The Big Red Blog: The Blog Without Pity

Keeping up with the Joneses
My neighbors told me today that they’re going to be on TV for a decorating show – they’ll be on HGTV’s Designer Finals. Color me – jealous? I was at first, then I did the math and concluded that I’m not. But they do get to be on TV which I’m always trying to figure out how to break into all Lucy Ricardo-style.

More details when the filming begins in early August. I’ll blog the whole thing because August will be so hot and humid I won’t be able to do anything else.

I think it may be too humid to blog. Seriously – the keys are sticking on the keyboard. And this isn’t a crappy keyboard – it is wireless.

Fancy, no?

Did I mention that it’s really, really humid and somewhat hot?

I’ve been wearing some of the worst outfits ever complete with catch-phrases like “Well, I am wearing deodorant” because I’m dressing for the commute. The commute: bus to train to train is hot, unnecessarily long, and hot. Sometimes it is complete with people carrying large pieces of luggage. Oh and no AC.

Today I got off the bus, mopped my head with a convenient tissue and proceeded to get sweat in my eye. That stuff burns. As far as looking “attractive” or even “presentable” goes – well… Let’s just say that I’m getting out the door much faster since it doesn’t matter what I do in the semi-climate controlled environs of my bathroom. Once I get outside it all melts away. Literally.

By: Alyssa | Thursday, June 30, 2005 at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

I’m on a reading tear
I finished Out last week. The book is described as a "shocking" Japanese crime thriller about women who work at a box lunch factory and must help a friend dispose of her husband's body. That's on the back of the cover - so I'm not ruining anything. Anyway - shocking - yeah but I think more people were probably shocked by the hacking and dismemberment. I've been reading Ian McEwan for a couple of months, so I wasn't shocked. It's always about the dismemberment. Anyway, while I wasn't "shocked" by the stuff I should have been shocked by - I was more shocked by the slice-of-life vignettes of Japanese society's struggling working women. The book is a great read.

Anyway - after that I dug into a “cozy” mystery (I’m a sucker for some of them since the summer of no job when I read a LOT of them), and am now immersed in the latest thriller from Preston and Childs.

Again, it is a throwback to an earlier time when I had no job and a pile of free books to keep me from decoupaging everything in my house. Was I clinically depressed? Hard to say. However, I was making arts and crafts projects like a mental patient.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

Am I still hip if I buy it a year late?
I own the Franz Ferdinand album because good god I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

Also – if you love the OK GO – and you should – then please to enjoy their video. They dance and I’m pretty sure they choreographed it themselves. A Million Ways To Be Cruel is the song. (safe for work). Uhm – and the new album drops on 8/30.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

I prefer the staring
We’ve hung several pictures on the wall. My husband isn’t allowed to hammer because – he makes big holes in the wall. Also, I’m thinking he may not be allowed to hang pictures because he ends up ripping the picture hanger out of the wall instead of hanging the picture. Then I have to hammer again – he’s like the Godzilla of low-rent home improvement.

Right now I have three excellent old monster movie posters hanging behind me – oddly they are all “eye” and they’re staring at me. Encouraging me to tell the Internets about things.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

Tom Cruise is the best thing to happen to me in about three weeks
My work-outs at the gym have been blazing by because I’ve been talking with my trainer about TomKat.

Seriously – she’s got me doing all these weird curls and bends and crunches and things and I’m just blabbing away about Tom and how looney he is. Part of me wants him to just keep popping up on TV because he’s like three cocktail parties-worth of casual conversation.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

Independence Day
My in-laws are coming.
So that can only result in conversation topics like:
Why – because you’re fat?
When will you have kids?
That is ‘spensive.
And always followed up by: because you’re fat?

That reminds me, I need to buy some of that new Peach Absolut. Luckily - they're only staying for one night.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 30, 2005 | |

Bad idea in homeownership #219: Face full of Pollen
Last week I put these clever little downspout things on our gutters to direct the water away from the house. You just have to roll them up after the rain – they unfurl to guide the water out – and then eventually roll back up. I thought it was more clever than getting more gutters, elbows, crimpers and big gloves.

Pleased with myself (aren’t I always) and my decision, I told Deeps that according to the instructions, eventually these little things would roll up on their own. But they don’t yet, you have to “train them” and I had to roll them up after a storm.

I noticed they had a light dusting of a sickly yellow color – probably pollen. I didn’t really think anything of it. I rolled them up, had pollen on my hands and proceeded to wipe said pollen on my pants. (They are my yard pants after all.)

