Happy Birthday, Kyle!

My son is 15 years old today.

Bathroom Floor

Q and I just spent the better part of last weekend replacing the flooring in our bathroom.

When we had this house built, we opted the carpet/sheet vinyl combination as a way to cut costs. This was supposed to be a temporary solution until we could afford to have better quality flooring installed. Well, 10 years is temporary enough.

Click on the pics to view them larger.

The sheet vinyl in the water closet has been popping up for years. At times, we even tripped over it.
I was damn tired of looking at the mold spot that had formed in front of the shower door. It was usually covered by a rug, but still. This carpet HAD to go!

On Friday, while Q was at work I ripped out the sheet vinyl in the water closet. A heat gun made short work of this task. That is the best $25 I spent on this whole project. I also removed the carpet and padding. That was a dusty, dirty job.

Carpet and pad waiting to be stuffed into the trash can. On Saturday morning, we would drive to Lowe's to buy our new flooring--a groutable peel-and-stick vinyl product by Armstrong.

After we got home with our materials, Q and I got down to business. We removed the doors and baseboards... cleaned and prepped the floor....

Cut and installed cement backerboard....

...and Jango helped!

By the end of Sunday, the entire peel-and-stick floor was laid. This picture was taken before the joints were grouted. For the grout, we used a premixed acrylic sanded grout. This is made specifically for groutable vinyl tiles. We also used 1/8" grout lines instead of the usual 1/4".

The floor had to be rolled to ensure adhesion of the tiles. This is also what happens when I quit caring about my appearance.

The toilet had to be removed. We placed it in the shower because the bathtub was being used for trash. This was a very, VERY messy job.

Jango won't drink he water out of Fiesta, but she will drink out of an upturned toilet tank lid. Dumb cat!

We also decided to remove the contractor-grade base moulding and replace it with a more ornate product. For this, we figured an 8-foot section would be enough. And it was. That little piece in Q's hand was all that was left.

Q installed the carpet-to-tile transition like a professional.

The finished floor. I got snappy-happy and took this pic before the base moulding was installed.

Goodbye Summer !!

My very busy summer is quickly coming to an end. I return to school tomorrow.

It all started in June when I decided to take an algebra class. Math has never been my strong suit and I just wanted to get it out of the way.

That class took me the WHOLE month of June. When I wasn't physically attending the class, I was doing and redoing the homework and watching class lectures online. I did take one afternoon off to drive Kyle and his friends to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on opening day. As the only live parent without a job, that chore fell squarely in my lap. Anyway, I ended the 4 week, 4 credit algebra class with a B. Oh, happy day!

July was our month for traveling. My first trip was to the HLCCA Conference in Pittsburgh. On the 8th, I flew to Indianapolis, where Craig picked me up. From there we drove to the Embassy Suites in Pittsburgh, where many conference attendees had already congregated. We met up with Shane, Brad, and Nich...at which time hi-jinx ensued. More on that in a future post.

Later in the month, we took a big family trip to southern California with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and nieces. We spent the week just being tourists. We went to Knott’s Berry Farm, Soak City, a medieval themed dinner show, the beach, and a few baseball games.

And in true tourist fashion, we got lost on the way to Dodgers' Stadium. That park is located in downtown LA, near the confluence of like seven freeways. So if you're in the wrong lane at the wrong time, you're SCREWED! The lack of stadium-related signage didn't help matters. One bright spot to this little detour was that we got to drive past the famed Bonaventure Hotel. That made me giddy

While in California, we went antique shopping in downtown Orange. At one of the malls, I spotted this rare piece of Fiesta--a maroon covered mustard dish. At $2,200, it was too rich for my blood. But the owner saw me admiring it and she took it out of the glass case. Yes, I got to touch the rare mustard! :-)



So far, August has been spent taking care of back to school-related errands. Orientation nights, meet-the-teacher events, supply shopping, doctors appointments, etc...etc...etc... Kyle is now in high school. He's enjoying it so far...or so he says. The information he shares with me is about what can be expected from a boy of almost 15. Speaking of which, his birthday is on Thursday.

Luke is now in 6th grade. They now follow the same format as the junior high grades in that he has to switch classes every period. Luke will still be participating in band and in the next month will be starting baseball.

Q and I have spent the the last few days replacing the floor in our bathroom. After 10 years and a few large mold spots, the temporary carpet is history. Pictures of this project will be posted upon completion.

