Stuff

I've been keeping myself busy still painting the house. I will continue to work at it until it is all done.


Husband looked at the rooms I have finished and commented that he really liked the color. "It looks like butterscotch but with a hint of gray in it." I have to agree and the cream colored trim also has just a hint of gray in it and compliments the paint color gloriously. It's a beautiful warm color that is inviting. My house seems to really like it.


All the rooms except for the great room will have crown molding, so now that I'm starting the great room, I will have to be seriously careful about the ceiling lines.


Friday the doors to the master suite are supposed to come. These were custom made because of a french door in the bedroom that opens to a secluded deck that I have set up to accept a hot tub should I ever decide to put one in. The interior door into the suite interfers with that lovely french door, so it's out with the hinderence and the custom doors should not interfer at all with the french door, nor the laundry closet in the hall.


Today I painted the wall of windows in the dining area. That's all that needs painted on that wall since what wall is there is stone. So, now I will start the short wall between the wall of windows and the fireplace, including the french doors that lead out to the main deck and patio.


I've called my mother a couple of times this week, all at different times. To me she is sounding very weak and tired. Then I found out that they gave her medicine that she wasn't reacting to very well and no one bothered to notice. When they finally realized it, they did take her off that medicine but they never started her on the regular medicine that she takes for her lupus. She is continuing to fail and will do so until they start up the meds for her lupus again. This hospital is really getting on my nerves. Believe me, they don't want to see me and my sisters.


Today, my niece Rachel, her husband, my mother's husband and the baby went to see her. Before she got there for the afternoon visit, sister Lori gave her a call and asked that she inquire as to why Mother wasn't getting the medication she needs and to make sure the hospital knows that we are all keeping tabs on them, even with 1400 miles of distance between us. Rachel did say that she would inquire and let us know what the answers were to our questions. We are now waiting to hear.


It's been unusually cold here for the past week. On the way to the grocery mart today, I watched a group of kids ice skating on the pond. I remember doing that on a pond near my parents house when I was a kid and I enjoyed watching the children as they skated and played. It was truly a Norman Rockwell moment. It actually looked like one of his paintings where the kids were ice skating and one was on a sled in the middle of the pond. Do you know that one? It was the sled that really made an impression on my mind and when I saw that sled at the exact spot on this pond as the sled in that painting, it too made the same impression. It was almost De-ja-Vu.


All in all it was a good day. I will now make dinner - ham steak with rolly-polly potatoes sauteed with parsley and pepper and greenbeans. Then I will have to start to tape off my wall so I can paint the trim as the week goes on and hopefully start the wall color next weekend. The house is far from done, and I'm hoping to start the master bedroom very soon. I will start with the closet since Husband is about ready to start building the closet organizer. Then I should want to move on to the rest of the bedroom so I can choose the new carpet when the times comes.

Update on Mother

Mother is now out of SICU and in another room. At least this one has a phone in it. Now her doctors are suspicious that she has an infection. I thought it funny that when my sisters and I called after her on Thursday, she was still in SICU after a week and the very next day moved into another room. It makes me wonder if we call again, if her infection will mysteriously disappear.


It also makes me wonder how much bullshit her nurse was trying to feed us. The story we got from her and the story we got from Mom's husband, Ralph, were completely different. Now, granted, Ralph is no doctor, but baby sister, Cindy, is.


If Mom does have an infection, it is suspicious that she might have gotten it from the hospital. She didn't have it before she went in there. Sister, Lori, and I are debating on whether we want to go down there or not. We'll wait and see how Mother fairs in the next few days. Maybe Cindy will join us if we go. If that happens, the hospital better take this time to make sure all the eyes are dotted and the tees crossed in all the paperwork.


That's all the news to report right now.

More on Mother

Last evening I called the hospital where my mother is staying. Since there are no phones in the patient's rooms, I spoke to her nurse. It appears that this hospital does put surgery patients in SICU right after surgery and with my mother's condition and age, it was taking her a bit of time to recover. Of course this frightened the family.

I liked Mother's nurse right away and we chatted a little, talked about my mother some, and this nurse was very informative, not leaving anything out as well as being patient will all my questions. She told me that she was hoping that my mother was moved into a general room in the AM, this morning and that she was doing quite well now, was chatty and a pleasure to be around. This nurse also told me that there was a good chance Mom might be going home by Friday. We chatted a bit more and I found out that this nurse was a Florida transplant, originally coming from Pittsburgh. We exchanged pleasantries and holiday wishes before I hung up.

