the only “chili” around here is the weather!

I’ve lost track of how long it’s been since the sun was out, and we aren’t expecting a break in the rain for several days yet.  It is impossible to fix a radiator leak—or an electrical short for that matter—when the rain is coming down in sheets.  I may be exaggerating just a little, but rain is rain. 

It certainly doesn’t help with the varied moods in my house. 

My husband and I had an argument last night.  It was about dinner—specifically chili.  I asked him to help me with a few things while I ran errands, and when I came back, he had gone beyond the scope I asked of him.  He was well into the chili construction.  This should have been a nice surprise, but unfortunately, we have very different styles of cooking, and my precision chili-making skills do not allow for his experimentation.  My masterpiece was ruined.  I couldn’t work with the pot of food I was left with, and I didn’t react well.  Of course, my reaction set off his and we didn’t speak for the rest of the night. 

The worst part of it was, I couldn’t eat the food.  It turned out to be more of a bean soup than chili thanks to extra water added to the pot, and my heart just wasn’t in it anymore.

I have a lot of leftovers if anyone is hungry.

My apology came in the form of an unsolicited hug when Mike got home this evening.  It wasn’t as romantic as falling on his sword or anything such…but it was perfectly adequate, as apologies go.  And everything is right with the world again…except for all this rain. 

One thing at a time, I guess. 

Until the next time…I’ll be eating leftover bean soup!

we were wrong about a lot of things

Life isn’t always what we dreamed it would be when we were young—when fairy tales were real…and monsters could always be slain with smiles and laughter. 

We knew then that we would never get sick.  We would always find joy.  Our hearts would never be split in two.  Our spirits never broken.  Our hopes and dreams would never be diminished…not when we needed them the most.

We were wrong. 

When we’re grown up, sometimes things are hard…and it’s easy to think about giving up—surrendering to the monster in the dark.

Sometimes it feels like we have no one to lean on when we need a friend.  Sometimes the weight of the world bears down on us and we just don’t think we can go on. 

We were wrong. 

Those are the times we must fight the hardest—grasp onto the slightest shred of hope in the dim light of despair.  No matter how dark the night is, the morning will come again. 

And even on the grayest day there is air to breathe…no matter how loudly our hearts scream that we cannot breathe…we just need to make the effort.

Because we were wrong…about the fairy tales…and the monsters…and the joy.

They are all real, and they are inside of us. 

And the joy can beat the monsters in the fairy tales we create.  And our spirit can’t be broken…not if we say it can’t.  And our dreams cannot be diminished…not if we continue to dream.  And our hearts can’t ever really be split in two by heartbreak…not if we hold on to hope like the glue that keeps us together. 

And we can never really be sick if we live our lives to the fullest each and every day we draw breath…

Until the next time…I’ll be dreaming of a sunny day in the dark of night!

what happened to my silver lining?

Dark forces never rest.

The bad weather of the weekend carried over into the early morning hours on Monday.  As soothing as the far away rumblings of thunder were to fall asleep to Sunday night, they were just that miserable to wake up to on a Monday morning.  I didn’t have to get up.  I could have slept in for a least another hour, but the ringing phone dragged me out of my strange dreams yet again.  It was Mike. The Land Rover had stalled out again in the downpour. 

Here we go again!

Hadn’t I had enough car trouble to last me the rest of the year?  Apparently not.  The money pit…I mean the Land Rover is destined to be the death of me, metaphorically—I hope.  

Mike gave it a little time, hit a few reset buttons, and blew on the wires under the hood until the car cranked again.  He made it home after a few minor stalls, and decided that maybe working from home was the best idea today. 

Staying home was definitely in the cards.  At least for me.  It was too cold and damp to venture out.  And I would like to say I accomplished things staying in, but I didn’t.  I didn’t get a single thing done today.  But I have the rest of the week to make up for it.  Starting in the morning…I’m exhausted. 

Rainy days will do that to you!                                          

Until the next time…I’ll be waiting for a little sunshine to chase away the dark clouds!

a stitch in time...

And things begin to go back to normal.

Mike and I slept in this morning.  We should have gotten up early, but it was just so warm under the covers.  And there was no rush to go check on the Land Rover.  If it was going to start, we could drive it home.  If it wasn’t going to crank, there wasn’t much I could do on a Sunday anyway. 

