The Old Floor - Part 1 of 3

Well, I've been wanting a new floor pretty much ever since I bought this house -- over 11 years ago! I scraped everything together that I could manage just to get the house, and couldn't afford many upgrades, like tile flooring. So I got the standard linoleum, and always regretted it. After a couple of years, the floor started separating at a major seam, and there were gouges in it that looked awful.

I started seriously looking at (and saving for) replacing the linoleum a few years ago, but never decided what exactly I wanted to do. Then I realized that by now I need to replace the carpet too. So I've gone back and forth for 2-3 years about what to do. Carpet and tile? Wood floor all the way? Wood and tile? All tile? Way too many choices. I was very close to doing wood and tile, but kind of at the last minute changed my mind and decided to go for all tile. I've struggled -- STRUGGLED! -- with this decision! I find it hard to believe, actually, that some people seem to enjoy these kinds of redecorating projects, and are so good at making the decisions they require. I am NOT one of them!! Even after the decision is made, I second--and third, fourth, fifth--guess myself forever.

This is the family room BEFORE:

An especially mysterious stain in the living room; never did figure what caused it, and was never able to get it out despite multiple attempts with various products.

The living room BEFORE:

The bottom line now is, the decision is made, I've bought the tile, and it will be installed next week. I'll post before and after pictures once it's in place. I hope I'll be happy with it, because it's as permanent as anything gets. It'll be here in this house even after I'm not, most likely. Unless the next owner rips it up and puts something else down. I'm not going to, that's for sure. Like it or not, I'm livin' with it!

Erin's news...

Right up front, I admit I'm plagiarizing this post (does that apply with blogs? I'm not sure, but still...). Erin posted this on her blog tonight, and she says it far better than I could. I know I should have called her and asked permission to use it, but it is too late and I'm sure she's sleeping now, and I was too impatient to wait until tomorrow! Besides, I felt okay using it since there are no pictures involved. So, here's her baby news in her words:

IT'S A...
GIRL!!!!!! I can't believe I'm having a girl. I went in thinking "okay, I'm the proud mom of boys, and now I'll have three cute boys." How great would that be right? Then the technician said "it's a girl" and I grabbed her arm and said "SHUT UP! Are you serious?" I just couldn't believe it so I made sure she was absolutely positive. She was. I'm still in shock. I just can't imagine having a girl. And she's totally healthy and looking great. She was moving all over the place, too. SHE! How weird...exciting weird.

Definitely exciting! I kind of reacted the same way she did. I almost didn't believe it at first. I don't think I realized it, but I guess I was expecting another boy, thinking the only thing cuter than the two boys we have now would be to have three. But now, hmmm--a little girl! Imagine that!

Grand Opening

The scrapbooking room is finally done! I still have some organizing to do, but mostly it's done! The amazing thing is that I actually have some empty containers, some open shelves. In my old space, I was always having difficulty finding things or keeping track of what I had--probably because there was no rhyme or reason to where things were; they were just stacked on and stuffed into wherever I could find a spot. I'm so used to having things crammed into every available square inch of space; it's quite amazing to actually have enough room--and then some.

This first picture is the hallway outside the room. It's all the books and other things that were dislocated by this new arrangement. Clearly my work is not done with the completion of the room; all these things will need to find new homes--somewhere.
Here's the famous Cricut machine that started it all. It even has it's own table, with room for the cartridges on the shelf above.

I even have a TV in there, and a DVD player. We had this old TV we haven't used for years; finally found a home for it. I like to watch old movies or musicals while I work. I also like to listen to folk music, for some odd reason (what that genre has to do with scrapbooking, I couldn't tell you); I'll have to get a CD player in there as well. But since I have empty shelves, it shouldn't be a problem finding room for it!

It will be fun to have room for other people to work in there with me. I think 3 people could work comfortably. I've had these rolling carts for several years, but of late they were crammed so full I couldn't ever really find anything. I'm going to make labels now for all the drawers, just to make finding things easier; some of the drawers are actually still empty--I can't get over that!

