When I chose this house, it had not been built. That meant that I could make decisions about the room sizes, types of materials used, etc. I made many decisions, some good and some not so good. I should have opted for a storage room over the garage and 42" kitchen cabinets instead of the 30". Oh well, next time.
One of the best decisions I made was to have hardwood floors instead of carpeting. My thinking was, again, one of economics. I felt that if I opted for carpet (which would have been installed over the concrete slab, or a cheaper floor) I would be stuck. If I changed my mind and wanted hardwood, I would have had to install a new floor. If I so desire, I can always put carpeting over the hardwood. Enough rambling. One of the advantages of a wood floor is the ability to move large items.
At Christmas time, I put my tree on an old blanket and just drag it through the house. One time, I assembled a bookcase on the floor, again on the old blanket. When it was finished, I just pulled the blanket up to the wall and lifted the bookcase. So easy.
Yesterday, while sitting in the living/family room I looked around and decided the room was boring and needed a change. It was time to rearrange the furniture. Under most conditions, this is not an easy task - I have a sofa, sofabed and recliner, ottoman, two coffee tables and an eterge. Because of the wood floor, I just slid the furniture around until I had the right arrangement.
Years ago, in my old house, with carpet, rearranging the furniture was a backbreaking, all day job. Yesterday, all it took was about an hour.
I like it now, don't know how long it will be until I'm bored with it.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Christmas
I know it seems strange posting about Christmas nearly two weeks after the day.
I love Christmas, I love all the decorating and visiting. There's only one aspect of Christmas that I hate. It's putting all the decorations away and dismantling the trees. Yes, I have multiple trees - one in the family room (that's the main tree), one in the entry and one in each of the two bedrooms. It's so festive, and having the tree as the only light in the bedroom is sooo nice.
Yesterday, I started taking the ornaments off and packing them away. That job is almost complete. In the process, I set a new record. I dropped and broke three ornaments. Thank goodness they were fairly new and didn't have many memories attached.
Today, I started with all the decorations, candles, linens, etc. As I was packing them, I discovered several decorations that I hadn't put up this year, and surprise, I hadn't missed them.
After everything is boxed, they have to be moved to the garage, which is very cold and the light is very temperamental. Some days it lights, some days it doesn't. Hopefully, it will stay lit today. When my son was in for Christmas, he replaced all my blown out bulbs and the house is so nice and bright. Unfortunately, the day after he left, the garage light started its temper tantrum.
I know that when I'm finished, my home will look so bare and I'll have to start thinking about some new decorating project. Right now, I'm thinking of making a spray of silk flowers to put over the fireplace, or in my room over the bed. I may even print some of my photographs from my travels, frame them and hang them in various rooms.
Or, I could just sit down and read a book.
I love Christmas, I love all the decorating and visiting. There's only one aspect of Christmas that I hate. It's putting all the decorations away and dismantling the trees. Yes, I have multiple trees - one in the family room (that's the main tree), one in the entry and one in each of the two bedrooms. It's so festive, and having the tree as the only light in the bedroom is sooo nice.
Yesterday, I started taking the ornaments off and packing them away. That job is almost complete. In the process, I set a new record. I dropped and broke three ornaments. Thank goodness they were fairly new and didn't have many memories attached.
Today, I started with all the decorations, candles, linens, etc. As I was packing them, I discovered several decorations that I hadn't put up this year, and surprise, I hadn't missed them.
After everything is boxed, they have to be moved to the garage, which is very cold and the light is very temperamental. Some days it lights, some days it doesn't. Hopefully, it will stay lit today. When my son was in for Christmas, he replaced all my blown out bulbs and the house is so nice and bright. Unfortunately, the day after he left, the garage light started its temper tantrum.
I know that when I'm finished, my home will look so bare and I'll have to start thinking about some new decorating project. Right now, I'm thinking of making a spray of silk flowers to put over the fireplace, or in my room over the bed. I may even print some of my photographs from my travels, frame them and hang them in various rooms.
Or, I could just sit down and read a book.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
ANNIVERSARY
Time flies when you're having fun.
I did some checking this morning and found that I have been blogging for six years. It just doesn't seem that long. I hope that my writing has gotten better. At least, I have been expressing my thoughts much more freely lately.
Here's to another six years, at least. Hope it's been as much fun to read as it has been to write.
I did some checking this morning and found that I have been blogging for six years. It just doesn't seem that long. I hope that my writing has gotten better. At least, I have been expressing my thoughts much more freely lately.
Here's to another six years, at least. Hope it's been as much fun to read as it has been to write.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Architecture
I haven't posted about Friday's tragedy in Connecticut, there's nothing to say really. All we can do is pray for the families and surviving children from that school.
