A Rant

Havent seen much news lately. Which may or may not be a bad thing.
But I did get to see the news article on TV about the tax money endowed tea pot museum that is being built in the south. I forget where - one of the Carolinas?

Anyway, they are not historial teapots. Nope, Revere did not make one or use one. They are teapots collected by this well off - well connected family. And they decided they wanted to 'share' them (AKA recieve a tax deduction while still 'owning' them). So they contacted their buddy Hanes - yup, that Hanes - the underwear king. Who arranged through some of his elected 'friends' to have 1/2 million dollars donated so that a museum could be built to house the teapots...Tax money you know.

In a town that could very well use the tourist trade. But it is not near an airport or supposedly anything else that would attract lots of visitors...And unless you jsut drool over looking at lots of teapots owned by someone else...there doesnt seem to be much reason to pay to go into a museum to see them.

I like teapots...I think that there are many teapots out there that are downright beautiful.

Do I think that our tax money should be used to subsidize a museum to hold the teapots collected by well off Americans??

HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That 1/2 million dollars could be used in so many other ways...immunizations...health clinics...foster care....you name it....

Just another case of your tax dollars hard at work to benefit the few and otherwise, not needy...

Things do get better

When we moved into this house umpteen years ago, we found we were blessed with a wonderful neighbor. One who does not complain - one who watches out when we are not here - and one who is truly the go-to person for when you need something.

He had a job where he "knew" a lot of people....tradespeople who also worked for cash on the side. So most of the work on our house has been done via cash trade...and when something needs done, we check in with our neightbor first.

So after the toilet fiasco, hubby went next door....by the time I came home from work Monday night, not only was the toilet flange fixed - the toilet was installed!!!! And all for $55!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!

So we are still on the hunt for the vanity...but at least another hurdle has been passed (and we dont have to trek upstairs in the middle of the night either!!!)

And the gods laughed...

Wow - this last week was something else. I picked up 2 - 12 hour shifts and an 8 hr PM shift to off set using my PTO for a vacation week I no longer wanted. I worked 8 hours out of all those hours...

And it was hot...hotter than hot....miserably hot....anyone know of cheap air conditioning installation? They said it topped out at 107 here on Thursday...

The good thing is, two hot days in a row and by the 2d day, even tho it was hotter, it didn't feel hotter.

That was until I got into an accident. Yep, in the Post Office Parking lot. Just stopping off to mail off a birthday present (happy birthday tomorrow Amy!!) and as I was pulling into a parking place, someone chose to swing out of the one next to it. Thought I only received some cosmetic damage, but my hubby pointed out where the bumper had been pushed out of alignment. The other car got a lot of damage...not sure how she couldn't see a big ole truck pulling in next to her....oh that's right - I never saw her look in my direction once!! But of course she, and her passenger, insisted it was all my fault - I hate when people try to make me out as a liar when I am not lying! And then I find out - she is leaving the country that same day! So I immediately got on the phone with my insurance company - and was then 15 minutes late for my hair cut - but LeeAnne did a great job anyway!!!

First accident I have been in....in years...no, decades....I am NOT happy about this at all!

So then Saturday we got the bathroom painted and I am thinking, hmmmm, not sure I am liking this shade of green at all....very light...too light??...hmm....

A friend of my son's believes in conspiracy theories, and I am beginning to believe in some also.

Let's see - we were looking for replacement shower doors. Not pivot ones - not 3 sided ones - not tub doors - big a** shower doors. And not clear glass either - those you can find anywhere but after living with clear glass ones for all this time - no way, so sir, uh uh! So the ones we liked? Yup...special order...28 days + shipping time....$560!!!!!!! Conspiracy theory #1 - they want you to buy only the clear glass ones so you spend oodles of dollars every month in trying to find something that will keep them perfectly clear (17? years later, I have yet to find anything ...)

So back we went to Expo and bought the $300+ ones that I sorta liked. At least they were in stock and a little cheaper. Got them up today without a crack or a chip or a break!!!