So after rolling out of bed at eleven thirty, we took our time getting up and around. 

It was after noon before we headed out to get the Land Rover.  Miraculously, it started right away.  It was exactly what we suspected the night before, something got wet that wasn’t supposed to.  We used the Land Rover to get a new tire for the Mercury and by the end of the day we had two cars back in operation. 

It was a perfect day to finish the little projects in the kitchen that we started, and I must say (although it isn’t finished yet) it looks marvelous! 

Before:

After:

Notice the slanted boards in the new wine cabinet!  That will look even better with a few bottles of wine in it.  I'll work on that tomorrow. 

All in all, not bad for a rainy miserable weekend with no cars to drive, huh?  Well…it’s back to reality tomorrow, and I still haven’t finished a single pillow!  I’m not making any promises tonight; those seem to get me into trouble every time!

Until the next time…I’ll be making pillows…or not…who knows for sure?

I just can’t catch a break

Ok…first it was Spencer’s car.  It was the unfortunate loss of what was a pretty decent vehicle.  But I chalked that up to “accidents happen”.  If you drive cars long enough, you’re going to have some kind of accident.  And I chose to look at things on the positive side…it was lucky that my son was unharmed.  So what if the car was totaled.  It happens…right?

Next we had the coolant leak in Alexa’s little car.  It was easy to brush that off as inevitability.  It is an old car…things break in old cars.  I was certain it could be fixed…if it wasn’t raining.  But that left us only two cars, and four drivers.  We were sharing, and car pooling, and making concessions.  You just have to do that sometimes. 

When Alexa called me today to say she needed assistance because the Mercury had blown a tire, I was less than pleased.  In fact, I was downright frustrated.  I could not come up with a single positive side of this situation.  I said bad words and wondered out loud what I had done to deserve such bad luck.  I mean, one car…I could dismiss.  Two cars…I could still make sense of the big picture.  But three cars?  All in the same week?  There is clearly some dark force working against me.

And when dark forces are at work, they don’t mess around.

The expected rain turned into hail storms and tornado warnings on Saturday night.  It was coming down in buckets when Mike and I headed out to pick Spencer up from work at eleven o’clock.  Spencer ran out of the building and hopped into the backseat just as another wave rolled through.  The sky rumbled loudly, and the Land Rover was pelted with heavy rain as we made our way home. 

We were just a few miles from home when the engine sputtered and died.  The Land Rover stalled in the intersection.  Mike managed to pull it out of traffic (what little traffic there was after eleven on a Saturday night) and got out to push.  I was left to steer as Mike and Spencer pushed the SUV across the road into the Bank of America parking lot.  The very same Bank of America where I used to work. 

Was this some sort of cruel message? 

The Land Rover made four vehicles—four vehicles that worked perfectly fine at the beginning of the week only to be out of commission by the end of the week.  Is that even possible?  What are the odds? 

Las Vegas has better odds that that!

Mike fiddled with things under the hood for a few minutes, trying to get the Land Rover to crank.  It was no use.  Something had gotten wet in the torrential downpour and caused a short.  I can only hope it will start again tomorrow after drying out.  If the rain ever stops, that is. 

Thank goodness Spencer’s girlfriend lives less than two miles from where we broke down or we would probably still be shivering in the Land Rover.  I guess that’s something positive.  Not that I have much faith in the positive at this particular moment in time.  Other than to say that I’m positive I have pissed someone off up there.  Is there any other plausible reason for every vehicle I own to die all at once? 

It’s like I just rolled a seven on the big craps table of life.

I guess it’s time to pass the dice.

Until the next time…I’ll be making LOTS of pillows tomorrow.

are you talking to me?

I didn’t get a stitch of sewing done as planned today.

Instead I had to rescue my daughter—stranded with a blown radiator hose and an overheated vehicle.  I foolishly agreed to switch cars with her and had to drive home with a coolant leak.  I filled the radiator with an entire bottle of fluid and then raced against the leak to get home before I overheated.  I put on the hazard lights and I coasted as much as possible—afraid to go faster than twenty miles per hour.  I was leading a long line of traffic like the pace car after a crash at Daytona (and the fact that I can even summon that imagery is frightening at best!)  

