Home Improvement Extravaganza

I just have to post these pictures of our bathroom in process. Mr. Pete has done such a nice job with the bathroom. He's rennovating while working and going to school full time. I cannot describe how excited I will be to get the washer and dryer out of my dining room!

Some things

There's been a lot of hobbling around, whining, and a general procrastination of all things productive here at the Pete household. You won't believe what you can't do with a broken toe (think logicially, grade papers, pay bills...the list goes on I tell you). I think the toe is healing rather nicely. The jury is still out on the nail. It's now a dark shade of black (think OPI's Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ or Midnight in Mosco...good thing dark colors are in).

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I'm going to post soon about all the "green" information I've been collecting lately. Mr. Pete and I are in the market for a composter and energy efficient washer and dryer. We also purchased a share of a co-op farm. More about that later.

Since we haven't had any snow days (that's what winter's for), I find myself daydreaming of spring time. I can't wait to get out in our garden and tear things up.

That's all for now.

Home Improvement projects 34 and 35 of 90,000

One of the reasons I started a blog was to document the new home ownership experience. It's fun to have something of your own. When I lived in an apartment, I looked forward to buying new dish towels to experience the sense of satisfaction one receives for making something in his/her life better. Since we've moved in we've done mostly wall and floor stuff like painting and finishing floors. The real improvements, I think, are in the details. Like, it's really great to have curtains on the back sliding doors so I don't imagine someone is out there every night after 6:30 now when it gets dark. One of my first projects was to change out the door hardware. Let me tell you, oh joy! I've compared teaching the first months of school to walking through a sandstorm with your eyes open. I'm thinking I'll need to come up with a metaphor for fixing the silly mistakes previous homeowners made carelessly while fixing their 100+ year old house. My latest two projects were really fun. The first one was the best. I went to Home Depot and picked out lights to project light onto dirty dishes in the sink. I say it was a great project because, after a fruitless trip to pick out furniture, I insisted that we install the new lights. Mr. Pete started them and I went upstairs to "do-some-work." I came down only to criticize his work and screw in a few screws. Essentially, nothing. The great thing is the after show here. I mean it really made a big difference. The other project I really worked on. I mean it. There were several trips to several homegoods stores until I finally picked a roman shade (said with thick accent) from Target (pronounced by my mom and sister as tar-jay). It was tough stuff. I installed the shades on a metal door. There were power tools involved, and no, not the kind with batteries. We're talking power tools here people. Notice the killer brackets and final product.



















Oh yeah, and that door hardware, that's my work too.

Say Chaise

I can't quite figure out how I've survived the last few years of my adult life with all the decisions I've had to make. Job, husband, house, grad school...the list could go on forever. Since Mr. Pete and I have reached the "must have somewhere to sit" phase of new home ownership, I've realized just how picky I am. Most of our furniture is hand-me-down. We've been saving up to take the plunge into adult- looking matching furniture.

It was quite a productive weekend. We finally found some furniture we could both agree on that wasn't going to break the bank (ie. give Mr. Pete a heart attack). We found both a couch and a chair. Imagine a chocolate brown couch with a paisley chair. Mr. Pete's face was priceless after we made the big purchase. It was like 'Hey, I picked out the furniture and I'm outta here. I'll leave the mirror/picture/accessory picking out to you'.

I didn't realize how most furniture salespeople (in those chain-like furniture stores) are like car salespeople. Here's a summary of the conversations we've had with salespeople lately.

Couch-o-Rama Sales Person (aka. chain store salesperson): How can I help you folks today?

Inexperience and indecisive young professional(s): Hmmm I'm looking for a new sofa.

CORSP: some kind of random tirade about springs and glue

IIYP: Yeah I'm looking for something attractive and functional

CORSP: We don't carry those

IIYP: Hmmm

CORSP: Let me try to sell you a wrinkly cotton couch instead

IIYP: Ok, let's take a look around.

This is true and I'm not trying to be perverted

Conversation overheard at Home Depot last week:

Concerned customer: Excuse me, sir could you help me I have some corroded nuts?

Home Depot associate: Sure, over here in aisle...

Concerned customer: Yeah, I was looking for some penetrating oil