Before and After is Fun for Everyone! (Part I)

Now that we're embarking on a new adventure at Chez Radomile, you can see the before and after shots of the last adventure. 'cause, you know, that's how I roll. I mean, you can't have real time updates of the home improvement projects. That makes way too much sense!

As you may recall, back in December we embarked on our first major construction project, complete with porta-potty. Our patio wasn't doing too well so we had to rebuild it. I mean, it was built in 1928...can't people make stuff to last! Oh, right, it made it 90 years and through countless earthquakes. But, it was time to take the patio down and start new. I mean, when a part of your house gets to the point that you stay away from it and try to keep the dogs away from it, that could be a sign that you need to do something. I'm just sayin'. Our contractor agreed and ripped that bad boy all the way down.

The funny thing about this project is that as guests come to the house they think this is how it looked all along...or at the very least, we had new tile put in. They either don't realise or think we're lying when we say, no, really, this became a big empty space and we completely rebuilt it. You, dear blogsphere, can be the judge....

Before:

'complete with dog ghost silhouette.

Here you can see Jane inspecting the damage to the patio. Can't you just feel her disdain for those cracked stairs in front of her?

And here's the glamour shot of the whole patio. I know, you're jealous and wondering how we could possible improve on this.

During:

Both sets of stairs are gone and they've started removing the patio.

Can I get a "woot! woot!"?

Now I will confess that I didn't get any shots after they removed this remaining portion of the patio. But, seriously, there was nothing here. They took it all. Seriously. Tomorrow I'll show you the before and after of the rest of the patio that you can't see in these pictures. (Right before you get to the Pedigree bag in the back of the picture, turn right and there's more patio.) And, for that portion, you can really see that they took everything out and started completely new.

Here's the after:

This is what happens when you point at the photographer...you end up on the interwebs!

Here's what those very intimidating pointers were keeping an eye on while I was taking my glorious after pictures of our patio.

mmmm, Kalbi....

So yeah, Part II tomorrow and hopefully next week you can see before and after pictures of the rest of the backyard. I swear, after 30 years, our house is finally coming together!

Inflation hits home

So Regina & I went to Gelson's for soup. This is almost a daily routine as, well, we like soup. And we're busy at lunch doing important things, like knitting, so there's no time for food. Priorities people. So we hit the over-priced soup bar, laugh at some of the produce prices, laugh at ourselves for buying some of the produce and do whatever work-related grocery shopping we need to do. Nutra Grain bars for me, crackers for her....back to the office.

Soup was good but I'm still just a smidge hungry and I'm not really feeling the Nutra Grain bars.

Hmm. No change. Fine, I'll take a dollar down to the 4th floor vending machine.

E5

Always E5, the magical Planter's peanut butter cracker sandwiches. 190 calories of protein-salty goodness. I don't even have to look. My peanut butter crackers are always there for me. I can ignore them for weeks without a visit, but when I need them, there they are.

Dollar goes in. Change falls into the tray. Crackers fall into the bottom of the machine. You always have to watch them fall...I've been that guy yelling at the machine 'cause the corner of the plastic of the package just catches so it doesn't fall...balancing for its life...taunting me. But, I should know better. Its the evil Twix that does that, not my beloved crackers. But I watch anyways.

I bend down to get my 2 quarters.

Why is there only one quarter and a dime. Stupid machine.

I look at my beloved E5.

$ .65.

It was $ .50 last week.

I'm going to have to start carrying more change.

And they say that we're not in a recession. Tell them to come over to my vending machine!

Summertime & the livin's easy

A little background:

I have two dogs, Jane is 10 and Dick is 8. Jane's arthritis has progressed to where she's very mobile and still causes trouble but doesn't want to go on walks. She takes vitamins and medication and we need to cook for her to try to keep her weight up and her digestion normal.

I have a bathroom that's currently under construction (by me, scary to think, I know) which, if I can't fix it, I can't take showers in there. The water leaks from the shower (no, not the pipes, we checked, scientifically I might add) and onto the 1st floor. I hope to be done by this weekend and back using my shower by the following weekend.

We just rebuilt (thankfully not by us, we hired actual professionals) our patio that was, uhm, super broken. It cost a bunch of money (totally reasonable and they did a incredible job) and well, yeah.

[work, ringing phone.]

"This is Jenna."

Mom: "We have a problem."

"Ok."

"So I was sitting outside on those new chaises we bought."

"Ok."

"Just enjoying the day and Jane comes out."

"Is she ok?"

"Yeah, she's limping a little but fine. That's not the problem."

"Ok."

"So I'm sitting there and she comes up next to me and curls around me on the chaise."

"So, that's the problem? The dog wants to sit on the chaise?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, you've got a problem. Need anything at the market?"

"Nope, I just went."

"Ok, then I'll see you at home later."

Yeah, dog didn't need to be rushed to the vet. Ceiling didn't come crashing down. Patio is still as fabulous as the contractor left it. No, the problem is that the arthritic dog wants to sit on the new 50% off chaises we just bought at Target this weekend. (BTW, all of their patio stuff is 50% off...if you need anything, now is the time to buy.)

Yeah, nothing changes your priorities like having a summers off from work.

Maybe I need to rethink my career. I dig problems like that.

Holy crap I'm blond

It wasn't until I saw Ellen's pictures that I realized how blond.

That's awesome. Of course, that explains the conversation I had with my mom Tuesday night. I got home from the salon and I might have, ahem, forgot to tell her I'd be late. Normally when I tell her I'm getting my hair cut and I come home after she says my hair looks the same, which for the record, it never does. I mean, I have an entire section of my very neglected website just for my hair. (!) So, I thought I'd just let her notice, or not notice on her own.

"Hi."

"Why are you so late?"

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Did you get your hair cut?"

"Yup."

"You're. so. blond."

"Ok."

"What's your natural color?"

"Did you feed the dogs?"

"Its too blond."

"Is that a yes or a no that you fed the dogs."

"I like it darker."

"Ok, then its a no, you didn't feed the dogs."

"Of course I fed the dogs."

[Exit mom's bedroom.]

"...Are you mad at me..."

[continue walking to my bedroom]

Its no secret that my mom prefers my hair longer and brown. And that's fine. I prefer my rent free but we can't always go back to the way things were. I like to pay people to do nifty things to my hair. I can't do it. If I could, I would. And that's my primary rule when getting my hair colored: I want whatever shouldn't be coming out of my head...if it doesn't match my eyebrows, perfect! Well, and my new rule...as Regina & I work together, hang out together, and go to the same hair salon I always tell our colorist not to do whatever she has...not that I don't love her hair...I do, its just people at work think we're Frick & Frack right now...I don't need to help that along.

So yeah. I'm blond.