Anita Latte

Melody...so glad that the paint turned out! There usually is a big difference between the drying look and the fully dried look. Hope your rest helps your recovery! I know all about the I did something that I don't normally do because I decided to do a home project kind of fatigue and soreness. I will say though...it's becoming more of my norm now! LOL

Thanks for the info from your DD...the closet doors look much improved with a good cleaning and with the baseboards and the electrical covers and the new paint...DH has indicated that he can live with them more than before. I seriously think something must have happened in his childhood that he associates with those doors...they aren't my fave but I didn't have quite the intense negative thoughts DH had. Familiarity is changing his response though...he is definitely more eager for other projects so the doors are shoved down the list.

DS has a dentist appt Wednesday evening back near the apt so we're planning to do the last truck load this week. This will bring the remainder of the furniture and anything else that will fit in the truck. We will likely have a few more 4Runner loads as well, but not much. 

I put a couple of contractor grade black plastic bags over the windows for last night. We have these bags from when we went kayak camping...we used them to keep certain things dry (firewood, etc.). Not an elegant solution but effective. They are literally taped to the windows with painters tape. We had briefly flipped through a book at Lowes and had picked out a natural shade that we liked. Add the privacy backing and the pretty binding and we're talking about hundreds of dollars worth of window coverings...NOT what I'm going to spend my money on. 

I don't like the typical 2" blinds. Never my fave and after years of being in rentals where they are the norm...the cords, the adjustments...the light leaking through...ugh...just. don't. like. blinds. If I can't have the shades I really want...then I have opted for plan B. I'm going to DIY a fabric covered vinyl pull down shade. Bought the two shades and installation hardware for about $25 today. Will go ahead and trim to size and install as is and give myself time to find a fabric that I like. I do have a thing for fabric...but I don't love curtains, so this is actually a fairly decent Plan B.

I'm thinking something that is spa inspired. Maybe an Asian theme? Or botanical? A quick search and I found a white background with gray watercolored cherry blossom print...very nice, but in a decorator fabric. I'm thinking that I need a lightweight quilter's cotton.

Also...planning on making a quilt for the bed. I love quilts but am not much of a traditionalist with decorating...but I found a modern quilt design in Simply Moderne magazine. I liked it so much I bought the magazine. I think it would be too matchy-matchy for me to pick the same fabric as in the quilt...but I could pick it all out at the same time so that it all coordinates. SO...knowing that picking out the fabric may take a bit...I'm going to install the vinyl shades as is and allow myself a trip to JoAnns for fabric shopping after DS leaves.

Meanwhile...I'll be moving on to spray painting the ceiling fan!

Melody...I'd be interested to know why she changed her mind on the chalk paint. The doors aren't high on the to do list. There are functional things that will come before that kind of decorator wish it looked different kind of project. I suppose you could classify just about everything we just did in our bedroom as the wish it looked different...but lying on the mattress and looking up at the ring around the ceiling fan in the popcorn? Well...it was more than just wish it looked different. It was GROSS.

So anyway...I have time to make a decision so would like to learn what she learned that influenced her decision.

DH put the baseboards back in. He got to use his new brad nailer...👍😂 I cleaned the louvered doors...which I'm pretty sure hadn't been cleaned in 20 years. Talk about gross. And the new outlets and switches and plates that arrived today were installed. Three more are still on the way.

So I learned a little something today about the sellers. Talking to my new neighbor...talking about moving back into the bedroom and just the house in general. She says that the sellers just didn't give a s---. Don't pull too hard on the TP roll because it's held to the wall with toothpicks and the towel bar is about to fall and oh, don't wiggle on the toilet because the whole thing will shift over... Sooooo, maybe that's why I have a brand new TP holder, towel rack and toilet. I'm beginning to think that the reason the sellers did so much last minute stuff is because they didn't want to anyone to know how they were really living...and so they fixed a bunch of stuff up before leaving. This is just my supposition based on the neighbor's assessment of how the sellers kept their home.

I'm not worried. I have a very thorough inspection and I'm well aware of the status of my 30+ year old home. And it all added up to me getting a good deal with room to grow IMO.

And I have to say that this is the first time in my adult life that I am living in a neighborhood with no HOA. WOW. This is the first time that I have met as many neighbors as I have in such a sort time. It's really great. Every day passes with me being so grateful.

Melody...it's a bummer to put in all the work and not like the result. And I hope you recover quickly. 

Sharon...I have done a lot of reading about paint! Spent too much time on the different forums reading pro opinions and just reading about paint in general. As it turns out, we ended up getting a "best on a budget" pick on paint...so that's interesting. I think it's easy to look around and see paint for $50-80 a gallon and figure that it should be good paint. Doesn't mean there isn't other good paint...especially if you are a good prepper. And I'm not going to spend that much on paint. That's not in my budget nor does my house justify that kind of expenditure.

