Paint Store Wars and other tales of the basement

Who would have thought that home decor would be such an issue? We bought our home almost 8 years ago and to this date have done very little to change it. When we toured our home for the first time, we found we had alot in common with the old owners. Hardwood floors, bright white kitchen accented with bright colourful curtains, the in colours on the walls in most other rooms and in fact they had even used paint techniques that were interesting and beautiful. The only changes we made until this year were to the kids bedrooms. Our lovely daughters have tastes all their own and quickly made their rooms their own.

This year after seven complete years it is time for a change. The colours that were chosen for the main floor went without comment. Apparently they must have been okay. Everyone seemed to like them and until last night no one complained.

Last night was the annual Friends and Family sale at RONA and one of the girls I play pool with, kindly left me a pass at the front counter. This pass would give me all purchases at employee cost + a further 10%. Husband and I decided it would be a great time to get our paint for the basement renovation. I spent some time on the BM web site exploring paint colours. My main thought was to keep in mind the oak flooring we were installing and the feel that we would like to have in this room we spend so much time in! After much deliberation and discussion with DD#2 a lovely warm colour called Ginger Root was chosen. Husband had never been interested in colours before but I asked him if he wanted to come with me to help with the paint cans...they're heavy you know.

I was ambushed! I met Husband and DD#3 at the store and was met with these words: "We've decided that there will be no version of brown, beige or taupe in our basement! We want GRAY!

GRAY? Gray is not a colour!

Husband moved to the racks of paint chips. His hand moved to the coldest paint chips possible. He actually chose a colour called "Sidewalk Gray". I just looked at him! I was flabbergasted...speechless (shut up! I know what you are thinking and it does happen! I can be left with no words!)Okay, maybe not speechless. My only comment was..."Why bother putting up drywall then? We'll just leave the cement walls in the basement. Let's go home, my job is done! Thanks Hon! You just saved us $1000."

As we are standing among the friends and family of all the other employees we begin to debate the merits of the colour gray. Let's just say that I walked away. Husband walked away. DD#3 stood wide eyed and embarrassed at what had become of her once loving family! Once tempers cooled and I realized that damn it, he would have to live in this space as well...I guess he should have a say. I pointed him in the direction of warmer colours that contained the word GRAY! We found a lovely colour called "copley gray" (Benjamin Moore colour HC-104 for anyone that might want a peek). It really is more taupe than gray..but it had the word gray in the descriptive and that made husband happy!

All he could say as we stood embarrassed at the paint counter was "that was a good compromise don't you think?"

So, next time you get the urge to invite your spouse along to help carry the paint tins...think again. There are nice young employees at the store that will assist you and won't give you half the backlash!

Decorating Diva signing off!

It's all about the Pie!

You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth Those who like you give into their impulses

What Kind of Pie Are You?

Progress is good

So the saga of the basement continues. I can actually say that progress is being made. It took some time to get into it.
Demolition began approximately a month ago. Drop ceiling down, carpet out and one new wall put up to create an office for me and that's where it stopped for about 2 weeks. I found laminate flooring for a great price and we measured twice and I went out and bought it...It is very nice. It's gonna look great once down..for now it's in my dining room with the computer and anything else that could not stay in the basement. Fast forward to this weekend.

Husband admits that there is no way he can bring this project to completion without help from the troops..by troops I mean the husband of the nasty woman next door. Along with him came another friend to help and an electrician. In one day, sub floor is put down, new divisional wall is put up and most of the electrical work was done by a pleasant little old man. The electrician is a 60 year old tiny little frenchman from New Brunswick with an accent that reminds me of my family in the north. His only request was for us to keep the coffee hot and coming! He installed new plugs, wired for recessed lighting, track lighting for the office and sorted out many other nasty things that had been hiding in my ceiling..live wires connected to nothing and the such. Work ended last night around 9:30 and will continue this morning as soon as everyone has risen from a night of partying. And as mentioned before the neighbours can party!

Today we hope to get the ceiling up and the recessed lighting in place.

