All Things EARTH... part 2

[awhfy]

Laurie, the lettuce did wilt (which is why I could eat it). Rosie suggested using baby spinach instead & I think I’ll use that next time. The flavors intensified after being refrigerated overnight. I know that this will become a summer staple, especially when we can have real get togethers again  I think I’ll also make it with turkey bacon next time. 

 

i bought two new outfits at Chicos this weekend (they had a 50% off sale on everything!). I’ll model them once one piece arrives. Les was great in driving me, I still can’t drive (another 3 weeks). 
 

our crazy neighbors put on a 45 minute illegal (above the trees) fireworks display In their backyard (that backs up to our backyard (must’ve spent their entire stimulus check 🙄)  
We’ll be cleaning their detritus out of our yard today...luckily we had 3 hours of steady rain from 4-7pm so it really wet everything down. Melody

[Sailor_Sally]

We had a quiet day . We watched fireworks from our deck last night . Two nearby communities did large displays . Our deck is elevated so watching the fireworks over the water is a yearly treat . 

Laurie , That last dress is very pretty . I could see getting a lot of use out of something like that .

[Sailor_Sally]

Don't forget "Hamiliton " is on the disney channel . I have wanted to see it forever .

[Lois R]

4 minutes ago, Sailor_Sally said:

Don't forget "Hamiliton " is on the disney channel . I have wanted to see it forever .

Hi Sally, I believe it is only on Disney + (just a note) because that is extra $........not a lot of extra but it is a separate

channel from plain Disney.

[Sailor_Sally]

Thanks Lois , I know it is extra but tons cheaper than I would have paid if I could see it in person . I would still like to see it in person at some point . Maybe when this is all over a long week end in New York is in order.

[purduemom1]

38 minutes ago, Sailor_Sally said:

Thanks Lois , I know it is extra but tons cheaper than I would have paid if I could see it in person . I would still like to see it in person at some point . Maybe when this is all over a long week end in New York is in order.

 

You are so right, Sally! We did see it in Minneapolis and while we had good seats, I wasn’t really able to see facial expressions so watching it yesterday was really interesting-added another dimension. 

Sharon

[cruzisme]

To see Hamilton inexpensively, a month subscription to Disney+ for ten bucks is worth it...seeing it at home, sipping wine, relaxing...bliss.

[Lois R]

Hi, I wasn't meaning to sound as if the $ was a complaint....I was just meaning to point out it was extra from 

Regular Disney.

[Sailor_Sally]

2 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi, I wasn't meaning to sound as if the $ was a complaint....I was just meaning to point out it was extra from 

Regular Disney.

and thanks for doing that . 

[Lois R]

You're welcome🙂

[cruzisme]

Lois, not a criticism at all. Sorry if it came out that way.

 

[Lois R]

29 minutes ago, cruzisme said:

Lois, not a criticism at all. Sorry if it came out that way.

 

 

Thanks, we are all good🙂

[Anita Latte]

Ok! Hope everyone had a Happy Independence Day! We had a pretty chill day. We got up early for teenagers and went to Cocoa Beach for the day. The park we have been going to didn't have any parking available but the beach access one block down had ONE SPOT left! Woot woot! So we were feeling very proud of ourselves... This area is more of a family area, very few tourists...and everyone was following the mandated 10' distance all around and for real, there really weren't that many people on the beach?! So we had a great day.

 

We close Tuesday on the house and it's just one of those crazy things. The sellers have lived in this house for 20 years and IDK what all the motivation has been but they have done so many extra things...a lot of it was all planned out before the house hit the market but none of this information was available in the listing. The pictures didn't do justice to the house because of the planned updates so we have really been fortunate in our purchase.

