Hit a Glitch

Hello all.  It has been a dreary, rainy, gross Monday and I am feeling it. Been a little mopey all day. I had to make a doctor's appointment with a new endocrinologist today because my favorite doctor moved away. I don't look forward to meeting new doctors and luckily I haven't had to do it very often. On the website she looks like she is 18. I am sure she is smart as a whip, but what can she know about being a 55 year old gal?  They did tell me that if I have an appointment with her, that there is no changing inside the practice to another doctor so I needed to be sure who I wanted to see.  How? How do I know who I want to see when I haven't met any of them? Is that a common practice or is that weird? Do I need to try and stalk her on Facebook or Instagram to see if she seems nice and loves middle aged ladies? 

Also bringing me down is that my sweet co-worker had a death in the family and it makes me so sad. Her sister-in-law was only 39 years old. Awful. 

To make matters even worse, my poor dog will not do his business in the back yard (because it is raining). I am waiting patiently for a little break in the weather so I can take him for a quick walk. In the meantime, he is a farting machine and it is causing me to have to light candles, y'all. Not for the faint of heart! Or for anyone with a working nose. Dreadful.

In the plus column, the yucky weather did not impact progress on the bathroom!  They were here today putting down the subfloor and doing more waterproofing. There is a loud fan up there now doing its best to dry everything before tomorrow when they start tiling!  So exciting! 

Back in the sucky column, we opened up the shipping crate with my counter top to check out the exact color for purposes of picking out some coordinating backsplash tile. When they unscrewed the wooden crate it was obvious right away the dumb thing is cracked. Ugh! I called customer service and they said they could ship me another one, but it won't ship until March 18th. I have followed up with pictures of the crack and a request for them to give me a partial reimbursement for the counter top only so I can pick one out locally and finish the bathroom as scheduled. Not sure that is going to work or that the schedule won't be impacted. My contractor was super calm about the whole thing.  He said "Don't worry, we will figure it out." I said "Well, let's keep in mind that I am the cheapest girl in the world and I really don't want to have to spend any more money."  I am a treasure to work with.  It is going to be fine.

Switching gears again to some good news, the plant in my office is having a baby! It is precious and new and I can't wait to check on it in the morning! 

Finally, I tried to fix my bad attitude today with a smoothie. I put everything but the kitchen sink in it and drank it all.  So interesting how different a smoothie tastes from a green juice.  I put way more fruit in this smoothie than I do my normal juice, so it was sweeter.  I didn't hate it, but it didn't have a chance at fixing my attitude. If I had to chose, I think I would pick green juice over a smoothie. But a fun change of pace and really nice to be able to add in the chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, moringa powder for a bunch of plants for the plant list.  

That is all I have for now.  Rain is supposed to let up in 15 minutes or so - going to go find my galoshes and raincoat and get this dog out to do his business! 

Here's to hoping the sun comes out tomorrow, before the next winter storm hits this week! Stay dry out there! 

More Progress

We have lights! The electrician came and made a mess!  Just kidding, he cleaned everything up, but he did have to cut several holes in the sheetrock to install the new can lights, move the outlets and the prep for the two new lights that will go above the mirrors. I am so happy to get better lighting in the bathroom. 

I have a new eyeball can light over the shower area! 

He moved an old outlet over that will be on the left of the vanity. All the plug and light switches will be replaced once the painting is done.

Installed this new outlet around the corner by the window, so that I can keep my blow dryer plugged in all the time and just hang it on a hook around the corner and out of sight. Real happy about that. 

He installed the two blue circle things (I know so much about wiring!) where the new vanity lights will go. 

I don't have a picture, but I also got an eyeball can light over the bathtub that is on a separate dimmer switch. 

The tile guys also came yesterday and framed the new shower pan and installed the dry pan mixture. 

They came back again today and installed the shower pan tarp thing and sloped the shower pan and added more waterproofing. They will be back on Monday to do another coat of waterproofing and then we tile the shower!  Going to have a little niche for the shampoo and conditioner bottles! Yay! 