For the bifolds...I'm debating actually. I'm wondering about doing chalk paint? Or some other more furniture renovation targeted paint? Partly because I've read good things about working with chalk paint and I could get a finish that could be a bit more matte and not a high gloss finish. Most other paints for trim work and wood work tend to be in the higher gloss category and I'm a bit concerned about that. If we go the route of "normal" paint, then we will absolutely get a sprayer. We've already spec-ed one out. It's a Wegner sprayer. And with the sprayer, it would still be WAY cheaper than buying new. And new is usually only primed anyway...so there's that.

If I go the chalk paint route...I'll have to see if that works well with a sprayer. You have to have thiner paint with the sprayer...and it may not be an issue, I just don't know yet. I'm leaning toward a sprayer though because we do have a need to paint the exterior and with the heavy stucco exterior, we'll definitely be spraying. So it makes sense to get the sprayer and use it for such interior jobs as well.

Alrighty...so here's the color in the room...

Depending on the light...it will look more blue or more green. You can see the missing baseboards I mentioned. There was a bit of an issue with a poor tape job on the one big baseboard. Sigh. The tape went up onto the wall...and so you can see white above the baseboard. Sigh. 

The room has eastern/slightly toward the southeastern exposure, so nice morning light and otherwise is fairly dark. That color expert paint person...can't remember his name now but I linked to his YouTube channel before...anyway he had talked about how rich a darker color can be in a darker room. How cozy and like a hug...and this seemed very fitting to try for our bedroom.

The bi-folds are screaming for white paint now though!! LOL. White trim will really pop with this wall color. I have no qualms about painting the trim either because it is that fake wood look stuff, not the real deal. I think the doors are real...but the trim isn't. I found an integrated handle/hinge for bifold so the pull and push is actually at the hinge...very minimalist and unobtrusive so thinking to get those when we paint.

I still have to do my ceiling fan update.

We ordered new outlets, switches, and plates. Screwless design that looks very sleek. We bought brushed nickel. It all started because I wanted to change out the ones by our nightstands to have integrated USB charging ports. I'm so sick of the bricks for the phones and iPads. Just a mess and researching that I found this pretty sleeker looking style. Then it turns out that one of the electric outlets is just full on chipped, etc etc. and when it is all said and done, we just ordered new for the whole room. The good news is that with a 12x16 room, there weren't too many.

I still need to clean the floor...and move the mattress back into the room...and figure out how to block the windows until I decide on new window coverings. We are not putting the colonial blue venetian blinds back up LOL.

The next project will probably include the yoga room/kitchen pantry...and maybe the reach-in closets. There are some shelves in-between the two on the wall not pictured but the rest of the closet is a single bar and shelf. Wire. Will definitely have fun planning better organization there.

Satin is just that one more step in shine so hopefully it'll work out! The only thing I know about any shine is that the more shine you have the more the imperfections in your wall show. I've never worked with anything more than eggshell though... I hope it turns out!

I haven't heard back yet from the other mom (DS's flatmate's mom and the flatmate have been the legs on the ground) but she was going after the flat. The market is fast over there and this particular flat was one the guys had really liked but when they were off to see it last week it week off the market overnight. But it came back on and they saw it and we're going after it so...maybe I'll text her for an update...

I like that fabric on those pants. I'm always attracted to things like that but IDK that they really work for me. Still like it though.

Well the painting is ALL DONE. Sort of. What we were trying to get done before moving our furniture over is done. Future projects include painting the louvered bifold closet doors as well as the trim around those openings. I have 3 closets like that in my bedroom. SO...LOTS of louvers to paint. Eventually...I think we'll end up replacing the base boards. Almost all the boards came off...a few of them (like the less than 2' one between two of the reach in closets) weren't even nailed in...just kind of wedged in there. Deal is that we do plan to update the flooring from the current laminate (the entire house is this one laminate)...and when we do that...we will replace the baseboards. Meanwhile...not sure if I'm even going to replace all the boards that came off...maybe just wedge the ones that are wedged back in LOL!

I debated replacing and/or somehow updating the louvers...but I think I already mentioned that I uncovered the whole issue of airflow and decided they were in keeping with a more beach-like/coastal inspired theme...so I'm just going to paint them. I think it'll be very Zen. LOL.

IDK how interested anyone really is...but I had decided to go with a PPG paint product. I was debating between a couple and was going to see how the pros in the store were...and that's when I realized...at 2:00pm on Saturday that the store closed at 12 noon and was closed on Sundays. Sigh.

They do sell their products at Home Depot too...not exactly what I was going for...but I didn't want to be so picky that I held up the project and so with that limitation set...I picked out the PPG Diamond paint. I seriously debated the UltraHide Zero (paint only and zero VOCs until you add tint) but knowing that I was going for a deep color...I opted to go for the paint and primer in one (total overkill since I had already primed the walls but oh well).

