Mrs. Donaghy, I Presume...

Let's Pretend That Never Happened, Shall We?

2010-02-18T03:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah, um, it's been, like, forever...like, 9 whole months...

Whatever has transpired in these last 9 months shall remain a permanent foggy blur in the ol' cranium. None of the events of the last 9 months will ever take up residence in my head ever again. Thus, I formally banish thee (said events and memories of such events) from my mind forever!!!!

'Nuff said.

Now, onto the NOW...

It's 3:16 am. John 3:16...I cannot sleep. I am supposed to be fast asleep. Since 10pm last night. That never happened. So, now it's 3:17 am. In 2 1/2 hours I am supposed to wake up from this sleep that never happened and go to work. Well, that's never going to happen either seeing as I've just called in sick. So, I've made a pot of coffee. I am going to smoke these fucking cigarettes whether I like it or not. AND I am going to just type whatever is going on in my stupid little pea sized brain right now.

"Is this what being half dead feels like? 'Cuz really, i feel like a friggin zombie"

"thank god i watered my new little plants tonight, er, last night. I hope they dont die"

"i wish i could go to sleep like a normal person."

"i dont really think i have any thoughts right now"

"i wonder if the runaways will be a good movie."

"seriously? kristen stewart? really? i mean REALLY"

"what is robert pattinson doing right now?"

"dont smoke dont smoke dont smoke."

"aw fuck it"

"i thought he was cool but really hes just an old fat loser...hahahahaha....wait a minute, i think im gonna puke"

"i hope lizzard laughs at this when she reads this"

"i dont think im crazy but really now its 3 in the am and im typing out my stream of conciousness...thats crazy"

"would mr donaghy kill me if i started vacuuming right now?"

"what about cleaning the bathrooms? is that quiet?"

"my sweet little kitty has been following me around all night...bed, kitchen, bed, living room, bed, kitchen...hes cute"

"are these vapid thoughts?...wait, are these even thoughts?"

oh shit..............................

Movie Night

2009-05-03T09:25:00.001-07:00

Good movie...but leaves you feeling a little empty. Glad that Mickey Rourke is back. This movie shows his true side, I think. I met him in Miami once. He's very polite and genuinely likes to meet people and be around them. At least that's the impression I got. Very nice man.

Really like this movie too. Very real. Very Demme. Very good. Hathaway did a great job.

Too cute, this movie. Seth Rogan is actually kinda sexy in this movie...hmmm.

A View Obstructed By Pretty

2009-04-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

I have a partition set up in my garden made up of basic trellis and wooden planter boxes. I had planted vines in the boxes to grow along the trellis to create a sort of living green screen. Well, three years later, time has proven that the idea was best in theory not in practice...

Until I saw THIS!!!

I think this is much better! This is so much more outstanding and because of that, I could, indeed, do the same with larger sections of trellis and instead of fabric, I could plant in the ground making a commitment instead of thinking I might want to move it around. If I had something like this, making a permanent structure with permanent plantings would be so much more striking than the pathetic little things I have going on right now.

Then, visitors to the garden would have something more magical to stroll through to the rose garden!

No Lazy Sundays Here

2009-04-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite a busy day and that busy-ness will spill over to today.

In the garden, I planted two azaleas and six cyclamen...nearly dead. Hopefully, I can resurrect them and they will be glorious by winter. I weeded, pruned, and performed a general clean up. But the dirtiest job was saved for last. I put a thick layer of manure in the rose garden, tilled the soil, and placed a soaker hose that now weaves like a snake throughout the bases of all my roses. Flies were biting me in hunger all throughout and the stench was stifling. Yet, the job is done and I do feel much better.

Inside, Mr. Donaghy was busy trimming all the windows and door frames in the kitchen. He even inlaid the exposed parts of the cabinets! The effect is so much more polished and finished. As Little Edie would say, "All it needs is a coat of paint!"

I also went to Target to buy a few things and when the clerk tried to bag my items, I stopped him and said I would not be needing a bag. He looked at me, surprised. Then I told him about the garbage swirl in the Pacific Ocean and he, also, was equally horrified. I just put all my things back in the cart and unloaded them, bagless, in the back of the car. So what if it took an extra trip to the car during unloading? The house is a mere five feet away!

As for today, I think it will be more busy than yesterday. There is the trim to paint, laundry to do, groceries to buy and prep for the week, and general cleaning. Ah, maybe a glass of wine is in order for dinner and sit down afterwards.

Whoa...

2009-04-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

My friends Diana, Angela, and I have become obsessed with the documentary Grey Gardens.

As various components of the property were cleared, friends and neighbors, like Nora Ephron, were amazed at what Ms. Quinn and Mr. Bradlee uncovered. "Ben began cutting through the thicket and found the wall that once surrounded the walled garden," Ms. Ephron said. The extent of neglect was "truly unimaginable, even if you had seen the movie."

Here's a look inside the house when it was purchased for the rock bottom price of $220,000.00 and before its massive renovation.

Prior to restoring the house and hiring Victoria Fensterer to reinvent the gardens, Ms. Quinn arranged for photographs to be taken. This never-before-seen shot shows a sunroom with doors leading outside, where years of neglect had hidden the low grey cement walls that gave Grey Gardens its name.

When Ms. Quinn touched a key on this piano in the living room, the whole thing collapsed and fell through the floor.

Ms. Quinn recalled that after Little Edie put the house on the market for $220,000, she turned down several potential buyers, fearing they would tear it down and build something new. "I walked in and said 'this is the most beautiful house I've ever seen,' And she said, 'it's yours,'" Ms. Quinn said. "Then she did this little pirouette in the hall of the house, put her hands up in the air and said 'All it needs is a coat of paint!'"

Among the debris Ms. Quinn and Mr. Bradlee found in their house were the corpses of cats and skulls of raccoons. Here, scattered seashells and piles of books occupy one of the ten bedrooms.

Ms. Quinn said she fell in love with the house as soon as she entered it. "There's something magical about this house. You couldn't walk into it without putting a handkerchief over your nose, but I thought it was just beautiful," she said. "It just absolutely gripped me. I looked at it and I saw what the house could be like, saw what the garden could be." At left, the main staircase as seen from the second floor.

"I wasn't sure I wanted to buy the house," Mr. Bradlee said. "There were 52 dead cats in it, and funeral arrangements had to be made for each one." At left, the master bedroom, which had been used by Big Edie.

Just before closing on the house, Ms. Quinn was sitting in the sunroom with her mother when Lois Wright, a longtime friend of Big Edie, unexpectedly entered the room. "She said, 'I just appeared to bring you a message from Big Edie. She wanted you to have this house and wants you to know that you were meant to have it and that she's watching over you and that everything will go absolutely perfectly,'" Ms. Quinn recalls. At left, Big Edie's glass menagerie fills a cabinet in one of the bedrooms. Ms. Quinn had both the cabinet and the figurines restored.

Quinn Bradlee, the couple's adult son, says he and his mother sometimes joke that they will end up like Big Edie and Little Edie. "My mom and I, we do argue a lot. But I think the way [the Beales] argued was due more to their craziness than love. The way my mom and I argue, it's because we care about each other so much and love each other so much,” Mr. Bradlee said. At left, the bedroom used by Little Edie after her mother died. A single light bulb hangs in a bird cage above the bed.

Nora Ephron, a friend of the Bradlees, says Grey Gardens is a sight to behold. "It's quite a fabulous restoration because they didn't tear the house down, they rebuilt it," she said. "All the original bones are there. All the grace of the original house is exactly as it was." At left, a small bedroom with a porch that has views of the ocean. Ms. Quinn had all of the furniture seen here restored, and it is still in use.

A detail from the master bedroom used by Big Edie. Today, the home is a summer residence for Ms. Quinn and Mr. Bradlee and has become a destination that guests routinely describe as "magical." Lauren Bacall, a friend of the Bradlees, says she has many fond memories. "It is a happy house," Ms. Bacall said. "There is life there."

Pretty Patio Para Ti!!!

2009-04-25T07:55:00.001-07:00

My garden seriously lacks major hardscape. I engage in a daily battle to quit planting and start saving for hardscape. The bulk of the periphery planting is finished and I really cannot continue until I have a real solid plan for where to place a patio and walkways.

I love love love moss. I love Irish moss as a tribute to Mr. Donaghy. I love Scottish moss as a tribute to me, Mrs. Donaghy. Why do I love moss? I'm not sure. Maybe this love was born from lollygagging through many a forest in my days of youth in northern California where the floor of a wooded grove was lush with this soft fuzzy green stuff. It cooled down the bare feet and its softness made it easy to walk barefoot. I also love that it creates a fairy feeling. Very Lord of the Rings, you know?

I really like the river birch trees as well. I'll try to find a spot for a duo of those.

I like that this little patio creates a feeling of secrecy. To be honest, I do tend to gravitate towards gardens that are more modern and minimal...rows of repeated plantings that seem to spontaneously burst forth from simple and sleek hardscape. However, I think that every garden should have an element of secrecy. Meaning, nothing should be seen all at once. The modern feel is spacious and clean and neat but a secret spot should be wild and hidden. A place where I can hide from Mr. Donaghy for a moment only to be found by surprise and then, a secret second (or two) of passion hidden from the neighbors!!!

Sunset Cabana

2009-04-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this really cool project for the garden on Sunset.com. I think it will be easy to do...or rather, easy to watch Mr. Donaghy do it! I think he secretly loves that I create projects for him around the house. He grumbles and huffs and puffs but once it's finished, he really does enjoy his efforts.

Here are the instructions...

With our checklist of tools and materials, some PVC pipe, and a little elbow grease, you can transform your outdoor space into an instant retreat ― all for about $300. This backyard lounge serves as both a casual spot for year-round entertaining and a private refuge with resort style.

Cabana checklist: What you’ll need

Frame

Eight 10-foot 1 ½-inch schedule-40 PVC pipes
10 feet of 2-inch-diameter ABS pipe
Four 1 ½-inch schedule-40 L-shaped pipe fittings
Four 1 ½-inch T-shaped pipe fittings
Masking tape
Matte-silver spray paint
Twenty ¾-inch self-tapping metal screws

Curtains

10 yards of 54-inch-wide outdoor fabric
36 feet of #2 double-loop chain (to weigh down fabric on windy days)
2 rolls of heavy-duty fusible sewing tape (we like Stitch Witchery; $2.99; joann.com)
Tools

Post-hole digger
Shovel
Hacksaw
Tape measure
Pencil (for marking measurements)
2-foot level
Iron (for heating/pressing sewing tape)
Sewing machine (optional)
Scissors
Electric drill with bits
Heavy-duty wire cutters
2 ladders (one for each builder)
Time: Approximately 2 days, including drying time for paint. (Note: Assembling the frame requires two people, so enlist a partner on the second day of the project.)

