Best/Worse &What did I learnt today/Chat with Friends #77

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http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/934413/
to tgus cheerful room, one full of hope and beyond all, one of friendship...I certainly appreciate yours!

Stacey, a mystery swap and I've completed all of my commitments on Dg so can surely participate..off to find it..tks

Just got in from town, Walmart was discounting Christmas things to 75% off...only thing that tempted me which I bought was a new tree skirt for rec.room tree...bought 3 more totes (not discounted - yuk) and hope I have enough to finish packing my treasures...

Went over to Tripps Decorating store and you have to order wallpaper from booklets..don't want anything thing stands out or bright, just to pretty up the hallway..what I chose was 29.99 a single roll so that brings me with store discount just over the $150.00 project mark...

On my way out of town I thought I'd check to see what they had at the Re-use it shop for Humanity..much to choose from which I was surprised in wallpaper dept. but all too bright, or stripes etc. wanted something that blends in with wallpaper of the tea run and not jump out at me...walked over to the next aisle and wasn't there more..I managed to find 4 double rolls and they were marked down to $3.00 each..imagine..I asked the gentleman who works in that department if I could trust that the glue is good, he asked the cashier and she said they got all the leftover wallpaper when Color Your World moved from Midland and said it was good washable quality..not exactly what I wanted but hey price was right...when the gentleman cashed me in he said 'did you notice that everything today is discounted????' my whopping wallpaper project will cost me a total of $4.58..I'm so laughing..let's hope it looks ok..just wanted it to be much the color it is now, just softer look...hey, for that amount of money I can wallpaper and later on when I find at Color Your World the wallpaper that I 'ooh and ahhh over I can redo it..not a big project....

Ha, I'm the first! Neeener neener neeeeeeeeeeeeeeener!

LOL

Betty, watch Twister with Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, and Carey Elwes. It's an older movie, 1996 I believe, but it's a good one.

AHHHHH! I am FIRST on this Thread!!!!!

Hello, Everyone! Funny, how we all want to clean and straighten and organize as soon as the New Year rolls around.
That's why every store sells all these totes this time of year.

I have already started on my BIG, old oak desk (1800's). SO many nooks and cranies and drawers. It is time to see what all I have stashed where.
Went through a lot of old cards and letters the other night.....nostalgic..

My Ex found this desk in the "dungeons" of the Estonian House and refinished it. Left it for me to use. It is worth about $2500.....

Happy 2009, everyone! Gita
See here.....

Crissy--we cross-posted.......
Now YOU are first! I went and took the picture of the desk and you just snuk in.....

................:o)

Betty..what a great bargain! Love stories like that...it is a pretty paper.

I've been outside picking up small branches that were all over from the high winds we had a few days ago.
Shovelled a bit of snow..

Gita..that looks like a roll top desk..lovely thing to have.

Hey Crissy..you are pumped today. LOL

Gita it's beautiful..I so love old furniture...was looking at the old cupboard I have in entrance, it's all scratched up but nice..finish is so very dark..thought yesterday when I was dusting that perhaps I'd re-finish it this winter while I'm housebound because of the weather..you've given me the 'itch' now to do so...

Crissy, will look for that movie..the one yesterday really was good, don't remember the actors names...

Carol, the day after we had all the rain and wind I did much the same..had a big fire yesterday, still more to clean up but might have to wait till spring or when I get the urge...lol...

Still packing up Christmas goodies, made it to the basement..thought of you Carol leaving your rec.room decorated and thought why not? but, with everyone who is in and out here think I'd best store them away so nothing gets broken...by tonight there will be no signs of christmas..sad in some ways..was thinking to myself while packing, 'if I'm not here next year what will the boys ever do with all of this...' give you a clue, most likely a big green box..lol

do you Carol have a 'Re-Use it store for humanity' in your area..lots of new things still in boxes..was looking for counter top and also a zinc for washroom..no go..I'm only blocks away from the Barrie one so I'll keep looking..it's one of those stores you have to continually go in with measurements in hand and all of a sudden it will be there as a discount...