I'm very glad to have gone through all this...we ended up with a color that I think we will be much happier with than the SW Riverway I had originally spec-ed out. We picked out Azalea Leaf:  "Azalea Leaf is a deep, subdued, Caribbean blue with a turquoise undertone."

Riverway could appear gray in some light. I think Riverway might be more sophisticated...but Azalea Leaf has no hint of gray...and I think I like that so much better. Being a teal tone...sometimes it looks more blue, or more green (especially with warm artificial light). It's very cozy with a bit of serenity. I think it'll be conducive to good sleep!

I still need to take down the tape and all the painting extras...drop cloth, etc...so I'll do that tomorrow and then we'll sleep in our room again!! And I'll take a photo to share. 

I like the eggshell finish a lot. It's a step toward shine after flat. Flat is very forgiving...hides all kinds of imperfections...and absorbs light without reflecting it. I do like just that hint of reflection to give the walls a little life. Maybe it's from living in the rentals for so long...they always pick flat for most walls and then semi-gloss in the wet rooms. I just don't want flat walls. Love my dead flat ceiling though.

So the PPG Diamond is a nice enough paint. It wants to be worked in a very specific way...it isn't very forgiving for instance of any touches of a brush or roller that is at ALL dry...but it will blend the brush cut in with the roller beautifully...and also any touch ups blend wonderfully. At the end of the first coat, there were lap lines and flashing. So I was extremely aware of my method for the second coat and it worked fine. I have a concern though about using this paint in the gathering room...those vaulted ceilings...just not sure.

It says it's a one coat paint but I never believe that. I planned for two coats and did two coats. It dried very fast...maybe even a little too fast...and that could be why it was a little less forgiving to work with that the paint I used to love. Overall though...I'm happy with the room...and I'm glad to have some experience with the paint, so that I can go to the actually PPG store and talk with some intelligence about this paint to see if there is a paint in their product line that would be better suited to my needs.

DS leaves a week from today... 😞 But the good news is that we think we found a flat...

I don't know what brand we had...but way back we bought bamboo sheets. It was the saddest thing when I unknowingly left them in the dryer at the Houston rental when we moved out. 😞 I would highly recommend looking into bamboo sheets. As I recall, we just bought them at BB&B...nothing too special because I'm sure we could use the coupon. They held up very well though. The color stayed true and with each wash, they were like new. They were our favorites. Once we actually move into our new bedroom...I'm going to be seeking out another set of bamboo.

OMG SW Master Hide!!!👍👍

Melody...which SW paint are you using?

I'm in information overload rn. I know I make things harder on myself but I just can't handle the thought of having put in all the work that we have done to mess it all up with the finish coat. If I could just go get what I've used before, all would be well...but UGH...not an option.

So a couple of things. I found out that the mud will often turn yellow when you texture over sheetrock that used to have popcorn on it. Something about the popcorn does something to the wall board and that can bleed through the the mud. Now I know. Some actually try to clean the wall board first...some go straight to primer before texture, then prime again after texture. Some just hit it with oil based primer after texture. I think the two coats of the 123 did the trick. 

Just like being on this forum, I've spent time reading other forums where professionals post and talk. The ceiling paint I decided on was Sherwin Williams CBH. Go to the SW store and turns out that CBH is a regional product, midwest. Here in the FL, the equivalent is Master Hide. It's not on the floor. It's in the back. Fortunately, the SW guy was great and he was able to finagle the system in order to give me the contractor price on the Master Hide...I walked out with a gallon for under $20.

The pros say it is great coverage. Dries dead flat. Easy to work with. Not too expensive. Not good for anything but ceiling in closet interiors, but excellent for that. Even the pros that love BM will go to SW to the CBH (Master Hide).

I'm still figuring out what wall paint to use. It's a bit agonizing but I will be doing a lot of painting and so I want to get this sorted.

The primer went up! And sadly...whatever that yellowing that happened to the mud on the ceiling is kinda sorta showing through. The texture itself though...on the ceiling and the walls looks great! We're really happy with the look. I'm going to apply another coat of primer and hope that does it. I'm thinking that perhaps the coverage on the ceiling wasn't awesome, because...you know...it's the ceiling...and it's hard enough to get good coverage on a wall.

btw...I have 2' long handled 6" rollers. For any others out there that like doing DIY, but get a bit fatigued...the 6" rollers are SO MUCH easier to deal with than the 9" rollers. Mom discovered that way back when...and I used the 6" for our Texas house...and bought them again. Even with paint, they aren't as heavy...really saves your shoulders and neck...and yes, it's smaller, so theoretically it'll take longer to paint, but I've found that the ease of usage means that my stamina is easier to sustain so I'm not sure that it actually takes that much longer in the long run. And the extra long roller handle length? Less bending over when you refill and if you have 8' walls...like I do in my bedroom at least...then you don't need to stand on anything but the floor for painting the walls OR the ceiling...and you don't have to bend over as much when you refill the roller.

