I'd like to sort out the "window treatment" situation in a few rooms of our house. We've been making do for years; it would be nice to gradually upgrade to something nicer.
(And I guess we've already started, in at least the breakfast room. I like the thicker, faux wood blinds we put in however-long-ago so much that we may not even need any curtains/shades/whatever else in there-- but I'd like to find a way to fix it so that the cornices (?) that came with them sit straight. They tend to slide down too far on one side, which is painfully obvious from the bright light that sneaks through the gap. This bothers me more than it ought to. Anyway, as I was saying... )
So I'm trying to figure out what might look nice in different rooms (and what curtain rods we need to make those looks possible). Of course this eventually leads to looking online for inspiration photos-- which in turn leads to the titular pet peeves.
Pet Peeve #1: Where are the blinds?
It seems very rare that these photos include blinds. Maybe this is just another way in which I am weird, but I must have blinds on (almost all) our windows. (Exceptions: the window over the kitchen sink and the windows in the doors.)
Partly this is due to a wish for privacy without completely blocking out the light and the view with curtains. (Yes, those airy, billowing sheers next to the bathtub are lovely, but-- privacy? Or maybe this is an upstairs bathroom-- and they live on their own personal island in the Caribbean.)
Partly it is because I live in a place where it gets insufferably hot in the summer, and to cut down on the heat in the house-- and the electric bill for the A/C-- we use blinds to block the direct sunlight. (Maybe these people live above the arctic circle and don't have to bother about grueling summertime heat. Lucky.)
So there are all these gorgeous curtain arrangements-- but none of the photos give me a good, realistic idea of how a similar curtain might look in our house, because we are weirdos who use blinds. No matter how hard I try, my curtains will never look as nice as theirs, because I use blinds. (Boo hoo.)
(Related: These windows never seem to have screens. Ours do, of course. Screens are ugly, but necessary, if the window is ever to be opened. I hate flies, mosquitoes, wasps, etc. more than I dislike the ugliness of screens.)
Pet Peeve #2: Why are all the windows so FANCY?
This isn't as much of an issue-- because there are fairly regular, plain-jane windows in some photos-- but very often, these photos of curtains and "window treatments" (which phrase I cannot use without the quotation marks, sorry) are set in such fancy, perfect rooms! And ok, that's just the way it's usually going to be in any home decorating photo, but still, the windows! The very windows are all so FANCY that I think to myself, "Why are you even bothering with curtains at all? You're hiding your fancy (and obviously expensive) windows!"
Well, possibly that's an exaggeration, but you get my point, right? Once again it's a case of "no matter how nice my new curtains are, they cannot make my plain window into something that extravagant, and by the way, thank you for making me a little bit dissatisfied with my plain windows".
...You know what? I don't really enjoy figuring out "window treatments", at all. Another tick against me as a perfect homemaker. Shoot, and I was going to be so close to perfect, other than that one little thing! ;o)
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Monday, May 21, 2012
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday Random Stuff
Thoughts and "I/we did"s...
♣ It's funny how you can't help but notice which card games were popular during certain periods of history, based on how frequently they were mentioned in contemporary literature. Whist is always popping up in Austen, for example-- and in books set "between the wars", bridge seems to be the game of choice. In at least one of the E.F. Benson Lucia novels, all the characters are obsessed with it, and now I've just finished Agatha Christie's Cards of the Table, in which bridge plays an even more important role in the story. I don't guess I have any interesting commentary on this subject, though. It's just amusing to notice.
♣ The most recent (only?) TV adaptation of Cards on the Table is awful. I mean, I'm really fond of David Suchet as Poirot, so as far as that goes, I was happy, but did the writers have to change so much of the story? Nearly every aspect of the novel was distorted, often beyond recognition. This is the second time I've seen an adaption of an Agatha Christie that I'd actually read. That one was also altered significantly... and horribly. (Interestingly, both of these adaptations saw fit to inject homosexual themes where they didn't exist in the novels. I guess the writers thought that would make a juicier story for modern audiences. ...?) The downside: It's disappointing that it may be difficult to find a faithful adaptation when I want one. The upside: Maybe this means I can read all those Poirot novels I've watched adaptations of and still find the plot virtually unspoiled. (g) (My remarkable ability to forget things also helps in this respect.)
The main reason I don't understand major rewrites in adaptations (particularly in these Agatha Christie mysteries, where the plot is pretty much everything) is this: You have a carefully plotted story all ready to go. It's been proven successful! Yay! All you need to do is figure out how to transfer it to the screen. But no. You decide to change how characters behave-- their relationships to one another-- the motive of the murderer-- maybe even the murderer's identity. But why? Your audience can be divided into two groups-- those who have read the novel and those who have not. For those who have not read the novel, the original plot will be entirely new. (See? No need to change a blessed thing!) And those who have read the novel, yet still decide to watch an adaptation must've liked the original plot, right? I mean, if they hated it, why would they bother watching it on TV? It makes no SENSE.
♣ Sometime within the past few weeks, we (mostly Donald) put up a ceiling fan in the breakfast room. Last summer, we decided it would be a good place for one-- so now we're all set!
♣ I spent a portion of the morning cleaning out and reorganizing our pantry-- with the result that it is probably the most organized "room" in the house, now. (Probably ought to do something about that...)
♣ I sewed a washable pad for my Swiffer Wet Jet from a piece of an old towel and a couple snippets of elastic. It seemed to work pretty well (cleaned the floor, stayed put on the Swiffer during cleaning), so now I'm interested to see how it holds up in the washing machine. If the elastic doesn't work out, I may try velcro... but I have a feeling elastic is much cheaper (even if I have to replace it every so often.) ...Or I may try making one side of the pads out of some fabrics that tend to cling to the velco on their own...
♣ It's funny how you can't help but notice which card games were popular during certain periods of history, based on how frequently they were mentioned in contemporary literature. Whist is always popping up in Austen, for example-- and in books set "between the wars", bridge seems to be the game of choice. In at least one of the E.F. Benson Lucia novels, all the characters are obsessed with it, and now I've just finished Agatha Christie's Cards of the Table, in which bridge plays an even more important role in the story. I don't guess I have any interesting commentary on this subject, though. It's just amusing to notice.
♣ The most recent (only?) TV adaptation of Cards on the Table is awful. I mean, I'm really fond of David Suchet as Poirot, so as far as that goes, I was happy, but did the writers have to change so much of the story? Nearly every aspect of the novel was distorted, often beyond recognition. This is the second time I've seen an adaption of an Agatha Christie that I'd actually read. That one was also altered significantly... and horribly. (Interestingly, both of these adaptations saw fit to inject homosexual themes where they didn't exist in the novels. I guess the writers thought that would make a juicier story for modern audiences. ...?) The downside: It's disappointing that it may be difficult to find a faithful adaptation when I want one. The upside: Maybe this means I can read all those Poirot novels I've watched adaptations of and still find the plot virtually unspoiled. (g) (My remarkable ability to forget things also helps in this respect.)
The main reason I don't understand major rewrites in adaptations (particularly in these Agatha Christie mysteries, where the plot is pretty much everything) is this: You have a carefully plotted story all ready to go. It's been proven successful! Yay! All you need to do is figure out how to transfer it to the screen. But no. You decide to change how characters behave-- their relationships to one another-- the motive of the murderer-- maybe even the murderer's identity. But why? Your audience can be divided into two groups-- those who have read the novel and those who have not. For those who have not read the novel, the original plot will be entirely new. (See? No need to change a blessed thing!) And those who have read the novel, yet still decide to watch an adaptation must've liked the original plot, right? I mean, if they hated it, why would they bother watching it on TV? It makes no SENSE.
♣ Sometime within the past few weeks, we (mostly Donald) put up a ceiling fan in the breakfast room. Last summer, we decided it would be a good place for one-- so now we're all set!
♣ I spent a portion of the morning cleaning out and reorganizing our pantry-- with the result that it is probably the most organized "room" in the house, now. (Probably ought to do something about that...)
♣ I sewed a washable pad for my Swiffer Wet Jet from a piece of an old towel and a couple snippets of elastic. It seemed to work pretty well (cleaned the floor, stayed put on the Swiffer during cleaning), so now I'm interested to see how it holds up in the washing machine. If the elastic doesn't work out, I may try velcro... but I have a feeling elastic is much cheaper (even if I have to replace it every so often.) ...Or I may try making one side of the pads out of some fabrics that tend to cling to the velco on their own...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Water, Water
We have water again! (And I don't mean puddling all over the utility room floor!)
Donald poked around some. Mom and Dad came over and looked and gave their in-put. Donald cut a hole in the drywall, and we found the source of the leak (in a tangle of water pipes).
Long story short, we ended up calling a plumber. We decided this was one of those times that getting a professional to look at the problem was worth what we might save trying to figure it out on our own.
Before:
After:
(Do you see much difference? No, neither do I, really. The "after" is a little more organized, though.)
And so, in conclusion, dear Reader ;o), take a moment to appreciate your indoor plumbing and the fact that it is not presently leaking. And if you've never experienced a pipe leaking behind a wall, consider yourself very lucky.
ETA:
It didn't cost an arm and a leg to fix the pipe (and some of the surrounding pipes), so that's good... On the other hand, the plumber said that our problems aren't really the fault of the original plumber (even though his work looks awfully messy to me... but I guess I'll withdraw my earlier wish to dropkick him). Instead, it's probably just our water. (Lovely. Maybe water that corrodes metal is actually super-duper healthy for people, though. There has to be some silver lining here, right?) He recommends putting a filter out by the pump, so we're going to look into that (and just hope that no other pipes go pop anytime soon). Also, we're going to leave an easy access panel over this area of the wall in case we ever have problems with any of these pipes in the future. (The silver lining here is that it's behind the washer and drier, so no-one will even know it's there.) No more guesswork as far as where those pipes are!
The End.
Donald poked around some. Mom and Dad came over and looked and gave their in-put. Donald cut a hole in the drywall, and we found the source of the leak (in a tangle of water pipes).
Long story short, we ended up calling a plumber. We decided this was one of those times that getting a professional to look at the problem was worth what we might save trying to figure it out on our own.
Before:
After:
(Do you see much difference? No, neither do I, really. The "after" is a little more organized, though.)
And so, in conclusion, dear Reader ;o), take a moment to appreciate your indoor plumbing and the fact that it is not presently leaking. And if you've never experienced a pipe leaking behind a wall, consider yourself very lucky.
ETA:
It didn't cost an arm and a leg to fix the pipe (and some of the surrounding pipes), so that's good... On the other hand, the plumber said that our problems aren't really the fault of the original plumber (even though his work looks awfully messy to me... but I guess I'll withdraw my earlier wish to dropkick him). Instead, it's probably just our water. (Lovely. Maybe water that corrodes metal is actually super-duper healthy for people, though. There has to be some silver lining here, right?) He recommends putting a filter out by the pump, so we're going to look into that (and just hope that no other pipes go pop anytime soon). Also, we're going to leave an easy access panel over this area of the wall in case we ever have problems with any of these pipes in the future. (The silver lining here is that it's behind the washer and drier, so no-one will even know it's there.) No more guesswork as far as where those pipes are!
The End.
If I'm Grumpy Today, This Is Why
There's nothing to put you in the proper Christmas spirit like-- well, what happened was this:
It's Tuesday night, and I'm extra tired-- partly because we got up for a while in the middle of Monday night to observe the lunar eclipse. It's time for bed, so I let the dogs out for their walk, then go to the kitchen to wash my hands (because I've been handling the dog treats, and yes, I do wash them every time I handle treats because I've heard that dog food and treats can be contaminated with salmonella, and yes, I'm slightly neurotic like that). Imagine my surprise when I spy a reflection on the floor-- a puddle right in the open pantry doorway.
At first, I think Molly must've had an accident-- though it has been a loooong time since she's done that and the pantry seems like an odd choice, but who am I to judge the appeal of different locations for puddle-making?-- but as I approach the supposed scene of the crime, I see that it is too big to be a mere "accident" puddle.
Okay. Molly's vindicated. Now what? Well, I have some emergency water stored in there, in emptied and cleaned 2-liter cola bottles. Maybe one of them has sprung a leak. *Sigh* Oh well, better clean it up right away. So I head for the laundry room, where I store our "doggy towels"-- ideal for mopping up a medium-sized puddle of water.