Amazingly, I made it home without a single billow of smoke leaking out from under the hood. 

After switching cars again, I had to drive my son to the chiropractor and then to work.  I’m starting to feel a little like a taxi driver without the handy little meter…or the tattoos.   This whole “two cars for four drivers” situation is getting old already.  And I heard through the grape vine that the weather is not going to cooperate with our plans to fix the two spare “kid” vehicles this weekend.  It looks like Mike will be working from home again next week, and since I don’t like the Robert DeNiro, Taxi Driver imagery any more than I enjoyed the NASCAR picture in my head, I will be playing the role of a proper chauffeur…unless I want to be stranded without a car. 

It may just be time to take up bicycling again. 

Or hitch my giant puppy to a wagon and let him pull me around town.  And before I get tons of hate mail…Mastiffs are well-known for their wagon pulling.  Mine however, only pulls for his own enjoyment—mostly pulling me, through the park or pet store, at the end of his leash on our weekly adventures. 

I suppose I’m going to have to keep to the current plan and pray for a break in the rain this weekend. 

Then again…if I’m stranded I might actually get some sewing done.  I have four pillows to make and I can’t sew while driving.  Or can I?

Until the next time…I’ll be getting one of those cute chauffeur hats and practicing my English accent!

decorating can be fun!

I am all about the fun side of decorating, but it’s not all fun and games.  The heavy renovation work will have to wait for a week or two while some of the more subtle changes take place.  You know the sort…the little paint touch-ups…a little light upholstery work. 

The easy stuff.

I picked up a few great fabrics today.  Some will end up as giant throw pillows.  Others will end up as seat covers for the dining chairs.  I haven’t decided which is which just yet.  But as usual, as soon as I decide, I will get the pictures up for you to see.

I am bound and determined to have this house decorated before spring turns into summer.  I fear it may be a bit on the ambitious side considering we are doing everything ourselves.  Then again, I am pretty stubborn when I set my mind to something.  And the kitchen is almost finished.  It’s all downhill after that!

I think I might spend the whole day tomorrow on pillow making.  Sewing can be quite therapeutic—provided I have all the proper tools when I need them. 

But as for now, it’s after midnight, and the only tools I need are a warm bed and a few sumptuous pillows to crash into.  Sounds pretty good to me!

Until the next time…I’ll be stitching my way through the day!

you’ve got to accentuate the positive

I can’t say today was an exceptionally bad day, but it didn’t rank high on my list of good days for certain.  My dear aunt is still struggling with medical issues, and I am still asking for some extra prayers for her.  I have nothing but the best of expectations when it comes to her prognosis, though.  She is one of the strongest people I’ve ever known, and I’m sure she will come through this with spectacular grace and courage. 

But seriously, a little good news would have been really nice today.

Sometimes I wonder how I manage to focus on the positive with so much negative energy milling around at all times.  I have always said, everything happens for a reason, but we don’t always know what that reason is. 

For example…

My son wrecked his car, and although I am thankful that he wasn’t hurt, I am not pleased that we are now down one vehicle.  This has forced my husband to work from home on days he would ordinarily go to the office.  Perhaps what I am supposed to take from this is that it has given us added incentive to set up his office space that we have been procrastinating about since we moved in.  I guess I can chalk that up to the positive side…right?

And I got coupons in the mail today for the dog food I will need to buy tomorrow.  That is always a positive thing.  Dog food is expensive, and I buy a 30lb bag once a week! More positive things?  Could be.

My daughter has decided that she is NOT going to the prom AFTER I bought her the dress, but thankfully we left the tags on and I have the receipt.  I suppose the positive side of that is, we won’t have to buy tickets to prom, or spend money on hair, make-up, and shoes. 

While I’m on a roll…

My husband has discovered that the PS3 video game system is a wonderful distraction from the stresses of everyday life, and he has spent the past few days destroying mythological beasts in bloody battles during his down time from work.  This has two nice positive sides.  One, he is in an infinitely better mood after killing things (who isn’t?) and two, it puts him in a place where he can relate to the kids on their level.  I have no complaints about either.  And I have to admit, I find his game to be a wonderful spectator sport.    

Now if I could only figure out the positive side of PMS…this week would have been so much more productive!