We went out to run errands and about an hour later I remarked that I felt a little odd.

Deeps: Like what?
Me: Like I’m hollow and far away and light headed.
Deeps: Have you been drinking?
Me: No.
Deeps: You’re slurring your words.
Me: Really? That’s just so – I feel kinda weird.

Yeah – face full of pollen does that sometimes, you big dummy.

I remarked that maybe the pollen was the culprit. Despite never having an especially bad allergy attack or having much more than a few sneezes or itchy eyes on a bad day – it was the only thing that made sense.

Deeps: Oh is that the yellow stuff all over your pants?
Me: Uhm. Yeah.
Deeps: You’re like rolling in it – you’re freebasing pollen.
Me: That’s probably not good.
Deeps: What did you just say?

I had gone all incomprehensible with the slurring. All I can say is that it was a lot weirder than being drunk. Or the couple of days I took the Valium for head lump.

By the time we got home my eyes were watering and goopy and my head was throbbing. I was no longer talking. Deeps took me upstairs, handed me a Claritin and bid me adieu.

I curled up in the fetal position and said something approximately along the lines of “Gawwwh,” to him in return.

So there are new rules for rolling up the gutter downspout thingeys and they involve me washing my hands 9 times and wearing gloves and a hazmat suit. And Deeps will stand by with some Claritin and a glass of water. Just in case.

By: Alyssa | Monday, June 27, 2005 at Monday, June 27, 2005 | |

That is why I pay the bills
I spent a good portion of the afternoon sorting through paperwork: mortgage info, tax bills, old cable, new cable, and our budget.

Deeps would pop his head in and look at the piles on the desk.

“What are you doing?” he’d ask.
“I’m organizing our debts so I know what to pay and when,” I replied.
“Didn’t you already do that?”
“Yes – but I got an email last week saying our company was changing our payday schedule, so I have to reconfigure everything,” I said.
“It shouldn’t be hard,” he replied.

Then he peeked over my shoulder and saw the multiple colors and dozens of line items. I color code by payment date in proximity to when we get paid – it’s all about inputs and outputs.

“Oh, right – so I was wrong,” he said. “I guess that’s why you pay the bills.”
“Pretty much,” I replied.

He paused for a moment – I could tell he was trying to figure out how to help.
“So do you want some lemonade?”

By: Alyssa | Sunday, June 26, 2005 at Sunday, June 26, 2005 | |

H-o-t-t-t
Dear heatwave:

I hate you. Thanks for killing my weekend. And almost killing my husband – using me as a vessel for your heat rage.

Also – the heat makes my cat, who is already very, very dumb, even more stupid. How is this possible? I do not know.

On the plus side, I’m combating you and your blazing bright death rays with my black-out shade – soon to be shades – because it rocks. And your pesky death rays of heat and humidity cannot penetrate their black-out, Mylar goodness.

In addition to hating the heat I hate: that we didn’t buy a house with central AC, sweating when not exercising, the heat stupids I get, the crankies, the clinging of sweaty clothes, and the melty fro-yo machine because it is so hot the ice cream people can’t keep their machines cool.

Thanks for nothing, heat wave.

By: Alyssa | at Sunday, June 26, 2005 | |

If I tell this to Deeps – we’ll never get to visit
Our friends, K and Ernesto, live way up in Vermont and apparently I need to call them.

See what I have to find out FROM THE INTERNET?

Good thing they were inside.

By: Alyssa | Friday, June 24, 2005 at Friday, June 24, 2005 | |

Must've been Love
We were in a dive taco place near a hardware store last week. I spend a lotof time at the hardware store now....

Anyway.

The music playing when we left was an unusual song - not one I really heard much in the 80s but I did recognize it.

I turned to Deeps to share my random knowledge of 80s music.
Me: Do you know this song playing?
Deeps: No.
Me: It's called "Dancing in Heaven" and I know this because it was - what I'll call - the love theme from a little movie called "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt. Nothing spells “HIT!” like naming your movie after a song.
Deeps: Wow.
Me: Yep - it is from the big dance finale at the end when SJP dances with her true love and they win some big dance contest.
Deeps: That's weird.
Me: I know.
Deeps: Did you hear the song that was playing before this one?
Me: Uhm, maybe.
Deeps: "Must've been love" by Roxette.
Me: Oh yeah.
Deeps: See - now I always think of Florence when I think of Roxette.
Me: Why? Wait - the
Deeps: Taxi driver.
Me: Yeah - he was playing some.
Deeps: And he was a fan - because he was playing the CD.
Me: right
Deeps: and not the first one that was a huge hit - but the lesser- known second CD.
ME: Jesus.
Deeps: I know - I'm scary.

