Fun Times at the Smithsonian Kite Festival!
roots
For today's post, we have a deep metaphor about heritage, identity, and how they intersect with infertility. Wait a minute...
From the little bitty yew.
No, that must be a different blog. Today, we have a post about plumbing. You know what I'm talking about.
My house has a front yard large enough for a walk and some flowers, with the makings of a rather nice porch (at the wrong height - it needs to be raised a few feet, so some time when we have spare time there will be Fun With Pressure-Treated Lumber Day here at misfit central), except that it's on a very busy street which is loud all the time, so we sort of pretend that doesn't exist. It has quite a nice-sized back yard, with raised beds I haven't done much with (but I did start vegetable and herb seeds in peat pots this weekend! And I planted a dormant blackberry in the yard! And I have corn seedlings that I bought...um...a month early! And today my DH mowed everything and dealt with all the sticks and dead leaves and stuff, and it looks really nice). We'll get there. The right side of the yard is not bad, it has some grass, I just don't have anything really in mind for it. (My DH wants a hot tub on the paved part in front of the carriage house. We'll see...) And the left side is quite narrow, as the houses there are close together, so the previous owners put in a tall fence and brick pavers. Like so:
Now, if you notice, on the right side of this photo there are some little stairs up to the back sun porch. On the far side of those stairs, you can see a little bitty yew (you know, that evergreen shrub that every office building has a hedge of). It's not even three feet tall. You can't tell in the picture, but at some point the prior owners hung many large rocks from it, presumably to...make its branches grow horizontally? Not that I know why anyone would want a yew to do that.
The yew had its revenge, though.
Yesterday, the plumbers came. First of all, let me say they are the best plumbers in the whole world, ever. They were prompt. They were pleasant. They worked fast and they were competent. They were thorough and considerate. They were honest and fair. When one of the fellows working used a naughty word to my sister (a word to describe, quite accurately, the contents of the pipe they were working on), he got a severe scolding by his boss, because he is not to use words like that around a lady.
They had figured out that the obstruction in the pipe was under the side yard. Because it's bounded fairly narrowly by the side of the house and the tall fence, and there's other obstacles, like the back stairs, and it's rather pricier to re-pour concrete than re-sod (though I decided I would just put all the bricks back, and replace any removed concrete with further bricks, and then they actually put everything back for me), they decided to do a limited drain replacement, rather than bringing a backhoe in and replacing all the drain pipe between the house and the street. So they first determined where the start of the problem was, and it was right near that little yew. So the yew came up, followed by the bricks, and then a lot of dirt, and then the pipe. My sister took this picture (she was standing on the aforementioned steps, but otherwise the perspective is the same as the previous picture):
They found seven-foot-long sections of root in that pipe - four inches thick. Not from the big old tree in the front yard that the county has slowly killed by trimming it around the power lines, which I would happily be rid of. Not from the bigger, older, really lovely tree in the back yard that I want to put a tea table under this summer.
From the little bitty yew.
You see, on the surface, it was scrawny, ratty, asymmetrical, sparse, unlovely, and wholly pointless in its location. But on the underside, where no one could see, it was a demon yew.
Sometimes life is like that.
But what you really need to know is that there is root-be-gone that you can buy at the big orange store, and run through your pipes every six months. So that if little roots get into your pipe, they will die, and then they will flush out with the sewage water. Rather than taking over the pipe like the demon yew. And then, you will not need to spend $3000 (0r more - it could have been a lot more) and have someone dig up your yard.
Also, the little bathroom is going to be redone now. I am not showing you a before picture because it is that horrible right now. And sadly, I do not have a before-before picture. This is too bad, because tomorrow they are ripping up the tile (which I never liked anyway), so the insurance adjuster can see how bad the water damage is. And then (if all goes well), he will give us a reasonable amount to have it fixed, and we can have the subfloor and any affected joists replaced. And then I can have the tiles I like:
And also the paint color I like, which is Valspar's Mackinac Island Grand Hotel Blue. I found out about it from the blogger who used it to paint this table:
Which I found through Susan's Metamorphosis Monday. (I told you it was helpful!)
And then I will find just the right mirror (I have already been looking) and I will replace the ludicrously inappropriate-looking faucets with some that belong in that bathroom and I will tinker with the little shelf that looks a bit odd, and maybe add a decorative thing or two, and the bathroom will be done. Long before I thought it would be. And other things will not be done. But that's OK...one thing at a time.
We're so glad when daddy comes home...
glad as we can be. That was definitely true this weekend when daddy came home from a trip out of the country. I pride myself on being a pretty independent person. I feel like I don't need anyone's help, but sometimes it sure is nice to have some. I guess what I am trying to say is that sometimes I take for granted how much we rely on and need Scott. While he was gone we had 3 doctor's appointments, two shots, three prescriptions to fill, strep throat, a sinus infection, a double ear infection, problems at school, sleepless nights, field trip drama, and a boy who managed to escape the clutches of his evil pediatrician by streaking through the doctor's office in his tighty whities. He was finally captured outside by another mother, only to escape a second time to lock himself in the office bathroom. Truth be told, that is just a typical day in my life, the hard part of single-parenting is making decisions, important decisions, without being able to vent or bounce ideas off of my husband.
