I am cold. And I know I shouldn’t be complaining, that it is still winter and those fluke days of 60’s and 70’s where not suppose to happen, but still. I am freaking cold. I just wan to ditch the jacket and mittens and to live in sweaters all day long. Is that too much to ask? #sweaterlady
Last weekend the mr and I went down and over to PA to visit Dad and family. It was a blast. We got to see my grandmother and aunt and uncle on the farm and just get out of town for a few days. When we got home we clonked out then decided to rip up the porch. The plan was to wait until spring to do it, but the weekend was so warm and springy that we were like screw it, let’s just do this and ripped it up. Then we spent half of the week tip toeing over thin wooden beams to get into and out of the house while hunting for decking and fixing the structure. Good thing the mr thought to stick a note on the door because leaving the house at 530 am when I am not exactly at my sharpest and it’s dark outside… more then once that little sign saved me from disaster. After a long long day of 6 hardware stores hunting for decking, we finally found what we needed. (no one had enough in stock or what they did have was shit) And then the weather turned on us to a brutal blast of freaking cold. I was all, “Lets just wait until next week to finish”, but not the mr. He was out there cutting and screwing and being an all around bad ass and laid down the new porch. I stayed inside, made hot soup and started collecting all the papers for taxes. Neither of us were having fun. But we do have a new porch, well kinda. The floor is down and now we just need to build the rest. That will come next week. And I do have a large stsck of papers. We get stuff done.
The past few days with also involved some littles, having my house trashed, and just the anxious feeling like there is much to do now and only so much more to come, I really need a down day and so does the mr.(his plan is to replace a toilet in one of the apartments today. He never stops) I am gonna rest my aching bones for a bit, buy a new toothbrush, make some bread (oven heat!) and try not to dread the gigantic pile of tax papers awaiting me for tomorrow (who a I kidding, it’s going to take all week)
Internet sightings
-This made me happy. SHOT OF HAPPINESS FOR YOU
-Of course plants make life better. Want to Live Longer? This Study Suggests It’s Time to Turn Over a New Leaf
–Burmese Tofu (a.k.a. Chickpea Flour Tofu) On my list of things to make this week
-I have always really liked the visual of cracked roads. This is even better. Street Kintsugi: Artist Rachel Sussman Repairs the Roads with Gold
-This is pretty freaking sweet. Architect Turns Old Cement Factory Into His Home,
–Do Showers Make Oranges Taste Better? I don’t know about you, but I am good with keeping it a mystery.
-This lady is amazing. She wasn’t even trying, just doing life. What Makes Mira Rai Run?
–How To Clean and Season an Old, Rusty Cast Iron Skillet I have a few in need of some love.
-We are looking ot start the downstairs bathroom soon and I would really like a pattern tiled floor..
-I remember thinking about who the heck thought to shape sugar into cubes and that that person was a genius. HOW THE VICTORIAN OBSESSION FOR ORDER CREATED THE HUMBLE SUGAR CUBE
Picture from the week.
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Sweet, sweet Vermont. Things around these parts he been oh so nice. Warm days (not hot) and cool nights. The colors are starting to show on the trees. People are starting to wear clothes again and eating apple things and drinking those darn pumpkin spice lattes. I still haven’t gone apple picking yet (I’ve been waiting for at least a good week of cool temps so the apples get nice and sweet) but I did eat a pumpkin this week. And the sky, the sky has been nothing but pretty. I have been loving it all.
Straight up a crazy, full week. Lots of family dinners, bunk bed building, and mathematical problems solving in order to lay the tubes for heat in the floor. We went to a wedding (congrats Alex and Allison!) were we saw an eagle and I ate all the fresh figs from the cheese platter.(sorry, not sorry) Over at the house the mr and I made the decision to rip out all the old flooring on the first floor down to the sub floor so the radiant heat can go under the new floor instead of coming up from the basement. I know, I know, we need to stop ripping shit out and just finish putting it all back together. We are getting there. Lucky me I didn’t have to do to much of the floor ripping, more just the pulling of all the stupid nails left. Not the funniest job, but I have gotten pretty good at de-nailig floors. I could market my new de-nailing skills and make millions. Yeah, sounds about right.
On a sad note, I killed another freaking immersion blender so now I have to pull out the big blender every time I want some smooth soup. Me being me, I almost burned my face off when I went to blend some boiling hot soupand the lid was not on tight and hot soup splashed my face. (I am fine, minor burn left on my ear) Lesson learned. Now I wait for soup to not be so hot and check the mother f-ing lid. Oh, and my bike tire finally fell off completely which really sent my life through a loop. I know I have been saying all summer that I was going to get a new tire but the duck tape was working oh so well (no, not really) And because I waited until the tire fell off and I wanted to save 20 bucks by ordering a new tire online, I had to ride around town all week on the mr’s bike which really sucked a big one. Thank UPS man for delivering me my new tire. All is well now(besides needing a new brake pad and handle bar tape, but that will happen in time) and I can go back to my own bike. I have missed it so much.
