I don't know about you, but when I set about to work on a project--I have a hard time stopping until I see at least a little bit of it come together. For instance, this weekend, the DH and I decided to demo the tile in our front foyer--ok, I decided and DH knew he had to help. We (I) thought the demo would take about half a day, we'd prep the floor, and be cutting tiles to lay Sunday morning. I'm guessing you know what I'm about to say next...
As soon as we started trying to get the tile up we knew something was wrong. I mean, this stuff wasn't budging. We rented a professional, air power driven tile chiseler, and all it did was pulverize the stuff. In the end, we ended up getting further smacking the tile with a hammer. What we came to realize was that the tiles had been laid with some sort of "super glue" which wasn't about to budge!
The next piece of the project was to pull up the tile's foundation bed--which was plywood over the sub-floor. Plywood is not the correct material anymore--now we all use backer board, but this house is over 30 years old, and there's no way to know how long that tile's been down. So plywood, here we come. Except that, did I mention, the plywood was nailed to the sub floor EVERY TWO TO THREE INCHES APART. I have done some demo in my time, but this was the worst. Every nail had to be pried up...and did I mention the super glue that was still ON the plywood COVERING most of the nails??? Yikes!
We did demo ALL day Saturday, and until 3 pm on Sunday. By 8:30 Sunday night I had all of the backer board cut, fit, and on the floor--but Steve nor I had any energy left to screw through the concrete board into the sub floor.
So here we are, 2 days after we thought we'd at least have the tiles down...maybe not grouted, but down...with nothing but backer board on the floor. I'm starting to wonder when I'll ever have the guts to finish this!
Did I mention it's only 210 square feet?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Maryland...it's starting to feel like Planet Hoth
Ok, so I've been a bad girl and not kept up with the blog. I will do better...but since I last wrote 3/09, we have sold our home in Alpharetta (yes, we sold in a bad market...yea me.) we put Lone Star Cabin into a rental program (www.escapetoblueridge.com), and moved our wagon full of kids off to Glen Arm, Maryland.
And so far...I have really loved the people I've met here.
HOWEVER...
The weather has been horrendous. In under 3 months of living here it has snowed over 80 inches!!! All of my new friends and neighbors here keep telling me, "you know, this is just not normal for Maryland". Really? Really? Far as I can tell, normal is what each person experiences for themselves...and if this is my "normal" winter for Maryland...boys and girls, I can promise you I won't be experiencing too many more of them!
First, Second, and Last I am a Texan. My heart flutters a little every time I see the Lone Star state flag. I believe chili is good ANY time of the year. Shiner Bock Beer is truly proof that "God loves us and wants us to be happy" (stolen from Ben Franklin).
And so far...I have really loved the people I've met here.
HOWEVER...
The weather has been horrendous. In under 3 months of living here it has snowed over 80 inches!!! All of my new friends and neighbors here keep telling me, "you know, this is just not normal for Maryland". Really? Really? Far as I can tell, normal is what each person experiences for themselves...and if this is my "normal" winter for Maryland...boys and girls, I can promise you I won't be experiencing too many more of them!
First, Second, and Last I am a Texan. My heart flutters a little every time I see the Lone Star state flag. I believe chili is good ANY time of the year. Shiner Bock Beer is truly proof that "God loves us and wants us to be happy" (stolen from Ben Franklin).
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Well kids...being sick sucks. Sorry I fell off the face of the earth for about 2.5 months...but I literally wanted to die, so falling off the face of the earth will have to do for now.
Enough about that. I want to talk about spring break and beach trips. As a resident of the debtor colony of GA (oh, did I say *that*?) I have taken the trip South to visit Florida on spring break like so many others. Just look around the town I reside in--Alpharetta--and you will notice a great vacancy as most folks went South or East (South Carolina for those of you who didn't pay attention in the two week course on geography the American government has deemed acceptable).
Unfortunately for our dear friends the Dunbars, we accepted their offer of a few days of sun and beach play during the spring break vacay. And if you check facebook...you and the rest of the world can see how we brought the cold weather down to Florida. Ok, so we didn't like pack it a suitcase or anything--but it does seem that the weather temp dropped dramatically after we arrived.
So what does that say about us? Are we the wet blanket everyone invites to the party but secretly hopes doesn't show up? Are we the curse for spring break? Oh no...beware the Nashes they bring bad tiding and doom....?
