this, that, & the other
I have been absolutely swamped with work this week, but that doesn't mean life hasn't been interesting.
1.
Last weekend we interrupted our regular programming to spend our annual winter weekend in the woods with friends. Unlike last year, when it rained the whole time and we all got cabin fever, the weather this year could not have been better. Crisp, cold, snowy but sunny: winter just the way I like it.
Perfect for walks in the woods.
Jasper loved it. Here he is in the cemetery up the road from our cabin, apparently posing for Dog and Mausoleum magazine.
Iris and Anya look happy here, but they spent most of the weekend as the Bossy McBickersons. By Sunday afternoon, we four parents were passing a murderous mood back and forth like a hot potato. Is it the age, or the fact that they really are two very different personalities, or just that it is hard for anyone to be cooped up with another person for a whole long weekend, and kids least of all are equipped to deal with it gracefully? Probably all of the above. In any case, it will be interesting to see how their friendship evolves as they grow up.
(This is the part where I try not to think about the very real possibility that these friends, who are really like an extension of our own family, may soon move away from here. No! Please don't go! I'll eat you up! I love you so!)
2.
Several people asked about things in the pictures I posted last time of Iris' new room, so here are the answers, since Blogger won't let me email most commenters back directly:
Hi Wayfarer! The mat under the easel in the playroom is made from two layers of Mexican (?) oilcloth (so it's reversible). I think it came from the Land of Nod catalog, but I wonder if you could just find some pretty oilcloth by the yard online? Or even locally, if you have really good fabric stores. Failing that, I bet a vinyl tablecloth would work well. Because, you know, hooray for PVCs.
Hi Kelley! The metal flower hooks on the wall are from The Company Store. I'm not bothering to link to these great big retailers – they're easy enough to find.
Hi Selah! The little chair in her room came from a department store children's fitting room. I bought it when the store went out of business.
Hi Upstate Lisa! Yes, I do live in one of those big old Pittsburgh houses. The fact that it was last touched by the previous owners in 1962 means that it is a total fixer-upper, but also that, thankfully, it slept through that late 60s-early 70s era when everyone was gutting Victorian houses of every last trim, molding, and detail.
Speaking of which....
3.
Once again, the contents of my kitchen have been emptied into the sunroom and the dining room (which makes for a fun time emptying the dishwasher) because this time we are redoing the kitchen for real. Top to bottom.
Goodbye, nasty plastic tile! So long, ugly red Formica counters! Hasta la vista, leaky old sink! The room where we spend the most time is finally going to be one we don't mind spending time in. Eventually. Until then, we could be living like this for a while.
Now where do you think I put the salad spinner?
1.
Last weekend we interrupted our regular programming to spend our annual winter weekend in the woods with friends. Unlike last year, when it rained the whole time and we all got cabin fever, the weather this year could not have been better. Crisp, cold, snowy but sunny: winter just the way I like it.
Perfect for walks in the woods.
Jasper loved it. Here he is in the cemetery up the road from our cabin, apparently posing for Dog and Mausoleum magazine.
Iris and Anya look happy here, but they spent most of the weekend as the Bossy McBickersons. By Sunday afternoon, we four parents were passing a murderous mood back and forth like a hot potato. Is it the age, or the fact that they really are two very different personalities, or just that it is hard for anyone to be cooped up with another person for a whole long weekend, and kids least of all are equipped to deal with it gracefully? Probably all of the above. In any case, it will be interesting to see how their friendship evolves as they grow up.
(This is the part where I try not to think about the very real possibility that these friends, who are really like an extension of our own family, may soon move away from here. No! Please don't go! I'll eat you up! I love you so!)
2.
Several people asked about things in the pictures I posted last time of Iris' new room, so here are the answers, since Blogger won't let me email most commenters back directly:
Hi Wayfarer! The mat under the easel in the playroom is made from two layers of Mexican (?) oilcloth (so it's reversible). I think it came from the Land of Nod catalog, but I wonder if you could just find some pretty oilcloth by the yard online? Or even locally, if you have really good fabric stores. Failing that, I bet a vinyl tablecloth would work well. Because, you know, hooray for PVCs.
Hi Kelley! The metal flower hooks on the wall are from The Company Store. I'm not bothering to link to these great big retailers – they're easy enough to find.
Hi Selah! The little chair in her room came from a department store children's fitting room. I bought it when the store went out of business.
Hi Upstate Lisa! Yes, I do live in one of those big old Pittsburgh houses. The fact that it was last touched by the previous owners in 1962 means that it is a total fixer-upper, but also that, thankfully, it slept through that late 60s-early 70s era when everyone was gutting Victorian houses of every last trim, molding, and detail.
Speaking of which....
3.
Once again, the contents of my kitchen have been emptied into the sunroom and the dining room (which makes for a fun time emptying the dishwasher) because this time we are redoing the kitchen for real. Top to bottom.
Goodbye, nasty plastic tile! So long, ugly red Formica counters! Hasta la vista, leaky old sink! The room where we spend the most time is finally going to be one we don't mind spending time in. Eventually. Until then, we could be living like this for a while.
Now where do you think I put the salad spinner?
posted by angelique at 11:28 PM
4 Comments:
The bossy McBickertons...I like that. A lot. =) Go luck with your remodel...how exciting!
looks like fun in the woods! Thanks for answering my question. It's a good idea to use oilcloth. Good luck on that kitchen. You have a great looking house with wonderful nooks and cranny's. :-)
I'm just wondering how I can work 'the bossy McBickertons' into a conversation with someone today.
Boy, have you been busy. Who cares about salad spinners when you have HIDDEN GORGEOUS WINDOWS that are revealed with a quick (and no doubt satisfying, thwack on the gyprock. I dream of Pittsburgh. Say, let's do a houseswap, I know a good hospital where you could have the bub. Are you in?
x
PS I have not forgotten that I'm sending something to Iris and the little tacker. I'm just slow and horribly disorganised!
xx
Thanks for the answer!
We also did a kitchen remodel while I was pregnant with our 2nd child. At least it was spring so we could grill. Then my husband decided to gut (down to the studs and replacing the subflooring) and replace our only bathroom when I was pregnant with the 3rd. No pics, but both times I was 8 months pregnant and on the inside holding a new window in place and he's on the outside fitting it.
Cheers!
Kelley
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