And, finally, here's my paper and cardstock. 8.5 x 11 in the shelves on top of the table, and 12 x 12 in the hanging file underneath. I LOVE this part of my room. Never had anything like this before.

So, that's it! I joked with friends that I would have a grand opening when I finished the room; some even asked if I would be inviting guests and serving hors d'oeuvres. Michael suggested that blogging about it could serve as the digital version of that whole thing--good idea! So even though I'm not inviting you to a real grand opening, anyone who wants to join me for scrapbooking or card making, consider yourself invited!

Another Project

So...

My latest project this Spring has been my garage door. First of all, the opener has been broken for at least a year, and I've had to manually lift and lower it, not to mention it really couldn't be locked effectively. Luckily no one ever figured that out, and we were never burglarized. For a long time, it didn't matter much because I wasn't parking the car in the garage, anyway, because it was such a mess. But when Jeff & Erin & Michael cleaned it out for me a couple of months ago, it motivated me to get things repaired so I could use it again as an garage--you know, a place to park your car. What a concept!

Then I thought about how much I've always wanted windows in the door; I just love the way it looks from the curb, and I like the added light inside the garage. (Especially now that it's clean and I like being out there and I actually use the space!)

Before...

Here it is after. I think it makes a BIG difference, and I LOVE IT!

Finally! Happy Day #8

Okay, let's finish this thing up! Thank you, Erin, for reminding me. Scrapbooking makes me happy--mostly. There have been those times when I absolutely hated projects I was working on. To the point where I thought I'd rip it up the next day. The amazing thing, though, is that the next day I almost always look at the very same project and think, "Wow, I kinda like it!" Or even, "You know, that's pretty good!" How does that happen? And why? I have no idea. But whether I enjoy the project when I'm working on it or not, I do love the whole process. I even love just looking at my supplies. It's very satisfying to me, somehow. I've always said, and I think it's true, that scrapbooking helps me to feel creative when I absolutely know that I am not. I've always wanted to be, though, and am always in awe of those people I know who are truly creative. It amazes me. I like talking about it with other scrapbookers, reading about it, collecting supplies for it--pretty much just about everything.

My next large scrapbooking related project is creating a scrap room for myself. I was inspired by a blog that I follow (thepinkstamper.blogspot.com). I love the idea of getting all my stuff really well organized, and actually having enough room. I acknowledge that part of the problem with that is that I just have too much stuff, but let's not go there. It's actually made me happy just thinking about this project, and I keep having new ideas about what I might do with it. I'm giving up a guest room for it, but since no one's used our guest room in a long long time, I think it's a safe enough change. (For anyone who actually wants to stay here as a guest, there's still a sofa bed available, and you're welcome.)

I'll post some pictures when I actually start working on the room. The first part will be to empty it out. It has been the receptacle for lots of the stuff cast off from Jessica's room and all her crafting supplies. It's pretty full. We've emptied out quite a bit already (darn, I should have taken a picture before we started), but there's still lots to go.

I know, this has been a ramble. But what can I say? I think I was just desperate to get this assignment finished. Pictures to follow...

Happy Day #8 - not quite yet!

Okay, this thing should have ended with 7 days. I cannot come up with anything today. That kind of a day. I guess I'm just not feelin' it. I'll try again tomorrow.

Happy Day #7

It makes me happy to get a lot done, especially on an extra day off, since it is essentilaly "found" time. Then at night, when I feel tired, it can be accompanied by a sense of accomplishment, and not just the usual thought about how old I am! (As in, "of course I'm tired--I'm OLD!"). It's 8:43 a.m. and here is my plan for today, in two parts:

Home:

1) paint furniture for Jessica's room
2) call garage door company, schedule appt
3) Fix toilet seat
4) Measure Jessica's windows for curtains
5) Make birthday cards (gift cards for work friends)
6) Work on scrapbooking room (more on that later)
7) Touch up trim in hall, bedroom
8) Pay bills
9) Shopping/errands (below)

Out:

Bank

Kohls - My job this month is to buy gift cards for the birthday dinner for two friends at work, one from Kohls and one from Target

Dunn Edwards paint - need to touch up the wall in the hallway where Jessica took out a good-sized chunk out last night (let's not go there, okay?) She feels terrible about it and it was truly an accident, so I'm trying not to feel too irritated about it.

