Day 146 - Lisa

I have a million "caulking" jokes but this is a family blog.  So I'll just say "look out cracks," here I come.

Day 146 - Sis

My Dad use to have us giggling when he would sing, "I took my girl to the circus and sat her on my knee and when she saw the elephants, she peed all over me!"  Although we thought it was hysterically funny, one of my sibling's teacher didn't during Show and Tell when the Moniz kid sang it.  My parents received a note about the inappropriateness of the tune. I could have sung the melody today at PetSmart .  "I took oneeya to PetSmart and felt her pulling on me and when I turned around she had taken a big pee!"  She was "relieved" but I had to do clean-up.

Day 145 - Sis

I love fresh cherries. Cherry pie, chocolate covered cherries,  cherry cola, cherries jubilee, no thanks.  Why do I love fresh cherries so much?  A very good reason, you just can't hang any of those other cherry treats over your ears and pretend their ruby earrings!

Day 145 - Lisa

People ask me all the time why did you decide to move to Georgia versus just finding another job and staying in California?  Well besides the obvious reasons; position, pay, vacation time & benefits it's my co-workers.  While we are not the same company we used to be top to bottom in how people regard each other, it's the people I work with day in and day out that tipped that decision point for me.  It's been a very tough four years saying goodbye and having to make gut-wrenching decisions about so many that I worked with for 10, 15, 20 plus years.  I had an unbelievably loyal and hardworking group in California; saving some of those positions was also a big part of my reason, the thought of me at the elimination of three or more of them who'd given me their sweat equity for many years was too much to bear.  We still have a core group that show compassion, loyalty and teamwork every day.  I've never been one to socialize outside of the workplace often.  I keep my private life and work life pretty separate but we all together have shared our ups and downs in life over the years.  There are many of us now in Georgia that have come from somewhere else.  So we kind of hold on to each other, help one another, and be there to listen to when needed.  Generosity and kindness has always been a big part of what made our company so great.  Thankfully we still have plenty of that among those that are left.  Below is picture of another act of that kindness.  Another housewarming gift from one of co-workers.  A very thoughtful and supportive friend.  Thank you Laura for making Georgia easier to handle with your wit, sarcasm and kindheartedness.

Day 144 - Lisa

Wow, what an evening.  The window salesman called to say, "hey we could move your date up to tomorrow and Saturday if you can be prepared?"  I jumped on the earlier date so we could be more settled.  This also meant I had to take down the gross blinds and their brackets on TWENTY windows.  I highly doubt I'll be able to move much tomorrow.  Up and down the ladder on my ole' softball knees and battling the most moronic display of home workmanship I've ever seen.  Apparently, being a sufficient handyman was not apart of the skill set of previous owners.  I'm not sure who installed these blinds but their ears must have been ringing today!  I cursed, sweated, slammed things and just had a general hissy fit trying to uninstall the brackets.  I have no idea why all the screw heads were mutilated, completely chewed up and stripped.  I had to alternate between phillips and slotted screwdrivers for every screw.  It took me 3.5 hours. 

I guess they thought if they put baby screw next to papa screw in the window frame it might grow up?

The good news of the day is we are thrilled with how our glass tile backsplash turned out.  Kitchen is almost functional.  Just need to replace the cabinet doors and paint them.

And a big THANK YOU to my mama who bought me an ice cream when the truck came into the neighborhood.  It was screaming hot on that ladder.

Day 144 - Sis

I didn't do it!  I taught Lisa as a child not to run with scissors, looks like I should have taught her not to be angry with a screwdriver in her possession.  Her battle with removing old installed blinds caused a hole in newly installed floor. ( Snickering!)