After tiling the shower, the sheetrock gets repaired or replaced, then we paint walls and ceilings, then install the main tile floor, baseboards and board and batten are next, install the sliding barn door and then the tub, cabinet, toilet and glass shower enclosure go in. It is so exciting and something happens every day.  

I celebrated making it to Friday by having an afternoon Nespresso and a warm sour cherry puff pastry.  It was delicious! I baked the frozen cherries in the oven with a light sprinkling of corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.  When it got all thick and yummy I put it on top of some puff pastry and baked it in the oven. Made a little sugar glaze that basically melted when I put it on the hot pastry.  It was so good.  I really love warm fruit in any form or fashion, but warm fruit on a pastry is right at the top of my favorites list. 

All in all, it has been a good week. Boys are doing great and that always makes a momma happy. Harry did have a little fender bender where a girl hit him from behind. She was super upset and he handled it like a pro. After they exchanged insurance information, the girl said "I know this might be weird, but can you give me a hug? Thank you for being so nice." 

Chip called today to tell me about a workout he did and we cracked up about how sore he is going to be tomorrow! He has been running and doing core work for a good long while, but today he went to the gym with a friend and  lifted weights for the first time in a long time. He said he had a couple personal bests...and my first thought was uh oh, you are going to be so sore! He said he already was! You know if you are sore the day of that tomorrow is going to be a whole different level of sore! Poor kid!  Take some Motrin! Listen to your mother! 

I manage to get in four early morning walks with Martha this week. I am talking primo physical and emotional well-being in those early morning hours! Apple Watch tells me I have covered 26 miles so far this week with a couple more days to go. Most evenings I got a walk in with Coop and Judy. I also had two fun friend outings this week: Brunch on Sunday with Beth and dinner last night with Nancy. I think the weekend is going to be gorgeous, so I am hoping to get out and do some yard work. Pick up the last of the leaves. The Queen is coming to hang out with me on Sunday afternoon and I have another dinner with friends on Sunday.  I am living the good life and I am grateful! 

Work is creeping in. Struggling to sleep. I am still trying to suck at work, but I may have to work a bit Saturday morning just to get a few things off my to do list so next week is not terrible. Lots to do and I am trying my best to keep it between the hours of 8 and 5! 

I hope you had a lovely week and are looking forward to a wonderful weekend! 

In Other News....

So, what else has been going on around here....besides watching some excellent NFL football this weekend!  Seriously, I cannot get over how good the football has been in the playoffs. 

I have been cooking like a....(blank stare)

Like a what? A chef? A short order cook? A mother? 

How about...cooking like a middle aged woman, trying to eat more plants. That seems to sum it up pretty well! 

Here are some fun things I made this weekend. A veggie noodle dish.  Lots of slicing and dicing which I love. I took some pictures. 

I also made polenta cakes with some lentil bolognese from the freezer. Super quick and very delicious. 

A vegan Alfredo with mushroom and peas. This picture is terrible and it seems a little weird, right? Also weird was the recipe called for lemon zest and red pepper flakes to finish the dish and it really gave it some pizazz! I want to put lemon zest on everything now! 

How about this for an odd ball recipe to try...Carrot Ginger Soup with croutons made from the leftover bread I made earlier in the week. So many croutons.  This is why we can't wear small pants.  But the soup was scrumptious and I have leftovers in the freezer. Why do I love ginger so much?   

I also made this veggie egg scramble with blackberries for breakfast one morning. 

My friend Sheri sent me this sticker. It is so perfect for me. I put it directly on my laptop! 

                               

Lastly, a few pictures of progress made in the bathroom yesterday.  The electrician came by to see what needed to be done and he will be back today to do the drilling, wire running, and other electrician things. 

The subfloor was also repaired yesterday and the holes where the old plumbing used to be are now covered! 

I got a walk in with Martha this morning and I swear it is therapy in motion. No better way to start the day.   

Today is also my niece Malarie's birthday. I have photo albums all over my house because I am going through and pulling out pictures of us and her in the pre-cell phone days.  A walk down memory lane with one of my favorite people!  This is me holding her the first day she came home from the hospital. I was 18 years old. I have loved her a long time and I can't wait to love her even longer.