Meanwhile...been researching paint in general. I really like the HGTV by Sherwin Williams paint colors. A LOT. But I'm reading horrible reviews. So I'm not going to use that paint. I've also read that Sherwin Williams won't back up that paint with their guarantee...it's a paint and primer in one which makes me think that it's all a marketing gimmick aimed at the DIYers and even though I'm a DIYer...I do my absolute best to produce a high quality output. The pros all use Ben or SW direct. Ben isn't near and while I could go to an ACE to get it...the colors I want are SW colors, so I'm going to go with SW I guess. 

There was a time in my life where I just wanted to get it all done. But I find myself having more enjoyment out of the process. Use to be that taping and all the prep work was just a hassle, an annoyance really...and even though I know all the difference in the world that prep makes...I would still be frustrated by the time it took to prep. But now...IDK...something has changed. I guess I'm assigning more value to those steps so I feel more satisfaction when accomplishing that STEP...not frustration that I still haven't FINISHED the whole project. So I'm a bit dismayed that the one coat of primer didn't completely block that yellow in the ceiling...I was really hoping to move onto the paint on the ceiling today...BUT...I think I'm taking it in stride. 

I'm reading a book called Skogluft. It was an impulse buy at B&N...and it's a really repetitive and somewhat boring book. Reading the reviews for the book...I totally agree. I already buy into the idea and was looking for the implementation of the idea, but the book continues to sell me on the idea...

The idea is "Forest Air." It's making a living wall (or a large section of a wall covered with plants) and what the benefit of that living wall is. I haven't finished reading but it appears that there is ONE way to implement the idea...and one alone and so I'm a bit disappointed for that. HOWEVER...I recently bought a houseplants special addition magazine...so thinking that I will combine the info from the two to create my own living walls in various rooms.

Anyone have a living wall in their house?

I'm still waiting for my hold to come through on Designology: How to find your place and align your life with design. Anyone heard of this one before? I just found a preview on Google...so going to read through some of that.

Lois...glad to hear good news.

Bras....definitely bras... I'm really picky about bras and I feel like I'm a hard fit on top of that...so I seriously hate bra shopping. 

Last night was a big momma/son cooking night! We roasted potatoes. Made the white and peppercorn gravy. Chicken fried steak and then green beans. A whole lot of cooking. It was the first time in my life I have ever fried anything!! How crazy is that? It all came out very very good. Tons of gravy left over so we're going to add sausage and do the whole biscuit with sausage gravy. Good times.

I can get depressed thinking about DS going back to school. In my heart, I do have peace about the whole situation...but still. The world feels messed up KWIM?

I've been researching more breathable masks. I made long ones for DH and I...they are like a normal mask around the face but they hand down like a bandana/scarf. They are very breathable...but DS isn't keen on wearing that. I've found several "breathable" videos on YouTube with the mask having a kind of bump out in the design to push the mask away from your face. I'm going to give a couple of these a try and see how they go. Making some masks for DS is on my agenda.

I'll take hype on the storm. We had a few bouts of rain...as the bands past by...but it wasn't any big deal. The wind wasn't even too hard.

We went for a walk in the neighborhood and we heartened to see that we were not the only ones that had put up their hurricane shields. The thing is that we are an established neighborhood and we have huge trees. Like HUGE trees...and the condition of the trees varies, KWIM? So there could be some serious missiles flying around the neighborhood if the winds really were to hit what they had been warning about.

Today I did the texture on the walls in our bedroom. It looks pretty good. The walls were much easier than the ceiling. And I learned a bit doing the ceiling. DH said that it happened exactly as he thought...that I would get a feel for it and deal with the hard ceiling and then improve a lot on the walls. He says, who walks in and looks at the ceiling...they look at the walls...and then they'll just see that the texture continues onto the ceiling. The walls do look much nicer...not as many knife marks. Just a few of the wash board effect. I'll still do a bit of touch up with some sanding but we're almost to the painting stage! It's very exciting! I'll be starting with primer tomorrow.

I know I mentioned it before, but it bears repeating...if you ever take down wallpaper...you want to seal the wall with a specific primer that will stop any residue glue from eventually working its way to your paint. The primer is called GARDZ and it's only sold in more specialty stores. I had to go to an ACE to get it here. My old favorite paint store ICI used to carry it in Kansas, but I don't think they are in business any longer. 😞

So GARDZ and then another primer...and then the paint. The room is all prepped and ready to go. We might be able to do the big furniture run this weekend. We've been waiting for our room to be more done because my dresser and DH's dresser are two of the heaviest and biggest items we currently have.

The dishwasher is actually working pretty well now that it drains properly! LOL. We'll see how it goes...but I already ended up buying the new fridge and washer and dryer...and that wasn't planned, so not going to replace something else for reasons that are less than it literally doesn't work. The fridge leaks and the laundry machines had serious problems. 