Today the mr and I are going to plug away some more with tube laying on the floor. He is starting to worry about getting a source of heat in the house soon. I say as long as we have some type heat by November, we are all set. And if the weather is decent and not pouring rain later, I am going to break in my new bike tire with a heavy trip to the library. My stack of returns is getting pretty ridiculous. (8 books high)
What I saw on the internet this week.
– Tricky tricky sons of bitches.. 50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat
-These are some crazy photos. Winners of the 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards
-Sad truths. Three Foods That Might Not Survive Modern Diseases
-I don’t know if I would do this but it’s pretty cool. Body Marbling Is A New Festival Trend That Turns Your Skin Into Art
-This is not a joke (I thought it was) Self-Driving Shopping Carts May Be the Way of the Future. I don’t think I like this, not one bit.
-We have our cat Only. We do nit snuggle him cause he is evil and likes to dig his claws in, so I am ok with this. Doctors Rudely Warn Public Not to Snuggle Kittens
-It has happened to me and it freaked me the f out. Ever wake up to a numb, dead arm? Here’s what’s happening.
-As a seltzer water drinker myself, this was all the right. A Millennial’s Guide to Seltzer
-Researching siding for the addition. Think we are going with the Shou Sugi Ban method. We get to set stuff on fire!!!
–5 Ways to Tell If Your Knife Needs Sharpening. I try to keep mine sharpened not only because cutting food withsharp knife make sense but the danger is for real. The duller the knife, the more likely I am to cut my dang finger off.
Some pictures of the happenings.
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Last Sunday of August. Phew, we blew through this month fast.
The past week has been one of many accomplishments. Things at the house are moving along with vigor. You can tell a real difference when you walk into the house because the entire first floor is covered in a thick coating of white dust that came from all the sanding upstairs. But hey, now those walls are all primed and ready for paint!
Highlight of the week. I was at the grocery store and there was local, freshly picked, paula red apple totes for sale. It’s officially apple time. I was so happy I bought like 10 pound and eaten half of them. Does this mean I can unpack all my sweaters and flannel sheets? I don’t know about you, but I am more then ready for some cool fall weather and just a change in season. This summer was hard (emotionally ans physically) and I am over it. Bring on the pretty leaves and warm apple cider, just don’t get to cold to fast before we get any heating installed in the house.
Speaking of heating. I think for today the mr is prepping the new boiler and on demand hot water heater at the house.( This guy, man he is like a superhero, he can do it all) l Me, I think I will be spending a good chunk of time just cleaning up dust. And I will make lunch and bring us coffee. I’ll be good at that.
Internet stuff for internet browsing if you want to browse the internet.
-To all those super duper , always obnoxiously happy people. You’re Not Supposed to Be Happy All the Time
–Gorgeous Architectural Watercolors
–Why Do We Love Some Animals But Eat Others?. Think about it.
-We(or me) are picking paint for the house!!!! Going with all white walls but which white(there are thousands!) No-Fail White Paint Colors Edwards Droplet and Seed Pearl are nice.(but weird ass names) What do you think?
–10 INSPIRING CHILDREN’S PLAYSPACES. Am I told old to play on these?
-Elmore Mt. Bread! Back in the early days, the mr and I used to save our pennies to buy fresh baguettes from them. Bread Grains: The Last Frontier In The Locavore Movement
-I am going to live forever! Friendships Might Not Help You Live Longer, But Family Does
–Tiny animals with tiny casts.
-I love this little bungalow
-And because we all love her of some version of her (don’t deny it) Britney Spears has been a pop icon for 20 years. To understand her, you need to understand her hair.
And a few pictures…I kept the camera away most of the week, didn’t want to get it full of dust.
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Where did the past week go. I feel like the days are just flying by and before I know there is going to be snow on the ground. I mention snow cause right now I am to stinking hot and my eyes itch like crazy (allergies) that I am fantasizing of cooler days, cozy sweaters, and no mosquitoes. And apples. I am very excited for apple season. It will all be happening soon enough so I should just stop whining and enjoy the sunshine and tomatoes.
Like that picture of the mr right there? We ended up pulling that claw foot tub out of a yurt in the middle of the woods. That was fun, a little crazy given that we were dragging 600lb of cast iron on a tiny little hobbit path, and I might have ripped half the skin off of my finger while moving it, but hey, we got a sweet ass tub that’s got a little history.
