Field Testing Flooring!

In the farm house we have some original 1987 carpet, complete with DNA from all previous owners. We are getting rid of it, but you historic preservationists can have it, if you like!
We are trying to decide on what type of flooring to put down. We dislike carpet since it holds dirt and is not easy to clean (a house with many feet has many messes!). We LOVE the look and feel of hardwood, but is SO expensive and would be difficult to put down. Tile would be great for dealing with messes, but it can get cold in the winter and is not cheap to put down. Bamboo flooring is super strong, water resistant, but is made using formaldehyde, which is NOT good for living creatures to be breathing in constantly. Plus, it is difficult to install. Laminate looks nice, is easy to install, but doesn't stand up to moisture. It is also FAKE wood and I don't like fake things. Linoleum is not something that we think would look good , though it does great with moisture. It can also lack durability. Sooooooooo..... we know that bamboo, linoleum and hardwood are out. Tile and laminate are left. We know that tile can handle 22 feet, but what about the laminate? How do you simulate 22+ feet over the years? Well, we called in the simulator experts and put them to the test! They arrived on time, weren't drunk or high and didn't charge us a thing! W were so excited to actually have lab technicians at our house to complete these tests!!!!


Meet our workers:

Ella and Hershey!

We gave them the samples,

They tried them out....

...and I think they really, really tried their hardest to find a weak spot.

The untrimmed chocolate lab nail simulation test had us worried...

But our lab technicians found the laminate flooring to be quite....

TASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Spring Saturday!

It's a beautiful day!

So, get off of the computer, grab someone that you love and go have fun outside!

OR ELSE!!!!!!

Happy Sunny Day, everyone!

Master of the Universe

No, Ella Bean has not nominated me for a very honorable award, this post is all about the master bedroom progress (Well, Ella helped model to put things to scale...)!

The master has been primed and is ready for painting. The 90-something-year-old water stains have been blocked (we hope!) and the mantle is up and ready for puttying and priming.

See? No stains under the window sills! We were even able to replace a rotten window sash with one of the old window sashes that had been taken out when a wall was added to create a family room area.

And below, here's the mantle! There used to be a huge crumbling hole where the fireplace was. All of the chimneys above the roof line have been removed (before we bought the house) and capped below the roof line (one even has AC duct work in it...weird). We also removed some old soot and ash from the fireplace as well as quite a few bricks that had fallen down probably during the demo. I did find an old postcard from the early to mid 1900's in between the wall and bricks. If my camera was charged I'd take a picture and post it. Most likely, it would not be impressive though. Sitting for over 80 years in a wall next to a fireplace took its toll. I will keep it and have it framed, however.

We were also able to keep all of the original plaster on the walls and ceiling, which was something I did not think at all possible (in the case of the ceiling), but our lovely neighbor and hired handyman, Carl, did wonders!

See? Doesn't that go very well in the master? It almost looks as if it had always been there.
I really like that we get to see the old bricks. We hope one day to have ventless gas logs put in (It will not be possible to use the fireplace as one normally would with the absence of a chimney and because it was a coal burning fireplace.), which will look (and feel!) wonderful!
Now we just have to work on trimming out the tile hearth and finding a decorative grate!!!

It's a Dog Eat Dog World...

... so I went riding with my favorite road trip buddy and bought her a corn dog.

She's not nearly as ferocious as she looks!

Yes, I know. I need to have children.

A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. ~Ogden Nash

Happy Birthday, Ella Bella Bean!

I have had my beloved Bean for FIVE years now! She's been my sidekick and helper through so many things in life! I can't even imagine her not ever being by my side and her fur balls not being under every piece of furniture in the house!

Here are some reasons I love my Ella Bean!

• She's a great "road trip" buddy



• She keeps the stray cats out of the yard



• She keeps all of the delivery men at the new house in-line and on their toes



• She's a great walking buddy



• She keeps Lil' Henri from tearing up the rugs in the house



• She loves to take care of baby kittens!



• She is a good listener



• She never has an unkind word to say about anyone



• She's silly



• She's Ella!
  

Life is GOOD!

Aren't they beautiful?!

I'll be right here while you're working

How can I help?!

I'LL get it!!!!!!

Cheeeeeeeeeeeese!!!!

You Know It's Monday...

You know it's Monday when:

1. You woke up with a sore throat and a runny nose



2. It's your "cleaning day" for the house and everything is a mess.



3. You started your period



4. The weather forecast says to expect severe weather (tornadoes)



5. Every nook and cranny of your home will be inspected by a stranger and there's nothing you can do about it (except clean).



6. The Jehovah's Witnesses (they come EVERY Monday) repeatedly ring the doorbell, sending every four legged animal in the house into a frenzied rage.



7. Every time you walk to the bathroom the phone rings.



8. No matter what you do with the laundry load, the washer INSISTS on being unbalanced and making horrid banging noises.



9. At some point today, you realize that you will be in a car with two large, boisterous dogs and two neurotic cats trying to stay out of the way of some stranger in your house.