Nah...we just have some lousy luck when it comes to spring break and the beach. Four years ago we went to the beach over spring breaks with some other friends and froze our butts off too! (Anyone else noticing a trend here?) I say Nay-sayers be damned, we're not cursed...we're not I say. Tomorrow is another day (sorry for the plagerism on that one, but I HAD to go there).
So bring on the margaritas and flip-flops...it's only 51 degrees at 11 am...but I have faith a better day is coming. Or at least that's the ltitle lie I'm planning to tell myself today. Enough of this typing, I'm going outside to get a nice wind burn, which I plan to tell EVERYone is a lovely sun burn.
Enough about that. I want to talk about spring break and beach trips. As a resident of the debtor colony of GA (oh, did I say *that*?) I have taken the trip South to visit Florida on spring break like so many others. Just look around the town I reside in--Alpharetta--and you will notice a great vacancy as most folks went South or East (South Carolina for those of you who didn't pay attention in the two week course on geography the American government has deemed acceptable).
Unfortunately for our dear friends the Dunbars, we accepted their offer of a few days of sun and beach play during the spring break vacay. And if you check facebook...you and the rest of the world can see how we brought the cold weather down to Florida. Ok, so we didn't like pack it a suitcase or anything--but it does seem that the weather temp dropped dramatically after we arrived.
So what does that say about us? Are we the wet blanket everyone invites to the party but secretly hopes doesn't show up? Are we the curse for spring break? Oh no...beware the Nashes they bring bad tiding and doom....?
Nah...we just have some lousy luck when it comes to spring break and the beach. Four years ago we went to the beach over spring breaks with some other friends and froze our butts off too! (Anyone else noticing a trend here?) I say Nay-sayers be damned, we're not cursed...we're not I say. Tomorrow is another day (sorry for the plagerism on that one, but I HAD to go there).
So bring on the margaritas and flip-flops...it's only 51 degrees at 11 am...but I have faith a better day is coming. Or at least that's the ltitle lie I'm planning to tell myself today. Enough of this typing, I'm going outside to get a nice wind burn, which I plan to tell EVERYone is a lovely sun burn.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Am I teachable?
In church yesterday, yes--the Diva attends church, the sermon's point was "are you teachable"? It's left me thinking about just that...am I teachable? Do I accept new information and learn and grow from it?
As a 36 year-old somewhat know-it-all type...it's a difficult question to ask. On one hand, I really enjoy listening to other ideas and consider myself to be a "student of people". (Notice I did NOT say I was a people-person...because I've found that folks who refer to themselves as a people-person are just annoying and the rest of us 'people' have no interest in them!) I don't know that I change my opinion very often. You know the old expression, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression". For me, that seems to apply to concepts/ideas as well as people.
Now I'm not saying I'm completely incapable of changing my opinion...but it doesn't happen very often. So does that make me unteachable? Do I let my first impressions out-weigh evidence or fact? I'd like to think not, but I'm definitely wondering.
Are there situations which demand we go by gut, and ignore the facts? How about the times when there are no facts to help us make decisions? Anyone else put cash into the stock market in March 2008?
I believe I'm teachable--but probably only to a point. Which may be a sad, sad statement. If you're overly "teachable" does that make you gullible? Would someone say you're "easily led". I hope not. I hope I can be more teachable now after thinking about this topic. After all, where would any of us be if our first impressions were the only thing we had going for us!
As a 36 year-old somewhat know-it-all type...it's a difficult question to ask. On one hand, I really enjoy listening to other ideas and consider myself to be a "student of people". (Notice I did NOT say I was a people-person...because I've found that folks who refer to themselves as a people-person are just annoying and the rest of us 'people' have no interest in them!) I don't know that I change my opinion very often. You know the old expression, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression". For me, that seems to apply to concepts/ideas as well as people.
Now I'm not saying I'm completely incapable of changing my opinion...but it doesn't happen very often. So does that make me unteachable? Do I let my first impressions out-weigh evidence or fact? I'd like to think not, but I'm definitely wondering.
Are there situations which demand we go by gut, and ignore the facts? How about the times when there are no facts to help us make decisions? Anyone else put cash into the stock market in March 2008?
I believe I'm teachable--but probably only to a point. Which may be a sad, sad statement. If you're overly "teachable" does that make you gullible? Would someone say you're "easily led". I hope not. I hope I can be more teachable now after thinking about this topic. After all, where would any of us be if our first impressions were the only thing we had going for us!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The truth about men and women
Alright, men and women...two things that are meant to go together--LITERALLY. However! The differences between men and women are astounding.
