They're Coming!

My parents, that is; for Thanksgiving. So the family has been given a little extra "spit and polish." Meaning, I straighted up the fiber corner and we chased out the dust rhinos.



The dining table has been polished.

The larder has been filled and the turkey has been approved by Inspector 37.

What does it say about our family that the refrigerator holds Half-and-Half, Milwaukee's Best, and Activia?

In preparation for the first overnight guests in quite a while, the guest room got an extra dusting and straightening up. Meaning, I folded up the blocking board and made room in the closet.

I also stripped off the sheets and threw them in the washer.



Only to hear ToolMan cursing a few minutes later. Seems the seal has gone out on the washer and water was running all over the floor. Sound familiar?

Of course, this happened when I have two laundry hampers full of dirty clothes, company coming, and now every towel in the house is wet. So, first we went off to Home Depot; there are some really cool (read "expensive") washers and dryer on the market now. Mom and Dad arrive on Tuesday and the new washer and dryer on Wednesday, so next it was off to find a laundromat. I had no idea how scarce those had become. And I had forgotten how icky they are; thankfully ToolMan was with me. Minimal laundry was done and hauled home and the floors dried out. We're ready for company for the holiday.

Progress is Made

When we moved in, our living room looked like this for quite a while:



Of course it was white when we moved in; this was the first room we painted. Five, that's right, five coats of red on that wall. Then Tool Man made progress on shelves and valances, I made progress on decorating, and Horizon made progress on repairs. Now, it looks like this:



Yessiree, that's progress. Isn't that new carpet great? It looks tons better than the previous beige low plush. But I WOULD NOT recommend an overflowing toilet as a means to get new carpet. Trust me on that one.

Remember the last time you saw the kitchen? Well, lookee here:



Beautiful new flooring. And doesn't that fridge look big? Tool Man believes in buying the biggest appliance possible. Hence, a 27 cubic foot fridge for a house that holds two people and a dog. But for an ice tea drinker like me, the icemaker is the cat's pajamas.

Here's how the dining room started:



I call this picture "Still Life With Dog Butt". Andy Rooney seriously loved that sun spot on the carpet. Until we did this:



Yup, more progress.

And Tool Man has been painting this week. After almost 3 years here, we're starting on the master bath and bedroom. Here's what he's got done so far:



Horizon did the new floor. Tool Man did the new light fixture, the new faucet that you can't see, built that nifty magazine rack for me, and painted. What a guy! Next on his list, a "bath pantry" since we have no towel storage in here. Here's the one I asked him to build. Should be no problem for a talented guy like him.

And the employment front. Made progress there, too; youbetcha.

Had an interview on Thursday that resulted in a offer. A nice offer. But the commute is going to be a killer; I have to take the train AND a bus to get there. Estimated time: 58 minutes each way. Doesn't sound so bad now, but this winter when it's dark and raining and cold, it will be miserable. They know I have other irons in the fire, and I want to do lunch with the staff before I make a decision.

I've sent emails or made calls to every attorney and paralegal I know, plus I've made contact with Northwest Legal, so something should happen pretty quickly. I have more interviews next week. And then this afternoon, I heard about an opening at a firm that would be only a 15 minute train ride each way, so I sent an email to an attorney in that firm that I know along with my resume; hopefully I'll hear from them early next week.

I made progress on Argosy:



Would you just look at the fuzzy lusciousness of that mohair? I tell you, I am really digging this pattern in this yarn. I can hardly wait until it's done.

But perhaps Jeeves should go off that diet he's been on. See what I mean?



I, however, lost 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks. Now, THAT'S what I call progress.

Bridge of Sighs . . . .

It's been a long week. Sigh, . . . .

The carpet is done and so is the kitchen floor. But the bathroom flooring is on back order. So we still only have one tiny bathroom and two new toilets in boxes. Sigh . . .

My liver still isn't behaving as well as it should, in spite of being off any medication that would affect it, so my internist sent me to a liver specialist. I saw the specialist on Wednesday, and he ordered a whole boatload of tests that required about a gallon of blood and an ultrasound. They did the ultrasound on Thursday and I'm still tender from it. Now wait a week to 10 days to get the results. Sigh . . .

