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Friday, October 31, 2008
Today's Adventure!
Today Miss B. and I visited with Mel up in Westchester! We went to Philipsburg Manor (part of the Historic Hudson Valley!) First, though, upon meeting up with Mel, we did get to partake in some tasty home-baked pumpkin bread (go Mel!) and then we had lunch at the City Limits diner (part of the same restaurant group that owns Molyvos and Oceana). Lunch was tasty and fun (Sophie was very excited about the gi-normous donut that hung from the ceiling...) and after lunch we headed up to P-burg Manor. Turns out the main house at the manor is a stone house from 1750, which made it similar in some ways to our stone house from 1760! The first floor of the house contained the kitchen and butter churning area and had stone walls painted white, just like in our nook. I asked the tour guide whether that was historically accurate and it turns out that it is! Apparently, one of the other historic Hudson Valley homesteads (Van Cortlandt Manor) even had a "recipe" for the whitewash paint amongst their historic documents. The kitchen area also had a big fireplace just like in our dining room. Unfortunately, photography in the interior of the house was strictly verboten, but below are some pictures from the grounds and the exterior. Sophie did great while on the house tour-- keeping her composure right up until the end when she got a giggle fit while the tour guide was discussing the Rockefellers. Phillipsburg Manor also has farm animals-- so we got to see a cow being milked, two oxen, a bunch of sheep, some turkeys and their barn cat! Afterwards, we went for tea and scones at the Silvertips tea room in Tarrytown. Clotted cream! Oh my heavens!! A great day was had by all!!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Bosch!
When thinking about what some of the greatest inventions of the 20th century are, air conditioning and the iPod spring to mind. After this whole kitchen remodel thing, I've got to say that the dishwasher is right up there. Not that hand washing stuff in a sink is bad, but hand washing dishes for three months in a bucket in your bathtub leaves a bit to be desired. Today the plumbers came back and set us up with our faucet, disposal and dishwasher. Love that dishwasher.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
More Things We Love...
Stocking up on future Halloween costumes! Today I got a sunflower costume for next year for Miss B. and a three-eyed pink alien for the year after for a whopping $6.37. Tell me, at those prices, how long before Babies r' Us files for bankruptcy??
And, I have to again sing the praises of Vanity Fair! I've been reading the November issue and it's chock full of good stuff. I've already read the article about Cherie Blair and the story about how Jackie O helped to coordinate bringing the Mona Lisa to the US for a visit in the '60s. I still have left to read an article about Prince William and Kate Middleton and a story about the "Battle of the Money Honeys"... Husband loves that Maria Bartioromo!
And, I have to again sing the praises of Vanity Fair! I've been reading the November issue and it's chock full of good stuff. I've already read the article about Cherie Blair and the story about how Jackie O helped to coordinate bringing the Mona Lisa to the US for a visit in the '60s. I still have left to read an article about Prince William and Kate Middleton and a story about the "Battle of the Money Honeys"... Husband loves that Maria Bartioromo!
Garage Sale Update...
So we only ended up making about $113, but we did get to meet our neighbor from the Red Maple Farm down the street! I had wondered if any of the neighbors would come by (I was thinking more along the lines of the Ilventos or Unganos who live on either side of us) so that was fun.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Real Time Garage Sale Blogging....
Today's the big day: Garage Sale! Forecast? 60% chance of rain starting at 12pm. Reality? It's already drizzling, so thanks to the Husband (who nicely cleared out the garage last night despite being both tired and sick!) we have moved operations indoors. We had advertised a 10am start time, but it takes a certain kind of person to be a garage saler, so true to form we had three people in parked cars waiting outside of the house by 9:30am. The Husband went outside to put out our "Garage Sale Here!" signs on the front lawn/across the street and as soon as he did that the horde was out of their cars ready to pounce. Of course, pouncing garage salers don't actually mean big sales-- but in the first twenty minutes I made about $40. The cash-to-minute ratio has been going downhill steadily ever since. So far it is 11:44am and we've gotten about $100 (Let's not talk about the $20 it cost to place the ad in the Town Topics or the $20 spent at Office Depot in sign/price tag supplies). I guess the best way to look at it is that people hauled away crap we didn't want anymore and they paid us for it. I guess that's really all you can hope for! For right now we still have some big ticket items left. Namely the infamous Viking cooktop, a Pottery Barn rug and a Baby Einstein jumper. Next question: If it's raining, how long is it likely for me to continue to sit outside and man this thing? Luckily, I do have internet in the garage! (Who knew, half the time it doesn't even work *inside* the house!)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Good Housekeeping.
