Monthly Archives: May 2011

Step Three is Painting the Kitchen from Hell

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Wednesday, as the contractors were putting in our countertops, I heard one of them say, “This is turning into the house from hell.”

I was afraid to go in and find out what was going on. Then one of the contractors told me that the countertops were taking longer than normal because my cabinets were 33 yrs old and warped. They were having trouble getting the countertops level. And, to add insult to injury, our hard wood floors have buckled in a few places also due to age which added to the leveling problem.

It’s hell getting old even for houses.

So, on Wednesday, the countertop guys were done at 5:00pm, the water was turned on by 5:00pm (thank goodness), the guy that hooks everything back up was done at 5:40pm and four 8th grade girls arrived at our house at 5:45pm. And, I started drinking my colonoscopy “cherry-flavored” sh*t at 6:00pm.

Instead of making dinner for the girls as planned, we ordered pizza and then Mike drove 4 giggly girls to the 8th grade dance. We were back on track.

Yesterday, we had the painters in at 8:30am to start painting, the plumber in at 9:00am to fix the broken main water valve and I had my doctor’s appointment from hell at 1:15pm.

The plumber discovered that our water main valve is so messed up that he didn’t have everything he needed to fix it – we rescheduled our appointment for next week.  We just have to hope that we aren’t in a situation where we need to shut the water off to the house (at least until June 1st). Keep your fingers crossed because at the rate we’re going anything is possible. 

Okay, for the big reveal on our kitchen:

Before

After

I haven’t had time to put our kitchen back in order, but what do you think? Much better, right?

I’m really glad we did it and I can’t wait to start cookin’ in my new space!

Step Two is New Countertops & Tissues

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Classic Stone is here right now installing my new countertops – very exciting!

And, of course, there has already been a snag. I guess that happens when your house is 33 years old (Oh, to be 33 again!). Since I’m also getting new sinks, the water valves under the sink need to be turned off. No biggie.

Well, now it’s a biggie because, of course, the water valves are too old and don’t work anymore (when did that happen, I wonder?). They need replaced which the countertop dude is ready to do, but in order to do that, we need to turn the water off to the entire house.

Dude:  Ma’am (I hate that word now), where is the main water valve to the house?

Me (thinking): Hell. If. I. Know. 

I did take him to the spot in the basement where I thought it was. He turned the valve off and then ran the sink water and convinced himself that it wasn’t it. That was my best last guess*.  

Then,

Dude:  Ma’am, do you know where your breaker box is?

Me (sensing some condescension in his tone):  Yes, I know where the breaker box is.   [I’m not a complete idiot!]

I’m a little concerned about the main water valve being turned off. Not to be too personal, but I’ve got a colonoscopy scheduled for tomorrow and I have to start taking my prepping meds at 2pm.  For all of you that have had this test or know someone who has, you know that it’s very important to have running water the house once the consumption of the meds has begun! Now, more anxiety is creeping in. I need that like I need a hole in the head!

*BTW, I finally got through to the hubs via text and he confirmed my last best guess for the location of the main water valve (Ha! Take that!).

More later . . . . . . .

Today is not going well.  Apparently the main shut off valve in the house is not working properly (the water won’t shut off completely – it’s down to a trickle) and they have had to do heroic measures to get the sinks installed. However, the guy that comes in after the installation of the sinks and countertops to make sure we have functioning faucets and such told me that he can’t say for sure that we will have running water this evening because of this broken valve (he gingerly got it to turn off enough to allow installation of the sinks, but he can’t guarantee that it can withstand more turning to get the water back on). We won’t know for a couple of hours. He doesn’t want to turn the valve until the installation of all sinks and countertops has been completed.

I need to have running water tonight! I’ve got my test prep ordeal (arghhh!) and we are having a pre-party for my daughter’s 8th grade dance. I thought we would have countertops, sinks and most of all, running water by 6pm tonight.

The contractor did set me up with a plumber that is coming out tomorrow morning to completely replace our main water valve, but that doesn’t help me tonight.

Have I told you that I had to start a complete liquid diet this morning? Yep. I’m pretty much a starving, grumpy, panic-ridden middle-aged suburban housewife on the verge of tears in front of four workmen . . . . . . G-r-e-e-a-a-t!!!

