May 9, 2009

Another great visit chalked up (to my blog). I left about 7:00 am and had a good drive home. I am already counting the days until I can return - and it will be soon!

My mental well-being relys on the nirvana balloon staying inflated as much as possible!

May 8, 2009

Got up at 5:00 - probably due to the plethora of cat naps I took yesterday! With only enough cream and Splenda for one cup of coffee - I went to Walmart, after enjoying it.

Good thing Walmart is open 24 hours and that I needed cream and Splenda...now I have a new runner by the patio door, a salad spinner, silverware, pillows and pillowcases and a microwave. And yes, I remembered the cream and Splenda! I got everything washed and put away, had a cup of coffee - chatted with my honey and had a delicious breakfast. As to not disappoint those that encouraged and or participated in my tiling project - I did not give up on the step of deCOUpaging! I sealed the acrylic paint this morning and hope the haze of the sealer goes away.

      

I was chatting with Paul and Betty when the electric company pulled up to cut down a dead tree that was nearing the power lines. They cut it down within 15 minutes. Unfortunately, their truck sunk into the soft ground on the easement and they were there for a couple of hours. Their winch broke and every turn of the tires sank them deeper into the mud. Carlo and I are very familiar with this problem from the time the Tahoe also was stuck in the mud at the easement. 

I drove down to Paul and Betty's to finish our visit and to give them the rug from the living room. I had lunch when I got back and it was just in time for GH. I didn't do much else - it started to rain. The rain and continued muddy grounds ruined another day of my plans to get some things done outside. I did accomplish all the inside tasks that I was looking to get done.

May 7, 2009

Ahhhhhh - peaceful! (Insert your own image of nirvana here * - here's mine).

After enjoying coffee, silence, sun and watching the critters frolic {in no particular order} it was time to get to the task of grouting.

Time check: NOON - Four hours to grout the tiles. Grouting is a very messy job but this seemed a bit easier than when I grouted the bathroom. Next step is to stencil the tiles. I'm going to wait for the grout to set up in case I need to tape the stencil onto the tile. 

After a tasty salad, it was time to rest. An afternoon of sunshine, singing birds, fresh air and GH - who could ask for anything more?!

The late afternoon was spent stenciling and although the outcome is unique and personalized, it wasn't easy. I had problems with the vellum curling and the paint was splotchy. I appreciate Wayne spending all his time printing and cutting. The stencils I cut wouldn't have allowed me to finish the project - so I am glad to have had the extras! I tweaked the design and only added one 2" tile as a diamond to the center 6" tiles rather than having three diamonds in a row. I can always add them later. I used my hot glue gun to attach them and that made the adhesion go very quick. I am thinking of coloring the diamond tiles with grout to darken them up....hmmmm.

             

Overall, I am very pleased with the look and much happier that it is over! 

While I had the paint out, I dabbed some on the frame of the clock. Now it looks like bark of a tree. However, since I took the clock apart it doesn't keep time like it used to. I put in a new battery and readjusted the hands...we'll see; after all that - I hope it works!

All that's left for the kitchen is the new pendant light fixture that will hang over the sink and a new shelf for over the stove. We'll get a new microwave and down the road a new floor!

Not much else to do today - the ground is too wet to work outside and I can't deCOUpage (seal) the stencil paint until tomorrow. Looks like tomorrow with be a busy day, but for now, it's TV, dinner and sleep!

May 6, 2009

After working all night, I went home to change and pick up the food items I needed to bring along. I was on the road by 7:45. After stopping at the oasis for coffee, I got back on the road and made it to the cabin by 10:00. Once the cabin was opened, the water running and car unloaded, I rolled up the green rug that was in the living room; what a huge difference. 

I put the lamps out - 2 for the bedroom and 2 for the living room. There are 3 little bears climbing a tree with an eagle at the top of the tree. New theme, but woodsy!

I also put the woodland decor cabinet together. Big disappointment on how small the cabinet is, but it is cute. The front doors are punched tin of a deer and a bear.

Last visit I hung the second deer shelf in the bedroom.

After a quick snack, I rested and watched GH. Translation: rested = long nap!

During the evening, I vacuumed and worked on changing the burgundy framed apple clock into one with a pinecone background and lighter color frame (fluffy biscuit). I didn't stay up too late - it was raining really bad and I wanted to sleep through it...mission accomplished!