*Slop slop slop*
At this point, you may be wondering what's making that slopping sound, and I can't say that I blame you. Unfortunately for us, it is the sound of me stepping into another, larger puddle-- one approximately the size of the utility/laundry room. For the second time in only twenty-two days, the entire floor of that room has been flooded. (That's right, it's been less than a month since our last "adventure" with standing water in the utility room.)
Yay. Another leak. This is just what I needed right now. Yee-haw, etc., etc.
My thoughts begin to run along the lines of "crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP", and so do my spoken words.
Ok, let's switch out of the present tense now, shall we? Now that the Big Reveal has happened, I'm ready for summary mode.
Donald (hearing evidence of the aforesaid crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP, came to see what had happened, and we quickly began the frustrating process of removing as much water as possible. This was especially irritating, given that (have I mentioned yet?) we had done the same thing less than a month earlier, but at least it was less of a mess this time, since the room was still in its new, cleaner state after the last clean-up. (Also, Donald figured out that our wet/dry shop-vac does a pretty good job of picking up most of the water, so we didn't end up with a hundred wet towels afterward.) Still, there were plenty of things to move and dry off... And it's not exactly fun to wonder how much damage the water had done/was doing to the house.
We also turned off the water (and water heater) and tried to figure out where the water had come from. The intake on the water heater-- the first place we checked, because that was where we had the last leak-- seemed dry, as did the pan around the water heater's base. The hose for the washing machine-- also dry. Basically, everything we could think of as a possible culprit inside the room was a dead end. Which left the plumbing behind the wall. There was no visible dampness on the wall, but... well, where else could it be coming from?
(Crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP.)
With all the water removed, we performed a little test. Donald turned on the water to the house again while I looked to see if any new water seeped under the baseboards and we both listened. No new water, but yes, we both heard something that sounded suspiciously like water behind the wall. (CRAP.)
So, now we get to have another little "adventure" in the world of plumbing. I suppose the final result will be that we'll have to shell out who-knows-how-much to have this mess fixed-- quickly, with any luck. Meanwhile, we have to haul our water in from the pump, and if it takes more than a day to fix, we'll have to rely on the generosity of family (who are fortunately also our neighbors) for warm showers. It could've been worse, of course. The weather today's going to be ok-- and not cold at all, so we won't miss the hot water as much as we might have... And at least it didn't happen on Christmas Eve/Day... And I suppose we found the problem pretty early. (I guess that if we had gone to bed without seeing it and shutting off the water, it would've leaked all night and flooded even more of the house. ~shudder~) And in the end, it's only a house repair, so not the worst thing to ever happen to someone in this cruel world-- but still, not just the thing to put one in her best mood right before the holidays, you have to admit. (And now I'm really worried about every *censored* pipe in the house. And I feel like kicking whoever did our original plumbing right in the you-know-where. GRR/*sigh*.)
It's Tuesday night, and I'm extra tired-- partly because we got up for a while in the middle of Monday night to observe the lunar eclipse. It's time for bed, so I let the dogs out for their walk, then go to the kitchen to wash my hands (because I've been handling the dog treats, and yes, I do wash them every time I handle treats because I've heard that dog food and treats can be contaminated with salmonella, and yes, I'm slightly neurotic like that). Imagine my surprise when I spy a reflection on the floor-- a puddle right in the open pantry doorway.
At first, I think Molly must've had an accident-- though it has been a loooong time since she's done that and the pantry seems like an odd choice, but who am I to judge the appeal of different locations for puddle-making?-- but as I approach the supposed scene of the crime, I see that it is too big to be a mere "accident" puddle.
Okay. Molly's vindicated. Now what? Well, I have some emergency water stored in there, in emptied and cleaned 2-liter cola bottles. Maybe one of them has sprung a leak. *Sigh* Oh well, better clean it up right away. So I head for the laundry room, where I store our "doggy towels"-- ideal for mopping up a medium-sized puddle of water.
*Slop slop slop*
At this point, you may be wondering what's making that slopping sound, and I can't say that I blame you. Unfortunately for us, it is the sound of me stepping into another, larger puddle-- one approximately the size of the utility/laundry room. For the second time in only twenty-two days, the entire floor of that room has been flooded. (That's right, it's been less than a month since our last "adventure" with standing water in the utility room.)
Yay. Another leak. This is just what I needed right now. Yee-haw, etc., etc.
My thoughts begin to run along the lines of "crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP", and so do my spoken words.
Ok, let's switch out of the present tense now, shall we? Now that the Big Reveal has happened, I'm ready for summary mode.
Donald (hearing evidence of the aforesaid crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP, came to see what had happened, and we quickly began the frustrating process of removing as much water as possible. This was especially irritating, given that (have I mentioned yet?) we had done the same thing less than a month earlier, but at least it was less of a mess this time, since the room was still in its new, cleaner state after the last clean-up. (Also, Donald figured out that our wet/dry shop-vac does a pretty good job of picking up most of the water, so we didn't end up with a hundred wet towels afterward.) Still, there were plenty of things to move and dry off... And it's not exactly fun to wonder how much damage the water had done/was doing to the house.
We also turned off the water (and water heater) and tried to figure out where the water had come from. The intake on the water heater-- the first place we checked, because that was where we had the last leak-- seemed dry, as did the pan around the water heater's base. The hose for the washing machine-- also dry. Basically, everything we could think of as a possible culprit inside the room was a dead end. Which left the plumbing behind the wall. There was no visible dampness on the wall, but... well, where else could it be coming from?
(Crappity-crappity crap crap CRAP.)
With all the water removed, we performed a little test. Donald turned on the water to the house again while I looked to see if any new water seeped under the baseboards and we both listened. No new water, but yes, we both heard something that sounded suspiciously like water behind the wall. (CRAP.)
So, now we get to have another little "adventure" in the world of plumbing. I suppose the final result will be that we'll have to shell out who-knows-how-much to have this mess fixed-- quickly, with any luck. Meanwhile, we have to haul our water in from the pump, and if it takes more than a day to fix, we'll have to rely on the generosity of family (who are fortunately also our neighbors) for warm showers. It could've been worse, of course. The weather today's going to be ok-- and not cold at all, so we won't miss the hot water as much as we might have... And at least it didn't happen on Christmas Eve/Day... And I suppose we found the problem pretty early. (I guess that if we had gone to bed without seeing it and shutting off the water, it would've leaked all night and flooded even more of the house. ~shudder~) And in the end, it's only a house repair, so not the worst thing to ever happen to someone in this cruel world-- but still, not just the thing to put one in her best mood right before the holidays, you have to admit. (And now I'm really worried about every *censored* pipe in the house. And I feel like kicking whoever did our original plumbing right in the you-know-where. GRR/*sigh*.)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Bad News / Good News
The Bad:
The pipe taking water into our water heater broke last night, spewing water over a large part of the room and flooding the majority of the floor.
The Good:
Donald was right there when it happened, so we were able to get the water shut off fairly quickly. (If it had broken when we were asleep or away from the house...)
The Bad:
No water from the taps (or to the toilets) overnight and about half the next day...
The Good:
At least we could still get water out at the pump, so we had fairly easy access to water for drinking and other absolute necessities (and were able to flush the toilets manually).
The Bad:
It initially didn't look like quite so simple of a fix as one might hope (weird tools needed, etc.)...
The Good:
Dad just happened to have this week off work, so he was able to help us. (Thanks again, Dad!) Also, it turned out we could use a different system that didn't require weird tools!
The Bad:
We had to move anything that was on the floor in the (crowded, cluttered) utility room (including washer, drier, and chest freezer), plus quite a few things on shelves, because they got wet.
The Good:
Cleaning / reorganizing the utility room was already on my "bigger projects" to-do list, so this is just forcing me to go ahead and do it. (Unfortunately, all this will probably push back putting up the Christmas tree by a day or two...)
The Bad:
I'm now more worried that we'll have a similar problem inside the walls, with the plumbing for our showers/baths.
The Good:
That hasn't happened so far... and maybe if we're lucky, it won't happen for many years to come... At least with the house on a slab, there's not as much wood to be potentially ruined... (Please, no-one write in the comments a reason why such a plumbing disaster is even worse in a house on a slab, because if you do, I'll have to hunt you down and hurt you. No, I'm serious. Don't test me.)
It's a good thing this happened after I took my last photo for the Month of Gratitude challenge. I had a hard time feeling grateful for a few hours afterward. Now, however, with the water running (hot and cold!) and the washing machine chugging merrily along (hardly a dry towel in the house!), I'm back to feeling appreciative. ;o)
The pipe taking water into our water heater broke last night, spewing water over a large part of the room and flooding the majority of the floor.
The Good:
Donald was right there when it happened, so we were able to get the water shut off fairly quickly. (If it had broken when we were asleep or away from the house...)
The Bad:
No water from the taps (or to the toilets) overnight and about half the next day...
The Good:
At least we could still get water out at the pump, so we had fairly easy access to water for drinking and other absolute necessities (and were able to flush the toilets manually).
The Bad:
It initially didn't look like quite so simple of a fix as one might hope (weird tools needed, etc.)...
The Good:
Dad just happened to have this week off work, so he was able to help us. (Thanks again, Dad!) Also, it turned out we could use a different system that didn't require weird tools!
The Bad:
We had to move anything that was on the floor in the (crowded, cluttered) utility room (including washer, drier, and chest freezer), plus quite a few things on shelves, because they got wet.
The Good:
Cleaning / reorganizing the utility room was already on my "bigger projects" to-do list, so this is just forcing me to go ahead and do it. (Unfortunately, all this will probably push back putting up the Christmas tree by a day or two...)
The Bad:
I'm now more worried that we'll have a similar problem inside the walls, with the plumbing for our showers/baths.
The Good:
That hasn't happened so far... and maybe if we're lucky, it won't happen for many years to come... At least with the house on a slab, there's not as much wood to be potentially ruined... (Please, no-one write in the comments a reason why such a plumbing disaster is even worse in a house on a slab, because if you do, I'll have to hunt you down and hurt you. No, I'm serious. Don't test me.)
It's a good thing this happened after I took my last photo for the Month of Gratitude challenge. I had a hard time feeling grateful for a few hours afterward. Now, however, with the water running (hot and cold!) and the washing machine chugging merrily along (hardly a dry towel in the house!), I'm back to feeling appreciative. ;o)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Search for the Perfect Window Dressing
Going through some photos today, I came across a screen capture I've been holding on to for a while.
What interesting thing might this be? Why, the curtains in a TV kitchen, of course! (Yes, this is going to be a home decorating blog post. You may want to sneak out right about now.)
These curtains hang in the Gilbert family's kitchen. ...In The Vampire Diaries. (I know, I know. But it's better than you [probably] think.)
Anyway, here's the photo:
We need curtains for our kitchen/breakfast room windows. When we repainted, we took down the tired, lace valances that we'd "made do" with for so long, and now I refuse to put them back up, for fear I'll decide to just continue "making do" instead of replacing them with something nicer.
I just have to figure out what kind I want to make... buy the fabric... and, um, make them. (Have I mentioned I've never sewn any type of curtain before? But I do know how to work a basic sewing machine, so I think I can handle it.)
I like the ones in the photo (which is why I saved it), but even if I could somehow find that exact fabric (...which is what I like about them), that set up wouldn't work for us. You see, people in TV shows, movies, and glossy-paged magazines always have these beautiful windows framing "views"-- with nary a blind in sight. (Frequently, they have no curtains, either. I guess TV/movie/magazine people don't require privacy and never get that prickly-necked feeling that Someone-- or Something-- may be lurking just outside, watching... Must be nice, huh?)
I, on the other hand, live in the real world-- and more specifically in the Southern U.S. region of the real world, where the summer sun shines hot and the A/C drives up the electricity bill. Blinds are pretty well a necessity, it seems to me. You could do a shade instead of blinds, but I don't have any experience with shades, except those hideous dark green ones they used in some of the older classrooms in middle school. Those things blocked out all the light-- not good, when you need them pulled down for hours at a time, during the hottest time of a summer day. I am considering using some type of shades in conjunction with more decorative curtains, but I'm afraid I'd still feel like we need blinds, too.
...Maybe this is some type of mental illness-- a bizarre addiction to blinds. I suppose you can still be addicted to something even if you hate it... ;o)
Anyway, I need to figure out what to do. I'm tired of those empty windows-- empty save for those ugly blinds, that is. (It's funny how I hate empty/curtain-less windows so much more than empty walls... I need to work on that some more, too, though. We have things that need to be hung. --But where?? The eternal question...)