Hope things are great in your world! 

Progress

I have a bathtub in the middle of my bedroom!  And I couldn't be happier about it! 

Last week, the plumber came and finished plumbing the bathroom in and getting the bathtub ready for installation.  

Then I started second guessing every design decision I have made in the eight months leading up to this point. Especially about the back wall behind the tub.  It was originally supposed to be all tile, but seeing it empty it felt like that would just be way too much white and it would feel cold. I was waffling between tiling half the wall, three quarters of the wall, struggling with the paint color, ugh! So much money to spend and I really, really, really want to love it when it is done.

So, I called in a lifeline and second opinions and great ideas showed up at my door on Saturday morning in the form of my darling, talented friend Jillynn. She spent an hour in this room with me on Saturday and we drug out everything I have picked, laid down sample tile and tape and looked at paint samples and she solved the hard problem. Board and batten for behind the tub area.  Genius! 

As soon as she suggested it - the light bulbs went off - bells started ringing and it was EXACTLY what my brain was envisioning but I just couldn't break away from thinking about tile. My Contractor came by this morning and he said it was an easy change and would be no problem!  HOORAY!! 

Please see blue tape below for a vision! Also, please look at that stunning floor tile sample in the middle of the room.  I am obsessed and love it so much! 

Jillynn is a photographer and took some great pictures of our morning in my demoed bathroom and I am just so appreciative. Her opinions and validation of what I had already chosen made me feel so much more confident in my choices.  I am now full steam ahead and ready to see it all come together. 

This black hexagon tile below is going to be the shower floor. 

White subway tile for the walls in the shower. 

This is a chunky towel bar...that will double as a handicap bar because old people need help getting out of bathtubs. 

Could I hang it like this and just put a hand towel on it? 

Here is a picture of a stand alone tub with board and batten behind it that will be very similar to what I am going for. 

Anyway, the electrician came by today and we talked about my choices and he will be back tomorrow to rough in the electricity.  Look at me using all the construction words. 

It has been a long, but really fun process (all except the check writing part....not so fun) and I am really happy with how things are going.  I will keep the pictures coming so you can enjoy the process with me! 

Demo Day

Demo Day! Bathroom renovation is under way!  They gutted the place! Loving that flashback to the 90's wallpaper that was on the bathroom walls when the house was built.  I painted over it....but that big piece was behind the giant mirror!  Plumber comes tomorrow! 

Since we last chatted, I went up to Dallas to visit Harry. Got to meet his girlfriend and she is just lovely. They seem happy and I am tickled for them. She was so easy to talk and I only asked her 427 questions. 

I held back. 

Guess what? Her mom has the same birthday as me!  How do I know that? That was question 271! I'm kidding! I didn't actually number my questions, but I did ask a lot! 

In other hot, delicious, heavenly smelling, heavy carb loading breaking news, I tried a new bread recipe yesterday and it was fantastic! Five stars! It was on a recipe for Easy Perfect Yeast Bread from Gather for Bread. 

I followed the recipe exactly - except I used the bread hook on my stand mixer instead of kneading by hand. I mean, what are we.....pioneers? 

I mixed up the ingredients in the morning and let it rise for a couple of hours.  Then I shaped it and let it rest for a while longer. The recipe called for some unique baking techniques that I had never used before and I followed them all. I put boiling water in a dish below the bread, brushed the dough with cold water, cooked it on a pizza stone, started it in a cold oven.  

It smelled terrific while it was cooking and I was so happy when I pulled it out of the oven. It was super crispy on the outside and gloriously tender and lovely on the inside. I damn near ate a whole loaf myself.  

My brother tried the recipe last night after I bragged about how good it was and bombarded my family with pictures. He didn't have the same luck with his attempt as I did, so if you try it let me know how yours turns out. I am scared to make it again...what if it doesn't turn out as good? What if I eat a whole loaf of bread a day? What if I just bake and eat bread all day? 