I'll leave any discussions about guns to the professionals, although I heard on the radio today that Connecticut has an assault weapons ban, but the shooter's mother's gun was grandfathered in since she evidently had the gun before the ban went into effect.
I'll also leave any mental health discussions to the professionals. My only comment is that there should be more consideration of the safety of society at large and less for the "rights" of mentally disturbed people.
I started thinking this evening about my school, St. Sylvester's in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, that school has now closed. That school had thick metal doors, probably brass. I suspect the doors were kept locked, and could only be opened from the inside. There were no classrooms on the first floor. The principal's office, the nurse's office and two 1st grade classrooms were on the second floor and the higher grades on the third and fourth floors. The classroom doors were wood and I think the top half had glass, but six small panes. The school was built in the mid '30's.
It's too bad that so many new schools are not built the same way. There are too many windows in the doors, it's so easy to break the glass and open the door. The classrooms for the younger children are right on the first floor, street level. That makes it so easy for the children to be victimized.
I see now how safe and lucky we were to have been children in such a time. No one could have broken in. If they had, there would have been enough noise and warning for the children and staff on the upper floors. Maybe, in the future, schools will be built like mine was. By building up and not sprawling, they also take up less room.
I'll leave any discussions about guns to the professionals, although I heard on the radio today that Connecticut has an assault weapons ban, but the shooter's mother's gun was grandfathered in since she evidently had the gun before the ban went into effect.
I'll also leave any mental health discussions to the professionals. My only comment is that there should be more consideration of the safety of society at large and less for the "rights" of mentally disturbed people.
I started thinking this evening about my school, St. Sylvester's in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, that school has now closed. That school had thick metal doors, probably brass. I suspect the doors were kept locked, and could only be opened from the inside. There were no classrooms on the first floor. The principal's office, the nurse's office and two 1st grade classrooms were on the second floor and the higher grades on the third and fourth floors. The classroom doors were wood and I think the top half had glass, but six small panes. The school was built in the mid '30's.
It's too bad that so many new schools are not built the same way. There are too many windows in the doors, it's so easy to break the glass and open the door. The classrooms for the younger children are right on the first floor, street level. That makes it so easy for the children to be victimized.
I see now how safe and lucky we were to have been children in such a time. No one could have broken in. If they had, there would have been enough noise and warning for the children and staff on the upper floors. Maybe, in the future, schools will be built like mine was. By building up and not sprawling, they also take up less room.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Marketing
Last week our community had its annual trip into NYC to see the Christmas lights and have a nice dinner in Little Italy. It was a wonderful trip. There's nothing like New York at any time, but particularly at Christmas.
We drove past the Rockefeller Center tree twice. We couldn't stop and get off, but we did stop later at Lord & Taylor. Their windows are always beautiful. We saw all the stores along Fifth Avenue from the comfort of our bus. We also stopped at the Time Warner Building to see their colored stars. The show wasn't as good as previous years, so I did some shopping.
I made the mistake of wandering into the Godiva shop. Did you know they have a chocolate of the month club? If you join, you are eligible to receive one free piece of chocolate every month. That's just what I need. Of course, not being one to pass up a free piece of chocolate, I joined. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop with one piece, and I guess that's how they get you. I had to buy a small box and a salted caramel chocolate bar. If you've never had salted caramels, you don't know what you're missing. They are delicious.
I'm bragging now. I haven't had any of the chocolate I bought. I think that will change tonight. The one good thing about Godiva chocolate is that it is so good that you take the time to savor each piece. I usually try to eat only one piece a day. I once worked for a man who would give me a box of Godiva chocolates each Christmas. I savored each piece and the box lasted the whole Christmas season. Now I have to buy my own chocolate.
We drove past the Rockefeller Center tree twice. We couldn't stop and get off, but we did stop later at Lord & Taylor. Their windows are always beautiful. We saw all the stores along Fifth Avenue from the comfort of our bus. We also stopped at the Time Warner Building to see their colored stars. The show wasn't as good as previous years, so I did some shopping.
I made the mistake of wandering into the Godiva shop. Did you know they have a chocolate of the month club? If you join, you are eligible to receive one free piece of chocolate every month. That's just what I need. Of course, not being one to pass up a free piece of chocolate, I joined. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop with one piece, and I guess that's how they get you. I had to buy a small box and a salted caramel chocolate bar. If you've never had salted caramels, you don't know what you're missing. They are delicious.
I'm bragging now. I haven't had any of the chocolate I bought. I think that will change tonight. The one good thing about Godiva chocolate is that it is so good that you take the time to savor each piece. I usually try to eat only one piece a day. I once worked for a man who would give me a box of Godiva chocolates each Christmas. I savored each piece and the box lasted the whole Christmas season. Now I have to buy my own chocolate.
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