Not much new news. The week was full of work so I don’t need to tell you about that but I did manage to make a cake this week. I am really starting to miss my kitchen time but so soon I’ll have a brand new kitchen to cook in so kitchen time for now will have to wait. Yesterday we played hooky for the afternoon and headed out of town to check out a vintage camper show. So many sweet little campers and cute old people that drive around the country in them. It was so cool seeing what people do with a little metal shell on wheels. Life goals right there.
On this fine Sunday the mr and I will find ourselves over at the house, doing some house work, talking about the floors once again. The upstairs is no longer a crazy work zone so I get to move all the tools and lifts downstairs and into the basement, clean,and get ready for priming, painting and eventually sanding the floors. I can just barely see the light at the end of the tunnel.
My internet browsing history this week.
-Love the modern cabin look
-The firefly of the ocean I had to look it up after cause I didn’t believe it was a real thing. Blue Rivers of Bioluminescent Shrimp
–Simple little trivets that I think I have to make
-The Best Time to Do Stuff You Hate Is When You’re at Your Happiest.
-To me, cooking anything down, sweet it savory, to a jam like consistency is a jam. What Makes A Jam A Jam? Surge In Savory Spreads Presents Riddles For Purists
-The mr loves the smell of pools. Little does he know. EVERY SWIMMING
POOL IS FULL OF PEE. hahaha, he is smelling pee.
-Pesticides on Produce: The New ‘Dirty Dozen’ List
-Toast beer?Sound interesting. Artisanal Food Waste: Can You Turn Scraps Into Premium Products?
-The dark side of a food trend. This explains why many are requesting that we STOP eating avocados.
-I think we are going with this tile for bathroom floor….to boring?
And pictures from the week.
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Washer Stem. October 30, 2005- July 24, 2016
I am a pretty trashed person right now. 2 weeks ago our puppy dog, Washer, died.
Yeah, you can kick me in the stomach, I am sure it would feel better then this.
First question everyone asks “What happened?” Long story short, for some reason, whether it was something he ate or just from playing way to hard, his stomach flipped inside of him, twisted, then died. There was the animal hospital and surgery and it all happened so fast…. blah, it’s still pretty hard to think and talk about. But yeah, he went from being good and healthy to not within hours and the vets did what they could, but they just couldn’t save him.
How am I doing? Honestly, I am not great but am starting to come out of the hole a bit. For a while there I just feel apart. Washer wasn’t a pet to us, he was pretty much our life, my life. Just about every single thing we did, we did together. All of our decisions, from the smallest things like day to day activities to buying a house revolved around him. (we would have never bought a house that didn’t have a giant yard for him). He went to work with us, on all errands, (he loved a good car ride) family events, everything. I think the only places that he never went was to the gym with me and into the grocery store (the mr and him would wait in the car). I can count on both hands the times over his life that we have left him with other people. Washer was our family…is our family and his absence has been overwhelming.
And yes, he was a dog, but he was more then that to me. He was my soul mate, my best friend, my baby. I spent more time talking or just hanging with him then anybody else. We experienced the world together and he showed me things in life that I otherwise might have never seen. Countless sunrise walks. So many sunsets. All the early mornings in winter when the world is perfectly still, the moon is out, and the snow is falling. All of the outdoors, countless hikes, endless swims.(he could swim forever) He took us out into the world, even when we wanted nothing more then to hide away.
He was all unconditional love and unabashed happiness. And he could totally be a complete ass, but he knew it and always felt guilty afterwards (you could tell cause he looked atyou with the sad eyes) He gave so much and never wanted anything from us other then love, well, and food.
And now I am trying to figure out how to be without him. Waking up in the morning, I still find myself looking for him. When I walk out the front door, I still reach for his leash and a poop bag. And that feeling like I need to get home to my pup, like he is waiting for me, it hasn’t gone away. I still wake up every morning and go for a walk and the mr and I still go for a walk every day after dinner. We pick him flowers and talk about about all the amazing and stupid things he used to do and how much he did for us. It is crazy looking back at our life over the past 11 years and knowing he was part of almost every moment.
So yeah, I am kinda feeling lost right now. I miss him more then I could ever imagine. I know he lived a freaking fantastic, healthy, and long life, and for that I can take a little comfort. But man, I was not ready for him to go. I guess I never would have been. ( I secretly thought he would live forever, or at least another 50 or so years)
He is one of the greatest loves of my life and I am so fucking lucky to be able to say that.
The best dog that ever was (for us), even when he was being a jerk face.
Love you forever puppy.
