It's Spring! (mostly)

And I am SO ready for it! I'm sure we're not done with snow yet but I can pretend.

I escaped Mountain Home today and went on a wine tour to the Sawtooth Winery. The base community center organized the tour and drove two vans full of merry makers to the winery for tour and tasting, and then to Nampa for dinner. The winery sits on a hill overlooking the Owyhee Mountains.


I would like to see it in the summer--I'm sure it is beautiful. The tour was interesting, the wine drinkable, and the dinner quite good. It was a welcome escape.

I came home and further escaped into the book "Twilight." Yes, it's the vampire one. I finally succumbed to the hype and had to read it. Unfortunately, it really grabbed me and I have not accomplished much this week. (Altho I did make rice krispie bars--only because I could stir and read at the same time.) Fortunately, there is a waiting list for the second in the series so maybe I'll get something done.

Things have been a bit slow on the house. I ordered windows (boring but necessary) and finally decided on tile for the kitchen backsplash, which will hopefully be installed this week. I can then post pictures of a fully completed room. And it only took four months... The guest bathroom should be reassembled this week, as well, so anyone planning a visit will be have accommodations (hint, hint).

Tumblin Tumbleweeds

I think tumbleweeds must be the state flower. They love this place. As you know, they need wind to spread their seeds about. There are alot of tumbleweeds in this area. Tells you something about the wind around here, too. On my way to work the other day the wind was blowing like crazy and the tumbleweeds were oh so excited.

Yes, they get excited when it's windy. There was a buffalo sized one barreling toward the highway that I had to slow up for. I'm not sure which of us would have survived the collision, but I'm guessing it wouldn't have been me. The little ones were racing across the road. It was like they double dog daring each other to run out in front of traffic. When I was out walking the other night, I thought I saw a bunny hopping around in a yard. It turned out to be a tumbleweed playing Peter Cottontail. Another one looked like a daddy longlegs skittering across in front of me. They make me laugh.

Ya gotta take your laughs when and where you can get them around here...

Here's the most recent house project. No, the other projects are not finished yet, but that's certainly not stopping me from making a new mess.

This is the "purple bathroom" altho, as you can see it is no longer purple--yeah!
Flooring is on order so hopefully this won't take too long. (Right. After all this, you'd think I'd have learned that it always takes twice as long and three times as much money as planned.)

TA DA!!

I have a workable kitchen!Here's "Vanna" showing off her new sink and countertop.

So, now you get to help me pick out tile for the backsplash

#1&2or #3,4, or 5.

And floor #1
or floor #2 (which basically looks like floor #1 with minor variations.)Well, that's my life these days.

A Welcome Break

I was so excited to have Andy come visit! He came on Wednesday and left on Sunday. I took a few days off and we just hung out. Showed him the sights of Mtn Home. That took all of about 5 minutes. I made him cook for me. (Poor guy, he thought he was coming here to relax.) He thought my little kitchen in Bloomington was a challenge but the real challenge was here. I think he can honestly say this is the first time he's ever cooked in a bathroom!

We also spent the weekend in Boise. All very low key but very enjoyable. At least for me it was--hopefully he had a good time, too. He helped me agonize over flooring and countertops for the kitchen. After bringing home half a dozen flooring samples and numerous laminate samples, we both decide that we didn't like any of them. Back to the drawing board...

But the kitchen is progressing.


And what a difference a day makes

I have an installed microwave and a dryer (and only one refrigerator and dishwasher!)
I'm hoping to have the washer and dryer behind a door. eventually.

On a totally different note, I am so very happy that the days are getting longer. The sun was just setting when I left work today. I am also so very happy to be driving on ice-free roads for a change. A bit of sunshine and dry roads. It really doesn't take much to make me happy!

The Latest

The year is definitely off to a good start now that we have a new president. I am in awe of the man. How can a person stand in front of millions of people and give a flawless speech without notes of any kind?! I tried to imagine myself in the middle of the throngs--don't think I could have done it. I'm just happy I was able to watch it on the computer since I have no television reception here.

On a more local note...

Hope y'all are interested in my remodel, cause that's about all that is happening in my life right now.
Don't ask me why there are two refrigerators and two dishwashers in my kitchen (not to mention no cabinets or sink yet). So this actually is the eventual kitchen.







The current kitchen is really a multipurpose room--Kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. Very convenient.



The only project that is totally done is the wood floor refinishing. I have to say it turned out really good.

It's probably good that the weather has been cold and gray. I'm more likely to stay inside and get things done. Although I'm also more likely to stay inside and read or watch movies. I've done a little of the first and a little more of the second and third. I have to admit, it feels really good to just sit and read whatever I feel like. My recent reads: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Shadow of the Wind, Broken for You--all good.

Reunited at last!

With my stuff, that is. I can now say that 98% of my belongings are under one roof (the other 2% is still in the garage in Billings). The moving van has been emptied and everything deposited in the house. Somewhere.

Unpacking and arranging furniture will be a challenge for at least a couple of weeks. The living room and dining room floors still need to be sanded and refinished (think dust. lots and lots of dust).

Taking up carpet.

I can't unpack the kitchen stuff as I currently have no kitchen.

The demolition process. It does get better. But, unfortunately, it has to get worse before it gets better...

I don't have the "better" pictures yet. But at least the skanky floor is fixed and I'm hopeful the upper cabinets will be installed by Friday. And, if all goes according to plan, the wood floors will be done by then, too.

I'm excited that Andy is coming to visit at the end of the month. It's always good to have a deadline--a little incentive to kick it into gear.

Happy New Year!

I'm always so ready for the old year to end and the new year to begin. I always feel like like I'm getting a second chance. I brought the old year to a close by spending a few days before Christmas in Seattle with Andy, Brandon, and Alix. It was fun and very Christmasy. The snow piled up to almost 9 inches and brought a halt to everything, especially the usual holiday craziness.

This is a picture of Bran and Alix's deck (of course we couldn't let that snow go to waste without putting it to work).

Andy and I even built a snowman.


I then flew to Billings for Christmas and loaded up furniture the day after. I didn't get to see too many friends while there, but thoroughly enjoyed the ones I did get to spend time with. The move went surprisingly smooth even with the four inches of snow the night before and still snowing all during loading. Although I'm looking forward to having all my stuff again, I was a bit sad to see it leave Billings. Billings will always be home, but it seems a little less home now, saying goodbye a little harder. There are always trade offs of some sort with the choices we make, and we don't always know what those will be.

So, with the taste of bitter-sweet on my tongue, I start the New Year with hope, because that is what a new year is all about, and to start it with anything less than hope would be unbearable.

I wish you all the very best of health, joy, peace and love in the year to come! (And Happy Birthday to my big brother!)