Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Photo Day 208: Rollercoaster Ahead (4.26.11)

Photo Day 208:  Rollercoaster Ahead (4.26.11)
If life should come with an instruction manual...days like this one should come with some kind of warning.  I'm thinking a little FYI when I open up my email in the morning would be sufficient.

Good morning!

This is a head's up on the day you are about to have. Warning. Warning. Warning. Make sure your seatbelt is fastened and you are in a secured and upright position 'cause this rollercoaster is about to take off in....three. two. one.


Blastoff! Hold on tight 'cause it's going to be a bumpy one!

And I hope you have a lot of coffee on hand...you are going to need it! Good luck and try to have a great day!

Best regards,
Tuesday

P.S. Even though it was sunny and 60 degrees yesterday, it's going to start snowing today at lunchtime. Now answer that ringing phone and deal with crisis #1 (you'll have at least 10 more...). Then look up and smile at that person standing in front of you asking the stupidest question possibly ever posed. And whatever you do...don't laugh at them!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Photo Day 206: Wilson in a can (4.24.11)

Photo Day 206:  Wilson in a can (4.24.11)
I'm obsessed with spray paint.  This is not a new revelation.  I've had this addiction for years.  I could probably write a whole book about why I love spray paint.  But nobody would buy it.   

Anyway...no surprise that I grabbed a can and headed outside when it warmed up past 50 degrees.  I'm starting to wonder if it's because I have a lot of delayed projects that stacked up over winter or am I finding stuff to paint because it's warm enough that I can.  Hummm.....


And I realized today that if I'm ever stranded on a deserted island....I really hope there's spray paint on that island.  (In addition to peanut butter and lip gloss of course.)  Hey...if Tom Hanks can have a volleyball on his island then I can have a can of spray paint on mine!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Photo Day 205: 15+ Tennis Balls (4.23.11)

Photo Day 205:  15+ Tennis Balls (4.23.11)
It’s always amusing to see what will be unearthed when the snow finally melts. I’m guessing these folks have dogs. Or I hope so anyway...'cause that’s a whole lotta tennis balls for one backyard!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Photo Day 204: Easter Bunny (4.22.11)

Photo Day 204:  Easter Bunny (4.22.11)

Bunny ears.
Really???
Yes! Really!
Remember the furball incident?
Payback is hell!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Photo Day 203: Thirsty? (4.21.11)

Photo Day 203:  Thirsty? (4.21.11)

Mystery solved. I should have known.

I’ve been noticing that the vase (filled with water and plants) has been moving almost daily. And I’d hate to clean up that mess up should it tip over. But I’ve been totally stumped as to why the vase seems to move in the first place.

Until now.

One word.

Paris.

I caught her in action. Really little kitty!?! Stop drinking the gross plant water!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Photo Day 202: Tag your it (4.20.11)

Photo Day 202: Tag your it (4.20.11)
Nothing like a double blast from the past...compliments of a Facebook game I call photo tag.

Tricia and I were the stars of that team. Sorry boys…but it’s true! We have both turned down numerous offers over the years to play in the NBL. (In fact the Twins really wanted me but had to settle on Mauer instead!)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Photo Day 201: ATM News (4.19.11)

Photo Day 201:  ATM News (4.19.11)
The ATM machine informed me that it now speaks Russian. Hummmmm….really?!?! I find that strangely funny. Russian…eh? 

Then I became annoyed. So my ATM machine can speak Russian but I can’t speak a lick of Spanish after 4 years of classes and many tuition dollars later!!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Photo Day 200: Mashed pot-craving! (4.18.11)

Photo Day 200:  Mashed pot-craving! (4.18.11)
A downside to living in a small town in the northern Midwest:  fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and sweet tea are hard to find. And don’t go looking for them at 9pm on a Sunday night. Yep…I should have known better. KFC was our only option. And it was closed!!!

So now I’m boycotting our one and only fried chicken joint! I’m not giving ‘em any more of my dinero. Only problem with this plan…it’s a day later and I still NEED mashed potatoes! Yes those precious carbs are required for my survival. Seriously.