Paper is pretty, certainly not what I would have chosen but hey, for less than $5.00 it's another corner cleaned...

No Betty,
No Re-use it store around here.
We do have Salvation Army store..and St Vincent De Paul store..and a couple of used clothing stores.

I just took down the few outside decorations...unplugged the lights..

I went and filled up with gas..not sure if the price going higher or not..but I was down to a quarter tank..and I like to keep at least half or more of a tank in the winter..as you never know what might happen.

Our gas here Carol is 69.9 and has been for a few weeks...doing same, filling constantly so don't get a shock when it skyrockets...which most likely will shortly..been a pleasure at the gas station though..still higher than USA ..

Ooops problems...whoever lived here before put raised wallpaper on panelling...oh/oh and painted it several times...Now I'm scrapping off the bottom, top seems fine..must get some 'dap' and fill in the panelling indent..wouldn't you know...

June just dropped in for a visit...laughing at the mess I get myself into..not a nice friend is she...ahhhh she is...she just likes playing with me...so while dap dries I can get the other side done, wait till morning and hopefully wallpaper sticks to panelling???? anyone do it on panelling before????

Good afternoon to you ladies....still a little morning left here but I am just staying curled up with my tea and blanket. A very light dusting of snow last night but all gone and the sun is out now. Still very cold. I sit here wrapped up, sniffing and sneezing, watching my Mum out taking down all her Christmas Decor. It is rather funny that she can rarely wait for Thanksgiving Dinner to get out all the Christmas things, but by the end of Christmas Day she is already talking about putting them away. She leaves her out doors decor up until after our party so the duplex doesn't look lop sided with lights on only one half, then I have to take mine down for the same reason! I love to put them up early, but until we started having the Club New Years Party at our house, we always left the Decor up until Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) for Laura's birthday. Maybe I should start a Christmas Shop then I could leave my Christmas up all year round! I fear Bill would go completely mad if I even suggested it.....he has a Santa hat with a Baseball Cap type Bill on it that says "Bah, Humbug"......not a big fan of year round Christmas!

Betty what a great deal on your wall paper.......was the same thing with the paint in my wash room. I will change the color one day....what I have is "close" to what I wanted, but not exactly. Then I got it for $5 a gallon in the mis-mixed paint section instead of the regular $22. At the time I wanted to paint I had the $5, didn't have the $22. Maybe one of my winter projects will be to repaint with the color I want.

Stacey, when I get over this cold so I don't pass it on to my mum I will take a picture of her ribbon holder. She made a frame of 4 pieces of 1x 4 to make a hanging shelf unit, but instead of putting the shelves in flat she angled the front of the shelf upwards so all her rolls of ribbon sit nicely without rolling off....you can pull out and cut off what you need, or remove the entire roll and take it where you want. We have some on the dowel type holders but got tired of having the roll we wanted always in the Middle.

Gita, I love your desk....I just have thing for Old pieces...Bill says as far as furniture is concerned I was born a few centuries too late.

Crissy, Carol ~~~~waving to you both.

Think it is time to take some more cold meds and nap a bit.

Forgot the Taiwan question Betty......for a number of years Bill and I worked for a few of the big U.S. Bicycle Companies....we did product design, sourcing and quality assurance. Most the production we dealt with was in Taiwan....with Bill doing a few side trips to a couple of factories in Japan and China. This was in the late '80's and early 90's. Our family lived in Taiwan for a year and we loved it there (did not care so much for the US People we worked for and with) the country is beautiful, the food was wonderful and many of our Taiwanese friends became more like family to us. After moving back to the US we still did a lot of work there, at times each of spending one or two weeks every month traveling over....it would have been much more effective if That company would have just arranged for us to live there! It was one of those Best of Times/Worst of Times situations. Loved the country, the people. the job but were working for some real jerks to put it politely. It didn't help that my emotional/mental health issues had not been diagnosed at the time. Have not been in position to return there since the early '90's...would love to travel back and visit friends there in a non-work related situation.

Trisha, sorry to hear you are down with a cold..nasty and hard to get rid of at this time of year..probably because the weather changes so...