Until the next time…I’ll be watching my husband kick some mythological butt!

just another tuesday for the rest of the world

How often do we tell people how thankful we are to have them in our lives...once a week, once a month, once a year?  We should do it once a day, because just like that...they could be gone.

My son was in a car accident this evening.  Thankfully, he walked away from it unscathed, but his car was unfortunately totalled.  We didn't blink an eye about the car.  It was my son I was worried about.  And I'm very glad that he is safely back in his room (probably reliving the moment again and again, wondering how he could have done things differently). 

We will never know, sadly.  Things don't work that way.  There is no going back and doing things differently, as much as we may wish we could. 

I certainly wish I could say Spencer's accident was the only low point in my day, but it wasn't.  I found out that one of my favorite aunts had to have medical tests done today, and I am worried about her too.  I have been thinking about my favorite times with her all throughout the day and I am saying a special prayer for her tonight...hopeful that the tests will come back fine, and she will be able to rest easy tomorrow night.  I'm sure she won't sleep much tonight.

I probably won't sleep tonight either, residual worry still coursing though my veins.  But I am definitely thankful that if I could sleep, I would wake up knowing my children are safe.  And there isn't much more we can hope for is there? 

Say a prayer for my aunt with me tonight...positive thinking and strong prayers work wonders, no matter what your beliefs are.

Until the next time...I'll be lying awake, counting my blessings!

no games for me

Today was monthly book club. 

This time, not only did I NOT read the book, I didn’t go.  Not because I didn’t want to, but because I just couldn’t get there.  At first because I didn’t have a ride—I let my daughter take my car and my husband wasn’t home yet—but later it was more about not having the energy. 

This is something I need to change, and fast.

I don’t know why I have been so completely drained lately.  But what I fear is that it may be all in my head. 

Have I simply convinced myself that this is all there is?

Nah, that can’t be it.

I simply wore myself out today.  I was up and down a ladder, caulking the crown moulding Mike installed over the cabinets.  It turned out fabulous, and now it just needs a coat of paint.  The kitchen is almost where I want it to be…and I am very happy about that!

The weather is getting nice enough for us to plan a trip to the mountains pretty soon, and I would really like to have all of our “at home” projects finished first.  I’m ready for a little rest and relaxation…and not the kind you get vacuuming and doing the dishes.

As for now, I still have a lot to do.  And right after I finish, well…I don’t know what I’ll do then.  Maybe something  I haven’t done in a long time.

Until the next time…I’ll be planning a girl’s night out!

it may be clogged, but it isn't dead yet!

I’m tired of giving my toilet CPR.

Because that is exactly what it feels like on the countless times I am forced to pull out the plunger and use as much strength as I can muster to flush the newest clog down the pipes. 

I know what you’re thinking, and while someone in my house may indeed be “full of it” I think the problem lies within the pipes themselves more than anything else.

This is an old house.  And like a lot of other “old” things, (or people) that we will not mention tonight, it has bad plumbing.

But as I have said before, I do love the charm of this old house, and now that the kitchen island is completed, I love it even more.

I took these pictures before the last few touch-ups, but I’m sure you’ll get the idea.  I’ll get more pictures up once the rest of the room is put together. 

But that will have to wait until next weekend…this one is officially over.  And what a great weekend it was too!

Until the next time…I’ll be working on a few new projects during the week!

a tail of karma

It’s funny how things can be really awful one day, and back to normal the next, without a single word spoken about the problems that made things bad to begin with.

Today was like that for me.

It was really a great day.  And if not for the shadow of the past two days hanging over it, I would have been delighted.  But I just couldn’t shake that feeling that I was due an apology—one that I knew I wouldn’t get.  Why?  Because for some reason men—my husband in particular—have a very hard time saying, “I’m sorry.”

I’m not saying men never say, “I’m sorry,” I’m just saying it’s not as frequently as they probably should.  And I’m not making this up as I go along, I am basing my assumption on past experiences with the wide range of men I have encountered in my life. 

So what I really want to know is this…is it considered some kind of failure to admit they have made a mistake?  Or is it something else?  Come on guys, explain yourselves!  Are we supposed to “assume” the apology has been given by your new friendly demeanor?  It certainly seems as if that is the rule.  My husband may not give an actual apology, but he will suddenly behave as if nothing happened at all.  I admit, it’s nice—I like feeling like I’m back in his good graces—but I’m not ready to let it drop until he falls on his sword. 

