We never got the promised rain this weekend which made my husband's drive to NC yesterday morning (and back later today) a lot easier. We've had some GORGEOUS weather here the past few days, so Jim began his trip yesterday with the top down on his car! (He had to put it back up again south of Richmond, though, because it had become too hot. LOL...
My daughter's boyfriend didn't know that Jim was going to be at the play; they surprised him during a late lunch break after his matinee performance, and then attended the evening performance. I'm told that Loren was just wonderful in his role, but they weren't allowed to video the performance. I THINK that the drama organization MIGHT have made its own video, but am not sure. If they did, then I want a copy!
Today is quiet. Since Jim isn't here, I'm foregoing our usual routine of watching CBS Sunday Morning (it's on Tivo, so we'll watch together another time), am am enjoying my mug of coffee, and am about to read my Sunday morning newsletter from Joggles to get my creative juices flowing. Hmmm... I think that I may be in a bit of a Sunday morning rut! Oh, well. It's always a nice, quiet way to start the day, although I do realize that I ought to be in church instead!
My husband called about thirty minutes ago, and he and "the kids" were on their way to brunch, and then he'll hit the road. That reminds me -- I need to take the lamb out of the freezer!!!
Hope everyone is having a lovely day...
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
It's quiet here too. Today is Nick's birthday but he's working at the clothing show down at the CNE all day. We'll head down at 7 tonight in the van to help him pack up his display tables, then home for a nice dinner. Usually we all get together for tea and cake on family bd's but Nick didn't want to do that this year. He's in that funk still.
In a few minutes I'm heading over to Marilyn's house to check out her yellow walls. I've got the painter coming on the 13th for an estimate to redo my den and get rid of this depressing mistake I made two years ago by having it painted beige. It had some exotic Benjamin Moore name, but the minute it was dry, I knew I hated it. I'm looking for a soft buttery colour, and Marilyn's living room and family room are in shades I really like. Both are different yellows, though.
Then, as usual, I'll have to go drop in at my parents' place. They aren't answering their phone today. Nice ploy to ensure a visit.
Moore, why didn't you go to NC with Jim? Just curious. Me, I would avoid the drive like the plague, but you're not anywhere near as neurotic about road trips as I am, are you? I practically have to be tranquilized to get on the 400 series of highways up here. US roads are far less intimidating, but still, lol. The one main highway, the 401, is 16 lanes and fast. Last time I was on it, I had a full blown panic attack and my poor friend had to get off at the first exit and dipsy-doodle to our destination.
Anyway, hope all are enjoying today. We have sunshine, but it's nippy at about 10 degrees, sweater weather.
KaeEll, I love Benjamin Moore paint -- it's the best -- and I made a similar mistake in my front hall. I think that you and I may be looking for the same shade now, but for different reasons. The one I selected was too pale -- just a nothing (like a very boring off-white), with no impact. I had THOUGHT that it was going to be a soft, rich, buttery yellow -- more on the beige side than on the sunshine side!
It's also amazing how light can vary, room to room, and cause a color to change. Before you order Marilyn's color, you might want to bring a swatch in, or buy one of those little sample bottles of color that they sell now.
I didn't go down to NC with Jim for a couple of reasons. First of all, it would have required boarding Lucy. Because it was such a quick turnaround trip, it didn't seem like it was worth traumatizing her! Secondly, I am NOT one who likes to travel, and this difficulty has become even worse recently. Truthfully, I'm much better driving on my own rather than with someone else -- even my family. I know that this is a bit backwards from how some people feel about driving, but that's the way it works with me. It's because my anxiety level is usually so high (especially if I'm unexpectedly "trapped" in bumper-to-bumper traffic, for example) that I almost feel like it's burdensome to others to have me in the car. They become aware of MY stress, and become worried about it (in a desire to alleviate it), and that just causes me to become even MORE stressed. If I drive by myself, I can travel at my own pace, stop whenever I want to, and have a quiet little meltdown in privacy -- if that becomes necessary! LOL... Oddly enough, if I'm by myself, then the "meltdown" tendency seems to disappear.
