Mea culpa, mea culpa!

It's been a while, I know.

BUT, I have lots to share!!

WE HAVE WALLS! The Sheetrockers came and put up a ceiling on the first floor (BONUS: the ceiling is about 3" higher than the previous one!) and walls in the staircase and on the entire 2nd floor! Only a couple of tweaks: we have to finish the wall under the new fireplace 'cause the installers need access when they hook us up to check for gas leaks (ok, I can understand that) and we have to adjust the guides on one of the pocket doors (it's tight with walls up and the door doesn't glide as easily as it did).

I was afraid the rooms would seem much smaller with walls, but not really. A bit, but not horribly so. Of course, when furniture gets placed the rooms will shrink around me but I'm going to try my darndest to keep a lot of clutter out of the new space...

Looking from the kitchen, down the hall to the new staircase (1st floor bathroom on your left).









From the base of the stairs, looking upstairs. I'm trying to find a nice chandelier to hang just low enough so you can see it from the outside...







At the top of the stairs is our sitting room. We will install floor to ceiling bookshelves on either side of the fireplace. The fireplace is 2-sided so we can see it from our bedroom on the other side of that wall... Jack's standing in our mini-hallway. If he turns 90 degrees to his left, our bedroom door will be on his left, the bathroom door on his right, and the spare room door directly in front of him.

This is one side of our new bathroom, with tub and big shower! I have to find a vanity and some tile in the next week or two... I'm stressed!






I'm on vacation next week for 3 days, in Atlantic City, then traveling 3 days the following week to Alexandria, VA - SWAMPED with work prepping for the trip... so if I'm missing a week or so in my blog, I promise to return, post trips, pre-holiday...

We're so sore.

Our backs hurt, his legs hurt, my blister hurts (a new one, on my hand), and we're darn tired.

This weekend we moved everything that we have on the first floor of the lake house into the basement. The Sheetrocker told DH that he wanted to start this week, rather than the week of Nov. 5, which is what we had planned.

And instead of saying, "No, sorry, we won't be ready for you this soon. How about maybe next week?", DH said, "Ok, we'll get the house ready this weekend." Keep in mind that this means two less weekends than we thought we had to do this, PLUS we had rewiring to do on several fixtures, phone lines to run, some framing to fix...

For the record, don't try this. Ever.

We moved (until we stopped counting!) two dressers (10 drawers total, filled), two bookshelves (12 shelves total, filled, which had to be unshelved and reshelved), two sofas, one bed, one quilt rack, one table, six chairs, two lamps, the entire contents of four open kitchen shelves, the microwave, the coffee pot, the paper towel holder, the box of miscellaneous stuff that accumulates on your counter when you don't have a junk drawer, two glass containers filled with dog biscuits for the dog we don't own (but we have a neighborhood dog that visits us!), the dish drainer, the cutting board, nine framed pictures, two handmade wreaths, a computer table, a computer monitor, two speakers, two CPUs, a coffee table, plus all the assorted crap we've managed to either accumulate over the past six years or relocate from our primary residence to the lake house 'cause there was room there, room to fill...

Remember. It all has to get moved back.

That sound you hear? That's me, crying. That other sound? My bones, creaking.

We've both decided "WE ARE NOT MOVING ALL THIS STUFF BACK UPSTAIRS." We've decided we will take this opportunity to sort through the junk before we move it back upstairs. We will either "keep it," trash it" or "donate it."

I want the clean look. I want a house that can receive visitors without being cleaned first. A house that doesn't need all the crap on the dining room table shoved into a closet or a drawer while we run to answer the doorbell. A house that I could take a picture of and not be embarrassed by if I chose to post it on a blog.

Here's an example of what I mean:

When we decided to get married, I spoke with our photographer and told her that I wasn't interested in all the cliche photos of the bride posing in front of a mirror, looking off into the distance, contemplating the massive life change she's about to experience... The photographer agreed.

