A few random shots that are clogging up my computer and not individually blog worthy.
Clearly this t shirt has my name on it..
And someone should purchase it for me forthwith.
Sadly, this also has my name on it.
But hey –
Testify!
In other news, I love a backyard bird sighting.
And though Evening Grosbeaks are common to our area….
We’ve never had them here.
Until now.
And with a pecker photo bomb.
How fun is that?
And finally?
This.
Because yes…
That little bastard needs to go.
The understanding wife.
I recently celebrated a birthday. (Okay, there was more silent cursing of my advancing years than actual celebrating, but you get the idea.)
The husband had some lovely flowers delivered…
Which have opened quite nicely since then.
As well as a really large card.
The phrase “size doesn’t matter” clearly has no meaning for my other half, as evidenced by his gift.
A monstrously large (not to mention monstrously expensive) Breville appliance.
I must have made the mistake of muttering under my breath about needing a new toaster oven recently… because boy, I’ve got one now.
It’s like that old Ginsu knife they used to advertise ad nauseam in the 80’s. It slices, it dices, it cleans your fish.
But… but…
While I appreciate the thought, all I really wanted was toast.
So I unpacked and played with my new toy in between doing hair and makeup and getting ready to go out to dinner as we always do on my damn it, don’t remind me I’m older birthday.
Except…. (here comes the understanding wife part) my kind, considerate husband called to say his friend at the office won Bruins tickets and he’d like to go with him down to Boston for the night.
Yes, he’s a brave soul.
Reasons?
#1…. I turned … never mind what I turned. Suffice it to say it’s generally not an easy age for women.
#2…. I just weaned myself off my estrogen patch a few weeks ago and, have been experiencing uncontrollable psychotic rages a little moody.
#3…. I had planned on a few celebratory cocktails. (Which no one should get in the way of and expect to live.)
Regardless, he plowed ahead with all the reasons he should attend while I listened quietly and agreed. The ever understanding wife.
That being said, let me leave you with a word of advice gentlemen….
We women have long memories.
Yeah, we’re still at it.
Another corner turned, another paper wall flapping in the breeze.
I am officially sick of vinyl siding.
If you’ve ever put it on, you know what I mean. If you’re thinking of putting it on? Don’t. Second mortgage the house, sell a future unnamed child… whatever it takes…. and hire a professional. Yes they charge an utter fortune, and now I know why. This stuff will drive you to drink.
Yes, he screwed that in place. And no, he was too annoyed to answer my innocent WTF question.
Hell, even the dog looked confused.
(Not ours, we were dog sitting for the farmers over the weekend. Dogs, chickens…. whatcha got? We’ll watch them all!)
Please let it be noted I cringed when I saw this –
Because when your husband pays $4,000 to fix scratches and paint his old truck? And then uses it as a workbench?
Grrrr.
But the back was finished…
With the third side well on it’s way.
And in case you’re thinking all I do is take blog pictures while he’s hard at work, think again.
I have to take up the mowing slack this project has left behind.
And trust me, it’s a lot of mowing.
I earn my keep.
If only I had a little help…
(Okay, technically I’m never a happy camper… my idea of roughing it is 200 thread count sheets and no mint on my pillow. )
But this morning….. I really wasn’t happy.
You see yesterday, the chimney repair guy came and finished the replacement job.
I can’t say I’m in love with the way it looks…
But as long as the leaking stops and my ceiling doesn’t look like a leopard print throw rug again, I can live with it.
So imagine how pleased I was to wake up this morning to the sound of rain….
And this :
A big old stain spreading across our ceiling.
And water pissing down the chimney.
Mind you, we’ve already paid this guy $850 towards the total bill.
Yes. The $850 was to start….
He told us he wanted to wait for the first rain shower to make sure everything was okay before we paid him the rest.
Well, it’s definitely not okay.
And I’ve calmly left 3 messages on his answering machine in a polite and business like manner.
To be continued….
(Otherwise known as I need to clean out my files and none of these shots warranted their own blog.)
Is it wrong that every time I see our organic vegetable farming neighbor’s migrant workers heading out to the fields I hum “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off To Work I Go?”
(It is, isn’t it?
Damn. I’m not sure I can stop.)
*Note to self – do not search Giphy for Hi Ho Hi Ho, you will not get the 7 dwarfs*
In other neighborhood news, a nice young couple down the road got married in their backyard last month and wanted to include their dog in the ceremony.
Now, how cute is that?
You’re welcome.
In garden news, I’m quite enjoying these funky pink flowers I didn’t plant.
I love it when random drive by bird pooping results in something pretty.
I mean look at these little guys….
They could be planning next year’s perennial bed right now.
Or… they’re an evil sparrow cabal plotting revenge for my decision to switch bird seed brands.
Tough call.
Summer in Maine is short, so you have to rush to get all your outdoor projects done before the weather turns.
So aside from the barn walls and garage makeover we’re doing ourselves, we had to break down and hire a professional to replace part of our chimney and stop the roof from leaking. Our house has a central fireplace and was built in the Brady Bunch era so the insert is metal instead of masonry. Don’t ask.
When it came off the roof it looked like this:
It had been rusted for a while and unbeknownst to me, the husband had snuck up there and tried to pretty one side of it up.
Yes, I married the Martha Stewart design school reject who thought a can of fire engine red spray paint was a decorating improvement.
I truly have no idea how long this monstrosity was up there looking like this…. or why none of the neighbors weren’t driving by and snickering. I know I would have.
So we hired a chimney guy who came highly recommended (read $$$) and he got to work. After 3 days he told us he’d done all he could for now and was waiting on a metal fabricator to make the top piece, which would take about 2 weeks.
So now?
We have a tarp and a bucket.
Improvement?
Not so much.
Work continues on the garage, and the paper walls are still a nightmare.
Seriously, wth?
The fact that it all has to be replaced with plywood means more time and money and work…
And my instruction to the husband to stop napping on the job was not well received.
Go figure.
We turned the corner and I had to say goodbye to my beautiful daisies.
Yeah, that was depressing.
But not as bad as the husband refusing to heed my advice to clean out the wood shed before he removed the panels…
And having cement blocks fall on his toes.
I tried not to snicker.
Really, I did.
So, the woodshed was left pretty much like this.
And progress was made elsewhere.
The siding doesn’t exactly match the house, but in this light, it’s pretty close.
And we’re getting there.
One wall at a time.