Day 143 - Lisa

My closet had really old and broken glass doors.  I'm not a big fan of a lot of glass so I took them down and broke them even more in the process.  I do not know what to do for replacements just yet. Nothing is speaking to me so I went all "Design on a Dime" and bought a shower curtain rod, hooks and two plastic curtains put them together to create a layered look of a a curtain with just a brown tree  and top layer curtain of cherry blossoms.  The colors match my own wood and blues.  I'm happy with the result for awhile.  ;>

Day 143 - Sis

While oneeya does her watch at the house, sunii, the dutiful cat without any supervision, continues alone on many days to evenings keeping all types of invaders from storming the apartment. Rest good warrior, well done.

Day 142 - Lisa

So yesterday I rushed home because we had errands to run.  Needed to go to Home Depot to see about flooring for the laundry room.  We spent a good 30 minutes debating which linoleum or tile to get.  Finally came to the conclusion that we were feeling too rushed and whatever, we'll just keep the butt ugly brick red flooring till we figure out what we really want.

So.

I walked out with a Knock-Out rose to add to the four already sitting on the deck of the house.  Shortly to be planted in the backyard.  I never heard of "Knock-Out" roses till I moved here.  Today I found out why they are called that.  With everything going on and so little sleep lately I completely forgot I had "Pinky" in the back of my truck.  So when the unmentioned cable van cut me off this morning and I had to slam on my brakes causing dirt, foam, leaves, a branch and the entire pot to started flying around the inside of my truck bouncing off the windows the back of the seat and almost my head I realized, "ah Knock-Out Rose!"  Luckily the saw we bought a couple weeks ago stayed steady on the rug!  Whew!

Day 142 - Sis

As I was cutting out the recipes I told you about yesterday, I found an item about root vegetables and rutabaga was one of them. Now I can't say that I've ever eaten rutabaga but it does have a place in my life and Melissa's, a niece of mine. She is my brother's eldest daughter and when she came into my family's lives we were all very excited for my brother and his wife and later they had another daughter to complete their family. When Melissa was a little girl, maybe around six, she and I started a little routine between the two of us.  Whenever Melissa and I saw each other and one of us was leaving, we would say goodbye with catchphrases like: "See you later alligator" and the other might say, " See you soon kangaroo."  But one night she was leaving my house and said, "After while crocodile."  So I surprised her by replying, " See you later rutabaga."  That has become the thing between us for all these years.  When she was in grammar school rutabaga was the security word she picked for anyone who she wasn't sure of  and who might try to pick her up. Even to this day she will occasionally address me as "rutabaga." So I love rutabagas even though that's the only contact I've ever had with them. :-0

Day 141 - Lisa

I kept calling it a halo, my mom a heirloom yet what I needed was a lamp harp.  Who knew they were so hard to find.  Target had a zillion lamps but no harps.  Took many stores before I finally found one.  I don't know why but this makes me feel old.  LOL

Day 141 - Sis

Finally getting around to doing one of those jobs that you talk about but put off because it's not urgent.  So here is a stack of FoodNetwork magazines loaded with recipes I want to try- some day!  I am cutting out the recipes I think I'll make because now I have a brand new stove to try them on. Having no family here, besides Lisa, makes it difficult to do test runs since if we don't care for it, there's no one to come over to push them on.  Some of my family will eat anything that's free!

Day 140 - Sis

I can now start to toss the things I won't be using in the house. Here's my first - a broiler pan I think I used it most as a cookie cooling rack.  Could never get it quite clean and took off most of the finish trying. Now it's finished.;-

Day 140 - Lisa

What a long weekend; in and out of the house, meeting up and locking up the house after the floor guys, being called to look at this and that.  Running errands in prep for moving in.  Every project creates another project; the floors look gorgeous and now the base boards look horrid.  LOL  Ah, the joys of home ownership.  Wouldn't have it any other way. Love our new rug-less staircase.  Definitely need to do something with that ugly green tile in front of the fireplace, gone is the pukey green bottom in the dining room aka music room that we plan to make it.  Back splash this week will & then we are thinking we want to paint the cabinets a very light green to lighten up the kitchen and give it a little kick and that will complete the kitchen!!  Almost ready to move in - just need to get the windows installed!