By: Alyssa | at Friday, June 24, 2005 | |

I’m not making this up
Every day Deeps asks me if I’ve read anything interesting online. One day last week I mentioned that I read something about a local woman and a problem she’s having with a bird.

Apparently it really, likes her head.

He totally called me a liar. I cannot make this stuff up. Bird On Head – film at 11.

By: Alyssa | Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

Drop-in, part deux
Deeps: Breaking news - my people are coming.
Me: Wha? (I’m always alarmed when his family shows up)
Deeps: They’ll be here next Friday night. They’re going to a wedding, so they’re going to come up and then go back.
Me: Wha…?
Deeps: Don’t worry – they have to leave early in the morning.
Me: Wha…..?
Deeps: And they are bringing air conditioners.
Me: Oh – okay.

By: Alyssa | at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

We are family
There is a family of squirrels living in my backyard. They’re out there all the time.

In the morning I look out the backdoor (which is big and glass) and spot like 3 or 4 squirrels enjoying some kind of squirrel buffet. They’re just sitting there on their hind legs nibbling something. When I come home from work they’re chowing down again with big fat fluffy tails in the air.

I mentioned this to my friend.

Me: It kind of bugs me, these squirrels.
Friend: Why?
Me: I don’t know – I do know they drive the cat nuts. She just stares at them out the window.
Friend: Do you think they’re judging you or something?
Me: No. But they’re just all squirrely and bold and they don’t even run away when I come out.
Friend: So they’re judging you – they think you’re a wimp.
Me: Maybe.
Friend: Are other animals judging you?
Me: Just the cat.
Friend: Well, that’s to be expected.

By: Alyssa | at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

Confidential to Nabbalicious
Yes – the BOOK does include PAGES AND PAGES about how to fix a running toilet.

Did you order it yet?

Next on my list:
The Book for Outside (aka the book for next year)
The Book for Spiffing the Place up (that'll be the book for two years from now)

By: Alyssa | at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

That's trucker talk, sister
What's your 20 on delivering the list of requirements... blah, blah.

Seriously, I actually said that to a co-worker today. I say the darndest things.

I'm also fond of of:
What's the poop?
What's the dish?
and best one ever - Give me the bullet

Other popular phrases:
Hell's breakfast
God's nightgown
Bee's knees
On the DL
On the QT

I've learned it all from TV, the newsroom and apparently the CB radio of my childhood. My mother drove a big honking green Lincoln Continental and she was "the green hornet". Hilarious - I know.

Usually we just found out where "the smokies" were or if the weather was bad somewhere. I think once we found a bathroom due to the courtesy of a dude on the road.

What does this have to do with anything?

Nothing - but at least it isn't about the house.

By: Alyssa | at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

The drop-ins
I think we had one drop-in during the three years we were renting in Cambridge.

We’ve lived in the house for a week and we’ve had like 3 drop-in visits. I kind of like it.

The thing about the drop-in is that you just have to let go of all your pre-conceived ideas about how your house should look when company comes to visit and just deal with your visitors. Your bathroom probably isn’t clean enough – there are wet towels on the floor. Someone could build another cat out of the dust bunnies under the couch – but whatever.

I think our drop-ins felt awkward about the dropping in. I showed them around, but I know they were afraid they'd see underwear on the floor or something equally horrible. They kept saying, "Are you sure this is okay?" Dude if it wasn't - you'd never have made it in off the porch.

We’ve also started to meet some of the neighbors. They seem nice and have been pretty friendly. Our neighbor across the driveway was particularly hilarious. She “warned” us that she and her sister have 7 kids between them and they are aged between 14 and 25. She also pointed out that several have come home recently to the “compound” (her word) for summer break.

“I hate them all,” she muttered. “The oldest boy – God, he stinks.” The grin on her face let me know she was only half serious. “We go to the Cape every weekend to get away from them, they’re everywhere.”

I guess we’ve got nothing on the Kennedys.

By: Alyssa | at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | |

Is that so wrong?
I went on vacation and all I got was a bunch of unpacked boxes.

