(the one above courtesy of cb)
Crush du Jour: Jud Dean
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Doormat
You don't want to be a doormat. But its okay to have a funny one. Enjoy these.
(the one above courtesy of cb)
(the one above courtesy of cb)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Stoopid lyrics
Here's another installment of my blog feature 'Stoopid lyrics'. A song's appearance here does NOT mean I think the song is stupid or that I don't like the song. Very often I DO like the song, but find the lyrics don't make sense. Judge for yourself!
Blinded by the Light
performed by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin, the calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I go what it takes
She said "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong, play the song with the funky break"
And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night
But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Some brimstone baritone anticyclone rolling stone preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in it's funny bone, that's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner, watching the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone, reminding him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin, the calliope crashed to the ground
Now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot save the buckshot, turn up the band
Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I go what it takes
She said "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong"
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
Crush du Jour: Rib Hillis
Blinded by the Light
performed by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin, the calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I go what it takes
She said "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong, play the song with the funky break"
And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night
But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Some brimstone baritone anticyclone rolling stone preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in it's funny bone, that's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner, watching the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone, reminding him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin, the calliope crashed to the ground
Now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot save the buckshot, turn up the band
Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I go what it takes
She said "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong"
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
Crush du Jour: Rib Hillis
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Good news
We got some good news yesterday: we have a renter for the condo!
Further, it validated the price we selected. I spoke with the manager of a nearby rental community that has units the same size as ours. She told me she had just completed a rental survey of comparable units in the area. Spouse & I decided to price ours a few bucks less than what the rental survey showed, and this strategy worked. Our goal was to get a qualified renter quickly by under-pricing the competition by a few bucks a month.
I put an ad with photos on Craigs List last Mon, and our leasing agent/property manager listed the unit in the MLS last Tues, and yesterday she called me to say they had processed an application and everything (credit, employment, rental history, etc.) checked out great. The applicant told our agent she just loved the place. She moves in on the 28th.
Needless to say, we are very happy about this, for several reasons. The most important, obviously, is that we will begin getting the rental income sooner rather than later.
It also validated the choices we made about the finishes used and the level of renovation. We could have spent twice as much for a similar look, but we were careful not to get carried away. We saved and reused what we could, and selected in-stock items that had a custom look. I still can't get over how great the kitchen turned out.
Further, it validated the price we selected. I spoke with the manager of a nearby rental community that has units the same size as ours. She told me she had just completed a rental survey of comparable units in the area. Spouse & I decided to price ours a few bucks less than what the rental survey showed, and this strategy worked. Our goal was to get a qualified renter quickly by under-pricing the competition by a few bucks a month.If we had the cash to do it again, we certainly would. I would love to repeat this experience again and again, and have a handful of rental units. Plus, I find it really gratifying to take a 'distressed' unit with peeling paint, nasty carpet, outdated kitchen, outdated electrical, etc. and make it into a chic urban living space. Yeah, I'm doing it for the money, but I'm also doing it to improve the building and community.
Crush du Jour: Josh Kloss
Monday, August 09, 2010
Weekend highlights
Our buddies Mike & Clark and Ron & James arrived Fri at 4:30, just moments after Spouse got home from work. We had martinis on the screened porch and chit-chatted until we were hungry, then had drinks and a wonderful dinner at Saketumi. I had a spicy Volcano roll and a California roll. Mmmm! The guys really liked the food, service and atmosphere. Through my friend Chris, I had scored free tickets to 'Hurray for Hollywood', a female impersonator show by Christopher Peterson, so we went to the show after dinner. It was was fun, but very similar to the show he did 2 years ago. Afterward we went for a walk on the boardwalk and some of the guys got ice cream. It was a beautiful night to be out.
