Sweater Finished!

There it is! My sweater is finished. And boy did I just barely squeeze it out of all that yarn I brought back from Germany. I didn't even have enough for the last seam. I had to use a different yarn, but it's mostly invisible.
I just have to block it again and then I think its ready for wearin'.

Bathroom Diaries Day? 8 maybe?

I didn't even notice that Jeff had framed in the door on Tuesday until late Wednesday night.
It looks good. He also started putting the baseboards in in the bedroom. :) One would think the end was near; one would be mistaken.
Sadly, there is a leak. There is a leak from the third floor bathroom to the ceiling of the second floor. I had been showering on the first floor. Then the water returned to the third floor and I decided - I have such a nice little claw foot tub up there - why can't I take a bath up there? I'm reading those blasted Vampire books and I really needed a good soaking to get back into the series. I could hear something dripping, but the floor wasn't wet. I figured it was dripping in the pipe. Nope. Jeff even has the ceiling up and had started plastering/spackling. Now he's got to take the ceiling back down and the plumbers have to come back to get that leak taken care of. It's a good thing he discovered it before he was all done. But argh - such a pain in the neck.

I still have not finished the darn doorway down stairs. I must do that this weekend, I must resolve. . . .

But I am stripping my brains out on the stairs. I got the backs of the stairs stripped, they still have some funny stain gunk on them. I think I'll put one more layer of Citrus Solve down, use some steal wool and really go at it. I may have to do some sanding as well. I also stripped the first of the spindles. That is going to be a real chore. Patience Patience. . . I'm going to get lots of practice during this project.
And the tiles… I called my Uncle Ralph whose son Gino is in the tile and flooring world. I told him I wanted chartreuse tiles. Gino apparently said, "Why would you want chartreuse tiles?" I say, "Why not?" Maybe Gino can work miracles. I'm not having any luck.

Blue Paint and a Mural

We went to the hardware store in center city near work because we needed some more paint for the lab. While we were there I found the blue I've been looking for for my kitchen! It's the one in the middle. I have one big wall opposite the windows that will be this blue. Built into the wall is a recessed open "pantry." I will paint that turquoise. I bought a gallon of the blue today and I actually played with the idea of starting the painting this evening. But really that would be a waste of time. I need to prime the whole room first - then paint the blue on top. And it's not like I don't have enough projects that need finishing.
I also bought my mural:That should arrive in the next couple of days.
The tile saga - I called the place that has the tile I really want. She gave me an even better price than she'd quoted me last week. But they only have it in the high gloss and it's not recommended for floors. I don't care anymore. I want something that I want - to work out. No blue toilet - no clawfoot tub - no what else? Anyway - I want my apple green tile gosh darn it.
I also tackled the white sweater from the last post - and I think I fixed it with not as much work as I had anticipated. It's amazing the things one can learn by actually reading a book - not just looking at the pictures. Yep - my Reader's Digest Knitter's Handbook came through for me once again. I got one sleeve on, will get the other one on in the next couple of days.

And Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy New Year Y'all!