I actually look worse than before I went on vacation. I’ve been sleeping very poorly due to the giant blazing sun-filled windows around my head. I thought they were all charming – now I curse them. Must order blackout shades immediately!

And I desperately need a manicure and a pedicure. Now you may be thinking – Alyssa, why so schmancy? It’s not schmancy – I can’t find my nail clippers. Plus, after a few weeks of walking, packing, and dropping things on my feet – I should probably involve a professional.

I should note that I did get a pedicure before going to Italy. The lady was very nice – she asked me a few questions. Then she broke it down for me.

“You’re never really going to have traditionally smooth or supple feet,” she said while using something approximately like a small orbital sander on my left heel. “How much do you walk?”

“Uhm – I would say – that I keep track of…..maybe 5 miles a day,” I said.

“So you actually use your feet,” she said.

“Doesn’t everyone?” I asked.

“Probably not as much as you. So I can’t get you the world’s most beautiful feet – I can get them better,” she said. I like that she kept it real for me. I have kind of ugly feet but that’s because I walk a lot.

“And you know – that does wonder for your legs – you’ve got good legs,” she added.

Way to soften the blow.

So tomorrow, I will find someone to start scraping away the scales and general grossness – also seriously – I have freakish man claws on my hands. Then I will try to pretend like I was away from the office doing something really relaxing and fun and not scrubbing out toilets and breaking the water heater.

By: Alyssa | Monday, June 20, 2005 at Monday, June 20, 2005 | |

Two idiots with a house
Yesterday we did laundry in the new house for the first time. The washing machine has so many buttons and knobs and settings I actually felt compelled to read the manual.

So we were in the process of doing MANY loads of wash when I decided to hop in the shower as I actually had stink lines emanating from my body like Pigpen. I had hot water for a couple minutes then it gradually went tepid before turning cold.

Sensing I was in danger of getting a cold shower – I rinsed quickly. No three-minute conditioning for me.

I figured it was related to the laundry. I mentioned this to Deeps. He was suspicious – but went along with my theory. Then he tried to get hot water upstairs, no dice. No hot water downstairs either. No hot water – at all.

Now we were panicking. But we figured we’d wait it out. And we waited – still nothing. Around midnight we were officially freaking. I got out “The Book” (which is how we refer to it around the manse) and started reading up on hot water heaters. Deeps started reviewing the manuals.

Through a complicated process of elimination we determined that something must be turned off – that something stupid happened and we were likely the culprits.

Around 1 AM I found the problem – we’d accidentally turned off the “emergency” boiler on/off switch to off. It’s at the top of the stairs to the basement – we’ve been hauling dozens of boxes and bags downstairs. We must have tripped it when carrying down things for storage.

We flipped the switch, waited a moment and then heard the familiar whoosh of the boiler firing up.

“Yaay!” I cried in delirium and exhaustion.
“God, we’re such idiots,” Deeps said.
“I know – and what is worse is that we’re two idiots with a house.”

This morning we had hot water – lots of it and everywhere.

By: Alyssa | Saturday, June 18, 2005 at Saturday, June 18, 2005 | |

A cluttered world – a clear mind
Despite the current clutter on the counters and table – the kitchen is unpacked. Many of my clothes are unpacked and I’ve finally chosen a closet system – I think. Tomorrow I try to install it with my trusty assistant Handy Deeps.

He is assembling everything – the little shelves for the office closet, the new TV stand (which is pretty cool considering it is a Target purchase – it is very furniture looking) and he unpacked a lot of stuff in the office. I attacked the bedroom and kitchen with the ferocity I normally show for an all-you-can-eat buffet at the India Gardens. I made a huge amount of progress and my actual attempt at planning the space seems to have paid off a bit.

We chatted with our neighbor (on the other side of the house) and he was very impressed with our level of moved-in-ness. It’s hard to figure out when you’re going to be done. I suspect we’ll be fully done about the time we’re ready to move again. But I knew that before I bought a place. I was raised by people who putter – they always have a project. If my Dad didn’t have a project I’m not sure what he’d do.

He told me the other night when I called to ask him for some ideas about grass seed that he and Slim are going to drive across the country and come for a visit sometime in July. Sweet – I hope the guest room is free of all 300 boxes we piled in there that we’d deal with “later.” I am happy to report the guest bathroom is ready for use. The only two finished rooms are the guest bath and the half bath on the first floor. Congratulations, me.

I still have to figure out how I’m commuting to work, when the tester blackout blind arrives for the master bedroom and if we’ll ever have cable upstairs. My dreams are simple.