Sat morning Spouse went for his personal trainer appointment while me and the guys talked and drank coffee on the screened porch. When Spouse returned we had a light breakfast then we walked to the historical society where an antique show/sale was going on. Spouse & I bought an outdoor rug for our screened porch made of recycled plastic bottles. (It wasn't antique.) Then we
browsed some of the shops on Second St. We had a late lunch at Irish Eyes, then relaxed with cocktails on the screened porch and visited. Then we went on a sunset cruise up the canal, through the bay and out to the ocean. It was a gorgeous evening which further enhanced the beautiful scenery. Then we had a delicious dinner at Hobo's. I started with a pear/champagne martini and an appetizer of marinated fava beans with olive tapenade and flatbread. For dinner I had a wild mushroom and brie quesadilla brushed with truffle oil. OMG - it was so deelish! Afterward we went for a walk on the boardwalk and some of the guys had ice cream and funnel cake.
browsed some of the shops on Second St. We had a late lunch at Irish Eyes, then relaxed with cocktails on the screened porch and visited. Then we went on a sunset cruise up the canal, through the bay and out to the ocean. It was a gorgeous evening which further enhanced the beautiful scenery. Then we had a delicious dinner at Hobo's. I started with a pear/champagne martini and an appetizer of marinated fava beans with olive tapenade and flatbread. For dinner I had a wild mushroom and brie quesadilla brushed with truffle oil. OMG - it was so deelish! Afterward we went for a walk on the boardwalk and some of the guys had ice cream and funnel cake.Sun morning we walked to JD's Filling Station for breakfast (I had pancakes), then sat and talked a little while until the guys packed up their gear and we said our goodbyes. We had a really great visit with our longtime friends. Since Spouse hadn't slept well the night before, he decided to take a nap and then go to the grocery store. I headed to the beach where I met up with friends and played 5 games of beach volleyball! It was so much fun! It was a gorgeous day (sunny skies, low humidity, moderate temperature) so it was really comfortable for playing. I also swam in the ocean between a few of the games and really had fun visiting with all the friends on the beach. It was a fantastic day! After returning home for a shower, Spouse & I met up with Steven & Thad, Jack & Alisha, Bob, and Joe P at the Purple Parrot for dinner. I had a pork BBQ sub. Steven & Thad had just returned from seeing Heart in concert in Atlantic City on Sat night so we heard all about the show. After dinner we enjoyed a short walk on the boardwalk then headed home. Spouse watched 'Ice Road Truckers' and 'Mad Men' while I watched 'Project Runway' on the DVR. I went to bed early (10:00) since I'd had such a full day with lots of exercise.
It was an awesome weekend!
Now... is it Friday yet???
Crush du Jour: Lorenzo Martone
Friday, August 06, 2010
Friday fragments
Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.
Hmmm, I wonder what they serve there???
Spouse continues to do well on Weight Watchers. He's lost 31 lbs in 5 weeks!
My friend Jamie (who is the king of Craigslist) sent me a link to this funny car ad which was originally posted on Craigslist, but was removed due to language. Fortunately someone else found it as funny as I did and hosted it on another site. It had me laughing out loud!
My friend and frequent laugh contributor Jared strikes again with this one:
Hmmm, I wonder what they serve there???This week my blog reached the milestone of 100 'followers'. A very grateful 'Thank you' to you followers and to those of you who visit but are not followers! Sometimes it still amazes me that people are interested enough in my life and writing to 'follow' my blog, but I'm happy they are.
My friend Koset shared this video of a 330 square foot Hong Kong apt that lives like a house. I find this kind of creativity and ingenuity to be fascinating!
Spouse continues to do well on Weight Watchers. He's lost 31 lbs in 5 weeks!
Here's a little sneak peak for you Glee fans at the next season of Glee.
Our longtime friends Mike & Clark and Ron & James will be visiting us this weekend! We don't have much on our weekend 'agenda' other than talking, laughing, eating, drinking, and relaxing but that doesn't sound too bad, does it? We always have fun with these guys. Plus I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.
Here's wishing everyone a terrific weekend!
Crush du Jour: Jonny Craig
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Perspective
A friend could tell you "I broke my arm yesterday" and you might respond "Oh, that's terrible!"
Or a friend could tell you "I was in a 5-vehicle pile-up on the interstate yesterday. Two people died, but I broke my arm" and you might respond "Wow, you were really lucky!"
