I'm so excited! I just booked tickets for a trip to Europe this summer and now all I have to do is wait... for almost 5 months...
A few things will be happening across the pond this summer: my sister Lisa will be working in Austria; a colleague is getting married in Poland; and a family friend will be summering in San Tropez. We'll call him "Jet Setter."
Thanks to the gazillions of dollars we've recently spend at Home Depot etc, on our Alaska Airlines Visa, we were able to get tickets on their partner, British Air through our Alaska mileage plan(though we still had to pay a ton in fees etc). We fly into Munich, then about 10 days later, make our way home out of Amsterdam- with a handy little three day stop over in London where we have plans to meet up with Jet Setter AND Lisa. Copious amounts of French champagne will likely be consumed at that point, in honor of the France, who we will not be able to visit on this go-round.
In other news, I'm loving the longer days we're having. Being able to see makes an after work bike ride so much more enjoyable! I had a 100 mile week last week... not so well this week. Unless I crack out 60 miles on Sunday...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Grease Monkey
Two days ago I got a flat tire on my bike, and upon inspection, I realized two things: 1) I'd managed to get a pretty big puncture in the tire itself, not just the tube, and 2)My bike was really dirty! Bikes get grimy fast when ridden during March in the northwest! So I gave her* a little spa-day yesterday and she's now sporting a new kevlar tire, a sparkly chain and a gunk-free cassette. However, I feel like grime is a lot like energy- it can't be made or destroyed, only transferred. All the grime seems to remain on my hands (and on the bottom of the bathtub in which I dumped the dirty water bucket...)
Does anyone have any good tips or tricks for getting rid of greasy gunk with normal household items/cleaners? I'm looking to avoid a trip to a drug store for a heavy duty hand degreaser. Lemon juice? Baking soda? Anything?? Any advice would be appreciated as right now, despite the fact that I've washed my hands about a gazillion times, it still looks like I dug myself out of a grave this morning.
On a more fun note, we took a ride out to Redmond yesterday evening by hopping on the Burke Gilman trail and connecting to the Sammamish River trail. It was somewhat nostalgic; we rode past 60 Acres, which I am happy to report "still smells like soccer practice" and also past lots of mobile homes and campers that take up residence on the banks of the Sammamish Slough. It was refreshing that this area hasn't been "repurposed" as some sort of high end water-front property (probably aided by the fact that much of this are has an unmistakable odor of slough). I never realized how handy this trail was- it isn't too crowded and nearly pancake flat. I highly recommend it.
By the time we got home it was dark and I was freezing cold. So concluded my night with hot shower and watching a movie by the fire in my Snuggie**. If that's not hedonism, I don't know what is.
*My bike needs a name. All suggestions will be considered.
** Yeah, I have one. And it came with a free book light. Jealous??
Does anyone have any good tips or tricks for getting rid of greasy gunk with normal household items/cleaners? I'm looking to avoid a trip to a drug store for a heavy duty hand degreaser. Lemon juice? Baking soda? Anything?? Any advice would be appreciated as right now, despite the fact that I've washed my hands about a gazillion times, it still looks like I dug myself out of a grave this morning.
On a more fun note, we took a ride out to Redmond yesterday evening by hopping on the Burke Gilman trail and connecting to the Sammamish River trail. It was somewhat nostalgic; we rode past 60 Acres, which I am happy to report "still smells like soccer practice" and also past lots of mobile homes and campers that take up residence on the banks of the Sammamish Slough. It was refreshing that this area hasn't been "repurposed" as some sort of high end water-front property (probably aided by the fact that much of this are has an unmistakable odor of slough). I never realized how handy this trail was- it isn't too crowded and nearly pancake flat. I highly recommend it.
By the time we got home it was dark and I was freezing cold. So concluded my night with hot shower and watching a movie by the fire in my Snuggie**. If that's not hedonism, I don't know what is.
*My bike needs a name. All suggestions will be considered.
** Yeah, I have one. And it came with a free book light. Jealous??
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
String' on The Office?!
I heard a promo for an upcoming episode of NPR's "Fresh Air" today in which they teased me with the news that Stringer Bell (okay, his real name is Idris Elba) will be on the show soon, discussing his new role on The Office as Michael Scott's boss.
I'm intrigued can't wait for the interview or to see him in a comedy... though I'm guessing he'll be sporting a dead-pan no-nonsense attitude.
On a related note, if you haven't watched The Wire, do it now. Go to Blockbuster and start with season one. Do it. I don't care if you loved Oz and want to talk about how great Lost or Dexter is. Just watch the Wire. You're welcome!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Love... is a burning thing...
And I... love my new fireplace. (yeah, I'm singing it).
I'm so excited for our first project that we can actually SEE and FEEL and, for the first three hours, smell*.