Oh yeah, I’ve got photos of the half-finished rooms in total disarray but I can’t find the ….oh, I found it. Enjoy.

By: Alyssa | Thursday, June 16, 2005 at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Tough Enough

Look - I'm not sure we're tough enough to live in this town. Seriously.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Finished!

The only finished room - the second floor bathroom. What you don't see is that under the sink - I have crammed the vanity full of cold medicines. Why? My question is why not.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Okay - we're totally not finished

This was once a nice place. A family with children lived here - then they sold it to us.

Labels: 2005

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Someday I'll unearth the dining table. Actually that can wait - I totally hate that thing.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

See how classy I am - I just leave junk on the bed so that I am forced to put it away before sleeping. Also - I cannot find the cool sheets or the new duvet. I think they escaped to the basement or possibly Canada.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

See - there were a lot of boxes in the kitchen before.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

My kitchen is actually unpacked. This is what is left - I have to figure out where to put 900 Swiffer WetJet pads. Note to self - don't buy any more.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Looks like we made it
I have new towels, some bath mats, a rug, blinds, and about million years of ache in my back. God, the ache.

So we made it in to the new place yesterday. It is fan-freaking-tastic. All that crap that people tell you, it is true. I was in the honeymoon phase.

Then the honeymoon ended sometime around 3:00 this afternoon when the cable guy told me that – despite the fact we’ve got cable outlets hardwired into each room – I can’t get cable to my bedroom on the third floor. He can’t find the connection – there’s just no juice.

What? Why go to the trouble of wiring all this crap in if I can’t use it? Honeymoon is officially over. Now we’re talking about whether or not we’d have some dude run the cable up to the third floor (it works – mysteriously – on the first and second). Would it hurt the resale value?

I swear to God we asked each other that question. My hair is flat and in my face and I look like I haven’t bathed in a week from all the sweat equity I’ve already logged into a place I’ve only slept in one night – and I’m asking about resale.

Please call the proper authorities.

In other news, our move took – literally – half the estimated/budgeted time (by both me and the moving people). We figured the move would be about 8 hours since we were going from a one floor 2-bed to a 4 floor 3-bed. We were all wrong. Once again the careful packing, planning and color-coded labeling saved me a ton of money.

The moving guys were very impressed, despite the fact they had to lug a bunch of stuff to our bedroom on the third floor. They also greatly approved of the house and the colors. Maybe they were blowing sunshine, but I felt it – they sang while they worked despite the tropical heat and humidity.

Now – I’m listening to the dulcet tones of the electric screwdriver as it is wielded by my husband. What he’s putting together now is anyone’s guess. My goal for tomorrow is to have the kitchen fully functional by noon and to have the living room unpacked and organized by 3.

Then I’ll take a nap.

By: Alyssa | at Thursday, June 16, 2005 | |

Breaking News: Tube tops are the new poncho

I can’t say this is a very surprising development – but it is terrible nonetheless. Tube tops are bad people – they are architecturally flawed, unflattering on most body types and did I mention structural issues? After the winter of the poncho – why suffer through the summer of the tube top. It was a bad idea in 1973 – it is a bad idea now.

Yeah. Bad.

Other fun “fad” recently spotted: fake bullet proof vests. I have an awesome idea. Why don’t I go find one of my grandmother’s old sleeveless button-up smocks with the little pockets and wear that around, except in black. That’s what they look like. I saw a dude proudly strutting down Boylston Street wearing one over his white button down shirt, with nice trousers, decent wingtip shoes and a baseball hat (sideways – yo). Maybe he was going on a job interview.

I would have hired him immediately.

Other terrifying trends: my friend Mila reports from Chicago that gauchos are huge – just like what they do to your butt. AVOID at all costs.

That is all.

By: Alyssa | Monday, June 13, 2005 at Monday, June 13, 2005 | |

This End Up

The Poopus parks it where she's relatively safe - at lest for now. We're in the final death throes of packing. We've gone all sweaty, non-verbal and animalistic. I predict by dinnertime we'll be communicating with a series of clicks and grunts.

Internets, radio-silence may commence soon. We've got to break down the computer and tear down the desk. See you on the other side (maybe sometime on Wednesday if all goes well.)

By: Alyssa | Sunday, June 12, 2005 at Sunday, June 12, 2005 | |

Like hot death
New England has winter for like 10 months. Then, apparently, we skip right into 90+ degrees and sweltering humidity. If that’s what I wanted – I would have stayed in Chicago. Summer sucks but at least I can get a decent taco.