And then, the decision has been made to close the office at the end of June. We've all tried exceedingly hard to keep the firm going, and we just can't do it anymore. It has become clear that my boss will not be back to practice law, ever. And the firm cannot continue to operate without her. The employees, all women, are a very tight-knit group. We've been through a lot, both in and out of the office, and we've shared with each other, leaned on each other, laughed and cried with each other. The worst part is not that the office is closing or that I'll have to find another job, but that I will lose touch with a bunch of great broads that I care very deeply for. And no matter where I land a new job, it won't ever come close to comparing to what I'm losing here.
Sigh, sigh, sigh . . . .

I did finally finish Aryanna's sweater and topped it off with little brown leather buttons. Then I wrapped up the baby layette and her sweater in tissue paper, plopped the whole bunch in a bag and handed it off to our client today. She was surprised and (I think) touched that someone went to the trouble to make something by hand for her children. Knowing that I really like her and she probably won't be my client after June makes me sad. Sigh . . .

And I forgot to take a picture of Aryanna's sweater before it was gifted. I've been forgetting a lot of things lately. Sigh . . . .

With all this going on, I needed something complicated and beautiful to knit. Something to take my mind away from all the turmoil that is swirling around me. Lace, that's it! Something nicely complicated, something you have to really pay attention to, something for ME for a change! I've been wanting a swanky shawl to go with my little black dress. So I pulled some beautiful mohair blend out of my stash. It's Stacy Charles Ritratto in color number 64. Here's a picture; scroll down and click on 64 for a good picture. I bought this last winter because I couldn't resist the colors, or the tiny metallic thread plied into it, or the fuzziness of the mohair; so I bought 5 balls. Now for a pattern. Nothing in my books or magazines felt right; so, on to the internet where I found this pattern. Perfect! And I love the name: Snakes and Ladders Stole. Of course, I just can't seem to knit a pattern as written, so I added on for a garter stitch edge all around, just enough to keep it from rolling up. Casted on last nite, and so far I have this much done:





An 18 row repeat, over 80 stitches, on size 5 needles. Just what I was looking for. I've barely made a dent in the first ball. This is going to be a long knit. Sigh . . . . .

Adventures in Shopping

Yesiree, bob, we are makin' progress. The ceiling and walls have been texturized (twice in some cases) and the plastic, paper, and tape have been removed from the premises. The painters come on Monday to paint the kitchen and living room ceiling. Then on Tuesday, the floor people will come to remove the old carpet and what remains of the vinyl; on Wednesday, they'll prep for the new stuff. Then on Thursday and Friday, we get new kitchen vinyl and carpet everywhere. Unfortunately, the bathroom flooring is on back order for 2 weeks. But at long last, the end is at last in sight.

I'm still working on Aryanna's cardi. I'm about 1/2 way through the second sleeve. Hey, I've worked my buns to the bone this week. With a 3 day trial coming up next week to prepare for and training the new associate attorney, along with all the regular office stuff and the house stuff, I've been just a tad frazzled this week.

Then on Friday, I realized I do not have enough decent suits to make it through next week. Because not only do I have a 3 day trial, I also have a full day deposition and a 1/2 day hearing. And the only black heels I have kill my feet. So, yesterday after work, it was off to Chico's to spend the $200 gift card I've been saving. They were having a sale at 15% off, and had a full rack of discontinued in my size. SCORE! So Tool Man pulled stuff off racks and I tried on. Walked out with a black and white print dress, a black jacket, a necklace, and a pair of earrings. And still had money left on the card! On to Kohl's, where I found a great pair of black leather pumps with black patent bows on the toes.

This morning, we were going to eat breakfast out (it's our Saturday morning tradition) but everywhere was packed so we skipped it. Which we would regret later. So we went on to Ross, where Tool Man found a killer black crepe suit for me that marked down from $149 to $21.99! And a cute brown and pink pinstripe suit. And a pair of black slingback heels and a pair of heels in a cream color leather with a pearl finish. All on sale; total checkout was $79.92. Tool Man and I are on a roll by now, so on to Payless shoes where they're having a buy one get one 1/2 off sale; so I pick out a pair of medium brown open toe pumps and a pair of dark brown slingbacks. By now, I'm done, whipped, finito, toasted; and Tool Man's debit cards are smokin' hot. And it isn't even noon yet. But remember, we didn't get breakfast, so we're starved. But we have to go to the grocery store before we go home.