The plan is that next weekend we get the rest of the drywall up and completely mudded and taped. Once that is done the painting will be done and then the floor installed. That will make things better for my dining room....we'll actually get a Christmas tree put up in our new basement and we'll be able to eat a Christmas meal at the dining room table.

Progress is very good.

Mind Melding is the requirement of the day

This has been a very busy couple of weeks...changing jobs is not really fun. The prospect of getting the job and imagining what it will be like if you get it is great. Then reality sets in and frankly reality BITES the big one! No matter how well you think you've trained the person that will replace you there is always the thought that you didn't tell them everything and that would be a very unfavourable position to be in on both sides! Thankfully, I'm not leaving the company, so I will be there to answer questions if there are any (and there will be) but truly, I'm gonna be so busy trying to learn the new position I really don't know if there will be any time for me to help out...ahh, who am I trying to kid? I will be here and they will bug me till they get what they want! My successor is as stubborn and persistent as me! That's why she got promoted! She's gonna rock and she's barely gonna need me!
BUT, JUST IN CASE....
Is there something out there that would make mind melding a reality?

For those of you updated on my life by blog...Hi Mom!

What an exciting day! First Husband gets info on b-mom and then I too get some good news!

It's official, for a couple of years now I have had my eye on a position within my company and for whatever reason, bad timing, succession planning whatever, it never happened...today I got handed my new Client list. Officially as of November 21st I'm moving from Manager of Operations of my company to Account Manager,Business Services. I'm totally psyched! I can't wait to start! My excellent organizational skills (in the office) and my back office operational knowledge will be a great asset to the role and that's finally been recognized!

This position will take me cross country for short periods and give me good experience to add to the ole resume!

I'm walking on SUNSHINE! (for now!)

I will keep you posted on this one as well!
TTYL

Calls from the Provincial Government...

Last Friday, youngest daughter took a telephone message for her Dad. The message was from a lady at the Provincial Government that said she had some very important information for him. She left a number and very little other information for a Friday afternoon. For me, the message drove me crazy all weekend, for husband...not a thought.

Rewind back 8 years....Rob's mom passed away and while sorting through her apartment all the information in regards to Hubby's adoption came to light. For me this was a partial surprise. I knew that my future husband had been adopted but he never talked about it and I never pushed. We were newly engaged and I didn't feel it was my place to question. Finding all the adoption paperwork and other tidbits of past history led to many nights of discussion over coffee. Was he curious? Would he like to find his birth parents? Would he like to know if he had half brothers or sisters. He was raised as an only child and although it was a good life when he was young, his parents stormy relationship led to many problems in his teenage years. After all was said and done we began an internet search that was pretty uneventful except that it led us to discussions with a lovely lady that was looking for her son and she provided us with a plan of action. She suggested that we contact Children's Aid and see if there was some information we could obtain, that was fruitful and led us to submitting Hubbies search to the Adoption Disclosure Registry 7 years ago.

Fast Forward to this morning 10 am. I was reminded of the phone message and since Hubby is working nights and doesn't usually stay awake during the day I decided to call home and leave him a gentle reminder on the voicemail to call the lady. Youngest Daughter home for lunch (second period lunch how stupid is that!) told me Dad was still up and he came to the phone. I convinced him to call. He called the lady and left a message..."Going to bed in a half hour because I work nights, but please call me back." She returned his call in less than 5 minutes.

Rob's BirthMom is alive and well and very happy to hear that he is looking for her. She lives in Ottawa and has been married for many years. She is 56 years old, Rob is 40. She is young and she was very young when she had him.

Rob is stunned! He was very shaky when I spoke to him. Decision to have a beer at 10:30 this morning..not difficult..frankly it's noon somewhere.

His first words to me: "They found her, she wants to meet me...I guess we're going on a roadtrip!"

Adoption Disclosure Registry for the Gov of Ontario..THANK YOU! To anyone searching for their birthparent/child...keep hope they may be searching for you as well!