Because of issues with the phone and Internet we were not able to speak to each other for a few days. I finally called his hotel and with my poor Spanish and the hotel clerk's ever poorer English, I learned that Scott had never checked in and that his reservation had been cancelled. So, maybe I panicked a little and had a horrifying vision of a future of raising my angelic children all alone. Let's just say I didn't stop trying until I heard his voice on the other end of the phone. He was at the hotel after all, and I am currently brushing up on my Spanish skills. What I gleaned from this harder-than-usual week, is a new found admiration, appreciation, and respect for military wives, single mothers, widows, and all those girl's who have to do it alone. It isn't easy, it isn't fun, it isn't the way it is supposed to be! But, sometimes it's the way it is. Needless, to say you are in my prayers now and for always.
Spring has Sprung...
and that means lots of tourists and that means the worst traffic of the year, and that means we avoid going downtown and that means we usually miss out on the Cherry Blossoms. Not this year! I braved the crowds this morning. Nash, Harley, 3 million other people and I had a great day picnicking and paddle boating around the Tidal Basin.
Pimp my Shoes
I bought these camouflage shoes a few years ago at Payless. If you look close you can still see the $14.99 price tag inside-quite the investment. Believe it or not they are super comfortable, but my love of the camo has waned over the years, so I gave them a makeover this weekend.
What you need: Mod Podge, Glitter, Paint Brush, Sealer, and Blingy Buttons!
Working in small sections apply the Mod Podge with a paint brush and then cover it with glitter. It helps to do the pouring of the glitter over some paper, so that you can pour the excess back in your container. When shoes are properly glittered and the Mod Podge has dried spray with the sealer. This will prevent the glitter from rubbing off when you walk. I applied about 4 coats of sealer. Finally, I snipped off the back of some fancy buttons and glued them onto my new shoes.
Stop and Smell the Daffodils
I fight a constant battle with what I think needs to be done and what is most important. Yesterday, in the midst of cooking dinner for seventy women I took a breather and went for a walk with Harley Belle. It was a warm and quiet morning and she seemed to find joy in every little thing she saw. I wish I could still see the world the way that a child does. The excitement she found in the daffodils on the side of the road was contagious and I have been motivated to stop and smell the roses daffodils a little more often.
the second bedroom
It was not a good bedroom. It may, in fact, have been the worst-decorated bedroom (intentionally decorated, I mean; decorating neglect may perhaps at some point in history have sunk to lower lows) I have ever seen. Here's the listing photo:
The picture was taken from the doorway into the hall. What you see on the walls is dark blue paint on the ceiling and the top foot of the walls; on the lower part of the walls is lighter blue paint, with a lime green sponge-paint treatment. Rounding out the look are the green sheer curtain and the switchplate, which I tragically did not photograph before its removal. It was a very large metal switchplate in the shape of a flounder, enameled in rainbow colors. After I removed it, my hatred of it waned somewhat with the realization that it might be OK in a nursery (not what this room previously was). Sarah (callmemama) now has it, since she actually has a nursery to decorate, and maybe she will share a picture of it with you all.
Anyway, I decided there needed to be some changes. First of all, new rule for the house: no ceilings painted any color other than white. Second, no more sponge-painting, anywhere, for any reason. The color scheme for the room was basically determined when I repainted the living room gray. It had been green (two ugly and incompatible shades of green; for that, too, had a colored ceiling), and my DH was sad to see the color go (it's his favorite color), so I said I would paint a bedroom green. So I set out to find green wallpaper I liked, which was harder than anticipated. There's a lot of green wallpaper out there, of course, but nothing was quite right. When I finally settled on one (part of the Ashford House silhouettes collection, if you're interested), I color-matched paint to the paper and painted the walls (and the ceiling white), and moved on from there. So here we start:
I had the highboy from our last house. It's a Broyhill, solid wood, and I got it on craigslist for $45. No idea why. The duvet is a pale green jacquard that I bought in a thrift store. It's a king size, but for this room, I tailored it down to fit a queen comforter for the double bed. (Got it?)
The photo above shows a better view of the highboy. Also the doorway to the hall (stained), and the doorway to a closet (painted white). And the maple rolltop desk I found on craigslist for $75. The chair (which you can barely see) is real leather with nailhead trim. Also craigslist (but I bought it when we were still in our old place), for $40.
I've just realized that, where I put the pillows, you can't see the headboard (and I am not going upstairs to get more pictures). It's a vintage maple poster-y one that was part of my mother's thrifting collection. She sent it to law school with me after we were married.
Last wide shot. I know these are all terrible pictures, but this has the most accurate rendition of the colors in the room.