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Hello to a long summer weekend full of all things sparkly and red white and blue. Hard to believe that it’s already July 4th weekend. We are already deep into summer and I need to get on and do some serious summering.
We put in our time this week for sure, 8-12 hour days, some days at the house until 8pm. We had a deadline and had to bust some crazy ass to get what we needed to get done done before the insulators came. Phew.. we did it, and now all I can say is that the mr and I are pretty bad ass. As for the house, it’s just smooth sailing from here. (haha, yeah right)
Another big thing this week. Jeff Dad moved back, well not back to VT, but back east, close to where he grew up in PA. This is of much excitement for myself and the rest of my siblings. Now instead of being 14 (more like 20) hours away, he is only be 5 hours away. That is just enough away that we can see him whenever we want, but far enough that we don’t have to see him when we don’t. Plus he is only about an hour outside of NYC..so you know, party party in the city.
Today is a weird Sunday, cause it feels like a Saturday, which makes me feel like I need to put on my work pants and get to it. Lucky for me, the mr has plans for a fishing adventure and if he going on an adventure, then I am too! I am going to pack some food, my watercolors and a book try to just relax today. Maybe we will bring the new tent (we finally bought a new tent that is not our tiny backpacking tent with a hole in it) and just come home sometime tomorrow. You are not suppose to work on a holiday, right? Hum, sounds like a good plan to me.
Fun and informative internet from the week.
-I feel like I might know a few people that need to read this. HOW TO SAFELY PLAY WITH FIREWORKS WITHOUT BLOWING AN ARM OFF
So much summer fruit means it’s pie time. A Professional Baker’s Tips for Baking Pies Smarter, Not Harder
-Any or all of your favorite blogs (mine or not, whatever.. but mine) NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD BLOGS FOR THE 2016 SAVEUR BLOG AWARDS
-My aunt was growing ancient wheats before all the the cool kids,because she is so cool. Nothing Says ‘Hip’ Like Ancient Wheat
-Pretty freaking crazy. A Miniature Landscape of Elephants Carved From the Tip of a Pencil
-I was curious so I looked it up, and now I know. How Cinnamon is Harvested in Indonesia
-Diggin this house, especially the kitchen counters (we are 99% sure we are pouring kitchen concrete counters!!?!)
-Totally in love with these landscape oil paintings.
–This album has been on repeat all week. It’s is one of my favorites and also the first cassette (remember those?) that I ever bought.
-Finally, no more sneaky sneaky. G.M.O.s in Food? Vermonters Will Know.
And a few snaps from the week.
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Whenever we bring the pup over to the new house, he immediately grabs his ball and runs to the back door. Usually I let him out for a minute but have to drag him back in and have him lay down while we work. But at the end of each day, I bring him out back again and throw the ball with him. He is so happy and cute and goofy which makes me so happy. He really has taken to the house and having him there, being so comfortable and happy really makes the house feel like home. It’s a great feeling.
The past week.. what a week. So much, so much. Lots of family, lots of work, lots of trying to clean and organize. We finished up what we needed to get done at the new house before the contractors come on Monday (we hired some people to remove some not so good stuff from the attic) so wehave this coming up week to get our shit together, makes sure all the other houses and stuff of life here is taken care of when were are gone and maybe even book a few places to sleep. (we have yet to book a single one.) But hey, we are young and adventurous, and we’llfigure it out. (I hope)
And I am still deciding weather or not I should unplug the fridge while we are gone or stock the freezer with food to eat when we get back. Oh man, decisions decisions.
But enough about me, how did the first week of the year go for you? I know, we didn’t win the power ball so that sucks, but are you feeling like the year started off good? Still keeping your resolutions and staying away from the cookies and making your bed everyday? Don’t worry if it didn’t stick and you, at this moment, are eating a box of cookies in a very messy bed. It’s totally cool to do. Cookies in a messy bed might just be what you need right now. So I say go for it. (just maybe don’t make a habit of it)
Stuff to look at while eating your cookies or doing whatever.
-I am a list maker of lists that include finding the list of the lists.that I lost -A Neuroscientist on the Calming Powers of the To-Do List
-I am for sure going to be making some of this Vegan Fish Sauce
-What Exactly is Malt? It’s not what I thought.
–This home looks like a lovely place to live
-Some Bathroom inspiration for the new house
-Whoa now. How Real Is Reality?
– I want to live here and here.. part time of course
-I don’t get excited for tv easily, but this show…. I laugh every time I see a commercial for it. I am excited!
-Some good information. Non-Dairy Milks: Which to Make, Which to Buy
-Would you buy a $100 donut? (your answer should be no)
–A butt a day. Genius.
And a few shoots from the week.
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Have a fantastic weekend!
