What Kitchen? and Success!

The kitchen has come to a complete stop. It has made things interesting around here. Mr. Toad says, “When are you going to sand the cupboards?” I respond with “Right now if you don’t mind dirty laundry.” “Ok well could you work on the kitchen tomorrow?” “Sure I don’t need to make that baby bunting and the bathroom should develop its own personality.” “Hummm well how about…?” “Sounds great could you do my reading and paper for class?” I really do mean to work on the kitchen. I would rather work on the kitchen then clean or do homework but those other things are important too. I need extra days. Granted with an extra day I probably would just do more stuff. So I will work on the kitchen Saturday after the Blood Drive and before the Halloween party. We have come to an understanding of the kitchen project. I will get there and he has to accept that. Accepting the situation is the first step in not killing each other. I am excited that it does look like I will be able to work on the kitchen this weekend.

Last night I went to the Haunted House to sell tickets. It was great. Children trembling and crying before the door even opens. Teenage girls using it as an excuse to hold on tighter to teenage boyfriend. One actor came out to talk at the end of the night laughing. He had just scared teenage boyfriend and teenage boyfriend ran for door leaving teenage girl. All that hard work of building Haunted House night and day and enduring the threats of locked doors paid off.

Moving on and hot pink

On a serious note have you ever looked in the past and dreamed about what life could have been like if only this decision or that choice was made? Sometimes I think back to college and wonder about people or wish for a moment. The problem is that we can’t change anything that has happened and everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we look back and only see the great times and we forget all about the bad or the reasons we made a choice. The truth is that we all grow up and change. Things will never be the same no matter how much we want it. You and I would not be the people we are today if any decision or event had gone differently in the past. So I have decided to accept the past and move on in the future. Who needs all that questioning of things that are already past. Can’t change them so why worry about them? I mean don’t we all know that we can never go home after we grow up?

Ok well that is all over. I feel much better. I just needed to get that out of my system.

So class started last night. Apparently there is work involved in this class. I was hoping that I could just skate through the last four classes. Why I thought that just because I was at my last couple of classes they would get easier. I guess I was just hoping. Anyway my class is on New Product Development. Perhaps I can develop a new product to help Mr. Lumpy. I will have to consider this option. Perhaps a new torture device. It should be a fun class.

Did I tell you about the wedding? No? Well this past weekend Mr. Toad and I traveled to DC for a wedding. It was really beautiful and all the friends came out of the woodwork. Our group comes from Texas, Conn., NJ, PA, Va and NC. One might think that this is a rare occasion but the crazy Halloween party coming up this weekend in PA will probably have most of the same people. Anyway friends of ours from NJ have a small monster that originally was suppose to be in the wedding as a flower. Why someone keeps a monster I am not sure but they have had theirs for a couple of years now. On top of having a monster it is a broken monster. The monster apparently tried jumping from some object and broke its leg. I know with a horse they have to put it down for a broken leg but in this case the Drs feel in necessary to place a hard hot pink cast on the leg. The monster was therefore not allowed to be a flower but was allowed to come to the wedding all dressed up in its flower costume. The cast is put on in such a way that the monster can not stand but it did not seem to notice or slow down in anyway. It was a bit funny and sad all at the same time to see the monster scooting around the floor. So after the wedding we all went back to the hotel and while wandering the halls I met a person. Now normally meeting a person in the hallway of a hotel is not strange but this person was dressed all in pink. Right down to the hot pink fishnet stockings. Maybe hot pink was the color for the weekend. No one told me. I am ok with that. I am not a hot pink sort of girl.

Changing the locks

What a week! I have been working on the Jaycee Haunted House and we finally opened Friday night. I don't really know how the opening went because after pulling an all nighter to finish construction I went home once the actors started to arrive. Construction was fun. Up the ladder down the ladder. "Could you give me a screw?" "Of course I can give you as many screws as you need." "A little to the right or maybe the left." "What is that goo?" Conversations were interesting and the longer we were there the stranger it got. I spent so much time at the Haunted House that Mr. Toad threatened to change the locks on the doors because there was a very strange woman who kept walking into the house in the middle of the night. Well it is over. On to the next event.