Women--very competitive with one another, overly concerned with their appearances, detail oriented, group focused, need to be heard, need to feel safe and a need to be loved. (never sure what gals mean by that last one, but ok, loved)
Men--need to be fed, well sexed, and supported. THAT'S IT.
Seriously, the male species is so much easier to understand. For all the bravado...they greatly need to feel that they're doing a good job. They need to know that people believe in them. If they're well fed in mind and body and, let's face it, in the bedroom; the world will always seem right for them.
God bless them. When little boys argue with other little boys, they duke it out until they get tired--then get up and go back to playing with one another. Boys so rarely hold grudges or "never" want to play with so-and-so again.
Little girls on the other hand...they're looking for cues from each other early on as to who they're going to be friends with and who they're not. They are sizing each other's clothes up by 2nd grade! They get into arguments and try to split up friends by who sides with whom.
Think I'm crazy? Look around. If you're a woman, how many times have you felt torn by someone else's argument? Felt that you had to choose "sides". How many times have you let a situation upset your dinner or weekend because you're replaying the situation over and over wanting to figure out how to make it better (or how to find revenge).
Ladies, we could learn a lot from the males in our lives. Team sports have helped little girls, but we must carry through...stop tearing each other down and let's have disagreements without whiplash--without payback--without stress.
We could learn a lot from being well fed, well sexed and supported by those around us.
How different would your life be if those 3 things were the personal priorities in your life? Not the kids' bake sale at school. Not the volunteer activity you felt you HAD to sign up for. Not the neighborhood activity you really didn't want to participate in but felt you'd be talked about if you didn't attend.
Life could be easier if we supported each other ladies. If we met each other right where we each were...and accepted not judged.
Now hear me when I say--I don't think men have all the answers! Far from it. Men struggle in their own ways. But it doesn't hurt to examine how they tend to function vs. how we women do.
Women--very competitive with one another, overly concerned with their appearances, detail oriented, group focused, need to be heard, need to feel safe and a need to be loved. (never sure what gals mean by that last one, but ok, loved)
Men--need to be fed, well sexed, and supported. THAT'S IT.
Seriously, the male species is so much easier to understand. For all the bravado...they greatly need to feel that they're doing a good job. They need to know that people believe in them. If they're well fed in mind and body and, let's face it, in the bedroom; the world will always seem right for them.
God bless them. When little boys argue with other little boys, they duke it out until they get tired--then get up and go back to playing with one another. Boys so rarely hold grudges or "never" want to play with so-and-so again.
Little girls on the other hand...they're looking for cues from each other early on as to who they're going to be friends with and who they're not. They are sizing each other's clothes up by 2nd grade! They get into arguments and try to split up friends by who sides with whom.
Think I'm crazy? Look around. If you're a woman, how many times have you felt torn by someone else's argument? Felt that you had to choose "sides". How many times have you let a situation upset your dinner or weekend because you're replaying the situation over and over wanting to figure out how to make it better (or how to find revenge).
Ladies, we could learn a lot from the males in our lives. Team sports have helped little girls, but we must carry through...stop tearing each other down and let's have disagreements without whiplash--without payback--without stress.
We could learn a lot from being well fed, well sexed and supported by those around us.
How different would your life be if those 3 things were the personal priorities in your life? Not the kids' bake sale at school. Not the volunteer activity you felt you HAD to sign up for. Not the neighborhood activity you really didn't want to participate in but felt you'd be talked about if you didn't attend.
Life could be easier if we supported each other ladies. If we met each other right where we each were...and accepted not judged.
Now hear me when I say--I don't think men have all the answers! Far from it. Men struggle in their own ways. But it doesn't hurt to examine how they tend to function vs. how we women do.
Monday, January 5, 2009
A New Year once again...
2009 is now upon us...which means for me, more birthdays, a high school graduation in May and yet another potential for a move.
For 8 years previous, OK, so let's say 5 years, I've been working on a come and go basis about committing to where I am and being loose enough to move when the man says go. And once again, we sit at the verge of a move with nothing substantial from the company. How many times have I found myself in this place? Without exaggeration, I really do believe at least 6 times.
How does one live day to day in one area whilst trying to be prepared to pack it all up and move to another?