-C
THE LOVELY CRAZY
March 19, 2017 by maximios • Blog
I am cold. And I know I shouldn’t be complaining, that it is still winter and those fluke days of 60’s and 70’s where not suppose to happen, but still. I am freaking cold. I just wan to ditch the jacket and mittens and to live in sweaters all day long. Is that too much to ask? #sweaterlady
Last weekend the mr and I went down and over to PA to visit Dad and family. It was a blast. We got to see my grandmother and aunt and uncle on the farm and just get out of town for a few days. When we got home we clonked out then decided to rip up the porch. The plan was to wait until spring to do it, but the weekend was so warm and springy that we were like screw it, let’s just do this and ripped it up. Then we spent half of the week tip toeing over thin wooden beams to get into and out of the house while hunting for decking and fixing the structure. Good thing the mr thought to stick a note on the door because leaving the house at 530 am when I am not exactly at my sharpest and it’s dark outside… more then once that little sign saved me from disaster. After a long long day of 6 hardware stores hunting for decking, we finally found what we needed. (no one had enough in stock or what they did have was shit) And then the weather turned on us to a brutal blast of freaking cold. I was all, “Lets just wait until next week to finish”, but not the mr. He was out there cutting and screwing and being an all around bad ass and laid down the new porch. I stayed inside, made hot soup and started collecting all the papers for taxes. Neither of us were having fun. But we do have a new porch, well kinda. The floor is down and now we just need to build the rest. That will come next week. And I do have a large stsck of papers. We get stuff done.
The past few days with also involved some littles, having my house trashed, and just the anxious feeling like there is much to do now and only so much more to come, I really need a down day and so does the mr.(his plan is to replace a toilet in one of the apartments today. He never stops) I am gonna rest my aching bones for a bit, buy a new toothbrush, make some bread (oven heat!) and try not to dread the gigantic pile of tax papers awaiting me for tomorrow (who a I kidding, it’s going to take all week)
Internet sightings
-This made me happy. SHOT OF HAPPINESS FOR YOU
-Of course plants make life better. Want to Live Longer? This Study Suggests It’s Time to Turn Over a New Leaf
–Burmese Tofu (a.k.a. Chickpea Flour Tofu) On my list of things to make this week
-I have always really liked the visual of cracked roads. This is even better. Street Kintsugi: Artist Rachel Sussman Repairs the Roads with Gold
-This is pretty freaking sweet. Architect Turns Old Cement Factory Into His Home,
–Do Showers Make Oranges Taste Better? I don’t know about you, but I am good with keeping it a mystery.
-This lady is amazing. She wasn’t even trying, just doing life. What Makes Mira Rai Run?
–How To Clean and Season an Old, Rusty Cast Iron Skillet I have a few in need of some love.
-We are looking ot start the downstairs bathroom soon and I would really like a pattern tiled floor..
-I remember thinking about who the heck thought to shape sugar into cubes and that that person was a genius. HOW THE VICTORIAN OBSESSION FOR ORDER CREATED THE HUMBLE SUGAR CUBE
Picture from the week.
Sweet, sweet Vermont. Things around these parts he been oh so nice. Warm days (not hot) and cool nights. The colors are starting to show on the trees. People are starting to wear clothes again and eating apple things and drinking those darn pumpkin spice lattes. I still haven’t gone apple picking yet (I’ve been waiting for at least a good week of cool temps so the apples get nice and sweet) but I did eat a pumpkin this week. And the sky, the sky has been nothing but pretty. I have been loving it all.
Straight up a crazy, full week. Lots of family dinners, bunk bed building, and mathematical problems solving in order to lay the tubes for heat in the floor. We went to a wedding (congrats Alex and Allison!) were we saw an eagle and I ate all the fresh figs from the cheese platter.(sorry, not sorry) Over at the house the mr and I made the decision to rip out all the old flooring on the first floor down to the sub floor so the radiant heat can go under the new floor instead of coming up from the basement. I know, I know, we need to stop ripping shit out and just finish putting it all back together. We are getting there. Lucky me I didn’t have to do to much of the floor ripping, more just the pulling of all the stupid nails left. Not the funniest job, but I have gotten pretty good at de-nailig floors. I could market my new de-nailing skills and make millions. Yeah, sounds about right.
On a sad note, I killed another freaking immersion blender so now I have to pull out the big blender every time I want some smooth soup. Me being me, I almost burned my face off when I went to blend some boiling hot soupand the lid was not on tight and hot soup splashed my face. (I am fine, minor burn left on my ear) Lesson learned. Now I wait for soup to not be so hot and check the mother f-ing lid. Oh, and my bike tire finally fell off completely which really sent my life through a loop. I know I have been saying all summer that I was going to get a new tire but the duck tape was working oh so well (no, not really) And because I waited until the tire fell off and I wanted to save 20 bucks by ordering a new tire online, I had to ride around town all week on the mr’s bike which really sucked a big one. Thank UPS man for delivering me my new tire. All is well now(besides needing a new brake pad and handle bar tape, but that will happen in time) and I can go back to my own bike. I have missed it so much.