Price Tag: About $300 (about $100 for frame, plus $20/yard for fabric)

This Makes Me Sick...

2009-04-24T21:00:00.001-07:00

I recently found out that there is a garbage pile the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean. This floating landfill site lies between my beloved hometown of San Francisco and Japan.

This revelation sent a chill down my spine and I cannot stop thinking about it.

I found a picture of a beach at Half Moon Bay, California, site of many a teenaged night of drinking and debauchery and saw this...

How is it possible that this is the very same beach my friends and I made pilgrimage to every weekend to worship our youth and the herculean goddess that is Mother Earth? I promise it was not so long ago...maybe 15 years...and it certainly did not look like this.

And the waves of nausea continued as I stumbled upon these photos...

I look at these images and I can say is "What the F*@!" is going on here! I don't want to contribute to this! I want to get all Rachel Carson on everybody and stand on top of a mountain with rapidly melting snow caps and yell STOP THIS NOW!!!

What can I do?

Composting Part Four

2009-04-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

What NOT to put in your compost bin...

CHEMICALLY-TREATED WOOD PRODUCTS

Sawdust is often available from constructions sites, friends, or your own building projects. If you are considering composting sawdust, be sure of the origin of the sawdust. Sawdust from chemically-treated wood products can be bad stuff to compost. For example, take pressure-treated wood (sometimes called CCA), which usually has a greenish tint to it (I have also seen it in other colors). It contains arsenic, a highly toxic element, as well as chromium and copper. There is evidence to suggest that arsenic is leached into the soil from these products when they are used to make compost bins or raised beds, so composting the sawdust would certainly be a mistake. You may wish to read the 'Letters' section of Organic Gardening, April 1994 and July/August 1992, for more information. Avoid other chemically-treated wood products and sawdust as well, such as wood treated with creosote or 'penta' preservative.
DISEASED PLANTS

Many plant disease organisms are killed by consistent hot composting, but it's difficult to make sure that every speck of the diseased material gets fully composted. It's best not to compost diseased plant material at all, to avoid reinfecting next year's garden.
HUMAN WASTES

Human feces can contain disease organisms that will make people very sick. Composting human feces safely requires that the compost pile reach high (thermophilic) temperatures over a period of time. It isn't necessarily that difficult to reach these temperatures in a home compost pile, but the potential health costs of improper composting are high. Composting of human feces should not be attempted, except by experienced 'hot pile' composters who are well informed of the temperatures and times required to kill pathogens, and who are willing to take 100% responsibility for the process and product. If you would like to learn more about composting humanure, I recommend The Humanure Handbook, listed in the resources section of the Rot Web.
MEAT, BONES, AND FATTY FOOD WASTES

These materials are very attractive to pests (in an urban setting, this could mean rats...). In addition, fatty food wastes can be very slow to break down, because the fat can exclude the air that composting microbes need to do their work.

PERNICIOUS WEEDS

Morning glory/bindweed, sheep sorrel, ivy, several kinds of grasses, and some other plants can resprout from their roots and/or stems in the compost pile. Just when you thought you had them all chopped up, you'd actually helped them to multiply! Don't compost these weeds unless they are completely dead and dry (you may want to leave them in a sunny place for a couple of weeks before composting). Remember also that composting weeds that have gone to seed will create weeds in next year's garden, unless a very hot pile temperature can be maintained to kill the seeds.
PET WASTES

Dog and cat feces may carry diseases that can infect humans. It is best NEVER to use them in compost piles. Some people do bury them 8" deep in the soil, but ONLY in areas where food crops are never grown.

Composting Part Three

2009-04-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

The following items can be added to your compost pile:

GRASS/LAWN CLIPPINGS

Actually, it's usually easier to leave grass clippings in the lawn, where they will decompose and benefit the soil directly. However, they can be composted, too. Be cautious to add grass clippings in very thin layers, or thoroughly mix them in with other compost ingredients, as they otherwise tend to become slimy and matted down, excluding air from the pile. Fresh grass clippings are high in nitrogen, making them a 'green' compost ingredient.
HAY

Farmers are often very happy to get rid of spoiled hay bales that have been out in the rain, and will give them away or sell them at a low price. Grass hay will probably contain a lot of seed, which can resprout in your garden. Alfalfa hay will compost very readily. The greener the hay, the more nitrogen it contains. Be sure that any hay you plan to compost is well-moistened prior to addition to the pile.

KITCHEN WASTES

Fruit and vegetable peels/rinds, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, and similar materials are great stuff to compost. They tend to be high in nitrogen (this puts them in the 'greens' category), and are usually quite soft and moist. As such, kitchen wastes need to be mixed in with drier/bulkier materials to allow complete air penetration. Many people compost their kitchen wastes in enclosed worm bins or bury them 8" deep in the soil, to keep from attracting pests to an outdoor compost pile (check with your local government to see if it has regulations about this -- some forbid open piles containing food wastes because of the pest issue). Avoid composting meat scraps, fatty food wastes, milk products, and bones -- these materials are very attractive to pests.
LEAVES

If you live in an area where autumn leaves are still thrown away as garbage, cash in on the bounty each year by acquiring your neighbors' leaves! Generally, leaves are an excellent compost ingredient. They can mat down and exclude air, though, so be sure that any clumps are thoroughly broken up, or that the leaves are only used in very thin layers. Ash and poplar/cottonwood leaves can raise soil pH if used in compost -- this may not be beneficial if your soil is already alkaline, as many soils are in the West (especially in semiarid and arid climates). Dead, dry leaves are in the 'browns' category, while living green leaves contain abundant nitrogen and are considered 'greens'.
STRAW

Dry straw is a good material for helping to keep a compost pile aerated, because it tends to create lots of passageways for air to get into the pile. Be sure to wet the straw, as it is very slow to decompose otherwise. Straw is definitely a 'brown' and also requires mixture with 'greens' to break down quickly. Many stables use straw as a bedding material for horses -- straw that has undergone this treatment is mixed in with horse manure and breaks down more quickly.
WEEDS AND OTHER GARDEN WASTES

Many types of weeds and old garden plants can be composted. Avoid weeds that have begun to go to seed, as seeds may survive all but the hottest compost piles. Some types of weeds are 'pernicious weeds' and will resprout in the compost pile -- avoid using these unless they are thoroughly dead. Green weeds are (you guessed it) a 'green', while dead brown weeds are a 'brown'.
WOOD CHIPS AND SAWDUST

Wood products belong in the 'browns' category, because they are fairly low in nitrogen. Some sawdusts, especially from broadleaved/deciduous tress, will break down quickly in an active compost pile. Others, especially from coniferous trees, will take longer to decay. Stir sawdust thoroughly into the pile or use very thin layers. Coarse wood chips will very slowly decay, and are probably better used as mulch unless you have lots of time to wait. Be sure not to compost chips or sawdust from any sort of chemically-treated wood -- you could be adding toxics like arsenic to your pile if you do.

Composting Part Two

2009-04-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Composting Questions and Answers:

When is my compost finished?

Finished compost is dark in color and has an earthy smell (like the smell of soil). Usually, it's difficult to recognize any of the original ingredients, although bits of hard-to-decompose materials (such as straw) sometimes can be seen.
There is no single point at which compost is finished -- it's a bit more subjective than that. For many outdoor garden applications, for instance, it can be fine to use compost that still has a few recognizable bits of leaves or straw -- it will finish rotting in the soil. If you plan to use compost in seed-starting mixes, though, you're best off having a well-finished compost, because seedling roots may be attacked by decomposer microbes if the roots contact unfinished compost.

How can I use my finished compost?

To tell you the truth, well-finished compost looks so fine that I'm tempted to eat the stuff sometimes. However, there are several more common ways that compost can be used, on gardens, lawns, landscapes, and houseplants:

COMPOST AS SOIL AMENDMENT: Many people put compost into their garden soil by digging it in prior to spring planting. The image shows a potato harvest by apprentices at the UCSC Farm and Garden in 1990. Due to the use of copious amounts of compost, the potato beds yielded about one pound of potatoes per square foot, or about 1000 pounds total from these four beds, each 80 feet long.

Others actually do their composting in the soil, by burying kitchen wastes and other materials in trenches in the garden. Compost can also be used as a 'top dressing' on the soil during the growing season -- in this case it is added in around the bases of plants, where irrigation and soil animals will slowly incorporate it into the soil. On lawns, many people sprinkle/broadcast sifted compost as a top dressing in the spring -- I have been doing this on a 'problem area' of a lawn for several years, in an attempt to improve the soil there for better grass growth. It is also fine to top-dress houseplants occasionally with small handfuls of finished compost.

COMPOST AS MULCH: Compost can be left on the surface as a mulch around landscape and garden plants. This is essentially the same as a 'top dressing' application, described above, but mulches are typically meant to cover all of the soil around the plants that get mulched. Mulches protect the soil from erosion. They also save water by shielding soil from the drying effect of the wind and sun. As they decompose, mulches add nutrients to the soil, and if composed of small-enough particles, worms may slowly eat the mulch and incorporate it into the soil.

COMPOST AS TEA: Compost tea is made by combining equal parts of compost and water and letting it sit for a while. The liquid can help to provide a 'quick boost' to ailing houseplants or young seedlings and transplants (I recommend diluting it quite a bit for use on seedlings). Stu Campbell, in Let it Rot, says that the same compost can be used to make several batches of tea (2). When you're finished making compost tea, use the mucky dregs as a mulch in the garden or landscape.

How does compost improve the soil?

Compost does several things to benefit the soil that synthetic fertilizers cannot do. First, it adds organic matter, which improves the way water interacts with the soil. In sandy soils, compost acts as a sponge to help retain water in the soil that would otherwise drain down below the reach of plant roots (in this way, it protects plants against drought). In clay soils, compost helps to add porosity (tiny holes and passageways) to the soil, making it drain more quickly so that it doesn't stay waterlogged and doesn't dry out into a bricklike substance. Compost also inoculates the soil with vast numbers of beneficial microbes (bacteria, fungi, etc.) and the habitat that the microbes need to live. These microbes are able to extract nutrients from the mineral part of the soil and eventually pass the nutrients on to plants.