Happy New Year Everyone! Happy 2009!
Jacques has snuggled down as deep as possible in the cushions and put his paw over his nose in that cute way that cats do - and I should really be in bed, but I don't think I've really adjusted back to east coast time yet. That's what a four day weekend will do for you! But I did get lots and lots done. :) And so I'm sitting here, listening to Joan Baez's Christmas Album, because really Christmas isn't over until Tuesday anyway, and working on a blog entry.
I'm still spackling like mad on the doorway in the studio. But I think it just needs one more good sanding, the addition of the molding, and then I can paint. It's not perfect, but it will do. I've sort of lost interest in this project. It's the last of it, but I just can't get my rear in gear to finish it. Part of that problem is the guilt. I'm teaching a new class in the spring and instead of working on this doorway I should be working on my syllabus and coursebook. I avoided that though by starting a new project!
I tackled the stairwell. Ok- so I should say I tackled the stairwell - again - but it's been a while. I finally finished stripping the banister to the third floor, and then because I couldn't stand the sides I started stripping them too. And as things go when you start on them it's like a gigantic domino chain. I had to strip the ends of the boards because Henry Sanding Floor left the hideous green paint on the edges and it looked atrocious. And then one wonders, well? what do the sides of this look like? Sure enough, it was all beautiful wood. And of course some of the Citrus Strip dribbled down one of the spindles and when I wiped that off - what do you know, more beautiful dark wood. I've sort of resolved that I just need to strip the whole darn thing. Maybe I'll finish next year and keep the Citrus Strip people in business in the mean time.
Downstairs I couldn't take state of the back of the stairs so I painted those high gloss white.
At a glance it looks better than it did, but on closer inspection - not really. I think I'll be stripping these as well. And I also really need to tackle that post at the bottom of the stairs.
And was this a really important job to get done this weekend? NO - . . . a much bigger issue arose when I got home from LA.
I got my first real heating bill. $368.90. Ouch.
My bill in November wasn't so bad - only $150. - so I'd figured I was fine. I kept the heat at 65 most of the time unless I was home over the weekend then up to 70. WELL, after getting that bill I marched right down to the thermostat and turned that sucker down to 58. That lasted until Friday morning when I had to break the icicles off of my nose and I decided to turn it up to 60 - but that is IT! I broke out the wool socks, double layer of sweat pants, and wool sweaters. Today I was even wearing a hat downstairs. And the biggest culprit of all (besides the guys keeping the window in the bathroom open while they work - which can't be helped) is the back room on the first floor. That was a big project yesterday. I cleaned it up (first of all) and then finally got the back window to shut. Covered both windows with plastic, covered the back door with a heavy drape fabric and taped up all of the cracks where the wind is leaking through. I covered the doorway with another curtain. It looks pretty silly but it works. The old bathroom door will fit nicely down there and I think I will put it up, maybe next weekend. I will have to cut a kitty door in so that Jacques can go potty - sigh - and then I'll have to train him how to get through it. I'm telling you - a big line of dominoes… (That lovely pink color will be leaving at some point also.)
It wasn't all work on my house. I did get to knit. Before I left for So Cal, I finished this sweater:
Now, I'm telling you I followed the pattern. All of the measurements add up and everything. But the darn thing doesn't fit right. I even blocked it. I think - either the model in the picture has stick arms, OR, the pattern people lied. I'm going with "they lied." Because I did what they said - and it ain't workin'. I have to take substantial parts of it apart and redo it in a way that makes sense for me. This is compounded by the fact that I only have one ball of yarn left to make the collar, and I want to work on the other sweater. But I did so much work, and this really won't be that hard, but it's similar to the doorway in the studio - I've just lost interest. However, if I don't finish it - I can't wear it. So. . . I'm psyching myself up to take it apart.
In the meantime - I started the other sweater. It's a Vogue pattern and I'm crossing my fingers that I don't run into similar problems with this one because I'm using thinner yarn than I'm supposed to (because it was soo beautiful!) and I'm making things up as I go along here too. Well, then I only have myself to blame.

I finally did tackle my syllabus and course book today, and that's moving on quite well. I'm pretty excited about that class. Hope they like it too. I also baked bread. It's good but not as good as it should be. I didn't use enough rosemary. Thank goodness you get three batches of starter. I get another crack at it next weekend.
Tomorrow it's off to work again. We are cleaning and painting the lab. Lots of color. How else would it be?

Bathroom Diaries: Days 6 & 7

I came home to find a gigantic box in the vestibule from Tony. She had called me before I left to say she had sent it. It was a nice surprise to find it when I got home. Another Christmas/Birthday for me! But it's questionable who the gifts are actually for: Jacques immediately had to jump in the box and when the door mat came out it didn't take long for him to claim it.

As soon as I had changed into PJ's, sorted mail, and took stock of myself (I'm still sick, better, but sick, slept most of the flights, and am feeling a bit of jet lag…) I checked out what had been done in the bathroom.

Look at all that purple drywall!!! Isn't it fantastic! Wow - it's amazing. Did Jeff pick it out just for me??? (no - I asked today - that's just how it comes - but he said he thought I'd get a kick out of it).


And even though everything is kind of demolished, it really looks great with my colors doesn't it? Makes one think of changing one's mind completely of the color of the bathroom! (no - not really).
As I headed to the bathroom to see what had happened, I noticed something very curious - in my kitchen - someone had been having quite a good time! That little squirrel was still in the house!!! He ate half of my apple and some of my chocolate from Germany. Pooped ALL over the place, chewed up the towel under the dish strainer and left grody little footprints all over everything. He also did a real number on my plants in the living room; half of them were over turned and he'd dug up the soil. sigh.
So I spent the better part of an hour cleaning up and wondering if the squirrel had been chased out or was still around.

Well, I found out in the morning.