How to Set Goals & Reach Them ~ 5th Grade Style

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If you’ve been reading my posts regularly, you know that I have funny, interesting kids (at least in my opinion). They can and do say some funny stuff.  I really need to keep a journal with me at all times so I can jot stuff down as we go through our day (I’ll put that on my To Do list).

The funniest kid this week was Jack. Last night it was just me, Jack and Rachel at the dinner table and we were discussing Jack’s last Track & Field Day ever (sad face):

Me: “Jack, what are your events for Track & Field Day tomorrow?”

Jack: “Best of 10 Free Throws, Cone Quickness, Soccer Kick & the Relay. I hope that I get 5th place.”

Me & Rachel (confused): “Why do you want 5th place?”

Jack: “I need a 5th place ribbon for my set. I don’t have a 5th place ribbon.”

Me & Rachel (laughing really hard now): “Hmmmmm, Okay.”

Me (still giggling): “Hey, buddy, how about you go for 1st place and then see what happens.”

Jack: “Hmmm….Okay. That makes sense.”

I’ve NEVER heard someone say that they wanted 5th place, have you? Who says that? Well, my son apparently.

God, I love that kid. He’s a nerd through and through! I keep telling him that nerds rule the world so to keep on keepin’ on! [Bill Gates, for example.]

Today, he comes home from school and I ask him, “How was Track and Field Day today?” He says, “I got 5th place in ‘Best of 10 Free Throws’! I also got a 6th place ribbon and a Best in Class ribbon.”

I’m thinking, “Really? What are the odds? How weird is that?” The 5th place ribbon is the green one in the picture.

It’s nice to have dreams and goals and actually attain them! What’s the next goal for Jack? With one week of school left, it would be not to forget any more homework assignments for the rest of the year. I’m hopeful with this one 🙂

As a side note, I want to clarify something for all of you, from the dinner discussion last night, both Rachel and I were under the impression that he needed the 5th grade ribbon to complete the entire  ribbon set (honorable mention through 6th place). After further discussions with Jack on the subject today, I discovered that he is still missing the following ribbons: 1st, 3rd and 4th.  So, why was he shooting for the missing 5th place, when he still needed a 1st, 3rd and 4th place ribbon for his set? What’s wrong with 1st place?

As an extremely competitive person, I’m a little perplexed by his goal-setting this week. What’s going on in that 11-year-old brain of his? Hell if I know. I’m going to have to defer to his father on this one since the boy is an exact replica (down to the last molecule). Mike will be able to explain Jack’s line of thinking to me – I’m sure there is a good explanation, an ultimate plan.

Since Mike is on his annual fishing trip, I will have to wait to get the answers to my questions: “What is driving our little man? Why didn’t he want to go for the 1st place ribbon? What does this mean? Is there a bigger plan that Jack has set into motion that I can’t comprehend?”

Maybe I should just leave well enough alone. Maybe some things are supposed to remain a mystery. . . . like origin of the universe and the enigma that is my son. 🙂

Step One is Stripping

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Before Photos

Finally, we are having almost the last of the wallpaper stripped from house (check out that wallpaper!). When we bought the house back in 2001, every spot of available wall space with the exception of the downstairs bathroom, master bedroom and master bathroom was covered in wallpaper. The prior owners clearly hated paint for some reason (Maybe the fumes? Couldn’t find the right color? Not enough pattern?).

Now that the kitchen/dining area has been stripped, there are 3 rooms left: the office (it’s so hideous, but we can close the door and hide it from guests), the kids’ bathroom and the laundry room. If the office is so hideous, why haven’t we done anything with it? Well, because the office will snowball into another big project because the window treatment and carpet will have to go as well as the wallpaper. Uh. . . . .I don’t want to talk about it right now. Back to my kitchen!

Stripped

I’m so excited!! After weeks of trying to convince my husband that my vision for my (I mean our) kitchen will be amazing, it’s finally happening. We are getting new walls, new countertops and refinished hardwood floors.

I had to fight for my walls though – I wanted a warm, purplish color. Mike was really resistant – he was afraid that the paint color would be lavenderish.  I finally went out and picked out the color that I had floating in my brain (my husband would come back with samples, but they just weren’t right and the ones he picked out were freaking him out!). The color was hard to describe, but I finally found it and it has a name – Gothic Amethyst (Porter Paint).  Cool name, right? We are also considering Smoky Quartz (it’s very similar, but a little warmer). Now that Mike has seen my vision of “purple”, he’s onboard.  I just had to convince him that it wasn’t going to be lavender (yuck!).  Check out the colors on the Porter Paint Color Palette.