Mixer Pics

Today is the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing. This occasion--along with the upcoming 40th anniversary of Woodstock--was celebrated last Thursday at the conference mixer.

Here's a pic of me and my twin brother from another mother, Christopher with Buzz Aldrin.

I thanks to complimentary hotel cocktails, I was buzzin' with Buzz. As a result, iIdidn't take too many pictures. But I did manage to sober up long enough to get this shot of my very first dish friends--Wendy, Rick, and Mike. They're also from Arizona. Wendy and Mike live in Scottsdale and Rick in Miami.

Fallingwater

On Saturday afternoon, Brad, Nich, Craig, and I broke away from dish festivities and drove to Mill Run, PA to tour one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous homes--Fallingwater.

For me, this jaunt was the one of the highlights of the entire weekend. In fact, I have a few design instructors who would expel me from the program if they I knew I was in the area and didn't stop by FW.

While I took LOTS of pictures, legal ramifications keep me from posting them here.

The drive to Mill Run took us across the river into downtown Pittsburgh, where I was regaled by all the bridges, high rise buildings, and other architecture. Downtown Phoenix is nothing like this.

Fallingwater is located in a very thick wooded area where the humidity is high and the air is very heavy. And as evidenced by the numerous crates of umbrellas available for guest use, rainfall is frequent.

Getting to the Fallingwater house required a very scenic five-minute walk from the visitors center and gift shop.

The house itself yielded a few surprises:

• Wright employed the open-plan concept before it was actually en vogue. The main "room" contains the fireplace, sitting area, study, and dining area,
• An outdoor staircase leads to a tiny perch that's surrounded the Bear Run stream.
• The bedrooms were quite small. Some spaces were only large enough to hold a twin-size bed and some basic furniture. That's one way to ensure that houseguests won't overstay their welcome.
• The ceilings are very low--less than 7 feet high in some places.
• At 2885 square feet, the main house is not as large as it seems. It has only three bedrooms.
• The bath fictures are also very low to the ground. The toilets in particular remind me of those used in a preschool.
• Hallways and stairwells were very narrow.
• The terrace railings were lower than normal. This was done so as not to interfere with the views from inside the house.
• The waterfall can only be viewed when standing on the terrace of the top floor.

Since the woods are very thick and sunlight didn't penetrate easily, many of our pictures came out dark. Here I am with Craig, Brad, and Nich.

The Haul!

On Monday, I made it home from Pittsburgh and the HLCCA conference. This trip was a BLAST! In fact, it's safe to say that I had as much fun as I'm allowed to have without my husband. The complimentary cocktail hour that the Embassy Suites offers was a contributing factor...as was a very eventful trip to McDonald's.

More pics will be posted later (including a full report on all weekend debauchery). In the meantime, enjoy this table photo of my dish booty (click on the images for a better view):

I brought 3 suitcases on this trip...two of which were earmarked for dishes. I even brought a boatload of bubble wrap, but lost it all when the hotel maid mistook it for trash. Good thing Craig brought extra.

On the plane ride home, I had plenty of time to think about where I would house all this loot. I decided to evict the crockpot, that cheapo carousel storage container holder we never used, some mismatched stemware, and other miscellaneous ware.

Some of these items will find homes elsewhere in the kitchen. Some will go into storage. But most will end up at Goodwill. I have too many beautiful dishes to hang on to crap.

I also removed the cabinet doors. Here's the finished product:

I have similar plans for the corner cabinet in the dining room. A bunch of green Granada and Amberstone followed me home...including a covered marmalade!

I'm Outta Here!

Pool Crasher

This dragonfly decided to hang out with us at the pool on Saturday. He stuck around for quite awhile, too. Long enough for me to dry off, go inside, get the camera, and snap a dozen pictures.

Dragonflies are always coming around the pool area, but they're usually the little blue ones. This particular one was a good three inches wide.

Sunday Dishes: Pinks & Stones

A few weeks ago, I got a surprise package in the mail. Elaine--affectionately known in disher circles as the Tablecloth Fairy--sent me two beautiful pink vintage tablecloths.

Around that same time, our cheap camera broke completely. The camera was replaced on Friday and I am finally able take and post photos.

Not only is this one pink, but it goes perfectly with my Ironstone/Amberstone/Casualstone collection. Two great tastes that taste great together!

It also works with Fiesta's new Lemongrass color!

This plaid one will go in the breakfast nook. It looks great with pastels. I can also see using it with vintage yellow only.

Thank you SO MUCH, Elaine! I can't wait to meet you in Pittsburgh in a few days.