Day 139 - Sis

LOL Perfect dessert tonight!  I love them and Lisa doesn't!

Day 139 - Lisa

It was overwhelming and intimidating trying to pick a floor based on samples, even the in-store samples which are 2" x 3" board samples just did not make us feel warm and fuzzy.  Add the crown molding and baseboards throughout the entire house that dominate the look and trying to match or mix-match in the right way we were so undecided.  We finally found something we both liked but it felt a bit "wild."  We called it the Tiger Floor.  ;>  Today, they came and ripped out the old hardwood, pulled up the carpet and demo'ed the staircase.  Been nervous all day how it would look.  WE LOVE IT.  And yeah, it's still kind of wild.  The upstairs is almost complete, the downstairs and staircase will be finished by Sunday.  It's starting to really feel like our home now!

Day 138 - Sis

Yesterday I was spending the day in the basement while the one guy was installing the new AC and the painters were finishing up a couple of rooms upstairs.  The doorbell rings and I head up the stairs pass through the kitchen, down the short hallway, to the front door. Two young men, high-school age, were standing on the porch.  They gave me a short spiel about raising funds for their church by selling a raffle ticket for a Ford Fiesta and some coupons were included for $10.  I need a car and here it was, a sign from above!  I bought two tickets donating one back to the church.  Hey, I know God appreciated that and might just look a little more favorably on my name being drawn. Yeah I know you can't trick God, sigh.  Still, I wonder if He could add a supercharger to it so I can get out of the driveway!  Oh the coupons?  They are for Chick-fil -A, however my daughter says I can't eat there, so I will send them to a needy woman in Bakersfield California.

Day 138 - Lisa

oneeya being silly and loving her backyard.  Right now because we are not moved in I think she thinks she has her own private Dog Park.

Day 137 - Lisa

Painting is done!  Floors have arrived!  Sink, faucet & stove are installed!  Still more to do but we are making progress!  It'll be nice to finally see things actually clean but that won't happen for a few more weeks.  ;>

Day 137 - Sis

I am not going to school for foreign languages but think foreign accents might be my next thing to study.  I've pretty much understand Mexican or any Latino accent, along with Portuguese, well they are two of my four bloodlines.  However, Eastern Bloc accents are much more difficult for me.  The accent could be of Bosnian, Croatian, Lithuanian or Russian and they all speak rapidly. I feel like my head swivels at mach speed and causes my brain to seize up.  Now the Georgia accent, not the country, the State, is another that takes me a while to process because my brain has to slooooow down and my mind starts to wander waiting for a sentence to end. Almost like the Tower of Babel trying to communicate with workers at our house, the Tower of Terror of needed repairs.

Day 136 - Lisa

The thought that within the next 3 weeks we might both be sleeping on real beds again seems unbelievable and emotional. LOL!  My back is giving us a standing ovation!

Day 136 - Sis

This is my checkbook and it use to get opened maybe once or twice a month.  In the last two weeks it gets opened once or twice a day.  Now placing a new packet of checks in for the future two weeks! Going to change the Bonnie Raitt song "Home" lyrics from- "home sings me of sweet things" to - home sings me of more needs!"

Day 135 - Lisa

Out with the old, in with the new.  See you later Mr. Heater and Mr. AC Unit.  We hardly knew you.   More changes at the ole' Money Pit.

Day 135 - Sis

Yes, I love flowers, nice dinners, cologne, jewelry, but right now, these two cards from my daughters means they truly understand in giving me exacting what I wanted!

Day 134 - Lisa

Thank you Francis Ford Coppola.  I love your wine Sofia.  I also love the bottle.  I might actually love the bottle more.  I have visions of a set of pretty candle holders once I'm done enjoying the second bottle.