But wow, Kat...that electrical story is awful. I'm glad there were no serious consequences from that situation...major bummer on such a high expense for something like that. Something that you can't really see and enjoy. KWIM?

DH and I spent yesterday racing to get storm ready. I focused on getting the vehicles into the garage while DH cleaned the gutters and finished the yard work. Then we put up some hurricane shields on the windows. They came with the house and we figured now was as good a time as any to figure it all out. The system needs some work so it's good to have gone through the exercise, even if Isaias' strength has downgraded so much to make the shields completely unnecessary. DH says, the first time you use something should not be when you really need to use it. We'll be making some improvements to the system, but overall...we can make it work, even if some of the windows are a major PITA.

My bras from Roaman's finally came! Overall, good quality and I'm happy about that. I followed the instructions for sizing and it didn't really work out as well as I could hope. I'm sending two back. For one, I'm on the tightest band setting, and the band is still technically too big, but it is very comfortable and still supportive, the bridge just doesn't lay flat so I know that it's not fitting properly. But very comfortable:

https://www.womanwithin.com/products/wireless-ruched-bra-by-comfort-choice/301137404.html

According to the sizing chart, if you measure 38" or larger on the band, add 2" for the bra size band. I measured 38" and ordered the 40" which appears to the be the smallest size offered through the site...hmmm...I wonder if I can find this bra in smaller sizes? It's a GREAT bra. Very comfortable and supportive. Aw..I'm sad...didn't even realize I couldn't get it smaller.

Ok. So this one is just too big. I think I'd have to get the 38" band size and the resulting bigger cup size to get the right size. But this is a well made bra. Kind of thick. Will offer more headlight coverage than the bra above.

https://www.womanwithin.com/products/cotton-front-close-wireless-bra-by-comfort-choice/301265865.html?cartCookie=false&isRedirect=true

This bra is awful...I don't recommend it at all:

https://www.womanwithin.com/products/cotton-wireless-bra-by-comfort-choice/301335343.html

There's something about the construction that just feels bad. The others are so much more comfortable, I would never reach for this bra. Also, using the sizing guideline, it fits on the smallest of the settings for the bra...so thinking it wouldn't have any longevity for me because I'm on a downward trend.

I like this bra a lot:

https://www.womanwithin.com/products/leading-lady-meryl-cotton-front-close-wireless-bra/301179778.html

I ordered the 38 and the 40 because it doesn't have an adjustable front closure for sizing. Both sizes work okay. Neither size has the bridge laying flat but I really don't think that I could get into a 36 size yet, if they even offered it. The 40 is just super comfy and the 38 makes it's presence know a bit more in the band...so I'm keeping both actually because I'm on a downward trend and the 38 isn't THAT uncomfortable. 

Melody...it's nice that you have family around you and that you've been around each other so much that even when you get together you don't have to social distance or wear masks. At this point, even if I could see my parents in person, I wouldn't feel comfortable being too close to them until I had passed a quarantine period.

Kat...DH and I used to backpack in CO when we lived there. Back then, all our equipment was about being as light and small as possible...but with DS entering our lives and making a transition to car camping as we moved East and South...things became a lot more about comfort. My eyes were opened to "glamping" up our camp site when I took a tour of this one woman's set up for her family. OMG. It was a bit beyond what I would ever do...my thought was "why bother camping?". She had a TRAILER full of stuff that they towed behind them for setting up their site. But still...some of those ideas were worth putting into action.

I grabbed some solar powered yard lights on clearance from Target one year. Those are great. Makes it a lot easier to navigate your site and make bathroom trips at night. Another thing was DS had one of those car road play carpets? I started taking that for the inside of the tent...really was nice to have that. And big thumbs up on the welcome mat. We also started keeping our gear in plastic tubs and would just take those and end up using those as "tables" inside the tent. I got the Cabela's camp kitchen and that was nice to have a place separate from the picnic table for food prep. It's amazing how little things, like remembering a table cloth for the picnic table can make such a difference in how pleasant a camping experience can be.

We like the camping music festivals...and it's fun to go around that and see people's set ups too. 

Sherri...we're close to you...just moving out to the coast from Orlando area. And we've only been in FL for a little over a year.

Sharon...the mom and son cooking classes haven't really started yet. LOL. Isaias through a kink in all of that. Better to be safe than sorry, I ended up going back to the apt to get it sorted and storm ready and bring a load of musical and other electronic equipment to the house. And then we did a lot of work around the house to get it storm ready. 

Everyone heard of Thomas Keller? I have his Ad Hoc at Home cookbook. We're doing the fried chicken recipe in his book. I was able to find two chickens under 3 pounds at Publix...so we're making the brine today, then will start the chicken brining tomorrow morning and fry tomorrow night. 

Meanwhile...I have this cookbook, Reata: Legendary Texas Cuisine. We're making chicken fried steak and white peppercorn gravy tonight. And maybe the baked mac and cheese from that book today as well. Not sure. How much richness we're going for LOL.