Today the mr and I are going to plug away some more with tube laying on the floor. He is starting to worry about getting a source of heat in the house soon. I say as long as we have some type heat by November, we are all set. And if the weather is decent and not pouring rain later, I am going to break in my new bike tire with a heavy trip to the library. My stack of returns is getting pretty ridiculous. (8 books high)
What I saw on the internet this week.
– Tricky tricky sons of bitches.. 50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat
-These are some crazy photos. Winners of the 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards
-Sad truths. Three Foods That Might Not Survive Modern Diseases
-I don’t know if I would do this but it’s pretty cool. Body Marbling Is A New Festival Trend That Turns Your Skin Into Art
-This is not a joke (I thought it was) Self-Driving Shopping Carts May Be the Way of the Future. I don’t think I like this, not one bit.
-We have our cat Only. We do nit snuggle him cause he is evil and likes to dig his claws in, so I am ok with this. Doctors Rudely Warn Public Not to Snuggle Kittens
-It has happened to me and it freaked me the f out. Ever wake up to a numb, dead arm? Here’s what’s happening.
-As a seltzer water drinker myself, this was all the right. A Millennial’s Guide to Seltzer
-Researching siding for the addition. Think we are going with the Shou Sugi Ban method. We get to set stuff on fire!!!
–5 Ways to Tell If Your Knife Needs Sharpening. I try to keep mine sharpened not only because cutting food withsharp knife make sense but the danger is for real. The duller the knife, the more likely I am to cut my dang finger off.
Some pictures of the happenings.
Last Sunday of August. Phew, we blew through this month fast.
The past week has been one of many accomplishments. Things at the house are moving along with vigor. You can tell a real difference when you walk into the house because the entire first floor is covered in a thick coating of white dust that came from all the sanding upstairs. But hey, now those walls are all primed and ready for paint!
Highlight of the week. I was at the grocery store and there was local, freshly picked, paula red apple totes for sale. It’s officially apple time. I was so happy I bought like 10 pound and eaten half of them. Does this mean I can unpack all my sweaters and flannel sheets? I don’t know about you, but I am more then ready for some cool fall weather and just a change in season. This summer was hard (emotionally ans physically) and I am over it. Bring on the pretty leaves and warm apple cider, just don’t get to cold to fast before we get any heating installed in the house.
Speaking of heating. I think for today the mr is prepping the new boiler and on demand hot water heater at the house.( This guy, man he is like a superhero, he can do it all) l Me, I think I will be spending a good chunk of time just cleaning up dust. And I will make lunch and bring us coffee. I’ll be good at that.
Internet stuff for internet browsing if you want to browse the internet.
-To all those super duper , always obnoxiously happy people. You’re Not Supposed to Be Happy All the Time
–Gorgeous Architectural Watercolors
–Why Do We Love Some Animals But Eat Others?. Think about it.
-We(or me) are picking paint for the house!!!! Going with all white walls but which white(there are thousands!) No-Fail White Paint Colors Edwards Droplet and Seed Pearl are nice.(but weird ass names) What do you think?
–10 INSPIRING CHILDREN’S PLAYSPACES. Am I told old to play on these?
-Elmore Mt. Bread! Back in the early days, the mr and I used to save our pennies to buy fresh baguettes from them. Bread Grains: The Last Frontier In The Locavore Movement
-I am going to live forever! Friendships Might Not Help You Live Longer, But Family Does
–Tiny animals with tiny casts.
-I love this little bungalow
-And because we all love her of some version of her (don’t deny it) Britney Spears has been a pop icon for 20 years. To understand her, you need to understand her hair.
And a few pictures…I kept the camera away most of the week, didn’t want to get it full of dust.
Where did the past week go. I feel like the days are just flying by and before I know there is going to be snow on the ground. I mention snow cause right now I am to stinking hot and my eyes itch like crazy (allergies) that I am fantasizing of cooler days, cozy sweaters, and no mosquitoes. And apples. I am very excited for apple season. It will all be happening soon enough so I should just stop whining and enjoy the sunshine and tomatoes.
Like that picture of the mr right there? We ended up pulling that claw foot tub out of a yurt in the middle of the woods. That was fun, a little crazy given that we were dragging 600lb of cast iron on a tiny little hobbit path, and I might have ripped half the skin off of my finger while moving it, but hey, we got a sweet ass tub that’s got a little history.