Composting Part One

2009-04-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

In an effort to save money and make my garden beautious at the same time, I want to compost. Do you know how? I don't but I want to learn and this is the information I am using as my teacher.

Composting Fundamentals

Good composting is a matter of providing the proper environmental conditions for microbial life. Compost is made by billions of microbes (fungi, bacteria, etc.) that digest the yard and kitchen wastes (food) you provide for them. If the pile is cool enough, worms, insects, and their relatives will help out the microbes. All of these will slowly make compost out of your yard and kitchen wastes under any conditions. However, like people, these living things need air, water, and food. If you maintain your pile to provide for their needs, they'll happily turn your yard and kitchen wastes into compost much more quickly. Keep in mind the following basic ideas while building your compost piles:
AIR

Composting microbes are aerobic -- they can't do their work well unless they are provided with air. Without air, anaerobic (non-air needing) microbes take over the pile. They do cause slow decomposition, but tend to smell like putrefying garbage! For this reason, it's important to make sure that there are plenty of air passageways into your compost pile. Some compost ingredients, such as green grass clippings or wet leaves, mat down very easily into slimy layers that air cannot get through. Other ingredients, such as straw, don't mat down easily and are very helpful in allowing air into the center of a pile. To make sure that you have adequate aeration for your pile and its microbes, thoroughly break up or mix in any ingredients that might mat down and exclude air. You can also turn the pile to get air into it, which means completely breaking it apart with a spade or garden fork and then piling it back together in a more 'fluffed-up' condition.
WATER

Ideally, your pile should be as moist as a wrung-out sponge to fit the needs of compost microbes. At this moisture level, there is a thin film of water coating every particle in the pile, making it very easy for microbes to live and disperse themselves throughout the pile. If your pile is drier than this, it won't be very good microbial habitat, and composting will be slowed significantly. If your pile is a great deal wetter, the sodden ingredients will be so heavy that they will tend to mat down and exclude air from the pile, again slowing the composting process (and perhaps creating anaerobic odor problems). If you are using dry ingredients, such as autumn leaves or straw, you'll need to moisten them as you add them to the pile. Kitchen fruit and vegetable wastes generally have plenty of moisture, as do fresh green grass clippings and garden thinnings. Watch out for far-too-soggy piles in wet climates (a tarp may help to keep rain off during wet weather). In dry climates, it may be necessary to water your pile occasionally to maintain proper moisture.
FOOD

In broad terms, there are two major kinds of food that composting microbes need.
'Browns' are dry and dead plant materials such as straw, dry brown weeds, autumn leaves, and wood chips or sawdust. These materials are mostly made of chemicals that are just long chains of sugar molecules linked together. As such, these items are a source of energy for the compost microbes. Because they tend to be dry, browns often need to be moistened before they are put into a compost system.

'Greens' are fresh (and often green) plant materials such as green weeds from the garden, kitchen fruit and vegetable scraps, green leaves, coffee grounds and tea bags, fresh horse manure, etc. Compared to browns, greens have more nitrogen in them. Nitrogen is a critical element in amino acids and proteins, and can be thought of as a protein source for the billions of multiplying microbes.

A good mix of browns and greens is the best nutritional balance for the microbes. This mix also helps out with the aeration and amount of water in the pile. Browns, for instance, tend to be bulky and promote good aeration. Greens, on the other hand, are typically high in moisture, and balance out the dry nature of the browns. If you'd like specific information on different materials, check the 'What to Compost' section.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

If you live in a cold climate, your compost pile will probably go dormant in the winter. No problem -- it'll start back up again when the springtime thaw comes.
A common misunderstanding about compost piles is that they must be hot to be successful. This just isn't true. If you have good aeration and moisture, and the proper ingredient mix, your pile will decompose just fine at temperatures of 50 degrees Farenheit or above.

Hotter piles will decompose a bit faster, however. One way to understand why this is so is to realize that the heat in a hot pile is the result of the collective body heat of billions of microbes that are busy digesting the ingredients in the pile. Generally speaking, a hotter pile means more microbes or conditions that allow the microbes to have faster metabolisms, and therefore a faster composting process. If you'd like to keep your pile as warm as possible, consider the following:

For a pile to get hot and stay hot for a long period of time, the typical minimum size for the pile is one cubic meter (a cube one meter, or about three feet, on a side). A pile this size has plenty of mass in which those billions of heat-generating microbes can live, yet is also large enough that the center of the pile is well-insulated by the material surrounding it. Smaller piles just cannot insulate themselves well enough to remain hot for long, if at all. You can also provide additional insulation to a pile by stacking bales of hay or straw, or bags of dry autumn leaves, around your bin system. Some people even used stacked hay bales to make bin systems (this kind of bin will slowly compost itself, of course).

Recycle Please!

2009-04-24T20:43:00.001-07:00

I don't know where to go to dispose of some of the items I have and upon investigation, I discovered that these items can be recycled...and now I know where to go!

Cell Phones
The Environmental Protection Agency's Plug-In to eCycling program

Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation

Computers
Earth911.com

Printers, Floppy Disks and Other Tech Accessories
GreenDisk.com

Cameras
RecyclingforCharities.com

Electronics
Electronic Industries Alliance's Consumer Education Initiative
MyGreenElectronics.org
Business Clothing
DressforSuccess.org

Shoes
Nike Reuse-a-Shoe
Soles 4 Souls
Glasses
OneSight.org

Four Years...Four Very Long Years

2009-04-24T20:26:00.001-07:00

I spent the better part of the morning creating a budget. Between the two of us, we collect six paychecks a month and we needed to decide how to allocate these funds for our various debts and bills...ie: credit card, student loan, car note, mortgage, utilities...so on and so forth.

Out of this number crunching came the "Four Year Plan". How long will it take to pay off the credit card? How long will it take to pay off the car? How long will it take to pay off the student loan? How long will it take to save nine months worth of emergency money?

It will take Four Years...Four Very Long Years. I want everything paid off now. I want 50,000 in the bank now. I want to win the lottery now. This economy is making me very nervous as I am one of the many Americans who cannot refinance as I owe more than I'm worth. And, no, Fannie Mae does not own my loan and nor does her brother Freddie Mac.

The only light at the end of the tunnel is twofold...1) It will only take four years and for some it will take much longer and 2) Mr. Donaghy promised me he would work on the house for as long as our petty cash will allow. Hallelujah!!!!! O, happy day!!!

Please, Mr. Donaghy

2009-04-14T10:57:00.001-07:00

Could you please build me one of these to be placed in the garden? I could use it as a place to put my garden tools and all my pretty pots. I could use it as a place to run away to when you are tired of hearing about all of my wacky ideas on home and garden. I could daydream there. I could paint there. I could play my drums there. I could make it my home five feet away from home.

Please, Mr. Donaghy, please!

What I Am Reading

2009-04-13T20:54:00.001-07:00

So Mr. Donaghy Said...

2009-04-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

An Aussie truckie walks into an outback cafe with a full-grown emu behind him. The waitress asks them for their orders. The truckie says, 'A hamburger, chips and a coke,' and turns to the emu, 'What's yours?' 'I'll have the same,' says the emu. A short time later the waitress returns with the order 'That will be $9.40 please,' and he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.

The next day, the man and the emu come again and he says, 'A hamburger, chips and a coke.' The emu says, 'I'll have the same.' Again the truckie reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.

This becomes routine until the two enter again. 'The usual?' asks the waitress. 'No, it's Friday night, so I'll have a steak, baked potato and a salad,' says the man. 'Same,' says the emu.. Shortly the waitress brings the order and says, 'That will be $32.62.' Once again the man pulls the exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table. The waitress cannot hold back her curiosity any longer. 'Excuse me, mate, how do you manage to always come up with the exact change in your pocket every time?' 'Well, love' says the truckie, 'a few years ago, I was cleaning out the back shed, and found an old lamp. When I rubbed it, a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there.' 'That's brilliant!' says the waitress. 'Most people would ask for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!' 'That's right. Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there,' says the man.The waitress asks, 'What's with the bloody emu?' The truckie sighs, pauses, and answers, 'My second wish was for a tall chick with a big ass and long legs, who agrees with everything I say.'

Do I Dare Try To Make A Stencil Out Of This?

2009-04-10T07:27:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Donaghy, The Interview Part 2

2009-04-09T07:58:00.001-07:00

Q: Mrs. Donaghy, why were you laying on the couch watching back to back episodes of How Clean is Your House? last weekend?
A: Unfortunately, I was not feeling well.

Q: Were you ill?
A: Actually, it's a long story. Would you like to hear it?

Q: Indeed.
A: It all started on a Wednesday whilst I was doing the dishes in the kitchen. It was a rather ho hum job and one that allowed my thoughts to wander until suddenly, I felt a vicious wave of nausea take over my whole body. It was then I realized I was feeling a quickening of sorts.

Q: A quickening? What do you mean?
A: A quickening. A flutter.

Q: A flutter of what?
A: A flutter of...life. Or maybe an alien.

Q: An alien?
A: Yes, an alien. Just like you see in the movies only there were no feelings of horror or fright.

Q: Do you mean like a life inside?
A: Yes, exactly that. Like a life inside.

Q: Well, what did you do?
A: I just carried on doing the dishes. And I probably smiled to myself in silent satisfaction. I continued with my days and on that next Saturday, I was at work and told a colleague that I felt "funny". Fortunately, she knew what I meant and during lunch we went to the store and picked up a little test. Well, I took the test and the answer I saw was "no". I was a little surprised because I was so sure. At the end of the day, the same colleague asked to see the test and she shrieked when she saw the answer was indeed "yes"! It seems as though I did not wait long enough for the test to reveal it's true answer.

Q: Then what did you do?
A: I came home and told Mr. Donaghy the news and he was bursting with pride and joy. Honestly, I have never seen him so thrilled. It was the best to see his face bursting that way.

We carried on the next few weeks as though we were walking on air. Everything was great and funny and for the first time, I actually stopped to smell the roses and look at the clouds. The earth seemed to stand still for us and I had never felt that way before.

The doctor told us it was twins and we were ecstatic. Mr. Donaghy's eyes misted over as the color drained from his face.