It's funny how excited I am to do some of the recipes from just these two books that I've brought over from the apartment. I have pared down my cookbook collection over the years...and added to it...but I wouldn't say I have a huge collection, but big enough...and with each cookbook, I've been so excited to make the recipes, etc., but then I only end up making a few. Even though at one point I wanted to make SO MANY. Has anyone actually made all the recipes in a cookbook they own? I haven't. I'm reminded of the Julie and Julia movie. I know there are forums and places where people focus in on a cookbook and then make recipes from it and report and share. I have often thought that I would do something like that...but I still haven't.

Anyway...I'm going to end up making several recipes from this Reata book. It's all so fattening! LOL. So much butter! And heavy cream! But man, it all looks so good. I'm deciding to not care... DS says that he just really likes Southern / Diner food and I think that's the hardest to find in London so he wants to know how to make it. I'll toss in Tex-Mex into that mix. We already did Pico. Pico de Gallo that is...there are a lot of picos in the world.

Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe...

Meanwhile...in homeownership land...

(I'm posting a separate post about this, so if you just don't care...don't read this post)...

I'm not the best at unloading the dishwasher...and this new dishwasher isn't a good motivator. The tub is a plastic tub and there's quite a bit of water that sticks to it...as is true of most plastic ware in a dishwasher. Everyone knows it doesn't dry as well as the glass, ceramic, and metal things in the dishwasher. But this dishwasher seems worse than most...

Researching the issue...I come to find that the newer more energy efficient dishwashers just don't dry dishes as well as the older less efficient models. They just don't run the heated dry as hot, I guess...but having a stainless steel interior would be a plus...better for drying and being dry than a plastic tub...oh, and using a rinse agent is highly recommended because that helps to break the water bond on your dishes to enable drying... WHATEVER...moving on...

So I'm procrastinating AGAIN on the unload because I don't feel like drying the dishes as I put them away...I've got the door propped open and I'm hoping that the air will help me out.

And there's this smell...

And a day or two passes by and the dishes are getting seriously stacked on the countertop...it's an art on how to stack your rinsed dishes to take up the least counter space. The door has been shut but when I open it...there's that smell again.

So it turns out that the dishwasher isn't fully draining...and the little cup in the very bottom...past the glass catcher...is full of RANK water.

So looking at the manual, we start to trouble shoot...

We're to the point of basically uninstalling the dishwasher to check on the status of the drain hose to make sure there isn't a kink in it...and then I finally see in the installation instructions that the drain hose loop has to be raised to at least 32" high in order of the DW to drain properly. HUH?

So it turns out that if your drain hose isn't lifted like that...the water from the garbage disposal could find it's way down that drain tube from the dishwasher and go into the dishwasher instead of down the sink drain. So the rank dishwasher liquid stuck in the bottom of the dishwasher was from the sink itself...OMG.

And this DW was PROFESSIONALLY installed...just like the stupid ceiling fan.

So we tack up the drain hose. We get the stupid DW installed again...pushed under the cabinet...leveled on shims...anchored to the countertop again. We decide to run a rinse cycle...

NO ELECTRICTY.

OMG...somehow the electrical connections in the DW can undone.

Oops...hurry and turn of the circuit breaker that we probably should have turned off before we got started on this whole project...because there are LIVE wires loose under the DW!

Fortunately...removing the kick plate panel allowed access to the junction box and all was right with the world...

Except for the fact that DH thinks no-one can do their job right...and he can't believe that these people are getting PAID to do the work they do...and it really makes him wonder about ALL the things in the house...because OMG...the sellers didn't seem to hire quality workers to get the job done.

And we still have to figure out why there's a leak under the kitchen sink...

Laurie...your grandson is such a cutie!!

Love the fabric on your new Loft dress. I like the combo of yellow and blue...such a happy combo. Do you like the print? I know you don't do prints as much...but I really like that paisley and flowers design. It's not too feminine but still strikes me as a girly paisley print.

I've been paying attention more to what really looks best on me. I'm feeling pretty confident enough to say that print has just a bit too much contrast for me. I think it would look very good on you though...I think that your coloring and style goes better with it...but for me, the fact that the print's lightest color (IDK if it's fully white or ivory or what) and darkest color (IDK if that's a black or navy) are the furthest ends of the spectrum...that makes the print just not quite right for me. The darkest and lightest have to be much closer in value for it to be a BEST print for me. And I'm finding that I tend to gravitate towards the BEST ones when I choose what to wear and rarely choose others...so they might as well never be in my closet.

We've been living with possessions that are very pared down as we move ourselves load by load. We haven't been doing much...one day is very like another...so there hasn't been the need for a variety of clothing...so I haven't missed the abundance that is still at the apt. Makes me thoughtful on what I really need. There's something kind of lovely about the weight of the things in our home being lighter...like the closets and the rooms have breathing room and airy space.