Not much new news. The week was full of work so I don’t need to tell you about that but I did manage to make a cake this week. I am really starting to miss my kitchen time but so soon I’ll have a brand new kitchen to cook in so kitchen time for now will have to wait. Yesterday we played hooky for the afternoon and headed out of town to check out a vintage camper show. So many sweet little campers and cute old people that drive around the country in them. It was so cool seeing what people do with a little metal shell on wheels. Life goals right there.
On this fine Sunday the mr and I will find ourselves over at the house, doing some house work, talking about the floors once again. The upstairs is no longer a crazy work zone so I get to move all the tools and lifts downstairs and into the basement, clean,and get ready for priming, painting and eventually sanding the floors. I can just barely see the light at the end of the tunnel.
My internet browsing history this week.
-Love the modern cabin look
-The firefly of the ocean I had to look it up after cause I didn’t believe it was a real thing. Blue Rivers of Bioluminescent Shrimp
–Simple little trivets that I think I have to make
-The Best Time to Do Stuff You Hate Is When You’re at Your Happiest.
-To me, cooking anything down, sweet it savory, to a jam like consistency is a jam. What Makes A Jam A Jam? Surge In Savory Spreads Presents Riddles For Purists
-The mr loves the smell of pools. Little does he know. EVERY SWIMMING
POOL IS FULL OF PEE. hahaha, he is smelling pee.
-Pesticides on Produce: The New ‘Dirty Dozen’ List
-Toast beer?Sound interesting. Artisanal Food Waste: Can You Turn Scraps Into Premium Products?
-The dark side of a food trend. This explains why many are requesting that we STOP eating avocados.
-I think we are going with this tile for bathroom floor….to boring?
And pictures from the week.
Washer Stem. October 30, 2005- July 24, 2016
I am a pretty trashed person right now. 2 weeks ago our puppy dog, Washer, died.
Yeah, you can kick me in the stomach, I am sure it would feel better then this.
First question everyone asks “What happened?” Long story short, for some reason, whether it was something he ate or just from playing way to hard, his stomach flipped inside of him, twisted, then died. There was the animal hospital and surgery and it all happened so fast…. blah, it’s still pretty hard to think and talk about. But yeah, he went from being good and healthy to not within hours and the vets did what they could, but they just couldn’t save him.
How am I doing? Honestly, I am not great but am starting to come out of the hole a bit. For a while there I just feel apart. Washer wasn’t a pet to us, he was pretty much our life, my life. Just about every single thing we did, we did together. All of our decisions, from the smallest things like day to day activities to buying a house revolved around him. (we would have never bought a house that didn’t have a giant yard for him). He went to work with us, on all errands, (he loved a good car ride) family events, everything. I think the only places that he never went was to the gym with me and into the grocery store (the mr and him would wait in the car). I can count on both hands the times over his life that we have left him with other people. Washer was our family…is our family and his absence has been overwhelming.
And yes, he was a dog, but he was more then that to me. He was my soul mate, my best friend, my baby. I spent more time talking or just hanging with him then anybody else. We experienced the world together and he showed me things in life that I otherwise might have never seen. Countless sunrise walks. So many sunsets. All the early mornings in winter when the world is perfectly still, the moon is out, and the snow is falling. All of the outdoors, countless hikes, endless swims.(he could swim forever) He took us out into the world, even when we wanted nothing more then to hide away.
He was all unconditional love and unabashed happiness. And he could totally be a complete ass, but he knew it and always felt guilty afterwards (you could tell cause he looked atyou with the sad eyes) He gave so much and never wanted anything from us other then love, well, and food.
And now I am trying to figure out how to be without him. Waking up in the morning, I still find myself looking for him. When I walk out the front door, I still reach for his leash and a poop bag. And that feeling like I need to get home to my pup, like he is waiting for me, it hasn’t gone away. I still wake up every morning and go for a walk and the mr and I still go for a walk every day after dinner. We pick him flowers and talk about about all the amazing and stupid things he used to do and how much he did for us. It is crazy looking back at our life over the past 11 years and knowing he was part of almost every moment.
So yeah, I am kinda feeling lost right now. I miss him more then I could ever imagine. I know he lived a freaking fantastic, healthy, and long life, and for that I can take a little comfort. But man, I was not ready for him to go. I guess I never would have been. ( I secretly thought he would live forever, or at least another 50 or so years)
He is one of the greatest loves of my life and I am so fucking lucky to be able to say that.
The best dog that ever was (for us), even when he was being a jerk face.
Love you forever puppy.