What happened to chivalry?

I suppose I should just let it go, move on, be the bigger person…and I probably will…but not before I’m ready.

I think I might be ready now.

After all, once karma has a chance to put things back in balance there isn’t much need to sulk about things anymore.  And the best part about karma is it’s out of your hands.  I didn’t have to do anything to set things straight.  I wasn’t even in the room when it happened.

Karma by dog tail is a pretty harsh punishment.  Especially when Indiana Jones has one of the most muscular tails I have ever seen, and as it happens, it swings at right about the same height as Mike’s groin. 

I did feel bad.  How could I not? It sounded painful.  And now I feel like somehow we’re even.  But I think next time he should just apologize.  It might hurt a little bit less.

Until the next time…I’ll be enjoying the rest of my weekend now that balance has been restored to the universe.

pms, the full moon, and whole lot more than adequate

I did it.

I wrote my blog, weighed my dog, cleaned my house, and had dinner ready by six-thirty.  And once I finished with dinner, I finished the other projects I was working on. 

Let’s just say, it was a busy day.

Dinner was homemade jambalaya with shrimp and andouille sausage…and yes, I made it myself.  I have never made jambalaya before, but as my husband has pointed out on far too many occasions, I have access to the internet where recipes abound.  So after a quick search and a trip to the market, I was in business.  And as long as I was cooking, I figured I would make a batch of macaroni salad for Saturday. 

While dinner was cooking, I got to work on unpacking a few more boxes and shredded a bunch of old mail.  I would guess I got an entire weekend’s worth of work done in a matter of hours.  Of course, I will regret it later when I can’t move from lifting so many heavy things. 

I even managed to get a few loads of laundry done!

Hardly the work of someone who is “inadequate”…but then again, I’m biased.  In fact, I was so more than adequate today…I even baked cookies!

I might even share them. 

Then again…I might not.  We’ll see how “adequate” everyone else is tonight.

Until the next time…I’ll be looking forward to the “super” full moon to accompany the miserable PMS!

if you blog it, they will read

My husband and I had one of those arguments this evening.  You know the ones…where someone inevitably tosses out an unforgivable statement, be it fact or exaggeration, and the rest is as they say…history.  Well, I can’t seem to forget the words he said, or the even harsher meaning behind them.  And I wonder if he wasn’t right…maybe I am inadequate.  Maybe I am wasting my time writing a blog every night, maybe no one really reads it at all.  And maybe I should devote more time to making sure the house is spotless and dinner is on the table by six every day. 

That is my “job” isn’t it?

Well, since I quit my real job it is.  And is it any wonder I’m beginning to regret that decision? Not because I miss the day job (I don’t), but because having it seemed to give my life some sort of respectable purpose.  What is my purpose now?

I’m having a minor crisis of identity, I think.

I used to define myself as a mother, but my children are almost grown and have little use for me on a day to day basis…so although I am still a mother, I am not using my mothering skills quite as often these days.  I used to define myself as a business banker, but I quit my job to focus on writing (instead of my high blood pressure) so I’m no longer a bank officer.  I once even defined myself as a singer…I was pretty good…but I don’t sing anymore, so I can’t call myself a singer.  So all I am left with is writer and wife, and after tonight it seems I’m not doing a bang up job as a wife either…so if I don’t write my blog, how would I define myself?  Who would I be?

More importantly, how could I ever give up writing? 

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember.  Writing allows me to step outside of myself and into a new exciting world where I hold the keys to everything.  And more than that, it allows me the freedom to be who I really am inside—without rules, definitions, or boundaries.

I can’t let myself forget for a single instant that I am a writer…and writer’s write…even if no one reads it.

That is what I am trying to do with my daily blog.  I’m trying to hone my craft while keeping it fresh.  I am trying to open a small window into my little world and let you in. 

So maybe…if I blog it, you will read.

I would ask that everyone who reads my blog today leave a little comment below…just something to let me know you were here.  And hopefully you’ll come back…I still have a lot more to say.