Never, and I mean never, go to WinCo on Saturday at noon; especially when you're hungry; never on the day before a holiday; and never when you only need 3 things. All of which we completely ignored and went anyway. So we had to park approximately 27 miles from the door, sprint into the store in the rain, dry off a cart, and fight our way through the mob to get: a single box of lime Jello, a tub of small curd cottage cheese, and a can of crushed pineapple. All of which are diabolically located as far as possible from each other while still being inside the store. While gathering the mere 3 things on our list, we also snatched up a six-pack and the new edition of Knit 'N Style; we considered them our reward for not killing anyone or their "darling child" before we got out of there.

All this because my sister-in-law Faye told Tool Man last week that she and neice Jane were planning the menu for Easter, when Jane said, "How about a fruit salad; Bobbie makes a good one." So Faye relays the message to Tool Man, who relays it to me. And I ask, "Which one?" His answer: "I don't know; she said something about lime Jello." Now, as Ellen says, "Honey, I was raised a church-going Midwestern Protestant. My people know the multi-layer Jell-O salad." So, after getting home alive and relatively in one piece, then slapping together a sandwich and virtually inhaling it whole (by now it was almost 1:00 p.m.) I whipped up one helluva Jello salad for Jane. I hope this is the recipe she was hoping for!

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Remember a couple months ago, right after the "rescue crew" came and made holes in the floors, walls, and ceilings that I said "I know this will get a lot worse before it gets better." Well, it did. I came home to this:

You notice we have approximately 6 inches of usable stairs. Try racing a dog up those while carrying your purse, a shopping bag, a lunch bag, the mail, and your knitting.

Then when you get to the top, you just want to relax in your nice living room:

Except you can't because the repair people have been there today. And they've moved all the furniture to the middle and encased it in plastic.

After they were through with that, they piled up all the leftover drywall and new carpet pad in what usable space was left. Notice they even covered the sliding door in plastic? The dog is VERY confused by that.

Look what they did to the kitchen today:

I dare you to get a cup of morning coffee after these guys have been in your house. If it wasn't for Iron Mutt Coffee, I wouldn't make it to work in the morning.

These guys apparently have more than enough plastic, tape, and paper, with which to completely encase every bloody thing in the house. The one thing they apparently don't have?

A broom! That white crap on the floor is drywall dust. (Pay no attention to that white thing on the right, it's just the camera strap; Tool Man decided to take the pictures tonight.)

Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Look, Ma! No holes!

At long last, the repair crew showed up to start filling holes and patching walls and ceilings. They did the garage last week (so we have someplace clean to put furniture when it's time for the carpet and flooring).

Today they showed up to put (sorry, had to stop to watch Apollo Anton Ohno. Dancing With The Stars is on, you know!) up the drywall everywhere. But first, they did this:

They draped various parts of the house in plastic to protect it from the dust and debris. Remember that scene in E.T. where they set up the plastic tent in the house to examine E.T. before he dies? Like that. Only more.

See what I mean?

Notice the cabinets, stove, and fridge are also sealed in plastic? Gosh, guess we'll have to eat out until they're done!

They also filled in the holes in the master bedroom

the master bathroom,

and the guest bathroom.

They're back tomorrow to tape and mud the seams. Then on to texturing, painting, and flooring. Ho-rah!

Getting the holes fixed in the wall inspired me to make significant progress on Aryanna's cardigan. See, I even finished off one arm"hole" last night.

So far, I'm really happy with how this is turning out. I debated whether to chose the dusty rose and the bright pink from the variegated for the body. I thought the bright pink would be more "girly", but I really like the dusty rose. And the dusty rose plays up the chocolate brown and tones down the bright pink. I'm thinking maybe brown pearly buttons for this one. Just a little more sophisticated for a small miss, size six.

Oh, yeah; Tool Man and I picked out new toilets last weekend in an attempt to avoid having to do this whole "dry out and repair" thing a second time.