10. Your poor, sweet little dog has "cold tail" and can't even sit down. SO sad!

I am complaining. I am. I admit it, and most of these problems are "good" problems to have. The only really bad problem that I am worried about is Ella and her cold tail. We had the kiddie pool out yesterday for the dogs to play in since it was very warm and they have not yet shed out their winter coats. Ella has gotten cold tail before and she's always come out of it, but it is SO pitiful and can be permanent depending on the circumstances.

Well, what's this cold tail?

I would look it up on the Internet if you would like some very specific information on it. Auburn University has a good report/study they did on it, which is where I found most of my information. In short, cold tail occurs in dogs (many hunting dogs) that use their tails for balance or are frequently wagging them. The tail may become wet due to the hunting grounds, etc. or very cold (weather). If the dog is confined after such vigorous exercise and the tail is held in one position (or the dog is cramped in a small cage) for a long time, this "cold tail" occurs. The tail muscles swell (like after you exercise). The muscles/nerves are bound by the vertebrae around the tail cutting off 9or restricting) blood circulation to the tail. Don't take my word for all of this. Read the report yourself and see what you think. Very little is known about this condition, I guess, because it is not life-threatening, just sad and painful.

It is very painful for Ella, I can tell. She hesitates to sit and usually chooses to lay down instead. She can't hold her tail up or wag it. If she can't contain herself, the little tip of her tail will wag. It's SO sad. It just droops from her little dog hiney. When this happens, it makes me realize how much I take her expressive little tail for granted!

Anyway, it's Monday. AND my father informed me he's going to start a "Save the Shed" foundation, including fundraisers and t-shirts. Sigh.

And the Oscar Goes to...

And now... the award for "Best Supporting Dishwasher in a Dishwasher-less Kitchen" goes to (drumroll please)...

Miss Ella Bella BEAN!!!!

(crowd goes wild - dogs howling and panting, cats purring and yowling, general carrying on of merriment, Ella Bean trots onto stage, tail wagging )

"Thank you, thank you! You have no idea HOW MUCH this chrome faucet means to me! It's beautiful, shiny and looks like an antique! I couldn't have asked for more!
"You know, even since I was a little pup, I helped my mother with the dishes. We didn't have much money then, so a dishwasher was something we didn't dare dream of, much less a brand new faucet in period design.
"I can remember her (my Mama) crying over the sink (this was before my step-daddy came along) wondering just how she was ever going to get all of that baked-on spaghetti sauce off of the pyrex and get a man to marry her. 'Mama,' I said (dog choking up a little, licks away her tears) 'Mama, here. Let me help you.'
"Let me tell you I licked that dish so clear and clean all she had to do was slap a little Dawn on there to get rid of the slobber! I may have been small and of mixed breeding, but honey, I've been lickin' dishes with the best of 'em ever SINCE!!!!!!"

(again, crowd, pack, pride - whatever you want to call it - goes wild)

"So, thank you! Thank you Pegasus Faucets, Dawn, Prego....and thank YOU, Mama!!!"

"And ALL I got was this crummy spray nozzel as an honorable mention! Hmpf!"



Yeah, that was a little crazy and over the top, but admit it - it was a lot better than posting a pictures and saying, "Hey, here's my new kitchen faucet and spray nozzel - cool, huh?!"

Animalia

It has been too long since I bored everyone with pet pictures. Here you go:

SHARING:

"Ma-muh! Lil' Henri's takin' up too much room!"

"Mmmmmm! I love these HUGE memory-foam beds!"

"Ah hayte sharin'! Stoopid cat."

"Ha ha! Move over, stinky dog! SUCKER!"

"Frickin' frackin' shmphcatgrr mrchmb... grrr."

"Shut-up! I'm trying to sleep over here!"

He Loves Me for Who I Am.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

What We Did on Labor Day

Sam, Ella and I travelled down to Florida to visit my parents (and meet my Dad's new child) for Labor Day weekend. We had a good time visiting and the new boat was very nice. Ella liked it because she could get on and off very easily and run this way and that inside.

Ella and Our Boat-Warming Present

We went to dinner the first night at the marina restaurant, and Ella was invited! We ate outside, however, which was fine except for the bugs. I don't think they ate anyone else for dinner but me! I counted, and I have 22 mosquito bites on my feet. Oh, the irony!!! I'm not kidding about the numbers and location! Anyway, the owner of the restaurant (who was eating with us) ordered Ella a hamburger steak! She LOVED that! He also hand fed her ice cream from a cup. Needless to say, Ella had a great time. She was well behaved as always.