What interesting thing might this be? Why, the curtains in a TV kitchen, of course! (Yes, this is going to be a home decorating blog post. You may want to sneak out right about now.)
These curtains hang in the Gilbert family's kitchen. ...In The Vampire Diaries. (I know, I know. But it's better than you [probably] think.)
Anyway, here's the photo:
We need curtains for our kitchen/breakfast room windows. When we repainted, we took down the tired, lace valances that we'd "made do" with for so long, and now I refuse to put them back up, for fear I'll decide to just continue "making do" instead of replacing them with something nicer.
I just have to figure out what kind I want to make... buy the fabric... and, um, make them. (Have I mentioned I've never sewn any type of curtain before? But I do know how to work a basic sewing machine, so I think I can handle it.)
I like the ones in the photo (which is why I saved it), but even if I could somehow find that exact fabric (...which is what I like about them), that set up wouldn't work for us. You see, people in TV shows, movies, and glossy-paged magazines always have these beautiful windows framing "views"-- with nary a blind in sight. (Frequently, they have no curtains, either. I guess TV/movie/magazine people don't require privacy and never get that prickly-necked feeling that Someone-- or Something-- may be lurking just outside, watching... Must be nice, huh?)
I, on the other hand, live in the real world-- and more specifically in the Southern U.S. region of the real world, where the summer sun shines hot and the A/C drives up the electricity bill. Blinds are pretty well a necessity, it seems to me. You could do a shade instead of blinds, but I don't have any experience with shades, except those hideous dark green ones they used in some of the older classrooms in middle school. Those things blocked out all the light-- not good, when you need them pulled down for hours at a time, during the hottest time of a summer day. I am considering using some type of shades in conjunction with more decorative curtains, but I'm afraid I'd still feel like we need blinds, too.
...Maybe this is some type of mental illness-- a bizarre addiction to blinds. I suppose you can still be addicted to something even if you hate it... ;o)
Anyway, I need to figure out what to do. I'm tired of those empty windows-- empty save for those ugly blinds, that is. (It's funny how I hate empty/curtain-less windows so much more than empty walls... I need to work on that some more, too, though. We have things that need to be hung. --But where?? The eternal question...)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Bullet Point List
Things from 'round here.
- This week, Donald bought a "snake tamer", a small shotgun specially designed for snake-sized problems. (Of course, it can cause some damage to non-snake-sized problems, too, so potential violent intruders beware.)
- We did a little practice shooting the evening we got it. It was my first time firing anything more powerful than an air rifle, and I have to admit, even that relatively small kick was enough to rattle me a little. After one shot, I was done for the night. I definitely need more practice, as I wasn't aiming correctly and ended up shooting holes in the leaves of one of our satsuma trees instead of "killing" the cardboard snake target. Eek. I feel jittery just remembering it. (I will improve, though, intruders, so stay away.)
- What prompted us to finally go ahead and get a gun for snakes was that a couple weeks ago our neighbor down the easement came to show us a sizable rattlesnake he'd shot not far from our yard. I think he had this same kind of "snake gun". . . and I believe it's similar to the one my parents have, too.
- The continuing oil leak in the Gulf is big news around here, as you might expect. Some of those beaches you keep hearing about in the local news? That's where my family used to go for Saturday afternoons of playing in the sand and searching for seashells. I remember Friday nights parked in the car, eating pizza, listening to the radio, and watching the water, then taking a moonlit walk just out of reach of the waves. I go through phases of anger, sadness, and disgust over it, even though at the moment it seems unlikely to affect us directly. We don't live on the beach. We rarely even go to the beach, these days. We don't earn a living from the Gulf or tourism, directly. Still, I'm sure it will have a domino effect on the local economy, and some of our family may suffer financially, even if we don't. . . If nothing else, I care about the beaches that are woven through my memories of growing up in this place, and I want them to stay as much the same as possible, for future generations to enjoy. I believe that the area will recover-- with any luck, sooner than many predict-- but I don't think it's possible for anyone to know all the damage that's being done. I think it will be years before I'll feel that the beach and seafood is as safe (as far as toxins go) as it was before, no matter what the "experts" may say.
- My Project 365 is still creeping along at a snail's pace. I will finish it, imperfect though it is, but I don't think I'll try to do it again-- not right away, at least. I think I take and post photos less spontaneously than I did before I started. Most of my photos these days tend to be halfhearted and fairly boring. If I could ever just catch up to the current photo of the day, I think the project would be more interesting. It's hard to feel excited about taking a photo that I "can't" even post until I work my way through two or three weeks of old photos. I need to take an evening or weekend afternoon and just plow through the backlog of photos.
- Did I mention that we've painted the kitchen? I can't even remember. . . Well, we did. We bought the paint back before we had visitors. . . which was. . . in March? Anyway, it had been a while, and I guess I had kind of. . . forgotten what color paint we'd bought. (I know.) I had been remembering it as a slightly goldenish almondy color. Not so! It was much more golden and much less almond than I'd recalled. Not almond at all, in fact.
- When we start painting, I like it well enough, though Im startled to find my memory has been so wrong. Still, it looks rich and warm compared to the pale lemony yellow we originally painted the kitchen (soon after the house was built). Pale lemony yellow can be nice, too-- but that tint had always tended to look a little more greenish than we'd expected, and it was so pale that there wasn't a pleasing contrast with the new, white beadboard wainscoting. We wanted something to make the white "pop", and this new color certainly does that. . .
- By the time we've finished painting, I've begun to wonder what we were thinking when we chose this color and why isn't the paint almond like I'd remembered?! In certain light, the paint feels greenish-mustardy-yuck (if such a color is even possible), and I begin to suspect that I hate it with a fierce and passionate loathing.
- Donald suggests we should just paint it a different color altogether, if I am that unhappy with it, because paint is fairly cheap.
- I suggest that it would be ridiculous to do so until we've waited to see what it's really like, because ok, it looks better now, so maybe that was just some really bad lighting before. . .
- But on the other hand, why is this not almond? Why did we choose this color at the last minute? After months of looking at aquas-- then weeks of looking at sand and almond colors-- why had we gone psycho at the last moment and chosen this goldy, macaroni and cheese color? WHY? I HATE MACARONI AND CHEESE COLOR (like we have in the office... which I guess is ok for an office, but definitely NOT for our kitchen/breakfast room)!! Macaroni and cheese color should die a slow, torturous death!!!
- Donald argues that we considered this color longer than I seem to remember us doing, then demonstrates that it's not the hated macaroni and cheese color, but says that if I really hate it that much, we should just repaint. It won't take that long. Look, the masking tape's even still up-- all the countertops are cleared. Let's go get the paint chips out again and get an almond color--
- No, that would be a waste of time and money. We have to at least give this color a try first. Ok, see? It looks better with this lighting. . . And once I put some things on the walls, it won't be so overwhelming. . . Maybe some aqua or blue touches will balance it out. . .
- (And so on and so forth.)
- Well, we kept the paint, and it's grown on me. Donald thinks maybe it looks different now than it did when we first painted, as though it's shifted a bit after drying more permanently or something. I'm doubtful that it's changed. I think we've just gotten used to it. . . and it was never really bad to begin with. It was just such a shocking contrast from what I'd been picturing for months. I'm thoroughly ashamed of myself for making such a big deal over the color of paint, but oh well. It seemed important at the time. I'd promise never to overreact again, but I doubt I could keep my word.
- There will be before and after photos, once the "after" is done. We still have crown molding to put up-- just a narrow bit to match what's on the kitchen cabinetry-- and wall art / hooks / etc. . . . and curtains. . . and oh yeah, I still need to paint the kitchen cabinets white. Maybe I'll show "before and in-progress" photos. If I wait until "after" photos are ready, there's no telling when you'll see them!
- It's only the beginning of summer (despite the fact that Sweden will be celebrating "midsommar" next weekend), but I'm already tired of summertime heat and humidity. There's really not much more to say about it than that. It's hot. It's sticky. It's thundery almost every afternoon (seems like). Grass and weeds grow so fast you can almost see them shooting up before your eyes, and this is the heyday of the snake and the insect. In brief, it's just not my favorite time of year. Let the countdown to October begin!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Something for Everyone
Well, there's something for everyone if everyone is interested in eyeglasses, dog grooming, nature trails, crochet scarves, "shoe benches", or any of the other fascinating subjects included in this entry.
Last night, Donald and I finally got around to ordering some new glasses.
It's about time. I knew it had been a while-- maybe even over a year-- since we'd had our eye exams and got the prescriptions, but I had no idea (until I pulled out the papers and read the date) that it had been nearly two years.
Seriously, though-- this is ridiculous! I know times flies and all that, but nearly two years?! (Minus a couple of months. The exams took place early December 2007.) That's just. . . scary.
Life keeps slipping away, one day at a time. . .
Well, moving right along. . . (g)
We're trying Zenni Optical, an online source with exceptionally low prices and (as far as we can tell) a pretty good reputation for quality, too. You can get a pair of glasses (no extra frills, but perfectly good glasses) for a mere eight dollars (+ a flat rate shipping charge of $4.95). If you're in the mood to splurge ;o) there are other options (glasses for $15, $19, and so on-- tinted lenses-- anti-glare coatings-- etc.). Honestly, though, some of the $8 models were my favorites from the bunch.
Our new glasses should arrive within a couple of weeks. I'm excited! It's been more years than I care to admit since I had new glasses-- mostly because I rarely thought about it. (And when I did, I dreaded the hassle of the exam and picking out new frames and ended up putting it off.) These old ones are showing their age and are ready for retirement.
I'll probably take photos of the new glasses once they arrive. (Thought I'd give you all something to look forward to. (g))
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Last night, Donald and I finally got around to ordering some new glasses.
It's about time. I knew it had been a while-- maybe even over a year-- since we'd had our eye exams and got the prescriptions, but I had no idea (until I pulled out the papers and read the date) that it had been nearly two years.
Seriously, though-- this is ridiculous! I know times flies and all that, but nearly two years?! (Minus a couple of months. The exams took place early December 2007.) That's just. . . scary.
Life keeps slipping away, one day at a time. . .
Well, moving right along. . . (g)
We're trying Zenni Optical, an online source with exceptionally low prices and (as far as we can tell) a pretty good reputation for quality, too. You can get a pair of glasses (no extra frills, but perfectly good glasses) for a mere eight dollars (+ a flat rate shipping charge of $4.95). If you're in the mood to splurge ;o) there are other options (glasses for $15, $19, and so on-- tinted lenses-- anti-glare coatings-- etc.). Honestly, though, some of the $8 models were my favorites from the bunch.
Our new glasses should arrive within a couple of weeks. I'm excited! It's been more years than I care to admit since I had new glasses-- mostly because I rarely thought about it. (And when I did, I dreaded the hassle of the exam and picking out new frames and ended up putting it off.) These old ones are showing their age and are ready for retirement.
I'll probably take photos of the new glasses once they arrive. (Thought I'd give you all something to look forward to. (g))
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I think the hummingbirds (or at least "our" hummingbirds) have moved on to their next stop. We haven't seen them in two or three days (and I had already heard that they generally leave this area around the middle of October). The patio seems emptier without them. . . Time to dig out and fill our other bird feeders, I guess!
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The hummingbirds may have left us, but my sister and brother-in-law, who have been living in the Montgomery area, are planning to move back to the coast soon! I know my family will be happy to have them close by again, so that we can see more of one another.
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Over the weekend, we gave Molly another haircut. It's not 100% done (Is it ever?), but it is much better than it was before. Part of the time, she was fairly well-behaved. ("I don't really want to do this right now... *whine whine* Why do we have to do this? I really don't like this very-- Oh! Is that peanut butter you have there? Well, I don't mind if I do!") Part of the time, she was not. ("Mess with my feet, will you? I'll show you! I'll somehow manage to lie on top of all four feet at the same time so you can't reach them! Nanny-nanny boo-boo!" . . .Or even "Ohmygosh ohmygosh OHMYGOSH!! They're making me lie on my side!! NOOOO! NOOOO! I shall surely perish a most excrutiating death if I am made to lie on my side!! NOOOOOOO!!")
As we struggled to cut her hair (and nothing but her hair)-- sometimes against her very vehement wishes-- I renewed my vow to never have another dog of such a grooming-intensive breed. It simply doesn't work out well.