(Day 7:)

I'd shut the second floor door last night just in case. Jacques was very restless last night so I should have known. When we came down in the morning and opened the door - sure enough, something panicked and stormed across the room and into the kitchen. I went into the kitchen to see it jump up onto the top of my cabinets and run behind the blue bottles. It had left fresh poops everywhere for me and I decided that was enough. As I looked up to see if it was still behind the bottles it actually peeked out at me!
So I opened both windows hoping it would run out if I chased it, pushed a chair up to the cabinets, and grabbed a basket - ready to defend myself.
The moment I was face to face with the thing - it bolted. It raced across the back of the cabinets towards the windows, leapt down and as it was jumping down toward the windowsill, I took a swing at it meaning to shoo it out. But instead, I made contact and the squirrel flew out of the window barely touching with the edge of the 2nd floor roof. The dogs next door had already been alerted when I opened the windows and that squirrel must have landed on the grass right in front of them because they went crazy. I don't think the squirrel stopped for a second though, it charged right up the chain-link fence in front of them, up the hanging wires and landed on Mr. El's window sill. It sat there for a few seconds with the dogs really causing a ruckus beneath it before it tried running up the shingles, sliding back down almost landing in their jaws before some miracle propelled it up the shingles and over Mr. El's roof.
After this exciting start to the day I got to work to do end of year cleaning.
But I think I got everybody sick. Cary was still sick, Leah said she was very sick over the break, Dana came in and described the same symptoms as Leah had had and Cathleen said she was trying to fight it - but her lymph nodes were swollen. She eats really healthy though, so she might beat it. And then - Jeff the Contractor? It was my early day today - came home and found him sick too. Well, with as much sneezing and coughing as I've been doing, it's not really a surprise though is it? I still feel guilty… :( I hope I didn't get everyone in CA sick too.
Despite being sick, Jeff drilled the hole in the vanity.

Put the green board(?), (I'm not sure it that's what it's called or not, but that's the drywall that is for tiles) behind the tub . . .
And put the floor down.
I went off the find tile. The last stuff I really wanted was too expensive. $24/sqft. What I found today is $14/sqft. which is still expensive - but not quite as. So I've made a decision. (I think). The floor will be apple green and the tile behind the tub will be white. At any rate, I have to put the tile behind the tub in myself. I think this is fine because no one's going to see it behind the shower curtain anyway. I'll take the class at Home Depot - and we'll see how it turns out. Jeff has no confidence in my ability to do this. Well, we'll just see about that.

What does one do when one turns 35?

Well, I go to Disneyland. Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the morning.
Daddy waiting in line for Peter Pan… second star to the right, straight on 'till morning. Pirates of the Caribbean is still one of the best Disney rides.

The Tea Cups. I wanted to go on them but I got stuck in line waiting for Churros. Dad and Ann are in the turquoise cup in the upper left of the photo. I had a video somewhere but it seems lost in the micro chips of my card.
It's a Small World. Also - one of the old favorites.


Sleeping Beauty's Castle on the way out.
The Castle again after the winter lighting. And in the magic kingdom at 7:30 at night with maybe 50° F, it started to snow. :) Ya gotta love it.

Merry Christmas

I was a band geek - yes I was. My sophomore year the Band Christmas party was held at the Johnson's. Halfway through the party someone organized a little caroling group. There were about a dozen of us, mostly the girls, but the Ballager brothers came with us! Shocker of shockers. These were not the two one would think would do such a thing.
We started off down the street stopping at different houses and sang the standards. It was fun, and we were successful. All having some sort of an affinity for music we were pretty good. We rounded the block and were half way up the next street when we came to a house that was clearly having a Christmas party of it's own. We stopped and started singing.
At first, only a few excited people came out. As we kept singing more and more people came out onto the porch. Finally, we decided to finish up and sing Silent Night. The party came to a stop, everyone came out on the porch, and they joined in. We all sang together, the Ballager brothers sang harmony, and we sang as many verses as we could. I remember first getting chills, and then a different feeling came over me, a powerful feeling of what - I can't put my finger on even now. It had something to do with being able to give a gift to complete strangers, to give unexpected happiness and to receive it at the same time. It didn't cost money or effort; it was graciously given and accepted. It was a chord in complete harmony of the universe.
We finished and everyone clapped - we wished each other Merry Christmas and moved on. I will never forget that evening. The gift is a memory of complete peace and harmony with perfect strangers. If we could put more of that into the world on a daily basis - imagine what could be accomplished.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Happy Chanukah. Happy Kwanza. I wish you all peace, joy and happiness.

Bathroom Diaries: Day *^%^? : The Tub

I forgot to say that the tub came too! Jeff & Co. picked it up from Lowes on Friday, (I think?) And lugged it upstairs. He called me later and said, "It's here, and it's HUGE!" I said I wanted one big enough to play marco-polo in. Wish granted! It's 20 inches deep.

I guess the plumbers came back and on Monday because when I got home the tub was in and so are all of the water tubes, a big new hole in the hallway wall-to access the tubes - and probably the new floor as well? Although I'm not sure about that one. Lee is going to install a thermal floor. (big grin here!) It will be soOo nice not to put my tootsies on ice cold tile in the morning!

