A party, new stairs, workin' in the studio

This was how I had to function today: with my Omi's (grandmother's) Ohropax (really great German earplugs).
The people who run the hair salon next door were having a birthday party. Now this apparently involves; a) listening to the Eagles game at 1pm out of a car - as loud as possible, (the Eagles won - thank goodness), b) setting up two four foot speakers on the sidewalk, and c) stomping through my yard with the intention of setting up a generator in my garden. My "security" system went off while Mary was here having pie, and I looked out the window to see this in progress. I've had enough of the entire neighborhood thinking the yard is opening to any one's whims, so I leaned out and demanded to know what they were doing in my yard!? Absolutely non-plussed the young man holding the two-inch-thick cable just looked at me and said, "we're looking for Mr. El, we need to plug in a generator." I said, "Well go knock on his front door, why are you in my yard?" So this young man called his dad over to explain things to me, and the dad explained that they were going to plug in a generator "right here" indicating a spot right in the middle of my yard over the fence from Mr. El's back door. I said, "no you're not that's my yard!" He couldn't understand what the problem was, "I'm here all the time!" I said, "really? - then why didn't you stop by yesterday and ask me if it was okay for you to set up in my yard? I was here all day, I've been here all morning too!" Well, they gave up, took their sweet time leaving my yard, smashed my hedges in the process - and poor Mary, I just couldn't get over it! How can you think it's perfectly okay to wander into someones yard!??? Crazy.
They waited until Mr. El got home, and he somehow let them plug it in somewhere else - :( - and then we were regaled with music so loud I couldn't hear myself yelling at my computer while I was trying to install the new software for my scanner.That's when I grabbed the Ohropax. I don't mind hearing music, I really don't - it's feeling it that is the problem. Because you can't get away from that. This started at about 4:30 and was finally turned down around 9:30. Must add new item to my list of things to do to the house: get a better front fence and gate.
By the way, the age of the person who's birthday it was?… 4.

These images are just for Miss Melly, who called yesterday to yell at me for not posting!!! She wanted to see what my floors looked like finished!!!

Henry let me down this time though - he left the paint between the spindles (?) on the second floor landing. I just don't have the energy to call him and fight him over this. He got them on the stairs, but not on the second floor landing. I'll either wait until he comes back to do the living room/kitchen, or I'll do it myself. And I guess there are no excuses anymore, I've got to rent out the third floor. :(, I really like having the place to myself.
The good new is that I finally got into my studio this week.
It is by no means finished, but I actually got to work in it for about 8 hours on Thursday, and several hours today. I should have worked in it yesterday - but we had monsoon weather and all I wanted to do was curl up in a chair, watch movies, and knit. So I did.
I did pamper my house this morning - I cleaned. There is something great about letting the house get really messy and dirty - you have so much to show for all of your work when you actually do clean it. The painted floors in the living room go a long way to hiding all of the dirt. I will have to make a separate entry for the fabulous vacuum my dad and Ann gave me. :)
The music is off, I believe I will open all the windows again, find the cat, and go to bed.