In both cases your friend's arm is broken, so why the opposite reactions? Perspective. Finding out the details or circumstances puts the broken arm into perspective.
Sometimes negative things happen to us andcan get us down. Often it helps to put these things into the proper perspective and keep a positive attitude.
Enjoy these photos that involve a visual perspective!
Or a friend could tell you "I was in a 5-vehicle pile-up on the interstate yesterday. Two people died, but I broke my arm" and you might respond "Wow, you were really lucky!"
In both cases your friend's arm is broken, so why the opposite reactions? Perspective. Finding out the details or circumstances puts the broken arm into perspective.
Sometimes negative things happen to us andcan get us down. Often it helps to put these things into the proper perspective and keep a positive attitude.
Enjoy these photos that involve a visual perspective!
Crush du Jour: Kyle Wood
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Tan feet
If you've hung around here for even a little while, you know that I love the beach. So much so that when the opportunity arose, Spouse & I moved to the beach.
Speaking of tan and dirty, have you ever seen those people who are so tan that they look dirty? I do believe there is such a thing as too tan. When you are so dark brown that you look dirty, you've gone too far.
During the warm months I try to go to the beach every weekend. You might think I'd have a nice, golden tan with all that time spent at the beach, but I am naturally very pale. I could spend spend every day at the beach and still never get a "golden tan". But I am less pale now than during the winter months. In fact, for me, I do have a tan. I just don't look tan when compared to most others.
My friends are always shocked and alarmed to see me use Coppertone sun lotion with SPF 8. 
They think I'll burn terribly and should use SPF 30 or 50. Even Spouse occasionally says this, after 14 years. But I remind them that I have used Coppertone SPF 8 for years and do not get burned. They look at me incredulously and so I say "Look at me. Do I look burned? I've been using this all summer."
They think I'll burn terribly and should use SPF 30 or 50. Even Spouse occasionally says this, after 14 years. But I remind them that I have used Coppertone SPF 8 for years and do not get burned. They look at me incredulously and so I say "Look at me. Do I look burned? I've been using this all summer."Something that recently surprised me is that my feet are getting tan. Not that I'm striving for tan feet. (I don't go to the beach for the purpose of getting tan.) I put Coppertone of the tops of my feet because they will burn without any SPF. But for what seems like the 1st time ever, my feet are actually getting a tan.
To be sure they weren't just dirty (eww), I scrubbed my feet with a loofah in the shower. But my feet are actually tan and not dirty, thank goodness.
Speaking of tan and dirty, have you ever seen those people who are so tan that they look dirty? I do believe there is such a thing as too tan. When you are so dark brown that you look dirty, you've gone too far.I saw a guy meet up with some friends in early May who was so dark brown he looked dirty. His friends, who apparently had not seen him in a while, asked how he could be so tan already, when it was only early May. He struggled and finally said "I was putting a new roof on a house and the sun was pretty intense." I shook my head and thought to myself "Nobody gets that tan this early in the season from working on a roof." I'm quite sure he just overdid it with the sunless tanning products.
There's nothing wrong with sunless tanners, but if its early May then you should go easy on them at first. Give it some time; work up to that super-tan, dirty look.
Crush du Jour: Daniel Villa
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Tightrope
You may have noticed in my last two Weekend highlights posts that I mentioned meeting up with friends at Mandance, while Spouse stayed home.
Although we're alike in many ways, Spouse & I are also different in many ways. One of them is going to clubs/bars. He absolutely hates it, while I find it enjoyable at times if I know my friends are going to be there.
For the majority of our 14 years together (god, writing that made me feel really old all the sudden) we have not gone to clubs or bars. He doesn't drink alcohol and thinks its boring to 'stand around'. I drink and sometimes have fun hanging out and talking/laughing with friends, or better yet, dancing.