When the day arrived, and the photographer did, too, she suggested she just take a few of those shots. That didn't mean I'd have to pay for them to be printed, blown up, included in our album, but I'd have the proofs. After all, what if one of them turned out to be my favorite picture of myself? (First of all, there are very few photos of myself that I actually like...)

I got carried away in the moment. I let her take the darn pictures.

The one I didn't want? The one of me looking into the mirror at my coiffed head, complete with veil? In the background, on the dresser, my husband-to-be's nose spray.

Obviously we never put anything away...

Creative.

Not a word generally associated with me.

Not by me, anyway.

Lately, though, I've been feeling the urge to create. To try something artistic. Believe it or not, to paint.

I bought 2 packages of mini-canvases at AC Moore the other day: 3 of them are about 4"x8" and 3 of them are maybe 8"x10" (?). I have some acrylic paints and bought a few disposable foam brushes. I need to just get some regular brushes, look up what I need to know about medium, etc., that will help it all remain on the canvas, and soon I'll be able to start.

I read a blog by Donna Downey regularly (http://donnadowney.typepad.com/). Today she loaded it chock full of product info. I'll read it, absorb it, and get what I have to get. I was going to bring the stuff to the crop tomorrow, but I think I'll put together what I need and do it at the lake next week. That way I can dedicate my time to this new pursuit, instead of trying to squeeze it in with some scrapbooking and even more socializing.

Maybe there's an artist inside, after all...

I guess minor injuries are going to be a part of my immediate future...

This weekend I hit my thumb with a hammer. Darn, it hurt! That's what I get for actually helping, rather than supervising... Thankfully it's just a bit stiff and a bit bruised, no broken bones or blood blisters or anything like that...

We put in the pocket doors, the french closet doors, the bathroom door (which still needs to be shimmed), and bought the basement door (which will hopefully be installed this weekend).

We passed our insulation inspection so we can call the Sheetrockers. We have no more inspections until the final. The fireplace is in. The propane tanks are in; we passed the air pressure check. I just have to arrange to have them filled.

No time to explain a lot now, but here are some pictures:

Found this quiz on a blog I read pretty regularly, http://www.mookarama.com/megan/
1. Who is your man? Jack
2. How long have you been married? 8 years this past July
3. How long dated? From April 1990 to July 1999 (engaged for one year of that)
4. How old is your man? 56
5. Who eats more? Me.
6. Who said "I love you" first? I did.
7. Who is taller? We're the same height (although I always used to think, I will admit, that my Mr. Right would be taller than me)
8. Who sings better? Neither of us is any good, but he's a bit more tone deaf than I am
9. Who is smarter? We both do okay in the brains department, although he always says I am
10. Whose temper is worse? Definitely mine; he has decided not to lose his temper - he keeps it all in - I rant and rave (not at him, though - I take it out on my mom, then apologize to her! After all, if you can't lose it in front of mom...)
11. Who does the laundry? Whoever wants something dirty clean
12. Who takes out the garbage? Jack, unless he's away for a Special Olympics function, then I do
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jack
14. Who pays the bills? We both pay different ones
15. Who is better with the computer? I am - he doesn't turn his work computer off so he doesn't have to learn to turn it back on!
16. Who mows the lawn? Jack
17. Who cooks dinner? This chore is split 50/50 - we eat out a lot 'cause I hate to cook...
18. Who drives when you are together? Usually Jack, but sometimes me
19. Who pays when you go out? Jack
20. Who is most stubborn? We are both pretty stubborn.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Since I'm almost never wrong, I'll go with Jack for this question!
22. Whose parents do you see the most? My mom is the only parent left - although when his mom was alive, we saw them equally. Now, between my mom and his sister, it's even-Steven!
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first, after about a couple of months of dating - what a gentleman!
24. Who asked who out? He asked me out. I didn't know how to say "no, thanks," so the rest is history! (I wasn't really interested at the time...)
25. Who proposed? Jack - I woke up with the ring on my finger. He usually gets up way before me but he was afraid I'd go to the bathroom and drop it in the toilet while I was half asleep (it was a surprise so the band was a bit too large!)
26. Who is more sensitive? Me, for sure
27. Who has more friends? I think we have the same number of close friends
28. Who has more siblings? Me. I have 2 sisters and he has 1 sister
29. Who wears the pants in the family? We split this one 50/50, too!