Behold: the new gas fireplace insert!
It's almost done- the little riser box that will cover the base is still being made, and should be installed in a few days.
Here's the before:
Our house had a lovely masonry fireplace when we bought it, but it had some chimney issues that needed repair if we ever wanted to use it for something silly like... lighting a fire. Our options were to hire a brick mason to fix the chimney's ash dump or to embrace the comforts of our times and install a much more efficient, easy and comfortable solution: a gas insert. If you know me, you know that I have a special place in my heart for wood stoves and wood burning fireplaces. But I have a very different and foul-flavored place in my heart for stacking cord wood, maintaining chimneys, breathing in smoke, cleaning ash etc. Plus, the idea of buying wood for a fireplace just sounds silly. Isn't one of the perks of wood burning fireplaces is that you're heating your home off the fatta' the land? If you're going to have a wood burning fireplace or stove, you should chop and haul your own fuel source. This I believe. Since the age of about 12, I've been OVER the idea of chopping and hauling. Thus, the gas insert was a clear winner.
My only concern about an insert in our fireplace was aesthetic: that it would detract from original masonry. And I learned that, to a certain extent, this is unavoidable. We have an arched brick pattern that doesn't nicely fit any of the prefabricated fireplace surrounds on the market. We thought of having one custom made to match the radius of the arch, but after looking at some photos of sample work from some a few reputable dealers in town I realize that it would be a lot like trying to match a paint color; there was a high risk that the end product would come out looking like we almost got a good fit. And for the kind of money involved, I wasn't too interested in an almost-looking result. We looked at a lot of options and spoke with a lot of people and finally found a good fit in someone who seemed to "get" that a fireplace was not just art and not just a furnace: it's a little bit of both. That company was Sundance Energy, and they've been great from start to finish; from sales to pricing to installation. Interestingly enough, I only called them on a whim in response to a direct mail coupon. All of the places that were recommended to us were overpriced and I felt underwhelmed by their quality in terms of service and product. Go figure.
But back to my point... we decided to abandon the idea of an arched surround, and go with a square that would overlap the existing arch. I'm glad we did. The arch is still visible from the outer perimeter of the masonry, and the doors of the surround echo that shape without being matchy-matchy. The doors also have the same pattern as the two leaded glass windows in either side of the fireplace, so it looks right at home in the living room. I think so at least. What amazed me--and I know this will sound stupid--was how much the fireplace really warms up the room. I'm not sure if it conveys in the photos, but the empty fireplace was really a cold black hole (visually and thermodynamically!) and I didn't realize that until it was gone.
So I'm going to sign off and and go sit by the fire. I predict I will be spending a lot more time in my living room from now on. I really wish we would have done this even earlier.
*I was told to let the thing run for about three hours, during which time it will burn off a smell I can only describe as "new doll smell."
I'm so excited for our first project that we can actually SEE and FEEL and, for the first three hours, smell*.
Behold: the new gas fireplace insert!
It's almost done- the little riser box that will cover the base is still being made, and should be installed in a few days.
Here's the before:
Our house had a lovely masonry fireplace when we bought it, but it had some chimney issues that needed repair if we ever wanted to use it for something silly like... lighting a fire. Our options were to hire a brick mason to fix the chimney's ash dump or to embrace the comforts of our times and install a much more efficient, easy and comfortable solution: a gas insert. If you know me, you know that I have a special place in my heart for wood stoves and wood burning fireplaces. But I have a very different and foul-flavored place in my heart for stacking cord wood, maintaining chimneys, breathing in smoke, cleaning ash etc. Plus, the idea of buying wood for a fireplace just sounds silly. Isn't one of the perks of wood burning fireplaces is that you're heating your home off the fatta' the land? If you're going to have a wood burning fireplace or stove, you should chop and haul your own fuel source. This I believe. Since the age of about 12, I've been OVER the idea of chopping and hauling. Thus, the gas insert was a clear winner.
My only concern about an insert in our fireplace was aesthetic: that it would detract from original masonry. And I learned that, to a certain extent, this is unavoidable. We have an arched brick pattern that doesn't nicely fit any of the prefabricated fireplace surrounds on the market. We thought of having one custom made to match the radius of the arch, but after looking at some photos of sample work from some a few reputable dealers in town I realize that it would be a lot like trying to match a paint color; there was a high risk that the end product would come out looking like we almost got a good fit. And for the kind of money involved, I wasn't too interested in an almost-looking result. We looked at a lot of options and spoke with a lot of people and finally found a good fit in someone who seemed to "get" that a fireplace was not just art and not just a furnace: it's a little bit of both. That company was Sundance Energy, and they've been great from start to finish; from sales to pricing to installation. Interestingly enough, I only called them on a whim in response to a direct mail coupon. All of the places that were recommended to us were overpriced and I felt underwhelmed by their quality in terms of service and product. Go figure.