Loved your story able the East..lucky you, got to travel and enjoy on someone elses dime...I was travelling quite a bit when working for American Express but because I had 2 babies, soon had to stop that..but did enjoy travelling the USA...

Melanie just called me from town, asked if I'd cook 2 roasts and slice them for Greg's party..OMG she's taking a big chance isn't she...I'd best pay attention..not overcook/undercook..have meat thermometer..best check out which degree they should be at for sliced meat..why couldn't I be in charge of decorating or something..instead I get the refreshments and now cooking...

well got the indent filled with 'dap', downstairs for screwdriver to take tops of electric outlets and then I just might start...only 2 narrow side walls can't be done unless the 'dap' dries quickly..

Stacey, joined the 'mystery' swap..should be loads of fun...

LOL Gita I sent it real quick so I would still be first LOL!

The desk is gorgeous!

Trisha I'm getting over my cold too, it was pretty nasty with the congestion in my sinuses. Still have some but not near as much, not blowing my nose every minute.

I would love to travel the world! My husband has traveled from being in the Army then took a long vacation in Europe when he divorced LOL

Oh,oh, what a mess we're in...between cooking roasts, and you know me and cooking..heads will roll if I don't do it right, either that or I'll be at a store purchasing cold meats in the a.m. and then wallpapering, the day if flying by...am hoping at least midnight I'll have a project done and be satisfied with my 'time' off...

Doing good in this department...walls all washed...

Not so good on the opposite side of the hall...yuk

Even Sailor and Missy are checking things out..

Walls are going to be in ship shape before you know it Betty. I'm going to call you a fixaholic LOL

I love your black and white animals

I keep plugging Crissy to make it home...country/warm feeling..sometimes I think it's a battle I'll not win, then I do a few more things and I feel I'm making progress and achieving just what I want...

The more I put up the $5.00 buy the more I'm liking it, not sure if it's because it's sooooo cheap, almost a 'steal' or if I truly like it just 'because'....lol

If you look at the color of the background of the wallpaper and that of the doors/trim they match quite nicely..almost same in background color..I'm shaking my head now, painting trim and doors just to clean them up is a MUST..bet you could of guessed that...

I would say I'm 1/2 done, taking a break, off to check the roasts, if I sit I'm finished, if I continue working most likely in about 2 hrs. I'll be done and can sit, relax and enjoy...

In the photo it looks like there is an odd bubble and yet on the wall not..just one seam joint that I'd have to replace the entire wall if I were to fix...so there will go the big painting I painted...will hide multitude of sins...lol

That is very pretty, don't know about you but I really do like it!

Oh so soft and pretty..it sure does match the painted door.

Well things have slowed down here a little so checking in and trying to catch up. Betty I really like the wallpaper in the picture just above. It is so cottage looking to me--warm, homey and cozy. Have decided to wallpaper some of the "dungeon" IF my son ever finishes it! It is starting to drag now.

Sunny warm day today but rains are suppose to be coming in soon. I hope not until Sunday as I really want to do a few things outside tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. It was a little odd not being able to call my brother in London but did talk with my niece in Ingersoll. We laughed and cried together for awhile but all in all was a wonderful visit.

Time to call it a day, couldn't finish my project as I did put a strip of wallpaper up on the panelling and could see the darkness showing from underneath.....so a coat of paint given and another when it dries and I've had my bath and early am I'll finish it..

Marion, can imagine how you feel, 1st Christmas and all, bet thoughts of him came often during the festive season, a void you just can't fill...regardless of what exciting is in your life, these loved ones are missed and loved, never far from thought...

I think you mentioned before Marion that you had panelling...guess first step would be painting it a solid light color and if the panel has groves, a quick fill in, takes no time at all..

You are so lucky to be able to be playing outside...missed going south, guess that's why I kept so busy these past 2 weeks as not to feel sad.....maybe another season, when I'm not worried about the 'snow' for travelling...


Another coat should do it don't you think?

For under $5.00 it's looking nice...I'm liking it...