Perhaps I’ll finish the kitchen. Well not tonight. Tonight I have class. I don’t really want to go to class. I am tired of the whole thing. Only four more classes and the whole thing will be over. It doesn’t sound like much but it feels like the end will never come.

Well I am done writing this post. I don’t really feel like writing anything more. I am tired and a bit sad today. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. It is just one of those days. So instead of boring you I’ll wait to write and get back to you later.

Bad Movies and Revenge

A weekend alone! Sweet peace. Mr. Toad went to DC with the boys for a bachelor party. It was great. I was ready for him to come home by Sunday afternoon but it was nice to have a night free. Granted I just watched old movies and ate ice cream but no one was there to comment on my bad movie choices or tell me I should eat real food for dinner. Sometimes a person just needs movie and ice cream night.

Mr. Toad has come home with a problem. His nose is stuffy and he complains of feeling a little under the weather. I think he should just stop it! He did not ask me if it was ok for him to get sick. I bet he is just waiting to pass this illness on to me. I am not sure why he would do such a horrible thing to his lovely wife but I can see it in his eyes. He is plotting against me. This is probably the punishment he has been planning for ripping apart his kitchen. He hasn’t thought this through very well. Anyone who knows me realizes that this will be more punishment for him them me. He will have to put up with me being grumpy and whining.

The kitchen is coming along very well. I am ready for primer. Bring on the paint. Hopefully most of the paint makes it to the walls.

So it is quickly approaching that time of year again. That time when friends invite you to their parties on the condition that you dress up in some strange outfit. I have decided Halloween is a great day from a distance. I love seeing others dress up. I like laughing at them or being impressed with their ideas for costumes but as a lazy person I really dislike coming up with a costume myself. This year Mr. Toad and I have been invited to a party that costumes are a must. In fact the host of said party has stated anyone who does not have a costume will have one picked out to wear. The host loves Halloween and has many costumes. As a lazy person the idea of someone else picking out a costume for me sounds great until I remember some of the costumes I have seen Mr. and Mrs. Host wear in the past. I will chose my own. Any ideas out there?

Sirens and Tape

Just driving along. Thinking about the Haunted House set that I am helping to build for the Jaycees. A great project that supports all our other community events throughout the year. Then I notice the pretty lights in the rearview mirror. Wow they are coming up fast. They must be in a hurry. I’ll pull out of the way and let them pass like a good citizen. Wait they pulled over too. Why? I signaled. My lights are on. I stopped for the red light…. Tap, tap, tap on the window. “Yes?” “Do you know why I pulled you over?” I am thinking at this point “No I didn’t know I was being pulled over.” I just replied “No.” Apparently, I was going 45 in a 25. Now the road is a 35, I have gone back to check, for the entire length except 100 yards from the stop light which I can only assume since I stopped there that I was slowing down, could be wrong. I can’t prove anything. So I have decided to get revenge. Next time we do a fundraiser for the local police department I will be chair and keep a fee for my services. About $105 should do the trick. Can you believe that! The fine was only $25. Then there was the privilege to be pulled over tax, the thank you for driving in town tax and whatever else they can think of.

Meanwhile the construction is still going. Yesterday I skipped building the Haunted House to work on building in my own house. Mr. Toad was threatening me if progress was not made in the kitchen. My guess is that he could have done it but he has not forgiven meL. I thought he had. So I am going along finishing the seams in the drywall and covering nails when I get to a corner. I am not paying attention. But after a few minutes I notice the piece is moving. Why would the drywall move? Mr. Toad who was in charge of screwing had forgotten to put all the screws into this piece. I have several comments at the tip of my keyboard but will leave this alone. Anyway the taping is done or at least the first round is done. I looked like I had rolled in the mud. Tonight I will look like a ghost as I sand down all the bumps I left with my version of taping. The dust will fly and the kitchen will turn white.

For Window

Yankees lost! Window if you read this. HEHE the Yankees lost.

The next step...