Sam at the Helm of the New Boat

We also took the boat out for a run so that my parents could get used to it and Ella could try out her new life jacket. She did not want to jump into the water at all. I got in, and then she finally took the plunge after I called to her and swam away. It was a bit manipulative on my part, but I thought she would enjoy it once she got in. Wrong. She didn't realize that the life jacket would support her, which I understand. There's no way you can explain that to a dog. She also couldn't get in and out by herself, which I think was the biggest concern of hers. She was cute, though!

I LOVE My New Life Jacket, Mom!

No, I really don't think I want to go in...

Once we got back to the marina, I took her down to a little sand bar right off the dock, and tossed a squeaky toy to her for a while. This was probably her favorite part of the whole trip, other than the steaks, table scraps and ice cream. She loves the water, but ONLY if she can choose to get in and out very easily at her own pleasure.

Take THAT ya Little Life Preserver!!!

Yeah, it is a little nuts that I have a dog that I bring to restaurants and buy a life jacket for, but I don't have kids of my own, just a really great dog.

Thanks to my parents and the owners of the Oyster Bar Marina for a great weekend. Ella wants to know if she can spend her summers there from now on!

Breakthrough......

I think I may finally have a grasp on what Hershey's world is like... or at least a small understanding of how her morning starts:

Day after day, with unwavering enthusiasm it begins. Before our alarm goes off she is already crying out in her shrill whine for her parents to get up. The wait of what the morning holds is almost unbearable! She wiggles and thrashes about in every direction as I approach her kennel to feed her. It takes only one breath for her to eat a cup and a half. I then open the door to take the bowl out... "Wait, stay......OK, heel." She scrabbles uncontrollably as we make our way to the back door....... "SIT." She vibrates with excitement. "OK! Go Potty!" She tears through the kitchen, out of the back door, down the steps, dodging the large, white, cranky cat, cutting a trench through the dirt, ripping up each and every blade of grass in her way until she reaches the potty spot. Birds and squirrels scatter. With the same unbridled elation, she tears back up the stairs and into the house, her whole body moving, shaking and looking not unlike a tae-bo instructor who has had way too much coffee.

She is a typical, three-year-old chocolate lab.

You see, I have come to realize EVERY morning is like Christmas morning for Hershey.

Christmas! My Favorite!!!

Leaves! My Favorite!!!

Chiquita Banana Stickers! My Favorite!!!

Pool Time! My Favorite!!!

Bmmvvffph! Mphf Ffphavvifph!!!

Mom! My....ummmm... Where's Dad?!

HEYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

This is Hershey, my husband's dog. Though I consider her to be plotting my demise (despite her lack of coherent thoughts and inability to concentrate on anything but the occasional fetch toy) , she has lately become my muse. A friend of mine asked me recently if I was still painting, and I admitted that I wasn't and hadn't in over a year. It prompted me to try and pursue this God-given talent through guilt more than anything.
I am now painting a portrait of Hershey for my husband's birthday. It is almost halfway complete. I won't finish it in time, but I will finish it.
Yup, the dog that ate the wedding favors, rolls in cat poop and tore up her expensive memory foam bed will become immortalized through art....have my own hands betrayed me?! Perhaps she's getting into my head...

My Name is "Four" Now!

Well, at least this is when we guess I was born. I don't really remember much about being born or being little besides seeing lots of flowers. I can remember some of the bad things that happened before the hospital and being adopted by Mother, but she says I shouldn't try to. My birthday is a happy day and I am happy now.
So, perhaps I was born in April. It doesn't really matter to me. I am "Four" now. I'm not sure what that means. I've always had "Four" in terms of legs, but you would think that Mother would already know that. Maybe Dad pointed it out to her. He seems to be able to talk to Mother better than I can.
Anyway, being "Four" is great! I am still called Ella and Bean and Beanie and all of my other names, it's just that I get to add a new one. "Four." It suits me I guess... The best part about now being "Four" is that "Fours" have birthday parties and Canine Cakes! Mother put something wonderful together including wet food, peanut butter and dog biscuits. She also put some "Four Candles" on it. I wasn't really happy about that. I liked the cake without the fiery "Four Candles." Mother saw the sad look on my face and she put her arms around me and sang me a happy song to make me feel better, then blew out the fire and took the "Four Candles" off of my cake. i felt much better. I can't even begin to tell you how good the cake was. It was so good that I licked the floor for a long time after.
Hershey came to my party with Dad. She ate a lot of my cake. She even ate one of my "Four Candles." Mother tried to stop her. But you can't ever stop Hershey once she goes in a direction. She just keeps going. Like when we play outside and she runs over me. Big Kitten didn't come. Secretly, I was glad about that. He would have been mad because he is not "Four" and he would have smacked me with his paws until I gave him my cake. Lil' Henri didn't come. I was kinda sad about that but I forgot once I started eating the cake.
All in all my birthday was great. I hope you enjoy my pictures (well, when I add more - dad hasn't uploaded them yet)! The one at the top is of me when I was a pup!

Here are feet # 3-4 and 13-16!