Happy Fourth, Everyone!

Errand Day

It's errand day! Kyle is going to the new water park with his friend so the rest of us are heading out for an all day trek to the stores.

Our day will include stops at:

--Party City: Hoping they have some round-frame John Lennon style hippie glasses. I struck out at the other two PC stores I checked. I saw them at the Bell Road store recently, but didn't buy them at the time. These are for Thursday's 60's-themed mixer in Pittsburgh.

--BevMo: Cinnamon schanpps. Our grocery store doesn't have any that costs less than $20.

--Barnes & Noble: The new issue of Modernism magazine is out and I'll need something to read on the plane.

--Target: New cooler for weekend pool parties.

--Best Buy for a new camera. Our old one broke last week (if Q couldn't fix it, nobody could) and we NEED a new one for my Pittsburgh trip and our vacation in California later this month.

--Dillards: Seeking the new Lemongrass Fiesta

--Dick's Sporting Goods: Lucas likes looking at the baseball equipment, and I promised him a new Under Armour t-shirt. Also, I have a coupon.

--Trader Joes: Tamales, veggie pizza, cereal, and ??????

Good thing all these stores are located on Bell Road in north Glendale.

One More Week...

This time next week, I will be heading out for the annual HLCCA Conference in Pittsburgh. The trip will start in Indianapolis, where Craig will pick me up. We will then hit the road for a weekend of...

Meeting cyber friends for real

Buying Fiestaware

Dressing like hippies

Visiting four different states: Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Introducing Craig to the musical stylings of Jefferson Starship.

Food, fun, and folly.

Visiting and touring the factory where Fiestaware is made.

Buying MORE Fiestaware!

Antiquing with people who actually enjoy it.

Touring Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater masterpiece.

This trip is going to be a BLAST!

Clarvoyant iPod?

Today was the last day of my algebra class. Just like the other students, I waited while the instructor graded it. He also gave us our final grades at that time.

I got a B in the class. A B!!!!! A big, bad @$$ B!!!!! I was shocked. And thrilled. Considering the rough start I had in the class, I would have been happy with a C.

Trembling, I bade the teacher farewell and stumbled out of the classroom. Once outside, I called Q (for the last month, he'd had a front row seat to my math-fueled anxiety attacks). After he heaped on the accolades, I started the car and turned on my iPod.

The song that was playing? "It's a Miracle" by the Culture Club.

Definitely an appropriate song for the moment!

Bittersweet

I'm happy that--for the time being--Jon and Kate are out of the news spotlight. I'm just saddened that Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, and a several other celebrities had to die to make it happen.

What About Spell Check?

The upcoming HLCCA conference in Pittsburgh will include a 60's-themed mixer. I want to get some hippie-style novelty buttons for my outfit. I turned to eBay, and my search yielded this:


If I read this right, the message portrayed here is that home and land ownership is an aid used to enable the weak, injured, and lazy? OooooKaaaaaay.........

I know this is not what the seller intended because the auction has "reality" spelled correctly. But didn't this mistake occur to anyone during the initial manufacturing process?

R.I.P Michael Jackson

Hearing about Michael Jackson's death yesterday came as more than a little shock. This is HUGE! Like the Kennedy assassination, John Lennon's death, President Reagan being shot, and the Challenger explosion, I predict that hearing the news of MJ's death will be one of those events that will be permanently burned into our collective memories. We will remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard about it.

For me, I read about Michael Jackson's death on Collectible Medium Green (dish collector's site). It was around 4:15 PDT, and I was reading a thread about Farrah Fawcett's death, where someone had mentioned that MJ had also died. I thought that couldn't be true--someone's idea of a joke, perhaps. So I turned off the DVD I had been watching (Dallas, Season 1...it was the episode where Bobby was working to help Cliff beat a murder rap) and turned on the local news. Sure enough...

Michael Jackson's music was a huge part of my childhood. An icon of my generation, if you will. I got the Thriller LP for my 11th birthday and played it until I damn near wore it out. His videos were in constant rotation on MTV. My friends and I tried to learn and copy the group dance from the "Thriller" video.

But perhaps my favorite Michael Jackson record is 1979's Off The Wall. It's one of the few complete albums that I have included on my iPod. Plus, the videos from "Rock With You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" are pure, chintzy disco gold.

Thank you for the music, Michael!

Two More Weeks...