I will be calling my step-father this evening to see how Mother is doing. If she was moved, he is probably the best person to speak with to get information about where she is and her phone numbers. I will probably be posting an update a bit later.

Today's Emergency

Christmas Eve my mother went into the hospital with a very serious case of diverticulitis. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diverticulitis/DS00070 Today she had surgery to remove the infected part of her bowl. She came out of the surgery good, but then became unresponsive. She is now in SICU and they won't let any of the family there in to see her. Once again my blood pressure rises.

This is all I know right now. I hope to know more later this evening.

A story

Though this was not meant to be a Christmas present, it came at Christmas this year.

Almost 7 years ago I decided to retire my 20 year old Kirby vacuum. It was a big heavy upright vacuum that was very powerful and when I used it I actually felt that my house was clean. It had all the attachments as well as a carpet shampooer. Yes, I like this vacuum or I wouldn't have kept it for 20 years. The vacuum before was a Hoover canister that lasted me all of two years before I gladly sent it packing.

My Kirby was old and well beat up. I used it for cleaning things like the outside mat, the attic that was full of debris and just about anything I wanted to clean as well as the carpets and wood floors in two homes that I owned. It was big and heavy and the furniture zip didn't work anymore (that was the second one I had used to death) and the beater brushes were dying (again, the second beater I had used to death). Just about every 5 years I was replacing the hose on it. Actually, I really liked that machine. I liked how it cleaned and with two cats and a Newfoundland dog, I needed that machine. My house always looked and smelled clean.

When we moved into this home, I decided it was time to retire the Kirby. The hose had a hole in it again, the furniture zip wasn't working and hadn't for some time, and I couldn't find another one to fit my machine. The power beater was almost dead. We took a trip to the local vacuum cleaner store and I told the salesperson what I wanted. I wanted a light weight upright vacuum that could just as easily keep up with hardwood floors as well as carpets. I told them I really liked my Kirby but it was getting harder and harder to find replacement parts. I also wanted one of those new bagless models thinking it was less likely that I would lose power as the bag became clogged. They insisted on a Meile canister machine. My first reaction was "NO" because first and foremost I wanted an upright vacuum. They insisted it was the best on the market and I would love it.

Well, with all the pets now gone except for one cat and the carpet being brand new, the Meile worked fine for a couple of years. Then Bratley came to lived with us and I found the canister to be exactly what I thought it would be. It was OK before but now it was proving to be not what I wanted. Still, I didn't want to spend the money on another vacuum. So I lived with it and did extra cleaning to try to keep up with things. Then Tootsie came to live with us. Now the Meile was proving itself to be totally unable to cope with all the pet hair and dander. My house smelled and looked dirty even after spending a day cleaning. I felt cruddy and dirty after spending the day cleaning.

This is when I started seeing the Dyson Animal advertised. It looked interesting, it claimed to be maneuverable and also laid claim to do wonders with animal hair. Still, the price kept me from taking the leap. The Meile just simply had to do. So one fine day, I came home from work to find, sitting in the bedroom a Dyson Animal with it's canister full of animal hair and dander. Husband said he was it on sale and had to get one. Then he told me that the animal hair and dander in the canister was just a light vacuum of the bedroom only. The room actually smelled clean and the carpet looked about 5 years younger. It came with all the attachments including a furniture zip brush that I missed so much; the Meile didn't have one.

It is so nice having a house that feels clean again! We used this Animal 3 times in the past week and I think we're finally getting ahead of the dander and hair. The house smells fresh and I can see that the carpets really don't need shampooed. I haven't seen them look this clean in years. I may even decide to keep carpet in the bedroom and office.

http://www.dyson.com/store/product.asp?product=DC17-ANIMAL

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's a quiet day here today. Just me and my husband busy doing absolutely nothing. The day is beautiful. He's outside washing the cars and I spent a good bit of the afternoon lingering in the garden mostly just inspecting my plants, making sure everything has survived the ice storms this month and that all are looking strong and healthy. All but one, anyway. I see a mess come March when it's time to prepare for the spring but that will come when it comes. Right now, it's a pleasant day and a holiday and we plan on enjoying it just doing things we love to do. I even got a nap! How about that!

