Friday morning observations

I find I can sleep SOOOOO well on Friday morning- so well in fact I usually get up an hour or more after I plan to.  And as you know, no amount of exercise, relaxation, planning or praying can get you to sleep that well on Saturday morning! This is something that drives me crazy.  It would be so amazing on a Saturday morning to wake up at 5 am, look at the clock, smile and think, I think I'll just turn over and lay here for a moment and then have it be 7 am.  No.  Just No.  That won't be happening, when I do that (only it will be closer to 4), I will turn over, think about laying there for a bit longer, and then be wide awake within 30 minutes.

Also, why is it when I feel sickish, the sun is out for days on end- DAYS!! And now when it appears I am on the mend and tomorrow is SATURDAY- we are supposed to get 3 - 5 inches of snow???  NOT FAIR PEOPLE!!!

Ok, I am done whining now!  :)

I did manage to go for a good walk yesterday, it wasn't super fast, but I got almost 5 miles in.  I walked over to the stone house and took a few pictures, but that will be a different post.  I have a bunch of photo editing to do from that yet.

I started another blog, it is merely a way for me to keep track of my elementary art lessons and at what point the kids left off- it is one I haven't told people about, or even given anyone a link for it, and yet I already have many page views- I find this weird.  How do people even find something like that??  Oh well.  It is not narrative at this point, it is merely a way for me to use pictures as a reminder.  I can walk into my elementary art room and seriously have no idea what I did with the kids the previous week - and for that matter what I did with a different set of kids the day before!  Schedules, days off, subs, concerts, early dismissals, unexpected interruptions all work together to totally throw off any possible syncing of art lessons for the elementary school. I am already happy with this method!  I have been able to add a few notes to the photos, but I can see on an insane day that just posting the pictures is going to give me a reminder.  And for any one who is judging me and saying that I should just put it on a calendar and write it in- I say- you have no IDEA what my day is like and how my brain works, so stop it.  So there, I feel better now.

On a REALLY positive note- I am coming up on a weekend where I have no obligations to deal with! No play, no company, no painting of any sort (er, um, well, I do plan to paint the arch) and I can try to reorganize my house, wash a LOT of clothes, clean a few more seriously dusty areas I have discovered and generally pull myself together!  AND I plan to do a little goofing off and I need to pick up my book club book, as I have some serious reading that I need to do- it has been TOO LONG!!

And yes, I AM enjoying my livingroom- a LOT!!  I love the color, I love the ceiling fan and the LIGHT!  I love the floor!!  It gives me joy!

Until next time, be a JOY giver!!  and a whole lot of joy will come back to you, too!

Living room wrap up but not with a bow!

Yeah, well I am not totally done with the living room, I had another virus step in the way- good grief.  So, I again did not accomplish what I planned to Thursday and Friday.  Good heavens, amazing how things go sometimes.

Today I had an unpleasant-ish day at school, it wasn't horrific, but it wasn't great.  Temper tantrums were imminent, but I managed to contain myself.  Yay for me, I guess, maturity managed to win over petulance.

Anyway, I am here at home resting, which I think was the right thing to do.  I feel very yucky, but oh well, I can tell I am on the mend.  I am sure that I will feel better tomorrow.  I need to.  I HAVE TO!

So, as long as I am sitting here like a slug, I thought I'd like to put up a series of pix from one view point - Just for kicks and giggles and because the Mad-middle son thought it would be entertaining to see the progress.  I know it is too bad it couldn't have been a true progression through the day series, but that's ok- this will be cool.

Here is the kitchen view:

Tonight's view

I still want to get a small antique desk for the corner and I have to put art up yet, but at least it is coming together!  YAY!

AND here is another view:

A little desk is def in order and certainly a bigger TV,  meow!  

Well this was entertaining to see!  I love it!!  It was so awesome to come home to this today, I  was feeling warmer and happier just being in here.


And I certainly found some joy!

Final Official update- sort of

So here is my last official update, but I still want to do one more thing yet.  This one was hardish to photograph, as my living room only has furniture in it. And not my final furniture!  I have virtually no decorations in it and it seems very empty.  But that is ok, I will be putting things back slowly and I am going to use this opportunity to clean a lot of things out.