But back to my point... we decided to abandon the idea of an arched surround, and go with a square that would overlap the existing arch. I'm glad we did. The arch is still visible from the outer perimeter of the masonry, and the doors of the surround echo that shape without being matchy-matchy. The doors also have the same pattern as the two leaded glass windows in either side of the fireplace, so it looks right at home in the living room. I think so at least. What amazed me--and I know this will sound stupid--was how much the fireplace really warms up the room. I'm not sure if it conveys in the photos, but the empty fireplace was really a cold black hole (visually and thermodynamically!) and I didn't realize that until it was gone.
So I'm going to sign off and and go sit by the fire. I predict I will be spending a lot more time in my living room from now on. I really wish we would have done this even earlier.
*I was told to let the thing run for about three hours, during which time it will burn off a smell I can only describe as "new doll smell."
Monday, March 09, 2009
All sorts of new and exciting changes
Hi readers! (Okay, adding the "s" to reader is a bit of a stretch, but I retain hope)
At the encouragement of Wohn, and the realization that a lot of silly things happen to me on a daily basis, I thought, in the name of Ginapalooza, I'd stretch out my fingers, dust off my brain and issue a fearsome "bring it on!" to carpel tunnel syndrome. I'm back in Seattle after three years in glorious Washington, DC, and have finally settled in (more or less) to my new house, so no more excuses!
A lot has happened in my life over the last few years, primarily my uninteresting migration from (depending on how you know me, please fill in the blank here)into a married lady who is everyday becoming closer to perfection in the domestic arts. And when I say "domestic arts" I of course am referring to the skills I have adopted of late in the areas of plaster wall repair, attic ventilation, lock set installation and recreational saw'sall operation. Of course I also take pride in my set of fine bone China and make a mean pork chop. But you knew that part already.
I suppose nothing nourishes one's dream of becoming an amateur handyman quite like the purchase of a new home. Specifically, a new home that is anything but new. In January, we closed on the purchase of a 1926 Craftsman in the friendly Seattle neighborhood of Maple Leaf. Since then, I've spent a lot of money at Home Depot, and learned a lot about myself and my marriage. Some bad, but most of it good. One thing is certain: I clearly need to start blogging again.
I want to be clear; this will not turn into a blog about my new adventures of home ownership. I am not a first time home owner, and have already experienced the ups and downs of that rigamarole. I've experienced and processed the "hot damn, I really wish I could call the landlord to fix this!" moments (and there have been several), and I now seem to be finding a lot of this stuff actually kind of enjoyable and dare I say...fun. (Keep in mind of course that this could very well be my subconscious brain trying to help me cope with the costs of home ownership by categorizing them as "fun." I wouldn't put it past me.) I'm not sure if it's because the hardware stores in Seattle are so much better than the terrible ones I experienced in DC, or out of the necessity, as we now have more work than we can afford to pay someone else to do; but I'm suddenly finding that same sense of joy and excitement in hardware stores that I used to find in tack stores when I was a little equestrian with big dreams of having my own horse some day.
I used to love spending time at Mills Tack shop off of Northrup Way in Bellevue. The smell of leather and saddle soap; the peg board walls full of bits, nose bands, hoof picks and blankets. So many tools of the trade that I could use for my some-day horse*. I get that same feeling now at a good hardware store. Only now I actually have a real house in which to play with all of these toys. I mean tools.
In the three months that we've had this house, we've hired licensed professionals to update the electrical service and replace the old knob and tube wiring that was supplying much of the house; replace the furnace with a newer, more efficient model which is not on the verge of death; install a gas insert in the masonry fireplace; and repair a non-functioning kitchen range vent. We've also tackled some projects ourselves: installing dead bolts on all of the doors, repairing a non-closing storm door, replacing window sash locks, installing smoke detectors, weather stripping windows and doors, sealed leaks in some duct work, replaced old scary mystery insulation with new fiberglass insulation (R-49, woo hoo!), rehanging a bathroom door so it opens out instead of in, patching up some spots under the eaves of our attic where resourceful critters could easily get in and camp out for the winter, and creating hundreds of square inches of attic ventilation (still need to do one more roof vent, but we now officially have soffit vents).