I did make phone calls to the family. My mother's Christmas could be better. She's in the hospital 1400 miles away. Right now she's not feeling the best, but there is family near her and they were on their way to visit as I talked to her. So she hasn't been alone. My other sisters have been calling her as well. Everyone else has their special plans for the day.

Husband got me two gardening journals and both are an absolute treasure. One is a 1-year Pennsylvania garden journal with plenty of places to scotch tape pictures of my garden; a vendor area for plants that I am planting new in 2009 and a weekly journal to keep account of all the plants and how they perform. I've been keeping this journal every year since 2002 when I started this garden. The other is a 5-year journal with a place for vendors, new plants and a brief update on the week and how plants performed. There is also a lot of room for pictures of the garden as the weeks and months change it. He got a couple of flannel shirts to keep him warm over the winter.

So far the day has been quite lovely and restful. Isn't that what holidays are for? Husband does work tonight. This will be a regular shift for him. He doesn't mind though. The paper pays well for those who work holidays. We just posponed our holiday celebrations until the weekend. All is well and fine. I hope everyone has a joyous holiday.

Winter in this area can be a wonderland. I love winters here just as much as spring summer and fall. The only difference is driving the other three seasons is much better. Not having to drive in the weather conditions we have here would be a plus.

Still, the scenery is breathtaking.

I do have two 4x4, having finally (after 12 years) sold the Sebring. Husband finds it nice not to have to clean off the truck or car before leaving for work in inclement weather. That was just another plus to doing what I did with the cars. This way we keep both cars in the garage which is nice for both of us.

If you recall I often mention the toad pond behind my house. In this earlier photo, my property lies about 1000 yards off the right of the picture. This is a manmade drainage ditch for the homes on the mountain that aren't built yet. This pond is one of about 4 on this side of the mountain. Something happened here and it is no longer a drainage ditch, but an actual pond. It is a watering hole for the many deer and other wildlife as well as a stop over for the geese, herons and ducks. Toads and frogs live here year round now and the eagles and hawks watch this spot closely. Swampy and unusable for crops or development, this area which is about 2 to 3 acres is left wild for the creatures of this area. There is another within 1000 yards of my house but that one isn't as nice as this one. It hasn't filled with water but is still a bit swampy and supports all the swamp vegetation that provides so much food for the small song birds here. There is a third one in the woods about a half mile from my house and this one is just beginning to fill up with water. That one so far seems to be clear of overgrowth and will probably remain a water pond. Thr 4th is just over a 1/4 mile and is a pond where you can often see geese and ducks. That one is filled with mostly bull frogs and supports bull rushes as well. All four ponds do seem to have all the proper natural cleaning and filtration. Underground water seems to flow freely into them and they drain into one of the many rills all over this mountain. There were also manmade filtration systems installed. They are all beautiful spots to visit.

I get all kinds of insects and wildlife in my garden and now you see why. Deer bed down right behind my herb fence at the back of the property. I get fox, opossum, skunk, badger, mice, groundhogs, snappers and a whole variety of beings wandering through the garden. Some of them stop for a bite (rabbits!), but most of them don't.

The earth has taken over something that man has created and challenges man to take it back, but the residence of this neighborhood enjoy the wildlife on this mountain and are willing to give these 3 acres back to the earth.

I went and did it now!

We're always doing something around here. For some reason we just find it hard to sit still.

It all started when we got a note from GM about the Canyon. In the note they boldly stated that they wouldn't honor the contract we signed when we leased the truck and that we were to take it back to the dealer at the end of the lease (coming up) and turn in the keys. None of this made much sense to me. But then, in the contract, they were supposed to move the lease into a buy without changing anything like payment and such and I guess they decided that they weren't going to do this any longer. But still, it was enough to make someone very angry.

We went to the dealer because they said they had an Envoy SE, certified used, for about the same price as the value of the truck. I really had my doubts but we went to look. I questioned Husband about it because it would mean giving up the truck with the pickup bed, the insurance on it and the high cost of registration. But he really liked that truck and it did serve some purpose. It was Husband's decision if he wanted to keep the truck or get another car. The Envoy is an SUV but it still won't haul some of the really big stuff we've hauled with the pickup. He decided that we could live without the pickup since we have most of the really big, heavy and dirty stuff we get delivered anyway.

