Mrs. Fixit...or how to remove wallpaper

After finished product

Before, big mess

Lately I have been suffering from an acute nesting urge.  For the past month I have been in a re-decorating, re-modeling frenzy.  First I re-painted and re-decorated my son's old room.  For two years now I have kept it looking like a kids room, but I figured since he is in the air force, there isn't a need to have it kept as a shrine to childhood.  No, I didn't ditch all the stuff, I packed it away neatly, and now I have a new sewing room to go with my new sewing machine, which I have yet to play with.

Secondly, I re-grouted the tiles in my shower.  I must say, not a fun job, but the end result is awesome.  Be warned, re-grouting is exhausting and messy.  I started the job wearing sweats and a t-shirt but when I began grouting myself, I am embarrassed to say I finished in my underwear.

And thirdly I tackled the ugly wallpaper in my downstairs bathroom that came with the house when we moved in 12 years ago.  I've wanted to remove it for ages and I was mistakenly elated when the top portion came off easily.  I discovered tan fuzzy paper underneath.  Now I will say, I am no expert, but I researched wallpaper removal and bought all the supplies suggested.  When I started, I discovered that the commercial stripper didn't work.  The commercial scraper broke, and I never even used the perforator.  After one day of problems I just looked up home made stripper solutions and found that Fabric softener (any old cheapo kind) mixed with water in a spray bottle worked wonders.  A rigid paint scraper worked better than ones made for wallpaper removal.  And the second day the job went easier.  After the removal I scrubbed the walls with vinegar and water and painted.

It just goes to show you, sometimes home remedies work better than what they say "The pros use."

Love is in the air and in the movies

I admit it.  I am a sucker for a romantic movie, better known as a chic flic. And although my dear hubby would never admit it, he is a romantic as well.  After all we got engaged on Valentine's Day.  I know, I know, cheesy thing to do over a taco, but hey it was kind of romantic when he placed the ring on my plate.

So in honor of Valentine's Day I give you my 15 favorite romantic movies, along with my explanation, sprinkled with a little bit of cheese.

1.  "Titanic"

 Ok, I think this one is self explanatory.  I mean saving someone in every way possible?  What could be more romantic than that?

2.  "Ghost" 

It has all the elements of a romantic plot, ghosts, the supernatural...um never mind but it sure makes working in clay a lot more fun.

3.  "Pretty woman"

Oh my goodness, who wouldn't want being saved from life of ruin by Richard Gere?  Or is he being saved from his empty life by a tad less than pure Julia Roberts?  You be the judge.

4.  "Pride and Predjudice"

How can you not root for strong female character falling in love but not sacrificing her ideals.  The predjudice part is secondary.

5.  "Gone with the wind"

Frankly my dear, I hope Rhett and Scarlet can work this one out.  Then again...tomorrow is another day.

6.  "You've got mail"

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks prove that nothing can stand in the way of true love, not even the internet.

7.  "While you were sleeping"

In the search for true love, Sandra Bullock finds that sometimes it is standing right in front of you.

8.  "The Holiday"

Two love stories for the price of one, Christmas, Travel abroad, sensitive men, need I say more?  And a happy ending to boot. 

9. " Sixteen candles"

My most favorite teen love story.  And not one but two leading men, Jake Ryan and Farmer Ted.  Jake Ryan is sure a hottie but I was kind of pulling for Farmer Ted.  On second thought the birthday cake scene was super romantic.

10.  "My big fat Greek wedding"

I probably put this one in only because I am Greek and a lot of the movie resonated with me.  Although, it is kind of romantic what a man will put up with when he is in love.  No my hubby didn't sit in pool and get baptised, but he have that hour long Greek wedding!

11.  "Shrek"

Since I am including the not so usual romantic movies I figured why not a computer animated one.  This one tries to teach us that no matter how hideous you appear on the outside, true love's kiss will bring out your true form and your true love will see that form as beautiful...make sense? If not maybe you are overthinking this?