OK, that strip of wood on the bottom (above) is the top of the desk. Above it is one of two large framed pictures. (They're prints of watercolors depicting some of the buildings at my alma mater.) The frames aren't really wood, but they were $17 at Ikea for rather large frames, and until they come down and we try to move them, they won't get dented enough to show that they're MDF.
I had the highboy from our last house. It's a Broyhill, solid wood, and I got it on craigslist for $45. No idea why. The duvet is a pale green jacquard that I bought in a thrift store. It's a king size, but for this room, I tailored it down to fit a queen comforter for the double bed. (Got it?)
The photo above shows a better view of the highboy. Also the doorway to the hall (stained), and the doorway to a closet (painted white). And the maple rolltop desk I found on craigslist for $75. The chair (which you can barely see) is real leather with nailhead trim. Also craigslist (but I bought it when we were still in our old place), for $40.
I've just realized that, where I put the pillows, you can't see the headboard (and I am not going upstairs to get more pictures). It's a vintage maple poster-y one that was part of my mother's thrifting collection. She sent it to law school with me after we were married.
Last wide shot. I know these are all terrible pictures, but this has the most accurate rendition of the colors in the room.
OK, that strip of wood on the bottom (above) is the top of the desk. Above it is one of two large framed pictures. (They're prints of watercolors depicting some of the buildings at my alma mater.) The frames aren't really wood, but they were $17 at Ikea for rather large frames, and until they come down and we try to move them, they won't get dented enough to show that they're MDF.
Here is a closeup of the curtains. It makes them look more brassy and metallic than they actually look. In other words, it's a complete failure - instead of showing you clearly how they look, it shows how they do not look. They're from Amazon; they were $35 for the pair, so I was pleased. I like it that they go with the wall color, but also introduce some new colors to the room. And they are cheerful.
OK, here's the desk and the desk chair. I actually sat in it before I bought it, but I was distracted by making small talk with the people who were selling it (and sizing up whether they looked like serial killers. I decided no. She was half my size, anyway). So I didn't realize that it rocks back in theory, but in practice, you'd have to be large to get it to tip backward. Way heavier than I am. And since it's really leather, it's slippery. Unless you can lean back (not I), you slide forward. But my DH didn't like the cute little green and white chair I had before...so I basically bought this for him...so it's fine, I think.
We acquired two of these black-antiqued gold side tables from a neighbor who was moving out of the apartment next door after we were first married. I couldn't not take them, because they clearly had so much potential. But other than the fact that they were horizontal surfaces (and therefore immediately had stuff set on them as soon as we moved in anywhere), they never seemed to fit in aesthetically. But since there are two of them, I thought maybe they should go here. They seem happy. The lamps I found for $30 for both at the first thrift store I visited after we moved to Arlington. I still like them, though they're not as brilliant as I once thought they were. I also know that that was not an acceptable thrift store price for them, but I was so disappointed to find that that store had none of the furniture I was looking for that I felt compelled to buy something. Anyway, there are two of those too, and they're part green, and part gold, and also part fuchsia (in the flowers). This matches fuchsia hints in the little rug (which you can't see) and the blanket under the comforter. You can't see that either. It's OK :).
Here are some medium-sized pictures. These frames are also from Ikea, and I think they were $4. They have trip pictures - the left from our vacation to Austria, and the one on the right from my DH's trip to Nepal. And the last is a cross, which we got for our wedding from one of my mom's friends.
You remember the little-bitty Ikea frames from my stairwell? I got three of them for this bedroom and spray-painted them white. Very glossy, as you see. If I had it to do again, I would use a brush and somewhat less glossy paint. They have three more of my MIL's vintage postcards (including one with a picture of the "green room" at the White House. Get it...?).
OK. That's the room. Aaaand...I'm linking it up at Metamorphosis Monday, again - check it out!
Spring Fever
It has been beautiful here and the kids can finally play outside after 4 months of the yucky winter blahs. Actually, winter has been pretty mild this year but nothing compared to the way springtime feels. It is a good thing too, because beginning in March, I always boycott winter by putting away the heavy coats, hats, and gloves. Sometimes it bites me in the bootie, but it won't stop me from doing it again next year. It is just amazing how a little warm weather can completely transform your outlook on life. At our house, the countdown is officially on for summer vacation. Unfortunately, I have 3 1/2 months to count. Meanwhile, we have been practicing some summer activities. First, swimming. Nash was finally big enough to go on all the water slides, which made it quite the exciting day. Atley is a total fish, which makes swimming a lot less stressful for mom. I used to feel totally panicked if I couldn't see all of them at all times. Now I can relax just a little bit. Harley has no fear of water, just like she has no fear of anything and she is still talking about going "whimming."
While swimming in a heated indoor pool is great, it is probably a bit premature to head to the beach so we did the next best thing. National Harbor has a beachy play area right on the banks of the Potomac. There is a giant Poseidon buried in the sand for the kids to play on and plenty of boats, shops and restaurants to keep everyone else entertained.
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