When we bought the truck, we had to consider that it was new and that the other cars we had were older. I've been telling Husband that if I buy another car, I wanted a certified used one since we don't drive our cars hard, keep all the maintenance up on them, etc. It wasn't worth taking the huge hit on depreciation for the way we used them.

So we went to the dealer. When we got there, I told them where I stand with this, that I was angry about it and I didn't want a car salesman breathing down my neck about it. We went in with a print out of the contract we signed when we bought the Canyon, a print out on where the Canyon was as far as mileage, etc. and a print out of possible loan for buying it should we want to, including interest. I also told our salesman that I would leave that day without buying anything and if he wanted to sell a car, he'd better not give me a hard time about it. I am a car salesman's nightmare.

We looked at the car. We test drove it. It was nice, heavy, solid, missing some knobs to make some of the features work which I showed to the salesman when we returned. It was rather plain, without fanfare or bling. That was OK. It would sit outside anyway, so we didn't need the bling.

Then looking around we found a very nice looking (the color was perfect) Envoy Delani, same year as the SE, almost the same mileage but it was priced several thousand dollars more than the SE. But I wanted to see that one too. We took it for a test drive. It drove a little nicer than the SE since it had a larger engine. It had all the bells and whistles and bling you could want. It did seem like a bit much for what we were looking for, but I liked this car. It was pretty, classy and in a different category than the other one.

We talked to the salesman a little bit more when we got back and decided we needed time to think about this. We left the dealership and decided to go to the market while we thought about it. It was there that I came up with the unthinkable.

I presented to Husband the idea that we trade in the Canyon (since we didn't seem to have a lot of choice there) AND my 12 yr. old Sebring on the Delani. This was an option that just blew Husband out of the water! He figured I really liked the Delani to want to trade in that Sebring. I bought that car out of the showroom all those years ago and have really liked it and I've never gotten tired of it. It is a good running car, well kept, and still in perfect showroom condition.

Still, the Sebring is 12 years old and the possibility of it beginning to cause problems is very real. Our third car, or the workhorse, is a 2000 Cherokee Sport we found. This car is now kept in the garage since it fits better than the Canyon. We bought this one to replace an old Wagoneer that was beginning to show it's seriously old age and was falling apart around us when we tried to drive it. The floor on the driver's side was gone, the engine was beginning to need expensive repairs but the day I decided to drive the Wagoneer and everything went with me except the entire exhaust system, it was time to replace it.

Since we have a tendency to keep our cars until they literally fall apart, buying a new one on a lease wasn't a really good idea. This Delani would be a nice choice since it was fairly new, low mileage, certified with a very good warranty and it was a buy - no mileage restrictions, insurance would be discounted as well as the price of the car. Trading in the Sebring (same as cash) as well as the Canyon could hopefully bring the dealer's price to where we could easily afford it. The Delani was also a step up and wouldn't be an embarrassment. The Sebring, in it's day, was top-of-the-line with all the bells and whistles of the day. I wanted a replacement that had the same quality as the old one, if I decided to trade. Remember, that Sebring was what I wanted when I bought it and I've never gotten tried of it. This trade would also bring down the price of insurance, inspections, registrations, etc, and all our cars would fit into our garage. I like that idea too.

Right now, I have the Delani in the garage to drive it for a week before taking it back to the dealer to finalize the deal. They have my Sebring. We will drive around the Delani, get used to it, etc. We've already found that it does indeed fit in the garage (very important!). I'm pretty sure right now that we will buy this car. I really like it and it has everything except for the TV. That I really don't need.

A project in earnest

A few weeks ago we started a large project in earnest. Painting the house. About a year ago (summer of 07) we remodeled the bathroom into a bathroom that I wanted from the start. With that finished, I had to paint. So I pasted a whole bunch of sample on the walls while the guys finished the construction and spent evenings just looking at the samples. When I finally decided, I chose two shades of taupe. In the end I really like the color I chose for the walls but not the trim.

When I decided that the entire house needed a face lift, I wanted paint the same color or very close to the same color I used in the bathroom. However, the paint I used in the bathroom wasn't the paint that I like best. So I had to choose a color that matched as closely as possible.

Since I like Benjamin Moore paints, I went with a lovely Broken Arrow color, a medium taupe for the walls and a nice cream color for the trim which I liked much better. I chose these colors because they were close to what I wanted and also matched the ceiling paint called Kitten Whiskers.