I am getting really busy at work, but still trying to abide by my "Suck at Work" resolution.  Work hard during work hours and then don't work. Seems easy enough, but it is a whole mind set shift that I have to remind myself of every day.

Helping me suck at work is this puzzle that calls my name all day...just begging me to come find some pieces. I have been working on it in the evenings and time just flies. I have been in no rush and kind of don't want to be finished. 

That is all from me for now!  Hope you have a wonderful evening!

Top Ten Tidbits

Checking in on this fine Thursday evening!  I appreciate the kind messages about my bedroom and will be sure and take progress pictures of the the bathroom as we get underway! 

Let's do a Top Ten Tidbits of things that are rattling around in my head:

1. Last weekend, Harry sent me a picture of a meal he was having with his girlfriend at what appeared to a very nice restaurant.  I saw the dark noodles in his bowl and ask him what he had ordered. Do you know what he said?  He said "Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp".  I damn near fell out of my chair.  This is a kid that tasted an Oreo for the first time last year!  The year 2021!  He is 25 years old and just tasted an Oreo for the first time. We frequently had Oreos at our home, but he would never taste one. Then someone brought them to work and he tried them and he loved them.  Now he orders squid ink pasta...a dish that I have never eaten. He said it was delicious. 
2. Chip is back at school and started classes yesterday. That boy waited so late to register for classes that he landed himself with an 8:00 a.m. class every day of the week.  Monday through Friday. Thankfully, he is a morning person, but 8:00 a.m. in college is going to be a tough road for the semester. I will be interested to see if he is first in line to register for next semester! 
3. I saw this today and cracked up "Was just invited to an event that doesn't start until EIGHT.  In the EVENING.  I'm sorry, but not all of us are on COCAINE."
4. Yesterday, I had to take "The Worst Dog in the World" to the vet for his vaccinations. I dreaded it all day and turns out that it was all I dreaded and even more. He was his normal obnoxious self when he saw me with his leash and unfortunately is getting smart about what the muzzle means when he sees it. I have to damn near use David Copperfield level magician skills to trick him into putting it on. Then he starts shaking his head and acting like it is killing him. Never mind that it is a basket muzzle and he can bark and eat and do all the things except bite people. Even doped up on three Trazodone and his regular Prozac, he barked and whined and acted like a lunatic the whole way there. He managed to wear everyone out, including me, and I didn't even go in the building with him. He had a good check-up but we are going to try an allergy shot for a change to see if it works better than Apoquel for his relentless itching. So far, so good, but I think the big question is how long will it last. I hope for a while so I don't have to take him back any time soon. 
5. I started a new puzzle. I love a puzzle. 
6. I texted with my friend Liz today (Hey Liz!) and it was so nice to catch up with her. We worked together many, many moons ago when we were just babies. Some how she remembered that she was with me when I bought the bedroom furniture in the picture I posted yesterday. We were at an auction of new furniture in Columbia Tennessee and I paid a whopping $750 for the headboard, footboard, two dressers, a mirror and a mattress. That was over thirty years ago!  How is it possible that I have had friends for 30 years! How can she possibly remember that?  Isn't that crazy? I told her I couldn't even remember what I had for breakfast yesterday! 
7. I could eat a box of Milk Duds every single day for the rest of my life. Why can't Milk Duds be made out of plants and have zero calories? I don't know when I last had a Milk Dud, but they are obviously on my mind! 
8. A wonderful colleague of mine officially retires tomorrow. She has been with our company for 36 years. They had a lovely tribute to over Zoom today and people said the nicest things about her. I got teared up several times. She has the most fun plans for retirement....she is going to learn to play the ukulele (her dad made a ukulele for her and all her siblings), do bike tours with her friends, she wants to go to bartender school and bartend once a week at a local bar near her, she already volunteers a bunch, but she wants to do more of that. What a great example.  I need to figure out what fun stuff I want to do when I retire. Got any ideas? 
9. I barely got my 40 plants in last week - but I ate some olives at the last hour to cross the finish line. Not sure that is the intention of the 40 plants in a week challenge to rummage through the fridge to find one more thing to eat that you haven't had...but here we are. 
10. I am already killing the plant challenge this week.  Look at these two beauts I made today. The top picture is polenta with soyrizo and a bunch of vegetables. The bottom is a tofu stirfry I made tonight with snow peas, broccoli, carrots, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds and this really yummy green onion oil. It was good. 