Ana recently correctly noted that much of the content of this blog has to do with either house remodeling or trips into "The City". True. Unfortunately, here goes another one, in a similar vein: I must sing the praises of two of my favorite household appliances (I'm sure that in a sick twist of fate after this post has been published both items will mysteriously "go on the fritz", but here goes)...
First: The Dyson. I know everybody hates those goofy commercials with James Dyson talking about how his vacuum never looses suction and then something new about rotating of a pivot, but those commercials aside-- I do love my dyson. I have the original yellow monster. It is four and a half years old and it is by far the oldest vacuum I've ever had. Used to be vacuums would crap out about every year or so (part of the problem could have been the whole thing about emptying and replacing the bags, but I digress). The Dyson is great. Not only does it theoretically "never lose suction"--- this is an Obama-ism... it only doesn't lose suction if you follow the instructions and every so often (so far, once in four years) wash out the internal filter. It also has this seventeen foot long attachment hose and three pretty useful attachments. One is great for doing our stair runner, another perfect for getting cat hair off of our furniture (a nice little personal challenge set forth each day by Miss Kitty just to keep us on our toes). Also great, since it is bagless and super easy to empty I usually empty the canister each time I use it. This ease of use will invariably lead to attempting to vacuum up things that one shouldn't. Case in point-- last evening I was vacuuming all of the new kitchen cabinets in order to get rid of the sawdust, etc. from the installation process... I was too zealous in my undersink vacuuming and sucked up some sort of wood block. What happened? The vacuum started to make a strange wheezing sound (kind of like the time I accidentally vacuumed up an entire unwound spool of curling ribbon). Then what happened? I was able to push a button and release the 17-foot hose, take the attachment head off of the hose and pop! Wood block dislodged! The Dyson comes apart (and goes back together) insanely easily... which makes it almost idiot proof. The only downside? It doesn't seem to be designed very well to vacuum the inside of our cars. I think this is some sort of deal with the devil made by dustbuster and the automotive manufacturing contingent. Thus proving again that one must always own more than one vacuum.
Fabulous Household Item #2: The Dualit Toaster!
I recall going to the Williams Sonoma Outlet years ago and seeing rack upon rack of reconditioned Dualit toasters and thinking: "These things must be real pieces of crap!" But lo and behold, I have had the Dualit for a bit longer than the Dyson and it is fantastic. I think that all of the reconditioned ones were probably less likely ones that had actually broken and mostly just ones that people didn't figure out how to use. These toasters, from Britain where tea and toast is a religion, aren't particularly intuitive to say the least, but they are deceptively simple to use if you think outside the standard toasting box. First of all, there is a button on the two slot machines that allows you to select whether you want one element or both elements to work (i.e. it's energy friendly if you're making a lone slice of toast. Of course the switch is a bit imperfect in that turning it only really shuts off the outside element of the second slot so if you were to put two pieces of toast in the machine one would toast perfectly and the second would be toasted only on one side...leading you, perhaps, to think it is broken). I've already done this once but then thankfully realized I had pushed the button by mistake. Then, for things like bagels it has taken us four years plus to realize that if you put the sliced side of a bagel facing outwards it will toast appropriately with only one twist of the timer-- face the bagel inwards and you'll be going through multiple go-rounds and then end up practically singe-ing the thing. Who ever knew toast could have so much personality? But truly, the machine is a workhorse-- tirelessly producing slice upon slice of perfectly toasted bread every time we make tuna on toast and doing a great job with morning after morning of bagel toasting. I love it and it comes in fashion colors!