Until the next time…I’ll be hanging out in my private world, come on in!

the forgotten blog

Well, I have procrastinated writing my blog before.  I have fallen asleep in the middle of writing my blog.  I have had to get my husband to write it for me when I was too sick.  I have had to post it late due to an internet outtage.  And I've even had to phone it in once while I was away from my computer.  But I've never once completely forgotten to write it. 

That is...until tonight.

In my defense, I was working on a writing project for someone else.  It was very important, and I managed to get most of it done.  But after that, I started watching "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" and lost track of time. 

For the record, I am smarter than a fifth grader, even if most of the contestants aren't. 

So, at this late hour, after forgetting to prepare a single thing to write, I will be forced to wing it.  But like most self-respecting fifth graders, I am pretty good at making things up as I go along.  And lucky for me, I did witness something pretty funny today.

Remember our boy, Joey, in his anti-escape helmet?  I caught him in the yard this evening trying to shove his head, inverted hot pink lampshade and all, through a newly dug hole under the fence.  He was furiously attempting to get his head to cooperate, without much luck. 

He was a dog possessed. 

Poor Joey continuously jammed the wide end of the collar against the hole and the fence with a loud clacking sound.  No matter how hard he tried, or from what angle he approached, his head just wouldn't go through. 

I finally pulled him away from the hole, fearful that he would figure out that if he backed through the hole, he would have better success.  Don't tell him I said that. I wouldn't put it past him to try. 

I took this picture of him at the end of his struggles.  I figure it sums up his inner monologue pretty well.

Until the next time...I'll be writing my blog before midnight!

the more the merrier

It’s funny how things change. 

Mike and I made the agonizing decision to part with our house (the first house we owned together as a married couple) and downsize to the house we are in now, in large part due to the fact that we were anticipating a time, in the very near future, when we would be empty nesters.  We had already seen one of our kids grow up and move out.  Spencer had been living on his own since June.  In addition to that, Lauren is planning on going into the Air Force in the fall.  And Alexa has grand plans to go to college and get an apartment with friends. 

So other than the dogs, we figured we would be living alone...sooner than later.

What is that saying about the “best laid plans”?

Spencer moved back home this week.  So our “empty” nest is now full to the brim.  And believe it or not, I am not complaining.  It’s sort of nice to have all the kids under the same roof.  It’s cozy…in a good way.  I think it might actually be bringing the family together a little bit more.  Living in a big house is like living in separate places.  We may have been under the same roof, but we were rarely together. 

And who doesn’t love togetherness? 

Until the next time…I’ll be having family night every night!

little dog lost

I think I may have solved the problem with Joey escaping the yard.  I followed my mother's advice (no big surprise there, Mom's are always right) and found an Elizabethan dog collar.  Joey was less than happy to wear it, I'm not sure if his issue was with the collar itself or the color. 

It's hot pink.

But under the circumstances, I think hot pink is a fitting color for this escape artist.  At least I can be somewhat confident that Joey will be unable to vanish on me...until he figures out how to get the collar off.  Until then, I guess I will focus my attention on another lost dog.

I was at the vet just the other day, Indy and I were there for his weekly weigh-in, and I had just missed a strange woman (another "guest" from the dance studio next door.)  According to my friends at the vet, the older woman came in asking questions about the little stone dog just outside the entrance.  It was Dr. Dunn's mascot, a gift from a friend. 

The woman wanted very specific information about the stone terrier.  She referenced specific artists that she thought may have carved the lifesize statue.  She also asked if anyone knew where she could get one just like it. But because it was a gift, no one could give her the answers she was looking for.  All they could tell her was the dog was a special member of the vet office team, and they were very attached to it.  The woman never once asked if she could buy the dog, but she was clearly enamoured. 

Fast forward to the next day.

I noticed it right away when I pulled up.  I saw the little dog, but something was off.  Was I just imagining it? No...it was definitely different.  In fact, it was a different dog!

The crazy woman had stolen the stone terrier and replaced it with a ceramic beagle!

No one knows exactly when the switch occurred. Or how anyone could be so bold!  She obviously felt some degree of remorse for taking the stone dog, that was why she replaced it. But as nice as this replacement dog may be, it is not the original dog, and therefore, not an equal exchange. 

The woman must have lost her marbles!

Speaking of marble...

We finished the marble top on the island today.  A huge relief!  I just need to paint the cabinet and the island is done! 