 

     

That is it for me tonight! It felt good to get all that out of my brain and onto this page. I feel lighter! 

Let's bring on Friday!  

Master Bedroom and Bathroom Renovation

Hello all!  Let's chat about my upcoming master bathroom renovation.  We have to start with the master bedroom that I renovated last year. 

This is the bedroom before....

This picture doesn't show the entire room and keep in mind that I had already taken down some art and the tropical curtains before I took this picture. And, you can't see the victorian "Queen Anne"  shaped mirror on the dresser and this picture also already has the new lamps I bought for the renovation.  Before, these matching white and gold lamps, I had just a comically small black lamp on the far side. 

This is the bedroom after.....

I am obsessed with it. It feels like a nice hotel to me and I love being in there. I painted everything. Wasn't sold on the wall color until I added the drapes and they were a perfect match and now I love it. And why didn't anyone tell me about blackout curtains. I love them.  I also love throwing open my curtains every morning and closing them every night.  Such a small thing, but closing and opening curtains bring me such joy.  

I didn't change the big furniture, except the dresser mirror and side tables. I got a new ceiling light and I honestly felt like it was a very brave choice. I second guessed myself right up until it was hung up and turned on (Thanks to Tony and his lovely assistant Beth!) Now I think it the coolest! I bought new lamps, bedding, curtains, pulled off the Queen Anne scrolled brass handles off my dresser and put some more modern handles on the dresser, got some plants, sewed some new gold buttons on my chair pillows. I had to make some wall repairs and replace the door knobs and switch plate covers. It took me a long time to finish and I had my doubts, but really couldn't be more proud of how it turned it out.

I thought for a while of doing a statement wall or wallpapering a single wall or getting more artwork....but the peace I feel in here is healing me and I am going to leave it simple for a while. 

Here are a few other pictures - kind of in the process of some of the separate pieces.  Please notice the whiskey decanter which I have only poured one drink from, but I LOVE IT SO MUCH!  

Now that you have the vibe of the master bedroom, let me share some before pictures of the master bathroom and some pictures of what I have picked out for the new bathroom. 

Please keep in mind that I have never paid anyone to renovate anything. I do most everything myself, but I have worked Bob and Lana to the bone every time they darken my door. And my poor brother-in-law Kevin cannot come to my house without spending some time on a ladder, revamping my garage, digging a trench in my back yard. The list is always long and my sister leads the charge every time they are here to knock things off my list. Beth has signed poor Tony up to hang and repair numerous lights for me. This house has been renovated up to this point by the cheapest girl in the world and the people that love her.  

In fact, the "before" pictures of this bathroom were at one time "after" pictures when Bob and Lana helped me replace all the blue diamond accent tiles in here - paint over the floral wallpaper - rip out the carpet and replace it with a new sticky tile floor, replace the lights, etc. It used to be much worse! 

It is a big step for me to pay someone for this project and I am both terrified and supremely excited!  Also, I am tired and old and can't wait NOT to do the work myself! 

It will be a complete replacement without moving any of the big things - remember I am cheap - and also there is only so much room to work with. Replacing the built in tub with a stand alone tub. Extending and replacing the entire shower area. Replacing the vanity. New mirrors. New lights. White subway tile in the shower and the whole wall behind the tub. New toilet. Putting in a new sliding door. Then my most favorite thing of all....is the floor tile. It is bold. I am a little nervous, but I think it is going to be spectacular. At least I hope it is. It is one of the few things I went over budget on and waited forever for that dang tile to arrive - I better love it. 

If you hate it....don't tell me. 

This is the vanity and mirrors I ordered. 

Vanity Lights. 

Shower floor. 

New Bathroom Door 

I am getting more excited now, just looking at the pictures again.  

Can't wait to see it come together! Demo starts next week! Pray for me that I love my choices!