The Doorway, Two Plumbers and a Squirrel

I might as well start with the drama of the evening. A squirrel was sitting in my new bathroom.
This is not really a surprise as I knew they were getting into the house and I was hoping not to have to deal with it until after the new year, but lo and behold, . . . I had friends over for 4th Advent Coffee, wanted to show them my new bathroom "in the works," looked up to see this little guy (he's not little - he's the size of some of the dogs I've seen around here) sitting on the ledge over the door. I told Katie and Mary to come into the room and pointed at him, at which moment he freaked out! -peed all over everything, anointing Katie and my camera. And really, wouldn't you freak out too if three things about 20 times your size were staring at you?
I left the bathroom, turned out the light, only to hear him crash to the floor seconds later. He couldn't figure out how to get out so he was panicking and running all over the place. Finally he ran into my bedroom and after jumping frantically from thing to thing (we three were to scared to try to cross his path to open a window which would have helped him escape), he decided the heating duct would be a good place to hide! and he promptly slid right down to the bottom.
We went to the basement to investigate - I patted the duct - sure enough - there he was scrambling around at the bottom. :(
I did not want o de roast squirrel wafting up the heating shaft so we took evasive action.

(Imagine the Mission Impossible music now . . . ) The doorway to the kitchen was blocked off, keeping us and squirrel in, cat out.
Left over laundry line was tied to a cast iron iron. Peanut butter was put on the weight. . . and along the entire length to entice our little intruder up the rope. . . then it was lowered down the shaft so that he could crawl up.

Mary was our intrepid documentor of the entire drama - thanks Mary! It was a very exciting evening. We don't know if the squirrel indeed reached freedom. I went down to the basement to whack at the heating ducts - with no sounds issuing from within. A good sign I think. Mary also said she saw the rope move at one point, hopefully the rascal left the building.

In other news. . .
I desperately wanted to finish up my doorway - but alas, that too has not been achieved. I blame Jeff the contractor really.
I managed to Spackle on Monday - and sand and paint on Tuesday. It still needs a lot of work, but I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing. Then Jeff appeared with the plumbers and I made the mistake of asking him what he thought of my handiwork. Mistake. Now we know that he would have done a MUCH better job - because this IS his job. But still - I thought he would as least be able to say - hey nice job - for someone who has no idea what they are are doing. Nope. We launched into what really should have and needed to be done. And while we KNEW he would say this - its still a little discouraging. But my Dad saved the day today when we talked. He brought it up - "Hey the doorway is looking really good!" :) Thanks Daddy.
I still can't get to it until after I get back from being in LA.

So yes, Jeff brought the plumbers, Brendan and ? (crap, can't remember the other guys name.) Two nice guys. I like them. They don't talk much (at least not to me - but that's not the point really now, is it?). But I get good vibes from them. Brendan was telling me he installed a convenience tube (?) (snort - convenience) for the toilet. It's the big black tube in the upper right corner.
And finally, Mary took this picture - it's not very flattering (sigh) but what do you expect?
Woe to me - I've been really sick for a while now. I got another wave of it after assessing the Woodland Cemetery collection last Wednesday. Cary, our Archivist, walked into the Conservation Lab with the same croaky voice as I did - we both caught the same thing from that disgusting dusty collection. :( Yuck. So I'm taking a ton of orange juice, echinacea, golden seal, and mucinex. Somethings gotta give. At any rate - note the big bags under my eyes, and the general state of my hair - but for some reason I really like this picture.

Doorway and Bathroom?

I finished the other side of the doorway. It's not perfect. But it looks a heckuvalot better than it did before. Maybe I'll get to spackling tomorrow night. The other major issue to deal with is where the baseboards meet the rest of the construction. I haven't the foggiest idea what to do here. I guess I'll make it up as I go along - what else is new?
There was also evidence that there was some more work done in the new bathroom, although no one bothered to tell me they were coming to work.
The first clue was that there were a lot of manly looking boot prints in the dust around my recent project - assessing my handiwork?
The second clue was the vanity sitting in the middle of my kitchen.
The third clue was that there were new wires in the bathroom. So I'm guessing Lee was here. :)
A new circuit for the plug?
Possibly the controls for the floor thermostat?
And the moving of the light fixture.
Alrighty then.

When I got home this evening there was a bag on the front stoop with curling ribbon on it. Who would be leaving me a gift?
Lex, the guy I bought the house from.
When I came to look at the house back in March, I walked into the bathroom on the first floor to find these owl prints on the bright cheerful walls. He dropped them off today with a very nice note. They are moving to San Francisco - Good Luck!