Finally . . . .

Finally, I finished the baby layette:



I decided not to do the embrodiery around each of the eyelets. Too many ends and just "too much". Perfect for a baby girl, just as it is.

In the past, I haven't done things like this for clients, but this one is different. She's been a client for about 4 years now; we've represented her regarding parenting disputes with her daughter's father. Aryanna was still in diapers when her mother came to us; now she's a big girl in first grade. This client lost her mother when she was 18; the mother was murdered, and the client's father was convicted of the crime and spent 18 years in prison. The client has found a wonderful man and married him about 2 years ago. She's miscarried one baby, but they tried again and the baby is due at the end of May. So without a mother, and no aunts, I thought she might not have anything handmade for the baby. I've met her girlfriends, and they don't seem like the "let me make something by hand" type; they're more the young professional "whip out the credit card and buy designer stuff" type.

Not wanting Aryanna to feel like all the attention is on the baby, I've started a little summer cardigan for her, and I'm sure I'll have enough yarn for a bag, too. Perfect for a big girl.

Tool Man and I picked out the flooring and carpet yesterday. We decided on a berber carpet from Mohawk. The color is called "Perfect Tan"; light tan background with flecks of color. The vinyl for the kitchen is a stone pattern in a medium tan and for the bathrooms it's a smaller stone pattern in gray and brown streaked.

AND FINALLY, we got word that the repairs will start on Tuesday! WHOOO HOOO!

Another weekend gone . . .

Another weekend gone and we're still living with holes in the walls, floors, and ceilings. The check is in California, waiting to be signed by the mortgage company and returned (hopefuly on Monday or Tuesday) before we can get the repair people started.

The one problem with so much time before repairs start, is that we keep thinking of "upgrades" we'd like to do. Bamboo flooring in the kitchen, slate in the master bathroom, a walkin shower, maybe a kitchen island, cedar plank floor in the master closet, are all starting to sound reasonable. You know, "it's cheaper to do it now since the floor's already out", and "might be better to do it now, since the wall already has to be re-done". If we're not careful, the total cost could be much, much more than the $18,000 the insurance company gave us.

And we've decided that we absolutely cannot go back to Lowe's or Home Depot until the repairs are done. It's worse than two kids in a toy store. Tool Man and I get to fondling and drooling over the appliances, the flooring, the new sinks, and light fixtures and we can hardly tear ourselves away.

But we have decided to replace the crappy electric stove we have with this as part of the re-work. And we've decided to take the wood panels out of some of the upper kitchen cabinets and replace them with either frosted or textured glass. And add brushed stainless steel hardware. See what I mean? This could turn into a money pit.

The baby sweater is still a work in progress. It's an "up the back and down the front" pattern; which, as it turns out, is not a process I apparently enjoy since it's taking me far too long to finish this thing. It is, after all, only a newborn size and I've been working on this for 2 weeks. It's a good thing that I'm "project monogamous" or it would be a UFO (unfinished object) in the bottom of the knitting basket.

I did get one thing accomplished this weekend: I bought new plastic storage bins and cleaned up my storage room. I had to tell Tool Man that I needed the bins for Halloween decorations, which was only partly true. I did have two decorations to store. But what I really needed them for is to store the giant skein of brushed mohair, cone of bamboo, and multiple balls of cotton that I bought a couple weeks ago when we went to Carlton for SEX. That was a "stash enhancement expedition" at Woodland Woolworks. I know that made you smile. ;)

WIP Wednesday

WIP: Work in Progress. My life is full of 'em.

My boss came into the office today to report on her doctor appointment yesterday; unfortunately, still no definitive diagnosis. Therefore, no treatment plan, no therapy plan, and set plans for how she can proceed from here. A work in progress . . . .

The office is another work in progress. With no answers for the boss, it means few answers and few plans for the firm except to keep doing what we're doing: providing legal representation for our clients, tightening our belts, putting our shoulders to the wheel, and keeping this firm intact for her.

The house continues to be a work in progress. But progress we are making. We got a check from the insurance company today. WHOOO HOOO! And then we realize it has to be endorsed by the mortgage company in California. So, even with overnight delivery, there's no way we can get it endorsed, back here, open a construction account, and get the contractors started before the middle of next week. Another work in progress . . . .