Every once in a blue moon he will acquiesce to meeting up with friends at a bar of club, especially if we're out of town. God bless him, he was a trouper when we were in NYC with David Dust and others and did our old school East Village gay bar crawl. He also went out when we were on vacation in Portland last Sept, and again with me and a bunch of friends on New Years Eve. But make no mistake: he would ALWAYS prefer to stay home and flip between the multiple home shopping channels.
Two Saturdays ago Mandance was having a Lady GaGa night and I made those GaGa-inspired glasses. Originally Spouse had said he would go with me (and meet up with a bunch of friends there) but then changed his mind. I was not about to let all my hard work on the GaGa glasses go to waste so I decided to go anyway, without him. He didn't mind at all. In fact, he encouraged me to go and have a good time, presumably so he could stay home and have a good time. So I did, and I had a ball! It was like I had somehow 'forgotten' that I loved to dance. I danced my @ss off and really enjoyed myself, without him.
This past Sat Bryan & Jason tried to convince us to go to Mandance. I needed no convincing but Spouse hemmed and hawed and finally gave them a 'maybe' answer. As I suspected, he wound up staying home again, but encouraged me to meet up with Bryan & Jason (and others we knew would be there) so I did. Again, I danced my @ss off and had a really good time, without him.
At first I felt a slight tinge of guilt for having such a good time without Spouse. Some couples regularly enjoy independent interests, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Our life as a couple has not been like that. We almost always agree to do something or go somewhere together, even if one of us has to coerce the other. But what has happened is some interests (like dancing) weren't experienced or enjoyed for years because the other person never wanted to. Until recently.
If only it was just as simple as agreeing to occasionally enjoy independent interests. Obviously a balance needs to be found. My fear is that if we do that too often, we may find it harder to compromise, and instead just tell the other person "I'll do my thing and you do yours tonight". I wouldn't want that to become the default. I want us to do the things we both enjoy, yet occasionally do together the things that only one of us enjoys. Compromising sometimes helps people see that something is not as bad or unpleasant as they think it is. But find that balance is like walking a tightrope.
Also, if I were to go out dancing most Sat nights without him it might cause people to question the stability of our relationship too. Although that may sound silly to those of you in big cities, such thoughts and comments are reality in small towns where everyone knows everyone.
So, we both seem to be okay with occasionally enjoying independent interests, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice regarding how YOU successfully balance independent interests and couple things?
Crush du Jour: Leonardo Corredor
Although we're alike in many ways, Spouse & I are also different in many ways. One of them is going to clubs/bars. He absolutely hates it, while I find it enjoyable at times if I know my friends are going to be there.
For the majority of our 14 years together (god, writing that made me feel really old all the sudden) we have not gone to clubs or bars. He doesn't drink alcohol and thinks its boring to 'stand around'. I drink and sometimes have fun hanging out and talking/laughing with friends, or better yet, dancing.
Every once in a blue moon he will acquiesce to meeting up with friends at a bar of club, especially if we're out of town. God bless him, he was a trouper when we were in NYC with David Dust and others and did our old school East Village gay bar crawl. He also went out when we were on vacation in Portland last Sept, and again with me and a bunch of friends on New Years Eve. But make no mistake: he would ALWAYS prefer to stay home and flip between the multiple home shopping channels.
Two Saturdays ago Mandance was having a Lady GaGa night and I made those GaGa-inspired glasses. Originally Spouse had said he would go with me (and meet up with a bunch of friends there) but then changed his mind. I was not about to let all my hard work on the GaGa glasses go to waste so I decided to go anyway, without him. He didn't mind at all. In fact, he encouraged me to go and have a good time, presumably so he could stay home and have a good time. So I did, and I had a ball! It was like I had somehow 'forgotten' that I loved to dance. I danced my @ss off and really enjoyed myself, without him.
This past Sat Bryan & Jason tried to convince us to go to Mandance. I needed no convincing but Spouse hemmed and hawed and finally gave them a 'maybe' answer. As I suspected, he wound up staying home again, but encouraged me to meet up with Bryan & Jason (and others we knew would be there) so I did. Again, I danced my @ss off and had a really good time, without him.