For the kitchen I wanted something a little different. I had a nice wallpaper on those walls that resembled a sponged look. I liked that for my kitchen but Shalimar didn't like the paper and kept ripping it off. So we removed the paper and painted the exact same thing back on using the colors I had chosen. The only thing to be done to the finished wall is the ceiling border paper that will tie this in with the rest of the house. I cannot put crown moldings in the main part of the house because of the cathedral ceilings. So this wall will get the border paper to even out the top line.

So far we've been doing good with working on the painting. Other than the border, the finished walls in the kitchen are sponged nicely (one project piece complete). The all (except for the laundry closet doors) are all painted including the trim (another project piece complete).

Now, the question is, do I paint the kitchen wall against the garage? Now that's a tough one. It will need to be done as it is part of the house. The problem is, it is also 16 feet high at the peak.

Then there is also an artwork hanging there that will need to be brought down. This Divan was put there when we first moved in and hasn't been touched since. I wouldn't want to be the person responsible for taking it off that wall! The thing weighs over 50 pounds and has been bolted to the wall, straight through to the attic wall and supported on two different joist. It's a beautiful piece and fits there so nicely it's almost like we built the house around it. But to do this job it will need to be taken down, the wall painted and it replaced to it's original spot.

Getting up there to paint that will will be a feat as well. But once we get this wall as well as the wall at the opposite end of the public area, I will be happy. I'm simply happy we're not painting this ceiling which is why I had the house painted the Kitten Whiskers when we built. I simply didn't want to have to try and paint that ceiling. And I still don't.

With further thinking about the project again today, I've decided that I would like to sponge the guest bathroom. We should have enough glaze and wall paint to do that room too. I don't have the crown molding there yet, but that shouldn't stop us from painting the room and get it ready for the crown molding.

So I think the order I will continue with is to finish the moldings in the kitchen. There's only one door and two very short baseboards there. I can do that in an hour or so. Then move into the guest bathroom and do the trim and the walls since the whole thing will get a good shot of the same color. Then put on the darker sponged glaze. Since we're doing this on weekends only, it might be a few weeks until we get it done. But it will get there.

The crown molding should be easy to save up for. It's the hardwood floors and closet organizer that will cost some bucks and I will have to put away for that. Since both those items are for the bedroom suite, the bedroom will have to wait until I can afford the wood floors. The organizer will also cost some bucks. I saw the perfect one for my closet at a True Value today. Of course, Bob will build it but I will have to go look at it again so I can sketch it and take it home to see how it will fit in my closet and give him a plan. The closet will also get painted the house colors, but it will not get the crown molding.

I have the border paper for the kitchen, but I won't put it on until the paint has had a few weeks to cure. I don't want to put it on to early should we ever decide to remove it for something we like better.

We will do what we can over the winter but when spring comes, we'll be outside taking care of the garden. I'll see how far we get. We'll just keep working at it until it's done. The house is screaming for a new color. The color it is was nice in our other house, but not this one. The warm taupe and cream trim seem to be the ticket for this house. There are just a few areas where we need to be really brave.

Shalimar's new lease on life

Tootsie

Shalimar is doing very good now. It was a long, scary 5 weeks, but I think she is back on track and maybe even a little better than that.

I has to visit the vet's office yesterday to get more of her asthma meds, but I didn't take her along. Instead I did talk to the vet and told her about everything I was doing to help this cat and that she has finally improved enough to set up an appointment for her annual shots. Dr. DaLuca read through the book that I'd taken with me, listen to what I was saying and said that I obviously did something right that Shalimar had made such good progress. She also said that she's never used any alternative medicines before so this was interesting.

Today, Shalimar was coughing here and there. A dry cough and usually only one at a time. There has been no sneezing from her in over two days now. Her eyes are back to normal and she's been quite visible. The past two nights she's been sleeping in the bed with me. She's also been up to her usual attitude around Tootsie - "I'm the Bombay. I'm the beauty. I'm the boss."

She is definitely feeling better.

What do you think?

If you saw this picture of this rose and were in the market for a rose, would this picture make you want to investigate this rose a little more? Personally, being a rose lover and especially liking the polyanthas, this rose would definitely tweek my interest.

It actually did tweek my interest and this rose is in my garden. It is more than lovely, it is exquisite.