I am catching some flack from certain Mad-Children for not wanting to rehang a certain old, weird clock that is apparently "an old Oswald heirloom" - so we shall see where that thing ends up.  Threats have been made to put it somewhere upstairs.

So, I am putting these pix up, without a window angle, as my kitchen is such a disaster that I just couldn't take the pic.  I mean, seriously a disaster area.  I hope I have a huge store of energy today, as I have a lot to do before my kiddos come home for the weekend.  Not of course the expectant kiddos, as Sarah Grace is too close to delivery to travel that far.  And I believe Jon needs to paint his basement!!  Ambitious boy - he's an awful lot like his father.  Project driven!

Front room angle

Ok, I do need a flat screen TV now.  But I have patience- that will come sometime soon.

Hallway angle

Kitchen angle

So bare yet!

Anyway, here is the "finished" room, but is not finished!  This was really a fast renovation, but in some ways seemed like forever!  But that happens in life a lot, doesn't it?

I have to THANK THANK THANK my elusive Mike.  He helped me move the furniture back in (the MA is in the throes of personal tax returns and doesn't return home until the late evening) and then put together the TV stand and reconnected my SATELLITE!!!!  He's such a good boy.  The Easter bunny will be stopping by for him definitely!

I have so much cleaning to do,  (and I have some pix I want to edit!!) but, I don't feel like I can rest and enjoy this for a while.  Probably when the kids get here- way later tonight!!  And be here tomorrow and Sunday- which will give me a lot of joy!

Final empty room update! WOO HOO!!!

I am thrilled to report my room is as done as Joe is going to be contributing.  I need to finish my arch- a little more fill, sanding and then painting.  I need to do that today, as I want SOMETHING totally done!!  And the elusive Mike is coming later to help me move furniture in!! (Mad-Art teacher jumps up and down with glee!!)  I have, for your information, partaken of my morning coffee in the livingroom, parked on the floor on my new area rug!  I am absolutely like that!!  

This is what I came home to from my shopping trip yesterday:

Lovely glow

 I totally realize this picture is darkish and crooked, but I don't care.  I walked through the kitchen to get a first look at this!!  I practically purred.

Front room angle

Kitchen angle, right

Kitchen angle, left

Hallway angle, crooked

window angle

Window angle, right

Window angle, left

If I would have been able to get a slightly darker poly/stain combo, I would have

HAPPY ART TEACHER ANGLE!!!!

Later today or tomorrow I will be posting a synopsis, time line kind of thing, using one of my angles.  Looking forward to that, I think that is going to take some time, though!!  :)  All my posts do, but this one might take some extra.

But that will give me a lot of joy!!

I'm totally in love........

With this floor!!  I actually teared up a little when I saw it. The color and the character is just fantastic!!

Joe did SUCH a great job finishing it off.  He sanded it quite a bit apparently- lots of places where there was paint splotches along the edges, and a few marks where someone dragged something very heavy- we think probably the wood stove at one point.  And we all know there was a wood stove, as  A. a little old lady who used to live here stopped by a few years ago and she told me so!  And 2. there are cool spark/burn marks that just add to the history of the place.  So these pix were taken between the second and third coat of poly, which btw, does not really smell at all!  Pleasant surprise!!!

Front room view

Kitchen angle and a peek of the Builder!

window angle

Hallway angle

Hallway angle, left

Hallway angle, right

Footsie angle- there are the burn marks, too.

Tomorrow it will actually be finished- the trim boards go up!  I will be shopping for a few things I need in Eau Claire.  I of COURSE know I could probably find these things closer than that, but hey, I'm on spring break.  It is the closest thing to a vaca as I am going to get! :) 

Now the question is, what sort of shape is the kitchen floor going to be in?? We won't investigate that for a few weeks yet, but I have been wavering between the wood and tile.  It seems a shame to cover the the gorgeous wood that has been waiting to make it's appearance.  I do like it so very much.....  And with the new sealing materials, apparently the wood is quite safe from water damage.....  so I guess we will see what lurks below!  I am again leaning towards the wood.  It would be a nice warm color and it is such a legitimate material- local tongue and groove maple!!  

Such a joy!!