Q: You both must have been so thrilled!
A: Truly, we were.

Q: You say were. What do you mean were?
A: Unfortunately, the thrill was short lived. A second look and series of blood tests revealed that for now, it was just not meant to be.

Q: Oh.
A: Yes, that is the reaction I get the most. But it is quite alright. I am not the first nor the last. But, when you ask me why I was on the couch, that is why.

Q: I see.
A: Mr. Donaghy has been magnificent throughout. He takes quite good care of me. Quite doting, you know. Brings me things, fetches things for me, fulfills even the silliest whim. It's touching and sweet really.

Q: Any concrete plans of yet?
A: No, just taking it easy.

Which One?

2009-04-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ahhh! Which one do I choose? One is stationary and cheaper. More difficult to rotate. The other is mobile, both in locomotion and usage. But much more expensive. With Mr. Donaghy's gift certificate, additional $10 gift certificate, and some saved money, I could easily afford this one.

I guess the answer is simple when it comes to composting in order to save my little dot on the planet.

Stripes

2009-04-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

I am going to paint my main bathroom in these grey and white stripes. The bathroom is so tiny that you feel like you are in a jail cell. But, if I paint the walls in these colored stripes, at least one would feel like they are in a nicely decorated jail cell.

Ideas for Master Bedroom

2009-04-09T06:37:00.001-07:00

Paint Color

Wall Detailing

Furniture

Accents

Finishing Touches

Get all Kelly Wearstler and throw in some sort of graphic print either on the wall, the floor, or the bedding/pillows.
Get all Candice Olsen and add some killer lighting and sparkle via sconces, ceiling lights, and fabrics.

What is Hollywood Regency?

2009-04-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

These are the looks I'm going for in the master bedroom.

If You Are A Starving Artist Part 2

2009-04-06T05:44:00.001-07:00

Coffee filters make sweet pretty.

If You Are A Starving Artist

2009-04-06T05:41:00.001-07:00

What I Am Watching

2009-04-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

What I Am Reading

2009-04-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

Vintage Sweet

2009-04-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

This cutie is for Lizzard...

Lizzard and I had a thought whilst perusing the clothing racks at PCC. How about a party? A 50's prom party? No more cookies for me if I want to squeeze into one of those little darlings.

The Latest

2009-04-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. I am 33 years old and I am in love with a vampire that doesn't exist except only in a preteen's dreams. What the hell is wrong with me??? I friggin' love this series of books. I read all four in exactly four days. Mr. Donaghy was a little worried about me. Then I went to see it in the theater. Mr. Donaghy offered to see it with me as one of my gripes is that we don't go to the movies often enough...which is one of my favorite things to do. However, I told him that I would be cheating on him for about two hours; roughly the duration of the movie; and therefore, I should do it alone. And, yes, it is the first time I've gone to the movies alone. But, it was totally worth it. The movie itself was a turkey but Mr. Pattinson does not disappoint. Love him! Mean it!

I'm addicted to another website. www.thisyounghouse.com. Very cool.

Went to PCC today for the first time with Lizzard and her mom. Picked up a really cool Foo dog.

Please forgive the crappy resolution. I can't find my digital camera and photo booth is what I have to work with. Mr. Donaghy is not impressed. He thinks it looks really ugly. Like craft project ugly. He might be right but for $30 who gives a rat's ass right?

Also, Lizzard's mom bought me an angel trumpet for 5 bucks!! Yessss! I've been wanting one for so long but have lacked some serious funds...well, thanks Linda. Your the best!

Another fun website...www.pacingthepanicroom.com. Young couple, possibly developmentally delayed son, and baby on the way. Oh yeah, they are totally broke so I can really relate.

Playing the drums is my new bag, man. Have loads of fun for long periods of time. Much to the chagrin of my neighbors I presume.

I've started making cookies. First time in my life. From scratch.

Attempting to start a community garden and running out of some serious steam. The site we (me and Ashley) found was perfect and the day we were going to inquire about it we saw a fence had been erected around the site. THEY ARE BUILDING A CONDOMINIUM!!! Argh! Disgusting.

How To Build A Room

2008-12-12T09:17:00.000-08:00

So, I've been watching some television shows...okay, just one in particular. Candice Olsen's Divine Design. It's a kooky kind of show featuring this really tall thin blond named Candice. She's Canadian and really goofy. But, since I've been watching the show, I figured out how she builds a room.

Here's the steps.

1. Figure out the layout of the room. Where does the furniture go and what purpose does each area provide? What is the focal point of the room?

I noticed that each room typically has about three distinct areas. In bedrooms, one area is for the bed and sleeping, one area is for lounging and media/reading, and the final area is for some big piece of furniture like a dresser or armoire.

2. Pick out the biggest pieces of furniture and build up the area with smaller pieces such as a chair or chaise. Decide if you are going to install custom cabinetry to the space and where it will go.

Always, always, always accompany the big piece with another functional piece such as a small side table, ottoman to rest something upon, or a bench or stools to place at the end of a bed or to take up room under a window. I also noticed that she really likes to make a moment of the area right around a window. If the bed has to go by the only window in the room, she swathes the whole thing in tons of fabric to highlight the area.

She NEVER picks out puny furniture even if the room is small, just less of them.

3. Start to introduce color.

She begins by picking out fabrics. Usually, it's the drapery or bedding fabric that begins the process and the style of the room dictates the color. If the room is meant for "peaceful tranquil retreat" the colors are usually watery blues and faded beige's. If the room is meant to masculine exotic, the colors are deeper browns and beige's with hits of red and black in the accessories. She picks the fabrics and colors on all the furniture including the headboard. That's not something I would really know to do. I also noticed that the wall color is not the starting point of deciding the color of the room. Rather, it's simply the echo of the other colors she's chosen. That is a relief to me because I think I put much to much emphasis on the wall color.

4. Decide where you want the sparkle to go.

She usually puts some kind of sparkle into a room even if it's rustic in style. For example, even in a rustic room, maybe the heavy wood furniture doesn't have any glitter on it, but the hardwood floors have a semi sheen and the wallpaper would have some sort of iridescence in it. If the bedding doesn't give off any shine, then the accent pillows and drapery sheers would.

5. Lighting

She is the queen of pot lights, track lighting, and sconces. And, boy, does it work. Instead of having one overhead light, she usually brings down that light to a chandelier or diffuses it in a drum fixture and then highlights the rest of the room with little dots of light in the way of pot lights and sconces. Doing this creates different levels of lighting and then the whole room becomes illuminated and no corner left dark and dingy. The light doesn't get unifocal and one noted. Rather, it is multidimensional and then the colors get a chance to pop by being highlighted in different levels.

She should win an award just for her lighting skills.

6. Contrast the flooring.

She usually picks a darker wood floor and a neutral rug that ALWAYS has some sort of pattern in it. If she opts for basic carpeting, there is always something going on in the carper like a design of some sort.

7. Add some heat.

She always adds a fireplace. This, I'm not sure about because who can afford to do such a thing in every room? I think that she does for people who can afford to do so to by making a moment out of the area. I think I'd opt to just arrange an area like there was a fireplace and then just omit the fireplace.

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I Was Supposed To Go To The Gym...

2008-12-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

But, I got too busy spending hours Christmas shopping. I went with my friend Stephanie. She's from Kentucky and has all kinds of good sense about her. So, I figured she would be a great person to go shopping with. You know, just very no nonsense. None of this stop and linger to look at everything business. And because of that, we got all of our shopping done.

The funniest thing about the day was when we stopped at the food court to have lunch. Panda Express it was. When we finished our meal, we opened our fortune cookies. Mine read, "Sunday is a good day to relax."

Good tip and one I will never take. You see, I don't really know how to relax. I am always doing something and when I hear people say they are bored I always wonder how because I think there are too many things to do.

But, forget about that. I am most excited about this one particular purchase I made today. I bought a diamond ring for my mother! This is by far the best present I have ever given her. And, yes, it's real. It's big, and sparkly, and real. Mr. Donaghy was quite impressed and also quite taken aback at my (I mean our) generosity. He hopes that we will become the favorites and that Baby Jesus will be forgotten this year. One can only dream.

Mr. Donaghy came home sick from work today. He had coughed so much and so hard he threw his back out. Poor lad. I hope he is on the mend and quickly now, quickly.

The Exodus

2008-12-04T09:32:00.000-08:00

Boy, what a crappy blogger I am. One year later and here are the pictures of our kitchen. I really did not want to post any pictures because I felt like a fraud. You see, Mr. Donaghy has not yet really completed the kitchen. Baseboards are still propped up against the wall and door frames, window frames, shades, backsplash, and art work still remains to be installed.

I decided to hell with it. This is how it is. Tell the truth about our failures as remodelers and join the legions of people still living amongst their "Honey Do" list. Ah well.

The really good news is that we (my brother and I) have purchased another house in Long Beach. My brother will relinquish his room and the rights to the garage. In his place, Mr. Donaghy will scoot right on in and take over THE MAN SPACE!

I am really excited. You see, my brother has a small problem with collecting car stuff. The back entrance of the house is cluttered with axels, gaskets, headlights, you name it, he has it. Also stuffed to the gills is the carport, the garage, the sideyard, and his bedroom. What were once lovely brand new sparkling clean carpets have now been deemed a health hazard caked with motor oil and the like.

With the exodus of the sibling we call Baby Jesus...shout out to Fancy This&That...the small miniscule parcel of space for Mr. Donaghy, now the dining room, shall be enlarged and relegated to said man space. Thus, the remaining interior and garden space shall be reclaimed by none other than me, Mrs. Donaghy! Alas! The dream is coming to fruition and I while I faint with delight on the chaise lounger that does not exist in my house, I am giddy with the prospects of what each room will become with the promise of order, organization, purpose, and cleanliness. Martha Stewart, take heed. I will become a protoge the likes of which you have never seen!

Hallelujah!

Madelyn Lorraine's First Thanksgiving

2008-12-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was spent in South Bend, Indiana. Snow fell on bare oaks and evergreen pines creating a cotton-like sound diffuser that left a peaceful silence in the morning where only the chirping of birds could be heard half a mile away. Thanksgiving supper was superb and cousin Tony's sweet potato casserole was the biggest hit acting more like a dessert than a savory side dish.