Pet Issues

Well, Shalimar is still sick. Can you believe this? However for the past week or so, I've had her on her aminophylline for her asthma and as a treat after taking the pill, I've been giving her about ¾oz. of moist cat food laced with stabilized oxygen (vitamin O). After about 7 days, she is showing stong improvment. She still has episodes of coughing and sneezing and snotty nose, but they are becoming fewer and farther apart and not as stong. For the past two days she's even played with Tootsie, becoming bolder each day.

If she doesn't continue to improve, I will be taking her back to the vet and see about something stronger for her asthma. I really don't want to do that. I would really like to see the stabilized oxygen begin to take over handling her condition and get her off the drugs. But right now that simply can't happen.

I want this bought with this asthma over soon, for her sake as much as mine.

More on Shalimar

It's been three weeks now and Shalimar is still sick.  She's been to the vet now three times as well as the pets emergency.  She still has horrible stifling sneezes and coughs almost constantly.  It is now time to think outside the box.

I read up on everything I could find about asthma in cats and found that she is having a severe asthma attack that even though the underlying infection is gone, her asthma has not eased with that.  This, apparently, isn't unusual.  So the question is, what to do about the asthma.  Steroids do work, but they will stress her already challenged immune system.  Besides, getting a pill down this cat's throat is almost impossible.  And fighting with her for 45 minutes stresses her out even more.

My niece sent me a book about alternative medicine for pets and I'm thinking this is worth a try.  The book that quotes several well known vets, had a chapter in it about asthma in cats and what might help.  So I'm going to try stabilized oxygen which is what is suggested.  I found some at the local GNC store and will add one drop into her tiny amount of canned cat food that I've been feeding her to help beef up her calories.

Shalimar has been due now for her annual vaccinations, but because she's been so sick, I've held off getting them.  If this works, I will take the bottle of stabilized oxygen along with me when we go for her annuals and I will then discuss this with my vet.  

My fingers are crossed.

What a Week!

Now with Shalimar on the mend (finally), this week off work I was able to turn my attention to other things. Last month I determined that I wanted to change some things about the bedroom wing. We started by hiring Dan Emery to come and put up some crown molding in the bedroom, bathroom and the hall in the east wing. I had also determined that since Shalimar doesn't like wallpaper, we would remove the wallpaper from the kitchen and do a paint wash.

Well, Friday, Dan came and put up the crown molding. He was one of the few people we hired to work in the house that actually impressed me. His work was accurate and quick. He was in and out in an hour and I have no complaints. He did offer to do the painting for me too, but I do enjoy that so.

With nearly the entire day left after Dan had gone, we went to the paint store. I had in mind what I wanted since spending last vacation at the paint store trying to find just the right paint. I wanted a gallon of the trim color, Benjamin Moore Pearl Finish, #1024 Tucson Winds. This is used for the trim in the pictures as well as the base coat for the kitchen wall. I also got a quart of #1026 Broken Arrow, again in the pearl finish as well as a quart of glaze. My main purpose for this paint was for the kitchen, but I also wanted to start the trim. The bathroom was where I decided to do the trim since the wall color, though not the Broken Arrow, was nice enough to stay. I was really curious as to how the trim paint would blend with the rest of the paint. I was not disappointed.

I'm taking my time doing this painting. Yesterday I did the crown molding and the picture window above the tub. I was using the tub and a stool and wanted to get off of it asap. I was planning on doing the other window today, but it was such a beautiful day I decided to work in the garden instead. I bought some plants for the last flowerbed at deep discounts and got them into the ground. I got three white saliva for $.75 ea, a 2 gallon daylily I'd had my eye on all summer for $10 and a miniature lilac (Tinkerbell) for $3. I also got a bunch of tulip and daffodil bulbs that weren't on sale. Also in that bed will be another miniature lilac that I must move or lose (Josie) and two roses, one of which is another that I must move or lose, Frimbriata and Red Rose of Lancaster. I will have Bob move all these plants soon, as I am expecting my new little Sourwood tree to make it's arrival in the next few weeks. I will also want a beauty berry but that may not come until spring.

Oh, BTW, we did wash the wall under the kitchen bar. We figured that until we knew what we were doing with color washing, this would be the best choice. It turned out great! It looks very much like the wallpaper we took off. At least there are no seams now that Shalimar can loosen and run through the house with, leaving big gaping rips behind. This always reminds me of when I was a kid. We had two family cats, Marvin and Willy. We had also just moved into a house my parents built. Mom had just had the walls papered. When I would return home from school, I'd find Willy hanging on the wallpaper at the ceiling. He'd see me and slide down the corner, taking long strips of wallpaper with him. Mom was not pleased. She kicked him outside where he lived for about 2 weeks before getting smashed by a car. He had a short life.