Golden Spoon Yogurt - it's near the paint store, so I can't miss the opportunity to get some of that yummy peanut Butter Cup flavor!)

Costco

Target - the second gift card, pharmacy for Jessi's meds

Stater Bros.

So, that's the plan. Now, let's see how successful I am. Nothing makes me happier than being able to cross off every item on a list! (Well, I'm sure some things do, but not many.)

Painting again!! (Part 2)

So the painting is done. Am I happy about that? Yes. Am I happy with the job? Sort of. The guy wasn't as careful with the details as I would have liked, or as I would have been myself. But I'm trying to just look at the completed job and be grateful for that. I can fix the little things myself, and I plan to. THEN maybe I'll be completely happy!

Here's the stairwell and the upstairs hallway.

And Jessica's room. Don't tell anyone, but it's way pinker than I expected from the paint chip. She really wanted a deeper red, and I talked her out of it (sorry, Jessi). I think she was right, but I'll never tell her that; I'd never live it down. I may, at some point, re-do it the color she wanted in the first place.

But for now she's happy with it, so it's our little secret, okay? Promise?!

Happy Day #6 (slightly late)

My friends make me happy, and contribute so much to my life. I feel blessed to have many truly good friends, some of whom are as close as family could ever be.

There are many who I could describe here, but I'm going to describe a day with just two friends from work today. Claudia and Geri work on the nursing unit where I worked until about 5 years ago. I still work at the same hospital, but in a different capacity. I'm still close to them, and interact with them at work frequently still. We also do things together sometimes on weekends from time to time, and I've even recently gotten Claudia started scrapbooking.

Another friend of ours, Mary, had been ill for quite a few years, and recently had had many new health problems which really discouraged her, including ongoing dialysis and then an amputation of one leg, with an impending probable second amputation. She was very tired, and I think that final loss of her independence was just more than she could take. She decided several months ago to stop dialysis and let nature take its course; she entered an inpatient hospice unit in April and within two weeks had died a peaceful and serene death.

Claudia, Geri and I visited with her after she entered hospice. We reminisced about many fun times, and laughed and cried together. One memory was Mary's favorite--the time she took Claudia and Geri to The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach for her favorite meal, their lobster specialty. (I couldn't go that day, since I'm the only one of us with a Monday through Friday work schedule.) When we were talking that day at her bedside, she held my hand and told me that I must go there, that I would love it. We promised her that we three

would go to The Crab Cooker for lunch one day soon for my birthday, and we would think of Mary while we were there. Well today was the day, and we did it!

It's little more than a shack on a busy corner near the beach. An interesting place, though. This huge shark is hanging from the ceiling (it was caught in the ocean across the street!).

It was a beautiful Newport Beach day--perfect weather. We ate lunch, and then went across the street to the ocean. We got a chocolate covered banana for dessert at a little stand across from the ocean (also on Mary's agenda for us), and ate it while we sat and watched the sailboats and kids playing in the surf.

Some more pictures from today. Come to think of it, beautiful days like today make me happy too! Especially when I am not at work and can be out enjoying them!

Thanks, Claudia and Geri, for a great birthday lunch and a fun time. And thanks, Mary--we remember you!

Happy Day #5

Dang, is it only day #5?

Okay, this one's easy. It makes me happy reading people's blogs, and even their comments on mine. I wish more people that I know were blogging, actually. I keep trying with a few people, but so far it's not working. I really feel like I've gotten to know people better, and I love that more than anything. I love reading what people are doing, how and what they think, what they're feeling. These things have always completely fascinated me.