and they're off

We leave today for North Carolina and Massachusetts without our girls and that part is killing me. Last night when we were watching TV and talking about how much we're gonna miss those stinkers, they start barking barking barking at people walking by, and I say to S., "ya know, it will be kinda nice to get away from that for a bit." He says, sure, but the minute we're on the highway, you're gonna be crying about how you miss them. My response: I'm allowed to have mixed feelings. So there.

I sure showed him.

My hun bun FINALLY got a new position at State Farm. He'll now be working in Death Claims. He's always said he wants a one-name name like The Reaper, and that's how he told me he'd gotten the job. He texted me: I am The Reaper! (yup, we now text cuz we're hip like that). He was a bit late coming home that day and I was visiting with Sam and Lucky when he came into the house carrying a big plastic scythe. Probably not a good idea to take that into work with him.

It'll be so good to get away from work for a while. I need to stop thinking about all the things that aren't getting done. Leave them here, on this blog.

Instead, look forward to the fun reading in my bag. And a sunflower bagel from Lexington, MA. Yummers.

dining room, revised

I've been complaining about this wallpapered dining room for a while now. S. didn't think it needed to be changed, so his silent protest was to offer no help. The one thing he did was move the china cabinet away from the wall so I could get back there and paint.

Worked on this all week. Here are the before pictures. Note the wallpaper, the brown chair rail, window trim, and divider between living and dining rooms. Hard to see in this photo, but there was also a pink venetian blind that we never used, so out it went (we have no back neighbors).

Here's the "during" shot. Originally I was planning to paint the whole room in that clay color (technically: "Of the earth"), but I decided it would make the room too dark, so I went with that and a light yellow (technically: "Castle stone").

After. Holy macaroni. What a difference white trim makes.

I love this dark wall separating the kitchen from the dining room. So neat and clean compared to the craziness that was that wallpaper.

One of the things we purchased with out wedding gift cards was an air compressor/nail gun and holy moly, I love that thing. I feel so accomplished with that thing in my hands. No more banging nails in and hitting thumbs and swearing at the top of my lungs so that the entire neighborhood knows I'm using a hammer. Nope. Not with my fancy new nail gun.

And guess what's the best part: S. likes it! He thinks it's a big improvement. Yay!

intermittent haphazardousness

You've missed me, admit it. I've missed my self. My writing self.

The local party to celebrate our wedding was a huge success. Weather held out for us--it was threatening to rain all week, but we got through it dry. A bit chilly, but dry. The party made me realize again how many fantastic friends I have.

We leave for North Carolina and Massachusetts on the 9th. We'll spend just under a week in both places. We've decided to stay in a hotel in Massachusetts because a) my mom's house has no a/c; b) my mom's house has one bathroom; and c) we want access to a fitness center. Never thought I'd see the day when access to a fitness center determined ANYTHING in my life. But there you have it.

As always, I'm feeling stressed about how many projects I'm working on and my recent rejection and the fear that I'm all washed up. Finished. Nothing left to write about that anyone wants to hear. And then there's that damn tenure thing I gotta deal with this summer.

I've had many bloggable stories since I last blogged and of course I can't think of any of them right now. Most of them involve my Hun Bun and his funny funnies.

Ah well. I'm back.