What do you think? Which color?

The countertops took about as long as the color – we have selected Santa Cecilia Granite  for the bulk of the countertops with Cambria Quartz – Branbury (Quarry Collection – it’s reddish brown) for the island. We will have new countertops next Wednesday and new paint next Thursday. 

I’m nervous and excited.  I hope we like it when it’s done – I spend a lot of time in these rooms! I mean, this is where the culinary magic happens! Okay, not magic, but really tasty meals 🙂

However, I guess when you consider what we have been living with, anything would be better, right?

More later…..

Mother’s Day 2011 Revisited

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This is a bit late –  I’ve been busy! We have had to be somewhere every night this week for one reason or another. My life is truly not my own anymore. When it was my own, I didn’t take advantage of it (why didn’t someone tell me?).

Anyhoo, I had a nice Mother’s Day, but it only lasted until for about 3 hours and then it was back to real life. We had a soccer game, family Mother’s Day/Birthday cookout and then a basketball game. Somewhere in there I had to make mac & cheese for the family gathering and pick up a cake. It was non-stop crazy, but we got it done.

I told Mike that we should celebrate Mother’s Day on the sunday after the real Mother’s Day so they can actually serve and pamper me properly all day long! I deserve at least one whole day (instead of 3 hours), right?

Mother’s Day did start out awesome! I got a homemade breakfast made by Maddie and Mike – french toast, fancy bacon, strawberries and coffee. This is my favorite breakfast.

I also received very thoughtful gifts – my family is really good at this. Among the CSA cookbook, Sketchers Shape-ups and hand-crafted coffee cups, my favorite gift was my handmade T-shirt ala Modern Family (if you don’t watch this show, you are missing the funniest show on TV!). Did I wear it? You bet!

However, the best gift I receive each year are the latest entries in my Mother’s Day Journal.  In 2004, Mike started this wonderful tradition of having the kids write something in this journal each year. It’s a snapshot of my kids over the years – I love this journal.

In the journal this year is a Top 10 List in David Letterman style written by my son:

Top 10 Reasons I Love Mommy

10. Laundry

9.  Driving

8. You’d watch sports with me

7. You let me watch what I want

6. Reciting the schedule

5. Cooking

4. You think I’m awesome

3. You love me

2. Fun

And, the #1 reason I love my mommy:  You’re awesome!

Isn’t that sweet? I do want to interject that regarding item #7, please interpret this as that  I suffer through yet another episode of SpongeBob Squarepants or iCarly! I have to say that #6 cracks me up too!

One of Maddie’s contributions:

Mother

Definition according to Webster:  [muTH’ er] n. A female parent.

Definition according to Kids:  [Mommy] n. A person that teaches you how to manage time; always brings you things you forgot; loves you forever; NOT your best friend!

I would include one of Rachel’s entries, but she expressed herself with drawings and not poems or lists. She expressed herself in a very artsy, cool way.

It’s nice to know how the kids really feel at least once a year! Thanks to my awesome hubby, I have it documented 🙂

I hope all of the Moms out there had a lovely, memorable day! I know that I did 🙂

 

Still Searching

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Yesterday, I read an interesting article that showed up in my Twitter feed (thanks, JS!) – This is the Worst Career Advice You Can Get. It’s posted on the blog, Resume Bear.

The title was provocative enough that I had to read it. The premise was shocking to me. But, by the end of the article, I was nodding my head. It actually gave me peace.

As you may or may not know, I’m in the 4th year of my mid-life crisis (at what age do I have to stop calling it that and just say, “crisis”?). So, this article was timely for me. It made me feel a lot better because I don’t know what I love to do. I like to do a lot of things and am pretty sure most of them aren’t career-worthy.

As a curiosity, I did order the book mentioned in the article – Do What You Are. What am I and what should I be doing? Well, I will let you know as soon as I read the book. I can’t wait to find out!

As stated in the article, “Try stuff!” That’s what I’ve been doing over the last 4 years. I’ve tried knitting, oil painting, blogging, cooking, food blogging (fogging?), kick boxing, swimming, running, etc. Now, I’m going to add another new thing to my list – drawing. 

Yeah. . . . . while in my painting class, the realization that I was severely lacking in a critical skill became glaringly clear. I really needed to know how to draw.