But, the biggest highlight was the introduction of Madelyn Lorraine. The first great granddaughter of the Plaia clan. At six weeks old, Maddie closed her eyes for only a mere one hour to take a nap and the rest of the time was spent wide eyed with a half cocked knowing little smile sizing up the grown ups of her family in the midwest. Strawberry blond and thick as an elf's was her hairdo and round pink cheeks anchored her angelic little face.

Me thinks I had a flash of baby fever.

The family began quizzing me when I was going to have a baby. I stayed silent never betraying the secret agreement Mr. Donahgy and I made on the way to the airport for this trip.

7 Things About Myself...

2008-11-23T02:10:00.000-08:00

Since I was tagged by Fancy This&That...I will humor said blogger by participating.

1. When I am really busy or even not so busy, one of my favorite things to do is close my eyes and pretend I just got named to win an Oscar. I even pretend that my face is on the TV screen of millions of viewers at home and go through the slow motion action of delayed and stunned reaction. The only thing that brings me to life is Mr. Donaghy embracing me in a proud congratulatory love hug. My eyes widen at the realization that I have won. My lips read, "Holy shit!" for zillions to see. Meryl Streep stands up to applaud me.

And there is nothing after that.

2. I clip pictures and articles of Kate Moss. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. I have been doing this since high school. Alas, every year, I throw everything away and start fresh.

3. I have dreams that include the surprising appearance of at least six kittens. These kittens come from the ceiling, walls, vents, and just miraculously show up while I am outside doing my dream stuff.

4. I sing really loud in the car all by myself. And, yes, I DO think I am hella good...at sucking!

5. Much to the chagrin of Mr. Donaghy, my socks and undies all have holes in them. Where?, you might ask...Well, I never! That's a personal question and a personal choice of where I would like to have my holes!!!!

6. I secretly wish that I could be a vegetarian. Maybe even a vegan. It's really healthy for oneself but I am entirely too undisciplined for the endeavor.

7. I watch Practical Magic, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Funny Face, and Something's Gotta Give almost on a continuous loop. I have been doing this since I was 19 years old. The latter film since I was 26 or 27.

There you have it.

When Neighbors Are Jerks...The Update

2008-11-17T09:12:00.001-08:00

Mr. Donaghy was outside watering the tree the city had planted on the sidewalk in front of our house. Water was everywhere as he was hosing down everything in sight like a little boy playing with a fire hose. Mind you, it was dark and he wanted to play. I understand.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a young man sitting on the retaining wall of the front yard of our jerky neighbors.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I get you?" Mr. Donaghy asked worried that he unceremoniously hosed this poor lad down.

"Naw, man, I'm okay." the young man replied.

Mr. Donaghy was now starting to wonder who this young man was and why was he sitting in the neighbor's front lawn?

"Hey, um, I live next door here...I was going to come over and talk to you guys about the tree. We didn't mean to put everything on your side of the fence but it fell that way and we didn't want to clean up your yard without you guys being at home." the young man said.

"We had our gardeners come over and clean it up." Mr. Donaghy replied on the verge of getting very angry as he remembered what a mess was in our garden not so very long ago.

"How much did they charge you? We'll pay for it. We meant to clean it up and sorry that you had to pay someone for it." the young man offered.

"It's okay. We took care of it." Mr. Donaghy said.

"Like I said, man, sorry about that." the young man repeated.

"Just next time, don't throw anything on our side of the fence, okay?" Mr. Donaghy said.

I am so relieved that although our neighbors have a problem with communication, they aren't the jerks I thought they were. And, thus, Neighbors From Hell crisis averted.

Thank God.

Fire

2008-11-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

All of Los Angeles is once again ablaze.

What should have been a beautiful Saturday has been made a scary sickening day.

The air is thick with smoke and Mr. Donaghy and I are staying inside because the smoke is suffocating. Today it was 95 degrees and I can only imagine that the heat fed the fire.

As I look to the sky and see an orange haze, the only thoughts I have go to the people that have fallen prey to this fiery beast. God bless the LA County Fire Department and everyone affected by these fires.

Shout Out!

2008-11-14T09:24:00.000-08:00

A big jolly shout out to Reuben Jack Dodd as he welcomes his little brother into the world!

Reu--you are going to make the best big brother in the whole wide world!!!

reubenjackdodd.blogspot.com

When Neighbors Are Jerks

2008-11-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

My beautiful black walnut tree has been violated!

I woke up to go to the garden and survey the scenery. This is one of my favorite morning pastimes. To my horror, I found huge heaping tangled messes of tree branches that had been thrown over the fence into my garden. I quickly realized that the branches had come from our walnut tree.

I stood there, mouth agape, and started to shake my head.

Mr. Donaghy was thoroughly pissed off.

"That's a black walnut! Those trees are protected!" he roared. Insert litany of profanity and cursing.

Upon further research, Mr. Donaghy discovered that what the neighbors had done was totally out of line. While they are allowed to cut the tree back to the property line, they are not allowed to throw the branches and debris onto our property. However, all this becomes null and void as the tree is a black walnut and therefore, protected.

Mr. Donaghy, red from anger and fury, declared he was going to speak to the neighbors.

Oh, wait, we don't speak their language and they don't speak ours.

I pleaded with Mr. Donaghy to just let this one go. While they were wrong, we were also wrong for not taking care of the problem sooner.

But, I wonder...
1. I spoke to them a year ago and told them I would do my best.
2. Why couldn't they wait until the tree was dormant?
3. Why couldn't they come over and try to talk to tme?
4. Why did they throw everything onto our side of the yard as though it were an act of anger or rebellion?
5. Why did they have to be jerks about it?

Neighbors suck. We should just live on a farm just like Mr. Donaghy says.

Mrs. Donaghy, The Interview Part One

2008-11-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

Q: Hello, Mrs. Donaghy. Good afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to sit with me and answer questions about your life.
A: Sure, no problem.

Q: So, how long have you been married?
A: This coming February, it will be tree years.

Q: I'm sorry. Did you say tree years?
A: Ah, yes. Tree years.

Q: Don't you mean THREE years?
A: No, I don't.

Q: That's interesting, Mrs. Donaghy. Why do you say TREE years?
A: I say that because altho Mr. Donaghy and I will be married for THREE years, indeed, I look at those years as being a TREE.

Q: Is that so? Elaborate for me, please.
A: Sure. When you get married, the both of you are pliable like a little sapling. But, as the years go by, things happen to one person and then the other and then both at the same time. So, the both of you start to form a crusty barky exterior so that you can protect your two person union from the elements. If the marriage is good, each layer will grow on top of the other forming rings around the both of you and the inside can stay soft and healthy. Do you get what I mean?

Q: Partly. Could you explain further?
A: Sorry, no I can't. It's a little too abstract for me to understand at times.

Q: Tell me, Mrs. Donaghy, how did you and Mr. Donaghy meet?
A: We actually met in my kitchen. I was coming home from San Francisco where I was a bridesmaid at my friend's wedding. I got home somewhat late in the evening and had to go to work the next day so I was rushing into the house. My brother, while I was gone, said he found a Canadian that needed a place to stay and offered our guest bedroom to him.

Q: So, your brother knew him?
A: Yes, they met through mutual friends in the hot rod circuit.

Q: Continue...
A: Yes, well, so I came home and Mike greeted me in the living room to tell me that our new boarder was here in the kitchen. So, I reluctantly went to the kitchen to meet him.

Q: Can you recall what you thought the first time you saw him?
A: I thought he was really quiet. He didn't say that much.

Q: Was there an instant attraction?
A: Oh, yes. We both became very shy and did not want to speak to each other. Actually, we did not speak to each other or make that much eye contact that whole evening. I even fled to my bedroom under the pretense that I was getting ready for work the following day.

To Be Continued....

good idea

2008-11-12T13:49:00.001-08:00

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/junk-mail-art-067812

Patio Please?

2008-11-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

Gravel
Brick
Flagstone
Slate
Broken Concrete
Poured Concrete
Pea Gravel
Concrete Pavers
Grass
Mondo Grass
Moss
Wood Decking

What do I pick?
What would be cost effective?
What would be good for my back?
What would work so that Mr. Donaghy and I stay married to each other?

Oh Boy.

Wishing Hoping Dreaming Praying

2008-11-12T13:19:00.001-08:00

Something's Gotta Give

2008-11-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

If I ever seek inspiration for what I want a house or room to look like, I always pop in this movie. The interiors are great and the story of the film is just an added bonus.

I wish I could look at all the rooms in my house with a diffused light. Everything would look so much better...

Guest Bedroom

2008-11-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be great to have a guest bedroom that looked like this? It's not everyone's aesthetic but I figure if you are going to have a room for nothing other than guests, why not make it the room you couldn't live in because it's so much? Hopefully, the guest will notice they are not in some boring place and will thank you for making the room so different. Or they will curse you because they can't sleep in such a kinetic room.

Stencils vs. Wallpaper

2008-11-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

I dare say that I am not the type of person who could commit to wallpaper. I rather like the idea that $80 worth of paint could change the whole room and not involve any steaming, tearing, chiseling, cursing, or producing tons of garbage.

When I was five years old, my parents bought their first house. We moved from a relatively large apartment in San Francisco to a tiny quaint two bedroom one bath house in Pacifica. The first decorating project I remember was the wallpaper my parents installed in the living room.

I quite liked the wallpaper. It was off white with gray bamboo all over.

So pretty. So demure. So zen.

The installation was not so pretty, not so demure, and certainly not zen whatsoever.

What I didn't like was the constant barrage of cursing emitted from BOTH my parents. My mother never swore and to hear her hiss "sh*t" and "god damn" and other things in Chinese (her mother tongue) was particularly worrisome. My father simply bellowed "SOB" and "F*@!" like a good old American.

The atmosphere was tense. At times I did not believe the wallpaper would even make it on the wall. I even thought this wallpaper could make my parents get a divorce.

Eventually, the wallpaper made it on the wall and my parents stayed married. In the end, it was great. After a while, I forgot how difficult the whole situation was and I believed that wallpaper was a good idea.

And then...

I spent a winter in England visiting my best friend Jenny (best friend since kindergarten thank you very much) and happily agreed to assist in whatever DIY project they were tackling at the moment. That larky happiness quickly turned to snarky snappiness when halfway through wallpaper removal I was thigh deep in sticky residue and no sign of progress was in sight. No, they did not leave me a solo act in this endeavor. There were three of us working on it!! The only thing that got me through it was knowing that it wasn't my home and ultimately, I would not have to live with the results.