But I digress. However, I will say that I have lost approximately half my body weight in sweat. You know when you go to the gym and work really hard for about an hour? Multiply that by like 10 hours and like 3 days – and no shower. You can see the stench wafting off of me from like 3 blocks away.

Anyway - we’re packing and packing. And now we’ve hit the point where we start to put random things in a box. Socks, a pair of boots, a camera, rolling pin, bag of rice and old phone – sure – they totally belong together.

The cat is confused but seems to be somewhat unsurprised. She’s been moved three times in three years – so I think that despite the fact her brain is approximately the size of a cashew – she’s sized up the situation. Therefore she’s found the last clear space in the house to nap in relative peace.

We ran out of boxes last night – which was unexpected – because we’re using the same boxes we moved in with 9 months ago. The new theory is that we packed things a little differently and therefore require additional boxes.

By the way, according to the weather dudes – Tropical Storm Arlene is head our way and we should have a rainy move day. That sucks, but at least it will be cooler. I suggested we wash all of our towels on Monday night to have them fresh and ready for Tuesday in case we need to dry ourselves, our stuff, or our movers.

Deeps said we should buy new towels. He doesn’t want to take the “grody” ones (aka the ones we’ve used for the past year) into the new pristine house. I told him thinking like that would mean I have to live in the driveway.

By: Alyssa | at Sunday, June 12, 2005 | |

On fire
I just finished packing the kitchen in a record 3 hours.

Did I also blow through helping a girlfriend with dating problems while sorting through and matching pans with lids? Oh yes, I did.

And did I also solve her problems (or at least point out that she could solve them) while gently packing all the dishes.

Oh yes – I did. I’m that good.

Now I smell. I think I might have some permanent marker on my face and if someone doesn’t feed me soon I’m going to start to a) cry or b) kill.

By: Alyssa | Saturday, June 11, 2005 at Saturday, June 11, 2005 | |

You have until July
That’s what I was told by an acquaintance today: I only have until July to talk about house stuff, and then I have to move on to other topics.

I guess that’s fair. But man, I’m going to have to like take up some hobbies or something. Now I’m thinking about the porcelain doorknob with the nickel finish that Deeps grabbed when I left him alone (aka unsupervised) at the Giant Box Store. I don’t know what it is for, but I shudder to think about it.

Also – it has been discerned that I may have to buy another sander. I couldn’t possibly be more excited. Belt sander or orbital? So many choices, so little time.

By: Alyssa | Friday, June 10, 2005 at Friday, June 10, 2005 | |

Room darkening vs. blackout?
I’m going to have to order some custom blinds for the master bedroom (I thought I might suck it up with the burnt sienna, but I recognize I’m not strong enough). So I ask you – should I get the room darkening or the blackout?

I am leaning towards blackout because that sounds pretty dark and that’s what I like while I’m sleeping. But room darkening is a bit cheaper and gives me slightly more color options.

Anyone have one or the other? I ask you Internets – what do I do?

By: Alyssa | at Friday, June 10, 2005 | |

I wanted bright and cheerful
God did I get it. Looking at the photos I realize the house doesn’t photograph well in low light with a blinding flash. Plus – I think my monitor colors are a little wonky.

But overall, I’m pleased. Yes - I know I'll have to repaint when we sell. But we've only owned it a week. Let me live the dream!

Since we’ve lived in lots of apartments, our furnishings tend to be pretty neutral – so the colors will help them to pop a bit more. And the neutrals help to tone down the colors. Plus I have about 19,000 pieces of art to hang.

We stuck with white trim and white blinds to keep the color scheme simple and crisp. It seems okay for now. If I hate it, I’ll paint again. I sound like someone from Weekend Warriors.

I already know there’s going to be some touch up work in the office because let’s just say some “boo boos” were made.

In other news – we’re less than a week away from the move. The painter is paid off, blinds are in, rug is ordered, and I think I might even have enough cash left over to start to furnish the basement. Or buy patio furniture.

Or better yet – buy a patio.

By: Alyssa | Wednesday, June 08, 2005 at Wednesday, June 08, 2005 | |

You'll think I'm crazy with the color

Master bed before and after - the closet (to the right) is the old color (eggshell/cream) and the walls are now a relaxing aqua color. I couldn't adore the colore more. Also - don't fret about the burnt sienna blinds. Those are going....