, who is feeling better, will likely go with me. I'm sure we'll make a few fun trips, too. We've been talking about the various things we need to get done and the best order in which to pursue them.

For right now, I'm still hoping to finish the shed before I go back to work on Thursday. We'll have to see if Mother Nature is on my side.

Conspiracy Theory

It was Monday. I hate Mondays. It’s the hardest day of the week to get out of bed. I was supposed to be able to enjoy this one because once I put out the trash, I could go back to bed.

I did go back to bed. But, I didn’t get a lot of sleep. It seems that every time I turned the corner into Z-Land, something was there to harken me back.

Initially, it was Toby the Cat with his ceaseless yowling. I cleaned his box, tossed him some food and that seemed to placate him. At 8:30, with the trash delivered to the alley, I was boarding the Dreamland Express, Ozzie pressed firmly into the back of my legs.

I was roused by a hellatious noise from the alley. In talking to my neighbor across the way, I’d heard that our alley was scheduled to get some rock this morning. I’d heard this before. Our alley, which is more like a sidestreet than an alley, has been in sorry shape for years. So, it was long overdue.

I shouldn’t have been surprised then to see this.


I mean, I’m glad that we’re finally getting the long ago promised rock, but did it have to be today? (Of course it did.)

When it started to rain, as it has off and on all day today, the dump truck and Bobcat that later appeared on the scene took off. I fell asleep – only to be roused by the trash truck. (It had clearly been unable to get in the alley earlier, blocked by the road grader, dump truck and Bobcat.)

About 10:30, I gave up. It just wasn’t in the cards.

That’s not to say that I have done anything today. I haven’t. I’m blaming the weather. The occasional shower, followed by a steady sprinkle, has done nothing to motivate me.

I was going to go to Home Depot to do the board exchange, but maybe I’ll wait til morning. To borrow one of my favorite Scarlett O’Hara lines: Tomorrow is another day.

Monday, Schmonday

I have tried to be a good DIYer and a good blogger the past few days. Both of these activities have dramatically affected my ability to be a good blog reader.

Google Reader has recorded an obscene amount of entries that I've missed. So, I’ll apologize now. If you are accustomed to seeing me regularly read and comment on your blog, I may or may not have been there the past few days. Not that I’ve lost interest. Not that I have any less love for your adventures. I’ve just been waist-deep in my own. I’ll catch up. Honest.

And while I’m sunburned, sore, and exhausted, it feels good. It feels great to have the weather warm again and it feels good to be getting things done. And one of the best feelings of all – it’s Monday, and I’m going back to bed. Right after I take out the trash. (Vacation: Day One begins.)

I think I’ve earned it.

Stupid White Girl

What can I say? I'm just a stupid white girl.

Mind you, I'm not one of these fair-complected, snow-white types. Nor do I have that "natural beige" like a flesh-colored crayon. No. I have that ruddy complexion, the one that takes forever to tan. But the catch is, I burn. And burn. And burn. And burn.

Eventually, I tan.

I guess three consecutive days in upper 80s sun will tend to cook one. My arms, face, neck, and feet are proof of that. I'm currently alternating between the "my arms and face are on fire" and the "damn, I'm freezing!" stages of sunburn. Stupid white girl.

The upside: I got a lot done.

First, the yard is respectable again for the first time all season. Second, half the shed -- yes, half the shed -- is pimped! I don't have enough boards to finish the other half. (Berating self. Idiot!) I also didn't have enough daylight to have finished the other half by the time I got done with the first half and with the delicate matter of filling in around Tigger's grave.

Two of the three trim boards will have to go back. The mother doesn't want the trim on the sides. Whatever. I'm glad she told me this before I'd cut the piece for the side I did finish!

Rain is on tap for tomorrow and maybe the first half of Tuesday, so I probably won't get much farther. That, and the mother has to go get some tests sometime this week though I won't know when until sometime tomorrow. So, we'll see what happens.

An Interesting Discovery

When I was first working outside on Friday, I spied something with interest. If I hadn’t been looking up though, I’d have never noticed.

See this? Looks like a column and a storm drain. Well, it is. It’s one of the two columns that hold up the carport, the column that’s closest to the back of the house.

But look closer.


See! I told you there was something more there. It's right along the top of the drain. Do you see it yet?

Apparently, it’s a robin’s nest! I wasn’t sure what kind of bird was responsible for it because I never saw a bird near it the whole time I was outside on Friday.


But yesterday, I saw a robin flitting busily between this nest and the neighbor’s tree that is just beyond our property line. (You can see it in the first photo.

I’m not sure if there are eggs in it yet or not. It’s too high up to see. If I got a ladder tall enough to actually peer inside, I might scare the mother off and I don’t want to do that. Seems that there are going to be babies in the neighborhood though as my next door neighbors have a nest with THREE eggs in their pine tree. Mr. G showed it to me yesterday.

I’m always amazed by the care and precision that go into these nests. The birds use absolutely anything they can find to build these creations. In fact, while I was leaving Home Depot last night, a little sparrow flew right down in front of the car. I instantly braked, and as she flew away, I saw she was carrying several inches of green twine. I think we know what she was doing.