My next goal is to be make storm windows for the house. We've got these beautiful old double hung windows that are lovely to look through, terrible to sit next to; I think they're made of mesh. Id like to have storm windows made in time for next winter, and I figure I'll probably need a year to accomplish this and should start now. But before I can make storm windows, I need a STURDY WORK BENCH! I have BIG IDEAS that this bench is going to be my inaugural project that marks the beginning of a fabulous new hobby. Yes, as of today, I fully plan to never buy another piece of furniture again, because I'm going to make it all myself! As long as I can keep all of my fingers, nothing can stand in my way! I'm going to start with with my bench, thanks to the instructions from my very own copy Start Woodworking magazine, which is like, Skipper to Fine Woodworking's Barbi. This is good, because when it comes to wood working, I am very much a Skipper; flat shoes and a can-do attitude.
Wish me luck. I'll be sure to post photos soon...
*I still want to have a horse someday, but still can't afford one, as all of our money seems to be going toward this money pit of a house...
At the encouragement of Wohn, and the realization that a lot of silly things happen to me on a daily basis, I thought, in the name of Ginapalooza, I'd stretch out my fingers, dust off my brain and issue a fearsome "bring it on!" to carpel tunnel syndrome. I'm back in Seattle after three years in glorious Washington, DC, and have finally settled in (more or less) to my new house, so no more excuses!
A lot has happened in my life over the last few years, primarily my uninteresting migration from (depending on how you know me, please fill in the blank here)into a married lady who is everyday becoming closer to perfection in the domestic arts. And when I say "domestic arts" I of course am referring to the skills I have adopted of late in the areas of plaster wall repair, attic ventilation, lock set installation and recreational saw'sall operation. Of course I also take pride in my set of fine bone China and make a mean pork chop. But you knew that part already.
I suppose nothing nourishes one's dream of becoming an amateur handyman quite like the purchase of a new home. Specifically, a new home that is anything but new. In January, we closed on the purchase of a 1926 Craftsman in the friendly Seattle neighborhood of Maple Leaf. Since then, I've spent a lot of money at Home Depot, and learned a lot about myself and my marriage. Some bad, but most of it good. One thing is certain: I clearly need to start blogging again.
I want to be clear; this will not turn into a blog about my new adventures of home ownership. I am not a first time home owner, and have already experienced the ups and downs of that rigamarole. I've experienced and processed the "hot damn, I really wish I could call the landlord to fix this!" moments (and there have been several), and I now seem to be finding a lot of this stuff actually kind of enjoyable and dare I say...fun. (Keep in mind of course that this could very well be my subconscious brain trying to help me cope with the costs of home ownership by categorizing them as "fun." I wouldn't put it past me.) I'm not sure if it's because the hardware stores in Seattle are so much better than the terrible ones I experienced in DC, or out of the necessity, as we now have more work than we can afford to pay someone else to do; but I'm suddenly finding that same sense of joy and excitement in hardware stores that I used to find in tack stores when I was a little equestrian with big dreams of having my own horse some day.
I used to love spending time at Mills Tack shop off of Northrup Way in Bellevue. The smell of leather and saddle soap; the peg board walls full of bits, nose bands, hoof picks and blankets. So many tools of the trade that I could use for my some-day horse*. I get that same feeling now at a good hardware store. Only now I actually have a real house in which to play with all of these toys. I mean tools.
In the three months that we've had this house, we've hired licensed professionals to update the electrical service and replace the old knob and tube wiring that was supplying much of the house; replace the furnace with a newer, more efficient model which is not on the verge of death; install a gas insert in the masonry fireplace; and repair a non-functioning kitchen range vent. We've also tackled some projects ourselves: installing dead bolts on all of the doors, repairing a non-closing storm door, replacing window sash locks, installing smoke detectors, weather stripping windows and doors, sealed leaks in some duct work, replaced old scary mystery insulation with new fiberglass insulation (R-49, woo hoo!), rehanging a bathroom door so it opens out instead of in, patching up some spots under the eaves of our attic where resourceful critters could easily get in and camp out for the winter, and creating hundreds of square inches of attic ventilation (still need to do one more roof vent, but we now officially have soffit vents).
My next goal is to be make storm windows for the house. We've got these beautiful old double hung windows that are lovely to look through, terrible to sit next to; I think they're made of mesh. Id like to have storm windows made in time for next winter, and I figure I'll probably need a year to accomplish this and should start now. But before I can make storm windows, I need a STURDY WORK BENCH! I have BIG IDEAS that this bench is going to be my inaugural project that marks the beginning of a fabulous new hobby. Yes, as of today, I fully plan to never buy another piece of furniture again, because I'm going to make it all myself! As long as I can keep all of my fingers, nothing can stand in my way! I'm going to start with with my bench, thanks to the instructions from my very own copy Start Woodworking magazine, which is like, Skipper to Fine Woodworking's Barbi. This is good, because when it comes to wood working, I am very much a Skipper; flat shoes and a can-do attitude.
Wish me luck. I'll be sure to post photos soon...
*I still want to have a horse someday, but still can't afford one, as all of our money seems to be going toward this money pit of a house...
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