Thanks for keeping me company, sure hope I can sleep...
Good Lord willing we'll talk tomorrow..

Job well done Betty! Pleasant dreams.

As you can well guess, I was up early this morning and project complete...pleased with the outcome..

Going to have my bath, slice roast beef which I didn't burn (don't know how I managed that) ...it's been so long since I've 'plucked' my eyebrows which is badly needed, should go to hairdressers but decided I'll going to be a 'loafer' today...yes me...must also make sure the outfit I want to wear this aft. STILL fits...party starts at 4:00 pm..even put my batteries in the charger so think I'm well organized...

Was going to go in and pick up paint to do trim and doors but I think I've done enough..might pick it up on my way to Greg's so that it will be here when I decide I've time on my hands...

If I find the day is tooooo long, I'll take down the basement Christmas tree....

What are you all up to today? the weather here is bright, icy cold but good travelling...hope it's the same for you, well no, hoping for you southerners that it's a warm day, one that will allow you all to finally get out and enjoy..

Really like the wall paper, Betty. I don't usually like florals but that is so pretty and feminine. When I paint or paper over paneling I have used KILZ as a primer first. That makes sure that what I put on stays on. Use to think you couldn't put anything over paneling but not today! Had dark paneling in the living room and it made the whole room dark so pretty gold paint went right over the primer and we have a bighter, prettier room.
Christmas is almost a memory. All I have to do is take the containers down to the basement and I am done. I did leave some of my snowmen up since this helps me step down from all the decorating at Christmas. They will stay up until Valentines.

Janice, do you decorate for Valentines day...omg that's about the only one I don't do..lol..what kind of things would you put out???

Have my meat sliced, kitchen cleaned, going to steam mop my floors then sit and try to make myself presentable...

Have used Kilz but didn't have any so just regular white acrylic had to do..next time something is done in the hallway it will be to replace with drywall..not ready for it as yet..one step at a time right?

Betty, I am sorry but will have to renig on the scrappbooking thing because with the life I have here I will be lucky to get one page done in a yr. I am going to do some tho. I don't really know how to go about it since I have never done it but will stumble along and maybe learn. Thanks for including me. I think it will be betwen you and Laura. Hope you all have a nice day. Still haven't heard from Jesse???? Hugs BEV

Usually put some kind of heart things in with the greens in the basket on my front door, a few candles in preety holders and a red decoration for the dining room table. I have a half tin basket for my front door that I just rotate things for the seasons and a black oval vase for the dining room table that I do the same with.
At work I man the reception desk during the week and I decorate the end of the high desk for the seasons. We are on the lowest level of a 6 floor building and people come down to go through to a cafe in our atrium. Many people have remarked on the different decorations I put up; not big but makes people feel good to see flowers and things in an all cubicle office.

Betty, Gita & Trisha-I don't plan to take the roles off-just measure what I need and unroll that amount. I did 2 dowel holders and still have ribbon left over-I am a big fan of the Michaels $$ ribbon bin and their after holiday ribbon sales....so I guess the next time I am out and about, I will have to go and get another set....

I don't have a lot for valentines, just 1 box, but I am making a door decoration for it this year....

Looks very nice Betty! Fairy I don't decorate for Valentines Day either, never thought of it. Just as long as I have chocolate I'm good to go LOL

Just the thought of doing scrapbooking makes me tired, probably because I have such a mess.

Today is the day the Christmas decorations come down! I'm gearing up for that project, then I'm going to start on some embroidery, I'll probably start on the pillow cases that I want to give my mom for her birthday in August

I wonder if I'll have them done by then...

Hi everyone. Figured I'd check in and let you know I am alive. We've been busy since Xmas and now I am sick with a fever.