Take a gander at these babies ~

So, I’ve decided to learn how to draw (so I can paint better). I’ve been having a little trouble finding a beginning drawing class for my age group (they have classes for ages 10 and under). I’ve had visions of looking like Billy Madison sitting in a tiny chair at a tiny table watching 10-yr olds blow my stick-figure family drawings out of the water!

No. Thank. You.

With that image in mind, I went to my local craft store and purchased some art books for beginners, pencils and a fancy tablet of paper. I’m going to “teach” myself for a bit until I can find an appropriate class for middle-aged break-out artists like myself.

These art “things” have been sitting on the  “fancy” dining room table calling to me, “Hey, when are you gonna open us up and start drawing?” I put them there so I didn’t have to look at them – I rarely walk into the “fancy” dining room.

Why am I so intimidated? Every time I think about drawing, I’m thrown back into my 7th grade art class with Mrs. Rose. I hated art class. I was NOT good and Mrs. Rose seemed to point that out to me on a regular basis. Now, in hindsight, was she really that insensitive? Probably not. But, my insecure 12-year-old self interpreted her comments that way. You know how certain memories stick with you?

Okay, I’m drawing my Camaro using the grid process to do so. Do you know what I mean?  You rip a picture out of a magazine and using a ruler, make grid on the picture with quarter-inch squares and then you transfer your picture to a large piece of paper with a corresponding grid – do you remember doing that? I hated that project! I thought art was tedious.

Well, to make a long story short, I drew my car which I was really proud of (it actually looked like the Camaro in the picture)! She came around to my desk and . . . . . . shot me down (I can still recall this event vividly). You see, the sun that I had drawn on the horizon was “too childish and immature-looking” (see top part of the reconstruction). I needed to make it look more “artistic and modern” (see bottom part of the paper). Ummmm….. “What about my awesome car which was the whole point of the freakin’ project?”  Not a word about my car. I thought art was subjective and up for interpretation – an open-ended question with no right answer. Apparently not.

It was that day in the year of our Lord 1978 that I decided that I hated art class and anything to do with art. In my childish brain (I was twelve), it didn’t matter what I did, apparently I wasn’t good at it. That’s when I turned to and found comfort in numbers, equations and mathematics. There was only one right answer and 99% of the time I knew how to find it.

Note to Self: Be careful what you say to your children, it can make a serious impact. I try to remind myself every day.

So, back to the present. I’m trying to break out of my insecure 12-year-old self trapped in a 45-year-old body and do some drawing! Last night I finally got the courage to break out my supplies and start sketching. I read the first chapter of one of the books and, as instructed, looked at the pictures of the model tulips, put pencil to paper and Voila! A tulip was born!

You are witness to my first sketches since 7th grade art class. Behold!

Only reassuring and artistic-talent-confirming comments and opinions please. I’m still a little fragile. Of course, the hubs and the kids “said” that the sketches were “good” and “not bad”. I have a good support team.

I’m supposed to sketch about 20 minutes a day – practice makes better (I can’t say perfect in this scenario). It’s hard to find that much free time (I’m supposed to be working out 30 minutes a day too), but I’m going to make an effort.

Here’s to breaking out and trying new things!

The 2011 Poetry Cafe – Oh, Snap!

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Can I say that kids are amazing? They are really quite capable of doing more than we give them credit for.

This morning I attended the 2011 Poetry Cafe held by my son’s class. Each of the students worked in a group of 2 to 5 kids to perform an established work and then each student individually read an original work. As in the tradition of Poetry Cafes of the 60s, we snapped in appreciation instead of clapping after each performance. Very cool and hip.

By the way, the poetry created by these kids was really, really good (they are 10 & 11 yrs old!) and they deserved all of the snaps!

The following work is an original poem by Jack.  He did not perform this particular work this morning, but it is my favorite from his poetry book (see above) that he has been keeping since 4th Grade (all of the students in his class do this).

Self Poem

by Jack / Sep 22, 2010

My skin is like a ghost, pale and drifting.

My eyes are like the ocean, calm, blue and green.

My eyelashes are thick and ink black like a crow’s feathers.

My smile is like a daisy, it brightens people up.

My heart holds a happiness that burns inside me like a roaring fire.

I live in a steakhouse and eat everything. 

**SNAP-SNAP-SNAP**

I don’t remember doing cool stuff like this when I was in grade school! Do you?

I’m really glad I was able to attend this morning. It was a real treat.