Tonight for dinner is Italian meatloaf. Yum. But I'm also trying a new recipe out of my recipe book I got for my birthday. The other night I made the beef barley soup which was fabulous! Tonight I'm going to try the brown sugar oat muffins and serve them with dinner.

More about Shalimar

Shalimar went to her regular vet this evening. It turns out that she has a severe sore throat. This is what has been keeping her from eating and drinking. The antibiotics have helped some and this morning I took her into the bathroom while I took my shower. The humidity really seemed to help her.

When I got her home from the vet, we changed her eating to soft cool food and ice water. She was one hungry, thirsty kitty. I'm to keep her on the antibiotics for the duration but my vet thinks she should be eating her regular food in a day or two. But appears now that she will get better.

What Kind of Emergency Room is this???

It started last evening around 5PM. I noticed that Shalimar seemed to have the hiccups. She gets the hiccups a lot, having to do with her asthma. However, this time they didn't go away in the few minutes they usually do. I began to worry.

This morning, she still had the hiccups and now she could neither eat or drink. The more she moved, the worse they became. By 8am, I simply became scared and decided to take her to the pet emergency. She fought me horribly as I tried to put her in the crate. She seemed strong, but I was afraid that if I left this go, it could get worse and if she became to weak, she may not be able to rebound. So off we went to the emergency.

We were there for three hours. They gave her the works...blood, X-rays, the entire nine yards. They told me her asthma was constricting her breathing, but that she also seemed to have an infection too. They put her on an asthma control as well as an antibiotic and sent her home with a hefty price tag. It seems that pet emergency hospitals are just as expensive as people hospitals without the benefit of insurance. I'll try not to take her back there. Besides, it's just to far away.

Now, she's acting like a little snit. She ran under the bed when we got home and hasn't come out yet. Well, if that's how she wants it. Of course, Tootsie is worried and keeps going into the bedroom to stare at her from across the room. I figure when she gets hungry enough and thirsty enough, she'll come out. But here's the problem. I need to give her medicine this evening and if she stays under the bed, it will be nearly impossible to get her out.

She is still sounding not right, though the "hiccups" do seem to be less. I will be taking her to my vet tomorrow. Oh, she's going to LOVE that! But what must be done, must be done. At least the emergency clipped her nails so she wouldn't nail them. They did tell me she was sporting daggers.

Website Updating

http://www.geocities.com/jsaurbaugh/byjuliesdesignindex.html

I've been updating my card website. This has been keeping me busy for the past few days and will continue to do so into the near future. Check it out. I've been mixing my new cards in with the old so you will have to hunt for them.

I did take note of my prices and am happy to report that the pricing hasn't change yet.

The Destruction of a Tree

Yesterday morning I was getting ready to leave for the office when I happened to look out into the back yard. Everything looked good except for the Sweet Gum tree that took such a long time and consideration before I bought it. This tree also housed those wonderful Orchard Orioles that are rare in this area. Their nest is still there waiting for their return.

I swapped my shoes for boots so I could go out in the dewey grass to see what was going on with this tree. I was appalled when I got there. All the bark on the trunk from about 6" above the ground to about head high was laying on the ground in strips and dust. The ground around it was churned up with some imprints the size and shape of a deer.

I had to be at work, so I left Husband a note to get in touch with our tree guy and ask about this. He returned the call in the evening so I got to talk to him. He said that if this would be any tree but the Sweet Gum, he would say the tree is a goner. However, the Sweet Gum is an ancient and very strong tree and there is a chance, though it be quite slight, that it might survive this rubbing. He told me to protect it from more rubbing and wait until spring to see if the tree survives. If it leafs out in the spring it will surely live. He also told me to protect any other trees with a less than 3" diameter trunk from rubbing. Apparently there is a buck in this area that has decided that my property is in his territory and killing my trees is his way of proving it.

OK, if this is to be a territory battle, I'll show him who owns what here. Where's my gun! At this point, those big boys around here with the 16 point racks don't impress me, especially the one who attacked my tree! But the idea of venison in the freezer does impress me.