12.  "The notebook"

A tear-jerker for sure.  Honestly I hate going to movies that I know I will cry in so I usually wait till they come out on video so I can cry in the privacy of my own recliner, with my own tissues, causing these least amount of embarassment to my husband.  This love story that spans decades shows how just how long true love lasts and how many boxes of tissues I can use in one sitting.

13.  "Peggy Sue got married"

This one kind of made me cry as well since the dreams of what one thinks love can be are not always what they are.  It does end happy though.

14.  "27 dresses"

A lot of people may not agree with me on this one since it is a pretty simple story.  Always a bridesmaid, never a bride is painfully true till the happy ending on this one.  And you gotta love the re-wording of Elton's Benny and the Jets.

15.  "Bridesmaids"

Speaking of bridesmaids, this movie has a way of making you root for someone who is envious, unhappy with her life, not always very nice.  And it makes you wish you could be stopped by a traffic cop for a broken tailpipe as well.

I know there are tons more, some I forgot, some I just didn't add becasue they didn't work for me.  I mean I don't really feel "Casablanca", but for those of you who do, here's looking at you kid.

No cross---words

I love doing crossword puzzles.  It’s no secret that crossword puzzles can keep your mind sharp-- improve knowledge--and vocabulary.  When I work my puzzles I like to use a pen, who doesn’t?  A pen produces nice dark lines that are easily readable in any light and on any type of paper.  The main drawback is that letters printed in pen are difficult to remove. Drawn over lines are messy and sometimes hard to decipher.  So what’s a puzzle addict to do?

Well, I try the pencil.  It has a nice eraser on it, but it sometimes tears the fragile puzzle paper, especially when one is frustrated.  I mean really--a seven-letter word for a scavenger could be buzzard, right?  Nope, it’s vulture, and I rip the paper trying to erase my error. Add on a couple hundred trips to the pencil sharpener and I am wits end.

So I pick up some mechanical pencils and soon find that lead is a bit thin for my pressure and the tips keep snapping off.

Next I discover erasable pens.  They aren’t perfect but they ARE a step up from pencils.  The only problem is that until they set, they smear so the side of my hand looks like I have beating it against the wall since it’s black and blue. And when they do set they don’t erase anymore.

The hunt goes on and I find a so called liquid pencil, which looks like a pen and has an eraser on the top, but when I use it I find it skips ink and the letters look like they are written by my 98 year-old Aunt Jenny.  Frustrated beyond words I toss it in the trash.

And then a light at the end of the tunnel!  I discover new erasable gel pens that erase with only friction.  It comes in awesome colors and it doesn’t skip, it writes dark and crisp and erases without a hitch on any type of paper.  What could this wonder be? 

Frixion erasable gel pens by pilot…

So now, I can do my puzzles with ease and NO – CROSS WORDS

See-saw Va. weather

Well, after the deep freeze last week, mother nature took a detour--a 30+ degree detour. Last week the temperatures barely got out of the teens  Yesterday, January 29 the thermometer in my garage nearly popped it's top as temperature soared to 75 degrees!

I remember reading once that there is a phenomenon called the "January thaw", which acts as a sort of reprieve from cold weather in order to give everyone time to gear up for the next cold snap. Well, I don't know about the "thaw" but in a few days Mr. groundhog Phil will make his prediction.

Personally I think that the mother we call nature is sleeping on the job.  Maybe she needs new glasses.  Maybe she needs a 2013 calendar.  Whatever the case may be, 75 degrees in January (except in Florida) shouldn't occur. 

75 degrees again today.  I toss my coat in the back of the closet. All those warm weather lovers (and I am beginning to think they are in the majority) can't stop jumping up and down as they unpack their swim suits.  All I can say is hold your horses....I think mother is waking up and dialing down the temps.  Tomorrow is going to be in the 30's.  And I hear she has been in conference with Phil. 

2013 Virginia snowman

So the forecasters blew it again.  They predicted a couple of inches of snow on Friday night and all we got was a dusting. Alas, not enough to build a normal sized snowman, but hey it's Virginia and snowman around here are usually pigmy sized.