Therefore I had to do the unthinkable. I cooked some spuds myself. Take that…you early-to-bed-KFC!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Photo Day 198: Spring? (4.16.11)

Photo Day 198: Spring? (4.16.11)
This is what we woke up to Saturday morning.  Just a little reminder from Mother Nature that we live in Minnesota.  Anyone have some contact info for Mother Nature?  I need to send her a reminder that it's supposed to be Spring!!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

I've been framed!

Finally…my walls have some clothes (that’s glee-speak for the new frames hanging on my walls) and I have the sore muscles to prove it! You see…nothing in my house is simple. I spend a lot of time problem solving. Good thing I learned some handy skills from my dad or I’d be SOL! Most people can just nail in some picture hangers and viola!...framed art hanging on the wall. Yeah…not me. I have very old, very crappy, very uneven plaster walls. Even the smallest of nails has the potential to create a dusty sinkhole in my wall the size of Texas (quick grab the spackle before the hubby sees my mess). I like trying to fix my oops moments before fessing up to them! What am I....a two-year-old...yep! Anyway...I’m stuck hanging everything from the picture molding that runs along the ceiling. To really appreciate the fact that I have pictures on my walls, you have to experience the process with me…

First:
Molding hooks are required. Try finding those things in a store! I had to order mine online and the shipping cost way more than the hooks. Ugh!


Second:
I had to paint them white because they were gold and silver. Ugh! Ugh! (Some are still not painted.  What can I say...I'm a bit impatient at times!)

Third:
Attach picture wire to the molding hooks and picture frame. Sounds easy enough. Ummmm no! I had to measure how far the picture would “hang” from the ceiling. And I’m a little vertically challenged at 5’3” so there was a lot of standing on random pieces of furniture and lots of “don’t try this at home” moments!

Fourth:
Hang the frame suspended by the wire from the molding hook, step back and look at it, then realize that it’s not hanging where I wanted it – too high, too low, crooked. Ugh!!!!!!

Undo and redo all the steps again and again and again and again. And don’t get me started on how to successfully hang two frames perfectly level, side-by-side. Seriously…I’d consider trading in this charming, old, cute, character-filled (which really means problem-filled) house for a new generic box of a house (character free)…well if it weren’t for all the work I’ve already put into it. And especially not after spending hours (no kidding…it really was hours) hanging and re-hanging less than a dozen pics. 

And at some point in this whole process I think....WHY BOTHER!!!! Ooooo-emmmm-geeee! I should just become one of those people who only have a TV, recliner chair, tray table, bed and 1 pillow. Yes...1 pillow...no decorative throw pillows...just one to sleep on…what a concept! And who needs pictures on the walls anyway?! Let 'em be naked! Except I just can't and I'm not that recliner/tray table person. Oh well…a girl can dream…maybe in my next life.

So doing all the work totally sucked, however, the finished product makes me smile.  And that’s what it’s all about…I think?!  At least that's what I keep telling myself anyway.

Photo Day 195: Fort duvet (4.13.11)

Photo Day 195:  Fort duvet (4.13.11)
I came home to a fort in our living room.  Gotta love the hubby for helping me get our duvet dry.  Two spins through the dryer later and it's still damp.  Hummm....

I guess that's why most duvets are made of a light-weight material.  Why didn't I consider that when I had the brilliant idea to make my own duvet by sewing together 2 white king size cotton blankets?!?!

Hopefully it will be a while before Paris dictates that it's time for another wash!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Photo Day 193: Holy furballs (4.11.11)

Photo Day 193:  Holy furballs (4.11.11)
I had a conversation with myself a few days ago.  It went something like this:  Hummmm.  I wonder how long it's been since I washed our duvet cover.  It's probably due for a wash.  Ugh - that's a lot of work.  I think it can wait a while longer. 

Apparently Paris is a gifted mind-reader and was not on board with the lets-wait-to-wash-the-duvet plan!

Monday night 10:30pm. I can’t keep my eyes open another minute.  Time to sleep.  Off to the bedroom I go...


Me:
Ooooooohhhhh Noooooooooo! She got us!

Hubby:
Who got what? (a faint yell from his office)

Me:
Paris. She got us. Come and look at the bed.
See what YOUR cat did.  Ugh!

Let’s just say there was a furball involved. And she must have eaten right before the furball made it’s presence known on our white bedding. Bonus points to Paris for also including the throw blanket in this furball party. 