Military families are the super royalty at this type of thing. Some of those kids see 3 different schools in one calendar year! But at the same time, if attending school on base, they're all in the same boat. And somehow I'm betting, when someone says,hey we could really use you in this role...it doesn't take 6-9 months of walking around a situation and reorganizing the company before action is taken. I'm guessing it's far less painful to just get the orders and go. Kinda like pulling off a band aid; better to just do it and not drag it out.
So what do I have to offer as in an interesting anecdote? Nothing. I find nothing about living in limbo amusing. And no, it's not comforting to know that many many others are going through the exact same thing. Frustrating. Exhausting. Anxiety causing.
Maybe worst of all, I really wonder if I won't be living in the same spot saying the exact same thing when 2010 arrives.
For 8 years previous, OK, so let's say 5 years, I've been working on a come and go basis about committing to where I am and being loose enough to move when the man says go. And once again, we sit at the verge of a move with nothing substantial from the company. How many times have I found myself in this place? Without exaggeration, I really do believe at least 6 times.
How does one live day to day in one area whilst trying to be prepared to pack it all up and move to another?
Military families are the super royalty at this type of thing. Some of those kids see 3 different schools in one calendar year! But at the same time, if attending school on base, they're all in the same boat. And somehow I'm betting, when someone says,hey we could really use you in this role...it doesn't take 6-9 months of walking around a situation and reorganizing the company before action is taken. I'm guessing it's far less painful to just get the orders and go. Kinda like pulling off a band aid; better to just do it and not drag it out.
So what do I have to offer as in an interesting anecdote? Nothing. I find nothing about living in limbo amusing. And no, it's not comforting to know that many many others are going through the exact same thing. Frustrating. Exhausting. Anxiety causing.
Maybe worst of all, I really wonder if I won't be living in the same spot saying the exact same thing when 2010 arrives.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Everything's up in the Air
Everything's up in the air...is kind of a strange expression if you really think about it. Nothing stays up in the air...other than clouds...yet we think dealing with unknowns is like being among the clouds--although that seems unfair to the clouds!
My life, ladies and gentlemen, has been resting with the clouds for a month now. Some of that is of my own making and some of that is out of my control. We sit at the cusp of a move. Moving was kind of fun in your 20s when you didn't own very much stuff, called a few friends, rented a truck for the afternoon and made it happen. Moving for me now? Urgh!
This move would be a relocation 1000 miles away. To Austin, TX which I've always considered to be my "home base". A city I adore filled with places I love to go, food I love to eat, and people I enjoy seeing. For me and my husband, it would/will be fantastic. The three munchkins-well that's a whole 'nother enchalada!
I have O in 2nd grade, so that means changing schools after school has started...I have S in a pre-k program which is what kindergarten was for me and I know I won't be able to find that again in Austin...and I have JH who is in a Mothers Morning Out program 3 mornings a week...and finding an opening with something like that is sometimes like asking the mountain to come to Mohammad!
It's interesting to me that as we sit on the edge of one of the most important political votes in US history, I could care less. I know who I will vote for, but am so inwardly focused, I don't seem to care who anyone else votes for!
I'm guessing up in the air means eventually we believe whatever's up there has to obey gravity and come down to earth. There's no way to see how the "cards will fall" (another phrase which calls to mind the air). I'm just hoping they decide to fall soon.
My life, ladies and gentlemen, has been resting with the clouds for a month now. Some of that is of my own making and some of that is out of my control. We sit at the cusp of a move. Moving was kind of fun in your 20s when you didn't own very much stuff, called a few friends, rented a truck for the afternoon and made it happen. Moving for me now? Urgh!
This move would be a relocation 1000 miles away. To Austin, TX which I've always considered to be my "home base". A city I adore filled with places I love to go, food I love to eat, and people I enjoy seeing. For me and my husband, it would/will be fantastic. The three munchkins-well that's a whole 'nother enchalada!
I have O in 2nd grade, so that means changing schools after school has started...I have S in a pre-k program which is what kindergarten was for me and I know I won't be able to find that again in Austin...and I have JH who is in a Mothers Morning Out program 3 mornings a week...and finding an opening with something like that is sometimes like asking the mountain to come to Mohammad!
It's interesting to me that as we sit on the edge of one of the most important political votes in US history, I could care less. I know who I will vote for, but am so inwardly focused, I don't seem to care who anyone else votes for!
I'm guessing up in the air means eventually we believe whatever's up there has to obey gravity and come down to earth. There's no way to see how the "cards will fall" (another phrase which calls to mind the air). I'm just hoping they decide to fall soon.
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