I can only wait to see how and if this Sweet Gum survives the winter. In the meantime, today, Husband will be going around caging all our smaller trees until they get to big for the deer to want to rub. We did put coyote pee on all those yesterday to protect them until today. My back yard smells awful!

More On the Bedroom

Last year I had all this work done to the bathroom. Now, I want to finish the entire suite including the flooring, paint, trim, and closet. That's a lot of finishing.

I want to put up a crown molding in the bedroom and am seriously considering a wainscoting as well. I want to get new baseboard that is 6" high instead of 3½". There will be a new oak floor in the room as well. There's a problem with the floor. The flooring we put in the rest of the house is no longer available, so we will have to find another floor very similar. Finding the natural oak is easy, but the manufacturer no longer carries that type of floor. Right now I'm leaning toward a Bruce plank floor about the same thickness. My next time off the job, we'll be heading some distance away to Lumber Liquidators to see what flooring they have. Yes, this will turn into quite a search before we finally find what we are looking for. Then installation will have to wait until we have other time off the job.

I want tile flooring for the bathroom and a new vanity. Then the bathroom will be considered finished unless I decide I want to paint it again.

Last but not least, I want that bedroom closet redone. I want an organizer (a nice one) fitted in so that there is no mess or junked up floor. It is a beautiful, very large closet that is a mess right now. Husband is having a conniption right now because of the price of the organizers I'm looking at. This is my house and I want it the way I want it.

After all this, I want to finish the rest of the house, probably with the same paint colors. The girl at the paint store did give us an idea for the kitchen which will probably be done almost first. We want to color wash the one wall in there and the half wall under the bar. She said we could use our chosen colors to do this with just the cost of a glaze to mix in.

I'm excited about getting started on these projects.

Let's Talk About Paint

OK, now that summer has turned into autumn and the garden is on it's down side for the season, it is time to get ready for the winter projects that will help wile away the hours until spring. This winter, I'm planning on redecorating the bedroom.

"Oh, you say. But you've only been in that house for almost 7 years." Yes, this is true, however, when I first built this house the paint color was one I loved in another house. In this one, it looks drab and gray. It's also been almost 7 years since the 5 yr. carpet was put in and it really needs to come out! The carpet in my office smells like dirty dog and yes, I want it out of here!

So, we are now looking around to see what we can do and can't do with the master suite. I want that room done first since I spend a good deal time. Besides, I already have the new bedroom ensamble.

I have picked out the paint colors which involved two trips to the paint store for paint samples and chips. I think I've finally figured out which colors I want for the bedroom. Of course, the paint will be from a line of the Benjamin Moore paints. I tried the one from Lowe's and am so disappointed with it, I'm ready to give up on that paint completely. I don't care if it's half the price of Benjamin Moore. I have heard from friends that Home Depot's paint is even worse but I don't see how that could be. I guess it's just that if you've used Benjamin Moore once, you're spoiled on it. http://www.benjaminmore.com/ At least I am.

The biggest problem that I ran into is the fact that I have the house already painted in a Benjamin Moore color called Kitten Whiskers #1003 http://www.myperfectcolor.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=MPC0005353. It is a an off white taupe and needed something that would blend seamlessly with this color since I was planning on keeping it on the ceilings where it is now. It has a touch of gray in it which makes the entire house look gray and I'm not really pleased with this color. Husband has already told me he wasn't painting the ceiling and because of a problem with my neck, I simply can't. So, I had to choose colors that would compliment my new bed ensamble http://www.boscovs.com/StoreFrontWeb/Product.bos?quantity=1&itemNumber=46660&type=Product Croscill Ashwin Comforter Set. I also got chocolate shimmer drapes to go with this and a valance to finish each window. I have to get the blinds that will probably be custom made from JCPenney and I need to find a chocolate door panel for the french door.

Anyway I regress. After three tries, I finally think I found the paint colors I like. I picked out a wall color called Broken Arrow #1026 http://www.myperfectcolor.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=MPC0005378 and a trim color called Tucson Winds #1024 http://www.myperfectcolor.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=MPC0005376. Now, I have to decide what finish for each of these paints; Eggshell, Satin or Semi-gloss. That could be another three trips to the paint store. What I like about this paint store is, not only do they sell the paint that I like, they are very helpful with ideas and familiar with the types of paint. Right now I'm thinking Satin for the walls and Semi-gloss for the trim. But, I haven't purchased anything yet. I may change my mind again until I finally buy something.