We'll keep you posted! TTYL!

You are an idiot!

I was listening to my favorite radio station on my way into work the other day and they have this wonderful segment called "Tool of the Day". Listeners have the opportunity to email or call in their stories about idiots that they have encountered in their daily lives. I mean face it, we all enjoy pointing out the shortcomings of others! I take extreme pleasure in pointing out that I HATE STUPID PEOPLE! I have said this before but I must re-iterate...there are those that have not had the education to know as much as their friends, neighbours, coworkers etc...that is not stupidity. That is pure lack of education and can be corrected with study and an enthusiastic mind. Then there are the stupid people. There were two "Tool(s) of the Day" for Nov 1 on Q107's radio station and I encourage you to go and listen to the link that is on their website www.q107.com.

John Derringer rocks, he's articulate and very funny! The title of the webcast I refer too is "2 Very Simple Rules". Have a good laugh and enjoy your Friday folks!

So who's your "Tool of the Day"?

This is my blog and I'll blog what I wanna

Apparently I have made Thumper uneasy with my posts on friendships and babies. Let me just say that not everyone has the opportunity or the balls to jump out of planes and be lucky enough to live through it. We don't all become Domestic Diva's overnight and suddenly recognize the many virtues of our loving partners. Although, I love his manly arrogance (it makes me laugh!) I just wanna say this....

THIS IS MY BLOG AND I WILL DAMN WELL BLOG ABOUT WHAT I WANNA!

Are we clear on this?

And at least I hold up my end of the bargain MISTER.

That is all...Have a wonderful day!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY Colleen and Dawn!!!

Birthday Celebrations!

I have always been told that if you find one good friend in your life you are very lucky. Well I am truly blessed! I have a number of people in my life that I would consider GREAT Friends! I have two male best friends, one of them being first and foremost my hubby! Hubby is a Donk but he is my Donk and I would not trade him in for all the tea in China or all the money in the land!! He is that guy! The one I will be rocking on the front porch with (when we get one..a bone of much contention in our house) in 40 years. Mark is my other best boy! He's the guy that gives me a much needed perspective on how Hubby thinks some days, he encourages me and looks to me for encouragement (after consulting with his other best friend, his wife!) We've always had a special place in our hearts for the other and I'm sure that we always will.

Todays post is about the Ladies in my life! I have TWO, yes TWO very special ladies in my life! They both have very special and unique qualities and with all people in life they are special to me for different reasons. My friend Dawn is smart. She challenges my mind with clever thought processes on happenings of the world around us. In some ways we are very alike and in some ways we are very different. We both love to play pool, we both love to go to Bingo...we both find that Bingo is a mindless distraction that allows us to think of nothing and float into a world of cursing at the caller and questioning the fashion skills of all the other Bingo players that look nothing like us..because frankly we are hip, well educated, well dressed women that use Bingo as a way to satisfy our need to gamble in a moderated atmosphere. I mean really one can only play so many cards. Dawn and I see each other as much as 3 times a week and often our significant others join us as they too get along with each other. Usually a good time is had by all!
My other best buddy is Colleen. Colleen is at least 10 years my junior but that has not affected our relationship. Colleen is smart, she is compassionate, she is kind and she is SARCASTIC! I have a special place in my heart for Colleen. I met this wonderful Redhead through pool. Our relationship has grown over the years as we discover our joint love of commenting on everything and everyone. We can actually be kind of mean, but nicely if you know what I mean. We TRY and use our inside voices and we have become very good at covering our sarcasm with a smile and a giggle after the victim has left the vicinity. Outside of pool we communicate almost daily by messenger and by phone. I know that if I needed something she would be there to listen or lend a hand. I hope that she knows that I would be there too!

My two best friends have many things in common and are also friends. They have played pool together for many years as well and aside from that they also share a birthday! That's right folks! My two best friends were born on the same day.

Who'd have thunk??

So to both my friends, I wish you many Happy Years of Health, Wealth and Happiness for their birthdays on November 2nd.

TTYL!