Squirrelly Notes

I Have Too Much Time - My Splash In The Kitchen & A New Car

I know by the title you must have thought  'huh'?  We'll start with the car. It's Ben's. It's nice. And it sucks that he's got the nicest car in the family. I am so jealous. But actually, we're proud of him. Apparently he's been saving his money and decided to take the plunge. He talked to people, researched and decided on a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. And, there was a manufacturer rebate of $3000 and a dealer rebate of $1800, so it worked out well. Anybody want to buy a 1997 Lexus that looks like it's been 'ridden hard and put away wet' (as they say) but runs real well?  Yeah, well, just let us know ok?

I haven't had any work recently so as you know, I've been doing a little painting. And one project leads to another sooooo....... You see this single color backsplash? Go ahead....click the picture.....there ya go. Well, we don't like it so I decided to change it. Can't afford real tile right now, so I had to go with the 'faux'. Treatment that is, faux treatment. I'd seen this particular treatment done on walls before but never on tile. So, new challenge - And I think it's going to work! It's basically done now except for letting the glue cure for a week, and then I'll coat it with polyurethane.  Take a look and see if you can tell what it is. Put your color-shock-proof glasses on because it isn't boring any more!

It was done with tissue paper. Yes, that flimsy excuse for paper and a product called Mod Podge - which is used for paper mache objects. 'What's next' you ask?  Hmmm, don't know. But I'll show you if I do something else. I think I need to finish whipping the backyard into shape.

FYI, I am scheduled to have another blood analysis on June 9th.

More Space in the Kitchen!

There's always been only two things I didn't like about this house. The master bathroom has no counter space - which can't be remedied without knocking out walls, and the kitchen hasn't had enough storage space, but this is now changed!  Since it's open to the family room, there are only three sizable upper cabinets in our kitchen and it's isn't enough!  There is a small pantry but it too is very small. Though Joe loved having the little bistro table in the kitchen to sit at, it now lives on the lanai and actually looks good there too. Only minutes ago, the countertop installer left and it is done!  I love it!  It has added atleast 50% more storage and 7' of added counter-space. I've already moved into it. I don't have to take all the spices out of the cupboard anymore to find what I'm looking for, or go to the laundry room to get paper towels or napkins, or go to the garage to get the canned goods I need. It's now all in the room it should be in. Everybody's happy.

This is how the wall used to look.

My Mother's Day Bouquet

 ...From Ben. Ben and Jaqueline were in an obstacle race in Orlando today called 'Muddy Buddy'. So we'll spend some time with Ben next weekend instead of this weekend.  But I was very surprised yesterday when the doorbell rang and UPS had left a box of flowers for me. I'm so lucky Ben is so kind and thoughtful.

I too, was in Orlando today but not doing something nearly as exciting. I went to a dental seminar. I can't say that I learned a whole lot but I saw a lot of dental people I know and got to meet the people from a lab that I just recently started doing some work for, they even bought me lunch! I also saw someone who claims he'll need a ceramist in a couple months and who says he'll be calling me. So if I get even one new client out of it, the trip was not wasted.

 Well, you all know how much I like to paint - at least until I'm in the middle of paint hell,  and then I have to remind myself that I like painting.  Do I?  Do I really? I decided to tackle the family-room/kitchen area. It was of course already painted but I wanted to tweak the color just a little -  a little more orange-ish as opposed to the yellow. Long story short, three walls were washed with a colored glaze. I couldn't get it the way that I wanted so I had to completely repaint with the original color, do the antiquing, and then do the orange wash.  When I was using the glaze (which is a very thinned-out color) I couldn't see it very well when I started out. So I added more! Then it dried. Dark. After living with it for a few days, we decided it was TOO orange. I have now redone all those walls AGAIN and they are finally done. Ay-yi-yi, I could have painted the whole house by now.

I think our summer is here. We went along for months in the 70's and 80's (perfect) and then all of a sudden it got hot. But it's been dry so it's really not even like summer yet because the humidity's low. There's a SEVERE water shortage here and they keep lessening our watering times. We're not even allowed to wash our cars anymore unless we go to a commercial place that recycle's it's water. We can only water our lawns one day a week in a four hour span, midnight to 4am.  The fine is $200 if you're caught watering outside that time. Needless to say, the lawns are drying up, as are the ponds, the rivers....... Oddly, the local energy company has been give the thumbs up to build two nuclear power plants that will each need ONE MILLION GALLONS OF WATER EVERY DAY. Obviously those that stand to make money don't care about water shortages.

We have some new neighbors who along with our friends across the street, and the people behind them, give us a nice social network right here in the neighborhood. It's very handy to be able to imbibe in some libations and then just walk home. I think mojitos have become the neighborhood favorite. When the new neighbors had a house warming/Birthday party, we gave them a lime tree and rum, and some other neighbors gave them mint

The cats are well, they even had a little fun with a snake in the garage the other day. It was just a black racer, nothing to worry about. But imagine my surprise when I was out there to grab a pair of the blue latex gloves for painting and a snake skin came out with gloves!  I'm just glad there was no snake in there!  I'm a little more cautious while walking barefoot in the garage now. (Monica, I know you're shaking right now :)

FYI: I have not yet had another blood analysis, so I have no update on that yet.