Have you read how clutter affects women's stress levels? Have we talked about this here? OMG I can't remember anymore but there are actual scientific, peer reviewed studies that show that women's cortisol and stress levels go up when they SEE clutter. Doesn't happen to men. UGH!!

More fuel for the fire of my life's goal...A place for everything, and everything in it's place. I swear it's going to happen.

ees ah EE es

Sharon...I just looked up what you were talking about and yeah, looks like FL has the potential to be impacted, but there is still too much uncertainty for any real knowledge. It’s like all we know is that we need to be paying some attention going into the weekend so we can be prepared.

Tis the season!

For the record...the Mac wasn’t spicy. We all love spicy...and this was one of those, am I imagining a bit of spice in there? kind of spicinesses. Is that a real word? 🤔

Sally haven’t tried AB’s fudge. Never made fudge actually. I haven’t had as much fun in the kitchen of late. I will say that I am so thrilled to have a gas stove again...the flattops in the recent rentals were nice for clean up but such a different cooking experience. So glad we have gas again!

54 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I love Alton Brown and "Good Eats"!  Just last night there were a couple of the "updated" shows on TV. It reminded me that Alton Brown is the one who first taught me about spatchcocking chickens before cooking them (though I still can't really get behind the idea of letting the bird sit in front of a fan for 2 hours before cooking to totally dry off....)

 

Tonight's dinner: turkey burgers sans bun plus some orzo salad. I also splurged on a pricey bottle of olive oil and some ciabatta to dip in it....  Going to try that first with my wine.

 

I have spatchcocked a chicken several times but never done the fan thing.🤔 I get having it be dried out before cooking though. One of my fave ways is in Rick Bayless’ Everyday Mexican cookbook. Then you grill it.

The Mac and cheese came out amazing. Wow. So good and FILLING. We had that for dinner. One thing to mention, we did finally open a 5 chili pepper hot sauce from one of those specialty variety packs that we bought at a farmers market around Christmas in Arizona. I’d have to look up the name but it’s one of those ultra fiery hot burn both ways kinds of sauces. The Mac could totally handle that kind of heat and while we could sense the heat in the Mac, it just help cut the ultra mega cheesy sauce. Maybe some alternative pastas could cut the carbs...if you like Mac, this is definitely worth a try.

Happy Day Lois! I know how you feel. My new stacked washer dryer arrived yesterday evening! I'm glad to stop worrying about the gas dryer. We only turned the valve on when we were using it...it always smelled a little TOO much like gas with use. I think it had issues...

We're making mac and cheese today. I don't normally make a lot of Alton Brown recipes but I used to watch his show Good Eats way back when and I've been doing his turkey method for Thanksgiving for years. All my recipe books are still at the apt so I googled for his mac and cheese recipe and found the simplest, easiest sounding stove top method. That's our lunch plan today. DS loves mac and cheese and funny enough...I NEVER make it. He always orders it as a side in BBQ places, etc.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/stovetop-mac-n-cheese-recipe-1939465

I have a baked version in one of my books that I've been meaning to try but haven't...going to do that one later.

Reading through some news this morning, I clicked on a title that was talking about how the thought of Skinny Jeans was so awful and other fashion trend changes in 2020. The article was all about how the quarantine may have forever changed the way we approach fashion now after having been living in more comfortable clothing for so long. Everything from women adopting new hairstyles and hair coloring (or lack of hair coloring) that require less maintenance (and salon visits) to makeup trends and also less consumerism overall. People shopping their closets more...experimenting with their looks more since they didn't have to worry about other people seeing them, etc.

I know that I have rediscovered how much I like dresses. I think I've always like dresses, but rubbing thighs turned me off to dresses when doing a lot of walking, etc. I've worn slip shorts to combat that issue but that felt like it was defeating the purpose of wearing a dress for me, so I didn't continue with that. I think maybe because I was trying to hide the slip shorts...maybe I should just go contrasting with it and think of the under shorts as an accent, when needed, of course. This is the look that I have adopted for my bras...because the sleeveless dresses are bra exposers, so I just put on a colorful not too fancy, not too much like an undergarment bra but more like a made to be seen sports bra with my tank dresses and call it good.

Hope everyone is doing well...

Cute earrings. Just an FYI...I think I have some stirling silver...it tarnishes easily. Maybe including a little bit of polishing/preventative cloth would be nice. I think they sell it at places like JoAnns.

Margaret...we're Marriott people so we stayed at a Fairfield Inn and then a Towneplace Suites. I believe that both rooms had independent air conditioners with the window units. 

We did check in at the front desk. I think it is possible that we could have done a contactless check in? If we used the app or something? But we did not. We wore our face masks...and I believe at the time in GA that face masks were not required? So there wasn't 100% participation. We were able to maintain some distance though...and there are plexiglass dividers now at the check in desk.