At first I felt a slight tinge of guilt for having such a good time without Spouse. Some couples regularly enjoy independent interests, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Our life as a couple has not been like that. We almost always agree to do something or go somewhere together, even if one of us has to coerce the other. But what has happened is some interests (like dancing) weren't experienced or enjoyed for years because the other person never wanted to. Until recently.
If only it was just as simple as agreeing to occasionally enjoy independent interests. Obviously a balance needs to be found. My fear is that if we do that too often, we may find it harder to compromise, and instead just tell the other person "I'll do my thing and you do yours tonight". I wouldn't want that to become the default. I want us to do the things we both enjoy, yet occasionally do together the things that only one of us enjoys. Compromising sometimes helps people see that something is not as bad or unpleasant as they think it is. But find that balance is like walking a tightrope.
Also, if I were to go out dancing most Sat nights without him it might cause people to question the stability of our relationship too. Although that may sound silly to those of you in big cities, such thoughts and comments are reality in small towns where everyone knows everyone.
So, we both seem to be okay with occasionally enjoying independent interests, but I'm wondering if any of you have any advice regarding how YOU successfully balance independent interests and couple things?
Crush du Jour: Leonardo Corredor
Monday, August 02, 2010
Weekend highlights
This weekend we received a wonderfully welcomed respite from the brutal heat and humidity of the passed week. Sat & Sun we had temps in the mid 80s and very low humidity. It was absolutely GORGEOUS here on the southern Delaware coast.
Sat morning Spouse went to his personal trainer appointment and I watched "Sell This House" as usual. But the last 1 in the back-to-back episodes was a repeat, so I turned off the TV, turned on some music and tidied up the kitchen and ran the dishwasher. Then I moved all the furniture to 1 side of the porch and swept, moved it all to the opposite side and swept, then arranged it all back to normal. Then I made tuna salad and filled our water bottles with ice and water, in preparation for going to the beach. When Spouse got home we slipped into our swim suits, grabbed out lunch and headed to the beach. As stated above, it was absolutely magnificent. On a scale of 1-10, it was an 11. We had a great time with Steven, Bob, Joe P, Alisha & Jack, Robin, Jason, and Kevin.
After showering, Spouse & I went to Radio Shack and Walmart, then met Bryan & Jason for dinner at Applebee's. They have dinners for under 550 calories AND they have the Weight Watchers point values on several of their healthier entrees, which is very helpful. We had a nice time dining with those guys, then returned home to feed and walk Jordan. We sat on the (clean) screened porch for a while since it was so delightful outside. Spouse settled in for the night with the remote and I headed out to meet up with our friends at Mandance. Had a lot of fun dancing and hanging with my buds.
Sun morning Spouse & I headed to VA to finalize the condo renovation project. We stopped at his mom's house and left Jordan, and took his mom and brother with us. The renovation turned out very well! I wish I had some "before" photos, but we forgot the camera last time. I took some "after" photos yesterday for the MLS listing and online advertising. The complex is designated as a historic community, built in 1947. Here's the courtyard, with mature oak, magnolia, and crepe myrtle trees.
Here's a seating area in front of our building's entrance.
After walking in the foyer, this is the living room. We had the nasty old carpet removed and put in cherry laminate wood floors, chair rail and crown molding, and painted. We love the original radiators - they add so much character!
This is the dining area, with doorways to the bedroom and bath on the left and to the kitchen on the right.
Here's the bathroom with its new vanity/sink/faucet, mirror and light fixture. The bathroom also received new flooring, new towel bars and fresh paint. We also replaced all of the electrical outlets and light switches throughout the entire condo. Details like that really add to the overall 'renovated' look and they improve the safety of the electrical system.
Walking into the bedroom and looking left, this is the view.
Standing in front of the windows in the bedroom and looking at the opposite side, here is the extra large closet. The nasty carpet was replaced by the same cherry flooring and was painted the same colors as the other rooms. 