If I could go back in time, maybe I could familiarize her with the grooming process when she was still an impressionable puppy. Maybe then it wouldn't be such an agonizing ordeal to brush and cut her hair on her legs, feet, and underside. Maybe she would never get in such a state that I feel terrible, guilty helplessness over her mats and tangles. Then again, maybe there's nothing we could've done to make it easier. Either way, from here on out, I don't see myself ever owning a spaniel (or similarly haired breed) again.
As we struggled to cut her hair (and nothing but her hair)-- sometimes against her very vehement wishes-- I renewed my vow to never have another dog of such a grooming-intensive breed. It simply doesn't work out well.
If I could go back in time, maybe I could familiarize her with the grooming process when she was still an impressionable puppy. Maybe then it wouldn't be such an agonizing ordeal to brush and cut her hair on her legs, feet, and underside. Maybe she would never get in such a state that I feel terrible, guilty helplessness over her mats and tangles. Then again, maybe there's nothing we could've done to make it easier. Either way, from here on out, I don't see myself ever owning a spaniel (or similarly haired breed) again.
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Also over the weekend, we took a quick trip to Meaher State Park (on the Baldwin County side of the Causeway). It was ok, but not as nice as the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail(s). There's simply not as much trail there, for one thing, but my opinion might also have been influenced by the hot, muggy weather. (We are still waiting for autumn to get here and stay for more than a couple days at a time.)
On the boardwalk, we saw lots of small crabs, some water fowl, and a raccoon. No turtles, snakes, or alligators, though. (I wouldn't have wanted to see them too close up, anyway.) I did a little filming there, so I'll try to edit and post that soon. In the meantime, here are a few photos that we took:
Donald added a couple of doors to the "shoe bench" by our kitchen door. (He built the bench years ago using leftovers from the bookshelf he built.)
After years of having it just as it was-- always right next to the door we use most, to house a few pairs of our most-frequently-used shoes-- it suddenly seemed odd to have a bunch of shoes in close proximity and open view of the table where our guests sit and eat. Isn't that the way these things usually work? You go a long time without noticing something, but once you see it, you realize that Something Must Be Done. So Donald found a piece of wood that would work-- the kitchen-sink-shaped cutout the builders made in our counter-top-- and with a little sawing, sanding, spackling, and painting, the shoe bench had two doors. We filled the middle compartment with a basket, and the result looks much more "finished" than it did a few weeks ago!
Here's a "before" photo:
And a couple of "after":
That'll do nicely!
On the boardwalk, we saw lots of small crabs, some water fowl, and a raccoon. No turtles, snakes, or alligators, though. (I wouldn't have wanted to see them too close up, anyway.) I did a little filming there, so I'll try to edit and post that soon. In the meantime, here are a few photos that we took:
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Donald added a couple of doors to the "shoe bench" by our kitchen door. (He built the bench years ago using leftovers from the bookshelf he built.)
After years of having it just as it was-- always right next to the door we use most, to house a few pairs of our most-frequently-used shoes-- it suddenly seemed odd to have a bunch of shoes in close proximity and open view of the table where our guests sit and eat. Isn't that the way these things usually work? You go a long time without noticing something, but once you see it, you realize that Something Must Be Done. So Donald found a piece of wood that would work-- the kitchen-sink-shaped cutout the builders made in our counter-top-- and with a little sawing, sanding, spackling, and painting, the shoe bench had two doors. We filled the middle compartment with a basket, and the result looks much more "finished" than it did a few weeks ago!
Here's a "before" photo:
And a couple of "after":
That'll do nicely!
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I think the last time I mentioned crochet on this blog was back when I had decided to try a scarf that was basically a bunch of Solomon's knots (love knots, lover's knots). I gave it a try, and after the first or second row didn't know what to do next. It was night, and I was tired, so that may have accounted for it. Whatever the reason, I couldn't see where/how I was supposed to attach the next row into the previous one. I'm going to give it another try-- and maybe seek advice if I still can't figure it out on my own-- but in the meantime, I happened upon a different scarf pattern.
The Luna Lovegood Scarf (pattern by Melissa Helton) is so called because it's based on an accessory worn by a character of that name in a Harry Potter movie. I liked the looks of the scarf, and none of the stitches seemed too difficult for a beginner. Overall, I'm happy with how it turned out. It is a little wider than I pictured it, but that's not really a problem with a scarf. I think my beginner status showed itself in a couple of spots, but I can definitely wear it without wrapping it up to my eyes to protect my identity. ;o)
The Luna Lovegood Scarf (pattern by Melissa Helton) is so called because it's based on an accessory worn by a character of that name in a Harry Potter movie. I liked the looks of the scarf, and none of the stitches seemed too difficult for a beginner. Overall, I'm happy with how it turned out. It is a little wider than I pictured it, but that's not really a problem with a scarf. I think my beginner status showed itself in a couple of spots, but I can definitely wear it without wrapping it up to my eyes to protect my identity. ;o)
(There are a few more photos on Flickr, if you'd like another look.)
Oh, and this was also my first attempt at blocking. I still don't know if I did it perfectly, but I do think it made a positive difference in the shaping and arrangement of the stiches, so that's good. At least I have a little blocking experience under my belt, now.
Scarf stats:
Yarn: Red Heart Sport, "Aran Fleck"
I used a little less than two 2.5 oz (70g) skeins.
Hook: G (I think...)
That's not what the pattern called for, but I knew it didn't really matter that much, seeing as it's a scarf, and I didn't have whatever hook the pattern did call for.
Time: I don't know. I don't really time my crafty pursuits. It's supposed to be fun, and I don't like timing things. Makes me feel like I'm in a race. . . It probably took longer than it "should" have, but I'm still a beginner.
Dimensions:
Approximately 5.5 inches (14cm) wide and 78 inches (198cm) long.
Oh, and this was also my first attempt at blocking. I still don't know if I did it perfectly, but I do think it made a positive difference in the shaping and arrangement of the stiches, so that's good. At least I have a little blocking experience under my belt, now.
Scarf stats:
Yarn: Red Heart Sport, "Aran Fleck"
I used a little less than two 2.5 oz (70g) skeins.
Hook: G (I think...)
That's not what the pattern called for, but I knew it didn't really matter that much, seeing as it's a scarf, and I didn't have whatever hook the pattern did call for.
Time: I don't know. I don't really time my crafty pursuits. It's supposed to be fun, and I don't like timing things. Makes me feel like I'm in a race. . . It probably took longer than it "should" have, but I'm still a beginner.
Dimensions:
Approximately 5.5 inches (14cm) wide and 78 inches (198cm) long.
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Last week I received a jury summons. (I mentioned it on Twitter, so if you read those updates, you already know about this. But in that case, you already knew about some of the other things I've written about, too. Let this be a lesson to you. . . or something. . .)
The last time I got a jury summons was my first time to get a summons-- the first time I'd ever been notified that I might potentially be selected to sit on a jury. (When was that, exactly? I probably ought to try to figure it out in case they ask. Seems like they did ask something about previous jury experience, last time. . .) So, seeing as it was my first time seeing The Law up close and personal, I was interested, nervous, and kind of excited, even though I knew it was my civic duty to be completely bored and annoyed by the prospect of sitting on a jury. Everyone is (or so you'd think, based on what you usually hear and see people saying).
I happened to see a (2nd? 3rd?) cousin on my first day there, and she seemed bored and nonchalant. Unfortunately (?) I don't find it so easy to be bored and nonchalant. ("A bundle of nerves" might be closer to it, actually. This makes certain aspects of life more difficult, no doubt, and I'll never be really "cool", but at least it's probably also more dramatic and interesting this way.) In any case, being interested/excited made the first part of the experience. . . well, interesting and exciting. As time passed, some of that wore off. By the time it was over, I was ready for it to be over.
This time around, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I think I'd rather not have to go, but since I don't really have a choice, I'm trying to feel interested in it. It is interesting, when you're actually sitting on a jury and not just sitting or standing around waiting to be selected. I honestly feel a little sorry for people who don't feel even the least bit interested in the prospect of a brief period of jury duty. It must take a lot to keep them occupied and interested* in life in general. . .
*Note to self: Practice using synonymns for "interested" and "interesting". ;o)
The last time I got a jury summons was my first time to get a summons-- the first time I'd ever been notified that I might potentially be selected to sit on a jury. (When was that, exactly? I probably ought to try to figure it out in case they ask. Seems like they did ask something about previous jury experience, last time. . .) So, seeing as it was my first time seeing The Law up close and personal, I was interested, nervous, and kind of excited, even though I knew it was my civic duty to be completely bored and annoyed by the prospect of sitting on a jury. Everyone is (or so you'd think, based on what you usually hear and see people saying).
I happened to see a (2nd? 3rd?) cousin on my first day there, and she seemed bored and nonchalant. Unfortunately (?) I don't find it so easy to be bored and nonchalant. ("A bundle of nerves" might be closer to it, actually. This makes certain aspects of life more difficult, no doubt, and I'll never be really "cool", but at least it's probably also more dramatic and interesting this way.) In any case, being interested/excited made the first part of the experience. . . well, interesting and exciting. As time passed, some of that wore off. By the time it was over, I was ready for it to be over.
This time around, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I think I'd rather not have to go, but since I don't really have a choice, I'm trying to feel interested in it. It is interesting, when you're actually sitting on a jury and not just sitting or standing around waiting to be selected. I honestly feel a little sorry for people who don't feel even the least bit interested in the prospect of a brief period of jury duty. It must take a lot to keep them occupied and interested* in life in general. . .
*Note to self: Practice using synonymns for "interested" and "interesting". ;o)
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Well, that's more than enough blogging for one day! ;o)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A Trip Through the IKEA Catalog
I love looking at photos of organized spaces. Pantries, mud rooms, and entryways! Hooks, shelves, jars, and boxes! Tantalizing peeks into partially (artistically) opened drawers and cabinets! Those photographs are somehow fascinating. (Larger versions of these photos are just a click away...)
(Ok, I'll admit it. I like to look at "home" photographs in general, even if they're not focused on organization. I also am extremely fond of House Hunters and a handful of house-flipping and -decorating programs.)
For someone who loves the clean look of organization, though, my own ability to keep things organized is sometimes lacking. Of course, no-one (or let's err on the side of caution and say "hardly anyone") keeps his/her home as perfectly/artfully arranged as the rooms presented in many catalog and magazine photos.
There are lots of white-spined books in these showrooms-- probably because white is not distracting and goes with anything. Then there are the photos where some of the books just happen to match the decor of the room. Almost as though they had been carefully chosen for that very reason. . . Like these touches of blue that go with the painted wainscoting:
Coordinating colors in the furniture, flooring, and wall art of the room, I can accept. (I pay some attention to those things, myself.) But what are the chances that the books in the bookcase-- or the clothing stored in the closet-- would magically fit into that particular room's palette? (Unless this person is completely, unhealthily obsessed with a certain color scheme. "No. I keep telling you, I can't buy carrots. The orange just doesn't 'go' in our kitchen.") The results are attractive, but artificial. As much as I like the look of those perfect, photoshoot-ready rooms, I'm just not prepared to arrange my entire life around the color of the family room rug-- or sofa-- or what-have-you.
Interesting (?) side note:
Years ago, while browsing a book about the "shabby chic" style, I was amazed to see that the author actually suggested purchasing cosmetics (for example) in colors that coordinate with the room where they'll be kept.
Kind of like this, I guess:
Note the "pretty" toiletries in glass dispensers? And see how they're all either white/clear, acid green, or gold? Now, that takes some serious devotion-- especially if you do it in real life and aren't just putting on a temporary show for a photograph or sales display.
Then we have photos like the one below:
It's a pretty room-- so fresh and open, with all the windows and the white paint, curtains, and bedding. The wall of green houseplants really gives it a little extra something, doesn't it?
But then you begin to wonder who's going to keep those plants watered, fed, cleaned, etc. Some of them are 'way up there. . . Who's going to enjoy the plants when they're five inches from the ceiling? No wall of fresh green houseplants for me.
If you haven't been to my Flickr photostream in a while, there are some recent photos of our non-catalog-worthy (yet (g)) breakfast room/kitchen. I took them mainly to show the progress we've made on our beadboard wainscoting project.
There's still a lot of painting to do. The cabinets will eventually be painted white. (I've written about it too many times to back out now. ;o)) The walls will also be painted, but at this point I can't tell you whether they'll be robin's egg blue or cream/almond/sand. Then there are the hinges and pulls (more on that another time). . . some crown moulding to install. . . and a few smaller projects for revamping the room's furniture/accessories.