I vowed then and there that I would never never never hang wallpaper in any house of mine.

Until....

I spotted this one particular wallpaper. I friggin' love this wallpaper! I love it so much I might consider forgoing my deep rooted convictions about wallpaper.

It's called Cordoba from a company called Zoffany. I really like all the colors it comes in. I would buy a roll just to cut it up and frame it. Or wrap presents in it. Or make a dress out of it. Or anything. I would do anything my little heart desires with this wallpaper.

What could I do to make a wall interesting without committing to wallpaper? How about a stencil, I thought.

Maybe. It's a lot of work yet much better than wallpaper! Still holding out for Cordoba, though!

Plants I Wanna Plant

2008-11-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

There is an area of my garden that has a tremendous amount of shade. Luckily, I gravitate towards shade gardening and I personally think that a shade garden is far more rewarding and relaxing than a sun garden.

Here are some of my favorite plants and ones that I will be planting.

I plan to plant a copious amount of camellias, azaleas, and hakenachloa. The accents will be bamboo and angel's trumpet.

And, of course, Japanese Maples. I have three already and they are losing their leaves. However, they are greeting the autumn with the most fascinating red buds just swollen with the promise of a burst of red shock! I can't wait!

Altho the urge to plant tons of different kinds of plants exist within me, I think the most muted yet powerful statement can be made with the simple repitition of the same kinds of plants. Of course, the plants must have foliage interest as well otherwise it's impact can not be appreciated during it's off season.

I particularly like these plants because they have a fall/winter bloom. The other plants are interesting all year in terms of foliage.

So, at the end of this winter season, guess who is going to hit up all the nurseries for clearance sales of said wonderful shade plants?

What to do when you throw your back out...

2008-11-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was preparing myself for a long and luxurious soak in the tub as I had just finished a long day at work. I ever so gracefully raised my leg to be lowered into the tub of hot water only to be met with a shooting pain that stabbed me like a Judas in my lower back. A nerve was struck and my leg was suspended in mid air paralyzed with pain that left me doubled over like a rice patty harvester.

"AHHHHH! MR. DONAGHY!!!!" I yelped from the bathroom.

"What is it?" Mr. Donaghy asked with apprehension.

"My back! I think I just threw out my back!" I replied.

"What did you do?" Mr. Donaghy asked.

"I don't know!" I said. And before he could mutter another word, the following irritating noise left my body. "Iiiiiiiiiiit huuuuuuuuuuurts! Huuuuuuuuuuuu-uuu-uuuu-uuuh!"

Silence.

I realize now that I prematurely started to whine. That said, I have no one to blame but myself for the lack of sympathy for my thrown back. It's like crying wolf even though it's really a wolf and the whining has left the other person with the wish that the damn wolf would just eat you up so they won't have to listen to it anymore. Whining is such a querulous act and once performed, any ounce of stoic heroics are viewed as "oh-it's-not-so-bad." I should have just stayed a silent movie and let the physicality of my body do all the talking.

However, I knew that Mr. Donaghy really was sympathetic when he offered to get out of bed to turn off the bedside lamp...on my side of the bed. What a good husband.

BUT, onto the next day. What do I do with myself when I am crippled? The only position I feel good in is in the sitting position. Alas, I have plunked myself down in front of the computer and have decided to post quite prolific. I am obsessed with the idea of redecorating the two other rooms we have and thus, have started to compile images of paint colors, furniture arrangements and the like.

I am always really inspired when I see anything that Kelly Wearstler does.

I love how her rooms are so graphic but not too overdone because the colors are usually muted with a huge pop or emphasis of said color and the graphics are more like a background effect.

I also like how she is not afraid to use primary colors like I am. I always fear that the room will end up looking like a children's hospital ward but the way she does it, it's like a relief. Almost like the color doesn't take the room too seriously.

Now, how's that for a masculine room Mr. Donaghy could sleep in? I, myself, prefer the masculine look because I like a room to look sexy and nothing is less sexy than a romantic room with cheap thrills and lace and flowers. A room like that is not the room Mr. Donaghy or any husband for that matter could make any kind of magic happen!

I really like the aubergine room. That would be great for a master bedroom.

Black Bedrooms

2008-11-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

One time I had a boyfriend. Don't tell Mr. Donaghy...it was a really long time ago. The only reason why I am thinking of him now is not because I miss him or even dismiss him, but, rather, because I remember I thought he was really crazy for painting the baseboards of his rental a super high gloss black.

Fast forward, oh, say 12 years, and now I look back on that black paint and think..."I love black paint!" But why just leave it to baseboards? I say paint the whole room black!

I was inspired by Serge Gainsbourg's hallway in his apartment in Paris.

Ain't that a sexy bitch of a hallway? Of course it would be Serge's hallway. I think that the hits of light along the walls that highlight the artwork make it more boudoir feeling than horror freak show.

But, if black is too much of a commitment for me, how about this....

I think I am gravitating towards the dark peacock color...after being in a white room, I think I need a little bit more color.

Thoughts?

P.S. My garden looks like crap and I think I lost a rosebush from neglect. Alas, $16 will get me a new one and really, it doesn't bother me too much.

The Huntington

2008-08-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

My mother came to town to visit. I took her to go see Wicked...very good but not my favorite. At least my mother enjoyed it. But, the excursion I was looking forward to most was an afternoon at the Huntington Gardens. More specifically, the Chinese Pavilion. I love love love going to the Huntington Gardens. My favorites are the Desert Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Rain Forest Garden, and now the Chinese Garden. I took photos of the pebble mosaic patios because something about the colors and repeat pattern just make me feel...quiet?

If I were to compare a garden to a rock band, I would have thought that the plants one chose was like the front man of the garden. Thinking that the plants were the heart of the garden, the lead singer, the image of the garden, I had spent a lot of time pondering what kind of lead singers I wanted in my garden. As I develop my gardening skills, I have quickly learned that hardscaping is actually the basis of a good garden...like the drummer. Without a great John Bonham or Tommy Lee, who cares about Robert Plant or Vince Neil?

However, instead of rock n' roll, I think I prefer a good Bach or Chopin or Debussey for my hardscape.

So, this afternoon, Mr. Donaghy is taking me to Home Depot to buy some materials so I can "test" a small mosaic. As Mr. Donaghy says, "Trial and error is the way to tackle this project...Otherwise, you just end up with a permanent big mess."

Quite right, Mr. Donaghy. Quite right.

Sorry It's Been So Long...

2008-08-28T21:54:00.001-07:00

Just a heads up on my latest obsessions so you have an idea where my head is at.

This kitten is called Mitch...short for Mitchens. He is the latest addition in this crazy cat land. He followed me home one night whilst Mr. Donaghy and I staggered home one night after a raucous Villa Sombrero supper with Liz and Mark. Ain't he cute? He likes to cuddle and beat up Chuck. He also likes to cuddle while he sleeps and as soon as you pick him up he starts to purr. I love him. Mr. Donaghy remains unimpressed.

href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_W53QfOzG8Us/SLeCq24MraI/AAAAAAAAAGo/NwzyWp9t99M/s1600-h/IC+5.jpg">Ian Curtis. Joy Division. 'Nuff said.

I have been dreaming about pebble mosaics and garden design. I've placed plants in the ground only to move them again soon after. I will be collecting stones for the project soon. Watch out, Mr. Donaghy! Another project will soon take over my entire life and, o, will you ever be the more sorry for it.

When I am feeling blue, I look at photos from Photo Booth and I just howl at the moon!

I have been working a lot lately and have not had much time for anything lately.

Will do my best to post more.

Yogaaaaaaah!

2008-04-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

So, today is Thursday and thus marks the third time I've done yoga this week. Bikram yoga that is. Boy, what a treacherous workout it is but oddly exhilarating at the same time. Five minutes into the first set of breathing exercises, I think I am going to pass out. The feeling goes away and remerges once I am hanging down and sweat is dripping into my eyes and my high arched insoles are aching from being stretched out. I am out of breath and praying that I don't pass out in front of all these people and if I did, would they all just stand around me watching me turn blue or would they try CPR whilst calling 911? Neither one of these scenarios seemed very appealing to me as I felt mere seconds away from them. Nonetheless, I do feel very proud of myself for going and trying my damndest even though I was struggling the whole time. I hope I don't turn into a crazy yoga lady with hairy legs, an outdoor shower, and a vegan diet.

This afternoon, I returned a phone call from a woman named Alicia in Lincoln Heights. Would I be interested in tutoring adults to read? Would I ever!!

Also, just around the corner from my house is a convalescent hospital. I got a bug up me arse and went in and volunteered. I think my first day will be next week and I will be assisting with a trip to the local Carrows!

I hope that 2008 marks a year of personal fulfillment that I have not felt in many years and also represents my service to others rather than others service to me.

**************************************

The garden is really starting to look ravishing and all springy and fresh. Pictures to follow. The kitchen has taken shape, as well. Pictures to follow of course...if I can get it together.

Za Red Lion, Ya?

2008-03-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Last night, Dirts and I went to the Red Lion to celebrate Lebo's 30th birthday. It was a blast. I drank one very large and very tall Diet Coke (I know it's totally boring but I'm on a freaking diet remember?) and had two halves of some delicious cupcakes. I watched people eat sausage out of a glass that looked to be filled with beer and upon closer inspection realized it was actually gravy. It was strangely repulsive and curiously enticing all at the same time.

Dirts and I agreed that when my diet is less full throttle, and I am totally ravishingly hungry, we are going to go to the Red Lion and gorge on beer and sausage.

Autism: The Musical

2008-03-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

I saw this documentary this evening on HBO called Autism: The Musical.

Wow. It was amazing.

This woman, whose son, adopted from Russia, has a severe case of autism. She spent about six months spearheading this project that takes autistic kids all over the spectrum and put them in a musical where they act, dance, and sing. The documentary follows five families and their autistic kids throughout the whole process. They share their heartache, their happiness, and huge victories with every small advancement they make with their kids.

The moment that just killed me was when the mother took her son to a speech therapist. The boy was almost totally nonverbal and unable to communicate properly and prone to outbursts and tantrums. The speech therapist placed a keyboard in front of him and told him to tell his mother something that he wanted to say. He typed out, "Mom. I want to put you on the spot." Oh. My. Goodness. Kleenex out, tears rolling. "I want you to be a better listener."

