Stupid Table

It's all that stupid table's fault. 

It started off innocently enough with a search for white paint for the table.  Instead I stumbled upon ceiling paint.  Ceiling paint I used on the bathroom ceiling - which as I predicted led to a need for new wall paint - which as I predicted led to a need for a new toilet - which led to a need for a new floor - and new cove molding - and a new sink - and a new faucet - and a new mirror..  I don't really have a proper "before" photo but here are a couple of "after" ones:

I wasn't going to purchase a new toilet.  Peter had one stashed in the back of the garage that was salvaged out of an old home belonging to his uncle.  My first thought was, "EWWWWW.  uh.. no.  uh-uh.  I don't think so!"  Then I went out to look at it.  I had to climb over wood and spare flooring, paint cans and furniture.  I ducked under a few spider webs and walked through a few more to get to it.  I looked at it.  It was white (a plus), it was nasty-dirty (a minus), it had some nice art-deco angles to it (a plus), a dead mouse in the bowl (a minus).  We dug it out to get a better look at the beast.   Once you got past the disgusting grime and goo it was a nice piece of porcelain.    I decided it would be a fine addition to my house. 

The next day I got out the scrub brush, the rubber gloves, and a big tub of elbow grease.  I scrubbed and washed and cleaned.  I fished (literally) 6 dead mice out of the bowl.  EWW.  The bottom half of the toilet ended up looking quite clean and lovely!  Then I tackled the tank - I cleaned and scrubbed and polished.  No dead mice here!  The tank wasn't getting as clean as the bowl though and I had to scrub extra hard.  In fact I scrubbed the tank right into pieces.  Sigh.. Yep.  I broke it. 

I got a new toilet.  It has a bit of an art deco shape to it.  It's white.  There are no dead mice in it.

Of course, plumbing is not my strong suit.  Peter had his own job to do - plus this was MY project.  So the plumbing was all mine.  Whee! 

I installed the sink, breaking the P-trap in the process necessitating a run to town for a new one.  My supply line to the toilet was too short, necessitating another trip to town, repeatedly to get the right size.  And then the worst - not fastening the tank to the bowl properly causing a small geyser in my newly polished bathroom.  Sigh.   It was all eventually plumbed properly and I have a fine bathroom. 

I think my next project is going to be the second guest bedroom.  Check out the lovely vinyl floor in there.

Artsy-Fartsy

I've had such a fun week. My days have been filled with artsy-fartsy stuff.  Painting, spinning, knitting, weaving, baking and pasta making.  Hey!  I think I can turn that into a poem..

I'm living, breathing artsy fartsy
I'm following my heart, see?

from furniture, knitting and baking

to painting, spinning and pasta making

Bread that's awful, noodles to eat

A sweater to wear and a table to keep.

I don't think I will get rich with my poetry. . . or bread baking.  It is not going well at all.  I might even call it an epic fail.  After unsuccessfully making bread by hand, I retrieved my beloved bread maker from storage.  As it turns out, this is not my beloved bread maker after all, but an awful imitation.  I have made several wonderful loaves of  cement.  I'm not a quitter and I'll keep trying as long as Peter is willing to be my taste tester.  He's starting to look askance and a little bit worried when I bring him a hunk of bread and say "taste this" so I might have to resolve myself to purchasing bread from the grocery store.

The good news is that the pasta making is progressing quite well.  I purchased a pasta machine and have made some quite delightful linguini and really had fun doing it.  I think ravioli is next on my list. 

I made yarn.  Red, white and multi-colored blue.  This yarn was spun over the past few months but I didn't have a way to wind it up.  Yesterday I got a Niddy-Noddy - the perfect tool for making these fine yarn hanks.  Now I must find a suitable project for them or figure out a way to sell them.  

The sweater I'm knitting is coming along nicely.  I have the front and back done and I'm now working on the first sleeve.  I'm eager to get it done but I have so many other things to keep myself busy with.   At least it's something to do when I finally do sit down. Heaven forbid my hands aren't busy!

I have this old table.  It's been around my house from my earliest memories.  It had a horrible orange finish and a really bad repair job as well as some permanent marker marks on the top (courtesy of my children).  It stands on three legs and wobbles precariously if you set a glass of water on it.   I have been hesitant to refinish it, just in case the table turned out to be one of those rare antique heirlooms that are worth a small fortune.  I finally decided that the mass production stamp on the bottom proved that it wasn't and even if it was, the damage it has endured over the years has successfully erased any value it might have had.  Refinishing it would be just fine. 

My intent was to paint it with two colors, then use steel wool on it to reveal the under color.  You know, make an old table that already looks old, look old in a different way than it looked old before.  After careful consideration and a consult with the freighbor I decided to use a chalk paint - the end-all in this kind of furniture refinishing.  The paint was $28.00 a quart (and I needed two colors - which means two quarts) plus some specialty tools that drove the price up to about $80.00.  That means that when all was said and done my junky little table would be worth about $83.50.  I couldn't do it.  I ended up picking up a quart of mis-mixed greenish, brownish, beigeish colored paint at the hardware store for $2.50 and using some white paint I already had.  Now that's a price I can live with! 