. . .Oh, and I just remembered the "tables and chairs" project. . . So I'll probably have the official "before and after" photos ready for you in about two or three years.
(Ok, I'll admit it. I like to look at "home" photographs in general, even if they're not focused on organization. I also am extremely fond of House Hunters and a handful of house-flipping and -decorating programs.)
For someone who loves the clean look of organization, though, my own ability to keep things organized is sometimes lacking. Of course, no-one (or let's err on the side of caution and say "hardly anyone") keeps his/her home as perfectly/artfully arranged as the rooms presented in many catalog and magazine photos.
There are lots of white-spined books in these showrooms-- probably because white is not distracting and goes with anything. Then there are the photos where some of the books just happen to match the decor of the room. Almost as though they had been carefully chosen for that very reason. . . Like these touches of blue that go with the painted wainscoting:
Coordinating colors in the furniture, flooring, and wall art of the room, I can accept. (I pay some attention to those things, myself.) But what are the chances that the books in the bookcase-- or the clothing stored in the closet-- would magically fit into that particular room's palette? (Unless this person is completely, unhealthily obsessed with a certain color scheme. "No. I keep telling you, I can't buy carrots. The orange just doesn't 'go' in our kitchen.") The results are attractive, but artificial. As much as I like the look of those perfect, photoshoot-ready rooms, I'm just not prepared to arrange my entire life around the color of the family room rug-- or sofa-- or what-have-you.
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Interesting (?) side note:
Years ago, while browsing a book about the "shabby chic" style, I was amazed to see that the author actually suggested purchasing cosmetics (for example) in colors that coordinate with the room where they'll be kept.
Kind of like this, I guess:
Note the "pretty" toiletries in glass dispensers? And see how they're all either white/clear, acid green, or gold? Now, that takes some serious devotion-- especially if you do it in real life and aren't just putting on a temporary show for a photograph or sales display.- - - - - -
Then we have photos like the one below:
It's a pretty room-- so fresh and open, with all the windows and the white paint, curtains, and bedding. The wall of green houseplants really gives it a little extra something, doesn't it?
But then you begin to wonder who's going to keep those plants watered, fed, cleaned, etc. Some of them are 'way up there. . . Who's going to enjoy the plants when they're five inches from the ceiling? No wall of fresh green houseplants for me.
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If you haven't been to my Flickr photostream in a while, there are some recent photos of our non-catalog-worthy (yet (g)) breakfast room/kitchen. I took them mainly to show the progress we've made on our beadboard wainscoting project.
There's still a lot of painting to do. The cabinets will eventually be painted white. (I've written about it too many times to back out now. ;o)) The walls will also be painted, but at this point I can't tell you whether they'll be robin's egg blue or cream/almond/sand. Then there are the hinges and pulls (more on that another time). . . some crown moulding to install. . . and a few smaller projects for revamping the room's furniture/accessories.
. . .Oh, and I just remembered the "tables and chairs" project. . . So I'll probably have the official "before and after" photos ready for you in about two or three years.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Three Photos
There's been lots of painting lately. Still no new wall color (and we're still not even settled on what that color will be-- robin's egg blue or almond/cream), but lots of white paint on the beadboard wainscoting.
The sad thing is, I've barely begun to paint. There are so many painting projects on my to-do list that I don't even want to think about it. I don't mind painting a little now and then, but I think I'm going to be sick of it before long. At least painting is a satisfying job. You get to see almost immediate results-- good motivation to keep at it.
Trixie's still perfecting her grasp of the "stay" command. Meanwhile, she's having fun with an occasional frisbee outing and indoor fetch sessions.
Outdoors, it's still warm and humid, and we're still getting at least one shower a day. It's not October yet, so we won't complain too much.
One of our hurricane lilies is blooming...
The sad thing is, I've barely begun to paint. There are so many painting projects on my to-do list that I don't even want to think about it. I don't mind painting a little now and then, but I think I'm going to be sick of it before long. At least painting is a satisfying job. You get to see almost immediate results-- good motivation to keep at it.
Trixie's still perfecting her grasp of the "stay" command. Meanwhile, she's having fun with an occasional frisbee outing and indoor fetch sessions.
Outdoors, it's still warm and humid, and we're still getting at least one shower a day. It's not October yet, so we won't complain too much.
One of our hurricane lilies is blooming...
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
More Tidbits
First, here's a message from your friendly neighborhood White House website:
- - - - - - -
Earlier this week, while looking over Hobby Lobby's sales page, I noticed that they had devoted a large portion of the page to "Christmas Trim-A-Tree". I know stores keep pushing Christmas-related sales back a little earlier every year, but the first week of August? This is getting ridiculous. (Maybe Hobby Lobby has an all-year Christmas section. I haven't noticed. Even so, keeping holiday merchandise in stock is one thing; putting it prominently on sale is another.)
It makes sense to have a sale on Christmas craft supplies early in the year, because you need time to work on them, if you want them ready for display by December. However, everything mentioned in the ad-- ornaments, tinsel, garland, decorative treetops, and mini trees-- is already finished and ready to go. No crafting necessary. I can't imagine many people are in the mood to shop for Christmas decorations when it's still this hot and incredibly humid outdoors, but maybe it's therapeutic for them to pretend that it's almost winter...
The British might be surprised to find that the Union Jack is "American"...
"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."
Well, why are you just sitting there staring? Be a good American! Go tattletale-- err, spy-- um... Ha! There's no nice way to say this. Go inform against your friends, family, and neighbors-- strangers you may overhear on the street-- anyone who dares express an opinion in opposition to the standard White House line. Freedom of speech? Nah, that doesn't apply here. This health care issue is none of our business, really. We should just sit down, shut up, and trust that the glorious government has our best interests at heart and actually knows what it's doing this time.
. . . Yeah, right.
It seems like every week there's a new "I can't believe this is happening in America" moment.
(I'm very curious about what they plan to do about the "fishy" e-mails and such that may be reported to them. Use the information to calculate future talking points, of course, but will they also-- for instance-- be compiling lists of naughty non-"team player"-type persons? This feels awfully "fishy" to me.)
. . . Yeah, right.
It seems like every week there's a new "I can't believe this is happening in America" moment.
(I'm very curious about what they plan to do about the "fishy" e-mails and such that may be reported to them. Use the information to calculate future talking points, of course, but will they also-- for instance-- be compiling lists of naughty non-"team player"-type persons? This feels awfully "fishy" to me.)
- - - - - - -
Earlier this week, while looking over Hobby Lobby's sales page, I noticed that they had devoted a large portion of the page to "Christmas Trim-A-Tree". I know stores keep pushing Christmas-related sales back a little earlier every year, but the first week of August? This is getting ridiculous. (Maybe Hobby Lobby has an all-year Christmas section. I haven't noticed. Even so, keeping holiday merchandise in stock is one thing; putting it prominently on sale is another.)
It makes sense to have a sale on Christmas craft supplies early in the year, because you need time to work on them, if you want them ready for display by December. However, everything mentioned in the ad-- ornaments, tinsel, garland, decorative treetops, and mini trees-- is already finished and ready to go. No crafting necessary. I can't imagine many people are in the mood to shop for Christmas decorations when it's still this hot and incredibly humid outdoors, but maybe it's therapeutic for them to pretend that it's almost winter...
- - - - - - -
As you can see, we've focused on a specific type of color-- a pale muted blue with a tendency toward aqua. You might describe it as a partially desaturated robin's-egg-esque blue. I think we'd be happy with any of these colors, but you can't help but feel that there's one magic tint hidden among them-- and that's the one you should go with. Now to figure out just which one it is...
Obsessive? No, not at all! This is merely what comes of having such a high color IQ! ;o)
- - - - - - -
The beadboard wainscoting in the breakfast room is all up. (Well, except for a small patch on the other side of the kitchen door, next to the refrigerator.) Yesterday, Donald started the caulking, and I guess that now it's time to paint. The wainscoting came primed, but it still needs a coat or two of white-- and while we're at it, we'll also freshen up some of the existing trim. (Otherwise, it wouldn't match. You don't often think about it, but one paint marked "white" is usually not the same color as another paint marked "white".)
Eventually, we'll have to make a final decision on the new color for the kitchen/breakfast room. Not that it has to be painted. The yellow is still perfectly livable, but paint is pretty cheap-- especially when you do the painting yourself-- and it's fun to get a fresh look every now and then.
We had narrowed our color choices down to two or three paint chips, with "Spa" being the favorite:
I still like that color, but we're not sure it's quite enough color. (Donald especially feels this way, and I have to agree that it is very faint. Actually, though, I think it looks darker in the sample above-- on this monitor, at least-- than it does on the paint chip taped to the wall...) So we pulled out the other paint chips for a second look, and now we're back to narrowing things down again.
We had narrowed our color choices down to two or three paint chips, with "Spa" being the favorite:
I still like that color, but we're not sure it's quite enough color. (Donald especially feels this way, and I have to agree that it is very faint. Actually, though, I think it looks darker in the sample above-- on this monitor, at least-- than it does on the paint chip taped to the wall...) So we pulled out the other paint chips for a second look, and now we're back to narrowing things down again.
There are so many appealing colors that it's almost impossible to choose just one!
Here's a sampling of the colors we're now considering:
Here's a sampling of the colors we're now considering:
As you can see, we've focused on a specific type of color-- a pale muted blue with a tendency toward aqua. You might describe it as a partially desaturated robin's-egg-esque blue. I think we'd be happy with any of these colors, but you can't help but feel that there's one magic tint hidden among them-- and that's the one you should go with. Now to figure out just which one it is...
Obsessive? No, not at all! This is merely what comes of having such a high color IQ! ;o)
- - - - - - -
To close, I leave you with this photo of "2 Iron On American Stickers" (made in China):
The British might be surprised to find that the Union Jack is "American"...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
General Chit-Chat
Bits of the "tid" variety. (Whatever that means.)
- - - - - - -
The heat persists. That slight cooling we were hoping for never quite happened, I think, though at least we got some rain (and the hope of more to come, with a little luck). Now that it's July (How'd that happen, by the way?), we have to face the reality that the heat is probably here to stay for two or three months.
I know I tend to gripe about the heat a lot. I'm sorry. It's almost impossible to ignore completely, but I'll try to be find other things to write about (from time to time).
We're thinking about doing some painting in the kitchen and master bathroom, one of these days. (Maybe not one of these days soon to come, but sooner or later.)
List of indoor projects we're mulling over:
- - - - - - -
So Al Franken is actually going to be a senator? I can't take him seriously. (Not to mention that the sight of him makes me sick.) Oh well. At least he's not my senator. (Though I do feel sorry for the many Minnesotans who didn't vote for him and are still stuck with a joke for a representative.)
We're planning to spend the 4th of July with the paternal side of my family. I intend to take along a camera, but I don't know if I'll photograph (m)any people. I don't want to make a pest of myself. Still, there will probably be something I can point the camera at without becoming a nuissance.
I took a few photos of Trixie over the weekend, while Donald held her on the couch. Here's one of them:
Eskies are such a joy to photograph-- so much easier to capture than dark-haired dogs like Molly. I don't imagine she really cares, but sometimes I feel guilty that I hardly ever post photos of her. It's just that they rarely turn out very well. (There are a few more on my Flickr photostream, if anyone's interested in more dog photos.)
Today, I reached a milestone at Vimeo-- fifty uploads.
Here's #49-- some mammatus clouds that we spotted yesterday evening:
I know I tend to gripe about the heat a lot. I'm sorry. It's almost impossible to ignore completely, but I'll try to be find other things to write about (from time to time).
- - - - - - -
We're thinking about doing some painting in the kitchen and master bathroom, one of these days. (Maybe not one of these days soon to come, but sooner or later.)
List of indoor projects we're mulling over:
- Painting the cabinets in the kitchen and master bath. (Probably a crisp white.)
- Painting the walls in the kitchen. (Leaning toward a slightly warm-toned blue or aqua-blue. Still debating.)
- Painting the walls in the master bath. (Unsettled. Maybe some type of sand/beige.)
- Putting in white beadboard, chair rail, and crown molding in the breakfast room (and maybe eventually the area between the kitchen and dining room, depending on how the breakfast room goes).