And the baby gifts I've been knitting are works in progress. At least the sweater is a work in progress, still:

Yes, it really is that hot pink. It's TLC Baby, fingering weight, on US 3 needles, pattern is Peek-A-Boo Sacque from Free Vintage Knitting. The little eyelets knitted into the fabric will get embroidery around them and the whole thing gets edging in the same variegated yarn I used for the lace blanket:

This picture really doesn't show the stitch well at all. Let's try again:

Still not great, but better. Learning to use the digital camera may be yet another work in progress . . .

Meanwhile, I'm taking pictures and blogging, and I see that someone has taken possession of my chair.

What do you mean, "your" chair?

Even though he was 10 years old in January, he definitely continues to be a work in progress . . . .

The Aftermath . . . .

Let's take a tour of how the so-called "rescue crew" left our house, shall we?

First, the kitchen:




Good thing we hadn't decided on a paint color in there yet.

Meanwhile, the dining room was completely done: paint, carpet, furniture, drapes, artwork, lighting. Now look:




Upstairs, here's the view of the hallway: first into the master bedroom and then back out:




Yes, Virginia, that IS the bottom of the tub that can be seen through the hole in the wall. And can anyone explain to me why these guys so carefully put down sticky plastic to protect the carpet, just BEFORE THEY CUT HUGE CHUNKS OUT OF IT?

Here's the remains of the master bedroom and bath:







That box with the scale on top is covering the toilet drain (remember: the toilet is sitting in my SHOWER, for god's sake! That really has me grossed out.). Our jack russell, Andy, COULD NOT stay away from it, so we had to cover it with a box and then weight it down so he couldn't stick his head down the hole. He also thinks all these holes in the walls are big doggie doors just for him.

Since the master bath is toast, we're using the remains of the guest bath:



To end on a brighter, or at least prettier note: my lenten roses (hellebores) finally bloomed. I planted these babies back in May, 2005; right after we moved into the house. Having them bloom now is like finding the silver lining inside this gray cloud of a house.







I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but this weekend had one of those rare early spring days that we seldom get in Oregon: warm (high 50s), sunny, no rain, and that glorious neon blue sky. So getting some sun, and the flowers, really helped lift our spirits. I hope wherever you are, that you get at least one of those early spring days soon.

More Good News

The estimators from the rescue/restoration service were here on Monday to take pictures and work up what the repairs are going to cost. And the insurance adjuster was here on Wednesday to see how much damage there was. The adjuster called the estimator while he was here, and they seem to be on the same page cost-wise. And the adjuster said this will cost us nothing more than our deductible, which we paid the first day the rescue crew was here.

And thankfully, we have no damage to any contents of the house; no upholstered furniture got wet and no wood furniture was wet long enough to have been damaged. Except for a thin layer of drywall dust covering EVERY DAMN SURFACE IN THE ENTIRE HOUSE, nothing is damaged. Wonder if I can talk the adjuster into a one-time, top-to-bottom housecleaning when the repairs are done?

Additional info for those of you who haven't been keeping up before the blog: our homeowner's association (HOA) had to sue the builder of our townhomes because of some incorrect flashing, siding, etc. So, we have now won the lawsuit and we are now in the process of having outside reconstruction done. We've already got our new roof; and will later this spring have the siding torn off, the windows and doors rehung, and then new siding, trim, gutters and porch railings put on. Basically, we'll have a new house, inside and out, by fall. Problem is, we have to live in for the whole time.

Oh, I added some lists of my favorite stuff at the bottom of the page. And each entry has a place at the bottom where you can leave me comments.

I'll try to get pictures of the damage (and maybe some of the undamaged parts) up on the blog this weekend. Right now, I'm going to put my feet up (my ankles are swollen from the blood pressure medication, but I see the Dr. on Monday), turn on Law & Order, and see if I can finish that baby blanket I'm knitting.

P.S. - We hired a new bookkeeper for the office this week, Debi, and she is FABULOUS! And we have also hired a new associate attorney, who will start on 2/26. At least things are looking better on that front.

A little good news . . .

