Three Years and a Final Frontier

It's been 3 years today since we closed on our house. I remember being in TOTAL panic mode, wondering how in the world we were ever going to make mortgage payments. This was the biggest investment I'd ever jumped into and I was hyperventilating for days prior to signing the papers. But we have now made it through 3 years of payments, including adding on a home equity loan so that we could do the basement. And not a-one has been late. I'm so proud of us!


In the course of those 3 years, I have hemmed and hawed over paint colors and slowly, I have made my mark on every room. I'm not one to move into a new space and paint every surface immediately. It takes me awhile to decide how I want a room to look and feel- decorating comes about as naturally to me as ice skating- incredibly slowly and with much pain and agony. Over the last few weeks, we took on the final frontier of the rooms- the first floor bathroom. Heinous is the only way that I can describe that room. Why would anyone choose beige tiles to go with white fixtures and a white tile floor? Why would they choose cheap and crappy tiles that crack? Why would someone strip off wallpaper, not clean the backing off the wall very well, and then paint purple over that, only to see the paint start to streak down the walls due to the poor cleaning job? Why would someone choose a light fixture and a faucet that are brushed nickel to go with the very large chrome mirror that's fixed into the wall? So many bad choices and so little money to do much to it. So, short of us gutting the bathroom (not an option right now), we did what we could: sanded the walls, primed the ceiling and walls so that the wallpaper backing wouldn't bleed through and create more streaks in the paint, painted a muted beige color to go with the tiles, hung a new shower rod and curtain. While it's still the same ugly tile and vanity, it feels at least fresh in there and I no longer feel like I am being attacked by a purple waterfall while getting ready in the morning. Our next step is to get rid of the hideous metal ultra-mini-blinds with the rust all over them. So, for about $75, our bathroom is as good as we can get it...for now, that is.


And might I add that Benjamin Moore's Aura paint is the greatest thing I have discovered yet at our local hardware store. It goes on like yogurt, is so easy to trim with, doesn't splatter at all, dries quickly, and has low VOC. What's not to love? And even better, I know that I'm helping out my local hardware store by shopping there instead of Home Depot. The guys and one gal at the store know me by name, know which project I'm working on and are so knowledgeable about everything in their store (let's compare that to the pissy employees who have blown me off at Home Depot and who act like I am ruining their day by dragging them away from their computer to get some questions answered).

Good intentions

I always have such great intentions of writing long essays here, but rarely do I get around to it. When I'm cleaning or cooking, I create blog updates in my head. The problem is that they never really make it out of my head and onto the screen.
Here's a great example: 2 weekends ago, Snugs and I went to the cabin with my parents for a wintery weekend. I've been meaning to write about it since we got back...and I have yet to do it. I feel a bit sheepish writing about it so long after the fact, but I've promised myself that I WILL do it.
On another delayed note, my appt this past Mon with the midwife went well. There was a student midwife working with her (from the U)- she was fantastic. They both were. I've gained 3 lbs, which makes 6 total. I was feeling as proud as a peacock until she informed me that she'd like me to gain 35 lbs TOTAL, since I started on the low side. I all but fell off the chair when she told me that. I'm hoping that the next 29 lbs are easier to put on than the last 6. And they clarified the "soft cheese" question for me- yes, it's ok to eat it as long as it's pasteurized. Which is good news, since I've been eating it for the last 18 weeks, even without their blessing.
Will write the cabin synopsis soon.