- - - - - - -
So Al Franken is actually going to be a senator? I can't take him seriously. (Not to mention that the sight of him makes me sick.) Oh well. At least he's not my senator. (Though I do feel sorry for the many Minnesotans who didn't vote for him and are still stuck with a joke for a representative.)
- - - - - - -
We're planning to spend the 4th of July with the paternal side of my family. I intend to take along a camera, but I don't know if I'll photograph (m)any people. I don't want to make a pest of myself. Still, there will probably be something I can point the camera at without becoming a nuissance.
- - - - - - -
I took a few photos of Trixie over the weekend, while Donald held her on the couch. Here's one of them:
Eskies are such a joy to photograph-- so much easier to capture than dark-haired dogs like Molly. I don't imagine she really cares, but sometimes I feel guilty that I hardly ever post photos of her. It's just that they rarely turn out very well. (There are a few more on my Flickr photostream, if anyone's interested in more dog photos.)
- - - - - - -
Today, I reached a milestone at Vimeo-- fifty uploads.
Here's #49-- some mammatus clouds that we spotted yesterday evening:
Mammatus Clouds from Michael Johansson on Vimeo.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Mulch. Herbicide. Electricity. TV (w/ spoilers).
Nothing but a handful of tidbits today:
I've been spending the first parts of the past few days spreading mulch and pulling/digging out weeds from flower beds in preparation for mulching. I have it down to one pile of mulch in a place where it won't kill any grass, which means it can wait another day or two (if need be). The mulch is good for the plants and improves the looks of the yard. Spreading it is also forcing me to start tackling the weeding I'd been putting off. I don't enjoy weeding, but I feel better about myself (and the yard) after I'm done. (Like exercising. And chores in general.)
Next, I need to get serious about spraying weeds around the yard with Roundup. By which I mean I need to actually spray some Roundup instead of just constantly saying, "You know, I really need to spray some Roundup! One of these days... When the planets are in perfect alignment and there's a cool spell and my daily horoscope says 'Today is a good day for killing weeds.'" (Just kidding. Obviously. I'm so not one of those people who read horoscopes or know when the planets are aligned. The procrastinating, on the other hand? All too true, I'm afraid.) I have to see if I can find the "recipe" so that I get the potency right... I wonder if I can put some of the "home-mixed" stuff in an empty spray bottle so that I always have a little on hand, premixed? I'd be better about keeping weeds down if I had a little bottle at the ready.
Note: Don't ever look up Roundup or other herbicides online, unless you're prepared to read about how awful they are and how awful you are for using them. Oh, and that you're killing the environment and yourself with every squirt, or something like that. *whistles nonchalantly*
- - - - - - -
I've been spending the first parts of the past few days spreading mulch and pulling/digging out weeds from flower beds in preparation for mulching. I have it down to one pile of mulch in a place where it won't kill any grass, which means it can wait another day or two (if need be). The mulch is good for the plants and improves the looks of the yard. Spreading it is also forcing me to start tackling the weeding I'd been putting off. I don't enjoy weeding, but I feel better about myself (and the yard) after I'm done. (Like exercising. And chores in general.)
Next, I need to get serious about spraying weeds around the yard with Roundup. By which I mean I need to actually spray some Roundup instead of just constantly saying, "You know, I really need to spray some Roundup! One of these days... When the planets are in perfect alignment and there's a cool spell and my daily horoscope says 'Today is a good day for killing weeds.'" (Just kidding. Obviously. I'm so not one of those people who read horoscopes or know when the planets are aligned. The procrastinating, on the other hand? All too true, I'm afraid.) I have to see if I can find the "recipe" so that I get the potency right... I wonder if I can put some of the "home-mixed" stuff in an empty spray bottle so that I always have a little on hand, premixed? I'd be better about keeping weeds down if I had a little bottle at the ready.
Note: Don't ever look up Roundup or other herbicides online, unless you're prepared to read about how awful they are and how awful you are for using them. Oh, and that you're killing the environment and yourself with every squirt, or something like that. *whistles nonchalantly*
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
The End.
We had an electrician come this week to install an outlet box on the patio. For whatever reason (keeping costs down), our builder designed this house with outlets on only two sides of the house-- neither of which are the side we use most-- by the kitchen door and the main gate. Unfortunately, we had to have another (smaller) electrical box put on the side of the house, because the old one had no empty slots. If the electrician knows what he's talking about, though (and he should), this second box should cover us when we want to pull electricity to our (future, as-yet-unbuilt) garage, put in additional security lighting, etc.
It'll be nice to have electricity right on the patio. Much more convenient than dragging out the extension cords everytime we want to use the radio, a fan, or a power tool outside!
It'll be nice to have electricity right on the patio. Much more convenient than dragging out the extension cords everytime we want to use the radio, a fan, or a power tool outside!
- - - - - - -
Here are a few TV tidbits, SPOILERS included:
Um... Did you see that part about how there will be SPOILERS?
Because I'd really hate to SPOIL your viewing pleasure with my SPOILERS about LOST and Survivor...
Still here, huh?
Well, ok. Don't say I didn't warn you.
About the SPOILERS, that is.
LOST:
I don't really know what to make of most of the season finale. (But what else is new, right?)
I'm glad that we finally got to see more of the statue, but to be honest, I felt that Jacob was a little of a let-down. I don't know what I expected or wanted, but some average-looking guy wasn't it. Of course, he's obviously not just some average guy, but still...
I was disappointed to see that John was actually still dead, though by the time of the "big reveal" I'd already guessed he was in the box. (John goading Ben into doing the dirty work of killing Jacob just didn't feel right for the character, and I figured someone must be in the box. Oh, and is it just me, or isn't it kind of odd that this was the second time the writers tried to shock us with a dead John in a coffin/box.)
Of course, if the bomb-us-out-of-this-mess plan works, Locke will be alive again-- as will all the other characters we've lost (ha ha) along the way. I would be happy to see some of those old faces back again.
Other random thoughts:
Survivor:
Coach was finally voted off. I wasn't surprised to find (via Google) that I wasn't the only one to notice some strong similiarities between the "sayings" of Coach and Michael Scott (from The Office). Both can be obnoxious, embarrassingly ill-informed, and egotistical-- but sometimes you see a glimmer of hope for Michael-- and at least you know he's a fictional character. Coach is (presumably) a real person (unless he's an undercover actor), and though I occasionally felt a little sorry for him, most of the time I couldn't keep from rolling my eyes whenever he opened his mouth. And I didn't usually feel bad about the eye-rolling, 'cause he so frequently was just plain mean.
Um... Did you see that part about how there will be SPOILERS?
Because I'd really hate to SPOIL your viewing pleasure with my SPOILERS about LOST and Survivor...
Still here, huh?
Well, ok. Don't say I didn't warn you.
About the SPOILERS, that is.
LOST:
I don't really know what to make of most of the season finale. (But what else is new, right?)
I'm glad that we finally got to see more of the statue, but to be honest, I felt that Jacob was a little of a let-down. I don't know what I expected or wanted, but some average-looking guy wasn't it. Of course, he's obviously not just some average guy, but still...
I was disappointed to see that John was actually still dead, though by the time of the "big reveal" I'd already guessed he was in the box. (John goading Ben into doing the dirty work of killing Jacob just didn't feel right for the character, and I figured someone must be in the box. Oh, and is it just me, or isn't it kind of odd that this was the second time the writers tried to shock us with a dead John in a coffin/box.)
Of course, if the bomb-us-out-of-this-mess plan works, Locke will be alive again-- as will all the other characters we've lost (ha ha) along the way. I would be happy to see some of those old faces back again.
Other random thoughts:
- Assuming the plane lands safely (and none of the past however-many seasons ever happened) what about the characters whose lives were improved by their time on the island? As Kate remarks, not everything that happened on the island was bad. For instance: Locke's cured paralysis. Rose's cured cancer. Kate's new-found freedom. ...I think there are others, but those are the only ones springing to mind. Well, except from the relationships formed, of course. For instance, Charlie & Blonde Aussie. (Clara? No, Claire. Had to look it up! She's been off-screen too long, and I'm not great with names.) The only things of this sort I noticed being referenced on the show are Kate's handcuffs and relationships with Jack and Sawyer.
- I was disappointed that Ben killed Jacob. Not so much because I care intensely about Jacob as a character (partly due to the fact that he's apparently a supernatural being and ought to be able to take care of himself), but because I'd like to see Ben behave admirably just once in a while. I know he's one of the villains, but I feel sorry for the guy. And if you believe in redemption, there's always a chance. . .
- The "Oh, yeah, we've been hiding out in the jungle for three years" thing with Rose and. . . Rose's Husband-- ah, Bernard, I think?-- seemed a little convenient and rushed in that lovely "we've gotta start tying up loose ends, stat!" sort of way, but I guess it's an acceptable explanation. I can't really blame them for wanting a peaceful retirement. More importantly, we see that the dog is okay. (Seriously, seeing Vincent was more exciting than seeing either of The Retirees, as they shall henceforth be known. (g))
- Kate and the New Kids on the Block lunchbox. ...Gah... One more thing to not really love about Little Miss Freckles. She's one of those dratted NKOTB fangirls. ;o)
- I just read someone's theory that Mr. Evil (aka Faux Locke, aka He Who Wants/Wanted Jacob Dead) is actually-- ready for it?-- the smoke monster! Why didn't I think of that?! I wouldn't be surprised if that's right.
Survivor:
Coach was finally voted off. I wasn't surprised to find (via Google) that I wasn't the only one to notice some strong similiarities between the "sayings" of Coach and Michael Scott (from The Office). Both can be obnoxious, embarrassingly ill-informed, and egotistical-- but sometimes you see a glimmer of hope for Michael-- and at least you know he's a fictional character. Coach is (presumably) a real person (unless he's an undercover actor), and though I occasionally felt a little sorry for him, most of the time I couldn't keep from rolling my eyes whenever he opened his mouth. And I didn't usually feel bad about the eye-rolling, 'cause he so frequently was just plain mean.
- - - - - - -
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Storm Damage
Early Friday morning (somewhere between 4:00 and 4:30, I think), we woke to the sounds of worsening weather. I got up (because I can't just sit there under those circumstances) and turned on the TV in search of radar. Yes, there it was, bright reds and yellows all over the place.
Suddenly, the noise increased to the point that I deemed it wise to skedaddle off to the hall bath (no windows-- small, interior room-- our best bet for hiding from scary weather). No-one followed, and by the time I'd called out to give Donald a word or two of advice (i.e. "Oh, Donnn-ald! Yoo-hoo! Honey-Bunches-of-Oats*, I think you should probably get in here right now."), the worst of it was already dying down. (g)
Anyway, while it was bad, it sounded very bad, I thought. The wind was absolutely roaring, and there were frightening thuds as things hit the roof and exterior walls. (Whenever that happens, I beat a hasty retreat to the hall bath and pray that we don't blow away.)
Once the wind had subsided, we peeked into the backyard. We caught a few glimpses when the lightning lit up the landscape, but it wasn't until after sunrise that we could see the damage. Mostly, it was "tree debris" littering the yard. Lots of pine cones and needles-- many small branches. There were also a few larger branches, and quite a bit of mistletoe, of all things. (I quickly snapped those up when I saw them, because I seem to recall that it's very toxic, so likely Trixie would choose that twig to gnaw, out of the thousand available.) Some of the branches we found must have blown a decent distance, because there are no trees of that kind right next to our yard. Two pines that had been killed in previous storms toppled over, and I've noticed at least two more pines visible from our back yard that were snapped off. We also saw that we had shingles off the roof in two spots. (Off the roof and into the yard. I had to pick them up and move them out of the yard before I could trust Trixie on her own. The crazy dog would probably have tried eating them, otherwise.)
Unfortunately, we were in for another line of storms, Friday night/Saturday morning. Knowing this, Donald went onto the roof and patched one of the spots missing shingles. Thunder was approaching, and he thought the other spot looked well-protected still with tar paper, so we left it as it was. For future reference, that was probably not our most shining moment, in terms of foresight. (g)
The next morning, I found a thin line of wetness in the ceiling directly below the spot we thought was sealed with tar paper. Oops... After Donald had gone up into the attic to take measures to allow that spot to dry (and check the extent of the leak), I made another unpleasant discovery-- a larger wet spot in our dining room ceiling! I'd been kicking myself over the first leak, but at least this one we couldn't have prevented, anyway. We couldn't see any damage to the roof in that location.