The sat after Xmas, we had planned to go up to Luray, Va and stay in a "secluded" house on the Shenandoah river. Well, we get there and first it's not secluded. there are other house within yards of this one. Then we get into the house and the owner had put a fire in the stove for us which had it been a cold day, would have been nice. But it was close to 70 so we had to turn the AC on. This in itself was not a prob but then we opened up the door/windows and the flys were waiting. You would have thought it was summer time there were so many!! When you closed the doors and left the lights on, these little gnatty flys were all over everything. And on top of that, the water was well water which smelled like the most rotten eggs I have ever smelled. I'm serious, I thought I would throw up when I washed my face. Don't get me wrong, I love to camp and have no prob with bugs and such when I am doing that but when I stay in a house, I don't want bugs and I want to be able to wash my hands without getting sick. So night #1 was over and we hung out watching TV and playing Wii and then the neighbors staying having target practice - about 50 yds away. So now we couldn't go out down by the river and the dogs were freaking out so I told DH, I just want to go home so we packed up 24 hrs after arriving and went home. Oh well, we know where not to stay next time.

Betty, you asked about Sailor. She is doing great. She loved Xmas morning and all the wrapping paper. She walked around with a smile on her face all morning with paper hanging out her mouth. We have decided (really, I did) that we are going to foster one of her sisters until the breeder finds a home or decides to show her. Her name is Hula and we are going to "test drive" her for the weekend in a couple of weeks. We will only have to pay for her food and the breeder will take her when she goes in season. So I'm excited. Maybe she'll giver her to us!! (wink!)

Spent New Years Eve at a hotel for one of my girlfriend's wedding. DD babysat while DH and I partied. It was nice. Came home and got sick. Had a flu test yesterday but negative so just got a bug of some sort.

I'll check back later. Happy New Year all!!

Well I hope you feel better soon, and your next camping trip is much better than this one was. Always a drag when you're not having a good time with something that you were looking forward to for a while.

There are so many different viruses going around with the temp changes and all it's insane. My mom just had surgery yesterday at the tail end of some sort of stomach flu. It's nuts!

Jeannine, I'm laughing but not at you, just the situation, you do seem to have some extra ordinary experiences when doing camping and holiday ventures..should write a book...all kidding aside, how are you doing today, better I hope...hear of so many having been ill over the Christmas season...

OMG another 'Sailor and Murphy'...you'll have your hands tied for sure...best of luck in the 'giving' Hula to you...wow that's an undertaking!

Crissy, hope your mom's surgery wasn't life threatening...how is she doing?

Fun afternoon and evening at Greg's...

He had gone out late morning for snowmobile ride and wouldn't you know a cleat went through the radiator tank..you'd have to know Greg to know just how upset he'd be..he lives on his machine..Jeff had arrived early and went to bring the snowmachine into Greg's work shop in Midland..they were able (after Greg searched half the town) to find a welder that did that type of welding..machine 1/2 dismantled...Greg not being happy, miserable infact, Jeff helping where he could he and Kyle knowing full well the party was starting at 4:00..finally at about 5:00 Jeff couldn't just let Greg finish repairing the machine so said he had a date in the city and Greg would just have to drive him to the house...when he arrived and saw baloons all the way down the street he knew he wouldn't be going back to finish putting his machine together....

His arriving home...

Greg telling everyone that they are invited to Melanie's 40th in May..she said 'no' party but payback now...

There were always kids galore when my boys were growing up..most were other children who cottaged on our lake..guess from what they said last night, they always 'felt' right at home at our house so that was the place to be..said I and Roger were neat parents...what better tribute could you have...

This is Rob and his son..all the boys called Rob (Relic) after a t.v. program that was on the air for decades..Relic always drove an old boat, half falling apart..as did Rob...
Rob lives in the city, owns his own Heating/Airconditioning Business...

John is another of my favorites...he lives down from Greg's..in Real Estate, family of 5

My Jeff and Gig..now all of you must have come across a friend of your children who remind you of Eddie Haskell of Leave it to Beaver...I rarely could remember his name, he's always been 'Eddie' to me and I always called him as such...

He'd arrive and tell me how pretty I was, how the meal was just the best he ever had, what a nice home I had etc.etc.etc. and you'd turn around and he'd be leading the kids into some mischief...once he was in the house going on about the kids not behaving properly, 2 secs. later I looked out onto the dock and here he was 'mooning' everyone...so it truly was nice seeing him and meeting his lovely wife..