This was fun! I'll update my blog with some construction stuff later this week!

There's a light at the end of this construction tunnel!

Insulation - done.
Propane tanks - installed.
Fireplace - being installed Wednesday.
Insulation inspection - hopefully Wednesday; if not, Friday.
Pocket Doors - hopefully being installed this weekend.
Basement door - ditto.
SheetRock - first week of November.

If these things go as planned, we can turn the heat on after that, install the floors, install tile and fixtures in the bathroom, paint the walls, install lights, and start moving into the space.

Imagine - actually using the space to live in, having it almost finished...

The mind boggles at the thought...

Pinkie toe update

My work pal went and got me some Adidas flip flops from Foot Locker. She tried CVS - they're a seasonal item. She went to Foot Locker - they were $19.99. She went to Fabco, a local show store - they were red with sequins and beads.

I chose brown and pink floral flip flops from Foot Locker, despite the price ($20 flip flops!?!?) I was wearing brown that day, and have been wearing brown quite a bit this year...

I went home to pick up mom to go food shopping. By the time I got there, my toes were so swollen that I asked if I should go to the Immedicenter. I felt silly, but I was scared. My toes had NEVER looked like that before!

At first Mom laughed. Then she looked at my toes.

We went to the Immedicenter.

Without going into all the detail about the 1-1/2 hour wait, and all the patients who came in after me but went in before me ("They're here to see the nurse," her voice drops, "for drug tests. You're next to see the doctor!"), apparently current medical protocol frowns on lancing blisters because that could allow germs easier access. After a consultation with "all the doctors here," they decided that since I'd most likely lance it at home anyway, the on call should do it for me.

NOT!!! I would NOT lance it at home! Are you NUTS???

Once that was done, she put these two little Band Aids on my toes. "Are you for real? Not a cast? Not a splint? Not even a pair of crutches? I'm gonna get zip-zero-zilch in the way of sympathy from my husband with two Band Aids!" (Heck, I got no sympathy from the doctor!)

Needless to say, I didn't get casts, splints or crutches. But I did get me some sympathy from DH! When he heard that I went to the Immedicenter, he thought car accident, or blood and gore (well, he wasn't far off there!). When I tossed the covers off my toes - suffice it to say he didn't laugh at me, and he went and got me some iced tea. (I'm sure he laughed all the way to the kitchen, but he didn't laugh in my face!)

Not too much else is happening in my life right now... DH has off on Monday, and I don't, so perhaps on Sunday night, when I'm home alone, I can do some cleaning/straightening that I can't do when he's around...

Our propane tanks are being installed on Monday. We might be air tested on Tuesday. Our gas fireplace is being installed on Wednesday. Our insulation inspection is on Friday. Hopefully we'll be Sheetrocked the first week in November. Then we can actually turn on the heat/ac. Keep your fingers crossed for us, okay?!? Thanks!

Ow! Ow! Ow!

I'd take a picture and post it here, but I don't want to gross anyone out!

Today was my first day this year as a reading volunteer at W School. My partner (we alternate weeks in the same class) met me there to observe. The school kindly provides a school bus to take us all back to work after the reading hour is up, but we missed the bus (it left early). So we walked. One mile. Not very far, but he was moving, and I was determined to keep up, despite the fact that I was wearing heels and trouser socks for the first time since, well, May! (I'm a flip flop/sandal kind of girl in the summer!)

I was thinking, when we reached 7th street (en route to 1st from 11th) that my pinkie toes hurt a bit, but I assumed it was because I was probably building up those pinkie calluses that I always have in the winter when I wear closed-in shoes.

I was wrong.