First: The Dyson. I know everybody hates those goofy commercials with James Dyson talking about how his vacuum never looses suction and then something new about rotating of a pivot, but those commercials aside-- I do love my dyson. I have the original yellow monster. It is four and a half years old and it is by far the oldest vacuum I've ever had. Used to be vacuums would crap out about every year or so (part of the problem could have been the whole thing about emptying and replacing the bags, but I digress). The Dyson is great. Not only does it theoretically "never lose suction"--- this is an Obama-ism... it only doesn't lose suction if you follow the instructions and every so often (so far, once in four years) wash out the internal filter. It also has this seventeen foot long attachment hose and three pretty useful attachments. One is great for doing our stair runner, another perfect for getting cat hair off of our furniture (a nice little personal challenge set forth each day by Miss Kitty just to keep us on our toes). Also great, since it is bagless and super easy to empty I usually empty the canister each time I use it. This ease of use will invariably lead to attempting to vacuum up things that one shouldn't. Case in point-- last evening I was vacuuming all of the new kitchen cabinets in order to get rid of the sawdust, etc. from the installation process... I was too zealous in my undersink vacuuming and sucked up some sort of wood block. What happened? The vacuum started to make a strange wheezing sound (kind of like the time I accidentally vacuumed up an entire unwound spool of curling ribbon). Then what happened? I was able to push a button and release the 17-foot hose, take the attachment head off of the hose and pop! Wood block dislodged! The Dyson comes apart (and goes back together) insanely easily... which makes it almost idiot proof. The only downside? It doesn't seem to be designed very well to vacuum the inside of our cars. I think this is some sort of deal with the devil made by dustbuster and the automotive manufacturing contingent. Thus proving again that one must always own more than one vacuum.
Fabulous Household Item #2: The Dualit Toaster!
I recall going to the Williams Sonoma Outlet years ago and seeing rack upon rack of reconditioned Dualit toasters and thinking: "These things must be real pieces of crap!" But lo and behold, I have had the Dualit for a bit longer than the Dyson and it is fantastic. I think that all of the reconditioned ones were probably less likely ones that had actually broken and mostly just ones that people didn't figure out how to use. These toasters, from Britain where tea and toast is a religion, aren't particularly intuitive to say the least, but they are deceptively simple to use if you think outside the standard toasting box. First of all, there is a button on the two slot machines that allows you to select whether you want one element or both elements to work (i.e. it's energy friendly if you're making a lone slice of toast. Of course the switch is a bit imperfect in that turning it only really shuts off the outside element of the second slot so if you were to put two pieces of toast in the machine one would toast perfectly and the second would be toasted only on one side...leading you, perhaps, to think it is broken). I've already done this once but then thankfully realized I had pushed the button by mistake. Then, for things like bagels it has taken us four years plus to realize that if you put the sliced side of a bagel facing outwards it will toast appropriately with only one twist of the timer-- face the bagel inwards and you'll be going through multiple go-rounds and then end up practically singe-ing the thing. Who ever knew toast could have so much personality? But truly, the machine is a workhorse-- tirelessly producing slice upon slice of perfectly toasted bread every time we make tuna on toast and doing a great job with morning after morning of bagel toasting. I love it and it comes in fashion colors!
Monopoly
It's that time of year again-- time to play Monopoly at McDonald's. My question, in the "instant win" department-- does anybody ever actually win anything besides the coupon for 25% off at the Lady Footlocker??? I can't even get a free hashbrown or a small coffee!
We Are The World...
So you already knew about my original contractor, Carlos and his men, who were Mexican. Then there's Devi our Ukrainian electrician. Our woodfloor guy was a nice African American gentleman named Frank who employed people who may have been Portugese (the language they spoke seemed to be some strange amalgam of romance languages). Our plumber? Vin Diesel (aka Anthony, who is Italian, as is our carpenter/tile guy). Today? Today our laundry room floor is being tiled by an asian man and his wife! Talk about a family business. While the Husband and I did used to work down the hall from one another at The Job, I think if we were both employed working side by side in a trade he'd probably shoot me. We have one more big item to complete-- having a new baseboard installed in the kitchen-- and at this rate I just won't be happy unless the installer is an eskimo. Why do I suddenly feel like Angelina Jolie?
In case you were wondering....
The Husband has indicated that it takes approximately 440 licks before one reaches the center of a tootsie pop.
Tile!
Because a day can't go by without more updates on the kitchen front...
(Note there's some wacky shadows/lighting issues because of the flash and the time of day when I took these...)