So I present for your viewing pleasure my 2013 Virginia snowman.  

No go Snow

After one full week of rain-- the weatherman predicted SNOW. 

Now I’ll admit I’m not a fan of rain.  It’s gray and dreary, messy and dark.  Snow on the other hand gives the world an ethereal quality, a white purity that brightens the dead of winter.  I mean, we’ve all heard of snow blindness, but whoever heard of rain blindness?  And besides, snow is fun, ask any kid.

I don’t know anyone who wants a blizzard, but the 4 inches promised (at 100% mind you) would be just super.  We could build snowmen, have snow ball fights and go sledding.  We could watch movies on television and play video games without guilt.  We could use that shovel we bought two years ago-- and after we shovel the driveways of every senior within a three-mile radius, we could come inside and drink hot cocoa, satisfied.  And then we can get on each other’s nerves.  We can wonder, since the roads in our line of vision are clear, when school will resume. We can long for pizza delivery--anything delivered and eaten on paper plates. And if we are lucky enough to get out we can go to the store and discover that there is no milk or bread, like-- um, anywhere.

I am a bit bummed to report that the weatherman (he’s not batting too high these days) was wrong again.  When I awoke this morning instead of a blanket of white, I just saw wet pavement.  But wait, can it be?  Yes it can… it’s been so long I almost didn’t recognize it.  Here comes THE SUN!

The sun is a kind of consolation prize but I was so looking forward to playing in the white stuff. It looks like the only snowman I will be building will be two inches high and created with ice cubes ground up in a blender.  

Happy (positive) New Year

I don’t usually believe is making New Year’s resolutions.  I mean we should resolve to do something positive every day of our lives not once a year while recovering from a hangover.

Anyway this year I decided that I would actually make a group of resolutions, simply because January 1 is the first day of the year and I can’t think of a better time to start.  And what you may ask are these monumental changes I want to implement?

I resolve to wake up happy every day.  I resolve to be positive.  I resolve to look at the negative things and find positive hidden inside.  I resolve to bring joy and comfort wherever it is most needed.  I resolve to make this tiny piece of earth that I inhabit a better place because I was there.

When I was little my mother’s favorite book, the one she kept beside her bed, was “The power of positive thinking.” By Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.  At the time I just thought it was some lame and boring piece of literature. 

I’m not saying that one little book made the difference in my mother’s life, but I know that my mother never gave up on anything.  She always kept a positive attitude even during the most trying time in her life.

So to the start the year off right, I have compiled a group of quotations by Norman Vincent Peale so that you too, can resolve to be positive this year and every year to come.

“When you get up in the morning, you have two choices - either to be happy or to be unhappy. Just choose to be happy”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“It's always to soon to quit!”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“Remember that "Help us grow this grass" is a far more effective sign than "Keep off the grass".”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“Live your life and forget your age.”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“Imagination is the true magic carpet.”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.”

― Norman Vincent Peale

“Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast." ~”

― Norman Vincent Peale

Happy, Positive, New Year

Got Black-eyed peas?

Superstitions abound on New Year’s Day.  In my family I always make a big pot of Black-eyed peas with tomatoes and rice for luck, but why are they lucky? 

Well, in the south the story goes that when Sherman’s troops raided the south they took everything but the black-eyed peas, which they considered animal food.  So the southerners made it through the winter on black-eyed peas.  They were lucky and they credited the black-eyed peas.

Since I grew up in the south, that theory works for me, but my parents from whom I got this superstition were northerners and their parents came from Greece so none of my ancestors were around when the Southerners were eating those peas. 

Another tradition for New Year’s Day is the Greek New Year’s bread/cake.  Hidden inside this sweet bread is a coin--a dime when we were kids, but with inflation now it’s probably a quarter.  Whoever got the coin, got the luck.  My brothers always got the coin…and the luck.

Another superstition, (and I don’t know where this came from) is that a man has to be the first visitor on New Year’s Day.  My grandmother would not open the door unless it was a man on that day.  My mother always a rule breaker, made my brothers go outside and come back in just to be safe.  They weren’t men but hey they had that Y Chromosome so it worked for her. 