After I put the first color on it.  I trotted out to the garage to get the white paint.  When I got into the house I discovered I grabbed the wrong paint can.  It was the textured ceiling paint we used in the bachelor pad.  What was a girl to do?  Yes - I stopped working on the table and went in and painted the bathroom ceiling.  Sometimes I think I have ADD.  I eventually found the right paint for the table and finished it up.



Of course once the bathroom's harvest gold ceiling was gone the harvest gold walls seemed to be especially uh.. harvest gold.  That paint had to go as well!  While I was at the hardware store picking out wall paint I got distracted by flooring (again.. the ADD thing?)  The harvest gold cracked and worn vinyl that's in that bathroom really is an eyesore and will only seem worse once the walls look good.  I chose really cheap white vinyl floor squares,  a temporary but adequate fix until we have time to do it properly.  And since I have to remove the toilet to put down the new floor and paint properly behind it, I might as well replace the ugly harvest gold one (with the matching harvest gold toilet seat) with a standard white one.  The sink and shower would still be harvest gold.  That could be a problem.  At least the countertop isn't gold, it's avocado geen imitation marble laminate.

When Jillian was here we worked on my studio chandelier..  The picture doesn't do it justice but what do you think?

Houseguests: The good. The bad. The ugly.

Now - which category shall I assign to which guest?  Such a tough call!

The Bad:

Spiders!  They weren't just house guests - they were clothing guests.  Somehow they got into my clothes.  Maybe there was only one that was particularly hungry - all I know is by the end of their visit I had 19 bug bites. Bites on my thighs.  Bites on my stomach.  Bites on my shoulders.  Bites on my back and Bites in places I can't mention.  I itch.  Everywhere.  My clothing and everything else (towels, sheets, etc) that touches my skin has been thoroughly laundered.  I think they are finally gone.  Ack!

The Ugly:

Monsters under the house!  They moved in a few weeks ago totally uninvited.  They run up and down the ductwork.  They have loud parties every night.  We posted an eviction notice on the crawlspace door.  Apparently they can't read and have chosen to ignore the notice.  We placed a trap under there which remains empty.  Three nights in a row we sent in the local eviction expert, Kat.  She was unsuccessful in her bid to remove the uninvited guests.  We're pretty sure our invaders are squirrels.  It's getting worse, they are moving up in the world, last night we heard them up in the attic.  Perhaps we'll escalate the retaliation and put all FIVE cats under the house at once.  That should do it.

The Good:

My daughter.  She has come for a short visit. Short visit or not, I'll take what I can get!  We drove down to Salem Saturday night to scoop her up, had a lovely Easter visit with Kyle and his bride and then got home last night.  She'll be here until Wednesday morning.  Two full days here.  It's so nice.  She and I spent the day today shopping, lunching and pedicuring.  Tomorrow it's a day of arts and crafts. I think we'll make some cookies, work on my studio chandelier, weave newspaper baskets and just hang out. Cuz we can. 

Cinderella's Sneakers

Off we went to Portland this past weekend.  As usual these days we stayed with our friends in Portland.  They keep a pace that leaves me brealthless.  They have three children and are constantly on the go.  I managed to keep myself sprinting this weekend as well.

Saturday I was oh-so-fortunate to be able to spend some time with my BFF, Jean (aka Jeanie, aka Frizzlebritches) from grade school.  There was a time when she and I were inseparable.  My mom made us matching outfits even.  Blue shift dresses, white pumps, red and white beads.  People would ask if we were sisters.  Back in the day, we shared clothes, had sleep-overs and giggled late into the night.  I think we shall definately keep in better touch - there aren't many people you can say you've known for 40 years.

Our hosts invited Peter and I to go on separate adventures with them on Saturday night.  I was invited to a charity auction called Cinderella's Sneakers Gala Event. 

The idea was to dress formal.  Black tie formal and wear fun and funky sneakers and of course be so very comfortable you're willing to donate gobs of cash to their very worthy cause.  It absolutely was a worthy cause.  The event was to help the ARC of Clark County, an organization that helps disabled children and adults.   There was a silent auction as well as a live auction. There was food and wine and dancing and lots of fancy outfits and fun sneakers.  Cheryl (my friend) promised to dance with me but we just didn't manage to find the time during the evening.  Perhaps she was really backing out on her promise or perhaps we needed a bit more wine to follow through with that activitiy.  During the silent auction I bid on a hotel spa package.  I won and now suffer slightly from bidder's remorse - I really expected someone to out-bid my very modest opening bid.  But it's a good cause and I'm sure I can find someone to join me for a luxurious night in a luxurious hotel.  I don't think I'll suffer.

While I was off dancing and dining Peter went to a cigar and cognac tasting event.  He reports that the cigar smoking lifestyle was not really for him, but he enjoyed spending time with the "fellas."

It was a fun weekend but I have to admit I'm glad to be home and ready to fluff my nest and settle in for a spell.  I have things to do here that just aren't getting done.