My favorite part of the renovation is the kitchen transformation. The kitchen used to have nasty linoleum flooring, gold countertops, and off white paint. Very bland and dated. Now it has cherry wood laminate flooring, granite-looking countertops, new stainless steel sink, new faucet, new garbage disposal, new glass mosaic back splash, new stainless hardware on the cabinets, and fresh paint. I love it!
We're very happy with the overall look and feel of the renovation. I'm hoping the careful but attractive investment in the renovation will help us get a renter quickly. After settling up with the contractor, we headed back to Spouse's mom's house where his sister was waiting for us. His niece came over too, and we all visited for a while. Then Spouse & I packed up Jordan and headed back home. We fed her and took her for a nice walk, then had dinner on the screened porch since it was so beautiful outside. We ended our weekend with a little relaxing TV watching.
Sat morning Spouse went to his personal trainer appointment and I watched "Sell This House" as usual. But the last 1 in the back-to-back episodes was a repeat, so I turned off the TV, turned on some music and tidied up the kitchen and ran the dishwasher. Then I moved all the furniture to 1 side of the porch and swept, moved it all to the opposite side and swept, then arranged it all back to normal. Then I made tuna salad and filled our water bottles with ice and water, in preparation for going to the beach. When Spouse got home we slipped into our swim suits, grabbed out lunch and headed to the beach. As stated above, it was absolutely magnificent. On a scale of 1-10, it was an 11. We had a great time with Steven, Bob, Joe P, Alisha & Jack, Robin, Jason, and Kevin.
After showering, Spouse & I went to Radio Shack and Walmart, then met Bryan & Jason for dinner at Applebee's. They have dinners for under 550 calories AND they have the Weight Watchers point values on several of their healthier entrees, which is very helpful. We had a nice time dining with those guys, then returned home to feed and walk Jordan. We sat on the (clean) screened porch for a while since it was so delightful outside. Spouse settled in for the night with the remote and I headed out to meet up with our friends at Mandance. Had a lot of fun dancing and hanging with my buds.
Sun morning Spouse & I headed to VA to finalize the condo renovation project. We stopped at his mom's house and left Jordan, and took his mom and brother with us. The renovation turned out very well! I wish I had some "before" photos, but we forgot the camera last time. I took some "after" photos yesterday for the MLS listing and online advertising. The complex is designated as a historic community, built in 1947. Here's the courtyard, with mature oak, magnolia, and crepe myrtle trees.
Here's a seating area in front of our building's entrance.
After walking in the foyer, this is the living room. We had the nasty old carpet removed and put in cherry laminate wood floors, chair rail and crown molding, and painted. We love the original radiators - they add so much character!
This is the dining area, with doorways to the bedroom and bath on the left and to the kitchen on the right.
Here's the bathroom with its new vanity/sink/faucet, mirror and light fixture. The bathroom also received new flooring, new towel bars and fresh paint. We also replaced all of the electrical outlets and light switches throughout the entire condo. Details like that really add to the overall 'renovated' look and they improve the safety of the electrical system.
Walking into the bedroom and looking left, this is the view.
Standing in front of the windows in the bedroom and looking at the opposite side, here is the extra large closet. The nasty carpet was replaced by the same cherry flooring and was painted the same colors as the other rooms. My favorite part of the renovation is the kitchen transformation. The kitchen used to have nasty linoleum flooring, gold countertops, and off white paint. Very bland and dated. Now it has cherry wood laminate flooring, granite-looking countertops, new stainless steel sink, new faucet, new garbage disposal, new glass mosaic back splash, new stainless hardware on the cabinets, and fresh paint. I love it!
We're very happy with the overall look and feel of the renovation. I'm hoping the careful but attractive investment in the renovation will help us get a renter quickly. After settling up with the contractor, we headed back to Spouse's mom's house where his sister was waiting for us. His niece came over too, and we all visited for a while. Then Spouse & I packed up Jordan and headed back home. We fed her and took her for a nice walk, then had dinner on the screened porch since it was so beautiful outside. We ended our weekend with a little relaxing TV watching.
The weekends always seem to pass so quickly! I always try to mix productivity with a generous share of fun.
Crush du Jour: Landon Donovan
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