Holy Shnikes. Can you believe it? The kid was totally cognitive just unable to verbalize!!!

Mr. Donaghy and I talked for a moment about how scary the whole thing was but the film was so hopeful and sweet and sad.

Two thumbs up.

Home Improvement

2008-03-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

These are the stairs that we had built. The refrigerator and oven used to stand right at the foot of the new set of stairs. A wall and a concrete retaining wall had to be busted up in order to make way for these new stairs. Also, we found out that the whole of the upstairs (me and Mr. Donaghy's room) had no real support. So, thanks to Boris, we now have an enormous steel beam running down the center of the kitchen ceiling to hold us up.

This is the new view coming down the steps. Before, it was a dim and dark hallway that seemed to just end abruptly. Now, it allows for so much more light!!!

This monstrosity is the state of our living room as it has become the catch all for everything that was once in the kitchen. At least 100 trips up and down stairs culminated in this sorry state of affairs. We don't bother watching television anymore. The energy from all this clutter is far too kinetic to really have a proper lie down and veg session.

Ah! Finally, I see some drywall. Things look as though they are really coming together.

This part of the kitchen is the new dining area. Before, it was a set of stairs and a tiny eating nook where nobody had any wiggle room.

I Shudder at Shutter

2008-03-24T05:42:00.000-07:00

I would never tell someone to not go see a movie. A person can spend their hard earned dollar any way they choose. However, I saw Shutter with Mr. Donaghy last night and, oh, was it ever one big turkey of a film.

I think the guy behind us summed it up best when he kept murmuring, "Horrible. That was just so horrible."

******************************************
The weather has been just beautiful here. Yesterday, the temperature was 81 degrees in the house yet it was comfortable with all the windows open. The sun has been shining and providing some much needed photosynthesis action for all of my lovely little plants.

Shellman, the cat, the surly one, the smartest of them all reigns supreme over all.

Here are the latest garden photos...hope you likey

I Think I'm Turning Japanese...

2008-03-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

I've made a big decision.

I am going to attempt to make a Japanese Tea Garden right off the den and the side yard leading to the kitchen garden. I won't even have to change any of the current plantings if I do it right. Except, of course, one rose and two society garlic. The prospect of pulling this off properly is quite thrilling and I am getting tingly just thinking about it. The hard part is saving the money to do it.

Saturday in the Garden

2008-03-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 8:30am this morning and greedily consumed the coffee that Mr. Donaghy had prepared for me. I noticed that the air was a bit more chilly than it has been and when I looked up, I could see gray clouds moving in our direction. Within five minutes, the sun poked through and for most of the morning, although there was still a chill in the air, the threat of rain did not loom so near.

So I wandered out to the front garden and proceeded to water the lawn for, o, I'd say 45 minutes. Seeing as how I haven't watered in a while, I figured the plants could use a little H20. I looked at the roses and felt that a Spring weeding and fertilizing was in due order.

There I was, wide brimmed hat and all, sweatin' away, hacking at the earth, and on all fours ripping long weeds out of the thorns of my roses. I applied organic rose food. Synthetic rose food. Bone meal. Blood meal. I was about to bust out the shredded coconut shells for mulching when I decided that I should water well first.

I watered and watered and watered. I soaked my David Austin babies at least twice and checked for aphids. Aha! None! Know why? 'Cuz they are pretty healthy plants and aren't I doing such a good job? I may even spray insecticide/fungicide--hey wait a minute! My hat was blown off my head! The wind was picking up something fierce and Mr. Donaghy, who was outside painting and cutting the baseboards (those damn baseboards!), yelled for me to help him bring them into the house because it was raining. Since I had the hose in my hand, I did not even notice that it was raining!

And then it stopped.

And then it started.

And then it stopped again.

And now it's starting again.

I will keep you posted.

Just Kidding.

If I ever have a son, I wanna name him Cormac.

2008-03-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

I know that I am late to the game, but I recently saw No Country for Old Men.

One word can describe the experience...EXCELLENT.

I love anything written my Cormac McCarthy. He's so...so, so, I mean he's such a...such a...dude. He's a dude's dude.

********************************************************

The baseboards arrived today. They were supposed to be here on Wednesday. Alas.

********************************************************

This evening, Mr. Donaghy had a meeting with a Hollywood man about a job as a producer or something like that. (I don't really know the ins and outs of the BIZ and I am certainly not fluent in the language.) Anyways, Mr. Donaghy had a very good feeling about the man; felt he was really down to earth and all. They talked for a few hours over a few beers and when Mr. Donaghy came home, he was still in a fairly jovial and somewhat celebratory mood which was nice to see altho I wondered why.

When I mentioned that I was about to retire to a soaking tub, Mr. Donaghy sheepishly asked me if I would accompany him to the market to purchase some more celebratory spirits. I saw the hopeful glint in his eye and I submitted happily.

At the store, he did not reach for his usual cheapy beer. Instead, he reached for Blue Moon. Eyebrows raised, he knowingly informed me that, "This beer is goooood. I just had the first time tonight." I giggled to myself knowing Mr. Donaghy does not often veer from his "usual".

I tried the beer once we got to the house. And, yes, indeed, Mr. Donaghy, that beer IS really good.

P.S. I figured out why Mr. Donaghy was in such a good mood. 1. The Meeting went well. 2. Stupid me, I forgot that this is the Friday before the greatest Irish Day of all Irish history!!! I think he just wanted to get started early being that all that Irish blood is coursing through his veins. Erin go deo, Mr. Donaghy. Erin go deo.

Some Favorites

2008-03-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

One of the best moments ever in television history...I think...

careful!!! this might be offensive to some of you

Oh Yeah!!

2008-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Basebaording

2008-03-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

This morning Mr. Donaghy called Home Depot to verify the arrival of our baseboards. I splurged and ordered a "delivery" so that the baseboards would not have to be cut so that when we install them they will be seamless. Funny how something so small can make such a difference. I was eager to have them arrive today, but, alas, they will arrive tomorrow instead.

Rafael's crew came and fixed the floor but it took them another week to come back and grout. Mr. Donaghy is incensed but I just shrug it off. Is it possible that the kitchen might be done within the month? After the baseboards, there is only backsplash and door and window framing that must be done. I do not dare think it may be done.

Also, the den is coming along quite nicely. The only thing left is baseboards and trim to be painted.

O, and did I also mention one other important tidbit? Whilst I was away, Mr. Donaghy received his GREEN CARD!!! O Happy Day! He is now an official landed immigrant, legal as an eagle, and can assume a comfortable residency as an alien with all the perks de la Americana such as income taxes, medical insurance, war, and an oppressive economy staving off the threat of a recession. Mr. Donaghy, why did you leave sweet ol' Canada? Nonetheless, he is happy as a clam and I am happier for it.

The garden is spectacular. I find myself wandering through it at least three times a day just looking at everything and being so pleasantly surprised when I see that something new has sprouted or bloomed. The jasmine have bloomed in abundance and the heady fragrance saturates the air all around the house. My favorite thing so far is that I only have to leave one window open and the whole house fills with that sweet romantic smell. The roses are red from sprouting new growth and the wisteria have burst with furry heads of blooms just waiting to hang from those twisty branches. In the shade garden, the calla lilies' foliage is lending quite a tropical feel with those huge plumes of green leaves and the hummingbirds drink water from the trumpets of those grand creamy white flowers.

I have two azaleas my uncle gave me and I think I am going to plant them in urns and site them on either side of the entrance to the garden.

Southeast Asia '08

2008-03-11T22:06:00.001-07:00

How long, O, how long will it be?

2008-02-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

I have not made an entry in so long. My failure to do so only reflects the craziness my life has been these past few months. Let's see, where shall I start?

1. The kitchen is NEARLY done. Meaning, Rafael's crew effed up the floor and he still has to come back and fix the darned thing. In the meantime, everything else is on hold as one thing cannot happen until the other is finished. However, small miracles have occurred. Such as, the hallway to the bedroom has been started. The hallway to the kitchen has been started. The living room is done, except now everything that was in the den is now in the living room as that is being started as of today. The only thing left to do is baseboards, backsplash and a few finishing touches. The den will be painted and finished within the next two weeks. Hurrah!

2. I started working a second job. Medical bills need to be paid and my real job is not cutting it. I am forlorn and worst yet, exhaustedly forlorn.

3. I went to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. The trip was amazing and I took a ton of photos. Will work on posting them.

4. I am on a diet and I am constantly hungry. Dieting sucks. Right now I am craving a McDonald's caramel sundae after Mr. Donaghy casually mentioned that he wanted a chocolate donut. Oh, did I mention that dieting sucks?

5. The garden is looking great. All this heaven sent rain has kissed the earth and all the plants in it with all kinds of healthy grow good mojo. The passion vine is blooming as is the nemesia and the roses I pruned a week and a half ago are already sprouting new growth! I think that this spring I am going to do only maintainence so that I can build up some fall and winter interest later this year. Oh yes, and now that there are new stairs leading to the kitchen garden, I can spend my days dreaming up that design.

Other than that, 2008 is looking quite good. You old Rat!

Alexander Supertramp

2007-11-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

I can't stop thinking about the latest film I saw. "Into the Wild". I saw it nearly three weeks ago and I cannot stop thinking about the movie.

I am bothered. Utterly bothered. When I think of what happened, I feel ecstatic and sick. Thrilled and depressed. Do I wish things ended differently? I don't know. I think that I am most haunted by the sign he left on the door of the bus..."For the love of God..." and then begging for his salvation. All I know is, if I ever have a son or a daughter, I hope that they are brave like him but forgiving enough to accept life amongst the rest of us.

For the Love of Boris!

2007-11-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

I stand corrected about my judgement regarding our structural engineer, Boris. I now see why Rafael loves him so and now I think I do, too. Mr. Donaghy guessed correctly this evening that Boris is 71, count 'em, 71 years young!!!! My goodness I was thrown. I have learnt that one of the reasons why he failed to show was because he is so busy working on other projects that he has trouble fitting in our teeny project. And once he gets here he is completely focused on the task at hand. Not only that but he genuinely is looking out for our best interest.