 

I will refrain from overwhelming everyone with ALL the details...and just talk about the kitchen and family room. The kitchen is partly open to the family room. The family room is almost like a great room concept except there is no designate dining area, no overhead chandelier...and the family room is quite large (about 20' x 20') with a vaulted ceiling. The cabinets have been refaced with new doors in a neutral white with a shaker style door. I'm excited for the easy to clean cabinet selection! The sellers picked out a newer Corian product which is supposed to have greater stain and scratch resistance. Resilient Technology. Ooo Aah. The cool thing is the look of it...they picked Keystone, which is inspired by the look of concrete. Here's what the countertop looks like in a brochure photo:

 

 

It's really one note from a distance...and up close...

 

 

You can kind of see the irregular speckles in it...they range from a kind of cream color to a deep ashy brown color.

 

I'm really happy with the choice. I don't know if I would have picked it out...but I have to say that learning about it, I think it's a really good product and I'm very happy about the idea of how easy it is to refurbish, you basically sand it all and then, bam, it's like new again...and I think that's pretty cool. I do very much like the thought that this is outside of a trend in kitchen design...since it isn't granite or quartz...and also...it's not going to be a bossy thing in the room. Some granites with all the movement of the swirls of the stone, etc., and some other stone counters that are so beautiful with all the different colors can really determine your color scheme. This keystone color is a mousey, taupe, medium dark griege kind of color...and so, I feel like it can be a good team player.

 

I didn't like the backsplash that they had picked out. They had gone for more neutral appeal to broad masses kind of an option and frankly, it didn't appeal to me at all. And so we managed to halt the installation of the backsplash and that is one of the first things that we are going to be able to do ourselves. Install a new backsplash.

 

This is the current forerunner in the backsplash choice:

 

 

The colors make me think of the ocean...mermaids...abalone. Falling into shades of aqua...with splashes are darker burnt colors and browns...here's a close up:

 

 

I think the shiny, glossy backsplash will be a nice contrast to the matte countertop. It's glass tile...the kind that is sold on 12x12" sheets of mesh. 

 

Right now...this area of the house is very much done in warm, kind of dated feeling color. The room is really big but I think that with the warm color, the walls really come at you. Warm colors move "forward" in perception and cooler color recede...and we are planning on lightening up and cooling off the color in the room. Not to fully cool color. With the vaulted ceiling and the skylights...we're planning on going a shade lighter than that countertop...it should make the stone fireplace pop too. We've picked Sedate Gray:

 

 

It's a nothing color really...and it is a warm color...and technically it falls in the yellow category for SW, but it will be cooler than the current color for sure. I like colorful furniture...the last time we bought seating, I picked out a sage green couch, a rust colored loveseat and an accent chair with a pattern that included rust, sage, aqua, taupe, brown, etc. I still have the accent chair and the loveseat. My other couch is aqua colored... So I'm quite happy to have the main living space be more neutral and bright. That's the hope anyway.

 

You can see through to a flex room space that is fairly closed off from the family room and kitchen but visible. We currently use space like that as a yoga/physical therapy space...but it hasn't worked out so well in the apt because it's really the dining room space? And it's right by the kitchen and so, it's more of just an open space in the apt. But it will be off to the side in the house and so we'll try again! The color I want in there is called Retreat:

 

 

The room doesn't get a ton of natural light, so I'm expecting it to really show the green undertone and look like this:

 

 

As crazy as it may sound...this Retreat color is found in the backsplash tile...that tile is much more aqua with a green influence that the online photos would suggest. This still isn't perfect but here is an attempt for me to photo the backsplash tile with the countertop sample:

 

 

You get a hint of the green undertones in the blue though. I think.

 

And Retreat itself...when it gets more natural light...it gets more neutral...here's another look at Retreat:

 

 

Very gray looking...less green. So...kind of whack how that happens...and something that you really have to account for. 

 

Meanwhile...we'll be painting the master bedroom that Riverway color:

 

 

Which is basically a more blue version of Retreat...I know I shared that color before. We'll be taking down one wall of wallpaper. I've taken wallpaper down before. You use a product called GARDZ to seal the wallpaper glue residue. We'll have to see the condition of the wall under the paper. And also see how much texture there is on the other walls to see how we deal with that, if we deal with it at all honestly. We have a large canopy bed and the wallpaper wall will be where that bed goes, so...if the wall is in good shape...we may just let it be what it is.