Hello to a long summer weekend full of all things sparkly and red white and blue. Hard to believe that it’s already July 4th weekend. We are already deep into summer and I need to get on and do some serious summering.
We put in our time this week for sure, 8-12 hour days, some days at the house until 8pm. We had a deadline and had to bust some crazy ass to get what we needed to get done done before the insulators came. Phew.. we did it, and now all I can say is that the mr and I are pretty bad ass. As for the house, it’s just smooth sailing from here. (haha, yeah right)
Another big thing this week. Jeff Dad moved back, well not back to VT, but back east, close to where he grew up in PA. This is of much excitement for myself and the rest of my siblings. Now instead of being 14 (more like 20) hours away, he is only be 5 hours away. That is just enough away that we can see him whenever we want, but far enough that we don’t have to see him when we don’t. Plus he is only about an hour outside of NYC..so you know, party party in the city.
Today is a weird Sunday, cause it feels like a Saturday, which makes me feel like I need to put on my work pants and get to it. Lucky for me, the mr has plans for a fishing adventure and if he going on an adventure, then I am too! I am going to pack some food, my watercolors and a book try to just relax today. Maybe we will bring the new tent (we finally bought a new tent that is not our tiny backpacking tent with a hole in it) and just come home sometime tomorrow. You are not suppose to work on a holiday, right? Hum, sounds like a good plan to me.
Fun and informative internet from the week.
-I feel like I might know a few people that need to read this. HOW TO SAFELY PLAY WITH FIREWORKS WITHOUT BLOWING AN ARM OFF
So much summer fruit means it’s pie time. A Professional Baker’s Tips for Baking Pies Smarter, Not Harder
-Any or all of your favorite blogs (mine or not, whatever.. but mine) NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD BLOGS FOR THE 2016 SAVEUR BLOG AWARDS
-My aunt was growing ancient wheats before all the the cool kids,because she is so cool. Nothing Says ‘Hip’ Like Ancient Wheat
-Pretty freaking crazy. A Miniature Landscape of Elephants Carved From the Tip of a Pencil
-I was curious so I looked it up, and now I know. How Cinnamon is Harvested in Indonesia
-Diggin this house, especially the kitchen counters (we are 99% sure we are pouring kitchen concrete counters!!?!)
-Totally in love with these landscape oil paintings.
–This album has been on repeat all week. It’s is one of my favorites and also the first cassette (remember those?) that I ever bought.
-Finally, no more sneaky sneaky. G.M.O.s in Food? Vermonters Will Know.
And a few snaps from the week.
Whenever we bring the pup over to the new house, he immediately grabs his ball and runs to the back door. Usually I let him out for a minute but have to drag him back in and have him lay down while we work. But at the end of each day, I bring him out back again and throw the ball with him. He is so happy and cute and goofy which makes me so happy. He really has taken to the house and having him there, being so comfortable and happy really makes the house feel like home. It’s a great feeling.
The past week.. what a week. So much, so much. Lots of family, lots of work, lots of trying to clean and organize. We finished up what we needed to get done at the new house before the contractors come on Monday (we hired some people to remove some not so good stuff from the attic) so wehave this coming up week to get our shit together, makes sure all the other houses and stuff of life here is taken care of when were are gone and maybe even book a few places to sleep. (we have yet to book a single one.) But hey, we are young and adventurous, and we’llfigure it out. (I hope)
And I am still deciding weather or not I should unplug the fridge while we are gone or stock the freezer with food to eat when we get back. Oh man, decisions decisions.
But enough about me, how did the first week of the year go for you? I know, we didn’t win the power ball so that sucks, but are you feeling like the year started off good? Still keeping your resolutions and staying away from the cookies and making your bed everyday? Don’t worry if it didn’t stick and you, at this moment, are eating a box of cookies in a very messy bed. It’s totally cool to do. Cookies in a messy bed might just be what you need right now. So I say go for it. (just maybe don’t make a habit of it)
Stuff to look at while eating your cookies or doing whatever.
-I am a list maker of lists that include finding the list of the lists.that I lost -A Neuroscientist on the Calming Powers of the To-Do List
-I am for sure going to be making some of this Vegan Fish Sauce
-What Exactly is Malt? It’s not what I thought.
–This home looks like a lovely place to live
-Some Bathroom inspiration for the new house
-Whoa now. How Real Is Reality?
– I want to live here and here.. part time of course
-I don’t get excited for tv easily, but this show…. I laugh every time I see a commercial for it. I am excited!
-Some good information. Non-Dairy Milks: Which to Make, Which to Buy
-Would you buy a $100 donut? (your answer should be no)
–A butt a day. Genius.
And a few shoots from the week.
Have a fantastic weekend!
-C