So, fast-forward a bit. We knew to expect more rain for Tuesday (yesterday), so on Monday afternoon, Donald went up on the roof to up a new layer of tar paper over the spot we knew might leak. He also put a couple of waterproof "makeshift tarps" (an old shower curtain liner and a waterproof tablecloth) in the attic, over the two spots where we'd had leaks, along with a towel at the mystery leak location. It did rain yesterday, but in the evening, we found that everything was dry. We're hoping that the leak in the dining room ceiling was due to rain blowing under the ridge vent, trickling down a rafter, and just happening to drip off at that point (where two boards butt together unevenly).
We've called a roofer to come and give ours a look-- just in case there's more damage than meets the eye-- but I'm really hoping that he'll say it's in good shape (apart from the two spots we already know need some attention). Donald inspected the shingles in several places, while he was up there, and it doesn't seem as though the seal has been broken (which is a problem my parents had after Hurricane Ivan). We did have hail in those storms, but nowhere near as bad as we've had before, and the edges of the shingles don't look feathered. . . Anyway, one way or the other, I'll be glad to have that inspection finished. Unfortunately, it may take a while before he comes. Roofers in this area should have plenty of work for a good while to come:
Story from one local channel's website:
I've put up some video that I filmed Friday morning. It's mostly just missing shingles-- very exciting stuff. ;o) If you want to be able to read the text, you'll probably have to go to Vimeo to see it larger, but I'll embed it here anyway...
March 27th, 2009 Storm from Michael Johansson on Vimeo.
We may be getting more rain tomorrow and toward the end of the weekend. I hope our temporary roof fixes hold up!
*I don't actually say "yoo-hoo" or call Donald "Honey-Bunches-of-Oats", by the way. That was purely for comic effect. Just making sure that was clear. . .
Suddenly, the noise increased to the point that I deemed it wise to skedaddle off to the hall bath (no windows-- small, interior room-- our best bet for hiding from scary weather). No-one followed, and by the time I'd called out to give Donald a word or two of advice (i.e. "Oh, Donnn-ald! Yoo-hoo! Honey-Bunches-of-Oats*, I think you should probably get in here right now."), the worst of it was already dying down. (g)
Anyway, while it was bad, it sounded very bad, I thought. The wind was absolutely roaring, and there were frightening thuds as things hit the roof and exterior walls. (Whenever that happens, I beat a hasty retreat to the hall bath and pray that we don't blow away.)
Once the wind had subsided, we peeked into the backyard. We caught a few glimpses when the lightning lit up the landscape, but it wasn't until after sunrise that we could see the damage. Mostly, it was "tree debris" littering the yard. Lots of pine cones and needles-- many small branches. There were also a few larger branches, and quite a bit of mistletoe, of all things. (I quickly snapped those up when I saw them, because I seem to recall that it's very toxic, so likely Trixie would choose that twig to gnaw, out of the thousand available.) Some of the branches we found must have blown a decent distance, because there are no trees of that kind right next to our yard. Two pines that had been killed in previous storms toppled over, and I've noticed at least two more pines visible from our back yard that were snapped off. We also saw that we had shingles off the roof in two spots. (Off the roof and into the yard. I had to pick them up and move them out of the yard before I could trust Trixie on her own. The crazy dog would probably have tried eating them, otherwise.)
Unfortunately, we were in for another line of storms, Friday night/Saturday morning. Knowing this, Donald went onto the roof and patched one of the spots missing shingles. Thunder was approaching, and he thought the other spot looked well-protected still with tar paper, so we left it as it was. For future reference, that was probably not our most shining moment, in terms of foresight. (g)
The next morning, I found a thin line of wetness in the ceiling directly below the spot we thought was sealed with tar paper. Oops... After Donald had gone up into the attic to take measures to allow that spot to dry (and check the extent of the leak), I made another unpleasant discovery-- a larger wet spot in our dining room ceiling! I'd been kicking myself over the first leak, but at least this one we couldn't have prevented, anyway. We couldn't see any damage to the roof in that location.
So, fast-forward a bit. We knew to expect more rain for Tuesday (yesterday), so on Monday afternoon, Donald went up on the roof to up a new layer of tar paper over the spot we knew might leak. He also put a couple of waterproof "makeshift tarps" (an old shower curtain liner and a waterproof tablecloth) in the attic, over the two spots where we'd had leaks, along with a towel at the mystery leak location. It did rain yesterday, but in the evening, we found that everything was dry. We're hoping that the leak in the dining room ceiling was due to rain blowing under the ridge vent, trickling down a rafter, and just happening to drip off at that point (where two boards butt together unevenly).
We've called a roofer to come and give ours a look-- just in case there's more damage than meets the eye-- but I'm really hoping that he'll say it's in good shape (apart from the two spots we already know need some attention). Donald inspected the shingles in several places, while he was up there, and it doesn't seem as though the seal has been broken (which is a problem my parents had after Hurricane Ivan). We did have hail in those storms, but nowhere near as bad as we've had before, and the edges of the shingles don't look feathered. . . Anyway, one way or the other, I'll be glad to have that inspection finished. Unfortunately, it may take a while before he comes. Roofers in this area should have plenty of work for a good while to come:
Story from one local channel's website:
Damage survey shows straight line winds
B. CO., Ala. - A damage survey team from the National Weather Service in Mobile has completed an initial damage assessment of the storms that moved through the R. and E. communities of central B. County Friday morning.
The team found evidence of damaging winds that occurred along the leading edge of a severe bow echo that moved through the R. and E. areas between 4:00 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. Friday morning.
The team found a path of straight line wind damage from 200 to 400 yards wide and was near two miles long. the worst damage along the path occurred near the County Road 85 area just north of US Highway 90 where six single family homes of varying construction techniques experienced significant structural damage to roofs and walls.
Several out-buildings and smaller structures were also destroyed near several residences along the path of damaging winds. All of the evidence was consistent with a 120 mph straight line wind event where all of the debris was blown in a single direction from west-southwest to east-northeast.
I've put up some video that I filmed Friday morning. It's mostly just missing shingles-- very exciting stuff. ;o) If you want to be able to read the text, you'll probably have to go to Vimeo to see it larger, but I'll embed it here anyway...
March 27th, 2009 Storm from Michael Johansson on Vimeo.
We may be getting more rain tomorrow and toward the end of the weekend. I hope our temporary roof fixes hold up!
*I don't actually say "yoo-hoo" or call Donald "Honey-Bunches-of-Oats", by the way. That was purely for comic effect. Just making sure that was clear. . .
Thursday, December 18, 2008
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Actually, the tree's been up a while, now, but it wasn't until last week that I felt like photographing it-- and then I had to get around to uploading the photos. . .
There are a few more photos (close-ups of ornaments, mostly) on my Flickr page, if you're interested. I know how exciting it is to look at photos of someone else's Christmas tree. ;o)
There are a few more photos (close-ups of ornaments, mostly) on my Flickr page, if you're interested. I know how exciting it is to look at photos of someone else's Christmas tree. ;o)
Friday, December 5, 2008
Now We're Cookin'!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop hitting me with that oven mitt! I tried to resist the Cliché Title urge, but I was weak! ;o)
The new range (which we ordered during an after-Thanksgiving sale) arrived today, and the old one (long may it rust) was carted away.
Here's the "before" photo:
And here's the "after":
(If you like, you can click either of those photos to go to the photo on Flickr, where I have notes for each.)
After we gave the surface a "protective coating" of the cleaning stuff that came with the unit (like a good little girl and boy, because the instructions told us to (g)), Donald wanted to try out the "Turbo Boil" feature.
Look! The burners glow red when they're on!! Kewl! ;o)
And yes, the water boiled! ;o) And pretty quickly, too, which was nice, seeing as it is a Turbo Boil burner. . .
Ignore our giddy joy at the boiling of water.
Y'see, we're jist not used to these newfangled indoor cookin' contraptions. (g)
Anyway, now I have to become a great "cooker girl", to live up to our shiny new range. How hard can it be, right?
The new range (which we ordered during an after-Thanksgiving sale) arrived today, and the old one (long may it rust) was carted away.
Here's the "before" photo:
And here's the "after":
(If you like, you can click either of those photos to go to the photo on Flickr, where I have notes for each.)
After we gave the surface a "protective coating" of the cleaning stuff that came with the unit (like a good little girl and boy, because the instructions told us to (g)), Donald wanted to try out the "Turbo Boil" feature.
Look! The burners glow red when they're on!! Kewl! ;o)
And yes, the water boiled! ;o) And pretty quickly, too, which was nice, seeing as it is a Turbo Boil burner. . .
Ignore our giddy joy at the boiling of water.
Y'see, we're jist not used to these newfangled indoor cookin' contraptions. (g)
Anyway, now I have to become a great "cooker girl", to live up to our shiny new range. How hard can it be, right?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Why the Christmas Tree Still Isn't Up
Yesterday, we started out thinking we'd put up our Christmas tree, but (it seemed to me that) one thing hinged upon another so much that we needed to get a few other things done first. So, though our tree is still languishing in its box (yes, it's artificial), the dining room is back to rights, now. Sure, it still needs a little tweaking from a decorator's point of view (table cloth, etc.) and a little sanding and touch-up paint where Trixie chewed things she wasn't supposed to chew-- but the cyborg/sideboard is out of the living room, and our foyer feels huge after being cramped for months with table and chairs.
We also reorganized the laundry/utility room so that it's roomy enough for Molly to sleep in there at night (instead of the dining room). The plan is for her to become a mostly-outside dog who comes in to sleep at night (maybe eventually only on cold nights) and possibly on miserably rainy days. We'll see. . . Part of me just isn't up to the challenge of house-training two dogs simultaneously, but I still feel guilty for thinking about training Trixie for more indoor living than Molly-- especially when, for the moment, Molly's actually more reliable than Trixie. . . I don't know what we'll end up doing.
As Donald pointed out yesterday, I'm looking at this from a human perspective-- indoors = good and outdoors = bad. So long as the weather's decent, I imaging most dogs would rather be outside than cooped up in the house. The problem is that when they're outside all day and are we are inside most of the day, they don't get enough time with us. (And that, I think, contributes to my awful nightmares of finding neglected, malnourished or dead infants that I was supposed to be caring for.) Of course, one solution for that problem would be for me to spend more time outside. Goodness knows the yard needs some attention! I could also be better about scheduling time for just playing with the dogs-- running around with them, playing fetch, taking them on walks down the easement.
If only I were as good at executing plans as I am at making them!
So, that's why the tree isn't up, yet. We were sidetracked. (Or I got us sidetracked.) Maybe this evening will be the Right Time.
We also reorganized the laundry/utility room so that it's roomy enough for Molly to sleep in there at night (instead of the dining room). The plan is for her to become a mostly-outside dog who comes in to sleep at night (maybe eventually only on cold nights) and possibly on miserably rainy days. We'll see. . . Part of me just isn't up to the challenge of house-training two dogs simultaneously, but I still feel guilty for thinking about training Trixie for more indoor living than Molly-- especially when, for the moment, Molly's actually more reliable than Trixie. . . I don't know what we'll end up doing.
As Donald pointed out yesterday, I'm looking at this from a human perspective-- indoors = good and outdoors = bad. So long as the weather's decent, I imaging most dogs would rather be outside than cooped up in the house. The problem is that when they're outside all day and are we are inside most of the day, they don't get enough time with us. (And that, I think, contributes to my awful nightmares of finding neglected, malnourished or dead infants that I was supposed to be caring for.) Of course, one solution for that problem would be for me to spend more time outside. Goodness knows the yard needs some attention! I could also be better about scheduling time for just playing with the dogs-- running around with them, playing fetch, taking them on walks down the easement.
If only I were as good at executing plans as I am at making them!
So, that's why the tree isn't up, yet. We were sidetracked. (Or I got us sidetracked.) Maybe this evening will be the Right Time.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Too Lazy to Title Today.
I need to catch up on all the "Internetting" that I've gotten behind on in the past several days of doing other things. There's blog-reading, comment-reading/-responding, twitters, Flickr, and so on. It doesn't take long for these things to pile up!
Wednesday morning, I wrote that we were having problems with our water. Fortunately, that soon cleared up, and we think we know what happened and have tried to prevent it from happening again.
Going without running water isn't much fun, even if you have water saved for emergencies. No showers, no easily flushed toilets. You can't even brush your teeth or wash your hands without a hassle. (Try washing one hand while pouring water with the other.) Still, at least every other aspect of life could continue as usual. Not so on Thursday morning. . .