Thanks little kitty...I sooooo enjoyed that unexpected load of laundry that I had to do late Monday night!!

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Console Table (Part 2)

8 ounces of fear
After work on Friday evening I went down to the basement to confront my fear.  I stared right into the label of that little can of minwax stain and told it who's boss (that would be me) and then asked it nicely to come out and play.  Who am I trying to kid...I'm still afraid of that tiny can! 

I transported my newly built console table back to the garage for a staining party.  Not much of a party though...just me, the table, minwax jacobean, and a coke (that I snuck out of the fridge when the hubby wasn't looking...so sad...I have absolutely zilcho will-power against junk food. The hubby actually took the rest of the coke with him when he left the house to go study so I wouldn't consume more!  Now that's love!)

I applied one coat of stain to the base of the table, closely following the directions on the can.  Normally I'm all for doing things on the fly and making up my own rules as I go along. 

But not this time. 

Ohhhhh noooo...the last thing I wanted was to tick off mr. can o' jacobean.  Nope...I did what I was told (a.k.a. kept referring back to the directions).  And to my surprise...the stain was actually looking pretty good. 

So I moved on to the table top after putting my "stamp" on the underside. 

Which of course made me giggle and is probably the best part of the table that no one will ever see but I may just love the most because now it's a table that doesn't take itself too seriously...kinda like me!

And that's it for now.  Just one coat of stain. I am liking the raw look of it.  Who knows what the future will hold.  Maybe I'll actually seal it with some poly. 

Now that would be earth-shattering. 

Not sure I'm ready yet for such a big commitment!


Update:  The Console Table (Part 3)

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Photo Day 189: For the birds (4.7.11)

Photo Day 189:  For the birds (4.7.11)

I'm movin' up....way up.  And I'm movin' in.

I'm pretty sure this is the largest birdhouse ever!  I just want to knock on the homeowners door and say "please explain."  Really...at what point does someone think to install a 2-story metal pole topped with a bird mansion in their backyard.  And why am I just noticing this 8th wonder of the world now after walking by it almost daily for the last 2 years?!?

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Photo Day 182: Back it up (3.31.11)

Photo Day 182:  Back it up (3.31.11)
This happens almost on a daily basis.  Paris gets up on the window ledge (approx 2 inches wide) to stare at the birds or something.  Then puts her caboose in reverse trying to remember how she got down the last time.  Gotta love that cat!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Dear Chicken Little...

Optimist = Glass half full

Pessimist = Glass half empty

Me = Glass half filled

Who cares if it’s full or empty?! What I wanna know….is there more in the fridge?

Anyway…this week I realized that I don’t understand Chicken Little. Chicken Little seems to thrive off bad news. It's as if the possibility of tragedy gives 'ol Little a purpose in life. And if nothing bad is happening at the moment, Chicken Little will create the worst case scenario for everything else.

Seriously…did you know…that a little paper cut on my finger could lead to having my arm amputated. And then the surgeon could make an error and remove the wrong one.  And then I'd end up with no arms!

C’mon Chicken Little...the sky is falling...really????!!!!

Photo Day 179: Micro-monster (3.28.11)

Photo Day 179:  Micro-monster (3.28.11)

Paris hates the microwave.  Actually she's not fond of most appliances.  She equally hates the vacuum cleaner and the blow dryer.  And let's just ignore the fact that it's straight up weird that she sleeps under the microwave on a daily basis. 

So I had to laugh when Paris decided to man up and hold her ground against the micro-monster when I turned it on. 

But...she didn't take her eyes off it.  Not even for a second.

Photo Day 186: I hate Mondays (4.4.11)


Photo Day 186:  I hate Mondays (4.4.11)

Can I get a do-over please

Monday morning. One too many hits of the snooze button. No coffee. Thought I would still have enough time to wash (and dry) my hair and get dressed and get to work on time. Except I hated everything I tried on. And the iron transferred something yellowish onto my white shirt that seemed to be a winner...well until the ironing incident. And during the clothing fiasco…my curly hair is defiantly drying naturally…no hairstyling products = big ‘ol frizzy fro! All the while the clock is running some kind of nascar marathon and was clocking his best time ever!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! That’s Monday morning laughing at me!