Stopped at Home Depot this morning and got some more odds and ends, like baseboard. So after we got the shower doors up - decided to pull in the vanity (ha! - lug it in I mean- so heavy and awkward) and check out what it was looking like. You know, the vanity we bought about 2 years ago on sale...and that we ripped out of the carton and threw the carton away a couple of weeks ago when we made all those dump runs?...yeah - that one. Anyone need a brand new, never used 36" oak vanity?????

Yep, it wont work. Cause the piping in this older home is made for vanities that, if you have drawers, the drawers have to be on the left hand side - just like the ancient ugly one we got rid of. Meanwhile, sometime in the past who-knows-how-many years....the cabinet builders and plumbers got together and decided - hey let's both make some money - we will decide that all pipes now have to be moved to fit vanities with drawers only on the right hand side!!! Conspiracy theory #2!!!!!!!

Yeah, you can find vanities with drawers on the left hand side - SPECIAL ORDER!!! MORE COSTLY!!!!!! So now the choice to be made - no drawers??? Buy a whole new vanity and sink (which means we are then stuck with a granite sink we don't need) which has no drawers whatsoever?? I found a great one that would work perfectly on the 'net...ONLY $4,000.00!!!! Anyone wanna send it to me as a late birthday present????

So, after making trip #2 to Home Depot and OSH, and #1 to Expo and Lowe's (this were the trips today that is!), we came home and decided to take a deep breath...put the vanity issue on the back burner and put the toilet back in.

I mean, c'mon, how many toilets have we installed over the years?? no problem....so I went outside to clean it and cut my thumb...and then we struggled to get the sucker back in (they are not lightweight you know) and put in place...twice....cause the first wax ring didn't work right...as I was tightening the nut on that long screw like thing that sticks up out of the flange to help hold the toilet in place, it broke off. Not the screw, or the nut, but the part of the flange the screw sticks up out of. Rusted off and broke. Even tho hubby diligently checked for that when we took the toilet out and when we brought it back in.

Guess I am stronger than I appear even to myself! So now...we get to wait for a plumber to assess the issue which translates in more time running upstairs every time to use the bathroom (and it is summer and hot which means we drink too many liquids...) and even more money out of pocket than we planned...

BUT - now that we have the floor tiles uncovered, they really bring out the green in the paint and I like it better....and the shower doors are up without any issues and they look pretty....and yesterday I finally picked out the lights...

And we saw 2 movies this weekend.

AND my son just told me some people are flying him to Austin Texas this week to meet with him about some of his painting and mural work - that is very good news!! (That is his website below - Midnight Murals - check it out!).

My family doesn't call me Pollyanna for nothing! I will always find something good to cheer someone up - even if it isn't me who is cheered up.

Just when you think things are starting to come together and the end is in sight...the gods will laugh at you...

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!

Photos

I can't believe it - but the baby blanket did win first prize! That is a thrill to me!

And even more unbelievable - the bootees won second prize AND judge's favorites! I threw those together at the last minute - no real idea what I was doing (I was trying to match them to the blanket) and didnt think I did a very good job! Thank you judges!

Saw lots of beautiful entries - so many from people I recognize from the Vintage Stitchers, the local EGA group I use to belong to.

What a week!

What a week - it feels as tho we got soooo much done - but - there is still so much left to do!
So today vacation ends - sorta. I am still supposedly on vacation next week - but I picked two days up because I then changed my mind about using so much PTO!

So what did we get accomplished? The shower has been re-done by the wonderful man at www.miraclemethod.com - found out biscuit was not the color we wanted so stuck with white. But because it is a shower and tiled all the way around - he suggested a matte finish. Not sure I am 100% happy with that but am sure I will be glad not to slip and slide on it!

The floor is in. And it is lovely. As usual, the grout colors I thought I wanted at Home Depot were all special order. But a nice young man helped us chose another color that I am quite happy with.

Thought I had decided on the color of the walls - but we brought the sink and vanity inside and I am not sure the shade that I chose to go with the floor, goes quite that well with the sink. Oh well....start over again. Have to decide by Tuesday so I can hopefully get the paint then so we can paint Wed.