So just to be safe I guess I will go soak those dried black-eyed peas now. I mean why push my luck right?

What about you, what do you do for New Year’s Day?

Merry Christmas to all

Not to sound like a complainer, but this Christmas season has been the pits.  

After our trip to Florida for three days to visit relatives we came back to our 55-gallon fish tank leaking. We cleaned up the mess and then (See previous post) we went out a bought a 37-gallon fish tank to transfer the fish, which were biding their time in an interim tank. Hey, it happens, after all the fish tank was 25 years old.

Then the dryer broke.  Honestly I haven’t used a clothesline in years.  In fact I haven’t even seen one since I visited Amish country several years ago.  So, we went out and bought a new dryer.  Hey, it happens after all, the dryer was 12 years old.

So yesterday my husband worked all day fixing the new tank and transferred the fish from the interim tank, and then he went Christmas shopping. I figured I would take a nice hot shower.  As I relished the steamy warmth, I heard a loud noise.  I shrugged it off as a figment of my overactive imagination.  When I came downstairs…the new fish tank had burst.  All 37 gallons of water was seeping into the carpet where the fish (sadly) lay dead.

 

A fine crack that was already in the tank had worked its way all across and the pressure of the water pushed everything out. I can only imagine the speed with which it exploded.

HEY, that shouldn’t happen the tank was only several hours old!!! 

Honestly I do write fiction, but I couldn’t make this up if I wanted to.  Part of me just wanted to say—“Christmas is canceled”, but the rest of me wasn’t going down without a fight.  I grabbed my umbrella, (37 gallons of water makes an umbrella a necessity) and got to moving all the storage items that were stored in the very, very damp basement to a dry area. We are, however, done with fish tanks.  Judging from the recent events I think that the universe is trying to send us a message. 

So on Christmas Eve, we took the defective tank back to the pet store.  and I sat in wait for the delivery of my new dryer.  At least I won’t have to string a clothesline.  The turkey is in the oven, and the standing rib roast is standing at the ready.  Soon I will have a ton of people over and I will celebrate Christmas.  I always say that good things come from bad.  Good thing number one is that I will HAVE to go through boxes of stuff that have been in my basement for years gathering dust.  I’ll take the junk to the dump and the good stuff to Goodwill.  I also got a cool new dryer, and I’ll get a new rug for my office. Because no matter what problems I have, I still feel as if I am the most blessed woman on earth, and yes I will have a Merry Christmas and I hope you all have the best Christmas ever!

Merry Christmas and a (dry) and Happy New Year!

Go fish

Water, water everywhere

I am starting to believe that Murphy must be a distant relative of mine. You know Murphy, the guy from Murphy’s Law, which states that if anything can go wrong it will.  I won’t attempt to research the actual Murphy associated with this law because there are many opinions and many stories.  Let’s just say that whoever he is, he must be a relative of mine.

After spending three days visiting relatives in Florida with the usual minor irritations like late flights and Floridian flu, we started our return trip simply enough, although arriving back during Washington D.C. rush hour was a poorly planned decision.  2 ½” hours later, we walked in the door ready to hit the hay.  The only problem was that the hay in this case, was in a sense, under water. 

Our 55-gallon fish tank had, while we were traveling, sprung a pretty good leak.  Ever had your feet squish as you walk? (50 or so gallons of water will do that) Ever had to rush around trying to find someone with a spare fish tank to save the underwater creatures that were soon to become land animals?  Ever had it rain in your basement, when it’s not raining outside?

After several hours, wet vacs and fish transfers, we survived, albeit a little worse for wear.  The fish swam in an interim habitat.  We slept. 

The next day, I purchased my husband’s 2012 Christmas present…a new fish tank and stand. (The old stand and tank now reside at the county dump)

Just like the Aesop’s fables there is a moral to this story. 

Never, ever put your faith in a 25 year old fish tank filled with 55 gallons of water because…

You can't trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it.

~ W. C. Fields