Look I have discovered where the title was hiding. I know it wasn't very far away but I am still finding out how to use this. Anyway now I can name my little entries. So drywall is still going and going. We have finally finished putting up the drywall but the price was high. After the first piece Mr. Toad and I decided that we couldn’t work together. So I measured and cut the pieces while he read a book and then he screwed the piece into the wall while I did other chores. I think he liked screwing better then measuring anyway. When this project is done it could be years before we are brave enough to try a new project together.

Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Construction came to help. They are friends of ours who are continuously remodeling their home. When they finished their last house I think they got bored so they bought a new house that needed fixing. Anyway Mr. Toad and I have baseboard heating in the kitchen. Not really needed. I think that if the room gets really cold just turn on the oven and open the door. Should heat everything up quickly. So Mr. Toad and Mr. Construction spent time following wires and flipping switches, plugging things in and testing outlets. The more the men talked the about what may or may not happen when they cut the white wire made Mrs. Construction and I follow them around with cell phones in hand waiting to call 911. In the end the baseboard heaters were removed without calling 911.

Now it is time for taping. I have been doing a little reading on this. Doesn’t look so hard. I have tape that sticks to the wall all by itself so I just have to put a strip on straight and then cover with goop. Sounds easy but I can imagine it now. It isn’t straight enough, there is a bump, and it won’t actually stick. After many hours of covering myself with goop instead of the wall and yelling at tape that won’t listen I’ll go to bed. When I awake in the morning Mr. Toad has taped my mouth shut. Probably thinking this will make the house quieter for him to read and watch sports but I know how to bang a pots and pans together. That will teach him to tape my mouth shut.

I have reread my blog. To my great disappointment I have discovered I am not perfect and should make an attempt in the future of reading what I write before publishing. Now that I have confessed that I know things are wrong I will continue on my way. I do not want to read what I write. I will continue to make mistakes just to bother the grammar freaks out there. Hello Mr. Toad!

Mr. Toad has forgiven me! He is going to help with the drywall and I have promised to talk to him before putting any more holes in the walls. I look forward to drywalling. I can imagine it now. He says go right and I go left. He says a little higher then a little lower then to the left to the right. I’ll always be moving in the wrong direction by a little too much or not enough. “Where are the studs?” asks Mr. Toad. “At the strip club, but I don’t think we have time for that!” replies Mrs. Toad. Mr. Toad glares back at Mrs. Toad who has dropped the drywall while trying to dance around the kitchen in her excitement of remodeling. Perhaps Mrs. Toad should call her Daddy to come fix things before Mr. Toad hits her over the head with a hammer.
Yes putting up drywall is going to be fun.

HOLES! So my kitchen was in desperate need of changes. It has this fake brick around the bottom half of the room. I am not sure why but there it was and it looked fake. Another problem with the kitchen was the frosted melon color on the walls. I am sure I have only seen that color in Don Pablos. Anyway after a year of complaining that the kitchen needed help and a year of being ignored I found the solution. Last Friday I raced home and started cleaning out all the stuff that was in the way. It was surprising the amount of stuff we had stacked in front of the wall to hide the brick. With this done and knowing I would be home alone for a few more hours I drove to the hardware store where I invested in a crowbar. Every woman should have one I have decided. Now with the anticipation building I went home and with a utility knife I scored the drywall just above the brick. Feeling it would be easiest to replace only the bottom half of the wall. Then with a crowbar in hand and a hammer in the other I started making holes and tearing down the offensive wall. The problem came about an hour and half later. As I stood in the kitchen with fake brick and drywall covering the floor and hammer and crowbar in my hands, Mr. Toad came in the door and stopped dead in his tracks. “What are you doing?” roared Mr. Toad. “Nothing” I replied in a very innocent voice. Apparently the evidence was stacked against me. I now have a very upset Mr. Toad and a messy kitchen. As punishment for starting this on my own he has refused to help. I have decided that is ok. I can do this on my own. It will look great when I am done. Now I have done one of two things in starting this. Either I will no longer be ignored and Mr. Toad will help me in my adventures in home remodeling or he will see how am I able to do this on my own and never help again. I fear that Mr. Toad will now just let me work on these things alone.