Here's some info on this particular wine:

Feminine and stylish, with a fragrant perfume of fresh strawberries and lavendar, this rosé explodes with ripe, juicy flavors of cherry, raspberry and citrus zest. This refreshing wine is reminiscent of the popular dry rosés served in seaside café along the French Riviera. It’s crisp, delicate, and elegantly fruity with just a kiss of spice on the finish.

We typically harvest the grapes for our Sofia Rosé at a lower brix to ensure we get a light wine that pairs elegantly with food. For color extractions, the grapes are cold-soaked for 48 hours before the juice is separated from the skins.

• Alluring and refreshing, our Sofia Rosé is perfect for easy sipping on a lazy afternoon.
• Elegant blend of Monterey County Syrah and Grenache.

Day 134 - Sis

After seeing the weather report for Mother's Day earlier in the week and being asked by daughter number one what I'd like for dinner, my choice was easy.  Make me, ummm, fully loaded potato soup, for dinner. She did it justice, thank you Lisa.

Day 133 - Lisa

Brazilian Koa - that be our new flooring come next weekend.  After much deliberation and worry about your costs we decided to go with laminate.  We had laminate flooring at our other house and it held up really well.  Hardwood would have been fine if it was a couple rooms but not the entire house as carpet is not not an option with all of my sinus and allergy problems.  Cannot wait to get rid of the nasty carpet and really badly stained floors.  Woohoo!  Going to be interesting to see the whole floor laid out as the pattern is very "animal" like as in a zebra or tiger strips.  Speaking of animals.  Poor sunii is feeling lonely as we are gone for really long stretches of time.  She's not used to that but her attention getting antics when we are home have been pretty funny.  She's sitting in a Staples Copier paper work so I've been calling her Copy Cat with the laser printing eyes!

Day 133 - Sis

Our plan for today was to check our two storage units and move somethings to the house.  There's room in the basement to store items that won't be used right away. This would cut down on some of the expense of hiring a moving company. So there we stood in the smaller unit and this was our take of the day, two folding chairs.  Can't even imagine how much we saved in moving costs!

Day 132 - Lisa

My co-worker, Carolina sent us this surprise today.  I had given her a basket of fruit when she bought her first home a couple months ago.  We've been on this house hunting journey together. Commiserating at work about all the trials of trying to buy a home.  Today she returned the expression of congratulations on being a home owner with this beautiful bouquet of fruit.  As sweet as she is.

Day 132 - Sis

Second day of the ice puddle saga.  Even more water; start to sweep again, towels are placed and I call Lisa.  She has the guy's number we need him to come out as soon as possible. He was there within an hour. Finds two or three reasons why the iceberg is there and gets to work.  He makes a trip to supply store for a hose, pump and new filter.  Old filter has not been changed for quite some time, maybe five years! Filters needs to be changed every three months, six at the longest. Of course not the kind you can just pick up at local hardware stores. Spends the day working and explaining to me what he has done and is doing. I nod my head when I think I'm understanding.  Oh and the ice was inside all the box that the hose was attached to so the AC is now the problem. He has gauges and a leak finder that's buzzing like crazy. He had hoped the work he had done would help or even fix the reason for the icing but nope, not enough. From eleven to 5 p.m. he worked and his charge was unbelievably reasonable and he will discount that charge when we put in the NEW AC!

Day 131 - Lisa

Today was a very long day.  Eleven hours at work and then six hours at the house afterwards.  My mom was already there keeping tabs on the renovations.  I'd lined up the plumber, electrician, tile setter, landscaper, septic tank maintenance and chimney sweep over the past two days.  LOL  The electrician wanted to keep working so we stayed so he could finish.  My mom and I are zombies at this point.

So here's some before and after pictures of the progress so far.  We have a long way to go; patching the ceiling holes, painting and flooring still need to be done but boy do we have lights now.  The house was very poorly lit but we changed all that today!  We plan to flip the rooms.  Use the dining room as a  small family room and use the living room as our dining room.

We won't talk about the AC unit though.  That was not so good.

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After:

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