 

So that's a lot to write...but that's where we are starting our projects. Oh...another reason we are going so light on the walls is because in the future we will likely be going dark on the floors. Ultimately we are looking to put in bamboo flooring...and even though I've read that the darker floors are on their way out...I don't care...I love them and that's what we want...so the lighter wall is with a nod to the future.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Anita Latte

[awhfy]

Anita that is my backsplash, it’s SO east]y to clean. That’s going to be a lovely, lovely home. Love your colors

[Anita Latte]

Melody...so do you have this same backsplash? Or do you have a glass tile backsplash? If you have the same exact one...picture!!!

[pacruise804]

Good Morning, I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend.

 

Anita, I also enjoy hearing about your house.  Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

Melody, that salad does look good - I always like to bring vegetable heavy dishes to picnics.

 

Laurie, that dress is stunning!  I'd probably need to wear a cardigan with it (bra straps) but the pattern and colors work really well together.  I'm not sure the ombre alone would look as good without the pattern to the dress (and similarly the pattern on a solid color wouldn't be as appealing).

 

Sharon, I'm glad you were able to get out.  I'm trying to find new things to look forward to - like time for books I don't get around to or projects at the house.  

[awhfy]

13 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

Melody...so do you have this same backsplash? Or do you have a glass tile backsplash? If you have the same exact one...picture!!!

I have Sea glass tile backsplash now that we’re replacing with the one you’re showing. I only have it behind the stove & cant get it anymore. The one you have is on backorder. I’ll post when it arrives & we install it, but this time we’re doing under all the cabinets (with LED lighting). It’s not due in till September 😢

Edited July 6, 2020 by awhfy

[Anita Latte]

Melody...under cabinet lighting is really nice. I selected that for a kitchen in Kansas. I had selected Xenon lighting, I think? Both LED and Xenon were newer at that time, but Xenon was warmer in color. Most of the LEDs at that time were the freakish blue. I think Xenon fell off the planet though...I never hear about it and for real, I'm not even sure if I remember the name correctly.

 

That's another thing that the sellers did. I couldn't see the old fluorescent lighting that is actually ABOVE the cabinets. It was hidden by the old oversized crown molding on the cabinets. With the new cabinet face, the old light fixtures showed a bit and the seller decided to go buy new low profile LED lighting to replace the old fluorescent lighting that was there. He totally didn't have to do that...and yet, he did. It's little things like this that are just making us feel so grateful to have found this house and work with these sellers.

 

Sorry your kitchen project won't be until September. Time goes by so fast though... I'm already thinking about uni starting up again in the fall. DS has to get over to London with enough time to quarantine before the year gets under way so that means leaving in August. That's next month! UGH!

 

Laurie...that's a beautiful dress. The neckline is similar to one that I got from Chico's a while back and it is a bra nightmare for me. I don't have any strapless bras though... So duh. The pictures are confusing for me though...that action shot of the dress makes it appear to be fuller on the bottom than the still shots appear to be. The still shots make it feel like a sheathe dress but it get a bit of Aline/swing with the action shot. I don't like a full swing dress...too much fabric, but the sheathe style is not the most flattering on me. 

 

I also haven't seen that movie. Is it older? We've been watching a couple movies that friends talked about. The first was a bust...OMG...maybe if you read the book, then the ending made more sense but it seemed to be a lame ending and DH and I were both like...HUH? It was The Ninth Gate. Then we watched Dead Zone with Christopher Walken...and that was a good one. LOVE Christopher Walken and it was something else to see such a young Walken in the movie. 

[MJC]

Anita, it's so fun to hear about your new house adventures. I love your color palette, it's so sophisticated.

 

Laurie, that's such a  great dress. I only wish the back were different since I don't like wearing a strapless bra. I think that dress style looks so good on you, and I hope you post some pics if you get it.