At least that is my perception. He told me a story about a friend of his in Russia, Uzbekistan to be exact. He said that his friend had another friend. A fellow who had recently fell onto hard times. His parents had passed away unexpectedly and his brother had fallen ill. The losses and turmoil in his life had left him anxious; nerves frayed and he was no longer able to cope with even everyday matters. A friend (Boris' Friend) bought a ring and gave it to his friend. When the fellow asked, "Why did you buy me this ring?" the friend replied, "Because I want you to look at this ring every time you feel bad and remember me and know that I will always help you. You will never be alone."

Well, you can imagine, I was damn near in tears. I was also thinking 'Does this guy know that I am a stressball or what?' Then he looked at me and said, "Don't worry so much. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is always going to be okay." I wondered, 'Can he look into my eyes and know that I owe tens of thousands of dollars for Mr. Donaghy's medical bills? Does he see that I am worried I will have to move to Canada because my husband may be denied emigration? Does he see that I don't want to be a nurse anymore and I hate going to work?' or is that he sees lines on my face and I need Botox? Ha!

*****

My living room has become the dumping grounds for everything that was once in the kitchen. Funnily enough, there is room for both the things that were already in the living room and EVERYTHING that was in the kitchen. I suppose I could deduce that there was really not that much in the kitchen to start. And even more funnily, I am going to donate most of the stuff that was in there so's I can buy new pretty things worthy of a brand new sparkly clean kitchen. Those pretty new things are going in with the new appliances I just bought at Best Buy this afternoon. I decided to go with white and break away from the stainless steel mold. White will look clean and shiny. LOVE IT!!!

*****

Alas, it's 8:51 pm now. Mr. Donaghy doesn't want to see the Darjeeling Limited tonite so I've agreed to go to In 'n Out instead. Altho, I must be honest and confess that I am secretly elated at the prospect of a Double Double Animal AND Protein Style. Goin' crazy!!!

Until then, a mighty Hurrah to you all!

Oh, Chuck...

2007-11-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Mr. Donaghy and I were heading out the door to go grocery shopping. Chuck usually makes requests for the shopping list. He prefers nachos, popcorn, steaks, and rotisserie chicken over his dry food Whiskas. We normally tell him "No, Chuck, you are just a little guy. You can't tell us what to buy you to eat. You just have to eat what we give you." Well, Chuck certainly made his point loud and clear when he insisted on coming with us the grocery store. As a matter of fact, he told us that if we didn't get him what he wanted, he wanted us to leave him at the store so someone would buy him some real chicken, not the hard dry stuff. As you can imagine, we were stunned to learn that he felt so strongly about this. We told him we would buy him some chicken and promptly made an appointment with a psychologist. Mr. Donaghy feels that Chuck needs to be put in his place and remember once and for all dammit that he is just a cat.

Two No Shows

2007-10-30T23:14:00.000-07:00

Hmmmmm. Is this a sign of things to come? Boris, a structural engineer, came highly recommended to us by our contractor, Rafael. So far, we have received three phone calls and one visit. Oh yes, and a quote for $2000.00 to draw up plans for our new stairs. Of the three phone calls, two were to make arrangements for him to come and make some measurements. Each of those times, schedules were cleared, huge chunks of time were made wide open, and asses got sore sitting around waiting for this guy to show up. And show up he never did. Not a phone call. Not a word. What the hell is this? This guy's gotta be kidding me. He's holding up the entire production. So, Mr. Donaghy placed one very firm and unhappy phone call to Rafael and, lo and behold, guess who showed up today to make measurements?

While I am happy he did so, I am still nervous that this appearance is ghostly at best. Yes, he showed up today but will he really make the plans and deliver? Idiots. I am surrounded by frigging idiots.

By the by, I got shitfaced on Sunday night for Diana's Birthday. It was truly needed and I don't regret any giggly or hungover second whatsoever.

P.S. I won at PeeWee Golf AND Bowling!!! Take that Boris!

Fire

2007-10-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

The whole of Southern California is ablaze. Mr. Donaghy said it right when he said the "sky has a creepy apocolyptic orange glow". For the past couple of days, we've noticed a layer of ashes on the cars and yesterday afternoon, I noticed four ashes fall to the ground right in front of me. Fire terrifies me. This is the second major wildfire of the year. I cannot watch the news anymore and see people in shock about the loss of their homes. Thankfully, the news is subsiding today and I hope that the fires are as well. It's hot outside. Damn near 95 degrees in the shade. Mr. Donaghy is sick and hacking up a lung. Great. Mucus and ash are proving to make a dandy combo.

On another note, WE HAVE A ROOF!!! We can finally look foward to what will hopefully be a very wet and rainy winter since we replaced the old leaky roof. PLUS, we are nearing the final phase of upgrading our HVAC system. The AC ductwork has been installed and we are waiting for a new set of stairs to go in so we can finish the furnace ductwork. Hooray!!! I won't melt next summer...altho, I am melting now. Our electrical panel was upgraded yesterday so we no longer have to use our electronics in phases. Our little house, built in 1911, is getting 106 years young!! On Sunday, the structural engineer is coming to to measurements so he can start drawing up plans to create a new set of stairs. The stairs will be the most exciting phase of the remodel as it will completely change the entire feel of the house. Be gone you dark and dreary hallways!

The garden is looking spectacular beneath the orange glow. It's unfortunate but true. I dethatched the lawn this morning. I just think of it as combing the hairs of the lawn. So many mangy tangles!!

All Was Lost

2007-10-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Ah, the troubles with technology. My computer crashed and I lost everything that was on it. All the photos of my family in Indiana, all the photos of Mr. Donaghy and I, and all the photos of my life for the past 3 or 4 years. When I got the news that everything was lost, I was shocked that I was completely okay with that. It's as though the house caught fire (p.s. my worst fear ever) and I lost "things". I figured I lived just fine before these "things" were in existence and I imagine that I could keep living pretending they never existed.

Met with another contractor today. He quoted an outrageous price. Well, not really but I can't afford what he proposed. I told him that I would think about it and then proceeded to spend the next 30 minutes reminding him that I would, indeed, think about it as he began to tell me all the reasons why I should be careful and pick him. I was irritated when he asked me if I was serious about having work done to the house. AM I SERIOUS!!! No, buddy, are you serious? Oh Yes!!! I love scrambling around the house making sure everything is clean and tidy so the person coming over does not think we are slobs. I love spending three hours with a total stanger in my house showing him every room knowing that I am standing in front of the drawer with all my panties and jewery and hoping they don't have x-ray vision. Hmmmm. The pleasures of being an adult and dealing with this *!@%.

The bright spot of the day was the many pink buds I've been noting on my rose bushes. I dare say they are about to explode. Pictures to follow.

There are a few patients in the hospital that I have taken care of and I cannot seem to get them out of my mind. I think that I am softening in my old age and I really have prayed to God that he take good care of them. I do not dare ask Him to cure them...it would be heartbreaking if they weren't. I've only asked Him to please take care of them and make sure that they do not suffer. Alas, I am hoping that soon, I can leave work at the hospital. It's not that I don't like it. I just don't love it anymore. It hurts a bit when you try hard to save someone's life and it all goes to shit just because it has to. I am weary that's all. Just weary.

Knock it Down!!!!

2007-10-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

Belive it or not, this is a hallway in my house. This hallway takes you to three different places: the bedrooms, the living room and the kitchen. So dark, so scary.

This set of stairs takes you to the kitchen.

This is where we are supposed to eat? Does this eating nook know how big my brother is? How is he supposed to eat in such a small place?

Cocina de la familia Keaton...remember Family Ties? Yeah, I remember it everyday when I'm in this kitchen.

My plan is to bust down the wall in that dark doldrum hallway and create a new staircase that lands right smack in the middle of the kitchen. The stairs that led to the kitchen would be busted out to make way for a larger eating area (informal dining room?) and everything in the kitchen will be replaced.

New cabinets--white
New countertop--black
New floor--white and black or gray tiles
New appliances plus a dishwasher...Please God Please!!!
New lighting--recessed and pendants

I am excited and frightened of this new endeavor. There was one contractor Mr. Donaghy and I really liked. So straightfoward and no nonsense. Good price as well. I hope I don't screw this up.

1 down and 14 to go

2007-10-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Ah, the mysteries of Homeland Security.
It appears that Homeland Security is on the ball in regards to our case. You see, Mr. Donaghy is a Canadian and since we've been married, we have applied for his Green Card. Our immigration attorney had advised us that the entire process could take 6 months to one year as the government agency has been bombarded with applications and like any true beauroracray, they like to take their sweet time making people wait. (Living life in the private sector is very much free and democratic. One is free to do as they please with minimal wait times. However, once one calls upon the government for anything, one feels like they are dealing with Big Brother and that can be very scary.) Believe me, I am not complaining because for some reason, our application has been pushed through in a very expediate manner. We filed on July 19th. We were told the fingerprinting would be done in three months and our interview could be anticipated for February 2008. Mr. Donaghy got fingerprinted on September 11th...one month early.

Back and Forth

2007-10-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

This is Mr. Donaghy. He was up North with my brother and friend doing their favorite thing...car stuff. Was really nice to have the house all to myself. Kinda scary, though. This is not the best neighborhood. I know that the house is mine and that I have lived here for the past two years and, yet, at times, I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that I really do live here. I still have dreams about my little apartment on Willoughby and secretly wish I could just go back. I love that I have a garden here, but I also had one at the apartment. Albeit in containers. I love being married and I love my husband. I just wish I could go back and forth from my new life to my old one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRlvdmnD7nU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4oL-O5NoJ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdFVMEm9WLA

Sunday Morning Lag

2007-09-30T12:49:00.001-07:00

This morning Chuck fell asleep watching TV. I can't believe he fell asleep watching the Dog Whisperer. That's his favorite show. I think he might have had too much to drink last night...

I spent the morning drinking coffee and playing Sudoku and Crossword Puzzles. Chopin is playing softly in the radio distance. I've noticed that it takes my brain a good 45 minutes to get clear and bright; revving for a good quick mind game. Otherwise, I am dull, dim witted, and altogether dark and dense.

This afternoon has been dedicated to first of many fall clean ups in the ol' garden. My great and grand walnut tree is falling into Autumn. The leaves are browning and creating a great mess. I must find a way to compost. I try not to think about the possiblity of losing this tree. The neighbors are complaining about the "basura" and they think the roots are growing under their house. If so, the problem surely must be remedied...altho, I hate to think of losing the tree. For as much as I complained about how messy it is, the thought of cutting it down makes me grateful to rake twice, nay, thrice a week!