Tony has to finish the rest of the subway tile tomorrow, flip those decorative tiles that he installed upside down (!) and then do the rest of the cabinet work....
(Note there's some wacky shadows/lighting issues because of the flash and the time of day when I took these...)
Tony has to finish the rest of the subway tile tomorrow, flip those decorative tiles that he installed upside down (!) and then do the rest of the cabinet work....
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Today's Observation...
We're still waiting for the compactor to be delivered and Tony the cabinet/tile guy installed about half of our decorative tile upside down.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Granite!
The granite men were here for five hours. I can't say that I didn't expect that. I just expected it would be during *normal* business hours. Instead, they arrived at 4:30pm and left sometime during the second act of Heroes. Yes, that's right, they were here at the house installing the granite countertops with what smelled like the equivilent of airplane glue until after 9:30pm. Call me an old fogey but I really don't want contractors doing work at the house after 6pm. I also don't like work to begin before 8am (in fact, even 8am is pushing it, I'd truly prefer 9). But, at this point, I guess I just have to be glad that its done.
Next up? Thursday is installation of the new ceramic tile floor in the utility/laundry room.
(Check out that tv! Note: the cord is not in its final location, thankfully.)
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Pumpkin Patch!
Today we visited Terhune Orchards! You would have never known you were in New Jersey, except for all of the ladies bedecked in velour track suits!
Friday, October 17, 2008
A Quick Update...
Here's the progress!
Monday: Granite will be installed (or at least it's supposed to be installed... the Granite people told me Tuesday when I called to confirm, and then Doug at HD interceded and made them go back to the original date of Monday... something's telling me they're going to pull a Verizon and "not be able to make it" on Monday... but I'm trying to stay positive!
Then we've got Tony coming back later in the week to finish his work on the cabinets and do the backsplash and we'll have Gold Medal come back and finish the plumbing (sink/dishwasher/disposal hook-up, pot-filler hook-up) and electrical (island lights, woo-hoo!).
What else? Laundry room floor! Lowes will be installing a tile floor in our laundry room. The materials are in stock and will be ready for pick up on Tuesday and the salesman expected that the installation can take place by the end of next week!
I see a light at the end of the tunnel.... and the exciting thing is it will be just in time for the new season of Top Chef which begins on November 12th!
Pack your knives and Go!
Speaking of packing your knives, we also visited the Town Topics office today in order to place our GARAGE SALE ad! Yes, we have finally lived here long enough to emass enough extra crap to hold a garage sale! I'm very excited. Of course, I'm sure I'll be less excited on the days leading up to the sale, but we'll see. We have lots of interesting stuff like our old Viking cooktop, two old TVs, our old kitchen rug, clothes, dishware and other assorted crap that has been taking up space in the "office" aka the moldy little room off of the garage. Let's hope we clear enough cash that it will pay for our new trash compactor!
Monday: Granite will be installed (or at least it's supposed to be installed... the Granite people told me Tuesday when I called to confirm, and then Doug at HD interceded and made them go back to the original date of Monday... something's telling me they're going to pull a Verizon and "not be able to make it" on Monday... but I'm trying to stay positive!
Then we've got Tony coming back later in the week to finish his work on the cabinets and do the backsplash and we'll have Gold Medal come back and finish the plumbing (sink/dishwasher/disposal hook-up, pot-filler hook-up) and electrical (island lights, woo-hoo!).
What else? Laundry room floor! Lowes will be installing a tile floor in our laundry room. The materials are in stock and will be ready for pick up on Tuesday and the salesman expected that the installation can take place by the end of next week!
I see a light at the end of the tunnel.... and the exciting thing is it will be just in time for the new season of Top Chef which begins on November 12th!
Pack your knives and Go!
Speaking of packing your knives, we also visited the Town Topics office today in order to place our GARAGE SALE ad! Yes, we have finally lived here long enough to emass enough extra crap to hold a garage sale! I'm very excited. Of course, I'm sure I'll be less excited on the days leading up to the sale, but we'll see. We have lots of interesting stuff like our old Viking cooktop, two old TVs, our old kitchen rug, clothes, dishware and other assorted crap that has been taking up space in the "office" aka the moldy little room off of the garage. Let's hope we clear enough cash that it will pay for our new trash compactor!
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