However, with THESE gas prices, I had no intention of taking two cars down to Raleigh to see a play! Loren (the boyfriend) is familiar with my perculiarities, so while it's disappointing for me to miss the play (and I imagine for him to have half of our daughter's family represented), he understands. Of course, Loren wasn't expecting ANYONE to be down there anyway since Jim's arrival was a surprise...
By the way, I don't like heights either, KaeEll. We have a few exits around here that look like roller coasters to me, and I have vowed, "NEVER"!!!
The bottom line is that it's a huge ordeal to get me ANYWHERE these days, but I'm better if I'm the one who's behind the wheel of the car, and on my own.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Nick!!! (claps)
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
Moore, that's exactly what I'll do, that is, buy one of those sample bottles and paint a "wubby board" - those foam core boards we use all over the house to cordon off some "no pee" areas for that incorrigible Maltese. I'm leaning towards Hepplewhite Ivory, Marilyn's living room colour, but her room faces east and my den is a north facing room with zero sunlight in it, so maybe something warmer. I have the fan book thingy from Benjamin Moore and will play with it later. So many choices! Gah!
Another fan of terra firma, huh? I'm TERRIFIED of heights too. That's the reason I won't pick anyone up from the new Terminal One at Pearson now. There's a huge, super high flyover to get to arrivals. But the one bridge that did me in was the bridge over the St. Lawrence at Cornwall we used so many times driving down to Hanover, NH when Tony was in school there. We must have taken it a million times in the 4 years he was in college. If ever you need to cross into NY state from Ontario, not much of a likelihood, I know, go across at Ogdensburg instead. It's only an extra 45 minutes, lol.
Moore, I'll e mail you a picture of my front hall. It's Raspberry Souffle. I went gutsy for the impact, and I really love it.
Today has been pretty uneventful. At this moment I am chatting with one of my best friends in the world who at this moment is sitting at a camp in Iraq, which I just realized is like in its wee hours of the morning so I sent him off to get sleep. He is in this transition stage, I think he has been to several camps so far and still is not at his final destination for the next several months. Sad thing is he is at this very moment at the same camp he was at back in 2004. Said that it hasn't changed. Must be nice they have wireless internet available in their tents. Says he has to pay for it but hey, how nice is that.
Anyways, Kae tell Nick happy birthday for all of us. We had a pretty big BBQ yesterday for my birthday. I sure hope that Nick gets out of his funk soon. Must be tiring.
I really wish we were allowed to paint. I think we are we just have to paint it back before we leave. Which won't be far enough down the road to make it worth it. As it is I am questioning how worth it will be to dig up the yard for a garden...I will figure it out later.
I'm leaning towards Hepplewhite Ivory, Marilyn's living room colour, but her room faces east and my den is a north facing room with zero sunlight in it, so maybe something warmer.
Moore, I'll e mail you a picture of my front hall. It's Raspberry Souffle. I went gutsy for the impact, and I really love it.
KaeEll, this is exactly what happened to me with the color. Our front hall faces north, and there is very little light -- just from the sidelights on either side of the front door, and whatever spills in from the living room on one side, and the family room on the other. But since both of those two rooms are ALSO facing north, that's not much!
I did bring home paint samples, and I THOUGHT that the color I had chosen was warm enough, but whatever color I thought that I was seeing completely disappeared once it went on the walls.
I got the pictures, and I LOVE the raspberry! Very cheerful...
Shelly, tell your friend that we're all holding out good thoughts for him. The oldest son of one of my former roommates JUST returned about a week ago from his second tour in Iraq. He had been in Afghanistan before that. I think that he' done enough now, and needs to stay home -- especially since he has a baby daughter! We're very relieved to have him back on U.S. soil.
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
I guess maybe I have lived this life too long, but I am actually not worried for him too much. He tells me he is safe and if he is at the same camp he was at 4 years ago than I don't suspect that it sees a lot of violence. I guess he is there this time to train Iraqis. I am just sad for him because the last time he was there he was single, and now he is married with a 1 year old...But thank you for the good thoughts, there are definitely not enough of them for the guys and gals over there.