...and I'm off to Pittsburgh! It took 36 years, but I FINALLY get to venture east of the Mississippi River! I don't know if I've ever looked forward to a trip this much.

5 Things

I got this from ~M, who got it from Becky.

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Changing diapers
2. Getting ready to move into our new house
3. Being amused by everyone who was caught up in Y2K fever
4. Stepping over Thomas the Tank Engine toys that were oozing out of every doorway.
5. Eating off plastic dishes that I purchased from the seasonal clearance section of Target (Fiesta what?)

5 Things on my 'to do' list:
1. Finish folding laundry
2. Pick up some groceries (a neverending job)
3. Reattach some of the patches to my hippie jeans before conference
4. Deposit a check in the bank
5. Remove the bottom doors from the corner cabinet to make more display space for the dishes.

5 Things I've done today:
1. Fed Jango
2. Ate breakfast
3. Went to the gym
4. Stopped by Goodwill to drop off some outgrown boys' clothes.
5. Checked my e-mail

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Ice cream (bars...sandwiches...sundaes...shakes...you name it)
2. Lindor peanut butter and chocolate truffles
3. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
4. Peanut M&Ms
5. Oreos

5 Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Buy and restore an architecturally-significant house and furnish it with authentic modern furniture
2. Take Kyle to Japan
3. Encourage Q to quit his job and pursue his interest in cooking by going to culinary school
4. Buy a summer home in a more temperate climate
5. Set up college funds for the neices and nephews

5 Places I've lived:
1. The house on Surrey
2. The apartment on 7th Street
3. The house on Laurel Lane
4. The apartment on Mission Lane
5. The current house

Good!

I got the following article from azcentral. I LOVE it when rational wisdom and common sense prevails. Although, I do feel sorry for the child for being born into these circumstances.
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No benefits for LA girl born from dead man's sperm
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Jun. 18, 2009 09:52 AMAssociated Press
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PASADENA, Calif. - A U.S. appeals court says a California girl conceived from the frozen sperm of a dead man cannot receive his Social Security benefits.
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A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision Wednesday, ruling the girl wasn't dependent on her father at the time of his death.
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The case involves sperm that Bruce Vernoff's widow, Gaby, ordered extracted after he died unexpectedly in 1995 from an allergic reaction. It was kept frozen for 15 months before she became pregnant and in 1999 gave birth to Brandalynn.
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She applied for child survivor benefits from the Social Security Administration but was rejected, and a legal battle ensued.
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A call seeking comment from the widow's attorney was not immediately returned Thursday.

Lucas Rant #187

The following item does not necessarily reflect the views of the writers of this blog. They are the rantings of one 11-year old boy who watches to copius amounts of TV news and, as a result has become a little too jaded for his age.

CFL (B.S.) BULBS June 18, 2009

By Lucas

Everybody is talking about the new CFL bulb. You know, the twisty kind. There supposed to be "Energy Efficient". Its just BS.

First, They say they save energy. NO! THEY DON'T! Tests show they use the same amout of energy as normal bulbs, but they cost much more when you add the prices up. Also, this just occurred to me while typing, but when you buy normal bulbs if you think the same as me, when you're in the checkout counter with your normal bulbs, everybody else has CFLs and you look like a total DOUCHE!

Another thing is people say they're "greener" but, really, is the mercury in the CFLs really "green". Compared to a normal bulb that has no mercury, mu point speaks for itself now.

Next, is efficiency.Even though if you have a light that's constantly on, CFLs are good because they don't get hot, that's the only upside. They say "If every house in America changed just one bulb to CFL, it would save enough energy to power every home in Arizona for a day." Now i took that statement word for word from an APS commercial. I don't own these words in that sequence, but still...What they don't tell you is it would take years and YEARS to harness that power and for what??? JUST A DAY? JUST CRAP!!!

And one last point. it's called a light BULB for a reason. Why, you people who's brains are rotted by Al Gore's crap from the mouth, Edison intended the light bulb to be a BULB! He spent many many sleepless nights and thousands of techniques for a bulb! It's a damn BULB!!! Like a kerocene lamp!

American Trivia:

The longest used light bulb was built in?
A.) 1871
B.) 1999
C.) 1901
D.) 1897

Answer...C!

It is in a what in Livermore, CA?

A.) A house
B.) A firestation
C.) A hospital
D.) A police Station
E.) A Cafe

Answer...B!

It was a(n)...?

A.) Flood light
B.) CFL
C.) A Bulb
D.) A florecent tube

Answer...You guessed it...C!