The rescue people came back late this afternoon and tested for moisture and guess what: They took away the LOUD machines! Yeah!

So tonight, I've been working on a layout one of my co-workers, Chris, is putting in her daughter, Lizzie's, senior album. I can't take credit for the layout, that's all Chris (she has such GOOD taste!), I only did the computer stuff for her. Isn't Lizzie just gorgeous?


I know you can't read the quote around the small picture; it says, "I'm fairly certain, given a cape and a nice tiara, that I could save the world." Awwww!

At last, a quiet night (finally) and not a damn thing on tv worth watching. So, I'm going to find something on Discovery Channel or History Channel so I can listen while I knit on a lace baby blanket for a long-time client who's expecting in May.

Now that I've learned to upload photos (Eat my dust, Naomi!) , I'll try to get some photos of the house, or what's left of it, posted soon. And maybe even some of my knitting; because one can never have enough fiber in their diet (get it?).

Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite.

Monday Morning

Well, we spent the weekend in the only two rooms untouched by the disaster: the guest bedroom and the family room. And we've either eaten out, eaten take out, or delivery pizza for 3 days so I feel like I'm coated in grease (inside and out!) After spending the weekend listening to those dehydrators and fans, the office seems relatively quiet. Rod says he's going to sell that equipment to foreign governments to use as torture devices! And we (finally!) heard from the insurance adjuster last night (he's probably sorry he waited so long to call and then got Rod on the phone after 2 nights of not sleeping because of the noisy machines!), who says he will be at the house on Wednesday to assess the damage.

Meanwhile, because the rescue services only took PARTS of the walls, ceilings, and floors out, I know the mess will get LOTS WORSE before it gets better.

Cie la vie!

My First Posting . . . .

Well, at long last, I decided to start a blog. I'm not sure why I decided to start now; it just seemed like time to join all the bloggers I regularly read. Then again, maybe it's because I'm in the middle a a really craptastic period of life and need to vent. Here's the short version of what's gone on in the last 3 months:

1. I'm pre-menopausal ('nuff said about THAT!).
2. My boss has been out of the office since early December on medical leave and we're not sure if she'll ever be able to return to practice law; which means much of the daily running of the office falls on me.
3. Then the meds they had me on for an immune disorder (sarcoidosis) caused my liver to stop functioning so I had to go off meds (it's better now, thanks).
4. Then the bookkeeper quit.
5. Then one of the associates decided to leave the firm.
6. Then my blood pressure went sky high (gee, think it might be stress related????)
7. Then, in the middle of the night last Monday, the toilet overflowed for approximately 3 hours. Now, what makes that so bad is that we live in a 3 story townhouse and the bathroom is on the top floor (translation: water flooded the bathroom and bedroom, ran through the floor into the kitchen ceiling below and flooded the kitchen, living room and dining room, then ran through that floor into the garage and family room.).
8. Then the rescue service didn't show up until yesterday, when they informed us this was a "black water event" (meaning it came from a toilet) so it's a HAZMAT situation.
9. The rescue service has done the following: On the third floor: torn out the master bathroom vanity, the floor in both bathrooms, taken out the master bath toilet and put it in my shower (ewww!), torn the bedroom carpet and most of the subfloor, and cut huge chunks of drywall out of almost every wall. On the second floor they have: taken out the entire kitchen ceiling and part of the living room ceiling, taken out most of the kitchen floor and subfloor, removed part of the dining room carpet and part of the living room carpet, cut big chunks of drywall out, moved out the stove and refridgerator, and are waiting on permission to take the cabinets off the shared wall. On the ground floor they have taken off the entire garage ceiling, most of the garage walls, and part of the family room wall. And they left big LOUD blowers and dehydrators on every floor that have to run for 4 days. FOUR DAYS, PEOPLE! Then they'll be back next week to see if it's dry enough to start reconstruction in 2 to 3 weeks. Holy @&%*+@#!
10. This water damage happened in a house we just bought 2 1/2 years ago, which had been a "builder's special for rental", and have spent the whole time painting, upgrading, furnishing, and decorating.

The only bright spot so far: a $500 deductible on the homeowner's insurance.

More to come later, I'm sure.