After all that, I think I deserve a day of rest.  Off to the spa for me tomorrow!

Until the next time...I'll be getting pampered (hopefully without a single blog worthy incident!)

back to the drawing board

Today was devoted to the kitchen island.  We were determined to have it completely done before the sun went down.  And thanks to an extra hour of daylight, it certainly seemed possible.

So we grabbed something to eat from the fridge and set to work cutting the tiles. 

Well, truth be told, Mike did all the tile cutting, but I did help fit them back into the mosaic that is the island after he cut them to size.  And once all the tiles were cut, it was time to move them to the coffee table while we spread the mortar to set them permanently. 

Unfortunately, we dropped a few of the edge pieces, breaking them into three parts.  My first reaction was to be upset, but after a few moments of thought, I realized it would be ok.  Once they were down and grouted, it would be hard if not impossible to tell where they had broken.  Mike said it might also give the island a little vintage patina, and who doesn't love that, right? 

We managed to get the rest of the tile set out without breaking any and Mike mixed up the mortar for the next step.

I insisted that Mike carefully read the directions before spreading the mortar, which he did.  But even after following the directions to the letter, it was almost immediately evident that something was very wrong.

The mortar was setting up faster than we could put the tiles down...and once they were down, we couldn't shift them even slightly to level.  By the time we realized how bad the island was going to look, the tiles were almost set. 

We had to remove each one, scrape off the now hardened mortar, and start over.

Mike was about to throw in the towel.  First the water pump yesterday, then three broken edge pieces ($27 each if we had to replace them) and now the mortar had set up too fast.  Our simple little island had become a disaster!

But, like I always say, some things happen for a reason.

While we were popping the tiles off the mortar (far too easily) Mike decided that this little disaster was the best thing to have happened.  The mortar was brittle, and scraped off easily, and therefore, probably wouldn't have held the tiles.  It didn't even take us that long to scrape the cement board base and created a clean slate. 

We lost a little time, and the cost of a new bag of mortar, but in the end the marble turned out better than we could have imagined. 

We didn't get it done by sunset, we still have to do the grout, finish the beaded board accent, add the shelves to the bookshelf niche on the side, and then I will have to paint the whole thing.  But for the first time, I can see the finish line.  And I am very pleased with the results so far. 

Until the next time...I'll be cleaning the mortar from the floorboards!

spring ahead

Tonight marks the last time my big clock will be correct until November. 

I suppose I could get a step ladder and take it down to adjust the time, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun.  Besides, although the clock is completely functional, I seem to always forget it tells time and therefore, I never check it.  So an hour off in one direction or the other doesn’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

So that’s it…Daylight Savings Time…if I had one complaint, it would be the loss of a valuable hour of sleep.  I suppose it’s a small price to pay for an extra hour of daylight. 

And we might need that extra hour of light…we haven’t finished the island yet. 

I’m going to blame the delay on technical difficulties.  The water pump on the wet saw didn’t work and we had to replace it.  By the time we had the replacement and got back to work cutting tiles, it was almost dark.  If only Daylight Savings had started a day earlier.

So I’ll be up an hour early tomorrow, even if the clock says it’s the same time as always, I’ll know the difference.  And with any luck, the kitchen island will be done before dark tomorrow. 

I would really like to have my kitchen back.

Until the next time…I’ll be springing ahead, like it or not!

midnight at the dog park

It's a Friday night, and I'm home watching a Criminal Mind's marathon on TV.  My dogs are sleeping on the floor around me, and I have officially completely all of the tasks I had on my daily to-do list.  I guess that makes it a pretty good night.

Tomorrow will be the beginning of another kitchen remodel weekend.  We will be finishing the marble island, and if there is time, we may move on to the countertops.  I don't want to get my hopes up.  The island still has a lot of work to be done. 

Despite the fact that today was a pretty busy day, I can't think of a single bit of it that was blog worthy.  Unless you count this...the grandpuppy is visiting for the night, and he has been the catalyst for a full on dog wrestling match of epic proportions.  It has been like bringing the dog park home and putting it in my living room.

They are sleeping now, and I suppose I should do the same.  They will probably wake up early.  Dogs can be like babies in that way.

Until the next time...I'll be babysitting the pack!