Oh Happy Day

signing off for earth hour

call me crazy

...you can call me a lot of things but don't call me pessimistic. I found this audio book at the library the other day and did my eyes ever light up and my heart skip a beat.  Finally, someone had the insight and the courage to put it out there that it really is possible to change someone else!  Yes!  OMG...I couldn't wait to pop it in the player and get listening.  I was even prepared to take notes.     Well I soon realized that after listening for a miniscule amount of time that this guy doesn't know anything about trying to change someone else. He doesn't mention 'nagging', 'haranguing', 'repeating' or even 'speaking loudly' as any of the preferred methods of 'change'.  This guy must be from Mars.

Shiney Stuff & More View

Just an update on some projects that are getting completed -- it is of course the million details that take so much time.   The pictures do not reflect the hours of work already put in and the hours yet to come but hey...we are getting there. 

So enjoy the photos.

MUMBO JUMBO

   As we open up the walls of this MO-bile we are greeted by these words which now has become one of those 'jokes'.   Something that makes you ask yourself  'what were they thinking'  as you smile turns wry and a little smirky.  This is followed by a shake of  the head and a lift of the eyebrows and again the question... 'what were they thinking?'.     Maybe this means something other than what I think it means?  Maybe it is some kind of  lumber mill code...could that be it?  Not bloody likely as our Brit friends would say.

The good news is that the insides of the walls are mostly bone dry and not, I tell you, not filled with 'mousey' habitation evidence.  We have become happy with the small gifts that MO-bile ownership has bestowed upon us (wry smile inserted here).    So we pull out the R-7 (non) insulation and replace it with more R's insulation  and remove & replace the drafty windows with pretty, new ones that actually slide easily and allow the taking in of the lovely view.   It has meant living in a lot of dust & dirt & noise and these are just wee projects in the grand scheme of home re-muddling.  But, and this is a BIG butt (think Sir MIXALOT),  the user-friendly, modern, finished product always makes the mess worth it. 

So as you peruse the 'in process' pics (to come)  please be kind and keep in mind that there is a whole lot of behind the scenes horror that just gets swept up after every work day and then dinner is made and clean sheets are put on the bed and another day is done.  The possibilities, as they say, and they are annoying,    are endless,  as is the fun of playing house.

Cheers from an obsessed re-muddler.

B & W & So Soft

Playing around with paint.net and realizing how much better the world looks through 'soft focus' .  

This may have to be my default...yowza.

what have we done...

....well just in case anyone was wondering,  we have been involved in a bit of de-construction and a bit of re-construction.   The old bath  cabinet is GONE and the newly re-built one is in (!).  The  new(old)  sink is installed and working.  It is higher than the standard for sink heights  and makes so much more sense.   Lots of finish work remains to be done but just thought I'd post a peek of things in process....

...hello...anybody up for a hike in the snow?

     

MY NEW MO-MUDROOM !

 It took us a few weeks and there was a lot of prep work (hate it) --   insulation, moulding, caulking, sanding, the making of shelf etc. by the K-man,  and lastly the painting. I've come full circle on the 'white' and I'm loving it.   

 Finally I was able to do the fun part -- pull everything together.  Had an idea of creating new bedazzling & bejewelled  knobs for the old mexican armoire.  So got out my glue and glass beads and old buttons--and there they are.  Then WOW--how black paint transformed that old pine piece into a chic, modern storage unit.  I remember buying and hauling that thing from Ensenada, Mexico oh so many years ago.   I couldn't be more pleased with that and the old trunk of the same vintage.  Of course, found at long last the perfect spot for a 'fleur-di-lis',  courtesy of Joey-ho my personal 'f-d-l' supplier. 

 It seems to be working as this old MO-bile is feeling 'MO' like 'home' all the time. 

Buried Alive!!

Just a few scenes from around the place to give you 'southerners' an idea of  'what is what'  up here in the great white north.  I understand that you don't care but I can't  care that you don't care.    Hence,  here are some of the adventures that you are missing out on.   

• There is the slipping & sliding & falling which can be a hoot. (Kind of like how Ashton Kutcher is a 'hoot'(NOT)...what was Demi thinking?)

• There is the shoveling & salting that is a major part of  the daily winter workout to try and avoid the above.    

• There are the daily trips to the compost bin and the recycling containers.   This may sound simple but here these mundane tasks require several minutes (and lots of grunting by some) to  properly  layer clothing in order to avoid hypothermia.  Of course I exaggerate somewhat but not a whole lot especially about the grunting by you-know-who.     Layering is very important and if one does not resemble David Byrne is his infamous 'Fat Suit' then one is at risk.  It is not pretty as the many humiliating photos floating about  show clearly.

• There is also the entire 3/4 of the property that is inaccessible and can only be longingly looked at and fondly remembered.    Okay, we could slide down there now that the lovely blanket of snow has turned to a glacier but really, why would we?  

• There are also the comings & goings to get to the car,  to get to the STORE.     I now happily (yes happily!)   shop for my coffee creme at the gas station-video-liquor-beer-potato chip-propane-cigarette STORE.   Besides, they have the better brand of creme anyway and now they know me and I usually run into other peoples from the hood.   That's fun and also nice that we all look a little plumpish.

•  Then there is the absolute best thing which is finally, the quiet. Yeah, that is one pretty nice thing about being buried in snow.

BIG DOG SMILE

       My mexi-mutt is all about the snow!  Right now it is so deep that she has to 'swim' through it and that suits her just fine.  For some reason the fun  is more, better, bigger, longer, louder when I am out there with her.     No matter what it is we are doing -- could be just hauling the compost out or shoveling the walkway-- she is MY dog when we are out in the thick of it--and she lets me know it.  She is jumping for joy  all over the place and her be so happy makes me get big smile.  We aren't dreaming of a white Christmas we are having one.  

Something about today

I like graveyards.  I especially like ones like this one just off the road somewhere in the middle of the USof A.   They have been having a drought down there for a few years now and lots of things besides people are dead or dying or drying up.  No more rivers, creeks, streams, lakes, ponds or reservoirs...all gone....all dried up.  Most of the city folks seem oblivious and continue to use water like it is plentiful.  Their cups are running over.  Their glasses are more than half full.  Their lawns are very green. 

Today we walked along the river here in the valley.  It's a big, wide river.   So much water.  Water gushing everywhere.  Water seeping out of rocks.  No snow here yet which is worrisome in the grand scheme of things and quite warm temps for  December,  but reassuring to know that there is water still close by.