 

Thank goodness for youtube because I have had to become such a handyman. Handyperson? We have hired our contractor to come and fix the cranks on our casement windows, though, because that is a challenging repair, apparently.

 

I tried to look at a few things from Coldwater Creek on their website, and I'm finding a lot of what they show is not available, or only available in a couple of colors. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't survive. My favorite Lucky Brand t-shirts may be a thing of the past, too, if they don't survive their bankruptcy reorg.

 

I haven't had a professional pedi since last fall sometime. I can paint my nails just fine but I was really missing the footcare part. But, I found this lotion and got a new pumice stone, and now my feet are in great shape:

 

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/flexitol-heel-balm/ID=prod399159-product

 

I've also been using this lotion, in part because the scent keeps bugs away at night or when I'm working in the garden. Plus I smell delicious to humans!

 

https://www.ulta.com/grapefruit-aloe-body-butter?productId=xlsImpprod17921164

 

 

[purduemom1]

Margaret, I’ve wondered the same thing about CWC. I get at least 2 emails a day and always about sales and shippings promo. 

 

About the Bliss grapefruit scent-interesting that it keeps the bugs away. I would love something like that without having to use an actual repellent that requires a shower and laundering clothing after each use. 

Sharon

[Sailor_Sally]

It is so sad but a lot of places will not survive this. We have been procrastinating about home projects but now I am ready .Living on the water our outdoor furniture takes a beating . We need to replace the table . The chairs are still okay but the table is rusting . I also may have the deck redone. 

Anita, I love your choices especially the back splash . Tomorrow is your big day ! Congratulations ! 

 

[laurspag]

Your color choices for your home are beautiful, Anita, and I think they will fit in beautifully to the area you are living in.  I am surprised when I see people selling a home with the added in extra of doing remodeling.  It doesn't happen much around here.  I think it is great that you get to choose the backsplash, as I think that is a big thing for me...being able to make the choices I want.  

 

I often think the hardest thing about moving for us would be that we would want to build, because I wouldn't want to be taking out new or close to new items just to replace them with something different, you know?  So it is a huge thing that you like the cabinets and counters, and get to choose the backsplash.  Major score for you!  It is going to look beautiful.

 

I agree on that dress.  Not just the swing part, but the colors look completely different in the last picture on my monitor.  I am willing to give it a try though, because I think I would get a lot out of the dress.  I was originally hoping that the neckline would allow me to just use a racerback bra, and was disappointed that I couldn't do that.  

 

Strapless bras aren't my favorite, because the girls just hang too low, but I have a more recent strapless that seems to work.  I hope that wasn't an overshare, lol.  I mean, the way they make these, you sag or have the excessively molded cups.  And then they use those silicone grippers to keep them in place, and they give me blisters.  I have only found one that I can wear, and it isn't the best.

 

I'm going to try it, and see what I think.  

 

I know this has been hard on businesses.  Some of them seem to have fared better than others.  Time will tell.  We tried hard to support our local restaurants with take out.  Now that things are starting to reopen, we have gone out to eat a few times and we are leaving a bigger tip.  

 

With landscaping and contractors, you can't get an available one to even give you an estimate, let alone get the work done.  They have a ton of work.  I think they will be extra busy for a while, but are making up for the lost time.  

 

We live in an area that isn't hot all year, so pools are not a big thing here.  As a matter of fact, they detract from the value of your home here.  But with everything going on, sales of swimming pools have tripled.

 

Home sales are doing very well, and people are willing to overpay.

 

So there is some good news coming out of all of this.  We will have to see what happens with certain things.   

[purduemom1]

Anita, your color choices are so pretty! All the seller’s updates are a real bonus for you especially since your color choices will fit in so well. 

 

Tomorrow is your big day-congratulations a bit early!

Sharon

[awhfy]

Anita!  Closing Day!  Yay!!!  Hope that you & your family are happy & healthy in your new abode!  Can’t wait to “really” see it!  

[awhfy]

Laurie, try an Olga strapless bra. They’re the only ones that are even slightly comfy on me