And we made 5 trips to the dumps. What an experience that is. We had this falling down shed that came with the house. And hubby - and kids- kept putting things in there 'just until I go to the dumps'. Well, after umpteen years, that 'just until' came this week. Quite a learning experience - it is so disheartening to see the things that get taken to the dump and placed in landfill. So many items that are recyleable - unfortunately there are all these signs 'No Salvaging' and people there to make sure you dont salvage!! Plastic water bottles - cans - Rubbermaid totes in excellant condition that could go to a thrift shop - the sme wiht furniture and kids toys....It is sad to see what we are purposefully doing to Mother Earth. We went thru the junk before we took it out - and actually have a couple of bags from it going to the thrift shops.

Jessyca (daughter #1) cooked me a lovely dinner on my birthday. Paella which was delicious - a wonderful white sangria that she made - and Tom bought me my favorite cake (white cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries in the filling - I have had this as my birthday cake since I was a little girl!!). Jessy and Earl and the boys gave me some beautiful roses and a lovely Balleek vase to add to my collection - a nautilaus shell. I need to find some place to put it - unfortunately my collection has outgrown its storage!

Tom game me a Jim Shore figurine of a nurse angel that he bought on our trip to Mendocino in March...it was supposed to be a Mother's Day gift but he had forgotten about it!! You can see the figurine here: http://www.jimshore.com/shop/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=nurse

Friday we went to visit our friends Mitch and Marilyn. Mitch and Tom played golf on Friday and Saturday. Marilyn and I did the garage sale thingie on Saturday. She gets the best buys! You should see the furniture and antiques and all she finds! This time I found a bunch of things for the grandkids (thanks Marilyn!) plus a bunch of pots I needed and an old schoolhouse desk. I also made to to the yarn shop (see the link at the bottom!) and bought the yarn I needed for the Scrawl I wanted. And Joan was absolutely right in the one colorway she thought I would love - I bought it and started it last night! Unfortunately, I also bought another one 'just in case'!!! LOL

Today we are going to the Alameda County Fair with Jessy and Earl and the boys. I will see if my baby blanket truly won first place as Grace reported - and will take a photo to post!

I will be posting photos this week - as we get further on the bathroom and all!

I can't believe we did it again!

As we were laying the tile last night in our downstairs bathroom - I realized - AGAIN we forgot to take before photos! Darn it all!

Last week we tore out the old vanity. Old is right - apparently someone jsut refinished an old one instead of replacing it. Then Thursday evening while I was at work, Tom tore out the linoleum. Said it was pretty easy - no adhesive left under most of it!

So Friday, after a busy afternoon at work, I came home and after dinner we set to work. Took the toilet out. Took our the shower doors. Took down the humongous mirror (without breaking it, I will have you know!),

So Saturday after going to breakfast we set to work....had to make a trip to Home Depot of course...to get some drywall to fix the wall where the sink plumbing it. That was such an odd mess...you wonder how things are built! Of course I really wonder, when the two walls on either side of the bedroom door into the bathroom are offset...wonder if they added the one closet?
So after that we got to work on the floor.

Tom even let me play with his power tools....after playing jigsaw puzzle with the backer board, I got to screw most of it in!

And then we went to early dinner. After that we started in laying the tile. Only took us 3 hours!
And as we were laying it, I was disappointed with it. Told Tom I liked the tile upstairs much better. But when I looked at the tile today - I do like it. Very neutral. Supposedly gray but I swear it has green in it. So I think the walls will be green. Maybe a very very light sage shade...altho I was looking at the peach walls upstairs (it is a pain to have to trek upstairs to use the bathroom - especially in the middle of the night!) and I do like that color...

Looked at lights while at Home Depot. Couldn't decide on any. I don't have a 'vision' for this room yet. I mean, with the upstairs bath, as soon as we picked the white pedestal sink I knew exactly where we were going and it was easy to pick out the shower curtain, lights and all....altho I am no decorator by any means! And it was a thrill when it all came together so well! I think I need to pull out the vanity/sink we bought so long ago...I think that will help.

And yes, jsut to let you all know, we are both a little slow and sore this morning...