I really appreciated our set up at the Fairfield. We were ground floor, no need to use elevators...also we could use a side door entrance so we could avoid the main lobby. The room itself felt beyond clean...the Fairfield was better than Towneplace in that regard...but Towneplace also had the kitchen area...and so IDK...overall, it just didn't feel quite as clean. Maybe because there would be so much more to clean? IDK. Just my impression but there's no fact behind my feeling.

We did not act like the room was a safe place. How can I say? Without being paranoid about it, I was ultra conscious of touching my face...NOT doing that...and just doing lots of hand washing. We keep a hand sanitizer in the car and regularly use that periodically as well.

Overall, I think because we have been out and about a bit more than most...especially lately...I can say that I didn't ever feel like I was in a compromising situation. Something that would freak me out. It's all about awareness. It can get a little tiring being on that hyper alert, and trying to stay in the moment and aware of what you are doing with your hands, your surroundings, etc. 

We did not have housekeeping service the room. She was in the hallway while we were leaving and putting out the do not service sign...and she asked us personally if we wanted service and we were able to say no...and also leave the sign on the door.

We did travel a while back...for the hotel use. And there were people in the hotel. I think there was a traveling soft ball team staying there...as crazy as that sounds. And they were not wearing masks. Things may have changed since then, and different areas of the country doing different things. There was even less mask wearing in GA than there was in FL...and I don't recall when our mask mandate started to make comparisons.

I haven't been so far away...GA is just next door. But it can be eye opening to see the different responses to what is happening as you travel on the road. And a little disconcerting, especially when you see how prevalent the attitude is that makes it feel like there is nothing really going on.

Anyway...the way that I figure is that hotels need business to continue being in business and it is in their best interest to have best practices. You can make yourself crazy if you let your mind wander into all the negative potential scenarios so you just make the best choices you can and control what you can...and pray.

Melody...hope you have the best report possible from the scan today. Sending good thoughts your way...

I currently have 3 cruises on the books for 2021. I was only planning on taking one of them. All three are booked with refundable deposits so I wasn't concerned about canceling when we had decided not to go.

I had booked a January 2021 way back. I snagged a corner aft balcony on Explorer when isn't supposed to be the best aft balconies because of the super structure of the ship BUT...I was excited for the wide view...and finally checking that off my bucket list. When I booked the cruise, I SWEAR the 5 night itinerary stopped in two ports, both of the private RCI ports but then when I was looking at the itinerary it was Labadee and Nassau (AGAIN) and so I was frustrated by that and decided to cancel the cruise...but I haven't canceled it yet. 

I still have the TA in April on the books. That's Harmony's maiden Eastern TA to go into dry dock. Was really looking forward to that cruise.

Also have an October Alaska cruise on NCL. I've never cruised NCL and I was all jazzed for this particular ship, but then DH and I decided that we would rather do a trip to Denali and not a cruise...and so I was going to cancel that one too.

I don't have any immediate travel plans. We're dealing with DS and getting him back to London for school. I've been to GA twice now this summer...not that it was very vacationy...but still...roadtrip! And with moving over to the Space Coast, I've been contemplating just exploring up and down the coast here...maybe some overnight camping. I'd still like to do the dark park, but the weather hasn't been anything I'd really want to camp in.

DS has to fly...there's no other option, but I'm not thrilled with the idea of getting on a plane...so if we went anywhere, it'd be a road trip. It wouldn't be for a while though...we have to finish moving out of the apt, get DS off to school and get some time lines sorted with DH's work. With the way his work is...we could seriously go somewhere. Kitty would be our biggest obstacle to being away.

I haven't been to the store in a while...so we haven't started lessons in the kitchen yet. I've heard about buttermilk and fried chicken on shows like Masterchef etc. 

CK...call me crazy I like moving. I especially like moving the way that we are moving...which is over time. I like puzzles and I used to like playing Tetris. We call it playing Tetris when we pack a car or any moving vehicle...it's like 3D Tetris. I also like going through my stuff...my goal with moving is usually the hope that I can "lighten the load" by sorting and really picking and choosing what to move or not. Eventually that idea hits a wall when I just need to get the move done...but with this load by load in a 4Runner...I really can go through everything. The goal is to take a load and then deal with the load before getting another load.

Most of the items in my home qualify as stuff. And most of that stuff entered the house in shopping bags...and so most of that stuff can be moved in my reusable shopping bags, suitcases, laundry baskets and any other means possible. I grab any available fabric like thing to cushion fragile stuff...towels, sheets, blankets, fabric from my stash...etc etc. Then play Tetris and pack it all in.

It's been kind of nice to be living with just the necessities. 

Lois...it's pouring rain right now here. And yes...SO HUMID. With all our activity, I always have to hang my clothes of the day up to dry...I can't just throw them into the laundry basket. UGH.

Kat...I think we eat similarly...I love me some spicy food. I love watermelon and feta together and that salad sounds tasty!

OOTD...C9 capri leggings, Athleta tank...AGAIN. LOL.