Thursday, Trixie barked to be let out fairly early (as usual), and it wasn't long afterward that the electricity fluttered a couple of times and then went out completely. I think it was only out for an hour or so, but that was long enough for me to get impatient. I rarely think about how many of my morning rituals rely on power. Showering, turning on the local news on TV, turning on the lights (because it was still pretty dark when I woke), checking email, bumping the heat up a degree or two. All postponed indefinitely. (I think that not knowing how long it would be until we had power again was the most frustrating aspect.) At least I could still have breakfast, since my usual is cereal and milk-- but the house was dark, chilly, and boring. (Donald was still asleep. He's not a morning person, anyway, so it was just as well. I've learned not to bother with serious conversation until later in the day. (g))
So, the point? None, really. Just to remind myself of how spoiled I am by the necessities of modern life.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Wednesday morning, I wrote that we were having problems with our water. Fortunately, that soon cleared up, and we think we know what happened and have tried to prevent it from happening again.
Going without running water isn't much fun, even if you have water saved for emergencies. No showers, no easily flushed toilets. You can't even brush your teeth or wash your hands without a hassle. (Try washing one hand while pouring water with the other.) Still, at least every other aspect of life could continue as usual. Not so on Thursday morning. . .
Thursday, Trixie barked to be let out fairly early (as usual), and it wasn't long afterward that the electricity fluttered a couple of times and then went out completely. I think it was only out for an hour or so, but that was long enough for me to get impatient. I rarely think about how many of my morning rituals rely on power. Showering, turning on the local news on TV, turning on the lights (because it was still pretty dark when I woke), checking email, bumping the heat up a degree or two. All postponed indefinitely. (I think that not knowing how long it would be until we had power again was the most frustrating aspect.) At least I could still have breakfast, since my usual is cereal and milk-- but the house was dark, chilly, and boring. (Donald was still asleep. He's not a morning person, anyway, so it was just as well. I've learned not to bother with serious conversation until later in the day. (g))
So, the point? None, really. Just to remind myself of how spoiled I am by the necessities of modern life.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Hm. Just read that ABC hasn't ordered any new episodes of Pushing Daisies. Disappointing. It was definitely something different from the ordinary TV show, so I suppose it was inevitable. Still annoying, though.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Thanksgiving's already sneaking up on us (much too soon, since that means Christmas is just around the corner)! This week will be much out of the ordinary for us. First, there's Donald's birthday on Wednesday. Then Thursday is Thanksgiving. (We'll be eating lunch with family at my paternal grandparents' home.) Black Friday* follows, of course. Then Saturday afternoon Aunt Debbie, Uncle Jim, and John are hosting an Iron Bowl party. Neither of us are that interested in football, but fortunately we won't be the only ones not glued to the screen.
*For internationals who may not be familiar with this term, the Friday after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday", and it's traditionally a day for big sales in many stores. Lots of people get up well before the crack of dawn-- and some never even go to bed at all the night before!-- to be waiting at the doors for early bird specials and to try to catch the best deals, which are usually available in very limited numbers. You're sure to have to deal with lines, crowds, and traffic-- and some people seem to use it as an excuse to be crazy and rude-- but if you're lucky, you can get some great deals. You can read a couple of explanations for the name on Wikipedia. (I never know how far to trust Wikipedia. The only explanation I've ever heard is the one about "black ink/profit".)
*For internationals who may not be familiar with this term, the Friday after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday", and it's traditionally a day for big sales in many stores. Lots of people get up well before the crack of dawn-- and some never even go to bed at all the night before!-- to be waiting at the doors for early bird specials and to try to catch the best deals, which are usually available in very limited numbers. You're sure to have to deal with lines, crowds, and traffic-- and some people seem to use it as an excuse to be crazy and rude-- but if you're lucky, you can get some great deals. You can read a couple of explanations for the name on Wikipedia. (I never know how far to trust Wikipedia. The only explanation I've ever heard is the one about "black ink/profit".)
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Recent musical obsessions*:
Instrumental Section--
"The Kiss" from Last of the Mohicans.
A.K.A. "The Gael" by Dougie MacLean. No wonder it sounds Scottish, right? ;o)
"Cora" from the same film.
Much more subdued than the previous piece, but still beautiful.
"River Waltz" from The Painted Veil.
I think I've linked to this song before, but back then, the best video I could find wasn't of the best quality. This is the piano solo version. For the orchestral version (which I also love), check out this video.
"Other" Section--
"Thursday" by Asobi Seksu.
Not crazy about the name of the band, now that I know what it means in Japanese (I mean, please. Must you have a risqué name in order to be "cool"? Do you want me to be embarrassed to talk about you in front of my grandparents?), but I do like this song of theirs.
"February Air" by Lights.
I would never have heard of this artist if her music hadn't been featured on a couple of Old Navy commercials, and the same is true for quite a few other bands/singers. This is one reason why I don't get people who moan and groan about "selling out" when music they love is used in advertising. (The other reason is that I think those moaners and groaners are generally pretentious counter-culture types, and I have little patience for them. What? Can you only enjoy music so long as it's not known and liked by the masses? Why not just like it or not like it regardless of who else likes it, plays it, or uses it to create an image that helps sell things?)
"Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday.
When I was a kid, I thought she was singing something like "Baby, don't go! / This is scary!"-- like apparently everyone who was young when this was popular-- though I never really knew what she was supposed to be scared of. The song and video are pretty silly (with the exaggeratedly mean boyfriend), but for whatever reason, it makes the list.
"Cars" by Gary Numan.
He looks kind of creepy and definitely silly. (He reminds me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, if any of you watch that.) The non-singing portions of the song are much more familiar than the lyrics, probably because the lyrics are so odd.
Stopping now because this is past boring for most of you, I'm sure. . .
*I'm not so much interested in the videos, but YouTube is the easiest way for me to link to music. Videos are ok, but I wasn't an MTV kid/teen, and often I find that videos "ruin" music for me by forcing me to look closer at the fact that the band or their lyrics promote things I don't support. It's easier to ignore that fact if I'm immersed in melody alone. Not that any of these videos in particular make me uncomfortable. Actually, I haven't even watched all of them all of the way through. I tend to start them, then leave them going in the background while I do other things on the computer. Aren't you glad it's early enough in the morning that I'm rambly and decided to tell you all of this?
Instrumental Section--
"The Kiss" from Last of the Mohicans.
A.K.A. "The Gael" by Dougie MacLean. No wonder it sounds Scottish, right? ;o)
"Cora" from the same film.
Much more subdued than the previous piece, but still beautiful.
"River Waltz" from The Painted Veil.
I think I've linked to this song before, but back then, the best video I could find wasn't of the best quality. This is the piano solo version. For the orchestral version (which I also love), check out this video.
"Other" Section--
"Thursday" by Asobi Seksu.
Not crazy about the name of the band, now that I know what it means in Japanese (I mean, please. Must you have a risqué name in order to be "cool"? Do you want me to be embarrassed to talk about you in front of my grandparents?), but I do like this song of theirs.
"February Air" by Lights.
I would never have heard of this artist if her music hadn't been featured on a couple of Old Navy commercials, and the same is true for quite a few other bands/singers. This is one reason why I don't get people who moan and groan about "selling out" when music they love is used in advertising. (The other reason is that I think those moaners and groaners are generally pretentious counter-culture types, and I have little patience for them. What? Can you only enjoy music so long as it's not known and liked by the masses? Why not just like it or not like it regardless of who else likes it, plays it, or uses it to create an image that helps sell things?)
"Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday.
When I was a kid, I thought she was singing something like "Baby, don't go! / This is scary!"-- like apparently everyone who was young when this was popular-- though I never really knew what she was supposed to be scared of. The song and video are pretty silly (with the exaggeratedly mean boyfriend), but for whatever reason, it makes the list.
"Cars" by Gary Numan.
He looks kind of creepy and definitely silly. (He reminds me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, if any of you watch that.) The non-singing portions of the song are much more familiar than the lyrics, probably because the lyrics are so odd.
Stopping now because this is past boring for most of you, I'm sure. . .
*I'm not so much interested in the videos, but YouTube is the easiest way for me to link to music. Videos are ok, but I wasn't an MTV kid/teen, and often I find that videos "ruin" music for me by forcing me to look closer at the fact that the band or their lyrics promote things I don't support. It's easier to ignore that fact if I'm immersed in melody alone. Not that any of these videos in particular make me uncomfortable. Actually, I haven't even watched all of them all of the way through. I tend to start them, then leave them going in the background while I do other things on the computer. Aren't you glad it's early enough in the morning that I'm rambly and decided to tell you all of this?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Donald had some dental work done this week, and he's still not feeling completely back to normal. I guess I was lucky, back when I had my wisdom teeth removed, that I didn't have to take more than one of the pain pills they gave me. Apparently those things can make you feel sick and just generally not-quite-right.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Blogger is still underlining my contractions in red. So weird! I didn't know that I couldn't use contractions, Blogger, or I wouldn't have-- or shouldn't have-- tried to. Yep. Four for four! "Haven't" seems to be ok, though. Oh, but "ok" isn't. . .
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
We're more seriously looking into getting a new range. The situation with the burners just keeps getting worse, and rather than pour money into possibly fixing up an old appliance, it just makes more sense to put it toward a new one. I'm not sure how old our range is, but since it came with our 1978-ish trailer, I'd guess it's probably of comparable age-- 70s to early 80s. Normally, I'd say that something made in (. . . or, well, someone born in) the late 70s was still practically a baby and certainly nowhere near "old". In fact, I would stick my tongue out at anyone who suggested such a ridiculous thing. But in this case, I make an exception. The range has lived out its useful life*, and it's time to let it retire.
*The AHAM-- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers-- tells us that according to a 1996 survey, "we" expect a slide-in single oven range-- like ours-- to last seventeen years. Let's see. . . That would be 1991. This range was probably already feeling its age by then. On the other hand, I know someone who's had the same range since before I was born in 1979, so. . .
Aha! I found a site that explains how to use the serial number to tell the age, and unless I'm mistaken, the range was manufactured in October 1985, so it just turned twenty-three. Good enough for me. I also saw the price for replacement burners-- and assuming replacing them would even fix that problem, it's still not worth it to put that much money into such an agéd appliance, I think. Sorry if that makes me part of the modern throw-away society. (shrug)
While I was at it, I checked out our lovely avocado dryer (that also came with the trailer), and it looks like it was manufactured the same year as the trailer-- 1978. Fortunately, it still seems to be working properly. (fingers crossed)
*The AHAM-- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers-- tells us that according to a 1996 survey, "we" expect a slide-in single oven range-- like ours-- to last seventeen years. Let's see. . . That would be 1991. This range was probably already feeling its age by then. On the other hand, I know someone who's had the same range since before I was born in 1979, so. . .
Aha! I found a site that explains how to use the serial number to tell the age, and unless I'm mistaken, the range was manufactured in October 1985, so it just turned twenty-three. Good enough for me. I also saw the price for replacement burners-- and assuming replacing them would even fix that problem, it's still not worth it to put that much money into such an agéd appliance, I think. Sorry if that makes me part of the modern throw-away society. (shrug)
While I was at it, I checked out our lovely avocado dryer (that also came with the trailer), and it looks like it was manufactured the same year as the trailer-- 1978. Fortunately, it still seems to be working properly. (fingers crossed)
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Can't remember what else I was going to say, so it must not have been too important. . .
It seems awfully dark to be only 2:30! I'm taking a while adjusting to the time change and shrinking days, this year. . .
P.S. Blogger, I don't like the way you eat my double and triple spaces when I go to the "edit HTML" tab. It's rude and completely uncalled-for!
P.P.S. I apologize for the excessive use of asterisks and footnotes in this entry. (I probably "can't" call them footnotes, though, since they just went at the bottom of sections instead of the bottom of the whole page. I thought it made more sense that way.)
It seems awfully dark to be only 2:30! I'm taking a while adjusting to the time change and shrinking days, this year. . .
P.S. Blogger, I don't like the way you eat my double and triple spaces when I go to the "edit HTML" tab. It's rude and completely uncalled-for!
P.P.S. I apologize for the excessive use of asterisks and footnotes in this entry. (I probably "can't" call them footnotes, though, since they just went at the bottom of sections instead of the bottom of the whole page. I thought it made more sense that way.)
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