I got to work, almost crippled. Not that anything other than a smile was plastered on this face! No grimace of pain, no tears, no clenched teeth.

While talking to E, my cubicle neighbor, I commented that my toes really hurt and took my socks off to see the callus. (BTW, that word just looks wrong! I changed it to callous, and that didn't look right either!)

I don't have calluses on my pinkie toes. I HAVE BLOOD BLISTERS! BIG, HONKIN' BLOOD BLISTERS! And my toes are HOT! They feel tingly. E just went to CVS to get me flip flops to wear for the rest of the day. (An attractive look, I'm sure, with my tall jeans that need heels - I'll roll them up and look like a farmer today!)

So for now, I'm trapped at my desk, shoeless, sockless, waiting for my flip flops. (And I really don't need to share this, but I will - NOW's the time I really have to go to the bathroom! And I can't 'cause I'm not walking through the entire 4th floor in bare feet!! To say nothing of I'm NOT going into that public restroom in bare feet!!!)

Guess I won't be wearing closed-in shoes for a while... And to close...

Ow! Ow! Ow!

LOTS 'O NEWS!!! This was one heck of a weekend, I must say! Here you go:

Friday, Sept. 28

I left work early, at 11:20am, to catch the 11:47 train, only to arrive at the train station to find that I looked at an old schedule and the train was boarding and departing at 11:38 and they wouldn't let me on it! So I sat with the pigeons in the waiting room until the 12:38 train left.

I went and got my toes done - I must say I DO love a pedicure! Then I went to the salon for a hair cut and blow-out (no, Mary Ann, I did NOT ask for a blowj-b, as you did when we went on a hair date together!!!). It looked really nice for the wedding that night! Whilst I was being cut, the stylist said something along the lines of "where's the wedding?" When I told her, she froze in place and then slowly asked whose wedding I was attending. Knowing full well she couldn't possibly know Lesley, I explained that it was our best man's daughter's wedding. "Where is it being held?" "At the Tides Estate." "Are you going to Elaine's daughter's wedding? Elaine was just in here, getting her hair done!!!" WARNING: IT'S A SMALL WORLD. WATCH WHAT YOU SAY AND WHO YOU SAY IT TO 'CAUSE IT WILL ALL COME BACK TO BITE YOU IN THE BUTT!!!

I decided to wear silky black pants and a sparkly black and silver top, with black bugle beads, rather than a gown, and BOY, HOWDY! Am I glad I did! No one but the mother of the bride and the bride herself had on a gown! Everyone was wearing either a cocktail dress or a work dress. Lesley looked beautiful and they're going to Netherlands and Paris for their honeymoon! How exciting for them!





Here's Elaine, mother of the bride.








Here's the groom, rushing to the altar!









Here's the bride with her dad, our best man.










Saturday, September 29

We moved DSD to her new apt. We loaded up my truck, loaded up her dad's truck, and then she went to get "one last thing" and said she would meet us at the new place. Dad left. I left. All of a sudden, half a block away, a truck that was coming toward me beeped and the drive waved and shouted, "Stop!" So I did. I looked in my rear view mirror, instinctively, but couldn't see for the sofa cushions that were piled to the roof. I looked in my right side-view mirror and saw nothing. I looked in my left side-view mirror and saw nothing. I leaned out of the window a bit and out of the corner of my eye, I see DSD running full out until she collapsed on the rear of the truck! She opened the door, shouting, "You.Have.My.Keys." With a full gasp-for-life-giving-air between every word. "Why didn't you call me on the cell?" I asked, rather reasonably. "You.Have.My.Cell.Phone.Too." (Again with the gasps.) Apparently she left them in the back of the truck and I took off for the new apt. It couldn't have been that big a deal; she didn't jump on it when I offered to drive her home... She's in, and all unpacked. Not a box or bag left to unpack. Just stuff to move around until she finds "just the right spot for it." Here are some pictures of the new apt.

Sunday, September 30

We went to an engagement party for my niece T and her fiance K. Had a great time! Here are a few photos from that happy occasion!